April/May Favourites

This is a post I've been wanting to do for ages, since April and never got round to doing it.
Since I moved to Northern Ireland I had to buy a load of things, I didn't want to fill the already chock-a-block car with half full bottles of shampoo and heavy tubs of moisturizer.
So since I arrived I have been going a bit crazy on Ebay trying to get the best bargains. I tried to refrain myself from going wild in Boots, as you all know there's no Boots in Portugal so it's basically my favourite shop ever. Of course I bought a few things in Boots but I must say I did some good hunting online for some of my products.

All this to say:
- Everything on this post is new or relatively new, I'm not going to talk about old favourites and things I still have in my make-up bag/cabinet that I still use on a daily basis.
- Don't freak out with the amount of things I'm showing you on this post, keep in mind this is a 2 month combined favourites, that I had to buy a load of new stuff since moving. And a lot of these things were absolute bargains on Ebay, freebies or samples.

So on to the faves!

Body Products

-Saint Tropez Everyday Moisturizer Gradual Tan in Light/Medium

-Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

-Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Exfoliator

-Soap & Glory Heel Genius Foot Cream

God, I love S&G products. All of these were very smart buys via Ebay. I managed somehow to get these babies for less than half price with some clever obsessive bidding. It was worth it though! 

The Righteous Butter and the Flake Away have the S&G signature scent which I ADOOOORE. I am very funny with smells, even if I love a scent I will grow tired of it very quickly and have to change products, but I have yet to get over this luxurious, sweet, musky and sensual scent. Love love love.

Also both the butter and the exfoliator make my skin so soft and moisturized, it's so worth it I highly recommend.

The Saint Tropez gradual tan moisturizer is lovely, although I probably need a Medium/Dark because I'm not that pale to begin with. Apart from that, it gave me a nice subtle glow, it's got a lovely texture and applies beautifully and effortlessly. And best of all - no horrible DHA smell that tan products always have no matter how they try to disguise it. 

I shall definitely repurchase, although I'll try the darker one next time.

This purchase was part of a pack on Ebay (face and body moisturizer) and was again, a great deal. I think I got both for 12£ (that's usually about the price for only one product).

The foot cream is just a rather good foot cream, nothing much to say about it. It's got some nice ingredients and left my feet nicely moisturized but I don't really like the slipper -ness it gives to my skin.

I have to either wait ages for it to sink in, or pop some socks on (which is actually what they recommend you do, so it's good before you go to bed for an intense moisturization, not so good if you're just about to go out).

Hair Products

 -Tresemme Split Remedy Serum 

-Tresemme Split Remedy Leave-in

-Terax Life Drops Leave-in Conditioner

-Philip Kingsley Elasticizer 

-Philip Kingsley Stimulating Scalp Mask

-Terax Crema Conditioner

-Macadamia Natural Oil Intensive Mask

-L'Oreal EverStrong No Sulphate Shampoo

-Virgin Coconut Oil

I admit it. I am a hair product snob. I am so obsessed lately with hair, that I would literally spend anything on a hair product, as long as it were good. I know, it's bad. Mr.Fish and I have countless arguments regarding my extreme consumerism on hair products. But in the end he tries to understand and indulges. Normally!

I think it derives from the fact that my hair has always been far from perfect, you'll hear me rambling on and on about it in this blog but it's true. And after years of abuse I'm finally trying to get it as healthy as possible and am always in the search of the Holy Grail Hair product. 

That being said, I also enjoy spending as little as possible and am up for a good bargain, so my most expensive products here - the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer and the Macadamia Mask were both bought online through BuyaPowa at a very good price, half price if I recall. 

The Terax products were bought also online on BeautyBay.

The Tresemme products were a 2 for 5£ offer in Boots, so that was a bargain too since each one of them is close to 5£ anyway! I like these, but use sparingly as I try not to overload my hair with silicones. I use these if I happen to style my hair or just on the ends if they're looking a little frazzled. These smell gorgeous!

The L'Oreal shampoo is great, lathers up exceptionally well for a sulphate-free shampoo! 

The Elasticizer and Macadamia masks I use as a special weekly treat, they are absolutely miraculous, love them to bits. I bought the small scalp mask tube for less than 5£ to try it out, I have to say it feels really nice on my scalp, so refreshing.

I bought the Virgin Coconut oil in Portugal just before I moved and is a great natural treatment for any hair type. It's practically finished and I must buy another soon.

Finally the Terax products are very retro looking but very effective, apparently Liv Tyler swears by them. I bought them because I was looking for a good silicone free conditioner and was convinced by the raving reviews on the net. I have to say it is a really good conditioner, does its job without weighing down the hair. Some may be put off by the smell, but I quite like it. It is quite expensive so I'm looking to try a few other options I have in mind when it finishes.

Make-up

Just going to run you through these really quickly since this post is getting ridiculously long!:

-L'Oreal Lumi Magique Foundation (nice light foundation, dewy skin, bla bla)
-Paul&Joe Foundation Primer was a freebie from "What's in my handbag" website
-Collection 2000 gel eyeliner in black from the May Glossybox (applies effortlessly and lasts all day)
-Soap and Glory Solar Powder Bronzer (another cheap as chips deal on Ebay - very light and hardly noticeable bronzer)
-W7 Candy Floss Blusher from TKMaxx for about 3£, lovely and apparently a dupe for Benefit's Dandelion
-17 Blusher in First Kiss (so cheap, lovely colour payoff and apparently a dupe for Nars Orgasm)
-Bourjois Effet 3D Lipgloss in Rose Chimeric (Glamour Magazine May Giveaway Freebie)
-Revlon LipButters in Cotton Candy and Peach Parfait (Couldn't resist the 2£ off offer in Boots, they are gorgeous!)
-Rimmel London Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick in 16 (again a 2£ off offer at Boots, a lovely coral pink perfect for summer - love love love!)
-Beauty Blender Sponge for applying foundation bought on Ebay - really cheap

Facial Products

-Saint Tropez Everyday Moisturizer for Face Gradual Tan Light/Medium
-No.7 Beautiful Skin BB cream for Normal/Dry Skin (my favourite BB cream so far)
-Good Things Daily Cleanser
-S&G Peaches and Clean Cleanser (Ebay again)
-Weleda Wildrose Night Cream Sample from the May Glossybox
-L'Oreal Vibrating Collagen Eye Cream from TKMaxx (gimmicky thing, not too bothered about the vibrating but the cream isn't too bad). Am looking to buy a more organic/natural eye cream next though.

Gadgets / others

-Tangle Teezer
-Braun Silk Epil7  Epilator  (Best Ebay Bargain ever!)
-Oral B Triumph 5000A Smart Guide Electric Toothbrush (again, won this on Ebay for much less than half price, would never spend the whopping 179 pounds on it)
I love this thing! Once you go electrical you never want to go back! What a difference, my teeth feel so clean after, like I've just flossed. Best investment ever, it's so expensive but totally worth it especially if you can grab a halp price offer on Boots (think there's one on now) or like me, get lucky on Ebay.

So that's that! Pheww. I am officially on lock down now though, no buying anything, and I mean anything until I get a job.
I went for a couple of job interviews and have sent millions of CV's so I'll keep you posted on that. Fingers crossed!

April Glossybox

Now that we've moved to Northern Ireland I feel like I'm in an Aladdin's cave - so many exciting things to try out, my beloved Boots that I can visit whenever I feel like it, free deliveries on Amazon, TK Maxx, cheaper postage on Ebay, you name it!

The Glossybox was definitely  one of those things I was desperate to put my mitts on, I was so curious about these beauty boxes everyone was blogging about, but never had the opportunity to order one, since these only operate in the U.K.

So I'm proud to announce that today was the the day I received my very first Glossybox!

And boy was I pleased. Featuring this month is a special edition box - Natural Beauty box, with five natural beauty products in a gorgeous biodegradable box. Perfect for all you eco-friendly organic babes, like myself. I am not by any means one of those people that buys exclusively these types of products, but when I happen to buy/test an organic or a more natural product I always feel that much more pleased with myself. I generally try to buy products without ingredients like sulphates, parabens and silicones, and that are not tested on animals, but have to admit that I don't always go by this rule. I very often succumb to whatever hit products are out there - I am so easily bought unfortunately! 

However I do have to say that since I got my degree in pharmacy and learnt a bit about ingredients commonly found in cosmetics I do have a much more clinical eye when purchasing a product, especially facial products. 

Anyway on to the box itself! In my box there were 5 products, all of which I shall definitely use. I was very impressed with what was picked for me, all 4 of the 5 products are full sizes! 

Featuring in this box was:

* Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst-Quenching Serum -10 ml

* Inika Cosmetics Certified Organic Lip Liner - full size!

* Ayuuri Natural Body Wash Enriched with Indian Rose, Jasmin and Aloe Vera - 200 ml full size!

* Figs and Rouge Lip Balm Cherry and Vanilla - 8 ml full size!

* Yes! Nurse Protect your lovely hands Hand Cream - 50 ml full size!

I literally received this today so haven't really had a chance to properly test any of these products, but I have tried out the Figs and Rouge lip balm and the hand cream. 

I hadn't heard of Figs and Rouge before, but apparently Emma Watson's is a huge fan of this skincare brand. The lip balm is beatifully packaged in a very cute retro little tin. The balm itself is a wonder - since it's petrolleum-free it's not waxy at all and glides on effortlessly on my lips. Its scent is very discreet, you can hardly notice it really when it's on, but I love it. I feel it working immediately, it's so moisturizing and not sticky at all! Because of this it comes off quite quickly, but my lips feel nice and soft even after it has disappeared. 

Apparently the hand cream is formulated especially for nurses, to protect against the harsh effects of constant handwashing. Well I'm no nurse, but constant hand washing kind of rings a bell! I think I'm a bit OCD when it comes to washing hands, I can't stand the grubby hands sensation. This is why it's so important that I moisturize often.

The cream has no particular scent really, but absorbs very quickly and leaves hands nice and moisturized and not at all greasy. Amongst its ingredients we have Manuka Honey, Panthenol, Sweet Almond Oil, Vitamin E, Pomegranate, Passionflower and Wheat Germ Oils, Aloe Vera, you name it. Very impressed indeed!

I always suffer from dry hands and lips so I'm definitely pleased with these two.

 I'm excited about trying out the Caudalie Serum, as my skin is always on the dehydrated/dry side and I have never tried a serum before. 

The lip liner is a natural colour but still a tiny bit dark for me to pair with my ligher pinks and nudes. It will however go with most of my other lipsticks. It seems to glide very easily.

Lip Liner Swatch

I never expected to get a huge bottle of body wash, I was really chuffed! 

I have to say Rose isn't my favourite smell in cosmetics, or in anything really if I have to be honest. It kind of reminds me of grandmas and this really old fashioned cleansing toner you can buy in Portugal. I'll use it though, and to be fair the perfume isn't too obnoxiously rosy for me, maybe because of the Lavender and Aloe Vera. Also it's Indian Rose, not just any old rose! Haha.

So what did you think, anything here that you like? 

My first "ELFish" experience + NOTD - Elf "Desert Haze"

Hi there lovelies,

Today I've become the proud owner of my very first ELF haul!
Up till now I'm really pleased with the overall quality, look and feel of the products, they all look so professional and with such good quality (especially the Studio Line ones).. and for such a great price! These products are cheap enough, but I was lucky there was a 40% off discount offer at the time I ordered so I payed 20 something pounds for all these goodies! I'm so pleased.

Oooh, exciting! 

Here's the breakdown on the goodies  (the prices include the 40% discount) :

1. Blending Eye Brush - 0.90£
2. Angled Eyeliner Brush *Studio Line* - 2.10£ 
3. Eyeshadow C Brush *Studio Line* - 2.10£
4. Complexion Brush *Studio Line* - 2.10£
5. Nail Polish - Smoky Brown - 0.90£
6. Nail Polish - Desert Haze - 0.90£
7. Mineral Infused Face Primer *Studio Line* - 3.60£
8. False Lashes Natural Lash Kit - 0.90£
9. Essential 32pc Eye Palette - Natural - 3.60£
10. High Definition Powder *Studio Line* - 3.60£
11. Cream Eyeliner Black (brush included) *Studio Line* - 2.10£

And here is the first product I've tested - a nail polish of course! It's a light taupe that gives that natural but polished look for everyday use called "Desert Haze". I love it! The formula of the polish itself pleasantly surprised me, it was very easy to apply, dried fairly quickly and gave a great shiny finish.

The actual colour in real life is slighty darker, with a browny, almost aubergine undertone.

 I shall be reviewing the rest of the products soon ;)
 Take care, and thanks for reading! x

Catrice nail polish "Miss Piggy Reloaded"

Hi there girlies :)
 So my mum is back in the UK and calm has been restored to our home, haha.
Bless her, she loved being here in Portugal with this warm weather and made a point of going to the beach every single day. She had become so obsessed with it now that she's living in the UK. I try to understand her, but I am so so fed up with the heat! Thankfully the weather changed this weekend and we had torrential rain and gailforce winds. Hmmm, it's so great staying indoors and cuddle up in my blanket watching tv... You're probably thinking I'm crazy to actually want cold weather and rain, but trust me, we really need it by now! 

Anyway, I discovered another cheap and cheerful brand of makeup - Catrice - and I'm becoming obsessed with their products, especially their nail polishes! I love their colours and the names are so brilliant! I got a lovely pink which I'm wearing right now and will show you the swatches, it's called "Miss Piggy Reloaded"!

It's such a cute bubblegum pink and the most amazing thing about it is that it has really tiny subtle bits of glitter that you can only really see in certain lighting or when direct sunlight hits it. I love it.

As you can see my mani is far from perfect at the moment, it was done yesterday and has suffered a bit of battering since, and also I'm experiencing some trouble with bubbling of the nail polish. I don't think it's anything to do with the formula itself, it's to do with the drying process of the polish, and I think the problem would be solved if I had a good drying top coat like seche vite. I've always loved MavaDry by Mavala, but it's quite expensive so I've kind of gone without it lately.

Here you can see the subtle glitter.. Lovely!

Thanks for reading! x

A nice haul coming up...!

Hi there lovelies! I know I've been MIA for a few days, I blame it on the lack of excitement in my life.

I've got to get out of this rut, it's killing me. No job, no money, just stuck at home all day. Bo-ring. 

Not to mention most days I just feel completely demotivated and uninspired! 

I really hope things change for us soon. 

Anyway, my mum is coming over for a bit of a holiday next week, since it's my birthday on the 12th so that shall be a bit of a pleasant change. I'll have some company and will be able to go out a bit more and have fun. 

Also - my dear mum is bringing me some goodies and you know what that means... Product reviews and FOTD's! Yay! 

What were my uk requests? : 

  Cosmetics 

-Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Cat Eyes Mascara

You know I'm a sucker for mascaras - can't get enough of them!

- Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in #8

- Garnier Skin Perfector Daily All-In-One BB Blemish Balm Cream in Medium. 

Really looking forward to this! 

And a bunch of things from Avon, I shall show you my Avon haul as soon as I get it! 

Books (they're SO much cheaper in the UK) 

-Feel the Fear and do it Anyway by Susan Jeffers 

-The Gatecrasher by Madeleine Wickham 

-The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle 

-One Day by David Nicholls 

Others 

-Antistax. For my tired legs and to prevent varicose veins - I have plenty of them already unfortunately :(

-Wassen Silica Ok tablets Supplement to help maintain healthy hair

-Boots Multivitamins with Iron. Basic daily multivitamin supplement with extra iron since I'm a vegetarian

 -Tea Bags!. I need my supply of english tea, thank you very much!

On a different note, my mother has just informed me (and posted it on her facebook wall for everyone to see) that she has just had her bellybutton pierced. I can only imagine that she is going through a second (or is it a third? I've lost count) midlife crisis. This, the vivid pink hair she had once, and the rose tattoo she's planning on having done (or butterfly, in case the latter wasn't unoriginal enough) on her back are just a few examples of my mum's madness. Gotta love her anyway.