In my previous blog I mentioned wanting to try the lip scrubs by the Lush sister company B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful. Today I had the new Lush Times come through and it would seem that Lush shall be making and distributing them from now on, this may be old news to some people, but I'm just now finding this out. I am happy about this development, really looking forward to trying out the Bubble Gum one!

On that note I would like to wish you all a wonderful and beautiful New Year x

At the risk of this blog looking like a Lush commercial I have rediscovered a love of Lip Service.

Last night, my lips were feeling dry and tight as they often do this time of year because of the bitter cold combined with central heating, yes I keep my lips conditioned with various different products. But I always seem to find the moisturising effect doesn't last long.

However last night I was looking in my make-up kit and there was my Lip Service which has been neglected for some time. So I put a generous application on my lips just before getting into bed and today my lips feel in such better condition, granted still not as silky soft as I'd like, but I'm a lot closer to that smooth pout I've been working towards than I was previously.

I'll apply another generous helping of the balm tonight and see what my lips feel like tomorrow.

I'm now wanting to try a lip scrub by Lush's sister company B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful to see if I can maximise the softening effect even more.

I've currently got Mum trying out the Clinique Repairwear Intensive Lip Treatment that I bought her as a Christmas present, I'm going to gage how well it works for her and possibly invest in a tube of it for myself if she likes it. At £20 a go I don't want to buy myself some until I know how well it works. Then again we're all different and what works wonders for one may be less than spectacular for someone else....we'll see.

Until next time my lovelies x

Wishing you all a wonderful time during the festive season

&

Have a fabulous New Year

x-x-x

So, as I mentioned in my last blog post I had placed an order with Models Own after going on their site every so often, curiosity got the better of me and I ordered a few things.

Well much to my surprise those products arrived today, beautifully packed in a black box with purple tissue paper and the invoice note placed in a cute black envelope. But packaging, pretty as it is, doesn't speak for the product inside as we all know. So I immediately got to swatching the eyeshadows, trying on the glosses and putting a coat of the glitter nail polish over the grey I was already wearing (funnily enough they work well together) I am in love! The lipglosses glide on nicely and have a scent that reminds me of coconut, now this may not be to everyone's taste. But personally I like the smell, it reminds me of Summer, and I adore Summer! The eyeshadow powders come in cute little jars are one would expect and are packed to the brim with product, so you are getting a lot for your money and at only £5.00 each they are marvellous value. The colours themselves apply wonderfully and are well pigmented so you need very little product to achieve a vivid colour pay-off.

Models Own cosmetics are definitely getting the thumbs up from me and come highly recommended. I suggest all my fellow make-up junkies go to the website and place an order and try these products out for yourselves, I am certain you'll be as impressed as I am.






With the selection of colours (some for those who like to be daring) there is definitely something for everyone and every season - check out the site here!

See you in the next post! x

So, I have decided I'm in love with a new shampoo and conditioner, they smell divine, are thick, creamy and the shampoo lathers a treat. My afro type hair is left feeling soft, manageable, and with just a little bit of King of the Mods for styling my curls are defined, luscious and have nice movement.

What could this magical shampoo and luxurious condition be?

Well it's Curly Wurly from Lush and Retread also by Lush.

These products have been chosen for me to rave about as they are simply...well...wonderful.




I also managed to break my self imposed shopping ban, I simply couldn't resist. I'm well known for having very little will power haha.

so what did I shamefully (albeit gleefully) purchase. There was of course a small investment in a couple more Lush products to try Fresh Farmacy facial soap and their Sugar Scrub




Both are to be road tested and given the thumbs up or down for their effectiveness and all round yum factor.

I also got a few more make-up bargains and well as broke my Model's Own cherry shall we say by finally placing an order on their website, it's been a long time coming, when those products arrive I shall give you a glance. I got some nail polish, lipgloss and eyeshadow powders.

Now on to those delicious bargains, as mentioned before, what girl doesn't love one!

The grand total of the products I am about to show you is (drum roll please) a mere £7.80!



Earrings £2.00 Claire's Accessories
All About Face three for £3.00 Tesco (shades bronzing powder in Sunkissed Bronze, eyeshadow in Espresso, lipstick in Pomegranate)

Again impressed with the pigmentation of the colours considering the price!

You Beauty glitter liquid and pencil eyeliners. As a give away in Top of the Pops magazine believe it or not so technically £2.80 if like me only buying the magazine for the freebie. The liquid liners glide on easily and you get a good pay off of coloured glitter, as you can see you get an emerald green, a purple that seems to have flacks of hot pink running through it and a standard silver. The pencil liners have a bit of drag on them, but I wont complain considering how I came to own them, but the colours are very pretty with subtle flecks of glitter, perfect for the holiday season!

Oh how could I possibly forget! the 88 palette I order a few weeks ago came and I have somehow forgot to mention this (slapped wrist for Miss Shoptastic)



Mine is not the Coastal Scents version, mine is a copy from Hong kong, nevertheless the colours are beautiful and I'm excited to start creating looks from this palette.
(also pictured is the craft store palette I bought for mixing and pouring products, it cost £1.00 in Tesco)

LAst but not least is the Christmas present to myself I bought back along and also somehow forgot to mention. I got a brush roll complete with a full set of brushes for the whole face (12 in total) for £10.00 in Asda Walmart, I bought this after a fellow make-up loving friend of mine alerted me to it's existence after buying one herself, and I must agree that it's an absolute steal.


Well, that's it for now my lovelies, I thought it was about time I gave you a proper blog post, so here it is. I'll be back soon and look out for a new Youtube video or two coming soon as I've had some ideas and just need to get them filmed, edited and uploaded :)

Stay fabulous x

I would like to apologise for my lack of blogging and Youtube video making. As we all know this time of year comes at a cost and I've been cutting back on spending money on myself, with all the will power in the world I have managed to forgo any retail therapy in resent weeks. There haven't been any Youtube videos either as I had what I can only assume was a stress or allergy related skin flare up and thought it was in my best interests not to open myself up to harsh criticism from those viewing Youtube, this I'm sure people will understand.

Things will soon resume normal service, I'm working out ideas for a new video and also what I can do a blog about while I'm cutting back on the spending.

I would like to announce however that I have sorted out my pass for January's London IMATS (International Make-up Artist Trade Show) I will be there on the Saturday (30th) So anyone who plans on attending, I'd love to meet you there, always nice to hang out with people who share the same passions.

Will update soon, love to those who have shown support for the venture into embracing my appreciation in the field of fashion & beauty.

...I certainly do!

I'm sure every girl likes to be pleasantly surprised by a product. Today was no exception, I overcame the embarrassment of purchasing a Shout magazine because I was intrigued by the free Flash Lash set of metallic mascaras that came with it, you get a blue, purple and silver. Now the magazine itself costs £2.30 which means you are effectively getting the mascaras for about 76p each (If like me you have no actual interest in the magazine itself) I put the colours on the back of my hand fully expecting them to have no colour pay-off at all, but they look pretty. We'll see how they measure up on my actual lashes.

Then there is the supermarket Tesco and their cheap range of cosmetics called All About Face. Each product be it a lipstick or a nail polish is usually priced at £1.49, remarkably good value I've decided upon swatching the items I bought in the 3 For £3 offer, making the bargain absolutely fantastic.

I got a bright blue eyeshadow which has what looks like a slight green undertone and some silver reflects (shade name Blue Lagoon). A blusher powder which is a peachy coral again with an element of shimmer, but, it's very subtle (shade name Bronze) Finally there is the silver self sharpening cream eyeshadow pencil, I don't think this product has a shade name - there seemed to only be a choice between the silver or a cooper anyway. Now, these products come in very simple packaging as you can expect from a budget brand. However the make-up itself it beautiful. The colour pigmentation is quite phenomenal and the label even has a recommended throw away date that takes away any guess work in if the product is still safe to use, this is something I don't recall seeing on make-up packaging before, needless to say I'm impressed.

Effectively, first impressions lead one to believe that I've gotten 6 products for the small price tag of £5.30 today, all of which seem to be quite good.

Chuffed? Of course I am!





Until next time x

Super quick update to show you my new make-up set up in my bedroom. As you know I had my make-up in a rather ugly (albeit practical) plastic stack of drawers. I have no idea why when I've had a rather pretty pink and black storage unit sitting around doing nothing for a long time which was one of my impulse buys.

The pink & black unit was I believe £14.99 from a shop called WH Smith. For any none UK readers WH Smith is a store that sell,s magazines, stationary, books, CD's etc and the storage unit came from the stationary department of the store.



Nightingale Multi Drawer Set (now out of stock)

and this is my actual set up (It will be changed and rearranged until I'm completely happy with it, I intend to get a new dresser, something more ...errm..elegant)



Yes I have a photo of Michael Jackson on my dresser, he's my favourite ever!

That's it for now x