Mini beauty haul!

Hey folks! 

I've been so tired this week, and I don't think i've done much out of the ordinary...just my usual 5 day full time working week. But man I'm exhausted. Today I've got a mini beauty haul for you! I ordered these all online from boots which came instore the next day?! Which I think is pretty damn good, seeing as you have to wait like a week for a new look order to arrive instore. I still love you though New Look, still love ya.

We'll start with my all time favourite beauty product, eyeshadow palettes. I've seen these extremely often on majority of the blogs and youtube video's i've been watching/reading recently. Its the Collection Eyes uncovered 'Nude Palette' When I was listening to the reviews I was like YES! This is right up my street! I love a good nude palette. I also picked up at the same time the Little Mix 'All About The Eyes' palette. Which at the time I thought were completely different palettes, which I suppose you could say they are because the Little Mix palette is a lot lot more shimmery than the other. When I opened the nude palette, I was sort of semi-dissapointed...purely because I thought this was going to be an all matte palette but it wasn't. I still think the pigmentation and staying power of the shadows are incredible for the price. Just not what I was expecting from it really. I do however have what I was expecting from the Little Mix palette, it was all shimmer and more. Its stunning for the price, and the pigmentation and lasting power is incredible. Such a good product to have in your make up stash. 

Next onto Lip liners and eye liners - I've wanted to try NYX products for a while, I don't know why I haven't to be truly honest. I ordered these off amazon, I was scrolling through the beauty section and just popped them in my basket with the though 'Meh, i'll try those!' I picked up the NYX Lip liner pencil in 'Natural' and the NYX eye pencil in 'White'. I've been searching for a white pencil for a while to try and brighten up my eyes and to use it in the waterline. I love these pencils, they're so pigmented and last such a long time.

Lastly is the Smashbox Photofinish Foundation Primer - I've heard so many good things about this product and i've been on the hunt for a new primer for a while. I'm not too sure if primers are a scam and if they actually benefit my make up at all. I really need to try that one half face primer one half face not thing. It has a really strange texture, not what I expected at all...really silicone-like and greasy? I wasn't actually that impressed by it, also I didn't want to buy the full size one incase I didn't like it. So I purchased the travel size one for £12 and its absolutely tiny, I know its 'travel size' but come on! I'm still deciding on whether this was a good buy or not.

What have you picked up lately from the drugstore? :)

Love Lauren xx

Trip to Brighton - Beauty Essentials!

Hey loves! Today marks the start of my many days off from work, and I'm currently l-o-v-i-n-g it! Can I always have Mondays off? Anyway, I'm off to Brighton this week with my gorgeous other half, and its safe to say I'm so so excited! I've always wanted to go to Brighton, and from all the pictures I've seen it looks so beautiful! I'm extremely excited to see/ take some pictures of some beach huts (its the little things in life ay?) So I thought i'd write a post on what I'm going to take with me beauty wise! I love reading these kinds of post because it gives me such good ideas as on what to take if I was going to go? I'm also super nosy and love seeing whats in peoples bags/make up bags. But hey, who isn't?

When I was prowling (yes, prowling) the aisles of Boots, I came across my one of my favourite sections...Soap & Glory. Now I always have to lug my 500ml Tresemme shampoo and conditioner with me whenever I stay round Jacks. They're amazing products, just not all that practical to travel with. So when I was hunting down a body scrub in this section, I came across these mini baby shampoo and conditioners from their range. Not only did I buy them because they were mini and the most adorable thing. But also because they're so lightweight and will take up practically no space. I also picked up their mini shower gel version too, because I mean normal size shower gel isn't light either.

Now when It comes to perfumes I'm a kinda go big or go home kinda gal. So for my trip i'm choosing Lady Gaga's 'Black Fluid' perfume, one of my absolute favourites. I've always found when I've carried samples around with me, they run out so quick and I just wish I'd brought a full sized one with me. Now this one isn't all that heavy so I often have it in my hand bag anyway so I can spritz away when I feel like I need to. Always choose a perfume you're used to wearing and that you know you like, there is nothing worse than taking a product away that is new to you, and it turns out you hate it. Then you're kinda stuck. Who would wanna be in that situation? 

Next up, carrying on with the 'packing light' theme, I've chosen my Clinique Moisture Surge moisturiser, Now I got this when I bought a few items from the Clinique counter in Debenhams as I wanted to try it but then didn't want to buy the full size and find out it didn't work for my skin. Damn you sensitive skin. I've had this for such a long time now, granted I haven't used it everyday as I switch it up with my Clarins Hydra-Quench Moisturiser, but that is one HEFTY tub. This is a small mini pot which is perfect for taking away. 

For the 'Make-up' part, always have a make up bag which you know will hold everything in. No one likes the struggle of trying to zip up a make up bag which just ain't gonna zip. I chose my Victoria Secret one 1) Because its too pretty to not love and 2) It holds all ma goodies.

So I'm taking away my current favourite foundation which is the Rimmel True Match, again take away a product which you know you love and you know matches your skin so thats one thing you wont have to worry about in photos and things. Now I've chosen three shadows to take with me which I know are neutral and can be worn in different ways, I find this easier than taking a great big palette with me when I probably already know what colours I want to use. 

I chose MAC 'all that glitters' and MAC 'charcoal brown' following with Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'on and on bronze'. For lips I carried on with the neutral theme with my Topshop lipliner in 'ceramic' and my Nars Velvet Matte Pencil in 'Bahama'. 

Two colours which could with every outfit. I then packed my Bodyshop Pore Minimiser primer, because I'll be in Brighton I want my make up to last all day so that I won't have to touch it up often. 

Then followed by my favourite mascara at the moment which is the Max Factor 'Transform' mascara and my Natural Collection Mineral Powder. No make up is done without brows, so I packed my Make Up Revolution 'Focus & Fix' kit, cant do my eyebrows without this. Lastly a new purchase, my Maybelline Age Rewind concealer which I love! And my trusty faithful Hoola bronzer by Benefit.

Hope you enjoyed this post, what are your 'trip away' beauty essentials? 

The Body Shop - Colour Crush Eyeshadows

Hey guys! :)
I hope you're all good :) I thought i'd do a little review today on The Body Shop Colour crush eyeshadows, I only have two for now but I certainly want to get some more!

I've heard so many things about The Body Shop make up range, and these were the first products I ever tried from the range. I've always struggled finding a neutral colour that doesn't look odd on my skin tone which gave a natural nude smokey eye. But when I researched into these and watched all the tutorials on how to create the look, I was pleasantly surprised.  

They recommended shade "Sand by me" for the allover base, and "Caramel Flirt" for the crease and outer corner. 

I found that if you build it up the first shade 'Sand by me', it really creates a natural finish which is perfect if you're wanting a nude look. Its really easy to apply and I works so so well with the combining shade Caramel flirt, it really comes together when you put them together. I really like how the name of the shadow links with the colour, it is a sandy creamy colour - which is perfect for a base on probably lots of different looks not just nude/natural.

When applying the second shade Caramel flirt, it can be really buildable if you apply a small amount at a time, but also if you don't tap off the excess and apply a lot onto your brush it gets harder to blend. Unlike Sand by me which is matte, this eye shadow has slight shimmer in it and its an absolutely stunning light brown which is perfect for the crease. The colour is super pigmented and is totally worth the price of £7.00 - I seriously recommend this eye shadow collection from The Body Shop for every skin tone.

For the base of my eyeshadow when I'm creating this look, I'll usually use a MAC 217, or my Zoeva Luxe Soft definer and then for the crease i'll use Zoeva Luxe Petite Crease or MAC 217 which is perfect for blending in the crease.

I cannot wait to try more from their range! 

Has anyone else tried The Body Shop make up collection? What do you guys think?