June Favourites 2016

I'm very relived that it is almost the end of June since it means that it's almost time for my summer holidays- I only have three more weeks before I can say goodbye to school for a few weeks. Today I thought I would talk about some of the things I have been loving this month, some beauty and some other random items. 

Beauty

The first two products I want to talk about are both from The Body Shop which I bought using a voucher from Christmas (surprised it lasted this long to be honest). Pictured on the left is the Moisture-Protect Emulsion. Basically it is a daily moisturiser with built in SPF 30. I love this because it is a very lightweight formula, which makes it especially good for the summer months when we don't want endless amounts of product building up on the skin. I also love it because of the sun protection. I aim to wear sun cream every day as I think it is so important to protect your skin- I love that this product does it whilst moisturising too!
The second product shown on the right is the Instaglow CC Cream in the shade Bright Light, which is recommended for light skin. I don't need coverage, and I love the glowy look so this product is perfect for me. I apply it at the high points of the face and am left with a radiant glow. This product also comes with SPF 20 which makes it convenient to not have to wear sun cream as well as this product. If you don't like looking glowy then I would stay away from this product, but if you enjoy the dewy look then go for this product.

This is the Soap and Glory Supercat eyeliner. It is a felt pen formula and at first glance looks like any old eyeliner, and I thought the same until the other day. I was in my boyfriend's hot tub and he thought it was a great idea to wipe my eyes. Expecting to see my eyeliner completely running down my face, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it had barely budged at all- very impressive in my opinion! 

I spoke about this product in yesterday's blogpost, if you want to check out my mini Nyx haul then click here. One of the products mentioned was the Soft Matte Lip Cream in the shade 'Cannes'. This is the lip colour that I've been reaching for very frequently when I just want a simple lipstick that I can trust to stay on. The formula is very thin in my opinion so it feels silky and even on the lips but at the same time provides a pigmented, even colour. Also, when the product fades it doesn't leave a strange looking ring around the outside of the lips. 

To move on from makeup, this is a shower gel that I have been enjoying. This is the Original Source shower gel in the Vanilla and Raspberry scent. This shower gel is so cheap; I bought it for £1 on offer but I'm sure it doesn't cost a lot more than that usually. I find a lot of shower gels irritate my skin, but this one doesn't which is great. This product is cruelty free (like all of the products I buy these days) and vegan which I think is really important. The scent is so beautiful and refreshing; just the thing for summer. 

My last beauty product is the Lee Stafford Treatment For Hair That Never Grows Past A Certain Length. What a long name. In spite of this, I truly think that this product is helping my hair grow! Even if not, it helps to keep my hair in brilliant condition, even with the amount of heat I use on my hair. I would recommend this highly if you want to improve the condition of your hair. 

Style

These are the Topshop Jamie jeans in blue with rips in the knees. I had never had a pair of blue jeans and always stuck to black but when I tried these on I knew I could pull them off. Also, they are the comfiest jeans ever and fit tightly, which is what I look for. Although they are a little expensive, I think they're worth the money because you will only need a couple of pairs, whereas with other cheaper jeans I would buy them but never wear them due to them being uncomfortable. I am very impressed with these. 

Lifestyle

This could be a strange favourite to some, but I have been loving plants recently. I like how they bring life to a room and finish it off perfectly. I bought these two from Ikea and have managed to keep them alive throughout the month; they require next to no water. 

That was all my favourites for this month. What have your favourites been? Please let me know in the comments.

Mini Nyx Haul

When I head that Nyx was now being sold in the UK, I was extremely excited to get hold of some new lip products. I travelled to a town quite far away from me to grab this small selection which I will be discussing today. I really wanted to get my hands on the Soft Matte Lip Cream Stockholm but sadly it was sold out. Luckily there were other shades that I wanted so I picked those up; I am very happy with my choices.

The first product I picked out was a Soft Matte Lip cream in the shade 'Cannes'(left). Cannes is a dark pinky/browny nude. I love how these lip colours glide onto the lips and set nicely. Unlike other liquid lipsticks I feel that the Soft Matte Lip Creams are very light in texture and don't feel heavy on the lips at all. I'm really lazy when it comes to reapplying lip products, so I like that when this one fades it isn't too obvious; somehow the colour just sinks into the lips without leaving a strange ring of colour around the outsides of the lips. I'm very happy with this colour (not that I really need any more nude/pink lip colours!)

After buying Cannes I wanted to try out more of a bold lip colour, as I don't own many and find myself always buying the same dark purple shades. I didn't want buy a true red shade so I settled for the Soft Matte Lip Cream in 'Manila' (right). I was a little scared to wear this colour but luckily it went on well and stayed on for a while before I ate. I found that after I ate and drank and reapplied a layer it went a bit patchy and flaky however I think could have avoided this happening if I took more care (maybe removing some of the old colour) and exfoliated beforehand.

I have never worn lipgloss, but I decided to give the Butter Gloss  in 'Angel Food Cake' a try (left). Firstly, lets talk about the smell of this product, if not all the products I bought. They smell of vanilla which some people may not like but I feel that I can tolerate the scent on my lips. It goes away after a short amount of time. I do like the scent though, just not on my face. Like I said, I am not usually one to wear lipgloss so I am finding it hard to get used to the almost sticky feeling on my lips but I love the colour of this gloss and how it improves the appearance of my lips.

From left: Cannes, Manila and Angel Food Cake

If you live near a Boots that sells Nyx products then I would recommend you to try out these products because I am enjoying using them. If you have any other Nyx recommendations then please leave a comment letting me know.

Three New Lip Products!

Hi there! I have accumulated a couple of new lip products over the last week or so, and I thought I would talk about them today.

NYX soft matte lip cream

• 'Istanbul' 
• £5.50
• 8ml 

I bought this whilst I was in Copenhagen, because here in the UK Nyx products aren't sold in every store. I went into the shop and couldn't decide which makeup I wanted to try- there was so much choice! After a lot of thinking I decided to pick up a soft matte lip cream, since I have heard a lot of praise about them. I have a habit of always buying the same shade in everything without realising so I decided to go for something different; this brighter pink shade. The product lasts quite well on my lips however I think the Sephora cream lip stains last longer. This one is cruelty free (although the parent company is L'oreal) though so it is a good alternative to the Sephora version.
Buy this here in the UK.

Urban Decay revolution lipstick

• 'Rapture'
• £15.50
• 2.8g

When I've visited airports before I've seen a lot of tax free beauty but the brands featured are usually ones I'm not interested in purchasing. However, when I saw an Urban Decay stand in the Copenhagen airport I was so excited. I decided to pick up a lipstick and chose this one. I made the same mistake of buying a lipstick in a colour I already own but this one has really impressed me. The formula is creamy and moisturising and offers a shining finish. Although the product isn't matte it stays on extremely well and on the particular day I wore it I found that I only had to touch up once. Overall, I'm very impressed with this one!

Buy this here in the UK.

Sleek MakeUp true colour

• 'liqueur'
• £4.99
• 3.5g

This was another airport purchase, however this one was from the UK. I was looking around the airport Boots and realised that it was exactly the shade I was looking for! A 'my lips but better' shade, the sheen finish improves the appearance of my lips and finishes off an everyday look. The lipstick lasts well and I find that it isn't very noticeable when it starts wearing off. Overall, I would recommend. 

Buy this here in the UK.

And that's all for now! Please leave a comment if you have tried any of these lip products, or if you have any lip recommendations that we should try.

~Jessica Jayne

THE BODY SHOP: Collection + Favourites!

Hi there! In this blog post I will be talking about one of my favourite places to buy cosmetics: The Body Shop! Although I've managed to save my Christmas vouchers (impressive, I know) I have still accumulated quite a few products from the shop over time- and I thought I would talk about them!

A favourite scent; Glazed Apple

Last Christmas I wasn't able to get my hands on anything from this range, however this year I bought a selection of products way before December 25th. Sadly I have used up my shower gel but I still have a Body Butter and hand cream. If you have any way to access these products then I would recommend you to do so; they smell amazing. If not be sure to pop into a store next year (Hopefully they will stock it!!!!)

An efficient way to moisturise; Body Butters

I'm sure many people will of heard about The Body Shop's Body Butters; and for a good reason too. I find these products so moisturising and great for the skin in the cold winter months. I like this scent (Shea Butter) in particular because although it doesn't have a strong scent, it leaves you feeling nice and clean. 

Another beautiful scent: Moringa 

Possibly one of the first products I purchased from the store, the Moringa range smells.. well, beautiful! The flower gives off a light floral scent which is perfect for people who don't enjoy overly floral smells but like a little hint once and a while. In this photo I have the Moringa body spray and eau de toilette. Both of these products I've owned for a while and I still love them!

A way to exfoliate: Smoothing Pumice Foot Scrub

Maybe this is a strange product to add in, but keeping you feet smooth is essential! I enjoy using this scrub for that reason. The scrub has an overpowering minty smell, but I think it helps to create a feeling of cleanliness after use. It really does make your feet super soft!

Even more scents: Body Sprays

I've already mentioned my Moringa body spray but I must own more! Really, I have a stupid amount of sprays; it's crazy. These two are White Musk Libertine and Vanilla. Both scents are very beautiful and last a good amount of time. I like to use these throughout the day when I feel like topping up my sprays. 

Moisturising! 

It's an essential. These are two products that I use to keep my skin in good health. The first one is a Honeymania lip balm. This balm is very good at keeping my lips moisturised and not chapped. The second product is of holy grail status. It is the Vitamin E Overnight Serum In Oil. I have used this product every single night for I'd say maybe a year and it has kept my skin completely moisturised. I never have issues with dry spots anymore; this serum is a life saver!

Those were all my favourite products from The Body Shop! I hope you will try out some of my recommendation- let me know if you do, and which products from The Body Shop are your favourites. Bye for now...

Jessica Jayne

Eye Shadow Collection & Reviews

Hi! Today I will be writing a post on my eye shadow collection. I don't exactly own a lot of eye products, however I will still be talking through the ones that I own and whether they are any good...

Wet n Wild Comfort Zone

I bought this palette when I went to Spain in October; I saw it in a shop, got really excited and bought it immediately! So far I'm impressed. It was quite cheap I think ($4.99 on the website) so it's a great deal. The colours stay on well throughout the day. My only concern are the colour choices: the green in particular. It looks nice lightly patted onto another colour, but I'm not sure how good it would look if it was packed on the lid. You can see from my swatches that the colours are well pigmented - if you have access to Wet n Wild where you live I think you should buy this palette!

Urban Decay Naked 2

I'm sure you are all well aware of this palette as everyone raves about it. I made the splurge earlier this year and I definitely don't regret it. Just encase you have somehow been living under a rock: the Naked 2 contains a very nice range of neutral eye shadows that are perfect for everyday wear. The brush that comes with the palette is high quality as well (I keep forgetting to wash it though which isn't good). Overall, I love it!

Kat Von D Monarch

I've already taken photos of the shades in the palette, to see them click here. Now this could possibly be my favourite palette that I own, Firstly, I love the colours. It contains many neutrals, and more mattes than the naked palette! I've got to admit that there a bit of fallout with this palette, but I can't ignore that the eye shadows are SO pigmented. I would say that the matte colour is 10 times better than the Naked 2's Foxy. I recommend this palette to anyone who wants great quality neutrals. 

No.7 Mini Eye Palette (Christmas 2014)

I received this palette as a gift last year, and I loved how it looked. The packaging has  a beautiful gold lid which I think looks really nice. The colours are quite nice too, although I think the colours on the bottom row aren't as nice. They do have pretty flecks of glitter though. I was very disappointed when I used the shadows for the first time. I didn't think they were very pigmented at all, and for that reason they just sucked. I haven't tried them out recently but maybe I will give them another go. Not very impressed though..

A selection of single eye products...

1. B. Makeup Creme Eyeshadow

I got this product quite a while ago so I couldn't find any information about it; it was from a free gift for spending a certain amount of money. I don't get much use out of it but its a nice coppery colour which looks quite nice on the lid. It isn't very creamy and I prefer the Colour Tattoos, but it's a nice vegan/cruelty free product!

2. Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow

This Maybelline cream eye shadow is a nice product for days when you don't feel like wearing much makeup. I'm not sure if I chose the best colour to suit me, but the formula itself is nice and creamy; it also stays on well during the day. The only downside is that there isn't a great colour range in my opinion. If you find one that you like I would try it out!

3. Sephora Single Eye Shadow

I received this as a free sample when I spend WAY TOO MUCH in Seville's Sephora. I like this colour and it is actually similar to the B. Eye Shadow; this one has more of a hint of brown though. This product is pretty, however I don't use it much since I like to use my palettes. If you do get this as a free sample make sure to try it out though.

And that's all for now! I hope you enjoyed this post and learnt some good product recommendations for your future shopping. Have a nice week!

Jessica Jayne

Everyday Skincare Routine

Hello! I hope you are having a lovely Tuesday. Today I am talking about my everyday skincare routine. I'm sure you already know this but having a good skincare routine is essential. So let's get straight into it...

Morning

I don't apply many products in the morning. Mainly because I'm in a rush, but also because I don't feel that I need it. I will normally just apply this Superdrug Moisturising Day Cream from their Vitamin E range before applying any makeup. This product is cheap, cruelty free and does the job perfectly. 

Evening

The first thing I do when removing my makeup in the evening is use this Simple Eye Makeup Remover. I've used this stuff without fail for probably 2 years and it's perfect. I don't wear waterproof eye makeup regularly but I do know that it will remove Benefit They're Real without a lot of hassle. It has also never irritated my eyes. I would definitely recommend.

Sometimes I use miscellar water as well as this product, but recently I've been going straight in with The Body Shop Vitamin E Cream Cleanser. This product removes my base makeup well and isn't at all harsh!

After I use the cleanser I like to go over my face with the Simple Soothing Facial Toner. I haven't tried a lot of toners as I find not a lot of drugstore brands sell them, however I enjoy using this one as I feel it helps to remove any makeup I missed as well as refreshing my skin. 

Once my face has been completely cleansed I like to replenish it with moisture, and of course you can never skip the eye area. This is why I use The Body Shop's Aloe Eye Defence. This gentle formula adds moisture to my under eyes to keep them in good condition.

My last. and absolutely essential step (especially in Winter) is to use The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum In Oil. This stuff is AMAZING at moisturising the skin. I apply a few drops last thing at night and wake up in the morning with soft, moisturised skin. This isn't the sort of thing you would use in the morning as it's very oily, but it's perfect to use overnight. I would recommend this product to anyone with dry skin!

Extras! 

In the summer months, when I'm feeling a bit 'meh' from all the heat, I like to refresh my face with a little of this Evian Facial Spray. To be honest I'm not sure how much it benefits my skin in the long run but it's lovely on hot days when I need a little spritz of coolness.

When I need to exfoliate my skin I use a bit of the No.7 Beautiful Skin Radiance Exfoliator. I'm not too keen on physical exfoliators as I find it hard to remove all the beads from my face, but I like/use this one. I only own the small version as I got it in a set last Christmas. Ok, maybe that shows how often I exfoliate...

And lastly, I'm addicted to using lip balms whenever my lips feel the slightest bit dry. This is why I frequently use this The Body Shop Honeymania Lip Balm. I like using this product because it's very rich and creamy; it really does a good job at moisturising the lips!

And that's it! You will probably be able to tell that my main priority is keeping my skin moisturised.. it's kind of an obsession. 

I'd like to know if you have any of these products in your skincare routine. Are there any amazing products I should test out? Comment below!

-Jessica Jayne

2015 Makeup Favourites

Hello again. Today I will be talking about the make-up that I enjoyed using throughout 2015. I have tried a selection of products and have chosen a few to feature today.

1. The first product I will talk about is my The Body Shop Instablur. I mentioned this primer in yesterday's post so I will be quick. This is a great primer which leaves your skin feeling very soft in preparation for foundation application (haha, that rhymes). I would recommend this to people who get slightly shiny throughout the day, but I'm not sure how well it would hold up on someone who is more oily.

2. If you are looking for a good high street BB cream I would recommend you try this one by Boots, from their Botanics range. It gives a light coverage and a nice, radiant finish. This is perfect for days when you don't feel like wearing vast quantities of heavy make-up. It contains an SPF of 30 which is really great!

3. This foundation from No.7, from the Stay Perfect range, is fantastic! It can give a light coverage or you can built it up to cover more on the days that you need it. For me it looks just like skin, and it doesn't go weird and cakey throughout the day. They offer quite a wide shade range as well.

1. This is my Essence Eyebrow Stylist Set. The kit comes with two different shades of powder, a lighter one and a darker, which is handy for if you want a gradient colour affect on your brows. The product is very cheap (£2.49) and does the job brilliantly. 

2. My second eyebrow product is the Etude House Drawing Eye Brow pencil. On one end you will find a fine tip that distributes the product just where you want it. The product blends in to look like your natural eye brows. On the other end is a spoolie that can be used to get rid off any harsh drawing lines. I love this product!

I love this eye palette I bought this year. It is the Kat Von D Monarch eye shadow palette. The palette contains 12 beautiful shades that can be used everyday for a natural look. My favourite colours are the golden shade 'summerfly', the pinky shade 'killing jar' and the vibrant red shade 'wrath'. I LOVE the pigmentation of these shades, and I feel like the palette includes plenty of natural, everyday shades. I would definitely recommend this palette to anyone!

My favourite mascara of this year has been the Benefit Roller  Lash. I had heard mixed reviews about this product but I decided the purchase it after I enjoyed the They're Real mascara. First of all, the packaging is gorgeous! I love the shade of pink. I think this mascara does a nice job of curling and lengthening my lashes.

My next recommendation is this cream blush palette by the brand Makeup Revolution. First of all, it cost me £6. That's so cheap! The set displays a nice array of blushes, from natural pinks to more vibrant ones. There are also a couple of more red based shades. I like how many blushes I have to choose from when using this palette. The blushes blend very nicely on the skin and leaves a beautiful hint of colour.

My last favourite is this Sephora Cream Lip Stain in the shade 13, Marvellous Mauve. The colour of this particular lip product is a pretty pinky mauve(as the name suggests). I am impressed with this lip colour because it has a nice amount of longevity. I do have to touch it up during the day but it stays on mostly. I believe the product wasn't too expensive either. If you have access to these lip stains I would suggest you try them out!

And that's it! I hope you had a nice, or at least decent 2015. Remember if your year was bad you have the opportunity to try again in 2016. Good luck and happy new year! Please comment if you enjoyed this post. I would love some feedback in terms of how I can make my posts better.

-Jessica Jayne


MORE POSTS

• 3 new lip purchases
• eye shadow collection
• the body shop collection and favourites

My Everyday Makeup

Hi! Today I will be talking about my usual makeup look, and the products I tend to use daily. Makeup is something I enjoy doing; I hope you will find this post useful...  

Primer 

To begin with I will prime my face with The Body Shop Instablur primer. This primer gives a matte finish and makes my face feel extra smooth before I apply foundation. I apply this on my t-zone; my forehead, nose and chin. These are the areas that become the oiliest for me so I use the primer to try and prevent that. 

Tip: apply your primer in so that it flattens down any fine hairs that are on your face, insuring an easier foundation application. 

Base

After applying the primer, I begin to use my No.7 Stay Perfect Foundation, I LOVE this foundation, It stays on extremely well throughout the day, without going weird and blotchy. You can have your skin matched to a colour in store which I think is quite useful. It also includes SPF 15, which is essential for protecting your skin. 

Once my foundation has been blended I go in with the Maybelline Instant Anti-Age concealer. I'm not sure if I agree with all the hype this concealer receives. I find that when I apply it under the eyes it can come off in flakes, which isn't what you want. Maybe this is only an issue for me though and you will enjoy this concealer, I don't know... 

I will go back to my complexion later on, however for now I finish up with a light dusting of the Collection Pressed Powder. This powder cost me £1.99, and I feel like it does it's job perfectly well for the low price. 

Eyebrows

I have heard many beauty gurus say that eyebrows are the frame of the face, and arguably the most important aspect of applying makeup. This is why I like to try and make my eyebrows look presentable. First I use the Etude House Drawing Eye pencil. I like this pencil, on one end is the makeup and the other a handy spoolie which help to distribute the colour more evenly. 

After using the pencil I then go in with a clear mascara from Collection, nothing special, just to set my brows in place. 

Eyes

Next is eyes. To prep the base I use the Too Faced Shadow Insurance eye primer. This acts as a base for the eye shadow and enhances the staying power and longevity. 

I wait a few seconds before cracking out my eye shadow palette of choice. Today I used the Wet n Wild Comfort Zone palette. I selected the colours down the left side for my natural look. The eye shadows actually have instructions as to where to apply them which I think is a great idea for beginners especially. The eye shadows are of great quality - I very much like this palette!

When I've finished applying eye shadow I coat my lashes in a generous amount of Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. Is this mascara good? Yes, of course. Is it worth all the hype? Um... I don't really think it is. I personally prefer the Benefit Rollerlash. However, this mascara does the job nicely.

Back to Base

        

I now return back to my complexion. First I apply the sculpting powder from my B. Sculpted Contour Kit (sorry about the disgusting state that it's in), followed by the highlighter from kit. After this I use my Innisfree Mineral Blusher to add some more colour to the look.

Lips

I don't use lip products everyday but today I decided to use my Astor lipstick (I don't know what type it is exactly). I purchased it while I was in Spain and I like it, however I'm not too sure about the longevity of the product. The colour is pretty though.


And that's it! My everyday makeup look from start to finish. I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope to write more soon...

Jessica Jayne