PIXI BEAUTY - MAKE-UP FIXING MIST REVIEW

As I have oily/combination skin I'm always looking for ways to combat greasy looking skin. Either by using a primer, a powder or/and a setting spray. I have never used any skincare products from Pixi Beauty before, but have always wanted to especially the Glow Tonic which I have just received a sample of in my Glamour Summer Edit Beauty Box. I have also been intrigued by the Make-up Fixing Mist and the Glow Mist that have recently been released. Asos were offering discount off beauty products, so I thought it was the ideal time to try them both, but by the time I added them both to my basket the Glow Mist was out of stock. So in the end I just brought the Make-up Fixing Mist for £11.20, normally priced at £16.00. I have always used the Urban Decay All Nighter Make-up setting spray, but I thought it would be nice to try a similar product from a brand that I haven't tried much from.

The spray prolongs make-up wear and keeps it from melting into pores or fine lines. You can spray this before applying your makeup to extend make-up wear or after doing your makeup to set your face. You can even spray it throughout the day to refresh make-up as well as hydrating and balancing the skin. The fixing mist is infused with rose water and green tea to comfort, protect and balance skin for a fresh face. It's also nice to spray onto a brush and lightly brush over your makeup to fix it back into place. Ideal if you don't like to keep re-applying your powder over and over throughout the day. The spray is suitable for all skin types and so easy to apply over face and neck, just make sure you keep your eye's shut when doing so!

I most likely use this after my make-up and my make-up is still there when I get home from work. Maybe not if I go to the gym after work, but I wouldn't expect it to stick around for that! It’s also great to pop into to your handbag to use throughout the day or take to the beach on holiday with you for a quick burst of moisture. It’s so refreshing and such a fine mist that it can give you a little pick me up. I have found that my forehead has been less oily when using this. I will have to get my hands on the Glow Mist soon, as I've heard this is great if you want a dewy effect.

What are your recommendations from Pixi?

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FAT FACE FESTIVAL STYLE - WHAT TO WEAR

Paul Smith Hat
New Look Necklace
Primark Bag
New Look Top
Fat Face Cover Up
Fat Face Shorts
Shoe Zone Jellies
Pepe Jeans Sunglasses

Fat Face have recently released their new Summer collection with items being added every day. Their summer collection is themed around ‘Take Me to the Weekend’ and features summery separates which can be layered up to create different looks for a number of seasonal occasions or just for casual to create your staple weekend wardrobe. A lot of the range is quite neutral so you can mix and match. Festival season is upon us, with Glastonbury just around the corner, so it’s the ideal time to get your outfit ideas sorted!

I adore these pineapple lazer print shorts from Fat Face, they're such a cute, unique design! I like that they're a little longer than your average denim shorts and you can turn them up or down depending on how you want to wear them. The denim short is the ideal staple garment at a festival as you can dress them up or down with so many different colours and prints. I will definitely be getting a lot of wear out of these, they would be ideal to take on holiday with you and perfect to wear for Summer days in the garden!

As it will get cooler in the evenings it’s nice to cover up your arms with a kimono or cardigan. I have styled my shorts with this navy blue callington stripe textured waterfall cover up, which is lovely to wear at the weekend but also smart enough to wear over dresses at work. It's really flattering on most body shapes and It’s light enough to carry if we ever do see some sunshine!

I really like the bucket bag trend which has become current this Spring/Summer. I picked this black one up from Primark for £6.00 and have loved using this when I don’t have to carry much around with me. I also like to layer up my jewellery for a boho chic look, I have picked this tribal necklace which is really affordable from New Look.

Jellies have also come back into fashion, I haven't worn jellies since the 90’s! These multi-coloured butterfly print jellies from Shoe Zone are a nice alternative than wearing sandals, they’re really comfortable and you don’t have to worry about people treading on your toes! You need comfortable footwear you can walk miles in and dance all night in!

I picked this hat up from Bicester Village at the weekend, it's a great accessory to add something to your outfit, you could even wear a floral head crowns for more of a girly look! It’s also nice to accessories your outfit with nail art and/or temporary metallic tattoos. I really like these metallic tattoos from Glossybox which I received in my beauty box this month. They've become really popular to wear this year and you can get all sorts of designs. I painted my nails in Nails Inc Uptown which is a lovely nude pink and used Maybelline Colour Show Brocades polish in Knitted Gold on my ring fingers. With the unpredictable British weather, it may be an idea to also bring a pac-a-mac, sunglasses and some wellies as you never know what the weather is going to be like!

What is your ideal festival outfit?

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*Collaborative Feature  

LUSH OXFORD STREET EXCULSIVE - INTERGALACTIC BATH BOMB

I did a blog post last month about the products my sister managed to pick up for me from Lush on Oxford Street. I haven't managed to get to Lush Oxford Street myself as yet, but last weekend she kindly brought me back the Intergalactic Bath Bomb. I thought I would take photos of the bath bomb in action as it's a new and exclusive product to Oxford Street. I adore the look of this bath bomb, I love the shade of blue! It reminds me of a planet with the pink, white and yellow colours going all the way around it. Intergalactic is obviously themed around space and has a peppermint scent which is unlike any bath bomb I've tried before. I really like the scent, it's refreshing and awakening, but I can imagine it's not for everyone. It also contains cedarwood and vertivert oil so my skin was left feeling so soft when I got out the tub. As soon as I dropped it into the bath the water turned this deep blue shade, the lighter blue started fizzing out and all the other colours came out too. Whilst the bath bomb was spinning around my bath I started to hear a popping, crackling sound and realised it had popping candy inside. It took a good ten minutes for the whole bath bomb to dissolve, which I think is quite lengthy for a bath bomb. It definitely looked like space when it had covered the whole bath. Once I had got into the bath I could see that the deep blue water had masses of gold glitter in which just looked gorgeous. When I got out of the bath some of the glitter was left on my skin which looked lovely, but I wasn't covered in glitter which was good. This bath bomb is priced at £3.50, which is a little bit more than your average bath bomb, but so worth it for the bath experience. I will definitely be picking up this one again!

Have you visited Lush Oxford Street yet?

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LATEST IN BEAUTY - THE GLAMOUR SUMMER EDIT

Latest In Beauty have recently released their newest instalment of their Glamour beauty box ready for Summer. The Glamour Summer Edit is packed full with 10 different beauty items to make sure you're all set for the new season. Latest In Beauty always manage to outdo their last beauty box. Especially the Glamour boxes, these are some of my favourite to invest in. They've teamed up with Glamour’s Beauty Director, Alessandra Steinherr, to bring you the hottest Summer must haves. The contents are worth over £90.00, so at the retail price of £17.99 you're really getting a great deal! Included in the box is; the Vita Liberata Trystal Minerals and Luxury Kabuki Brush, Pixi Glow Tonic, Nails Inc Gel Effect Nail Polish, L’Occitane Aromachology Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner, Caudalie Divine Oil, Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon, Eucerin Sun Protection, Balance Me Super Toning Body Polish and Seekers of the Sun Temporary Tattoos.

Vita Liberata Trystal Minerals is quite an exciting new launch, it’s the first ever self-tanning bronzer, which you dust over your face and a natural looking tan appears which lasts up to five days. The brush is full-size and feels so soft, you could even use this all over your body. I was quite scared applying this for the first time as I didn't want it to look too dark on my skin tone, but it just gives a natural, glowy look to your skin. I have wanted to try the Pixi Glow Tonic for ages, I was a little disappointed by the size of this sample but excited to use it as well. This product gently exfoliates your skin while infusing it with hydration, leaving you with a healthy glow. I received the shade Uptown in the Nails Inc Gel Effect Nail Polish which is a lovely nude pink shade that I was very pleased about. I have used this formula of polish before and have really liked the glossy, high-shine finish on the nails. I have received samples before of the L’Occitane Aromachology Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner in another beauty box. They helps to strengthen, repair, hydrate and protect my hair as well as making my hair feel silky soft. They're perfect to use during Summer and ideal travel sizes to take on holiday with you. I have also used the Caudalie Divine Oil before, I love the scent of this! This oil is a multi-purpose dry oil which moisturises, nourishes and enhances the skin, you can also use this in your hair! I received the Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Fuchsia Libre. I have used these formulations before but didn’t have this shade which is good! I’ve really got into using crayons on my lips, I find them hydrating and last a good while on the lips. This shade is really pigmented and not something I would normally wear but I was really surprised how much I liked it. No Summer Edit is complete without some suncream, so they've added the Eucerin Sun Cream for the face. I will be saving this sample for the next time I go away, but it’s a handy size to take to the beach with you. The Balance Me Super Toning Body Polish is designed to give your skin a detoxifying workout, great for firming and smoothing. I have been after some temporary metallic tattoos for a while now. These Seekers of the Sun Temporary Tattoos are limited edition and have been designed especially for this box. They're ideal for festivals or Summer days or nights out, I can't wait to try these out!

The Glamour Summer Edit is such great value and it gives me the chance to try products I have wanted to try for ages! My favourite products have to be the Pixi Glow Tonic and the Nails Inc Gel Effect Nail Polish. You can also win every Glamour Beauty Edit Latest In Beauty release for the next year by taking a selfie with your box and posting it on instagram or twitter with the hashtag #ShowUsYourSmile, find out more here.

What is your favourite product from the Glamour Summer Edit?

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BEAUTY ICON HAIR & MAKE-UP INSPIRATION - AUDREY HEPBURN

My ultimate beauty icon of all time has to be Audrey Hepburn. I always tend to turn to the starlets of the past much more than today's celebrities for hair and make-up inspiration. Women of that era seemed more confident in their own skin, instead of using plastic surgery or caking on far too much makeup to make themselves feel beautiful or younger. Hepburn's make-up look was always so chic and polished. I could see an image of Audrey Hepburn's eyes and know they're hers straight away, I even have a canvas on my wall of her. She had a classic style, timeless beauty and an iconic look which still looks modern today. She was a minimalist, yet very feminine. I've always been obsessed with her as Breakfast at Tiffany's has to be one of my favourite films. I've created an inspired look which is ideal for everyday below using the following products.

Audrey had a fair few hairstyles in her time, from the pixie crop to the sleek beehives and she always looked so elegant. Philip Kingsley created the Elasticizer personally for Audrey Hepburn back in the 70's. She wanted a product that would keep her hair looking fantastic on set, due to the constant processing and styling. The Elasticizer is a pre-shampoo treatment which intensively conditions whilst adding elasticity, manageability, bounce and shine. This cult product is suitable for all hair types especially damaged hair. It also provides UV protection even after washing, helping prolong the life of colour treated hair. I really like the way this makes my hair feel so glossy, if it's good enough for Hepburn, it's good enough for me! I have yet to buy a full-size of this product as I receive so many samples in beauty boxes/magazines.

Audrey always had fresh, natural looking base make-up that really brought out her bone structure. Audrey wore very little foundation, but always opted for a lightweight base for a youthful, glowy complexion. I decided to use the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer which is a lightweight, creamy gel formula which creates the perfect even canvas for foundation. This helps to keep my make-up in place, as I have oily skin I always apply a primer before my base make-up so it doesn't slip off my face throughout the day. The gel formula leaves my make-up looking fresh and colour-true for the entire day. I then used the Yves Saint Laurent Fusion Ink Foundation in the shade B10 Porcelain. I find this foundation gives a matte finish but still looks velvety and non-greasy on my skin. You can build the coverage up but I like that you can still see my freckles through the make-up. It blends away pores and it last for most of the day. I love the packaging, I just wish the bottle had a pump! I have reviewed this product in full here.

Thicker brows have come back in style and Audrey's brows were accentuated to look thicker and fuller. Her innocent doe eyes and large eyebrows were her trademark look leaving everything else quite simple and understated. I like to use the Benefit Gimme Brow in light/medium to fill in and shape my eyebrows. I haven't made my brows as thick as Audrey's but this product makes my eyebrows look stronger and creates that perfect arch. This brow gel is water resistant, long wearing and buildable. I like that the packaging is so compact and it's so quick and easy to use! I've created Hepburn's iconic little cat eye flick with the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in the shade Stag which is a deep satin brown shade. I don't think you can beat Urban Decay eyeliners, they glide on so nicely and the shade range is fantastic! I applied the liner close to my lash line and smudged it out a little with a brush to soften the look. Audrey famously used a pin to separate each of her lashes after applying mascara, which is crazy!
Audrey's favourite colours were shades of pink, so of course I had to choose a nude pink lip. I've applied my lip liner a little outside my natural lip line to make them appear fuller. I have then applied the Dior Rouge Nude Dior Lipstick in Grege 1947 which is a lovely vintage, peachy nude. These lipsticks are creamy, pigmented and moisturising on the lips. Audrey always defined her cupid's bow which made her look more sophisticated and glamorous. She used very little colour on her cheeks, making the eyes and lips the focus. Audrey Hepburn's hollywood look is so iconic and I have made her look more wearable for everyday using some of my favourite beauty products. You can find most of the products I used on the House of Fraser website.

"I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls."

Who is your Beauty Icon?
Want to be House of Fraser's Beauty Ambassador? find out more here.

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ST TROPEZ IN SHOWER GRADUAL TAN

As I am naturally quite pale I’m always looking for new products to perk up my colour. I’m not a big self-tanner as I'm always scared of going orange, but when I do I seem to stick to gradual tanners or wash off formulas which are going to give me a natural colour. I also stick to brands I know like St Tropez, Make Believe, Soap & Glory and St Moriz. St Tropez have recently introduced a new innovation which is an In Shower Gradual Tan. When I first heard about it I was very excited to try something new as there isn't a similar product on the market. You use this product by washing in the shower as usual, then turning the shower off and applying St Tropez all over, remembering to wash your hands after applying. You leave this on for 3 minutes and then wash it off and towel dry yourself as normal.

The formula smells lovely, not like the normal overpowering biscuit scent. The product is thick and moisturising on the skin and foams up a little when you are wet. As the product goes on white you don't see an instant change in colour straight away and it doesn't transfer onto your towel which is good. I decided to take photos to see how well the gradual tan got on and to see if I could see any difference myself. As you can see from the photo I saw a difference the day after applying it for the first time. It is definitely a subtle gradual tan and one you have to build up over time. But after applying it for the second time I got a colour I was happy with. If you are looking for an instant tan or have a darker skin tone maybe this product isn't for you, but it has definitely become one of my new shower favourites. Hopefully they will bring out a medium/dark version in the future. It’s so convenient to use self-tan in the shower, it means there’s no mess, you don't smell horrible for hours and it’s quick enough to use every day. The tan provides 24 hour moisturisation, it’s streak-free and it hasn’t clung to any dry patches. It’s ideal to use if you're a first time tanner or to top-up your tan post-holiday. The formula contains Sweet Almond Oil which makes my body feel so soft after use, meaning I can skip moisturising after my shower if I don't have time. The only annoying thing about it is deciding how to spend the long, cold three minutes. St Tropez suggest to apply a hair mask or brush your teeth. I have read some very mixed reviews on the Boots website with people not happy with the gradual colour this product gave them. Other people have praised St Tropez stating they were sceptical before using it but were seriously impressed with the results.

Boots are currently exclusively selling this on their 3 for 2 deal so I picked one up for my mum and sister to try too. A bottle is priced at £14.50 which is St Tropez normally rate, but with the deal it works out around £9.50 which I think is a bargain! You get 200ml in a tube and I did feel I was using a lot at first but I didn't use as much product as a normal tan. I can see this tube lasting me a while. I have even had to send my friend a bottle who is currently teaching abroad as she was so excited to try it for herself. I posted this image on Instagram and there was a lot of talk and excitement surrounding it. I would definitely give it a go if you are naturally pale and looking for a golden glow ready for summer. It’s ideal for busy people and mums who just haven't got the time to stand around in tan! 

Will you be trying St Tropez's In Shower formula?

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NARS CHRISTOPHER KANE OUTER LIMITS EYESHADOW

Nars have just released a new collection in collaboration with Christopher Kane for Summer 2015. In the collection are four lip glosses, one single eye shadow, one eyeshadow duo, a bronzer and a multiple. All of the products are so colourful and bright and are inspired by the nature of neon. I have so many eyeshadow palettes including a couple of Nars ones but have never been drawn into buying a single pan eyeshadow on its own. Nars eye shadows have never disappointed me and I have always been pleased with the results and the sleek packaging meaning they're ideal for travel.

The limited edition shade is called Outer Limits and is a gorgeous rose gold shimmer. It’s a lovely iridescent peachy tone with hot pink flecks of glitter. In my opinion, it’s the star of the collection and when I saw it was coming soon I knew I had to buy one for myself. You can apply one layer for a sheer wash of colour or build it up for a more intense look. The Nars eye shadows are buttery and glide straight onto the skin. It’s long wearing, grease-resistant and can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for a more dramatic effect. I think it works best by using your finger to pat on the colour, I do like to use an eyeshadow primer before applying though. The glitter is chunky and causes a little bit of fall out but not enough to put me off using it. I also like to wear this in the corner of my eyes or lining underneath my eyes to highlight. As this shade is semi-translucent I'm most likely to wear this on top of another similar shade. I don't have anything like it in my collection, it’s so unique and pretty! I think this would look perfect on a night out or a special occasion with just black eyeliner on the lids.

Outer Limits is priced at £18.00, I purchased my eye shadow from Selfridges as it's currently out of stock on the Nars website. I was also tempted by the really wearable lip glosses in the collection. I also love the promotional images that stand alongside the collection. I went to the Birmingham Bullring at the weekend, they were applying the range in the shopping centre and it seemed to be really popular, if you're tempted I'd be quick!

Have you checked out the Christopher Kane collaboration with Nars?

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