Ardell Beauty💕*

I'm not a false lash person, I never use them, so if I can find a good mascara to enhance my naturally long lashes, then I'm onto a winner. When False Eyelashes contacted me asking if I wanted to try the new Ardell lash range, I initially said no because I don't use lashes, however they replied offering me the opportunity to try out some Ardell makeup, so I said yes because I hadn't ever tried them before!

Ardell Beauty Splash Party Mascara* || £9.95 || my favourite sort of mascara wands are small, thin ones (chunky, thick wands are intimidating) plus these tend to work better for lengthening purposes rather than voluminosity. Since using this mascara, I've figured that it's quite a natural sort of mascara - when I apply it, it enhances my lashes and really opens up my eyes, yet doesn't look like I'm wearing any makeup. Although it looks well, it does become a tad crumbly after a few hours wear, and this is something you need to watch for, especially incase it smudges. When it comes to removing, it's a pain. I feel like I'm removing it for hours! I don't layer lengthening mascaras that much so there's not a lot of mascara on my lashes, but it seems as though there is - I'm removing for a good few minutes at a time. With those slight downfalls aside, it's a decent enough mascara for an everyday wear.

Ardell Beauty Wanna Get Lucky Gel Eyeliner* || £7.95 || when I saw that it was a gel eyeliner, I totally underestimated it. I used it for my winged liner - I did a rough outline then used this to fill it in - and boy, is it creamy. I was actually shocked if I'm honest, and I fear that it would smudge. Surprisingly, once it's on, it doesn't really bother, you're set. It's true black and matte. It's far too creamy to use on your actual waterline, but for your lower lash line, then maybe with a light hand, yes. It could be used for a smoldering, dark look, or a clean, elegant look; whatever takes your fancy. It's a good, all-round eyeliner!  

Considering I hadn't ever tried Ardell makeup before, it was quite an interesting experience - I didn't even know they did makeup, I thought it was just eye lashes (bad beauty blogger). I think I need to dive further into the range and see what else they have available.

xx

*PR Samples

Superdrug Vitamin E Range💕

If you haven't heard of the Superdrug Vitamin E Range, then chances are, you have been living beneath a rock. This budget-friendly range has been splashed everywhere like hot gossip, and it's quite worthy of it. From facial oils to scrubs, the brand quite literally have everything you would possibly need to keep your skin in tip-top condition. And, on a tight budget too.

Vitamin E Facial Scrub || £2.99 || I'd by lying if I said I couldn't recall the last time I used a face scrub, it's terrible, however, I'm definitely making up for it now. Something really caught my attention with this scrub, I don't know if it's the "gentle oatmeal" idea, or if it's because I hadn't used a face scrub in so long and wanted to branch out to try the vitamin e range. Either or, I'm glad I bought this one, I'm in love with it. As well as having high levels of vitamin e, it also has a high amount of antioxidants too (as does the whole range) which helps to protect your skin against harsh environmental damage and harm. It specifies that it's for normal to dry skin, and I have oily skin, but find it works relatively well with my skin type also. A lot of the time, face scrubs claim to be gentle, but they still feel harsh on the skin, yet this one is extremely gentle for sure. I tend to use it on a daily basis and it leaves my skin feeling silky smooth to touch and appears to be youthful and glowing.

Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser || £4.99 || I had wanted to try this cleanser for ages. Something about it really grasped my attention; I think it was the "hot cloth" part, because I've tried umpteen cleansers before so this one really stood out from the crowd. I do like the cleanser, it really cleanses my skin and it feels uber clean, but I'm struggling to find why it varies so much from your regular cleanser. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong, and if I am, please notify me hah. It's quite a think consistency, but a small amount is plenty, so I know that it'll last quite a while. I massage it into my skin and neck, ensuring to avoid my eye area. I then rinse the cotton muslin cloth which it comes with beneath running hot water and ring it out, before massaging my face once again and removing with the cloth. Following on, I then wash my face with clean warm water before drying. I do feel that it removes any last traces of dirt (or as I've discovered, face scrub from the previous product) which is, of course, what you'd expect a cleanser to do. I try to use it daily, or every second day if I forget, and I do notice that in using it so regularly, it's helping my skin by keeping spots at bay. Overall, I do like this cleanser, but it didn't "wow" me as I was expecting.

Vitamin E Night Cream || £2.99 || I love trying new moisturisers. I don't know why but I find it SO fascinating. I use different day and night moisturisers; a light one in the morning and a heavier, thicker one in the evenings. My friend Amy had the night cream and highly recommended it, so I decided to give it a whirl. It's a thick consistency but not overly thick, and isn't heavy or greasy either; in fact, it feels quite light on the skin, of which it absorbs it quite quickly too. It feels really luxurious when applying to the skin, especially after using the previous two products. I find that I don't require a lot of moisturiser either, it's quite generous that way. For the price, I adore it, my skin has taken to it very well and I'm now considering buying the day cream to see if it lives up to this one!

Vitamin E Facial Oil || £2.99 || I don't actually know how I ended up ordering this as I don't use face oils. I think I'm wary of them because I have oily skin, and despite myths, I'm still afraid to add excess oils to my skin's natural oils. Why I still believe this myth I'll never understand because this little bottle works miracles. I think that my skin has benefitted from this, in conjunction with the other products, as it finishes my routine off nicely. I only need a small amount, because it's a thin consistency being an oil, but it doesn't leave my skin greasy like some oils can; my skin drinks this up. It doesn't feel heavy nor as if it's blocking my pores, instead, it's just light on the skin, absorbed and the rest is history. I don't use it every night, but more so every 2-3 nights.

The Vitamin E range tends to be the on buy one get one half price deal at Superdrug (hence why I bought so much) but it's still relatively affordable too. I'm glad that I bought the products from the range that I have, but I want to try more. I also have the micellar water and duo cleanser (which you can read more about here) and the two of them are great products. The range has the same distinct scent throughout, which I can't quite pinpoint, but I know I love it.

Have you tried this range?

xx

Charcoal For Your Skin?💕*

Ever since returning from Portugal last month, I have been all over skincare and been taking proper care of my skin. From the flights, my skin dried out something ridiculous (I have oily skin!) so I wanted my best to improve it, especially for my birthday which was last week. Whilst I was away, a package from T-Zone arrived, sending some of their Charcoal and Bamboo range. I have previously tried products from T-Zone (read review here) so I was ecstatic to try the products out - I mean, I did get home after 9pm but I still couldn't wait!

Self Heating Masks* || £4.99 - I think this product grasped my attention the most. I love face masks, even if I have the tendency to forget to do them, but when I do, the results are always fantastic. The fact these are self heating make them all the more appealing to use. I wasn't quite sure how they would "heat up", so I read the instructions (yes, I am that person). In the box, you get 4 sachets of face mask, so I wanted to ensure I was getting the most of each sachet. When you apply the mask - of which there is plenty of in the sachet, I felt I had a bit too much for my face if I'm honest - it's best to have a slightly damp face because the mask works with water and this is how it heats up. If you want, you can always go ahead and wet your hands and rub it on too. When it's warm, it's the strangest sensation ever. It's tingly but doesn't feel as if it's burning your skin at all. It fascinates me. The purpose of the mask is to remove any impurities which are left behind in the pores, and remove excess dirt and oil in the skin. It's not a peel off mask, so I tend to wash the mask off after 2 minutes or so. My skin looks glowy post-washing, and it also leaves it feeling highly cleansed and smooth. 

Peel Off Mask* || £4.99 - Any time I receive a PR package, I swear my family are just as excited as I am to see what I've received. When I mentioned I had a charcoal face mask, I was asked "is that not those masks people were using and couldn't remove?" and for a minute, I panicked, but I didn't let the fear take over aha, I still went ahead and used it. I think the fact it's a peel off was the reason I was hesitant, purely because I tend to use wash off masks. I accidentally left it on longer than anticipated, and recommended, because I used it the morning of my birthday and was running about doing numerous things. Oops. When it came to removing it, I struggled. It had properly dried so it did hurt removing a bit - this is only because I'm not used to peel offs. In the end, I gave up peeling it off, and hopped into the shower whereby I just washed it off. With that issue aside, it is a decent enough mask. I like the idea that it's in a tube as I find sachets to be a tad messy. I must admit though, I think I do prefer the face masks above, but if you prefer peel off masks, then you need to give this a shot.

Cleansing Wipes* - £2.99 - Last time I got a package from T-Zone, they sent me their charcoal wipes, and I loved them, so I guess you could say I was pretty chuffed to see these in the box again. In the packet, you get 25 wipes, which I think is quite standard. These aren't your ordinary wipes however - because they are charcoal, they are black in colour. Personally, I use these to remove my foundation/base, eyebrows and eyeshadow, but use micellar water to remove my mascara etc as wipes can often irritate my eyes. They work really well in removing my foundation, as I've found that with some wipes, I need to go over my face with a second wipe or micellar water to fully remove my makeup. As they are from the charcoal and bamboo range, they do have a strong scent therefore, if you have sensitive skin, you may wish to be wary of this. For the price, I love these wipes, and I find them so handy for throwing in my bag - I brought them with me when I went out for my birthday and sat at goodness knows what time in the morning removing my makeup with these wipes before my bed ha!

Nose Pore Strips* - £6.99 - Having oily skin, nose strips are fantastic. Unfortunately, I seem to have a lot of ugly blackheads on my nose, caused by my oily skin, and nose strips are something I need to adapt into my skincare routine, even if they are just a weekly use. When you open the packet, the nose strip is on a piece of plastic, sticky side down, which you peel off and apply to your nose, which is recommended to be damp as it applies better. I don't know if there's a suggested time or what for these, I normally just remove after around 10 minutes, or whenever I remember if I'm being honest. Once the time is up, I dread removing it - I need to find an easy way to do it. I usually peel from left to right, however, if I have any difficulties, I dampen the strip a little to help with the removal because it can be painful. The purpose of these strips is to remove any dirt and excess oil, lifting any impurities within the skin. I will admit though, my nose does feel better for using these, so I definitely need to incorporate these into my routine.

I knew that this range wouldn't be a let down; not only because I've tried previous products, but I also see them quite a lot on my social media, usually on Instagram and Twitter. In my truthful opinion, I would describe this range as being a bargain buy because the products work really well with my skin, but they aren't expensive in the slightest. Whilst looking through Superdrug, I clocked that they sell a face wash, which I might need to pick up next time I'm out shopping.

xx

*PR Samples

BAB turns 4💕

For the fourth here in a row, here I am, star struck at the fact my blog is, once again, another year older. My blog is growing each and every day - some more than others - but that’s beside the point, because my passion is indefinite. The opportunities I have been presented with are immense, and my blogger friends have remained as precious and supportive as always. Over the years, I have been asked multiple questions regarding blogging, especially revolving around beginning a blog. Here are some reasons to create a blog, whether your blog falls into the beauty niche or not.

1. A place to express yourself; I use blogging as a platform to voice my opinions and share my reviews with like-minded people. Reviewing a lipstick means that I’m informing my audience on my views, helping them shape an opinion too, or make a decision as to purchase the lipstick or not. The same goes for lifestyle blogs, as discussing an important issue helps spark a debate and see people debating their views, with them knowing your take on the issue too. If you like to write opinionated texts, then welcome to the works of blogging.

2. Sense of belonging; I feel that this point seems a little deep, but let me explain. A blog, no matter the niche, is a blog, and the person behind that blog is a blogger who is automatically a member of a blogging community. You belong here. You have a similar interest as millions of other people in the world, and we all connect via words. Blogging unites us. Of course we are not obliged to like every single person, but in the blogging community, I try my best to support fellow bloggers, whether it’s retweeting their link on Twitter, following their Instagram or leaving them a comment. No matter who you are, your background etc, you will fit into the blogging community and are guaranteed to make some blogging friends - trust me, they are the nicest bunch of people out there and I’m so lucky for each and every one I have.

3. A way to improve numerous aspects; When I first started blogging, I expected it to be a hobby and thought nothing more of it. But, there’s a whole load more to it. I have improved my English in terms of accuracy (I used to have a tendency of rushing things and not proof reading) and added new vocabulary to my knowledge, learnt new camera skills as well as incorporated the skills I’ve learnt from college into my photos, and improved upon myself with regards to confidence and self belief. For those who don’t blog mustn’t understand how much blogging improves your self confidence, but it’s insane. And, I’m living proof to say that four years later, blogging has made a positive impact upon my life.

If you’re considering creating a blog, then I cannot urge you enough. If you make one life changing decision this year, let it be that you create a blog.

xx

An Eyeshadow Palette For Beginners💕

Eyeshadow is probably one of the hardest aspect of makeup, beside liquid eyeliner. One wrong shade and you've destroyed the whole look. Although at first it is difficult, after you've got the act and the right palette, you can pretty much ace any look. Finding a palette that is affordable and suitable for beginners can be hard, however, I believe I've found the one.

Seventeen Easy On The Eye Palette in Birthday Suit I'm looking at you. By looking at the name, you can already guess that the shades are going to be more on the natural and subtle side. The palette contains eight powder shadows, three cream shadows and a primer. At first, I felt I'd overlook the primer, but in actual fact, it's really good and I feel the colours appear more pigmented on my lid. It's hard to muck up eyeshadow using this palette because the shades are on the lighter side and aren't intimidating either. The shadows blend easily too and this allows you to improve your blending skills (even I'm still getting there ha..)

At first glace, it is clear that the palette is a pink, golden and brown bases palette - I have no objections to, they are among some of my favourite shades. The pigmentation is impressive for the price of the palette too - nothing worse than a bargain palette with weak pigmentation. I have blue eyes and feel the colours compliment my eyes quite well. If you're a beginner with eyeshadow, you can't really go wrong with this palette. Personally, I'd suggest using a pink on your lid and a brown shade in your crease.

For £7.99 and you have little or no experience with eyeshadow, this palette is ideal. I love it and have to admit - I do reach for it often!

Have you tried this palette? Do you have a recommended eyeshadow palette for beginners?