Monday Pause - Itty, bitty AW13 Haul

I always promised myself I wouldn't do a haul post... I thought, as much as I enjoy reading other people's hauls, it wasn't for me.

After a couple of weekends stuck at home, when Mr Candy said his friend was coming over to watch boxing I thought "Bugger it!" and headed into town.

I thought, whilst I was there, I might as well come back with something useful for Autumn/Winter 2013. For the first stop I made was to Primark...

Friday Favourites

It's FRIDAY! Thank goodness. Just another four hours till I am free and the weekend is all mine! I've been thinking over the last couple of days about blog posts and then, whilst rooting around in my bag, I'm always carrying something that could be of interest.

So plucked from the depths of my (very messy) Superdry bag are two items I've been carrying about for a while.

The first item I've been looking at is the Body Shop's Hemp Lip Conditioner. Their hemp range whilst amuses the teenager "That has a big weed leaf on it" side of me is actually designed for those with really dry skin.

Body Shop Hemp Lip Conditioner - £4

Body Shop Hemp Lip Conditioner - £4 - In its full glory!

This came as part of a set with one of their body butters (very moisturising but stinks), a massive tube of hand cream (I've barely made a dent into into entire 10 months I have owned it) and also a foot cream (which is actually very good, albeit in a teeny weeny pot that barely would cover my feet!).

First impressions are that it looks like any other lip balm; it's brown, green and grey and could easily be any number of lip balms. It also has a hemp leaf on it which makes me look slightly suspicious when bringing it out in public.

Scent wise, there is a vague smell there. Although I'm not keen on the scent on any of these products they do smell more like rope than anything illegal which is a bonus! Application is pretty standard and goes on well but, as it's for VERY dry skin I find it really greasy.

I've always struggled wearing lip balms. Like lip-gloss I feel like they just "sit" on my lips and don't do anything. This one is no different. I feel like I have rubbed olive oil or butter into my lips. They may be hydrated but I feel like I could fry an egg on them!

As this was part of a set I probably wouldn't have picked this up myself. I do suffer a bit with dry, flaky lips but I don't think my skin is anywhere dry enough for this to be functional. My two favourite lip balms at present are Carmex (Menthol or Cherry - £2.69 from Boots) and Soap & Glory’s Smooch Operator (Coconut and Mint! - £5 from Boots)

The cost of the set was £22 at the time and looking at the site now a similar set is available for £16 but without this lip balm... in fact I don't even think they sell it now. This probably makes this entire piece redundant but I'm sure that it's still sold somewhere in the world and in the stores :) The lip balm itself was £4.

The second item I’ve been dragging around with myself for a long time is Avon Cosmetics Far Away Bella. I’ve got this in a big bottle (still wrapped actually!), this travel size and also a body cream (again, unopened).

The other items haven’t been opened, not because I don’t like it, but actually because this travel size is lasting SO long. I use it almost every day as my “work” perfume and find that a couple of squirts throughout the day will suffice.

Avon's Far Away Bella - Eau Du Parfum - Travel Size - 100ml £13

Avon describes it on their website as “A free-spirited adventure awaits, with juicy Clementine from Italy and blooming magnolia flower from China, finished with intriguing Tonka bean from Brazil.”

Now, I don’t know much about perfume, but I know what I like. I love that it’s really floral and fruity without being to mature for me. The cost of it wasn't very expensive, just £8 for all three items but considering this I have been really impressed. In fact it’s only £6.50 now which makes it even better!

It’s a very summery scent so I’m not sure how well it will transition with me into the autumn season but in terms of being handy it’s great. I always get complimented on it and I love the ease of the size of the bottle. Even if I haven’t got as big a bag with me I can slot it into my sunglasses case and be on my way.

Downsides? I guess as a cheaper perfume the scent doesn’t last as long as something more high-end. I am a massive perfume fiend and have so many bottles on the go all at once however I like to keep some (Dior Addict and Miss Dior are my two favourites) for special occasions. However with the £8 price tag in mind and the fact when I order anything I’m helping a local self employed person always leaves me feeling happy!

Till Next Time,

FluffyCandy

Xx

Collection Wednesday - What's In My Drawers?

Despite the title this honestly isn't a post about my underwear!

The one thing I've noticed from speaking to other bloggers and reading other sites is that the main drawback of beauty and fashion blogging is the cost.

KACHING!

Every week new products are launched, new styles become on trend, the latest gadget comes out (Case in point yesterday Apple released the iPhone 5S and 5C. Do I need it? No. Do I want one? Of course!)

Despite being a real life grown up now, with a job, a mortgage and some money to spend I, like many others, cannot justify spending loads of money each week and it got me thinking.

How many things, in my make-up collection and wardrobe, were potentially overlooked when they came out?

What is Collection Wednesday?

So this is where Collection Wednesday begins. Every Wednesday I'll delve into my collection for things that float my boat, question why I ever purchased them or are just a little bit ...mehhhhhh, I like it but I don't love it!

Of course if get a new release or anything new I will no doubt shout about it but let us give a bit of loving for the old friends we currently own that are still there after the launch dies down.

This week's stars are...

Pores No More.... more cement than miracle cure

Dr Brandt's - Pores No More - Pore Refiner with Hint Of Tine - £33.15

I wanted to like this so much. I got given a tube by my hairdresser/wedding make up artist and she swore by it. The colour wasn't quite right and although the coverage was amazing initally it looked like someone has taken a trowel and slapped it on. 

The worst bit is when I had a bit of a tan and thought I'd pull it for another go I pumped it on the back of my hand and it just clumped and went an almost, peely skin consistency (see image below!)

Dr Brandt had dried right up :(

For £33.15 I wasn't expecting miracles but DO NOT LIKE.
HOWEVER this is just my personal opinion and lots of people I know love the stuff. The Pore Vacuum is really good as well. Available at FeelUnique.com

I LIKE it but I don't LOVE it

Urban Decay Primer Potion - £15

I remember when this primer was first released and it was AMAZING, every blogger swore by it and every vlogger used it in their how to's. Now I don't hate it but I just don't think it's the best. For £15 I had the original bottle and there is still quite a bit left, this is due to a couple of design flaws and thus why the packaging changed. Added to the fact the packing peels off everywhere and gets all over your face. Personally I find it useful but no more useful than using a concealer or a MAC paint pot. More often than not as well a lot of the shadows I use don't need a base (I like vivids! What can I say? :))
Available at Debenhams


Best eyeshadow pencils I have ever used!

Urban Decay - 24/7 Shadow Pencils - £12.60

I love vivid colours. It's probably why I don't wear make-up to work, I can't get away with neon pink eyeshadow in a Thursday morning meeting! These pencils are amazing and no matter what look I go for these are brought out again and again.

I bought one originally for Bestival a few years ago where I was rocking a Katy Perry costume and I picked up Clash which is a vibrant blue glitter reminiscent of felt tipping the sea in a picture when you were a kid. This stuff would not budge, which at a festival was amazing. I could wander along my merry way and not worry. 

Swatched Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencils
(L-R - Narc, Mercury and Clash. With Flash)

Swatched Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencils
(L-R - Narc, Mercury and Clash. Without Flash)

Shortly after I purchased Narc (a metallic khaki green with glitter) and Mercury (Metallic silver with grey tones) and they are so versatile. They can be worn on their own or provide enough base for any number of dramatic looks by working other colours into the crease and brow bone. I know when I put them on as well I don't need to worry about fall out either.

Only downsides are that they are so hard to shift you'll have trouble shifting without waterproof make-up remover and a wire brush, there are too many for me to buy all of them and also putting eyeliner on top can be quite tricky as well. Apart from that ,along with MAC shadows these are in my top 5. They are available at Debenhams.

Till Next Time
FluffyCandy
Xx

My "I got over 100 Twitter Followers" MAC Eyeshadow Giveaway

Yay! Giveaway time. I wanted to do this when I hit 100 but since I hit it I've had even more!

The premise is simple, I'm doing well and I want to share the love so in honour of my first 100 (ish) Twitter Followers I am giving one lucky reader the chance to win a MAC eyeshadow of their choice.

The competition launches today and ends on the 30th September where one winner will be selected to win the eyeshadow of their dreams.

Maybe you fancy a pot of Tilt? Or if duochrome is not your thing maybe a little bit of Shroom? Whatever your colour preferences as long as it's in the permanent collection then you can win it!

Just follow the instructions below and get yourself in with a chance. The winner will be announced on the 1st October on my Twitter and this blog page.

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How NOT to apply stick on/glue on nails

Now normally on Beauty Blogs you are able to access a full range of "How To" tutorials, recommendations of fantastic products and tips and tricks how to make the most of your beauty collection.

This is NOT one of these posts.

For the last few weeks a few of the super glam girls at work have been rocking stick on nails. As much as I love make-up and beauty, in my day-to-day life I can be a bit lax and although I always have polished nails and a slick of lippy I don't pay as much attention as I probably could do.

Just to give you a bit of background, I've always been slightly nervy of stick on nails. When I was 13 my friend Katie and I would buy those horrific 99p glue on nails you'd get in cheapy shops. We'd struggle to get them on and then try and paint them and it'd always end up a mess. Then I'd somehow get glue on my face and glue my eyes shut. This is pretty much the same scenario if I try and put false eyelashes on now.

So, the ease of these stick on nails really appealed to me. I haven't got a steady hand do nail art and sometimes the same old colours can get a bit boring (though I'm constantly buying nail polish so should be able to mix it up a bit!)

So last night I was in Asda with Mr Candy and I spotted this press on manicure in pink, glittery zebra print. I'd like to think if unicorns existed they would have exotic pink, glittery unizebra cousins but that's beside the point.

They were £7.98 (weird price right?) and claim to last a week.

I purchased them and thought, this couldn't be too hard? Right?

Wrong...

Broadway Nails - Impress - Medium Length - £7.98 Asda

To be honest I don't think it's the product's fault. They seem very well made, were initially quite simple to apply. It was more my complete uselessness that made it go wrong. Here is a list of the mistakes I made.

Mistake Number 1 

Getting Too Bloody Excited 

Squee! I'm going to have beautiful nails..

I'm a normal person. I see pink, I see glitter and it all becomes a bit of a haze. The minute we got home I HAD to put them on. Not unload the groceries, not check on the dog, nope! I had to put these little babies on straightaway.

Mistake Number 2 

Guesstimating the Size

So the pack comes with 24 nails in 12 different sizes. What I SHOULD have done is sat down, at the dining room table or in my office and laid them all out. Sized them against my fingers and selected the most accurate ones. Then when I was happy, wash my hands and dry them as directed, use the enclosed "Prep Pad" and then carefully put them on. I just pulled them out the packet and willy nilly started sticking them on which led to mistake number 3.....

Mistake Number 3

Down Means Up and Up Means Down

I stuck the bloody things on upside down! I painstakingly stuck every sucker on and then read the packaging and realised that I'd fit the cuticle end to my tips. Cue facepalm where I poked myself in the eye as they were talon like at this point.

Mistake Number 4

"Ahhh, I'll trim them in the morning"

Let me fend off those wild beasties for you..

As previously mentioned these are medium length. It truly felt like a mix between being an eagle and on the cast of TOWIE. If they made fingertip knives to fend off wild creatures these would do very well. Basically by the time I had corrected my mistake it was late and couldn't find the scissors. I went to bed and three pinged off, not after Mr Candy told me to quite firmly to "keep away" with my "vile talons"

Mistake Number 5

Improper Equipment

Beautifully Butchered

So Saturday morning I woke up. Reapplied the three I lost with two amazing matches and one horrific index finger choice. I have apparently got very strange index fingers because I think I ended up with a thumb one. I then proceeded to hunt high and low for nail scissors and a nail file. 

I found the nail file easily enough but the scissors were nowhere to be seen. I had a driving lesson fast approaching and I didn't think the talon length was going to help. I needed to chop them. So trusty kitchen scissors to the rescue which then resulted in car crash hands. They looked AWFUL. I filed them as best I could but they were beyond saving.

Mistake Number 6

Believing The Box

Missing - One index finger nail. Last seen in a driving instructor's crotch area

Half way round a busy roundabout, whilst whacking on the indicator on my lesson my index nail pinged off into my driving instructors lap. It was a really awkward moment and then a seagull flew into the front window. It was ok but I do wonder if the shininess of the nails temporarily blinded him.

I felt after this I couldn't ask to delve my hand into his crotch area in an attempt to reapply it. They had done too much damage already.

So, in conclusion, as a product I think they are great. Knowing what I know now I'd be tempted to give them another go but take the time and attention that they deserved and also understand their limitations.

That and I've now purchased some new nail scissors, just in case. 

I am now minus one index nail and my right hand looks like my manicurist has been taking lessons on cutting out from a four year old with safety scissors. However after paying £7.98 I refuse to remove the others until a full week, purely on principal......

Till Next Time (where I'll still be wearing these!)

FluffyCandy

XX

August 2013 Favourites

So September is upon us again. The days draw shorter and it gets a bit colder and we start thinking about what we've done this year so far... or in the world of beauty blogs we think about what we have loved this month. This is my first ever favourites post and I've thought about what products I should include. I've tried to give a good selection of which I've been using over the month of August, plus one extra non make-up item. I would love to hear what your thoughts are on the things I've picked, any recommendations of things you think I might like or perhaps you've not enjoyed them. Please leave me a comment and blog url. I'd love to hear from you

Lush's Ocean Salt Facial Scrub - £7.25 for 100g

I love Lush. In fact the first time I became aware of a lot of the blogosphere was when I became obsessed with Lush hauls on YouTube. I have tried many of their cleansers but always end up coming back to Ocean Salt time and again.

I can't use it all the time because with the salt it's obviously quite drying. I suffer from quite a stubborn blackheady nose and this just gives me the extra push that clears them up. I guess it's kind of in the same way that your skin clears up whenever you go on holiday. It can be picked up from www.lush.co.uk

Essie - Bikini So Teeny - £7.50

Essie - Bikini So Teeny painted on

Please excuse a) my horrific lighting set-up and b) the state of my nail/painting. I've only recently got into doing my nails and, again, I've only just discovered Essie. But oh my goodness, Essie (along with OPI) is hands down one of my favourite nail brands. For cackhanded fools like myself this goes on beautifully and this shade, Bikini So Teeny, is the perfect pastel lilac for Summer into Autumn. 

In particular I've been layering with OPI's Anniversary to give this wonderful shimmery colour. You can pick them both up from Amazon from the links below. 

Essie - Bikini So Teeny  - £7.50

OPI Happy Anniversary Nail Polish - - £7.89

Avon Super Extend Eyeliner - Black - £4

Avon Super Extend Eyeliner - Felt Tip

Avon Super Extend Eyeliner - Swatched in thin and thick

Ahhh Avon! Ding dong and all that stuff. I actually tried to sell Avon earlier this year and I was pretty good at it. My current job is in sales and marketing so it was quite natural for me to pick up a bit of extra cash and a bit of extra make-up. However in the end it just ended up taking up too much of my time and the thought of roaming around the streets picking up soggy catalogues did not appeal so I stopped. However it did leave me with a legacy of some good products.

Case in point is their Super Extend eyeliner. It's a felt tip eyeliner which has a couple of different thicknesses possible dependant on how you use them. I've worn this a lot as my kohls have been melting recently and sometimes full on liquid eyeliner can be too much.

Best thing as well, it's on sale now and is only £4! Check it out at the Avon Shop by clicking here 

LipCote - £3.50

Many people's mums teach them how to use make-up. My mum never did this. She only wore lipstick, mascara and her eyebrow pencil. The one thing she ALWAYS wore was Lipcote. This has recently had a bit of a revival and a strong marketing campaign and too right. This stuff is amazing. It goes with me everywhere.

My lipsticks are bold and my routine is simple, apply, blot, LipCote. It keeps my lipstick on for hours and is great for all the weddings and events I've been to over the last few months.

Pick it up from Amazon for just £3.50 

Lipcote - £3.50

Urban Decay - Naked Skin Foundation - £24

I love Urban Decay. Along with MAC, I think it is one of my favourite make-up brands. From the moment I went to Harrods and, despite being a student, was treated to a full makeover and samples I've been hooked. 

I don't normally wear a foundation unless I'm going out and because my skin colour changes so easily I've never had much luck matching one, however earlier this month for the my birthday I promised myself I would buy myself a new foundation. Urban Decay's Naked Skin was the one I picked.

It's not cheap (£24) and I do think you have to use quite a lot. I've been using mine over a base of Stila's One Step and using a proper brush. The effect I've had has been amazing. I have OKish skin but this just makes me look really good in photos and I feel like it lasts all night. Watch out when matching it though because it can be a bit cakey. There are something like 40 different types as well so although I've linked below I would suggest finding your nearest counter and getting a few testers done.

Urban Decay - Naked Skin - 6.5 - £24
Stila One Step Correcting Serum - £21.50

And last, but by no means least, I have a piece of jewelery. I've always really liked Tatty Devine and I've got a few pieces by them. I was recently lusting over the Radiance Necklace which, although beautiful, was an eye watering £100+ for a perspex necklace. Then, whilst at the Metro Centre in Gateshead earlier this month, I spotted this. A diddy version, on sale reduced from £35 to £17.50. Obviously I snatched it up fast and I LOVE it. It's shimmery and reflects in the light and has a very long chain (Unusual for Tatty Devine necklaces) but I can honestly say that it's beautiful and I've been wearing it every chance I get.

Currently lusting over their A/W Head In The Cloud necklace now... 

I think it might be sold out now but check out Tatty Devine and for slightly cheaper on Amazon too Tatty Devine

Till next time,

FluffyCandy

X

Dry skin begone!

We all have the parts of our body that never do "quite" what we want them to. For example, I hate my ankles... or lack of therefore. I don't know whether I have too much sodium in my diet, have horrific injuries from constantly tripping over kerbs as a teenager or just am genetically predisposed not to own them.

My other big issue is my legs. I am not a big fan of my legs however when they get a bit of a tan on them (like now thanks to the brilliant weather we've been having and a back garden to lounge in) I will do my utmost to get them out. 

I've always suffered from dry skin on my legs. I think it's a mixture of them tanning quite well and wearing tights in the winter, plus the inevitable six month period  of central heating that we get in the UK but they always end up dry and flaky.

My mum always use to use coconut oil on her legs and the smell always invokes memories of her and long summer holidays in the Med. The coconut oil she used to use was, in fact, meant to be for hair believe it or not, but she swore by it for many years.

Nowadays we have a range of moisturising products at our fingertips. In the words of YouTube's Jenna Marbles I am a self confessed "goo hoarder" and my cupboards are full of half used moisturisers, body scrubs and butters that started off great but never quite made the distance.

 (Side note.. must start using some of this stuff up!!!)

That was until I read about a product called Nip+Fab Dry Leg Fix. Apparently (according to the British media anway) Jennifer Aniston swears by it and I have to say when I saw it on sale in Selfridges in Manchester I was sorely tempted to pick it up for £10.25 for 100mm. However, remembering most of my "goo" collection I resisted.

Then last year I was in Gatwick about to jet off to Mexico on honeymoon and I spotted the distinctive green and white packaging in Boots. I thought to myself "Well, it's your honeymoon... spoil yourself" What I didn't realise at the time was I had found one of my Holy Grail products.

Firstly, the scent... pistachio. Oh my god. I LOVE pistachio, it had almost a citrus tone to it as well. Application was easy it's smooth and absorbs quickly with no greasiness and a small bit goes a long way. Normally in the past I've used baby oils etc and it's been a bit of a mission to get any moisturised pay-off but with this I saw results instantly. 

I swear by this product now and I was lucky enough to get a free sample with a copy of Cosmopolitan a couple of months ago just as mine ran out. It does run out quite quickly mind as I use it every time I shave my legs.

The great thing is about this product is that there is a whole range, so if your legs aren't the problem but say your tummy, or boobs, or arms there's a fix for each one.

The only downside to this product is availability. I tend to like to go out and purchase my products in store rather than online, merely because of the delivery aspect (I work all day and nobody is in to collect packages). However where I live this isn't stocked in my local Boots and I have to just buy a couple of tubes whenever I spot it so I don't run out. Their website http://www.nipandfab.com does offer delivery and I would definitely suspend my postman worry if I was running low.

Some of the other products are available at Amazon as well which I will link below!

Till next time,

FluffyCandy

X

I ❤.....

I LOVE lipstick (or even ❤ it!) My favourite brand of lipstick has got to be MAC, purely for the sheer volume and range they have. Other brands I have in my collection are Benefit, Rimmel, Barry M and a couple of chemist brands, but if I had a birthday then MAC would be the one I’d ask for. 

So, whittling it down to just one shade was tricky. A few years ago I was OBSESSED with MAC’s signature Russian Red a bright, blue based red with a shiny sheen. I wore it every opportunity I got. 

Nowadays I love my pinks and my corals, though the red does get pulled out on the odd occasion!

What I did to come my decision is delve into my handbag to see what was in there that I used the most…. the result was…

 

MAC – Vegas Volt – Amplified finish

I ❤ this lipstick so much. It’s bright and cheery but totally works on a day time look. A lot of the Amplified lipsticks that I own (Girl About Town and Impassioned) are beautiful but only work at night. 

I wear this when I’m at work (and I don’t wear a lot of make up at work) but still wear it out and about on the town. It’s a beautiful pinky coral colour and stays on for hours. This can even be further extended by one of my products that I couldn’t live without. Lipcote.

 

I ❤ Vegas Volt

Swatched

The formulation is creamy and thick, the colour payoff is bright and immense. It’ll take a very impressive colour and/or formula to knock this off the top spot.

What are your favourite lipstick colours? 

Till next time,

FluffyCandy

X