Luxury Beauty Favourites #2

Luxury-beauty-favourites

 Today I thought I'd talk about my luxury favourites again as last time I had a much better response than I had expected when talking about higher end products.

Below are just a few of my current favourites that I'd class as 'luxury' due to the price point of them or the fact I wouldn't normally spend that much... so it's quite a treat item. Also thinking of making this a monthly post as it's nice to feature more expensive products from time to time! 

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theBalm Mary Lou Luminizer 
£17.50 - Feel Unique here
If you read most of my posts then you will probably know that I mistakenly purchased theBalm Cindy-Lou Highlighter/Blush a few months back as I was wanting Mary Lou and they look oh so similar. I could have kicked myself but then my lovely friend Tanzina (of Makeup A to Z) surprised me with the one I meaning to get for my birthday - very lovely of her! Since then this product has become my daily highlighter. The luminous glow it gives to the tops of the cheeks is just WOW. With contouring I really feel my face looks more sculpted and slimmer. What makes this a luxury product for me is how beautiful and soft the powder is and how natural it looks on the skin - it really stands out from all the other powder highlighters I own. Plus Mary Lou also can be used as a shimmery eyeshadow (again, lovely) and to highlight other areas of the face such as the cupids bow and brow arches. If you love a luminous glow with highlighters then this is certainly worth buying.

Ciate Underwear Base Coat Nail Polish
£12.00 - ASOS here
A base coat for my nails is an essential as I have quite porous nails which stain easily. So for the past few years I haven't skipped using one before applying nail polish. This not only prevents my nails from staining/turning yellow but gives a smoother finish and makes the manicure last longer! But sadly Base Coats on the high street/on a budget are few are far between so high end ones it is. So far I've tried ones from China Glaze, Orly and OPI but have been more impressed overall with this Ciate offering. The reason for this is that it feels like a top coat - it applies smoothly and dries fast. It also provides such a smooth base for nail polish and fills in ridges in the nails. This is an overall good egg of a product that I've been using religiously to keep my nails in check. The only criticism I do have is with the packaging. It comes in a lovely box but then the nasty grey sticker on the back can be seen through the bottle... not the worse thing ever but not what you'd expect from a £12 nail polish!

Melvita Zesty Citrus Body Scrub 
£14.00 - Feel Unique here
As I mentioned above sometimes a luxury product can be something you wouldn't spend so much on normally and that is certainly the case with this in-shower body scrub. For me this is a total luxury product that I treat myself to each spring/summer as it's such a glorious scrub to use. Unlike other scrubs this is light yet effective with it's orange peel and sugar cane granules that are suspended in a soft and refreshing gel. The smell might also have something to do with why I love it so much as it reminds me of orange jelly babies... that fresh orange scent with a sugary hit - just so yummy! This lasts me all spring/summer and I just couldn't not treat myself to it.

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Make Up For Ever Pro Bronze Fusion 
£28.00 - Debenhams here
Make Up For Ever have finally launched in the UK and I for one am excited about it! With such high quality products I really think the brand will stand out in the market. So when this wonderful bronzer arrived through my door to celebrate the UK launch I was more than excited to try it out. Though I was expecting high quality I really didn't expect it to offer anything unique other than the beautiful 3D design to it. But it did! The bronzer is actually a gel/powder fusion that is unlike anything I've tried before... strange as it sounds this to me is just colour without it actually looking or feeling like a gel or powder product. I'm aware that sounds totally bizarre but on application and how the bronzer looks on the skin you cannot detect it's a powder or anything else for that matter, making it look beyond natural. Also the matte yellow under toned shade for my pale skin works perfectly however as the undertones are different from the norm I'd suggest that swatching is a must. Also a dense kabuki or contour brush is needed to pick up the gel based product. Totally unique and the future of bronzers I hope! 

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Too Faced Melted Metal Lipstick in Debutante

£15.00 - Too Faced UK here
Lastly a fairly new product that I've been so so in love with recently, I mean just look at that golden peach shade in the light! It's going to be a summer lip staple I can already tell! Much like the original Too Faced Melted Lipsticks the product offers a silky liquid that covers the lips with a high pigmented shade that not only lasts for 4+ hours on the lips but feels so comfortable. But with the metallic versions there's this stunning micro shimmer running through it that's flattering and just so pretty. For me 'Debutante' is a perfect hot summers day shade and one to flatter all skin tones. But I now have my eye on 'Peony'... actually I lie, I want the whole damn range! Another product that offers something totally different and unique. Love, love, love! 


As these are all more expensive products than the bulk of my makeup collection I feel seeking on voucher codes to be a great help on my bank balance - even if it's just 10% off! Voucher Bin is one of those great websites that makes it easier, offering codes and savings for Feelunique.com, HQ Hair, Philosophy products plus many more websites. Worth checking out if you are having a splurge!


Hope you have enjoyed this post! Let me know your own luxury favourites at the moment.. just don't tempt me too much! 

Fee xo. 

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eBay Bargains #20 - Desk Storage

ebay_makeup_storage 

I decided to set myself a little task this week of seeking out some unique desk storage finds for this week's eBay Bargains post. Hours spent searching paid off as I think  I've found some pretty unique items here! Hope you like!

Smoked Acrylic Multi Organiser 
£5.49 - eBay HERE   
90% of beauty bloggers seem to own some kind of acrylic storage to store their makeup in though I've yet to see anyone with this smoked effect storage! For me this looks really classy and kind of Kate Spade-ish in style. With lots of other gold or copper items on your desk this would look great.

Lotus Cotton Bud Holder 
£2.49 - eBay HERE
What is this I hear you ask. Well it's exactly what it looks like... a cotton bud holder that looks like a pretty lotus flower of course! What every person needs in their home, right? Totally bought this so people can visit my bathroom and be like "Ohhh clever". Haha love it!

Double Acrylic Makeup Storage Case
£9.77 - eBay HERE
Large acrylic storage is my thing! I love being able to see what I have yet display it nicely and I feel this storage case would do just that. I'd personally fill the bottom 3 sections with various makeup compacts and even spare hair ties and in the top I would display either side my every day makeup items along with my favourite lipsticks in the centre. Ahhh this is just perfect.
 
Pod Storage Box 
£5.68 - eBay HERE
Another crazy but amazing find here that reminds me of venus fly traps! Strange but cute! This ingenious little contraption actually holds practically anything upright - makeup brushes, toothpaste, a glue stick... a stapler! Examples of this can be seen in the listing which I was just amazed by! Such a clever little thing and it some lovely colours too.

Grass Storage Holder 
£2.97 - eBay HERE
So in the image above the grassy creation/thing/unique storage object is holding toothpaste but my idea would be for it to hold makeup brushes (or pens)! Much cooler and interesting. I could imagine this looking great on a white desk being all chic and different. Side ramble - I actually have a bugbear with having to put my toothbrush and toothpaste in a pot because then the water droplets sit in the bottom and just no. So this interesting grassy thing if you were to use it in the bathroom would solve that problem!  

Wooden Display Box 
£2.75 - eBay HERE
Last but certainly not least another unique find at such a bargain price. Never did I feel I needed a miniature wooden planter at a storage box until now. I mean seriously how cute is this?! Perfect for skincare in the bathroom or random products on your desk. This is quite petite in size but ever so lovely. I'm also thinking this would make the cutest little indoor herb or succulent planter in a kitchen... with a few holes drilled in the bottom of course! 

Just call me the eBay queen! I joke... but seriously, I LOVE eBay! 

Fee xo. 
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Summer Reading List 2015

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For me there's nothing more enjoyable than spending a sunny afternoon in another world by reading. Come summer I love to devour book after book if I can! Maybe it's the longer days or the fact I don't want to be stuck inside working so I certainly put time aside to read and find it such a relaxing and rewarding pass time

Each year now as summer approaches I stock up on a stack of books that I've heard only good things about. So here is this year's crop that I cannot wait to get stuck into! If you're a fellow book worm hopefully this will highlight a few books to you... I've also included a few other recommendations at the bottom of this post of books I've already loved in 2015. 

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All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
£5.89 - Amazon here
I don't often purchase a book from an Instagram image alone but when I spotted this on Reese Witherspoon's feed framed by her tanned feet and sunnies (which I now also want!) I decided in haste to buy it as it seemed a perfect summertime read. Impulse purchase aside, this is already a huge hit of a book in the U.S claiming this year's coveted Pulitzer Price for fiction and took a staggering 10 years in writing - pretty impressive. This book from the reviews I've read is set in World War II and centers around a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths cross. Of course there is will much more too it than that but I'm wanting to keep it a surprise for myself.  FYI - The paperback version has an amazing luster/shimmery finish to the cover. LOVE!

One Day by David Nicholls
£2.00 - Amazon here
Next up, a book that's been on my to-read list for well over a year but for some reason it hasn't grabbed me enough to actually buy it. But thankfully my sister bought this for me as a little extra present for my birthday - so now I will finally read it! I doubt I need to explain the premise as this is such a popular book but in a nutshell the book opens with two people meeting for the first time and re-visits them on the same day each year for twenty years. Sounds like a good summer read to me! 

The Skeleton Cupboard by Tanya Byron
£4.00 - Amazon here
In between fiction I like to mix it up a bit with gripping and more in-depth reads. Which is why I picked up The Skeleton Cupboard. This frank and honest book is Tanya Byron's account of her first years of training as a clinical psychologist with case studies of her clients and situations she found herself in. From reading the first few pages I know this will be such an insightful read that I probably won't be able to put down! If you are interested in mental health, or in people in general, then this looks a good one.

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Reasons To Stay Alive by Matt Haig 
£6.99 - Amazon here
 Another non-fiction book here and one I decided to buy after reading The Humans, also by Matt Haig, which I'd highly recommend! What instantly grabbed me with The Humans which even though fiction was Matt's view of life; almost through fresh eyes and grateful. So when I found out about Reasons To Stay Alive it all made sense and fell into place as the book is part memoir, part self-help on depression and anxiety. With Matt's unique way of seeing the world and intelligence I'm more than sure this is going to be an amazing read. 

Still Alice by Lisa Genova
£3.85 - Amazon here
I'm currently trying my best not to watch the film adaptation of this before reading the book as I know it will be better in words - but I'm struggling! Films are just so easy to watch aren't they? This was bought on recommendation by my sister who read it on holiday and loved it. Focusing on the deteriorating mind of Alice, a professor at Harvard, the story is of Early-onset Alzheimer's and the struggles that come with it. This isn't a typical summer read and I can imagine it's not to be the happiest of books but one that interests me none the less. 

The Miniaturist by Jessica Burton 
£3.85 - Amazon here
This is the book I'm currently reading and sadly not giving enough time to at the moment! 
Set in 1686 the book tells the story of eighteen year old Nelia who is gifted a doll's house replica of her home by her new yet aloof husband. She then sets about furnishing her unique gift with the help of a miniaturist... but of course with twists and turns along the way. I imagined this story to be a lot more wordy than it is which instantly made it an easy but intriguing read for me. I cannot wait to put some time aside to finish this off now!
Other books I've read this year and highly recommend  - The Humans, The Farm, #Girlboss, Elizabeth is Missing.

Now for summer to appear! 
Hope you've found a new read or two here. 

Fee xo.

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My Skin Game Changers

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Drinking more damn water! 
So every skincare rules article/post includes drinking your 8 glasses a day and it's boring. We all know we should be drinking water but when other things are on offer and you also don't fancy needing the toilet all day long, it can be tricky. But for me placing a Water Filter Jug (Tesco) in the fridge and buying a Bobble Water Bottle (£6.00 - Amazon here) for my handbag was a serious skin game changer. Without realising it I upped my water consumption and saw a huge difference in my skin within only a week. My skin is now all round brighter in tone and blemishes only seem to appear during that hormonal time of the month, which I doubt I will ever be able to prevent. If you struggle with drinking water I highly recommend a Fruit Infused Water Bottle (£6.39 - eBay here) where you can place cut up fruit into a special filter to infuse/flavour the water. I also find placing fruit  in ice cubes to be really good especially in summer. If your skin is looking dull or you're still getting blemishes even with a good skincare routine then upping your water intake can really make a noticeable difference!

Ditching the abrasive face exfoliators 
For years and years I used abrasive scrubs to exfoliate my face because I didn't know anything else existed! But with a risk of broken blood vessels and generally over scrubbing the skin, face scrubs can actually do more harm than good, plus they are pretty crap for the environment as the plastic microbeads are going straight down the plug hole and effecting poor fish. Alternatives to abrasive scrubs are chemical exfoliators (look out for glycolic acid, lactic acid and salicylic acid) in toners or exfoliating pads to be used after cleansing. Or in powder form, which I personally prefer, which works due to the rice-based enzyme powder that micro exfoliates the dead skin cells away. This literally feels like a slightly foaming powder on the skin and you can instantly feel the difference after using it. My favourite is the Demalogica Daily Microfoliant (£37.00 - Look Fantastic here) but a cheaper option which I'm currently using and can see much of a difference with is the DHC Face Wash Powder (£9.50 - DHC UK here). Switching to these types of exfoliators can keep dry skin at bay and looking brighter and all-round nicer.

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 Cleansing with oils
Along with drinking enough water, cleansing thoroughly is a major factor in having good skin. After trying countless different types of cleansers I've settled on the fact that oils work the best for me. There's something about an oil that I love, the way it slides over the skin emulsifying makeup, then how it's easily washed away to reveal soft clean skin. My favourites are the Superfacialist Vitamin C Skin Renew Cleansing Oil (£10.99 - Boots here) and Nude Perfect Cleansing Nourishing Oil (£28.00 - Space NK here) both amazing but I'd recommend the Superfacialist Cleansing Oil to everyone... I'd even suggest it's the best cleanser on the high street!

 SPF!
A few years ago now after a nice summer I looked in the mirror to see I'd developed small sun spots under my eyes. I was pretty shocked as our summers aren't renowned for being the hottest but I guess with my pale skin I should have been wearing SPF daily. Since then come the sight of spring I incorporate a facial SPF into my makeup routine whether that be a low spf tint under makeup on cloudy days or a high SPF 50 tint alone or under makeup on hot sunny days. As my low everyday SPF I've just started using the Monu Perfecting Tint SPF 15 (£27.95 - Feel Unique here) which feels lovely on the skin and works well as a base for me... though I imagine for a non-makeup look it would also work well. This is just enough SPF for me daily. But come them rare hot days I whack on Sun Sense Daily Face Invisible Tint SPF 50 (£12.77 -Amazon here), again it's a light tint which I apply all over my face (even eyelids) under makeup. The Sun Sense Daily SPF 50 is also my god send product on beach holidays! Thankfully my unwanted sunspots have faded gradually and since using SPF properly I haven't seen any new ones appear or have sun burnt my face. Hopefully by being more vigilant I will also be slowing down how my skin ages! 

Would love to hear what your own skin game changers are!

Fee xo.  

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Spring Favourites 2015

spring-beauty-favourites

As spring is here I thought I'd group together all my favourite items at the moment and basically rave about them. I personally love this time of year; there seems to be a constant supply on product launches and my interests seem to widen from makeup into reading more and loving interiors! Below are just a few things I've been loving recently that I highly recommend. 

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Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint - Coconut 
£3.99 - ASOS HERE
Barry M Gelly Nail Polishes are one of my favourite nail colour ranges on the high street - long lasting, shiny and in a ton of amazing shades. So as I was placing a little ASOS order last month I decided to throw this in there as well. I already have a few neutral shades from the Gelly range but this is now my favourite as it's one of those shades that makes you looked tanned, is great as a base to make neon nail polishes even brighter and it's perfect for nail art, plus it's also just a lovely shade. It's also not a stark white but an off white taking that harshness away. I also love that it only needs 2 coats and lasts a good 4/5 days on the nails. A perfect multi-purpose shade for both spring and summer. Side note - I now really want Rose Hip!

Garnier Oil-Infused Nourishing Lotion for Dry Skin 250ml 
£4.99 - Feel Unique HERE or Boots/Superdrug
So I'm always on the hunt for good body moisturisers because I seem to use them a lot. And finally I feel I've found a high street one that actually feels high end and luxurious! The scent of this with Argan oil being the most noticeable and then a touch of rose and almond instantly reminded me of the lovely REN Rose Gold Dry Body Oil that I adore - just a heavenly scent. As for the lotion itself it soaks into the skin well and feels hydrating and soothing almost. After using up a moisturiser I normally try something else but I know I will keep coming back to this as it's just amazing for the price. Worth picking up! Also available for very dry skin.

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EOS Sweet Mint Smooth Lip Balm 
£3.25 - Amazon HERE 
Bargain alert! Yes, a super cheap EOS lip balm on Amazon with free delivery. You know I couldn't not snap it up! I have a billion lip balm already but I seriously didn't know how good EOS lip balms were until I tried this. Firstly the sweet mint scent is just perfect; reminds me of the filling of After Eight Mights with that fresh/sweet mint flavour which also makes your lips tingle a small bit when you first apply it. This also keeps my lips from feeling dry and the sphere shape is very addictive - I find myself applying it multiple times an hour due to how it feels to use it! Love, love, love this.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer - Vanilla 
 £22.00 - ASOS HERE 
This was a little treat to myself last month as I don't normally make a habit of spending £20+ on a concealer. I decided my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer although amazing for the price and with good coverge just wasn't cutting it in the dark under-eye circles department. So I took to Google to find something everyone was raving about - and this was it! A can now totally see why, as this is now my everyday concealer even on blemishes and it really does conceal and stays put. So glad I spent that bit more than I normally would to find a concealer that does the job perfectly.

M&S Blank Card - £2 
ASDA White Photo Frames - £1.50
I'm not sure if it's due to the sunnier weather or that I've been obsessed with Pinterest but I'm currently in 'make-my-home pretty' mode. I'm currently on with trying to make a feature wall behind my sofa with lots of different prints and the above yellow print is so far my favourite, I love the saying and the yellow works perfectly with my colour scheme.... plus is was a bargain! You see I love to use normal cards as prints as they're just as good and at the fraction of the price of an actual print - you don't even need to cut them... just pop them into frames! Great places to look for pretty blank cards are M&S, Paperchase, John Lewis and strangely charity shops that have them turn-y card displays. I'm also really impressed with the Asda frame I bought for the print... cheaper than Ikea and great quality!

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#Girlboss by Sopia Amoruso
£7.49 - Amazon HERE 
Following Sophia Amoruso's story to success in her own words this was a book I picked up to motivate me.  From the reviews on Amazon I knew it wasn't going to be anything with solid business advice but I was surprised as how good this book was... well is, as I'm still reading it. A super easy and positive read. If you are looking to start up your own business or you're self employed then this is a great light read with a mix of Sophia's own journey and lots wisdom thrown in.

Hope you've enjoyed this post - love when I get to review things other than beauty products! 

Fee xo.

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Under £3 Beauty Must-Haves for Spring/Summer #6

Bargain-Beauty-Buys

After picking up a total bargain beauty buy last week I realised I couldn't remember when I last posted a 'Under £3' post. So I decided to have a root through some recent products and came up with a spring appropiate blog post full of bargains! 

Bargain posts like these really are my favourite to do as makeup/beauty can be a costly hobby! But there truly are some amazing products out there at the price of a Starbucks coffee.

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Marks & Spencer Nature's Extracts Collection - Lemon Verbena Body Mist
£3.00 in-store or £1.50 (half price!) online HERE
You know that total bargain buy I was just on about that prompted this blog post? Well this is it! Seriously, how cheap for a body mist... and from Marks & Spencer of all places. This is a wonderful scent for spring/summer whether you want to keep it in your handbag/gym bag or just spritz it over clothes, just so fresh and zingy. The sillage isn't the best however I think that's to be expected with body mists and for £3 I really don't mind using it more than a standard perfume. I also spotted a Coconut Body Mist from the same range that I imagine to smell amazing!

W7 Lip Bomb Lip Balm - Strawberry
£2.99 - eBay HERE   
Oh lookie here, another copycat product from W7! If this wasn't a slightly different shape I'd say this was exactly like an EOS lip balm. I love lip balms with this kind of domed shape, perfect for applying on the go without having to use your fingers. The strawberry scent is lovely and the texture really does keep the lips smooth. Now tempted to get the cherry version.  

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Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara
£3.30 - Wilko HERE or in-store 
For me Essence is an amazing budget brand and thanks to Wilko stores (and online) it's now accessible in the UK. My current love from the brand, though I'm always picking up their amazing XXL Lipglosses, is this beautifully packaged volumising mascara. As you can see the wand is of normal size and with a slight bend to it; perfect for getting right to the roots. This doesn't give huge amounts of volume but does add a slight amount the to base of the lashes and then fans them out. Really feminine and pretty. A great budget mascara that also looks lovely on a dressing table!

Batiste Eden Dry Shampoo
£1.62 (half price) - Superdrug HERE or in-store
As a huge fan of dry shampoo I seem to always be picking up a new can and so last week I decided to try out the new Eden scent which has a longer lasting fragrance and an oh so pretty design to it. The longer lasting scent I can definitely vouch for and the sugar melon scent is really nice compared to others I've tried in the past. Love Colab Dry Shampoo a lot but this is a total bargain right now!  


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Collection Field Day Lipstick - Tulip 
£2.99 - Boots HERE or in-store
Last but not least a lovely lip colour that's perfect for Spring/Summer! Quite a bit brighter than my swatch this gorgeous lipstick is creamy and vivid and already becoming a favourite of mine. As this is fairly bright I'm currently preferring to use it just dabbed on the lips as a tint of colour but come summer this as a bold lip will look amazing. There's also two other pretty shades in this collection both worth checking out. Got to love Collection lipsticks! 

Hope you've enjoyed this post and discovering some bargains! 

Fee xo.


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With Regret Beauty Products

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We've all purchased products that have turned out to be rubbish! It's a sad time. But what's even more harrowing is when you have high hopes for a product and they're shattered into a million pieces and you're then torn between casting it off to a friend in hope that they will like it and throwing it in the bin. 

Below are 5 products I have that current dilemma with as they just aren't usable to me personally! Looking at them as a collective my heart weeps (okay, slightly dramatic) as they really should have been products I loved, but alas it just wasn't meant to be.

Kardashian Beauty (Khroma) Au Natural Lip Set 
For the longest time I've wanted to try out something from the Kardashian Beauty range, so when I spotted this lip set in TK Maxx at only £7.99 I snapped it up. I have a love of nude lips and was in need of a good nude lip liner. But sadly as soon as I started to use said product it snapped... then it snapped again, and again. I used it with an even lighter hand but still it would just snap off against my lip. So I gave up! But at least I had the lovely nude lipgloss I told myself. But no... that also sadly turned out to be a big fat fail. For one it was honey scented... have you ever tasted a honey scented lip product? No, neither had I up until that moment and there is a reason for it... the taste/smell of honey in a makeup product is just wrong. I'm going to say it... it smelt granny-ish. Not good. Not good at all. That aside, if I could put that aside, it was also pretty sticky and just too light in colour for my lips. Unfortunately such a fail of a product for me!

The Body Shop Coconut Oil Hair Shine 
When it comes to anything containing coconut or more importantly coconut oil I have to have it. So when I saw this on The Body Shop website with countless amazing reviews it went straight into my basket. But now after many months of trying to like this product I have to admit... I just don't get it. Essentially this hard oil is supposed to be worked under the fingertips to warm up and liquify it before being run through the ends of the hair to add shine and tame frizz. That just didn't happen for me, it left my hair looking slightly greasy and a bit lank. I also found it was tricky to use the product by just rubbing my fingertips over the solid oil. I'm sure this is a lovely product for many but it sadly didn't work for me.

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Rodial Super Food Multi Balm Multi 
This is a bit of an unusual one as it was actually a free gift with a magazine so in reality it cost me £4.50 however the normal price of the product is a whopping £25! So knowing this and that Rodial are a pretty good high-end brand I was expecting wonders. Sadly this didn't deliver wonders, just a thick heavily scented cream that I certainly didn't want to use on my face or lips. I actually tried it as a lip balm and instantly had to wipe it off due to the potent smell of rose essential oils - just awful. Unless you have seriously dry skin then I really can't see the point in this product.

Burts Bees Cranberry & Pomegranate Scrub
Oh Burt, how you have failed me with this product. This is a body scrub that I'd been umm-ing and ahh-ing about for months every time I was shopping in Boots, but then I thought I'd treat myself (it is £12.99 after all) with summer coming up. But, oh how badly this product sucked... I mean really. Firstly the sugar scrub is way, way too thick and course. Then there's the fact it seems to be mixed with this heavy gloopy oil that just sits on the skin even once you're dry. And then if that wasn't enough, the scent, which I imagined to be a wonderful mix, smelt well a bit sour and tart and just not that pleasant at all. As I was so surprised at how rubbish this scrub was I took to Makeup Alley to look at reviews and there I saw page after page of 1 and 2 stars reviews very much similar to this one. This is sadly now being used as a costly foot scrub *sigh*

Colab London Volume Dry Shampoo  
Lastly a product I feel I have only myself to blame for. You see I always persuade myself into trying yet another volumising dry shampoo in hope that it will be some light and airy miracle product that will puff up my roots and give me Kim Kardashian-esque hair. But in the back of my mind I know it will virtually be the effect and feel of backcombing mixed with hair spray - product-ful, itchy and stiff. So sadly this was just another volumising dry shampoo I ended up using once and then ditching into my ever growing box of hair products I haven't got on with. That said I kind of didn't want to include this product as the original Colab Dry Shampoo range is amazing and is leaps and bounds ahead of Batiste! And if you love that backcombed/hairspray effect you will probably love this product. I personally hate it! 

Would love to hear what you thought of any of these products if you've tried them out! 

What is your own current fail product? 

Fee xo.

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eBay Bargains #19 - Wish List

ebay_bargains-2015

As all of my eBay posts seem to be themed as of late I thought I'd throw in a random wish list with a few of the items that are currently on my watch list ready to be snapped up! Hope a few of these things tempt you as well! 

The Grand Budapest Hotel Print/Poster (A4 £5.90 HERE/A3 £9.10 HERE
If you've watched The Grand Budapest Hotel you will know it's a pretty epic film! And iff you haven't then seriously you need to get on it! Not only is the film an amazing tale but it's visually impressive and I just love that pink hotel. So I sure this print would look amazing framed and in a corner of my dining room.

3DHD Sigma Kabuki Brush Dupe! (£1.69 HERE
I'm all about makeup brushes on eBay at the moment and this is my current find - I've already snapped it up. This oddly shaped brush is a dupe of the fairly new 3DHD Sigma Brush that retails for £15. If my last few makeup brush purchases from eBay (post here) are anything to go by then this will be a winner!

Fruit Infused Water Bottle 700ml (£6.39 HERE
Okay, so I'm totally falling for a trend here because you could just throw some fruit in your water bottle but I love how it's contained so you don't get any bits! Totally needed for summer and to improve how much water I drink. *FYI - This is the cheapest I've found on eBay in the UK as I wouldn't order from China in this instance as you want the bottle/plastic to be BPA free!*

Summer Feather Nail Decals (99p HERE)
In the past I've found full nail decals tricky... I never can seem to cut them to the right size and they always lift around the cuticles or tips. However I've recently discovered how much easier and better nail stickers are that just need to be placed on a part of the nail. These really caught my eye and I could imagine them looking amazing over a white/off white nail polish such as Barry M Gelly Nail Polish in Coconut. 

W7 In The Mood Eyeshadow Palette (Naked Basics Palette Dupe) (£3.99 HERE
This was a highlighted to me by my friend Maxi as I can't seem to keep up with all the new products W7 have been launching lately! Seriously, they need to up their promo game and get on Twitter or just do social media I swear. Mini rant aside, this looks such a lovely palette and something I need regardless of now many eyeshadow palette I own now! Also it comes in a metal tin just like some of the Urban Decay Naked palettes... pretty amazing for the price! 

Hope you've enjoyed this post! 
Fee xo. 

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Feel Super with P&G and Superdrug and Raise Money for Marie Curie!

superdrug_mariecurie

I'm sure everyone around here loves a bit of Superdrug, right? I know I definitely do. So last week I was pleased to hear that P&G products have partnered up with Superdrug to raise £100,000 for the important Marie Curie charity via their one product = one donation campaign. 

By simply spotting the special logo on products and buying them means you are supporting Marie Curie, a charity that provides such amazing expert care, guidance and support for those living with a terminal illness and their families.

 Below I've included the list of products that will donate to Marie Curie, many of which are beauty essentials. Also online purchases where you see the logo do count! 

superdrug_marie_curie_donation 

Superdrug Exclusive: Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara 
Max Factor Gel Shine Lacquer - all shades
Max Factor All day Flawless - all shades 
Max Factor Lipfinity - all shades 
Oral-B 3D White Glam Shine paste 
Oral-B Pro 600 Power Brush Pink 
Oral-B Pink Pack 3D White 4x refills 
Oral-B Pro 650 Power Brush Black 
Oral-B Pro White Flex Manual Brush 
Gillette Proglide Styler 
All types of Gilletter blades 
Olay 2in1 Instant Hydration + Radiant Glow 
Olay 2in1 Instant Hydration + Blur 
Olay Total Effects Day Cream 
Olay Regenerist Daily 3pt Treatment Cream 
Aussie Beach Mate Conditioner 
Aussie 3 Min Miracle Beach Mate 
Aussie Beach Mate Shampoo 
Aussie Aussome Volume Dry Shampoo 
Aussie Colour Dry Shampoo 
Aussie Mega Dry Shampoo 
Head & Shoulders 2in1 Smooth & Silky 
Silvikrin Hairspray Max 
Vidal Sassoon
Pampers Sensitive wipes 
Pampers New Baby Sensitive wipes
Pampers New Baby Nappies 
Tampax Compak pearl 
Always pink linkers 
Always Infinity 

*All subject to store availability*  

The Superdrug exclusive Max Factor Mascara is definitely worth picking up as are the Aussie products - always so yummy smelling!

As I kindly was gifted the products above I have personally donated to Marie Curie. 

Fee xo.

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Going on Holiday this Summer? 5 Items You Really Should Pack!

holiday-beauty-essentials

Are you going on holiday this summer? If so, I'm jealous! I have 6 more long months until mine! But green eyed monster aside I'm sure your thoughts are turning to what you are going to buy for your holiday and what you are going to pack. I strangely LOVE this stage and like to think I'm a bit of a savvy packer! 

So below I've listed 5 items I really feel most people could benefit packing into their suitcase. Hope you enjoy this post, I loved taking the photos for it, and please do let me know your own tips if you have any! 

summer-beauty-essentuals

Appropriate Hair Ties 
First up what could be seen as a boring tip but trust me, if you have medium to long hair you need to take haircare seriously on holiday! For day-to-day when you want your hair up but possibly down at night without that horrible kink in it I highly recommend the soft elasticated hair ties. These are not only kinder to the hair but when your want your hair down they kind of look pretty on the wrist! The above lovely ties are from Popband, a brand that offers an amazing range of hair ties in packs of 5 for £8 here. The 'Stardust' and 'Nightlife' sets are just soooo pretty! My other recommendation is for Invisibobbles which as you may be able to see is a plastic hair ring that you use just like any normal bottle but again it's leaves your hair crease-free and can hardly be seen in the hair. But what I love about this type of bobble is that it's perfect for using to tie up your hair with when swimming as it's not only waterproof but it doesn't get tangled into the hair like material bobbles can do. Also at only £3.75 for 3 Invisibobbles here in a whole range of colours they are pretty good value.

A Travel Perfume Atomiser
Next is a solution to taking your favourite perfume(s) on holiday with you. This is an essential if the fragrance you want to take with you is in a huge bottle or if you want to take a few choices with you. The solution is a simple one, decant some of your fragrance into a Travelo or a refillable Perfume Atomizer. I prefer the latter as not only are they super cheap at only £1.65 each on eBay here, but once you are back from holiday you can simply rinse them out and they can be re-used over and over. (FYI if you buy one or two - to decant your perfume of choice you have to pull apart the end of the atomiser and spray the perfume directly into the little tube, filling it up.)

Facial Sunscreen 
 (especially if you have oily/combination skin)
Of course sunscreen is a must on holiday but do you ever take a separate one just for your face? Probably not. But if you think about it, it's kind of like using your body cream on your face... and I'm sure you'd never do that! It's even more important if you have oily/blemish-prone skin as so many sunscreens are oily and just sit on the skin. Since realising how good facial SPF's are I'm become slightly obsessed with them and have tried quite a few now. My favourite is almost a sunscreen gel/primer hybrid that I absolutely swear by. It's perfect for anyone with oily skin but will suit all skintypes... literally it feels like a silicone-based primer on the skin. It's normally around £23 but you can find it on Amazon at the moment for only £3.99 here, though I'm pretty sure it's because the date is only for this year - something to bear in mind. However a more popular facial suncream is the Sunsense Invisible Tint SPF 50, £12.70 Amazon here or John Lewis stores, which is another favourite as it literally feels like a bb cream though with slightly less coverage! Both truly amazing products.

travel-hairdryer-babyliss

A Super-Duper Light & Compact Hair Dryer 
(if you're high maintenance like me!)
When it comes to going on holiday I can't risk the chance of there not being a hair dryer in the room. Hot or not outside my hair takes hours to dry and when air-dried it's just a frizz mess, so basically a hair dryer is a must for me. If you're the same then a travel hairdryer should be an essential because there just isn't enough room or weight allowance to cater for your normal hair dryer. The above compact hair dryer is the Braun Style & Go Hair Dryer, £13.69 Argos here, which folds down and is oh so light in comparison to a normal one, plus the speed and heat of it is pretty good. Also I find as they're only used a few times a year they last forever! A true holiday essential for me!

A Scuba Bikini Pouch, but not for a bikini!
Scuba/neoprene material seems to be everywhere at the moment - dresses, clutches, hats, skirts, you name it! I'm not sure how I feel about wearing neoprene, it's so thick and just a strange material, but it is great at being waterproof, hence why bikini pouches are made out of it. However another great use for it is as a waterproof pouch for your phone, e-reader and money... basically anything you don't want to get water damaged or get sand all over... the material is also quite padded feeling! This is also perfect for by the pool for the same reasons and you can even keep your phone in it whilst listening to music: just zip it closed up the earphone cable. Quite a lot of brands sell bikini pouches now but the lovely one above is from ASOS and is currently reduced to £4.50 here and I love it! 

Hope you've enjoyed this very summery feeling post! 

Fee xo.

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Skincare Haul from Feel Unique with Zeek + How to Claim Your Free £10 Voucher!

Zeek_Feel_Unique_Voucher

Last month a fairly new company called Zeek got in touch! They asked if I wanted to try out their gift voucher marketplace app with a very kind voucher to spend on whatever I liked. So I said yes, and as you can see I opted for some Feel Unique vouchers to spend on skincare - as I seem to be skin obsessed at the moment! 

In a nutshell Zeek is an app where you can sell unwanted vouchers (any!) for money or exchange for a voucher you actually want OR you can go on there to buy a voucher and save money as you pay less for the voucher than the face value of it. For example my Feel Unique voucher cost me £27 but the face value of it was £31... but the best thing is the higher the value of the voucher the bigger the discount, pretty great if you know you will be purchasing something big from say John Lewis, Ikea etc you can just hop on there, see if they have a voucher and save some money! Also with purely online stores such as Amazon, Feel Unique etc you get the voucher code instantly after purchasing the voucher. Or with a normal in-store voucher it will be sent Signed For Royal Mail within 7 days.

Zeek_app_review

Get your Free £10 voucher!
So before getting into the skincare haul, here is how you can retrieve your free £10 voucher to spend against a higher value voucher or be sneaky and get a totally free voucher by selecting a £10 or under voucher (a few people I know have selected £10 vouchers for Primark, Mothercare, Starbucks, Amazon and WH Smith making it totally free!!!) 
Simply download the app onto your phone or tablet and sign up for a free account. Then swipe left to reveal the sidebar and enter code '2nmdl1' in to the 'Promo Codes' section. This will load your account with the free £10 to spend on whatever you wish! Pretty great, hey? (FYI, I will also get the same!)

 Extra info
*If you want a free £10 voucher and you can't spot any £10 vouchers from a store you like, check back daily as there is a constant stream of new vouchers being put on the app. 
* You may be asked to pay £1 by entering your card details or going through Paypal. I'm sure this is purely to connect an account to your details so that you don't go making up different accounts with different email addresses. 
*If you are reading this on the mobile version you can dowload the app here - it will take you to where it is in the app store.

P20-spf50-review

 On to the haul now as I picked up some great products that I've already been using or were re-purchases. All pretty perfect for Spring/Summer! 

Riemann P20 Once-A-Day SPF 50
£13.29/100ml - Feel Unique HERE
First up a sunscreen I've been wanting to try out for the last 2 years. This has the makings of being the sunscreen of my dreams as it lasts a full 10 hours, it's a high SPF, it's a spray and it's not over oily or sticky... plus it's even 100ml making it the correct size if you only take hand luggage with you on holiday (which I do!). So you can see why this has the potential to be amazing! Of course as the sun isn't shining at the moment and it isn't hot enough I can't test this out but when I do there will certainly be a review of it along with a few other non-greasy sunscreens up on my blog as I'm a bit obsessed with them! But from an initial look and feel of the sunscreen it really does feel very lightweight for an oil and soaks into the skin within pretty much 30 seconds giving the skin a very slight moisturised/hydrated feel. The only downside I can spot is the smell... nothing major but it's not a nice summery scent that I'm use to with sunscreens. But on the whole this seems like it could be a total winner! 

 La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water 
£3.50/50g - Feel Unique HERE 
Each year come spring/summer I pick up a thermal water spray for my bag. This year I thought it might as well be La Roche-Posay as I've been loving their Serozinc which makes up the basis of the spray. A little spray like this is so handy for hot days to spritz over your face or even your achy feet after too much shopping. This is a summer handbag essential for me.

Dead-sea-black-mud-soap-review

Jason Quick Clean Pure Natural Makeup Remover Pads 
£7.29/75 pads - Feel Unique HERE 
Many moons ago Ruth from A Model Recommends raved about these makeup remover pads and since then they have been on my to-buy list in my head. So I decided to finally pick them but and see if I loved them just as much! Now the pre-soaked pads aim to remove both face makeup and waterproof eye makeup without leaving any sticky residue, pretty appealing, and they did do just that... however they did make my eyes sting a little! Nothing terrible but enough to make me not want to use them on my eyes, which is a shame as I was hoping to use the pads also as a little cooling eye treatment like Ruth recommended. But hey ho, these are still great to quickly remove makeup when you get home before properly cleansing at night or for when you're feeling lazy. I can see these being much kinder to my skin compared to makeup wipes! 

Yes To Grapefruit Brightening Facial Wipes 
£3.99/25 wipes - Feel Unique HERE
Ahem, talking of wipes. Okay.... so I do use them but I swear by only two brands - Yes To and Ole Henriksen (kinda like the Superdrug Micellar Wipes as well). Basically I'm in the camp "face wipes are going to happen, get over it" though I do opt for the best quality I can for a reasonable price... the Ole Henriksen ones are definitely a holiday treat I buy once a year! Anyway onto these specific wipes which I've repurchased a few times now after trying out all the different wipes Yes To have to offer. These are simply a good wipe to roughly cleanse the skin with, especially with the added texture to them and them being wet enough. I also love, love, love the grapefruit scent of these, almost a sugary but fresh scent that I can't get enough of in summer, I literally breath the scent in. You can also find these in Boots if you want to try them out. 

Dead Sea Spa Magik Black Mud Soap 
£3.90 - Feel Unique HERE 
As a Beauty Blogger I'm sure it's expected of me to be using more interesting and nicer products than just soap on my face. Okay, so I do use other cleansers but yes, I do swear by this soap for general day-to-day washing your face cleansing when you aren't wearing makeup (so in the shower or when you wake up). The reason I love it so much and why this is my 4th re-purchase is that is doesn't alter or disrupt my skin in anyway and it's beyond sensitive - great if you have any skin problems; face or body. It's just a very neutral soap that I can rely on. I also use this on the sensitive areas of my body (TMI?) as again it's lack of ingredients make it ideal for sensitive skin. Also don't let the blackness of this soap put you off: the foam is actually white! 

Hope you've enjoyed this haul! And remember to grab your free £10 voucher! 

If you have any problems getting the code to work just give me a shout on Twitter or in the comments below! 

Fee xo.

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