September Beauty Favourites

Jouer Sunswept Mattifying Powder Bronzer - I am in love with this bronzer, the colour completely transforms my face from pale blotchy Croydon girl to tanned glowing California girl. Its love. Full review here - Available from Cult Beauty £22.00

Living Proof Prime Style Extender - I purchased this in Sephora on my travels and have been in love with it ever since. I put a blob through my hair when its wet and it just gives my hair so much more style and shape than normal - Available from Space NK £17.00

Bumble and Bumble Surf Foam Wash Shampoo and Creme Rinse Conditioner - I took the mini bottles of these on holiday and loved them so much that I came home and immediately bought the full size. Combined with my other hair favourites my hair just so felt so bouncy and clean, plus this leaves my hair so shiny! Even my Dad commented, which is saying something! - Available from Active Beauty £16.95 for the shampoo and £18.95 for the conditioner (this is the cheapest place I found it online)

Dior Addict Lip Glow - Possibly my favourite ever lip product? Wow, that's a big statement coming from me! This balm adapts to the temperature of your lips and leaves me with a lovely pink glow. I am more than a bit obsessed with this and although I've only had it just over a month I only have the tiniest bit left! Don't worry though I picked up another one in Duty Free! I know this is going to be one of my staples - Available from Escentual £19.10

Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray - This was in my last monthly favourites and I just had to include it again. I bloody love this stuff, it gives me the messy bed hair that I love without a single bit of crunch or stickiness. Don't try this, just don't unless you want to end up with a very expensive addiction like me. Don't, I warned you! - Available from Space NK £33.00

Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel - My skin was absolutely terrible last month, I always break out on my chin and I hate it! Now this stuff wont make your spots disappear but put it on at night and the next morning the offending blemish will be significantly reduced and dried out enough for you to be able to cover it with concealer. This has been my life saver recently - Available from 

John Lewis £14.00

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - Finally Laura a cheap product! This concealer is a little gem, it has great coverage but isn't thick and cakey. It also has great lasting power, I don't know about 16 hours but I think it holds up the whole day pretty well - Available from Boots £3.99

Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser - The nicest tinted moisturiser I have tried and it bloody better be for the price! This doesn't feel like makeup, it feels so moisturising but it has a really good level of coverage. I have gone through a tube of this in the past and Ive had this one lying around for a while but the colour is quite dark so only matches me when I'm tanned. If you fancy a massive splurge I highly recommend this but there are definitely cheaper options out there - Available from Space NK £57.00

Never Pick Up a Basket in Sephora

So yesterday I shared the drugstore beauty items I bought in America and today its Sephora's turn!

Sephora is like Disneyland to me, I come out like a little child all excited and sweaty with my hands covered in different coloured lipsticks!

I'm slowly working my way through everything so I'll be sure to include these products in future posts.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cream - This was on my list to get as it comes highly recommended by the skincare guru that is Caroline Hirons. I really struggle to find a moisturiser I like, I have combination skin so don't like anything too heavy and I hate that greasy feeling on my face. I think I have finally found the one with Kate's Goat Milk Cream! Its so light, doesn't feel greasy and sinks in really quick. Perfect for me.

Kate Somerville Exfolikate - Sephora really pull you in by having all their mini's by the till. This was a last minute throw in the basket. Such impulse buying doesn't always turn out well but I love this stuff. Its essentially a super strong exfoliator which tingles when you apply it. I was a bit surprised when I opened it and saw it was green but I love how clean it makes my skin feel. When I go back to America I will definitely explore more of Kate's range as these 2 products have really impressed me.

Josie Maran Light Argan Oil - Another item which I had on my list before I left. You can use this oil anywhere you like, your hair, face, skin, nails, anywhere! I picked up the light version as I mainly wanted to use this on my face and I thought the original version may be too heavy. So far I have used it in my hair and on my face. You only need a tiny bit of this stuff and personally I would only apply this on my face at night. When I woke up the next morning my skin felt so soft and nourished. 

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil and GlamGow Tingling & Exfoliating Mud Mask - These were actually 2 samples I was given. I haven't tried the Tarte oil yet but I tried the Glamglow mask on Sunday night and wow. Without a doubt the best face mask I have every used. It dries to a really hard clay on your face but when you remove it with a wet cloth you see an immediate difference in your skin. My skin looked so clear and fresh, it really was visible. I think Ive got one more use out of this little tube and then I'm going to have to seriously think about investing!

Boyfriend by Kate Walsh Rollerball Perfume - You cannot go to Sephora without buying a rollerball perfume! Boyfriend is, as you would expect a more masculine scent but I love those kind of scents for the Autumn/Winter. If you like Tom Ford Black Orchid/Bvlgari Jasmin Noir then you will probably like this as well.

Sephora Disney Collection Ariel Mirror - I might be turning 27 this month but I still love The Little Mermaid!

Living Proof Prime Style Extender - You can get Living Proof in the UK but I have never really paid much attention to it. However in the US Jennifer Aniston is their spokeswoman and Jen can sell me anything and I'll buy it, I love her! This was another random, chuck a mini in at the till moment and like my Exfolikate this actually turned out to be one of my favourite things I got. This is a primer for your hair, weird concept I know! You apply a blob through the lengths and ends of towel dried hair and then do whatever you normally do with your hair. I always leave my hair to dry naturally but I found with this my hair looked so much better, with more style and shape than usual. I cant really comment on whether it made my style last longer, as I was washing my hair everyday but I used this everyday and went back to get another mini bottle, so that should tell you something!

Sephora Ribbon Hair Ties - I love these hair ties, they don't pull or snag your hair and they also don't leave a horrible mark if you have one round your wrist. I was worried that they wouldn't hold my long hair but they work brilliantly.

Now onto the makeup! Now I have to say looking at it like this I think I was pretty restrained!

Dior Airflash CC Primer - This came out while we were there and was exclusive to Sephora so peaked my interest. I have got a face of the day post coming up with this so I will save my thoughts for then!

Kat Von D Everlasting Face Shaper Blush in "Por Vida" - I have never seen these Kat Von D blushes before so think they must be new and they are really beautiful. The packaging is really sweet and they come in a little pink box. The blush itself is really pigmented and the colour range is fabulous. To testify to that, me and my friends each bought a different shade!

Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in "Electric Pink Matte" - My friend actually pointed these lipsticks out to me and I'm so glad she did. I am obsessed with matte lipsticks, I just love how they look and this colour is amazing. I like that its not too blue toned, so its very wearable. I had never heard much about Smashbox's lipsticks before but they are definitely work checking out.

Hourglass Lipstick in "Fresco" - Inspired by LisaLisaD1 on YouTube and Diana from Adventures of Barbarella. This is my kind of "nude" lipstick, simply beautiful.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blusher in "Natural Beauty" - I cant believe I only bought one thing from Tarte but the few other items I wanted were always sold out! I knew I wanted to try one of their infamous Amazonian clay blushers. Natural Beauty is my perfect blush colour for that red flush I love.

NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base - Not a new product to me but my favourite eye shadow primer actually ran out while I was away so of course I had to buy another one.

Jouer Sunswept Mattifying Powder Bronzer - I love this bronzer so much that I now have a massive hole in my one, so I decided it was time to buy a back up. I actually bought this in Nordstrom which seemed to be the only place I could find Jouer. If you are interested I have done a full review previously here

Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer in "Fair" - Bit of a random purchase but as Hourglass was cheaper in the US I thought it would be a good a time as any to try this concealer. I have only used this once but I wasn't exactly blown away by it. I'll do a more thorough review once I have used it more.

And that is everything! Now all I need to is plan my next annual Sephora trip!

American Drugstore Beauty Buys

So I am back from America with new found hope, inspiration and an eagerness to adventure more. To balance that out I also bought back a mother load of American make up and beauty items. Gotta keep my spiritual and materialistic sides balanced you know.

I'm actually going to split this into 2 posts and in this post I thought I would share all the drugstore make up and beauty items I got. Tomorrow I will share my Sephora purchases!

We spent an awful lot of time in Walgreens! I was really excited about trying out all the new drugstore makeup that's not available in the UK yet. It was a little overwhelming how much makeup they had in there, not like my local Sainsburys where there's a Rimmel and a Max Factor stand, always half empty and with the same three lipsticks that have been there since 2004. 

Have you ever seen such beautifully stocked shelves?

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush in Warm - I actually found this in Rite Aid on my last day as Walgreens didn't stock Physicians Formula. This was on my list to get before I left and I was so happy to find it. It boosts my happiness just looking at it!

EOS Lip Balm - These lip balms are a must have if you are visiting America from the UK. They are so handy as you don't have to get your finger messy applying them. Side note I did actually see these on Selfridges UK website the other day so looks like they are finally being released in the UK, but they were £5.00 (not including delivery) bare in mind these are about 2-3 dollars in the US!

L'oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation - One of my favourite things I bought, I love this foundation. I was slightly apprehensive that it would have a very powdery finish but it doesn't at all. The finish is very natural, not dewy or matte, just very skin like.

Yes to Grapefruit Correct and Repair Daily Facial Scrub - I am so jealous of all the different Yes to ranges you guys have in America. We don't have the grapefruit range over here so I had to try this mini one out.

Maybelline Colour Whisper Lipstick in "Cherry on Top" - Another must have. These are more of a lipstick balm (which I personally prefer) but the colours are really bright and nicely pigmented. The staying power of these is also really impressive and they stay glossy. Kind of wish I had got more!

Pop Nail Polish in "Mint Magic" and "Baby Blue" - The one thing that really disappointed me beauty wise was the serious lack of nice nail colours anywhere! These colours were the exception, great formula as well, opaque after one coat!

Jordana Lipliner in "Tawny" - One of those YouTube made me do it purchases. I love watching Carli Bybel's videos and she is always using this lipliner.

Maybelline Great Lash Limited Edition "So Very Berry" - These had just come out and although I'm not a massive fan of the mascara I loved the colour, reminded me of my By Terry one which was hideously expensive!

Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascara - If I said this was purchased purely because of the packaging I wouldn't be lying! 

Milani Illuminating Face Powder in "03 Beauty's Touch" - Again suckered in by the packaging but this is actually a really lovely blush. It doubles as a highlight too and comes in 2 shades, this pinky colour and a more bronzey peach version. This would be another of my recommendations if you are going to the US anytime soon.

Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover - Haven't tried this yet, but have heard great things.

L'oreal Infallible Shadow in Amber Rush - Another one on my list before I went. You can get these shadows in the UK but the infamous Amber Rush is not available over here. Its a really beautiful gold colour, really compliments blue/green eyes. Plus it has all the sparkliness of a loose pigment eyeshadow, without the mess!

Ardell Brow Trim and Shape Grooming Tool - This is another must have. I bought a pack of these little eyebrow razors 2 years ago in New York and I have used them to death. They are perfect for getting all those little fine blonde hairs in between your brows and along the edges.

I treat EOS like Pokemon!

Herbal Essences Moroccan My Shine Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner - These were just released as well and when I saw an advert for them in a magazine I knew I had to track them down. You really cant go wrong with Herbal Essences and I cant wait to try these.

Its a 10 Miracle Leave-in Plus Keratin - I managed to track this down on one of my last days in CVS in LA. This is a leave in conditioner but you cant buy 'Its a 10' in the UK. I used this for the first time this morning so its too early to give this a full review but I sprayed it though my hair when it was wet and it was so much easier and smoother to brush through. Even with a tangle teezer my hair takes a good few brushes to get the knots out but this really made a difference.

As I use more things I will include more reviews on my blog. 

Post Holiday Blues

I am back from America, laden with goodies from Sephora and Walgreens! Beauty blogging will resume tomorrow but until then I thought I would put a few pictures up from my holiday (pre warning I like taking pictures of scenery!)

 

 

My Travel Makeup Bag

Tomorrow I am off on holiday for 2 weeks, so things will be a little quiet around here! I'm going to miss my blog and cant wait to share all my Sephora finds when I'm back. Before I go I thought I would share with you all the make up I'm taking with me and yes this is my attempt at packing light!

FACE

* Urban Decay De Slick Makeup Setting Spray - Because its going to be hot and I want my make up to stay on!

* Smashbox Photo Finish Light Primer - See above!

* Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation - My favourite foundation

* Chantecaille Just Skin Anti Smog Tinted Moisturiser

* Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

* MAC Prep & Prime Highlighter in Light Boost

* Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

* Jouer Mattifying Bronzer in Sunswept - My current favourite bronzer and I love that its small so doesn't take up much room!

LIPS

This was really hard to narrow down!

* NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in San Paulo - These matte lip creams by NYX are amazing and so cheap. You can only get them online here in the UK so I will definitely be checking these out in America.

* Rimmel Apocalips in Stellar - Although these aren't as long lasting as I would like this colour is amazing. The perfect bright orange/red.

* MAC Scarlet Ibis - I really didn't need another orange/red coloured lipstick but its in Marilyn Monroe packaging and I'm going to Hollywood, its only right I take it!

* DIOR Lip Glow

* Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry

* Revlon Strawberry Suede - My favourite lipstick!

* MAC Plumful

* Clinique Black Honey

EYES

* Hourglass Brow Sculpting Pencil in Soft Brunette - Essential!

* Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara Waterproof

* Benefit They're Real! Mascara

* NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

* Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel

* Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Golden Pink

* NARS The Happening Palette

* NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Isolde - My favourite bronzey/gold eyeshadow

* Tweezerman Tweezers - I love these :)

ON THE PLANE

Now I'm not going to be doing a whole beauty routine on the plane and its debatable if I will even use these but just in case

* Face Wipes - Because after 4 hours my mascara will be halfway down my face

* Caudalie Beauty Elixir

* Nivea Light Moisturising Day Cream - So I don't turn into a prune

* Origins No Puffery - This feels so nice and cooling on puffy eyes, it will be needed!

* Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balm - My favourite lip balm

And last but not least, my passport. The only essential item really!

Skin Care Emergency

Ahh mother natures monthly gift, bring on the back pain, stomach ache, mood swings and spots! 

This is the time of month when I get out my emergency skin care kit and spend 10 minutes looking like the green goblin!

REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask - I use this if I'm feeling and looking tired. You know when your skin is just dull and blah looking, well this leaves your skin looking instantly brighter. It works like an exfoliator (without all the gritty bits) to remove dead skin cells.

Origins Mega Mushroom Skin Calming Face Mask - As you can see I have been using this a lot lately! When I have a few blemishes and my skin is looking red and blotchy I slap this on for 10 minutes to calm it and reduce redness. Its also good to use if your skin is irritated as its very soothing.

Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel - Like the REN mask this is good to use when your skin is looking dull and tired. It contains natural exfoliating fruit enzymes which eat away at all the horrible dead skin to instantly brighten your complexion.

Origins Drink Up Mask - One minute my skins oily and blemish prone, the next dry and tight feeling. Aah the joys of combination skin. I use this when I need extra nourishment and hydration, its also really good if you have a bit of sun burn and need some instant relief. 

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque - This is a good mask for spots and blackheads. I wouldn't recommend applying this all over your face as its very drying but if you apply it in the areas you need it, it really does a good job of drying out those spots!

Origins Super Spot Remover - I only bought this yesterday but it has already worked wonders. Apply a  tiny amount with a cotton bud to the offending blemish and leave overnight. It wont make your spots disappear but seriously reduces and drys them out. Its a little miracle worker!