3 Recent Beauty Buys

Today I just wanted to share a few of the latest beauty bits that I’ve picked up! I’ve kept it down to 3 for this post, so I can really talk about them. You’ll notice this is different to a ‘haul’ because I tend to have tried some of these bits already and gotten them started, so I can give a little bit of initial feedback on the product. Sometimes I just find a post like this is a good ‘one stop shop’ method, so it saves having a haul, try-on AND then a review. It’s just like an all-in-one post, enjoy these little Autumnal pick-me-ups!

Rimmel 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish in ‘335 Gimme Some of That’, £2.99: I’ve been enjoying the Rimmel formula for a few months now and have been really enjoying it. I’ve found that sometimes the lasting power on it can be great, usually get about 5 days out of them at a time. This one, as you can see in the picture has gotten a few small chips within only 2 days though. The shade is really lovely though, its a deep sophisticated pink that almost looks red in some lights though. It’s a really good one for Autumn and I have a feeling I’ll be reaching for this one a lot!

Revolution Conceal and Define Supersize Concealer in ‘C2’, £7.00: I’ve been using my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer for months non-stop, so I felt like I wanted a change. I have tried this concealer before, but then never got round to re-purchasing it. Unfortunately, I had to settle for the supersize one… which is MASSIVE! I don’t know if they’re still doing the regular sized one, but this one is almost like a foundation stick. I found it harder to shade match me this time, there are literally so so many to choose from even in the pale section- which is a good thing really. I’m looking forward to having a bit of a change up and using this one again.

OGX Purifying and Charcoal Detox Shampoo, £6.99: OGX is a brand that I’ve very recently begun dabbling in and I’m really impressed so far. I like to alternate with my shampoos, so this one and the coconut curls one are the ones I’m currently using. The charcoal one is set to give your head a real deep clean out of any product build up and general dirt. I love a good deep cleaning shampoo, especially as I use serums, so there can often get a build up if not cleansed properly. Love the packaging of these and they’re so big, it will take me a while to finish them off- I usually try and find them on offer too when I can!

Amy

3 Recent Beauty Buys

Today I just wanted to go straight in and show you a few of the recent beauty purchases that I’ve made. I have bought a couple of new things recently but instead of doing a larger haul I thought I would just take the time to share 3 of the ones that I’m most excited about!

Glossier Bubblewrap, £23.00: I love Glossier as a brand and I’m always interested in their new releases, but I can’t always commit to buying them straight away due to the price! I felt like now was a good time to treat myself and my lips have been super dry recently. It says its an ‘eye and lip plumping cream’… which seems like a weird hybrid, I know! I mainly bought this for the ‘lip’ side of things but I will probably have a little experiment with the eye cream side of things. I think it will be something different and I will probably use it as the final step of my nighttime skincare routine, almost like a night lip repair.

Glossier Balm Dotcom in Rose, £10.00: That really annoying thing happened where I had to spend £7 more to get free delivery so I was really suckered into buying this! I really want to love these but when I tried them a couple of years ago I found they started to smell funny and they changed consistency really fast. The rose one is my favourite out of the 3 I’ve tried, although I did consider trying the cherry and mango ones!

OGX Quenching Coconut Curls Shampoo, £6.99: This was actually on sale when I picked this up in Boots for £4.66 which I thought was a pretty good price! I’ve dabbled in OGX before but never purchased a full size product, so I wanted to give them a go. I don’t usually go for a ‘curly’ shampoo because I find they can make my roots a little greasy but I’m looking forward to seeing how this one matches up to the others I’ve tried. The brand in general has lots of options and I think I’m going to pick up another type whilst they’re on offer- as they didn’t have it in stock before. The packaging is lovely and I’m looking forward to giving some new haircare a try!

Amy

3 Frizz Fighting Tips

Today I thought I would share a little bit about fighting frizzy hair! With summer practically here, I felt this was a good time to get ready to fight the humidity… which makes me look very much like Monica from Friends on holiday- not ideal. Just the standard, and VERY obvious, disclaimer: I don’t have all the answers, I am not an expert and this comes from my own experience of coping with hair that is prone to frizz. The battle for me is between frizz and curls. I want that ratio to be 95% curl ideally, but that is often not the case. The warmer weather impacts this ratio MASSIVELY, but these are some of the tips and things I focus on when trying to make my hair all luxurious, smooth and silky soft!

1. CONDITIONER, CONDITIONER, CONDITIONER: Moisture is basically going to be your hairs best friend. You want to find a really, really rich conditioner that is going to give your hair the replenishment it needs. The amount of conditioner needed impacts the frizz to curl ratio massively. I need a pretty heavy duty conditioner, but it cannot be TOO heavy or it will drag out all my curls so its all greasy and flat… but if I go too dry I’m left with a frizzy mess. This is the dilemma. I don’t have the answer, although I am loving my current Umberto Gianni one, you just need to keep trying as many as possible until you find ‘the one’. A good conditioner is the basic starting point when it comes to fighting that frizz.

2. YOUR HAIR IS THIRSTY, GIVE IT DRINK: This step is about going beyond the conditioner, your hair needs more moisture than what conditioner alone can give. This is where you need to look for serums, jellys or in serious cases- go straight in for a good oil. Personally, oils are a little too much for me and can leave my curls feeling little crisp. There are lots of better ones out there though, for me a serum or jelly works best- I’ve spoken about a favourite of mine for over a year now I’ve pictured it above and discussed it more in my Frizz Fighting Saviour, so this one is worth a look! I also keep a travel spray bottle with water in to hand, it just is good to scrunch into the hair to calm the frizz and make it bound better with the hair as a whole.

3. WORK WITH YOUR HAIR: For SOOO long I was working against my hair and although  I am ‘frizz fighting’ with these tips, I also know that to get my hair to go how I want it to I have to understand what it needs. It doesn’t want the heat of straighteners to hair dryers- and a heat protectant is a must if I do. My hair copes better with frizz when I use leave in serums and lightly towel dry about 20% and then leave to dry naturally. I think that just trial and error is the best way to work out what irritates your hair and makes it explode. I also found that giving it a good brush before washing or when the conditioner is in makes a BIG difference. It gives it a good clean out- gross, but needed. AND, not washing my hair every day is a good way of training it to stay curly for longer between washes. I’m only on every other day, but when I can I push for 3 days. I would LOVE to train it to be longer tbh, but I just can’t deal with the grease. I find the more I touch it the more frizzy it goes- why does it have to be this way. It’s such a rollercoaster of a relationship when it comes to hair.

Amy

May Favourites 2019

I’m SOOO excited that May is coming to an end. It’s always a bit of a drag, especially with all the deadlines that I’ve been going through. I have still had the time to find some pretty good favourites this month… if anything I’ve been avoiding revision so much that I’ve been looking more for them haha! I cannot wait for June because I’m going to Disneyland Paris- if you LOVE Disney content or have a trip coming up soon then keep an eye as I’ll be posting about it quite a bit in the next few months! Until then, here are a few of my non-Disney faves, from beauty to a good Netflix recommendation!

Glossier Boy Brow in Clear, £14.00: It’s actually been a little while since I’ve given this product a shoutout, not that it really needs the promo. I have been using this throughout May and most of the year, but I do go through phases where I try other ones. This month its been a proper staple for me, especially when I’ve been a little ‘relaxed’ with plucking and shaping. I put this on and it looks like I’ve made more of an effort than I actually have which is exactly what I’m looking for in a beauty product! I get that it’s expensive, so it is a little splurge, but I really love the waxy formula and non-sticky feel which keeps my eyebrows in place all day!

Umberto Gianni Scrunching Jelly, £7.00: This month I’ve been trying quite a few new things, especial when it comes to hair care! I picked this up in my Drugstore Beauty Haul and have been LOVING using it. A scrunching jelly is something that I’ve been looking for for ages, its hard to find one that doesn’t crisp up your curls. It really does add definition and is great for in-between washes as it revitalises your hair without the need for washing. This has the same delicious ‘good looking man’ smell as the others in the range and I really enjoy using this product- I’m SO glad I found it!

The Good Place: This month I completely binge watched this series and I absolutely LOVED it. The episodes are only 20mins long so it is really easy to become involved and there are currently only 3 series- I cannot wait for season 4! I’m guessing you know the plot, it’s basically in the afterlife but it is much more complex than the premise makes it seem. I really enjoyed all the twists and turns, I really loved the characters too especially Michael, Eleanor and Jason Medosaaaa. It was a really great watch and made time absolutely FLY. It was SO good that I kind of wish I had slowed down because I literally downed it in a couple of days.

Avengers End Game: THIS WAS EVERYTHING. Technically, I saw this at the very end of April but I just wanted to share that I LOVE this film and just the whole Avengers cast. I feel extremely emotionally invested after all this time and this film was an almost perfect ending… I feel like its alright for spoilers now, right? I’m just going to miss Chris Evans, I didn’t think it was a ‘re-generational’ role. That’s all I’ll say. ANYWAY, I LOVE THIS FILM. I can’t wait to see it again. I’ve watched SO much Marvel recently and I just cannot get over this. 100% favourite film of the year so far. Cinematically it is honestly NEXT LEVEL. I’m struggling to get over it- head over to my Insta where I am still sharing things about this film on my stories regularly… I’m not ready to let go!

Amy

Drugstore Beauty Haul

Today I’m going to be sharing a few of the things I’ve recently picked up from Boots. I was initially just going to call this a ‘Boots Haul’ but then I thought if you’re from outside the UK you might be disappointed with the lack of shoes in this video. I did the usual thing when you go into Boots, just looking for the one thing and then you get sucked into the 3 for 2. Yep, that still happens to me. So I’ve got quite the selection to share, so enjoy…

SO, the main product I went to re-purchase was the Umberto Gianni No More Frizz Curl Serum (£8.00). As you know, this recently featured in my Beauty Product Empties post and is pretty much the only one that I was keen on getting again. It’s one of my favourite haircare products and I find that scrunching it in after a wash really helps define the curls. This is when I was sucked into the 3 for 2… it was actually difficult to choose because I would love to try SO much of their products. They do ranges that aren’t just focused on curly hair too but I don’t hear much about the brand online. I picked up the Umberto Gianni Coily Curls Moisture Conditioner (£8.00) which looks LOVELY and has a pump… this is not a drill. I feel super fancy with the pump conditioner and I’m excited to try a new one! Last of the bunch is Umberto Gianni Curl Scrunching Jelly (£7.00), I am unsure on how similar this is to the serum because from what I gather they do very similar things but just in a different way. I LOVE the smell of this whole range, it smells like a good looking man. They have basically bottled up, what I imagine, Chris Hemsworth smells like.

The last couple of bits I got were some new skincare to try! I went for a very well-loved product, that I am yet to give a proper go- the Pixi Glow Tonic, I went for the smaller size which was £10.00 but they do a bigger size for £18.00. I’ve recently finished up my Glossier Solution and I just didn’t feel like re-purchasing it, so I thought this looked like a good alternative and a reasonable price. I also got the Neurtogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Moisturiser that was on offer for £3.50, but is usually priced at £5.25. One of my besties recommended this range and I thought I would give the moisturiser a try. I love that its good for spots AND is pink AND fruity scented… usually we are stuck with ugly green or smelly tea tree- ugh. I’m really looking forward to giving this a try!

Hopefully you have enjoyed reading about some of my recent beauty purchases. I’m still unsure on the best way to translate hauls onto the blog in the best format… it’s a work in progress! If you want to see my future thoughts on these products I’ll either do an updated skincare routine, individual reviews or just always keep an eye on my monthly favourites!

Amy

Beauty Product Empties

Today I thought I would share a few beauty products that I have finished up lately. It seems like everything tends to finish up at once, which means a Boots haul is looking likely! I am looking to change things up instead of just re-purchasing but I will discuss that more throughout. This kind of post should be helpful if you are on the hunt for some new products because if someone has completely used them up, then they can’t be THAT bad- so I always think you can get some good recommendations from reading these!

The Body Shop Vitamin E Night Cream, £14.00: I do actually love this product! I’m unsure whether I’ll get it again because I didn’t realise the price was actually so much. It does last a while though. It’s really nourishing and I love putting it on before bed because I feel like it really gets into the skin whilst you sleep. I would definitely like to try a similar kind of product to see how it compares. Considering I have oily, spot prone skin I think this works pretty well as I’m not exactly the ideal candidate for a heavier moisturiser!

The Body Shop Tea Tree Toner, £6.50: This has been a favourite of mine for a while and I’m not sure what number bottle this is, that I’ve gone through! This product is great if you’re looking for a toner and have oily, spot prone skin. I’m not the biggest fan of the scent but that cannot really be helped because it smells like tea tree… duh. For the price, I think this is a pretty great product and I think in the future I would probably re-purchase.

Glossier Solution, £19.00: I have such a rollercoaster relationship with this product. This is my second bottle of this that I have completed, so I do obviously like it but I don’t think it has that ‘wow’ factor that it claims. It is an exfoliating, toner all-in-one kind of product that I just use once a day in the evening. This might work better on other peoples skin, it definitely didn’t do any harm and caused a slight improvement but I just wouldn’t say it blew me away.

Umberto Gianni No More Frizz Curl Serum, £8.00: This is the main product that I know I will re-purchase! I absolutely LOVE this stuff. I stand by all the lovely things I said in my Frizz Fighting Saviour post when I first reviewed it. This product really lasts a long time as well, so it will keep you going for a couple of months. If you have curly hair, then this is your go-to gal for fighting that frizz!

Amy

2019: The Beauty Search

Bit of a different kind of post today but hopefully one you’ll find interesting or you might be able to help with. Basically, I don’t need to be going round buying another load of pink blushes or clear brow mascaras… in 2019 I want to focus on buying the things that are actually missing in my beauty stash. Products that I don’t have ‘staples’ or ‘favourites’ for when creating make-up looks. I’ve gone for ‘Beauty’ because this is going to be a couple make-up and hair bits. I did consider adding skincare but I think it’s obvious I’m on the hunt for my perfect skincare routine constantly. This is basically me describing my dream products and then finding the year searching for them… in an attempt to limit spending on products I already have!

Face Powder: I am an oily skin sufferer, but I haven’t found my perfect mattifying powder yet. The struggle is real. I’m after a powder that tames my T-Zone but provides some coverage too and works well with my concealer. I have used the Rimmel one for quite a while and dabbled with Soap and Glory’s but neither have really sorted my skin problems out properly and I’ve actually not been using one for a couple of months. Hopefully I can try and find a good one this year, I might even have to look at the pricer beauty brands for this!

Bronzer: Being pale and having poor make-up skills means that I struggle with bronzer. I have one that I enjoy using but it’s a little too sparkly- not a look I’m going for anymore! I don’t think I am mature enough to go completely matte but I would love to find one with a sheen that doesn’t have that ‘mud’ look on me. Bronzer is always something that I am wary about but I think it’s because I haven’t found the right one yet!

The Perfect Blue-Grey Nail Polish: It’s a very specific shade that I am after. I’ve looked around the high street stores but haven’t found it yet- they are either too grey, blue, green or have a sparkle to them. It’s quite a unique shade but I  have seen other people wearing the shade and it’s a nice sophisticated look. I’m going to keep an eye out throughout the year for this one, I’m thinking I might have to look at ‘Nails Inc’ or a different type of brand than I typically go for!

Curly Hair Conditioning Mask: I’ve tried my fair share of curly hair treatments in the past but I’ve always struggled with the ‘crispy’ feeling they leave afterwards. I would love to find a deep-conditioning mask that isn’t difficult to remove and leaves my hair feeling silky rather than stiff. The best I’ve found is having conditioning treatments done professionally at the hairdressers, but I would love an alternative that worked at home!

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed this post, I haven’t really read anything else like this- maybe there is a reason for it! Let me know if you’ve enjoyed it or if you’re trying to limit beauty spending this year. Sometimes its just good to re-assess and realise you don’t need every Barry M Gelly nail polish- let’s see if this lasts past January, yeah?

Amy

Christmas Favourites 2018

IT’S ALMOST HERE EVERYONE, STAY CALM.

I am not calm. I AM BUZZING. It really is the most wonderful time and the best is yet to come- so. soon. It might seem a little bit early to be doing a ‘Favourites’ but this is for the whole festive season- which lets face it, started for me in September just as that last summer ice-cream melted I was off with my tinsel. With this in mind, this is also going to be my last post of 2018- I can hear the sobbing already- I’ll update you a little more about after we’ve got through these! ENJOY:

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair, £4.19: The last couple of months I’ve been using the Revolution concealer, but in December I have returned to this trusty favourite. My skin has been going through a bit of a rough patch recently, with the cold weather and my lack of effort with skincare, so I have really relied on this. I’ve been using two layers of it on bad days and it still doesn’t look cake-y which is something I always worry about.

Phil Smith Be Gorgeous Curly Locks Curl Conditioner, £3.50: I do genuinely wonder if anyone else uses this, because I’ve only ever seen it in Sainsbury’s which is such a specific location. BUT, if you do happen to be in there then you should definitely give it a go. They have other variations depending on your hair type, but this one suits my hair the best as it really nourishes my curls. I haven’t used it for a few months because I’ve been trying to finish another one- I’ll write about that in the new year- so I’m SO glad to be back with this one. I find that it helps keep frizz away for longer between washes which I LOVE and need.

Cadbury’s Chocolate Mousse Snowmen: WOW. What can I say. These are my favourite Christmas snack every year- I want to bulk buy to get me through the year. Cadbury’s is the best chocolate ever- if you disagree you’re wrong- and this has to be one of their best festive offerings. They are the perfect size and are a slightly melted version of a wispa on the inside. There is nothing I don’t like about these and I can’t imagine the amount of these I have eaten throughout the festive season. I suggest you eat as many of these as you can whilst you have the chance!

The Princess Switch: December has been FULL to the brim of Christmas films, of course the old classics have been on repeat but thanks to Netflix I have been inundated with films to watch. There are lots to choose from but I think my favourite has to be ‘The Princess Switch’. You have to look at it in a light-hearted way, like all Christmas films, and accept it for the cute film that it is… if you can get over the whole Vanessa Hudgens playing both girls- spoiler. It’s basically like Parent Trap meets Princess Diaries meets The Holiday… what a dreamy combination!

I feel like I could go on and on with all the lovely Christmas things I have been loving for the past month… as if I haven’t been loving festive things since summer ended tbh. This is a little streamlined list though, so hopefully you’ve enjoyed having a little festive read.

As I’ve mentioned above this is actually going to be the last post on here for 2018- get the violins out. I’m going to give us all a break until Monday 7th January 2019, where there are going to be some changes around here… so definitely come back for those, it is much appreciated! Thank you for your support on my blog throughout the year, it is very much appreciated!

Have the most wonderful Christmas and the loveliest new year!

Amy

Current Haircare Routine

Today’s post is the final in my week focusing on all things hair! I’m going to be talking through what products I’m using on my hair and the routine I am basically in. I have been doing things this way for a few months and I feel like it works best for me. I would like to add some kind of hair mask, but am yet to find the best one for curly hair! Basically, if you haven’t read any of my other hair care posts this week (if not, why not?) then I have curly hair that is prone to frizz. It’s mid length brunette and with lighter, caramel ends- but I’m growing those out.

I’m currently in the routine of washing my hair every other day, or every 3 days- I would love to train my hair to go longer in between but this is best for me to minimise grease. Before I wash my hair I go through it with a tangle teaser, as my thick curly hair is notorious for knots. I find doing it before makes washing easier and really gives it a good clean out- bit gross, but true. I’ve been alternating between shampoo’s on each wash, so one week I will use Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo (£4.19) and then the next I will go for John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Shampoo (£6.99). I love to alternate shampoos because I like to get different things out of them and it makes sure my hair doesn’t get bored… which I’ve heard is actually a thing! The Brunette one I use to blend out my lighter ends because I’m trying to grow those out- it really works in deepening the colour and I’ve actually had people ask if I have dyed my hair, so the results are very clear. The moisture one is great for curly hair, it smooths out dry ends and works to give your hair a real nourishing clean.

.Next up is conditioner, the key to a good curly hair care routine. The one I’m currently using is the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Dream Curls Conditioner (£5.99). It is one of my favourites but I’m often changing these around as I go through conditioner SOOO much quicker than shampoo. I like to go for a specific curl one just to help define them and ease the frizz. I prefer this from a conditioner, rather than a shampoo, because my curls are mainly at the end of my hair so I find my ends have different needs than the roots- it sounds a bit high maintenance, I know!

Once I’ve given my hair a brief towel dry I go in with my FAVOURITE: Umberto Giannini No More Frizz Curl Serum (£8.00). I’ve gone on about this in an entire post, earlier in the week, so I won’t go on about it here. Basically, I love it and it answers all my curly girl needs. It tames frizz and defines my curls whilst I sleep on my drying hair- so that in the morning it looks FRESH.

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed reading all about my favourites to do with hair! It’s something I’ve really enjoyed writing about so will definitely be leaving a few more haircare reviews in the future. I know it can be really difficult finding hair care especially that fits to your specific needs- so it’s important to share any hidden gems you might find! Like I mentioned earlier, if you have any more curly hair recommendations do  let me know especially a hair mask or a product to work on dry hair to define curls- that would be great! See you next Monday at 10am with a post all about prepping for the Royal Wedding- CAN’T WAIT.

Amy

Frizz Fighting Saviour

This week I’m going to be posting a trilogy of hair-focused blog posts- my hair chat went live on Monday and then I have my full haircare routine going up on Friday at 10am! Today’s is a focus on my FAVOURITE hair product that fights frizz and defines my curls. I first discovered it in January and have pretty much been using it after every wash. It is the kind of product every curly, frizz fighting girl needs.

Without further ado here it is… Umberto Gianni No More Frizz Curl Serum *and the crowd goes wild* It is only £8 from Boots too- perfect! Hopefully in this post I can give this product the hype it deserves.

Isn’t is CUTE?! I love the pink bottle, with a pump, AND it is not too bulky either so it is perfect for travelling too. Basically, after washing my hair I lightly pat dry with a towel then I take two pumps of this magical serum on my hands are distribute evenly throughout the ends of my hair. It is almost like an oily texture which is great for curly hair because it just drinks it up. My hair is not completely dry at this point and I use a scrunching motion to give volume whilst adding the serum. I usually then go to sleep and in the morning is when the real results can be seen.

Instead of the usual mixture of frizz and waves, there are clearly defined curls…. it’s the dream. My hair feels a lot softer after using it too and more nourished, which is a never ending battle with dry curls. If your curls are looking a little frazzled in-between washes then wetting hair in the shower and using a small amount of serum can help to re-vitalise them until your next wash too!

The main issues I have found in the past with frizzy hair care products is that they make A LOT of empty promises and my curls can often look crispy and false. Whereas this serum just works to make the best out of my natural hair without drying it out. Some products I’ve used have been completely at the other end of the scale and have been SO moisturising and heavy they’ve made my curls completely drop out! To have found this product after years of searching- I am SO relieved. I’ve been using it for 5 months now and I definitely feel like I’ve tried and tested enough of these kinds of products to say that this is ACTUALLY WORTH IT. It works wonders for my hair and I hope that it will do the same for you! If you have any curly hair, frizz fighting product suggestions such as masks or for use on dry hair I’d love to hear them- as I’m still hunting down those perfect products!

Special thanks to Umberto for helping tame the frizz and let the curls run free.

Amy