Go To Blushers

Benefit Coralista - The Balm Frat Boy - Sigma Large Power F30 Brush

I have been meaning to do this post for a while as over the last year or so I have accumulated rather a large range of blushers and they have become some what a staple in my makeup routine. Wearing blusher instantly makes my skin look glowing and healthy even on the most dull days. However there are two blushes that I just constantly go back to and therefore you could say they are my 'go to' blushers. You can see from the mess they are in, they are definitely well used!

Before receiving a Carmine box over a year ago with this blusher in, I had never heard of The Balm but Frat Boy did them justice as the perfect pale rosy cheek with a matt finish. This is my regular daytime blush and I haven't even hit pan of this product yet. With 8.5g of product, it is encased within a slim box with is easy to carry around in any of my bags. Avaliable here from Feel Unique for £16 this is definitely something I will repurchase.

When day turns to night my rosy cheeks turn a coral shade with Benefits famous Coralista blush box. With slightly less product than Frat Boy at 8g, Coralista is also cased within one of Benefit's boxes with their newly added mirror. It is rather pricey for blusher at £23.50 (here) but it is a well known fact these powder products can last for years! With a slight sheen it looks perfect with a tan whether it be real or out of the bottle and lasts all night. It is definitely something I will reinvest in...if I ever hit pan!

What are your go to blushers?

Abby

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The Zara Bags

Plaited Leather Shopper and Messenger Bag - Both Zara

Along with every other blogger, I love Zara at the moment! Without a doubt they are my go to shop of Spring/Summer 2012 and I just cannot resist their offerings. So much so, I didn't just buy the one bag, no no, I bought two! But they are beautiful and serve different purposes.

You have probably seen both of these already and I actually first clocked the Plaited Leather Shopper while watching Anna's videos. Now at £79.99 it doesn't come cheap but I do tend to value things on how much use I will get out of them. As it is leather it should last a reasonably long time and I decided to go with the tan version as it is so versatile. Plus it is huge! I mean seriously big, probably to the point where I actually wish it was slightly smaller as I'm becoming one of these annoying people who knock things in shops. The main down side for me of this bag, particularly with our current weather, is it is always wide open! There is no clasp to do this bag up which means in the rain I am clinging onto the bag for dear life in order to protect what is inside.

.Then browsing the Zara website just a few days later (what was I thinking!) I spotted this grey Messenger Bag with rose gold edging for the bargain price of £19.99. Now I knew this was not leather when I purchased it and to be honest, quality wise I did not really expect much. How wrong I was. The bag is super soft and wears well even with all my work books thrown inside. I'm sure it will probably not last beyond Autumn but for the price I think this bag is too good not to buy.

 

Are you loving Zara like most people at the moment? Or have you been finding gems elsewhere?

Abby

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Mollie King: Her Zara Bag

Mollie King - Zara Bag

When it comes to celebrity style Mollie King is up there as one of my favourites. With simple pieces she manages to pull off smart casual perfectly, and let's face it, her figure is incredible. Now I'm not the only lover of Mollie it would seem as she adorns the pages of the Daily Mail Online on a daily basis and today was no different. I now know she has been photographed with this tan bag before it did not click until today that this rather pricey looking tote is infact from Zara at only £39.99.  I had a little splurge myself earlier and ordered this much talked about shopper from Zara (there will be a post on this I'm sure) at double the price but after seeing Mollie it did make me wonder if I had made the right choice! I think I will probably stick with the bag I've bought as I know when it arrives I will fall in love with it instantly but I do think Mollie's choice is a great cheaper alternative. The bag is also avaliable in black but personally I think the tan version is perfect for Summer days out.

Have you seen any other celebs in high street favourites?

Abby

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April's She Said Beauty Box

She Said Beauty Box - April*

I had a lovely surprise this morning when this little box of treats arrived at my house. This is She Said Beauty's second box so far and contains 6 beauty products as well as a little easter tasty treat. Containing three full size products - the Mischa Barto Luscious Lips Balm, Bellapierre Shimmer Powder and the Filthy Gorgeous Nail Polish - which together retail at £33.99, this box is definitely worth the money at only £9!

When I opened up the box I was instantly drawn to the nail polish in Tu-Tu Much as it is so bright, to the point where it is nearly neon! This colour is perfect for Summer and it is nothing like I already have in my collection so all we need now is the sun back. However I was easily distracted as I spotted the Mischa Barton Luscious Lips Balm in Pink Pop. Now I knew Mischa had dabbled in handbags but I had no idea she had ventured into cosmetics. First off it smells amazing! Really sweet and fruity which instantly makes it a good balm in my eyes but it does also create a subtle sheen on the lips while protecting with SPF15 - a must have for me.

A Summer theme seems to run throughout this box and the Comfort Zone Body Expert Kit contains 6 samples to prep your skin for the beach. I am most excited to test out the fruity peel and the mediterranean shower gel. The samples do not stop there though with the box also containing Erno Laszio's The Hollywood Collection as an extra bonus this month. This skincare collection contains 5 samples all named after iconic women from Hollywood which I think is a lovely idea and gives the products a little personality. Not only this, but these products cost a lot of money so this is definitely something I can only try out through a beauty box which I really like. It feels like a real little treat to myself! Finally She Said Beauty have also added the Bellapierre Shimmer Powder which I have heard a lot about and the holistic Ulimate Therapy Face and Neck Polisher from Bharti Vyas.

All in all I am impressed! I'm always a bit worried with beauty boxes that they will have a brilliant first box but then struggle to maintain the quality but it would seem She Said Beauty are heading in the right direction. I really like how it is not all makeup or all skincare in the box plus with 3 full size products you really cannot go wrong. The Linor chocolate egg was a lovely touch...and a very tasty one too!

Have you tried out this latest beauty box?

Abby

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L'Oreal EverStrong - Hair Strengthening

Over the last few years my hair seems to have rebelled and my once thick head of hair has now reduced dramtically to a weak mess. When it comes to hair products I have tried nearly every item that claims to thicken, strengthen or lengthen your hair. Yes some have left my hair in good condition but none have surprised me as much as L'Oreal's EverStrong No Sulphate shampoo and conditioner.

I picked this up in Boots on a 3 for 2 offer about a month ago now as I have wanting to try a sulphate free treatment after reading about the true damage they can cause to hair. Both the shampoo and conditioner smell of mint which is not my ideal fragrance but this is something I can overlook as the results have been excellent. After a month there is no doubt my hair feels stronger and I have noticed my hair has been falling out a lot less. My prefered shampoo and conditioner prior to this was L'Oreal Elvive Full Restore as it gave my hair an incredible shine but this EverStrong range does this to the same standard without using the sulphate nasties!

I picked up the EverStrong range as it's catered for brittle hair but if you are after a sulphate free shampoo and conditioning routine they have also realeased EverPure for those of you with coloured hair and EverSleek for a smooth and sleek look. I really could not recommend this range enough but of course everyones hair is different and it may just not work for you - but in my opinion it is worth a good shot! For a more in depth look at my favourite hair strengthing products check out this article on She Said Beauty. I just could not let this offering from L'Oreal go without a mention on my own blog too!

I'd love to know any things you have tried which have strengthened and lengthened your locks!

Abby

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Dating Coral - L'Oreal Rouge Caresse

So like many other bloggers out there I rushed out to find the Revlon Lip Butters as soon as they hit the UK. However when I found them, the shades just did not do it for me. Don't get me wrong they seemed lovely and moisturising but they were either too bright for my taste or had a frost finish to them. When it comes to lipstick I'm very much a MAC Hue kind of girl and rarely stray from a pink nude.

However opposite the Revlon stand, a little offering from L'Oreal stared at me; their Rouge Caresse Lipsticks. Now I had heard of these but with the hype of the Lip Butters I had dismissed them before I'd really read very much about them. But in my opinion, at the same price as the Lip Butters, these are just that little bit better. I picked up the shade Dating Coral which is a beautiful orange pink and perfect for summer. Not only are these lipsticks hydrating but the colour is really buildable so how bright you wear them is up to you. They feel amazing on the lips, so much so I have to remind myself it is not a lip balm I can just top up as and when!

If Revlon's Lip Butters have not been for you then maybe have a peek at these beauts from L'Oreal instead. Which do you prefer?

Abby

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Little Update Plus She Said Beauty

I am still here...promise! I seem to have been MIA from my blog for the past month and there is only one reason for that - work! I'm nearly at the end of my training year for work and I suddenly have a lot of paperwork and a lot of evidence I need to produce and unfortunately that means time for my blog has been limited. Do not fear as this should change very soon and I am going to try and set aside some time for blogging regardless!

She Said Beauty - March Beauty Box*

For any of you observant readers out there you may have noticed I have been getting a little blogging done over as a contributor at She Said Beauty - the latest beauty box on the market with a beauty magazine alongside it. With the Feel Unique box no more and Glossybox sending me dozens of cleansers each month I was excited to hear there was a new box out there to try and lucky old me got one sent to me to try.

The packaging is in my opinion the best of all the beauty boxes. In a beautiful aqua, this box has an attached lid with a magnetic lock meaning it is perfect for easy storage after you've tested all your products out.

The image above shows the range of products from March's She Said Beauty box and the reason I have no photos of my own is purely because I've used all the products already - I honestly loved them that much! I took the Aveda haircare products away with me to Dublin and they were a perfect pick me up for my hair, leaving it soft and shiny even in the tempremental Irish weather! The Orly emery board and black polish plus the lashes were a nice change from the bundles of skincare normally in other beauty boxes and were of much more use to me as I like to keep my skincare routine pretty consistent.

So you may be wondering if I'm just being rather biased as I write for their magazine but honestly, I believe the contents of the box speak for themselves at only £9 per month. Additionally She Said Beauty have set up an online social community for you to share your thoughts and feelings on beauty products you have tried meaning you may get some great recommendations that could well become staples in your beauty regime!

But don't just take my word for it, use the code SSB25OFF to get 25% off your first box here

Have you tried this box or are you tempted?

Abby

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