Sunday 27 February 2011

Sunday Session ♥

Hey everyone, hope you are all well and had a good week. Sorry for my lack in blog posts this week, it has been rather hectic with me dashing about in my car from place to place but this week should be more settled and I can get back to blogging!


♥ Challenge Jergens - I've been doing this for a couple of weeks now and I have really noticed a difference in my skin. It is nice to also finally have a body skin care routine as I do often forget to look after my body in the way I do my face.


♥ Tea Tea Tea - I am drinking a lot of tea atm, I know it is not the best thing for you but nothing beats a cup of tea and being snuggled up on the sofa/bed.


♥ Logan - If you follow my twitter or if you have me on facebook you will that since moving to Scotland I have been able to spend a lot more time with one of my closet & oldest friends Leeann ( we have been friends since we were 4! ) which also means I get to spend time with my favourite little boy ever her son Logan. He is growing up so quickly, and is too adorable!

& In this photo he has pink lipstick smooches over him :) what can I say he is the cutest little boy ever!

♥ Chunky knit cardigans - Although we are moving more into spring and we are getting more sun throughout the day but being in Scotland it is still a bit chilly so I have been wearing a lot of thick knitted cardigans. I try post a couple of OOTD this week showing you my favourite ones.


♥ He Shi self tan - This week I have testing out some new fake tanners and the He Shi one has come up trumps and I shall be posting my thoughts on it this week.


♥ My MAC giveway winner is........... BeautyJunk1e so make sure you email me your address to lmdLOVE@gmail.com asap so I can sort out your prize as I'll be going shopping this week :D 


♥ March Giveaway - Stay tuned for this months giveaway it is really fab and I cannot wait to show you the prizes! 

Wednesday 23 February 2011

Guest Post from Liz Earle ♥

Today I am absolutely thrilled to bring you a wonderful guest post from the lovely Liz Earle, when I was asked whether I would like to do this I jumped at the chance and said yes! I was a little shocked to find out she read my blog, I think she is wonderful. So here she is to share some spring skin care tips...


Dear MakeupLoveer readers!

I’m so honoured that I have been invited to share my spring skin tips with you all! I hope that my
advice will help you achieve complexion perfection ready for spring!

It’s time to wave goodbye to the dull days of winter and welcome the joy of spring with a clean,
fresh and blemish-free complexion.

Skin breakouts are not just a teenage problem. Spots can affect skin at any age and can be triggered
by many different factors, including hormones, genetics and environmental changes including
seasonal transitions. A careful skincare routine is an important step to help get spot-prone skin
under control and solve your seasonal skincare woes. Radiantly healthy, glowing skin is a great
confidence booster, but as the seasons change many of us can suffer from breakouts. As spring
is finally here, give your skin a little extra TLC by choosing the right skincare, eating an anti-
inflammatory diet and taking skin loving supplements.

Nourishing foods are a must if you want healthy, radiant skin – and the good news is that the whole
body benefits too. Great skin feeders include fruits, vegetables, mixed nuts and seeds which are a
power-house of energy and nutrients, bursting with skin-improving protein, essential fatty acids,
vitamins and minerals. I also try to include skin friendly vitamin E-rich foods in my diet as it is a
powerful natural antioxidant which works to optimise moisture levels and improve skin appearance,
helping to delay skin ageing by fighting free radical damage. Herbal teas can have a great detoxifying
and purifying effect on the skin also, particularly nettle, fennel and dandelion.

On top of a great skincare routine and healthy diet, increased water intake can also help hydrate
the skin. Try sipping 6-8 large glasses of water a day – use fresh lemon, cucumber sticks or fresh
root ginger to flavor. I also swear by natural source vitamin E food supplement capsules, a powerful
source of the skin saving antioxidant and very effective at supporting and repairing your skin from
within. Look for the words ‘natural source’ on the pack, as these are almost three times as potent as
the synthetic type.

Although it can be hard to motivate yourself during the chilly early spring months, exercise is every
bit as important for your skin as good food and skincare. It increases blood flow which delivers
nutrients and oxygen supplies to the skin. The benefits – pink cheeks, sparkling eyes and a radiant
glow – are instantly visible and the good news is you don’t need to spend hours in the gym. A brisk
walk in the fresh air will help to clear your mind and leave you with healthy, glowing skin.

Tip: There are some great ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. One of my favourites
is Kettle-boiling stretches. Do these in the morning while the kettle boils... They take two to five
minutes, depending on how long you hold for.
1. Face the wall or door, with your feet about 25cm away from the base. Without leaning on it,
stretch your arms up and press your hands into the wall. Working up from your feet, feel your body
stretch and align itself: press your tailbone and shoulder blades towards the wall, squeeze your
outer elbows towards each other, and stretch your palms and fingers up. Keep your breathing soft
and your jaw relaxed.
2. Stand facing a chair, hands on hips. Put your right heel on the chair seat. Straighten your left-
standing- leg by pressing the thigh back. Let the right leg stretch from hip to heel. Hold for 15
seconds and swap. Do each side twice.
3. Stand by a work top with your hands flat on it, shoulder width apart. Walk your legs slowly back
and straighten your arms out until your back is almost parallel with the floor. Your head should be
between your arms. You can feel your trunk begin to stretch and your spine realign itself. To help

the process, press your thighs back, tuck your tailbone and shoulder blades in, squeeze your elbows
towards each other and press your hands down. Keep your breathing soft and your neck and jaw
relaxed. Walk towards your hands to come back up.

I hope my tips will help you achieve clear, radiant skin for spring!

Best wishes,
Liz


OOTD\FOTD ♥


Morning everyone! Hope you are all well and have a lovely day. I have recorded my 2nd OOTD video and  it is uploading right now, so if you want to know what I am wearing and what make-up I have used check out my Youtube Channel www.youtube.com/MakeupLoveer

Xen Tan Bronzer ♥


This is my bronzer of choice atm, a beautiful natural olive toned colour with a subtle shimmer to it. Because it has the olive undertone it doesn't oxidise or go orange on your skin. It goes on really nice, very silky and is easy to blend, no patchy-ness. I use this both for bronzing my face, but when I do have a tan I like to dust this all over too as my setting powder, if you do this lightly it helps to give you a healthy glow. It is handy to pop into your handbag, with the built in mirror it means you can do your make-up on the go.

You all know I love Xen Tan, and this product is no exception. It is £21.99 and you can buy it online here


NARS Spring 2011 ♥

NARS' spring 2011 collection really stood out for from a lot of brands, and I have two of the lovely products to show you today. I have already talked about the lipstick Tzigane, but I also want to show you the Hollywood soft touch shadow pencil.




So this was the first NARS lip product that I have tried, I have always heard mixed reviews when it comes to their lipsticks and glosses, it seems to be a love hate relationship for some people. But this lipstick for me is pure love, this is a step out of my comfort zone it is a little darker than what I usually go for. It is one of those your lips but better kind of colours, which you can wear sheer or layer it for a more opaque look. 




It is is creamy lipstick, not matte but not glossy, almost the kind of finish you get if you apply a little lip balm. Does that make sense? Very natural looking. Perfect for pairing with a colourful eye, it would be a good pairing for any of the duos from the spring collection.




Next up is the Hollywood soft touch shadow pencil, I had read a few reviews of these pencils saying the crease a lot and weren't worth picking up. I have to say if you are going to use these as a base then dont, they will crease. However they work lovely on their own for a sheer shimmery wash of colour to the eyes, or it is also lovely as a highlight to your brow bone or cheeks. I have been wearing it all over my eyes with a little brown eye liner, as you can see below.


♥Swatches♥
Left to right
Hollywood eye pencil, Lipstick sheer & build up with 2/3 layers


I need some recommendations for other NARS lip products, leave them below.

Saturday 19 February 2011

Jimmy Choo Perfume ♥


There was a lot of hype and buzz surrounding the launch of this perfume from Jimmy Choo, many of us bloggers were eager with excitement to see if it would really live up to the hype created. After hearing a few bloggers say how amazing it was, how they loved it and was there must have perfume I knew I would need to try it for myself. 

Having spent a few years creating this perfume, with the makers who also created the much loved Viktor and Rolf's Flowerbomb, I knew even before trying it it was going to be a good scent, a must have, it had a lot to live up to so no wonder they took their time with it. Firstly I love the bottle, sneakily similar to Victor & Rolf's Flowerbomb, it has the same ideas for shape and sophistication. A beautiful addition to any vanity table or bathroom, I have this on display as it is too pretty to hide away. 


When you initially spray the perfume is comes out a lot stronger, let it settle into your skin and it becomes much lighter, creamier a truly yummy scent. It is a strong vanilla/toffee feel, very sweet and sugary, creating a lovely alluring and sexy scent.

With notes of Tigar Orchad, Peach Nectar, Sweet Italian Orange, Toffee and Indonesian Patchouli. It is richer than I expected, I thought it would be very light and fruity but instead they went like I said with a sugary and slightly heavier feel. Very wearable for day or night, I've been wearing it all day and nights out too.


So for me this did like up to the hype, and is one perfume I recommend anyone picks up this year you won't be disappointed at all.

40ml £38.30
60ml £48.50
100ml £67.50 

Klorane Oatmilk Dry Shampoo ♥


This is a new brand to me, and from a little googling it seems to be a good brand, definitely one I would like to try more from. I have been trialling this dry shampoo over the last fortnight, and I have now run out of the handbag sized 50ml spray.

What I like about this dry shampoo compared to others is the fact is has the oat extracts to ensure your hair is hydrated when you use it, softening the effect of using a dry shampoo. Unlike others my hair doesn't feel dry, it is very light weight and once you use it is really doesn't feel like you have used anything at all. 

After you spray it in your hair leave it to settle and absorb the oil in your hair, then you can either brush it through or what I like to do is use my fingers to really work it into my hair then brush it through after. My hair is just as it would the day before, cleaner and very bouncy. With a very soft and shiny look.

You can buy the Klorane Oatmilk Dry Shampoo 50ml for £3.15 Boots.com

Sue Devitt Product Raves ♥

I have talked about Sue Devitt products before I love their eye pencils, a gem in their crown I have to say. This time I will be focusing on their Hydrating Marine Minerals Tinted Moisturiser and the Gel-to-Powder Blush.




The Hydrating Marine Minerals Tinted Moisturiser, $40,  is a lovely light base, perfect if you have good skin (or a good tan in my case!) and you just want to have a little more coverage to even the skin tone out. It creates a lovely radiant healthy finish to the skin, giving the appearance of your own skin, so you can fool everyone else into thinking you really do have naturally good skin. Infused with antioxidants and sea butter (a marine fortified shea butter) it deeply hydrates the skin leaving you feeling refreshed. 


With a SPF of 15 you also get a light protection for everyday wear, and with anti ageing ingredients to help keep the skin looking youthful and radiant by giving you protection from harsh environmental influences that can damage the skin.




I have combo/oily skin and did find I needed to powder my tzone to keep the shine at bay, however it feels very comfortable on the skin so applying a little bit of powder was no problem as it just felt like I was wearing the powder. This would be perfect for anyone with a drier complexion, or normal skin types. If you are like me and have a slightly oily skin then I would say be prepared you will need to powder the areas that you get a little slip.




When I first opened the Gel-to-Powder blush in North Cape, $20, I wrote it off as not my colour, too dark and that it certainly would not dry to a powder finish. Well I'm gonna eat my words here. After finally trying the product out I realised that it only looks darker in the pan and it actually translates a lot lighter on the skin. If I were to compare it to another colour it would be a darker NARS Orgasm. It looks perfect on my skin, I have come to realise recently peachy tones are far more flattering on me and I have been reaching for this one a lot.




As for the Gel-to-Powder formulation I actually like it, normally I stick to powder blushers as they require little effort in application. I apply this with my ring finger gentle patting it on, and then blending out. It lasted all day on my cheeks, it creates a lovely glow and radiance to the skin. Another way to use this is as a highlighter as it is such a flattering shade.


♥Swatches♥



Have you tried anything from Sue Devitt? I cannot recommend the Gel-to-Powder blusher and the eye intensifier pencils.


Friday 18 February 2011

Love for Liz ♥





Expect some lovely Liz Earle reviews in the coming weeks, I have done loads of reviews from Liz Earle as it is a fabulous skin care range. If you are tempted to try anything I would say go for it, my two picks would be there Cleanse & Polish and their face masks.

Lets get Naked! ♥


In my first post I showed you my new palette love, and now I'm going to swatch it for you. I am in no doubt you all have seen this 129466195900365 times before but I am in LOVE with this Urban Decay palette so if for no one else, I am posting this so I can have a post for just how special it is.

The pictures follow the palette from left to right, just had to break it into two as the full picture was a little blurred.




And the eye liners, these are fabulous, and will do a separate review comparing these to other long wearing eye liner pencils.

Clinique Foundation Guide: Superbalanced ♥


"With an elegant blend of silicones for a luxurious dewiness, and spherical optical diffusers that scatter light and minimise the appearance of imperfections, Superbalanced Makeupprovides gorgeous, flawless coverage that’s so eminently blendable and natural-looking that you can take it from sheer to full coverage with extraordinary ease of application. Oil-free and perspiration-proof, it contains protective antioxidants and soothing chamomile extract."

This is up there with my all time favourite foundations, my holg grail if you will, with combo/oily skin it is a pain to get the perfect foundation as the colour tends to react with the oil on my skin. However Clinique have found the solution and formulated this foundation to ensure that the oil that our skin produces will not react with the pigment in the foundation that normally causes the colour to get deeper and deeper. 

It gives a flawless finish to the skin, it hides my pores, whisks away any shine throughout the day and generally makes my skin look amazing. This is generally for the more oilier skin types, however when I worked on counter I found that this also worked for some of the drier skin types too and still gave beautiful results.

Superbalanced is great for us who have a little slip on the skin that normally would mean a tinted moisturiser was just a total no go, if you mix a little of this with your day cream youll find it stays a lot better than traditional TM's. Or if you are looking for a full coverage this will provide that too, giving you a lot of choice with one bottle. It is one formula that can carry me from winter through summer no problem.



Superbalanced Makeup, 30ml RRP £21.00