Varnish Friday - O.P.I Embrace the Gray Nail Polish

As you may have read in the previous two weeks, I have started a series called Varnish Friday where I will review nail polish and other nail related products.  You can read the previous posts here and here  Today is the turn of O.P.I's Fifty Shades of Grey's Embrace the Gray.

Excuse the graininess of the photo, I took it off my instagram (linked here)

Embrace the Gray is a medium toned Grey crème and has fast become my favourite out of the collection.  I was very surprised at how well the polish applies and above is three thin coats and a top coat.  It is a very opaque polish and I find it to dry relatively fast and is touch dry after 10 minutes with my top coat (review coming soon)  I am surprised at how much I like this colour as I was expecting to like My Silk Tie better but I soon warmed to this colour as it suits my skin tone and doesn't clash with anything.  I do find that it appears darker than what the bottle suggests but that doesn't put me off...I have painted my nails this colour for the most of January!  I have had many compliments about this colour and find that I can get about four full days before it starts to chip which is fine by me.  This was the first ever O.P.I nail polish I had ever tried and am looking forward to trying some more of my collection...if you can stop me from reaching for this colour.

What is your favourite colour at the moment?  Is there any colour out of my collection you would want me to review?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

January Favourites

Why January why?  Why do you have to go so fast?  How is it that February is just around the corner and this is my first ever monthly favourites?  Yes...that's right...I have never done a favourites post.  I decided not to do one in December or do a yearly favourites as I was a new blogger and now my little corner of the world wide web is nearly two months old.  I cannot comprehend the quickness time is flying!  I have seen a few bloggers approaching their blog birthdays and even though mine is 10 months away, it will sneak up on me quicker than I think.  Anyway, I best get on with what I am loving this month.

This month has seen a lot of products come into my life and I have quickly fell in love with them.  I have nine products which are worthy of a mention.  Most you will have seen and probably got and a lot of these products are products I wish I had been introduced to sooner as I cannot ever see then not in my possession!

Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Booster - OH MY GOSH!!!  This is probably THE product I am mostly kicking myself because this should have been in my life sooner.  A quick back story...I have combination/dry skin and my cheeks have been quite dry from the change of whether and travelling and this little beauty, within a night might I add, boosted the moisture in my skin and my skin was touchabley (if that is a word?) softer and since then, the dryness of my cheeks has reduced and I will be sad to see the end of this.  I may have to get a back up!

O.P.I Embrace the Gray from the Fifty Shades Of Grey Collection - I have had this collection for nearly a month now and this colour is the only colour I have reached for in this collection and this surprised me as I thought I would have been drawn to My Silk Tie (See review of collection here) as My Silk Tie was the one I was drawn to online.  It is a medium toned grey crème and has a really good formula.

Urban Decay Naked On The Run Palette - This palette is the perfect palette to travel with.  I has everything and it is the palette I have been reaching for on a daily basis, whether it be for a 'no make-up' make-up day or a full eye look.  I especially like the Perversion Mascara.  A full review of this palette can be found here. 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation - My most worn foundation!  It is a light to medium coverage foundation that leaves you with a semi-dewy finish which has been perfect for my combination skin.  Another product which I am kicking myself for not having in my life before.

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque - This mask is to die for.  I have never felt my hair so soft and shiny until this beauty came into my life.  It smells divine although I cannot quite put my finger on what the scent is.  I use this about 1-2 times a week and my hair just feels better in quality.

Nivea Soothing Cleansing Mouse - I wanted a cleanser that I would enjoy using and this is the product.  It makes cleansing my skin so much easier and smells so fresh!  I have seen an improvement in my skin since using this on a daily basis.

Real Technique Brushes - The brush that is in the picture is a representative of the vast collection of Real Technique brushes and since having them in my collection, it has opened my eyes to the world of brushes and I must say there are a few that are slowly making their way into next months favourites.  If you want a blog post of my entire collection of RT brushes then comment down below and I will make that happen.

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product - Another 'I can't believe this wasn't in my life before!' product.  This also leaves my hair more manageable and softer than just using a normal heat protection spray and although I have been using it every time I wash my hair, there is still loads left so I can see this lasting me a long time.

Ghost by Ghost - Well there isn't much I can say about this fragrance that I haven't already said here.  This has been my signature scent since I purchased it back in December and I can see myself not having this in my collection.

That's my favourites for this month.  I am sorry I haven't been posting a lot this week as Uni has been manic this week but posts should be back to normal now.

What have you been loving this month?  Any recommendations?

Bye for now.

Jess. X 

Skincare Sunday - Night time routine

Skincare Sunday is a series where each week I will post about my favourite brands, what has worked for me and what hasn't, reviews of products, updated skincare routine etc.  If  anyone fancy's joining in with this series or wants to do a guest post, feel free to let me know.

The weeks post will be my night time skincare  routine and what products I have been using.  (I will list them in the order I use them in)  I don't use these products all at once.  I tend to switch them out but they are used throughout the week.

Make-up Removal

Yes to Cucumber Wipes - I  first saw these when Ingrid from Missgalmorazzi (Linked here) showed them in a few of her monthly favourite videos and I wanted to try them.  I soon found them in my local Boots stores and quickly snatched them up and never looked back.  I have since used other make-up wipes but non have been as good as these.  I use one wipe to clean my eye make-up off and that does the trick perfectly.  I don't think I will use another brand again...unless I discover a better brand!

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution - Again, another product that was raved about from a number of YouTubers and I have wanted to try this out.  I use this to clean my face make-up off and this does the trick brilliantly.

Cleansing

 Ioma Astringent Toning Foam - I found this while I was waiting for the sales agent at the origins counter to come off her break and was told that this is a cleanser and toner all in one and I have to say I quite like it.  It smells fresh and is not harsh.

Serums

Clearly Youthful Resurfacing Night Serum - I was looking for a night time serum and this caught my eye.  As you can see, I have used a little bit in nearly 4 weeks as you only need a little bit.  I can't really say if I like it as I don't really know if it is doing anything drastic.

Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Serum Intense Replenishing Hydration - This little beauty (and I do mean little!) smells amazing.  I got this as a sample when I bought a couple of products from their counter and this little tube has lasted me ages as I still feel there is loads left. 

Spot Treatment

Murad Blemish Spot Treatment - Since I have been back to University, My skin has been acting up something rotten and I invested in a spot treatment.  I have heard of this brand before and have heard of great things and I agree...since using this as part of my routine, I have found that my spots have disappeared quicker than any other spot treatment I have tried plus a little goes a long way!

Moisturiser

Indeed Labs Hydroluron Moisture Boosting Mask - This product...I cannot find words for this!  I think this is what is to thank for getting rid of my dry patches on my cheeks and I cannot believe I never tried this before!

Superdrug Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream - I like a lightweight but effective moisturiser on a night and this does the trick.  It is very nourishing and smells amazing!

Masks

REN Glycolactic Radience Renewal Mask - I got this as a sample in January's Birchbox (Linked here) and I was very happy I got it as I have heard good things about this brand and boy was they correct.  This smells amazing and I may have to purchase the full size some time.

Superdrug Vitamin E Leave-on Moisture Mask - I wanted a mask that was hassle free and that I didn't need to wash it off afterwards and this hit the spot.  You can wash it off after 10 minutes or you can massage the remaining product into your skin (which is what I prefer to do)  This smells so good and is very lightweight but does that it says on the tin...or should I say tub!

I am very happy with my routine, both morning and night time and as with all skincare, this will change as time goes on and as more products are discovered.  From next week, Skincare Sunday will be reviewing individual products so if there are any from my morning and/or nigh routine you want me to review, leave a comment and I will try and review it for you.

What skincare products do you use?  Can you recommend any products you rave about?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Varnish Friday- Fifty Shade Of Grey Collection

Back in December I did a Blogmas post on my nail varnish wants (post will be linked here) and within this post, I told you guys I wanted the new Fifty Shades of Grey OPI Collection which was released on the 1st January this year in connection with the release of the Fifty Shades of Grey movie which will be released on the 14th February.

As soon as I knew the collection had been released, I went onto Amazon and ordered the mini collection instead of the full sized as I don't go through full sized nail polish's quick enough and I thought it would be better and cheaper to get the mini sizes.

These six shades are so beautiful in person and the camera doesn't do them all justice!  Within the collection you get four Crèmes, three grey and one red, you also get a very shimmery silver and a glitter polish.  I haven't tried all of them, in fact I have only tried one and will be reviewing them individually throughout Varnish Friday.

My Silk Tie- This colour is a shimmery silver and I knew that this would be my favourite.

Dark Side of the Mood- This is a very dark grey crème and looks so beautiful.

Romantically Involved- This is a very beautiful red crème and would look great during the winter months as well as special occasions.

Embrace the Gray- This is the only colour I have tried in the collection.  It is a medium shade of grey crème that to me has a hint of blue running through it.

Shine for Me- This is the only glitter in the collection and is a clear base with small holographic glitter running through it.  This would look great over the top of any colour especially Embrace the Gray.

Cement the Deal- This is the lightest grey crème in the collection and I also think that Shine for Me would look good over the top.

All of these are very unique and would look great amongst any OPI collection as they are very different to other colours.

Have you got the collection?  Which one is your favourite?  

Bye for now.

Jess. X

BONUS POST - Mini Make Revolution & MUA Haul

There are many great drugstore make-up brands out there but there is one that seems to have caused a stir amongst the blogosphere.  It is funny to think it has only been 10 months since the brand first released it's products but the amount of positive feedback has catapulted its way to the top of most bloggers wishlists.  Makeup Revolution is an affordable drugstore brand that gives purchasers high end products at ridiculously low prices.

Reading other blogs, you cannot get away from a post or two of reviews from this brand and not actually seeing them sold in stores put me off a little bit...OK a lot.  I like to see the make-up in person, maybe swatch a few things before deciding whether or not to purchase it, so I wasn't so hyped up about purchasing anything from their line.  It was only as time went on and there were more posts around showing swatches and reviews of products that I thought about maybe buying a few products to test out and you know how it is...once ordered you cannot wait for the order to come.  Well that is how I have been this week and when they came, they came straight out of the packaging and were photographed immediately!

I chose three items from the line plus one little thing from MUA.

Makeup Revolution

Makeup Revolution Redemption Palette Iconic 2

This palette was the one palette I wanted to get in this order as I have heard it is a dupe for Urban Decay Naked 2 palette and I wanted to see how it compared to its higher end counterpart. (comparison review coming soon) 

Makeup Revolution Aqua Seal Liquid Eye Primer

I have used some eye primers in the past and they were all creamy so when I came across this eye primer, it intrigued me so into my cart came this product.  I am curious to find out how this works and whether it helps with keeping shadows lasting longer. (I am fortunate to not have oily eyelids.)

Makeup Revolution Focus & Fix Eyebrow Shaping Kit

One of my personal resolutions is to keep the upkeep of my brows to a standard and what better way to do this by using a brow kit.  I chose the medium dark kit as I have quite dark hair and I thought the lighter kit would be a waste of money as it wouldn't show enough.

MUA

MUA Pressed Powder in Shade 1

I needed a pressed powder as this now was the only thing I was missing in my daily make-up routine and when I saw this, I put it straight into my cart.  I have tried other products from this brand and have been impressed with the brand so far so I know that I will like this product.

So that is my mini haul.  I have been excited for my order to arrive and have high hopes for Makeup Revolution so I will keep you posted on what I think.  Reviews will be up in due course.  I already know what my next Makeup Revolution products will be and they have been added to my wishlist.

Both Makeup Revolution and MUA can be found on their websites respectively and can also be found at Superdrug.

Hope you enjoyed this little bonus post and there will be a main post up later on today (Friday)

What Makeup Revolution products have you tried?  Would you recommend anything else from this brand?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Winter Haircare Routine 2015

When it comes to hair, I like to have soft and shiny locks and for a long time, I only used shampoo and conditioner.  It is only recently that I have ventured into the world of haircare and found a few products which I use often.

My hair is a bit weird and doesn't seem to like using the same shampoo and conditioner all the time so I tend to buy different brands all the time.  My hair used to be really long and I used to go through shampoo and conditioner like it was running out of style but since I have had my hair cut shorter, I can stretch them out a few more washes (plus it doesn't take half as long to dry which is a bonus!)
I thought I would share with you all what I use at the present moment and what I like and what products I have been introduced to.

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisture &Shine Shampoo and Conditioner- I know some people mix and match their shampoo and conditioners but I am not one of those as I feel my hair doesn't react well to that.  I have used this shampoo and conditioner before (after using another brand that is)  and have used this brand before in the other scents.  This set smells amazing and leaves my hair feeling great.  I found out that I have dry hair, it is not really dry but dry enough for me to notice.  

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque- This hair mask is one that I have been wanting to try for ages ever since I first started watching Casey Holmes on YouTube (link to her YouTube channel can be found here)  She raves about this mask and always has a tube (or two!) in her empties videos.  In the UK (or at least where I live) you cannot find it easily in the shops but I managed to get it off Amazon.  I sometimes use this instead of conditioner (I know I said I don't use different brands but I justified this because I use it as a treatment instead of conditioner)  and it smells divine!  

Beauty Protector Protect & Treat Treatment Mask- This product I got in my November Birchbox and as I got two small pots, I decided to use one.  I love the smell of this and will be doing a review soon.

I know there seems to be a lot of products here but I don't use them all at once and some products I haven't used yet but will be doing soon.

Urban Fudge Iced Raspberry & Vanilla Hair Spray- I saw this mentioned on a blog somewhere (I cannot remember who it was...sorry...if I remember I will link it here)  and she raved about how much this product doesn't smell like typical hair spray and that was what drew me to buying this product.  It doesn't leave your hair feeling sticky and crispy and doesn't take an age to brush out either which I hate with hair sprays!

Charles Worthington Volume & Bounce Texturising Spray- I have shoulder length hair with a lot of choppy layers and this spray brings out the layers and gives me a lot of volume.  It does leave your hair crispy but I use it underneath the top layer so it isn't noticeable.

Umberto Giannini Curl Friends Natural Curls Styling Cream- I have yet to use this and I bought it so I could curl my hair as my hair doesn't hold a curl very long.  I can curl my hair on one side and by the time I have finished the other side, the first side has just dropped.  It doesn't matter how much spray I have used, my hair just doesn't keep a curl so this is why I have bought this product in hopes that it will help my curls last.

Tresemme Heat Defence Styling Spray-  I haven't used this in an age but this was the only heat protection spray I would use.  I may have to start using this again as I never damaged my hair and left my hair feeling soft.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Moisture Barrier Hair Spray- I haven't used this yet either as soon after purchasing this, I bought the Urban Fudge Hair Spray and used that every since.  I think I will either use this as a back up or for when I am travelling as it is a small size and can fit nicely into a travel bag or make-up bag.

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle Leave-in Condtitioner- Another sample I got from this months Birchbox.  It was in November's box as well but I got the hair mask instead.  I haven't used this yet but I will be doing soon as it smells so good!

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product- This is another product which YouTuber Ingrid Nilsen (you can find her video's here) raves about.  Again, this product is not very easy to find in the UK and so another purchase on Amazon was needed (although I have heard that you can buy it from TK Maxx but I have never found it there yet)  I have only used this once and am liking it so far but I will review it soon.

Well that is my full hair care routine.  I don't use all the products at once as there are a few products that do the same thing so I switch them out as often as I can.  

What products do you use?  Is there any recommendations for shampoo and conditioner for me to try after my current ones have ran out?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Urban Decay Naked On the Run Palette

After purchasing Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette back in September, I noticed amongst the blogosphere there was a new Urban Decay Palette released.  At first I wasn't really that interested in buying it, but as more and more reviews kept popping up and I kept using my Naked 2 palette, I started having the need to want it.  An Amazon order later and my palette was on its way and in no time I had it in my hands and fell in love with it.

It is such a cute little palette and is nothing like anything I already own.  I had been taking my Naked Palette around with me and my make up bag was looking a bit too full and as much as I love my Naked 2 palette, it is always nice to have options as us girls love options especially when it comes to eyeshadows!

The Urban Decay Naked On the Run Palette comes with 6 shades (one looks like a good highlighter)  The shades are :

Dive- This colour is a beautiful rose colour that has gold shimmer running through it.  I haven't tried this colour yet but have swatched it and I love it.

Fix- A matte brown/taupe colour perfect as an all over colour.  I have used this this colour and it is a very natural colour that can be used as a base for a smoky eye.

Resist- Another Taupe colour with a silvery shimmer running through it.  Again I haven't used this colour but have swatched it as well.

Dare- A matte brown colour which is great as a crease colour!

Stun- A nice looking bronze with gold shimmer running through.  Again haven't used it but swatched it and would be a nice base for a night out.

5050- This shade can be used as a highlighter, an all over lid colour and an inner corner colour.  It is a lovely champagne colour with a bit of a shimmer.   Again Have only swatched this colour.

A matte bronzer- I am not one for using bronzer but this colour gives a slight hint of colour while not being too orangey or shimmery.

A bright pink blush- Again, I am not one to use blush but with a light hand, this bright pink blush has a slight gold shimmer but when on the cheeks, doesn't look like you have dusted yourself with glitter!

Perversion Mascara in Blackest Black-  A very nice black mascara.  I do like very black mascara's and the formula is great.  The wand is a medium sized brush and I only wish it was a plastic bristle brush as that is what I prefer but it does look really nice and I might have to purchase it in the full zie tube as this is a travel sized tube.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Pencil in Stag- This has to be the best eyeliner I have ever tried.  It is so good in fact that I had to purchase it in the full size in Perversion.  Stag to me is dark brown colour but when swatched you would think it is a black colour.

Naked Lipgloss in Sesso- This is a nice pink with a bit of gold shimmer to it.  I think this would go great with a pink or a nude lipstick or great on it's own.

This palette is everything you need apart from base make-up but will certainly slim down any make-up bag and you can mix and match these colours with each other or use other shadows from other palettes.  The packaging is a nice rose gold colour with what looks like a camouflage pattern on the front.  The palette also comes with a very big mirror so again saves the need to bring a compact mirror (unless you are like me, who needs a compact mirror as you cannot see anything without your glasses!)

You can create so many different looks with this palette.  All you would need is a base and lip colour (if you choose to not use the lip gloss included)

The palette retails at £37 which is a pretty good deal as the lip gloss on its own retails at £14!  You can purchase it from the Urban Decay website and any Urban Decay shops and stands throughout the UK and many other places from around the world. 

Have you got this palette?  What looks have you created?  What is your favourite colour within this palette?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Skincare Sunday

Recently, I have been on a skincare kick and have purchased a ton of skincare products...in fact, there are enough products to create a skincare series...thus Skincare Sunday!

Skincare Sunday is a series where each week I will post about my favourite brands, what has worked for me and what hasn't, reviews of products, updated skincare routine etc.  If  anyone fancy's joining in with this series or wants to do a guest post, feel free to let me know.

So...Skincare Sunday you might ask?  How did this come about?  Well, back in September, I bought a new foundation and back then I liked a foundation which was matte but when I started wearing it more often, I noticed that it clung to dry patches on my cheeks, so I decided to invest in a moisturiser and exfoliator and that seemed to help a little bit, but my cheeks seemed to still have dry patches. Fast forward to Christmas holidays and I was back at home and decided to find out what skin type I was.   I went to a Clinque counter and she told me that I have a Combination/Dry skin type and that my T-zone is normal/oily and that my cheeks are dry.  So based on that, I have formulated my skincare to help combat my dry cheeks as well as keep my T-zone happy.

So for the next two Sunday's it will be all about my skincare routine.  This week will be the turn of my morning skincare routine and next Sunday will be my nigh time routine.

Nivea Soothing Cleansing Mousse- I found this at my local Superdrug and I hadn't heard anyone mention or heard about it before but the mousse element of it intrigued me and I didn't want a cleanser that was too much time consuming.

Superdrug's Clearly Youthful Hydrating Day Serum- I have dry cheeks and wanted to put moisture back in my cheeks with a hydrating serum.  Again, I have not heard anyone mention it before so I got it on a whim.

Indeed Labs Hydroluron-  Now this is one product I have heard a lot of and have been wanting to purchase it for a long time but never wanted to because of the price but I bit the bullet and purchased it and have been using it ever since.

Garnier Moisture Match Revitalising Hydrating Gel- You will see a pattern emerge within my skincare because a lot of my products, I have never heard anything about them and this is one of them.  I am looking forward to trying this one out.

Murad Blemish Spot Treatment-  I have heard a lot about this brand but not about this product and have been using it since I purchased it.

Pixi by Petra Shea Butter Lip Balm in Ripe Raspberry-  I am currently doing a series called #30daystested (which can be found here) and this is the lip balm I have been using to combat my dry lips and to keep them soft.  I will be doing a review of this product on the 31st January so keep your eyes peeled for that.  I have another lip balm that I have been dying to include in my skincare routine but that will have to wait until I have reviewed this lip balm.

I am missing an eye cream but that is because I feel I don't need one at the moment but who knows, there might be one in an updated routine later this year.

So that was my morning routine.  I don't use all the products shown at once but most of them are used at some point during the week.  Next week's Skincare Sunday will be my night time routine and an overview of how I am finding the two routines together.

What skincare products do you use and do they help with what ever skin complaints you have?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Varnish Friday

Hi everyone.  Hope you are enjoying your Friday maybe Saturday.  Today I have you you lucky readers a new series.  This series will be an in depth look into my mini collection of OPI nail Varnish  (or as some call it...polish)  Each week will include an in depth review of a certain colour.  There maybe a few other brands thrown in the mix as well.  This week will be an overall look at my OPI collection.  I may have gone overboard with buying nail polish but I am wanting to start wearing it more often as my nails are in pretty good condition.

This post may be photo heavy but I have grouped them in sets of four and will tell you what each is called.

An overview of my entire collection of mini OPI nail polishes.

From Left to right: Haven't the Foggiest | Alpine Snow | Bubble Bath | Tickle my Francy

From left to right: Princesses Rule | Toucan do it if you try | Cajun Shrimp | Big Apple Red

From left to right: Malaga Wine | Lincoln Park After Dark | Don't Pretzel My Buttons | Nein! Nein! Nein! OK Fine!

From left to right: Unfor-greta-bly Blue | Suzi & the 7 Düsseldorf | Can't Find my Czechbook | Suzi's Hungary AGAIN!

From left to right: You're Such a BudaPest | OY - Another Polish Joke | My Dog sled is a Hybrid | Do You Have This Colour in Stock-Holm?

From left to right: My Voice is a Little Norse | How Great is Your Dane? | Race Red | 50 Years of Style

From left to right: Angel With a Leadfoot | Girls Love Ponies | Red Fingers and Mistletoes | What's Your Point-Settia

From left to right: I Carol About You | Kiss Me or Elf | My Silk Tie | Dark Side of the Mood

From left to right: Romantically Involved | Embrace the Gray | Shine for Me | Cement the deal

That is my collection for now.  I will be doing a more in depth review of each colour as Varnish Friday continues.  If there are any colours you specifically want me to review please let me know and I will make it happen.

Is there any colours from the OPI collection you can recommend?  What is your favourite colour?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

New year, new scent - Ghost by Ghost

Now, I'm not the one who goes out and buys the next new fragrance just so I have it in my collection but when a new scent hits my nose and I like it, I just have to have it.  Back in Christmas 2012, I received Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture, I still have this but limiting its usage as I don't have much of this left.  I first smelt this fragrance in the toilets of my Student Union bar...Yes, that's right I smelt it in the toilets...one of the girls walked past and I instantly fell in love with the scent that I had to ask what it was (So uncharacteristic of me to ask some random person about their fragrance)  I spent 14 weeks wanting two perfumes...the other was Michael Kors Glam Jasmine and I asked my other half to buy me the Glam Jasmine for Christmas as I found that I could get this perfume in the January sales.

Ghost by Ghost was launched back in 2000 and is said to be a floral fruity fragrance.  Within the Ghost line, they have 19 different perfumes with the newest fragrance released in 2014.  Ghost has 7 different notes within the fragrance.  The top notes are Rose and Jasmine, the middle notes are Amber, Vanilla and Peach (Yum!) and the base notes are Sandalwood and Musk.

This fragrance has fast become my favourite perfume to wear.  I feel that it is an all year round scent but it especially suits me during the winter.  I can definitely smell the vanilla scent as well as a floral hit.  The bottle is slim and lightweight and can easily fit in a handbag or a clutch bag.  The only problem I have with the bottle is the top.  The top seems like it would fall off easily but I have yet to have that happen.

The perfume retails in most perfume and drugstore such as Boots for around £24 but I paid £16.50 in the January sales and got a body lotion as well which I am not too keen as a lotion so I did not include this.  I will be repurchasing this fragrance once it is nearly finished but as you can see, I haven't used much in 5 weeks and I have been using this multiple times a day (I have a 10ml bottle)  I can see this lasting a long time to come.

Have you got a favourite new scent this year?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Birchbox January 2015 - Woman's Health Edition

Back in December on day 2 of Blogmas, I reviewed November's Birchbox and I was very impressed with the concept and the items which were included in the box that I decided to get a years subscription.  You can find my post of that box here where I will explain about the concept of the box and you can also see my view on the product (some of which could be reviewed now I have used them a bit more!)

I received my box in good time as I wasn't expecting it to land in my mail room at Uni until later this week...so far so good Birchbox!  I rushed back to my dorm room and opened it instantly and was very happy with the design of the box!  It is white and purple with the white part showing pretty patterns of sports and exercise equipment.  This months box has teamed up with Women's Health and is designed with health and fitness after the Christmas break to become healthier, all of which I am pleased about as I am starting the gym come Monday!

 Look at all the pretty stuff I got!  Out of all the items I received, I think I wont use 2 maybe 3 out of the 7 products and all will be revealed why further in the blogpost!









The first item is this sachet of Embrace Matcha Loose Green Tea.
What Birchbox says: 'Our new favourite superfood, Matcha is 100% natural with 10 times the antioxidants of regular green tea.'  I have only just got into drinking herbal tea and green tea is one tea that I haven't tried yet and one where I don't think I will try any time soon.  This sample may just go into my samples box and I may try it out, I may not do.
Price full size: £24.99

The next item is the only full sized item in the entire box and that is Stila's Lip Glaze in 'Gleam'
What Birchbox say: 'A coverted, suits-all-complexions colour - this sheer lip gloss is a cult classic for a reason!' 
I have never tried any products from Stila as I think they are a little over priced but my opinion may change after using this.
Price full size: £15




This product, I am sure a few people got back in November and this was the product I wanted but never got and I was very happy when I saw it in this months box.  This is Beauty Protector's Protect & Detangle Spray.
What Birchbox say: 'This sweet-smelling spray detangles, adds shine and protects from both UVA rays and heat damage.'
I loved the hair mask that I received back in November and am excited to try this out next time I wash my hair (which will be very soon!)
Price full size: £14

activbod is a brand I have never heard of and one that may get a bit of usage once I start the gym.  This is activbod's Feel Great Shower Concentrate.
What Birchbox say: 'Refreshing sea-minerals and green tea mingle with soothing almond oil for and energising post-workout shower.'
Like I said above, I have never heard of this product but that's what this box is for right?  I may just have to try this out after my first post-gym shower on Monday and do a review/first impressions as I can only see this sample as a one use only product.
Price full size: £5

This is another product that I was excited to see this month.  Lately, I have been on a skincare kick and have been trying to stick to a skincare routine (I will be posting my routine soon!) This cute little sample is REN's Glycolactic Radience Renewal Mask.
What Birchbox say: 'Radience in a tube!  A fast-working, exfoliating treatment that improves texture, tone and combats congestion.'
I have been back to Uni for a week now and my skin has just freaked out and like I said above, I have had to create a skincare routine to try and combat my freaked out skin so anything skincare related is good enough for me!
Price full size: £30

This is another product that might get stashed away in my samples box as I don't think I have any need for it.  This is Shaveworks 'The Cool Fix'
What Birchbox say: 'This genius cooling gel lotion treats ingrown hairs, razor bumps and redness after hair removal'
I never suffer with any other aforementioned hair removal conditions so this may not get used!
Price full size: £11


The lifestyle choice this month revolves around fitness and what this months box is about.  This is Birchbox's Pilates Band.
What Birchbox says: 'Tone, increase strength and improve muscle endurance with this stretchy resistance band.'
This is another product which may not get used but will have to see once I start going to the gym.  I may be able to incoporate it somewhere into my routine.
Price full size: £7.99

There are the usual cards with what they products are and how much the product is full size and a booklet of 12 mini challenges but I never read the cards unless there is something that is interesting on them :)

Overall this box has a pretty good selection of products which I will use.  I am pretty impressed with the fact of having a full sized product priced over the amount paid for the box has made it worth the £12.95 (with p &p) and there are a good number of products which I will used and enjoy happily this month and am looking forward to next months box.

Have you received a Birchbox this month and what do you think of your box this month?  How does yours differ to mine?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

2015 resolutions - BONUS POST

After seeing a lot of 2015 blogposts floating around the blogosphere, I decided to do my 2015 resolutions.  I did one of these back when I did blogmas but I think I might do a slightly updated one.

Go to the Gym and stick to a routine.  However tired I am from lectures or assignments, I am going to make time for the Gym.  I got a scholarship from my university and in that was a free Gym membership for 12 months and I have already let two months of that go to waste (mainly I have no trainers and have had no money for some [have asked the other half for some for Christmas]  I want to loose weight and feel healthier.

Attend all of my lectures unless I have a good reason not to go.  Granted I had freshers flu and still went but this semester I have missed a few due to lack of sleep and now I have my sleeping patten back on track, I am going to attend them more in the new year.

Pay more attention in lectures.  As much as I enjoy uni, this semester proved to me that I need to pay more attention in the lectures.  

Have a skincare routine and stick to it  I have tried to have a skincare routine before and not stuck to it and at the moment, I have been addicted to looking and reading about skincare.  Before now, I have not known what my skin was like apart from noticing a few dry patches on my skin when I wore foundation and that spurred me on to getting a consultation from Clinique.  I was told that I have combination/Dry skin so I bought a lot of moisturising skin products to try and combat this problem and I am going to try and stick to a morning and night time routine.

Wear make-up more often  I bought quite a bit of make-up and a lot of Real Techniques make-up brushes and I want to use them and use them often.  Plus how can a blogger review things if she never wears them right? 

Keep up with #30daystested As you may have read from a blogpost earlier this year, I am taking part in #30daystested, a thing that Gemma from Beautiful Things (she can be found here, go check her out, her blog is a good read)  and she created #30daystested.

Keep my blog up to date I have tried and failed many times to start a blog and this time I have been updating it more often and my goal at the moment is to get to my one year Blogaversary in December 2015.

Take better pictures I bought myself a new camera for this purpose and I want to use it to take better pictures.  I am still learning how to use it but I am hoping that my pictures will get better as time goes on.

Keep a schedule on blogposts I want to keep a schedule for posts that are upcoming and so that I don't get into a rut and not know what to write.

What resolutions have you given yourself ?

Bye for now.

Jess. X

Boots and Superdug Haul

As if it is 2015 already and my little blog is over one month old and a lot has happened.  As much as I as I would like to say I have been busy on holiday...I can't.  I have been doing University work and I would like to thank you all for being patient while my pile of work got smaller.  There will be a more regular schedule from today as I am sorting out a schedule for myself.  Enough of that, on with the post.

Recently I have done a bit of shopping, both on the internet and in shops...oops!  And as much as I would like to show you what I have bought on the internet, I really want to wait until I have everything I have ordered so for now, here is what I have bought...

(everything you see here I bought with my own money and am not being paid to write this :)  Also, this may be a picture heavy post)

The first place I went to was Superdrug and I spent a fortune in here...to be honest, I could have spent more but I stopped myself.

 I bought a shower jelly from LUSH back in September and it has just been sitting on my desk staring at me to use it.  So after many hours of looking at reviews, I was informed that using a 'poof' or what ever they are called work the best with a shower jelly, so this was on the top of my list

 Next up is lip balms.  For some reason I have been addicted to buying these recently and altogether I have bought a total of 4 lip balms albeit 2 are the same product!  Both lip balms I bought from Superdrug are from Nivea.  First is Nivea' Fruity Shine lip balm in 'Peach'.  I adore all scents to do with peach and I knew when I saw it, I had to have it and this little fellow came home with me.  the next lip balm is Nivea's Lip Butter in 'Blueberry Blush'  I have two others from this range and I love them.  They are so moisturising and smell amazing!  I have enough of them to make a blogpost (ooo ideas!)  Next on the Nivea train is a skincare product.  Now I have to put it out there that my skin has never got on with Nivea before and I have always skipped this brand when choosing skincare but I liked the sound of this product and thought I would give it a go and boy am I happy I had.  This little beauty is Nivea's 'Soothing Cleansing Moose' and while it looks like a toner or water, this actually pumps out a lightweight foam that cleans so well.  I could write more but I am going to wait until I do a blogpost on it which will come very soon!


 Next is a trio of Superdrug's own Vitamin E skincare brand.  I have recently been on the look out for inexpensive but effective skincare to kick start my skincare routine and I picked up these three to start the ball rolling.  First we have Superdrug's 'Leave-on Moisture Mask'  I have only used this once and using it once doesn't leave me much to go on for a review so I will keep using it and get back to you but I am hoping it is going to be a good thing to keep stocked up as it seems to be a good product so far.  Next is Superdrug's 'Moisturising Day Cream with SPF 15'  I got this as a morning moisturising cream and I am not really enjoying it as I find it a thick cream for a morning but I am willing to give it a fair go until I can get a thinner cream.  Lastly is Superdrug's Nourishing Night Cream.  This stuff smells so good and is a thin, almost gel like cream that my skin seems to like.  All will have a full review sometime in the future.

Next is another Superdrug own brand of skincare called 'Naturally Radiant'  I bought a few products from this line with the first being a 2 in 1 Moisturiser and serum.  I haven't tried this yet but I am hoping to use this as my morning moisturiser.

 Another product from the 'Naturally Radiant' Line is their 'Glycolic Overnight Peel'  Again, I have only used this once and so far I am impressed and am wanting to try some more of this sort of product in the future.

 Next is Garnier's Moisture Match.  I saw this and thought that it could brighten up my skin while moisturising it at the same time.  I haven't used it yet as I want to see if the 2 in 1 moisturiser and serum does a good job as a morning moisturiser.

 I bought this as I read somewhere that this is good for exfoliation and boy was they right!  I have never seen or felt my skin being so smooth since using this.  I use it mainly with my cleansing foam and this is so gentle and yet removes the dead skin cells that are on the top layer of my skin.  I can see this being a product I will keep repurchasing as and when it is needed.

 This is yet another Superdrug own brand called 'Clearly Youthful' and from this collection I have two products.  The first is their 'Hydrating Day Serum'  I have only used this a handful of times and yet I am enjoying using this.

Another product from the 'Clearly Youthful' Line is their 'Resurfacing Night Serum'  I am enjoying this product also and it seems that my skin like this as well.

 This product was recommended by Hayley from London Beauty Queen (She can be found here!  Check her out, she is amazing!)  I like her and probably thousands who use hairspray hate the smell of the chemical ridden scent that seems to come with all hairsprays but 'Urban Fudge's Iced raspberry and Vanilla hair spray is just what we needed.  This has very little chemical smell and as for the hold of this product, I am yet to find out as I haven't tried this yet but I have high hopes for this!


Now onto the few boots products I bought while I was in Leeds the other day.

 Whilst browsing through the high end skincare and beauty section, I came across this brand that I hadn't heard anything about, Ioma.  This brand was only exclusive to the UK on-line or in Harrods stores and they have now branched out into the larger boots stores.  The product I bought from them was Ioma's 'Astringent Toning Foam' and the woman at the store said it was a toner and cleanser all in one and it smells like coconuts which I love the smell of!  I have very high hopes of this brand and this product so a review will be coming soon.

 I have heard of this foundation raved about by so many bloggers and youtubers that I had to buy it to see how good it is.  Chanel's 'Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation' is a highly popular and raved about foundation and I am in the lightest shade in shade 10.  I haven't used this yet but I will in the short term and there will definitely be a review coming soon!

Along with the Chanel foundation, I also bought Chanel's 'Le Blanc De Chanel' which is primer.  I have also got high hopes for this product and this smell amazing.  I will pair it up with a few other foundations that I own and see if it holds up to them too. 

Because I had bought a couple of products from Chanel, I got a cute little sample of their 'Hydra Beauty Micro Serum'  Again, I haven't tried this but when I do,  a small review will be on its way!

Phew!  That was a long post.  If you are still with me then thanks for reading.  What skincare and beauty products have you bought recently?

Bye for now.

Jess. X