GLOSSIER PRODUCTS I AM CURRENTLY LOVING

It seems like a long time ago the glossier hype started, when they announced shipping in the UK.I umm’ed and ahh’ed over purchasing a few items for a while, but I did the typical thing and bought into the hype. 

I decided to hang off writing this post, because I wanted to truly see if I enjoyed the products I purchased or whether or not I would disregard them. The answer a few months on is I LOVE THEM. 

If finances weren’t a thing and I wasn’t saving to buy a house then I can whole heartedly say ladies and gentleman that I would have gone back for more, but alas I am being good with my money. 

The first item I am loving is the Glossier priming moisturiser, I use this every morning before applying any make-up, it is lightweight on my skin, and sinks in quickly (which is a total dream when ya girls in a rush 24/7) I feel as though this gives my skin a more even finish, even before makeup is applied. It definitely gives the appearance of smaller pores and I actually feel more confident with my skin when using this, I look dewy and glowy with it, which is ultimately my all time look. 

Next up is boy brow. Boy oh boy is this thing good. I’ve used gimme brow for a long time prior to discovering glossier, but this my friend is just amazing. A few strokes of this on my eyebrows gives me the illusion they are thicker and bushier than they actually are. I never thought a product could so quickly make it look as though I have spent time filling in my brows, whilst making them look natural. This is by far a product I will 150% be repurchasing. For reference I got the brown shade, and its the perfect colour for me.

Lets move on to cloud paint, I picked up the shade puff, I love it but sometimes I find the tone too pink for me and I feel as though it makes me look a little flushed. However, I can assure you a little goes a long way. Although saying that, every time I consciously make the effort to squeeze the smallest amount out, its like half the product comes flying out the tube. Maybe its just me, being heavy handed. 

I love that the product is build-able, and its pretty dewy too, which is perfect for me, I love lightweight products that make me feel  as though I don't have anything on my skin. I definitely want to try out some of the other shades. 

Finally, lets move onto Glossier - You. This isn’t something I purchased when they first started shipping to the UK, I bought the rest of my order and they kindly popped in a sample spray of this perfume, and I became obsessed. Even my boyfriend kept commenting on how nice I smelt. ( hopefully he didn't think I smelt bad before hand). 

I am absolutely 100% terrible at describing perfume scents, but I love the branding that “you are the first ingredient” I think it is very clever. 

I ended up getting this perfume as a Christmas present, I want to wear it every day because I genuinely love it so much, although I do hold off sometimes as it is quite expensive for a small bottle. 

I am currently wanting to purchase more products, I especially want to try the lidstar. 

Which Glossier products do you love? 

GARNIER FACE MASKS

I recently saw these new Garnier face masks in Boots and thought I had to give them a go. Well i've tried and tested them and I can safely say they are so good. I love the brand Garnier anyway and have used a variety of their products for a while, so I had no doubt that I would also love these as well. They do a couple more new face masks but I picked these three up as I thought they would be the most appropriate for my skin. 

I have to say my favourite is the Volcano mask which targets pore minimisation - I did resemble looking like an Umpa Lumpa once I had applied it though. 

I will definitely be re purchasing these I think they are nice and they are gentle on my skin too which is something I always look for in face masks. After this weekend of hot weather I think my face will definitely need the Anti-Thirst mask.

Have you tried any of these new Garnier masks? If you have which one is your current favourite? 

Winter skincare routine

Hey everyone, 

Today I wanted to talk to you about my current skincare routine. Now that the winter is here and lets face it, its bloody cold. So what better time than to discuss how I try and keep my skin looking fairly decent and hydrated through those dreaded winter months (I actually enjoy winter, but my skin definitely doesn't). 

I try to use oil based products, such as the oil infused micellar water from Garnier, as it gives alot more hydration to my skin and stops it feeling so dry. Just bare in mind that if you have oily skin, you shouldn't be put of by oil based products, I too have oily skin, mainly on my t-zone but I swear by this product. 

I also talk about my love of Origins and their drink up intensive mask, oh my gosh it's so good, I can't tell you how amazing my skin feels after using this, when I wake up in the morning. 

I recently spoke about all of the products I am currently using, and what I think about them, in my latest youtube video. 

I hope you enjoy!

Jess x

Valentines makeup look

As Valentines day is approaching, I thought I would do a look, its pretty natural with a subtle red lip and a bit of a warm pink toned eye. I thought this would be perfect for Valentines day, what ever the occasion may be.
If you are celebrating Valentines, then I hope you all have a lovely day and I hope you enjoyed this really easy and quick look I created. 

Jess x

Natural everyday make up routine

 

I'm not a massive fan of wearing a lot of makeup on a daily basis, just for things like running errands and going to university. I like my skin to feel really lightweight, almost like I don't have any makeup on. So, I thought I would show you what I have been using every day on my face, just to create a really natural look. If you want to see how I got this look, and the products that I have used then just watch the video on my youtube. I hope you enjoy.

Jess x

winter skincare essentials

 

I think we all know that Winter is a nightmare for our skin, entering the cold outside conditions, being subject to central heating... It can be a nightmare. I know that my skin can be so dry in the winter. So I thought I would share with you my favourite skincare products I use. 

1. Garnier Intensive - I always tend to pick up the body moisturiser for dry skin in the winter because it just leaves my skin feeling so much more hydrated for a longer period of time. I hate when you put on a moisturiser and you then think ' did i even apply anything'. 

2. Origins drink up mask - ohhhh my gosh this thing is my holy grail of all winter products. I don't actually use it as a 10 minute drink up mask, as it instructs you to do. I apply this all over my face 1-2 times a week right before bed and leave it on over night. My skin feels SO incredibly hydrated the next day its amazing. I notice if I don't use this one week that my skin is noticeably much dryer despite using a regular face moisturiser every day. 

3. Origins GinZing - I use this in the winter, often instead of the Liz Earle face exfoliator just because it is slightly less abrasive on the skin, as its also from their radiance boosting range I feel like it leaves my skin looking much brighter and more refreshed. I use this product at least twice a week. 

4. Body Shop Camomile cleansing oil - This stuff is incredible for taking your make-up off and is so gentle on the skin, even over the eyes for that pesky mascara. I love this in the winter, because it's oil based it doesn't leave my skin feeling really dry and dehydrated after I use this. I often get quite oily skin so even though this is an oil it doesn't make my skin feel oiler, so don't let that put you off. 

5. Lush Bubblegum lip scrub - Firstly not only does it taste amazing I find that in the winter my lips tend to get very dry and cracked, so I use this maybe once a week to remove the dead skin off my lips (I know gross!!) and it makes my lips feel noticeably softer and I then find that my using a lip balm they stay hydrated and moisturised for a lot longer, than if I don't use this lip scrub.

6. Nivea smooth nourishing hand lotion - I don't know about you but my hands are ALWAYS so dry in the winter. This is definitely by far one of my favourite hand creams, it is a really intensive moisturiser and I just keep it right by my bed and apply it before I sleep. I also carry it around in my bag too, just incase!

These are my go to products, especially during the cold winter months, where our skin isn't always the best, especially in comparison to summer.

I'd love to know what products you guys use. 

Love Jess 

An Icelandic photo diary

Hey Guys,

Today I wanted to share with you some of the beautiful photos I have captured from my recent trip to Iceland. This place is utterly breathtaking and the views I have seen are just incredible. As many of you may know I'm not well travelled so this was all a very new experience for me, however get me on another plane.. NOW. I think I might have the travel bug.

DAY1: After arriving at Keflavík airport, we proceeded to go in search for our hire car. Having a car is a lifesaver, I don't think I witnessed one bus over the duration of our stay, albeit there were bus stops. ( heck, when temperatures reach in excess of -8 who wants to be standing at a bus stop).
Next stop our house. I can only say WOW it was beautiful and the owner welcomed us into her home as if it were our own, we even had our very own Jacuzzi.

DAY 2: Today was the day we headed out to explore, we took the long, yet totally worth it trip to the national park in Iceland. Getting here was a slight nightmare, its safe to say Icelandic weather can rapidly change. One minute we were driving along a road with the sun beaming in through the windows, then the next thing we knew there was a massive snow blizzard and we literally couldn't even see an inch in front of the car. I was totally scared, but we made it and got through to the other end. YAY. 

Next stop was to the Geysir in south of Iceland, where we viewed sprouting hot springs. As you can see the water shoots around 70 metres in the air, and I managed to capture the process of this on camera which looked pretty cool. Finally that day, we headed out to Gulfoss where we witnessed the most beautiful waterfall ever. It was so incredible, I think it looked even more amazing covered in snow. I may have had a slight accident and fell most of the way back down the steps. Luckily I was uninjured, however I cannot say the same for my dignity. 

DAY 3: We headed out to Selijalandsfoss, not before the satnav decided to take us on a wild goose chase, where we ended up in the middle of a random farm. We viewed another beautiful waterfall, this time it was possible to actually walk around the back of the waterfall.

DAY 4 : On our last day we headed into the capital of Iceland where we were all excited to visit the hallgrímskirkja church. The architecture involved in this building is phenomenal and I am so glad we were able to visit. Inside was again just as impressive. They had a man playing the organ, the sound was totally mesmerising and I just watched for at least 15 minutes. After wondering around the city and having lunch in a quirky burger bar, we headed out to the tourist spot that is the Blue lagoon. This is based on plenty of natural hot springs around Iceland, however this is probably one of the main tourist attractions. Initially getting into a bikini before you step foot in the water is soooo cold you wonder what you are doing with your life, yet it is so worth it when you get in. The water is that hot that if you then stand up in the -8 degrees you literally do not feel cold at all.

I have literally had the most amazing time visiting Iceland and had so many laughs with such an awesome group of friends.

Let me know if any of you have visited Iceland or if you would like to?

Love Jess x

Autumnal colours from Topshop

Hey guys, 

The weather has cooled down, and it's time to get out the cable knit jumpers. Before I do that, I always think about my winter makeup staples. This year it is burgundy. I've gone totally mad for the colour, both for fashion and beauty.

I thought I'd share with you some makeup must haves, if you are as obsessed with burgundy tones as I am.

I firstly came across, what Topshop are calling cheek jelly, which I think is super cool, it feels very much like a cream blush, which I love for a more dewy natural finish. When I say a little goes along way with this colour, I really do mean it. Its such a pigmented shade, which I picked up the colour 'Sibling'.

Then I found the lipliner in 'Deception' and lipstick in 'Wicked' they literally go perfectly together. I find with a rich dark lip shade, a lipliner helps create perfect definition. The lipstick is great because its highly moisturising, so lasts so much longer than a lot of the darker shades i've ever tried. The colours are a beautiful deep burgundy shade which I totally love, I didn't want anything else that was too heavy on the rest of my face, so I teamed my lip with a subtle eyeliner.

If you want to see how I created this makeup look you can head over to my youtube channel and watch the video here.

Jess x

whats in my bag

Hey guys, 

Just thought I would share with you a little whats in my bag video. These are just things I carry around with me on a daily basis, for university, work, general life etc. I'm always interested to see what other people have in there bag, so I thought why not show you what I have. I hope you enjoy.



Jess x

La Vie est Belle

Hey guys, 

Introducing to you, my all time favourite perfume. Its possibly one of the hardest things to try and describe a perfume without saying 'it smells nice'.

I bought this over a year ago, because I was fed up of the same scent on me day after day. Browsing all of the counters I came across La Vie est belle by Lancôme. As soon as I spritzed it on my wrist I literally fell in love. I constantly get compliments about what perfume I'm wearing. Well now you all know. 

As its an au de parfum the scent is much stronger and you find that a little really does go a long way. This is probably one of Lancômes signature scents now and it really is heavenly. Its so feminine, natural and simple, yet is so elegant which I love. It has a very rich sweet smell to it, with a lovely fruity aroma.

It goes without saying it is a very luxury item, one which isn't the cheapest, but as I said earlier a little really does go a long way. I couldn't live without this beauty in my fragrance collection. 

Have you tried La vie est belle? If so what did you think of it? 

Jess x

A Tinted Moisturizer You All Need

Hey guys, 

When I hear the words Tinted Moisturiser I automatically think little coverage and oily looking skin. It's no wonder really, the majority I have tried meet that assumption.

After taking a spontaneous trip into Space NK a few months ago I saw this Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. Being the make-up addict I am, I thought I'd at least give this a go.
Turns out I'm in love with this product (if that were at all possible). I adore the fact it doesn't meet my previous expectations, in fact it has totally changed my perception on tinted moisturizer's. This product has simply become my go to everyday base, it has totally replaced my foundations. Its lightweight yet gives a decent coverage and you can build it if you like, for me personally I don't do that, as I feel one application is enough. As the formula of this product is oil free I believe this is the key to why my skin is less oily when using this product. As soon as I saw those words I was won over. This is perfect for a lightweight natural finish and is ideal for anyone with sensitive or oily skin.(Mine definitely can be on the oily side).

I've loved this product so much over the summer months, as it also includes SPF 20 in, which protects my skin from the sun, whilst still leaving me with a natural looking finish to my skin, with a dewy glow, but not at all greasy.

I am so thankful I found this product, it's totally my go to and just makes a wonderful change from foundations which I'm not always a big fan of, on a day to day basis.
Laura Mercier you have won me over with your fabulous tinted moisturizer.

Have you tried this product? Or any other tinted moisturizers you have been loving?

Jess x

Summer hair care

  

                                                                      Hey guys,

As it's the summer, and if you are living in England you will know it's hotter than usual, which is why I want to share with you some products on keeping your hair protected from the sun.

The UV rays in the sun can really damage your hair, not to mention burn your scalp. (trust me I know).

Firstly I was drawn to the ORGANIX shampoo and conditioner. Doesn't the packaging look so good, in all honesty this was half the reason I picked them up. However they work so well on my hair, its left feeling so soft. They have argan and macadamia oil in, which is great for nourishing dry or damaged hair.

The Lee Stafford moisture injection conditioner is amazing especially to add extra nourishment to your hair in between washes. It's a little more pricey at £8.99 but I love it, I would definitely re purchase. 

The final two products are both from Mark hill, the first is from his holiday hair collection, which is specifically designed to protect your hair against the sun. You just spritz this on to your hair and scalp and it protects your hair from drying out and your scalp from burning. 

Finally I have been using Mark hills defrizz-ilicious anti humidity spray. Which if you watch the video you will quickly realise I cannot successfully say the word defrizz-ilicious (how embarrassing!) This one is great, if you are like me and are prone to frizzy hair, I always find its worse in humid conditions. A few sprays of this and you will be left with controllable and frizz free hair. What more could you ask for. 

If you haven't noticed I'm new to youtube, so its a totally new learning curve, but hopefully I will get the hang of it. I hope you enjoy the video, if you also have youtube I would love to know what your pages are, so I can take a look. 

Jess x

5 favourite blushes

Hey Guys, 

Today I thought I would share with you 5 of my favourite blush colours. I always wear blusher, I just think it looks lovely adding a little tint to your cheeks to give you that healthy glow. (Everyone wants that look right).

1. Deep Throat: This was my very first NARS blusher, with its interesting name this blush is a beautiful pink tone, you don't need to apply much as the pigmentation is excellent, and it gives you a lovely rosy look.

2. Sea Me, Hear Me: This blush is part of MAC's limited edition aqua range. (The packaging is amazing, it comes in this beautiful teal colour and has sheer water droplets. I bought this more for the winter really, its a much heavier and rich pink, although for me its too strong for the summer, I cannot wait to use this in the cold winter months to infuse some colour into my cheeks.

3. Gina: This is a beautiful peachy nude toned blush, which I absolutely love, it gives a wonderful natural effect on the skin, with only a light touch to the cheeks. This is possibly one of my all time favourites, I wear it a lot, its especially nice when you have a rich lip colour on.

4. Gerbera: This is a cream blush by Stila. Can I just say how much I love cream blush, oh my gosh, for those summer days, it leaves your skin looking dewy and fresh faced, which is definitely my go to right now. Again this is more of a peachy tone, slightly darker than Gina. I literally just apply this with my finger, you find that you really do not need much at all in order to give a lovely healthy glow.

5. Ring of Saturn: This sounds terrifying really if you ask me. I think the name says it all, its a much darker colour than the rest of these blushes, but what I love about it, is that it has a very light baby pink tone entwined into the dark crimson, this definitely helps to give a wonderful highlight to the cheek bones.

What are your favourite blushes? Do you prefer powder or cream blushes? 

Jess x

3 little MAC treats

1. Creme cup, 2. Speak louder, 3. Coral Bliss

1. Creme cup, 2. Speak louder, 3. Coral Bliss

1. Creme cup - I absolutely love this neutral pink toned lipstick, I've needed something like this for a while now. You know those go to lipsticks for every day wear. This is definitely going to be the one.

2. Speak Louder - The name speaks for itself really, a loud pink toned lipstick, definitely stands out on my face, and can adds a pop of colour to a basic make-up routine.

3. Coral bliss - I'm a massive fan of coral colours, this one stood out to me because its not too over powering, and like Creme cup, I could wear this daily when I don't fancy too much make-up, yet still want to add a little colour to my lips. 

I find it so hard to go into M.A.C and pick up lipsticks, there is so much choice, and quite frankly I just want them all. I'm happy with this little purchase I have recently made, and I cannot wait to get a lot of use out of them. I definitely think so far Coral Bliss is my favourite. 

What are your favourite M.A.C lipsticks?

Jess x

LUSH Haul

Hey there,

I recently took a little trip into my local LUSH store, as I hadn't been in a while. Even if you don't wish to buy anything the experience is still so fun, and the smells are literally amazing. After picking up a few things, I thought I would share them with you all. 

First up is the Bubblegum lip scrub. Oh my gosh, I cant explain to you how good this smells, I just want to eat the whole thing. (probably not the best idea, but oh well). I get really dried lips and I notice that it makes applying lipsticks really hard, so this little beauty is going to work a treat. 

This one is the Melting Marshmallow Moment (nice bit of alliteration there for you). Again, it smells so good I just want to eat it all up. You can just run this gently under the tap when you have a bath, and watch it do its thing.

I cant wait to use the French Kiss bath bar. It has a beautiful scent of lavender, which is really soothing and relaxing for your mind and body. I often use lavender in bathes to help me sleep, so if you have problems getting to sleep at night try this. 

I have never used this Tisty Tosty bath ballistic, but I literally cannot wait, as it melts away in the bath water, the rosebuds will emerge and be left floating on the surface. I think this one sounds so fun and I'm really excited to use this it. 

Okay, this is my last bath product, I promise. This is the Avobath, which is a creation of Avocado. Avocado is perfect in helping soften and smooth your skin, so I'm interested to see how this one will also work.

The final product I picked up is the H'suan Wen Hua hair treatment. I get pretty dry hair, so I am constantly on the look out for something to help soften and nourish it. You can use this product straight onto dry hair and leave for 20 minutes. If your hair is more damaged you can use it once a week. I wouldn't say mine is overly damaged, but I think I'm going to give it a go once a week, just to see the difference it makes.

So there we have it, my little LUSH haul for you all to see. I'm unsure on all of the ingredients used within each of the products, but what I absolutely love about LUSH is that everything is very natural and nor is it tested on animals.

What products do you love from LUSH?

Love Jess x