7 Things for 7 Days: July

Firstly I would like to say hello to my new followers because numbers and views have doubled and tripled in the last month. I normally put around two to four posts up a week and I know recently I have been lacking in that department however with exams I feel I don't really need any more distractions. You will be please to know that from this time next week I will be throwing so many blog posts at you, you'll go into Hayley overload and as I love blogging, I am very excited. 

As a quick post I thought I would join in with the 7 things for 7 days post in which Louise has made interactive.

Read Louise's post here

Revise

With only 3 three exams left until I finish my A levels I have been revising like a mad woman and nearing the end I really feel like giving up and taking the exams as they come. But I have a lot planned for the summer so that should keep me motivated!

Relax

As I said, after my exams are done in three days time I will be able to relax and not feel guilty which hasn't happened in around two years now since my A levels started.

Pamper

As I am soon to leave school, my ball/prom is very soon so I plan to do a whole at home pampering session which will include a manicure, pedicure, hair treatment and face mask. Bliss!

Read

I love to read. It's one of the main reasons I chose English Lit as an A level choice however with revision I just don't have time to read for pleasure. I can't wait to get into it again.

Expand

I know my blog is only a tiny tiny fish in a massive sea of beauty blogs however I have big plans to really expand my blog over the summer and make it as good as it can be. Blogging is something I enjoy a lot so I am excited to expand my blog and create new content.

Organise

Once my exams are over I plan to completely de clutter my room in order to create a more relaxed atmosphere. With all those past exam papers and text books gone everything will seem so much more neat and tidy. Also, as I go on holiday soon, I need to organise what I am taking and stock up on essentials.

Plan

I love planning my weeks and weekends because then I know what I have to look forward too so school and work don't seem as pointless. Before I go to Uni, there is a lot of time and I plan to do as much as possible with my friends before we all go our separate ways.

I hope you have enjoyed this little post and be sure to check out Louise's Blog post too!

Hayley xxx

How to tell if your MAC Blush is a fake

I thought I would write this post after my bad experience with fake MAC products which you can read more about here. After I suspected my purchase was fake I went and googled it to find comparisons however I found it very difficult to find posts that included pictures. As you will see I bought Harmony Blush from cheapsmells.com which when compared with a shop bought blush, was completely different in packaging, shade and texture. Now, I am no MAC expert however this post is just from what I have experienced and seen.

Left: Real,  Right: Fake

The main thing that gave the fake blush away was the packaging and especially the use of slightly yellow tinted writing compared to the more grey toned genuine product. Also, another big giveaway was the code on the fake one (A59) shows that the blush was manufactured in 2009 which seems very old whereas as you can see from the picture, the real blush was made in 2012 (A12). Apart from these two main differences the packaging was very similar.

Left: Real,  Right: Fake 

The MAC logo on the fake was pretty good if only a little larger and thinner than the real. The camera shows up the colour difference quite well as when I got the fake, it was more orange toned compared to swatches I had seen online. The real product is cooler in tone and more rose based which is what makes it such a great contour for pale skinned girls like myself.

Left: Real,  Right: Fake

Another massive giveaway was that the ingredients on the fake didn't correspond with the real product. This shows that you shouldn't be ok with buying fake products for their name just because they are cheap due to all the nasty chemicals that may have been added to them to make it look like the real thing.

Left: Real,  Right: Fake

Last of all, another killer giveaway was the fact that the product name and  barcode on the fake were stuck on whilst on the real thing, they were printed. The stickers just seem like a lazy and cheaper option compared to the real MAC packaging.

I really hope this post was helpful to anyone who suspects a fake product or anyone who wants to get wised  up on what fake MAC blushes look like for the future. Anyone had any other experiences with any fake products?

Hayley xxx

NOTD #5: Jubilee Nails

For the Queens Diamond Jubilee I decided to join in with the festive spirit in the best way I know how... Nail polish! I didn't do a full Union Jack on my accent nail because it was just too fiddly and I thought it turned out pretty well for my first attempt at nail art. I used my favourite red (No7 Ruby Charm, Limited Edition) over the majority of my nails then painted both my ring fingers with a Collection 2000 Hot Looks nail polish in 13 Vogue for the royal blue. The only white I had was old and gloopy so I used a grey which worked fine (No7 Tip Toes, Limited Edition). For the red in the center of the flag I poured a tiny amount of polish out and used a toothpick which worked well, a nail art pen would have made a smoother line however I kind of like the effect it gave.

I hope you like my festive nails and try it out for yourself :)

Hayley xxx

Recent Beauty Buys

In Superdrug at the moment they have a three for two deal on all beauty products so I decided to get a few things I had been lusting over for a while. 

The first item is the  L'Oreal Color Infaillible in 021 Sahara Treasure. I was intrigued to try this as apparently they are similar to the Giorgio Armani eyeshadows as they are both pigments which have a similar stopper design to make the whole pigment experience much more hassle free. This is a great shadow on its own however teamed with the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 40 Permanent Taupe it looks amazing. Initially I wanted the Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze however it was sold out in both Superdrug and Boots so I settled for the Taupe which I am now really please with. That isn't to say I still want to get the bronze colour :P I will include swatches of both at the end of the post.

Next up are the two mini nail polishes from Maxfactor. I included the colour Soft Toffee in a recent NOTD post so check that out if you are interesting in buying it because it looks different on the nails to what is in the bottle. The other shade I picked up was Cool Jade which also looks different in the bottle to on the nails. I thought it would be the perfect mint colour however when applied it was a bright jade. This disappointed me at first however I have grown to love it and am still on the market for the perfect mint. Any suggestions?

Smoked Peach is the very first Revlon Matte lipstick I have tried and I really love the formulation. They stay for a good amount of time and aren't too drying. I like the colour however it is very orangy which can look a bit harsh in contrast with my skin tone but blotted out a bit and it looks perfect.

Lastly, I was excited to try the Sleek eau la la liners because they are both smudge proof and waterproof. I picked up the colour 317 Molasses which is a deep brown which I like to use smudged into my lash line. Once applied, there is a bit of time before the product sets before it stays all day which puts it ahead of any other pencil eyeliners I own. The only downside I have found so far is that the pencil is so soft that when I took the lid of, the suction pulled the actual liner out of the inside of the pencil so it is now broken and I have to carefully slide it back in. Despite this, I would like to try other colours including the black and the pinks. Pinks?! I hear you cry. No, I am not using pink as an eyeliner but as a lip liner as these pencils are branded to be multifunctional.

Hope you enjoyed this post on a few bits and pieces I have picked up recently and below are the swatches I promised :)

Left to right: Permanent Taupe, Sahara Desert, Molasses and Smoked Peach

Hayley xxx

Nails of the Day #4

There was lots of talk on these little nail polishes in the beauty world, especially the colours 'Fantasy Fire' and 'Graffiti'. I went into Superdrug and there was three for two on everything (seem familiar? ;) so I decided to buy two of their shades which included 'Soft Toffee' which is pictured above. Fantasy Fire was a beautiful duo chrome purple/blue which I was going to get but I though that I wouldn't wear it so much in the summer compared to this. As the name suggests it is the perfect creamy brown nude and I have been loving it on my nails recently. It takes two applications for an opaque colour and dries really fast which is something I always look for. The one downside is the brush as it's quite thin but it's nothing I can't work with for such a nice subtle and classy colour.

Recently, I have loved painting my nails as it is a therapeutic break from revision. Are there any other colours from the collection you can suggest? 

Hayley xxx

GLOSSYBOX, May 2012

This is the first month I have been a subscriber to Glossybox and I knew it would be a good'un as this month is the companies 1st birthday. 

The box came beautifully packaged slightly differently than usual with printed tissue paper and as soon as I

                                                            unwrapped it I got excited.

As you can see from the picture, these samples are really decent sizes with the above containing 75ml. The Noble Isle Summer Rising bath and shower gel  is described as inspired by the natural and cultural riches of 

     the British Isles. I've had a little whiff and it smells so fresh and summery! I can't wait to use this.

Next up are the Lolita Lempicka Eau de Parfum and Si Lolita and I haven't worn them  yet so I can't comment on notes however from what I have read they are heavier musky scents which are probably more appropriate for evening wear. From an initial smell I like them both but prefer the Eau de Parfum. 

This is the Apivita  Express Beauty mask and this is where Glossybox really impressed me as when you subscribe, you fill out a beauty profile where you tell them your hair colour, skin type etc.. My skin is dry so they sent me a moisturising and nourishing mask which my skin will probably really benefit from. I have really high hopes for this product and isn't too overpriced at £3.50 per sachet. As a bonus this product also contains no parabens, silicones or propylene glycol.

Now, this is definitely the product that made the whole box for me. It's the Berber Oil Hair Treatment which contains argon oil. I have wanted to try hair oils/serums for so long however it is quite an investment to get a good quality one that improves your hair and not just coats it to make it look shiny. The full size is £19.99 for 100ml which is a lot however it might just be worth it. I will definitely be testing this out asap!

These Eldora false lashes were probably the most disappointing item in the box. As you can see they are comically long and blingy which really aren't my style at all. Maybe other boxes had more wearable lashes? These won't go to waste though as I am thinking of trimming them down (a lot) to achieve a more natural subtle look. 

Lastly, there were a few added bonuses to celebrate Glossybox's birthday with the first being a compact which a double mirror inside and the second being a balloon. Both are really nice gestures and I am sure I will get a lot of use out of the compact (and maybe less so out of the balloon.)

I amm really impressed with the service Glossybox provides and I am excited to use all the products I received this month. I will definitely keep my subscription and I am already excited about next month! Which monthly boxes are you subscribed to?

Hayley xxx

Losing My MAC Virginity

As the title of this post suggests, I have only recently just purchased my very first MAC items. Now, I had put these off for a long time for a few reasons. The first being that I am only in my first year or so in really getting into make up so wanted to experiment with cheaper makeup first and not just waste my money on lots of expensive pieces that I may have not liked. The second is that I will soon be a poor uni student and lastly because I knew once I got one thing, I would want everything. And boy is the last reason true! I debated long and hard for what items I wanted to get first. I wanted something that could be multi-functional as well as something that hadn't got many other really good cheaper alternatives. I ended up entering the MAC store in my nearest Debenhams with two make up pieces that I had in mind. One being Harmony blush and the other being Soft and Gentle MSF.

I have heard from numerous people that the MAC staff aren't always very helpful but my lady was lovely and took the time out to help me. Harmony powder blush was £17.50 whilst the MSF was £21.50 and when you spend over £40 in Debenhams you get a Beauty Club Reward Card with a £5 voucher on it. Because I had only spent £39 I decided to get a pencil sharpener for my eyeliners which the lady said was a really good quality one which keeps the pencils in good shape.

 When I said I wanted Harmony for a contour she MAC lady said it would be perfect because I am fairly pale but it would also work for me in the summer for when my skin gets a bit darker which I thought would be good as I can use it all year around and not just seasonal. So far I have really loved it because it's not too orange toned and warms up my complexion without looking unnatural. I have also experimented with this in the crease of my eyes to contour and it really works to give some dimension and warmth when you have cooler shades across the lid.

I have heard so many good things about this highlighter and thought it was a great item that I could use for many different things. So far I have used it to highlight my cheekbones, inner corner of my eyes as well as my brow bone and I really love it. I can imagine it would be a good colour to just have swept across the eyelid to make me feel a bit more put together if I am in a rush. I also knew I wanted a highlighter as I was yet to find a good high street version.

Above are a few quick swatches and as you may have already figured out the one on the left is Harmony blush and the one on the right is Soft and Gentle. The camera is showing Harmony to be a bit more orangey than it is in real life however you can probably still tell that it is a great contour colour as it's completely matte. Soft and Gentle has a little bit of pink running through it which is great as it doesn't look so stark white on the skin so it makes it more natural. In saying this it isn't as natural as other highlighters as there are a few chunky bits of shimmer here and there which makes your face look very healthy and radiant.

I am really happy with my first few bits from MAC and now I think it's a bit of a slippery slope as I am already eyeing up other pieces. Any recommendations? 

Hayley xxx