The Beauty Basket - Skincare

I keep most of my mountain of beauty products in two sets of clear plastic drawers split into skincare, haircare, body, make up etc! However to make it easy for me to quickly grab everything I need and remember to use my new products I keep my 'products of the moment' in a white wicker basket by my mirror and the insy items in a little dish next to it. I usually keep my basket on my lingerie chest but for photography purposes I put it on my window-sill so it would photograph better. I thought this would be an interesting post as it will give you a quick overview of all my go-to products at the moment. I have two baskets, one for body and haircare and one for skincare. This post is going to focus on my skincare basket otherwise it will be a long, long list, if it goes down well I will do another one on my body/haircare basket. I haven't done a review on each product, but you can assume that as it has risen to the ranks of the white basket, I like it! In the brackets next to the item name I've included a quick description of what I use this product for. If you would like a more in-depth review on any of the products please let me know in the comments below.

Side note - my cleanser (Origins Zero Oil) and my AM (Origins Rejuvenating Treatment +) and PM (Origins Night-A-Mins) moisturisers and lip treatment (Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream) are missing as I keep my cleanser in the bathroom and moisturisers and lip treatment by my bed! I will be doing a full review on these products soon though!

1.) Origins GinZing Eye Cream (AM Eye Cream)
2.) Clarisonic Mia (Cleansing Tool)
3.) Evening Primrose Oil Capsules (Supplement)
4.) No.7 Cleansing Water for Oily/Combination Skin (Make Up Remover)
5.) Caudalie Beauty Elixir (Spray Toner)
6.) REN ClearCalm Clarity Restoring Mask (Anti-Blemish Mask)
7.) Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum (Morning Serum)
8.) Estee Lauder Adavanced Night Repair (Evening Serum)
9.) Alpha H Liquid Gold (Chemical Exfoliant)
10.) No 7. Anti-Dark Spot Facial Sun Protection
11.) Garnier Moisture Match Oily/Combination Skin (Pre-Make Up Moisturiser)
12.) Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner (AM/PM Toner)
13.) La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo (Daily Spot Prevention Treatment)
14.) Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel Mask (Anti-Dull Skin Mask)
15.) Nivea Daily Essentials Regenerating Night Cream (Neck Cream)

  

16.) Lancome Primordiale Skin Recharge Eye Cream (PM Eye Cream)

17.) Maybelline Baby Lips (Lip Balm)

18.) Origins Spot Remover (Spot Treatment)

17.) Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate (PM Eye Cream) 

If you use any of these products please let me know below what you think of them! Or if there is anything you think I should add to my basket of goodies let me know too!

 

HUGE Collective Beauty & Fashion Haul - Video

I've been doing a little bit of shopping recently, so check out the video below to see what I have picked up over the last month! It contains skincare, make up, jewellery, clothes, the whole shabbang!!

If you enjoy it please SUBSCRIBE for more videos and while you're at it, give it a cheeky THUMBS UP!!

Hope you have all had a wonderful weekend!
-x-

Thankful Thursdays # 2

What I Am Thankful For on Thursday 18th July 2013:  

1.) Sunshine ☼ - We are in the middle of an absolutely gorgeous heatwave in the UK at the moment. I think we are day 12 in of continuous sunshine (no rain - say waaaaa?!?!) and it is set to last for another month! I have said before that I think England is the most beautiful place in the sunshine, and I'll say it again! I've been enjoying lots of lovely long walks with my dog, Oscar, picnics in the park, and copious amounts of Pimms on sun-filled roof terraces. The sun just makes everyone happier and I think it allows us to make the most of our days. Chilling in a pub garden with my gorgeous gang till 10pm on a work night? What a fabulous idea.

2.) Quality time with my Grandmas - Since arriving back from travelling I've had a few weeks off before started my new job. I've mainly split this between spending time with my friends down in London and my family up Norf'. It has been really lovely spending time with my much missed Grandmas since I got back. I spent today taking my Grandma to her doctor's appointment, making her lunch and watering her vegetable patch whilst she sat in the sun and nattered away to me. These little tasks are so easy for me to do, and I really enjoy doing them, but what makes them even more worth while is knowing how happy it makes my Grandma. I'm trying to make the most of this time, before I jet back to the big smoke and visits won't be as easy. If you are lucky enough to have Grandparents around, take some time out to spend some quality time with them. It doesn't have to be any grand gesture, but I'm sure some company and help round the house would make his/her day!

3.) Pimms - I've already referred to it once in this post, but Pimms is my absolute favourite summer drink. I love putting mint, strawberries, and slices of lemon, orange and cucumber in it to make it even more delish. It always looks so pretty, tastes amazing and is really drinkable. If you are over the legal drinking age, have a Pimms on me, you are sure to love it!

4.)  New pyjamas - I did a huge clear out of all my old pjs that were knocking round my airing cupboard last week, most of which had seen better days! So I took it upon myself to head down to Primark this weekend and re-stock - yay! Primark always has a really broad range of the cutest pyjamas. They aren't the best quality but at £4 a pair who can say no to some little frilled shorties covered in ice lollies! One of my favourite little treats is putting fresh, clean sheets on my bed and getting into a new pair of pjs to snuggle up in.

Please comment below what you are thankful for this week!

Laura Mercier Soufflé Body Crème Sampler Review

I purchased this Laura Mercier Soufflé Body Crème Sampler set online in the Harrods sale a few weeks ago. This luxurious quartet consists of four 100g jars of Laura Mercier's cult Soufflé Body Crèmes in Crème Brûlée, Crème de Pistache, Almond Cocount Milk and Fresh Fig. I had heard so much about these body creams on various beauty blogs and vlogs and really wanted to find out what all the hype was about. As I was ordering online and not able to smell the creams in real life, I thought that ordering the sampler set would be the perfect idea. As it would allow me to try them all out before choosing (if I liked any of them) my favourite scent to purchase in full size. Of course, the 50% discount also helped nudge me over the edge too.

The set comes in a elegant ivory, square box with silver edging and the usual modern Laura Mercier type face. Inside are the four body creams, they each come in a clear plastic jar, allowing you to see the different colours of the cream and the plastic makes it easier for travel than a glass jar. They have a contemporary silver, plastic, screw-top lid and the whole visual is very attractive. The size and weight of each jar, makes them the perfect holiday purchase and I think due to the luxurious nature of the product they would be a great honeymoon buy or gift!

 

 Now on to the product itself. With regards to the different scents, for my personal taste I would rank them in the following order; Fresh Fig, Crème Brûlée, Crème de Pistache and finally Almond Coconut Milk. I think scent preference is really personal and know that a lot of people love the nuttier scents, but they just aren't for me. They also have good longevity and the smell lingers on your skin for some time after application. The texture of the creme fits its name well and is definitely a light, whipped, souffle texture. They are light enough to absorb quickly in to the skin, but they do leave a slight residue on the surface, which I quite like as you know it is really pumping some moisture into the skin.  The moisture whack comes from the addition of shea butter and macademia oil to condition the skin, while vitamins A, E & F help your skin look glowing and healthy.
 

These creams are definitely a luxury purchase, but if you can find them in the sale, like I did,  I believe they are good value for money. as the quality of the product is fantastic. I think these also make a really lovely (and generous) gift for someone special.

Please comment below if you have you tried any of the Laura Mercier body creams before. Which scent is your favourite?

Thankful Thursdays # 1

Firstly can I say that I got the inspiration for this post from Lisette Loves, who kindly gave me permission to use this title for my posts, please go check her out.

 I had been wanted to write something like this on a regular basis for a while, and feel like putting a day of the week in the title will mean that I will stick to it and write down what I am thankful for every week. I have always liked the idea of Thanksgiving, which we don't celebrate in the UK, and have already decided that when I'm older my family will celebrate this too, and only partially because of the delicious looking food. After travelling through some poverty-stricken countries over the last 6 months and witnessing some terrible suffering (amongst a lot more happiness), it has made me so much more appreciative of all that I have. I am a very very luck girl. It is so important to remember this, as sometimes one can get dragged down by all the little upsets in life, when if you look at the bigger picture life is really good.

Bit of a personal one, and probably very opinionated, but here we go.

What I Am Thankful For on Thursday 11th July 2013:

1.) I was born in England - this may sound ridiculous, but I have realised this during my travels. In my opinion there is waaaay too much England bashing going around. I know our weather is generally appalling, and we are in a recession and there are tax increases and spending cuts and ra ra ra. I'm a Politics and Economics grad, I know this shiz. But us British citizens are all SO FORTUNATE. We live in a democracy, that is fair and equal. If I have an opinion, I can voice it, and no one will harm me, nor my family. If due to illness, redundancy or whatever reason one cannot make ends meet, we have a welfare state who will support us, we won't starve. If we fall ill,  we have free healthcare, we won't die of treatable diseases, or watch our families die. We have the means to a fantastic education, if we so wish to take advantage of it. If we go to the police station, we are in safe hands, no bribing, no corruption. And finally on a lighter note, ENGLAND IS BLOODY BEAUTIFUL. Especially at the moment - I have seen some amazing places during my travels and I still think that there is nowhere more beautiful than the English countryside on a sunshiney day.

2.) Boots - I have missed it so much travelling! Not even Australia or NZ had any kind of comparable decent drugstores. So many make-upy, skincarey, beauty delights, all in one place.

3.) Hot Beverages - or beveraaaaages as I like to say. Preferably of the tea or coffee variety. It may be hot, but I still love a good cuppa. No explanation needed.

4.) My Best Friend, Sorre - she makes me a better, funnier, kinder, happier person and I couldn't image life without her. If you have found one of these very special people, you are blessed, never let them go.

5.) Twister Ice Lollies - or any kind really, I'm not overly fussy, but Twisters are my number 1. fave. I can eat them for breakfast, whilst driving (I don't advise this), on a swing, anywhere you name it, an ice lolly will always be a good idea. It's not summer without them.

6.) The Apprentice - I love it, and it is one time that my family all get together in front of the tv and have a good debrief afterwards. Leah for the win.

7.) Mine and my loved one's health

Please comment below what you are thankful for this week, or in life generally. I would love to know. 

June Favourites 2013 - VIDEO

Hello you lovely people! I hope those of you living in England are enjoying this gorgeous heatwave!! I took full advantage of it and filmed my June Favourites outside in the sun! Take a look below and if you enjoy it, please SUBSCRIBE & THUMBS UP!!

Have a very lovely day!!
xxx

Lush Haul

Today is a very good day. Summer is here, the sun is shining and MURRAY HAS WON WIMBLEDON!!! Hurrahhh!! I thought I would make this day even brighter by writing one of my favourite posts, a Lush haul. After popping into Lush for a little *ahem browse*, I picked up a few old favourites and a couple of new purchases.

First in my basket is the Rose Jam Bubble Bar, a repeat purchase. This bar has a heavenly rose scent, identical to the Ro's Argan Body Conditioner (another repeat purchase!). To use you split the bar in two (for twice the use), and crumble it under warm, running water to produce bountiful bubbles! This turn the water a milky, baby pink and doesn't stain the bath! This contains geranium oil to balance the skin, and coconut oil and shea butter to leave your skin soft and smooth.

I also bought another bubble bar, The Comforter, which is a blackcurrant scented bright pink bar. This product is a bit of a Lush cult buy, I have heard about it on numerous blogs so decided I had to give it a go. It is double the size of a normal bubble bar, meaning you can get a double the baths out of it. The blackcurrant scent is slightly too overpowering for me, but I'm still looking forward to trying it out and having lots of bubble filled baths.

Next up is Twilight, which holds the title of my favourite bathtime Lush product. It has a lovely lavender scent,  which soothes my body and mind and always makes me feel ready for bed. Lush describe it as a "gentle, reassuring hug for the bath to transform you from worn out to warm and fuzzy"  and I think this is the perfect description. This is visually stunning, starting out with a pink and white foam, exploding out into a sunburst, before you reach the blue, glittery surprise in the middle.

I also bought another bath bomb, Tisty Tosty, which is a heart shaped delight that contains seven rosebuds. Again the overriding scent is rose, but there are also hints of geranium and jasmine. This is a very simple bubble bar, that has no colour, no fizz and the scent is subtle. This is the perfect product to use when you just want something easy and hassle free to throw in the bath and the rosebuds are a really cute touch.

Moving on to shower products, I bought the Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly. I have tried their other jelly before, Whoosh, and loved it so wanted to give this one a go. This products lives up to its name and is seriously sweet. It has a strong cherry scent and also contains coconut, vanilla, fresh strawberries and carrageen seaweed which softens the skin. These are multi-purpose products and you can use them on the body, hair and scalp, which makes them a great holiday purchase. It also contains glitter which apparently leaves a subtle hint of shimmer on the skin, perfect for summer.

On the recommendation of the shop attendant, who on a side-note are always in a delight in Lush, I got the Sultana of Soaps. So called due to the dried sultanas, cranberries and apricots it contains. I have quite dry skin on my body and this creamy, moisturising soap is supposed to be great for dry patches. The moisturising properties are from the olibanum oil, rapeseed oil and coconut oil in the soap.

 

Finally I bought the No Drought Dry Shampoo. I am an avid user of dry shampoos, as I don't like to wash my hair every day, and am always keen to try new ones out.  I have never used a dry shampoo in powder format before, but after a little play I think I have mastered it. You can either puff this directly onto your hair or into your hands and then work through. I like to puff this directly into my hair, then run my fingers through to spread it out before brushing through the remainder of the product. Usually I don't like the scents of dry shampoos, but this has a lovely, fresh grapefruit and lime scent. With festival season coming up I think this is a must-have purchase.

What are your Lush must-haves? Please comment below if you have any recommendations!

I Wish...

Clockwise

1. Bumble and Bumble Surf Shampoo and Conditioner 

2. Nike Purple 'Flex 2012' Trainers 

3. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

4. Anya Hindmarch Ipad Cover

5. Origins GinZing Moisturiser

6. Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Eyes Mascara by Alber Elbaz 

Nailed It # 1 - You Only Live Twice

I came across this polish rifling through my friend's beauty bits. This is one of my favourite things to do as you can try out products that you don't own and it's so interesting to see what other people love! Anyway I immediately fell in love and I'm not even usually a red nail polish wearer. You Only Live Twice is from the Skyfall Collection which came out in the OPI Holiday/Winter Collection for 2012 inspired by last year's Bond film release.

You Only Live Twice is a bright magenta packed with fuchsia and gold shimmer. Even though I originally thought this shade better suited to winter, the shimmer in this varnish was so beautiful out in the sun, making it perfect for summer. The application was good, and I only needed two coats for full opacity and it dried quickly. The only downside is that, as with most glitter polishes, this was a massive pain to get off, especially as I was trying to remove it in a hurry before flying out the door!

This varnish is available online for the sale price of £8.25 at Salon Skincare - I've already placed my order! 

Boots Drugstore Haul

After 6 months away I had serious Boots cravings so I popped in a few days ago to pick up a couple of treats. After some serious self restraint this is what I walked away with.

Top of my shopping list was a new mascara and the one that caught my eye was the L'Oréal False Lash Flutter mascara. This mascara is the BOMB, capitals all round! It is thickening and lengthening and it leaves my lashes clump free. The first night I wore it I got asked which false lashes I was wearing so it definitely lives up to its name! It is definitely going to have a home in my make up bag over the next few weeks.

Next up and encouraged by the Boots buy one cosmetic get another half price offer, I bought the Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in Ultra Violet. This is the first coloured eyeliner I have bought since the days of baby blue eyeshadow and bright blue liner combo - NICE. However this time I think I got it right as this looks absolutely gorgeous. The packaging is great, it comes in a dinky little pot perfect for your make up bag and the brush it comes with is surprisingly good. This colour is beautiful, I have blue eyes but I think it would look even better on dark brown eyes. Only criticism is that, even though it lasted fairly well on me for an evening, I remain sceptical on the 24hr wear claim

Ever since I got home I have been dying to get my hands on the Real Techniques expert face brush. The buffing brush and blush brush have been permanent in my make up bag over the last few months, so I had high hopes. Well I can announce that the buffing bush has been officially replaced by this little guy as my new foundation brush. Like all Real Technique brushes it is super soft and the narrow brush head means that you can easily get into all the nooks and crannies to create flawless coverage.

Finally I picked up the Garnier Moisture Match for combination to oily skin. This moisturiser claims to keep your face matte for 24hrs, which on me isn't the case and I don't have particularly oily skin. The product doesn't blow me away but it has positives in that it sinks into the skin quickly and has a pleasant fresh smell. However I think the packaging could have been improved and the texture feels slightly grainy to touch. I like the idea of the Moisture Match collection though and might try out the Radiant one next to see if that is a better match for me.

 

Have you been to Boots recently? Please comment below with what you picked up or what is on your wish list.

I would love it if you could follow my blog and check out my YouTube channel at DarlingZara

Honey I'm Home!!

Firstly HELLOOOOOO I am back!! Secondly, sorry I never told you I was going!! I finished work and had 3 days before I set off on my big adventure so it was all rather crazy!! I have just got back from the most incredible experience of my entire life. I spent the last 6 months travelling through Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, China and Hong Kong!! Phew!!

I am going to write a proper blog post soon about my travels (be warned it is going to be picture HEAVY)! In the mean time here are a couple of pictures to give you a little teaser!

Rocking our Non La in Hoi An, Vietnam

Magical morning strolling around Ta Prohm in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

xxxx

Sunday Night X Factor Pamper!

I typically spend my Sunday evenings watching X Factor and TOWIE, drinking hot choc and having a bit of a pamper! So I thought I would let you know what my standard beauty routine is when I'm cuddled up on the sofa!

First thing I do is splash my face with water (as I don't usually wear make up on Sundays) and pop on my Sanctuary clay mask, see my review of this here! I then slick on my Burts Bees Honey lip balm, I easily suffer from dry lips and this balm is my absolute favourite. You can pick it up for £3 on feelunique or in Boots. I then paint my fingers and toes, this week I went for  Essie Skirting the Issues on my tootsies and Essie Topless & Barefoot on my fingers, with the Champneys top coat over both. Once dry I slather on Soap and Glory Heels Genius, which was in my September Favs and pop on some fluffy socks. I then spend most of my evening massaging Soap & Glory Hand Food into my hands!

What is your Sunday night sofa routine?

September Favourites!

September is over and it's been a bit of a hectic month for me! I've started a new job, moved in with my boyfriend and gone on holiday! I'm now looking forward to a much more chilled out October complete with lots of cosy nights in, and lots of long-awaited pampering! Here are a few products I've been loving in the month of September:

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, Liz Earle Limited Edition Cleanse & Polish, Dior Addict Diorkiss and Stila In The Light

First up is Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb which I have written about before. I adore this perfume, the smell makes me feel cosy and sexy all at once! You just have to go and smell it to understand. I also have been loving the Liz Earle Prince's Trust Special Edition Cleanse & Polish which I have also reviewed. My skin has been feeling really sensitive and dehydrated recently and the lavender and chamomile in this cleanser is so gentle and soothing on it.

                                                         Diorkiss                                                                              In The Light

Make-up wise I have been loving the Dior Addict lipstick in Diorkiss 578. This is a sheer glossy, balm-like lipstick that is really easy to wear and nourishing on the lips. I love the colour for September as it is the perfect transitional colour from Summer to Autumn. It is a gorgeous bright pink with rosey undertones. My final make up choice is Stila In The Light palette which has a wonderful mixture of matte and shimmery tones that are so soft and easy to apply. There is a great mix of day and evening shades, I took this palette on holiday with me and it had everything I needed. This palette has also been a great quick fix in the morning when I'm in a rush for work!

                            Soap & Glory Heel Genius, Nails Inc Basil Street and Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask

I have been loving the Origins Drink Up Intensive mask this month, I first started using it on holiday to soothe my skin after a day in the sun and it worked wonders! Since returning I've been a bit under the weather and my skin has been rather stressed, I find if I put this mask on at night I wake up in the morning and its soothed and soft. Lovely! This Soap & Glory Heels Genius foot cream has been pulled out the draw again this month, I massage this blue gel into my feet at night after a shower, pop on some socks and wake up to find baby soft tootsies. Finally my nail polish pick this month is Nails Inc Basil Street, it is a gorgeous nudey neutral that is perfect for this season and great for work.

                                                       Heels Genius                                                                      Basil Street

I have discovered lots of wonderful new products this month but don't think I've given them a thorough enough testing yet to include in my faves but expect lots of reviews soon! If you would like me to give an individual review on any of the above products please let me know. I hope you had a wonderful September and are looking forward to the month ahead!

What are your favourite products this month? Have you tried any of these, what are your thoughts?

Review: Liz Earle Prince's Trust Limited Edition Rose and Lavender Cleanse & Polish

When I first heard about this product, I was beyond excited!! I adore the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish and I LOVE rose beauty products so this is a match made in heaven for me!

Liz Earle have brought out this Special Edition cleanser in conjunction with their current work with The Prince's Trust. This product has been created through a collaboration between Liz Earle and her Prince's Trust mentee, Rebeca Taylor, for the Tomorrow Campaign. The Tomorrow Campaign was created to inspire the next generation and paired six Trust-supported young people with iconic mentors to create a product that will be retailed nationwide to raise funds for The Prince’s Trust. The outcome is an exceptional product, giving a floral twist to a much-loved beauty essential. Furthermore it's all in the name of charity, Liz Earle are donating £2 from each purchase towards The Prince's Trust.

If you are not familiar with the original Cleanse & Polish, it is a cream based cleanser that is applied to a dry face in circular motions and removed with a hot muslin cloth. It easily wipes away daily grime and removes all make up, including eye make up. The skin is left smooth, soft and exceptionally clean. It is suited to all skin types and is simply a beautiful, beautiful product.

This updated Special Edition cleanser comes in a simple white pump bottle with a pretty pink and purple design, which distinguishes it from the original blue tube. The product still has the same ingredients that has made this an award-winning cleanser, including skin softening cocoa butter and rosemary and chamomile to tone and smooth. However this new cleanser includes rose and lavender essential oils, making it perfect for night time use. Liz says, "a unique blend of rose and lavender essential oils to calm and relax your senses, ideal for use to ensure a good night’s sleep. Perfect partners; use our original Cleanse & Polish in the morning and our Special Edition in the evenings."

This product is currently retailing at £19.75 for a 150ml tube
It is available from Liz Earle Stores, the Customer Centre on 01983 813913, lizearle.com, John Lewis, and on QVC

Have you tried this Special Edition cleanser? How do you think it compares to the original?

Duty Free Shopping!!

One of the things I look forward to most about going on holiday, apart from the sun tan, cocktails and beachy hair, is duty free!! This year was no different and I picked up a few sneaky purchases on the way through departures.

The first place I stopped off was the MAC counter and picked up a few products I had my eye on for a while and one cheeky impulse buy! The first was MAC Charcoal Brown eyeshadow which is a matte light brown shade that I use to fill in my eyebrows. This eyeshadow has been recommended by numerous beauty gurus with similar colouring to myself and so far I've been very content with my purchase. Nothing to write home about but it does the job well!

Next up I got MAC Sable which is a lovely plummy brown shade! It often wear this to work with MAC All That Glitters as a nudey duo for daytime. Alternatively put it with MAC Joy and Laughter (review below) for a glammed up evening look. This eye shadow is a frost finish, with amazing pigmentation and glides smoothly onto the lid meaning it is super easy to apply. I think this is one of those must-have MAC shades that everyone needs in their make up bag!

The final eye shadow I got was MAC Joy and Laughter. This shadow is a Mineralise Duo eyeshadow which came out this year in the permanent collection. Joy and Laughter contains a cool-toned shimmery lilac shade paired with a softer grey-mauve shimmery shade. You can use this as a duo with the cool-toned shade over the whole lid and they grey-mauve shade in the crease or you can swirl a brush round and swipe it all over the lid and put Sable in the crease. On the swatch the mixture is on the left, the darker shade in the middle and the lighter on the right. I don't usually go for purple shades but I absolutely fell for this! The pigmentation is incredible, you only need to lightly dust your brush in the product to pick up the perfect amount. The shadow is super soft and silky and is a dream to apply. I really liked Love Connection as well, but they didn't have any in stock so I'm definitely going to pick that up on my next MAC trip!

My final MAC purchase was the Painterly paint pot. This is my first paint pot purchase (try saying that out loud!) I own a few of the Maybelline Colour Tatoos and love them but they don't do a good nude shade so I decided to indulge. So far I have been more than happy with my purchase and have been wearing it almost every day for work! It is a flesh-tone shade with a matte formula. The product comes in a glass jar, making it unsuitable for travel but it does give it a hint of luxury! FYI I have heard these can dry out very easily if you leave the lid off. I have very oily eyelids so a base is essential to ensure my eyeshadows stay put all day. If I'm tired my eyelids also become quite dark and this completely disguises this. This is another product that I think you NEED in your make up bag!

I then ventured over to the skincare area and after some serious self-restraint only picked up this Clinique Anti-Blemish Clearing Moisturiser. I am now onto my fourth repurchase of this product, and really enjoy using it. I have quite problematic skin on my T-zone and if I use a heavy moisturiser here my skin will break out, guaranteed! This product is oil-free and very lightweight so useless for those dry skinned bunnies out there, but perfect for those of us with oilier skin. I'm unsure whether this treats existing blemishes but it definitely prevents further breakouts. I put this on in the morning before my make up, as anything heavier will mean by make up slides straight off. However in the evening i use a more heavy-duty moisturiser/serum! The only downside with this product is it doesn't contain SPF but I have factor 30 in my BB cream so not a problem for me.

The finale of this shopping trip was Victor and Rolf Flowerbomb perfume! This was actually a gift from my lovely brother for my birthday. I have wanted this ever since I sniffed my best friend (not as weird as it sounds!) at a party last Christmas and fell in love! This perfume is utterly DELICIOUS, there is not other word to describe it! Well maybe there is, and as I am pretty hopeless at describing scents this is what the website says "Full-bodied and opulent, the Eau de Parfum explodes in a bouquet of sensations with its addictive floral notes which leave their trail, like a whirlwind that is distinctly couture. A millefleurs around the freesia, Centifolia rose, osmanthus and Sambac jasmine, supported by a background of patchouli." If that description doesn't make you want to go try it out I don't know what will! The bottle is cut like a multi-faceted diamond, it is gorgeous, simple and classic. So please I implore you to go to your nearest fragrance counter and try this out, you can thank me later!

Please comment below with what products have you picked up in duty free this Summer?

In-Flight Beauty Routine

I'm on holiday right now, yaaaaay for me! Now enough of my smugness and on to the important stuff! Everyone loves going on holiday somewhere exotic but long haul flights come at a price! And not just on your wallet! Dehydrated skin, puffy eyes and frizzy, dried-out hair are not ideal when you want to step off the plane a la Victoria Beckham. After avidly watching Lisa Eldridge's YouTube video on her in flight beauty routine with pen and paper, I devised my own!

I picked up this clear travel bag from Primark for a few pounds complete with 3 100ml bottles and 3 small pots. Much cheaper than the Muji option! (I'm using hotel Wifi on an iPad at the moment and my picture won't upload!)  Here's a run down of what I took with me: Macademia Healing oil, hair tie, No7 cleansing water for oily skin, Origins drink up intensive mask, Lancôme hydra zen eye contour gel cream, Elizabeth Arden eight hour cream, Elizabeth Arden eight hour hand treatment, No7 day cream for oily skin, Boots nail remover pads, Topshop clear base and top coat, Essie lovie dovie nail varnish  and a couple of cotton pads. And yes all that fits in this little bag, just call me Mary Poppins! 

Hair

First thing I do when I get on the plane is to brush my hair and then run a small amount of macadamia oil through my hair! I mainly focus on the ends as these are driest and use sparingly in my roots. I wouldn't usually use a hair oil on dry hair as I have quite oily hair but I don't mind it looking a bit greasy on the plane and I'll have a shower as soon as I get to my hotel. This will stop the dry cabin air turning it into frizz central and drying it out too much.  I then tie it up for the duration of the flight. This stops it tangling and rubbing up against the seats causing static. 

Face

To prep my skin for the flight I run a cotton pad with No7 cleansing water over my face. I don't tend to wear make up to the airport, as.. well.. I can't really be bothered! So this step is just to freshen up and remove any excess oil etc. I then massage a small amount of my Origins drink up mask into my skin, once I've done this I wait five minutes for it to sink in and then repeat again till I've built up three layers of product. This mask sinks into the skin easily so it is necessary to repeat this process to build up a thick layer of coverage. This mask seriously hydrates the skin and provides a barrier against the dry cabin air, leaving your skin plump and glowing. I then leave this on for the duration of the flight, reapplying every 3-4 hours. The mask is clear once you massage it in so you don't look ridiculous don't worry!

I then pat my Lancôme hydra zen eye cream below my eye, reapplying alongside the mask. This eye cream helps with puffiness and fatigue so it should disguise and signs of early morning flights and dehydration. Before landing I remove any traces of the mask with my cleansing water and moisturise with my No7 day cream. This moisturiser also contains  SPF to protect my skin from the sun as soon as I step off the plane. I use my Elizabeth Arden eight hour cream on my lips constantly throughout the flight to top the air con drying them out.

 

Nails

As well as giving myself a mini facial mid flight I also take the opportunity to give myself a manicure. So yes, much to my family's embarrassment I practically turn the plane into a spa! Next step and I'll be putting a foot spa in my hand luggage! Pahh! Anyways, I use my Elizabeth Arden eight hour hand cream a bazillion times throughout the flight, mainly due to boredom. I also massage my eight hour cream into my nails, to soften my cuticles and nourish the skin around my nails! I use Topshop base/top coat and I've chosen to wear Essie's Lovie Dovie this holiday, one of my favourite varnishes this summer!  I've also packed nail varnish remover pads in case of any mishaps!

So that's it! This routine seems to have worked so I shall be going through the whole palaver on the journey home. At least it keeps me entertained :) Also remember to drink LOADS of water as you need to hydrate the body from the inside out too!

Please comment below with any inflight beauty tips you have!