Urban Decay Naked Basics

Urban Decay Naked Basics

I feel like the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette was made for me.  Eye shadow is not something that I use daily as with work I like to try and keep my make up as natural looking as possible. Don’t get me wrong I own many a gorgeous eye shadow palette but sometimes I feel these can look a bit to OTT for daytime wear.

Cue the Naked Basics palette, a pocket sized version on the infamous Urban Decay Naked palettes but filled with 6 neutral matte shades. I love how small this palette is it’s so convenient for travel and the mirror inside is a great size.

As with all of my experiences with Urban Decay eye shadows the quality is second to none. The pigmentation is very strong and the colour true to pan, they also blend beautifully for that flawless finish.

My favourites include Venus and Faint. Venus is the most perfect highlighter colour which I love to use on my brow bone. This shade does have a slight shimmer to it so it’s also lovely for the inner corner of your eyes. Faint I have actually been using for my brows! The mid tone brown colour fills in my brows so they look defined yet still natural.

If mattes are your thing or you are looking for something a little bit friendlier for everyday wear then I cannot recommend this enough.

Do you have this palette? What eye shadow do you reach for on a daily basis?

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Benefit Bad Gal Mascara

Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara

I received the Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara for Christmas, I've been meaning to write this review for a while and I think the reason I kept putting it off is because I had hoped that I would come to love it.

I’m going to get straight to the point and say I’m a bit disappointed with this product, not to be a negative Nelly but with brands like Benefit I always have really high hoped but unfortunately this mascara has left me a little underwhelmed.

First of all I find the brush way too big, far too much product comes out when you full the brush but yet I still find it quite difficult to transfer onto my eye lashes. When I finally get my desired look I actually think my lashes look flirty and fluttery, I think the photo here shows them off quite nicely. However this doesn't last I find that within a couple of hours the product has rubbed off under my eyes leaving me all panda like! Not a good look when going for coffee with the girls.

There is really no comparison between this and Benefits ‘They’re Real’ mascara, the quality is miles apart.

Bad Gal Lash retails for £17.50 and to be honest there are mascaras on the high street that do a better job especially if you are looking for volume.

Sorry Benefit this one is just not for me.

Have you tried this? What’s your favourite mascara?

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The Holiday Body

I’m not quite sure exactly when my new love of workout gear started, but it has and it’s started to take over a little bit. I think Instagram is a little bit to blame, all of the photographs of super toned ladies in there bright sports bras and toned abs makes me very jealous.

Weight has always been an issue for me and while I am not overweight I have never really been comfortable in my own skin, there’s always a couple of extra pounds I need to lose but hey, I like food!

Anyway with my holiday to Cancun on the horizon I have well and truly upped my game and I feel great. I know people always say it but ‘healthy’ really is a lifestyle choice. For me exercise has really helped to change my moods and relieve stress, obviously I still love chocolate and pizza but eating these in moderation makes me enjoy them a lot more. Eating healthy the majority of the time has been great for my skin, energy levels and just helps me to feel better overall.

With all this healthy life style business I still want to look good so I invested in these fabulous pink trainers by Nike from SportsDirect. I say invested but to be fair they were only £37 which I think is a real bargain! I want purple ones next, obviously.

 I’ve also introduced protein shakes into my routine, it’s like having a chocolate milkshake after a workout and I find it such a treat! I got this Maxitone shaker from Holland and Barrett simply because I liked the pink.

Last of all its important to have a good workout playlist. I have a very varied music taste and some of the cheese I have on there would probably worry a few people, but it’s about what you enjoy listening to and what keeps you motivated.

Have you got a holiday booked this year? What keeps you motivated to keep healthy?

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I Heart...Origins

Make a Difference Plus Rejuvenating Moisturiser ♥ Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask ♥ Make A difference Treatment Lotion ♥ Ginzing Eye Cream

Origins are one of those brands that were on my wish list for a very long time and for one reason or another I ended up not purchasing. Now I'm kicking myself for putting it off for so long!

Initially I was looking for a new moisturiser but the lovely assistant in Boots nudged me in the right direction to buy a set and to make it even better I had enough points on my Boots card to pay with, everyone loves a freebie!

♥ First up is the Make a Difference Plus Rejuvenating Moisturiser, and to be honest this is everything that I want in a moisturiser and more. I think the key word here is Rejuvenate because that’s exactly what it does. The moisturiser is recommended for combination dry skin and can be used both morning and night, when applying this skin feels instantly hydrated and the feeling lasts throughout the day. Alone this comes in at a hefty £34 a tub but if you are looking for a bit of luxury I would definitely recommend this.

♥ The Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask is the product that so many bloggers recommended to me and I can now say I am firmly on the bandwagon for this product. It smells amazing quite like peaches or passion fruit; I can’t quite decide which one but it’s still lovely. You apply this to your skin after your evening routine and leave it on overnight and then wake up with super soft skin. It really is one of my favourite products at the moment.

♥ The Treatment lotion complements the moisturiser perfectly. Toner is the step in my skincare routine that I usually ‘forget’ but when something leaves your skin feeling so fresh it’s hard to leave it out!

♥ The Ginsing Eye Cream wasn't actually part of the set but I was lucky enough to pick it up in a blog sale. This is hands down the best eye cream I've ever had. Usually with eye creams if I don’t see instant results I will toss it aside, but this has little flecks of shimmer that help to really brighten up your eyes, it works wonders for early mornings!

So a very positive review today, origins definitely has my seal of approval!

Do you like Origins? Are there any products that you would recommend I try next?

Happy Friday every one and have a good weekend!

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A Beautiful Weekend

There’s nothing like a good wedding to bring all of the people you love together. Last weekend we ventured up north for my cousins wedding and it couldn't have been a lovelier weekend.

First of all I think getting to stay in a hotel is a bit of a treat, especially when the bed is massive and ridiculously comfy! Before we hit the sack we did find time for a couple of drinks, the Grey Goose elderflower fizz cocktail in particulate going down a bit too well for me!

We were so lucky with weather it was just a bit windy but it was worth the wind to see my auntie chasing her hat around the venues garden, Priceless!

The wedding itself was gorgeous, the centre piece was beautiful I’m such a sucker for a good jug of flowers and the tea lights just finished it off perfect.

It took me forever to find a dress but in the end I found this beaut from AX Paris and knew it was the one, my sister did my nails to match.

Overall a beautiful day and congratulations once again to the happy couple.

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