Blog Sale - Clothes - Mainly Dresses size 12 - 18

I had a wardrobe clean out the other day. Most of my stuff went to charity but I had some lovely dresses that due to my yo-yoing weight do not fit me any more. So before I eBay them I decided to put them on a blog sale first, as selling to you lovely people is far less hassle than ebay!

note - all items have been paid for by myself.

Postage will be £2, regardless of how many items you buy :)
If you like the item but not the price, make me an (reasonable) offer.
If you would like an item, please leave your email in the comments so I can contact you.

Boohoo one shoulder skater dress

size 16.

 Its Short on me and I am 5'4" so wouldn't recommend to anyone taller.

Worn 0nce. £5

 

 

 Size 12 -

quite stretchy so would fit a 12-14.

Worn twice £10

bought from local boutique

 

 

Size 14

Worn once

Primark Dipped hem top.

£4

 

 Size 14

River Island

Worn a few times

£10

Size XL (UK 16 - 18)

Forever 21+

Stain which can be seen in photo,

I haven't attempted to get it removed though

£5

 

 Size 14

Newlook

Never worn but has been washed

£6

 

 



 Apricot

Large (UK 14-16)

Worn once

£10

 

 

 Size 12

Internacionale

worn couple of times

£12

 Size 14

AX Paris

worn a couple times.

would say its on the smaller size of a 14

£10

Size 12

Bodycon dress

bought from local boutique

but brand also sold in New look

£10

Bourjois Cream Blush Review and Swatches

Bourjois have recently brought out a cream version of their iconic blushers. I have one in the shade 02 which is a peach colour.

I love the texture, it is so light and blends amazingly using my fingers. Initially I did think that the RRP of £7.99 was a little steep as the pot is really small, but I love the way they apply so much I am definitely considering purchasing another in the shade 01.

In the pic below I am wearing it on my cheeks and lips. If you have normal lips these give a really nice matte finish to the lips. If you have dry lips I would recommend using a lip balm first as it can be drying to the lips.



It lasted well on my skin, around 6-7 hours before fading. If you set it with a powder blush I can imagine it lasting much longer, but I really liked the dewy finish.

I think these cream blushes are a must have for a lightweight summer makeup look. They come highly recommended from me.

Have you tried them yet?

Gem x

NOTD: Anchor & Stripes

Drugstore Wishlist #2

MUA Power Pout | Models Own Artistix Duo | La Roche Possay Efflaclar Duo| Bourjois Healthy Mix | Collection Concealer

 

Whats on your wishlist??

 

Gem x

Summer Hair Style

I had a few hairstyles left over from my beautyandthebeach post which didn't quite make the cut, but are still really cute so I thought I would do a little post.

This hairstyle is so easy to create. basically you make a pony tail, then make a hole in the bit between the crown and the hair tie and flip the pony tail through the hole. Then create the fishtail braid. I think it looks really pretty for summer :)

Sorry for the poor photoshop skills, I had to edit out my son who photobombed my picture, haha. I have had a few of my hairstyle pics taken and used (without my permission) so I didn't want his face on it :(

Gem x

Travel Supermarket Beauty and the Beach 2 Competition

Travel Supermarket have a brilliant competition running for us beauty loving bloggers.They are challenging us to show them our favourite holiday looks for makeup, hair and nails. The overall prize is an amazing £1500 towards a holiday! To find out more go here >> http://www.travelsupermarket.com/c/holidays/beauty-and-the-beach-two/

Makeup

When I am on holiday I like to keep my makeup to a minimum. Heavy eye liner and thick foundation just don't look right to me when your are away. I love to see radiant skin and fresh colours. 

Evening look

The first look I created is one I would wear during the evening, maybe for cocktails by the pool. I used my Naked 2 palette to create the eye look, It is the perfect palette for travelling. I used Boots Botanicals BB Cream as a base, it has an SPF of 35 and I would highly recommend it for holidays. It gives great coverage and looks really glowy without being too shiny. I used Rimmel Waterproof liner in my waterline and No7 Waterproof mascara. For the cheeks I used Bourjois cream blush in 02, another product perfect for taking away as it applies amazingly well without the need for a brush. I used MAC shy girl on my lips and Benefit Browzings on my eyebrows. I finished with a light sweep of VIVOs baked bronzer on my cheeks, nose and forehead for a sunkissed glow. 

Day Look
Obviously when I am by the pool I wear no makeup at all, but if I am out and about during the day I do like to wear it. I really keep my makeup to a minimum and concentrate on making my skin look radiant and sun kissed. For this look again I used Boots Botanicals BB Cream and the Naked 2 palette. I used Foxy on the lid and No7 Waterproof mascara.  On the cheeks I used Bourjois cream blush in 02 and Vivo baked bronzer. For the lips I used Revlon lip gloss in Petal Peach on top of a sunblock for face and lips. My lips burn easily in the sun so this is an important step.

Hair

My hair gets really frizzy and unmanageable in the heat, and straighteners or curling wands don't do anything to help it so I mostly always tie my hair up when I am on holiday. When I think of holiday hair I think of braids, and I love this messy braided up do. It looks equally as good around the pool or in the evening and best of all it keeps my unruly hair at bay. To create it, I just French braided across my head, secured with a clear elastic and then created the messy bun using another clear elastic. Its really easy to create and you don't even need a mirror as you want a messy effect.

Nails
These nails are based on strawberry ice cream with chocolate sauce and sprinkles. I love how cute and eye catching they are and think they are really fun to wear on holiday. They will definitely be a conversation starter, I wore these out the other day and had lots of compliments on them. They are so easy to recreate. I used a hair grip as a dotting tool to create dots, then joined them up with a tooth pick to create the chocolate sauce effect. Make sure to seal them with a good top coat as you want them to last the whole holiday. I used Seche Vite.

So there are my looks I hope you like them :) We are asked to tag 5 other bloggers to take part so I tag;

BeautyBird - http://ramblingsofabeautybird.blogspot.co.uk/

HoneyGoLightly - http://www.honeygo-lightly.com/

Alessia - http://whispersfromangels.blogspot.co.uk/

Ellie - http://www.elliesramblings.com/

CSI Beauty Blog - http://cosmeticsshoppingandintoxication.blogspot.co.uk/

Gem x 

Big Sexy Hair Giveaway Winner Announced!

A quick post to announce the winner of my giveaway....

The winner is....

Zoe C.

I have sent you an email.


Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway and hopefully I will be holding another one soon :)

Gem x

I'm Taking Part in the Escentual Micellar Blind Trial

Escentual are looking to create the ultimate micellar water edit. They have given myself and 99 other bloggers 7 anonymous samples of micellar water from some of the biggest French brands. Over the course of 14 days we will be testing them out, and then will be giving our thoughts on each sample via an online survey.

I am really excited to be taking part in this, I think its an excellent idea and will be very interesting to see which micellar water comes out on top, over all and my personal preference.

I am about 3 days into the trial now and I have tested 4 of them. I am noting down my thoughts on a notepad as I go along, and I already have a firm favourite out of the 4 I have used so far.

What do you think about the trial? Are you taking part?

Gem x

Benefit Browzings (Light) Review Before & After

I have always liked the idea of brow kits. I tried the MUA one and it was OK but it smashed and I never bothered to repurchase one.

I was happy getting by using a matte eyeshadow to fill in my brows until I was lucky enough to receive Benefit Browzings, and now in the short amount of time I have had it it has become a staple in my makeup bag.

The kit is so handy and it fits perfectly in my makeup bag. The tools it comes with are good quality and so very useful; The tweezers actually work (I'm looking at you MUA) and the brushes are thin and stiff enough to pick up the product.

I have the kit in light and it comes with a pigmented wax and a matte powder. I use the wax first and then lightly apply the powder on top and this lasts all day. I have sparse brows and I don't have a problem with them being unruly but I would imagine that this kit is good for taming unruly brows too. For me I think it makes my eyebrows look thicker, and now I don't feel as though my makeup is complete without filling in my brows.

If you are looking for a brow product, I would highly recommend Benefit Browzings. It is a little on the pricer side of things at £23.50, but for that price you get an amazing quality product that is going to last you a long time.

Gem x

Bourjois Cream Blush

A fun fact for you all: The Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush was my first ever blush purchase, at the age of 14.   I had it in the colour Rose D'Or and was loyal to that blush until I really got into beauty and I now have about 20 different blushers in my collection.

The Little Round Blush is nearly 150 years old, and you can learn more about the history of Bourjois here. Nearly 150 years later Bourjois have now released a cream version of their iconic blush and have still kept the unique packaging which I love. It is a cream which on contact with the skin transforms into an incredibly fine and silky powder.

The cream blush is also enriched with a number of skin loving ingredients such as apricot and mango extracts which provide a healthy glow to the cheeks.

The blush comes in four shades;

1. Nude Velvet - a delicate peach with a matte effect
2. Healthy Glow - a vibrant and slightly pearly apricot pink
3. Rose Tender - a soft pink with a pearly finish
4. Sweet Cherry - a deep brown pink which is matte.

The cream blush was launched in Selfridges and online on the 3rd of May, and will be available naition wide in Boots from thte 15th of May and is priced at £7.99 each.

I for one cant wait to try these out, they sound perfect for spring summer, what do you think?

Gem x

Sunday Bloggers Interview #11

Answering my beauty questions today is the very lovely Amy from ALifeInBeautyAM. Amy is a fellow Welsh blogger and I met her at a bloggers event last year.

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1. Why did you start blogging? 

I started my blog back in April 2011 and up untill that point I always used a scrap book with good old paper and a pen to write articles. I also cut up magazine pictures and placed them all on one page with my little reviews too. At the time it was me convincing myself that I was practising to be a Beauty Editior. Then one day I was at the library browising online at beauty products and came across a blog. I was like hold on a minute...that's what I do expect on paper? From on then I created Alifeinbeautyam and wrote articles and reviews but on the internet instead of on paper. 

2. What do you enjoy most about blogging? 

The main thing I enjoy about blogging is setting time aside with a cuppa writing what I want and to share my passion for beauty with fellow readers. I also love the #bbloggers chat on twitter too!

3. What are your favourite make-up brands? 

I can be a snob at time with brands but I still love my high street too! I love YSL, Chanel and Collection (former Collection 2000)

4. What are your top 5 all time favourite beauty products (hair, makeup, skin, etc) 
Wooo a tuff one...can I have six?
Hair-Herbal Essence Products
Makeup-YSL Touche Eclat Foundation, HD Brows Pallete and Revlon Lip Butters
Skin Care-Chanel Hydra Beauty Cream and NO7 Anti Wrinkle
 
　
5. Do you have any beauty tips to share? 

I don't really have beauty tips as such as beauty products pretty much sort everything out these days but I stick to these two golden rules at all times;

Set aside a day (mine is a Sunday) and have a beauty session, face masks, hair masks, feet soaks the lot! It will make you feel re-freshed ready for a Monday. 

Apply Vaseline onto your eyelids before bed, this makes your eyelids softer and easier to apply eyeshadow and eyeliner onto them the next day. It also slows down the aging process of wrinkles! Marilyn Monroe used to apply Vaseline to her entire face and never looked old!

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A huge thanks to Amy for taking part, make sure you check out her lovely blog here!!

Gem x

Top 5 Under 5 - Beauty

I have had this post planned for absolutely ages. I believe I first saw it on Beauty Birds blog and made a note in my 'blog planner' but never got around to doing it. Well, today I have;

So here are my top 5 beauty products that are under five pounds:

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Translucent RRP £3.99 - Such a great powder at such a great price. Really makes my complexion matte without looking cakey.

Elf Studio Blush £3.50 - I have this in Pink Passion and Mellow Mauve and the pigmentation is perfect, and it blends well and lasts a long time. I love the packaging too.

MUA Lipsticks £1 - I had to include these, the pigmentation is great and they last a decent amount of time. And the best part is that these only cost £1!

Maybelline Color Tattoos RRP £4.99 - I have the three shades shown, Bronze, Taupe and Silver. I love them and they really do last ages. I like to use Bronze all over the lid and then use a lighter colour over the top in the inner corner of my eyes.

Barry M Gelly Polish RRP £3.99 - I just love these, the formula, the price, and the colour range is gorgeous.

What are your top 5 under 5?

Gem x

April Favourites

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation - I have been loving using this when I have had good skin days. Its a really nice light - medium coverage, and gives a satin finish to the skin. Set with Rimmel Stay Matte powder it lasts a good 6 - 7 hours on my skin.

Benefit World Famous Neutrals Most Glamourous Nudes Ever - I adore this eyeshadow palette and have been using it nearly every day. I think its great how they have included cream shadows, 'My Two Cents' is my favourite. A coppery colour it really makes my blue eyes pop.

Benefit Fakeup Hydrating Concealer - I love how light and hydrating this is. I don't suffer with really dark circles, but this concealer really helps brighten up my under eye area without looking cakey.

Milani Blush - I got this in TK Maxx along with some Milani eyeshadows and its just the perfect pink colour. It lasts really well on my skin and blends well. I just wish these were more readily available in the UK.

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint in Lychee - Two coats and this is opaque, and lasts really well on my nails. I use Seche Vite top coat and the Gel effect becomes even better.

Gem x

Benefit Boutique Swansea Launch

I was so excited when I found out that Benefit were opening a Boutique in my home town, and last Friday I was lucky enough to attend the launch event for Benefits newest boutique located in  Debenhams Swansea.

The Boutique
The new Boutique looks amazing - it is so girly and pretty, just like their packaging, and you can tell a lot of thought has gone into the design.

They still have the brow bar but in addition to that behind the counter there are three rooms. They now have a gorgeous waxing room, where you can get anything from half a leg to a full body wax, a spray tan room where Fake Bake tan is used, and a make-up room which you can hire out at £10 per person and have a make-up lesson from one of the lovely Benebabes. The ten pound is redeemable against benefit products too so its a win-win situation.

The Event
We were greeted by the lovely Alyson and Joanne and faced with a table full of Benefit makeup and the most amazing Welsh cakes ever. Then we were given a talk and demonstration (on one of the girls hands, haha) of the waxing procedures that they do at the Boutique.

We also had the chance to have a play with Benefits newest product launch - Colour by Benefit. Its a collection of Eye Shadows, Cream Shadows and Lipglosses. The packaging is so pretty and I particularly loved the cream shadows and lip glosses.

We were also very lucky bloggers and got to take home an amazing Benefit goodie bag. In it we recieved the Porefessional, They're Real Mascara and Benefit Brow Zings. I am a huge fan of the Porefessional and I was soo excited to try the mascara and Brow Zings and can report they are both brilliant - watch this space for reviews.

A HUGE thank you to Benefit for inviting me to the event, and to Alyson and Joanne for making it so much fun.

Also, check out Benefits blog on the launch day.

Gem x