New Items!!

Hello!

Laura here, So these are a few new things that I picked up over the half term last week from Malvern. I only went to a couple shops as I was also shopping with my little cousins and they needed school trousers.

I was ill on the first weekend of the half-term so I didn't manage to go to work on the Saturday, so by the time I got back from these shopping expeditions, my purse was well and truly empty.

So to start off with I popped into New Look, now I went shopping in these couple shops a few times over the holidays, so this is really a collective new items post!

New Look - £17.99 // now reduced to £12.99  ~  http://www.newlook.com/shop/teens/dresses-and-playsuits/teens-black-daisy-print-crochet-waist-dress_295623609

The first thing I bought was this dress. It's actually from the Teens section of New Look. I usually take a size 6 in dresses, but I ended up getting a age 12! It fits really nicely around the top, and in the middle, and isn't too long at all. As I'm a short 5ft nothing I find it really difficult to find things that aren't going to be too long on me, but this is a really nice length!

New Look - £7.99  ~  http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/view-all-shoes/black-canvas-espadrille-plimsolls_300777401

First of all apologies for the photo.. This one was a last minute 'Oops I forgot to take the picture and ill go take it quickly' moment! Anyway, next I got these flat espadrille plimsolls. They are so comfortable and I thought they would be a nice alternative for college, rather than the black canvas shoes I have to wear. They look alot better on and they are also a bit more airy! So that's perfect for the end of spring when it starts to get slightly warmer! I'm usually a size 5, but I had to get these in size 4! Which either shows my feet have shrunk or that they're slightly weird sizes!

New Look - £3.99  ~  http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/bags-and-purses/cream-london-scene-postcard-zip-purse_298308913

Next I picked up this really cute purse, it only has one pocket inside, therefore I thought it would be nice to carry around if you didn't need any of your cards or ID's or anything. I think it's handy for when you are going to be carrying alot of cash around and not really anything else, its all in one place then! It could also be quite handy for all the receipts you get.. they're a pain. All in all i think this was a pretty good purchase!

Next I went into Boots.. I picked up quite a few things in here, that I probably shouldn't have done.. oopsy! They all seem to be from the same brand too... I'm quite addicted.

Boots - £10.00  ~  http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%C2%99-Kick-Ass-Concealer%C2%99-Three-Piece-Camouflage-Kit-2-x-2-6g_1243294/

Next up I got the Kick Ass Concealer from Soap & Glory, I have heard alot of hype about this from all of the YouTube gals, especially Fleur from FleurDeForce. I thought I would give it a go.. as you can see I have started you use it a bit. I really like the concealer on the left, which is used to cover up all blemishes and imperfections as it has a slightly green undertone, which you can't really pick up on the picture, but it definitely does. The under-eye concealer on the right isn't as good as my Collection Lasting Perfection concealer, it really brightens my under-eye area. The powder on the top is translucent, I have been using this alot lately and it really seems to make my face look even and not powdery at all. I find it best to press it on my face with my brush.. I don't really use the little puff they included.

Boots - £9.00  ~  http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%C2%99-For-Daily-Youth%C2%99-Foamy-Moisture-Face-Wash_1382006/

Next up I picked up this facial wash. There was a 3 for 2 deal on all Soap & Glory things so I got this and the next two things I will show you! I tried this out yesterday and its quite thick and gel-like. It was quite nice but not one of my favourite things. It was also quite sticky, next time I use it I will definitely use a smaller amount.

Boots - £8.50  ~  http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory-Scent-Sationalism-Gift-Set_868463/

This is the second thing I picked up in the offer, and I haven't had a chance to properly try them out yet, however I have sprayed them on my arms and the smells are delicious! Especially the middle one, it has a creamy texture and more like a moisturiser, whereas the other two are just normal body sprays! I will be featuring these in my Bath routine sometime so I will give more of a review at another date.

Boots - £6.50   ~  http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory-Sugar-Crush-Body-Wash-500ml_1286669/

The last thing I got within the deal on that day was this Sugar Crush body wash from Soap & Glory.. as you can tell this has turned into a bit of a Soap and Glory haul rather than 'new items'.

I have tried and finished many pots of the Sugar Crush scrub, and have never ventured into any other product from this particular line. I am SO glad I did, even though I haven't tried this at all yet, I just know it is going to be a winner, mostly from the smell really. I am currently in the middle of running a bath so you don't even know how excited I am right now.

Boots - £8.00  ~  http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%C2%99-Dr-Spot%C2%99-Super-Strength-Breakout-Clearing-Gel-15ml_1364152/

Recently I have had a couple break-outs, I'm not too sure what its from, but I am sure not enjoying it. When I saw this I grabbed it straight away, and when I got it home, I tried it straight away, and loved it straight away. It has a cooling metal end to it, so it really soothes your face when you put it on (well it does to be anyway). The only way I can describe this is that it is literally a Bonjela for your face, it smells like it (with a slight floral twist), it has the same consistency, it feels really cooling on your skin, ahhh I love it. It seems to have helped my breakouts clear up quicker too, which is great.

Boots - £2.50 (mini size) // £5.00 (normal size  ~  http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory-Mini-Hand-Food-Hand-Cream-50ml_1444120/

I picked this up because I have had quite a few before and as I do hairdressing at college, we are more prone to catching something called dermatitis.. which is basically really excessive dry and cracked skin, in my case, on my hands. This really moisturises and soothes my hands if they are getting dry patches or itchy, especially in-between my fingers. Its really handy and the mini size is cheap, lasts a long time and fits into your handbag really easily.

Boots - £10.00  ~  http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory%C2%99-The-Ultimelt%C2%99-Deep-Purifying-Hot-Cloth-Cleanser_1364162/

The last, but definitely not least, product I picked up in Boots was this hot cloth cleanser from Soap & Glory. Oh my god. I can't even begin to explain how good your skin feels after using this! Its so soft, smooth, gentle.. It even provides a cloth. Need I say more? The consistency is really creamy and they recommend using a grape size of cream and smooth it all over your face, and work it into your skin, especially the areas that might need a bit more moisture and pore unclogging than the rest. You then dab the cream off with the cloth provided, that has been soaked in some warm to hot water, and then dry your face and viola! You have fallen in love with a new product.

So that's the end of this New Items post.. which kinda turned into a Soap & Glory haul didn't it... Oops. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and feel free to comment saying which is your favourite and why :) 

Cheerio!

L A U R A  J E S S I C A

<3

Hairdressing At College!

Hello!

Recently at college we have been doing plaits and up styles. I took a couple pictures and thought I would show you all and see what you think!

This week we were practising our plaiting skills. I have always liked plaiting and so I thought I would give alot more things a try. We have a check-list that we have to be observed doing a certain thing, twice, and get signatures for each one, and the one that I couldn't get right for ages, was the bridal plait.. and I finally got it! With a little help from my friend Paige too.

I really like this, and the flowers cover up any needed clips or anything. Its also really hard to make sure that the underneath part is baggy. I was really happy when I got the signature :D

Just before Christmas there was a Christmas competition, we had the task of doing an up-style, for someone who is going to a Christmas party. We had a couple hours to do it and then the judge was going to come in and choose the second and First place. I took about an hour and a half to do this, and I threaded the ribbon through the plait, and that was really annoying to do. I had to weave it through with the end of a tail-comb, so fiddly!

All of the styles were really nice and we had to mix them all up so the judge didn't know whos was whos at all. First prize was given to Zoe, hers was really pretty and she really put alot of effort in it! And second place went to me! I was so shocked, mainly because I had just won a box of heroes, BUT I was really happy about it and shared the box with my friends :)

Well I hope you liked this short little life kinda post, I might do these more often!

Cheerio!:)

L A U R A  J E S S I C A

<3

January Favourites!

Hello!

So i know that this is a tiny bit overdue now.. but last weeks post took a bit longer to write than i had hoped (oops!)

So here are my January favourites.. alot of these were gifts from Christmas or things that i have recently bought around the Christmas time.

Orly - £5.00   ~  Nails Inc. - £11.00   ~   Mavala - £4.30

My first favourite is a trio of nail varnishes that i have been wearing alot recently. First up is the Orly Bonder Base Coat, this is a rubberized base coat which is something that protects your nails from getting damaged from getting no sunlight, and having a yellow tone to your nails! This has been working perfectly for me so far so i highly rate this!

http://www.boots.com/en/Orly-Bonder-Nail-Polish_1190742/

Next up i put a Nails Inc colour in the shade Porchester Square. I really love this nail varnish because i have been looking for a colour that is not too nude, but is also not shimmery, but is very matte. It has a slight purple undertone to it, which suits the colour very well, i would probably describe it as a grey with a pit of purple in it.

http://www.nailsinc.com/nailpolish/porchester-square-polish/819/

I then follow up with the Mavala Pure Diamond glitter. It has a really high intensity of glitter, and you wouldnt need to have more than one coat. I usually find, with clear glitter polishes, that you have to apply three or more coats to get an even coverage of glitter. This is the second one i have found that is really good! The second one is a limited edition by Barry M.

http://www.boots.com/en/Mavala-Mini-Colour-Pure-Diamond-5ml-_1226780/

£6.99 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/Maybelline-Foundation-Dream-Pure-BB-Cream_1323345/

Next up is my BB cream by Maybelline.. I have recently mentioned this product in my new items post, so i wont go into too much detail. I like to apply this using my fingers to dot it around the areas that i need a small amount of coverage, i then work it into my skin using my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush or Stippling Brush, it depends how much coverage i want. This is actually quite a good coverage and covers my blemishes really well. I find this really nice to use when i have to get up and go in a short amount of time because it is the only thing i need to put on, except from my concealer and powder. Whereas if i did my normal foundation routine i would be putting on moisturizer and primer etc.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush - £9.99 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Expert-Face-Brush_1277695/

Real Techniques Stippling Brush - £11.99 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Stippling-Brush_1253416/

Full Size - £24.50 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/benefit-porefessional-primer-22ml_1143232/

The next thing that i have been enjoying using is Benefit's POREfessional. I find this really easy to apply, and it leaves my skin feeling smooth and flawless. It has a slight skin toned colour to it which helps get rid of any discolouration a little bit before applying your foundation. It also sits on top of my moisturiser really well. People have been saying that Maybelline's Baby Primer is a very good dupe for this product, but when i tried it on the back of my hand int he shop, i really thought that it didnt give anywhere near as good enough finish as this one does.. although alot more pricey.. its definitely worth it in my opinion.

£7.99 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/Maybelline-The-Rocket-Volum-Express-Waterproof-Mascara_1379502/

The next thing that i have been loving, well fallen back in love with, is Maybelline's The Rocket mascara. Now when i first bought this early last year.. i didnt really like it, it didnt seem to do anything to my lashes and it dropped really quickly throughout the day. However recently i have given it another go and i have really seen a difference. It is really light and not too over the top, which is what i want for a nice natural look in college and when im at work, it also doesn't give the effect of 'spiders legs'. I know alot of people rave about this product on YouTube.. especially Ingrid.

Full Size - £17.50 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/benefit-boi-ing-industrial-strength-concealer_857092/

This is Benefit's Boi~ing concealer. I got this is a 'Best Of Benefits' box for Christmas, and at first i loved it.. then i found it a bit too heavy and now, i love it. It really does what it says on the tin, an 'Industrial Strength concealer'. It is really high coverage, which is essentially what you need in a concealer. I've had quite a few breakouts recently and this has taken on the job really well and i couldnt praise it enough really. I use the top colour as that's my shade but i will definitely re purchase this when ive finished it up. I apply this using my Real Techniques Shading Brush, as i find this works the best.

Real Techniques Shading Brush - £7.99 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Shading-Brush_1252044/

£1.60 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/Cutex-Strengthening-Nail-Polish-Remover-100ml_1047610/

This is the Cutex Strengthening Nail Polish Remover. I went to boots and asked one of the staff which one would be the best and she pointed this one out straight away. There are alot of different types of nail varnish removers under this brand and you choose whichever one will apply to you the most. This one really seems to do the job. It also strengthens your nails so that's a bonus!

£3.99 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/LOreal-Elnett-Heat-Protect-Spray-Volume-170ml_1282765/

This is the Elnett Satin heat styling spray. When i have just washes my hair, i towel dry it and comb it through with my large tooth comb from Denman (which is the best comb for knots). I then spray this all over my wet hair and brush it through again. When i dry my hair with the hairdryer i like to do it upside down as it is guaranteed to make the top of your hair more voluminous. This also protects your hair from having flyaways and the dampness in the air (humidity).

£13.50 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/No7-Beautiful-Skin-Night-Cream-for-Normal-Oily-Skin-50ml_1245030/

Next up is my No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream. This is from Normal to oily skin, as i get combination skin so i definitely don't want anything to break me out, but i can sort out the dryness with my moisturiser in the morning. This has a really wet consistency, and you only need a tiny pit of it to cover the whole of your face. I like to apply this when i am just about to get into bed, this needs to work when you are relaxed and sleeping as you don't want to rub it off. When this is applied it has a cool to it, and it instantly makes you feel fresh. This was definitely a great purchase.

£3.99 from boots - http://www.boots.com/en/Simple-Kind-To-Skin-Hydrating-Light-Moisturiser-125ml_861128/

This is my Simple daily moisturiser. I use this in the mornings before i start to put any of my makeup on, it is kind to my skin and it doesn't break me out at all. The best thing about it will have to be the price. For the amount you get this is the best price i have seen for the job it does. This also has an SPF in it so it has extra protection from the sun. I have combination skin so i don't like anything that will break me out and i also don't want anything that is going to make my face even more dry than it already is, so this is perfect.

My favourite YouTube channel of the month has to be TalkBeckyTalk. I actually found out about her through Fleur (FleurDeForce) on YouTube as they are really good friends. She does alsorts of beauty videos and the occasional random video! She also talks alot, hence the name, which is really lovely because she explains things really well and in alot of detail. She also has combination skin like me, so i like to steal tips from her as she really helps me out.

Becky's Channel - http://www.youtube.com/talkbeckytalk

So thats it, my favourites of January. Hope you enjoyed and there will be another post up next week! 

Cheerio!

L A U R A  J E S S I C A

<3

Nail Varnish Collection..

Hi again! 

So, to continue this series of intro's to my different collections, i thought i would do my nail varnish, this collection consists of multiple types of certain brands, also most of these are from the Clothes Show Live 2013, and a couple from my boots advent calender. I have a fair few so lets get on with it,

These are my Barry M nail polishes, Basically all different types except from a couple.

The Gold to the left and the White in the middle are both 'Instant Nail Effects' (basically crackle). I personally didnt get on the old crackle band wagon but i got these in a goody bag so hey!, thought i'd give them a go. They work really nicely! I have the shades 316 (white) and 321 (gold). As long as the coat you have painted underneath has dried really well, then they work perfectly.. just make sure its super dry. The consistency is really watery and you need to be quick when applying, and make sure you only apply one coat as they can go messy if you spend alot of time.

The next one along from the left, and the one right at the end on the right are the Gelly polishes. I have them in the shades Blueberry and Green-berry (inventive names eh?) If you don't know already, they are have a 'gel-like' consistency and they dry without the UV light that nail salons use, and they come off with normal remover. These only need one coat and they look perfect, however two coats can make them look extra glossy. They look like you have a top coat on with the shine they give off. They also are pretty quick at drying.

The third one along from the left is from the Chameleon series, in the shade 'Chameleon Liliac', these are really good, they dry extremely quickly and they leave the most beautiful finish. They are also really thick, but aren't shiny, and when you do paint a top coat over the top they change colour to a deep purple.. which is a darn shame. They kinda remind me of foil too?

The pinky/purple one in the middle is a Nail Paint, in the shade Retro 1 Pink. The consistency of this is a bit in the middle.. not too watery like the crackle ones but not as thick as the gelly ones. They are really nice to go on but do need a couple coats to look really nice. They're a metallic kind of colour, and they look really pretty, especially with a sparkle over the top!

The last one, which is the second from the right, is the limited edition colour in lilac foil. This is basically a slightly darker (but exactly the same) version of the Chameleon in Lilac.. This one is called Lilac Foil, just read the Chameleon paragraph if you want to know what its like because they are literally the same!

This is my Ciate collection.. and literally all of these were from the clothes show.. and they came in a 'lucky dip' bag that they gave you for five pounds?? I thought that was amazing. It also introduced me to the brand a bit more. The packaging of these are really nice and they feel really kinda special too! The brushes are normal round ones (except from the full size.. they have flat brushes) ..nothing special but easy to apply with.

All of these have a lovely consistency, but they can be a bit sheer and watery at times so i would definitely do a couple coats if you were wanting the colour to be vivid. Most of these except from about 2 are nail polishes, and two are loose glitters.. which can be a bit annoying and fiddly but ill stick with them. 

The first one on the right is called '3am girl' which is a really nice emerald green with blue under tones. I thought this was a jet black until i looked at it alot closer on my nail. It has pretty good coverage and this is one of the two that are a full size.. the rest are minis.

The second in from the left is a top coat called 'speed coat'. This really helps your nails dry alot faster when they have gotten past the wet stage and are a bit more sticky-ish. It is also a really high shine top coat too so no need for a brightener/shine polish. 

The third one in from the left is called 'Amazing Gracie', it is a very white peach, and is also very sheer. It also reminds me of Figi by Essie, but the Essie one has alot more pink, whereas this has peach and white.

The forth in from the left is called 'Ivory Queen', which is a very pinky Ivory shade with alot of peach and gold shimmer in, its a really nice spring kind of polish.

The fifth in from the left is 'Snow Globe', this is just a clear varnish with shards of multicoloured foil which will jazz up any plain varnish! However, this needs a top coat over the top as the pieces can get ripped off by things and they stick out a bit which i personally don't like, but i know alot of people like texture on their nails.

The first one in from the right is called 'Electronica', now this one is very clever as when shown under UV light it glows! It is a very vivid and bright neon pink and will definitely show up in somewhere like a nightclub or something.

The second in from the right is called a 'Black Light Top Coat', which came with the deep emerald green, so i presume it goes over the top and will enhance the black inside the polish? Im not sure.. but do tell if you know.

The third in from the right is called 'Members Only' and this is literally the same as Ivory Queen, but it just has alot more golden shimmer to it, and is a little bit more peachy.

The forth in from the right is a glitter pot called 'Sequin Miss Mistletoe' which is a pot of loose glitter that you just pour onto your nails or just pick individual sequins out to put on your nails.. which is a nice idea but can be really fiddly and annoying to do for a quick mani.

The last one which you can vaguely see behind the rest in the middle (sorry) is called 'Shout Out Neon Glitter) which is a loose pink glitter (obviously) which also glows under UV lighting.. It came with the neon pink polish and i think you are supposed to use them together to give an extra special effect when under the UV lighting.

This is a Models Own polish called 'Show Stopper' and i got this when i went to The Clothes Show Live last year, and it is a special edition just for the show, it is a blue and silver glitter polish which looks really nice with a darker colour underneath. 

 This is Mavala polish and it is called 'London' and in the shade 53. I like these nail polishes because there is no need for a double layer if you don't want to. They apply really easily and they come out very vivid and bright and not sheer at all. The applicator is also really nice.

This is one of Maybellines Super Stay nail varnishes in the shade 'Orchidee Divine Wine'. These i find are really thick and really easy to apply, as they have a flat and wide brush instead of a round brush, and they are really highly pigmented so they do not come out sheer at all and are really vivid in colour.

 This is my Models Own collection.. as these are all around the five pounds mark, i dont buy these very often. I got alot of these from The Clothes Show Live as i said earlier, so i didnt really pay the full price for all of them anyway. They are all really nice, however some of them can be a little too sheer which i will come to individually. I love the packaging and as for the application, they all vary.

The first on in from the left is actually the first Models Own polish i ever bought. This is in the shade 'Fuzzy Peach'. I bought this last summer and i loved it for a long time. The brush is not a flat brush but it is more of a flatter round brush than normal, so i like that. However it is very sheer and watery, so it would need a few coats to get a really nice colour.

The second in from the left is the Clothes Show special, which i talked about earlier so i wont go into too much detail here.

The third in from the left is called 'Mermaid Tears'. Now this is a really nice sparkly and clear polish which lots of purple sea coloured pieces of plastic in. Now this i have found to be really rough on the nails and really hard to get off, so unless you like really texturised nails, i wouldn't go for this product.

The forth in from the left is called 'Pink Fever'. This is a very retro and metallic deep purple colour, the brush itself is very thin and the polish is also pretty thin so you would definitely need a couple of coats to make this look really nice when on the nails.

The first from the right is called 'Roman Candle'. This is based on the firework, and it definitely looks like it when on the nails, it has lots of little pink and silver sequins in all different shapes and looks really nice which its on the nail. However the brush, again, is very thin.

The second from the right is called 'Amethyst' and it is a very thick deep purple with alot of sparkle in. It also has a velvet lid to it which is a nice touch. The brush again is very thin but the product itself is really thick and when applied can look really nice on its own.

The third from the right is actually a nail art pen from their collection 'ArtStix'. It also doesn't appear to have a name, but it is a really pastel blue/green colour, which is really thick and not too sheer and not too pigmented. The pen applicator is really thin and really easy to use also.

Last but not least is the forth one in from the right, this is called 'Pink Punch'. This is a really sheer neon pink and will need a few coats before covering the nail. It also has a really thin brush. So i wouldn't rate this one that much.

This is a nail varnish from Nails Inc. I got this from my boots advent calender last year and i find it such a nice day to day colour, it is called 'Porchester Square'. Now this brand isnt the cheapest of nail brands, but they definitely are worth the money. They are really thick to apply, they dry quickly, they are not sheer in the slightest, i literally cannot say anything bad about them... except from the price. This one retails in the full size at eleven pounds.

 This is my favourite base coat that i have ever used. This is the Orly Bonder Rubberized Basecoat, and this is basically a layer that you apply before any other nail varnish, and it protects your nails from going yelllow and discoloured. It is really easy to apply and has a really nice brush with it. 

These are the two Rimmel nail varnishes that i have, they are both really nice, but i both really different.

The on the right is part of the 60 second collection. I have two more of these in blue and green. They all have a really flat and wide brush which is easy to use and they hardly need another coat, apart from the blue one occasionally. These are really clear colours and i highly recommend them to anyone.

Finally the one on the left is a Space Dust in the shade 'Aurora'. This is a textured polish and for best results i would say to apply two coats of it, this will make the sparkles really vivid and a nice all over colour without any other nail varnish needed underneath. 

So this is my Nail Varnish collection so far.. i have been writing this on and off for about a week now so i have added a couple more to my collection on a recent shop. So i will talk about those some other time.

Cheerio!

L A U R A  J E S S I C A

<3