Brand Review: Masque Bar

A couple of months ago I stumbled across a brand I didn't know in Boots and a few of their products caught my eye immediately. Masque Bar is a range of mud and sheet masks that are easy to use and give visible results after the first go. They sell five different variations of face mask and a Dark Circle Reducer for under the eyes. I have three of their sheet masks and the Dark Circle Reducers, all packed with skin loving ingredients.

The first mask I tried was the Luminizing Charcoal Peel Mask which comes in standard mask form. It claims to include ingredients such as Charcoal Powder and Bergamot Extract to help purify and deep cleanse the skin. And it did work, my skin felt thoroughly cleansed and didn't look gross as it did before but it wouldn't be a mask I'd go for again. Firstly the smell was just vile and having this under your nose for nearly twenty minutes was just nasty. And secondly, peeling it off resulted in me having a lobster face as I kept pinching myself as it didn't peel very well. A good mask for a skin detox but not one I'll be reaching for again.

After the mask I tried the Dark Circle Reducers and I was pleasently surprised. This are two gel like patches that fit to the contours of your under eye area. Once on your under eyes start to feel cooler, which in turn helps reduce any puffiness that you may have there. After twenty minutes I took this off and was surprised to see that my dark circles had actually diminished slightly. They weren't gone but they did look better than before. Not a long term solution to dark circles but brilliant as a pick me up or a quick treatment after that night long tv binge.

And the last mask I've tried is the Anti-Wrinkle Sheet Mask. I was intrigued by this mask as it claims to contain Collagen and whilst I'm not at the age where my skin needs to replace it I wondered what effect I would have on my skin. This is brilliant face mask as it came folded into itself several times which means that it contains more of the serum on the inner folds which will be more effective on the face. It's quite a cooling mask as well when it's on the skin and if you get rosy cheeks easily this is a brilliant way to reduce them. I left this on for twenty five minutes and when I took it off my skin felt softer, smoother and plumper than it did before. If I had to chose one from this range, it would be this one.

And finally this is a mask I've yet to try but am looking forward to it. The Green Tea Sheet Mask contains Green Tea Extract, Vitamin E and Phyto-Collagen to help make skin look more radiant as well as to protect skin from any nasties. I like any skincare product that contains Green Tea and I have high hopes for it. I'm sure if I like it or not then it will either appear in a Favourites or Disappointing Products Post.

Overall I like the brand. Sure I have a mask that I don't like and wish there was more selection but for a newly founded brand that hasn't been around that long it is a good selection. If I were to recommend one mask for you to try, it would be the Anti-Wrinkle Sheet Mask. Packed with goodness and actually giving visible results, it's the one mask I know I'll be purchasing again and again.

Have any of you tried these masks? Let me know in the comments what you think of them.

2016 Beauty Wishlist

Welcome to my first Beauty Wishlist. I always have a few products in my head that I wish I had but being an adult means you can't always get what you want, so today I thought I'd share with you the five products I'd like to purchase this year.

First up is a lip product I've had my eye on for a couple of years now. It's the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella. If you've been reading my blog for a while now then you'll know my signature lip colour is red. And Cruella is the perfect red for me. A blue toned red, this would look perfect on a multitude of skin tone. I've heard so many good things about these and I love that it's in a pencil form as it makes it easier to apply. I'm thinking this may be coming of this list in a couple of months if I can bite the bullet and make the order.

Next up is the new Gwen Stefani for Urban Decay Lipsticks. I've seen all of this swatch and they're beautiful. They're not a matte formula which I prefer but the shades are that stunning I'm willing to look past it. I'm hoping my local Urban Decay concession has these in stock soon as I'm dying to get my hands on them.

Next is another lip colour I've had my eye on for a couple years now. The Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red is a colour that I've been looking at for absolutely ages. Plus like every Youtuber in existence has raved about this and of course as a red lip lover I feel like I need this in my collection.

My fourth pick the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer. Another product I've heard but great things about and I'm really wanting to pick up to use as my under eye highlight. However I think this is definitely a product I'll pick up in store as I'e heard the shades can be quite tricky.

And finally the last product I'm looking to pick up this year is the Urban Decay Chill Make Up Setting Spray. I'm a big fan of setting sprays and so far I've loved most of the ones from the high street. Yet I've heard good things about the Chill Setting Spray and I'd like to give it a go.

So that's it for my 2016 Beauty Wishlist. If I do purchase anything off of this list expect a full review on the blog. Let me know what you're wishlist is this year.

Everyday 5 Minute Make Up Routine

Over the Christmas period my working hours went into overdrive and there were days when I found I had to be at work earlier than normal and didn't have enough time to do my full make up routine. So I put together a very quick, very simple make up routine which meant that I could do this and still be out the door in time for work. So today I thought I'd show you my 5 Minute Make Up Routine.

After I've moisturised and done my hair, I start my routine with the Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream. It's a very buildable formula so if I need to layer it I can. As it's a very liquidy formula, I just rub the tube over my cheeks, chin and forehead before taking my H&M Angled Buffer Brush and just buff it into the skin. This CC Cream has different colour pigments in it to help conceal any imperfections on the skin. And once that's all blended in I move onto concealer.

This is the most time consuming bit of my routine. I go in first with my Maybelline Anti Age The Eraser Eye concealer to cover the majority of my under eye bags. I use a beauty blender to blend this and this is where it get time consuming. I bop my beauty blender under my eye area repeatedly until everything is blended and my dark circles are practically gone. Then I go in with my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. I use this as some extra coverage if my dark circles are bad and as a under eye highlight. I swipe some under my eyes and down into a triangle on my cheeks. Then I take the same beauty blender and use the flater end to blend in the concealer on my cheeks and turn it around and use the pointed end to blend in under my eyes. I like the fact the pointed end gets right into the contours of the eye and blends everything beautifully.

Once I've blended my concealer in, I set it straight away with powder. I take the MUA Skin Define Hydro Powder on my Real Techniques Contour Brush. I brush away any excess off the brush and press it along my under eye area to mattify and set my under eye concealer. Any excess that is left on the brush after that I take down the center of my forehead, tip of my nose, cupid's bow and chin. I don't bother setting all of my face as it ends up looking cakey after a few hours.

Onto eyes and it's pretty simple. I just take my eye lash curlers and give each eye two to three pumps with the curler before going in with my Maybelline The Colossal Go Extreme Leather Black Mascara. I love how this mascara can give beautiful fluttery everyday lashes but can still be built up to give a really pumped up voluminous look. A coat of this on my lashes and that's my eyes done for the day.

To make sure everything is set I give my face a quick spritz of the MUA Pro Base Fixing Mist. As my hours have gotten longer I've wanted my make up to last longer and this keeps my make up in place as well as keeping my skin hydrated. A good shake then two to three spritzs of this across my face and my make up is done and ready for the day.

Once my make up is done all I need is a swipe of my Classic Carmex lip balm and I'm ready to go. I like Carmex as it's slightly thicker in formula compared to other lip balms. A little bit goes a long way and it gives lips a smoother, hydrated feel.

So that's my 5 Minute Make Up Routine. What's your routine like? Does it involve more or less products than mine? As always let me know in the comments.

Review: Garnier Miracle Wake Me Up Cream

A little while ago Garnier released their Miracle Sleeping Cream and I fell in love with it. It's exactly what my skin needed. And last month they released their Miracle Wake Me Up Cream. And of course I was intrigued. Was it as good as their night cream? And what does it do to wake the skin up? So of course when I saw it on offer in Superdrug I had to get it.

This cream claims to help remove signs of ageing and fatigue whilst simultaneously smoothing and reawakening skin. A lot of claims in one cream. When I opened it and popped a bit on the back of my hand, my skin felt like I'd put a silicone based primer on the back of my hand. However as it sunk in, it left my skin feeling softer and smoother to the touch and it didn't look as dry as it had before.

And then it came to putting it on my face. I was worried about how this would react with my skin, if it would cause breakouts or sensitvity and if because of it's slightly silicone feeling texture would it actually absorb on my skin. And testing this was the only way to answer my questions. I first tried this when I was having a no make up day and was pleasently suprised by the results. Yes it has that silicone feel to it but it doesn't translate on the skin. It gives skin an instant boost and you can feel your skin waking up as it sinks in. Once it's been absorbed it leaves skin feeling soft to touch, revitalised and smoother than normal.

However when I applied it before my make up, it didn't give as good as I expected. I'm not sure if I put too much on or I didn't allow long enough for it to sink into the skin but once I'd applied my make up on top, it started to ball up and flake off in certain areas. I will be trying it again under my make up but I think it's one for me to wear when I'm not wearing make up.

But don't let that put you off this product. It does everything it says on the box and my skin looks better than before. If you have oily/combination skin then this will probably work brilliantly as a base under your base but if you have normal, combination or dry skin then I'd say use this as a pamper product. I'd recommend using this after you've done a face mask as your pores are more open and there is a better chance of it sinking in deeper and working more effectively.

Overall this is a brilliant product and I highly recommend checking it out but if you don't have many make up free days then maybe this isn't for you. I personally love having two days a week where I'm as bare faced as I can be and that's when this comes in handy. And if you're looking to complete your regime, I also recommend checking out the Miracle Sleeping Cream from Garnier. I wrote a full review of it here.

Have any of you tried this product? If so what did you think? Let me know in the comments. 

Marks and Spencers Beauty Advent Calender Review

Back in November Marks and Spencers released their very first Beauty Advent Calender. I brought it on the day it was released but only a week after I got mine, I went back in and they were all gone. It was on a spectacular offer as well. Everything inside was worth £200 and that was the original selling price of the calender. But if you spent £30 or more on any of their beauty ranges you got the calender for a brilliant £25. And it wasn't hard to spend £30 on beauty for me.

The box is a decent size and inside you recieve twenty four indentically sized boxes and in each box you recieved either a deluxe sample size or a full size product from one of the many brands that Marks and Spencers sell in their beauty hall. 

To say the wait to open this was unbearable is an understatment. After reading what was on the back I was very eager to open the doors. And thanks to Jasmin I challenged myself to blog every day for twenty four days as I opened the calender.

And whilst there was products I didn't enjoy or that weren't suited towards me, there were more products I'd heard of or had already tried that I love. There were brands such as REN, Percy and Reed, Mio, Rosie For Autograph and Philip Kingsley to name a few.

As to which products I enjoyed the most it would have to be the skincare products I enjoyed the most. I'm a massive lover of skincare and believe that it doesn't hurt to pay a bit more to look after your skin. The Nude Lipstick I recieved and a couple of the haircare products I didn't enjoy but that's just because they weren't suited to what I need/look for in those products.

Overall I was highly impressed with this calender. Yes it's not as flash as some of the other beauty advent calenders on the market but as a first offering from Marks and Spencer's, it was brilliant first step into the market. The majority of the boxes I enjoyed and whilst there were some I didn't like the good outweighed the bad.

If Marks and Spencers decide to release another advent calender this year, I recommend that you snap one up as soon as you can, or even just take a peek at the box. It can only get bigger and better from here.

Did any of you have the M&S Calender? Did you like it? Or were the products not to your liking? Let me know in the comments.

2015 Non Beauty Favourites

TV
When it came to TV last year I started a couple of series I'd been meaning to watch and found two new series which I quickly became addicted to. Sons Of Anarchy and Strike Back were the two I'd been meaning to watch for a while. I'd seen snippets, adverts and kept meaning to watch it but just kept getting waylaid. Both of these are absolutely brilliant and addictive and you'll want to watch episode after episode. The two new series I quickly fell in love with are The Player and Chicago Med. Chicago Med is another spin off that fits in with Chicago Fire and Chicago PD. It revolves around characters we've already seen in the other two shows but now they dig deeper into their backgrounds and characters. The Player has unfortunately been cancelled but what was aired was brilliant. Starring Strike Back's Philip Winchester, this show revolved around Winchester's character Alex being drawn into the mysterious House where he races against time to solve crimes whilst anonymous gamblers bet against him. This was full of action and mystery and had the potential to be a great show. Plus the chemistry between Philip Winchester and Charity Wakefield was incredible.

Film 
This year wasn't the most brilliant year for film but a few of them managed to hook me in. The most anticapted movie of 2015 for me was Furious 7. I've been a massive Fast and Furious fan since I was young and this movie being Paul Walker's meant a lot to me as it did to so many other fans. My heart was in my throat for most of the movie and there was some brilliant action sequences but what really made this movie for me was the song See You Again for Paul Walker and their travel back down memory lane. Yes I cried like a baby. Another addition to series this last year was the Avengers sequel. Age of Ultron was a brilliant follow up to the original Avengers, delving deeper into the characters backgrounds and adding in follow up plot lines that have appeared in other Marvel films. Inside out was a later addition to the films this year but it's a brilliant film none the less. There are laugh out loud moments and more emotional scenes that resonate no matter your age and that's what make it's perfect for the whole family. And finally a guilty pleasure of mine but with a sensational soundtrack. Magic Mike XXL is the follow up to the original Magic Mike film with bigger, better and more jaw dropping dance routines. Channing Tatum is mind blowing and enchanting with every routine and I could easily watch this everyday if not for the dance routines then the soundtrack.

Music 
Onto music and this year it's been a brilliant year for music. Adele released her highly anticapted album, Bieber got his shit together and made everyone a Belieber and Taylor Swift made one of the most asthetically pleasing music videos ever. However whilst I love their music, there were only four albums that have been on repeat for the last 12 months. Let's start with War Horse from Johnny Strong. Not  my normal kind of music, very heavy rock/metal in style, this album is full of catchy tunes, memorable lyrics and mind blowing guitar riffs. An album I play when I need to perk myself and motivate myself for the day. And when I want to unwind and relax I put on this next album. Munroe's self titled EP is full of folksy feeling songs that stay with you after they've finished and you can listen to them again and again. However when I'm feeling like a good song and want something to belt out, I have no other choice than Carrie Underwood's latest album, Storyteller. Packed full of songs that will get stuck in your head and make you wanna belt them out like you're the Queen of Country herself. Choctow County Affair is my favourite from the album and if you listen to one song, make it this. Then comes the accompanying soundtrack to Furious 7. See You Again is one of my most played songs on iTunes. Whilst it's sad, it's also happy as it remember everything the cast of Furious 7 had with the late Paul Walker. Skylar Grey's I Will Return is another heart churner that you don't expect from this album.

Book 
This last year there's only been one author I've read consistently. Karen Rose writes some of the most gruesome yet addictive. Scream For Me, Silent Scream and I'm Watching You are some of my favourites and I could read them over and over again. Each book has characters overlapping from others and there is always a romance of some sort in each book. Rose writes brilliantly, you really get a feel of everything she's describing. I am definitely looking forward to seeing what she releases next.

Youtuber
I couldn't just chose one person/channel for this catergory. Starting from the top we have Victoria from Inthefrow, who's more luxury beauty channel is one I can watch and daydream about all the products whilst admiring her hair which looks gorgeous all the time. Then you have Suzie from HelloOctober, Suzie is just adorable and I love watching any of her videos, plus Nala her dog is adorable. Next is Alix from ICovetThee, Alix's channel is the same as Suzie's, I could watch it all day and never get bored. Then there is Dani from Coffeebreakwithdani. Dani's videos are literally on everyday. She puts so much work into her videos and goes the mile to give her viewers everything they need to know. Plus she is hilarious to watch and I love her Candy voice. And finally there is Kathleen from Kathleenlights. Kathleen is adorable and works so hard on her channel. I love watching her because she be hilarious to watch whilst still being serious about the look she's doing. I'm not the best at eye looks but watching her channel makes me aspire to get better at it.

Inspirational Person/People
And finally it's time to talk about four women I find incredibly inspirational not just in the long run but everyday as well. First up is Kathleen Munroe who's EP I featured in my music favourites. She's down to earth, hard working and multi-talented. I love watching her as an actress as well as listening to her as an artist. She also played one of my favourite underrated characters on TV so I have a special spot for her in my love of TV. Next up is Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. I don't even know where to start. She is gorgeous as are the rest of the women but it's her drive that really inspires me. She puts so much into her Rosie For Autograph Range for Marks and Spencers and it really pays off. Her Lingerie Range is one of the best selling in M&S and her ever expanding brand is becoming more popular by the day. The activewear and cosmetics line she is releasing soon are bound to be just as popular. Plus she's extremely down to earth and keeps her private like just that private. After that there is Sophia Bush. Down to earth, honest and a kind heart, Sophia's drive to change the world makes me apsire to do the same even if it's the smallest thing. Her character Erin Lindsay in Chicago PD is the exact opposite of Sophia but she pulls off every storyline brilliantly. Can't wait to see more of her this year. And finally there is the Queen of Country. Carrie Underwood's latest album Storyteller is a music favourite of mine and that's just one of many reasons she inspires me. Not only can she put out some of the best music of the year but she's incredibly hard working outside the music industry and she's just become a mum for the first time.

So that's my non beauty favourites. Yes I know they're rambly but these are things I'm passionate about after everything beauty and skincare. What were your favourites? Let me know in the comments.

2015 Beauty Favourites

Happy 2016! I hope you all had a good New Year's. 2015 was a brilliant year for beauty products for me, lots of new discoveries and some rediscoveries of old products I once loved. So for my first post of 2016 I thought I would share with you my top products of 2015.

Favourite Primer- Maxfactor Facefinity Primer 
I'm not always the biggest fan of using primers but when I do use one, I always go for this one from Maxfactor. A cream formula instead of the usual silicone formula, this applies nicely to my skin and leaves it feeling hydrated while still keeping my make up in place all day. I've nearly gone through a bottle of this as I just find myself reaching for it day after day.

Favourite Foundation/Base- Revlon Colorstay Foundation in Buff
This year foundation has been a hard product to love. After a while my foundations don't give me the same finish as before but this Revlon one has. A medium to full coverage, you can build it without looking cakey and it's still there at the end of the day. Plus it comes in two formulas so that it's suitable for all skin types.

Favourite Concealer- Maybelline The Eraser Eye
For concealer there's only be one for me the whole year. The Eraser Eye is one of the best concealers on the market. It can cover any level of dark circle with it's sponge tipped applicator and blends seamlessly into the skin. Plus a little goes a long way and while it's not the most expensive concealer on the market, it's definitely worth the money. I can guarentee I'll be going through another one this year.

Favourte Mascara- Maybelline Go Colossal Extreme in Leather Black 
My mascara favourite has to go to my holy grail mascara from Maybelline. The Go Colossal Extreme is a brilliant duo purpose mascara that I swear by. It has the ability to give both natural daytime volume and then dramatic over the top volume without being clumpy.

Favourite Lipstick/s- Revlon Matte Balm in Sultry & Urban Decay Matte Revolution in Bad Blood
Moving on to my favourite lipsticks of the year and of course I couldn't just choose one. My first pick is Revlon's Matte Balm in Sultry. It's a beautiful mauvey shade that is just the right kind of neutral for me. It's long lasting, easy to apply and doesn't dry my lips out as badly as most. And my second pick is more of a recent find which very quickly became one of my go to lipsticks. It's Urban Decay's Matte Lipstick in Bad Blood. Not only does it remind me of Swifty herself but it's a beautiful blue toned red that lasts all day long, doesn't dry out my lips and applies beautifully to the lips.

Favourite Nail Polishes- Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Elderberry and Black Pistachio 
And as with lipsticks, it was so hard to narrow down my favourite nail polishes of 2015 but I did manage to pick two out of the lot to show you. Both are by Barry M and both are part of their Gelly Hi Shine Range. The first is called Elderberry, a beautiful neutral blue shade and the second is Black Pistachio, a dark almost black green. I love this range as they apply nicely to the nail, dry quickly and leave a beautiful shine once dry. The shade range is incredible so if the two I'm showing aren't to your taste then there is a whole other host of colours to choose from.

Favourite Perfume- Rosie For Autograph EDP
There was only one fragrance to pick from for this catergory. It's the Rosie Huntington-Whiteley For Autograph EDP. Made from Rose oils this floral fragrance shouldn't have been up my street but I'm in love with this fragrance. That in love that I'm actually already on my third bottle and it was released only last January. It's strong but not overpowering and lasts for days on any clothing you've worn with it. I've recieved so many compliments on it that I started wearing this everyday rather than on just special occasions. Definitely one to give a sniff if you like floral scents.

Favourite Serum- Clearly Youthful Hydrating Day Serum 
It's time to move on to skincare and my first pick is something I didn't think I'd end up loving as much as I do. It's the Clearly Youthful Hydrating Day Serum and when I first tried this the smell was enough for me to throw it back in the draw. However once I got past the smell this serum became an everyday staple for me and I've gone through countless bottles since. Containing both Salicylic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid this gives skin both hydration and protection from blemishes. A product I know I'm going to keep going through this year.

Favourite Day Cream- Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser
My favourite Day Moistruiser is the Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser. I like Simple products as they don't aggravate my sometimes sensitive skin. And this does exactly what it says on the bottle. It's light, it's hyrdating and it leaves my skin feeling soft all day long. A little bit goes a long way and love applying this and a bit of their Replenishing Moisturiser together on days I'm not wearing any make up.

Favourite Night Cream- Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream
A brilliant new find this year was the Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream. A light bouncy textured cream that sits on skin like a mask overnight and in the morning skin looks refreshed and revitalised, removing any signs of fatigue. I love how quickly you see results with this cream and can't tell you how good it is. I've recommended this to so many people, I say give it a go if you're looking for a new night cream.

Favourite Cleanser- Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean 
Another new find this year is the Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean Cleanser. A bottle lasts a long time and the results are brilliant. A creamy formula that doesn't lather up, this cleanser removes all traces of make up, even mascara. It also leaves skin feeling super silky afterwards and yet again doesn't break out my sometimes sensitive skin. Brilliant value for money, I know I'm going to go through many more bottles this year.

Favourite Eye Cream- Naturally Radiant Brightening Eye Cream 
This year has been the year of defeating my dark circles and I've finally found something that helps with that. The Naturally Radiant Brigthening Cream is a super lightweight formula which helps decrease the appearence of dark circles whilst keeping the under eye area moisturised and looking youthful. The combination of my Garnier Sleeping Cream at night and this eye cream the following morning, it's goodbye to heavy concealer and hello wide awake, brighter eyes.

Favourite Face Mask- Sanctuary 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask
And for my last beauty favourite, my favourite face mask is the Sanctuary Detox Mask. If you're looking for a purifying, deep cleansing face mask this will be right up your street. Containing a range of skin loving ingredients including charcoal, this mask works deep into pores to help pull all the crap from your skin. I love using this once a week to give my skin a good cleanse and it helps pull any blemishes I may have lurking to the surface. Definitely going to go through numerous tubes of this, this year.

So that's it for my 2015 Beauty Favourites. What were your favourites from last year? Were any of them the same as mine? Let me know in the comments.