Cheeky Beauty Haul Part 3: Beautybay.com Haul

We've made it to the 3rd and final installment of my beauty haul, woohoo! I made my first ever purchase on Beauty Bay the other day and 2 days later, it arrived and I am so excited to try everything! You'll be able to see that subconsciously I was feeling all things eyes/brows. So without further ado, here's what I bought:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Medium Brown - every beauty blogger and her dog has tried and raved about this so finally I have jumped on the bandwagon. I am all about the brows and currently use MAC Eyeshadow in Concrete with an angled brush, however I do find it difficult to get the ends of the brow just right so I am hoping this nifty pen and spoolie will do the trick.

Too Faced Natural Eyes Neutral Eye Shadow Palette - another beauty blogger favourite, and who doesn't love a good neutral eye palette? I have been travelling a fair amount recently and will be going away some more in the next few months and really wanted a good travel sized palette. I have the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette but find this a little bit too bulky to carry around so thats why I picked up one of these. Will do a more indepth review once I have tried it out but I can tell I am going to love it! Its currently on sale on BeautyBay so go, go, go!





























Japonesque Touch Up Razor Set - I have Anna from Vivianna Does Make Up to thank for this! I too suffer from bushy eyebrows (with some sparse spots) and eyebrow hairs that can grow quite long! When I dont have time to go to my eyebrow lady to tame them, I sometimes use nail scissors to trim them, with admittedly mixed results, one slip of the hand and for the next month I have to pack on the brow powder to cover the bald patches! I've yet to try this but it looks like itll be much easier to trim those unruly brows. Its currently sold out on BeautyBay but I found it here.



Beautybay Freebie: Travel size Murad Essential C Cleanser 45ml - The great thing about BeautyBay is you can choose a free sample and I am in need of a good travel sized cleanser so opted for this Murad cleanser. I have heard a lot about Murad but have never tried any of their products so I will let you know my thoughts!



If you missed part 1 of my beauty haul on Sigma brushes you can see it here:

And here's part 2 on Skincare and Fragrance.














Enjoy!

Lisa x

Cheeky Beauty Haul Part 2: Skincare & Fragrance

Welcome to part 2 of my beauty haul! In this post I'm going to share my latest skincare & fragrance purchases:

Bioderma Micellar Water 500ml x2 - a lovely friend of mine was going to Paris for the weekend so I asked her to buy me a twin pack of this makeup removing staple and she kindly came back with the goods! It used to be that it was  alot more expensive to buy this in the UK but I paid roughly £15 for two bottles (I think it was around 17 Euros from memory?), and you can now find Bioderma for about the same price here. You've seen loads of reviews on this wonder product so I wont go on about it, I just love using it to remove the bulk of my make up before I go in with a cleanser.

Clarins Pore Minimising Serum 30ml - I picked this up on a weekend mini break to Norfolk where I had a lovely facial at the Hoste Beauty Spa in Burnham Market, I enjoyed it so much I fell asleep and was snoring merrily away according to my therapist! When I finally awoke, mortified, she recommended that I use this pore minimising serum to improve the texture of my skin, which is quite oily and therefore prone to enlarged pores and breakouts. I'm going to keep trialling this and let you guys know my thoughts in a few weeks.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo Anti Blemish Cream - since coming off the pill 3 months ago (for health reasons, not baby-making reasons just yet!), my skin has gone all out of whack as my hormones are trying to rebalance - oilier with a few more spots and lumps and bumps. I'd used Effaclar Duo in the past and had great results so I decided to pick some more up to see if it would help with my skin. Its too soon to tell but my skin has calmed down a fair bit with fewer bumps under the skin. Again I will do a full review of my skincare routine in the next month or so.



Emporio Armani White Diamonds EDP - I have had my eye on this fragrance for a while but for some reason never got around to buying it. I was in Debenhams and saw this was on sale so I finally forked over the cash for this beauty. Firstly the bottle is so chic and understated, with facets like a diamond. And as for the scent, its is very fresh and floral with a hint of fruitiness without being too sweet, perfect for everyday and perfect for summer!

If you missed Part 1 of my beauty haul, check it out here.

Lisa x

Cheeky Beauty Haul Part 1: Sigma Makeup Brushes

Hey guys, remember me? I am so sorry I have been MIA the last month and a half, I won't bore you with the details but I have been a busy bee, my husband and I are currently on the search for our first home so that has been an all-consuming endeavour.

So anyway, even though I have been busy house-hunting I have actually managed to fit in a fair amount of shopping, in particular beauty and fashion! Because I have bought a fair bit I have decided to split my posts into a few parts: so today I am going to share with you my recent foray into Sigma Beauty Brushes!

Excuse the dirty brushes (oops!)

I am so excited that I am now in the possession of these babies! I ordered them through Amazon UK; they arrived a couple of days ago and I have been busy testing them out. Here are my thoughts so far:

Sigma F80 Flat Kabuki Brush - this is hands down my favourite of the three. It is just so soft and buffs the foundation into my skin so beautifully it looks airbrushed. Not only that, but I really feel that using this brush helps to prolong the wear of my foundation; when I don't use the F80 I feel like by the end of the day, my foundation has lifted out of my skin and just sits on top in a greasy mess, ew. Yes, it is safe to say, I am in L-O-V-E.

Sigma E35 Tapered Blending Brush - I used to own a MAC 217 a few months ago but I lost it when I went home to Australia to get married, however I suspect that actually one of my sisters stole it! Now that I am in possesion of this blending wonder, I can get back to doing those lovely blended smokey eye looks again. It is very soft and very similar to the MAC 217, perhaps slightly longer. I am enjoying using this.

Sigma E75 Angled Brow Brush - this is the least favourite of my Sigma purchases. I tried using it on my brows but the bristles are too bendy and thin, I feel like it doesnt put enough powder into my brows nor can I get much control with it. I then tried to use it to apply gel eyeliner to create a cat eye, but again the bristles were too flexible and I ended up poking myself in the eye. But I will persevere and try and find a use for it.

Have you tried Sigma make up brushes? What are your faves? What are ones to avoid?

Lisa x

This was taken at the end of my work day and apart from touching up with translucent powder my base is still flawless thanks to my new love!

Lust List: All About Eyes

My beauty lust list is ever-growing and the latest additions have been all about eyes. I've just come back from a short holiday in France but due to time constraints I didn't get to raid the duty free counters as much as I would have liked! So here are the eye products I have been eyeing up and am keen to add to my collection:

1) Chanel Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quad in Tisse Vendome

I adore everything from Chanel and this is no exception. I swatched the shadows at the Covent Garden store and they are buttery soft, highly pigmented and contains 3 gorgeous neutral shades and 1 beautiful coral/pink shade (which doesn't translate in the image on the Chanel website) that is really unique and summery and is the main reason I am lasting after this, hard.

2) Marc Jacobs Style Eye-con Eyeshadow Palette - The Lolita

One can never have too many eyeshadow palettes, especially those of the neutral kind, and this has been on my radar for a long while, however Marc Jacobs beauty is difficult to get ahold of jn the UK. I will be heading to the states later this year so I might hold out until then!

3) Em Cosmetics Waterliner in Ro's Gold

Ever since I saw Michelle Phan's tutorial featuring this beautiful rose-gold waterliner I have been on the hunt for something similar, but to no avail! It really brightens the eye area and is much more flattering than white eyeliner, again I may have to wait until I'm Stateside for this purchase! Let me know in the comments if you've come across a dupe in the UK?

4) Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil

I am a big believer that brows make or break the face and I am always on the lookout for the next best thing to give me  my best brows possible. Often my brows takes up the most makeup time when I'm getting ready so anything to make this ritual quick and easy, as this promises to do, is top of my wish list. 

Have you tried these products? What's on your beauty lust list?

Lisa x

Travel Beauty Essentials - The Non Makeup Edit

When it comes to travelling and beauty products I think that I am pretty low maintenance on the haircare/skincare side of things and tend to just bring what I can fit into those clear plastic ziplock bags they give you at the airport (I avoid checking in my luggage on short trips). I also want to save space in my bag for a bit of cheeky duty free shopping (see previous post)! So here are my non makeup essentials.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume shampoo & conditioner 50 (travel size) - this is my all time favourite shampoo and conditioner  as I have very fine hair but lots of it, and this fantastic range cleanses and conditions my hair without weighing it down, but it leaves my hair feeling nourished and healthy. And the scent is so fresh and clean-smelling which I love.

Simple Face wipes - I don't use these on an everyday basis but makeup wipes are a godsend when going on holidays when you want to remove your make up before your "proper" cleanse, and it's also great for a quick refresh and get rid of the sunscreen and sea salt after a day at the beach.

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Cottonseed 20ml - this was a GWP sample I had "found"/stolen from my mother in law's bathroom cupboard, I'd never used it before but I love it! It's a creamy foaming cleanser that's great for normal/combination skin, and I find it is effective enough to cleanse the skin properly of all the makeup, sunscreen, dirt and oil that builds up during the day and leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean. Will have to grab a full sized one when I'm next in duty free!

Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil 30ml - I have had this bottle for at least 2 years and use it every other day and it seems to be neverending! I use this in the evening and treat myself to a facial massage to really work this into the skin, and I am rewarded in the morning with really soft dewy skin! Oily skin gals, never fear, this oil is great for our skin and doesn't clog pores and just sit on top of the skin, even oily skin needs good hydration and I actually find using this helps to reduce the oiliness of my skin with regular use.

La Roche Posay Effaclar H Compensating Soothing moisturiser 40ml - on the nights I don't use the Clarins oil I have been using this lovely moisturiser from La Roche Posay. It's very hydrating and soothing after a day in the sun.

Soap & Glory Clean on Me Body Wash travel size - this is my all time favourite bodywash and I have the full sized version at home in my shower. The scent of this is so uplifting and not too fruity or overpowering, but what I love most is that it foams up and cleanses your skin but it never dries out your skin, it feels incredibly soft and nourished. Love this stuff!

Body Shop Mango Whip Body Lotion 60ml - this stuff is wonderfully moisturising and nourishing for the skin and smells delicious, like juicy mangoes, what's not to love? I love hitting up the Body Shop and buying the minis from the  "pick n mix" section.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or Body Oil 50ml - this is a recent purchase that I bought for my wedding day in Australia, thinking that on the big day we would be basking in glorious sunshine (but alas, it rained, but that's a story for another time). I did however get to use it subsequently and have brought it along for our little trip to France, which is rather apt as, to me, this lovely shimmery oil smells like what those glamorous sunbathing French women, it smells divine, a really warm almost spicy concoction that brings to mind balmy summer nights strolling on the beach. Heavenly stuff that makes your skin glow and feel like a beach goddess.

Tangle Teezer - once you've tried the Tangle Teezer you can never go back. I've had mine for years and it's great for detangling my long tangle-prone hair especially after a day at the beach!

Stay tuned for my make up travel essentials!

What are your holiday must haves?

Lisa x

PS I do use sunscreen at the beach, we are staying at my husband's family flat on holidays so I didn't need to bring any with me, just in case you were wondering!

Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet + Clinique City Block Sheer = Ultimate Summer Face Base combo?

Its a public holiday in the UK on Monday and the hubby and I have gone away for a long weekend to get some much-needed sun in the South of France. For me, one of the best things about going away on holidays has got to be duty-free shopping at the airport - it is a beauty junkie's heaven. To avoid being overwhelmed by the vast array of beauty things on offer, I have a rather long beauty lust-list that I keep on my phone which I constantly add to whenever I come across something that catches my eye. Unfortunately due to London's chaotic transport system, I arrived at Gatwick Airport with only a little bit of time for shopping so only managed to pick up a couple of things.

On top of my beauty lust list (see below) is the new Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation which I managed to pick up before racing for my gate. Last week I went down to the Chanel concept store in Covent Garden and picked up a sample of this foundation and was colour-matched to shade #30 (note: I am NC30 in MAC), and I have been trialling it all week and have absolutely fallen in love with it so I knew I had to treat myself to a full sized one. I still want to use it for another week or so before giving my full review but my first thoughts are:

• Application: this foundation is so lightweight it feels like you have nothing on the skin and is a wonder to blend, this is best done with the fingertips.
• Coverage: is light to medium, it does give decent coverage and evens out your skin tone and looks like your own skin, and it seems to be quite buildable, however it is not a full coverage foundation so if its absolutely flawless skin you are after, or you have quite dark blemishes to cover, this may not be right for you.
• The Finish: the matte finish is wonderful without making your skin look flat or dead, and as an oily-skinned gal this managed to stay shine-free for most of the day, though I needed to blot once or twice later in the day, however there is no foundation I have ever tried that keeps me shine free all day.
• Wear time: it lasts for a good few hours but I would say after about 6 hours its starts to show a bit of wear.
• Packaging: true to Chanel style the bottle is very chic and perfect for taking on holidays as its in a plastic bottle rather than heavy glass.

Like I said I have only used this for about 4 days so it is still early days but right now I am loving this foundation and think it could be perfect as an everyday foundation for me, and it is especially great for the summertime and on holidays for that fresh, even-toned skin look!

The second item I picked up was skincare related rather than makeup. I have been looking for a lightweight, matte finish SPF for my face as a) it is coming into summertime and I am currently on holidays in the sun and b) I use a night cream with glycolic acid in it every other night so needed something to protect my skin from the sun's damaging rays. On a whim during my quick duty free dash, I asked the lady at the Clinique counter for their best face SPF for oily skin and she referred me to the Clinique City Block Sheer SPF25 Oil-Free Daily Face Protector. I tried it for the first time today and I must say I am impressed, it applied beautifully and sank into my skin immediately without any greasy residue, went on completely invisible and created a great matte base for my make up. After about 6 hours of wear there was still no sign of any grease on my face and using it with the Chanel foundation my skin is still shine free which is a miracle! I think I may I have found my perfect summer face base combo!

Do you change up your makeup routine in the summer? Let me know what goes on your face when the sun shines in the comments below, would love to read your recommendations for summer time beauty!

Lisa x

Handbag Review: Rebecca Minkoff Hudson Moto Mini

As well as being a self-confessed beauty junkie, I am very much equally a Bag Lady, in that I am obsessed with handbags. Having splurged on a Michael Kors Selma last year, I put myself on a bag-ban and pretty much stuck to it all year, bar one little relapse - a cheeky Asos purchase, but it was a cute light blue laser cut clutch little number that was around £12 so it was a bargain I could not resist. If you, like me, are a handbag hoarder, you'll understand that even though I was on a bag-ban, I still was very much on the lookout for my next bag-conquest, so continued to stalk websites such as Selfridges, Net-a-Porter, Shopbop et al.

So it was on one such stalking venture last month, a little after my 1 year anniversary with my MK Selma, that I discovered that Shopbop were having a 25% off everything, and immediately I pounced on a Rebecca Minkoff bag that I had had my eye on ever since I saw Fleur de Force and Essie Button reviewed theirs last year. And behold, I give you my gorgeous Rebecca Minkoff Mini Moto Hudson in the shade Biscuit.

I've now had it for a week or so and I can tell you now it is L-O-V-E. it's a cross body number made from a very sturdy Saffiano leather, which is great for me as I tend to bash my bags around a bit, as much as I love them. It has gorgeous rose-gold hardware with this clip enclosure at the front, which at first was slightly annoying to open the bag, but once you get used to it it's fine, and if you're travelling in a busy city and worried about security, ain't nobody gettin' in there. It also has a magnetic closure so if you need to get into your bag quickly or can't be bothered using the clasp, your bag is sort of secure.

Inside it has a really slim front compartment under the flap, and then two larger compartments inside. The compartments and underside of the flap are lined with a funky black and white Rebecca Minkoff motif which I really like. As it's quite a compact bag I can't actually fit my usual Michael Kors longline wallet in there, so I actually just keep my essential cards and cash in the little compartment on the inside.

Overall this bag is a must have in any girls collection as its super stylish and versatile. I had a quick squiz on the interwebs and sadly it is sold out almost everywhere, I did find it in orange on the Bloomingdales website and it is on sale, so run, don't walk if you want to get your hands on this beauty.

http://m.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/rebecca-minkoff-crossbody-hudson-moto-mini?ID=1057772&CategoryID=23564#fn%3Dspp%3D10

What's your fashion-vice? Do you live for shoes or are you a Bag Lady like me?

Lisa x