September favourites

Well, check me out being all organised with my monthly faves and before the month is up too *pats self on back* I'm away for the next few days so thought I'd post early! Here are my September highlights.......

Nars Laguna Bronzer £27

Ive used this for a few years now, but after discovering Charlotte Tilbury 'Filmstar Bronze & Glow' earlier this year, I've neglected it. I found it at the bottom of my makeup bag after a recent throw-out sesh and started using it again. It really is so deserving of the hype and when applied correctly/using the right brush, gives the perfect even warm glow. Even better when teamed with a highlighter such as MAC 'Soft & Gentle'. Its so versatile, it pretty much suits all skin tones and excels in its longevity. Ill always re-purchase this. Its looking like I'm going to have to soon. Isn't it heart-breaking when you get near the bottom!?

Clarins True Radiance Foundation £27

As you may have read from a previous post of mine, I like Clarins. In my world, they are kinda a big deal. I was in Boots the other day and like a moth to a flame I was drawn to the counter & got chatting to the lady. I explained how much I love the skin illusion foundation and she introduced to me the new True Radiance. This is very similar to the Skin Illusion, but it produces a more fuller coverage. Perfect for the fast approaching autumn/winter seasons. Tested it, loved it, bought it. Predictably when I applied it properly, it didn't disappoint. It looks great when applied with my stippling brush, for that full flawless look. Its super long lasting too. Ive worn it when working out & it hasn't melted off my face. I don't find that I need too much of it either. I believe they are the same shades as Skin Illusion. I use '103 Ivory'.
 If you're on the hunt for a new foundation, I highly recommend this one.

Boozy Hand Cream £3.55

I recently went to the Olympia beauty exhibition in Kensington Olympia, London. It was my first time going & pretty gosh-darn exciting! There was sooooo many stalls there & everything from fake tan to lash extensions, tarot reading to micro-peels, hair extensions to health pills.....the list goes on! We come across this stall and both my friend Gemma and I were super impressed. This range is new, fun, unique and affordable, appealing to a variety of ages. The concept is based on cocktails. So all the products are named after & smell of a cocktail. My favourite is French Martini. The range includes body wash, body lotion, hand cream, hand wash, bath foam and lipbalm. I really like the packaging and the scent of the hand cream lingers for such a long time. Its also very hydrating. Any of these products would make awesome gifts.
I got chatting to the lady behind this cool idea, who explained that the company is so new that she is still physically involved in the production. I really wish her all the best with her fabulous venture and think there is a lot of potential to expand fast.

Babybliss Curling Wand £24.99

Ive recently completed a few courses, one of which was in Bridal hair. I learnt how to do a few hair-up styles, which included curling. Ever since I have curled my own hair regularly. Although I've finally mastered curling hair using ghds, my preference is using this. Now on myself, I prefer my hair to be a bit messy and using this creates that look nicely. That, and doing very little to it when I get out of bed! It heats up in seconds and I just feel a bit more free using this as opposed to curling tongs. It doesn't give a perfect curl. And I'm all about the imperfect vibe. Instead it creates a more random, loose curl, I love my hair when these curls 'drop', leaving me with a beach-like relaxed look. If you were wanting to achieve a tighter, more uniformed curl it would just mean getting the right amount of hair & using the same section of the wand each time. But when it comes to my own hair, I have neither the discipline nor desire! You can adjust the temperature depending on what heat setting you want it on, I just go big on the highest setting, 200. I use mousse and hairspray to help hold the curls better. I also always use a glove. Unfortunately there is no protection for your ears! :(
It takes around 30 minutes to do my hair, and that's with taking several breaks to give my arm a rest. I broke my left elbow a couple of years ago & it doesn't bend or straighten properly now, making it a mission to fuss my hair for a lengthy period of time. But still, 30 minutes is nothing really. The wand is easy, quick and casual and that's what I find attractive about it.

Metcalfe's skinny corncakes £1.49

This has been an almost daily addition in my life for a while now. With the word 'skinny' on the front, how can this not be attractive?! They are essentially rice cakes. Only bite-sized and tastier. An amazing guilt-free snack, I enjoy them as a post work-out treat. Beware though if you calorie count, its says "118 calories per serving" in small print on the front, there's actually 2 servings in there, although it doesn't seem like it.
Metcalfes have really branched out over the last year or so and these are now available in places such as supermarkets, Boots, Superdrug, Primark and Topshop. On offer quite a lot too. Lush.

Water

My name's Lucie and I'm addicted to lucozade. Anyone who knows me won't be suprised by this admission. I realise what I'm about to say sounds ridiculous, but its true. Its been hard graft resisting its charms in the shops & Ive had the worst time cutting it out. I'm talking shakes and an irrational/irritable mood. My relationship with it began around 3 years ago. I got food poisoning and literally couldn't stomach anything for 2 days. A friend brought a 4 pack round to me the next day and to my relief I could keep it down, it boosted my energy and nursed me back to life. Ever since I've been hooked. I have, and could live off this stuff alone. Its my kryptonite. I guess I associate it with feeling better and, well, I just bloody love the taste. But since I've gone on a health quest, my personal trainer pointed it out to me its no good, just full of useless sugar & far too many calories. So I've switched to sugar-free monster energy and water. Lots and lots of water. I'm re-educating my mind into preferring it to lucozade. And just for today, it seems to be working.

Tanglewood Guitar

Meet my new baby. Ive completely fallen in love and I'm pretty sure this time its going to last! Ive proper thrown myself into learning guitar. Ive tried on and off for around 12 years & given up, but this time I'm 100% committed. I've just learnt the song 'For what its worth' by Buffalo Springfield. So I've nailed the A and E major chords. I just cant ever envisage the day when I can look up from the strings. Ill be forever singing to my guitar!
As I'm on a musical mission, I popped into a shop on Denmark Street in London to have a quick look at the flutes. I played flute for years throughout school (yep, heard all the jokes & no I haven't!) and got to a very credible grade. Ive always been super nervous to try it again at the risk of being massively disappointed about how crap I am now. But the guy in there insisted I had a go and to my absolute shock/delight, I remembered loads!

Id love to start a grunge/rock band in the New year. I'd love to form something influenced by the likes of Skunk Anansie, Alanis Morisette and Joan Jett. Watch this space!

Depop App

I'm loving this App right now and spend far too much time on it. Its kinda similar to eBay, although way more straightforward/better in my opinion. You can sell, buy and swap clothes, makeup, accessories, jewellery, footwear, headwear, costumes, pretty much anything! There's all kinds of wacky, vintage and unique bits on there! And the girls are super lovely too, its a really nice community. Its just so ideal. I'm very guilty of buying an outfit, wearing it once or twice & getting bored of it fast. It makes sense to sell or swap.
Here are a few things that I've bought recently. Mostly £10 and under (bar the Fearne Cotton dress which was brand new (£49) and I got it for £15!! All items were in immaculate condition, smelt good & were quickly posted/delivered.
I don't see any issue with buying second hand clothes. Once they've had a good wash, who would ever know?!


                                                     Urban outfitters top £8

                                                       Topshop dress £10

Bobbi Brown book £8

90's choker £3

Fearne Cotton dress £15

I do hope you enjoyed my favourites. Ill leave you on this note.....

xox

My favourite mascaras

Hola amigos! Before I get stuck into my post, I just wanted to say hi to my 4 new Bloglovin followers.....im delighted! Thank you for the interest ladies & welcome :)

I used my MAC mascara today which I haven't used in a while so thought I would do my top 3 favourite mascaras. Now mascara isnt something I use everyday, maybe once or twice a week, depending on what im doing. Reason being, which ive mentioned in a previous post, is that around 10 years ago my lashes fell out due to poor diet and stress. It took quite a while for them to grow back and sadly they never grew as full as they once were. But now im just grateful to have what I do have back and I try to leave them alone as much as possible. When I do wear mascara though it really does make a significant difference as once they are curled & ive applied the mascara, they look so voluptuous. Im lucky that they are naturally very long. My sister is the same, she has amazing long lashes.
When trying new mascaras I generally opt for ones that promise to lengthen and volumise. Here are my personal top 3......

1. Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes Glossy Black £22
I dont think you can go far wrong with Charlotte Tilbury *anything*, but I really do love this mascara. It doesnt clump, it separates my lashes beautifully, lengthens well & produces a nice soft 'happy-medium' look on my eyes. I dont feel over or under done! The packaging is classy & the thick brush is super easy to work with. Although it is buildable, I find 1 coat is enough for me, but if im going on a night out I will add another layer. The desription on the website explains that the 5 stars stand to curl, separate, volumise, lengthen & dramatise the lashes. That says it all....job lot! It really is impressive and definitely worth the money.

If this was ever discontinued, I would do a big fat cry about it.
I think ill do a post soon on all of my CT products, as I do have a lot!

2. MAC False Lashes Extreme Black £19
This has been amoungst my favourites for years, I absolutely adore it. It does what it says on the tin & literally gives the false lash effect. Its never clumpy, it lengthens, glides on nice and is long lasting. I love the cute design of it too. The formulation is more 'dry' than 'wet' if that makes sense. So I find it easier to work with. The *only* bit I struggle with is that even though the brush is nice & skim, I still find it doesn't separate my lashes that easily, like I do have to work at that quite a bit. But overall the pros far outweigh that 1 con!

This is fab if you are going for the dramatic look, and teamed with false lashes & eyeliner, gives the perfect party finish.

Here's a pic of me wearing just one coat of it.

3. Maybelline The Colossal Smokey Eyes £7.19
This mascara is renown for its layering skills. The most ive applied is 2 coats and it didn't clump or go flaky. I do find that I need to re-apply towards the end of the day, but that's to be expected. The packaging is pretty cool, nice and bright. I used this brand a lot when I was in my teens and had just started wearing make-up, so it would probably be an ideal one to try if you're just starting out. That way if you dont get on with it, it hasn't cost as much as the higher end brands.

This is the perfect budget mascara- great for everyday use & its always on some sort of offer somewhere.

What are your favourite mascaras and why? If anyone has any recommendations, especially ones tailored towards sensitive eyes/lashes please let me know!

xox

August favourites

So it looks like summer is nearly over as we head into the cooler autumnal months. Personally, I've had a pretty positive summer & here in the UK we have been very fortunate with the weather for a change! News wise, 2 of my lovely friends got engaged, another friend has moved to America temporarily & is loving it & I recently passed my first course into becoming a makeup artist. Ive also been weight training again & I'm pleased to finally be able to see a little muscle definition.

Anyway, here is a small selection of my favourite Augusts finds.....

Benefit Gimme Brow Gel
I'd never really thought of trying something like this in the past, but since dip-dying my hair I've wanted to try and make my eyebrows stand out a bit more than before. Being naturally mousey brown, they do need quite a bit of added definition to prevent them from disappearing altogether. Ive been layering this product over an Illamasqua ashy coloured brow cake and they seem to work well together. It promises to add volume, and make the brows appear thicker & fuller- and it delivers. The brush is a good size to work with too. The only flip-side is that it is a bit pricey.
I use the shade 'Light/Medium and bought mine from Boots for £17.50.

MAC Blusher in 'Peaches'
This is a beautiful peach/pink tone blush, which seems to suit all and sundry. I like its versatility- it can be worn down for an everyday soft hint of colour to the apples of the cheeks, and dressed/built up for a glamorous evening look too. I wouldn't say its staying power is as long as its competitors (eg Nars Orgasm or Peachy Pink), but it can simply be re-applied throughout the day. It produces a matte finish and gives a nice healthy glow. I really like it.
Purchased from MAC for £18.00.

Mr Kipling Angel slices
Bit random, but thought I'd throw this in anyway. How have I coped in life without these yummy cakes? Unbelievable I know, but I've only just discovered them and hot-dayum are they good! If you haven't ever tried them I insist, I INSIST you haul-ass to your nearest supermarket, STAT! Failing that, its the type of thing your Auntie or Grandma would have in their kitchen cupboard, along with battenburg. Mmmmmmmm, battenburg!
Available from Tesco and most supermarkets and generally on offer- woo!

Moroccan oil light
I was about to run out of my regular Moroccan oil & when I went to re-purchase I read the description of the 'light' & thought this suited me better. Although its for all hair types, it does specify that its for fine/light coloured hair so thought id give it a whirl. Live on the edge & all that! I cant tell any difference between the 2. They are both bloody amazing. I tend to use it after I've finished blow-drying my hair & before straightening, throughout the lengths & on the ends. It smooths, adds shine & prevents frizz. I was also impressed with the pump it came with, making the process far less messy.
It just works. You cant go wrong with this stuff.
I got mine from Feelunique where its currently 125mls for the price of 100mls at £31.85. Yes, there are cheaper alternatives out there. But I don't begrudge the price, because you only need a tiny amount & therefore it lasts for ages! Its a staple. Fo' sho'.

Mane 'N' Tail Hair conditioner
Basically this is a product primarily for horse hair, which can also be used on human hair. So if you own a horse and you're on a tight smellies budget, this could be the perfect 'kill 2 birds with 1 stone' product for you! I bought it to try because I currently have bonded hair extensions in & the hair can become quite coarse. There's a lot of debate as to whether or not it makes your hair drier, but I haven't found this to be the case. On the contrary, it feels silkier. I like the consistency of it, and the smell isn't too bad, just a bit 'horsey'. If you know what I mean by that. I'm using special extension shampoo at the moment but I do intend to try that in the future. Which claims to make your hair grow?!!
Apparently its very popular with the Kardasians. I would re-purchase it. Especially as its inexpensive. I bought mine for £7 from Liberty

So, that's it for another months faves. I hope your summer rocked hard & ill be back again soon xx