Category Archives: beauty

A Touch of Luxury with Kai

11th March 2015
Now, it’s probably not escaped anyone’s notice that I’m not a beauty expert, but I do appreciate a good product as much as the next girl- and if it’s entirely luxurious then that’s even better!
I was recently contacted by a high end beauty brand named Kai. I wasn’t familar with the name but a little bit of research revealed that it’s a global beauty brand with a devout celebrity following. To celebrate the fact that some of the products are newly launching in the UK (available from Cult Beauty and Liberty) I was sent a package of goodies to try out.
I feel I should preface this review by saying that ordinarily these products would be far, far out of my beauty budget and I feel incredibly lucky that I have been able to try them out and fall in love with them. I do however appreciate that they will also be above and beyond what most people can afford for every day beautification, but if you’re in the market to splurge out then this is the brand for you!
One of my favourite products was the body buffer which retails at £33. This is a really innovative product that cleanses, exfoliates and moisturises all in one. It comes in two compact sponges each containing enough product for around 30 uses. My skin feels amazing after using this and like the entire Kai range it has an amazing, fresh scent that lasts all day (without being over-powering).
There was also a reed diffuser in the package, which is beautifully neutral and adds a touch of class to whatever room you place it in. This costs £60 but will give four months of continuous scent. The signature Kai scent is gardenia wrapped with white exotics which is just perfect for bringing a touch of Spring in to the home.
I’m really enjoying the Shampoo and Conditioner (£29 each!) that came in my package, my hair just feels amazing from the combination of argan oil and glycolic acid. Again the signature scents lasts and lasts without being obtrusive and I am convinced the condition of my hair improves with each wash. Sadly once I’ve used these up I won’t be in a position to re-purchase so I’m eeking them out and enjoying them whilst they last!
Last but not least there was also a dry oil spray called body glow (£25) which I have taken to spritzing on after a bath of shower to restore my skin and add a clean scent. I am really getting in to dry oils as I can’t stand my skin feeling greasy and this is just wonderful.
I can’t help but feel it’s typical that I have fallen head over heels for a brand I can’t afford to buy and use all of the time, but when I do have some spare money I will be indulging myself and also popping items of birthday and christmas lists. Are there any brands that you love but can’t afford on a regular basis? I can’t be the only one out there!

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Current Beauty Favourites

04th March 2015
Despite my best intentions beauty posts are few and far between on the blog. I’m fairly minimal when it comes to skin care and even makeup these days and I don’t tend to buy a lot of new products or discover new favourites. Since Christmas I have managed to collect a few new lotions and potions which have impressed me and rapidly become a part of my regular (sort of) skin care regime.
First things first, a product I’m loving from Lush. I was allergic to Lush products when I was younger and avoided them for many years, but after a little bit of trial and error I’ve found some that I can use. Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner is one of these products, it was included in a blog club goodie bag back at the start of December and I’ve been loving it ever since. I think this is one of the nicest smelling products I’ve ever used and it leaves my skin super soft and smooth feeling- quite some feat for me, the winter months are not my skin’s friend.
At around £55 a bottle Clarins Double Serum isn’t something you’d usually find in my collection as it’s just too far out of my price range. I was lucky enough to win this bottle in the New Year and I have to say I can see why people do splurge on skin care as this just makes my face feel amazing. I wouldn’t say I suddenly look ten years younger, but my skin is brighter and my pores less noticeable- it also has a real luxe feel when you put it on so is perfect for some end of the day pampering (and is a great incentive to take makeup off before bed!)
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil golden shimmer is another of those products I probably wouldn’t buy for myself on an ordinary shopping trip. This bottle was part of a goodie bag from an M&S event before Christmas and I’ve been loving it ever since, even if I was a little baffled by it to start with. This adds a wonderful subtle shimmer to skin which warms up my pasty skin tone a treat. I’ve also been using it on the ends of my hair which has stopped them looking quite so dry and frazzled. At £21 per bottle I can see myself buying this again when it runs out as a little goes a very long way and it’s a real multi-tasker.
Makeup wise I’ve been trying to use up my stash rather than buying new products. Typically both my foundation and primer ran out at the same time and at a time where I had little spare cash to replace them. I took advantage of a 2 for £10 offer in Boots (which worked out as 2 for £9 thanks to an NHS employee discount) and picked up the Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude Foundation (in medium coverage, although the heavy coverage did tempt me I decided I preferred a slightly more natural look) as well as the Lasting Finish Primer which works alongside the foundation to provide all day coverage. Both of these products have really impressed me with their staying power and natural look they give my skin. I was using a Bourjois foundation before this which I thought was my Holy Grail of foundations but this budget beauty might have knocked it off of the top spot.
Last but my no means least I was far too excited to find the Shupette Collection from Shu Uemura in the Harvey Nichols sale and couldn’t resist picking up this peachy blusher. I’d lusted after this collection since it was first announced and whilst I didn’t exactly need yet another blusher I was swayed by the amazing texture (I generally hate cream blushers but this one swayed me) and natural peachy finish that compliments my pale skin perfectly. The packaging is just so cute, I’m often a bit wary of buying collaborative products like this in case quality is compromised but I can happily say this isn’t the case, and at £12 it wasn’t any more than the products I usually buy.
What beauty products are you loving lately? I love picking up new suggestions from people’s blogs…I need to make these posts a more regular thing!

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Chocolate Shampoo? I’m a fan!

22nd December 2014
One thing I love about blogging is that I am fortunate enough to get to try products that would otherwise pass me by. I’ve been introduced to many brilliant companies and have found a lot of new staple products that I’ve re-purchased time and time again. I’ve just added another product to that list, the Chocolate Shampoo and Conditioner (yes, you read that right!) from Faith in Nature.
When Faith in Nature contacted me and asked if I’d like to try a couple of their products I couldn’t help but opt for this sweet sounding set of hair care. With it’s blend of organic Cocoa and Vanilla blended with Sage it sounded right up my street, and I’ve been in dire need of some new products for a while.

At £5.50 per bottle the price is comparable to other Shampoo and Conditioners on the market and I like that these are organic and natural as despite bombarding my hair with dye and heat I do otherwise like to keep it as chemical free as possible.

Now, don’t go expecting these to smell like a bar of Dairy Milk because they don’t! But they do have a familiar and rich smell of chocolate (that makes me hungry every time I wash my hair). I have found in the past that natural products don’t leave my hair feeling as clean as standard shampoos and conditioners but that wasn’t the case with these, and after a couple of washes my hair was starting to feel normal again after a bout of struggling with somewhat dry and frazzled strands. Far from being a novelty with it’s confectionary based smell these are products that I really rate, it’s ages since my hair has felt this clean and soft and I put a large part of that down to regular use of these two bottles. They are already added to my re-purchase list, along with the refreshing sounding Pineapple and Lime range. I might just stick a few body care items on the list for good measure- I mean I’m majorly feeling then need to match my shower gel to my shampoo at the moment, how can a day start wrong when you’re washing yourself in something so sweet smelling? Chocolate is an instant mood fix for me, in the food form and that’s now transferred over to my shower habits too!

Have you tried any Faith in Nature products before? Which would you recommend?

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Library of Fragrance- Vanilla Ice Cream Review

05th December 2014
After much anticipation the Library of Fragrance launched in the UK earlier this year. Originally known and loved in the USA under the brand name Demeter I was really excited to hear they would be launching on our shores, dropping exclusive scents in to Boots stores nationwide at the reasonable price of £15 (or two for £25). Covering just about every scent imaginable, from the irresistible smell of Baby Powder to the spicier toned (and seasonable) Gingerbread I was seriously intrigued and delighted when the opportunity arose to review a bottle myself.
Being well known for my sweet tooth I was incredibly open to the idea of a Vanilla Ice Cream scented perfume, described as “sinfully rich” and as “inviting as a Summer’s day” it’s hard not to be a fan of this scent. Vanilla is one of my favourite fragrances anyway, although I do find in beauty products it can be quite artificial and somewhat cloying. Thankfully the Library of Fragrance have eliminated both of these problems and the end result is a light scent that instantly takes me back to Summer days spent eating ice cream on the beach.
The power of scent to bring back memories is so powerful I think it’s a really fantastic idea to be able to buy a gift for someone (or yourself) that will bring back nothing but the happiest of thoughts. I have several other “flavours” on my list to try- pure soap and marshmallow being the first I want to try. As these are super affordable and a little goes a long way I think now, in the run up to Christmas is the perfect time to indulge…buy one for a friend to remind them of times spent together and pick up another for yourself for only a tenner more…genius! See the full range here and let me know which you’d most like to receive, or if you’ve already tried the range, which scent is your favourite?
What would you most like to see turned in to a perfume? I wouldn’t say no to the smell of a freshly baked cake…

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Beach Wedding Make-Up Look

30th November 2014
Ok, so this post is going to require a little bit of imagination, on my part and on yours. Firstly let’s pretend it’s not almost winter in England and therefore decidedly grey and cold outside. Secondly let’s look past my big old jumper and imagine what I’m actually wearing is a gorgeous Summer dress, styled to perfection with spot on accessories and perfect make-up. You see, with the help of BlueBay Hotels & Resorts Weddings I wanted to show you what make-up I’d be wearing should I bet jetting off somewhere hot and sunny to attend my best friend’s beach wedding (further imagination required as by no means so I profess to be a beauty blogger, but I do my best!)
Naked face, eek!
Hello eye bags!
First up the products I used: Bourjois Happy Light Primer, Bourjois 123 perfect foundation (love this!), Oriflame eyebrow kit, (not pictured) concealer from Collection, Real Techniques brushes, MAC mineralize eye shadow quad in Golden Hours*, MAC lipstick in Sunny Seoul*, Urban Decay Naked Skin ultra definition pressed powder in light*, Benefit they’re real eyeliner* and Benefit bronze of champions kit*.
I didn’t want too heavy a look as I think keeping things natural and pretty is the best approach especially if you’re going to be somewhere potentially hot and sunny. I started off with a layer of the Bourjois primer which I love as it gives my skin a bit of a glow boost (not that you can tell as central heating has wrecked my chances of a dewy glow!) and a coating of the 123 perfect foundation, with a dab of concealer over any flaws that needed covering.
A golden look was the first thing that came to mind when I was planning how I’d do this look. The eye-shadow quad from MAC was the perfect piece as the colours blended together beautifully to create a softly golden/bronze smokey eye, accentuated with some flicked out liner, courtesy of Benefit. I love this liner as it honestly doesn’t budge, perfect for adding some drama even when things are hotting up! I also added a coat of the “they’re real” mascara from the bronzer kit which added volume and colour to my lashes without making them feel overladen. I can’t stand my eyes feeling heavy when it’s hot and humid at the best of times, let along for a (hypothetical) special occasion!
For my cheeks I followed the guide in the bronzer kit and added a light dusting on Hoola bronzer where I needed it most. I was a bit worried that this would be far too dark on my porcelain skin but actually it seems to be a suit-all shade that means I wouldn’t look so ghostly pale among the wedding crowds! I also added some “watts up” highlighter on my cheekbones, but failed to capture the gorgeous glow it gave on camera!
I fell in love with MAC’s Sunny Seoul lipstick when looking online and knew it had to be a part of the look. I thought a bright and bold red lip would be a bit over the top for a beach wedding but a glowing semi-sheer pink was the perfect replacement. This is hands down my favourite lipstick that I own and should I ever be off to a beach wedding it’ll be the first item in my clutch bag!
Have you ever been to a beach wedding? Or indeed, have you ever got married on a beach? I’d love to know how your perfect make-up would look (and how you thought I did!)

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Posted in beauty, holiday, make up

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