A Slight Disappointment | MUA Luxe Whipped Velvet Blush

I very rarely moan about rubbishy products around these parts, but I thought I would give you my honest opinion on some not so great products as well as the great ones.
When the MUA Spring Collection came out, I got a little bit excited and went straight to Superdrug to pick up a few bits and pieces. You can see everything I got in my haul here. One of the first products that caught my eye was the Luxe Whipped Velvet Blush in Rococo.  It looked like the perfect spring shade and I was hoping it would be a nice cream formula.  Unfortunately, it isn't all its cracked up to be!

The swatch above took one hell of a lot of product to get even the slightest amount of colour which is really annoying, and it makes it very difficult to apply.  It also doesn't apply well, even the slightest amount looks very cakey and doesn't blend nicely into your foundation.  Instead it just sits on the top and looks patchy and weird.  It then dries to a powder like finish and really clings to dry patches and imperfections, as well as accentuating pores.  Application is difficult and no matter how I apply it, it just looks awful every time!

Overall, I am a little bit disappointed in this product and I probably won't get any use out of it.

Have you tried these blushes? If so, what do you think of them?

Emily xx

The Sunday Edit #49

This week I've been ill so I had 3 days off school! I felt awful but still revised the whole way through as I had my last History mock Friday morning.  That didn't go to well but I'm not massively bothered as its only a mock.  I have exactly 1 week and 2 days until exams start which is really scary, so today I am literally going to be solidly working all day as I didn't do anything all day yesterday which I really regret!

There should be some exciting things coming up on my blog within the next few weeks as I have some exciting new things coming in the post that I can't wait to share with you! I have a few pr samples coming that I picked up from the #BHTWITTERPARTY last Monday along with some bits and pieces that I have bought myself. We have something exciting from Magnitone, some special teas, some skincare from a new company, some perfumes and some makeup bits that I purchased myself.

As you probably noticed, I had some guest posts up this week from 2 lovely ladies from across the pond.  I really enjoyed working with these lovely ladies, and I would love it if you could leave some feedback on their posts so I can pass it on to them.  As mentioned before, due to my busy schedule I am looking for some of you lovely bloggers to guest post for me over the next few weeks.  If you would like to guest post on my blog, simply write a post and email it to me! It can be on anything you like that is beauty/fashion/lifestyle related, so pop it in an email to me along with your social media and blog details and I will let you know when it will be going up.  I will be putting up every post that I receive so that everyone has a chance.  You can find my email address in the 'Contact' section at the top of my blog.  I would be truly grateful if you could help me out with this!

I think that is all I have to share with you this week, I hope you have all had a lovely week and I will speak to you again soon!

Emily xx

Guest Post | My Favourite Neutrals | Beauty Over The Beast

Hi Guys! I'm so happy to be Guest Posting on Emily's blog I hope you enjoy it!

I think no matter what season it is, I always have days where I revert back to easy, basic natural makeup. Something about it is comfortable and suiting to my mood most of the time, laid back and ready to enjoy a lazy day. There are some products I always run to for a nice neutral look.

First up is my favorite nude lipstick of all time. MAC Honey Love. It's this perfect nude that has a pink undertone that doesn't quit. 

I can wear it all by its self or I can add some lip liner for some extra attitude. I use this with the MAC Lip Liner Crayon in 

Pink Treat to get an easy and spot on Kylie lip that will stay on for hours.

MAC Honey Love Lipstick

Two of my favorite eye products are cream shadows and eyeliner.

 Cream shadows are great because the are fast, easy (since you can sometimes apply them with just a finger), and if you find a 

good one they stay put without creasing for hours. The Maybelline Color Tattoo cream shadows are the bomb. They are an inexpensive 

drugstore brand, which is nice on the wallet and they are made from an awesomely long lasting formula. This one pictured below in color Chocolate 

Suede, it is great as a full lid cover or also looks awesome as a smudged liner.

If i'm going soft and natural I don't want a jet black liner, so I often opt for my MAC Gel Pot Liner in Past Twilight. Its a beautiful 

chocolatey brown that is dark enough to really accentuate your lash line but not so dark that it makes your look too dramatic. 

I feel like when i'm going earthy toned I tend to want more matte shades on my eyes and that's why I chose this last product.

 The Tarte Tartelette palette is one of the most beautiful and pigmented matte eyeshadow collections I have ever had. I love how soft 

these shadows are and they transfer incredibly true to color. There are so many looks you can create with just this one palette and

 I think that's part of the reason I love it so much.

Top Row Left to Right; Free Spirit, Force of Nature, Dreamer, Multi-Tasker

Middle Row Left to Right; Caregiver, Natural Beauty, Best Friend, Bombshell

Bottom Row Left to Right; Super Mom, Wanderer, Power Player, Fashionista

Left to right;  Free Spirit, Force of Nature, Dreamer, Multi-Tasker, Caregiver, Natural Beauty, Best Friend, 

Bombshell, Super Mom, Wanderer, Power Player, Fashionista

Hope you guys enjoyed my Guest spot and make sure to check out my blog and various Social Media!

Blog- https://beautyoverthebeast.wordpress.com/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/Brittin90210

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/beautyoverthebeast

Instagram- Brittin90210

New Products I'm Trialling from Neutrogena | First Impressions

Neutrogena is not a brand that I have tried anything from before, and with my friend always raving about their products and Superdrug doing a BOGOF offer, I thought it was about time I tried some products! After scanning their vast range, I opted for the pink grapefruit products (not because they are pink or anything....). I decided I would try the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash and the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub as a starting point.

As I have only been using these for around 5 days, I thought I would give you a little 'first impressions' on these 2 products and hopefully you will see them mentioned in a favourites post or skincare routine post in the future if I think they are worth a second mention.

Firstly, the packaging is a beautiful baby pink which drew me to them in the first place! They look lovely in my white bathroom which is always a plus. Each of these are around £4.95 each and are on a BOGOF in Superdrug at the moment so you can get both of these for just under £5 which is an absolute bargain! Both of the products smell amazing, very citrussy and fresh which makes them a joy to use and I have to admit, they smell like something I really want to drink!

Considering these are aimed at treating acne, they are surprisingly gentle on the skin and they give an extra boost of freshness and radiance to my skin.  The scrub is almost not really a scrub, the particles are so tiny that they are almost non-existent which makes it extremely gentle and it doesn't leave my face red and stingy which is an issue I experience with the majority of exfoliators that I try. The wash is like a gel that foams when mixed with water and is very refreshing on my skin.  It really helps to clean any traces of makeup and dirt in my pores that my previous cleanser may have left behind.  This also works well with my No7 cleansing brush to ensure a really thorough cleanse every other day.  Foaming face washes are renowned for being stripping and drying, which is the only con that I have with them, however this one is the complete opposite.  It leaves my skin feeling soft, supple and clean and I don't really feel the need for too much moisturiser!

So far so good! I haven't been using them for long enough to report whether they are effective in clearing up blemishes, but I will be back to update you on this once I feel I have trialled them long enough to notice results?

Have you tried any products from neutrogena? What are your favourite products / ranges?

Emily xx

Guest Post | Best of NYX Cosmetics | Little Beauty Bug

Today, I have a guest post from Krystal who blogs over at The Little Beauty Bug.  She is going to tell you all about her favourite NYX Cosmetics Products, enjoy!

Hey Beauties! As many of you know my Makeup Collection is not small but its lacking in a few areas especially when it comes to NYX Cosmetics! Most of the things you see in the image are all that I own and while I have access to NYX Cosmetics, much of it is at the most expensive drugstore in town and so I don't purchase a whole lot of it unless its on sale. On my journey of collecting products and testing them out I have been able to pick up many of the NYX Cosmetics products that have been on my wishlist forever. In saying that, I have never not liked a product I have tried by this brand and I'm going to tell you which ones are my absolute favorites and which one's I just like!

FACE:

NYX Cosmetics has a great array of face products available both through their website, or through other various sites like Beauty Joint and more, but since my local drugstore doesn't have a whole lot of products many of the face things I have tried have been blushes. I want to first start off by saying that no matter the form the blush is in NYX Cosmetics just does it right. First off their Powder Blushes are some of my absolute favorites, the one in the image above is Desert Rose, and its one of my absolute favorites. These are smooth, cream-like and so easily blendable and did I mention there extremely pigmented! However I do find that after a lot of use that they do form a hard pan - which means the top of the product becomes hard from the transfer of oil's from you face to the product. Another great blush they do well is their Cream Blushes, above you can see the shade Natural, but I also own several other colors. These are extremely pigmented as well and very smooth and blendable. The only issue I find with these is they last forever, and I find this hard when I have a face of makeup on and much of it starts to break down after 8 hours but my blush still looks perfect! These are a perfect cream blush for in the summer time want you want a more natural and healthy appearance to your face.

EYES:

The sad part about my area is the drugstore I shop at is that it doesn't carry a lot of NYX Cosmetics eye products and the one's they do are like $8-9 for a single eyeshadow. So many of the ones I have picked up are the old packaged and formulated ones because they were about $1-2 dollars Canadian. If you do have the old versions, I find them to be extremely smooth, buttery, soft and blendable and are some of the most reached for single shadows in my collection.. I wasn't able to pick up super neutral or usable shades though. Many of mine are dark blacks, purples or burnt red colors and they just don't suit everyday makeup. However I like to rock these if I'm going out for a special dinner or out somewhere nice and I really want my eye makeup to stand out. The other thing I have tried and obviously loved are the famous Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil's, these are amazing. I use Milk every single day as an eyeshadow base over my primer but under my actually shadows and this stuff stays like a dream. There super creamy and really pigmented and I find them to blend over the eye lid very well.The only thing I find is if I put on to much product it can crease on my lids, so I would be carefully to really blend the product out when applying it. 

LIPS:

The last area I'm going to talk about it the lip category. I again really don't have many products from the lip section either but the ones I've been able to pick up are extremely great quality. Many of my lip products I was actually able to purchase from Cherry Culture over a year or so ago when they were really stocking NYX products, you can still find some on their website but the selection is limited. I'm going to start off by saying the Butter Glosses are some of the best lipglosses I have ever tried. I don't usually wear a whole lot of lipgloss but when I do its most likely the lovely Butter Glosses, just because the package is so cute and I find that they last a long time on my lips and for a lipgloss there quite pigmented. The only other lip product I've really tried from NYX Cosmetics is their Round Lipsticks, which I feel are really under-rated in the beauty community because I think they are a really fantastic formula, and they have an amazing shade range. The only issue I have with these is I want more! I find that the NYX Cosmetics and Beauty Joint or other warehouse type of websites don't show the colors of the lip products very well and in all honest when purchasing some of my lipsticks shades I really had to do a lot of research on the colors or just go with it and hope I got the color and liked it. Another good thing is they do sell these at Target, but I find its a very limited selection and they tend to be really funny colors, like bright reds and orange colors which I don't typically wear.

Overall NYX Cosmetics has got there act together and is constantly producing so many new and unique products in there line. My wishlist for there products is forever growing and I hope that I can get my hands on some of there products in the future because I really enjoying supporting NYX as a company but also because I think for a drugstore price range their products are extremely good quality. Don't forget to leave your comments down below telling me what your favorite or least favorite products are and if you know of anywhere here in Canada that NYX Cosmetics can be purchased!

What are your favorite NYX Cosmetics product(s)?

You can find Krystal here:-
http://littlebeauty-bug.blogspot.co.uk
https://twitter.com/LittleBeautyBug
https://instagram.com/littlebeautybug/
https://www.facebook.com/LittleBeautyBugBeautyBlog

Make sure you go and check out her blog and some of her amazing graphic design work!

Emily xx

The Sunday Edit #48

This week I have been super busy, revising non-stop and making sure that all of my art coursework is completely finished before it has to be handed in on 15th May!

I have a proposition for you lovely people! Due to my hectic schedule over the next month or so, I am going to be struggling to find the time to post on my blog.  So that there isn't a huge silence over here, I would love to get some bloggers to blogpost for me! If you are a beauty/fashion blogger, type up a post about anything you like that is beauty/fashion/blogging/revision related and email it to me at emily.rowles@hotmail.co.uk and include all of your social media and blog details! Every post I receive will be posted over the next few weeks and you will receive full credit for your work! I have never done guest posts before so I am looking forward to featuring some fresh content from other bloggers on my blog! If you know of any other bloggers that may not follow my blog, share this opportunity with them, everyone is invited!

Today, I will be revising all day as I have an exam on Friday and I want to have gone over everything by next week so that I can go over everything one last time before my exams start so I know everything back to front! If you would like to see a revision tips post when I have some spare time, let me know and that is definitely something that I would be able to do!

Make sure you get in touch with me if you have a post that you would like to feature!

Emily xx

p.s: Blogger is being irritating and I am struggling to put a picture in this post! As soon as I can get this sorted, there will be a photo at the top as per usual :)

Heaven Skincare Velvet Hand Cream* | Review

When I saw this promotion pop up on Whatsblog about 2 weeks ago, I had a little browse of the requirements and realised that my blog fitted perfectly with what the company were after.  I applied to review the product and I was accepted which I was really pleased about!

The company itself was founded my Deborah Mitchell who says:

"I formulated this wonderful all-natural organic range of products, skin and body treatments to offer you the potent power of nature in perfect harmony with the latest breakthroughs in beauty technology.With over twenty five years experience as a hands on therapist I have developed a completely unique approach to looking after the skin and extensive knowledge of ancient herbal remedies. This has enabled me to create a unique way of thinking about beautiful skin and optimisation for perfection.Contrary to most popular skin care programmes Heaven seeks not to add more oil, but more moisture, which plumps out skin cells, making the complexion more lustrous and youthful.Heaven’s unique skin care approach has now been proven many times over to help skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, oily and blemished skin.As a qualified teacher in beauty therapy I run my very own Heaven training school for therapists from all over the world. My in-depth knowledge of the spiritual and healing side of health and beauty also brings a unique addition to my training skills.Highly acclaimed with numerous awards for both treatments and products I have had and have the pleasure of treating many celebrities from the world of music, film, sport and even royalty and qualified to provide tips on all manner of issues including: acne, anti-ageing, nutrition, hormonal problems, post natal depression, healing, hair loss, reflexology, colonics, semi-permanent make-up for cancer patients and stress; treating everything holistically, looking at internal and external influences to get to the root cause of health and beauty issues.By using Heaven’s all-natural organic range of products you will see spots and blemishes improve while keeping a youthful complexion. Feel the difference immediately and check your complexion after five days – the results are remarkable. With Heaven, you can realise your own natural beauty."

That is basically a summary of the company and all they have to offer! Deborah also has a blog here.

The product itself comes in a sleek black box with black tissue paper, along with a mini catalogue of every other product that the company offers.  These products make perfect gifts for either yourself or a friend.  The packaging of the Velvet Hand Cream is ideal for at home use.  It has a pump, making it easy to use and perfect to keep at your dressing table or in your bathroom.  It isn't very travel friendly and isn't really a hand bag product but that's not such a big issue for me.  I can easily pump a small amount into a smaller container to carry around with me.  The packaging is very simple, with only the heaven logo and the product name, which means it looks nice wherever you decide to keep it.

The product itself is almost like a rose scented butter, except the consistency is a lot more runnier and less greasy.  I would say this is the perfect mix between a butter and a lotion, harbouring the benefits of both.  It is highly moisturising and really locks in moisture for long periods of time, without feeling heavy and with the easy-use qualities of a lotion.  It absorbs quickly and allows you to carry on with whatever you are doing, without that horrible greasy feeling.  It also has anti-agin benefits which makes it perfect for more mature ladies.  Your hands are one of the biggest giveaways of your age so this product is perfect for keeping them as youthful as possible! I use this products 2-3 times a day and I have found my hands and cuticles to be a lot softer and less flaky and I also found that it reduced the number of hang nails I have which is one of my biggest problems where hands are concerned.  My nails are also smoother which makes polish application that little bit easier and gives a better finish to my manicure.

All in all, this is an amazing product and is definitely worth the £14.95 that Heaven are asking for it. It is a luxury treat for either yourself or a friend and has a lot to offer!

Have you tried anything from this brand?

Emily xx

Lifestyle | Sunday at the Volkswagen Rally

Today I thought I would share with you some photos from my day at the Volkswagen Rally on Sunday as something a little different to feature on my blog.  Lifestyle posts have been a rare occurrence recently so I wanted to do a few more for you!

I only took pictures of beetles as they are the only things that really interested me! They had a few camper vans too, but nothing that really amazed me. My favourite was the pink beetle, which I am determined to own one day! It looks so vintage and pretty, I would definitely call it Betty if it was ever mine! I also saw a pug in a little pull-along car which made my day! His little face was so cute and he looked so funny!

The weather wasn't brilliant, but we had fun walking round and looking at everything and going for a long walk on the beach.  When I get my beetle when I pass my driving test, I will definitely bring it to this, as it was such a fun day out and they really do attract a lot of attention! Plus, it is all for charity which makes it all that little bit better!

I know its only a short post today, but I just thought I would give you something a little bit different to my usual makeup babble! I hope you all enjoyed :)

Emily xx

I got nominated for a Liebster Award!

I am sorry this post is up a little later than usual, but with going back to school, my brain is all over the place! I was nominated to do this by Nicole who blogs over at Nicole Lauren Blake so I thought it would be something very positive to cheer every one up on a Monday afternoon!

The Rules
- Answer the 12 questions that are sent to you
- Nominate 10 bloggers who have under 200 twitter followers
- Ask them 12 questions of your own
- Notify them that they have been nominated

So here are the 12 questions that I have been asked:-

1) What is your favourite TV show at the moment?
Definitely Once Upon A Time! It is the best thing I have watched in a long time! If you haven't watched it yet, then you definitely need to!
2) What do you feel is an important tip for people that want to start blogging?
Be Organised and Hardworking! Blogging isn't easy and requires a lot of time and effort so you have to be willing to put in some time and effort to make sure that your blog is as successful as you would like it!
3) What is your all time favourite beauty product?
That is so hard, because I have so many favourites! I would probably say the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer because I seriously couldn't be without it!
4) What do you do when you're not blogging?
At the moment, it's pretty just revision, but I also like to watch netflix, eat food, and drink tea!
5) Are there any products that you've tried but don't understand the hype about?
Nars Sheer Glow! Everyone raves about it, but I think it is pretty pants to be honest.  It just doesn't sit right on my skin and just looks nasty.  I have been mixing it with my Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hour jobby the past few days and I actually like that! More on that soon!
6) What did you do over the easter weekend?
Revision and eating easter eggs whilst at the caravan! My life is thrilling, really.
7) What is your favourite movie?
That is such a hard question, its a toss up between 'The Lucky One' and 'Pearl Harbour'!
8) Who is your favourite youtuber?
I go through phases of liking different you tubers.  At the moment its 'Glitteralittle' and 'Beauty Crush'.
9) What was the last film you watched? what did you think of it?
Funnily enough, it was 'The Lucky One'! I absolutely loved it, one of the best films ever!
10) If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
New York! I would love to go shopping there and see all the sights around the city!
11) What is your biggest goal that you wish to achieve?
Short term, I would love to achieve some really good GCSE results to start me off at college.  Long term, I would love to be independent and I would love to become a lawyer! Once I've had a good career, I will probably then think about marriage and children!
12) Tell me about your pets! (past, present or hoping for the future?)
I used to have a few gold fish, who are sadly no longer with us (god rest their fishy souls) but as you all probably know, I am desperate to have a pug and I aim to have around 7! Just kidding, why would I stop at 7?

Bloggers I nominate:-
@I_Love_Foodxx - Dalal Tahira - Monochrome Daisies
@EdenStyleBeauty - Eden Simpson - Style and Beauty for Less
@itschelsea_ - Chelsea - It's Chelsea
@harleyjseymour - Harley - Shard of Glass

I literally can't find any bloggers with less than 200 twitter followers! If you are a blogger with less than 200 twitter followers, let me know and I will add you to this!

My Questions:-
1) What is your favourite food?
2) Which products would you take to a desert island? you're limit is 5!
3) What is your favourite breed of dog?
4) What is your one pet peeve about blogging?
5) If you ever gave up blogging, what is most likely to be the reason for it?
6) Who is your favourite blogger?
7) If you could describe my blog in less than 40 words, what would you say?
8) What is your favourite song at the moment?
9) As a blogger, what is your favourite social media platform?
10) What is your favourite way to de-stress?
11) Which is your most popular blogpost/series of posts? which have the most page views?
12) Which post are you most proud of?

I look forward to reading your posts, and make sure you let me know if you are a blogger with less than 200 twitter followers so I can feature you! You can tweet me at @L1ttleEm :)

Emily xx

The Sunday Edit #47

This week has been pretty chilled, I haven't really done a great deal! We were at the caravan up until wednesday, had 2 days at home and then came back down Friday night!
We have stayed in a lot, browsed a few little shops and I've been trying to do as much revision as possible, ready for going back to school tomorrow.  I've really enjoyed being able to have a break and I really don't want to go back tomorrow, especially as the weather is going to be nice!

This week has been pretty good for my blog! I got a new header made for me by Krystal who blogs over at Little Beauty Bug so I took this as an opportunity for a little makeover.  I'm not sure if I'm happy with it yet as it is so different, but I am sure with a few little tweaks will make all the difference.  Krystal makes custom headers, free of charge so if you would like something made, be sure to check out her blog and her Tumblr Blog! Let me know what you think of my makeover and where I can improve, bare in mind I have absolutely no idea what I am doing and just click on things to see what they do! I also got a PR Sample from Heaven Skincare, they sent me their Velvet Handcream which I am currently trialling for an upcoming review! I am also awaiting some products from the Library of Fragrance which I have to say, have a rather unique range of fragrances! They have some very unusual things so go and check out their website for more information! I also hit 170 followers yesterday which is amazing and I am so pleased! Be sure to share my blog with friends as I am always wanting to grow my audience and get to know some new readers!

Last but not least, check out my little sister's blog! She is 12 and writes a blog about jewellery making here so give it a read and follow her on Bloglovin' to give her some encouragement! She also has a header made by Krystal which will be up on her blog later on, once I have taught her how to change it!

I hope you have all had a lovely week!

Emily xx

Essence Long Lasting Lipsticks | Review and Swatches

Left to Right:- Natural Beauty, Coral Calling and Love Me

After hearing essiebutton raving about the shade Coral Calling from this particular essence range, I had to pick it up along with a few other shades.  At £2.30, how could I possibly resist?! These are quickly becoming a favourite of mine, and I shall tell you for why......(if you got the Gavin and Stacey reference, I salute you!).

Starting with the packaging, I think it is quite sturdy and classic for such a budget buy.  They are rather small and sturdy which makes them perfect for travelling or just throwing in your handbag for touch ups on the go.  The shade is clearly visible by the colour on the sticker on the bottom and the ring around the tube.  This is my pet peeve with Mac lipsticks and I have to read the bottoms of each before I can find the one I am looking for, so this is definitely a must in my opinion for any lipstick.

As you can see from the swatches above, the colours are very pigmented and give a slightly glossy finish. I could easily compare these to a Mac Cremesheen Formula as I think this would be something that quite a few of you are familiar with, so you get the general just of what these lipsticks are all about.  They feel very smooth and buttery on the lips and really give your lips that extra bit of moisture whilst masking any dry patches, making them completely undetectable.  The only bad thing I would say about these, as they aren't really that long lasting. Within an hour or two, I definitely feel the need to reapply.  I don't find this such a problem though because they are so easy to slap on without even using a mirror and the still look beautiful, so I don't think they are too high maintenance.

The first shade I chose was Coral Calling which was the shade essiebutton loves and originally drew me towards this line.  This shade is exactly what it says in the tin, coral! It's nothing thats too bright or in your face, I would call this a muted coral and it is perfect for wearing during the day time.  Seeing as they were only £2.30, I decided to pick up a few more! After a bit of pondering over some shades, the next I decided on was Natural Beauty.  This is a beautiful mid toned pink with a hint of mauve, perfect for natural looks and to make you look just like a better version of yourself! I find this really livens up my makeup a bit and adds a subtle, yet pretty splash of colour to my otherwise, quite dull complexion.  Lastly, I decided upon Love Me.  This is a slightly lighter and brighter pink with a hint of coral.  This is a beautiful Spring/Summer colour and is perfect as an every day bright lip. I don't find it too bright or overpowering at all, perfect for those of you wanting to sport a bright lip without it attracting too much attention.

Overall, I am seriously impressed with these lipsticks and I will definitely be purchasing more of them very soon! If you are from the UK like myself, essence is now available in Wilkinsons at ridiculously cheap prices so make sure you go and check them out next time you find yourself near a Wilko!

Have you tried anything from this brand before?

Emily xx

#ZestBeautyMustHaves

I was found out about Zest Beauty through The Blogger Programme where they asked me if I would like to compile a list of my #ZestBeautyMustHaves from their website.  After a lot of browsing, I finally decided on these six products.

St Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Spray // I have tried many tanning products in my time, but never a spray so this intrigued me. Being ridiculously pale, I do like to add a bit of colour from time to time and I will use whichever I can get my hands on at the drugstore!  St Tropez is a rather expensive brand so I am unsure as to whether I would ever buy this, but I would be more than happy to accept this as a gift (hint, hint).

GlamGlow Power Mud DualCleanse Treatment // These are probably some of the most famous face masks in the bloggersphere and I am certainly not the only one who would love to try these in the hope of achieving wonderful results.  This is again, certainly out of my price range but I would possibly consider as a christmas or birthday gift.

Australian Bodycare Tea Tree Oil Foaming Skin Wash // This is a brand I have never heard of which immediately drew me to it.  Not only is this a foaming which is brilliant for oily skin, but it also has tea tree in it which will be ideal for my problematic skin.

Australian Bodycare Balancing Face Cream //  This seems to be the perfect product for controlling oil and helping problem areas whilst still nourishing and hydrating the skin.  This is definitely something I may look into trying in the future.

Essie First Base Adhesive Base Coat // I am in desperate need of a base coat as my nails are beginning to stain! Essie has always been a favourite of mine when it comes to nails, so I am hopeful that this product would be a favourite of mine.  I definitely would buy this at some point in the future if i am unable to find a cheaper alternative.

ghd Curve Classic Wave Wand Set // I have heard great things about this product and it has been something that has been on my wishlist for quite some time.  it seems to be perfect for messy, loose waves that is my go to hair style at the moment. I usually use straighteners to curl my hair so maybe this would be easier and would save me some time in the morning.

Those are my must haves, check out the Zest Beauty Website and if you are a fellow blogger, be sure to sign up to The Blogger Programme for lots of exciting opportunities and competitions!

What are your must haves from the website?

Emily xx

Bank Holiday Drugstore Haul

I decided that now was the time to freshen up my makeup bag a bit for spring and change things up a bit. Throughout the seasons, I tend to get stuck in a rut, using the same products all the time so I thought the change in seasons called for a change in the products I was using.  I only bought things from the drugstore as I wanted to try out some new releases and I am not up for splashing too much cash at the moment as I am saving for a car and driving lessons.

Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit // As soon as this came out, I knew I needed to try it! Pretty much like every other makeup lover, I have been lusting after the much hyped up Anastasia Contour Kit.  Unfortunately, I am not really in a position to splash £45 on a contour kit so I jumped at the chance to try something a little more affordable.  I am still in the process of trialling this so I will report back, hopefully with a full review and swatches within the next couple of weeks.

MUA Sweet Sheen Lip Tint // One of MUA's latest releases, these balms have a similar concept to the Maybelline Baby Lips in which they are pretty much a tinted lip balm.  I have the shades Coral Reef and French Violet and I will be featuring these, along with the next product in a whole post dedicated to MUA'a Spring Releases with a Full Review and Swatches.

MUA Luxe Whipped Velvet Blush in Rococo // Again, a Spring Release from MUA, this blush is slightly odd.  It is almost like a mousse that blends to a powder.  I have to say, I'm not overly impressed with this product but all will be revealed in a future post.

Seventeen Mirror Shine Lipstick in Beehive //  This is a much loved blogger favourite, and after seeing Lily Melrose use it in a tutorial last week, it was definitely on m to buy list.  It is a pretty sheer, peachy pink nude, perfect for daytime.  The packaging is rather interesting as well, the little pop out mirror is very handy!

Essence Long Lasting Lipstick // After hearing essie button rave about the shade Coral Calling in her March Favourites, I decided I would pick up a few of these lipsticks.  For £2.30 each, you can't really go wrong! I bought three shades, Coral Calling, Love Me and Natural Beauty. I haven't really tried them out properly yet, but if I like them I will review them and show some swatches of as many shades as I can get my hands on!

Essence Lip Liner in Honey Berry // I already have one essence lip liner which I love, so I thought I would try out another shade. This is a beautiful plummy/berry shade which will be perfect in the autumn! I will definitely be purchasing more of these in the future.

Essence Eyeshadow in 'The Grammy gone Glammy' // This champagney shade caught my eye and looked like the perfect every day colour so I thought I would try it for £1.60! I haven't tried this yet but I will report back!

That is it for my drugstore haul, I hope you enjoyed and I will be back soon to talk about these products in further detail!

Emily xx

The Sunday Edit #46

Sorry this post is up a day late, I have been having some issues where wifi is concerned (caravan site wifi is not the best) and I wasn’t able to get it up yesterday.  I decided I would put 2 posts up in one day as ‘The Sunday Edit’ is one of my most popular posts and I am yet to miss a week.
This week has been quite good! I had to go to school for my triple science controlled assessment on Monday and Tuesday which was a bit rubbish, but then I had the rest of the week off to do something hat I wanted to do! We came to Brean on Wednesday and we are here until next wednesday so I have a little bit of time to do what I want and not have to be forced into school again through my holidays. We have been doing a lot of shopping the past few days, which you would be aware of if you follow me on Instagram (if you’re not, click the button on the top right hand side of my blog!).  I will have a huge drugstore haul following this post later on so keep your eyes peeled for that.  I just fancied trying a whole load of new products for Spring to liven up my makeup bag a bit and freshen things up!
The past few nights, we have been out for the live music in the pub next door which was good, but it is always packed with strangers at easter and I hate it! It is quite a friendly pub and everyone knows everyone, until school holidays come along and a bunch of strangers start encroaching on our territory! Oh well, I suppose it can’t be helped or avoided!
Besides all the strangers, I have a had a good week, and I hope you all have too!
Emily xx

I've Been Nominated For 'The Versatile Blogger Award'!

I was nominated for this award by Sumptuous Elixir who I would like to thank for such a kind gesture! Her blog is lovely and she also has a post on this, so go and check it out and let her know that I sent you!  For this award, I have to give you 7 facts about me and then nominate 10 other bloggers for this award! I don't think this could have come at a better time, I have had so many new readers recently and this is the perfect opportunity for them to get to know the girl behind the blog a little bit better!

7 facts about me:-

1. My nickname is Little Em, given to me by my old English teacher! I am one of the smallest people in my year being only 5 foot 2 and she always used to call me Little Em.  It is something that really stuck and everyone calls me that now, hence my usernames for just about everything contain some variation of Little Em!

2. I am literally obsessed with pugs, I think I seriously need to go to a pug rehab centre! I have everything with pugs on and I spend the majority of my spare time looking at pictures and videos of pugs, it's starting to become a real problem! The photos have taken up all of the memory on my phone, I blame the internet!

3.  Farley's Rusks are my guilty pleasure.  Sorry not sorry.

4. I am able to start driving at the end of the year and my biggest goal is to get a baby blue volkswagen beetle!

5. I want to be a lawyer in the future! I have developed a huge interest in law over the past year and I would love to get a degree in law and be able to get a good job once I have finished education.

6. I am in the middle of my GCSE's, studying Maths, English, Science, History, Art and Business.  i am moving onto college in September to do my A-levels where I will be studying Accounting, Law, Maths and Economics.  I am a little bit nervous as it will be very different to where I am at the minute, but I am a little bit excited!

7.  I am literally an 84 year old trapped in a 16 year olds body,  I kid you not, I can relate to older people a lot better than I can people my own age, I feel like I have a lot more in common with them.  Thinking about that now, it does seem a bit strange but I suppose that's just the way I am! I do love me some Downton Abbey, Midsomer Murders and a nice cup of tea!

Those are my 7 facts, I tag the following:-

Dalal - http://monochromedaisies.blogspot.co.uk

Megan - http://theperksofmeg.blogspot.co.uk

Emily - http://www.emilysbeautythoughts.blogspot.co.uk

Charleigh - http://theglossytruth.blogspot.co.uk

Heather - http://www.porcelainbeautyx.com

Daisy - http://www.daisydaisyxxo.co.uk

Jasmine - http://magpiejasmine.blogspot.co.uk

Chloe - http://www.simplebeautychatter.co.uk

Aimee - http://aimeetalksbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/

Amy Rose - http://www.amyrose.co

That is it for today, if any of you has done this post before, make sure you leave me your link down below! I look forward to reading them!

Emily xx

March Favourites 2015

This favourites post seems very minimal again this month! It wasn't until the end of the month (literally the past few days) that I have discovered some amazing products but I don't feel like they belong here yet as I haven't used them for the whole month.  I feel like putting products in that I only started to use the last few days of the month would make me a fraud, maybe thats a slight exaggeration but it just doesn't feel right! Enough rambling, I could ramble about the small amount of products and why there aren't so many all day but I think you would all rather read about the actual products rather than the strange theories I have about monthly favourites posts.

Starting with face products, I have been majorly obsessing over the Seventeen Skin Wow Primer.  I have a full review of it here where I compared it to Benefit High Beam, except this is better! It gives the most natural, kind of wet looking glow without being glittery or sparkly It is so versatile and can be worn under foundation, mixed in with foundation or just on the high points of your face! I have used it in all 3 ways and they each have their advantages. The biggest perk to this product is the price! It is only £5.99 for something that is such an amazing quality and contains so much product as well!

I have 3 eye favourites this month which is a first! I generally stick to what I know when it comes to eyes as I get very attached to certain products, but I have had a sudden urge to try new things and it has done me good! It gives me something a little different to talk about and gets me out of the eyeliner and mascara rut that I have been stuck in for a good 6 months! The first product is the Elf Smudge Pot in 'Brownie Points' which is a products I have written about many times before.  On lazy days, which happens a lot more often than I'd like to admit, I put a small amount of this on the lower half of my lid and then blend up to my crease with a fluffy brush.  To finish this look, I just run a small bit of a warm brown through the crease to ensure its seamless (if I can be bothered) and then apply a quick slick of mascara! The formula and colour are both amazing, along with the bargain price of around £2! Next is the Soap&Glory Super Cat Eyeliner Pen which I was quite sceptical about to begin with.  I have never been a fan of felt tip eyeliners and am definitely a liquid girl........only until I found this.  I bought this on a whim with my advantage card points and it was one of the best purchases I have made this month. The formula is amazing as I mentioned in my Products I've Been Trying Out and it makes it so easy to applied winged liner which has always been the bane of my life! The best part about it is that it is only £6 so I would definitely recommend this if you too struggle with the dreaded winged liner and are in the market for a new eyeliner.  Lastly is the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara which I reviewed recently here.  It gives the perfect balance of length and volume as well as holding a curl and lasting all day without a flake in sight.  It provides an easy and clump free application and keeps my lashes looking at their best all day long!

I will be doing a separate lifestyle/fashion favourites within the next week as I have quite a few and there would be too many to include in this post! I might do something like that more often as well to mix things up a little, let me know what you think about this.

What have been your favourite products this month?

Emily xx