Sleek i-Divine Palette in Storm

The amount of eye palettes you can buy these days are pretty eyewatering (I'm sorry!) so it's little wonder most of us find the process of choosing one a little too much sometimes.

Back in 2012 I won tickets to The Clothes Show along with a goodie bag courtesy of Sleek. Out of everything I was lucky enough to win, the item I loved the most using it pretty much everyday was their I-Divine palette in Storm. After using it to the point where the mirror had broken off and I'd accidentally hoovered one of the shades clean off the pan (next time I'll use a wipe to clean my makeup!) I decided it was time for out with the old in with the new.




I had planned to re-purchase this palette during my recent beauty spree to Meadowhall however with a shopping list as long as Kim K's surgery record I simply ran out of time! I was delighted to see Sleek had now brought itself to my local branch of Boots within the last week meaning no more two hour treks to the nearest outlet.
As you can see I pulled out all the brand new tester slots and had a good old neb n' swatch!



Since I last owned this palette they've since named the shades which is brilliant for being able to describe my favourites to you. Two of my can't live without shades include Firestorm and Dust Storm which are shimmery yet not glittery and extremely pigmented and long lasting especially if applied with a damp eyeshadow brush. You'll never lust over a Tom Ford palette ever again!


 

  
I think compared to other Sleek palettes, Storm is the most wearable and the shades really can be used from day through to night. It's all well and good having pretty bright colours in a palette - but if you are not going to be able to use them everyday then to me it's just a waste. With storm you can do day or night and even brows (Eye of the storm) and liner (blackout) so you can truly get the use out of every single colour. 





This palette costs £8.99 and can be picked up from Boots. For this price you get 12 wearable pigmented shades and a huge mirror in the lid which I love. For those of you who can't face paying £40 for a naked palette I highly recommend you try Sleek first. Try my damp eyeshadow brush trick and you will never look back... infact you will look forwards straight into the mirror astounded at your mesmerising eyeshadow colours!

Huge Meadowhall Haul!

Yes I know what you're thinking. Urgh, another blogger doing a haul? Well mine is more of a personal achievement rather than a brag session.

What with being a student, then facing a long illness, unemployment, occasional casual work and then becoming self employed I've never really had the money to go crazy on buying products, and I know the popularity of my blog and channel has been affected as a result of not being able to keep up with everyone else.

Recently though the tides have finally been turning and I was able to treat myself to a (rather extensive!) shopping trip at Meadowhall for new clothes and beauty items. Hopefully this will be the first of many trips as I just want to start afresh with everything and my beauty routine is no exception.

Starting with high end make-up I picked out 3 items of interest I've had my eye on for quite some time. 

I headed to the Mac counter first as normally the service is quite rude, so I figured I should get that out of the way first so it wouldn't ruin my day (an employee at the Belfast Mac counter described my neck as looking "Sallow" a few months back....)

I picked up the lipliner in Talking Points and the lipstick in Patisserie. The most shocking thing of all was the customer service went above and beyond, and the staff all had a fantastic attitude. I'm not sure if there has been some new training rolled out but long may it continue! The young man who served me was incredibly professional and even applied the colours directly on my lips for me so I could be confident in my choices. Customers were actually being smiled at and told to have a nice day. I was gobsmacked!

Later on I then moved onto the Bobbi Brown counter where I picked up their foundation stick in the shade 00 Alabaster. Again, I have to say I received excellent service from the Meadowhall branch after previously having derogatory comments made about my skin issues at another Bobbi counter on Oxford Street.

This was certainly not the case with the lovely Shumin at Meadowhall who tried a couple of different Bobbi foundations out on me to help me find a more everyday type coverage. Bobbi Brown and Illamasqua are the two go-to counters for pale skin so I couldn't wait to add one of their foundations to my collection. 

After first trying their skin foundation, I opted for a touch more coverage with the stick foundation. I had swatched this earlier in the day and noticed the oxidization was pretty minimal which for pale skin is crucial. I was really happy with my choice and the service from start to finish was incredibly warm and friendly. I can't wait to go back!  

I think the truth is that not every company has poor service at every branch, and so when I do find a counter that is professional I will make sure only they get my custom in future. The counters at Meadowhall in my opinion are generally quite excellent, so do pop by if you are in the area.

I also think it's important to state when counters give less than satisfactory service and not dance around the issue for fear of brands not wanting to work with you as a blogger. You have to be completely honest so that things can change for the better, and so you will notice I will always state both my good and negative experiences I have had with a brand. Make-up can be bloody expensive so make sure you are made to feel worth it and accept nothing less!
  
I bought quitteeee alot of other items so head over to my channel where I have done a full haul video! Perhaps prepare drinks and nibbles in advance ;)

Make your Glow Tonic last longer!

At £18 a bottle, Pixi Glow Tonic itself is not what I would super expensive (especially compared with Sunday Riley at £85 a pop!) However when you consider what all products in a routine can cost when totaled up, it can get pretty ridiculous especially if like me you are in need of particular ingredients to keep your problems at bay.

For me, Glow Tonic is an absolute must as my skin reacts very badly if it's missing from my routine for even a day, therefore I need to keep it in constant rotation where as other products I am more likely to swap around.

With continued use over the years I noticed that the bottle would get used up rather quickly within less than a month. However what frustrated me the most is that I found you spent a fair few drops just getting the cotton pad soaked in enough product so that it's actually got some on there, and hasn't immediately absorbed into the pad. I'm not talking about unnecessarily drenching it either, just literally enough so that some will transfer onto the skin and you will get a proper tone out of it. 

I found this wasteful in both the product and the pounds, so when I introduced the Nip & Fab cleansing (now the one that was cleansing is called toning!) pads into my routine, that sprinkling even a single drop was enough to distribute the glow tonic on my face without the waste.

The Nip & Fab pads are pre-soaked, but they also have a thickness similar to that of a nail varnish removing pad so are ultra thin. Therefore even a tiny drop of another product will soak straight through so you can use the pad on both sides and still get a good distribution of product.

I have tried the pads without the glow tonic, and find them just a *tad* dry without, and I definitely notice the difference with a drop of glow tonic compared to without, just incase you were wondering. 
 
The current Glow Tonic bottle I'm using I bought a good six months ago now, and there's still a hearty bit left which will no doubt give me another month of use if not much more. Compare this to a new bottle every 4 weeks and that's quite some saving!

Now, I know what you're thinking.... yes but you have to buy the Nip & Fab pads though. The great news on that front is that because they are stocked in so many places, they are always on offer and infact I've never bought them at full price! They average at around £7 for 60 pads which is 2 months use if you use once a day, and a month if you use twice a day. They also give just that extra hint of acid tone, and I've had no adverse reaction from doing so. My skin will flare up like a baboon's bum if I use even a hint of the wrong thing - believe me. 

I would recommend the regular pads for those new to acid toning, and the extreme if you are having a particularly bad breakout and or need them to use on areas of the body too. I've tried out both varieties and for me the extreme show amazing results within just a few days of using them. 

I really hope this has helped some of you out there save some pennies and get a little more economical with your products. Again I love Pixi and I've continually purchased *many* bottles of the stuff and will continue to do so, however when you are on a budget every little helps!


Where to Buy:
Pixi Glow Tonic (£18)
Nip & Fab Regular (£7-£12)
Nip & Fab Extreme (£7-£14)

Fresh as a daisy!

Sleep is something none of us can avoid, however we don't always get that much of a refreshing one. Technology, stress, jetlag.... the list goes on as to why we wake up angry and usually hangry too.
 
I've tried Lavender before in various forms, but then I discovered it in a more potent oil form by Fresh Skin - an essential oils specialist website (they are also on Amazon!)

In the last few weeks I've been using this in the form of a couple of drops on my wrists/dotted on my sleepwear and it has massively improved both the length and quality of sleep I've been getting, with noticeable effects each time I use it.

I've even massaged it into the side of my face when wisdom tooth pain has occured and I found an amazing relief from doing so. The bottle cautions to avoid skin contact, however I have had no problems personally and I usually react very quickly! Of course, choose whether to do this or not at your own discretion.
 
It also goes without saying, don't use if you are planning to drive before you've had a sleep as it's effects creep on you very quickly! I prefer to apply about an hour before I plan to hit the florally adorned sack (thankyou Debenhams bedding kids section!) ;)

Prices start from £1.89, and even that goes a very long way before you even start to make a dent in the bottle contents. Infact, the smallest size would be more than ideal for traveling as it would even fit in your liquid bag allowance.

I highly recommend for anyone who has trouble sleeping or who is looking for a better quality of sleep overall. Use 2-3 times a week max so you don't become too reliant, and make sure you drink plenty of water when you wake up as it's not uncommon to be out for 10+ hours with this.

Vichy Haul

I decided to make the most of the Boots 3 for 2 skincare offer which was on recently and I decided to try some Vichy products as I had heard many a good thing but never tried for myself before.

With me the things I look out for in my daytime skincare regime are hydration, as my skin can breakout if not sufficiently hydrated which is always a problem in winter with harsh weather and central heating! I picked 3 products which I felt would counteract this problem and I've been testing them for the last few weeks.

In no particular order.....

Vichy Liftactiv Serum 10 Supreme

I was originally going to go for 2 Vichy products then a regular non-Vichy favourite, however this caught my eye as it had a tester out next to it which is not always a luxury you find in the Boots skincare section!

It immediately felt really cooling and soft on my skin. It's has a clear, fluid consistency and product wise is similar to Lancome Advanced Genefique, and Elizabeth Arden Superstart Skin Renewal Booster - both of which are firm favourites of mine.

The serum sinks into skin nicely and mixes well with other products. It's also devoid of any strong smells which I'm sure will please alot of you out there.

Only dislike up to now is I'm not too keen on the dispenser. It's an in-lid pump/pipette which fails to pick up enough product to drop enough out so you do have to pour this one a little. If that doesn't bother you though, then I can't see it being too much of an issue.

It's currently priced between £25-£35 depending on what offers are on. On the price ticket in the shop it was actually listed at £15 and after the lady at the till stated I can't possible have seen it at that price - she checked it for me and I ended up getting it as my "free" item in the 3 for 2 offer. Remember, the customer is always right! ;)

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum

Hopefully by now it's becoming ever so slightly apparent I have a thing for serums! This one in particular I've had on my hit-list for a while as it's frequently mentioned by bloggers who like me, have trouble reigning in their parched skin.

Firstly, it has a pump dispenser which works so much better than it's Liftactiv counterpart. It feels super hydrating and would fit in perfectly under most moisturisers or mixed in with another serum for a quick hit of hydration as I like to apply it.

One thing that did surprise me is it has a texture very similar to water - so be prepared to wait a few moments before applying anything else on top as depending on the product it may "slip" slightly.

It's currently priced at £22.50 so think carefully whether you'd rather buy this or it's rival Hydraluron at just £2 dearer.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Rich Cream

Out of all the moisturisers I have tried from Boots over the years, this has to be one of the best. It's not heavily fragranced, doesn't irritate and generally hydrates quite well. Having said that my make-up has a very *slightly* tenancy to peel if using this moisturiser when layered with other products underneath. Nothing major and can be resolved by getting the right formation of products. Remember my skin is dry - I have to layer those hydrating bad boys underneath! 

I like that it's a "stick your hand in" type pot, although I do prefer a spatula for such packaging types as I find it much easier and not to mention hygienic. Unfortunately I think I hoovered my last one up so someone please remind me to steal another next time I'm working for L'Occtiane and no one is looking repurchase from Amazon or another brilliant retailer like I did last time - promise. In all fairness they cost about 5p so I really should get onto that!

Price wise, it costs £17 for a 50ml pot which I think is more than reasonable. A similar one I have tried to this is the Lancome Hydra Zen   which for the same size as the Vichy would cost you £39.50.   

Getting On My Nerves!

You may have noticed an absence in posts and videos from me lately. Aside from being busy with work, I've had a few ailments to contend with.
 
For about 5 months of this year and up until a couple of weeks ago I had been suffering really badly with pains down my right side of my arm. It was to the point whereby I was getting the constant feeling of electric shocks down my hand, and my arm movements became incredibly limited, as I couldn't lift my arm up at all without being in alot of pain.

At times I couldn't eat or brush my teeth with my right arm (my electric toothbrush sent such insanely painful vibrations through my arm I could have cried) so was doing everything like that left handed. My skincare routine was again very painful and drying my hair with my hairdryer was out of the question. My arm was very weak and tingly all of the time. 


I had been taking painkillers, using heatpatches and even had my hand splinted for most of the day and night as a vain attempt to try and fix the problem, which I suspect was initially caused by reading my phone in bed at night at an uncomfortable angle.
 
After seeing my Doctor and being tested for diabetes and thyroid problems *again!* he ruled it was probably a trapped nerve. This was without even touching my arm or checking it, just taking a guess. His advice was that I should remain in the splint and continue taking ibuprofen if I'm in too much pain. All they could do for me is offer me pain injections if it continued and that was about it.I wasn't really satisfied with this response seen as I'd lost most of the use out of my right arm (I'm right handed as well!) and things were becoming impossible for me. It's only suggested you take ibuprofen for 10 days and it had been about 5 months at this point (I hadn't been taking pillkillers that long but just to demonstrate how impractical this advice was!)  

In my desperate attempt to get my arm back to normal I went on a hunt for a cure. I came across a video on YouTube about Swiss massage techniques which told not just how to do them, but how to look out for knots and what they feel like in the skin. I had no idea knots are actually lactic acid build up that need to be released by applying the right amount of pressure and drinking lots of water afterwards to help flush out the toxins.
 
I was absolutely fascinated by this video, and got my Mum to repeat some of the techniques on my back with a tiny drop of deep heat over the course of a week or so. It hurt like hell even though she was trying not to hurt me! She told me I was very knotted and what I found is it hurt less and less the more times she went over the painful areas (coincidentally on my right shoulder!)
 
I kid you not even after the very first time of attempting this, I regained almost all the moment in my right arm and the pain had 95% gone. This was after months and months of pain, tingling sensations and constant discomfort. I had no idea it even hurt up there until she went over it and it was one of those Eureka moments people go on about.

We've topped up the massage about once a week or so (I'm still getting the odd knot, which weirdly I can feel as I get shooting pains down my arm and into my hands) and I really cannot believe the difference. I've since had no real problems and can once again lift my arm up and dry my hair and everything else I haven't been able to do for months.

I've also limited the use of my phone especially at night. Just to put things in perspective even "liking" an instagram post before would have left me in agony and any swiping motion on an app was out of the question because of the pain it set off.
 
I thought I would share this for anyone else out there suffering with similar symptoms, you never know it might actually be a knot build-up in your back. I spent so long concentrating on my hand/wrist as this was the main source of pain but the problems were actually from much further up!
 
Please give the video a watch and look into having a Swiss Massage if this sounds like you. Even if you get someone else to push the knots out like I did, it's better than sitting there in pain! Also, watch your arm/hand angles when using technology to avoid strains and damage long term.


Hope I've helped some of you out there!

Ooops I did it again!

So it turns out I won another contest! My 3rd this year - oops indeed! But to be fair all products I have never tried before and lets be honest don't exactly have the budget for either!

Interestingly this was yet another contest that required a creative sentence as an entry, this time it had to be beauty related. Mine was....

"No amount of makeup can mask an ugly heart" - Kevyn Aucoin.

This is something I really believe in. Of course I love my beauty products, but I feel it's so important to look beyond the aesthetics. Having worked in the beauty industry it was really disheartening to work for certain brands I had always loved, only to find the other team members to be the "you can't sit with us!" type of people.... you know what I mean?

Well I bet none of them are sat here now with a box of Nars! It pays to be nice folks! ;)

Anyhoo as explained yes this is indeed a box of Nars. The limited edition edit for Glossybox infact which trended on twitter and sold out very quickly.

It contains Orgasm blush (no you have not stumbled on the wrong blog here!) This actually reminds me a little of the Sleek Rose Gold Blush, which I'm guessing must be a dupe of the Nars. Either way it's a super soft colour and I'm so grateful as these type of shades work beautifully on pale skin!

Lets ramp things up with Orgasm the multiple which before I have to slap a parent advisory sticker on this blog - is actually referring to the different ways in which this product can be used! I was immediately impressed with how softly it glided across my skin when swatching, it honestly felt like pure silk. Again the colour is subtle and really catches the light. I can imagine it would look great on all skintones.

Also featured is the Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien, the Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Via Veneto and the new Audacious Mascara. I think it's great how they have included products that are actually popular and better still really wearable! With the variety of products one box really does cover all bases.

I can't thank you enough Glossybox for choosing me, as mushy as that may sound to the rest of you. This was actually the first time I have ever tried any Nars products so I feel so lucky right now.
 

On closer inspection I discovered the original Glossybox seems to have contained all travel sizes, where as my prize contains full sizes! Okay I definitely need to get this post published before I actually faint.