American Shopping

I was so excited about shopping while in Florida (almost as much as going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but not quite). I had been perusing both Sephora and Ulta online for weeks to determine what goodies I wanted to bring back. I got what I set out to buy, plus quite a few extra bits.

Laura Geller, Summer in Capri Collection

If you cast your mind back a couple of weeks, you may remember my post about the very lovely Laura Geller Balance'n'Brighten. After making this discovery I quickly placed an order for this Summer in Capri Collection as I was so impressed with the foundation. 

This is a five piece collection of full size products. Comprising of an eyeshadow duo, lipgloss, bronzer, mascara and dual ended brush, it an amazing buy and is definitely worth the money! The eyeshadow and bronzer are both the same, baked formula as the foundation which is so beautifully creamy and an absolute dream to apply and wear well throughout the day. The bronzer works well with my pale skin tone too - result! The lipgloss is a beautiful peachy shade which is very wearable and versatile. Being someone who is not a big fan of lipgloss, I am surprised at how much I like this - it is not overly sticky or tacky and feels very nourishing and hydrating on the lips. I haven't tried the mascara as yet because I have so many tubes on the go at the moment, but I will report back as soon as I have tried it!

I definitely recommend this kit, especially at the introductory price of  £27.24. The products are great quality and last so well. Not to mention that the colours are perfect for summer and look great on any skin tone. 

Have you tried any Laura Geller products?

'I need to nip into Boots for a concealer.'

I needed a new pot of Seventeen's 'phwoarr paint' and then this happened. I would say 'sorry' but I wouldn't mean it. I'm too excited to use my lovely tube of Benefit's 'Big Easy' and to try Seventen's answer to the Porefessional - keep your eyes peeled for the reviews on these. Of course when it's 3 for 2 it would just be plain rude not to choose an extra product which is how the 'Stay Time' concealer made it's way in there. Beautiful skin be mine!

I 

e.l.f. Top Picks

I placed my first order with e.l.f. at the beginning of December, which quickly lead to a further two orders. Addicted is not quite the word. Having read copious reviews I carefully selecting the few items that I really wanted to give a go before going a bit nuts with my following orders. There were a few products which I have been slightly disappointed in but this is far outweighed by the number of products I have been very impressed with. 

So here are my favourite goodies. 

We have the Studio Tone Correcting Powder in Cool (£3.75) which is great for the mornings where I think my face looks a little red and could do with some evening out. This powder is very soft and easy to apply, and it does not make you look cakey when you apply it on top of your foundation - quite a good weapon to have in your kit if you ask me. 

Then we move on to the Baked Eyeshadow Palette in NYC (£10.00) which is a fabulous palette with 10 easy to wear colours which all apply and blend beautifully. They have a slight shimmer to them but it is nothing over the top, the thing which I like the most is how sturdy and high quality the palette itself feels, I definitely plan on getting another few of these palettes with my next order - I'm liking the look of Seattle and Texas at the moment!

Staying with eye products we have the Studio Eye Transformer (£3.75) which is a great little idea. These pastel looking colours apply with a very sheer veil which you can wear alone (the peachy colour is beautiful on a 'no-makeup, makeup day') or you can layer on top of other eyeshadow to tint them and give a slight shimmer. This is such a good idea and I really love it, this one will definitely be coming on holiday with me along with another palette because there are so many combinations! 

Liquid blush is something which I can be funny with, however combined with a tinted moisturiser or BB cream, HD Blush in Superstar (£3.75) blends beautifully and provides an even, natural colour to my pale complexion. It has a lovely texture and feels very creamy on the skin. This blush also stays put for the whole day which is a great plus point for me.

Next we come to the Maximum Coverage Concealer in Porcelain (£3.75) - this product is AMAZING. Blemishes - where? Dark circles - what are you talking about? Redness - I don't see anything. This covers anything I have thrown at it, maximum coverage it is. It is not overly thick and has the consistency of a maximum coverage foundation which makes it easy to apply and blend, I will always keep this in my kit now, top marks from me!

Another superstar product is Studio Makeup Mist and Set (£3.75), I have used Urban Decay's offering at £19.50 in the past and had moved on to MUAs alternative which is priced at £5 the only problem with MUA is that you could sometimes over apply and look very shiny. Shininess is not an issue with this one, you can apply plenty to ensure that your makeup is staying put and then use it throughout the day to revive your look.  

Another blush in the form of Studio Blush in Candid Coral (£3.75) which I think will get more use in the summertime (because of the shade) however it has a very silky smooth texture and applies very well, blending and providing good pigmentation. Also you get quite a lot of product in this compact compared with some other budget brand's contenders (MUA for example). I'm planning on adding a few other shades to my ever-growing collection with my next order!

I normally make my own lip exfoliator with honey and brown sugar - I do not plan on doing it again any time soon. Studio Lip Exfoliator (£3.75) is incredible. No mess, effective exfoliation, portable and it will last me for ages, I've used it almost every day since it arrived and there is hardly a dent in it! Oh, and it helps curb my cravings for chocolate, it smells (and tastes) great!

Lastly, we come to the Studio Mineral Infused Primer in Clear (£6.00) which I mentioned in my Prime Time post the other day. This is such a great primer for smoothing and brightening your skin before applying your makeup, it works well in covering up pores and makes applying the rest of you makeup a breeze. 

Have you ever tried any e.l.f. products? What is your favourite? I know that when I am in the states I'll be hitting Target and filling up a basket or two with things to bring home!

Latest Additions to My Beauty Stash

I have had some new additions to my beauty and cosmetic stash recently (sorry, bank balance). Some I am completely taken with and don't have a clue how I survived without (well, not quite but you know what I mean!) and others I'm still needing convincing as to whether they really work. I'm going to review five products for you today, these are Soap and Glory's Beauty Sleep Accelerator, Bourjois' Blush Exclusif, Dirty Works' Banish the Bags Eye Cream and two new concealers from Seventeen Miracle Matte Concealer Crayon and Phwoarr Paint Heavy Duty Under Eye Concealer.
I have also recently purchased and fully reviewed the new Bourjois Java Rice Powder which is a definite favourite.

Soap and Glory's new night cream Beauty Sleep Accelerator is a part of the rebranding and regrouping of Soap and Glory's skincare range. I'm a little disappointed with the overhaul that S&G's skincare range had undergone as I feel that it has lost it's charm in a sense. Yes, all the products are uniform in their packaging and they all look neat on the shelf....but I liked the old ones better. 

I purchased this when I was fully intending on buying Night in Shining Armour which was undoubtedly the best night cream. Ever. As it happens Night in Shining Armour is no longer available and has been reformulated with Wish Upon a Jar to make it 'even better' apparently. (I will investigate - I promise)

Anyway, Beauty Sleep Accelerator it is for the moment. It has a beautiful scent, you can really smell the peach in it and this makes it a beautiful follow up to Peaches and Clean. It is a very light moisturiser and is not anywhere near and heavy or thick as Night in Shining Armour but it still gives great moisture to the skin. It is very soothing and cooling when you apply it and it really smooths the skin well. 

All it all this is a very nice night moisturiser, just not as good as Night in Shining Armour.

Bourjois have been launching a lot of new products recently, and I have really loved all of the ones which I have tried. All apart from Blush Exclusif, I feel that this is purely a gimmick. It is supposed to adjust to your skins pH to give you a unique shade. So far, everyone that I have seen has had the same bubblegum pink with violet undertones. Aside from this there is next to no staying power on this blush, I felt it has disappeared from my face within an hour of application. I'll stick to my Little Round Pots. 

I love products from Dirty Works. I know that they are a rip off of Soap and Glory in the style and quirky tag lines on the products, but the products themselves are actually great too. This eye cream is very nice, it cools the eyes and I have been using it morning and night and have had next to no puffiness (aside from when I rub my eyes too much, but that is my own fault). It is very hydrating and I think it works fabulously!

I bought this Miracle Matte Concealer Crayon by Seventeen to see how it fared against the Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Stick which I have been using for pin pointing spots and hiding them for the last couple of years. Obviously this is a budget version of at £4.49 compared to £12 but it is almost a duplicate product. Between the shades I own of each to the consistency and the longevity. Honestly, Seventeen's offering is a much better buy, it saves you money and works exactly the same - which is very well. It hides redness and is great for troubleshooting spots.

This is my new baby. Honestly. Phwoarr Paint which is another new addition to Seventeen's range is an absolute god-send. If you are like me, then you'll have issues with dark circles for no reason other than the fact that you are so pale.  I have tried every under-eye concealer that I can get my hands on and so far the best that I could ever get was Benefit's Boi-ing but I became annoyed by the oiliness of the product and after my last pot ran out, I never repurchased. Phwoarr Paint is like Boi-ing but with less oil and possibly more colour-corrector. Less of the bad stuff, and more of the good stuff basically. It has amazing longevity and when set with the new Bourjois powder it lasts all day. The best product I have ever bought from Seventeen, hands down. 

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of them?

Charity Shop Finds

Hello again!

I was out raiding my local charity shops this week and the Salvation Army were running a 3 for 2 on all ladies clothing, so the blouse was a freebie!

 So this is my freebie blouse, originally from Austin Reed, it was the pattern which grabbed my attention in the shop as it looks very like a Cath Kidston print - to my eyes anyway! It is a lovely short sleeved blouse which I am sporting today with some high-waisted swing trousers (I do plan on getting G to snap a photo of my outfit today - if I remember!).

Next are these palazzo pants/swing trousers. These are very light and floaty, not ideal for the coming colder weather however perfect to put away for our holiday to Florida next year! I think that with a plain white or red top and some wedges these will look great! 

 Last up is this sweet hounds tooth print skirt, the label for this had been chopped off so I can't be sure where it came from originally. It is quite thick and stops just at the knee, I'm thinking tights and boots with this for the colder months! 

Until next time!

Vintage Underwear Ventures.

Let's get to know each other a bit better shall we?

Vintage underwear can be very daunting - and I know that a lot of people aren't interested as they feel it is a bit , shall we say, disgusting. I will be totally honest with you, the very thought made me wince for quite a while and then I realised that I was wearing any other item so why not a bra? Or a girdle?

You might be thinking to yourself, 'why not just buy vintage style underwear?' which is a fair point and I take that completely - but why not use something which is still in perfectly good working order and would otherwise end up in a landfill?

So after much deliberation and perusing online, I purchased myself two long-line bullet bras and a girdle from eBay. 

Up first is a piece of late 1940's early 1950's dead stock - meaning it was never sold for personal use, it has just been passed around still un-purchased and unloved. I love this item - it is ridiculously comfortable and gives me the shape that I want and love. Definitely a hit.

Second is a beautiful long line bra, it is such a gorgeous material, very thick and is still in great condition. The condition is fabulous aside from the poor alteration on the straps which I have tried to show it the pictures, I am going to adjust this so that it hopefully looks a bit better! Aside from this it is also a lovely garment, I really love the shape it gives and it great quality.

Last up is this 1960's St. Michaels (Marks and Sparks nowadays - we all know how fab their underwear is anyway!) black girdle.  This is amazing under dresses and skirts for holding up stockings. it is very smoothing and is basically prettier, old-school Spanx. 

What do you think? Convinced? Or are you already converted? Let me know!

If you still aren't convinced, then come back tomorrow when I will be sharing my top picks of vintage style underwear! See you then!

K-pop Cosmetic Haul

So in my recent My Everyday Face post, I mentioned that I had a large order of cosmetics on the way from Korea. It arrived safe and well and here it is!

1. Etude House It's Real Face Pack Kit    2. Holika Holika Pig-Nose Blackhead 3 Step Kit             3. Etude House Skin MAL:GƏM Travel Kit      4. TONYMOLY Mini Tint in Cherry Pink         5. Baviphat Cosmetic Pouch   6. TONYMOLY Panda's Dream Goodbye Dark-Eye Corrector 7.TONYMOLY Backstage Eyeliner in No.1 Black   8. TONYMOLY Cat's Wink Shiny Skin Base- Peach       9. Etude House On Air Travel Kit   10. TONYMOLY Tangerine Whitening Hand Cream

Most of my items came from this seller on eBay where most items have free, yes you read that correctly, FREE delivery - worldwide! As do Etude House from their eBay shop - I had ordered some pieces (my Etude House CC cream from my last cosmetic post) from the super cute k-poptown website, however they do charge for p&p so eBay wins on that front and I also think that some products are slightly cheaper on eBay too!

A note on Korean cosmetics, after reading on several other blog posts a few months ago about what are deemed to be 'drugstore brands' are of much higher quality and of a lower price than here in the UK. So I thought it best to investigate this further as I am a bit of a beauty junkie. My way of investigation was by placing an order and seeing what my verdict was. After my wonderful CC cream, some great face masks and a very refreshing toner, I was partially converted. More investigation was needed - see that photograph at the top!

Look out for my reviews on these products, I will space them out a bit so that you aren't bombarded with reviews when you stop by Bonjour, Emily! Although after trying a couple of the products already I feel that I might have some new favourites in there!

Until next time!

Emily xx

Charity Shop Raid

As I told you last week that I was planning a charity shop raid this week, here are my finds!

These shorts are a bit loud, but I quite like them - they sit lovely just on the waist so I think I'm going to sew a couple of crop tops to go with them and stick them away for going away next summer! Plus they were only £2.99 from the Salvation Army!

Up next is possibly my favourite, this sweet little top came from Capability Scotland and for £2.50 I couldn't refuse, I wasn't intending on getting anything when I bought this but I saw it in the window and it had my name written all over it!

This is a sweet little floral skirt which set me back £3.50 in Cancer Research, it looks really pretty with a plain white t shirt and is lovely and lightweight!

I'm in love with the pattern on this blouse! I'm thinking that I'll probably wear it open with a camisole under it with a pair of high waisted jeans for a day to day look. This is a lovely quality item and was very pleased that it was only £3.99, again from Salvation Army.

I have been looking for a bag like this for a long time! I really wanted one to go with my outfit for a wedding that I was at 3 weeks ago, of course I found it too late for the wedding. However, when I clocked it in the British Heart Foundation shop I snapped it up straight away, for a bargain price of £3.99!

I ended up rearranging my living room yesterday, and once I was finished was annoyed by a rather bare-looking part of out wall, so this morning before going out for the afternoon I ran to the Cancer Research shop to see if I could find a large picture to hang in the empty space. This Monet print set me back £8.50 but it is a lovely big frame and fills the space beautifully. Plus, it is an Impressionist painting and those tend to be my favourites!

Last but by no means least is this beauty found in the British Heart Foundation shop for £5.99, I love the colour and the leather is so soft - I don't think that the lovely lady who owned it before me used it more than twice! It is in amazing condition!

Unfortunately everything which I bought is staying as it is (for now anyway!) so there won't be any refashions from this lot. Maybe next time though, I do have quite a stash going so I'll hopefully get some of that done soon! 

Until next time!

Emily x