Avon Product Of The Month - October 2014

Hello everyone,

I have decided that as an Avon Representative who tends to spend too much of her earnings on Avon products, it would be fun to review my favourite product of the month. And what better way to start than with a lipstick!

So here’s my Avon product of this month: Ultra Colour Matte Lipstick in Matte Mauve…

I find that the packaging for most of Avon lipsticks all look high-end and sophisticated. Avon's lipstick packaging tends to remind me of the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks. The black packaging makes them look chic and classy. With the Ultra Colour lipsticks, I do understand that they aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing of lipsticks and if you tend to buy lipsticks because of their packaging, this wouldn’t be one to go for. But when you see the True Colour Technology of the product, it has one of the best pigments and colour matches possible.

The main reason I am really loving this product at the moment is that because of the Autumn/Winter months, it means that darker and matte shades are very in. Sometimes it is not acceptable to wear too dark colours, for example at school, or you may not feel very confident in wearing what tends to be known as a ‘statement lipstick’ and so this lipstick is the perfect inbetween shade. It is dark and matte enough to be pulled off in the Autumn/Winter months, but it isn’t too bold that you may feel uncomfortable etc.

With Avon’s True Colour Technology, it means that the colour you see in the lipstick is the same that will appear on the lips and I can guarantee that by having a lot of Avon lipsticks, that this therefore is the case. This red-ish purple colour I wouldn’t personally call mauve. I bought it because of the swatch, not the name. I would have thought it would be a lot more purple which would definitely not be something I would wear on a day to day basis. But the formula of this is certainly one I would wear each day, and in fact I am wearing it daily at the moment!

It isn’t the most matte lipstick which I own from Avon, but it is definitely up there. It is very moisturising and I really enjoy wearing it on my lips. After a while you do have to reapply it to make sure you don’t lose the colour, but the same has to be done with any lipstick whether it be matte or glossy, drugstore or high end.

It is what I would call a cheap-ish lipstick. Costing £7.50, it isn’t exactly going to burn a massive hole in your purse, but it is still expensive enough to get a really good quality lipstick. All of Avon’s lipstick tend to cost this but I would definitely recommend buying them if you are able too. Also, the variety of shades of lipstick which Avon has is phenomenal; there is definitely something for everyone!

So that was my Avon product of the month. I really love Avon products and I can tell that many will probably be featured in the blog whether it be monthly or possibly fortnightly. I’m not making any promises but if I’m loving a product, I want to tell all of you lovely people about it. And you know me, there will be a lot more lipstick reviews coming up soon.

So until next time lovelies xx

October Haircare Product of the Month

Hello everyone,

After having my long-ish hair cut into a shorter style, I have had a lot more motivation to do a lot more with my hair. When it dries naturally, I love the look it gives, but I think sometimes it needs that little extra something. I wanted to create a look which would show a new me which I could carry off in the day and to be able to carry it off in the evening too if going out on a special occasion.

So recently, I have been using my Philips curling iron to add a few extra curls and waves to my hair to give it a bit more volume and make it look a bit more aesthetically pleasing (haha). Once this has been done, I tend to run my fingers through it, shove my head upside down and set my hair into the style I want it to be in for that day. For this, I use the L'Oréal Paris Studio Line #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray…

Before this, I would use a Boots own brand Maximum Hold hairspray with possibly another product to give my hair both that staying power, but also that volume which wouldn’t make me look like a poodle or have my hair plastered to my head – no you aren’t seeing any pictures of me like that before you ask!

I have tried many different brands and types of hairspray over the past few years, and I think this is due to mum being a hairdresser and always buying a variety of different hairsprays. But this one I found when reading blogs about a year ago. I remember my friend Beth (Hi Beth!) bringing it into a Philosophy and Ethics lesson and I got really excited about it and was determined to buy one when I went into town the following week. When I went into Boots, I then looked through all the hairsprays (or so I thought) for about 20 minutes and wasn’t able to find it so I went home and sulked for a week. Beth and I then talked about this in our next lesson and a conclusion was made that I’d look in Boots again the following weekend, and if in doubt I’d look in Superdrug. Needless to say I was being as blind as a bat and low and behold it was with all of the hairsprays just as it should be and probably was all along.

I used it for a few different occasions on when I did something special to my hair for whatever occasions they were but I didn’t seem to see much improvement or anything spectacular so I then went back to the Boots own brand which was half the price and in a much bigger can.

But since my hair was cut about a month ago, I have used it nearly everyday to set what can sometimes be seen as a bird’s nest into place. It is so nice on the hair. It doesn’t make the hair feel sticky or tacky and it is by far the easiest thing to brush out of the hair. It also gives just the perfect amount of volume and texture to the hair to make it look full but not ridiculous.

I just really love this product and I don’t think that any words can justify how good it is. It costs £3.79 which I guess can be classed as slightly pricey compared to others and for its size, but compared to many other hairsprays, especially L'Oréal Paris Elnett, it is a bargain! I have just bought another one as mine was running low and I am sure I will be repurchasing this many more times.

If you’ve tried this or seem like you’re going to try it, let me know your opinions on it.

So until next time lovelies xx

Jo Malone Fragrance - Review

Hello everyone,

After being in York for the York St. John University Open Day, it was of course a great opportunity to look around the beautiful and historic city full of some magnificent shops. I popped into Whistles and nearly fainted at the price of a jumper so had to leave before getting upset about the fact I couldn’t afford this beautiful jumper.

Up the street I could see Jo Malone and my parents mentioned to me that if I wanted anything for Christmas, it was a good time to start telling them, especially if things were available where we were going. When we were about to walk past the shop, I looked in the window and saw the most amazing Christmas display and that was enough to draw me in.

Both mum and dad came in with me and I thought, ”uh-oh”, they won’t like this shop (well dad wouldn’t anyway!). Mum is a lover of fragrances like me and so we tried on a few different ones before she said that they’d pay half for a treat and the look on my dad’s face was priceless. He did not seem very happy that mum had made that decision for him. But he didn’t refuse nonetheless haha.

My favourite flowers are peonies and I love peony scented things. It isn’t a very autumnal or wintery scent but as soon as I tried it, I realised that it was my scent.

So this may have happened…

I have Marc Jacob’s Daisy perfume which is my only other expensive perfume so I thought it would find good company with my new Jo Malone Peony and Blush Suede. I of course couldn’t afford the 100ml size so I soon settled for the 30ml. And before buying it, I could tell that I would be going back soon to buy another one, or maybe for Christmas please Father Christmas?

First of all I love the bottle. Compared to all of my other perfumes, this one seems so boring. But after Daisy, it is my favourite bottle. I love the sophisticated-ness of it and I know it will take pride of place on my set of drawers where everything beauty related tends to live.

It is just such an amazing scent.  On the Jo Malone website, it says that the fragrance is luxurious and seductive. To some extent I agree but it is going to take a lot more to make me feel luxurious and seductive haha. There is a top note of red apple which works well with the floral scent of the peony and the undertones of the blush suede.

When I walked around York with it on, many people picked up on it in the shops I went into. The lady who sold it to me in the shop also reminded me that I can wear it with other Jo Malone fragrances. If you’re not familiar with Jo Malone fragrances, they can be worn individually or combined to make your own unique scent. This way, it seems to be a form of investment. I have found two fragrances which I think go with Peony and Suede Blush perfectly so they may be making an appearance on my Christmas list. These are: English Pear and Freesia, and Wood Sage and Sea Salt. Matching Peony and Blush Suede to English Pear and Freesia really brings out the fruit scent of the pear but also the lovely floral smell of the peony. Matching Peony and Blush Suede to Wood Sage and Sea Salt brings out the floral-ness of the peony again but also the woody tones from the wood sage. I can see myself wearing both of these combinations so I am sure I will have to invest in them at some point.

So overall, I am very happy with this purchase and I am hoping to get another Jo Malone perfume at some point. They are expensive for a perfume, especially because of the size, but if you are a fragrance addict or want to have a little splurge, I would definitely recommend getting one of these. Thank you mum and dad for this treat!

If you want to know more about Jo Malone fragrances or are interested in purchasing one yourself or maybe even asking for one for Christmas, head on over to the website: http://www.jomalone.co.uk/

So until next time lovelies xx

Mid-week Mini Review 1

Hello everyone,

I have decided to do a mini review every week (when I can) so I don’t abandon you completely when I’m busy. So I will be calling this the ‘Mid-week Mini Review’ (catchy eh?). They are likely to be on anything so look out for the most randomest of things.

This week is a skincare favourite which I have and the added bonus is that it is drugstore! I love drugstore skincare products. I think if you look hard enough, you can find some brilliant money saving products which is especially good if you are a student or if your money box is nearly empty. The two stores I tend to get my skincare products from are Boots and Superdrug. I have a few high end skincare products but time and time again I will go back to the drugstore stuff.

When having a wash in the morning or a shower, I always use an exfoliator in the shower followed by a face wash. The face wash I am loving at the moment is the Boots Tea Tree and Witch Hazel Foaming Face Wash…

I have used a variety of cleansers and face washes in my morning and evening skincare routine but this is one of my favourites so far. This one comes in a see-through bottle from Boots' Tea Tree and Witch Hazel own range. I like how you can see how much product you have left so you know when another trip into town will be needed to replace it. It is a nice translucent liquid which I like as I don’t find it sticky and heavy so it can be easily applied and washed off when finished.

The idea that it forms a foam without the need for rubbing it between your hands once water has been added is brilliant. I tend to use it mostly when I’m in the shower so I can apply it straight to my skin without any unnecessary hassle. My favourite thing about this product though is how smooth it makes my skin after use. Many cleansers and face washes tend to irritate my skin or a moisturiser is needed very soon after use otherwise my skin begins to dry out. This is so moisturising that I come out of the shower feeling both cleansed and moisturised.

I really love this product and think that for £3.59 it is a steal not to buy it! I would recommend this product to anyone who needs to spend as little as they can on skincare or for those wanting to try out a range of products before they decide what is for them. Also, Boots often have skincare items on 3 for 2 so if you are looking to try some new products, definitely head in when this offer is on.

If you try this, let me know how you get on. And of course I love to know what you are all loving, so let me know your favourite skincare product at the moment.

So until next time lovelies xx

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick - Review

Hello everyone,

So during my trip to Leeds, I decided to head into Harvey Nichols to stop by the MAC counter. I wanted to get an eyeshadow refill to add to my quad. I ended up buying Blackberry and when handing the money to the cashier, I turned around to see the Charlotte Tilbury counter. Needless to say I possibly squealed with excitement just looking at the beautiful rose gold packaging. I pretty much pushed past everyone just to get to those beautiful lipsticks.

When the lipsticks were in front of me, I thought I was going to faint. If you know me then you know the concept of adding a new lipstick to my collection is something I tend to not think twice about. But however, my purse didn't seem to be too keen on the idea of spending a lot on a lipstick.

Another matte lipstick is probably something I didn't need to add to my endless collection of them, but after seeing many reviews on them I just couldn't resist. The biggest dilemma I faced was which shade to buy. Did I want to buy a dark shade which would be perfect for the Autumn/Winter months? A nude shade which would be suitable for school and not too full on? Or a pinky-coral shade which is acceptable to use all year round, especially during the Spring/Summer months? Well of course I went for that option. I am a definite sucker for a coral lipstick.

So after all that rambling, time for my review on what I think is one of this year's best makeup launches...

First of all, the box is a lovely plum-brown shade which looks almost velvet. The rose gold writing and logo just look completely stunning.

Then the packaging of the actual lipstick is so on point. The colour is just ugh!! The most perfect sheer packaging in the most gorgeous shade possible makes it look so sophisticated and would look beautiful in any lady's handbag. I love the texture of the packaging too. It makes it so much easier to hold and it makes the lid easier to take off too.

Now for the colour...

After wanting to buy all 10 shades and then realising that I couldn't justify needing all 10 (although I really could if I thought about it long and hard), I asked the advice of the woman on the counter. I sat down on the chair (which already made me feel really posh) and she asked me which looks I tend to wear and we finally came to the conclusion that the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in the shade Lost Cherry was for me.

It is THE MOST PERFECT coral shade I have ever found in all my lipstick hunts over the past few years. It has one of the best pigmentations I have ever seen in a lipstick. When I tried it on, I immediately fell in love with the shade. 

Now for the exciting magic bits which the lipstick holds. I love a matte lip but after a while it starts to dry and goes all crumbly and ends up flaking off and leaving a lip liner effect round the outside. This on the other hand contains what must be fairy dust to make it so perfect. It is supposed to last 5 hours before the need to reapply and I can confirm that I reapplied after about 3 hours but that was because I was going out and wanted some more vibrance on my lips. It is also waterproof! This was the thing that sold it to me I think. Going out to see people for drinks or meals or whatever always means that lipstick comes off after about 2 seconds. Being able to not worry about having to reapply every time I took a sip of a drink was such a burden off my shoulders. It is also really nourishing and moisturising on the lips. I walked round Leeds city centre for another 2 hours after it was applied constantly rubbing my lips together because I could without worrying that it would all flake off. 

And my final favourite thing about the lipstick is the shape of it. It has a square-ishy nib which makes it perfect for application. It mimics the same application which would be given from a brush which saves on all the hassle and faff of having to carry a brush and also then having to clean it.

So all in all I am very satisfied with this lipstick. I really want to try the other colours, its just a shame that they have to cost £23 each (yes I know its an extortionate amount for a lipstick!!) I might put another one on my christmas list if Father Christmas thinks I've been good this year - and if I haven't already got enough lipsticks. 

Please let me know the lipstick which you're loving at the moment; I'm always up for trying new ones as you can see!

I'm sure there are going to be many reviews on lipsticks in the future so keep your eyes peeled (or lips haha)

So until next time lovelies xx