Confessions Of A Beauty Blogger Tag

It's been a while since I last did a tag post but I was tagged by Claire at xclaireabella and I am just a little bit too excited by this (Also, thanks Claire for what you wrote about my blog, it means an awful lot to me that you think that about my blog). So without much further ado, here are my answers to the 'Confessions of a Beauty Blogger' tag.

1. How many hours a week do you spend planning/writing/uploading posts?

I am really bad for this, I wish I was more organised and had scheduled posts lined up and always kept on top of my writing but to be honest, that's just not me. I am a bit too slapdash with my posts and everything is very 'off the cuff'. When I started I had my journal and I planned my posts but slowly I felt like it wasn't personal enough, then I started to write without out thinking ahead, like I do now, where all I know is the product and if I like it or not, I do this because I wan't it to feel like a conversation between you and I. It's certainly a lot easier for me. Asides from that I do like to proofread my posts before uploading and even then I will end up missing something. 

2. Are you a spender or a saver?

Hand on heart, spender. I should be more careful with my money but I really never feel the need to unless I know I've got something big coming up, like a holiday. I never see the point in having money if you're not going to enjoy it, which is possibly why I find myself struggling to get by until my next payday with little or no money in my bank account. 

3. When is easiest to write your posts?

Early afternoon by far, I've been awake for a while, had a few coffees and something to eat and I just feel like, at that point, I can get on with the rest of my day. I do try my best to write frequently but given I do shift work I find it difficult to keep up with. If only I could earn money from home and not have a job to go to then you would be seeing regular posts from me. Alas, that will have to remain a dream for now. 

4. What makes writing posts comfortable for you?

There is nothing better for me than to be sat in my living room with a cup of coffee and trash TV on in the background. I would usually be lounging around like this anyway so I like to make to most of my time and actually get some work done. 

(Channelling Lorde)

5. What's your worst makeup/hair habit?

I'll split this into two because I have a few bad habits.

Hair - My worst habit is constantly having my hair tied up. Unfortunately this comes with the job that I do, I'm not allowed to have my hair down because of working with food. My hair seems to not like it if it's tied up too much and the ends break off and my hair just gets generally knotty because of this. If I was a bit less lazy then I would take my hair out of it's bobble and give a brush through every so often and also a deep condition but like I said, I'm lazy.

Makeup - I will admit that I have gotten better with this but my worst habit by far is my cleansing routine. It was non-existent up until a few weeks ago but not I have actually gotten into the routine of cleansing, exfoliating, toning and moisturising, go me!

6. What's one quote you wish the world would live by?

'It won't be easy, but it'll be worth it' 

I think it reminds us all that nothing in life ever comes easy, especially the things you want the most. You don't (unless you are extremely lucky) get everything you want just handed to you, some things you have to fight for but it will taste so sweet knowing how much effort you put in.

7. How long do you spend getting ready every day?

Oh dear, I'm a little ashamed of this one. If I have an early start at work I will spend about 30 mins to an hour getting ready but if I have a late start then I can take hours! It takes a lifetime to dry my hair so I tend to let it sit in a towel to soak up most of the moisture, then I go through my skincare routine which doesn't take too long but where the most time goes is into my makeup. I can spend about 2 hours doing my own makeup, which sounds crazy but I just drift off into a trance sometimes and just create whatever comes to mind. Then it only takes me 2 mins to put on some clothes and do my hair. 

(Channelling Lorde part deux)

8.  What are your favourite posts on your blog?

A while ago, long time readers will know, I posted a series of product comparison reviews called Beauty Smackdown whic I loved doing. The premise behind these were I would take 2 similar products (can be any combination of drugstore or high end) and I'd compare the two of them based on several categories which were specific to those products. I really want to get back into these especially because I have bigger and better ideas for them.

9. Who is a beauty blogger you think deserves more subscribers than they have?

I am so very flattered that Claire(xclairebella) mentioned me for this question. I honestly believe that Claire's blog needs more recognition. She has a fantastic fashion sense and her photos are beyond beautiful. She is such a nice person and was super friendly when we met at a blogging event last year. You defintely need to look at her blog if you haven't already seen it.

10. What's one thing you're excited about in this coming year?

Oh there are so many things but I'm really not sure. I've been discussing a lot of options this year with my boyfriend, Daniel, and we haven't decided on whether we are going to move out or go on holiday yet but either way, the most exciting thing will be one of those. 

11. What's your favourite blogging moment?

Hitting 400 followers has been a pretty big moment for me and I was super excited about that but I think one of the most exciting moments was when I held my first ever giveaway. I never thought that I would be able to get to the point where I could do that but the responses are amazing. P.S I will be holding another when I get to 500 followers.

12. How long does it take to prep a post?

On a good day I can get one done in about 2 hours. Some days I'm a bit lazy and It takes me a while to figure everything out, but I try haha!

(Obsessed with OITNB, my take on Morello)

13. Are you wearing jeans/skirt right now or are you wearing pyjama bottoms?

Well I'm writing at 12:47am so it'd comfy Batman pyjama bottoms for me.

14. What are you most proud of in your life? 

Travelling half way across the world with my boyfriend and not getting lost once haha. I feel like I am slowly becoming a fully functioning adult and I'm proud at the fact that I'm not dependant on my parents and I can quite happily manage with it just being me and him. Now all I need is my own place and a serious job.

So those were all the questions for this tag, I really hope you enjoyed my answers and I would like to tag Catherine (bigbookssmallgirl) and I generally tag all my readers to give this one a go, I would love to read your posts so link them in the comments :)

Speak soon

Roo xx

Revlon Photoready Airbrush Effect Foundation Review

Hello All! 

So today's review is going to be on something I don't do try/use all that often - drugstore foundation. I have been a firm believer that for pale skin gals like myself it is impossible to find a foundation at the drugstore which is light enough but also has the right undertone. I have been thinking lately that maybe I just haven't given them a fair chance and that they might be worth my while. Anyway, here is the first of possibly a long series of drugstore foundation testing.   

Today I am talking all about the Revlon Photoready Airbrush Effect Foundation. I have been wanting to try a Revlon foundation for a while give that I have heard some really good things about them. I really like the packaging on this, it feels really sturdy and also has a really nice pump for more hygienic storage. 

So here's the swatch on my wrist and as suspected this is completely the wrong tone for my skin. The downside of this foundation is that they don't carry a range of tones as well as shades so it isn't widely suitable. It does have a reasonable thickness and also has between a medium to a high coverage which is great if that's what you want the most out of your foundation. 

So the application was quite nice and covered everything I wanted whilst still being fairly lightweight. The one thing that you can't tell in this photo (but you will see in the next) is how glittery this foundation is. It's not even small subtle shimmers it is full on glitter which makes this, in my opinion, totally unsuitable for photography.

See! So much glitter and I felt really self-concious of this whilst wearing it. I actually felt like a disco ball which is not something I strive for in my everyday make up. I do feel that this might be more suited to evening events or even bridal make up where the photography will not necessarily be up close. 

I did initially buy these for my kit but because of this I probably wont use them for shoots but for the aforementioned instead. It is a shame because to be honest the only thing that actually lets this foundation down is the huge amount of glitter, take that away and I think there is a really nice product beneath.

Have you tried this foundation? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Speak soon

Roo xx

January 2015 Favourites

Yes it's that time of the month again, time for my monthly favourites. I was excited to share these favourites because it feels like I actually have something to share at last after not being able to buy anything because of Christmas.

There have been so many products to be excited by this month and many that I still need to try. Though some of these products aren't that new I feel that they are still worth mentioning.

HOURGLASS AMBIENT LIGHTING BLUSH PALETTE

I am slowly but surely becoming a bit of an Hourglass aficionado. Their palettes have stolen my heart and when I saw the release of the blush version I literally squealed with joy over it. What I mainly love about the lush is that they are just so flattering, they never look chalky and they are also so easy to apply - The application is pretty hard to mess up. You get 3 shades in this palette: Luminous Flush, Incandescent Electra and Mood Exposure which have all been marbled with Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. I particularly love the concept behind these blushes because instead of just adding colour it also adds dimension to the face. They are fairly pricey but in my opinion are totally worth it.

LANCOME DREAM TONE 1

I've had this for a fair while and whilst I was using this I never felt like I was getting the true benefits out of it. I started using this again recently and I absolutely. My issue was that I was using this as a moisturiser and not as a serum like I think it probably should be used. Because I am now applying a moisturiser on top I feel like my skin is starting to improve. It is supposed to help improve the tone of your skin and even out the colour. Whilst I do love this I probably won't repurchase because it is very expensive at £70.


MAYBELLINE COLOUR ELIXIR
I picked this up back in August when I was in New York and since then I have bought another when they were released in the UK. This was a relatively new concept as this lip product has the gloss of a lipgloss, the colour of a lip stick and the moisture of a lip balm. I am a little hitty miss with lipgloss but this is really nice and smooth and so comfortable on the lips. They are also super inexpensive which is a big bonus. There are several high end versions but I really recommend trying these out first because they are really nice to use.


MAKE UP FOREVER HD SETTING POWDER
This came as a point perk from Sephora and given this was something that I had wanted to try then I was really happy to be able to get my hands on it. I have seen a few issues around HD powders, especially with flash photography but I feel that if you apply it and blend it out then you should have any issues. I love how finely milled this product is and also how smooth it feels. Generally I like to use this as an under eye setting powder and it does an amazing job as it prevents my concealer and under eye brightener creasing. I will be buying a full size of this when I run out of my little sample.


EMBRYOLISSE LAIT-CREME CONCENTRE
Cult product alert! This took me off guard when I was in boots a few weeks ago as they had a 'Beauty Finds' display right at the front of the shop. I grabbed it straight away because there were only a couple left and I thought that now is a better time than any to give it a go. I really wanted to see what the fuss was about and I am so in love with this, it's a very rich moisturiser which helps with my dry skin. I have heard that this works well as a primer and I have been testing that out and I do feel like it actually does work that way. It was more pricey then I was hoping for (maybe because it's the gold edition) but I will definitely repurchase this when I run out, which will probably take a very long time because this goes so far!



So those were my favourites of the month, have you tried any of these? Also what have your favourites been, link your posts below :)

Speak soon
Roo xx

#ROLLERLASH Benefit's Latest Mascara Offering

It'll come as no surprise if you have already heard of Benefit's new mascara Rollerlash. Safe to say I was a little bit excited (ok, very excited!) when I heard about it and also that ELLE Magazine would giving it away with their March issue.

The entire idea behind this mascara is amazing. I know, I know, mascaras that claim to hold a curl are nothing new but as far as I have gathered from this it is supposed to be able to curl your lashes for you without use of a curler. I do love the way that this has been presented with it's very 60s salon vibe and the use of hair curlers to emphasize the whole curling aspect.  

(excuse the unruly brows)

For someone with super short and blonde eyelashes then a curling mascara would really come in handy, especially if it means cutting out a step in my routine. Now given that I have had a mixed relationship with Benefit then I am super pleased so say that I actually like this mascara. I think I could still use a curler with this but the formula is really nice and doesn't clump. The wand is plastic but the bristles aren't hard and uncomfortable. I did also find it easy to apply a second coat and it was also easy to remove. 

So Benefit, you get my thumbs up on this one and I will look forward to buying a full size in the near future.

Have you tried this mascara yet? What do you think?

Speak soon

Roo xx

Casmara Algae Peel Off Mask Review

I'm not usually one for buying a product without doing my research first but this one took me totally by surprise. I entered Boots and my eyes were immediately drawn to a display which had some of their 'Beauty Finds' on being the coveted Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre, but I will talk about that in another post. Next to that was a little display for the Casmara masks which I have never seen before but I always get drawn in by face masks so this was bound to end up in my basket.

I decided to get both the purifying and the hydra mask because those are the issues I suffer with most. I was so intrigued by these because they are peel off (which is always fun) and mainly because of the huge cannister packaging, usually face masks are that big.

So, what's inside of this thing? Well there is quite a lot of product actually in this which is great. There is a purifying serum to apply before and after the mask, sachet 1 which is a powder, sachet 2 which is an extremely thick gel, a spatula, a mixing cup and of course the instructions. As this was my first time using this product I thought it might be best to follow the instructions to a tee.  

So after mixing both sachets this is what you end up with. It is a very good thing that I read the instructions as they told me to mix it within 40 seconds and apply within 5 minutes of mixing because this stuff sets so fast! 

Here I am looking super attractive with my mask on. I can't say that I liked the application of this, It felt like it was a lot of effort and a bit of a faff. Once it's on you do feel a minty tingle much like the Mask of Magnaminty from lush. The instructions did want me to apply this over my mouth and eyes but to be honest I really didn't want to given it's my first time using it. 

So after using this I can't really say if I saw any difference to my skin and for a product that it a one shot, one off I think you kind of should be able to see some difference. One of the massive downsides is that there is so much wastage! I recommend that if you are going to try this you should try it with someone else so you don't feel like you have just set fire to your money. I will try with my other one to see if I can mix partial amounts of the sachets and make it multi use. 

They were £9.99  from Boots which doesn't seem like a lot but remember you are only getting one mask.

I think this will require me testing this out further but as for now I have very mixed feelings on this and probably won't repurchase any time soon. 

Have you tried Casmara masks? What do you think?

Speak soon,

Roo xx