Annie in London- Day 1

Aloha!
I'm writing this from a super comfy hotel bed in Marylebone so ima keep things pretty short and sweet but as part of my #blogyoursocksoffseptember I thought I'd show you a little of what I've been up to today :)
Most of the day was spent wandering around Covent Garden looking at the markets and shops. I was excited to finally set foot in muji and pick up a few pieces and then got way over excited to find Cyber candy and spend too much there :p
We then carried on to Knightsbridge on a pilgrimage to Harvey Nichols because my beloved Ginvera bb cream ran out and needed replacing and of course it would have been rude to not look around the whole shop and harrods as well ;p
I'll show you my buys properly when I'm home and have a computer but for now heres a little collage of photos from today.
Annie xx

The Lust List- Makeup Edition

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Ginvera BB Cream Review

Hello!
First up, fellow to all my lovely new followers. I hope you're enjoying the blog hop. I've found some great blogs through it this week!
If you aren't taking part yet then do! All you need to do is *go here*, read the rules, add your blog link to the list, and get finding some great new blogs to enjoy.

Mainly sold in South Asia, BB cream is intended to give a light coverage whilst also having skin care properties such as soothing, brightening dull skin, protecting using an SPF and some even include anti aging properties. The skin care aspect is something that seems to lack in effectiveness in the Western company offerings which is why I was excited to find out about Ginvera Green Tea BB Cream which is produced in Singapore.
I got a small sample in my June She Said Beauty box and fell in love so straight away I ordered a full sized bottle to use during summer.

What I instantly loved about this BB cream is that it does exactly what it says it will do. When applied my skin looks a lot brighter and the over all look is a lot more even and almost an airbrushed version of myself. The coverage is light/medium and is very easily buildable without using much of the product meaning that this is a long lasting cream. I've also found that it is wonderfully long wearing as well and I can easily last 12 hours without touching up.
The smell is also lovely which I believe is because of the green tea. I find the smell to be fresh and calming and once on the skin the aroma is hardly noticeable.

One thing that did intrigue me about this cream is that it claims to be suitable for all skin tones which is a pretty big claim considering the enormous array of skin shades and I'm afraid I can't vouch for everyone but I have seen good reviews from people of all sorts of ethnicities online so if that is something that would worry you, a quick google search should help. I personally find the shade to be perfect on my fair skin even though the cream looks much too dark when swatched like above.

In the photo above I'm wearing the Ginvera BB cream as a base and as you can see, around the tops of my cheeks, you can still faintly see my freckles and the scar on my forehead but other than that the cream gives beautiful, even coverage and I would say that it is perfect for a light, buildable alternative to foundation that will also keep your skin happy with you, especially in the summer as the SPF 30 will keep you protected from the harsher rays of sun. The only slight downside is the price. A 30ml tube will set you back £18, however, you would happily pay up to £10 more than this for a high end foundation that will most likely have fewer positive effects, especially on the skin care side of things so I think that this price is actually very fair, especially as the coverage is good and the amount needed per use very small.

So, what do you think? Is this a BB that you would consider buying? Have you tried it and fallen in love like I have?
Annie x

Pay Day Treats! - June

Hello,
I've been meaning to post this blog for ages now. Its been delayed lots of times because of products that I just couldn't wait to share with you.
Most of the month I try to be quite good with money and not spend too much, but when payday comes around I love to treat myself to a few bits, and I think it feels extra special for being a bit of a monthly treat... that said though, I have bought myself a few other bits since taking the photos for this last week :P But here are my payday treats.

Ginvera BB Cream £16.00- This stuff is amazing. I got a tiny sample as an extra in June's She Said Beauty box and fell in love with it straight away and knew I'd have to buy a full sized bottle. This BB cream actually has foundation quality coverage as well as boasting all the extra benefits you get from a BB cream. I have a full review of this planned for one day this week so I won't go in to too much detail but basically I love it and everyone should own a tube.

River Island Owl Bracelet/Anklet £3- This little guy has wanted to come home with me for weeks so I headed straight to River Island when I was shopping. I really like the simple look of this bracelet but I did find that it is a little large on my wrists so I wear it as an anklet. Isn't the little buho so cute?

Topshop Cream Eyeshadow tubes £2 each- I saw these in the sale in Topshop and leapt on them in a way that perhaps a koala would some eucalyptus. I love the pigmentation of Topshop's cream shadows and these are no exception. The colours I picked up were Emerald City and Amethyst and let me tell you, Amethyst may well be my new favourite eye colour. I have a review coming up of these too so keep an eye out.

Pink New Look Studded Sandals £12.50(?)- I grabbed these when New Look had their 25% off sandals sale and can't quite remember how much they cost but I had to have them in my life. I was drawn in by the colour, the studs and the fact that they don't have a toe bar which I find can feel a little restricting with proper sandal style shoes after a while. These are really comfy because they have fairly padded soles so I'll be able to wear them all day on holiday with no problems and they also look cute with jeans here in England during our not so great summer.

So thats pretty much it. I also picked up a half price bra in Boux Avenue for £9 but who wants to see my over the shoulder boulder holders in all honesty so I thought I'd spare you that sight and since then I've bought 4 pout paints in a blog sale and a No 7 lipstick using one of the infamous £5 off vouchers but I'm back to being good for now, honest :)
What did you treat yourself to this pay day? Am I the only person already eyeing up next months treats?
Annie x

She Said Beauty- June Box Review

Hello,
Isn't it a shame to see grey skies and rain again after such fab weather?
Yesterday I received my June She Said Beauty box which cheered me up no end. I have been generally really happy with She Said Beauty so far as they give a nice variety of products and I've had at least one full sized product each month but I did roll my eyes this month a little when I was greeted with another set of false lashes. Thats three out of four of their boxes that have contained a pair now. Please send something different next month She Said Beauty! There's only so many pairs of OTT lashes that my cupboard can contain!

So here's what I got:

Over all, I thought this was another good box. Inside there was six samples and I'll use five of them :)

• Yardley London Royal Diamond- I was hesitant when I first saw this because I associate Yardley with sickly sweet floral scents but this is actually really nice. It reminds me of Chloe Eau De Parfum which I really love.
• Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream- This is a full sized 30ml tube which is worth £6 alone so I was happy to get this in my box. It conditions really well and leaves my hands feeling lovely and soft. The scant is a little strong for my liking. It smells of rose which I like if the scent is soft but I think this is just a little heavy and it lingers for a long time.
• Elemis Tranquil Touch Indulgent Bath Elixir- I was really happy to get this as I've given it a sniff a few times in shops and loved the scent but not been able to justify the price tag. I haven't used it yet but I've heard some lovely things in the past. The smell is really deep and relaxing and it contains cocoa butter to soften skin.
• St. Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body Moisturuser- This has been the stand out product for me in this box. I'm so pale that I've always been nervous when it comes to self tan so I think a gradual tan probably leaves me less room for mistakes. After all, everyone can get moisturising right cant they! The sample is a generous 75ml so should last long enough for me to get some colour on my legs.
• Lets Go lashes- Lets face it, I have little left to say about these. They are the only downside to the box in my opinion. There are so many other products out there to try, I'm so fed up of getting false lashes! I'll be honest, this brand of lashes are all over the place at the moment; in Glossybox, in She Said Beauty and I also got a pair in my iFabbo goody bag so I don't feel like they're very exciting any more.
• *bonus* Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream- This was a lovely little extra, especially as it was the only make-up sample in the box. I don't know much about this cream but there is no set shades and it claims to be nude coverage so it seems a little more like a primer to me but we'll see.

Over all, I'm really happy with this box, I just hope the false lash obsession ends soon because I feel I may soon drown under the sea of lashes my cupboard contains!

What are your thoughts of this months box? Were you as happy as me?

Annie x

A Few Beauty Favourites

Hello,
Today I've been busy cleaning, tidying and putting together some fabby blog posts for the rest of the week both for Three Little Buhos and Sugar and Spice. I love a good productive day and I have more tidying planned for this evening :)

Recently I have been really big on beauty and have really enjoyed painting my nails, cleansing, moisturising, buffing, plucking, tweaking, preening etc etc and I thought it would be nice to share with you some of my favourite beauty bits at the moment.

I cannot get enough of this Garnier BB Cream in Light. It makes skin look beautiful and works well to keep skin looking good long term.

 Batiste XXL Volume has helped me out of many hair related disaster days. It does as it says and gives great volume. It also works well when you're styling big volume up-do's.

 I love Calvin Klein perfumes and CK One Summer 2010 is my very favourite. I wear this scent almost every day and it makes me feel warm and happy :)

 Brush cleanser is an uber important make-up staple if you regularly use brushes to apply bits and bobs. Mac Brush Cleanser is a great one, it works fast with no hassle and removes all grease.

 My number one indulgence. Molton Brown products are so wonderful, and the warming eucalyptus bath and shower therapy has always been my favourite. After a long day, there is nothing better than a good soak using it.

 Have you ever used a rapid dry spray for nails? If not then you need to! They are the best! I'm rubbish with not smudging my nail varnish but since my mum bought me the Elegant Touch Rapid Dry for Nails I've used it religiously AND it works!

I get rubbish, dry lips during the winter so instead of using lipstick each day I use Vaseline Rosy Lips which tints them a pretty pink, keeps them soft and stops the chapping that I am so prone to.


What are your beauty must haves? Do you use any of these products? If you do, what do you think of them?
Annie x

Inside the Make-up Bag

Hiya,
I'm one of those nosy people who like to find out lots about everything and every one and after seeing posts like this on other blogs and oohing and aahing over pretty make-up, I thought I'd share my own inside the make-up bag post :)

I love my make -up bag. Its a small, purple Osprey London bag that my auntie gave me for christmas and it goes everywhere with me!
Inside I keep:

• MAC studio fix fluid foundation in NC15- this is a great foundation that gives good coverage and doesn't make my face feel all tight and dry like some do. I have trouble finding foundation light enough for my skin but this shade is perfect for light skin like mine.
• Garnier BB miracle skin perfector in 02 Light- I know there is a lot of hype surrounding BB cream at the moment. I'va had mine for a week now and I must say, I love it. I've noticed my skin has been much softer since I've started using it and the cover it gives is soft and radiant.
• No 7 Lash 360 mascara in Black- This is by far the best mascara I've ever used. The brush gets right to the roots of the lash and I've never known it to clump even with a few coats. Several times I've been asked whether I use false lash inserts whilst wearing this because they look so long and full.
• MAC eyebrow filler pencil in Spiked- I'm a bit of a plucking addict and bought this a while back when I had gone a little over the top and given myself a bald patch (oops!) I now use it all the time as it allows me to keep my brows lovely and small yet you don't loose the definition of the brows colour. It is easy to use, soft and long lasting. I love it :)
• French Connection liquid eyeliner in black- This came as part of a gift set I was given and I'm not sure if it's sold individually, I've never seen it. But I love that the applicator is long and where it's very thin its easy to get lovely narrow, precise lines.
• The Body Shop eye lustre liner- I picked his up in a body shop sale because I loved the colour. Its a bright shade of bronze that looks stunning along the lash line. Alternatively, I like to smudge it into an eyeshadow, for a softer, shimmering colour.
• The Body Shop sparkle eyeliner- This is another sale find from a while back. I love glitter liners because they really make eyes pop and you need so little to get a really pretty effect. I'd wear it all the time if I could but I don't think work would be too happy about that :)
• Barry M Limited Edition lipgloss in Candy Floss- I don't actually remember where I got this lipgloss, although I have got several of them as free gifts from magazines so maybe this was one of those occasions? I'm not sure. Anyway, its a lovely natural colour that just completes a daytime, less is more, sort of look. If your lips are a bit dry then it has a slight tendency to go a little sticky but it tastes really yummy!
• Make Up Store Sweden lipstick in Pink Creme- This lipstick is one of my favourite ever make-up finds. I found it in their small boutiquey type store in Soho, London (if you're ever in the area then you should DEFO go in, its gorgeous) and it was just the colour I'd been looking for for ages. At £12 it was worth every penny :)
• Ted Baker body spray- This was another christmas present from my lovely auntie. Its a gorgeous smell, sweet and rosey. I wear it fairly often when I want a lighter fragrance than my proper perfume gives.

So there we have it, the contents of my everyday make-up bag. What essentials do you keep with you at all times? Have you tried any of these? If so, what did you think of them yourself?

Hope you're having a lovely day,

Annie x

BB Cream

Hello,
the other day in my January Lust List I spoke about Garnier BB Cream.
Well on a shopping trip today with my mum I decided it was about time I bought some to try it out, and since Boots currently have it on on offer at £7.49 reduced from £9.99 I couldn't resist :)
So far I'm really impressed. The cream applies really easily and smoothly and blends into the skin flawlessly, making pores less noticeable and blemishes a lot fainter. The effect is a lot softer than when wearing a proper, thicker foundation, it also gives a lovely faint glow which is nice for daytime without being too much.
I haven't had time to notice the longer term effect of using the cream yet, but I have noticed already that my skin is softer and more hydrated than it has been during this cold spell.
Over all, I'm pretty happy :)
Does anyone else use BB cream? What do you think of it?
Annie x