Catch up...

It's been too long since I have blogged.

The finishing of university, with the need to allow my mind to melt into the countryside and Netflix took over. Now I am regretting not taking the opportunity to take plenty of photos of my favourite products in the gorgeous sunshine...

Currently, I am working on a highly iconic building which is being redeveloped as part of a huge scheme in London. You might be able to see this building as it is on the river and it GENERATES a lot of interest...it certainly looks POWERful... (10 points if you can guess where I am working from the hint...)

Anyway, I am blogging over on graduateonsite.wordpress.com if anyone fancies a peek! Otherwise I am still posting on Instagram. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to take some new photos soon...I am finally wearing makeup again so at least I can actually review something!

Low cost lipstick shades for the Summer

Top Swatch - Natural Collection
Bottom Swatch - Rimmel Kate 05

I can't even call this a dupes post. One is £1.99, the other is £5.49. Yet the colours are pretty much exactly the same. I just wish the lighting showed it better. 

The Natural Collection Moisture Shine lipstick in Raspberry is a favourite amongst beauty bloggers. I originally heard about it from Miss Budget Beauty. (Most of my purchases are MissBB enabled!) What put me off was the cheap packaging but hey, you win some, you lose some.

Rimmel Kate 05 was purchased the same day would you believe? What I didn't realise was that they are THE SAME. The Natural Collection one ever so slightly more purple toned. Like, the TINIEST amount. The difference between them is the staying power. The Rimmel one lasts longer on the lips without making the ring around my lips and settling into the cracks, not unlike Raspberry.

So if you want me to tell you which one to buy...I couldn't tell you. The instant wash of colour from Raspberry is so impressive, yet I enjoy the staying power of 05. I will tell you that they are both stunning colours, very summery and worthwhile owning!

What is your ultimate summer lip colour? Let me know in the comments!

Ashleigh x

Boots Haul - May

There have been a few lil "just gonna nip into Boots" moments this month. They just happen! *insert relevant emoji here*

Here are the best bits. Lets face it, you don't really wanna see tissues and tampons? DO YOU?! *insert another relevant emoji here!*

Firstly, the Natural Collection Moisture Shine Lipstick in Raspberry. Everyone bangs on about this colour so I thought I'd give it a try. Next, the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, which I really don't need to talk about. Everyone knows about this stuff. I picked up the L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinare Lip Colour in Molto Mauve - depressing name but a pretty pinky nude colour. These were also £5 off if you buy a bottle of Diet Coke so obviously I snapped the chance up! I also got the Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish lipstick in shade 05 which I have an interesting post to write about soon...

Eyeshadow wise, I picked up the Seventeen  Eye Eyeshadow in Rose Quartz, upon watching Fleur De Force RAVE about it. Seriously, for £3.89, it's beautiful. It does need a primer but dang, if you are in Boots, do a girl a favour and swatch it at least. Ughh, stunning. Finally, the Collection Eyes Unconvered Palette in Nude Bronze. Do I need another palette? Probably not, especially a nude one at that but the payoff is incredible. I can try to justify it with, "but it's great for travel" right?

What have you been buying this month? Anything I need on my shopping list for next month....?!

Ashleigh x

Ted Baker - No3 Brompton Crescent

Shower gel is something I want to be luxurious and decadent, yet cheap. I want fruity scents but without smelling like a tutti fruiti sweet.

This was reduced to 2 quid in Boots. 2 QUID!

"Scented with a lavish mix of lemon, jasmine and amber crystal, it's a touch of luxury that'll leave you feeling royally pampered."

BOOM. ACHIEVED.

Ughh this stuff smells heavenly. It's such a light fragrance that does smell fruity and flowery, without being overpowering. Getting down and dirty now, it foams up nicely in the shower and the scent does last on the skin for a few hours, which is always a plus in my books. Plus the packaging? Gold detail, pale turquoise gel - just looks so pretty.

I really wish I had bought more of these - it looks like it's an end of line product. I have found this on Amazon; £7.48 with £3.49 delivery? Erm....I don't think so...

Have you ever had discontinued product sadness? Let me know in the comments!

Ashleigh x

My secret place for reduced cosmetics...

How much would you pay for this little bundle? A Headmasters Blow-Dry cream, a retractable lip brush, a pair of cuticle scissors and a L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Loose Eyeshadow...

How does £2.54 sound? Much better than the RRP of £20.39 eh?!

Tesco are brilliant for reduced price cosmetics as they just seem to want to get rid of their old lines quick! I actually love the blow dry cream and the L'Oreal eyeshadow is beautiful to use. Although there can be a need to rummage in the totes of stock, you can find some true gems in there! If you have the patience, I highly recommend you have a little peek!

Also, around closing time on Sundays and evenings are ideal, as that seems to be when a lot of reduced stock is brought out (although don't quote me on that, it's just when I noticed the Reading store has done!)

What is your best beauty bargain that you have found? Let me know in the comments!

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday

Noel Gallagher is one of those people that are either loved or despised. Like Marmite.

I love Marmite and I love Noel Gallagher.

When his first album came out, the self-titled "Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds" I was a woman obsessed. This album has been listened to nearly as often as my favourite Bon Jovi album, These Days. 

I can tell you now, that it has been a long three years waiting for this album. 

He didn't disappoint.

A typical sounding Noel album. No fannying around. Just excellent songs that you can glaze over to and enjoy, realising an hour later that you listened to the whole album, without skipping a track. 

The Girl With X-Ray Eyes. My current favourite of the whole album. It makes love sound spooky, desperate and powerful. The Ballad of the Mighty I is also brilliant.

The lyrics can mean nothing and everything; this is the genius of his songwriting. I could spend all night trying to describe the music but I can't; it just sounds like Noel's music. Any other artist singing this would fail; it needs Noel's sound to complete it. Not even Liam Gallagher. Especially not Liam Gallagher. He's a dick prat.

I should reiterate that I was very much an Oasis girl growing up. Blur was alright but Oasis was the band that reigned supreme. Probably due to the magic of Noel.

YOU Beauty Discovery Box - March

I just picked this up - bad lighting, sorry!

On the 1st March, I was in my car, at 7am, fully prepared to be late for work, just to nab my favourite products from this month's picks from the YOU Beauty Discovery Box.

I'm so happy to be holding my first ever Illamasqua product - a lipstick at that! Plus an eyelash curler from the Vintage Cosmetic Company AND a Youthful Vitality shampoo and conditioner sample from Dove AND a Nakd bar. 

The excitement for the lipstick is too much! The colour is Sangers - a sumptuous red!

What a bargain for only £6.95?! The whole box (if my maths is right) comes to a whopping £29! 

I cannot wait to try all these goodies out!

Oh, and yes, I was late for work. (Worth it.)

imPRESS Press On Nails

Disclaimer - I have weird shaped hands!

This is my first experience with false nails and honestly, putting these on was pleasantly easy! With 24 in a pack, it was easy to find sizes that fitted my nails. The issue was running out of ones that fitted the best as it would appear that I require all the medium ones for my nails.

The length however, is not a good thing. Can you believe that these are the MEDIUM ones?! As someone with fairly okay nails, that bemused me beyond belief. I feel like I have TALONS. My cat has shorter claws than these.

The box states that they last up to a week; I lasted all of a day and a half. It became clear to me that they just weren't for me. Probably because my nails are fairly long anyway...that and they just would not adhere to my left thumbnail, which was mighty frustrating.

Conclusion? These are fab - they just aren't for me. I need to stop being lazy with my nails! For people with short nails however, these are great!

One more additional point...can I say that typing with these things on is a BITCH of a task? Seriously, I couldn't seem to deal with the shift key...and I swear tapping with the nails is the only way to type this stuff glued to me. (Too grumpy?!)

Boots link: HERE!

Dealing with perfume samples

I should clarify that I love perfume samples. Opening that sachet or spraying that tiny bottle, with the anticipation of the best scent ever or the potential of something that will turn your stomach inside out...it's a mystery.

The most frustrating thing though, are the little pads on a card or magazine. Enough for more than one use but will dry out by the next day.

To drag that scent out a bit longer, I like to wipe the pad on my bedside table lamps. Those things get really bloody warm, so the scent fills the room which is lovely!

(As a mini-review, the Hugo Boss Ma Vie pour Femme - nice but too rose-y for my liking. I prefer the Nuit version.)

Do you have any little life hacks? Let me know in the comments!

The Favourites - Art Deco Highlighter

I remember winning this highlighter on A Beauty Junkie in London's blog. (Go check Jen's blog out, she is so lovely!) I honestly had no clue what I was doing with it.

Opening it up to find a stunning mass of pearly white, pink and blue swirls, I was slightly overcome with how pretty it was...and where on earth I had to put it....?!

Well a year and a half later, I am sure you will be pleased to know that I know what I am doing now. Kind of.

I swirl a powder brush or contour brush in the colours, applying it above by cheekbones and on my temples, to make my skin look healthier and "glowy". The colours give a subtle but complimentary sheen which would suit all skin types. It has wangled it's way into my daily make-up routine and I feel a little less "me" when I am not wearing it.

Longevity - it lasts most of the day. The way I wipe my hands all over my face means I am used to topping up my make-up however this highlighter does tend to stay in place.

Happy days.

The Handbag Perfume

Well the novelty of a rollerball perfume is still strong with me. Remember those ones you had when you were a kid? Cheap, naff smelling perfume that didn't last but made you feel like an adult? I had one and barely used it; if it couldn't go on my clothes then how on earth would everyone be able to smell me...?!

Yeah I feel about 10 years old when I put this perfume on.

Honestly, I never used to like Lacoste perfumes either, until my 18th birthday and my boyfriend at the time bought me Touch of Pink and it was the best smell ever because I was a grown up and I have perfume and a boyfriend and alcohol and a cool dress and a boyfriend and perfume...

Follow a few years later, the dress didn't fit and I didn't fit the boyfriend, therefore the perfume didn't fit me. A few years after that, I smelt that perfume again and rekindled my love for it. Touch of Pink; I will see you this Summer you beaut. For the time being, I'll snuggle with your mate, Eau de Lacoste.

It's perfect for the daytime. A roll or two on each wrist, (never rubbing together!) and maybe a roll on the neck then I am refreshed for the next shift or next lecture.

It's fresh. Flowery and slightly fruity. The base notes of sandalwood are why I probably like it so much. It's like putting on a clean shirt.

Don't get me wrong, it doesn't last all day but it's ideal for that much needed freshen up and awakening.

Suits me.