The Beauty Graveyard

For a beauty addict like me, one of the best feelings is using up a product. The sense of achievement I feel is far too sad to even begin to describe on the Internet. Put it this way, it makes me want to play Heather Small, Proud really loud.

Anyway, I have used up quite a few makeup and beauty items these past few months, so before I recycle them here's my mini reviews.

* Indicates how many times a product has been featured in a beauty graveyard post. So if you see a lot of stars it must be good ;)

 Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation - A medium coverage foundation, with a really pretty radiant finish. I really enjoyed using this foundation and loved how it looked on my skin. This is reportedly the foundation Kate Middleton wore for her wedding day, but I'm still not any closer to Harry.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation * - After finishing my second bottle of this I am tempted to say its my favourite foundation, but I'm not quite ready to make such a sweeping statement! If you want a light coverage, long lasting and natural looking foundation try this. I have already purchased my third bottle with my Boots points (woohoo)

MAC Lingering Eyebrow Pencil *** - Another must have item for me, one of the best eyebrow pencils. If you don't want your eyebrows to look like you coloured them in with a felt tip please try this. This pencil is so small that you can draw individual hairs, making your brows look a lot more natural. Although my love for Lingering has recently been overshadowed by the Hourglass Brow Sculpting Pencil!

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer - I think they should re-name this the never ending bronzer. Honestly its taken me about 2 years to finally finish this thing! If you want a good, matte bronzer I would highly recommend this. Its quite dark though, so if you are pale it might not work as well for you. I loved using this instead of eyeshadow, defines your eyes with minimal effort!

Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balm - My favourite ever lip balm, I have already bought another one because I cant be without it! I would never have tried this if it hadn't been recommended to me by the Beauty Team at Cosmopolitan magazine, so for that I thank them!

Benefit They're Real Mascara - This little diddy tube was free with Elle magazine, normally I'm not a fan of magazine freebies but I was intrigued to try this mascara and I'm glad I did. I love it, have since bought another 2 tubes! Its pricey but I love how it makes my lashes look, as the little torture ball wand really wings out my outer lashes and elongates my eyes.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel - My new favourite cleanser. I use this every night, rub it all over my face and wipe off with a warm, damp, washcloth. Removes all my makeup and feels so nice on my skin.

Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner - I was having a bit of a Clarins moment! Equally love the toner, doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped at all. Only downside is this bottle didn't seem to last long at all!

Origins Make A Difference Plus Rejuvenating Treatment - I used this at night as a moisturiser. This feels so hydrating and moisturising on your skin but I don't think it actually did much. I didn't notice any difference in my skin but it sure felt nice putting it on!

Yes to Carrots Nourishing Rich Moisture Day Cream - I have raved about my love for Yes to before for their amazing range of natural products. I have tried the Cucumber and Tomato moisturisers as well and I love them all. I like that these moisturisers are quite light, so if you have oilier skin and like to use products with natural ingredients I would really recommend trying out on of their moisturisers.

E45 Moisturising Lotion ****** - It wouldn't be right if I did a Beauty Graveyard post without a bottle of E45! I do really love this stuff as it doesn't feel sticky at all and drys quickly, but I do want to try a more natural body moisturiser so my E45 love affair might be coming to an end (only might though!)

Yes to Cucumbers Calming Shower Gel - I discovered this shower gel on my quest to use more natual products and I havent used anything else since. Its pricey for a shower gel at £8.00 but its a massive 500ml bottle so lasts you months and theres no nasty chemicals in it.

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion - I liked this body moisturiser, wasn't too keen on the smell but not really a big deal. Just didn't last me long at all, I tend to slap on my moisturiser, hence why I love my gigantic bottles of E45.

Clarins Eau des Jardins Smoothing Body Cream - This was a freebie and thank God because it was the strongest smelling cream I have ever come across in my 26 years on this planet. Honestly it was so overpowering and really not in a good way, more of a nauseous headache inducing way. I couldn't even bear to wear any perfume after using this.

Zoya Remove + ** - When you change your nail polish as much as I do your nails need a little bit of extra TLC. This is my favourite nail polish remover, if I use a cheap standard removed my nails literally dry out and break. This makes my nail varnish last a good week and doesn't damage my nails at all. I get mine from eBay or Amazon, its £10 which is expensive but I find it lasts me a good few months.

Lush Big Shampoo ** - I hate the smell of Lush, I hold my breath as I walk past but their Big Sea Salt Shampoo smells divine! This shampoo has little bits of sea salt in to really clean your hair and add volume, I really like using this as I have quite greasy hair and this makes it feel so clean.

Moroccanoil ** - Apart from shampoo and conditioner, this is pretty much the only other thing I use in my hair. I use it every time I wash my hair, I just run 2 pumps through the ends. I swear this completely transformed my damaged, frizzy ends and I would never be without it now.

Aussie Mega Shampoo * - Can you tell I have a new favourite shampoo and conditioner? Recommended to me by my sister after moaning that my hair always felt greasy, I have not used anything since trying these and as you can see have got through countless bottles. I love it, my hair feels so clean and healthy after using it and its cheap too!

Aussie Mega Instant Conditioner - This is the conditioner from the same line and I love it equally. Leaves my hair smooth and soft but doesn't leave it feeling weighed down or greasy. I think I will be using these for a long time to come!

If you have any recommendations I would love to hear them, as you can see I discovered some of my all time favourite products through people's recommendations, so I always want more!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips "Glitz Bitz"

I was really excited to see that the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips are finally launching in the UK. They have been out in America for a while and I have been eager to try them!

I feel I should confess straight away that I hate nail wraps with a passion. They were definitely one of the biggest beauty disappointments for me, as the patterns and designs are beautiful but the wraps themselves are useless. They never stick to your nails properly, they always peel off at the edge and its the most uncomfortable feeling. I think I lasted half a day before ripping them off.

Now whats exciting about the Sally Hansen strips is that they aren't wraps, they are actual strips of real nail polish, if you don't believe me smell them (they stink of nail polish!). They actually stick to your nail and look pretty good. There's definitely some pros and cons which I will go into, but overall for my first attempt at using them I was really impressed.

These are what the strips look like and you can get various different designs. These gold glitter ones are called "Glitz Bitz". You get 16 strips in a pack and they come in a variety of different shapes and sizes to fit each nail. The trickiest part is finding a strip to fit every one of your nails, there wasn't a shape that really fitted my pinky nail and generally you will have to make do, as nails come in all shapes and sizes and Sally can't cater for everyone.

Before you apply the strips you need to make sure your nails are clean, wipe them over with nail polish remover (even if you don't have any nail polish on) this will remove the natural oils from your nail, making the strips stick better and last longer. In the pack you also get a mini orange stick to push back your cuticles and a mini nail buffer. I would recommend buffing your nails too, as again it will help the strips to stick. Once you have done that and selected what strip you are using on each nail you can begin to apply them.

The strips come on a clear adhesive backing, peel off this backing and place on your nail. Be careful as once its on your nail its difficult to move it. Once you are happy with the positioning, press down and smooth out the nail strip with your fingers. Make sure you press firmly to ensure there are no bumps or air pockets.

Then push the strip slightly over and around the tip of your nail and file off the excess. Now this is the bit with normal nail wraps that never works, but because these are so thin and made of real nail polish I found this bit really easy and I have no rough edges or peeling on my nail tips at all.

I would definitely try these again, however at £7.99 a pack they are quite expensive and as you only get 16 strips in a pack you can only use them once before needing another pack, especially as the ones that are left over tend to be the ones that don't fit any of your nails particularly well. I think they would be great for accent nails and that way your pack will stretch a bit further and you can play around with different designs .

They are really easy to use and once you've done a couple of nails you will be on a roll. For me the biggest cons are just the sizing of the strips and also although they are very thin, they are slightly raised around the nail bed area and I have found myself picking at them. I doubt most people would even notice this though, as I do have a habit of picking off my nail polish when bored, stressed or anxious.

Overall these are really fun to try and I am excited to see what other designs they bring out. I think they would be great for special occasions, my nails are screaming Christmas right now. If like me you have been put off by nail wraps in the past, try these out I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

You can pick these up in larger Boots stores (I found mine in Boots in Bromley) or Boots online for £7.99

(See what I mean about my pinky nail!)

L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara Carbon Black

I love trying out different mascaras and have found some really good ones lately, so I thought I would start sharing them. I have tried L'Oreals False Lash Telescopic Mascara before and loved it, but I thought it was about time I tried out the original formula.

This comes with a plastic brush with very short and a little scary looking "teeth". Its more of a comb than a brush to be honest. Comb style mascaras will give you great definition and really accentuate each individual lash. They wont build volume though, so if you are a fan of a heavy mascara look a comb wand will not be for you.

The before

And the after! (Don't you just love mascara)

I really like the effect of this mascara. It really defines every one of my lashes without any clumpiness, giving a more natural look. I find it really opens up my eyes and makes me look a lot more awake then I actually am!

I was also really impressed with the lasting power. I normally have to buy waterproof mascaras but this one lasted on me with only minimal smudging on my bottom lashes by the end of the day.

If you are a fan of natural looking, defined lashes I would definitely recommend this. Available from Boots or Superdrug for £10.99

Blue Nails

I have developed an obsession with blue nail varnish and its not going away! For the past 2 months pretty much the only shade that has graced my nails is blue, you know its a problem when even your Dad has noticed! 

If you are fond of a blue nail here are my five favourites

Illamasqua "Cameo" - A bright periwinkle blue (love the word periwinkle). Illamasqua's nail polishes are amazing, opaque, bright colours and long lasting.

Chanel "Bel-Argus" - I'm not normally a fan of metallic colours but this one is so beautiful I couldn't resist! When I wear this I feel like I have Robocop nails they are so shiny!

Nails Inc "Baker Street" -  A bright, cobalt blue. If there was such a thing as a neon blue this would be it.

Topshop "Easy Breezy" - Although this looks more green here, I would definitely describe this as an aqua. I don't think mint green nails really suit me, so I love this colour as it does lean more blue.

Topshop "Celestial" - By far my favourite blue of them all. If you get one blue nail polish make it this one. Its similar to Barry M's Blueberry, but brighter. This colour would be in my top 5 nail polishes of all time I love it that much!

Left to right: Nails Inc "Baker Street", Topshop "Celestial", Illamasqua "Cameo" and Topshop "Easy Breezy"

And on the thumb Chanel "Bel-Argus"

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream and Photo Finish Light Foundation Primer

Smashbox are now doing travel sized versions of their primers and their new BB cream. I really wanted to try both but didn't want to spend £50+ so the travel sized versions seemed a great idea.

Now when these turned up I was shocked at just how small they were. I have the travel size Laura Mercier primer and that is 30ml, making the Smashbox products look like deluxe samples compared.

The full size Photo Finish Light is £25.00 for 30ml. The travel size version is £12.50 for 12ml.

The full size BB Cream is £27.00 for 30ml. The travel size version is £12.50 for £12.50 for 15ml.

Although Maths isn't my strong point I think we can agree that is not great value for money, however and this is a big however! I really love both these products and will definitely buy the full size versions when they run out.

The Camera Ready BB Cream is by far the best BB cream I have tried and I have tried a fair few!
Its quite a thick consistency and its great if you have oily skin as its not as greasy as some BB creams are. I really like the coverage as its light and it doesn't look like I'm wearing a a face full of makeup but it covers my redness and evens my skin tone. If you did have a spot you would need concealer with this.
I was also really impressed by the lasting power, I have worn it every single day since I got it and its been pretty hot. Combined with the primer and a bit of powder where I need it, this lasts all day.
It also contains an SPF of 35 which I love.

I have never been wowed by a BB cream until now, I think this will be my Summer staple!

Word of warning on finding your shade, these seem to come up quite dark. I bought mine in the colour Light.

My Laura Mercier Radiance primer is coming to an end and I have had my eye on the Smashbox primers for a while after my friend Amelia gave them the thumbs up. This feels very different to the Laura Mercier primer, it has that silconey feel and leaves your skin feeling smooth. I know some people aren't keen on that but personally it doesn't bother me. I chose Photo Finish Light as its for people with oily, acney prone or sensitive skin.

The proof is in the pudding and this primer really delivers, my makeup lasts all day even on really sweaty days! I have even been swimming with this primer and BB cream combo and was pretty impressed at how well it lasted!

I really love both these products and will definitely buy the full size versions of both.

If you do want to try these and are interested in the travel sizes I purchased mine from Boots online. Smashbox have a whole range of primers to suit all different skin types so there will definitely be one for you.

The beauty items you should really take to a festival

If you are going to a festival this year I have put together this very honest and hopefully helpful guide for what beauty items you should really take to a festival. 

Trust me when you are lugging all of this around you will really regret packing those 10 lipsticks and 5 eyeshadow palettes!

No glamping here!

WIPES

By far the most important beauty items of them all!

Baby Wipes

Take as many baby wipes as you can physically carry, its a shower in a pack!

"Intimate Wipes"

Toilet roll is a pain in the arse, trying to keep that stuff dry in a muddy flooded tent is near impossible, instead I would take "intimate wipes" these were a life saviour when we went to Reading. Again take a few packs between you, better safe then sorry!

Face Wipes

A festival is one of the few times its acceptable to remove your make up with wipes. Don't buy the cheapest ones you can find, using face wipes twice a day will strip your skin so if you can I would invest in the best ones that you can afford.

DEODORANT

I don't think any explanation is needed here but we are talking Mitchum strength ;) I would take both a roll on and spray so you can freshen up throughout the day. I just bought Sure's Maximum Protection cream roll on and its seriously good stuff. It was quite pricey around £4.50 but if you can find it on offer its worth a try.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT YOUR TEETH

HAIR

Hairbrush

You don't want to forget that bad boy! I would be lost without my Tangle Teezer

Hairbands and Kirby Grips/Bobby Pins (whatever you want to call them)

Again take more than you think you need, trust me when you can get to that no going back greasy stage you will be thankful for that extra kirby grip!

Dry Shampoo

Again not something I would use normally as my hair is so dark but definitely a festival essential!

MISCELLANEOUS

Perfume

Now would be a good time to use up that bottle of Britney Spears perfume you've had lying around. Don't take anything expensive that you would be upset if you lost or smashed.

Face Moisturiser

Get one with an SPF. The new Garnier Moisture Match range has a good one with an SPF of 20. If you are going to bring a tinted moisturiser or BB cream you can skip face moisturiser. I would not even bother bringing a body moisturiser, you wont use it!

Sun Cream

Although I definitely did not need this, you should pack some as you will be out in the sun/rain all day. 

Emergency tampons!

Because you never know!

Reasonable sized mirror

I'm not talking a full length mirror but something you can see your face and ideally hair in!

Big ugly hair clip

To get that horrible greasy mop off your face when you are trying to put your make up on in a cramped, sweaty tent!

MAKE UP

Now onto the makeup and trust me this is a condensed makeup bag (apart from 2 pots of glitter!)

FACE

Primer (optional)

I would recommend bringing a primer to help your makeup stay on all day. Smashbox now do their primers in travel sizes (available from Boots online) so you don't need to worry about it taking up space in your makeup bag. 

Foundation/Tinted Moisturiser/BB Cream

Down to personal preference which one you decide to pack but I would definitely recommend a lighter coverage. I have just discovered and have been loving the Smashbox BB cream (review on its way shortly) Again Smashbox sell this in a travel size which is great for packing light and this has an SPF35 so your skin will be protected. 

Under eye concealer and blemish concealer

Because those bags wont conceal themselves and after the 2nd day of eating out a burger van you are bound to wake up to a ginormous spot which your BB cream will not cover!

Bronzer

If you don't wear bronzer on a daily basis then skip this.

Powder

Again if you don't need to wear powder or don't normally, then you can skip this.

Eyebrow "Equipment"

Whatever you normally use for your brows, if your brows rival Cara Delivingne however you don't need anything. 

Mascara

Make it waterproof!

Glitter

Completely non essential, but completely essential if you want to channel your inner Kesha

Lip/Cheek Stain

I love the Stila Convertible colours and you can use them on both your lips and cheeks for a bit of much needed colour.

Lip Balm

What could be worse then being stuck in a field without any lip balm! Bring your favourite, I like mine tinted!

And that is it, as I said you really don't need to weigh your bags down with beauty products as you just wont use them!

Have fun, stay safe and if you are going to Reading good luck with the long drops!

June Favourites

June has been a good month beauty wise, I have discovered some new products I love and rediscovered some gems. Before I go into the beauty stuff I just have to mention my other favourite for the month and its a film. If you haven't seen This Is The End then make sure you go see it this weekend! Honestly I didn't think it was possible to love Rogen, Franco and Hill more than I already do but apparently it is. I even laughed so much I cried....in the cinema, go see it!

Now onto the beauty stuff!

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation - This month I finally realised the depth of my love for this foundation. I love the finish, its not too shiny or matte, it just looks natural which I love. Also I am a bit obsessed with the smell of it! I have just bought my third bottle of this with my Boots points (winning) as I'm almost running out!

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Blush in Pink Ingenue - Its a miracle, I'm not wearing a red blusher! This was a surprise favourite for me this month. I love the colour of this on my cheeks, its the perfect pinky flush and it blends like a dream. This also has incredible lasting power on me, I have worn this pretty much all month long.

Topshop Nail Polish in Easy Breezy and Celestial - I have a problem, I cant stop wearing blue nail polish and these 2 colours have graced my nails most of the month. Easy Breezy is a really light blue with a hint of green. For some reason mint green nail polish looks terrible on me, so I love that this leans more blue and I can wear it!
Celestial has got to be in my top 5 nail polishes of all time. Its a really bright baby blue, a bit of a periwinkle blue if you like. Its really unique and I always get compliments when I wear it. Normally men at work, which is a bit weird! I cannot recommend Topshop nail polishes enough, they are an absolute bargain and the colour range and quality is perfect.

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer - I have been really lazy with eyeshadow this month and just been doing my trick of running my bronzer through my crease. This bronzer is perfect for this look as the colour is just right, not too orange! I have the teeny tiniest bit left in this and I have been stalking the Cult Beauty website waiting for the Jouer bronzer to come back in stock to try out!

Hourglass Brow Sculpting Pencil in Soft Brunette - This is a new found love, it might even rival my love for MAC's Lingering! I find I can do my brows really quickly with this and I love that it has the little brush on the end to brush them through. One of my favourite recent discoveries.

Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel - An oldie but a goodie, this is one of my staples but every time I use it I am reminded how much I love it. This makes my brows look really natural as it defines each individual hair.

Bobbi Brown Almost Bare Perfume - My new obsession, if you like light, clean smelling perfumes I would highly recommend this. I feel like its the kind of perfume Jennifer Aniston would wear! I have also received quite a few compliments when I wear this, so its an all round winner.

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder - I am going to have to do a massive U-Turn on this powder as I hated it when I first bought it. I thought it was really cakey and heavy but that's all changed since I have been using the Real Techniques duo fiber face brush to apply it. These 2 combined are a dream team, the brush doesn't pick up as much product so its not as cakey and the powder lasts all day and stops me shining like a beacon! Summer saviours!

Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balm - I know I always go on about this lip balm but I can't help it! In fact I finally used it up......only to order another one which arrived today (wahey)

So there you have it, my round up of all the beauty products I have been loving in June! If you have any recommendations let me know, I love to be enabled!