January Beauty Favourites 2016

January Beauty Favourites 2016

Sunday, 31 January 2016

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La Roche-Posay Serozinc - £8.50 from boots.com

I recently raved about this in my Mini Skincare Haul (read it here) but I've been using it every single day and I seriously love it. It has made my terrible skin look so much better, it's just bad skin now.  It has become an unmissable step in my skin care routine because it is so so good. It calms down any big, juicy spots, completely gets rid of little ones and gives the overall appearance of clearer skin. LOVE. IT.

Max Factor Gel Shine Lacquer in #35 Lacquered Violet - £7.99 from boots.com

I picked this up at the end of last year and it's been on my nails pretty much ever since. I love purple nails and Lacquered Violet is such a sophisticated and pretty take on that. The colour is absolutely gorgeous, the perfect blend of purple and blue, and it has a fabulous formula with great opacity - one coat! - and a high shine finish. The packaging is really pretty too. It's lovely.

Michael Kors for Esteé Lauder Blush Trio - No longer available.

For a really long time I was too scared to use this because it's so beautiful and I didn't want to hurt it. Then I realised that thought was completely ridiculous and I got over it. It is seriously B-E-A-U-Tiful! The trio is made up of a plum, a bright pink and a light mauve. The blushes are finely milled, buttery soft in texture, blend easily and are well pigmented with a subtle shimmer running through them. They're so pigmented that you need to use a really light hand with them or risk looking like you're permanently embarrassed - a lesson I learnt the hard way - even so they're amazing. Individually they're lovely, but when swirled together with my trusty Real Techniques Blush Brush they create a lovely pink-y mauve that gives the cheeks a really pretty glow. It is gorgeous AND that packaging though! It is seriously dreamy! - Sorry for being a tease guys! This blush was part of a limited edition collection and is no longer available :(

Superdrug Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 Moisturiser & Serum - £5.99 for 100ml from superdrug.com

I've been kind of obsessed with skincare for the past couple of months, hoping to find the miracle product that will give me the  flawless, english rose complexion of Emma Watson or Emilia Clarke.  Alas so far that has not happened but I have found some darn good products, Superdrug's Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 Moisturiser & Serum is one of them. It's a really nourishing serum, with a silky smooth gel like texture that sinks into the skin so quickly. It gives me a much needed burst of hydration and really brightens up my dull, grey skin. I've been using it every night and I really like it, plus it smells amazing! Seriously amazing.

Soap & Glory No Clogs Allowed Super Self-Heating Deep Pore Detox Mask - £11.50 for 100ml from boots.com

I picked this up a couple of weeks ago after reading some rave reviews online and thought it was definitely worth a try with my clogged and congested skin. It is so good. It starts working it's self-heating magic the moment it applies to the skin, really getting into the pores and giving them a proper deep clean. It's been really good for my skin. I like it a lot.

Naked 2 Palette - £38.00 from urbandecay.co.uk

I've been OBSESSED with the Naked 2 palette throughout January. I've had a bit of a thing for matte eyeshadows - I blame Adele and the make up she wore on the 25 album cover - and I've been particularly loving the shades Foxy & Tease. Foxy is a slightly yellow,  creamy nude that I've been packing on all over the lid and Tease is a light, almost lilac-y toned chocolate brown which I've been using in the crease to give my eyes some smokey definition. It's a combination I've been loving all month and wearing pretty much everyday but the rest of the palette is just as heavenly. The shadows are pigmented, blendable, buttery soft and incredibly wearable, with a range of finishes including shimmers, glitters and the odd matte. They apply beautifully and there is no creasing whatsoever with these bad boys. Naked 2 is basically perfect. The obsession is so real people!

Collection Extreme Felt Tip Liner - £2.99 from boots.com

Another product whose presence here can be attributed to Adele. Back in the day I used to wing my eyeliner everyday like it weren't no thing. I could do it in seconds, no mistakes made and be out the door. Oh how I miss those days. Now it's a bit of a different story. Being out of practice and my eyelids having become curiously wrinkly (don't think about it!) I've had to go back to basics to get my eyeliner back on fleek. The Collection Extreme 24Hr Felt Tip Liner is the liner that helped me perfect the wing originally due to it's sturdy nib, long lasting, blacker than black liquid formula and it's general awesomeness. I've been reaching for it on a daily basis to get the practice in and my wings back and I still really, really love it. Maybe even more than Benefit's They're Real Push-Up Liner.

L'Oréal Color Riche Exclusive Collection in Julianne's Perfect Nude - £6.99 from boots.com

Okay it's pretty safe to say that all my make up favourites this month are due to Adele. That was one seriously amazing make up look that's all I can say. But oh man this colour is so dreamy. I'm not normally a fan of nudes (tehehe) but this is the most beautiful pink-y nude lipstick that is so easy to wear but looks like I've put a lot of effort in. It is seriously beautiful.

What were your January Beauty Favourites? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat - search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

Mini Skincare Haul

Mini Skincare Haul

Thursday, 21 January 2016

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You've all heard about my problem skin by now, if you haven't then, to cut a really long story short, it's pants, my skin is pants (that means bad for any non english people reading this). I've recently taken to browsing the aisles of boots, and the sephora website and basically anywhere that sells skin care, to try and find the miracle product that will turn my skin around. Here are some of the bits I've picked up on my travels.

La Roche-Posay Serozinc - £8.50 for 150ml from boots.com

Serozinc is essentially a water spray containing Zinc Sulfate, an active ingredient in a lot of acne treatments. The spray dispenses a fine mist, which can be sprayed directly onto the face, although this does take some getting used to, or applied to a cotton pad and swept across the skin. There is a lot of hype surrounding this particular product, like A LOT a lot, but for very good reason. It. Is. Awesome.  I really do struggle with my skin, I get breakouts, blackheads, big juicy blemishes galore - oh for the days when it was just the occasional blackhead and sensitivity -  and I have tried everything, and I really mean everything, and this is one of the first things that has made a real, noticeable difference to my skin. I've been using it in place of a toner for the past week or so and it's incredible.  It reduces redness, calms particularly aggressive spots and clears smaller spots. It is seriously amazing. Just a quick warning though ALWAYS cover your eyes when spraying on your face. I got some in my eyes and I swear I've never known pain like it. Other than it's awesome and I'm sure I'll be adding the Effaclar System to my basket at some point in the very near future. 

Soap & Glory No Clogs Allowed Super Self Heating Mask Deep Pore Detox Mask - £11.50 for 100ml from boots.com

Okay so this mask is amazing. I've only used it once but I already love it. It's a self-heating mask that begins to heat up as soon as it's applied to the skin. It gives the skin a real deep clean, really getting into the pores and getting rid of dirt and bacteria to prevent new spots forming. It also reduces the appearance of spots and pores and leaves the skin looking, and feeling clearer. It works wonders on congested skin. The best part is that the mask turns blue once it's been activated which is SO COOL! I love it. 

Superdrug Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 Moisturiser & Serum - £5.99 for 50ml from superdrug.com

This 2 in 1 Serum is a seriously lovely offering from Superdrug's own skincare line. I'm actually super impressed with what I've tried so far. It's really nice quality but also really cheap which is always a bonus. This serum has a lovely silky smooth texture that just melts into the skin. Normally I'm not a massive fan of serums, some I've tried have felt really sticky on the skin, but this applies really smoothly and just feels so nice on the skin, it's also really nourishing. My skin gets really dull and grey, particularly in the winter time, and this serum has done a lot to restore some radiance, and general glowiness to my skin and make me look more alive. It's very nice. 

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Eye Cream - £5.99 for 15ml from superdrug.com

The skin under my eyes is really sensitive, to the point where if I don't moisturise regularly then it becomes dry and sore and starts to look and feel like tissue paper. The worst thing is it really doesn't take much to irritate it, so I have to be super careful with what I use. It's a bit of a vicious circle really. Superdrug's Naturally Radiant Brightening Eye Cream is really nice, and one of the few eye creams I've come across that doesn't have any adverse affects on me. It's quite rich but also lightweight and fast absorbing. It's really moisturising and oh so gentle on the skin. It doesn't irritate me at all but leaves my under eye area feeling nourished and looking refreshed and awake. I almost can't believe how good it is. Especially when considering how cheap it is. It is so good. 

What skin care bits have you been loving lately? Any recommendations? 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 regular updates. 

Love love love xxx

Pay Day Beauty Hauling #1

Pay Day Beauty Hauling #1

Sunday, 12 July 2015

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Hey Guys! I hope everyone has had a fab weekend! Personally I've been holed up in my room doing some uni work and watching netflix, mostly I've been watching netflix but I certainly thought about doing uni work. Anyway I got paid on Friday and went on a bit of a shopping spree, clothes and make up, and I thought I'd share all the beauty bits and pieces I picked up with you lovely lot! 

L'Oreal Paris Color Riche in Julianne's Nude

Usually I'm not a fan of nude lipsticks, I like my lipstick bright and bold, but after my mum got this and I saw how good it looked I just had to get my hands on it. It is the most gorgeous blue toned pinky-nude and I am actually in love with it! It's nude without being too nude, a classic 'my lips but better shade' suited to us english rose types. Whilst it's not the most long lasting of formulas, it is super moisturising and the colour is incredible, it also smells lovely, like parma violets. I can see this becoming my go to lipstick, Me? Rocking nudes? Who'd have thunk it?!

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Sky Blue and Barry M Speedy Quick Dry Nail Paint in Eat My Dust

I love me some blue nail polishes (read more about that here) and these two were irresistible. Sky Blue is a really beautiful sky blue, funnily enough, it has that whole is it blue? is it green? it doesn't matter because it's so gorgeous thing going on and I love it.  Eat My Dust is a very pretty pale lilac-y cornflower blue shade. Eat My Dust has actually been on my list for ages but it's always out of stock, so when I finally spotted this bottle hiding away in the shampoo aisle of my local boots I snapped it up. I really love both of the Hi-Shine Gelly and Speedy Quick Dry formulas; the Hi-Shine Gelly formula is really thick and creamy yet easily workable and has a gorgeous shiny, gel-like finish. Whereas the Speedy Quick Dry formula does exactly what it says on the tin, dries super quickly and has an amazing rounded brush that hugs the cuticles and makes painting your nails a breeze. I am so happy with these purchases, Barry M is my absolutely fave for high street/drug store nails.

Essence The Gel Polish in Electriiiiiic

Yes another blue nail polish, I may have a bit of a blue nail polish problem, Electriiiiiic is currently adorning my nails and I have to say it is gorgeous! It's a beautiful royal blue that really pops against tanned skin, not that I'd know anything about that #palegirlproblems. I'd never actually tried any of the essence polishes but they are really good, with a thick, gel-like formula that applies easily and lasts really well on the nails. It was also a total bargain, setting me back a mere £1.90.Yep you read that right, this tiny bottle of bright blue joy cost less than £2! I'll definitely be adding more to my collection.

Superdrug Vitamin E Skincare Facial Oil

Ever since I ran out of the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil there has been a noticeable difference in the condition of my skin, it's been drier and more blackhead prone than ever, so whilst I'm waiting for a new bottle of that to arrive I thought I'd give this facial oil a try to see if it would give my skin a much needed moisture boost. I haven't actually tested it out on anything other than the back of my hand yet but from that I can tell you it smells gorgeous, like coconut, and is both fast absorbing and super moisturising. I'll let you know how I get on.

Witch Naturally Clear Blemish Stick

The Witch Naturally Clear Blemish Stick has long been a favourite of mine for drying out big, juicy spots and blemishes, so when I ran out I had to get a new one. It's one of the best on the spot spot treatments that I've come across as it gets to work instantly on breaking down any excess oil and fighting spot-causing bacteria. I have quite dry, sensitive skin but witch hazel is a natural astringent that clears up spots without being too harsh on my skin. Having said that I would advise those with particularly dry skin to steer clear as it does dry out spots and the surrounding skin but for me it's a life saver. 

What have you guys been spending your hard earned pennies on? Let me know on twitter, by commenting below or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat - search lolarocknroses - and pinterest for regular updates. Also let me know if you'd be interested in seeing a post about the clothes and fashiony bits I picked up. 

Love love love xxx