Bright Eyes for Winter

 

In my eyes, there are 2 different types of concealer. The first is the kind of concealer that you use to cover up spots and other imperfections, I use Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer to achieve my blemish free complexion. The second kind of concealer is the kind I used to brighten dark circles under my eyes and for this job, I always head towards my YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch Concealer.

 

I first used Touche Eclat after receiving it as a Christmas present over 2 years ago. Honestly, I didn't know a lot about this concealer other than it was quite expensive and I was slightly underwhelmed when I first opened it. When I first used it, I was unsure of what to do with it. I tried using it to cover up my spots but found that it didn't work very well, so I started using it under my eyes to banish my dark circles and I haven't looked back since. It makes my eyes looks really bright which changes the look of my whole face. The pen lasted me around 3-4 months which is quite a long time for a 2.5ml tube. Sadly, I find myself having to go without it for 8 months until I received it again this Christmas.

 

I use the shade 1.5 (fair complexion with golden undertones) with 7 shades to choose from. The liquid is quite thin which I like especially for under my eyes. I click the button at the end and dab the concealer on via the brush. I then blend it in with more dabbing motions but this time with my fingers. I usually apply it before my foundation but sometimes apply more afterwards. I love the packaging, it makes me feel glamorous when I take it out of my make up bag. Hopefully when this tube runs out I'll have the money to splurge to repurchase it. I would definitely recommend anyone to try out this highlighting concealer. If it's too expensive, stick it on your birthday list and cross your fingers.

 

 

 

Review: The Body Shop Vitamin E Range

 

For Christmas, I got the Vitamin E gift set from The Body Shop which is great because like me, I'm sure most of you are suffering with a little dry skin in the latter part of these winter months. I don't actually own a lot of The Body Shop's products, so when I received this gift set I immediately set out to find out the most I could about the range. I found out about Vitamin E is that it is full of antioxidants which help protect the skin from damage caused by environmental factors and other cell damaging factors like ultraviolet light which can help prevent against sun burn. It also contains anti-ageing benefits by minimising the signs of fine lines and wrinkles (It's always good to start early!). In my gift set I got the Cream Cleanser, Hydrating Toner, Moisture Cream and the Nourishing Night Cream.

 

Vitamin E Cream Cleanser 



 

I have to say, I'm not totally into cleansers. I love trying them out but I tend to stick to my Simple Cleansing wipes. When I first used this cleanser I noticed that it has quite a thin, silky texture. It didn't have a strong perfumed smell which is a massive bonus for me as I hate putting too many "unnatural" things on my face. Before using the cleanser I removed the bulk of the make up on my face with  my facial wipes and to remove my eye make up. when using the cleanser I found that even a small amount of this cleanser spreads around my face really well with still enough to have a scrub for a slightly deeper cleanse. I found that it removed any left over bits of make up, dirt and oils from my face really well and it left my skin feeling clean, refreshed and silky smooth! I found that since using this cleanser on and off for 2 weeks it has helped prevent my skin for getting too dry or flaky and it leaves it looking dewy rather than oily. I really like this cream cleanser but I'm not sure if it's converted me from cleansing wipes. You can pick this Vitamin E Cream Cleanser up from The Body Shop for £8.

 

Vitamin E Hydrating Toner

 

I have a real problem with toners. I hate how most of them make my skin feel tight and dry. And it's quite difficult to find a toner with a small amount of alcohol when most of them have as much alcohol in them as a bottle of vodka! Let's be honest here, alcohol isn't good for your body so why put it on you face?! But luckily, although this toner does contain alcohol, it's a lot less than other toners I've used and thrown away. This means it doesn't leave my skin feeling tight or dry! The toner is a clear liquid that seems to be slightly thicker than water. It lays on my skin for a while but I always blot it with a tissue. This is the best toner I've used and even though I don't often use toners, it may have converted me. You can get this Vitamin E Hydrating Toner from The Body Shop for £8.

 

Vitamin E Moisture Cream and Nourishing Night Cream

 

 

Both these creams are advertised as being for all skin types. The Moisture Cream soaks into my skin really well keeping it hydrated all day with adding excess oils to my already oily t-zone. The Nourishing Night Cream is a little thicker that the moisture cream and sits on the skin for quite a while, which isn't a feeling I like but I wake up in the morning with super soft and smooth skin. You can buy the Vitamin E Moisture Cream and Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream from The Body Shop for £4 each.

 

 

My Christmas Decorations!

I don't know about you but I am SOOOOO excited for Christmas and nothing makes me feel more Christmassy than the Christmas tree and all the other decorations! I thought it would be nice to show you all my Christmas decorations but be warned, this is a very picture heavy blog post!



 

Here is the garland that sits on the window ledge. It's really cute. The candles are electric so I don't have to worry about blowing any candles out when I go to bed. Also, that's a picture of me on the left.

 

 

Here is the Christmas tree with all the presents underneath. This is my most favourite Christmas tree!

Here are some Christmas baubles. We went crazy on tree decorations this year but I love every single one.

Here are the beautifully wrapped presents under the tree! These presents are for all my family and sadly not all for me.

To end this post, I just want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

Review: Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama

 After using this mascara for around about a month, I think it is about time to write a review on it.
 I got this mascara at my local Superdrug for around £8. When I first started using this mascara, I noticed that the formula was quite wet which is great because there is nothing worse that having a dry mascara. The brush is thick and curved so each lash gets good coverage and a bit of a lift. Annoyingly, I find that it clumps my lashes quite a bit so I end up using a different mascara to unclump them. It does make my lashes really long and captures most of my lashes but it's quite messy and I end up having to use cotton buds to get the mascara off my eyelids. I'm not sold on this mascara so I probably wont be buying it again.




Before



After
(Note: Curlers not used and pictured without eyeliner)
 

The Christmas Tag

Whoa! I can't believe its been nearly a month since my last post! Hopefully, I'll be finding myself writing more post this Christmas and in the new year. I decided to do this Christmas Tag because it's all I was reading once I had reconnected with the blogger world. So here we go ...

What is your favourite thing about Christmas?
My favourite thing about Christmas has to be the atmosphere that it brings with it. The weather may be waaaay below freezing, but could you imagine having a warm Christmas?? Shopping for presents in packed shopping centres, hunting for bargins, all the lovely decorations, hearing old school Christmas songs like The Pouges and East 17 on the radio, mince pies, wrapping paper, Christmas cards... The whole essence of Christmas is my favourite thing. The list is endless.

Real or fake tree?
Since I can remember, my family have always had fake Christmas trees apart from one year. I definitely prefer fake ones, they are much easier to keep and can come in all different shapes and sizes and you don't have to worry about hoovering up all the fallen needles. Below is a picture of the Christmas tree at my dads house. It's decorated beautifully and is my favourite Christmas tree.

Giving or receiving presents?
Well, who doesn't love receiving presents?! But I do really enjoy watching people open presents that I've put effort into thinking of, buying and wrapping up. Here's a picture of the presents I've bought for my lovely boyfriend.

Do you open your presents in the morning or evening?
Most definitely in the morning. I drive over to my dads and have breakfast there and open presents, then come back to my mums for Christmas dinner and to open more presents. I then tend to see my boyfriend and his family in the evening and open his presents. I don't think I could wait until the evening!!

Handmade or bought Christmas cards?
Bought Christmas cards. Handmade ones are a lovely idea but I just don't have the time or patience to handmake every single one.

What is your favourite Christmas film?
Well, I don't necessarily have a favourite Christmas film but I LOVE watching all the Christmas specials on TV. Sitting around watching them with the family eating from tins of biscuits and chocolates.

What is your favourite Christmas food?
My favourite Christmas food has to be mince pies! I eat them all the time in the winter. They are so delish!