YSL TEINT TOUCHE ECLAT ROSE GOLD FACE PRIMER

Yves Saint Laurent have introduced a new and exclusive make-up collection for Boots, which takes their best selling products and adds rose gold inside and out to make them even better. The collection includes a Teint Touche Elcat Rose Gold Face Primer, Souffle D’eclat Rose Gold Face Powder, Touché Eclat Highlighter, a Blush Volupte Rose Gold in the shade Loulou and a Blush Brush. The rose gold adds an extra radiance to the skin, pink being the new beauty trend, which is feminine, fresh and youthful.

I haven't tried many item from this premium beauty range, but I decided to plump for the Teint Touche Eclat Face Primer which is priced at £30.00 for 30ml of product. The rose gold primer can be used in three ways, underneath foundation, blending with your foundation and after foundation as a highlighter. The sparkling rose-gold pigments create a natural rosy glow and enhances the complexion. The formula feels lovely and silky to touch and not sticky at all. I like to use this mostly mixed with my foundation for the most natural look. The effect gives a pretty light glow with a peachy tint. It removes yellow tones in the skin and makes your skin look the best it can be, flawless! It’s very long lasting on the skin and as a primer it helps my foundation stay put for longer.

As YSL products are so iconic in the beauty industry, it is a risk to change such a classic. But I think YSL have done this well by making it exclusive to one store and having limited stock. And who doesn’t love rose gold?! Once I had swatched this instore I knew I had to purchase it, I am now lusting over the powder in the range which is currently out of stock online. The packaging is gorgeous and the luxury gold lid makes the product appear more premium. I really like that it comes in a pump glass bottle, not so great for travelling but it looks great pride of place on my dressing table.

My skin has never looked so healthy and full of life. If you love the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer, this is for you. Have you tried YSL make-up?

JULY GLOSSYBOX 2014 - STARS & STRIPES

This month’s Glossybox is covered with the American Flag and contains American brands from around the country. I love the bright starred box and will definitely keep it and have it on display in my room. I have been a Glossybox subscriber for a few years now, you can subscribe here.

Bellapierre Cosmetics Mineral Lipstick, 3.5g £20.00 - This is a full-size lipstick,  I got the shade Mandarina. I love the orangey red shade which is really summery. I haven’t tried much or heard much of the brand but it’s nice to try something a little different. They are formulated with natural waxes, mineral pigments, iron oxides and antioxidants such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E. I have found this lovely and moisturising and long lasting too. The mineral pigments provide natural protection from the sun, which is great for this summer sun. The product seems to be of good quality, giving you a vibrant colour and the scent is nice too. It doesn’t feel like you have lipstick on as it’s so lightweight, very impressed! Not sure of the £20.00 price tag though.

Pur Minerals Dirty Girl Detoxifying Mudd Masque, 120g £18.00 - I am a face mask junkie, especially when it comes to clay masks. This mask unclogs pores, cleanses skin and gently exfoliates. It gets rid of impurities and removes dead skin cells for fresher more radiant looking skin. I like to leave this on for 10 minutes as a weekly treat and rinse with warm water. This is a sample size product, but you do get quite a few applications in the tube. The colour of the masque is brown when it comes out and drys instantly on your face, the scent isn't over powering and it's easy to remove with water. You can buy this in Marks & Spencer's Beauty Hall.

Color Club Glossy Seal Nail Polish, 15ml £8.00 - I have tried these polishes before from Birchbox. They have a great formulation, fun shades for summer and are very long lasting on the nails. I bought a summer set last year and loved that, so I would really recommend the brand. The formulation is made from non-toxic, cruelty free ingredients. The shade which is included in the box is called ‘Glossy Seal’ which is exclusive to the July Glossybox.

Carmex Lip Balm, 7.5g £2.69 - This is a cult lip product which I have used many times before. It really helps to nourish my lips and restore any chapped areas. Not the most exciting product as I’m sure most people have tried this before. The formula contains menthol, camphor and beeswax, which conditions my lips back to a good base to apply lip products without looking messy.

Absolute New York Perfecting Eye shadow Primer, 7.9g £4.99 - I do have to make sure I use an eye shadow primer as I have oily skin and want my make-up to stay put. It’s oil-free, really creamy and evens skin tone before you apply eye shadow. It helps to keep eye shadow crease-free and helps the pigmentation to appear stronger and lasts longer. I like to use this to hide veins and redness around the eye area, it’s also really blendable. This is another full-size product, it's nice to see so many in one box!

This box wasn’t outstanding for me but I did have a few key products I have been enjoying. My favourite products being the Color Club nail polish and the Pur Minerals Clay Mask. I have liked Glossybox’s themed boxes before but I think the box design wins over the contents inside.

Are you subscribed to Glossybox?

BOOK REVIEW - THE ONE PLUS ONE BY JOJO MOYES

TheOne Plus One By Jojo Moyes

Published – 27/02/14 Publisher - Penguin

Pages – 516 Genre – Chick Lit/Romance

Synopsis – One single mum - With two jobs and two children, Jess Thomas does her best day after day. But it's hard on your own. And sometimes you take risks you shouldn't. Because you have to...
One chaotic family - Jess's gifted, quirky daughter Tanzie is brilliant with numbers, but without a helping hand she'll never get the chance to shine. And Nicky, Jess's teenage stepson, can't fight the bullies alone.
Sometimes Jess feels like they're sinking...
One handsome stranger - Into their lives comes Ed Nicholls, a man whose life is in chaos, and who is running from a deeply uncertain future. But he has time on his hands. He knows what it's like to be lonely. And he wants to help...
One unexpected love story
The One Plus One is a captivating and unconventional romance from Jojo Moyes about two lost souls meeting in the most unlikely circumstances.
My Thoughts – If I'm honest it did take me a while to get into this book. I purchased the Hardback version but ended up reading it on my Kindle as I seemed to be having a reading slump. Each chapter followed a different character which I liked, it is a steady story but one which is totally believable and could be reality. I love that two very different people can be joined together through certain events. I love all the main characters, especially Tanzie and Norman. I was so emotional in the last third of the book and the characters really opened up to the reader. It wasn't just chick lit for me, I finished this thinking of the real meaning behind every page. This is the first Jojo Moyes book I have read and I was left wanting to read more.
My Rating - 4/5

Follow my reviews on Goodreads.

LIZ EARLE ORANGE FLOWER & CHAMOMILE CLEANSE & POLISH

I have been a big fan of Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser for a few years now. Being a cult favourite for many bloggers, it’s a product I tried and wasn’t disappointed by. I love the natural scent of the original but it is nice to have a yearly limited edition version to mix up the cleansing. The newest scent in the range is Orange Flower and Chamomile which mixes two of my favourite scent cleansers at the moment, The Body Shop Chamomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter and Origins Ginzing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser. I have just finished up last year’s version which was Grapefruit and Patchouli, which I really enjoyed as it was refreshing and moisturising to use. The year before that was a Rose & Lavender scent which I didn’t get round to trying. But I think this year’s offering has to be my favourite yet.

Cleanse & Polish is an iconic cleanser and has received over 100 beauty awards. The new scent is lovely for the summer months to leave you with radiant looking skin. I love the pump bottle which manages to get every last drop of product out of it. I like to massage the creamy formula into my face and neck. Place a muslin cloth under hot water, cover my face for a minute to open pores and then gently wipe off the cream. It’s great at breaking down make-up, even waterproof mascara and softening the skin. The muslin cloth acts as a slight exfoliator and means you don’t have to use an extra step. This hot cloth cleanser really suits my skin and helps to keep any blemishes at bay. You can tell the bottle is packed with good quality, luxury ingredients.

The fragrance is zesty but also sweet and is still as gentle and effective as the original. The formulation includes cocoa butter and chamomile and is suitable for all skin types and ages. I would love this scent to stay in the main range all year. I would also love to see a travel version for holidays!

A 150ml bottle is priced at £19.75 and includes two muslin cloths. I feel this is really affordable as a lot of cleansing balms that are as effective are over the £30.00 mark. If you love the original, I would definitely give this fragrance a go, it doesn't disappoint. I have received emails through the Liz Earle newsletter telling us they are almost sold out, so it's your last chance to grab a bottle before it's made into a lovely new fragrance for next year.

Have you tried Cleanse & Polish?

URBAN DECAY REVOLUTION LIPSTICK & NAKED LIPGLOSS

Urban Decay was one of my favourite brands through my teenage years. I really liked the fun, playful side of the packaging (half naked men on lip gloss) and I always received an eye shadow palette for Christmas which was full of glitter shadows. My one regret is not really being obsessed with make-up when they released the Alice in Wonderland palette, as I’d love to have that in my collection.

Over the last few years, Urban Decay has revamped their packaging and has had a big cult following with the success of their Naked palettes.The brand has introduced Revolution Lipsticks to the range which comes in 23 different colours. The range includes many lovely nudes and bold brights, so there is something for everyone. I decided to choose the colour Lovelight which is a pale peachy pink shimmer which is perfect for everyday wear. The formulations of these lipsticks are creamy, pigmented and nourishing on the lips. They contain a blend of Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil, Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter which keeps lips moisturised and hydrated. The lipstick is long wearing but I do like to touch up after eating and drinking.

I love the new packaging, the lipsticks look more expensive than they are, in the gunmetal and deep purple tube. I would definitely pick another lipstick up from the range. The lipsticks are priced at £15.00 for 2.8g of product.

Urban Decay have also brought out Lip glosses in their Naked range. I chose the Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss in the shade Streak. The range has nine different nude shades to choose from which give a high-gloss finish. It’s ingredients include; Hyaluronic Filling Spheres, Rosehip Seed Oil, Vitamin E, Avocado Oil and Shea Butter to hydrate and condition your lips. I feel it helps to improve the volume of your lips and it claims to improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

The packaging is very luxe again. I really like the extra long paddle applicator which you don’t see on many lipglosses. This means you can apply enough gloss in one application. I like to use both products separately or layer the lipgloss over the lipstick for a more coral lip. The lipglosses are priced at £14.00 for 4ml of product.

Have you tried Urban Decay Lip products?

ORIGINS GINZING REFRESHING FACE MASK

As you can tell from my skincare posts I’m a big fan of Origins. Some of my favourite products include Vitazing Energy Boosting Moisturiser and Make a Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment. I haven’t really found a product I’ve tried that I haven’t liked; I know the products work well for my skin and are affordable to repurchase.

I have used the Origins Ginzing Face Mask a few times now and have seen great results each time. You apply this for 10 minutes and then tissue it off for refreshed skin. The few times I have applied it I have just left it to absorb into the skin before carrying on with my evening skin care routine. It reminds me of the results of the Ren Glcolactic Radiance Renewal Mask without the mess. It really does brighten, dull and tired skin. It is a cool gel mask with contains coffee beans, cucumber and Hoelen mushroom which energises and awakens the skin and leaves you with a subtle glow. I have also thought about applying this just around the eye area before using the Ginzing Eye Cream to hydrate and improve dark circles. I also think this will work well by putting the tube in the fridge before using to really stimulate the skin.

I have tried all Origins face masks and all of the products in the ever growing Ginzing Range and this one definitely lives up to expectations. If you have dull and blemish prone skin and like to treat it to a weekly pamper, this is the mask for you. It removes dead skin cells and it’s even better if you use the other products in the Ginzing line along with it. It’s priced at £23.00 for 100ml which is the same price as all the other face masks in the line. If you are a face mask junkie like me you will be reaching for this every time you need a quick pick me up.

Have you tried Origins face masks?

NEW LOOK SUMMER SALE HAUL

I have really been enjoying New Look’s Spring/Summer range this year. I bought a fair few things for my trip to Rome earlier in the year, so when I saw they were having a sale, I was eager to look through the online store for a bargain. I'm much more of an online sales shopper than a store one, but I did manage to pick up a few key pieces.

Firstly I spotted these skirts which I already own in black and blue. These Crochet Hem Skater Skirts are so wearable and I love the simple crochet detailing. I decided to pick up the white and turquoise versions as I can pair these with so many items. They were original priced at £14.99, but I managed to buy them for £7.00 for the turquoise and £9.00 for the white one.

I then saw these Black Embellished Double Strap Sandals. I have had the hyped up Birkenstocks on my wish list for a while now. But when I saw these jewelled versions I put them straight into my basket. These were originally priced at £34.99, I wouldn't of brought them for that price as you can get the Birkenstocks for £50.00. But these were reduced to £13.00, which is a real bargain and doesn’t matter if I only wear them for one season. These also come in leopard and tan.

I also picked up another pair of sandal, these Wide Fit Black Beaded Chain T-Bar’s. I love the detailing on these and the chain detail hardens up a pretty look. These were £11.00 and also come in nude.

I had my eye on this Black and Gold Tile Necklace before the sale and I’m so glad I held out as it was reduced to £3.00 from £7.99. It’s simple but I think it can add a statement to any outfit. I really think New Look have upped their game when it comes to jewellery, I have been buying quite a few necklaces from there.

The total of the full priced items would be £95.95 and my total came to £40.00 with £3.00 discount so I certainly made some savings. I also have my eye on this Black Floral Embroidered Fringe Kimono and this Shell Pink Cap Sleeve Embellished Top Smock Dress. Have you picked anything up in the sales?

CURRENT SKINCARE FAVOURITES

As well as my usual routines, I have been adding various products that have been improving the appearance of my skin. These are a few of my current favourites which have made the cut.

Origins Ginzing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser, 150ml £18.50 – I have really been enjoying the Ginzing range recently. I like to use this in the mornings to awaken the skin and gently exfoliate for fresher looking skin. It’s great as a cleanser and a mild daily exfoliate. I really like the citrus scent and the formula lathers up nicely. Read more of my thoughts here.

Indeed Labs Facial Powered Exfoliator, 75g £18.99 – This exfoliator is very different to anything I have used before. It comes in a powder formula which you mix with water. It helps to make my skin smooth but it’s really gentle at the same time. It claims to help prevent wrinkles, heal blemishes and absorb dirt and oil from pores as well as moisturise.

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil, 200ml £10.00 – I like to use this product before using a balm cleanser. It helps to remove make-up and leaves skin feeling clean and refreshed. It’s not overly oily and the scent is really calming for evening cleansing. It’s great at breaking down make-up and I love the easy to use pump bottle.

GlamGlow Mud Mask, 50g £39.99 – This has to be my favourite face mask at the moment. I like to see that a product is instantly working and with this you can. It contains volcanic minerals and French sea clay which helps to awaken skin, reduce puffiness, under-eye circles and smooth fine lines. As well as reducing pore size and balancing oil levels. There’s not much this mask doesn't do. You leave it on for 10 minutes, it will tingle and exfoliate but it leaves your skin glowing in 10 minutes and is perfect for all skin types.

Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion, 150ml £10.75 – Another product I like to use in the morning. I like to apply it on to a cotton pad and smooth over tired eyes to awaken them. I also like to use this when doing a face mask, I soak two cotton pads and leave them over the eye area, it really soothes and depuffs and I feel immediately refreshed. It contains witch hazel, aloe vera and cornflower to cleanse and tone. It is also effective to calm down hay fever.

What are your skincare favourites? 

SUMMER SKINCARE BEAUTY PRODUCT EMPTIES

Liz Earle Limited Edition Cleanse & Polish Grapefruit& Patchouli, 150ml £19.75 – This is a holy grail product in my stash. I have finished up one of these and have another limited edition from last year still waiting to be opened. I have also purchased this year’s limited edition in orange flower and chamomile. It’s a really moisturising cleanser and doesn’t irritate my skin at all. The grapefruit version is really refreshing and hydrating. I love these limited edition scents, they just give a little something different to the original classic. Would I repurchase? Yes, it’s lovely.

L’oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution, 200ml £4.99 – I tried this product as a change to my normal Bioderma micellar water. I like to use micellar water before going in and fully cleansing my skin. This worked well; it’s a much cheaper version of Bioderma, but there is something that makes me pick the cult product over the drugstore version. Would I repurchase? Probably not.

Clarins Instant Eye Make-up Remover, 125ml £15.80 – I would recommend this make-up remover to anyone. If you wear heavy eye make-up, eyeliner or waterproof make-up this is great at removing every last bit. It is a bio phase formula which you have to shake to activate. I like to use this after a night out, before cleansing properly. It doesn’t sting the eyes and it’s great for even sensitive eyes. Would I repurchase? Yes, I really enjoy using it.

Bioderma Sebium H20 Micelle Solution, 100ml £4.50 – I decided to try a little bottle of the micelle water version for oily skin, I have to say though I think I prefer the normal formulation. This really helps to cleanse the skin in depth and improve the quality of sebum production. I didn’t find it dried my skin out and I was left feeling fresh. Would I repurchase? Yes, I have but in the original formulation.

Origins Vitazing Energy Boosting Moisturiser, 50ml £29.00 – This is my most repurchased day moisturiser. I love that it’s tinted as it’s great as a base before applying my make-up. It has an SPF of 15 which is great to wear every day. I also like to apply this on no make-up days for a bit of colour. Would I repurchase? Yes, I would never be without it now.

Origins Ginzing Moisturiser, 50ml £23.00 – This is a newer day cream in Origins range. I remember saving up my Boots points to purchase this and I was really impressed with the lightweight, oil-free skin boosting formula. I think I prefer Vitazing which contains a slight tint to the skin, but I like how my skin felt refreshed and was left with a ‘glowing’ look. Read more here. Would I repurchase? Yes, I’m really enjoying the Ginzing range.

Origins Ginzing Eye Cream, 15ml £23.00 – I love this eye cream, this sits alongside the moisturiser, its really moisturising and brightening on the skin. I would pick this as my day eye cream, it is a little heavy under make-up but it does get rid of darkness underneath my eyes. My skin looks less tired and it claims to reduce 80% of puffiness. Read more here. Would I repurchase? Yes, this was just a samples size, so would definitely purchase the full-size.

Origins Make A Difference Pus+ Rejuvenating Treatment Gel, 50ml £34.50 – This is my favourite night moisturiser and one of my favourite products from Origins. Can you tell I like Origins skincare? I like to apply this on trouble areas and it improves my skin in no time. I like the treatment version as it’s more of a gel formula suited to oily skin. Would I repurchase? Yes, always.

Benefit It’s Potent Eye Cream, 14.2g £25.50 – Another little sample pot, this eye cream helps to fade dark circles and help smooth fine lines for firmer looking skin. I have been very impressed with what I’ve tried from Benefit skincare so far. Would I repurchase? Yes, I would definitely use this again.

Benefit Total Moisture Face Cream, 48.2g £28.50 – I liked using this face cream, but I think it would work better on dry skin types. When I used this my skin was hydrated and my complexion was completely refreshed. It contains mango butter to provide moisture, which made the product smell really nice. Would I repurchase? Probably not, but I wouldn’t hesitate to try other products from the range.

Clarins Daily Energiser Wake-up Booster, 125ml £14.50 - I received this sample size in a Daily Energiser ‘try-me’ set. I liked to use this in the morning as it really helped to awaken the skin and get my skin prepped ready for make-up. I really do like the Daily Energiser range and would like to try more from Clarins skincare. Would I repurchase? Yes, If I was looking for a toner I would check out the Clarins range.

Dermologica Clean Start Purifying Toner, 120ml £13.00 – I received this product in a little tester set from Glossybox. This toner is great for oily skin and blemishes. I like that it comes in a spray bottle as this means you can spray it straight on to the area or on to a cotton pad. I really like the citrus scent and it does feel like it’s doing something good on your skin and controls breakouts. Would I repurchase? Yes, this was my favourite part of the set.

Indeed Labs Hydraloron Moisture Boosting Facial Serum, 30ml £24.99 – As you can see I’ve gone through two tubes of this. I love to apply this serum at night before moisturising, it really helps to plump the skin and give extra moisture. As I have run out of the serum, I am now using the new moisture jelly from the range. I bought the small travel sized hydraloron in a set with two other Indeed Labs serums – this is great for travelling and lets you try other products from the range before committing to the full-size. Would I repurchase? Yes I need to.

Clarisonic Deep Pore Brush Head, £21.00 – The deep pore brush head is great for oily skin, my skin feels like it’s had a deep cleanse after using it. This brush head has to be my favourite from the range but I have seen that they have introduced a cashmere range which I’m guessing feels luxurious on the skin, so I’m eager to try that. It really helps to decongest my skin and pores are definitely decreased in size. Would I repurchase? Yes, I certainly would.

I have also gone through various packs of face wipes through the months, brands include; Soap & Glory, Boots N07, Simple, Amie and Yes to Cucumbers. My favourites have to be the Soap & Glory Off Your Face Cleansing Wipes, £4.50 – they smell really fruity and exfoliate at the same time. I like to use face wipes if I’m in a rush or if I need to touch up, but I don’t like to use them all the time as they are not the best for your skin. They are also great for travelling and handy to throw in your bag.

Have you tried any of these products?

RECENT SUMMER PRIMARK BUYS

Here's a few of my favourite picks from my latest trip to Primark. I picked up a pair of Burgendy cut out sandals which I think look so chic that they could be from Zara, these were £8.00. I then picked up some accessories including some hair bobbles with different coloured gems which I thought were great for summer, only £1.50! And a three tiered necklace which was £4.00. I'm really enjoying simple slouchy tops at the moment, so I picked up this white stripy boyfriend tee for £3.50. My last favourite purchase of the trip was this bag. It's small, blue, on trend and has great fastenings. For £8.00 I had to pick this up! I also threw in my basket some Paul Frank pants and Haribo strawbs and Minions of course!

Have you picked anything good up from Primark recently?

SOAP & GLORY - SIT TIGHT SADDLEBAGS+ STUBBORN AREA SERUM

I’m all for trying new product that claim to improve the appearance of your body. I know there is nothing that’s going to be a miracle worker except for exercise and healthy eating, but if I can see an improvement with continuous use with a product I’m pleased with that. Sit Tight Saddlebags+ Serum claims to fight stubborn problem areas, help to visibly firm and tighten skin, rehydrate and reduce skin roughness and make skin look smoother in 14 days as it says on the bottle. Soap & Glory has to be one of my favourite bath and body brands from the drugstore. They introduced this product earlier this year alongside the new Sit Tight Super-Intense 4-D.

This product is skin smoothing, stimulating and firming all in one. You use this by shaking the pack a couple of times before use, unlocking the rollerhead, squeezing gently a few times, then holding the pack at a right angle to skin, roll/massage intensely across areas, letting the serum absorb into your skin and then getting dressed. The microcellu-roller is designed to stimulate and you may feel it micropinch your skin, but I really like the feel of the massage roller head. You can apply this twice daily, but I like to apply this in the evenings after showering. I like the heating/cooling sensation the formula gives as it starts to activate. The instructions tell you to store upside down until next use.

I have used this most days for a couple of months now and I can honestly say it has firmed and tightened my skin around my tights, arms and stomach, with the help of exercise of course. I like the serum as a moisturiser as well as it absorbs nicely and my skin is left feeling silky smooth. I really like the formula, it contains sweet almond, sweet orange peel and olive oils, these also help to reduce skin roughness. The scent is a mix of eucalyptus, rosemary, yang yang, orange, amyris, petitgrain, geranium and palmarosa. I have read a few reviews about the roller pinching skin, but I didn’t find this the case with me, not to the point of hurting anyway. I have also read reviews where people haven't seen much of a difference with use, but I feel you have to use this continuously to see real improvements. The firming products sit higher up in the price scale of Soap & Glory's collection, but with the built in technology and research I think you get what you pay for at £16.50 for 85ml. It a great product to use weeks running up to an important event/holiday. If you are bothered by cellulite that never seems to move, there is no harm in giving this a go.

Have you tried any Soap & Glory firming products?

CHARLOTTE TILBURY MAKEUP - CHEEK TO CHIC BLUSHER & BAR OF GOLD HIGHLIGHTER

I have wanted to try Charlotte Tilbury make up for a while now, she launched her collection into Selfridges last year. I bought these items from the online store as I don’t live near a Selfridges store. I could have brought everything from her collection but I decided to plump for two items; The Bar of Gold Highlighter which I believe is limited edition and one of the Cheek to Chic – Swish & Pop Blusher in the shade Love Glow, which I have been lusting over for ages.

The light reflecting highlighter creates sculpted cheekbones and glowing skin. I like to brush this on to cheekbones, temples, nose, cupid’s bow and decolletage. It’s the perfect gold shimmer and comes in such cute packaging. It’s not the same stunning, luxury packaging that most of the collection comes in. The highlighter is priced at £30.00 for 5.5g of product, you would expect for the price of the product it would come in a sturdier casing, but this is the only downfall to the product. I love my skin to look dewy and this is the ideal product to make it happen. Charlotte shows you in the video (below) to concentrate on the C-shape that hugs the eye area, right up to the temples. She also gives the great tip of putting the highlighter in the corner of your eyes, which I will be trying. This would be great to use on a holiday as you can use this on the body too. The website says it's the last chance to buy this product, which is a shame, but get it when you can!

The blusher is fool proof, Charlotte has made it easier to apply colour in the right places by producing a product which has one coral shade round the side and a more prominent pink shade in the middle. You use it by putting the lighter colour on your upper cheeks and then the pop of colour on the apples of the cheeks. I love the packaging of the blushers, a cute little compact with a mirror and you seem to get a generous amount of product. This blusher is priced at £30.00 for 8g of product. The shade is a lovely, pink coral, which creates a gorgeous sheen on the cheeks. In the video (below), the blusher really gives life to the models cheeks and I'm really impressed with the pigmentation and lux finish.

The products in the collection aren't cheap, but you’re paying for a make-up artists collection, so I feel the quality and brains behind each product justify the price tag. If I continue to enjoy these products I will be excited to try more from the range. I have my eye on the beach sticks and the wonderglow beauty balm.

Have you tried anything from the Charlotte Tilbury collection?

BIRCHBOX JULY 2014 - SUN, SEA & SAND BEAUTY BOX

This month’s Birchbox is all about the summer holiday, sun, sea and sand. The box includes products which will see you through the hottest season (maybe not in the UK). I receive 4 products every month for £10 including p&p.

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream £20.00 – This is a product I have used in the past, if I had to recommend an eye cream it would probably be this one. Great for younger skins, to brighten the eye area and keep wrinkles at bay. It’s really light on the skin and a little goes a long way, like to apply this at night time. It contains a unique blend of Roman chamomile, lemon, cucumber oil, witch hazel, anti-oxidant spruce knot, virigin coconut, rosehip oil and carrot oil. I have gone through two little tubes of this and have found no need to repurchase a bigger size, as I keep receiving samples in beauty boxes.

Laqa & Co Sheer Lip Lube Pencil in Bees Knees £14.00 – Love the shade of this lip pencil, it’s a lovely coral pink. I have really been enjoying using lip crayons instead of lipsticks as they are so much easier to use and re-apply.  The finish is a glossy sheer wash of colour, which is great for summer days to stick into your handbag and re-apply on the go. This is my first taste of the brand and I would like to try more from the range.

Gilchrist & Soames English Spa Sea Kelp Extract Mineral Bath £11.25 – I pick a bath over a shower any day so this is the perfect product for me. You pour this under hot running water and this foamy gel creates your own mineral bath to invigorate the skin. The formula contains marine nutrient sea kelp and feels like such a luxury product. It has a lovely citrus and herb fragrance and you can also use this as a shower gel. This isn’t a brand I’ve heard of before but I’m definitely enjoying it so far.

Whish Three Whishes Lavender Body Butter £14.50 – I’m not a big fan of lavender scents but when the product card promised ‘not your granny’s lavender’ I was intrigued to try it. It is super sweet and smells like something Laura Mercier would sell in her Bath & Body range. It feels really soothing and not greasy at all on the skin and is great for dryer areas. It contains Organic aloe, shea butter and raspberry butter to conquer dryness, while organic seaweed extract contains naturally high levels of skin-firming peptides.

You can also receive this month; Benefit’s Porefessional, Compagnie de Provence Hand Cream Mediterranean Sea, Laqa & Co Sheer Lip Lube in Menatour, Models Own Nail Polish, Number 4 Jour D’Automne Non Aerosol H Air Spray. Philip Kingsley One More Day Dry Shampoo, Soigne Nail Lacquer, The Chia Co Chia Shots, Ultradex Oral Spray, Vita Coco Lemonade, Weleda Millet Nourishing Shampoo and Welda Sea Buckthorn Creamy Body Wash.

Not the most exciting box I have received from Birchbox, but still a few new products to try out and one product I love to use.

What is your favourite beauty box? 

CURRENT EVERYDAY HAIR CARE FOR THICK LONG BLONDE HAIR

My hair is naturally light/strawberry blonde, but I do get blonde highlights every eight weeks. My hair is thick and quite long at the moment, so I like to use products that will help maintain moisture and shine, whilst still keeping my colour. I do use other products such as hair masks and other styling products, but these are the ones I reach for every day at the moment.
Redken Blonde Idol Shampoo 300ml & Conditioner 196ml, £21.35 for the duo - I have enjoyed Redken hair care in the past, especially the All Soft range. Blonde Idol is the newest collection from Redken, which has one shampoo for all blondes and then a violet conditioner for cool blondes (which I have), and a gold conditioner for warm blondes, to get rid of brassiness. The great thing about this conditioner is that you can customise the tone to increase colour deposit or adjust every week to maintain newly coloured hair. I haven't seen a dual chamber treatment on the market, so using this for the first time was very exciting. I'm really enjoying this shampoo, it smells great and really lathers up, even though it's sulphate free. It helps to boost shine, so my blonde hair looks brighter, meaning I can go longer between salon visits.

Grow Gorgeous Cleansing Conditioner, 190ml £19.49 - This is a newer product to my routine, it claims to do 12-in-1 as it combines foamless cleansing and deep conditioning in one step. I have the version for blonde hair but you can also get a non-colour one, they both help to rebalance the scalp and restore the hair. It claims to add shine, reduce frizz, make styling easier and add volume, among other things. When I first used this, I don't think I used enough at the back of my hair as this part was a little greasier by the end of the day. My hair is thick so I think this will work better with fine hair. I have continued to use this and have liked it more and more each time. It's a great product to use in-between full washes, but I don't think I'm convinced just yet to use it every time.

Kerastase Ciment Thermique, 125ml £14.62 - This leave in heat protectant has been a favourite for a while. The scent reminds me of that classic hair salon smell. It's great at smoothing and detangling the hair and also strengthening the ends. It also has thermo-activation which increases the effects when used with heat. I like to use this and then brush it through with my Tangle Teezer, I will always repurchase this.

Charles Worthington Volume & Bounce Texturizing Spray, 150ml £6.99 - This is a product I use after straightening my hair. It's great at lifting the layers and giving my hair some 'grit'. I spray this straight into the hair and play with my hair until I'm happy with it. If you love big hair, you will love this!
Toni & Guy Classic Shine Gloss Serum, 30ml £7.19 - I then finish with this product, which I received in a Glossybox. It helps to smooth down my ends or any fly away pieces. I put a drop of the serum into my hands and then smooth it into the lengths of my hair and it's left feeling super soft and healthy.

What haircare products are you currently using?

BICESTER VILLAGE BEAUTY BUYS

Bicester Village is a Designer Outlet near Oxford. Its shops include; Prada, Alexander Mcqueen, Mulberry, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Vivienne Westwood and many more with up to 70% off. It is very limited when it comes to beauty, but what they do have is really good! I managed to find a few bits in The Cosmetics Company Outlet and L’Occitane. The CCO stocks many well-known brands; Clinique, Bumble & Bumble, Origins and Bobbi Brown to name a few. You will find products from past collections and all products are at discounted prices.

Firstly, I went into L’Occitane and spotted the Almond Shower Oil 500ml which was £25.00. I have tried this product before but in a smaller bottle and loved it. When I saw this 500ml bottle in a set at a bargain price, I jumped at the chance to take it home. The 500ml bottle comes with a handy pump which is much easier in the shower/bath and perfect for refilling afterwards. The scent of this range is divine, the formula comes out as an oil but once it’s mixed with water it foams up nicely. You can still smell this on your skin for ages after showering. L’Occitane is a lovely, luxurious brand to use for bath time pampering. It softens my body and I especially like to use it to shave my legs as it really nourishes my skin. I would definitely go and buy this large size bottle from Bicester at a discounted price than pay the usual £17.50 for 250ml.

The Shower Oil also came in a set with a couple of added extras to try; the Almond Foot Care and Delicious Almond Soap, obviously both with the same gorgeous scent. I’m looking forward to trying the foot cream, it seems to absorb really quickly and has a powdery finish so you can go about you’re daily life straight after using. The hand soap has a lovely floral fragrance of almond blossoms and contains crushed almond shells to gently exfoliate the skin.

Next I went into the CCO and picked up the Mac Pearlematte Face Powder in Pink Buttercream which was £15.25. This Mac face powder is so pretty I had to put it in my basket. I remember seeing this in a Mac collection last summer called the Baking Beauties Collection. As I’m quite pale, I think I will use this more of a blush highlight than all over my face.

I then spotted the Smashbox Heatwave Lip Glosses priced at £15.75. I bought the Smashbox Heatwave eye shadow palette last year and have used it many times. So when I saw the little lip glosses in a set, I thought they would be great to wear with the shadows in the summer. The lip glosses in the set are called Electic Orange, Fuchsia Flash, VIP Pink and Copper Remix and are all really wearable shades. This set is still available on the boots website for £22.50.

I have heard a lot of hype about this fragrance Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Eau Fraiche, but have never got round to smelling it. I sprayed it on myself in the shop and had to go back for it at the end. The scent is lovely, it just smells like holiday and coconut. The size of the bottle is 100ml, so at £33.00 it was a real bargain. I probably didn’t need another perfume, but it was such a bargain that I couldn’t miss out on it.

I also picked up a Kate Spade bracelet and wash bag and also some Calvin Klein underwear. I would recommend a visit if you’re after a bargain or haven’t been before. After my Bicester shopping spree I now need a beauty spending ban, as I have a lot of products building up. But I’ve just seen that Origins have brought out a new Ginzing Face Mask – very exciting, somebody stop me!