Smashbox Cosmetics | Contour Kit Review

It must be said, I am a sucker for sales dupes, particularly when it comes to make up sales reps. Now I like to think that I am a strong, independent, go-getter of a woman, so why is it when it comes to entering Boots cosmetics I'm as ill willed as Snow White - never mind taking a bite of the damn apple I'd make a pie and gorge on the thing! But I digress, today we're not going to be devling into my inner psyche and uncovering deep rooted psychological issues that seem to attract me to the 'shiny shiny' of life instead I'm going to make lemonade from my lemon of a cosmetic situation and share my latest impulse buy, the brand new Smashbox Contour Kit.

Granted now that the product has been out for a fair while it isn't exactly new, but at least this gives you a sort of time frame as to how long it has taken me to learn how to use this nifty little palette. I had some apprehensions about buying this product, I had literally gone in to buy a new primer and the sales rep convinced me that this palette was all that was missing from my life and make up collection (I caved, obviously) and as he mentioned it was a great kit for peely wallys  like me I near leapt at him! As you can see the palette comes with three shades, the contour, bronzer and highlight as well as a handy little brush (which isn't very good) and perhaps the best thing about this palette - a handy sheet detailing every face shape and where you ought to contour - needless to say my face  is in the 'round' category, soon all that was about to change.

Admittedly I didn't get on with the palette at first, mainly because I was so excited to get sculpted cheekbones you could cut yourself on that I clarted all of the things on my face only to look like I had been playing in the mud or been up a chimney (ala Bert from Mary Poppins) So it was time to take a step back and believe me when I tell you that for us pale girls, a little goes a long way! The diagram told me that as I have a round face I had to contour in a 3 shape from my temples, into my cheek hollows and down around my jaw line, as well as the sides and inner corners of my eyes, put the bronzer from my cheekbones up to my temple, and highlight the middle of my forehead, down my nose and in the centre of my chin. Previously I had been highlighting underneath my eyes and pretty much giving myself a moon face... also not a great look!

At first I really thought the powder was going to be flimsy as I don't usually get along with powdered products (so messy on your clothes!) but this was surprisingly dense without being heavy (in other words juuuust right) and so when applied correctly it will go exactly where you need it to. After blending the product with my real techniques powder brush (don't worry I'm going to invest in a buffer brush) I was pretty much good to go. The staying power of the product was great and I was chuffed to find that it didn't mattify my foundation or congeal as some products do. Overall I am quite happy with this contour palette, the instructions are simple, the forumla works right and it stays all day so they've got the makings of a pretty amazing product here.

I am most looking forward to perfecting my blending technique as that is where I am a bit sketchy, so if you have any products or brushes that might be able to help me out as always I am all ears. Leave your comments and suggestions below, come share your amazing ideas with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to keep up with my latests you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, sculpting my face to Kardashian perfection.

H.Elizabeth x

Nose Piercing | Process, Pain and Aftercare

In case any of you haven't noticed, I have a nose piercing it is relatively new I've had it for about 7 months so I wouldn't blame you if you hadn't seen it but today I wanted to chat to you a little bit about it for those of you who are perhaps thinking about getting a nose piercing and you're not sure what to expect or perhaps you're just a little bit nosy (ha!) and want to know a bit about 'how much it hurt' or 'how can I blow my nose' or silly little things like that which I find a bit funny (but are in fact serious considerations!)

When I decided to get my nose pierced I went back and forth a great deal, I asked my family what they thought, of course they thought it was silly to put another hole in my nose, I asked my husband who as ever was so forward with his opinions and said, 'whatever you think' or 'do what you like you'll look fine either way' In fact when I was thinking about it I got outside the piercing studio about 2 or 3 times then decided against it. I googled and pinterested and instagrammed pictures of people with nose piercings to get an idea of how it would look but I didn't actually see anything that was particularly informative about aftercare or pain or anything really - which I was disheartened and a bit scared about, so I thought I would be a good little pioneer and give a full overview today. Step one I would say is to think about it long and hard - it's a bit like getting a pet I suppose - are you responsible, will you clean and look after it as you know you should and will you be patient enough for it to adjust to your face?

Choosing a piercer

Choosing a piercer for me was very easy, when I was 16 I had my lip pierced by what then was Retro Rebels (a Gothic clothing store and piercing studio on Aberdeen's George Street) then had a micro-dermal on my chest a couple of years ago (which was painful and fell out due to no fault of the piercer) and given they have been made over into Rebel Ink and in recent years have become one of the most reputable piercers and tattoo studios in the Granite City, I was confident they were the way to go. But when you are choosing a piercer yourself there is nothing better than word of mouth, speak to others who have been there, look at reviews online and of course go in and have a chat to the actual piercer to answer any and all questions you may have, and if they're not very nice or appear to brush you off, don't go there, they obviously aren't interested in the well being of their customers.

Getting your nose pierced

I still remember the day I went to get the deed done, I wasn't nervous as I am quite good with pain and I have been to the studio a few times to have tattoos done so I had already spoken to the piercer a few times previously and he is super friendly. All of the equipment used should be sterile and having been there before I had no worries (plus is just smells so clean which I love!) Unfortunately the day I went they didn't have the colour or style of stud I was going for but I was advised by my piercer which would look best (listen to yours, they are almost always right and I still have my red stud!)

The way in which the piercing is done is your piercer will draw a dot on your nostril where they think the best position for the piercing is which you will then have a look at to see if you are comfortable. They will then put a thin, hollow metal tube inside your nose to get the position of the needle on the dot and this is where it will go through.The pain itself only lasts a few seconds but I'm not going to lie, it does hurt, I would say more than a lip piercing but less than a tattoo but of course they are two very different types of pain and everybody is different but this is just my experience. There was a little bit of blood, but of course you have just had a needle go through your skin of course there is going to be a bit of blood. Needless to say I was chuffed with my new piercing and if anybody is interested it cost me £15 (for which I had a birthday voucher)

Nose Piercing Aftercare

Upon leaving the studio I was given a pamphlet about general piercing aftercare and the thing I love about a nose piercing is that it is a pretty low maintenance piercing to care for (a bit like a cat) but of course with anything you do need to be vigilant about looking after it otherwise it could become infected. Straight after having it done it did feel strange and I got worried for a while I would never be able to blow my nose in a satisfying way again, but this passes and as the swelling goes down it just feels like a part of your face and in fact I don't even notice that it is there most of the time!

I used good quality cotton pads and a saline solution every day for the first couple of weeks to keep mine clean but I did run into a couple of problems, for example sometimes you can develop something called a keloid - which is a small bump right next to the piercing and if it isn't give the proper attention can become a permanent part of your face. Thankfully mine was relatively small and with continuous cleaning it disappeared within a week but I would advise keeping make up and heavy products away from this area while it is healing (something I didn't really do!)

Today I have no issues or cleaning problems with my piercing and continue to love it just as much as when I first had it done, I can blow my nose, wash my face and do everything a regular person without a piercing can the only difference? I have some lovely bling on my face! This post has been much more long winded than I thought it would be, but honestly I just wanted to be as helpful and informative as possible when it comes to this kind of thing because it is important and I don't feel as if I could have left anything out in explaining the process and aftercare. Be sure to leave me a comment below if you have any questions, if perhaps you are thinking of getting a piercing or maybe you already have one and just wanted to add something, post it below, come share it with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl posts be sure to follow me on Bloglovin'

Until next time folks, blowing my nose like a regular person.

H.Elizabeth x

Garnier | 2 in 1 Eye Make up Remover Review

Back at you with another beauty review and today's product (in my opinion at least) is an incredibly useful one for you ladies who may be a little too generous when it comes to eye products, specifically mascara and lash glue or perhaps even for those of you looking for something a bit gentler to help remove your make up generally, and surprise surprise it comes from one of my personal skincare saviours, Garnier.

It all really started when I was taking off my make up at the gym, you ladies will know how it is, when you're in a rush for a class, you're trying desperately to clean off the (what feels like cemented on) make up of the day and your mascara just won't budge. You end up panicking due to your late state and vigorously rub your eyes until they're a lovely shade of scarlet, and not to mention you've yanked the majority of your lashes our along with it, well given that I felt I was down to my final three lashes per eye, I had enough and went on the hunt for something a bit kinder to my skin (and for my sanity!) As fate would have it I then happened upon Garnier's Skin Naturals Fresh Eye Make Up Remover as part of a 2 for 1 offer, and today I wouldn't be without it!

The cleanser itself is a liquid consistency and as you can imagine I was quite nervous about it all spilling out at me and essentially wasting my money, but thankfully Garnier have created a sturdy bottle that doesn't allow for leakages. What really drew me to this product was their supposed 'biphase' double action forumla which says it will clear stubborn make up (even waterproof) without the need for vigorous rubbing (it even says 'protects' eyelashes on front so double bonus!) I was quite skeptical to begin with but I'm one for giving anything a go once so in I jumped.

The scent wasn't overwhelming or chemical, which is a big no no for me as these types of cleansers and removers tend to dry out my skin something chronic, this is actually a lovely fresh and clean scent that reminds me of the 'Clean Cotton' Yankee Candle (which I could sniff until the cows come home!) but I'm a terrible judge of how things smell so perhaps you should give it a whiff yourself before committing to the product. The day I tested this out, just to clarify, I was wearing eyeliner pen and pencil, eyeshadow, Benefit's Roller Lash mascara and a set of Eyelure false lashes, so it isn't as if I was simply swiping of a slick of liner, and all I can really say is wow. As well as removing all of my make up, even mascara and remnants of glue from my lashes, with no trace of panda or red eye I only had to use 2 cotton pads (a refreshing change from the usual 4 or 5) The forumla didn't sting my eyes or leave my skin greasy like my facial cleanser sometimes does and it was just a genuinely pleasant product to use.

If you're looking for something that just does a damn good job of make up removal than you can stop your search right here, and you'll be saving a tonne of money on cleansing pads to boot! Of course now that I am a self confessed convert from cream to liquid make up remover I'm looking for micellar recommendations. Be sure to leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter, or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl posts be sure to follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, rubbing my eyes pretty.

H.Elizabeth x

The Goldilocks Complex | MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation SPF 15

Thinking back to the first foundation I ever bought still makes me cringe. Thinking of how runny and uncontrolable it was (and not to mention how ill matched to my skin tone) and how inexperienced with handling this substance I so well and truly was it isn't any wonder that the majority of my selfies from around 2008 are all in black and white, or contrasted so highly you can see nothing but a pair of well lined eyes! Of course taking the next step in make up mistakes, like every other girl I moved on to the much coveted Dream Matte Mousse, until of course waking up one day to realise just how bad it looked, felt and generally awful it made my face feel. It was time to move on to bigger and better things and after much deliberation, countless forumlas, lots of ho humming and ha-ing I took the plunge and invested in a MAC foundation.

The sales people in my local MAC (in Union Square - shock) are so helpful, they know their stuff and judging by the way they always look flawless, no matter the time of day, I would quite happily put my make up decisions and face in their hands. So when I went in looking for a new foundation that offered maximum coverage that didn't mattify my face too heavily and wouldn't appear to crack or break up through the day, they knew just what I was looking for. The MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation (Shade NW15) is a creamy gel based foundation that is quite thick and feels substantial, the sales assistant said that the forumla of the foundation is quite hydrating to the skin and as it has spf 15 I had little worries about the potential sun damage I may get while wearing it (very little given we are in Aberdeen after all) To boot I was informed that it is pretty sturdy against water, so the Aberdeen rain ought not to worry me either! So that was that, love at first sight, and off I merrily skipped with my brand new foundation pleased as punch.

I remember the first time I used this product, it was a month before my wedding when the girls and I were heading off the Edinburgh for the hen weekend formalities and needless to say as I wasn't quite used to the thick consistency of a cream foundation, I was over zealous and ended up with quite a wet looking face (no I don't mean dewy, I mean wet) so rule number one of a cream / gel based MAC foundation, a little goes a long way and given that I have had it for around 8 months I think that's pretty great going for such a deceptively thin tube! The foundation itself, once you've got to grips with it that is, is lovely to put on, I personally used to apply mine with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush, but have recently swapped to the Real Techniques Foundation brush, which has worked wonders for streaky lines and even application.  The real test for me was the wear ability and durability of the forumla as we were shopping, lunching, dining and drinking in the evening this really had to last at least 12 hours - surely that isn't asking too much right? No it was not and I am pleased to report that if you're searching for durability then your search is over! My face was able to last through Edinburgh in the rain, heat and humidity of the shopping centres' of the day and still look fab in the evening!

Now even though this sounds like a match made in heaven I must assure you that our tale does not necessarily end here or have a particularly happy ending to say the least (here comes our story arc!) as much as I loved and got on with the appearance of this foundation it wrecked my skin no end, and the most horrific part was it took about 2 - 3 weeks to repair said damage. As you guys probably know by now I have combination/dry skin but I'm relatively careful with what I put on my face so as not to flare up a bad bout of dry skin and as careful as I thought I was being, when it comes to make up sometimes I'm just not sensible enough. This foundation is difficult to remove at the best of times, it takes quite a few pads and a deal of scrubbing to remove it, and even then a cleanser is recommended to completely remove it, so after a solid week or so of using the foundation my skin began to suffer. My face came out in red dry patchy areas all over and no amount of moisturiser was helping and after a couple of weeks of these patches I began to panic my face would never be the same. I swore off all make up for 2 - 3 weeks, moisturised every hour and slowly my face began to heal and return to normal. Needless to say I stopped wearing the foundation altogether for a little while, but when I did return I made sure to take precautions. Today I use a pea sized amount of foundation and even then I have lathered primer all over my face to protect my skin (Smashbox is a life saver!) Now I have happily finished the tube I don't think  I will be repurchasing this product, just because I feel I can find something that does offer the coverage I'm looking for that perhaps is a bit kinder to my skin. Alas the search continues to find that foundation that isn't too thin, or too thick but is just right.

I hope you have found this review helpful, buying one of your first high end foundations can be daunting especially when you're shelling out £25 - £30 at a time on something you don't feel fully informed about, so I hope this has helped weigh out the pros and cons of one of your options at least. If you have a solution to pull me from the Goldilocks foundation complex I am facing right now I am of course all ears and would love to hear you recommendations in the comments below, or you can come share them with me on Twitter. Of course if you'd like to keep up with my latest reviews, recommendations and rants you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm searching for the one that's juuuust right.

H.Elizabeth

Happy Valentines | A love letter to my freckles

 

Oh no, not ANOTHER Valentines post! Is it a gift guide? Perhaps a post to show off my gifts and wonderful love life? Well ladies and gentlemen you're in luck, because today's post contains none of those things, because I plan on spreading the love this Valentines in a different way this year because lets face it this day of love doesn't necessarily have to mean the love we share with a spouse or boyfriend and it doesn't even have to mean the love we share with our cats (just me?) Today I instead challenge you to take the time to think about the relationship you have with yourself, your supposed flaws, kinks and quirks and embrace them for all they are. In light of this I would like to share with you  love letter to my very own 'flawed' freckly face, and just what it is I love about the skin I am in.

As you guys will probably know I am a ginger, which living in the North East of Scotland suits me just fine, we get little sun, you're more likely to get scrutinized by your face being ginger if anything and finally my legs are never out of place on a dance floor considering the sunshine epidemic, in many ways I suppose it is like living like a vampire. Of course abroad this puts me at a distinct disadvantage with sporadic sprouting freckles, unfathomable sunburn and such a thick layer of SPF 50 I'm destined to slide right off of any deck chair or sun lounger I deem fit, but don't worry I'm not about to go on a lengthy rant about genetics, because as we have just established such negativity today shall not be tolerated. So without further ado here is my very own take on the perks of being pale:

Never needing to worry about streaky/melting limbs

The only thing I want is streaky bacon thank you very much, in the past I have had friends who loved a good tan, and quite frequently I see people moping and moaning about their fake tans being ruined due to movement or rain or sweating and really that's just quite a lot of upkeep for someone like me. I won't lie and say I have always felt this way, in fact I went and got myself a tan just last year at a local salon and I have to say never again, sitting down was a chore, moving was difficult and streaks were simply unavoidable. Did I also mention that tanning with a sun bed can cause skin cancer and wrinkles? I think from now on I'll keep to the pale and interesting look!

Foundation? Does it come in Casper? Skincare products are super easy to find

Is porcelain on the menu? If yes then that's me, palest one you've got, no questions asked, and did I mention my tone is consistent come rain or shine (in our case lack thereof) I often see people sharing their latest skincare secrets or make up must haves that alter foundation wise season on season but something I pride myself upon is I will forever own the fairest foundation of them all, it is both a money and time saver!

No freckle pencil necessary

Freckles in fashion again?! As ridiculous as I do find the notion of penciling freckles on I must say when they did grace the catwalk as an aesthetic choice I beamed a little and wore mine with pride, and I didn't even have to buy a freckle pencil!

Colour clashing? I don't think so!

Being pale opens a lot of fashion and style doors too, since nothing clashes with white the only thing I really have to consider clashing with is my hair (so orange, red and yellow are mainly out of the question)

Forever the fairest of them all

Have you ever seen the pin up ladies of the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe, Dita Von Teese, Audrey Hepburn or dare I say the fairest herself Snow White? We can rock a bold red lip flawlessly, create a brilliant cheekbone with a flawless contour and even boldly go where no tan brow has gone before.

Now I know being pale comes with disadvantages the sun being one of them, but today is not a day for dwelling on the negatives and this Valentines (and you know every other day before and after) I challenge you, whether you’re a single pringle, in a new relationship or even married, try to embrace the skin you're in freckles, warts, birth marks and all. Too often do we see negativity in our midst, whether it be on the news, on social media, or even ranting in our everyday lives, it's time for a little positivity.

I know this is something a little bit different to what you might be used to seeing on Granite City Girl or you know any other blog this Valentines but I do hope you have enjoyed it. I invite you to comment below what it is you enjoy about being pale or even what you like about your tan, freckles, birth mark, body shape, personality, anything, it'd be great to share the love. Be sure to come Tweet at me to share your own perks or if you'd like to see more of my pale mug be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'll be the one without the freckle pencil.

H.Elizabeth

Having and Giving and Sharing and Recieving | Lush Recyling Scheme

It finally happened! Throughout the last year I have been loving Lush and since losing my Lush virginity all the way back in February last year with my 'Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser' and I'm pleased to today report that I have accumulated enough empty Lush pots to take part in their recycling scheme. I say I have only just managed this, truth be told I actually have 8 pots at home!

For those of you who have never been or are unfamiliar with the Lush recycling scheme (where have you been one may ask?!) it is basically a 'you scratch our backs, we'll scratch yours' which has economical (for Lush), environmental (for the world, obviously) and of course consumer (us) benefits. Lush ask that you collect and wash out any of your little black pots which have the wee recycling symbol on them and when you have 5 of them, take them back to your local store where they will exchange them for a free fresh face mask. The pots are then transported back to their production warehouse in Poole I believe, where they are then cleaned out thoroughly and reused for the next person to take home and love. Lush are working towards a closed loop system whereby they no longer have to produce their little black pots due to their durability and re-usability and of course by relying on the loyalty of their customers - and honestly who wouldn't be opting into their scheme?

Anyway, moving along from the techy techy environmentalist side of things, today I thought I would share with you which 5 pots I shall be trading in, alongside a mini review of what I thought of each product and finally what I shall be trading them in for.

Enzymion Moisturiser (x2)
My skincare savior! Following a horrendous experience with a rather thick (such as concrete) MAC foundation I wanted to use something a bit more natural and less chemically on my skin, and my usual moisturiser (Nivea) just wasn't cutting it! The consistency of this moisturiser is quite runny and can drip off your face if you use too much, but it smells lovely. I wouldn't say it leaves your skin feeling amazing or soft right away but give it a week and your dry, dull skin will have cleared entirely! You can read my full review for the Enzymion Moisturiser here.

Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser
You can see my full review of this cleanser here, but as you'll know if you've already read it, this helped to soften my skin and clear any and all blemishes I had. Although I had originally gone in the day I bought this for a cleanser that would also remove eye make-up (which this obviously doesn't and wouldn't) I still fell in love with it. The smell is lovely (if like me you are a fan of lavender) and the consistency is great too. A little of this goes a long way, it'll last you for weeks as long as you use it sparingly which I do!

Catastrophe Cosmetic Face Mask
I had a bit of a love hate relationship with this mask, while I loved the scent and the feeling it left on my skin it was incredibly flaky and the chunks of berry kept falling off of my face and into my tea! Because this was kept in the fridge it was quite hard to get out of the tub and onto my face and often flaked while it was drying so messy messy! I totally agree with the synopsis on their site however it is a very calming and soothing mask but I would not recommend if you are looking for something low maintenance!

Love Lettuce Face Mask
Fresh, fresh, fresh, is all I can say about this face mask. What I love about Lush's Fresh Face Masks is that because they are kept in the fridge to prolong their goodness, every time you put them on your face it is like getting a huge breath of fresh air, but maybe that's just me who enjoys a cold compress. Another thing I loved about this mask was the grainy quality meant you were not only moisturising (and cooling) your skin, but when you wash it off you're exfoliating too, which is why I would only recommend you use this one once or twice a week max. The smell is divine too, I believe it's a mix between honey, almond and lavender all of which I love. This is one I'll definitely be repurchasing in the future.

For all of these empty pots I can treat myself to one of their fresh face masks again, and I'm going to try and go for something different this time which of course is still good for dry skin as I'm still a bit of a sufferer, especially with Aberdeen having now joined the rest of the UK in the cold weather slump! At the moment I have been swithering between their Oatifix mask which sounds like a dream for dry skin or their BB Seaweed, because it looks and sounds so fresh. Do let me know your thoughts on what I should treat myself to in the comments below or of course any Lush products you yourself have been loving lately, I'd love to hear from you! As always you can catch me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more reviews, ramblings and rambunctious goings on you can follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin

Until next time folks, getting fresh!

H.Elizabeth xx

Benefit Brow Bar Experience | Bene Wow!

Attack of the caterpillars!!! Which to you may not sound like much of a horror movie, but when they're on your face, trust me every day turns into a nightmare. It started with one... one unruly hair sprouting just below my perfectly formed brows courtesy of a Dundee salon a couple of months ago, plucked and on with my life, only to be replaced with two unruly hairs, much like Hydra, cut off one head and two will take its place, and so on and so forth... Okay so I may be getting a little dramatic in my ripe old age but would you really want to read any other type of introduction to my first ever Benefit Brow Bar experience?! 

It was actually the day before New Year's Eve (the eve of New Year's Eve if you will) I decided to try and get my brows tamed at the Benefit Brow Bar, because the night before I had noticed how out of control I had allowed them to get and since we had a family party  for New Year I really just needed to regain some order on my face. Of course being a Benefit Brow virgin I had no idea whether or not it was based on a first come first serve deal or if it was an appointment in advance system, so I did panic a little bit and thought I was destined to welcome the New Year with neanderthal brow!

Alas, the stars aligned, the odds were in my favour, basically it was meant to be and I was able to get booked in as soon as I finished work which was great. I chose to visit their Boots Brow Bar as I have unfortunately heard a few horror stories about the one in our local Debenhams and I wasn't altogether keen to undertake damage control so close to our party date, sorry Debenhams! 



Brand new brows - Bene Wow indeed

The store was really quiet when I went in which was a relief as I've never fancied feeling like a zoo animal getting my brows waxed etc. but the area the Boots Bon Accord brow bar is actually in a nice spot away from crowds. The girl who was doing my brows that evening was so lovely and I'm really sad I didn't get her name as we had a nice little chin wag while I was there. First obviously I had my brow filler from the day removed, cleaned, prepped and primed all ready for the tint to go on. Every time I have my brows done I really just ask for the same colour as my hair is at the time, which at the moment is a rich auburn colour, so really I only ask for a medium brown, this was all over and done in 3 minutes, which we were alerted of being fished by an alarm, courtesy of a very cute little benefit brow alarm clock, so on with the waxing!

I'm not sure why, but this time I felt a bit more sensitive to the waxing process and I'm pretty sure I let out a couple of winces, but really I think they were just a bit more thorough at Benefit than the salon I visited in Dundee, which can only really be a good thing. I would say the entire process took about 10 - 15 minutes, given I was being a bit yappy and chatty with the Benefit girly and I have to say I have never been more chuffed with my eyebrow shape! To cover the redness I was offered some of the 'Boing' concealer to cover up the freshly waxed areas, which I was told has sort of clean, antiseptic qualities and that's why you can use that to cover up straight after a fresh wax, but unfortunately this meant going around sans filled in brows which I dislike, however the shape and tint made it all worth it.

The cost was £18.00 for the tint and wax, and I was given a little card from them which means if I continue to go and get my brows done with them and collect, I think 8 or 10 stamps I get a free tint and wax, yay! So I will definitely be going back, in fact I was so excited and happy with my brows that I text my brow buddy, Lisa, straight away to tell her to go get hers done there too! (Eyebrows are kind of our 'thing')

I was so excited to debut my new brows at our New Year's Eve party and play about with my little brow palette at home that it was actually my favourite part of my New Year's Eve party routine! Have you guys ever had an experience like this with Benefit or even another company that you just couldn't wait to share? Be sure to share your thoughts, experiences and comments below, or of course I'd love for you to come chat with me about them on Twitter or of course if you'd like to see more from me, myself and I, be sure to follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

Gym Etiquette | Make up and The Gym

If any of you guys follow me on Twitter you'll know that the past few months I have been making an effort to eat a little better and start using my gym membership on a regular basis (I now go to the gym three times a week) and since going to the gym, yes I've noticed my skin has cleared up, I have more energy and of course there is the added benefit trying on clothes with confidence, but today I'm going to talk about something that bothers me about health, specifically the gym, and low and behold this time for me the issue all comes down to make up (shocking right?!)

Now as you'll know I love make up, I would not leave the house bare faced any more than I would leave the house just in my pants but something I can never and will never be able to get my head around is ladies and gents who insist on wearing a full face of perfectly contoured and lined make up to the gym. First of all it is such a waste of money, I would never choose to drip my £20 a bottle foundation all over the equipment in the gym or to smear my best eyeliners across my face mid workout and secondly, I point blank refuse to believe you are working out effectively if you come out with you make up still perfectly intact! 

In fact one fun story recently which sort of lead me to this snapping point which I had to share with you was post workout (I'm talking spin class, cross trainer, weight training and a good half hour on the stepper) I saw a girl who had walked in the same time as me, full face of 1950's pin up make up and pin curls in her hair, all still in place and still flawless and as she puffed a little sigh of, 'oh that was such a great work out' I just straight up said there is just no way! (Her little puff kind of reminded me of that scene in Friends where Rachel is giving birth that that cute little woman made her pathetic 'contraction' noise)

This particular post was spurred mainly to say people of the world, the Granite City in particular, enough is enough, nobody cares what sort of sweaty mess you look like at the gym and if they do well they'll just continue to waste their money on a membership they aren't using appropriately.  

Skincare Savvy; Why you should never wear make up for a work out:

• When you sweat your pores open up, which allows dirt and bacteria from the days nasties to be secreted, but make up prevents secretion and can lead to the clogging of your pores which as you know can create spots, blackheads and terrible breakouts.

• It is simply poor etiquette to sweat your foundation all over the machines.

• You look ridiculous, more ridiculous in fact than if you had just wiped off the make up in the first place, panda eyes and a runny complexion are not a good look.

• At risk of sounding a great deal like my dad, 'It is not a fashion parade' you're there to get fit not to flirt, save your money and your make up!

• If you're worrying about what you're wearing or how you look exercising, you aren't exercising.

My gym skincare routine:
Of course this routine isn't as rigorous as my usual home, morning and bedtime skincare routines but these are the products I use at the gym to keep risk of dirty nasties down:

Garnier Goodbye Dry Cleanser (with cotton pads to remove make-up)
Arbonne Gentle Facial Cleanser (to get rid of any make up which is stuck on there)
Nivea Moisturising Cream (what it says on the tube!)

I understand that going bare faced and baring all can be a daunting prospect, especially for gym newbies, but would you rather put up with acne prone skin and a great body, or would you rather have the best of both worlds out with the confines of your gym walls?

I hope you've enjoyed this rather different and rather ranty post today (apologies) but I'd love to hear your thoughts below, is there anything that bothers you about the outside world or the inner workings of your local gym? Be sure to let me know in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with my latest's you can find me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks, I'll be the one not sweating off my best make up.

H.Elizabeth xx

Not another MAC post?! | Burgundy Party Line

With party season well and truly upon us, and may I also add almost passed us, I thought what better way to mark this occasion than with a brand new MAC lip purchase!

Recently I've been going through my make up having a bit of a sort through, clear out and general 'I've forgotten what I have' rummage around in my drawers and I realised that I have a few bits and pieces missing from my collection which I would love to have throughout this party season. One of said items I was meaning to purchase during October when the Rocky Horror MAC collection was released, but sadly it was not meant to be and I had to venture forth into my life Rocky Horrorless....

So finding myself at a loose end I decided to take a trip to the MAC store and treat myself, again, to a pre Christmas present from me to me and I walked out with one of their Cremesheen lipsticks in 'Party Line' and one of their 'Burgundy' lip liners to go along with it. Of course I rushed home to try it out as soon as I could (much like Charlie Bucket with his golden ticket)

 

The colour is a bit more intense than what I would usually go for, but I am getting a little more adventurous in my make up use, I say adventurous but I'm hoping the look I'm achieving isn't 'eccentric' Since playing about with it a little I must say I am surprised it hasn't been highlighted as more beauty bloggers party season favourite, it's a classic berry sheen with the perfect balance of shimmer in there and paired with the 'Burgundy' liner along with a slick of gloss it's gorgeous! 

I'm really chuffed with this lippy I think it's going to be a great asset to my collection as it can be dressed up with a perty frock, paired with a sleek hair do you could go very 1950's pin up or you can of course wear it with a slouchy jumper and a hint of liner, it's that versatile! The shade I feel will also go along with a number of different skin tones, it is a very shocking and intense colour against my peely wally skin but the colour is so deep and lovely I think it would look just as lovely on someone with a darker skin tone.

As always I'm really chuffed to find a lippy that won't dry out my lips, stands the test of time and water and of course has such a gorgeous colour. Another thing I'd like to say just before I sign off is that I'm always really chuffed with the way the ladies in the MAC store help their customers out, they really got my requirements spot on especially given I'm usually so vague about what I want and I am terrible at verbal descriptions! In short I highly recommend you pick this lovely little number up for party season and as I say I'm very shocked more people haven't been raving about this sooner!

What do you guys think? Have you got any go to party shades this year or do you even have any MAC recommendations for me, I'd love to hear them? Be sure to drop me a comment below, come chat with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to see more of me, my reviews and my face be sure to follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks!

H.Elizabeth

Black Friday | ASOS Haul

The night before Black Friday I was anxious, incredibly anxious. One thing my friends and family have come to know about me in recent years is that manners and particularly shopping etiquette mean a great deal to me and sitting on the periphery of the dreaded Black Friday I just knew that all of those famed reservations and snobbish manners of the Aberdonian people was all about to go flying out of the window and there is only one word to describe my beloved Union Square on a sale day, and that is carnage.

Given my nervous disposition and unwillingness to brave the supposed amazing sales (which I was later to find were non existent in the likes of Zara, despite the crazed women who were grabbing handfuls of vests, T's and all manner to stuff into breaking point baskets) I decided this ear was the year I go digital, and that's just what I did. I enjoyed Black Friday from the comforts of my own home, armed with my dressing gown, slipper boots and a recently topped up card I was able to grab a fair few bargains which I thought I would share with you today!

 

ASOS Cyber Sales

Having done my research by looking at what felt like hundreds of articles revolving around the best online discounts during the Black Friday madness, I settled on ASOS as my poison of choice. Throughout the course of 'Black Friday Weekend,' ASOS were giving you 20% off everything using the code CYBERWKND20, which brought me right back to my student days where I could often get 10 - 20% off everything and I must admit I got a bit click - buy happy!

Clothes and Misc

River Island Too Vogue T Shirt £12.00

Only Live Love long sleeve top with lace trim £12.00

ASOS Midi Skirt in Ponte with pocket detail / Grey £14.00

ASOS Full Length Leggings in High Waist / Oxblood Colour £8.00

Happy Jackson YAY! Lunch box / Pink £6.00

Make Up

Eyeko skinny liquid eyeliner / black £12.00

Bourjois little round pots eyeshadow / pink £4.00

Bourjois limited edition vintage little round pots / beige rose £6.99

Price before discount: £74.99

Price after discount: £59.99
Total saving: £15.00

With a saving of £15.00 I think I did quite well, however as much as I do love all of my ASOS goodies and gadgets I have to admit I am suffering a little from buyers remorse because I just know that had it not been Black Friday and had it been any old sale I wouldn't have spent half as much as I have now. Yes ladies and gents at the time I unashamedly got swept up in the madness of Black Friday as I believe many of you did too but now shamefully find myself almost £60 down so close to Christmas that probably would have been better spent elsewhere!

If you are however going to splurge like I very much have, I would highly recommend avoiding the dramas and chaos Black Friday physical shopping brings (very physical judging by some of Tesco's finests customer videos) and spend some quality time with the good ole laptop, onesie and slipper boots and spend yourselves silly!

I hope you've enjoyed reading of my Black Friday buys and blunders and I'd love to hear about some of your best purchases from that weekend of madness? Did you pick up anything in the ASOS deals? Drop me a comment below, come share them with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latests be sure to follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks!

H.Elizabeth xx

Beauty Haul | Pre Christmas Party Ready Treat

Every time I know I have to save for something I seem to spend more than ever. Having just booked our holiday for next year and with a good few birthdays and of course Christmas looming you'd think I'd exercise some self discipline! But alas it was not meant to be, unfortunately my route home happens to force me through Aberdeen's Union Square shopping centre and who can resist the twinkly lights and the special offers of their stores, especially after a long day at work AND with the cold weather coming in?!

Does anybody else do this? act as their own bank account saboteur when they know they really shouldn't? I suppose it's just my vice, I was quite restrained at one time but let's face it those days appear to be long long gone!

So now around £50 down and a good few products up, I thought I would be proactive, productive and pro product and share my latest buys with you.

Apologies for poor quality pics - teccy troubles!

Bourjois Délice de Poudre (RRP £7.99)
At the weekends especially I've been trying to experiment a little bit more with make up and of course with one of the biggest trends of the year being to perfect that Kardashian contouring routine I thought I'd give that a bash. When I was in Boots I saw this palette and thought it was perfect as a contouring and highlighting tool, stay tuned for my thoughts and review as I have yet to have a play about with it!

Eyelure Katy Perry 'Bangin Beauty' lashes (RRP £5.95)
As you'll know if you've been keeping up with my wishlists for the past couple of months I have been on the hunt for Katy Perry Party Lashes and as I think I may have missed the boat with the glitzy glam ones with the sparkles and studs I thought I would compromise and add these to my collection instead. I think these will be perfect for party season and they offer a middle ground to my current collection, as I have the Sweetie Pie lashes which are slightly shorter and a bit more sparse, I have the Lovely Lolita which look like spaced out medium lash clusters and finally I have the Feline Fierce which are long, thick, full and have a wee flick at the ends. These are a medium length full lash which as I said are a fab middle ground!

Goody Dent-Less Waves Foam Rollers (RRP £10.99)
Boots Essentials Sleep In Rollers (RRP £5.19)
My go to look when I'm dressing for a special occassion is to sit with slightly damp hair up in my massive rollers for about half an hour and then blast them with some heat to achieve that Cheryl-esque volume we all often crave. But if I'm honest I'm looking to inject a little bit of glamour and style into my everyday look so I have invested in these sleep in foam rollers to achieve this on a daily basis and to avoid heat damage to my hair. I got this idea from watching Becca Rose's vlog on how she achieved her lovely curls and volume on a daily basis and I really liked it and thought hey why not give it a bash (link to her video just below in case you are curious)
Becca Rose Video - Overnight Heatless Curls Using Primark Sponge Rollers

Tres Emme Keratin Smooth Deep Treatment Masque(£5.50)
Of course it goes without saying the Winter weather isn't often the kindest to our hair, mine for example is looking a little lack lustre, full of split ends and just feels generally damaged in the cold. And of course you can't very well experiment with your hair if it isn't in great condition (unless of course full frizz is your thing) And well Tres Emme has never let me down in the past and with the description of this item being, 'intensive rescue for unruly, frizz-prone hair. This masque deeply replenishes each strand for unbelievable salon-smoothness.' I suppose we shall just have to wait and see.

After writing this post for you guys I must say I do actually feel a little bit better about having spent so much this close to Christmas, I mean I was able to justify all of these products... right? And I just want to say before saying goodbye for the day that I do apologise for the pics for this post, perhaps Santa will bring me enough money to treat myself to some new photo taking products....

Guys once again I hope you've enjoyed this post, if you've tried any of the products above or of course if I've missed a trick please let me know in the comments below, I love chatting to you guys about new and great products on Twitter or of course if you'd just like to keep up with my latests do come find me on Bloglovin!

Until next time folks

H.Elizabeth

What I Wore | I Wanna See Your Peacock

If there's one thing my nearest and dearest know about me it's that I rarely have a night on the town. I'm afraid I'm an old soul who would sooner cuddle up with my iPad and a mint tea than live big in the city after dark. But on those rare occasions when I do find myself at a 'perty' I do like to make more of an effort, so I thought I would share with you guys my most recent outfit for hitting the town.

What I wore on my body

I didn't want to go too OTT with my outfit for this particular evening as it was beginning as a games night so I thought something you can dress up or down was most appropriate and I came up with this wee number.

L - Full Length Peacock Dress. R - Close up dress pattern

Peacock Dress - New Look

My friend actually spotted this dress on a weekend away to Edinburgh and promptly put it down, which I was in shock and awe of since I found it so beautiful. Due mainly to the pattern, the shape and suit to my body was a simple bonus. The pattern is a monochrome peacock print with accents of red in the centre, a great pop of colour that would do well with some red flats on a day out or some red heels for an evening (which I don't have!) 

What I wore on my feet

Black Stilettos - H&M

Never underestimate the power of a plain black heel in classing up a casual outfit, since losing my usual, comfy black stilettos due to general wear and tear I have been at a bit of a loss when it comes to my heel collection and funnily enough H&M had the answer. I never expected H&M stilettos to be quite as comfortable as these but they are my new go to shoes for a long evening out. Since I can NEVER find a size 3 shoe in New Look anymore I think I will be visiting them quite a bit more now.

What I wore on my head and face 

This was one of  my more experimental looks of the past few weeks and I have to say I was pretty darn chuffed with how it all turned out (I have since tried to repeat this phenomenon to no avail) I found it was very bouffant 1960's, not quite the trend of the moment but hey sometimes who cares it's all about what works for you!

Hair and make up look

How I wore my hair

Voluminous Curly Wurly Do - Rollers and Heat Tools

So to achieve this look I used my huge velcro rollers and applied them to slightly (VERY slightly or it'll take ages to dry) and left them on my head for about an hour. I then blasted them with really hot air from my hairdrier and then quickly swapped to the cold setting to allow your hair to hold that sort of style. After taking the rollers out I brushed it out and then curled the ends of my hair only and then backcomb backcomb backcomb (SO bad for your hair so I'm not endorsing this for you guys at all) I loved the way my hair came out for the evening as I got a lot of depth and texture to it by styling it this way, and with the right amount of hairspray it really did last (until the long walk home!)

How I made up my face

Eyes - 
L'Oreal Colour Riche Liner in Charcoal
MUA Charcoal, Silver and Shimmer White Eyeshadow Trio
Benefit's They're Real Mascara (top and lower lash)
Katy Perry Lashes by Eyelure (Feline Fierce Lashes)
Brows -
Sleek Brow Kit in Medium
General Face Area -
Arbonne Make up Primer
MAC Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation
Rimmel Natual Bronzer (Contouring)
Collection Lasting Perfection concealer (Highlight)

Blush by George at Asda (A hidden beauty gem)
Lips -
MAC Hip 'N' Happy Lip Pencil
Clinique in Mighty Mimosa

This is obviously not what I would wear on a daily basis I usually don't wear foundation or concealer or anything on my face for a general working day but you know when you've got so much make up and an occassion is coming up you just can't help but play with it sometimes.

Let me know what you guys think of this look I hope it has inspired you to go and have an experiment and play about with your own looks! Or of course if you have any tips, pointers or comments be sure to leave them below, otherwise and as always you can catch me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more of my latests keep up with me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks!


H.Elizabeth x

All Brand New | Eyebrows on Point

Hello everyone, as you may have noticed recently through my intsagram or twitter posts I have had my eyebrows done (waxed and tinted) for the first time in my life and so I thought I would share my experience of this with you and tell you how I style them on a daily basis (such an odd concept!)

On a weekend away in Dundee my friends and I decided to book in a few beauty treatments to pamper ourselves and generally have a relaxing weekend so we went to a central salon I believe it was called 'Glow' and booked in our chosen treatments, mine of course being a wax and tint. I was honestly a bit apprehensive about waxing my eyebrows as I don't have the best track record of liking make up and treatments others have done to my face in the past. But the therapist put me at ease and explained it really is the best and most effective way to get a good shape so on I went!

Since having my hair done I have had to put a bit more brow gel and powder on because my hair is so much darker so I thought I would plan a head, saving money in the long run and just have them tinted. I was a little taken a back when the therapist asked what colour I'd like of course I'd like it to match the hair on my head wasn't that logical? But then I remembered all of the ladies who appear to be sporting sharpie brows and felt slightly silly!

The colour was done within minutes, it smelt lovely not like some of the toxicy smelling dyes you sometimes get in salons and beauty establishments and thank goodness it didn't burn. I was really pleased with the colour and I honestly could have easily stopped there but I put on a brave face and had my face waxed!

The pain wasn't bad at all it was over within minutes (my brows were quite full so for others time and pain may vary) It was of course very red when it was finished but that is to be expected! So it was time for the big reveal! 

Left - Before. Right - After

Tah - Dah and I love them (when I put on the filler myself!)  I have even invested in a more expensive brow kit to maintain their shape and to save me going from fierce to fluffy! It's incredible the way that you never notice how bad something has gotten until you have it fixed, I vow to Cara Delevingne and her perfectly formed brows that I shall never let mine become so unruly and misshapen for as long as I blog!

Have you guys ever undergone professional threading, waxing, tinting and plucking or even dared to brave 'HD' brows? Drop me a comment below, come chat with me on the Twittersphere or as usual if you'd like to see my latests come find me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

The Beauty Weirdie #Tag

This week every morning when I have been getting my face on and my hair done I was very very conscious of all of my strange little beauty ticks and habits that have become second nature to my routine and since you guys seemed to love my weirdie cinema post a little while back I thought I would share a bit more of my strangeness with you! So here we have my 5 biggest beauty weirdie ticks and habits.

#1 When I buy a tin of anything, like hairspray, dry shampoo or basically any aerosol spray with a lid, I bin the lid. I'm not entirely sure why and I only do it to cans over a certain size, for example my handbag sized tins with lids are safe. I think it might just be because I'm so lazy and taking a lid off to spray my hair in the morning is wasting extra time I just don't have.

#2 No matter how prepared I am I will almost always accidentally apply my lipstick and liner before brushing my teeth and end up with a face / teeth of disaster before leaving the house!

#3 I am a beauty hoarder, recently I threw out a massive black bag full of make up and accessories I have ashamedly been keeping 'just in case' for 6 years! The first stage as always is being able to admit you have a hoarding problem.

#4 I have a brow kit in which there is a gel to be used to set stray hairs after you have applied the powder. However I use it as a prep as I find it helps my brows stay darker and ruly for longer.

#5 I am very strict about my beauty prep environment, I must have music / tv noise and a full glass of orange juice / diet coke or my face just won't cooperate!

So ladies and gents that's me for now, my weird and wonderful beauty routine musts and mustn't's  letting you guys see a little bit more of my strange little ticks and habits that make up my own Granite City living.

I know this is technically a tag but I have nobody specifically I would like to tag to try out this post but I will say I challenge all of you lifestyle and beauty bloggers out there to give this a bash and share some of your wonderful weirdness with the blogosphere and the world!

Well as always I love to hear from you guys so drop me a comment, catch me on the Twittersphere or keep up with my latest postings on Bloglovin

H.Elizabeth x

What I Wore | In a Galaxy Far Far Away...

Hello everyone, so today I thought I would do a bit more of an off duty, casual what I wore post today last week I had a kind of comfy, lazy day at uni and I thought for the purposes of being an open and honest blogger I better show you on one of my beauty/fashion days off. Also I wanted to show off my first ever pair of brand new ASOS boyfriend jeans (a bargain from their sale at only £10.00!)

 What I wore on my body
 T-Shirt - Deep V Neck Star Wars T-shirt, Superhero Stuff
Boyfriend Jeans - Baggy ripped Boyfriend jeans, ASOS

What I wore on my feet
Pumps - A regular star of my what I wore posts, New Look

What I wore on my head and face

Head - Mid Ponytail with my fringe quiffed (it was a lazy day indeed!)
Face -  L'Oreal 24hr Infallible Make up (Porcelain)
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (Fair)
Eyes - L'Oreal Colour Riche Crayon Le Khol (Midnight Black)
L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara
Lips - Clinique Chubby Stick (Mighty Mimosa)

So as you can see from this look this is not something I would generally post but I thought for the sake of being real I would show you a more casual look which is far less high maintenance than usual. And if you're not too keen on this look...well... I was comfy at least!

As always guys I enjoy hearing from you, I'd love to see your off duty, casual looks for lounging, studying or just lazing. Drop me a comment below, catch me on Twitter or you can keep up to date with my latest posts on Bloglovin

H.Elizabeth

Beauty Staples | Lifes Little Must Haves

It came to my attention recently that I have shamefully enough not yet shared the beauty bloggers ritual of ritual post, sharing with you my beauty staples! So today I have got off my lazy hind and decided to share with you a few of my favourite products I simply could not be without!

Since January I have aimed to try something new every month and I have introduced a few new products into my daily routine and they have become my little life must haves and they get me through my day, as sad as that may sound!

Beginning with my absolute and 100% must have, my L'Oreal Infallible Lasting Perfection Foundation in Porcelain. I struggled for a very long time to find my perfect foundation which didn't dry out my skin, look too cakey or worse still give the dreaded oompa loompa effect! As you might have guessed 'Porcelain' is the lightest colour the foundation comes in, perfect for me really and thankfully it doesn't dry out my skin!

My eyes are my favourite feature so there are a couple of things I feel I must must do everyday in order to enhance them. I recently bought a brand new eyeliner in the form of L'Oreal's Colour Riche eyeliner pencil in Midnight Black and it is so so much better than my previous eyeliner brands. First of all the pencil doesn't break very easily, the colour glides in so smoothly and doesn't come off in clumps on my eye (I have use some terrible eyeliners!) and lastly it is such a gorgeous black colour and doesn't come off grey.

Next I have my Burts Bees Lip Balm, which some of you may know I got as part of Glamour's Beauty Box last month. I suffer from incredibly dry lips and needed something as a miracle base for my lipstick/gloss to glide smoothly over and by jove I have found it. The beauty box gave me the mint Burts Bees balm but they come in all kinds of flavours from pink grapefruit and honey to blueberry & dark chocolate.

Lastly and very simply my staple face moisturizer, which I have been using for years and years is the trusty old Nivea Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream. I use this in the morning after my face scrub and in the evening after removing my make up and I have had a fairly clear skin complexion throughout the years as well as silky smooth skin.

And those are my current staple, must, must haves of the month, do share what you've been loving in the comments below or even if you share the same staples as me I'd love to hear from you. Otherwise you can catch me on Twitter or keep up to date with the latest Granite City posts on Bloglovin!

H.Elizabeth

Garnier | Cleanser and Toner Review

I have made the move! After a little bit of badgering from my skin conscious friend (you know who you are) I finally gave in and made the move from my trusty old make up wipes to a healthier skin cleanser and toner for removing my make up and daily pampering.

I've always found the thought of implementing a cleanser and a toner into my skincare routine quite a daunting idea as I can be quite lazy with my skin, previously only using a Simple Skin make up wipe and an all purpose face moisturizer, however as you may know my skin has been rather lack lustre as of late and I've been battling a fair few blemishes. So enough is enough and I have bought myself a cleanser and toner and I thought I would share with you how I feel about them thus far.

The Cleanser

Garnier Skin Naturals Sofening Cleansing Lotion, Goodbye Dry

I was recommended this cleanser by a fellow beauty blogger on Twitter sometime last month so I thought I would give this a whirl. I chose the softening cleanser for people with dry skin because I've been getting a fair few unsightly dry skin patches and blemishes, so as well as removing my make up better to kill two birds and nourish at the same time. On my first use of the cleanser I hated it in comparison to make up wipes especially for removing my mascara unfortunately I used a little too much and hurt myself....the shame! But I have to admit it gave my skin a fantastic feel once I was finished which I ultimately what I was aiming for. Since my first use I have mastered the art of not blinding myself with being over zealous so I can reap all of the benefits with none of the horrible fiddly bits!

The Toner 

Garnier Skin Naturals Refreshing Toner, Start Afresh

As I shower in the evenings after taking off my make up I used my cleanser straight out of the shower and prior to using my moisturizer and it gave my skin a lovely clean feel and I could really feel the toner getting into my pores and working its magic. If I had any criticisms I would say that personally I ought to have gone for a toner which was more suitable for dry skin as I felt it kind of undone the doings of the cleanser!

Overall the cleanser and toner routine isn't as bad as I had first thought, I really think now that I can see the benefits of using these over make up wipes it definitely gives me a fantastic incentive not to be too lazy when it comes to my face.

Do any of you have any skincare tips you would like to share, or have you tried any skincare products you have been loving lately? As you know I love hearing from you so drop me a comment below, come chat with me on Twitter or if you want to keep up to date with my latest blog posts come follow me on Bloglovin!

H.Elizabeth

February Best Buys

Hello everyone, so it's that time of the month again, time for me to show you my best buys from the past month and give a little review of this months favourites.

#1 Furry Slipper Boots, Dorothy Perkins £5.00 down from £15.00

So I saw them, I loved them, I had to have them. I have awfully cluttered wardrobe at the moment and believe it or not it's about 25% made up of pyjamas or comfy related articles of clothing. These boots are oh so comfy they're barely off of my feet when I'm lazing around the house, they are made mostly of a knitted material and came in a red tartan (none my size) or this lush cream colour with faux brown fur trim. Great for lazy home bodies like me!

#2 L'Oreal 24hr Infallible Make Up in Porcelain, Boots £9.99
Earlier in February I began to run out of my staple L'Oreal 16hr infallible foundation and in a bid to get the most of my money, for about a week and a half I resorted to scraping my tub with a cotton bud, but enough was enough and I faced up to the fact that yes, I need a new foundation! So traipsing along to boots I panicked when I didn't see my ever trusty 16hr Infaillible Foundation, but did see a 24hr one, panic over. This has been my face staple for a few years now, the foundation offers high coverage and hides my blemishes a least and doesn't dry out my face, don't think I'll be changing any time soon.

#3 Lush Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser, Lush £6.35 100g

As you'll know I recently expressed my love of this cleanser in a previous review, but thought it definitely deserved a wee mention in my best buy blog post this month, so if you want to read the full review click right here!

#4 About Time DVD, HMV £10.00

Favourite romantic comedy in such a long time. When I saw this in the cinema I was so skeptical because of the cheesey poster, yes I'm afraid I do judge a film by its poster, honestly the poster made it look like another Nicholas Sparks film adaptation but I am happy to report that this is not the case. I won't give away any spoilers in case any of you rush out to buy it but it combines quirky 'real life' comedy, time travel, romance, family and such a refreshing take on life and love.

#5 Cat Pyjama Bottoms, Asda £6.00

 My second comfies/pyjama purchase of the month in the form of the amazing multi coloured and cosy cat bottoms from my latest Asda shop. These are lighter than my current cosies so perfect for summer days in our (fingers crossed) brand new flat.

I promise next month won't be filled with comfy related articles like my boots and bottoms, but stay tuned for my March wish list which I guarantee will contain a little more Lush products! Hope you have enjoyed this month's best buys, if you like what you see you can keep up to date with my latest and greatest on Bloglovin, drop me a comment on here to let me know what you think or you can always catch me on Twitter.

H. Elizabeth