May GlossyBox Anniversary Edition

I bought into the hype again and re-subbed to Glossy box to get their Anniversary box. I thought it would be a good one seeing as it is being called the Anniversary edition. I was wrong. I am totally underwhelmed with my box, even if it hadn't been hyped I would still feel the same.

I got two samples that I could have picked up from any department store myself and ANOTHER shower gel ( I don't even have a shower haha). I think it is quite safe to say I am going to be cancelling my subscription and just keeping Jolie Box as I have been satisfied with the two I have had and I gather their customer service is excellent from my experience.

I Know some people got HD Brows products that are worth around £20 in their box. I think it is unfair that there are such variations in the value of products in the boxes.

So here is what I got in this months Glossy Box

Noble Isle Summer Rinsing Shower/Bath Gel, worth £6, full size (250ml) £20
Blah, another mini shower gel to add to my collection!

Eldora False Lashes Full Sized Product worth £3.90
I do quite like these, they look quite natural and not too over the top, they will get used.

Lolita Lempicka Perfume Samples, not worth anything really as you can get these for free.
I do quite like the smell of them and will use them, maybe take them on holiday with me. But receiving tiny perfume samples in a box which claims to give you luxury samples does not fill me with joy.

Apivita Express Beauty Masks, worth £3.50
I am not a lover of skin care as I have such sensitive skin. I will give it a go though I suppose.

OSMO Berber Oil Hair Treatment, worth £2 full size (100ml) £19.99
I have an OSMO hair mask that I got from the hairdresser and wasn't that impressed. I am quite curious to try this as I do like hair oils but I think the sample could have been more generous that a little 10ml.

So all together my box was worth £15.40, and other people had a product in their box worth £20. Not impressed Glossy Box! I did think the little extras of a mirror and balloon, and the tissue paper were nice touches though.

Did you get a Glossy Box this month? What did you think of it?

Gem x

Weekend Wishlist

I am stuck in on a Saturday night, there is nothing good on the TV and my boyfriend works nights and I am very bored. So I decided to do a little wishlist post.

1. Makeup Geek Eyeshadow Starter Set $45
I am a huge fan of Marlena and love her tutorials. It was partly Makeup Geek that got me into makeup and I really want to try her eyeshadows. They are supposed to be very good and comparable to MAC. They ship internationally so I may get these as a birthday gift to myself :)

2. MAC Dolly Mix Blush £17.50
I love the quality of MAC blushes, I only have a Face Kit and would love to own a full sized blush. I like Dolly Mix as I like my blushes to have a bit of a sheen and I think this colour would flatter my pale skin tone.

3. Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish £14.25 100ml
I had been reading rave reviews on this cleanser for ages but was a little hesitant to try it as I have very sensitive skin which breaks out a lot. I had already bought a cleanser for £12 which didn't agree with my skin so was very wary about trying another pricier cleanser and stuck to my Clean and Clear. I had a sample size of this in my Latest in Beauty box and have been using it now for about 2 weeks and my skin is actually liking it. It leaves it nice and smooth and no signs of breakouts.

4. Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation £10.99
I confess,I am a foundation junkie. I like my current foundation which is another by Bourjois, Flower Perfection, but yet I still really want to try this one out. When I run out of my Flower Perfection I will be buying this one in the lightest shade.

Gemx

May Jolie Box

Contents:

• China Glaze Nail Polish in Yellow Polka Dot Bikini
• RMK Makeup Base
• Essential Care Organic Rose Moisturiser
• Talika Eye Therapy Patch

This is my second Jolie box, but the first one I am posting about. I really like this months box but am slightly disappointed with the colour of nail polish I received. It is a full on neon yellow which does look stunning in the bottle (the picture has not done it justice) but this is a shade that I know I wont pull off. I am quite pale and not very fashionable (lol). I was so excited to get a China Glaze polish and now I am left feeling a little deflated.

All the other products though are right up my street. I have just ran out of my Neals Yard Rehydrating Rose moisturiser so I am very glad to have got another rose moisturiser as I love them. I am excited to try the RMK base as most of primers break me out, I am on the look out for one that doesn't. I was hoping to get the lash serum but thinking about it I wear contact lenses and have very sensitive eyes, so maybe getting the patch was the right thing really. I have also noticed I am starting to get fine lines under my eyes so I think its time I invested in a good eye cream.

Have you got your Jolie Box yet?

Gem x

My Weight loss Story So Far

I am writing this post to motivate myself again, and perhaps in turn it will also motivate someone else. I know my blog is primarily beauty orientated but I think this is an issue that affects a lot of people, and is very important to me, so I thought I would share.

I have always been overweight. I think from the age of 10 I noticed that I was bigger than all of my friends and it used to bother me a lot. I used to dance ballet and tap and love it, but gave up at age 13 as I thought I was too big to continue. I could never wear the same clothes as my friends and had to wear adult size clothes. By the time I was 16 I was a size 14/16 and after I met my first boyfriend my weight went up and up and I was a size 16/18 by the time I was 18.

I always used to tell myself that I was overweight and there was nothing I could do about it, even though looking back my diet was terrible. I was never happy with the way I looked and was quite unhealthy.

At 23 and after my second baby I was pushing a size 20. One day I decided that enough is enough, I wanted to loose weigh and get to a healthy BMI. I finally accepted that it was my fault and there was something I could do about it. I wanted to set a good example to my children by being fit and active with a healthy diet.

I knew I couldn't do it by myself as I had tried and failed many diets, including calorie counting and slim-fast. I looked into the Cambridge diet but found that to be too costly, and wanted a diet where I could eat the same meals as my family.

I joined a local Slimming World group in August 2011, and found the plan great to fit around my busy family orientated life. The whole family could eat the same meals as me as the plan is based on a healthy low fat, high fibre diet.

Going to the group every week is really motivating, and I have met a lot of lovely people who are all so friendly and supportive.

I have lost 34 pounds to date, which is 2 Stone 6 pounds. My BMI has gone from Obese at 32.6 to overweight at 26.6. I was pushing a size 20 before I started and now I am a comfortable 14, sometimes a 12.

I still want to loose at least another 21 pounds, and have a way to go as my weight loss has slowed down a lot. I seem to have hit a bit of a wall at the moment with my weight fluctuating, but I am confident that I will do it, I know if  I stick to the plan 100% I will loose weight.

Here are some before and after photos :)

Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara Review

I got this little sample size in my Harrods edition Glossybox. I have owned the Lancome Hypnose Mascara before and thought it was quite good so was excited to try this one.

I wasn't overly impressed with this mascara. If I had bought this with my hard earned money then I would have been quite disappointed.

The first thing that bothers me about this mascara is the smell. It is an overpowering perfume-y smell which I cant stand. It makes me quite nervous using this mascara, I can imagine it being very painful if you accidentally get this in your eye.

It is a very watery mascara and if you blink, or sneeze like I did, before this mascara dries you will get it on your eyelids and everywhere else.

I actually like the wand, it is curved which I find makes it easier to get to the inner and outer lashes. The wand is the only thing I like about it though. I like to apply more than one coat of mascara and if you do that with this one then you will get clumping.

There weren't many clumps but the ones that were there flaked off throughout the day. Once they had flaked off though the remaining mascara didn't budge all day.

It does make my lashes look longer and thicker, but I think for the price the mascara just doesnt deliver. I have tried better mascaras that cost a lot less.

Pros: Brush gets all the lashes in the outer and inner corners, thicker looking lashes
Cons: Smell, can clump, price

Overall I wont be buying this mascara again I think there are much better out there for less money.

Rating: 3/5

Gemx

MAC Viva Glam Nicki Minaj

I have wanted this lipstick for ages, and the other day while Debenhams had free delivery I finally got it. Its a gorgeous bright pink with coral/yellow undertones, not one for an understated look but great for a bold summery statement lip.

I was a little worried when I first got it as it is really bright, but I do love it and think it looks quite nice. I will definitely rocking this lipstick in the summer (if we even get one).

Gem x

MUA Lip Boom Review

I love the concept of the new MUA Lip Booms. A lipstick, lipgloss and balm in one to me is such a good idea. The fact that Alexandra Burke has endorsed/designed them doesn't bother me either way. I am not a fan of hers and if it didn't have her on the packaging I still would have got them anyway.

I bought three of these in the colours Cheeky, OMG and OK.COM for £3 each, bargain.

The lipsticks are matte and well pigmented. They have a sweet smell to them which is bordering on sickly and not very pleasant but the smell doesn't last too long and eventually wears away. The gloss on the other end has quite a bit of glitter in it. I was expecting a more shimmery frosty lipgloss, which I think would have worked a little better for me, but luckily the glitter doesn't translate as too chunky onto the lips. If you suffer from dry lips like myself, you need to make sure that your lips are exfoliated and you have applied lip balm or Vaseline before using the matte lipstick as it can cling to the dry patches.

There is also a little pot of lip balm in the end of the lipstick which again is a really good concept but the balm if you can call it that is really unusable. Its sort of rubbery in texture and when you put your finger in it no product comes off it all stays in the pot.

OMG is a lovely coral colour with a matching coral gloss with gold glitter in it. Definitely a statement lip colour that I think would be flattering on pretty much everyone who is brave enough to wear it.

Cheeky is a bubblegum blue toned pink. On me the blue tones show up quite strongly and I think this colour is again a statement lip colour that would look great on a night out. This colour may not be flattering on all but I really like it. The gloss is a matching pink colour with silver glitter in it.

OK.COM looks quite scary and brown but my the lips it comes out a more peachy nude colour and I love it. This is the only colour suitable for a neutral toned down look out of the three Booms I chose. It would also look lovely on a night out when I have a more dramatic smoky eye look. The gloss to me looks the same colour as the one with OMG.

 

Pros: 3-in-1, great pigmentation, can be used together or alone for different looks
Cons: Quite a lot of glitter in the gloss, can cling to dry patches of skin

I really like the concept of the Lip Booms and the colours I have are all lovely and will definitely have a place in my regular makeup routine, especially for nights out I think they would look great.



Rating: 3.5/5

Nails Inc Freebies

Yay!!! so I am FINALLY back blogging once again. I have my laptop back up and running, and now I have a huge backlog of posts to write :( but lets get on with it...

I am a member of a group on Facebook called Beauty Box Swappers, its a lovely group where you can swap your new or slightly used unwanted make-up for something you do want. Such a good idea and if you haven't checked it out already you definitely should. So what I'm trying to say is this is where I heard of this freebie! A lovely member has a blog called Chiffon and Sparkles and she has written a great post on all the magazine freebies that are either available now or will be soon, here.

With this months issue of In Style magazine they are giving a free Nails Inc Polish, in the colours Powder Pink, Bluebell and Peach Sorbet. I got my boyfriend to go out and get me three copies of the magazine so I could have each colour, as I really loved them all. The magazine costs £3.80 and the polishes are worth £11, so its a bargain really.

Peach Sorbet, Bluebell, Powder Pink

Here's them on the nail. I had to do two coats of Peach Sorbet, but the other two were with just one coat. I apologise for the state of them but I have horrible nails that break and flake so easily...

Will you be getting any of these? Or are there any other magazine freebies I need to know about :)  

Gem x

A little update

Just to let everyone know that I am still around :) my laptop broke the otherday do I can only access te internet off my iPhone at the moment. Hopefully I will be back to blogging soon!! Gem x

Real Techniques Core Collection

Sorry about the stock photo but when I bought these I couldn't wait to try them out and totally forgot about photographing them.

I waited a while to get these brushes as I had to save up, and they were worth the wait! I love all the brushes in this collection but there are some I prefer more than others. My absolute favourite brushes from the collection are the Buffing Brush and the Contour Brush.

Buffing Brush

Takes a while to get used to using if you are like me and used to using your fingers (slap on wrist). Now I wouldn't go back to doing that, this brush gives an even finish and moves liquid foundation around easily. The finish is more medium when using this brush so I use the Stippling brush over areas where I want full coverage. I think it may be better if it was slightly larger, but still a great brush. 

Contour Brush

I use this for contouring and also for blush and it is perfect for both as I like more precision when applying blush. The size is perfect and it picks up product lovely and blends marvellously. 

Detailer Brush

This is the brush I have used the least out of all of them, but it is still good. I use it to apply lipstick, but it can be used for concealer.

Pointed Foundation Brush

I use this for blending in my concealer under my eyes and also to blend my highlighter in. It is too small to use as a foundation brush in my opinion, but very good for the uses I mentioned above. 

I love the case it comes in too, although it does feel a little bit flimsy.

Overall a great brush set and a great price. It is £21.99 in the UK and available in Boots stores and online at www.love-makeup.co.uk and www.boots.com

Gemx

Elf Studio Blush Pink Passion

Look how pretty this blush is! Its a bright blue toned pink, and looks really scary in the pan but is lovely when applied. If a light hand is used you can achieve a lovely pink flushed look, perfect for spring. It can also be built up for a stronger colour if you want, though you could be at risk of looking like coco the clown if you overdo this colour, or the girls from Geordie Shore haha.

It lasts well, I use mine with a liquid foundation base, and it lasts a good 3-4 hours before I would need to reapply it.

It is a steal at £3.50, available from eyeslipsface.co.uk

Rating: 5/5

Soap and Glory Thick & Fast Mascara Review

What Soap and Glory say: 

This false lash effect mascara creates amazingly, longer, fuller, fabulous lashes. Featuring SUPERFILL™ False Lash Fillers, SHINE AMPLIFIERS, NOFLAKE24 technology and super-fine no-clumps natural wax film formers. *While we don’t feel it’s ladylike to brag, we’re feeling particularly bullish about our mascara. (And hope after trying it you’ll agree that it’s absolutely marvelous.)

I love mascaras and at the moment I have five on the go, but out of them all, this seems to be the one that I use most. 

I got it free with the March edition of ELLE UK, admittedly I only buy these types of magazines when they do freebies. 

I would say I have medium length lashes. They are straight and never seem to curl even when I use a lash curler. If I want them curled I have to use the curlers after I have applied my mascara. I know most beauty experts will frown upon this method but this is the only way I can get them to curl in anyway. 

There is an art to applying this mascara and it takes practice to get right, but once you have the results are great. The brush is huge and you definitely need to scrape off the excess on the wand before you apply. I like to apply about three coats to get the effect I like, which is dramatic thick lashes.

It doesn't clump for me and I use three coats, sometimes I add another coat once it is dry and it still doesn't clump. Once it dries it doesn't flake or smudge at all. I wear contacts and flaking mascara is a big problem for me as it can irritate my eyes, so this mascara is great as it doesn't irritate my eyes at all. 

It costs £10, which is more than I like to pay for a mascara but I think this mascara is definitely worth the price as it doesn't flake or clump and gives lovely thick lashes. I have tried Lancome Hypnose Drama which costs £8 more than this one and Thick and Fast is so much better in my opinion. I will definitely be purchasing this mascara again as I love it.

This is with three coats of Thick and Fast, as you can see no clumping. I am terrible at applying mascara, I can never put it on my bottom lashes with out smudging and this mascara is no exception. If anyone has any tips let me know :) I have one eye bigger than the other and it is quite noticeable in this pick to me :(

Another shot where you can see how natural and thick it makes my eyelashes look. Excuse the brows, I am growing them out to hopefully get them shaped professionally :).

And here is a full face shot with the mascara on. I think it looks dramatic while still being quite natural, something I look for in a mascara. Again my eyes look really different in this photo, but for some reason I don't have eyes that match haha. 

Face: Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation, Collection 2000 concealer in light

Eyes: Soap and Glory Thick & Fast Mascara

Cheeks: ELF Studio Blush Bronze Duo 

Lips: Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait 

Overall I love this mascara, HG? I'm not 100% sure yet, but it is pretty close. 

Pros: No clumps or flakes, lasts without smudging, thick longer lashes.

Cons: Price? £10 Maybe a bit pricey for some. 

Rating: 4.5/5

Soap and Glory Thick and Fast Mascara is £10 and available from Boots in the UK. Go to Soapandglory.com for more info.

Gemx

ELF Studio Blush and Bronzer Compact

Now I guess you all know that this little blush/bronzer compact is meant to be a dupe for the NARS Orgasm/Laguna Duo. I couldn't justify paying ££££ for NARS at the moment, maybe one day, and I really wanted to try it so I decided to give the ELF a go. At £3.50 a pop it is so much cheaper than NARS.

I love the packaging, I think it looks quite sleek and easy to keep clean. It comes with a mirror inside which is always handy. The colours are lovely, especially the blush. It is pinky-peach with golden shimmers, very flattering to any skin tone. The bronzer is a nice matte bronzer, no shimmer here, which makes it perfect for contouring. You need a light hand on the bronzer side as it is very pigmented. There is also a bit of fall out but if you remember to tap your brush before you apply this shouldn't be a problem.

The lasting power is average, it lasts around 4-5 hours with a liquid foundation base. For the price I think that this is more than acceptable. 

Overall I love this little duo, its great for spring to give you a lovely peachy pink glow. It is also really handy to take travelling. I think this would suit most skin tones, and at £3.50 you cant afford not to give it a try!

Rating: 5/5

March Favourites

I love reading monthly favourites, so I decided to do my own :) So here are my March Favourites...

MAC Creme Cup Lipstick

The first MAC lipstick I have ever owned, and I get what the fuss is all about. Definitely the best quality lipstick I have owned, I love how smooth and creamy it is. I also adore the packaging and I will be buying more! It the perfect nude but with a hint of colour so that it doesn't totally wash me out. I have been wearing this mostly every day this month since I got it. Love it. Mini review and swatch here.

Neals Yard Daily Moisturiser

I got this moisturiser free with a magazine and its worth around £12. Its totally natural, something I like in skincare. I like the lavender smell and the way it goes absorbs quite quickly into my skin leaving it nicely moisturised. It doesn't break me out at all which is another plus as a lot of moisturisers do. I am not sure whether I will buy this again though as it is quite pricey, I'm undecided.

Paul Mitchell Awaphui Wild Ginger Treatment Oil

I got this in the Feburary Glossy box and I love it. The smell is gorgeous, and it leaves my hair really smoothed and tamed. The only problem is I cant find anywhere online that sells this stuff, so if you know of anywhere let me know please!

Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation

My skin has really been playing up this month and I needed a good coverage foundation that is matte, as it is quite oily. This foundation is both of those and is a really nice matte foundation that doesn't look at all cakey. Review here.

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

Amazing brush, great for applying foundation, highlighter, powder and blush. I would really recommend this brush, its £11.99 and available from Boots. Review  here.

Gemx

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Liquid Foundation Review

I received this foundation as a result of attending a Benefit bloggers event. It will in no way affect the integrity of this review and as always, I will give my 100% honest opinion :)

Benefit are launching their new liquid foundation 'Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow' in stores on the 31st of March, and they were recently touring the country to promote it. I was lucky enough to attend an event in Swansea, where we were told all about the foundation. We were also colour matched and were kindly given our chosen shade of Oxygen Wow to try out for ourselves.

I was matched to the lightest shade the foundation comes in, which is called 'Believe in Me Ivory. I am quite pale, but I am not the palest, and this shade is a good match for me, maybe slightly a bit darker than my natural skin colour, so I think anyone paler than me will have problems finding a colour match. 

The foundation comes in a plastic pump style bottle, which could look quite cheap, but not in this instance. Like all Benefit product the packaging has been extremely well designed and is really cute. 

I was ill the day I got this from the Postman and spent all day indoors. Perfect for testing out the foundation, not so great for me. I applied the foundation at 10am with my real techniques stippling brush. 

The first thing I noticed was how runny this foundation is. It is definitely the most runny foundation I have ever used. Don't be fooled in thinking that because it is runny that you will need to use a lot of product to get good coverage. One pump was enough to cover my whole face. 

They say it is a light to medium coverage, and using the stippling brush it was definitely a more medium coverage, which for me is good as I have acne scarring. It covered them quite well, I would still need to use a concealer if I wanted to completely cover them. It didn't accentuate my pores, it actually blurred them well, and it left a nice dewy glow to my skin. 

I checked my skin every hour or so, and this foundation lasted really well, much better than other similar finish foundations I have tried. I didn't use a finishing powder or a primer and it stayed nice and dewy for around 5 hours without getting at all greasy, which is great. After that time I would definitely need to blot or powder as my T-zone became quite shiny. The other areas of my face were still great though. 

Here is a pic of me wearing the foundation. I think it gives a lovely dewy glow to the skin.

I usually have really bad skin, but when wearing this foundation I actually got a few compliments :) I am also wearing Benefit High Beam as a highlight and the two products go perfectly together to create a gorgeous radiant glow. I have got a small amount of GOSH click and go concealer on my problem areas which are around my mouth and chin, and under my eyes.

The foundation has SPF 25 +++ which is great, this really is the perfect foundation for summer as it gives a lovely healthy glow and has the added benefit of sun protection. Another plus for me is the fact that this foundation is oil free and paraben free, and doesn't aggravate my skin. It also contains Vitamins C and E to help prevent ageing, Sea water to hydrate and amino acid to smooth the skin. 

I found it quite similar to healthy mix by Bourjois in the finish, but actually better as it doesn't cling to dry patches of skin and it lasts longer with out a powder. Also with healthy mix i needed at least two pumps whereas with Oxygen Wow I only needed one pump.

I did find that in harsh lighting it did appear that there was glitter on my face. It was nothing extreme like the glitter ball mess that is Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation, but it did bother me slightly. I was assured by Benefit that there is no glitter in this foundation, I think it must be the 'Light-Diffusing Properties' that is in the product description combined with the harsh lighting.

As the 'glitter' only appears in harsh light, I still love this foundation. It gives a gorgeous luminous glow to the skin, perfect for summer. It will be nice to see how it performs in hotter weather when my skin will become oilier, and then I will make a decision whether to repurchase or not.

Pros: Glowing dewy skin, lasts reasonably well, buildable coverage

Cons: A bit pricey, might not be suitable for oilier skins, can appear 'glittery' in harsh light

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Liquid Foundation will be available from the 31st of March and will be £24.50.

Rating: 4/5

George @ Asda Eyeshadow Primer Review

While I was shopping in Asda the other day I came across this little gem, George's Eyeshadow Primer for £3.50, and they had an offer where you got a free George Faux Lash Mascara with it. I am a sucker for offers and I had just run out of my ELF eyshadow primer so I thought why not. I will review the mascara separately (its good) so if you are interested keep an eye out for that too. 

The packaging is very simple, something I can look past as it is the product inside that really counts. It comes in a nice hygienic squeezy tube with a nozzle on the end, better than the ELF wand applicator in my opinion.

The primer itself is definitely silicone based and leaves a very smooth base for you to apply your eyeshadow onto. I found that the best way to apply this is to pat the product onto your eyelid, don't rub.

It is beige coloured when you squeeze it out but once blended it is colourless. It leaves a nice silky smooth base which shadows blend onto lovely. I used a light natural colour shadow on both eyelids, one with primer and one with out. At the end of the day I was left with the eyeshadow with primer on it still looking as it did the moment I applied it. No creasing or fading. The eyeshadow with out the primer had creased and faded.

So overall I think that this is a great eyeshadow primer and for the price of £3.50 you get a lot in the tube as you only need a small amount. I would definitely reccomend this if you are looking for an inexpensive, clear eyeshadow primer as it does the job nicely. 

Rating: 5/5

Elf Matte Bronzer Review

I have been using this bronzer for a while now. I was on the look out for a matte bronzer to use as a contour, and ELF were having a sale, so I got this along with a lot of some other things :) .

Now, I like this bronzer, but when something says matte, I don't expect it to contain glitter. And this bronzer does. It is in no way shimmery, its just matte with bits of glitter in it. In the pan it looks like a lot of glitter. Swatched and blended you cant really see the glitter, only in harsh light, Im really confused as to why they put it in.

The colour is sort of a muddy brown, so I need to be very careful and use a small amount so I don't look like I have a dirty face. I just make sure to blend very well once I have applied it. The amount I use is so small I think this bronzer will last me years! It is very pigmented. 

I have pale skin, and I really couldn't use this as an actual bronzer, it would just look ridiculous, though I think on medium to dark skin tones this would work well. I actually don't mind this as I wanted this purely for a contour, and for this it does a decent job. 

The lasting power is good, it lasts a good 4 hours on me when wearing liquid foundation. It doesnt accentuate my pores and is just a nice matte bronzer.

For £1.50 you really cant go wrong, and I would definitely recommend this bronzer if you are on the look out for a matte bronzer to use as a contour and don't want to break the bank.


Its not a HG product for me, I have heard that NYX Taupe blush is good as a contour for paler skin tones, so I think I will be trying that next.

Rating; 3/5

Gemx

George at Asda Super Skinny Jeans, Similar to Kate Middleton!

I found these gorgeous skinny jeans Asda the other day. I have been wanting brightly coloured skinny jeans for a while now and was so glad I spotted these. I loved both colours so tried them on to see which looked best. Lucky I did.

The mint green ones are lovely on the rail, but I am a size 14 in jeans and once on they are very unforgiving and highlighted all the places I didn't want highlighting.

Luckily I had more luck with the coral coloured jeans, they looked lovely and are the perfect skinny Jean. I find some skinny jeans aren't skinny enough on the leg for my liking but these are perfect (well they are called super skinny after all).

I can imagine these lasting me through spring and summer, and I think I will be taking these on holiday too.

At £14 they are very affordable, you may be able to get both colours. I love George at Asda clothes, especially the G21 range, which these are from.

Once I have recovered from conjunctivitis :( I may do an outfit post with these lovelies.

You can buy these in store or online at Asda Direct.

After I had bought these jeans I saw this picture of Kate Middleton in the papers. She is wearing a similar pair of jeans. I have always loved Kate's style and the fact that she is wearing these jeans has made my day!

Gemx

Too Faced Summer Collection 2012

If you read my blog, you may be aware that I am a huge fan of Too Faced Cosmetics. I love everything about the brand especially the packaging and I especially love their eye kits. 

I every collection that Too faced bring out Looks amazing, but this one has got me really excited.

The collection consists of:

Summer Eye Kit

This fabulous collection includes fun pops of summer color in coral, pink and aqua complimented with beachy neutrals and seductive shimmery browns. With this wide shade range, you can easily shift from a playful beach day babe into a sultry seductive summertime smoky look for cozy bonfires and moonlit dinners with your summer fling. 

I am so excited to get the Summer Eye Kit. I have a lot of neutral shadows in my collection so I couldnt justify buying the Natural at Night palette, but this one I am definitely getting. The colours look gorgeous and perfect for summer! I am not sure whether to buy this from TooFaced.com or to wait until it becomes available in Boots. I have emailed Too Faced to see if they can give a specific date as to when this will be available in the UK and will update as soon as they get back to me. 

Royal Oil 

Our nourishing bronzing body oil gives the skin a sexy warm glow. It absorbs quickly, hydrating dry skin with an innovative combination of Mangosteen fruit and coconut oil which nourishes and protects skin with easy-to-absorb anti-oxidants

This sounds like it smells amazing!

Primed and Poreless Pure

Our colorless, oil-free formula mattifies surface oil and minimizes redness from irritated skin while it erases the appearance of pores, fine lines and other imperfections. As always with our primers, foundations and powders stay in place all day, colors stay true, and skin has a smooth and poreless finish. 

I have really sensitive skin so I didn't like to buy the original Primed and Poreless as it most probably would break me out. But Primed and Poreless Pure is an oil free version meant for sensitive skin so I am definitely going to give it a go. 

Candlelight Glow

Inspired by our original Candlelight powder, our newest formula offers a more ethereal glow by using PHOTOLITE technology which diffuses harsh lighting giving your skin a diffused, youthful luminosity. The powder formula is 

easy to apply to cheeks, brow bones, and décolleté for a quick all-over glow. 

This looks like a lovely highlighting powder, perfectly suited for highlighting your summer glow.

Milk Chocolate Soleil

We’ve combined the natural detoxifying effects of real cocoa powder with our signature Too Faced bronzing pigments to create matte bronzers perfectly suited for pale to deep skin tones for a touch of summer warmth all year-long.  

This seems like the perfect matte bronzer for paler skin tones. I haven't tried the original as I think it would be too dark for my pale skin but this one seems perfect. 

First on my hit-list are the Summer Eye Palette, then the Primed and Poreless Pure. I may ask for the rest as a birthday present.


The collection will be available to buy on the 22nd March at toofaced.com (they ship to the UK!)

What do you think of the collection? Do you love Too Faced as much as I do? 

Gemx

Bourjois Flower Perfection Foundation Review

Bourjois say: 

A youth extension foundation with a velvety smooth finish, for up to 16 hrs.

With a built-in smoothing sponge applicator, the results are spectacular! Skin is up to 70% smoother, pores and fine lines are corrected, without masking the skin, leaving the complexion perfectly even.

Skincare action: its SPF 15 formula with wild azalea flower, protects skin cells for long-lasting youth extension

And it’s good for my skin:

- Non comedogenic formula

- Dermatologically tested

I don't usually stay loyal to a foundation for very long but my favourite foundation for about a year now has been Healthy Mix by Bourjois. I loved the fact that it lasted well and gave my skin a lovely healthy looking glow. But I have been having trouble with my skin lately, one moment its dry and flaky, then the next it is greasy and oily. If you use Healthy Mix or have read any reviews, mine here, you will know that it has the tendency to cling to dry patches, and also make your skin appear greasy if you do have oily skin. 


My skin has really been playing up the last couple of weeks. It has become more oily, but dry at the same time, and Healthy Mix was becoming a little too dewy on my skin, and sticking to the dry patches. 

So I saw that Bourjois had a new foundation out, and having read a couple of great reviews for it, I decided to give it a go. I knew it was meant to be more matte than healthy mix. It was on offer in Boots at the time so I got two for £13, which I thought was a bargain. 

I got the shade 52, in the shop this looked the perfect match for me, but do be aware that the foundation will oxidise after a couple of minutes from application to a slightly darker shade. So it is slightly darker than my natural skin colour, so I just blend it down onto my neck and this seems to help even things out. 

It is a matte finish with slightly more coverage than the Healthy Mix, which for me is great as I have terrible skin which needs a good medium to full coverage foundation. I apply it using my Real Techniques stippling brush. There is a sponge included in the lid, but I don't like using a sponge to apply my foundation so I just discarded this.


It is a much thicker consistency than healthy mix, and a little harder to work with. I would recommend using a stippling brush or buffing brush to apply this foundation as it does take a little work to blend. Once blended though it looks amazing. 

Like Healthy Mix, this foundation also has a scent to it. Usually I don't like scented cosmetics but the smell on this foundation is lovely and not at all chemically, like most scented makeup. As expected the smell is rather flowery.

I have very sensitive skin and some foundations can break me out, but I am glad to say that this one doesn't do that.

This combined with my Real Techniques stippling brush leaves my skin looking close to flawless. It doesn't look cakey at all, and lasts really well, around 6 hours. Another plus for this foundation is the fact that I don't need to use a setting powder with this foundation, as it gives such a nice matte finish. 

Overall, I love this foundation and will be repurchasing when my current supply runs out. I think this would be great for anyone who is looking for a medium to full coverage foundation, and has oily skin. 


I think this is a good foundation for winter and when you need more coverage, I may change back to healthy mix for the summer though.

I was lucky enough to attend a Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow bloggers event in Swansea recently, and I am waiting for own to arrive so I can test it out. I am really looking forward to it so keep an eye out for my review on that :) 

Rating 4/5

Gemx