"Life is to be enjoyed, not endured." - Gordan B. Hinckley
NOTD: Miss Stone Heart
Thursday 29 July 2010
2 coats of H&M Nail Polish in 'Miss Stone Heart'I know this colour isn't particularly summery, but I was instantly drawn to it when I saw it in H&M. Also, how awesome is the name of polish?! The formula is so creamy and I found this so easy to apply. Even with one coat, the colour was pretty opaque. I found that this lasted a fair amount of time, although I think it could have lasted longer if I'd put top coat on.
xoxo, Joy
xoxo, Joy
Home From Uni
Saturday 24 July 2010
I finally got home from uni yesterday! This year feels like it's gone on for so long, yet it also feels like it's gone so quickly, I can't believe I won't be a fresher anymore next year!
When I got home, I was welcomed by not only my family, but a new pair of Uggs and a pile of goodies on my bed from a couple of giveaways that I'd won recently which I'd had sent home instead of to my uni halls.
Black Bailey Button Uggs - I know it's not the ideal weather for them at the moment, but when I found out that my dad was going on a business trip to Boston, I asked him to buy me a new pair, since I'd had my old pair for nearly 4 years and they were completely battered and worn. Also, Uggs are SOOOO much cheaper in the US! I realise Uggs are a bit like Marmite - You either love them or hate them. I know lots of people that hate them, but I personally love them. I don't wear them to be fashionable or "cool", I wear them because they're so comfortable and warm!
I've had a stroke of luck recently and have been privileged enough to win a couple of giveaways. I was absolutely thrilled to hear that I'd won the giveaways, since I never expected to. I wanted to take this opportunity to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to Sigma, Sarah at I Heart Cosmetics, Faye at Faye Cavania and Kiss Nails. :D
Sigma Makeup - I won the daily giveaway from Sigma's 'Daily Giveaway' on Twitter back in June. I was excited to see that I'd received the SS150 (It has now been renamed to the F30), which is a lovely, soft and dense powder brush.
The Sigma SS150/F30
Korres Body Butter - I won the Korres Quince Body Butter from Sarah's 24 hour giveaway. I've been wanting to try a couple of products from Korres for a while and I was really interested in this scent, since I wasn't really sure what to expect. I've used it once since I got home from uni and so far, I'm loving it :)
Kiss Nails - I won these products by Kiss from Faye's giveaway. When I opened the package, I was overwhelmed at how much I'd been sent, it's so kind of them! I've only ever tried press on nails and I don't even remember what I thought of them, it was so long ago! So I'm really excited to try these products out.
I will do proper reviews for all of these products once I've had the opportunity to use them for a longer period of time and experiment with them. Thank you so much again to Sigma Makeup, Sarah, Faye and Kiss Nails!! :D
Long post is long, sorry! Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy
When I got home, I was welcomed by not only my family, but a new pair of Uggs and a pile of goodies on my bed from a couple of giveaways that I'd won recently which I'd had sent home instead of to my uni halls.
Black Bailey Button Uggs - I know it's not the ideal weather for them at the moment, but when I found out that my dad was going on a business trip to Boston, I asked him to buy me a new pair, since I'd had my old pair for nearly 4 years and they were completely battered and worn. Also, Uggs are SOOOO much cheaper in the US! I realise Uggs are a bit like Marmite - You either love them or hate them. I know lots of people that hate them, but I personally love them. I don't wear them to be fashionable or "cool", I wear them because they're so comfortable and warm!
I've had a stroke of luck recently and have been privileged enough to win a couple of giveaways. I was absolutely thrilled to hear that I'd won the giveaways, since I never expected to. I wanted to take this opportunity to say a MASSIVE THANK YOU to Sigma, Sarah at I Heart Cosmetics, Faye at Faye Cavania and Kiss Nails. :D
Sigma Makeup - I won the daily giveaway from Sigma's 'Daily Giveaway' on Twitter back in June. I was excited to see that I'd received the SS150 (It has now been renamed to the F30), which is a lovely, soft and dense powder brush.
The Sigma SS150/F30Korres Body Butter - I won the Korres Quince Body Butter from Sarah's 24 hour giveaway. I've been wanting to try a couple of products from Korres for a while and I was really interested in this scent, since I wasn't really sure what to expect. I've used it once since I got home from uni and so far, I'm loving it :)
Kiss Nails - I won these products by Kiss from Faye's giveaway. When I opened the package, I was overwhelmed at how much I'd been sent, it's so kind of them! I've only ever tried press on nails and I don't even remember what I thought of them, it was so long ago! So I'm really excited to try these products out.
I will do proper reviews for all of these products once I've had the opportunity to use them for a longer period of time and experiment with them. Thank you so much again to Sigma Makeup, Sarah, Faye and Kiss Nails!! :D
Long post is long, sorry! Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy
Review: Topshop Cream Blush
Wednesday 21 July 2010
I've been wanting to try a cream blush and since I've never used one before (I've always stuck with my powder blushers), so I was a little stuck about where to buy one.
Oops, I didn't realise I could be seen in the mirror!
What they say: (From Topshop.com) Lightweight cream to powder blush that melts into the skin giving a natural luminous, radiant finish.
Price: £6
Swatches:
With flash - Left: Blended, Right: Unblended
In daylight - Left: Blended, Right: Unblended
What I think: After seeing a tonne of people raving about the Topshop blush back when the Topshop makeup range was first released, I decided to give Topshop makeup a go. I got this cream blush for £5.40, since I was able to get 10% student discount, which I thought was an extremely reasonable price.
The blush gives the cheeks a really pretty colour, which is easily buidable. The pigmentation is really good, so very little product is needed. The blush is cream to powder, so it feels light on the skin once applied, and it blends really easily. I've found it really easy to work with, especially since I've never used a cream blush before.
I'm about 80% sure I would repurchase this. The 20% of doubt isn't a specific gripe with the Topshop cream blush, it's just that I want to try cream blushes from other brands and I'm still a loyal powder blush fan.
Have any of you tried anything from the Topshop make-up range? Is there anything that you would recommend?
Thanks for reading. xoxo, Joy
Oops, I didn't realise I could be seen in the mirror!What they say: (From Topshop.com) Lightweight cream to powder blush that melts into the skin giving a natural luminous, radiant finish.
Price: £6
With flash - Left: Blended, Right: Unblended
In daylight - Left: Blended, Right: UnblendedWhat I think: After seeing a tonne of people raving about the Topshop blush back when the Topshop makeup range was first released, I decided to give Topshop makeup a go. I got this cream blush for £5.40, since I was able to get 10% student discount, which I thought was an extremely reasonable price.
The blush gives the cheeks a really pretty colour, which is easily buidable. The pigmentation is really good, so very little product is needed. The blush is cream to powder, so it feels light on the skin once applied, and it blends really easily. I've found it really easy to work with, especially since I've never used a cream blush before.
I'm about 80% sure I would repurchase this. The 20% of doubt isn't a specific gripe with the Topshop cream blush, it's just that I want to try cream blushes from other brands and I'm still a loyal powder blush fan.
Have any of you tried anything from the Topshop make-up range? Is there anything that you would recommend?
Thanks for reading. xoxo, Joy
NOTD: Rose Libertine
Sunday 18 July 2010
3 coats of Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in 'Rose Libertine'I really love this colour - It's such a gorgeous corally-pink. It's ideal for hands and feet. I was impressed at how quickly this nail polish dried. I didn't time how long it took to dry, but it was generally pretty speedy. But on some nails where I had applied thick layers, it took a longer time. Upon applying the first coat, I was just thinking that it was a little streaky, but after applying another coat, it started to look better. The third coat made the colour look really opaque and gorgeous. I think it depends how thick each coat is. If you do thicker coats for your first/second one, then you'll probably need to do fewer coats. The brush is really big and I found that I was able to paint each nail in one - two strokes, which is good since I'm rather impatient.
xoxo, Joy
xoxo, Joy
Recent Purchases
Thursday 15 July 2010
I had a half day at uni earlier this week, so I decided to do some exercise by walking around the Bullring. Obviously, you can't walk around a shopping centre without going into the shops and buying things!
Miss Selfridge
Studded clutch - £15.00 (Well, £13.50 with student discount) - I bought a clutch like this from Topshop for £45 a while back, but returned it because I didn't think it was really worth the price. When I saw this in the Miss Selfridge sale for only £15, I immediately snapped it up. I love how huge it is and I think it's cool that there is an assortment of different studs on it.
MujiNotebook - 60p - I like having a little notebook to carry around in my bag and I thought this was ideal. It was so cheap (I don't know if you agree, but nowadays it's hard to find things for less than £1!) and I love that it will fit easily into any size of bag.
Boots
Barry M Nail Polish 3 In 1 Basecoat, Topcoat and Nail Hardener - £2.95 [2 for £5]
Barry M Nail Polish in 308 (Berry Ice Cream) - £2.95 [2 for £5]
Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight - £5.99
Natural Collection Moisture Shine Lipstick in Apple Blossom - £1.99 [I managed to break this within a few hours of buying this... What a doofus! After attempting to 'stick' it back together and failing, I decided to just melt it completely using Sabrina's method. You can see my end result in the photo above]
Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2-in-1 Wash & Mask - £3.59 [2 for £5]
Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash - £4.49 [2 for £5]
Expert Build Up Removal Shampoo - £2.99
What have you bought recently?
xoxo, Joy
Miss Selfridge
Studded clutch - £15.00 (Well, £13.50 with student discount) - I bought a clutch like this from Topshop for £45 a while back, but returned it because I didn't think it was really worth the price. When I saw this in the Miss Selfridge sale for only £15, I immediately snapped it up. I love how huge it is and I think it's cool that there is an assortment of different studs on it.
MujiNotebook - 60p - I like having a little notebook to carry around in my bag and I thought this was ideal. It was so cheap (I don't know if you agree, but nowadays it's hard to find things for less than £1!) and I love that it will fit easily into any size of bag.
Boots
Barry M Nail Polish 3 In 1 Basecoat, Topcoat and Nail Hardener - £2.95 [2 for £5]
Barry M Nail Polish in 308 (Berry Ice Cream) - £2.95 [2 for £5]
Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight - £5.99
Natural Collection Moisture Shine Lipstick in Apple Blossom - £1.99 [I managed to break this within a few hours of buying this... What a doofus! After attempting to 'stick' it back together and failing, I decided to just melt it completely using Sabrina's method. You can see my end result in the photo above]
Neutrogena Visibly Clear 2-in-1 Wash & Mask - £3.59 [2 for £5]
Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash - £4.49 [2 for £5]
Expert Build Up Removal Shampoo - £2.99
What have you bought recently?
xoxo, Joy
Review: The Body Shop Facial Brush
Sunday 11 July 2010
I meant to do a review on this ages ago, but I kept forgetting! I guess the good thing about doing the review a month or so after buying it is that I've had quite a while to use it and get a better overview of it.
What they say: (From TheBodyShop.co.uk) A small nylon brush for the face suitable for use with cleansers, facial washes or exfoliators from The Body Shop®. The ergonomically improved shape allows for maximum control. Supplied with a flush-fitting lid, which allows excess water to be drawn away from the bristles after use for increased hygiene and protection.
Price: £3
What I think: I LOVE this facial brush! I've used it pretty much every night since I bought it and my skin feels much smoother. I regularly get dry patches on my cheeks, regardless of how much I exfoliate or moisturise, and I've found that this facial brush helps to keep them at bay for longer, which I'm loving. I feel like my skin tone is a bit more even than before, due to the facial brush boosting the blood circulation in my face. The facial brush is very versatile, it can be used with a face cleanser for a deep clean or with an exfoliator for a double exfoliation.
Comparison to an electric toothbrush head
I love the size of the facial brush. It's small, so it doesn't take up too much space and is great for travelling, but it's still easy to use and doesn't fall out of my grip when I'm using it or if my hands are wet. It has soft, densely packed bristles, which reminds me of an electric toothbrush head. Even though the bristles are soft, you have to be careful not to be too heavy handed with the brsuh (I learnt this the hard way) - A gentle pressure does the same as a large amount of pressure, but doesn't leave your face red and feeling a bit raw. It comes with a lid, which is a bonus, since it keeps dust and bacteria from getting onto the brush. I wouldn't recommend putting the lid onto the brush while the bristles are wet, because I found that it stopped the brush from drying completely between uses. Also, be careful when putting it the lid back on, because it can bend some of the bristles out of shape.
When I first started using the facial brush, I found that the smell of the cleanser that I was using lingered in the bristles and when I changed cleansers, it smelt weird due to the two scents mixing. To overcome this, you have to make sure you clean the facial brush properly after use by thoroughly rinsing it in warm water and deep cleaning it once a week. I deep clean it like I deep clean my make-up brushes. I'm tempted to try using my MAC brush cleaner on it for spot cleaning...
I would definitely recommend this to people who get dry patches or feel that their skin looks dull. Actually I recommend this to everyone, regardless of your skin type! The facial brush is definitely cost effective at only £3 and I would say that it only need changing when the bristles are starting to look frayed and battered. (Maybe change it once every 3 months, like a toothbrush?).
I recently bought The Body Shop's Facial Buffer after reading Holly's rave about it on her blog and then hearing her rave about it in her skincare routine video on Youtube, so after I've had the opportunity to use that for a while, I will do a comparison between the two.
Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy
What they say: (From TheBodyShop.co.uk) A small nylon brush for the face suitable for use with cleansers, facial washes or exfoliators from The Body Shop®. The ergonomically improved shape allows for maximum control. Supplied with a flush-fitting lid, which allows excess water to be drawn away from the bristles after use for increased hygiene and protection.
Price: £3
What I think: I LOVE this facial brush! I've used it pretty much every night since I bought it and my skin feels much smoother. I regularly get dry patches on my cheeks, regardless of how much I exfoliate or moisturise, and I've found that this facial brush helps to keep them at bay for longer, which I'm loving. I feel like my skin tone is a bit more even than before, due to the facial brush boosting the blood circulation in my face. The facial brush is very versatile, it can be used with a face cleanser for a deep clean or with an exfoliator for a double exfoliation.
Comparison to an electric toothbrush headI love the size of the facial brush. It's small, so it doesn't take up too much space and is great for travelling, but it's still easy to use and doesn't fall out of my grip when I'm using it or if my hands are wet. It has soft, densely packed bristles, which reminds me of an electric toothbrush head. Even though the bristles are soft, you have to be careful not to be too heavy handed with the brsuh (I learnt this the hard way) - A gentle pressure does the same as a large amount of pressure, but doesn't leave your face red and feeling a bit raw. It comes with a lid, which is a bonus, since it keeps dust and bacteria from getting onto the brush. I wouldn't recommend putting the lid onto the brush while the bristles are wet, because I found that it stopped the brush from drying completely between uses. Also, be careful when putting it the lid back on, because it can bend some of the bristles out of shape.
When I first started using the facial brush, I found that the smell of the cleanser that I was using lingered in the bristles and when I changed cleansers, it smelt weird due to the two scents mixing. To overcome this, you have to make sure you clean the facial brush properly after use by thoroughly rinsing it in warm water and deep cleaning it once a week. I deep clean it like I deep clean my make-up brushes. I'm tempted to try using my MAC brush cleaner on it for spot cleaning...
I would definitely recommend this to people who get dry patches or feel that their skin looks dull. Actually I recommend this to everyone, regardless of your skin type! The facial brush is definitely cost effective at only £3 and I would say that it only need changing when the bristles are starting to look frayed and battered. (Maybe change it once every 3 months, like a toothbrush?).
I recently bought The Body Shop's Facial Buffer after reading Holly's rave about it on her blog and then hearing her rave about it in her skincare routine video on Youtube, so after I've had the opportunity to use that for a while, I will do a comparison between the two.
Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy
Recent Purchases
Thursday 8 July 2010
After my last uni exam on Tuesday, I decided to do some retail therapy to try to make me feel better. I was a little disappointed, because I wrote a list of stuff I wanted to buy, but didn't manage to find a lot of the stuff I wanted. :/
H&M
Flamingo Tee - £5
Boots
Arm & Hammer Advanced Whitening Toothpaste - £2.59
Oxy On The Spot - £3.99
Lee Stafford Sea Salt Spray - £5.99
Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy
Flamingo Tee - £5
Boots
Arm & Hammer Advanced Whitening Toothpaste - £2.59
Oxy On The Spot - £3.99
Lee Stafford Sea Salt Spray - £5.99
Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy
Dupe: Benefit Dallas
Tuesday 6 July 2010
I know there's a huge craze at the moment for Benefit's Coralista blush, but I thought I'd show some love for Benefit's Dallas blush. I got it as part of "Powder Pop", the old version of "Powderazzi. It is a trio of Benefit's Dandelion, Hoola and Dallas. From Look Fantastic: "Dallas from Benefit is the outdoor glow for the indoor gal! Some say it defies even Mother Nature herself. The perfect combination of bronzer and blush is right here, offering you an enviable natural looking glow."
I haven't used Dallas as much as I could have, since I seemed to always use my Max Factor Flawless Perfection blush in Mulberry instead (Shown by the fact that I've hit pan in the Max Factor, but still have a tonne of Dallas left despite the size difference). I only noticed the similarities between the two blushes recently. I really can't believe I hadn't noticed this before! (I feel a bit dim to be honest.)
Side by side:
With flash - Left: Max Factor Mulberry, Right: Benefit Dallas
In daylight - Left: Max Factor Mulberry, Right: Benefit Dallas
Swatches:
With Flash - Left: Max Factor Mulberry, Right: Benefit Dallas
In daylight - Left: Max Factor Mulberry, Right: Benefit Dallas
Both blushes have a very subtle shimmer to them - I don't normally like shimmery face products, but I really love these because the shimmer isn't obvious. They both have fantastic colour pay off and are buildable. I think the colours are perfect for all year round. In the pictures with flash, Mulberry looks slightly darker than Dallas, but I'd still say that they are a pretty good match. What do you think?
In conclusion, it costs £23.50 for a full size 12g box of Benefit Dallas vs £6.99 for 5g of Max Factor Flawless Perfection Blush in Mulberry. If I've done my maths correctly, it costs £1.96 per gramme of Dallas and £1.40 per gramme of Mulberry - Only a 56p difference! I know which one I'd pick. ;)
Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy
I haven't used Dallas as much as I could have, since I seemed to always use my Max Factor Flawless Perfection blush in Mulberry instead (Shown by the fact that I've hit pan in the Max Factor, but still have a tonne of Dallas left despite the size difference). I only noticed the similarities between the two blushes recently. I really can't believe I hadn't noticed this before! (I feel a bit dim to be honest.)
Side by side:
With flash - Left: Max Factor Mulberry, Right: Benefit Dallas
In daylight - Left: Max Factor Mulberry, Right: Benefit Dallas
With Flash - Left: Max Factor Mulberry, Right: Benefit Dallas
In daylight - Left: Max Factor Mulberry, Right: Benefit DallasBoth blushes have a very subtle shimmer to them - I don't normally like shimmery face products, but I really love these because the shimmer isn't obvious. They both have fantastic colour pay off and are buildable. I think the colours are perfect for all year round. In the pictures with flash, Mulberry looks slightly darker than Dallas, but I'd still say that they are a pretty good match. What do you think?
In conclusion, it costs £23.50 for a full size 12g box of Benefit Dallas vs £6.99 for 5g of Max Factor Flawless Perfection Blush in Mulberry. If I've done my maths correctly, it costs £1.96 per gramme of Dallas and £1.40 per gramme of Mulberry - Only a 56p difference! I know which one I'd pick. ;)
Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy
Review: MUA Lipsticks
Saturday 3 July 2010
When I saw that Superdrug were releasing a £1 make-up range, I was a little sceptical to be honest. When I first saw the range in store, I decided to only pick up an eyeshadow in Shade 1 (Which I really like). I popped into Superdrug recently while I was waiting for the bus and decided to try out a few of the MUA lipsticks.
(Just as a note for people around the Birmingham city centre area, they stock MUA in the Superdrug on Corporation Street and I noticed that they stock it in the Bullring store now too. For a list of stores which stock MUA, take a look here.)
In daylight - Left: Shade 11, Right: Shade 7
With flash - Left: Shade 11, Right: Shade 7
In daylight - Left: Shade 11, Right: Shade 7What I think: The packaging feels sturdy and kind of reminds me of NYX round lipsticks. I'm impressed that you get 3.8g of product, while with brands, such as MAC, you only get 3g.
The first things I noticed when I opened the lipstick was the smell, which is kind of sweet and artifical, but not in a bad way (I'm not very good at describing smells...), and that the lipstick had little pits/air bubbles in, which I've never seen before in a lipstick.
The colours of the lipsticks are gorgeous. Shade 7 is a pretty coral colour, with very subtle shimmer, while shade 11 is a bit like a warm-nude-my-lips-but-better colour, since it practically matches my natural lip colour. Both lipsticks are highly pigmented and extremely wearable. The wear is good - It stayed on for ages, even after eating and drinking. The finish has a slight sheen, which I think is really pretty. The formula is nice and creamy, so they apply easily.
I would definitely repurchase these, especially shade 11 because I'm really loving this colour. I honestly have no complaints with these lipsticks. :) Next time I'm in Superdrug, I'm going to take a look at the other colours and maybe pick up some more.
Have any of you tried any of the MUA lipsticks? Do you have any recommendations for other shades to try?
Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy
Just An Update
Thursday 1 July 2010
This is just a little update about a couple of things.
You may or may not have noticed that I finally put a header up! I was stressed due to exams and needed something to distract me during the England vs. Germany game on Saturday, so I decided to spend some time on Photoshop. I don't know if you can tell but the pictures are of Audrey Hepburn. I can't remember where I found the image now... What do you think? I really like it :)
I've realised a lot of my posts are very 'same-y' (Is that even a word?!), and I'm just going to put my lack of imagination down to my brain being overused for revision/exams, lol. Hopefully now that my uni exams are pretty much over (Only 1 left!), I will be posting about more of a variety of things.
I've decided not to do "Saturday Quotes" every week. I'll just post them every now and again when I find good quotes. I will still be continuing to post pictures for "Picture Tuesday", but I will be making it a fortnightly thing instead of weekly. I'm just making this change, because I feel like the majority of my posts are ending up just being pictures and/or quotes.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to say a quick thank you to my current followers. It's nice to know that people are reading my blog and (hopefully) enjoying my posts. :)
Just so that this entry isn't text only, I decided to include this photo that I took out of my uni halls window recently. I love summer. :)
I hope you're all well! xoxo, Joy
You may or may not have noticed that I finally put a header up! I was stressed due to exams and needed something to distract me during the England vs. Germany game on Saturday, so I decided to spend some time on Photoshop. I don't know if you can tell but the pictures are of Audrey Hepburn. I can't remember where I found the image now... What do you think? I really like it :)
I've realised a lot of my posts are very 'same-y' (Is that even a word?!), and I'm just going to put my lack of imagination down to my brain being overused for revision/exams, lol. Hopefully now that my uni exams are pretty much over (Only 1 left!), I will be posting about more of a variety of things.
I've decided not to do "Saturday Quotes" every week. I'll just post them every now and again when I find good quotes. I will still be continuing to post pictures for "Picture Tuesday", but I will be making it a fortnightly thing instead of weekly. I'm just making this change, because I feel like the majority of my posts are ending up just being pictures and/or quotes.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to say a quick thank you to my current followers. It's nice to know that people are reading my blog and (hopefully) enjoying my posts. :)
Just so that this entry isn't text only, I decided to include this photo that I took out of my uni halls window recently. I love summer. :)
I hope you're all well! xoxo, Joy
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