Revolution Ultra Blush Palette Review

The lovely folks over at Beauty Product Testing sent me this gorgeous blush and contour palette by Revolution. I was really excited to trial and test this as i had heard great things through over beauty bloggers but never actually tried it myself! 

On first impressions i liked the outer packaging but did find the actual palette a little plain, however the giant mirror inside definitely made up for this! I absolutely love this detail as it makes it so handy to take away with you and use easily when your out & about!  The other detail i noticed was that they put the colour of the palette on the back of the box rather than on the actual palette itself. I know this is a little sad but i was also disappointed that the blush colours didn't have names, i really enjoy knowing the name of the blush I'm wearing!  

This 'Hot Spice' palette includes 8 shades... included within this is 1 baked highlighter and 1 baked blush, making this the perfect all round palette! The warm terracotta and pink colours are gorgeous and the perfect shades to go into Autumn wearing. On first application i couldn't believe how soft & pigmented these blushes where, they are so easy to apply & blend. You only need a small dab on your blusher blush and it's enough to cover your whole cheek, i loved the highlighter which really gave me an  extra glow on a gloomy day. I feel like this is the perfect palette to use on the go or to take away with you as it includes everything you need to contour and blush. 

The best thing about this product? It's RRP is £6.00 - it's an absolute bargain it feels so much more expensive then £6.00... i'm a definite Revolution convert! I can't wait to try out some more items from them & hope i will have the same outcome! You can buy this product here from superdrug!

In the picture above i'm wearing shade 7 & 8. 

Do you have any recommendations? 

Jess x

LIZ EARLE | Current Skincare Routine

When i was younger i had great skin, it wasn't spotty or horrible and then i hit my teens and it was like an explosion of spots, bad pores and blackheads! It was a nightmare and the more i stressed about it the more my face would erupt with spots the size of countries..

I have tried most things including prescriptions, antibiotics and even going on the pill to try and balance it out. I never ever found anything that worked until my mum suggested trying her Liz Earle. I did for a while and found it really helped.. but being a teenager i eventually gave up, got bored and embraced the spottiness! Since then i never found a particular product that helped me and i kept hopping from one to the other (which also didn't help) About a year ago i decided to order myself a Essentials try me kit which came with all their daily essentials in mini trial sizes (Try -Me Kit) this is a fanstastic way to trial the products and surprise surprise.. my skin loved me again and since that day i will never use anything but Liz Earle for my daily routine.

Liz Earle is an amazing natural brand that was founded in 1995, the most impressive thing about these products is that they have been created so that any skin type and any age skin can use them. I can speak from experience and say my nan, mum and me all use the same products and all have amazing results!

Below is the order i use the products and what they like to call 3 steps to beautiful skin. 

Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser ...  
This is the most the perfect every day cleanser and removes grime and make up leaving my skin soft and glowing before I've even toned and moisturised, i have no idea what i did before this came into my life! I normally (unless my face is feel particularly caked in make-up after a night out) use one pump and massage in circles gently into my face, you can massage this all over your face including on your eyes and eyelashes it doesn't sting or cause redness in the slightness. The texture of the product is rich and creamy and the scent smells like your back having a relaxing facial at the spa, personally I love using this before bed as it makes me feel so relaxed. Once i have massaged this into my skin I then remove the product with the muslin cloth, i normally wipe with hot water first and then go back with cold water just to get any excess product off. The cleanse and polish is packed full of natural products including eucalyptus and my personal favourite cocoa butter (which is always a winner in my books) I can't recommend this enough, i would be well and truly lost without it.

Instant Boost Skin Tonic ... 
This floral scented toner soothes and brightens your skin after you have buffed away the cleanse and polish with your muslin cloth. I'm always amazed with this product, no matter how much you scrub and cleanse beforehand it always seems to lift even more dirt from my face, it really does deeply clean your whole face. This also has natural ingredients including vitamin E, hydrating aloe vera and rose-scented geranium. You can either buy this in the bottle and pour onto cotton wool pads or you can buy this as a spritz, which i can imagie is great if you travel! 

Skin Repair Moisturiser - Light Combination / Oily ... 
And last but not least is the skin repair moisturiser. I actually started off by using the skin repair for dry and sensitive skin and found it too heavy for my skin. I stopped using this for a while and went back to a simple product, but wasn't happy with this either. I then found they did a light moisturiser for combination / oily skin, which is exactly what i have! Since then i have re-purchased this item 3 times! Packed full of natural ingredients including borage and avocado oils, this product is my daily staple and i use it before i go to bed and also before putting any make up on. I find it doesn't slide and it sinks beautifully into the skin, not leaving it oily or greasy!

I wouldn't put off if the price is a little on the high side for you, the bottles are big and they last me a few months at a time!

Which Liz Earle products are your favourite? 

Jess x

I Love Winter..

That's right.. i said it! I LOVE winter.. wrapping up in massive cosy jumpers and snuggling down in front of the fire is just perfection. Don't get me wrong i do love Summer, but i have incredibly fair skin and sometimes it all just gets a bit too much for me! With this in mind, i thought i would put together my first winter wish list, which includes knitwear!

1. New Look - Grey Large Spot Jacquard Jumper - £19.99

2. New Look - Hogwarts Jumper - £22.99

3. Topshop - Clean Rib Sweater, Light Blue - £38.00

4. Topshop - Necklace Jumper - £46.00

5. H & M - Jacquard-knit Jumper - £24.99

6. MINGALondon - Mean Girls Jumper - £19.50

Jess x

Sunday Pamper Session

After a busy week and weekend i like to have a Sunday pamper session for an hour or so before my busy week of working starts again. I pretty much do this every Sunday it it makes me feel so relaxed before bed and i normally sleep better!

I like to start off by getting myself a pint of cold water, picking my book which I'm currently reading, grabbing my phone (to normally keep up to date on blogs and tutorials.. whilst in the bath.. dangerous i know!) I then pick my favourite Yankee candle, this evening i decided to go for 'red velvet' which as you can imagine smells amazing!

I then choose  my bath products tonight i chose two products from lush to make my bath a bit more exciting,  i went for 'the comforter' bubble bar and  broke a bit of this up and crumbled under the running water, once my bath is deep i throw in a 'butterball' bath bomb, my skin was feeling particularly dry and the main ingredient of this bath bomb is cocoa butter so thought this would be a lovely treat for my dry skin and also i love the smell!

Whilst my bath is running i take off my eye make up with simple wipes, cleanse my face with the Liz Earle cleanse and polish and then apply the Liz Earle deep cleansing mask and then jump in the bath and relax!

I then like to scrub my whole body with the Rub Rub Rub scrub by Lush (click for review) i love this scrub and it really makes my skin feel great!

Once i have been in the bath for a while and turned into a wrinkly old prune i jump out, dry off and then remove the deep cleansing mask (at this point i can't move my face it's so tight) i remove this with the Liz Earle sponges and hot water, i then carry on with my daily face routine and tone and moisturise like everyone should!

If i have decided to use a scrub i then moisturise my whole body, I don't always do this step because sometimes the bath bomb i choose from lush is so nourishing that i find i don't need a moisturise. However tonight i decided too..  I've been using the righteous butter from Soap & Glory that the lovely Style Sunrise recommended me to use & i love it, so thank you! 

I then wack on my favourite Pj's and head to bed with clean sheets, a fluffy blanket, a cuppa tea and have a cheeky pinning session on pinterest! Perfection!

What's your Sunday routine? 

Jess x 

Alice Vs Charlie

I'm a HUGE fan of afternoon tea, when i say huge i mean I'm obese from the amount of times I've been recently! I literally love everything to do with it, it's such a great British tradition.. I have now experienced two amazing themed afternoon tea's in London and wanted to review them both. Even though i went a while ago, i really wanted to do a blog post on these!

Tumble down the rabbit hole..

For my birthday last year, my loveliest friend treated me to the Alice In Wonderland afternoon tea at the Sanderson Hotel, which is a short walk from the Oxford Circus tube station. If you read my blog or your my buddy, you would of realised by now that Disney is one of my favourite things... and Afternoon tea is an obvious second..so this was the perfect birthday present!

The menu was hidden inside a vintage book which was presented by the well dressed waiters. We first had to have the hard choice of choosing between 4 different teas! I went for the Strawberries and Creme, which as you can imagine was as delicious as it sounds! It had real chunks of fruit which came out whilst pouring!

You are then presented with your afternoon tea, stacked high of gorgeous cakes, sandwiches and  even a 'drink me' potion. It's safe to say we didn't shrink.. but maybe grew in size slightly from all the yummy goodies!

 

The cake stand included rolled sandwiches filled with ham and mustard on sun dried tomato bread, cucumber and chive cream cheese on spinach bread, cold smoked salmon and lemon butter on dark rye break and also egg mayonnaise with watercress and smoked sea salt on lemon bread... i feel like I'm going to say delicious a lot in the post, but they really did taste delicious! So deal with it..  The sweet section was my favourite, starting from the top they had tiny meringue carrots hidden within the bed of pea shoot.. this was so much fun because you had to look through the pea shoots to find the carrots hiding! Homemade strawberries and cream mushrooms, the traditional tick tock Victoria sponge (which was my fave!) melting mango cheesecake (which exploded once you hit the middle layer!) a tiny tea cup made of chocolate which fitted them the extremely well filled with yummy green tea mousse! And then obviously the standard scones with fruit preserves and clotted cream! Pheewwww.. that was a long list! Sorry to bore!

Overall i would say it was a great experience except.. we did feel slightly rushed and also they kept forgetting to bring us stuff that we had asked for! For a 5* hotel they hadn't kept recorded that i was allergic to fish and i had to tell them again. which was a little disappointing! But non the less, it was a great day and enjoyed by both of us.. This afternoon tea is £38.00 per person or with a glass of bubbly £48.00! 

Everything in this room is edible.. 

This year as it was her birthday i decided to return the favour, we went to the Charlie and The Chocolate Factory themed afternoon tea at the One Aldwych which is near Covent Garden. It's the same sort of set up.. Choose your tea and then your cake stand is presented, however this time we decided to go for the smoking Charlie cocktail! This was whisky mixed with cherry liquor, grapefruit juice, chocolate bitters and topped with champagne! At first we thought rank as i hate whisky, however we went for it.. It was incredible, it smoked the entire duration of our tea and really just added to the experience! If your going, i wouldn't be put of by the whisky! It tasted incredible and you got a fair few glasses out of it.

Dalmore whisky mixed with Grand Marnier Cherry, chocolate bitters, grapefruit juice and cherry syrup. Topped with Champagne. - See more at: http://www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/afternoon-tea/afternoon-tea-menu/afternoon-tea-menu#sthash.s5wvJ1J3.dpuf

Dalmore whisky mixed with Grand Marnier Cherry, chocolate bitters, grapefruit juice and cherry syrup. Topped with Champagne. - See more at: http://www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/afternoon-tea/afternoon-tea-menu/afternoon-tea-menu#sthash.s5wvJ1J3.dpuf

The sandwiches and quiches were actually presented first, then the sweet section second. I kind of preferred it this way as you could take your time and not get too over whelmed with what was on your plate! These included - smoked salmon and herb sandwiches, egg mayonnaise and watercress, roast beef and mustard, tomato tart and leek and Stilton quiche! They where very similar to the Alice tea and just as delicious! Then the sweet section came.. 

This included... homemade candyfloss which has the most amazing flavour however i don't want to give it away because it was such a great surprise! Golden eggs filled with vanilla cheesecake and mango, Eton mess, lime, coconut and white chocolate pops, blueberry brioche, cocoa bean financier (which was one of my favourite bits of the whole things, they where tiny warm gooey chocolate cakes in the shape of cocoa beans!) and warm scones with jam and cream!

It all tasted amazing, the service was great and they even wrote happy birthday on a desert plate for my friend.. this was £34.50 per person or £45.00 including the smoking cocktail! 

Have you been for a themed tea? Let me know what you thought and any recommendations!

Jess x

Golden chocolate egg filled with vanilla cheesecake and mango
Chocolate caramel milk
Eton mess
Homemade candyfloss
Lime, coconut and white chocolate pops
Blueberry brioche
Cocoa bean financier
Warm scones served with summer berry jam, apple and meadowsweet compote, Devonshire clotted cream - See more at: http://www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/afternoon-tea/afternoon-tea-menu/afternoon-tea-menu#sthash.qidpLqPY.dpuf

Golden chocolate egg filled with vanilla cheesecake and mango
Chocolate caramel milk
Eton mess
Homemade candyfloss
Lime, coconut and white chocolate pops
Blueberry brioche
Cocoa bean financier
Warm scones served with summer berry jam, apple and meadowsweet compote, Devonshire clotted cream - See more at: http://www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/afternoon-tea/afternoon-tea-menu/afternoon-tea-menu#sthash.qidpLqPY.dpuf

Smoked salmon and herb crème fraîche
Egg mayonnaise with watercress
Roast beef and grain mustard mayonnaise
Heritage tomato tart
Leek and Stilton quiche - See more at: http://www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/afternoon-tea/afternoon-tea-menu/afternoon-tea-menu#sthash.qidpLqPY.dpuf

Smoked salmon and herb crème fraîche
Egg mayonnaise with watercress
Roast beef and grain mustard mayonnaise
Heritage tomato tart
Leek and Stilton quiche - See more at: http://www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/afternoon-tea/afternoon-tea-menu/afternoon-tea-menu#sthash.qidpLqPY.dpuf

Currently I Am..

Watching..

I'm a bit of a series whore and have been through all the biggies (Breaking Bad, AHS and the Walking Dead.. Etc Etc) some of them I've finished and some I've abandoned half way through. I have such a bad attention span and really have to love something to see it through or alternatively sometimes i watch something so much i get bored and can never return (Dexter... Gossip Girl.. Vampire Diaries.. ahem)! Me and my colleague at work have just found Sons of Anarchy.. and oh my i am hooked.. I'm not sure if it's Charlie Hunnams amazingly good looks or all the bad boy action.. but i am completely 100% addicted (and obviously in love with his beautiful face/muscles) I highly recommend this.. however you do have to not mind blood and violence as it's pretty graphic! I'm nearly on series 2 and I've head amazing things!

Thinking..

Lately I've been thinking, maybe I'm not good at this blogging thing.. and i don't have enough motivation to do it. I decided to buy a few stationary treats so i can plan better.. and then i thought, i shouldn't care what people think. If they like it they can carry on reading and if they don't.. see yaaa!!

Eating..

A LOT of bad food including McDonalds, Chinese, Pizza and Indian!!! I've put on so much weight and I'm running a 5k in a month, which is never going to go well if i carry on the way i am. This week though I've finally found some motivation and I'm feeling great! Lets just hope this lasts.. below image is pretty much the story of my life..

Listening

I have Royal Bloods new album on repeat.. been listening to it in the morning, evening and in the gym!! After seeing them at the Tunbridge Wells Forum last year i couldn't wait for the album to come out! I highly recommend going to see them, they put on an amazing show! (even if they did have to stop their set to kick a dickhead out of the venue)

Spending

I'm sure your supposed to answer this question with money.. but I've actually spent way too much time worrying lately!  Sorry to bring a downer to this post, but i really feel like i have to learn when to stop worrying. I drive people mad by asking them the same question over and over! Even if somethings happened and there is literally nothing i can do  to change the outcome i will worry about it until it makes me go a tad crazy! Sometimes i feel really bothered by other peoples opinions however over the past week I've started to try and let things go.. and i already feel better.. worry less and live my life!

Wishing..

Forever wishing it was still summer and i was still in Disneyland with my bestie! But if we always lived in the past we would never get anything done! I'm also wishing i had more money so i could finally move out of the family home and purchase my own pad! Oh... and also for a urban decay naked palette!

Thanking..

My lovely boyfriend who puts up with me even when I'm in the worst moods, he can be a pain in the arse too! But he is one of the nicest people i know and I'm so grateful he's in my life... cringe!!

Jess x

FAVOURITES | August

 Heya!

Welcome to my August favourites! After starting this blog a few months back i really have been going product mad, i can't seem to control myself.. I doesn't matter if i'm in boots or tesco i will always manage to find something i've been wanting to try out! So below is my first ever favourites post.. I hope you enjoy! 

Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturiser Essential Moisture 
I'd seen this product floating around on a few blogs and people raving about it. As I'm quite lazy with moisturiser application i thought this would be perfect. I decided to go for the Cocoa Radiant, as cocoa butter is one of my favourite ingredients, it just makes your skin so soft! I have been using this product for about a month and it's left my pins in average condition, i would say its not a very thick moisturiser so probably perfect for people who don't have ridiculously dry skin like myself. I think the novelty of this product is the fact you can just spray it and go, however i do love that i can spray this on my back and not have to awkwardly dance around my room trying to rub it in! I would say this product also runs out very quickly. It was £3.99 from boots for a 190ml bottle.I would probably re purchase this again, but for emergency uses or weekends away when i don't want to take my massive soap and glory tub!

Hard Candy, Baked Blush Honeymoon
I featured this baked blush in my everyday make up routine and have been wearing it almost every day for the past month. I love the way it reflects the light and gives me more of a natural glow then a heavy blush. It's perfect for the summer and I've had so many compliments on the colour. I actually purchased this in America from Walmart for about $7 which is an absolute bargain, i linked it to an eBay seller above as I'm not sure where else you can purchase this blush in the UK. 


Seche Vita Professional Top Coat
I purchased this on recommendation through a friend,  i had been complaining that my nail varnish had been chipping and going gloopy. She suggested i gave this a go, as it was recommended to her by her beautician. I'm so glad i did, i ordered it from Amazon and have been testing it throughout the duration of August. I type all day at my office job and so far it really has incredibly chip resistant! I love the shine that it gives to the polish and also the fact is dries your nails quickly!

eos Smooth Sphere Lip Balm, Blueberry Acai 
This is the second eos balm i have actually purchased, i originally bought the pomegranate and raspberry from ebay last year, i paid quite a bit for it as i know they are shipped over from America. So when i went to America this year i jumped at the chance to buy myself another, especially as they where only about $3 which is a bargain! I went for blueberry as this is one of my favourite fruits and they are filled with antioxidants! Its a really rich balm, but the blueberry makes it refreshing and lovely to wear!

Palmer's CoCoa Butter Formula 
Last but not least is this concentrated cream which claims it softens and relives rough dry skin for hands, elbows, knees and feet! I've recently started swimming again and have found the chlorine has made all these areas very dry! I also like to have a tube of hand cream on my desk during the winter. I love the fact this cream is concentrated, as you don't have to use a lot but its super moisturising and has the most gorgeous cocoa butter smell! I highly recommend this if like me you a forever moisturising your hands! I picked this 60g tube up from tesco for 89p! which was great, however i think it was on special so the above link will show a slightly higher price!

Let me know what your August Favourites are? 

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