New Blog?

Hello everyone! I just want to say a massive thanks to anyone who has read my blog or supported me in anyway. I have recently changed platforms so go and check out my new blog! 

Link: https://emmagrace23.wordpress.com/

Emma xox

Lush goodies

Its not often that I go into Lush but considering it is coming up to the Christmas holidays I decided to get into the festive spirit!

Butterbear - Bath Bomb £1.95

This cocoa butter enriched bath bomb creates creamy soft bath which is great for nourishing your skin, this bear has the same vanilla scent as the Butterball bath bomb!

The Christmas Penguin - Bubble Bar £3.25

This citrus scented penguin is very reviving and refreshing! Plus it gives you "mounds of bubbly glaciers" and even better... you can get more than use out of it.

Candy Mountain - Bubble Bar £2.75

This sweet candy scented bubble bar will turn your water pink and give you glistening bubbles... you can't get much more magical than that!

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Florida Haul - Sephora, Bath & Body Works and Cosmetic Company Outlet

 When I went to Florida in July I did some serious beauty shopping - I just wanted to buy everything that I could get my paws on. Us British beauty lovers dream of Sephora and Body Works is like heaven as well with candles and other smelly stuff left right and center. And of course the Cosmetic Company Outlet has some great discounted high end makeup. 

Sephora - Seamless hair ties, Dolce & Gabbana - Light blue, Too Faced - Natural eyes palette,
GlamGlow - Youthmud mask, Bumble and Bumble - Surf set

Marc Jacobs - The lolita palette, MakeUpForEver - Concealer palette, Urban Decay - All nighter setting spray, First Aid Beauty - Facial radiance pads

Bath and Body Works - Coconut water chill and Malibu heat shower gels

(Cosmetic Company Outlet) Origins - Eye doctor

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Review: Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner Pen

Recently Benefit released 'They're Real! Push Up Liner' which has received lots of hype from many beauty bloggers. However I was not willing to spend £18.50 on a product that I knew I wouldn't be using daily and was unsure on how it would actually perform. One day I was browsing through Boots and came across this gel eyeliner pen from Maybelline. This pen is half the price and was actually released in stores before the Benefit liner, so I picked up in curiosity to see whether it would be worth trying out the higher end version. 

Long story short - I don't like it. Why? I found that it either dispensed too much product or not enough. The formula also crumbled away leaving black smears around the eye area. Although I can't compare it to the higher end version from Benefit, I definitely won't be giving it a try anytime soon. Some people may love this gel pen liner thing, unfortunately we just didn't click.

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Florida Haul - Drugstore Makeup

Heey everyone, here is what I purchased from my recent holiday to Florida! Items are from Boots (UK just before I went on holiday) & Walmart and CVS.

Maybelline - Uptown Blue & Hot Salsa
Essie - Buy Me A Cameo & Ladylike

Maybelline: Colour Elixers - Blush Essence & Caramel Infused 

Milani - Berry Amore (Baked Blush) & 25 Naturally Chic 

Maybelline - Copper Chic
Wet & Wild - Walking On Eggshells

L'Oreal: Infallible - Amber Rush & Bronzed Taupe

Hard Candy - Glamoflauge Concealer
EOS - Summerfruits

No7: Stay Perfect Shade & Define - Coffee Bean & Cool Minx
Bourjois - Felt Tip Eyeliner

And of course the Vaseline 'Spray and Go' moisturiser in the scent aloe fresh.

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Body Shop Shower Gel?

For some reason, I am in love with the showers gels from The Body Shop.  I guess it is to do with a wide selection of scents, reasonable price, a scent that lingers and that they lather up well.

As you can see, I only have a small amount left in each one!
L-R: Pink grapefruit, mango, passion fruit

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

The Best: Summer pink lipgloss

In the last couple of  months I have been reaching for lipgloss frequently and had noticed myself buying lots of pink lipglosses so decided to do a Best: Lipgloss post like a did with mint nail polishes.

• Maybelline - Colorsensational shine gloss: 137 fabulous pink. This gloss has a small shimmer to it which adds a slight blue tone to the colour. Sleek packaging with an applicator which is easy to use.

• Estee Lauder - Pure Color: 05 nude rose (shine finish). An expensive lipgloss which won't appeal to everyone due to being sticky in formula - however it is bearable and yet still comfortable to wear. I love the glossy look it gives without having any shimmer; I think it looks more classy!

• Tanya Burr - Lipgloss: Aurora. Has a opaque colour and is easy to apply due to the flat and flexible applicator. Tanya's lip-glosses smell delicious -a lmost like fruitella! However I do find that it has a slight 'bittyness' to it due to the shimmer.

• L'Oreal - Extraordinaire liquid lipstick - 101 rose melody. This wins the title of the best summer pink lipgloss by far! It smells like the Origins Drink Up mask, is super glossy and long-lasting. I really love the big flat applicator.

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Sephora Haul

I may have made a cheeky online purchase from Sephora... there was a lot of things that I wanted to get my hands on but I tried to limit myself to just a few things.

So far so good. I swear the Boscia Clear Complexion Tonic has done wonders to my skin in literally a matter of days! I love how it has a spray, which makes it really easy to use and is handy to spritz whenever you need to freshen up.

The Tarte blush in Natural Beauty is a a gorgeous 'muted strawberry red'. The pigmentation is really good but I love how natural you can make it look no-one likes a clowns...

As it was my birthday month I received the Make Up For Ever birthday gift as I am as Beauty Insider - I am yet to try the Smokey Extravagant mascara but have been using the Rouge Artist Natural N9 lipstick on a daily basis.

The main part of the haul was the Make UP For Ever HD Complexion Starter Kit. Last October I purchased the Mat Velvet + foundation and have been intrigued to try out the HD one as even though I have oily skin I sometimes found it to be too matte looking and make my face look flat. The HD foundation looks flawless for a few hours however if you have oily skin it may begin to slide around your face a little/if you have dry skin it will cling to those dry flakey patched (I was sunburnt last week on certain areas on my face so experienced the effects on both skin types at the same time). I still haven't got a full opinion on the HD primer and powder as of yet but can say that the kabuki brush is incredibly soft and easy to use.

Shade: 120 - Soft Sand

One thing that is great with ordering online is that you get to chose 3 free samples, however one of mine never showed but I did get a different one instead. 

There is a flat rate shipping cost to the UK of £6 however you do have to spend over £75...but don't forget tax will be added on at checkout!

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Nails of the month #June

This month I went rather nude even bare on the nails due to getting a gel manicure later on in the month. I believe you have all seen these before on me...

Barry M: Lychee

Maybelline: Rose Poudre

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

The Best: Mint nail polish

Everyone loves a good mint nail polish right? Well today I'm going to share the ones I have in my collection and decide which one is the best.

L-R: Barry M - Mint Green, Greenberry, Ciate - Pepperminty, Essie - Candy Apple, Maybelline - Mint for Life

Barry M - Mint Green £2.99

This is more on the green side of mint hence the name. This polish has a thin brush and can apply a little streaky on the 1st coat, but after the 2nd/3rd coat it becomes quite opaque. One downside is that it does take a good few mins *feels like days* to dry. 

Barry M - Greenberry £3.99

For some people this might not fit exactly into the mint category but I thought I would include it anyway. Again with the older nail paints it has a thin brush however the formula is thicker, more glossy and more opaque. I also find the that Gelly Hi Shine finish has a better lasting power on the nails.

Ciate - Pepperminty 9.00

Now I actually got his mini nail polish from their 2013 Christmas Advent Calender. Like the Barry M polishes it does have a thin brush which makes the polish apply a little streaky. The colour is more on the minty blue side, which i personally prefer. The only downside for me is that literally after 5 mins on the nails it has already chipped - so you might want to invest in a good topcoat!

Essie - Mint Candy Apple £7.99

The brush on this polish is thick and flat which allows an even layer of polish to be applied over the whole nail. It's the perfect mixture of blue and green, and a slighter lighter version of  the Ciate polish above. I would say that this polish has an alright lasting power of a few days. (Essie polishes tend to variate quite a lot).

Maybelline - Mint for Life £4.49

This is my perfect mint polish. A pastel not too green not too blue colour. Like the Essie polish it has a good brush to make application quick and easy. However the main highlight of this polish is the incredible lasting power - the 7 day claim is actually true. I've had this on my nails and its lasted over a week and survived the sea and sand. Now that is pretty impressive.

So for me, if you haven't been able to tell already my favourite mint nail polish is the Maybelline one, its cheap and cheerful, what else could you ask for.

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Nails of the month #May

Here is my May nails of the month.

Essie: Lilacism

Essie: Not just a pretty face

Maybelline: Bubblegum

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Current mascaras #2

So I've had my blog for a year... time has flown by and I know I have been very inconsistent with my posting (I blame A levels). However today I want to do an updated post that I did in August all about my current mascaras.

In-between my last post and this one I have used different mascaras however I never thought to post about them, so please don't worry I haven't had these ones open for months on end.

Maybelline, Covergirl, Estee Lauder

• Maybelline: Great Lash £4.99 - this is a great everyday mascara for those who are after a natural definition to the eyes. The formula/ small brush separates lashes and adds some length to them. However I personally prefer more volume, even on an everyday basis.

• Covergirl: Clump crusher $7.99 - The slight curve to the wand helps to open your eyes without the need to curl your lashes before hand. This gives the perfect amount of volume and length and also allows you to layer without any clumping going on. Once this runs out I'll have to try the Max Factor version of it.

• Estee Lauder: Sumptuous extreme £22 - The brush may seem a little scary but in one light coat your lashes will already be thick and almost false lash like (in a good way). However once this sample runs out I won't be purchasing as I think the drugstore offers other excellent mascaras at a cheaper price. 

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

April Favourites

Here is a quick over-view of my April Favourites.

Sally Hanson - Instra-dri topcoat

Aesop - Parsley seed cleaning masque

Jouer - Matte moisture tint

Maybelline - Eye studio lasting drama eyeliner: 07 black chrome

Soap & Glory - Kick ass concealer kit (the powder)

Urban Decay - All nighter setting spray

The Body Shop - Camomile silky cleansing oil

Lacoste - Touch of pink fragrance 

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Haul - Skincare: Escentual, Space NK, Michael Todd

Hello there! So recently my skin has been causing trouble, breaking out at ever chance it gets. A few of my skincare essentials have been running low so I decided to repurchases a few items and also invested in a couple of new products which would hopefully save my skin!

Michael Todd
L-R: Charcoal Detox deep pore gel cleanser - $23,
Blue Green Algae antibacterial toner - $18.50

L-R: Bioderma micelle solution - £4.50-£9.99,
Ren glycolatic radiance renewal mask - £30

La Roche-Posay
L-R: Multi-compensating soothing moisturiser - £9.50,
Effaclar Due (+) - £15.50

Escentual often have up to 1/3 off of French Pharmacy brands so be sure to check out what they have to offer!

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Haul - New Year Purchases

So I might have done just a little bit of shopping after the Christmas Holiday period… some of these products I have been eyeing up for a little, however a few things were random impulse buys *slap on the wrist*. So carry on reading if you want to see what goodies I have picked up!

Center: paintpot - soft ochre.
Top row: shroom, wedge
Middle row: satin taupe, pleasure model
Bottom row: all that glitters, omega

• MAC - I wanted to try out a couple more of their eyeshadows and I accidentally picked up five..plus a paintpot and blush. 
• Shroom is a satin finish and is described as a 'soft beige with shimmer' - this colour makes a lovely inner corner highlight for those who are a little shy with a dramatic eye. Omega is a matte finish, described as a'soft muted beige-taupe', I also picked up Wedge which is also matte and descried the same, however is more warm toned (these both are good crease colours). All that Glitters is a veluxe pearl finish and is extremely creamy and easy to blend (like all MAC eyeshadows) and is a 'beige with gold pearl', Satin Taupe is also a veluxe pearl however is 'taupe with silver shimmer'. Overall the veluxe pearl finish happens to be my favourite as they are quick and easy to apply all over the lid without any crease colours needed. 
• A paintpot is 'a highly pigmented eye colour that goes on creamy but dries to an intense, vibrant finish.' Soft Ochre is a yellow beige colour that conceals any redness and veins on the eyelid and also acts as a good base for eyeshadows as it prevents creasing. 
• Pleasure Model extra dimension blush is a 'soft terracotta with pearl' colour which works well in the colder months as it gives a beautiful glow to your cheeks without needing to add highlighter.

• I didn't believe it when I heard there was a Naked 3, so naturally I investigated and checked it out. I also received a couple of UD products from family at Christmas!
• The Naked 3 palette is just simply stunning to look at like all the previous ones. This one may seem more girly as it contains 12 new rose-hued neutral shades. So far I have been sticking to the darker shades until I build my confidence up to use the lighter more pink shades.
• The Lip Junkies are a plumping lipgloss however instead of stinging your lips like some plumping lip products it gives off a 'cool' sensation which wears off within a few minutes. These are seriously glossy  and have slightly different finishes. Trashed is described as 'bright pink shimmer' however on the lips it can be quite sheer.
• The Naked Illuminated is a baked highlighter which to be honest is way too glittery for me, however I have applied it on to my shins to add a glow to my legs (I did this for New Year's Eve!)

I've heard a good  few things about Natural Collection (available at Boots) so decided to try out one of their lipsticks in the shade Rose Bud. It's a wearable pink which is surprisingly moisturising and comfortable to wear for approximately £2!

• I've never tried any of Rimmel eyeshadows before purchasing this 'Glam eyes HD eye shadow palette' in the shade Brixton Brown. In the Autumn months I heard a few beauty bloggers share their love over this - so even though it's no longer Autumn these shades will be perfect to add that something to  a neutral eye.
• Finally, Maybelline the 'Falsies', my all time favourite mascara. It gives length, volume, curl and drama to the lashes, no smudging whilst giving a false lash effect. The good news? It is drugstore, so definitely try it out.

Please leave a comment saying if you have purchased anything in the New Year I would love to read any recommendations that you have!

Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox

Best of 2013 - Part 1: Makeup

Hi, so I know it is a little bit late to be posting this now...but here is the first part to my best of 2013. In this post you will be seeing the stand out makeup products that had become a staple for me in my rapidly growing collection.

L-R: Benefit - Porefessional, Rimmel - Match Perfection,
Garnier - BBcream

• Benefit Porefessional primer - was a daily essential for me in 2013, it instantly minimized any pores that I had and made my skin look flawless (every girl dreams of having flawless skin right?)

• Rimmel Match Perfection foundation - I still haven't found the perfect foundation for me...but during the cooler month when my skin started to get surprisingly dry this worked a dream - blends easily and lasted well on my skin with a little bit of powder.

• Garnier BBcream (combo - oily skin) - during the summer I wore this BB cream all the time, it has a good coverage without feeling heavy on the skin, it always gives a nice glow without being shiny!

L-R: Rimmel - Wake me up concealer, MAC - Studio Finish

• Rimmel Wake me up Concealer - I suffer from dark circles under my eyes and have trouble covering them up from time to time, however this concealer instantly covers and brightens.

• MAC Studio finish Concealer - whenever Iwant to brighten up under the eye area further this is the concealer I turn to, it even has SPF35 to help protect!

Soap and Glory - One heck of a blot

• Soap and Glory One heck of a blot - this mattifying powder kept shine at bay without 'caking' up my skin. It also has a good sized mirror inside which comes in handy!

Maybelline - 24hr colour tatto
(on and on bronze)

MAC - Woodwinked eyeshadow

Urban Decay - Naked 2 palette

• As you might be able to see I am a neutral eye shadow girl, this year I've really enjoyed the Maybelline colour tattoo as an eyeshadow base/primer as well as just a wash of colour  - it is long wearing and even waterproof! Woodwinked eyeshadow (a warm antique gold) is beautiful all over the lid; especially in the summer. Every girl needs at least one neutral palette.. the Naked 2 has 12 different colours to create a variety of different looks whilst still be neutral.

Maybelline - the falsies mascara 

(L-R: Rimmel - Scandaleyes eyeliner (nude, bronze, black),
 Bourjois - Felt-tip eyeliner (black)

• All of these eyeliners are easy to use and great for beginners. The Rimmel ones work really well in the waterline and last all day, they are soft and creamy..yet waterproof! The Bourjois felt-tip pen makes doing any eyeliner look so quick (I even managed to do both eyes in a few minutes..standing up!) the nip of the eyeliner is fine and not too flexible, the pen also always you to do both eyes straight after each other without drying up.

Back: MAC - Powder blush (desert rose, fleur power, springsheen),
Front L-R: Benefit - (hoola), Rimmel - Bonzer (sunglow),
Benefit - (hervana and coralista)

• So yeah..just a few cheek products. I love all of these products for a different reason; the finish, pigmentation and the staying power. The Benefit boxed powders are cutely packaged and are quite natural looking on the skin. I would say the MAC blushes are more pigmented however they are still very easy to work with and blend out. The Rimmel bronzer is beautiful in the summer and gives a golden goddess glow to the skin.

I still haven't decided what lip products were my favourites of 2013 so I haven't included any (sorry!) Also thank you if you managed to read through all of this I know it was a long post (oops). Let my know what your beauty favourites of 2013 were in the comments below and also what you would like to read on this blog!


Hope you enjoyed,

Emma xox