July Favourites

Hello hello!!

Hope you're all ok.

I have been slightly lacking on the blogging front recently and I have to blame the incredible weather we have been having. Some of you may know that I work in a school so I am now officially on my summer holidays - YAY!! Some of you may also know that I live at the seaside so I have practically been living on the beach recently and after the madness of the last month in school, I thought I deserved a little R&R!!

I'm staying in on my lonesome tonight (I have a wedding to go to tomorrow so want to be all fresh and rested for it so I don't have to pile on the concealer!!) so thought I'd do my July favourites (and a couple of days early as well!).

Now, this favourites isn't really going to be make-up based as I am still loving my Bourjois Healthy Mix and the same Mac concealer, Stila bronzer and Mac Band of Roses blusher so I didn't want to be constantly bleating on about the same products. There a couple of new things I've been enjoying anyway...

Anyway, I'll stop rambling and get on with it!!

Miners Tin o' Tint Lip Tint in Cherry - £2.99 from Sainsbury's

Ok, I must admit that I picked this up in Sainsbury's purely because the packaging caught my eye. I hadn't heard of Miners before and had no idea what their products would be like.

However, I adore this lip tint. It smells like that artificial cherry smell, although it's not overly strong, it's a reasonably subtle scent. It moisturises my lips and adds a hint of colour, it does what it says on the tin!!! Like the smell, the colour tint is also quite subtle so if you're looking for something that's going to give you tons of colour, then this is not for you.

It is a lovely lip balm and I will definitely be repurchasing when this baby has gone to the big beauticians in the sky... I believe it comes in other flavours/colours as well. Definitely worth picking up if you see one in your local Sainsbury's.

The Body Shop Cranberry Joy Hand Cream

I got this on sale for about £1.50 and I have no idea what the original price was. I was just browsing through the sale items and there it was! I love it, it's so so moisturising and it doesn't leave your hands with that greasy, sticky feel - I hate that feeling and usually end up washing hand creams off if that's how they leave my hands. This just sinks in wonderfully and leaves my hands so soft, it's my new favourite! I've ever abandoned my long-term fave Soap and Glory Hand Food in favour of this!! The same is gorgeous as well, it's obviously got a Cranberry smell (it's in the name!!), but it also has something else with it, I think it's other berries but I'm not 100% sure. It's just very fruity, but not overpowering.

Boots Extracts Almond Body Wash

I bought this because my mother-in-law always has it in her guest bathroom and it smells amazing. However, they must have changed the formula as the one I bought smells completely different. It's supposed to be almond but it smells quite floral - confusing!! Despite that, I love it! It lathers up nicely on my sponge without me having to use loads and it smells lovely, it's quite a 'grown up' floral scent but it's really pretty and it does last on the skin quite well also. There's not much else I can say about this, it's a body wash and it washes my body (!) but I do really really like it!


Garnier Fructis Colour Care Shampoo and Conditioner

I picked these two up on a whim, I just saw them in Body Care and thought I'd give them a try. First of all the smell is unbelievable, fruity fresh and just lovely. I think I would actually eat this if I could - ha ha!! Secondly, the products are amazing. I have thin hair but lots and lots of it and, especially when I've worn it curly, it gets very tangled. But not with these products, my comb just glides through my hair looks and feels shiny and healthy. They are colour care products as well and as my hair is red at the moment, it does take a bit of maintenance to keep it vibrant and these products actually have helped my colour to last longer. I'm so so pleased with this shampoo and conditioner and I will be repurchasing as I'm almost out of both... nooooo...!!

Ok, on to a couple of make-up items...

I have been loving two mascaras this month and have worn the same two ever single day...

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara in black

On my top lashes I have been loving this mascara. It's very black and doesn't tend to clump. I'm so pleased with it. It lengthens my lashes and gives that 'Bambi' look. It's not too wet either, I hate when you have to wait a couple of weeks to use a mascara as it needs to dry out a little, I like to use my new products straight away and I could with this. Really like it and highly recommend it.

Daniel Sandler Baby Jet Mascara in black

Now, if you're like me and you get mascara all over the place when you try to apply it to your bottom lashes, then this is the mascara for you! It's got a teeny weeny little brush which allows for precision application and makes life so much easier. I don't use this on my top lashes as I think the size of the brush would make application take too long, but I do love it on my bottom ones. I'm not actually sure how much this is as I got it in a Glossy Box some ago. Actually, come to think of it, I've probably had it a good six months and there is no sign on drying out or flaking either, which is a bonus!!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Airy Fairy

This lipstick has changed my life! Ok, that might be slightly dramatic but it has made my lips much prettier! I adore this lipstick, it is the favourite one I own (and I have a lot!!), I will be so upset when I run out of it (they better not have discontinued it or I will be writing a strongly worded letter - ha ha!!). It's a nude, rose pink colour and it's beautiful. It goes on really nicely, I'm a massive fan of the Rimmel lipsticks and think they're a definite rival for the Mac ones - I know, a bold statement! It lasts well and bizarrely, it smells gorgeous as well! I just highly recommend it, it's gorgeous!

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

I'm a massive fan of Nic and Sam of Pixiwoo, I love watching their videos on YouTube so you can imagine how excited I was when I heard that Sam had brought out a range of make-up brushes! I immediately rushed out to buy the set of face brushes and I just had to tell you about the buffing brush. It says to use it with a mineral foundation but I use it with my liquid foundation and it's amazing! It cuts your application time right down as well which is a bonus when you're rushing on a morning. It creates a very airbrushed effect on your skin and the brush itself is so so soft. I implore you to try these brushes. I'm definitely going to invest in the rest of the brushes available. They're available in Boots and are reasonably priced as well - what's not to love?? Please excuse my picture as my brush is filthy! 

Bioderma

Ok, I haven't been using this all month but I just love it so much I had to throw it in there! I was recently in Germany for a week and we were staying about an hour from the French border so we spent a few days in France. The first thing I did was hunt out the nearest chemist to buy some Bioderma and I've used it non-stop ever since! I'm not joking, this takes off every scrap of make-up on my face, waterproof mascara et al! I've heard this product raved about so much online that I was starting to think it was all a bit too good to be true but the hype was well justified, it's amazing!

The other thing is that it's not too pricey. I paid €17.90 for two 500ml bottles which is a hell of a lot of product! Especially to say I paid £9 for the No7 cleansing water that is literally half the size!

The only downside is that you can't get this in the UK. You can get it online but with a hefty postage cost. My advice is to look out for someone you know going over on their hols and asking them to pick up some for you. I will definitely be stocking up either next time I go or if I hear of anybody going who would pick some up for me.

Anyway, that's it for my July favourites, hope you enjoyed it.

What are your favourite products?

Lotsa love
Lullahblog xx

Empties: June 2012

Hi everyone!

Yes, that's right - I'm on the Empties bandwagon!!

Myself and my husband are on 'Mission Use Up' at the moment as we have so many products lurking around our bathroom that we seem to have had for ages and are now using up before we buy anymore (we'll see how long the no-buying lasts!!!); so we have used up quite a lot this month. There's loads to get through so I'll just jump straight in...

Lush Ultrabland Cleanser

The packaging looks gross so I apologise for that!

I am so upset that this product has run out. I LOVED this, it was so luxurious and smelled gorgeous and also was amazing. Basically, it's a bit like applying vaseline to your face, it's think and kind of greasy (I'm not making it sound good am I??), you apply a small amount all over your face and then rub your hands all over your face including your eyes (you can open them and it doesn't sting!), then you use a face cloth that has been run under hot water to remove it all and I swear, every single trace of make up will be removed from your face - it is so so so good! Also, I have quite a dry t-zone and after using this cleanser, my skin was hydrated and just looked amazing. I would highly recommend this cleanser, it's brilliant!

Moving on...

Pampers Baby Wipes

Simple Eye Make-Up Remover and Johnsons Clean and Clear Cleanser

I've lumped this in together as I've spoken about them in quite a lot of depth in my last Skin Care Routine post so won't go into too much detail here. I really like both the products but haven't repurchased as I am trying out the No7 Cleansing Water at the moment just for a change. I would recommend both these products though as they definitely do the job. I seem to go through eye make-up remover so fast though (especially since I have run out of my Ultrabland!).

Pretty standard staple item in every girl's routine. For removing make-up when I'm feeling lazy. Does the job, that's all I can say really!!

Bourjois Delice de Soleil Bronzing Spray

Hmmmm... I'm on the fence about this. As you know if you read my blog, I am not a fan of the chocolate box bronzing powder and this (obviously as it's from the same range) is in the same league. It doesn't really do enough for me to say that I love it although it does give a little bit of shimmer to the skin and it smells of chocolate. Not something I'll be re-purchasing though unfortunately.

Superdrug Spa Purifying Bath Gelee

Now, this is something that my mother-in-law picked up for me on one of her shopping trips and I stuck it in my bathroom drawer and didn't think any more of it. Then as I was clearing products out, I came across it again and thought I'd give it a go and in all honesty, I'm glad I did. It's lovely and moistursing and smells like a spa product (and creates a lot of bubbles as well which is always a winner). I'm actually quite intrigues by the Superdrug range of products as I have heard nothing but good things and whilst I probably won't repurchase this (just because I have a lot of other things to use up!), I think I will try out some of their other products. Definitely worth a gander if you're in Superdrug. Their Vitamin E range is lovely as well, I have a few of the products from that range.

NYC Liquid Eyeliner

This was one of the first liquid liners I had ever tried (not this actual one, but the brand) and I really really like it. It has a brush applicator which I'm not particulary a fan of but it does go on very smooth and lasts all day as well. I would recommend this eyeliner to someone maybe just starting out and doesn't want to spend a fortune. I have repurchased this and will carry on using it.

Boots Natural Collection Wild Strawberry Body Scrub

I'm a big fan of the Boots Natural Collection, I love the fruity scents and the range of products that are available as well as because they are very good value (and quite often on 3for2 offers - bonus!!). It's quite a gentle scrub which I like and smells absolutely gorgeous, obviously of strawberries! I'll be repurchasing this as soon as I've used up the other million scrubs that I've got!!

Vaseline 24h Protection Deoderant

I really like the Vaseline deoderants (although I've only used the roll-on versions), this smells lovely and lasts all day. If you lift your arms during the day you do tend to get a waft of it which I don't mind as at least you know it's working! Doesn't leave white marks on your clothes either. I'm using a Vaseline roll-on at the moment but definitely going back to this one once I've used it up!

Freederm Oil-Free Perfecting Moisturiser

This was ok, not great. It didn't really do much for my skin and I hate the packaging. I really dislike that you can't see how much you've got left, I don't know why but it really grates on me for some reason! I won't be repurchasing this, it just didn't rock my world and I was glad when I used the last of it!

Boots Natural Collection Mango & Papaya Hi-Shine Conditioner



I really like this conditioner and have actually used it for years now. It costs next to nothing (think it was 89p or something) and is really great if your hair needs a boost. My hair feels silky soft when I've used this, it's lovely. I have another one to use and a face mask as well so I'm looking forward to that.

Morrisons Lemon & Lime Shower Cream

This is something I picked up as something cheap that I could shove in my gym bag and not worry about and it turns out that I love this shower gel! It smells amazing and actually left my skin feeling really soft! I think it cost 99p and is obviously from Morrisons supermarket. They do different versions, think there's a stawberry/raspberry one and a tea tree one. Definitely worth giving a try and I'm on my third bottle of this now and will carry on using it.

Boots Coconut & Almond Shampoo and Conditioner

Again, these were bought as cheapies to shove in my gym bag and I think they're ok. I like the coconut smell although it doesn't tend to linger on my hair which is disappointing. The conditioner isn't great but at 99p each, I think you get what you pay for. Not sure I'll but them again, but I don't hate them. I actually have the leave in conditioner from this range as well and quite like it.

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner

I know I've just mentioned a shampoo and conditioner but these were the ones I used in my bathroom and I love them. My hair feels amazing after using these, so silky and soft and healthy. I highly recommend the Herbal Essences range as a whole as they're really good. I'll definitely be repurchasing these again in the future.

Bobbi Brown Concealer

This is without doubt the best concealer for under eye circles that I have ever used. I have mentioned before that I really suffer with eye bags and I struggle to find a product that is effective at hiding them. I'm pleased to say that this product does the job perfectly and I will definitely be buying this again. Incidentily, for anyone that suffers from eye bags as I do - I am using the Mac Moisture Cover Concealer at the moment which is also really good!

Anyway, that's it for my June empties. It's the first time I've done one of these and I really enjoyed looking back over the products I've been using. It's nice to keep a log of the products that I don't like as well so I don't make the mistake of purchasing them again - ha ha!!

What do you think of this type of post?

Lotsa love

Lullahblog xx

Review: 17 Instant Glow Bronzing Rocks

Hi everyone,

So thought I'd do a review for you today on the 17 Instant Glow Bronzing Rocks.

I was quite excited when I saw the advert for these in a magazine and went off to Boots to find them. They're only £4.99 which I think is an absolute bargain and the packaging is lovely as well, I just wish the name of the product wasn't on top as you could re-use the packaging again as it is lovely.

The product itself is definitely worth a look; it's basically lots of little rock shaped bronzing beads, some are brown some are pink as well which I really like as it makes the finished look more natural. Also, the finished effect is a glowing/dewy look which works even on the palest of skin (such as mine!). It can be built up if you like to look a bit more bronzed, but as I'm so pale I usually like to look a little more subtle. On me, it lasts all day on top of my foundation and I can't really find anything wrong with this product. I just apply with a kabuki brush and it's really quick and simple. As it gives quite a glowing look, I like to use along with my Vie at Home Cream Blush (see earlier favourites post for more on that) which leaves your skin looking really dewy so the two together look really pretty.

Nothing else really to say on that other than Boots have an off on at the moment where if you spend over £6 on 17 products, you get a free gift set - I got a nail varnish, liquid bronzer and eyeliner in mine, I think - go for it, I say!

Definitely worth picking up if you're passing Boots. I'm quite a fan of 17 products actually, I think for the money you get decent quality make up and I am a massive fan of their nail polishes, I have about 20 different ones!! Worth a look on their stand (although I'm sure most of you will be familiar already!).

Anyway, that's it from me - hope you enjoyed this review and I'll see you next time.

Lotsa love
Lullahblog xx

Friends on Facebook

I saw this and it made me smile, so thought I'd share...

Sorry about the black and the top and bottom, I screen grabbed it on my phone :o)

My Favourite Birthday Present!!!

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all well!

So today I'm going to be talking about a very special product, I'm so so excited about it. You may not know (mainly as I haven't mentioned it!) that it was my 30th birthday a couple of weeks ago. Now that I've come to terms with no longer being in my 20s (!), I thought I'd share with you one of my favourite gifts.  Now, as it was a special birthday I did receive a lot of absolutely amazing gifts (GHDs, Kindle and Pandora bracelet to name but a few - amazing family/friends), but this really stood out as being just beautiful, and you'll see why in a minute.

This isn't a review or a "look what I've got" post, it's just to share it with you as it's just amazing...

So, what I got was the Estee Lauder After Hours Slim Gold Compact Translucent Pressed Powder. Now, the reason it's so beautiful is the way it is packaged. I'll take you through it in pictures.

This is the gift bag...

And the box came all wrapped in lovely tissue paper with the Estee Lauder logo on...

Then inside the tissue paper, was obviously the box...

And inside was a beautiful gold box with a little drawer that slides out containing a velvet pouch...

By this time I was practically jumping up and down with excitement!! Inside the velvet pouch was this stunning gold compact, designed to look like a pocket watch...

Then inside the compact is the powder itself which comes with a little applicator which is also gold on one side and also has a little mirror...

And then last but by no means least, here's the powder...

It's just absolutely beautiful and such a good gift. The only problem is that it's so pretty that I don't want to use it!

So anyway, I just wanted to share that with you, it was just the nicest gift I've ever received so thank you very very much to Kelly and Denise who bought it for me.

Have you ever received anything like this or have a product that has amazing packaging? I'd love to see your pictures if you have!

See you next time.

Lotsa love
Lullahblog xx