ACNE CLEAR SKIN TRICK: LEMON SUGAR FACIAL SCRUB

I just found out about a facial scrub for your skin which requires only 2 ingredients that you probably have in your house anyway or can get super cheap :)

I'm going to test this out daily and update on the progress, maybe do before & after if I'm brave enough lol

This scrub requires two ingredients:
- Lemon
- Sugar
or lemon juice which may be more convenient to use if you can find it 100% pure

                           

The trick is:
1. Rinse your face
2. Grab a cotton pad and squeeze lemon juice onto it
3. Sprinkle some sugar over the area where you squeezed the lemon juice
4. Begin to scrub your face in circular motions focusing on the T-Zone and acne affected areas
5. Rinse your face and pat dry

If you'd like to know WHY this scrub is beneficial for the skin, read on :)

The reason this srub is supposed to be good for you is the sugar is a natural, raw ingredient that has the right texture to exfoliate the skin and remove dead skin cells.
Lemons are full of AHA's (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHA's (beta hydroxy acids - otherwise known as Salicylic Acid) which are two KEY ingredients to look for in skincare products, and are often used in chemical peels.

What AHA's and BHA's actually do:
- Improve skin pigmentation
- Reduce sun spots, age spots, freckles, etc.
- Decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- Allows sunscreen to last longer and protect your skin from Sun damage
- Great for dry skin to remove all the nasty, flaky areas and reveal a much smoother layer of skin
- Can get INSIDE clogged pores and plug out all of the dirt and suck out clogged pores

ALL IN ONE LEMON? So lemons promise a lot of good stuff which may sound too good to be true, but why not give it a go?

I will do this scrub every night as when you're asleep your skin takes this oppurtunity to heal, so I thought doing this every night may help maximise results.

In the morning I did actually notice a difference. None of my spots went down however my pores were visibly smaller and I noticed less blackheads, there was also no redness surrounding any spots and my skin was a lot brighter and clearer, with exception to areas with spots.

This seems really promising as just one application and letting that work on my skin overnight did make a visible difference so I'm excited to see its potential with continual use :)
I'd really recommend giving it a try, as these are raw natural ingredients I feel like it is a lot safer compared to an actual product with many unknown chemicals in.

WHAT I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS 2013!

Thought I'd share what I got for Christmas as I'm really excited about a certain something I got and I really couldn't think of anything else to post lol I'm going to also do a Christmas haul but I'm waiting for a few things to arrive... Shit takes so long to ship around this time of year smh...

Take a look if you're interested! (that's what she said? no? ok..)

I got a friggin' Michael Kors watch! So beautiful omg I actually teared up a little haha
When I opened the box I'm pretty sure angels started singing

I got the Michael Kors Blair Multi-Function Glitz watch in Rose Golden omg I could stare at it forever <3

I don't care if you think I'm bragging, lets face it I am.. when you finally own something you've wanted forever you want to tell everyone lol

I also got these amazing boots from my sister, ended up wearing them NYE with a pleather skater dress + leopard print kimono, both from missguided.co.uk I love that site omg

I have to show you these Darth Vader slippers I got because I also got a Stormtrooper onesie so they match and look great together - I've never looked and felt so fucking awesome

Here are a bunch of things I got in my Christmas stocking.. I feel sorry for those who do not get one of these for Christmas :( 

my cat Marley decided to photobomb the pic, all the objects on my bed literally made him go hyperactive

So I got a bunch of Batiste dry shampoo cans but my Mum clearly failed to notice that she bought me a can of brown tinted dry shampoo when I'm blonde? My only theory is she did it so I'd have to give it back to her lol.. 

I tried out the Batiste blonde tinted dry shampoo and it comes out literally yellow because you know.. us blondes all dream to look like we've dipped our hair in custard

My Secret Santa got me the Barry M nail paint in Raspberry, and Max Factor lipstick in Ruby Tuesday both great colours for Christmassss :)

Also a few skincare things which I'm very anxious to try out because I have hypersensitive skin caused from stress and literally a spec of dust will cause my skin to break out in a really weird rash - TMI I'll stop there

but I'm thinking of doing a post on recommended skincare products for those with hypersensitive skin or who get allergic reactions from various products..

I literally have no idea why my Mum bought me these because I gave her a list of products that I don't react to yet clearly intends for me to have awful hair and skin. Worst mum ever!!!!! lolkidding.

So that is pretty much all of it I love reading posts like this so I hope you enjoyed mine c:

Hayley xo

oooh extras here are some festive photos

       

 And last but not least.. Hope you had a great Christmas and Happy 2014 from Mastercheif himself! *confetti flies*

BEAUTY BATTLE: E.L.F. ESSENTIAL VS. MINERAL LIPSTICKS & SWATCHES!

My blog has nearly 400 views lol I'm really excited about that I know I'm lame \o/

If you're looking into ELF lipsticks and you're unsure about whether to go for the £5 mineral or the dirt cheap £1.50 Essential lipsticks then thank God you have me to help you out

I have 4 of the Essential lipsticks and 3 of the mineral, and they're basically EXACTLY THE SAME

In my opinion the Mineral lipsticks offer more variety of shades that you won't find in the Essential line, for example 'Natural Nymph' in the Mineral line is a straight up nude but essential does not offer this, Essentials mainly stick to a range of pinks and reds.

When I received one of the Essential lipsticks the bullet was actually broken off, but didn't bother me for £1.50. I prefer the packaging of Mineral lipsticks, very similar appearance to Nars lipsticks, they like to take notes off of Nars quite a lot haha but lets face Nars is like the Regina George of make up.

 Above: E.L.F Essential Lipsticks

ABOVE: ESSENTIAL LIPSTICK SWATCHES TAKEN WITH FLASH ON

ABOVE: ESSENTIAL LIPSTICKS WITH FLASH OFF.

From left to right: Classy, Seductive, Sociable and Gypsy.

Sociable in real life is more red toned and is extremely sparkly (you can see the glitter in the non-flash image) it feels quite gritty and is very drying, I wouldn't recommend this shade.

Classy and Gypsy are my two favourites, both have an amazing texture, if not better than Mineral, and are long lasting. Gypsy especially lasts for a very long time which you wouldn't expect as it's a dark pink/berry shade. I wore this to Wireless festival which included a lot of drinking and I think I touched up like once lol I highly recommend this one.

ABOVE: E.L.F MINERAL LIPSTICKS

 ABOVE: E.L.F MINERAL LIPSTICKS WITH FLASH ON

ABOVE: E.L.F MINERAL LIPSTICKS WITH FLASH OFF

From left to right: Natural Nymph, Runway Pink, Nicely Nude.

Natural nymph I really like but will require a base as it really sinks into the fine lines of your lips, I use E.L.F Plump and Prime

What confused me when I bought Runway Pink and Nicely Nude was that Nicely Nude, as you can see, is WAY more pink than Runway Pink lol like what? 

 You can probably tell in the images that Mineral appears to apply more smoothly and consistantly, but when actually applying on lips I've never noticed a difference.

Overall, if you're very concerned with packaging I recommend Mineral lipsticks, if however you're looking for extremely cheap lipsticks that won't disappoint the Essential lipsticks are brilliant.

RANT & SALVATION: THE TRICK TO APPLYING NYX SOFT MATTE LIP CREAMS

If anyone else is having a hard ass time with the Nyx Soft Matte Lip Creams then read on...

I got the Nyx Soft Matte lip cream in Buenos Aires because I saw Shaaanxo wear it and she looked like a goddess so I had to get it too obvi.. So I got it and used it and then I cried and angels cried. Because its SHIT.
I don't know I guess Shan has like amazing lips that exude its own moisture but this left my lips as dry as a hooker at church, literally first application it didn't even sit right on my lips, like left a line of colour then wouldn't apply any product on MY ACTUAL LIPS like hello what the fuck is your purpose?
So long story short it left my lips so dry and flakey, looked proper skanky and the more you applied the worse it looked.

THEN ONE DAY I UNLOCKED THE MAGICAL SECRET

I didn't want to give up because I'm obsessed with the colour so what I did was put a lipgloss on first, I used a really cheap colourtrend one that cost literally 99p but its really good so.. then I put the matte lip cream ON TOP AND IT WORKS.
Like it needs a really sticky base to work on, which is weird because it's a 'cream' so its supposed to be more moisturising but that's bullshit
It has like a velvet / kind of matte finish which is going to happen because of the lip gloss underneath but it gradually becomes more matte and it will last several hours.. I still wouldn't wear this if I'm going to have a long day.. and when you reapply still use the lipgloss underneath

Or you could just go find a new matte product of a similar colour which would be way easier but I didn't want to waste my money and throw it away haha..

Hope this helped a bunch!
Hayley x

REVIEW & SWATCHES: MAYBELLINE BABY LIPS MOISTURISING LIP BALM!

Here are my thoughts on the Maybelline Baby Lips tinted lip balms and a few swatches.. It probably seems very late to be reviewing these products but they've not long been launched in the UK haha
I have the three shades available in the UK, but I really wish I could try the Dr. Rescue and Electro line *sad face* So please take note that I'm only reviewing the original Baby Lips line and in 3 shades, so my opinions don't count for the whole range :)

So I was impressed by the size, you probably get the same amount as a normal lipstick which I like, I can tell these will last a while. I think they're very inexpensive I believe I got all 3 for £2.99 in Boots :D The three shades available in UK are Peach Kiss, Pink Punch and Cherry Me, but you can probably find more shades on the internet. I don't know why Grape Vine hasn't been launched here!? Firstly, they have a very glossy texture and finish which I personally like, it's definitely not sticky either and is very smooth to apply. They do not last as long on the lips as a lip balm by, for example, Vaseline or Nivea but they're easy to carry around and its quick and easy to reapply.

Cherry Me - I was surprised with the pigmentation of this one, I like that it is very natural so if you're having a lazy make up day you can still wear this. I find that as a lip balm it doesn't moisturise my lips as long as the other two do, but it still lasts about 1-2 hours but with eating I would say 1/2 hour to and hour until the lip balm texture completely gone. On the other hand I feel the red tint does stain my lips slightly so even when the texture has gone the colour remains.

Pink Punch - this shade I've discovered is very buildable so you could make it very pigmented and will look as if you're wearing a pink gloss. I find this one lasts longer on my lips - I don't know why lol - this again stains my lips like Cherry Me.

Peach Kiss - *prepare for slight rant* I was disappointed yet I expected this as it is a lip balm - there is next to no tint, I can't say its peachy but if you look VERY close you can see a nude tint. I wish this was more peachy like the packaging suggests however it does come out how the actual lip bullet suggests. It's just not peachy lol they should have called it Nude Kiss or something.
Another thing I personally dislike however some may like this - its very shimmery, there's a lot of sparkles in this however it still has a great texture like the others. I would not get this if you're looking for an actual peachy tint - if you're interested in these for the moisturising side of it then I would suggest the Peppermint, Quenched or Dr. Rescue lip balms instead of this shade.

SWATCHES:

Overall I think they're great for if you're in a rush or want very natural make up as they have enough tint to make you look much more awake and less washed out. When I've been in a rush and forgotten to add lipstick I've just quickly grabbed one of these to add a little something to my make up.

REVIEW & SWATCHES: AVON COLORTREND KISS N GO LIPSTICKS

So I have a small collection of the Avon Colortrend Kiss n Go lipsticks, which will probably grow because they're amazing lipsticks. Each swatch I provide is one coat of the lipstick, true story. In my opinion they're extremely good quality, opaque, smooth, moisturing and they're only £3.75, and Avon often have deals on these lipsticks I think they're currently £1.90? Don't quote me on that but anyway they're cheaper than your mum and they're amazingggggg...

I have the lipsticks in Deluxe, Rich Ruby, Passion, Doll Pink and Violet Friday. With the price I dont really care about the packaging lol but since I'm reviewing, it's certainly professional, I like that they have a transparant acrylic section so that you can see the real colour of the lipstick rather than some ratchet mock-up sticker on the bottom of the tube. Also I've had these for a while, taken them on my travels and what-not and none of the bullets have broken, nothing has cracked or smashed. Elf take note.

From left to right: Deluxe, Rich Ruby, Passion, Doll Pink, Violet Friday.

From one swipe of each lipstick: Deluxe, Rich Ruby, Passion, Doll Pink, Violet Friday.

I love that Deluxe is so pigmented its not often you find a dark lipstick on the cheaper side that is truly opaque. Rich Ruby is your staple red lip, it looks brighter in the above image than on the lips, it's certainly wearable. Passion is my favourite out of the bunch its a medium pink with a coral undertone its so pretty :) Doll Pink is another staple bright pink but in my opinion still very wearable, Violet Friday looks scary but when applied is sheer so you can build up the intensity which I like, you could easily turn this from day to night.
I tested out Passion when I went out for a meal, and it lasted through the whole meal, of course its not made of magic so it wasn't as vibrant as when first applied but I could also get away without touching up.
I don't understand why Avon do other lines of lipsticks such as Long Lasting, Colour Riche, etc. and more expensive at like £8 when these lipsticks shit all over the others and are way cheaper, I question the logic lol idk but thanks for reading hope this was helpful x

REVIEW: SLEEK i-DIVINE PALETTE - OH SO SPECIAL

FINALLY I got myself a Sleek Palette, I saw A LOT of people raving about these palettes so I just had to get one for myself.
The colours in the 'Oh So Special' palette really caught my eye - that obviously had nothing to do with the shimmery pinks and rose gold tones haha
But seriously the colours are so pretty in this palette, the colours are very feminine and range from soft pinks, to deep plums which I love. You can really create a load of different looks with these colours. 

First of all the packaging is great in my opinion I like the matte vs. glossy text its very simple and chic.

The palette comes with an acetone sheet with the names of all the shades. I would have preferred if thehad imprinted the names of the shades underneath the shadow itself because having a loose sheet can be a pain to remember to keep with the palette - but this is a niggly complaint and I'm not all that bothered really considering the cost (it cost me £7.99 for 12 shades, you can't go wrong!)

Also considering the price I think the eyeshadows are so pigmented and the shades are beautiful! 
From left to right we have the shades: Bow, Pamper, Ribbon, Organza, Gateau & Gift Basket.
You can't even see Bow haha, its a pale nude shade & is probably the least pigmented out of the bunch, it certainly isn't my favourite in comparision to how gorgeous the shades Organza, Gateau and Gift Basket are, JUST LOOK AT THEM they're so pretty! 

From left to right we have the shades: Glitz, Noir, Boxed, Wrapped Up, Celebrate & The Mail.
These shades are extremely rich and pigmented, great for Autumn/Winter & night time looks. I love that Sleek seem to have created a shimmery version of each matte shade, i.e Noir > Glitz, Wrapped Up > Celebrate, etc. 
My least favourite out of this bunch is The Mail only because I feel its too warm for my pale skin but that is certainly no fault of sleeks, I could probably make it work somehow. I love the pigmentation of the black shades Noir and Glitz, Glitz is slightly more gunmental which I love as it makes the shimmer stand out more, I think its tough to find a really great black shade that is a 'true' black and this is it :)
I'm also dying over celebrate its just a perfect shimmery plum I JUST LOVE IT OKAY

Overall I'm extremely please with my purchase, the shades are very pigmented and have great creamy textures that are long wearing, it's really worth checking out!

Hayley x

Also in the spirit of loving cats I will show a cute piccy of my cat Rolo taking a nap, she was 2 last month *aww*
we named her Rolo because of she looks just like the chocolate :)