L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipstick in Rebel Red

I know, I know- I am so behind the times with this one. The L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipstick have been going strong for around 10 months now, but I wanted to feature them in a post because I am really loving sheer lipsticks for this Spring(trend forecast alert!).

I got the colour Rebel Red, and I love the packaging! It looks(as with all L'Oreal products) very sleek, and much more expensive than it actually is. The lid snaps on shut, and pretty tightly too, so it will not fall off if you chuck it into your bag for a day out.

In all Superdrug stores, there is a section that sells discounted goods because they are damaged. I am not ashamed to say that I picked this little lippy up in the discounted section. As you can see from the picture, the lipstick looks pristine  except from a dent in the product. However, this will easily be rubbed off, on application. I paid £3, but the regular retail price is around £7.99(depending on where you buy).

 Top; without flash, bottom; with flash.

As you can see from the 'with flash' pictures, the lipstick is super shiny and moisturising. It is sort of a lip salve but more pigmented.

The top swatch shows the lipstick lightly swatched, and the bottom one shows it heavily swatched.

Here it is on the lips.

What do you think? Also, how are you liking my attempt at better swatches?

Jennifer xx

L'Occitane Mango Hand Cream

I got this hand cream from a magazine(I think it was Marie Claire) about a month ago, and I have been loving it. Believe it or not, this is only the second L'Occitane product that I own, the first being a lipbalm, and I can't fault the quality of their products. Both the hand cream and the lipbalm are very moisturising. The hand cream is made with 20% shea butter, which contributes to the moisturising effect. Also, the smell? It lasts for ages.

My one vice with this product is that I feel like I have to put a lot on, in order to make my hands feel truly moisturised. However, this hand cream has lasted for longer than I was expecting, especially since the tube is quite small.

Overall: this cream is the perfect handbag essential- it's small, smells ahmazing, and looks cute, too!

Have you been loving any new hand creams recently?
Jennifer xx

February Favourites

It's favourites time again people, and I know that February is the shortest month, but seriously. Did it even last five minutes? At least the end of another month means another favourites post! This month all of the items are beauty related. This is simple because I haven't had time for much else. I have been enjoying the TV show How I Met Your Mother(the new season), but apart from that, I haven't even read one book!I need to get a grip! 

Without further ado, lets commence into the world of Feb favourites.

First up is the Soap and Glory Hand Food hand cream. After borrowing(ahem, stealing) this hand cream from my sister, I quickly became addicted to it. I told myself that I wouldn't, but sadly I did. This product really doesn't need bigging up anymore than it already has been, but this hand cream moisturises my hands without leaving them feeling greasy and sticky.

Next up and keeping with the skin care theme, is Sudocrem. I know that you're probably wondering why a nappy rash cream is included in a favourites post of someone who most definitely doesn't wear nappies, or have any children whatsoever. I have been trialling  it as a spot treatment, and I have to say that I have noticed some improvement in the redness of my skin around blemishes and such. It actually does say on the packaging(albeit in small letters) that Sudocrem is effective at treating acne, and a thin layer over any spots before bed has been working a treat this month. 

Moving swiftly on, next we have makeup. I have included two lip product favourites this month, the first being the Rimmel Apocalips in Celestial. These pigmented and luxurious glosses were released at the back end of January, and I have been wearing them a lot during February, the first month of them being on my beauty shelf(well, duh). I did a full review a couple of weeks ago, and I mentioned that they seemed to transfer a lot, which I wasn't a fan of. However, I have found that applying a layer and blotting it with some tissue, then applying a second, thinner layer and patting it onto my lips has kept the gloss in place quite nicely. The colour of Celestial is gorgeous, too.

The second lip product is not one that I have ever heard anyone talk about in the blogosphere, which surprises me considering the quality of the product. The Topshop makeup range has received a great response in the blogging world, however this gloss was part of a set of three that I had never seen on the internet before(and I read A LOT of blogs). My favourite colour is this gorgeous sheer gloss with lots of gold specks and sparkle running thought it. Childish, and kids-sticky-gross-makeup-set as this colour may sound, it looks unbelievably sophisticated on the lips, but with just a hint of youthful sparkle. And the best part? It's not sticky at all(oh the burden of a sticky gloss).

Onto the face, and this month I have been in love with contouring/bronzing. I lightly contour my face everyday, and it does make such a difference. I use the MUA Bronzing Powder, as I like the matte quality, and this Real Techniques contour Brush. This contouring brush is very good at what it does- it applie the perfect amount of product on the face, but it small enough that you don't get it seared all over your cheeks. I like to use this brush to apply the product, and then blend/buff it out with a bigger, fluffy brush. This is simply because I don't have time to buff it with the smaller brush, and in this case, bigger works better.

No blush other than the Louise Gray for Topshop cream blush duo in Up In The Air. Although this was released months ago, I have recently started re-loving it. It provides two options for cheek colour, however, I like to swirl my blush brush in both colours for a natural look. The formula is very creamy, and nice to use as well. This blush stays put for a couple of hours, which is ok, but the colours are truly gorgeous on the skin, and I have really been enjoying using this duo. 

Nivea Extreme Resist Mascara in Brown has been my favourite mascara for the month of February. The mascara itself has practically run out, and it is getting a little dry and clumpy now, but in its prime, his mascara was fantastic. It lengthened like no other, and it was a softer, more natural alternative to the sometimes harsh black mascara(my favourite mascara of all time is Benefit's BADGal Plum, so maybe I've got a thing for coloured eyelashes?). The wand is also angles upwards, which makes the application a lot easier. I have loved using this with curled eyelashes, as it makes the look even longer, and more dainty.

My last favourite of February is a nail polish. But not just any nail polish, a UV polish that is so bright I'm pretty sure that it glows. My sister actually bought this nail polish in Camden before going to see Coldplay's liv tour last Summer(so that the UV in their set would make her nails glow), and I hadn't tried it out until this month. It looks lovely and bright on the nails, shocking almost. But with Winter dragging on, and the cold weather refusing to shift, wearing this colour on my nails really brightened my mood. It is a neon yellow(it looks a bit weird in the photos), and unfortunately I have no idea where you can buy this from! However, Models Own has just released a new range of neons, and American Apparel's neon polishes are rumoured to be great, so try them as a dupe.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my Febuary Favourites. Do you have any favourite of this past month?

Jennifer xx

Hair Routine; Styling Appliances

I rarely use anything other than my GHD's and my Andrew Barton hairdryer to style my hair(except products). I have had my GHD's for about 5-6 years now, and they are just as good as they were when new. They heat up in 10-15 seconds, and get truly hot(not medium hot like most straighteners). I own the original Gold IV Styler, and I find that it is the perfect size for straightening large amounts of hair, or small baby hairs. I also like to use the straighteners for curling my hair. Being the most expensive item in my 'beauty collection', I can see why this would be a no-go purchase for some people, but I literally could not see me styling my hair without them.

My hairdryer is essential to my styling routine, and even though I do not use it everyday, my Andrew Barton hairdryer is the best one that I have tried. This is actually my second hairdryer of this model as the first one broke(but after a year and a half), and it shows how much I love it as I purchased this exact one again . My mum even has the same one! I like that there are multiple setting on this hairdryer; heat settings, strength of blowing settings, and a cool setting. It also came with a diffuser and nozzle attachments  There are many options for this hairdryer, and it is easy to achieve the look that I want.

What electricals do your use to style your hair?

Jennifer xx

Hair Routine; Styling Products

In my previous 'hair routine' post, I talked about my in-shower products, but what to do when you get out of the shower? Use styling products! Here are five of my most used styling products for sleek, shiny and healthy looking hair.

L-R Schwarzkopf Supersoft Detangling Spray, Charles Worthington No Frizz Relax and Unwind Cream, TRESemme Finishing Spray, Schwarzkopf Heat Protection Straightening Spray, GHD Obedience Cream


Schwarzkopf Supersoft Detangling Spray
Childish, I know, but I hate brushing my hair after coming out of the shower, especially since my naturally curly hair is at it's knotty prime. And what better to fit my immature problem than a kids detangler. I picked up this Schwarzkopf detangler on a whim, and I don't regret it. It smells amazing, too- like milk and strawberries. And the best bit? It actually works!

Charles Worthington No Frizz Relax and Unwind Cream
I have been using this product for a while now, after purchasing the 'travel-sized' version. I apply this stuff to the ends of my hair on days when I want frizz control, but less of a polished look, and I plan to 'messy-style' my hair.

TRESemme Finishing Spray
This finishing spray has made such a difference in my haircare reigeme. I spray on when my hair is damp, brush through, and by the time my hair is dry, it looks shiny and smooth. Gorgeous!

Schwarzkopf Heat Protection Straightening Spray
Obviously, we all need a heat protectant in our haircare routine(even if we don't use it everyday, or much at all), and my favourite is the Schwarzkopf one. I have tried the
well-reviewed TRESemme heat defence spray, but it just weighed my hair down, and I am much happier with this one.

GHD Obedience Cream
I purchased this from my hairdressers about three months ago, and it has been a life-saver for when I want a super sleek and very polished hair look(for example, when doing a sleek ponytail, or straightening my hair to perfection.) I use literally a pea-sized amount of this stuff(it goes a long way), rub it between my fingers, and kind of tousle it through my hair. After applying, I brush my hair straight, and wash or hand-sanitize my hands as this cream is very sticky on the hands. I highly recommend this product.

What do you use to style damp hair?

Jennifer xx

Les Misérables

Nine days. I cannot believe that it has taken me nine days to go and watch Les , and another five to blog about it. I'm such a slacker!

What can I even say about Les Mis? The novel was published by Victor Hugo in 1862(same person that wrote the Hunchback of Notre Dame), and was first converted into a play of the same name in 1980, Paris. Now it is being shown in 311 cities all across the globe, and remains one of the most infamour musicals to go and watch. Personally, I haven't actually been to see the musical, but my mum and sister have been to the West End to see it three or four times, and they have always raved on about how good it is.

For  those who don't know, it was converted into a movie(there are already a couple of movie adaptaions) by Tom Hooper for release in 2012- it was released on 11th Jan in Britain. The cast is also incredible: featuring Anne Hathaway, Russel Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, and my personal fvourite Eddie Redmayne, among others. The film has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, too!

Here is the plot line; 
Set in early 19th-century France, it is the story of Jean Valjean, a burly French peasant of abnormal strength and potentially violent nature, and his quest for redemption after serving nineteen years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread for starving relatives. Valjean decides to break his parole and start his life anew after a kindly bishop inspires him to, but he is relentlessly tracked down by a police inspector named Javert. Along the way, Valjean and a slew of characters are swept into a revolutionary period in France, where a group of young idealists make their last stand at a street barricade.

You guys do not know how hard it is for me not to just sit here telling you about how much I love Eddie Redmayne! He is so good looking, ahh and so talented- it makes me sad! Anyway, I thought that they made this film perfectly. The actors that were cast were all teriffic, especially since they all had to sing really well, too. I do wish that they had included a few more songs with the young Cosette, as I really like hearing her sing, her voice is mesmerising. Also, I was pleasantly surprised by Russel Crowe's performance in this movie-  I wasn't expecting him to have such a good voice, if I'm honest, but he knocked it out of the park!

I love the music in this movie. Apparently, all of the songs were performed live on the set(they were overlain with pre-recorded songs during the editing process), which helped the actors get into the emotional side of the song more, which they did perfectly. Most of the movie was performed in song, I could probably count the number of sentences said, not sung, on one hand. My favourite songs to hear were the ones that had multiple voices singing. for example, the reprise of On My Own, near the end of the film, was mashed up with about five or six main characters singing it, but they were all singing different songs. This created a harmony, but a medley at the same time- it was truly spectacular.

All in all, Les Mis is definitely a movie that I would go and see again, and I will surely be buying the DVD on the day of release! Just watching the movie has made me desperate to get my hands on the novel, to see what it is really like.

Have you seen Les Miserables yet?
Jennifer xx

Hair Routine; In the Shower

Hi guys! Today I am going to be starting a mini-series(you know how much I love my mini-series') all about how I do my hair! 

Apparently blonde hair is not reflective. This is very confusing to me as I always thought lighter colours reflected, and dark colours absorbed, but whatever. Ever since that day when I found out about the reflecting hair thing, it has become my mission to get my hair looking shiny and sleek. While I know that getting nice hair isn't all about the way you style it, great products definitely help me on my mission. 

Here is what I use in the shower;

L-R; Soap and Glory's Clean On Me, Men's Gillette Disposable Razor, TRESemme Deep Cleansing Shampoo, The Body Shop Mango Body Scrub, TRESemme Deep Cleansing Conditioner

MUA Undressed Palette

I bought the MUA Undressed Palette! This has been on my wishlist for some time, but I was yet to buy it until a couple of days ago. I bought this for to reasons. 1. I obviously(not) need yet another neutral palette, and 2. I was sucked into the 'Urban Decay dupe' marketing of this product.

 The MUA palette is supposedly a complete dupe of the Urban Decay Naked palette. The Naked palette is one which has been on my lustlist radar for about a year now, but at £36, there is no way. However, the purse friendly MUA alternative comes in at 9 times less, a very cheap £4. From what I can tell, the matte shades in the MUA palette are of a lower quality than those in the Naked palette, but the metallic shades are obviously very pigmented, and sometimes even more so than in the Naked palette(e.g. Gunmetal).

 Urban Decay on the left, MUA on the right; shade names and swatches.

Would you buy the MUA Undressed palette?

Jennifer xx

The swatches are gratefully used from Miss Budget Beauty blog, and annotated  by moi.

2012 Favourites; Bloggers and Youtubers

Many people in the world have discovered the joy that is blogging, however, everyone has favourites. I have definitely gotten much more into reading other blogs and watching youtubers talk about beauty and their lives(I'm just a wee bit nosy) since starting my own blog. There are quite a few that I read/watch everyday, and I thought perhaps you guys would like to see what they are. If you have a blog/youtube channel that you'd like me to check out, please leave it n the comments, and I surely will!

 A Little Obsessed - blog

I love this blog for nail posts and outfit inspiration.

One Nail To Rule Them All - blog

Nail art is done magnificently on One Nail To Rule Them All. Every post gives me a tonne of inspiration for my own nails.

Pearls and Poodles - blog

 Love Love Love her outfit of the day posts, and her lipstick swatches are so beautiful.

What I Heart Today - blog - youtube

Probably my favourite youtube/blog discovery on 2012. This London girl does great makeup and always talks about interesting topics.

Vivianna Does Makeup - blog - youtube

The way that she writes is very sophisticated and elegant, but still manages to remain casual and entertaining.

Essie Button - blog - youtube

OMG, this girl is hilarious, and the funny thing is, she doesn't even try to be! Amazing beauty and great personality, love watching her.

The Sunday Girl - blog

The BEST swatches, and she blogs, like, three times a day!

And an honorable mention;

Jim Chapman from YouTube. This guy is so entertaining to watch! While he obviously does not do beauty videos, I love listening to his take on whats going on in his life, and it always certain to make me laugh.

Who are your favourite bloggers from 2012?

Jennifer xx

2012, where did you go?

2012, where have you gone?   Literally filing a missing persons report.

I cannot fathom how fast 2012 went by. I can still remember what I was doing on certain days in 2011! But I must accept that the year is nearly over, so I thought that it would be great to document what I've been doing. Who knows, I might want to know this stuff in the future?!



I am going to share my favourite things about this year with you guys;
FAVOURITES
Beauty;
underdog beauty product of the year
Mua plumping gloss in 'Candy Pink'. These lip glosses are not really talked about a lot, but they really do plump your lips, and at £2 each, these are definitely an underdog that I've been loving.
favourite hair product discovered this year
GHD Obedience Cream for Frizz-Free Styling. I'm pretty sure that this product has been discontinued no, but I did buy it this year. I put it on my hair when it's damp, and it prevents my hair from going completely frizzy and spastic- total lifesaver!
best magazine freebie of the year
Benefit's Cha Cha Tint. This was such a bargain from a magazine, and it is the most beautiful coral tint for your cheeks. It stays for hours too!
overall favourite nail polish of the year
Nails Inc nail polish in St. James.

Life;
best thing you've done
Started this blog! I started this blog at the end of February, and wrote my first post on the 26th. I love writing on my blog soo much, and honestly don't know what I'd be like wihout it. Bored, probably.
what are you most proud of completing this year
In England, people from the ages of 14-25 have the opportunity of completing their Duke of Edinbourgh Award. This is basically an award which challenges yourself, and provides 'rewarding opportunities for personal development'. Some friends and I did our D of E in July, but we worked really hard at it for 9 months before then. It was really hard, but I'm glad I did it(looking back-I wasn't so happy during it!)
most proud of this year
In June I took some exams with my college, and I got result which I am sooo proud of. I worked hard, and I was thrilled when I finally got them and they were that good!
favourite trip
In July I went to the Warner Bros Studios to see the Harry Potter set with my family. Having visited the Harry Potter World at Universal Studios in Orlando in 2011, obviously the set tour couldn't compare. However, it was amazing to see how they filmed some of the scenes. I had a great time!

Pop Culture;
favourite tv show of the year(english)
Downton Abbey, Series 3. Call me an old bat, but this show has twice as much drama than about 10   episodes of Hollyoaks combined, and about a million times more class.
favourite tv show of the year(american)
90210. Aired in January, and I can't wait for the next season to start. Hunks and backstabbers are so entertaining, and Naomi is just hilarious.
film that you saw in the cinema that you liked the best
American Reunion. This film made me laugh soo hard! Hunger Games was a close second though.
best book you read this year
Divergent. This book is sheer brilliance; enough said.
favourite album released this year
Do I even need to say this? Red by Taylor Swift. Obviously.


And, just because good should be balanced by bad, I thought that I would include some of my 'hated' things about this year. Only a few though, so you don't get too depressed!
HATED
beauty product I spent lots on, then regretted buying
I paid about £10 on a Soap and Glory 'Thick and Fast' black mascara, but when I started using it, it was super clumpy and way too thick to use. I even tried heating the bottle with my hairdryer to make the mascara more fluid, but it was useless. I totally regret buying this product.
event that was way overrated this year
London Olympics. I am sick and tired of hearing about what heros all of the athletes are. Sports is not the only place where people can excell, you know.
tv programme 2012 would have been better without
Without question, X Factor. The hype and publicity around this show is completely out of control now. Whatever happened to people wanting to win because they were passionate about music?

How has your 2012 been? Tell me what your favourite thing about this year was in the comments!
Jenny xx

MUA Eyeshadow Review; Shade 24

I cannot tell you how long I have wanted a colour like this! Too long.

It's so pwwetty...

Anyway- back on planet Earth again- today I am going to review a new MUA eyeshadow that's I recently purchased. It is in the shade 24, and I would describe it as a beautiful metallic dusky pink colour wih a hint of everybody's favourite: plum.

A Cute Christmas Novel

Hi guys! I knew that for Christmas I wanted to post about a great book that was appropriate to the Christmas theme, but I couldn't remember ever reading one. A Christmas book, I mean. So after staring at my bookcase for a while, I felt so stupid when the perfect book jumped right out at me.

I actually read this book a while ago, around September, I think, but it is definitely a book for Christmas. From Notting Hill With Love...Actually by Ali McNamara is such a perfect book for around this time- it's so festive!

Clothes Show Live 2012; Part 1

Hi everyone! On Tuesday me and some friends went to the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham(NEC). I had such a great day!

We got there at about 11, and went straight to the catwalk show, which was amazing. We weren't near the front, but we had a great view of the whole set-up, and we were still close enough to see the hot models! Haha!

After the show, we walked around in the actual 'clothes show' section. It was basically like an indoor market- lots of different famous and upandcoming brands were there selling clothes, make-up, and goody bags! I didn't gt any clothes, but I did buy a few goody bags(I'll show you guys in the 'part two' of this post).

It was so fun, and an amazing experience. I will definitely be going next year! Here are some pictures that I took of the day;

The view from my seat at the fashion show

Black Brogue Heels; My Favourite Pair

Hi guys, so today I wanted to share with you some new shoes that I got recently. Aren't they gorgeous!? 

Reviews; Best and Worst of November

Hi everyone! How are you all today? Good, I hope!

I literally cannot believe that it is December already! So, today I thought that I would do yet another review- oh how I love thee, about what I have been loving and hating in November. Anyways, so there have been a few things, some of them, in fact, most of them, are not beauty related, so this should be fun!

Hotties; The Bookshelf Boyfriends

The whole appeal of a good book to me is based on two things. The plot and the characters. I know, it sounds super obvious, but good characters and a storyline that is actually interesting are what stops me from dumping the book back on my bookshelf after the first twenty pages. And, as shallow as it is, what really keeps me reading is the allure of a hero. I love reading, mostly through the eyes of a heroine, about first loves, romantic dates and falling in love with them, with the force of the heroine driving the relationship(but not in a creepy way!).

Lipstick Review; Kate Moss Rimmel 107

Hi guys! So, the other day I popped into my local Boots and picked up one of the uber-hyped Kate Moss lipsticks in the matte collection.

I have wanted one of these for a while, ever since the line was launched, really, but somehow I never actually got round to buying one. But now I have, I can finally say that they do indeed live up to my expectations. 

How Cute; Mini Wonka Nerds

Hey everyone! So, do you love Wonka Nerds as much as I do? My sister is completely obsessed with these little sweets, and I think they're really tasty!

Barry M 'Amythest Glitter' Review

Hi guys! So, the other day I purchased a new nail varnish. I know, shocker! But I have so many nail varnishes, I kind said to myself that I wouldn't buy anymore for a while. Anyway, so I was in my town centre, and there is a lot of shops doing the whole '3 for 2' thing right now, so I originally said that I would buy three, and I would really be saving myself money! But then I realised that I didn't really need three more nail polishes, so I just went with my favourite. So, with that ramble over, I guess I should start the review now!

What's The Deal With Pintrest?

Hi guys! So I know that Pinterest has been on the scene for a while, but now I finally know what everyone's been talking about! I freaking LOVE it! I got it just the other day, and spent, like,  three hours looking through everyone's clever posts. I especially like the DIY section, being a total DIY freak! Haha! But seriously, Pinterest rocks!