Apologies

I just wanted to upload a quick post to apologise and explain why posts may have been a bit lacking in the last month or so.

Basically a couple of months ago I had an operation. It wasn't serious but it was a major operation so although I had some posts scheduled in advance they soon ran out and I still just didn't feel up to writing new ones. I personally feel that it would be better to not post than to post something that I wouldn't be 100% happy with.

Then around 4 weeks after my operation I got a new job and started working full time. I know a lot of bloggers do work full time as well as blog but it's been a long time since I worked full time so I think that, mixed in with the fact my body was still slightly recovering from surgery, meant that I was just exhausted every day in the evening and didn't have the energy to really do anything.

However, I have missed my blog and will definitely be putting more effort into making sure my 2 posts a week will still go up on time!

Thanks for staying with me!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot Primer

I love Soap & glory and know them best for their bath and body products. However, I have dabbled into their make-up a couple of times and have always been very pleasantly pleased. So when I heard about their new primer especially designed for us oily skinned girls I knew it'd be good.

The new primer is part of the 'One Heck Of A Blot' range and it really doesn't disappoint. The smallest amount goes a long way and as soon as you apply it you can instantly feel it's 'stickiness'. That's probably the wrong word to use and it isn't sticky at all but you can just tell your make-up is going to stick to it and hang about all day- I've now typed the word 'sticky' too many times that I'm convinced it's spelt wrong....

As well as keeping make-up in the right place it also REALLY helps keep oil at bay...as in it really mattifies the skin...to the point where I had to start wearing highlighter to bring some life back to my face but I'd take that over oily skin any day. Although it really mattifies the skin I also found that throughout the day it would kind of let a slight 'glow' come out...not sweat at all...just a glow! It's by far the best primer I've tried which is suited to Oily skin!

It really is a wonder product and one which I think will stay in my make-up bag for a long time to come. It is £10 and can be found in Boots.

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Beauty Advent Calender

Every year since I can remember I've had a chocolate advent Calender. Sometimes we also had an advent candle or a paper Calender but always a chocolate one. However, this year is the first time I've not had one...and I don't mind too much because instead I have a beauty one! 

My mother spotted this one by w7 on Groupon and decided to treat me this year to something a bit different. Now, don't get me wrong, I miss my chocolate every morning but getting a little mini beauty treat is very exciting! I genuinely look forward to it every day! 

I've never tried anything from w7 before so this is such a good way to discover different products by the brand. So far I have been very impressed by the eye shadows and have worn them most days since I opened them. 

The reason I'm telling you guys about beauty calendars now is that, should there be any left in stock, the chances are they will now be reduced since the countdown has already begun!! So if you want to try a new brand, or simply want to treat yourself then now is the time to do it! 

Let me know if any of you have a beauty Calender this year and what one it is! 

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Make-Up Haul #3

Over the past couple of months I have been picking up a few new items here and there and have recently realised how many things I've got which obviously means one thing...HAUL TIME!!

A couple of these products I've used before but most are completely new to me so I'm enjoying trying them out.

• No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation- in 'Cool Ivory'
• Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot Primer
• Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot Powder
• TheBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter
• Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara- sample size
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion- sample size
• Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm- in '225 Sultry'
• Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner- in '063 Eastend Snob'
• Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm- in 'Pixi Pink'
• The Body Shop Firming & Refreshing Eye Roll-On
• This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray - technically not make-up but was from the drugstore so thought I'd throw it in anyway!

There will no doubt be some reviews coming on some of these products but if these any you would like sooner rather than later let me know!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Disappointing Products

Now, I like to keep things cheery and positive on here but I have found a few products have really been disappointing me recently and I thought it is only fair that I share the bad as well as the good. 

All of these products are very popular and I've read so many positive posts about how good they are which is why I think I'm so disappointed in them. Of course everyone's skin is different and what works well for one person may not work so well for someone else so forgive me if I'm about to hate on one of your favourites.

L'oreal True Match Foundation

I had this a few years ago and absolutely loved it. However, they recently re-did the formula and although everyone is saying how much they love the new formula and think it's been improved greatly I could not disagree more. On my skin -which is oily/combination- it just sits on top in a really ugly and cakey way, moves around a lot and seems to disappear quickly as well. One good thing about it is their wide range of shades but other than that I struggle to say anything good.

Benefit Roller Lash

It took me a while to come round to loving They're Real mascara by Benefit so I was hoping that this would be the same when I didn't initially get on with it. But after leaving it a while and coming back to it I am yet to enjoy it. On my lashes it doesn't hold a curl -not many mascara's can do that on my lashes though!- and it doesn't thicken them at all either. For a natural/there's nothing on my lashes look then this would be great but if that was the case then why would you bother wearing it!?

Bourjois Bronzing Powder

If you're a regular to my blog then you may have seen that I've previous blogged about this product when I initially loved it. It's featured in a favourites post which you can read here. But after using it for a wee while the top of the product seems to have worn down in such a way that no product actually comes off anymore. It's really hard to describe -I've tried to show it the best I can in the photo- but if you go into most shops that have a sample of this out then I believe most of them have done the same. I had noticed this before I bought this product but was sucked in by everyone ranting about it and thought maybe the samples were really old/dirty so ignored it. Mistake!

Rant over. Phew! Feel like I've got a lot off my chest now and I promise there won't be a negative post for a good wee while to go!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Brand Spotlight- Benefit

As with all my other 'Brand Spotlights' this post is dedicated to one brand and contains all the posts I've previously done on different products by that brand. This time the Spotlight is on Benefit!

I've loved Benefit for a long time- as you'll be able to tell as some posts linked below are very old!- and think they are maybe the best for their packaging which is always absolutely adorable. The products themselves are also spot on and in general I've loved them all. 

Here are the products which I've previously blogged about so if there's any product you want to know more about then click below!

• Big Easy BB Cream
• Longwear Powder Eyeshadows
• Posie Tint Lip & Cheek Stain
• Bronze & Dandy Gift Set- which feats 2 lipglosses, dandelion blush and hoola bronzer
• They're Real Mascara
• Mini's- a collection of Benefit mini's including lipglosses, foundations, concealers, mascara etc...an all-rounder really!
• Stay Flawless 15H Primer

What is your favourite Benefit product?

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Empties #9

Empties posts seem to be the most common on my blog so I was going to avoid posting one for a wee while but I noticed that all my empties recently have been very much loved so felt I just had to share just in case you're in the mood to try something new and want something that won't disappoint,

All of these empties I really enjoyed and would recommend. Most of them I've already blogged about because I've loved it so much so will link that below if I have.

• Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Nourishing Lotion- blog here
• Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water- blog post here
• Simple Soothing Facial Toner- I really enjoyed using this and have already re-purchased. As with all Simple products it's very gentle on the skin and felt very refreshing. I would recommend this if you're looking for a cheap toner to add to your skincare routine and think it would suit all skin types
• The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel- I absolutely love all Body Shop bath products as they smell so ridiculously amazing. It works well both in the shower and also in the bath as it does produce a good amount of bubbles! It's soft on the skin and doesn't leave it feeling dry afterwards
• The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil- blog here
• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder- I love this powder so much that this in actually my second one I've used. It gives a light coverage while setting the make-up underneath beautifully. It doesn't go cakey and still allows a very natural glow to come through while keeping oil under control. At the moment I haven't repurchased this yet as I've got a couple of cheaper powders which I'm trying to use up but I will definitely be getting another one at some point in the future.

And that is all I've used up. I think this is the most successful Empties post I've done in the way that I loved everything and have repurchased most of these products already.

Let me know what has been your favourite empty recently!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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L'oreal Matte Lipgloss

When I saw my feed being filled with good reviews on the new Infallible Mega Gloss I had to investigate. With 25 shades in 5 different textures I was spoilt for choice. But when I got to my local Superdrug the choice was rather limited. However, I love a matte lip so was thrilled when I saw they had one from the matte selection, which led me to pick up this shade- '407 Smoke Me Up'.

On the shelf I wasn't in love with the shade but as soon as I got it on my lips I fell for it. It's the most deep pink/plum colour which is perfect for Autumn/Winter. 

The first thing I noticed was how easy it was to apply. The applicator is a new design which has focused on being more 'huggable' on the lips and distributes a brilliant amount of product so you can easily control it and not go over the top. The second thing I noticed was how accurate the shade of the packaging matched the actual product. This may seem like a silly remark but I constantly find that I pick up lip products loving the colour but find that once it's applied it's completely different.

Once on the lips it sits very comfortably and feels very velvety and soft. It takes a while to settle but once it does I found this very long lasting on me- I have found that if I smile too soon after application then I do find quite a bit of this on my teeth but once it's set there's no problem.

I absolutely love this product and would be very keen to try out the different textures and compare how long they last in comparison! Anyone tried any other shades?

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Serum

I can't believe this is yet another post about a product from The Body Shop but when you find a brand  you love, with products that work well for you then you've just gotta share!

My recent discover is this, Vitamin E Moisture Serum. This is the first serum I've ever tried as I've never seen the point of them but after hearing continuously on other blogs/youtubes how much serum's can benefit your skin I wanted to try one out now that the colder months are upon us.

I use this both morning and evenings before my moisturiser and I noticed the affects immediately. It really seemed to help my moisturiser be more...moisturising! After a few days my skin seemed to have come alive and be more naturally 'glowy' and just so healthy looking. 

The texture of the serum is very gel-like and light. It does feel rather wet on the skin but soaks in perfectly. This 30ml bottle is £13 and in my opinion worth every penny. It will also last SO long as half a pump does my whole face generously. 

I always think that when you can notice a difference in your skin when you start/stop using a product then it's doing something right. Therefore, I will continue to use this serum right through Winter and let's face it, probably all the other seasons too as my skin has just improved that much!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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L'oreal Brow Artist Plumper

After not getting on too well with Rimmel's Brow This Way- post here- I was a bit reluctant to try any more brow 'mascaras' but I had heard quite a few good things about L'oreal's Brow Artist Plumper so couldn't resist trying it out and boy am I glad I did!

Unlike the Rimmel version this has an appropriate sized brush which allows a reasonable amount of product to be distributed on the brows and in a more controlled way. If I'm having a lazy day I will use only this on my brows as it gives enough pigmentation to fill in my brows and of course, it being a gel, holds them in place all day. But in my daily routine I fill in my brows with a crayon and then use this to add a more natural voluminous affect while also holding them in place. Unless you go OTT with the application this doesn't feel crispy and really does hold the brows in place.

I have this in the shade 'medium/dark' and find it works well for me...if anything it may be slightly on the dark side but it's the closest I've found to matching my brows. 

The one down side is that it only comes in 2 different shades so it could be hard to find a match but for only £5.99 (Boots) it's worth a shot!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Autumn OOTD

Recently I was on a wee holiday with my sister in Oban. I took her for her birthday and part of her present was a trip to the Sealife Centre. It was quite a chilly day and I knew we'd be walking around for a while so I wanted to be extremely comfortable and cosy. So I threw on this simple and very Autumnal outfit. (You'll have to excuse the hair- the place we were staying didn't have a shower and I couldn't be bothered using the old jug-in-a-bath technique!)

Cardigan- New Look

Playsuit- Boohoo

Tights- Tesco

Ankle Boots- Primark

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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My Red Lip Collection

At this time of year a red lip is definitely high in demand. I have definitely been reaching into mine more often recently so I thought I would share my collection of red lip products.

I'm not going to do a review of every product but I've done previous posts on a few already which I'll link and if there's any you're curious about without a link already just let me know in the comments below! The list is pictured above in clockwise direction starting at the top (12 0'clock).

• Maybelline ColorDrama in '410 Fab Orange'- post here
• Sportsgirl Pout About It in 'Heart Breaker' (an Australian Brand)
• Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in '240 Striking Spectaculaire'- post here
• Collection Deluxe in '01 Prohibition'
• Topshop Lip Bullet in 'Joyride'
• Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate in '01 Red Nose Red'- post here
• Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in '035 Candy Apple'
• Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate in '107'

And that is it! All the red lip products in my collection. Are there any I'm missing?!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Autumn Eye Look

One of my favourite things about Autumn is the beautiful colours of the leaves as they start to fall to the ground. With this in mind I've created an eye look which mirrors these colours perfectly. And as always, it's very easy to do!

I used two palettes- Collection Eyes Uncovered in 'Nude Bronze' and Urban Decay Naked Basics. Two palettes and only 3 shades used to create an Autumnal golden/bronze eye look- ideal!

So I started by covering the whole lid with the shade 'Ochre' (1) from the Collection palette. I then put the shade 'Nutty' (2) over the outer 2 thirds of the eye lid. To finish it off I popped the shade 'Faint' (3) from the Urban Decay palette through the socket and made a slight V shape at the side of the eye. Blended together to make sure there's no harsh lines and voilà! A very simple but stunning eye look which is just perfect for this time of year.

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Brand Spotlight- L'oreal

I think the first ever make-up I got was from L'oreal. For me it's a classic. If I could only use one make-up brand for the rest of my life L'oreal would be a serious contender! I literally couldn't imagine the make-up world without it. The products are brilliant, varied and at a great price point too. I find L'oreal a very trustworthy brand. If there's a new kind of product out I will usually look to L'oreal first to see what they offer as I know the chances are it'll be amazing. In general the formulas and pigmentation are always on point and I find they really try to do shades/products for all skin types/skin tones.

When I sat down to write this post I thought I would have to spend ages sorting through my old blogs to find links but it actually seems I've not blogged about many of their products. This will definitely change soon as I've used so many L'oreal products and I think the reason I've not blogged about them all is that I always expect them to be great and then they are great so I just accept that's how they are and forget to share the amazingness! 

But here are a few links to previous L'oreal posts to give you a general idea of the brand;

• L'oreal Matte Lipgloss
• L'oreal False Lash Superstar Mascara
• L'oreal Color Riche Matte Lipstick
• Infallible 24H-Matte Foundation
• L'oreal Paris Revitalift Magic Blue

If you could only choose one make-up brand for the rest of your life what would you choose?

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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New Hair, New You

I have pretty much had the same hair cut my entire life...long! Even since I can remember my hair has always fallen all the way down my back and my first trip to the hairdressers wasn't until I was in high school- my mother had always trimmed my hair for me. And even once I had started to get it cut it never went above my elbow length.

When I was 17 I had a moment of bravery/madness and got it cut really short- at the time it was how Victoria Beckham had her hair where it was really short at the back getting longer at the front and fell just half way down her neck. Although I liked this look it was too much faff for me to keep up so soon enough I was back to my old ways...until now!

Earlier this week I returned from the hairdressers and for the second time in my entire life I'd had my hair cut above my elbow length...even above my shoulders! For me this is a big move and took months of preparing myself for but I do not regret it at all.

I don't know about anyone else but I get bored with my appearance quite easily and find my hair as an escape of this boredom so like to change it up quite a bit. I literally feel like a whole new person and find it so rejuvenating getting a new do done! So really I think to point to this post is to encourage people to just go for it if they're thinking about getting a new look. Ask the hairdresser what they think will suit you, close your eyes and just go for it! And if you don't like it then don't worry...it'll grow on you ;)  

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Empties #8

You all know the drill by now...here's a list of some products which I've used up recently;

• L'oreal Infallible 24H Matte Foundation- Loved. Repurchased. Full review here
• Simple Revitalising Eye Roll-On- for me this is a must have throughout Summer. It feels SO cooling on the skin and exactly what my eye area is after once I've taken my make-up off after a long day
• The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil- yes I've finished another one! Loved. Repurchased. Can't take my make-up off without this now!
• Herbal Essences Clearly Naked Dry Shampoo- I really enjoyed this dry shampoo. I've tried a couple from herbal essences range and have really enjoyed them all! It gives your hair a fresh clean feeling without the cloggyness other dry shampoo's can give. It wasn't 100% 'naked' as there was slight whiteness sometimes but this blended away very easily-even in my dark locks! I would definitely buy this again
• Tesco Softening Body Lotion- I use this for my feet and love it. I've gone through quite a few now and just keep going back to it and it softens the skin on my feet literally overnight and it's only £1.10! 
• Soap & Glory Flake Away- this is the toughest and best exfolliator I've ever used. I use this on my legs after shaving and it really helps give a much softer and smoother feel. It is rather harsh though so I'd definitely not use this on the face but on the rest of the body it gets rid of dry, flakey skin effortlessly. And the oils in it leaves skin feeling so soft!

Phew- we've made it through another empties post! I still can't understand how I've managed to make it through so many products recently! If you've done a recent empties post then leave a link below as I loved seeing other peoples experiences with different products!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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White Summer's Dress

Ok, I know it's not Summer anymore...and I'm not in denial about that...but now is the time when a lot of Summer clothes go in the sale and call me crazy but if I see something I like I will buy it and save it for the following year.

This happened recently on a food shop in Sainsburys. Yup...a supermarket! I saw this dress and it was just too cute and too cheap (£6.60!!) not to pick up. It's the perfect Summers dress. Although white is never a colour of clothing I would normally purchase- I will just get it dirty after all- I loved the sailer theme of this and it just reminded me of the beach so much that I couldn't resist. 

All the detailing is beautiful and I love the shape the netting underneath gives, just making it so flattering. I can't wait until I can wear it out next Summer already!

Does anyone else buy this far in advance? Hopefully I'm not the only one!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Bourjois Colorband Eyeshadow Crayons

When I first saw these on the Bourjois stand my questions wasn't "should I buy this?" but instead "which shade should I get?!"

I was immediately drawn to these since I am a big fan of eyeshadow crayons as I just find them so easy and effortless to use. The shades I settled for are '05 Mauve Baroque'- a stunning purple which silver shimmer through it and '02 Brun dadaiste'- a gorgeous chocolatey brown with gold shimmer through it- a current favourite for Autumn!

 The formulas for both are very impressive. Both shades are very pigmented- with a lot of shimmer!- and creamy which helps them apply really nicely. They do set very quickly so you have to work fast with them as once they set they are there for the long time. These are the only products which I feel comfortable using on my eyes without a primer as I know they'll stick around all day on their own. On me they don't crease- which is nothing short of a miracle when no primer is involved!- and I really just can't get enough. They blend out beautifully, making them perfect to wear on their own so when you're in a bit of a rush in the morning these should be your go to. 

I don't think I have anything bad to say about them! Think I need to go pick up the other shades and for £5.99 (from Boots) it won't break the bank doing so! What other shades should I go for first?

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask

After my most recent visit to The Body Shop I walked out with this, the Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask for combination/oily skin. This wasn't on my shopping list but thanks to a deal that was on offer in store I believe I either got a free gift or got some money off it so thought I would give it a go.

Face masks are something which I've always enjoyed using but have never made it into my regular beauty regime...until now! When I first got this mask I used it twice a week for the first couple of weeks and once my skin had cleared up a bit I continue to use it just once a week.

The first thing that hit me was the smell. It is rather fragrant but not in an aggressive way. I can't place my finger on what it smells like or even if I like the smell or not but it's not offensive enough to put me off using it. On first application I pretty much immediately felt it going to work. My skin was kind of tingling but in a really good way. After 10 minutes I washed it off- came off really easily even though it had dried completely- and my skin literally felt the best it had in ages. Not only did it feel silky smooth but so refreshed as well! My skin has gained a really nice healthy glow recently and I put it mostly down to this addition as the mask claims to not only cleanse but also purify- which I think my city skin was screaming for!

This 100ml tub is £14, which at the time I thought was pretty steep- which is why I only got it due to the offer meaning that I didn't have to spend that much on it!- but now that I've used it I think it's definitely worth it. I've used the mask maybe around 6 times now, over my whole face, and I'm  not even half way through the tub.

If your skin is feeling a bit congested recently or just feels like it needs a good deep clean then this is the mask for you! It caused no irritation or dryness so I do believe it would suit most skin types too! It's on the The Body Shop's best sellers list and is currently sold out online so if you see it in store then snap it up quick!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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Cotton On Monochrome Playsuit

Throughout my year in Australia I found Cotton On was one of my favourite clothing shops and was my go to for cosy jumpers and joggers. As well as the comfy clothes it was also great for every day clothes and my favourite find was definitely this black and white playsuit.

I find the style of the playsuit really suits my body shape and is very flattering- which I often have difficulty in finding. I team this with black tights for warmth- as I'm no longer in Australia- my grey ankle boots from ASOS and I'll often just throw on whatever jumper/cardigan/blazer is lying about. The playsuit itself is SO comfortable to wear and perfect for daytime. It can easily be dressed up for evening with the simple addition of heels and a clutch. A perfect piece for Autumn/Winter!

Thanks for reading

Iona x

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