Superdrug Haul

I recently made a little order on superdrug online as I needed to stock up on a few bits and as always I can never resist picking up a few extra goodies to try out- Especially when bright eyeshadow and purple lipstick is involved :) 

Superdrug is a great place to shop if you're after some great affordable makeup; they exclusively sell brands including Makeup Revolution and MUA who have extremely well priced, high quality makeup with many unique products in their ranges. I especially love Makeup Revolution as they have lots of products that are designed and practical for use of makeup artists, for example they have large pallets like their blush pallets that have lots of different shades inside to use on all different skin tones.

Let's get on with the haul and see what I picked up! ...

Collection Sheer Loose Powder
I am constantly going through pots and pots of loose powder- it is one of my most used makeup items in my kit and my preferred powder is MAC Prep& Prime loose powder,  however at £22 per pot when I go through the stuff very quickly, it can get expensive. After a little research and comparing online I decided to try out this loose powder from Collection that cost me a fraction of the MAC price at just £2.99.
I feel as though not many high street affordable brands have loose setting powders in their lines and this one from Collection was one of the very few that I came across- I really love loose powders as they never tend to leave a cakey finish on the skin- however they can be a little more tricky to transport around and you always need to make sure the lid is tightly fastened to avoid any explosions of white powder all over your expensive kit! :')

Makeup Revoultion Pro E103 Blending Brush
I was never aware that Makeup Revolution sold brushes until I spotted a few on the superdrug website (I think they may be online only..?) and I knew straight away that I had to try one out! I love Makeup Revolution as a brand and I can't wait to use this brush and see how it performs.

Makeup Revolution Cover & Conceal Pallet 
Here's another case of me trying to find a cheaper alternative to MAC - I absolutely love the MAC Conceal & Correct pallet and I find it really useful to have in my kit with it being a pallet so that I can always use a spatula to stay hygienic, however at £35 it is a very pricey product so I am hoping that this similar version from Makeup Revolution will be just as good.

So far so good and I like the product although I am a little concerned that it will not last me a very long long as I have already hit the pan of two of the shades so I can see that there is very little product inside.


MUA Eyeshadow Pallet, Poptastic 
I've recently had my eye on the Urban Decay Electric pallet however before I splurge on that, I decided to try out this cheaper alternative from MUA. I love using bright colours when experimenting with high fashion/ editorial looks and I also think that adding a single pop of colour to a natural makeup look is really lovely and an easy way to be more adventurous with your makeup.
I have used eyeshaddows from MUA before and I think that they are fantastic quality considering their extremely low price- let's see if this gets rid of my temptation to go and buy the Urban Decay alternative!


MUA Clear Anti- bleed Lip Liner
Lip liner is essential when you want your lipstick to look sharp and last all day although it is sometimes tricky (and expensive!) to get a lip liner that matches every single lipstick colour in your collection so hopefully this clear lip liner that claims to work with all lipstick shades will come in handy when I can't find a matching liner to my lipstick.

MUA Luxe Metalic Liquid Lips, Spark 
I really love purple lipstick, it's the perfect addition with a simple makeup to make a statement and is a great way to add some colour into a plain outfit. Many high end brands have recently released liquid lipsticks so I was intrigued to see how this one from MUA performs.

I <3 Makeup Lip Lava, Shockwave 
I also picked up another liquid lipstick from the brand,  I <3 Makeup which I think is a sister company to Makeup Revolution. I love the colour of this which is a pretty purple/ pink and may be a little more wearable for someone who isn't quite ready to rock a dark purple lippy whilst nipping to the shops just yet!:')

High End VS High Street, What Products Are Worth Your Money?

I hate to see people wasting their money on expensive makeup where I know they could have easily gone to a cheaper brand and got the same, if not better quality for half the price. In this post I have jotted down what products I think are worth spending that little extra on and those that are just as good when bought for a cheaper price.
Let me know in the comments if you agree or whether you are still adamant on skipping along to Benefit every few months to re purchase your super pricey mascara? (I really hope not!)

MASCARA ... GO HIGH STREET
In my eyes expensive mascaras are a waste of money, they only last 2-3 months before they dry out and stop performing to their potential and if like me, you use mascara on other people whilst performing a makeover- fancy mascara wands will not be beneficial due to the fact we must use disposable plastic wands for every application to stay hygienic- so we are technically only buying the mascara fluid in the tube.
I have used high end mascaras in the past including Benefit's They're Real which I loved however for the money I am not prepared to keep repurchasing every 2-3 months when the mascara had dried out. My favourite mascaras come from Maybelline and L'oreal Paris which you can pick up for less than £10 and in my opinion get the same, if not better quality than a mascara costing you up to £25!

EYESHADOW ... GO HIGH END
There's no doubt that you can find some great affordable eyeshadows in the aisles of Boots and Superdrug however I do not feel that there is a huge choice on offer, especially for people like me who are not afraid to rock a bright purple eyeshadow once in a while-(I absolutely love MAC Stars N Rockets for when I want something bright!) I also find matte shades hard to come across among the huge variety of nude shimmery, bad pigmented pallets scattered across the shelves.
My favourite eyeshadows come from MAC and Urban Decay where I find MAC to have the best colour selection and Urban Decay never fail with their buttery, extremely pigmented and well bendable eyeshadow shades. I have used and loved MAC eyeshadow for years and I have put together my own custom pallet where I have picked my favourite shades including Naked Lunch, Satin Taupe, Cranberry, Red Brick, Fresh Water and Chrome Yellow- I especially recommend MAC shadows if you are aren't afraid of bold colours or are an aspiring makeup artist like myself and want to build on your colour collection.
Urban Decay have their famous Naked pallet collection which I feel every makeup addcict would love, the shades are very wearable whilst still giving the option to go crazy dramatic for a show stopping look. Read more about my thoughts on the Naked pallets... (click here!)

MAKEUP BRUSHES ... GO HIGH STREET
Almost all of my makeup brushes are from the high street/ drugstore and they are one of the only things that I feel you get a better variety when you buy them on a budget. Having a lot of makeup brushes makes everything 100 times easier as you don't need to constantly keep washing the same brushes over and over and you can never fear of running out of clean blending brushes whilst perfecting a sultry smokey eye! Many high end makeup brushes are made from real hair fibres which can sometimes help achieve certain effects so you may want to invest in one or two of these if you want a full collection of a variety of different brushes. On the other hand, synthetic makeup brushes are a lot friendlier to your wallet, kinder to the environment, tend to be feel softer and are much easier to clean so if all of these points sound appealing to you- I say stick to the synthetic, cheaper brushes.

I absolutely love Real Technique makeup brushes which you can pick up from Boots and Superdrug either individually or as part of great value sets to get you started on growing your collection.
A few of my favourites from Real Techniques include the buffing foundation brush (only available in the core collection set), miracle complexion sponge, setting brush and blush brush however I have yet to find a bad brush within their massive collection available.
Amazon also have some amazing makeup brush sets on offer for extremely low prices- these are brilliant if you are starting out with makeup and want to experiment with different makeup brushes. One of the best sets I have found on Amazon is this Ovonni 29 piece makeup brush and case set which will only cost you £30, giving you every type of brush you will ever need to create a fantastic makeup look- with each brush costing just over £1! I have been using these for a few months now and I am yet to find any faults- I also love the case that is included and I have found it to be very useful when travelling on makeup jobs.

FOUNDATION ... GO HIGH END
"The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural" Calvin Klein.
Good looking skin is everything in beauty and I believe that a really good base makes a huge difference to your overall appearance; it really sets off and brightens the rest of your makeup and features. It is possible to pick up a great foundation from the drugstore although more often than not, you are likely to go for the wrong shade or pick up one not suited to your skin type. Department store counter staff are there to help choose the right foundation for you, they will help to colour match you and give advice on what will work best with your skin, this is unfortunately something you pay for and will not receive at the drugstore.
Caring for your skin is essential so looking at what you plaster across your face every day may help solve some specific breakouts or skin concerns, certain brands will cater for certain skin conditions so do some research before you head out to the shops.
MAC have a huge variety of foundations suited for different skin types, colours and conditions and I love their Studio Finish foundation for a high coverage base that works well on oily skin whilst I also like Face & Body which gives a lighter finish that works on all skin types.
For myself (rather than foundations I use in my kit) I like to use foundations from YSL and Clarins as I find they work well with my skin type (normal to dry) and help me to create a healthy, dewy finish which is something I love.

STATEMENT LIPSTICK ... GO HIGH END
I love to wear bright and bold lipsticks however they are not always the easiest to pull off and feel comfortable whilst wearing so I always like to go for better quality formulas such as lipsticks from MAC and YSL. I have tried statement lipsticks from the drugstore before however I do not find the colour selection very exciting (I love purple lipstick!) and the formulas tend to be drying and uncomfortable to wear all day long.
I have a huge collection of statement lipsticks that I love although a few of my favourites include MAC Heroine, MAC Rebel, MAC Media and YSL Rouge Pur Couture 39.

NUDE LIPSTICK .... GO HIGH STREET
Personally I very rarely wear nude lipstick so I see no point in going out and spending £15 on one to wear it once in a while, therefore I do own a few nude lipsticks from the high street and I think they are great. Nude lipsticks tend to be moisturising and a slightly more interesting colour than your natural lip shade, they are nice to pair with a dramatic smoky eye or as part of your simple everyday makeup look. I rate Rimmel lipsticks to be the best on the high street, particularly their Kate Moss collection which includes my favourite Nude lipstick in the shade 03 which is a pretty brown toned pink that is easy to wear and looks great on almost all skin tones.

My Current Favourite Things, September 2015

I've not shared with you my favourite things for a while so I thought a catch up was long overdue. I have recently discovered some amazing new beauty/ makeup bits and I have also been obsessed with a certain TV program and not to forget a pair of shoes that I literally haven't stopped wearing for the past month!

MAC FACE & BODY FOUNDATION 
As I mentioned in a previous post, last month I went to France on my holidays and I wasn't up for a full face of makeup every day however when I did fancy wearing a little something, I reached for my MAC Face & Body foundation that worked a treat at giving me a super comfortable light coverage that was easy to wear and gave me a nice healthy glow without looking too shiny. Face and Body is a water based foundation that gives a very light but buildable coverage and it was perfect for my holiday because I could quickly apply it using my fingers with no fuss at all. I wore the shade C3 on my holiday which was great when I had a little more colour in my face and I also have C1 which is perfect for my natural skin tone when I am back home.

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS DIPBROW POMADE 
I used to use and love Illamasqua's eyebrow cake in the shade Thunder every day to fill in my brows although after loosing it on one of my adventures this summer, I decided to try out the cult beauty favourite, Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade which I ordered from Cult Beauty (with a great shipping price and fast delivery!) I have been curious to try this after hearing so many amazing reviews about the product online and I finally bit the bullet and went for it. I absolutely love this brow gel and urge anyone who has ever thought about it, to just go and buy it- you will not be disappointed! I am already considering buying another one in a lighter shade to add to my makeup kit... I love it that much!
I am surprised at how easy it is to get a neat, polished finish without too much effort or skill, I start by drawing my arch and line underneath the brow then push up the product lightly at the front of my brow to give a natural finish. I am planning to either write up or film a youtube video of my eyebrow routine so you can see how I use the dipbrow pomade in more detail- keep an eye out for that.

SENSI BIAFINE CREME RICHE 
I like to use a rich moisturiser as part of my evening skincare routine and I had been using Lush's Skindrink up until I discovered the Sensi Biafine Creme Riche that I picked up at a French pharmacy whilst I was on my holidays last month (read more about what else I got from the pharmacy here http://aliceemarie.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/french-pharmacy-sephora-haul.html )
My first impressions of Lush Skindrink moisturiser were good however after using it for a while I found it to be almost 'too rich' and I felt that it left my skin feeling clogged up and difficult to continue onto any other skincare or makeup. On the other hand, I absolutely love the Sensi Biafine rich cream that I discovered in France which absorbs into my skin quickly whilst leaving it feeling thoroughly moisturised. I am now using this moisturiser over my Lush one which I will be giving to my mum to try out after it not working for me.

IMPERIAL LEATHER FOAMBURST SWEET VANILLA & CHERRY BLOSSOM 
Another slightly more random skincare favourite is this foaming shower gel from Imperial Leather which I took on holiday with me last month and I love how quickly the product foams up and is easy to lather onto the skin- it's also perfect to use as a shaving cream and I love the scent.

NEW BALANCE TRAINERS 
This summer I got myself a job in a small independent coffee/ juice bar and I love working there, I've made lots of new friends and I love interacting with customers and the feeling of making my own money and being independent. For my work uniform I have to wear all black and most importantly-comfortable shoes as I am on my feet all day long, running back and forth to the kitchen and back to serve coffees and juices- I've definitely not had a lazy summer! I have been wearing my New Balance trainers for work every day which I picked up from Schuh in their start of the summer sale and I have not taken them off since- they are extremely comfy and I almost feel like I'm running around wearing my slippers which is fantastic! I love the plain black design with a pop of white and green and I would highly recommend New Balance if you are searching for some new trainers.

URBAN DECAY NAKED PALLET
My previous post was all about the Urban Decay Naked pallets that I have recently bought and I thought I would quickly mention the original pallet in this post because although I have only owned it for a few weeks, I am already obsessed with the beautiful shades that I have found to be extremely easy to create both day and night looks with. I do also love the Naked 2 pallet however I have found the original to be more versatile and to contain more flattering shades. I am planning to make a Youtube video showing you a few different looks using the pallet- what do you think?

JUICY COUTURE VIVA LA JUICY PERFUME 
I have never been massively into perfume and I always see it as a luxury or something I would only be given as a gift however I decided to treat myself last month and I picked up an old favourite of mine which is the Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy perfume. I love the rich luxurious scent which I find neither too floral or too 'grown up' ( as I like to call old lady perfumes- ha ha!) and I always see it as 'my scent' as I always used to be gifted this perfume as either a Christmas or birthday present.

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS 
Finally I wanted to mention Pretty Little Liars which I have finally started watching on Netflix after hearing everyone and their cats raving about it- I am extremely late to the party on this one! :')
A has finally been revealed in the season 6 finale and I am still only watching season 3 so I am very behind- although I am completely hooked.I love the gripping story line and mystery in every episode, I urge you to go and watch it if you've not already- I am sure you will not regret it!

What have you been loving recently? Do you have a new favourite makeup item that you think I should try out or have you also been hooked on Pretty Little Liars like me and not been logged out of Netflix for the past month?! Let me know in the comments! :)

Urban Decay Naked 1 & 2 Pallets- I finally Caved!

After years of hearing beauty fanatics rave about how amazing the Urban Decay Naked eye shadow pallets are, I finally caved and decided to buy one... or two! :')
I was always put off by their expensive price tag, which will set you back £38 per pallet giving you 12 wearable nude shades in each pallet.

I have always favoured MAC eye-shadows and I have filled a whole 14 piece custom pallet which is filled with my favourite MAC shadows that I chose myself; I love this pallet however when I work out how much money the entire pallet cost me, with each inset being £10 each on top of the cost of an empty pallet to start - it's a little scary!
In comparison, the Urban Decay pallet's overall seem a little more appealing and I'm not sure why I never invested in one before.

As many of you already know, I am a media makeup student at college and I aspire to one day become a makeup artist in some part of the industry so I am always trying to build up my kit to make jobs easier and give myself the opportunity to learn about and experiment with different products.... (some sort of excuse for buying more makeup right? haha!)

I searched online and read a ton of reviews on all the Naked pallets that Urban Decay have on offer, including the original, 2, 3 and their latest launch of the smokey pallet- I wanted to find out which pallet would suit me best and I found out that the original pallet was mainly warm toned bronze shades, the naked 2 was more cool toned, the 3rd pallet had pink tones that suited paler skin tones best and finally the naked smokey is as it suggests a pallet full of deep, rich shades that are perfect for creating a slurty smokey eye.
I was torn between the original Naked pallet and the Naked 2 as I thought they would both be great to use on all different skin tones and eye colours. In the end I decided to buy both as I knew I would use both pallets for different looks and considering I already know how amazing Urban Decay eye-shadows are, I knew I wouldn't regret my purchases.

I am very excited to start using these pallets more and start creating new looks with them, so far I am very impressed with the quality of the shadows and I love the colours, a few of my favourite shades from the Naked 1 are Buck, Sin, Toasted and I also love Half Baked which is duplicated in both pallets. Naked 2 holds 12 beautiful shades and my favourites so far include Foxy, Bootycall, Verve and Blackout which is an extremely pigmented matte black- perfect for a smokey eye!

Do you own any of the Urban Decay Naked pallets? Which one is your favourite? Let me know in the comments! :)

(Pictured above, makeup:
Clarins True Radience Foundation
L'oreal BB powder
Anastasia Beverly Hills dip brow pomade
The Body Shop Honey bronzer
MAC Heroine lipstick
URBAN DECAY NAKED PALLETS 1 & 2.)

French Pharmacy & Sephora Haul

I just got back home after a great 10 days relaxing in the south of France, exploring small towns and not to forget hunting down all the fantastic French pharmacies to pick up some skincare and beauty essentials from a country that knows exactly how to care for their skin.

If you didn't already know, pharmacies in France are a big deal; walk down any main street and you're bound to spot one or two offering the best skincare from brands such as Bioderma, La Roche Posay, Avene and Caudalie. You can get your hands on many of the brands back here in the UK however the French pharmacies have more exclusive products and often work out cheaper to buy with their deals and the current exchange rate.

Whilst I was in France, I also picked up a few things in Sephora which is a big makeup and beauty shop selling brands including Make Up Forever, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Guerlain, Sephora's own brand and many more - they have stores all over Europe and America although they still yet to have any stores back in the UK so I was very excited to have a look around and pick up some stuff that I cannot get back home.

Pharmacy 

LA ROCHE POSAY, TOLERIANE DERMO-CLEANSER 
I've used the La Roche Posay Toleriane moisturiser before and loved it so when I saw this corresponding cleanser in a big bottle with a pump for just under 10 euros I had to pick it up. The product claims to be a  dermo-cleanser that removes makeup and gently cleanses the face, no rinsing needed. I'm looking forward to using this as an easy, go to simple cleanser that I am sure will last me a long time in the impressive 400ml bottle.

EAU MICELLAIRE, Micellar Cleansing Water
Bioderma used to be my go to micellar water until many other alternatives came on the market for a cheaper price; Garnier is now my go to brand for their micellar water however in France the stuff is a lot more accessible and many brands offer it for as cheap as chips.
I decided to get this micellar water in a handy big 500ml pump bottle which I found in the supermarket for under 5 euros.

AVENE CLEANANCE MASK 
I have never tried any products from Avene before and I have heard many great things about the brand so I decided to try out this cleansing mask which looks like it would be a real treat for my skin.

AVENE EAU THERMALE, Thermal Spring Water 
I really like toner waters and have used La Roche Posay Serozinc and Lush's Eau Roma toning sprays before and I love how refreshing and cooling they are so I decided to try out this version from Avene to see how it compares.


DERMOPHIL HAUTE TOLERANCE
I have used these lip balms for years, they do the job at deeply moisturing lips without making them too sticky and they're really cheap and cheerful. I managed to get this multi pack with a free extra balm for under 5 euros and I'm pleased to be stocked up again with my favourite lip balm.

CAUDALIE VINOSOURCE, Moisturizing Matifying Fluid 

I was after a moisturiser suited for normal skin after finding it difficult when many were aimed at either very dry or very oily skin so with the help of a pharmacist in the shop, I was recommended this Caudalie cream which I can imagine to be great for me and I am looking forward to seeing how I get on with it.

CAUDALIE PURIFYING MASK
The Caudalie cream was on a special offer and came with this free purifying face mask which is suited for all skin types and I am excited to try it out.

SENSI BIAFINE, CREME VISAGE RICHE 
Whilst I was talking to the pharmacist, she noticed that my face was peeling from sun burn and kindly gave me a few samples including a rich moisturising cream which I used that night and woke up the next day with super soft skin that felt healed and moisturised- a few days later I stumbled across a pharmacy that had the exact same cream on a special offer for under 10 euros that included a free gift for the same price. The cream will come in handy for when my skin gets very dry and flaky, whilst also being able to use as a super hydrating mask overnight.

SENSI BIAFINE, LAIT DEMAQUILLANT APAISANT 
My free gift with the hydrating cream was a gentle milk cleanser suited for sensitive skin and I am looking forward to seeing how it performs at removing makeup and cleansing my face.

Sephora 

TRIPLE ACTION GENTLE MAKEUP REMOVER GEL 
Sephora have a sneaky way of getting your attention at the tills by offering mini versions of products to tempt you and I decided to pick up this handy little makeup remover that I can imagine will be perfect to use whilst travelling or to pack into my makeup kit.

POMEGRANATE FIBER FACE MASK
These masks were all over the shop floor and I couldn't resist picking one up, after taking a while to decide which scent to choose with the massive choice on offer I finally decided on the pomegrante version and I'm sure it will be perfect for a girly pamper night.

SEPHORA NAIL POLISH
I couldn't resist picking up this unique green nail polish which was on sale for just 1 euro!

SEPHORA SMART LINER 
I've noticed these oddly shaped eye liner pens pop up all over the internet and I have been curious to see how they work so when I saw one in Sephora I picked one up- I have already tested it out and so far I'm very impressed- I'm sure I will let you know my full impressions soon.

SEPHORA KISS ME TINTED LIP COLOUR, MELON SORBET 
I was attracted to these by their cool packaging and funky colours on offer- I decided to go for this orange colour which I wore a lot on holiday and left my lips tinted an orange/ peach colour which was really easy to wear and felt comfortable on my lips. The colour isn't as strong as it looks in the bullet which I was a little disappointed about however I do love the subtle tint it gives non the less.

SEPHORA CREAM LIP SATIN, 10, 01
I've heard many beauty bloggers rave about these lip satin liquid lipsticks so when I spotted them in Sephora I knew I had to try them out. I first decided to get no.10 which is a bright orange red colour and after wearing it the next day, I loved it and really wanted to get my hands on another colour so when I spotted Sephora in another town I picked up no.01 to add to my collection! These liquid lipsticks are extremely pigmented, dry matte, feel comfortable on the lips and last hours- what's not to love?

Duty Free

JUICY COUTURE, VIVA LA JUICY 
As I mentioned in my last post, I've started working in a little cafe and I got paid on the day before I jetted off on holiday so I decided to treat myself in duty free and bought myself this Juicy Couture perfume which is one that I used to wear all the time but haven't had the money to buy it myself for a long time- I love the strong unique scent and can't wait to start wearing it again.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post from me and maybe picked up some ideas to add to your shopping list if you're off on holiday any time soon! :)

Pack With Me For My Summer Holiday

I'm off to the south of France tomorrow and I thought I would share with you a few of the essentials that I am starting to pack in my case, from my jazzy sun glasses to the very crucial sun cream!

Beauty wise I like to keep things relaxed and simple to let my skin breathe, I will be packing more makeup to wear in the evenings however in the day time I will always make sure I wear SPF along with lashings of waterproof mascara, brow gel, bronzer, a dewy highlighter like the Marylumaziner (The Balm) and a hydrating lip balm like Carmex.

I may be on holiday but I still want to look after my skin and keep it clear. I decided to pick up this skin energising daily facial scrub from Clean&Clear on my latest trip to Boots which sounds like the perfect face wash which will be easy to use every day. 

I talk about Garnier's Micclear water like it's a bottle of gold so when I saw that they had started selling the stuff in mini travel sized bottles, I had to pick one up to take on holiday!

Sunshine can really dry out the skin so having a good moisturiser is essential- I have decided to take the Garnier moisture match for normal to dry skin which I know works for me and it also comes in a handy small size which is perfect for travelling.

I am never fussy when it comes to haircare but I simply cannot live without my tangle teezer which has saved my hair over the past few years, it's the perfect hair brush to use on wet and dry hair.

I never wash my hair more than twice a week although when I'm on holiday I know that my hair will be more prone to drying out due to the heat and swimming so I've made sure I have some deep conditioning shampoos to give my hair a treat. On the other hand I don't want to constantly be washing my hair so I've also packed a mini travel sized dry shampoo to use when my hair needs an extra boost.

I love to wear accessories in my hair and I really like this daisy hair bobble which I know will look really cute on holiday :)

Exfoliating is great to help a tan fade naturally without going patchy and I am hoping to get a slight sun tan so I have packed my favourite body scrub which is Soap &Glorys The Scrub of your Life.

Venus have recently started selling their new mini snap razors which are perfect for travelling as they come in a small case to make it easy to pack in your toiletries bag. I already own other Venus razors and blades which will fit perfectly onto this snap razor and I think it is a fantastic concept which I am sure will come in handy for many people including myself.

These blue mirrored sunglasses are from Accessories and I think they will look great on holiday- I can't wait to wear them! 

I recently bought this apple juice fragrance from Zara which cost me just under £10 which I think is a fantastic price considering the quality and I absolutely love the smell which I can imagine will be the perfect summer scent.

Are you going on a summer holiday this year? What are your holiday essentials? 

My Perfect Skincare Routine: Ft. LUSH Skincare Review

As much as I love makeup, I absolutely love taking it all off at the end of the day and using great products that leave my skin feeling it's best.

Recently I have got into a perfect evening routine and I have also discovered Lush Cosmetics skincare which is something I have never tried before and I have been very impressed with.

To remove the majority of my makeup I always use the Garnier Micellar cleansing water which never fails to disappoint me and I have yet to find anything that works just as well. I simply sweep a soaked cotton pad with the water and wipe away all my face makeup. This micellar water never stings or irritates my eyes/skin and feels almost like water gliding across the face.

The micellar water is great to remove all types of makeup including eye makeup however I sometimes like to use a seperate eye makeup remover because I find this to be more effective at removing heavy eye makeup and ensuring that even the most sensitive eyes will not suffer. The Body Shop Camomile Eye-Makeup remover is a great option for quick and effective eye makeup removal which works on even sensitive eyes.

I always like to use a second cleanser after the micellar water to ensure that all my makeup is gone and that my skin has been thoroughly cleaned.
I have never tried any products from Lush Cosmetics skincare so I was intrigued to try something and I decided to pick up their Let The Good Times Roll cleanser which is targeted at normal skin types like mine and I was also attracted to it by it's delicious cinnamon, popcorn scent with actual pieces of popcorn in the pot (yum!)
The cleanser is a 'play dough' paste consistency and I was told by a Lush employee to scoop a penny sized amount out of the pot, rub together in my hands with warm water then massage the paste onto my face and rinse off. I found the product to almost gently exfoliate my skin whilst giving it a really good clean- I love the smell and I find it leaves my skin feeling super soft and looking really clear.
I have the 100g pot and I can see it lasting me a long time as I have found you only need to use a small amount each application, plus Lush have a system where you can bring back 5 full sized empty pots or tubs to receive a free face mask... what's not to love?! (applies to all 'Not Virgin' products- look out for the sticker!) 

I never used to use facial toners as I thought they were a waste of money and a pointless step in my routine, however I have recently found that by using the Simple Kind To Skin Soothing facial toner, my skin has felt more balanced and 'normal', with no excess oil or dry patches and is always left feeling refreshed and hydrated.
I still don't think that using a toner is essential, however I do like to use this one to give my skin some extra care and I would recommend trying one out if you want to target a certain insecurity as there are many on the market that are designed for certain needs.

My final step is to use a hydrating moisturiser which I know will deeply hydrate my skin, especially to use in the evenings. I found it difficult to choose which moisturiser to try from Lush as they all sounded like they would do wonders for my skin although I finally decided to pick up the Skindrink facial moisturiser which by the name, sounded like it would be the perfect rich option.
This rich sesame oil cream has a thick consistency therefore I prefer to use it in the evenings as I think it would be too heavy for day time. I'm not too keen on the smell of this product however I do love the benefits that I have been seeing so far such as quick absorption, non greasy feeling and how my skin is left feeling afterwards... amazing!

Have you tried any other products from Lush skincare? Let me know in the comments if you think there is something else I would like! :)