Blog Sale!

Hi Guys,

I've been cleaning out my room the past few days and I've decided to do my first ever blog sale. Considering I've been blogging over two years I'm surprised I haven't done one before now. I have quite a few bits and bobs put together for this Sale so I'm sure you'll find something that catches your eye. I don't use this stuff anymore and I'm sure one of you guys out there will get way more use out of it then I will.

 Sleek Blush By 3 palette in Lace - €9- unused

Sleek Ultra Matte V2 Eyeshadow palette €8

Selection of China Glaze polishes- €12 for all five or €3.50 each

Angel Wings

Glitter All The Way

Swanky Silk

Champagne Kisses

Techno

Topshop Louise Gray Pinch Punch Nailpolish - €5

All 4 Essie mini polishes - €6

Topshop Louise Gray lipstick in Legend - €6 - unused

Bourjois Rouge Edition lipstick in 17 Rose Millesime - €6

Topshop Cream Blush in Flush - €5 (used only a couple of times)

Topshop Cream Blush in Head Over Heals -€5 (used only a couple of times)

No7  Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in Beachshine - €5

Yves Saint Laurent Pink Celebration Highlighting Powder - €15 - swatched a couple of times.

MAC Mineralise Eyeshadow in Rare Find - €15 (swatched once or twice)

MAC Mineralise Eyeshadow in Smoked Ruby - €15 (swatched once or twice)

MAC Cream Colour Base in Seaside - €10 (just swatched)

MAC Cream Colour Base in Take Root - €10- (just swatched)

MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Light Plus - €16 (used once)  SOLD

Essence Breaking Dawn Highlight Powder - €4 (used once)

Essence Breaking Dawn Blush - €3 (used once)

MAC Metal X Cream Eyeshadow in Palladium - €10 (used a couple of times)

MAC Metal X Cream Eyeshadow in Gold Carbon - €10 (unused)

Nars Blush Bronzer Trio  includes Orgasm, Albatross and Laguna - €25

MAC's My Paradise Cheek Powder - €15 (gold overspray still intact)

Urban Decay The Vice Palette - €25 (used only a handful of times)

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder in Natural Beige - only used twice - €25

2 Laura Mercier Body Cremes in Fresh Fig , Creme de Pistache & Almond Coconut 100g- never used - €30 for all three or €12 each.

 Jean Paul Gaultier & Diet Coke Limited Edition Collectors Box - €18 (bottles unopened)

Karl Lagerfield & Diet Coke Limited Edition Collectors Box - €16  (bottles unopened)

Blog Sale Terms & Conditions

Opened Internationally

Prices above do not include postage & packaging

First come first serve

If your interested in purchasing anything from my Blog Sale leave a comment below telling me what product you'd like to purchase and your email address so I can contact you regarding payment. I'm sending my first batch of products that I sold through my Instagram Sale tomorrow, if your quick I'll be able to include your purchases too.

Laura<3

No7's New Makeover

When I was shopping in Boots, I noticed that the No7 stand had gone under a bit of a makeover. It looks really nice and certainly makes the most of the space they have in the store as it seems that little bit more spacious. The stand isn't the only thing that has had a facelift, the product packaging has had a transformation too. Gone is the old and dated, the new packaging is gorgeous and modern which was a much needed change. It will also appeal to alot more people as it is certainly eyecatching. They've brought out new shades in their single eyeshadows and gorgeous new quads. I picked up the shade Beach Shine, a gorgeous light neutral colour that would look nice all over the lid. I certainly have my eye on a few other shades as they are very pretty indeed and the colour range is great too. The High Shine Lipglosses now come with sponge applicators too, on the other hand I don't like these too much. There's a great colour range but the applicator doesn't pick up the product too well so you have to poking around in the tube to get the amount needed. Other bits that stood out for me were the lipsticks and the nail polishes, they all have new packaging and the range seems much bigger now, so I can't wait to try these too. The No7 vouchers have been released again but this time with a twist. There's €4 off makeup products and €6.50 off skincare which is a bit of a difference from the usual €7.50 off. I'm miss that bigger discount alot as it was so handy and you got to buy eyeshadows for only €2.

What do you think of No7's revamp? Has anything caught your eye?

Laura<3

My Current Eye Makeup Removers

After ditching face wipes a while ago, I've been trying alot of different eye makeup removers. Some have been great and others not so much which is the case with just about any product I guess. I have quite sensitive eyes, they've been watering so much at the moment, resulting in my makeup looking a complete mess. The thing that aggravates my peepers the most is when other people do my makeup. Last week I was at a Tom Ford counter looking around at their products, which are unbelievably expensive but I would love to add one of their eyeshadow palette to my collection. One of the makeup artists said I had such lovely long lashes and did I want to try their mascara, I really should of said no. I came away from the counter with my eyes looking scarily blood shot and watering. I met my boyfriend outside and he had to get me tissues from Centra, embarrassing I know. I don't know how my eyes have become so sensitive all of a sudden as this has never been the case before now. I think maybe it started back when I was using face wipes, I'm not too sure if they would have a major effect on my eyes like this though. When I'm out looking for a eye makeup remover in stores I always go for ones that are marketed towards people with sensitive eyes.

I've been using two for the past while and I thought I'd tell you my thoughts. Both products are for sensitive eyes and they have dual action formulas, meaning you have to shake them up before you use them. First up is No7's Beautiful Skin Eye Makeup Remover, it must be said their products can be a bit hit and miss at times. I bought some bit from their skincare range back when they launched their new packaging and I didn't get on with the products at all. I ended up giving the day/night moisturiser to my Sister liked it, so at least it made someone happy. I must admit I don't particularly like the new eye makeup remover packaging, the old one came with a pump so I didn't feel as if I was wasting any product. With this bottle, there's no dispenser so you literally have to pour it on to a cotton pad. This is fine with me, but you end up losing so much product as the opening is huge. I really don't see why they didn't include a pump, it was needed. When I'm rushing home from work to go on a night, I always remove my makeup and redo it, with this eye makeup remover I feel like I've used up so much after doing this. That said the product itself removes eye makeup really well, but as it is a dual action product it does leave that oily film on your skin after use which takes for ages to sink in. If your in a rush and need to do your makeup in a hurry this isn't something you need. With the nifty No7 vouchers, this product comes to around the €4/€5 which isn't the worst for this size eye makeup remover, I just wish it came with a pump it would be so much easier to use. I will be using this up but I won't be repurchasing it again I'm afraid. My favourite of the two is Vichy's Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover for sensitive eyes*. I'm lucky to have tried alot of amazing bits from this brand and I've never been left disappointed. Their waterproof eye makeup remover removes even the most stubborn mascara, indeed I'm talking about Benefit's They're Real. That mascara is amazing, but boy is it a nightmare to get off your lashes. As this is a bi-phase formula, you shake it to activate the ingredients. Vichy is a brand that has alot of scientific research behind their range, this is the brands first waterproof eye makeup remover that limits the loss of eyelashes. The product opening is much smaller so I don't feel at all wasteful with this one. This one doesn't leave your eyelids feeling oily so you can apply your eye makeup right away.The Vichy offering may be a little bit on the pricey side at €13.50 but you do get 50mls more. I'm nearly all out of mine unfortunately, I can see myself popping into the shops on pay day next week and picking up another.

Have you tried any products from these brands?

Laura<3

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water

A few months ago No7's skincare packaging had a bit of a  facelift, the product itself stayed the same and there was also some new additions to the range. When buying bits from this brand, I usually wait for the €7.50 off voucher to be released, you get some great bargains this way. The last time this promotion was on I bought the Day and Night cream for Normal/Oily and honestly I wasn't blown away by it. I ended up giving to my sister and she seems to like it more than I did that's for sure. I've been ditching face wipes in favour of cleansing waters as of late. My skin hasn't been looking the best and I've put it down makeup wipes. They've also been leaving my skin red and sore so I thought enough was enough and started using cleansing waters instead, they really are a easy effortless way to remove your makeup. I have a few on the go at the moment, my favourite being Vichy's offering for sensitive skin. I'm so disappointed they stopped selling the big bottle with the pump it was amazing value.

I had a couple of No7 vouchers to use so I decided on getting the Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water for Normal/Oily. It was in and around the €12 mark but with the voucher I got it for €5 something which isn't bad going for a product this size. I was open minded using this product as let's be honest some No7 products can be rubbish, this on the other hand certainly wasn't. It removes my makeup entire, leaving my face feeling and looking refreshed. I wouldn't go as far as saying my face is shine free after using but it does the job right. I was pretty scared to put this anywhere near my eyes at first but now I've using this to remove my eye makeup and not once has left them aggravated. Have I mentioned the No7 skincare also smells amazing, I love it. It's hard to describe the scent exactly but it's nice and fresh. I've had this for over a week now and I have used so much, almost half the bottle. I've read so many reviews were people say they only need 3 cotton pads, two for the eyes and one for the face. How do you do it, I want to know the secret. I use up like 5/6, no wonder I'm half way through the bottle at this stage. The only problem that I have with this product is that I wish the bottle was bigger. At the rate I'm flying through it will be gone in a week and I will have to buy a replacement. I've bought another couple of No7 products with my vouchers, some I love and  others I'm not 100% sure about yet. Would you like to see a tried and tested review post focusing on them all or individual ones? Let me know in the comments what you'd like to see.

Have you tried No7's Beautiful Skin range? What have you been spending your vouchers on?

Laura<3

No7's Summer Of Dreams Collection

I was strolling through Boots picking up some gifts when I spotted the latest No7 Collection. Summer of Dreams contains a bronzer, two glitter polishes, four eyeshadow crayons and two lip shines. I feel like this collection was made with me in mind as I absolutely love everthing. The eyeshadow crayons were nowhere to be seen at my counter. Apparently there was a problem with their delivery and they never arrived hopefully I'll get to catch a glimpse of them soon. I was planning on doing a bit of window shopping as I don't get paid for ages. That was until the lovely sales assistant told me that the No7 vouchers were back. Possibly the worst thing she could of done as I went into spending mode. I was good though and bought two products that appealed to me the most.

The No7 Summer of Dreams bronzer has the most gorgeous packaging I've ever seen it caught my eye right away. The fancy glitter on the product is overspray and will come off after a couple of uses. It costs €17.50 but along with the voucher it ended up being €10. For that price I think it's such a bargain. The packaging looks so luxurious, I can see this being the stand out of the collection. I'll be certainly carrying this around in my makeup bag this Summer. The other product I picked up was their Nourishing Lip Shine which is a replica of the Clarins Lip Perfector. There's two shades to choose from, I went for the peachy offering as it's something I could see myself using everyday. This was €14.50 without the voucher, it would of been €7 if I had one. Being more than half the price of the Clarins Lip Perfectors, I can see these being snatched up as they are a cheaper alternative. 

I've yet to test these out so I can't comment on them much. I'll have reviews up shortly were you can see my thoughts on both products.

Have you picked up any products from the Summer of Dreams Collection?

Laura<3

A Shopaholic's Journey #11 - Collective Haul

It been a while since I've done A Shopaholic's Journey post. Not that I haven't been buying anything at all in the past few weeks, the stuff I bought just didn't warrant a big blog post. I received alot of gift cards for my birthday back in mid February and I only got around to spending them now.

In Boots, I picked up one of the Stella McCartney Print Collection Eau de Parfum. I know they've been on the scene for quite a while now, but from what I remember they were quite expensive. When I saw they were on sale for €23 I snapped one up. Out of the three prints to choose from, this was my favourite. While in Boots, I also bought some makeup products. I bought three of the Loreal Caresse Sheer Lipsticks (01, 103, 501). These lipsticks have been mentioned on a few blogs already. I don't think I would of noticed them otherwise, there just pushed in with all the other lipsticks, you wouldn't think there new. As you would guess I got a few No7 Vouchers when I bought this stuff. I tend to only buy their makeup wipes with these, but I heard so much talk about the Vital Enlightening Highlighter powder. I'm glad I picked one up. Isn't it so pretty??

This is probably my biggest splurge, it came to around €75 with a gift card my grandparents gave me. I don't think my Nanna was too happy I bought it, she hates when I straighten my hair. After much thought, I decided on the Maxi Styler from the Gold Series. I have frizzy hair which takes forever too straighten, so I thought this would work best for me. I always straighten my hair before work using the Classic Styler and halfway through the day it's frizzy again so I thought it was time for a change. I shall let you know how I get on with it. While I was in Peter Marks, I saw that there was 20% off Redken promotion. I heard one of my favourite bloggers Essie (Essie Button) talk about their All Soft shampoo and conditioner in one of her videos, so I decided to give it a go. I've used it once so far and I really like it.

Last but not least, I went to House of Fraser and Brown Thomas. At the latter, I bought one of the tendertones from MAC's latest collection, Cook MAC, Tread Gently is the shade I picked up. Tendertones have the nicest fruity scent, I love it. Whilst wandering around House of Fraser, I spotted a Laura Mercier stand which I never saw before. On it was a selection of products from their body and bath range. Among them I spotted this Souffle Body Creme Sampler which was €30. I thought this was great value as you get four generous size tubes. I think there usually only available around Christmas time, as I remember thinking how luxurious they looked when I saw them. So far I've used Creme Brulee and Wow it smells heavenly.

This feels like quite a long post. I doubt I'll be buying any beauty products for a while now, so expect plenty of reviews soon!

Laura<3

Wish I Never Bought It!! #3 Korres Pomegranate Cleansing & Makeup Removing Wipes

When I'm getting ready to go to bed I take my makeup off with face wipes. Not the best for my skin I know, but they work a treat when I'm tired and I want my makeup gone fast. When I ran out of my No7 facial wipes, I bought a Korres offering. I heard alot of good reviews so when I saw them in House of Fraser a couple of weeks ago, I bought a packet. I chose the Pomegranate wipes that are specifically for oily/combination skin, at €7.50 I thought they were quite expensive. Considering my favourite from No7 are €1.95 with the €7.50 off vouchers.

I didn't enjoying using these wipes at all. They smell very strong, which is extremely odd considering I've tried the Pomegranate skincare range in the past, and they had a really nice light scent. Anyone who has sensitive skin should stay clear of these as they are heavily fragranced. The wipes did remove my makeup well but I can't say I'll be purchasing them again. My skin reacted quite badly to them too, it was left blotcy which never usually happens. I just got a €7.50 voucher today so I'm going to resort back to using my trusted No7 Quick Thinking wipes for now.

Have you tried these wipes?? How did you find them??

Laura<3

February Favourites

Not many products really wowed me this month, I've resorted back to using some products I haven't been giving much love to lately. One of them is included in this months favourites. In total, I have five products to show you all so I'm going to keep this post short and sweet like February.

I have three Inglot palettes, this is my favourite one.The eyeshadows are so pigmented and for the price (€20 for the entire palette) they were a bargain. I've had this for a couple of months now, my favourite shadow is the dark brown shade which you can see I already hit pan on. I've been using this in the crease with No7's Wheatsheaf eyeshadow all over the lid, regularly for work and it looks really nice. Don't let the glitter put you off, once blended it's more like a light shimmer. I've been more inclined to use these over my MAC eyeshadows lately. If you would like to see a post with swatches and shade numbers let me know in the comments.

The Body Shop's Chocomania Body Lotion

On my birthday I got lots of lovely Chocomania goodies as a present. Out of the products I've tried so far (not many), this is my favourite. As you can see the bottle, I've used it up quite a bit already. This body lotion leaves my skin feeling nice and soft. The whole Chocomania range smells great, I wasn't expecting it to be when I first heard of it's launch. I also like how the lotion seeps into my skin quickly without leaving it greasy.

Loreal Falsh Lash Telescopic Mascara

I always switch between a million different mascaras, but I've stuck with Loreal's latest offering for the last few weeks. I'm a big fan of the original Telescopic mascara so False Lash Telescopic had alot to live up to. Before applying this, my lashes were long to begin with but False Lash gives them that extra something. I'm always left with gorgeous fluttery lashes.

Benefit Sugarbomb Blush

As you can tell from the picture, I've had this blush for a long time. I've only tried two of Benefit's box blushes, Dandelion and this. I've been using Sugarbomb everyday since I rediscovered it in my room. Ir gives a really nice pop of colour to the cheeks, it's something different. I'm tempted to try Hervana next.

Loreal Paris Superliner Carbon Gloss

In my January favourites, I mentioned Loreal's Super Liner, it has squeezed in again this month. I can't believe it took me so long to try it. Before I started using this, I used gel liners all the time. Loreal Super Liner has now taken there place. If you haven't tried this already, I'd recommend it.

What has made it into your February favourites??

Laura<3

Mini Boots Haul

Having just got paid today, I decided to pop into Boots after work to have a quick look around. There wasn't anything in particular I wanted to buy, I just love having a browse around the shops when it's payday. I was surprised to see alot of new product releases in Boots so I treated myself and picked up a few things.

No7 launched there Spring Makeup Collection and Beautiful Skin range during the week. I was drawn more towards the skincare as nothing really caught my eye in the Spring Makeup Collection. Not that it wasn't nice, I just couldn't justify buying more No7 makeup. I have so much  from Christmas Gift sets. I  like the look of the Beautiful Skin range. there are products to suit three skin types, Dry/Very Dry, Normal/Dry and Normal/Oily. No7 came out with this range for people who necessarily don't have time for lengthy skincare regimes, like if they travel alot or are rushing to work. The new packaging is actually sleek and modern which is way nicer than the previous. They have also changed the packaging on the rest of the skincare range (eye makeup remover and the 4 in 1 face wipes) to fit in with the new products.

 I purchased a few products from the Normal/Oily range, the Foaming Cleanser (€12.35), Day Cream (€17.50) and Night Cream (€18.95). I had three No7 vouchers floating around my bag so I used them up. I suppose if you were getting the Day or Night cream I'd recommend using the vouchers on them as they are expensive. I'm going to do a full review on all three products in due course, so check back.

I love Loreal products, so I grabbed two new products I seen on their stand. I went throught two tubes of the original Telescopic mascara so I had to try False Lash Telescopic mascara (€16.49). I have high hopes for this mascara, there's only ever been one Loreal mascara I disliked, the 4D Lash Architect. I really liked it at first but then after a while my lashes were left looking like a clumpy mess, dont buy it! I have alot of mascaras on the go at the moment so I won't be using this for a while. I also bought the Super Liner Gel Intenza (€7.49 when bought with another product usually €14.99) which is the new Loreal 24 hr gel liner. Like the Maybelline Gel Liner this comes with a little precise eyeliner brush. Super Liner Gel Liner comes in two shades, Pure Black and Gold Black. I went for Pure Black, which I guess you can never go wrong with. I'm going to pop up a review of both products after I play around with them a bit.

That brings me to the end of my Mini Boots Haul. My bank account seriously doesn't like this shop come payday at all!

Will you be trying any of these news products?

Laura<3

No7 Ultimate Collection Hatbox!

I love Boot's "Deals of the Week" but this year I haven't been impressed them. Most of the gift sets I seen were a) not what I was looking for or b) the gifts contained bath products. This has never suited me as I only have a shower in my house. Just when I thought all hope was lost, I spotted this little gem when I was out Christmas shopping last Saturday.

No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes
 Cleanse & Clear Eye Makeup Remover 100ml
Protect & Perfect Day Cream 50ml
 Protect & Perfect Night Cream 50ml
Heavenly Hydration Mask 100ml
Protect & Perfect  Intense Beauty Serum 5ml
N07 Eye Shadow Compact
Exceptional Definition Mascara 12ml
Liplicious Lipgloss in Marshmallow 12ml
5 Piece Brush Set

I am a fan of No7, I love their makeup wipes but they are quite expensive. I usually wait for No7 vouchers and stock up on them then. I also like their range of eyeshadows as they blend easily and are very pigmented.

As I spent over €30 I was given this No7 makeup bag full of sample sized products.

No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Day Hand Cream 10ml
Protect & Perfect Intense Beauty Serum 5ml
Exceptional Definition Mascara 4.5ml
Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in Starry Lights
Glitter Eye Liner in Mojito
High Shine Lipgloss in Whisper
€7.50 off No7 Mascara Voucher

There are loads of great products included in this hatbox. It's €40 down from a whopping €88, pretty much a bargain as you also receive this free gift above. This offer is only on in Boots until Thursday 15th December so I'd recommend going down to have a look.

What do you think of the No7 Ultimate Collection Hatbox?

Laura<3