THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE BEST --- HAND CREAM

Like I said a couple of weeks back, I'll be giving my opinion on three to four products every two weeks - telling you my faves, the ones I dislike and the average products, and this week it's hand cream!

QUICK DISCLAIMER- just because I may love/dislike a product doesn't mean you'll feel the same way so if you want to give them a try, don't let my opinion put you off!

THE GOOD
Nivea Smooth Nourishing Hand Cream with Hyrda IQ for Dry Hands
As you can probably tell by the travel size, I purchased this at the airport before my holiday in June and I really like it. As the name suggests; it's very nourishing, has that typical Nivea products smell that I love and has a nice rich consistency. The only thing I don't like about this product is how my hands feel afterwards. Sometimes it leaves my hands feeling greasy and 'too nourished' if that makes sense? You know like that fake feeling? I don't know but anyways it's a good hand cream that does the trick!
The Body Shop Vitamin E Hand & Nail Treatment
This cream does wonders for my cuticles and never fails to leave my hands feeling really soft. The consistency is nice, a tad watery but nice and takes a little while to sink in, but once it has I can't fault it!

THE BAD
Soap and Glory Hand Food
Part of me feels bad for putting this in my 'bad' section because I used to love this little guy but nowadays, he's a thing of the past. Unlike every beauty blogger and their mum's aunt, I'm no longer a fan of this hand cream. I find it greasy, the smell is far to artificial for my liking and it takes ages for this it to sink in! I've found so many creams that I prefer now.

THE BEST
The Body Shop Almond Hand & Nail Butter
Although the smell isn't my favourite, I'm willing to learn to love it because this butter is so good! It's super moisturising, has an amazing consistency and nothing has ever made my hands feel better. It leaves my hands feeling so soft, without feeling fake and works miracles for my nails. I can't explain how much I love this product, especially because no matter what condition my hands are in, it does the trick regardless!

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The Body Shop Vitamin E Hand & Nail Treatment

The Body Shop Almond Hand & Nail Butter

Soap and Glory Hand Food

Nivea Smooth Nourishing Hand Cream for dry hands

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LAQA & CO LIP LUBE - POSSIBLY THE BEST FORMULA EVER?

Now don't get me wrong, matte finishes for any lip product are my all time faves but there is something about this product which makes me think twice. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you Laqa & Co Lip Lube in Menatour. 

I received this at the beginning of the month as a sample out of my July Birchbox and its made quite few appearances since. Laqa & Co are a brand I had never heard of before but just by searching their name I could see there is a real buzz about them, and I completely understand why.

Here comes my bold statement, I think this is product has the best formula I have ever tried! And I'll tell you why...

What typically steers me away from glossy finishing lip products is the pigmentation and longevity of the product. I've found most to be so sheer there's no colour and they've melted of my lips within an hour, and if I'm going to wear a lipstick/gloss/anything on my lips, I want something bold and something that will last.

Laqa & Co Lip Lube in Menatour is such a gorgeous shade that's bold and lasts all day. Obviously every product is different on everyone but this one is a winner in my eyes. With it's strong almost neon purple shade and moisturising finish, I doubt anyone could hate it. It stays true to its colour and almost creates a stain upon the lips, doesn't cling to any dry patches and has the most amazing smell! It smells like peppermint, so so nice! I personally found it really easy to apply, either straight from the stick or with a lip brush and both looked good, but if you'd want a more defined lip I'd say the lip brush will be your best friend with this product.

As you can see, the product can be built up well without creating that obvious layered lipstick look. I personally adore this shade and I can't wait to try more of the Laqa & Co Lip Lube shades!

Have you tried the Lip Lubes from Laqa & Co?

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Lip Lube in Menatour

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JUNE BIRCHBOX

Wow am I impressed with June's birchbox! As you can probably tell it's World Cup themed with products from different parts of the world who are involved in the cup, and I can honestly say I'm excited to try every product this box contains so lets get on with it.

If you want to try the box yourself, you can purchase one off the BIRCHBOX website for £10 plus £2.95 postage and packing a month.

Original BeautyBlender // Full size

I'm really excited to try this product after reading so many good reviews and my RT brushes could use a rest! I'll be letting you guys know what I think about this in the next couple of weeks.

OPI Nail Laquer - Kiss Me I'm Brazilian // Sample size

I really can't fault OPI polishes, so another one to add to my collection is always a bonus. The colour is such a pretty pink with an adorable name.

Silk + Honey Shea Butter Hair Mask // Sample size

Hair masks are my thing so I'm looking forward to giving this one a whirl! It has a very distinct smell, which I'm not sure if I like it yet or not, but it has a rich texture so I'll let you know what I think.

Yves Rocher Sheer Botanical Lipstick Rogue Groseille // Full size

I'm a massive fan of Yves Rocher cosmetics and perfumes so I have high hopes for this product. It's quite sheer, which I normally steer clear of, but there's something about the colour I adore.

Coola Classic Face Sunscreen SPF 30 // Sample size

High SPF for the face is always a must for me so I know I'll be giving it a go. I've tried Coola products in the past, and they've reacted well with my skin, so I'm hoping this will do just as well.

Laura Mercier Ambre Vanillé Soufflé Body Crème // Sample size
In all honestly, I'm lazy when it comes to body moisturising so a spritz of Vaseline Spray&Go does the trick for me, but the smell of this is so gorgeous I know I definitely use it!

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BeautyBlender

Laura Mercier Body Crème

Yves Rocher Lipstick 

Silk + Honey Hair Mask

Coola Sunscreen SPF 30

OPI Nail Laquer - Kiss Me I'm Brazilian

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REVIEW - LA ROCHE-POSAY EFFACLAR A.I.

Ladies (and gentleman) I introduce to you the little sister of the Effaclar Duo, the Effaclar A.I. Unlike the duo, this product is very rarely talked about in the blogging world but I think it needs more credit! 

If like me, you suffer from the occasional spot, this it the product for you.

In general, I have pretty good skin but of course I get the odd spot here and there, so the I introduced this product into my routine as a way of getting rid of them. And my gosh does it help!

Only a tiny amount is needed on the breakout area, and the product works best if you apply it in the mornings to the area to reduce and prevent breakouts. The product has a watery texture and blends easily into the affected area and gets to work straight away. Within an hour of using the product, the redness was minimal and the spot had gone down dramatically. 

I'm usually affected in my T-Zone, where my pores are most noticeable, but since using this product it has helped reduce my breakouts and minimise my pores. I couldn't love this product more if I tried!

Have you tried La Roche-Posay Effaclar A.I?

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Effaclar A.I

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MAY FAVOURITES

A little late I know, but these past couple of weeks I've had to sort out so many birthdays and my holiday!
This month I've been liking all the normal stuff, but I thought these guys deserve a special mention, so here comes my May Favourites 2014-

Nivea Daily Essentials Exfoliating Scrub:
If you read my post 'My love affair with Nivea', you'll already know why I love this product, but if you haven't I'll let you know why. This scrub really is gentle, which is ideal for me as most scrubs are too harsh for my skin and cause me to break out. It smells refreshing and leaves my skins feeling so soft so I really couldn't ask for more (plus if you're on a budget it's ideal).

The Body Shop Vitamin E Hand and Nail Treatment:
Even though my nails are hidden under acrylics, I seem to prefer hand creams that claim to help the nails. Why? I really don't know! But anyways, this cream is so moisturising, sinks in quickly meaning there's no greasy hand business, and has helped the overall appearance of the skin on my hands. It's been my handbag staple and I've already had to go and repurchase a few more tubes!

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation - 010 Light Porcelain:
As I've said a thousand times before, I looooooove this foundation. It feels so nice on my skin, has a medium coverage which is build-able, matches my skin p e r f e c t l y and lasts a good five to eight hours! I really can't rave about it enough!

MAC Blush - Cubic:
This is in fact the only MAC blush I have ever repurchased! This month I've been loving using it as a contour, especially for my cheekbones. Because the colour is such a warm browny/pink shade, it can easy be worn as both a blush and contour. Like all MAC blushes, it has a lovely texture, long wearing and is true to the colour you see in the pot.

Maybelline Cream Blush - 02 Peach:
As a norm, I don't like cream blushes so I usually don't buy them. I actually received this in a goody bag and I'm so glad I did. The shade is an ideal peachy pink and adds enough colour to the face for these spring summer months, and it has such a lovely texture which blends out like a dream.

Benefit's POREfessional sample:
Unlike every other blogger and their mum, I didn't jump on the porefessional bandwagon but I'm so glad I finally have! This reminds me so much of the Beautiful Movements Prime & Create mixing medium in terms of how my skin feels once it's applied. It feels lovely, really does keep my foundation put all day and minimises my horrible pores - so it's a win win win here!

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The Body Shop Hand and Nail Treatment

Nivea Gentle Exfoliating Scrub

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

MAC Cubic

Maybelline Cream Blush

Benefit POREfessional

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MY GO TO SUMMER LIPS

So with all this nice weather I thought I would do a post on my favourite summer lips. Traditionally, I'm a nude lippy lover and I rarely stray from this but lately I've been feeling a little bit more confident and have decided to give the bright lips ago! Apologies for the lack of my typical 'in the packaging shot', I took the images today and they have come out RUBBISH and I've given up all hope. Anywayssss, here are my top five summer lip colours!

First up is Rimmel's Apocalips in the shade Luna. If you read my blog you'll know this little lovely popped up in my April favourites and is an all time love for me. When it comes to brighter lips, I love a good orange shade and Luna is perfect for me. It's not too in your face but there's enough orange-y-ness to make an impact. The Apocalips glide on like a dream, last for aaaaages and have such a lovely finish to them.

In comes my favourite bright of all time, Rimmel's Lasting Finish by Kate in the shade 110. This is a true orangey red and is ideal for that pop of colour I need in summer, especially because I'm typically a monochrome gal when it comes to clothes. These are so raved about with bloggers and it's well deserved! This lipstick glides on brilliantly, has amazing pigmentation and has a matte finish which lasts all day without clingy to any dry bits.

I always used to shy away from pink but I'm starting to fall in love, especially with Maybelline's Colorsensational lipstick in the shade Fuchsia Flush. An eye popping pink with blue undertones to make your teeth look whiter, who could ask for more? This has more of a sheeny finish but it is truly beautiful lipstick that I recommend to all colour lovers out there.

Fourth up comes MAC Pink Pearl Pop. This is so usually a 'not a Paige kind of lippy' but I'm loving it lately with muted eye makeup and a bronzed skin look. Like all MAC Cremesheen lipsticks, it's got a glossy almost lipgloss look with shimmering flecks running throughout, but it feels so hydrating on my lips. This shade looks perfect on tanned up skin (and pale skin too) and is the ideal girly pink lipstick. Like all MAC lipsticks, they are a lipstick dream, you get my drift?

And last, but by no means least, MUA's amazing £1 lipstick in the shade Nectar. This has to be the lipstick I'm always running too lately, and I'm hoping the swatch above will give you an understanding why. At beyond a bargain at only £1, these lipsticks are seriously faultless; cheap, good quality, amazing pigmentation all with a gorgeous glossy finish.

What's your favourite summer lipsticks?

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MAC - Pink Pearl Pop

Rimmel Apocalips - Luna

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate - 110

Maybelline Colorsensational -Fuchsia Flush

MUA - Nectar

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REVIEW - NIVEA EXPRESS HYDRATION PRIMER

Because I have combination skin I find that makeup doesn't last on my face very long. It just clings to my dry patches and basically melts off my oil spots, unless I use a primer that is! I adore the Beautiful Movements Prime & Create primer but it is a little bit on the pricey side as it retails for £20 for 20g so I decided to give this one a whirl. As I'm sure you're all aware me and nivea skincare products get on like a house on fire, I don't think there is a single nivea product out there that I've tried and haven't loved, this being one of them. The main thing I want from a primer is to mattify my skin without drying it out and aid my makeup in staying put all day and this does just the trick!

Express Hydration Primer for normal to combination skin is just what I've been looking for in a primer. At first I was a bit dubious about this product as it has a very watery consistency when applied to the skin, the primer soaks in really quickly and you'd be none the wiser about it's runny consistency! It instantly mattifies my skin, combating my everlasting battle with oily patches and helps soften my skin to make makeup application a lot nicer! I've definitely found since using this primer that my makeup lasts longer and gives my makeup a nicer look in general. I love how the product is so light and airy so it doesn't leave my skin feeling cakey and without a doubt my skin feels so much smoother as a result of using this. Like all nivea products it has a lovely fresh scent which is very subtle and I just love it. Despite all my praise I have for this product, I am a little disappointed about the packaging as the pot inside is extremely smaller than the box it comes in! But nevermind, the pros definitely outweigh this con.

It is certainly one of the best primers I have ever used and I highly recommend it.

Nivea Express Hydration for normal to combination skin is widely available in Boots/Superdrug/Tesco and retails for £4.99.

FOTD #2

Before I begin this post I just want to say sorry for being a rubbish blogger lately, I've been crazy busy lately but don't worry I have plenty of posts in store for you guys!

But anyways, today's post is my face of the day. I went for a neutral-I-can't-be-bothered-face by simply sticking to neutral colours and minimal amount of makeup. I start with a clean face that I then prime with Nivea Express Hydration Primer for normal to combination skin (adore this product, review will be up soon!) as it gives me a nice base to apply my foundation. For foundation I mix one pump of Rimmel Match Perfection in 010 with a few drops of MAC Face and Body in C2 as I much prefer the finish of these two foundations when they're mixed together. I then conceal using MUA Cover and Conceal in Fair and set all of that with Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Transparent. I actually use the darkest shade from my MUA Pro Conceal palette to give a slight contour under my cheekbones and brush on a little bit of MAC Blush in Cubic to add some colour back into my cheeks.

For eyes; I simply slick on a Clinique Chubby Stick in Bountiful Beige and use my MUA eyeshadow palette and Jelly Pong Pong eyeliner on the lash line. I then curl my eyelashes with my Emite eyelash curlers and hold the curl in place with Rimmel Lash Accelerator in Black. On days when I can't be bothered to faff about sorting my brows out (like today) I like to use Benefit Brow Zings - not pictured - to give them some shape and definition and then I'll happily use Benefit Speedy Brow in neutral just to set them in place. And when that's all done, a bit of MAC lippy in Pink Plaid does the trick to finish the look off!

Just a shameless selfie to give you an idea of my FOTD!

Have you tried any of these products? What is your lazy FOTD?

SUPERDRUG'S VITAMIN E HOT CLOTH CLEANSER

I've tried so many different types of cleansers and found that only the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel did the job for me, until now. Low and behold this drugstore gem. 

Like I've said before, I'm a fan of drugstore skin products and when I spotted that this cleanser was on offer for 2 for £4, I couldn't resist (especially as they retail for £4.99 each!) and I'm so glad I didn't. The formula of this cleanser is very thick and creamy, not something you would expect for such a cheap price. I've found with this cleanser that a little bit definitely goes a long way.

Because the formula is very creamy is goes on with ease, removes all signs of dirt/makeup - even waterproof mascara/anything on your face and you can see the results on the muslin cloth! It leaves my skin feeling very soft and doesn't break me out! Another thing I love about this product is the smell. Like the entire Vitamin E Skincare range from Superdrug, there is a slight coconut scent which of course I adore, but it's very subtle so if you're not a fan of coconuts then the smell shouldn't bother you too much! 

This has quickly become one of my favourite cleansers so if you're looking for a drugstore cleanser or just a good cleanser, then I highly recommend this one!

Have you tried this cleanser? What do you think about hot cloth cleansers?

HAIR UPDATE AND CURRENT HAIR FAVOURITES

So I've just had a haircut and realised I've never posted a single post dedicated to hair products, so here it is!

VO5 HAIR SPRAY, HEAT PROTECTANT AND STYLE SPRAY

  As I'm sure you're all aware, VO5 have given their range a revamp lately and I'm so glad they have. Until about six months ago, I never used heat protectant and I definitely paid the price. My hair was in such bad condition I had to have it all chopped off into a bob and now I never style my hair without the stuff. I'm not too fussy with heat protectant, as long as it does the job I'm happy, but this I really like because it does the job and smells fab.

  The hairspray is probably the best I've ever used. It's got the same smell of the heat protectant, so no horrible vodka smell, and actually works. My hair stays in place without going all crispy and it brushes out really easily. Fave hairspray for sure!

  The style spray is heaven in a bottle. For those days when I have second day hair and I really cannot be bothered to straighten it, I give it a couple of spray of 'Give me texture', a quick scrunch and vallah I got beachy waves making it look like I've made some effort. Because the spray contains a small amount of hairspray the look lasts all day.

ALBERTO BALSAM SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER WITH COCONUT AND LYCHEE

Without a doubt my all time favourite shampoo and conditioner combo. I've tried pretty much everything when it comes to shampoo and conditioner and considering my sister is a hairdresser, I've been informed a lot about shampoos and conditioners I should steer clear from. These babies retail for a mere £1 each and are bloody good value if you ask me! They're the only shampoo/conditioner that actually works on my hair. My hair is oily at the roots and dry on the ends, and this duo leaves my hair soft without looking greasy which is a win win statement. Obviously the fact it smells like coconut makes me love it more!

REDKEN EXTREME CAT

Like I mentioned earlier, my sister is a hairdresser, and one day she arrived home with this amazing product. I suffer from dry ends, not split or damaged, dry and this product helps to refuse them. I totally noticed a massive difference after a couple of uses and it became part of my hair routine very quickly, and has stayed! Out of all the hair products I've ever tried, this is by far my favourite and the one I most highly recommend 

So that's my favourite hair products! Just thought I'd update you guys on my new barnet!

I have a fringe! I haven't had one of these in yearssss. I was so bored of my plain-all-one-length-bob so I thought I'd jazz it up with a fringe! I'm not entirely sure about it, but that's because I'm not used to it but I'm sure I'll warm to it soon.

And that's my hair update and hair loves! What are you hair favourites?

REVIEW - SHOWER GEL AND SHOWER CREAM

I love anything with a fresh fruity scent so naturally I was ecstatic to see that my mum had picked up these two beauties from Boots and couldn't wait to give them a whirl.

I am literally OBSESSED with coconut scents at the moment, shampoo, shower gel, perfume, moisturiser - the list is endless so of course I was going to try out Coconut kiss first.

This cheap and cheerful shower cream definitely packs a punch. Let's be honest, it's a shower cream so it's not going to make my skin any better. But, and a massive but, it leaves me smelling like a coconut dream and I just love it! I really like the formula of this shower cream, it lathers up into a lovely foam and the smell lasts a good while.

After using coconut kiss, I had high expectations for cherry blast- which is slightly different as it's a shower gel instead of a cream. I've always preferred using shower creams because I just think they feel nicer on the skin, but I actually love this shower gel. The smell reminds me of those cherry sweets you get in Haribos, so in other words it's beyond lush! Unlike most shower gels, it has a nice formula. It's not running like most shower gels, lathers up really quickly and like I've said a thousand times, smells amazing.

I really am loving this fruity collection from Radox, but these two products just hit the nail on the head for me!

Have you tried them? Did you like them?

Radox Coconut Kiss and Cherry Blast widely available from Boots or boots,com for £1 each.

JULY FAVOURITES

Hello lovelies! I'm seriously in a state of shock, how is it August already!? I don't know about you but this year is whizzing past for me, and quite frankly I don't like it (it makes me feel old!)

For me, July has been an amazing month, probably the best of the year so far. This month I saw my gorgeous little sister turn 18, had fabulous weather in London and generally just had a month that I've really enjoyed with friends and family.

But anyways, here is my July favourites!

This months favourites include:

Kate Moss Rimmel Lipstick in 110 (see swatches here)

Vaseline Spray & Go (see review here)

Anatomicals Spray Misty for Me Facial Spritz

MAC Face and Body Foundation in C2

Jelly Pong Pong Fairy Lashes Mascara

Disney Pixar's Monsters University 

MAC FACE AND BODY FOUNDATION:

Rimmel's Match Perfection Foundation in Ivory has been my go to foundation for months but I decided after reading so many good reviews that I wanted to branch out into the world of MAC foundation. As the massive MAC fan that I am, I'm genuinely shocked at myself for only just purchasing my first MAC foundation this month, and oh how I've fallen in love with it! Face and Body foundation is a medium coverage foundation (on me anyways) but is easily buildable. It covers all my imperfections nicely and gives me a fresh look. The product smells lovely and a little bit definitely goes a long way. 

I will always stay true to Match Perfection by Rimmel but MAC Face and Body is just ideal in this warm weather as it stays put all day, so for now it's my statement foundation!

KATE MOSS FOR RIMMEL IN 110

I reviewed this product when I first started blogging about five months ago! I just love the formula of this lipstick as it has a lovely satin formula leaving my lips feeling soft but dries as a matte lipstick, which you all know if my favourite kind of finish for a lipstick. This month I've found myself wearing this shade more than what I usually would, especially whilst I'm out on these gorgeous summer evenings. I would definitely recommend this lipstick to all of you!

JELLY PONG PONG FAIRY LASHES MASCARA

Move over Benefit They're Real Mascara, I may have just found a mascara I love more, shocking right? I'm not suggesting this is the holy grail of mascaras for one second, but then again I'm not saying it's far off! I just loveee the formula of this mascara. It gives me lovely spread out lashes with the perfect amount of volume. I must admit, I'm not a massive fan over the wand or the packaging but due to the results that this mascara gives, I'm just going to have to lump it. 

VASELINE SPRAY & GO MOISTURISER 

If you check out my previous post, you'll see how much I love this moisturiser. I'm not going to going into depth as I've already done a post on this, but basically this moisturiser does exactly what it says it will and is definitely my new favourite moisturiser.

ANATOMICALS SPRAY MISTY FOR ME FACIAL SPRITZ

I received this is my last glossybox and I'm so grateful I did. I already have a couple of facial spritzers but I just felt like they did nothing for me, so I naturally I was reluctant to give this one a go. This facial spritz isn't like the rest, definitely not, it actually leaves me feeling refreshed and nourishes my skin. Especially because of the gorgeous weather that we've had in London this past month, this product has become very handy and I haven't started my day without it the whole month!

DISNEY PIXAR'S MONSTERS UNIVERSITY

Okay so I'm aware this isn't a beauty favourite, but I just love Monsters Inc and Monsters University so I thought it deserved a mention. I am a massive fan of Disney Pixar but after seeing Monsters University a couple of weeks ago, I'm very confident in saying it is now my favourite Disney Pixar film! I won't ruin the plot for those who haven't seen it yet and wish to do so, but I will say how they've incorporated Monsters Inc into Monsters University is beyond clever and it's an amazing film!

And that's my favourite products (and film) from July. Hoping August will be just as good as this month!

How was July for you? What were your favourites this month?

FOTD - MY EVERYDAY 'NO MAKEUP' MAKEUP

Before I begin this post, I just want to apologise for my lack of blogging these past couple of weeks. I've just been so rushed off my feet lately but I promise I'll be blogging away like usual in no time!

My everyday essential make up items are:
Garnier Moisture Match for Combination to oily skin (not photographed as it was in my bag)
MAC Face and Body in C2
Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Transparent 
MAC Blush in Cubic
Benefit Speed Brow in Neutral
Benefit They're Real Mascara
Rimmel Glam Lash eyeliner
MaxFactor Eyeshadow in Pearl Beige- used as a highlighter
NYX Lip Cream in Antwerp
Fraulein and Real Techniques makeup brushes.

These are the products that I use on an everyday basis, just when I want to wear makeup but I don't want to put too much effort in. If you ever see me on an ordinary day, you'll notice my makeup is very minimal and that's basically because unless I'm doing something special; I won't make much of an effort but I wouldn't dream of leaving my house without makeup on! I'm very aware of how bad it is to smother my face in makeup everyday but don't feel comfortable without it.

And that's my everyday essentials when it comes to my face!
Do you use any of these products? What are your essential fotd products?

SUNDAY POST 6 & 7 (ON A MONDAY)

How have I only just realised that I haven't done my last two Sunday posts? July definitely started with a bang for me and I've been so busy so I'm going to cram a two week catch up into one!

Image Source: Pinterest

1. This past two weeks have been absolutely crazy. My gorgeous little sister recently turned 18 (not so little anymore) so the past weeks have been manic, organising her presents and giving her a proper celebration. I don't really speak much about my sister but she means the world and more to me so it was lovely to spend some quality time together with a few bottles of vino! 

Apart from celebrating, I've been working LOADS and enjoying the sunshine! These two weeks I've really realised how much some people truly mean to me and how I need to stop wasting my time caring about what other people think and get on with life!

2. I haven't got much planned for this week. I'm just going here and there, keeping my eye out for any new products, chilling in the sun and blogging as much as possible! So basically, I'm having a chilled out week!

Instagram photos

3. With all this sun it's obvious I've been loving a sunscreen product. The one that does the trick for me is P20. It only needs one application and it lasts all day, which is perfect for a lazy sod like me! I like how it doesn't feel greasy, blends into my skin well and obviously the fact that I only need to use it once. I usually don't stray away from anything lower than SPF 25, but my pasty pale pins need a bit of colour, asap.

4. Once again I just want to thank you all for supporting me and reading my blog, it truly means so much. I would love it if you could continue your support for me on Bloglovin and follow me my blog here!

Thanks again, have a lovely week and enjoy the sun ladies! xxx

JULY GLOSSYBOX

I have to be 100% honest and say that when this box first arrived I was like 'meh', but the more I keep thinking about it, the more I'm starting to like it.

I would have never have chosen any of the products in here by myself (that explains my meh reaction) but then I think to myself and say, well isn't the reason I signed up to glossybox is to try products I wouldn't have discovered on my own? Yes. Yes it was!

This box contains really good products and I'm excited to try them, shame I judge it before I saw its potential! 

Apart from Essie and Sleek, these brands are new to me so it should be interesting to try this box out over the next month! This months box contained:

Sleek Pout Paint in Cloud 9

Sleek Pout Paint in Rosette

Essie Sleek Sticks in Oh My Gold! (new product!)

Anatomicals Spray misty for me facial spritz

Alterna Haircare Bamboo Style Boho Waves Tousled Texture Mist

Coola Organic Suncare Collection Mineral Face SPF 20 Unscented 

Receiving full sized products is always a bonus so I was very happy that 4/6 products this month were full sized! 

NAILS OF THE WEEK

I could easily blog about nail polishes for the rest of my life, and I'm not even joking. Nail polishes are a huge love of mine and I'm always buying new polishes and testing out different colours and styles. 

One style that has been very popular lately, and a love of mine, is block colour nails with the glitter on the ring finger nail. I recently reviewed NYC Lights Camera Glitter! where I spoke about my love for glitter nails, so it was inevitable another post featuring it was going to follow! 

Summer nails to me are usually bold block corals, oranges and pinks but I decided to have a change. This week I've gone for pastels and glitters, one of my favourite combinations.

I started with Essie's Full Steam Ahead on all my nails but my ring finger. I applied two coats and a top coat to achieve the perfect amount of colour. I then used Bourjois So Glossy in Taupe (two coats) and three coats of NYC Lights Camera Glitter on my ring finger. 

I really love the combination of these three nail polishes. The shimmer in Essie's Full Steam Ahead goes really well with the block glitter that NYC LGC, especially over Bourjois Taupe. I really think pastel nail polishes are underrated, and lilacs polishes in general, so I hoping this post will open your eyes to the beauty of pastels with glitters!

Would you wear a nail combination like this? What do you think about pastel nails?

BATTLE OF THE HAND CREAMS

Nivea Soft

Superdrug Intensive Hand Cream

Etré Hand and Body lotion

Soap and Glory Hand food

The Body Shop Vitamin E Hand and Nail Treatment

Nivea Soft Refreshing Soft Moisturising cream:

This is a diamond in the world of moisturisers. It's definitely one of my favourite hand creams out of the bunch, and probably on the whole market. The formula is definitely what makes it stand out for me. Its a thick consistency which melts into my skin quickly and surprising leaves no greasy feeling just very soft hands. The effects of this cream are visible almost instantly. My hands feel nourished and soft without delay and I would totally recommend this to all you dry hand sufferers out there!

Superdrug Intensive Hand Cream

They weren't lying when they say it's 'intensive'! This hand cream is perfect for anyone with really dry hands as it tackles the issue straight away and leaves hands feeling soft. I personally found this cream was a bit too rich for me, and I definitely wouldn't use it as an everyday hand cream, although that's because I don't suffer from reaaaaally dry hands. This cream was perfect for my sister who suffers from dry hands so I guess it just wasn't for me.

Etre Hand and Body Lotion

I'm not entirely sure where I got this from, but wherever it was it wasn't cheap! I wasn't too sure about this hand lotion, mainly because it has a 'wetter' consistency compared to other hand creams, but I had nothing to doubt! With a little bit of effort it soaks into my skin fairly quickly, and leaves my hands very soft instantly without a greasy residue. However (dun dun durrr) I probably wouldn't repurchase. I'm more of a quick-squirt-of-hand-cream-on-the-go kind of girl, and this is a more like a takes-a-lot-of-time-to-work-in kind of cream. Just not for me I'm afraid!

Soap and Glory Hand food

As I'm sure you're all aware, this is a massive craze between beauty bloggers, and I can totally see why! The formula is really nice, leaves my hands feeling soft and refreshed, although I find it a little too creamy for me. I just felt like it took a lot of effort for it to soak into my skin; but when it did my hands felt sooooo good. I'm uming and ering about this product but overall I did like it.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Hand and Nail Treatment

I really adore this hand cream! It's very similar to the Nivea Soft cream that I rave about, although it's not as good (soz body shop!) The only difference is that the formula is a lot thinner when compared to Nivea, although unlike Etré - it soaks in really quick and leaves my hands feeling beyond amazing. It's the best smelling product out of the bunch and I really like the simplistic packaging.

Products in order of favouritism:

Nivea Soft

The Body Shop Vitamin E

Soap and Glory Hand Food

Etré Hand and Body Lotion

Superdrug Intensive Hand Cream