tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51119281479150838252024-03-14T05:44:50.585+00:00Lipstick And LightplayVictoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-66373150383899878762020-04-06T23:29:00.000+01:002020-04-07T00:13:07.868+01:00Mellow Yellow: Face of the Day<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">With the entire country in a sort of soft-lockdown, with self isolation and social distancing orders in effect, it’s the perfect time to delve back into just playing with makeup. And with nowhere to go, the rules kind of just go out the window. I’ll admit that I’m not really that girl who is too shy to wear more out-there styles or colour combinations (hello, navy lips!) but today’s look was a liiiittle more different and I haven’t decided yet whether it’s actually outside my comfort zone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The photo turned out well though so there’s that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ignore the fact that I was on struggle street with my brows a little bit. But here’s my face of the day, although I kiiiinda washed it off in favour of a nap after a couple of hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the base I started with The Ordinary’s High Adherence Silicon Primer, and honestly it’s not my favourite. I’ll do a full review sometime later but I’m having mixed success at best using this primer. Today, for example, it stuck to parts of my foundation and clumped and moved together, leaving a bit of patchiness on my cheekbones.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next I used MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid foundation (shade NW10), with Jeffree Star’s Magic Star concealer blended under my eyes (shade C5). That’s it for the face so this was a pretty half assed face of the day... mostly I wanted to play with eyeshadow and everything else was secondary, but the eyeshadow wouldn’t have looked good on an otherwise bare face, so here we are!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Brows are Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in shade Taupe, and let me just take a second here to tell you that yes I am attempting to learn to use Dipbrow for its intended purpose of drawing individual hairs and oh my god so far? Not so good. So I do what I can and trust me this is P R O G R E S S from even two years ago. So I guess, go me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway back to the point! For eyes I primed with MAC’s Paint Pot in shade Painterly, which is the perfect shade for my skin tone and has been my go-to for a solid decade. For colour I dipped into the Anastasia Beverly Hills Alyssa Edwards palette because I knew I wanted to do a pop of colour. And this palette didn’t disappoint! With a fluffy brush I swept the fuchsia shade Unicorn Tribe all over the lid, up to and above the crease. I kept the edges soft and well blended, and set down a few layers to build up pigment all over. Then with a pencil brush I buffed yellow shade Brick Road on the lower lid, keeping fairly close to the lash line but blending out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Add some winged liner (Morphe’s Felt Tip liquid liner) and a coat of mascara (Misslyn’s Lolita Lashes) and the eyes were pretty much done! <a href="https://youtu.be/raXHqRSGr70" target="_blank">Easy peasy lemon squeezy</a> ;D</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The final touch was lips and I wanted something that complimented the eyes but didn’t draw away from them too much. For that reason I didn’t want to go for something dark, but I wanted more colour so stayed away from nude as well. So I figured, hell I might as well give this yellow lipstick a shot! I applied Velour Liquid Lipstick shade in Queen Bee by Jeffree Star Cosmetics, straight from the tube and without any liner or brushes to complicate things. It’s been unused for some time so the formulation is a bit thicker than normal, but it still went on comfortably and nice and opaque.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then as a final touch I took some Queen Bee on a small flat brush and added just a touch to the lower waterline to brighten it up and blend into the yellow eyeshadow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And that’s it for today’s look! I like it a lot more than I thought I would, and I really like the contrast of the colours next to each other without so many shades to complicate things. I’m not convinced whether I’ll wear stark yellow lips out of the house just yet but hey, it’s not like I’ll be going anywhere anytime soon anyway!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So what do you think? Are you a fan of colour blocking in makeup? Would you rock a yellow lip??</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">~V</span></div>
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Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-63464451060143486412020-02-12T21:20:00.000+00:002020-04-06T23:49:19.955+01:00REVIEW: Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m something of a skincare connoisseur. I’ve tried a lot (like, a LOT) and I stick
with what I like and what works. But I’ve
changed up my skincare infinite times in the last several years, because even
if I find something that I like well enough, if I don’t LOVE it then I’m always
on the look for something bigger and better and more effective for my own
skincare woes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Said woes are myriad, but my
primary concern has plagued me since my preteen days when hormones crept up and an effortlessly perfect and poreless complexion became a thing of the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dryness, coupled with frequent dehydration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What this means for my complexion is a rough,
dry, almost bumpy texture and flakiness if I don’t make sure to stay on top of
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And forget trying to put makeup
on top of that; it just doesn't work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I was younger, I swore by
that old St Ives Apricot Scrub, and in all honesty it probably didn’t do my face
any favours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then when I eventually
swore off of it in my early twenties, I discovered my holy grail facial scrub
at MAC – Microfine Refinisher, which was discontinued a few years later and
frankly it was devastating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Because basically what I always
felt like I needed was the equivalent of a belt sander for my face, to remove
the layers of dead and flaky skin that build up and leave the baby soft skin underneath
on show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that’s essentially what I
was getting in the physical exfoliants I had been using back then – super fine
scrubs that would leave my skin red raw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After the MAC scrub was discontinued, I spent a very long time trying to
find an exfoliant that would give me what I wanted, that raw and sensitive
lobster realness. Only ExfoliKate gave me that feeling I was after, but it was
way too pricey to justify for a small tube of the stuff (not to mention it was
hard to get a hold of here in the UK at the time).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course that was several
years ago and now I find myself older and, arguably, wiser.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I know that many physical exfoliants can
be damaging, both to the skin and complexion but also to the environment as
they’re full of non-biogradeable tiny plastic beads which are mistaken for fish
eggs and eaten by aquatic life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Which brings me to the point
of this post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JkAHbNMmuzc/Xoumq6SBJ3I/AAAAAAAAAn4/O3Opcwt9-pcH0MQK1UrGWhC7JfzZOXrqgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/EA6FC02B-3812-4F54-B7F0-98C00CACEA2F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="876" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JkAHbNMmuzc/Xoumq6SBJ3I/AAAAAAAAAn4/O3Opcwt9-pcH0MQK1UrGWhC7JfzZOXrqgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/EA6FC02B-3812-4F54-B7F0-98C00CACEA2F.jpeg" width="273" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.lookfantastic.com/peter-thomas-roth-pumpkin-enzyme-mask-150ml/11030448.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&shoppingpid=SS_22_STASH_0504&thg_ppc_campaign=71700000047040822&adtype=pla&product_id=11030448&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIx_Te5IXM5wIVg7HtCh0uEAMbEAQYAiABEgJRxPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">LookFantastic</a> £37.50 | <a href="https://www.peterthomasroth.com/pumpkin-enzyme-mask-1301406.html">Peter Thomas Roth</a> $60.00</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">While on a brief and tumultuous
trip to Paris with my best friend (which is in itself a long story, maybe I’ll
write about it another time) we happened across a tiny little Sephora right
across from the Starbucks where we were eating lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while there, I finally made a very pricey
purchase I had been thinking about for a while: Peter Thomas Roth’s Pumpkin Enzyme
Mask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And let me tell you; it’s
almost four years later and I still love this stuff. I’ve repurchased it in
spite of the steep price point (generally in the region of £40+).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frankly it sounds a lot but I justify buying
this because in practice it’s not that expensive in the long run – a 150ml tub
of this can last me a year easily, using it 1-3 times a month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s actually changed the way
I think about skin care because prior to using this mask, I was incredibly
dubious about chemical exfoliation vs physical exfoliation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always felt like I NEEDED a harsh scrub to
literally wear away the entire outer layer or three of my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But these days I don’t really use physical exfoliators
anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if I do, it’s maybe once or
twice a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However I’m a firm
believer in chemical exfoliants now - and have a couple others in my arsenal
that I’ll review here in another post.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The thing I love about about the
Pumpkin Enzyme Mask is that it’s potent – it contains pumpkin enzyme, AHA, and aluminium
oxide crystals to completely smooth and resurface your complexion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The aluminium oxide crystals are a physical
exfoliant, but in truth I don’t find myself scrubbing this into my skin like I would
with my old face scrubs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I
apply it to my face in a thin later, and only rub at it when I’m washing it off
(usually with a muslin cloth).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When you apply, it tingles and
kind of stings a little bit sometimes, but if I’m totally honest I enjoy the
sensation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It *feels* like it’s working,
I don’t know how else to explain it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
I would absolutely say to patch test this if you were wanting to give it a try,
because I’m not sure how pleasant it would feel on really sensitive skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a tolerance to the tingling sensation
and I like it, but not everybody will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And ultimately, for me at
least, this is very effective and gives me the results I want; a softer, smoother,
brighter skin texture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a serum or
two and a moisturiser, my skin really does feel like it’s brand new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It feels overall much nicer and smoother than
before, and if I do wear makeup in the following days, sits so much better afterwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus it’s a joy to use because the mask
itself smells like spiced pumpkin, which I absolutely adore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All in all I would highly
recommend this mask to anyone who has hardy enough skin to withstand the
stinging sensation from the pumpkin enzyme and AHA combo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I definitely urge you to shop around online too,
because you can save yourself more than to £10 by checking a few different
retailers – at time of posting Cult Beauty is selling for £50 and LookFantastic
for £37.50.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Which may still sound
expensive but I think about skin care like this; If I happily spend over £20 on
a foundation, what’s the point if that foundation is sticking to dry patches
and highlighting texture issues and flaking away over here and getting sucked
dry by my skin over there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore,
it takes more foundation to cover up problematic skin, and I use a lot less
product on my face when everything sits smoothly and I have fewer sins to cover
up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-87761895963212384282019-09-27T16:30:00.000+01:002020-04-06T23:50:31.146+01:00Welcome to the Blogosphere<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">Once upon a time I was an avid blogger…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even spent some time on the YouTubes back
when the beauty community was in its early years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent a lot of time writing posts and
planning for future posts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blogging was
always easier for me, and came quite naturally, but I maybe wasn’t such a
natural in front of the camera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either
way, I loved it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Creating something and
putting it out into the world was exciting and scary at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But blogging in particular was something I
greatly enjoyed – you see, I’ve always been a writer at heart, and blogging was
the perfect outlet for that creative side of me that just needed to put words
on a page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">But somewhere along the lines, life happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so now I haven’t blogged in several years…
Five at least, maybe more?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s easily
been twice that since I uploaded something to YouTube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">I find myself drawn back into blogging lately,
though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I said, it used to be a
creative outlet for my writing side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
my desire to share something of myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And so here I am!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wish I could
tell you exactly what I have planned for this blogging return of mine…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is I’m not really sure myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I want to dive back in and let things
flow naturally and see what comes of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">This time around I’m not going to put myself in the box
of a “Beauty Blogger” because, frankly, there’s more to me and what I want to
share than just cosmetics and skincare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In ways, it may be quite heavily weighted to that side since it is a
passion of mine… but more than anything I just want this to be a personal
blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhere to share my thoughts and
sometimes that may be in the form of a product review or three. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: normal;">So here we go… I can’t wait to get started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-82939279023837852602015-04-27T19:20:00.000+01:002020-02-12T13:10:36.101+00:00Event : #TheCityGirls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MM3hChdDzfA/VT5yDeikk5I/AAAAAAAAAeA/oSUWANv5Z3k/s1600/I%2BAm%2BA%2BCity%2BGirl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MM3hChdDzfA/VT5yDeikk5I/AAAAAAAAAeA/oSUWANv5Z3k/s1600/I%2BAm%2BA%2BCity%2BGirl.png" /></a></div>
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This past Saturday (April 25th) I was lucky enough to be invited to #TheCityGirls event right here in sunny Sheffield. It was my first ever blogger event, so I was really nervous in the days leading up (I'm not even going to pretend like I'm not familiar with social anxiety haha) but once I got there it was so much fun, and I adored chatting with the brand reps and meeting the other girls who were invited! And not only my first event, it was the first ever #TheCityGirls event, one of hopefully many more to come, and it was so exciting to be involved in the birth of what I believe is going to become an excellent blogger event network.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OhRwGvBBzM4/VT51nqSIuLI/AAAAAAAAAeM/iSWj8SK12lU/s1600/11111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OhRwGvBBzM4/VT51nqSIuLI/AAAAAAAAAeM/iSWj8SK12lU/s1600/11111.jpg" /></a></div>
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Photo nabbed from Lorna's instagram <a href="https://instagram.com/lornadevans/">here</a></div>
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The event was hosted by <a href="http://www.life-by-lde.co.uk/">Lorna</a> and <a href="http://www.teaandblush.com/">Holly-Lucy</a>, pictured above, and honestly I'm so proud of all of the hard work they put into the afternoon. Everything was thought of and catered for, and you could really see not just the sheer amount of hard work and planning that they put into this, but also their sheer passion for it. I'm sure their next event will be just as successful, and can't wait to hear more news about it through #TheCityGirls hashtag. Did I mention we even trended on <a href="https://twitter.com/search?src=typd&q=%23thecitygirls">Twitter</a> during the event? So exciting!!</div>
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As soon as we entered the venue (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/bloo88">Bloo88</a> on West Street, which? amazing cocktails and even better pizza!) we were greeted by tables littered about with goodies for everyone to collect, interspersed with the brand tables, and a raffle area set up to raise money for the event's charity City Hearts. The table in the very entrance was stocked with <a href="https://www.vosswater.com/">Voss water</a> as well as Virtue iced tea (they had Lemon iced tea available but I chose the Strawberry & Peach flavour, which was delicious, if maybe a little tart). My bottle of Voss came in very useful at the end of the event, on the long journey home to keep me hydrated!</div>
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Some of the goodies that were available at the event. Voss water, a pretty light-up pocket mirror from Pebble Grey, a bottle of Henderson's Relish (which, of course, since we're in Sheffield - but would you believe I've never tried it??) and the prettiest mini bottles of perfume. This smells so very delicious I want to wear it all the time.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eF2ZkJ_GgNA/VT1kR-kvRcI/AAAAAAAAAXI/5SF2x5SCLV0/s1600/City%2BHearts%2B-%2BAmber.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eF2ZkJ_GgNA/VT1kR-kvRcI/AAAAAAAAAXI/5SF2x5SCLV0/s1600/City%2BHearts%2B-%2BAmber.png" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/AmberCagney">Amber</a> came from <a href="http://www.city-hearts.co.uk/">City Hearts</a> to give us a talk at the beginning of the event before we got started mingling and chatting, to really give us an idea of why we were all here. Amber gave a great talk to the group, which really hammered home the importance of the work City Hearts does, and I admit it made me feel a little emotional.</div>
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To quote from their website "As part of the National Referral Mechanism, we work with the Salvation Army, the Police, Social Services, the UK Human Trafficking Centre and other national organizations, to provide a safe refuse and immediate care for men, women and families who have been rescued from modern day slavery." </div>
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To raise money, a raffle was held, with lots of amazing prizes up for grabs. In the end, I was very happy to learn that the raffle raised £175 for the charity - and even better, Aviva is going to match the donation, bringing it to a nice, even £350!</div>
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There was everything from sets of flavoured instant coffee, bags, cinema tickets and artwork. For my trouble I came away with a Sheffield Cook Book (swapped with new friend Sophie from <a href="http://www.booksandbeauty.co.uk/">Books and Beauty</a>, as she said she didn't cook, and since I had never tried Henderson's it seemed like it had to happen!) and a really pretty silver necklace by Thomas Sabo which you can see in my next post, but you may just be able to spy in the photograph below! </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4ltVKvZaZk/VT1kmewIc7I/AAAAAAAAAZU/l_4_WfexDtU/s1600/Raffle%2BBenefit%2B-%2B01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4ltVKvZaZk/VT1kmewIc7I/AAAAAAAAAZU/l_4_WfexDtU/s1600/Raffle%2BBenefit%2B-%2B01.png" /></a></div>
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I also won an amazing clear/holographic clutch from <a href="http://www.secondthread.com/">Second Thread</a>, but I felt bad hogging all the prizes and wanted the other girls to get a chance, so I donated it back in for re-drawing. </div>
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I fully admit that I have since ordered the clutch and matching shopper bag direct from their web store though, which you can find by following the above link. #noshame #gottatreatyoself Unfortunately I don't have any photos of Second Thread to share right now, the ones I took didn't come out clear (I need more practice at this blog photography thing) - but rest assured I will be sharing the bags when they get here. They're so pretty!</div>
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I was really excited to see that Benefit had come to play! Melissa came to give all of the ladies mini makeovers, mostly focussing on brows and lashes. She was really lovely, and great to chat with as she talked about not just the products but blogging and beauty in general. I considered getting her to look at my brows, but I'd already filled them in and thought it would be too much work to start over, so I asked her to let me try out the new RollerLash. I've actually been needing to buy some new mascara for a few weeks (I'm finishing up my sample of YSL's latest offering pretty soon) and was considering They're Real. But I really loved RollerLash when Mel tried it out on me - so I definitely know what my new mascara is going to be!</div>
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Benefit also brought a little goodie bag for each of the attendees, which included a sample of The POREfessional - which I've been wanting to try as I'm in need of a primer that actually does what it says - and a sample of the They're Real Remover, which I think I'll wait to try when I've got some heavy duty eye makeup going on. <br />
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<a href="https://www.lush.co.uk/">Lush</a> had a stand in one corner, and when I approached they were busy making some Catastrophe Cosmetic face masks. It was interesting seeing it all come together, especially with the fresh blueberries! <br />
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Here the masks are being packed into the iconic black pots - and as we chatted away with one of the brand reps, she slipped one of these masks into our goodie bags. It worked out really well for me, since I have quite dry and sensitive skin, which this particular mask is perfect for. I'm planning on a long bubble bath with a mask tonight before bed ^^</div>
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They had also brought some of their most popular and limited-edition shower gels (the pink one smells like very sweet pomegranates and the purple one smells like parma violets). We got a choice of taking one of these home with us, but I opted for a Yummy Mummy body conditioner instead - it's a skin conditioner that you wash on in the shower and it hydrates your skin without having to apply a separate moisturiser after drying off. We got a couple other goodies from Lush as well, but you'll have to wait for my goody bag recap for the details!</div>
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I didn't get a picture of <a href="http://cinnamonbunsdesigns.weebly.com/">Cinnamon Buns Designs</a> table either - I got a little distracted talking to the lovely lady showing off all of the prints they had for sale, but you can see her own photo of the display <a href="https://instagram.com/p/16G2PYssnF/?taken-by=cinnamonbunsdesigns">here</a> on Instagram. The print I really wanted had sold out by the time I got there, but I bought the one pictured above instead as it's similar - the only difference is that the one I had my eye on had white text with a multicoloured "splash" design around it. I think this one is just as pretty though!</div>
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The only brand I didn't get to spend time with was <a href="http://www.panache-lingerie.com/">Panache</a>, which was a shame since I'm already a fan of their lingerie and would recommend them especially to any plus size ladies, since I've never had a problem with underwire breakage or stabbing with their bras and have always found them comfortable. I was really excited for Panache to visit, but so was everybody else since the rep was so busy all afternoon with everyone getting bra fittings. I really wanted to be fitted myself as well, since I always tend to order bras online and just try on and return what doesn't fit, so I have no idea what bra size I am anymore. But at the same time I guess it was for the best at the time since I felt pretty warm and a little uncomfortably sticky so I wouldn't have liked to inflicted sweaty boobs on the poor woman haha. Since we're both in Sheffield though I'm hoping to be able to get a fitting sorted sometime soon anyway, so if I do I'll definitely update with more information!</div>
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Between the Raffle items and the Benefit table, there was a lovely display of pretty chocolate cupcakes, baked by Holly. I'm really sad to say that I forgot to go back to try one, but the other girls said they were delicious! I had planned to have one as dessert after our pizza lunch (seriously the girls thought of EV-RY-THING) but when we came back upstairs it seemed like a whirlwind. I can't express how fast the whole day seemed to go!<br />
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Speaking of pizza! When I told my friends that I was going to an event at Bloo88, the first thing everyone said was that they do amazing pizzas. And seriously, they were right. We were spoilt for choice as well - I lost count of the number of different toppings on the many, many pizzas that were served to the group. My favourite had goat's cheese and tomatoes on it (I had to pick off the olives, but it was delicious!). Even the crusts were perfectly crispy - I'll definitely be going back for pizza and cocktails sometime very soon.</div>
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By the end of the afternoon we were all pretty lumbered down with goodies, but I'm definitely not complaining! I was astonished by both the size and quality of the goody bags that we got at the event (not to mention the canvas totes from The Blogger Programme - I am a total hoarder of printed tote bags, it has to be said). But you'll have to wait until next time to find out what was inside, since this post is already way longer than I had originally intended! </div>
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Really though, I have to say that the best part of being involved in this event was the real sense of community. All of the girls came together on twitter, and I felt like I'd made some new friends even before the day - and it was really great to meet and talk to some girls with similar interests and who really "get" the blogging thing. I hope to see you all again soon!!</div>
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This is a new series where I'll just do some... lifeblogging. Catching up with you guys about stuff that's going on, or maybe not even about anything in particular but just. Life!<br />
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To start it all off, I just wanted to take a moment out from the usual
beauty/fashion/etc related stuff to talk about something that is very important
and dear to me, more to get this off my chest than anything else. After all, this is a personal/lifestyle blog
more than just a straight-up beauty blog, and this is a big part of my life right
now. If you’d rather read about product
reviews and hauls, or are at all squeamish about the idea of surgery or
stitches (or just generally have no interest in reading about my cat) feel free to skip, I won’t hold it against you ^^<br />
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I'll put the rest under a cut, because it's quite long and you may not want to read. But click to read more if you so choose.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I want to mention a current source of stress in my
life – my cat, Pumpkin. Some of you may
know that I have two cats, Pumpkin who is my ginger-tabby-and-white 3 year old
baby girl, and Miso who is my year-old black-and-white tomcat. Miso has thankfully been the very picture of
health since the day I brought him home, even though he was a feral little
thing for all of the first day and a half. </div>
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Pumpkin on the other hand, hasn’t been as lucky in the
health and personal safety department.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Aside from a UTI shortly after she was spayed, she was
hit by a car when she was a year and a half old and broke her pelvis in two
places. In the end she didn’t need
surgery (which was a good thing because the positioning of the break meant they
didn’t have space to fix it via a plate and screws) and after two months of
crate rest, she was back to her usual self.
You’d never know to look at her now that she was ever in an accident.<br />
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After that she was doing fine for a year, until last summer we noticed a growth
on her skin. At first it looked like it
might be an insect bite that was inflamed, and when it didn’t go down and she
started licking at it and making it raw and sore, we took her to the vet. First
we had to keep her in with a cone on to stop her licking at it, and when it
still didn’t go down the vet tried some cream.
After this still had no effect – and in fact it continued to grow – she finally
had surgery to remove it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The vet sent it off to the lab for analysis and the
official diagnosis was a Mast Cell Tumour (or Mastocytoma in medical terms). She explained to us that the condition is not
that common in cats, but since she’s had one she’ll be very likely to get them
again in the future, so we’ll need to keep an eye out and check her over weekly
to make sure she doesn’t get any more lumps – and if she does, take her back to
get it taken off, as although this one wasn’t very aggressive they can be quite
malignant.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Fast forward to just after Christmas and she developed
another tiny lump. When I noticed it, I
was cuddling with her in the dark and felt it in her fur, and thought she had a
burr stuck it was so small. But looking
at it in the daylight, it was clearly another growth on her side. The vet tried cream again for a week, and
then when it didn’t work again she had surgery to remove the growth. <br />
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This surgery was a lot more invasive than the first – the vet took pretty thick
margins around the tumour to make sure she got all of the affected tissue, so
although the lump itself was a bit smaller than a ten-pence piece, she had
quite a large wound and the first few days of recovery was much more painful
for her as her skin had to be stretched backinto place to stitch up over what
had been removed.<br />
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But she recovered well and after a couple weeks she was allowed to go back
outside again and was perfectly fine in herself – aside from a bald patch that
is still growing back now.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
And now last weekend I discovered another lump, one that
is not looking like it will be as easy to remove as it’s on her inner hind leg
just below the knee. My initial concern
was that, in a place such as that, there’s not all that much ‘extra’ skin if
the vet needs to get large borders, but we took her to the vet this week so she
could look at it and discuss the plan of action with her.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Honestly this vet appointment was almost more stressful
than I anticipated it to be. Rather than
getting answers as to what happens next, we’re still in limbo. The vet took photographs of the leg and the
tumour so that she could discuss it with one of her colleagues, a surgeon at
one of their local veterinary hospital.
She also asked us to bring Pumpkin in today so they can do a fine needle
aspiration (basically take a biopsy of cells from the tumour) so that they can
get it analysed, see how aggressive this one is, and then make a decision from
there.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The best case scenario we’re facing right now is that the
tumour isn’t super aggressive (which I think is unlikely based on how quickly
it seemed to appear) and they can get away with cutting away the tumour without
having to take much or any healthy tissue around it as well. Then ideally, this could well be the last one
she ever has and she’s perfectly fine and healthy going forward – because aside
from these tumours, she’s perfectly happy and healthy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If the tumour is aggressive, however, Pumpkin might lose
her leg, and even then there’s no guarantee that she won’t get another one
somewhere else a couple months or even years down the line. Which I know there are stories abound of
animals who cope and adapt extremely well to the loss of a limb, but for
Pumpkin I’m not sure how well she’d do.
Purely because she’s a cat who loves being outside, thrives on playing
outdoors and climbing trees and napping on the garage roof in the sun. And although losing a leg may still allow her
to do those things, there are a couple of bigger cats in our area and I’m
worried that they might see her weakness and bully her, and she’ll have to be
an indoor-only cat. On every occasion so
far that she’s had to stay inside for days at a time, she’s been miserable, so
I’d hate to have to do it for the rest of her life – but at the same time I
wouldn’t have her put to sleep when she’s perfectly healthy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s just a difficult time right now, not having any
answers. My aunt took Pumpkin back for
the sample to be taken this morning (since I’m at work – on my lunch break
right now) and they just said they would call when they get the results and to
let us know what the next steps are.
Which I know is all they <i>can</i>
do right now, but I hate not knowing what’s going to happen.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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So I guess I just want to say that I would appreciate you
keeping us in your thoughts. I’m trying
my best to adhere to the Positive Thinking attitude, but sometimes you just can
help but let your mind slip to the What If’s and different scenarios that might
happen. Hopefully we’ll find out before
too long, and hopefully it will be the best possible news and she’ll be
fine. But for now I just have to wait
and see.<br /><br /><br />EDIT: The appointment on Friday was pretty straightforward, but we still won't know the next steps until the vet calls us with the lab results, which I'm HOPING will be this week.<o:p></o:p></div>
Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-19721726951758077612015-04-14T12:30:00.000+01:002020-02-12T13:10:47.386+00:00In & Out: Volume 1<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
In</h3>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Skin Care:</i></b> I’ve been so lax about my skincare routine more or less since the
beginning of this year, and my skin has really let me know how unhappy it
is. I ran out of my usual moisturiser and
went back to an old one I didn’t like all that much, “until I find a new one”
and that turned into a couple of months of inadequate hydration. I’ve recently purchased a bunch of organic
skin care however and am being more stringent with my routine, and already my
skin is in a much happier place. More
details to follow!</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Blog Events:</i></b> I was lucky enough to be invited to an event being organized by
<a href="http://teaandblush.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Holly-Lucy</a> and <a href="http://www.life-by-lde.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lorna</a> of <b>#TheCityGirls</b> (be sure to click the links and check out
their blogs) and I really can’t wait.
The event is taking place in less than two weeks and I’m so excited to be
a part of it and meet a bunch of fellow bloggers! I admit that I’m a little nervous, because aside
from Holly I won’t know any of the other attendees, but I’m still very much
looking forward to the event and meeting some new people who will actually
understand my addiction to the world of beauty, fashion, and blogging.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Organization:</i></b> The last month or two have
been about trying to organize… well, my life I guess haha. I’ve finally invested in some decent storage
for all of my beauty bits and bobs, and find myself keeping obsessive To Do
lists to keep everything in order. Next
I really need to get a diary to carry with me so I can keep track of schedules
and leave myself reminders!</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Out</h3>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Default Blogger Layouts: </i></b> I think it’s
time to invest in a customized layout, but I’m so picky that I haven’t found
one I love enough to splurge on just yet.
Mentally kicking myself for letting my HTML/CSS knowledge lapse,
otherwise I could do a beautiful one for myself!</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Hair Frustrations:</i></b> This one is a bit of a personal rant that I want to avoid
haha. But late last year I finally left
my old hairdresser (who has been doing my hair since I moved to England ten
years ago). Constantly cutting off too much length, butchering my layers,
uneven colour, overbleaching/burning my hair…
I persevered because it was cheap, but finally decided it wasn’t worth
it to be so unhappy with my hair. So I’m
happy to say I’ve finally moved to a new salon, in a more convenient location,
with a stylist I adore and who listens to what I want.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Insomnia: </i></b> I wish
this one would go, anyway. At the moment
I feel tired all the time and find myself waking up a dozen times during the
night and then struggling to get back to sleep.
I’ve suffered from insomnia to varying degrees since my teen years, so
this is nothing new, but it’s worse at the moment than it’s been in a while, so
just hoping that it’ll settle down again soon!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That’s it for now, but check back soon as I’ve got a couple more reviews up my
sleeve and ready to go; and I’m planning on reviving the Fashion Fix posts as
well, since my Polyvore addiction is getting a little out of hand~</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Until next time!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">XOXOX</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-23304639369799817892014-11-02T23:46:00.000+00:002014-11-15T12:12:01.493+00:00FOTD Vol 2: Kozuecha Featuring SUQQU<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kyXqNDM6ims/VFa_y8tGsnI/AAAAAAAAAKo/4VnXuRsBaH4/s1600/fotd%2B021114.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kyXqNDM6ims/VFa_y8tGsnI/AAAAAAAAAKo/4VnXuRsBaH4/s1600/fotd%2B021114.png" /></a></div>
<br />
Today's Face of the Day again features Circle Lenses from <a href="http://www.eyecandys.com/#_l_62">Eye Candy's</a> - these ones are Royal Vision Girly Chip in Rose Pink. They don't look obviously in-your-face pink unless you're up close and under bright light, but I really like them. <br />
<br />
Onto the products!<br />
<br />
<b>FACE:</b><br />
MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation: NW10<br />
MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation: NC15<br />
MAC Sculpt/Shape Duo: Bone Beige/Emphasize<br />
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish: By Candlelight<br />
<br />
<b>LIPS:</b><br />
MAC Matte Lipstick: Nouvelle Vogue<br />
<br />
<b>EYES:</b><br />
MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot: Tailor Grey<br />
SUQQU Blend Colour Eyeshadow Palette: 10- Kozuecha<br />
MAC Fluidline: Blacktrack<br />
Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara: Black<br />
Canmake Mix Eyebrow Palette: 01<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
XOXOX</div>
Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-76563479184282765852014-10-30T22:48:00.000+00:002014-11-15T12:12:07.747+00:00Skincare Haul: Featuring allbeauty.com and feelunique.com<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjQ-9aqD4EQ/VFK5UzXrOtI/AAAAAAAAAJI/5mQFh5CqeDs/s1600/allitems.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjQ-9aqD4EQ/VFK5UzXrOtI/AAAAAAAAAJI/5mQFh5CqeDs/s1600/allitems.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/Korres-Pommegranate-Tonic-Lotion-200ml" target="_blank">Korres Pomegranate Tonic Lotion</a>, </span><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/First-Aid-Beauty-Facial-Radiance-Pads-60" target="_blank">First-Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads</a>,</span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.allbeauty.com/productPaging.php?productId=20473" target="_blank">Shiseido White Lucency Night Recovery Cream</a>, </span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.allbeauty.com/productPaging.php?productId=1043597" target="_blank">Korres White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: justify;">Also pictured: Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Overnight Detox Oil sample, Lady Gaga Eau De Gaga De Parfum samples - both complimentary from <a href="http://feelunique.com/">feelunique.com</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I should preface this by saying that this is neither an advertorial nor a sponsored post. Like my last entry, which was heavy on links to <a href="http://escentual.com/">Escentual.com</a>, I really just want to pass on my experiences and the good deals I managed to find online from some of my favourite online retailers. This started life as your average haul/shopping post, but it inadvertently turned into something of a review for the websites themselves, so enjoy!!</div>
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A couple of weeks ago I found myself online shopping. Which should surprise absolutely nobody, because if online shopping was an Olympic sport I would definitely be holding records and a Platinum medal. My initial reasoning for said online shopping was completely altruistic - I wanted to see if I could get my aunt's favourite perfume (well, cologne as she wears a lot of men's scents) for Christmas. Don't worry, she knows I'm buying it. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This foray into fragrance found me on an old favourite, <a href="http://allbeauty.com/">allbeauty.com</a> (formerly CheapSmells), as they had the fragrance I needed for a very very reasonable price - which again isn't a surprise as in my experience they almost always have the best deals on any fragrance I've been looking for and which they stocked. Pleased that I’d hit the proverbial jackpot, I added the perfume to my shopping basket and then proceeded to peruse the rest of the website. It had admittedly been a good couple of years since I’d made a purchase from them (I’d been getting my fragrance from Duty Free stores overseas when I’d been on vacation) so I wanted to see what they had available. I’ve also been on the hunt for the old original Polo in the green bottle by Ralph Lauren for my grandfather, as it’s getting more and more difficult to find now that the new Polo scents seem to be saturating the market everywhere instead now. I don’t know if the original has actually been discontinued now? I hope not! Anyway, allbeauty did have the <a href="http://www.allbeauty.com/aftershave/4376-ralph-lauren-polo-green-eau-de-toilette-spray-59ml" target="_blank">Polo Green</a> in stock, and cheap too (the 59ml size EDT retails at £45.00 but they’re selling it for £36.25 right now which is an amazing 19% off!). Unfortunately for me, they didn’t have the larger size in stock, but it didn’t stop me from looking around to buy a little ‘Christmas’ treat for myself. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Okay, time for a little aside. I have to confess that this is entirely how I operate. It’s October and I started my Christmas shopping around three weeks ago. And when I do my Christmas shopping online I almost always wind up buying a treat or two for myself as well. I call it buying Christmas presents for myself but I’m sure you know as well as I do that I’m going to tear open and use those babies as soon as they reach my house. And that I probably would have bought things for myself even if I weren’t Christmas shopping at the same time. But that’s how I wind up justifying the extra purchases to myself haha. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyway, this is what I bought from allbeauty!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iht-bITEPA8/VFK6uw6gNpI/AAAAAAAAAJU/2-ghdTPsNvE/s1600/allbeautyitems.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iht-bITEPA8/VFK6uw6gNpI/AAAAAAAAAJU/2-ghdTPsNvE/s1600/allbeautyitems.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Korres White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser, Shiseido White Lucency Recovery Night Cream</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I’ve been on the hunt for a night cream for a while now, and while I was looking around the website I found that they had a certain one that’s been on my Want To Try list for… three years? Maybe longer actually Easily since the last time I went to Canada, as I very nearly bought it from Sephora last time I was at home visiting my family. From allbeauty the price for the <a href="http://www.allbeauty.com/productPaging.php?productId=20473" target="_blank">Shiseido White Lucency Recovery Night Cream</a> was £35.00, which was a whopping 36% off the RRP of £54.50. I couldn’t pass up a deal like that, so it swiftly found its way into my cart. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zq1vbTGgebE/VFK8UwttNcI/AAAAAAAAAJk/-qqCplK_yu0/s1600/moisturiser.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zq1vbTGgebE/VFK8UwttNcI/AAAAAAAAAJk/-qqCplK_yu0/s1600/moisturiser.png" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
The only product I’ve tried from this line before was the foaming cleanser, which I absolutely loved even if it was maybe a little drying on me. Since then I’ve wanted to try the whole range, but I didn’t see the point in splurging for the day and night mousturiser from the White Lucency line right now, as it would have been a tragic waste of the pricey Chanel day cream I just repurchased a couple of weeks ago. I’ll not do a full review just yet, as I’ve only just started using it, but it does seem to be decently hydrating and feels very nice on my skin. I’m happy with this purchase, I just wish it came in a slightly bigger tub for the price. Although again, I can’t complain too much as I saved just shy of £20!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XJU19CnJ5yY/VFK-S-u2lpI/AAAAAAAAAKI/4cUEe51R1Yw/s1600/gelcleanser.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XJU19CnJ5yY/VFK-S-u2lpI/AAAAAAAAAKI/4cUEe51R1Yw/s1600/gelcleanser.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="text-align: justify;">I don’t even remember how this wound up in my cart, I just remember seeing it and immediately needing it - </span><a href="http://www.allbeauty.com/productPaging.php?productId=1043597" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Korres' White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser</a><span style="text-align: justify;">. I love a good flavoured latte as much as the next girl, but truth be told I’m more of a tea addict than anything else. Up until recently I kept a fancy glass looseleaf teapot with matching glass cup and saucer on my desk at work to enjoy a variety of different teas – my favourite being the jasmine green tea pearls, or a nice cup of lightly sweetened white tea. So you can probably see why this cleanser appealed to me. It cost £15 which I don't believe was on sale, but is still very reasonable if it gets along with my skin well.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don’t have much firsthand experience with Korres as a brand, but I’ve heard good things about their skincare from numerous friends and other bloggers in the webosphere. The one product I have tried is their lip butters, which I absolutely love. Korres products are touted to be natural and containing less chemicals than many other brands, which also appealed to me. So the cleanser has now replaced my usual Clinique gel cleanser. Again, a full review of this will come later when I’ve had a chance to use it for a while and see how it gets along with my skin, but my first thought after using it was that my skin immediately didn’t feel quite as dry and tight as it does when I use the Clinique cleanser – even though the Clinique is for Skin Type 2 which is a dry skin type. Very weird! I’ll see how I get along with this one. I just wish it came with a pump top as I feel like it’s going to slip and I’ll drop it when I pick it up with wet hands.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6P2oCS0-HM0/VFK-SyK32-I/AAAAAAAAAJ4/Hh1ejV_yhLw/s1600/feenuniqueitems.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6P2oCS0-HM0/VFK-SyK32-I/AAAAAAAAAJ4/Hh1ejV_yhLw/s1600/feenuniqueitems.png" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/Korres-Pommegranate-Tonic-Lotion-200ml" target="_blank">Korres Pomegranate Tonic Lotion</a>, </span><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/First-Aid-Beauty-Facial-Radiance-Pads-60" target="_blank">First-Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads</a>,</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Not long after I placed by allbeauty order, I stumbled across a discount code for <a href="http://feelunique.com/">feelunique.com</a> - £10 off a £25 spend. Feelunique was one of those websites I had heard about and seen once or twice, but I’d never made a purchase before. But seeing the discount code, I thought I might as well take a look and see if there was anything that caught my eye. In fact, there was one product in particular that I’ve been dying to try for a while, so it was the first thing I searched for. Lo and behold, feelunique came through! </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BCcktix8tlk/VFK-SkCSYVI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/JqRFq77voQI/s1600/fabpads.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BCcktix8tlk/VFK-SkCSYVI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/JqRFq77voQI/s1600/fabpads.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="text-align: justify;">I’ve been doing some reading up on chemical exfoliation lately, as physical scrubs just aren’t really cutting it for me. I still have clogged pores all up in there, I still get flaky patches and, most tragic of all, I’m almost out of the only facial exfoliator that I’ve ever felt worked well enough on my skin (MAC’s sadly discontinued Microfine Refinisher, RIP and let us say a brief word of mourning over its loss). From my research, I knew that I wanted to incorporate both an AHA and BHA into my routine – with a Beta-Hydroxy Acid in the morning and an Alpha-Hydroxy Acid at night (as AHA’s can increase photosensitivity and I wouldn’t like to put it on my face just before walking outside, sunscreen or no). Several reviews made me convinced that the <a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/First-Aid-Beauty-Facial-Radiance-Pads-60" target="_blank">FAB Facial Radiance Pads</a> were the AHA I wanted to try, containing both Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid. The pads are convenient to store and to use, and I’ve heard very good things about their effectiveness as well. And I mean, with £10 off I really couldn’t go wrong!</span><br />
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In order to make use of the discount code, I needed to spend over £25 – and at £20.50 the pads didn’t take me above that threshold on their own. So I had a look around and settled on the <a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/Korres-Pommegranate-Tonic-Lotion-200ml" target="_blank">Korres Pomegranate Tonic Lotion</a> for £14.00 – which also helpfully contains Salicylic Acid and therefore fits the bill for the BHA toner I’ve been looking for. This is a pretty standard toner to be honest – after cleansing, you put some on a cotton pad and wipe over your face before you apply your moisturiser. I’ll be using this one in the morning, and hopefully the BHA will help unclog my pores over time. It has to be a damn sight better than the no-toner I’ve been using recently, anyway – I had to nix my Clinique 3-step toner as although it’s meant to be formulated for dry skin, it feels like pure alcohol and completely strips my skin when I use it. So far I’ve used it a couple of times and I like the way it feels, but time will be the deciding factor as to whether this becomes a staple of my skincare routing or I wind up BHA hunting again in a couple months’ time.</div>
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Just a note on feelunique’s services, since I went a bit more indepth about allbeauty already. First and foremost, I find that while they do have some items available cheaper than alternative retailers, they do sell primarily around RRP - however I find their customer service is well worth the fact that it's not a "everything on super-sale all of the time" website. Although having said that, their promotions and discount codes are really quite frequent, so I really think you'll be able to find a great deal basically any time you want to take a look. Plus another little added bonus is that you can select samples when checking out as well, which I think is a nice little extra touch you don't get at a lot of beauty retailers.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i7lILJNo7Xw/VFK_sNjseUI/AAAAAAAAAKY/78s0ubimUyQ/s1600/samples.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i7lILJNo7Xw/VFK_sNjseUI/AAAAAAAAAKY/78s0ubimUyQ/s1600/samples.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Samples from feelunique.com</span></div>
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Again though it was feelunique's service that really made an impression on me. When I placed my order, they were doing some revamp work which meant that orders weren’t being processed for a few days. So I placed my order on Saturday night and it was processed closer to mid-week than the next working day. However this was all very clear up front when I made my order, so was not at all a problem – it would have been very irritating to place an order and then for it to not be dispatched without any word of an update as to why. I really appreciated the proactive approach here for the customers. And then even after that, I received an email later on offering a 10% discount code as an “apology for the delay.” I mean really, how sweet is that? Completely unnecessary, but feelunique is very clearly a website that cares about its customers and strives to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction. Just from my initial order I would have been a repeat customer anyway, as I was happy with the service at that point and they have a wide range available online which includes things that I’ve struggled to find elsewhere here in the UK. But things like this really make a difference, you know? So thank you! <br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
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XOXOX</div>
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Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-17318348280866107522014-10-29T22:56:00.000+00:002014-12-08T22:56:59.978+00:00Wishlist Wednesday: Vol1 : Guerlain EditionIt wasn't all that long ago that I made my first foray into the wonderful world of Guerlain. I'd coveted their beautiful packaging for absolutely ages, but for a long time I guess it just felt a little <i>too</i> high end. All of that changed a couple of months ago, however, when I stumbled across some EOTD posts using some Guerlain <a href="http://www.escentual.com/guerlain/make-up/guerlainmakeup_022/" target="_blank">eyeshadow palettes</a>. This led to reading reviews and swatches and other EOTDs using them and I very desperately needed them in my life. Luckily I stumbled across a little website called <a href="http://www.escentual.com/" target="_blank">Escentual</a> at the same time, which sells a lot of premium brands at a discounted price. I wound up buying four of the palettes. And a liquid liner for good measure.<br />
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And now it's safe to say I'm hooked. Those shadows are probably the prettiest beauty products I own, and I'm in love with them as much for the product inside as well. Which brings me to this week's Wishlist Wednesday: products I need in my life, featuring Guerlain. These are all things I've wanted to try for ages - and eventually, I will. One of these days.<br />
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/wednesday_wishlist_guerlain_cosmetics/set?.embedder=12083211&.svc=copypaste&id=137789901" target="_blank"><img alt="Wednesday Wishlist: Guerlain Cosmetics" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/iYas3QJ3IThuYBxPwLBQg/cid/137789901/id/ADhhYVBW5BGhMMV3ZFZllw/size/c500x535.jpg" height="535" title="Wednesday Wishlist: Guerlain Cosmetics" width="500" /></a></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/wednesday_wishlist_guerlain_cosmetics/set?.embedder=12083211&.svc=copypaste&id=137789901" target="_blank">Wednesday Wishlist: Guerlain Cosmetics</a> by <a href="http://lipstickandlightplay.polyvore.com/?.embedder=12083211&.svc=copypaste" target="_blank">lipstickandlightplay</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/guerlain/shop?brand=Guerlain" target="_blank">Guerlain</a></small></div>
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<b>1. </b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Meteorites Voyage</span> (01 Mythic) - £94.50 at <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2991&awinaffid=220027&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escentual.com%2Fguerlain%2Fmake-up%2Fguerlainmakeup002%2F">Escentual</a><br />
<b>2.</b><span style="color: #c27ba0;"> Meteorites Brush</span> - £24.30 at <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2991&awinaffid=220027&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escentual.com%2Fguerlain%2Fmake-up%2Fguerlainmakeup004%2F" target="_blank">Escentual</a><br />
<b>3.</b> <span style="color: #c27ba0;">Meteorites Travel Touch Powder</span> (01 Mythic) - £31.95 at <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2991&awinaffid=220027&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escentual.com%2Fguerlain%2Fmake-up%2Fguerlainmakeup007%2F">Escentual</a><br />
<b>4.</b> <span style="color: #c27ba0;">Meteorites Pearls </span>(02 Clair) - £33.75 at <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2991&awinaffid=220027&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escentual.com%2Fguerlain%2Fmake-up%2Fguerlainmakeup001%2F">Escentual</a><br />
<b>5.</b> <span style="color: #c27ba0;">Ecrin 4 Couleurs Long-Lasting Eyeshadow Palette</span> (various) - £35.10 at <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2991&awinaffid=220027&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escentual.com%2Fguerlain%2Fmake-up%2Fguerlainmakeup046%2F">Escentual</a><br />
<b>6.</b> <span style="color: #c27ba0;">Rouge G Exceptional Complete Lip Colour</span> (various) - £28.35 at <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2991&awinaffid=220027&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escentual.com%2Fguerlain%2Fmake-up%2Fguerlainmakeup034%2F">Escentual</a><br />
<b>7.</b><span style="color: #c27ba0;"> Meteorites Base Perfectrice Pearls</span> - £39.15 at <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2991&awinaffid=220027&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escentual.com%2Fguerlain%2Fmake-up%2Fguerlainmakeup034%2F">Escentual</a><br />
<b>8.</b><span style="color: #c27ba0;"> Lingerie De Peau Foundation</span> (02 Beige Clair) - £33.75 at <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2991&awinaffid=220027&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escentual.com%2Fguerlain%2Fmake-up%2Fguerlainmakeup023%2F">Escentual</a><br />
<b>9. </b><span style="color: #c27ba0;">Meteorites Bubble Blush</span> (02 Cherry) - £25.65 at <a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2991&awinaffid=220027&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.escentual.com%2Fguerlain%2Fmake-up%2Fmeteoritesblossom001%2F">Escentual</a><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
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XOXOX</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">Note: This post is <b>not </b>sponsored by Escentual in any way, however does contain affiliate links. Please see the Disclosure page for more information.</span></div>
Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-63056227680319507892014-10-27T16:00:00.000+00:002014-11-15T12:12:16.526+00:00Fashion Fix: Which Witch : Halloween 2014<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/which_witch_halloween_2014/set?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=138660670" target="_blank"><img alt="Which Witch : Halloween 2014" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/BKBecjPjIZbA9ZbftjrCMw/cid/138660670/id/zii13EJd5BGPWE5c7EzHKw/size/c500x381.jpg" title="Which Witch : Halloween 2014" /></a>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/which_witch_halloween_2014/set?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=138660670" target="_blank">Which Witch : Halloween 2014</a> by <a href="http://lipstickandlightplay.polyvore.com/?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger" target="_blank">lipstickandlightplay</a></small></div>
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120110913" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/120110913.jpg" height="50" hspace="4" title="Atelier Swarovski swarovski crystal bracelet" vspace="4" width="50" /></a><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120948397" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/120948397.jpg" height="50" hspace="4" title="Panacea glass jewelry" vspace="4" width="50" /></a><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=121358643" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/121358643.jpg" height="50" hspace="4" title="Fragments pave earrings" vspace="4" width="50" /></a><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=106634200" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/106634200.jpg" height="50" hspace="4" title="ASOS lace necklace" vspace="4" width="50" /></a><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=119753378" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/119753378.jpg" height="50" hspace="4" title="Prom ball gown" vspace="4" width="50" /></a><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=118435758" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/118435758.jpg" height="50" hspace="4" title="Ted Baker black velvet cape" vspace="4" width="50" /></a><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=118024923" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/118024923.jpg" height="50" hspace="4" title="Timberland platform boots" vspace="4" width="50" /></a><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120793561" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/120793561.jpg" height="50" hspace="4" title="Cocktail hat" vspace="4" width="50" /></a><br />
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Back on the theme of homemade Halloween costume ideas, here's a modern take on the old classic: Witch. Now these pieces are all things that you could wear again at any time of the year, from that beautiful Ted Baker cloak to that dress, which I am absolutely in love with. Adding a cute little headband-come-hat makes the Witchiness stick out a little bit more, but even without it I think you could carry it off. And those boots? They scream witch but they're also completely utilitarian, with good grips on the bottom which are perfect for traipsing over fallen leaves and keeping your toes warm in these chilly autumn evenings.</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
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XOXOX</div>
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Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-53737036732755308212014-10-26T17:45:00.001+00:002014-10-29T14:53:20.477+00:00FOTD Vol 1: Burgundy Bliss Featuring MAC Sin Lipstick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RSjVBMOTkhI/VE0rrVFF35I/AAAAAAAAAI0/lEzBoNbaEV8/s1600/FOTD%2B251014.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RSjVBMOTkhI/VE0rrVFF35I/AAAAAAAAAI0/lEzBoNbaEV8/s1600/FOTD%2B251014.png" /></a></div>
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Today's Face of the Day is credited to wanting to play with my new goodies on a day where I didn't even get out of my pajamas. I edited the above photo slightly in photoshop just to brighten it up a little - the lighting in my bedroom is horrendous and I'm still learning all the tools and tricks of my new camera.</div>
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Anyway, I'm really a fan of this lipstick. I applied with a brush so it's gone on smoothly and helped to get a clean and tidy application - straight from the tube yesterday when I tried it on I kind of looked like a child playing dressup haha. I love this colour so so much. Once the lips were in place I decided to play around with a bolder eye as well, using shades of brown, burgundy and deep plum. </div>
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Also I just want to say that those are not my natural eyes - I'm wearing Geo Magic Color circle lenses in the shade violet, which I purchased from <a href="http://www.eyecandys.com/#_l_62" target="_blank">EyeCandys</a>. I'll do a full review of these lenses later but I will tell you now that they are my absolute favourite and I love how well they blend into my natural eye colour so they don't look obviously fake.</div>
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List of products under the break!</div>
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<b>FACE:</b><br />
Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer: Cool Sand<br />
MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation: NW10<br />
MAC Sculpt/Shape Duo: Bone Beige/Emphasize<br />
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish: By Candlelight<br />
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<b>LIPS:</b><br />
Maybelline Babylips Intense Care<br />
MAC Lipstick: Sin (matte)<br />
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<b>EYES:</b><br />
MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot: Tailor Grey<br />
MAC Eyeshadows: Omega, Sketch, Cranberry, Glamour Check (LE), Honey Lust, Shroom<br />
Guerlain Liquid Liner: Black<br />
Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara: Black<br />
Canmake Mix Eyebrow: 01Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-41830550741944340322014-10-25T21:22:00.002+01:002014-11-15T12:12:54.445+00:00MAC + Rocky Horror Picture Show Haul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsZhYIt_fl8/VEv_1BU_5DI/AAAAAAAAAIg/m_9Eqfxj9Ag/s1600/Sculpting%2BDuo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NsZhYIt_fl8/VEv_1BU_5DI/AAAAAAAAAIg/m_9Eqfxj9Ag/s1600/Sculpting%2BDuo.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">MAC + RHPS: Strange Journey Sculpt/Shape Powder Duo</span></div>
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My MAC + Rocky Horror Picture Show order came today! </div>
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I've been so excited for so long for this collection, and I'm glad I managed to get the products I did. I have never seen a collection sell out this fast before, even back when I used to make monthly purchases from every Limited Edition collection. The Frank N Furter lipstick sold out in less then ten minutes. Ten. I was reading a thread on Specktra where people had items disappearing from their cart as they tried to check out and even one post from somebody who had finished checking out and then had an email saying one of the items was out of stock and would be refunded. </div>
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I was so so happy that didn't happen!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-56QpqCn_c9I/VEv_yZ9OrtI/AAAAAAAAAIE/j2-TOPeqemI/s1600/RHPS%2BBox.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-56QpqCn_c9I/VEv_yZ9OrtI/AAAAAAAAAIE/j2-TOPeqemI/s1600/RHPS%2BBox.png" /></a></div>
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There are five RHPS boxes but I only actually got three items:</div>
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<li>Strange Journey Sculpt/Shape Duo (Bone Beige/Emphasize)</li>
<li>Sin Lipstick</li>
<li>Frank N Furter Lipstick x3</li>
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One thing I do want to say is that I was a little bit disgusted by the opportunistic nature of some people. It's always been a fact of life that there are some individuals who buy up the more hyped items from limited edition collections, only to resell at a profit later on ebay. When I managed to score the MAC + Brooke Shields 'Gravitas' eyeshadow palette at the beginning of the month, I was disappointed to see that it was selling for £100 on ebay on release day, when retail was £70 here in the UK. Again I'd managed to buy mine from the MAC website before it sold out, but there were a lot of people online who weren't so lucky as to be online when it launched at lunchtime. Now there are Frank N Furter lipsticks up for sale with bidding of upwards of £35 for a £17 lipstick, and that's with days left for bidding to go. I've seen Buy It Now listings up to £70. Yes, for a lipstick. It's insane.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qbWkzD6Wwgc/VEv_ydY_94I/AAAAAAAAAIM/vhHFs75qVxE/s1600/RHPS%2BLipsticks.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qbWkzD6Wwgc/VEv_ydY_94I/AAAAAAAAAIM/vhHFs75qVxE/s1600/RHPS%2BLipsticks.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">MAC </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">+ RHPS Lipsticks: Sin on top of Frank N Furter</span></div>
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Out of everything here, I was most desperate for that infamous reselling-for-ridiculous-prices Frank N Furter lipstick, so I was so glad to get mine direct from MAC before it sold out. Not only the iconic name, but the shade just looked so beautiful and perfect from the swatches I'd already seen online pre-release. Sin is also a permanent shade, so while I wanted it with the special collection packaging, it wasn't a big loss as I could have bought the permanent shade any time instead. And with the sculpt/shape duo, it's been released with a couple collections in the past and I'd considered it, so was happy when it was repromoted in the RHPS packaging this time around. But again, the separate shades are available as Pro items, so I could have bought separate pro pans and slotted them into a blush palette instead if I'd wanted to.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3vLIcw4syp8/VEv_0h02dSI/AAAAAAAAAIc/-MQDrme6M18/s1600/Sculpting%2BDuo%2B2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3vLIcw4syp8/VEv_0h02dSI/AAAAAAAAAIc/-MQDrme6M18/s1600/Sculpting%2BDuo%2B2.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">MAC + RHPS: Strange Journey Sculpt/Shape Powder Duo</span></div>
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I'm already loving both of the lipstick colours. Sin looks a touch darker on me than it does in the swatches, but then again it could just be because my complexion is so pale. In any case, it's very vampy and autumnal and it's daring and different and I could not be happier. It applies a touch dry, but as long as I start with a lip balm (as I always do) it shouldn't be too drying. Frank N Furter on the other hand applied very smoothly and felt quite nice on the lips when I wore it for a couple hours this afternoon. Watch this space though, I'll do a review or First Impression Friday with further thoughts when I actually wear them both.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-epYi2ti3lYY/VEv_yniBDSI/AAAAAAAAAII/Hj1xtvG9VEg/s1600/RHPS%2BLipstick%2BSwatches.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-epYi2ti3lYY/VEv_yniBDSI/AAAAAAAAAII/Hj1xtvG9VEg/s1600/RHPS%2BLipstick%2BSwatches.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">MAC + RHPS Lipstick Swatches: Sin (top), Frank N Furter (bottom)</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Now, you'll notice that I bought three of said Frank N Furter lipstick. And it is not at all to be one of the opportunistic assholes who wants to turn an easy profit, as tempting as that might be. Instead I got one to use now, one as a backup when I eventually use up the first (and having tried it on today it really is the perfect red I thought it was going to be on my colouring). <b><i>And then one for a giveaway to one of my readers!</i></b> When last I blogged a few years ago, I waited to get a hundred followers before I held my first giveaway but since I've only just started out I probably won't wait that long. Look out for my Frank N Furter lipstick giveaway to open by the end of November - in this case, the early birds will get the worm, as a thank you for the early adopters/followers who have already been reading. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
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XOXOX</div>
Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-39607054138597904522014-10-25T14:32:00.002+01:002014-11-15T12:12:59.799+00:00These Are a Few of My Favourite Things: The Autumn Tag<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YcBAiRmkFcU/VEugbyL4jVI/AAAAAAAAAH0/ZOCKw9A74ZY/s1600/autumntag.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YcBAiRmkFcU/VEugbyL4jVI/AAAAAAAAAH0/ZOCKw9A74ZY/s1600/autumntag.png" /></a></div>
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Ahh my first tag! First off, I really want to thank Erika of <b><a href="http://plaidandtartan.com/" target="_blank">Plaid and Tartan</a> </b>for tagging me - and such a perfect tag as well since I absolutely love Autumn, so I'm excited to get on with it!</div>
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<b><i>Favourite Thing About Autumn</i></b></div>
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This is actually really difficult as I really do love everything about autumn. My favourite thing, and the thing that really tips it into my favourite season, is probably the way it looks and feels. If that makes any sense at all. I love how the landscape explodes into a sea of colour in the autumn, how the trees seem to be engulfed by flames as their leaves turn slowly from green to yellow to orange to bright crimson. When the sun filters through the autumn leaves so that it looks like Heaven itself is ablaze, it's such a beautiful sight and one of my favourite things. Oh and? My other favourite thing about Autumn is pumpkin everything haha.</div>
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<b><i>Go to Makeup During Autumn</i></b></div>
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I love to rock a red lip every now and again, but that feeling is always tenfold in autumn. Being surrounded by such vibrant shades of orange and red always makes me want to grab for a red lippy. Recently I'm getting more into the darker, vampier shades as well - I can't wait to wear Black Dahlia lip tar and MAC's Sin lipstick, they're just beautiful deep red-plum shades. Generally when I'm wearing a feature colour on the lips, I keep the eyes more neutral so that the lips become even more of a focal point.</div>
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<b><i>Favourite Food/Drink During Autumn</i></b></div>
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Not going to lie, I love pumpkin everything - which I'm sure will be a very common answer in this tag haha. It's been more difficult to indulge since I moved to England, as a lot of the things I love about Autumn aren't as popular over here. For example, Halloween isn't much more than a day on the caldendar. There's also the heartbreaking fact that we only got the infamous Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte over here a year or two ago, and the only time I can have pumpkin pie (one of my favourite things in the world full stop, and my definite answer to "favourite autumn food") is when I make it myself. And on <i>that</i> note, I've just bought some cans of pumpkin puree online so I can make some pies and tarts!</div>
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<b><i>Favourite Shop During Autumn</i></b></div>
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Another one of my favourite things about Autumn is that I love me a good cardigan - and Fall is <i>the </i>season of cardigans. Some of my favourite and most cozy cardis are from <a href="http://www.newlook.com/" target="_blank">New Look</a>, which also happens to be one of my favourite clothing shops full stop. There's some amazing stuff to be found on <a href="http://asos.com/" target="_blank">Asos</a> as well, but again I find they're both great shops year-round, not just Autumn-specific, especially as they cater well to the Plus-Sized fashionista as well.</div>
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<b><i>Favourite Autumn Scent</i></b></div>
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If we're talking smells in general, then my answer is spiced apple. But if we're talking fragrance, then definitely <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/eau-de-toilette/vanilla-eau-de-toilette.aspx" target="_blank">The Body Shop's Vanilla perfume</a>. The deep, sweet, amber notes are perfect for fall. In fact this was my signature scent for years before I started branching out to different scents, but is always a firm favourite that I find myself migrating back to around this time of year.</div>
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<b><i>One Word That Sums Up Autumn For You?</i></b></div>
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Cozy</div>
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<b><i>Favourite Item of Clothing During Autumn</i></b></div>
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This one is a tie between cardigans, as I said above, and a good pair of boots. I've got some super-comfortable ankle boots with a low heel that I've basically been living in since the beginning of September, and I'm going to be super-sad when the time comes to change them out for something a little more Winter-appropriate (as much as I love snow, I don't love having to live in the same pair of hiking boots when it comes out to play).</div>
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<b><i>Inside or Outside During Autumn</i></b></div>
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As much as I love walking around outside with the chilly air snapping roses into my cheeks and crunching fallen leaves underfoot - there's not much in this world more comforting than curling up with a book or a good movie inside where it's nice and warm as the fog and wind dance together outside. With a slice of pumpkin pie and a pumpkin spiced latte, of course haha.</div>
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The five people I'm going to tag will have to answer all the siz questions. This tag must be posted from the beginning of September to the end of October, and you must notify the five people that you have tagged!!!</div>
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<b><i>Five People I Tag</i></b></div>
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I'll start by tagging Stella from <a href="http://stellalee.net/">StellaLee.net</a> which is one of only a handful of blogs I follow since I just got back into blogging. The only other blog that I'm really following has just tagged me in this, so I'm tagging all of my readers as well - if you have a blog, this is your call to arms to do your Autumn Tag. I'd love if you commented below with a link so that I can come read yours too! ^_^<br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
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XOXOX</div>
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Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-14027124137595515112014-10-23T21:10:00.000+01:002014-11-15T12:13:03.575+00:00Fashion Fix: Dress Like Every Day is Halloween<div style="margin: 0px auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/dress_like_every_day_is/set?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=138359034" target="_blank"><img alt="Dress Like Every Day is Halloween" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/pkG6N4O5it73bDZcZao5w/cid/138359034/id/Nhr4Y_9a5BGhhc4-EleiAg/size/c500x483.jpg" height="483" title="Dress Like Every Day is Halloween" width="500" /></a></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/dress_like_every_day_is/set?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=138359034" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff768d;">Dress Like Every Day is Halloween</span></a> by <span style="color: #ff768d;"><a href="http://lipstickandlightplay.polyvore.com/?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger" target="_blank">lipstickandlightplay</a> </span></small><br />
<small><br /></small>
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/198193055/happy-halloween-witches-black-slouchy" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff768d;">TOP</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px;"> - etsy.com | </span><a href="http://www.missguided.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/141783/s/winni-bat-leggings-black/category/502/" style="font-size: 13px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff768d;">LEGGINGS</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px;"> - missguided.co.uk </span><br />
<a href="http://www.johnlewis.com/oasis-core-cami-black/p1711146?s_afcid=af_92295&awc=1203_1414094122_8ba5e18affaa6edd7065b525ef038a69" style="font-size: 13px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff768d;">CAMI</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px;"> - johnlewis.com | </span><a href="http://www.asos.com/asos/asos-halloween-skeleton-shopper-bag/prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4292080&clr=Black&SearchQuery=skeleton&pgesize=24&pge=1&totalstyles=24&gridsize=3&gridrow=1&gridcolumn=1" style="font-size: 13px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff768d;">TOTE</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #ff768d;"> </span>- asos.com | </span><a href="http://www.asos.com/asos/asos-halloween-skeleton-shopper-bag/prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=4292080&clr=Black&SearchQuery=skeleton&pgesize=24&pge=1&totalstyles=24&gridsize=3&gridrow=1&gridcolumn=1" style="font-size: 13px;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff768d;">BOOTS</span></a><span style="font-size: 13px;"> - drmartens.com</span><br />
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Have I mentioned that Halloween is my
favourite? I love Halloween, I love all things spooky and I love autumn.
And I'd certainly love to dress like it's Halloween every day! I
found these Leggings from missguided.com and was inspired to put this little
outfit together. It's very casual and everyday, but very fitting for an
October ensemble. The Dr Martens are stylish but also perfect for traipsing
around over fallen leaves as they crunch crunch crunch underfoot. Also?
I may or may not have that tote bag in my Asos wishlist right
now... <span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
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XOXOX</div>
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Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-71138326309469238842014-10-21T12:00:00.000+01:002014-10-21T12:00:00.793+01:00Tried and Tested: Lancôme Hypnose Mascara<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nLkExWJlOMs/VD_k1ITAApI/AAAAAAAAAHk/xCcNbOeSMCk/s1600/770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nLkExWJlOMs/VD_k1ITAApI/AAAAAAAAAHk/xCcNbOeSMCk/s1600/770.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">£22.00 -<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><a href="http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_123053673099_-1" target="_blank">Debenhams</a></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Or $27.50 -<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><a href="http://www.sephora.com/hypnose-custom-volume-mascara-P65300" target="_blank">Sephora</a></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">“<span style="text-align: start;">Volume builds up. Lashes sparkle. A concentrate of
beautiful, intense pigments adorns your lashes, which appear to have up to 6
times more volume.</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br />
My latest review is for Lancôme’s Hypnose mascara.<br />
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I’ll be up front and honest here and say that I don’t particularly have any kind of brand loyalty where it comes to mascara. Mascara is probably the cosmetic product that I use the most, so you would think I would also be the most discerning about it, but this hasn’t proven to be the case.<br />
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For the most part, mascara has been something that I relied on heavily just to – well – not look stupid. That might sound weird, but let me explain. I’m a natural (dark) blonde, and as such my eyelashes are also very fair as well. So much so that, if I don’t wear mascara, it almost looks like I don’t have any, which in turn just makes my eyes look very odd (and coupled with my pale complexion, I look almost albino without makeup). So even on those very rare days where I’m braving the world bare-faced, even when I’m so sick that the idea of messing around with makeup makes me want to pass out – even then, I have to wear a coat of mascara.<br />
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I’ve tried all kinds of mascaras. Victoria’s Secret, Max Factor, Maybelline, Collection 2000, Avon, MAC, Make Up For Ever god only knows what else. Some have been better than others, obviously, but I’ve never actually *loved* a mascara. Okay, okay, we use the word “love” far too loosely. I’ve never really <i>really</i> liked any particular mascara. As long as it didn’t clump and it made my lashes black, well, I’d wear it and I would deal.<br />
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But this mascara is more than that. It manages to emphasize my lashes, adding a slight curl – although I still curl my lashes before applying anyway – definitely making them black and thick looking, adding a bit of length. Which is basically everything you can ask for in a mascara. The thing is though, even though the mascara itself is very thick and kind of creamy in texture, it’s generally really good for not clumping. And if there’s one thing that will make me hate a mascara it is a brand that creates clumpey spider-spikes. One coat of this mascara and I’m good to go. (Unlike the Maybelline mascara I used to wear, that required at least two coats to add any definition at all. One coat would colour but that’s basically it) In fact, this mascara does such a good job of what it *should* be doing that I no longer feel the need to use a lash primer underneath, which is something I’d been relying heavily on for a while.<br />
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There really isn’t much else to say about this mascara, other than it is good, it does what it is supposed to (though SIX times the volume is probably a bit of a stretch if we're being real) and you should try it. So instead of rambling inanely I’m going to get on to the final ratings and writeup:<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><strong>Pros</strong></span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Very nice dark, black colour</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">I really like the brush. It's a standard brush but those weird plastic spikey ones never apply well in my experience so I like this.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Does everything a mascara should do - adds volume, lengthens, darkens!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Doesn't clump with one coat, which is really all I need to use</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"></span><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Cons</strong><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">The promised "six times volume" is a bit of a stretch - it's good but not as good as the product description would have you believe</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">At £22 it's pretty pricey for a mascara</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px;">If you like to wear multiple coats then this is very likely to clump (one coat though and you will be fine though, two coats and you need to be careful with application.)</span></li>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Ratings</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;"><b>Quality:</b> 4.5/5 </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: 9pt;">Value:</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> 3.5/5 </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: 9pt;">Does What It Says:</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> 4/5 </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: 9pt;">Packaging:</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> 5/5 </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: 9pt;">Bonus*:</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> N/A</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;"><b>TOTAL: 17/20</b><br /></span></div>
<br />Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-32384479742520820752014-10-16T13:59:00.001+01:002014-11-15T12:13:37.360+00:00Fashion Fix: Modern Vampire : Halloween 2014<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/modern_vampire_halloween_2014/set?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=137656631" target="_blank"><img alt="Modern Vampire : Halloween 2014" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/DxjzZXvWshBcRkdS6dQuQ/cid/137656631/id/WBVUQjRV5BGSYbIFm_7EJQ/size/c600x404.jpg" force="1" height="404" title="Modern Vampire : Halloween 2014" width="600" /></a></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/modern_vampire_halloween_2014/set?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=137656631" target="_blank">Modern Vampire : Halloween 2014</a> by <a href="http://lipstickandlightplay.polyvore.com/?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger" target="_blank">lipstickandlightplay</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/halloween_home_decor/shop?query=halloween+home+decor" target="_blank">halloween home decor</a></small><br />
<br />
<i>Putting together your own Halloween costume is almost always better than buying a premade on-sale costume set from a store. Here I've put together a modern take on the Vampire - but without the tacky satin cape and tatty dress that always seems to come hand-in-hand with that sort of thing. Smokey eyes with red lips and a bloody manicure match with a pretty lace-detail dress and lots of black and red accessories with a bit of an alternative style. And can I just say how in love with these boots?!</i></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=119313421" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/119313421.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=119313421" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pamela mann tight</a></small><br />
<small>$13 - gothicangelclothing.co.uk</small><br />
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120201645" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/120201645.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120201645" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jessica simpson boots</a></small><br />
<small>6pm.com</small><br />
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120187768" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/120187768.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120187768" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alexander McQueen black necklace</a></small><br />
<small>6pm.com</small><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120774639" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vintage jewelry</a></small><br />
<small>childofwild.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=118950154" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/118950154.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=118950154" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ASOS cross necklace</a></small><br />
<small>asos.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=119353042" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/119353042.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=119353042" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1928 stud earrings</a></small><br />
<small>1928.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120408268" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/120408268.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120408268" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stud earrings</a></small><br />
<small>hugssy.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=119703218" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/119703218.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=119703218" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wet Seal filigree bracelet</a></small><br />
<small>wetseal.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=108250501" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/108250501.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=108250501" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Laura Mercier eye makeup</a></small><br />
<small>saksfifthavenue.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=26723957" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/26723957.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=26723957" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MAC Cosmetics red lipstick</a></small><br />
<small>amazon.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=106417879" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/106417879.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=106417879" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Urban Decay waterproof eyeliner</a></small><br />
<small>$25 - debenhams.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120224369" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/120224369.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=120224369" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Halloween home decor</a></small><br />
<small>spirithalloween.com</small><br />
<small><br /></small>
<small><br /></small>
<small><br /></small>
<small><br /></small>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
<small></small><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
XOXOX</div>
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-38007905344554176862014-10-14T12:00:00.000+01:002014-11-15T12:13:39.868+00:00Tried and Tested: MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rpSx1thHC18/UKevaiaV5AI/AAAAAAAAACk/ksz-2_RkJwk/s1600/StudioSculpt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rpSx1thHC18/UKevaiaV5AI/AAAAAAAAACk/ksz-2_RkJwk/s1600/StudioSculpt.png" /></span></a></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">£25.00 -<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;">MAC UK</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Or
$32.00 -<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 9.0pt;"><a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/mac-studio-sculpt-spf-15-foundation/3019341?origin=category-personalizedsort&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=600&cm_sp=personalizedsort-_-browseresults-_-1_2_B" target="_blank">Nordstrom</a>/<a href="http://www.maccosmetics.com/" target="_blank">MAC US</a></span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 9pt;">“A
creamy, luxurious, gel-based foundation that provides medium buildable to high coverage
with a natural satin finish. Hydrating, instantly revitalizes the skin while
keeping it looking smooth, soft and plush. Long-wearing, water-resistant.”</span></i><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Today I've got a review for the first MAC foundation I ever used. It was a while back now, but I still have strong feelings on it. So with that said, here we go.</span><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><br />
<br />Once upon a time I was on the hunt for a liquid foundation, and so I ventured to my local counter to be
colour matched. I explained my needs - my skin is ridiculously dry, and one of the major
problems I had in the past with foundation (even powder on a particularly bad
day) is with the foundation emphasizing and exacerbating my issues, and the
ever-attractive flaking of dry skin. The makeup artist used a soft brush to
test a couple of shades on me and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>as
expected I came out at the lightest shade they carried (NC15 at the time) and recommended the Studio Sculpt foundation to me, saying that the gel-based formulation and satin finish would be good on my dry skin. She only did a patch on
my cheek and jaw, but it was amazing and I snapped it straight up. It didn't look like I had makeup on, I
just had a soft dewy finish and an even skintone on the area applied. It looked
natural, I was in love, and I took it home very happily.<br />
<br />
I played around at home, and over time fell slowly out of love. Every time I tried to use
it for a full face application, it let me down. MAC's description of this
particular product says that it's medium coverage, buildable to full - but I
would be lying if I said I found this to be true at all, as instead I found adding another layer just made it even more difficult to smooth out and not look like I had a cakeface of makeup. The colour match was excellent, but this one just doesn't perform at all.
The gel consistency is difficult to work with, and even after applying with a
MAC 109 brush, I would have to go back and smooth it out with my fingers to get
rid of the marks that the brush had left behind.<br />
<br />
For me, this was impossible to blend. On the small patch test it looked
amazing, but in real life it just failed to live up to the expectations and
promises that the brand had put out there. The colour and finish were
wonderful, so I persevered, but wound up with the same old issues. The
foundation would inevitably only serve to highlight my dry skin problems, and
it just felt awful on, like I had a very thin mask sitting on top of my skin.
By the time I would get home from work, it would slip and slide around as if it
had never been blended and buffed into the skin at all, even if it had been set
with a finishing powder and tried in vain to touch it up midday.<br />
<br />
I tried to persevere for a while, but in the end it just wasn't worth the
trouble to get no result back at all, and I went out and purchased a different
foundation, and set my
Studio Sculpt to one side, professing that I would give it another chance
later. But later never came, and I wound up decanting what was left of the product
- a good 80% of the tube - into a travel jar so that I could Back 2 MAC the
packaging.<br />
<br />
That little jar of foundation still sits in my makeup collection, taunting me.
I know I should just throw it away, but it feels like such a waste of good
money, so I keep telling myself that one day I'll use it and one day maybe it
will work. But I really don't believe it will ever happen. This is a product
that just lets me down more each time I use it, and now that this has been
written, I may actually go and finally toss it.<br />
<br />
Overall, this is not a product I would recommend at ALL.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<strong>Pros</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Basically perfect colour match for me</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Has a very nice finish if you can deal with the cons</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Packaging is a bit different from the norm
and works well, very hygienic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Was able to Back 2 MAC the tube toward a free lipstick</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">
</span><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Cons</strong><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Doesn't blend well</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Highlights flaws in my dry skin</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Doesn't last beyond a couple of hours in spite of the "long-wearing" description</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">"Buildable to high coverage" is not possible without looking awful</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">I
can't imagine this actually being waterproof</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">Quite expensive for something that I
found so disappointing</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;">
<br />
</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;"><strong>Ratings</strong></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;"><b>
Quality:</b> 1/5 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: 9pt;">Value:</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> 1/5 </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: 9pt;">Does What It Says:</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> 1/5 </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: 9pt;">Packaging:</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> 2/5 </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-size: 9pt;">Bonus*:</b><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> +2</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 9pt;"><b>
TOTAL: 7/20</b><br />
<br />
*Bonus points awarded for MAC's recycling program, as I was able to return the
empty tube along with 5 other empties to get a free MAC lipstick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
XOXOX</div>
</div>
Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-71723069653255364202014-10-11T17:46:00.000+01:002014-11-15T12:13:41.768+00:00Fashion Fix: Autumn Everyday with H&M+<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 600px;">
<div style="position: relative;">
<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/plus_autumn/set?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=137157915" target="_blank"><img alt="H&M Plus - Autumn" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/gDm2xWmXivdBsWrLzTbm1A/cid/137157915/id/JgXCa2VR5BG5eRCb7EzHKw/size/c600x661.jpg" force="1" height="661" title="H&M Plus - Autumn" width="600" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/plus_autumn/set?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=137157915" target="_blank">H&M Plus - Autumn</a> by <a href="http://lipstickandlightplay.polyvore.com/?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger" target="_blank">lipstickandlightplay</a> featuring <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/plus_size_tops/shop?query=plus+size+tops" target="_blank">plus size tops</a></small><br />
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">An Autumn-themed monochrome ensemble featuring items from <a href="http://www.hm.com/gb" target="_blank">H&M</a>'s plus-size range H&M+. Jeans with a lace-sleeve tee and a scuba jacket to keep warm in the chilly autumn afternoon. Paired with stylish Broque-patterned leather ankle boots to do some serious leaf-crunching.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 600px;">
<small></small><br />
<div style="padding-top: 16px;">
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=113687396" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak1.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/113687396.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=113687396" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">H M plus size top</a></small><br />
<small>$24 - hm.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=118286098" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/118286098.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=118286098" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">H M plus size jacket</a></small><br />
<small>$32 - hm.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=100063700" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/100063700.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=100063700" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">H&M plus size jeans</a></small><br />
<small>$48 - hm.com</small><br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
<br />
<div style="clear: both; margin: 0em; padding: 0px;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=117791733" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img align="left" src="http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/s/tid/117791733.jpg" force="1" height="50" hspace="4" style="background-color: white; border: 1px solid #cccccc; margin: 0 8px 8px 0; padding: 2px;" width="50" /></a></small></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 8px; text-align: left;">
<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=12083211&.svc=blogger&id=117791733" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lace up boots</a></small><br />
<small>$16 - hm.com</small><br />
<small><br /></small>
<small><br /></small>
<small><br /></small>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
<small></small><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
XOXOX</div>
<small><br /></small>
<small><br /></small>
<small><br /></small>
<br />
<small><br style="display: none;" /></small></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-59965710967628424072014-10-11T12:57:00.001+01:002014-10-11T12:57:49.974+01:00Follow Lipstick and Lightplay on Bloglovin!<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3551316/?claim=k2cqnppzz6s">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5111928147915083825.post-88600849978866664532014-10-10T07:55:00.001+01:002014-11-15T12:13:31.164+00:00First Impression Friday: MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Prolong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BXJhR5ik2Kc/VDkwEUOuVsI/AAAAAAAAAFw/4Or_bVbp1mM/s1600/prolong.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BXJhR5ik2Kc/VDkwEUOuVsI/AAAAAAAAAFw/4Or_bVbp1mM/s1600/prolong.png" /></a></div>
Welcome to the first edition of First Impression Friday! Each week (or rather, each week that I have some new product to try out) I'll do a brief post covering my initial thoughts on something I've tested for the first time. Please note that this will not constitute a full review, as I need more time to try out a product and make a full assessment of its' performance.<br />
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Today I've tried and tested MAC's Pro Longwear Lipcreme for the first time. The shade of choice is Prolong, which is a nice blue-based red shade. It's a matte finish, so it has a certain level of tackiness to it and lacks the 'slip' of a lipstick with more sheen - it's not a shade you want to be rubbing your lips together much after application, as it feels like that would really mess with the application and finish and move the product about a little too much. I've had it on for two hours and there's absolutely no wearing off yet, which is expected, particularly for a lipstick with a matte finish (I tend to find they have somewhat better staying power in general, which may be due to the heavier texture and application).<br />
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I'll do a post on this later on with a full review with regard to things like wear-time and lasting power, but for now I want to say that it's love at first sight. I love the coverage, the texture, the finish, and the shade. I have one other shade from this range of lipsticks - Unlimited, which I'll test out and review another time - but already feel like I want more. Prolong in particular, I think is quite a stark red but one that will be quite wearable across a range of skin tones.<br />
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So yes, my first impression in a nutshell is that I'm already in love, but time will tell if this will be a long-term infatuation or a short-lived fling!<br />
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Have you tried out the Pro Longwear Lipcreme range yet? What were your thoughts? And what is your must-have shade?<br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Until next time!</span></div>
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XOXOX</div>
Victoriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06308168043196729012noreply@blogger.com0