this blog has moved!!

This blog has now moved from admin reasons to www.lovefromlucky.blogspot.co.uk

PLEASE VISIT GUYS AND FOLLOW!! THANKYOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT.

You can find the last Slimming World post on my new blog!

Slimming world update #1

Hi again guys, i'm currently home ill from work due to not being very well and well, i'm a touch bored so I thought what better time to sit down and start working on the blog again. So this is going to be my first update on this blog about my Slimming World journey. Many of you may currently follow me on Instagram and can see my journey in action week to week. I try to post as many food related items with syn values as much as I can but also update you guys on my journey in photo form.

So here is a little about the slimming world journey so far. I started SW back on the 26th of February 2014 due to the lack of confidence I was feeling in myself and in the way I looked. I've been an avid dieter since about 2010-2011. When I was younger, I could eat whatever I wanted and would stay slim and everyone would wonder how my metabolism fought it off so much. Everyone joked that it would eventually catch up with me and although I love vegetables and quite a few healthy things, I do LOVE pizza and junk food. As I left school and started attending college, I became a bit more lazy with my food choices as I got my freedom. You know the whole ''I've now got a job and I'm growing up and can do what I like with my money ...'', well I chose to go out, eat junk food and get a bit tipsy now and again. As we all do when we grow up. Also the fact that when your in school you have your regular P.E lessons like 2-3 times a week and when I went to college, I studied Art and Design so it was a lot of sitting down and not a lot of activeness. 

Suffice to say, the food started to affect my body and before I knew it, I was creeping up to the 12 stone mark which at the age of 18, is not the best. I was always known for being a curvier girl, at 5ft 7 I could easily pull it off with my ample bosom and butt and everyone used to just say that I was always an hourglass so no one used to really say anything to my face. But I began to feel less comfortable in myself and wanted to do something about it. 

My mum has also always struggled with weight. She never used to when she was younger, again around the age of 18 she had me and that's when it all went downhill. I think it's a genetics thing where we have really high metabolism and something just snaps and then it disappears. Well she's done a few SW and Weight Watcher diets, even the odd Atkins and all the shake related diets. We joined up to Weight Watchers together around 2010 time as she could see my weight was getting me down. Although I did not need to lose a lot of weight, I needed to do something and soon otherwise it would start to get out of control. 

So we started Weight Watchers and in around 6 weeks, I'd lost over a stone and got down to around 11 stone which I was a lot happier with and eventually set my target to just below 11 stone. I felt on top of the world! I started going out a lot more and being social, buying nice dresses and getting a lot of attention when going out clubbing. I had not long broken up for a serious relationship when my now boyfriend Ashley asked me out on a date. At first, I kept refusing him and didn't want to go out with anyone. After 3 weeks of him asking I just said i'd go for a drink with him and then well, the rest is history. 

Sadly this is where things started to go down hill. I was young and in love, and the diet went out of the window faster than you can say 'what diet?!'. After around 4 months of being together we moved out and started to play grown up's, you can only imagine what that did to my diet. 

Well here we are 4 years later ..... and 4 stone heavier. Yes, I got a bit addicted to food and not caring because Ashley didn't either. We were in love and just got a little too happy. I eventually said this February enough was enough after trying and failing diets in between this time. Don't get me wrong, I managed to lose the odd stone but after a few weeks it was back on as I didn't really have the drive to keep going. The photo's above where from the day I joined SW. I was at my heaviest i've ever been at 14st 3.5lbs and sorry if they offend anyone, but it's good to show you the whole truth sometimes. 

I am currently now 12 st 2lbs and have lost 2st1.5lbs (My starting weight was 14st 3.5lbs!!) I was originally quite scared to blurt out these numbers to everyone but feel now, I should be proud. I've come a long way and although I still have a total of 1st 2lbs until my target, I am getting there. I am currently losing my motivation again and need a real kick up the butt. I know this has been a long post but I feel I can vent and if it helps any of you too, well that will make me really happy. I would love to be able to get to my target and help inspire others. Maybe even one day, become a group consultant!

A little insight to the diet and I mean girls, It really is unlike other diets. You can eat pretty much anything you want as long as with things like meat, you trim off all the fat and instead of cooking in oil, you cook in frylight. You eat as much vegetables and fruit as you like and also, pasta and potatoes are not off limits! You get a certain amount of bread/cereal bars and dairy products a day and you get 5-15 syns a day for anything you can't have on the 'superfree' or 'free' options but other than that, the possibilites are endless. Here is an example of some of the meals I was having on my earlier weeks. 

This is just my first update on here but I just wanted to catch you all up with a bit of a back story to how I got where I am now and why I first started the plan. If you have ANY questions please do get in touch via email at chloemarydavis@gmail.com or check out my instagram for daily updates at 'chlmrydvs'. I will be back next week hopefully with another update and they'll get a tad shorter with each one as I catch you up. 

Thanks for reading guys! Love Lucky. 

Instagram update

Hey guys, I know I know I say this ALL the time but sorry i've not posted in a while. Literally feel like I never get any time to do anything but work lately. I've not had the best start to 2014 if I'm honest but thats another story for another day. Anyways, a quick and easy post for you all is just a quick look at my instagram! Again, it should be linked somewhere on here but if not just search for 'cocomariedavis'. Thanks for sticking with the blog guys, I know a few of you have departed but I'm still proud of the followers I do have and I will hopefully be getting a lot more content up for you guys soon. I am getting my new camera, Canon 600D for my birthday and am looking to set up a little home in a few months with my amazing boyfriend which is all exciting. At that point I will get my own computer set up and then I can blog and maybe even youtube? I'm wondering if vlogging will be a bit easier to do and then edit in due time. But either way guys, thanks for your patience and for sticking with me!

My week in Instagram.

1. Friday night booze and treats - 2. Swatches of Kate Moss Lipsticks (the red was 22 and the 2nd pink was 05) - 3. Fire evacuation at work - 4. Girl crush Ellie Goulding - 5. Being silly and messing about with hair applications, want to go dark ash blonde. - 6. Me and the man beef Ashley. - 7. Koppaberg and a snuggle with my new primark blanket. - 8. Beautiful sandwich for lunch. - 9. Foreo discount code for Luna products! - 10.Bath time. - 11. Feeling homer's pain. - 12. Makeup free and filter free thanks to my Luna Mini. - 13. Current Skincare routinue. - 14. Chocolate truffle freshly dyed hair and 15. The dye I used!

Luna Mini Review - After Week One.

(Excuse the lack of exciting photo's, my camera is currently not working so all these are via my Samsung S3 and Instagram!)

As a beauty blogger, I regularly read about brand new products people are loving and are their 'holy grail' products - things they can't live without. One of the most known items to appear on mostly all of my subscribed bloggers and youtubers was a Clarisonic, a few different versions would pop up every now and again but it was always rated very highly and well, I wanted one for myself after seeing my favourite faces raving about it every month. 

 After my boyfriend questioning me about my Christmas wishlist, I was just about to add a Clarisonic on there, that was until I got received this very exciting email from Bzz about this new 'Luna Mini' product. I had never heard of it but was very wise on the whole powered face cleaning devices. After seeing it was very heavily discounted (£27.70 - with P+P instead of RRP £99.00) I wanted in. I was very happy to have booked myself a place on the campaign and there was an added extra bonus when I got to choose a colour I wanted - I chose the bright Magenta colour as I love bright coloured accessories. Literally 2 days later, my mum text me whilst I was at work to say it had already arrived, before the campaign had even started on Bzz, the first time this has happened for me. I couldn't wait to get home and rip open the box and use my new fancy product. I was worried about fitting it into my skincare routine as I thought it might need specialised products or it would be a pain to use but WOW - it's so easy to use and it will fit into anyone's routine. 

All you have to do is make sure you remove your make-up (I just use my Body Shop Camomile butter to do this with a hot flannel) lather up my face with my favourite cleanser or cleanser of choice that day (it's great because they don't try and sell you extra products - you can use anything with it but it does recommend you avoid scrubs and clay products to avoid damaging the silcone knobbles) and switch on the device with the central button. There are two speeds to the Luna Mini that are both accessed via the central button, you press once for the normal cleansing speed for the whole of your face and press again for the lower speed which is suitable for under eyes and I use this also on my nose. I originally for the first few days got a bit excited and used the back side of the Luna Mini. (There are 3 small sections on the brush. The front consists of mainly small knobbles and a few larger ones at the top suitable for normal everyday cleaning and the back is just larger knobbles which on the online manual suggest for deeper cleaning) Whilst getting over excited and using the back side for deeper cleaning twice a day for three days I actually hurt my skin a little and over cleansed. This just meant my skin was a little sore and putting on face masks and such stung a little. I changed back to the general cleaning for the next 4 days and the soreness disappeared. I am now just over a week of a Luna Mini user and I have to say, I don't know what I would do without it. 

My skin is baby soft, spots are disappearing, it is bringing out spots in places I didn't even know I could get spots in but this is due to the deep cleaning it is doing with the T sonic pulsations. BUT this is good in the long run as it brings them out to be cleaned away so they only last for around a day and aren't sore and can be easily covered with a bit of Mac and concealer. My skin is physically glowing - colleagues and friends are asking what highlighters or make-up products I am using and nothing has changed, just the Luna Mini is making my skin glow and look brighter and healthier. I have to say this is the best invention every and I am soooooooo happy Bzz gave me the chance to have this product. I love it and I am a total convert. 

When eventually my Luna Mini does become damaged (this will be a long long time away) and it falls out of my warranty, I would happily pay £99 to replace this. You have to try this if you haven't already, skincare addict is now addicted to a new product.

 P.S - It also allows your products to work better! So no more fancy products are needed, your simple skincare works 10 x better. Also on the mention of products the current cleanser I am using with this is the Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash which smells amazing and is nearly all natural! I also have 35% off discount codes for anyone who wants to purchase a Luna Mini or any of the Luna range from Foreo. (below)

 

 ******PRO'S*******

 - Skin is glowing

 - Skin is softer 

- Helps with acne and spots 

- Is amazing hygenic 

- Only needs charging once and it is able to be used 300 times! 

- Travel friendly - Sleek and beautiful in colour and size

 - Kind to skin 

- Different speeds for different sections of the face 

- Pulsates when you need to move onto the next section of the face

 *********CON'S**********

 - Would've been nice to come with a little carry case for travel maybe made from material or something 

- Would've been nice to come with a better manual, comes with basic instructions but there is a manual online that the user can print off 

-The RRP is a little unattractive to new buyers but trust me - it's worth it. 

I will review again in a few weeks time, maybe around the 6 week mark to see how much more my skin has improved if it does and how I am finding it as a long term product. Stay tuned!!

Check out my instagram 'cocomariedavis'

beautybylucky xox

Luna Mini - Behind The Product.

I got a very exciting email from my Bzz Agent account (Bzz is a company that allow you to review products for free or at a discounted price in exchange for an honest review which can then be put onto other sites to let consumers know what the product is truly like) I was lucky enough to be invited to this campaign and although it is the first one I have been invited to where I've had to pay a charge for the product, I am receiving the system for a large discounted price. As soon as I have receive it and get a good few weeks use out of it (although it promises to deliver results in just 3 days!) I will get back on and give you a full review and also hopefully a list of products I find that are good to use with the device. If you would like to know more information about the system you can visit the companies website at http://www.foreo.com/ where you can see all the other products that the company offer (there is a full sized version, the Luna Mini, Luna Luxe and a male version available) or carry on reading for a little explanation of the Luna Mini.

(image from FOREO)

So yes, they sent me an email for a new product called the Luna Mini which is a skin cleansing system similar to the famous Clarisonic but it is made of silicone instead of being a brush style system. I got to choose which colour I wanted and I chose the bright magenta. It uses T-sonic vibrations to cleanse the skin gently without the use of pressure or rubbing. The company FOREO who make the Luna Mini describe it as;

"The next big thing in skincare has arrived with T-Sonic™ technology – a radical new approach to cleansing that is both deeper and gentler at the same time. By channeling transdermal sonic pulsations across the skin’s surface, the LUNA™ mini will transform the look and feel of the skin within just 3 days. It works by cleaning pores of impurities to reduce the causes of blemishes, while smoothing and refining your skin’s texture for incredible results."

It is described as 'extremely hygienic' due to being made of silicone, non porous and is fully waterproof so can be thoroughly washed after every use without damaging the electric charging port. It also delivers up to 300 uses with just one charge! The video below shows you the product in use and shows that it is also unisex but they do offer a separate version for just men too.

Veet EasyWax Review (Bzzagent)

I am one of many ladies who love to try out new products thanks to the amazing website Bzzagent. Bzzagent is a brillaint way of trying out products for free for those of us bloggers whoaanre't quite popular enough yet to get freebies handed to us by promotion teams (although nothing is wrong with those who do get them!)

All Bzzagent asks of you is just to answer some easy surveys which take no time at all and then they match you up with up and coming campaigns to try new products. In return for recieving the products, they just ask for a small (or large if you wish) review and a few photo's, easy right? It's a real treat when they invite you to one and even better when it's something beauty related. Anyways on to the post, I was lucky enough to be invited to try the new Veet EasyWax roll on system and was delighted when it arrived on my doorstep.

Now, I am a bit a beauty guru when it comes down to skincare and product overloading but I have always steered away from the self waxing systems/ sections of stores. I've never even considering a professional waxing session as I thought the trusty old shaver would suffice (that and I am scared of any amount of pain that comes my way, eek!)

This is when I received my bzz invite for this interesting new product which claimed for easy waxing, all in one system with no mess, no fuss and (i'd heard) no pain! All of this in a very loving looking product and for free? I had to have in.Now even I didn't believe the 'no pain' and I knew it would hurt anyways but still thought what the hell, let's do this. The bzz kit arrived after a week or so (they're actually very quick to send them to you which is great!) and I was quite surprised which how much I was supplied with.

In my kit was the system itself, a refill for legs (which claimed to give me 4 sessions - 1 session being equal to two half legs) a refill for underarms and bikini section and inside the system were some finishing wipes and some cotton style strips to wax with, roughly around 10 strips and 4 wipes. I read the instructions and it said all I had to do was plug the system into the wall, pop the refill pad into the system and allow it to heat up for just 20 minutes and I would be on my way to gorgeously smooth legs, simple right? Wrong.


This is where I got a little let down by the product. 20 minutes after plugging it in and letting it heat up, it still wasn't easily rolling out of the system so I gave it another 20 minutes just in-case
I was being a bit too eager. This is when I tried to roll the wax onto my legs again. It actually hurt to get the system to deposit some wax onto my legs. Eventually I got the system to work and let the wax out but it was a very uneven application.

Once I got the wax onto my legs I simply then had to do apply the cotton strips, rub in opposite direction of the hair growth and pull away. One word - OUCH!! This was NOT pain free in anyway shape or form, also I will mention now that I couldn't actually do it alone at first. I had to get my boyfriend help me which he was not impressed with. For a 'easy use' system, it was quite hard to get to terms with and figure out how to use as it was no where near as easy as depicted in the instructions. It was also quite messy, the melted wax just kept collecting on the top of the machine and as you aren't meant to use water to clean it, it was hard to remove. I also would have presumed with them supplying 10 cotton strips and the applicator allowing 4 sessions I would need about 2-3 maximum to get all the hair off my legs, no. I had to use ALL 10 to get the hair off!

Overall, once I managed to do the second leg (alone this time) it was quite a nice result! 3 and a half weeks later though and I have to admit, I still have quite smooth legs. The hairs are starting to grow back now and I am a little sad that it's not going to be long until I will have to attempt it again or at least reach out for my trusty old razor. I was expecting a longer lasting resultand a much easier expierence and although I am so glad I got to give this a go and review it and also for free, I would not be repurchasing.

No pain no gain? I'll pass thank-you.If you want to read any of the other Bzz reviews from the lovely ladies who also got to try this product then just click to go to the Bzz review gallery and there are plenty of photo's to check out too.

If you'd also love to give this a try, Amazon are offering 50% off with this code EASYWAX4 just for us Bzz ladies to pass on to anyone who reads this review! I hope you've enjoyed reading this and I haven't scared you off DIY waxing all together!

Lucky xox

My Makeup Brush Collection (Featuring RT and Eco Tools)

 

I'm always unsure of the kind of posts my followers/ people like to look at. I know I am always interested in peoples makeup choices and what they have in their collections. I am also quite interested in the nitty gritty of if they are good or bad and if they regret buying them. So I have here for you my Brush Collection, none of the brush I own are technically 'high end', the highest value of one of my single brushes I think is about £11.99 but to me, this is quite a lot for just a brush. I would love to invest in a MAC 187 Duo Fibre but for now, these brushes work wonders for me. This is quite a long post to please be prepared for a little writing but if you are unsure of brushes this may help in some way.

 

I store my brushes in the above jar on my dressing table which was just £0.80p at Ikea Home, I love how it looks on my dressing table and I have a matching one for my cotton pads which only cost £0.75p, bargain. I know us ladies are always looking for pretty storage jars for our brushes and I have to say, I really do love these.

 

Real Techniques Brushes

RT Core Collection Brush Set - (I purchased for £20.99 - seems to have gone up to £21.99 from Boots) Contains Detailer Brush, Pointed Foundation Brush, Buffing Brush and Contour Brush. - I was after this set pretty much because of the holy grail Buffing Brush. I partly regret buying this set just to have this brush as the other ones are pretty useless for the recommended jobs, however they are okay for other uses. So far I have managed to use the detailer brush for small lining of eyeshadow on my eyes, the pointed foundation to help blend concealer and the contour brush I have only used once for highlighter. I was SO excited to have this set also for the fact it comes with a lovely case which can store extra brushes but I don't actually use this anymore. I think if you are after this set JUST for the Buffing Brush I would maybe try another one first or go for another company but if you are after trying them all out then the £21.99 is well spent.

RT Expert Face Brush - After saying the above about trying another brush maybe first, this is exactly what I did with this brush. I did cave and buy the set for the Buffing Brush after (I just had to have it) but the brush was a very good second to the Buffing Brush. It gives a slightly heavier look to your foundation which is what some people want. I found when using it with high street foundations it was very nice but when using it with MAC it was just a little too much for me and I found myself using more foundation as the brush sucks it up a little. I do still now use this brush but usually to apply primer's or shimmer creams on my face and to really buff them into the skin. For £9.99 it is a very nice brush to have in your collection and I don't TOTALLY regret buying this.

RT Blush Brush - I don't really own very many Blush Brushes but after buying most of the RT on offer, I thought I may as well get a matching brush (I am a sucker for a set) There isn't a lot to really say about this brush, I do like that it is a tapered style on the end which allows you to pick up a small amount of product and build it up on the face. It's quite a nice brush to use for multi applications, you can sweep your blush, bounce it on or just blend it on. It's a lovely brush for £9.99 and I don't find myself reaching for anything else when it comes to blush brushes.

Random Brushes

 

Whilst having my RT set and my Eco Tools collection I also have some random brushes I have equipped from gifts or random purchases.

 

Cosmopolitan Powder Brush £5.95 - This was a gift for Christmas and it looked lovely in it's packaging, but the fibres are just NOT what I am used to. I don't really know what to say about this brush, whilst I couldn't find my Kabuki Brush from Eco Tools I needed something for powder so I gave this a whirl but the fibres felt like they were almost scratching my face. Since washing it I have found it is actually a little worse if anything. The fibres have just lost their shape and it is not a very nice brush. I would not recommend this for anyone really, it's not even worth it considering if you pop a few more pounds with your cash you can get something even nicer.  

 

Random Eyeshadow Brush £0.99p? - I think I got this from somewhere like Savers and it was only about £0.99p and I have has this for YEARS. I think this is one of the first single brushes I ever bought when I was about 14-15 and I have to say it's not the bad for a cheap little brush. I can't remember the make (sorry) but if you pop into a local Savers store they have plenty you can get for this cheap. It's not a bad little brush to have.

 

The Body Shop Foundation Brush £12.00 - Now when I pop into Body Shop, I always have a voucher for £10 off when you spend £25. You get these when you spend over so much for your next visit to the store, or I go online who always have offers on there to encourage you to buy online. I got this brush I think for about £5, me and my mum put some cash together for some bits and bobs and I needed a new foundation brush. Now this brush really did serve my well for the time I used it and I did love it. I'm not a huge fan of these paint brush style brushes anymore and I prefer my Buffing Brush to any of these now. It isn't a bad brush at all and if you like this style then it is an AMAZING brush to have. It washes up really nicely and the other day I actually used it to help blend my concealer which worked a treat.

 

 

Eco Tools Brushes

 

Eco Tools 6 Piece Brush Set £15.00 - This set was my first ever Brush set purchase and I have to say it was a lovely little set to have. I do still find myself using some of them to help with my makeup even though I have my RT as they really are great little brushes. The set contains a Blush Brush, Eye shading Brush, Eyeliner Brush, Lash and Brow Groomer, Concealer Brush and it comes with a Cosmetics Brush Roll. Admitidly I don't have the brush roll or the Lash and Brow groomer anymore. I do not find myself really reaching for any of them but the Eyeliner Brush for my brows, Eye shading brush for eyeshadow and the concealer brush now and again for, well concealer. The brushes all have wooden handles with metal fittings and are lovely and soft brushes. These are great to have and I would recommend this to anyone on a budget.

 

Eco Tools Kabuki Brush £9.99 - I bought this brush to go with the above set as it didn't contain a powder brush and I didn't love this one for a long time. I recently found it the other day and I love using it with my MAC Studio Fix powder foundation. It gives a lovely finish to the skin and helps to be a build able coverage as too much product doesn't get picked up. I loved this brush and I have just found my love for it again. A bargain for a great brush!

 

Eco Tools Custom Coverage Buffing Brush £9.99 - I actually bought this brush on a BOGOHP (buy one get one half price) offer from Boots just as a brush to have. I really needed a powder brush as I lost my Kabuki one (I've found it again woo!) and just wanted to take advantage of the offer. I've actually been using this to buff in my contour powder which works a treat but I am actually going to try and use it now and again as a foundation brush just to see how it compares with the Buffing Brush from RT. I love this brush for contour but I think it will be amaaazing for foundation. Its so soft and flat it makes an amazing buffing brush.

 

Eco Tools Large Powder Brush £9.99 - As I mentioned, I needed a new powder brush and this was a large soft lovely looking brush that I just had to get. It's a bit of a strange one, I am used to powder brushes being round but this is very flat for a powder brush. I feel it may be a nicer brush for blush or highlighter but it's not too bad for powder. I don't regret this but I also don't love it.

 

I hope this has been an interesting post for some of you or maybe helped some of you when it comes to some new brushes. If you have any more questions then just let me know and I shall answer them. I'd suggest if you like the sound of any of the RT or Eco Tools to get yourself down to Boots as they are included on the 3 for 2 beauty offer!

 

 

 

 

January - March Empties.

 

So I haven't done an empties post in a LONG time and quite frankly, they have been building up in  my little through away bag. So i've decided to just do them all at once and get this over and done with! I will give a brief explanation of the product, how I thought it worked/ was and if i'd repurchase or not. So here goes!

 

LIVE Colour XXL in Cyber Purple - So I was going through a 'I want purple hair ...' phase and at the time I currently had Red/Brown hair. I felt like the product had quite a good lift on it, my hair definetly went lighter with a hint of purple too it and was a lovely cool toned colour. I just wish it went a little more purple but beggars can't be choosers. I'd possibly repurchase this product if I wanted to go purple again but I would maybe use something else before it, just like colour b4.

LIVE Luminance in Ultra Violet - After using the above dye and wanting it to be a little more purple toned, I decided to pick up this dye as it claimed to work on even dark hair. The colour on the box really sold me, I was so hoping for lucious purple hair and to look like Miss Perry herself. Of course it was too good to be true and my hair practically went black. It was very shiney but the purple tint I had was pretty much from the dye before. I got this reduced as they were clearing the stock from my local Tesco and I just wish I never bought 3 boxes (I still have 2 left and no longer want it ..) I would NOT repurchase this product.

Colour B4 Extra Strength - So after all the above happened, I got bored and wanted rid of my strange purple/ black colour. Whenever my hair is annoying me or I'm bored of the colour I always reach for this miracle bottle. It really does rid you of colour you didn't want and gives you a cleansed head of hair. I love this but I am realistic and when it's washed off and I am left with a ginger/ warm copper colour, I am pleased. This is because I read the leaflet inside and realise it won't get me back to my original blonde. If you are realistic and read the contents, you will be chuffed with the results. I would always repurchase this when it's needed.

 Lush Fresh Facemask Cupcake - Cupcake is a gorgeous chocolate mint mask that refreshes oily skin that is also spot prone. I loved this mask as soon as I was given a sample to try which is why I went back to buy a pot straight away. I am actually trying to convert to longer lasting masks as these only last 3-4 weeks and have to be kept in the fridge which can be annoying. I would repurchase as a treat when needed or if i'm having a breakout.

Lush Fresh Facemask BB Seaweed - This mask claims to be calming on the skin, after telling the assistant how much I loved Catastrophe Cosmetic I was suggested this one and I have to say, they were wrong. I hated this mask so much, I can't really remember why but it just didn't work for me. I'm pretty sure it irritated my skin, I actually washed half of this down the sink just so I had the container to return. I would not repurchase this.

Lush Fresh Facemask Catastrophe Cosmetic - This used to be my go to mask, even though as said above that it is annoying they have to be kept in the fridge and used within 3-4 weeks I still loved this and was always buying a new pot when it was finished. I then didn't use it for a few months and my skin had a weird breakout eventually so I got another pot. I regret this SO much. I don't know if they have changed it or anything but it just irritated my skin so much that it actually broke me out. I will not repurchase in case this happens again.

Ultrabland Fresh Face Cleanser - This is an amaaaazing cleanser that I always see myself reaching for. It is one of the longer lasting products from Lush, it has about a 2 year expiry date on it and can just be kept lying around (not in the fridge!) It is a cream to oil cleanser when rubbed into the skin and rids you of all makeup, even MAC. I would recommend this to everyone who wears longer wearing makeup.

No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser - This is one of the smaller sized bottles from the No7 Beautiful Skin range. It says it is best to rub into skin to rid of makeup and to place the muslin cloth (included with the bottle) with hot water over the face and let this melt away the cleanser. I use it slightly differently and pop the cleanser on, rub into my face and then rub off with the muslin cloth. I find this is really effective and leaves a nice feel to the skin. It rids of most makeup (not as strong as ultrabland) and leaves skin feeling soft and clear.

Neal Yard Remedies Rose Toner - This was a gift to me from my boyfriend at Christmas and normally I have never used anything so expensive and extravagant. But boy I am glad he got me it. I LOVED this product, I actually used this as a cleanser with cotton pads to rid me of makeup and leave my skin feeling refreshed and soft. It really bumps off makeup so I can imagine used as an actual toner would rid you of dirt and leave your skin all lovely and clean. I would recommend this to everyone and as soon as I have the cash, I will repurchase this.

The Body Shop Seaweed Pore Perfector - I bought this whilst The Body Shop on line had their buy 2 get 2 free products as I would normally not spend £10 + on a priming product, but wow. This stuff really did work. Once you have cleansed/ toned and then apply this, your skin is silky smooth and pore free ready for your foundation. I loved this product but I used it up so quickly. I would repurchase but I'd prefer more product for my money.

St Ives Apricot Face Scrub - I don't think there is much I need to say about this product, It is one holy grail product I could never be without. Well right now I am, and it is making me sad. For around £4.00 for a tube it is a bargain and this lasted me months so it worked out cheaper in the longer run. I would deffo repurchase.


La Roche-Posay Solution - Cleansing water is a huge product at the moment and I received this as a free sample for the PR company of La Roche-Posay. I loved this product and it really does rid you of makeup and stubborn mascara. Right now I am waiting for my Bioderma water and I'm finishing off my Vichy 3-in-1 water too but I prefer this over the Vichy one straight away. I will see how the Bioderma fairs but if it is no good, I will repurchase this.

Dove Hair Therapy deep conditioner for Colour Hair - This is a small sample size (Bzzagent product) and I sent about 10 of these which I'm just finishing off. This is a lovely thick, pinky conditioner for coloured hair that nourishes and helps care for dry hair. After using colour b4, I put a whole sample bottle of this on my hair and it gave me lovely soft ends. I would repurchase this.

The Body Shop Rainforest Nurition Shampoo and Conditioner - These were given to me as a free gift when I spent over so much at the store. I wouldn't really say they give my hair 'nutrition' or help to make it softer but it's a nice silky shampoo to use. I like the shampoo but the conditioner really didn't so much for me. I would buy the shampoo just for the lovely lather and feel to my hair but not the conditioner.

Umberto Gianni Morning After Dry Shampoo - I don't really know much about this product, It came with a makeup bag that I purchased and I tried to use it. It only gave me about 2-3 uses and it didn't really do much, if anything it actually made my hair more greasy. I would defiantly not repurchase.


So sorry for the long post but that was my empties for the past 3 months, I'm actually shocked at how little I managed to use up, I shall have to keep going and see what other bits I can use. I'm not sure if this would have helped anyone but hopefully it was helpful in some way or a little informative to someone.

Thanks for reading, if you want a more indepth review on any of the products mentioned just leave me a comment and I shall get on it for you!

Lucky xo

What's Inside My Makeup Bag (updated!)

This is a pretty self explanatory post, this is just one of those 'what's in my make-up bag' but this is more of an everyday version. These are all the brushes and products that I use for my everyday/ work make-up. I use a range of products from different makes, some higher end and some just high street products. Most products I use generally are made for sensitive skin or are one's i've tried and they have been okay with my skin. I'll label everything in the photo's with names and shades and prices. If you want to know any more information just leave me a comment and I shall get back to you!

Body Shop Mango Lip Butter - £4.00 , Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Curl in Black - £7.99 , MAC Blush in Margin - £17.50 , Barry M Lip Gloss Limited Edition (no shade stated, free with Impulse)

MUA Makeup Academy Undress Your Skin Flawless Primer - £3.00 (usually £5.00), Boots Vitamin E Gentle Eye Cream - £2.54, La Roche-Posay Effaclar K - £13.00, Lacura Face Care (Aldi) Shimmering Day Cream - £3.00, MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NC15 - £20.50

Lacura Face Care (Aldi) Shimmering Day Cream - £3.00, Fearne Eye Colour Compact in 6 shades - Ebay £3.00 +, Revlon Colour Stay in Addictive - £7.99, MUA Heaven and Earth Eyeshadow Palette - £4.00

MAC Blush in Margin - £17.50, MAC Pro Longwear in NC15 - £24.00, MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC15 - £20.50, Rimmel Glam Eyes in Beauty Spells - £6.99, Lush Lip Tint in A Million Kisses - Ebay (discontiued in store £6.20)

Real Techniques Brushes

Buffing Brush/ Pointed Foundation Brush/ Detailer Brush/ Contour Brush - £20.99, Blush Brush - £9.99, Eco Tools Concealer Brush/ Eyeshadow Brush/ Angled Eyeliner Brush - 6 Piece Brush Set £15.99, Eco Tools Large Powder Brush - £9.99, Eco Tools Custom Coverage Buffing Brush - £9.99

If you would like any of the above reviewed or more details on an item just leave a comment below!

Lucky xo

Mac NC15 Pro Longwear

 I have recently switched over to MAC foundation after years of wondering why my makeup always looked amazing in the mornings and then wore off in the afternoon. I've heard so many good things about MAC but always found the price tag to be a little too pricey for me. The most I've usually ever spent on foundation was £15.50 on No7 but that was with my £5 off vouchers. After hearing I should switch and my Auntie offering me her £25 House Of Fraser voucher to buy it with, I took the plunge.

 

MAC Pro longwear is a medium coverage foundation with build able coverage. It's quite a thick foundation to work with but once you get the hang of it, its a dream to use. When the MUA put it on my skin of course with his beaaaautiful MAC 187 as well, I was in awe. My skin looked perfect and airbrushed and I actually had a burst of confidence, I felt beautiful and I was hooked.

 

 

This foundation is seriously the bee's knees. I can put it in at 8am for work and I can come home about 6pm and still look like I'm wearing a fresh face, I can't fault the long wear part of it. The only downside I am not a huge fan on is that it's quite a sticky foundation when you're applying and about an hour or so after application. It does begin to set in and the stick feeling goes but its not the nicest thing in the morning when you've first woke up. It's also very chemically smelling, it's not so strong that I would discontinue usage but it's not very nice. Other than these two things, I LOVE it and would recommend to anyone who was looking for a new foundation to last and to make you feel beautiful and airbrushed. I wear this for everyday wear and I feel sometimes it's maybe a little heavy but I carry on using it. I've had a bad breakout latley and I am unsure if it was from using MAC everyday for just over a week but after a facemask and a little TLC with my skin, it is clearing up.

(Before and After Pro Longwear application. Excuse the before face, I thought i'd show you the difference it really does make)

 

To apply my foundation, I pump 2-3 pumps onto the back of my hand and buff it into my skin using my Buffing Brush by Real Techniques. I would reccommend using 2 pumps to begin with and then a 3rd after if needed. sometimes I can get away with just the 2 pumps.

 

The retail price for this foundation is £24.00 for 30ml and it is one of the only foundations to come with a built in pump. I love this and think for the price it is worth it. I know the Studio Fix is also a really good foundation at £20.50 but if you wish to purchase a pump to go with it, it will set you back £3.50. I know if you buy the pump separately then it's a good investment as your next bottle would only be £20.50 but I have to say, the pro longwear has changed my life and I will be without a doubt re-purchasing.

 

Have any of you bought this foundation and loved it also? Do you use any other foundations that rival MAC? Let me know your thoughts below!

 

Milkmoonxo

La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution

(Image from Google - My camera is in heaven at the moment)

On my never ending quest to finding the perfect cleanser that will refresh my face, remove my make-up and not have a reaction to my sensitive skin I came upon another candidate. La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution has been mentioned on several Guru's videos/blogs as an "amazing but something still missing" cleanser. My mum who regularly enters competitions for various things had actually won a little care package from La Roche-Posay and received a mini sample of this as a part of it. She doesn't really use products so gave them to me and after using it the first time, I was in love.

As my "Neal's Yard Remedies Rose Toner" had just ran out, I knew I had to go purchase another one or at least something else. At £15.50 a bottle I was a little unsure as to wether I wanted to repurchase due to the fact my first bottle was a present. I find when something is given or 'free' you always have a better opinion of it than when you have to fork out your hard earnings. That's when on a small trip to Boots before work, I saw this and thought I had to just buy it and try it properly as I loved the sample.

The Boots website (they stock online and instore) says:

The physiological formulation power and cleansing agents are selected for their optimal tolerance. Soap free, alcohol free, colourant free and paraben free
Sourced from a spring in the centre of France, La Roche-Posay Thermal Spa Water is exceptionally rich in anti-oxidant Selenium. It has soothing, softening and anti-irritating properties and it is renowned for its dermatological efficacy. It is the only water used in our products to maximise their efficacy.

I have to say, I love this cleanser. It ticks all the little things on my list that I look for when buying skin products. My skin likes to freak out over new things but as this is made for sensitive skin and due to it being "all things free" I knew that my skin would accept this with opening arms. It's a freshening product to use and I actually enjoying removing my make-up that I now have a routine and take a good 15-20 minutes taking it all off (and using extra products) I have to say I was worried that it would struggle to take off my MAC Pro Longwear but it removes like a dream. I only have to use a few small cotton pads and my face is makeup free.

I am aware it is a little on the more expensive side but as someone who hardly buys high end, I have to admit that higher end products really are worth the cash. I am not necessarily someone who understands what all the above listed means but I know when something is good on my skin, it's good and vice versa. Since using this and the Effaclaur duo (I will do a separate review on this) my skin is actually getting so much better. I've had a huge breakout lately since using a Lush Facemask (I think they have changed ingredients or my skin just doesn't agree with it anymore) This is now clearing up and I can say I will be using the products for a long long time. I think £11.50 isn't so bad when you gain confidence from your skin being beautiful and clean.

Have any of you ever used this product? What did you think or have you tried anything similar/ better? Let me know your thoughts below!

Thanks for reading!

RT Buffing Brush VS Expert Face Brush

Ever since becoming a blogger all I have ever heard about is the Real Techniques brushes by the famous Samantha Chapman. I wondered what all the fuss was about but after buying them for myself, wow. I don't think I could actually be without them .. well some of them but that will be another post. I originally bought myself the Expert Face Brush after reading reviews it was very similar to the much hyped Buffing Brush, just sold seperatley so technically a little cheaper and seperate. After using it a few times with my usual foundations (No7 Stay Perfect and Rimmel's Wake Me Up) I found it amazing. It gave a lovely coverage that covered the whole face and blemishes/spots and just looked flawless with very little effort. I was in love.

I then caught the bug and had to go on and buy the rest to add to my collection. (They are really addictive)Something in my heart was telling me to buy the Core Collection as you get 4 brushes and all in a cute little case for just over £20, just over double what I paid for one on it's own. I don't know if it was just the fact that I really wanted to see what the Buffing Brush was all about, but I also read on a review that the Pointed Foundation Brush whilst not being a very good foundation brush, was just a very good large concealar brush. I ALWAYS struggle to blend in my conclear and make it look natural so this also made me really want the set, so I took the plunge and bought it. This is when I discovered my love for the Expert Face Brush disappeared and the Buffing Brush took over.

So all the hopla above leads to this post ... Buffing Brush vs Expert Face Brush. Every review I have read on this conversation tells us that they are very similar and if you don't want the whole set, then just to buy the Exepert Face Brush.

But I have to say sorry but I disagree as they both create completly different finishes. Read below for a description of this.

Expert Face Brush - Creates heavier coverage with a flawless finish. Great for special occasions/ going out.

This brush is very dense and creates a much heavier impact with foundations. It is slightly oval shaped and is mostly reccommend to use with the "application and blending of cream or liquid foundation". After using this with a few of my other foundations it was okay, but once I switched over to "MAC Pro longwear" it just made me look like I was caked in foundation which we all know is not a nice look. It's quite a heavy handed brush and because it is so firm and dense you forget to use a lighter hand. It does create a lovely even finish but not so much for everyday wear. It is the sort of brush you would maybe use for a special occassion or if you were going out on the town or with a slightly less coverage foundation (I use Medium/High)

Buffing Brush - Creates a more 'Everyday' wearable look but still gives a flawless finish.

This is a soft and more rounded brush which is a dream to use. Because it is a lot less dense you can use a little more force with it to buff the foundation without creating a too heavy look. It creates more of a lighter finish on the skin and looks really air brushed. I also find that I use a lot less foundation with this, I'm not sure but it may be the fact that as it moves the foundation around before you buff it in that you get a more even and light coverage when using.  I use this for my everyday foundation look but I do have to admit if I need a little more coverage I will go over with the Expert Face Brush and one more pump of foundation. This is generally on one of those days when my occasional breakouts can be a bit too red and annoying to cover with just the usual 2-3 pumps.

I hope the above makes sense and helps anyone who is interested in buying either of these brushes. My final verdict is that if you are willing to buy the set for £20 + then GET IT. The Buffing Brush is a dream to use and is a tool everyone should own. If you are more on a budget and don't neccesairly use a heavy coverage/ high end foundation then the Expert Face Brush will give you a flawless look and make it look like you use a more high end product (but you will use more foundation with this)

 

I'd love to hear what you all think of the brushes and if you had to choose, who would be your winner? Leave your comments below!

Milkmoonxo

november empties.

So its got to the end of the month again and us beauty bloggers have tried to use up most of our half filled bottles in preparation for the ones we will probably receive as presents for Christmas!
This month I haven't managed to use as many products up as I would've liked to but here we go:

Lush 'The Enchanter' bath bomb.
I LOVED this bath bomb. Once popped into the bath the Orange yellow colour started to melt away, turning bright shades of yellow and fizzing away. It then revealed its inner core which was an amazing shade of fuchsia. The bomb fizzed away for a while and I jumped in all excited ... only to discover the colours transfered onto my skin! It did disappear after a while but it did stain the bath. Thank god for the good old bleach bottle. This was a limited edition bomb so I may repurchase next year but I cant help feel that they are sometimes a waste of money.

Lush 'Cinders' bath bomb.
This was another limited edition bath bomb from Lush  but this one did not impress me in any sense. It was slightly smaller in size up to the rest of the range and really didn't do much. I was told by the sales assistant it had popping candy in it which got me really excited ... it wasn't enough. It popped away for about 20 seconds and then just fizzled out. Its light yellow colour didn't transfer to the bath either ... it was pretty much a waste of time and money. I would not repurchase this item.

Body Shop's 'Earth Lovers' shower gel in 'Apricot and Basil'.
The title of the shower gel really caught my eye, it sounds like such a strange combination. It's a lovely fresh fragrance that lathers up really nicely. I felt like I had to use quite a lot of the product though to get clean and at £5-£6 pounds a pop for a bottle I wasn't really too happy at how quickly I managed to use it up. I would repurchase this if I feel like treating myself or have a Body Shop voucher for money off.

Body Shop's 'Coconut Body Scrub'.
I love body scrub products from any retail shop but this really was a lovely scrub to use. It had the right amount of grains in it to really scrub off any dead skin. I also really liked using this product on my legs before shaving, It helped to exfoliate the skin and help make my legs really smooth. I would defiantly repurchase this product, in fact I have just purchased the Mango version.


Super Facialist Tea Flower mask by Una Brennan.
This is now my favourite product to reach to when my skin isn't having such a good day. It really draws out all the impurities and makes my skin bright and smooth. I would totally recommend this product to absolutely anybody who has trouble with breakouts, it really does help the skin and after using it for over 2 weeks, my skin has improved so much. For £8.99 for the tube it isn't the cheapest of products but you should only be using it 2-3 times a week. I will be repurchasing this and this will become my new go to product.

No7 Cleansing Water.
I had heard lots of hype about cleansing waters so when I saw this product I just had to buy it and try it for myself. Its quite a nice product to use, it rids most makeup from the face but I don't feel its any good for eye makeup. I had to use a separate remover for my eye makeup and I had to use toner after to make sure my face was rid of all makeup. Its quite a refreshing product to use before putting makeup on in the morning but I am not too sure about it for removing makeup. I don't think this would be a product I'd looking at repurchasing just because I don't feel I need a cleanser just for the morning.

Ultrabland facial cleanser from Lush.
I have done various reviews on this product, it is still one of my go to products to get rid of makeup. I like using this before putting on my face mask. The oily texture can sometimes be a little annoying as you worry it will make your face breakout if you have not got it all off of the face but using a product after gives me a little bit more confidence when using this. I would recommend this to anyone who uses a few layers of makeup to cover breakouts or spots. Its also gentle enough to use on the eyes and removes even waterproof mascara. I would repurchase this but I am currently testing out Body Shop's gel version.

Cupcake face mask from Lush
I am a total face mask lover, I love the feeling after using one of my skin being refreshed and squeaky clean. This mask in particular is good if you have a slightly oily texture to the skin which can cause those horrible breakouts. It also contains mint/spearmint which is really tingly on the skin, it refreshes the skin and helps to clear off any dirt and makeup. The only down side is that it lasts about 3-4 weeks and has to be put in the refrigerator, however I will repurchase this product.

BB Seaweed face mask from Lush
I really did NOT like this product. I felt the seaweed bits inside the mask were unnecessary and didn't help in any sense towards what the mask did for my skin. I also just didn't really feel like it did anything for my skin. I think its meant to be a detoxing mask but I just didn't get anything out of it. I would not repurchase this, even though I have a large love of face masks.

No7 Stay Perfect foundation in Cool Vanilla.
I had the skin match done by one of the sales assistants and although she said I showed up as the lightest shade I was recommend this slightly darker one to match my neck and chest more (apparently its slightly darker than the skin on my face) I love this foundation. Its not as long lasting as I would like but the colour match is amazing. I will be repurchasing this as the amount of foundations I have bought and not had any luck with is just ridiculous. I would recommend anyone who has trouble in finding a colour match to go along and ask for help. It really does work!

Herbal Essences Hair mask.
I over dye my hair far too much and sometimes feel like I need a helping hand in getting it into better condition. I saw this product on a 1/3 off promotion and hoped it would help. I really didn't like this product, it made my hair feel greasy and not really conditioned at all. It was strangely light blue in colour also which I wasn't expecting, I feel like it was far too hyped up to be something that actually works and I was right. I don't think any of these sort of products really work for the hair, they just mask the condition of the hair and make you want to buy more of it.


Well that's my empties for November! Have you use any of the products? What have you tried to use up this month?

l'oreal feria mango 74.

On my ever ending quest to be 100% happy with my hair, I came across the 'cult' hair dye shade that everyone seems to be using to achieve beautiful red headed-ness. This shade is called Mango Intense Copper 74 by L'oreal. If you pick this up off the shelf, you may be a little intimidated. The box shows an extremely bright orange colour, but don't be scared. 

I've seen this shade multiple times on the shelf and I've always been afraid to use it. However, after asking many people how they keep their ginger/ auburn hair so fresh and bright, this always seemed to be the answer they gave me so I bucked up the courage and bought a box, although I do have mixed feelings about this product. It gave me a gorgeous shade of ginger but if i'm 100% honest, only I can seem to notice the difference. I think this is because I missed a teeny bit of hair near the roots in some parts and can see my original color, other than that no one really can see the difference.

(Before - my original colour before application)

(Shade 74, Contents and Box front)

 (After - Hair without filter in naturally lit room)

Pro's 

- The gloves provided are different to the usual see through gloves that you get that just seem to snap or do not fit your hands properly.

- The dye actually lifts the hair without having to pre-bleach and still gives quite a strong result dependent on your original hair colour.

- It's about an average price, mine cost me around £5.00 to £6.00 in a Savers store, I think its a little more expensive in boots but sometimes they appear on offers which is handy for longer hair that needs 2 or more boxes. 

Con's 

- The smell was very strong and lingered on the hair even after washing the dye out. 

- The dye is verrrry bright and can stain items around you, my hair dripped when wet and has stained my bathroom floor with orange patches. 

- The colour can look a little 'fake' in certain lights, if you're after a more natural looking auburn or ginger I would NOT suggest this dye. 

- It didn't actually come out as bright as the box depicts, If you were after a stronger ginger shade i'd suggest the Paprika Power that comes in the same brand of dye. 

Would I re-purchase? 

I would maybe give this dye another try to fill in the little bits I missed, its a nice dye to use but for me it wasn't as bright as expected. I wanted to re-fresh my colour and it didn't really make it that much different, no one even noticed unless I told them.

lush - facial products.

So as most of my regular readers will know, Im a bit of a lushie. I love visiting any of their stores and coming out with some pamper goodies. I recently had 5 pots to exchange for my free face mask, after trialing a few of them and Catastrophe Cosmetic being a favourite, I wanted to try a new one again. I was suggested BB Seaweed by the sales person. He recommended it due to its cooling, softening and red reducing properties. I've only used it twice so far but I have to say its very calming on my skin and smells amazing. The bits of seaweed in the mask do annoy me. Its also apprently a gentle exfoliator but I dont feel that if im honest. I will continue to use and report back.

Lush have released all their new christmas products and I am ever so excited to try some of them out. The first one I grabbed was Bouche De Noel which is a facial cleanser that has been compared to AOBS which I love to use and have recently ran out of. It claims to do exactly as AOBS does but its just more of a festive edition. It smells exactly like christmas pudding and it has a stickier texture to the mix. I have only used it this evning but have to say I think it will become a favorite, even though its sadly a festive edition and wont be avaliable all year round.

Have you bought any of the new Lush items or bought either of these recently? Do you have any suggestions? Feel free to comment, I love to read your comments and try to reply to most :)