RANT - Elf Cosmetics

First off, sorry this is a rather negative post! Basically me having a moan. So I will take no offence whatsoever if you don't feel like reading on :) 

SO... I placed a small order online with ELF on 4th January, one powder brush and one bottle of brush cleaner. The website said it usually takes up to 48 hours to dispatch, but added that due to demand it was taking 3-4 days. Which is fair enough. Except the order wasn't dispatched until 10 DAYS later, 14th January.

But, I thought, at least the package was on its way, and would be here soon.

WRONG. I still haven't got the friggin package!!! I haven't recieved any emails since the dispatch notification, and I'm also still waiting for a response to my email to Customer Service. It's been a total of 25 days since I placed the order,which in my opinion is absolutely ridiculous. I know we had some snow in England, but I placed the order way before that all started! 

GRRRRRR about sums it up :( So maybe it's just been bad luck and my package might be lost somewhere, but I'm definitely put off from ordering from ELF again. 

Have you ordered from ELF before? If so, how have you found the delivery, did it arrive on time? 

xx

Sanctuary Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser Review

Completely going against what I wrote in my last post, yesterday I went into Boots for a few bits and couldn't help myself from buying this once I saw it. I obviously can't really comment on the long term effects just yet, but thought I would review my first impressions after my first few uses.

 

The only (sort of) disappointment I had when I unboxed the product last was that I had expected to get two cloths (I knew the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish comes with two) but this only comes with one. I can't see that it will matter too much though, because even when the cloth needs a proper wash it won't take too long to do. 

Anyway, onto using the product. I know that you're supposed to use the cleanser to remove and polish off your makeup, but I still feel a little weird about all that makeup going onto the cloth... is that just me? So I went ahead and removed most of my makeup with a baby wipe like normal before using it. Following the instructions I ran the cloth under hand hot water before laying it over my face to open the pores. I then massaged the cleanser onto my face and neck in circular motions. I now understand what other people/reviews had meant when they mentioned the smell - it is a little strange (smells like orange chocolate to me) but not unpleasant, I guess it depends on your preference. I buffed the product off, and was very surprised at how much makeup showed up on the white cloth considering I had already used baby wipes. Once all the product was off,  I rinsed the cloth with cold water before laying it over my face to close the pores. 

After my skin had dried I can honestly say it felt cleaner and smoother than ever before, without feeling dry or tight. I followed with my normal moisturiser, done! 

Overall Rating: 4/5, only the smell could have been better.

Do I really need it?

As much as I would love to be able to buy all of these things without thinking about it, I'm not in the best financial position after paying £300 in car repairs since New Years :( After thinking about the number of things I've been mentally planning to buy, I thought it would be interesting to decide whether I really need them or just want them so I can prioritise my spending and saving! Getting straight into it...

I've never used a hot cloth cleanser before and I definitely want to try one out to see if they are worth the hype. However my current 'face wash' routine of baby wipes, exfoliating face wash and toner does the job just fine for me so I can't say I'm in desperate need of a new cleanser! I also wouldn't want to spend upwards of £10 at a time when I don't have a lot of money, in case I end up disliking the product and regret it.

Verdict: Don't need (but will give it a try when I have some spare money)

I know this is sooo random haha! I have no idea how long this has been sold for or anything but I've only just seen that it exists, and seeing as I love strawberry laces and it's only £1.80 in Tesco I see no reason not to buy it :)

Verdict: Need (buy next time I'm in Tesco!)

This is going to be a hard one because I have been meaning to buy a Revlon lip butter for months, I honestly don't know how I haven't got around to it. I've probably swatched Tutti Frutti every single time I've been browsing Boots, I think fate wants us to be together!

However, I find that you can achieve the same look as the lip butters simply by applying a bright lipstick over vaseline to make it more translucent and shiny.

Verdict: Don't need (but still want and WILL buy soon)

I saw that Zoella bought this in her newest haul video, and like she said it is basically a stripped down version of the Clarisonic where you use the brush with your normal face wash to exfoliate your face gently. I'd like to try it because the worst that can happen is I don't see a difference in my skin, or I don't like the way it feels. For only £6, I think it will be worth it to try out something new.

Verdict: Want (but a reasonable want)

If I had the money to buy a new pair of Converse right now I would :( I have a white pair of real converse but I absolutely destroyed them by wearing them to a rave. I have a black pair and a camouflage pair of lookalikes from New Look but they are battered now too, so I think it's definitely time to reinvest. I wear these type of shoes pretty much every day so I know they are worth the money.

Verdict: Need (but also need the money)

BORING and I already know the answer to this but I really need to buy a new project notebook to take and keep notes in. I'm bad enough at revising without the added trouble of trying to find my notes and sheets from various random piles in different places around my room. I should buy some highlighters and A4 plastic sleeves while I'm at it too.

Verdict: Need (but yawnnnn)

I already own the Real Techniques core collection set and stippling brush and use them everyday so I doubt these eye brushes will disappoint. I don't wear eye shadow everyday and if I do it tends to be a basic crease colour and highlight, for which my current brushes do the trick just fine. I would like to use these brushes to practise blending techniques and more experimental looks but I think I also just enjoy the idea of having a whole set of the same brushes and being able to display them and know they are there! 

Verdict: Don't need

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have tried any of these products, or your thoughts on them :) xx

Snow Day FOTD and OOTD

I didn't fuss too much over my makeup today, knowing I would be battling the forces of cold snowy wind on my way to and from college. However, I went for a dark-ish lip which is rare for me... I think I was feeling the winter vibes! I created this shade by applying a brown pencil over my lips and dabbing my purple-ish MUA lipstick (shade 2) over the top. Other than that, I'm wearing Revlon Colorstay, a bit of sheer loose powder, Benefit Coralista blush, a bit of brown eyeshadow on my top and bottom lashlines, Natural Collection Waterguard mascara and filled in my brows a little with my Sleek brow kit. 

I kept my outfit pretty simple because I just wanted to be warm and comfy:

Beanie - boyfriend's

Pleather sleeve military jacket - Primark

Cross embellished jumper - New Look sale

Leggings - Primark

Bag - River Island

I wore this with my battered camouflage print 'converse' style shoes, a big Primark snood and gloves, yet still froze my ass off haha :( 

A quick selfie in the snow when I got home from the exam :)

Favourite Everyday Essentials

Hey hey! Today I thought I would quickly share some of my favourite 'everyday essentials.'

I'm not including any make up because I figured it would be more relevant to a 'What's in my Makeup Bag' type post (which may come at a later date) so this is mainly shower/skincare/haircare. 

P.S, Sorry I haven't taken my own photos for this post! I used my boyfriend's professional Nikon camera to take the photo's included in my last post, I'm just not happy with the quality of my own rubbish digital camera... hopefully I will be able to borrow his camera for blogging while I'm saving for my own :)

PRODUCTS:
Soap And Glory Clean On Me Body Wash
Exfoliating Glove
Alberto Balsalm Coconut and Lychee Shampoo and Conditioner
Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream
Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub
Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub
Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner
Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser
Vaseline
Johnsons Baby Skincare Wipes
Garnier Fructis Style Bamboo Flexihold Hairspray
Superdrug 30 Hair Grips
L'oreal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Conditioning Protect Spray
Batiste Dry Shampoo Very Cherry
Champneys Spa Treatments Hand and Nail Cream
Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter

Thank you for reading! Do you use any of these products or can you recommend any better alternatives? xox

Clinique Sparkle Skin Review

Clinique is a high end brand which is well known and trusted for it's allergy tested and fragrance free skincare and make-up products. I kindly received Clinique's Sparkle Skin body exfoliating cream as a Christmas present, for which I am very grateful!

The obvious thing we all do with any cream product we are trying out for the first time, is of course open it up to smell it. I wasn't sure what to expect as I haven't much experience of fragrance free products (other than face wipes) before. The smell is hard to describe but definitely pleasant, very fresh and almost minty which seems to compliment the light blue colour if that makes any sense!

The cream is full of very fine granules, which I much prefer to creams with larger granules that can feel scratchy when rubbed onto the skin. It also still feels consistently grainy when spread further over the skin, whereas in other exfoliators and scrubs the granules either melt or spread so far apart that you constantly need to apply more. It rinses off easily without leaving visible granules in the bathtub which is another plus.

The best thing about it is that it actually lathers up on wet skin so you feel like it is really cleansing as well as exfoliating. When rubbed in it has a kind of cooling effect on the skin which I like as it adds the refreshing feeling. After using it my skin definitely feels a lot softer. I will be using this tonight to exfoliate to make sure my skin is prepped before starting my fake tanning routine leading up to the weekend. Overall I would definitely recommend this product if you are looking for a thick, creamy exfoliator with fine granules.

This 250ml tub is priced at £20 from the Clinique website, find it here!.

Have you used any Clinique products? What would you recommend? xox

Look Beauty Haul

I purchased these Look Books on a total whim having never tried anything from Look Beauty before. I kind of instantly regretted it after buying them because I didn't know what to expect...  but they were half price, and I thought well what better way to try a brand out for the first time? For 15 quid I get a (full size!) bit of everything and I definitely think I got my moneys worth.

How To... Glow, Bronze and Sculpt £9

How To... Power Lashes £6

Out of everything I got in the boxes,the Glow & Go highlighter is my favourite by far.It has just the right amount of shimmer to catch the light and a tiny bit goes a long way, so I can tell the 35ml tube is going to last me absolutely ages. 

Make Me Blush in Rose a really pretty peachy pink powder blush with a hint of gold shimmer, which looks lovely when worn with the highlighter too. 

The Flirty Flick eyeliner is well pigmented and I found the  brush made it very easy to create my usual flicks.

As for the false lashes, although I haven't applied them yet there is no mistaking that I could easily spend 8 quid on two pairs from Eyelure, whereas the whole Power Lashes set cost £6, what a bargain! Even if the glue doesn't turn out to be great I can always use my own glue.

Although the Holiday Glow bronzer is so pretty in the palette, it looks a tad too orange on my skin which is a shame - maybe when I have fake tanned I can put it to some use. 
However the 'Oomph Lashes' mascara was the let down of the bunch. When I opened it to try it out it looked like there was no product on the brush, and trying to apply it was hopeless as it was nearly completely dry. I don't know whether it would have been the same if I had bought it separately - if so I would have been even more disappointed! I know for a fact that you can get a decent inexpensive mascara, my £2 MUA Extreme Curl being a prime example. 
Finally, I also think it would have been better to leave the face brush out altogether  because I've never felt a brush that scratchy and horrible before, it also fell apart in my hands for no apparent reason. I can't imagine any one wanting to use it which is such a waste... straight into the bin!

Nevertheless, I'm pleased that I bought the boxes and have now delved into a new make up brand. Everything from lookbeauty.co.uk is still half price and I really want to try out the Fresh Cheeks cream blush after seeing a lot of hype around it! Have you tried any Look Beauty products and what do you think of the brand? xox

Liebster Award

The Liebster award is given to up-and-coming bloggers with less than 200 followers who deserve some recognition and support to keep on blogging! I've kindly been nominated by the lovely Hamida (Loosely Tied to Fashion), she puts together amazing outfits and I would love to own her wardrobe! check out her blog here :)

The rules

- If you receive an award you have to link back to the blogger that awarded you.

- You have to write 11 random facts about yourself and answer the 11 questions that the awarder wrote for you.

- Make up 11 new questions to be answered and nominate 11 other bloggers, they must have under 200 followers.

First step: Give 11 facts about yourself. 11 random facts about me...

1. I'm in my last year at college whilst others my age are at Uni or working full time, because I did a year of sixth form then dropped out. I hated school so I have no idea where my logic behind staying on came from...
2. I study Business, Administration and Finance because I have no idea what career I want and arguably, Business applies to everything
3. It is now January and I still haven't sent off my UCAS application
4. I think that if I wanted to go to Uni, I would be worried about this by now
5. I drive a dark blue Fiat Punto with the BIGGEST dent in the boot lid you have ever seen
6. This was the result of reversing at speed into the BIGGEST metal post you have ever seen. In a public car park, where a man was sitting inside his car opposite, cringe :( 
7. I have 3 points on my license for speeding, which is naughty
8. I'm 5"8, pretty average now, but I was probably this height when I started secondary school :| I was so much taller than all my friends for ages, I was constantly slouching down to make myself smaller, so I'm lucky it hasn't affected my posture now. 
9. I have size 8 feet, which isn't too bad, at least the majority of shops actually stock that size. However, I have had size 8 feet since YEAR SIX!!! YEAR SIX! 
10. I have 12 pairs of sunglasses visible to me from where I am currently sitting in my room, wow
11. I still watch kids TV (like Tracy Beaker and Horrible Histories) when no one is around to see

Step 2: Answer the questions from the person who nominated you.

Who inspires you? or who is the person that you feel you can relate to the most?  

My Nan (I call her Nannie.) I've always been close with her and she is basically the best.

What is your favourite film to watch when you are in a bad mood?

Josie and the Pussycats! Old school classic ;)

What food's are your ultimate guilty pleasure?

Oh no I have loads haha. I'm definitely a carb girl I love my bread and pasta, but I love cheese a fair amount too! On the sweet side, my latest love is chocolate Philadelpia.

What blog's do you read most frequently?

My followers blogs, I am so impressed by all of them. Also Beautycrush, Zoella, FashionRocksMySocks, and Life in the fruitbowl.

What sauce do you use/would you use to eat your fish and chips? (This is a joke from my 11 random facts about me)

Ketchup, and this will sound weird, but I actually don't really like 'chip shop' fish and chips... I prefer crispy oven chips to the big fat soggy ones you get from the shop. Maybe I just have a rubbish chippy!

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?

The Seychelles or Mauritius? Somewhere beautiful and extravagant that I'd never be able to afford otherwise. I'd also love to go to New York City, but only if I had money to shop with as well :)

What was your favourite subject at school?

Ummmm... probably Art, up until I chose Art Graphics to take at GCSE. I didn't enjoy spending a lot of time on Photoshop, I should definitely have chosen the normal Art course for painting, drawing and stuff. But I still got a B, so hey ho. 

What is your favourite pass time?

Spending time with my boyfriend (soppy), blogging! and reading all of your blogs. Listening to music, having a good skank out at a rave.  

What is your favourite fashion trend at the moment?

I love the grungy, gothic trend, crosses and skulls etc! I find it funny how fashion can change so dramatically and quicky... a few years ago, if you had tried to dress me in skulls I would have laughed!

What is your favourite season?

Definitely summer! I go to a lot of drum and bass raves (I'm not a clubbing girl really!) in London, Cambridge and other places quite far away from where I live, which tend to finish at 6 or 7 in the morning. Obviously much more enjoyable when I know I won't turn into an icicle waiting around for the first train home!

Why did you start blogging?

I first became aware of 'beauty bloggers' through watching youtubers such as Beautycrush and Zoella, and reading their blogs. I still don't have the guts to put a video of myself out there... but decided to give blogging a go so I could get involved and can now say I have a 'hobby!'

Step 3: Nominate some upcoming great bloggers, with under 200 followers.

I would nominate more if I could find blogs that haven't already been tagged! I hope you girls haven't been tagged already...

http://amberluiselove.blogspot.co.uk/
http://anuniventivename.blogspot.co.uk/
http://arrivebeautifulleaveugly.blogspot.co.uk/
http://emilyemilybeth.blogspot.co.uk/
http://thejadediaries.blogspot.co.uk/
http://nayohmebeauty.blogspot.co.uk

Step 4- Choose questions for those you have nominated. My questions to those I have nominated are...

1. Have you made any resolutions for 2013?
2. What makes blogging worthwhile for you?
3. Name 3 of your life ambitions?
4. What is your love/hate relationship?
5. Name a song that has been stuck in your head recently?
6. What make up brand do you find to be the most reliable?
7. Where is your favourite place to shop online?
8. What cheers you up when you are down?
9. What is the best investment in clothing you have made?
10. What skill do you wish you had?
11. What personality trait annoys you the most?

FOTD

First of all, thank you to my first few followers, your comments have encouraged me to continue writing and growing this blog. ❤ 

Today is a lazy day off, my 3 tiring weeks of Christmas overtime at work are finally over! I'm heading to my boyfriends house for dinner today (home made pull-pork, wedges and coleslaw.. mmm) but will then probably just laze about in front of the TV, so my makeup is pretty simple. I always rely on my MUA Undressed palette for a natural smoky eye or to just even out my eyelid colour. It has amazing bargain value for only FOUR quid, and the colours are lovely. 

Products Used:

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer

MUA Undressed Palette 

Shades 1-6 top row left to right, 7-12 bottom row left to right

Shade 1 on inner 1/3 of the eyelid, 

Shade 10 in crease and outer 1/3, blended outwards

Shade 4 on middle of the eyelid, blending the two colours together

Blend everything out

Shade 6 on the innermost corner (tearduct) and along the lower lashline 

Finished with MUA Extreme Curl Mascara

Collection 2000 Sheer Loose Powder

MUA Pressed Powder - Shade 4 (As a countour)

Benefit Coralista Blusher

Sleek Brow Kit - Light

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick - Undressed

MUA Lipstick - Shade 14 (Patted on top of the nude to make a muted peach colour) 

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you have any post suggestions, what should I do next? xox

My First Post

This is my first ever blog post... yay! I decided to create my own blog because I enjoy reading beauty and fashion blogs and wanted to get involved myself :) I have lots of ideas for writing about beauty and fashion, as well as other lifestyle bits. Please leave a comment if you have any suggestions or constructive criticisms, or a link to your blog!

Lauren xoxo