Z is for... Zzz's

So it's the final letter of A-Z challenge, so I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite products to help you catch some zzz's. I really struggle to switch of at night and even when I'm tired as soon as I lay down in bed my brain is wide awake. I'm not going to say any of these products are miracles but they are definitely great for helping you to relax and wind down.

These two little mini's from This Works I found in a little cracker at Christmas, I'm sure they will probably do a set similar next year or you can get them available with the full size set here and you can also find them seperatley. The Deep Sleep pillow spray has an instant calming effect as soon as you smell it. It is very comforting whilst trying to doze off and definitely takes you away to a sleepy place. The Deep Sleep Stress Less also has a similar effect. You simply roll onto temples and take a few breaths and you'll be transported to that far away land.

This Deep Sleep pulse point balm was from Body Shop and works similarly too the This Works rollerball. It definitely has a lavender scent which always reminds me of when my Grandma used to spray lavender onto my pillow when I was little. I like the fact its more of a cream rather than an oil as I find they can sometimes get a little bit messy.

Finally the last one in my little aromatherapy kit, the Tisserand De-Stress, which is not necessarily for night time but it a very comforting rose scent to it. It's a really good one to carry in your bag especially if your going through a stressful time or have exams or something.

Sometimes when I'm stressed or tired I like to have a bath, I'm not much of a bath person I just prefer to have a shower. But when your tired and achey sometimes they seem like the perfect cure. A while a go I know a lot of bloggers where raving about these Therapie Himalayan Detox Salts, so many people where saying that the made them fall straight to sleep and have the best night sleep they've had in ages. I can't say that with me they had that amazing effect but they do make a lovely bath and make you feel very relaxed and sleepy feeling.

And the last one I wanted to share with you for the bath are the Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower oils. These have such a strong smell, in a good way. I wouldn't say the all smell particularly nice straight from the bottle but when poured in the bath they fill the whole room, and nearly the whole house with the relaxing spa type scent. The best thing is you only need the tiniest amount. I can normally get three uses out of one of these tiny little bottles. They are quite expensive I chose to buy the set where you can try the different ones, rather than buying a bottle of one scent. That way you can try them all and find your favourites. One of my favourites for trying to get to sleep is the support lavender and peppermint, which smells like lavender and is very calming and relaxing.

Let me know what your favourite products are? I'm all for trying anything to help get a good night sleep!

Y is for... YSL

First of all I just want to say that I don't think this palette is still available, but it was just too pretty not to share. I brought this on my way home from my holidays in October, I just had to pick it up from duty free as it was to lovely just to leave there. Although it's not available they do do other palettes which are just as gorgeous, I'll link one here which is equally lovely. 

YSL are one of my favourite premium beauty brands and I've not been disapointed by anything I've used from them, so I would definitely recommend them and if your going on holiday anytime soon you might be able to pick up a palette like this or similar for a bargain price!

I'm also wearing my Le Teint Touche Eclait foundation in BR 30 and Estee Lauder Sumptuous mascara in the photos above.

X is for... XOXO Gossip Girl Inspired Look

picture found on pinterest

This is my take on a make up look from Gossip Girl. I chose to base the look mostly on Leighton Meesters character Blair Waldorf, but I think I might also do a Serena look later on. This isn't an exact look just my take on it.

Blair's skin also looks luminous and glowing so choose first used an illuminating primer, and then a foundation with a dewy finish. I'll link all the products I use down below. I then filled in my brows a little bit, not as done as normal as Blair's eyebrows are a thinner and softer than mine and used a little bit of a pink blush on my cheeks.

Blair tends to wear quite matte eyeshadow but I personally prefer something with a slight shimmer so I used more shimmery one's, I used a really light shade across the lid and a dark brown shade very lightly through the crease. Blair also tend to wear a little bit of eye liner across her top lash line but it always looks very soft so I chose to use a black eyeshadow with an angled brush so it didn't look harsh.

To finish I used a lipgloss with a little bit of colour in it, you see Blair wearing a lot of pink and red shades, still natural looking, but they are always very glossy looking in finish, she sometimes also wears a nude gloss.

And no Blair Waldorf look is complete with a pretty, preppy alice band!

Products I used:

Bourjois Happy Light Luminous Serum Primer

L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint in Warm Ivory

Nars Blush in Orgasm

Seventeen Brow's That! Brow Kit

Various Seventeen Eyeshadows (not sure on the colours as they came in a limited edition palette)

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Mascara

Topshop Gloss Ink in Sugar Rush

W is for... W7 Magic Eyes Mascara

I really didn't know what to expect from this mascara. W7 Magic Eyes The Ultimate Mascara* comes in a very green bottle, you certainly won't lose this in your make up bag. I've heard of W7 but hadn't really tried any of their products, I'm pretty impressed with them though and they're amazing for their price which is really good.

The brush is very unusual I've not seen another mascara brush like it. It's a plastic brush which has a spiral of bristles going around it, that's the best way I can explain it. I wasn't sure whether it might be a bit clumpy but it actually applies really nice and you can really layer it to build up length and volume.

It has amazing staying power as well and looks exactly the same at the end of the day as when you first applied it, with no smudging or flaking at all. It does take a bit of getting off though not sure if that a good thing or not, but you definitely need a few cotton pads with eye make up remover on. Apart from that though I don't have anything bad to say about this mascara. It's a very worthwhile purchase!

*this is a PR sample

V is for... Viridian Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil has got to be one of my favourite multi-purpose products, it can be used for pretty much everything. At the end of last month I went to the #hullbloggersmeet and was so happy to find a little pot of Viridian 100% Organic Raw Coconut Oil* in my goody bag. It's so handy for travelling and can be used for so many things, it saves me carry around either the massive jar I brought from Holland & Barratt or a whole load of other products.

I did a post not so long back about using coconut oil as a make up remover and cleanser (here), but I thought I would share with you my top 5 uses for coconut oil.

1. My first one had to be a cleanser, I've really not used anything since discovering this magic oil. It melts away any make up, even heavy mascara and eyeliner without rubbing the skin or stinging your eyes. It is definitely the best eye make up remover I've found. It also leaves the skin feeling clean, soft and comfortable, unlike that dry tight feeling you can get with some cleansers. plus my skin looks so much clearer since I've been using it.
2. It also doubles up as a moisturiser, you can use on your face and body. So if your in a rush or only got the one product handy it can do everything in one. It also gives a nice sheen to the skin and gives your arms and legs that healthy looking glow. I probably wouldn't recommend it as a moisturiser under make up and oil can brake down make up leaving your face patchy, its a definite no no for girls with oily skin but if you have dry skin you might get away with it. Its fantastic as a night cream though.
3. I like to use coconut oil as a hair mask too. Either run a little bit through the ends before washing or for an intense treatment massage into the scalp and through the hair before bed and wash out like normal in the morning, for frizz free shiny hair. If your hair is very dry especially on the ends you can adds some as a serum just start off with a small amount and add to the amount you need so you're not making it greasy.
4. Coconut oil can also make a great cuticle oil, and helps soften any dryness around the nails. I also find it less greasy than other oils and absorbs into the skin quite quickly so you're not leaving greasy finger prints everywhere.
5. And finally for anyone that loves cooking coconut oil makes a great oil for cooking. I like to use it when making curries, by frying onion and garlic in it before adding other vegetables, curry paste and coconut milk. It is also great for making popcorn and roasting your veg. You can also add it too smoothies if you like as its a really good oil to eat as its great for your hair nails and skin as well as your metabolism. And as its antiviral oil it helps get rid of toxins out the liver and it has plenty of other health benefits.

There are so many other uses for coconut oil, so let me know of any others that you like to do and I'll give them a go!

*This is a PR sample.

U is for... Umberto Giannini

You'll have to excuse the fact that 2 out of 3 of the products are missing their lids, they are very well loved! Umberto Giannini is one of my favourite brands for hair products. I think the first ones I had were a shampoo and conditioner when I was younger. They made your hair feel soft and shiny, smelt gorgeous and came in the nicest looking bottle on the shampoo aisle at Boots.

Recently I purchased a miniature version of the Backcomb In A Bottle for my holiday with a few other hair care bits I needed and instantly new I loved it. I have quite thick hair anyway so I didn't really need it to make my hair thicker, but it works amazingly for giving my hair a bit of texture and defining the layers in my hair. It is very similar to the Bumble and Bumble Dryspun Finish spray and I have to say I think I prefer the Backcomb in a Bottle as it smells nicer and does the same job for a lot less money. When I got home I decided to pick up the bigger can and a couple of other things from the Glam Hair range as well as it was 3 for 2.

I chose the Rock 'N' Roll Extreme Hairspray, it really does help to hold the hair style and stop frizz but without the stickiness or crunch that some hairsprays can give. It leaves you hair feeling like hair and able to move.

The other product I tried was the Sex Bomb Massive Mousse, this gives the hair a lot of volume. I apply to the roots and mid lengths of my hair after washing it and dry it upside down and it gives lots of body and movement. Once dry you can't even feel it in your hair and doesn't make your hair any more knotty than usual.

I think when I run out of the shampoo and conditioner that I'm using I will definitely try the ones from this range as I can't fault anything from them I have tried so far. Have you tried any of their products?

T is for... Topshop Gloss Ink

If you want a very very long lasting gloss than this is the one you want. I stubbled across this Topshop Gloss Ink whilst shopping and had to have it, the others were also gorgeous but this shade really caught my eye.

I chose Sloe Gin which is a deep very vibrant pink shade it has a very glossy finish and wears off into a lovely stain that lasts for hours on the lips. I've found you need to take your time applying this you don't want to rush it else your going to end up with pink gloss everywhere! But once applied you really don't need to worry about it and this gloss definitely stays where you put it. It has quite a tacky feeling to it whilst glossy but I personally don't mind that. You can also blot it if you like the shade but prefer a matte lip, which works out perfectly for everyone.

I think there are 5 shades in the range and they are all quite bright, there is a more peachy coral shade and a rosy pink that are a little bit more neutral but there is definitely something there for everyone.

S is for... Stila

I have tried two Stila products which I absolutely love. Both were sets so it meant trying out lots of different shades rather than just the one, which is great to really know whether you love the product.

The first was the Colour Me Pretty lip and cheek palette, which includes 5 of their convertible colours for lips and cheeks. I had wanted to try one of these for ages but never brought one myself, so I was very happy to see it in the Boots Christmas catalogue and my dad brought me it for Christmas. 

It comes in a lovely watercolour paint style palette (here) and has the shades Kitten, Peony, Gerbera, Rose and Petunia. I regularly use them all except for Kitten as I just don't feel it shows up much on the skin and I have other highlighters I prefer to use, but the others shades are gorgeous on. They give you that really fresh and healthy look, and give you a happy flush of colour. Be warned though, use them sparingly as although some of the shades are quite neutral they transfer quite brightly onto the skin. I don't really tend to use them as lip colours as I prefer a more opaque lipstick or lipgloss, but for a natural finish they look very pretty on the lips.

The other product I have tried are the Stila lip glazes which offer a sheer amount of colour and a nice gloss to the lips. I brought myself the set called Colour Me Glossy (here), which included 9 half sized lip glazes in different shades. Although they're not the full size products you definitely get plenty in them. I also brought mine in the sale from Space NK for a bargain price of £14.50 but they are now sold out. Fortunately you can buy them from the Stila website for £29.50 which I still think is pretty good considering you can buy them individually for £15!

Let me know if you've tried any Stila products and anything you think is worth trying!

R is for... Retro

 This is more of a classic look for me, and not something I would normally do, well not as to the text book as this. I wanted to include a few more sort of "look book" posts into the mix, as I have a few looks now that I have created myself but wanted to include a few more sort of classic looks/ looks that have inspired me to do my own take.

I've started off with the retro pin up style winged liner and statement red lip. After spending ages scrolling through pages on pinterest, I finally settled on this simple look, it can be quite hard for me to stick to following a picture of some one else's makeup as I can get very carried away and creative with my own! 

I started by doing my foundation as normal and powdered to set everything in place. I then used a light bronzer to create a soft contour and a little bit of blusher on the cheeks to create a fresh look. I did a strong brow for this look as well, I have pretty strong brows anyway but extended them slightly with a brown eyebrow powder and kept them quite precise and tidy looking.

For the eyes I started with a wash of a pale colour, I chose a matte white shadow and just blended it well into the whole lid. You don't want it to be too white just enough to make your eyes look bright. I then took a grey shade through the crease and made sure to blend it really well, just build it up to however intense you want it. I also used a little bit of black, Just on the outer part of the crease just to add a little more intensity, and used a little bit of the grey along the lower lash line, again for definition.

I chose to use a felt tip eyeliner in black to do my liner with but you can use a liquid, gel or pencil if you prefer, its really up to you. I normally start by doing the flick on both sides first so I can see roughly where its going to finish and then line the upper lash line and connect it all together. I then take plenty of mascara and apply it to the top and bottom lashes. I also felt this look look more complete with an extra set of lashes too. I'm not to sure which ones I used (I've lost the box that they came in oops!) but the long and quite fluttery and just give the look that extra special going out feel. You can skip the lashes though if you don't like them or want to where it as more of a day time look.

Finally for the lips I covered them with a little bit of concealer first just to create a blank canvas, I then used my lipstick with a lip brush first to make sure the edges where super clean and tidy, this look is all about being polished. I then went in with the lipstick itself to pack on the colour and make the red as bold as possible.

To finish the look a did my hair in a messy bun at back, and then all you need to do it put on your favourite party dress and a spritz of your best perfume!

Products I used are:
L'Oreal True Match Foundation in W2
Bourjois Java Powder
Seventeen Eyebrow Palette
Sleek i-Divine Palette in Ultra Matts V2
SEVENTEEN Make Your Mark Eyeliner Pen
Bourjois Twist Up the Volume Mascara
Yves Saint Laurent Terre Saharienne Bronzer
Nars Exhibit A Blush
Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in Hollywood Red

Let me know of any make up looks you'd like me to do and you can check out all my look book inspiration on my pinterest here.

Q is for... Quick Make Up

These are a few of the items I reach for when I'm in a rush and need to do my make up quick or for lazy days when I don't need a full face of make up on.

BB creams are great for when your in a rush as you can normal skip the mosituriser and just use a BB cream for mosituriser and foundation in one. Dr. Jart is one of my favourite brands for them and although they only come in the one shade I've never really had a problem with the shades. The water fuse one (here) is probably my favourite out of all of them as it gives you a nice glow to the skin and has enough coverage so as you don't need to be worrying to much about what your skin looks like.

For my eyes I would tend to use just a wash of colour. Gel eye liner pencils are great for this as you can messily draw along your lash line and then smudge it with your finger to create a bit of an effortless smokey eye, and they set so the don't smuge or crease everywhere. One of my favourites is the Rimmel Scandal eyes pencils (here), this Bronze shade is perfect as it goes with everything. I'd then apply a bit of mascara, you can use whichever one you like. I've gone with the Bourjois Twist Up the Volume (here) as I know its going to leave my lashes how I want them and doesn't take long to build up the volume and get my lashes how I like them.

On my cheeks I tend to use a bit of Bronzer, this Natural Collection (here) one is perfect for creating that sunkissed healthy look as it has a subtle gold shimmer. I just dust this over my cheek bones temples and a little bit over my fore head nose and chin. It doubles as a bit of a powder to set your make up as well so you don't need to worry about what products your using wear.

I then use a bit of lip gloss or balm just to brighten you up and make you look like you've made a bit more of an effort than you have! I personally like a bright lipgloss as the sheer out on the lips so they don't look too full on, but adds a little colour and brightens up your complexion, I have a Bourjois one on in the picture (here).

Obviously you can use what ever products you like and miss steps out or add them if you want. What are your favourite items for a quick make up look?

P is for... Parfumerie Nail Polish from Revlon

These nail polishes come in the cutest bottles and the fact there meant to be scented I was sold. Novelty items are always a winner and scented nail polish for grown ups? They had to be good. They also come in some really pretty shades too! I picked up China Flower which is a summery red and Autumn Spice which is a brown with mainly gold and red shimmer running through it. Both are so pretty in the bottle and equally lovely on the nails. 

China Flower is probably the most season appropriate colour and really brightens up any outfit, I've never really been one for red nails but I do love this colour as its much more wearable and less in your face than the bold statement red. This one has a faint floral scent once dry but nothing really special.

Autumn Spice on the other hand has quite a powerful scent and smells just how you'd expect autumn spice to smell. Its the colour that really made me buy this one as its really up my street, I'm always drawn to dark nail polishes and although I love my bright colours a nearly black shade is a safe option when you're not sure what to wear.

There all on 3 for 2 as well at the moment in Boots (here) so its perfect for trying a couple of new shades. I think they would also make a really lovely gift for any lady and would look perfect on any dressing table.

O is for... Origins

Origins do some amazing skin care products and one of my favourites is this Clear Improvements Charcoal mask (here). It's really good at clearing out pores and generally sorting out your skin when your having one of those weeks. It's a thick dark gray cream which you apply to clean dry skin and it drys to one of those masks where you can't move your face! You can apply it all over or just to the t-zone area what ever works best for you.

My skin definitely feels cleaner and looks clearer after I've used it, I don't tend to use face masks very often but this sorts my skin out when its misbehaving. I'd say this would be perfect of oily or combination skin, especially if you're blemish prone or have problems with acne. I think if you have dry skin though you might not get on with it so well as it can leave skin feeling tight and needing a good layer of moisturiser on to take away any tightness. Origins offer plenty of other treats for your skin if this one isn't suitable so there is something for everyone, and there products smell amazing so its worth going to a counter just to give them a sniff!

N is for... Nars Exhibit A Blush

Now this blush looks pretty scary and I know a lot of people steer away from bright coloured blushes like this, but it just looks so pretty on and when blended into the skin looks really natural and pretty. Nars Exhibit A Blush (here) is what I've been using on my cheeks most days. It looks really pretty on its on for that rosy glow and works beautifully with bronzer to give that sunkissed glow you get when you've been out in the sun all day.

The key with this is, is definitely use a little at a time and make your you really blend it in, you can really achieve that clown look if your not careful. I tend to lightly tap my brush in the powder once and that tends to be the perfect amount for each cheek. If you a bit heavy handed though using a dual fibre brush will help with this as they pick up a lot less colour than your average blush brush. Real techniques do a collection of three dual fibre brushes I'm sure your all aware of, these work perfectly.

What's your scariest looking make up item!?

M is for... Miracle Leave-In Product

This is the miracle leave-in product by It's a 10 (Here). It really has been a miracle product for me. I have recently dyed my hair blonde, I used to have dark purple hair which my hair was pretty normal. I'd wash it every other day and it didn't particularly need much extra conditioner or oils and serums. Since going blonde though although it's still in pretty good condition it is quite a lot dryer than it was especially on the ends. So I felt like a leave-in treatment sounded a good idea to keep it soft and manageable. 

I decided on a whim to pick up this product as being ten things in one it must be good. I just spray it into damp hair before I dry it and style it like normal. It claims to instantly: 

1. Repair dry and damaged hair

2. Add shine

3. Detangle

4. Control frizz

5. Seal and protect hair colour

6. Prevent split ends

7. Stop hair breakage

8. Create silkiness

9. Enhance natural body

10. Protect hair from heat

I would agree to most of these and does definitely make my hair much more manageable, and it's so easy to brush. It's makes my hair feel soft and silky and if I straighten it it does have a lovely shine. It's an added bonus having the heat protector in as it saves using another product on your hair. I prefer  to use the minimum amount of product as I can get away with in my hair to stop it from getting greasy quickly and I find it makes my hair much more manageable which is he most important thing for me. 

It's a slightly funny texture I thought it would be much more runny like a conventional leave in spray conditioner, but kind of has the texture of a normal conditioner although it is completely undetectable in the hair. Would definitely recommend if your in the market for a new leave in conditioner/heat protector.