Things ive been loving lately!

Today I thought I would share with you some of the things I have been loving lately. I am not one of those people who is very good at using products up before opening something new, instead I am like a child at Christmas who just wants to use everything now. 

However, just lately I have really been loving:

Kindle Fire

I am very much a bookworm.  Every day I travel too and from work on public transport which is either the tube or the bus and I need some sort of distraction from what is going on around me, so I tend to read.  I never ever thought I would become a fan of the Kindle because I have always loved books, but for me it is about convenience and the Kindle fits nicely in my bag and I never have to worry about running out of things to read.

Orange Is The New Black

I do love watching TV shows and I am a huge fan of American TV dramas. Favourites include Dexter, House, CSI, NCIS, Hannibal and more recently I was hooked on Revenge (Hurry up season 4).  Now I am currently watching Orange Is the New Black, which is an American comedy-drama series set in a women's prison.  I am half way through season 1 and so far I have so many favourite characters and cannot wait to see what happens in the end.

MAC Angel Lipstick

This is a recent addition to my make-up bag but I am really really liking using it.  I did a full review of it which you can find HERE but it is fast becoming my go to everyday lipstick.

Benefit Hoola

One of the first products I ever owned from Benefit and one that I keep on coming back to despite having quite a few bronzers.  The thing I love most about it is that it is so easy to work with. I am one of those people who doesn't like heavy make-up, I like it to look more natural and with Hoola I can apply it and achieve the look I want without feeling heavily made-up and almost orange.

Canon EOS1000D

I have been going on and on about wanting a new camera instead of just using my iPhone, so imagine how chuffed I am with this Canon EOS1000D camera!  I have only had it for a few weeks and I am still learning how to use it and what each option on the camera does, but hopefully soon you will start to see the photos I have been taken for my blog.

PG Tips Jasmine Tea

Ever since I cut out caffeine last October, I have become slightly obsessed with different decaffeinated teas, something i never ever thought I would say. To be fair if I want a cup of tea or coffee then I will have one, but I am not reliant on 15 cups of tea a day to make it through work. The one tea I am absolutely obsessed with at the minute is from PG Tips and it is Jasmine Tea. It comes inside a pyramid teabag and you simply leave it in your cup for 2 minutes after which time you have this lovely fragrant brew to enjoy.

A somewhat odd bunch of things to be enjoying right now.  I would love to know What have you been loving lately?

Maybelline Baby Skin

When I saw the new Maybelline Baby Skin primer in Boots a few months ago, I decided to bit the bullet and buy it.  I hadn't seen that many reviews on it and am almost out of Porefessional, so was hoping this would be the perfect dupe.

What they say:

"Maybelline Baby Skin provides a matte finish and leaves the skin fresh, soft and protected. The gel texture in Baby Skin instantly helps to vanish pores and makes the skin feel light. It avoids a shine on the skin and makes the skin feel soft".

So there is a bit of a claim there to instantly erase pores and leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. Well for me it does reduce the look of my pores every so slightly, but doesn't completely get rid of them completely, though if I am honest I really wasn't expecting it too. Obviously it will depend on how big or small your pores are in the first instance and I don't believe anything really helps make them vanish, just help to conceal them. I do, however, feel it lives up the second part of its claim in that it avoids shine on the skin and makes the skin feel soft to the touch.

The texture, which is most definitely gel-like, is really easy to apply and I use my fingers to apply it all over my face (obviously before any make-up) and for me this is where it is great value for money because once applied, it helps keep my make-up in place all day, which for me is around 6-7 hours and I didn't feel the need to have to re-apply everything before going out in an evening, the only thing I touched up my lipstick and blusher which is something I do anyway.

For me this is a great high street primer and whilst I accept it is not as good as Porefessional, it does do a good job and given the difference in price, I would verge towards Maybelline because it does what I want it too and I am saving over £15 and both products are the same size at 22ml.

Have you tried Maybelline Baby Primer?  Do you like it?

Competition | Debenhams Womenwear Winter Challenge Win £500

Debenhams have launched an exciting competition for bloggers who have a natural talent for fashion. All you have to do to enter is to create a mood board which presents two stylish winter outfits. One should showcase a daytime look, which will keep you warm and cosy but looking good through the colder months; and the other outfit should be your ultimate party look. One lucky winner will receive £500 of Debenhams vouchers and two runners up will win a £50 voucher each.

I am a huge fan of Debenhams, it is my favourite department store and one of the places I turn to when I need an outfit for a dinner, wedding and any occasion that requires a little more effort than a trip to the highstreet.

I decided to enter this competition and have created my two outfits which are showing below and I would love to know what you think:

Look One

Meeting up with the girls often requires a little more than jeans and a top and I like to make the effort and go somewhere between casual and comfortable but smart as well.

Coffee with the girls by beautyqueenuk featuring black leggings

Look Two
Party season is still on-going and again the look for me has to be right and I have to be comfortable.  This is my outfit

Party Time... by beautyqueenuk featuring a crystal tennis bracelet

How to Enter

The winter style challenge will be judged by Natasha from girlinthelens.comand Victoria vipxo.co.uk.

To enter, create your blog post and then add the link to your entry in the comments section under either Natasha or Victoria’s posts about the competition.  You will have to be quick though because it closes on Monday 13 January 2014

Requirements

Your entry must include the product name and price for each item you choose.

Together, Victoria and Natasha will choose the overall winner based on how stylish and imaginative the outfits are. They will also each choose a runner up from their own comments section – so if you think you share the same tastes as either Victoria or Natasha, choose wisely when posting your entry! We’ll announce the winners on this page and on Victoria and Natasha’s blogs soon after the closing date.

You can find Victoria’s post here and Natasha’s post here.
If you do enter I would love to see your entries, so please do tweet me and link me to your post or post the link in the comment section below.

Terms and conditions for this competition can also be found HERE

Good Luck

My Favourite Products 2013 - Part 4

Having brought to you my favourite products for my lips, body and hair and then face, today I am bringing to you my favourite Make-up products of 2013, these are products that I have gone back to time and time again and absolutely love.

Make-Up

Make-up is one of those 'terms' and some of those 'products' that I love to use.  I am by no means an expert and nor I am overly confident in what I am doing which is why you will rarely see a FOTD post from me.  I tend to stick with what I know and like and experimenting isn't something I am good at, but here are my favourite products of 2013.

Seche Vite - Whilst I need to look after my nails a little bit more than I do to ensure they are not as weak and brittle as they are now, Seche Vite is by far one of the best products I have used on my nails.  I always use it as a top coat whenever I polish my nails and it dries so quickly and gives me a few extra days of no chipping with my nail polish.

Rough Dior 649 - I reviewed this lipstick HERE and it is to date my most favourite lipstick.  I was introduced to it at a Debenhams Beauty event that I was lucky to attend and have my make-up done by Dior and I was so impressed with the lip colour, I now own two for myself.

Porefessional - The first product I am to feature from Benefit and one of my favourites.  As a balm that minimises the pores I love that it does exactly that for me and I have gone through quite a few tubes of it to date and I am now using up my mini samples before deciding whether or not to re-purchase or try something else.

Fine One One - Another product from Benefit and one that I won from a Blogger Competition.  I wanted this product as soon as it came out, but I held off for ages reading review after review of it, some great and some not so great.  I love it and use it more as a highlighter on my cheek bones and it gives this really lovely shimmer and sheen once it is applied.

They-re Real - My current favourite mascara, the first time I used it, I knew it would be one of those products that would stay in my make-up bag.  I love how it makes my lashes look and appear longer, how it doesnt clump or flake once it is applied and it lasts a really long time once it is on my lashes.

Dream Weave & Co. Original Lash Extension Magnet Mascara - I was introduced to this product in October when I was kindly sent one to try out and review which you can see HERE.  I am so impressed with it that it is always in my bag.

Hoola - Again from Benefit, Hoola is my all time favourite Bronzer and when I was first given this I thought it would be far too dark for my very light skin-tone, however, I was mildly surprised that it actually looks really good on my skin and as long as I don't apply too much of it, it can look really natural.

Suede by Sleek - This product was my first introduction to the world that is Sleek make-up and it is currently my favourite product from Sleek.  I reviewed it back in October which you can see HERE and I pretty much wear it everyday because it is quite subtle and gives a lovely colour to my cheeks.

Hello Flawless - My all time favourite powder from Benefit and I wear it everyday, usually over a BB Cream as I am yet to find my Holy Grail foundation, they always seem too dark for my skintone, so I stick with a BB cream and this to give me a look I am comfortable with and it has an SPF15 which impresses me.

That Gal - Yep another Benefit product from me and I use That Gal quite a lot because I like it a Primer, it definitely does make my make-up last much longer and I dont get the feeling of clogged pores from using it, which is something I disliked from a similar product from another brand.

Collection Eyeshadow Pencils - I bought two of them on a whim a few months ago and Vintage Blush which is shown above is the shade I use more often than not.  As well as an eyeshadow, which is really easy to apply, I have also used it as a highlighter and it works really well.  I reviewed the two crayons  which you can read HERE

Max Factor Colour Elixir - I was introduced to these products when I took part in my very first beauty box swap and I instantly liked them.  My favourite colour of the two was Subtle Coral which is featured in the photograph above and reviewed HERE and I like the shade they give me when I wear them.

There you have my favourite make-up products.  

Do you think I am missing out on using anything or is there a product you think I should try?

Get the Benefit!

The one thing you might realise about me fellow bloggers is that I have a few obsessions in life - Lush, Soap and Glory and BeneFit, that is not to say I love everything they do, far from it, they are more like a security blanket for me and when I need something and am not sure what or where to go, those three are probably more often than not my fall back plan. I do love trying new brands and discovering new products as well though.

This post is about my love affair with BeneFit.  I am not a huge make-up fan nor am I the worlds most made up girl in the world.  It is true to say that I never leave the house without a bit of foundation (usually a powder), mascara, bronzer or blusher and lip balm.  Aside from that I tend not to experiment as much as I should because I am never sure what colours suit me and applying eyeliner is just something I cannot get the hang of, I can sit in front of a mirror for hours and not once get it right, I find it stressful, so just don't do it -  a fear I need to overcome.

So starting with my favourite Benefit travel set which is called 'The Big 10' and it looks like this:

This was given to me by a friend as a birthday gift and I absolutely love it, it has everything in there that you might want to try out or take on your travels with you because it is a travel set essentially.   Naturally it is called 'The Big 10' because it contains ten different products which are:

1. Erase Paste which in this set is No.2 medium and it is a 3.2g tub
2. Stay Don't stray which is a primer for your concealer or eyeshadow and it is lovely 2.5ml tube
3. Benetint which is a rose-tinted lip and cheek stain and again it is a 2.5ml tube
4. Posietint which is a poppy pink lip and cheek stain and again a 2.5ml tube
5. High Beam which is a luminescent complexion enhancer and a 2.5ml tube
6. Ooh La Lift another 2.5ml tube and it is an instant under-eye brightening boost
7. 'That Gal' is a brightening face primer and in a 7.5ml tube
8. Dandelion a 3g pot and it is a brightening face powder
9. Coralista another 3g pot and it is a face powder
10. Porefessional is a balm to minimise the pores and is in a 7.5ml tube

So all of these lovely products in one package and I do take them with me when I travel, that is why some look a little more battered than others.

Then... we move to my favourite products from BeneFit, the ones that are always in my make-up bag and my go to products when I feel the need and of course one new addition to my collection!!

Starting with She's so jetset which I got for Christmas from a friend of mine, this kit which I adore because it is so cute contains:

 a 7.5ml POREfessional (primer and pore minimiser), 0.14oz they're real mascara, 5.2ml Life on the A list Lipgloss, 0.1oz First-class face powder with brush and 0.25 eye shadow palette (with Champagne please (golden colour), Gold card (slightly lighter gold), Pretty in mink (mink of course?) and Elegant Espresso (a brown)

Then you can see Hoola which is my absolute favourite bronzer ever... it gives such good coverage, is easy to use and apply and I have had this box for about 2 years and I use it more or less everyday and I am almost at the end of it, by that I mean it will need replacing in the next 6 months and I intend to replace it.

BeneFit Fine One one which has become my latest addition thanks to a competition win has been used once since I got it and I love it, the colours look really orange when you see them on the stick, but once applied, they are really lovely.

Finally the top right hand side photo which contains the rest of my BeneFit kit.  Starting with Dr Feelgood, a face balm which I did a post about HERE then there is a very old version of Lemonaid which is an eyeshadow primer and it works really well even though it is a few years old.  Next comes They're Real which is my current favourite Mascara, I love everything about it and it makes my lashes look lovely and long. Hello Flawless is one of my favourite foundations and this was matched to me in Debenhams not long after it hit the shelves and I love it.  As well as the face powder you get a mirror, a brush and a sponge, it glides on wonderfully.  Finally there is Moon Beam that is described as being an iridescent complexion enhancer and you add it around your cheeks and brow bones to a warm shimmer.  I use this quite a lot because I like the look it gives to me and again this bottle is just over a year old and there is more than half the bottle left, such good value for money.

Now I just need to get my hands on Fake Up and I will be well and truly happy...

So there you have it, my BeneFit make-up collection which features a lot of my favourite products! 

      Which BeneFit products do you like and use the most?

EMERGENCY...

Like most girls, I do have my must have and must wear products that accompany me everywhere, the kind of items I never leave the house without such as Iphone, Purse, Kindle and of course make-up.  Some mornings I am in a rush and simply don't have time to sort my face out and put on make-up, if that happens, I have a make-up bag which holds these items and I grab it, shove it in my bag and I am away.

As you can see, my beautiful boy, Dude, is very kindly modelling my Gorjuss make-up bag, a present from a friend a few years ago.  I love this little bag because I can fit so much into it and it is cute.

So inside the bag you will find:

1. BeneFit - Hello Flawless foundation - I have 2 of these.  One I keep in this bag and one I keep at home.  I love the colour, how easy it is to use and I like the packaging.  £24.50

2. BeneFit Hoola - my must have bronzer.  I love this stuff and again have 2 of them as above. £23.50

3. Lip Balm - I am a lip balm addict, a post is coming on my lip balm addiction, but I am never without lip balm. Palmers Cocoa Butter Dark Chocolate Cherry is one of my current favourites, it smells good enough to eat and at £1.99 it is a bargain.

4. MUA under-eye Concealer - a recent purchase as my Touche Eclat has run out and whilst it isn't as good, it 'makes do' and it was only £2 so I can't complain.

5. Thick & Fast Soap and Glory Mascara - to be honest it is a good mascara, I like the brush and it doesn't clump and I am a huge Soap and Glory fan too.  £10

6. Rimmel Day 2 Night Glameyes Mascara - just incase I need it and I like the thin brush for the corner of my eyes. £7.99

7. M&S Autograph Blush - I love this perfume, it is perfect for work, fits in my bag and smells really lovely - the description reads "This refreshing fragrance has a fresh floral note with bergamot and cassis giving sparkle to a pretty violet accord. Water fruits and soft raspberry mingle with dewy rose in the heart which reaches into a background of warm amber, creamy vanilla and silky musks. A captivating fragrance to refresh and uplift." £8.50

8. A Nail File - I am never without a nail file. Boots £2.05

So that is my emergency bag of make-up that I grab in a morning and shove in my handbag and I thought it would be fun to see how much it is worth :drum roll: £80.53 and if you include the cost of the bag which is aorund £10, that takes the total to £90.53.  That total has shocked me a bit because for those few items, it is a lot of money to use as my grab bag! I dread to think what my 'Actual Make-up bag' that I use when getting ready and am not in a rush is worth!

Does anyone else have an emergency bag like this?

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