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Becoming a #skinfluencer for Dermalogica

Beauty

Today’s blog post is pretty exciting because I can say with all the excitement that I am a #skinfluencer for Dermalogica! This is a pretty big deal, quite possibly one of the biggest companies I’ve ever worked with and they sent me an amazing package of skincare goodies to try out!

I am just obsessed with the packaging, so simple yet so chic and tidy looking. I am so grateful so be adding another 5 products to my skincare/makeup routine over the next few months!

The pre cleanse is such a unique idea to include in a skincare line, a lot of people hair assume because you’ve washed your face once or wiped it with a face wipe it’s clean, but the reality is that it isn’t, in fact there is loads of make up still left on your skin. The pre cleanse is an oil which you massage into your skin and it melts away make up and impurities creating a clean base for cleanser.

The special cleansing gel contains mint and lavender to soothe the skin and other ingredients which foam away toxins and debris, basically creating a squeaky clean face ready for the rest of your skincare routine. I really like the fact that it’s not heavily scented and it that it doesn’t contain soap!

This has to be my favourite product of the bunch, the daily microfoliant. This is a powder made from rice extract which when added to wet hands creates a scrub which gently exfoliates your skin to make it brighter whilst calming it. And the best part is, you can use it every day!

The final skincare product is a daily moisturiser, this is a skin smoothing cream, designed to soothe, hydrate, restore suppleness and tone.

I was also sent one make up product, the skin perfecting primer, this is the only one I have yet to try. It smoothes fine lines, brightens and preps the skin ready for make up. From my initial impressions of trying a small bit on my hand, the smell is amazing, and it comes out skin coloured which reminds me of Porefessional by Benefit, however I can see a glow so I am going to try this out tomorrow because I am so intrigued!

Have you tried any Dermalogica? Let me know in the comments! Xx

Why I’m ditching foundation |Foundation free make up routine

Beauty

Today’s post is a little bit of a different one, we’re talking about my skin, since I ever started wearing make up back in high school I have always worn foundation, powder and mascara. They were my first ever products I wore, I of course wear loads more now and look a lot more put together. I always felt like I needed to over my skin, my skin has good days and bad days, like everyone’s.

When I was on holiday last week I was tanning, and because I wear sunscreen on my face my face wasn’t matching the rest of my body, this meant it was then having to mix in darkening drops into my foundation in order to match.

Wearing foundation on holiday is just effort, normally it’s so hot you just feel like a melted mess, and why cover up just for a couple of hours in the evening, why not jus the foundation free the whole day.

I am only 6 days into not wearing any foundation, but I have noticed a huge difference in my skin. I am still getting spots, but parts of my face look a lot clearer and the texture looks so much better!

Saying “don’t wear foundation” is easier said than done, you still feel naked with a bare face, that’s where the Isle Of Paradise Tanning Drops come into play. In the evenings I like to mix these with my moisturiser and when I wake up I have a really natural looking tan, there for taking away the main reason I was wearing foundation. I find the drops even put my skin tone and do cover up a lot of old scaring making me more confident.

So now onto the make up I have been wearing and loving for the past week!

I begin with priming my skin because I still want my make up to last a long time and also a lot of primers are smoothing and make your skin look great like this one from Dermalogica.

I still want to add a bit of colour and shape to my face so I use a cream contour stick on my cheeks and on my forehead to add some depth. I love the medium/dark cream contour from Tanya Burr Cosmetics and the Illamasqua Gel Sculpt.

Now onto my favourite discovery, the Arkana I-Tech Glow loose powder, I apply this all over my face to set the the cream bronzer and to create a matte finish. This powder is however not completely matte, it really reminds me of the Hourglass Mineral Veil, it has a slight shimmer to it which gives your face a really natural glow.

I have then been loving using the Sephora bronzer in the shade Caledonia, in the winter this is way to orange for me, but with a tan it works perfectly!

Next up I use a blush, the one I have been using recently is Nars Orgasm as it adds a pop or colour and a glow.

I then finish my face with a sweep of the Pixi Glow on my cheek bones.

I have been keeping my brows pretty natural for a while now and just using L’Oréal Brow Plumper to add a little texture and to keep them in place.

Finally for the eyes I have been using the L’Oréal Volume Million Lashes, this creates really long thick lashes! Lastly I use this gorgeous palette from Memi which has the prettiest warm shades in it perfect for the summer!

Let me know how you feel about not wearing foundation.

Thanks for reading xx

Happy Mail Club | Subscription Box

Beauty

Today’s blogpost is all about a new subscription box which is about to make any stationary lovers out there very happy! I was contacted by the company Happy Mail Club asking if I wanted to get a sneak preview of their new subscription box which launches on the 1st July!

With a lot of subscription boxes they come in huge boxes, if your not in to answer the door to the post man then you don’t get your box, but they service comes in a letter box sized card box which can easily be posted through your door so it’s ready and waiting for you.

In the box you get some pretty cute things, I love really cute quirky cards but I would rarely ever buy them for myself so it’s really nice to have them as a treat. My personal favourite is the crazy plant lady card, this is the perfect wall print, so this will definitely not be used as a card.

There is also a little quote on a piece of card “no rain no flowers”, again this is really cute to stick up on a wall on your desk. I know I will be using these two in photos for Instagram.

Along with the cards and prints there is also a decently sized piece of wrapping paper with a cute print.

You also get a cute birthday card, a pencil, washy tape and a pink lemonade tea!

This box is £12.50 plus £1.50 postage. If you fancy string your hands on the next box launched on the 1st of July then click here

Thanks for reading, let me know if you decide to suncribe!

Xx

My All Time Favourite Foundations

Beauty

Finding a foundation which works well for your skin, lasts a long time and doesn’t cost a bomb can take time and a lot of effort experimenting with different brands in order to find your one true love. After many years of buying a multitude on foundations and testing them out I can finally say I have found my two favourites…

MAC Studio Fix

MAC Studio Fix Foundation  has been in my collection for just over a year now, I have no idea what I did before it because this has been a game changer. I always used to think that the likes of Loreal and Rimmel were just as good so I was reluctant to pay nearly £25 for a bottle of foundation which wouldn’t last that long. I eventually caved and bought my first bottle as a treat to myself, and love and behold I fell in love with it!

It blends really well into your skin, it gives great coverage, it doesn’t look cakey and it last for pretty long time! What else could you want from a foundation? I am now on my second bottle (the first bottle I bought was more of a summer skin shade so I went a shade lighter for the winter months). This foundation is my special occasion foundation, whenever I’m going out and need my base to look good and last for a long time.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation is my dupe for Mac Studio Fix, it works in exactly the same way, but is less than half the price! I was lucky enough to receive this from Influenster to try out, this foundation necessarily wouldn’t have been one I would have picked up myself but I am so glad I got to try it out! I find this one more hydrating on my skin and gives a much fresher glowy base. Coverage wise I would say they are both fairly similar along with the longevity of the formula.

This is my every day foundation, of course I was reluctant to test it out for a whole day at work, but it worked great for my skin!

Even though I have found the two foundations that work for me, I still have quite a few in my collection which I can’t seem to throw away (just yet). I think it is still good to experiment with different foundations on days where you can deal with a make up disaster as your skin might have changed and a little switch up could be good for it.

What are you go to foundations?

Victoria xx

Everyday Beauty Heroes

Beauty

Today I’m sharing my everyday beauty essentials, these are products which I reach for near enough on a daily basis either when getting ready in the morning or getting ready for bed.

Dry Shampoo

I’m 99% sure dry shampoo or a substitute (talc) features in every girls morning process, if there is one thing I can’t stand it is greasy looking hair. As I use oil in my hair after washing my hair looks greasy by the morning, so dry shampoo is a staple.

Perfume 

Another item I’m sure exists in everyone’s routine is the spritzing of perfume or a body spray, who doesn’t want to smell nice the whole day and receive compliments? My go to perfumes for smelling amazing are Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh, this is a fresh floral scent which lingers for the whole day! My second pick is Wanderlust by Michael Kors which is a warm woody smell, this one will be particularly  great for summer!

Neal’s Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm 

For the past few weeks I have been using the beauty balm as an extra moisturiser over night, I like to apply it to places which needs some extra loving such as under my eyes, around my nose, lips and on my forehead. The smell really reminds me of a spa, which makes it great for applying just before getting into bed as I find it relaxing.

Plum & Ashley Honey & Jojoba Oil Handcream

Hand cream is a fairly new addition to my beauty routine, but I figured I should take care of the skin on my hands as they probably take the most battering from the weather. I have been using this one from Plum & Ashley as I find it really hydrating, it rubs in easily and the smell is not to over powering.

Skin + Earth Face Scrub 

In order to keep my skin looking glowy, fresh and rejuvenated I like to use a face scrub 2 – 3 times a week to get rid of dead skin cells and get the blood pumping. This face scrub from Skin + Earth is all natural and it feels so great on my skin!

Do you have any beauty essentials? Let me know in the comments.

Victoria xx

Forgotten beauty bits…

Beauty

I have recently just shuffled my room around (again) and had a little tidy and sort through ALL my make up, I find this so satisfying and relaxing especially when you find products that you’ve forgotten about (much like clothes in my wardrobe).
So here are some beauty bits I’ve pulled aside from the main bulk of my collection and kept in acrylic drawers next to my bed so I can’t forget about them… 

I keep all my everyday essesntials in my make up bag, everything I use for work mainly, then if I want a different look that day thats when I’ll head over to my large acrylic drawers where the main bulk of my collection is kept. I have had a look through then and picked out some products which have not had a lot of love recently and need to be used.

Drawer 1

Loreal Infalliable foundation was my absolute favourite until I discovered MAC Studio Sculpt, pretty much all the foundations I own have taken a back seat since I discovered MAC. This foundation is very full coverage and that is not something that I desire anymore, I have accepted the fact I get spots and that sometimes trying to hide them looks a lot worse! ALthough, I love using Pixi Glow Booster with heavier coverage foundations to make them a bit more sheer and glowy so these two together would work a treat! Deffo a combo to try out!

Next I have pretty expensive primer from Figs & Rouge, don’t worry I didn’t buy this one, it was sent to me in a Cohorted Subscription Box. This primer is for brightening skin and illuminating the base, when you apply it you look like Edward Cullen, all shimmery.

Bourjois concealers are my favourite, the only reason I haven’t been reaching for this one is because I have been loving the Healthy Mix concealer as I find it a little lighter and more brightening.

As for lip products, I have been neglecting everyone of them apart from a select few. So I have picked out a few nude shades which I can start wearing on an everyday basis, as I work mainly in the PE department I tend to lean more towards lipbalm rather than colour. I have picked Tanya Burr Cosmetics in Pink Cocoa, Tarte Tartiest Glossy Lip Paint in Obvi and Barry M Matte Me Up in Pose.

Drawer 2

This drawer is basically full of highlighters, can you guess which highlighter I have been using a daily basis instead of these?… Glossier Haloscope, if you have seen, heard of or tried this highlighter then you must, it’s been a real game changer. I have picked out three highlighters which used to be my favourites and I guess in some way they still are when I want an extra glow. First up is Peonies Please by Tanya Burr Cosmetics, this is a really subtle pink glow which can be used as a blush or on your cheek bones to add a warm girly look to your makeup. Next is another pinky shade, Soft & Gentle from MAC, literally just swatching that on my hand left me saying OMG. I really must wear this more! And lastly, Mary Lou-Manizer by The Balm, this is a really intense gold shade.

The one brow product I have picked out to use more of is from Becca Cosmetics, this was also in a Cohorted Box, however this one is a little to dark for so I tend not to reach for it. Although if I can spend a bit of time on my brows I can get this to work for me and when it is applied precisely it does look really good as the pigment and consistency makes it really easy to apply.

Another foundation which has been neglected is by The Ordinary, I bought this on a whim and I have to say I am not overly impressed with it. I find it rather drying, so Pixi Glow Booster comes into play here aswell!

And finally in drawer number 2 is Rimmel Lasting Finish Concealer, this has taken a bit of a back seat because I have been less worried about covering up spots and embracing my skin more. This however, is one of the best concealers I have tried, so I would definitely reccomend it!

Drawer 3

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit palette has been with me now for 2 years and it’s safe to say I do not use it enough, in my opinion this is more a special occassion palette (and well, there are not enough special occasions to wear it), so I am going to try reaching for this more often on a daily basis.

Another product for glowy skin is the Make Up Revolution Liquid Highlighter in the shade Luminous Gold, this is exactly what it says, liquid gold. This creates a really intense gold glow, although I do find you have to work fast blending it as it dries pretty quickly.

Finally, the Urban Decay Naked Flushed is fairly new to my collection so I need to remember that I actually own it now and use it!

So, there you have it, my poor neglected make up items which will hopefully be seeing some action in the coming weeks!

What make up have you just realised you’ve forgotten about?

Victoria xx

Five Friday Favourites

Beauty

I’m a little late on the January Favourites post so I thought I would just share 5 items I am loving right now…

Glossier Haloscope Highlighter Quartz

I have literally been obsessed with this highlighter, I have worn it EVERY SINGLE DAY! I never thought I would love a cream highlighter as much as Haloscope, it creates a really natural glow to your face making it look like a glow from within. I apply this as the last step in my routine on my cheek bones, cupid bow, brow arch and in the centre of my brows.

Chloe Lewis Lipstick Lady Love

I received this beautiful lipstick from Chloe Wise Beauty and boy, is it good! I didn’t expect to find a lipstick (other than MAC Fashion Legacy) that could last for hours without fading and needing to be reapplied. It is a matte finish and lasts a real long time compared to normal lipsticks.

Indeed Retinal Reface

I was recently sent Retinal Reface by Bux and Bewl to try out, I was a little reluctant to try this as I was really worried that retinal would be to strong for skin and react bad, this however is not the case. I have been using this every night for two weeks and I’m pretty sure I can notice a difference, my skin seems a lot softer and smoother! I also really love the packaging as this makes it super easy to take travelling and not worry about bottles smashing.

Tanya Burr Cosmetics Selfie Sculpt

A brow product I have been loving for quite a while now is from Tanya Burr Cosmetics, on days where I want a more defined brow I use this to create the desired look. It applies really well, it doesn’t create really harsh lines and it is really easy to build up colour if wanted. Another great thing about this product is that it is double ended, having a spooly on your eye brow pencil really is a game changer.

Skin + Earth Black Charcoal + Liquorice Face Mask

Finally, the brand Skin + Earth were kind enough to send me a face mask and face scrub to try out. I am a huge mask user so of course this has to make it into my top five, I find this mask so refreshing and kind to my skin as it contains natural ingredients. This has become my favourite mask at the moment and it makes me sad thinking that one day I am going to run out of it!

What products have you been loving at the moment? Let me know in the comments below.

Victoria 

What’s in the box? January Cohorted Box

Beauty

The lovely company Cohorted have sent me a third box to test out and review which is super nice them! I love receiving these boxes as I always know it will be amazing quality and this month has to be my favourite so far! This post is a little late going up as I had no time to take any photos since it arrived as I was away on holiday for two weekends! But now I’m back for a weekend I can finally get cracking with the photos…

I love skincare products, more than make up products I think so this box is a great one this month! It contains mainly facial products, a few body products and one make up product.

Skin Chemist Anti Ageing Charcoal Pore Peeling Mask

First up is my favourite one in the box, it’s the Skin Chemist Anti Ageing Charcoal Pore Peeling Mask. This is exactly what it says on the box, I have used this so much since receiving it, I like to use it every other night to give my skin a little boost. It also feels so good when you feel it off and it feels like it is giving your skin a really good clean as you peel.

Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser

When I saw that this was Sunday Riley product I got a little excited! I’ve seen and heard so many good things about this brand but have never gone out and bought anything myself. I’m really looking forward to trying this out, but as it’s only 30ml I will save this for a holiday as it’s the perfect travel size!

Lancôme Renergie Multi Lift

Next is an anti aging day cream from Lancôme, these are handy little moisturises for travelling or keeping in your handbag just in case you need some extra moisture when your out and about.

Wish Formula The Mask With Centella Honey Fermented Serum

This is a Korean face mask so automatically you know it’s gonna be a good one! The mask is designed to moisture and repair your skin. These type of masks are one of my favourites as they are really easy to apply and they feel really refreshing on your skin.

Marc Jacobs Re(cover) Setting Mist

This little beauty is also a very exciting product as I have never tied anything from Marc Jacobs before! This is the Re(cover) Perfecting Coconut Setting Mist which revives your glow and sets your make up. It hydrates your skin as well as keeping your make up in place all day!

Urban Veda Body Products

And lastly we have three body products from Urban Veda, a body wash, body lotion and body scrub whichall contain a lot of natural ingredients and smell amazing! I can’t wait to use these as they hydrate your skin, help with skin repair, soothe and boost circulation.

If you like the look of this box and want to subscribe head over to their website to check them out Here

Thanks for reading

Victoria xx

What’s in the box? Look Fantastic Beauty In Wonderland Box

Beauty

Welcome back to day 19 of Blogmas, this means that Christmas is approaching very fast now and more importantly this means that I finish work tomorrow! Today’s post is all about the Look Fantastic Sundcription Box for December.

I have to say, I wasn’t ever so impressed with the contents this month, and when compared to the Cohorted Box it really does not seem up to the same standard. In this months box there was only two full sized products.

This is my third box, and I believe I signed up for 6 months so I’ll be intrigued to see if it gets any better!

Initially the box gave me a really good impression, the pretty festive print on the inside looks really cute and unique. I also really like the outside of the box, dark navy blue with silver embossed writing makes it look really festive.

The first full sized product that jumps out the box is a mermaid blue bath from Bubble T, this bomb is exclusive to the box. I have always wanted to try their products, so I’m looking forward to being able to test this out.

The next and second full size product is a golden packaged lipstick from the brand MDM Flow. When I looked at the lipstick initially I was kind of shocked about the shade, it didn’t look all too amazing. But actually once it’s swatched it gave me real Velvet Teddy vibes. This shade supposedly suits all skin tones! This lipstick details for £18!

Next up is an anti aging serum from Gatineau, this is an ultimate smoothing serum with collagen. As you can see this is a very tiny bottle, but tiny bottles do come in handy for travelling so that I can be grateful for.

Then there is a hand cream from Polaar, this is the genuine Lapland cream and was made to rescue hands from really cold weather. It keeps your hands soft and hydrated and acts as a protective glove which I think will be really handy as I’m going to be out in the weather a lot of December.

The penultimate product is a day cream from Figs and Rouge, this cream diminish the imperfections and evens out skin tone and will keep your skin looking flowing throughout winter.

And finally, the tiniest pot of foaming cleansing exfoliator by the brand Suki. It smells really fresh and lemony. This little pot will be perfect to take with me for my one night in London.Did you get this months box? What did you think?

Victoria xx

What’s in the box? Cohorted December Box

Beauty

Hello and welcome back to day 16 of blogmas and December! Less than 10 days now until the big day! Today’s blogpost is a review of the Cohorted December box which was kindly gifted to me!

The Cohorted Box always looks so sleek and stylish and it’s such a treat to see what’s inside! I feel like this box could never disappoint, especially considering the box is worth 3 times as much as what you pay for it!

Cargo Emerald City Palette £35

This is the first palette I’ve seen from Cargo, my first impressions are how festive it is! The green is such a beautiful colour, although these really aren’t my shades which makes me really sad! But the names of each shadow is perfect, it made me super happy and nostalgic when I realised they are names after places in Seattle which is one of my favourite cities!

Tarte Tartiest Glossy Lip Paint £21

When I saw this in the box I screamed a little bit with happiness, I have wanted to try anything from Tate for the longest time! This is in the shade Obvi and it’s a really nice warmed toned peachy nude! I love wearing a nude lip for work so this will be perfect!

Eyeko Liquid Liner

This is a really cute compact black liquid eye liner from Eyeko which is a fairly expensive brand so it’s nice to be able to try out a smaller size before buying a full-size. I love the idea and the look of winged liner but I cannot do it for the life of me! I want to be able to, but I just cannot do it! So I probably won’t get much use out of this, although I will have a practice!

Becca Cosmetics Shadow & Light Brow Contour Mousse £18

Initially when I saw this little pot I thought it was an eye shadow, but no, it’s eye brow mousse! I have been using this non stop since receiving the box and am obsessed with it! This definitely has to be the star of the box! It creates really precise strokes and it’s really easy to build up or have really natural brows! Definitely my favourite product of the box and I will get so much use out of it!

What do you think of this box?

Fancy getting one yourself, click here

Victoria xx

What to do between Christmas and New Year

Beauty

This is the question I’m sure everyone asks and is thinking about, I work in a school so I have the whole of the festive period off, but this means I need to make the most of it and do something every day. But of course, the 4 and a bit days between Christmas ending and NYE we all need some motivation to get up and go somewhere instead of lounging around eating chocolate and left over food whilst watching more Christmas movies. I have come up with some ideas (mainly for myself to look back on and do) of what do on those days where your going stir crazy sat in front of he tv for yet another day.

Go for a walk

Nothing beats going for a wintery walk!

Movie day

Invite your friends around, watch some movies, eat some chocolate and mince pies!

Sale Shopping

If you feel like your ready to battle the sales, then heading into the shops is good idea to get some real bargains!

Visit your closest city

Heading into your nearest city for the final Christmassy vibes before the January blues!

Have a pamper day

Pamper days are my answer for everything, enjoy an afternoon pampering yourself, do a face mask, run a bath and just relax.

Plan your 2018

Plan what you want to do/achieve and where you want to go!

Go ice skating

There are some really gorgeous ice skating rinks around these days, especially in London at the Natural History Museum and Tower of London!

Clean & Sort

Having some free time before the end of the year is a great time to declutter and tidy all your belongings!

Go on a trip

Go for a night away anywhere and explore!

Bake

Find some really yummy things to bake in a cooking book or on Pinterest!

Hope these have given you some ideas of what to do, I will definitely be doing most of these while I’m off work!

Victoria xx

What’s in the Box: Cohorted November Box

Beauty

Hello lovelies, today is a very exciting blog post indeed, well for me it is because Cohorted asked if they could send me their November Beauty Box to review on my blog! Of course I said yes, jumping at the chance to work with an amazing company, and we all love a subscription box don’t we! So here is everything you need to know about the Cohorted Beauty Box…

Cohorted is a monthly beauty subscription box which is £35 per month (if you sign up now, you’ll receive your first one in January). The total value of my the box I received was £109 which is amazing as you can see a lot of full sized products. Compared to other subscription boxes this one looks and feels a lot more high end, the packaging is really sleek and compliments the products in the box greatly.

Plum & Ashby Honey & Jojoba Hand Cream £15

First up in the box is this beautiful hand cream, which smells as good as it looks! I don’t tend to use a lot of hand cream because I find the smells over powering and they tend to make me sneeze, but this one has a really natural subtle smell which is perfect especially if you put it on before bed.

Lancôme Visionnaire Advanced Multi Correcting Cream 5ml x 2 £20

These types of mini creams are perfect for travelling, your able to still stick to your skincare routine but also able to stick to the liquid allowance on your flight. I will definitely be packing these for my trip to Paris in January!

New CID I-intense Mascara £20

Next up is a very chic mascara from the brand New CID which I have never heard of before, but looking at the price it seems to be a high end mascara. The mascara is richly pigmented and builds volume whilst separating lashes.

Too Faced Melted Liquefied Longwear Lipstick £19

Seeing this little beauty in the box made me jump for joy, I have wanted one of these lipsticks for quite a while now! This is in the shade Melted Coral, it is a really beautiful orange coral shade which will be beyond perfect for the summer months.

And finally, a brightening light reflective primer from Figs & Rouge and is the most expensive product in the box. I have only tested this primer out once, but boy did it make face glow! This will be an amazing primer for the holiday season making your foundation glow from within creating a really healthy look. It also does so many other amazing this to your skin such as, neutralise redness, minimise large pores, anti-inflammatory and colour correcting! This will definitely be a staple in my make up bag for my Christmas parties!

I want to say a huge thank you to Cohorted for sending me this box and allowing me try so many new products!

Thanks for reading, see you tomorrow for another post!

Victoria xx