July Favourites

Where has July gone people?! Seriously it's insane how quickly time is going! But on the other hand I'm not complaining as a) it's nearly time for a girly shopping trip to Liverpool and b) Orlando is a matter of weeks away now! Yes! 

Here's what I've been loving this month... 

Barry M Cor Balmy (Boots £3.49)

These lip balms are very moisturising and have a slight tint to them making them perfect for summer and for those who aren't that keen on lipsticks or glosses. 

Rimmel BB Cream Instant Tan (Boots £6.99)

You may have heard me talk about this previously, it's fab and gives you a very natural looking tan without streaks or any other tell tale signs. 

Mark Hill Hairdryer (Boots £49.99) 

I needed to buy a new hairdryer when mine decided to conk out all of a sudden when I was half way through drying my hair, the joys! I went along to Boots and spotted this one which at the time was on offer for £24.99. It comes with three different heads and apparently has Argan oil built into it for a smoother finish. It does the job perfectly and it's rather powerful which I like! Although compared to my old one it's rather heavy! 

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara (Amazon £7.43)

Saw this mascara being used by Lauren Curtis who is an Australian YouTuber. She always maintained that it was the best mascara and I must admit it looked impressive. So I hunted it down and found it on Amazon. It's great if you like volume and separation of lashes. Don't bother if you like the clumpy spider effect! 

Body Shop Satsuma Body Wash (Body Shop £4.00)

This was included in my Chester shopping haul. It's smells divine...end of. 

Rimmel BB Cream (Boots £6.99)

With the recent hot weather in the UK it's been too hot to wear your normal foundation so I went back to this BB cream by Rimmel and refound my love for it, it's light but has coverage and also is great when you already have a bit of tan. Definitely will be taken this to Orlando with me in September. 

Sweet and Salty Popcorn (Tesco £1.89)

My new obsession! Other brands also make this type of popcorn but this is he first one I tried. The mixture of sweet and salty popcorn is a force to be reckoned with. Nom nom nom! 

Sherlock Seasons 1-3

Me and my boyfriend were looking at a box set to watch after many of our beloved series had finished and we came across this. I had heard a lot of good things about the series so thought we'd give it a shot. It's really good and I love the Sherlock character (maybe not as much as Sherlock in Elementary). 

One Rupublic - Love Runs Out 

One Republic can do no wrong. 

So there you have it for this month! 

Muchos love,

Leanne x

Mini Drugstore Haul

It happened again. I went into Boots for nothing particular and £20 odd quid later I leave - whoopsie!

Here's what I bought - 

Collection - Lasting Perfection Concealer in Cool Medium (£4.19) 

If your a regular reader of my blog you've probably seen this in many of my blogs. In my opinion it's the best concealer ever and I've been through soooo many tubes of the stuff. Of course I've tried other concealer but none compare to this cheap and cheerful beauty! 

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 15 Endless Purple (£4.99)

You might think why am I buying bright purple eye-shadow. Well there is method behind my madness. In August I will be celebrating my 28th birthday and just because I'm nearing the dreaded 30's doesn't mean that one cannot partake in silly fancy dress themes. Yes I am dressing up as an evil minion from Despicable Me 2. And this is the perfect color for my lids! 

Maybelline Dream Sun Bronzing Powder with Blush in 09 Golden Tropics (£6.49)

This grabbed my attention pretty quickly while browsing the Maybelline stand. It looked pretty and it was new - what more persuasion do I need really? I'm thinking of doing a Quick Fire Review on this once  I've used it a few times so keep those eyes peeled!

Collection Lasting Colour Gel Eyeliner in Black (£4.99)

I'm still on my hunt for a long lasting eye-liner for my holidays in September. I've come to the conclusion that I just don't look right without some form of eye-liner on my eyes anymore. Strange I know and it's probably all in my head. But anyway word on the street is that gel liners last a long time and I've already used the brown version of this liner and I liked it so why not try the black version? Plus it's cute and comes with a little brush.

There we have it, my little Monday splurge for you all to see! My willpower is not improving any and I may need restraints when I go to Orlando especially in Walgreens and Sephora.. I can see it now...oh dear! 

Muchos love

Leanne x

The British Tag

Thought it was about time that I did another tag blog. Seen this tag on Lily Pebbles YouTube channel and although it's got absolutely nothing to do with beauty I thought I would go ahead and do it anyway! 

1. How many cups of tea do you have a day and how many sugars?

I am one of those strange people who don't drink either tea or coffee, so the answer to this would be none and none! 

2. Favourite part of your roast?

I love a good Sunday roast and the best thing about them are the Yorkshire puddings especially when accompanied with beef and gravy ... Hmmmmm! 

3. Favourite dunking buscuit?

As I said I don't drink hot drinks so this will just have to my favourite buscuit instead. Believe it or not I'm not a massive buscuit fan but I used to love Bourbons! I would nibble the edges and take off the buscuit part leaving just the chocolate centre. Yummy! 

4. Favourite place in the UK?

Chester, it's my second home. But I also love Brighton, haven't been there in years and would love to go back. 

5. Favourite word?

Blancmange (pronounced blom-onge) - I just think it's a funny word! 

6. Cockney rhyming slang? 

I don't use cockney slang at all but I like the good old ones like Apples and Pears (stairs) and China Plate (mate). 

7. Favourite sweet?

When grabbing some pik "n" mix when I was a kid I loved jazzles, the chocolate discs which had hundreds and thousands on the top. 

8. What would your pub be called?

This is a really hard question! Let me know in the comments below what you think my pub should be called! 

9. No.1 British Person

One of my favourite comedy actresses is Julie Walters. She's just fab!

10. Favourite shop / restaurant? 

My favourite high street shop would be Primark and my favorite restaurant is ironically a Thai restaurant called The Siam Teppenyaki in Chester. 

11. What British song pops in your head? 

It's got to be Spice Girls Wannabe! Just wow! 

12. Marmite?

Hell no! 

So there are The British Tag! I tag all of you who read this blog. 

Muchos love

Leanne x

Five Discovered YouTube Channels

Being a YouTube addict you come across new and exciting channels all the time but there are only a few which truly capture your attention and you end up subscribing to their channel. 

Here we have five channels which I have discovered and subscribed to this year...

This lady is amazing at make-up and often does colourful, bright catwalk looks that the mainstream "beauty guru's" don't do. She's got a lovely personality and does many collaborations with other make-up artists on YouTube. She's also from Holland, who doesn't love the Dutch?

Found this channel thanks to Zoella mentioning it in one of her videos. This lovely family (Jonathan, Anna and their children Amelia and Edwardo plus their six dogs) vlog their lives on a daily basis. Such an adorable family with the most gorgeous kids in the world. Seriously addictive viewing. They have been vlogging every day for years and have recently moved from Ireland to London. 

A British beauty blogger who also has a YouTube channel. Anna is very good friends with Lily Pebbles who featured in my Top 10 British YouTubers, this is how I found her. She does a lot of beauty videos as well as vlogs and collaborations with Lily. She's also part of the Gleam Team who also manage the likes of Zoella, Tanya Burr and Marcus Butler to name but a few. 

Found this channel thanks to my boyfriend. As we are both obsessed with everything Orlando based these guys (Tim and Jen) live in Florida with their two dogs Armani and Bandit and and again vlog on a daily basis. They have annual passes to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and me and the boy love to watch their channel at the weekend to catch up on what's new in Orlando as well as being nosey about what they do on a daily basis. 

Another British beauty blogger who is friends with Anna (see above) and Lily Pebbles amonst others such as Essie Button. Amelia likes the more high end make-up, as you can see she's a very classy lady. She regularly ventures to the USA and posts hauls of her beauty buys. 

Let me know whether you watch any of the above channels or whether you have any suggestions of channels to watch. 

Muchos love,

Leanne x

GlossyBox July Review

Can't believe a month has passed since my last GlossyBox review. This months theme is Stars and Stripes, everything within the box is American and therefore we have a lovely blue and red stripe and star box this month. 

The inside of the box is also decorated and includes blue tissue paper and red ribbon different to that of the black tissue paper and pink ribbon. It also includes a similar themed sticker. 

So here's the inside of the box including all of this months goodies and the red confetti type stuff - what is this even called? Let's delve into the box and see what we've got...

CARMEX Lip Balm - Full size product (RRP £2.69)

"Carmex is the original lip balm and the only way to soothe dry, chapped lips. With menthol, camphor and beeswax, lips are nourished, conditioned, and protected from the elements all year round". I've used this lip balm before and it's really good so I'm pleased to see this in my box. 

ABSOLUTE New York Perfecting Eyeshadow Primer - Full size product (RRP $4.99)

"This oil free, ultra-creamy formula evens skin tone around the eye area and keeps eye-shadow crease-free and colour-true for a lasting look." This is a brand that I've never heard of before but eye primers are always good to have around. 

Colour Ckub Glossy Seal Nail Varnish - Full size product (RRP $8 for 15ml) 

"Colour Club nail polish is proudly made in New York with only non-toxic, cruelty free ingredients. The shade Glossy Seal has been especially formulated for your July GlossyBox." I've used Color Club polishes before as there a TKMaxx regular and I was pleased to see this brand in my box and the polish is a lovely colour! Not to mention it's pretty cool that it was especially made for the box so you know only fellow GloosyBox subscribers have the same gorgeous nails as you! 

Dr Bronner's Magic Liquid Soaps Lavender Bar Soap (RRP £3.99 for 140g)

"Dr Bronner's Bar Soap works to calm the nerves and soothe the body through a relaxing blend of Organic Coconut, Palm, Olive Hemp, and Jojoba Oil as well as pure vitamin E and Lavender". The little card also says that this is a US cult product. It smells lovely and you could smell it as soon as you opened the box. I'm looking forward to using this in the shower. 

You can also get 30% off your next order at drbronner.co.uk by quoting code GLO30 at checkout. Expires 30/09/14.

Bellapierre Cosmetics Ltd Mineral Lipstick - Full size product (RRP £20)

"This cult American favourite is formulated with natural waxes, mineral pigments, and antioxidants including Vitamin C and Vitamin E, providing long lasting colour and protection against the sun". It's a shame that I'm not a lipstick wearer as this is a lovely bright summery shade. And to receive a high end product in your box is just great.  

Overall I'm really impressed with this months box as the majority of items I will use. It's just a shame that I don't wear lipstick. The company have also stopped the magazine which accompanied the box which I think is a shame.

Stay tuned next month for another review of August's box. 

Muchos love

Leanne x

Hair Care for Blonde Hair

Having recently changed my hair colour back to blonde I need to ensure that the colour stays put and that my hair remains in a good condition especially when it's being treated with bleach and endures daily straightening by my beloved GHD's.

So what are my top products to keeping dyed blonde hair healthy? 

1. Shampoo - Pro:Voke Touch of Silver Twice a Week Treatment (Boots £3.09)

I was advised by my hairdresser of this particular shampoo which is specially made for blonde/grey hair. I use this everytime I wash my hair which is not that often as I'm currently trying to train t hair not to get greasy so quickly. 

The shampoo itself is a dark purple colour so don't be alarmed. It has a nice subtle smell and really awakes your colour and helps the colour stay for longer. 

The Touch of Silver range also had a normal shampoo and conditioner as well as a dry shampoo which I also use on lazy days. 

2. Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner (Boots £4.69)

Having your hair bleached leaves it dry and when cleansing your hair you need to lock in the moisture. I love this conditioner for that reason, it leaves the ends lovely and smooth. 

If my hair is in need of a serious hit of moisture I will leave the conditioner in my hair. This is also a good trick to beat dry frazzled hair on holiday! Before hitting the pool smother your hair in conditioner, pop in a bun and away you go! By the time you have a shower after your day in the sun your locks will be silky smooth. 

3. Tresemmè Hair Defence Spray (Boots £5.25) 

So you've used your colour shampoo and you've put all the moisture back in your hair by using a conditioner, you don't want to spoil all your hard work by not protecting your hair while you blow dry. Previously I have loved using some Argan Oil on the ends of my hair (somehow makes blow drying a lot quicker!) but at the moment I'm loving this heat defence spray from Trèsemme. I also use this spray to protect my hair while straightening. 

4. Wella Professional Brilliance Hair Mask - Fine/Normal Hair (lookfantastic.com £9.25)

Every once in a while I will use a mask on my hair to help condition it even further. This one from Wella is made especially for colour treated hair. It says that it restores and refreshes colour whilst nourishing and protecting. My hair feels amazing after washing it out.

So there's my top products to keep your blonde hair vibrant and healthy. Please let me know whether you have any top products to recommend! 

Muchos love,

Leanne x

Staying Safe in the Sun

Now that summer is officially here I thought I'd do a little post on how to keep yourself safe in the sun. 

So what steps can we all take to prevent premature aging and the dreaded wrinkles? 

1. Apply sun cream 15-30 minutes before stepping out into the sun. Pay special attention to cover any moles. 

2. Don't forget the commonly missed spots such as ears, arm pits, cleavage, feet and hands. 

3. Use sun cream in any type of weather, yes it is still possible to cause damage in cloudy weather.   

4. Reapply sun cream if you sweat or get wet. 

5. Top up your sun cream every two hours. 

6. Avoid sun exposure between 10am - 4pm when the sun rays are at their strongest. If you do need to be out during this time ensure to use a high SPF sun cream, cover up and find shade.

7. Be aware and avoid reflective surfaces such as sand, water and concrete. 

And don't forget to drink plenty of water!

Muchos love,

Leanne x 

Quick Fire Review - Rimmel BB Instant Tan

Thought I would share with you all about my new favourite fake tan which if I'm honest I've only used one but I'm really impressed. It's the Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan 9 in 1 BB Skin Perfector which can be found in either Boots or Superdrug for £6.99.  

The tube states that the 9 in 1 results are "softens, smoothed, moisturises, gives an instant tan, creates a healthy looking glow, evens skin tone, covers, perfects and lasts up to 24 hours". 

I bought mine in the colour Light Matte.

The colour is perfect and don't be fooled by the whole "Sun Shimmer" on the tube - there's no shimmer at all and it's completely matte.

The tan looks really natural, not orange patchy or streaky and somehow with stained a hot and quite frankly sweaty night out without any running. 

The BB side of things worked well in my opinion, it made my skin appear smoother and had an all over equal tan. 

I would definitely recommend this product to friends and family, it's cheap and cheerful and idea the job extremely well. 

Let me know whether you've tried any of the Rimmel instant tans and tell me what you think about them. 

Muchos love

Leanne x