Love List + Catch Up!

Hey guys. Let me start this off with an apology. I haven't been present around here at all these past couple of months and I'm really sorry. From starting the second year of my course, to having some personal issues, I've struggled to find the time to just relax and just talk to you guys. I'd like for this post to be a new start, so it's going to be a catch up post regarding what I've been loving this last wee while. Some things that I've really been enjoying this past little while, so let's begin!

First off, lets talk about the product that I've been loving for natural, glowy skin. It's the Rimmel Sun Shimmer Tanning Mousse in Medium. I told you all about my love/hate relationship with the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan but I only have love for this bottle of sun. It's super easy to use, dries quickly, doesn't transfer and leaves me a good shade of bronze that actually lasts!

And to go with that, I've been using the Superdrug Cherry & Macadamia Nut Body Butter to keep my skin smooth and to prevent any patchiness while the tan's fading. It has the most delicious smell that lingers on the skin (don't worry, it's not overpowering). It leaves my skin super smooth and hydrated, and it's currently on offer for £1.95 - brilliant.
My sister flew in from Canada recently and she brought with her a bundle of beauty goodness which included this hair mask for fine hair from La Biosthetique. It's a little tough to get a hold of but my hair has never looked or felt better. It's so much more manageable with less knots - it's basically the answer to my hair prayers.

After so much hype surrounding the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in East End Snob, I felt compelled to pick it up.. and I'm glad I did! It's a really gorgeous 'my lips but better shade' - think a neutral rosy pink. It lasts around 4 hours on my lips, and isn't drying at all. It's a really great shade for muting down a dramatic eye look, or exaggerating the lip line a bit (which I personally don't, I end up looking like a fish).

Next up, is the mascara that the Youtube community went crazy for - and I can totally see why. I picked up the waterproof version of the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara because I was looking for something that would thicken up my lashes and hold a curl. This mascara does just that! It separates the lashes really nicely, giving them a little bit of length and the best thing is - it doesn't smudge. I can always trust this to stay in place during long hours at work, super impressed!

And last  but seriously not least is the much coveted Mary Lou Manizer highlighter. It's a bit expensive but it's totally worth it. It's super soft but packs a real punch in terms of pigmentation. It can be built up if you're on a night out, or can be used for a subtle daytime highlight. Probably my most loved product in my makeup stash right now.

If you're not a fan of non-beauty things like tv/movies/music then it's alright for you to click away now - I promise I won't be offended haha!

TV Talk

I've being making my way through The Vampire Diaries fairly quickly - I'm currently on Season 4 and I am loving it. I love the different story lines, and the fact that it's fairly fast paced - I can't be dealing with story lines that drag out for so long without any twists along the way. It's not just the story that's great though - Paul Wesley, anyone?

I've also been catching up on Season 3 of Mistresses and Devious Maids. Mistresses is basically a drama series based on the lives of four friends and it follows their complex, and sometimes illegitimate relationships. It's basically a soap, so if you're looking for something not so hard hitting to take your mind off things for a bit then this is a good one to sit and binge on.

Devious Maids is more of a mystery/crime based drama that follows the lives of a group of maids within Beverly Hills. The first series revolves around an English Professor, Marisol, whose son has been jailed for the murder of a maid. She then goes undercover as a maid within the same neighbourhood in a bid to clear his name - the storyline doesn't drag on though, it's not like PLL where only fifty million series' on, you find out who the killer is. It's a really good watch if you like girly tv and something that's going to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Playlist

I've had so many music favourites so it's difficult to pinpoint all of them but here goes!

I've been loving the album Badlands by Halsey. I've been a big fan of hers for quite a while so I was super excited for her to finally release this album. She has such a distinct voice, and sound - give her a listen if you're into indie pop.

As for individual songs, I've been obsessed with Chvrches' new song Leave A Trace. Again, I've been such a huge fan of this band for quite a while and, since their first album was amazing, I was nervous as to whether or not they could do better but they definitely have. I still love this song even after listening non stop since its' release.

I've also been loving How Deep Is Your Love by Calvin Harris, and Say You'll Haunt Me by Stone Sour - two totally different genres, and one is a reminder of my younger teenage years - oh, the nostalgia.

Again, I'm sorry for being absent for such a long time but I promise I'll try my best for you! This is something I really enjoy, and I will make more time to just sit down and chat. -x

Testing High End Foundations

I went to Debenhams when I was visiting family a couple of months ago and it dawned on me that I haven't really tried any high end foundations. After having a little look around the shop and pestering the sails assistants, I ended up with a nice little handful of samples to try out and I thought it would be nice to share my thoughts of them with you... y'know, just incase you're in the same boat! I told the ladies at the counter that I wanted something full coverage that would counteract redness, lets see how they did..

Let's start of with the middle bottle, which is not a foundation but a step to use before makeup to counteract redness. It's the Forever Light Creator CC Creme by YSL. The assistant told me that she found this worked so well for concealing rosacea. From this, I expected the product to take care of any redness without a problem but it really just did nothing for me. It has a lovely consistency but I found it did absolutely nothing. Bit of a disappointment really.

Next is probably my least favourite foundation of the three I tried. It's the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation, which was described as 'buildable' (literally, it was said about five million times during the conversation), and natural. I have to disagree. It clinged to dry patches that I didn't even know I had, it was crazy! Even after exfoliating, it still looked awful. The coverage was alright, and the parts of my skin that didn't look weird did have a glow but I just really didn't get on with it.

It seems like I have nothing but hate for all the products but I promise I don't! Next is a foundation that really impressed me! I believe it's the Redness Solutions Makeup Broad Spectrum by Clinique. This was described as a medium-full coverage foundation that was pretty thick in consistency. I'd say that description was pretty accurate! This really helped to conceal any imperfections while gliding over the dry parts that the previous foundation clung to. I don't find this to be very thick at all but if you're used to runny, light foundations then it might take some getting used to. Due to the texture, this does feel quite wet. It takes a while to fully set in place, even after using a powder, but I quite liked the natural finish that it gave. It lasts a good 4 hours before getting overly oily or showing through any imperfections, which quite impressed me!

Lastly, I picked up the Mac Studio Fix Foundation, which I was colourmatched to NW 22/24. They were both a bit orange but NW 22 worked a lot better for me. This gives a good amount of coverage and lasts around 4 hours with a primer. The finish is a lot more matte than the Clinique foundation but it doesn't look flat. It does however, cling to dry patches and has a really weird chemical smell! It's like rubbing toilet cleaner on your face. I can get past it though, the foundation was quite nice. It has a thin texture and it surprisingly wasn't irritating at all.

I have to say that although I did like the MAC Studio Fix, I much prefer the Clinique Redness Solutions. Even though I didn't enjoy everything I tried, it was a nice experience anyway. I'm quite grateful for testers really, there's no point buying something without really knowing if you'll like it!

Sorry if I seem a bit scattery, I may or may not have had friends round for the past couple of days and am paying for it now!

EMPTIES #2

It's strange.  It tends to take me a while to use up products yet when I use up one, I seem to use up them ALL (slight exaggeration). I've had this bag of empties to share for a little while so that's today's plan.

First up is a product that I reviewed a few months ago. The Body Shop Sumptuous Cleansing Butter has lasted me a couple of months. I'm not sure if that's normal but I feel like I expected it to last a little longer. It removes makeup like a dream, and I'm currently trying out the camomile cleansing oil to compare. I'll be sure to keep you posted with that!

This tub of The Righteous Butter is the second one I've been through. You can always tell if someone's been using this, as the scent really transfers onto the clothes you wear. That's okay with me though, the scent is really fresh and lovely! I love the texture of this, and it really leaves my skin super soft.

Keeping with the shower theme, I have an empty that I wasn't very impressed by. It's the Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo by The Body Shop. I read a few reviews which said this helped with itchy, irritated scalps (something I had at the time), so I expected this to somewhat help. It was alright at first, but as I got closer to the end of the bottle, it made my scalp so much worse, and ended up giving me dandruff instead of helping anything. Not impressed.

Finally from this segment, is the Blistex MedPlus lip balm. I was obsessed with this during winter, as it somehow fixed cracked lips and managed to rid of all flakiness. It really worked a treat and I'll probably repurchase come the colder months. 

Let's start of with the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan. I reviewed this very recently, and I'm still not really sold on it. It leaves a nice colour when used overnight but in all honesty I'm just a bit fed up with it! It doesn't last very long and the finish tends to be uneven. I won't be repurchasing.

I finished the Good Things Miracle Mattifier moisturiser first out of this bunch, but it was very well loved. It has the most amazing smell thanks to the blackcurrant, and it left my skin feeling soft and I do feel that it did something in regards to keeping oil at bay. It's a good one for summer.

We then have the Nivea Sensitive 3 in 1 Micellar Water, which was one of my favourite products in my bathroom cupboard. This wasn't at all irritating, and it would leave my skin feeling clean and refreshed without being stripping. I used this when I was in a hurry or if my skin was angry at me. I would repurchase this one.

It pains me that the They're Real! mascara by Benefit has expired. I love this mascara, it really makes my lashes look a million times longer and thicker than they really are, and I used to not feel right without it. I actually tried a new mascara lately and felt totally underwhelmed because I had been used to the extreme results this gives. Weird.

I'm going to finish this post with a foundation that I forgot to picture above. It's the Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation in either Ivory or True Ivory (forgive me, I'm not at home while writing this). You know, the tube with the purple? I loved the coverage this gave me, and this was one of the first foundations I used (not the same tube, ew). To be honest, it's probably why I prefer thicker consistencies. It lasts a long time and it doesn't tend to cling to dry patches unless y'know, you've actually got dry patches. However, the one thing that bugs me about this is the marketing. It's called Stay Matte... it definitely doesn't "stay matte" for any length of time. This would probably cake up if you put on too much, but you really don't need a lot of it. It gives a nice natural but full coverage. I may repurchase again.

aaaand breathe... that was a long one (for me anyway), so I hope you've enjoyed and this has somewhat helped you! -x

July Favourites!

July has flown by and we're now in August, but that doesn't mean I'm too late for a favourites post, right? I haven't been doing very much this month other than working and catching up on tv/youtube - yep, I am a wild one. I do however, have a nice little bundle of products that I have been loving lately so let me tell you about them...

First up is a fairly boring one, but one that I have been reaching for daily. It's the Blistex Intensive Moisturiser Hydrating Lip Cream. I used up my much loved Blistex MedPlus and went on the hunt for a repurchase but to my horror, they were out of stock. So, I picked up this little tube instead. I wouldn't say I loved it quite as much as the little blue pot but it's worked really well to hydrate and fix my insanely dry lips. It also has SPF 10, which is always good.

For my hair, I never usually think too much about what shampoo I use but this has been so wonderful. I bought the Oily Roots and Dry Ends Shampoo by Lee Stafford as it seemed perfect for my type of hair. I've found it's worked wonders at keeping excess oil at bay and my hair doesn't look greasy as quickly. The moringa seed extract has really tamed my sensitive scalp too.

If you read my latest foundation review, it won't surprise you that my next favourite is the Seventeen Stay Time Foundation in Natural. It really hasn't let me down, and you can read my review here.

This favourite has been a favourite of mine for a long time now, and this one is actually all used up. It's the cult classic They're Real mascara by Benefit. It completely changes the look of my lashes, making them appear fuller and longer, not to mention it really holds a curl too. This is a total winner to me and I'm sad to have used it up.

The penultimate item in this post is a little hidden gem I picked up from Topshop. It's their Kohl Eyeliner in Sable. This is super pigmented and soft, there's absolutely no dragging with this and it lasts a long time on my skin considering it's a kohl. I've worn this on my upper lashline throughout an 8 hour shift and it's still been perfect when I've finished. If that doesn't impress you, I don't know what will.

Last but certainly not least is the Supercat Eyeliner Pen by Sap & Glory. I haven't felt 100% right without a cat flick this month so it would feel silly to leave this out. It's long lasting and is definitely black, and it doesn't fade into a weird grey colour during the day. It took me a while to get used to this pen but I really like it now.

Been up to much this month? If there is anything you'd like me to review in full, please let me know! -x

REVIEW: Seventeen Stay Time Foundation

About a month ago, I went looking for a real full coverage foundation that would last all day, without clinging to any dry patches. At the time there was an 'everything under £5' offer for Seventeen so I just picked it up. I really didn't expect this, but it's a winner!

First of all, the Seventeen Stay Time Hour claims to be a long lasting (up to 25 hours to be precise), full coverage foundation that creates 'flawless, smooth skin'. For me, it does exactly that. I have used this when I'm on an 8 hour shift at work, and when I'm travelling all day and this just stays put the whole time. I seldom even have to blot away any excess oils while I'm wearing this.

Since this is an extremely full coverage foundation, the consistency is very thick and I know that some of you might totally hate, it's not for those of you that prefer something a little more natural looking. You do not need a lot of product to get a good, even base so there shouldn't be any caking. I use this with a flat foundation brush, I think it really helps to distribute the liquid evenly and then, if I need to, I'll either take my fingers or a buffing brush to really smooth it into the skin. 

From the consistency, I expected the Seventeen Stay Time foundation to get quite greasy looking throughout the day, and for it to gather in weird places (like the sides of the nose and around the mouth) but there's absolutely none of that, despite having oily skin. It really does make my skin look totally flawless, and it might just be me but I notice a certain radiance about my face when I use this, it's certainly not flat. I love the coverage it gives. I have blotchy red skin around the tops of my cheeks, nose and forehead and this totally evens that out. I have read other reviews from people saying that this clung to dry patches, and that normally happens with me around my forehead and on the top of my cheeks with other foundations - but not this one, so don't let that stop you from trying this out.

This is an all round fantastic foundation. It's certainly not for those of you that prefer the 'no makeup' makeup look but it's great for people like me that like good coverage from their foundation, but actually want it to stay looking good all day. This is a safe bet for travelling with as it has a twist and lock mechanism, and it's a good one for summer as it has SPF 25! The Seventeen Stay Time Foundation is £6.49 from Boots (tip: there's a free gift if you spend over £5 on Seventeen), and I have the shade Natural.

REVIEW: Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan Mousse

It's that time of year again. The sun is shining, legs are out, everyone's heading to the beach to relax and catch a tan - if you don't live in Scotland, that is. We're lucky to get some lovely warm weather for the whole weekend, let alone the full season of Summer. That doesn't mean we can't pretend though. Right? 

I know that when warmer weather comes around, I like to look a little more alive and I like my skin to be a bit more glowy than usual and for this, I've been using the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan Mousse (Sit tight, this is a long one).

Product Claims

This product aims to give tanned skin in just 1 hour, while being non-sticky and quick drying. The deeper the colour you desire, the longer you leave this on for. On the bottle, it states that the tan continues to develop after rinsing and is to last between 5 and 7 days. It contains no parabens, and uses a vegetable derived tanning agent, so is gentle enough for those of us with sensitive skin. Best of all, it claims to never ever come out orange!

My Views

I have been using this for a couple of months now, and I have found myself having a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. The first couple of times using this, I left it on for three hours each time and I wasn't really impressed with the results. I'm naturally very pale, so I thought that I would get a natural looking deep tan from leaving it on that long. I was wrong. I hardly noticed any difference from using this, but that's alright because it'll just get deeper as the day goes on.. right? Wrong. Yes, my skin was left with a golden tinge to it, but I wouldn't call it a 'tan' but I didn't see any difference by the end of the day. Needless to say I was disappointed. I did eventually get that deep tan I desired though, and I'll tell you how I did this.

I know that you're not supposed to, but I exfoliate and shave in the morning, and self tan later on that same night. I use around a full pump of the mousse per limb (so you do have to use a lot) and then sleep in it overnight. I don't think this is quick drying or non-sticky as it takes a couple of hours for certain places (mainly my back) to get touch dry, and while doing so, it's a bit tacky. In the morning, I have a lovely deep bronze tan, that's never ever orange, around three or four shades darker than my natural skin colour. Just don't use this when your favourite bed sheets are on as it will stain. The tan can last anywhere between 3 and 5 days before it starts to fade, but of course the lasting power will be different for everyone. Sometimes, this just refuses to take to some parts of my body, like the back of my thighs and a little patch around my wrist but that could just be my fault? I also find that this clings to dry patches as it fades, but a bit of exfoliation can fix that. Another thing to keep in mind is the smell, it's described as a "Tahitian Gardenia scent" so no, it's not your typical biscuit stink but I think it still smells bloody awful. 

I do like the Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan, because it does give a lovely tan, without leaving any streaks or being at all orange. For those who want a subtle warmth to their skin, then by all means keep it on for an hour or three but that colour just wasn't for me. It's cheap, and accessible via Superdrug and Primark (!). However, it doesn't smell great, it is a bit sticky when it dries and it can cling to dry patches as it fades but I'm sure it could be a lot worse because it is pretty difficult to go wrong with it. Perhaps it's downfall for me was that it was too beginner friendly? I'm not sure. I know I'll continue to use it though, and I hope this ranty review somewhat helped you. 

I didn't really intend to rant so much in this post, I just can't make my mind up on it. It's not the best, but it's certainly not the worst. What's your favourite self tanning product? I'd love to try some more! -x

Get to Know Me: 21 QUESTIONS TAG

Hi everyone!

I thought it was about time to let my personality show through in this blog, so what better way to do that than with a tag post? 

I like to think that you will enjoy reading my posts a bit more if you actually have a good idea of who I am. So, let me introduce myself: I'm Kerry, and I'm a student who lives in the granite city of Scotland. Now, let's get onto the tag...

1. Are you named after anyone? I'm not named after anyone, but my name was actually meant to be Nicole. Sorry to all the Nicoles out there, my Dad wasn't too fond of it!

2. When was the last time you cried? Last week, I think. I don't normally cry, but sometimes you just need to let it all out and that's okay.

3. Do you have kids? Nope, and I won't even consider it for a very long time.

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself? I always think about things like this. I think it's important to be someone that you like, and to try and treat others the way you want to be treated. What's the point in being yourself if you don't like who you are? So yes, I would.

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Only with people I'm close to because not everyone gets it.

6. Will you ever bungee-jump? I doubt I'll ever get the chance to, but I think I would. I can imagine myself being too scared but ending up loving it afterwards.

7. What's your favourite cereal? I never have cereal in the house - it's mainly just muesli and porridge (yawn) but I love Krave. I could eat it all day, which is why I don't buy it - because I probably would.

8. What's the first thing you notice about people? This sounds weird but I notice their tone and volume of their voice. I think it gives you an idea of how shy that person is, or even how they're feeling.

9. What's your eye colour? I actually have sectoral heterochromia, which is where part of the iris is a different colour to the rest of it. I have green eyes, but I have a little brown splodge in one of them!

10. Scary movie or happy endings? I love a good horror movie, but it has to have a good plot. Otherwise, what's the point? I like it when movies have happy endings but I much prefer a twist in the story that makes everything go a bit tits up - which happens more in horrors.

11. Favourite smells? Anything fruity, baked (Yankee Snowflake Cookie, I'm looking at you), or Asian smelling. Oh, and I love the smell of petrol too...

12. Summer or winter? Definitely summer. I was a complete winter girl up until a few years ago, but I love being warm. Maybe it's a Scottish thing, it's always bloody cold here.

13. Computer or television? 100% computer. It can do everything that a television can do, and more.

14. What's the furthest you've ever been from home? The furthest I've ever been is Spain, and if you're good at geography, you'll know that's not very far away.

15. Do you have any special talents? I can put my thumb right underneath my knuckles, and I can stick my shoulder blades out. 

16. Where were you born? In Scotland, of course. I originally come from a little place near Glasgow.

17. What are your hobbies? Watching TV shows, and youtube. I love to read books and blogs, and I like shopping - even if it's just window shopping... I also love spending time with my boyfriend by going out for dinner and just relaxing together in our wee flat.

18. Do you have any pets? Back home, I have a family dog called Honey. She's a springer spaniel crossed with something. You wouldn't be able to tell though, apart from the fact she's really friendly and loves to jump on anything that moves there's absolutely nothing else.

19. Favourite movie? Trust my mind to go blank at this one! At the top of my head - A Nightmare on Elm Street, Se7en, NANA, Fight Club, Girl, Interrupted, Trance, and a recent find - Scott Pilgrim vs The World. I had to make this a list, who actually has one favourite movie?

20. Do you have any siblings? I have two sisters, but I am the baby.

21. What do you want to be when you grow up? A psychologist of some sort, maybe clinical? Maybe a psychiatrist? 

There we have it, all 21 questions done! Gold star if you made it this far. Why don't you let me get to know you by answering a question or two in the comments below? -x