Friday, July 31, 2015

Life ¦ Foodie Friday - Graze box #2


So my last Graze box post went down so well I've decided to do another one. If you haven't read my first post yet it's //Here//
 
My first comment on this box has to be the packaging! It's so adorable and summery and I absolutely love it. I presume this is just the summer box design that is getting sent to everyone but I love the fact that they have changed it up a little to fit the seasons. Enough about the packaging lets get onto the contents.
 
 

Hot pepper Jam with Multigrain soy rice crackers - 67 calories per punnet -
 
I have to say I think this was my least favourite of the 4 snacks I tried. The jam was lovely it had a slight sweetness to it and just enough heat from the chilli's however I wasn't a big fan of the rice crackers. I usually love rice crackers but I found these to be very bland which would have been fine so they don't overpower the jam however I found that they had a really strange aftertaste which wasn't pleasant. I think this will be one of my binned snacks!
 
Tuscan pesto kern pops - 125 calories per punnet -
 
I was a little dubious if this one as I wasn't the biggest fan of the barbeque kernels in my last box however these were completely different. The cheese flavour wasn't to overpowering and I found the kernels were slightly more popped than the ones in the hickory barbeque snack. The little basil breadsticks were super crunchy and delicious without the flavour taking over the kernels.
 
Black pepper pistachios - 109 calories per punnet -
 
These were something I was like ok these will be nice but nothing to exciting but I actually ended up loving them. There is something so satisfying about getting pistachios out of the shells. These were slightly salted but most of the flavour came from the black pepper. I wasn't expecting the amount of flavour I got, they had a slight heat to them but nothing to over the top.
 
Sour cream and garlic crostini - 133 calories per punnet -
 
This was my favourite snack from this box. Cashews are possibly one of my favourite foods ever and the fact they were sour cream flavoured just made it even better. They weren't flavoured overly heavily so the natural flavour and sweetness of the cashew was still detectable and balanced out the saltiness of the flavouring beautifully. The garlic crostini were so crispy and I really enjoyed them the flavour of garlic once again wasn't to overpowering.
 
So that was my latest Graze box do you enjoy foodie Friday posts?
 


Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Beauty ¦ Barry M contour kit


Now if you are a regular over here you know I love a good bit of contouring. Today I thought I'd review one of my latest contour related purchases. This was a purchase I made after Kate from sugarfixx beauty kept mentioning it. The kit contains three powders all housed in a cardboard casing.
 
 
In the kit there is a matte highlight, a very warm toned overall bronze shade and a fairly grey toned contour powder. Out of the three the contour shade is my favourite. I find that for me the middle over all bronze shade is just far to warm for my pale complexion and it can end up making me look tangoed. The highlighter is ok however I prefer quit and intense highlight so the fact that it's matte doesn't really work for me.
 
 
 
The contour shade is really lovely however you do have to be careful you don't go overboard as it does have a little more warmness to it than some other contour powders. The texture of the powders is lovely. They are nice and finely milled and they blend into the skin well meaning it's quite difficult to leave harsh lines. The only thing I would say that is a little odd about this product is the scent. It kind of smells like talcum powder and it reminds me a lot of the way grandma's smell.
 

 Overall if you want a nice contour palette on a budget I'd highly recommend this. However if you're a beginner I'd suggest trying something like the Sleek contour kit first as it's a little less pigmented therefore easier to work with.


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Monday, July 27, 2015

Beauty ¦ Mani monday #1 - Barry M Blueberry


So I've decided that my blog feels a little bare at the moment so I'm going to start posting on a Monday again. I've decided that for the first Monday of each month I will be doing a little instagram roundup and for all the other Monday's I'll be doing Mani Monday posts as I feel like my nail polish collection doesn't get enough space on my blog. I hope this idea and you enjoy the posts.
 
 
Today I decided to pick one of my favourite summery nail shades. I absolutely adore Barry M gelly polishes. The formula is brilliant and I can find I get a good 3 days without chipping with no top coat (this for me is pretty impressive as my nails seem to chip so easily) I think this shade is perfect for enhancing a tan as it is just so bright yet not to dark.
 


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Sunday, July 26, 2015

Beauty ¦ High street vs High end - Nude pairs


At the moment I am absolutely obsessed with nude lips so today I thought I'd show you my favourite High end pairing and my favourite High street pairing and do a little comparison.
 
 
In terms of colour the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow talk lip cheat  and the Rimmel exaggerate liner in east end snob are very similar. East end snob is a little darker and has more mauve-y tones whereas Pillow talk is lighter and on the more peachy side of nude. I really like the formula of both these liners however I do find that Pillow talk is slightly creamier and a little more hydrating. In terms of longevity they are pretty similar, both fade nicely and don't leave patchy colour on the lips after food and drink.
 
Lipstick wise the two shades are completely different, Charlotte Tilbury's K.I.S.S.I.N.G. lipstick in the shade Bitch perfect is a beautiful quite light peachy nude with a slight gloss to it whereas the Bourjois Rouge edition 12 hours in Beige shooting is a very dark mauve-y nude with a more satin-y finish. The formula's are similar both lipsticks apply well and leave the lips well hydrated. I do find that sometimes Beige shooting can emphasise any dry patches on the lips but as long as I use a lip balm underneath this isn't a problem.
 
Overall if you are looking for that Kylie Jenner lip shade then in this instance I'd recommend the drugstore pairing however my heart personally lies with Charlotte Tilbury's offering. I personally prefer the peachy nude on my skin tone and I mean have you seen the packaging?
 
 
 


L-R - Beige shooting, Bitch perfect, East end snob, Pillow talk
 
 
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Friday, July 24, 2015

Beauty ¦ The weekend away makeup bag



So the other weekend we went for a little weekend away and I actually managed to pack my makeup sensibly. (There's a first time for everything) So today I thought I'd show you a very condensed down little weekend makeup bag and hopefully show you gals and guys who find it hard to pack lightly how to condense your normal face into one makeup bag. (I totally get you surely 10 lipsticks for 3 days is not unnecessary. Right? )
 
 
So first off for before makeup I brought my Nuxe reve de meil lip balm and my L'Oreal Infallible primer. I decided on the L'Oreal primer as it's fairly basic but it both smooth's the skin and reduces the appearance of pores. I then chose L'Oreal Infallible matte for my base as I knew that I liked the way it worked on it's own and that was the correct shade for my current skin tone therefore I knew I wouldn't need to bring another foundation to mix with it.
 
 
Concealer wise I decided to bring Rimmel Lasting finish as I know it works well both under the eyes and on blemishes meaning I only had to bring one concealer. I then popped in this round topped buffing brush from Ebay as it works nicely for both foundation and concealer. Finally to finish off my base I decided to go for Illamasqua cream blush in Flirtatious as it meant I didn't need to bring an extra brush. 

Next up for my brows I decided on the Maybelline colour tattoo in Permanent taupe as I could also use it on my eyes if I felt like it. I also took the Bella and bear brow brush as it also has a spooley (I'm pretty sure this isn't how you spell this) on the end. Then for my eyes I packed my Urban decay Primer potion as I can't go anywhere without this and my L'Oreal colour riche eye shadow in cafĂ© saint germain as it works beautifully just swept over the lid. I decided on a Bella and bear shadow brush as it's perfect for both applying and blending. Finally for my eyes I packed my beloved Benefit They're real.
 
Finally I decided to pick two lip options, I went for one nude and one red. For my nude I picked possibly my favourite lipstick at the moment Charlotte tilbury Bitch perfect which is the perfect mix of peach and pink. Then for my bright I took something I literally got in the post the day before, bit risky but it definitely paid off. Topshops lip velvet in Blood is pretty similar to the Bourjois Rouge editions however it isn't quite as long lasting. If you'd like to see a review do let me know in the comments!


To some it may not be condensed but to me it's practically a miracle. I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know what your weekend away makeup essentials are.




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Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Beauty ¦ Maybelline colour sensational lipstick - Shocking coral

 

Today I thought I would review possibly the brightest and most summery lipstick in my collection. Maybelline shocking coral is an almost neon coral shade. The formula feels hydrating on the lips and the finish is a slightly glossy look yet the formula doesn't feel slippy on the lips. I find this wears pretty well and tends to leave a slight coral-y stain on the lips. I tend to get around 6 hours wear out of it however when you eat and/or drink you do get that tell tale ring around the inside of the lips.
 
In terms of the packaging I like the fact that the lid is a similar shade to the lipstick as it makes it easy to find in my collection. Overall I really like these lipsticks and I would highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for a mid range super bright drugstore lipstick.  
 


Sunday, July 19, 2015

Fashion ¦ Glassesshop.com sunglasses


So basically the last thing I need more of is sunglasses but when the lovely people over at Glassesshop.com asked me if I'd like to review a pair I simply couldn't say no! They also offered me a 50% off discount code for you lovely people (GSHOT50)
 
Glasses shop offer both prescription glasses as well as prescription sunglasses which you can also get with normal lenses if that's what you need. They are also currently offering a First glasses free offer in which new customers receive a free pair of sunglasses or glasses if they pay the shipping and handling fees.  
 
I decided to choose a pair of pretty classic black slightly elongated corner sunglasses with gold detailing. Unfortunately due to me not needing glasses I can't comment on whether the prescription lenses are effective. My Glasses arrived well packaged and came with their own case and cleaning cloth.
 
Overall if you are on the lookout for a good quality pair of cheap glasses I'd highly recommend Glasses shop.
 



Friday, July 17, 2015

Beauty ¦ Stila convertible colour - Fuchsia


A couple of years ago everyone was talking about these especially the shade Gerbera, but it has taken me this long to give them a go. I decided I wanted something quite bright so I picked out the shade fuchsia. It's a bright slightly blue toned pink which leaves a slightly rosy look on the cheeks and on the lips it gives a nice hint of brightness which works beautifully with very minimal makeup.
 
 
In terms of formula due to it being a lip and cheek colour its a little wetter than your usual cream blush. On the lips it feels very hydrating but it still blends well into the skin without moving the makeup underneath around. I personally prefer applying it with my fingers as I find the heat helps it blend into the skin seamlessly.


Overall I would recommend these, they are really good quality and well worth the money.
 

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Beauty ¦ Cosmetics from Born pretty


When the lovely people from Born pretty contacted me and asked me if I would like to try some more of the products they have on their site I jumped at the chance.
 
Sabas Blush palette* - After really loving the blush palette I received last time (Reviewed //Here//) I decided to give another one a go. One thing I would say about this one is that the shades have quite obvious shimmer therefore I only really find myself reaching for them n the rare occasion. I will say that the amount of pigmentation is perfect. I don't like blushes to be too pigmented as I have a habit of being heavy handed so these are perfect for me.
 
Sugar box face Highlighter stick* - I'm really enjoying using highlighters at the moment and this one is no exception. It's lovely and creamy and it leaves a really lovely natural pinky glow on the skin. I choose the lighter shade out of the two available and it suits my pale complexion really nicely. It blends beautifully and is by far my favourite out of the three products.
 
Qiaoyan eyeshadow palette* - I really like all the colours in this palette but I find it hard to make an entire look out of just this palette. Despite this I really do like the shadows and I find them very easy to work with. They are very sparkly however for me that is no problem .
 


Sabas Blush palette* $5.97 //Here//
 
 Sugar box face Highlighter stick #1* $5.44 //Here//
 

Qiaoyan 5 colour eyeshadow palette* $9.49 //Here//
 
If you'd like 10% off your order from Born Pretty you can use my discount code BAXH10


Sunday, July 12, 2015

Beauty ¦ Shop my stash #3


I've ended up in a bit of a makeup rut at the moment and I've found myself reaching for the same products in a daily basis so I thought do a shop my stash to liven up my routine a little.
 
Miss sporty Morning baby bronze BB cream.
This little bottle of magic is amazing for mixing in to super pale foundations to darken them up and add a beautiful bronzey glow. I also really like it as a primer. The only reason I haven't used this much is because I had no tan at all however now I have some colour I feel like I'm going to get loads of wear out of it.
 
Bourjois Healthy mix foundation
I love the serum version of this so I picked up the original version. I've found this is actually a lot darker than the serum so I haven't been able to get much wear out of it. Hopefully like the bronze cream I will be able to get some more wear out of it now I have a bit of colour.
 
 
Essence xxxl long lasting lip gloss Matte effect - Silky red
This is something I was so desperate to try out but I keep forgetting about it. I love the formula of these as they don't feel dry and gross like some matte lip products can. This is a beautiful true red shade which I cannot wait to get more wear out of.
 
Maxfactor Miracle touch creamy blush - Soft pink
I love this blush but because it's so tiny I tend to overlook it and completely forget about it. The name of the shade is pretty perfect. It's a gorgeous soft pink that looks lovely with most lip and eye looks and leaves a lovely subtle flush on the cheeks.
 



The Balm Balm voyage
Because this is such a massive palette it's right at the bottom of my palette draw meaning I have a habit of forgetting about it. This palette has the most amazing mix of shades and it also contains 3 cheek and lip colours. Some of the shades are not to my taste but the mix of neutral and earthy tones
work really well for me.
 
So that's it for today's post! I'd love to know how often you shop your stash?



Friday, July 10, 2015

Life ¦ Foodie fridays - Graze box

 
I've been wanting to try a graze box for forever and when I got a voucher code the other day I decided to go for it and order one. They usually cost £3.99 however with the voucher code this box cost me nothing.
 
Rough blend peanut butter with pretzel sticks
I liked this one but I think it was probably my least favourite out of the four I received. The peanut butter was really tasty and the pretzel sticks were nice and crunchy and had a good amount of salt on them.
 
Cherries and Berries
These were so delicious, they were the perfect mixture of sweet and sour. The cherries had a slight sourness to them and together with the sweet raisins complimented each other and it was the perfect fix for a sugar craving.
 
Billionaires' shortbread
This was definitely my favourite of the four, I wasn't sure about the combination of almonds, cranberries, chocolate and fudge but somehow it works. The cranberries were slightly tart which balanced out the sweet richness of the fudge and the chocolate.
 
Hickory smoked BBQ
This was the one I was most looking forward to however despite the fact I enjoyed it, they didn't quite live up to what I expected. They had a fairly subtle barbeque flavour but I found the corn kernels to have a slight burnt taste to them. I'd have much preferred this if it was just the cashews and the peas. Despite this for under 150 calories it was a nice snack.
 

Wednesday, July 08, 2015

Beauty ¦ Maybelline colour sensational shine glosses


I'm not usually a lip gloss person, the only lip glosses I don't hate are the Clarins instant light natural lip perfectors. However I'd read some good things about the Maybelline Colour sensational glosses so I decided to bite the bullet and give them a go. Now don't get me wrong I don't like them as much as the Clarins ones however I was pretty impressed.
 
They are a little bit sticky but no way near the levels that some drugstore glosses can be. The pigment of them is really lovely and they both add a wash of glossy colour. Glorious grapefruit is my favourite of the two shades, it's a peachy pink shade which looks lovely to add a slight bit of colour to bare lips or over a nude lipstick to make it a little more pink. Electric orange is a very bright true orange shade which looks amazing with a fairly minimal makeup as a little pop of colour. This one would be brilliant if you want to try an orange shade without going full on bright orange.
 


Neither of the shades have any shimmer in which is something I am really glad about as I find a lot of glosses can be far too glittery for my liking. The formula is lovely and creamy and they feel really hydrating and smooth on the lips. I find they wear for around 3 hours however electric orange leaves behind a light orangey tint on the lips. The glosses have a slight citrusy scent which I personally really like but if you aren't a big fan of scents in your lip products these probably aren't for you.
 
 
Overall I'd recommend these if you don't have the budget for the Clarins lip perfector however if you do I would definitely suggest those.

Left - Electric Orange Right - Glorious grapefruit

Sunday, July 05, 2015

Lifestyle ¦ Cole goes to an actual ball (sort of)

 
So on Thursday night was my prom. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it all as now prom and my last day are over I've officially left school which feel weird. Today I thought i'd show you some of the pictures from the night. My dress is from Little mistress if anyone is wondering.






 

 

Wednesday, July 01, 2015

Beauty ¦ Best of - Lipsticks

 

Now if you're a regular reader over here you will know my obsession with lipsticks so today I thought I would show you my top five lipsticks of all time!
 
 
Bourjois Rouge edition Velvet - Pink pong
 
This is something I haven't had for a long time but it's something that has made it into my favourites very quickly. It has the most incredible shade and I absolutely love it for the summer. The formula is amazing and I definitely need to get some more shades from the range.
 
 
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G - Bitch perfect
 
A peachy pink for me this is pretty much the perfect nude. The finish is a satin and the formula is creamy and moisturizing on the lips.
 
Seventeen Mirror shine - Beehive
 
This is a brilliant lipstick for those I don't want to wear much makeup lipstick days. It's so glossy and incredibly hydrating on the lips. Its possibly one of the most comfortable wearing lipsticks I've ever used however the lasting power isn't mind blowing due to the formula.
 
 
Mac - Rebel
 
How could I not include this lipstick. I wear this all year round however I do tend to reach for it more often in the winter. The satin formula means it's not drying like a matte however the lasting power is just as good.
 
Rimmel Kate moss - 107
 
This shade is so hyped in the blogging world and I completely get why it's the perfect mix of red and pink. Despite the matte formula it feels beautifully creamy on the lips. I also love other shades from this collection but this is definitely my favourite!
 

 
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