My #Beautystoptober update: Week #1

It's been tough. Actually, not really, because I've been buying Christmas presents for other people, so I haven't been craving the need to buy makeup and skincare - and I've really been enjoying what I already own. Somethings are new though, but they're for my hair. With the ban on makeup and skincare, I decided to sort my hair out. It's been a complete grease ball recently, which is icky in itself, but second day hair is a no-go, as I basically have to wash it everyday, or every other day, with second day hair being dry shampooed to hell and back. But after stripping all the stuff out, it still wasn't back to normal - Lucky for me, my fellow blogger Katie and I had been invited to Lush in Cardiff for a blogging event, and whilst I was there, a lovely Lush lady took it upon herself to sort my hair out. 

I thank that lady for taking a good half an hour out of her day to talk to me about shampoo and conditioner; in the end I walked away with Rehab (£5.50, here), Veganese (£4.50, here) and R&B (£11.50, here), and my goodness are they sorting my hair out. I used this trio almost as soon as I walked through the door after coming back from my two days of blogging events, and my hair was bouncy and soft - the stuff of dreams. It's quite fine, but I have a lot of it, so having it be bouncy and soft is what I always want from my hair - so yay to that! But back to my #beautystoptober: I've had time to get an early start on Christmas presents for my family, friends and boyfriend - I remember last year when I was boyfriend-less and I spent the money I would have spent on a boyfriend, on myself - good times. But you know what? I'm actually really excited about Christmas this year, not that I wasn't last year... or the year before, seriously, I'm so ridiculously festive, I'm the first one to say 'Have a Merry Christmas' in work and the one to bounce excitedly when all the Christmas music starts playing. It's the most wonderful time of the year, after all. 

Roll on week #2, and we'll see how my skincare/makeup ban is going. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? If so, buy anything exciting? 

The Lip Exfoliation and Conditioning Routine

It's Autumn, and that therefore means its almost Winter, and Winter is the bringer of dry, chapped lips. Air conditioning, cold weather and everything that comes with this time of year dehydrates the lips, and even though you can drink as much water as you can, there are just somethings that you can't escape. So let's do something to prevent and treat. Enter ELF's Studio Lip Exfoliator (£3.95, here) to gently buff away the build up of skin. I think it's brilliant that it's shaped like a lipstick, as you don't even have to use a mirror to apply it - you can just buff away, whilst watching tv or something. I use soft circular motions, as I think it's quite easy to overuse it, and develop sore lips, which is a big no-no for me, especially in really cold weather. Balaclava anyone? 

There's something really nourishing about this sugar scrub, as it's full of amazing things to be gentle on your lips such as 'Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Avacado, Grape and Jojoba Oils' - which aid in keeping lips moisturised whilst buffing away all the dead skin. Once I apply this, I dampen a flannel in warm water, and buff away very lightly at my lips, until I can feel that all the product is gone, and my lips are left ridiculously soft and smooth. If I can feel that my lips still aren't up to shape, then I'll lightly buff away again with the the same flannel, just to gently exfoliate the area. Once they're in tip-top shape, it's time for the moisturiser - and by that, I mean my Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm (Currently  on offer at £6.33, here). This lip balm, is a thing of wonder. It's so deeply conditioning, I wonder what I used in my life before it when it came to Winter and the horrid issue of chapped lips. 

It's simple really, all I do is coat my lips in a thin coat of the luscious balm, and then reapply when needed - but if I do the whole routine before bed, I apply a thicker layer, and leave it to sink in over night. Leaving me with amazingly soft, moisturised lips in the morning. This lip balm is so good, I pop it every travel makeup bag that I use, which leads me to the conclusion that my boyfriend will be loving this balm too, when it comes to Winter, as we're those dry, chapped lips kinda people. So it not only beautifies your fabulous self, it'll rescue your fellow loved ones from the perils of harsh, Winter winds and just general lip chapped-ness. 

Do you have a little routine that you use to prep your lips? Are these products something that you'd consider? 

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick

 

 

 

Let's talk about Bourjois. But then again, who doesn't want to talk about Bourjois? It's the brand that all the bloggers seem to be talking about, and why not? With some amazing releases, including these incredible Rouge Edition Velvet Lipsticks, they're really stepping it up, and giving some of the more expensive brands a run for their money. The shades below are Ole Flamingo!, Pink Pong, Gran Cru, Hot Pepper, Peach Club and Personne ne Rouge! and they're marvellous. So, let's talk about them. They go on glossy, but end up matte and divine, the kind of lipstick you apply and don't have to touch up for most of the day. This is very true to my experiences, aside from a little wear around the centre of the lips, I don't have to deal with them at all throughout the day. Which is my ideal lip product really, especially when I'm working, and don't have time to touch up. 

 

 

Pink is always a good place to start. Pink Pong (the colour above) is a 'smack you right in the face' bright pink; it's fuchsia and by damn, it wants to be noticed. It's not a colour you can overlook, or even look away from, it's a bam! in your face colour, and I love it. I was a little afraid of it at first, because it's so bright, but once I saw Lisa Eldridge use it in one of her videos, I was sold. It's gorgeous, and not in a classic way, it's modern and fun - it makes me feel like it would jazz up any look and instantly give you a zing that a red lip just won't do. Or maybe that's just me and my new found interest in bright pink lipsticks. The formula is amazing, and the colour is so bright and spunky, it just makes me feel like I want to wear it all the time (making me forego all my other lipsticks). Pink Pong has a bite to it, so definitely go test and swatch, if you feel like you're up to the challenge of such a bright lip (I wasn't at first, but I just put it on one day, and I've never looked back).

Below, we have Ole Flamingo! A bright pink, with a hint of something deeper behind it, like a berry of some kind. I think it has an almost Raspberry depth to it, making it more wearable, in a sense, than Pink Pong (i.e. less scary) which takes some guts to wear. It's such a wonderful intense colour (much like all of them) and because of the red-pinkness to it, I'd recommend it to red lipstick wearers that are thinking of branching out in pink lipsticks - I think it would be a relatively easy step, compared to Pink Pong, which sometimes I'm still a bit 'omg, can I pull this off?'. I think wearing any bright or dark lipstick takes some guts, but I feel like this would be the easiest step into the world of pink, without becoming too afraid. With fear comes second guessing, and with that is the 'No, I'll wear something more familiar instead'.

 

 

Next, is Grand Cru. Ugh, this colour. It's a deep, dark red, and it's made of amazingness and wonder. I wore this on a night out, layered over MAC's Burgundy lipliner, and it made me look like one of those mysterious ladies you see at bars, sipping on a cocktail and silently judging everyone. I wasn't doing either of those things, but it just made me feel rather awesome; a feeling I always welcome, especially since I was on a night out with my boyfriend and his friends (gotta impress ;)). The colour is something, I can only really compare to the colour of blood in dark, fantasy movies. The red, almost black blood that vampires would wear and look absolutely fabulous; considering how pale I am, and the amount of black I was wearing on the night, it was quite an unintentional vampire look (funny how that happens). The lipstick stayed on all night, and whilst my shoes gave me trouble (oh dear god the pain) my makeup was on point, and I was so impressed with the liner/lipstick duo, that I'd definitely wear it again.

Oh, Hot Pepper. It's an orange-red that bloggers have been raving about, calling it the 'new bright red lip' and I totally agree with those claims. It's one of the brightest reds that I own, and there's something about the orange undertone that I just love. It's such a modern looking red, which I suppose is down to it's wonderful mix of red and orange, and it just seems like the kind of colour that you could wear toned down, or amped up, depending on where you were going, or what time of day it was. This patted onto the lips, and blended subtlety is a gorgeous look, soft but still bright, and one of the only colours i'd do that with. There's just something lovely about the subtle pop of colour, as well as the pow! bright lip. 

 

 

Last up are Personne ne Rouge! and Peach Club, two colours that just sing. The red. Oh my god, the red above, is the red of dreams. It's that intense red, the red you see movie stars wearing on the (ha) red carpet - it's the type of red that you want, no, need in your life. The ultimate red, and with the staying power that Bourjois have created, makes this an absolute go-to for a night out, or just generally when you feel the need for that classic red lip. It's the slight blue undertone to a classic red that makes me teeth appear whiter, and you like an even more fabulous rendition of yourself. The power of a red lip cannot be under or overstated, and if you find yourself looking for that classic colour, go check and swatch this little beauty. It will not disappoint. It's a timeless colour and very intense on the lip. You'll love it. Believe me. 

Peach is never a colour I was comfortable wearing on the lips, until I decided to give Peach Club a chance, and now, I can just slick it on and not worry. It's such a subtle colour to wear, despite how intense it goes on, as it's bright, but not too bright. It's a very pale, almost orange toned pink that I can wear and not think about; it's not a red lip, so it doesn't require the effort or like a pink lip, so it doesn't have that scare factor. It's soft and subtle, an everyday look that has a certain nod to the 60's about it - it makes me think it'd go perfect with a short shift dress and some eyeliner (sadly, I can't wear shift dresses because my figure doesn't like it, but the liner part of the tale is true). Black winged out liner and this colour, and divine together. A subtle evening out look, that isn't as 'in your face' as red or pink, therefore making this easy and simple to wear. In the day or night, this colour is a winner. Go swatch it. Actually, go swatch them all. You won't be disappointed. Which colours have caught your eye? 

My #beautystoptober Challenge

Hello there, lovely folks. Now, around this time of year, there's numerous adverts on tv for 'Stoptober' and 'Stay Sober for October', for smoking and alcohol, respectively. Now, I don't smoke, and nor do I drink that much, so giving up either of those for a month didn't seem like a great deal of effort, but I do however, have something I need to give up. I need to stop buying makeup and skincare. I am obsessed with it, to the point that I'm spending a good £150+ a month on it, which isn't something I can generally afford to do each month. Enter this idea. It popped into my head one day last week, and I made a snap decision to do it. No makeup or skincare purchases for the month of October. Quite a rash decision, but I'm determined to do it. For even more of an incentive, I've decided that everyday I go without buying makeup or skincare, I will donate money to Cancer Research UK. Not only will this give me that 'No, I can't buy this product, as that's less money to give to Cancer Research' feeling, but even if I only pop a £1 or £2 in a jar a day, it's money better spent; as not only does it allow me to prove to myself that I can go without buying products for myself, for a month, but also, that I don't need to keep up to date with new products to make my blog interesting.

I've got my Cancer Research UK form all ready for me to fill out at the end of the month, and I think it'll strengthen my resolve, so I don't spend anything on makeup/skincare, as to be honest, I have far too much of it anyway. I hate to admit it, but my Mum is right, I do have too much makeup (which I don't think is that bad for a beauty blogger... but, oh well). This will not only allow me to use up what I already have, but who doesn't like a good 'Shopping the stash' post? I certainly do, especially if there's a certain look that someone is trying to create. My hashtag #beautystoptober will be in use throughout the month of October, and will be featured on this blog at least once a week, just so you guys know how i'm coping. If I use a lot of sad, crying face emojis on Twitter, then the challenge is not going well. But money spent on me, is less money for Cancer Research, so I'm going to try my best. For the month of October, expect to see a few posts on the challenge, me shopping my stash, and talking about products that I've been trying out for the past few weeks or so. I'm really trying to be positive about this month, as I think, if I can go for the entire month of October not buying makeup or skincare, then I can do it in the future, should I need to save some serious money. I'll be thinking of my future tiny flat, and my future sausage dog for inspiration to get me through the month, as well as the money I put into my #beautystoptober jar, helping those fighting cancer. Actually, i'm ready for it now. Let's do it. C'mon October, I'm not afraid of you. 

Ciaté Haute House Nail Polish Collection

Who doesn't love a good nail polish collection? Especially when it comes to Ciaté, who do collections that I continually lust over, I mean, c'mon, look at this! It's a Haute House. How kitsch is that?! I think it looks the part, without even opening the front door to look inside, I was impressed. I was even more impressed by the price (all hail TKmaxx for the cheeky £6.99 sticker) and I continued to be impressed, all the way to the till. I felt quite smug with myself for finding such a little treasure, as I'm a huge fan of a bargain, and saving about £15 is a huge plus for me. Tkmaxx are full of bargains, some good, some not so good, but I would definitely recommend popping in there when you have the chance, as you never know what you're going to find. But enough about that, let's talk about the collection. First of all, cutest packaging ever. It's just so sweet, and it's perfect for this time of year, as it's so Autumnal in its colours, which is very appropriate considering the colours inside. 

It houses five wonderful, inky polishes: Can Can, a deep burgundy red, For the Frill of it, a golden bronze, Sass Pot, an dark amethyst purple, Knee Highs, the colour of blue glass and Tickle my Fancy, a glorious bottle green. These shades were described as 'inky, date night shades' which were seductive 'one stroke shades to unleash your inner sex kitten - inspired by luxe lingerie labels, perfect pairing with lace'. I'm all for a good 'date night' shade, although, surely any colour you choose to put on before going on a date, is a date night shade? Or they may just be implying that something vampy is more likely to get you into that seductive mindset. Well, does that mean we're all channelling our inner seductress during A/W because that's when I wear a lot of dark shades, as I know others do too? Hmm, well, it's very exciting, anyway. For me, stepping away from their seductive nature, are pretty much Autumn at its best, as I'm moving from bright, pastel shades and into something a bit darker; the changing of the seasons always seems to equate a change in mood for nail polish colours, so what seems more appropriate then a new nail wardrobe, or a new nail house? Enter, Ciaté with their Haute House. 

These adorable little mini polishes are perfect for a quick manicure before heading out, or even staying in, and although it claims 'high pigment in one stroke', which is partially true, I would say that they need two coats at least, to give the full impact of colour. For the Frill of it, that gorgeous bronze gold, was a bit wishy washy on the first coat, and the same could be said of Sass Pot, that lovely deep purple. They didn't apply as 'wow', as the other three did, which was a bit of a disappointment at the time - they're definitely the polishes that require a second coat before you apply a top coat. 

They do show their potential after two coats, with For the Frill of it, showcasing a cheeky shot of glitter running through it, making it catch the light and giving me some serious lust for it to go on my nails. Sass Pot has the same appearance when applied, with a slight glimmer to it, but much like its bronzy counterpart, it needs a second coat, maybe even a third if you're not too impressed with it - it's more of a personal opinion, but I wouldn't necessarily say no to a third coat if I felt it needed it. 

Onto my three favourites; Can Can, Knee Highs and Tickle My fancy. These three packed the best pigment punch, and it was adoration from first stroke. The brush, was actually rather large for a mini polish, and covered the nail in three easy swipes - another area that I was impressed by. These three give you the immediate idea of what colour they're going to be, just with the first coat, so much so, if you were in a rush, one coat and a top coat would do you really well - so keep these in mind, should you have to dash. These polishes all have something wonderful about them, something so Autumnal, it has me wishing for cold night, snuggly socks and hot chocolate, but I'm not going to say goodbye to sunshine and warmth just yet. I think my boyfriend would refuse to talk to me if he thought I was wishing it was colder (He's all about the sun). 

From left: Can Can, For the Frill of it, Sass Pot, Knee Highs and Tickle my Fancy. 

The wear on these, with my darling Seche Vite topcoat, is a good week - and can I just mention how much I love wearing dark colours on my toes? I can see a battle commencing between Can, Can and Tickle my Fancy for which one will be on my toenails most often. The other three I'm reserving exclusively for my fingernails, but who knows? They all may grace my nails at some point - taking about toenail exclusivity isn't how I roll, and I'm greedy. I want all the polished on my fingernails so I can parade them in front of people. Parading toenails requires taking off boots and socks, which is far too much effort in A/W considering how cold it gets. Anywho, what shades are you looking forward to wearing this season? Have any of these polishes taken your fancy? xx

The Bedside Table and what I reach for, Night or Day.

Who doesn't love a good snoop at someone's bedside table? I for one, am very nosy, and like to know what blogger keep by their bedside, as that's where all the 'must have' products are kept. It's not only housing my skincare, but those lovely little products that I take off when I get in my room, before flopping on my bed and turing on MTV to watch Catfish: The TV Show (I am obsessed with that show!!). It usually contains my current choice of nail polish, a cheeky topcoat and some jewellery, as well as my favourite lip balm ever, Nuxe's Reve de Miel. 

My tin of skincare products which I spoke about here, is a complete essential for me - as it's so easy to reach for, when i'm in bed, after I take my face off (not in the Roald Dahl Witches kinda way) but in the 'Ooooh double cleanse' way. It's in a sweet little tin that I bought years ago from Dunelm, and it's the perfect size for everything to be within arms reach. But there are also those little additions which didn't make it into my 'Nightly Routine' and they are the Bioderma for oily/combination skin, Liz Earle's Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion, which is more of a morning thing for me and The Body Shop's Hemp Hand Cream; it's the only hand cream for me that gives the really nourishing overnight care. 

Another few essentials are some kooky art work, courtesy of my best friend's creativeness and Laura Ashley, a Primark candle that smells like pineapple and a little plate full of rings and jewels. Nothing too fancy, just a mix of purchases from holidays abroad and the high street - the fancy jewellery has a pretty box dedicated to it. It's also a little storage section for future blog post ideas, such as nail polish swatches for an upcoming Ciate polish post, featuring their Haute House which is totally gorgeous and will have you wishing Autumn would arrive sooner. What do you keep on your bedside? Are you a fan of artwork right where you wake up? 

My Bedside Skincare Stash and Nightly Routine

I think skincare, especially bedside skincare is always something I like to have a good snoop at when other people post about them - call me nosy, but I'm always interested in what ladies (and gents) are putting on their skin before they head off to sleep. So, let's start with a good double cleanse, which I think is pretty essential after a long day, as I think it not only makes my skin look good, but it makes it feel good. Taking the day off your face is a very good feeling - it's like being fresh as a daisy, but for bed. Recharging and repairing, it's all about feeling and looking better. For my double cleanse, I start with my Una Brennan Vitamin C Cleansing Oil (£10.99, here) followed by Sanctuary Polishing Hot Cloth Cleanser (£10.50, here) and although any double cleanse is a good one, these are two products that I've found work for me really well. Combined with a good ol' Primark flannel, it's the start of that fresh skin feeling. 

After I've double cleansed and gently buffed away at my skin with the flannel, I splash my face with cold water two or three times, just to feel a bit more awake (which is weird, I know, since I do it before bed) and then, it's onto my products. First up, is La Roche-Posay's Serozinc which I use for double toning - the first spritz is removed with cotton wool, before spritzing again - which I leave to sink in for a minute or two, before I apply my eye cream. Now, as far as eye creams go, I've used quite a few, and I've found that I can't use anything too thick or fancy, as the skin around my eyes is so sensitive, I'll just break out into blisters. I know. Under eye blisters. Ew. So I just stick to my Una Brennan Vitamin C Dark Circles Eye Cream (£12.99, here) which I apply under the eye, and on the eyelid. It's moisturising, but a thin enough fluid to be used on the eyelid, which is a big seller for me. After that, it's straight in with La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Duo + (£15.50, here), it doesn't require a lot of product to do its job, so a tube can last a good while, when applied day and night. It's my main spot fighting treatment, as I find it just keeps my skin under control when teamed with my other super products. 

After Effaclar, it's all about Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Facial Serum (£24.99, here) with its hyaluronic acid, which is a proven moisture booster - so basically, everything you apply after this, is going to sink into the skin and be drunk up, leaving you with plump glowing skin. After I apply about, a pea sized amount of this to the skin, I like to give an extra pow of a moisture boost, so I spritz on a bit of Caudalie Beauty Elixr (£10.90/30.40, here) and it just gives me that 'mmm, lovely skin feeling' which I adore - and it smells amazing, so what's not to love? After that, it's time for the oil. If you're a reader of my blog, then you know I do loooooove love love my Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil (£16.50, here) because it does wonderful things to my skin, and I've almost finished the bottle, so i'm close to tears until I buy my new bottle. I apply two drops to my fingertips, then massage it into the skin before breaking out my Medieval implement of torture aka my Body Shop Facial Massager (£6.00, here) which I run over my face in downward motions. I start at the centre of my forehead, then go down the outside of my brows, over my cheekbones, down my jaw and neck. This removes the build up of toxins from the skin, and makes your skin glow with all the loveliness of circulation. After repeating the motion on the other side of my face, I then work out from my nose, and apply the same method, taking it down the neck. Then my chin, and et voila.

The next step, is not something I do every night, as Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair (On offer at £38.70, here) is quite rich for my skin, so I apply it three or four times a week, in order to aid my skin in its rejuvenation and just to give it something else to sink it's teeth into. Last facial product for the night, is Soap & Glory's Beauty Sleep Accelerator (£13, here) is the moisturiser that wraps it all up together. It's a thick, rich cream that leaves my skin feeling plump and looking wonderful when I wake up in the morning, as I know that thin creams in the night leave my skin looking dull - as even though I have oily skin, I need that moisture overnight. Two little additions to my bedside skincare, is the Korres Wild Rose 24 Hour Moisturising & Brightening Cream (£20, here) which is in the oily/combination option, and works wonderfully well as a day moisturiser for me, as it allows my skin to breathe and look healthy throughout the day, without my makeup sliding off, or making my skin look even oilier - which is a constantly struggle for me and my t-zone. Last, but not least, it my little wonder product from Nuxe, and it's their Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil (£17, here) which is my all rounder, in terms of dry skin, dry hair and flaky patches on my legs. It just does it all, without feeling greasy or too heavy for the skin. It's almost all organic, so using it on your face isn't something to be overlooked, should your skin be going through a dry patch. It's a 'use it all over' oil, that I couldn't be without.

What are your bedside essentials? Are there any here that have caught your eye?