Instagram Feed (do not change this title)

Thursday, 22 December 2016

Last Minute Stocking Fillers



With these past few months being completely hectic for me, I decided to take a break for a few weeks (which turned into a few months) away from the online fashion/beauty world that fascinates me to no end. Just yesterday I finished my last test for uni and with no January exams to stress about over the Christmas break, it's the perfect time to get back into what I enjoy most. *happy-face*
I've been spending my new-found freedom (since this morning.. lol) scoping the Internet to see what little beauty/fashion/accessory pieces I could find that I could include in this post. All of the pieces below are things that I'd either 100% recommend or would LOVE to receive myself and links to all products are included as always.

Share:

Monday, 11 July 2016

NEW £5 L'oreal Face Masks


Last week I did my usual ''go to Boots for one thing'' and came home with a bag full of things that I want but don't really need. My skin had been breaking out recently so I spent some time looking through the skincare aisle when I came across these new face masks by L'oreal. I'm a huge fan of  the L'oreal Infallible foundation and their products generally seem to work well with my skin.. so at £5 a piece, I couldn't not try out these two new masks. 
One thing that was definitely missing from my skincare routine was a brightening/illuminating face mask - hence why I was immediately drawn to the Pure Clay Glow Mask by L'oreal (pictured above on the left hand side). I've swatched it in the image below (on the right) and as you can see it's an orange/red mask with exfoliating beads which aim to exfoliate the skin without drying it out. L'oreal have mentioned that this mask has been created using three pure clays combined with Red Algae Extract to help brighten and illuminate. I leave this mask on my skin for 5/10 minutes and remove using a damp muslin cloth. I find this product to be great for brightening and illuminating however I do prefer to exfoliate using the Pixi Glow Tonic which I find gives much better results in terms of exfoliation. Nevertheless, it's a nice mask for a pamper morning/night and for those wanting to add some glow to their skin.

Share:

Wednesday, 30 March 2016

Spring Nail Edit

Follow

Spring pastels and lighter shades are definitely one of the things I most look forward to when Spring comes around. It's the time of year that I always give my nail polish collection a clear-out, and it's usually a 'one out - new one in' type of thing. So I decided to put together this post to show you which polishes I'm loving recently, the ones I've worn so far and the shades I can't wait to get on my nails in the weeks to come. 

spring nail polishes
Left to Right:
Topshop 'Wistful', Essie 'Serial Shopper', Barry M 'Freestyle', Topshop 'Worlds End', Champneys (colour unknown)
Share:

Sunday, 13 March 2016

Combination/Oily Skincare Favourites

Throughout the past month or two, I began to notice a difference in the appearance and feeling of my skin that I wasn't too happy about. Admittedly, lots of late nights, study-related stress and a few too many chocolate sweets over Christmas definitely didn't help. So a few weeks ago I did an online order, had a trip to the Clinique counter and re-discovered the La Roche-Posay Serozinc, and my skin has definitely improved since. I may begin this post by saying that my skin type is combination-oily with a few dehydrated patches and I can be prone to breakouts. So if your skin sounds similar to mine, hopefully these products will work as well for you as they did for me.


Share:

Sunday, 6 March 2016

New Beauty Buys


Kukui oil shampoo - I've been looking for new hair products recently as the shampoo I'd been using (a cheap Elvive one) just wasn't leaving my hair feeling as clean as it could. It was the name 'kukui oil' that caught my attention straight away with this product - I'd imagined it would be similar to coconut oil, and it actually does have a slightly coconut-y scent. Also, any hair product that claims to defrizz is mandatory for me, especially now coming into the spring/summer! I've just used this product once so far but my hair does feel quite a bit fresher after using this as opposed to the Elvive shampoo. I can't wait to see how my hair reacts to this in the long term.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer 'Classic Beige' - This is a long-standing favourite for me. I use this concealer both on my face if I need to cover up any areas and also to brighten under my eyes once I've finished my make-up. I use the shade 'Classic Beige' and I've definitely gone through at least 5 tubes of this, hence why I purchased another two - it's definitely a safe bet. 

Colab Dry Shampoo - This is a product I'd seen so much all over the Internet since Ruth Crilly released it. I'm especially excited to try this out as I've been an avid user of the Batiste dry shampoo for years now - but I can't help but hate how it leaves my hair feeling afterwards. So many people have claimed that the Colab dry shampoo is invisible and feels super lightweight so I'm very much looking forward to giving it a go myself. 

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess 'Medium' - I've been on the look-out for a new all-over face bronzer for a while now as I hit pan on my all-time favourite Bare Minerals 'The High Dive' bronzer, and with Bronze Goddess being a favourite amongst so many bloggers and youtube gurus that I've followed for years, it was definitely time I tried it out. I've worn this quite a few times now and I'm loving the finish of this. It blends super well and sits perfectly on top of my foundation. What I really love is that it can be used as a super subtle bronzer on chilled days, but I can really build it up for a deeper bronzed look and use it for contouring too. 

Bondi Sands Dark Foam - If it wasn't for Instagram, I don't think I would have ever heard of this tan. It's an Australian brand and I think they're most well known for their famous 'Liquid Gold' tan. Unfortunately it was unavailable on FeelUnique (before I realised it was available at my local Boots) so I went for the tanning foam instead. I'm forever on the look-out for a tan that is still noticeable after 2 showers and I've heard amazing reviews of this brand so mayyyybe this will be the one. The 'coconut scent' description also massively sucked me in.. anything to get away from the usual biscuit scent! I'll do an in-depth review once I've tried and tested it!




I'd love to know if you've tried any of these products before and what you thought of them! Please leave any other suggestions below. You can subscribe on Bloglovin' to keep updated with my posts xx

Thanks for reading xx

Ciara Rose xox

Here's where you can find me:



Share:

Sunday, 28 February 2016

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream Review

To be honest, I've never tried any  Smashbox products before now. I'd heard a lot of amazing reviews about their make-up in general, so I was super excited to be contacted by Smashbox asking if I'd like to receive some of their products to try.. including the  Camera Ready BB Cream


Share:

Sunday, 21 February 2016

Lancome Grandiose Mascara Set

In 2014, the Lancome Grandiose mascara landed and seemed to have gained so much attention online, mostly because of the unusual 'swan neck' wand. I'd been wanting to try it out for so long, and j ust after Christmas I managed to find this amazing  gift set on sale in Debenhams for around £18, which is a great price considering the mascara itself retails for £25, and there are another two products inside; Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Make-up Remover and Lancome Le Crayon Kohl in '01 Noir'


I've mentioned before about the trouble I have with finding a mascara that makes my lashes look half-way decent.. and one that didn't totally dry out within a few weeks. Benefit Roller Lash worked very well for me in the past, although I'm not a massive fan of the extremely thin and straight wand, which is why I really wanted to try out Grandiose to see if a different shape of wand would make any difference! 

Share:

Sunday, 7 February 2016

Skin Detox Masks: High End Vs Drugstore

A thorough skin detox is a routine that has become a weekly necessity for me throughout the past few years. By the time the weekend comes, my skin always feels super needy of some attention, even though I double cleanse and gently exfoliate every night. I'm sure at some point I'll do a full skincare routine post, although I feel that I need a whole post to compare these two products; Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask & Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask

It's only been the past two years or so that I've really gotten into my skincare, as much as I don't like to admit that. I've become so obsessed with my routine that when I hear other people say they don't even cleanse, I want to bury my face in my hands.. and I literally face-palm when somebody says ''I don't take off my make-up at night''. It's beyond me why anybody wouldn't spend even 5 minutes per night to look after their skin, especially when the long-term effects of not taking care of your skin are so drastic!
Share:

Sunday, 31 January 2016

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

I can't believe how late I am with discovering the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette. As far as I'm aware, Too Faced as a brand were not readily available or stocked in UK stores until recently and to be honest, I'd never given their products much thought. Safe to say, that all changed when the Chocolate Bar palettes and the new Bon Bon Palette became some of the most hyped up products on the Internet. It's almost like you're the odd one out if you haven't got a photo of it on your Instagram feed!

Share:

Sunday, 24 January 2016

Clinique Cleansing Balm Review

Clinique are a brand that seem to be overlooked slightly, but their counter is always where I run to if I'm running low on moisturiser, or just need some skin advice. 
Back in September I posted a review on the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm, and since then it has become my number one cleanser.. I managed to use up the whole 200ml pot in just a few months! Taking the price of that balm into consideration, and the fact that I used quite a bit in a short space of time.. I was keen to try an alternative option, which is when I came across the 125ml Clinique 'Take The Day Off' Cleansing Balm.
I use this balm  pretty much the exact same way I used the Emma Hardie one. I firstly remove eye make-up and most of my foundation with the Garnier Micellaire Water (which is  an absolute god send for those nights when cleansing is just too much effort), then taking a pea-sized amount of the Clinique cleansing balm, massaging it into my skin in circular motions and removing with a damp muslin cloth. TIP - don't waste your money on expensive muslin cloths from high-end brands, you can buy much cheaper ones in Boots and they're just as good!

The balm itself is scent-free although it doesn't turn as oily as the Emma Hardie when massaging into your face, which makes it feel a bit less nourishing to be honest, but keep in mind that this is almost half the price of EH, and has 25ml more product!
Having said that, this balm does a fantastic job at removing any make-up residue, cleansing the skin and leaving my skin feeling soft and smooth. My only criticism is that my skin does not feel just as moisturised after using the Clinique as opposed to when I was using the EH, but my moisturiser takes care of that.

A few weeks down the line and I'm still enjoying this product, and for £22 I think this balm would be great for any skin type while the 125ml pot looks like it will last quite a while. Although my skin type is combination/oily, I suffered with dehydrated patches down the sides of my face before using the EH. Since switching to Clinique, I still haven't had any issues so I'm curious to see how my skin holds up over the next few months! All in all, I'd give the Clinique Cleansing Balm 8/10 and I'm sure I'd re-purchase at some stage in the future, although I have to say, the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm is still top of my list - I don't think that will ever change! 

You can purchase this product at Feel Unique, Look Fantastic and Debenhams!

Please leave any cleansing balm suggestions in the comments below as I'd love to try some more! The Elemis one is next on my list of products to try!
Thanks so much for reading... 

Ciara Rose xox

Here's where you can find me:



Share:

Wednesday, 6 January 2016

Best Beauty Discoveries of 2015

Yearly favourites are up there with my favourite posts to read/videos to watch. I'm always so intrigued to hear about products that somebody has been loving for not just one month, but a whole entire year, which goes to show how well the products work in the long-term. Although for most areas of make-up and skincare I've pretty much found products that work perfectly for me, there's always room for better discoveries.. not to mention when Look Fantastic sends you new offers via email on a frequency that is not so good for my bank balance. But who can resist?
Share:

Wednesday, 30 December 2015

25% off Bare Minerals: Look Fantastic SALE

In all honesty, this year's Christmas/Boxing day sales didn't impress or excite me as much as previous years. I searched through all of my favourite websites, both fashion and beauty.. and the only one that really stood out to me was Look Fantastic , which is actually where I purchased the majority of my post-christmas sales goodies last year. I'd highly recommend you have a look at their offerings if you're a student on a budget or if you're bank balance is running low after Christmas. A brand whose price points are reasonably discounted on Look Fantastic is Bare Minerals , and there is quite a good selection to choose from.. so it's definitely worth your while to have a look. I'll list my favourite picks below and of course leave links so you can purchase some of your must-haves or maybe even some new products to try and test! 




Bare Minerals Marvellous Moxie Lipsticks

RRP: £17.00
Look Fantastic Price: £12.75

At £12.75, these lipsticks are giving MAC a run for their money. I'd confidently say that the quality of these beat some Chanel and YSL lipsticks that I own. The formula is super creamy and long-lasting. I often wear one of my favourite shades 'Live Large' on a long day of work or at an all-day event and I rarely need to re-apply throughout the day. I'd definitely recommend!



Share:

Friday, 27 November 2015

Love Me Beauty Subscription Box

An explanation is in order for the lack of posting lately.. final year of college life has taken over everything the past few weeks and today is the first time in what seems like forever that I've been able to actually spend an hour doing something other than research or write-ups! I predict I'll be mega busy from now until Christmas, so please bear with me while I get my life in order.. *weeps*  

Moaning aside, I had been contacted by a lady from the Love Me Beauty subscription service a few weeks ago, who had kindly sent me over this lovely box for review. In the past, I hadn't been interested in subscribing to beauty boxes as you're usually unaware of the products you'll receive, and whether or not they'll be something you'll actually like and use.  This is where Love Me Beauty has really upped their game.

A very simple online questionnaire helps determine what products will benefit your specific skin type, hair, body etc, and based on the answers you give, the specialists handpick the products you'll receive! I was really surprised at the selection of  amazing brands to choose from, including Too Faced, Lord & Berry, Nuxe, Malin & Goetz and NailsInc (although these products are switched up quite regularly, and obviously you mightn't receive the same products as it is dependent on how you answer the questions.) You can check the Love Me Beauty website for more info on how the service works! (The prices are usually 70% lower than high street prices, and you can use discount code - ciara50 for 50% off!! )


The box itself arrived really quickly and I've been spending the past few weeks trialing the products, some of which have really impressed me! You can see my review of the products below..

Share:

Friday, 30 October 2015

MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation Review


This is the MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation that has been released within the past few months, and everybody in the beauty world has been going crazy over it. 
I haven't been a massive fan of MAC foundations in the past, as they always seemed to break me out or make my face incredibly itchy (I must have been allergic), so I honestly wasn't all that interested when I heard they were bringing out a new formula.
Share:

Wednesday, 21 October 2015

MAC Prep+Prime: My No.1 Must-Have Primer

This one is for the girls (and boys) out there who, like me, have never considered a foundation primer a staple in their make-up routine. Eye primer has always been a must-have in my make-up collection, however I've never really had the same attachment to a base primer...

That was until I'd been kindly given a sample of the MAC Prep+Prime 'Skin' Primer by the super helpful make-up artist at my local MAC counter.  He advised me to apply it to my T-zone, as that is where I tend to get oiliest. However, when applying to my nose, I also sweep a little bit down the sides of my nose and onto my cheekbones as this is where my foundation tends to slide throughout the day.

Share:

Sunday, 11 October 2015

Lipstick Love & FOTD : MAC Diva

I'll begin by saying that I am so  pleased to finally have MAC 'Diva' lipstick in my hands (and on my lips) having received it as a gift from New York recently. It was the lipstick that I'd been lusting over for quite a few weeks, and I had been told over and over again that it was sold out each time I visited my local MAC counter. (It's like the 'Velvet Teddy' phase all over again!)  I've literally been wearing 'Diva' almost every day, and have gotten so many compliments on it, and also people asking, ''OMG what have you got on your lips?!''.. hence why I've decided to do this post! :-)
Share:

Tuesday, 29 September 2015

Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm Review (Vs. Liz Earle)

I'll start by saying that I've been an avid user of the super popular Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish for near enough two years, and for those two years, it served me well. Recently, though, I had the urge to switch up my skincare routine slightly as I felt as though my skin just wasn't looking the best it could. I'd heard so many beauty gurus and bloggers mention the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm , and once I heard Caroline Hirons mention it, I purchased it right away.

The one thing I'd never loved about the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish was the simple fact that it was a cream cleanser. I just don't find these to be as nourishing for my skin as I'd like, as well as the fact that it just doesn't feel any way luxurious on the skin like the Emma Hardie cleansing balm does. I'll admit, in terms of cleansers and skincare products in general, I can be a bit high maintenance, haha.. anyone else? 


When I first received it in the post, the first thing I noticed was how high-end the packaging itself feels and looks, although it may not be the best for travelling if you prefer to travel light. The excitement was all a bit much so I removed my make-up as soon as I could, and fell in love with this product immediately. 
Share:

Sunday, 13 September 2015

Review: Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara

I've always had so much bother in the past trying to find a mascara to meet the needs of my desperately short, straight lashes. Every mascara that I had dried was either, (a) too clumpy, (b) too heavy and didn't hold a curl, or (c) made absolutely no difference in terms of length or volume.

A week or two ago, I'd been doing my usual round at the make-up counters in Debenhams in an attempt to find a high-end mascara that I'd possibly like. I asked several different girls for their opinion and recommendations.. whilst also looking up reviews online. I needed to be convinced that spending £25+ on a mascara would be worth it!
I had my eye on the Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara, and it was Ruth Crilly's review that then persuaded me to part with my £23 and give it a new home, although the fancy packaging definitely made me want it even more. I'm a complete magpie when it comes to shiny make-up packaging.




Share:

Friday, 4 September 2015

House of Fraser: £10 off Beauty Confidential Event NOW ON!


The team at House of Fraser have announced that between Monday 7th September (NOW ON) and Tuesday 22nd September 2015 (inclusive), they will be having a '£10 off Beauty Confidential Event' both in-store and online. The event allows us make-up and skincare addicts to receive a very generous £10* off one of our favourite beauty products when we purchase one of their favourite products featured in the list below. 
So why not give your autumn/winter make-up and skincare stash a refresh with the award-winning products handpicked by the team of beauty experts at House of Fraser



Share:

Tuesday, 1 September 2015

August Favourites

Three must-haves that I've been obsessing over throughout the month of August.. MAC 'Ruby Woo', MAC MSF Natural 'Medium', and Make Up For Ever Full Cover Camouflage Concealer '5'. Apologies if this results in a spendy shopping spree on your part..




Share:
© Ciara-Rose | All rights reserved.
Blogger Template Designed by pipdig