InStyle 100 Best Beauty Buys 2012: Review

Hello lovelies, sorry I've not blogged in a while I've been really busy but I'm back now with a post on the best of the best.
Having had a little look through InStyle magazine's 100 Best Beauty Buys 2012, you can check it out here I particularly liked the introduction of the Hall of Fame, for products that have won awards in their category for the last three years in a row.

I couldn't help but notice that several of these products are currently snuggled up nicely in my own makeup bag, so thought I'd share reviews of them with you.

Best Cream/Gel Blusher:
Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge (£17)

I actually got Powder Pink which is the middle shade on this picture, for Christmas. Although I don't usually wear a pink blusher, I tend to go for a more coral shade, I really like this as it has a nice creamy consistency and gives a rich colour from just a little bit of product. It looks pretty worn on its own or under a powder blush. It's a versatile product as well as it can be worn on both cheeks and lips.

Best Lipstick Range:

MAC (£13.50)

Now it's no secret that I love MAC lipsticks, other brands just can't touch them in terms of variety of shades. You can guarantee that for any lipstick trend, MAC is ahead of the game and has several shades to suit all skin tones. They are long-wearing, don't dry the lips, and come in an array of finishes such as matte, frost, lustre and satin. I've photographed a (small) selection of my MAC favourites, the shades are listen underneath.

Shades L to R: Costa Chic, Angel, Saint Germain, Impassioned,  Vegas Volt, Chatterbox.

The same shades above swatched on my hand:

Best Inexpensive Foundation:

L’Oréal Paris True Match (£10.20)

This foundation is quite nice for a natural look, what I'd call Sunday makeup. This is just because personally when it comes to foundation I like a really full coverage. The foundation itself is light and dewy. It comes in an excellent range of colours and does well to match to the skin tone of the wearer. For the price it's a really nice everyday foundation for someone who prefers a more natural look.

Having read through the 100 Best Beauty Buys 2012, I want SO many new things! However I think I'll have to limit myself to just a couple. I really want to try the Best Eye De-Puffer: Origins No Puffery Cooling Mask for Puffy Eyes (£19) as apparently it's great for tired or hungover eyes, something I'm definitely no stranger to!

Speaking of hangovers I'll leave you with a photo from my night out on Thursday. I went to a fashion show in Menzels (cocktail bar in Sheffield) with my friend Claudia. Her blog is hilarious you can have a look at it here.

Ok lovelies have a good week! Let me know if you've tried out any of the InStyle Best Beauty Buys!

Love

Alex xxx

Versatile Blogger Award

Hi! Ok so I've been nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by GlamGal. I still can't actually believe that anyone cares enough to read my blog so to be recognised is such a fab achievement, thanks so much!

Please take a moment to check out my nominator's blog BeautyBoxBlog.

Ok so here are the rules:

1. Nominate 10 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging.
2. Let them know you have nominated them.
3. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
4. Thank the bloggers that have nominated you.
5. Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your blog post.

Right so here are my random facts:

1. I absolutely hate polystyrene with a burning passion, if something comes packaged in it I want to actually be sick.
2. I've seen the film She's The Man so many times I pretty much know the words.
3. My initials are AOK.
4. My cat hates me.
5. I can touch my nose with my tongue.
6. I would rather stay in than go out without fake tan.
7. My favourite possessions are my Tiffany bracelet and my Mulberry Bayswater.

And finally I would like to nominate the following blogs for this award:

sunjunkie
BeautyWondersUK
geekyfashionista
Rianne's Reviews
Paradis
Confessions of a 20 something

If anyone else writes a blog or knows any good blogs to follow let me know
Alex xxx

Cheap, Quick and Easy Nail Art

Hi lovelies! So it's Easter Bank Holiday Weekend and most people will be making the effort and going out. To mark the occasion I've tried out some nail art, I couldn't quite decide which design I wanted to go for so I experimented on each nail.
I'm no nail art pro so I can assume you that this look was quick and easy, I didn't even buy any new nail polishes I just used colours I had at home already.
Here is the overall look:

The nail polishes I used are as follows:

For the base colour on most of my nails I used a nude that I love as it's just the right balance between pink and brown.

Boots 17 Lasting Fix in Forever

For the base colour for my ring fingers I used a nude metallic which is kind of between silver and gold so goes with everything.

Models Own in Champagne

For the metallic tips on my thumbs and little fingers I used a pinky bronze.

Leighton Denny in Sugar Daddy

And finally for the nail art lines and leopard print bits I used a black polish with gold shimmer in it which I actually got free with a magazine a while ago.

Missguided in Missfit

I got the bows and pearls in a little wheel of nail accessories which I bought off Ebay from Hong Kong, it's really easy to find if you just type in 'nail bows' or 'nail gems' etc, there's loads of different styles and they're pretty cheap. I just glued them on with nail glue and pressed them down when my polish was still a little tacky.

The nails themselves are just acrylic extensions.

So which nail design do you prefer? Has anyone else tried out any interesting nail art recently?

Have a good Easter Weekend love Alex xx

Blog Hop: What's in my makeup bag

So I've never done a 'blog hop' before but apparently they're a great way to find new blogs and get more followers so I thought I'd give it a try.

This is a blog hop from BlogLoveTherapy, the rules seem quite simple and are as follows:
1. Please follow BlogLoveTherapy (blog and twitter) and leave a comment on the blog.

2. Post about this hop on your blog, twitter, and facebook. This will help drive traffic to the hop. The more people know about it, the more likely you will be discovered.

*Don't forget to mention the hop throughout the week.*

3. Hop around and be inspired.

Ok then so the theme of the blog hop is what's in your makeup bag. I'm currently between makeup bags as I am desperate for a cute Ted Baker one but I'm a bit skint so won't be getting one just yet. Sooo I've just tipped my makeup out on the floor for you.

Now this is by no means ALL my makeup it's just the essentials as my makeup collection spans 2 makeup bags, one wicker basket and a huge plastic storage box under the bed, however this is my day to day set of products I couldn't live without.

Photographed are as follows:

Bourjois Delice de Soleil- Facial bronzing spray (shade 14 for Olive/Tanned skin) This is a fab alternative to powder bronzer as it sets makeup in place and gives a natural airbrushed glow. It also smells like holidays :)

Clarins Everlasting- Foundation(shade 112 Amber) Gives amazing full coverage without looking or feeling heavy, lasts all day and also has SPF 15.

Benefit Browzings- Brow defining kit (shade Dark) The combination of wax and powder lets you really define brows for a natural to dramatic look, much more user friendly than a pencil.

Benefit They're Real- Mascara Amazing mascara for length, volume, lift and curl, stays put all day without flaking or smudging.

O.P.I Avoplex- Nail and cuticle replenishing oil Smells amazing and conditions nails and cuticles for healthy nails.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker- Plumping lip gloss (shade Half Naked) Gorgeous suits-everyone shade, the plumping action does tingle but this isn't unpleasant like some plumping glosses.

Benefit Boi-ing- Concealer (shade 02) Blendable concealer which covers even the reddest blemishes, multi-use product, I often use it to disguise eyebrow re-growth.

Benefit Porefessional- Pore-minimising primer Absolute godsend for oily skin as it mattifies and helps foundation to last all day.

Diesel Loverdose- Perfume Gorgeous fragrance which is ideal for day or night.

Ms Makeup Eyelash Curlers Brilliant curlers, I've had them for years and they're still great.

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm I love this on no-makeup days to boost my complexion.

Bare Escentuals- Powder brush Great little brush for applying powder, blusher or bronzer.

MAC- Lipstick (shade Costa Chic) I love all MAC lipsticks, fab range of colours, Costa Chic is my pick for Spring as it looks gorgeous with a tan.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge- Cream blusher (shade Powder Pink) Really nice multi-use product, I use it on lips and cheeks and it blends so easily.

What's in your makeup bag? Visit BlogLoveTherapy to check out the Hop.

The best mascara in the world FACT!

Hi lovelies, sorry I haven't blogged for a while but I'm back now with a fab post so hopefully you'll forgive me!

A Vogue poll this morning revealed that mascara is their readers' top make-up essential, now this doesn't surprise me at all, I don't actually know anyone who wears make-up who doesn't wear mascara!

I am actually obsessed by mascara, my mum and sister laugh at me and find it a constant source of amusement that I get through a mascara a month, but what can I say I'm addicted!

So NOT the one

Recent statistics from NPD Group (a market research group with data from over 2,000 of the world's most recognizable brands) have revealed Benefit's They're Real is the world's number one top best-selling mascara.

This does not surprise me at all, I've tried pretty much every mascara and hadn't found The One, I never go back to the same one...yet I'm currently on my THIRD tube of They're Real!

According to Benefit They're Real (£18.50) is the 2 in 1 mascara that's beyond belief. It lengthens, curls, volumizes, lifts and separates. The glossy jet-black formula is long-wearing and doesn't flake or smudge.

Benefit claims that:
94% saw dramatic length & volume*
90% saw base-to-tip curl*
94% saw visible lift*
100% saw long-wearing results*
*Results observed in a consumer panel survey

In my opinion the thing that makes They're Real so special is the brush, it has a combination of long and short bristles which really make the most of every lash. It also has bristles on the end of the brush which are brilliant for picking up all the corner lashes which other mascaras often miss.

The bristles are so cleverly placed that it's pretty much impossible to get clumpy lashes with this mascara. You can layer it up, (I usually wear 4 coats) and it builds amazing volume whilst still keeping lashes separated and defined.

Don't just take my word for it though I've taken some pictures to show you the amazing results.

To start with here is my eye with no mascara on, as you can see I literally have about 4 stumpy eyelashes that you can barely even spot.

Now let's look at my eye with one coat of They're Real mascara.

And to fully show the difference we can compare the two. (Excuse the fact that a lot of these photos make me look like I have a lazy eye, I don't it's just hard to focus when the camera is so close!)

Now I've put two coats of mascara on to show how easily you can build up the mascara to create a more dramatic look.

And to fully appreciate what a difference this makes I've compared two coats of mascara to a naked eye.

So there you have it! Dramatic lashes in just a few minutes.
Let me know if you have tried They're Real, or if you have found a different mascara that you can't live without.

Love Alex x