Goodbye Google Reader, Hello Bloglovin!

Just a super quick post today to remind you that Google Reader will be no more as of tomorrow (1st July, 2013). So if you read my blog via Google Reader, which according to my account is 4,800 of you, or any blog for that matter, you may want to think of an alternative! 

But never fear Google Friends Connect is still an option as of course is Blog Lovin'.

If you do read blogs via Google Reader then I feel for you as I hate when things close down and you are forced to seek out an alternative that you have to then get use to. It's just never the same!

However a really great website for reading your favourite blogs and discovering new ones is Bloglovin'. I've used it for over 3 years now and absolutely love it. I check it daily, if not more, to keep up with all the blogs I read and when I need some inspiration or new blogs to follow I have a look in the 'popular' posts section which is organised by category - fashion, fitness, home decor etc etc. 

It really is a favourite of mine to use.
*hand on heart* 

You can start following Makeup Savvy on Bloglovin' here and if you want to transfer all the blogs you read on Google Reader over to BL you can also do that! 

Fee xo. 

Top 3 Face Masks for Oily/Blemish Prone Skin

I love my face masks and don't go without applying one to two a week. It generally tends to be a clay based mask as I find them the best for my combination/oily skin that can be prone to spots if I don't keep on top of it. 

So here are my top 3 favourite clay masks that are great for oily/blemish prone skin. 

Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask 

15ml tube + 2 sponges - £5.50/75ml tube starter kit - £14.50 here

 Liz Earle is know for simple but effective skincare and this face mask is just that. Compared to lots of clay masks this is super light feeling on the skin (it's actually quite a runny mask) and it also feels quite a simple clay mask, I can't describe the smell well but it do smell quite earthy and of course of clay. This is definitely a mask that soaks up oil in spots and dries them up quite a bit, reducing the appearance. My favourite mask to use when my skin is quite spotty and angry.

 

Amie Spring Clean Cooling Clay Mask 

£4.95/75ml tube - Boots here

The Amie Cooling Clay Mask is without a doubt my favourite face mask on the high street. It's a lovely cooling and smooth clay mask that is perfect for summer. This is a good one if you want to reduce the appearance of pores and blackheads but not really so much if you suffer from a lot of spots. This does however feel really cooling on the skin so once washed off, your face feels tighter and refreshed.

Yes To Tomatoes Total Treatment Facial Mask 

£7.80/50ml tub - eBay here

This has been one of my favourite masks for years now that I have purchased quite a few times (the small pot above came with a Yes To Tomatoes set). The mask is ideal for anyone with oily skin with blemishes as this brightens the skin and improves spots. The formula of this is thick and you do have to almost smear this onto the skin so for that reason I just apply it to my T zone and onto spotty areas. The results with this mask are a brightened, mattified complexion straight after using it and of course an improvement in spots. I particularly enjoy this as I find it reduces excess oil for afew days after using the mask.

What is your favourite mask for oily skin?

 I've heard really great things about the Superfacialist Tea Flower Clay Mask 125ml here and Botanics Ionic Clay Mask 100ml here. 

Fee xo. 

Boots Seventeen Twitter Party: #SEVENTEENonthespot

 

Today I come bearing exciting news that I have been holding back to tell you about for a few weeks now! 

As you can see the cat is now out of the bag with the invite above - Myself and Khila from Miss Budget Beauty with be hosting a Boots Seventeen Twitter Party together next week! 

I love both the brand Seventeen and Miss Budget Beauty (an equal lover of high street makeup) so I really think it's a great match all round and will hopefully be a great chat/party on Wednesday.

All the information is detailed in the invite above but just to confirm, the twitter party will be at 7-8pm on Wednesday 3rd July with both myself (@makeup_savvy) and Khila (@msbudgetbeauty) tweeting away along side Seventeen's MUA Vanesa Guallar (@vanesaguallar). Plus we will also be giving away six Seventeen Beauty Boxes throughout the hour! 

I'm really looking forward to this and hope if you are on Twitter you can also get involved! 

PS. You can also read my review of the Seventeen On The Spot Foundation here.

Fee xo.

Clean & Clear Oil Control Film Review

Lets just say in summer when it's a little warm (which is pretty rare) I tend to get a bit 'shiny'. Not a lot but enough to annoy me and I'm not one for carrying around a powder or remembering to apply it. So I'm a blotting paper kinda girl. 

I don't love blotting papers, they feel a bit like tracing paper, but they do the job and soak up the oil on my t-zone. So when my lovely equally addicted to makeup, friend Maxi (she blogs here about lipstick) asked what blotting papers I'd recommend it made me realise I was all out of my pretty Paul & Joe ones and the best ones I'd tried were the Clean & Clean films that were available in the UK but now aren't. 

I'm not sure why this is... because these little beauties, if blue sheets that soak up oil can be called that, work a damn treat. Unlike all the other blotting papers these aren't actually made of paper but a film that almost feels like an ultra thin piece of latex. Yes, that sounds a bit odd but this means they are so much nicer to use and they soak but all the excess oil on the face. 

You can of course find these on eBay for £2.99 free p&p here.

 

I know, I know, I am effectively showing you the grease off my skin but I wanted to show how it looked after using a single sheet. It didn't really pick it up but where the film soaks up excess oil it becomes almost transparent and you can definitely see that it had dulled down the shine from your face. 

These really do work effectively and of course can be used without a mirror. However there is one slight downside in that they can remove makeup, mainly concealer, if rubbed across the skin, so I find pressing the film on to my skin with two fingers the best way to use the films when wearing makeup.

Side note - I had been thinking how difficult these were to get out of the packaging without taking 5 at the time but in fact there is a little tab on the inside of the packet that has a peel back part that you remove so that it's sticky. Then every time you open the packet it grabs one of the sheets! Clean & Clear you are very clever. Makeup Savvy.... not so much. 

Fee xo. 

NOTD - Barry M Lychee & Sinful Colors All About You

In the press/pr world next month is 'Christmas in July' so this past week I have received numerous invites to festive press events and somehow this has left me wanting it to be December already - yes, please do call me mad! 

Which I think is why my nails have a subconscious festive element to them with the pretty gold glitter tips! 

 

Of course these nails don't scream Christmas but I love to paint my nails with delicate glitters come the festive period and Sinful Colors All About You is the ultimate delicate gold glitter.

Christmas aside, seeing as we are in June after all! I also wanted to talk to you about false nails in this post. Well actually ask you if you can spot the false nail! You see this week I've had quite a few nail jobs to do outside of Makeup Savvy and unfortunately broke a nail down to a stump so my only option was to apply a false nail. I didn't do any research I just picked some simple ones that weren't too pricey and let me tell you... I'm impressed!

If you are interested you can find out below which nail it is 

but I'd love if you could let me know if you can tell or not.

Back to my nude glitter tip nails! 

For the base I decided to go for my trusty Barry M Lychee Nail Paint £3.99, which I am still obsessed by. It is the perfect mannequin nude shade for my skin tone and it just looks so creamy and glossy. 

Next I applied Sinful Colors All About You (£1.99 - Boots here) just to the tips. This was the first time trying it out and all I can say is - it's love! This is such a pretty fine glitter polish that could be worn like this or applied over the entire nail with two coats for an opaque finish. For the price this really is an amazing polish. 

To finish I applied a thin coat of Seche Vite Top Coat (£5.50 - Amazon here) which I'm totally sold on. Love, love, love!

As for my one false nail... it was my index finger I applied it to. 

I really was dubious at how real it would look and also last as it's been years and years since I have tried false nails on the high street (I remember them horrible pre-glued ones that came away whenever you did anything, the feeling still haunts me as it literally felt like your own nail was coming away with it!). But I needn't not worry as the Elegant Touch Totally Bare Nails did the job perfectly - you can pick up the range from Boots and Tesco and I'm sure many other places. 

As you can see I wanted something that looked really natural that looked like my own nail, so I applied it, which took all of 30 seconds then shaped it to look like my own nail shape with the file provided in the kit (I actually made it a little shorter than the rest to match my other hand). Apparently the nails last for up to 10 days which I really don't doubt as this nail isn't budging for anything.

You can find another amazing Sinful Colors Glitter nail post - here. I really am in love with SC in Boots right now! 

Fee xo. 

 

Organic Surge Sale - Up To 75% Off!

 

It seems there are a lot of online sales at the moment but one that has really grabbed my attention is the Organic Surge Sale here as there is a massive 75% off some products and prices are as low as 88p! 

 Plus with code 'NEWDEL' new customers can receive free delivery and you can even pay with Paypal - woop!

The down side of the sale is that there isn't a sale section so you can't easily shop all the products together, which is why I thought this post would be good to write as I have listed some of my favourite picks on the sale below.

I took advantage of the sale and purchased the Tropical Bergamot Body Scrub which is only £1.50 (was £5.99) here and also another pot of the Natural Blissful Daily Moisturiser which I really enjoy for only £2.12 (was £8.49) here. Plus I used the code NEWDEL for free delivery! 

Other bargains include...
  
Million Dollar Brown Sugar Body Polish - Was £32.00 NOW £8.00 here 
Lemon & Honey Soap - Was £3.50 NOW 88p - here 
 Gentle Cleansing Lotion - Was £5.99 NOW £1.50 here 
Kiss & Make-up Wipes - Was £3.49 NOW 87p here
Blonde Boost Shampoo - Was £5.99 NOW £1.50 here
Blonde Boost Conditioner - Was £5.99 NOW £1.50 here 
   Super Smooth Salt Scrub - Was £32.00 NOW £8.00 here

Of course there is more in the sale that this but these are the best offers I think. 

Definitely worth grabbing a bargain with the free delivery code! 

Fee xo. 

Currently... June 2013

I do love a good round-up post of beauty products, random thoughts and non-beauty items so I thought it was about time I did a post including just that! 

From what I have been currently loving, buying and even disliking. Hopefully if you like this post I will make it a monthly feature from now on.

Loving...

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick
£0.99 - Fragrance Direct here 

I recently got back in to using Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipsticks after buying a few new shades from Fragrance Direct and since then I have rekindled my love for their pigmented but hydrating formulas. From pale to bold shades the range has something for everyone and if you don't want to splash out £6+ per lipstick you only need to do a quick search on the internet to find them for £1-2 each! Not only do I love the formula of these which stays quite well on the lips but I love the scent and packaging of them. I personally cannot fault them!

Shades from left to right -Tulip Pink, Notting Hill Nude, Sweetheart Tulips, Berry Queen.

Cadbury Dairy Milk with Oreo

120g bar - £1.00-£1.40 Any supermarket 

I know, I know, I should be showing you Chia Seeds or some equally healthy super food that can be purchased from Holland & Barrett... but I'm not going to do that, you can get your fix and more on Instagram. I am currently trying to be healthy but this, along with my weakness for pizza, is my treat. This is the best Dairy Milk variation I have tried so far! I wasn't totally sure I'd like this as I don't love crunchy pieces in chocolate but I didn't need to worry as the Oreo filling is soft and not crunchy at all. A must try if you have a sweet tooth!

 

Game of Thrones 

It has taken me the longest time to give Game of Thrones a chance, as I was adamant it wouldn't be for me due to disliking any sort of medieval type film/show and not enjoying watching anything dark or gory. But recently due to the buzz online surrounding the end of Season 3 I thought I would give it a go, though still in my head the idea I'd hate it. And I'm sure as you can guess... I'm now totally hooked on it! Yes, you have to watch more than the first episode and then you will get it. Yes, you will have to turn away at the gore. And yes, you will hate some of the fictional characters more than you have with any other show. But this grown-up fantasy drama is one that is the most realistic and detailed things I have ever watched. 

Due to the well cast characters and the detailed storylines this will totally absorbs you into the Game of Thrones. I'm already on to season 2 and can't get enough of it. I really didn't think I would enjoy it which is why I urge anyone that loves a good series to give at least the first two episodes a go. 

 

Impressed by... 

Real Techniques Core Brush Kit
£17.85 - Amazon UK here  

I purchased these of a bit of a whim because the set was so cheap on Amazon (I really didn't need any more makeup brushes!). And now I'm so glad I did as they are fantastic value for money due to the amazing quality. I've been mainly loving the buffing brush and the contour brush the most. The buffing brush just works so well with foundation and gives a flawless finish, much more than just using your fingers or even a foundation brush. As for the contour brush this just fit perfectly under the cheekbones and up around the temples, really perfect for the job of contouring. Also I have witnessed no shedding of the brushes which is great and they are just so soft! Very impressed.

 

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover 
£4.99 - Boots here 

Having tried quite a few sponge-in-a-pot style nail polish removers and been a bit disappointed I imagined the Bourjois to be fairly similar, but how wrong was I! The thing that normally didn't work for me was the soft sponge inside the pot, it just didn't remover nail polish that well. However the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover contains a much better quality of sponge that is quite firm and when you place your nail inside of the pot you can feel how snug against your nail it is, meaning it removes nail polish within seconds. My suggestion is ignore all the others and try this one out if you haven't already.

 

Spending on...

The Body Shop Sale Purchases

A few days ago I mentioned the amazing 40% off sale The Body Shop are doing online and in-store (though more bargains can be found online due to the 40% off applying to sale items as well). You can find my post on the best picks from the sale and the price of everything I purchased above - here. So as you can see everything arrived... which is pretty speedy free delivery if you ask me, and I'm pleased with everything! Everything here came to under £10.00 which is amazing and it's all such good quality. Really looking forward to trying out the washing grains and the Cranberry Joy lip balm. Also the Cranberry Joy body mist is such a lovely scent and doesn't make me think of Christmas at all. 

You can find the sale here and the code to receive 40% off is 'EXTRATREAT'. A little tip would be to add something to your basket before shopping and enter the code, which will then show all the prices at 40% off.... much easier!

Reading...

Marie Claire and Oprah Magazine 

I go through phases of reading lots of books then not having time to read and at the moment it's a 'I haven't got time to read' phase, so my reading material is magazines. I do love reading blogs more than magazines but I'm still a magazine junkie... though I tend to read more online or have a yearly subscription than purchase them every month as a lot of magazines are at £4.00 now which is frankly ridiculous. Mini rant aside, the magazines I have been really liking this month have been Marie Claire (both UK & U.S) and Oprah Magazine (I'm subscribed to it but you can buy it in WH Smith). For the past few years I have felt Marie Claire has been going down hill a bit, but recently it's changed - more interesting features again, being on special offer, free gifts etc and I'm back to enjoying it. I do prefer the U.S version of it though as it's more uplifting and has more intellectual topics. As for Oprah magazine I actually subscribed to it by mistake online (long story) and then didn't get round to cancelling it.... so I decided to give it ago. Yes, it's aimed at a older age group but I still really like it, what I find with America magazine is they are very positive and all about the feel good factor, which is what Oprah magazine is all about.

Rae Morris: Makeup The Ultimate Guide
£11.51 - Amazon here 

After reading an interview with Rae Morris in Heart Beauty Magazine (review here) I decided to have a bit of a re-read though the Rae Morris makeup book I own as I hadn't looked at it in quite some time. After a few pages I was reminded how much of a good book this is and actually my favourite makeup book. The photos are amazing, the tutorials are useful and the book doesn't scrimp on text to read which I'm pleased about. I think I may have to do a full review on this soon.

 

 

Disliking... 

Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser 
Currently £2.56 (£1 off) - Boots here 

I have seen quite a few reviews of this online recently as it's a new product and even planned to write a review on it.... but if I'm honest it's just not that great. You see the idea behind the product is that you can use this in the shower to moisturiser (you apply it then just wash it off) and so you don't need to moisturiser after your shower. But the problem I have with it is it's such a superficial way to feel like you have moisturised your skin and it definitely would be good for anyone with dry skin. I say superficial as it leaves this silky feeling to the skin as soon as you wash it off and step out of the shower and then you are like 'ooooo this doesn't actually work' but is your skin actually moisturised? No. Without a matter of hours that feeling has disappeared and you see that your skin hasn't been moisturised at all. Cheap enough to buy and great if you want silky feeling legs/arms etc but this definitely isn't a moisturiser. 

 

Facial Sun Cream 

I'm still struggling with how I can apply a sun cream to my face without my face turning in to one massive grease ball and my makeup sliding off. For someone with oily skin I can't just whack on any old sun screen so I go for a specific one from La Roche Posay that is SPF 50 and not that sticky. It is a bit pricey but it works and I'm pleased with it. But that is before applying makeup at the start of the day. But what do you do when you are out in the sun for hours... do you reapply and then your makeup just melts/slides off? That seems to be the only option as there isn't a powder SPF that you can apply throughout the day to soak up any excess oil and protect the skin from UV rays. But the thing is there are SPF powders available in Korea... so why is there nothing similar on the UK market? We really do need transparent SPF powders on the high street!

Hope you enjoyed this post even though it was a little longer than I thought it would be! 

Fee xo.

SLS-Free Shampoos Reviewed

Please read my updated post that covers so much more! The Ultimate Guide to SLS-Free Shampoo (including SLS-free shampoo reviews).

As most of you will know I avoid products that contain SLES/SLS (Soduim Lauryl Sulphates) and have done for the past 3 years (7 years now!)... I even avoid it in my toothpaste! 

So I thought I would give a few quick reviews on some of the SLS-free shampoos that are in my shower. You may want to try a SLS-free shampoo like I initially did due to an irritated scalp/skin condition, you may want to improve the quality of your hair or you could just want to cut down on this ingredient due to it being an irritant and known for it's carcinogenic links. 

I personally find true organic shampoos to be generally expensive and also quite thin and lacking on the foam front (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is what creates the lather in products) so after lots of shampoo trialing I have found I am most happy using more well known brands that sometimes do contain weaker derivatives of SLS. So it you are very strict with the ingredients you use you may want to check the ingredients label before buying any of these shampoos I recommend.  

Also if you are new to washing your hair with a SLS-free shampoo it does take time, so make sure you persevere (don't switch up using a normal shampoo then a SLS-free one) and make sure you rinse your hair thoroughly. Plus don't judge the amount of foam (or size of it) by how well it will cleanse your hair!

The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Shampoo 200ml 

£4.50 - The Body Shop here 

This is my new accessible and cheap to buy shampoo. When pouring this on to the hand the consistancy feels a bit like a sticky gel but foams up pretty well (if you have never used a SLS-free shampoo before you may not think so but normally shampoos overly foam up but for no real reason). The trick to not use too much shampoo is to make sure the hair and scalp are thoroughly wet before applying the shampoo and working it in. This really is a great one to use is summer as it has a glorious tropical scent that has a banana scent to it.... great for morning showers. If you are new to sulfate free shampoos then I would give this a try as it can also be purchased in a smaller 60ml size for £2.00.

Full list of ingredients - here

L'Oreal Ever Riche Nourishing & Taming Shampoo 250ml

£5.99 - Boots here

Unlike any other shampoo I have tried this actually comes out as a creamy white shampoo that looks more like a conditioner. This also doesn't smell like any other shampoo I have used before as it's quite a perfumed scent of cocunut and vanilla which I really like a lot, in fact it remind me of an Estee Lauder fragrance I own and also Harajuku Lovers G. As for how this foams, again it is quite unique in that it creates what I would describe as micro bubbles of foam so it is quite a rich feeling lather, which again impressed me when I used it for the first time. 

The one thing I would say is that this really is a hydrating shampoo for dry hair so if you do have more greasy hair or it can go greasy quite quickly then this isn't for you as you will need to wash your hair again the next day. An excellent shampoo if you do have dry/damaged hair and want to restore it back to how it once was (along with a good conditioner of course). I don't use this every time I wash my hair as it does make my hair go greasy more quickly but I will be re-purchasing this as it is really nourishing and I love how it smells and foams.

Full list of ingredients - Couldn't be found online

 

Tigi Bedhead Foxy Curls Shampoo 250ml 
£6.50 - Fragrance Direct here
Before turning SLS-free I use to spend £1-2 on shampoo so I see this shampoo as quite a treat but a treat I can't live without now. I continuously have this in my shower and re-purchase it when it looks like it's running low. The consistency of this is the thickest of the three shampoos in this post and almost like a gel when you squeeze it out but you only need a normal amount of it and it lathers up really well. I don't have curly hair but I find that this shampoo is quite hydrating and frizz fighting because it is for curly hair. The main thing I love about this shampoo along with it working well for me, is the smell! This to me smells like sweets - jelly babies or just general pick and mix and I love that. I really am hooked on this product now. How I came to use this shampoo was trying out a mini 75ml size of it on Fragrance Direct which you can still find for only 99p here. 

Full list of ingredients - here  

 Hopefully this will help if you are on a quest to find more affordable SLS-free shampoos. I think I may do a similar post on SLS-free shower gels soon. 

Fee xo.

Neom Enchantment Home Candle Review

When it comes to candles you can't get any better than with a Neom candle (and yes, I did spell Neom wrong in the above image... oops!) 

They are without a doubt a luxury but with up to 50 hours of burning time this is a treat that keeps on giving.

I will admit I was recently lured back into purchasing cheaper non-organic candles, as I do miss impulse candle buys when shopping of random scents that take my fancy. But I have discovered three things - 1. the scent of standard candles is either too over powering which induces a headache or I can't even smell the scent at all. 2. The soot that is expelled from the flame is a bit worrying and more obvious now that I am use to burning organic candles. 3. standard candles burn a lot faster. 

So I will be sticking to only organic candles from now on... no straying!

So on to Neom's latest Limited Edition Candle...

Enchantment (£42.00 here) is a delicate, uplifting scent of Bluebell, Guaiawood and Rose that really bring the feeling and scents of a summers woodland forest indoors. 

Compared to Neom's other scents this is lighter but is almost more spa like than the other scents, making it an ideal candle to burn when relaxing at home. It really is hard to explain the unique scent it gives off that is as equally relaxing as it is uplifting.

As for the packaging the limited edition candle is presented in a frosted white glass votive, which gives off a nice glow when burning and also hides how much of the candle has been burnt. Plus the addition of a lovely wooden candle cap, that again hides how much of the candle has been burnt and keeps the surface of the candle free from dust. This also fits any of the Home candles in the Neom range. I can't help but think once it is burnt up it can be re-used as a place for house keys or even on the side of the sink for soap or cotton balls.

As I mentioned Neom is a luxury brand with luxury price tags but their candles compared to standard candles are just miles apart. Not do they scent the whole home but they are an experience in that the scent really is therapeutic and can really uplift your mood.

This truly is a beautiful candle an now my favourite scent from Neom along with Refresh which is a summery blend of lemon and fresh basil.

You can purchase the candle here but I am going to direct you to A Model Recommends as Ruth has a lovely 15% off code that she is sharing with her readers until the end of the month. 

Fee xo.

Launch Issue of Heart Beauty Magazine

Let me introduce you to the launch issue of Heart Beauty Magazine - an new Australian glossy dedicated to beauty and working in the industry. 

The first issue includes amazing work from Rae Morris and 9 interviews with some iconic makeup artists!

 

I love my international beauty reads, from Allure to Marie Claire U.S and Elle Canada, so I was pleased to get my hands on the first issue of this newly launched magazine. The publication is of course available to purchase in Australia (though apparently it has been selling out left, right and centre!) and online for Australian customers for $8.95 here. However if you are in the UK and want to grab a copy of this then WH Smith will order it in for you if it isn't already stocked on the shelves - you simply just need to ask (I say this as not many people know that WH Smith provide this service).

The price does convert to £5.40 but of course will be higher than this due to delivery costs etc. But if you are in the beauty industry or an aspiring MUA then this will be worth it for the amazing imagery and interviews in this issue! 

 

 

I won't lie, I do feel the first issue is a tad thin and padded out a little too much but there is a nice feature on the contents of a beauty bloggers handbag and a behind the scenes look at what goes on during a fashion shoot on location. 

But what makes this magazine worth buying is the amazing beauty looks - Rae Morris showcasing four amazing looks, nine Biba inspired looks from Rachel Montogomery and six absolutely stunning and inspiring looks from Nigel Stanisluas (one seen above). I am no makeup artist but I thoroughly enjoyed the images and can imagine these being of great inspiration for any up-coming or aspiring makeup artist. 

The other section that makes this magazine stand out is the nine interviews with some very well known makeup artists - Tom Pecheux, Lisa Houghton, Charlotte Tilbury, Charlotte Willer, Rachel Montgomery, Sina Velke, Liz Kelsh, Nigel Stanislaus and Rae Morris. I will now be trying a little pink blush on my cheekbones close to the eye to lift the look of tiredness, thanks to Liz Kelsh and Maybelline's Full 'N' Soft Mascara and Max Factors Liquid Effect Eyeliners are firmly on my to-buy list. When a makeup artist recommends a product I listen! Not only are the interviews interesting but questions such as 'What advice would you give aspiring makeup artists about securing an assisting agreement?' and questions on their affiliation with beauty brands are asked, which makes this a great read for anyone looking to get into the industry or is currently in eduction. 

If you are an aspiring make-up artist or just obsessed by beauty then I would highly recommend this magazine. However if not then I'd say Allure magazine would be a better way to spend your money. 

Fee xo.

Green Nail Polishes for Summer

Green nail polish is a bit of an odd one for me, I love my mint green pastel shades but as the colour spectrum goes darker and bolder in shade I become unsure. 

Do green nails look good? 

My nail collection would say that they do as I own a whooping 16 green nail polishes ranging from neutrals with a hint of green to some pretty bold shades. 

I quite enjoyed swatching my entire Essie collection here so I thought I would do it again but with a colour range. If you have any suggestions of future posts like this - all red nail polishes, my entire glitter collection, Models Own collection etc just let me know in the comments below and I will try to get that done for you.

Pastel Green Nail Polishes 

Favourites here would have to be the brighter pastels such as MUA Pistachio Ice Cream (only £1 - Superdrug) and Models Own Apple Pie (£5 - MO online here or Boots). However I do also love Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Green Tea (£1.99 free p&p - eBay here) as I love the tone, the application is flawless and the finish is ultra glossy. 

But looking at these swatches I'm thinking Barry M Mint Green (£2.99 - Boots/Superdrug) deserves more love as I can't remember the last time I used it! The next pastel green on my list to buy is Essie Mint Candy Apple.

What is your favourite pastel green nail polish? 

 

 
Bright Green Nail Polishes 

Without a doubt my favourites here are the more muted greens. I really can't get enough of Sinful Colors Pistache (£1.99 - Boots in-store and online here) and I also really like Essie Navigate Her (£4.55 free p&p - eBay here). The more true green shades are the ones I use for nail art when I need a green and both Sally Hansen Grass Slipper (£1.49 - Fragrance Direct here) and Essie Mojito Madness (£1.99 - Fragrance Direct here) are perfect for that as they are very opaque. I strangely also love Models Own Toxic Apple (£5 - MO online or Boots)... but for Halloween!

Barry M Acid Yellow is also an interesting shade, it actually looks more like it does in the bottle than the swatch above, as it's quite a lime green shade which is nice for a change in summer. 

Do you like green nail polishes? 
I'm still not 100% certain I love green nails but get the right shade and they can look really nice! 

Fee xo.  

The Body Shop Mega Sale - My Purchases

 

The Body Shop are currently holding a huge sale with 40% off all products INCLUDING sale items (here with code - EXTRATREATS) plus free delivery on orders over £5. Meaning there are some seriously savvy bargains to be had!!

I thought I would share with you what I have purchased (above) and some other amazing highly discounted items. 

Firstly to get the boring terms of the sale out of the way (as they are impossible to find on the website) - the sale ends Sunday 30th June and 40% off can be redeem online with the code 'EXTRATREAT' or in-store with the code '14668' which you literally show the sales assistant when purchasing your products at the till.

I really wasn't planning on purchasing anything from The Body Shop as I recently picked up quite a few things but I really couldn't not, as everything is so discounted! I'm most pleased about the Japan Adzuki Bean & Rice Wash Grains (Was £8.00 Now £3.60 - here) as I looked at this product in-store and was tempted due to never seeing anything like this before. I also picked up the Rainforest Radiance Haircare Kit (Was £4.00 Now £2.40 - here) as it includes 120ml of both the shampoo and conditioner and a shower comb which is perfect for when I go on holiday later on this year. Also both the Cranberry Joy products are just so cheap and I actually wanted these exact products at Christmas.

 

Other amazing bargains include...

  

   Many Body Butters 200ml reduced to £3.00 from £13 - Passionfruit here, Papaya here, Sweet Pea Duo here, Blueberry here, Sweet Lemon here & more... All Body Mists 100ml work out at £4.50 here and if you want to fill up your basket to qualify for the free delivery over £5 then all of the Satchet Masks are 90p here, Hand Cleansing Gel is £1.50 here and all Soaps are £1.20 here.

 I have recently acquired so many new products from The Body Shop and have been thoroughly pleased with them all. So I'm excited to receive my amazingly cheap sale buys! 

Fee xo. 

Oh My Haul - May 2013

Last month was my Birthday month meaning I did quite a lot of shopping. So much so that I had to leave a few things out of this post or it would have just been too long and boring! 

Even though I had 'birthday money' to spend I still found myself snapping up bargains as I love good value for money. 

Yes, of course I do own high end makeup however I only purchase more expensive products when I know I will get a lot of use out of them - foundations, a powder, an amazing nude lipstick. I really don't think I could ever spend over £10 on a single eyeshadow or lip gloss. And even though I'm a total nail polish addict I still can't justify £22.00 on a YSL one when there is China Glaze, OPI and Essie for under £10! 

Sinful Colors obsessed 

Sinful Colors Nail Polishes 
£1.99 - Boots here
 It's no secret that I'm totally obsessed with the new Sinful Colors nail polish in Boots. For the price they really are amazing and come in such a great colour range. In May I picked up 7 of the nail polishes but already I'm lusting after more and have told myself I need the whole glitter range in my life! 

From left to right we have - Easy Going, Pistache, Island Coral, 24/7, All About You, and Nail Junkie. Aren't the shades just lovely! You can see nail posts of Nail Junkie here and 24/7 with some tropical nail art here. I really can't rate these enough.
 

Fragrance Direct haulin'... again

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Sweetheart Tulips
99p - here  
For the past two months I have totally fallen back in love with Fragrance Direct and can't get enough of how cheap the products on the website are. This purchase was 100% encouraged by Maxi's Fragrance Direct haul as she reminded me how much I love this range. Rimmel's Moisture Renew lipsticks are just perfection, the colours are great and I love how they feel on my lips. These retail for just over £6 each in Boots and Superdrug so 99p is a total bargain! I also purchased a Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in shade 13 (£1.99 here) but forgot to include it in this post. The shade is such a bold orange/coral that has amazing pigmentation.
 
Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Peach Petal 
99p - here 
This was a last minute 'It's only 99p!' purchase as these normally retail for £6.99 and I couldn't resist the bargain. A great shade to apply over any lipstick to add a glossy slightly milky sheen. 

Essie Nail Polishes in Mojito Madness and Waltz 
£1.99 - here 
Whenever I'm purchasing a few products from Fragrance Direct I check to see which Essie shades they have in stock because they are an absolute bargain! I went for Waltz as it will be a perfect base for glitter nail polishes and Mojito Madness which I plan to use for the leaf detail in floral nail art, as good 'leaf-y' shades are hard to come by (I'm showing how obsessed with nails I am here!). Right now Fragrance Direct have some amazing summery Essie shades that are worth checking out. You can see swatches of both shades here along with my entire Essie collection.
 
Astor Shine Delux Lipstick in Rich 
£1.25 - here   
Another last minute purchase that I thought was worth trying out for the price. I've never actually seen this range before but I'm really happy with my purchase. A great light and balmy lipstick for summer that is quite shimmery and light reflective. I'm already looking up more on eBay.
 

Non-beauy Purchases 

Starlytes in Strawberries & Cream and Anjou Pear 
80p each - JTF Warehouse 
Last month I did a bit of shopping in a trade warehouse which sells anything and everything. I picked up these two candles because I couldn't resist the look of them and the scents. I mean how yummy does strawberries and cream sound! Unfortunately I was really disappointed with both candles as they didn't give off any scent when burning - so annoying! 
  
 Beetle Necklace 
 On sale £3.00 - H&M in-store
I love the statement jewellery at H&M but it really has shot up in price in the last year or so... I'm talking £15 for a necklace! But thankfully there is always a messy clearance section to riffle through, which is where I found this £3 beauty. The beetle does look like something you would find in a Christmas cracker but I love it none the less.
 
Geneva Silicone Jelly Watch 
£2.55 - eBay here  
I mentioned these amazingly cheap watches in a wish list post last month because I just couldn't believe just how cheap they were and still can't. I'm so pleased with the white shade and will be purchasing a few more in different shades to go with different accessories. The delivery time of these is also really good and you can expect to receive the product within a week of purchase.
 

From the High Street

MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter 
£3.00 - Superdrug 
This is now totally sold out online and really it's no surprise as it is a pretty amazing looking product for only £3. But it is also a lovely powder highlighter that gives a beautiful pearly sheen to the tops of the cheeks. If you do want to get your hands on this then I'd suggest heading to a larger Superdrug store that will have a better chance of having it in stock.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer 
£4.19 - Boots here  
A much needed re-purchase of my favourite concealer. I won't repeat myself by telling you how amazing it is but if you haven't tried this out then seriously, just do!

Eylure Dylash 45 Day Mascara 
£7.50 - Boots here
This is actually an at home eyelashes tinting kit that is for both the eyelashes and eyebrows. I have tried a similar one out before but it was many years ago and I actually did it on myself. However I'm giving it another go to see how if I do any better this time. Eyelash tinting is something that makes a huge difference to my makeup-free face as I have very fair eyelashes that look non existent. If this does work well it will save me quite a bit of money as the product gives up to 12 applications. 
 
Born Lippy Lip Balm in Pomegranate and Toffee 
£3.00 - TBS online here  
A random purchase when shopping in The Body Shop last month. I haven't seen many reviews online about these which is a bit of a surprise as they are tinted lip balms and really well priced. So I thought I would give them a go to review and try out over summer. I love the scents of these and the shade range is also pretty nice.

 

Bargain-smargains

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat 
£5.50 - Amazon here  
Finally I have my nails on a bottle of Seche Vite! I actually withheld from purchasing this for over 2 years as I just didn't want to spend over £10 on a top coat when I was happy with my £1.79 NYC one. But when I spotted it for the bargain of £5.50 on Amazon with free p&p I didn't even consider not buying it! I now totally get why so many love this, the glossy finish it gives is amazing and I didn't even know it gave the nails such a smooth feeling. Not a fan of the thin brush but I can totally put that to one side. I'm not sure how long the top coat will stay at such a low price so if you have wanted to try it out then now is the time. My new favourite top coat... sorry NYC!


KMS Hair Play Dry Shampoo
£3.00 - TK Maxx 
This was a product I picked up and featured in my previous April haul but in a smaller size and the older packaging. So I was totally amazed when I spotted it for the same price on the clearance aisle of TK Maxx, again. I wouldn't pay full price for this as it's a bit steep at £10.00 but I have been so impressed by it, the best dry shampoo I have ever tried in fact. Worth looking out for in your local TK Maxx or Homesense. 
 
Tony Moly Cat's Wink Mascara 
£3.89 - eBay here
Tony Moly is without a doubt a brand that sucks me in with it's super kitsch, or should I say kawaii, packaging. I didn't need another mascara but who can resist one that is cat shaped. I haven't fully tried this out but I'm going to be doing a round-up of all the Tony Moly products I have purchased from eBay next month.
 
  Organic Surge Sugared Almond Shower Gel 
99p - JTF Warehouse 
This was the total highlight of my trade shopping as this is my favourite shower gel by Organic Surge that they actually went and discontinued for some silly reason (EDIT - Totally wrong on this, the shower gel is still available at Organic Surge here and I would highly recommend it, along with all the OS shower gels!). Yummy smelling, SLS-free and cheap... what more could I want. I'm actually wondering why I didn't stockpile on them now!
 
Moringa Body Mist  100ml
£7.50 - TBS online here
I thought I would include this in my 'bargain-smargain' section as The Body Shop are currently offering 40% off all products until 1st July! Meaning this body mist and all the others in the range are only £4.50 online (plus it's  free delivery over £5.00). I already own this and the Vanilla scent but I'm now tempted to get the coconut or strawberry one. This doesn't last as long as a perfume but the scents do smell more like a perfume than a body mist so even 100ml for £7.50 is good value. The code you will need is 'EXTRATREAT'. Also the 40% off code can be used on sale products - here, which is totally amazing... I may have already purchased a few things!

If you have read up to this then well done! A bit of an epic haul post there... but I promise this month's purchases will be a lot less. 

Fee xo.