Seventeen Stay Time Concealer / Review & Swatches

With the lighter days rolling in now and Spring supposedly on its way, if we ignore the snow thats currently lying outside my house a lighter base is something that I strive for. I've always had a weakness when it comes to lip products but lately I'm finding myself down the concealer junkie route instead & thats where the Seventeen Stay Time Concealer comes in!

Probably the worst swatch ever but hey you can see how pale I am and it still blends in perfectly.
Seventeen Stay Time Concealer - Link 

I'm determined to find myself the perfect concealer, it shouldn't be too hard really to find something that'll brighten my skin on dull days, last all day long, not dry my skin out and most importantly cover all those dark circles and pesky blemishes, right? I'm not too fussy about whether its high end or drugstore as long as it does the job - I'm pretty sure I wouldn't mind paying that little bit more if I knew it was going to work. I actually asked on twitter for a few drugstore options and this Seventeen one kept coming up time and time again so it was next on my trial and error list.

 The Seventeen stand is something I don't pay enough attention to and I ought to, they have so many beauty gems that aren't praised enough so I was happy to try out this concealer as their Phwoarrr Paint is a firm favourite of mine. First impressions, the packaging is very similar to the Collection concealer but then again most drugstore concealers do look very same-y, except theres a heck of a lot more product in the 17 offering and so far the packaging hasn't rubbed away - the one thing I can't stand on products is the writing disappearing.

It claims to have over 18 hour wear time but of course I haven't worn it that long, it has however lasted me the majority of my day, from 7am to 5pm without any top ups which is quite admirable in my book! It has a doe foot applicator which I prefer as you can easily blend with a brush - I haven't been converted to cream concealers just yet and its very creamy so its easy to work with. I have used it under my eyes but I feel like I need a smidge more coverage for those dark circles and combine it with my Collection concealer just to be safe.

I by mistake picked up the shade 'fair' thinking it was the lightest shade as the name would suggest you couldn't get much lighter than that and it blends perfectly into my skin and covers everything I need it to. If you are extremely pale skinned there is an 'extra fair' though which I think would be too pale for most but its nice that they've catered to paler gals if they need it as most drugstore brands tend to forget about them - trust me, I'm usually one of the forgotten ones. Its just a lovely concealer and priced at £4.49 its a steal from the drugstore and I'm glad I picked it up but I still think I'll stay on the hunt for that 'perfect holy grail concealer'. 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo
P.s whats your favourite concealer of all time/holy grail?

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Highlighters: Drugstore vs High End

Highlighters; if you'd have asked me a year ago were a bit of a hit and miss, flash forward a year and I don't feel complete going out of the house without applying some - oh how things change! At first I didn't know where to start - torn between the big question: drugstore or high end? I'd used a highlighter in my sleek face form palette but it wasn't too pigmented so I was dying to try something a bit more glitter-y and ended up with these two little gems, one high end, one drugstore so I thought I'd do a comparison post or 'mini review' of them since my last one went down so well :)

L-R: MUA Undress Your Skin & MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft&Gentle

After lusting over the MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle for what seems like years I finally picked up the courage to put it in my shopping basket and I haven't regretted it since. At the time I wasn't too interested in Lightscapade which is for the paler gals because I thought Soft&Gentle would be slightly darker for the summer months - turns out its not dark at all and produces the nicest shimmer once applied. I wouldn't advise applying a lot to avoid a disco ball scenario, its that pigmented but a light dusting definitely finishes everything off perfectly and brightens up any makeup look in the morning, even if you are faking the I'm wide awake look (something I seem to be doing more and more lately)  

Its definitely a staple in my makeup bag now and for the forseeable future, its hard not to, I mean it just looks so pretty and there's plenty of product so it'll last forever. The only bad thing is for some people its hefty-ish price tag and the newer MAC packaging which I'm not too keen on but aside from that its definitely worth it and if you're ooh-ing and ahh-ing in your head whether to try it or not, its a must or love at first swatch sort of thing. 

Theres plenty of alternatives around though and whilst wandering the drugstore aisles the MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter caught my eye and I wondered if it would be just as good as the MAC version so of course into the basket it went. Its still a lovely product don't get me wrong but I feel you have to use twice as much product to get the desired effect. For the price, being what it is, somewhere around the £2/3 mark you can definitely afford a replacement but it just doesn't seem to have the same impact in regards to setting my makeup, 

I think if I hadn't of tried the Mac alternative and had nothing to compare it to, I would have been perfectly happy. The packaging again has a clear lid so its easy to grab in a rush, has an intricate pattern and is a lot paler in colour so if you're looking for a cheaper alternative to the MSF this is definitely a contender. Otherwise if you want to splurge the Mac version is definitely deserving of the hype it gets and it'll definitely be well loved for a long time especially as Spring and Summer are fast approaching! So there you have it, two lovely offerings, two completely different price tags, its up to you :) 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo
P.s what highlighters are you loving/love? I'm having a highlighter phase, definitely!

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MAC Eyeshadow Duo: Review & Swatches

L-R Omega and Charcoal Brown

I'm not a brow kinda gal, lipsticks yes, blushers yes, brow products not so much. I'm not able to run out of he house without fixing them a little don't get me wrong but spending twenty minutes on one instead of lying in bed? I don't think so! At the minute I use an eyebrow pencil to shape my brows & then apply some eyeshadow to fill them out a little which gives a natural look but lately I just wanted to mix things up a little. I had had my eye on MAC's omega eyeshadow for a long time because of its perfect colour match for blonde haired girls and let me tell you thats a real struggle. 

Since completely my MAC quad (post here) I'd also wanted to fill a duo because the're adorably sized and I wasn't sure if I'd be able to fill a quad again so I knew Omega was a must for it. The duo I had in mind then turned in a brow duo as the second shade I picked up was Charcoal Brown, now you're probably wondering why I picked something so dark but truth is I'm debating dying my hair darker again and so this shade will come in handy. I've also read a lot of reviews about Charcoal Brown saying how well loved it is so I thought I'd give it a whirl. If I do manage to dye my hair blonde-er again (I really am in two minds) then it'll double up as a nice crease colour too.  

From first swatches the shadows are incredibly pigmented and gorgeous neutral colours to add to my collection, I haven't used them for my brows yet but now that I've taken photos (bloggers rule) I'll be sure to jump to it. I'll also post a little update in the future to let you know how good they are! I'm just really happy that I can carry them around with me even in the smallest of clutches and lets face it, who doesn't need two more MAC eyeshadows? Its like an addiction

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo 

P.s what kind of brow products do you use: powder or pencil? 

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High End Haul

I'm probably not the only one with a wishlist as long as my arm but at the start of the year and end of 2014, there were too many sales and bargains to resist purchasing a few things as a little treat. Wonderful news for me, terrible for my bank account. Anywho most of the things I actually ordered were beauty related, are you surprised and then the odd perfume chucked in for good measure and I already love them to pieces so I thought I'd put together a little haul post since they're one of my favourites to read!  

Ever since I purchased my YSL rouge volupte shine lipstick in the summer I've been dying to try more from their makeup range, it all looks absolutely stunning in its gold packaging and that's the only excuse I have. I'd heard plenty about the touché éclat from other bloggers and beauty lovers but I hadn't convinced myself that I really needed it or could justify the price tag, prettiness aside. However when Feel Unique had a cheeky offer on I managed to snatch it up for less than £20 which I was quite proud of. 

The second YSL purchase was the YSL baby doll mascara set, I really wanted to try this and it's usually around the £25 mark so when I saw the set in Boots for £15 I knew it was meant to be, so I not only got the mascara for a bargainous price but also a sample sized makeup remover too! I thought I'd include this as well as I finished my Mac duo over the last week or two but that's a separate post and I couldn't be happier that it's finished and ready to use! It's just so cute and makeup bag friendly. 

Christmas is also just a time for gift sets which are often great value so when I saw the Benefit all about prime on offer, I needed it, not only has the porefessional been top of my wishlist for a long time but it also included a skincare sample too. I'm questioning why I didn't get round to purchasing it sooner actually and I'm so eager to try it. Lastly I bought the One Direction You & I perfume gift set which smells incredible, I own their our moment fragrance and loved it so thought it would be right to get their other fragrance too and the bottle looks soonnice sitting on top of my dresser. I actually bought this without realising it was the 50ml bottle but I'm not complaining :) this may not seem like too much but they're  some nice additions to my makeup collection, I should probably put myself on a spending bank now but I hope you enjoyed reading :) 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo 

P.s what things have you all been buying lately? 

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The British Tag

A good old tag post always goes down a treat and honestly what could be better than the British Tag? I've seen a lot of bloggers and youtubers take a stab at this one and I thought I'd do the same :) 

*not my own photo

How many cups of tea do you have and how many sugars? 

I usually have a cup in the morning as soon as I roll out of bed to wake myself up and shame on me, no sugar. I only add sugar to tea when you're buying tea out and you know it would be horrible otherwise or else when I really need an energy kick - being a coffee hater I need all the energy I can get from that. 

Favourite part of your roast? 

I'd have to say homemade roast potatoes or mash with gravy swamping it all - nothing beats that. In fact its really hard to pick just one part of my roast, I love all of it, bar Yorkshire puddings and if I could eat roast dinners everyday, I would. 

Favourite dunking biscuit? 

A good rich tea is always a winner, its actually quite hard to find something to beat it but equally as nice and catering to my chocolate addicted self is a chocolate bourbon, yum. 

Favourite quintessentially British pastime? 

I wouldn't say I have one, in fact when I think of British pastime I automatically think of polo or rugby, neither would go down very well for me. If long walks on a nice sunny day in the country count then I'll say that. 

Favourite word? 

I have a tendency to say most things are lovely which is awfully British and I also say wee a lot instead of little but that's more colloquial not British I don't think. 

Cockney rhyming slang? 

I can't say I know an awful lot of Cockney rhyming slang but I do love the apple and pears (for stairs) or the dog and bone for using the phone. All very fun. 

Favourite sweet? 

As I'm older now I love having Bon Bons or Rhubarb and Custards from time to time but when I was younger Parma Violets and Flying Saucers were drool worthy. There's probably so many more that I can think of but they're the first ones that spring to mind.  

What would your pub be called? 

Oh goodness, this would be something typically involving an arms or rose or something else along those lines. I've no idea what I would call it though, I'll have to have a long hard think. 

Number 1 British person? 

I should probably say the Queen since shes the most famous but I'm quite fond of Prince Harry, always the wild child. There's also plenty of musicians, actors and actresses but I'll just stick with the Queen. 

Favourite shop / restuarant? 

I love Primark for absolute bargains, most shops are everywhere nowadays so its a bit hard to differentiate where they all started but yeah. Also Boots or Superdrug for my beauty needs! In terms of restuarants its the same, I do love settling down in a nice little pub in the middle of nowhere and having a good old traditional roast or 'pub food''. 

What British song pops into your head? 

Not so much a song but bands, Snow Patrol are a firm (and local) favourite, also Coldplay, The Beatles and the like. Also Oasis and I'm quite fond of The Kinks song, you really got me. I'm sure theres plenty of newer British artists too that I adore, including Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, One Direction etc.  

Marmite, yes or no? 

A big massive no. I've tried it once and it was enough. The smell is horrid, as if that isn't a big enough of warning for you, just avoid it at all costs. I know some people who love it but no, it really is a love or hate thing. 

Thats all of my answers, I hope you enjoyed reading them and if you've done this tag please leave me links or if you haven't why not give it a try and let me know. I actually found it really fun!

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo
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Beauty / Skincare Haul: January 2015

Usually in January everyones tries to spend as little as possible with the January blues and all that but I've actually been doing the opposite and spending too much. Now I know a lot of these things I needed (or so I tell myself) but as soon as you step foot in abouts that strong mentality and self control go straight out the window so I got a little carried away. So it's all built up and since I love a good haul I thought it'd be fun to share, this is more my drugstore haul and I have a higher end one coming up soon so keep your eyes peeled ;) and enjoy! 

I needed another Rimmel stay matte powder to set my makeup with, that was all and it spiralled into all of this. Since we've been going through a bitterly cold weather phase which sucks all moisture out of your skin, I thought I needed a new moisturiser for my face, turns out the Garnier ones were on offer so I picked up the illuminating light lotion with the hope of not looking so zombie-esque in the morning, and it seems to be working. For the parts that need that extra moisture I picked up The Body Shops Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream which should hopefully do the trick. 

Eyeliners something I go through phases with and at the moment I'm definitely going through a love phase, my eyeliner skills are terrible but at least I attempt it. I'm forever repurchasing the Collection eyeliners because they're wonderful but lately I've been using my kohl Urban Decay eyeliner and loved it so I thought I'd pick up a cheap one from Miss Sporty.  In a moment of spontaneity I also picked up a brown kohl eyeliner from Rimmel in the shade Sable for the days I want a more natural look. I've never been one for brown eyeliner but I'm slowly coming round to it. The third and final eyeliner I bought was the Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner in Noir - this was unexpected and if I'm honest I just filled the shopping basket with it so I could get qualify for free delivery oops but I'm sure it'll be a nice alternative on those days when I can't find my collection one (so a lot) 

For a while now I've been using as little as possible of my Garnier eye makeup remover (sort of like micellar water but better) to make it last but then it finally gave up and I had to buy a replacement because it's blooming brilliant and perfect for those nights when you quickly want to take your makeup off and crawl into bed. It's also good for sensitive skin and a little does go a long way so it's well worth it's small price tag. These never seem to be shown but deodorant, everyone needs it? I picked up one of the compressed sprays as they were on offer and it smells pretty good so it must be doing its thing. 

On the smelling front, nice smells don't worry, I picked up an impulse spray in Romantic Spark, usually I stick to True Love I think but I wanted a different scent. These are so handy to chuck in a handbag instead of bringing perfumes and being afraid they'll smash (maybe it's just me) and they're as cheap as chips to replace, win win. Lastly I picked up the Cuticura anti bacterial hand gel, it's been out of stock in this size and smell for the longest time and I don't particularly like their other smells so I knew I needed this, again. I think that's everything, I did buy a few bits and pieces for a giveaway so they'll be up soon :) 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo 

P.s what have you been buying lately? have you tried any of these? Oh and sorry about the last picture, blue was not the look I was going for! 

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Weekly Ramble #9

Well, this weeks been in simple words, a very sleep deprived week and if you read my last post you'll known I'm on the hunt for the perfect concealer for just that reason, any suggestions are welcome! I started my placement which was nerve-wracking and exciting all rolled into one and of course after me complaining for the past three months that we hadn't seen snow yet it came the one week I wasn't really feeling it, just my luck eh....

We had some unexpected snow and boy did it look pretty // I found in my stash and rekindled my love for my Urban Decay lipstick // The fluffy jumpers were out, any excuse really // I also ate my first creme egg of the year, its started. 

I though I'd insert a picture to let you see the snow, it wasn't too deep that you were confined to your house and snowed in but it was enough & if I didn't have to traipse about in it I'm sure I'd have enjoyed it a bit more, snowball fights anyone? I thought the snow and combination with the church were just too pretty not to instagram, even if it did mean getting a few looks from passing cars. The snows more or less gone but the bitter temperatures are still here unfortunately, the hats and gloves might be out for a while yet! 

I actually own two of Urban Decay revolution lipsticks but you wouldn't guess it. I haven't actually used them all that much, including a red that would have been perfect for Christmas time damn and they'd been lying at the bottom of my stash so when I came across them on the weekend I did a little happy dance that I've two more lip products again. The pink lipstick is much more suitable for day wear and its a lovely colour that I already know I'm going to wear to death and that's a big thing considering I would usually stray away from pinks.

Also as a result of the colder weather the fluffy jumpers and polo necks have been out, a lot. They're just so snugly and probably as close as I can get to wearing fluffy pyjamas or a onesie in public. I'm also trying to more experimental with my hair and instead of just leaving it in the mornings, I've been playing about and this morning it was a plait (that got caught in the rain and curled itself) but I swear it was a plait. Also I had my first creme egg of the year, I'm already seeing Easter eggs everywhere and I love it. The malteaser bunnies are also out too and I'm sure I'll be eating plenty over the next couple of weeks! They're heavenly. All in all, it's been a quiet but fun/hectic week :) 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo
P.s what have you all been up to this past week, anything exciting?

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The Perfect MAC Quad: A Nude Lovers Heaven

For a while I've been obsessed with reading, studying, swatching the extensive range of MAC eyeshadow shades (trust me theres alot) and reading/watching blog posts and youtube videos to try and narrow them down. I knew I wanted to make my own quad way back but I could never decide which shades to fill it with, which was a lot of hard work in itself but I finally narrowed it down, finished my quad and now I thought I'd share it because honestly its my new baby and probably will be for a long time!

Front: Woodwinked. Back: Cork

I know a lot of people opt for a 15 pan palette but honestly I could never see myself filling it or I'd end up just buying for the sake of it and that would be extremely pricey in the end so I thought a quad or a 4 pan would suit better and I can always buy/fill another in the future if I want. I'm a neutral junkie so obviously this palette was going to fit that trend but I feel as if I've created a versatile bunch which I can pop in my handbag and travel off anywhere with - I told you the quad comes in handy. I also quite like the fact the packaging is clear at the front so you can see exactly what you're grabbing in a rush.

The first shade I knew I had to have was a highlight colour for the inner corner or my eye or as a highlight on my brow bone for those days when I have the time (read:energy) to do that. It really does make all the difference to a look. I was contemplating Vanilla but that would have been even paler. Nylon is a pale gold with a little shimmer in it so it works, adding a little bit of warmth with it.

The second shadow is an all time blogger favourite: All That Glitters. I'd heard so many wonderful things about this shade and I was desperate to have it once I'd swatched. It's a stunning rose gold shade that I'm sure looks ten times better sweeped over the eyes instead of just in the pan, I'll keep you updated on that though.The third choice was Cork, a muted golden brown (bottom left). I needed a matte brown in my palette for the crease and such when I'm having a natural makeup day aka always and Cork just seemed like the perfect choice - not too light, not too dark so I'm excited to have it as a staple in my quad.

 Lastly but not least I picked up my final shade Woodwinked, again another classic MAC shade which is described as a 'warm antique gold', to me it looks like a shimmery brown but thats why I'm not a mua. It looks stunning as well, similarly to All That Glitters and I could imagine it looking amazing just with a quick sweep over the lid. Its slightly darker than Cork so I feel like I have all ends of the spectrum covered with my little palette but then again, you can never have too many eyeshadows so I might just start again and build a new quad oops. Hope you enjoyed it, I love reading these sort of mac palette posts and getting inspiration so please send me some links if you've a similar post.

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo
P.s what's your favourite MAC eyeshadow shade of all time? 

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The Best of 2014

Dare I say it the year of 2014 absolutely flew in (although some parts did drag a little), something I realise is becoming more common as I'm getting older unfortunately and there were plenty of ups and downs so I'm happy to have a restart in 2015. If you read my blogiversary post (link here) you'll know 2015 is a big year in terms of things happening and I couldn't be more excited for them to play out. 2014 was a massive year beauty and skincare wise as I branched out a heck of a lot more than usual so I thought I'd share a few of my favourite things. 

Skincare is something I hold my hands up about, until last year I didn't have a proper routine and I didn't know how bad my skin was so at the start of 2014 I told myself that would be fixed, and it was!

The Body Shop has some amazing products and between their Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter and their Tea Tree Facial Wash my skin has improved and then some! Both are incredible and well loved for a reason, the tea tree fights blemishes and spots (which everybody gets) and the cleanser makes my skin silky smooth - what a duo! I also invested in more face masks and I now have a whole drawer full to get through so I'm well set for this year and this Quick Fix mask was one of the first I'd tried, one of the cheapest and one of the best so I thought it needed a mention. Soap & Glory is another brand that I've been loving this year and not just for its unique smell, the products actually work and smell gorgeous as well, plus the pink packaging definitely makes everything more fun.

2014 was also the year that Babylips and the Revlon Colourburst Balms arrived and I'm ever so glad that they did, I always have my trusted Cherry Me in my handbag for on the move and my Revlon matte balm in Sultry which is probably my most used lip colour ever and you're probably all sick of hearing me raving about it but its gorgeous! I also discovered The Body Shop's Honey Bronzer which I wrote a post about a long time ago now (link here) but basically it caters for paler gals as well which is so hard to find in the drugstore these days.

Also I had to give a shout out to my Collection concealer which will probably be with me until I'm old and grey - its incredible and I still haven't find a concealer up to par with this and trust me I've tried a fair few. I also tried a few bases cause you know its all about that base and the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum (the gel version, not the foundation) really stood out in the drugstore. I'm usually a Rimmel foundation gal so this was definitely a bit of a change up but a good one at that, I always wear it to work and know it won't fade.

I also took the plunge this year and bought things higher end a few times as a little treat, one of them being a YSL lipstick. I'd wanted one for ages but couldn't justify the price but in the end I gave myself one final pep talk and pressed 'add to basket' and I'm so glad I did - the formula is amazing and it looks stunning. My absolute gem of a beauty favourite of this year has to be the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation though, I know its a bit of a love / hate depending on your preference on coverage but for me I absolutely love the fact that it won't budge for 12+ hours plus and its pale enough for my pale skin! A tad pricey (as are most foundations) but I will definitely keep repurchasing it! That's them all, hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo
P.s what are your absolute favourites of 2014?

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December Beauty Favourites

Its hard to believe this is my last beauty favourites of the year so I thought I'd try and end on a high, it's also the most colourful bunch of favourites I think I've shown in the one post, what a joke. All of my favourites are actually old beauty products that I've fallen back in love with, there's absolutely no new things, I think thats also due to the fact I tried to save my money for Christmas presents and parties and the like and not on me - I couldn't justify the spend so yeah heres my December faves... 

My ultimate favourite which will be probably featured in every favourites post I write for the next year (well, maybe not a year but you get the picture) is my personal MAC quad - I'm actually going to write up an individual post about this but I really wanted to stick to neutral colours because lets face it thats as experimental as I get and I love all four of these shades to bits. Another thing that I'd forgotten about was my Collection concealer and I didn't even think that could happen, I lost my old tube and bought a replacement and lost that too so I was making do with lighter coverage concealers I had but it just wasn't the same so when I found it, eventually, you can imagine how happy I was!

Rebel is another firm favourite of the month, red lips definitely scream Christmas so for the days when I wanted a bold lip but not too bold I was reaching for this - nothing beats a berry shade and I'm so glad that I have this as a go to! I've also more recently been reaching for a lighter base - this is more for work when I really can't be bothered but don't want a full face of makeup and no matter how many times I'd tried it in the past the Rimmel Match Perfection foundation just didn't give me the coverage I needed but I tried using a different foundation brush and it just seemed to work so I've been applying this to my face at every opportunity since.

This sort of ties in with my last favourite and if you read my post a while back you'll know I ordered a bunch of brushes off Ebay and I haven't been using anything else since, no joke. They're mainly for applying foundation but even still, I might just have to buy a few more. So there's my beauty favourites over with for 2014, hope you enjoyed them :)  

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo
P.s what beauty things have you loved this month?

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Christmas Time!

I just want to say a massive Merry Christmas to all of my blog followers and anybody else who may be reading! This is a bit of a short post mainly because today is all about spending time with my family & relaxing, as it should be and I've only just got round to having some down time of my own and typing this up, at half ten at night sorry everyone. I'm also quite shocked how fast today has flown in (and thats saying a lot when you've been up since 8am - thats like the crack of dawn on the holidays) but its been amazing nonetheless.

I think because I've been working crazy hours in the run up to Christmas and I really have had to juggle everything about instead of leisurely buying presents for everyone I've learnt to appreciate Christmas even more, if that makes sense? Yesterday it felt so weird to be working on Christmas Eve instead of watching Christmas movies and visiting friends/family and tomorrow I'll be working Boxing Day - not before a sneaky early morning trip to the sales, I couldn't not take advantage of those so today was my proper day off and it meant I was more appreciative. 

A typical morning in our house on Christmas is waking up (usually at a ridiculous time) although its getting later as we get older, no 6am starts anymore and unwrapping all of our presents in front of the tree which I absolutely love doing - it makes it all the more fun ripping the paper off, I know some people don't get their presents wrapped but I personally prefer it! After presents its all about the food, both breakfast and starting the lunch and playing/looking at everything that we've got in more detail I guess and thanking everyone :) Once the foods on its time to settle down and watch some good old Christmas movies or Christmas tv until lunch time which usually works out at mid afternoon. 

By 4pm everyones off for a nap, its just that time in the day when everything catches up on you and you need a little energy boost for the rest of the day and the Christmas tv programmes like Doctor Who, Coronation Street and Strictly Come Dancing - I told you my tv habits are like I'm like sixty five at heart, not always a bad thing I guess. In amongst all of the tv watching and the odd board game or two, I consume as much chocolate as physically possible, I hope I'm not the only one! This year I actually made everyone play Cluedo this year, its a tradition that everyone disappears whenever I get it out but this year they didn't and I surprisingly won the game, what can I say I love being a detective?

So maybe this post wasn't as short as I thought it would be but I'm definitely tired and I've to get up early for work and shopping tomorrow so I'm sure I'll be out for the count by half eleven... I'm getting old but I just wanted to say a huge Merry Christmas to you all :) I hope you's all had a wonderful day with your friends and family, you stuffed your faces and Santa brought you everything that you wanted! 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo 

P.s whats your Christmas Day like? 

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Dear Santa: Wishlist

From time to time I love a good wishlist and whats better than making one at Christmas time, I think its a habit of mine to make really unrealistic and blooming long lists, did anyone else ever cut out half the Argos book for Santa just because it looked pretty? Well at least I'm older and they're a bit better than what they were (well I try) but this is still a hefty wishlist and I wouldn't even expect half of it, not to mention it would probably give my parents a heart attack! I still thought I'd publish it on here because I love reading wishlists and getting some inspiration for my own, so I hope it helps.  

Of course theres some makeup bits and pieces on there like a Nars blush, their foundation and concealer mainly because I couldn't justify buying myself it through the year, a MAC lipstick to add to my collection, MAC Fix+ because I've heard so many good things, a paintpot because one is not enough and a replacement of my Studio Fix. Theres also some lip crayons from Soap&Glory, there is an actual set including three that you can buy but I couldn't find the link for it. I think that's pretty good on the makeup side of things. I did also mention the Zoeva brushes which are stunning and would look amazing, hint hint on my dressing table. 

I also included a lot of miscellaneous items like fairy lights for my room because I can never find any that don't resemble Christmas tree lights, a diary and organiser for the new year, socks as I'm forever losing mine - I swear someone steals them, a watch in brown and black - just plain staple ones that'll go with everything and still look pretty, some jewellery (maybe) and a phone case for my iphone 5 because again I can never find any that I like. 

Also some perfume is a lovely stocking filler and this year I'm hoping that I get One Directions You and I perfume and Christian Dior's J'adore - both smell incredible. Whilst we're on nice smelling things anything from Lush is a lovely gift or even Soap and Glory too. I did ask for the Emma Hardie cleansing balm which was in a set and almost half its usual price, a pair of GHD's (there a long time investment ;)), a Zara City Bag and some Disney DVD's.  

As I said at the start I would never expect even half of this but these are things on a very long list of things I would like and I'll probably buy myself them throughout the new year but I just thought I'd share as it might give others a late idea of what they want. 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo

P.s whats on your Christmas lists?

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Blogmas Day 23: A Festive Lip

Throughout the year you're lucky if you find me wearing anything relatively bold on my lips & apart from the odd pink its mainly nudes, my ways are changing but come A/W I jump at the chance to wear the boldest colours in my collection (I say bold, but I'm not brave enough to rock deep purple/black, probably ever) such as berrys, purples and reds. I love a classic red at Christmas as it just makes my simple makeup pop and really gets me feeling festive - this year I've been rocking it whilst shopping and I'm loving it - I think that may have something to do with my latest MAC purchase and a certain Russian Red lipstick though.....  

If you read my most recent haul post here, you'll know I picked up two lipsticks from MAC, one an everyday pink and the other red. I realised I had no matte reds in my collection that weren't completely drying and I thought this would be the perfect solution. I was caught between Russian Red and MAC Ruby Woo and in the end decided that the less drying one would be best! I thought it would be too bold for everyday wear and I'd have to use it for night time instead but surprisingly its not too in your face for during the day and I've wore it a lot whilst shopping in the run up to Christmas and visiting the Chistmas market (read: mainly eating). 

The lasting power is superb, as I said I've been eating a lot whilst wearing this and instead of it rubbing off its stayed put which is seriously impressive. The pigmentation is also amazing on this certain lipstick as with all MAC lipsticks (the photo doesn't do it justice where it looks more pink than red but it isn't) and has the typical vanilla mac smell which I love too. Although its one of the matte formulas it actually feels creamy on application and has a sort of shine to it when on the lips rather than just normal matte and its a colour that'll never be out of fashion. In fact I think it'll be repurchased for my collection for years to come, its just a lovely lipstick thats timeless. I would definitely recommend it to all as it seems to suit most skin tones perfectly or even giving it a swatch next time you're near a MAC counter, now all I need is a red lipliner and I'm set. 

My MAC lipstick collection is definitely growing slowly but steadily and I'm so happy to have a red in there as a staple.... I might even have to get a new lipstick holder, oh the problems of a beauty lover. 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo 

P.s Whats your favourite MAC lipstick? I need to get my hands on some more. 

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Blogmas Day 17: Origins Mask Marvels

If you've read any of my older posts you'll know that I love a good face mask, in fact I probably have a collection thats considered unhealthily large yet I can't stop buying them! The Origins face masks are probably raved about by everyone and they were top of my skincare wishlist (yes, thats a thing) for so long and then my Christmas list for this year because I could never justify the hefty price tag, (well hefty for a student)... until a few weeks ago when Boots decided to have to most amazing offer.

The Origins Mask Christmas Set includes three of their most well known masks, the Clear Improvement Active charcoal mask, the Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask and the Out of Trouble 10 minute mask and I've really wanted to try all three. This set was on offer at less than half price so £23 for three products whereas one on its own usually retails at £20ish so I knew this was definitely a good offer and a chance to try out all three and find a favourite :) 

The masks are 75ml in comparison to the usual 100ml tubes but 25 ml less for two extra masks was a bit of a no brainier for me. As soon as they arrived I couldn't wait to try them out and as far as smells go they smell amazing, always an added bonus! the packaging is so cute, I love the colourful design and because there's blue in the colour scheme as well it doesn't look too Christmassy and can be used all year around. 

This would be such a cute stocking filler or Christmas gift for someone who loves skincare of even just loves a pampering session (and who doesn't love one of those on a Sunday night?)  I basically can't wait to try these out and see if love them or not, I'll let you all know I'm sure. I'm pretty sure this won't be the first and last thing I buy from Origins though - their products are so cute! 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo

P.s have you tried anything from origins? Or their face masks? What did you think? 

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Blogmas Day 8 - Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot

Christmas time is time for plenty of new beauty releases and this little gem definitely caught my eye right away. I have to hold my hands up already and say that I don't actually own that much from Benefit although I'd always eyed up their beautifully boxed blushes, I think it was just too hard to choose just one so when I saw their limited edition Christmas blush palette containing six of their eight blushes, I knew I had to get it and it hasn't disappointed at all!

It's beautifully packaged, I'm obsessed with the whole gingerbread house theme and the festive print inside as well just ticks all the boxes for me. The box o' blushes comes with five blushes, one majorly hyped up, maybe even cult status bronzer, a highlighter and a blush brush - all very handy to have in one. I think it'll be a toss up between Dandelion and Coralista as my favourite two, I'm all for subtle blushers although the rest are equally as gorgeous.

It's a tin case which houses the blushers but I actually prefer this as it means its easy to clean and it'll be a lot more durable than their ordinary packaging over time. I honestly can't wait to use this and well I don't think I'll have to purchase a Benefit blush for a long time after, it'll keep me going until next year at least! The blushers and bronzer are more or less the same size as the full sized boxed blushers which usually retail around £23 each so you can imagine my excitement at getting six, a highlighter and a brush all for £29.50, definitely bargain of the year! I also managed to get this in my local Boots as well so I got plenty of Advantage Card points too - always a positive!

The only downside is that everyone is trying to get their hands on them for Christmas presents because lets face it who wouldn't want a Benefit Christmas set under the tree and they may be sold out in a few places but I know my local Debenhams/Benefit counter had a fair few left so always check in there if you're looking to get your hands on it as well. I'll probably review these once I've used these for a while but for now I'm over the moon with this little gem.

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo
P.s have you tried or asked for any Benefit Christmas sets for Christmas? They're so adorable!

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Urban Decay: All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray

After posting my 'blogging update' post at the start of the month I sadly haven't posted as much as I promised, all my excuses can be found here (link) but I haven't even had a minute to watch xfactor and thats serious business. I feel like a workaholic, kudos to anyone who has a proper full time job and blogs on the side, it takes some serious organisation! I'll stop before I really ramble, todays post is all about the Urban Decay all nighter makeup setting spray, an absolute life saviour in a bottle. 

My typical Saturday as of late is to wake up around 8 to get ready for the day (including doing my makeup) and leaving the house for work and then travelling to my other work, usually I don't get home until after 10 at night so you can see why I need long lasting makeup on my face. Although MAC and Estee Lauders foundation do the trick (in lasting terms), I can't justify using them all the time because they're blooming expensive (well compared to drugstore) and I like to save them for more special occasions. 

The all nighter spray is you might have guessed by the name is ideal for nights out when you want your makeup to remain on your face but I've found it comes in handy for day to day use too. I purchased this via Cohorted a few months back - an absolute gem of a website for beauty lovers, definitely check it out! I'd been eyeing up the full size spray for ages but I couldn't justify the price tag but then this travel size appeared and it sounded perfect. Its usually priced around £9 but I managed to get it for £6, an absolute bargain and next time its on the Cohorted website I'm definitely going to stock up!

Its so simple to use, I simply apply it after my foundation and powder, now it does take a bit of getting used to, at first I thought with my eyes shut I'd miss my face but that was all just in my head. My makeup stays in place so much longer and has a sort of fresh glow to it, something that comes in handy for someone who usually forgets to apply primer (beauty sin, I know!), its also oil free so its suitable for all skin types and when this is finished I'll definitely be re-purchasing.

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo 

P.s have you tried any of the urban decay sprays, what do you think? 

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The Body Shops Tea Tree Facial Wash

This weeks been a bit of a tough one for me and usually with tough weeks and stress comes the odd breakout or two but luckily this time around that hasn't happened and I'm pretty sure its because of my new holy grail skincare product... The Body Shops Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash (they couldn't have made a longer name for it if they'd tried) which has helped my spot prone skin so much lately.  

I'm usually not one for skincare reviews, I mean theres the odd one here and there but they're such an important part of our everyday routines and they're just skipped over it seems. I love finding out about new skincare products whilst reading other blogs and seeing what would work for my skin and for that reason I can sense they'll be making more of an appearance on my own blog.  

I've never really used facial washes religiously before as I didn't see any changes in my skin and deemed them a waste of time but not now - maybe I'd been using the wrong facial washes. This facial wash had been sitting in my bathroom for a while now, picked up and forgotten about in a haul and it was only a month or two ago when I was having a really bad skin day I decided to try it and I'm hooked. At first I was a bit wary because some reviews said the tea tree range can be quite drying but upon using it, this isn't the case at all!

The facial wash is a part of the Tea Tree range and aimed primarily at blemished skin or spot prone skin so its suitable for most teenagers and probably young adults too since I'm using it. It also aims to provide an intense daily cleanse in order to remove impurities for clearer looking skin and from what I can see its done just that. My skin has drastically improved over the months I've been using this and apart from the odd spot once in a blue moon (we can't have clear skin 24/7) I feel so much happier having clearer skin and knowing that this product is working. I don't use it daily but every two days to give my skin some variety and I've found less is more when using this product so it lasts for ages. Its also quite a large bottle containing 250ml and for £5 its not exactly breaking the bank, the only downside for some people is that it is scented and the Tea Tree can be a little strong but once you're using it you can't smell it at all, unless you're sniffing the bottle but thats completely different. All in all, I'll definitely be re-purchasing this when it runs out, its wonderful! 

Thanks for reading, Jenny xo 

P.s have you tried the facial wash or anything else from The Body Shop's Tea Tree range?

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