VICTORIA'S SECRET SHEER LOVE FRAGRANCE

Victoria's Secret isn't all that accessible here in the UK, with a few stores scattered around the country, and if you are miles away from one like me, airports are your best bet. Seeing as I am not going to the airport until a years time, I didn't buy this myself, my lovely friend Megan got me the Sheer Love Eau De Toilette when she went on holiday.

Starting packaging, I may have fell in love when I saw this. In a simplistic, cylindrical bottle, with a gold lid, and the name and brand added in gold, alongside a cute bow, and the slight tint of pink in the liquid as well, Victoria's Secret may have ticked all the boxes for me. 

We all know I suck at describing scents, but I'll give it a whirl. Akin to the packaging, it is quite a girly scent. It is floral, fresh, and slightly fruity, with a little musk to even it out, and I would be perfectly happy wearing this all year round - it is quite a versatile scent I think. Great description from Lauren. It is pretty long lasting too, a good few hours before the scent either drifts away or I get used to it. 

I am suddenly into frangrance, and clothes, and I haven't been going over the top with makeup at the moment, but it'll probably be a phase, so enjoy it while it lasts...

 

MY RECENT BARGAINS

It would appear that I have been doing some shopping recently, but haven't managed to pay full price for anything you see in the image above. That makes the hauling sound a little better...right?

Starting off with skin, I purchased 2 items. The first being the Dr Jart+ Water Sure Gel, a hyaluronic acid based gel which locks in moisture, hence why I use it under moisturisers daily. Basically Hydraluron in a tub, and this cost me £6.50 a month back in a Boots clearance, unusually reduced from the £26.00 they still charge on the website. 
Secondly, I picked up the Garnier Moisture Match Wake Me Up Gel Moisturiser, which I have wanted for a while now, and what better than when it is over half off at £2.37 in Tesco - brilliant. Look forward in the next few weeks of what is ruling the skincare shelf, and you may see one, or both of these featured. 

Onto nails, I accidentally stumbled into TkMaxx, and found a pack of 3 OPI Nail Polishes for £6.99 - What?! I couldn't not pick this pack up, as it was almost half the price of one, for all three. I got A Roll In The Hague, which is a vibrant, slightly red orange, I Don't Give A Rottadam, a dusty, periwinkle with some iridescent, leaning on holographic glitter - and both of these are from the Holland Collection. The other, is called Stranger Tides, a slightly dusty, murky, pale greenish, nudish, hybrid, which belongs in the Caribbean Collection I believe.

Back to makeup. In tesco, on the same trip, I managed to find myself a wee bargain, when spotting this Maybelline Eyestudio Mono in 750 Chocolate Chic, which I thought was matte at first, but in depth, this is a slightly reddy, plummy, dark brown, which is matte in the 'base', but then it has some larger, sparse amounts of iridescent shimmer, and still looks smashing in the crease. This was reduced to 79p, as I think they were decreasing the stand. 
For the same reasons, I found a Maybelline ColorSensational Lip Marker in Wink Of Pink on a whim as it was £1.49, but I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. I don't know whether it has dried already, or the colour payoff or maybe it isn't as pigmented as I remembered on the first use.

Finally, on Saturday, I was waltzing round Boots, as you do, and in a clearance, I found the Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss in 040 Crystal Water, which I have wanted for so long, and the sticker said £3.50, which I thought was a good deal anyway, but as the lady scanned it through, it came to £1.50 - what a bargain! 

So, a bit of a long one for me, but this haul should have cost a total of £86.06, but instead, I paid... £19.64, and something tells me that is a great deal... 

 

 

LA ROCHE POSAY EFFACLAR DUO

Being someone with considerably 'bad' skin, (it is improving must I add, touch wood), I am always on the lookout for something to improve and help it, and the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo ended up in my basket on Escentual.com...

This is a gel like texture, which soaks in very quickly, but still adds enough moisture which allows you to wear it as a moisturiser in the day, and under (or over) and moisturiser, serum or any chosen product at night. This is akin to any kind of serum anyway, but I wouldn't complain about wearing it stand-alone as a moisturiser. 

So, onto what it actually does. A lot of people use this the first time, notice quite a bit of difference, then nothing else. Others improve the more they use it, and I would say I have had both. I noticed difference after one use, but I feel like it still does a little something, something to my skin, and I now can't imagine not having this, and using it at least every other day. I think it is purely paranoia that if I don't repurchase and use this all the time, my skin will get worse again. 

I definitely think this has reduced the amount of blemishes I have, and faded a few scars here and there, through unclogging pores, and making my skin a lot more 'pure'?, and I repurchase will be on the way as soon as I get remotely close to the end... *cough* probably soon...

 

THE 'DISSAPOINTING' PRODUCTS #1

I don't really 'do' the negative posts, but sometimes, a product isn't what you thought, or something I would definitely not replace. I have gathered a few items that I wasn't impressed by, and one that I cannot stand. There have been breakouts, and unhappiness, and it is time to relive those emotions...

Firstly onto skincare, which holds two items. The first being this Anatomicals Pores and Phwoars Shine Free Moisturiser* which is supposed to clear up blemishes, but instead when I put it on my skin the first time, it burnt. I have never looked back again for this guy... should I feel bad?
Then, the Boots Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm. This was purchased in the hope to have found a drugstore/high street based balm cleanser, but instead, this sat on my skin, even if I used a washcloth or a muslin, and this resulted in painful breakouts. Well, I narrowed it down to this, and after not using it the breakouts have slowly cleared up... Maybe those dryer skinned beings would prefer this?

The Sally Hansen Dry Kwik Nail Color Dryer was purchased on a whim, as I was always one to be impatient when it comes to drying time. This kind of ended up as an oily mess around my nails, and didn't dry them very well. Since this dilemma, I have found Essie's Good To Go Topcoat, and it works really well.

Quite some time ago, I purchased the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream, before going on a residential with my school, for a base with some SPF in it. Megan likes this (well, her skin is flawless so she doesn't have my problem, and her skin is drier), but for me, it covers absolutely nothing, I have bad skin, with blemishes and scarring, and it didn't work for me, and didn't last long either with my combo skin, which is a shame because I really wanted to love this...
When I first used the Gosh Boombastic Mascara* (I can't help but sing that song in my head...), I thought it was the 'bom dot com' but as I went to use it for a second time, it was the wettest thing ever, with a lot of product on the brush, which resulted in me looking like I had one huge eyelash. 

Finally, the ELF Shimmer Palette, another impulse buy on an offer. I don't really know what I was planning on doing with this, I think they are too light for cream shadows, the formula isn't appropriate for a highlighter on the face, and on the lips? I don't quite understand that suggestion.. 

Maybe one day I will find a way to use these products, or maybe a family member or friend would be willing to give them a go...

 

THE BROW MAINTENANCE

Eyebrows. There's been the over plucked, the bushy, the 5 shades too dark, the non existent brows (shaven off), and the invisible brows, and many people struggle to find the level in between, but I think I have found my brow preference. As seen in Bazaar Magazine, strong, slightly masculine brows are in now, and after having my brows a little too thin for a while, they are looking a tad thicker, and I am liking it.

It is a question of finding the right colour for your brows, whether this is a powder shadow, a pencil, or a gel. There's the whole 2 shades lighter, two shades darker statement, but for me as a individual, I would much prefer the trial and error method, and my preferred shadow is ELF Pebble, a slightly ashy, dark but still a little warm toned brown, that it isn't too red, nor too dark and grey. It works fabulously in the crease too, so it is a win, win.

Secondly, whether you have a stray hair here and there, or a full on bushy mess, a brow gel is your best friend. This £1 MUA Clear Mascara keeps the bushiness at bay, whilst also keeping all the colour from the last step in place. Beware, it'll get a little murky throughout it's life, so not one for displaying on the vanity I'm afraid.

Throw in some tweezers, I opt for the budget friendly Boots Tweezers and they seem to do the plucking job okay. Also, a handmade spoolie-comb to brush through them is an essential, and whatever else you choose. Darn, I wish we had mini eyebrow razors at easy access like you US ladies...

 

BEDSIDE TABLE BEAUTY

Most of us fellow beauty bloggers will have at least one beauty product located near us at all times, one of the main destinations for me (in second place after the handbag) is the bedside chest. 

Monochrome furniture - what a surprise. This little chest is the Argos Sywell 2 Drawer Bedside Chest in White Gloss and Black and I have the wardrobe, desk, and drawers to match, which is lovely. Alongside that, I have the purple lamp from The Range, and the matching purple wall in the back, which I loved when I got it decorated, but since then I realised that you could create a white, girly, floral, Cath Kidston esc. room...

In this little pot from Ikea (the mothership of furniture and storage - especially for beauty purposes), I hold all of my bedtime beauty essentials. 
Of course, we have the deep sleep must-haves, one of which being the This Works Sleep Balm, which has cracked and the lid doesn't attach anymore, but I should hope to get another when this runs out anyway. Also, I have the Le Mas des Collines Pillow Spray, which unfortunately leaked when I traveled on holiday, so I am on the hunt for a replacement. 

We then have the OPI Avojuice Vanilla Snowflake Hand & Body Lotion, for a pre-sleep moisture boost, so my hands are plumped and nourished in the morning. Alongside this, we have the classic Vaseline, but I don't use this often. I also have the Nivea Soft Rosé Lipbalm which smells like Play-Doh but is always a downside I guess, but it definitely is thick and nourishing. 

Throw in some throat sweets, a mini nail file and buffer, some tweezers and some decorative stones at the bottom of the pot, place an Eiffel Tower decoration and a purple heart shaped rock on top, and your bedisde beauty display is complete. 

  

 

CUTICURA PASSION FLOWER AND MANGO HAND GEL

If you are a beauty-junkie like myself, you want your hands to be clean the most of times, either if you are about to put on makeup with your hands, or if you have been sticking your pointers in the Boots testers, or maybe you have just jumped off the tube. The world is a grubby place, and your best bet is a hand gel for on the go. 

First things first, the bottle is huge! I really liked the Soap and Glory one, but I can't bear to pay £2.50 for 50ml or product! This one costs £1.55 for 100ml, and is often on offer, so even better!
As for the smell, is is divine. Even better is that it actually lasts for a good amount of time on the hands. It is so fruity, and has a slight perfume scent masked underneath, and it is just a clean, fresh scent which I would probably happily buy as a fragrance. 
It sinks in within a matter of seconds, and doesn't feel drying at all on the skin. Super quick for on the go, and this spends most of its life in my bag, for any situations. I have been passing it round the family after a snack, or if someone sneezes, this jumps out. 

I think this will be getting a repurchase until something better pops up, but that doesn't look like it will anytime soon. Saying that, if I go to America, Bath&Body Works will be getting a stop to pick up some mini sanitizers.