Current Favourites!

Hello you beautiful human beings! I am well and truly back into my university routine, being in my third and final year now (of my Sociology degree at least!), it's the beginning of the end..eek. So now I'm back to my stash of all things beauty and otherwise, I thought I should sit down and tell you about my current favourites. Since my last favourites was an ENTIRE year ago (whoopsy daisy), now might be a good time to update you. Right let's get down to the nitty gritty shall we... 

Make Up

My lipstick and gloss combo recently has been the Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Creme Lipstick in 'Grace' (£22 for full size) which is a pale beige nude. I will say on it's own it doesn't suit my skin tone that well, due to my pale complexion, it can wash me out. However with my sheer baby pink Laura Mercier lip glacé in 'Bare Baby' (£19 for full size) on top, it is a perfect union, for natural everyday make up. Both products wear well, and sit comfortably on the lips too (especially the Hourglass lipstick; velvety smooth...oh la la). 

Nails

It is well and truly Autumn edging closer to Winter every single day. Although I must say the Autumn weather has been so mild this year, it's refreshingly odd, not complaining though. I've probably completely jinxed us UK humans saying that...sorry. That was a tangent, if I ever saw one. Anywhoo as I was saying the colder months are upon us, and so the darker shades make their appearance once more. OPI's deep purple named "I Carol About You" (£8.95) from the 2014 holiday collection has resurfaced from the depths of my nail varnish collection, and I really love it. OPI varnishes are great, they last well (with a top coat) I only retouch them every 3-4 days, which is actually quite an accomplishment for me and my nails. 

Scent

Mac's "Turquatic" perfume (£23 for 20ml) is super duper lovely in my humble opinion. Firstly the bottle is unique with it's floral and grass theme, which looks cool on my dressing table. However it's like a weapon, the edges are extremely sharp (keep away from children..and me. Just kiddin' kids it's not that bad). The scent notes include anemone, lotus, orris and Corsican blue cedar (honestly I don't know what half that stuff is, but it smells good all together!). To me the scent is quite a strong slightly muskier scent, with a hint of licorice, which sounds insane to me, I hate licorice to taste but I guess I don't mind it as a scent? How bizarre.

Hair

Co Lab's Extreme Volume Dry Shampoo in the Rio tropical scent (£4) is wonderful at making your hair last between washes, it absorbs oils and doesn't leave a white cast in the hair. The extreme volume version is great at adding that bit of oomph! to my limp fine hair, which is just smashing. 

Skincare

Sheet masks are such a fun pampering pick me up, they make you look like a scary ghost or serial killer, which is great for snapchatting (SUCH FUN!). I got my masks from China this summer, from Etude House (80p each), but there are many variations on the market. In terms of logistics I just pop the slimy sheet of skincare goodness onto my face for twenty minutes, and immediately after my skin feels so much softer and looks more plump with a renewed glow. 

In addition I just want to mention my Pink Grapefruit Hand Cream from The Body Shop (£4). It's a hand cream filled with moisturising oils, which make your hands feel beautifully soft. Really it's the pink grapefruit scent that makes this one my fave though. It smells delicious. 

Fashion

These shoes (£45) are a love/hate item. Clearly I love them. They're from Next, which is a tad unusual for me, as I never shop in Next, but I went in with a friend, and haven't looked back since! haha. I love the sophisticated school girl vibe the shoes give off. They are black lace ups (very past Natalie aged 10) but with a 3/4 inch heel (very present Natalie aged 20). They're comfortable enough to wear with skinny jeans on a daily basis, but look great with a skirt or shorts too for a dressed up look. 

Book

I am currently reading 'After You' (£12.99) the sequel to Jojo Moyes 'Me Before You'. I really enjoyed the first, a chick-lit filled with tears and laughter, and the second seems to be following suit. I highly recommend it, if you're into your light contemporary reads, with a bit of heart, and relatability thrown into the mix.

Food

If you are eating healthy look away now. You have been warned. Now don't judge me. This is a safe place; no T, no shade, no pink lemonade. Lotus Biscoff Crunchy Biscuit Spread (£2.25) is heaven in a jar. Grab a spoon and dig in. You're welcome. 

Item

My Primark 'Hello' lidded plastic glass. Perfect for on the go, but for me it is a big "HELLO! I'm a big glass of water, drink me, so you are the slightest bit healthier and stay hydrated!". Just a subtle hint to myself there. Plus it's super cute. 

TV

I am a decade late to the party but Prison Break is just brilliant. It has everything; suspense, humour, heart, as well as great plot line, script and acting. I'm obsessed, although still on season one so no spoilers! For anyone who has been under a rock, like me for the past ten years, Prison Break is exactly as it sounds, men with a plan to break out of prison. To me, it's like a testosterone filled Orange is the New Black. Just splendid. 

On the reality end of the spectrum I am relishing in the ridiculousness and trashiness of Are You The One? season three, which is airing now. Some of the girls are nutcases and some of the boys are poo-heads (pardon my French), but that makes it all the more enjoyable to watch. There is also a part of me who is like get me in that house, and let me meet my perfect match! Basically it is a dating show, where ten guys, and ten girls live together, and with in the group each have been matchmake'd with their perfect romantic partner. However they don't know who their perfect match is. They must try to work it out with their hearts (and their heads) to win the grand prize fund; but with twists and turns and make ups and break ups, it gets pretty cray cray. 

...and there we have it, all my current favourites, this was fun, let's do it again sometime soon. Please let me know if you have any recommendations, in the comments below, as I am always on the hunt for worthy products/time consumers. xx 

My 5 Step Morning Skincare Routine!

I am not a morning person, whatsoever. However, when I do eventually crawl out of bed, I always feel so much more fresh and awakened once I've completed my morning skincare routine. There are five steps to it, so not overly excessive. I can probably complete it in under 7 minutes (that's a guesstimation, and a precise one at that). Yet most importantly my skin has been in the best condition (overall, with the occasional blemish) it has ever been in, since properly getting into this routine. Obviously my night time skincare routine most likely plays a role in that too, but I do think this morning routine is making a positive difference to my skin. 

STEP ONE: CLEANSE. 

I am currently using the Evelom Morning Time Cleanser. I have a sample sized 50ml, the full size is 125ml (£40). First of all I love the power of marketing with this one. The fact it is called a 'Morning Time Cleanser' makes me remember to use it in the morning! Moreover though, it is such an incredible product. It is a lightweight balm cleanser that is to be applied all over a dry face, and then left for a couple of minutes before being washed off. It's so luxurious. It makes my skin feel incredibly soft and smooth afterwards, as well as completely clean. However (and this is a BIG however) it stinks. The smell of this product is really awful in my opinion, and it does linger slightly. So I am torn when it comes to it, because the results are lovely... if you can ignore the scent. 

STEP TWO: TONE.

The Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner (£27) - A little tip with this one is that I was actually doing a large online shop from Liberty (well I was purchasing a beauty advent calendar) and so fished around online for a coupon code to get some kind of discount. I found one that was for £30 so I technically got this toner for free - I thoroughly enjoy that it comes in a spray bottle, as I can just spritz it all over my cleansed face, and be done with it. It feels so refreshing. In addition, the scent is a gorgeous lavender which reminds me of my Gran so makes me a happy bunny, but if you're not into lavender scents I would avoid this one. 

Also a cheaper alternative I have found is Lush's Eau Roma Water (£7.95) which is very similar in my opinion, if you don't want to spend big bucks on what can be essentially viewed as a face mist. 

STEP THREE: SERUM. 

This is a step you could skip over if you wanted to, but I enjoy the benefits of a serum. The Dr Sebagh Serum Repair (£69) contains the highly coveted ingredient hyaluronic acid, which aids the nourishment and replenishment of the skin. It basically makes you look more radiant and youthful (not that I need to look any younger, I'm always being ID'd, I was even ID'd for a scratchcard the other day, and you only have to be 16 to buy one!). 

STEP FOUR: MOISTURISE.

Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturiser (£23) is totally worth the hype. It does what it says on the jar. It is a lovely consistency, it is super moisturising, and it smells likes oranges. What's not to like? 

STEP FIVE: EYE CREAM.

Again trusty Origins. This time it's the No Puffery Cooling Roll-On For Puffy Eyes. I have a 7ml sample size, the full size is 15ml (£24). This comes with a metal roller-ball applicator which does indeed cool the under eye area immensely. It makes my under eye area feel hydrated and silky smooth. Nonetheless I am still on the look out for a product that can help my dark under eye circles, however that may be asking too much as I think a miracle worker would be needed to combat them... 

...And that's it! Overall I am a fan of all the products I have in my routine currently, despite a few issues here and there, mainly because I do find my skin to be happier as of late, and that in turn makes me happy. 

Let me know what skincare you have been loving lately, or if you are aware of any dupes for me when these rather hefty price tagged products run out... 


NOT a sponsored post, all products were purchased with my own money. 

Empties!

My absolute favourite blog posts, or YouTube videos are empties related. I get an obscene amount of satisfaction from finishing up a product. Even if it is not a favourite, I feel I have accomplished a task, I have used up something I spent money on. It's a win regardless. I am aware that's rather sad, but hey ho it's the little things in life folks.

Empty Products Galore!

I started collecting items for this empties at the beginning of January I believe, and I am rather amazed at how many various things you can finish in such a short space of time. I am going through a stage of attempting to clear out the clutter in my stash, and only repurchase a product if I have no similar products left in my collection. It's liberating.

Products I Used Up:

Original Source Shower Gel in Vanilla Milk and Raspberry - £1.20. It is super cheap, it lathers up nicely when used with a loofah (what a hilarious word, loofah. haha.) and smells exactly like raspberry yoghurt. Whilst also being completely vegan, and with great packaging. What is not to love?

Would I repurchase? Yes.
Product I replaced it with? Balance Me Super Toning Body Wash.

Nivea Pure & Natural Cleansing Toner - £3.45. I appreciated all the natural properties of this product, including the bio argan oil and bio aloe vera. However, this toner due to the natural ingredients is produced to be extremely gentle on the skin, and i prefer to feel like my toner is doing something. Despite that, the toner did remove any remaining make up and the fresh scent was delightful.

Would I repurchase? Maybe. Nothing I would run out to get though.
Product I replaced it with? Lush's Eau Roma Toner Water.

Johnson's Pure Cotton Make-Up Pads - £1 (roughly).

These were standard soft round cotton pads, perfect for taking off nail polish or make-up. Nothing unique.

Would I repurchase? Yeah if they were available in the shop.
Product I replaced it with? Boot's Cotton Wool Double Faced Oval Pads.

Roques Oneil Therapie Himalayan Detox Salts (sample sized packet of 100g)- regular sized 400g, £35.

The bath salts were lovely, full of rich oils and warming scents, creating a relaxing bath-time soak. I also had around three baths with my 100 grams so 400 grams would last you a long time. Nevertheless they have a cult status of being a miracle worker and getting you sleep like a baby, and I may have over hyped the product in my mind. I tend to spend a lot of late nights on the internet, and believed these would be the answer to my prayers and get me to have an early night when I got out the bath. No such luck. It is possible I tried too hard to get them to work defeating the relaxing purposes, who knows. But they did not work for me.

Would I repurchase? For that price no way.
Product I replaced it with? Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath and Shower Oil.

Express Nails - 8.99. I have reviewed these on my blog already (here) but would like to add that on the first day I lost one nail, but found it again and reapplied it but it just did not stick on right, so replaced it with another from the set, and they remained intact. I kept them on for four days, and removed them not because of losing any, but I had kept them quite long in length and they became a little bit grubby underneath so I decided to remove them. However, if I had shortened them I think they could have lasted a few days longer easily. I wouldn't recommend them for everyday wear, but they would be smashing for a special occasion. I also received many compliments whilst wearing them.

Would I repurchase? Yes.
Product I replaced it with? None. They are for special occasions, I will use normal nail polish usually.

Clean & Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion - £2.99. I love that this is a product I can use when being lazy. It is a one step product to remove any dirt from your face. I like that it stings a little, it feels like it's doing it's job. No water is needed which makes it hassle-free, and it actually works.

Would I repurchase? Yes.
Product I replaced it with? Neutrogena's Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub.

Bath and Bodyworks Candle in Mahogany Teakwood - $20. I have already reviewed this product on my blog (here) and I stand by that to the very last burning second.

Would I repurchase? YES.
Product I replaced it with? Bath and Bodyworks Candle in Cinnamon Caramel Swirl.

Q: Radiance's The Fine Fragrance Body Spray - £2.29. I just used this on pop to the shops kind of days, it's a typical body spray. The scent of rose and bergamot was fine but not a favourite of mine.

Would I repurchase? Nope.
Product I replaced it with? Next's Just Pink Perfume.

Listerine Total Care Mouthwash in Clean Mint- £2.30. It was a usual mouthwash, with a stinging sensation. The burn makes me imagine bacteria being physically destroyed. Great stuff.

Would I repurchase? Yes.
Product I replaced it with? Colgate's Max White One Mouthwash.

Marks and Spencer's Earth Spa Intensive Cracked Heel Balm - (unsure on price, it was part of a set). This had the typical peppermint scent of most foot products, and was incredibly moisturising.

Would I repurchase? Not specifically.
Product I replaced it with? Weleda's Skin Food.

Three H&M Face Masks - £0.99 each. Full review of each on my blog (here)

Would I repurchase? Yes for an inexpensive treat.
Product I replaced it with? Ren's Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask.

Mitchum Advanced Control 48 Hour Strength and Protection Deodorant in Waterlily - £1.99. Smells pleasant, but not overpowering. 48 hour protection is definitely a stretch. Nonetheless, it is a good deodorant.

Would I repurchase? Yeah.
Product I replaced it with? Revisiting my Dove Roll On Deodorant.

L'Oreal's Preference High Shine Conditioner - (unsure of price, part of a home hair dying set). I did not rate the actual hair dye, but used the conditioner as a deep conditioner weekly. It smells lovely, and made my hair feel super silky. 

Would I repurchase? I'm unsure if that is possible, but the individual product is worth repurchasing. 

Product I replaced it with? Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle Re-constructor Deep Conditioner. 

So, there we have it, a whole load of empties. Mostly quite positive reviews, so worth the money for the most part. What's a product you have finished recently? Leave a mini review in the comments, and don't forget to post your Blog URL with it...