Bourjois Paris Cream Blush Collection

I recently got super lucky and won the whole Bourjois Paris Cream Blush Collection during a twitter competition Bourjois held. I don’t ever tend to win things so I was super excited about this!

Now I have to admit I have never used a cream blush before, I am more of a powder girl. I was once told that powders work better on younger skin and have kind of stuck to those guidelines. I also like a natural look so find powder easy to blend in where I kind of assumed a cream would stand out like a sore thumb. Oh how dumb am I?!

From left to right

01 Nude Velvet / 02 Healthy Glow / 03 Rose Tender / 04 Sweet Cherry / 05 Pink Sunwear / 06 Tropical Coral

I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how much I adore these creams! I use a contouring brush to apply them which I find means I don’t end up with too much on my face and it’s much easier to blend in. If you want a bolder look you just layer on the cream. It is really soft on the skin too, I was worried they may be oily and I can sometimes suffer with dry cheeks, so I thought it maybe an awful mix! However they aren’t oily at all, wahooo! It has a lovely creamy consistency which turns into a powder when buffed in.

You know when you use a powdered blush, you pop it on first thing and by midday your cheeks look pretty bare again?? Well not with these folks! They stay put for most of the day which has really impressed me! For a beauty blogger, I am pretty lame in terms of reapplying my makeup through the day, who actually has time to do that?!

So here is my ugly mug, and I’m currently sporting 05 Pink Sunwear, which gives a fab natural sun kissed look. This has been a staple in my makeup bag this summer and I think its following into autumn as well!

 

These fab little pots are easy to find, Boots sells them for £7.99. I think this price is pretty reasonable, you don’t need a huge amount each use so I can imagine them lasting quite a while. I will definitely be re-buying in the future as I’ve been so impressed by the quality!

Do you use a powder or cream blush? Any tips for using a cream blush? I would love to hear them!

#TBT All That Glitters...

Welcome to my first #TBT / Throw Back Thursday! Where I am going to be delving into the depths of blog posts past and repost some of my favourites to share again with you all! As someone who has been blogging for over 2 years now, I have written over 400 blog posts, some that should probably remain hidden and some that I’m still pretty proud of and are still relevant to me. Which is why I thought it would be fun to run a #TBT series each week up until Christmas and share with you all my personal favourite old ‘Lipsticks & Lashes’ posts.

Originally Posted // 26th February 2013

At the age of 28, I’ve lately been wondering if I’m too old to be a fan of glitter? I have to admit that when it comes to anything that sparkles, chances are I probably love it! I am a total magpie! I am drawn to it and it instantly cheers my day up!

 

I think as a child my obsession began when watching The Wizard of Oz with Dorothy’s red glittery shoes. Luckily, when I was growing up, there were a huge range of options to add glitter to our existence. It was almost necessary to sparkle at all times and not because we were vampires. My friends and I stocked up on body glitter during weekly Saturday trips to Claire’s, where we also picked anything else that fitted with this trend. Anyway, I had glitter eye shadow and glitter eyeliner, so it was just never possible for me to be matte. I never wanted to be matte. What was the point of wearing makeup if you weren’t going to sparkle and shimmer?

 

And now a days? I love glittery Shoes, bags, nail polishes, eye shadows, tops......... You name it!

 

Yes on some occasions I will admit that glitter can be tacky and tasteless. I know many think glitter is only for little girls or Katy Perry. I have found that there are ways without going over the top with your glitz, still adding that boho glam you crave. Glitter or sequins (much like color) can brighten up any outfit.

 

My recent interest in all that sparkles, comes from a weekend away I had a couple of weeks ago to Cornwall. I stayed with an old friend who I grew up with, who is a complete free spirit. Her idea of getting ready for a night out is covering herself in glitter. I love this so much, and always join in when I stay. See pic below for the evidence! I was a little restrained but I used Barry M’s Glitter Dusts in Gold and Green to achieve this look.

 

 

Finally Glitter is the universal symbol for awesomeness and parties and fun. I love this video for Dog Days by Florence and The Machines, I love the glitter fight and I love the song in general. I think it sums up how visually the use of glitter and sparkles can really cheer you up. 

 

Nails // Soigne Botanique in Cerise

 

Who doesn’t love a red nail? It’s such a classic that suits everyone. This particular colour is a cherry red and I adore it, it’s such a perfect colour for this time of year and adds a bit of colour to the day. This polish is by Soigné Botanique and is called Cerise, I received it a good few months ago now in a birchbox. I’m a little surprised I haven’t blogged about this sooner as it’s a fab product!

Firstly how cute and sophisticated is the bottle?! It reminds me of channel. Secondly it applies so well, the brush is easy to use and I only needed two coats. Thirdly the colour is so dreamy! It lasts for quite a while and is hard to chip, which for someone like me who is constantly trashing their nails is a life saver. I am definitely going to be trying out more of this range in the future!

Yankee Candle Indian Summer Collection

I am obsessed with candles, my house is filled with them and is we come into the colder months there is nothing nicer then getting home after a long day and snuggling on the sofa with lots of candles lit. They just create such a nice atmosphere.

Yankee Candle has to be one of my favourite candle brands and when I spotted that they had just released a new range in time for Autumn I just had to try them so treated to a box of their sample sized candles. I am terrible for doing this, if I really fall in love with a particular scent I end up caving and buying the full sized version!

So the Indian Summer Collection consists of the following 5 candles...

Honey Glow

This is such a gorgeous scent! I wouldn’t say it has a strong honey smell thought, but that's probably a good thing as I think I would be too sickly then. This instead is more sweet and floral scented, it really is gorgeous. I wish you could do scratch and sniff on blogs as I'm not sure how to describe just how good it is! This is definitely one I would be considering getting a larger version of!

Amber moon

This is a lovely sweet musky scent with a hint of citrus. Its not my favourite in this collection but it still is absolutely lovely.

Ginger Dusk

I'm not a huge fan of ginger, so it came as no surprise to me that this is my least favourite. It has a really strong spicy citrus scent and reminded me of cloves. Also something I'm not a fan of. Its just a bit too strong of a scent for me.

Lake Sunset

I adore this candle! It is gorgeous! The scent reminds me of the smell that hits you when you walk into a Yankee Candle Store. Its a soft scent and slightly floral. This may be heading my way at some point in a large jar!

Wild Fig

This has to be my favourite scent of the collection. Its very fruity, fresh and strong and feels like a really fitting scent for this time of year. I know I am going to be treating myself to a large jar of Wild Fig. Its a really gorgeous scent that lingers and smells amazing!

These candles are gorgeous and make me feel all cosy! There is a real mix of floral and fruity scents with this range so there is something for everyone. What’s your go to scent for candles?

Motivational Monday #30

Apart from the fact this quote comes from my childhood hero, a man who I can’t believe isn’t with us anymore, this quote is so fitting to me right now.

I often chide myself if things go wrong and get annoyed, especially lately when life has had a little extra stress to it. However I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason, and when things go wrong it can actually lead you down a new, more exciting path! So mistakes can be wonderful, embrace that fact!

Happy Monday lovelies!

15 Things I Love About Autumn

source

 

It’s officially autumn right? I can’t express how much I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR!! I’m a complete sucker for all things autumn, there are so many good things about it, and so let me share my reasons!

1.    Halloween – Fancy Dress and Candy what’s not to love?!

2.    Crispy air – I love the cool air of autumn, it’s so refreshing.

3.    Autumn colours – the changing colour of the leaves outside is so beautiful.

4.    Autumn candles – Bath and Body Works have a Pumpkin Spice Candle that is to die for, it smells delicious.

5.    Scarves – I can’t wait to bring all mine out of the cupboard and start wearing them again!

6.    Lazy beauty routine – no more pedicures or shaving my legs for a few months, hurrah! Err I’m single so hairy legs are ok!

7.    Chunky knitted jumpers – the baggier the better!

8.    Boots – I have already started browsing for my new winter boots, I think I am going to end up with some black ankle boots this year.

9.    Blankets – I love them! When I was younger I always thought blankets were for grannies but I now own numerous blankets and love getting comfy on the sofa with a big pile of them!

10.  Netflix / Box sets - I can indulge in a ridiculous amount of box sets without feeling any guilt that I should be outside! I have a ton lined up ready to go. Hello PLL, Orange is the new Black, Game of Thrones....

11.  Leggings- with the above baggy chunky jumpers! Kind of like wearing your pjs to work, making one very happy Gemma!

12.  Chai lattes – yummy and are pretty much autumn in a cup for me!

13.  Fireworks night – my favourite night of the year! I heart fireworks so much they bring out the five year old in me – cue lots of ‘ooooooooh’s’ and ‘eeeeeeeeeeeee’s’.

14.  Comfort food – hello soup!

15.  Roaring fires – I love being able to light the fire as well as turning on the heating!

Do you love autumn as much as I do? What’s your favourite thing about this season?

The Glamour Beauty Power List 2014 from Latest in Beauty

I have seen a ton of blog reviews and tweets about The Glamour Beauty Power List 2014 from Latest in Beauty over the past couple of weeks, all raving about it! Not wanting to miss out and needing to check it out for myself I caved in and made the purchase!

For £15.99 you get over £80 worth of products, and boy was I excited when I saw what goodies were inside the box!

Here is what you receive...

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - I have been lucky and received this in a couple of boxes now and I adore it! I can never afford the full sized version so am beyond happy to have received it in this box!

Eyeko Eye Makeup Remover wipes

Phillip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence – a leave in conditioning spray – I am keen to see how this works as I’m currently on a mission to get my hair to a decent condition at the moment.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer – THIS is my favourite product in this box! This has to be my favourite primer, and if I were to by this size in the shop it would set me back £18.50 – more than the total I paid for this box!!

James Read Sleep Mask Tan – probably the only product in this box I won’t really use. I’m not really a fake tan lover.

Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara – I can’t wait to try this one! I am always looking for bigger lashes so can't wait to see if this does what it says on the tin.

Nude Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick – Nude lips are yet again having a moment and I still haven’t jumped on the band wagon! I like bright lips, usually in deep pink shades so nudes are more than a bit different for me. Keen to try it out though and see if I can pull it off!

Glamour subscription for their digital edition.

I think this is one of the best beauty boxes I’ve invested in for a while. It’s got so many great products in that I can’t wait to try. I am glad I caved in and treated myself!

Have you tried any of these products?