Younique Moodstruck Epic Mascara

One thing I always want to be on this blog is honest and fair so here's a review I would never have dreamed of writing! I've heard (not great) things about Younique and have been approached by some of their reps but haven't actually looked into or tried any of their products. Then lovely Gina who has followed me on Instagram for a while and who I actually didn't know was a rep said she wanted to send me a mascara to try because she thought I'd love it. I messaged her back and said I really thought I wouldn't and she replied that she'd take that risk and send it anyway.

Christmas gift ideas for Children 0-10

For a while it was really hard to find decent, not-too-expensive, gifts and stocking fillers for children but thanks to shops like Flying Tiger this seems to be improving. Some of these presents would work as gifts for other peoples children, stocking fillers or presents for your own squad but rather than dividing into categories I've listed them alphabetically. I will be posting books separately so keep an eye out.

I know that most people say babies don't need stockings but if there are second, third, fourth children then how are you going to explain to the older ones that santa didn't bother with the baby? My tip is to fill the babies stocking with stuff it needs anyway - teethers, vests, Ella's pouches, weaning stuff can all go in.

A quarter of - yes sweets are bad but with Christmas being such a time of consumerism children are often overloaded with presents and actually are just as happy with a box of illicit sweeties. A Quarter Of is the place to go. Not just for kids their bags of friendship rings got me through the last pregnancy.

Animal Antics Ride on Dino - We all know a dinosaur lover and this is perfect for them. It's dressing up but with a little less faff. My nephews would go crazy for this. And they also do unicorns!

Biscuit cutters - I don't know why but I seem to have a bit of an addiction to these. The right cutter brings such simple pleasure and these are a great stocking filler.

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Pads - Quick Review

These are really good. Yes they're not the most sophisticated acid exfoliator out there but they do the job and they are ridiculously cheap.

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid pads
Read my full review here

Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick

Sometimes it's worth mentioning products that may not be the newest thing on the block but are the best of their kind and the Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipsticks from Hourglass are, as far as I'm concerned,  unbeatable for pigmentation and longevity.

This lipsticks will not be for everyone. They are very matte in finish and properly set after a few minutes so they feel quite dry. This is why they don't move but if you're not used to it or don't like the feel of a lipstick then you'll find them uncomfortable to wear.

Christmas Gift Bags for Friends

If you have girl friends that you buy Christmas and birthday presents for every year it can be hard to come up with ideas and it can get very expensive. I always love the idea of putting together goodie bags (or hampers) for friends which include lots of lovely little treats and if you are clever you can do lots of friends at once and not break the bank. I've come up with a lovely goodie bag, some ideas of what to go in it and then some budget options to help you out.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara BIG - Quick Review

I never got on with Maybelline Great Lash mascara despite it being the most popular mascara among my friends. I'd say it appears in 7 out of 10 make-up bags I go through* but for me it was just totally meh. However, for some reason I can't explain I was compelled to buy the BIG (i.e volumising) version when I saw it in Superdrug. You can see what I think here.

Maybelline Great Lash BIG Mascara is available here

*I go through a lot it's like a strange compulsion

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

Oskia Ranaissance Cleansing Gel

Lean in close, I'm going to whisper this, but I may have a new favourite cleanser. I still love the Emma Hardie Amazing Face cleansing balm but the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel is giving it a run for its money. The first thing I've noticed about this is that its one of the few skincare products that while it claims to be illuminating does not make my sensitive skin tingle or go bright red. I've been using it for about 4 months and on those weekends when I've been away and have wanted to just take easy to use, hero products this has been the only cleanser I take with me.

Ideally I would use this as a second cleanse but when needs be this works well as a first or only cleanse, it gets make-up off an my skin is left feeling incredibly clean and soft. I genuinely believe that there are products in here that are working on my skin - and I don't get that very often.

Pumpkin Enzyme gently exfoliates the skin, Vitamin A Palmitate which is a derivative of Retinol but slightly gentler making this cleanser great for sensitive skins, though whether in these amounts it will have any of the desired effect (gentle resurfacing and promotion of elasticity) is unlikely. Vitamins C and E are great for deal with free radicals and pollution, which is great for us city dwellers. My skin feels firm but not tight, clean but not irritatingly so and really soft and smooth.

Sunday Spend

I haven't done this for a while but though I'm definitely one of those people who does not want to think about Christmas too early however, there's no harm in keeping an eye out for things that may make the final dash to get everyone's presents sorted, a little less grim.

Feel Unique are offering 20% off when you spend £100 enter the code 20SHINE when you checkout, and 15% off when you spend £50 just enter SHINE15

Illamasqua - Buy any 3 products and receive a FREE Illamusthaves set (worth £31.50) including two of our best selling, cult favourite products - Hydra Veil and Gel Sculpt!

Waterstones have up to 50% off bestselling books 

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

NARS Sun Wash Diffused Bronzer - Quick Review

I shouldn't love it but I do - see it in action below. I bought it the day before they announced that they would be selling in China. I have put a link to my original review at the bottom - I got trolled after I posted it, even though I don't claim to be a cruelty-free blogger, by someone who eventually suggested I use Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick instead. Bobbi Brown is owned by Estee Lauder... which sells in China. And the shimmer brick is completely different to this which is incredibly subtle. Which proves that trolls are know-nothing idiots. Now, where were we...

NARS Sun Wash Diffused Bronzer

Read my original review here

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

MUA Pixel Perfect Multi-Blush

MUA is one of those incredibly cheap high street/drugstore brands that you probably would never buy anything from because they are never kept clean by any shop. They have been around for ages but disappeared from view almost completely for years - there was one disgusting rotating stand in my local Superdrug that I used to get the odd thing from my I'd hazard a guess and say over 80% of the products have been opened and used or broken.

Face of the Day - 2nd November 2017

My current go-to make-up. Despite the length of the video this is actually very quick to do and lasts all day.  All products are listed below and any reviews/quick reviews to products are also linked.

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Rimmel Scandal Eyes Eye Shadow Stick in Bluffing
Bourjois Smokey Stories in Over Rose
Lancome Art Liner
Louise Young Essential Eye Palette
Younique Moodstruck Epic Mascara
Clarins Instant Concealer
House of Glam Dolls Glam Base Wheel 1
Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer
Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Rose Glow
Daniel Sandler WaterBrush
Eco Tools brushes
Real Techniques Brushes
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
MUA Pixel Perfect Mult-Blush in Coral Spice
Hourglass Diffused Light Ambient Lighting Powder
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Louise Young Enigma Lip Trio

Reviews:
Eye Shadow Pencils 
Bourjois Smokey Stories
Lancome Art Liner
Louise Young Essential Eye Palette
Clarins Instant Concealer 
House of Glam Dolls Glam Base Wheel 1
Hourglass Hidden Corrective Concealer
Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush
Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder
Eco Tools 
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Louise Young Lip Trio

Some links are affiliate links which means I will get a small commission if you click through and buy from them. There is no extra cost to you and if you are not comfortable with that then do feel free to open a separate window and google the product for yourself

MakeupDrop Silicone Beauty Applicator

This silicone applicator for liquid make-up products and though it doesn't flick my switch I can see this really working for those who worry about the various hygiene issues raised with using brushes and even worse (my favourite), beauty blenders.

Rather than being like a sponge this feels more like one of those gel pads you use in your high heels to stop your feet from completely dying. But it's thicker. In fact it feels rather wonderful - like a make-up related stressball.

There are some major pros to this product. You lose no product when using this, all of it goes directly onto your face and any tiny amount that doesn't is very easily washed off. You just need to rinse it in warm water and soap. Because no product, or anything, is absorbed into it then there is nothing to go off, encourage bugs or whatever other horrors can happen to more traditional make-up sponges. You don't have to worry about drying it in a certain way as you do with brushes. This also means you should technically save money as you will end up using less product and fewer brushes and sponges. It feels lovely to apply make-up with and although the price seems quite high you should, in theory, be able to use this for a very long time.