November 30, 2013

Review : Baby Lips by Maybelline

Hello !

Today I'm going to make a quick review of a product that everybody knows (and probably has bought) by now, the Baby Lips lipbalm by Maybelline.
We've all heard a lot about this, which is a bit surprising because it's only a lipbalm after all. But since so many people seemed to like it, I thought I was missing something so I bought one the other day.

I chose the "Cherry Me" one, which is a bright pink-almost red shade. I thought if I picked the brightest shade, it would me more efficient for the "tinted lipbalm" effect. 






The colour is gorgeous and seems very pigmented, which is a great point. I have to say that the smell is quite strong, sweet and fruity ; and along with the packaging it kind of looks like some makeup I used when I was 10. But that's not really important after all, is it ?

When you first apply the product on your lips, the colour doesn't really show. You have to keep applying it until your lips are finally tinted, which is a bit annoying because you find yourself with a lot of product on the lips in the end. 
I've read quite a few reviews saying that the colour is really good and that it shows well etc., and I must say I was disappointed about that when I finally got to try it. Of course, I didn't expect the colour to be as bright as a lipstick's, but I thought it would still be a more opaque colour. And, as you'll see from the picture of the swatch above, it is a glossy pink shade and nothing more. 




I don't know if it may be because my lips are quite rosy and pigmented naturally so it doesn't allow the colour to really show, but this is something that disappointed me a bit. But then, it's still a pretty pink tone and it'll be perfect for when I just want a natural look on my lips but without wearing nothing at all .

For the moisturising effect, nobody really expected an amazing result I guess. If you want a very moisturising lipbalm, drugstore ones aren't generally the best and you should try pharmarcy brands maybe - the RĂªve de Miel lipbalm by Nuxe is the best I've ever tried, for example.
So the Baby Lips doesn't have a great moisturising power. It feels comfortable on the lips when you apply it, but after some time it fades and doesn't leave any moisture at all. You have to reapply it quite often if you want to keep it on for the day. 
But I guess the main thing about the Baby Lips in the colour and the lipgloss effect it has. So in the end, it is a good product for when you don't want to bother with a sophisticated makeup. 


Julia xx

November 12, 2013

Autumn/winter selection : outdoors clothing

Hello everybody !

Today I'm going to do a selection of clothes from different shops and online shopping website, to pick up my favourite outdoors clothing. It is that time of the year when we definitely have to think about getting a coat, a scarf and some gloves, before we freeze just by putting a toe outside ! I already got myself a coat from H&M (and for some reason it does not appear on the website), but maybe some of you haven't found yours yet ; so I hope this selection will help you find what you want !

First we'll start by the coats. It's the most important element obviously, and also (unfortunately) the most expensive. I've tried to select a few that seem really good and pretty, but not too expensive because I don't know about you, but I wouldn't pay hundreds for one single item, never.

The first coat (or rather jacket here) is by H&M. It is quite unusual and not everybody will like it, but I thought it was original and pretty - and I don't usually like fur so that is something for me !



It looks quite chic and I think would go with everything, with a skirt paired with a nice floaty shirt, or with leggings and a simple top, with a nice dress, etc. It looks so fluffy and warm !
You can find this jacket here, and it is £34.99.


The next one is also from H&M, but in a totally different style. It is a kaki green parka. These are very fashionable at the moment, they were so last year, and it can put you off to see everyone in the streets wearing them (that's the only reason why I didn't by one haha). But nevertheless they are really pretty and go with everything, so I chose to include one here.



Also, the faux fur collar is very nice and would kinda do the job of a scarf, don't you think ?
The link to the website is right here, and again this item is not very pricey : £39.99 !


I've got a different style of coat now, but still in a kaki tone (but with bits of black too). It is a kind of military style coat from Boohoo. It is very structured, with a belt and a lot of silver buttons. It love the details of the black collars and the black bottom part of it. It is somehow lady-like !



This one is a bit more expensive that the other two, but it looks like it's great quality so I guess it's still fine : £50.00, and you can find it here ! 


Now I've selected another coat, but definitely more expensive than the ones before. I've decided to include it because it's so pretty and I know a lot of people would like it even though it's price can be somehow exaggerated. It comes from Asos, and it is a skater coat !



How adorable is that ? For a skater skirts lover like me, this looks like heaven ! but unfortunately, I couldn't pay so much for a coat. It is available in navy, black and red and has buttons all the way up to the neck. 
It is £70.00 - which is a lot, but I couldn't ignore it ! - and you can find it here if you like !


Now, on to the fun part : the accessories ! And I've selected a lot from Asos actually, so there you go !

First I've chosen a snood, because everybody seems to love them and to think they are very practical and cosy etc. I've never had one so I can't really tell, but if you like snoods, this one seems quite good to me :




It is a big burgundy snood. It is kind of a chunk knit and should be really warm for the colder months. And of course its colour goes with pretty much everything, it is a staple item I guess.
It is £12.00, you can learn more about it on this page !

Now, I've got the cutest ensemble of accessories to show you. They are again from Asos, and maybe some people wouldn't like them, but I think they are amazing !




They are matching reindeer gloves and beanie ! 
Well not exactly matching because the colours are slightly different, but who cares when they are so adorable ?
They are sold separately, but would make a great pair to wear this winter. Combined with a red coat, this would make the cutest outdoors look ever. 
If you're interested, check this link for the beanie (£12.00) and this one for the gloves (which are £10.00).  


***

I'm afraid this selection won't be as long and complete as the other ones I've done, but I don't have time enough to make further research for now. And I'll soon come back with a (or several) Christmas selection, so there will be more of these winter accessories anyway !


Julia xx

November 03, 2013

Lush birthday haul

Hey there !

Since it was my birthday on the 25th of October, I received some Lush products (all of my friends know that I'm a huge Lush fan !). I thought I would share them with you, and give my thoughts on the items that I've already tested. Let's go !




I'll start by my favourite items, the bath products !




I've got the Sunnyside bubble bar, which I can't wait to use - I looove glitter ! And it smells really good, a bit like lemon and orange and fresh citrus fruits like that. 
Also I have the Shoot for the stars ballistic. First, the name is really cute ! and the smell is amazing, it actually smells like the "Honey I washed the kids" soap, a.k.a. my favourite Lush scent ever. And it is a big ballistic, you could use it in two or three baths if you cut it.

I have two more more bath products, from the Hello Gorgeous present box.




The huge white and pink thing is the Comforter bubble bar. Again if you buy this you'll get a good use out of it, it is so big that you would probably have it for quite a while ! and it smells delicious.
The pretty pink ballistic with flowers on it is called Think Pink. Although I'm repeating myself a lot there, it smells very good and can be divided in two for more use. A thing that may be a bit annoying is that the flowers keep falling and I lose it everywhere, but it won't matter anymore when it's melting in the bath !

Then, as you can see from the picture above, I've got the Vanilla Dee-lite body lotion. It is a very light product and actually doesn't smell of vanilla, it is more flowery and somehow reminds me a bit of lilac (which is my favourite flower, yay !). It is not very moisturising though, so for autumn-winter I would not use it all the time as a real moisturiser.
Speaking of moisturiser, a sample of the Gorgeous face cream came in the box. It is a very good moisturiser and does a great job. The smell this time is not really my cup of tea, it smells of orange blossom so it is quite strong - but other people may like it. It is nonetheless a good product and I'll still use it at night to moisturise my skin before bed !




Last but not least, a shower product : the Rub rub rub shower scrub. 



First of all, can we talk about the colour of this ? I love it ! It is so fun to use. One more time, the smell is quite strong and reminds me of lemon and citrus fruits. It has sea salt in it to exfoliate the skin, and it is very good - not too gentle but not too strong either. You can also use it as a simple shower gel, that's what I've been doing since I got it.

So that's all for my Lush birthday haul ! I really enjoy these products and I'm kind of using them all at the same time haha. 
And now that the Christmas collection is out, I think I'm gonna buy some new stuff soon... I can't fight against Lush, unfortunately !

Julia xx