Tuesday 30 April 2013

Colour Unlimited Eyeshadow Palette

colour unlimited

colour unlimited eyeshadows

unlimited swatches

Colour Unlimited
Eyeshadow Palette
Superdrug

My Aunt works for the PR company which works for Superdrug
Who have a new exclusive make up line coming out soon (not sure on exact date or prices yet) and the above eyeshadow palette is one of the products in the line up
There are ten pans of eyeshadow in the palette each with three different colours
The size of the palette is about the same as the MUA palettes but the size of each pan is larger, around the size of a 10p coin
It's quite difficult to seperate each colour out to use individually but not impossible with a thin brush
The colour pay off is pretty impressive in the majority but some are a little wishy washy 
This would be the perfect palette to take travelling as you have colours to suit every mood, outfit, or occasion 
When this comes out I wouldn't expect it to be anymore than £10 but I'd definitely recommend picking it up as it's such a versatile item to add to your collection
Each of the seperate trios are designed to be used together to create the perfect complimenting eye look
There are smokey eye trios, neutrals, neutrals with greens thrown in, brights, pastels....everything 
They are also all a mixture of finishes with some being shimmers and others matte
Definitely a huge variety and if you only want one palette in your kit this would be perfect

Judging by the Superdrug website there will be quite an extensive collection of different products in the Colour Unlimited range
It does seem to be mainly sold in kits though but I'm not too sure as I haven't seen anything else in the flesh yet
Keep an eye out in your local store 

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Love
Belle
xoxo

Saturday 27 April 2013

Rimmel Apocalips in 'Stellar' and 'Big Bang'

apocalips1

apocalipsswatch

Rimmel Apocalips
'Stellar' and 'Big Bang'
£.99 Boots

The Rimmel Apocalips are still causing quite the stir in the blogging world with them popping up on various blogs all the time
After reall liking the first two I purchased, Apocalipta and Luna, I bought another two to try out
Both Stellar and Big Bang are completely out of m comfort zone
Every time I venture into bright lip territory either my mum or fiance makes a comment on how bright my lipstick is...normally this is quite mocking and makes me take it off straight away
But I've come to the decision that I will no do this anymore and I'm going to embrace the bright lip and enjoy it!

stellar

Stellar is a stunning colour, it's a rosy kind of bright pink and really wearable for such a bright shade  
I think this one is my favourite so far and one I can see myself reaching for over the summer a lot, it's already earnt it's place in my holiday make up bag
I love how glossy these are on the lips but once the gloss has gone they leave behind a gorgeous stain, with Apocalipta I found this to fade really unflatteringly but so far Stellar has been ok.

big bang

Sorry about the super blurriness in the swatch but you ge tthe idea on colour
Big Bang is definitely a true, bright red
I wore this on a recent night out and have to say after one too many cocktails I ended up with a clown like red smile as this smeared all around my lips and stianed the skin...not a great look
Al though the Benefit MUA advised I try a barrier of concealer (specifically the new Fake It) which should stop this from happening
Or I could always not have the extra cocktails!

Over all I am really loving these lip products and will definitely be picking up a few more
Celestial and Nova look like lovely everyday shades, pefect for the office!

Have you ried the Apocalips range yet?

Love
Belle
xoxo

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Imperial Leather Launch and Giveaway Time!!!

imperial leather

imperial leather 2

Imperial Leather
Pampering Shower Cream
Oriental Calm
from £1.89 for 300ml

I was recently contacted to try out Imperial Leather's newest shower cream formulation
After using it for a few weeks now I feel I'm able to comment on how I like it.
The pampering shower cream promises to be IL's best shower gel yet and offers a more luxurious shower experience with a lather that is richer, thicker and twice as creamy
IL has been established for over 200 years now and are a well known household brand when it comes to shower and bath products, I know I remember fondly my Grandparents always having one of their hand soaps in the bath room and also my first experience using the foam burst shower gel, I was fascinated!
This pampering treat of a shower gel feels much more grown up compared to my past experiences, I've been enjoying using it the most post gym workout as a nice, relaxing treat
It's so thick and luxurious the bubbles last well on the skin and you lose hardly any product down the plug hole...such a waste of product in my eyes
The scent I received is so soft and really helps to relax you, especially after a hectic day.
It also leaves your skin feeling moisturised and soft so you can even skip a moisturiser, everyone loves a multi tasking product especially when it means extra precious minutes in bed every morning
The Oriental Calm scent isn't something I'd usually go for, I'm a huge lover of fruity scents in the shower, but the soft floral smell is so feminine and pretty (if a smell can be pretty!)

There are 5 fragrances available in the new launch, perfect for the whole family, everyone is bound to find a fragrance to suit them

Ocean Fresh ~ A richer, thicker, creamier burst of Ocean Fresh. With a blend of uplifting ocean minerals, this shower gels promises to energise and prepare you for the day ahead.

Soft Touch ~ Show your skin some love with the richer, thicker and creamier lather of soft touch shower cream. The sumptious blend of jojoba milk and antioxidant vitamin E leaves skin feeling soft and moisturised.

Japanese Spa ~ Transforming daily cleansing into an exquisite ritual, Japanese Spa shower cream combines green tea, rice milk and fragrant jasmine leaving skin feeling moisturised and uplifted.

Oriental Calm ~ A luxurious and indulgent shower cream combining cherry blossom and vanilla bean. Whilst the lather is rich, thick and twice as creamy, the aroma is comforting and promises to relax you.

Citrus Burst ~ Helping you feel fresh and super clean, Citrus Burst shower gel combines a zingy blend of lime oil and antioxidant kiwi extract.

The new range is available from all major retialers now starting at £1.89 for 300ml, £2.69 for 500ml and £2.98 for 750ml. Fantastic value for money for a product that feels much more high end.

Imperial Leather have offered my readers 5 bottles of the new shower cream line
All you need to do to win this prize is follow 'Belles Beauty Blog' and like the Imperial Leather Facebook page, leave a blog postcomment once you've done this.


IL_Group2
The giveaway will be open until Friday 3rd May 2013 at Midnight!

***EXTENDED TO FRIDAY 10TH MAY!!!***
Good Luck Everyone!

Love
Belle
xoxo

* The products in this post were provided for review by the company. I was not paid to review this product and have provided my honest opinion as always.

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation

revlon foundation

revlon powder

nearly naked swatches

revlon foundation swatch

revlon swatch

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation and Powder
Liquid £8.99
Powder £7.99

The newest foundation release from Revlon
I'm always on the search for my holy grail foundation and had to give the nearly naked range a try 
Promising a refreshingly light formulation that melts into the skin and creates a fresh look 
It's a buildable coverage but goes on quite sheer
As you can see in the swatches on my face I think I picked up a slightly too dark shade but hopefully once the sun makes an appearance my skin should hopefully naturally tan slightly so this colour should look alright
Possibly on holiday as a light coverage foundation this could be perfect
Al though the initial application is quite light and on my skin this doesn't look great
As you can see my bad skin still comes through but with a bit of clever concealing this would be fine for coverage
It leaves a dewy finish on the skin but I like to use the corresponding powder to slightly mattify the skin as dewy doesn't suit me
I think I'll definitely pick up the lighter shade in this so I can wear it now as well 

Any other holy grail foundations I need to try?

Love
Belle
xoxo

Monday 22 April 2013

NYC Appleicious Glossy Lip Balms

nyc balm

apple balm

nyc swatch

NYC Appleicious Glossy Lip Balm
'Big Apple Red' & 'Appleicious Pink'
£2.49 each
Superdrug

Being the massive sucker for lip balms I am when I saw these in my local Superdrug I had to pick them up 
Since I did I've been using them everyday
The perfect hybrid between a moisturising balm and a light gloss
They give just the right amount of sheer colour and feel really light on the lips
I have to say out of all the different lip products I've been buying recently these are definitely my favourite, just a simple balm.
I love the little inverted apple motif as well, it gives a super cute addition to the packaging
These also have a sweet and fruity scent to them, not chemically and fake though just pleasant 
I can see myself both repurchasing these colours and indulging in the other two colours available

Have you tried any NYC make up before?

Love
Belle
xoxo

Saturday 20 April 2013

50 Little Things About Me

These posts have been all over the internet for a while now so I thought it would be fun to chuck my two cents in and tell my readers a little more about me

DSCN2083
  1. I am a huge fan of cheesy rock music and Bon Jovi are my all time favourite band.
  2. I am right handed but eat left handed.
  3. I have a mole on my upper lip like Marilyn Munroe and Madonna, my Grandad often mistook it for chocolate.
  4. I LOVE high heels but rarely wear them as I can't walk in them...I do however do a brilliant impression of Bambi.
  5. Plus I'm quite tall as it is at 5ft 11in.
  6. I've cuddled a baby panda, best moment of my life so far.
  7. Other than cheesey rock my music taste lies mainly with metal, Avenged Sevenfold are pretty much gods!
  8. I've got a 2:1 degree in Photography with Media and Cultural Studies, and I studied at Roehampton University in Surrey.
  9. I used to want to be a forensic pathologist and cut up dead people.
  10. My drink of choice is a gin and tonic, failing that rose wine and soda waterBH4I9234
  11. I'm a massive film greek, horrors are my weakness.
  12. I was a pen pal on the back pages of the young girl's magazine Girl Talk, at one point I was writing 300 letters.
  13. I had my first kiss at 14.
  14. I'm getting married in 2015 (not to my first kiss though...)
  15. I've met the Queen.
  16. I'm a huge book worm.
  17. I spent most of teen years on MSN and Myspace (Myspace Whore!)
  18. And I was an Emo Scene Kid.
  19. I have four tattoos and want many more.
  20. I got my belly button pierced at 14 but have recently taken it out.summer2009
  21. My Mum is my best friend.
  22. According to many people I have tiny teeth, my fiance doesn't let me forget it.
  23. I'll watch Simpsons repeats till the cows come home.
  24. I've never understood the hype around the TV show Friends.
  25. I suffer from intense anxiety and panic attacks.
  26. I've always wanted to go to New York and am finally visiting this May.
  27. Caramel lattes get me through the morning.
  28. My first proper job was working in Waitrose on the Deli, which is where I met my fiance.
  29. I adore roses, buy me red roses and I'm putty in your hands.
  30. My makeup weakness is nail varnish, closely followed by neutral eyeshadows (but you already knew that one ;) ) IMG_6034
  31. I have a one year old chihuahua named Barney.
  32. We live in Surrey and I love it, so close to the countryside but only 40mins away form Brighton or London.
  33. I love taking photos but will never turn it into a career as I never want to fall out of love with it. 
  34. I adore musicals both on the stage and as movies.
  35. I'm a handbag kinda girl, I'd rather spend money on designer bags rather than shoes.
  36. When I was two I dislocated my arm and hid broccoli in my sling.
  37. Broccoli is still my favourite vegetable.
  38. I desperately want a dachshund, the perfect friend for Barney.
  39. My Mum and I used to be obsessed with Winnie The Pooh and had matching Pooh jumpers.
  40. I work on a commercial team in travel and love it, finally I have a career I can see myself in for the long run.  tattoo
  41. I dream of owning a Chanel 2.55.
  42. I have a fish called Ballbag the third, and also Duck and Mush...
  43. My next tattoo will be a peacock feather on my foot.
  44. I can't cook but I do try, I'm getting there at a snail's pace.
  45. My Grandad is my inspiration, he was such a selfless and giving man and I miss him more and more everyday.
  46. My favourite colours are coral pink and turquoise.
  47. I'm building quite the collection of watches, just like my Dad.
  48. I hate all these new reality shows like TOWIE, Made In Chelsea and Geordie Shore.
  49. Al though I never miss an episode of Hollyoaks, trash TV at it's best.
  50. I want to retire to Florida, the other half wants to emigrate to Australia - could be a predicament. 
    DSCN1088
So that's a little more about me... not just about my beauty loves!

Love 
Belle
xoxo

Sunday 14 April 2013

Barry M Textured Nail Paints

textured

barry m textured
Ridley Road, Atlantic road

Barry M Textured Nail Paints
£3.99
Boots/Superdrug

The above swatches show three coats as it was still quite sheer after two coats on the fake nails but on real nails I'd reckon it only needs two coats
You need to let it dry in between coats as I think the textured effect is lost otherwise
This year has seen the release of various different nail art and effects from leather effects, feather effects and these concrete textured finishes.
This finish seems to be for one/two day wear as they can get grubby quite quickly as the dirt settles in the dips and grooves
As you can see on the nail tips they need filing down once dry as it's left with quite a rough edge 
At the moment the colour range is limited to four pastel colours, my favourite is the mint green (I have an obsession with this colour at the moment) 
I think this effect would work well with some darker tones too

Have you tried any of the new nail polish finishes on the market at the moment?

Love
Belle
xoxo

Friday 12 April 2013

New York Non-Beauty Lust List

new york non beauty list

In comparison to my beauty list for New York this is quite short
I don't really need any clothes as half my wardrobe doesn't fit me right now and I don't see the point in buying too many more clothes in a larger size as I intend to shift this weight again but I will probably pick up a few bits...knowing me!
I have a weakness for handbags and want to pick up a new designer bag on holiday, I think I've settled for one now but there's so many to choose from

1. Marc by Marc Jacobs Phone Case ~ A little bit of designer for my iphone, I love Marc by Marc Jacobs designs and this phone case is cute and I love the colour 

2. Ugg Boots Black Short ~ I live in my Ugg boots come winter and this year I realised I need a black pair as sometimes the brown ones look funny, there is no way I'm willing to pay the UK prices though so I'll try and find some in New York but it's not the end of the world if I don't

3. Abercrombie and Fitch Hoody ~ Everytime I go to the states I go over board in the A&F shops, it's just so cheap compared to the UK but I really don't need the majority of what I end up buying. But I can't not buy anything, I'll limit myself to just the one hoody though. 

4. Mulberry Continental Wallet ~ We're flying from London Heathrow which has a Mulberry shop in the terminal, I bought my Alexa bag from duty free Mulberry and I do believe it needs a friend in the shape of a Mulberry purse. I think the Continental design is classic and gorgeous, perfect for something you use on an everyday basis.

5. Michael Kors Handbag ~ I think this is the chosen handbag, I love the Michael Kors bags and I wanted a classic shape but it has to be large too as I carry my life around in my bag. I also wanted a lighter colour as my Mulberry is wine coloured and my Luella bag is black so there's a space for a light offering, some kind of brown I reckon.

6. I ♥ NY t-shirt ~ A must buy for any trip to New York, pretty self explanatory really. This would look cute paired with a shirt and leggings too 

7. Tiffany Infinity Necklace ~ I've been wearing my Mum's Tiffany necklace for so long now as my favourite necklace my fiance bought me broke again. I think it's about time I gave it back but it needs replacing with something just as pretty. Plus we have to visit Tiffany's in New York!

Any other shops I must visit?

Love
Belle
xoxo

Monday 8 April 2013

Liz Earle Make Up 'Haul'

liz earle

Liz Earle 
Sheer Skin Tint ~ £21.00
Light Reflecting Concealer ~ £15.50
Healthy Glow Cream Blusher ~ £16.50

Stupidly I signed up to the Liz Earle email... I feel taunted by beautiful make up and skin care on a regular basis
But when the email about the March Make Up Must Haves for £36.00 well I had a weak moment
All of the products above for £36...bargain really
Did I need them? Probably not but hey I'm a beauty blogger buying unnecessary make up is what we do best! My colleagues certainly don't understand my happiness over make up when a little parcel appears on my desk.
After trying out some Liz Earle skincare I'd been desperate to try some of their new make up range 

liz earle concealer

The Light Reflecting Concealer is perfect for under the eyes
It blends so well and doesn't crease once set with a bit of powder
It reminds me a bit of the YSL Touche Eclat, which I never really got on with
I didn't really get the hype around it and thought it didn't do much for me
But the Liz Earle concealer is everything I'd hoped the YSL would be

liz earle sheer skin tint

I've been using full coverage foundation for months now due to terrible skin
I feel like I'm in a downward spiral, my skin needs to breathe to heal itself but I feel so horrid with my skin not covered
I thought I'd try out a foundation with lighter coverage and this came just in time
I've been loving it, combined with the concealer this gives me just enough coverage to feel comfortable that the majority of my terrible skin is covered

liz earle cream blusher

A cream blusher...surprise surprise
But it came with the deal so it's allowed
It's a lovely natural colour and blends beautifully

liz earle swatches

After my first dabble in Liz Earle make up I think it's safe to say I'll be going back for more!
Poor bank balance...

Have you tried any of the Liz Earle make up range?

Love
Belle
xoxo

Saturday 6 April 2013

Barry M Hi Shine Gel Effect Polishes

gelly

barrym gelly

Barry M Hi Shine Gel Effect Nail Polishes
£3.99 each
Boots
Lychee, Pink, Blackberry, Greenberry

I'm the biggest fan of nail polishes and have always been quite the fan of Barry M 
They always seem to be straight on the ball with new nail trends and fashions
Affordable and on trend 
One of their newest releases are these Gelly polishes which are the high street's answer to salon gel nails which start from around £20 a set so £4 for a polish is pretty damn good!
There are now thirteen shades available in the collection and all the colours are hits
There aren't really any duds in the collection and I can definitely see myself purchasing a few more to fill my nail polish rack a little more
They last really well on the nails and have a super high shine too so a glossy top coat isn't necessary but does pro long the wear time even more
I've been loving Greenberry with a coat of L'Oreal Confetti over the top
They seem to be the perfect match and look amazing together, I always get compliments.
Lychee is the perfect nude for my skin tone, I've tried other nudes before but they always make my hands look really strange, either lobster or simpson like...neither are that great a look in my opinion!
The pink is a lovely barbie pink, I like to either layer with a super sparkly top coat or the confetti top coat as I find pink nails can be a little boring in all honesty
And Blackberry is a lovely dark purple which we've now chosen as our wedding colour, darker than Cadbury purple and erring on black...more aubergine/blackberry sums it up perfectly!

Any shades from the Hi Shine Gel range you love?

Love
Belle
xoxo

Friday 5 April 2013

New York Beauty Lust List

beauty list ny

So I know I've been going on about it for quite some time but I fly off to New York in just over 2 months and I am INSANELY excited!
I've wanted to go for so so long and my Mum and myself are finally making it to the big apple for four days before setting sail on a nine day Caribbean cruise
Naturally as a beauty blogger I have quite a long list of make up and beauty related bits and pieces I want to get
I'm sure there will be other things I'll pick up as there always is
I wanted to mainly buy the products we can't easily get hold of over here, like the:

Kat Von D makeup range ~ I love liquid eyeliners and really want to try some of the Kat Von D makeup as you can't get it over here
Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushers ~ These pop up absolutely everywhere in blog world and they look completely amazeballs
Milani Baked Blushers ~ Again these pop up all over the place and you can't get them in the UK, plus their drug store so cheap
Physicians Formula ~ Ditto above!
Bath and Bodyworks ~ Something tells me I will be like a kid in a candy shop in here and expect to spend a lot of pennies...
And of course plenty of MAC!
I'm really looking forward to getting away for a bit and spending some quality time with my Mum 
It's been a tough year and this break will be just what we need before getting completely stuck into wedding planning on our return (EXCITING!)

Do you have any recommendations on what I should pick up on the other side of the pond?
Or any suggestions on must sees in NYC?

Love
Belle
xoxo

Tuesday 2 April 2013

FOTD and an Easter haul

FOTD 2-4-13

products 2-4-13

I've spent the last four days giving my skin a break and going make up free 
Whilst indulging in a face mask and sorting out my roots
Today I wanted to make myself feel like a woman again and slapped on a full face
I used my current favourite foundation the Estee Lauder Double Wear, it gives me the perfect amount of coverage especially with my terrible skin at the moment
I also used the Ben Nye Banana Powder for the first time and so far I'm really loving it
Hopefully it stays put all day
My Chanel palette made a reappearance too, something which doesn't happen often enough
I'll definitely be using this a lot more I love it on my eyes, the perfect day time look
As well on my eyes I've been liking using the Rimmel Scandaleyes Nude pencil to open up my eyes a little 
And also the new Rimmel Lash Acclerator mascara, I'm road testing this at the moment 
Not sure on my thoughts yet, it doesn't seem as amazing as some other high street mascaras out there 

Easter Haul

I had a half day last Thursday and I indulged in a bit of retail therapy
There are a few bits missing here but I'm sure they will appear in a post soon enough
The Vans trainers are a neon coral colour and aren't the usual canvas material they're more shiny I guess...well kind of waterproof, it's hard to explain but I love them!
Can't wait to wear them in New York
I bought another pair of coral shoes from Primark which I intend to just wear on the cruise and probably leave on the ship as they were quite cheap a £4
I also indulged in rather a lot of new make up goodies 
They will be appearing on the blog soon, I've been loving them so far though
The floral dress is just gorgeous! 
I got it for my cousins wedding in August, need to tone up a bit first though
The Hello Kitty slippers haven't left my feet since I bought them
They are super comfy and keep my feet just warm enough

Have you bought any pretty things recently?

Love
Belle
xoxo

Monday 1 April 2013

Benefit 'Boo Boo Zap'

Boo Boo Zap Benefit

Boo Boo Zap
Benefit
£13.50

I'm kind of doing the round with these blemish preventer products
I find this to be really awkward to use
Getting the product is out is a pain
But once you get some on your skin it's absorbed quickly 
Unlike the Lush Grease Lightening which takes a while
I tend to use Boo Boo Zap in the mornings before I put my make up on, whereas I use Grease Lightening in the evenings before bed so it has a chance to sink in

I've noticed a big difference in my skin, the blemish areas are much calmer
I keep using this on the areas I'm prone to breakout to try and prevent anything happening
Again it dries out the skin a little so a good moisturiser is essential

I've now finished this spot fighter but have to say for £13.50 it didn't last very long and wasn't impressive enough to warrant the price tag.
I'd love to try the Origins blemish fighter next as I've heard such good things about it

Have you tried any blemish fighters worth giving a go?

Love
Belle
xoxo