Barry M | Greenberry Gelly Review

I recently brought myself three Barry M nail polishes, two of those were Gelly and one Limited Edition which you can read about here. My favourite colour is turquoise, and I had to try this one first, I love the colour and the finished appearance.Now the colour isn't for everybody, and to be honest when I first applied it, I was taken back as to how strong the colour was, however later that day I decided that the colour was great and I got used to it! For the summer anyways! I had never tried the Gelly's collection and this was my first choice as soon as I saw them. 

The formulation of the Gellys seems to be a bi thicker than others, so they do tend to take a bit longer to dry, which is fine with me, I do one hand wait and then do the other. ( I can't sit still and do nothing I have to be doing something, so just doing one hand allows me to continue what I'm doing.) 

You do not need a top coat in my opinion, just two layers of the stuff and you are good to go. Super silky and exactly what it says on the bottle, Hi-Shine. 

Lottie xo

TipTuesday #1

So I thought about doing a TipTuesday... just sharing all the tips and tricks I have learnt ranging from a variety of things. I am NOT AN EXPERT in beauty and in no way am I educated in the beauty and health area, these are just small things I have either found out by my self or others have passed onto me. If you have any tips that you want to share let me know, I might give it a try and pass on your lovely words of wisdom :) 




#1
I find that my hair care gets bored and resistant to the products that I use after a certain length of time. Usually my hair becomes resistant to a shampoo a week or two before I can finish the bottle. Now I find this annoying but for my hair, the best thing to do is switch it up a little. Just changing the brand from Herbal Essences to L'oreal helps to give my hair that bit more, shine, smoothness and spring to it. I think that, for me this is the best thing to do. My hair feels healthier with something new, whether it's just for another two weeks, and then I change back to the first product. 

Variety is the best thing for me, trying different products allows me to understand my hair needs.

Hope it helps,
 Lottie xo

Current Make up bag favourites #1

I've decided to start something new on my blog, a little something called my current Makeup bag favourites. I tend to switch up my makeup bag and the products I use and love right now. So I thought, as July is coming to an end I'll post this little feature. I just assume that everybody knows about these makeup must have's, however here, I can rave about how much I am loving these products this month and perhaps bring some new things to your attention!

I have always been in love with the Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse foundation and it is my GO TO! So on hot days like we have been having lately in the UK (which is most unusual!) I haven't been using as much foundation as any normal month. However I swear by the foundation that it hardly feels like you are wearing any and the texture is so creamy to apply!
The Sleek Au Natural is a bit big to fit into this makeup bag,(well not really but I perfer not having my makeup bag take up the entire contents of my bag) so I either apply it in light-ish shades so not to be too noticeable is it wears away during the day or leave it behind. In its replacement however I am really enjoying the 24Hour Colour Tattoo by Maybelline! I've been using number 35On and On Bronze and the shimmers in it are just so sweet and not over the top and this product is So easy to apply on the go! (if you use your finger though, you might want a tissue to wipe your finger clean.)
I am a MAC newbie to be honest, the first thing I ever brought from one of their outlets was the Mineralize kin finish in Soft and Gentle. I've had this for almost a year now and o.m.g I adore this product!!! I have used it almost everyday since it's purchase and I still haven't hit pan?! It highlights the face and has the most gorgeous look to it in natural light, it makes you look, awake, glowy and healthy! the little sparkles in the compact powder just do wonders for me. To apply this I use my Ruby and Millie powder brush which is one of my softest and most used brushes.
The last and least exciting thing I keep on me at ALL times is a lip solve, at the moment I am using a Nivea smooth and protect lip solve. My lips are awful! They are at there worst in the winter, really sore and dry, however with all this heat they are just drying out :( 

So, there we have it, all my favourite things I have been carrying out and about with me on a daily basis, and I have been Loving each piece. 

One question from me to you, Whats currently in your makeup bag? :)

Lottie xo

Organisation!

My parent's recently up'd house and moved home. Now because I am at uni for the next two years I wont be living with them much, (expect for christmas, easter and the summer holiday of course) so a lot of my things are down at uni... now that it's 800 miles away from my new home... 

So moving house has meant down sizing, and oh my godness!! I have so much Cr*p I dont know where it's come from?!

So now I have a smaller bedroom it means becoming more organised (which I have never be very good at) So Pinterest has been a real life saver and eye opener! 

All of these pictures below have been collected from Pinterest...

I like this little storage idea, I think it is sweet, tidy and clean. Perfect for a bathroom, however being white it unfortunately doesn't fit into my bedroom colours.

I think this is adorable to! The little plates for the rings and bracelets are very sweet but a bit to available for dust if you know what I mean. I'm too lazy to dust every week...

Now this is a great idea!! The lid will keep the brushes dust free, although it strongly reminds my of a straw container at a fast food restaurant?

This is what I have been looking for for a few weeks!! A square glass container! But I'm still yet to find one!!! :( 

All images are from http://pinterest.com/lolaq92/organisation/ and unfortunately I can not located where they all originate.

They are Not my own!

Lottie xo

Maybelline | Mascara Review

I am somebody who busy's brands that work for my over and over again, the only thing is, when I came to purchase my last mascara, which was a Ruby and Millie make, they had disappeared from the shelves! I was gutted! So I had to make that horrible choice of choosing a new one... This I am dreadful at, I can spend a good hour to two hours deciding, and I end up getting those scary suspicious looks from the security guards! Honesty I am trying to find a wand brush head I like!!!! 

I don't like the wands which have huge chunky heads and I don't like the curved heads or the really skinny ones! Theses days I am at a lose, I had to change and I had to do it quickly... 

So I ended up buying the Maybelline Very Black Great Lash Mascara.

Truth behold, I actually like this one... The wand head is a little bit smaller that what I was looking for but I chose to give it a go...

My best wand head was a water proof mascara that was perhaps made but Max Factor? Im not sure It is at least 5 years old!!!! I clean the bottle and the brush often and use this mascara for its proper use and my favourite old wand to tidy and seporate my lashes, I love it, the two work nicely together and I still get to use my all time favourite brush. Shame that Ruby and Millie vanished but I guess we all have to move on.

So overall, I like the mascara, it lengthens my lashes adds volume and works great with my method, hopefully this make will stick around, I'd definitely buy it again.

Lottie xo

Barry M | Gelly nail polish + Limited Edition!

I went into Boots today to get some more foundation, (I can't bare to think about running out and not having a back up!) and I decided to have a look at the Barry M Gelly nail polishes, I have never used them before and thought I'd have a litte looky.

Well it ended up, me buying two Gelly polishes and a FREE one!!

I brought Blueberry, the one on the far right, Greenberry, the one in the middle and the FREE one (the yellow one) because they had an offer that was: If I spent £6 on Barry M cosmetics I got a free Limited Edition ( there was two different colours to choose from, a fluorescent looking pink and this yellow, it looked more fluorescent in the store.) 

I've never tried the Gelly's but I am a HUGE fan of Barry M nail polishes in general, the colours, textures and drying time are all good and reasonable and I can not get enough of them!

I am far to excited to try these out, might do it after this post not sure how long these will take to dry but I will post a blog maybe in two weeks with my reviews on my experience using them for you!

So if you love Barry M, bright Pink and Yellow nail polishes, I recommend having a look at their Limited Edition ones before they are gone!

Lottie xo

Maybelline | Dream Matte Mousse Foundation Review

This is something I feel really confident about. I have been using the Dream Matte Mousse for as long as I can remember, possibly all the way back to 2007?? or whenever it was released!


The Dream Matte Mousse is my GO TO for a number of reasons such as...

- It glides onto the skin effortlessly
- Perfect for my oily skin
- So light I can forget if I'm even wearing it
- I find it to be great coverage for my skin
- A real true match to my skin tone
- Not that expensive
- For me, it lasts for an extremely long time
- A great base for building on top off

Those points are all I can come up with without thinking to much about it! I just love the stuff! I have recently brought the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation, everybody was raving about it in the blogosphere so I shugged and thought 'what the heck?' To see that review click 

The pot on the left, is the pot I'm still using, almost gone but has lasted me a pretty long time! And the pot on the right, brand new, because I can not think of leaving it to the last minute to buy another! 


The only problem I do actually have with the Dream Matte Mousse, isn't really a big deal, the packaging, the little pot that the foundation is in is a little bit tricky. This might just be me because I do not like using a foundation brush, but you can't apply the make up to your face easily if you have longish nails. The product just gets more under the nail than on your finger tips and its not a nice feeling and takes some washing off. However I can not stand long or acrylic nails at the moment they just make me cringe when picking pens up and just generally using your hands! Weird I know.

Lottie xo

Marks and Spencer | Eye make up Remover Review

I'm not even sure if they still do these any more, but the make up remove pads which fit nicely into any handbag just did not work for me. I do have naturally oily skin anyway and these little make up remover pads just make things worse for me. 

Yes they take the eye make up off the area they originally were applied too, however I found it just pushed the product further down my face..... Not a look anybody is looking for I am sure. I also found that the chemicals in the pads, either just didn't work well on my skin or I was sensitive to them. Either way it really made my eyes water and sting after a few wipes. 

I really like the concept of having a small, compact container for face wipes which you can keep in your bag but I am 100% positive I will not be buying these again for the reason's stated. Sorry M&S but your Eye make up remover pads wont be purchased be me again.

(These are my experiences and feelings about this product only.)

Lottie xo

Ruby and Millie Makeup Question

I'm not to sure what happened to the Ruby and Millie make up. I went into Boots quite a while ago now, but this still makes me sigh... and I was looking around the make up counters and aisles and just couldn't find the Ruby and Millie section anywhere. I ended up asking one of the employees where the section was, and she told me that they were discontinued!

Now the reason this upset me was because of there Mascara!!! It was a shiny silver bottle, tall and thin and an absolutely amazing mascara. I didn't actually buy it, one year at the Clothes Show Live a magazine was giving it away within the magazine. 

It had a great texture, made your lashes thicker and longer and it just suited me down to a T!

Another thing that I still have from the Ruby and Millie make are some make up brushes. I have had them for quite a while now, however they are still going, not braking or falling apart so they are very good quality in my eyes. However when there is an up, there is a down... although they have lasted a long time, the eye brush is actually quite rough and can hurt my eyes if I am too heavy have with it!


So the only thing I can really ask is ... what happened? Does anybody know where they have gone? & of course what was your favourite piece of Ruby and Millie products?

Lottie xo

Sleek | Eye Palette Review

iDivine | Au Naturel

The colours in this palette like in most of Sleek iDivine eye shadows are super pigmented and works with a variety of skin tones. Au Naturel was my first palette... sticking safe was my thinking, and do you know what? I am so glad my friend has recommended this to me! I either hadn't noticed Sleek make up in my local Boots and Superdrug, probably because I only went into town on the weekend, which was for my weekend job. So I avoided most of the shops and zig zagged through town like a rugby team racing to the white line. 

Au Naturel is, in my opinion one of the best palettes to begin with. I love the colours, the availability of mixing the colours, knowing they work together. It is very pigmented and you do not need a lot to work. 

Unfortunately when I brought the palette, got it home and opened it, I found that the lid was broken, so naturally I was a bit gutted but I would definitely buy this again, I should just check the product is in one piece before. 

iDivine | Storm

This is my second favourite palette, the colours are absolutely gorgeous and I like to switch between Storm and Au Naturel. I think they work nicely together and with the right amount of time.... and skill.... you can create gorgeous looking make up day or night for any occasion!!

There are a few more colours in Storm than in Au Naturel that I don't care much for, but that is because I have weird green/blue/grey eyes (I am sure they change) so I don't use the glitter touched silver, green and blue that are on the top row in the picture below, but that's just me. I would recommend this, if not to buy, definitely go and have a nosy and decide for yourselves!

The Original 594

Out of the 12 colours in this palette, 11 of them are full of sparkle! Which is nice, do not get me wrong, but I don't know why I brought this one... I don't often were a lot of eye shadow, I kind of go through stages where I do and don't want to wear any. The 1 to complete the collection of 12 colours is a matt Black, which all of the Sleek palettes have. I think its nice idea to include one in each pack and I know where to go when I run out of black in the two iDivine palettes but for now, I'm afraid this palette is sitting and waiting to be used again. I do however use small amounts of the gorgeous pigments in this palette for a night time look, for a birthday meal, a night out and so on but it's not exactly an everyday choice. (I can not wait for an opportunity to wear the two pinky shades on the bottom row, they look so luxurious!)

Lottie xo

Rimmel London | Wake Me Up Concealer Review

I like this little product, It was actually my first concealer that I ever brought for myself.

The applicator works nicely, and I feel that it defiantly does it's job. It is easy to blend into any of my foundations that I use and is just generally easy to apply. It has great coverage and doesn't feel to heavy on your face.

Unlike the Wake Me Up foundation by Rimmel, I don't believe the concealer has a scent to it with does not bother me. They both share the same style of packaging and work together nicely, bright orange lids which really catches the eye, easy to find on a busy saturday in Boots or Superdrug. If I feel that if I am having a good skin day I would not mind just wearing concealer instead of doing the full hog of make up.

Lottie xo

L'oreal | Lipstick Sensual Rose Review

L'oreal Lipstick | Color Riche Sensual Rose.

I really like the packaging for this lipstick, before now, with other brands the lid has fallen/ popped off in my make up bag and I've had that little panic to see if anything has got into the lipstick and ruined it (I don't know what I think might happen to it in my bag? A Lipstick munching monster maybe). The lid and the base of the packaging click together, which I think is brilliant! On the lipstick itself, there is a 'L'oreal Paris' text which looks like its been stamped in, which looks better than how I have just described it, but I feel it gives the experience of owning it a nice little touch. 

The texture of the L'oreal Color Riche is quite creamy, it glides on. However I find that on me I have to go over the lips a few times to get the desired colour I want. It is a creamy consistency and keeps my lips hydrated.

The Smell! This is something I was really pleasantly surprised with... I, personally think that Sensual Rose smells a little bit like Love Heart sweets! It isn't an over powering smell but it is a nice treat for your nose once applied to your lips.

Lottie xo

Real Techniques Brushes | My Thoughts

Real Technique Brushes... I brought these brushes a month or two ago, so I am still getting used to them. I have to admit, I didn't use that many brushes before, my finger tips were good enough for me. However after spending some time playing around with these brushes I have to say, they surprised me. I like the quality they are soft against the skin, they do their job and are easy to clean. 

Being somebody who didn't use a foundation brush or a blender, purely because my favourite foundation didn't really work with a brush, I've now started playing more with the Real Teachniques brushes.

I started off with the Core Collection, which gives you Contour brush, Buffing brush, Pointed Foundation brush and a little Detailer brush. 

I found the Pointed Foundation brush was, unfortunately a bit small to use all over my face, however it is great for concealer or putting foundation around the eyes, the point is great fro getting into the corner of your eyes. The Detailer brush is described as being good for concealing problem areas or for use with lipsticks. I have only use the little brush for eye shadows so far which I having a lot of fun doing, the size of the brush fits into the crease really nicely and I also do the corners of my eyes with it.

The contour brush and Buffing brush are the two I am still getting used to but so far alls well. Theses are really nice brushes to use, day or night.

Lottie xo

Summer fruit!

Internet is connected! WOOOO!

Surprisingly, I've made it through alive... Sad thought, but I wasn't sure I would survive without internet or mobile signal, but it was quite nice, to get away and 'go below the radar' as it were. But it's nice to be connected again :)



 Anyway something that I have come to love has been BLUEBERRIES! Now I never really liked them when I was younger, perhaps the incedient in 'willy wonka's chocolate factory' hunted me?? or maybe I was just really fussy and stupid kid... probably the second one.

Well this year blueberries have drawn my eyes and taste buds!

Yummy 

Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries!! 

Lottie xo

MAC | Mineralize Skin Finish - Soft and Gentle

This post will be the last for the time being, I'm going without internet for the next two week (Not by choice!!) so over that time I will test some more products out for when I return :)

MAC Mineralise Skin Finish - I have had this product for about half a year now, and I am so glad my friend introduced me to this!

I've been using it almost every day where I've worn make up, using more for nights now than in the day, however despite this I still have a lot left!!

I will admit now, I am new to MAC. I didn't have a store at home until I moved to uni. So I was unaware of the beauty of MAC products!

MAC 

Mineralise Skinfinish - Soft and Gentle

Love it, it's easy to apply, it's not heavy and gives such a healthy, beautiful glow when the light catches it! It's just gorgeous. Just that little bit of shimmer can go a long way.

Lottie xo

Interests from an early age.

Ok so I am an only child, life was a little boring when I was a youngster. My dad had to work away weeks at a time so it was just me and my mom. (We do not have a big family at all, 10 people max, tiny to be honest). So when I began to gain interests of my own they would be something quite close to home. 

My parents got me  a Playstation II for Christmas one year and I have to say I enjoyed it a lot. More than a little girl should. (I should say we lived in an area of old people, nobody my age was anywhere near :( I'm not just a weirdo, I promise, there just wasn't anybody around!). 
I still have the playstation, just for films these days really but it's something that hold a lot of memories, like playing with my dad when he was home, especially racing games. (He wasn't about to play the Rugrats or Spyro (which was my favourite!))

So those racing games sparked an surprising interest in cars.... Not to mention TopGear, which my dad never missed an episode of! (As well and the F1 Grand Prix these last few years! Come on Diresta!)

(Strange interests so far I know but bare with me.) 

So another few interests of mine is art and Crafty DIY! Pinterest is a huge help for this! Love it! 

The only thing I have a problem is, getting things finished (anybody else have this problem, start something, something else takes priority and it's left behind :-( ?) So this summer, 2013, I have decided to start things, and get them finished! 

I found this on Pinterest a few weeks ago, I really like the idea, I'm thinking to make one for my room at university. This blog : http://www.annetheadventurer.com/2012/08/d-i-y-chevron-bulletin-board.html shows great pictures of how they made the pin board! I love the idea and I think it shouldn't be to difficult to recreate. Just that little bit of snazziness to add to a simplistic style room. I think it's a great thing to turn into an inspiration board, something unique and personal to you.

So this is a target for myself for the end of the summer. The idea; posting this might give me motivation I need, so here's hoping!

Lottie xo

The Body Shop and more

So we went shopping in the city this weekend, and i should state now that I love The Body Shop, especially the Body Butter's, my favourite has to be the Satsuma! Smells so gorgeous and creamy, quick absorbing and a shop with great values!! 

As it so happened, we ending up walking past The Body Shop, and if the sweet smells hadn't of been pouring out the door I would have completely missed it!

5 for £15!! (29-06-13)

Top Left: Body Butter Raspberry 200ml (Brought two)

Top Right: Body Butter Papaya 200ml (Brought two)

Bottom centre: Body Butter Passion Fruit 200ml (Brought one)

5 for £15 the shop assistant told me. (I had to repeat exactly what she said, '5 for £15?! Really??' Well how could I pass up that opportunity?? Now I have to admit, ad I know what you will be thinking, five body butter's is a bit excessive... and you are right, it is. However my mother, took to the offer too, so we ended up getting some to spilt between us both. (note two of the Raspberry and two of the Papaya ) so we ended up paying £7.50 each, Bargain really! Now this offer was on over the weekend (29th of June, till I don't know when, so the prices probably wont be the same in a few days but I thought I'd post this in case anybody was interested!) Check online and see if there is any that take your fancy!)







Another purchase I made was something I wasn't really looking for, it kind of found me. The purse I have at the moment is leather but the corners are completely wearing away and it's looking a bit worn out now, so I guess that makes this purchase a bit better. It was in the sale as well so I am very please with my choice! Plus like my mom has ALWAYS said, 'You pay for what you get' and 'It will last you a long time, it is very good quality'. So pleased you agree with me mom. :-) 

I will love it forever!

Lottie   xo

♥