Sunday 30 June 2013

Butter LONDON: Polish in Crumpet and Lippy in Hen Party


I fell in love with Butter London when I got the chance to try them at the press event I had the chance to attend and when I had the chance to try out this gorgeous nude shade, well I just couldn't say no. I'm usually more of a bright polish kinda girl, but I think this was because I just hadn't found the right nude. 


This is perfect! The finish, the quality of the polish, the shade - I absolutely love it all. I feel as though any colour could come along and I'd love it as much as the next. There's just something special about a Butter London polish and I just can't quite put my finger on it. 

Just like the previous Butter London polishes I reviewed, this last's amazingly well on the nails - the best quality polish I have ever tried and yes that is over OPI and Nails Inc. I just don't rate them as much as I do Butter London. I know that £12 is pricey for a polish, but if you're looking to buy a higher ended nail polish, then I would definitely recommend them over the majority of other brands. 

Then there was the lip gloss that I also received in the shade Hen Party. I will first say that I am not a lip gloss kind of girl at all, and it will take a lot for me to use a lip gloss. I do really like this lip gloss and actually I'm surprised, it smells lovely and sweet and I think that is what properly does it for me. It feels nice on the lips, still a bit sticky though, but it does the job a lip gloss does. I didn't expect to like the shade, but actually the fact that it has glitter running through it works, and the nude shade comes out very clear anyway. I doubt I would wear this on it's own though and would probably wear it over a lipstick to give it that bit extra. 

What are your favourite Butter London polishes or lippy's? 


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Friday 28 June 2013

imPress by Broadway Nails

imPress by Broadway Nails* - £7.99

You will all probably know by now that when it comes to beauty, I am all about ease. I would quite often forgo painting my nails just because of the effort of taking the polish off and repainting it. It takes time, and I am quite the clutz when it comes to nail painting in general... I am known to ruining a couple of nails within seconds of painting them, or I will end up with that dreaded fabric imprint when painting them before going to bed. 

I had heard a lot about these before through bloggers and reviews, but really I didn't take any notice. I am a lover of short nails. Again this is due to the ease of it. I'll never forget getting nail extensions put on with my best friend before prom and we both struggled to even open our purses to pay for them! Every task was made a little harder, and this is the case with even growing my nails. I wish I could be that girl that has the perfect length and shaped nails, but honestly I am not. 

When an email popped in my inbox about these, I'll have to say I was a little sceptical at first as I couldn't quite imagine these working for me but when I actually started thinking about it, what isn't to love? The application is easy, you literally just peel off the underside of the nail and press them on. It's as simple as that, no nail polish all over your hand (yes, I do manage to do that nearly every time I do my nails... although I do manage to rectify this afterwards by peeling it off after a bath. I probably shouldn't mention this, wouldn't want to ruin the illusion! haha) and they're on, and they're perfect. 

The clumsy one in me means that they don't last too long, but I don't really have too much of a problem with that because of the ease of application. I would probably save these for when I'm in a rush and don't have time to wait for nail polish to dry, because let's face it, they're a little too pricey to use on a daily basis, but hey, if you can afford it then why not! 

Have you tried these before? 


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Tuesday 25 June 2013

The Body Shop: Coconut Body Scrub and All-In-One BB Cream



The coconut body scrub was one I was excited to try. I have to say I haven't used The Body Shop's products for a long time. I remember being at Boarding School and we had a Body shop party in our house and I can remember spending all my pocket money, just so I could get a freebie bag with some mini products - my beauty addict tendencies were beginning! I used to love the body butters, so wondered whether this would be similar. I love a good coconut scent so this was perfect for me. 


A bit to my surprise, this didn't actually smell quite as expected. It reminded me of Malibu, and actually was surprisingly nice. Not the usual coconut scent I love but I did actually really like it. The scrub feel lovely on the skin and does just what it is meant to. Its creamy while still exfoliating well. I can imagine this big tub will last me quite a while too! 


I absoloutley love the concept of this BB Cream. A white cream that matches your skin tone. I love a good BB Cream, the Garnier BB Cream always used to be my go to base. I chose the lightest shade but actually unfortunately it just wasn't light enough for my pale complexion. It looked very dark on my pale skin tone so unfortunately for that reason it is just unwearable. Although when putting it on I did notice how light and nice it felt on the skin. I can't comment on how well it lasted but I can tell that I would really love it if the shade was right. 



After trying these products I definitely want to get back on The Body Shop bandwagon and get some more products! 

What are your favourite products from The Body Shop? 

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Monday 24 June 2013

LIP WEEK: Red Lipstick Collection


This is the last post in the lip week series, sorry it's a day late! Today I'm showing you the Red lipsticks in my collection... an ever expanding group of my favourite shades! I love a red lip, it's classic and looks perfect with most things! 



L-R     17 in Showbiz, Topshop in Mischief, Topshop in Rio Rio, MAC in Russian Red, Dainty Doll in 001, Dainty Doll in 002 and 17 in Hollywood


I love a good red lip, and actually I'm surprised I haven't got more. Although, I would say lately I am quite good at refraining myself from buying more because really, I always go for the same ones really. I need to change it up a bit! I love the Topshop lipsticks and Mischief was my first but I prefer the semi matte formula so when I saw Rio Rio I fell in love. One of my favourites also now I have it has to be MAC's Russian Red, who couldn't love this shade, it's stunning! 

 L-R    17 in Showbiz, Topshop in Mischief, Topshop in Rio Rio, MAC in Russian Red, Dainty Doll in 001, Dainty Doll in 002 and 17 in Hollywood
Thanks again to Callum for letting me use his arm! 


What are your favourite Red lipstick shades? I definitely want to add some more into my collection! 


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Saturday 22 June 2013

LIP WEEK: Nude Lipstick Collection



L-R   Dainty Doll in 008, Dainty Doll in 006, Dainty Doll in 007, MAC in Shy Girl, 17 in Belle, ELF Matte Lip Colour in Natural and ELF Matte Lip Colour in Tea Rose

I wouldn't really say my nude lipstick collection is well used or loved really. I am a bright lipstick girl at heart and usually opt for nothing or a lip balm over a nude lipstick. I get surprised to see that the collections of the colours I don't wear are actually much larger than the ones I do wear. Perhaps I'm always on the hunt for one that I will wear? 


L-R   Dainty Doll in 008, Dainty Doll in 006, Dainty Doll in 007, MAC in Shy Girl, 17 in Belle, ELF Matte Lip Colour in Natural and ELF Matte Lip Colour in Tea Rose

Thanks again to Callum for letting me borrow his arm!

I would have to say my most used out of this collection would be my first ever MAC lipstick in Shy Girl, the 17 lipstick in Belle and the ELF Matte lip colours. I have had each of these for quite a long time, and round about when I was really first getting into makeup I wore quite a lot of nude lipsticks into college and just on a day to day basis really but as I have said before as I got braver, these lipsticks became a little unloved. I will definitely be breaking these out as this has made me realise how much I did actually love them before! 

What are your favourite nude lipsticks? 


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Friday 21 June 2013

LIP WEEK: Purple Lipstick Collection


 L-R Topshop in Beguiled, Sleek in Mulberry, Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Grandest Grape and Topshop Limited Edition in Wicked

A purple lipstick has got to be my definite favourite at the minute. More often than not I always opt for a darker purple shade and these ones are great. The least used out of these would have to be the Sleek Lipstick in Mulberry but I definitely want to give this more of a go, although I do have to slightly braver for this as it is very dark! The others are used equally, and I love them all a lot! 


L-R Topshop in Beguiled, Sleek in Mulberry, Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Grandest Grape and Topshop Limited Edition in Wicked


I do actually have another purple lipstick but it's very special and I wanted to save it for a post of its own. It's my new favourite so keep a look out for that! 

I really want to add some more into my collection, MAC Rebel is one I'm definitely after and hopefully will be adding to my collection soon. 

What are your favourite purple lipstick shades? 


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Thursday 20 June 2013

LIP WEEK: Orange/Coral Lipstick Collection



L-R Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 040, Barry M in 147, Topshop in Infrared and ELF Matte Lip Colour in Coral

First off I'm going to say that I don't suit an orange lipstick at all so the Revlon and Topshop one sadly go unloved. As much as I wish I suited them and have tried to wear them, they just look horrible with my skin tone and so I always end up taking it off and going for a different shade anyway. My favourite in this collection is the ELF Matte Lip Colour in Coral. I love the Matte Lip Colours, they apply easily and I love the colour range. I really want to get more but only have the 3 nude shades, I did used to have Praline but sadly lost that one. 


L-R Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 040, Barry M in 147, Topshop in Infrared and ELF Matte Lip Colour in Coral


What are your favourite coral shades? 


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Wednesday 19 June 2013

LIP WEEK: Dainty Doll Lipsticks



L-R 001, 002, 003, 006, 007, 008 £1.99 each from Fragrance Direct

001

This and 002 would have to be my favourite and most used out of the bunch. We all know I love a good red shade and this darker red shade fit so well into my collection. I usually opt for a brighter red but as I've been getting into my darker purple lipsticks, a dark red had to be added to the ever growing collection of lipsticks I've got. 

002

A beautiful bright red that works so well with my skin tone. I have quite a number of bright reds but this one is just as nice as the rest. I love the formulation of Dainty Doll lipsticks as they are so easy to apply and wear. 

003

A lovely bright pink. This one reminded me a little of Topshop's All About Me which is one of my favourite pink shades. It has a very moisturising formulation and although I don't often opt for a pink lipstick, I will definitely get a chance to use this. 

006

Now onto the nudes in the collection. This is more of a pink toned nude and is lovely. I don't usually opt for a nude lip and if I do I would usually go for MAC Shy Girl but I really want to give these a go more often. 

007

This one is more of a golden and yellow toned nude. It has a bit of shimmer in it and I would say it is a lot less wearable than the other shades. It doesn't really suit my skin tone well and I prefer lipstick mostly without shimmer. 

008

A pink brown toned nude, I do like this shade although it does have a little shimmer. More wearable than the previous shade although I cant see myself opting for this that often. Perhaps I should try out my nudes more often! 


L-R 001, 002, 003, 006, 007, 008 (Thanks to Callum, my boyfriend for donating his arm for swatch purposes, so helpful!)

I really like the Dainty Doll lipsticks along with all of the other products I have tried from them actually. Very affordable (£1.99 for a lipstick?!!) you really can't go wrong, hence why I ordered all of the shades they had in stock. I think I may have made around 3 orders when Dainty Doll first appeared on Fragrance Direct. They don't actually have it all in stock at the moment, but I would keep checking back as I always noticed that there was more on there each time I checked, hence the 3 orders in only a couple of weeks. 

What are your favourite Dainty Doll lipstick shades? 

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Tuesday 18 June 2013

LIP WEEK: Pink Lipstick Collection




 L-R Louise Gray for Topshop in Legend, Topshop in All About Me, Topshop in  Confession, Dainty Doll in 003, Seventeen in Showcase, Barry M in Touch of Magic Green, Barry M in 153, Topshop in Powder Room, Topshop in Clueless, Eyeko in Hot Lips and Eyeko in Loud Mouth

Pink lipsticks are probably one of my least used collections. I usually opt for a red or a purple, which is why it's so surprising that my collection is this big and of course forever growing. I'm sure there's probably more in my collection by the time this has been posted as well... Oops! 


L-R Louise Gray for Topshop in Legend, Topshop in All About Me, Topshop in Confession, Dainty Doll in 003, Seventeen in Showcase, Barry M in Touch of Magic Green, Barry M in 153, Topshop in Powder Room, Topshop in Clueless, Eyeko in Hot Lips and Eyeko in Loud Mouth


I'm not going to go into each one in depth because the swatches show them all pretty well. I would say my favourites are probably all of the Topshop ones. I am obsessed with the lipsticks from Topshop and I am always wanting to add to my collection, although I have been very good lately. I also really love the Eyeko lipsticks, my favourite lipstick used to be the red shade in the range but unfortunately I lost it and this range has now been discontinued. Such a shame as they're really lovely lipsticks. 

What are your favourite pink shades? 

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Monday 17 June 2013

LIP WEEK: Topshop Make-up Collection - Lip Polish

To celebrate my blog turning one I will be having a week themed post series all about my beauty product! I am a big fan of all kinds of lipsticks and I'd definitely say they're my most used products in my collection. Lip week is starting with the long awaited last post in my Topshop Make-up Collection Series!




L-R   Cracker, Truffle, Chiffon, Cherry Picker, Coral, Iced Coffee

The last in the Topshop Make-up Collection series and definitely a good one. I really like these Lip Polishes as they are super pigmented while still being very wearable. They are a little sticky but the fact that they are so pigmented for me draws away from this. I don't use them as much as I would like but once I've got my make-up storage sorted in my new student house this will all be rectified as I'll be able to access my makeup a lot more easily. 



L-R   Cracker, Truffle, Chiffon, Cherry Picker, Coral, Iced Coffee

My favourites are Cracker, Cherry Picker and Iced Coffee although I would actually wear all of the shades which is very unusual for me! 

I managed to pick these up ages ago in the sale in my local Topshop, they were in sets of 3 and were reduced to something crazy like £3 a pack and with student discount that made it £2.70 - crazy!!

Have you tried these before? 




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Sunday 16 June 2013

Simple Kind To Skin Smoothing Facial Scrub

This was given to me to review by the lovely ladies at Baobella - read my post on them here!


I am such a skincare junkie and love trying out new products. I used to always use Simple products when I was just getting into skincare and I would recommend this all the way for any Teens out there. I used to be such a big fan of their moisturiser, my boyfriend still uses it actually. I feel as though as my skin has got used to using other, more expensive products I do find that these don't work quite as well for me anymore but they do the job. 

I was needing a new facial exfoliator in my regime as I had run out of the one I was using already. It does the job and I am still using it now, I will definitely get through the bottle and then I will probably purchase one from Origins. I feel as though it doesn't work that well for my skin, but as skincare is so subjective it could work for others - my boyfriend also uses this! It does the job, but I would definitely recommend those a bit younger to use this as at that age, I couldn't live without Simple!

What are your favourite Simple products? 

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Saturday 15 June 2013

Viridian Beauty Oil and Beauty Complex


These were given to me to review by the lovely ladies at Baobella - read my post on them here!



'A balanced rich source of 3;6;9 fatty acids including GLA. Contains a broad range of potent antioxidants including vitamin E and carotenoids including alpha-carotene, beta carotene and lutein. Essential fatty acids are required for the health and maintenance of cellular integrity and membrane fluidity. This delicious oil can be added to smoothies or salad dressing, drissled over food or simply taken off the spoon.'

I am very excited to see how this works as I have been saving both products for when I start to try and eat a bit more healthier and I can't see a better place to start! I am excited to see how this tastes. I have heard it's nice to add to a smoothie. 


'A synergistic combination of vitamins, minerals and plant-based phytonutrients for the maintenance of collagen integrity, supporting the underlying structures of healthy skin, hair and nails. Take daily alongside Viridian's 100% Organic Ultimate Beauty Complex Oil for the ultimate in hair, skin and nails.'

Again I have been saving this for when I start to eat more healthier. I would say already that my diet is good but sometimes you just want that bit more you know? I really want to try and eat a lot more healthy for a bit and see how I feel after. I can imagine both of these helping and my nails haven't been great so I'm definitely excited to see how they work. 

Have you tried either of these products? Would love some recommendations for how to use the Beauty Oil!



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Friday 14 June 2013

MAC Lipstick Collection




Top - Russian Red   Botton - Shy Girl

My MAC Lipstick collection may be a small one but it is definitely a good one! The first one I bought was Shy Girl after reading so much about it on Vivianna's blog. I bought it online when Debenhams had a discount, and honestly I was a little unsure at first. I wasn't sure whether it suited my skin tone but as I'd spent the money on it, and it was quite a lot of money for me to spend on a lipstick at that time I made sure I used it anyway. Through using it time after time I actually started to love it and actually it appears plenty of times in my early FOTD posts. I wore it all the time!

I started to get more and more into my makeup and as that happened I started to get a little braver. I now love wearing bright or darker shades and unfortunately my Shy Girl is a little unloved (I must change that ASAP!) and that was where I fell in love with Russian Red. I saw someone was selling it for around £9 on a blog sale, and well, I just couldn't say no! A more me shade at the moment, although I am currently loving my dark purples - Rebel is next on my list! 

I definitely want to expand my collection, and with a little gift card I received from my friend Dina for my birthday I am definitely going to be making that happen at some point soon! 

What are you favourite MAC lipstick shades? 

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Thursday 13 June 2013

Happy 1st Birthday Studs and Dreams!


It's officially been a year since I started blogging! Yay! 

I know I haven't constantly blogged for the year, and have taken some needed breaks (like when I started Uni and in my busy month of May) but I am so glad I did! 

I just want to thank you all for reading my little blog, and I am so glad of what it has become and the places it has and is taking me. I'm so excited to see where it is at this point next year! 

To thank you all, I have been running a little giveaway for some beautiful Instagram prints which you can enter here! Please let me know if you do! 

Today I am actually going to see one of my all time favourite singers; Ben Howard. I have been a fan of his for so long and am so glad I finally get to see him, and what better day than on my blog's birthday, definitely a day full of celebration! Will be sure to let you know how it is! 


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Wednesday 12 June 2013

Hawaiian Tropic Protective Sun Lotion


Ever since receiving a sample of Hawaiian Tropic's Silk Hydration Protective Sun Lotion in an ASOS order, I have always wanted to try more of their products. The smell was amazing and it hydrated my skin like I was applying a moisturizer - none of that sticky sun cream nonsense. I recently went on holiday to Tunisia and took these along with me to give them a good try out. (along with plenty of other products of course, the beauty blogger in me couldn't resist!)

I'm pretty fair skinned so always need high protection. I used to always think I didn't need it and would always think I know best and would always opt for a much lower SPF but would always come out burnt to a crisp, so thankfully I have now learnt from my ways and hopefully I won't be going back. I usually go for SPF 50 just to be sure but I always like to have a lower SPF to apply to specific areas that I don't necessarily feel need quite as much as the day progresses. 

I found these to smell nice, not quite as nice as the Silk Hydration, and it didn't quite have that moisturizing effect, but it was a lot nicer than a lot of sun creams I have previously used. I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed as I had expected much more. (luckily I took a range of other Hawaiian Tropic products with me, which I'm sure I'll be telling you about soon! and gave those a go as well). 

These sun creams are really nice, and they definitely do the job so I will definitely get through each of the bottles but I was just left wanting a little more. I really do love the Silk Hydration products, so this definitely hasn't knocked my love for Hawaiian Tropic, but I will just make sure to purchase the ones I know and love in the future! 

Have you tried Hawaiian Tropic before? What are your favorite products?


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