Liz Earle Flight Essentials Kit

Yesterday I received two parcels that were kindly sent to me by Patricia at Liz Earle- it definitely made my day a lot better after suffering in the office with a horrible cold. One of the items sent to me was the 'Flight Essentials Kit' which I thought I would feature first.

I love the idea of these small kits. Liz Earle has a number of these kits which are great for trying products before buying full-sized and also for taking travelling. If you are new to Liz Earle I would definitely recommend purchasing the Essentials Try Me kit as this includes the Cleanse & Polish cleansing routine. I am still using this routine and still love it.

The Flight Essentials Kit comes in a zip-up bag and includes:

• Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer 30ml
• Skin Repair Moisturiser dry/sensitive 15ml
• Superbalm 5g
• Hand Repair 15ml

It costs £15.75 and you can buy it on the website here.

I will definitely be taking this kit on my next flight as moisturising the skin is so important on a flight. I also love the idea of using the Skin Tonic Spritzer as it both freshens up the skin, and wakes you up.

Aside from moisturiser being a flight essentials, I always take thick warm socks and a scarf with me as I always get so cold on a flight! I also like to wear minimal make-up to let my skin breathe. What are your flight essentials?

If you'd like me to review anything in particular from this kit please let me know and I will make sure that I do!

Benefit Blushers

I love the Benefit blushers/bronzers and these are the three that I currently own. I'm not such a fan of the packaging- as you can see the dandelion box (my first Benefit blusher) looks worn- as it's cardboard it's never going to wear well. For approx 23 pounds I think they could really do with improving the packaging .

Anyway onto the blush in more detail...

Dandelion

This is a really pretty pink. I'd compare it to MAC'S Well Dressed which I also love. I always remember reading Bobbi Brown's teenage beauty book and her saying that you can put some blush on and that is all you need for instant pretty-ness. This is definitely a 'pretty' blush.

Hoola

You have to be careful with this bronzer as it can look muddy but its my all time favourite (not that I have huge experience with bronzer but hey, ho). I like it because it's a totally non-shimmery matte bronzer (I'm not a fan of shimmer in bronzer) and it can be built up beautifully.

Coralista

This is my latest addition- as you can probably tell by the new and shiny box! It's also probably the most featured Benefit blush in the blogging world and it's not surprising why- I absolutely love this and have been wearing it every day since buying it. As you can probably see, it's a coral-y colour. I also love how it has a slight gleam to it (really hard to explain) so it just makes cheeks look full and healthy. It also has a really lovely scent!

I did some swatches on my hand but the coralista did not come out bright enough- you get a slight idea anyway!

Which other Benefit blushers would you recommend? The Sugarbomb mix of four colours looks like a good one for travelling so I'm tempted for that to be my next buy!

10 Simple Summer Pleasures

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As all of you UK-ers will know- this weekend has had amazing summer weather. It's been hotter than Rome in some places and has meant that the weekend has had a lovely holiday feel. I have spent my Saturday and Sunday in a local park eating Mr Whippy Ice Cream and watching Dragon Boat Races. I planned to blog about my Benefit blushers but thought it would be rude to not acknowledge the sunny weather and write a few of my simple summer pleasures!

1) Going out with just one layer. No silly jacket messing up an outfit. Just throw on a dress and you're done!

2) A calippo ice lolly (my personal fave). So refreshing and love the juice at the end!

3) Having a cooling shower after a long day in the sun and then piling on the moisturiser after

4) Not having to wear much make-up! I can't bear wearing foundation in hot weather so its just eyeliner, mascara and a dab of lipgloss.

5) Pimms with a full glass of fruit

6) The smell of suncream. Instant holiday feeling

7) Barbeques! I love sitting in a park and smelling them all around me. I have such good memories of barbeques in my back garden at home, sitting around it till late and then toasting marshmallows on the heat.

8) Craving healthy food like salads and fruit. I eat far less chocolate and carbs when it's warm. This is a massive summer bonus!

9) Sitting in the sun and reading a book.

10) Eating dinner outside. I don't have this luxury at the moment as we don't have a garden or balcony (booo) but I loved doing this at home with my family

What are your simple summer pleasures?

Latest in Beauty

I signed up to Latest in Beauty after seeing a blogger's recommendation a long time ago (can't remember who I'm afraid!) and wanted to post about it for anyone who isn't familiar with the website.

Latest in Beauty is a beauty blogger's (or anyone interested in cosmetics') dream! It allows you to choose three samples- one under the category of 'skin care', one under 'make-up and fragrances' and one under 'Hair and body'. You can do this once a month and only pay 1 pound for the postage (which is easily paid with a text message to confirm your order). The products change regularly and I always look forward to choosing my samples every month.

My samples for this month have just come through. I received:

Issey Miyake- Eau de Parfum Florale- and a tiny sample of the male fragrance

Lavera Young Faces Organic Mint Exfoliant Mask

(I've never tried this brand before so am looking forward to trying it!)

DKNY Be Delicious Night for women body lotion and a tiny perfume sample

NOTD: Barry M Berry Ice Cream

Every weekend I have been going into Boots and Superdrug only to find that the Barry M Berry Ice Cream polish is sold out. This weekend I finally got my hands on it! It was the only remaining one and so I grabbed it quickly- this was lucky as two girls then came along and were looking for it.

Out of the four new ice-cream shades from Barry M, this has proved the most popular and it's not surprising why. It's such a lovely pale purple shade and great for summer.

A Sunday Recipe: Portobello Pizzas

Happy Sunday everyone! Today I thought I would share a recipe for a lunch time meal that I have been enjoying recently- Portobello Pizzas. It's really quick and easy but is delicious!

Ingredients

-2 large portobello mushrooms (or however many you would like!)

-Chopped tomatoes or passata

-Olive Oil

-Grated cheese- I used mild cheddar

Method

1) Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees

2) Clean and remove the stems from the portobello mushrooms and then rub with olive oil

3) Put the mushrooms on a baking tray (I put greaseproof paper onto the baking tray for easy cleaning!) and put in the oven for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool for a few minutes.

4) Top each roasted mushroom with the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with cheese (in my case, lots of cheese)

5) Put the mushrooms back in the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese has melted- this usually takes about 5 minutes.

6) Enjoy!

Review: Label.m Resurrection Style Dust

Product

label.m Resurrection Style Dust

Price

£10.00 for 3g

What does it claim to do?

"Rework and recreate styles, Creates dynamic texture and revives volume and takes all hair types and styles to new heights and enables effortless backcombing." - label.m

What do I think?

Last year my friend had her hair chopped short and so had bought this product (which was used on her in Tony & Guy) to add volume to her short cut. On Halloween we all gave it a try and I really liked it so decided to buy it a few weeks ago. I bought it directly from Tony & Guy but you can now buy the range online. Anyway, for Halloween we all went a bit backcomb crazy, in the spirit of looking like scary dolls- you can see a photo here, however this is also a product that you can easily use every day!

To use this you just have to shake it up so that the product expands. Like so...

And then use the salt style shaker on the top of it to dust it into the roots or wherever you want some voluminous action. As soon as you've dusted it into each section you have to rub it in- this part feels really odd as it feels really sticky. However, you can tell it's made a difference as soon as it's rubbed in- and with some backcombing it works to make great big hair!

The main problem for me with this, is the odd sticky texture- you have to be careful not to put too much in. I did this the other day at the back of my hair where it's hard to see how much has been put on and it felt so sticky and horrible. Luckily it makes no difference to how your hair looks (there is no sticky greasy clump!). I'd recommend getting a friend to do the back of your hair for even application!

Your hair will feel funny until it's washed out. I always wash it out with the Boots Expert build-up removal shampoo and this works a treat.

My friend uses it everyday on her short hair but I tend to leave it for nights out. I really love it though and think that it is fantastic for root uplift!

Would I re-purchase?

Yep!

Style Love: Vanessa Hudgens

I really enjoy doing these posts (mostly for finding the outfits that I like on google search!) and so thought I would try and do them more regularly. High School Musical is a guilty pleasure of mine (and actually Zac Efron but that's a whole new level) and I have admired Vanessa's style for a while.

Everyday outfits

I really like the colours that Vanessa wears- she really knows what works for her and so tends to stick to blues, blacks and purples for day-time looks. I'm a particular fan of the leather jacket and the print top in the top row.

Evening looks

She looks amazing in a full length dress but my favourite evening looks for her are the shorter dresses. I adore the peachy dress with the black belt and gladiator sandals.

Hair and make-up

Vanessa's hair makes me long for long wavy dark locks- it always looks so healthy and shiny. Although straight hair looks gorgeous on her, I think the wavy look is stunning and it's always so voluminous! Her make-up tends to incorporate a smoky eye and nude/pinky lip.

Review: Lush Marilyn hair treatment

Product

Lush Marilyn hair treatment

Price

£7.60

What does it claim to do?

"Softness, brightness and shine for blonde hair. Marilyn is for blondes who would like to stay blonde and become even more so, in a gentle, shiny and natural way. It's not good for your hair to bleach it, so we suggest that you use The Blonde shampoo, then use Marilyn pre-wash conditioner as a regular top-up. We make it with softening linseed gel, chamomile for lightness and to calm your scalp, saffron for golden colour, lemon for shine and olive oil to moisturize your hair. It also lightens hair gradually." - Lush

What do I think?

I was in Lush recently with a friend and as she was buying a few bits, I decided to be cheeky and asked for a sample of the Lush Marilyn hair treatment. I didn't want to buy a full size as had heard mixed reviews. The assistant gave me two little pots of it which was lovely of her (and typical of Lush customer service).

The assistant recommended that I put this on my (dry) hair and then leave it on as long as possible. And so on a couple of lazy days recently, I have poured it over my hair. One pot only covered half of my hair so a big thing with this product is that it won't last you long- you do need a lot of product to cover hair!

It feels really funny on dry hair- it hardens and makes your hair feel disgusting. The smell isn't amazing either, but its OK.

I washed this out by shampooing twice and I have to say, I don't think this is a miracle worker. The first time I used it I noticed more of a difference- my hair felt more moisturised and looked slightly blonder, but the second time using it I didn't notice any difference, despite it being on my hair for longer before washing.

I'm curious as to how effective this would be with regular use but I'm not prepared to buy a full pot which would probably last me just a couple of uses!

Would I re-purchase?

No, this didn't impress me enough although I'm curious to see if anyone has had a better experience with this?

Review: By Terry Baume de Rose

Product

By Terry "Baume de Rose"

Price

£32.00 for 10g

What does it claim to do?

"Rejuvenating, reparative, strengthening, nourishing and anti-ageing, this delicously scented wonder product is ideal for both lips and cuticles - fast becoming a cult classic"

"Features an extremely high concentration of lipid-building substances and Essential Rose Wax which rejuvenates, strengthens, and nourishes, enhancing the voluptuousness of the lips and leaves them radiant with the glow of health." - Space NK

What do I think?

The By Terry "Baume de Rose" was bought for me as a birthday present from friends after I lusted after it in Space NK. I would never have bought this for myself (price tag!) so it was a fantastic gift. I am totally in love with this and have been using it every day- although as sparingly as possible as I might cry when it runs out!

Firstly- the packaging is gorgeous. It definitely looks like a luxury product!

The website states that you can use this for lips and cuticles. I prefer to use it just on my lips and any residue left on my finger is rubbed into my cuticles. It has a really moisturising feel and really does feel like its working to improve the condition of your lips. I find that with a normal balm, it is absorbed (or totally disappears) after a few minutes, however this stays present on the lips for a good hour or so.

The scent is rose (of course!) and so if you're not a fan of this scent then this might not be for you. However, it's not a granny-style strong rose scent. It's quite mild and almost sweet.

The balm applies clear to lips, although it's slightly creamy leaving a lovely finish, and it adds a great shine over a lipstick. It's especially good to use with a drying lipstick or for a colour that wants to be toned down.

Would I repurchase?

If I suddenly got a lot richer and could justify buying this then definitely! I am really enjoying using this balm and feel that it's a really special and unique product.

Barry M Pale Turquoise

( I know I'm not great at applying polish...but there are far more important things in life)

This has been my favourite nail polish this week. I am so impressed with the quality of the Barry M polishes. This remained chip free for a good couple of days and only needed one coat for full coverage. 5 stars!

Revlon Matte Lipstick in Pink Pout

I have full internet and laptop functionality now- hoorah! Let the blogging resume...

I have bought quite a few bits and bobs recently and so think I am going to go on a spending ban for a bit. But anyway, during the flood drama I actually found an unopened birthday card from my aunt with a 20 pounds gift voucher for Boots- ace! I used it and took advantage of the Revlon 3 for 2 offer, purchasing a back-up of my Colourstay foundation, a lipgloss (will post on that soon) and this lipstick.

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Revlon Matte lipstick in Pink Pout (002).

I was drawn to this because of it being a matte lipstick and I am really enjoying wearing it. It can look a bit OTT bright candy pink (zomg) but paired with a balm or gloss it turns it into a really wearable shade for daytime outings. Demonstration...

Lovely!

Has anyone else tried the other matte shades in this range? It sounds silly but I just like to look at the pink pout lipstick- it's so pleasing to the eye!