June favourites | Hair, skin & makeup

I can't believe its the end of June already & how quickly my blog has grown since I started mid May. Almost at 80 followers. Wow! Thank you so much to everyone who reads my little blog.

I could go on forever about products I have enjoyed using throughout the month but i thought I'd narrow it down to my favourite hair care, skin care & makeup product to keep things short & sweet.

Hair - My favourite hair care product this month I received in my Glossy Box. Novex Brazilian keratin extra deep hair care cream (right mouthful). I was eager to try this out as my hair is very curly and dry and desperately in need of some TLC, this product didn't disappoint. It's described as hair food for all hair types & it left my hair feeling soft, nourished and healthy. Using this size once a week will probably last me about 4 treatments. Yet again another Glossy Box product from America which makes it a little difficult to get hold of, you can get it here or maybe Amazon for the UK.

Makeup - My favourite makeup product this month is the Eyeko skinny liquid eyeliner in Black. I got this free with glamour magazine aswell as the navy version. I love my eyeliners and this one is one of the best I've used, it stays put on the eye all day but isn't difficult to remove, the fine felt tip applicator is easy to use and achieves flicks no problem. It just does exactly what you need it to & I can't fault it.
Find it here with free delivery :)

Skin care - My favourite skin care product this month is the Boots Botanics Ionic clay mask - shine away.
The warmer weather is making my skin extra oily and I find using this mask once a week on my wild Friday nights really helps keep it balanced whilst also removing impurities. My skin feels amazing after using it and it only needs to be left on for about 10 minutes. The only gripe I have with this is that it's quite a small tube but a little does go a long way.
Find it at Boots - Here

My first Birch Box | June 2014

So my first Birch Box arrived and upon first impressions I'm not really THAT impressed.

I received;

• - Benefit they're real mascara, full size £19.50
• - Silk & Honey shea butter hair mask, £55 diy set
• - OPI Nail lacquer, the Brazil collection, £11.95
• - Naobay body radiance lotion, £14
• - Caudalie vinoperfect spf15 day perfecting fluid, £38
• - a Brazil flip flop keyring because the box is 'world cup themed'

The product I'm least impressed with is the benefit mascara. I don't get on with it at all, I never have. I've never understood the hype with benefit as I'm yet to find anything that stands out for me. Also through friends that receive Birch I know it's not the first time this has been sent out so it's a disappointment for me personally.

Everything else is nice though, the OPI nail varnish is a fabulous colour and really makes a statement although I'm not sure of the name of it. 

The Naobay moisturiser is lovely on the skin but I'm not keen on the smell, it's quite a citrus scent.

I liked using the Caudalie fluid, it glides on to the skin and i feel like it gives me a more even base for my make up whilst keeping my oil at bay. 

I'm yet to use the Silk and honey hair mask but I'm going to after zumba tonight so we shall see how it goes. I have high hopes though with the price of it! 

The keyring is a cute little extra which I'm sure will come in handy at some point.

Overall I was more impressed with Glossy Box this month but I'll stay subscribed and see what next month brings.

Where i'm from box swap | United Kingdom to Orange County

So recently I signed up to take part in the Where i'm from box swap hosted by the beautiful Kallie from But first, coffee. You can see her face below :)

Being new to the blogging world I jumped at the chance to get out there and get to know different people and i was mega excited to be paired with lovely Nicole from California who you can find here.

 The idea was to send items in your box that represented where you were from and that you thought your partner would enjoy...

Here's what I received from Nicole today

I absolutely love everything Nicole sent. The Orange County Starbucks mug is adorable (I LOVE Starbucks) & the seaside candle smells of coconut which is gorgeous and my favourite scent. I also received three Julep nail polish's and one Wet & Wild from the Fergie range, an NYX lipgloss, Maybelline colour tattoo eye shadow and an ELF eyeliner in purple. I can't wait to use all of them and i hope to do some seperate posts for them later.

I couldn't have been paired with anybody better and really enjoyed this swap. Can't wait for the next one.

Thanks to Kallie for arranging it all!

I have found vintage dress heaven

My cousin is having a vintage themed wedding next summer. I haven't put much thought into what i'm going to wear yet until last night when i happened to come across Lady Vintage London -http://ladyvlondon.com

The dresses are absolutely gorgeous and i've decided i HAVE to have one. I'm not sure which yet....they are so difficult to choose from. I've added photo's of my favourites below and i hope to get my hands on one pretty soon.

New White Posie Floral Tea Dress - In the sale at £40 :D

Beautiful Apricot Floral on Navy Tea Dress £50

Beautiful White Butterfly Tea Dress £50

Cool Mint Floral Chiffon Tea Dress £50

Ditsy White Butterfly Chiffon Tea Dress £50

Malibu Tiki Chiffon Tea Dress £50

Lipgloss wars

Lipgloss doesn't really do anything for me, i'll be honest. But I seem to have acquired a few and thought why not put them against each other and see which comes out on top.

From left to right 

• Soap & Glory sexy mother pucker - Punchbowl
• Rimmel Apocalips - Galaxy
• Bella Pierre super lipgloss - Raspberry
• Soap & Glory sexy mother pucker extreme plump - Pink out loud
• Beautiful Movements Cosmetics lip gloss - Nude

I've arranged the short reviews below in least favourite to favourite order with the winner at the bottom.

5th place - Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker £9 find it here

Probably the most common Soap & Glory makeup product people get to try as it ALWAYS appears in gift sets. The tingle on the lips is addictive, I could sit and apply it all day but I do know it gets too much for some people. I don't think it makes my lips look any fuller & it's sticky. Really sticky. I've actually worn this on a night out before and felt like my mouth was sticking to my drink, and loose hair is a definite no-no for this one.

4th place - Sexy Mother Pucker XL £10 find it here

This is an almost clear gloss, and it's very glossy. The tingle is much more extreme than the original and lasts longer but again I didn't notice much of a difference in how my lips looked. It's nowhere near as sticky as the first one but it's still a bugger for hairs getting stuck to it. The applicator for this one you just squeeze from the tube onto the lips which is abit messy as it's easy to squeeze out too much product.

3rd place - Beautiful Movements - £12 find it here

A nice subtle shade with quite a sheer finish that isn't too in your face glossy. Definitely a nice day time one for work. It doesn't actually feel too sticky on the lips in fact it does feel quite conditioning but it's not good with hair. It does sink into the lips fairly quickly so I had to keep re applying this one.

2nd place - Bella Pierre £12.99 find it here

I can't get over my disappointment for the packaging with this one. i HATE when the lettering rubs off the sides, it just looks so cheap and to me this isn't a cheap product. However, I enjoy the colour of this. Similar to galaxy as you can see but in a glossier finish and if you look closely at the tube there are tiny sparkles in the gloss which is really subtle on the lips. There's no stickiness & it does smell like berries which is nice. It also contains lots of lovely ingredients which are conditioning for the lips.

1st place - Rimmel Apocalips £6.49 find it here

Galaxy is a lovely shade, it's a nice dark plum colour. It's actually a lip lacquer so it doesn't have the consistency of a lip gloss, it dries matte. It's a nice texture & not sticky in the slightest. I have found with this one it can leave the lip liner effect after eating/drinking but it's no biggie to re-apply. It's got quite a funny scent to it too but I can't think how to describe it, it's not awful though.

Fairly difficult to pick a winner between the Bella Pierre and Rimmel but the cheap packaging just swayed it for me as Rimmels is much nicer.

Hope you enjoyed reading :)

Mini Primark haul

I'm supposed to be saving.....but who isn't? And who can when you work a 5 minute walk from the new Trinity in Leeds, with a MASSIVE Primark.

My original idea was just to go for some cotton face pads as they are an absolute bargain (160 for £1) but i came away with more than I went for.

• Face pads £1
• Cuticle pusher & trimmer £1  - My cuticles were a disgrace and in desperate need of some TLC
• Nail varnish remover  twist pot £1 - I am forever changing my nail colour and a twist pot is so convenient. I feel they clean the whole nail much better than a pad.
•  Lip print makeup bag £2 - I'm on a mission to keep my handbag tidy so a makeup bag was a must, and its so cute!
• Purse £3 - Tying in with the handbag tidy theme i downsized to a smaller purse, this is still taking a little getting used to but at £3 i can always switch back and use this another time.

At least this time I can actually justify a reason for every item though, and it was all a bargain coming in at just £8. (It's not always such a bargain haul, believe me.)

But we all need a mid week treat though right?

Glossy Box June 2014 | Review

Its that time of the month again, Glossy Box June has arrived.

I was expecting a good box this time after Glossy had promised to have a value of at least £45 in every box.

At first glance i was impressed, carry on below for individual reviews of each product.

So Susan Cosmetics - Concealer quad - Full size product £20

I haven't heard of So Susan before and the only concealer i've tried is the collection one so i was happy to try out a new one, and i'm impressed! It's a full size product and retails at £20.

The packaging is so cute and I like that there are four shades to choose from. The texture of the concealer is quite dry but as my skin is oily It didn't really bother me much and it spread quite well with only a small amount needed. So Susan also says that the product is formulated with virgin Marula oil to replenish chapped and dry skins which is a bonus.

I have applied the concealer today in the same way i use my usual product and used the second lightest shade. I'm not sure if i'll ever use the darkest shade as my skin is quite fair. I have tried to show a swatch of them all below if you can make them out.

Being a small product we will see how far it goes for the fairly high price tag, but i'm really happy with the application. I'd say it was on par with the collection concealer but thats just my opinion.

Teez Trend Cosmetics - Beautiful Eyes flat stiff brush - Full size product - €19

First of all, the packaging is amazing. It's so bright and colourful and its totally different to any other brush's i've seen. I don't actually tend to use eye shadow very much but the brush came in handy for applying the concealer above ;)

The bristles are all natural but i found them quite prickly rather than soft, it wasn't painful though but I'll just stick to using it for the concealer for now.

Nail Girls 3 in 1 base, topcoat & nail strengthener  10ml sample - full size 15ml £12.50

I've been on the hunt for a good top coat recently so I was glad to receive this. Its fab it can be used as a base coat as well.

I've applied it today and it's fast drying which is great. Whether or not it lives up to the price tag we shall have to see.

Embelleze Novex - Brazillian Keratin 10ml sample - Full size £24.99 for 1kg

I'm currently on a heat damage ban for my hair so I don't think I've really used this product to its full potential. I used it as my conditioner last night, it smells good and my hair felt replenished and soft after using it. I left it on for about 15 minutes then rinsed off and left my hair to dry. It did seem to weigh my curls down a little so i'd say it could be quite heavy on fine hair.

There's enough product in the tub to use it a few more times, i might try it on dry hair next time and wash off to see if there is any difference.

Roger & Gallet - Fleur De Figuier Eau Fraiche - 10 ml sample - full size £32 100ml

"Designed by the creator Francis Kurkdjian, Fleur de Figuier Eau Fraiche reveals all the fresh flesh tones of the delightful fruit. Initially you are enveloped by the fig leaves crisp aroma and fresh mandarin flowers, then the milk and notes of wood, create a warm and creamy background, this envelops you like a second skin, vibrant and sensual."

I like this fragrance, its fresh and fruity but it reminds me of a perfume i used when i was younger. I can't quite put my finger on it though. I'm going to use it as my every day perfume, its perfect for summer.

I hope you enjoyed my reviews, what did you get in your box?

Send me your links to your posts in the comments :)

Bete Noire Jewellery

Hello everyone.

Today I'd like to share with you one of my favourite jewellery brands Bete Noire Jewellery. I came across Bete Noire through Instagram and fell in love instantly. +Beth Noire @betenoirejewellery 

My collection is only tiny at the moment and there's so much more i'd love to buy (and will.) Beth does all sorts of custom designs and i am constantly amazed with the ideas she comes up with. I can always guarantee lots of interest when i go out wearing my jewellery

I have my amazing horse shoe name necklace which is an awesome statement piece for a night out. I included a photo below to show the size of this one because it's bigger than you think.

My tea ring which i love to wear all the time, it's adorable :)

My "mum" hair clip. This looks great when i pin my fringe to the side instead of using boring old grips.

And last but not least my favourite tattooed Kewpie doll necklace. I've found he's not to everybody's taste (particularly my gran haha) but i don't care, i think he's ace.

If you're looking for head turning jewellery at excellent prices then do visit the website and treat yourself. I promise you won't be disappointed <3

The Liebster Award

WOW! What a surprise :) Thankyou to Jenny @ jnylng for the nomination. After only 1 month of blogging i'm shocked to even be considered.

THE RULES

• I thank the blogger who tagged me.
• I say 11 facts about me.
• I answer the 11 questions written by the person who tagged me.
• I write my own 11 questions.
• I tag 11 up and coming bloggers.
• 
  

11 SLIGHTLY INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ME

1. I'm from West Yorkshire in England and have a very strong accent which is comical to most people.
2. I've been a horse rider for over 20 years.
3. My middle name is Louise.
4. I have a younger brother.
5. I am a cheese addict.
6. I'm a massive Disney fan. The Little Mermaid is my favourite.
7. I'd love to go shark diving in Cape Town.
8. My favourite genre of music is metal/rock
9. I completed my first half marathon this year
10. I've got 9 tattoos and my ears are both stretched to 10mm
11. I'm a qualified horse riding instructor.

ANSWERS FOR QUESTIONS 

1. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you were older? I always wanted to be a vet or an olympic horse rider.
2. What is your favourite animal? A horse, closely followed by cats.
3. Do you know any languages? Very basic French & Spanish
4. Where would you like to travel to? Cape Town - South Africa
5. How do you relax? I go to the stables, mucking the horses out relaxes my mind.
6. If you could eliminate any insect in the world, what would it be and why? Spiders because they are TERRIFYING.
7. What's your favourite TV show? Hollyoaks.
8. What's your favourite snack? Can cheese class as a snack?
9. If you could have any talent, what would it be? I'd love to be flexible and be able to do gymnastics.
10. If you could, what would you change about the world? I'd take away modern technology and social media, as strange as it sounds i'd love to just go back to basics for a while.
11. What is your worst habit? Running late!

MY QUESTIONS FOR BLOGGERS

1. What do you do for a job?
2. What couldn't you live without?
3. What's your favourite makeup product?
4. Do you have any pet hates?
5. If you could be any animal, which would you be and why?
6. If you could change anything about your past, would you?
7. Do you have a favourite blog?
8. What do you like to do in your spare time?
9. Do you have any strange/weird obsessions?
10. What's your favourite smell?
11. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

THE BLOGGERS I NOMINATE ARE:

1. Eleanor Rose
2. Emma LSRS
3. Polkadot Notebook
4. Danielle Mcalary
5. Ella Probert
6. Just Little Lucy
7. A Place For Charlie
8. A Spritz Of Perfume
9. Josie Weekly
10. Kayleigh Jane
11. Frugal In White

Bliss Beauty Spa | Opening Night | Horsforth

Friday the 6th of June myself and Beauties Unlocked were invited to the opening night of Bliss Beauty Spa in Horsforth - Leeds. The Horsforth spa is the fourth branch to open so far and it was lovely! To stand out from the rest of the crowd Bliss are not just specialising in one brand which you tend to find at most salons. Instead they are offering a range of products to cater to everyones tastes.

"Established by Founder and Director, Beverley Silver and her charismatic partner, Andre Pattison the dynamic duo have done it again and opened another breathtaking salon that'll bring beauty, pampering and relaxation to West Yorkshire's stylish clientele. Bliss' heritage of highly trained, loyal staff and consistently excellent customer service springs from Beverley's extensive experience working in the worlds of fashion and beauty. Starting out at the Jewish Telegraph and with long-standing expertise in international business, Ms Silver's vision for Yorkshire most exceptional chain of salons and spas is now a dream come true."

We were greeted by the owner Beverley, her partner Andre and X Factor finalist Stacey Camps, given a glass of prosecco & offered a free nail polish and file, eyebrow shaping and reflexology treatment!

Unfortunately we didn't have time to stay for all the treatments so we opted for the nail file and polish.

 I chose the grey CND vinylux polish which promises 7 day wear. I'm on day 4 now and have noticed a couple of chips but i have been at the stables this weekend so i'm impressed it's lasted as good as it has so far.

As we were leaving Beverley offered us goody bags which included a China Glaze nail polish and an Elemis trio which i can't wait to try out!

I really enjoyed my first blogging event and Bliss Beauty Spa was amazing. All the staff were so friendly and professional and I hope to be visiting them again in the near future.

Beyonce de-appreciation society

It comes with great sadness that I am beginning to dislike Beyonce & I don't believe I'm the only one. Today I heard & saw the video for her latest release, Rocket. Seriously.....What is going on?!

Not only is the song absolutely terrible (can we please go back to the Crazy In Love/Single Ladies days?!) The song is basically about sex, and the video is Beyonce just stripping off. What has happened to her? Prior to this I was a massive fan of Queen Bey, maybe I'm just becoming more of a grown up but what happened to class? I feel like the older stars now feel the need to become more risque in order to keep people's attention and it's sad. Beyonce has an amazing voice, and yes her figure is amazing too but do we really need to see all of it? (J.Lo also take note). It's all just a bit cringey.

Now I'm far from the maternal type, ask anyone, but Beyonce is a mother now which shocks me even more, surely she should want to be a good role model more than ever, not only for Blue but for the rest of the girls watching who think this is how they should act.

As well as Beyonce, I'm annoyed at Rihanna.

I actually have no words.

Bring back the class ladies and keep the respect for yourself! Less really is more as proven below. It's so disappointing how society is these days, and it's sad to see young kids following in their idol's footsteps. I know when I was twelve I was rocking the trouser skirts and tracksuits. Not shorts that went half way up my arse and crop tops.

I can't be the only one that feels this way? What are your thoughts on today's "fashion" ?

Rant over :)

Keli xx

Maybelline | Color Show Crystallize Polish Review

Today I'm reviewing Maybelline's Color show crystallize polish.

Colour - Nearly Black

 Color Show was part of my May Glossy box, I love trying out new polish and was excited when i saw the colour of this one. In the photo below i have used two coats but the photo does not do this polish justice. The finish is what i can only describe as a really fine glittery sand & it sets matte. I did try it with a top coat as well which added a bit of a shine but personally i prefer it without.

I know i probably say this about every pretty nail polish I have but I think this one might be my new favourite. It's just different & dark colours always win me over. You really need to try this one yourself!

Buy Color Show at Boots for £3.99 (even better if its in the 3 for 2 offer)

Any favourites you have that i should add to my forever growing collection?

Keli xx 

Beauty UK Lipstick - Plumalicious - Review

Today's mission was to find the perfect purple lipstick on a budget.

As you can see....this is not easy when on a 45 minute lunch break and so many brands to chose from! Personally I don't think myself and Beauties Unlocked swatched enough colours hahaha.

The colour I wanted it to be close to is Rebel by Mac. After a quick search online before we set off I decided it had to be Black Cherry by Revlon for £7.49. Unfortunately when I got to Superdrug, that was the only colour sold out....typical.

Finally we stumbled upon two, one was by Rimmel - Dark Knight Waterl-oops! which was £6.49 and the other by Beauty UK - Plumalicious £3.49

I decided on Beauty UK as they were the cheaper option and I was intrigued as to how the budget brands compare the lipsticks I already own.

The colour is just what I wanted, a deep rich purple/red. It lasted throughout my dinnertime meal without the need to reapply however it isn't a matte finish which I would prefer but I can't complain. A quick tissue blot and the shine is removed. A bonus feature of the product is that on the top of the lid is a small pot of lipstick which could be used either with your finger (messy with this colour though I imagine) or with a lip brush. This idea is also brilliant for picking out colours without having to remove every lipstick from the shelf to check you've got the right shade.

Anyone else have any amazing bargain buys??

Keli xxx