Hiatus

Sunday 19 December 2010


I'm currently on my Christmas break from uni and I've decided to take a temporary hiatus while I'm at home, because I want to spend as much time as I can enjoying my holidays with my family and friends. I'll be back blogging properly sometime in the new year when I return to uni.


I just wanted to say, I hope you all have an amazing Christmas and a wonderful new year. Also, I would like to add a massive thank you all for the support you guys have given me and my blog over the past 7 months - I appreciate it so much! :) I've got a couple of post ideas lined up for the new year, so I hope you'll come back, take a look and find them interesting.

All pictures from We Heart It

xoxo, Joy

Review: Body Shop Sheer Lip Shine

Friday 17 December 2010

Hey everyone. How are you all? Can you believe it's only just over a week until Christmas! I've had this review saved as a draft for ages, I just kept forgetting to post it! :/

Shade: Sheer Pink

What they say: (From TheBodyShop.co.uk) A beautiful range of luxurious moisturizing lipsticks that offer sheer colour coverage with a high shine finish and a sweet scent on application.

Price: £5

Swatch:


What I think: I bought this in the Body Shop sale a while back and I've been wearing it pretty much every day since I got it.

It's a pretty, slightly glossy pink colour, which looks extremely natural on the lips due to how sheer the lipstick is. It can be built up to give a more intense colour. The lipstick applies easily and is extremely moisturising - One day I left my Nivea lipbalm at home and used this to keep my lips moisturised throughout the day. Therefore, I'd call it tinted lip balm rather than a lipstick. It has a slightly fruity fragrance, which is rather pleasant. I also really like the packaging, it looks so sleek and elegant.

The main disadvantage is that the staying power of this lipstick isn't very long, only a couple of hours max. When the lipstick is full price (£9), I would say that it's expensive for a high-street make-up brand.

I would definitely recommend this product if you like a sheer and moisturising wash of colour on the lips. However, I don't know if they still sell this product anymore. I looked on the Body Shop website and couldn't find this particular product anymore, but I think the Delipscious Sheer Lipsticks are the new alternatives.

Do you like sheer lip colours?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Picture Tuesday

Tuesday 14 December 2010

Review: Tigi Bedhead Foxy Curls Shampoo

Friday 10 December 2010


What they say: (From TigiHaircare.com) Flaunt your Foxy Curls! This sulfate-free moisturelicious shampoo fights frizz, redefines curls and adds shine. Be foxy! Be fierce!
  • Smoothes and provides curl memory
  • Gentle cleansing without stripping or weighing down hair
  • Detangles
Price: £5.99 from TK Maxx (RRP £8.50)

What I think: I have slightly wavy hair, which if left to dry naturally has a wavy-and-slightly-frizzy look. Since using this shampoo, I have noticed that my curls appear more defined, bouncy and less frizzy. The shampoo leaves my hair feeling soft, even if I don't use conditioner afterwards.

I picked up this shampoo, because it doesn't contain sodium laureth sulphate, an ingredient in most shampoos. Despite not having SLS (the foaming agent), the shampoo lathers extremely well, which surprised me since I was expecting little to no lather.

This shampoo smells so amazing, like Skittles! Everytime I use it in the shower, I inhale deeply to take in the smell. Unfortunately, the smell doesn't remain once the hair is dry. Maybe if the Foxy Curls conditioner is used in conjunction with the shampoo, the scent might remain.

I honestly can't think of anything negative to say about this shampoo, except maybe that the price is a little steep for a shampoo. But for my hair type and the results that I've gotten, I think it's well worth it.

I also have Tigi Beadhead Small Talk, which is a 3-in-1 Thickifier, Energizer, Stylizer - Would you like to see a review for that? Have you tried any Tigi products before?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Wardrobe Envy: Rachel Bilson

Tuesday 7 December 2010


All images are from tfs

I've always liked Rachel Bilson's outfit choices. Her choices are always spot on. She knows how to flatter her petite figure and sticks to quite safe and simple options, while still looking amazing and making the clothes work for her.
Who are your style crushes? Keep an eye out for more of mine! You can see more of my style crushes here.

xoxo, Joy

NOTD: Champagne

Saturday 4 December 2010

2 coats of Models Own Nail Polish in 'Champagne'

After seeing a couple of blogs with NOTDs in this polish, I knew I had to have it. This is the most amazing colour ever - It's a silvery/gold with fine glitter. So perfect for the festive season. It applied like a dream. The formula is easy to work with and with 1 coat, you get a gorgeous opaque colour. Due to habit, I painted another coat on top which just topped off the colour and gave a perfect finish. Due to this being a glittery polish, I can imagine that it'll be a pain to remove, but because the colour is so pretty, it's worth it. (Can you tell how much I love the colour?!)

I think I might be investing in some more Models Own nail polishes in the near future. Do any of you have any colour recommendations?

xoxo, Joy

ETA: In contrary to my theory that this would be difficult to remove, it was as easy to remove as any other! This was a pleasant surprise, since I was imagining that I would be there forever!

Project 10 Empties

Thursday 2 December 2010


I was recently looking through my make-up and skin care products and have realised my collection has grown quite rapidly since the summer. Although the size of my collection is nothing compared to some of other bloggers' collections, I have more products than I need and/or can use before they reach their 'sell by date'.

So, I have decided that it's a new month and I really need to use up some of the products I own. I was inspired by Lollipop26's Project 10 Pan 'movement' to try and use up 10 products before buying any more. I realise that most people only include make-up in their project, but I am going to include skin and body products as well, since I think I'll be here forever if I only include make-up (I swear my make-up always takes absolutely ages to run out!), hence why I will be calling it Project 10 Empties. However, I have decided that at least 5 things counted in this project have to be make-up. ETA: An update/change to how I am going to carry out this 'project' is here.

Keep an eye out for updates on this to see how I'm getting along.

Have any of you ever done Project 10 Pan or something along those lines? How long did it take you to complete?

Thanks for reading. xoxo, Joy

Picture Tuesday

Tuesday 30 November 2010

Photo: Wailintse

NOTD: Lauren

Saturday 27 November 2010

1 coat of ASOS Nail Paints by Ciaté in 'Lauren'

After using the free Ciaté nail polish free with the November issue of Marie Claire and really liking it, I had a looksy on ASOS and found that their nail paints were reduced to £1 from £6!

The colour is a gorgeous, bright blue which I thought might have been a little too bright at first. But upon applying it, the colour spoke for itself and I really like it. The formula is easy to work with. The colour pay-off is brilliant, acheiving an opaque finish after one coat. I found that with a topcoat, the nail polish remained chip free for a couple of days, before chipping quite a lot as the week drew on.

Have any of you ever tried any Ciaté or ASOS Nail Paints by Ciaté before? What did you think of them?

xoxo, Joy

Review: Pixi Energy Blush

Thursday 25 November 2010

Pixi Energy Blush in No.1 Pretty Petal

What they say: (From PixiBeauty.co.uk) Cheek colour and glow highlighter in pick-me-up colours. These pick-me-up colours are designed to transform you from tired to on-top. Nothing brightens and awakens the face like a flattering blush and highlighter in the right place.


Price:
£2.99 from TK Maxx (RRP: £14.00)

Swatches:
With flash - From L-R: Blush, Highlighter, Blush+Highlighter

What I think:
  • I really like the packaging of this product. Although it is a little bulky, I love the green casing. There is a generously sized mirror and a compartment for the brush that is provided with it.
  • I don't use the brush that was included, but it is extremely soft and would be ideal for travel.
  • 3/4s of the pan is a baby pink blush with slight shimmers and 1/4 is a white highlighter with silver glitter running through it.
  • The product is a little powdery. There is a lot of fall out around the pan when your swirl a brush on the product. This can get a little messy, but it's tolerable.
  • The blush is very very sheer. It barely shows up on my skin (I am an NC15 in MAC), so I do not think this product would be suitable for people with darker skintones.
  • The highlighter is very pretty, but must be used with a light hand, because otherwise the shimmer will go everywhere and make you look like a disco ball.
  • The blush and highlighter mixed together gives a pretty pale pink (It has been washed out on the swatch). Although this product has been sat a little unloved in my make-up collection, whenever I dig it out, I use the two colours combined as a highlighter.

I personally would not have bought this product at £14. The blush portion is disappointing as it is so sheer and unpigmented to be worn alone. I do, however, like the white highlighter portion and the colour given by the blush and highlighter combined. If you like the look of this product, I would recommend looking into one of the darker, more intense colour combinations instead of this one. I didn't see this colour on the Pixi website when I went on it earlier, so I have a feeling they may have stopped producing it anyway.

Have any of you tried this blush? Are there any blushes that you've come across that were disappointing?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

P.S. You may have noticed that the review was written in bullet points instead of paragraphs today. (I don't think I am awake enough at the moment to write in coherent paragraphs.) I was wondering if you like it in this format

Save A Tree, Hug A Bear

Saturday 20 November 2010

I discovered earlier this week that my old can of hairspray had started dribbling the hairspray down the side of the bottle, instead of spraying it onto my hair. I can't live without hairspray, soyes off I plodded to Boots yesterday before I went to the gym and somehow managed to not only buy more than I needed, but I also ended up in Primarni as it was on my walk home. Oops.


Boots
Witch Hazel - £2.39
Got 2b 2 SEXY Collagen Lift Effect Hairspray - £3.99 [2 for £4! What a bargain, I got the second item for 1p!]
Got 2b Guardian Angel - £3.99 [2 for £4]
Rimmel Pro Matte Finish - £4.59
Collection 2000 Sheer Loose Powder - £2.99



Primark
Camel wedges - £4 [Reduced from £15]

Approximately 2 weeks ago, I won a David and Goliath Twitter giveaway by Glamour Magazine's Twitter. I won an invite to a launch party (which I was unable to attend, since it was in London and I'm currently studying in Birmingham) and 2 David and Goliath/Hauser Bears t-shirts. I'd never heard of Hauser Bears before, so I had a quick look into the organisation and found that it is a charity for the welfare of bears worldwide. They work to target the issues of bear bile farming in Asia, poaching and bears trapped in the entertainment trade. (More information can be found here) I chose these two cute tees from the range that they have on the David and Goliath site and I was excited to see that they'd arrived today :) I love David and Goliath t-shirts, because the material is so soft and comfortable to wear.


What have you all bought recently? Do you have anything from David and Goliath? Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Thanks for reading. xoxo, Joy

Picture Tuesday

Tuesday 16 November 2010

NOTD: Tropical Storm

Sunday 14 November 2010

1 coat of L.A. Colors Nail Polish in 'Tropical Storm'

The colour is a gorgeous, opaque dark silver colour (Wow, I am awful at describing colours...). I think that I'll be wearing this nail polish a lot throughout the autumn/winter time. I found the formula was very easy to work with and was opaque with only one coat. I also found that it was pretty quick drying. I was a little disappointed by how long lasting the nail polish was. It chipped quite quickly and I removed it after only 3 days.

xoxo, Joy

Review: Skin Doctors Vein Away

Wednesday 10 November 2010


What they say: (From the back of the box) Reduce the appearance of spide veins, broken capillaries and burst blood vessels in just weeks! This potent formulation is jamp packed with the latest skincare breakthroughs to help diminish the appearance of spider veins, broken capillaries and burst blood vessels. Formulated to contain a high dose of Vitamin K for an incredible effect, Vein Away Plus also contains Vitamin A to hasten delivery of these vital ingredients for faster, more dramatic results.

Price: £7.99 from TK Maxx (RRP £19.99)

What I think: I have been using Vein Away Plus every morning and evening for just over a month now. The product is recommended to be applied after a warm shower or bath when the pores are open for absorption.

Vein Away Plus can be used all over the body and the face. I've been using it around my nose and on my chin, because I have some mild broken capillaries in those areas. Due to only using it on those localised areas, I'm sure the 100ml in the tub will last me absolutely ages! The product has a nice consistency and massages well into the skin leaving little residue. It has a sort-of fresh, almost lemony scent to it, which is pleasant and not overpowering.

So far, I really can't say that I've seen much of an improvement of the areas I've been using it on. For now, I would not have recommended this product, because it has done nothing for me. However, I will persevere with the product for a longer period of time and update you about the progress and whether or not my opinion of this product has changed. I can however, definitely say that this product isn't for someone that wants to see quick results, it takes time and patience, remembering to apply it religiously.

Do any of you have broken capillaries/spider veins? Have you found any good products that help them?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Tattoos

Monday 8 November 2010

Photo: Tattoologist (Credit to the original photographer)

I've wanted a tattoo for a while now, but I have never been able to decide on the design since I constantly to change my mind about what I want. First I wanted a 4 leafed clover, then I decided that I liked the idea of having swallows/love birds, before changing my mind again to having the star arrangement from the Chinese flag, but decided against that idea due to everyone having star tattoos, and so the design battle continues (Wow, that was possibly the longest sentence ever...).

One night last week, I came across Tattoologist's blog. It's packed with photographs of different types of tattoos ranging from small and dainty birds to text to large animal tattoos. I thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the photos and continually felt compelled to click the "Older Posts" button until I reached the end. I highly recommend taking a look at her blog, especially if you want tattoo ideas. I just thought I'd share a couple of tattoos from the blog that I liked:

Photos: Tattoologist (Credit to the original photographers)

What are your opinions of tattoos - Yay or nay? I'd also love to know if any of you have tattoos :)

Hopefully I didn't bore you too much! Thanks for reading. xoxo, Joy

P.S. I like The Twilight Saga, as I'm sure many other people do. But I didn't think anyone could like it THIS much:
Image Source: Google Images

Saturday Quote

Saturday 6 November 2010

Photo: Amanda Gilligan (Here)

"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle." - Christian D. Larson

Recent Purchases

Thursday 4 November 2010

Since I've been back from Canada, I've tried to resist going shopping. But I had to return a dress to Topshop, which only resulted in me buying more...

BootsExpert Dry Scalp Treatment Shampoo - £2.99
Vitamin Water Lip Balm - Free [After buying 2 Vitamin Waters at £1.75 each]
No. 7 Eyeshadow Blend & Contour Brush - £1.50 [With the £5 off voucher]

MAC
Face and Body Foundation - £23.00
Accessorize
'Hand of Fatima' bracelet - £7.00

Orelia at Topshop
Bow necklace - £5
Leaf bracelets - £7

What have you bought recently?

Thanks for reading. xoxo, Joy

Picture Tuesday

Tuesday 2 November 2010

Photo: Amaia (Here)

October Wishlist

Sunday 31 October 2010

Hello everyone! :)

I'm back from Canada and back blogging again. Despite the gloomy weather (It rained every day apart from Wednesday), I had a lovely time with my family. Due to the rainy days, we didn't manage to do as much sight-seeing as we had wanted :( Unlike America, Canada isn't much cheaper than over here in the UK, so I didn't buy much while I was out there. In Vancouver airport, the duty free MAC cosmetics were the same as in the MAC shops here!

Due to not buying much while I was out in Canada, I decided to compile a wishlist of things that I've been wanting recently:


Clockwise from left:
Nude patent shoes (Next.co.uk)
Tracksuit Bottoms (JackWills.com)
MAC Face and Body Foundation (MACCosmetics.co.uk)
Coach Wristlet (Coach.com)
All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray (UrbanDecay.com)
Purple Skull Ring (TallulahTu.co.uk)

What are you all wishing for at the moment?

Oh and before I go, Happy Halloween! What are you all dressing up as?

xoxo, Joy

Vancouver Trip

Friday 22 October 2010

Hi everyone, I just wanted to let you know that I am going to Vancouver tomorrow and will be gone until Oct 29, so I won't be able to blog during that time.

Have any of you ever been to Canada before or come from Canada? Because I would love for you to tell me some good places to visit or things to do in Vancouver :)

Hope you're all ok and I'll see you soon!

xoxo, Joy

Picture Tuesday

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Sasha Pivovarova by Altamira (Here)

Recent Purchases

Saturday 16 October 2010

Since getting my student loan last week, I've been shopping a few times and bought a number of things.


ASOS
Mini Straightners - £4.50
ASOS Paints by Ciaté in Lauren - £1.00

TK Maxx
Bloch Shoes - £24.99 (RRP = £130!)
French Connection Bag - £19.99


Zara

Scarf - £16.99

Topshop
Hoodie - £20.00
Flats - £25.00


H&M
Top - £5.00

Bicester North Outlet Village
Ralph Lauren Polo Shirt - £16.99(!)

What have you all bought recently?

Thanks for reading. xoxo, Joy

P.S. In case you're thinking "Shoes on the bed!", don't worry, the shoes were clean and have never been worn outside!

New Watch

Sunday 10 October 2010

The Chanel J12 is a beautiful, highly covetted watch by many, including myself. Everytime I walk past Goldsmiths in the Bullring, I take a longing look at the Chanel watches in the window, telling myself that as soon as I graduate/get a job, I will save £2000+ for the one I want... Hmm, I WISH!

In the mean time, I recently bought myself a Fossil watch which I thought had similar features/looks to the Chanel J12. It costs £99 on the Fossil website and in their stores, however I got it for £76 on Amazon (Here). I love it so much :)


I had to get a couple of links taken out. Firstly, I went to Timpson and they said it would be £5, which I thought was ok. I then went to H Samuel and they said it would be £9.99 and would take an hour, which I thought was extortionate! Next, I tried the indoor markets next to the Bullring and found a lovely man who did it right there and then and for only £2! Happy days :)

Thanks for reading. xoxo, Joy

Marie Claire Magazine (+NOTD)

Thursday 7 October 2010


In the November issue of Marie Claire Magazine, there is a free Ciaté nail polish, which usually costs £9. There is a choice of 2 colours - A bright red named "Mistress" and a dark red named "Dangerous Affair". I chose "Mistress", because I am yet to find the perfect bright red colour.

1 coat of Ciaté Paint Pot in 'Mistress'
Wow, messy paint job! This photo was pre-cleanup.

The colour is a gorgeous bright, postbox red. It applied like a dream. The formula is so easy to work with and I found that I really like using the long handled brush, since Ciaté handles are longer than most other nail polishes. It dried extremely quickly and only needed one coat to get the opaque red colour, that you can see above. I only applied it last night, so I can't comment on how quickly this nail polish chips, however I didn't apply topcoat, so I can imagine that it will chip quicker than usual.

ETA: My nails have severely chipped over the weekend. I think that the longevity of the nail polish would probably have been better if I had applied more coats and/or if I had put a topcoat on.

xoxo, Joy

Picture Tuesday

Tuesday 5 October 2010

Collective Moisturiser Review: Part 2 (Body)

Friday 1 October 2010

This is part 2 of my moisturiser review series. Part 1 can be found here.

Like moisturisers for the face, I am swayed by good advertising and what the body moisturiser claims to do. I've rated each moisturiser out of 5.

Image Source: Google Images

Dove Pro Age - £5.49
This moisturiser has quite a nice fruity smell. It can be a little greasy and take a while to sink in if you apply too much, but it leaves your skin feeling moisturised and smelling nice. It contains 5% AHAs and sunscreen, which are added bonuses.


Dove Summer Glow - £4.99
This is ideal if you can't be bothered with fake tanning and want a natural colour from day 1. I found that when you initially apply the moisturiser, it smells nice and a little like grapefruit (I think). But after a while, the fake tan smell of biscuits overpowers the smell of fruit. After the first application, you get a subtle hint of a tan and as you apply more, it gradually builds up to a nice, streak-free, natural looking tan.


Korres Quince Body Butter - £11.50
This moisturiser has the most gorgeous smell ever! I love it. It is targetted at people with dry skin, so it is a thick moisturiser. If you apply too much, it can take a while to blend in. After sinking into the skin, it feels light and leaves skin feeling moisturised and smelling lovely.


Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Recent ELF Purchases

Monday 27 September 2010

E.L.F. do special offers on their Facebook page at every 1,000 new likes. They recently had free postage due to 65,000 likes, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try out a few of their products.

I was extremely pleased with how quickly the package arrived too. I placed the order at approximately 11am, so my order was dispatched on the same day and arrived in 2 days, which is mighty speedy! :)

Studio Blush in Tickled Pink - £3.50
Eyebrow kit in Dark - £3.50
Studio Small Angled Brush - £3.50
Plumping Lip Glaze in Oasis - £1.50



Swatches:

With flash - From L-R: Plumping Lip Glaze in Oasis, Plumping Lip Glaze (Clear end), Eyebrow Kit in Dark (Gel,), Eyebrow Kit in Dark (Powder), Blush in Tickled Pink

I used the products for the first time today and so far, so good :) I'm looking forward to trying out these products properly, due to reading some good reviews about them on other blogs and hearing positive reviews from some people on Youtube. Have you ever bought anything from E.L.F. before? Do you have any recommendations of good products by E.L.F.?

Thanks for reading. xoxo, Joy

Wardrobe Envy: Lauren Conrad

Saturday 25 September 2010


All images are from tfs

Lauren Conrad's outfits always look effortless and so stylish. I love how she pairs simple items of clothing with a few accessories and a gorgeous, designer bag. I'm so jealous of her collection of Chanel bags!

Who are your style crushes? Keep an eye out for more of mine! You can see more of my style crushes here.

xoxo, Joy

Picture Tuesday

Tuesday 21 September 2010

Collective Moisturiser Review: Part 1 (Face)

Saturday 18 September 2010

I've decided to do a 2 part series of posts about moisturisers that I have used recently. The first part is for face moisturisers and the second part will be for body moisturisers.

When I buy face moisturisers, I am usually swayed by the advertising and/or what the products claim to do. I don't think I've ever repurchased a moisturiser - Not because there haven't been any products that I've loved, but mainly because I like trying new products and seeing if they live up to their claims. I found it quite hard to review the moisturisers, simply because everyone's skin is so different. A product that has worked for me may not work for someone else etc. I've rated each moisturiser out of 5.

Image Source: Google Images

Garnier Soft Essentials Day - £4.99
I really liked this moisturiser. It's designed for sensitive skin, which I don't have, but I picked it up anyway. I love the smell of this, it kind of reminds me of roses. I found that it sunk into my skin quickly and left my skin feeling soft.

Superdrug Optimum Line Decrease Night Cream - £7.49
This moisturiser was really thick, so a little goes a long way. However, I found it a bit hit and miss - I liked the moisturiser, because it felt really nourishing and moisturising, however I sometimes wonder if it contributed to some break outs that I had over the time I used it. I'm not sure whether or not it helped to reduce the appearance of fine lines/wrinkles but my skin felt so soft in the morning.

Olay Complete Care UV Fluid - £2.79 (On offer)
This moisturiser is light and leaves skin feeling soft. It sinks into skin relatively quickly. I like that this moisturiser has SPF15 in it, which means that I don't need to put extra SPF on. The more I use this moisturiser, the more I like it. However, I do think that this would be too light to be used as a winter moisturiser.

Garnier Youthful Radiance Night - £5.45 (On offer)
I'm a little undecided about this moisturiser. I think that it has lived up to the promise of making your skin look like it has regained radiance. I have noticed that the appearance of the fine lines around my eyes have reduced. This has a weird smell, which I can't describe, but it's tolerable.

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy