Sunday 9 February 2014

96. Beauty // Luscious Lip Products: My Top Five

I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend and making the most of Sunday afternoon by reading blogs with a cup of tea, a long - somewhat blustery, I'd imagine - walk or cooking a delicious roast. I've had a great weekend consisting of lots of blogging, cleaning (well, it has to be done.. unfortunately.), cooking a delicious Thai curry, a gossip over a couple of rum and Coke's with the bestie and, of course, relaxing with a bottle of wine and some films, with the fella. 

Today I'm sharing my top five current favourite lip products. All the products that I've selected are high-street products, apart from one which can be purchased online or at a few select stores across the UK, and they're all available for under £10 - many of them are, in fact under £5! - so if you're looking for a budget-friendly treat for your lips, look no further.

*All photographs are taken from the brand's websites - apart from Max Factor 'Ruby Tuesday' source: cosmetic-cravings.blogspot.com  - as I couldn't find my camera lead *


MUA Power Pout in 'Irreplaceable'

This is my "go to" lip product of choice. I keep this gorgeous, hot pink lip balm stick on my desk at all times, and whenever I feel that I'm looking a little dull, I apply a quick swipe of this and, not only is my look instantly refreshed and brightened, but my lips feel nourished and soft straightaway.

You can find this product in Superdrug and online for just £3! How incredible is that? These lip tints come in a range of sumptuous colours, from a vivid orange to a deep plum. They also last all day, which is incredible considering the price. 

Max Factor Colour Elixir in 'Ruby Tuesday' 

I picked up this lovely lipstick whilst browsing in Superdrug last week, for just £5.99 - I believe the usual price is £7.99, but places like Superdrug and Boots often have brilliant offers on Max Factor products, so you may well find it for a special price, like I did.

I've been looking for a rich, bright red lip stick for a while now but I couldn't find anything quite right (or in my price range... if only I could afford MAC products). When I got home and applied the lipstick, I found that it was actually slightly pink rather than pure red, but I liked this as it wasn't quite as harsh as I sometimes find red lipstick to be. Overall, it's a lovely colour and it's got great lasting power, so I'd definitely recommend it. 

Boot's Natural Collection Mango & Papaya Coloured Lip Gloss

Now, I'm not usually a big fan of lip glosses as I quickly get tired of having to rearrange my hair after it's got stuck, once again, to my lips and my boyfriend also hates kissing me when I'm wearing it (boo hiss!) but when I spotted this lip gloss in Boot's whilst Christmas shopping, the name alone swayed me. Plus, as only £2.75, you can't really go wrong!

I love the smell and taste of exotic fruits, such as mango and papaya, so I knew that I'd love this product. Kindly, Shane bought it for me and gave me it as a stocking filler, which was really lovely. The lip gloss itself smells incredible, so fresh and fruity, and adds a lovely but subtle pop of colour to my lips. I'd describe it as a peachy colour, but it also goes fantastically over any colour lip stick, just to add some sheen. 

Bath House 'Earl Grey' Lip Balm

This is a discovery that I've been really excited to share with you as I think that so many of you will love the idea behind the Bath House's delicious lip balms. These foodie lip balms are all based on either cocktails, fruits or yummy desserts; from Gin & Tonic to Creme Brûlée, you're bound to find a flavour that you really love.

Based in Sedbergh, where my mother & grandparents live, all of the Bath House's products are up to 98% natural and are made on site at the shop - which I find super cool. Last time I was in Sedbergh, I picked up a little pot of their Earl Grey lip balm. Despite not actually liking Earl Grey, I thought the smell was incredible and it totally swayed me. The packaging is also adorable and the prices - at £4.95 for a pot (which lasts FOREVER) - aren't bad either.

You get an ever so slight tingling sensation of your lips after application and it leaves my lips feeling super soft, as it contains Cocoa Butter, Sweet Almond Oil and Vitamin E. I seriously urge you to take a look at their wonderful website to see their whole range of products.

Barry M 'Touch of Magic' Lip Paint

I know, I know, this lipstick is a bit of a fad but, seriously, I love it. I love the looks on my friends, family and colleagues faces when I pull this cheeky little lipstick out of my bag, they see the colour and then - "oh, wait! what? it's pink?!" 

The alkali levels in your lips determine what shade of pink the lipstick will turn on you, and on me it goes a wonderful bright pink which really brightens up my look when I've had to get ready in a rush, or I need a blast of colour to cheer myself up. 

Not only is the colour great, but the product lasts ages. I've read reviews where bloggers have said that, within hours, the colour had faded but, personally, I've not had that problem at all. The first time that I tried this product, I applied it in the evening and - no joke - it was still almost as bright when I woke up the next morning! I often apply this before work and it's still going strong when the clock strikes five - not bad for a budget £4.49 lipstick!

Friday 7 February 2014

95. Lifestyle // My Month in Movies

Today's post is something a little different; it isn't a product review, a wishlist or even a recipe idea. Nope, today I'm going to share with you my top films of January. I'm hoping to do a post like this every month; as I watch so many films (Shane and I don't have TV in our bedroom so we live on Love Film, Now TV, etc) I thought it might be a fun way of sharing what I've enjoyed each month, so here goes...

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom


We kicked off the year with a fantastic choice after some recommendations from many lovely Twitter-er-er-er's (?!) and headed down to our local cinema (which, by the way, is based a totally awesome art-deco building - cool, eh?) and settled down to watch Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and we weren't disappointed.

Before watching the film, I knew the basics about Mandela, the apartheid and South Africa's history as I'm a massive history dork, but this film informed us about Mandela's personal life, his volatile relationship with Winnie Mandela, his struggle and - of course - his ultimate success. Idris Elba, as well as being absolutely incredible to look at, played a wonderful Mandela; the accent was spot on as were his mannerisms, and - as cliche as it sounds - I really believed, and felt for, him. 

9/10

Sightseers



This was a quirky, little British film that we stumbled across whilst browsing Love Film one evening. On a whim, we decided to stick it on and give it a go and it turned out to be AWESOME. Produced by Edgar Wright (think Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz!), it's a black comedy which revolves around a somewhat awkward couple who go away on a roadtrip, but it's not all plain sailing...

What initially appears to be a pretty boring, lame caravan trip, turns into a mass killing spree. Not what you were expecting? Nope, us either. The characters - in particular Tina, "the girlfriend" - are so likeable and very real - as one of the posters says, "Killers have never been so average." It's most definitely not a feel-good film but it will make you laugh (and wince at the same time). 

7.5/10

As well as these two absolute babes, we also watched Identity Thief (hilarious and heart-warming), The Watch (pretty funny), The English Teacher (slightly slow but brilliant - Julianne Moore, you belter), The Way Way Back (despite the fantastic cast, a bit of a bore), Small Apartments (worth a watch), Riddick 3 (I fell asleep... 'nuff said), Bolt (you don't have to be a kid to watch cartoons!) and the incredibly disappointing Why Stop Now?