Barry M Light Me Up Liquid Highlighter

If you haven't guessed by now, I am a bit of a highlighter obsessive and I have quite a few within my collection.  It is an item I use pretty much everyday and I don't mind whether it is liquid, powder, gel based or even a cream, if it does what I want it to do, then it gets the thumbs up.

Barry M Light Me Up Liquid Highlighter is described as being the fast track to giving your skin a gorgeous, natural glow.  With this highlighter, you can apply to the parts of you face which you highlight, you can also mix it with your moisturiser or foundation for that extra glow.  Personally, because this highlighter is quite pigmented, I prefer to dab it and blend it down the centre of my nose, along my temple, on my chin and on my cupids bow.

What I love about this highlighter is that it does have a pump action dispenser, but you need such a small amount because as you can see from the photos above, you get a lot out of one pump and it is more than you will need.  Once out of the tube, there is a slight rose/pink colour to it, but once onto the skin, the colour doesn't transfer and instead it leaves behind a soft, subtle glow.

At just £4.99 I think this is totally worthy of trying!  

Do you have a favourite highlighter?

La Roche-Posay Effaclar BB Blur

There are so many amazing products coming from La Roche-Posay right now, it is hard to decide what I love more. There is one product that I have been wearing daily since we were introduced and that is the BB Blur.

Having tried numerous BB, CC and DD creams, I have never really settled on a BB cream that I have wanted to keep on purchasing until now. Effaclar BB Blur is said to not only blur the appearance of pores, blemishes and fine lines but also absorb excess oil all day long - something which excited me incredibly and it has SPF20!

So, I already love that this product has been specifically tailored for oily skin and from using it for the past 5 weeks, not only does BB Blur provide all day-long control of shine, I don't even feel the need to re-apply it. It comes with an impressive list of sciencey sounding ingredients such as Aircilium and Perlite but thankfully they are a little easier to explain their function than it is to say their name. Aircilium is described as being a cutting-edge ingredient that forms a supple and resistant film over the skin that smooths its surface whilst letting it breathe and it is said to absorbs an amazing 3 times its weight in oil,! So the secret is out as to how I manage to keep my skin looking matte rather than a shiny oil slick! Perlite is composed of silica that is 5 times more powerful than talc, and protects against humidity with its continuous blotting paper effect. Suitable for the most sensitive of skin, the skin-perfecting formula contains blurring technology that scatters light to visibly fade pores and fine lines. Add to that, this cream mousse contains shade adapting pigments that work to colour match the skin on application, whilst providing medium coverage that will erase imperfections and leave a radiant, flawless finish. What's not to love?

It is currently only available in two shades Fair/Light and Light/Medium and I have Fair/Light which is pretty perfect for my skin tone and I am very pale. With a mousse like formula, this product is one of those that I begin to apply using my fingers and then use my buffing brush to complete the application. It is easy to apply and for me, it gives just the right amount of coverage that I am happy with and if I am in a rush and haven't had time to finish my make-up, I am confident enough that this BB Blur is enough for me to wear.

I have also mentioned in a few reviews that I have a love for blemish covering products, be they from Primark or Makeup Revolution, and this BB Blur goes some way to be its own little blemish cover and it is working progress to get to the stage where I am happy enough I am covered fully.

So the time has come to bin all of your BB and CC creams and head on over to La Roche-Posays BB Blur because I am yet to try anything that comes anywhere close to being as amazing as this is and it is currently on offer for just £11 on Escentual, which is an absolute bargain that has seen me multi-purchase it so I don't run out!

The Perfume Society: Scent with Love

I am obsessed with perfumes and I am possibly one of the only people you know that has a love of perfume samples. I am choosy about what I will and won't wear, it is rare that I fall in love with a scent on the very first spritz and I detest trying out a perfume in a department store, to me it gives a false impression as to what that scent is and it needs to be given the chance to settle on your skin and breathe before a decision is made as to whether or not it is for you.  So for me, a sample should be something you try over a few days, ask a few people what they think and then make a decision as to whether or not it is added to your wishlist or shopping basket.

The latest The Perfume Society box called Scent with Love is a subscription that would make the perfect gift and treat for someone like me and with Valentines Day looming around the corner, well all I am saying is... do it!

Inside this box you will find something for everyone and it features some pretty amazing brands and there are two sneaky previews of some soon to launch perfumes from Ellie Saab and Shay and & Blue included.

Ellie Saab Rose Couture launches in February and I adore it already. With top notes of orange blossom, peony and rose with heart notes of jasmine, rose, vanilla and fruity notes with a base of sandalwood and patchouli. It has everything I want in a perfume, it is just beautiful and is one I am very likely to purchase.

Shay & Blue's English Cherry Blossom launches in March and has top notes of bergamot, pink cherry blossoms and green mandarin with a heart of black cherry, honeysuckle and iris with a base of cherry wood. I am new to Shay & Blue perfumes, having never tried them before. When I first tried this I wasn't at all keen, but given the chance to settle on my skin and breathe, it was only then that I could appreciate how truly wonderful a scent it is. If you like something which is both citrus and floral, then this is one to look out for.

4160Tuesdays Sex Goddess (2.25ml) - This is another brand that I am not at all familiar with, so I was intrigued to see what all the fuss was about. Sex Goddess has top notes of peach and blackcurrant, a heart of strawberry and geranium with a musk and vanilla base. I have to admit, that this is not a scent for me, the vanilla base is a little too much for my senses and vanilla and I do not go together at all. That said, I know my mum would absolutely love this as a scent, it is quite a fruity scent and the musk gives it that little extra bit of sass. 

Moschino Fresh Couture (1ml) - Is quite possibly the weirdest get kookiest perfume designs I have ever seen. When it first exploded onto the blogs, I wanted to try it for myself and until now, havent managed to track it down. It has top notes of bergamot, mandarin and ylang ylang with a heart of raspberry, white peony and osmanthus with a base of cedarwood, ambrox and white patchouli. Again as soon as I tried this I loved it. The White Peony mixed with bergamot and Mandarin make for a scent that I would happily wear all day everyday and it has been added to my wishlist to purchase.

Narciso Rodriguez for Her (0.8ml) - I haven't worn this scent for a very long time, infact an ex of mine used to absolutely love it and he used to buy it for me. It has top notes of peach and rose, a heart of amber and musk and a base of sandalwood and patchouli. The rose and peach make this a truly wonderful scent for me and it has been nice to be reacquainted with such a delightful scent.

Agonist Vanilla Marble (2ml) - this is everything I should hate in a scent but it is one that makes me want to eat a Cherry Bakewell! It has top notes of vanilla, almond and tiare flower with heart notes of orchid, white fig, amber and patchouli with a base of sandalwood, vanilla, benzoin and tonka bean. I am personally not too sure I would buy it as a perfume, but I can imagine it would make the most wonderful candle.

L'Artisan Mure et Musc (1.5ml) - this is the first time I have come across a L'Artisan perfume and I really like it an awful lot. It has top notes of lemon, orange, basil and lavender, heart notes of blackberry and jasmine with a base of musks, patchouli and oakmoss. The combination of both fruit and musk make this a delightful scent which is perfect for a spring day, it isn't too over the top and it is distinctive enough in scent for people to ask what it is you are wearing.

Juicy Couture I am Juicy Couture (1.5ml) - I have never been a fan of any of the Juicy Couture fragrances to date, I find them a little too synthetic in scent and most definitely not for my age group. This offering has top notes of raspberry, pomelo and passionfruit with a heart of gardenia, heliotrope, rose de Mai and sweet pea with a base of musk, woods and amber. I think my god daughter would love this rather than me.

Taylor Swift Incredible Things (1.5ml) - Again, not a scent to which I would personally purchase for myself but I don't dislike it. It has top notes of grapefruit and pink pepper, a heart of suede, passion flower and vanilla orchid with a base of musk, vetiver, white amber and vanilla.

This is such an incredible box with some amazing scents enclosed but there is also two extra little enclosures which make this more truly incredible.  There is a sample Vial of Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Firm & Revitalise Dry Body Oil which can be used before or after your bath or shower, blended with your moisturiser and used as a welcome skin-soother, post-hair removal. And alongside being intensely nourishing for your skin it sinks in incredibly quickly and I have been so impressed with this sample, that it is on my list to explore more. 

The second extra is a 30ml tube of Time Bomb Hand to Hand Combat Hand Cream. In this weather, we all need as much hand cream as we can. Time Bomb’s advanced formula combines top ingredient that plump and smooth the skin on your hands, ‘feeding’ cuticles to keep them soft and snag-free. It combines vitamin E, essential fatty acids, pea extract and the multi-tasking wonder ingredient, argan oil.

If this sounds like a box you want to explore more, it costs just £12.50 for VIP Subscribers and £17.50 for non-subscribers and you can find it right HERE.

Springtime sunglasses essentials

As my inbox fills up with information and press releases about Valentines Day and Mothers Day, it serves as a reminder that Spring is also on its way and for me, the warmer weather cannot come soon enough. Think lambs in the field, ice cream, not having to wear coat, scarf and gloves and finally wanting to wear something other than chunky knits and twenty three tshirts just to keep warm.

As well as celebrating with new handbags in lovely pastel shades, finally getting to wear my beloved Fitflops again right through until it turns cold, sunglasses become an almost must have accessory for me to have, though there are days in the winter months that I also wear them.  MyGlassesGuru is one of those clever little sites which has glasses and sunglasses in every style, shade and design you can imagine, but what makes it different to everyone else is that it can help you narrow down your choices based on your face shape, hair colour, skin tone, what frame colour is your preference and which designer you prefer and surprisingly you can find Ted Baker, Radley, Swarovski, Tom Ford and even budget brands such as Superdry make an appearance.  

I was quite surprised to find so many options for my face shape and hair colour, but more surprisingly, all of these sunglasses are ones that I would actually wear and they are not too dissimilar to some that I have owned in the past.

Top left we have Tom Ford Eva Sunglasses which are an Aviator with a Twist! The lenses are in a stunning mirrored blue tint, framed with an elegant rose gold rim and classic Havana sides and they retail for £195

Next we have Imogen by Radley (top right) and these are square lensed glasses with full UV Filter in Gloss Nude shade. They retail for just £60

In the middle we have Blair by Ted Baker. These are described as being a full, soft square, acetate frame with spiral metal detail on the temples. They retail for just £61.95 and have three frame colour options.

Over to the bottom row and on the left we have Tom Ford again and this time with Charles. They are again the iconic aviator sunglasses and this option is rose gold frame with full UV radiant brown lenses. Priced at £157.95 they are quite the bargain.

Finally we have Cate by Swarovski, a strong, yet elegant feminine design with Swanflower® motif, pearl and Swarovski crystal detail to temples and in shade Gloss Black. They retail for £178 and I love the oversized frame on these glasses.

If you had to make a choice between these five pairs of sunglasses, which one would you chose?

*collaboration