Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint SPF 15 & My Liz Earle Experience

So I thought I would share with you my experience with Liz Earle and the delivery I got from them as well as the product I discovered and now love! 

I decided to order a new bottle of one of my favourite cleaners, Cleanse & Polish, as I was about to run out and Liz Earle were doing free delivery for a limited time only - and I'm a sucker for free delivery! 

I had previously ordered my Cleanse & Polish and Skin Tonic from QVC so I had no idea what the difference would be in ordering from Liz Earle's actual site. 

When I received the package I expected it to just be in a bog standard box with some bubble wrap maybe, but I was so pleasantly surprised when I opened the bag to find a clearly hand-wrapped package sealed with a Liz Earle sticker. The package was done so neatly I couldn't believe it! I love touches like that, as it shows that the company really cares.

Next, when I opened it up, there were plenty of goodies inside for me to get my hands on - as well as the cleanser being concealed in it's own Liz Earle cosmetic bag which I now use to carry skincare bits in!

As I ordered the starter kit, because it comes with more muslin cloths, I also received this instruction card talking you through how to use the cleanser properly - another nice touch.

The goodies I recieved: Samples of all shades of Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint SPF15, Instant Boost Skin Tonic 50ml and Liz Earle cosmetic bag. 

A little message hand signed by the person who beautifully packed and wrapped my order - how nice?!

A little 'how-to' guide on toning to go along with the Instant Boost Skin Tonic.

My mini sized Skin Tonic along with my big sized one that I already use. The 50ml bottle that was gifted to me is worth £5.25! So handy for me to take on holiday and travelling.

On the left is a very thick and beautifully printed catalogue of all Liz Earle's products which I had fun drooling over!

I just couldn't believe how much effort was put into my order and I was so grateful for the samples and the literature they sent along with it. I know it's not much, but little touches like this really say something about a company and how important their customers are to them. After using the sample of the Sheer Skin Tint in 03 Beach, I am now definitely going to buy the full size - samples are powerful! 

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I really loved using this tinted moisturiser, and was quite upset when I had used up my sample! It's such a lovely consistency, its not too thick and not too watery - it gives a great medium coverage. 

The thing I loved most about this tinted moisturiser was that it really hydrated me all day but didn't make me oily. I love that it's made by Liz Earle as you know there are some great skincare treats inside as well as makeup (Vitamin E, Avocado & Borage). 

The SPF meant that I didn't have to worry about adding one underneath and I'm happy knowing that my skin is being protected by a medium protection SPF. 

I applied this with my Real Techniques Buffing brush instead of fingers as the consistency is like a foundation. It gave my skin such a great dewy glow and with a bit of powder on top, I was good to go and it lasted quite well on my skin. It felt light, and like I wasn't wearing make-up but was enough to even out my skin tone and hide mild redness around my nose and mouth.

I love this for everyday as it's so quick and easy to apply and looks natural and like skin, I wouldn't choose this as my base for a night out simply because I like a bit more coverage and something I know will last all night.

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If you have quite clear skin and are looking for a light, easy base then I'd definitely try out the Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint, it comes in 4 shades and I'm shade 03 so I'm not sure how well deeper skin tones would find the 4th shade. 

You can pick this up from Liz Earle's website or visit John Lewis to find your correct shade match! The Skin Tint retails for £21.00.

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I hope you liked this post! Have you ordered anything from Liz Earle before?

London Fashion Week A/W13 - Make-up Trend: Deep Berry Lip

Me wearing Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain
 in Crush and Avon  Ultra Colour Rich Lipstick in Plum Seduction

So the other day when getting ready to see the girls, I was trying to pick a lip colour and thought I'd try out the lipstick I got from Avon but hadn't tried yet. It looks so dark in the tube, and I was in the mood for looking a bit vampy! I love this look and I've seen it being rocked by many models at London Fashion Week. It's such a great Autumn trend, so edgy and dark. Some are more red, others more purple, some are glossy and some are matte, mine was in between - just with a sheen not a shine. I teamed my lip with a khaki smokey eye, but I also love it when this look is played down with minimal eye make-up - it really makes the lip colour pop more. If you can get away with this shade on your skin tone then I would definitely invest! It's so unusual and I got quite a few compliments on it!

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Here are some snaps from LFW of models from different designers sporting a deep berry-coloured lip...

Gucci

Bottega Veneta

Rochas

Gucci

Photos from vogue.co.uk/beauty

Salasai Heartlands

Salasai Heartlands

Salasai Heartlands

Salasai Heartlands
Make-up artist: Amber D for M.A.C Cosmetics

Photos from www.thread.co.nz

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Get the look!

I created my berry lip by using these two products: Avon 
 Ultra Colour Rich Lipstick in Plum Seduction and Revlon
Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain in Crush 

Top: Revlon
Bottom: Avon

As you can see, the Revlon is much more purple and the Avon is much more red. Use the Revlon lip stain to outline your lips and get a smooth, neat line. This will make your lips look neat and defined, it's hard to create a neat looking lip with a dark colour as it stands out more. The lip pencil applicator helps to map out your shape so make your lips look flawless. Then fill in your lips with the Avon lipstick, blot, then apply more for a longer lasting effect! If you want a really glossy lip, add some of MAC's Clear Lip Glass and if you want a matte lip, blot and add some of MAC's Matte.

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Will you be sporting a berry lip this Autumn? :-)

Review: Hydraluron Serum by Indeed Labs

There's so much to say about this wonder product - if you suffer from dehydrated or dry skin (there is a difference) then this serum might just be for you! I would say people of all ages could use it to gain all different kinds of results. For me, this serum has drastically changed the smoothness, hydration and texture of my skin. For more mature skins this will help you to gain smooth and suppleness and if used from a younger age I think this could definitely help with battling wrinkles in the long term. It has been proven that moisture and hydration helps to keep skin looking younger and healthier!

So what's good about it? A lot - here's what I found to be good about it:

• Spreads easily
• Feels instantly plumping
• Increases your moisturisers ability to provide and sustain moisture
• Improved skin texture
• Improved oil control/production
• Make-up stays fresher for longer
• Improved skin overall
• Price point may seem steep but you could pay up to £100 or more for a 30ml serum - this one is only £25.00
• No fuss, good ingredients (Not full of crap!)
• Essential for all skins

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If you're thinking of purchasing Hydraluron, I wouldn't hesitate. It's brilliant. The fact that it enhances your moisturiser means you can get away with using less of your moisturiser as it provides below the surface hydration. 

Get running to Boots to pick up this little miracle in a tube or purchase it on their site here!

Beauty in a flash: 10 minute on-the-go make-up for busy gals!

Sometimes there just isn't enough time in the day to do a full face of make-up, may it be you've woken up late and are rushing out the door or you have to pop out suddenly in a hurry and want to make yourself look a bit fresher and more polished!

I've collated my favourite quick and easy tips on how to get as polished as possible within 10 minutes and put it into this blog post for you to try out yourself - I'd love to know how it works for you!

What you need:

• Hydrating moisturiser
• Hydrating eye cream
• Brow pencil
• Eyelash curlers
• Mascara
• Powder (Non-translucent)
• Big fluffy powder brush
• Your favourite blusher
• Hydrating lip balm

1. Apply a hydrating moisturiser to prep your skin, you want to look plumped, healthy and glowing. The way to lovely looking skin is all about being hydrated. Follow this with a hydrating but not heavy eye cream. Tip: For maximum hydration, look for products containing Hyaluronic Acid. I used Clarins HydraQuench Lotion with SPF15 and Emu Oil Well Moisturising Eye Cream - both contain Hyaluronic Acid. Make sure your moisturiser always contains a SPF - it's so important.

2.  Make sure your brows are neat and tidy. A polished look can be ruined by bushy or unkempt brows. Pluck any strays and wrestle them into a neat shape with your fingers (or a spoolie if you wish). Lightly feather in some colour and shape using an eyebrow pencil slightly lighter than your brows (you don't want scouse brows!) Use your fingers to brush through them afterwards to make sure the colour is all even and natural looking. Brows are so important as they shape the face, don't spend long just make them look shapely and natural. I used Mac's Brow Pencil in Lingering. (It's so good that I urge you to go out and buy one NOW).

3. Curl your eyelashes from root to tip for a dramatic wide awake look. Long, curled eyelashes will transform your face and make you look wide awake. I used Shu Uemura eyelash curlers. Follow with lashings of mascara, 2 coats on top lashes and 1 coat on bottom lashes. I used my all time favourite Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara.

4. Next, you want a face powder full of colour - not transparent. Use a big fluffy powder brush to sweep into your powder and dust lightly all over your face. Not too much powder though - this step is just to even out your skin tone without the use of a proper foundation or concealer. To conceal darker areas like under the eyes, concentrate on those areas slightly more but with a light hand to keep it looking natural. For this I used my Real Techniques powder brush and Mac Studio Fix Powder. This powder is great when used for a light dusting as it's very pigmented and evens everything out in one thin coat to save you looking dry and cakey.

5. After powdering, use your favourite blush to inject some colour and life into your cheeks. You've evened out your skin tone to a nice, flat colour, but without adding a blush or bronzer, your face can lack life and look a bit dull, not to mention lacking shape and contour.  Use your fingertips to grab some blush and carefully apply it along your cheekbone by dabbing and blending. A powder or cream blush is fine. By applying it to your cheekbones, it's doubling up as a blush/contour - this will give your face a bit of dimension and slim down your face. 

6. If you find the blush isn't as even as you'd like, take your fluffy powder brush again, pinch the bristles between 3 fingers so the bristles becomes thinner and more dense. The brush is now the perfect shape to run along your cheekbones. Use this in a slanted back-and-forth action while sucking your cheeks in to buff the blush out into a smooth wash of colour. I used Laura Mercier Second Skin Blush in Peach Whisper.

7. Lastly, pick your most hydrating and shiny lip balm to smooth any chapped, flaky skin and add shine. I used Blistex MedPlus for lips.

Extras: If you have any extra time or products, add a cream highligher to brow bone and top of cheekbones for a glow, I'd use Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow in Rose Gold. Use a light-reflective concealer in a correcting shade (salmon or peach) for dark areas under the eyes if you need a little extra help with darkness, I'd use Clinique Airbrush Concealer in 02 Medium. Lastly, over the top of the lip balm I'd apply a juicy neutral coloured lipgloss like Mac's Cremesheen Glass in Richer, Lusher for fuller, juicier lips.

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So those are my top tips for getting polished, fast. Let me know what you think!

Apologies for my absence.....LOTS more coming soon!! Promise :-)

Mallzee - Making Shopping Social - Exclusive NEW Shopping Site Launching Later This Year

Just wanted to fill you guys in about a new and exciting website launching before the end of the year.....Mallzee!

It's all about creating a new experience for online shopping, and is following in the footsteps of many personalised shopping platforms that have recently launched, promoting the idea of a "personalised" shopping experience. A bit like 'Shoe Mint' if you've ever visited.

 Users create their own personalized shopping mall (Mallzee) by picking their favourite brands and stores. Mallzee then finds products matching your personal style and showcases them in your own unique Mallzee! - convenient, no?

For people that find the world of online shopping daunting or don't know where to start (because it's a big old world out there on the internet!) this is a great idea for really getting that personalised, tailored experience that is really you. I find the idea so helpful, just like having a personal shopper but in your slippers and pyjamas! I often find myself scrolling through pages of clothes I don't care for, so having my own personal style laid out for me in one place sounds perfect.

They've even added a new social aspect which I think is really interesting and could help to shape internet shopping in the future. Users of Mallzee can invite their friends to ‘visit’ their Mallzee through the use of Facebook chat.  Friends can then discuss product choices and key items they think their friends will love and purchase from the mall themselves with great discounts negotiated by Mallzee.

Another unique feature is that if your still unable to decided on a purchase, you can also create polls to ask your friends opinions before you buy - this sounds really clever to me, sometimes it takes a second opinion right?  An added bonus to inviting friends to your Mallzee is that as the ‘owner’ you earn money every time anyone buys from your Mallzee! So you get paid when you or your friends shop!

Sounds too good to be true doesn't it? I can't wait until the site launches to see all the new shopping features in action.

What is really promising is the brands that Mallzee have lined up to feature on the site, they currently have over 200 brands signed up to Mallzee (Urban Outfitters, New Look, Feel Unique and St. Tropez to name a few).  

Mallzee launches later this year and you can register now for a launch invite at Mallzee.com - also, if you spread the word on Facebook or Twitter, they will enter you into a prize for £100/$155 of shopping vouchers and some other goodies.

This sounds like a really fun, unique and helpful way to shop. I am looking forward to all the things Mallzee have to offer! Remember to claim your launch invite so your in for a chance of winning the goodies!

What the Mallzee site will look like

You can follow Mallzee on Twitter @MallzeeHQ :-)

Let me know what you think!

Mini MUA (Make-Up Academy) Haul - Heaven & Earth Palette & Lipsticks

I posted this picture to Instagram a few evenings ago showing a few bits I picked up from make-up brand MUA. Make-Up Academy is a drugstore make-up brand here in the UK and you can purchase their products in Superdrug.

I decided to pick up the 'Heaven and Earth' palette as I've heard good things about it and it's also comparable to the Naked palettes by Urban Decay with it's neutral and natural colours. I picked up two lipsticks also in Shade 16 - Nectar and Shade 4.  At £6 all in for a palette and two lipsticks I couldn't see a reason not to give these bits a try.

I have a few eyeshadows from MUA already and was impressed with the quality for the price of £1.

This Heaven and Earth palette is of the same great quality in my opinion - the packaging is nice, not the best and quite tricky to open but still nice for a cheaper brand. 

This palette has a great selection of colours from the light champagne colours, to deep red-toned browns.

My only criticism of the formula is that it does cause quite bad fall-out on application, but if applied with a tissue underneath the eye, you can avoid most of this glitter! I would have liked to see some matte shades in this palette, but for the price I think it's great!

(Swatches are from left to right in the palette)

My favourite two shades is are the end two - beautiful mink browns!

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MUA Lipsticks - (Left to right) Shade 16 - Nectar & Shade 4

Shade 16 - Nectar

Nectar looks shocking in the tube but is a lovely peach sheen on the lips. This is such a wearable shade and is so comparable to my new favourite lip gloss - Mac's Cremesheen Glass in Richer, Lusher.

Swatch with flash - Shade 16

Both of the lipsticks are extremely sheer and almost like a lip balm or Revlon lip butter. You can build up the colour however, and I really like the glossy finish as it makes the lips look bigger!

Shade 4

Shade 4 is a bubblegum pink and also has a sheen like Shade 16. I really love this shade on the lips. It's such a natural 'slap-on-and-go' colour, I think it could definitely suit most skin tones!

Swatches with flash - Shade 4 (top) and  Shade 16 (bottom)

Heres a few snaps of me wearing a few shades from the 'Heaven and Earth' palette and Shade 16 - Nectar on my lips! 

Close ups of eye make-up

Ignore the flake of orange on the right hand side of my upper lip - haha!
Close-up of me wearing Shade 16 - Nectar

I Instagrammed this pic of me wearing Shade 4 - the shade is
slightly over exaggerated because of the filter, but it is such a
lovely lipstick!

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So there you have it! A few make-up bargains that are great quality for the price. You can purchase all MUA products from Superdrug - the 'Heaven and Earth' palette retails at £4.00 and the Lipsticks are £1.00 each - £1.00!!!!! If you are new to make-up and want to dabble here and there, I really recommend buying some MUA products to play around with and try!

Hope you enjoyed :-)