Forgotten Gems

so i was having a little clear out today and i stumble across a couple of make-up items that i had long forgotten about, but had definitely once upon a time been a big part of my daily makeup routine.

first is this MAC eyeshadow which was release with a Barbie collection and it was actually my first ever MAC product. It's in a shade called whistle an I'm so glad i found it because i really used to love this product and i wore it all the time. it's a beautiful pearly baby pink colour that leaves a subtle satin finish. it can be worn as a eyeshadow, on the inner corners of the eyes to give a wide awake look and even as a highlighter on the brow bone. i still have quite a bit of it left and it still has the barbie imprint on it.




next is a product that I'm sure you've all heard about, it the Maybelline great lash mascara in Blackest Black. this was a cult favourite once upon a time and was actually the first mascara i ever owned. i haven't tried it in ages, but i do remember loving it and i did repurchase it a couple of times. this one is clearly past its sell by date so next time I'm in a drugstore i might just pick it up again as i do think that it's a forgotten gem of mine.



i love love love rediscovering old products, because when you do they feel new again ans you get the same feeling you did when you first bought them! :)

However... I'm going to start making a conscious effort to use product before i purchase more of the same kind. even though it's great to rediscover unused products i think it's even better to get your moneys worth out of them... do you agree?

have you rediscovered any old make up items lately?

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Products i'm using right now!

I'd be lying if i said i had been tagged to do this, because i haven't. :( but i wanted to do it, so i hope you don't mind but here goes...

Shampoo & Conditioner: Ojon hydrating shampoo and conditioner

Shower Gel: Imperial Leather Japanese Spa foamburst shower gel

Body moisturiser: Palmers cocoa butter

Deodorant: Sure Crystal

Fake Tan: i don't use fake tan

Cleanser and Toner: Neutrogena triple action 2 in 1 cleaner and toner

Exfoliator: Clean and clear daily exfoliating scrub

Primer: Laura Geller spackle

Foundation: Bare Minerals

Foundation brush: my fingers!

Concealer: Max Factor Concealer Stick... please recommend a new concealer to me, i want to try something that really works!

Powder: Bare Minerals mineral veil

Bronzer: it changes all the time, but at the moments it's benefit hoola again

Highlighter: Smashbox highlighting quad in smashing reel

Eyeshadow base: MAC paint pot in bare studyEyeshadow: MAC Sable

Eyeliner: Avon perfect wear liquid liner

Mascara: I'm loving Avon Supershock mascara at the moment (it's my product of the week:)

Lipstick: Revlon matte lipstick in Nude Attitude

Lipgloss: Revlon super lustrous lipgloss in shocking spice

Nail Colour: Nails Inc - Kings Road

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Lemon juice face mask

after reading a post by bubblegarm, who by the way is one of my favourite bloggers, i decided to try and use lemon juice as a face mask... my skin isn't 'bad' and i don't really get alot of spot, but when i do they always leave blemishes.. and i never only get one spot, they always come together. so my skin either looks really good or kinda bad.

anyway so i read the post by bubblegarm when my skin was going through a bad patch and therefore decided to give it a go, especially since it was highly recommended.

instead on putting it on for 5 minutes in the morning, i treated it like a mask and left it on over night.

what i liked about it:
oh my! the different is amazing, my blemishes definitely lightened after id say 2 days, this was especially noticeable on my for head.

it really helped even out my skin tone. the skin on my for head and around my mouth had always been ever so slightly darker than the skin on the rest of my face, weird i no, and it always bothered me, but the lemon juice has really evened all of that out:)

it's natural! which is always a bonus. my skins really improving by using something that doesn't cost much money at all!

what i didn't like about it:
it stings!... but if you just leave it on it does carm down.

it feels a bit sticky which can be annoying if you want to leave it on over night like i do.

i suffer from dry skin anyway, and using lemon juice just made it worse, but i make sure i use a thick moisturiser in the morning, so it's not to bad.

my final verdict:
i think the pros definately out-weight the cons! i recommend using lemon juice on the face, it really works!

here's a picture of me from yesterday with no foundation onjust a thought though, with lemons being highly acidic is that not bad in anyway for the skin... does any one know? thanks for reading!

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Review: Bare Escentuals

Swirl.....Tap.....Buff!

What the website says:

"Bare Escentuals started the revolution in mineral makeup with the introduction of our award-winning 100% pure bareMinerals.
bareMinerals looks like a powder, feels like a cream and buffs on like silk, giving skin a natural luminosity. Free of preservatives, talc, oil, fragrance and other harmful chemicals, bareMinerals provides impeccable coverage for every skin type, skin tone, and concern yet it doesn't feel like you're wearing any makeup at all.
And bareMinerals are just the beginning. Our makeup line also offers complete colour cosmetics and treatments designed to enhance your natural beauty, such as lipcolors, lip liners, lip glosses, mascaras, skin preps, flawless application brushes and more."

What do i think?

i use bare minerals foundation on a daily basis and personally love it and totally agree with above. i must admit though when i first started using it, i was rather disappointed, and it was only after sticking with it for a good couple of weeks and practising the precise application method(SWIRL... TAP... BUFF) that i then actually started to like it. i started off by ordering the starter kit, which includes two complimentary foundation shades (2g), a warmth all over face colour (2g), mineral veil (2g), skin rever-er upper (68ml), a flawless face brush and a max coverage concealer brush.

i have since brought a couple more items from the brand and this is where my collection stands at the minute.

Brushes:

L-R: heavenly face brush, heavenly blush brush, eye buki brush, max coverage concealer brush, flawless face brush, max coverage kabuki brush (bottom)

i haven't ever tried to apply my bare minerals with any other brush, but i do think that the finish is better if the bare mineral tools are used. i use the flawless face brush to apply a small amount of mineral veil before i apply my foundation. i feel this helps to greatly reduce the look of my pores. for full coverage i used the heavenly face brush to apply my foundation all over the face, and then i may use the concealer brush to add any extra coverage that may be needed. the brushes are really soft and easy to clean. my advice would be to use the flawless face brush at a 45 degree angle to the face rather than a 90 degree angle to the face. this stops any irritation to the skin especially if you really like to buff the mineral into the skin.

Rating: 5/5

Eyeshadow:

Kudos and Magnatize

the eye shadows are really finely milled and leave a beautiful wash of colour on the eyelid. i must admit that i haven't really used Kudos, but Magnatize leave a gorgeous golden sheen. i would recommend used a base or a skin toned matte eyeshadow underneath as it helps spread the mineral evenly on the eyelid, leaving a more professional, finished look.

Rating: 4/5

Blush:

Naughty Naughty

i only own one blush, in shade naughty naughty. i must admit that in the pot, the blush look really shimmery and pigmented, but when applied with a light hand, using the heavenly blush brush, it leaves a really nice pinky sheen to the skin. it's not glittery or clown like but rather nice. i think i would personally like to try some more blushes by the brand. again like all bare minerals products, the powder is really finely milled which allows the product to be easily and evenly distributed on the face.

Rating: 4/5

Radiance:

two in one radiance product: L - pure radiance, R- Tropical radiance

i really do rate the radiance products. i think it's hard to find a highlighter that doesn't leave a sweaty sheen to the skin, especially if it a loose powder, but this product really delivers. my personal favourite is the Pure Radiance which leave a soft light, subtle golden sheen to the skin where as the tropical radiance is slightly more pigmented allowing it to be used as a blusher if you wanted. i use the flawless face brush to apply this produce in a E shape on my face.

Rating: 4.5/5

Complexion:

L-R: warmth all over face colour, SPF15 foundation in medium tan, mineral veil.

starting with the foundation, i think this is the best foundation i have ever tried. it leaves my skin looking flawless and once you get used to it, its quick and simple to apply. when wearing this foundation i constantly get complements on my skin, not my makeup. that shows me that this is the prefect foundation for me because i don't want to look like I'm caked in foundation, but i do want my skin to look good. the fact that it has SPF15 in it is a added bonus because i don't have to worry about overloading my face with creams and what not. i would recommend that you make sure your face is moisturised before you apply the foundation though, because being a fine powder, it can highlight dry skin. with all bare escentual products, and the foundation in particular, you have to remember that a very little goes a long way. to apply the foundation, you tap a little into the lid, swirl your brush in it to warm the minerals up and then buff it into your skin. the more you buff, the better it will look.

Rating: 5/5

i started off apply the mineral veil on top of my foundation, but found that it had little affect. so after someone advised me to do so, i started applying it underneath my foundation. there's a huge difference! it really helps to minimise my pores, especially on my for head where i think there most noticeable and it also take away any excess shine.

Rating: 5/5

i don't use the warmth product on a daily basis, but when i do use it, i use it as a bronzer. it's meant to add a sun kissed look to the face... which it does. the colour in the pot does look a little scary, but trust me it doesn't come out that colour on the face! the best thing about this product is the luminosity it adds to the face, but in my opinion that could be said for all bare escentuals products.

Rating: 3.5/5

the skin rever-er upper which is features in the second picture from the top is kind of like a primer. it has a strong chemical smell, but works wonders. it helps the minerals last longer on the face and it keeps my skin in good condition.

Rating: 4/5

Where to buy bare minerals?:

bare minerals can be quite expensive, but a little 2g pot of foundation does last a long time. of course it does depend how much you use. there are bare minerals counter in debehnams and selfridges. if your looking for a cheaper option, it can be bought on QVC and there are many reliable seller on ebay. to start of with i would recommend buying the starter kit which retails at £45.00 in the UK.

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Chatsworth House

yesterday i went to visit Chatsworth House, which belongs to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. it was the main location used when filming the movie 'The Duchess' which stars Keira Knightley and it was also Mr Darcy's house in the 2005 adaptation of 'Pride and Prejudice'. i was really excited about going because i loved both of the movies and do generally love anything to do with the past.

the weather was perfect as the sun was shining all day! quiet surprising seeing as it rained all of July!

if any of you have seen the move pride and prejudice, this sculpture of Mr Darcy is in it :)

My pictures of inside the house aren't very good because the lighting was really dark. :( but this picture sums up the inside quiet well.

the gardens were gorgeous, these picture's don't really do them justice. i do have loads more but it would just take a lifetime to upload them.

overall i had a really good time looking around the house and strolling the gardens and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to go and visit. if your a fan of the movies filmed there then a day out to Chatworth is a must for you :)

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My new nail polishes

a parcel arrived in the post with my name on it today.... i had ordered some nails inc. nail varnishes to add to my growing collection.

this is all the nails. inc nail polishes i own

i certainly didn't need anymore but i couldn't resist, especially considering the price i got them for. i ordered the new winter metallics collection which are all pretty dark colours and i just thought well if there upcoming winter colours, why not...


on the nails inc. website this collection retails for £20.00, but i got it for 40% off (so £12). on top of that, the lilac colour on the left was free. so for all five i only paid £12... pretty good i think, considering that one bottle alone retails for £10.50 in nails inc. salons :)

i like nails inc. because what you see in the bottle is what you get on the nail.. here's what they look like...
















there all quite dark and I'm not to sure about the green... but I'm sure I'll still wear it. my favourite is definitely the antique gold colour.
like I've mentioned in a previous post (here) one thing i love about nails inc. nail polishes are the names. each colour is named after a street in London..



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