October Favorites

I haven't done a favorite's post in a long time, as I was mainly using the same products, but now that it's got colder I have started using different things that I have been absolutely loving, and I decided to share some of them with you!

Skincare

My skincare products do tend to stay the same as I feel that changing them too much can cause breakouts and other issues with you skin, especially if it is sensitive. However, I have found one cleanser and one scrub that have really improved my skin. The scrub that I have been loving is the St Ives Gentle Apricot Scrub. It is made for sensitive skin, and like the name suggest it is very gentle on the skin, meaning you can use it daily. This gets rid of all the dead skin cells and helps to clean out your pores. I find that after using it my skin looks much more healthy and feels so much softer! My new favorite cleanser is by Clearasil and it is their Ultra Rapid Action Gel Wash. I used this after having had a bad breakout and it really helped to clear up my skin quickly, and also made my skin feel really soft, like the scrub does. This cleanser can be quite harsh, so I don't use it everyday but it has definitely improved my skin.

Another skincare product that I have been loving is Bioderma, which I did a whole other blog post on that I will link HERE. Again, I have just found that this really has cleared up my skin and I really don't want it to run out, as it is so expensive to buy in England!

Fashion

This autumn I have been really loving cozy jumpers paired with high-waisted skirts and chunky boots. My absolute favorite boots are from New Look, and they are black chelsea boots with a chunky heel (similar HERE & HERE). I love them so much as they go with everything and because of the slight heel they give me some extra height which is always good! They look great with black tights and a skirt/dress because they really elongate your legs. I feel like they help to tone down my really girly style, and add a bit of edge to a look. I have also been loving a pair of boots I got from Topshop in the sale (similar HERE). They are a taupe colour and have cut outs, and are flat. They are also made out a suede material rather than leather, making them pretty much the opposite to the other boots I have been loving. Both pairs are very comfy and they are literally all I have been wearing on my feet this past month!

Make Up

This month I have been opting for very simple make-up, and I have been loving having long, thick eyelashes. The mascara I have been using to create this effect is Benefit's They're Real! mascara. It really does lengthen your eyelashes and make them look fuller, but it isn't clumpy at all, so you can just apply some really quickly before you have to leave for work or school. The wand is amazing, and really combs through the lashes, which helps to separate the lashes. I have also found that it stays on all day and doesn't smudge on me which is great, as it stops me from worrying about whether I have mascara around my eyes or not! I only have the mini version of it, but as I'm loving it so much I think I'm going to have to repurchase the full size once I run out.

I have also been loving Collection's Lasting Perfection concealer, which I have been using alone without foundation this month. I love the high coverage and also the fact that the shades go light enough for my skin tone. Once I set it with powder it stays on my skin the whole day. I have also been using a primer underneath it, which is Benefit's "That Gal" primer. I have also been loving that as it gives my skin a glow and also helps my make up to stay on all day. It also leaves my skin feeling very soft and smooth, which makes the concealer I apply on top look better!

Random

My favorite film of the month was 'Love Rosie', which I went to see in the cinema with my friend. It's a great film about the life of a girl called Rosie, who ends up getting pregnant on the night of her prom. It is a funny, romantic story, but it also has sad points as well, and I really recommend that you go and see it! Another favorite film of the month would have to be Valentines Day, which I re-watched when I was feeling ill. It again is a romantic comedy, and it's a really easy film to watch, with a lot of famous actors in it. 

That's all my favorites of the past month! I hope you enjoyed this post, and look forward to more autumn-themed ones coming soon!

- L x

Review: Bioderma

Bioderma is one of the most raved about skin care products in the Beauty world, so whilst I was in France, I decided to pick some up, as it is so much cheaper there!

I ended up getting the biggest bottle that was available, as I had heard so many good reviews that I wanted to have a lasting supply. I was worried that I would be slightly disappointed with this product, just because it is hyped up so much, but once I started using it I was not disappointed at all.

It feels just like water on the skin, yet removed all of your make-up, even water-proof mascara, which I wasn't expecting. It is also very gentle on the skin, and because it works so well you don't have to tug on any areas such as your eyes to get all the make-up off. This is a definite benefit as the skin around your eyes is very sensitive, and if you pull on it to much you can get premature wrinkles. I have also used this as a cleansing water/toner, after having used a cleanser or scrub beforehand and taken off my eye make-up, and it really helped to keep my skin clear and spot-free!

I've been using it for a few months now, and it hasn't broken me out at all, nor has it irritated my skin. I was very happy about this, as my skin is quite sensitive and reacts easily to a lot of harsher projects.

However, Bioderma is quite expensive to buy in countries other than France, but if you live in or are visiting France, I would definitely recommend checking it out! If not, you could always pick up the miniature one to try it out, or use a dupe such as the Garnier Micellar Cleansing water for £4.99 - I have heard really good things about it!

I'm really sorry for the lack of posts for the past month, but we're going to be posting much more now!

- L x

Back To School: Must Haves for your bag

It is now officially back to school season, unfortunately, so I thought that it might be helpful to make a post about a few things that are necessary to take with you, to lessen the stress and possibility of forgetting things! Also a quick tip is to pack your bag the night before each day of school, with your books and such. It makes the next morning much less stressful and as you won't be in a rush, you're much more likely to take everything you need - as well as giving you a few more minutes sleep!

Back to the main point of this post - here is a list of my top things to take with you every day to school!

1. Books, folders or whatever else you need for your subjects that day. Forgetting your books is just going to take away form what you learn from that lesson, as you'll have to write stuff down on spare paper that you'll probably end up loosing, so it's in your best interests to take what you need and to make everything easier for yourself.
2. Your pencil case, full of any stationary you might need. Again, this is in your best interests to have as it's going to help your learning, and you might as well make the most of school!
3. Pads and Tampons - there's really no delicate way to say this, but sometimes 'mother nature' may surprise you or one of your friends and it's always better to be prepared for it, as you don't want to be caught out.
4. Oil blotting sheets. In summer you can get pretty oily during a whole day of school in hot classrooms, so these are good to have as they keep you looking fresh and feeling confident.
5. A small make-up bag with any make-up that you might want to top up throughout the day. Things such as powder and lip balm are essentials for this, as powder helps to keep your make-up on all day and also helps to keep you matte, and it's always nice to have moisturised lips! What you put in this really depends on what make-up you wear!
6. Tissues and plasters. These are just good to have in your bag, as you never know when you're going to have a cold or get a paper cut, so like I've said before, it's good to be prepared!

These are just a few things that I will always want to have handy in my school bag! Of course there's other things like house keys and your phone, but those don't need much explanation! Hopefully you found this post helpful and it's made your back to school process a bit easier!

- L x

Effy Stonem Style

Effy Stonem by lamey featuring black boots

Effy Stonem is by far the best dressed character on Skins. Her 

ripped denim and Doc Martens are beautifully grunge and her 

outfits match her daring yet distressed personality. If you don't

know who she is, just know that her style is noteworthy. 

-A x

Review: Benefit Boi-ing Concealer

I recently bought this concealer as I wanted to try something that was slightly more high-end but was still not too expensive. I was very impressed overall, and I think that it will last me a long time, as I have been using it regularly for about a month now and I have not even made a dent in it! The packaging is great too, as the lid screws on meaning that it is secure and there is less of a chance of it falling off, and the concealer getting everywhere.

I got it in the lightest shade, which was perfect for my skin tone. There are 5 shades in total, which is unfortunately not the biggest range. However, they have a very creamy consistency, which makes them easy to blend out and into your skin to give a natural look.  Once blended they look like your skin is naturally clear, which is a bonus. I use this concealer on spots and under my eyes, as well as around my nose and any other areas that I want to brighten. It does crease slightly under the eyes, but if you powder afterwards and/or prime before hand, it is usually fine.

The staying power of this concealer is really good, and it will last a whole day even in the heat when powdered. I normally wear it without a foundation, but it looks really good with one too, and makes your skin look extra perfect! I would highly recommend this product, as although it is more expensive than most products on the high street, it is also of a higher quality and will last you for a very long time. 

If you're still not sure, you can go to a Benefit counter in your local Boots or anywhere else where Benefit is sold, and either ask for them to try it on you or ask for a sample. It costs £17.50, and I think it is worth the price.

You can get it HERE from Benefits website!

- L x