Tech Thursday: Lumie Light Review

Ahh, sleep. Probably my favourite thing to do. I wake up looking forward to when I can return home and snuggle on down under my covers, especially in this weather. However, when it comes to the subject of sleep, my body craves it but decides it doesn't want to do it easily.

I'd seen quite a few people talk about this Lumie Light and decided to put the Amazon voucher I got for Christmas to use. So what is it? I hear you ask, well...

Lumie Light is an alarm clock that works by mimicking the sunrise so that you wake up to your room growing naturally lighter, rather than just a loud sound like more conventional alarm clocks you may see. It also gradually gets darker at night so you can go to sleep as if the sun is setting. Both features I love.

As someone who finds it quite hard to get to sleep night I find that seeing my room gradually getting darker really helps me feel more relaxed and sleepy. Waking up to the light is meant to make you feel more energised, however I wouldn't say it has that effect on me, but I much prefer waking up this way to my normal alarm.

It has a daylight bulb in it which means it does get really bright and I also tend to use it as a bedside lamp too. If you are worried the light itself won't wake you up, you can also set it so a beeping alarm goes off once it reaches the set time. Win/win.

Whilst a bit pricey, I would highly recommend one of these if you find getting up/going to bed quite difficult. It is also lovely in the winter months when it's dark and grim outside. (It is meant to treat symptoms of SAD too!)

What do you think? Will you be getting one?

Laura xoxo

The Constants: Make-up

As I don't wear makeup on a daily basis it makes occasions when I do wear it more interesting. Whilst I do try to choose different makeup choices each time, there are some things I just always fall back to.

Base wise the Dior BB Creme is my go to. My skin is clearing up quite nicely, in my humble opinion, and this allows me to enjoy that whilst also evening out my skin tone and giving my skin a healthy glow. To cover up my dreadful eye bags (I can just never get enough sleep) my all time favourite under eye concealer is the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch. It brightens and conceals at the same time, perfect!

Whilst thick eyeliner on my lash line isn't very 'me' I do like some definition there. I like using black shadow but using the Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Black. This is much longer lasting and gives better definition than a shadow. 

Too add a bit of depth to my skin (and not make me look so pale) I use my Clarins Bronzer in Light. I haven't stopped using this bronzer since I purchased it, as you can tell from the amount of pan you can see. I find it great for a little contour, colour and depth without being too OTT. 

Finaly a lip of choice has to be the no.7 BB lips. The peachy colour means it goes with everything and whilst it does have a glossy finish, it doesn't do the whole hair stuck in lips things, it actually makes it more moisturising. Win/win.

What are your constants? 

Laura xoxo

Friday Fave: Book Review - Beauty by Louise Mensch

There is nothing I love more than a good book. Something about getting lost the (electronic) pages of a book and the excitement you feel when you know you have some time to read again really appeals to me. I'd much rather read a good book than watch a film.

Beauty is written by Louise Mensch and is her first book under her real name. Previously writing under the pseudonym Louise Bagshawe, Ms Mensch has decided to write under her real name. I found out about this book as she is also a MP and came up in one of my work's Twitter feeds (random I know).

With Beauty in the name it kind of had me hooked anyway. The book follows the life of Dina Kane who after a hard start in life realises she's a bit of a beauty mogul. For us beauty bloggers it has a good few references to brands and products I wonder if non-bloggers would pick up on.

The writing leaves you on the edge of your seat, like nerve inducing music is constantly in the background. It has a good mix of good and bad characters, and although Dina has had a bad start she only feels sorry for herself once throughout the whole book. Very much under the chick-lit side of things, it has your main heroine, a few males thrown into the mix whilst also being quite inspiring. It made me want to do something more meaningful with my life.

I purchased this last Sunday and had finished it by Tuesday night. After a disappointing start book-wise to the year (I just couldn't get into Allegiant) it was nice have a book I fully enjoyed.

What books are you loving lately? What should I read next? 

Laura xoxo

p.s Do you enjoy book reviews? I know I do which is why I did this, but if lots of you don't like it I won't do it in future :)

My Budget Brand: Rimmel

One quick scan of my make-up collection and it's safe to say there is a lot of Rimmel in there. So much so I decided to dedicate a post to my favourite pieces. This isn't my whole collection (shamefully) rather the stand out bits and pieces that I love and would recommend.

I'm yet to find a foundation that I love as much as the Wake Me Up foundation that Rimmel offer. It has great coverage and lovely finish that leaves you looking healthy and glowing. The concealer counterpart is great for taking care of dark circles, however my beloved Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer just tops it for me.

Moving on to eyes. The Scandaleyes in Rich Russet is a strange liquid eyeshadow, which shouldn't work but does. It doesn't make your lids look greasy, nor does it crease easily, instead your left with a nice wash of colour that's easy to apply. My other Scandaleyes in Bad Girl Bronze is a great cream application in stick form. Looks great loosely applied and blended with a brush. My only gripe with this product is the fact you have to sharpen it, I'd much prefer a twist tube. Finally in my eyes category I highlight the fact that if I like something, I tend to buy it in every colour. The Scandaleyes Eyeliners in Nude, Black and Taupe are just perfect. They are long wearing, help open up my eyes and give the perfect amount of colour.

Finally let's talk lips. I'll start with the Appocalips in Stellar. A lovely red meets colour, Stellar is great for a long wearing, glossy finish lip colour. Be warned you could end up with this on your teeth, but a simple finger pull trick will have that sorted. I like to apply mine with the back of the applicator to ensure that not too much product is applied. Last but not least, the Moisture Renew Lipstick Range is probably my favourite lipstick range. It has the moisturising quality of the Revlon Lip Butters without the glossy finish and more pigmentation. Nude Delight, Berry Queen & Rose are my favourites.

What would you say your budget brand is? Do you use any of these?

Laura xoxo

Review: Bourjois Mega Liner

As, liquid liner. When I first got 'properly' into make-up I spent the longest time trying to master the winger liner look. I'm yet to achieve the perfect flick.

Due to it's timeliness and my lack of willing to persevereI began to fall back on black eyeshadow and an angled brush. MUCH easier to use and a more subtle look. However there is something about a nice cat eye that makes me go back.

When I first read about this offering my Bourjois my make-up senses were sent tingling and I knew it was something I wanted to try. An angled nib seemed like the perfect solution for me, it would do the work itself right? Well, sadly I'm left a little disappointed in what was my first make-up purchase of this year (I'll give you a moment to let that sink in!)

Maybe it's because I'm out of practise, but I actually found it a little hard to manoeuvre. I thought it would glide on easily, however I felt like I was pulling at my lid. I then decided to just place it bit by bit on my lashline, but that resorted in an un-even finish.

As you can see in the swatch, it also bled a little and was a lot thicker than I imagined.

I'll perseverewith this a bit longer, however I doubt it will be a repurchase.

What do you think of this? Have you tried it?

Share the love

Been as though it's Valentine's day I thought I'd share the love on some of my favourite bloggers, vloggers and Instagrammers.

Bloggers

Vivianna Does Makeup - http://www.viviannadoesmakeup.com/  

You can tell that Anna puts a lot of thought and effort into every post she makes, and every day I find myself reading, laughing and lusting after what she has to say. 

Buy Now, Blog Later - http://www.buynowbloglater.com/

Laura's post always leave me wanting to make an effort with what I wear (then sleep get's in the way) as she always looks effortlessly chic and put together. Her blog was one of the first I came across and her fashion and make-up posts are still unrivaled in my opinion. 

Jemima&Ted -http://www.jemimaandted.com/

Kat's blog is a mixture of all things wonderful. Due to the fact she's an MUA you know you can trust any make-up post she makes, and her reviews are always in-depth and interesting. She looks fabulous in her latest fashion posts, and she also throws in the odd lifestyle post too - could you ask for more? 

YouTuber's

EssieButton - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvFyPrPVotqsTlqxUmAOYRw

Estee's videos never disapoint on both her main channel and vlogging channel. Her videos always leave me with a smile on my face due to her infectious personality. Not only does she go into detail on products she talks about, she's not afraid to say when she doesn't have a clue what a product does. 

missglamorazzi - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5zSySQab9SA6Wz569WDgqw

Ingrid was one of the first people I watched on YouTube and her videos are so great to watch. She puts so much effort into her videos and it definitely pays of as each video is so interesting and attention grabbing.

SACCONEJOLYs - http://www.youtube.com/user/LeFloofTV 

I only started watching the Saccone Joly's toward the end of last year and I love them. They're daily vloggers who show you snippets of their day EVERY Day, and when I say snippets, each video averages around 18 mins. That's so much effort and it really pays off as each video is so lovely to watch. 

Instagrammer's

Sprinkle of Glitr - http://instagram.com/sprinkleofglitr

I just want to say that I love all of Louise's social media platforms. I think she's a really inspirational woman and love all of her posts and videos. Her Instagram however is just so lovely, and I find myself liking every picture she posts. If you love babies and beauty go follow her.

kristina_bazan - http://instagram.com/kristina_bazan 

I've only just found Kristina's Instagram, but she has one of those Instagrams where you feel like you're living someone else life. Her life is so glamorous and her pictures showcase that. 

Rosie Londoner - http://instagram.com/rosielondoner

Rosie's Instagram is like a mini version of her blog and makes you hungry whilst being slightly envious of the glamorous snaps she puts up. It's a great Instagram of seeing what a blogger you like does in their spare time. 

Throwback Thursday: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

Whenever I need to wear a foundation, I always gravitate toward either this one, or for more special occasions Laura Mercier Silk Creme. The reason for this is 'casue it's bloomin' well amazing.

Coverage wise I'd say it's a good medium with the room to build upon. It doesn't feel heavy on the face and can definitely cover up any minor scarring you may have. I prefer applying it with either my fingers or a damp sponge for a lighter and more natural finish.

In terms of finish if you prefer a more matte look than I would maybe steer clear. This definitely does have the radiant glow it advertisers, however no need to worry, no Edward Cullen lookalikes happen after. 

If you're looking for a purse friendly, radiant inducing foundation, I reckon this should be your next purchase.

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Laura xoxo

Talking Tuesday: Current Favourites [Video]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUgoU1GmDY8

After easing myself back into blogging I'm back with a new video! I thought I'd do a nice simple catch up video telling you all about the things I'm loving at the moment.

What are you loving at the moment?

Laura xoxo

Current Cleaners

Due to the fact Caroline Hirons  says you should have more than one cleanser I normally have a few in rotation. The three here are my current go-to's that I'm really enjoying.

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser - I like to keep this cleanser in my shower and will use it when I'm in the shower. I do this with products that I like but don't use day in and day out. This is really thick and has a scent I'm not a fan of, but is really nourishing with also having exfoliating properties to it. 

Ren Clear Calm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser - I love this cleanser. I think it's my third and I have another waiting and rearing to go when this runs out. It's great if you suffer with blemishes as it really clarifies whilst cleaning your face. LOVE THIS STUFF.

Origins Make A Difference Rejuvenating Cleansing Milk - This is my morning cleanser and sometimes I use it in the evening too. It's really gentle and nourishing whilst also contains ingredients that are aimed to fight blemishes. It's also handy for travelling as you don't need a cloth to wash it off, a damp cotton wool pad is great for taking the residue off but leaving the benefits of the cleanser on your skin.

Do you use any of these? What's your current cleanser?

Laura xoxo

Fashion Fave: Nike New Balance 420 Trainers

Me, posting about trainers? I'm scaring myself. Now before you start thinking I've truly changed, I didn't get these for fitness purposes. For a long time I've always wanted some burgundy converse, however even though converse are comfy they can hurt after a while. These make me feel like I'm walking on air though. I love them. They really are the comfiest shoes ever.

I picked them up from ASOS for £54 (student discount) and they are the best purchase I've made all year. Whilst I realise I sound like a 50 year old woman, I'm loving wearing comfortable shoes. 

Have you got a pair of these? What do you think?

Laura xoxo

Body Basics

I'm not really a body care person. Hair and skin, check! Taking care of my body though is something I can't really be bothered to spend the time on. There are a few things I like to do and keep in rotation.

Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days - I've talked about this product many a time, and when I do use it, it's pretty darn good. It's great at locking in the moisture and keeping skin soft and hydrated.  

Soap and Glory Flake Away - For me a good scrub is a must. I have pretty rough skin and this is great at removing the dead skin cells and leaving me with smoother skin.

Soap and Glory Rich and Foamous - This is my favourite for two reasons: 1) It smells like Yankee Candle Christmas Cupcake Candle and 2) it's bloody huge and lasts forever. It foams amazingly and the smell lasts for ages.

What are your body basics?

Laura xoxo

Review: YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick in Peach Passion

Can we all just take a moment and say a collective 'aaahhh'. Let's just forget about the product for a moment and discuss the packaging. There is a reason YSL is deemed a luxurious brand; the packaging alone speaks for itself. There is something satisfying about seeing this sitting in my collection.

Now the product: this lipstick is what I imagine Revlon modeled their lip butters on. Super soft and moisturising with a great amount of pigmentation. I picked up the shade 13 'Peach Passion' which is definitely more peachy than pink. 

It has a lovely smell/taste which is almost like peaches, not that I think it's lipstick specific. It applies like a dream and lasts for the usual amount of time for lipstick, especially one this moisturising. 

What do you think of this lipstick? Do you have it?

Laura xoxo

p.s I'm baaaaacccckkkk! You may or may not have noticed a lack of posts on this here blog. Over the Christmas period I lost my blogging mojo, but it's back now. I won't be posting as regularly as I used to but there will be fresh content on here each week, just in case you were wondering!