Blogger Love Tag

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As I've been getting in to doing tag posts over the past few months I thought I would finally create my own! As I love blogging and the blogger community I thought I would come up with 10 questions that are totally centred around love for fellow bloggers and blogging in general! 
  
Please feel free to copy and paste the questions (you can find them all together at the bottom of the post for easier copying) and do this on your own blog to spread the love!

What was the first blog you ever came across? 
I first discovered blogs through doing interior design searches on Google and came across Made By Girl; a blog I still read and love today. From there I realised other blogs existed including beauty blogs and found Lipglossiping which I got hooked on after reading Charlotte's in depth Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Palette post - a whole 4 years ago now!

Favourite blog reads
Oh I have so many! For beauty I love - Rotten Otter, Miss Budget Beauty and Couture Girl. For fashion - The Londoner, Fashion Foie Gras and Glam & Glitter. And for lifestyle/everything blogs - Nubby Twiglet, Sofia's Journal and A Beautiful Mess

Best blogging friend
That has to be Maxi from The Lipstick Blog, but she has had multiple blogs in her time! I get on with Maxi so well because she's just so lovely and nice. We talk about nonsense most of the time and like to moan/complain to each other but we also share the interest of makeup and having too much of it! She makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside and I love her! I also love Tanzina from Makeup A to Z and Khila from Miss Budget Beauty.

Name a blog that enables your purchases
Essie Button! I think it's probably her videos that have enabled most purchases but her blog does also make me want to go out and shop. I'm actually so pleased when I already own something she mentions, I'm like "AHA I already have that!" with a satisfied look on my face for some reason. Currently wanting to try the Wild Rose Korres Lip Butter, The Body Shop Honey Bronzer and Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm all because of Estee. 

5 blogs everyone should be reading! 
Makeup and Beauty Blog and Temptalia for having amazing content and being so professional. A Beautiful Mess for a perfect mix of everything. And for beauty Vivianna Does Makeup and Lisa Eldridge have it spot on.

Your favourite way to read blogs 
It has to be Bloglovin' for me. Such an easy way to keep up to date with the blogs I like to read and also to find new ones of all different subjects. I follow over 500 blogs on there in fact! You can follow Makeup Savvy on Bloglovin' here.

Bloggers that inspire you 
Khila from Miss Budget Beauty without a doubt inspires me on a pro-active level as she manages to juggle so many things online as well as being a mum. I really don't know how she does it but it definitely motivates me when I'm being a bit slow with blogging. Another blogger that springs to mind is Kate who runs Nouvelle Daily and Ghostparties to great success as well as having a YouTube channel. Again this inspires me to be more pro-active but I also feel she gets everything spot on and that in itself is inspiring to me.

 Favourite blog design/look
Oh this is a tough one as there are so many amazing look blogs these days! Why did I even ask myself such a tough question?! I love Beautizine for it's simple but professional layout and Miss Makeup Magpie for the beautiful and clever header.

What is your favourite thing about blogging?
Another tough question! I think for me it's the creative outlet it provides. I love thinking of new post ideas and also photographing products in different ways. Plus I get to indulge in nail art for my blog and now other brands! Which is definitely creative and fun.  

Name a blogger you would most like to see write a book in the future! 
That would have to be Rosie from The Londoner as she knows her food, style and places to visit all over the world plus her photograph is perfect. But as a beauty/makeup book I'd love to see one from Lisa Eldridge

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Want to do the Blogger Love tag?

Just copy & paste the questions below on to your blog to do the tag. This is open for anyone
to do and if you do please leave the link to it below in the comment so I can have a read or tweet me @makeup_savvy and I will be sure to give it a re-tweet! Also if you are using the image above and questions a link back to this post or Makeup Savvy would be much appreciated! 

What was the first blog you ever came across? 
Favourite beauty blog reads
Best blogging friend
Name a blog that enables your purchases
5 blogs everyone should be reading! 
Your favourite way to read blogs
Bloggers that inspire you 
 Favourite blog design/look
What is your favourite thing about blogging? 
Name a blogger you would most like to see write a book in the future!

Hope you've enjoyed the questions and I look forward to reading your answers if you do the tag! 

Fee xo. 

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NOTD - W7 Pink Debris

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Finally completely back on the blogging train and thought I'd share with you some pretty nails today! 

This is a lovely budget nail look with both polishes costing under £2 from two of my favourite low cost brands - Sinful Colors and W7. 

W7 Pink Debris was in fact a Christmas gift from lovely fellow blogger Maxi (who has a new blog to follow here!) and a glitter totally up my street. I mean who couldn't not like such a pretty mixture of glitters! As you can see this is a glitter top coat to be worn with a base coat, which applies evenly and only needs one coat. 

The actual glitter is made up of light pink hexagons and smaller holographic flecks that make this look like fairy dust on the nails! I actually wish it was called 'Pixi Dust' or something more magical sounding than Pink Debris.... but you can't have everything especially when it's a £1.85 nail polish!

Sinful_Colors_Easy_Going 

For any delicate glitter manicures like this I always opt for Sinful Colors Easy Going (Boots - £1.99) as the base shade due to it not being as harsh as a white base or as sheer as a french manicure shade. It's just somewhere in the middle and lets the top coat shine and take center stage in a delicate looking way which I really like. Though Pink Debris could definitely be used over a black base for a totally different look or over a wide range of pink/rose gold shades. 

You can find Pink Debris at various W7 displays in Body Care or online at The Cosmetic House for £1.85 here

Another wonderful nail polish from W7! 

In fact I may have to do a W7 nail polish collection post very soon as it's such a cheap brand for unique nail polish shades and glitters. 

Fee xo.
 
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After Christmas Sale Buys

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Christmas seems so long ago now but as you can still find a lot of things on sale (all linked below) I thought it was worth writing this post. 

Plus who doesn't secretly like a haul!

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Miss Patisserie Bath Cakes
Was £1.50 each - out of stock 
I found these on the Tesco Direct website for the bargain price of £1.50 each which was pretty great as I had seen them in-store before Christmas at £6.00 each. These currently aren't on sale online (worth checking in-store) but would really make lovely gifts due to the packaging and pretty-ness of them so I'm kicking myself at not buying anymore. These are also highly scented, even more so than the bath bombs at Lush!

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Nip + Fab 10 Years Younger Set 
Now £7.98 Was £15.95 here 
Each year I seem to pick up a reduced Nip + Fab Skincare set as I quite like a lot of their products but just find them a tad over priced on there own. So to follow tradition I picked up this set at Tesco and really am pleased with it. I'm especially pleased that I picked up this set as I have been dying to try out the Glycolic Pads and the Serum is also really great from trying it out this week. 

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Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava Gift Set
Now £5.00 Was £15.00 here
A total bargain here that I found online at Tesco Direct again (which is still reduced here!). I remember testing out the roll-on perfume of this scent back in summer last year and really liking it, but at £12 I decided I didn't need yet another perfume and one that could easily get smashed in my bag. So I was pretty delighted to see the exact scent in the sale with two other products in a gift set! I love all the products in the set from trying them out a bit but now going to save it for summer!  

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Stila Smudge Stick Set 
Now £6.35 Was £25 - out of stock 
Stila Smudge Sticks generally cost £13 each so you can see I got another pretty amazing bargain here. I haven't tried these out yet but I do already own 'Moray' and love the smooth bendable formula of it. Can't wait to try out the bronze and champagne shades.

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Pull & Bear Canvas Bag 
£9.99 Asos - out of stock 
 This wasn't a sale purchase but a savvy enough buy to feel like I should include it in this post. I purchased this with an ASOS voucher I had as I loved the relaxed style of it. I have used it a few times so far but I'd say it's definitely one to wear with a nice summer dress and boots for a casual look.

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ASOS Cable Tassel Scarf 
 Now £3.50 Was £12.00 here
 I also picked up this lovely bargain red scarf in the ASOS sale which is such a nice quality chunky scarf. Spring is still quite a while away so I'm thinking I will get quite a bit of use out of it and even though I'm longing for Spring now I am secretly hoping we will get snow before Winter leaves us!

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The Husband's Secret & The Fault in Our Stars 
£3.80 - here  £3.85 - here 
 Again not really sale buys though these were at reduced prices when I purchased them on Amazon. As one of my new years resolutions was to read 25 books in 2014 I have wrote a list of the first 10 I want to read. The Husbands Secret is one of the 10 so while it was reduced to only £1.80 I bought it. I also bought The Fault in Our Stars which I read back in December on holiday and loved but as it was my sister copy I decided to buy it for myself to read again some time in 2014. 

Hope you liked my sale buys! 

Fee xo.

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Lazy Links #10

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This week I have been... 

Feeling pretty miserable... Yes, I'm not going to lie, January has been a pretty shitty month for me. With the loss of my Grandad who was such a big part of my life it was a pretty awful start to the new year. It made me realise that grieving for people is never the same but is always very difficult. But I know time does make things easier so I am looking forward to spring and a few new things in my life... one of which may just be puppy shaped!

Not blogging but discovering lots of amazing blogs... When not blogging is it is easy for all your blogpost ideas to go out of your head, well for me anyways. But for my blog fix I have been taking to Bloglovin' to discover some new blogs (new in the sense they are new to me... not actually new). Cara Loren has to be my favourite find of 2014 so far, her style, body shape and photography just amaze me! I have also just discovered a lovely beauty blog by the name of Thunder Love that you should all definitely check out.

Reading and buying new books... So far so good with my reading challenge (25 books in 2014) with my first book read 'It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini' (note to self: now watch the film) which I really enjoyed as an emo young adult book. I'm now onto The Husband's Secret which I'm not so sure of just yet. But as I had so many books from 2013 I decided to trade some in through Amazon after my sister mentioned she'd done it with success. So I sent off 5 books and received a total of £25 in vouchers to spend on yet more books! My new reads for 2014 are - The Wicked Girls, Ketchup Clouds, Eleanor & Park, Wonder and Living Dead Girl. That should keep me going for the next few months! 

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 Finding interior inspiration on Pinterest... In the form of day bed nooks! Come spring I am going to have a little move around in my office come makeup room and buy a nice daybed from Ikea so that I can have my nieces over. But for the most part it will be a day bed so I want to make it in to a cosy area of the room where I can read magazines and books... and also nap! I love so many ideas on Pinterest and it's definitely made me want a little built-in book shelf area recessed into an alcove with lovely netting and fairly lights draped around the bed. Not to mention a million cute cushions to make it comfy and den like!

Loving Into The Gloss' post on Korean makeup here... Korean makeup products just aren't talked about enough for my liking! So this is a fab and interesting post that even made me add a few more Korean products to my ever growing wish list. If you are new to Korean products and don't know why I love them so just check out Tony Moly, Etude House and Holika Holika products on eBay.

Lusting after... storage! However much I organise and tidy I come to the conclusion I need more storage. I think it may be time to invest in some good Ikea storage with lots of drawers. As for lowed priced items I'm lusting after the new Revlon Matte Balms!

Other blog posts I've enjoyed this week... Ghostparties 5 Favourite Healthy Meals, Wonderful You Bedroom Interior, Late Night Nonsense Blog Adoration, A Beautiful Mess 10 Tips for a Productive Life.

Hope you enjoy the links. 

Fee xo.

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Cupcakes and Cashmere Book Review

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Every once in a while I like to pick up a non-fiction lifestyle-y book from my collection and have a good old read of it. I love books like this that you can dip in and out of and it dawned on me as I was reading Cupcakes and Cashmere that this is certain one of those books. 

The reason for this may be that this book is wrote by the lovely Emily Schuman of Cupcakes & Cashmere so it is kind of a blog within a book! The book is split up into 4 parts - spring, summer, fall and winter, which works out really well for dipping into each season. Then in each section Emily covers style, interiors, beauty and food . 

So here is a little summary of what to expect from each section of the book and what I think of each! You can find Cupcakes and Cashmere on Amazon here for £9.09.

Beauty

Beauty 

As this is a beauty blog after all I thought I would talk about the beauty parts of the book first. Sadly these were my least favourite... but that's maybe because I read so much about beauty that it wasn't anything fresh or that I didn't know already. I did however discover how to properly blow dry my hair which is something! Each season in the book Emily lists her 5 beauty must-haves for any budget which I liked as it gives a kind of overview of which products are good for that specific season... such as pretty pastel nail polishes, a light pink lipstick, floral fragrances and a deep conditioner for Spring. 

Nothing that amazing to read but I'm glad some beauty was included in the book!

fashion

Style 

Style is definitely Emily's strong point but not mine! So the style sections are definitely something I took notice of the most. In particular the closet checklist for each season which is a run down of 15 staple items that you should have in your wardrobe - this really helped me this winter and I'm sure will help me again for Spring when I'm sorting out clothing and decided which new items to buy. Other style sections in the Spring part of the book include - navigating flea markets, soles for spring, layering jewelry and a dress for multiple occasions.

The style sections definitely seem more practical and even if you don't share Emily's style is can be applied to most people still.

interiors

Interiors 

The 'at home' sections of the book are again Emily's foray I feel and even though split into seasonal sections can be read any time of the year. I already have quite a few interior design books but I love the American way of interior design so loved sections such as organising a bookshelf and a few of Emily's DIY ideas such as the sparkly garland above. There is also a nice section of staying organised and spring cleaning in the spring section of the book that I will be referencing to once the weather starts improving. 

Lovely photography in these sections and quite a bit to read.

Food 

Food 

I'm one of those people with a bazillion cookbooks who never cooks anything from them! My reason for this is there just not basic enough... yes, I love the wonderful photography and the idea of detailed dishes but I just can't be doing with a huge list of ingredients and a length prep time. So I was pleased to see Emily's recipes were more basics than anything else that I am going to attempt at some point. Recipes include - basic vinaigrette, mint julep cocktail, sugar cookies, very berry pie, summer pasta with tomatoes, basil and brie, chocolate chip cookies and homemade pizza dough. 

Will be definitely trying out the homemade pizza dough and berry pie come summertime! 

 An all round nice book to dip in and out of each season and try something new in that section, whether it's a recipe, an interior idea or something style/beauty related. With lovely photography through out. 

Worth buying as a gift or if you like lifestyle blogs/books. 

Fee xo. 
 
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The Blogger Made Me Buy It Tag

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I'm back... kind of! 
 If you read my blog on a regular basis you may have noticed a lack of posts in the past two weeks. This has sadly been due to a family bereavement that was pretty hard to deal with. I'm sure if you have been through a loss you will totally know how sad it can be. But I'm hopefully back now and think blogging will do me good - get them creative ideas going again for posts and photos! 

To ease back into blogging I thought I'd do a tag created by Danniella of Famous in Japan which I loved the look of.


1) Who are your most influential bloggers?  Who are the ones that you really rely on for reviews and swatches?

Temptalia has to be my go-to blog for swatches as they are such good quality. But for general products that I think 'oooo I need that' when they review it has to be Essie Button.

2) Do you buy a product solely as a result from one review from your favourite bloggers, or do you look for more reviews from others?
I normally spot a product I like the look of on a blog and then depending on the type of product it is I do a google search to look at other reviews and swatches. For nail polish and body care products I don't tend to do this but with eyeshadow, lipstick, blusher I always look at other swatches. And more reviews for higher end products. 

3) What is your most favourite item that you have ever bought as a consequence of blogs?
I think it has to be Real Technique brushes. I'm sure I would have got around to trying them at some stage but as a result of so many amazing blog reviews I decided to pick up a set (even though I have more than enough brushes) and couldn't be more pleased with them. Also the Urban Decay Naked Palettes are something that I love and bought due to other bloggers reviews and swatches - namely Lipglossiping.

4) What is your least favourite item that you have ever bought as a consequence of blogs?
Ohhh that is a tough one! Probably the Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub as I just couldn't stand the flavour and the constancy was way too dry to blind together to rub over the lips.

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5) Name 5 products you have bought recently as a result of blogs.
Naked Basics Palette, MUA Power Pout Tinted Balm, Herbal Essenses Deep Nourishing Intensive Mask, Stila Smudge Stick set, Nip + Fab Glycolic Pads.

6) Have you ever given into blogger hype?  If so, which hype?
I definitely gave into the BB cream hype and purchased quite a few but was pretty disappointed by most. I also gave in to the Maybelline Baby Lips lipbalms hype and actually love the tinted peach shade.

7) Have you ever avoided blogger hype?  If so, which hype?
I'm currently avoiding purchasing the Naked 3 palette due to not needing anymore eye shadows and also the price - £37?! And I guess you could say I have totally avoided the hype around MAC product as I only own a few MAC lipsticks and that is it! I definitely couldn't see myself having a 'MAC collection' just because the high street is so good these days, plus I could never justify spending £12.50 on a single eyeshadow. 

8) Is everything you buy based on blogger reviews or are there some items you buy without checking out a review?
As I like a bargain I find most of my purchases are through discount websites/sales which are bought because I like the look of the product and feel the price is low enough to just buy it and see. But most Boots/Superdrug buys are bought based on blogger reviews or wish lists of new products I wasn't aware of. 

 If you'd like to also do the tag then go ahead as I'm not tagging any specific bloggers here. Also if you want to use the image I created above then feel free! 

Fee xo.

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Beauty Wishlist 2014

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Naked Basics Eye Shadow Palette 
£20.00 - Debenhams here
With the new Naked 3 palette hitting the shelves recently I have been umming and ahhing whether to purchase it or not. I found the original Naked Palette slightly too warm/dark against my fair skintone so I actually sold it in a blog sale. I now just have the Naked 2 palette which I get so much use from. However I've decided not to get the Naked 3 as it really would be just too many eye shadows and I actually love the matte shades in the Naked 2 palette so I know I will get so much use from the Basics Palette. I have a Debenhams gift card from Christmas so this will be mine very soon! 

The Body Book - Cameron Diaz
£8.49 - Amazon here 
I had a look through this in Tesco last week and was surprised at how thorough it was in terms of information. Lots of celebrity wrote books tend to be padded out with images but this really did surprise me with very few images and lots of text on diet, exercise and well being. The diet section does take up most of the book which from flicking through I got it was based on balanced eating and lots of educational sections of how much protein/fat/salt we should be having and what we should be avoiding. I'm not one for diet books but this really does seem like it could teach me a great deal.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge 
£5.99 - Boots here 
With my Cosmo Blend Perfection Sponge more than well used (and loved) I think it's definitely time for a new one. But to try something different I think I will be purchasing the Real Techniques sponge that looks like it will be a better shape for different areas of the face. I love using a damp sponge to apply foundation as it gives such a flawless finish so I'm sure this will be amazing. 
 
Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour
£8.16 - Boots here
Not so much a new product but one I want to try more shades of this year. So far I only own the rose colour which is such a flattering shade but would love to try 'Sunshine' and 'Apples' for more intense summer shades.

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Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Polish 
£6.99 out March 2014 
A new range that isn't out yet which I'm more than excited about. Sophisticated scented nail polishes! 20 nails polishes in 3 scent ranges - Fruit & Florals, Sweets & Spices and Freshes. Above is China Flower and Autumn Spice both beautiful looking shades.

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Pads 
£12.95 - Look Fantastic here 
Another not so new product but one I've been wanting to try out for some time. Thankfully I found a Nip+Fab set on sale with a sample of these so I can try them out before I purchase the full size which contains 60 pads. The pads are to be used 1-2 times a week to retexture and resurface the skin making it appear brighter and smoother. Love anything that exfoliates without being abrasive or containing grains so hopefully these will work.
 
Revlon Matt and Lacquer Balms 
£7.99 Out 22nd January 2014
Two brand new finishes to the already amazing Revlon Balm Stain range. With 10 glossy Lacquar Balms and 10 Matte Balms we will be spoilt for choice. I'm currently lusting after the Lacquer Balms due to the colourful metallic packaging but have been told they do leave behind glitter on the lips after they wear off ... so aesthetics aside I will be trying out a few of the matte balms.

Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser Primer 
£7.99 - Boots here 
Always one for trying out a high street primer especially silicone type ones that can be just applied over the T-zone to diffuse unsightly pores/blackheads. I'm sure this won't give baby like skin but definitely worth trying out. 

Which products are you wanting to try out this year? 

Fee xo.  

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NOTD - Revlon Matte Suede Emerald City

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A lovely unique nail polish to share with you today from the now discontinued Revlon Matte Suede line. Though thankfully all the shades can still be found online.

Emerald City is beautiful nail polish that contains micro shimmer with a satin finish. Giving it a little more sheen and interest than just a matte nail polish. It also has the option of being a normal glossy nail polish with the appplication of a top coat, which really brings out the shimmer and emerald green shade. You can find Emerald City on eBay here for £2.99 free p&p.

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What I love about this nail polish is how unique it looks on the nails. Never would I wear green nail polish normally but with the finish and the emerald green shade it just works and looks chic. 

Application wise this is also a dream, just the right thickness and coats the nails with ease. Drying time is also really speedy. As for changing the nail polish in to a glossy finish with a clear top coat I actually can't decided if I like it more or the same as the matte suede finish as it really brings out the amazing emerald shade and subtle shimmer.

Just a beautiful nail polish for winter. 

Fee xo.

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Top 5 of 2013 - Bodycare

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Garnier Body Ultimate Beauty Oil 
£6.80 - Feel Unique here or Boots/Superdrug
Last year I decided to stop being lazy with moisturising and vowed myself to use some type of moisturiser after I showered. To keep this up I purchased my first spray oil and found my holy grail body product in the Garnier Ultimate Beauty Oil! This gorgeous smelling oil acts as almost a dry body oil making it non-transferable to clothing and non-sticky on the skin. It also soaks into the skin quickly leaving it soft and with a slightly satin sheen that makes the skin look healthy. Compared to other moisturisers this gives my skin the same benefits as a thick moisturiser or body butter but without all the effort.

Soap & Glory Smoothie Star Body Buttercream 
£10.50 - Boots here 
A body butter so good I actually want to eat it... or just breath it in (which I do). Think a yummy mix of pistachio, almond and sweet vanilla... okay that doesn't really describe the scent. Basically think Bakewell Tarts but yummier and then you are nearly there. Aside from the amazing smell this body butter really is like butter as the name of it suggests. I apply this to my legs and arms when I want to pamper myself, again due to the scent but also because it feels like a much higher end body butter. Definitely worth a cheeky sniff when you are next in Boots.

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Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter 
£2.89 - Waitrose or Ocado here
I purchased this balm out of interest after discovering it was Waitrose's most sold body care product. Yes, designed for babies bums but also raved about as an amazing body balm. On first use of this I instantly understand why it's such a successful product. 1. This balm/butter smells god damn amazing... like white creamy chocolate 2. It's a thick balm that soaks in to the skin and instantly hydrates and soothes  3. There isn't anything else like it on the high street. I do reserve this for extra dry patches of skin but I also use it on my feet with socks at night as a nice treatment and also as a cuticle balm. Worth making a visit to Waitrose for!

Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub 
£8.00 - Boots here 
Another amazing S&G product here and also one that made last years cut as well. Soap & Glory certainly know how to make body care products that smell delicious. Heavens forbid I was told I could only use one scrub in the shower this would be the one I'd picked (thankfully that isn't the case as I can continue with my body scrub addiction). The Breakfast Scrub for me is not only yummy smelling but the perfect consistency making it a joy to use in the shower, exfoliating the skin well but without being at all harsh. This also doesn't leave behind any oily residue on the skin which is a bit of a pet peeve of mine.

Melvita Extra-Gentle Body Scrub 
£16.00 - Look Fantastic here
As I mentioned above I like my scrubs... I like my scrubs enough to have different ones for each season and this is my go-to summer scrub. The main reason for this is the amazing natural sugary orange scent which I just can't get enough  but also how enjoyable and fresh feeling on the skin it is. As the product name suggests this is a gentle scrub and contains sugar and orange peel to naturally exfoliate the skin. One of the more pricey shower products I continue to re-purchase because I can't get enough of it in summer.
 
My next Top 5 post is a bit of a mix of products with a 'miscellaneous' category. 

Hope you're enjoying the series so far.

Fee xo.

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Top 5 of 2013 - Hair

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Tangle Teezer 
£8.58 - Beauty Bay here  
A product I really don't know how I lived without. This is a miracle brush on tangled wet hair and something I need with over dying my hair through the years. This effortlessly removes even the worse tangles without tugging or pulling on the hair. Pricey than a normal brush but my own Tangle Teezer is still going strong even after a few years and I use it every time I wash my hair. 100% money well spent. 

Nicky Clarke DesiRED Wide Hair Straighteners 
£59.99 - Amazon here  
The hair straightener that made me give my GHD's to my sister! I think that pretty much says it all really doesn't it. I could have never imagined loving a pair of hair straighteners more than GHD's but then these came along and with the slightly wider plates I found myself straightening my hair in lightening speed and to the same results of my GHD's. These also have a temperature gauge so I like to think they aren't as damaging as I try to use the medium setting most of the time. Beyond impressed with these.

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Macadamia Deep Repair Masque 
£13.95 for 250ml - Amazon here
When it comes to hair care products I'm a self confessed hair conditioner junkie, my shower is constantly over flowing with different conditioners and masks. But the one hair mask that just leaves me with perfect hair is the Macadamia Deep Repair Mask, it really does give salon worthy results to damaged hair. I actually remember using this for the first time (yes I actually have a stored memory because it was that good) and just being amazed as I dried my hair at how soft and nourished looking it was. A pet peeve of mine is hair conditioners/masks in a tub and with this mask anything over 100ml does come in a tub but the 100ml size does come in a tube thankfully which you can find on Beauty Bay for £8.96 here.

Organic Surge 2-Minute Moisture Mask 
£3.00 on sale - Organic Surge here 
Another favourite hair mask that I like to use when I don't have as much time. This is one that really helps the end of my hair from feeling damaged and elastic (does anyone else get that - that feeling of the hair strands almost being stretchy?). Which is pretty great for leaving it on for only 2 minutes. I also love, love, love the subtle sweet smell that have a hint of coconut in it from the coconut oil.

Moroccan Oil Treatment
£13.45 - Feel Unique here 
Ahhhh beloved Moroccan Oil how I love you so. This is another haircare product I use every time I wash my hair as I'm styling it. For me this has multiple benefits... it of course tames my hair amazingly reducing frizz, it also reduces the drying time of my hair by half as it soaks up so much water and it also makes my hair dry more straight without the natural waves I have. So I'm pretty much addicted to using this stuff now and can't dry my hair without it. It does seem a little steep in price for a small 25ml bottle but trust me so little is needed that it lasts forever.

 
My Top 5 Body care products of 2013 will be up tomorrow! 

Fee xo. 

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Stila Sale plus Free Shipping!

Stila_Sale_2013 

Just a quick post to let you know about the Stila sale going on at the moment, especially as I picked up a few amazing bargains today and thought it wouldn't be right not to share! 

You can find the sale here where prices start from £3.25! Plus free shipping with no minimum spend and you can also use Paypal... you can't get better than that! I picked up the Smudge Stick Eyeliner Set, containing 5 eyeliners for an amazing £6.25 down from £25! And a Lip Glaze and Blush Palette for only £3.25! I was also tempted by the amazing looking Countless Colour Pigments which are down to £7 but I managed to resist, I blame the neon packaging for making them look so pretty.

Apologies for being an enabler in advance! 

Fee xo.

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Top 5 of 2013 - Skincare

Top_Skincare_2013

L'Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution 
£3.33 on sale - Boots here
Dubbed the Bioderma dupe this high street micellar water makes an amazing makeup remover for both the face and eyes (even waterproof mascara). Unlike other makeup removers this basically feels like water but removes makeup a dream making it great for sensitive skin, as a pre-cleanse and oily skin types that don't want any oily residue left behind. Such an affective product that I just can't be without.

Clarins HydraQuench Cream 
£27.20 on sale - Escentual here
After months of my skin feeling sluggish and looking quite lack luster I discovered this amazing cream from Clarins in Summer last year. Though slightly too heavy for my oily/combination skin as a day cream I started to use this at a night, something totally new to my skincare routine and soon discovered my skin feeling so much better. Totally love how my skin drinks up the cream as soon as I apply it and instantly relieves that dehydrated feeling from central heating and cold weather.
 
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Clarisonic Plus 
£175 for set - Amazon here
There is no denying the Clarisonic is a pricey skincare tool however this has been the staple product in keeping my skin clear. When I received this back in June last year it was quite the novelty and I got sucked in to using it pretty much daily due to how it made my skin feel. I soon realised it was un-needed and only saw the best results when I started using it 2-3 times a week on the days when I've been wearing makeup with a hot cloth cleanser from either Liz Earle or Elemis. I also use this in the shower with the Organic Surge Face Wash when my skin is feeling a bit congested and likely to break out and it always keeps spots at bay. A Clarisonic is a big purchase but purchasing a used unit from eBay and buying a new brush head for it is a money saving option. My much clearer skin was definitely down to this bad boy in 2013!

Amie Spring Clean Cooling Clay Mask 
£4.95 - Boots here 
2013 was the year of face masks for me, I tried out as many as I could, from crazy Korean ones to a wide range of clay based masks (my favourite kind for my combination/oily skin) but the Amie Cooling Clay Mask was the one I kept going back to and relying on. When using this 1-2 times a week this really does reduce the amount of oil my skin produces over my T-zone and improves the look of my pores. This also brightens the skin after use and leaves it feeling fresh and awake! An amazing mask for oily/blemish prone skin. Oh, and for a clay face mask it smells amazing!

Ginvera Marvel Gel 
£22.00 - Cult Beauty here
Never did I expect to love an exfoliating gel! When I first heard of this gel I just couldn't get my head around a totally smooth gel that claimed to exfoliate the skin removing dead skin cells and reducing the appearance of blackheads and pores. But that is exactly what it does! You simply apply a small amount to dry skin and lightly rub until the gel balls up and becomes dry and slightly flaky... this is in fact the gel and also the dissolved dead skin cells, then you simply wash off the remaining gel. This is especially good for sensitive skin but I love to use it when I will be applying makeup straight afterwards as it doesn't leave the skin at all red unlike other exfoliators with grains. Just a wonder product that still amazes me. 

Up tomorrow... my top 5 Hair products of 2013! 

Fee xo.

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NOTD - Deborah Lippmann Superstar

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Amazing nail polish alert! 

Featuring Deborah Lippmann polishes on Makeup Savvy doesn't seem that... well savvy really! At £18 they are beyond pricey, but in my defence I did pick this up in TK Maxx with two other DL shades for only £5?! Of course TK Maxx stock always varies but if you are a nail polish lover than that is the place to check out! 

But as the original price is £18 (from Look Fantastic here) I was planning on not sharing this... that was until I painted my nails and was amazed at how beautiful it looked and couldn't resist sharing some pictures of my nails. This is a wonderful deep brown copper glitter that is probably one of the more toned down glitters from Deborah Lippmann making it a good everyday/wear to the office shade for autumn/winter.

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As the glitter is held in a brown jelly I was a bit weary of how many coats it would take to cover but I was pleasantly surprised when it only took 2 medium coats to become a full on opaque glitter. The glitter itself as you can see is small and dense making application easy and neat, no having to push the glitter around the nail to make it look even here. With the orange/copper glitter really standing out from the brown jelly base - just perfect! 

Like most glitters this does dry with less of a shine but one coat of Seche Vite or any top coat (to also give a smooth feel) sorts that minor problem out.

A nail polish that looks even more amazing out of the bottle and on the nails! 

Fee xo.

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Top 5 of 2013 - Makeup

Top_Makeup_2013

Over the next week I will be posting seven 'Top 5' posts that will hopefully sum up all I have loved in 2013 when it comes to beauty! I really love reading posts like these so hopefully you will enjoy this small series.

Last year was a year of trying out a lot of new products for me but also keeping some firm favourites. All the products below really are my absolute favourites that I couldn't live without and will hopefully forever repurchase. 

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Bourjois Bronzing Powder in #51 
 £4.66 - Amazon here or Boots/Superdrug 
Probably my most used product for the past 2 years. This is the perfect natural matte bronzer for pale skin that I can't resist contouring with most days. From the cute chocolate shaped packaging with a light chocolate scent to the soft, easy to blend powder there really isn't anything to dislike about this product. This also has to be one of the most long lasting products on the high street with my last one lasting over 2 years! A staple product for anyones makeup bag. 

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette 
£37.00 - Debenhams, Look Fantastic, Beauty Bay  
Perfection in a palette! Yes I know the focus is on the Naked 3 palette at the moment but the Naked 2 for me is just perfection - a true neutral palette with some amazing shades. 12 buttery pigmented shades make up this palette and I'd like to say I use a good 8 on a regular basis. I still even use the double ended brush that came with the palettee as it's such good quality. Another perfect product for pale skin tones!

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Me Me Me Fat Cat Mascara
£7.22 - Amazon here or Superdrug
This has been my go-to mascara for the past 6 months (yes I ignore the whole 3 month rule for mascaras) and I couldn't be more pleased with it. When it comes to mascaras I am quite picky, nothing too wet and the brush has to be medium in size and made of bristles... can't stand hard plastic wands that nearly poke your eye out. So when it comes to wand and formula this is just perfect for me. As for the results this really fans out the lashes and lengthens them plus if you wriggle the wand at the base of the lashes it adds a good amount of volume, giving a more feline look to the lashes.

Lanolips Lip Ointment in Rose 
£8.16 - Boots here 
2013 was the year I became lip product obsessed and after many lipstick purchases I discovered the amazing-ness that is Lanolips that outshone everything else. This has to be unlike anything else in my collection, which says a lot and it really is love. Lanolips Lip Ointment with Colour are amazing lip gloss alternatives that work on the lips like a lip balm soothing even the driest of skin but with buildable colour. These are also non-sticky but last well on the lips.... really cannot be faulted. Definitely worth a try if you are into your lip products.

Clarins Loose Mineral Powder in Translucent Medium 
£30.00 - Boots here 
Before this loose powder came into my life I really did believe powder was there to mattify the skin but little did I know the wonders of a high end mineral powder. You may wonder how good just a loose powder can be but I have to actually hold myself back from using this all over my face once I've done my makeup as it just gives the skin such a softer and diffused look. Buffed into the T-zone this removes shine and sets foundation underneath whilst looking completely natural. Also this is an amazing 30g that I haven't even made much of a mark in even after 11 months which really does justify the price tag.
 
 Next up... Top 5 Skincare of 2013! 

Fee xo.


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