Current Favourites| What I have been loving

Hello Beauties!

I hope you are feeling well? I definitely think life is better because I can tell Spring is on it's way! I've noticed the sun has been up and there have been brighter days which is exciting thinking about Summer time.

Anyway, I thought I would share what I have been loving at the moment. I have accumulated these things over the last few months and they have grown on me so much that I thought I must share these with you and maybe these will turn into your favourites too?

So from left to right I have the Estee Lauder Lipstick in Pure Colour 86 Tiger Eye (you can see swatch below), iPhone 6 plus, Pukka peppermint & licorice tea, a headband from Primark, Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, St. Tropez bronzing mousse, Soap & Glory Sugar Crush body wash and It's a 10 miracle leave in plus keratin.

The Estee Lauder Lipstick is amazing, when I first saw the colour I wasn't too sure about it. Mainly because I'm not usually one to choose a shimmer lipstick, but this is really gorgeous. It is a beige/gold mix with orange undertones and I love wearing it instead of the usual pink. I have to say it really does compliment my hair and eyes (blonde and green eyes) but I think it may look lovely on all hair types and skin tones. The texture of this lipstick is lovely and moisturising which is great because sometimes I find lipstick drying and clings to the dry patches on my lips.

The iPhone 6 plus is my new favourite thing, I previously had the iPhone 4s which was great at the time but was getting very old and was feeling sorry for itself. I love the size of this new phone, although I know a lot of people have been put off by the size. The definition of the camera and screen is so much nicer than my previous phone and allows me to watch Youtube videos at a great quality. Also, it comes with a really cool running app that plays music through your iTunes or spotify account and tells you how far you've run and your pace etc. I love it!

If you love to have a healthier option for hot drinks and have a bit of a sweet tooth then you need to try the Pukka tea! I don't even like licorice but this is delicious and actually quite magical. The first gulp is normal mint tea, then you swallow and there is a amazing sweet after-taste. Mmm!

The Primark headband is a cute statement piece that I love wearing when my hair is half up, half down and cover the band with bits of my pinned up hair. Its classy and pretty and spruces up a hair style that you've worn many times before.

My eyes get super sensitive when removing makeup and a lot of products can sting and make my eye area sore. The Garnier micellar water is so calming and hydrating yet actually removes makeup and dirt so easily. Not just eye makeup but face makeup too, it is just lovely and refreshing and I've found the bottle to last quite a long time.

Soap and Glory have always been a brand that I find quite enticing, the colours, the smells and the names of the products. This has been a favourite for quite a while (the Sugar Crush body wash), it smells fruity and fresh. The main scent is limey and zesty sweet which I love, especially in the morning. It's a great wake up scent that I personally think lasts for most of the day!

St. Tropez if a new-comer to my beauty essentials but I can see why there has been a rave about it. Especially this mousse.  I generally suck at putting on fake tan, and have normally been a fan of the Garnier spray tans as you just spray and let it dry. Super easy. But this is just so light weight, blendable and easy to build. I would really recommend giving this a try as it brings out a beautiful colour and is actually really quick to do.

I am always trying to find new ways to thicken my hair, make it more voluminous and to help it grow. I have tried tablets (which I do think help) and conditioning treatments to prevent split ends. This is something I used about 6 years ago that I totally forgot about. But I remember loving it so much and only recently remembered it by watching a Youtube video. I have literally only just started using it again but I feel like its working already and smells so good! I just feel like my hair is stronger and a bit more full of life, but I'm looking forward to seeing the full effects in a few months time.

So! Those are my favourite things currently. I hope you enjoyed this and have maybe found a bit of inspiration.

What are your current favourites that you cannot live without?

Love C. xx

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Christmas Advent Calenders| Week 3

Hello all!

I do hope you are feeling festive especially as we are only 4 days away from Christmas! Wow, this month has flown by!
As usual, I wanted to show you what I received in my beauty calenders for those of you who want to know what you get and if they are worth the hype and money. *Little disclaimer, this is by no means me showing off, just wanted to share*

So if you have been looking at my blog for the past few weeks you will know that I have been putting up weekly what I have opened from my 'Benefit' and 'YouBeauty' calender. I'm also going to let you know a few things I have been loving- so... lets get to it!

Firstly, here is what was behind those doors...(Is it just me or is there just something satisfying about pulling back those doors on the calender-only when they don't rip of course!)

Benefit Calender: That gal, Highbeam, Ooh la lift, Ultra plush Lipgloss in Fauxmance, Watts up highlighter, Notepad, Hair ties.

I've been really impressed with, not only the 'benetint' and 'posietint' from last weeks opening (blog post on this earlier this week), but I've been super impressed with the They're real mascara, it not only gives volume but gives a lusheous amount of length too! I'm super excited to use this with the Lash curlers from the 'YouBeauty' calender, and luckily enough was in need of a replacement for my old ones!

 'Highbeam' and 'Watts up' highlighters are something I've been dying to try out for months but have never got round to buying, I am so glad I got these in minitures to test out because they are both gorgeous. I've been using the 'highbeam' on my brow bone (BEAUTIFUL) and the 'Watt's up' on the tops of my cheekbones and down my nose. I love them both for the different areas on my face and I can safely say I cannot choose between them.

YouBeauty: John Masters Organic shampoo and conditioner, Rodial Lip balm, Eyeko Blue Velvet Lash curlers, Fleur de Figuier Fragrance by Roger and Gallet, EGF Serum by Bioeffect, James Read Sleep Mask Tan, Porefessional

By clicking on the links you can get a better understanding of the product, I had never heard of John Masters organics before but from what I have read I am super excited to use this and see if I see a difference in my hair.

From last weeks openings I've been really enjoying the Glamglow face mask, it smells spa-like and leaves my skin feeling utterly soft. At the same time whilst relaxing in the bath I've been using the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer and I think my hair is noticeably stronger with added shine. I definitely think I will be re-purchasing these products.

Reverting back to this weeks openings, I am super excited to try out the James Read sleep mask tan. I can be quite lazy when it comes to tanning, there is a lot in the process and sometimes.. I just can't be bothered. This seems like such an easy way to tan, it is a clear gel (which, to me is a lot less intimidating) and you can put it on, go to sleep and va-wa-la, wake up looking like a bronze goddess (hopefully). 

Have you had your Christmas party yet? Are there any winter must-haves you are loving at the moment?

Love Claudia xx

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Christmas Advent Calenders| Week 2!

Well well well, another week has passed we're a week closer to Christmas!!! Ahhh!!! who else is excited?! I'm definitely feeling more and more Christmassy as the weeks go on..

Which leads me on to week 2 of my beauty advent calenders... ohh it has been an absolute treat this week- the Benefit calender I feel has improved, but the YouBeauty one has been the 'bombdiggity'! Every morning without fail I have been super excited to open the doors to see what's behind...

So.. here is what I got!!

Benefit:

Gold Bow Hair Tie, Dandelion LipGloss, Total Moisture Face Cream, Benetint, Posietint, Stay don't Stray, Sticky Notes.

YouBeauty:

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, Sally Hansen Nail Rehab, Almond and Milk Hand Cream by Burts Bees, Desert Metals Mascara by Teeez, GlamGlow, Tan Mousse by Vita Liberata, Blow dry lotion root boost by John Freida

Are you enjoying the lead up to Christmas?

Love Claudia xx

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Do you need a boost?| Volumising hair tutorial

I love my hair. The colour, the softness.. but not the thin fine hair itself. I'm one of those gals who go to great efforts into trying to get texture and volume in my hair, because lets face it; sometimes we just need a boost!

Today, I'm going to show you how I get a bit more volume back into my hair, using drug store products.

Today I used Herbal Essences 'Uplifting Volume' shampoo and conditioner. I've never tried this one before, and my my my it smells divine! That is if you like oranges of course! I tend not to stick to just one hair care brand as I find my hair can 'get used' to that one product and then it doesn't seem to work as well. *sigh*

Step one: Wash and towel dry your hair! Twit-twoot!

Step two: Now my hair isn't particularly frizzy, but at times I find it to be a bit too.. fluffy? This Frizz Ease smells lovely and makes my hair nice and sleek at the ends without weighing it down. An added bonus is that it has heat protection in it! Apply 2-3 pumps to your finger tips, and evenly distribute throughout your hair focussing on the middle to end lengths.

Step three: Okay! I know this looks a bit weird but it is a very important step! Tip your head upside down and blow dry downwards. I use my tangle teaser as it detangles my hair without pulling and I would highly recommend getting one! (See below to find out where you can get these products).

 WOAH! haha!

 So as you can see we have a small amount of volume going on here, if you want to stop here by all means do. I, however, am going to add some texture to my hair as it seems to hold volume better...

 Step four: I have been using this Bouffe dry shampoo for the last few weeks, and at first was not sure. Having used it multiple times now I do like it a lot, you just have to be careful not to put too much in (as it can feel dry and weird?!). I recommend using this in short sharp bursts at the roots! It comes in most peoples hair colours too, which means no weird white hair!

To finish off, I use the tangle teaser and rub my roots in circular motions. This is similar to backcombing but I feel it is less harsh. Then add hairspray if you want lasting hold!

For my hair, this is as good as it really gets!

Do you have any styling advice to add extra volume? What's your routine?

Herbal Essences Volume Shampoo and Conditioner
Frizz Ease Serum
Tangle Teaser
Bouffe Dry Shampoo (Dark Blonde)

Love Claudia xx

10 Beauty Hacks| From me to you

So today I thought I would share 10 tips and tricks that I find useful either on a daily basis or once every now and then. These are personal beauty tricks that I use and I hope you find them just as helpful as I do!

1. FOUNDATION
Mix foundation with moisturiser- this will help keep your skin moisturised during the winter months, it will help your foundation last longer (especially if you're waiting for pay day), and it will help add a natural dewy glow. I find this great, as the cold harsh wind can dry and irritate my skin.

2. MOISTURISER
Lay your moisturiser on its side to allow the cream to fall to one side of the pot to avoid it getting underneath your nails!

3. EYELINER & EYESHADOW
Place sellotape under your eye, following the bottom waterline and then out to where you would put your eyeliner flick. Use this as a ruler to get a straight winged liner and to get a straight even line when applying eyeshadow.

4. ACNE
Apply a couple of drops of lemon juice to acne to help lighten the scars. If you have sensitive skin then diluted it down in some water.

5. SHAPED EYEBROWS
Stray hairs in your eyebrows? Apply Vaseline and comb into the desired shape, do this for up to 3 months or until the stray hair is no longer..err stray?

6. SPLIT ENDS
Part your hair down the middle into two sections. One at a time, twist each section tightly, then using your index finger and thumb, lightly backcomb the twist. This will help you identify split ends so they can be trimmed away! Hurrah!

7. UNDER EYE CIRCLES

Apply concealer in an upside down triangle under the eyes (big base along the underneath of the eye with the thin tip down) this will help cover dark circles better.

8. PLUMP LIPS

If you want to make your lips plump like Kim Kardashian, try adding a few drops of peppermint oil to your lipgloss!

9. BIG EYES

Use a white or light shimmery coloured eyeshadow by the tear duct area of your eyes to create an illusion of bigger brighter eyes.

10. CONDITIONED HAIR

Coconut oil is a great way to repair damaged hair. Apply evenly throughout your hair and leave overnight (yes your hair will look super greasy but it’ll be worth it, place a towel over your pillowcase to protect it from the oil). In the morning shampoo twice to get rid of the oil and condition. Va-wala! You have beautiful soft shiny hair!

Hope you find these tips useful!

What tips do you have? 

Love Claudia xx