Lip Balm Love

Like most girls, I am a total lip balm addict. Without it I feel something is missing, even on non make-up-wearing days I still use it just to keep my lips feeling fresh and hydrated. I do find the more you wear it the more you feel like you need it, but when your a sucker for buying new cosmetics that shouldn't be a problem, right?

I've been through numerous brands and varieties over the years, here are some of my no-fail favourites:



1) MAC Lip Conditioner

I bought this product a few months ago and I absolutely love it. It leaves the lips feeling soft, well-moisturised and tingly. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination (£11) but not a complete fortune either. The tube has lasted me a long time as so little needs to be applied to make an impact. I've heard the tinted versions being raved about a lot recently but personally I opted for the clear one so I could apply it without making a difference to my choice of lip colour. A definite recommend! 


2) Mint Julips Lip Scrub 

I love this scrub from Lush; a very innovative and original product. I really like the concept of using mint flavoured sugar to exfoliate your lips, although I'm not sure I would appreciate a bubblegum flavour as much. This scrub makes my lips feel smooth, plump and soft and the fact it's edible is a total bonus! It also provides a good base for lipstick as it really does exfoliate the dry areas. Quite well priced at £4.95 and again will last forever!

3) Clinique Superbalm Lip Treatment

I'm not sure Clinique sells anything I don't love and this lip balm of course does not let me down. This has quite a thick consistency which for me is the only big downside; I don''t like to feel like i have a gloss or heavy layer or product on my lips. On the plus side it can be used more as a gloss and it's super hydrating. It possibly needs less applications as it keeps the dryness from coming back very successfully.



4) Good old Vaseline

It wouldn't be a top lip balm post without the trusty Vaseline! I'm yet to meet anyone that doesn't have at least one tub lying around and the fact it's so cheap makes it an absolute necessity for any make up bag. I really love the Lip Therapy tints that they have brought out in the last couple of years. This rosy one is my favourite as it's very fresh without being too strong a smell or colour. This leaves the lips natural and glossy as I'm sure most readers will know by now. I have however noticed that a few more applications are required than the other ones I've mentioned, but with the product being so cheap I guess it's inevitable.


5) Cowshed Lippy Cow Natural Lip Balm

This all-natural lip balm is packed with essential oils of linden blossom to protect and nourish, rose geranium to help rejuvenate, and ylang ylang to stimulate circulation. It's also free from sulphates, artificial fragrances and colours so you can apply totally green and guilt-free. The texture is quite thin which personally I like. The taste and smell is not particularly amazing; this is perhaps to be expected with it being organic. At around £5 you can't go wrong!


Ones I haven't liked so much: smackers (too sticky), Burts Bees (not a big fan of honey).

My New Favourite £2 Moisterizer

I can't remember if I read about this on my blogger reading list or somewhere else but I recently stumbled upon something that recommended £2 Sudocrem as an alternative to moisturiser.

I'd heard it works fantastically at clearing and preventing spots and I had to try it out for myself. I also read that Cheryl Cole uses it; if it's good enough for her, it's definitely good enough for me!

So I bought myself a large tub, applied a thin layer to the face and left it overnight while I slept. Now I can honestly say it worked amazingly and I will definitely be using it again! It reduced the reddish areas on my face, the size of my blemishes were much smaller and the skin on my face felt much softer in general. By morning it had all soaked into the skin and felt very smooth and healthy.

Now two points that I read before trying that I don't quite believe in: using it everyday and saying it smells 'good'. I wouldn't use it everyday, once or twice a week perhaps. Also I don't think it smells good but that could just be me. I think it's quite a 'Grandma' smell if I'm being honest. It's also a bit of a pain if you can't sleep on your back, like me, and if so it's very easy to get your face a little stuck to the sheets, like me.

Anyway I would definitely recommend giving it a try, the tub will last you ages and it's too cheap not to try out. I promise it will be £2-3 very well spent!

Rimmel Soft Kohl Pencil Eye Liners

Now I've owned my fair share of expensive pencil eyeliners - MAC, bobbi brown, Clinique and Illamasque to name a few and this post is not intended to undermine any of those fabulous liners by any means. However, I've been using Rimmel's soft kohl pencil liners for years and years, literally ever since I even started wearing make up, and I absolutely love them. In my opinion these match up to any of the aforementioned high end products.

They're soft, long-lasting, glide on smoothly and are importantly CHEAP, really cheap at around £3 each. This makes it perfectly acceptable to take a couple out on a night out, and it's not the end of the world if you accidentally lose one (or three in my case). They are extremely soft which make them glide on smoothly and they don't scratch the eye when applying to the waterline. They are so easy to get your hands on too, pretty much every drugstore seems to sell them in a range of colours.

One of my favourite things about these liners is the range of colours they come in which is pretty much a whole rainbow-esque selection. My favourites would have to be Pure White which when applied to the waterline makes the eyes appear much bigger and I also love wearing Forest Green in the daytime; I've been wearing it since I was about 15 and just apply a little under the bottom lash set and corner of the eyelid, to make the eyes stand out without looking too dramatic or harsh like a black perhaps could. It works an absolute treat and normally stays in place for hours. My next must have is the Purple Passion; I don't have it yet but it looks gorgeous.

They do tend to smudge slightly but in my opinion, that's a good thing as I like the colour to be quite thick and even a little grungy.

Anyway I'll shut up about them now but for anyone looking for a cheap yet decent liner, I promise it will be £3 well spent!

January Bites: Ten Tips for Rescuing Winter Skin

So although I submitted my monthly HerCampus article to the editors almost 3 weeks ago, it's not been put onto the site yet. Normally I would wait untill after it's been uploaded before posting it to my blog but at this rate it will be severely out of date! Enjoy....

So 2012 has already begun. At this moment in time you’re probably sick of being surrounded by tinsel and fairy lights, bored of the daily banquet of turkey sandwiches and Quality Street, fed up of irritating younger siblings and nagging parents and tired of being so worried about the impending exams that you’re yet to actually start any revision. Whether you’re one or all of these things, your skin will almost certainly be paying the price.

Stress, cold weather, poor diet, excessive drinking and lack of sleep are just some of the many factors that can leave the body particularly weak and run-down come January and us students seem to bear this brunt much more than most. Unfortunately, when our bodies are drained and our lifestyle is hectic our skin screams it. While we can easily cover a few mince pie induced pounds under an oversized jumper and a couple of shameful NYE eye-bags under thirteen layers of concealer, the sad state of our skin can be much more difficult to hide.

Understandably, an arduous skin-care regime may seem like the last thing any student feels like committing to this month, but it appears January really is the time our sorry epidermises need a little refresh and revival the most.  For that reason I give you ten easy, inexpensive tips for rescuing your January skin. I can’t promise you’ll end up with a complexion quite akin to Halle Berry, but unless you fancy sporting a balaclava for the next 28 days, they could be worth a try:

1) Exfoliate - Winter skin can be much more sensitive than usual and while you don't want to over-exfoliate or irritate the face, a gentle micro-exfoliant will help keep the skin silky smooth and radiant. Try The BodyShop’s Vitamin C Microdermabrasion (£12) or something a little cheaper such as  St Ives Elements Micro Dermabrasion (£3.99), which promises to do the job just as effectively.

2) Watch the Temperature - To keep the skin hydrated, be sure to wash your face with lukewarm water rather than hot, as this will only dry the skin out even more. It’s also important to moisturize your face immediately after washing, as this is when your skin is more likely to lock in that much-needed moisture.

3) Drink Water, Water, and More Water – No doubt you’ve heard this one more times than you’ve set foot on Campus, but drinking sufficient water is extremely important. With water fountains on every level of Edward Boyle and now also installed in the Brotherton Library, there is absolutely no excuse. Plenty of water helps keep the body hydrated and we all should aim to drink 8 glasses of water every day.

4) Body Butter-Up – Cold weather can seriously dehydrate and dry out the skin and consequently a good moisturizer or thick body butter is vital for soothing and replenishing; a rich emollient like shea butter acts to form an invisible barrier and helps prevent surplus water loss. My personal favourite is Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula  (£3.77) as it’s exceptionally cheap and smells incredible. I also love Bliss Lemon and Sage Body Butter (£20.50); a little more expensive, but if your student loan can stretch to it, worth every penny.

5) Get Your Glow Back - To snatch back your much missed healthy summer colour, exercise and a good night’s sleep are the ultimate natural ways to boost that longed-for lustrous complexion. Alternatively, go for a glow–boosting product like Soap & Glory Glow Job  (£9), which provides a healthy bronze veil of wash–off colour.

6) Skin Super-Foods – Dairy products such as natural yogurt, goat’s milk and cottage cheese are packed with essential vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin D, and calcium. Snacks such as blueberries, strawberries, nuts and sunflower seeds are also brilliant as they have extremely high nutritional value. Salmon contains many fatty acids that are essential to keeping your skin from drying out and if you can fathom facing another Christmas-esque dinner plate, turkey isn’t too bad either. Spinach, sweet potato and carrots are cheap and cheerful vegetables to enliven your skin and what better excuse to make something more indulgent like carrot cake, roasts or coleslaw.

7) Cut Down the Caffeine - Can’t live without your morning Starbucks? Rely on your Red Bull mixer to keep pulling out Beyoncé dance moves past 1am? You may have to reduce this intake severely in order to avoid the high levels of caffeine and sugar that can cause oily spots and rob your body of moisture. Green tea is one of the best natural alternatives to caffeine; it will still give you a pre-lecture energy boost and could also modestly increase metabolism, bonus!

8) Multi-Vitamins - Taking multi-vitamins is a sure-fire way to get fundamental nutrients in your system without having to worry about breaking the bank during the weekly food shop. Some are more specifically tailored towards targeting the skin, like Holland and Barratt's ‘Skin Hair Nails' formula (£7.69 – 60 caplets) which I’ve been taking for around 3 months. Although I can’t say they’ve made an enormous difference to my skin just yet, the condition of my hair has definitely improved and I’m hopeful that the rest will come with time.

9) Be Make-up Vigilant – Wherever possible reduce your daily face paint and work the more natural look. Swap your heavy, suffocating foundation for something lighter like a tinted moisturizer; this one from Nivea (£2.03) will provide good coverage and let your skin breathe. For particularly sensitive skin, use hypo-allergic, naturally coloured cosmetics for make-up; the fewer pigments, the less irritating property.

10) (Attempt to) Make a Face Mask – Fun, cheap and a fantastic source of procrastination. There are millions of recipes online and there’s sure to be one perfect for utilizing whatever’s hiding in the back of the fridge. Here’s a simple OatmealFacemask to try and an even simpler Egg YolkFace Mask to get messy with.

Feel Unique January Beauty Box: 1 Week On

So this time last week I received my first Feel Unique Beauty Box much to my personal excitement, my bank balances detriment and my skin's delight.

You can read about my initial reaction here.

The box promised to refresh and revive with the note inside reading:

‘New Year New You. Now the festive frivolities are over its time to get back to basics with our specially selected products, designed to put you back on the straight and narrow.'

I thought this was a great concept for January and for that reason I fully forgive them for not including any make-up. Although I'd love some next month please!

Here are my thoughts on the products after a weeks use:

1) Lierac creme Mesolift anti-aging radiance cream 15ml 

This was my favourite product of the box; it smells lovely, almost like orange Starburst sweets! It's fairly thick but applied last thing at night after cleansing for the past week had really enhanced my natural complexion and daily glow. Out of everything I would probably be most likely to buy this product. I would rate it 8/10

2. Dead Sea Spa Majik Salt Brushing - 2 Sachets

The predominant downside for me with the sachets was that I have heard they have appeared in a number of similar beauty boxes in recent months, which is fine, but sort of takes the excitement out of getting something new on the scene and perhaps unknown.

The scrub was brilliant at exfoliating and left my skin feeling clean, smooth and silky. Unfortunately however the salt pieces were quite large and I usually like a much finer scrub. Also any future users should be careful when scrubbing over any cuts or flesh wounds as the salt can really sting. I learnt this the hard way after scrubbing over a cut I had gained after trying to open my Beauty Box with a knife much too enthusiastically and cutting my hand - oh the irony! I liked this product but wouldn't buy it; there are many other  skin scrubs out there I much prefer. 5/10

 3) Caudalie Vinotherapie Nourishing Body Lotion 30ml

I really liked this lotion. It was light, seemingly long-lasting and left my skin feeling fairly soft. One downside to the product was it's smell which was quite strong, floral and a little bit old fashioned if I'm being completely honest. Despite this, it was a nice product and one that I'm sure I'll get future use out of. 6/10

4) Phyto PhytoBaume Color Protect Express Conditioner 20ml

This wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination but it was probably my least favourite product. I wasn't 'wowed' by it in any sense; I  tend to spend quite a lot of money on good hair conditioners and this one didn't really compare to some of my favourites like Catwalk, Aussie and Tigi. I didn't find it boosted the colour of my highlighted hair particularly. Maybe I will give this another try and see if a second verdict improves my thoughts. 5.5/10

5) This works Clean Skin for the Face 30ml

Last but by no means least, the thisworks facial wash which again I really liked. If you hadn't guessed already I'm a big fan good-smelling products and this smelt sufficiently fresh albeit quite strong. I found it took off every once of my make up and provided a completely clean base for moisturising. I would probably buy this product if the price was right. 7/10

I hope I haven't been too harsh, all just my honest opinion for those who are interested. I liked every item in the box, just some a little more than others.

I can't wait for Febuary's box and look forward to sharing my views on it.

Brushing Up

In recent weeks, after reading copious beauty blog articles and watching thousands (only a slight exaggeration) of V-log tutorials, I've learnt one very important thing about make up application...YOU NEED GOOD BRUSHES. It seems your standard palette freebies just don't cut the mustard and applying make up with poor quality brushes is practically like trying to brush your hair with a pillow...pointless.

So with this playing on my mind every make-up-wearing morning ever since, I did a little research into the 'best' brushes out there both on the high street and a little more high end. There are hundreds to choose from of which MAC, Clinique, No.7, EcoTools, The Body Shop and bobbi brown caught my eye the most.

I am the worst decision maker in the world, ever, and I did what I normally do in these difficult situations - let fate, or ebay decide. I left it a week or so in the hope one set of brushes would slap me in the face.

I entered MAC in Leeds' Victoria Quarter to treat myself to an eyeshadow before my first January exam (brilliant logic) and thought what better reason to buy an eyeshadow brush, than with my eyeshadow. Unfortunately one of the assistants, with far too much make up on, informed me that, with regret, the famous 217 brush I had requested was not in stock. In her eyes that meant a little less commission but in mine, this was fate.

To cut a long story short a few days later I was milling around my local town and was on to a WINNING shopping day; I'd already found a Calvin Klein bra for £4 and a £69 coat down to £12; I was on a bargain-fuelled high. Then I strolled into The Body Shop and glaring back at me was a set of beautiful brushes, on sale, for £15! Contained inside were:

Face & Body Brush

Brow & Lash Comb

Eyeshadow Brush

Lipstick/Concealer Brush

Fabric Roll  to store them in

They are still on sale online and are available here

Normally a Face and Body Brush is £18 so I knew straight away I was onto a complete winner. Unfortunately the set didn't contain a blusher brush which I knew I needed so I decided to go for the cheap and cheerful but ethically sound EcoTools (7.99) blush brush from Boots to go with them, which conveniently fit in my pouch! They are all so soft and lovely.

I've already used them and everything stayed on so much longer today, at this point I can't believe I ever managed without them.

Would love to know which (if any) brushes you use!

Make Up Looks: Spring (Daytime)

After

Before

                                                                              















      I've got HEAPS of work to do at the minute; I'm inbetween my January exams as well as having 2000 words of my dissertation to write. I am the queen of procrastination and have even resorted to deactivating facebook (temporarily). Anyways I've been playing around with apps to waste yet more time. 

This look I created as a Spring-time look; fresh faced, rosy cheeks and a hint of green under the eyes. Apologies for the oldish photo but you need one that is square on and with relatively little make up on.

Here are the products I used:

Mally Eye Shadow in Silk Champagne
Neutrogena Nourishing Eye Duo in Sunlit Sage 60
Stila eye shadow pans in starlight
BeneFit Cosmetics Thrrrob in Thrrrob
Stila convertible color in rose
CoverGirl TruBlend Liquid Makeup in 1 Classic Ivory 410
Clinique High Impact Mascara in black/brown
Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Brun
Stila kajal eye liner in pearl
Stila lip glaze in guava

Edit: I'm also well aware it isn't Spring yet, but I'm feeling optimistic - it's not too far away!