NYX Haul

So last month I went to the NEC Beauty Convention in Birmingham with the beauty herself that is Lauren (www.porcelainqueen1.blogspot.co.uk) Lauren and I have become solid friends since we stared blogging and when ever we get together I know a serious amount of money gets spent. She's terrible! Always persuading me to buy way more than I should!

So one of the main reasons we went was because NYX were there and offering some pretty good discounts and considering they're not that easy to get hold of, we took advantage! Well Lauren certainly did!! Haha!

So I knew I wanted some of the NYX Lip Butters, so I opted for Vanilla Cream Pie which is a creamy rose pink, Creme Brulee which is more of a nude rose and Merengue Merengue which is a vibrant pink. The consistency of these is amazing. They are super creamy and smell divine. They aren't sticky at all and really moisturise my lips. 

My next purchase was the NYX Photo-Loving Primer in Anti-Redness, I'd heard quite good things about the NYX primers so I thought I'd try this one. The consistency is a bit like the Benefit Porefessional but green! haha. It seems to work though as I've noticed since using it, my redness hasn't come through as much and I've not noticed it through my foundation!

From left to right: NYX Jumbo Pencil in Yogurt, NYX Retractable Eyeliner in Silky Cashmere

Finally I caved into 2 eye products. The NYX Jumbo Pencil in Yogurt and the NYX Retractable Eyeliner in Silky Cashmere. I love the NYX Jumbo Pencil I wish I'd got more but I'd already gone over budget! Next time I'm going to get a few Jumbo Pencils as they work really well as an eye shadow base or just an eye shadow itself. 

So that's all I bought from NYX and I have to say I'm really impressed with this make up brand. It's not too expensive, it's actually really affordable and good quality. I'm excited to try more products in this range!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts on NYX Cosmetics in general?

As always, It's been a pleasure.

Char

xXx

Review | Rimmel Kate Scandaleyes Rockin' Curves Mascara

Recently I caved into buying the new Rimmel Kate Scandaleyes Rockin' Curves Mascara. Those who know me, know I'm a sucker for a good mascara. Not only that I feel it's my life mission to find the holy grail mascara!

Unfortunately, this isn't it. The cons out way the pro's on this one and I'm gutted for Rimmel as I think they've really stepped up their game in the last few years. 

So lets start with the positive points; I do like the way it curls my lashes, and I feel it separates and coats them well. I also quite like the broken hearted wand, it takes a little getting used to but because of the shape, it can get into all the nooks and crannies.

However, these positives soon turn into negatives. I chose the colour Sapphire Blue, which as you can see (or not!) does not show. At all! I remember years ago, you could get all sorts of coloured mascara and the colour really came through. I thought this would be the same? I almost thought it would turn into a new 'faze' where black lashes were so last year. How wrong I was...

I also wasn't very happy when the silver coating on the mascara crumbled off! The whole of the top of the lid is pretty much black now, which really makes this look cheap and nasty! You can see from the image above that a few little flecks had come off even before I took the photo.

I found the formulation to be quite drying and not wet enough. It took several coats of mascara to get the look below and I had to curl my lashes before hand. Which you may think is cheating, however this formulation and brush just didn't curl at all, so I had to help myself out and curl these bad boys.

I paid £7.49 for this mascara and in all honestly, I'm quite disappointed and certainly won't be repurchasing. I feel you can get cheaper mascaras that do a way better job, like Maybelinne The Falsies. Which will always be one of my favourites.

So that's my personal view on this mascara, however you may have an alternative? Let me know down in the comments or just let me know your thoughts based on my review. I always love to know what you guys think and perhaps you could recommend another mascara I should try?

As always lovelies, It's been a pleasure!

Char

xXx

MAC Crew Highlighter Review

I recently went a little cosmetic crazy and decided to purchase nearly everything that caught my attention. I know, I'm so bad. Whilst doing so, I stumbled upon the site Cohorted, this site is quite unique as it allows you to buy products at much cheaper prices than you'd find in retail stores - however once the stock is gone, it's gone. With this in mind, I requested the cohort on the MAC Crew Highlighter from MAC's Hey Sailor Collection, it was just so pretty and unusual looking I had to have it!

I was close to tears when I swirled my brush in the pan as I didn't want the pattern to smudge, however I can safely say that it was well worth it. The pigment that swept across my cheek bone was so unique and beautiful that I could have kept going until I was a shining beacon of light! The best way to describe it, is a pearlescent peachy pink - there is a touch of shimmer on the base, however when mixed together it creates this beautiful highlight that really emphasises your cheekbones. Not only that, I think if you built this up it'd be quite a beautiful blush - subtle yet you know it's there. A bit like a blush mineralise skin finish from MAC, just a lot less shimmer.

What are you're thoughts on this? I think it's so beautiful and unusual that it will most definitely be kept on show. Have you bought anything from cohorted that I should know about? Let me know down in the comments. You can find me in the following places; twitter, instagram and bloglovin.

As always guys, it's been a pleasure!

Char

xXx

Afternoon Tea at The George in Stamford

So on Saturday I took my lovely Mum to The George in Stamford for Afternoon Tea. This was her mothers day treat and By George (see what I did there!) was this a treat and a half! This post will be quite picture heavy, which will make nice change from my usual waffling...

So quaint x

I was so relieved it turned out to be a beautiful sunny day because in the morning it looked a bit groggy! It takes us normally about 45 minutes to get to the beautiful town of Stamford, however because my Sat-Nav decided to have a hissy fit it took us a bit longer. Should have listened to my Mum but oh well, I was the driver! Haha. Anyone else get like that?

These houses were so cute, I wanted one!

Some of the cute window displays

I wanted pretty much everything in here!

Cinderella shall go to the Ball!

Found these little gems in a Deli here, these tasted SO good!!

So now on to the main event - The George. This is our most treasured restaurant and hotel to go to as a family. We've been fortunate enough to stay in some of the best hotels around, however this holds a special place in our hearts as it's somewhere the family have been coming for decades! Every Birthday or special event we come here, and I can honestly say the service hasn't changed since the very first time we visited.

The hotel and grounds are stunning, very well maintained and a pleasure to walk around. I've seen numerous wedding marques here over the years and this venue is certainly on top of my list whenever Luke decides to pop the question...7 years is far too long don't you think?!

Exterior

Real Log Fire - Adds that extra bit of character and charm to the Hotel.

I love all the attention to detail; mixing old and new styles together.

The Afternoon Tea Menu

Mother - |Posing!

Because it was a treat for Mothers Day I told my mum that she had to have the option with the Champagne, of which she didn't dispute. Quel Suprise.

I don't think words can actually describe how good this was! Needless to say my Mum was seriously impressed and started making inappropriate noises when devouring the sandwiches. Highly embarrassing. However I would have to agree that every mouthful was a delight and tasted fabulous.

The sandwiches were seriously mouthwatering. My favorite were the egg mayonnaise and the cucumber and cream cheese. I could have happily devoured another plateful! I liked the fact every sandwich was different not just in taste, but in texture too. You had soft white bread, brown bread and a dark rye bread. Of which they all tasted heavenly. 

The middle section of cakes was incredible, as you all well know - I have a terrible sweet tooth. The first pudding that caught my eye was the bakewell tart. This was quite possibly the best I've ever tasted. The sponge was lovely and moist, the cherry really came through and I loved the almond crust on top. I wouldn't change a thing. The strawberry tart was a mouthwatering delight. So fresh, sweet and gone in pretty much one bite! Finally was the carrot cake, I do love a good carrot cake and this was super yummy, the only thing I'd change is a little less cinnamon and a little more cream frosting.

Finally, the pièce de résistance - The Scones, served with clotted cream and home made strawberry preserve. A-MAZ-ZING. They were warm, soft and oh so delicious. I would however like to be given an option between fruit scones and plain scones..however if that's the only fault, then I'm not complaining!  

As you can see Mum and I did a pretty good job of stuffing our faces with hands down the best Afternoon Tea we've ever had.

On a side note, always ask for a box to take away any cakes you don't manage to eat. They've got them on standby as I think it's a regular request!

Well goodbye for now The George and no doubt the Thompson family will be back soon! 

Mother and I xxx

I hope you enjoyed this little foodie review, and rest assured if you visit Stamford, this is somewhere to certainly visit! Their lunch and dinner menu's in both the Garden  Room and Oak Paneled Room are magnificent and will not disappoint.

If you fancy keeping up to date with my whereabouts and what I'm up to, follow me on Twitter, Instagram & Bloglovin.

As always guys, It's been a pleasure!

Char

xXx

New BarryM Gelly Polishes | Pastels

So, I've been on a bit of a roll this weekend with my blog posts, however whilst I went to pick up some Sushi last night for dinner (I know random!) I popped into good old Tesco and stumbled across the new BarryM Polishes. 

Left to Right: Huckleburry, Rose Hip, Sugar Apple

Tesco actually had quite a good offer on, hence why I got 3 instead of 1. Not that I need an excuse to splurge as clearly I have no self control as of late. 

The offer was 3 for 2 across the BarryM range, but then I noticed there was another offer running on the new colours for 2 for £6? So I didn't say anything, instead stuffed 3 in the basket and hurried to the checkout! They normally are £3.99 each and I got 3 for £6...you do the math. I think someones labelled them wrong but oh well!! 

Muahahaha.

Left to Right: Huckleburry, Rose Hip, Sugar Apple

These really are stunning and bang on trend. I absolutely love these colours and, if you feel like it - you can mix them by having a different colour on your index finger! 

If you haven't tried the Gelly range yet, then I strongly suggest you get your mitts on them. It's a mix between a standard polish and the finish of shellac / gelish manicure. It lasts longer than a standard polish and is a thicker formulation.

Anyhoo this wasn't really planned so I thought, what better way to update you on my severe lack of control than a blog post! 

Have you tried any of these? What's your favourite colour?

So guys, I hope you've enjoyed it, and I shall be posting the second instalment of What have I Been Reaching For In (insert month) in the next couple days. 

Follow me on Bloglovin, Twitter @charlie-teee, Instagram @charlottelouisethompson89

It's been a pleasure, as always, 

Char

xXx

M.U.A Eye Shadow Trio: Chocolate Box

Okay, so I thought I'd write a quick blog on something I picked up from Superdrug yesterday. 

I've heard a lot of Beauty bloggers rave about this brand so I thought I'd take up the opportunity to try it out when I came across it. 

Needless to say, I was impressed.

MUA Eyeshadow Trio: Chocolate Box

The Formula : 

This is what I was impressed with the most, it is so pigmented. 

I literally just rubbed my fingers over the shadow and the below picture shows you the amount that came off.

I now want to purchase the remaining 6 shades as they are just amazing! 

Chocolate Box: 3 Shades with slight shimmer

The Price:

Are you sitting down?

At £2.50 (Yes, you read that correctly) I seriously could not believe it. For the price, you are essentially getting 3 eye shadows for the price of one. This will last you ages as you only need a small amount to sweep across your lid. My particular favourites of this trio were the amber & copper shades as these two blended so nicely together which gave me a really flattering look. They look great on their own too, so this makes them perfect for any budding beauty fan.

MUA don't actually give names to their shadows, they give them numbers.
So I made up some names :) From Top to Bottom: Amber, Copper, Chocolate Shimmer.

Cons:

There isn't anything specifically wrong with this product as everything goes in its favor; price, formula, packaging etc... However I'm not the biggest fan of shimmery eye shadows, so if MUA are listening (or perhaps reading...) How about you do some matte trio shadows? If there are some out there - Someone please point me in the right direction!

 Just a quick look, nothing special - Amber & Copper

In Conclusion:

  

Fill your boots people!!!!

PURCHASE

-

I hope you've enjoyed my little blog post on MUA and I hope it has urged some of you to go and try this gem of a makeup brand.

Have any of you tried MUA? If so, what do you recommend?

As always guys, It's been a pleasure.

Char

xXx

What Have I Been Reaching For In January?

So after a busy week of working and travelling, I decided to write about what I've been reaching for the most this month. I think I'm going to continue this series as a sort of monthly favourites. Let me know down in the comments what you think - also what beauty products you've been reaching for :)

So as a quick over view the products that I have been obsessing over are the following; MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Rio (£22), MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow in Love Connection (£17), MAC Matte Lipstick in Pink Plaid (£15), Natural Connection Lipstick Moisture Shine in Rose Bud (£1.99), YSL Shocking Mascara (£22) and finally the much talked about Bioderma for sensitive skin (£9.99).
I know what you're thinking...that's a lot of MAC.

With this month being particularly bitter, my face has taken offence!
I decided that a nice rosy glow would definitely blast away any dullness. I especially love Mac's Mineralize Skinfinish in Rio, this is a beautiful rose gold colour which has a spectacular shimmer to it. I only use a dab of this on my cheeks to give me that dewy look. As with all Mac Mineralize pressed powders, a little goes a hell of a long way. You do not want to be a shining beacon of light! It's not pleasant. 

I use the 'highlighter' side of my Love Connection Eye Shadow to emphasize the tops of my cheekbones, but as mentioned above, only a dab! This creates a really stunning flawless look and makes your skin look amaze-balls (Yes, that is a word..kind of!)  

From Top to Bottom; 'Love Connection' Highlighter, 'Love Connection' Gold Shimmer, 'Rio' Skinfinish

The next items on my list are my favourite lipsticks, these colours are seriously so beautiful the camera does not do them justice. They are warm pinks, so you can wear them during the day with a more natural look or at night with a sexy smoky eye and a pop of gloss. Girls, you can not go wrong.

Top; Natural Collection Rose Bud. Bottom; MAC Pink Plaid

Okay so everyone knows about Bioderma - if not where have you been?! I won't go on about it too much. Basically all you need to know is, it's fab! It's a 2 in 1 product; a cleanser and make up remover.  It's super gentle on your skin and does not leave you feeling oily or dry. A serious must have for any avid beauty fan - I defy you not to like it!

I even like the bottle...is that wrong?

Finally, my luxury item. YSL seriously know what they're talking about when it comes to mascara and this does exactly what it says on the tin. Your eyelashes look so good, they're shocking...see what I did there? I know this is pricy, however if you're looking to splurge on an item I would recommend this. It not only lengthens your lashes, it curls them too in it's rich formulation. This holds the curl, defines each lash AND lengthens them. What more do you want I ask?! 

LOVE IT. 

On a closing note, I hope you've enjoyed the first instalment of 'What have I been reaching for?' Now I tag all of you to let me know what you've been reaching for! I'm dead nosy and love to know what everyones favourites items are each month. 

 As always guys and gals, it's been a pleasure. 

Char xXx

                                                                   

Laura Mercier Colour-To-Go Portable Palette in Smoky Violet for Eyes, Cheeks & Lips

I don't know about you, but anytime I hear the Laura Mercier name mentioned, my ears prick up and my heart starts to race. There is just something about this brand that makes me loiter around the Laura Mercier counter and demand to try out pretty much every product. It has become my new make up addiction (in case you hadn't realised!)

I had my eye on this for a while, so when it came to people asking me what I wanted for Christmas, this was one of the items at the top of my list. It's not too expensive either for a LM product, I believe it's about £31.00 but difficult to get your hands on at the moment! This is so useful, as I can take this out with me on a night out, I can use it in the day, throw it in my handbag so I can attempt to look glamorous whilst at work or on the go. This palette really has a lot going for it.

There are two levels to the palette; The top layer is pretty much all about the eyes (minus the lip gloss - obviously!) You have a trio of eye shadows, which include a highlighter, midtone and definer shades in Plum Smoke (Matte), Violet Steel (Luster) and finally a Tightline Cake Eye Liner (Violet Asphalt). The pigments of the 3 shadows are fantastic - a little goes a long way! The colours really blend well together and you don't just have to use this for a smoky eye. I didn't the first time I used it and got no end of compliments, as it also provides you with a natural look too, so long as you don't go too heavy with the violets.  Just a little tip would be to wet your brush (I use the mac 266 small angle brush) to bring out the pigment on the liner a bit or alternatively a new blogger friend recommended the Illamasqua Sealing Gel which, I'm assured will bring out the pigment even more. 

The bottom layer of this palette is all about the cheeks and lips.You have a bronzing powder in Golden Bronze which does have a shimmer to it (sorry matte lovers!) and a rose gold coloured blush in Barely Pink. This is also where the lip gloss is tucked away; it's a mini version of the LM Lip Glace in the colour After Hours. Its a peachy nude lipgloss with a slight shimmer to it, LM glosses always smell delicious, this particular one smells of vanilla. It provides enough coverage on the lips as is or over a matte lipstick. If you're after a lip gloss that you can wear anytime of day, this is it.

The palette is small in size, no bigger than 10cm in length and has a full sized mirror built into the top lid. So as far as i'm concerned this product does no wrong. The only thing I would say, is that it's missing a section for it's Secret Concealer which seriously is amazing guys...I'll be doing another blog post on that in the near future. 

Anyway, for now I hope I've given you some insight into one of the wonders of my make-up bag. It was a pleasure, as always. 

Char xx