a quick collective beauty haul.

Over the past few weeks I have evidently gone a bit mad in the shops and online, but only mostly with beauty products. I thought I'd take a few pics, make a few comments...share 'em with you and whatnot.

Some of these products I have had for a few weeks and have managed to try them, so for these said products, I will share with you a mini review. I also threw in a few samples that I picked up from a couple of beauty counters.

Enjoy :) 

• steamcream {boots £5.50 each sale}
• botanics mattifying gel cream {boots £.3.32 offer}
• body shop - japanese cherry blossom body lotion {£1 sale}
• body shop - wild cherry puree body lotion {£1 sale}

• MAC brush kit by Julie Verhoeven x4 {selfridges £39.50}
• NARS sheer matte foundation (SAMPLE) {selfridges}- I have only used this once but I think I am actually in love with this. I didn't need too much to give me good coverage and it stayed matte for the entire day without powder. I must buy it in full size!!
• YSL le teint touche eclat foundation (SAMPLES) {boots}

• bio-oil (200ml) {costco 2 for £21} - I have been a fan of bio-oil for quite some time now. Even though I can be quite lazy with it, I use it for my body to make my skin a lot more moisturised and it helps to slowly fade some scars I have on my legs.
• body shop - lychee blossom body mist {£3 sale} - As soon as I bought this it went straight into my handbag. It's good to use during the day as your perfume starts to fade away and I always get compliments on the scent.
• seche vite {urban outfitters £5.00 sale}
• essie nail polishes (l-r 'school of hard rocks', 'power clutch', 'case study') {cheapsmells £4.95 each offer} - I absolutely LOVE the formula for essie nail polishes. The brush could be a bit thicker and softer, but the formula totally makes up for it.

What have you bought recently?

In a bit, jayj x.

thanks bro.

So it’s 1.42am and I’m sitting here reading my favourite blogs and listening to some music, but I just had to do this post.

I just changed the header to my blog and it is all thanks to my brother. He’s so creative and a little genius when it comes to creating almost anything using different kinds of software on his computer, so I knew it had to be him to make me a banner. I love it SO much; it just completes the look to my blog.

It’s the greatest feeling when the people that are closest to you support the things that you choose to do, and this here is my little thank you.

thanks bro, jayj x.

the body shop - body butters.

There is no other way to describe my feelings towards moisturisers than to say I absolutely LOVE them. I’m one of those people who simply buy moisturisers because they smell nice, or maybe I’ve heard some good things about a particular brand so I will go out and get it. Another reason I buy so many different types is when stores have them on promotion, so I have no choice but to get them.

Recently I’ve mostly been buying facial moisturisers, but that never stops me from getting body lotions…which brings me to the topic of this post. 

One of my all-time favourite brands of body lotions are from The Body Shop, and their body butters are what I always go for. I don’t go through them all that quickly, but every time they are doing an offer or I just smell one that I love I can never walk past the store and not buy one.

 my current collection.

There are many reasons why I always go back to Body Shop for their body butters. There is such a vast range of scents to choose from, so you will always find something that you like, whether it is sweet or fruity. I also love how moisturising they are. I am a big fan of thick moisturisers as I find them to be the most moisturising (I’ve said that word a lot haven’t I? lol.), but body butters are not too thick as is doesn’t take ages to rub them in…I find it very annoying when body lotions are like that. I like how you can get them in a few different sizes too. I either get the big ones (200ml) to have at home, or the smaller ones (50ml) to keep in my handbag.  

I do find them a tad expensive with the RRP of a big tub being £13.00, but as they are often doing half price promotions on them, or sometimes Buy 1 Get 1 Free, then I always take full advantage and stock up on my collection.

passion fruit / lychee blossom / strawberry (200ml)

strawberry / sweet lemon (50ml)

Are you a fan of the body butters? What is your favourite scent?

jayj x.

a beauty TAG.

So I was kind of stuck for blog posts and had no idea what to do, but I was watching a youtube video of a current beauty tag and thought…how about a blog tag?

I attacked google with a search of different beauty blog tags and found a few interesting ones, but what I’ve done is combined a few of the questions and added a few.

So here it is, a beauty TAG.

SKINCARE
1. How many times do you wash your face daily?
twice.

2. What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
combination. dry/oily.

3. What is your current facial wash?
clean&clear oil-free exfoliating daily wash.

4. Do you exfoliate?
my facial wash is an exfoliator, so yes, daily.

5. What brand do you use?
same as above ^^ and occasionally soap&glory.

6. What moisturiser do you use?
clean&clear morning energy skin brightening daily facial moisturiser.

7. Do you have freckles?
no.

8. Do you use eye cream?
so very occasionally. the one I do use is olay total effects eye cream.

9. Do you or did you have acne prone skin?

not acne, just mad spots.

MAKE-UP
1. What foundation do you use?
tricky question, I have many, but my favourite would be MAC matchmaster (9.0).

2. How about concealer?
two. MAC pro longwear concealer (NW50) and MAC studio finish concealer (NW50).

3. Do you know your undertone colour?
red methinks.

4. What do you think of fake eyelashes?
they’re cool but I don’t use them, I wish I could say I had the patience.

5. What brand of mascara do you use?
covergirl.

6. Sephora or MAC?
MAC because I own no Sephora makeup.

7. What makeup tools do you use in your makeup application?
ELF studio powder brush and ELF studio complexion brush.

8. What is your favourite eyeshadow (colour or shade)?
any kind of black shade, I’m all about a dark, smoky eye.

9. Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
mostly a liquid liner, but jumbo eye pencils are really good too.

10. What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
too messy.

11. Do you use mineral makeup?
no.

12. What is your favourite lipstick?
MAC  viva glam 6.

13. How about lip gloss?
I don’t use lip gloss.

14. What is your favourite blush to use?
don’t use blush either…

15. Do you buy your makeup on eBay?
not yet, but if there is something I really want that I can’t get, eBay is always the first place I look.

16. Do you like drugstore makeup?
yes, but unfortunately for my bank account, I like high end makeup a little more.

17. Do you like colourful shades of makeup (lipstick, eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
I’m all for a natural look, so neutral all the way.

18. If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item, what would you use?
foundation.

19. Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
yup. I didn't really start using makeup till I was about 18, so I did it for many years.

20. In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
gotta say MAC because that’s what I mostly own.

21. What do you think of makeup??
I do like makeup as it covers up any imperfections and makes me feel confident about my skin. I’ve never been a fan of too much makeup though. Unless it’s for a special occasion, I feel that any makeup used should just enhance the features we already have, not change them.

I will personally tag a few people on their blogs or via twitter.

PLEASE feel free to answer the questions on your own blog. If you do, leave a comment below and I’ll check it out. And also, let me know of any other beauty or fashion tags floating around the internet…I love a good tag.

you’ve been TAGGED, jayj x.

quick nail post #1.

Anyone who knows me will know I am OBSESSED with painting my nails…it’s basically become a hobby of mine lol.

I thought it would be a fun idea to do a little series on my blog…NOTD (Nails of the Day). Not every day, but whenever I get creative with my nails or I am just in love with a certain colour. 

 barry m limited edition effects – lilac foil / essie – school of hard rocks

What are some of your favourite Barry M and Essie colours?

jayj x.

august beauty wish list.

e.l.f. khol eyeliner / MAC select cover-up concealer / burberry lip mist / MAC brush kit by Julie Verhoeven / NARS sheer matte foundation

Nearly every month, I find myself online looking into different beauty products that I’d like to try out, whether they are high end or drugstore products. This month I managed to narrow it down to just 5 products, and here’s why I’d like to try them:

1.       e.l.f. khol eyeliner – In terms of eye makeup, day to day, all I really wear is eyeliner and mascara so I’m on the hunt for a really intense black eyeliner. I need one that is creamy, easy to apply, and lasts for the day.

2.       MAC select cover-up concealer (NW45) – A good concealer is something that really completes my look as I have quite a few dark spots that I need to cover. I’m searching for a full coverage concealer that looks natural and is easy to blend.

3.       Burberry lip mist – This is just me being curious, but I really just want to try out a lip product by Burberry. I feel like because of the price and the popularity of the brand it will give excellent results.

4.       MAC brush kit – I don’t own any MAC brushes but I’ve read and watched so many great reviews about them. With this ‘Illustrated’ collection set by Julie Verhoeven, I feel like I would be getting excellent value for money…5 MAC brushes for £39.50! I’m going to assume they are not full size brushes, but I still think this is a good deal.

5.       NARS sheer matte foundation – I am a huge fan of foundation that leaves a dewy finish, but as my skin appears to be getting oilier, I’d like to try one that is specially made to leave a matte finish. I’m also going to use this as an opportunity to try out a NARS foundation as I’ve never done so before.    

 Be sure to click the links above to check out each product.

Do you have or have you ever tried any of these products? What are your views on them? Should I go ahead with my purchases?

Looking forward to your comments, jayj x.

july glossybox.

I know it’s a bit late as I got the box in the mail a couple of weeks ago now, but I thought I would share my opinions on last month’s glossybox and give you a mini review of the products that I really liked. Also, I like to try out the products for a little while first so that my opinions are a true reflection.

awapuhi wild ginger texturizing sea spray/ MONU calming cream/ Collin resultime regenerating collagen gel/ jelly pong pong lip frosting/ kryolan satin powder 

Like everything, you won’t always like new things that you get, and sometimes some products just don’t agree with you. After using all of the products that came in the box I was able to narrow it down to three that I really enjoyed using.

1. MONU Calming Cream – RRP £14.95 (15ml)

I LOVE testing out new skin products, especially moisturisers, so when I saw this product in the box I jumped on it immediately.

What I love most about it is the texture. It has quite a thick consistency so it is a lot more moisturising and it feels like your skin really absorbs the product. I use it before I apply my foundation in the morning and I find that it creates a good base for a more dewy foundation. There is enough moisture so your skin is not so matte, but not too much, so your skin isn’t greasy.

It is green in colour, so also because of the thick texture,  you do have to rub in it in very well when you use it, but it’s totally worth it.

2. Jelly Pong Pong Lip Frosting – RRP £10 (15ml)

I’ve never been one to use a lot of colour on my lips, but recently I’ve found a few lip products that add a nice sheer tint to my lips without making it look like I have too much makeup on…this is one of those products.

It is quite thick so I would advise using a lip balm before applying it to add a bit of moisture, but the colour payoff is really flattering on the lips.

The ultimate thing that makes this lip product so great is most definitely the scent. It smells of bubblegum and candy and just everything sweet!

3. Collin Resultime Regenerating Collagen Gel – RRP £47.25 (50ml)

I found that this product works best if you use it at night after you wash your face and let your skin absorb the product while you sleep.

It is a nice gel consistency so it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin, and it has a calming floral scent to it.

When you wake up in the morning your skin is feels so smooth and refreshed. It makes the job of moisturising and applying makeup so much easier…definitely a product that I can use over and over again.  

Did you get last month’s box? Which products were your favourites?

Hope you’re all good :) jayj x.