Pay Day Beauty Hauling #4: The T.K. Maxx Edition

Pay Day Beauty Hauling #4: The T.K. Maxx Edition

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

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Those of you who follow me on twitter and instagram will know that I've been seriously loving the beauty aisles at T.K. Maxx (or T.J. Maxx in the US) lately. There are 2 very simple reasons for this: 1. It's awesome. 2. It's one of the best place to get genuine high end make up for bargain prices. Seriously what's not to love?! Having said that, the best thing about T.K. Maxx is also the worst thing about T.K. Maxx, it's a double edged sword guys! Yes, you can find some seriously amazing stuff in there for really cheap BUT the stock isn't standardised, it's for this reason that I haven't been able to link anything up. Sorry. Anyway here's what I've been hauling. 

Notebook - £4.99 from T.K. Maxx

Now I am a girl who loves her stationery, particularly pretty stationery, specifically notebooks. There's just something about a brand new notebook. So when I saw this ridiculously pretty, and inspiring, notebook how could I resist?! The gold against lilac is gorgeous, and I love the message on the front, it's so cute! I can't wait to scribble down all my blog ideas in it. In my very best handwriting, of course.

Essie Spring Collection - £7.00

Essie The Lace is On & Strut Your Stuff - £3.99 all from T.K. Maxx

I've been having a bit of a moment with Essie lately, I've since added Truth or Flare to my growing collection, and it started with this year's Spring Collection which is gorgeous AND cost a bargainous £7! The Spring Collection is so pretty, with four 5 ml pastel polishes. Flowerista - A gorgeous purple-y pink, Blossom Dandy - A muted, but lovely, mint green that is right in my mint nail polish loving wheelhouse, Petal Pushers - A blue-y grey that is both incredibly chic and incredibly pretty and Perennial Chic - A peachy nude that, honestly, is not really my thing, but I can still appreciate it's prettiness. I also picked up The Lace is On - Another purple-y pink, this one a metallic with a very subtle sheen of gold glitter running through it. It is so pretty and so festive, perfect for this time of year. The last polish I picked up was Strut Your Stuff, which has been on my Nail Polish list (yep, I have a Nail Polish list, are you really surprised?) for ages. So when I saw it in T.K. Maxx, for half it's normal price, well obviously I had to have it. My blue nail polish obsession is well documented, and this is a welcome addition to my army of blue polishes. It's a beautiful turquoise that makes me smiley all over my face. Essie's formulation is generally good, with reasonable wear time and an average of 2 coats to achieve opacity. Lovely. 

Dermactin-TS Intensive Skin Care Intense Acne Treatment Pore Refining Facial Sheet Masks - £4.99 for 4 from T.K. Maxx

I have real issues with my skin. Blackheads are my biggest problem, it seems that everytime I get rid of one, ten really angry blackheads arrive to avenge it. It's a constant, and fruitless, battle and I am losing. So when I saw these sheet masks I figured at the very least they were worth a try. I'd never tried sheet masks before and I thought it was amazing, but also really weird. This mask promises to 'penetrate deeply' (that seems unnecessarily sexual, but it's what it says on the packaging), to unclog and clear the pores of dirt and oil, to prevent new blemishes and blackheads forming. It also moisturises and rejuvenates the skin. I actually really liked the mask, although it was really difficult to a) put it on and b) keep it on.  

Also there is literally no escaping the fact that you look like Hannibal Lecter when wearing it. Embrace it, because it is hilarious. Despite all that I could see a noticeable improvement in the condition of my skin after just one use. 

Nuxe Crème Prodigieuse Enrichie Anti-Fatigue Moisturising Cream for Dry Skin - £6.99 from T.K. Maxx

I am so in love with Nuxe, it's one of my absolute favourite skin care brands and for good reason. The lip balm is fabled for it's sheer amazingness amongst the beauty community. Personally I am a huge fan of their Masque Crème Fraîche de Beauté because it's incredible. The only teeny tiny, but still somewhat fatal, flaw is that it's not exactly the cheapest of beasts; so finding this day cream for just £6.99, when it usually retails for £21, actually made my day. It has quickly become my favourite moisturiser. It is so rich and hydrating and smells beautiful. My mum is also a fan because she keeps 'borrowing' it and if she carries on then there will be blood. Seriously though it is amazing. My skin has been particularly dry lately and this has just made it so much better. Expect a full review soon, if I have any left that is...

The Balm: The Balm Voyage Pallette Vol II - £19.99 from T.K. Maxx

And finally the last product in this never ending haul. This I actually got a few weeks back but it was such a great find that I just had to include it. This pallet is awesome! Not only does it have everything, from lip tints to eyeshadows, all of which are incredibly wearable, but the formulations are amazing! Smooth, buttery soft and almost creamy in texture, whilst also being highly pigmented and easily blendable. It is such a handy pallet for travelling because the packaging is very light and compact and also plays host to a decent sized mirror. I'm so glad I found it. 

So that was longer, and ramblier, than usual but thanks for sticking around 'til the end. I definitely recommend checking out the beauty aisle of T.K. Maxx for any beauty lovers, I always find such good stuff in mine. What have you guys been hauling lately? Let me know on twitter, by commenting below or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat - search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for updates.

Love love love xxx

2014 Beauty Favourites Part 2: Hair & Skincare

2014 Beauty Favourites Part 2: Hair & Skincare

Monday, 19 January 2015

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Welcome to part 2 of 3 of my 2014 Beauty Favourites. This post, as you can probably tell from the title, is all about the skin and hair care that I was loving in 2014. 

Skin Care:

It's no secret that my skin was not at it's best last year, a lethal combination of stress, the eating habits of a fussy toddler and even worse sleeping habits have really taken it out of my skin. These 5 products have been incredible in my fight for better skin. 

Quick Fix Facials PurifyingCharcoal Mask for Congested & Lifeless Skin

I've been using this mask once a week to decongest my skin and prevent blackheads developing and it's really helped to contain the problem. Containing such spot fighting lovelies as Cinnamon, Charcoal (duh!) and Dragon Fruit it leaves my skin feeling so clean and fresh and it always looks so much better afterwards. 

Nuxe Masque Creme Fraiche deBeaute 24HR Soothing & Hydrating Face Mask

This mask is a gift sent from the Skincare Gods! And my skin just laps it up. I've been using it every week and it has made my dry, scaly skin feel beautifully soft and nourished.

No7 Essential Moisture DayCream 

 I've been using this moisturiser every morning for months and I just love it. It melts into the skin, leaving me with soft, nourished skin and a perfect base for makeup.

Witch Naturally Clear Blemish Stick

This is my go to spot treatment for any particularly big juicy spots. It dries them up like it ain't no thing. I just pop it on the offending blemish at night and by morning it's gone or greatly reduced depending on the size of the spot. Now I'm not gonna lie to you lovely people the Witch Stick is not without it's faults. It is very drying on the skin, which is why it works so well on spots, but it does mean you have to be very precise when applying so you don't dry out your  skin.  Even so it's great for emergency giant spot situations. I'm breaking out at the moment and I'm so gutted I don't have it with me. 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil

Another excellent treatment for spotty skin. This tiny bottle is amazing, it lasts forever and the tiniest bit makes all the difference to my badly behaved skin.  Like the Witch Stick, this gets rid of spots like nobody's business, unlike the Witch Stick it's not even remotely drying on the skin. I love it. 

Hair Care:

L - R: Frizz Ease Daily Miracle Leave-in Conditioner, Frizz Ease Extra Strength 6 Effects Serum & Avon Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil Leave-in Treatment

My hair is difficult to say the least, when it behaves (which is rare) I love it, when it doesn't I seriously, seriously hate it, like chop it all off and start wearing wigs hate it. These 3 are absolute staples in my frizz fighting arsenal and the reason I currently have longish hair and no wigs.

Frizz Ease Daily Miracle Leave-in Conditioner 

I've used this almost everyday for the past 3 years or so because it's amazing. I spritz it onto soaking wet hair and it makes my hair behave itself. It's a really conditioning, light weight spray that leaves my hair crazy soft and virtually frizz free. For a while I was worried that it would stop working if my hair got too used to it, so I stopped using it and the condition of my hair changed drastically. It was dry, frizzy and completely unmanageable. I started using it again and it improved my hair straight away. It really is a miracle.

Frizz Ease Extra Strength 6 Effects Serum

I dread to think what my hair would look like if I didn't use this serum. Seriously it is that good. I run 2 pumps of serum through freshly washed hair, avoiding the roots,  and it completely tames my hair leaving me with defined, shiny curls. Love it. 

Avon Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil Leave-in Treatment

AKA the best and most beautiful argan oil I have ever come across. It's really light weight and just leaves my hair looking and feeling amazing. It calms down frizz, defines curls, protects from the heat and it just does everything. I love it. 

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think? Let me know on twitter, by commenting below or dropping me an email. Also make sure you're following me on instagram, facebook, Bloglovin & pinterest.

It's gonna be a bit quiet on the blog front for the next couple of weeks or so because I have 2 very long uni assignments due in in a very short space of time. But I will try to update you guys as and when I can.  

Until then...

Love love love xxx

December Favourites 2014

December Favourites 2014

Monday, 29 December 2014

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I can't believe it's my last Favourites post of the year, where has 2014 gone? 

Top L-R:  W7 In The Buff: Lightly Toasted Palette, Tom Ford Black Orchid, L'Oreal True Match Foundation in C2 Rose Vanilla. Bottom L-R: My Little Beauty Eau Micellaire Démaquillante, Dr Jart V7 Balancing Toner, Ingredients Lemon Hand Butter, Twinings Salted Caramel Green Tea, Nuxe Crème Fraîche de Beauté Masque Frais Réhydratant et Apaisant 24HR & Cinnamon Caramel Waffles.

My Little Beauty Eau Micellaire Démaquillante

I was debating whether or not to feature this as a favourite because I can't say I'm that crazy about it, and have definitely used better cleansers but this is the one I've been reaching for throughout December. It's just good at getting my make up off when I really can't be bothered to do my entire skin care routine and it leaves my skin feeling clean and refreshed. 

Dr Jart+ V7 Balancing Toner

I've been using the Dr Jart V7 Balancing Toner religiously every night because of my rubbishy skin and it has made all the difference. It has a light, refreshing formula that's full of vitamin complexes that target certain areas of problem skin but primarily helps to contain the production of sebum to prevent spots. It also promises to regenerate sensitive and damaged skin and in doing so reduces the appearance of scar tissue and hyper pigmentation caused by acne. Since I've added this to my evening skin care routine my skin has been looking a lot clearer and breakouts have been fewer and further apart. But it has to be said my absolute favourite thing about this toner is the pipette! It makes me feel like a scientist when I use it!   

Tom Ford Black Orchid

This is a perfect Winter perfume, it's not too in your face or offensive in any way it's just a really lovely, wintery scent. With base notes that include Amber, Chocolate, Vanilla and Sandalwood and very floral top notes of Jasmine, Gardenia and Blackcurrant Black Orchid is just the most beautiful warm, spicy scent. Not only does it smell incredible the longevity is amazing.  One problem I have with fragrance in general is that my skin just eats it and more often than not the scent will have disappeared a few short hours after I've spritzed. This is so not the case with Black Orchid. It is so long lasting. I wore this to a family party last Saturday and could still smell traces of it on my skin the following Wednesday and I had showered a lot since! Just amazing. 

Ingredients Lemon Hand Butter 

Due to the cold weather and me being a hand sanitizer happy germophobe my hands have been in a right state lately. They're dry, cracked and sore, and this is the only hand cream that has been up to the task of getting them back to normal. The difference it has made to my parched hands is incredible! This is due to it's amazing buttery, and surprisingly non-greasy consistency that just melts into the skin, leaving my hands feeling moisturised and so nourished. To top it off it smells so good I want to eat it. I won't though. 

Nuxe Crème Fraîche de Beauté Masque Frais Réhydratant et Apaisant 24HR (Soothing and Rehydrating Fresh Mask) 

I've been singing this face masks praises for a while now because it's lovely. After all the bitterly, cold weather we've been having here in the UK my skin has been in need of some serious hydration. My skin's not been great anyway but the winter weather has dried it out so much. I've been using this face mask once a week to give my skin a much needed moisture boost and it has made all the difference. My skin is looking and feeling much better for it. It has a lovely formula that intensely hydrates whilst soothing irritation and cooling the under eye area. If that wasn't enough it feels so beautiful against the skin. I just put it on for 15 minutes and let it work it's magic. I love it. 

W7 In the Buff: Lightly Toasted Eyeshadow Palette 

Three points to anyone who can guess which cult beauty favourite this palette is an obvious dupe for! Everything about the W7 In The Buff: Lightly Toasted palette screams Urban Decay Naked! From the shadows themselves to the name and even the colour scheme of the packaging. The only real difference being about £30 in price. I picked this up in T.K. Maxx for £6.99 and have been obsessively in love with it since. The palette is made up of 12 shadows, predominately shimmers with a handful of mattes thrown in for good measure, the colours are perfect for everyday to smokey eye make up looks and everything inbetween. The shadows themselves are seriously good, they're longlasting and highly pigmented with a soft texture that is only slightly on the chalky side, but considering it cost under £10 this is to be expected. Overall it's a really good eyeshadow palette and a fantastic dupe of a cult classic. This is a perfect alternative to the Urban Decay Naked palette for those of you who are broke students, like myself, and want it but can't afford it. It's brilliant. 

  

L'Oreal True Match Foundation in C2 Rose Vanilla

The L'Oreal True Match Foundation is my absolute favourite foundation! There I said it! A bold statement, yes, but I think this little beaut has earned it. It's incredible, it applies like an absolute dream, literally melting into the skin at the lightest touch. The coverage is great, I've been in need of some serious coverage of late and this is perfect. It's medium but can be built up without looking like it's been caked on. But more importantly it doesn't feel like you're wearing a lot of foundation because the formula is so light. Honestly I could bang on about this foundation forever because I love everything about it! The colour is a really good match for me, the finish is lovely, somehow managing to be both dewy and matte! What is this magic?! and has some serious staying power. I LOVE it! 

I've also got some non-beauty favourites this month. The first of which is..

Sorted Food

Image via

As ever I'm really, really behind the rest of the world but oh my God! I am so OBSESSED with Sorted Food! Like actually obsessed! To the point where it almost makes me angry that I didn't know about them before. This is the level of obsession that I'm talking about here. It's getting to the point where I can't go on youtube, and I LOVE youtube, because I will inevitably click over to the Sorted Food channel and just lose hours, sometimes days, of my life watching their amazing and hilarious videos. And that's fine I would more than happily spend a day doing that and also definitely have done that... more than once. But you know sometimes I have plans, and things I need to do, it's rare but it does happen. Anyway my point is I seriously love love love Sorted Food. I'm even watching a video now as I write this. If you haven't seen any of their videos before you can check them out here. But be warned they're amazing and chances are you will fall in love with one of them, and that one will probably be Mike, because I definitely have. (Seriously he is all kinds of heart eyed emoji!!! And the one zesting the orange just fyi) 

Cinnamon Caramel Waffles

Another foody thing. I love food. These cinnamon caramel waffles are delicious. Seriously I didn't think it was possible for something from a packet to taste this good. They're from Lidl or Aldi... I forget which and cost like £1, and they are so amazing. Yummy. 

Twinings Salted Caramel Green Tea

I drink a lot of Green Tea, like a lot a lot. After being diagnosed with Acid Reflux Disease (the less said about that the better) two years ago I cut out milk to make the attacks less frequent, and whilst it has made a huge difference it did mean I had to give up my morning cuppa and find an alternative. Green tea was that alternative. Now the thing with Green Tea is it's an acquired taste and takes some getting used to, I'm used to it, but this is just straight up delicious. Non Green Tea drinkers could enjoy it because it's so yummy. I've been drinking it constantly because it's amazing! Twinings also have a Gingerbread Green Tea which is really nice too.

Have you tried any of my favourites? What did you think? Love them? Hate them? Let me know on twitter, by commenting below or even by dropping me an email. I'm all over social media so also check out my instagram, Bloglovin, facebook and pinterest (if you want too ;) 

That's me for tonight, I hope you're all having a lovely festive time, relaxing and eating all the food. 

Until then...

Love love love xxx

November Favourites 2014

November Favourites 2014

Sunday, 7 December 2014

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 Top Row L - R: Quick Fix Facials Purifying Charcoal Mask for Congested & Lifeless Skin, KMS California Tame Frizz Taming Crème, Nuxe Masque Creme Fraiche de Beaute & Rimmel Glam Eyes HD eyeshadow palette in Brixton Brown. Bottom Row L – R:  Benefit They’re Real Push Up Liner, Maybelline Color Drama Velvet Lip Pencil in Berry Much, Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy in Dealer's Choice, Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Base Coat & The Body Shop Vanilla Bliss Body Butter

Last month I was trying out a lot of new products so I don’t have loads of favourites for November. Having said that those I do have are corkers. Let's do this! 

Benefit They’re Real Push Up Liner 

I was a big fan of this when it first came out (read more about that here) and then forgot all about it. But recently I've had the urge to wing my eyeliner and of course this is what I've been reaching for. The formula is blacker than black, ridiculously long lasting and doesn't crease, so we're already onto a winner! But what makes it particularly amazing is the applicator. Now I'm no slouch when it comes to winging my eyeliner but this is amazing. All you have to do is stamp the nib at the corner of the eye and... VOILA perfectly winged eyeliner everytime. It's amazing.

The Body Shop Vanilla Bliss Body Butter

I love The Body Shop Body Butters anyway but last month I was particularly loving the Vanilla Bliss Body Butter. As the weather has gotten steadily worse my skin has been in dire need of some TLC and the Vanilla Bliss Body Butter was just what the Doctor ordered. It has an amazing thick, creamy texture that feels lovely on the skin and is so moisturising. It leaves the skin feeling soft and nourished. Not only does it do incredible things for the skin but it smells so good, I want to eat it. I won't though. 

Sally Hansen Maximum Growth Base Coat

This is the most incredible thing I've ever used on my nails ever. Ever! Essentially it's a base coat that hardens the nails so they don't break as easily. As a recovering nail biter I have the weakest nails. So even though I don't bite them anymore they are so weak that they just break all the time and I can't get them to grow. But this... this is amazing, the thing I was most impressed with is the fact that you can actually see it working. 

Week 1 

Week 2 

Week 3

You can see that there is a noticeable difference week to week. Also, somewhat pathetically, this is the longest my nails have been in my entire life! Sadly my nails don't look like this anymore because I had a particularly nasty assignment for uni and I picked them all off. BUT I've been using it as a base coat since and they're quickly growing back. I only have one slightly negative thing to say about this and that is that you need to wait about 15 minutes for this bad boy to dry before painting your nails or they dry with a really weird, bumpy texture. 

Rimmel Glam Eyes HD eyeshadow pallett in Brixton Brown 

This nifty little pallette graced my lids pretty much for the entirety of November. Why? you may ask, well it's bloomin' marvellous that's why. The Brixton Brown Pallette is made up of 4 incredibly pretty and easy to wear neutral shades and 1 stunning brown red shade that try as I might I just cannot pull off. But together they create a really wearable smokey eye like it ain't no thing! The shadows themselves are quite finely milled and so buttery and soft in texture. They're also really long lasting and don't crease at all. Winner. Apparently this is a very good dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Eyeshadow Quad and as far as I can tell - not actually owning the Charlotte Tilbury quad - the only differences are 1. the price and 2. the Rimmel pallet has an extra shadow but not the copper glitter shade. Overall I think it's lovely and I will be getting a lot of wear out of it. 

Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy in Dealer's Choice 

I have raved about the magic that is the formulation of the Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy Nail Enamels and that is simply because they are the closest thing to perfect a nail polish formula can get so I won't bore you with the details (read more about it here and here). The colour is lovely and much like it's sister polish Up the Ante  is super versatile being both summer and winter appropriate. I love it.

Maybelline Color Drama Velvet Lip Pencil in Berry Much

Rumour has it that the Maybelline Color Drama Velvet Lip Pencils are a dupe for the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils. Now being a particularly broke student I don't know if that's true but I can definitely tell you that I am OBSESSED with this beautiful, beautiful lip pencil. It is incredible! Now I'm not a major fan of Maybelline under normal circumstances but this might be (whisper it) my favourite lipstick ever. Unlike a lot of other lip pencils this is not at all drying on the lips, in fact I kept forgetting it was there because it is so comfortable to wear. Add to that a beautiful, autumnal berry shade, a ridiculously long lasting formula and a student friendly price tag and you have got a winner on your hands. 

Quick Fix Facials Purifying Charcoal Mask for Congested & Lifeless Skin.  

Now it’s no secret that my skin has been going through something of a teenage rebellion recently. Which is incredibly annoying considering I'm actually 23 and (sadly) no longer a teenager! There have been blackheads, there have been mass breakouts and it's just been horrible. Even now my skin's not great but I honestly dread to think what it would be like without this mask. I've been using it twice a week for the past month and the difference it makes is just amazing. My skin is looking so much better, again not great, but there is definitely a noticeable improvement. 

Nuxe Masque Creme Fraiche de Beaute 

I've been using this after the Quick Fix mask and it is wonderful. I normally use masks when my skin is misbehaving and hormonal rather than for dryness and this is unlike any mask I've ever used. It feels incredible on the skin, the texture is that of a really beautiful moisturiser, it's really silky on the skin and is just lovely. It is so nourishing and takes care of any dry patches like it ain't no thing. Gorgeous.

KMS California Tame Frizz Taming Creme

If you're a regular reader you will know all about the struggles I have with my hair. If you're new to my small corner of the internet then all you need to know is that my hair is... well it's insane (read more about that here). No matter what I do it just has the tendency to frizz out Ronald McDonald style, which is not a good look for anyone, BUT particularly bad if you're incredibly pale and love a bold lip... like me. 

Spot the difference

I apologise for the giant picture of my face! Anyway a lot of hair products made specifically for frizzy/curly hair either really weigh down my hair or leave my curls crispy and/or greasy looking. This does none of those things. It has a really light, creamy formula (that smells of vanilla!) that calms frizz and makes my hair more manageable. I just run a pea sized amount through wet hair or when it's being difficult and BANG the frizz is gone! Or greatly reduced anyway. 

So those were my November Favourites. Have you tried any of them? What did you think? Love them? Hate them? Let me know on twitter, by commenting below or even by dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. I'll be back on Tuesday with Lola Rocks #2 The Chrismas Edition. Until then have yourselves a wonderful week and if you feel like checking me out on instagram, facebook, Bloglovin & pinterest feel free ;)

Love love love xxx