Sleep-In Rollers

There must be a part of me, deep deep down, hidden away, that wants to be Amy Child's, otherwise what explains this random Boots purchase!

So the idea is simple, velcro rollers that you can sleep in! A GENIUS idea. I love the effect rollers give but I do not have the time in the morning to a) put them in and b) leave them in my hair for long enough to give any effect. Now I have to confess that I have tried to sleep in normal velcro rollers before, its painful, and a week later you end up finding a stray roller under your pillow, so I was intrigued to try these out.

I will apologise in advance for the poor picture quality, all taken at night or early morning on my phone!

For £19.50 you get 20 rollers (all the same size) and a pink wash type bag to keep them in. I think 20 rollers is great, I hate it when you only get about 10 and its just not enough! For reference I used 18 in my hair.

You need to put the rollers in dry hair and you need to secure them with a hair clip (kirby grips/bobby pins) whatever you want to call them will do the job! There are some instructions on the pack which advise the best ways to put the rollers in, but I just curled all my rollers upwards. To get all the rollers in my hair took about 20 minutes.

So once all the rollers are in your hair you should look something like this......hopefully much less hideous! You will have to excuse me, but it was bed time!

OK so what was it like sleeping in them................When I first lied down and put my head on the pillow I was not impressed, my head felt as if it was about 2 feet of the pillow on a bed of velcro. Which to be honest sounds about right! These rollers are spongy so they do squish but you still have 18 velcro rollers in your hair. Once you get comfy though its fine, but it is annoying trying to get your head in that perfect position every time you roll over!

The next morning they advise you to leave them in your hair for as long as possible, so I did all my normal make up and took the rollers out right at the last minute.

Now I will have to say here that getting them out your hair isn't a particularly enjoyable job. Obviously from moving around in the night your hair does get more tangled and I found some of the rollers on the back of my head were a bit of a nightmare and it did make me cringe pulling my hair out, BUT I was very happy with the finished effect.

Now I had washed and dried my hair that night and I have pin straight hair so I probably would have seen a more noticeable effect on day 2 hair but none the less I was very pleased.

My hair had a lovely "bounce" to it with just the right amount of volume, so I didn't feel like a weather girl! This is my hair straight out the rollers, I didn't put any product in and I only had to brush down a few fly aways at the back.

For me I think it looks like Ive just had a professional blow dry (whilst sleeping!) A marked improvement on my usual wash and go hair (quite literally wash and go may I add!).

All in all I am very happy with these rollers and for my moans about them not being the most comfortable things, I am going to use them again tonight, so it cant be that bad really. Beauty is pain mantra ;) I would definitely recommend these over normal velcro rollers because I don't think anyone, unless you're Betty Draper has the time for them!

I got mine at Boots but you can also get them from Sleep Rollers

P.S What I didn't mention is that when I stepped outside it was pissing it down (yeah thanks a lot England!)

Winter Sun

There's nothing like coming back from a week in the sun to a day of rain in grey old England. My Sunday depression is at an all time high, yesterday I was lying by the pool (secretly and ashamedly finishing Fifty Shades Darker) and now I'm setting my alarm for work tomorrow :'(  

Now you know my embarrassing holiday read I feel the need to get this off my chest. If I ever read the below phrases again I probably will try and hopefully succeed to blind myself in both eyes.

"and I explode around him" 

"and he finds his release"

"and he touches me....down there!"

Not forgetting

"Holy cow" or "Oh my"

I read the first book months ago and the second has been an immense struggle, I cant even begin to contemplate starting or finishing the third book. The title is apt though "Fifty Shades Freed". It was hilarious to see just how many women were reading it around the pool though.

So I know the weather is crap, I know its almost October but I thought I would share with you some of the products I took away with me that I loved. As it might be helpful to those of you who are also off for a bit of winter sun. 

Firstly, I believe that if you have a tan its a right of passage for you to wear obnoxious neon's. Illamasqua's Rare is currently adorning my fingers and toes. I should also mention that the price I will pay for this is having to listen to the "did you paint your nails with a highlighter pen" from every "hilarious" colleague in my office tomorrow.

I probably should have mentioned sun cream first as that is just a tad more important then obnoxious nails, but its boring though isn't it. Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Sunscreen SPF30 for the body and SPF15 for the face. Now this is pricier then your average sun cream but I have to praise it, I did not burn at all and I still have a lot left over, so well worth the money in my books. Plus it feels lovely on the skin.

To protect my hair I used Kerastase Soleil Huile Celeste this is without a doubt the best hair protectant I have used and I have tried most, Mark Hill, Charles Worthington, Lee Stafford to name a few. This didn't make my hair crispy or knotty at all and most importantly my colour didn't fade. I will definitely be buying this again next year.

Along with the hair protectant I also fell in love with the Loreal Solar Sublime shampoo and After Sun Nourishing Balm (fancy name for conditioner). These smell amazing and my hair felt so soft after using them, I wish I could use them all year round! I really rate the Loreal Professional shampoo and conditioners, they do an amazing job and are very reasonably priced. My holy grail I cannot live without you Moroccanoil as always worked wonders along with my other staple....my tangle teezer. Honestly if you don't have both of these you don't know what you're missing! 

Now onto makeup, as the week went on I got lazier and lazier with this and ended up just doing eyebrows, mascara and lip balm but out of my whole makeup bag these are the products I loved and used the most.

NARS Casino Bronzer - This is a beautiful bronzer and due to the gold shimmer gives you the most gorgeous glow. I'm desperately trying to use this up though as its too dark for me in the winter months. Once Ive used this up, I will try Laguna which is a lighter shade.

Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip & Cheek Balm - This is another absolute gem that was recommended to me by a beauty editor, as I have said before if they recommend you a product, you run out and buy! This is my favourite lip balm in the world its so buttery, not at all sticky on the lips and I love the colour. I think my peachy one was limited edition for summer but whatever colour I can find I will now never be without this.

Estee Lauder Eyeshadow Palette "Bronze Sands" - Beautiful colours for the summer and gorgeous texture, don't think is available online anymore but check your counters.

MAC Eyeliners in Prussian and Power Surge - As I got lazier I just applied Prussian to my top lid and Power Surge on my bottom lashes, or vise versa. Great staples to have in your bag to perk up your eyes.

Loreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara in Waterproof - "Baby now that I found you I wont let you go" BEST.MASCARA.EVER

Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Colour in Guava - LOVE this colour, bright without being obnoxious, unlike my nails!

Illamasqua Eyeshadow in Boomerang - Perfect colour for my brows, discovered after watching Little Kiva's videos on YouTube. To be applied with the brilliant MAC 263 brush.

Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel - BEST.BROW.GEL.EVER those brows wont stray (and yes it was originally clear...eeeewww)

MAC Cream Colour Base in Improper Copper - Because I have to look either dewy or glowy at all times...but normally achieve sweaty!

And last but not least I thought I'd show you the things I picked up in duty free with my leftover euros burning a hole in my pocket! Dior Lip liner in Linen and MAC Prussian Eye Pencil were actually picked up on the way out, as you saw above I have already made good use of Prussian. Prunella was picked up on a whim cos it looked pretty on my hand!

And the perfume, Bvlgari Jasmin Noir. I had a disaster on the way out on the plane, my perfume Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir had somehow leaked :'( I was planning on repurchasing this at the airport but because it had leaked everywhere all my stuff stinked of it and now I need a break from the smell! I thought Jasmin Noir would be a nice change and good for the Winter months!

So now its back to reality :( Billy Connolly and dodgy Spanish chocolate are waiting for me!

Maison Martin Margiela's Replica Fragrances

I recently did some interning on a magazine beauty desk. When you are in environments like this you need to be a sponge and take in all the tips, tricks and products that are recommended to you because these ladies on the beauty team know their stuff!

I was having a chat with the Beauty Director about perfume and she showed me these three new fragrances by Maison Martin Margiela and I instantly fell in love. I knew I had to get my hands on one!

There are three Replica fragrances: Flower Market, Beach Walk and Funfair Evening

The perfumer behind these perfumes, Jacques Cavallier explains the concept

“Each of the three fragrances is based on a desire to reinvent a scent that everyone knows, giving it something new, unique and very modern. I don’t like the notion of nostalgia. I prefer the idea of rediscovering those scents that have become a part of us all.” - Jacques Cavallier 

The three fragrances are exclusive to Selfridges and I managed to get my paws on Funfair Evening. Aside from the divine smell, I am also completely in love with the packaging of these perfumes, from the box to the bottle.

I love how it looks like an old medicine bottle, the cotton label adds to the nostalgia and just makes the whole perfume feel very personal and special.

Funfair Evening is definitely my favourite of the three, with Beach Walk a close second. Now I'm rubbish at describing scents but Funfair Evening is a gorgeous sweet fragrance, its not obnoxious and I personally find it a very comforting scent. Beach Walk smells exactly like its name. If you are a fan of Bobbi Brown Beach or Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess you need to try this, its ten times better. Last but not least Flower Market is the perfect floral, not overpowering just beautifully romantic.

I honestly can't recommend these enough. If you are into perfume but not your average run of the mill scent you have to try these, they really are something special.

Priced at £60 for 100ml exclusive to Selfridges

R'Orange

I am naming my new obsession..."R'Orange" which is just a word I made up for any orange toned red! You will find no blue based reds here my friends. I feel like the orange makes me look more tanned and  because its warm toned it makes my blue eyes stand out, more then any blue based red can. Its the perfect red for the upcoming Autumn and not just because it matches the leaves!

If you want to get some R'Orange in your life, here are my recommendations. Note, I tried to take pictures indoors and outdoors but to be honest you can't notice the difference between the colours in a picture, which makes me sad :( you will have to take my word for it that they are all different in person! ;)

YSL Rouge Pur Couture "13, Le Orange"

This lipstick makes me smile every time I look at it, the gold packaging, the bright colour. It makes me feel like Betty Draper when I apply it! This is apparently Kourtney Kardashian's favourite bright lip colour and I can see why. I would say its the most orange of the three lipsticks and has a gorgeous shine to it. This is a MUST!

MAC "So Chaud"

Randomly swatching lipsticks at the MAC counter does sometimes lead to some real treasures! I had never even heard of "So Chaud" and this is coming from someone who can name most MAC lipsticks based on colour alone. This is a matte finish, which is my favourite finish (in fact I should do a post on my matte lipsticks). In the tube it looks almost terracotta in colour, but on the lips its much brighter and because its matte it makes your lips look fuller. Whats not to love.

MAC "Lady Danger"

I honestly cannot pick a favourite out of these three so I'm just going to have to say I love this one equally! Lady Danger is definitely the reddest of the three, again its a matte finish and such a bold colour! This is a more modern red lip and would look gorgeous on a night out. Someone needs to tell me Im not Gwen Stefani though, as I have been wearing this everyday!

Left to Right

YSL "13, Le Orange", MAC So Chaud, MAC Lady Danger

And last but not least, as I am feeling very Betty Draper-ish you need to match your lips to your nails and the perfect colour for this is OPI "On Collins Ave" This is a really crappy picture which doesn't do this justice but trust me, this is the glossiest, brightest R'Orange nail varnish I have found and I LOVE it!

If you have any R'Orange recommendations for me, let me know!

Chantecaille Future Skin and embracing a more natural look

If I was a millionaire, after quitting my job, travelling with my friends, taking care of my family and friends and doing some good in this world I would then indulge my shallow side and buy every single item Chantecaille makes.

After using up my Chantecaille Just Skin, I had my eyes on Future Skin.
Future Skin is an oil free gel foundation. It costs a bomb, an eye watering £55 so expectations are high. I bought mine from Space NK and for reference my shade is "Nude".

After reading a few reviews online, a lot of people seem to have a gripe with the packaging of this foundation. It comes in a pot, I like this because there will be no wastage and you can use up all the product but for hygiene reasons and for the price I think a spatula should be included.

The only other thing I have noticed is that I seem to be using this up at a rate of knots, which worries me! So I advise using this sparingly.

There's no doubt about it, this is a lovely product. I definitely recommend applying it with a brush. Once buffed in you can hardly tell you're wearing foundation. It gives your skin a healthy, natural looking glow which I love. In the pictures I am just wearing Future Skin and blush, no concealer or powder. I don't like to use a powder with this foundation, as its not needed and I don't want to take away from the "glow".

I definitely want to explore more of the Chantecaille range. While it is a very expensive brand, I actually prefer buying one product, using it up and really loving it before buying another. I have noticed my makeup buying habits changing and I no longer want to spend a fortune in MAC every month. I would rather invest in one product that I love.

Along with my purchasing habits changing, I have also noticed a change in the amount of make up I wear and the "look" I aim to achieve with my make up.

I have loved make up ever since I can remember, when I was 15 I used to save up my money to buy Versace lipglosses. I hated secondary school and used to slap on the makeup as a kind of comfort blanket. When I was 18 I met someone who made me feel like I didn't need to wear all that makeup. Sadly there wasn't a happy ending and 4 years later we broke up. I resorted back to my makeup mask and that feeling of wanting to hide away. It has taken me a long time to begin to feel OK in my own skin again and now I don't want to hide behind a face of makeup. They say it takes half the time you were with that person to get over a broken heart, but I believe that everyone is different.

I no longer want to spend ages every morning doing my face. Now I want to look like me, but just a more polished version!

These are the products I'm wearing in the pictures above and I can highly recommend them all!

MAC Cream Colour Base "Pink Shock" - I believe this is a MAC Pro item only, so if you are in London make sure you make a visit to the Pro Store. I have been using this as blush religiously for the past few months. I love how pink it is and believe me a little goes a long way.

MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadow "Sweet Heat" - Sadly I don't think these eyeshadows are available anymore, but the Estee Lauder Cyber eyeshadows are exactly the same formula. I just love this colour, it makes my eyes look awake but again still natural.

MAC Cream Colour Base "Pearl" - I am obsessed with this highlight, I apply it down the centre of the nose, along the top of the cheeks, underneath my eyebrows and sometimes in the inner corner of my eyes. I carry this with me everywhere. As you can probably tell I am not a fan of the matte look!

MAC Lipstick "Lustering" - One of my favourite lipsticks, like Pink Shock, I just love the colour of this and being a lustre finish i love the glossy finish.

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Waterproof - My new holy grail mascara, this is actually amazing. It makes my eyelashes ridiculously long, doesn't clump and doesn't smudge. As soon as this baby runs out I will be running straight to boots! Obsessed!

Beauty Graveyard

There's something strangely satisfying about using up a product, well there is for me! I have finished a lot of products recently and I have some really great ones to tell you about and a few that weren't so great of course. By the way I am very frugal when it comes to finishing a product and cant bare to throw things away if I think theres anything left, hence all the jigsaw style packaging! 

Ojon Volume Advance Volumizing Shampoo - Available from Ojon online £18.00

Ojon had a deal, where if you spent £20 on their website, you got this full size shampoo and conditioner for free. If you have dry hair you will want to stay far, far away from this, as it is drying. As I was washing my hair I could feel the dryness, but as I suffer from greasy hair this was actually a help to me. I liked this as my hair felt so clean after using it. The conditioner I was not so keen on. This was mainly due to the packaging. The conditioner is too thick to get through the tube and its so irritating! Although I liked this, I wouldn't repurchase as I don't feel it did enough to warrant the £18 price tag.

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo - Available from Boots £6.99

I had heard a lot of American YouTubers raving about the Organix line, so I was intrigued when I saw this in Boots. Surprisingly, like the Ojon, this felt quite drying on my hair when washing. So again I wouldn't recommend for those of you with dry hair. Again I quite liked this as it left my hair feeling very clean. The conditioner to go with this shampoo is OK but nothing special and as this was quite drying I felt I needed to use more of a deep conditioner. I probably wouldn't repurchase this one either, but its a much more affordable option then the Ojon at £6.99.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Keratin Intensive Treatment - Available in Salons

I have to confess to being a bit of a Paul Mitchell snob, it always strikes me as a brand that you find in cheap salons, Super Cuts comes to mind! But this really is a lovely product, its very rich as the name suggests and leaves your hair feeling gorgeous and silky. Unfortunately I could not find this online, but check your local salon...just not Super Cuts! Seeing as this doesn't appear to be readily available online, I wouldn't repurchase, purely because of convenience.

Moroccanoil - Available on lots of sites but I purchased mine from The Beauty Booth £30.45

I COULD AND WOULD NEVER LIVE WITHOUT THIS! Yes caps lock was necessary! Since purchasing this, I can promise you that there has not been a single time I haven't used this after washing my hair. I am obsessed with this stuff, I also use it on my hair when its dry if its a bit unruly and frizzy. Without a doubt holy grail material and I have zero interest in trying any other kind of hair oil as I know this works for me. It literally has transformed my hair and no, I don't care about the silicone's! I have already repurchased this, as like I said I could not go without it! - Repurchased

Shu Uemura Full Shimmer Illuminating Shampoo for Colour Treated Hair - Feel Unique - £24.00 (300ml full size)

If you have ever tried any shampoo or conditioner from the Shu Uemura line you will know how hard it is to revert back to normal (not ridiculously expensive) products. This shampoo is divine, your hair feels silky soft with the most beautiful shine. Their silk bloom line is probably still my favourite though, sadly I haven't repurchased as I just cant bring myself to spend the money....but I really want to!

L'Oreal Professional Inoa Color Care Conditioner Feel Unique - £9.80

What a disappointment, I was so excited to try this and thought I would love it. This was just too thin for me, I felt like I needed to use half the tube each time I used it. Real let down :( Nope, not repurchasing.

E45 Moisturising Lotion - Available from Boots £5.99

You can't beat E45, its the best body moisturiser I have used and its cheap! Only moisturiser I use now. - Repurchased 

Bioderma Crealine H20 - Available from eBay £11 - £15

You know your a beauty blogger/YouTube addict if you have heard about this make up remover! It has a cult following since being recommended by the likes of Lisa Eldridge and I can definitely see why. This is so gentle on the skin but removes every trace of makeup. It feels just like water, doesn't leave your skin feeling tight or dry and since using it my skin has cleared up a treat. The only downside is its availability, hence eBay! I am already on my second bottle - Repurchased

The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel - Available from The Body Shop - £4

I love the smell of this, its basically the reason I buy it. I much prefer fruity shower gels to sweet and this one is divine. I would repurchase but the only thing that puts me off is The Body Shop itself. I don't understand the brand. Their products are overpriced, (£12 for a body butter!) the ingredients are not natural, second ingredient on the list here is Sodium Laureth Sulfate and I still don't know if they test on animals, as their products just state "Against Animal Testing" which means nothing. I feel they are a bit of a fraud and it doesn't sit right with me. Hence I am hesitant to use their products.

Zoya Remove + - Available from eBay - £10 - £12

You might think this is pricey for a nail varnish remover, but this is the only one I use. I am constantly changing my nail varnish and I cant bear to go with unpainted nails, so my poor nails don't get much TLC. If I use a normal nail varnish remover, my nails feel so dry and brittle and my skin and cuticles feel awful. Zoya Remove + is so gentle, it also doesn't have the awful stink that every other remover has. For the amount of nail varnish remover I use, I am happy to pay that bit more to keep my nails in good shape. A few times I have run out of this and not repurchased and as soon as I go back to a normal nail varnish remover I remember why I just can't do it anymore. Like Moroccanoil, I cannot be without this. - Repurchased

E45 Touchably Smooth Body Lotion - Available from Boots - £3.99

Ahh, more good old E45. I think this range is meant to be slightly richer then the original and this one is lightly scented. I like it, its E45, of course I like it! I don't notice that much difference between this and the original formula, and you get more for your money with the original. I would repurchase, but I'm more likely to stick to my old faithful original.

Dermalogica Age Smart Multi Vitamin Thermafoliant (Sample size) - Available from Look Fantastic £34.85 (75ml full size)

Thank god I unsubscribed from Glossy Box, as by now I can't even imagine how many unwanted samples I would have gathering dust. Honestly I could go into such a lengthy rant on their appalling customer service but no, I'll try and restrain myself. I got the thermafoliant in one of my glossy boxes, there was meant to be the masque to go with it, but instead I got two of the thermafoliants (great). I did not like this exfoliator, I found it far too abrasive for my skin and it really was a chore to use up this sample. Such a shame, as Dermalogica has some really great products. I just couldn't get along with this.

Simple Kind to Eyes Soothing Eye Balm - Available from Boots £3.99

Haven't really got a lot to say about this, it was fine, no complaints. I don't feel it particularly did anything, but there was also nothing to dislike about it. I haven't found any eye creams that I have really liked so I will continue to shop around.

Chanel Vitalumiere Foundation (Shade 20 Clair-Cameo) - Available from Boots - £34

If you love a dewy finish, then you need to try this foundation. I hate, hate, hate looking matte. I loved the finish this foundation gave me, it really does give you a beautiful glow. This was the first Chanel foundation I tried and it really sucked me in. I know they are pricey but if you have never tried a Chanel foundation I cannot recommend them highly enough. I feel foundation is something you should spend more on, while mascaras, eyeliners etc you can get away with spending less. The only downside with this foundation (apart from the price) is the lasting power. By the end of the working day, I found this had pretty much disappeared right off my face. Of course you can prolong the coverage by using powder, but that takes away from the beautiful finish. I would still repurchase though, in fact the more I think about it, the more I miss it!

Chantecaille Just Skin Tinted Moisturiser (Shade Nude) - Available from Space NK - £55

I know for some people straight off, they would never spend this amount of money on an item of makeup. I wish I was one of those people, I tell you! So I know I'm talking to the hardcore beauty crazies when it comes to this ;) This really is beautiful. In my opinion to call it a tinted moisturiser is almost degrading. This is not your average tinted moisturiser. For a start the coverage is amazing, I would say it gives a medium coverage but still looks like skin. It also doesn't leave a horrible sticky feeling on your face. I just love how natural this looks, it really does look like your skin but better. Would I repurchase? *Buries head in hands* Yes! But we will keep the price between us ;)

YSL Volume Effect Faux Cils Shocking Mascara - Available from Boots - £23

OK, so I know I just said you can scrimp on mascara, but this one is an exception! This is an amazing mascara, it is a huge improvement on the original faux cils which turns your lashes into a clumpy 3 lash mess and dries out within 2 weeks. This mascara really does deliver and the shallow side of me really loves the packaging. I highly recommend this and have already repurchased. - Repurchased

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 (Shade Natural Beige) - Available from Space NK £31

This is another holy grail product for me. This powder is another one of those cult items that everyone raves about and if you have been on the fence about it, I suggest you jump off right now. This is actually a mineral foundation but I like to use it with a lighter liquid foundation as a setting powder for a bit more coverage. This gives my skin the most gorgeous finish, you wouldn't think a powder could make your skin glow but this stuff is amazing. No other powder will compare now and I have already repurchased. - Repurchased 

MAC Eye Brows (Shade Spiked) - Available from MAC £12.50

When I first got this, I was really unsure and thought the colour was far too dark for me, but after playing around with it and discovering you need the lightest of hands to apply this I love it. The pencil is so thin that you can really define your brows, but it blends so well that it doesn't leave harsh lines. I have since got my 2 best friends onto this and they love it too. I have repurchased this but in a lighter shade, "Lingering" which I love equally! - Repurchased

Miley Cyrus MAC Lipstick - Please Me

First of all, I should probably confess I am a Miley Cyrus fan and I did go and see Hannah Montanna the movie and I'm not 10, in fact I'm double that plus five more! Such a relief to finally admit that, but I do love her. I love her style and I think she is a natural beauty!

So when Miley tweeted this picture, I clocked the MAC lipstick straight away! Desperate to know what it was, I googled but to no avail. Eventually after some twitter stalking I found the answer........

So of course I immediately purchased and this has become one of my all time favourite lipsticks, as you can tell by the worn down lipstick photo below!

Please Me is a matte finish, which also happens to be my favourite MAC finish. I wish MAC had more matte shade's, I love how they make my looks look fuller and I think they are a really modern way of wearing brighter colours.

Colourwise, this is a slightly muted pink, its gorgeous and the perfect rosy colour.

I would not be without this little beauty now! Good choice Miley! I also find matte lipsticks have great staying power and last far longer on my lips then other finishes. I highly recommend this colour and if you haven't tried MAC's matte lipsticks before, then this is a great one to start with.