Sunday, 14 May 2017

I'm officially a Sandals Convert...

 
So if you ask anyone that knows me, they'll tell you, straight up - Lauren doesn't wear sandals.
Seriously. 
Since being a small child, I've never liked sandals. I was always more at home in a pair of trainers, and as I've gotten older those trainers became Doc Martens and heeled boots. I don't know what it was. Maybe the fact that sandals always seemed to give me blisters or that my feet used to slip and slide all over the place, maybe it was the sheer laziness of never wanting to paint my toenails or possibly it was my strange aversion to feet. 
Either way, I never even owned a pair much less wear them.

However, this summer I made a pact to myself that I would start wearing more summery shoes. It's getting a little silly that I'm 24 years old now and I'm still wearing socks and boots when it's hot out. If we're being honest, it makes me look pretty silly too. 
so watching one of Lily Melrose's most recent Boohoo haul, she bought these - the Saskia Peeptoe Mule Sandal. I don't know if it was the sheer simpleness of the shoe or the punchy orange colour, but I fell in love with them when I saw them. I immediately ordered a pair and was pleasantly surprised by how comfy they were. I went to work on their first outing and they didn't rub me once, nor are there any blisters in sight. I do struggle to wear them with anything other than an all black outfit but incorporating colour into my otherwise monochrome wardrobe is a topic for another time.
The second pair of sandals I also adore is this pair from H&M - sadly, they don't seem to be currently stocked on the website but they are most definitely in stores. Now I'll be honest, H&M shoes and I tend to have a love/hate relationship. I either love them and can't get enough of them, or they rub me terribly to a point where I bury them under my bed never to be seen again. Fortunately, this pair fall into the former.
They have yet to rub me or give me blisters when I've worn them and the simple yet somewhat different design add a little something something to any outfit. Not to mention the neutral black colour means you can wear them with pretty much anything. 
I'll be teaming these with my beloved ripped skinny's and a leather jacket, or maybe a cute dress when the sun really comes out.

I'll be honest and say that I'm actually pretty pleased for convincing myself to buy sandals. I've come to realise, in retrospect, boots and socks in warm weather actually aren't a good mix and it gives me a great excuse to use my mountain of nail polish since I now wear acrylics on my fingers. 

Lauren
xo

Saturday, 4 February 2017

The Concealer you NEED...


So it's crazy to think that I actually haven't sat down and written a blog post in over a year.
My last post was published on Jan 11th 2016 - WTF?!
I'll be honest, life got in the way.
I just couldn't juggle my blog, my job, my social life and all the rest of it so unfortunately a blog hiatus took place - a little longer than I wanted but it is what it is.
I'm hoping this post will get me back into the swing of things and help me rekindle my love for blogging because truth be told, sitting down and actually putting fingers to keyboard - I've missed it.

I'm coming at you today with my most recent beauty purchase. Now I know, I do NOT need another concealer but I was watching Zoe's Makeup Collection vid not too long ago and she happened to mention this one - the Bourjois Radiance Reveal Concealer (£7.99) and I thought I'd give it a go. I've not bought a concealer since Collection's Lasting Perfection that's actually blown me away. 
This one - this is The One.  
It's a good colour match, which is rare for drugstore makeup - I got the shade 01 Ivory. Like most Bourjois face products, it smells delicious and it's super hydrating, which is exactly what I've needed for my skin of late. 
It claims to Correct, Illuminate and provide 24hr hydration - and I would agree with all of those statements. For me, it offers medium coverage and works beautifully under the eyes though i tend to use it on anywhere I get redness since I've stopped wearing foundation on an everyday basis - I know, such an unblogger-y thing to say!
It lasts well through the day and blends flawlessly (I use my Real Techniques Sponge and it's like a match made in heaven I tell ya). I set it using my NYX HD powder and I don't even need to touch up through the day.
I'm completely in love with the concealer and I reckon it's going to be making a re-occurring appearance in my makeup collection. 

Lauren
xo 

Monday, 11 January 2016

Makeup Bits from BornPretty*.


So around the start of December I was contacted by the lovely Joy from BornPretty, asking me to review a few of their items. Having looked at their website, I was more than willing to play around with a few of their products.
What I love about BornPretty is that it holds a huge plethora of items other than makeup. It sells everything from jewellery to stationary. 
I was given a $10 amount to spend on makeup products from the website, and since everything is so cheap it was more than enough to buy some decent products.
Firstly I picked their Mini Whitening Foundation in Shade 1 ($3.48). As you can see from the above photo, the product is very tiny and is more of a sheer consistency. I prefer to use it as a concealer as it would take too long to apply the entire product to my face. It works lovely under the eyes and for any highlighting I wish to do. It comes with a built in doe-foot applicator so it's very easy to apply to the complexion.
Trying to pick another product I noticed that despite my exhaustive collection of brushes, I don't own a fan brush. The Portable Slim Fan Brush ($2.95) is probably my favourite product of all three I was gifted. It's super soft, washes well and applies highlighter to my face in such a flawless, lit-from-within way. I honestly can't fault this brush in the slightest.
Last up is the Powder Blusher in Shade 2 ($3.99). Originally I wanted Shade 5 but unfortunately it was out of stock so I picked Shade 2 instead. It's a lovely peachy pink that has gold shimmer running through, making it a perfect blush/highlighter hybrid. The formula is faultless, not chalky or powdery in the slightest and it has really good lasting powder since it cashes in at under $4. 


I'm really pleased with all of the products I was gifted and I'm so thankful to BornPretty for giving me this lovely opportunity.
They've also given me a discount code for you guys to get 10% off your orders - LDWH10.
BornPretty does ship internationally and offers Free Delivery on all orders.

Lauren
xo

Wednesday, 30 December 2015

The Primer that's sweeping the Blogosphere - and it's aimed at men...


So I've heard (and read) many a positive review about this little product over the blogosphere these past couple of weeks, and so like any other spend-happy, easily influenced blogger - I made another blogger-induced purchase.
I'm pretty sure it's NikkieTutorials we have to thank for finding this little gem in the drugstore - myself included. 
When I did first hear that bloggers and beauty gurus alike had started incorporating the Nivea Men Sensitive Post Shave Balm (£5.29) into their makeup routines as a primer, I was skeptical. I mean, it's a product designed for use on a freshly shaven face (not to mention aimed at men) - turns out, this actually works!
I love a good primer and to find out that I can pay just over a fiver for a huge bottle of one that I love is definitely music to my ears - especially since I've spent way more than anticipated over the Christmas period. The ingredient used that makes it work as a primer is glycerin - glycerin attracts moisture to the skin and anything put over top latches onto it. I've definitely noticed a stronger longevity with my foundations on the days I've used this. I also find my foundations apply more smoothly over top since it is (essentially) a moisturiser.
It doesn't completely mattify the skin so I still tend to get an oily t-zone but that's expected and so far, I've been loving it in my makeup routine. It does have a slight masculine scent but it doesn't linger for too long. 

It still amazes me that beauty bloggers/vloggers can make use out of anything.

I hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas and looking forward to the New Year.

Lauren
xo

Sunday, 1 November 2015

October Favourites.


Seriously!
This year just seems to be shooting by!
Another month gone and another 'favourites' post coming your way.
Christmas is quite literally just around the corner now and is it just me or does it not feel much like Winter at all?
The weather's not nearly cold enough yet and I still feel like we're somewhere in August.

Anyway, onto my actual favourites for this month.
First up has definitely been Bourjois' Healthy Mix Foundation (£9.99). Despite the weather not being cold enough to be deemed as proper Winter yet, it's still been cold enough for my skin to start drying out.
This foundation is my absolute go-to each Winter because of it's undeniable talent of not clinging to dry patches and adding a a lovely glow to the complexion. It blends beautifully and smells gorgeous - I honestly couldn't fault it if I tried.
Secondly has been an apparent favourite amongst other bloggers and youtubers alike and that's the Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Primer (£10.00). I came across this when I was looking for a pore minimising primer after the demise of my Benefit PoreFessional. Safe to say it's definitely impressed me. It prolongs the wear of my foundation whilst simultaneously mattifying the complexion and minimising pores. I love it.
With the Winter season (and again, drier skin) comes the cream blushes and this one - Revlon's Cream Blush in Charmed Enchantment (£7.99)- is one of my all time faves. A beautiful berry shade that blends faultlessly across the cheeks for a rosy flush. I'm so happy I stumbled across this last year, it's been my go-to ever since. 
Lastly has been a hair favourite. Since I've started my training to become a hairdresser, I've been taking alot better care of my barnet. I mean, I took good care of it before, but only with products from the drugstore. Hair products - like makeup - work alot better when you spend that little bit extra. 
Anyway, one of the main brands of hair care at my salon is Paul Mitchell, and one of the reasons I love it is because it's totally affordable. Their Hot Off The Press (£15.95) is the best heat protectant I've ever used. Designed for use on dry hair it smells lovely and really does guard the hair from heat damage. Another one is their Heat Seal, which is designed for wet hair but a mixture of both means your hair has the best protection possible from hairdryers and flat irons. 

I hope you've all had an amazing October and a good Halloween.
Bring on Christmas.

Lauren
xo

Sunday, 11 October 2015

Get The Look: Perrie Edwards.


Let's be honest, since Zayn Malik became Public Enemy No.1 for ending their engagement via text message back in July Perrie Edwards appears to be on everybody's radar. Girls are rallying behind her after Zayn's dick-ish ways and boys are breathing a sigh of relief now the Black Magic beauty is back on the market - I, however, have been noticing just how much her hair, makeup and style have improved since winning The X Factor along with her Little Mix bandmates in 2011.
Gone are the days of her bleached white locks, over-the-top raccoon eyes and babydoll pink lips - now, it's all about subtle balayage, matte browns and that 90's nude lip. Safe to say, Perrie's makeup has been right up my street. 
I found this look on her instagram page - glowy skin, a copper eye and brown-pink lip. I decided to give it a go for this month's Get The Look.

I started off by prepping my skin with Soap & Glory's One Heck of a Blot Primer (£10.00) to reduce the size of pores and create a smooth canvas before topping it off with a little of H&M's Mattifying Face Primer (£7.99) just to mattify my complexion a little. Perrie's skin looks lovely and dewy in the picture so I mixed Sleek's Barekissed Illuminator in Monaco (£8.99) with Boots' No.7 Beautifully Matte Foundation (£13.50) to give my skin a glowy but not greasy appearance. I've been loving combining the Barekissed Illuminator with a mattifying foundation recently, it works great for both Summer and Winter. 
I also used Avon's Magix Multi-Benefit Illuminator (£8.50) to add a little extra highlight to my under eye area, down my nose, my chin and my forehead. 
Moving onto those bushy Perrie brows I, of course, used my trusty Makeup Revolution Ultra Brow Palette (£7.99) to create and hone some major brow-age. I freakin' love this palette, I use it every day to fill in my brows.
For the actual complexion, Perrie's not wearing much of anything on her cheeks. It's more like a hint of each rather than full-on colour. I used the Makeup Revolution Ultra Contour Palette (£8.00) to give slight definition to the face and using the bronze-toned highlight, added a little shimmer to the tops of my cheekbones and down my nose. For blush, I kept it subtle like Perrie with Revlon's Cream Blush in Charmed Enchantment (£7.99) to add just a delicate flush to my cheeks. This blush is my perfect Winter shade, I love cream blushes in the colder months. I set all of that in place with H&M's Perfectionist Finishing Powder in Olive (£7.99). 
 I'm really annoyed that no matter what light/angle I took the picture in, you can't really tell the colour of the eyeshadow like you can in Perrie's. I always seem to struggle with that bloody issue.
Anyway, for that copper toned eyeshadow I first primed my lips with Makeup Revolution's Focus & Fix Eye Primer in Brighten (£2.50) just to help intensify that shimmer abit. I then went in with Divine from the Makeup Revolution Naked Chocolate Palette (£7.99). This was the first product I ever bought from Makeup Rev and made me fall head over heels for the brand, there isn't one shade of this palette that I haven't managed to use and Divine worked so well for this look. 
I blended that colour all over the lid, outer V and underneath the lower lashline, also taking it slightly higher than my crease so you can see the shade when my eyes are open. I have hooded eyes so sometimes shadow can be lost in the crease. Just to deepen it a little I added a little bit of Mocha Lover into the crease and the outer half of my lower lashline. For my brow and inner corner highlight, I used Way from the same palette. 
Perrie has much better natural lashes than mine and I couldn't be bothered gluing on individuals at 9am on a Sunday morning so I just coated my own in layers upon layers of Maybelline's Lash Sensational Mascara (£7.99). I keep meaning to pick up the waterproof version of this. 
For lips I kept it nude and matte like Perrie. After using H&M's Lip Definer in Choc Therapy (£3.99) to lightly outline my pout, I went in with Essence's Longlasting Nude Lipstick in Cool Nude (£2.30) and patted that in before topping it all off with Collection's Cream Puff Lip Cream in Angel Delight (£2.99) to mattify and create that nude-pink finish.

I then donned a grey turtle-neck jumper, swept my hair back and attempted to pose like Miss Edwards - she's definitely better at it.

Lauren
xo

Sunday, 27 September 2015

September Favourites & a massive 'Sorry'...


First off, I just want to make a huge apology to you guys. 
My blogging slump has been larger than anticipated and unfortunately it's not going to be able to get better any time soon.
I've recently started a brand new career (I'm training to be a hair stylist), and currently it's just consuming all of my time and all of my days so the blog has been put on the back burner.
I promise to be back up and running consistently when everything else has mellowed out a little, but for right now, the sporadic post is all I'm going to be capable of.
Sorry again.

Moving on to my September favourites.
First up has definitely been the Sleek Barekissed Illuminator in Monaco (£8.99). I've been obsessed with this since I bought it and I've been mixing it with my foundation pretty much every morning. It gives a lovely dewy finish to my makeup without making me look greasy or oily. 
Which brings me on to my second favourite - H&M's Mattifying Face Primer (£7.99). This under foundation is a god-send. It's the most mattifying primer I've ever used and has the best longevity for keeping oils at bay. I also usually use a mattifying foundation too, and these mixed with the Sleek Barekissed Illuminator have been a heavenly combination this month. 
My last two favourites of the month are lipliners - specifically Essence's Lipliner in 06 Satin Mauve (£1.00) and H&M's Lip Definer in Choc Therapy (£3.99). I buy my Essence products from Wilko's and it never fails to let me down. Satin Mauve is your typical mauvey-pink, perfect for everyday and it costs £1.00. One bloody pound!
H&M's Lip Definers are great for staying power and the products are easy enough to apply. A little pricier than Essence Lipliners but Choc Therapy is the best nude-brown I've ever found! It suits my complexion really well and just finishes off any makeup look. 

Apologies again for my lack of blogging, but I ask you to stick with me because this hiccup is most certainly not indefinite.

Lauren
xo