A payday cult beauty order

The end of January was probably the time where most people breathed a sign of relief as money went back into their bank account after a slightly tight strapped few weeks. I was one of the many who was counting down the days until payday and as soon as it did I launched myself staright onto the cult beauty website.

  

I did need a re-stock of my moisturiser (REN- Global Protection Day Cream) and was in the market for a new cleanser. After hearing all of the amazing reviews about the Oskia renaissance cleansing gel over the past year I finally bit the bullet and purchased it. 

Cult beauty have a bumper package at the moment when you purchase the REN moisturiser and the milk cleanser from the same brand is added for only an extra £3. I always find that having an extra cleanser is extremely helpful and it will go in the back of one of my beauty drawers for a time when it is really needed. 

Cult beauty you absolute BEAUTY!

xXx

L-OLy

The best of the best beauty reads

If you walk into any large book shop there will be a beauty section. It won't be massive but large enough to surprise you. I have yet to conquer the beauty stand in a book shop without being totally overwhelmed and walking out but one day I will do it!

This is where Allure magazine is super helpful. It's a monthly beauty magazine filled with tips, tricks, new releases and general interesting information about beuaty (from outside and in). Allure can be quite difficult to get a hold of but most major cities have a few newsagents that will stock it. As magazines go it does range on the pricey side as it costs £4.80 and this price does vary, depending on where you pick it up, but I think it is really worth it. 

The next beauty read that I would highly reccomend for anyone that has the slightest interest in anythin beauty related is "Pretty Honest" by the ever amazing Sali Hughes. As beauty guru's go Sali Hughes is the be all and end all. She is a beauty journalist and has written for everyone from Glamour to The Guardian and knows pretty much everything there is to know about every aspect of the beauty world. This book is filled with chapters on from Red Lipstick to Salon Etiquette and everything in between. If you are looking for a beauty book filled with lots of lovely pictures then this is not for you, it is 300+ pages of text about beauty and I definitely think it will help any soul in need of some beauty advice!

Happy reading!

xXx

L-OLy

Little pots of happiness!

Well it has been quite a while since I posted but I have decided to give this blogging thing another try. I don't know if you could call this post some sort of a new years resolution seeing as we are more than half way through January but it's close enough to the start of the year for me so heres to a blog filled 2015!

Like most people this year I had an advent calendar in December but it was not the usual chocolate filled advent calendar, this one was much more exciting. I was lucky enough to have the Ciate Advent calendar so every morning in December I got to open a new little pot of gorgeous nail polish! I have never been so excited to get up every morning in my life (and I am NOT a morning person).

I had the ciate calendar from Christmas 2013 (I am fairly sure of this however it could have been a year or two earlier). The reason for this was I found it in TK Maxx last October for £20. The usual price for these advent calendars is £49 and I have always thought that was a little much for an advent calendar. Now in my mind nail polish trends tend to last a few years so the colour differences between the 2013 and 2014 calendars was very minimal to me.

Not only was there some gorgeous colours within the calendar but it also came with some of their caviar beads and some glitter. Needless to say this resulted in some extremely festive nails while I was at home in Ireland for the christmas break.

The 2014 ciate "mini manor advent calendar" is now on sale for £27 here. So if you are an incredibly super organized person and having a beuatiful ciate advent calendar is something that you would adore for next christmas (Yes I know it is 11 months away) I would highly recommend it. But if you have no interest the chocolate advent calendars are always delicious and a good shout!

Happy nail painting!

L-oly
xXx

Boots Haul!

I took another trip into boots recently and seeing as I had a few extra points vouchers I just had to use them up as in my own little mind it was the most economical thing to do. I picked up a few bits and pieces most of them haircare.

From l-r: Aqua Splash Tangle Teezer, L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray, Charles Worthington Texturising Spray, Frizz Ease Nourishing Elixir, Charles Worthington  Moisture Seal Rescue Balm, Maybeleinne Eyeliner, Maybelline Black Shock Gel Liner, Big Eyes Volum'Express, Colour Tatoo 'On and On Bronze" 

Firstly for the hair stuff as I have naturally curly hair the ends can be awfully damaged and for that reason I do try and prevent it by using some staple hair products that from previous use have never failed me. I also decided to pick up the Aqua Splash Tangle Teezer which is the tangle teezer specifically for wet hair. If you are one of the unfortunate souls that from the age of dot suffered from knotty hair then I would say you need a tangle teeter in your life. This one soecifically designed for wet hair is meant to lessen the damaged caused when washing your hair when wet so heres hoping it does the trick! The other rescue hair products I picked up are the rescue balm that I hve spoken about before and I love and the Frizz ease miracle oil which is really good to applying directly to the ends of your hair.

I also needed some new hairspray and no matter how many different new types I try I always seem to go back to the Elnet satin finish. If it aint broke don't fix it! I finally grabbed the texturising spray as the hair products were on a 3 for 2 and I had heard that this is a dupe for the oribe dry texturising spray at a fraction of the price. (The oribe spray is £19 for a TRAVEL size) I honestly can't wait to try it as I always fail to get big bouncy hair from the roots no matter how much I backcomb!

The Make-up Pieces

The Maybeline counter also had a three for two so of course I could not resist and picked up some more staples that I was running low on. Also one of my mantras has and always will be "You can never have too much mascara". The gel liner in pen form is an interesting find and I have high hopes for it so hopefully it won't let me down. The on and on bronze shade in the colour tatoo range of eyeshadows is the most beautiful neutral shade with a little bit of a shimmer kick to jazz it up and can be worn from day to night!

Happy Shopping!

L-Oly
xXx

Four Step Moisturising?

With being an Irish girl with awfully pale skin it means I have inherited very dry skin aswell. Moisturising has always been a step that I definitely can't miss. The horrible tight feeling that occurs after washing your face or when you take your makeup off is a regular occurance that I face and sometimes it gets so sore thats its almost unbareable. Up until recently I would have always considered moisturising a 1 step process however over the past year or so I have started to add an extra step here and there and now its up too 4……YES FOUR! sounds ridiculous but it's not really at all!

  From l-r: Ren Global Protection Daycream, Hydraluron, Simple Revitalising Eye Roll-On, Soap & Glory Sunshield Superfluid

SERUM: I use hydraluron as my serum of choice but there are loads on the market that other people rave about. Hydraluron uses a very pure form of hylauronic acid which is literally like injecting water into your skin. Since I have started using it my cheeks are so plump and it looks like I have come straight from a facial! 

MOISTURISER: REN is a brand that I always go back too, its sulphate, paraben and mineral oil free and has always agreed with my skin. In short, its amazing and I think I am on my 30 billionth bottle of this moisturiser. Enough said!

EYE CREAM: Everyone should use an eye cream, the skin around the eye is the most delicate skin on the face and really needs its own light-weight moisturiser. I have never been one to splash out on really expensive eye cream as I feel that drugstore alternatives are just as good. This simple one is great and the roller-ball that applies the cream onto the skin is really cooling. Great for the morning puffy eyes!

SPF: Most people would probably think that this step is one that I include for when I am on holiday but I actually include this step into my moisturising routine ALL YEAR ROUND no matter where I am. I cannot stress how important wearing SPF on your face is no matter what your skin tone. Even with clouds in the sky the harmfull rays from the sun can still penetrate your skin and this ages your skin DRAMATICALLY! This particular spf has a factor of 50 and is extremely lightweight so none of that thick gloop that you put on your skin when your on holiday! Kiehls also has a similar one that I would really reccomend but it is more expensive then the soap and glory bottle. Although it looks like a teeny bottle a little really does go a long way. 

That is the end of my 4 step moisturising routine, might I also add that it takes about 90seconds! 

L-Oly

xXx

Chanel Chanel Chanel!

Recently there was a beauty and shopping event run by GLAMOUR magazine in the Trinity Centre in Leeds and of course GLAMOUR had timed it perfectly so that it occured only a few days after payday for everyone. I had arranged to have my makeup done at the Chanel counter on the same day as I knew I wanted to pick some stuff up and O BOY………that I did!!

  Vita Lumiere Aqua Foundation in Beige 20, Soleil Tan de Chanel (Bronze Universal)

I haven't used either of the products enough yet to give a proper review on both of them but there will be one coming soon! Just look at the pretty boxes….. B.E.A-UTIFUL. 

POINT OF NOTE: do not let me near a Chanel counter for quite a while! 

L-Oly

xXx

Hurray for Skincare!!!!!

Skincare, the one topic that people either have next to no interest in, or way too much. I fall into the latter group of people and my addiction has made a sizeable dent in my bank account, but my mantra is you only get one face!! 

It can be incredibly overwhelming trying to figure out what skincare suits you personally due to the sheer amount of it available, but I think I have found a good combination of products for my skin. My skin is severely dehydrated and it is also incredibly sensitive which means it can break out if I use the wrong product on it even once.

Staple Products: Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, Michael Todd True Organics Cranberry Antiox Toner, Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm, Hydralauron, Ren Global Protection Day cream, Simple Revitalising Eye Cream

If I am wearing makeup I will always take the bulk of my make-up off with some form of micellar water at the moment I am trying out the Garnier micellar water but I really am not picky about which one. I will however say that the best one I've used is Bioderma (SHOCK HORROR!).

No matter whether I have been wearing makeup or not I will always cleanse my face with a cleanser, water and a face-cloth. Recently I caved to the hype surrounding the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm and it really does deserve all the hype around it. It's incredibly nourishing on the skin and it doesnt leave my skin feeling stripped when I use it which is a huge plus for me.

Obviously with dehydrated skin the more hydrating products (I would say) the better! I started using serum on top of my moisturiser about a year ago and it has made a world of difference. The extra plumpness in my cheeks is just ridiculous!!! The combination of hydralauron and my daily ren moisturiser aren't too heavy together but genuinely leave my skin feel moisturised for the whole day. Eye cream to me is eye cream I have never had a bad reaction to any but do think its important to use some everyday. This simple eye cream is really cooling and is the perfect eye cream to help you wake up in the morning!

I think this skin care routine is a great mix of high end and drugstore products, if your looking for some new products to try out or sorting out a skincare routine for the first time I would really recommend the products mentioned above!

Happy Skincare Shopping!

L-Oly
xXx