Holiday essentials

It's that gorgeous time of the year again when a few days in the sun are called for...and these much-needed days are due for me tomorrow...eeeeeee!!! Like last year, I'm heading to Ibiza for five days with my best girl friends (minus a couple!); I don't usually like visiting the same place over again but the White Isle is a big exception for me. We have the time of our lives, hitting Bora Bora beach in the day before partying way into the morning at the various clubs featuring the top DJs; I can't put my finger on it but nothing compares to the atmosphere of Ibiza if you're looking for a holiday with friends. There's some kind of mutual love for the place that you can feel resonating in the air, whether you're just chilling on a beach or dancing the night away.

Anyway, enough of my over-the-top appreciation babble. I thought it would be nice to snap a few pics of some of my holiday essentials.

First up and probably most importantly is SPF. Along with Nivea's trusty factor 30 Protect and Bronze Spray and Moisturising After Sun Lotion (with aloe vera), I've gone hardcore and bought myself a factor 50 bad boy for my face (Eucerin Face Sun Crème), since I'm growing ever aware of my age and fact this skin elasticity of mine is slowly worsening as the clock ticks. Prevention is better than cure, so I plan on wearing this daily, as well as when I return if it's suitable under make-up. I've been on the hunt for a non-greasy formula to start wearing throughout the year so I'm hoping this is a goodie. If not, I'm thinking of splurging and buying Kiehl's version.

I'm taking my Bioderma miscellar water (recently mentioned in my 'empties' post) because I know for a fact this is the only thing I'll bother reaching after a long, long night. Usually, I'd follow up with a cleansing face wash, but let's not be too ambitious eh.

As much as I LOVE wearing heels for a night out, Ibiza does not call for this type of foot punishment - unless you're a celeb with the comfort of VIP lounges, chauffeur-driven cars and all that jazz. SO, flats are a must for me and my girls. I picked up a load of sandals from Primark the last time I was in the UK, so these are top of my footwear list. I'm also loving the retro trainer look, so I couldn't resist picking up these Nikey's from my USA trip in May. At $30, I squealed! I plan on wearing these with denim shorts and a crop top and just raving the night away. Ahhh, the comfort.

I'm being good and only taking two bikins away with me; with only five days there, I figure this is more than enough, and if it wasn't for me still loving my Roxy bikini below (I'm a sucker for brights!), I'd just be taking my new fringed Abercrombie one, another bargain from the US (sorry, not photographed!).

As you can imagine, I'll be taking more make-up than this, but these will be my staples. I absolutely love the Bourjois 123 CC cream; it's so light yet has amazing coverage, so I'll probably wear this in the day, replacing it with the Benefit Hello Flawless (reviewed here) for evenings. The Maxfactor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush in Soft Pink (also reviewed here) is not only THE prettiest colour but it's fab for holidays because of it's size. Talking of colour, I LOVE this Makeup Revolution lipstick (reviewed here), which happens to be an amazing dupe for Mac's Show Orchid. And, of course, I'm a big fan of Bourjois's 1 Seconde mascara, so this will become well used.

As much as I love curling my hair with rollers (you can see exactly why here), they just aren't the most transportable things, so I'll be taking my trusty hair straighteners to allow me the best of both worlds (straight when I fancy the sleek look or curl when I'm wanting some volume and oomph!).

A little coin purse is invaluable for me on nights out. I don't like to take my full purse out because - not only would my bag way heavier than a small baby - I am well aware that I only need to use my ID (though getting rarer these days damn it), bank card and money, so there's just no point. This super cute New Look purse was a bargain on ASOS for only £2.50.

I'll be braving it and donning a couple of crop tops while I'm there, because if you can't do it on holiday, then when can you? I've been doing my sit-ups religiously (wellll, not quite), so I'm determined to get these on. The leopard print one is from Motel (bought in the sale for a lovely £13.50 on ASOS), and I plan on wearing it to the Zoo Project (an all-day dance sesh held in an abandoned zoo, where the idea is to dress accordingly).

Do you have holiday plans this year? What are your holiday essentials?

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Nailed it: W7 White Night Nail Bling

Not a lot can instantly lift your mood than the feeling you get when you've got a nice, shiny new painted set of  nails. It doesn't get much deeper than that really. I'm a bit inexperienced when it comes to all the fancy nail art stuff, but I'm starting to dip my toes in gently, which is why I found this White Night Nail Bling* set from W7 Cosmetics a great one to get started with. It features two little pots for decorating your nails - small shimmering sequins and a subtly sparkling snow-like powder - so pretty!

The instructions advise you to paint two layers of polish on, but I found three layers was more appropriate as it was ever so slightly streaky. Generally, for a nail art virgin like myself, this set was super easy to use since all it takes is a cheeky little dip of your still-wet nail into the pot. Granted, you do have to be careful not to overdo it and be sure to tap the excess sequins/powder back into their respective pots, but with a little bit of patience and a steady hand, the end result is absolutely worth it. Personally, I like a bit of subtlety and decided to just decorate my ring and little fingers.

In terms of  longevity, the sequins were the least lasting out of the two toppings, but even though a few fell off over the days following, many still remained and upheld the 'sparkle', so I wasn't disappointed by any means! Next time, I might try adding a clear top coat to set them.

I'm big on bargains, so the price of these sets is a big plus for me. At only £5.95 a go, they really are great if you're looking for something to make your nails stand out, and if - like me - you're new to the whole nail art thing. There's 10 other colours too, which is great if you're looking for a particular colour to go with an outfit. I like the look of the Perfect Pink one, especially for holidays!

If you want to put a cherry on top of your nail-painting sesh, I like to do the following beforehand:

• Take my make-up off and take a gorgeous bubble bath, surrounded by scented candles;

• Moisturise until I'm silky soft;

• Get cosy on the sofa snuggled in a fluffy dressing gown with the perfect cup of <Tetley/Yorkshire Gold>, chocolate <Hobnob/Digestive> and <Gossip Girl/TOWIE/SATC/etc> on the TV.

What do you think of my nails? Have you tried any of these Nail Bling sets or any other W7 products?

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*sent to me free of charge for review purposes

Empties #1

Here goes; my first 'empties' post! I've seen various posts like this on the rounds, and I really enjoy rifling through other people's bins (*chuckle*, of course, I meant having a nose at what other people are using). It's great to get a feel for products that have been tested over a period of time. I'm putting it out there now though; I very much doubt I will be writing these posts regularly, as it seems to take me donkey's years to actually 'empty' products. Nowadays, that sense of achievement when I actually finish with a product is that much more punch in the air-esque as I know I'll be able to put it towards a post like this! What a dork. I'm laughing at myself as I'm writing this by the way.

So, here goes, left to right...

Bioderma Sébium H20 (for combination skin)

Pretty sure everyone's heard a lot about this one. I live in France so this micelle solution is available in local pharmacies, which I love, because...well...I love it. I try not to rely on it too much as my only cleanser, since I read on London Beauty Queen that micellar waters should ideally be used in addition to cleansing balm, but this really is my holy grail when it comes to late nights and the odd night or 10 when I'm too tipsy to do much. 

Among it's fab qualities (including the fact it regulates oil), the real great thing with this is that it's so pure, it does not contain ingredients that are well-known for clogging up pores and causing blackheads (or if we're being clever, it's non-comedogenic). Absolute winner.

I really can't recommend it enough, but if you're still unsure about splashing the cash, Escentual offer it in smaller sizes at only £3.59 for 100ml - great if you prefer to try before committing to the full 500ml bottle.

Yay or nay: Yay

Marc Jacobs Lola perfume

This beautiful scent did me well in the smelling-good stakes. I won't say too much in this post, since I reviewred it here, but after this MJ experience, I am so keen to try more of his fragrances.

Yay or nay: Yay

L'oreal Nude Magique CC Cream Anti-Redness

This CC cream claims to work with your natural tone to help neutralise the appearance of redness, dullness or tired looking skin. Now, I hate to put a dampener on this, but I did not get on with this one bit. In fact, I didn't finish the tube (yes, yes, I admit, I cheated adding this to my 'empties' post)! Firstly, it made my skin look orange, odd for a cream that claims to be the perfect nude; secondly, I found it made my skin look quite oily; and thirdly, it pretty much disappeared midway through the days when I wore it. I did persevere with it for a while, stubborn as I am, but it didn't feel long-lasting at all, and I was super disappointed with it. Also, while it's lightweight, it's very runny, so I would often be trying to stop it running off my hand before applying! All in all, I definitely won't be buying this again.

Yay or nay: Nay

L'Oreal Miss Manga mascara

I reviewed this mascara back in April, and I admit I wasn't overly convinced initially, but the more I used it and the more I look back at my post with the before and after pictures, the more I actually like it. What do you think?

Yay or nay: Yayish

Max Factor Mastertouch Concealer

I was pleasantly surprised by this concealer, considering it came as a freebie with a foundation I bought. At £7.99 from Boots, it could be considered quite pricey since you don't actually get much product. Plus, the twist-pump action means that you often pump more out than you actually need to use, which is a bit of a con; however, I was in fact really impressed with the quality of it. It consists of a light-diffusing formula, which covered my under-eye shadows a treat, reflecting the light really nicely. It really reminds me of Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer, which is almost half the price; however, I do much prefer the texture of this Max Factor one as it's very creamy in comparison, making it super easy to apply and blend - something I struggle a little with in the Collection one. Also, this is non-comedogenic - remember what that means? Haha!

Yay or nay: Yay

Have you tried any of these products? How did you find them? What products have you been using recently?

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OOTD: Pieces floral dress

I thought it was about time I blogged a little fashion-related post. I sadly don't own a fancy camera or a tripod (yet!) so I have to take advantage of my sister and her fine photography skills whenever I pay her a visit. On this occasion, I forgot the tan belt I was thinking of pairing this Pieces dress with, so it might look a bit bland...but I think it's just about wearable without.

As ever, little Brutus, my sister's Yorkie terrier, had to get in on the action, though he doesn't look overly impressed.

I love the simplicity of this dress. The light floral print is feminine and cute, and you're left thinking 'mmm not bad'. Twirl around and voilà, you're hit with a gorgeous little backless feature that tops it off so nicely...I love it. It adds a classy touch and focal point to an otherwise plain dress.

I paired this with my ASOS satchel bag and Primark cage sandals. As you may have gathered, I'm no big expert in fashion, and I have to admit I'm struggling to think what else I can wear this with, accessories wise.

How would you wear this dress? What other colours/accessories would you pair it with?

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Balmy for lip balms!

I think I probably underestimated the importance of looking after my lips until I started blogging and saw all those gorgeous close-ups of luscious, smooth, non-flaky lips across the blogosphere. Pure lip envy right here! This is just one of the fairly shallow reasons I try to use lip balm on a daily basis, that and the fact there is nothing worse than chapped, cracked lips crying out for moisture when all I want to do is wear my fave lippie. So, without further ado, here's a round-up of my current favourite lip balms to fight those flakes...

This Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm is a staple balm that just feels like it's doing a good job, most probably a result of the peppermint oil, which tingles on my lips when I wear it, and its namesake beeswax, which seals in hydration. As with all of Burt's products, this 4g tube is completely natural and filled with coconut and sunflower oils, perfect for conditioning one of the most important features of our faces! Granted, the packaging isn't the most appealing, but when you see a bunch of Burt's Bees products together, they do look the bee's knees (yes, I went there); I love the look of their Head to Toe kit and Daily Indulgence collection.

This Seascape Peppermint Lip Balm* was kindly sent to me along with their Body Wash and Lotion, and I'm super glad it was, as I'm absolutely loving it. Seascape is an ethical company that don't test on animals, and their products are completely natural and full of essential oils. I think it's very similar to the Burt's Bees lip balm (above) in that it contains peppermint and beeswax; however, this is packaged much more sophisticatedly in a mini 10g jar (and also contains honey and jojoba seed oil for full-on moisturisation). It adds a subtle shine to my lips and looks great on top of lipstick to add a bit of oomph. At the moment though, I'm really loving slathering this on my lips just before I go to sleep; it's got a very subtle grainy texture, so it feels like it's really exfoliating my lips - overnight magic!

At £1 per g, it's almost equivalent in value to the Burt's balm (92p/g) so I'd definitely treat myself to this in future for the added luxe factor, plus it's always nice to support a British brand!

As the photo demonstrates, this is a very well-used vitamin E product and one that I probably don't need to say too much about since it's so widely used. But I couldn't write this post without including Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream, famously named after the time it took to heal the skinned knee of a child of one of Arden's loyal clients. It's now considered a versatile product; it can be used all over the body, not just on lips. I think it's understatedly lovely dabbed very lightly on the eyelids and cheeks to add a bit of a dewy shine.

At £26 for 50ml (Boots), this is definitely the most high-end balm that I use, but it seems to last forever. I can't explain it, but I've had this for over a year and reach for it almost daily. It's genuinely a never-ending story so I'm not too offended by the price tag if I'm honest. Apologies if you're now singing that 'never-ending stooo-ooorrr-eee' tune.

This little number is a random one I recently rediscovered. I received it as a stocking filler and forgot I had it, probably because it just doesn't look that great. However, it's flavour and fragrance free, and not glossy or sticky, so ideal if you like your balms simple. I can't seem to find this online anywhere so presume it's no longer available, but their Super Nourishing Lip Balm looks like it may be an equivalent...with improved packaging!

What are your favourite lip products? I'd love some new suggestions to replace these when I'm done with them!

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*sent to me free of charge for review purposes

W7 Soufflé mascara

You might have noticed I am on the constant hunt for the perfect mascara; but aren't we all? First, I reviewed L'Oreal's Miss Manga before moving on to Makeup Revolution's Amazing Mascara. And now, W7 have kindly sent me their Soufflé mascara* for a whirl.

This mascara aims to 'whip up your lashes', which is nice and fitting for its namesake. I love the colour of the tube, and when I first opened it up, the wand was so big, it kinda scared me. Anyhow, it apparently ensures mega volume and a curl to remember, so I was excited to give it a try. 

As with all my mascara posts, I like to show a before and after picture to show exactly how it looks when applied (FYI, I curled my eyelashes after taking the first picture)...

While the allure of a gigantic wand is somewhat appealing, I did find it slightly too big, with some of it unavoidably transferring to my eyelid as I applied it - nothing that a cotton bud couldn't fix, but still a little frustrating. 

I thought it glided on well and separated my eyelashes lovely-ly (just love inventing new words); there's nothing worse than a clumper! I found I needed a few coats to build it up and admit that I did find myself wanting to apply more half-way through the day, as it seemed to lose its initial 'oomph' factor as well as the curl, so I would recommend keeping it with you in case. However, I will say I wore it on one of the hottest days we've had so far here in Switzerland so maybe the melting heat didn't help!

All in all, I wasn't overwhelmed by this mascara, but at £4.95, it's not a bad daytime mascara and it washed off realtively easily with warm water and my face wash. I probably wouldn't repurchase this in a hurry, but if you are on a budget, it's definitely one to consider.

Have you tried this mascara or any other W7 products? What did you think? I love hearing your comments!

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*sent to me free of charge for review purposes