*International Makeup Swap*

Hi everyone and a Happy 2013 :) (Yes, it has been that long since I last blogged, sorry!)

So, this post is very special and exciting for me, as I am going to be talking about one of my closest friends and my FIRST (of many I hope!) International Makeup Swaps!! It was so exciting to buy products that I think would be liked and even better to receive American goodies in return =)

You know how sometimes you come across someone and you connect/click with them instantly?! Well, that my friends is exactly what happened when I met my gorgeous friend Faiza, AKA Feez of Feezalicious.

We started blogging around the same time, but have been friends for over 3 years now :) We are like kindred spirits and long lost twins; Seriously, I love this girl so much! <3

Without further ado, let me show you the things she was so kind enough to send me, all the way from the U S of A =D

So as you can see, Feez was so generous with the things she sent!! How cute is the lil name card?! Loved it. I was sent the following:

* Milani Baked Blush in Corallina
* Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me
* Ulta Super Shiny Lipgloss in Whisper
* Express Lipgloss in Raspberry Bomb
* Nyx Lipliner in Rose
* Milani Crystal Eyez in Glamorously Glittering
* F21 Perfect Manicure Nail Stickers
* LE Sephora Eye-shadow Palette
* Physicians Formula Eye Pencil (not pictured as I left it in my makeup bag!)
* Sephora by OPI Nail Colour in Tempted by Teal

I instantly loved all the products and it just shows how sweet, kind and generous my girl Feez is:) I have some upcoming reviews of the products lined up as I have been trialling them, so keep an eye out for those!

Don't forget to show her blog some love and definitely follow it, especially as she posts regularly and has some wonderful reviews and tips on there!! Oh, and if you want to see what I sent Feez, then go over to her blog and have a read of her post on our Swap too :)

Till next time, thanks for reading!!

MAC Haul!

I'm back again with yet another MAC haul... I have had my eye on these items for a while and was persuaded to have a not so little shopping spree at the good ol' MAC Counter :)

Here's a sneak peek of what I bought:

OK firstly, the bright pink sponge wasn't bought at MAC however I featured it in this haul as it was bought at the same time. This is the Cosmopolitan blending sponge, also known as a dupe of the oh so popular beauty blender sponge. I finally managed to get my hands on one and can't wait to try it!

From MAC I bought the following:

• Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle - I have wanted to try this champagne/gold highlight since forever so decided now was the time to try it.

• MAC Eyeshadow in Corduroy - this is the perfect eyeshadow for my brows, and can also be used in the crease for added depth. I prefer using eyeshadow for my brows for a more natural look.

• Mineralize Skinfinish in Dark - I needed a new contour powder and seen as I love the Mineralize range thought to try this one out to add some definition to the contours of my face.

• MAC Lipstick in Rebel - Yay finally got this! Its a gorgeous plummy/wine colour that leaves a nice stain as it fades. LOVE

• MAC Precise Eyeliner Brush #210 - I have wanted to get a good eyeliner brush to use with my new gel eyeliners, and preferred this thinner version for more precision and control.

I hope to do reviews of all the products listed soon.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the holidays!! :)

Barry M Limited Edition Christmas Gold Nail Paint - Review + Swatches!

Hi All :)

Im back after what seems to be a long hiatus. The UK Winter season makes for a VERY bad blogger :( What with the darker than usual evenings here in the UK, it's difficult to get some good light in order to take blog pictures etc. I digress though, I am finally ready to blog again and have some exciting posts lined up :)

Starting with a gorgeous Limited Edition Barry M Nail Paint. I got this as a present at work (thanks Secret Santa!) and love this shade. I tend to gravitate towards gold and bronzey shades for my nails as I like the way they compliment my skin tone.

I love the bottle, its the same as the usual Barry M polishes, but has a glittery finish to the top of the bottle which I think adds a very festive feel to the packaging :)

As you can see, its a yellow-ish gold which is very similar to the Foil Effect polishes that Barry M does, however this has more of a glitter throughout. The drying time was very minimal and I loved the way it applied, it was opaque in 2 coats ( as above) and was very easy and evenly applied. For the price, Barry M Nail Polishes are very good value and quality.

This particular offering is available at Boots, either bought alone for £3.99 or as a free gift when you spend over £6.00. Barry M have teamed together with Boots to create 2 Limited Edition Christmas shades, this being one of them. I would be very much inclined to try out the other LE Xmas shades to see how they match up.

I think its the perfect shade for this season, so go ahead and check it out to rock at those Christmas parties and events :)

Thanks for reading!

An inexpensive make-up brush cleaner..Read on!

It's normally part of my Sunday routine to wash my makeup brushes. I don't own many, but I am slowly expanding this collection :) It's really important to ensure that you regularly clean your make-up brushes and sponges to prevent the retention and transfer of bacteria and skin break outs.

Anyhoo, I have accidentally stumbled upon a great cleanser for all my make-up brushes:

Behold, Vosene Original Medicated Shampoo. I know what you're thinking this is a medicated anti dandruff shampoo and generally speaking, make-up brushes do not have dandruff (unless they're particularly nasty :P ).

Yesterday when getting ready to wash my brushes, I wasn't able to find the baby shampoo I normally use. Truth be told I was looking to replace that anyway, particularly as I think it's just too  mild to adequately clean the brushes thoroughly. I saw the above, lounging about in my bathroom cabinet and decided to give it a whirl. Let me tell you, its works fabulously! 

I found it cleansed the brushes really well and thoroughly, and worked much quicker than any other shampoo I have used to wash my make-up brushes with. A little drop goes a long way, particularly as it lathers up very well, so I think the existing bottle I have will last a long time as not much product is being used.

 A word of warning though, I have tried this shampoo over the years and have had no adverse reactions to it or any of its ingredients. If however you are trying this shampoo for the first time, I would just scan the ingredients to ensure there's nothing in there not suited to you and maybe do a patch test?

 The main component it has that differs from other shampoos is Salicylic Acid. In this particular shampoo, it's used an Anti-Dandruff agent, whilst it has also been used  as a topical treatment to treat a number of different skin conditions such as Psoriasis, Acne and Ichthyoses.

For me, this is a huge benefit as I know washing my brushes with this shampoo and then using those same brushes will not cause breakouts etc ( for me and my skin type at least), as the main ingredient is used in treatment of the skin.

My brushes were left soft and fluffy after using this so I would highly recommend it as both a Shampoo and brush cleaner. Its very inexpensive, retailing for between £1.70 - £3.00. You can get this from any supermarket, Boots or Chemist.

Give it a try and wash those make-up brushes!

Thanks for reading :)

October Favourites! :)

Ok, so I know we are now in November don't worry I haven't forgotten what month it is :P

I have been meaning to share the products I have been loving to use all last month, but this post just kept getting delayed. However, I finally managed to round up my favourite products...

Tah Dah!  Above are all the products I have used and loved this past month.

First up we have the bright pink bottle of Batiste Dry Shampoo - big and bouncy XXL Volume. I am a fan of the normal Baptiste Dry Shampoo, and for those of you unfamiliar with that it is basically a life-saver for any busy working woman during the week. In fact, I would say its a godsend for any girl be that working or not, as it saves so much time and helps you to keep your tresses fresh between washes. You just spray it liberally over your hair, concentrating on those areas you want to freshen, massage it thoroughly and brush it out. 

The pink big and bouncy version is my favourite one I've used so far, as it adds intense volume to any hairdo and makes back-combing so much easier. I'm in love.

Next up we have an item featured on my last post. The MAC Pro Longwear concealer in NW25. I have used this pretty much every day since purchasing it and I am really impressed with it. It gives fantastic coverage and I love the handiness of the pump. I don't think it dispenses too much product as I have read in some other reviews, and find it does help to cover my dark circles well. Set with powder, its a must have.

The Sleek Blush by 3 palette in 'Sugar' is next on my faves. I bought this a while back, when the Sleek palettes were all the rage, used it constantly and then forgot about it. However, I have dusted it off again as Sleek blushes are SO pigmented and good quality and I feel the colour range in this palette is perfect for this season.

A Collection 200 Extreme Felt Tip Eyeliner in Blue is my next favourite. I bought this on a whim, however I am really impressed with the longevity and depth of colour it has, as well as the ease of application. The only thing I don't like is the tendency it has to transfer onto the lids. Other than that, I'm sold.

My only lip product this month is the Tinted Brilliance Balm by Pixi, featured in an earlier post. Its a balm/lipstick hybrid and has a very refreshing minty taste. I love the colour as its very office appropriate  whilst being slightly deeper than a normal 'pink-ish' shade. I hope to do a detailed review of this at some point with swatches :)

My favourite eye brush is up next. As reviewed here, the Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush has been used by me a lot this past month. I use it for a quick smokey eye in the morning or just a simple wash of colour as well as subtle contouring. It's fab :) Ps I have also washed it and there was no shedding or distortion of brush shape!

A very old favourite for me now, the Nivea Visage Tinted Day Cream in the shade Natural. I used to use this and only this on my face up until a few years back and had forgotten how simply great it was. As the weather is getting colder and my skin drier; My skin and I have been craving some moisture throughout the day and I have to say this definitely provides it. It blurs imperfections thanks to the Vitamin E and is very easy to use. I have been topping this up with some concealer, powder and have been good to go (on good skin days that is!)

Lastly in my list of favourites I have the Tresemme Straightening Spray with Argan Oil. I had heard a lot of good things about the Tresemme Heat Protectant Spray but when I went to buy it, it was nowhere to be seen so I returned with this instead. I like the scent and feel it does a good job of taming and de-frizzing my hair and like to use it on damp hair just before using my GHD's or curler. I seem to get more use of it in this colder weather and the addition of Argan Oil is a bonus point.

So there we have it, I hope you enjoyed this post and are enjoying your weekend.

Stay tuned for more posts this week and don't forget to comment!

Thanks for reading :)