ELF Glossy Gloss's

Recently I've been going mad on the ELF site, basketing nearly anything and everything lol and one of my favorite products has actually been the Glossy Gloss's. I love the colours I have ordered as although I own over 15 lipsticks, I do tend to shy away from them and these lip-glosses are definitely a great alternative. I'm in love with the application which involves brushing the colour onto your lips, ensuring that all the gloss actually goes on to your lips and stays there. I'm currently in love with the 'Muted Mauve' shade as I think it is the best nude colour for my skin tone and complements me really well. The packaging of the glosses is actually very cute and makes it look more expensive than it really is. All in all, I would recommend this lipgloss and hope to get the rest of the collection soon. =)

(From Top to Bottom): Muted Mauve, Berry Blush, Funky Fuschia, Ballet Slippers

(From Left to Right): Muted Mauve, Berry Blush, Funky Fuschia, Ballet Slippers

Ballet Slippers (Left) is a dupe for Mac Cremesheen in Boy Bait (Right)

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Sleek Blush By 3

So I was in Superdrug the other day (as always) and came across a new product by Sleek,which is basically a 3 Blush Set. I personally love Sleek Blushes and own about 6 (collection will soon grow ;]). I find them very pigmented, but not heavy and very wearable on darker skin tones. I managed to pick up the shade 'Sugar' and was hoping to get 'Lace' but it wasn't in the store =( When I got home I realised I had similar shades to the three blushes in the palette already >.<

(L-R) Sleek Blush in Pomegranate, Sunrise and Suede 

1st Blush in By 3 Palette vs Pomegranate

2nd Blush in By 3 Palette vs Sunrise vs Rose Gold

3rd Blush in By 3 Palette vs Suede

From the swatches you can see there are already colours similar to the palette out already, but this may just be the case in this palette as I haven't seen the bright orange included in the 'Pumpkin' palette.
These are currently selling in Superdrug for £9.99 and I do think they are limited edition so if you do see them, grab 'em! Three Sleek blushes for under £10 is actually a bargain!

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Budget buy: MAC Fix+ vs. Elf Mist & Set

The products?
MAC FIX+
£7/30ml £12.50/100ml
Pearl-like finsh on a cylindic bottle with a matte black twist and lock lid, making it travel friendly.
Buy Here:
http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/product/177/388/Skincare/Fixers/Fix/index.tmpl


ELF MAKEUP MIST AND SET
£3.50/ 60ml
Translucent cuboid shaped bottle with rounded off edges.
Buy Here: http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/product~prodID~207.htm


What do they claim to do?
MAC: "An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on. Skin drinks it up!"

ELF: "Keep your makeup in place all day with a radiance boosting invisible hold. The invigorating mist moisturizes and soothes the skin with key ingredients Aloe, Green Tea, Cucumber and Vitamins A, C & E. The lightweight, comfortable and alcohol free formula improves makeup wearability and prevents color from running or fading."

Do they work?
I have used Fix + for a while now and I am pretty impressed. I've used it before applying makeup and primer, on my brushes before eyeshadow and to set my makeup after application. I do feel like it helps secure my makeup to my face and get rid of a powdery finsh to produce a dewy glow. However, as I have combination skin, the dewy finsh is not always best for me and I do press powder into my T-zone after using Fix+ if needed. All the vitamins help my skin feel nourished and refreshed without a harsh smell.


As I waited for my ELF delivery to arrive, I was becoming sceptical about this spray as I watched a guru's review on it and she said it had an horrible smell.=S This doesn't seem to be the case with mine, so either they've improved the formula, or mine is water (lool doubt it, well shaken it does produce a foamy substance =D) So anyway, to compare I decided to use Mist and Set the exact way i use Fix+. I have early starts at work in the weekend so half my makeup is done on the train there. The first time I used this, I applied it before my foundation at home... when i looked at my skin on the train, it looked flaky and dry! And I have combination skin! Instead of throwing it away, I decided to be the scapegoat and thought maybe I needed more moisturiser. I tried it again another day after applying my moisturiser and while it gave me a lovely glow, my skin felt really tight and dry. This product is definately drying. When i decided to use it again after makeup application to set my makeup....my liquid eyeliner and mascara smudged and ran like a bitch -_-. It had not fully dried but I am always fully confident to use my Fix+ with wet makeup without the fear of smudging. =/


Pros
MAC: 

• Travel friendly lock
• Multi-use 
• Gets rid of powdery finsh
• Doesn't run eye makeup

ELF:

• Cheap 
• No smell,
• Nice glowy finsh when no makeup applied

Cons
MAC: 

• Cost
• Sometimes needs to be powdered down to get rid of oily look

ELF:

• Lid falls off
• Dries out face/ appears flaky
• Smudges eye makeup

What do I recommend?
Stick with Fix+ if you have those extra funds, you wear alot of eye makeup and do not want to dry out your skin. Use Elf as a cheaper alternative that can be used on the everyday occasion.

ELF 30% Off TODAY!

I ordered some items from ELF the other day (Haul will be done when I get my camera up and and running again =/) and I must say, I am in LOVE! Even though many items I want were out of stock, I am happy with what I did get and for the price it's amazing.


Since yesterday they have been running a 30% off code for reaching 300K followers so I ordered again =) and thought I should share it with you guys that don't know. The codes running till evening so be quick!

DIOLCH300K

http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/

GO! GO! GO!

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Tips for Virgin Hair Care

Not claiming to be a haircare expert, I'm just sharing what works for me in the hope I can help others too.

1. Always comb the hair upwards from the tips to the roots to get rid of knots with a paddle brush or wide tooth comb. The comb is probably better as its less likely to rip out hair from the weft.

2. Wash the hair every 1-2 weeks. Virgin hair is more prone to being greasy than our own so its important to keep it clean. Try Pantene Clarifying Shampoo to strip the hair of any product but be careful not to use this too often as it could dry out the hair

3. Deep condition between washes and after washing to keep the hair soft and healthy. I use Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisturizing Conditioner and let it soak into my weave for a few hours before rinsing out with cold water.

4. Try to reduce the amount of heat your hair is exposed to by airdrying instead of blowdrying. Blowdrying will get rid of the 'natural state' look and blow the curls out of place. Instead of a curling wand or iron, try bendy rollers. If you do decide to blowdry, straighten or curl the hair, use a heat Protectant just to be safe lol. I use TRESemme Heat Defence with UV Filter.

5. Just because a product works for your own natural hair doesnt mean it will be good for the weave. Avoid greasy or heavy products as it will weigh down the hair. I use a drop of Creme of Natures Argan Oil after washing/conditioning and between washes to keep my hair shiny, frizz-free and soft.

6. Sometimes I get lazy and dont do this but you should plait your hair into one before sleeping to keep the waves/ curls intact and keep the moisture in your hair. Also get your hands on a satin scarf or cap from any shop that sells weave and sleep with that over your hair to keep moisture.

7. My final tip is do not neglect your own hair! Your weave will look better for longer if you can look after your own especially if you have leaveout! It's easier to blend if your hair is relaxed, if not try hotcombing or straightening but not too often. Keep your parting and scalp moisturised with Organic Root Simulator Dry Scalp Relief Oil. Also if you are feeling the annoyance of regrowth try Olive Oil Edge Control to keep things neat and flat.

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Thinking Of Buying Virgin Hair?/ How To Detect Fake Hair!

Sorry guys! This is so long overdue but I'v had so many technology issues recently =[ But anyway..

Before I bought it myself, I was extremely wary of buying from just any hair vendor. Virgin hair is a hugeeeee investment and if you make the right one it can last you years, if not you've just wasted hard earned money =\ This post is basically just to help those who are thinking about it to make a wise choice. In no way am I a haircare professional, this is just what I've found from my own experiences and research. But anyway, lets go!

• Watch Youtube Reviews. This can help you find a company to buy from and people's experiences with the hair. Obviously all hair is different and some companies send youtube 'gurus' hair, so, make your own judgements.

• If you do find a company that interests you, see if you could contact them to send you a sample. If you can get hold of one, test it with water and add heat on it to see if it returns to its natural state.

• Prices can always be a huge giveaway. If its cheaper than Remi, thats normally a clue. That's not to say you can never find bargains on virgin hair, just be wary that if it was real, the seller would try to get the best price for it. However, the same goes for when hair is clearly overpriced. It doesn't have to cost thousands to get a good weave ;)

• Virgin hair should always wave/ curl up when wet, even straight hair should have some sort of wave. Always check your virgin hair can return to its natural state :)

• We all know (well you should know lol) virgin hair is hair that has been cut off another humans head...=\ lol. So virgin hair should not smell like any beauty store hair(human/synthetic) If it does.. back away lool

• Virgin hair is also known not to tangle. But it can, the reality of life is hair does tangle. My natural hair tangles! Lol but there shouldn't be excessive tangling. However, tangling is more likely to happen with longer lengths of hair and at the back of the neck so don't be too worried if it does happen.

• As with tangling, shedding can happen but again should not be excessive! It should only be a few strands after a comb through. Try asking your vendor to seal the wefts or do it yourself to ensure the hair stays on. If you comb the weave from the tips to the roots with a wide tooth comb, this can reduce shedding too.

• If any vendor asks "what colour hair do you want?"... Run away. Lol. Virgin hair shouldn't hv colours to choose from and should be in the natural colour which is normally black/ brown or a mix of both. If you do want another color you could always dye the hair but this would means its processed and no longer virgin.

• The hair should also have a 'bounce' to it. If you watch any Indian/ Brazilian woman walk or move their head, the hair will have some motion. It shouldn't be stiff and should move in the wind when its sown in as this could mean its been processed.

Hopefully these tips do help those who are looking to buy hair. Again, i am not a pro but this is what I have found and hopefully this may help someone :)


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Coming Soon...

Its a busy week for me, but by the end of it expect...

• OOTD
• Virgin Brazilian Hair Care/Tips
• Valentines Make Up Look (If it don't go wrong lol)
• My Wishlist

If you're interested, subscribe to my blog via GFC or BlogLovin' to keep yourself updated =) Also if there's anything you guys want to see, then comment and let me know

Have a great week!

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So this weekend...

Hey guys!

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend, and if you're a Londoner, the snow! Lool I'm not a big fan of snow =/ I cant really enjoy the coldness and mushy-ness of it. And me being ill I couldn't even risk leaving my house in that temperature for the fear of inhaling cold air, so I couldn't even make it to work yesterday =[

On saturday, I went Brent Cross for the first time in agesssss, even though its really local to me and I picked up a few bits. I realise I seem to buy alot of things but I'm not showing how I'm using them, truth is I haven't really had a chance to dress up nice or do up makeup coz I haven't actually gone nowhere special lol...but I will be doing all that very very soon =]

The nail polish used in the 3rd picture is Barry M Nail Paint in 'Blue Glitter'

TOPSHOP- Nude studded slipper £28: This style was the 'go to' flat last year. Its very casual and laid back but the studs keep it edgy. I really wanted a pair of the black suede ones but they never had them in store and always had the black leather ones =( When I saw these in nude, I just knew I would love them throughout spring and summer.

TOPSHOP- Giant gold cross earrings £10: I used to always be a stud girl,but for the past year or so I've really gotten into my big gold statement earrings, and this does just that.I think they'd look better when my hairs up tho.

Currys/ PC World- Apple iPad2 Smart Cover in Pink £35 -__-: Gosh this was so expensive for a cover lol, and it dont even cover the back! But I like the features of it and my old case made my iPad weigh a tonne, so yeah =/

Thats basically it. As always, comments much appreciated =D

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HAUL: H&M

Hey guys =)

Just wanna say a big thank you for the views, comments and new followers, really grateful n hope I can keep it up =D

So I gained two surprises today; I got a cold :( and my delivery finally came =]

Just going to share with you some bits&bobs I got from H&M online, some were sale items (and the price was even better with my discount applied =D) but some items may be going back =/

Black jumper with bronze reindeers- this jumper is kind of festive due to the reindeers loool, but I still love it and think it can be pulled off regardless. Didn't realise it would be cropped but I love the fit and hopefully I will tone up my stomach so it looks better =/ lol

Love the print on these leggings as I really love the whole Aztec/ Tribal print thing and I have another pair of black&white leggings from ASOS. Gonna love these in summer with lots of light denim =)

Dont really like this jumper. The fit is really boxy on me, and I expected it when I ordered but I took the risk. Will be returning.

Love this bag. I was looking for a black practical everyday bag when I ordered it and knew I wanted this. I love the shape as it reminds me of the LV speedy bag and the extra shoulder strap comes in handy.

The photo does this skirt no justice lool. Its a PU skater skirt and I love it. Its a size bigger as it was the only one left on sale lol but I'm planning to wear it high waist anyway.

Similar to the skirt above, this ones denim with a contrast elastic waist. Gonna be useful for summer

I adored this shirt-skirt dress combo. It's soooo cute and was gonna form part of my summer wardrobe. Sadly, as you can see in the 2nd pic, its too small *covers face and cries*

This is a blue satin scarf with panthers printed on it. Plan to use it as a headscarf, tied on my bag or lying around my neck

My ring! Really getting into these long rings and hoping to start a collection =D

Thats it! Thanks for reading my blog, comment below on any outfit ideas or what you like and have a good weekend guys =)
E x