TOO FACED POOLSIDE PRIMPING SET

Too Faced... Have we met before? I have never owned any products from the brand, and when I was generally strolling through TkMaxx looking for some bargains, I found this set. Dubbed as the Poolside Primping Set this includes 5 products all suitable for the poolside, 4 of which are full size, and one other sample size. I got this for £9.99 - for those products? Most definitely Yes - what a bargain.

First we have the Glamour Gloss in Peek-a-Boo. I am never normally into lipgloss, I always find them to be a bit redundant in my collection, but this one is really lovely. It's a nude with a hint of plum to it, and some gold shimmer shot through it as well. The rose gold esc. packaging scores some brownie points from me too. It's a little sticky, but I can deal with it.

Along with that there is the Perfect Lips Lip Liner in Perfect Nude which is basically everything it says on the packet. It is extremely matte - almost a bit clay like, and lasts for ages, and is a 'your lips but better' shade. Even better, it looks lovely with the lipgloss on top.

Then, the Sun Bunny Bronzing Powder, a glowing duo of bronze, which I like to place on the upper part of the hollows, and the temples, to give me some more colour. This will definitely be used once Megan gets back from her holiday, so I'm not so jealous of her own tan...

The LashGasm Mascara, now, cringe worthy product names aside, this is a really great product. It adds length, volume, and definition to the lashes. The one thing which bugs me, and I can't be sure about this, but I don't think it is waterproof... Now, I don't want to sound like a sarcastic moaner, but if I was by the poolside, a waterproof offering would be my first choice. Perhaps the sexual but not very sexual name has put me off flashing this around the place...

Last, is the cutest mini of the Primed and Poreless Bronze Tint Skin Smoothing Face Primer. Is that a mouthful, or what? So basically, this is a tinted primer, and I am no expert, but I can guess that this is silicone based from it's texture. I don't know about this one... it has an orange tint to it, but it definitely smoothens the skin. If you have tried this... I'll let you be the judge.

Maybe if I slap on the products from this set, it will prolong the summer feeling, whilst the rain trickles down my window....Britain 'aye?

MY NAIL CARE ROUTINE

Nail care...something us beauty obsessed (procrastinating) bloggers sometimes forget about. After seeing Anna from ViviannaDoesMakeup talk about her nail care mantra, I thought it was time to sort something out in my world. It isn't very hefty, and I am not sure quite how well it is doing with so little products involved, but it is serving me well for now.

Moisturisation. A key part of the process, as looking like there could be boulders falling out of your shriveled, dry fingers isn't a flattering look. Trust me, I've seen it before, and my friend made the comparison, I though it was funny. My little duo of hand creams are the OPI Avojuice Vanilla Snowflake Hand & Body Lotion, and then a mini pot of the Lush Charity Pot Hand & Body Lotion - both of which don't smell the greatest, but do a good job of keeping the hands nourished. 

All Round Maintenance. So, in my eyes, this is the rest of the process, filing, buffing, base coat, cuticle removing (which I don't actually have to do - lucky me), all that jazz. So, I have 2 nail files that I use, one from Escentual, and the other from a kit I discovered from years ago. Now these both do the job just fine if I want to shorten the length a bit, or round them, or make the square. They are looking a bit worse for wear, so I should really buy some new ones... Then onto a base coat. I don't get all that fancy with this step, as much as I would like the big ol' hefty bottle of OPI Nail Envy; its not something in my budget, so I do just fine with the Barry M Base Coat, Top Coat, and Nail Hardener, mine has seen it's time and is a bit gloopy now, so it looks like a repurchase is on it's way. 

I have been quite into caring for my nails and hands recently, and I think it just makes you digits look that bit better when you have polish on as well...

 

LEIGHTON DENNY SUN BELIEVABLE EXPERT TAN BODY EXFOLIATOR

Long product names aside, it seems that in a few days I am going to brace myself and fake tan for the first time. I am most certainly scared, I have never done it before, and I am hoping to come out looking more glowy, and less Dorito - a look that was somehow a trend a few months back....
This scrub has been helping me prep for tanning, to make sure my application is the best it can be.

The scrub itself is very thin in the base gel itself, a very runny consistency, but then the exfoliating beads a quite large, which makes it appear thinner. It is almost tinted a brown colour, like a watered down fake tan, but it doesn't transfer any pigment when you actually apply it.
It does seem to remove the dead skin cells without aggravating the skin by being too abrasive, which is why I think it is a great pre-tan product, as it won't irritate anything.
This really is such a great product, and you can get this is in a bigger size (200ml I think), in a nice jar/pot which I think would look even nicer on the body care side of the bath!

Although I haven't every tanned myself, this will definitely be something I use to stop myself looking like a patchy wotsit...

THE NATURAL BLUSHES

I spotted in Bazaar Magazine whilst flicking through (believe me, it's hard to find a page without adverts, but I got to the beauty bit with no issues), that the 'natural blush' look is becoming more popular; from the wise words of Charlotte Tilbury, so I had a root around in my stash, and found a trio that slot into the 'natural' category to create my own version of the look of being out for a walk on a chilly day...

One that has been featured in my posts quite a lot recently, is the Dainty Doll Cream Blush in Paper Roses 001 - A pale pink with a hint of silver shimmer, which allows you to create a delicate flush to the cheeks, with the swipe of your finger. My favourite for the no makeup, makeup days. This often pops up on Fragrance Direct, so be sure to have a stop by to get your mitts on this beauty.
Next up, is the Rimmel Lasting Finish Blush in Smoked Oyster, a peachy/brown which isn't quite the pink shown in the magazine, but nonetheless, it gives that very natural apporach to the cheeks. I even like to place this one on the brink between the cheek, and my contour line as an all-in-one product to look even more natural.
Finally, the Milani Sunset Duos in 01 Sunset City. I featured this one mainly for the blush section, which is stunning, a more natural and toned down version of the Sleek Rose Gold offering, if you will, this one being more pink than the red in the Sleek one. Swept lightly over the cheek, this gives a subtle hint of a flush to the apples.

I think a natural blush should be a staple in everyone's collection, and I have my fair share of them, with 75% of my blush collection being pale pinks, peach tones, or brown nudes, with the odd few being more stand-out, but I am still on the lookout for more.

AUTUMNAL OUTFIT: A BURGUNDY TEA DRESS

It is getting a little bit colder, and I have been doing some Autumn hauling, and as I have been really getting into fashion again, it was time to put together a little outfit to show you. Now, for once, the entire outfit isn't Primark, and I have been branching out of the budget clothing security bubble - but with saying that, I must admit, 90% of my wardrobe is Primark...

It seems I went to town with the photos, so... apologies. The dress is my favourite of the outfit, a really stunning printed 'tea dress' esc. number, and it was a steal at £8.00 from Primark - I love it. There are so many designs of the same style and I will definitely be going back for more of them.

The other Primark item, is the ankle boots. They are edgy, but not too cray cray. I love the capped heel effect, with the matching gold buckles. These look lovely with dresses/skirts, and with trousers and jeans too - these will be my Autumn/Winter staple shoes. They were £18 if you were wondering.

Then, we have this edgy topshop chain linked ring, with a gold, and siver, and a coppery rose gold chunky rings, all connected with a small silver chain. I found these to be quite small, so I wear them on my pinky upwards, and this unusual accessory was £2.50 in a sale.

The necklace is from Dorothy Perkins, and as the front has black and white triangles, I have simply turned it back to front to reveal tiny dainty triangles - this is a staple piece of jewellery for me, as it is so versatile.

Last but not least, my (slightly fading) rose gold watch is from the brand Jules&James, and I found this in TkMaxx for £16.99, so I can't really complain about it turning slightly silver on such a budget price tag.

I hope to publish some more outfit posts as we make our way through winter, and I am really loving fashion at the moment, so look forward to some monochrome outfits and such things, I may even do a few more outfits/ways to wear with this dress, keep your eyes peeled...