Recent cruelty free skincare/beauty purchases

Here are some recent cruelty free purchases I've made. I don't talk about cruelty free beauty items as often as I should - I've been on this CF thing for about 5 years but rarely talk about it as it's so normal to me now.

Any link with *AL written after it within this post is an affiliate link, which means if you click and buy from it I will earn a small commission.

Aldi don't test any of their own label products on animals, which includes their Lacura beauty range. The Lacura light-reflecting concealers are £2.99 each and I bought them from Aldi online with free delivery as they didn't have them in stock at my local store when I popped in. It's a repurchase as I love them. I bought two shades this time - Savannah and Cashmere. Cashmere is the lightest shade and I use it for my under eye area and for tidying up my brows after I've drawn them on. As it has bristles you can really fine tune with it. Savannah is for medium skintones and I got that to cover some darker marks I have on my face - melasma from the sun. This is the first time I got the darker shade. I've only had Cashmere before. It only comes in 3 shades which is a bit rubbish as there are so many shades of humans, and everyone deserves a chance to wear this great concealer. I hate that dark skins are left out of so many makeup products. The two shades I got are out of stock online in the UK now, so check in store.

Illamasqua lipsticks in Apocalips, Posture, Pinkie and ESP - a review

I recently bought 4 lipsticks from the Illamasqua sale and I have swatches and a review to share. I bought 2 sensible colours and 2 wild ones. I already had a couple of Illamasqua lipsticks, one of which I reviewed here, so I was familiar with the formula. Illamasqua lipsticks are thick, go on opaque and generally have good longevity. Many of the shades they offer are off the wall, and I ❤ them for it. Read on for more photos and my opinion of them.

Kat Von D Studded Kiss lipsticks in Magick and Gothica - a review

My dad sent me some late Christmas money so I bought myself a couple of Kat Von D Studded Kiss lipsticks in Magick and Gothica. I'd had a mini sized Magick lipstick from a Love Me Beauty subscription and I immediately fell in love with the formula and the longevity and wanted a full size as it's my favourite lipstick ever. The colour suits me so well, and I think it's a shade that would suit a lot of different skin tones as well.

Cruelty free perfume - Pop by Stella McCartney gift set from Fragrance Direct*

I've shopped with Fragrance Direct a few times now. They do makeup, fragrance, skincare and gifts at prices far more affordable than the high street. They got in touch to offer me a fragrance to review and I chose Pop by Stella McCartney as it's cruelty free - it isn't tested on animals. Pop is a light fragrance, perfect for every day wear. Read on to see what I think of it.

Embracing greasy hair

{Image from Pixabay}

That sounds disgusting, right?! Bear with me. My hair is coloured with henna and I've grown tired of having to refresh it every month, especially now I'm using two colours for contrast. I figured if I wash my hair less then the henna would last much longer, and perhaps my scalp and hair would be healthier too. Maybe it'll even grow quicker.

My thrifty DIY beauty advent calendar

Hi loves!
Last year my dad was working at M&S so he got a hefty discount, so he got me the M&S beauty advent calendar. This year he's not and I'm too skint to buy one of my own after our move so I had a brainwave - all the little bits and bobs I've got lying around from beauty boxes, all the things I've bought recently and never swatched/opened, let alone used, they've all gone in.

'By Invitation', a fragrance by Michael Bublé

Whenever I receive anything for review purposes I always keep an open mind and try not to prejudge something until I have it in my hands. I deliberately didn't read any reviews of this Michael Bublé perfume before I received it (or even look up the scent notes) as I didn't want to shape my opinion before I put my nose to the test. I'm not someone who normally buys celebrity fragrance at all - I'm not swayed by that kind of thing. I had no idea what to expect - I was worried I might hate it - but I loved it from the first spray. I'm not a perfume whizz who can pick out many individual notes in a perfume, but on me this smells of vanilla, citrus and musks. It has a heady, intoxicating warmth which just draws you in, and when I'm wearing it I can't resist sniffing my wrist constantly. I would imagine this is the kind of perfume which draws people in slightly closer so they can smell it better. If I was a single lady I'd definitely be wearing this on nights out!

August Glossybox review and contents

August Glossybox review and contents

It's been a while since I did a beauty post, so today's post is all about August's Glossybox. I've had it a couple of weeks and I've tried everything out so I can share everything with you. It's Glossybox's 5th birthday, so they've teamed up with Rae Feather to make a special Glossybox monogrammed bag.

British Beauty Blogger Fortune Favours the Brave eyeshadow palette

Makeup Revolution is one of my favourite beauty brands. A few years ago I was cynical about cruelty free affordable makeup brands but the likes of MUA and now Makeup Revolution have proved that you don't have to spend huge amounts of money for good quality. The Fortune Favours the Brave eyeshadow palette from Makeup Revolution and designed by Jane from British Beauty Blogger is simply sublime. I haven't used any other eyeshadow palette since it arrived about a month ago.

It comes in luxe rose gold packaging and has 30 pigment-filled shades. The mattes are buttery soft and blend amazingly well and the shimmer shades are nuanced and beautiful. It has everything from neutrals to blues, greens and purples. You can tell the sheer amount of thought that went into this palette. This is the only eyeshadow palette I'll be taking on holiday with me as it covers every base from demure daytime looks to bold evening makeup.

It's £9.99 from Makeup Revolution and worth every penny. I expect I'll buy back ups as I love it so much. I hope this isn't the only BBB/Makeup Rev collab! Have you got this palette?

Thanks for reading,
L xoxo

Plus 40 Fabulous - My current skincare regime

I get a lot of comments on my skin and a couple of lovely folks on Twitter last week asked me to share what I'm using on my face right now, so here we go! I'm going to concentrate on moisturisers and exfoliants and not so much on cleansers as I use a few different cleansers and my skin remains the same regardless. For me, moisturisers and exfoliants give the most bang for my buck so that's what I'm focuisng on. **Edit, as this post coincided with this month's Plus 40 Fabulous post I'm calling this mine.**

The foundation of my skincare is the Oils of Life range from the Body Shop, and you can read my full review of these products here: The Body Shop Oils of Life.

There's an essence (think of a toner but more moisturising, used in exactly the same way, after cleansing), a facial oil and a gel moisturiser. These three items keep my skin looking well-hydrated, plump and glowing. They are undoubtedly expensive (and they're usually excluded from Body Shop deals and offers) but they really do make my skin look lit from within and feeling super soft. I've had these products for 5 months and have been using them consistently for about 3 of those months (I was testing other skin care for some of that time) and I've still got about a month of usage left.

If you don't have the time for a Korean 10 step beauty routine and want great skin without investing hours every day, these Oils of Life are the products for you.

With regards to keeping spots, redness, brown marks and my ever-present milia at bay I use 2 Paula's Choice exfoliants - the skin perfecting 8% AHA gel and skin perfecting 2% BHA gel. These are chemical exfoliants as in they don't need you to rub or scrub to remove old skin, but do it with AHA/BHA chemicals. Before using these products my milia were out of control, I had frequent spots and a big blackhead problem. At this time of year I use these exfoliants before bed (as they make your skin more susceptible to sun damage - if you use them in the day time make sure to use SPF). I'm actually being a slacker with regards to skincare at the moment as I'm prioritising decluttering my home above all else, so I'm using the AHA one about once a week before bed and the same for the BHA one. You could use one every day (if your skin can tolerate daily use, some can't) for better results. The Paula's Choice website has a wealth of skincare advice - it's well worth a look! Here's how to exfoliate skin.

Pictured below are a couple of other things I'm using on my skin currently, which I'll mention briefly, but again cleansers are interchangeable as far as I'm concerned. The Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean wash off cleanser is great as it makes my skin glow. I use it on my dry face and rub it off with a slightly rough flannel (skincare goddess Caroline Hirons recommends using all cleansers on dry skin and taking them off on a clean dry flannel for the exfoliating benefits). I use the Nivea micellar water if I'm being a lazy ho and want to take my makeup off in a hurry. It isn't as good as a proper cleanse but sometimes at bedtime I really cannot be bothered.

I wanted to talk about things other than what I put on my face.

• Firstly, it's boring but I drink a lot of water. I have a bottle of water by my side at all times - by the side of the bed, on the sofa, when I'm out walking. 

• I avoid caffeine. I might have 2 diet Pepsi's a week, drinking water 75% of the time and lemonade & lime for a bit of flavour, and one cup of tea a day. 

• I don't smoke. Smoking isn't good for your skin, and neither is lots of sugar. I do have a sweet tooth but I try to deny it. I recently went from agave nectar in my tea to nothing and I survived. ;)

• Sleep! If I have a few days of poor sleep I look awful - my eye bags are dark, lined and huge and my whole face looks dry and parched. It also looks parched if I go a couple of days without doing anything to my face, which I sometimes do. I'm not perfect. After a couple of days of neglect my wrinkles are far more pronounced, but after a good moisturise it'll look much better. 

• Avoid the sun. The most damage our faces get over the years is due to exposure to the sun. Work out how you want to avoid it - high facial SPF, avoiding going out at midday, wearing a big hat or becoming a vampire. ;) 

• Get some fresh air. If I look a bit grey about the gills going out for a bracing walk in the wind/rain will soon perk my face up. If you're physically able, get a sweat on, it's the perfect antidote to dull skin. 

Thanks for reading.
L xoxo

Beauty | Picking my foundation shade with Makeup Atelier Paris

Hiya loves,

I haven't written a beauty post forever which is sacrilege as I'm probably more into it than ever right now. I've been using Makeup Atelier Paris foundation for about 8 weeks now and I absolutely love it. To make sure I got the right shade I ordered 3 samples of their waterproof foundation, and have been using them ever since. I was recommended it by Georgina from She Might Be Loved, whose face is always flawless.

I almost always pick the lightest shade available (unless it's someone like Illamasqua who does a white foundation) as my skin is uber, uber pale. Even makeup artists don't realise this at first because I have so many freckles and rosy cheeks so it's often hard to tell - but yes, I'm Casper the ghost underneath! This makes things easy for me as I just look at the photo with the palest looking tone and go from there.

So I picked the palest shade in 3 tones - pink toned, neutral, and yellow toned. FLW1A is for pink/cool toned skin, FL1NB is for those with neutral tones and FLW1Y is for yellow/warm toned skin.

L-R FLW1A (pink), FL1NB (neutral) and FLW1Y (yellow). With flash to highlight colour differences.

How do you know whether your skin is pink, neutral or yellow toned? I've got your back.

Look at the veins on your inner wrist. If they look blue, you have pink/cool tones. If they look green you have yellow/warm tones, and if you can't tell if they're green or blue you're neutral toned. Also, jewellery. If you look great in silver jewellery you're likely pink/cool toned. Yellow/warm tones look better in gold, and neutral tones can wear either.

I had no idea if I was neutral toned or pink toned, but I knew I wasn't yellow toned. After applying all 3 shades separately, I could easily tell that the pink toned foundation made me look most well, so ta-da, I'm pink toned. It's not that the neutral and yellow tones make me look bad (because they don't), it's just that they don't make me look my best. I have in fact been wearing all 3 shades over the last couple of months and they're all OK, but the pink one is definitely more flattering and looks more me. Here's a photo of me wearing it. I wasn't much of a foundation wearer before, but this evens my skin out so much I wear it a lot now. I've had NARS foundation used on me at a photoshoot which was nowhere near as good as this.

The coverage is great, and buildable. In the photo above I'm wearing a light covering - you can still see some of my freckles. If I layer it on a bit more thickly it almost does away with the need for concealer, but never looks cakey or highlights my pores. And it photographs amazingly with or without flash. Did I say this foundation is water- and sweat-proof? Hell yeah! I absolutely love it and am about to run out of my samples so it's time to buy a full size bottle.

I was worried this foundation would look horrible on my ageing skin, but it's amazing. Every time I've worn makeup in the last 2 months this has been on my face. Recommended! I've finally found the foundation for me.

Grab some here. 

Superdrug PhytoDeluxe indulgent day and night cream*

Hiya!

I've been trialling some skincare from Superdrug which was created specially with the needs of 40+ skin in mind. It has ingredients which can be found in skincare products which cost more than £200. And even better - at the time of writing these products are 50% off at Superdrug and come in at £7.45 each!

At just £14.99 (at regular price) each these creams are cruelty free, have handy pump dispensers, and the day cream has SPF15 which is the minimum we should all use on our faces all year round to help avoid sun damage. These creams are a multi-pronged attack on the signs of facial ageing. Let's face it, we will ALL age eventually and we will all wrinkle but there are lots of things we can do to address other issues like dryness and lack of glow. I'll be the first person to say I don't understand the science behind a lot of skin care ingredients, but I do understand results. I've been using both creams for a month to get a feel for what they can do. The claims for these creams are visibly smoother, firmer and more luminous skin.

These PhytoDeluxe products contain platinum and black diamond truffle. Within the platinum is something called a terapeptide, which is an amino acid which basically tells the skin how to act, particularly with regards to the way it heals and rejuvenates itself. Black Diamond Truffle pampers mature skin while effectively counteracting the visible signs of ageing such as fine lines and lack of luminosity.


Indulgent day cream

The day cream absorbs quickly and isn't greasy, but your skin will feel moisturised to the touch when using this hard-working cream. I have no issues whatsoever applying makeup a few seconds after using it.

Indulgent night cream 

The night cream has the addition of shea butter to increase softness and suppleness. It's richer than the day cream, and as our skin does a lot of the work to renew itself at night a richer night cream is always warranted to help restore moisture. If you're a busy person with only time to take care of your skin once a day - make it the evening for the most effect.

So, what results did I see?

The biggest results I saw were in regards to evening out my skin tone. I've always been plagued by high red colour on my face and the most startling result (and one I didn't expect) was that my skintone became so much more even and I have less of a problem with redness now. My skin is also so luminous, slightly plumper and it has a little something I can't quantify - it just glows with health. I didn't really notice any major change to fine lines as I don't really have many - I seem to have gone straight into deep line territory! A question I always ask myself is when trialling new skin care is 'Does my skin look better after using this?' and yes it does. My skin was already in good condition when I started using these creams, and I still noticed a difference.

Glowing skin, no foundation

I've done nothing to my face other than my brows and eyes in the photo (my brows were recently plucked, hence the red marks). No foundation, no highlight, nada!

I would burn rubber getting to a Superdrug store or online to buy these at £7.45 each (as of 14/12/15) as they will give your skin a boost if you're 40 or older. Go, go, go!

Have you tried these creams?

Thanks for reading,
Leah xoxo

*Products supplied for review. Opinions are honest and my own.

The Body Shop Oils of Life skincare*

I've been trialling some new skincare from the Body Shop for just over two weeks and it has totally revolutionised the way I look after my face. I have before and after photos towards the end of the post, so check those out.

I used to find moisturising my face a bit of a bore to be honest, but the products are so luxurious it's like a mini spa experience. Before I started using them I watched this video.



The video IS a bit bonkers, but it got me into the idea of making skincare into a mini massage, and I've started to really enjoy my twice daily routine. I close my eyes, massage the products into my face and it's unbelievable relaxing. Watching the video also reminded me that I was neglecting the back of my neck so I've been moisturising the back of my neck ever since.

The products are infused with 3 precious seed oils from around the world, known for their revitalising and repairing properties on skin – Black Cumin seed oil from Egypt, Camellia seed oil from China and Rosehip seed oil from Chile. What I love about this range is they don't promise you you'll look 10 years younger. They don't even mention anti-ageing. They say 'Get radiant skin whatever decade you're in.' We all age and there's nothing wrong with that. All our skincare needs to do is make us look like our best version of us, and these products do that. They give results.

Lotion/oil/cream

Oils of Life essence lotion £15
Step one (after cleansing)

This is essentially an upgraded toner, but with more moisturisation. Skincare specialists like Caroline Hirons call them 'lotions' these days. It's to be used after cleansing your face and before moisturising. Your skin needs an astringent to prepare it for moisture, so anyone who's missing the toner phase thinking it's unnecessary will be missing out on the full effects of their moisturiser. The lotion has a spicy, peppery scent which is really pleasant. It's an oil in water formula with glycerine, so it is a moisturising toner. I use a few drops and massage it in gently across my face, neck and decolletage.

By infusing 3 precious seed oils from around the world in to a unique bi-phase [oil + water] formula, we created the essential 1st step after cleansing: a daily lotion that provides instant visible results while preparing and activating skin for the next steps of your routine. Skin feels instantly replenished with moisture and appears softened. With its bi-phase formula this Intensely Revitalising Essence Lotion supremely combines the freshness of water and the nourishing feel of oil.

Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising facial oil £28
Step two

You may be thinking 'Why do I need an oil as well as a moisturiser?' and if you're under 40 the answer is you may not. But at my age, I need to keep my skin well moisturised or else my fine lines are really apparent. The before and after photos show the difference between the dehydrated skin I had before I started using these products and the well moisturised, glowing skin I now have (read on for those). This oil smells lovely and feels glorious. I use a few drops on my face, neck and decolletage and massage it in with upward strokes. If I've been naughty and haven't had enough water for a day or two I'll use a few more drops to help rehydrate my skin. I know when I need to apply more oil as my skin feels draggy while I'm massaging it in. It should feel smooth, but not saturated with oil.

By infusing 3 precious seed oils from around the worldwith a powerful blend of essential oils, we created a lightweight daily facial oil to intensely revitalise skin, instantly replenish moisture and revive radiance. Signs of ageing appear visibly reduced. Made from 99% oils of natural origin, this lightweight, quickly-absorbed formula effortlessly melts onto skin leaving a non-sticky, velvety-soft finish. 

Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising gel cream £25
Step 3

This is the first gel moisturiser I've ever used and I'm a complete convert. It has a lovely slip to it and I use about a pa sized dab all over my face, neck and decolletage and massage it in with upward strokes. It's cooling and soothing and the perfect end to my skincare routine.

By infusing 3 precious seed oils from around the world in to a dewy-fresh gel cream with illuminating micro-pearls, we created a lighter alternative to the cream that intensely revitalises skin. Skin feels instantly freshly hydrated and suppler. From the moment it touches the skin, this Intensely Revitalising Gel Cream delicately melts onto the face, leaving a fresh light finish without a greasy feel.

There is also a cream moisturiser which is an alternative to the gel moisturiser if you need a heavier cream. Also £25.

So, what changes have I seen in my skin? The most startling of all is that my age spots have started to fade. Although I've avoided the sun for some years now, as a daft 20 year old I used a sun bed 3 times a week (or more) for a year so I do have a lot of brown marks on my face. The biggest of these - near my mouth - has started to fade and I can see unblemished skin in the middle of the mark, which has faded most. The other changes have been my skin is much softer, and that was an instant change. The rest speaks for itself - I'm a bit scared to post the before photo, especially as I'm pulling such a face in it. As you can see in my before my skin looks dry, there are lots of fine lines and I look a bit pinched. In the after photo my skin glows with health and vitality.

Before/After

Will I buy these products when they run out? Yes, yes and thrice yes. Skincare is one of my obsessions and I constantly chop and change, but I have a feeling these 3 products will be ones I'll come back to again and again. Quite simply, these products wowed me.

Yes, they are a little expensive, but you only get one face. The Body Shop are brilliant for discount codes if you sign up to their newsletter online so don't be intimidated by price, and besides, these products are so luxurious you'll find yourself looking forward to using them every morning and evening. You can shop the full range here.

Have you used any Body Shop skincare before?
Leah xoxo

*I was sent these products but hand on heart I'd have written an equally rave review if I'd bought them myself. I love them.

Treats for your nails from Nailpolish.co.uk*

Hiya!

I have some lovely Autumnal nail polish shades to show you from nailpolish.co.uk today.

Nailpolish.co.uk also sent me some bonus nail tools and stamping equipment so I could take care of my nails and do some nail art, and you can see what I did with the stamps at the end of the post.

Not only Nailpolish.co.uk they have over 1000 nail polish colours in stock at any time and over 100 treatments, but they also do next day delivery if you order before 2pm Monday-Friday. Prices start at £2.99 and they have brands such as OPI, China Glaze, Essie, Orly and Sally Hansen, with more brands coming on board all the time. There's free express tracked delivery on every order over £15 and my parcel came securely packed in a box. They sell only genuine products direct from the big brands themselves so you don't have to worry.

I picked out 3 lovely Autumnal colours from OPI, who are one of my favourite nail polish brands. L-R: A-Piers To Be Tan, Sprung and Muir Muir On The Wall. A-Piers To Be Tan is just what it says, a lovely tan which goes on smoothly and totally opaque in 2 coats. Sprung is a gorgeous golden orange glitter polish which is stunning on it's own in 2-3 coats or over A-Piers To Be Tan, and Muir Muir On The Wall is one a pretty duochrome, made up of plum and gold, which is opaque in 2 coats.

I'm wearing:
Thumb - 2 coats A-Piers To Be Tan
Index finger - 3 coasts Sprung
Middle finger - 2 coats Muir Muir On The Wall
Ring finger - 1 coat A-Piers To Be Tan and 1 coat Sprung
Little finger - 2 coats A-Piers To Be Tan

I did some nail art using the polishes and the MoYou stamping set, which was really easy to use. I'm using Muir Muir On The Wall as a base, Sprung over my thumb nail and A-Piers To Be Tan on the other 4 nails.

Shop nailpolish.co.uk. I've just noticed they've added Barry M to the site too. I'm going in! Send a search and rescue party if I'm not back in a week. ;)

Leah xoxo

*This post contains items which were gifted for review.

Current favourites

Hello!

Here are some of the things I'm loving right now.

Here's what I'm loving this week.

Simple micellar water £4.49

I've tried Bioderma micellar water and B micellar water from Superdrug and I far prefer this one. The Bioderma one smelled strangely metallic and stung like the devil if I got it near my eyes. The B one from Superdrug was great but left my face feeling really sticky. This one by Simple is perfect for me - it doesn't smell, doesn't sting, and removes all but the most stubborn mascara. Micellar waters aren't a stand alone cleanser, but an additional cleansing step. For the low down on micellar waters, check out this great post by London Beauty Queen.

Makeup Revolution Hard Day palette £6

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. This is my go to palette at the moment because I can do neutral or fierce looks with it, and I can even use the 2nd left matte shade as a contour shade as I'm so pale. This is so, so versatile and I'm using it virtually every day at the moment.I used this to do the fierce makeup I wore to the Bullet For My Valentine gig, too.

Barry M nail polish Countess

This is probably my favourite nail polish ever. It's just stunning. It's a glorious purple-brown with gorgeous sparkle. I'm wearing it in the photo above. It was released in Autumn 2013 and I didn't realise it was limited edition or I would've bought 10. I've just bought a back up from eBay.

Barry M nail polish Burgundy Crush £3.99

This matte burgundy shade is lovely, but it really needs a top coat as it chips so easily.

China Glaze nail polish I'm Not Lion

Oh pissflaps, this one looks like it was limited edition too. I can't find a link for you to buy it right now. (Note to self, make sure everything is current next time). It's a lovely silver and gold sparkly polish.

New Look brooch £4.99

I have a penchant for crosses of all kinds and as soon as I saw this I gasped. It's so gorgeous, and quite a good size too. Snap it up before it's too late!


I'm also watching the second series of American Horror Story and loving it, and I've been listening to a lot of While She Sleeps on Spotify after seeing them play on Saturday.What are you loving right now?

Thanks for reading,
Leah xoxo

Beauty | Trying Jordana makeup*

Hiya beauts!

I'm a pro member of Beauty Crowd, and I was sent these products from Jordana Cosmetics to try. Beauty Crowd does a great range of products which would be otherwise hard to source in the UK, and they're adding more brands all the time. Many of their brands are cruelty free too, and my favourite thing about the website is that every item that's cruelty free or vegan has a little round symbol under the description when you click through to view products individually. I wish all websites had such great disclosure.

Jordana are a very affordable US brand (especially so within America) who don't test on animals, and I was keen to see what the brand has to offer. I was sent 5 things - 2 lip gloss/balms, a blush stick, some purple-plum mascara, and a top coat.

Although I'd be the last person to say to put an age limit on makeup as I think we should all have fun with it whatever our age, these products in particular would've been a dream come true for me in my teens as they're very fun. Right, let's crack on, shall we?

Mascara in shade Powerful Plum. I used two coats and there was minimal clumping and a subtle effect on my dark lashes. The formula reminds me of Benefit's They're Real, as it's a very long lasting mascara. The colour did transfer a little to under my lower lash line after a few hours and needed removing with an oil-based cleanser, as it really doesn't want to budge. This took me back to my mid teens, when I was constantly being told off at school for wearing my mum's electric blue Avon mascara. It was the 80's, what can I say?!

Blush stick in Sunkissed. This smells abysmal - really synthetic. It's a lovely peachy shade with a powdery finish which doesn't have the best longevity, but it does blend really well.

Top coat. This was great timing as I needed a new top coat. I put it to the test by making quite a thick 2 coat nail polish application to see if it'd dry down in the 60 seconds advertised, and it really did. I'm very impressed - this is a really good top coat. I can't speak for the non-chipping properties as my nail polish never goes a day without chipping no matter what. I'm just too hand-sy for my own good.

Vanilla flavoured lip gloss. This smells absolutely divine! If you love vanilla scents, you'll adore this. It has very fine sparkle in it which doesn't give the Edward Cullen sparkly vampire effect when worn, thankfully. My teen self would have snapped this up in a second. Hell, adult me loves it too. It's high shine without being gloopy and I'd say it would satisfy normal to slightly dry lips.

Sweet and smooth lipbalm in Tropical. The smell of this takes me back to my childhood, which is a wonderful thing which scent does. It's a slightly synthetic, fruity smell (although not unpleasant) which kind of reminds me of my mum's old novelty eraser collection. It has shea butter, jojoba and vitamin E so I would say this is suitable for normal to dried out lips.

In summary, the vanilla lip gloss and the top coat were my favourite products. It is a very affordable line and it's cruelty free so those are two big plus points. Some of it may be better suited to younger relations, but they do have some wild blue mascaras.......I might just relive my teens again just for the hell of it.

Have you tried anything from Jordana? What makeup trends remind you of younger days?

Thanks for reading,
Leah xoxo

*Products supplied by Beauty Crowd. Opinions are honest and my own.

Beauty| MUA Spring Break eyeshadow palette & face of the day*

Hey you!

I have swatches and a makeup look using the MUA palette Spring Break to show you today. It's a pretty palette full of shades for all the year through, despite the Spring themed name.

MUA Spring Break palette £4 (limited edition)

The colours are absolutely stunning, particularly the nuanced brown far right on the top row, which is called Sorrel.

I did a quite muted makeup look using 4 colours from this palette: I used the matte brown (top left) to accentuate my eye socket, and Cherub (top second left) over my inner eye to brighten that area. This sparkly pink reminds me of Dust in the Naked palette 3. I used the minty-blue Seafoam on the main part of my lid, and Damson (bottom right) along my lower lashline.

I didn't use eye primer and you will get a more vivid look using one.

I'm also wearing MUA Powerpout acrylic lip gloss in Supreme, £3.50.

When MUA first came out I found it hard to believe that anyone could knock eyeshadow palettes out at such a bargain price. Of course 5 years on MUA are a staple in my makeup bag and I probably have more eyeshadow palettes from MUA than anyone else. 

*The palette and lip gloss were sent to me but my opinions are honest and my own.

Are you an MUA shopper? You can buy MUA on their website, Superdrug.com and Superdrug stores in the UK.

Thanks for reading,
Leah xoxo

Beauty | A small Makeup Revolution order

Hello sweet peas,

This is a small Makeup Revolution order I made some time ago - who knows when!

I bought a couple of eyeshadows, a lip gloss/balm thing and a pencil eyeliner.

This is the Liphug in shade When You Came to Me. I LOVE this shade. It's so flattering on me. It looks pinky-beige, but it's more peachy on my lips. This would be amazing with dark smoky eyes. It's really moisturising and feels great on. It lasts a couple of hours on me, but I'm always drinking (not vodka, honest.) It may vary for you depending on how much of a lush you are. ;) 

Eyeshadows in Temptress and Go! £1 each. Temptress is the darker shade and is buttery smooth and pigmented. Go! is a matte neon and is quite powdery and not very pigmented, but would've been better over a primer. For a quid though, not bad at all.

This eyeliner does not budge once it has set, and although if you've recently moisturised you may get a light bit of panda eyes within a couple of minutes. Wipe it off (unless you favour the Alice Cooper look - I did throughout my whole 20s) and bingo! Once it's set it's hard to get off. The twinkle factor is subtle, but I quite like that. When I was a goth I applied eyeliner halfway down to my nose. Just kidding, down to my chin. Lololol. (Note to self: pull out old photos.)

Have you tried anything by Makeup Rev? Do you have any recommendations for me (other than for the love of God STOP BUYING MAKEUP!)?

Thanks for reading.
xoxo

MUA Power Pout Glaze in Enchant & Spellbound*

Hiya love bugs,

I'm really into makeup again at the moment. I seem to veer between wanting to buy clothes and being obsessed with makeup and at the moment it's the latter. Here are a couple of lip glosses from MUA.

MUA Power Pout Glaze is a medium-opacity lipgloss which smells like cookies to me. It's reasonably moisturising and is a little sticky, but not unbearable. I can't stand really gloopy lipgloss! Both of them have very subtle sparkle which you can't feel at all. I hate chunky glitter in lip products. The glosses have a twist and click system - twist the silver end of the gloss, and every time it clicks some gloss is dispensed onto a brush - see photo at the bottom of the post for a photo of the brush. You may have to twist the end 20 or so times on the first use to get the brush to load, but that's perfectly normal and only takes a click or two per subsequent application.

Enchant is a soft pink shade which shows up as a wash of colour on my lips. For more impact I would wear it over a darker pink lipstick. You could also wear it over lip liner worn all over the lips. MUA's lip liners are soft and creamy enough to wear all over your lips without dragging.

Spellbound has more colour pay off and is my favourite of the two shades as it packs a punch.

Here's a photo so you can see the brush, and a little clue into the way I use photos as prompts to battle Fibromyalgia fog. Sometimes I take detailed notes as I do my swatches so I can write the posts up fully later, and other times I take photos of things as a memory prompt. The shot with the Pepsi can was to remind me that after drinking it all the lip gloss was half gone, so you will need to reapply after eating and drinking - standard for most lip glosses. Sometimes I'll hold one or two fingers up under an eye to remind me if I'm wearing one or two coats of mascara when I write my post up (I just crop them out of shot) and I usually order things for swatches in name or number order so I don't get the shades in a pickle afterwards - especially if they're similar shades. Of course there's no completely avoiding boo-boos when your brain is affected by chronic illness - like the few times I've put the same photo in a collage twice - but having a system makes me feel less daft some of the time! ;)

You can see another recent post about MUA from me here.

Do you prefer lip gloss or lipstick?

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

*Items sent by MUA but my opinions are honest. I've been buying from MUA for 5 years and will continue to do so.