May Favourites

It's hard to believe that we're halfway through 2013 already, this year is flying by so fast. If the next six months are anything like the last six I'll be extremely happy. May has been a really hectic month for me I had my college exams and I was training lots for the Mini Marathon, I didn't really have a free minute to myself. All the training and studying paid off as I passed all my exams (1 Distinction & 3 Merits) and I jogged the Mini Marathon in a time of 1hr 13mins. I couldn't be happier with these achievements as they are both huge deal for me.  I have all the time in the world now to blog regularly  and enjoy my Summer. I'm going to London in less than two weeks which I'm super excited for. I've never been so this will be my first time going, I can't wait to see all the sights and of course do lots of shopping. Would love to hear about your favourite places to visit in London too! Back to my favourites for May, I have quite a few things to show you and the majority are new discoveries.

 Two lip products I've been loving over the past month are both from No7, they are their BB Lips Balm in the shade Ballerina  and High Shine Lip Crayon in Delicate Pink. I  actually got these using the No7 vouchers that come out regularly, otherwise I probably would have never discovered these lovely products. I've been using the lip crayon all over my lips with the BB lip balm over the top for a glossy finish. The latter is so moisturising and leaves my lips so soft. One thing that I don't understand about this product is naming it a BB lip balm, in my opinion its just a lovely tinted lip balm As you can see form the packaging of the lip crayon both of these products haven't left my bag. My other makeup favourite this month (not pictured) is Maybelline's Mega Plush mascara. I've always been a mascara girl even if I'm not wearing a full face of makeup I'll always brush on a coat to open up my eyes.  I've always really liked Maybelline mascaras (bar one or two) so I was looking forward to trying their latest offering. I wasn't left disappointed, one coat during the day leaves me with gorgeous fluttery lashes, while for nighttime, I use a couple of coats for added volume. I've seen quite mixed reviews on this mascara but I haven't found any faults with this product myself. I much prefer it to their Rocket Mascara. Again like other Maybelline mascaras I love the packaging like who doesn't like turquoise.

I've been trying to lay off the straighteners lately but when I'm heading out on a night-out they do make an appearance. Even though I do like my hair straight, it can look rather flat. To fix this problem I've been styling my hair in a birds nest and spraying it with Ojon's Revitalizing Flexible Hairspray. I was lucky enough to receive this in my #Bootsgiveitago goodie bag that I won via Twitter. This stuff brings my hair to life and is easily brushed out which makes it the perfect product for me as I do have fine hair. Anything that has a strong hold leaves my hair looking a mess after I try to brush it out. I've been super impressed by the Ojon products I've tried so far, I'm definitely going to pick up some more bits soon. A body product I've had for a while but rediscovered during the month of May is the Blood Orange and White Pepper Body Butter from Bliss. I must admit I'm not the biggest fan of the brand, I've tried a couple of their products over the past few years that I've been less than satisfied with. Their body butters are the stand out for me, they have a thick consistency whilst not leaving the skin greasy and they smell amazing. They have a good selection of scents available so I'm sure there'll be something to suit everyones tastes. I don't want to get too carried away with this product but I do think they're seriously great. I've been lucky enough to pick them up on Sale for more than half the price, they are pretty expensive otherwise. Blood Orange & White Pepper (a fruity/spicy affair) is by far my favourite scent. I know it won't be to everyones tastes but I'd definitely recommend giving it a whirl.

When I was jogging the Mini Maration getting a good sunscreen was top of my list. Vichy's Mattifying Face Fluid* has an SPF 50, plus it's perfect for underneath makeup aswell. This has been my go to product last week as we had a heat wave here, you wouldn't know it now looking at the weather outside. I just hope its not the last of the good weather. This is the perfect size for travelling too and it's not going to break the bank either. During the month I ran out of my No7 Cleansing Water,instead of rushing out to pick up a new one I rooted through my beauty stash. I came across the Loreal Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Oil. A mouthful of name I know but it is truly amazing. It gets rid of all my makeup in a jiffy so it's great if your in a rush or just tired after a long days work. I bought this in Boots on offer, I can't remember the exact amount I paid off the top of my head but it wasn't a hell of a lot. I literally only ever need three pumps at the most for my whole face so this bottle will definitely last a long time.

Lastly I have a new fragrance favourite. I love The Body Shop's Mango Eau de Toilette*, it's a gorgeous fruity scent for the Summer. I've been using this lots lately and it's definitely a fragrance I'll be reaching for a lot over the coming months. I like how the packaging is quite simple as I'm not scared of it getting wrecked if I juck it in my bag like I would be with fancy bottles. This fragrance is making me want to pick up some more products from their Mango range, it smells amazing!

Have you tried any of these products? What made it into your May Favourites?

Laura<3

May Favourites

Sorry I'm coming to you with my May Favourites a week late, everything has been so hectic lately. I can't believe it's June like where has half the year gone? I didn't do anything too exciting during May, I did get around to booking my Manchester trip, I'm glad it's finally all done. Any places you think I should visit while I'm there? During May the weather was pretty good, so I definitely made the most of it.While writing this post it's pouring raining again so it was short lived. I've been loving a mixture of products this month.

I bought No7's Blend & Contour brush ages ago and I wasn't expecting too much from it. This has become my my favourite brush for applying eyeshadow to the crease. I own MAC's 217 brush but I actually prefer this and find myself reaching for it more. It's the perfect size for travelling as it has such a small handle. If you have a No7 voucher this will only cost you in and around €2 which is a bargain. You may be wondering why the brush looks brand new, that's because it is. My other one needs to be cleaned so I thought I'd show you the nice one instead.

My nails have been peeling and breaking alot lately, it bugs me. Earlier in the month, I spotted Sally Hansen's Diamond Strength Cuticle Cream for half price so I thought I'd give it a go. Since I started using this it has done wonders for my nails, it is a bit on the tacky side which means I use it at night. The sickly sweet scent is something I can also look over as it works so well.

There's been much talk about this product throughout the beauty community lately. I bought this at the end of April and I was shocked at the price. €36!!! I've read that this can be used in numerous different ways. When I wake up in the mornings half asleep, I spritz a bit on my face. The smell certainly wakes me up and I feel refreshed. I do this every day without fail so it's definitely made it's way into my morning routine. I will be repurchasing this again but I think I'll get the small bottle off Feel Unique as it's cheaper and better size for travelling.

It took me ages to find this in Boots and I'm so glad I did in the end. The Bourjois Magic Nail polish remover makes taking off nail polish a breeze. I know on the packaging it says it works in 1 second, I'd say more 10. It's simple to use and reasonably priced at €6.99. I heard this shouldn't be used with glitter polish as it will wreck the foam inside. Another few words of wisdom, do not knock this over with the lid off you will get polish remover everywhere. Trust me I know!

This is one of those products I could sit and smell all day. It has a light sweet scent which isn't over powering in the slightest.  I got this in a set with three other body creme, Creme Brulee is my favourite along with Creme de Pistache. They both smell yummy. The product itself is really moisturising and sinks into my skin right away without leaving me sticky. I dread finishing this as I'll want to repurchase it again and boy is the full size pricey.

Last but not least I have a lipstick from MAC. I've been using Syrup on my lips pretty much everyday for the past month. It's such a lovely wearable shade for day and night. I have quite a few MAC lipsticks and this may be my favourite. I always have Syrup in my makeup bag, it has a permanent place there. I'll be buying this again once I run out, I can see that being pretty soon as I've used half already.

Do you have any plans for the Summer? What made it into your May favourites?

Laura<3

May Empties

My mission this month was to finish a few makeup products. I've been doing empties posts a while now and I never seem to use up any at all. I finished three makeup products this month which is an achievement in my eyes. Makeup products aside, I've used up a ridiculous amount of stuff throughout May. To save you from being bombarded with loads of pictures, I've decided to split all the products into groups.  So there's only five in total which seems a bit easier on the eye.

I'm going start off with the makeup products I've used up. It seems to take me forever to use up mascaras for some reason so this is a monumental moment. The One by One Volume Express mascara is definitely my favourite Maybelline mascara. I was a big fan of their Falsies mascara when it first came out but when I tried this I changed my mind completely. The oval shaped brush captures every lash and gives my lashes that extra bit of volume without clumping. Another small detail I love about this mascara is the packaging who wouldn't like that colour. I can see myself repurchasing this again after I finish some more mascaras. Another eye product I finished up this month is MAC's Fluidline in Blacktrack. I've had this for ages so I couldn't wait to finish it. I never leave the house without a bit of liner and mascara on so I was surprised with how long it took me to use this use. I do think Fluidline is a bit overpriced seeing as there is so many cheaper alternatives out there. The last of my makeup products is Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua, I've used every last morsel of this foundation and I can't wait to repurchase it. I use the shade B20 and it's the perfect match for skin tone. I love how it gives a nice natural looking finish. I've tried this foundation in the new compact form, I can't say I'm too gone on it yet. I much prefer the liquid foundation it's easier to apply, for me anyway. I will be repurchasing this before my Manchester trip as I don't think I could go two months without it.

I've only tried a few product from Redken in the past as I do find their products expensive. All Soft wouldn't be my favourite shampoo and conditioner, it does leave your hair moisturised and looking silky but I much prefer the Extreme range. I have heat damaged hair so I feel the latter works for me much better. I love Soap & Glory's Pulp Friction, it's such a lovely scrub that has a gorgeous fruity scent. I got this in a set at Christmas time so I'm not sure on the price but nothing from this brand is usually too expensive. I actually rushed out and bought a refill of the next product  as I love it so much. I first spotted L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil on Vivianna's blog, she raved about how good it was. I'm glad I tried this as it's such a lovely product and smells amazing. I'm going to try and pop up a review soon.

Here are all the smellies I used up. I'm not going to go into much detail about the body sprays as I'm sure alot of you have tried them already. I always have a Impulse spray in my bag, my favourite scents are Goddess and Tease. Very Very Pink isn't my favourite scent so I doubt I'll buy it again. Attract for Her, the first women's deoderant from LYNX was nothing to special in my opinion. I really didn't like the packaging as it does look rather masculine and it didn't have a unique scent. You can read my full Attract For Her review here. The perfumes I finished this month were two of my favourites. Both were presents from my Mom and Sister and I've has them for ages. Lola is my favourite Marc Jacobs fragrance, I know this is a refill but I've repurchased this a tonne of times. My Mom got me the handbag size which came with a purchase as well as another refill. It's good to know I'm not all out of this yet. Viva La Juicy is such a nice Summer scent it smells gorgeous. Isn't the bottle beautiful? I'll be hanging on to it as it's just so pretty. I didn't like the original Juicy Couture but this is something different. I may not repurchase for a while as it is expensive. I may try to pick it up in duty free in July.

I love Vichy's Calming Cleansing Micellar Solution, this size comes with a pump which I prefer as I feel like I'm not wasting any product. I went down to my local shop to repurchase it only to see that this was a promotional size so it's not available any more which was pretty disappointing. It was such a bargain too and lasted ages. I'm on a look out for a new Micellar Solution to try so if you have any recommendations let me know! The next skincare product is a small one but I do enjoy using it. I haven't tried too many sheet masks as there not available in Ireland. I got a couple of these in a swap and I really like them. They do make me look like Mike Myers from Halloween H2O but I can deal with the cause there great. The Aloe Mask left my skin feeling so refreshed and it does smell quite nice too.

My empties post wouldn't be complete without a few miscellaneous products thrown in. I always carry hand sanitisers in my bag, these ones from Bath & Body Works are great. I received these as part of my swap with Chie. There such a handy size and don't take up whole lot of space at all.  My favourite out of the two is Lunchbox, it has a really nice fruity scent. I wish Bath & Body Works products were more easily available in Ireland as I'd definitely pick up a few more of these.

Have you tried any of these products? 

Laura<3

May Favourites!

Hey Everyone!!!

This is my first ever favourites post so I'm so excited to write it. Can't believe it's the 1st of June already this month flew by. So it's that time of the month to start telling you girls about the products I've been loving for the past few weeks.

There is a bit of a mixed bag of products ranging from haircare to makeup so I'll get started now.

Firstly I'm going to mention some of the haircare products I've enjoyed during May.

Schwarzkopf Got2b Guardian Angel Heat Protection Spray

As I straighten my hair quite alot I always invest in a heat protection spray. I have only started using Schwarzkopf's new offering recently and I have to admit I love it. The product itself is good value for money and it smells really nice too!!

I also use the following product before I dry my hair too!!


Loreal Paris Elvive Smooth Intense Anti-Frizz Serum

Wow I love this serum!!! I am in the percentage of girls who always get frizzy hair and to be frank I hate having untamed hair. I use 2 pumps of this product in my hair before I blowdry it. I focus on the ends instead of my roots as they can tend to get oily from serums. The result is amazing as there is always no frizz to be seen which for me is perfect!!!:)

Now on to my Make Up Faves!!!:)

Smashbox Limitless Beauty Eyeshadow Palette

This eyeshadow palette is from Smashbox's Limitless Beauty Collection Box and is Limited Edition. I love this collection of shades as all them are so wearable and can be used in a few different combinations. The only downside of this product is that there is no mirror in the palette which I think would be much needed for a girl on the go. There is also an amazing miniature brush included with this palette.


Nars Blush Bronzer Trio

This was my first Nars purchase ever and it certainly won't be my last. It includes three bestselling products, Orgasm Blush, Albatross Highlighter and Laguna Bronzer. I've practically used this product since the day I purchased it and I've been so impressed by it.I can see why so many people love this brand!!!:)


Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in Beige 20

I tried a sample of this foundation and fell in love with it so I treated myself to the full size bottle!!!...This foundation feels like water on your skin and blends so easy. I love how it is so light for the summer but yet gives really good coverage!!

Loreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara

Another Loreal product is in my favourites this month as I feel it really deserved to be featured. I love this mascara as it not only seperates your lashes without clumping but it also gives you the most amazing volume possible.

Urban Decay All Nighter Long-Lasting Make Up Setting Spray

This setting spray not only holds my makeup perfectly in place all day but I also find it so hydrating. A little goes a long way way with this product as you only need a few spritzs all over your face after applying makeup.

Finally we come to my last favourite of this month.

YSL Summer Edition Perfume 2011

I first mentioned this fragance back in my "What's In My Bag?" post. Firstly I love the packaging this perfume comes in as it's really bright and totally different to the normal bottle. The scent is alot fresher than the original Elle fragrance and I think it will be very popular this summer.

That ends my May favourites I've found so many products this month that I will be repurchasing and would recommend them to anybody !!

Link me to your May Favourites post and I'll be sure to give it a read!!!:)

Laura<3