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OT - Movie Monday - Ann Hathaway - The Princess Diaries

This will be a new post hopefully every Monday showing old films I love that I think everyone should see at least once.

Ann Hathaway is one of my all time favourite actors she's unique and unusual which draws me in to every film I've seen her in. She is the awkward teen actress that has grown into a style icon of mine.

I first saw Ann Hathaway when I was just a teen. I was socially awkward, had epically frizzy hair which looked somewhat worse than the lion in The Wizard of Oz and had no concept of personal style not even what was the trend. I do remember having epic bristle brush eye brows and the fact that every girl in my class had plucked theirs to within a hair width of a line that was then perfectly drawn back in. I'm kinda glad I missed that one though. Yes I digressed but it kinda explains why I love this film if you have seen it.

If you've not seen this it is the tale of a teenager being thrust into a different life and having to deal with boys, family and trying to stay true to herself while everything in her world changes. It's Disney for christ sake so yeah they all live happily ever after and so it should.

It's the ultimate feel good film and I so wanted to be that girl. I kinda wanted to be her friend in this I was already an outcast at the time and suited to be more like her. I've watched this more times that I can remember even recently and still get drawn in. It just screams be yourself but better. After seeing her make over all I dreamed of was GHD hair straighteners to tame the hell out of my hair. I know it's corny and daft and after school special but I can't watch this and not smile and laugh out loud.

If you do end up watching this and enjoying it just please do me a favour and don't watch the sequel. It's not awful but I honestly feel she didn't need a prince to make everything complete she should have ended up with the guy from the first film that would have been the ending I would have picked.

P.s I love Hecter Elizondo as her driver he's a brilliant actor in everything I've seen him in.

Freebies Post - Part 3 - Loreal Nude Magique

This is Loreals New Collection of Nude BB & CC creams. I ordered this off their website a while ago so I'm sorry to say they have run out of samples this time. The ones I requested were the Anti Redness CC cream and the other is the Nude Magique BB cream in Medium.

So I decided to do a direct comparison and do half my face in each one to see how they are different.

Before with No Make Up

Initial Application 

My first thing I will point out with this cream is it is thin in consistency but a little really dose go along way and it seems to thicken as you use it. I really should have taken a photo but the amount I put on here on each side was enough to do my whole face I managed to dab the excess off otherwise I would look like the aliens you see in movies. So I would use it sparingly and apply a small amount at a time and blend in with your finger tips. Obviously they aren't your skin colour at this stage but the do change so don't worry. I tested these initially in a drug store and was put off by this instantly which is why it's taken so long for me to try them out, shame on me!

Starting with the anti-redness cc cream this I think was better suited to me and really dose help even out my skin tone. I find that my cheeks are naturally quite red and this was covered well. I would say they are both a medium to full coverage and blended out well into my natural colour. The medium was too dark for me bout I'm glad I tried it as I think if you want to add colour to pale skin using medium could give that extra bit of tan without looking orange or over baked. I have discolouration just under my eyebrows where I have a form dermititis and the anti-redness did a great job at covering this without need concelaer which I would normally have to use to camoflage this. The finish on both of these is very middle ground it's not completly matte but not as dewy as other cc creams I've swatched. 
I'm really pleased with the results  I forgot to moisturise before I put this on and have dry skin usually but this didn't seem to cling anywhere .I would use this for an everyday natural look and maybe only use powder to top up through the day on these warmer summer days.

If you wish to buy these they are both £9.99 or 2 for £14 in boots (here). The BB cream has spf 12 and comes in light and medium. After trying these out I'm really wanting to buy the Nude Magique BB Blush as it could be a good way for me to start using blush hopefully without looking like a clown.

Some Extra TLC for My Hands - Garnier Intensive 7 Day Hand Cream

My hands have been getting really dry lately which it just well getting out of hand. However much Anatomicals Hand Cream I use it just isn't helping enough. I don't know if I'm reacting to something at work or just washing my hands alot more recently but they are a mess. So I've been using Garnier Intensive 7 day hand cream to see if I can sort this out. 

7 Days Later...ish.

To begin with I honestly don't love that it's fragranced I usually go for something plain. That being said it absolutely kicked my other hand cream straight into the bin (or more likely the bottom of a make up bag for in emergencys that I run out of this. I finally worked out that it's the over washing of my hands that is stripping them. I basically wash my hands all the time as my job is very dirty to the point where I cam hope from work yesterday and my fiance though I was tanned on my arms which when he looked closer was dirt and dust.

So everytime I wash my hands I now turn to this. It is white but not overly thick in consistency and you don't need alot , I just rub it in and it instanly disapears into your skin. You can still then carry on rubbing it around your hands but your hands are left moisturised. I found the Anatomicals I had to use a paper towel to remove excess as it left a greasy layer otherwise. The garnier I could get on with work straight away and the effects seem to last much longer. It took the first half of the week for me to really notice the difference but I think it has to build up over time to improve over those 7 days. 

I'm not so sure yet on the claim that your skin is still hydrated after washing but in my case that may be the heavy duty hand cleaner we use at work. This is £2.99 for 100 ml and is aimed at dry to extra dry hands and I think it's going to be permanently in my bag from now on over my regular hand creams.

Midweek Mask - Superdrug Hydrating Self-Heating Mask

This is made for normal to dry skin types to give a hydrated healthy looking complexion. It has jasmine and evening primrose flower extract in it. The warming sensation it to help open and draw out impurities.This is also paraben free and made in the UK. All the single use Superdrug mask sachets are 99p or at the moment 4 for 3.

This smells very floral and is quite gloopy I would suggest not putting too thick of a layer on as it drips down slowly. The warming sensation is as you apply it and I could feel it a bit while I relaxed but not much more luke warm than hot. This just isn't for me and I won't be repurchasing it If you do want to have a try when you clean it off use warm water as cold just smears it around your face. 

Make Up Academy - Budget Heaven - Pt2

So this is more an update that I've purchased two new Make Up Academy nail varnishes, the cute £1 (essie bottle dupes) They are the same as the first one I bought which I review (here) They are in All Nude a pink tinged white and Red Fever which is exactly that.

These took three coats to get this finish, the varnish is pretty thin but it works to it's advantage allowing three thin coats that build to a shiny opaque finish. The Red Fever is a  pink under toned red that's very bold and the All Nude is a warm almost cream white. For a £1 each they are really worth it and I hope to get more of these.

Dying My Guys Hair - Live Color XXL - Cosmic Blue

I don't mind dying hair especially seen as his is so short but when I last used Live Color XXL it was the shake it up colour foam version. Unless this gets reformulated do not buy it , the powder and liquid don't mix properly however much you shake it you just end up with lots of powder chunks and alot of mess. This however is way better. You get a decent ammount of dye in this and it's easy to work with so appliation is quick. The only problem I had was I put my hand in the glove and it split straight away. Are gloves really that expensive they have to give you the ones that feel like your putting a 5p plastic bag over your hand with the oversized drawn hand cut out shape you then poorly glued together. So buy a pack of gloves when you do get them. The best ones I've found were from Wilkinsons they just don't seem to split and fit really well.

This is just after I've covered his hair , the liquid dosn't seem to run like most hair dyes so don't have to worry it's running down his face or back. Saying that I did get it on his forehead but most came off when it was washed off and the rest faded over the next day. You get a good amount of conditioner but he said it wasn't that good and used his own afterwards.

This is the final result, it's coloured very evenly and looks black in normal light but in sunlight its a nice dark blue. His hair is very shiny and looks good with his hair in a mohawk which I did, not the cutting just the styling. I'm very pleased with it and he seems happy too.

Oh Why Did You Have To Go & Change - Anatomicals Body Scrub

Old One But A Good One.

This was my bottle from May and when I first reviewed it (here). I loved this because it had a jelly like consistency so it could I had time to close the lid using both my hands and I didn't loose produce from the bottle or off my hand. The new bottle I saw online at New Look in a more red colour bottle I assumed was the same.

It's Red... Honest.

I was wrong. The very clear colour of the liquid was now an olive oil colour and the beads were bigger and felt alot rougher to me. I like a scrub as good as anyone but I like to have skin afterwards. It dose work well of the patches of psoriasis I have but I don't feel I can use it everywhere. The liquid really is that, if I turn the bottle upside down while it's open it drips out and just can't be contained . It smells different too and not in a good way I can't work out what was being aimed for but I sure didn't work. I have however found a reasonable use for it I scrub my feet with it. Good for any hard bits of skin as I'm usually on my feet all day at work. So not completely useless but not fit for purpose. If you do find the pink bottle please let me know where as I would get the original formula if I could.

Leaving on a more positive note the  "Not Another Rough Day Please - Body Lotion" is pretty darn good. It's a simple lightly fragrance lotion. It spreads out well and sinks it quickly. The smell is nice and not over powering just fresh rather than a particular scent. To be honest it's just another generic body lotion no bells and whistles but it dose the job its made for. Probably won't purchase it again as there are better lotions out there for my dry skin. But when I just need a quick fix or to just use after a shower to stop my skin feeling overly dry I can use lots and not feel guilty about it.

Leeds Blow Out Haul

This is just a run down of the random items I got from Leeds today. It's not often I have money like this but I came into some extra recently and decided to make the most of it and enjoy myself. This is beauty and other random bits. Will make sure I review them all over the next month as I use them.

Boots

Superdrug

Debenhams

Candy Hero

Harvey Nichols

Vans

Tiny Haul - Debenhams Dabble - Mac & Urban Decay Preview

This is a haul with only two items but before this day the last time I spent £30 ish quid was when I first purchased Cliniques Dramatically Difference Moisturising Lotion and that was and still is coveted and that was over a year ago and I still have about fifth of the bottle left. It's not often I can afford to do expensive make up because I always feel guilty at spending the money on myself in that way. I see items like this as an investment in myself and the choice I make to enjoy them and feel more happy. I also need to try the expensive stuff to then be able to comparatively find dupes which I've not been able to do yet ... sorry. I had wanted to try Mac ever since I started watching Youtube, major jealousy and envy followed. But I still had to find something that hopefully will last long enough to be worth it and do the job I want. 

My make up is melting, the heat is rising and lowering at a great speed. I dont know if it's gonna be sweltering one minute then poring buckets the next (at the time of writing this I heard the thunderstorm going on outside , quickly put the laptop down and ran outside it's just too hot for me right now). 

So I treated myself to two products that I hope will help come rain or shine.

Mac - Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation - This was reccomended by Gossmakeupartist here on his Summer Proof Makeup video. If you haven't heard of him yet he's amazing the man knows everything you need to know about make up and then some. The cost is £21.50 for 15g.

Studio Fix is a powder and foundation in one that combines good coverage with ease of application. Designed to be used dry, the powder and pigments create a matte, velvety texture. It contains Silica, which helps to maintain a matte finish by absorbing oils on the skin, as well as Talc to provide a smoother, less reflective, matte finish. The talc has been milled to a microscopic size to provide a beautiful texture while allowing the skin to breathe. It is available in a wide range of colours. It can be applied with a brush, sponge, or a powder puff. - Mac

I also the read this post from Lily Pebbles at WhatIHeartToday in the post Makeup Fixers . She has great reviews on her blog and on Youtube.

Is makeup meltdown ruining your midnight mojo? Mist on this weightless spray to give your makeup serious staying power.- Urban Decay

Reviews to come soon...

My Scent, Past and Present - JPG & Marc Jacobs Dot

Jean Paul Gaultier - Classique

This is the fragrance I've had for at least 6 years and I still can't part with this bottle. It really is a Classic smell it's elegant, feminine and just sets an outfit. It has vanilla, ginger, rose and orange blossom which all sit very well together. It was the scent both my sister had and it made me feel like an adult when I first bought it. I love to just smell it every now and again as it just takes me back to another time. Its now £71 per 100 ml at Boots (here). I don't use it now as I'm not sure I should as it is so old but when I can afford it I think I will repurchase it in the 50 ml size.

Marc Jacob - Dot

I had been searching for a new fragrance for at least 6 months and just couldn't find the one. I'm very picky and when I go in any place where they have lots of fragrances to try I usually get headaches from the bombardment of scents. I love Marc Jacob and wish I could afford a bag or even fit into the clothes never mind paying for them. So I went in and tested out Oh Lola and Daisy and they just really didn't suit me. I know if I don't love it I won't wear it. So when I first saw the advert for it I fell in love with the bottle first it just screams Marc Jacob which is why I ended up with the 100ml bottle. Then I tried it in store and instantly knew it was the one. It has notes or red berries, jasmine and driftwood. Its bold, gurly and I genuinely adore this perfume. It makes me smile every time I use this it's modern, vibrant and uplifting to the spirit and mind. It retails at £63 per 100ml but can be got for as little as £37 for 30 ml. Or the Solid Fragrance that comes in a necklace (here) for £30.

Midweek Mask - Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Peel Off Face Mask

The mask is a very clear liquid slightly tinted green but just looks shiny on my face

So I'm a day late with my mask but I was so tired yesterday I forgot. When I smelt the mask it took me back to been a teenager in fact it's probably 99% likely that this is the very same one. At the time I don't think masks had really taken off and as far as anything expensive I sure didn't have the money. This is 99p for one sachet containing 10ml. If you buy the bigger size in a bottle it works out alot cheaper but I don't think it will be a repurchase of mine. It supposedly takes 10-15 minutes to dry but I had it on for over an hour and it's seriously hot in this house at the moment so unless the humidity is stopping it I thought it would be alot quicker if anything. The smell is very medicinal and the liquid is super sticky. I managed to avoid getting it in my hair which kinda hurts a bit once it dries and you have to pull it out. I also kept finding bits of the mask on my face after I'd peeled the main piece off which was annoying. Other than that it's just a bog standard peel mask. My face kinda feels tacky like my face isn't clean after it which is odd and still feels a bit tight after it. I think I will be moving on to another next week.

Anti Bacterial Hand Gel That Smells Gurly - Cuticura

Firstly yes I writing about hand gel. Why? Well seen as you've asked because who else would. So on with it this is Cuticura Passion Flower & Mango and it's £1.30 for 100 ml at Boots in store (but not on line but Superdrug do here but it's £1.49). It dose exactly the same as every other anti bacterial hand gel. It gets rid of 99.9% of bacteria. The big thing is that yes it dose contain alcohol but no it doesn't smell of alcohol. I really can't stand the hand sanitiser in Hospitals and I know it's there for a reason so I do use it. This I can't even describe it other than it smells like gurls. Its a fresh feminine but light scented. I haven't found any other ones like this and I think for the bit extra in price my hands don't smell clinical or simply nasty. This dries as fast as the others but it's just a personal preference to use this over others.

Seventeen V's Maybelline - Cream Eyeshadows

Seventeen - Wild Metallic Eyes in Wild Nude

Maybelline - Color Tattoo in On and On Bronze

So I've already talked about the Color Tattoo (here). My love for this has not died but finding another colour from the range that is wearable any time has. Color Tattoo has great lasting power with a strong pigment that stands out or can be layers with eye shadow on top. I saw the Seventeen version and it's the first item I've bought from this company. To be honest it's the first one that's caught my eye. I really like the simplicity of cream shadows but beyond going to brands like Benefit or Mac which I know I can't afford right now there isn't much choice. In this crazy heat I expected the Color Tattoo to melt but it didn't , I always use a primer first so maybe that makes the difference after all. So moving on I did swatches of all of the Seventeen colours in Boots and this was by far my favourite. Wild nude is metallic without being glittery and more natural day make up the consistency is creamier as well. It did crease a bit after a days wear but that was in the crease of my eye so unless I was closing my eyes often its not noticeable.

On the left is Color Tattoo in On and On Bronze and the right is Seventeen Wild Metalic in Wild Nude

The Color Tattoo is £4.99 and the Seventeen is £3.99 so not a huge price difference, I think I will always prefer the Color Tattoos but in both ranges there just aren't enough wearable colour or nearly enough choice.

Black V's Nude Eyeliner - Scadaleyes Waterproof Khol Review

versus

Both these eye liners for me work well and define the eyes but with one swipe of either it 

completly changes the whole look. I've always been an big fan of black eye liner it's just classic and bold and it draws all the attention to the eyes. I stuck with this from when I was younger and this is the first time I've ventured away from my past goth inspired style. Rimmel Scandaleye products seem to be popping up all over Youtube but it is a rarity to find another nude eye liner on the market that isn't breaking the bank. This is just £3.99 so for me its a very good price the closest to this in my price range are the white eye liners and I just don't like them there too stark and just remind me of the sixties.

On the left I've used Maybelline Eyeliner-matic 

which until I changed to gel eyeliner was my go too liner.

I picked this for comparison as it has a similar

application and texture. I feel this look it more suited

to going out at night look .

It's edgy, strong and frames the eye.

On the right I've used the Rimmel Scandaleyes,

its a nice creamy texture the glides on without

irritating my eye and covers up 

any redness along the water line. It is a 

natural day look that perks the eyes 

up making them seem bigger and brighter.

This is a look I'll be wearing more 

often in the summer months.

Mini Boots Haul

So I went to Boots with the intention of getting some new make up. I looked at the Color Tattoos I wanted to swatch the pink gold as I'm still fancying it and there was no tester pot so will try somewhere else, I wanted to try the Rimmel scandleyes eyeshadow pencils and the only colour I liked had been "tested" out as in everyone in that colour had been used. This is the most frustrating thing about Boots and Superdrug I know its people nicking them or just being ignorant but it's also the shops choice then to replace them otherwise I won't buy them if I can't test them out. I was contemplating the N07 offer where you buy 2 cosmetics products and get the bag of minis free. I then got ignored blatantly by the woman in charge of the stand which I always love. I tried the samples out as there was a primer and mascara I could have trialed but the eyeshadow was like crazy glittery and it looked so nice in the pan. 

So anyway mini rant over here's what I got:

1. Top Left - Seventeen Wild Metalic Cream Eyeshadow £3.99
2. Below This - Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Khol £3.99
3. Middle Left - Peanut Nougat Bar - 60p
4. Bottom Left - Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Peel Off Face Mask 99p
5. Bottom Right - Cuticura Anti Bacterial Hand Gel - Passion Flower & Mango £1.30
6. Bottom Right - Boots Offer - Double Points Valid Until August 11th
7. Top Right - Boots Large Sectioning Clips

Midweek Mask - Montagne Jeunesse - Anti Imperfection

I think we all need a pick me up mid week. Its that ache in your back and seeing forward to everything else we have to get on with and finish. I say what better way to treat ourselves than to chill out after a hard days work put your feet up and get cracking with some self pampering. So from now on Wednesday will be my mask day. Its not so much hiding behind a mask and more about getting ready to face the rest of the week head on. 

This is a Montagne Jeunesse face mask and is called Anti-Imperfection. The mask is around £1.30 in shops but can be purchased here. It has a very medicinal smell to it with the main undertone coming from the Aloe juice. It is grey in colour so who knows which one she was using that day but its easy to apply and very thick in consistency. I also think there is a lot of product for the cost with it being 20g in a sachet. If I'd thought more before I put it on I probably could have got two uses out of it.

This is the quote from the website:

Enliven your skin and help combat unsightly blemishes with our Aloe Vera and Willow Blemish Mud. Our special blend of nature’s remedies naturally targets your problem areas for a clear and clean complexion. 

So all there is to it now is to get on with using it just rinse face with warm water then apply over face & neck avoiding the eyes and lips. Next sit back and relax for 10-15 minutes or until the mask has dried. Then rinse of with warn water and pat dry.

This feels like I can barely move my face to the point where I can't even talk but I guess that happens a lot with mask. As it dries I can see spotty patchy on my nose which I believe are where my pores are so maybe this could be doing something.

I tried smiling but I couldn't move my face  because as soon as I did it goes like crazy paving across your face. When I did rinse it takes a bit of elbow grease to get it off as it is so thick but worth that bit of effort.

So this is me afterwards my face feels a bit tight but also feel super clean as for the blemishes I think long term use it could have a good effect but short term I can't see my blackheads on my nose so I think it really dose give a deep cleanse to my pores. It also felt drying and I have dry skin to begin with so I did moisturise once it was all rinsed off.

Understanding Symbols On Your Cosmetics

Most make up made for the British market is under the governing European Laws on Cosmetics. These to begin with are the symbols that must be on the packaging. Just beyond the name, past the details of what miracles it will perform are these vitals pieces of information.

To begin with labelling requirements must include this information

List of ingredient - This has to be in order of highest quantity unless it is less than 1% then they can be in any order at the end. Everything is on here with the exception of perfume compositions are named parfum.

Name or address of the manufacturer or supplier - This is so contact can be made if further information is required and should be on the item itself and any extra packaging.

Country of origin - this is if it is produced outside of the European Union and has to be the last place a substantial change was made to the item this includes the mixing of the ingredient not where it was put into its final container.

Date of minimum durability (Best Before Date) or a period after opening (POA) - this is the important bit to us when it comes to make up. 

Just so you know this is from a sample of Charity Pot by Lush its empty but I reuse the pots for travelling, this is an example of how the best before date really should be on all cosmetics and the period after opening before the item should be stopped being used. Fair enough Lush is not cheap but it's because of the fresh ingredient they use but at least they are being clear when labelling what we need to know and I can applaud them for that.

This is on almost all items and is required to show the best before date based on the number of months it is good for after it had been opened. So the 24M is 24 months use from opening. 

Batch number or lot code - The information above is useful but if you don't know when it was originally made how can the information be relevant. This is where the batch code comes in useful. It is usually a 4 character code as companies don't want it easily readable to put you off purchasing it. But if you go to http://checkcosmetic.net/ they have a list of companies that follow similar coding to each other and when you enter the code it tells you how long you've got. The other function is if something is wrong with the product that batch can be recalled.

I checked this out with a recent purchase from a few weeks ago of Benefits Porefessional. The first photo has the 4 character code 2V02 when I put this in it tells me that it was made August 2012 and lasts 36 months from month it was made. So I have 25 months left on it and from opening I am to use it in 12 months. This is useful to know as I could theoretically still keep it sealed for another 13 months before opening it and still have full best before date to use it by. It also means I can use this to check other items I have that are older to see if I should still be using them.

Warning statements and precautionary information - this is usually the "this is not edible" label on the Cherry Body Butters , kind of obvious but it all has to be covered and I'm sure somebody got sued before this was on everything that smells good. It dose of course have the serious use to give information on chemical,preservatives and UV filters.

Product function where needed - What the product or item is used for , that's all folks!

The weight or measurements of the item must be declared - have we ever wondered what the 'e' means after the weight well its to show us is the guarantee that the net content is correct to what is specified on the item. So you get what you paid for! 

As its on the photo above the pretty ying yang style arrows are usually assumed to mean recycling which literally complete rubbish and to UK customers is redundant. It's just a hallmark in relation to waste management of the product under European legislation.

This is the actual recycling symbol

As for all lettering on the packaging it must be visible, indelible and easily legible. I'm all for this but indelible means that which cannot be removed,washed away or erased. So can somebody explain this to me please...

Can you tell me a "youtuber" that doesn't have trouble remembering the name of the cocealer because all theirs looks like this as well. The other is a clear mascara with the same issue.