August Favourites 2013! | Products I've Been Loving Recently!

I'm back to school on Wednesday *sobs* but I'll be keeping with my regular every-other-day posting schedule and there's a new timetable - that post's up tomorrow! I've loved a few gems this month so let's get started!

First up is a new toner - I prefer exfoliating with a muslin cloth or acid toner now and this one from boots botanics is really good with similar results to the pixi glow tonic but with alcohol :(

After saying I prefer non gritty exfoliators this one from St Ives was great when my skin became clogged and feeling a bit congested - an old faithful. And a newly re discovered love is this Herbal Essences Fresh Balance Clarifying Shampoo - it leaves my hair reallllly clean and removes build up.

With that shampoo I love to use this Dove conditioning treatment - ohhh it smells so good and leaves my hair nourished and super soft!

For makeup my Garnier Perfect Blur has been a staple and feels like you're rubbing air onto your skin - my mum even purchased her own! NYC sunny has always been a fave but this month it has been used a lot in competition with my new une bb cream bronzer (reviewed earlier this month) - a fab way of looking naturally tanned. Elf's candid coral blush was never a favourite shade it it's been used a lot these past few weeks and I love it! And after hunting for a good under eye concealer maybelline's fit me found its home and is now used everyday!

My maybelline colour tattoos have all been used a lot but permanent taupe is an everyday shade. Baby lips were worn daily with the NYC apple lip balm in blueberry and the natural collection fondant lip gloss. Telescopic waterproof, need I say more x

What are your faves?

Love, Lizzie x

A New Blog Design Courtesy of Sinead from Fashion and Beauty Tribes | Thanks!

A change has been made...

Sinead from Fashion and Beauty Tribes designed and made my amazing new blog design for her new blog design shop. I'd been thinking about purchasing a blog design for a while and jumped at the chance of having one of my favourite bloggers make it for me!

It's exactly what I wanted - Sinead was on the ball with emailing even when I wasn't and replied to messages minutes after them being sent. She was really easy to understand and that made choosing what I wanted very simple. With a few ideas but mostly free reign, Sinead completed my blog design in two days!

I cannot recommend Sinead's service enough - she was (is) fabulous! Her shop will always be linked at the right hand side of my blog if you're ever interested!

My blog is now so much brighter and fresher - I am so thrilled! Being a technology noob and not knowing too much about blog designing this was fabby!

Thanks so much Sinead!

Sinead's Links

blog: http://fashionandbeautytribes.blogspot.co.uk/

twitter: https://twitter.com/FandBTribes

bloglovin' : http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/3737002

shop: http://fashionandbeautytribes.bigcartel.com/

Empties/Products I've Used Up #3 | August 2013

A few empties this time - strangely, after photographing these I found about 10 more empty products around the house! Another will be coming soon x

I'm always using tissues up - 3 boxes in 3 months!

I use wipes as a quick fix - the primark ones are good in a hurry but I wouldn't dare put them near my eyes! Botanics wipes are my favourites but only when on offer or as a 'special treat' (what sort of crazy lady treats herself to wipes?). No7 are good too but for £7 are not worth it. These simple ones were a travel pack for a night away but were actually very nice and I will be repurchasing.

I spoke about this shampoo and conditioner in my haircare routine and although they were very nice I'll be trying different things. The hair mask from Herbal Essences was lovely but nothing particularly amazing.

This dry shampoo from superdrug did nothing for my hair but smelt good. Dove deodorants were my go-to but I'm a Mitchum convert *no sweat* This sample of the Percy and Reid No Oil Oil didn't really do much - I have quite thick hair and this was targeted at finer hair so maybe it worked for you? A body butter from soap and glory was lush and this cooling mist was great in the hot weather.

Peaches and Clean *wails "why why did you have to run out!!!" I LOVE IT and have to repurchase even though they did change the packaging though not the formula. NEED THIS!!!!!!! No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser was okay but I've moved on - Boots Botanics balm, baby! This Mudd Mask is amazing at removing blemishes and leaving skin really clean though could also work for answering the door on October 31st! MUA Setting Spray was good and will be repurhasing when others are finished. Hand gel - always a must.

My Mum added an empty - the 17 Beehive lipstick that she love. I even managed to scrape way more out of it as the bullet is an extra 2cm deep! my elf concealer has been out for a while and is perfect for naturally covering dark circles. Natural collection clear mascara - I keep forgetting to repurchase but I need tp - remind me, someone? Last is a bit of a cheat but I must share my favourite drink - M&S Pink Cranberry Lemonade - it is to die for!

What have your used up recently?

Love, Lizzie x

What's In My Travel Makeup Bag? #2 | Summer 2013

Posting from a hotel in the dark so may not be the best quality as photo was taken in the dark too! Had to get a post up today though so bad quality will have to do - back to good posts on Thursday!

On my trip to Southampton I packed light - one base, concealer and a few extras.

First up is my Avon SPF as it was sunny and I don't want to get burned! For a light base for the evening I took my revlon bb cream as it doesn't last too long and I'd only be wearing it for a couple of hours. Powder and concealer were the revlon nearly naked and maybelline fit me. My blush choices were 2 - elf candid coral and max factor soft pink. For eyes I chose the colour tattoo in bronze as it primes and adds a nice hint of colour x for mascara, you guessed loreal telescopic! Lips was just baby lips in pink punch and rimmel lip gloss in peach fusion.

Sorry for the crap post but stay tuned til thurs for a better blog x

Love, Lizzie xxx

Wishlist #3 | August 2013

indeed labs sampler set £12.99 (boots)

seche vite top coat £5.85 (amazon)

Knitted Angora Cable Cardi £48.00 (topshop)

4 drawer storage tower £17.93 (homebase)

bourjois rouge edition shine lipstick (boots)

I really want to try hydraluron and other things from this brand so though it best to test with this 3 part kit - is it just an online thing as I can't find the set instore. After hearing raves about seche vite I hope it lives up to the hype! I really want a big slouchy cardi for winter and this one seems appropriate - anyone seen someting similar but cheaper? Bathroom storage for my everygrowing collection of skin, body and hair care is needed. I'm not a big bourjois lover but these lipsticks have been swatched and are needed!

Love, Lizzie x

Rimmel Wake Me Up Shimmer Touch Highlighter in Shimmering Sand | Review and Swatch

The Rimmel Wake Me Up Shimmer Touch Liquid Highlighters (*breathe*) have been on my beauty radar for a while and when I spotted this cutie in Poundland I snapped it up!

A thick cream, the bronzey-coloured illuminator is not chunky but has a pretty golden shimmer to it. The lasting power is okay but it doesn't last all day!

I use this to highlight my face, mixed with foundation for an all over glow or as a cream eyeshadow (though it does need setting with powder on the lids).

Will you be trying this? What are your favourite liquid highlighters?

Love, Lizzie x

Mini Primark Haul #6 | New Into Primark September 2013

I was a bit disappointed by the new stuff in Primark - I'll have to go back when I have more time but there wasn't a lot of new bits. I did manage to find a few gems though.

First up are some hair bits - some mini clips and 40 bobby pins; is it just me or do bobby pin tieves live in your hair storage too! I always pick hair stuff up in primark as its all £1!

This grey fluffy top was £5 and will be perfect for A/W. It's soooo soft!

The shoes are so darn pretty! They are perfect for the funeral I have next week and can be worn again. They seem an okay quality for £10 aswell.

Last are these Smurf haribos - the best haribos in my opinion!

What have you bought in Primark recently? What are your fave haribos?

Love, Lizzie x

UNE BB Cream Bronzer | Review and Swatches

It's love in a bronzer. Not many brands have cream bronzers but UNE beauty had a lot of innovative new ideas - shame they aren't sold in Boots or Superdrug anymore! A selection of the range is on Fragrance Direct with a nude eyeliner pencil and a few other cool products.

The bronzer is creamy, pigmented and a bronzey colour on the orange side of the colour spectrum. The pan size is quite large and the packaging fun and slidey!

Swatched above is the bronzer - top is a full on swatch and on the bottom is a more blended swatch. I like to apply this to my face with the Real Techniques Expert face Brush - the perfect size for contouring and bronzing the neck.

It contains 100% ingredients of natural origin and is water resistant. There is no mineral oil included :)

The UNE Cream Bronzer costs £3.99 on Fragrance Direct. It has been welcomed into my everyday routine!

Will you be trying this? Have you tried anything good/bad from UNE?

Love, Lizzie x

Which Gradual Tanner Is Better? Palmers or Dove? | Drugstore Gradual Tanners Review and Comparison

Summer is when I bring out the shorts, and after a Spring of living in jeans and tights for school my legs are looking pretty pasty. Enter: fake tan. I just like a little colour so gradual tanners work fine for me - I've been using two so I'll tell you the pros, the cons and which one is better!

NB: I apply both with a mitt from St Tropez and have very fair skin. It is not particularly dry. I always exfoliate and apply a separate body lotion before applying fake tan.

Tanner #1

Dove Summer Glow Lotion

Pros

No streaks

Very moisturising

Does not cling to knees/elbows

Not too orange

2 shade choices

NO TAN SMELL!!!!

Cons

Not much colour change over 1 use (light version)

A lot of product needed for each use

Bottle hard to squeeze to remove product

Tanner #2

Palmers Natural Bronze Body Lotion

Pros

Colour change after one use

No streaks

Moisturising

Not too orange

Cocoa smell at first application

Pump!

Cons

Clings to knees and elbows (even after exfoliation)

Tan smell onb morning after application

One shade

Which do I prefer?

If I were to recommend one, I'd say the Dove as it is easier to apply and doesn't cling to drier patches. However, buy the darker shade no matter what skintone you are so you get a good colour!

Have you tried fake tans? Which are your faves?

Love, Lizzie x

Favourite Discount Cosmetics Shops | Places to Find Cheap Makeup

I love makeup and am always on the hunt for places online where I can find it cheaper. I love being able to get a rimmel lipstick RRP £6.59 for 99p - I can get 6 for the price of one! Here are the best places I've found - genuine products. Sometimes ebay is good but is not included as you can be conned with fake products.

Amazon

I've found some amazing deals on amazon - Pixi Eye Crayons for £5, Miners Cosmetics (cheaper delivery than ordering direct) and Lipstick Cubes at good prices. Another plus is that you can contact amazon if your order doesn't arrive or if there is a problem and the service is 100% secure!

Beauty Bay

Not always my first choice for big discounts but they do good sales and free delivery - a good one to keep browsing for gems.

Cheap Smells

A lot of these fragrance websites also stock cosmetics - a good one for nails and perfume.

Fragrance Direct

My favourite for cosemtics - they have essies for £1.99! I have made several orders all arriving in good time and everything being great quality - perfect! Check this one out for high street makeup at really low prices and newer rimmel releases before they're in boots or superdrug + new apocalips shades are £5.50!

Poundland

An easy to access shop is poundland - they do a lot of rimmel and cheaper haircare with foreign labelling, but is still good. I love them for makeup and hair masks!

Xtras

Xtras have stores in the north of England but thats about it - they do free delivery on orders over a tenner and do good cheap products from less available brands.

Another great shop for slightly cheaper makeup and skincare is Wilkinsons but I didn't mention as the discount isn't a lot.

I hope you check out these websites and find a few good bargains - if you've found any good shops/websites leave them below! I'd love to hear what bargains you've found.

Love, Lizzie x

What's on my iPod? #1 | Music I'm Loving!

After almost 3 years of sitting in his box, my little G6 iPod nano was feeling a bit neglected. So I pulled him out and now am making good use of him - I don't have a fancy phone so this is good for listening to music on the go or around the house - it is always clipped to me somewhere whilst I bop about.

I love music and I especially love to download music from unsung artists making fabulous music for sites like youtube - most of this music is from unsigned artists and I love it!

My favourites are marked with hearts.

Track List

Alex Goot - Pretty Eyes

Alex Goot - Lightning

Alex Goot - The Real You

Alex Goot - We Could Love

Alex Goot and Friends COVER - 22 (Taylor Swift)

Alex Goot and Friends COVER - One More Night (Maroon 5)

Alex Goot and Andrew Goldstein - Sensitivity

♥ Alex Goot, Luke Conard & Landon Austin COVER - Clarity (Zedd and Foxes) ♥

Alex Goot, Kurt Schneider & Chrissy Costanza COVER - Beauty and a Beat (Justin Bieber)

Alex Goot & Against the Current COVER - Catch My Breath (Kelly Clarkson)

Alex Goot & Against the Current COVER - Good Time (Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen)

♥ Alex Goot and Against the Current COVER - Not Over You (Gavin DeGraw) ♥

♥ Against the Current - Closer, Faster ♥

♥ Against the Current - Guessing ♥

Against the Current - Thinking

Against the Current and Sam Tsui COVER - Heart Attack (Demi Lovato)

Landon Austin - Stop Time

AlunaGeorge - Attracting Flies

Bad Meets Evil and Bruno Mars - Lighters

Charlie Brown - On My Way

Christina Perri - A Thousand Years

Gabrielle Aplin - Panic Cord

Icona Pop - I Love It

John Newman - Love Me Again

Misty Miller - Remember

Paramore - Still Into You

♥ Passenger - Let Her Go ♥

Selena Gomez - Come and Get It

Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran - Everything Has Changed

The Paper Kites - Bloom

♥ Train - Drive By ♥

Union J - Carry You

As you can tell, I have a varied taste in music but I love all these songs so much and ask you to have a listen to the ones you think you'd like. Obviously my iPod isn't even 1/4 full yet but I will continue to fill it with fab tracks!

Any recommendations for me?

Love, Lizzie x

Simple Skincare Haul | ASDA 3 for £6

We're not ASDA shoppers normally - we have our groceries delivered. But when my mother and I had the oppurtunity to use the car on a weekday (my dad uses it for work most days) we decided to venture to ASDA and, although not the most pleasant experience (posh totty alert), I did find a few bargains including an amazing offer on Simple skincare that I just had to share - 3 for £6 on most of the range (and the branded lines are incredibly discounted anyway!).

The first thing I picked were these Radiance Brightening Cleansing Wipes. I've been curious to try these for a while but with a price tag of £4.20 in Boots I opted for my usual botanics ones; however, at just £2 they were worth a try.

My go-to toner for night time is this Soothing Facial Toner as it is alcohol free so is refreshing and not aggravating after my cleansing balm. A repurchase and a definite essential.

The last item I chose was this Sun-Kissed Moisturiser, on the recommendation of SineadyCady. It claims to also be a gradual tanner and as I was running out of my Yes to Cucumbers one I thought I'd try it. It hasn't broken me out (yet) but I can't see the tanning effects - will report back!

My recipt said I saved £6 with ASDA prices giving me a total of £12 - however, if I had purchased these items in Boots without any offers I would have paid £14.18, therefore I feel I saved £8.18 - I'll definitely be popping into ASDA again soon for cheap school supplies (and maybe a few more skincare bits!).

Other Bargain Items Spotted: 2 for £10 on nspa (including £8 cleansers)

£5 and £6 for Maybelline BB Cream and Gel Eyeliner

3 for £3 on ASDA Teen Skin Line

3 for £10 on Aussie Haircare

3 for £10 on Tresemme

2 for £4 on Herbal Essences

+ many more great offers!

Where do you find to be the best bargain supermarket?

Love, Lizzie x

Milani Shadow Wear Eye Shadow Quads in Denim Blues and Earthly Delights| Review and Swatches

Whenever I spot American makeup on a discount website (post coming soon) I snatch it up - these eyeshadow quads were found in Poundland and are pretty good for £1!

I have the shades Denim Blues and Earthly Delights - the shades are pretty pigmented but a little bit chalky. The brush and sponge tip are not to hard and are useful for nights away. You can create a few looks with each palette - a blue smokey eye and a neutral everyday look aswell!