The No7 and More Haul

No7 Midnight Lash - Black

This mascara was quite literally waved in front of my face by a sales assistant and as I listened to the features of it, I was completely taken in. I followed the assistant over the counter where I purchased this mascara, received gifts with purchase and booked in for a make over. 

This mascara is described as "a dazzling combination of black pearl and sapphire" with black pigment that forms "dramatic black lashes". This is a volumising mascara with a medium-sized curved wand - great for wiggling between lashes. It has an extremely lightweight formula which means it's easy to build up a good few coats. Plus - it's hypo-allergenic, great if you ever get sensitive eyes!

No7 Stay Perfect Foundation - Calico

After purchasing the mascara above, I chose to book in for a makeover with No7. This particular foundation was chosen for me as I wanted something that would last hours throughout my night out later on that evening. Also, my skin was recovering from a bad reaction to a unknown product so I wanted something that wouldn't further irritate my skin (this is where the hypo-allergenic bit comes in). The match made device (check it out here if you haven't heard of it) chose a slightly darker shade for me but we picked a lighter shade in order to accommodate the colour difference between my face and neck.

I could talk forever about why I love this foundation so I'll leave that for another blog post. But I will say this - it's medium coverage but lightweight so it's buildable. It blends well into the skin and gives a natural but really flawless finish. And it lasts for ages. 

No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream - Normal/Oily

Another product used during the makeover, I purchased this as No7 understood the skin troubles I was having a picked out a suitable moisturiser that suited me. This day cream uses a multivitamin and mineral blend to hydrate, energise and mattify for radiant skin. It also has zinc to regulate oil production and thus prevent breakouts. It's also hypo-allergenic and has SPF15. Sounds pretty good to me!

The consistency of the cream is quite thick so it feels quite luxurious but it still sinks quickly into the skin. While I tend to use a primer in my morning make-up routine, I found there hasn't been a need for one with this moisturiser. As I mentioned before, it mattifies and it just generally creates a good base for foundation. I need to leave some time to see how my skin takes to this but so far. no complaints.

No7 Pop&Glow Cream Blush - Rose Blossom

This was another product that was used on me during the make over and was applied with a fan brush. Personally I've been applying this straight from the tube onto the apples of my cheeks and using my fingers to blend the products up towards my temples. The make up artist at No7 described this at a cream to powder finish and it feels extremely lightweight on the skin when compared to other cream blushers I've used.

This blush is highly pigmented (a lot more baby pink than it seems in the photos) but using your fingers allows you to warm the product up when blending and gives a lot more control. It gives a lovely winter flushed look when blended! 

No7 - Stay Perfect Eyeshadow
Sample Size

I was given this as a sample when I purchased the mascara during my first trip to No7. Unfortunately the colour name isn't on the packaging but I think it's the colour 'mink'. I'd describe it as a purple grey with high shimmer. I am yet to use this eyeshadow but I think it would like really nice involved in a smokey eye - especially for brown eyes.

No7 High Shine Lipgloss in Coral Kiss

This was a gift with purchase during my mascara purchase and I think it's a huge shame I didn't receive it during summer! The lip gloss is a coral peach with a subtle shimmer and has an extremely thick consistency so I think this one would look great on it's own. No7 describe this as a collagen boosting moisturising gloss that contains vitamins so I can image this being really nourishing on the lips. 

No7 High Shine Lip Crayon - Delicate Pink
Sample Size
This lip crayon was another sample I received during my second visit to No7. I find the formulas of lip crayons tend to be quite moisturising and it seems this one is no different. It gives a sheer wash of colour but is somewhat buildable. This colour is a soft, delicate pink (if you hadn't already guessed by the name) and has a high shine with underlying gold shimmer. I think this would be a great lip product if you're just getting into make-up as it's not too bold and doesn't require much effort to apply. 

No7 Skin Illuminator - Peach

Sample Size

Yet another sample given to me at the makeover! This is a radiance boosting beauty fluid, very different to any highlighting products I've tried before. The consistency is almost water like, which makes it easy to work with, in a pearlescent gold. No7 suggest placing this under foundation which is something I've never thought of doing and I can image it makes you look lovely and glowy. I think it would also look gorgeous swept across the cheekbones for more of a bold look - a good one for Christmas parties! 

No7 - Extreme Length Mascara (Waterproof)

Sample size

I received this sample with the products I purchased from the make over and I'm glad I got a lengthening mascara as the other one I purchased was a volumising one. It aims to give fluttering lashes which are my favourite everyday lashes and it's easy to build layers without creating clumps. It has a plastic wand (which I also prefer for day mascaras) and is flexible with lots of fine bristles making it easy for coating the smallest lashes. 

Let me stop the post here and talk about the service I received at No7. As I mentioned before, I was swept away with the mascara and the sales assistant (Sedat at Boots in Cribbs Causeway) took time with me to explain about the features and also book me in for a make over. The make over itself was a such lovely experience, all the staff made me feel at ease and I didn't feel at all rushed. All of my skin concerns and personal make-up preferences were taken into consideration and Sedat talked through all the products being used on my face. Furthermore, No7 are one of the most generous companies I have come across it terms of giving samples and gifts with purchase! 

 Nyx Butter Gloss in Tiramisu

I've heard these glosses, particularly this colour, raved about in the beauty community and was so excited to see my local Next stocked Nyx products. The colour is a brown/peach nude and the formula is extremely creamy and moisturising. I actually find the consistency similar to Tanya Burr's lip glosses (see a review here). I wore this gloss to my graduation which I think proves that it's a winner! Bonus - Nyx are cruelty free! 

Nyx Jumbo Eye Pencil - French Fries 609

I slack on eye products as a general rule. If I'm running late - I always chose lip products over eyeshadows. I tend to reserve eye products if I want to look more put together. But there's something about jumbo eye pencils that make an eye look seem so easy to do. The colour is a deep bronze colour with a slight sheen to it. I can't help but gravitate towards browns as they make blue eyes pop! I also used this in my graduation make-up along with Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette to create a subtle brown smokey eye.

 Topshop Tipi Slip On Skaters

Since completely wearing out a pair of slip on trainers, I've it at the back of my mind to buy some more. Originally £20, I found these slip on skater shoes in the sale section of |Topshop for £10 and when I got to the till they were £7! This particular pair are a mock croc material which I wouldn't usually go for but the print looks very subtle in white. 

I first wore these on a trip to the hairdressers and paired them with the trousers below, a white lace t-shirt and a black leather jacket. The shoes felt a little stiff when I put them on and as I began walking I could feel them digging into my heels. By the time I had finished at the hairdressers and begun walking home, I genuinely had to take them off and walk barefoot as I was in so much pain. I'm hoping that they're just a bit difficult to wear in and that I'll eventually be able to wear them again. I'm thinking of putting them in the wash on a low heat to soften them up - if anyone has any tips for wearing in difficult shoes, let me know in the comments! 

Topshop Trousers - Tall Range

I've always wanted a pair of trousers like these but wasn't sure if I could pull them off.  I love the off-duty look these have and I think they'd look great paired with wedged trainers and a leather jacket. I was more than happy to see these in the sale at Topshop for £20. Another bonus - these are from the Topshop tall range which is designed for women 5'7" and taller. Being 5'11", finding the right length trousers can sometimes be a struggle. Let's just say I have a lot of 7/8th jeans without intending to!

The trousers have an elastic waistband and bottoms with deep pockets. There's a main pattern down the front/back of the trousers with a more intrinsic pattern at the sides but it doesn't look too busy. I've been wearing these a ton recently - they're so comfortable and easy to throw on. Oh, and I also couldn't help throwing in a photo of my bunny Benjamin exploring the new things on the front room floor!

Have you tried any products from No7 or Nyx? Is there anything you would recommend?

Hollie 

The First October Favourites

Lush Bubble Bar - The Comforter

This bubble bar contains cassis absolute, which gives it a powerful berry scent, as well as bergamot oil (a common top note in perfumes) to uplift and cleanse.  The scent reminds me of Parma Violets and is top of my list as far as Lush scents go. Crumbled under running water, this bubble bar creates giant fluffy bubbles whilst filling your bath with a fruity fragrance. Upon stepping out of the bath, I'm greeted with silky smooth skin and a feeling of indulgence.

I've also been loving the 'Brightside' bubble bar which has mandarin, tangerine (basically your bath smells like oranges) and, again, bergamot extracts for an invigorating and vitalising bath. This is a great 'wake-you-up' bubble bar but I wish I'd discovered it in summer!

 Garnier Ultimate Blends Silky Smoother Shampoo and Conditioner
I've never been really impressed with a shampoo and conditioner until now. I've always used shampoos/conditioners which claim to moisturise/revitalise/repair damaged hair, but I never noticed any immediate effect, keeping my fingers crossed instead for a benefit somewhere down the line. This shampoo and conditioner has completed changed my view on what hair products should actually be doing to my hair.

The duo, aimed at mid-long hair and split ends, works to untangle my hair while I'm still in the shower - making it a thousand times easier to brush my hair after. The product contains Madagascar vanilla milk and Brazilian papaya extract giving your hair a long lasting scent. Just a little amount of the shampoo lathers up extremely well, although the conditioner is a milky consistency which means I use a lot in one go. The next thing on my list is the 1 minute polishing scrub from the same range!

Illamasqua Lipstick - Howl

When I want to look a little more put together, this has been the lipstick I've been reaching for. This is perfect from Autumn/Winter as it's slightly deeper than a typical red, being described by Illamasqua as a deep, terracotta red. The formula is matt and whilst it is slightly drying on the lips, your lips don't look dry with the lipstick on. Also, the formula has the best longevity of any lipstick I've tried.

I also have another Illasmasqua matt lipstick in a deep purple with red undertones which I haven't used since last winter and I'm looking forward to bringing it out again. I'm sure it'll have it's place on this blog this season!

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick - 705 Let's Get Naked 

For the past few months, this has been my ultimate daytime lipstick. True nudes make me uncomfortable as I feel like they wash me out because I'm pale. This nude is a rose-peach colour (swatch below is more accurate) which brings a subtle streak of colour to your lips. As the name would suggest, the formula is extremely creamy and very moisturising on the lips - no drying here. This is a great go-to lipstick for a minimal make-up day or with a smoky eye.

(swatches of illamasqua - howl and rimmel moisture renew - let's get naked)

Ruby & Millie - Fine Line Baked Powder Bronzer 
Ruby & Millie were hailed as one of the biggest UK cosmetics brands to launch in 30 years, however, I recently discovered that they had discontinued a few years ago. My mum bought me this bronzer when I was younger but I put it aside as I never knew how to use it. Now that my beauty knowledge has grown a little, this has quickly become one of my favourite bronzers. It's pigmented but not so strong that you have to be careful with how you apply it. It comes off as a beautiful shimmery (bonus - no need for a highlighter) but definitely not glittery.

(swatch of ruby&millie - fine line baked powder bronzer)

Grey's AnatomyI'm always looking for new series to watch but Grey's Anatomy wasn't something that even crossed my mind, but I was scrolling through the numerous box sets that Sky had added and thought I'd give it ago. Fast forward to 6 days later and I'm nearing the end of series 2. As I write this, it's actually on in the background. The plus side is I've got another 7 series to work my way through! It has the perfect balance of witty humour and tear-filled moments in each episode while maintaining great characters that you'll love or hate. I'd definitely recommend it - especially if you like House!

Music
Check out the Spotify playlist below that shows the songs I've been listening to this month. There's quite the variety there - there's some old songs I've pulled out (sweater weather - v. appropriate) and some new ones that I've stumbled across. Look out in November for a playlist featuring my favourite 'under-the-covers-with-your-headphones-autumn-songs',

                                              

   Not a huge number of favourites this month but I've been quite lazy with exploring new products! What were your favourites this October? Let me know in the comments below!

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Hollie 

The Youtuber Beauty Products

Zoella Beauty - Let's Glow Fragranced Candle 

This is a delightful candle - it's a tin packaging which means no trying to rid candle holders of leftover wax. The scent of this candle is described as a "gentle blend of white wood accents, sweet vanilla and soft floral notes". My own nose thinks this smells like clean washing and it's very fresh and light. One thing I noticed about this candle in particular is it burns extremely evenly - something which I hadn't experienced before with larger candles. I especially like this candle on Sunday nights when I've just crawled into my bed with fresh sheets. 

Zoella Beauty - Fizz Bar 

The concept for this bar is a thing of dreams - it consists of 8 squares so you can break off as many as you'd like for your bath. I used two squares in my latest bath but would probably use three or four in the future. The consistency is a little chalky but if you break the bar over the bath, this isn't a problem. The bar aims to transform your bath into a fresh and fragrant soak - I wouldn't say the fragrance is powerful i,e, Lush but there's definite fresh scent that lingers in the air. I like to pair this with the Let's Glow candle as the scents compliment each other well.

Tanya Burr Lipgloss - Aurora

The formula to this gloss is extremely thick - the consistency feels similar to a liquid lipstick, however it doesn't set or stain the lips. The colour is highly pigmented on the lips, this particular shade is a dusty rose (it's comes off a little brighter in the photo) with an underlying subtle gold shimmer. Oh and did I mention the scent is strawberry laces? And not a subtle smell at that... the smell is strong and absolutely delicious. The doe foot applicator allows just the right amount of gloss to be picked up and it distributes it well, it's also flexible which allows precise application.

However, the expiry date on this gloss is 3 months whereas some other glosses of a similar price are 24 months. While I don't personally pay a lot of attention to expiry dates, it seems amiss that technically I should throw the gloss away within a short space of time. 

These two girls are some of my favourite youtubers by far and I'm really ecstatic that they're bringing out delightful products that you can tell have been created by them. The Zoella range include other products such as a body mist and bath soak and the Tanya Burr range include 11 more gloss shades and 10 nail varnish shades. Tanya Burr has added to her range with fake lashes! They are all extremely wearable and I'm looking forward to trying them out. 

Have any of you tried other Zoella/Tanya Burr products? Let me know if you recommend anything else! Also, let me know in the comments if there's any blog posts you'd like me to write in the future!

Hollie

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The First Empties

I've been storing up my empty products for a while and thought this was a perfect time to do my first empties post! 

Bioderma - Crealine TS H20 Solution Micellaire (£7.33)

Bioderma has been highly raved about and on first use, I didn't see the fuss - it'd been too hyped up. But as I carried on using it - I saw why everyone was a fan. This is great for a number of reasons - the main one being it's great on sensitive skin. I find a lot of products irritate my skin (I've been put off Clique's 3 step for this reason) but this does nothing but keep my skin happy.

I'm currently using L'oreal micellar water and thought it was a cheaper alternative until I compared prices for this post (Bioderma £7.33 for 500ml and L'Oreal £4.99 for 200ml). They are very similar but Bioderma has a better pourer (wastes less product), is slightly less drying and, as it turns out, is cheaper! I'm interested in trying out some different micellar waters first (check out Vogue's 10 best micellar water) but so far Bioderma is my favourite for removing makeup! 

Schwarzkopf - got2be 2 Sexy Big Volume Mousse (£2.66)

A volumising product is part of my hair routine as my roots tend to be quite flat. I didn't notice a huge different with this mousse and I couldn't use too much of it in my hair as it was very sticky. I've noticed this product has new packaging now, with a diffuser nozzle so maybe it's improved! Although, I will give this mousse some credit... this is the most delicious product I have ever smelt. 

DKNY - Red Delicious (£33.50)

This perfume was lovely - a really nice summer perfume. It's described as having "crisp apple as a base note, surrounded with tantalising red fruits, a hint of vanilla plus velvety rose and lush violet for a more sultry summer scent." I'm tend to lean towards fruity scents rather than fresh ones for daytime but this perfume is fruity whilst still being light - not too 'young' or overpowering at all. 

Lush - Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask (£6.50) 

I'm a really big fan of Lush, one of the reasons being less harsh chemicals for my sensitive skin. And that is exactly why I enjoy this face mask - it feels very smoothing and bonus - you get to use it as a face scrub when you're done! This is lovely straight from the fridge - it's very cooling which I feel rids the skin of any swelling/redness from blemishes. This is my second or third pot that I've used up which is a good sign! 

Rimmel - BB Cream in Light (£6.99)

The BB cream has a massive 9 claims, in fact, it's described as a 'skin perfecting super makeup'. The aims are that it "primes, moisturises, minimises pores, conceals, covers, smooths, mattifies, brightens and helps protect". Now, I'm not sure it meets all these aims - it gives a dewier finish than 'mattifying' and I'm not sure what's being referred to when it says 'helps protect'. However, this BB cream does make my skin look great. I originally bought this to use on summer days rather than a foundation - but soon found myself using it as my daily base. It does sit on the skin and feel a little heavy but personally I don't mind that - however, if you have oiler skin that may be a problem. And as I burn easily... bonus points to Rimmel for adding SPF 25! 

Argania - Leave-in Conditioning Spray (£9.99)

This is one of those products that became a strict part of my haircare routine, mainly because my hair needs a little extra care to counteract the damage is receives (think dyed blonde hair and heat styling). I sprayed this onto damp clean hair before any other product, focusing it mainly on the ends where the damage is the worst. This spray contains argan oil and aims to nourish and hydrate your hair to leave it looking healthier and I found it leaved my hair looking smoother and more cared for. However, I don't think I'd repurchase this at I think I can find another leave-in conditioner that works better - in fact, next on my list is Redken Extreme Anti-Snap. 

Aromatherapy Associates - Renewing Rose Cleanser (£25) and Triple Rose Renewing Moisturiser (£56) (prices relate to full size products)

These products are what made me realise I don't like the smell of rose. The actual flower smell is lovely but the almost 'fake' rose smell in products I find it to be overpoweringly floral. Maybe the smell put me off straight away, but I wasn't blow away by these products. There's not a lot to write home about here - I got these samples with a magazine so I haven't lost out on anything but I'd be disappointed if I'd spent £81 on a cleanser and moisturiser that aren't out of this world.

 Rimmel - Scandaleyes Mascara Extreme Black (£6.99)

When it comes to mascara I like big brushes for giving full evening lashes and plastic brushes for giving fluttery, light daytime lashes. This mascara was great for giving my lashes a bit of oomph, and filling them out. I have naturally long lashes but the ends are blonde so I need a mascara to darken them up - which is exactly what the products claims and does. It coats little lashes and boosts them up. It's also a dryer formula which I like for creating bigger lashes - it's easier to work with and a lot less time consuming than some wetter mascaras.

Thanks for reading - more posts will be coming soon!

Hollie Mae