February 2013 Favourites!

Hi everyone,

I haven’t done a favourites post in a while so I thought I would write a February faves as there are a few products I have been using non-stop recently.

Essie Nail Varnish in Flirty Fuchsia

I really love this bright, neon pink nail varnish from Essie but unfortunately I think it has now been discontinued. I thought I would still give it a mention though in case you are able to find it on eBay or somewhere. It has a sort of matte finish but I usually put a top coat over it as I prefer it shiny and of course this also helps it last longer before it starts to chip :)

Marc Jacobs Eau So Fresh (£48 for 100ml)

My mum got me this perfume for Christmas and I have been wearing it almost every day ever since! It’s a lovely, flesh, floral scent that reminds me of spring and sunny days. Marc Jacobs always does really cute bottles for his perfumes and this one is no exception and it looks really pretty sat on top of my dressing table.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Peach Petal (£6.99)

I had been looking for a really nice nude lipgloss for a while and a few people had recommended this one to me. It’s perfect for a simple, nude lip and looks fab on its own or with a nice peach coloured lipstick. This is has quickly become one of my favourite drugstore / highstreet lipglosses and is great value for money.

Avon Ideal Luminous Highlighter in Rivitalised (£7.50)

This product is meant to be a highlighter but I have found that it’s very pigmented for a highlighter and have been instead using it as a blusher. You do need to build it up a bit when using it in this way but the finish is a lovely, glowing pink blush. It does make a nice highlighter too but I’ve found that you only need to use it very sparingly or it looks a bit too pink for me.

Carmex Vanilla Lip Balm (£2.49)

I’m a big fan of Carmex lip balms but I particularly love the new vanilla flavour they have brought out. I have had such dry lips recently but this balm has been great at helping to keep them soft and hydrated and the vanilla flavour is a bonus as I love anything that is vanilla scented or flavoured.

So there you have the products that I have been constantly reaching for throughout February. This month has gone so fast and I can’t believe we are already in March; it will be summer before we know it!

Which products have you been using non-stop this month? Have you tried any of the products I have mentioned in this post?

Thanks for reading :) xx

NOTD Barry M Rose Quartz Glitter and Jessica Samba Parade

Hi everyone :)

Today’s NOTD is Jessica’s Samba Parade with Barry M Rose Quartz Glitter. I wore this combo quite a lot around Christmas time but I think it’s really pretty for any time of year!

I love the Barry M Rose Quartz glitter polish but found it to be a little sheer for me when applied on its own as I like something with a bit more colour. I decided to pair it with Samba Parade from Jessica which is my favourite pale pink varnish and I love the overall look of the two together. I had to apply about three coats of the glitter to get my nails looking really sparkly but I love the finished look.

Have any of you guys got a combo of varnishes that you love?

Hope you like the look :)

Thanks for reading xx

February Birchbox Review!

Hi everyone!

My morning was brightened up today by the arrival of the February Birchbox! This month’s box was all about London Fashion Week and includes products aimed at giving you a quick boost during a hectic schedule.

So here’s what I received in this month’s Birchbox ....

 

Gerda Spillman Bio Fond Cream Foundation (Full sized - £20)

I was really pleased to see a makeup product in the February Birchbox as I have been getting more skin care and hair products in my beauty boxes recently so this made a nice change. This is a light, creamy foundation that transforms to a powder finish and costs £20 for the full sized version. The shade is slightly dark for me but it seems to blend in quite nicely so hopefully the colour will look ok. This in my favourite item that was included in the box and I’m looking forward to trying it out.

Nick Chavez Beverly Hills Plump ‘n’ Thick Leave-In Thickening Mist (Full sized - £13.90)

This is a leave in treatment aimed at thickening and volumising hair without making it sticky and matted. I don’t tend to use thickening or volumising products as the ones I have used have made my hair feel horrible, sticky and straw-like but I have heard good things about Nick Chavez products so maybe this one will be different. I like trying out new hair products so I’m looking forward to giving it a go and seeing how I get on.

Korres Guava Shower Gel (Full sized - £8)

This shower gel smells absolutely gorgeous and is meant to hydrate your skin as well as clean. I have so many shower gels to get through at the moment that I maybe would have liked to see a different product but I guess I’ll always need shower gel and will get round to using them all at some point!

Vichy Thermal Spa Water (Full sized - £7)

I haven’t really got any products like this one so I was pleased to find it included in this month’s box. The Vichy Thermal Spa Water is a multi-purpose product which can be used as a toner, to set makeup or to provide a refreshing mist throughout the day. I sprayed it on top of my makeup and it did feel nice and refreshing and I think it would be a nice product to take on holiday for this reason. I haven’t had it on long enough so determine whether or not it has set my makeup but I will try it out over the next few days and let you know how I get on :)

Birchbox Eyelash Curler – Beauty Extra (£10)

I thought this was a really good beauty extra and was happy to see it included in the box as I really need a new set of lash curlers. I have had mine for so long that they are starting to look a bit worse for wear so this was a perfect item for me.

EBoost Natural Energy Booster – Lifestyle Extra (Full sized - £20.99 for 20 sachets)

I could always do with a quick energy boost these days when running round from one place to another so I am hoping this energy booster drink can work its magic. It is completely natural and made from minerals, vitamins and super-nutrients and if it does work I will be tempted to buy the full sized product, even though it is a little pricey at £20.99 for twenty sachets.

Overall I am really happy with the February Birchbox and will get use out of all of the products that I have received. I think this is one of the few beauty boxes I have received where there haven’t been any products that I’ve not liked!

What did you guys think of the February Birchbox? Did you get the same products or something different?

Thanks for reading xx

Ikea Helmer Makeup Storage Idea

Hellloooo there,

 

My makeup has recently been taking over the flat and appearing in all sorts of places so my boyfriend decided it was high time I got some proper storage for all my makeup and beauty products and bought me the Ikea Helmer for my birthday.

 So the Helmer is a set of six drawers from Ikea which costs £24.99. Chuck in some plastic dividers (Antonius) and there you have your new makeup storage. The plastic dividers are £10.80 for six and are the perfect fit for the Helmer drawers. As expected with Ikea you have to put the drawers together yourself but this is fairly easy to do and doesn’t take very long.  It also comes with some handy castors so you can easily manoeuvre it around and is available in three colours: white, red and silver.

I love my Helmer drawers and don’t know how I have managed so long without them. Although they only look fairly small, they hold so much makeup and make it much easier to find what I am looking for. I haven't finished organising them all yet but I've actually quite enjoyed doing it and have rediscovered loads of makeup that I had forgotten about!

Have any of you guys got the Ikea Helmers? Do you have any other makeup storage tips?

Thanks for reading,

BBx