Lush Mini Haul & Review

Oh look, what a surprise, here's another mini Lush Haul. I cannot walk past one without going in. And spending money. Lots of money. Fact.

Here are some goodies I picked up recently and my initial thoughts!

Honey Bee Bath Ballistic - £3.35

Smells lovely. Classic Lush product containing honey, aloe vera, and rhassoul mud - the mud bits float and and slowly dissolve. Would definitely buy again even though I have no idea what rhassoul mud even is.

Think Pink Bath Ballistic - £2.65

My 8 year old daughter pickef this. My Lush obsession is clearly rubbing off on her. This bath bomb was slightly smaller then the Honey but equally as delicious (if that's the right word). This one contained rice paper confetti hearts which she loved.

Ro's Argan Body Conditioner - £16.50

This product is amazing - I can't believe I've never picked one up before. So you apply it to your damp skin in the bath or shower, let it sink in for a matter of seconds and then rinse off. It leaves your skin so hydrated and smooth - it's the perfect product for when you just don't have time to apply a moisturiser as it's so quick. It smells incredible and something I've been using in every shower since I bought it. Packed with argan oil, brazil nut and almond oils as well as cocoa, shea and cupuaçu butters it's one of my newest obsessions. Can't get enough.


Let The Good Times Roll Cleanser - £6.75

A product I repurchase time and time again - a firm favourite. You can use this scrubby cleanser on your face and body to clean and exfoliate. It's a little too scrubby to use every single day but for a couple of times a week it's perfect. It contains popcorn, maize flour and polenta & cinnamon powder which explains why it smells good enough to eat. Love love love this stuff.

Fun in Pink- £5

Another product my daughter wanted. You break a bit off and use it as a solid shampoo, bubble bar or soap. You can mould it into shapes so it adds a little "fun" to your bath time! A lot of product for the price and something I would be happy to pick up again. Smells stunning too.

Fave purchase from this trip? The Argan Body Conditioner without a doubt! What's your ultimate Lush must have? 

I'm off to have another shower! 

Love Emma

XOXO 

#ColourMeMarch

I keep on seeing a certain Hashtag all over Twitter and Instagram - #Colourmemarch. Being the nosey so and so I am and with a bit of research I found out that it's linked to an event. Next Wednesday, 11th March, is Cheltenham Races Ladies Day but this year it's going to be a touch more colourful than before thanks to the campaign #Colourmemarch.

So exactly is Colour Me March? Well it's purpose is to make us ladies try and be a little more adventurous with colour. To wear something that might push us out of our day to day comfort zone,  to just simply have a little fun with our outfits. A little fun with colour.

I was offered the opportunity to go along to the event but sadly had to decline - that's what happens when you're a mum of two. Long gone are the days where I can up and leave, get dressed up and attend something without having 6 months notice, a trustworthy baby sitter, a backup babysitter etc etc. You get my drift.

Anyway, just because I can't get there doesn't mean I can't have a bit of fun day dreaming about what I would have worn, so I had a go at choosing an outfit.
Firstly what's my fashion style? Hmm it's a tricky one. I'm far from a tracksuit bottom no makeup wearing mum. I wouldn't go out the house without wearing at least 3 cosmetic products and I don't even own a pair of trainers. (Box fresh white Converse don't count). I'm a huge fan of classic skinny jeans, comfy tops and boots. Maybe a floaty dress and cardi combo. Lots of chunky jewellery. What i'm trying to say is that I have my style and don't really experiment too much with colour. I don't own anything at all red, it's just not a colour I am naturally drawn to, so for my Colour Me March outfit something including red would totally push me out of my comfort zone.

So here's a little picture of something I would love to wear. Yes the designer items in the little selection reach into the thousands, but heck a girl can daydream. I've gone for a bit of classic black but spiced it up with lots of touches of orange/red. A classic look with a fresh modern twist I think. I know that if I were to attend I would scour the high street for a similar look at the fraction of this price, but hey I went with some dream items!

I'm looking forward to searching the hashtag and checking out all the colourful outfits the lovely ladies wear on the day. This campaign is actually pretty good - it's certainly got me thinking about the colours I wear and perhaps given me the kick up the bum I need to be a bit more experimental with colour!

I'm off to sort through my wardrobe,
Love Emma
XOXO

Tried & Tested - L'Oreal Brow Artist Genius Kit

As a beauty product obsessive finding the ultimate brow product is high on my must-do list. Groomed and well defined eyebrows can make such a HUGE difference to your face. Brows frame the eyes, lift the look of the area and give you an overall pulled together look. I flit from product to product in hope to find the quickest, easiest and longest lasting product at an affordable price.

When I spotted the L'Oreal Brow Artist Genius Kit this week I just couldn't resist. A sleek little package containing everything  you need for the perfect brows. Ohhh yes please.

For £9.99 you get two brow products, a wax and a powder, a double ended slanted brush/spooley and tiny tweezers. Being a brunette I picked the Medium to Dark colour option.

So the idea is that this little kit allows you to shape, style and set your brows. You clean up the brow area first with the tiny tweezers, you then define the shape with the wax using the tiny slanted brush and then apply the powder on top to fill in any sparse areas and add colour - finishing off with a swipe or two through with the spooley.

So, let's cut to the chase. I love the packaging - the cute little brushed metallic case is verging on perfect. The mirror in the lid is ideal. The tweezers actually aren't that bad, not something I would reach for on a daily basis but perfect for snaring the odd stray hair on a holiday. Let's face it though I wasn't actually expecting them to be any good. The brush and spooley aren't too bad either. The brush could be a little firmer for my personal liking but it does the job - the finished look wasn't as precise as I'd have liked but if you're not a perfectionist it's not the end of the world.

Now onto the products. The wax applies beautifully - very smooth and super easy to apply. The same with the powder. They're both highly pigmented and only a light hand is needed. Once you've used it the first time the wax does get a bit muddy with the powder as you use the same brush to apply both but it's not a big deal.

I had really high hopes. The products apply really well but here's the thing and it's a huge thing. The colour. It looks far far too red on me. It's unfortunately not a colour that suits me whatsoever - I did both brows, stepped back to look in a larger mirror and literally went "oh wow". I often find the reddy undertoned problem with products made in lighter shades so it was a surprise to see this from a shade in medium & dark. A huge disappointment. 

The products are supposed to last 12 hours but I didn't put this to the test - I just couldn't step out with my brows looking so obviously done.

So over all I actually enjoyed the product but I just wouldn't wear it out or use it again. I do wonder if the lighter shade would have been a better match but if I'm honest I'm not willing to spend another £9.99 to find out.

If you're looking for a great drugstore brow product the Soap & Glory 2-in-1 Brow Filling Pencil & Brush is much much better and cheaper too - check out my review here.

So my quest for the ultimate affordable brow product continues! Have your tried the Brow Artist? How was the colour for you? Any brow product recommendations?

I'm off to groom my brows,
Love Emma
XOXO

Tried & Tested - Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection Flat Contour Brush #301

I didn't think I needed anymore makeup brushes, I have a pretty decent collection but a recent browse through Boots changed my mind. I spotted the Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection and well I simply couldn't resist. The long sculpted handles, the pretty metallic colours, the fresh fluffy heads. Do you blame me? Of course I wanted them all but I managed some serious self control and picked just one, the Flat Contour Brush #301 - £22.

I did have my sights set on the NARS 'Ita' which is a huge £43(!!) so the Real Techniques was slightly more affordable. Yes, the heads are totally different - the NARS being longer and thinner but I decided to throw caution to the wind and give this one a go instead. 

I couldn't wait to crack the brush out of the box and boy oh boy I wasn't dissapointed at all. The head is super dense but so beautifully soft. The kind of soft that makes you want to swirl it around your face for ever and ever. And ever. You know what I mean. 

The handle is lovely, but really rather long.  Not something you can pop in a small makeup bag for on the go touch ups. This brush is suited to sit proudly on your dressing table. 

The head is cut perfectly. It fits into the hollows of my cheeks like a dream. It's also pretty good for contouring the side of the nose too. The bristles pick up just the right amount of product too. I'm in love. Maybe just maybe I'll finally crack contouring with this beauty. 

This is the first Real Techniques brush I have purchased. Would I be temped to buy any more? Hell yes. For the price this brush is really rather lovely. It looks great, does its job perfectly and is easy to use! 

A massive thumbs up from me! I think I might go back and get the huge fluffy powder brush which looks too good to be true. All for research purposes of course *cough cough*. 

There was almost a negative. When I initially got the brush out of the packet I was annoyed to see that stuck it its side was the clear glue dot that held it in it's place in the box.... However there was no need to panic. Wrapped around the handle where this glue dot stickly sat was a tiny strip of clear plastic protecting the pretty handle! Amazing and well done Real Techniques! 

Overall a beautiful brush at an okay price. Looks great, does it's job, what more could you ask for! 

I'm off to practice my contouring! 

Love Emma 

XOXO 

January Favourites

I know it's been a long month but, for me, I feel like January has just flown by. I cannot actually believe it's February already.

Going through my old posts I totally forgot to write a December Favourites post - oops. To make up for it I've added a few products in this one I used and loved throughout the festive season as well as January. 

So, let's crack on. Here are the products I've been using and loving throughout January. 

Soap & Glory 'Whipped Clean Shower Butter' - £7

The smell of this body wash is beyond good. It's the kinda scent I could sniff all day long. Soap & Glory never fail to deliver with their scents and this one is beautiful. It's a super soft and moisturising shower cream packed with goodness and smelling of pistachio, almond and sweet vanilla. If you suffer from dry skin you need to try this. Yum. 

Soap & Glory 'Sugar Crush' Body Srub &  Body Buttercream - £8/10.50

Some more Soap & Glory products that smell good enough to eat. These are fresh & citrusy - the scrub has the perfect amount of scrubby bits and the body cream is rich, thick and does a great job! Love using these - great products for the price. 

Elemis 'Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow Skin Softening Salt Scrub' - £36.50

One of my most loved body products ever. Yes it's pricey but it's bodyscrub perfection. This beautifully packaged scrub takes exfoliating to whole new level. For me this is the ultimate bath time treat. I use this as soon as I get in the bath so that I can really take advantage of the serious moisture it delivers and the sublime spa like aroma. Something i'll repurchase again and again. Can you tell I love it?! 

Younique 'Illuminate Clean' Facial Cleasner - £30

I am a huge face wash fan, I just prefer actually washing my face using a product and good old water than any other method. This wash is packed with horse chestnut, ginkgo biloba and super leaf extracts (not that I know what super leaf extracts are, but they sure do sound good). It's beautifully creamy, really soft and leaves my face feeling clean without drying it out and making it squeaky. A little goes a long long way. Can't get enough. A firm favourite. 

Agave 'Healing Oil' - £16

I got this moisturising hair oil a few months ago in my Birchbloggers Breakfast goody bag and have pretty much used it everyday since. A few drops brings my frazzled DIY dip dyed hair back to life. It has a really interesting smell, very unique but totally appealing. I add a few drops to wet or dry hair which makes it easier to comb through and adds serious shine and softness. A really lovely product and something I enjoy using. 

Origins 'Pinch Your Cheeks' in Coralberry - £14

I got this as part of a gift from a very lovely friend at Christmas. It was something I'd had my beady eye on for a while so I was chuffed to receive it. It's a tiny tube but you literally need the smallest dot to give your cheeks the most amazing flushed glow. It has serious staying power, a beautiful colour and it's a blush I have been reaching for all the time. I can't wait to use this in the summer too. 

So there are my favourite beauty products from January! Which products did you enjoy using the most last month? 

I'm off to soak with my Elemis salt scrub, 

Love Emma 

XOXO 

*please note I am a Younique presenter but all opinions are honest and my own - I would never recommend or write about something I didn't truly love. 

Hate the player, not the game

This is a random post but I really wanted to try hard to put something in words, almost get something off my chest.

I had a situation a few days ago which I can't stop thinking about. An acquaintance who I share an interest with decided to blame the interest rather than herself for the fact that she hasn't succeeded in it. She didn't apply herself. Didn't take the time to read or listen or learn. She sat back expecting to reep major rewards whilst she had given it probably 5% of her attention. And when the rewards didn't come she didn't blame herself but the hobby instead. She lost her cool. Decided to shout from the rooftops negatively. 

This got me thinking. Nothing is life is free, we all know that. If you want something you have to work at it. Have to pay some attention. Dedicate a percentage of time to it. 

It's like writing a blog. If you want a beautiful blog you need to take the time to capture some great images. To write posts that are beyond the norm. It just doesn't happens by magic.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes we'll fail at things. Not everything goes our way all of the time but the most important thing is that we're truthful and honest to ourselves. That we've given something the effort and devotion it requires in order for it to be successful. Multi million pound sportsmen didn't just wake up the top of their game. The practised and trained day in day out. 

If something doesn't go your way don't just throw your toys out of the pram. Have a look at you. We all have the potential to do great things but we've gotta work at it. It might make you feel better to point the finger and say this didn't work because of X, Y and Z but at the end of the day if you didn't apply yourself then you should be turning around that pointy finger and pointing it firmly at yourself!! 

Be the best person you can be, you deserve at least that! Don't wimp out. Don't sit back and expect good things if you're not prepared to work at it. And never blame someone else when you really should be blaming yourself. 

Annnnd take a deep breath Emma. That's it. I'm off to count my nail varnishes or something much more lighthearted!!! 

Remember today is the first day of the rest of your life. Go get 'em kids. Be kind, work hard and the good stuff will follow. 

Love Emma 

XOXO 

Empties - Products I've Used Up #4 Cosmetics

My last post was also an Empties, but as I had managed to get through so many products I split them into skin, hair and body products & just cosmetics. This is the makeup post - all the products I have used up recently and what I think of them.

Empties posts do what they say on the tin - literally empty products. The beauty of a post like this is that being as I've used these items in their entirety I can give an honest opinion on what I thought and whether or not I would buy them again. 

So, let's get on with it! Here are the cosmetics products I have used up recently: 

bareMinerals Original Foundation 16g in 'Fairly Light' 

Over the past 7 or 8 years I've gone through countless pots of this. Perfect colour match, great blendable coverage. A product that I'll reach for and repurchase time and time again.

bareMinerals 'Touch Up Veil' in Translucent - £22

Oh yes, another bareMinerals product! Can you tell I'm a huge fan? I absolutely love the loose Mineral Veil but it's not the ideal product to pop in your bag, so I was super excited with they released a pressed compact version a few years ago. Unfortunately for me I just didn't love it as much as the traditional powder. Applied with the puff it was just too thick and left my face looking too chalky and pale - which, being as it was supposed to be translucent, was annoying. I instead used this with a fluffy brush which gave a much better application. I used it up eventually but I'll be sticking to the older version in future! 

bareMinerals 'Prime Time' Foundation Primer - £21

This was a super old bottle. I forgot I had it and then rediscovered it a few months ago. I probably should have chucked it as it was well past is recommended use by once opened date but I threw caution to the wind and used it anyway. A really great clear primer with a nice silicone feel. Something I would be temped to buy again but I do have another to use up beforehand. 

Nars 'Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base' - £19.50

Two words. Holy Grail. This stuff is just amazing. I was gutted when this ran out. It makes your eyeshadow last all day and all night! If your eyeshadow creases or slides off your face after only a few hours you NEED this! Worth every penny and I'll absolutely be repurchasing if. 

Color Your Smile Gerard Cosmetics Lipgloss in Nude - $24

I love a nude gloss & this one was especially nice. I bought this while I was purchasing my youTube Vlogger fave Dial-A-Smile teeth whitening kit from the U.S. I stumbled across their glosses, which I think are formulated to make your teeth look whiter, & I couldn't resist. Perfect nude colour, not at all sticky. There's a mirror on the side which is handy but the light in the lid which illuminates when you open it is actually pretty pointless verging on annoying. I might purchase again but I think I may have found the ultimate nude gloss which is cheaper! Watch this space. 

Soap & Glory 'Archery 2 in 1 Brow Filling Pencil & Brush' in Blondeshell - £8

I did an entire Tried & Tested post (here) on these great double ended eyebrow pencils. With a super fine twist up pencil at one end and a great little spooly at the other, this pencil in the light brown colour is superb value for money. A product I will definitely buy again for sure. 

Lo'real 'La Touche Magique Perfect Match' Concealer -  £8.19

This was actually a really nice product. Just the right level of illuminating highlight with great undereye coverage without being too heavy or cakey. I used it up pretty quickly. I would buy again but after I've tried out another few.

That's it for another empties post! I hope you've found this helpful! Which one cosmetic product do you repurchase time and time again? 

Read my last body, face & hair empties post here. 

I'm off to use up some more makeup!!

Love Emma 

XOXO