7 Deadly Sins of Beauty Tag

Hello lovelies,

First of all I want to apologise for going a bit AWOL, I've been working 15 hour days and they've honestly been a killer. When I'm going out at 8 in the morning and getting home at 11pm, the only thing I want to do is go to sleep! But I'm back.

I wanted to do a swatch post of some new Ciate polishes I picked up but late nights mean rubbish lighting and they're meant to be a present for a friend but I may just keep them for myself. I sound like such a selfish friend but I'll get her something else. So I decided to do this tag, it's a bit different to everything else out there and it's a good way for you to get to know me a little bit better, so off I go...

Greed

What is your most inexpensive beauty item? What is your most expensive?

My most inexpensive beauty item would have to be the MUA nail polishes, of which I own Pistachio Ice Cream. At £1, you can't really go wrong. At the end of the day, all nail polishes chip and these aren't rubbish quality and they come in a huge range of shades. 

My most expensive would be the REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask, I don't usually buy high end products as I'm scared I'll love them and won't want to use anything else ever again but I am getting more into skincare.

Pride

What beauty product gives you the most self confidence?
I would have to say concealer and foundation. They are my war paint. I feel so much more confident with them on as my skin isn't great and I have blemish marks, these just make me look alive.

Wrath

What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What product has been the hardest to get?

I have a love/hate relationship with bronzer. I like the glow it gives but hate the orange shimmery/ muddy look that you can get. I find it so difficult to find a bronzer that suits me.

Sloth

What beauty product do you neglect, due to laziness?

Body moisturiser, I don't want to be hopping around in the cold waiting for it to sink in. And I get horrible dry patches on my elbows so I really should be using it.

Lust

What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?

Oooh this is a strange one for this tag... definitely a sense of humour. I like someone who I can laugh with and be silly with, just someone who I can be myself around. Honesty is a big one for me, I like to know exactly what the situation is even if I'm not going to like it. I'd be more peed off if someone didn't tell me the truth. Physically, I like nice eyes and arms, yes I know I'm strange. All the better for cuddles.

Gluttony

What are your most delicious beauty products?

I did try the Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub once as it smelt soooo good... I don't recommend eating it. I'd have to go with a fragrance, Hugo Boss Orange, it just reminds me of summer nights.

Envy

What items would you most like to receive as a gift? 

Something that I couldn't afford! Probably perfume as certain fragrances remind me of people, places or a time.

I tag all of you to do it, leave me a link down below so I can have a goosey gander.

Review: The Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion SPF 15

Hello lovelies,

OMG! How amazing is this weather!

So the sun has decided to grace us with its presence and for the first time this year, I've felt like I needed to crack out the SPF moisturiser. Now I'm not going to bleat on about the importance of wearing sun cream because we all know it and yes, I forget sometimes too and end up looking like a lobster. Bad me.

So as I slap on some moisturiser every morning, I thought I could incorporate sun protection and moisturiser into one. I know I should be using a higher SPF in the sunshine and I do if I know I'm going to be outdoors during the day but I just use this for everyday standard use.

I picked this up a while ago and never got round to using it. It claims to be "An easily absorbed non-clogging, oil-free, hydrating and cooling moisture lotion with a sun protection factor of 15. Innovative technology controls excess sebum and shine while delivering essential moisture to areas most in need."

I found this to be quite light and easily absorbed. With SPF moisturisers, I find that they can take longer to sink in and I like them to be quick as I put my makeup or a primer on straightaway after. I find some SPF products can leave a white residue on the face but this is easily absorbed and perfect for applying makeup on top.

I tend to pick lotions over creams for my skin as they can be too heavy. This is exactly as I would wish for oily skin, it's light and helps to keep the oil at bay. I've been using it for a while and yes, I still get the odd breakout but I have definitely seen an improvement in my skin's appearance. 

Fragrance wise, it doesn't have the typical seaweed scent and tends to lean closer to a sunscreen scent. This doesn't bother me as it only lasts a matter of minutes. I wouldn't say it's a favourite but if you're looking for something that mattifys and has a SPF, this is a purse friendly option.

What's your favourite SPF moisturiser?

Magazine Freebies #2

Hello lovelies,

Another month, another round of magazine freebies. There are a few this month that I know I'll definitely be picking up.

1. Glamour Magazine: £2.00 - Choice of 4 mini Balance Me products - Super Toning Body Wash 100ml, Pure Skin Face Wash 50ml, Moisture Rich Face Cream 30ml, Shine On Tinted Lip Salve 

2. Marie Claire: £3.80 - Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black, worth £8

3. Instyle: £3.90 - Rituals Perfection Volume Mascara, worth £8

4. Cosmopolitan: £3.60 - Choice of 3 mini Nip + Fab products - Dry Leg Fix, Bust Fix, 365 Body Glow Fix 

5. Red: £4.00 - REN skincare set including Rose Cleansing Gel 10ml, Vita-Mineral Day Cream 10ml, Frankincense Revitalising Night Cream 3ml 

6. Harper's Bazaar: £4.20 - mini pot of L'Occitane Immortelle Precious Cream, worth £15.00

Which freebies will you be getting this month?

Review: Autograph Ultra Shine Twist-Up Lip Colour in Apricot

Hello lovelies,

And here we are in July. I've got several lovely things lined up this month including quite a few shopping trips, I'm looking forward to spending time with my friends who have finished uni and are back at home. I just hope the weather is good enough for days out in the Peak District, long lunches and barbecues.

Today, my post is about the Autograph Lip Crayon in Apricot, I tend to wear a lot more lip colours in Summer and branched out from my usual pink to a gorgeous shimmery toned orange. Apricot is a gorgeous sheer coral colour, which would flatter all skin tones and introduce a pop of colour. These Autograph pencils come in eight alluring shades ranging from Plum to a Nude Shine.

These twist-up pencils are definitely another dupe for the Clinique Chubby Sticks, they require no sharpening and you just simply twist the bottom of the crayon. These crayons give not only colour, but shine and moisture, they don't dry your lips out.

I adore the texture, it feels like you're wearing a balm but they are somewhere in between a lip gloss and a lipstick. If you're not used to wearing colour on your lips, these are a brilliant way to experiment, the colour is sheer and buildable, allowing you to create different looks. I even pop the Apricot over an orange lipstick just to tone down its brightness a bit.

Longevity wise, these are great. Of course, when you eat, these rub off but they're so easy and quick to reapply.

Autograph Ultra Shine Twist-Up Lip Colour is available exclusively from M&S Beauty nationwide and online for £9.50.

Have you tried any of the other shades available?

Tuesday's Thought #1

Hello lovelies,

Now this is a little different but I wanted to introduce it anyway. I plan on creating a mini series of thoughts or quotes and explaining what they mean to me. Hopefully you'll be able to get something out of them too.

These wise words were actually said by Johnny Depp of all people but ring so true.

Everyone has issues at one time or another, what might be trivial to one person isn't to another, but you have to face up to them and deal with them. And crying is part of that process

I think there's only so long you can fight whatever the issue is, until it gets to you. The sentiment behind this quote is that it doesn't really matter what the problem is but it's okay to cry and let it all out. You're not weak, you're human. Crying doesn't translate into that person can't cope, it's a show of emotion and sometimes everyone needs to cry. Crying helps sometimes more than fighting, it's part of a process and nobody is going to think differently of you for crying.

Crying shows that you care about something and that you're a strong enough person to show that and say to yourself, actually I can't pretend everything's fine anymore, this is how I really feel. Don't hide your tears away, they show that you truly care.

Crying isn't a negative emotion, you could cry whilst watching a film, missing someone or when you loose a loved one. There are lots of reasons to cry or sometimes, you just need too. Sometimes we cry because we're happy, when you meet friends or family, at a wedding etc.

Not one of these things shows that you're a weak person, it shows that you are a wonderful, strong and caring human. Don't bottle it up.

Do you let your feelings show?