#bbloggers Secret Santa

So after seeing a post over on Georgina's lovely blog Makeup Pixi3 about a Secret Santa all beauty bloggers could take part in, I knew it was something I had to be part of. Being a person who love's a good surprise and just being involved in something blogging related seemed like a great idea. 

There was a budget of £15 to spend on your chosen fellow blogger, I was paired with the lovely Lauren who writes over at laurenslittleblog click to see what i sent out to her!

I am so grateful for what i received in my cutely wrapped package of pink tissue paper accompanied with ribbon and a bow, inside was a Christmas card with a handful of goodies all which I've never tried before, definite bonus!

Especially loving the nail polishes, but everything else is amazing to the chocolate was yummy aswell!

Sometimes these type of things even with people you know personally can be disappointing but I guess that's what you sign up for. 

Be assured I wasn't disappointed, can't wait to take part if there's another one next year!

Thank you Lauren!

twitter / bloglovin' /facebook

beccalouise oxo

Sneaky Sale Purchases || Beauty

So after a long painful month of scrimping and surviving on very little money i got paid the day after boxing day, as you can guess i went a little over-board but what the heck i made some great savings if i do say so myself, better yet i put a smile on my face.

This posts contains a few beauty/miscellaneous bits and pieces the next one i post will be mostly clothing so stay tuned and i hope you enjoy my haul + find something you quite like the look of and if you do get yourself shopping before everything goes!

 My first full sized Benefit Blush i love the shimmery watermelon shade amazing!

ASOS | £24.50 to £19.50

 

Handy travel sized James Brown hair products for colour enhanced hair perfect for use on my recently reapplied ombre'd do.

Boots | £10.00 to £5.00

 

I bought this purely for the sake of buying it but i like it a lot so its defiantly not going to waste.

Boots | £32.00 to £16.00

 

An essential Starbucks Mug it was the last one on the shelf so obviously it was meant to be ha.

Boots | £10.00 to £5.00

 

This bag is amazing the design is just wow, so me. Its comes in smaller sized bag with travel sized products in or there's this one which contains:

Toni&Guy Shampoo + Conditioner for normal hair

Toni&Guy Sea Salt Spray

And

Toni&Guy Heat Defense Spray

So all in all a perfect little set so try out with a new stylish make up bag!

Boots | £20.00 to £10.00

Last of all the famous Pink Friday Fragrance by Nicki Minaj, got to say minaj did good the scent and the bottle are amazing + love the rollerball extra think other perfume sets should take note, there a lot more pratical that a body lotion or shower gel!

Boots | £24.00 to £11.60

 Leave your links in the comments, of your bargainous haul posts would love to have a nosy!

 twitter / bloglovin' /facebook

beccalouise oxox  

What I Got For Christmas 2013

Yes this is the famous what i got for Christmas post.

I'm very grateful to family and friends for what i received this year considering i didn't want or need anything I got a lovely bunch of gifts. So just because i love to read these kind of blog posts and if you were wondering, this is what i got for Christmas its defiantly not two front teeth there still intact!

I hope all you wonderrcoloured readers had a few fantastic festive filled days,

Happy New Year, 

Lets hope 2014's better than this one,

Leave links to your Christmas/Sales posts would love to see them!

beccalouise ox

NYX The Curve Eyeliner Review

After hearing NYX Cosmetics have landed in Next Clothing stores in the UK i have to admit i had to go to my local store and purchase some of the amazing things that have been on my wishlist for sooo long...

But unfortunately my next doesn't even stock them which is probably a good thing for my bank balance but as for myself i wanted to cry, just to clarify i didn't but god i wanted to, so of course with that heartbreak aside i did a bit of online shopping instead!

I did only buy one incredible product but I do assure you i will be back for more.

 

So just looking at this amazing'ness in the box put a smile on my face, now know its been around for a while now but with a full-time job comes money so yano forget the bills I'm buying everything I've wanted for so long on my wishlist (in moderation may i add).

The NYX Curve Eyeliner comes housed in packaging which is ridiculously big for something so small, it is simple but i guess it does add some class about it rather than just receiving it in a plastic bag (still think it's to much though for something that just ends up in the bin)

Moving on swiftly,

The eyeliner itself is shaped in the letter p, it has a sturdy felt-tip applicator a super jet-black colour and it's super easy to use.

One of the reasons for buying this product was purely for the shape as an eyeliner novice i tend to give in quite easily when using just a regular Kohl pencil or liquid liner because they look absolutely stupid with one eye looking perfect while the next's always a disastrous mess.

What I've found with this particular eyeliner is I'm in full control as the shape makes it easy for my thumb and forefinger to grip and glide over the eyelash line rather than me just hoping for the best applying what should be a thin curved line with other pencil applicators.

As for the formula i was slightly worried i wouldn't get on well in case it ran + smudged really easily, what if it crumbed due to the oiliness of my skin too?......

Well it certainly isn't anything of the sort, it applies perfectly with an intense black shade, lasts all day for up to 7 hours + it even stands the heat on a night out making me look less like the joker and more socially except-able.

 

All in all if your still getting to grips with any type of eyeliner, you don't like too wet or dry formulas and just want something that actually lasts regardless of your skin-type, as-well as wanting a true black eyeliner colour then i think this is one for you.

 Not just because it's one of the best I've ever tried it will change you from eyeliner appling novice to  an expert professional within seconds. (Well sort of. )

As for the £13-14 price tag it is totally it worth especially if it is something you use most days!

I purchased the NYX Curve Eyeliner here from very.co.uk

NYX The Curve Eyeliner 0.4ml for £14.00

What's your holy grail eyeliner/brand?

beccalouise oxox

w7 Magic Matte Lipstick Review

Today i have a review on the w7 Magic Matte Lipstick I'm not 100% sure on the colour shade as i can't find it anywhere but you can find a whole selection here on the xtras website.

Onto the lips.....

This particular one comes packaged in a sturdy black square lipstick bullet tube with a clear bottom, which if any of you know does it come off because i don't have a clue and i don't wanna break it just in case!?

Although it is a matte formula the dusty rose pink colour doesn't dry out the lips that is unless you don't prep them. But you can get that with many lip products though so it's not the end of the world but note it's not going to look good on chapped dry lips.

I've found this one to be the perfect creamy texture that lasts 2-3 hours at least, there is a slight scent to it, which is quite pleasant it's not heavy either and you can build up the colour to get the perfect shade if you desire too.

 

Overall i have found this to be one of the best matte lip products i have tried in a while the creamy texture, none drying properties + the lasting power love it! The price is a bonus as well, i think i definitely need to try out some more from w7 Cosmetics such a budget friendly brand with amazing products!

w7 Magic Matte Lipstick 3.5g - £2.99

What's your best matte lip products you've tried?

twitter /  bloglovin' / facebook

 

beccalouise oxo

Yet Another Christmas Jumper

So with the Christmas season well and truly upon us (where the blumming heck has this year gone!?)

I thought I'd share with you my top 5 Xmas jumper picks just because IT'SSS CHRISTMASSSSSS!!!!!

 I actually have only just bought my very first one crazy i know!

 I feel so excited & i'm deffo in the Christmas spirit this year even though my jumper's not the best one around i love it regardless, but if only I'd of waited a little longer i think one of these would definitely been mine...

 

 1. House Of Fraser Mela Loves London - £25
2. New Look Reindeer - £27.99
3. Matalan Pudding - £14
4. River Island - £35
5. River Island - £20

Totally wish i owned both River Island jumpers LOVE them kinda puts my to shame right now,
I feel i should buy them all but somehow i think that maybe slightly ridiculous.... 
  

 

I purchased mine from very.co.uk!

Are you feeling all christmassy yet?

twitter /  bloglovin' / facebook

beccalouise oxox

M&Co Blogger Competition

 

 

 All Items Featured from M&Co.com

If you haven't already seen M&Co are holding a blogger competiton for the likes of you and i to be in with the chance of winning an amazing prize details here!

So this is my entry, now i know a dress was meant to be styled to make the perfect Christmas look.

Well after having a browse on the website i found myself not being able to choose just one to style because most fitted with the look i was trying to achieve so i switched it up completely and made a whole new outfit with a lovely pair of printed jeans.

But nevertheless the dress featured still works brilliantly with the accessories i paired the trouser blazer combo!

I would certainly wear both outfits as there's so much versatility between them both there's a vampy ora with the red jaquered style jacket and a more elegant look that the dress i feel portrays!

So there you have it my M&Co competition entry i hope it still counts!

twitter /  bloglovin' / facebook /

beccalouise ox

w7 Prime Magic Eye Primer Review

So when it comes to eyeshadow i always play save with the same old shades because my skills are no where near as advanced as i liked them to be but not only that i know what stays put throughout the night and what definitely doesn't! 

So with the party season well and truly just around the corner i thought it was time to find a necessary essential for my make up bag, especially something that adds extra perfection to my otherwise novice'ly applied make up.

Having never tried an eye primer to keep my eyeshadow in place for nights out/neutral everyday looks i knew i was missing out so when an opportunity arised i knew exactly what to choose.

The w7 Prime Magic Eye Primer* comes packaged in a standard clear tube (great to see how much products left) and has a doe foot applicator.

Now having never tried an eye primer before i wasn't quite sure what to expect, this one in-particular has a soft creamy texture which blends seemingly all over the lid using just my fingers but it also works well with a small clean eye brush too. Even though it is an obvious white colour the product does blend out to be completely sheer.

It moisturises slightly as well drying to a semi-matte iridescent sheen so even on lazy days I'll use my w7 Eye Prime just to add that little extra to my eyes + it helps with my oily eyelids too which is a bonus!

Having tested in both daytime/evening/night-time in different atmospheres I'd say it has at least 6 hours lasting power but up to 8 if you were to spend a a few minutes more gently layering and building up the colour on your eyes rather than packing it all on at once. 

This magic primer certainly helps shadow to stop creasing in everyday wear something that usually happens due to having super oily skin but even on a messy night out it pro-longs fading & stops it smugdeing all around my face (that's before I've even walked out the door), so all in all it's worth a try with a price tag of £2.99 (currently on offer at xtras for £1.99!)

 Overall it works, the thing for me is you can actually tell a difference with the quality it adds to your already perfect shade of shadow which is great, i don't know how I've coped without it all this time!

 w7 Magic Prime Eye Primer for £1.99!

What w7 products have you tried and liked? 

twitter /  bloglovin' /  facebook 
  

 beccalouise oxox

Eos Lip Balm Review Summer Fruits & Pomegranate Raspberry

After Receiving the EOS Lip Balms in a great giveaway hosted by the lovely Sophie who writes over at La Vie Sophie i just had to share my thoughts with you.

I was holding out and waiting until the day i travelled state side to be able to try one of these bad boys but luck was on my side and the ones i received were in the flavours summer fruits & pomegranate raspberry.

Smooth on an all-natural lip balm that delivers the perfect balance of flavor and moisture

Now I'm sure you all know the Eos Lip Balms are housed in egg shaped bright coloured cases,

but apart from the unusual packaging it's whats inside that defiantly counts.

                                                                                   First of all....

I wasn't totally impressed to me it was just a ball of balm that wasn't overly scented something i was convinced would make a greasy mess on my lips but never judge a book by its cover comes to mind......

So although its not overly scented or as soft in texture as I'd expected, this is probably the best lip balm I've ever tried considering the fact i have oily skin and as I've said once before i don't particularly like greasy, overly moisturising lip products as they just feel uncomfortable on a face full of oil already they just get pushed to one side, but a last this is something that the EOS Lip Balms are not and this is what make them an essential in my make up bag!

I found the longitivity of the product to be between 3-4 hours i honestly feel the moisturising benefits last even after eating/drinking.

They have a slight taste to them that lasts too which is not over empowering either.

Even though the ball of balm is quite solid it applies really well and is evenly distributed across the lips, Something i do though as i wasn't a fan of it being so hard i put it in my coat pocket hanging over the radiator, by doing this it seems to loosen & melt the product slightly making it that tiny bit better to work with. (don't keep it there for too long as I'm sure it'll completely melt if you were to try.)

Overall it's not greasy or heavy on the lips, lasts a good amount of time, smells good, contians shea butter and is 100% organic + it's a good conversation starter once you've pulled an egg shaped thing out your handbag!

What more could you ask for!?

Defiantly worth it! All i wanna know is when will they be available in the UK!

 EOS Lip Balm for £5.99

pssst. be sure to check out sophie and her amazing lifestyle blog!

twitter /  bloglovin' / hellocotton / facebook / she said beauty

beccalouise ox

 

Real Techniques Brush Haul/Review

After debating for a whole year whether the RT brushes were a worthy purchase for someone who wasn't really allowed to wear a lot of make up or nail polish for my job (i don't know how i survived for TWO years!)

I just couldn't justify spending money on something that would essentially not be used that often but that was until i got a new job yayy me! 

My self-esteem is now back because I can be me again so before I started I of course had to update my beauty collection with a few new Barry M polishes but most importantly of all, the long awaited for Real Technique Brushes!

Upon there arrival i didn't really know what to expect, did i buy the right ones? Have i just wasted £50 of my hard earned moola?

Well you'll just have to keep reading......

Brushes Purchased:

Core Collection:

Buffing Brush - Rounded Dense, Flare Ended Brush

Contour Brush - Soft Fluffy Tapered Brush 

Stippling Brush - Duo Fibre Bristles with a Dense Brush Base,

Expert Face Brush -  Super Dense Rounded Short Bristled Brush

Blush Brush - Flared Tapered Soft Brush

In the past I've only ever used ELFcosmetics brushes so my expectations were pretty high, and well i have to say they defiantly didn't dissapoint.

Core Collection:

I'll start with my only dislike of this set which is the Pointed Foundation Brush I'm just not a fan i always find this type of brush always makes my face streaky no matter how careful i am in applying foundation around dry areas. Using this type of application it seems to lift the dry skin making my face look super dry/cakey and so not flawless!

But as for the other three i honestly can't fault them in anyway. The Buffing Brush helps me to work with my foundation so much more easily helping disguise pores as well as making it feel like a second skin because i feel that little bit of extra buffing makes the biggest difference by helping it settle in rather than it just sitting on the top my skin waiting to side off throughout the day.

I find the Contour Brush super helpful as i'm able to sweep away fallout eyeshadow easily, apply blush a lot more precisely & obviously contour with ease.

Last of all the Detailer Brush works wonders for helping to cover my super red breakouts but not only that since using this brush to layer on lip products they seem to make my lips look a lot more polished and professional if i do say so myself rather than just slapping on too much being paranoid its all around your mouth/on your teeth because you applied to much! 

Although the Expert Face Brush has multiple uses i found this particular one great to press powder into my skin as well as helping to apply foundation but other than that i've not really tried to apply anything else with it but maybe i should?

The Stippling Brush has to be a favourite of mine just because it makes applying foundation enjoyable as the end result makes skin look amazing not only that though this brush is quite versatile in the fact it apply's cream blush and mousse formulas really well as the products distrbute across the face evenly unlike the blush brush which i found out to be quite disaterous in applying those kind of formulated products.

Last of the bunch is my Blush Brush perfectly does a fantastic job especially with the tapered style & density of the brush helps again with application of powdered blushes.

Overall they are a great addition to my 'make up collection' certainly worth every penny spend and i look forward to purchasing a few more very soon especially the sponge quite intrigued about that one!

Ever Tried Real Technique Brushes?

What's your favourite brand of brushes?

I purchased mine from boots.com but you can get them from iherb.com too and make a great saving with a few promo codes online!

twitter /  bloglovin' / hellocotton / facebook / she said beauty

 

                                                                            beccalouise xox

Mint Julep Mask Review

After hearing good things as well as reading rave reviews i purchased the Mint Julep Masque to try out and see if it would live up to my expectations.

The mask comes packaged in a sturdy white tube with a green cap nothing too fancy just standard.

What the mask states...

Helps dry up acne pimples, rinse away blackheads & shrink enlarged pores,

Now onto the green stuff,

 

As you can imagine what with the name the mask has a minty fresh scent which is super refreshing, perfect for a relaxing pick me up, (cucumber on eyes everyone around you making as much noise as possible, yes i live in a mad house) well not so relaxing in my case but you get the idea.

With a thick green texture it's easily smeared on the skin as i think your natural body heat helps with applying a thin layer all over your face, providing it is a thin covering the mask takes 1-2 mins to fully dry going from a dark shade of green to a lighter colour, once this stage is over you should leave it on for 15 mins.

Personally i leave it on for anything up to 25 which is just my preference. 
By the time it takes to dry on your skin the product visibly seems to draw out oil + all other impurities from my pores which is something I've never seen before, so where I've covered over you seen tiny dots all over where the oils been drawn out, sounds gross right. 

Also it doesn't make your face as dry as a prune you can still move your face as freely as possible but the best thing about the Mint Julep Mask is the after result I'm left with muck free clean skin, a super soft texture and best of all noticeably reduced blackheads by no means do they disappear, but they're certainly not as dark as before i applied this mask.

The benefits of spot reduction i can't say too much about it as (*touch wood*) I've had seemingly less pimples in recent months, the one or two have cleared up though with the added extra of regularly using this mask. One thing i can say is it works a treat for oily skin but it's certainly suitable for all skin types.

Overall this is definitely something you should own on your shelf of many lotions + potions because for the price of £2.95 it's so worth a try!

 Mint Julep Masque 226.8g for £2.95/$4.87
I purchased mine at iherb.com 

What's your go to face mask?

 

twitter /  bloglovin' /  facebook  

beccalouise xox