Keep Calm and Lip Balm

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the Maybelline baby lips, I have one in my bag, one on my desk, one in my car... you get the picture. I was really happy when they became available in the UK last year, even if they are very overpriced compared to the US ($1 in Target vs £2.99 in Boots!). It was only a matter of time before other brands released similar a product. Rimmel did just that.

Cleverly named 'Keep Calm and Lip Balm', Rimmel have tied the 'baby lips' phenomena to the very English slogan. I picked up a couple of these balms on offer in Boots quite a while a go and have really enjoyed using them.

Keeping with the theme, they are named Keep Calm and Play which is a coral colour and Keep Calm and Rock which is a dark fuchsia colour.

There isn't really much colour pay off with these, but they are very moisturising and give a tint of colour. They also contain SPF, so perfect for taking on holiday if anyone's planning on catching some winter sun. 

Rimmel have price matched these balms to the Maybelline Baby Lips, which definitely puts them up against each other. I really like these balms, and can see them selling well, but will they end up as a cult beauty product, probably not if I'm honest. However, they are perfect for travelling, and carrying around in your handbag, mine will be accompanying me over the winter for sure.  

Back to the blog...

As 2015 swings in to its final quarter I can openly say I'm a little shocked at how quickly this year has passed by. One blog post in 12 months... Shameful! 

This year has been a little crazy. Lots has happened in what's felt like an incredibly short time. Some happy, some exhausting and some hard times. But I guess the main thing to say is that I'm back and can't wait to get back on the blogging scene, I've honestly missed it a lot! 

So a very short post today just to say I have lots in the pipeline coming up. Hopefully catch up with you all soon!

       

Rimmel's New Lasting Finish Collection

I've had another little break from the blogging scene due to changing my career, and just generally being busy around the Christmas period. But I'm now back, and what better way to kick off 2015 but with a drugstore new release. 

This particular new release is from Rimmel. They have brought out 3 products for your base facial make up that join the existing Lasting Finish range. 

Step 1: Lasting Finish Primer

For me, a primer is an absolute must when applying make up, and I've tried so many over the years. For me, this primer borders on being a moisturiser as well.  I found I could not apply my foundation straight after using this product as it didn't give me that matte base I like to apply foundation on to. Having said that, if you have time to let the primer set first, it does give a nice finish. 8 hours wear though? I'm not so sure at the moment. 

Step 2: Lasting Finish Foundation

This foundation promises 25 hour wearability. I do wear my make up all day, but who wears it for 25 hours? I really don't know. However I do like having the option. 

I do really like the texture of this foundation and it blends nicely. It has a comfort serum infused in to the formula, similar to the Bourjois Gel Foundations. As per usual from Rimmel, the colour range is great. After the cold winter months I'm back on to the Ivory shade for now (hurry up summer!).

I found this to have medium to full coverage but it hasn't really got a buildable texture, not for my skin anyway. 

Overall, a good foundation but doesn't make my favourites unfortunately. 

Step 3: Lasting Finish Powder

I must admit I'm guilty of never trying new powder as I'm so happy with my Rimmel Stay Matte in the shade Transparent. There really isn't any need for another powder. However as this came part of a set I had to try it, and I'm pretty glad I did. I picked up the shade Soft Beige which works well to adding a little bit of colour back in to my face without being as heavy as a bronzer. You don't need too much of this to take the shine away, and I did find the powder to have good wearability. 

So to summarise I'm a bit 50/50 with this range. The pricing is obviously great as always with Rimmel and with the introductory sale price of each product I only paid £12.97 for all 3 products, which you can't beat. 

I don't think i'd purchase the primer or foundation again, but I think that's mainly down to my skin type through the winter months. But I'm still a big fan of Rimmel, and look forward to their next release. 

Anyone else tried these products? Let me know what you think! 

Aussie Miracle Dry Shampoo

I was browsing in Boots this week, picking up some last minute holiday essentials when I saw this new release from Aussie Haircare. They have jumped on the dry shampoo bandwagon along with quite a few other brands and brought out a new product in 3 different finishes. I opted for the one entitled Aussome Volume, as you'll probably know by now, I love volume! 

I'd say that for most of us, dry shampoo is that little life saver we don't know how we ever lived without. I always have one in the house, and have a small panic when it runs out and I only have 5 minutes before leaving for work.

This new release is great, and dare I say I prefer it to the famous Batiste? Aussie products are normally far too heavy for my limp fine hair, but this formulation which is designed for such hair types didn't weigh it down at all. Just a couple of sprays left my hair looking freshly washed with plenty of bounce. 

I haven't tried the others from the range so can't speak for all, but this dry shampoo definitely lived up to the promise of providing volume. It also smells fantastic like all the Aussie products do, it reminds me so much of holidays. (I'm so sad the other Aussie products don't work for me!) 

I picked this up on offer in Boots, but I think the usual price of £4.99 might deter me from purchasing this on a regular basis, which is a shame. On the plus side, they do produce a travel version retailing at £2.29 which has been purchased and packed for my holidays. 

I love this Aussie Philosophy

Overall a great product but with a slightly bigger price tag than the popular Batiste, therefore it's going to be a special treat purchase for me. 

Anyone else tried it? What's your thoughts? 

July Glossybox

It's always a jolly day when my Glossybox arrives on my work desk. This months box is based on American beauty products named Stars and Stripes. I love a different look box, and this one doesn't disappoint. Now I must admit, after venturing to America myself last year, and sampling some of their beauty products, I think there could of been better choices, but overall I liked the items this month.

Bellapierre Cosmetics Ltd - Mineral Lipstick

This lipstick immediately stood out to me (it might be something to do with my lip product obsession!). This mineral lipstick includes natural waxes and mineral pigments which makes applying this a dream, it slides on to your lips perfectly. A perfect red shade for the summer, and of course includes, everyones favourite friend in a product... SPF!

ABSOLUTE New York - Perfecting Eyeshadow Primer

I am always sceptical at trying new eyeshadow primers as I have tried so many and then gone back to my trusty NARS or Urban Decay products. However, all items deserve a shot! I'll certainly be giving this a go, and with such a reasonable price tag, I hope it's a keeper!

Carmex - Lip Balm

I defy anyone to say they've not tried this cult classic! I always have a little pot or tube of this stuff around. It's brilliant, reasonably priced, and gives great results. I always apply a little underneath my lipsticks or glosses to give that added softness.

Color Club - Glossy Seal

I'd never heard of this brand before, but so glad it arrived this month. This nail polish is really great. One coat gives a lovely opaque finish with lots of shine without the need for a top coat. The wearability was great, lasting days before chipping. I would normally choose brighter colours for the summer months, but this colour really reminds me of being on a boat in the gorgeous blue sea while on holiday, so guess it could be durable for summer too. Lovely product. 

Juice Beauty - Green Apple SPF 15 Moisturizer

As soon as I get a bit of a tan on my face in the summer months, my skin gets really dry, so I'm always on the lookout for new moisturisers and products to help. I really like the sound of this particular one, green apple makes it sound fresh and inviting. I'm definitely going to give this a thorough test and hope to see good results. 

So that's it for my Glossybox this month, and with 4 full size products in the box, I'd say it's been a good one. Anyone else get anything different?

Imperial Leather Foamburst Body Wash

I loved the original Foamburst shower gels that Imperial Leather released, so when I heard they’d revamped and released new scents inspired by eastern bathing rituals, I had to get my hands on one to try.

I opted for the Sweet Vanilla & Cherry Blossom, which smells amazing. As soon as you spray the gel in to your hand, the scent hits you, it’s heavenly. These gels are so easy to use, literally a small spray of gel in to your hand, apply it to your skin in the shower and it immediately turns in to a creamy foam, and produces enough to wash your whole body with. A little bit really goes a long way with this product.

The foam really feels luxurious on your skin, and with minimal effort leaves you feeling squeaky clean, smooth and smelling great. The other scents to choose from include, Spicy Ginger & Orange, Bracing Bergamot & Sea Minerals, Moisurising Honey & Almond Milk, Uplifting Lime & Grapefruit, Rebalancing Green Tea & Jasmine and Bewitching Blackberry & Wild Fig.

I have so many shower gels that I love using, but I've found myself reaching for this one every time since buying it. You can pick one up from most Boots or Superdrug stores but I've also seen it in local supermarkets, so you can even grab one while doing your weekly shop. They retail at the rather pricey (for a shower gel anyway) £3.15 in Boots but both Boots and Superdrug currently have offers on these products, so get one cheaper while you can, I know I will be! 

May Glossybox

Once again, apologies for my little blogging break. Things have been so busy since Christmas, I haven’t really had any free time at all. Things are starting to look slightly quieter so I promise to upload more frequently.

What better way to end a blogging break than with a special edition Glossybox. There was a lot of speculation around this months box as the theme was kept close knit in the Glossybox office until delivery day. The box is a Superdrug special celebrating 50 years of Superdrug. I’m a big fan of Superdrug, their budget beauty brands are really great and some are sort after worldwide!

So on to the box... I love the design this month, and the best thing is there are so many products inside, most of them full size as well. Winner!

Max Factor – Facefinity All Day Primer

This couldn’t have appeared in my Glossybox at a better time. Ive just run out of my all time favourite Smashbox primer, and was looking for a replacement. The packaging of this product is fab for a drugstore brand. It comes in a glass bottle with a pump, which I think every beauty enthusiast is always pleased to see. I’m a big fan of Max Factor, and am excited to try this new launch.

Maybelline – Great Lash Mascara

I know this will shock a lot of people, but as long as this mascara has been knocking around, I’ve never tried it! It’s always been on my list of things to try, but new launches or recommendations have always taken over. For this reason I was super happy to see it this month, and can’t wait to try it. It’s in the colour Very Black, which is perfect for a dramatic lash.  

 GOSH  - Velvet Touch Eyeliner

I always check this counter out in Superdrug, but for some unknown reason have never purchased anything. I always wear eyeliner on a night out, but for me, it’s finding one that stays put that’s the problem. The write up on this product is pretty good, so I’m hoping for longevity as well as wearability.

B - Sheer Conditioning Lipstick

I love wearing these conditioning tints on my lips in the summer months. It’s nice to have a hint of colour as well as the moisturising elements banishing dry lips. The colour I received is Coral which is my favourite lip shade to wear in the summer, so perfect! The pigmentation is just right for a sheer tint. The only thing I’d say its missing is the addition of an SPF in the formula.

Vaseline – Spray & Go Moisturiser

This product is already a huge favourite of mine and I can’t recommend it enough to anybody looking for quick, easy moisturising. It’s compact, smells amazing and leaves your skin feeling great. I've been using this every day since returning from my holiday to prolong my tan and it’s been fab. I wrote a full post on this product a while back which you can read here.

Bonus Products...

Garnier – Oil Beauty Lotion

I really like the idea of this, a body lotion infused with argan, macademia, almond and rose oil, it sounds almost perfect. And at only £4.99 for a 250ml bottle, it’s a bargain as well. I can see myself picking up the full size version of this in the near future. Watch out for a full review! :)

Ghost – Eclipse

I'm a fan of floral scents, and this one didn't disappoint. In the past I have stuck to a couple of scents that I've favoured for years, but recently I've found myself branching out and buying more. This one may just make it in to my collection. 

And gracing the front of the Glossy magazine this month in the lovely Lucy Mecklenburgh. Her new website and training camps are proving very popular at the moment for people wanting to get fit for summer. My friend is currently using her subscription website 'Results with Lucy'. Maybe I can persuade her to do a cheeky guest review for your guys! :)

So that's it for this month, what did you all get in your box?

Bourjois Shine Edition Lipstick

Spring feels like it's right on the horizon, and we've already had a couple of sunny (and even slightly warm) days. In true spirit of that, I've already reached for some of my favourite spring/summer products. 

Last year I simply couldn't get enough of the Bourjois Shine Edition Lipsticks. They are a true ‘throw in your bag to wear all day’ kind of product. The colours leave just enough tint on the lip, and they give a gorgeous shine. They are also super moisturising, thanks to the added mango butter ingredient! I think of them as half way in between a lipstick and a Revlon lip butter. Your getting great colour, but with shine and moisture too.

L-R - 24, 22, 20

The three pictured here are my most favoured colours, number 20 - 1,2,3 Soleil which is the most gorgeous coral, 22 – Famous Fuchsia which is a hot fuchsia pink, and 24 – Rose xoxo which is probably my most worn as it’s such a lovely muted pink. All the colours are really wearable, and easy to apply on the go.

You can pick these beauties up from Boots or Superdrug for £7.99 each. Bargain right?

To me, these are perfect lipsticks for when the warmer weather starts to kick in. I like something a little lighter and not so matte in the summer, and with the shine and colour these give, you couldn't ask for more.

Anyone else tried these? Let me know your thoughts!

Max Factor CC Concealer Sticks

 I always carry make up with me, whether I’m travelling, at work or out for drinks, it’s always handy to have top up products in your bag. This upcoming release from Max Factor has me quite excited, and with the recent product releases from this brand proving very popular, I’m sure these will also live up to the hype!

The CC concealer sticks come in 5 different correcting tones. Basically they've covered all skin issues you could possibly have including correcting dark spots, correcting dullness, correcting redness, correcting under eye circles and they've even thrown a highlighter stick in for good measure.

 I personally can suffer from all of the above at some point in my weekly routine, so having all these concealer sticks to hand sounds like a fantastic idea to me! They are said to be of a creamy consistency which warms in to the skin, and easily blendable. If that's true, I think these will be our new 'go-to' items! 

This fab new product is due to hit our shelves on April 1st, retailing at £8.99 per stick, and I for one will be first in line to sample them. Not a bad price for a quick touch up I say! Who else is excited for this launch?

Rita Ora for Rimmel Nail Polishes

I’ve been buying so many nail polishes recently, they never used to be ‘my thing’, but now, I can’t get enough. While in Liverpool this weekend attending the FABB Bloggers Event, I popped into Boots and Superdrug (it’d be rude not to wouldn’t it?). While in Superdrug, I spotted the new Rita Ora nail polishes released by Rimmel. I really like the Rimmel formula anyway as I find them the easiest to paint my nails with and one of the quickest dryers.

I picked up a couple of the pinky/peach shades, as I've been loving a contrast between bright and pastel colours coming in to spring! The lightest shade I got is called Lose Your Lingerie which is a gorgeous pearlescent peachy pink colour. I also picked up a vibrant fuchsia shade called Don’t Be Shy.

Don't Be Shy

Lose Your Lingerie

Like most Rimmel polishes, I only needed a couple of coats to give a great opaque colour. You can pick these up from Boots or Superdrug for £3.69 and both stores have offers on the polishes at the moment, so grab them cheap while you can! I really like the colours released in this range and think I’ll definitely pick up some more as the weeks go on.

Have you tried Rita’s releases yet? What are your thoughts?

L'Oreal Elnett Volume Excess Hairspray

Recently I've been trying a lot of hair products, mainly ones which will put a bit of life in to my incredibly fine hair. When Glamour sent me Loreal's Elnett Satin Hairspray in Volume Excess*, I couldn't wait to try it. 

I've always been a fan of the L'Oreal Elnett hairsprays, as i think they have one of the best holds of all the brands, but this one also promises volume which is an added bonus! I've been using this pretty much every day and I can honestly say the hold is fantastic. Curls tend to fall out of my hair pretty quick, and I normally have to use a lot of products to keep them in, however this alone held my curls all night and in to the next day. I actually got compliments from my friends to how good my curls still looked at the end of our girls night out!

What I liked most about the product is it doesn't feel too heavy in your hair, and certainly not sticky as some hairsprays do. The product also features a backcombed volume effect, which I loved as I think giving lift as well as hold with a hairspray is fab. You can buy this product from Boots for £6.60, which again seems quite reasonable for such a great product. 

Has anyone else tried this release in to the L'Oreal Elnett range? What's your thoughts?

Tanya Burr Lips & Nails

 Tanya burr is a well known name in the beauty world. Renowned for her amazing makeup tutorials, intuitive blog posts and letting us watch her life journey through her daily vlogs. And let’s be honest, we’re all wishing we were invited to as many red carpet events as she is (or any at all in fact!). She’s done so well for herself and is a true inspiration to so many girls.

When she announced she was releasing her own product line in association with Eye Candy, I knew it’d be great. Beauty products created, branded and released by someone who lives and breathes beauty? They were already bound for success.

The first thing I loved about the range was the names Tanya had chosen for each of her products. If you subscribe to Tanya on YouTube you’ll know the names have been inspired by her loves and interests, which makes the brand so personal.

I picked up two of the lip glosses, one in a light pink shade called Afternoon Tea and a darker pink shade with a slight glitter named Aurora (anything with a Disney princess name needs to be purchased in my opinion!). I’m not normally a fan of lip glosses due to many of them feeling quite sticky and not lasting as long as a lipstick might. Saying that, I actually really like the formula of these glosses, they remind me a lot of the NYX lip glosses which I also favour.

Aurora

Afternoon Tea

Two of the nail polishes also found their way in to my Feelunique basket, a lovely peach/pink colour called Mini Marshmallows and a pillar box red called Mischief Managed. Being a huge Harry Potter fan, I was immediately drawn to the latter and wanted it in my collection. I only needed two coats to get a good coverage and nice colour on my nails and with a good top coat, (I use Sally Hansen’s Insta Dry), my nails were chip free for days.

Mini Marshmallows

Mischief Managed

Overall I’m really impressed with the line, and I like the fact that the products are budget friendly! They retail at £6.99 for a lip gloss and £5.99 for a nail polish, and you can’t really argue with those prices. You can buy her products online from Feelunique or both online and in store at Superdrug, but I’m sure that’ll be expanding soon. Well done Tanya, it just shows you that beauty blogging/vlogging and a lot of hard work can fulfil your dreams! 

Laura Mercier Goodies

 I posted a while ago about my splurge purchase of the Laura Mercier body crème. I still use it all the time, I just can’t get enough of it and it wasn’t long before I wanted the full set of body/bath products!

As if to answer my prayers, Laura Mercier’s amazing Christmas gift sets offered it all in one little box. They were made up of four items, the body scrub, honey bath (which comes with a really cute honey dipper), body crème and a candle.

The sets RRP at £60 and are only available around the Christmas period. They sell out fast so you have to be quick to get your hands on one. I was lucky enough to find this one in the Space NK January sales, and it was half price!! At only £30, it was an absolute steal.

I have to admit, I haven’t actually brought myself to use these yet (they just look too pretty in my bathroom!), but I’m sure I won’t be able to resist temptation much longer.

Also from Space NK’s sale I picked up the Laura Mercier votive candle set. This was also half price at just £21. After smelling each of these candles I couldn’t resist and have already started using them around the house and especially when soaking in the bath. You may have seen pictures on my Instagram. The four scents in this set are ambre vanille, fresh fig, crème brûlée and tarte au citron.

So that was my little Laura Mercier haul with MASSIVE savings. Anyone else tried these products, what’s your thoughts? 

L'Oreal #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray

Following on from my recent dreams of having voluminous hair, (which basically involves buying and trying any product which promises me this), I have come across a wondrous product.

I was actually looking for a new salt spray after finishing my Redken one recently, and saw a new product from L'Oreals Studio Line called the #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray. Perfect! The title couldn't have sold me anymore, and in the basket it went. 

If you've read some of my past posts you'll know I've tried a lot of 'volumising' products, but this is by far the best of the bunch. I mostly used the Batiste XXL Plumping Powder (review here) and worked into my roots for added volume, but I found it left my hair feeling slightly sticky and rigid.

L'Oreals latest release doesn't have any of these after effects, and leaves my hair feeling silky smooth, and bouncing with volume. It really gives instant and noticeable results which last longer in my hair than most products. The other bonus is it's in spray form, so much easier to use. I spray some through my roots, and down the lengths of my hair, then tease it in to place. At £3.79 from Boots it really is a steal. 

I love this product, and even bought another one to leave at my mums house for when I stay there. I just can't be without it! Anyone else tried this? What's your thoughts?

Next Route Style Eye Makeup Competition

I was approached by the lovely Roch and Tash from Next Route Style blog to enter an eye makeup competition they were running. I immediately jumped at the chance! What a great way to get involved and of course do what we all love, get creative with make up. And with a £20 Feel Unique voucher and post on their blog up for grabs, it was added incentive!

I didn't really plan my look, but I knew I wanted to go wth a smoky cat eye effect and got more ideas as I went along. Here's what I created.

And here's a little snippet of some of the products I used for this look.

How to get this look... 

1. I always prime my eyelids before using any shadow, my choice was the NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base. 

2. I then went in with a NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in the colour Horseradish. I applied it straight from the stick, all over the lid and blended the edges with my finger. 

3. Using a Mac 239 brush I applied Macs gorgeous green colour called Humid all over the lid and blended with a clean Mac 217 brush until neat. 

4. Then I added some of Macs Black Tied to the outer edges of my eye and winged it out slightly following the shape of my eye. I also took some Black Tied under the lower lash line. I then used another 217 to blend that all together.

5. I then used YSL's Shocking Eyeliner on my top lash line, winging it out and joining to the bottom lashes.

6. For my water line, I wanted to keep with the green smokey theme, so used Urban Decay's 24/7 Eye Pencil in the colour Mainline.

7. I applied Bourjois Volumizer mascara in Ultra Black to my top lashes. This mascara is great for building volume as it has two steps which adds different amounts of mascara to the wand.

8. For my bottom lashes I applied Clinique's Bottom Lash Mascara.

9. Lastly I added some Eyelure lashes in number 101 using the Duo lash glue. 

If you like my look, then please please vote for me on Next Route Style's blog post by leaving my name Kayleigh Goddard as a comment.  Click HERE... It's that simple. 

I appreciate all votes, and good luck to all the girls in the competition, there's some really great make up skills that have been showcased during this comp.

And thats to Roch and Tash for running this comp, i've really enjoyed doing it! 

L'Oreal Fibrology Hair Trio

My quest for fuller, thicker hair has been ongoing for years now. I buy products which promise the world, then after a few applications my hair is still limp, lifeless and as flat as a pancake. Massive sighs! Regardless of my past failings I still can’t resist, so when I saw this new shampoo and conditioner that L'Oreal had released, I had to give it a go.

Boots were offering the shampoo, conditioner, and a thickening booster treatment for an introductory offer price of £10, so I snapped up all three. My hope was heightened when the cashier exclaimed she was using it and it had actually worked really well for her. 

The science behind this new release is a little ingredient called Filloxane. Apparently this has been proved to penetrate the tiny fibres in your hair, which then expand, leaving your hair looking fuller and thicker! Still not sold? Well, they say this has a long lasting effect, and that is what we all want from a product of this type right?

I used the shampoo, rinsed, then the idea with the thickening booster treatment is you add it to your conditioner before applying it to your hair. Now, it is quite a small tube, and I can't imagine it lasting more than 4-5 washes to be honest. You don't have to use that of course, all the products contain Filloxane, but if you wanted the extra boost, it could get pricey as that costs £5.99 on its own!

I might be incredibly optimistic, or maybe all the hype around this product had gone to my head, but my hair actually felt thicker in the shower while rinsing the conditioner out. It was a little scary how (if) it had worked that quickly. 

I've been using this for a week or so now, and can honestly say I do see some results. Even though I do use other thickening products as well when styling my hair, I think this product has definitely helped. 

All in all, loving this new find and will definitely be continuing with it to see the long term effects. You can buy or see the other products in the range on Boots website here. Anyone else tried this? What's your thoughts?

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I am constantly trying new products and finding new items that I love, however one thing I never really change is how I take my make up off. I've used Bioderma's Crealine H2O Solution for a while now, and find it most effective and gentlest on my skin.

I decided to have a relaxing retreat in the lakes last week with my mum and disaster struck when I forgot my trusty travel size Bioderma! I had to take my make up off with (dare i say it?) a face wipe! 

Needless to say, Boots was first on the agenda for the next day. I was about to pick up a Nivea remover to just 'see me through the holiday', when I spotted Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water. I'd heard a few positive reviews, so jumped at the chance to try it.

It's priced at an incredibly reasonable £4.99 for 400ml in Boots, although I actually saw this for £3.29 in Savers later on that day, doh! Compared to Bioderma which normally costs me around £14 for 500ml, I think this is a great cheap alternative. I also like that this product is much more readily available. I know Bioderma is a little easier to get hold of nowadays since its UK release, but what beats popping in and picking it up from your local Boots or Superdrug?

The solution removed my make up well without irritation, and felt really gentle on my skin. I must admit, I think I use slightly more of this than the Bioderma formula, but at the price difference, I can't grumble. 

So a new find for me! My heart probably still lies with Bioderma, but I will definitely be repurchasing this. Anybody else tried it?