What's On My Bedside Table

I'm nosy. Especially when it comes to people's Beauty Storage and their must haves. So when I saw a couple of videos on YouTube where people went through what they kept on their bedside table I was in heaven. And it made me think about what I keep on my bedside table and what makes them so special that I have to keep them close by. So today I'm talking you through the Top 5 things I have on my bedside table.

First and foremost is my night cream. I have to have this by my bed or I'll forget to put it on, essentially because I'm too lazy to take it out the cupboard where the rest of my skin lives. And also because I like to put in on just before I get into bed to give it the optimum chance to sink in and work as I sleep. My go to, holy grail night cream is the Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream. It's a thick bouncy textured cream that works to hydrate, revitalise and smooth skin as you sleep. A little bit of this goes a long way and I love how this feels on my skin when I apply it. And because it's a sleeping cream I believe that it works best to put it on just before you get into bed instead of putting on and letting sink into the skin while your still awake. In the morning my skin always looks and feels hydrated, smooth and like I've had a good night's sleep even if I haven't and that's why I can't live without this on my bedside table.

Another thing I have to keep close by or I'll forget them is my vitamins. I'm terrible at remembering to take them and until I put them on my bedside table I wouldn't take them for days on end. Now though they're there when I put my night cream on and it's so easy to just take them before settling down to sleep. I take several vitamins, Vitamin D, Evening Primrose Oil and a Multivitamin. I take Vitamin D to help with my bones and teeth as well as my immune system. I used to only take this in the Winter but have recently started taking this all year round and have found I feel a lot better for it. The same goes for my Evening Primrose Oil, I used to take regular strength but mum managed to convince me to move onto high strength tablets and I've really seen the difference. My skin feels softer, looks smoother and you can especially see the difference in my feet. I used to get hard skin (I know gross) even though I moisturised everyday but since I've been taking my vitamins on a regular basis they've really cleared up. Now for my multivitamin, I have a chewy one. I know I'm an adult but I'm not the best at taking pills and sometimes the two I do take vitamin wise is pushing it. So I chose these Bassett Soft and Chewy Adult Multivitamin when I was stocking up. They contain a mixture of Woman's Health Vitamins aswell as other important vitamins that are beneficial to everyone. They taste like Raspberry and Pomergranite and are just like eating a wine gum. If you're not the best at taking pills then I definitely advise at having a look at these.

I tend to moisturise my body before I get into bed as I'm usually in too much of a rush to do it in the morning so it only makes sense to keep my body moisturisers next to my bed. I absolutely love the Garnier Ultimate Blends Restoring Lotion. It has a mixture of Royal Jelly and Propolis which works to hydrate the skin for longer. I love putting this on before bed as it gives it a better chance of sinking in and moisturising my skin than if I put it on in the morning. Another body cream I like is the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream. This smells like heaven, it has a very sweet lime scent which just lingers after every use. As it's a buttercream/body butter it's a bit thicker in formula which means it takes a bit longer to sink into the skin. I like to use this after I've had a bath because the pores on my skin are more open and helps it sink into the skin better as well.

After I've done my arms and legs I like to moisturise my hands and feet. I don't know why I do them seperately, it's just a habit I've picked up. For my feet I love Soap and Glory's Heel Genius. It contains something, I believe menthol which really helps soothe feet, refresh feet and moisturise them all at the same time. I pop a thin or thick layer on it depending on how sore my feet are and then pop on some loose, occasionally fluffy socks. For my hand cream there's only one that's ever worked for me and that's Soap and Glory's Hand Food. It has that distinct Soap and Glory smell and is suprisingly not greasy when applied. I always pop a layer of this on after I've put my lip balm on and then get settled in bed. I have a very hands on job so giving them a good moisturise before bed each night is my way of making sure they don't get too damaged.

And then the one thing that isn't always on my bedside table but always nearby is my lip balm. I carry this everywhere with me and at night it sits next to my bed so I can remember to put some on before I go to sleep. I love the Classic Carmex pots, it used to really disagree with my lips but now it's the only thing that'll work for me. It's a thick almost pertroleum feeling substance that tingles when applied to the lips but soon dies down to hydrate and smooth the lips. A layer of this before bed and in the morning my lips are ready for whatever lip product I throw at them.

What's on your bedside table? Do you have any must haves? Or am I missing something from my table? Let me know in the comments.

Review: Revlon Lip Liners

I'm a lip liner junkie. I'm obssessed. I can't help it, I love lip liners and I'm making it my aim to try every high street brand of lip liner I can find. I've already reviewed Rimmel, Maybelline, Loreal and Barry M and today it's Revlon's turn.

First off, I love the fact that these are mechanical liners. Don't get me wrong, the pencil liners I've tried have been good and haven't scratched my lips but I still prefer a mechanical liner than a pencil. Then you have the shade range. I only have two of the shades but believe there are six shades which all have that inbetween colour to them that means you can wear them with a multitude of lip shades. I have Red and Plum and find these work well under so many of my lipsticks. Red works just as well under tomato red shades as it does blue toned reds which is perfect if you don't want two different liners for each shade. Plum is a darker berry tone so gives nice definition under lighter berry tones and really intensifies the colour under darker, more purple toned shades. I prefer to wear Plum on it's own as it's much more of an interesting shade without a colour over the top then Red.

These liners are really creamy and easy to apply. One swipe and you have an opaque line that you can build up without it becoming too heavy or thick looking. However I find because these are so creamy you can go through this quite quickly. I've barely worn either of these because I've been trialling others but I'm already a good quarter of a way through them. However I can't complain because I do prefer them over a lot of other liners I've tried. Some liners tend to be quite drying on the lips when you fill in the whole lip but with these you don't have that immediate dry feeling on the lips. Sure you'll get that after wearing them for a few hours but it's not immediate like it is with the Rimmel ones.

My only problem with these liners is the fact that they can and will easily break. It's one of the big problems with mechanical liners, you can drop it and it can snap inside the tube and then you don't know until you get to the snap and the liner falls out. So far I haven't dropped these and haven't had any snapping or cracking in the liner themselves so I'm quite happy with them. A bit pricier for a liner on the high street but they're a good quality and work with a multitude of colours.

Have you tried these? Or do you have a recommendation for me? Let me know in the comments.

How I Change My Make Up For The Season (Summer 2016)

Each season I change my make up to fit with the season and the everchanging weather that accompanies it. In the Winter I go for more heavy duty foundations that give full coverage and give me that flawless skin look even in the coldest months. And then when Summer rolls around like it is at the moment; I change it again to fit with the hotter weather, when it gets here.

The one thing I like to do the most during the hotter summer months is to let my skin breath. I step away from the full coverage foundations as I don't want to clog my skin up and cause unnecessary break outs. I turn towards more thin, somewhat sheer coverage foundations that look natural on the skin and let's my skin breathe a bit more than other foundations would do. My two favourites are the Loreal Nude Magique Cushion Foundation and the Gosh Foundation Drops. They're both very liquidy, very light foundations that actually look like skin when applied and even if you attempt to build it up, doesn't look cakey or overdone.

If you like the idea of a light coverage foundation but aren't keen on some of your skin showing through, you can always go in with concealer afterwards. I have redness on my cheeks which can occasionally be quite prominent and no amount of foundation will disguise. On days like this I use either of my foundations and then go in with a concealer to just give some extra coverage to my problem areas. I like the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer as it gives the coverage that I need without being too much for the skin. And alongside these I prefer to use a beauty blender over a brush, especially in areas make up can cake and it will absorb it and give it a more natural, blended look. If you haven't got a beauty blender try the B Latex Free Blending Sponge or the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. Both are brilliant for giving a blended, natural, flawless look.

To set my base in the Summer I stay away from pressed powders as I find they can cake, settle into any lines or dry patches and just generally look gross. I prefer a baked powder as they're lighter in texture and don't appear as much on the skin. No they won't leave your make up looking perfect for longer but they will be lighter and won't cling to any problem areas. This MUA Prime and Correct Powder is perfect for setting make up during the Summer. Baked, silky finish powder, this leaves skin feeling silky smooth and set into place. It has the colour correction vibe to it but personally these powders do nothing to conceal or cover imperfections. A big fluffy brush is perfect to use to dust this lightly over the face, sticking more to the edges rather than the centre of the face.

I like to keep my base simple all year round and am a big fan of healthy, flawless looking skin so once my base is done I move onto my eyes and eyebrows. During the colder months I'm not particuarly bothered if my lashes are ridiculously curled and volumised but during the hotter months I love big fluttery volumised lashes. And I've found the perfect combination for just that. I was always afraid of eyelash curlers when I first started curling my lashes but now they're my best friend. Mine are just a cheap pair from Primark but they work wonders and give my lashes a nice curl.

Once they're done I've been going in with the Benefit They're Real Tinted Mascara Primer. This is brown colour primer which works to give lashes some definition and helps mascara go on over the top. I like to curl one set of lashes first and then go in with the primer so that when it sets slightly it holds the curl of my lashes. Once I've done that with both eyes I go in with my Loreal Miss Hippie Mascara. This is like Summer lashes in a mascara. It's wide barrel brush gives wonderfull fanned out volume that to me just screams Summer. One coat of this combined with the Benefit primer and I have curled, ultra volumised lashes that don't budge all day.

And finally it's on to the lips. During the colder months I tend to keep towards deep almost blood reds and dark berry tones. Then as the weather warms up I put those to one side and go for my brighter warmer weather shades. Hot pinks, pretty peaches and tomato reds are my go to shades from May to September first. And they all have to have a matte finish. Nothing beats a matte finish in the summer. Some of my favourite go to lip colours are Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso, Rosie for Autograph in Silk Camisole and Revlon Colourburst Balm in Showy.

Beso is that bright tomato red that looks fantastic all year round but especially pops well on the lips in the warmer months. It's matte, long wearing and doesn't ridiculously dry lips out. Showy is a bright blue toned pink that again is matte,long wearing and non drying but instead of being a liquid lipstick it's a chubby stick crayon. Both are more high maintenance shades and are perfect if you have a particular look in mind but if you're looking for more of a get up and go colour then Silk Camisole is the one for you. It's a sheer peach shade that gives just the right amount of colour without being over the top. And it's easy to apply, in as little as two swipes and you're done and because it's not a bold lip that needs the extra attention it's also easy to reapply on the go.

So that's it for my Seasonal Make Up Change. What do you do to change your make up? Do you have any must use, go to products I should know about? Let me know in the comments.

Review: B Hyaluronic Acid Facial Spritz

I'm a big fan of facial sprays/spray toners and when I saw this one advertised on B's instagram page I knew I had to have it. The B Hyaluronic Acid Facial Spritz is the perfect summer accessory for anyone who likes to keep their skin refreshed throughout the summer months.

This is packed with Hyaluronic Acid and not much else meaning you get nothing but moisture replenishment when you use it. It's aimed to refresh and lock in moisture for as long as twelve hours, meaning your skin looks fresher and hydrated for longer. As it's only a lightweight spray this doesn't clog pores or skin and for the most part won't break out many skin types unless you have an issue with Hyaluronic Acid.

You can use this under your skincare, as part of your skincare, under make up and even on top of make up. Yes you can use this over make up. A lot of it comes down to how lightweight this spray actually is. It won't work in the same way as a setting spray but it will refresh and give your skin/make up a boost of hydration. It won't disturb make up and won't make it slide down your face, it will just sink into your skin like it would without make up or as a setting spray does.

I love how this feels on the skin. It's awakening, hydrating and smoothing on the skin. Everytime I use this I'm surprised by how soft and hydrated my skin feels and how easy the rest of my skincare and make up sit on top of it. So far it hasn't broke me out or irritated my skin in any way. If you have extremely sensitive skin then maybe try this on it's own before you use it over make up or regularly in case it does break you out. The only downside to this product is that if like me you're a bit spray happy then you'll go through this ridiculously fast. I have only had this just over a month and I'm nearly through my first bottle. And at £7.99 it can work out pricey but B is always on a half price offer or buy one get one free. 

Overall it's slightly pricey for a facial spritz but as I've seen how good this is for my skin and how it's changed the feel and even look of my skin I don't mind shelling out for it. Have any of you tried this? If so, I'd love to know what you thought of it. Let me know in the comments.

Review: Hawaiian Tropic SPF30 Facial Sunscreen

I've always known the importance of wearing sunscreen but until recently I've never taking it seriously. That's until my colleague at work recommended me the Hawaiian Tropic SPF30 Facial Sunscreen. And to say I was grateful was an understatement.

Originally I was going to buy the Soap and Glory Facial SPF or even The Body Shop Vitamin E Facial SPF but both were nearing £20 and I didn't really want to spend that much. So I tried the Superdrug SPF30 Facial SPF and it did not work for me. It was greasy, clogged my skin and broke me out. So I quickly passed that on and mentioned it to a colleague and she recommended me this Hawaiian Tropic one.

This is a thin moisturiser feeling cream that is very lighweight and easy to work into the skin. It doesn't leave a white cast on the skin once you've rubbed it in and once it's settled into the skin it doesn't feel greasy or pore clogging. It is oil free and non greasy so it's perfect for people who have oily, combination and even sensitive skin.

I really like how this feels on my skin and how it works well under my make up as well as on it's own. I use this as a moisturiser, after my serum and it leaves my skin feeling soft, protected and it even looks slightly corrected. And by that I mean my redness looks diminished and not so obvious. I always allow it to sink in before I apply my make up and I have no problems when I start my routine.

I always believed that SPF's were drying on the skin but this one isn't and I can touch my face a good five or six hours after I've applied it and my skin still feels soft and moisturised without feeling clogged or greasy. I always make a point of double cleansing my face if I'm wearing make up or making sure I give my skin a good clean if not to make sure I get this all off because even though it doesn't clog pores I don't want to risk it when it comes to sleeping and overnight. But so far I haven't had any issues with this and I don't see any arising with future use.

If you're looking for a Facial SPF then I highly recommend giving this one a go. It's lightweight, easily absorbed and doesn't break the bank. At £5.99 a bottle this won't break the bank if you're looking for something for this years' holiday or even just to protect your skin at home and it will last a long time as a little goes a long way. Sure the more expensive ones are just as good but if you're working to a budget then give this a look.

Have any of you tried this? Or have you got another budget recommendation? Let me know in the comments.

Top 5 Beauty Products of 2016 So Far

So far this year there have been tons of beauty releases and whilst I've loved a good majority of them there are five that I've loved more than the rest of them. So today I thought I'd share with you my Top 5 Beauty Products of this year so far.

The first beauty launch I've been loving this year is one I'd actually been waiting for what seems like an age. It's the Rosie For Autograph make up line. It released back in January and I haven't fallen in love with a beauty range as much as I have this one. Everything comes packaged in stunning rose gold packaging and the products themselves are of the highest quality. There are a range of products ranging from radiance bases to contour sticks to luxurious eyeshadow palettes and more. I have quite a few pieces from the range but my favourites are the Miracle Concealer and the lipsticks. I have the shades Lady Rose and Silk Rose from the lipstick range and these are the most opaque finish lipsticks I've ever tried. One sweep and you have full on colour which dry down to a semi matte finish and don't dry lips out. The concealer is a creamy concealer that works well under the eyes and on blemishes. It's creamy, blends out easily and doesn't crease under the eye.

Next is a another release I've been waiting for since forever. It's the Loreal Nude Magique Cushion Foundation. This is one of the first of it's kind on the high street and it's blown the competition away. If you haven't heard of this it's a liquid foundation condensed into a cushion that gives a light to buildable medium coverage. It comes with a sponge which they advise to apply it but you can use any brush or sponge you like. I've been wearing this everyday and love the coverage it gives. It covers my redness easily and blends nicely with any concealer I add afterwards. It has a dewy finish that makes skin look healthier and more awake but obviously if you have oily skin it would be something I'd advise staying away from. I did a full review that you can find here.

 Now this isn't new out this year but it is new to me. It's the Pixi Glow Tonic, a cult favourite in the skincare world. And I can totally understand why. Containing a mix of Glycolic Acid, Ginseng and Aloe Vera this works to exfoliate and soothe the skin whilst simultaneously toning the skin. This may not be perfect for people with extremely sensitive skin but if you're skin can handle AHA and BHA Acid Treatments then you should definitely give it a go. It's completely changed my skin for the better and any sign of texture I had has gone.

While we're on the subject of Glycolic Acid let's talk about these treatment pads from Nip and Fab. Containing 5% Gylcolic Acid and Salicylic Acid these work to rejuvenate, exfoliate and cleanse the skin. I love how they make my skin tingle after I use them but I take that as a sign they're working and the next morning I can see and feel the results on my skin. These combined with the Pixi Glow Tonic have really helped to diminish the texture I had along my jawline as well as helping reduce the size of pores in a couple of my problem areas. I definitely recommend giving these a go but if the Glycolic Acid is too strong in these there are a lighter version of these available.

And finally we have the Garnier Ultimate Blends The Sleek Restorer Balm Treatment. It's not often that I get excited by hair products or even talk about them on here but these has truly impressed me. It's a hair treatment that you leave in for five minutes and then wash out. It contains Coconut Oil and Cocoa Butter which helps to nourish the hair and tame flyaways which will give any hairstyle you create a sleek finish. I have very thick hair that gets ridiculosuly frizzy and fly away when I wash it but since I've been using this mask my hair always dry sleek and frizz free. It smells divine, works well with a majority of hair lengths and doesn't leave any build up in the hair after you've used it. I'd recommend giving this at least a smell if you ever see it in your local Boots.

So that's it for my Top 5 Beauty Products of 2016 So Far. What have been yours so far this year? Do you have any recommendations for me to try? Let me know in the comments.

June Favourites

It's that time of the month. No not that time. It's Monthly Favourites time. And this month has been a month of new discoveries and a rediscovery I didn't expect.

Let's start with this month's rediscovery. This is Soap and Glory's Sugar Crush Body Lotion and I didn't expect to fall in love with this again but things sometimes just happen. For some reason this month my legs have been quite dry and I needed something to sort it out. I grabbed what I though was my Garnier Ultimate Blends moisturiser for dry skin but instead found myself with this. And suprisingly it worked brilliantly on my legs. I've been using this every night on my legs before I go to bed and as the month's gone on I've seen my legs get better and better. My skintone looks more even, a couple of small scars I have, have faded and my legs feel ultra smooth and soft to the touch. Plus this smells like heaven aswell. It does come in a body butter as well if you're not too keen on this pump lotions.

My first new discovery of the month is the B Hyaluronic Acid Facial Spritz. I'm a big fan of facial sprays and Hyaluronic Acid so when I saw the two combined I knew I had to try this. With it's main ingredient being Hyaluronic Acid this is a moisture boosting spray that can be worn on it's own, underneath skincare or over the top of make up to refresh skin and give it a boost. I love putting this on after my essence lotion as I know it's going to sink into my skin a lot better. After every use my skin feels softer, texture free and refreshed. It's perfect for days when the weather hasn't decided what it wants to do and is playing havoc on your skin or even on those blistering hot days that we just haven't managed to have yet. It's cooling on the skin, moisturising and easy to get a hold of. A full review is coming soon.

Another new skincare discovery this month is an eye cream that has given my eyes a whole new look. This Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum is a silicone based eye cream that works to smooth, lift and depuff the eyes. Plus it claims to help prevent the signs of ageing. I absolutely love this cream, it works wonders on my sometimes horrid, puffy panda eyes. After a week of use I saw a big difference in my eyes and it continues to get better with every day. You can find this in most Boots and Superdrug's but with a heftier than normal price tag this may be one you want to wait for an offer to pick up. A full review will be coming soon.

My last new skincare discovery this month is a cult beauty product that I'd never thought of trying before. That's until the lovely assitant at the Liz Earle took me through a few products. This is the Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser from Liz Earle. This has so many skin loving ingredients that actually do work to help soothe and cleanse skin. I have redness on my cheeks and nothing has really helped soothe it but since I've been using this cleanser my redness looks diminished and my skin looks fantastic after every use. I only have a sample size of this but am more than willing to purchase a full size when this runs out.

The only make up item that I've really been impressed by this month is the Rosie For Autograph Miracle Concealer. This is a stick form concealer that has managed to replace my beloved Maybelline The Eraser Eye because it's so creamy and gives such a brilliant coverage. I have the shade 01 and even though it looks a bit dark on the skin when you first apply it it blends out like a dream and covers dark circles and puffiness that doesn't crease all day long. As you can see the applicator can get very messy but it's easy to wipe and way and for a slightly higher price you get a lot of product as well. A full review of this and the Rosie For Autograph range will be coming soon.

So that's it for my Monthly Favourites. What have been your monthly favourites? Let me know in the comments.