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 :)

x

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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Toni & Guy hair curlers

about a week ago i bought a new hair curler. i got the Toni and Guy 38mm, digital control curlers. iv had my eye on them for ages and am really glad that iv finally got them :)

i don't really like the look of prefect, tight, crunchy curls and rather much prefer loose, large, natural, messy looking curls. I've tried these curlers once, but forgot to take some pics, but they definitely give the effect I'm looking for. next time i curl my hair, I'll be sure to take some pictures but so far so good :)

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Sleek love

i just want to say that i LOVE my sleek storm palette. My mum used it and when i told her how much it was, she was really shocked. She said she thought it would have been really expensive as the quality and pigment of the colour was just amazing. I've only had it for a week and look at the state of it already...

hmmmm.... i have my eye one the safari palette now, has anyone tried it, if so what do you think??

x

Review: Laura Geller part 1

Okay, so i haven't really heard much about your thoughts on Laura Geller make up. maybe it's just old news... or maybe it's just not to popular i don't know, but i thought i would share my views with you on some of the products that i own.

Laura Geller has a baked range in her makeup line. this is basically that the baked products start their life are a liquid and are then baked to produce the finally product. I think the concept is the same as MAC MSFs. In many of the baked products, there is usually an array of colour which helps add dimension and allows each product to be more versatile. I'll review two of my favourite products out of the ones i own from the baked range in this post, and then the rest of them in a separate post.

Balance and Bronze in Medium - the version that i own is a 2 in 1 product, but they can be bought separately as Balance and Brighten (foundation) and Bronze and Brighten (Bronzer). In my opinion the foundation is okay as it provides medium coverage and has loads of different colours within it to help add colour and reduce redness etc. at the same time. (you will understand what i mean if you look at the picture). It does however leave a matte finish whereas i personally favour a dewy finish to the skin. The other half of the compact is the bronzer, which is amazing! i love it! It might actually be my favourite bronzer. It's the perfect brown with no orange in it which is what i like bronzers to be like. Unlike the foundation, the bronzer adds a dewy finish to the skin but doesn't last too long :(....

WARNING - because of the way the products are made, each compact is slightly different. This means that different amounts of each colour will appear in each compact. In my particular compact the bronzer had alot of dark brown, i liked this because the bronzer is buildable and easy to work with, however some people may have preferred to receive a compact with more subtler tones.

the foundation is on the left and the bronzer is on the right.

Blush and Brighten in Apricot Berry - so i must admit that when i first purchased this kit i found it really had to get along with this blush and so for a long time left it at the bottom of my makeup draw, untouched. When i was bored one day i reached for it and decided to have a play around and I'm so glad that i did! I actually discovered that it's the Laura Geller brushes that were the problem and not the product itself. I now use my Bare escentuals buki blush brush to apply this blusher which helps to leave a gorgeous glow to the skin and really adds dimension. A small amount goes a long way and as long as the brush used to apply the blush is right the effects are amazing.

i was wondering if the Laura Geller Blush and Brightens were in anyway similar to MAC Mineralized Skinfinishes... had anyone tried both? if so, are they similar? I'd love to know.

i will review the remaining items pictured above in a upcoming post if anyone wants to hear about them, but overall i would recommend the two products above as they have now become a staple in my makeup routine. BUT i think they take a bit of getting used to, so if you do ever try them just make sure you try then out for a while before you make your mind up :)

x

Review: Nails Inc.

i own a few bottles of nails inc. nail polishes and so thought i should do a review on them. nails inc. is a high end nail polish brand in the UK and each bottle retails for around £10.50. however, iv never paid that much for any of mine. they have previously been given away as free gift with magazines such as InStyle and Glamour and i have also purchased a collection from QVC. (if your interested in trying out or buying more nails inc. nail polishes, i would seriously recommend buying them from QVC as sell then for much lower prices).

so this is my collection:

from left to right: kensington cavier top coat, kensington cavier base coat, InStyle Coral, Brompton Place, Sloane Mews, InStyle Bare, Jermyn Street, Chester Place, Eaton Mews, Dover Street Market, Victoria and Chesham Place.

one thing i do love about these nails polishes is the names! there all named after streets in London, i love it.

i used the top and base coat when i can be bothered, but i do like these two products. the top coat does add extra shine and allows the colour intensity to last for longer.

i usually apply two coats of the nail polish and it lasts for ages! they give a high shine finish and some of then even give a high gloss finish which i love. the gloss finish polishes (Chester Place, Dover Street Market and Victoria) compared to the matte finish polishes (instyle coral, Brompton Place, Sloane Mews Instyle Bare and Jermyn Street) in my opinion are better. i think they look more expensive and i always get compliments when wearing them. two of the shades, Chesham Place and Eaton Mews give a metallic finish.

the two shades i was disappointed with were the two free shades i got with Instyle magazine a couple of months ago. (these are the two shades with instyle in their name) they almost seemed like fakes because they were a lot more streaky and hard to apply compared to the other matte finish colours i own. the brush was also different and in my opinion of a cheaper quality. so if you were disappointed with the shades offered with Instyle Magazine i would definitely try again with a colour perhaps from a set or a gloss finish polish which are my personal favourite.

i'l be sure to take some picture when i have them on my nails, but i definitely recommend nails inc.

x

Hello

so iv been following beauty blogs for a while now and finally thought it was time to start my own. i first stumbled across the 'beauty blogging world' a couple of months back when i was trying to find a new foundation... i then found that i kept on checking back on loads of different blogs and can now say that i am now totally hooked!


just so you can put a name to a face, this is me...


yes i find it hard to take serious pictures.... anyway, im really excited to get started! so il be sure to post again soon.
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