I have been contemplating purchasing this palette ever since I bought NARS The Happening Palette however, due to its limited edition status, it disappeared once I finally decided that I wanted it. Or was it that once it disappeared I realised I needed it? (Damn you Limited Edition!)


When flicking through SpaceNK online I found it back in stock, still available here. So I snatched it up before it got away from me again! The palette contains 6 eyeshadows plus a sample of the Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and a mini Eye Shader Brush #3.

I blame my spending on University deadlines. The more deadlines, the more dollar.


Treating myself mid-essay rush I bought a few little things from MAC. Firstly I bought three brushes: I bought another MAC 217 as I needed a secondary blending brush to make smokey eyeshadow perfection. I also picked up the MAC 239 which is a nice dense flat shader brush to really pack on the colour when I wanted a vibrant lid. The last brush I bought was the MAC 168 as I was looking for a multi-tasking brush which would help my countouring and is really amazing. I use this brush for contour and blush! The last item I picked up just to test out was the MAC Brow Set, which so far I like and has beaten all the High-street versions I have tried so far. I also love the stiff spooly which helps get all those brow hairs into place!




Glowing skin starts with skincare. We can apply all the dewy bases, highlighters, cream blushers and bronzers we want but it all starts with how we care for our skin. Here are a pick of my top skincare products which give my skin a healthy glow.


The first three products are chemical exfoliators. Let's start with Alpha H Liquid Gold, this is a night glycolic acid treatment which is good for all skin types. It sloughs off dead skin by removing the top layer of dead skin cells, allowing our fresh new skin to surface. This in turn helps with dry flaky skin, blemishes, blackheads and pigmentation. To use you simply pour some on a cotton pad and wipe it onto the face, neck and décolletage avoiding the eye area, leave on it's own or if needed apply a light moisturiser - use 2-3 times weekly.  Tha Alpha H Liquid Gold is strong so sensitive skins may want to try something lighter such as the next product, the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator. This product exfoliates using fruit acids from White Nettle and Tamarind which are extremely high in acids and Vitamin B. This is perhaps one to try if you are sensitive or found the Alpha H Liquid Gold too strong for your skin. Finally for exfoliation we have REN Resurfacing AHA Concentrate which again is in the milder regions of AHA exfoliation. This product uses a mix of lactic and citric acids with some of the ingredients being Orange Flower Water, Bergamot Leaf, Lactic Acid and Lemon Fruit Extract. This product again works like the others, eating off the top dead layer of skin to allow the new skin to resurface. This is gentler than the Alpha H however, I would say, more powerful than the Clarins. Use the pipette to drop the liquid around the face and neck and rub into the skin

Acids are great for the skin as it allows the new skin to surface, new clean de-congested bright skin. These products show instant results by the morning and with continuous use (2-3 times per week) you will find that your skin is in much better condition than before. Overall, acids are great! Try to avoid physical exfoliants such as scrubs and get on the AHA bandwagon and you will never look back!

Finally - oils. Two oils which I have been loving are the Botanics Facial Oil 100% Organic and the Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil. As we have already established, AHA's are good. Next point, Oils too are good. OIL IS SUITABLE FOR ALL SKIN TYPES EVEN OILY SKINS!!!! Trust me, we need hydration whether our skin is dry or greasy. It is this moisture in our skin which allows our skin to glow, as if lit from within. There are many on the market, some targeted to all skin types, some to dry skins and some to oily (the Clarins Lotus Oil is specifically aimed at Oily/Combination Skin). I like to apply these oils dropping some of the oil onto my finger tips and warming it up between my hands then gently pat it into my skin. Ahh. Now your face can feel a little greasy but when you're just going to sleep who cares? When you wake up your skin will have drank it all up and be not only smooooth but also glowing, like you have just been sat in the sun! Depending on your skin type you can apply simply an oil or layer it with a moisturiser. This can of course depend on your skin, your oil and your moisturiser. Overall, I love the results from using oils which is a hydrated glow I don't seem to be able to achieve through moisturisers alone. Use as a treatment 2-3 times weekly or if you have super thirsty skin use it every night and reap the rewards!

What is your favourite glowing skincare product?

A month ago I was browsing my local Space NK searching for the beloved and much blogged about Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm however my eyes were not finding what I was searching for but what they did spot was the Emma Hardie Natural Lift Starter Kit. This little kit includes: Emma Hardie Cleansing Cloth, Rosehip Exfoliating Seeds, Firming Eye Serum, Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm and the Hydrating and Firming Treatment Moisturiser.




For £32 I cannot fault this kit as it introduces you to her collection. You can either use it everyday to see which products you want to repurchase (full-size of course) or you can simply treat yourself once a week with an at home facial using these luxurious products. I have to say that I loved all of these products and they smelt AMAZING, all containing natural ingredients. The Cleansing Balm is truly amazing, removing make-up, cleansing the skin and soothing it too, leaving it soft and refreshed. For a deeper clean add the Rosehip Exfoliating Seeds to remove any dry patches and allow your pores to have a deep clean. The Cleansing Cloth is great as on one side it has a muslin cloth to buff the skin and remove the balm and then you can pat dry and allow the warm steam from the damp towel to open pores so that you can follow with your skincare. Perhaps my least favourite, although still great items were the Moisturiser and Eye Serum. The Hydrating and Firming Moisturiser smells spectacular however with Shea Butter in the higher end of the ingredient list, it is a little too rich for my skin and would be more suitable for drier skins or colder climates. The Eye Serum isn't as good as some other eye creams I have, it hasn't shown any results yet but it is nice, nothing astounding.

Moisturiser, Exfoliating Seeds, Cleansing Balm

What's more is the kit comes with a little leaflet explaining all her products and provides instructions for a face massage to do whilst cleansing with the balm which is great as you can treat yourself to a facial!


 After discovering this set I decided to purchase the full size Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm and some more of the towels as I have plenty of Rosehip Exfoliating Seeds to last me as I do not manually exfoliate often.

Overall, this would make a great present or would even be great to treat yourself with as you get a decent amount of each product to truly test them out! It is fantastic value for money and Emma really does know how to bring it when it comes to skincare.

Which Emma Hardie products have you tried?

I have never really been one for haircare. My hair is in pretty good condition, it is naturally straight so there are rarely any heated appliances used on it and I usually let it air-dry. However, there are a few staple products I need to keep it looking soft and fresh.


Pre-cleanse I love to use the Charles Worthington Moisture Seal which is a balm which you rub between your hands to transform into an oil and then you apply it onto dry hair about half an hour before you plan to clean your hair. It is full of natural oils which make it smell delicious! I find that my hair stays smoother for longer so second day hair doesn't have as many crispy ends as it used to. I stay away from the roots as I do have oily hair but think this is great for softening and keeping hair moisturised.



The next two products are usually second day hair products. Of course we all know and love Batiste Dry Shampoo, which is to me just a good dry shampoo. I use it to remove oil and make hair look, well, clean. I don't love using this often as it does feel heavy in my hair so I am still on the hunt for something lighter but with this being in every store, it is usually the one I pick up!

Secondly, is Phyto 7, which I have a review of here. I use this almost as a moisturiser for my hair as it is a cream. I apply it to the ends where they are dry and this just smooths out the ends and makes my hair feel soft and new again. It really is my favourite hair product I have encountered as even though my roots are oily the ends of my hair like to get dry so this keeps them wonderful and smooth!

What are your hair care heroes?



Doing my usual online windows shopping (as I do every other day because you know, I don't like money for food, drinks or general fun-ness) I decided to splurge at Clarins because they had a free gift offer plus three free samples - if that isn't a reason to spend then I don't know what is! I purchased the Lotus Oil, Gentle Brightening Toner and the Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch primer which came in a gift set including a mini Instant Lip Perfecter and the Clarins BB Cream


I have tried all these products and have to say I really do love them all and do not feel that I have wasted my money as they are improving my skin and the Primer and BB Cream make my skin look so smooth and glowing. If you are considering buying any of these products I would recommend them greatly!

Have you been hauling recently?

Sandal season is soon among us and I am guessing I am not the only one who has been hiding their clunkers in big fluffy socks and chunky boots? Let's just say, they ain't pretty peepers! So I hear you wondering, what can be done? I am here to help!



First thing is first, clean those tootsies! Use a body scrub on them, or if you are really fancy, use a foot scrub! Dry and then Ped Egg! This was a Christmas present I turned my nose up to however, it is incredibly satisfying and you will have twelve less layers of dry skin after using it! Follow with a foot cream, for some serious dry skin banishing I reach for Flexitol however for something which pleases the nostrils then Burt's Bees is the way to go, offering a coconut scent or peppermint. 

Once we have tackled the skin on our feet, it is time to tackle those toenails. Begin by prepping with some Sally Hansen Cuticle Remover, and then of course use some trust worthy tools to remove those dry cuticles and then trim those toenails! File them smooth and into whichever shape you desire, squared or rounded, I use the Leighton Denny Crystal Nail File, a little pricey but will last a lifetime and due to the lead crystal it enables you to file in a back and forth motion. Before choosing a pretty nail polish to paint onto your nails, I like to use OPI Nail Envy to strengthen my nails as they are quite weak and a little bumpy so I choose to follow it with OPI Ridge Filler which almost works as a primer, filling in any bumps and creating a smooth base for any paint you will follow with! The Ridge Filler dries white so is best used before any opaque colours.

All done? 
Now you're ready to proudly put on your sandals or flip-flops!
Alongside my Mac Riri Woo purchase I decided to purchase an eye shadow and thought I would try one from the Extra Dimension collection. After looking up swatches on Temptalia (this girl seriously has a swatch for everything) I settled for Smoky Mauve as I think purples are great with brown eyes!


To start with, the eye shadow is a large 1.oz so you won't be fitting this into your palettes however, it will last a very long time! The shade is a very frosted plum/mauve which I love and have nothing similar to in my collection. It is a little bit dry however it has great colour pay off and blends well. It is a great multi-use colour and the sheen is just amazing! Almost gloss-like it is so frosted.




Have you tried any of the new Extra Dimension products?
So these little babies aren't anything new however I think they are an amazing product and are worth raving about. Cream eye shadows/bases aren't anything new on the beauty scene and were a notorious Mac product (the Mac Paint Pots) however more and more have been popping up: Estee Lauder, Chanel and now Maybelline! Finally, an affordable alternative to an easy, multi-functional product.



The Colour Tattoos can be worn on their own, blended out as a 1 colour wash on the lid, they can be used as a base to hold your eye shadow in place or can be layered and used together to create an eye look. They are smooth and quite compact in the pot so you don't find yourself wasting any product. They don't crease on my eyes and last around 5-7 hours without a primer however if you want real staying power and colour intensity I would recommend using a primer as well. I would say that the Mac Paint Pots do last better however at £14.50 I would say that the Maybelline Colour Tattoos are better quality for money at £4.99 (don't forget those on-going Boots deals either!)


The five shades I own are: Eternal Gold, On and On Bronze (my fave), Pink Gold, Immortal Charcoal and Light-in Purple (there are other shades available in addition to these).



As you can see the shades are incredibly pigmented and can be used sheerly if blended or can have maximum impact of colour by packing it on! Overall, I love these and think that they are a star high-street product providing high-end quality at a reasonable price!

Have you tried the Maybelline Colour Tattos?

The big news broke about Rihanna collaborating with MAC Cosmetics and my heart skipped a few beats. After loving her collaboration with River Island, I couldn't wait to get my hands on her limited edition MAC items. The first release in her collection is the Riri Woo Retro Matte Lipstick which was inspired by the classic Ruby Woo lipstick.




The Retro Matte texture is, as the name states, a matte. However it is a little bit more special than that, it has no sheen compared to other MAC matte lipsticks and has a very powdery appearance. It is a lot drier than traditional mattes so I would suggest that your lips are well prepped (exfoliated and balmed - MAC's lip prep and prime is great!) before applying this as it may tug a little! It will last several hours without need for touch ups and due to the drier texture won't be prone to bleeding or feathering, although I still recommend using a lip liner.









I love the shade and do not feel disappointed, if you already own Ruby Woo you don't need to own this as well, you know, if you are a sane person who doesn't want their money in the form of a red bullet. I think this is great for day-night summer-winter, basically, everything. It is a universal red so will look great on all skin-tones plus after a swipe of this and Unapologetic blasting out of my laptop, you really do feel a little bad-ass.

Rihanna will be releasing four collections throughout this year with a total of 31 products; Riri Woo will be released with all collections so if you missed out this time there will be chance to get your hands on it later!

Have you tried Riri Woo?
So, I didn't think I would be doing this so early in my blogging career but I thought, hey, why not? What do I have to loose?

I have been working hard at creating blogposts which are new and original and serve my readers with the best information possible. Please share the love and vote for my blog!



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A somewhat cult beauty product is the Chanel Bronze Universel. A cream bronzer you say? Light like a mousse? Blends like a dream? Why yes, indeed. 
This product has been in my stash for a while now however in the last month the sun has finally popped it's little head and I have been able to take full advantage of this product. It isn't too orange or muddy so will suit paler skin tones however anyone with dark skin tones may find this too light as it only comes in one colour.


I love to use this to create a golden glow, it gives a Blake Lively/Victoria Secret-esque bronzed glow to the skin. It could be used to contour however I prefer to use this to give the skin a healthy tan effect, blending it onto the high points of the face and focusing on those temples! It isn't streaky and buffs in seamlessly into the skin like no bronzing powder I have ever encountered! It really is a must have if you are after a creamy, dewy complexion or if you don't love powder bronzers! A little goes a long way with this product so it is worth the £30 price tag as I have barely scraped the top of this! I find that it's perfect companion is the RT Expert Face Brush! 






Have you tried Chanel Bronze Universel?
Being a fairly new blogger on the Beauty scene, I have tried to avoid the over-hyped already raved about products. Yes, I have them and yes, I love them but there is enough discourse out there about them and sometimes I feel that if I don't have something new to bring to the table about it then why bring it up?

This may seem contradictory now but I have recently purchased the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. I fell for the hype. I was unwilling to purchase it as I just thought, a refreshing spray for the face? Twenty pounds? Pah! What a waste of money. But let me tell you, I was wrong.


You all know about its small ingredient list, filled with healthy, minty, refreshing goodness. And this certainly translates when sprayed onto the face. My face feels so fresh, so alive. I don't know why every woman in the world doesn't have this! If you need a pick-me-up, if it is a bit warm, if your feeling nauseas, if you want to refresh your make-up. You name it, it will work its magic and fix it! The real reason why I picked this up is because it is (supposed to be) fantastic for acne and this past week I have been having a few break-outs as I have been purging from my first week of my Clarisonic and wanted to help it. Whether it helps or not, I do not know. Time will tell, but even if it doesn't, I will still love it. I bought the larger sized bottle and spray around 4 (or 6) sprays on my face, almost daily and it is still pretty much full so can see this lasting a surprisingly long time, I had it pegged as a two-week product!

Overall, a great and deservedly hyped product. If you haven't tried it I would suggest giving it a spritz in your local Space NK!

Are you a lover of the Caudalie Beauty Elixir?
So this haul is not a recent one and was in fact bought a month ago however I have been testing and trying these products and thought that it was only fair to let you know my thoughts on them (before I forget to)...


I went into Boots on a mission to get my hands on the Organic Botanics skincare range and I chose 5 items: Botanics 100% Organic Facial Oil,  Botanics Shine Away Mattifying Day Cream, Botanics Rosewater Toning Mist, Botanics Ionic Clay Mask and the Botanics Organic Eye Cream.

Botanics 100% Organic Facial Oil £4.99
This oil is 100% organic which makes it incredible value for money. I have oily skin and let me tell you, oils are great for all skin types. I love to use this alone as it is a little strong for me if I pair it with a moisturiser but it is great for when my skin is a little lacklustre and I want to infuse it with hydration which leaves me with a glowing complexion. It really is great for adding a healthy glow to the skin and smoothing the texture. I especially love this for when I am under the weather and my skin suffers, it makes me look radiant and healthy. The product specifies day and night application however I find it leaves my skin looking very oily so would recommend this as a night-time only product unless you have very dry skin.

Botanics Shine Away Mattifying Day Cream £3.49
This day cream is almost like a gel, which I prefer when it comes to mattifying as it doesn't feel as oily and it refreshes and dries fairly quickly into the skin. This cream leaves my skin matte but also nice and smooth, whether it provides could hydration, I am unsure? However, I usually save my mattifying creams for when I have a long day and want my make-up to last or am planning a gym session. Great value for money as it works as well as some more expensive mattifying creams I own.

Botanics Rosewater Toning Mist £3.49
This is an incredibly refreshing toner, I like to spray it on my face and let it settle before removing it with a cotton pad. It has been great for this warmer weather however I wouldn't say that this is a miracle toner as it hasn't improved my skin in anyway. It has a very short ingredient list which is wonderful and is very refreshing to just spritz on the face alone, it is in my opinion a less minty cheap alternative to the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. 

Botanics Organic Eye Cream £6.99
Now, I see organic and I see eye cream so I immediately think this is a winning product however this did not agree with me as I suddenly got conjunctivitis and I kept using this cream. It wasn't until I avoided this cream that the conjunctivitis cleared completely. I am thinking that it may have been the infection got into the cream (eww) or there was an ingredient I wasn't too fond of. Now this won't happen to you so don't be afraid of this cream, I found it nice and moisturising when I did use it and would perhaps recommend it for those who are looking for a hydrating eye cream that won't require selling an organ to pay for it!

Botanics Ionic Clay Mask £5.49
This clay mask is ok, however I wouldn't rate it very high as I have other clay masks (Borghese, Origins, Liz Earle) which I find to be a lot more effective. This has a lot more of a liquid texture than traditional clay masks which makes it a little fussy to apply and isn't as intensive or drying as other masks. I would say that this may work well for sensitive skins who find other clay masks to be a little too harsh however I prefer a clay mask which really eliminates all the nasties from my pores.

Have you tried any of the Botanics range?
A year ago I decided to start investing in skin care, I had watched about a million AModelRecommends videos and had searched reviews on Makeupalley for everything that interested me! Today, I would say that my skincare knowledge is pretty great (ask me about hyaluronic, salicylic and lactic acid and I can give you some answers!) So, a few months ago I bought a cleanser (which I love) and then decided to buy the matching toner and I am a strong believer in truly testing skincare before reviewing and as you can see, I have used them a lot so am prepared to share my thoughts....



Origins Zero Oil Cleanser -
This cleanser is aimed at oily and blemish prone skin, it is a gel cleanser which lathers nicely. It feels refreshing on the skin due to the Mint ingredients. It is formulated without: Parabens, Phthalate, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, PABA, Petrolatum, Paraffin, DEA, Synthetic Colour, Synthetic Fragrance, Animal Ingredients. So stands well on the no nasties front! The ingredients contains (to name a few) sage, lemon peel oil, spearmint, lavender oil, saw palmetto, salicylic acid, orange oil... So it contains a lot of natural, refreshing and pore refining ingredients. Furthermore, that salicylic acid can really get into your skin and clean any bacteria which may be sitting in your pores which may cause spots and acne!

On a whole, I love this cleanser as it is refreshing and leaves the skin feeling soo clean, I have tried a lot of cleansers however when I use this I can actually feel and see the positive effect it makes on my skin. I must state that I do double cleanse, I cleanse once with perhaps a balm or a hot-cloth cleanser to remove all the make-up and then I will re-cleanse with this to really get all the dirt out of my pores. I think this will also be an exceptional cleanser for when it is warmer and there is more condensation as it refreshes and deeply cleanses the skin without stripping it.

Origins Zero Oil Toner - 
After my love for the cleanser I went out and purchased the toner, only to be disappointed. I find that toners are a little out-dated in this day and age as, if you double cleanse, your skin is virtually clean and you don't need a toner to suck out any excess grime. Most toners I have encountered just strip your skin and lead (especially us oily girls) us into 'thinking' that our skin is clean and oil-free. However, like most other toners, this toner contains Alcohol. AVOID ALCOHOL AT ALL COSTS. Drink it, yes, mmm. Just don't put it on your face! It strips your skin of all its oils which leads to an extra build up of oils and makes your skin extremely de-hydrated (remember, oily skin does not mean hydrated skin!) 

I tried but this was the same drying toner as your cheap-ass drugstore toners. If you are on the look out for a good toner I have two great ones to recommend: Liz Earle Instant Boost Tonic and Clarins Brightening Toner.

Overall: Cleanser = good, stamp of approval
Toner = alcohol, bad, no. 

Have you tried the Origins Zero Oil range?



I had one thing on my list: Topshop Highlighter. But I came back, with more than I was hoping for...


I popped into Topshop and found the highlighter in Sunbeam, which is a beautiful, incredibly pigmented gold highlighter! A review with swatches shall be up soon! I also bought three pairs of socks on the 3 for £8 offer, two sparkly socks (white and pink) and one with adorable sloths on!

Topshop Highlighter in Sunbeam

 Passing through Superdrug to buy a bottle of water I picked up the Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer in Classic Beige as even though I have many in my collection, I still have not found my true love so am still searching!
Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer
Finally, I stopped at the Mac counter. Never, ever stop at the Mac counter, it can only end in draining of funds! I bought a paint pot in Vintage Selection which I have a full review of here. I also picked up two eyeshadows: Shale and Club. A purple and a duo-chrome brown/green. Both are beautiful shades which I can use for pretty much every eye looks, single wash of colour, smokey, defined!

Mac Shale Eyeshadow
Mac Club Eyeshadow
Have you treated yourself recently?
A wonderful dupe for the Urban Decay Naked Palette is the Sleek Storm Palette (I do believe MUA do a very similar palette also). The colours are very similar, some are almost exact dupes and there are even two matte crease shades similar to the Naked Palette Shades.


I do have to say that the Urban Decay shadows are of better quality as the Sleek eyeshadows are a little chalkier and have chunkier glitter however at more than half the price, Sleek palette at £7.99 and the Naked Palette at £36.00 it is a wonderful dupe if you like the colours in the Naked Palette however find them a bit out of your budget range!

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