Shopping My Stash #20

After rediscovering  Nails Inc Peach Sorbet and falling in love with it all over again when paired with 'Holly place' in yesterdays NOTD  post (link) I went on a mission to find the other 2 shades I bought at the same time, Bluebell and Power Pink. All came as InStyle freebies almost 2 years ago. The sun has been out in Norn Iron which is a rarity so I've ditched the darks in favour of these ice cream coloured beauties.

Rimmel Apocalips 'Stellar': A gorgeous, bright, pigmented lip colour that stays put for a decent amount of time. Even when paired with only mascara and no liner/shadow it helps me look more put together and brightens my face. 

bareMinerals Foundation 'Medium Beige': Still not completely sold on this foundation as it can highlight fine lines and coverage wise it isn't the best but I do like it a lot more now than I did at first. For me it works much better during warmer months as my skin is going from just an oily t-zone to oily all over.

Tan Tastic Self Tanning Liquid: Came to the end of my He-Shi Express Liquid Tan which I love and have been using for years but rather than be a bore and repurchase I decided to try something different. I think liquid tanners are my favourite type, compared to creams/lotions they dry down better on my skin and are much easier to use. Haven't tried this at all yet and haven't read any reviews but in the bottle it seems very similar to the He-Shi's offering so fingers crossed. 

Fake Bake Perfection Golden Faux Glow Instant Tan: This I have tried but only once and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Need to give it a good road test before making up my mind hence why it's in this post but as always, I'll report back.

Have you tried any of these products?
What's your favourite tan?

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The Nails Inc NOTD

I've posted swatches of both polishes before (here and here) and even though I haven't used either shade in a long time I do really like them BUT when paired together, it's love! Peach Sorbet was an InStyle freebie and Holly Place was part of a limited edition collection in 2012 so probably isn't available now but they aren't exactly unique shades, I'm sure dupes will be easy to find.

 

Products used:

Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Base Coat

Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Top Coat

Nails Inc Peach Sorbet (x2 coats)

Nails Inc Holly Place (x2 coats)

There's just something about this combo that makes me feel all summery and happy :)

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My Thoughts On 5 Mascara's

It's so hard to find a mascara that delivers everything you want. Some only focus on delivering length, volume or curl but most of us are greedy and want it all. It's also a product where results vary dramatically from person to person. What one person loves, someone else will hate so please don't let me put you off trying any of the one's mentioned in this post. When it comes to mascara you definitely need to try them out for yourself as we all have different lash issues, mine being lack of curl. Funny how my hair is naturally curly yet my lashes look as if they've been straightened, some even point downwards! 

I don't mess around when it come's to mascara colour. I stick with black and always go for the darkest black available. Waterproof formulas are something I don't have time for either but there is one in this post. 

Revlon Grow Luscious: It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of this mascara. Since it came out a few years back I've read so many mixed reviews, it seems to be if you love it, you love it but if you hate it, you really hate it. That kinda put me off giving it a go but when I found it at a stupidly low price I grabbed it and it's honestly one of the best beauty purchases I've ever made. It lengthens, adds mega volume, makes my lashes blacker than black and holds a curl all day. Has it improved the condition/growth/look of my lashes as it claims? I really don't think so. I've been using it for a loooong time and repurchased it over and over again so I'm sure I would've noticed by now if it had. The brush is my favourite type - big with good old fashioned bristles rather than the plastic comb types that brands are so fond of using now. I have sensitive eye's but haven't ever experienced any irritation nor does it smudge or flake halfway through the day. If it does start flaking that's when you'll know you need to chuck it and repurchase but it lasts way longer than the recommended shelf life for mascara.

Revlon Grow Luscious Plumping: After falling in love with the original I decided to give the plumping formula a go but sadly the same can't be said for this version. It has the same bristles as the original but they're spaced further apart and the wand is very long and tapered. I have big eyes but even I struggle to apply this without getting mascara everywhere so I'm gonna hazard a guess and say anyone with small eyes will have no hope unless they don't mind doing a lot of cleaning up afterwards. I'm not a lover of the formula either, it's very wet and can make my lashes look sparse. It does add colour and length but if you're after volume and curl, look elsewhere.

Revlon Lash Potion: This is the sneaky one that tricked me, I was too busy looking at the packaging to realise it was waterproof. The results from this one are too natural for me and I hate the extra effort I have to put in to remove it. The wand is full but alot shorter this time and it has the same wet formula as the Grow Luscious Plumping mascara.

Maybelline The Falsies: Possibly the most hyped up drugstore mascara ever so as you can imagine I had high hopes but it wasn't to be. Instead of giving me lashes to rival that of flasies, it gives me what can only be described as 3 lash syndrome. The formula is so wet that it clumps my lashes together so badly that it looks like I only have 3 lashes. I've left it open overnight to let it dry out and see if that helps but nope. I don't like the flexi wand either, I want to be able to push against my lashes and get right into the roots without the wand bending making it near impossible.

Cosmetics A La Carte Divine Lash*: This has my least favourite type of brush. It's teeny tiny with short plastic bristles which is fantastic for lower lashes as it allows me to reach them all without making a mess but again, it's too natural for me. It does hold a curl well but the volume is lacking and at 23 quid it just isn't worth it in my opinion.

What's your favourite mascara?

Have you tried any of these?

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Fashion Targets Breast Cancer 2014

This year's Fashion Targets Breast Cancer campaign has now launched in the UK. The campaign this year is all about empowering women to make a difference and raise vital funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer by wearing their support #WearYourSupport. 

There's a number of ways you can show your support but if you love shopping you'll be pleased to know that Marks & Spencer, River Island, Warehouse, Topshop, Laura Ashley, Debenhams and Superga have all launched exclusive pieces which carry a minimum 30% donation to the charity. The lip balm pictured above is from Marks & Spencer and only costs 3 quid with 100% of the proceeds going to Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

For more info, and to get your shop on I've added a  button to the right hand side of my blog which will take you directly to the site. You can also get involved on Twitter: @FashionTargets #WearYourSupport

Will you be showing your support this year?

International Giveaway: Klorane Leave-In Cream With Mango Butter *CLOSED*

While in Paris I picked up more beauty products than I needed, shocker. You can see my haul here. There was one product I completely forgot about though, the Klorane Leave-In Cream with Mango Butter so rather than leave it in the dark depths of my cupboard until I get around to trying it out I thought one of you beauty obsessed lot would be happy to take it off my hands and put it to good use. The tube is still sealed, I have no idea if it smells like mango butter but I love mango scented products, that's the main reason I bought it. 

Just realised I haven't even said what it's for. It's a nourishing leave-in cream for dry damaged hair which you apply to the mid lengths/ends of towel dried hair but a small amount can also be used after styling to tame any flyaways and add some extra hydration.

To enter you MUST follow this blog via GFC and Bloglovin' (1 entry)

For extra entries you can follow me on:

Twitter (+1 entry)

SheSaidBeauty (+1 entry)

Instagram (+1 entry)

You can also tweet about this giveaway linking back to my blog and Twitter @lippybblogger (+1 entry)

Please leave a list of how you've entered in the comments along with your current hair care must haves and a way for me to contact you if you win. 

This giveaway will end on 25/5/14

Good luck! :)

The winner is Chloe Congrats! :) Thanks to everyone who entered.

Lately I've Been Lovin' #15

The last few months have been a bit hectic. You probably noticed the lack of posts but I didn't have much time to just sit down and get my blog on. Aaaaaand I haven't spoketh of my monthly favourites since Jan, tres mauvais. When you don't have much time to ummm and ahhh over what products you want to use each morning it can be a bit like beauty ground hog day but the products you do reach for are the ones you know will get the job done, the reliable products that never let you down. 

Sephora Waterproof 12H Wear Jumbo Liner 'Taupe': A wee bit of me dies every time I have to sharpen this magical pencil so to save heartbreak and tears I don't sharpen it very often. Instead I'd rather wait until the plastic is scratching along my eyelid, and then I wait some more. I scribble it over my lids like a toddler let loose with Crayola for the first time then blend the edges with my finger before slickin' on some mascara. Jobs a goodun, I'm out the door.

Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix*: My product of the month throughout March and guess what? We're still in a very happy relationship. It's a keeper.

Primark Nails: The quality isn't the best I've ever tried and most of the designs are scustin' but there are a few decent ones if you look hard enough. The glue won't hold them in place for long but they will last for a night out, maybe two and there is a good side to the glue being pathetic - they ping off rather than splitting and can be stuck straight back on. I've been wearing the same set for close to a month now and will be stocking up next time I'm in Primark. 24 nails for a quid, madness.

Cerruti 1881: The warmer weather is finally here so out comes the lighter, fresher perfumes. I've been wearing Cerruti 1881 on and off since school and as soon as I'm almost at the end of a bottle another is ready and waiting to replace it. It's a very clean scent, almost soapy but I adore it. It reminds me of certain people and always makes me smile on the rare occasion I smell it on other people.

Organic Surge Extra Care Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser*: Extra Care is the first ever anti-ageing range from Organic Surge. The hot cloth cleanser is now available but the rest of the line-up won't be available until May. If like me you love cream cleansers then you're in for a treat as not only is it affordable at under 13 quid for 150ml but it's packed full of organic ingredients that really help to give your skin that smooth, healthy glow. It removes mascara with ease and keeps dry patches at bay when used with a flannel/muslin cloth. Texture wise I would say it's slightly lighter than Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. Maybe one to try if you aren't a lover of the Eucalyptus scent. I've been using it for close to two months now and it's still going strong.

Macadamia Flawless Cleansing Conditioner*: I've used up every single bit of this time saving mousse but it's still worth a mention, and a repurchase.

What products have you been lovin' lately?

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Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask

I'm a big fan of the much loved oil from Moroccanoil but the shampoo and conditioner just didn't do it for me. My hair felt and looked lank after every use and needed washed more often but I was curious to see how I would get on with the Intense Hydrating Mask*

If you love the Macadamia Deep Repair Masque then you'll more than likely love this too. They both work in a similar way and leave my dry/damaged hair feeling soft, smooth, hydrated and a lot easier to manage. Unlike the shampoo and conditioner, the Intense Hydrating Mask doesn't leave any residue behind on my hair, instead it feels nourished without being weighed down nor do I need to wash my hair more often than I usually would. Another good thing is how little product you need to use as the texture is rich and creamy, and spreads easily. I usually leave it on for around 10 minutes while I'm shaving, doing a body scrub and all that jazz then make sure I rinse it out well. My hair is on the thick side and damaged due to years of using heat and dabbling with bleach but if you have fine hair that isn't too damaged I would give this a miss, you definitely don't need something this intense and it may weigh down your locks. If your hair sounds similar to mine though, it'll work wonders. Works a treat on curly hair too.

It makes a huge difference in the shine department and if you're a straightener addict you'll be pleased to know my hair stays straighter for longer without the ends fluffing up as the days go on.  Do I like it better than Macadamia's offering? No but that's down to cost more than anything else. 

Have you tried this hair mask?

Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask 250ml, 24.75 from www.hairtrade.com

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Budget Beauty: Good Things Manuka Honey Refining Scrub

Skin care is my weakness but more often than not you need to pay a bit more for something that actually works. Nine times out of ten (in my experience) you get what you pay for when it comes to skin care so for that reason I don't mind paying extra for a product that really delivers and makes a noticeable difference to my skin. BUT, every now and again an affordable product comes along and wows me. As you can tell from the title of this post, the product I'm talking about is Good Things Manuka Honey Refining Scrub* 

If you aren't familiar with Good Things, it's an affordable skin care brand developed by beauty writer Alice Hart-Davis to care for young skin. The products are free from SLS, Parabens and mineral oil, and can be found in Boots. Even though the line is designed to care for young skin, there are a few products which could be used no matter your age, the Manuka Honey Refining Scrub being one of them. The Manuka Honey range has been designed to help keep skin clear and hydrated. Usually products targeted towards keeping skin clear are very harsh and leave the skin feeling stripped to within an inch of it's life but not this one. The texture is very creamy (think Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish) and packed full of oatmeal. The oatmeal really gives a good scrub but without feeling sharp and scratchy, it feels like massaging porridge all over your face. It also contains Kaolin to draw out excess oil and sweet almond oil which leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

So how affordable is it? It's currently on introductory offer at only 3.33 but even at full price it's only 4.99 for 150ml (yes, my pound sign still isn't working) No matter your budget, give this a try if you're a fan of manual scrubs.

Have you tried this?

Feel free to share your bargain skin care products in the comment section.

Good Things Manuka Honey Refining Scrub is available from www.boots.com

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Review: Macadamia Flawless 6-in-1 Cleansing Conditioner

Macadamia is one of my favourite hair care brands, the Deep Repair Masque and No Tangle Pre-Styler are both fantastic products which I constantly recommend to anyone whose hair puts up a fight at the sheer sight of a comb. It's definitely a brand I trust but I have to be honest and say I was more than just a bit sceptical when it came to this 6-in-1 product.

Macadamia Flawless Cleansing Conditioner* is like no hair product I've tried before. The most obvious difference being the texture - mousse. The no-suds mousse is so dense, creamy and luxe, it feels more like something you would expect to come from an eye wateringly expensive body care brand, not something that is essentially a shampoo. So yes it claims to cleanse hair as well as condition but it also promises to reduce blow-drying time, detangle, enhance volume and eliminate frizz. The directions say to apply the mousse to the scalp area and gently massage through to the ends. It can be left on for upto 5 minutes and needs to be applied to wet hair. 

Does it work?

 As soon as the mousse came into contact with my hair it instantly felt softer, almost as if I'd applied a mask. The mousse is so rich and dense that I reached for my usual shampoo thinking I would need to use it straight after. My thinking was 'how can something this moisturising cleanse my hair' but it did! I used it a few more times over the next lot of weeks to make sure it wasn't a case of first time lucky but each time my hair felt clean and had an amazing shine. I think how well it works as a conditioner will vary from person to person depending on hair type/how much damage you have but for me it works perfectly well and believe me, my hair is anything but easy to manage. It eliminates frizz to a certain degree but I still like to use a serum or oil of some sort to make my hair look and feel a bit healthier than it really is but unfortunately I didn't notice much difference when it came to blow-drying time or volume.

It definitely works and is something I'll purchase again and again and again but not to replace my usual shampoo and conditioner. For me this is the perfect product for taking on holiday as it doesn't weigh as much as a separate shampoo and conditioner, won't take up much space and is a time saver.

Have you tried this?

Were you sceptical like me?

Macadamia Flawless Cleansing Conditioner: 8.75/90ml, 25.75/250ml 

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April 2014: Love Me Beauty Box

Love Me Beauty, I love you. Once again you've came through with a box I'm more than happy with. This month I went for Menu 1* as I'm having a bit of a love affair with hair serums/balms and the Neal & Wolf Smoothing Blow Dry Balm sealed the deal for me.

Neal & Wolf Smoothing Blow-Dry Balm, RRP: 12.50 (full size): This month there was a choice of 3 different hair products from Neal & Wolf but as I said, balms and serums are really doing it for me at the mo. This blow-dry balm claims to put an end to tangles and frizz and contains a hydrating wheat protein complex to provide moisture, balance and manageability. Sounds good to me.

Betty Hula 10ml Secret Wonder Oil Roller Ball, RRP: 6.25 (full size): The body products from Betty Hula are gorgeous. They moisturise really well and the yummy scents linger on the skin all day. Haven't tried the Secret Wonder Oil yet but I love oils and this one can be used on dry skin or to soothe sunburn, relieve stretch marks and scars.

Models Own Nail Polish in 'Coral Reef', RRP: 5 (full size): I love nail polish and I love coral, winner.

Redken Colour Extend Conditioner, 25ml sample, RRP: 9.99 for 250ml: I haven't dabbled too much with Redken products, not really sure why but it's a brand I've wanted to try more from for a while now. I have long, thick hair so I'm sure I'll only get 2 uses max from this 25ml sample but I'll report back in my next empties post.

In the 3 menu's this month there was only 4 products listed in each box. I had no problem with that as 3 out of the 4 products are full size and are all products I'll use but also included was a 25 quid Hello Fresh gift card and 2 Weleda Stretch Mark Massage Oil samples. 

 Love Me Beauty is the beauty box boss as far as I'm concerned, the boxes are consistent each month and I'm yet to be disappointed.

Are you subscribed to Love Me Beauty?

Which menu did you go for?

Love Me Beauty, 10 quid plus p&p from lovemebeauty.com

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MONU First Defence Illuminating Primer with SPF15

As most of you will know, I'm not a primer person. Every now and then I'll test one out and there are a few I like but I'll never be a daily primer wearer for two reasons - more often than not they'll feel heavy/slimy on my skin and the difference they make in terms of how my foundation looks isn't great enough to convert me. Having said all that, there are a few out there that have it nailed formula wise. Forget what you've experienced with primers containing silicone in the past, MONU got it spot on with their First Defence Illuminating Primer*.

The First Defence line from MONU is paraben free, for all skin types and formulated to protect skin from environmental damage. The Illuminating Primer is a light reflective primer with soft focus technology to help brighten and smooth the complexion. It not only improves the look of  foundation, it also contains some ingredients which should help improve your skin long term such as Blackcurrant Seed Oil to boost moisture levels, restore softness, elasticity and suppleness. Vitamin E, an antioxidant and Cassia Alata Leaf Extract which protects skin against UV damage and reduces visible signs of photo-ageing. The 'illuminating' bit had me thinking the primer would be jam packed with shimmer but nope, it's completely shimmer free yet still manages to make my skin appear brighter. As I already mentioned, it does contain silicone but if I hadn't read the ingredient list I'd be none the wiser. There's no slimy, greasy texture, instead the formula has an almost whipped texture which sets on the skin in a matter of seconds and stays put throughout the day.

I don't have much trouble with my foundation lasting without primer, maybe if I did I would use them more often but if I was asked to recommend just one, it would have to be this one from MONU. It works equally as good on my oily t-zone as it does on my dry dehydrated cheeks so you don't need to think too much about your skin type. If you want your foundation to stay put a bit longer and your skin to appear smoother and brighter, it's a winner.

Are you like me when it comes to primers or do you swear by them?

MONU First Defence Illuminating Primer 27 quid directly from www.monushop.co.uk

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