Category Archives: beauty

Beauty- Introducing Avril

29th May 2017
I’m always up for trying out new skincare and makeup products especially when they’re from brands that are completely new to me. Recently I was contacted by Avril, a young French brand specialising in certified organic and natural cosmetics. All of their products are cruelty free, always a complete winner in my eyes (well, essential actually) so I was on board entirely when they offered to send out a selection of products for me to try.

Lipstick | Micellar Water | Mascara | Day Cream | Highlighter

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I like the simple, no nonsense packaging from the brand. It’s clean and concise and fits well with the ethos of the brand. Price wise I think the entire range is reasonable, the most expensive product here is the highlighter which comes in at 8 euros (just under £7) and the products are a very decent size for that. The main question though is how do they perform? Well, read on…
Skincare wise both of these products impressed me. The micellar water in particular- it’s packed full of aloe vera which I’m a big fan of and means it feels incredibly refreshing when you use it. It feels a lot more soothing than my usual micellar water and price wise it’s certainly comparable enough for me to order this instead when I’m next in need.

The day cream contains both organic macadamia and organic sweet almond oil meaning it feels incredibly rich when you put it on. I did find this a little odd at first as I generally want a day cream to feel lighter but after getting used to how much I needed to use I started to really enjoy this product and it’s become a daily part of my routine. It has subtle and refreshing scent which I really enjoy and my skin is certainly incredibly soft right now.

Makeup wise Avril continued to make a good impression. The highlighter is incredibly subtle- exactly what I want for a fresh, day time look. A light application of this as an addition to my standard week day makeup brightens up my complexion nicely without leaving me feeling like a disco ball. This is probably one of the best highlighters I’ve tried for daily wear, although if you’re a big glow fan you might find it a bit subtle for your tastes.

The lipstick is a product I fully intended to swatch and it’s only as I write this post that I realise I didn’t- nice one Laura! This shade is called Framboise and is a gorgeous berry colour. It applies nicely and lasts a long time- not as long as some of the more premium brands out there, but at 6 euros I was impressed at it’s longevity and the pigmentation as well as the quality.

Finally we have the mascara. I went for the volume variety and whilst it’s probably not going to find itself in my top three mascaras of all time it’s still decent, again especially when you consider the price. The mascara contains organic beeswax and extract of acai berry to strengthen and nourish the lashes which is a nice touch and whilst the effect isn’t the most dramatic volume you’ve ever seen it’s a perfectly good mascara and great for a more subtle work makeup look. I’ll happily continue to use this.

This is only a small selection of what Avril has to offer and I’d be keen to try out more from the brand, in particular more of the makeup range- eyeshadow and foundations are definitely on my list. I’m also interested in seeing what their nail products and makeup brushes are like, if I place an order would you like to see further reviews?

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Products sent c/o Avril

Posted in beauty, make up, review, skincare

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Summer Nails with Essence and Rimmel

24th May 2017
There’s something about the warmer weather that makes me want to have bold, bright and beautiful nails- in the winter I’m not so fussed, perhaps because my hands are mostly hidden by gloves. That being said, I talk an awful lot about painting my nails in the spring and summer months but I still seem to rarely get round to it. I blame work a lot, but at the moment as I’m not doing my usual role I don’t even have that excuse. Thankfully I have some gorgeous new nail polishes to bring on the motivation.
First up I have this selection of colour boost high pigment nail paints c/o my friends at essence. These cost a bargainous £1.80 each (available at Wilko stores and online) and promise high coverage and shiny finish in just one coat.

The swatches are indeed just one coat and they really do deliver on that promise, I’m especially fond of the duck egg blue colour- shade 06: instant happiness for a pretty pastel touch. I highly recommend these nail polishes as an affordable and efficient way to bring your manicure up to date.

Next up is the beach ready 2 step super gel nail collection c/o Rimmel (at Boots and Superdrug). I’ve had a couple of gel manicures lately but can’t afford to keep that habit up so the fact that these polishes claim to last up to 14 days with no UV lamp needed appeals greatly.

All you need to do is apply your chosen colour- no base coat needed, just 1-2 thin coats of your preferred shade. Once it’s dry you add a coat of the self curing gel top coat and there you go.

I absolutely love the colours in this collection, they are all so bright and fun! They cost a reasonable £5.99 each (plus the top coat) and can usually be found on a multi-buy offer too. I’ll have to report back on the longevity of these but from what I’ve heard from other people they live up to the hype. Shade wise my top picks have to be the super bright blue shade named Dive Right In or the pretty pastel Purple Splash for a more subtle, girly approach.

What’s your favourite colour to paint your nails in the summer months? I tend to try and avoid pinks because that’s what I always go for- I’m contemplating trying the orange Rimmel polish first just because I don’t think I’ve ever had orange nails.

Pending me ever getting round to a DIY manicure that is! Someone give me a nudge?

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Products in this post were sent to me for blog consideration.

Posted in beauty, nails, review

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Essence SS17 new arrivals

03rd May 2017
It’s been a little while since Essence featured on the blog and they’ve been busy little bees creating some great new products for the Spring/Summer season. If you didn’t already know I am a big fan of Essence products (past features here) so I was really excited when an envelope containing some of these new products arrived at my door.
There were some really intriguing looking products inside the package and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. So excited it seems I completely forgot to get any swatches of the products but I’ll make sure to pop some up on my instagram over the coming days.
The Blush Play sculpting blush palette (£4) in “play it pink” is a very pretty little palette containing three blush shades that can be used together for a contoured effect or individually. I’m especially fond of the highlight shade, but all three really do work in harmony to create a gorgeous spring flush of pink.
I’ve always raved about Essence’s mascaras and the volume stylist 18h lash extension mascara (£3) is yet another bargain mascara to win my praise. This mascara features a diamond shaped brush which holds lengthening fibres and it creates long, full lashes that don’t budge.

Another product that really excited me was the cushion eyeliner (£3). This little jar holds a sponge soaked with super pigmented eyeliner. Applied with a fine brush this has an amazing texture and again doesn’t budge at all during the day.

You can’t beat Essence for bargain lip products and at a mere £2 these shine shine shine lipglosses are amazing. I’ve got two shades- number 12 and number 13 and they apply smoothly to give a really, really shiny and highly pigmented splash of colour. Out of the two shade 12 is my favourite, I’m really loving purple lips at the moment.

On a side note, these smell incredible too.

Last but not least we have a new nail product- colour boost high pigment nail paint in the shade 11- instant match. Essence nail products are a long standing favourite and a really affordable way to bring your look up to date at a minuscule £1.80 each. This new range takes just one application to provide super shine and solid colour coverage. There are ten shades available and I want them all!
Have you tried any of these new products from Essence, or any others from the brand for that matter? If not then I highly recommend you get acquainted with the brand which you can find in selected Wilko stores or the Wilko website.

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Posted in beauty, brands I love, make up, nails, review

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The Denman Cocktail Collection

26th April 2017
Ever found yourself wishing that your hair brush could smell like your favourite cocktail? Nope, me neither but when I heard about the new Cocktail Fragrance Collection from Denman Brushes it suddenly seemed like a very appealing, not to mention genius idea.

With flavours such as Strawberry Daiquiri, Pina Colada and Berry Martini these are fun and funky brushes that are the perfect size for popping in your handbag and would make an awesome birthday gift for your girl friends.

Denman kindly sent me the Strawberry Daiquiri brush so that I could see how the idea translates in to real life. It’s a lovely, grown-up looking brush and, despite it’s small size and “novelty” factor it lives up to the renowned quality of Denman Brushes.

The scent of this is SO good, so very good. Good enough that I have to stop myself sniffing my hair brush in public.

I’m not sure if I like the fact that the scent doesn’t transfer to your hair or not though, on the one hand I can see why Denman have done this- walking around smelling like your favourite drinks could grow old fast. On the other hand though, the idea of Strawberry scented hair for the Summer is really kind of appealing!

The brushes retail at £8.00 each and are available from the Denman online store.

What do you think of this idea? And what’s your favourite cocktail?

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Posted in accessories, beauty, hair

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How to Add a Pop of Colour to your Summer Wardrobe

28th March 2017
When the sun is shining I feel the sudden urge to get out my bright clothes and I’m not the only one. Knowing how and where to add colour can be hard though as you don’t want to overdo it. I feel at ease with red lips and fun prints but what other ways are there of adding a pop of colour to your summer outfit if you’re not quite so brave?

Colour block skirt
I own more A-line skirts than I’d care to mention and have them in pretty much every length, colour and print. It makes sense then that for summer I like to colour block with a bright skirt and a complimentary colour top. For those with a curvier frame wearing bright colours from the waist down works really well and an A-line shape skims the hips. If you want a more toned down look just pair with a neutral top instead.

Bold Summer dresses
For the ultimate boost of colour and energy to your wardrobe it has to be a patterned summer dress. There are so many patterns that are trending right now- from pastel gingham to bright stripes and vintage florals to fun food prints – pineapple anyone? Aztec prints also never go out of style so I’m keeping an eye out for this trapeze dress from Sainsbury’s holiday shop when doing the weekly shop.

Add colour in your accessories
In winter it’s easier to accessorise with colour simply because you wear more accessories and can layer up with hats, gloves and scarves. It’s still possible to do it in summer though – albeit in a slightly more subtle way. I like to add colour with a big bright bag to carry all of my everyday essentials (i.e. my entire life) or in or a pair of platform heels.

Off the top of your head
You can use your head, quite literally, to top off your colour offering. My cat beret gets a little rest over summer but out comes the sun hat instead. Even if yours is plain it’s always possible to wrap around a colour-coordinating scarf to match your outfit. For another instant colour update using a pretty silk scarf tie it round some classic vintage rolls- with the added bonus of keeping your neck nice and cool!
Finishing touches
Last but not least don’t neglect your face and fingers. If you’ve gone for accessories to add tones to your outfit pick the same shades out in your eyeshadow, lipstick or nails for added zing. While I stick to reds and darker shades of make-up in winter, spring is the time to experiment and I’m not afraid of orange lipstick, purple eyeshadow or pastel green nails – as long as it matches something I’m wearing! If you’re not feeling too brave start with a bold nail colour and go from there. This guide to nail shades covers orange, green, bronze, hot pink and everything in between.
How will you be adding colour to your Spring/Summer looks? I’d love to know.

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Posted in accessories, beauty, fashion, guest post, lifestyle, make up, nails, shopping

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