Review: The Body Shop Christmas ranges

I love brands (like The Body Shop and Lush) which actually make specific products for Christmas, it makes it so much more exciting than gift sets of stuff you can get everyday!

I picked up a few things: the Spiced Vanilla shower gel, the Candied Ginger shower gel, the Candied Ginger Body Butter and (not pictured) the Candied Ginger lip balm.

I'm not wild about the Spiced Vanilla range- to me it's ok, and I will use this shower gel, but I'm glad I didn't get anything else. The Candied Ginger on the other hand- OMG YUM. The only odd thing is there seems to be a variation between the scent in this line. The shower gel and lip balm are very like sweets, which I like, but the body butter seems a bit more bitter? It may be worth just smelling each individual product before purchasing if you fancy buying anything.

The shower gels are lovely- thick and they rinse cleanly, but I wish they left my skin with a scent like the normal ones do. I can't really smell anything on me after showering with them! The body butter is standard- thick and sinks in well. The lip balm is on the thin side, but it's nice for quick top ups here and there.

There are other products in these scent ranges, and also a Cranberry line. I managed to get the body butter for £1 (you have to spend over £25 to get this though, but I didn't find that a problem *sighs at own lack of self-control when shopping*.)

Have you got any favourite Christmas scents?

Love B xxx

Review: Along Came Betty 'Hey! Sugar Sugar' Scrub

I picked this little (I say little, it's kinda big and very heavy!) scrub when I was at Tesco a few weeks back.

Yesssssssssss I know, another retro style range! It's cute, but there are so many now. Still, ignoring that, I love the packaging of this. 'Travel friendly' doesn't exactly spring to mind with this glass jar, but I actually love it.

It's a very thick sugar scrub with an oil base. It smells exactly like Sleek's Pout Polishes, which have this vanilla icing scent. I didn't think I'd like it but it's actually rather nice (in the right mood of course). What I love about this though, is the combination of sugar scrub and oil base leaves my skin so so soooo soft! I hardly ever moisturise on my body because my skin is just normal, and doesn't really need it that often. I love this because I don't have to feel guilty for not bothering with moisturiser. Just make sure if you shave anywhere that you do it before using this, as the oil makes it impossible after. All in all, I will definitely be using this all up!

This range is solely found at Tesco, I purchased this for £5.99.

Love B xxx

Sigma and Illamasqua Shipping Offers

Just a quick note...

Illamasqua is offering free shipping til midnight on Friday. The code for the UK is 'FREEUK11'. There is also free international shipping (only over £50 though) which is 'INTERNATIONAL50'.

Also, and possibly more exciting for non Americans, Sigma also have free international shipping tomorrow! Sigma make amazing brushes (I'm a huge fan of their F80 kabuki brush, which is like the elf Powder Brush but a million times better. It has literally made foundations amazing just using this brush!). With free shipping and the difference in currency conversion, it makes them very well priced. I have the F80 and F82 and they are both really good quality, no dye running or shedding. If you've been eyeing them or any others up it's definitely worth taking a look! This offers run from 9am to 5pm US Central Standard Time- as far as I know for UK readers that means around mid afternoon onwards tomorrow, you'll be able to see whether it's started from your shopping cart I imagine.

Will you be taking advantage?

http://www.sigmabeauty.com/default.asp
http://www.illamasqua.com/

Love B xxx

Lipstick Forever #7: Stargazer Semi Permanent Lip Liner Pen in 05 Review

 I know this is called a 'lip liner'- but believe me this is definitely a lip stain!

Packaging: It's not terrible glam I must admit. It's ok though.

 

Colour: This appears a very cherry red at first, but on the lips (because you have go over uneven bits) it built into a very dark red very quickly. I like it, but it's not for the faint hearted.

 

Application & Coverage: I'm not wild about the application of this- it has a felt tip nib which has a very thin point. It works well to define the lip line, but it's difficult to fill in your lips evenly. I wasn't pleased with the uneveness, so I topped it up with lip balm throughout the day. It's also quite drying (it is a stain after all) so it needs lip balm!

Kiss Test: A little comes off (especially with the lip balm) but nothing alarming.

Lasting Power: Even with eating and drinking, with multiple lip balm applications, this stayed on incredibly well. Only after 12 hours or so did my very inner lip need touching up. 

To me, this feels like a less expensive (only £4!) version of the long lasting lipsticks, like Maybelline Superstay. As with those, I find this a bit of a faff to put on and I wish it were less drying, but it does last forever. I'm definitely glad to have this for days when I need a long wearing but bold colour! 

7/10

You can get this on the Stargazer website for £4.

Love B xxx

NOTD- Nyx Carnival (Deborah Lippmann Dupe)

I've been obsessed with the Deborah Lippmann glitters for a while now. They are soooo gorgeous! But... they are £16 and half of them aren't even available anymore. Cue sad face. However in happy news, I now own a dupe for Lippmann's 'Happy Birthday'!

 

No photos I could take of this summed up how awesome it is! The formula- ok, it's kinda rubbish. This was 2 or 3 coats (brain fog). It took forever to dry, the only reason you can't see how wobbly it looks is because the base is clear. As with most glitter polishes, the distribution of glitter can be quite uneven. But honestly, I don't care. This polish makes me so happy! Every time I caught sight of my nails I felt a smile coming on. It's truly a carnival-esque polish! And it did last a week before chipping.

You can get this from Cherry Culture.

Love B xxx

Random Days: I hate my skin!!

This is not so much a post as a rant.. but seriously. I hate my skin right now. The thing is, I ought to be grateful. Compared to when I was a teenager, full of hormones and covered in acne, my skin is frickin awesome. But I am not. Because it is driving me crazy.

I seem to have all skintypes in one. It's sensitive, dry, oily, with blackheads and acne... so what on earth am I supposed to use on it? I've been wanting to do a skin routine forever, but I have no routine. Instead, I have something akin to a skincare wardrobe. I have at least 5 different serums, none of which I really like. Even more moisturisers. I just feel like I'm forever playing catch-up while it throws another hissy fit. I go for a moisturising sensitive formula, I get blocked pores up to my eyeballs (and above come to think of it). I go for an oily formula, my cheeks turn bright red and physically hurt.

I'm not saying I haven't found hero products which I love. I have some I completely adore, and I'm thankful for it. But then I've bought 'miracle products' which my skin hates too. I just wish I wasn't endlessly googling products in confusion because I have no idea whether my skin would love it or freak out. Skin. I'm begging you. PLEASE BEHAVE.

Have you got misbehaving skin? Any tips?

Love B xxx

FOTD #17- Razzle Dazzle!

So last week I went out for my lovely papa's birthday :) So I decided to go all shimmery and sparkly! I apologise for the quality of the photos, my camera cannot cope with taking pictures at night in any way! I really want a new one but don't know if/when I can get one. Sigh.

Face- MUA Pro Primer
Gosh X-Ceptional Wear Foundation in 11 Porcelain
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 003 Peach Glow

Eyes- MUA Pro Professional Eye Primer
MUA Pro Heaven & Earth Palette- shades 6 & 9 (I think)
Rimmel Soft Kohl Pencil in Black (upper lash line)
No 7 Lash Adapt Mascara in Black

Lips- Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in Red Diva
Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayon in 02 Cherry Red

Review on the Lip Lacquer crayon coming soon! Typical look really- red lips, shimmery gold shadow. Standard awesomeness. Also, my hair has some epic huge Cheryl Cole thing going one, purely by accident. Interesting.

Love B xxx