Okay so this product is amazing... This one too... And, this one.

I hope you guys have all had a lovely day! It's been so sunny here in London! It's been so sunny I even wore a T-shirt and sunglasses out when I went for a walk earlier - straight into Boots... It really doesn't help that I actually live three minutes away from the store - no exaggeration! So, here's what I bought earlier... 

I apologise for the lighting of these photos, it's now evening so I can't get a good natural light to show you the products better. I've fallen in love with a makeup product my mum used to use - I tried it but I remember thinking it was a bit fiddly before, but I've started using it recently and am loving it! I found it while rifling through an old makeup box, but it was quite old, so I bought a fresh one today. It was the Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel eyeliner. It comes with the little brush and I've been using the old set this past week and it's worked so flawlessly each time - it's so much easier to use than I initially thought! I also got another Max Factor nail varnish in the shade Candy Rose, it's such a beautiful dusky rose tone. I was also looking at a bright fuschia colour but I decided this one was far more wearable. Last, but not least, I bought the Rimmel Lasting Finish Colour Rush in the shade Rumour Has It. This is the colour swatch...

The photo really doesn't do it justice! It's a raspberry red shade, and it is gorgeous. I tried it on in the shop just to see, not thinking it would actually suit me, but I loved it, and this is my favourite product I've bought today, I can't wait to use it more often! 

Also, this is to show you how my makeup went today - this is by using the Maybelline gel eyeliner and the Rimmel Colour Rush. This is definitely my favourite makeup look I've tried so far, it feels so fresh and pretty and alive! 

I'm really sorry for the quality of this photo (and my funky bedsheets), but I just really wanted to show off this makeup look! 

I would also like to let you guys know that Amazon are currently selling Burts Bees lip balm for £1.80 - and postage and packaging is free! They retail at just under £4 here in the UK, so grab them while you can! 

Hope you're having a great week! 

Sammii-Jane x

Vintage hair tutorial

Hey guys! I have been loving my new vintage curl hairstyle that I have been wearing all day today. I feel so feminine and immaculate with fresh makeup and a curly, bouncy bob swishing around my head. I'd been meaning to try this hairstyle for a while - I'm terrible with hair but I really wanted an easy hairstyle to try and replicate. I came up with the idea of bendy hair rollers, they looked so easy even I might be able to use them! So this is how my hair turned out...

I love it! It's like a vintage faux bob. I felt so glamorous adding the teal flower hair clip.

These are the products I used...

So, after washing my hair in the shower last night (I just used Alberto Balsam shampoo and conditioner to wash my hair), I rough-dried it with a towel. 

I then applied the Aussie Curl and Shine hair mousse by running it through my hair using my fingers. I then used a thick-toothed comb (an Afro comb will do, if you use too fine a comb then it can tend to go a little frizzy) to comb through my hair. I sprayed some Tresemme Heat Defence into my hair and gave my hair a rough blow dry. 

When it was mostly dry, I brushed it through (just by using a simple paddle brush), and used the comb to split it into sections. I made fairly thick sections, I think I only used seven or eight curlers. I had two on the bottom row, two on the middle row, and (I think) three on the top. 

For each section, I combed it through a few times, and rolled my hair into the curler, starting at the ends. I rolled each curl inward to try to replicate a really vintage feel. I then bent the ends of the hair rollers inwards to secure it. 

After I had finished curling my whole head of hair, I then used two bobby pins to clip my fringe back, just so make it easier to style in the morning. I then went to bed with it like that.

In the morning, I unravelled each section of hair, one at a time. I brushed out each section a few times with a hairbrush, before brushing it all together at the end. I ran a small amount of serum through my hair to define it and make it slightly less frizzy, but still retain the curl.

I then clipped my fringe back again using bobby pins, and clipped in the teal flower hair clip. I then finished the look by spraying a small amount of hairspray on to my fringe, and once that had set, I sprayed a coat of Gliss Shine Spray to my hair. 

Setting my curls at night and then taking them out in the morning took about ten minutes each, from start to finish. This is a really easy, quick look to try, if, like me, you don't have a lot of time. I personally love how it turned out, and I will definitely be doing this hairstyle a lot more often! I hope this has inspired you also to try something new and fun with your hair (if you want to!) 

Hope you're all having a beautiful Tuesday!

Sammii-Jane x

Cleansing routine

This post is to follow on from the 'What's in my makeup bag?' Blog post, and it's also to aid fellow acne sufferers! So, I've recently found a complete breakthrough product which has managed to clear up my acne completely, and I just had to share it with you in hope that it may work for you too! 

My skin type is combination oily/dry, and my acne has been hormonal. I was having a good skin day today so I decided to take a completely makeup free picture, I have a few blemishes but I am very comfortable with how my skin is now, in comparison to how it was with my acne.

Please excuse my bed hair - I'd literally just cleansed so still had my hair up!

I only have on a little mascara here and that's it! I don't even have on lip balm! I do still have slight redness on my forehead but that was my biggest problem area with my acne. The red blemishes on my left cheek are birthmarks, so they will never go, and I only really have a spot just under my lower lip which is fading, and I have open pores around my nose. But they are very, very miniscule compared to the acne I had. 

So, for my cleansing routine! I am in love with the Clean and Clear range. 

I use the deep cleansing lotion, advantage scrub, and dual action moisturiser twice a day, in the morning before I put on my makeup, and in the evening before I go to bed. I also use Superdrug's own Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 moisturiser and serum, before applying the primer from my makeup selection. I also use a Mud Mask at least once a week, usually while I'm having a soak in the bath. As I have dry skin, I exfoliate maybe every two or three days depending on what my skin needs, but if I don't exfoliate, then I get dry, cracked skin showing through my makeup- not a good look!

Let me tell you something. My couldn't-live-without product has got to be the deep cleansing lotion. The product in that bottle is bright blue - but because I've gone through so much of it there's only a tiny bit left in the bottle so it doesn't show the true colour. It's oil-free, and contains both alcohol and salycilic acid. It's a very strong formula but it is incredibly cleansing. I take off my makeup with a sink of warm water, the advantage scrub, and a wet flannel, and I think my skin is free from makeup. But no - I then apply the deep cleansing lotion using a cotton wall ball, and it picks up all the more difficult makeup, like those tiny bits of foundation that were refusing to come off before. This cleansing lotion is like my oxygen. It's only around £3, and this and the dual action moisturiser are literally all you need when having a makeup free day. I have never found a product as good as this for my acne, but because it is such a concentrated formula it is literally like industrial strength for acne. If I were on a desert island, or anywhere for that matter, this cleansing lotion is the product I would take with me.

Equally, the Naturally Radiant moisturiser and serum has natural plant extracts, and finishes your skin with a youthful energising glow. As my makeup is mineral-based, I feel that the plant extract of this product, and the powerful cleansing properties of my cleanser, all contribute to give my skin all the nourishment it needs. Mud masks are also mineral based but I think it's good to use that in your cleansing routine, too. 

So, this is my complete cleansing routine - remember though that this works for my skin type, and it might not work for you if your skin type is different to mine, but I would still definitely try both the Clean and Clear cleansing lotion, and dual action moisturiser, whatever your skin type is. Clean and Clear claim to be suitable for all skin types, so you should definitely give it a go!

I beat acne, and I really hope you find something that works for you! We should all be able to feel completely comfortable with ourselves, but if we have things like bad skin or our own personal flaws it can be really difficult to feel comfortable in our own skin. I feel I've achieved this - enough to post a makeup free picture of myself over the internet, at least! 

I hope you're all having a beautiful week, and are all looking forward to an even more beautiful weekend!

Sammii-Jane x

What's in my makeup bag?

Happy Friday everyone!

I've been wanting to do a 'What's in my makeup bag?' Blog post for a while, but it wasn't until recently that I felt actually very comfortable with the products I'm using. My makeup routine has always consisted of pieces that are both high-end and drugstore, because although I don't intentionally shop for brand, I do find some products better quality than others, and some cheaper alternatives that end up working just as well. My makeup routine does usually have a complete overhaul every four-ish months, because as the seasons get warmer I find that my makeup generally gets lighter. I never wear foundation in Summer, I just don't feel like I need it, but then in Winter I do like an ultra-hydrating moisturiser and a full-coverage foundation. 

So this is the contents of my 'Winter-transitioning-to-Spring' makeup bag - I'm sure the contents will change soon! 

As you can see, I have a fair amount of products from bareMinerals. I've suffered with really bad acne recently, and have been using a very strict regime to completely cleanse my skin and clear up the acne, and I was very impressed that the bareMinerals makeup managed to completely hide it all. It gave flawless coverage! However, as it does give you full coverage, it's not the kind of makeup I like to use for Summer, but it all depends on my skin as to the kind of makeup I can use.

So, for my face, I use only bareMinerals. I purchased the £50 Get Started kit, which is available online, in store, or at any bareMinerals makeup counter. The set comes with the Prime Time Primer, the Ready Foundation, the Warmth all-over Face Colour, the Mineral Veil, and three brushes: the Full Flawless Face Brush, the Flawless Application Face Brush, and the Maximum Coverage Concealer brush. I use the entire set in my daily makeup routine. 

After I've set my primer, I start by using the concealer brush and the foundation to cover all my blemishes, and then use the Full Flawless Face Brush with a little more foundation to buff into my skin. I then apply some of the Warmth Face Colour (Bronzer, to you and I), to the apples of my cheeks and outer sides of my forehead using the Flawless Application Brush, and then finish off with a light dusting of the Mineral Veil finishing powder.

For my eyes, I use the Collection Work the Colour trio palette in Choc Chip, as I like to create a neutral smokey-eye effect. I then curl my lashes, and apply two coats of mascara, for strong definition. I've been using Bourjois Volume Clubbing mascara, but it's running out so I'm trying to get on good terms with the Loreal Manga Eyes mascara - I didn't like it at first but I'm determined to like it! I highlight the inner corners of my eyes and just under my eyebrows with the light colour in the eyeshadow palette, and then define my eyebrows with the MAC brow set in Beguile, it gives really subtle, natural definition - I love it!  

For my lips, I use a light layer of Vaseline, followed by a layer of Rimmel's Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in Shade 08, and finish the look with a coat of bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Lipgloss in the shade Maverick. 

All the makeup I've mentioned gets me to the point where I can atleast leave the house looking human! It creates this makeup look:

I also have an eyebrow brush and a pair of tweezers in my makeup bag, for days when my eyebrows just aren't behaving! 

I will follow this post with another Blog Post on my cleansing routine - it will be of real help to any other acne sufferers! 

Sammii-Jane x

Spa day!!! :D

Hello everyone, I really hope that you are having a very beautiful Thursday! I know I am! I've been lucky enough today to be able to have a bit of a pamper, I don't quite have the means to be able to actually go to the spa - so I thought I would recreate one at home! 

I started off the morning with a nice, hot, luxurious bath, with a You've been Mangoed! Bath melt from Lush, and a wonderfully scented vanilla candle. I also wore an uber-glamorous mud mask for a good fifteen minutes. I don't know about you, but I personally love a mud mask, I love how it makes my skin look so much more hydrated from wearing it! 

After my amazing warming bath soak, I then dipped my feet in a heated, bubbly, massaging foot spa. I then applied both hand and feet moisturiser, and Johnson's baby oil to my feet to ensure that they were kept soft and supple. 

While I left my feet to relax, I thought I would give myself a pretty, girly manicure! I painted my nails with a layer of Rimmel's Nude French Manicure Polish, and then a layer of Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure. I had filed and buffed my nails previously, and finished off with the Vaseline Essential Moisture hand cream, as pictured below.

 

I then decided it was about time to have lunch - I've recently been told to eat all the colours of the rainbow. I think beauty is about physical well being as well as appearance though, so I thought a nutritious salad would be a positive thing. 

While on the topic of physical well being, I thought it would also be nice to go for a walk. I really should know by now that a little walk always means me walking into Boots! They had a 3-for-2 offer across all the makeup brands so I had a mini splurge! I'd been meaning to try the bronzing powder and falsies mascara for a while anyway, and the cute little Max Factor Polish matched the jumper I was wearing, it was fate! I am incredibly excited to try the bronzing powder though, look how pretty it is! It comes in a cute compact form with a rotating mirror, and a super-soft little bronzing brush! I just thought it was so adorable!

Last, but not least, on a beauty/pamper/spa day, after I had done my hair and makeup to go out, it was only natural to take a selfie! I was a real hater of selfies before, but of late, I've realised that feeling beautiful isn't about looking like Barbie - it's about accepting yourself, and enhancing your own personal features in their best light. It's not about trying to look like someone else, it's about making the most out of you. I have become a lot more accepting of myself since realising this, and hope to only become more comfortable. 

I hope you guys carry to have a great week!

Sammii-Jane x

Mini makeup hamper!

About a month ago, I decided I would start to buy all the makeup products I would like to use post-pregnancy. I thought that it would be nice to treat myself to a little goody box, and also, after ten months of pregnancy, I would definitely deserve it! I thought I would share with you my mini makeup hamper, or at least, it's contents so far! 

So, I've got a pot of Garnier Ultralift, Garnier primer, and Garnier BB cream (these are in the hope of good skin days where I can wear minimal makeup!)

I have five sample perfumes of Narciso Rodriguez For Her, these are perfect handbag size and won't take up too much room.

I have products from my recent Lush haul, the You've Been Mangoed! Bath melt (I think I may have to get a few more though!), the mini Charity pot of hand and body lotion (also perfect handbag size), the Bubblegum Lip Scrub, and the Dirty Toothy Tabs. Through pregnancy I haven't been able to use any strong whitening chemicals at all so they're not as white as I'd like, so as soon as bubba is out I can start to get them in best condition again. 

I've also got a few makeup bits, the YSL lipstick in Coco Givree (a shimmery nude colour), the MAC brow set in Beguile (subtle eyebrow definition for those with blonde hair), a ModelCo lipgloss in Berry Pink, a Loreal Paris Miss Manga mascara, a Neal's Yard lipgloss in Goji Berry, a Rimmel nail whitening pencil, a Maybelline Dream Pure BB cream, and a pack of four Primark nail polishes. 

There are still a few things I intend on getting, I really need new brushes but I'm having a hard time deciding between the Nanshy brushes and the Ecotools brushes, I also still want the Max Factor Masterpiece mascara, the Max Factor Lipfinity duo, and I'd still like some Burt's Bees lipbalms, a Rosy Vaseline pot, the Bourjois chocolate bronzing powder, and a Body Shop Body Butter in Papaya. A few face masks wouldn't go amiss, either! I'll also be sticking in a Toni&Guy hairdressers gift card too, I have been wanting my hair done for ages and will really need a low maintenance style with a little one around! 

Hope you're all having a super-sunny Thursday! I'm currently in London, and it is a really sunny beautiful Spring morning here! 

Sammii-Jane x

Spluuuuuuuuuuuuurge...

Hey guys! So, today, I might have had a bit of a shopping splurge... And I am not ashamed! There have been a few items I've had my eye on for a while (and admittedly a few spontaneous products), which I decided to impulse buy! I thought I would share with you my beautiful new purchases!

So, it probably doesn't look so bad from here. It kind of looks like a mini splurge, which makes me feel less guilty! I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I have never, ever, tried any MAC or Lush products. Ever. So today, I decided to pop my Lush and MAC virginity, and try a few things. I've been browsing the stores online so I had a good idea of the products I wanted to buy.

From Lush, I bought a You've been Mangoed! Bath melt, some Dirty Toothy tabs, the Bubblegum Lip Scrub, and a trial size Charity Pot moisturiser. I've always had the idea that Lush were fairly expensive but this all came to little over £10! I'm excited to try it all, I love a new product, but I am especially excited to try the Mango bath melt - forgive the awful pun, but it smells Lush! 

From MAC, I bought the brow set in Beguile. If you've read any of my other blog posts you'll know I've wanted to try this for a while. I did have one of the Makeup Consultants apply this to my brows so I could sample it, and I loved the effect. I hate darkening my eyebrows as I'm really pale with light hair, so I've wanted something a little more subtle. This was perfect, not too dark, but just enough definition. Also, I know it must seem so silly to get a bag for just one product, but as it was my first ever purchase from MAC, I really wanted the pretty, sleek carrier bag too! The brow set is retailed at £13.

 From The Body Shop, I bought the Atlas Mountain Rose set, which has the Atlas Mountain Rose eau de toilette, and body lotion. I'd been a little miffed of late because I used all of my Rose du Maroc eau de toilette, and then they discontinued the perfume, and it was one of my favourites! So I bought this one instead, and with rose scent being the obvious base note, it smells very similar to Rose du Maroc.

From Primark, I bought a couple of jumpers, a skinny cable-knit salmon pink number, and another in a dusky rose shade. I also got a pair of brogues, I've been wanting these since at least summer last year, and today, I finally caved in and got them. Beforehand, I had always considered them generic hipster shoes, but because I love things vintage, I just had to get them! Besides, it all depends how you wear them. I also got a new vanity case; where I have managed to sort out my makeup storage of late, it does seem to be slightly overflowing, so I thought I would get this for the storage of a few more products! I know I will probably need to just buy more storage soon though. Last, but not least, I got a set of four pastel-shade nail polishes. This was all for £30.

As a final impulse purchase, I bought the April editions of Glamour and Marie Claire magazine. I won't lie - I generally buy magazines if they come with free glossy free products to try. I couldn't decide between them, so I bought them both! The Glamour magazine came with a free ModelCo lipgloss, and Marie Claire came with a free Neal's Yard lipgloss. I love free makeup samples! 

I feel like I have done some real damage to my bank card. I think I should probably put it a bucket of water and freeze it, and never touch it again. I think I might just surround myself with all of these shiny, new, pretty products, and bury my head in the sand... Or, just give my account some time to recover before the next shopping trip! 

Hope you're all having a great week, 

Sammii-Jane x