Sunday 21 December 2014

ILLAMASQUA LIGHT LIQUID FOUNDATION



The Illamasqua Light Liquid foundation is another one of my favourites, it gives you a lighter coverage than the Rich liquid foundation that I did a review on a little while ago, if you haven't seen that yet you can click here.
Wierdly I buy my foundation in bulk and I order it online, I get 3-4 bottles at a time so I don't run out because I just hate running low. I brought this foundation when Illamasqua was last on sale and I actually got them for £5 a bottle which is what I love about Illamasqua, their products are absolutely amazing but that doesn't stop them going on sale but to be fair I am so addicted to their products I would keep buying it even if they didn't go on sale.

Depending on how you apply this foundation will determine the coverage you get, applied with the fingers gives you that light "no make up" make up look that is always good for those days when you want to keep it natural, if you want a light-medium coverage applying it with a stippling brush allows you to build up to the desired coverage.


This foundation goes on so smoothly and blends in effortlessly and flawlessly, it gives my skin glow and when I have it on I totally forget that I'm wearing any foundation it's so light but I would definitely say it's a satin finish and doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy or tacky.

Like the Rich Liquid Foundation this one also comes with a nozzle opening which I like but I'd probably say my only issues with the packaging is because it's such a fluid foundation having it stood upside down when I do open it the foundation sometimes tends to come out faster than I want it to.
This doesn't happen extremely often but when it does i just put any excess into a tester pot and take it with me for if I need reapplying later.


This foundation was in no way made to cover imperfections but if you want to use it and still need imperfections covered I have found that it can be used with the Rich Liquid Foundation and I don't mean mixing the two, I have tried and it doesn't work the consistencies of the two foundations are not compatible and don't blend well! If you use the Rich Liquid as a concealer on any imperfections and blend out and then apply the Light Liquid anywhere you haven't put the Rich Liquid and use a stippling brush to blend out any edged it gives you a flawless finish topped off with a little of the Illamasqua Loose Translucent Powder and you set for the day.

 
I could talk about Illamasqua foundations for hours that's how much I love them, they on your face over 8 hours without needing a touchup. This foundation lasts due to you needing the smallest amount so regardless of the price it is a must have.
What's your favourite foundation? as you can probably tell by now mine is Illamasqua

Until next time xx

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Sunday 14 December 2014

WINTER WARMERS


Im a huge fan of the Winter mostly because I love wrapping up or staying at home watching a movie with a duvet and a cup of tea so I figured I would share a few of my winter warmer favourites of this year.

Firstly this Herringbone oversized scarf (£18) I got from asos a few weeks ago is like my baby I love it. Its so warm and cosy, it compliments every outfit and I love the herringbone print because it makes the simplest coat look a little more dressed up.



Second is Whittard's Dream time instant tea (£5.50). I havn't had this tea in a few years but one day after work I was walking to Tottenham Court Road and I passed the Whittard of Chelsea store and I had to go in and see if they still did this tea, which they did.
The girl that served me told me they no longer displayed it on the shelf in that particular store but they had it behind the counter.
I love this tea it smells so yummy, its honey, apricot and vanilla flavoured and is perfect on a cold winter night just before bed.


Lastly candles. I'm a huge fan of candles especially scented ones they make your house feel so homely and cosy and they make me want to stay in that much more. this big one I got from United Colours Of Benetton (£7) which has a subtle talc scent and it leaves my room smelling like baby powder which I am liking a lot right now.



I have had this candle for a while now and I but didn't want to burn it because it smells so good unlit. I got it as a gift with purchase buying a Kenzo fragrance and the candle is the same scent as the Kenzo Amor fragrance.
I decided it was time to burn it and I wish I had from the start, it smells so much better burning and it gives my room that warm cosy feeling I love.

These are only a few of my favourites Im sure there will be loads more as winter continues.
Do you have any winter warmer favourites?

Until next time xx





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Saturday 29 November 2014

MINI CHRISTMAS LUSH HAUL


I always get extremely excited about The Lush Christmas Range, more so about the shower gel's than the bath bombs just because I shower a lot more than I bath generally I stick to what I know and just get a large Snow Fairy, so this year I decided I would get a little adventurous and try something new.


The first thing that caught my eye was the So White bath bomb, it was the only neutral coloured item in the collection, when I smelt it I instantly knew I had to have it, it has an apple scent which is really delicate, crisp and refreshing and I cant wait to use it and have my bathroom smelling of this almost edible scent.


 When the associate told me the same scent was also in a shower gel I got so excited I think I was more excited about this than I was about Snow Fairy this year. 
I keep forgetting to use it though so I finally remembered this morning and it is actually amazing I think So White is my new found favourite shower gel from the lush range. It left my skin smelling of the delicious apple scent as well as the bathroom I can't get enough I will be repurchasing before they sell out so i don't run out and regret it.


The next thing I got was the Snow Angel bath melt it smells delicious as well, it reminded me of marzipan or Amaretto it has a yummy almond scent and I'm so tempted to take a bite to see if it tastes as good as it smells. 
Like I said previously I'm more into showers but I feel like when I do bath as its getting colder I may as well go all out and use a bath bomb and a bath melt to make the experience that much nicer. 
I picked up the Snow Angel and instantly it started melting and felt so moisturising and I loved the shimmer it left behind, you can never go wrong with a little shimmer during the festive period.

  
I couldn't leave without getting my hands on a bottle of Snow Fairy, Its probably one of those items all Lush fans wish wasn't just limited to Christmas. Every time I smell it I have to remind myself it isn't edible, it smells good enough to eat. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to sweeten up their showers a little this Christmas.

   
Lastly I got the Dirty Springwash which wasn't part of the christmas range.
This shower gel had a spearmint scent to it, which leaves you feeling minty fresh after using it, and I love it because its amazing for when you have a cold and really clears your nose right up and it also really good for headaches.


Lush as a whole has an extremely overpowering scent so thats why I tend to go more for the shower gels, I feel like they are a lot cleaner to handle and as much as I love lush I generally get sidetracked my everything so when I go there I plan to just get shower gels and leave which almost never happens but it doesn't hurt to try.  

What are your favourite Lush products and what will you be treating yourself to this Christmas?

Until next time xx

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Sunday 23 November 2014

ILLAMASQUA RICH LIQUID FOUNDATION REVIEW




















For ages I have been trying to find a foundation that was full coverage but didn't look too heavy once applied and it's safe to say I've found it.!
Illamasqua's Rich Liquid foundation is absolutely amazing just like it stated in the name it is Rich in pigment, texture and moisture and since finding this product I use it religiously, I am so hooked I refuse to let it run out and always have two and three spares in my make up collection.

Like everyone I have imperfections that I want covered and I have tried several different brands but couldn't find a product with the desired coverage and the perfect finish I wanted all in one product until I came across Illamasqua one day I was at a photo shoot. The make up artist was using Illamasqua on the models so I tried a bit of the foundation on my tattoo I have on my wrist, thats generally where I test my foundation to see how pigmented they actually are, I took the smallest amount thinking it would only cover a section of the tattoo and it covered the whole thing. You couldn't even tell I had a tattoo to begin with and from that moment I was sold. I searched for an Illamasqua store and went the following day to get colour matched and I haven't looked back ever since.




I have tried several foundations and this one has to be the fullest coverage foundation I have come across, it has a creamy paste like consistency, from my experience using it I have found that if I apply a pea sized amount on the back of my hand and warm it up slightly I end up using less but still get that perfectly defined coverage. I generally use my fingers once its warm to get it on and then blend it in with a Real Techniques stippling brush and when I'm done a still have a reasonable amount left over.
In the photo above I have done a swatch of both the colours I have and I took the smallest blob of each. I used this wrist because I have pigmentation and I wanted to show you just how good the coverage is.
In the photo below I blended the two colours together and as you can see the pigmentation is totally covered you wouldn't even know it's there

























The foundation comes in transparent plastic packaging that helps you see when you're about to run out which I love, it has a tiny nozzle, which makes it easy to use you don't squeeze out too much and it's more hygienic compared to other foundations that open fully and it comes with a black screw on lid which keeps the nozzle clean and it helps you to stand the foundation up nozzle downwards so you don't need to shake the foundation before use its ready to squeeze.  
























The finish is semi-matte which is perfect for all skin types and because it is so moisturising you don't need to worry about you're skin drying out like you would with other full coverage foundations I have tried in the past.

I recommend this foundation to everyone because it literally comes in every shade and if they can't find your shade they show you how to mix to find your perfect shade, which is what they did for me because my shade was sold old because it is such a popular colour this is why I have two shades pictured above at the time when I was colour matched they were out of stock of my colour so I got matched with two shades and I stuck with it, mostly due to the fact that during the winter I'm lighter so I use more of the light shade than the darker one, and then in the summer I'm obviously darker so I vary it according to the seasons.

For those who are a little weary of the full coverage foundations I will be doing a review of the Light Liquid Foundation very soon.
Thanks for reading, let me know if you've tried any of the Illamasqua foundations and what you think of them...

Until next time xx

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Saturday 22 November 2014

THE LIEBSTER AWARD


 I was nominated to do the Liebster Award by Grace make sure to check out her blog.

The Rules 
Mention the person who nominated you with a link to their blog.
Post eleven facts about yourself
Answer the eleven questions provided by the blogger who nominated you
choose five to eleven blogs to nominate and link them in the post
create eleven of your own questions for them to answer
Let the bloggers know you have nominated them - No tag backs
Nominate blogs with under 200 followers
 now we've got that out of the way lets get started.

Eleven facts about me:
1.When I was little I wanted to be a figure skater, mostly because they were so graceful and elegant and I was really awkward and clumsy and tripped over my own feet.
2. If I could I would eat nutella with every meal.
3. If it were up to me i'd stay in bed all day watching youtube videos.
4. I spend money quicker than I earn it, I then regret my purchases and start thinking of things that are wrong with it and why I shouldn't keep it.
5. Clueless is my all time favourite movie I can watch it over and over again.
6. I love smell of coffee way more than I like the taste.
7. I love winter because I get to wear knitted jumpers and cardigans, snuggle up under a duvet and drink tea while watching movies.
8. I either want a Pomeranian or a french bulldog.
9. If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life it would have to be chips.
10. I'm probably still just as clumsy as I was when I was little but I just hide it better now.
11. I can never just watch one episode of a Tv show I have to watch it all.  

Grace's Questions:
1. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
I would be a Giraffe because their amazingly tall and I was just as awkward as a Giraffe baby when I was small.
2. Sweet or Savoury?
Definitely savoury, you can eat as much as you like without feeling like your teeth are going to fall out.
3. What inspired you to start blogging?
I've always read other peoples blogs and watched youtube channels and it's been something i've wanted to do for a while but I never got round to it until now.
4. What drives you to carry on blogging?
Blogging gives me an excuse to do what I love, shopping and eating and I also get to document it which makes it even more enjoyable and the face that others enjoy reading about it is what drives me to continue.
5. Favourite place in the world?
Cape Town, Id love to live there, it would be amazing.
6. Do you have a nickname?
My friends call me Angie or Ang and relatives call me Leens or Lena.
7. what is your favourite animal?
A Giraffe Just incase you didn't know.
8. Flats or heels?
Flats, heels are so much effort and as much as they make your legs look longer mine are already long so I'm good. 
9. Favourite bloggers? 
10. What are your pet peeves?
People who have body odour in the winter, how is that even humanly possible its cold outside!
11. What makes you smile? 
When I have an amazing meal after being hungry for so long.


My Questions are:
1. What is your favourite season?
2. Tea or Coffee?
3. If you could travel anywhere in the would where would you go?
4. Favourite song right now?
5. Mornings or Nights?
7. What is your favourite meal of the day?
8. Favourite blogger?
9. What made you start blogging?
10. What is your biggest fear?
11. If you were stuck on a desert island and could only bring three things what would they be?

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it and let me know what you think and if you've been nominated in the comments below.
xx

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Friday 14 November 2014

BONE DADDIES RAMEN BAR


Bone Daddies is without a doubt my first choice for ramen, it's actually my only choice lol, mostly because it's so good, usually I'd opt for ramen when I'm ill or extremely cold but with Bone Daddies you're going for ramen and it's so worth it.
We went on a Tuesday night after work and I assumed it would be quiet because usually theres a queue outside but I was wrong. We queued for about 25 minutes before getting a table but to be honest even though 10 of those 25 minutes were outside in the cold it was well worth it, they had a shelter from the rain which was well appreciated, the weather was disgusting.



To drink I went for the soft cocktail, which was watermelon, apple calpico and lime and it was so good, I do love watermelon so when its cold and out of season drinking it rather than eating it is just as good to me.



The first few times I went I stuck to the same thing because I enjoyed it that much, I'd get the Tantanmen, which is a sesame based chicken bone broth with chilli, pork mince and bok choy but this time round I thought I would try something different and went for the Tonkotsu Ramen, this one is a creamy 20 hour pork bone broth with spring onions, chashu pork and of course both came with an egg you cant have ramen without eggs.



As a side I got the soft shell crab which comes with a green chilli, lime and ginger sauce. OH EM GEE! This is literally the best thing I have ever tasted, the crab legs are crispy but as you bite into the flesh its so soft and juicy and the sauce is delicious and by the time I'm done with the crab I want to eat the rest of the sauce just so the goodness doesn't go to waist. As you can probably tell I'm a real foodie I love love my food and I'm a grumpy little so and so when I'm not fed my life motto is keep me fed keep me smiling!

Ive also heard that Bone daddies do an amazing black sesame soft serve ice cream but I'm never there when they have it on the menu, the last two times I've been they had the ginger biscuit ice cream, which I really want to try but I was way to full to attempt it.
Next time you're in Soho and feeling hungry give Bone Daddies a go, it's reasonably priced and extremely tasty.

Until next time xx

Sunday 9 November 2014

MAKEUP BAG ESSENTIALS



After doing my make up each morning I always need a few items through out the day to maintain that fresh faced look firstly I always have: 

  1. MAC Studio finish skin corrector pallet in the shades Light peach and Deep brown because you never really know what's going to happen through out the day so this corrector pallet is good for those mini breakouts you may get I like that there is 2 shades for mixing my own colour and it covers everything in an instant.  

  2. Studio fix powder plus foundation in shade C8 just to get rid of the shine I tend to get through out the day, it generally happens on warmer days but there are times at work when the lights are beaming on me and I end up becoming shiny a lot quicker than usual so this powder stops that.  

  3. Clarins instant light natural lip perfecter in shade 01 rose shimmer some days I don't feel like putting much on my lips and just opt for my clarins lip perfecter because it has a little colour and just the right amount of shine to give me that slight nude lip look, it smells amazing too its almost like a sweet buttery smell and I always want to lick my lips when I wear it. The one I have pictured are the mini ones that come in their christmas gift sets, I did want to put the big one in there but I conveniently misplaced it after using it last night.

  4. Estee Lauder Double Wear Mascara again another miniature I was given this mascara to try while buying a few of the Estee Lauder eyeshadows and I keep it in my make up bag because I don't always remember to do my lashes while doing my make up, so when I have those days I just use this one which might I say is pretty good, it lengthens my lashes and it doesn't clump or flake which I love.

  5. Illamasqua Matte Lipstick in Encounter which is always in my make up bag due to me having to wear a red lipstick at work, it's one of those lipsticks that you can wear on a daily basis because it doesn't dry out your lips like others I have tried.

  6. Mac Amplified Creme Lipstick in Fast Play has become my favourite, its for those cheat days at work when I don't want to wear red but still want to have a colour on my lips, when I first brought this lipstick I actually went out to buy a red but while looking I saw this colour and tried it on and I never looked back.

  7. Neutrogena 6 Hour Protection Balm is a product I've only recently started using again, as its getting colder my lips tend to be the first place to suffer and this balm is amazing it keeps my lips moisturised and stops them cracking, its also amazing put under matte lipstick as is just keeps your lips hydrated and soft without the need to re-apply.

  8. Carmex vanilla is probably my favourite carmex flavour, its safe to say I've tried them all and I don't no if its because I'm such a big fan of everything vanilla but I just love how this smells and feels on my lips and I especially like that when I haven't had anything on my lips for a while and I put carmex on them it slightly tingles. It is also one of those items that I loose on a daily basis or I'll take it to work with me and leave it there and have to buy another one. What are your makeup bag essentials?  

Until next time xx

Wednesday 5 November 2014

ASOS WINTER WISHLIST


  1. Native Rose Kimono Coatigan in Brushed KnitI've been seeing loads of longline cardigans lately and I'm absolutely loving them, this kimono one caught my eye because of the print it looks so casually cute and you can wear it with anything from a crop top and high waisted jeans to leggings and a tee. priced at £72 its a little steep but its one of those items i'd live in over the winter period.



2. Vero Moda Mesh Insert Hem Dress Work requires I wear all black all the time and for ages I've been looking for a black midi body-con dress with long sleeves, but up to now I haven't found the appropriate one. So this Vero Moda dress will have to do until I find exactly what i'm looking for. Its not quite midi but what made me want it was the mesh inserts it just made it look less basic. This dress is £35 which I think is a pretty good investment for a LBD (Little black dress).
       

3. ASOS Debutant Full Midi Dress  Another LBD, my theory is you can never have enough black dresses in your wardrobe. This one is a Midi skater style dress, which I Love it's tight and fitted in the top but looser at the waist and is a classic item that can be worn to a last minute event that you haven't planned, this dress will make it look like you've made more effort than you actually have which is always a good thing. This dress is £42 and well worth every penny.


4. ASOS Coat with Waterfall Front in Brushed Wool Recently, I've seen a lot of coats in this style but up to now i've not seen one in this colour. They have a camel coloured one at Zara and a Black one in the same style in Bershka, but the grey is amazing. As much as I'm a fan of the camel colour this season I feel grey is more me and it will go with absolutely everything I own and it's a must have this winter.


5. Grafea Hari Backpack in Black I am a fan of backpacks, especially leather ones which this one is, i feel like you can never go wrong with a good backpack and it'll literally go with everything from casual to smart. This one is £180 which is a little on the pricy side for an ASOS product but baring in mind that it is a genuine leather item it will only get better with age.


6. Dr Martens Kensington Flora Burgundy Chelsea Boots I love chelsea boots, but when you get the cheaper ones the heels always wear out and and you have to get them reheeled and that ends up costing you so much money so why not get a paid or Dr Martens chelsea boots the soles literally last forever. I've got a pair of classic Dr Martens and I'm sure I've had them for over 3 years and they look like they haven't touched a pavement their the best boots ever so i NEED these chelsea boots just for that reason.

 

7. ASOS Longline Cardigan with Mohair Last but certainly not least, I couldn't end the wishlist with out throwing in a camel coloured long line cardigan, i'd literally wear it as pictured with some jeans and converses and it will keep me warm on these extremely cold days were having. 

I could literally go on and on, ASOS is one of those sites that have me hooked they have everything in one place. What are you liking from the list?

Until next time xx

Thursday 30 October 2014

PUMPKIN CARVING WITH GRACE TAKES PHOTOS


At the beginning of the week Grace made pumpkin pie which was amazing might I add, click the link to check out her post on that.
So as she had the pumpkins left over we thought why not do some pumpkin carving as we've both never done it before.




As amateurs we didn't know you needed special carving tools, and just decided on using kitchen knives, which weren't that hard to use aside from the fact that mine was massive and took a little longer to carve the fine details like the nose, which I actually messed up but lucky for me it wasn't noticeable.
I was set on doing something more traditional and went for the scary face while Grace chose to do a minion which turned out super cute its hair was so adorable.




I think we did pretty good for our first pumpkin carving session with out tools, what do you think?
xx  

FLESH & BUNS JAPANESE RESTAURANT & BAR


Flesh & Buns has always been a Restaurant I've wanted to try for the longest time now but, I've just never got round to going until now. I've been to Bone Daddies Ramen Bar on several occasions though and I was pleased with every visit (I will definitely do a separate post about Bone Daddies ramen bar) so when I heard they had another chain it was on my list of places to eat.


As you enter you are greeted by a projection which varied between anime and photos of food which made me hungry just looking at it, but as we went on a Thursday night after work and didn't pre book a table it was extremely busy so we had to wait at the bar until one was available so while we waited we ordered a few drinks.
As I had work the following morning I opted for the blended fruit juice, I got the Raspberry e-MULe, Grace got the Sweet Symphony and my other half got an Asahi beer, after we ordered the blended juices, Grace and I sat there and drooled over the frozen margaritas wishing we ordered that instead.
 After getting a table and ordering mains, we decided to get some chips and dips to waist some time until the mains came. The Avocado shiso was amazing but then again I'm a fan of avocado and I can't get enough, the tomato jalapeƱo was pretty good too it wasn't as spicy as i expected but it still had the spicy aroma which I love.

The mains came pretty soon after and we totally forgot about the chips and dips, who could blame us it looked amazing the little bowl of sharing salad was a little mean though if you ask me. I got the Salmon Teriyaki which came with pickled cucumbers and they recommended two buns per person which I got too.

You were suppose to stuff your flesh into the buns and eat it like a little sandwich which was really good, and it tasted equally as good just having the Salmon on it own with the pickled cucumber and the teriyaki sauce.


I was clearly enjoying it a little too much, but to be honest even though the food was really good it wasn't filling, I was still pretty hungry and was thinking about what else I could eat.
All the way through the meal I was thinking about dessert, for some time now I have known that Flesh & Buns do S'mores with green tea chocolate which comes with a mini fire bowl for you to toast your own marshmallow and I've wanted to try it forever so as soon as we were done eating I was ready for dessert, I've never tried a s'more so I was extremely excited.

I was probably the happiest person in there toasting my marshmallow, I've toasted marshmallows before but never made s'mores for some wired reason. The s'mores was pretty darn good it was a sticky mess but i enjoyed every minute of it and wanted more when it was done.


All in all my flesh & buns experience was memorable, mostly because of the S'mores lol, but the food was extremely tasty and flavourful aside from the fact that I was still slightly hungry afterwards. I'd probably revisit for drinks and dessert after having dinner somewhere else just because the S'mores were by far my favourite part of the whole meal.

Thanks for stopping by and of course check out Grace's blog Grace takes photos  
xx