Lucy does not like sales! (HAUL)

Hola!

I'm on a bit of a blogging roll tonight! There's so many bits I want to chat about and show you all!

Thought I might show you a few things I bought when in town on Christmas Eve and yesterday. I didn't brave the sales on Boxing Day because there was nothing I was desperate to get and I normally panic and grab hideous clothes just because they're 80% off or something, so instead I went in for a little look yesterday (although it was still so busy). Also, the Topshop sale started on Christmas Eve instead of Boxing Day so I went in then to have a little look. It was so quiet and tidy and there was so much there; I'd definitely recommend heading in before Christmas next year (although I'm not sure if this is the case in all stores).

Right, so from Topshop, I got these bits:

Original price: £38, down to £20
I love chunky knits this winter and really loved the neck on this especially.
I really like wearing it with dark red chinos and glittery gold pumps,
as it's so simple and comfy.
 For £18 (I got student discount) I'm really happy with it!

Original price: £36, down to £15
I really love the colour of this top and the sleeves
(apologies that the sleeves aren't shown very well here)
I think the cut out detail is interesting and it'd look great with
leather-look leggings and wedge shoe boots when I'm going out
but don't want to completely freeze!
For £13.50 I think it's so good!

After Topshop I had a quick look in Select. I really find Select to be a bit hit and miss: sometimes they have some really nice pieces that look a lot more expensive than they actually are, as well as being on trend; other times I am really not a fan!

Original price: £14, down to £7
I have been wanting this shirt for SO LONG,
but I could never find it in store and they didn't have it in my size online,
 so I was so happy to finally find it in the sale for half price!
 I absolutely love the studs/gems and the dropped hem at the back.
It's such a lovely length and I can't wait to wear it!

Those are the only things I found in the sales. Not much, although admittedly, I didn't look too hard or for very long! Did anyone have more patience than me and get any real bargains? Can you recommend some good sales I should have a look at?

Whilst shopping, I also bought a few pieces of make up, which were sadly not reduced:

I was trawling the GOSH counter in Superdrug and came across this brilliant brow pen for £5.99. I've been looking for a brow pen that suits my colouring for a while now; I always find them to either be too ashy, too red, or too dark. That's why I was drawn to this product. I've found that it stays on for so long (as the name suggests!) and the nib makes it so easy to apply in order to keep it looking natural. I chose the shade 004 (Wheat) and there's a swatch below. I really do love this product!

I also couldn't resist another Topshop Blush (£6.00)! This time I went for a creme blush is Neon Rose (link!). I love coral shades and this is such a brightening colour. I'm really into keeping my skin dewy at the moment so creamy formulas like this are brilliant for me. I haven't found a brush I love applying it with yet though, so I was hoping you'd have some suggestions?

Here are some swatches of the two products - apologies for the awful photo and my pale arm!

Please let me know if you found any bargains! I'd love to hear what you all found!

Lots of love,
Lucy xxx

Lucy likes Christmas

Hiyaaa!

I hope everybody had an absolutely brilliant Christmas, with lots of friends and family, food, alcohol and presents! I had such a nice day although I feel so chunky after all the celebratory eating!

I thought I'd show you all a few of my favourite presents (or at least, ones I thought you'd find most interesting!) and then show you a few bits that I got over the past few days in the sales. I'm driving up to see my boyfriend in the next couple of days so will let you know what he's got me when I've unwrapped them as well!

My family got me some really lovely presents this year, which was so bloomin' sweet and I know I'm going to be using them all to death!

I got a new camera (Nikon Coolpix S4150) which is so dinky and brilliant to keep on me when I'm out; we went to get this on Christmas Eve (cutting it fine!) from Jessops and it was reduced from £179.95 to £74.95 - what a bargain! It's a touch screen which sounds fancy but I'm hoping that the fanciness won't make it actually more difficult to use, if you know what I mean!

I also got Illamasqua's 'Freak' which I am really in love with; I go round sniffing my wrists all day long at the moment! My friends (and probably the sales assistants) will just be glad they no longer have to go to Selfridges with me everytime we're shopping just for a cheeky sniff.

The red case came with a 'Gorgeous By Gok' set I was given, and contained two body washes, a body scrub, two body butters, a bath essence and a puff (is that even what they're called?!). I really like the smell of this range as it's so luxurious. I really would recommend getting some if you see it reduced in the sales, as it's pretty cheap considering the quality and scent!

I think the No. 7 giftset has got to be my favourite present as it has SO many goodies in it! FIVE make up brushes (there's a picture of these bad boys below - they're so soft and I love the pattern on the handles!), a full size mascara, an eyeshadow palette with six colours, a full size Protect and Perfect Day and Night Cream, a small Protect and Perfect serum, a Heavenly Moisture Face Mask, eye make up remover, a lip balm(/gloss) in shade Marshmallow, and a pack of wipes. I think I remember seeing this before Christmas and it was on special reduced from around £60 to around £25 which is SO good! Did anyone else get any of the No 7 sets for Christmas or in the sales?
I'm playing around with the mascara and lipgloss at the moment and will do a thorough review when I've got a bit of wear out of them.

As you can see, I also got some Morrocan Oil (100ml) and Clinique Toner (400ml) which are some of my beauty staples. I honestly think that Morrocan Oil is the one product that I cannot live without; it's just made my hair 100 times better. I used to have such knotty hair meaning that brushing it after washing was an absolute nightmare. I'd either leave it a matted mess or hack away at it and subsequently destroy my hair. Now, my hair is so soft and I can brush it so much easier; it's also grown a lot recently which I think is because it's in better condition and not breaking off after a certain point. I ran out of my last bottle a couple of weeks ago and found my hair to be so damn knotty again so I was  so happy to get this.
I've been using Clinique Toner for god knows how long, and I use it now maybe a bit out of habit. It may be psychological but my skin never feels completely clean until I've used this toner so I'm so glad I got a big bottle!

Finally, I got a Yankee Candle in 'Apple Cider' which smells delicious. It smells so spicy and sweet and fizzy and has such a strong scent when burning. I have always loved Yankee candles but have never had this one before. I think my ma got it from TKMaxx for £9.99, which is a lot cheaper than normal, so I'd definitely recommend looking there before you go anywhere else. I buy all my candles from TKMaxx and can spend so long sniffing everything they have in there!

Good god, sorry I've rambled for so long! I think I'll maybe talk about my sale finds in my next post because this is already so long!

I really hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Please let me know what presents you're loving!

Also, with some Christmas money I'm going to buy a new foundation because I think Healthy Mix is making me break out (my skin is SO sensitive at the moment). Does anyone have any recommendations? I'd love to hear what everyone else swears by!

Have a super Wednesday!
Lots of love,
Lucy xxxx

Lucy likes bright lips!

Hi all!

Thought I'd do a quick F.O.T.D. as I've been trying out a new lip product at the moment - 'Stila's Lip Rouge in Pucker' - and I am such a big fan! I absolutely love bright lips but am not good with high maintenance make up; because of this, this liquid lip stain definitely has my seal of approval. It stays on for absolutely hours, in fact, sometimes it stays on too long and I look a bit too done up when I wake up the next morning!

Just off out to La Tasca for my ma's birthday (so excited for some tapas!), so I wanted my make up to look a bit more special than normal but not TOO done up.

As you can see the stain is a bright red with pink undertones, which I think looks lovely with a natural pink blush.

Face:

Base: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector (Daily all-in-one B.B. cream) in Light

Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52

Concealer: Revlon PhotoReady Concealer and Bourjois Brush Concealer

Blush: Cargo Blush in Louisiana 

Highlighter: No7 Skin Illuminator in Peach

Eyes:

Shadow: HD Brows Foxy Palette (Ash Brown used in crease)

Liner: Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip in Black

Mascara: L'Oreal's Volume Million Lashes Mascara in Extra Black

Brows: HD Brows Foxy Palette

Lips:

Lipstain: Stila's Lip Rouge

Clothing:

Stole: Primark

Have you tried any other lipstains recently which you've liked? I'd love to buy a few more to try out!

I think I'm going to dye my hair this evening - bored of the red-ish tones so think I may go chocolate brown - so I'll put up a post if it's not a complete disaster!

Have a brilliant Thursday everyone!

Lots of love,

Lucy xxxx

Lucy likes hauls!

Hello!

Thought I'd show you some of my recent purchases - some Primark pieces and then a few cosmetic-y bits. Really shouldn't have been buying stuff this month, but I think I've got the majority of Christmas presents sorted so I think  it's alright! Are you all sorted for Christmas? I am so bloomin' excited it's ridiculous!

Right I'll start with the clothing bits from Primark:

Primark: £8 (I think).It came with a yellow ribbon around the neck
but I was only after it for the cute double collar  so that quickly got thrown away.
I think this top is so damn cute; ideal for the summer with denim shorts,
as well as at the moment underneath chunky jumpers. I do love a nautical theme! 

Primark: £12.00 (again, I think - sorry I'm not more helpful!).
I bought this because it's so similar in shape and detailing to a jumper
I bought last winter from Zara and have consequentially worn to death.
Absolutely love this colour at the moment and I'll definitely wear it a lot
underneath my parka, with jeggings and Chelsea boots when I'm feeling lazy.

Primark: £5.00 (FIVE BLOOMIN' POUNDS! What a bargain!)
If you saw my earlier post, 'What Lucy is liking at the moment',
you'll see that I'm a big fan of scalloped edges and cute collars;
so happy with this purchase as I get all that for £5.00!
Not too sure about the material though.. it does feel a little cheap
and clingy but it'll be such a nice layering piece.

Primark: £10.00. I think this is probably my favourite recent purchase
as I feel like it looks so much more expensive  than £10.
I love the pleat detailing and the covered buttons,
and it's so simple for Primark, which I think is a good thing!
I've been looking for a nude shirt for a while and have bought,
and soon returned, a few that didn't fit right or suit my colouring. 

I also bought some Chelsea boots, a snood, some earrings and a candle (bit random!):

Primark: £15.00 I have been looking for a pair of tan Chelsea boots for-bloomin'-ever
but all other pairs have seemed to look a little bit odd on me,
or have strange details which I've not been a fan of. I really like
these from Primark as they're fairly simple and feel surprisingly sturdy.

Primark: £4.00
Love the colour of this snood, and the aztec print!

Earrings from Primark (both £2.00); Candle from Muji (£3.50)
My housemate always recommends Muji candles so I popped in and got myself
 one, and one as a Christmas present. I bought the 'Caramel and Roasted Almonds'
and 'Jasmine and Black Olive' ones and they both smell gorgeous,
although I haven't burnt them yet so we shall see!

Finally, on to some make up and nail varnishes:

Left: Lipstick in Nevada (Topshop: £8.00); Right: Lipstick in Blankety (MAC: £13.50)
Really like nude lipsticks at the moment and these two are so pigmented
and have such a nice finish. I think Blankety is probably my favourite of the two,
seeing as it is slightly browner, which suits my colouring.
They look so nice paired with Topshop's lipgloss in 'Antique', as well.

Barry M Nail Paint (Both £2.99) L: Silver Cascade R: Once Upon a Time
I've been looking for some super glittery nail varnishes for ages
and am such a massive fan of Barry M nail paint so was so happy
when I found these in Oxford Circus's Topshop.

I also bought Topshop's Blush in 'Pop', Sally Hansen's 'Hard as Nails' nail strengthener, Revlon's PhotoReady Concealer and Blistex's MedPlus (my lips are absolutely wrecked from the cold!) but I think that I've rambled enough so won't include pictures of them!

Have you found any gems recently?
Hope you've all had a good Monday; only SIX days until Christmas!

Lots of love,
Lucy xxx

Lucy likes F.O.T.D.s (although is a little embarrassed!)

Hiya!

Just thought I'd show you all the make up I'm wearing today seeing as I used the Blink&Go mascara I reviewed in my previous post, and have decided that I'm now a big fan!

Just going shopping for a bit with friends so wanted to keep my make up natural and simple. Let me know what you think and if these are any good! I feel a bit embarrassed taking pictures like that but I always appreciate it when others show what make up they use and how it actually looks on the face!

What I'm wearing:

Face:

Base: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector (Daily all-in-one B.B. cream) in Light

Foundation: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 52

Concealer: Erase Paste and Bourjois Brush Concealer

Blush: Me Me Me Blush Me! in Coral mixed with Bare Minerals blush in Pink Petal

Highlighter: Smashbox Light Cast Detail Highlighter

Contour: St. Tropez Powder Bronzer

Eyes:

Shadow: Stila Eye Shadow Trio in Gold Glow (used on lid and crease)

Liner: Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip in Black

Mascara: Blink&Go Long Lasting Black Mascara

Lips:

Lipstick: E.L.F. Studio Lipstick in Party Pink

Clothing:

Jumper: Topshop

Have a brilliant day :)

Lots of love, 

Lucy xxx

Lucy likes mascaras!

Hola Senoritas (and Senors),

Hope you’ve all had a brilliant week and are getting offensively excited about Christmas! I know I seriously am after seeing all the Christmas lights on Carnaby Street yesterday (so damn cool). 

Anyway, I was rummaging through my make up a few days ago and began to realise that I have an unhealthy obsession with buying mascaras. I seem to buy a new one most times I go shopping and, although I like the ones I own, I can't stop myself from buying more. So, I though I'd review four mascaras that I use most regularly (and one that came with GlossyBox this month).

Here are the beauties:

From left to right, 'Avon's Supershock', Benefit's 'They're Real!',
Loreal's 'Volume Million Lashes', Maybelline's 'Volum' Express Falsies', 'Blink and Go'

Right, I'll start with Avon's Supershock mascara which is, at the moment, the cheapest mascara I'm reviewing (currently half price at £5.00). This mascara has an absolutely massive plastic brush which I really love. I feel like it really separates my lashes and does give really good volume and length. I think you can definitely get away with wearing it throughout the day as it's not too dramatic. Basically, I would really recommend this for people who love plastic brushes (I know that some people aren't really a fan) as for the price it is so good, although personally I didn't find that it curled my lashes at all so you would definitely need to go to town with the eyelash curlers beforehand.

Secondly, I'll talk about Benefit's 'They're Real!' which is easily my favourite mascara at the moment. It has a plastic brush which, again, I like, as well as dome at the end of the brush which is brilliant for getting the smaller bottom lashes and corners. This formulation seems a lot less drying that Benefit's 'Bad Gal' which I am a big fan of. I find this mascara almost too good though, which sounds absolutely ridiculous, but it makes my lashes so full and long (especially my bottom lashes) that it almost looks like I'm wearing false lashes (which I know is the point of the product!). Because of this I don't often wear this mascara in the daytime, but when I do I get lots of compliments for it. It is the most expensive of the ones that I'm reviewing but I do think the price is reflected in the the product.

Next, L'oreal's 'Volume Million Lashes' which is, yet a-bloody-gain, a plastic brush. This is probably one of my favourite daytime mascara as it looks so damn natural, really separates the lashes and gives good length and volume. Although, if you want dramatically long lashes or dramatic volume I really don't think you'd like this product as it is fairly light.

Right, FINALLY onto some bristle brushes! Maybelline's 'Volume Express Falsies' is probably on par with 'Volume Million Lashes' although the curved brush really helps to give better curl and shape. I think this brush grips the lashes so well but I find it needs a couple of coats before you get a strong result.

I've only tried the 'Blink & Go' mascara once but the first application was pretty damn impressive. It went on so easily that I only needed one coat in order to make my lashes look so long. However, I don't think that this mascara is very good at creating volume and can therefore make my lashes look quite spidery. It did stay on for whole day, despite my continuous eye-rubbing. I therefore think that this mascara is ideal for people who want longer lashes; my primary concern is volume so that's probably why it didn't completely float my boat.

Finally, I've found that coating my eyelashes in Vaseline before I go to sleep every night has made them the longest they have ever been. I would genuinely recommend it, as I've received so many compliments on the length of my lashes since I've started doing it. Cheeky little tip there!

What are you favourite mascaras?
I got a few bits yesterday if any of you would be interested in seeing a mini haul?

Happy Friday :)
Lots of love,
Lucy xxxx

What Lucy is liking at the moment

Hiya!

Thought I'd show you a few bits and bobs that I am currently lusting over and desperately trying to save for this week!

Skirt: ASOS Peter-Pan t-shirt: Zara Dress: Topshop Shoes: Topshop Shirt: Miss Selfridge 

Collar: DollyBowBow

I am genuinely obsessed with embellished collars and have been for well over a month. Every time I go into any shop I am literally a woman on a mission so I am so damn excited for the DollyBowBow collar to come in the post; I think it's beautiful!

I am also desperately craving some (mock) leather in my wardrobe so the ASOS skater skirt in right up my street.

What are you currently loving? 

Hope you're all having a lovely Monday :) 

Lots of love, 

Lucy xxx

Lucy likes face masks (a bit too much apparently...)

Hola!


Right, I thought I'd start by chatting about a few of my favourite face masks that I've been using over the past few months. 


It's probably important to mention my skin type before wholeheartedly recommending face masks that work for me, obviously they won't be everyone's cup of tea. My skin is ridiculously temperamental, and has been getting a lot worse recently due to stress, which is a massive pain. I think I have normal to combination skin, with an very oily chin (sexy), although around this time of year my skin gets drier quicker. I don't feel like my skin is particularly sensitive but particularly harsh products will definitely dry it right out.


I've narrowed it down to four corkers, and here they are:

4. I think my least favourite of my favourites (hope that makes sense...) is probably the 'Planet Spa: Mediterranean Olive Oil Hydrating Face Mask' from Avon (RRP £4.50)
(http://avonshop.co.uk/product/planet-spa/planet-spa-mediterranean-olive-oil-hydrating-face-mask.html)
On the Avon website they claim that the mask will 'Soothe stressed skin with this replenishing face mask. Skin is left feeling fresh, soft and supple. With a mild and gentle formulation, it’s especially suitable for sensitive skin' and I definitely agree.
I really like the smell of this face mask (quite 'herb-y' and natural) but I'm not mad about the consistency. I personally like masks that dry hard on your skin, as they feel so damn satisfying, whereas this just slowly sinks into the skin (if you have a spare few hours). As recommended, I usually leave the mask on for around 20 minutes and once rinsed off you can immediately feel a difference. 
As this is for sensitive skin, it's not the most dramatic difference, but it is definitely softening and brilliant for winter when my skin normally feels a lot tighter. 
I would definitely recommend this product for anyone who has slightly dry skin as it does what it says on the tin, and lasts forever so gets a thumbs up for value.




3. My third favourite has got to be the 'Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask' from Bliss (RRP £39.90 - I definitely did NOT spend that much on a face mask, I got it off eBay for around £13 because it didn't come in a box)
(http://www.blissworld.co.uk/skincare/shop-bliss-products/triple-oxygen/bliss-triple-oxygen-energizing-mask/)
On the Bliss website they claim that the mask 'detoxifies the skin by creating an oxygen environment on the skin which helps prevent bacteria from causing breakouts. This mask is ideal for anyone with lackluster skin looking to get a glow going, acne prone skin who need help banishing bacteria, and travelers whose skin gets dry and dull from stale airplane and hotel air', and I partly agree.

I absolutely love the smell of this product, it's so damn fresh and fruity! I also enjoyed the way the mask sat on the skin when I got the 'dampness' of my skin right; this sounds so weird but I began to realise that this mask only worked if your skin was the right level of 'damp', too dry and it did absolutely nothing, too wet and it just slid down my face. When I finally cracked the 'dampness' problem, the mask genuinely feels incredible! It bubbles on your skin and really feels like it's getting into every pore.

I used this mask religiously (three times a week) for a few months, and didn't actually see any significance in my blemishes but I definitely noticed my skin looking brighter and just generally better (awful description). If I'd paid full price for this I would have been gutted (although that's probably because I'm a penny pinching student and was expecting unrealistic results). I've been using this for months and still have a fair bit left judging by the weight so I think for £13 it's really good value (£39.90 on the other hand...)

2. In at number two (God, I sound like such a geek!), has to be Ren's 'Pore Minimising Detox Mask' (RRP £18.00 - although again, I did not spend that much on it, another cheeky eBay find). I can't seem to find it on their website to give you a link, it might be discontinued, but there seems to be a very similar one on sale here:
(http://www.renskincare.com/p/3091/Invisible+Pores+Detox+Mask)
(Plus, if all else fails, Biomed's 'Pure Detox Mask' is surprisingly similar for me, and is a little cheaper I think. I found it in TKMaxx for £7.99 for 50ml)
I'm a big fan of this packaging as it looks all scientific and serious (probably not what everyone is looking for in a face mask bottle!). I also found the pump to be fairly handy.
I'd heard a lot of good things about this mask before trying it and wasn't disappointed at all. It comes out fairly creamy and dries in around 15 minutes so isn't too time consuming. I am fairly aware of my pores and having used this mask my face felt so much better and less oily. 
For my budget, again, I think £18 is just a little too much, although I used to buy those individual sachets of face masks for around £0.99 from Boots or Superdrug  so I suppose it doesn't work out that much more expensive, per use.




1. Liz Earle's 'Deep Cleansing Mask' (RRP £13.25 for the starter kit which includes cute little sponges to get it off at the end)
(http://uk.lizearle.com/exfoliators-and-masks/deep-cleansing-mask.html)
The website claims that 'this highly concentrated clay and manuka honey mask helps draw out impurities and excess oil to leave skin balanced, calm and clear.'
I think the world and its dog has heard of, and loves, Liz Earle products and I can understand why. I love the smell of this mask as it smells natural but also quite intense (again, another awful description, but I hope you can kind of see what I mean).
This comes out fairly runny, which I personally find to be a bit of a pain because it always ends up on my clothing or something (I don't think this should be a reflection on the product, more a reflection on me being stupidly clumsy), however, once it's on it's brilliant. I like this mask as you can really feel it working, to be honest the first time I used it I was shocked at how much you could feel! It also dries which, as you can tell, I'm clearly a big fan of.
I do feel like this mask has helped maybe not clear, but definitely maintain good skin if I'm having a blemish-free period, and I would really recommend for anyone with similar skin to me.


I hope this has been vaguely interesting/enjoyable to read, and apologies for how much I ramble!
Just wondering if anyone has any favourite face masks they could recommend, I am desperate to try new ones?!
Also, I was thinking of doing a blog on my favourite mascaras if anyone fancies that?

Hope everyone is having a brilliant Friday!
Lots of love,
Lucy xxxxxxx