I just fell in love with an eyeshadow

Hi everyone

I spoke a while ago I think in my Beauty Love Tag about needing to add to my make up collection now that I have gone cruelty free. I don’t very often wear a lot of make up particularly around my eyes because as I mention in other posts I have very sensitive eyes but I may have just change that.

I stumbled across these while in my local supermarket. They are both Collection, the white one is Ice Queen and it is amazing as both an eye shadow and a highlighter. It goes on like a pearly white shimmer and I used this on the centre of my eyelids, just below my brow, in the inner corner of my eyes and a small amount in my cupids bow. I put a few coats on my eye lids like a eye shadow and then everywhere else I put it on and blended throughly almost to get rid of the colour and leave the shimmer.

The gold/brown colour is Rosy Gold and again it can be used as an eye shadow and a shimmer. I used it in my crease on top of another eye shadow and also on the top of my cheeks as a highlighter.

Both of these are really pretty colours and they add a glow without looking like I’m covered in glitter if you know what I mean. There was little to no fall out when I was applying them and they stayed in place all night. I was really impressed. I also think they are all year round colours as currently I add them on to browns and in summer they can go on top of corals and pinks.

Finally I also brought the black Kohl eyeliner pencil and I really like this, it is really black and because it new and really sharp I managed to do a really thin line like it almost isn’t an eyeliner. It stayed on all night and there wasn’t any smudging or running.

Thanks for reading

AKL

My number one product for treating damaged hair

Hi everyone

Im talking today about my favourite hair treatment and as high street products go it really is the best one I’ve found. 

I recently talked about dyeing my hair, this along with the fact that I am guilty of using too many heat tools means I need a product that’s going to intensively moisturise my hair. The Hair Therapy Oil with Argon Oil goes some way to making up for the heat, styling and stress I put my hair through and leaves my hair in much better condition.

I’ve been using this product for a little while now but when I went to repurchase about 2 months ago they had run out so when I saw it in stock again I dived on it.

It’s a really inexpensive product and often on offer in Superdrug for buy one get one free, i got 2 for £6. It’s smells beautiful, a really relaxing fragrance like being in a spa.

There are a couple of ways to use it, you can use it either before blow drying as a serum or as an intensive moisturising treatment. For me it’s the moisturising treatment and I use this on a Sunday as much as I can. I put it on at lunchtime and about then leave it on for at least a couple of hours or till I have my shower. I really notice the difference in how my hair feels, it’s easier to brush and detangle and is much smoother and shinier. 

The bottle is quite small and I have quite long hair so I find the bottle lasts me about 3 treatments which given the price is still really good. I would highly recommend this product and I will keep repurchasing.  

Thanks for reading

AKL

My new (old) favourite product

Hi everyone

I decided today was a good day to talk about my new favourite product, I say new but it’s a product I’ve been using for years and stopped using about a year ago. It is the Batiste dry shampoo.

When I decided to change my make up, hair and skin care products all to being cruelty free I had ran out of my Batiste Brunette dry shampoo, the one in the brown and silver bottle and I went and brought a Superdrug own brand dry shampoo, which is cruelty free and I also do love and recommend.

What I didn’t do is a proper check of all the products I had been buying for years to see which of them were already cruelty free and Bastiste is one of them. I rediscovered it in a trip to Superdrug to repurchase dry shampoo and this bottle was on offer and on its own little display. One of the bottles was the wrong way round and that’s when I saw the vegan sign. (Whhhooooo)

To make it even better I love this one called Sweetie. It smells really fruity and sweet when you spray it but isn’t over powering, once you have brushed it through you are left with a very subtle smell and of course like all Batiste products it works really well to keep my hair fresh. 

Thanks for reading.

AKL

My favourite teas

Hi everyone

I am a massive fan of tea, English breakfast, fruit teas, all tea. So I thought I would talk today about a few of my favourites. I have to mention my favourite cup firstly with my beautiful doggy Mollie on. This was a Christmas gift a couple of years ago.

First up is my good old English breakfast, I drink this black now as I try not to drink cows milk. I love a good cup of tea, I do think it’s the only way to start the day for me.

Next up is Earl Gray, this is relatively new addition. I started to drink black tea when I stopped drinking cows milks so Earl Grey seemed a obvious choice. It’s very strong much stronger than English breakfast? Earl Grey is good for digestion, good stress relief and cold relief. Apparently drinking 3 cups of Earl Grey will help prevent heart disease.

Next is the opposite end of the scale with Chamomile tea. Its quite an earthy taste and I find it best to drink before bed as it is quite soothing and is useful for getting a good nights sleep.

This is a really lovely tea, Jasmine tea. It’s very fresh and smells amazing which I find really soothing. It’s doesn’t taste too floral though which is good. Jasmine tea is also really good at reducing stress and aids digestion.

Peppermint tea is next and I only drink this every now and again, I like it quite weak and not too minty. It is again quite an earthy taste but it is really good for tummy ache, boosting your immune system and also if you have eaten really strong flavoured foods like garlic or onion.

What are your favourite teas, have you tried any really nice ones recently? I would love to hear your recommendations.

Thanks for reading

AKL

The Beauty Love Tag

Hi everyone

I saw the Beauty Love tag on A little dose of make up’s blog and thought I would give it a go, so here goes…..

1. If you could have anyone in the world do your makeup, who would it be?

Carli Bybel, I love her make up and I think she would be fun.

2. What’s your top makeup tip?

For sensitive eyes that run in the cold, rain or wind make sure you place face powder right up to your lower lash line before applying eye liner, mascara or eye shadow somehow it seems to stop any tears ruining the rest of you make up.

3. What one makeup item could you not live without?

Face powder

4. What one skincare item could you not live without?

Face wash, I love the feeling of a fresh clean face.

5. What are you worst at when it comes to applying makeup?

Eye shadow products, I’m practicing though.

6. What’s your biggest pet peeve when it comes to beauty?

Overly dark fake eyebrows 

7. What’s your favourite makeup era?

I like the 50s look, very feminine although it’s not a look I wear myself

8. What’s your guilty pleasure product?

Fake tan, does this count? On the face so I think it counts

9. What’s your underdog product?

My Barry M foundation. Before I went cruelty free I have tried Rimmel, Loreal and a few other in the bid to find a good foundation but my Barry M is my favourite so far.

10. What’s your favourite makeup product of 2015?

So far it would be Barry M foundation again although now that I have changed most of my skincare products to cruelty free my next step is to try and improve my make up so watch this space.

Hope you enjoyed reading this, let me know your answers.

AKL

Review of the Body Shop Hawaiian Kukui Cream

Hi everyone

A little while ago I did a review of the Body Shop Resurfacing Scrub and it seemed only right that I review its sister product the Body Shop Hawaiian Kukui Cream, rich nurturing body cream. Another winner in my book. It’s the same range the Spa of the world and without stating the obvious is a perfect a compliment to the scrub.

It is really thick and you only need a small amount each time. It feels like it is building a layer of protection on your skin but without being sticky or greasy. As I said I used this after the scrub and anywhere that the scrub was a little abrasive this moisturiser really soothed and smoothed. I would decently recommend this product either after the scrub or on its own.

I would say that I would personally use this as a night time product when I have time to rub it in and allow to soak in rather than before work where I’m rushing.

Thanks for reading

AKL

Sanctuary haul

Hi everyone

I’ve talked about Sanctuary products before and they are one of my favourite brands (after Lush). I feel like they are an accessible luxury brand and using them feel like you are pampering yourself. Today I have the Gentle Polish Body Scrub, the Cleansing Burst Body wash and the Luxurious Body Butter.

So the Gentle Polish Body Scrub, this is a sharp contrast to the Body Shop Scrub I reviewed recently. They both have a place in my shower but while the Body Shop Product is much harsher and proberley one to use every 2 weeks the Sanctuary I will be using this much more often. It leaves my skin very smooth but is not too rough and creates a great base for moisturiser and of course, like all Sanctuary products, amazing.

Next I have the Cleansing Burst Body wash, this product foams really nicely and you feel like you are in a advert. I also feel like the smell lasts a long time on my skin even if I don’t moisturise after.

Once I am sufficiently washed, scrubbed and polished it’s time for moisturiser and I have the Luxurious Body Butter. This is really thick but rubs in really well. It really does feel luxriois. I tend to use this on a night in though as it smells so lovely it seems a shame to put purfume on top. I would highly recommend this product.

Thanks for reading, what are your favourite Sanctuary products? Do you have any recommendations for accessible luxury products. 

AKL

My multi masking routine

Hi everyone

Its time to multitask again. I can’t believe for all those years I only used one mask at a time even though  the skin on my face is certainly not acting the same at any one time. The mask I’ve got today are the Detoxifying Dead Sea Mask, the Cucumber Cooling Clay Mask and the Superfruits Exfoliating Mask.

The first one I put on is the Cucumber Cooling Clay Mask and this one I’m going to use on my forehead, cheeks and between my eyes (sort of the top and of my nose). I don’t really get any blemishes here so I just want to smooth the skins and brighten it.

Next is the Super Fruits Exfoliating Mask and this is going on my nose. I have the most open pores on my nose and this mask is to refine pores and purify. This is a mask and an exfoliator as well.

Last but not least is the Detoxifying Dead Sea Mask and this is going on my chin. I get the most break outs on my chin and I’ve used this mask before and it really helps clear a break out.

This is my multi masking routine, what’s yours I’d love to know.

Thanks for reading.

AKL

My travel bucket list – top 5

Hi everyone

This was actually a really hard post to write as there are so many places that I would love to visit but these are my top 5 place on my bucket list.

1. Santarini – I am desperate to go back to Santarini, I lived in Crete for 3 summers and one summer I took a day trip to Santarini and it was soooooooo beautiful. There was so many cute little restaurants and bars and I would love to go back but for longer than one day.

2. Thailand – my boyfriend has been to Thailand and talks about it a lot, there so many different things to do and so many beautiful places. I think there are a few not so beautiful places too but I would love to travel around and experience Thailand. Below is one of the pictures he took.

3. Las Vegas – ever since watching the hangover I would love to go to Las Vegas what more can I say.

4. Easter Island – when I was at university I did a short course on Tourism along side my main course and one of the things we looked at was Easter Island. I just found it so fascinating so I would love to see it for myself.

5. Amsterdam – this is a little bit closer to home and I have always wanted to go here. I’ve had so many friends go and I feel like this one may be first on my list.

Where do you want to go, where have you been and what would you recommend?

Let me know, thanks for reading.

AKL

Bargain of the day

Hi everyone 

Really short post but had to share my Bargain Of The Day and I actually can’t believe it. I walked into Superdrug minding my own business and I spot a sticker that said 62p RIGHT UNDER MY BRAND OF FAKE TAN it’s normally £7.99. Which is good anyway. 

So I cleared the shelf. I think they are just changing the packaging. 

If you love this fake tan get yourself to Superdrug, you never know.

The Angels of fake tan did me a favour today. Tell me about some of your bargains, I love a good bargain.

Thanks for reading.

AKL