Unexpected Hiatus

Just a heads up! I'm going to be disappearing from the internet for a short while due to an unexpected and unwelcome turn in life. Could be a week or two or longer. It's hard to say but in the words of Schwartzneger; I'll be back! ;)

keep safe! xo

P.s Sorry for the cryptic post but I'd rather not disclose what's happened for now.

Laura Mercier oil free tinted moisturiser

One fine Wednesday morning I approached the Laura Mercier counter at Liberty with the sole intention of just purchasing their oil free tinted moisturiser. Of course, that's not what happened. I purchased a selection of other face related products (that this blog will surely highlight in the future) and in the end had to decline the tinted moisturiser purchase. Fortunately, the lady who was helping me out gave me a generous sample to try over the coming weeks and after 2 weeks I've gone back to purchase the real deal!

This tube of wonderful definitely lives up to the hype that surrounds it. It's substantially thicker than the Smashbox one I attempted to use previously but it's an EPIC match for my skin tone! Nothing's perfect, of course, but it's the closest I've found since entering the world of foundations. At this point, anything else I loved about it was just icing on the cake. With either my fingers or the Real Techniques buffing brush, I apply this and in both cases it gives a smooth application. I find the coverage is more than your average tinted moisturiser but it's definitely light enough that I wouldn't consider it foundation territory. You can even build it up in layers where you feel you need extra coverage and just blend. As someone with an abundance of acne scarring and pigmentation I do consider this great coverage. I only need to dab on a little concealer afterwards where needed.

These days my oily skin has resided to just my t-zone but I'm still glad I bought the oil free version. It doesn't give a matte finish look to the skin, it's quite natural and some powder over the nose and chin usually does the trick. In terms of longevity, I find it lasts a standard working day with the exception of having to reapply powder to my nose. On this note, I would say that if you have exceptionally oily skin all round then perhaps this might not be the best one on the market for you unless you're willing to touch up with powder a few times throughout the day. 

I'm impressed by the almost flawless finish it achieves and how it nicely evens out my complexion. I don't feel like it needs to be set with a powder which is another reason I love it as it doesn't take away from the natural and slightly dewy look. My only qualm is the strange scent it has; resembling a mix between sand and the seaside. Thankfully, it doesn't last.

You'll probably know that when it comes to Laura Mercier these products are going to cost you a pretty penny but in this instance it's well worth it for me! I find that I'm more likely to find a comfortable shade with higher end brands but I'd definitely advise seeing if you can get a sample to try first or have it applied for you at a counter. Expect that I'll be raving on about this brand again in the near future! ;)

Laura Mercier tinted moisturiser - £33.00

What's your favourite tinted moisturiser?

Have you tried this one?

xo

love's late for someone

I don't normally wear cream colours, stripy jeans or very pale nail polishes. It's all ever changing. I have to thank my mum for the second though. She's been on a roll, buying me two cream coloured, gorgeous blouses that I take every opportunity to fit them into an outfit. 

blouse - New Look

jeans - Republic

nails - Essie fiji, Models Own black nail art pen

What's something you've loved wearing recently that you don't normally?

xo

#bbloggers chat: the aftermath episode 10

Evening all! Apologies for the super late posting of this feature. This week's #bbloggers chat was a different one. No specific topic, just general chit-chat. Ask what you like, answer whom you like; it was pretty fun. I discovered some new skincare brands and products to try too! Personally, I think this general chatter idea would be nice perhaps once a month as I do enjoy the specific topics voted on each week. Anyway, onwards and upwards to this Sunday's feature!

Lux Life

The edge of beauty

Cos everybody needs a hat

Happy reading & Good night! 

xo

Revlon just bitten kissable: honey

Your blog post inboxes are probably infested with these posts but just in case you haven't had enough, here's my little say on the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains (that's a mouthful). My local Boots only have three of the shades available so after a quick swatching session I chose Honey. It looks like a pinky/brown nude shade but I honestly feel like it'll look different on everyone's lips depending on how dark your natural lip colour is. 

Either way, I find it gives a nice natural perk up to the lips and a little shine. I'm not a gloss girl but the sticky-free shine these balms give is pretty and neat. They're soft and easy to apply and most of the time I don't bother to look in the mirror to do so. It makes it a great on the go product to have as I'm one of those people that cringes when putting on lipstick with a mirror in public. Is that odd?

These babies have a minty scent but I couldn't taste anything. They give a slight tingly feeling to the lips but it doesn't last long. Personally, I much prefer minty scents to fruity or sweet ones so I loved this about them! Their twistable function is useful especially as I don't own a sharpener THAT big and it keeps the tip neat and precise.

I've only ever swatched the Clinique Chubby Sticks, but I can say that the Revlon chubby clones seem more pigmented. My only negative is that they really live up to their name, in the sense that they stain your lips. The shine usually only lasts 2 hours but the colour stain lasts a whole day. My advice, just let it fade. My lips resemble peeling wallpaper now that I've tried scrubbing it off. Oops.

Overall, I'm glad I gave these a go and would happily purchase another shade when I can swatch some more. At the moment they're on an introductory offer of £5.99 so I'd pick 'em up now before they get bumped up to their original £7.99. ;)

What are your thoughts on the Revlon just bitten balm stains?

xo

Giveaway Week: Friday!

It's been a year of beauty boxes, samples, experimenting and trying new things. It's also been the month I finally created pretty.not.included's facebook page! In "celebration" of this awkward social media event this week has been knighted giveaway week! 

Each day of the week, a new post will be published with that day's prize. They are all custom assembled beauty boxes put together by my sister and I. The only mandatory entry is that you "like" my facebook page. You can enter as many or as few of these as you like. Each day's prize will be open from that day until the 21st July. After this date, winners will be annouced ASAP via the facebook page. :)

Due to the potential bulk of these packages this is a UK giveaway only! Apologies, but there will definitely be more international ones in the future. :)

Now all my rambling is out of the way, go clicky the rafflecopter widget to enter! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The End! 
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

xo

Giveaway Week: Thursday!

It's been a year of beauty boxes, samples, experimenting and trying new things. It's also been the month I finally created pretty.not.included's facebook page! In "celebration" of this awkward social media event this week has been knighted giveaway week! 

Each day of the week, a new post will be published with that day's prize. They are all custom assembled beauty boxes put together by my sister and I. The only mandatory entry is that you "like" my facebook page. You can enter as many or as few of these as you like. Each day's prize will be open from that day until the 21st July. After this date, winners will be annouced ASAP via the facebook page. :)

Due to the potential bulk of these packages this is a UK giveaway only! Apologies, but there will definitely be more international ones in the future. :)

Now all my rambling is out of the way, go clicky the rafflecopter widget to enter! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope you're all having a lovely week! 

xo

Giveaway Week: Wednesday!

It's been a year of beauty boxes, samples, experimenting and trying new things. It's also been the month I finally created pretty.not.included's facebook page! In "celebration" of this awkward social media event this week has been knighted giveaway week! 

Each day of the week, a new post will be published with that day's prize. They are all custom assembled beauty boxes put together by my sister and I. The only mandatory entry is that you "like" my facebook page. You can enter as many or as few of these as you like. Each day's prize will be open from that day until the 21st July. After this date, winners will be annouced ASAP via the facebook page. :)

Due to the potential bulk of these packages this is a UK giveaway only! Apologies, but there will definitely be more international ones in the future. :)

Now all my rambling is out of the way, go clicky the rafflecopter widget to enter! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope you're all having a lovely week! 

xo

Giveaway Week: Tuesday!

It's been a year of beauty boxes, samples, experimenting and trying new things. It's also been the month I finally created pretty.not.included's facebook page! In "celebration" of this awkward social media event this week has been knighted giveaway week! 

Each day of the week, a new post will be published with that day's prize. They are all custom assembled beauty boxes put together by my sister and I. The only mandatory entry is that you "like" my facebook page. You can enter as many or as few of these as you like. Each day's prize will be open from that day until the 21st July. After this date, winners will be annouced ASAP via the facebook page. :)

Due to the potential bulk of these packages this is a UK giveaway only! Apologies, but there will definitely be more international ones in the future. :)

Now all my rambling is out of the way, go clicky the rafflecopter widget to enter! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope you're all having a lovely week! 

xo

Giveaway Week: Monday!

It's been a year of beauty boxes, samples, experimenting and trying new things. It's also been the month I finally created pretty.not.included's facebook page! In "celebration" of this awkward social media event this week has been knighted giveaway week! 

Each day of the week, a new post will be published with that day's prize. They are all custom assembled beauty boxes put together by my sister and I. The only mandatory entry is that you "like" my facebook page. You can enter as many or as few of these as you like. Each day's prize will be open from that day until the 21st July. After this date, winners will be annouced ASAP via the facebook page. :)

Due to the potential bulk of these packages this is a UK giveaway only! Apologies, but there will definitely be more international ones in the future. :)

Now all my rambling is out of the way, go clicky the rafflecopter widget to enter! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hope you're all having a lovely week!

xo

#bbloggers chat: the aftermath episode 9

Allo' allo'! I've just realised it's the 15th of JULY and I'm wearing a jumper. Anyway, this week's #bbloggers chat was all about stats; GA, blogger's stats, stat counter etc. There was also an underlying debate on how important stats are to people and whether we should care about them at all. Although, I do believe that good content trumps stats, if you're looking to take blogging to a professional level then stats will matter. 

Personally, I see nothing wrong with caring about your stats. It can be a good indicator of what people enjoy reading the most and it's nice to know that people actually see what you write. There are days when my stats drop drastically but it doesn't mean I get sad and stop blogging and to be honest if stats meant the world to you then that's the LAST thing you should do! ;)

Anyway, on a more exciting note, here are today's features! Go have a read, perhaps leave a comment and become a reader not just another pageview. :)

 jodiewinyan

danielleyc

 starry eyed blogs

Enjoy!

xo

bumble & bumble, tonic

I've kept an eye on Bumble and Bumble over the last month and have noticed that they're starting to snuggle up to a space within the beauty blogging community. It was a combination of being dissatisfied with the random shampoos I was using and it being the "online shopping witching hour" (aka 12:30am) that led me to my first order.

I have quite thick, long and wavy hair so, in simple terms, I was looking for an efficient shampoo that would clean my locks right down to the scalp. Although their Sunday Shampoo was my best bet, I don't think I could stand only using it on a weekly basis. Perhaps I could just use a calmer shampoo for during the week? Anyway, I went for their Tonic Shampoo. With tea tree oil and peppermint extracts this daily shampoo is great for soothing the scalp and claims to leave hair soft and shiny.

For the Summer, I'm loving the fresh scent and it really does make your hair feel well refreshed and clean. I do find I have to use two helpings to get a really deep clean going but the end results are worth it. It washes out squeaky clean, which I love, and at the same time doesn't make my hair feel dry or straw like. I wouldn't say it made my hair feel any softer or shinier but with leave in conditioners and hair oils lying around this doesn't worry me. I'd never expect a shampoo to be a one woman show (or man).

Although they say it's suitable for daily use, I feel it cleans my hair well enough that I can just wash it every other day without feeling like I'm pushing some sort of hygiene boundary. This is exactly what I was looking for! It's not the cheapest of shampoos but depending on how long it lasts will determine whether I'd repurchase this. Having said that, I really do enjoy washing my hair now. ;)

I also purchased the Tonic Lotion to work alongside as its partner in crime. It's a light liquid that provides a refreshing spritz to the scalp with similar tea tree and herbal extracts as the shampoo. It's meant to be for detangling and usage throughout the day as it can help reactivate products already in your hair. Personally, I don't use many styling products so I can't vouch for whether this works or not but as a detangler it did no such thing. In fact, sometimes I felt it was making my hair feel thicker, heavier and slightly sticky. Having said this, it felt lovely in my hair after long days under the sun. I think I'll save the rest of this to use whilst thinning my hair as I think it would be a nice product to have on the hairdressing front. :)

tonic shampoo £17.50 (250ml)

tonic lotion £5.50 (50ml)

What are your thoughts on Bumble and bumble products?

xo

essie: fiji

Back when Essie's diffusion line finally hit the shelves, this was the shade that everyone and their cat was adding to their baskets. A creamy, light but opaque pink that, on first glance, I'd dismissed. After seeing numerous blog posts of lovely ladies sporting this shade I will admit the colour grew to my liking. It's very girly, elegant and because it's not a bright pink it's sophisticated enough for the serious working gal. A few times I'd come across people saying that it didn't suit darker skin tones well. I decided to ignore that and I'm glad I did. My nails have only seen this shade for about two weeks now; I'm loving it! And it even looks lovely with a splash of glitter for good measure. ;)

What are your thoughts on Essie's Fiji?

xo

Anastasia Lash Genius

A few weeks ago I was introduced to a new product by Anastasia Beverly Hills. A brand born in 1997 that blends the relationship between science and beauty to produce professional products used by the likes of Madonna and Jennifer Lopez. They have two salons in L.A but have begun to sell their products in retailers around America as well as in a few international locations.

Lash Genius* is a waterproof topcoat that you can put over any non-waterproof mascara that you use, helping it last longer. You're probably thinking, "why not just use a standard waterproof mascara?". Well, here's 3 reasons why:

1. Lash Genius doesn't clump. After applying my mascara, if I notice certain areas are starting to clump together, once a top coat of this goes on it sorts that right out; separating the lashes and removing any lumps of mascara that wanted to stick around.

2. It's hypoallergenic so it doesn't dry out your lashes and prevents the hardened and brittle feel you can sometimes get with a waterproof mascara. It kept my lashes feeling soft and normal which meant they curled upwards nicely and didn't look like miniature spikes jutting out of my eyelids.

3. It refreshes and protects your mascara. I used this every morning after applying my mascara but there's nothing stopping you re-applying throughout the day to keep those lashes looking fresh and bold. I also found that because it stopped my lashes from becoming hard and crispy, I could re-apply mascara at any time without resulting in clumps and an unattractive mess. Of course, not forgetting to apply a top coat of Lash Genius again afterwards!

The video below demo's this topcoat and tests its waterproof ability and how well it works with false lashes too. I don't wear false lashes but I can vouch for the "waterproof test" as I've been caught in the rain many times in the last week and it hasn't left a black smudgy mess under my eyes. Awesome.

My only criticism is that sometimes it can leave little white specs on the ends of my lashes, usually the bottom ones. It's easily counteracted by brushing it off with your finger and it's only noticeable up close. I suppose this only happens if the applicator has too much product on it at once. The average life span of a mascara is 4-6 months so I'm slightly gutted that this is only 3. However, after 3 months, I'll let you all know whether I finished it or what the state of the product is; whether dried up or gloopy. Hopefully, it'll be neither. ;)

Lastly, I think the packaging is very sleek and elegant. Definitely has that high end feel to it which is appreciated as asthetics do count for something in my book! Anastasia Beverly Hills' products are available in Sephora and for those of us in the UK you can purchase from Cult Beauty.

RRP £7.50

A new member of my daily make up routine 

& a definite contender as a future purchase!

xo

*Disclaimer: PR sample. This review is all my own honest opinions and that is my eye with awful brows.

#bbloggers chat: the aftermath episode 7

It's time for another Sunday helping of wonderful blog features. This week's #bbloggers chat was focused around PR companies and your relationship with them, receiving samples, how to contact etc. I've only had a few experiences with PR companies and each time they have been good ones. Picked up some interesting information and tips from the chat too. Now onto this week's feature!

the lunar lights

  

dainty desires

can't walk in high heels

Happy Sunday reading everyone! 

xo

REN masterclass

Last Wednesday, I was given the opportunity to attend the REN Masterclass at Liberty. I'd never been to such a thing so I wasn't sure what to expect but a morning surrounded by skincare products and experts could only be seen as a good thing, right? ;)

It was a well structured and hands on class where you are taken through the steps of what would be an evening skincare routine. Sitting at a table with pretty much the entire REN Skincare range at your fingertips was pretty awesome. At each step, your are guided through which products are best for your skin type and are given some helpful tips and interesting knowledge by skin expert David Delport. Of course, there was also coconut water, fresh strawberries and sugar free brownies for refreshments. If it wasn't first thing in the morning I would've gone for a brownie.

At the end, you are taken back to the REN counter at Liberty to then shop your little heart out on the products you put together for your skincare routine. REN have recently come out with little sample boxes (worth £13) where you get small sizes of all the products in a particular range to try. These are meant to last two weeks which personally I think is good value for money as you can really test to see whether these products are working for your skin or not. The staff are really friendly so you can also return and discuss it with them later.

We were also given a pack of their muslin cloths, a little pack with two lovely samples and (my favourite) a black tote with "REN Skincare" printed on it. For some reason, I was rather excited by this! If I ever attend another masterclass I'll remember to take notes. Here are a few things I do specifically remember from the morning.

- Use a separate SPF such as the Photoactive Sun Veil as you want your sun protection to remain on top of the skin as opposed to a moisturiser which should sink into the skin. I'd never thought of this but it does make sense! You should also reapply your SPF in the middle of the day as what you put on in the morning would have worn off by then. The Sun Veil is a very light texture and consistency. It's not greasy and works well over makeup.

- Rub moisturiser into the palm of your hands and pat onto the face. I've been doing this since and I've noticed that my skin feels soft without being red or greasy from over applying product and rubbing it in.

- Double cleansing is the way forward! First remove as much of your make up, daily grime and other nasties as possible. The second cleanse can be considered your treatment cleanse; here you can give yourself a mini facial massage if you've got the time.

- Pat eye gel/cream from the outer corners of the eye and inwards. REN's eye care products are safe for putting over the eyelids too!

- In your 20's, you don't need to use anti-aging products. Nothing bad will happen if you do but you'll just fail to see the benefits of using such products (and will probably be wasting your money). Sometimes, the fine lines that start to appear around the eyes are due to dehydration so it's more important to invest in a good moisturiser as these lines could then set in and become permanent when you get older.

- Lastly, if you have issues with hyper-pigmentation and scarring (perhaps due to acne like I have) then a combination of the Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask and Omega 3 Night Repair Serum could be worth your while. Use them for two weeks and then wait a week and start the process again. Essentially, you're brushing away the top layer of dead skin cells and allowing the skin to regenerate and repair itself (with a boost) and as a result healthier looking skin awaits you.

Look out for future Skincare Junkie Stash posts as I'll probably be talking about REN Skincare a lot. For now, I hope you could pick up an interesting piece of skincare info!

xo

*Disclaimer: I attended this for free after winning a competition on REN's Twitter

monthly empties: june

Normally, I use this box that my Iron Fist shoes came in to collect my empties for the month. However, I've finished a good few products this month (some shared with my mummy and sister) so I've had to upgrade to an H&M bag for storage. Very classy.

01. Organix morocan argan oil shampoo

At first I wasn't too sure about this one but it turned out to be a really nice shampoo. Cleans the hair decent enough and left it very soft. Suitable for every day use I'd say. I'm experimenting with other shampoos at the moment so that's the only reason for not repurchasing. 

02. Lovea nourishing shampoo

I'd originally bought this for my mummy but then I started using it too. It has a lovely scent and lathers in your hair nicely but unfortunately we didn't find that it washed out cleanly. Hair never felt squeaky clean and in turn would feel kinda greasy and strange the next day. The matching conditioner appears to be a better fit in our household though.

03. The Body Shop moroccan rose body milk

This was a magic bottle, I'm pretty sure. I've had this for at least a year and I was using it nearly every day and it just wouldn't finish! Don't get me wrong, I loved the scent and how it feels on the skin, but sometimes you get bored, right? For that reason I wouldn't repurchase but if you're looking to try a new Body Shop scent then I'd recommend giving their moroccan rose range a go!

04. Bamford geranium body lotion

A little sample size that had a matching shower gel which finished months back. Lovely refreshing and calming scent that I loved. For a body lotion it's a bit too far on the pricey side for me but otherwise I'd totally purchase this full sized!

05. Neutrogena multi-defence gentle purifying scrub

This is the second tube of this I've finished. I used this every evening and it was the first facial cleanser aimed at blemish prone skin that did not have salicylic acid in it. It really is gentle enough for every day use and is pretty inexpensive at around £4. I've purchased the pink grapefruit one now as it's been raved about a lot and I'd say the only difference is that it has a scent.

06. Soap & Glory the breakfast scrub

The yummiest body scrub of all time (in my opinion of course)! A firm favourite in my household and it didn't take long for another full tub to appear on the bathroom counter. By far my favourite S&G product!

07. Good Things soothing body butter

Okay, so I'm a bit of a fan on the Good Things skincare front but unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. The scent is just TOO strong and because the butter is a thicker consistency it took yonks to finish and it meant your skin was drenched in the over powering fruit scent. If I recall correctly, I celebrated when I'd finished this tub. ;)

Now I'm off to appropriately dispose of my empties.

I think this may be my favourite part!

xo

june favourites

Another month rows by. I feel like June has been a busy month and yet I can't seem to bring any proof of this to myself. It was a month of heavy baking, macarons to be precise, I turned 21 and received results from Uni. I've always managed to spend a colossal amount on skincare and beauty. Even with a bag of empties at my side, I still feel awful about this so commence "July/August spending ban". I'll let you know how I get on but any words of encouragement are appreciated desperately needed. 

I've tried a lot of skincare this month so I'm still finding my bearings on some products. I suppose that's the only reason the make up favourites have outnumbered them. So, without further ado...

01. REN invisible pores detox mask

Only recently have I reviewed this mask, now dubbed my superhero mask. It's probably one of the few hyped up products that exceeded my expectations and is worth every raving review it receives. I won't ramble about it too much here, you can read my post about it if you're interested. In general though, June has been a month full of REN skincare loving!

02. L'occitane desert rose lip balm

A light and soothing consistency that you can either dab or lather onto the lips in a crazy fashion. If you love rose scented products then you'll love this too and ever since I've purchased this I've been dabbing it on at least 3 times a day! The best part is, it works well both over and under lipstick. Unfortunately, this particular "flavour" is limited edition. Good news is that it's on sale for half price on their website!

03. The Body Shop sponge

Yes, this sponge that resembles a piece of stale bread on my dressing table, is a monthly favourite! After reading this post by Yu {let's makeyuup} I decided to give this a go in taking off my cleanser. It definitely gives a more intensive clean than a muslin cloth (in my opinion) and it's a lot easier to use. A great travel friend I'd say and only £3. 

04. GOSH click n conceal (shade 03 dark)

The writing on the packaging has all rubbed off now but it's probably because I've been taking this everywhere with me. I've actually switched it in place of my Smashbox high definition concealer because it's a much better shade match and I find the formula sits better on my skin. It also helps that the click and slap on directions are quick and easy. 

05. Sleek nude collection suede blush

I bought this from Modestly Beauty's blog sale and have used it every day since. It has a lovely soft and silky texture and applies nicely with the Real Techniques contour brush which is another favourite this month! I've been using this shade as a light contour.

06. ELF blending brush

Seeing as I seem to have jumped off the eye shadow wearing bandwagon, I've started using this brush for highlighting. Personally, I find it's a nice size and it doesn't pick up too much product at once which is useful. 

07. L'occitane pivoine flora perfume

This is the travel size which I received as a sample way back in the Winter months. I've been saving it as it's the perfect Summer scent. Very light and floral with a hint of fruity sweetness. 

08. Models Own Indian Ocean

Lastly, it's the nail polish I've worn for most of this month. I've coated it over numerous different colours in experimentation and I'm so glad I finally bought this. I was thinking of doing a post with all my experimentations, anyone interested? The mermaid effect can be seen here.

That's all for June ravings. Apologises for the uber long post but you know me, ramble ramble ramble! No Spotify playlist this month as I've barely listened to much music (surprisingly). 

Hope you've all had a brilliant month!

Let me know some of your June favourites!

xo

#bbloggers chat: the aftermath episode 6

This week's #bbloggers chat was all about what your blog is about and the types of posts you enjoy reading the most. As usual "it's your blog do what you want" was trending and I stumbled upon some more lovely bloggers! :)

beauty quest blog

ambrissa

lv in love with...

If you're not in bed yet go have a read!

Good night everyone! :)

xo