April Haul with Reviews

Hello again and welcome back to my blog!

This month I have left it a little later to post my haul so I can trial run all products for a little longer before giving you my thoughts and reviews.

This month I got a few new goodies and a couple of old favourites, lets get started!

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Shade Translucent
This is a repurchase for me, as I just love it. It's so cheap yet perfect to help set my makeup. As I have an oily t-zone I always carry this around with me, just to help me touch up any oily patches throughout the day. This is a great little powder and just does what it says on the erm.. tin? :-)

Maybelline Superstay Better Skin Foundation
This was a brave new purchase for me as at the beginning of the year I tried two new foundations and neither worked well for me. I was nervous that this would be the same but after hearing good things I thought I would give it a go, plus being a highstreet brand the price was reasonable (£8.99). This foundation claims to be a lot of things, it claims to improve your skin as well as offer great coverage and longwear use. It also has SPF 20 in it, which for me is an extra bonus as I really wanted a foundation that would help protect my skin from the sun.

Now first is first, does it improve your skin? Well I have used it almost a month now and I haven't seen any improvement to my skin, but honestly I find it hard to believe that any makeup is good for your skin and it isn't the reason I purchased it.

Does it offer great coverage? Yes! It's fabulous at covering any redness and dark circles.

And most importantly does it stay put? Yes, it does! This is the most important for me as due to my oily areas. Most foundations move about on me, but this stays all day without the need of touching up!

All in all, I love it and I think this is now the foundation I will be using the most. In the Summer I may switch to my Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation or mix the two together - this will help make it a little lighter and breathable for those hot Summer days.

Sienna X Gradual Glowing Self Tan
I'm always nervous about self tanning products as I seem to mess them up and get streaks and/or get darker elbows and knees. Sienna X's Tanning range promises no streaks and an idiot free way to tan. I used this for about 2 weeks straight and not once did I get any streaks. I did at one point get darker elbows but that was my doing as I forgot to moisturise before applying the tan. It's a lovely scent too as it smells like sunscreen and reminds me of the holidays. The tan it provides is a gorgeous and a natural finish; not a nasty orange that a lot of the self tanning products give you. The only downside to this product is the price, it's £15.95 per bottle, but I can see as long as I use this for special occasions to take away to edge of my naturally pale skin this should last me some time. I will repurchase this, but I hope it will be a while until I need to!

Maybelline Falsies Volume Express Mascara
This is another repurchase for me as I love, love, love this mascara! It's so reasonable and it makes my eyelashes so much longer and fuller. If I had to pick one item to take with me when I'm away, this would be it! For £7.99 give it a try, you won't regret it!

Barry M Lipgloss in Shade No 2
This is the first Barry M lipgloss I've purchased but I must say it's lovely. It's non sticky formula is perfect and they all have scents which was a nice surprise. This one smells of chocolate (does it get any better?!) - I was in heaven!! The Shade No 2 is a light brown/pink nude that is perfect for everyday wear. As Summer is approaching I wanted a lipgloss that was minimal to match my minimal makeup - this is perfect. I'm looking forward to trying some of the other shades out soon (as well as their scents!!).

Gillette Venue Olay Refillable Razor & Razor Pack
I love this razor, there is no more need for shaving cream as the Olay Gel does this for you, plus it smells divine (think coco butter). I would say this is great value for money as a razor alone, but the refillables are quite pricey and unfortunately don't last long. I'm almost needing to replace mine after only using it 3 weeks. Still, its lovely to use, does its job as it offers a nice close shave and smells amazing. I will be buying this again, I don't see myself going back to ever using shaving cream and a standard razor now! :-)

What did you guys get this month?

Thanks again for reading!
Jess xox

My Skincare Routine

Hi again and thanks for visiting my blog!

This week I have decided to show you my current skincare routine (face only). I'm a big fan of Liz Earle products, so a lot of what I use is Liz Earle however I do use a few others. Anyway, lets get started!

My products on choice are currently...

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish
I love this cleanser, it's rich and moisturising and removes all traces of makeup, even tough waterproof mascaras. It's very gentle so it's good for most skin types. I have normal/combination skin with my t-zone being a little more oily than the rest of my face. I also love that after only a week of using this it left my face feeling silky smooth. I have been using it now for about a year and don't think I will be changing any time soon!

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic (Toner)
This is the toner that comes with the Liz Earle 3 Step Routine. I love the smell of this toner, its light and refreshing. I always feel that if I skip this step my face doesn't quite feel as refreshed as it does when I use it.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser (Normal/Combination)
This moisturiser again comes with the 3 Step Routine, but I don't find it too oily for my skin. In the Summer I find it helps hydrate my skin perfectly and not leaving me with any oily patches, however in the Winter it can make it a little more oily - seems a bit backwards if you ask me! I think this Winter I may switch the lighter moisturiser from Liz Earle and see if this helps.

Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair
I got this little bad boy as a complimentary gift from Liz Earle and although I'm sure long term it helps my eyes its hard to see an instant improvement. I don't think it helps conceal my dark circles, but I do feel it helps hydrate the skin around my eyes. I like this but I don't think I will repurchase as I just like to see more results from my eye cream.

Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator
This exfoliator is amazing, it's so gentle to my skin and doesn't cause any breakouts after I use it. I tend to exfoliate once a week to help keep my skin smooth and clear. There is a subtle yet warming smell to this too because of the cocoa butter in it. I won't be moving away from this one for some time, defiantly a favourite!

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo
This I use if I have a breakout. It recommends to use it daily but I'm not usually prone to breakouts and so I use it as and when I have any problem areas. I bought this after seeing Ruth from A Model Recommends saying it was amazing and her go to product. I can't say I would say otherwise, it really does what it says on the tube! It helps clear any breakouts and I feel it just stops them in their tracks and reduces the swelling. If you haven't tried it I would say sign up to their website and you can get a free sample to see what I mean.

Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask
This face mask from Lush contains blueberries to help soothe your skin and any blemishes. I use it as I find it so refreshing on my skin and it calms down any redness. I use this about once a week as a part of my weekly pamper ;-) You can buy this at any Lush store for £6.49, however as its made from fresh ingredients you need to make sure you use it within 3 weeks of purchase.

Decleor Paris Life Radiance Face Mask
I use this face mask if I'm feeling fancy and want that extra pick me up. It's very expensive but it always leaves my skin glowing as if I've just had a facial. I bought this as a little Christmas treat to myself after having it used on my face at my hen do about 6 months earlier. If you're looking to get yourself something a little special that will make your face glow I would defiantly recommend this. I use this about once a month.. in fact I think it's about time to use it again, whoopy! :-)

L'Oreal Paris Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution
I use this cleanser if I'm in a rush and don't have time to do my 3 steps with my Liz Earle routine. It is very gentle and you can use it on your eyes as well as the rest of your face. It doesn't have any scent either and in fact I can see why everyone is raving about these 'water' like solutions. For something that feels like water, but removes all makeup and unlike toner doesn't dry out your skin! As you can see I've used quite a bit of this, and I will be buying another soon! At only £2.48 in Superdrug defiantly worth a try and much better for your skin than face wipes!

So that's my current routine, what do you guys use at home? Do you have any recommendations or anything you would like to me to try out and review?

Jess xox

25 Random Facts About Me

Hey all,

I  thought this week I would add a completely new post for you so you can know a little more about me, the lady behind the beauty addiction.

I've listed 25 facts about myself to give you an idea, some quite useful, some completely random.

I hope you enjoy!

1. I live in Hampshire - close to the New Forest & some small local beaches - I'm a lucky girl :-)
2. I'm 25, going on 30
3. I got married last year to the love of my life, Mike. He is my everything <3
4. I'm a cat person, but honestly I love dogs too
5. I'm a rocker and a bit of a metalhead (rawwwrrr! It's always the quiet ones!)
6. At school my nickname by my closest friends was 'Lipgloss Queen' as I had more lipglosses in my pencil case than pens.
7. My favourite years so far are, 2005 (traveled), 2010 (met my man) & 2013 (got married)
8. Although I'm girly, I have always been a bit of a tomboy. Having lots of guy friends, loving a lot of male dominated hobbies too...
9. Now I'm 25 I've realized that my Mum was right.. about everything!
10. My favourite concert was seeing Green Day at Milton Keynes in 2005 (close runners up are... Rage Against the Machine at Download Festival 2010 & The Prodigy tour 2010)
11. I take being called 'weird' as a compliment
12. I love all things 50's.. in fact I strongly believe I was born in the wrong era...
13. My favourite items in my wardrobe is my swing coat & rocker leather boots - odd combination!
14. I love to travel and see new places, but I tend to get homesick if I'm away too long - 2-4 weeks maximum I think!
15. I'm a busy bee, I can't keep still for too long!
16. I used to have a blog when I was 16, but can't find it online so started a new one
17. My go to drink is red wine or a good cocktail - depending on the occasion
18. I miss my popcorn scented gel pen from school - those were the days!
19. I love photography - it's a continuous lesson
20. I'm organised, everything needs a list!
21. iPhone vs Android... iPhone - sorry I love Apple! ;-)
22. I used to do a lot of dance and acting during school. I'd love to perform on stage in front of a big crowd.. even though I was quite shy at school.
23. My favourite holiday so far was New York. It's just an amazing city, full of amazing people!
24. I loveee my food but I don't eat any seafood.
25. I was in a rock band for about a month, but quit as I was too nervous to sing in front of anyone haha!

Thanks again for visiting my blog.

Let me know what you would like me to post about next time. I love to hear your ideas and what you would like to read about.

Jess xox