ESTÉE LAUDER ADVANCED NIGHT REPAIR II

Todays post is about a product I'm sure you are all aware of as it is such a well known and hyped product; I'm so glad I've finally purchased! For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair serum is a cult beauty product...just to give you an example of its magnitude one bottle of this sought after skin care is bought every 8.5 seconds! - Crazy i know! 

This is a product i have been interested in for around a year, I've used little tester pots and toyed with the idea of finally buying it through out this time! Ive heard great things and had a good experience with my mini pots although the one thing that was holding me back, simply was the price. Ranging from £43 being the smallest (30ml) to £82 the largest (75ml) it really is a luxury item that for me was a big splurge! - but very much worth it!

In a nutshell, the serum helps hydrate your skin as well as repair any damage done throughout the day from things such as UV rays and pollution. It uses anti-oxidants which help to prevent environmental damage from visually effecting the skin, the Hyaluronic Acid within it creates the optimal condition that the skin needs to maximise the natural renewal processes. 

Skin care is a big thing for me i like to look after it so in years to come i won't look like an old leather! - I hope not anyway. After biting the bullet and paying out for this high end product i can safely say its well worth every penny! Ive been using it for over a month and can tell such a different within my skin, i wake up looking a lot fresher my skin feels lovely and silky! I also have had a lot less break outs since using it! I give Estée Lauder top marks for creating such a fantastic product the only thing i dislike is the price i really wish it was that bit more affordable, but i suppose in this instance you get what you pay for! 

Have you been using the ANR, if so let me know your thoughts on this pricey purchase!?

Madge x

They’re Real Push Up Liner!

Everyone’s been talking about Benefit’s new They’re Real Push Up Liner, it came into the market with huge amount of anticipation so when i ordered my beloved They're real! mascara i was delighted to find i was sent a mini They're real eyeliner also! Whats so cool about this new eyeliner you ask? Well, It’s the first gel-liner click pen which has finally launched after five years of development.  

On my way home today a friend was asking if Benefit’s They’re Real Push-Up Liner worth the hype and the price tag, i thought well if that's not an incentive to write this very over due review i don't know what is!  Here's what i have to say about it! 

The pen tip is on an angle so it looks very easy to apply but what i found was just like anything new you do need to practise a bit to get it right.  A very thin and straight style of eyeliner is extremely easy with this pen, but it gets a bit more tricky when winging it or  if your going for a fuller more thick flick you will need a bit of practise.  What i have found  is not to click the bottom round too much when releasing the eyeliner, as it will  push up a lot of the product and creates a chunky mess.  I'm making it sound more tricky than it is, its just like any other new eyeliner application, it will take practise! And this pen is ALOT easier than the traditional liquid eyeliners and brush with gel eyeliners available.  Once you get the hang of it yes its quick easy and it does hug your lash line like it says.  

So enough about the application lets talk about the actual formula, it is BLACK! Super -duper, deep dark black…which honestly is quite hard to find with a lot of eyeliners out there. I normally find they either dry a charcoal black/ grey or anything but deep black, so that is a big huge plus. The staying power of the eyeliner is phenomenal and when i say that i mean it! ...it lasts through work, sweat, even sleep! Its extremely long wearing and doesn’t fade, although the is brings with it a slight down fall! :( It is pretty hard to remove so i would suggest using a good cleanse off oil or eye makeup remover to help scrub the product off with out hurting your eyes.

Overall once again Benefit has got it spot on! A really great product,  If you struggle with your eyeliner and are looking for a solution this product is worth a go. It definitely has a lot of great, well thought out features which would make this a staple in my makeup kit.  Another reason why I love Benefit products so much – they think outside the box! Oh and its super stylish packaging is also a winner my eyes! 

Have you tried this product yet, let me know what you think on Benefits newbie!?

Madge x

Festival Must haves!

So so sorry for my lack of blogging this last month but if you follow me on instagram you will know i have a new gorgeous puppy named Lola and she has taken up a lot of my time which i love... i mean who doesn't want puppy snuggles 24/7! But it  has meant lack of blogging time! Alas i will no longer neglect the blog for the cutest little puppy in the world ... insert cute puppy picture ;) 

I give you the newest addition - Lola

So tomorrow i am off to Boardmasters one of the coolest festivals around its based in (hopefully) Sunny Newquay! Here I am sat surrounded by all of my worldly possessions the evening before heading off to Boardmasters, and although yes this may be a little last minuet I thought I'd share some of my top packing tips with you all! These tips have seen me through plenty of drenched family camping trips, sunny festivities and hopefully Boardmasters tomorrow!!

A good ol' pair of wellies-
Other than an old pair of converse i shall be taking with me good old wellies because its typical English weather and you just never know ...and i mean who wants to be knee deep in mud with only a pair of flip flops to hand - no one! So il have my trusty Hunters and some old converse that I'm not too fussed about getting mucky! 

Dry shampoo/ Bun ring-
Need I even explain? With hair as thick and bushy as mine over a period of 4 days, it's bound to be left greasy, a little smelly - lovely i know. Dry shampoo and a bun ring are the only ways for me to keep looking relatively ok when it comes to those final dancing days. Just spruse your hair with a little batiste and whack it tidily into a bun rig - hey presto ready to rock!

Foods and nibbles-
Dry foods are always nice to have handy when curled up in a soggy field with a pang of hunger and a little hung over- think cereal bars,rice cakes, biscuits, crisps  and basically anything that won't look grim if neglected. And if you are uber camper friendly like me you can take a handy little camping stove to make tea to go with those biccies or some bacon in the morning ;) (all depending on what you are allowed to take into the venue of corse!)

Not the best clothes you own-

I like to pack things that I won't  mind getting a bit grubby/ruined/dropped/stolen etc- so think last minute trips to Primark, basics that can be replaced, and only a few staple statement pieces such as a kimono or some cheap accessories to jazz an outfit up! I have some bright patterned pieces to my board master wardrobe, but mostly its all comfy, all weather working, cheapy clothes from Primark. 

Something to keep you dry-
It's not an urban myth that it rains at festivals, and i have checked for my weekend, it appears that yes after months of glorious sunshine it will now down pour on the weekend of Boardmasters! Now i have made this mistake before, I've been to festivals without some form of coat and have always ended up with matted wet hair, shivering wishing i had just brought something! So if it be a poncho, rain mac or full on parker bring some water proofs you'l not regret it!

Fail safe loo roll/wet wipes-
ALWAYS BRING LOO ROLL.

Last but not least the obvious bits!
Tent, roll mat/ blow up bed (and pillow, dry ground is hard), sleeping bag, Money, ID, Poncho,  tights and leggings for night time (even in the summer, nights are way colder than you think when sleeping in a tent) and of course your festival tickets.

(Apologies for no pictures as this was all a mad rush i didn't have the time although when i return i shall add some in to pretty this post up!)

If your going to board masters or any other festivals let me know if this was handy and have a fab time! 

Madge x

The Body Shop Beautifying Oil

If you follow me on twitter you will have seen for my birthday in december my mum made me a HUGE body shop  bundle full to the brim with srcummy treats! One of the items was this little travel friendly gem- a mini multi purpose bottle of just about everything! The Body Shop Beautifying Oil. Now to any normal person who manages to pack less than a year's worth of products for a weekend away, an oil won't seem essential at all, but this lovely lightweight blend of nut oils can be used for an abundance of things and since receiving it i have noticed that the Beautifying oil actually helps reduce the size of my beauty bag when traveling. 

So its main use is that it makes a great light and nourishing hair oil that can be used before or after blowdrying (i tend to use it prior to drying). I have a classic case of frizzy dry ends so this really helps to add moisture and keep my ends looking sleek/healthy on the go. It's other uses can be for hydrating the face and body, which means you don't need your usual pots of moisturiser/body butter, I've found its great for massaging the loved one (more like forcing him to massage me ha!). The oil has illuminating properties which will give you a gorgeous glow rather than greasy mess, it drys quickly too so you don't have to waft about the house waiting for it to dry! 

I love my coconut scent as it reminds me of holidays its subtle but sweet which i love, but you can choose from plenty of other scents such as strawberry, shea, mango etc depending on your preferences! With festivals and summer holidays coming up this is a handy product to pack, at £9 they are well worth the money! 

Do you have any travel beauty secrets? 

Madge x

Home Fragrance Favourites

Ive always been a candle lover and recently fallen in love with fragrance oils too! I thought i would give you a little insight on what have become my favourites at the mo! I am a very seasonal person when it comes to candles and scents i like my 'home fragrance' to reflect whats going on around me for example every christmas without fail i will have a christmas inspired  Yankee Candle's dotted through out the house ... normally christmas cookie firmly planted in my bedroom because its just DE-vine! 

Anyway my more recent scents have been from the Home Fragrance range from The Body Shop, I have fell in love with home fragrance oils my favourite being the Pomegranate and Raspberry scent it is delicious! Back to good old Yankee Candles!... i have just finished off my gorgeous beach flowers jar its a lovely lilac colour and smells like beautiful blossoms, i loved it so much i bout  the tarts along with it! Other scents of theirs i love at the mo are: mango peach salsa which is so summery it smells sweet and zesty just like juicy mangoes and peaches livened with a bit of citrus! 

I always love trying out new whiffs so if you know any nice suggestions that i can add to my collection id love to hear!? I also was to try out Diptyque candles although they are a little pricey and i don't know which to get so if anyone knows a good one to start off with that would be fantastic! :D

Madge x

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion Scrub!

I have always been a fan of body shop ever since i can remember as my mum used to be a Body shop rep, hosting numerous  Body Shop parties! Part of her job role meant she would have a large kit of products often getting sent new things to try weekly! I took full advantage of this often sneaking bits and bobs into my own little collection, as a child this was amazing all the beautiful  scents and colours to get my little hands on! ...looking back you can tell i was beauty addict  and smellies hoarder even back then!

Recently my mum joined The Body Shop once again and my love for their products was back! I came to realise that actually a lot of the products are really great. I have since bought a lot more of their products, through my continuous usage of The Body Shop combined with my  mums knowledge I really can tell you whats what! 

Today I'm talking about one of my favourite products from The Body Shop, I am already on my second one since christmas its that good, It's The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion.

The scrub is filled with tiny little exfoliating beads rather than the large ones that are often found in face scrubs creating a much more subtle effect on the skin. Although the beads are small they are a lot more beneficial getting into the pores cleaning you skin throughly, leaving it silky smooth and radiant afterwards. 

The vitamin-c-microdermabrasion scrub is a firm favourite and will stay in my skin care routine although i have recently been bought the complete Vitamin E skin care range from The body shop too, so you be sure to check back in for a report on that too! 

Madge x

June Favourites!

With summer finally making its appearance in June, this past month has been one of the most busy yet- I started my new summer job, took part in two charity events the Race For Life and Walk For wards Stars Appeal, helped out at the New Designers event in London as well as discover some new beauty/foodie favourites ready to share with all you lovelies below! So below you can see of my favourite beauty things in June- it was definitely tough trying to narrow things down!

Some of my favourite beauty products of June were actually products that I already enjoyed  first time round- and have rediscovered after a period of not using them, which certainly isn't a bad thing. For example My Clinique cleansing milk used to be my go to cleanser for years but when in Paris last year i went Bioderma crazy and forgot about my beloved cleansing milk! - So I'm super glad that i have reincarnated my old time favourite back into my skin routine(i still use my Bioderma too don't worry)! I also loved using the Vitamin C Body Shop Micro derma scrub which i kind of tried out on a whim interested in the microdermabrasion side of it, never the less its a great scrub which I've been loving and will be writing a blog post on it very soon if you want more info! Speaking of The Body shop two other of my june favourites are from there also, i have been burning my satsuma fragrance oil for a bit of summer scent lately and kept my skin silky smooth with the lucious Honeymania body butter, i know I'm behind on this product as loads of people went crazy for it when it first launched and i can now see why its a gorgeous smell and of course a great moisturiser after all its a body shop body butter! Last but not least the two nail colours i have been sporting most this month are Models own Fuzzy Peach on my tootsies and this beautiful blue from red carpet manicure (named Trend setter) which i cure on to my nails using a uv lamp! Oh and not to forget my amazing Gimme Brow from benefit its so handy!... I've written more about it here just click to read more!

Ok so i do not have many pictures of my foodie favourites as I'm ashamed to say i ate most of them before taking any pictures....it just proves how great they tasted haha! Ok So I'm a massive fan of pop corn and Metcalfes Wasabi flavour is my regular go to although my boyfriend surprised me with a pack from porpercorn which tasted devinnnnne sea salt and brown sugar flavour which it ultimately just sweet and salt mixed but as it says on the pack this popcorn is done properly  as you can tell by is great taste! I have also been trying out juices from a new organic juice bar that has opened near my work the only thing added is the raw ingredients and ice they taste absolutely amazing and are great on a hot lunch break! The one thing i do have a picture of is the delsih burger i tried out whilst working the event at new designers last month Byron was just across the road its been on my restarunt hit list for a while now so i was glad i had the chance to give it a go, the burgers are all hand made and taste amazing normally i would feel guilty about burger and fries but it tasted healthy rather than your usual greasy type! 

So that is it from me, are any of these things your favourites too? 

Madge x