Sunday 29 March 2015

Essence in the UK

Hi Guys,

The European makeup brand Essence has hit the UK, well I must admit it has been here for while. It was launched in Wilkinsons, however there aren't many Wilkinsons in Scotland so it took me quite a while to track them down! 
Essence Cosmetics
The affordable makeup brand has become quite popular over here, they offer a huge selection of products, from gel nails at home to skincare! They really care about not testing on animals and offering great product quality for a fraction of the price.

I first heard about Essence many moons ago, when they brought out their Twilight Saga collection! If only that was available in the UK!! I've heard so many things about them since, so I had to give them a go, these are the bits Ive been trying out. 
Essence Cosmetics
Long Lasting Lipstick in 07 Natural Beauty - £2.30
This lipstick has a very creamy constancy which is comfortable on the lips, even though it has quite the punch of pigmentation to it. The shade its self is a dark rosy nude, its a very wearable colour and perfect for an everyday look. I think the packaging is very sleek and the fact the lipstick is embossed too, I find it looks a lot more expensive than it actually is.

Silky Touch Blush in 10 Adorable - £2.50
This lives up to its name, its such a silky textured blush! It isn't the most pigmented though, I think it would be a lovely thing to have if you are a little scared of blush and or want something very natural. As the shade its self is such a pretty rosy pink, I just find it very difficult to pick up enough colour from the product sadly, unless you heavily swatch it.
Essence Cosmetics
Get Big Lashes Mascara - £2.30
This is Essence's curling mascara and dare I say it, It may be replacing my newly beloved Roller Lash! The massive curved brush can look daunting, but believe it or not, the mascara leaves your lashes beautifully curled and no clumps! I found it also separated and lengthened my lashes  at the same time with its slightly drier formula. It is also very easy to remove and holds the curl extremely well, even on my stubborn lashes.
Essence Cosmetics
Lash Princess Mascara - £3.30
Just like the previous mascara this has the same kind of formulation to it, not too dry, but not really wet. Which means it also doesn't leave you with clumpy lashes. This mascara is specifically aimed towards adding Volume to your lashes. I found that it added more length than volume to my lashes though, it is lovely to define, but I just don't think it adds the volume very much at all. The brush is very separated brush with a bristle head to it, I think thats why it gives such a defined finish. 
Essence Cosmetics
Colour & Go Polish in 113 Do you Speak Love - £1.60
Firstly both polishes come with a really large applicator, which I do prefer as I find it helps to apply the product easier. You just need to make sure their isn't too much on the brush though or you may end up with nail polish fingers! Do you Speak Love is a beautiful glossy Burgundy Red and if I wasn't craving pastels right now (Come on Spring!) This would be slathered all over my nails!

Colour & Go Polish in 182 Hello Rosy - £1.60
I have a soft spot for the sand finish polishes and basically anything glittery too. So this is the best of both worlds being a gritty (nice gritty though!) sparkly, bubblegum pink shade. It is also very fast drying polish, just like Do you Speak Love. They really do live up to their Colour & Go name, just leave them for a couple of minutes and they're dry! 
Essence Cosmetics
( Swatches: Left to Right - Do you Speak Love, Hello Rosy, Adorable and Natural Beauty)

To say the most expensive product out of all of these comes in again at £3.30 the quality is fantastic! if you can find a Wilkinsons near you I highly recommend having a good look at the range! Ive got my eye on a few other bits too!

Eloise x
Share:

Friday 27 March 2015

Topshop Wishlist: The Typical Makeup Artist

Hi Guys,

Here is two facts about me, that you may already know; 1) I am a Makeup Artist and 2) I have an unhealthy obsession with Topshop! When you combine the two of them, the following post occurs. There is a unwritten rule of when you're a Makeup Artist you wear black, I'm not really sure why. It does look professional but not so much once you spill foundation down it... 

So after browsing Topshop for quite a while, I seem to of accumulated quite the wish list...


I seem to have quite the obsession with scalloping at the moment and one thing i already own in a rose shade and love is the Tall Scalloped Crop Vest. But I also love how subtle the detail is on the Scallop Lace Overlay Dress too.

These are two things I don't really ever wear, but the more I look at them the more I really like the looks of them. They include the Longline Duster Cardigan, even though I do love Boyfriend Cardigans and this is just that bit longer and the Neppy Joggers, I don't think I've worn Joggers for five years! 

Another two bits that I think would be really good to have are the Pleated Midi Skirt and the Skinny Rib Crop Tee, not only do they look great together, but they can be mixed and matched with so many other pieces too.

Now I cant really wear both of these to work in as I don't wear my pyjamas to work in... But Im still obsessed with the Towelling Stripe Pyjama Set and Crop Top and Pyjama Shorts Set, they're still black though! 

Lastly I've been keeping an eye out for a small bag, I do love my Zara Mini City Bag, but it is still a bit on the large side and doesn't shut. So the Leather Clip Lock Satchel looks like something I may have to invest in. 

Even though Topshop is quite expensive, I think its fantastic to invest in for basic pieces that can be mixed and matched. I also find they're really good quality, or at least thats what I keep telling myself to justify buying them haha! Also if you're tall like me, I cant recommend their tall range enough! It's actually a realistic tall range, which seems to be really difficult to find!  

Eloise x
Share:

Wednesday 25 March 2015

March Glossybox

Hi Guys,

Is it finally spring time? If yesterday's weather had anything to do with it then no haha, hail storms! Glossybox is getting everyone ready for Spring and into the theme of things with this months box! All about updating your products and bringing in the brighter shades.
There's a little sneak peek into next months box, in the form of a product. But I won't spoil it for anyone, it is a little inspired by Marilyn Monroe, if you'd like a little clue though! 
With four out of five of the products being full size and actually it was really six products this month! I could of squealed with delight, plus Glossybox got it just right for me, makeup and nails, what more could I ask for! 
NAOBAY Moisturising Peeling - £13.71 for 100ml
NAOBAY is a company I'd heard a bit about but never tried and to be honest I never even thought about looking into where I could try them. So it is great they're featured in the box as I can finally see what everyone is talking about! It was also a surprise to see how much they were, I had it in my head that they were a lot more expensive than they are. Ive not given it a go yet but I love the idea of a moisturising yet exfoliating treatment, especially for my dry skin! 

NcLA Nail Paint in Like... Totally Valley Girl - £13 for 15ml
NcLA is another brand that I've recently heard quite a bit about, An american quite high end nail polish brand. Which again I would of had no clue where on earth I could locate them haha! I love the name and it does actually make me think of LA, Im not sure why. I think the bright colour also reminds me of bikini's on the beach too!

Sleek Pout Paint in Rosette - £4.99 for 8ml
I'm actually really excited to see these in the box, I remember when they launched a good few years ago now and I loved the fact I could get something similar to the OCC Lip Tars. I haven't seen them in a while, so I just presumed that Sleek had stopped doing them, but Im glad they haven't. I love the shade of pink, its lovely and bright and almost on the purple side, which Ive been loving on the lips recently. 

Dove Youthful Vitality Shampoo and Conditioner - £5.99 for 250ml (each)
I was a little puzzled by these, Anti Ageing hair care? I know you start anti ageing skincare at 25, but Im in my teens so does it really count for haircare? However it is great to nourish brittle hair, so it would be fantastic for damaged hair. Its also great to see both the Shampoo and Conditioner included in the box too. 

Essence Lash Princess Volume Mascara - £3.30 for 12ml
Glossybox landed on my door, right as I was about to get my pictures taken for a post about Essence. So this luckily got here just in time, so I won't go into too much detail as that post will hopefully be up very soon! 

Im really pleased with this months box and cant wait for the next one, especially if its got a bit of a Marilyn Monroe theme! There isn't a single product in the box this month that I don't want to use straight away too!

Eloise x
Share:

Wednesday 11 March 2015

Plum Muffins for Red Nose Day!

Hi Guys,

Its Red Nose Day on Friday and although its Comic Relief and 'Do something funny for money'. Baking is always a huge part of the campaign, especially the past few years with The Great British Bake Off getting involved too, its not exactly comical but you can make your cakes look funny? Or if it all goes wrong at least you can have a laugh over the baking disaster!

If you don't know what Red Nose Day is, Its a day set up by the British charity Comic Relief, it is to raise money to help peoples lives not only in the UK but also in Africa.
This year theres also lots of bits and pieces you can pick up to help with baking for Red Nose Day. Plus when you purchase any of these bits, you're also making a donation to Comic Relief.

I picked up the Cupcake Decoration Kit, Great British Bake Off Recipe Book and the limited edition Tea Towel designed by Mr Henry Holland for House of Holland himself! (Can you tell this one is my favourite!) Of course you cant forget to pick up your Red Nose too! Which are a little different this year, as they're in a surprise pack so you don't know which one you're going to get! 
YOU WILL NEED:                                 
85g Softened Unsalted Butter                 
75g Light Brown Muscovado Sugar                                    
75g Plain Flour                                         
1/2 tsp Baking Powder                                
75g Plain Wholemeal Flour                                       
5 tbsp Milk                                         
1 Lemon, Zest Finely Grated 
1 Large Egg, Lightly Beaten 
3-4 Ripe but Firm Plums 
3 tbsp Demerara Sugar (To Sprinkle)
1. Line your muffin tin, I found that the recipe makes 18 Cupcakes. Then Preheat your oven to 180c / 350F / Gas Mark 4.
2. Cut your plums in half and remove the stones. Then you can either cut the plums into 6 wedges for each half, or dice them. 
3. Add the Butter, Lemon Zest and Muscavado Sugar to a bowl and then beat well by hand, or you can use a food mixer too. It should be mixed until it looks light and fluffy. Then scrape down the sides using a spatula, add the beaten egg, in three parts, beating well each time.
4. Sift your Flour and Baking Powder into the mixture, then pour in the milk, folding everything in as you go. Preferably use a spatula to do this. If you've diced your Plums, you can add around 3/4ths of them now and mix in.
5. Fill the cases around half way, making them equal,  with the batter and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes. If you haven't diced your Plums, apply your wedges on top, putting them skin side up. You can also use your diced Plums left over, to sprinkle on the top too. As well as sprinkling on the Demerara Sugar. Bake them for 25 minutes, until golden brown.
Let me know if you bake these and how you like them! Or if you're doing anything for Red Nose Day too! I would definitely never of thought of adding plums to muffins before, Thank You Mary Berry! 

You can pick up any of the Red Nose Day bits I've used at Sainsburys or TK MAXX

Eloise x
Share:

Sunday 8 March 2015

Drugstore & High End Beauty Haul

Hi Guys,

So I went shopping as per usual and over a few trips I seem to of amounted quite a few beauty bits, that have been on the wish list for a wee while. After a lot of deadlines at college, I thought it was the perfect time for a treat! 
 I actually cant believe how many bargains I got with this little lot too! So I cant say it was all on a whim as I think I planned out a lot of this around my Boots points vouchers and sales too.
Of course I have yet another couple of Illamasqua products, but when they have their polishes in TK Maxx just now for only £3.99! You cant really say no, I picked up Blizzard from a past Christmas Collection. Its a clear polish with matte white glitter in lots of different sizes.

Illamasqua do a secret pro sale, which I kindly got invited to, so I picked up just the one product after how much I bought in the New Year's sale! I got the Pure Pigment in Berber a shimmery red, which is actually not that scary on the eyes and is also beautiful on the lips!
 I got my boots points vouchers sent over, which I always forget to use. But I knew I wanted to pick up another Bold Metals Real Techniques Brush after trying one previously. So I chose to get the crease brush, which Ive not had a go at yet, but I'm really looking forward to it!

I also had to get the new mint green offering from Barry M, from their brand new Speedy Quick Dry range. The shade is Pole Position and its a very bright almost off white green. I tried it quickly earlier and it really does dry so quickly! I cant say how quick though as I was in such a rush I didn't pay too much attention.
Lastly from Boots I got the new Clinique foundation in the form of Beyond Perfecting, its actually also a concealer and has a concealer applicator too. I had a little tester that I was really enjoying so I decided it was time to pick up the full size!

I also had £10 between Debenhams and House of Fraser vouchers, So I firstly picked up Crosswires Lipstick from MAC. Which is a Cremesheen formula, its been on the list for a while as its a lovely spring coral shade. I also picked up another Cremesheen, as Ive been loving them recently, except I got another long standing wish list want. Peach Blossom Lipstick, which is more of a peachy pink shade. 

I think Im going to lay off the spending for a while (Lets see how long that lasts!) as I now have these to play around with, I cant wait to get experimenting with them!

Eloise x
Share:

Friday 6 March 2015

The Versatile Blogger Award

Hi Guys,

I was recently tagged by the lovely Elise from Elise Rose, to do the versatile Blogger Award. I have to admit I hadn't heard of it before so I'm not sure if its new. Im excited to do it though as it seems quite different to the other Blogger Awards. I think its a great way to learn a bit more about the blogger behind the blog too!
For the Versatile Blogger Award you just have to post seven facts about yourself and then tag fellow bloggers to give it a go too!

My seven facts are:
  1. My top three favourite cities have to be London, Glasgow and Liverpool.
  2. I have quite the obsession with the Minions from Despicable Me and Cara Delevigne.
  3. If I could only ever paint my nails one colour ever again it would be Mint Green.
  4. I love Marks and Spencer's Salt and Vinegar Twist Crisps and would really love a bag just now!
  5. I wanted to work in Childcare before training as a Makeup Artist. 
  6. I really super suck at doing my own hair.
  7. I have a bit of a limited edition coin collection happening.
I tag:
Ellis from Ellis Tuesday
Stephanie from Hope, Freedom, Love
Grace from Dainty Sprinkles
Siobhan from The Beauty Baker
Frankie from Crazy Blonde Gal 

Thank you Elise for tagging me, I really love this tag! Have a peek at Elise's blog too, Elise Rose, its so pretty!

Eloise x
Share:

Wednesday 4 March 2015

The Glam Guide by FleurDeForce

Hi Guys,

Ever since I finished Tanya Burr's 'Love Tanya', I moved straight onto Fleur De Force's 'Glam Guide'. It may seem like a bit of a Youtuber book obsession, but Ive loved both of them so much I thought Id do a review on Fleur's debut book!
 I also reviewed Love Tanya HERE if you're interested. As I know both books came out at around the same time and are slightly similar, both have Fleur's and Tanya's individual take on them. They are mainly just similar in chapters, as both adress similar topics in their own way.

Fleur is a blogger and YouTuber, with 5 years experience under her belt, with both a main channel covering beauty to fitness and a vlog channel to take a peek into her everyday life. Fleur also has a Wedding Channel with her sister too.

Along with Tanya, Fleur was one of the first Youtubers I watched. As well as one of the first I've met, which went a little wrong as all I could seem to say was "ahhblaghdkf" (starstruck right there). Fleur is lovely however and is always a pleasure to watch and read.
The tips in her book, cover beauty, fashion, self confidence, YouTube and more. Fleur is very clear at the start of the book that not all of the tips will suit everyone. But the book is there as a guideline to what is recommended. I think it's great that, that is mentioned because sometimes you can buy something because its recommended and in fact it does nothing for you at all. 

Each chapter is started with a double page spread, with beautiful photography. It's also really easy to move onto each topic as its a very easy read. It may be packed with useful hints and tips but its not confusing at all.
As well as the beautiful photography, illustrator Sally Faye Cotterill, drew pictures throughout the book of clothes, Fleur's favourite products and models. They stand out in the book and I just wish I could draw like that too! 

The book layout it's self is bright and very fresh, everything has its place. There is also little top tip boxes jotted throughout, with quick tips to help with the topic discussed. 
So many useful topics are discussed, which include finding your perfect pair of jeans. A colour wheel to see the colours that compliment your eyes. This also works well for stepping out of your comfort zone when it comes to mixing it up for outfits too.
As well as discussing the glamorous aspects of makeup, skincare, hair and clothing. Fleur is very into healthy eating and fitness, so of course that needed a chapter. The recipes are all very simple and quick. I have never wanted granola and yogurt so much in my life... Fleur also explains the differences between smoothies and juices and the health benefits to them, as well as ingredients too.
At the end of each chapter, there is a list of ten tips to summarise the topics. One of my favourite topics actually had to be the travel section, Im always really noisy about whats the best things for your carry on. I also loved the little chapter at the end about blogging and youtube, its really helpful if you're looking for equipment or how to get a good set up.

If you're a makeup artist or enthusiast you may already know a lot about the first few chapters. But if you're wanting to learn more on the subjects in the book, this is fantastic. Even if you do know a lot about the chapters, I cant recommend it enough, especially if you're a fan of Fleur's too!

Eloise x
Share:

Sunday 1 March 2015

The Lush Easter Bunny

Hi Guys,

The Easter Bunny has stopped off early to bring us lots of Lush goodies. We may still have just over a month to wait until we can get stuck in to all the chocolate. But no one said we couldn't get stuck into all the chocolate and sweet smelling products from Lush a little early...
Ive picked up mostly the bath bombs from the Easter range, however Lush has also brought out a favourite from last year, Carrot Soap. As well as a brand new sparkly soap in the shape of, Over the Rainbow. Plus the only bubble bar in the range, A Bunch of Carrots, that you can use as a reusable bubble bar! There is also three gift sets, which could be nice to give at Easter instead of an Easter Egg, as something a bit different. 
Hoppity Poppity Bath Bomb - £2.50 HERE
This may be the cutest thing in the entire collection, Lush describe it as 'Pop Art', which is very true as it contains popping candy. Just like a bunny its to get you up and jumping about, with its uplifting smell of lime. It does also contain violet and lavender, so its not a completely citrus smell.

Fluffy Egg Bath Bomb - £2.95 HERE
Snow Fairy lovers, this is for you! Fluffy Egg shares the exact same bubblegum candy sweet scent as Lush's most popular shower gel. Which probably explains why its the longest running product in the easter range. Its very soft and creamy, so its perfect if you have sensitive skin, it leaves it feeling moisturised. It will turn your bath a bright pink, to suit its candy scent.

Golden Egg Bath Bomb Melt - £3.75 HERE
Sparkly, toffee, moisturising goodness. The Golden Egg Bath Bomb Melt, shares its scent with Honey I Washed The Kids. It goes round the bath dissolving slowly, due to the fact its part bath bomb part melt. As it is also a melt, its very moisturising and leaves your skin slightly shimmery but very soft. Packed with honey and smelling like caramel, it cant get much better. 
Immaculate Eggception Pink Bath Bomb - £6.95 HERE
You may be put off of this bath bomb as soon as you see the price, at almost £7 its the priciest bath bomb in the collection. What's unique about it however, is the fact that its not just one bath bomb, its three! Crack your egg in half and you'll find either a bunny or a chick inside. It also comes in a yellow version, both turn your water into bright colours depending on each one. Plus they also smell like chocolate... need I say more....

Pot O'Gold Shower Jelly - £3.50 HERE
I must admit, Im a little too bleary eyed in the morning for Shower Jellies (My mum is obsessed with them though!), so I really love the Shower Gels instead. But although they're not my usual choice, how could I say no to trying this one out. Its like liquid gold! It is shimmery, but you don't look like a glitter ball after using it, you just smell nice and fruity from its orange and pineapple scent.

I now cant wait for Easter, but I'm a little glad that it is still so far away, it means all of these will be avaliable for that bit longer! I think my favourite has to be Golden Egg, so I better go stock up on them!  

Eloise x
Share:
Blog Design Created by pipdig