Pre-Birthday Shopping: Glasgow

Yesterday my amazing fiance Matt took me shopping for some birthday presents to Glasgow. He already bought me a new Canon camera which I LOVE, still working out how to use it...

We had a great day we went out for something to eat, got soaked in the snow, came home and made cupcakes and put the fire on. We had lunch at an Italian in Glasgow, they do a great lunch menu and I love their bruschetta which I choose for my starter followed by a very Italian fish and chips!

Starter

Starter

Fish and Chips for me!

Classic Pizza for Matt

So first thing I got... some pieces from Forever 21, I love their clothes and black and white are my favourite to wear, they are just so easy! Plus I love cats and thought the top was just too cute and the shorts were so comfy on and I love the daisy print.

Shorts and top from Forever 21

I also got these cute earrings, I am obsessed with earrings and I loved the colour of these ones, I thought the red roses would look great with black and white and the pink bows will look great in spring and summer.

Rose earrings

Bow earrings

I am so lucky and got loads of stuff from The Body Shop, my newest obsession! I got loads of new soaps, body scrubs, a lip gloss and a new hand cream I have wanted to try for a while.

Soap, soap, soap

Minty Lip Gloss

Almond hand cream

Chocomaina and Coconut body scrubs

The body scrubs smell delicious I can't wait to use them, and I have so many soaps to use so they will last me a while. Matt also got me the Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy La Fleur fragrance set, it comes with a 75ml bottle of Viva La Juicy La Fleur and a little mini one plus a lip gloss and roller ball. I love this fragrance it's just beautiful and its great how it comes with the roller ball and lip gloss duo, perfect for in your handbag.

Viva La Juicy La Fleur

When we got back it was snowing really heavily here in Stirling and we got soaked but I liked seeing the first snow of the year, we actually haven't had any all winter.

Our view of the snowy hills

L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology

Last week I discovered I had £14.00 to spend on my Boots Advantage Card, good times! So I decided to try the new L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology range, it was in an offer 3 for £10. You can see the full range here.

 

All the L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology products I am using now

I decided to buy the shampoo, the conditioner and the serum first but I went in a day later to buy the thickening masque. I have really fine hair, I'm naturally blonde and have been told that blonde hair does tend to be finer, I have tried hundreds of products to try an increase the volume of my hair, from serums and shampoos to sea kelp to actual hair loss treatments. None of these worked. I have only been using these products for about a week now, so I hope to do a more in depth review when I have finished these products, therefore I will know if they actually do work and how long it takes. 

I shampoo my hair mostly everyday, unless I'm staying in all day with nothing to do, I know some people say it's bad to wash your hair everyday but because my hair is so fine it looks greasy and dirty quicker so I can't help it. My hair is also in really good condition, it is soft and smooth and shiny, it just lacks volume. Because my hair is so fine I can't condition it everyday so I use the conditioner or the thickening masque once or twice a week, seriously my hair is so soft if I condition it more than once a week it just goes static and sticks to my head. I use the serum right after I step out of the shower, I just use two pumps and work it into my hair.

From using these for a week now, I can say I do notice a slight difference in the texture and the volume of my hair. It's nothing life changing (yet) but overall I am really liking what this product is doing to my hair, it is slightly more bouncy and I can feel in the strands of my hair that they feel thicker and a slightly coarser texture than before, but nothing horrible. I will use the Fibrology range for the next few months and get back to you on how good I think it is, fingers crossed.

Body Shop Body Butter Review

I have recently become obsessed with The Body Shop so I did a big order a while ago and have been trying out all the products I bought. I thought I would do a review of the body butters I have been using because they are simply AMAZING! Check out their full collection of body butters here. I usually only apply body lotions at night and sleep in them as I hate being soggy throughout the day, even though I washed these off in the morning my skin stayed moisturized and my skin felt softer throughout the day and looked more radiant, I will continue to try and use one every night to keep my skin looking and feeling fab! All of these retail from £5.00 to £13.00, but watch out for great offers in store and online, that's when I buy mine!

My current collection of Body Shop body butters!

This is my collection of body butter by The Body Shop, I think I love them all equally, and they smell AMAZING! I want to buy more and try every type. The first one I have is the Chocomania one and I bought this one because I love chocolate and it smelt delicious. It is a thick, buttery consistency and glides on to the skin really well, I did find with this one that if you put on too much, when it dries it can go in to little bits on the skin, do you know what I mean? Apart from that this body butter makes my skin feel amazing and it looks better as well.

Chocomania body butter by The Body Shop

I tried the Strawberry body butter first, this one is also a thicker, buttery consistency and it glides on to the skin easily. This one was really good at moisturizing my skin, I noticed a difference the next day, my skin just felt so soft, softer than ever! The smell is divine, its so fresh and fruity and even though I only wear these at night I wish I could throughout the day so I could smell as good as these do.

Strawberry Body Butter by The Body Shop

The next one I have is the Papaya body butter, this one is very similar to the Strawberry one, same consistency and same effects but it is Papaya scented and it smells delicious! I think they all do. Again, I apply this one at night and wash it off in the morning, the condition and look of my skin is great when I use these body butters, if I ever forget for a couple of days I really do notice a difference in the condition of my skin.

Papaya Body Butter by The Body Shop

Much like the Strawberry and Papaya is the Passion Fruit, is is then same in every way but the smell is of passion fruit which I love. I also get the same amazing results with this one as I do with the rest, totally unrivaled in the world of body butters in my opinion.

Passion Fruit Body Butter by The Body Shop

The only one that differs from the rest is the Almond Body Butter which is much wetter in consistency but still is very thick, it is more creamy than buttery. This one smells fantastic, like marzipan so it is quite sweet, it also gives a lot of moisture to the skin and gives a very similar and equally great effect as the rest of them do.

Almond Body Butter by The Body Shop

Overall these body butters are by far my favourite body moisturizing products ever. They use good ingredients and this has made all the difference to my skin. I never used to moisturize my body, even at night, any time I tried to keep up with it using a new product I just never saw any benefit or noticed any change in my skin so I stopped using them, but these body butters transform my skin ever night and give me beautiful, healthy, moisturized skin the next day. I don't think I will even bother buying another body moisturizer as I have truly found my Holy Grail of Body Moisturizers! Thank you so much Body Shop, I can't wait to buy more of these little pots of heaven.

Bourjois: Volume Glamour Max Holidays Mascara Review

Bourjois: Volume Glamour Max Holidays Mascara

Today I have a review of the Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Holidays Mascara in Black.

I have used a couple of Bourjois Mascaras before but never really thought anything of them, I got this little one in a "free gift when you spend over £15".

"Its mini wand and maximum brush contact give you 100% control and 10 x more volume*.The texture is easy to apply and gives up to 24hours of waterproof protection."

You can purchase this mascara in a variety of colours here.

Bare lashes combed with my MAC lash comb

Two coats of Bourjois Volume Glamour Max Holidays Mascara

My completed look

Overall, I am still undecided with this mascara, I have used it for a few days and some days it goes on really well, other days, like toady, it doesn't apply as well and I really don't know why?

Here is the bottle, as I said this is a miniature one so it is only £5.99

Close up of the brush which is HUGE in comparison to the tube.

Length: 3/5 I think this mascara added some extra length to my lashes especially after a second coat. my lashes are naturally long so although this mascara may look good in the photo above bare in mind that if you have naturally long lashes, any mascara will help define the length. After applying a second coat my lashes didn't feel weighed down which is good as I like my lashes to have that fluttery effect.

Overall Performance: 3/5 The brush of this mascara is actually huge and I find having the shorter wand give more control when applying. The brush is a normal bristle mascara brush with hundreds of theses bristles giving it a chunky look. The brush allows for some separation but on some groups of lashes it sticks them together which was annoying, however, as I mentioned before I have been using this mascara for a couple of days and it was inconsistent with the effect each day, some days my lashes would look even, fanned out, separated and volumised. Other days it would apply really clumpy and stick my lashes together with an uneven finish, so I really don't like the inconsistency, I need my mascara to deliver the same effect day after day so I don't need to spend ages in the morning on my lashes. The inconsistency could be the mascara drying out after opening, other than that I can't think of anything else that would make its performance so different day to day as I always use the same technique.

The formula is good, it is drier which I prefer but not so dry that it flakes throughout the day, it also didn't transfer or smudge and was easy to take off at night. 

Volume: 3/5 This mascara did add some nice  volume on days I applied it, but on other days it just clumped my lashes together and defined them more. I really don't know why this is because I always use the same technique. I think it could be because the formula has dried out since I opened this which has only been about a week.

Expense: 2/5 This miniature mascara sells for £5.99 which is a decent price but I think that the inconsistency in performance may be down to the formula drying out to quickly? So all in all, I loved the effect the mascara gave my lashes some days, unfortunately I didn't get a photo of it, but the past couple of days my lashes haven't looked as good as when I first used it and I have only been using it for a few days, no more than a week. If this mascara came out in a bigger size, I know Bourjois sell a bigger version but it is slightly different with a different brush, I may have to give it a go.

L.O.V.E RESULT

    11/20

My Favourite Lush Products

Lush is one of my favourite things in the world! I recently got into it last year, I always refused to go into any of the stores because the smell was too strong, I was totally missing out. I finally gave in and went into my local Lush store and I have never looked back. Firstly they have such a huge range of amazing, natural products at reasonable prices but more importantly some of their products have totally transformed my skin and I' tempted to also say my life. Since getting into Lush products my skin has NEVER looked or felt better which has given me so much confidence and I have got so many compliments since changing to Lush products. My skin has never been that bad, I suffered from occasional bad breakouts and have always had more oily skin with black heads on my nose. I still get the occasional spot here and there but nothing like I used to get, even at certain times of the month which was almost guaranteed for me every month

The first product and also my favourite and Holy Grail product is none other than the amazing Angels on Bare Skin.

Angels on Bare Skin is without a doubt my favourite Lush product! It is so gentle on my skin and it evens out my skin tone while gently buffing and calming any redness with its lavender. I will never use another cleanser again, I use this every morning and my skin has never looked to radiant, healthy and glowing, I am so pleased with it and will continue to use this for the rest of my life. I really like using natural products on my skin and since switching to Lush my skin has felt amazing, I really think natural products DO work and I think it is so much better for you. Click on the picture of Angels on Bare Skin to go to the Lush Website and buy some of this amazing stuff for yourself.



The second product I love goes hand in hand with Angels, it is Eau Roma Toner Water, I never used toner before but after it was suggested to me in the store by the lovely sales assistant I decided to give it a go and I am so glad that I did! It has some of the same ingredients in it as Angels on Bare Skin so they are fantastic at calming the skin and evening out skin tone. I would never switch from this fantastic duo. Since using these products together my skin has been clearer, softer, glowing and all together more radiant.

 
One of the other products I love is the Cupcake Face Mask, not only does it smell AMAZING, it works wonders for my skin. I know it says its for teenage/oily skin, my skin is combination but I find this face mask to be so gentle and great at removing any excess oil, if any, from my skin. I don't know why but it is also fantastic at removing blackheads, I really don't know how this works but after using the mask for a couple of weeks I see a huge reduction in the blackheads on my nose, the only area I really get any. They aren't that bad in the first place, but it is definitely worth noting.


 Another of my favourite Lush products is the Rub Rub Rub Shower scrub, this is the best product for exfoliating ever, it leaves my skin so soft without any greasy build-up or slipping about in the shower, I hate that about other body scrubs. It is such a fresh scent and it really leaves me feeling clean.



If I don't buy Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub I go for the classic Sugar Scrub, it's a great price and gives you a fantastic exfoliation. I tend to break smaller pieces off and grind it up then use that on my skin, I find if you go in with the whole big bit it can be too harsh and scratch your skin. 
 
 I also love Honey I Washed The Kids Soap, it is so moisturizing and it smells divine. I don't have to use any body lotion after my shower with this soap and after a week or so of using it I notice my skin is softer and starts to look more healthy, glowing and more flawless. This soap is a miracle, I much prefer it to any shower gel or other soap because it is so kind to my skin.  Click on the picture of Honey I Washed the Kids to buy some from the Lush website, you can also read more reviews.

I am so glad I have started using Lush products, since doing so I have thought more about my life style and how I want to try to live a more healthy and natural life. I have changed my diet and am eating cleaner and more organic foods which has helped my energy levels and might also have something to do with the improvement in my skin, and when I'm buying new products natural ingredients are really important to me now, I know they work and see no need for using unnecessary chemicals, overall I'm happier, healthier and feel more beautiful.

Maybelline: The Volum' Express Falsies Flared Mascara Review

Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Flared Mascara

Today I have a review on Maybelline's Volum' Express Falsies Flared Mascara in Black. "False lash glam with a flare, instantly! Patented Spoon Curler Brush fans out lashes from corner-to-corner, while our Pro-Keratin formula instantly builds volume without clumping. Unique flexible wand lifts and separates lashes to provide the look of 300% more visible, lashes."

I bought mine in a 2 for £10 deal at Tesco, but it is usually £7.99 you can purchase it here.

My bare lashes brushed with my trusty MAC lash comb

With two coats of Falsies Flares

My finished eye look of the day

Overall I think this mascara is pretty good, I liked the brush and how you could use both sides for different effects. It did add some extra volume to my lashes without clumping too much during application.

Falsies Flared bottle, just the classic Maybelline shape.

Here is the brush, you can use both the curved and flat side, its a proper bristle mascara brush rather than plastic

Length: 3/5 This mascara did add some length to my lashes which are already naturally long, I don't think it added any great length to my lashes therefore I don't recommend this to people with shorter lashes looking for a lengthening effect. I added two coats which delivered the length you can see in the shots above.

Overall Performance: 4/5 I liked the brush of this mascara, it is full of longer bristles and is curved so you can use both the curved side and the flat side, I alternated between the two, the flat side it better for separation while the curved side helps with the flared out look. The formula is almost perfect but can be slightly too wet which gets on to your upper eyelid during application, it also made some of my lashes stick together when using the curved side but as I said before the flat side it better for separation. The formula held my lashes in the same place all day and I could remove it easily with my usual makeup wipes.

This mascara was fine for separation but only when the flat side of the brush was used. It defined my lashes well and did fan them out to an extent but nothing amazing. I did feel during the application process my lashes were combing outward to the corner of my eye which was quite a nice look.

Volume: 3/5 This mascara did add some decent volume to my really fine lashes, it also didn't weigh the down which tends to happen with mascaras. I used two coats to achieve the look above. I don't think it added a false lash effect to my eyes so it loses marks as this is what it claims.

Expense: 3/5 I think this mascara is a really good price at £7.99 plus Maybelline have offers on regularly. I liked the results I got and because this mascara lasted so long I would give it 3/5. However, I don't think I will buy this mascara again because I already have mascaras that I prefer.

L.O.V.E RESULT:

      13/20

Collection 2000: Volumising Mascara Review

Collection 2000 Volumising Mascara

A couple of days ago I saw this new Collection Volumising Mascara on offer in my local Boots store, it is a new mascara launched from Collection claiming "This high impact mascara comes with an extra large wand to thicken and separate lashes ensuring every lash is coated evenly for up to ten times more volume."

I thought for the introductory price of £2.99 it was worth trying, I saw the brush and it reminded me of Max Factors False Lash Effect mascara which I like but found it flaked during the day.  

My bare lashes just combed with my MAC lash comb

With two coats of Collection Volumising Mascara

My finished eye look, sorry it's a bit out of focus.

I wasn't that impressed with this mascara, I found that it didn't add the amount of volume to my lashes that it claimed, even after two coats. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad but I just think if its a volumising mascara then it should deliver more volume.

The packaging it a really pretty colour and its a chunkier bottle.

The brush is really big and had loads of tiny bristles on it.

Length: 2/5 I don't think this mascara added much length to my lashes but it does claim to be a more volumising mascara so this didn't bother me too much. However I usually find after a second coat of mascara some length is added to my lashes, having long lashes naturally makes it difficult to see drastic results but I just didn't see any with this. Unfortunately this mascara did not hold the length and curl of my lashes it provided when first applied, they deflated half way through the day.

Overall Performance: 3/5 I found the consistency of this mascara to be too wet, this made it difficult to build any volume without my lashes all sticking together. It didn't clump while applying but it did bunch lashes together which is just as annoying. I thought the brush looked amazing but I found it was rather painful when it came into contact with my lash line, the bristles are just slightly too sharp for me. It didn't really hold all day either with my lashes deflating slightly after a few hours of wearing this, it didn't flak or transfer during the day though and it comes off easily with my usual makeup removing wipes. 

I found this mascara to be average for separation, during application my lashes kept sticking together because the formula was too wet, it did define my lashes well though and the colour "Ultra Black" helps with this. I think it's good at defining my natural lashes but the thick, wet formula made the application process so much longer than usual, it also got all over my eye lids when applying so I had to take extra time to remove it.

Volume: 2/5 I think because this mascara claims it is a volumising mascara I have to mark it lower because I just didn't feel I got much volume at all from it. I did apply two coats of this mascara but I didn't see much difference than when I just had on one coat, the formula is just too wet to build on the lashes, unfortunately this "volumising" mascara didn't give me as much volume as it claimed. It did define my lashes though and gave them a natural look.

Expense: 3/5 This mascara is a good price, but I don't think it is volumising enough to be worth the money I paid. I did like the definition it gave my lashes but I wont be purchasing this one again.

Overall, I really liked the idea of the brush but just found it uncomfortable at times during application as the bristles were too sharp. The formula was just too wet which made it difficult to get my lashes separated and fanned out as I like and took longer than usual to apply. I think the fact that my lashes also deflated easily would stop me buying this mascara again, I have used numerous mascaras that can hold all day. I'm glad I tried this mascara but it really didn't give me enough volume.

L.O.V.E RESULT:

     10/20