Bumble and Bumble Surf Set - First Impressions

This was quite the implies purchase, or should I say, something I've stared longingly at for weeks as its been sat on the Boots till point. I finally crumbled and purchased it, along with my lunch, one afternoon during work and I have to say, I'm really quite impressed with it. I mainly lusted over it for the name, as Bumble & Bumble have worked up quite a cult like following, and I'd never seen any in the store nearest to me - but after reading post after post from bloggers I actually trusted, I knew that the Salt Spray was going to be mine, but I thought why not get some mini's, as not only are they a great deal cuter, but that'll allow me to get my foot in the door, in terms of what to expect from their products. The salt spray was the first product I went to, with it's opaque plastic casing, feeling quite luxe even though a part of me always thought that it was glass... though, plastic is much better as it's not going to smash when dropped. And I'm very clumsy, so it would definitely be dropped at some point, that's just the way it is.

I don't think you can buy it in a set online, as Boots wasn't showing any, but you can buy the smaller bottles individually, so if you only fancy trying one or two out of the set, then go for it, but at £18, it's a bit of a bargain, as you get to try out some much raved about products without dishing out a fair bit of money. That's basically what interested me in the set, as I didn't want to pay £20+ for something I didn't know I was going to like. So, onto the shampoo and conditioner. First impression wasn't anything spectacular, as no haircare products are really gripping my as much as my selections from Lush - but more on those later. It's meant to rid the hair of all impurities, but I think it takes more than one wash and dry to really determine whether I like it or not - so check back here for my full opinion in a few weeks. The surf spray, however, I think is the star product for me so far - there's just something so wonderful about casual, wavy by the seaside hair, even when the weather is getting colder - I think I may be quite late to the bandwagon, but I've always loved a good tousled lock. As far as first impressions go, it's pretty positive - but I think I'll need a good few weeks to try everything out, which is always quite exciting. Skincare is like that, I always try something out for a fair amount of time before giving my full opinion - so, what do you think of these products? Are they something that appeal to you?

Late August Favourites

I know it's late, but better late than never, right? Say hello to some August favourites of mine, and don't they look pretty sat on my 'Pugs not Drugs' notebook and my Cath Kidston purse, which was a birthday present from a very lovely lady. This month is a very face orientated group of products, aside from two things, but who doesn't like a sparkly nail polish and a good hand cream?

Let's start with some good ol' Soap & Glory products, such as Show Good Face (£11, here) and One Heck of a Blot (£12, here). The foundation is in the palest colour, called Fairest of them All, which, to be honest, makes me feel like Snow White. And who am I to complain about feeling like a Disney Princess? It's light, build able coverage that gives my skin the loveliest glow, and when teamed with the powder, which I use to set makeup on my T-zone, then this look is good to go, with minimal touchups for most of the day. I do need a cheeky bit of powder on my nose, now and again to keep shine at its minimum. These two, are some makeup essentials for me, and prove that S&G can not only bring it with skincare, but with their makeup. Keep it up. 

Next up, we've got some serious Seventeen love going on. Brow's That! Brow Kit (£6, here), Phwoarr Paint in Fair (£5.49, here) and Wild Metallic Eyes Cream Eyeshadow in Wild Nude (which I can't seem to find online anymore). These three have been saving me, as not only as they easy to use, but they've been in every makeup bag I've been carrying around with me, for months now. The brow kit I use with an angled eyeliner brush, so I've got maximum control over what's going on my brows; it has a creamy gel kinda product, then a matte powder, then a shimmery champagne esc highlight, that I use not only under my brows, but on the inner corner of eye, to give me that wide awake look. Phwoarr Paint is everything. I mean it. It's my concealer of choice and I love it so much, I cannot contain how much I love this product. It covers everything, and it's less than £6. Yes, less than £6. I keep two of these stowed away just in case, as you never know ... please don't ever discontinue this. Pretty pleaaaaaase. I will cry. Other bloggers will cry. Just don't do it, okay?

Maybelline's Colour Drama Lipstick in Nude Perfection (£4.99, here) and Eraser Eye Concealer in Nude (£7.99, here) are two saviours of mine, that, quite frankly, everyone should have. I've read that these Velvet Lip Pencils from Maybelline are being compared to Nars Matte Velvet Lip Pencil (£18, here), which I totally understand, as yes, they have similar names, but they do actually apply very smoothly, as well as giving good pigmentation and staying power. If you have both of these pencils, write me a comment down below, and let me know what you think of the comparison between them. I'd definitely say, that if you're thinking of trying out the Nars pencils, I'd go to Maybelline first, in order to see if the matte pencil texture, is one for you.

The Eraser Eye Concealer was something I bought inspired by Rougepout whose blog can be found here and her Instagram, which I have been obsessed with for as long as I've had an account on there. She's a complete and utter babe, and she's also on Youtube, so you should check her out. I remember seeing the concealer on her account, and being instantly interested, as I trust her opinion on makeup, as I've been speaking to her the longest out of all the bloggers I follow. It's a highlighting, covering concealer that I really love, as when used with the above Seventeen concealer, I don't feel like I need to wear foundation - I can just go without, and feel exactly as comfortable. 

Benefit's Gimme Brow in Medium/Dark (£17.50, here) is simply, a little bit of brow mascara, that sets your brows in place, all the whilst giving them a bit of oomph that I like in a good brow. If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, then you'll known I'm all about a bit of brow love, so this product works so well in allowing my to brush my brows into place, as well as touching up the shape, just incase some hairs are being a bit naughty, and refusing to remain in their correct place. 

A product that I've had for a while, and only really just rediscovered, is No7's Natural Cream Blush in Pink Blush (£8, here) which is such an adorable pink, as it gives that really sweet, pinchable cheeks kinda look, which I think would look gorgeous on all skintones, as it can be built up in order to make the colour more pigmented - as if you've just had a brisk walk and the cold has been nipping at your cheeks. It has such a soft feels to it, so it can be applied with a brush, a stippling brush is my choice, or with your fingers. 

Nyx Gel Liner and Smudger in Charlotte (£8, here) is one of my lesser used products, as in order to achieve a brown cat eye, or even smudge the colour all over the lid, it doesn't require a lot of product, which is wonderful for longevity of use. It's a soft, creamy texture, that sets to a smudge proof look, whether smudged or applied in a flicked line with an eyeliner brush. The brush that I use, is generally a thin tapered one, but to apply all over the lid, I use my finger, as after all, it does say smudge. Next up, is Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream (£3.85, here) which I hurried into Boots one day and purchased, as my hands were so horrifically dry after work, so this was a grab and go kinda situation. My Soap & Glory Handfood wasn't with me, and Norwegian Formula was something I'd never tried, but I'm very glad that I did. It's a quick absorbing, moisturising formula that I quite happily slap onto my hands before and after work, as I do work in Retail, in which my hands take a beating, with all the dust and handling of clothes/items/boxes. 

Essie Luxe Nail Polish in Stroke of Brilliance (£7.99, here) is a gorgeous, gorgeous glitter polish that has this beautiful blue/purple/violet glimmer to it, that give your nails that gorgeous 'I can't stop looking at my fingernails' look. It's a horror to get off, like all glitter polishes, unless you know that you have to soak your nails, or leave them, for a good five minutes, wrapped up with nail polish remover covering the entire nail - pretty sure it's called ...something to do with foil. Glitter foil method? But back to the appeal of it. I saw the glittery goodness in Boots one day, and I just had to have it. It's part of their Luxe collection, which contains four other glitter polishes, but this one just spoke to me. I think it's because it was blue and beautiful, a combination that I cannot say no to. I posted some serious love for it on my Instagram (@ohkalukalay) on top of Barry M Hi Shine Gel Polish in Huckleberry (£3.99, here). All in all, it has that glorious Essie formula, which I adore, with the staying power we expect from them, as they didn't chip for a good few days, or show any too noticeable wear. 

So, this is the end of everything for this month's favourites, folks, let me know what you've been loving this month xx

L'oreal True Match Foundation in N1

I am the first to admit, I don't have that much experience with foundations, and although I own about four/five of them, I'm not very adventurous when it comes to base products. I like products that have a medium + coverage, as there is redness and uneven skin tone that needs covering, as well as using the combination of two concealers on top; I like my base to be flawless and well concealed, so imagine the surprise when I took a shine to the sound of L'oreal's True Match Foundation which boats a light to medium coverage, with a glow like property, that's been compared to Giorgio Armani's Luminous Silk Foundation. I can't say anything about the duplicate like quality of the foundation, (this knowledge can be found on Amelia's blog here) but it's been raved about, and I thought I would give it a go.

And I'm certainly glad that I did! It's sheer, but buildable, for when you want more coverage, and I like a good bit of coverage on my cheeks, but fairly light everywhere else, so this is a really great foundation for that. It gives me this glow, and having oily/combination skin - glow usually means oil, and whilst I may think 'Oh my god, I look so shiny', everyone says 'You look really glowy today'... I'm not sure if it's just my reaction to any type of shine (IT MUST ALL BE MATTE) but this foundation has actually allowed my matte foundation o.c.d to take a back seat, and just let me look all glowy. And I really like it. Now, I do use a primer (Witch's Anti-blemish Skin Clearing Primer), it's pretty much an essential with my skin type, and use Soap & Glory's One Heck of a Blot pressed into the skin to allow the foundation to last longer.

You see that blob of foundation? Well, you see what's to the left of it? Looks like nothing, right? Well, that's the foundation blended to perfection. Looks like skin? I know. Now, my hands are very pale, and this allows the blueness of my veins to really standout (currently there is a very purpley-blue one) on my left hand, but this foundation covered it with no qualms at all. I use the shade N1, and you can find your shade here, although they did tell me I was a N3 on the online shade range; so I wouldn't fully heed their advice, just take it into account, but don't be afraid to swatch in store - you know your colouring better than they do. 

Wear wise, this foundation does last for a good eight hours, with minor touch-up's in between (like a gentle powdering of the nose etc) and the glow it gives, lasts all day - so much so, that I sometimes hate to remove it at the end of the night, as no longer will I have that lovely, even glow. Being very pale, and having that wonderful glow usually associated with having a tan, is a lovely feeling, and it made me feel a bit more confident, as although i'm by far one of the palest people in my place of work, when I stand next to a tanned person, I don't feel like my skin isn't glowing, like theirs do (if that makes any sense). I just look glowy and I like it. Did I mention that my mum has stolen this foundation and claimed it as her own?

Let's talk about another skin type. My mum's. She has mature, dry skin, and this foundation makes her skin look so good. Now, she has really good skin anyway (and she's totally my inspiration for looking after my skin) but this makes her look glowy, and when combined with a Bourjois Cream Blush (also mine) she feels, and looks really good. It's definitely something I would recommend, not only for younger skin, but for mature skin as well, as who doesn't like a bit of glow?

What do you think of this foundation? Is it something that you like the sound of? xx

Cardiff Haul featuring Mac, Nars, Liz Earle, Origins, Maxfactor, Body Shop.

I don't know if it's just me, but whenever I see a haul post on a blog, in my head I always start singing 'They see me haulin', they hatin'... I have no idea why. Seroiusly. No Idea. But who doesn't love a good haul? I certainly adore them, and they're some of my favourite posts to read (notebook and pen in hand) as I love seeing what people are buying (I'm nosy like that), so I couldn't wait to get this post up for you guys to have a good ol' nose at what I bought in Cardiff when I went with my two Bff's (it was all over my twitter, so you probably know how excited I was). Now, these purchases have been long thought out, and researched, but some haven't and were just bought on a whim (and what a fun whim it was!) So i'll go through them all with you (:

First thing's first; Liz Earle's Eyebright, which I bought from John Lewis as well as the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella (Cruella De Vil, Cruella De Vil, if she doesn't scare you... no evil thing will!) ... it's seriously been in my head since I bought it, haha. Eyebright was a blog found inspiration (can't remember whose blog it was on :( ) and I instantly jotted it down in my notebook for me to check out, as I'd never had anything from her range before, but i've read very good things about her line, as they always seem very natural and soothing, so that was me sold! Now, Nars was a twitter recommendation (once again, I cannot remember who... should really write these things down) and I was perusing the Nars counter for a good fifteen minutes before deciding on Cruella which is a gorgeous colour, a creamy texture even though it has a matte finish, and it seems to be a slightly less purpley Rimmel 107. I'll have to give it a good few wears to fully have an opinion on it. Watch this space (; 

Next, we'll do the Maxfactor goodies! There was an offer on in Boots (from which I also bought the Origins Super Spot Remover and Limited Edition Vaseline) and I had been very intrigued by the False Lash Effect Mascara in Waterproof (it has to be waterproof for me!) as I'd seen in on numerous blogs, and since Vivianna first introduced me to L'Oreal's Telescopic, I though I would follow her lead, and try this one out. I'll report back with what I find. The Whipped Creme foundation (in Light Ivory 40) was something I'd been looking forward to since it was announced, but decided to use up all my other Maxfactor foundation before springing out for a new one. The coverage is light, and would be perfect for a 'this is my natural skin' kind of look, but since i'm having a bit of a bad skin moment, it's been resigned for the day when my skin get's better (should be any day now). The Origins Super Spot Remover was a Tattooed Tea Lady find, and anything that can reduce my blemishes is a win for me! I've been using it for a few days now, and I think it's amazing. Truly a miracle product! It reduces blemishes overnight, and are gone much quicker than if left naturally. Loving this! The Vaseline was something I stumbled upon whilst wandering around Boots (as you do) and it immediately went in my basket. Vaseline is always an essential for me, for cold weather, as it acts as a barrier between my lips and the certain chilliness which was most certainly chap them. For an outing, I would slick on some lip balm, and put this on top, just so my lips don't lose that essential moisture during Autumn/Winter. 

Now onto the Mac (you've been waiting for this, haven't you?) I bought Diva lipstick, Burgandy lipliner and Vintage Selection paint pot. The paint pot was under the recommendation of Gemma, who was dealing with my Mac noobness (never been there before... shame on me!) as she gave me numerous paint pot recommendations, and under some perusing I decided that Vintage Selection was the one for me! It's gorgeous, and it doesn't move. Seriously. I swatched it on my hand in Debenhams (Thank you Ms Lucy for the Mac in Debenhams recommendation, as they were so lovely and so helpful!) and it didn't come off for ages. It's a champagne, rose gold glittery perfection of a colour, and i'm so glad that I was told about it! There's something very familiar about Diva, as it's a burgundy red, and it's so nice to wear on the lips, especially when combined with the Burgandy lipliner. It's a match made in heaven. I will report back with more knowledge on these Mac purchases (:

Now it's all about the Body Shop and Paperchase! In the Body Shop, I went a bit Chocomania mad (it just smells so good!) because as soon as I smelt it, I was actually salivating, and knew that I had to have it! So I purchased the Body Butter and the Shower Gel, and I can't stop smelling them both. So good! And who doesn't want to smell like a mango? I ask you, who honestly doesn't? So I bought the shower gel in Mango as well. I'm going to be smelling so good, I may be tempted into self cannibalism... only joking! Hahahaha. Paperchase is a fabulous place. It's all notebooks and stationary, and I do love stationary. So I bought a blogging notebook, one exclusively for my blogging, so I wanted something bright and cheerful, bound and with narrow lines. This one wasn't narrow ruled, but it ticked all of the other boxes, and that's good for me. I also purchased some Sticky Note bookmarks, as if you're anything like me, you have dozens of bookmarks but can never find any when you start a new book, so this was a genius purchase (:

So this was my Cardiff Haul! I hope that you liked it, and maybe even spotted a few products that you'd like to see more on (: Just let me know, though expect some in depth makeup reviews once they're all road tested. Thank you for reading.

xx