The Classic Red

Who among you remembers Lipcote? I dabbled in it while in middle school, I remember it tasting horrible, being drying and for the most part, not making that much difference to the longevity of my lip colour.
Superdrug recently sent it to me, the reformulated version, I had to take it through its paces and report back on how I got on. As you've probably gathered by now, the majority of the products Superdrug sends me are featured exclusively on the Superdrug Loves blog, but when I tweeted about my using it, a few of you were interested on how it fared in this modern day.

Lipcote is one of those things that I associate with the older generation, I don't know why - maybe it's the original scent - but for one reason or another I don't associate with the younger market.

I went bold, trying it on a bright red lip; I followed Lipcote's steps to getting the perfect application, and was pretty impressed with the finished product.

Lip balm, line, blend liner, lipstick.

Lipcote!

It's easy to apply, it comes with a brush applicator attached to the lid to dip in the liquid. It has a very harsh scent, almost purely alcohol - no longer associated with the older generation! - which isn't the most pleasant thing to have to apply to your lips first thing in the morning.
It creates a dull shine, not a gloss, not matte, but somewhere in the middle.

In terms of drying, while it's fine on the bulk of the lip, I did feel it drying out in the corners, whether this is from my own problems I get with soreness to the sides of my mouth, I don't know - but I could definitely feel it drying out, and creating a slight sting when initially applied.

If you hop over to my Superdrug post on Lipcote you can see the full affects of wear throughout a day with bright red lips, but for the most part, it did a pretty good job.
It was only affected when eating, and that was a sandwich, if you're not using your mouth so harshly (i.e. using cutlery) it stands up pretty well, only fading in the centre.

Nothing a quick touch up won't fix!

So, it works with stark colours, but when I tried it with MAC's Creme Cup, it didn't manage so well. I don't know whether it was the consistency of the lipstick or the shade, but either way, it managed to create a rubbed affect on my lips, leading to bits of colour peeling off straight away.

While I would definitely recommend it for those of you who are brave enough to sport a daring bright lip every day, it isn't for those among us who stick to the safe pinks with a couple of different tones in them.

Do any of you still use Lipcote?

Happy Lipcoting!

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Sea Kelp; The final verdict

I'm guessing the majority of who are wondering why the hell I'm bringing up sea kelp on a beauty blog. I wouldn't blame you if you were.
A couple of months back at the Aussie to the Rescue party, the make up artist said she had been taking this supplement in order to make her hair grow and thicken it up a bit. With the exact same 'dream' I jumped on board, making my second ever visit into Holland & Barrett.
For around £3 I got myself 250 tablets, with the ambition to take three every single day for at least a month.

For the first few weeks I was on it, 3 every single day, at varying points and with meals if possible. Keeping them in my handbag meant I remembered to do it when I was out. At the 3 week mark, standards did slip and once I realised I began just taking 3 at a time - at least I was getting the goodness right? - they're not sugar coated, but unless they're on your tongue for a prolonged period, you never taste them. Plus.


As I said my wish with these was for my hair to magically thicken up and I could have the luscious locks I'd always dreamed of. Maybe I was a little ambitious there.
In all honesty I haven't seen the slightest bit of difference in my hair's condition, thickness, growth rate, anything to do with that.

However, at least I've had some results. Without realising, my neglected nails have had a growth spurt! They are stronger and longer than ever and rarely break, which is common ground for me. The sea kelp has put itself to good use there, which is why I've continued to take them after the fail in the hair department.

Sea kelp is "the best natural source of the mineral iodine..." "...which plays a role in growth, development and the metabolic rate."
Just what I've always wanted..!

I've seen a few sea kelpers on Twitter recently, let me know if you've jumped on this bandwagon and what your results have been.

Did you know sea kelp was such a beauty genius?

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5 Good things; by a fresher.

The majority of you know that I'm just starting University. I'm in the beginning of freshers week, so for that reason the majority of my 'good things' are probably going to be uni themed...

1) Getting a whole new room. I've lived in the same house my entire life, so having the opportunity to 'decorate' my new room was a highlight of the move.


2) Taking advantage of being a fresher. Drinks are ridiculously cheap, freebies are available at pretty much every opportunity and I've got more discount vouchers than can fit in my purse.
On the flip side, taxi drivers seem to want to charge extortionate prices because they know we're new in town.

3) Rice. If you're on Twitter, you'll know my iPhone took a dip into a glass of wine on Thursday night. The Internet told me to leave it in a jar of rice for 3 days. This is what I did, along with being mocked from my new housemates, but... It worked!
I mustn't get too excited as I've heard a few tales of them cutting out after a few days, but for now all is well in life.

4) Foam parties. I experienced my first foam party last night, it is going to be one of my favourite events, a must go whenever there is another.

5) The Twitterverse. I want to send the biggest thank you to everyone who wished me luck, gave me advice - anything, on my journey to uni. It really meant a lot to have support from everyone, is it wrong that everyone who tweeted me felt like my mother? Despite the majority being younger?!

Obviously I haven't been too active on Tumblr this week, but I tracked down a few pictures to end this post on :)

Girl crush ♥

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Red re-up; Revlon style.

I've gradually been channeling my reds, whether lips, nails, or both, it's come to my attention that I can pull it off - the latest addition was courtesy of Revlon.
A couple of weeks back, Perfectly Polished advertised the chance to get my hands on one of the 'it' colours of the season, courtesy of Grazia. I happened to catch the post just as it went up - making me one of the lucky 100 people to receive it.

I've dabbled with matte finishes, but for me, it never really took off.
This is a matte finish in essence, but because of the shimmer running through it, it isn't as flat as most mattes turned out to be for my good self.
Easy application, along with good wear - as in actual wear, not huge chunks chipping off the edge of the nails - made for a new favourite in my collection.
Teamed with Michaela's gift of nail stickers - this is how it was sported;


If you're looking for the opportunity to get your hands on the new Revlon shade, Perfectly Polished is holding her own giveaway, offering you the chance to have your nails fit in this season - hurry, you've only got one more day to enter!

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Vichy Normaderm

The Vichy brand is only something I've become familiar with through blogging. I recently saw the stand in Boots, along with some magazine adverts, so obviously it's on the up!
I've used Vichy products before, and was generally impressed so I knew I was in safe hands when they contacted me again, asking for my opinions on their newest product.

The newest product to be added to their line up is the Vichy Normaderm Tri - Activ Hydracare moisturiser.

With a hefty £11.50 price tag, I was looking for something to set it aside from every other product on the market. I've been using this daily for just over a month, giving me good scope to share my opinion.

I use it both in the morning, and before bed, it has great benefits for both times of the day.
When applying it at night, the thickness of the product helps you feel that great moisturised feeling throughout the night, but in the morning, it absorbs into the skin in seconds, leaving a great base to immediately apply your make up over.

I found it left me with a real plumped up skin feel, it leaves a matte finish, similar to that of a primer, but you can feel the dewy texture working its way into the skin to keep dry skin at bay.

The Hydra Peel technology, combining three different acids works to keep blemishes, blackheads and large pores to a minimum.
I didn't see a difference to my pores and blackheads during using it, however I had noticeably less blemishes than usual - even during the hormonal week in which I usually get the brunt of the skins impurities making themselves known.

It comes in a clinical white tube, with an eye catching lime green lid. The best feature being the pump nozzle, always a feature I love, especially when it comes to moisturisers. It allows optimum control over the amount you get, and to me just seems that bit more hygienic.

I'd definitely recommend this to those of you looking for a great pre make up routine moisturiser.
I have to admit that the £11.50 price tag for just 50ml of product is a tad high, but for the finish it leaves your skin, it might just have to be the compromise you make.

Vichy is available in Boots and selected chemists nationwide.
Vichy will be popping up in 500 Boots stores & 65 pharmacies around the country to advise their customers on the best skin care regime to suit their skin type and problems. This will include application tips and seven golden rules to break the cycle of bad skin.

Will you be tracking down your nearest Vichy consultation?

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My week in 5

So, I blatantly missed doing a '5 Good Things' post last week, but I'm hoping I can make it a bit more regular, so if I don't manage to blog other things, you'll at least get this!

Let's just get straight into it;

1) Changes; I'm booking myself in for a slight change in the hair dept, I'm making the move of my life and I'm leaving behind everyone I know, to meet thousands of people I don't. So very daunting, but hopefully all for the best!

2) Lipstick; I am trialling the original best Lipcote for Superdrug, which has led to me channeling lip colours in more shades I normally wear in a month. We've had fire engine red, bitten red, pastel pink, barbie pink... Maybe I'm maturing.

3) Elle's 25th Anniversary issue; I got a discount subscription to Elle at London Fashion Week last year, the majority are only half read - but this has been read cover to cover and given me some real knowledge & inspiration.

4) Autumn; I know everyone raves about summer, but I happen to love this time of year. The leaves are beginning to fall & it means I can soon layer up my scarves and mittens for the colder North.


5) Fearne Cotton; to me she is the epitome of cool. 'Fearne and...' has just started again, she's back on Celebrity Juice & I'll hopefully be channelling her hair pretty soon... I really like her.


And, as always, we'll finish on a few favourites from the Tumblr-verse.

A still from the new season of Gossip Girl. It all looks so French & Chuck is looking particularly good this season. C'mon, you didn't really think they would kill him off did you?

This is Kendall Jenner, as in one of the littlest Kardashians, is that not bizarre? She is beautiful here.

xoxo
;)

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Buried Treasure

I recently cleared out my make up - again - with my 'face' drawer getting the wrath of my throw out session. I always have a play around with products before they reach the bin, one which didn't make it that far was the Dream Mousse Blush by Maybelline.
I've had this since last summer, when I attended the Maybelline event; it was part of the huge goody bag we were given.
I know germ phobes out there are probably recoiling that I've had this, used, for over a year. But if it's not breaking me out & smells normal - why bin it?


It blends incredibly well, you only need a couple of dabs onto the apples of the cheeks then blend it out, it stays on well, especially if you're wearing a foundation.
The only downsides are the fact that - especially on hot days - it manages to slip down the cheeks throughout the day. I've set it with a powder blush over the top which seems to keep it in its place, but why does anyone want to wear two blushes?


The shimmer factor is also a noticeable flaw, the majority of my blushes have some shimmer in, but I always find this being too noticeable with the Dream Mousse Blush, which is why I've never used the Shimmer Mousse, as it's just not natural enough to wear as a highlight.

In opposition to the Dream Matte Mousse, there are no issues with this drying out your skin, which I think was everyone's main complaint with the former product.

The Maybelline Dream Mousse range has recently been reformulated, so I'd be interested to see if they toned down the shimmer or added a hydrating finish to the Dream Matte Mousse. Because that is another great product on offer from Maybelline.

What are your opinions on the Dream Mousse range from Maybelline?

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The big move.

Two years ago, I would have been back in college by now, the beginning of the end of my teenage education.
I took a gap year, earned a bit, travelled a touch and now it's time for the next stage - University.

As of the 17th of October, I will once more be a student, only a real one this time. This is my moving date, packing up my life in a few boxes and settling into a new four walls for a year.

This will be the first time I've ever lived away from home, even been away from home for more than 3 weeks.
I'm a pretty independent person, so I have no worries about taking care of myself, and I'm really looking forward to having my own space, including what little 'sprucing' of the room I can manage.

This is really the only opportunity I have in my life to change. If you can't do it now, when can you? I'll be among thousands of people who have no idea who I am, and won't have the personal knowledge to question why I'm doing something differently - this is what I'm looking forward to.

I'll be continuing blogging, although I plan to fully throw myself into every aspect, so blogging may be a little sparse for a few weeks, but it's something I'm going to introduce to every new person I get to know - instead of keeping it as a secret, as is done with the majority of the people in my life right now.

So - this will explain why I'm likely to be absent towards the end of the month, I'll hopefully be able to slip in a few blogs, and of course, with my trusty iPhone, Twitter is still a must.
But this is the point where I say good bye to life as I know it, and quite literally start on an entirely blank page.

Wish me luck!

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Hair Dilemma - Opinions Needed!

You all know me as a blonde, I have stayed this way for the majority of my life. I spent about half a year as a brunette, briefly preceded by accidental black, before realising I was a blonde and always will be.

Or will I?

Now that I've got my hair to the length I want it, I have become bored with the colour and I'm itching for a bit of a change.
My friend has recently channelled the 'dip dye' trend, with a head of Florence Welsch red, has brown ends, about half way up the length. I would love to have that daring gene, but I just don't think I do.

Instead I'm thinking of growing out the blonde and going eau naturale, embracing the half head of roots, a la Whitney Port, in the process. Or channelling her collegue with the sun kissed ends, apparently very now, at least that way I get bright blonde, which is pretty much my life.

So what do you think?

• Eau Naturale?
• Roots?
• Sun kissed ends?
• Or.. My usual all over blonde?

I'll leave you with some inspiration...

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Have You Heard About Samy Yet?

Months ago, I'm thinking March or thereabouts - I discovered Samy hair through watching an 'I'll believe that when I use it' video on Beauty & the Blog. It was taken from a home shopping channel and made some extremely thin hair, into some extremely volumised hair. I didn't need telling twice.
I went to Superdrug and picked up the product in question, Samy'sThickening Creme, along with the Thickening Spray as it was on offer.

The Creme has been a staple in my routine ever since I got it.
I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't heard of this, I've seen absolutely no promotion for it whatsoever, and while the bright red bottles are somewhat eye catching on Superdrug's isles, it didn't exactly scream at me when I was searching among the other black and white bottles.

It is, as suggested, a thick cream. You need no more than a pea size amount, rubbed between your palms then literally spruced at the roots of your hair. I don't really know how to describe the process, so I tracked down the original video.
If you're not interested in the oodles of speech, skip to the two minute mark for the demonstration.



Now I know shopping channels are pretty good at selling you stuff, and you can never really achieve what they do, but this product doesn't fall too short.
You're not going to get her amazing volume, but it is a great product.

Apart from leaving your hands sticky, it creates great lift that lasts if set with hairspray or further spruced throughout the day.

The bottle design is the fail though, unless you squeeze-with-ease from the middle (which is pretty pointless once you've used a lot of the product) then it's quite the task to get it out. The sturdy container verse the squeezer dispenser doesn't go hand in hand, which for me is the only thing letting it down.

I purchased this while on a 2 for £7 offer, which I've seen numerous times since, when not on offer it's floating around the £5 mark, along with the rest of the Samy range.

Next on my list is the Jooouge Hairspray, which smells like fake strawberries and offers lasting volume without any sticky hands or problem dispensers, let's hope I can add this to my list of Samy wonder products.

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Boots Photo Online

For those of you heading of to University in the coming months, I'm almost certain you're going to be decorating your walls with your favourite photos to remind you of home.
I for one will strategically placing girly frames around my room, so I will always have something there if I ever get the homesick feeling.

With digital cameras being the prime photo capturer today, a lot of the photos are rendered to a folder on the computer, rarely being looked at, that is why online photo developers are the place to go!

I was really impressed with Boots Photo Online, I placed my order yesterday morning, and it is with me today.
That's some speedy postage.

It comes with a print of every photo you ordered, in a sturdy envelope until you relocate them to their frame.


I only decided to tell you about this because Boots are currently offering 20% off your order, which is quite the substantial amount if you're ordering a wad of photos.

All you need to do is go to BootsPhoto.com use the uploader and enter 20BOOTSALL into the coupon code box upon checkout to get the discount. Prints start at 5p depending on what size you want, there's numerous gift choices as well if you want to prepare for Christmas. I'm definitely going to be placing an even bigger order before the discount code expires (7th September), just to get my moneys worth!

Do you print your photos off or leave them digital?

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