Sigma Haul + DISCOUNT CODE

 
The lovely people over at Sigma sent me a few goodies that I've been obsessed with and I thought it was about time I shared them with you.

I loved the size of the 'Indulgent' Lip Base pencil*, it allowed for a quick and easy application unlike smaller lip pencils. The colour is extremely pigmented and I loved the orangey undertone to the pencil as it added something to what would have been a typical colour. I'm also obsessed with the coral blush*, as it adds a lovely glow to your face without being too much. I really liked pairing it with the 'Elysees' eyeshadow* to add a bit of drama to my look.

The brushes really stole the show for me, the 3DHD kabuki face brush* made applying my foundation seamless and the 3DHD angle brush* made precise contouring super quick. The eye brushes are adding to my eyeshadow obsession and I've been using them everyday.

Buy them all here. Use code "SIGMA2016" with this link to get 10% off your order. (http://fave.co/1PE0ved if you can't click directly)

My Little "Fashion" Box September 2015 Unboxing + Review

I am in love with My Little Box, you know this, I know this BUT this month... boy, I never knew I could feel like this! 

The box is always packed with goodies but every item in this had me smiling from ear to ear. The theme of this months box is fashion.

The first product I reached for was the Kerastase "Laque Noire" extra strong hold hair spray. I have been a huge fan of kerastase for years so was overjoyed to find a product from them, that I haven't tried, in the box. The hairspray carries a normal hairspray scent and claims to hold your hair perfectly, even in the most humid of places.

I haven't tried the alfa.k griffe Paris nail decals, as I'm saving them for a special occasion but the colours and quirky designs are adorable. 

Another item I was pleasantly surprised to see in the box was the La Roche Pose "Toleriane Ultra Fluide". The product is designed for even the most sensitive or allergic skins and is an intense soothing fluid for your face and your eyes. The packaging had me stumped for ages but I realised, after a long struggle, that you just have to twist the head for it to start pumping.

The next item I tried was the "Red Dingue creme de rouge" my little beauty lip cream, packaged in a gorgeous spotty tube was a magnificent matte red, I wasn't expecting it to dry to the finish it did and was left pleasantly surprised.

 I love that they included a, stunning, scarf but what I love even more is the way they designed the packaging so it gave the illusion of the drawing wearing the scarf. Hurry up and order your box RIGHT NOW, this isn't one to miss. Seriously. My little box* never fail to impress. Sign up for £11 + P&P here.

My "Gypset" Little Box REVIEW- August 2015

Hello my lovies!

This month's box is packed with a bunch of goodies, my absolute favourite product in the box is the Korres body milk in Basil Lemon, I initially thought this was a shower milk but was pleasantly surprised when I found it was a lotion. The product sinks in really quickly and leaves your skin feeling as soft as a babies bottom.

A product that I found really interesting was the So Susie Colour Hybrid- this is a lip/cheek mousse and has a velvet texture. The colour is a vibrant red which settles to have a semi-matte finish. Another make-up item in this months box is My Little Box's very own bronzer, I don't use this for a contour I use this to add colour to my face.

I've been loving using the hairbands- they're super pretty and don't put too much pressure on my hair!

The last item I received was a gorgeous blue duffle bag, with geometric patterns all over it.

My Little Box* never fail to brighten up my day, Sign up for £11 + P&P here.

Maybelline Classic Volume Express WATERPROOF Mascara Swatches + Review (Before + After)

Long time no seee..... Long story short, I scheduled a lot of posts whilst travelling and NONE POSTED- sigh. Anyway, back again!

Today I'm going to be a rave review on my must-have mascara of the moment- and it's an absolute bargain. I picked up Maybelline Classic Volume Express Waterproof on whim in tesco because I loved the colour of the tube and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the actual product also.

As the name suggests the product is waterproof, but this product may as well be called bulletproof. It is a nightmare and a half to take off but so perfect at the same time.

It gives your make-up an almost hollywood look as it stays so perfect, and holds your eyelashes in the same place all day. It's also extremely black which makes it the perfect night-out pick me up.

Pros:
+Lengthening
+Volumising
+Holds curl
+Doesn't flake
+Very black
+Tube lasts a while
+Waterproof
+Cheap

Cons:
- Nightmare to take off

The product costs £4.99 which is amazing value for money, and I really recommend it if you're going on holiday or your make-up doesn't stay put on nights out. Buy here.

Chanel 99 "Pirate" Lipstick Swatch + Review (Rouge Allure)

I am in love. Let me just start off by saying that. 

I have owned Chanel products before, and liked them, but found that my skin didn't work too well with them. When browsing through the Cosme-De website I stumbled across the Chanel section and decided to take a peak through the lipsticks, and was really drawn to "Pirate". After endless hours of googling swatches and reading reviews I took the plunge and decided Pirate would be mine.

First of all, the packaging. The packaging, oh my. *Be still my beating heart*. The lipstick comes in a bullet, to eject the lipstick you have to press the gold chanel button on the top and it pops up.

Next up, the smell, I adore the smell of lipsticks, especially MAC and dior, but had never smelt a Chanel one. I was extremely pleased and was left sniffing it all evening, revealing the crazy make-up crazed teen side to me.

I didn't use a lipliner with the lipstick but the shape of the top created such a defined, and polished, look which took less than a minute- Chanel, can you please share your secrets with every lipstick manufacturer in the world? It would make my life so much easier.

The texture is really silky, leaving a slight glisten but not a shine. The colour stayed on for 4-5 hours without re-application but did disappear upon eating, naturally.

I'm obsessed with this lipstick, although it doesn't come cheap at £26, but I think it's completely worth it. HOWEVER, that being said, Cosme-de have very kindly given me a discount code for 10% for ALL of my readers- just use "TALISA10" at the checkout and with this you will also get a free sample of the O'slee "Honey Sugar Mask" AND there is free shipping with my code. Ain't they kind! Buy Pirate here for £23.40.

Essence HAUL

I was very kindly sent a few Essence products to review from the lovely people at Wilko's, i'd never tried out Essence before so I was rather excited to test them all out.

The first product to catch my eye was the gorgeous pastel coloured "All About Romance" eyeshadow palette (£3.50). When I lightly swatch fair priced eyeshadows i'm a bit of a snob and expect them to be chalky and lacking in pigmentation- this product put me in my place! The silky easy to blend colours had amazing pigmentation and the colours are all easy to wear and can be used for lots of different occasions. This is definitely my new day-to-night palette!

Next up I tried the 06 "Barely There" long lasting lipstick (£2.30), this was far more sheer than expected but the colour is gorgeous and the lipstick is, as the name suggests, long lasting.

The packaging for the "Lash Princess False Effect Mascara" (£3.30) is super cute, the tube is shiny and black with green rubber detail for grip on the top of the wand, making it look adorable whilst providing grip.

The last products in my box of treats were two of their "I Heart Trends" Nail Polishes in 05 "Pure Soul" and 06 "Baby Doll" (both £1.80 each). They were quite watery and as you can see kind of leaked to the side of my nails, this works when you apply three very thin layers but it's not one for a quick polish and go. 05 is the top picture and 06 is the bottom, as you can see the colour is quite similar but 06 has a lovely golden shimmer in it.

 
Have you ever tried essence before? Are there any products you'd recommend I tried?

My Little 'Dream' Box REVIEW | April 2015 UK

 Ever since FleurDeForce did a collab with "My Little Box" i've wanted a box from them and, this month, I am lucky enough to have been sent their "Dream" box and I am IN LOVE. The box was filled with a bunch of goodies and motivational quotes.

I'm yet to use the Masque but it has a delicious sweet coconut scent and comes in the cutest packaging so I can't wait to try it!

My favourite product in the box is 400% the Loved by Lou Lesage balm, it's an exact dupe for the Benetint Balm. It glides on really well and leaves a sheer rosy layer on your lips, whilst leaving them moisturised.

Another product that will have a permanent place in my handbag for a long while is the solid perfume by Sabe Masson in Copacabana. The packaging is gorgeous and is really sturdy meaning it won't fall apart in my bag which is a win. The fragrance is strong fresh and long lasting and feels like a balm upon application. It reminds me of my first ever perfume I got (J.Lo, cringe.) so it's a really nostalgic smell for me. It's quite unusual so when going to the site to find out the scents I found out it's worth $25! This box costs costs £11! So, you've got your moneys worth with this product alone.

Carrying on with the "dream on" idea we got a lovely multi-saying stamp and ink, believe it or not i've never owned a stamp before so I had great fun playing around with this!

I love that my little box varies it's products and already thrilled at the box I put it down and started writing my review, only to find another item in there, they really spoil us, don't they? It's a simple, yet gorgeous bracelet.

As you have probably guessed by my non-stop raving about the products in this box, I am thrilled that My Little Box lived up to my expectations and filled the box with so many goodies. I really recommend subscribing to them, can't wait to see whats in next months box. To sign up for just £11 a month visit to their website here.

Jouer Must-Haves Set Review + SWATCHES

(From left to right: 'Blush' lipgloss, 'feather' creme eyeshadow, light swatch of 'Blossom' blush, heavy swatch of 'Blossom' blush)

I've been wanting to try Jouer for such a long time but couldn't really justify buying it, so when BlowLTD contacted me about a feature I finally took the leap and I am so glad I did!

The set comes with 3 make-up pieces, swatches are above, and also 5 make-up brushes; Powder Brush, Foundation Brush, Powder Eyeshadow Brush, Defined Shadow Brush and a Liner Brush. All the brushes are soft and though it's hard to choose, my favourite brushes from the set are the liner brush and the foundation brush. I find most liner brushes are too thick for my liking but this was very thin which I was impressed by. The pointed foundation brush gives such a flawless finish and makes it easy to shift foundations into hard to reach places.

The blush, in 'blossom', reminded me of NARS 'deep throat' in both texture and colour. 'Deep throat' is one of my all time favourites so I am very glad to have a replacement. The creme eyeshadow, in 'feather', looks lovely on your eyes and gives you a really wide awake look. The only problem with it is that it creases after a few hours but with a good primer that shouldn't be much of an issue. The lipgloss, in 'Blush', is a gorgeous natural pink with a very subtle shimmer that gives the illusion of a fuller lip.

The set is worth £118 but is currently on sale for £47.21 which is such a fair price considering the amount of products as well as the quality of them. Buy this set here http://www.blowltd.com/jouer-le-must-haves-set

Have you ever tried Jouer? I might just be in love.

L'oreal Paris Infallible 24H-Matte in 20 Sand Review

L'oreal is winning in the foundation field at the moment. I have three different foundations i'm alternating between, all from L'oreal, all very different.

This particular one has phenomenal staying power, as suggested by the name. I wore this for twenty hours straight and it did not budge, not one bit. It looked fresh as a daisy for TWENTY hours. More often than not I get home, look in the mirror and think "why did nobody tell me I looked like this?!" but  with this I got home and let out a little gasp.

The product is very thick with high coverage, which I don't need but it's just so good. There's no dodgy smell and the dispenser has a little tube at one end so you can moderate how much comes out, and it's really sanitary. I tend to steer away from things I have to dip my fingers into- all that bacteria. *shudders*

I have very dry skin so was scared, as this has a matte finish, it would dry out my skin more and cling to the dry patches but it did neither so I was pleasantly surprised.

I opted for a darker shade than my usual skintone to cancel out some bruising I had on my face, but this will definitely be my summer foundation as it will keep the oils at bay, whilst staying flawless for hours.

It's available for £6.99 which is an absolute bargain as high end brands would charge £40+ for something of the same standard.

What's your must have foundation?

RMK Brightening Jelly Sheet

 Warning: in the next photo I look like something from a horror movie.

I've stayed loyal to my Origins Clear Improvement mask for over a year now but my lovely little sister bought me a RMK mask to test out because "it makes your face soft and glow-y" she's very picky so if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for me.

The packet is filled with a liquid so the jelly doesn't dry out (I wasn't aware of this so had to change outfits straight after using it- clever!) and the jelly comes placed between two plastic sheets. The sheets smell fruity but aren't overbearing. When taking the first plastic sheet off you have to be very careful that none of the mask is caught on the piece you're removing or the jelly gets stuck together. Then place the jelly, still with one piece of plastic on, to your face until you have aligned all of the holes. Once this is done, the other plastic sheet can be removed.

For 15 minutes you will look like you've just stepped off the makeup van for a horror movie but after that you are left with radiant, moisturised skin. I tried to take a photo but the camera couldn't catch a difference even though there was a very clear one in person. My skin looked more plump and bright after using this. I did, however, notice that the results were very short term and only lasted a day. Therefore, I highly recommend this before a big night out or if you're feeling particularly tired. It is a bit pricy at £40 for 4 from Selfridges but makes for the perfect pamper treat.

Collection 2000 "Does It All" Waterproof mascara

I look for two things in a mascara; volume and the ability to hold a curl. My eyelashes, like shown in the before photo, are really flat so need a really strong mascara to hold it up. Luckily, for me, this mascara did just that.

The brush is made of rubber and has thick bristles which separate the lashes as the mascara is applied which helps to avoid clumping. The mascara is jet black  which makes the white part of your eyes appear whiter and your eye colour "pop" a bit more. The bottom lashes were lengthened and didn't clump which is very rare with rubber bristle mascaras; I was pleasantly surprised.

My only problem with this product is that it isn't massively lengthening, it does a fair job but it doesn't have the "wow" factor on that front. That being said I absolutely adore this mascara for £3.99 it's exceptionally good quality. It's definitely going to become one of my make-up bag staples; even if it is just for my bottom lashes. Buy (here).

Soap and glory "Solar Power"

I envy people who can contour. I just can't do it, well, I couldn't. I decided to read a few online reviews on which bronzers were good for contouring and came across "Solar Power". The product comes with half a pan of a dark bronze shade and half a pan of a gold highlighter. The S&G sign has a slight shimmer across it which disappears upon first stroke.

The product is very creamy, odd to say about a powder, and it glides on leaving no clear lines. It blends easily and doesn't look chalky upon the skin. I use the dark shade below my cheeks to define my cheek bones and the highlighter above for colour contrast. The product blends so seamlessly into your skin it looks like you were born with perfect cheekbones. Even an amateur like me could create a contoured look!

This is one of the best bronzers i've come into contact with and it doesn't come with a hefty price tag. Massive thumbs up from me. The product is available for £11 (here).

Birchbox UK november 2013

Birchbox, you've done it again.

Laura Mercier Fresh Fig Body Butter:
Hands down my favourite product in the box. How lucky are we to get another Laura Mercier product! The products smells strongly of, as the name suggests, fresh fig. The smell lingered for 3-4 hours on my skin, personally i loved the scent but, if you don't like strongly scented products i would steer clear of this. The product sank in almost immediately leaving my skin soft and silky smooth. You only need a tiny bit so the sample should last for 1-2 weeks depending on how much i use it. The butter retails for £26 and is worth every penny. Buy (here).

Weleda replenishing oat shampoo:
First up: the scent. Oh, the scent. This product holds the "typical" Weleda smell. Fresh and uplifting. The most prominent scent, to me, is the jojoba oil which i love. My hair was left soft and my scalp nourished- will be reaching for this all winter to keep the dandruff at bay! Buy for a very reasonable £8.95 (here).

Chella highlighting pencil:
I've never been sold on highlighting pencils, they're fiddly and most of the time they are far too pink, *cough* Benefit Eye Bright *cough*, but i was completely taken aback by this one. In the pencil the product looks as if it has a pink undertone but when swatched on the skin the product glides on leaving a creamy flesh toned colour. I applied it to both the inner and outer corner of my eyes to look more awake and had compliments on how energised i look all day! Buy for £15.95 (here).


Spa Find sculpted silhouette intensive bust firming extract serum:
This is the sort of product i would never buy for myself but turns out to be blooming amazing when you try! The extract isn't sticky and leaves your, ahem, breasts feeling refreshed. I use 5 drops per breast and I still have a lot of product left which will allow for a good trial period. Incredibly interesting product that I am delighted to have received. I will keep you updated on whether it does actually "firm". Buy for £26 (here).

English Laundry signature for her eau de parfum:
Classic "clean" smell. It reminds me of Yankee Candle's "Clean cotton" candle. Buy for £16 (here).

Pukka herbs selection of teas:
I received three teas:
- "Three cinnamon"- the smell is the typical 'cinnamon' smell but the taste is not at all like normal cinnamon. Whilst there are hints of cinnamon it's mainly sweet with a bit of spice. Perfect for christmas. Buy for £2.29 (here).
-"Earl grey"- classic earl grey taste. Buy for £2.29 (here).
-"Elderberry and echinacea"- my favourite of the bunch, i ordered it as soon as i tried it. Spicy, yet fruity. Truly intriguing and like nothing i've ever tasted before. Buy for £2.29 (here).

Birchbox pencil sharpener: 
Super handy, it can sharpen large pencil highlighter we received in the box. Nice touch, Birchbox. Buy for £3.00 (here).

To get the box PLUS AN EXTRA SAMPLE TRIO just pop "BBXTalisa" into the promo code box when you checkout! Subscribe for £10 + £2.95 p&p here: http://birchbox.co.uk/?raf=8120

I popped over to tescos to pick up my new favourite tea, Pukka's Elderberry & Echinacea, and i just had to post a photo of the beautiful box the sachets come in. Kudos to 'Pukka' who satisfy all of their customers needs!

Illamaqua "Cameo"

I've been in search of this colour my whole life. Periwinkle blue is such a gorgeous shade that is so, unbelievably, hard to track down. I literally jumped for joy when i saw this in sephora.

The polish goes on easily and is opaque with 2 coats. I found the wear time was around 5-6 days with a top coat.

Buy for £14.50 (here).

Birchbox october 2013

This is THE best beauty box i have ever received to date.

Dr.Lipp original nipple balm for lips: I had heard lots about this throughout the bloggersphere but had never gotten round to trying it despite really wanting to, so when i saw this in my box it was the first product i tried. The product is really hard to get out of the tube, it is incredibly thick. Once out it melts on your lips and you need a very small amount to cover all of your lips. It looks great, it's a clear balm that gives a nice shine on the lips but i find it leaves my lips feeling a bit sticky. After an hour that feeling fades and the product keeps your lips moisturised and looking great all day. Although the initial sticky feeling is irritating the overall outcome is totally worth it. The tube we were given will can be used 10-15 times. Thumbs up from me and will definitely repurchase this. Buy for £11.50 (here). See photo below of it over "stainiac".

The Balm Stainiac: This product gives your lips a lovely flushed look. It is a pink stain that dries quickly and lasts for around 2 hours. The product is not sticky at all and is really flattering to all skin tones. Buy for £10 (here).

Egyptian magic all purpose skin cream: Haven't used these yet but they are really handy to pop in your handbag, especially in the colder months. Buy for £34.90 (here).

Akane Mask cocoon nocturne: This was the only product in the box i was disappointed by. The mask felt sticky and peeled off during the night. It didn't do much for my skin. Buy for £18 (here).

UltraDex toothpaste: Delicious. I haven't seen a difference yet but will continue using and then report back. Buy for £8.15 (here).

KMS California Curl up: Helps define curls. We were given a big sample which will last a while and it smells divine. Wouldn't recommend to people with straight hair as it doesn't add curls, only helps to define them. Buy for £15 (here).

Laura mercier tinted moisturiser in "nude": This. Is. AMAZING. My skin looked flawless and i'm flabbergasted that i've never tried this before. A definite repurchase. Totally worth the hype. Buy for £33 (here).

Overall, i was extremely pleased with the range of products and the amazing quality of all of them. I've never seen a beauty box with so many well known renowned products in it; except for 'specials' boxes. If you would like to sign up for birchbox you can do so through this link: here.

Also, FREE SHIPPING on everything in this box in the e-shop- i'm going to buy everything!

Birchbox UK september 2013

It's my favourite time of the month- BIRCHBOX TIME!!

First impression: W.O.W

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Gel: This gel is extremely refreshing and i like to use it when i've had a long day. The smell is divine and lingers on the skin without being overpowering. Buy for £31 (here).

Molton brown Ylang-Ylang nourishing body lotion: We got a Ylang Ylang shower gel in the previous box so this will be nice to pair up with it. It has the same refreshing woody smell. Buy for £18 (here).

Reverence de Bastien nail polish: A lovely burgundy colour for autumn. Glossy finish and long lasting. Buy for £16 (here).

Bioderma H20: I have 2 big bottles of this and adore it. It leaves my skin looking refreshed and glowing whilst being able to remove heavy duty make-up. Buy for £9.99 (here).

Green & Black's White chocolate: One word: YUM. Buy for £2.29 (here).

ModelCo. Party proof lipstick: A moisturising pinky-nude colour. Very easy to wear and lasts around an hour before it needs to be reapplied. Buy for £15.50 (here). Alternatively there is a bright set for £15.50 (here).

Sign up for birchbox for £10 a month (here). What are your thoughts on this box?