Month's Most Wanted

Hello everyone!

I feel like I must say this every single Month, but how quickly is this year going? Pretty scary to be honest. My most wanted items are probably a bit boring this Month... having low £££ really does stop me from window (online) shopping which is usually how I pass a lot of my time!

H&M Flared Skirt Dress: Every high street shop seems to be making copies of the infamous dress that Frankie Sandford wore and I have to say I actually think this one is my favourite! As well as being the cheapest one I've come across (please correct me if I'm wrong!). I adore everything in the A/W H&M Collection when I went through the catalogue, but this was one of the stand-out pieces for me. It also comes in a beautiful orange/rust colour and black... it'll be hard to resist buying those too!

[£14.99]

The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter: I love The Body Shop body butters and I'm running low at the moment, just my peach one left. Shock horror I know! Although in my opinion they are massively over priced, I just can't resist and something about them is so luxurious. Shouldn't be a problem though because The Body Shop always have some fantastic deals and offers going on! This is the next one I need to restock, possibly my fave.

[£12.50 for 200ml]

MAC Melba Powder Blush: This seems like the most perfect peach blush, I've lusted over swatches and the blush from afar for ages now, but I need this in my life ASAP. Even the price cannot deter me, the colour is just perfect. If anyone knows of a dupe I would love you forever!

[£17.00]

St Moriz Self Tanning Lotion: St Moriz is a cult product throughout the Blogging and Youtube community, and pretty much everyone and their nan has tried it out. Like most, I've tried the mousse and really liked it but they've just recently released a 'lotion' which I think I would prefer and need to try! It's currently on sale on Fragrance Direct so grab yourself even more of a bargain!

[Usually £4.99, £2.99 currently]

MAC Hue Lipstick: I have no idea how I've never owned this lipstick, again, another product I've lusted over for a while. I think it is one of the must-have items from MAC and it pretty much universally loved. I'm a lover of nude/pinks so could anything else be better suited?

[£13.50]

So that's another Month done and dusted! Have you tried any of these products? Let me know what you thought!

NATALIESLOVEx

Project 10 Pan: 4 down!

Hey everyone :)

I've mentioned a few times before (especially on twitter) that I put myself on a one month make up spending band - I succeeded! I did not buy one item of make up for 30 whole days which might sound minuscule but it was tough, haha! By the end of it I realised just how much money I must waste... and that it is possible to walk out of Boots empty handed! 

After re-stocking my make up drawer of it's essentials (foundation, powder + mascara) I decided I would try another make up challenge. Project 10 pan. I'm sure you've all heard of it but if you haven't... you basically aren't allowed to buy make up until you have used up or 'hit pan' on 10 items of make up already in your collection. I started Project 10 Pan on Wednesday, so it's been roughly a week and I'm already speeding ahead! I thought I would show you which products I've used up/hit pan on and do quick/mini/speed reviews on each product :)

Natural Collection 'Cover-up Cream' Concealer

I actually really like this concealer and was completely shocked, I know that cheap doesn't always mean bad... but in most cases it does! You can pick this up in Boots for £1.99 and is one of the gems from Natural Collection. Now, this isn't going to cover every single spot... I'd say it has medium coverage but it can be built up. The beauty of it is that it just doesn't look cakey it sits on the skin nicely and is really quite light. I love this for under the eyes because I find concealer often looks heavy there, but this doesn't. 

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer

Can I start off by saying that I HATE that the writing rubs off of the packaging after literally, a few days! A lot of hype surrounds this concealer and I just can't see it :/ Although I think this could possibly due to the fact that it's not really the right colour for me. It does cover blemishes and redness amazingly, but I found this to be quite orange toned on my skin and also thought it was a bit hard to blend. Meh, probably my own fault!

Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner

I can't fault the applicator... felt tip liners are always the easiest to use (in my opinion) and I can always get a really sharp wing, without any drag. However, I do have an issue with the formula... but this is a common issue I've found with these felt tip liner style eyeliners - they dry out so quickly! I had to go over my line 2 or 3 times to get an intense black and once I'd finished one eye I had to wait for more product to reach the nib before doing my other eye. Longevity was great, stayed all day. I just think that felt tip liners will always dry out quickly :(

MAC Studio Finish Concealer

Yes, another concealer! I've obviously had a lot to conceal lately :| This is hands down, the best concealer I've ever used. The pot has lasted me foreverrr so I can justify the price. It covers absolutely everything, and once warmed up on the skin is extremely creamy which helps it blend seamlessly, lasts all day as well. Don't like this under the eyes though... looks a tad too heavy.

So that's 4 products finished, 6 to go! Hope it goes quickly because I have a long wishlist at the moment!

NATALIESLOVEx

Week in Photo's

1,2: Been really into smoothies for breakfast lately, I just chuck in the fruit with a bit of milk... I switched to using soya milk to avoid 'empty calories' but how pretty do smoothies look?! Lol!

3: Dean and I had a bit of a fajitas night on Friday. I adore Mexican food, especially fajitas. It's such an easy dish to make and I love that you can chuck it in the middle of the table (or tray in our case) and everyone just helps their selves.

4: This is probably mine and my Dad's favourite dish... pasta with baked Camembert and spinach. It's honestly so yummy! I could eat pasta everyday without fail and not get bored!

5: It was my first day working for Next on Saturday! A 9am-6pm shift that knackered me. I'm now till trained and ready to go. The store that I'm going to be working in is still actually being built (going to be the 3rd largest in the country!) so I'm in a different store temporarily. Everyone is lovely and I'm so happy to be working for Next.

6: Obviously the very sad news on Saturday of Amy Winehouse's passing. My Dad has always been a massive fan or her music as well as her... and I have always liked her music. I think it's so tragic that no one could help her fight her demons and I don't agree with people who say she had it coming - until you experience addiction first hand I don't think you can ever really understand. Listening to her music now is so bittersweet, a great talent has been lost but her music and lyrics will remain.

What was the highlight of your week?

NATALIESLOVEx

Perfect Foundation Couple?

Hello ladies,

A few days ago now I came across the perfect foundation combination/duo for my skin - all by accident. Basically the foundation that I'm using at the moment (Rimmel 25hr Lasting Finish) is a little bit too light for me and is also rapidly running out. So to preserve it for a bit longer, and to make it match my colour better I mixed in a bit of Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation. It gave me the most beautiful finish!

I love the Bourjois Health Mix, but it is a very radiant and dewy foundation... perfect for dry or normal skin, but a nightmare for my oily skin! In the winter it's a great foundation for me because it isn't cakey and makes me look fresh and with powder I don't get too oily. However, in the Summer this foundation just makes my face look like an oil slick, not the look I was going for.

The Rimmel foundation has a very matte finish and is of course very long lasting - although their claim of 25 hours is outrageous. I'd say about 10 hours. But who wants foundation on their face for 25 hours anyway?! The problem is... too much of this foundation and you will look very made up. So mixing it with a bit of the Bourjois gives a sort of Satin finish. It's mainly matte but the Healthy Mix gives that bit of a 'glow' with out being 'greasy'. So here is what it looks like on...

But as you can see both foundations are on their last legs! So I need to decided whether to repurchase them both or get a different one! If you have any drugstore foundation recommendations leave them in the comments :) A couple of girlies on twitter have said that Max Factor foundations are always a safe bet.

Have you got a favourite foundation combination? Maybe a foundation/moisturiser duo? Don't forget drugstore foundation recommendations in the comments :)

NATALIESLOVEx

My week in photographs

Had a clear out of all my College stuff that is left over, everything in this photo (apart from the green psychology text book) is Biology! Biology was seriously the bain of my life for the past two years and I pray that I don't have to go back and retake next year. Honestly, 10 exercise books full of Biology, what was I thinking?!?!

Found this hilarious! This is my boyfriend's laptop and every time I use it I always change his desktop background... usually to something disgusting, embarrassing or rude. Immature? Maybe! Thought I would change it to a wonderful photo of his girlfriend this time :)

There is some kind of food-theme going on in these posts! What can I say? I adore food!! And I've become increasingly aware of it whilst doing these posts, haha!

1, 2: Dean bought some watermelon from the wholesalers, mainly to give to the football team he coaches after their training session. But he left some behind and I've been enjoying it al fresco in the sun! It's SO yummy.

3: This might sound crazy to some people but I've never actually tried French Toast (I prefer the term eggy bread tbh!) so I thought I'd have a crack at making it. Result = Success. It was pretty good, I used eggs, milk and cinnamon and topped it with some maple syrup. I'd still prefer a fry up or pancakes though ;)

4: I hate to admit it but I'm a bit of a carnivore. I also love bread and cheese, so this lunch could not have been more perfect, beautiful Continental lunch! Think I would definitely fit in in Italia, no?

Hope you've all had lovely weeks!

NATALIESLOVEx

Face of Last Night

Hello lovelies,

So last night was our goodbye-do for College! Weird to think that a lot of the people there... I may never see again :( Although I know that a lot of them I will, well I hope so anyways. Basically we all said that we didn't want a big fancy Prom or anything like that - mainly because our 6th Form is so small, it would probably be pointless. We all decided on a nice civilised meal and then there wherever the wind took us afterwards. This was my make up...

Rimmel 25h Lasting Finish foundation

Natural Collection loose powder

NYC bronzing powder 'Sunny'(contour and bronzer)

MAC Pink Swoon

All shadows from W88 palette

Elf cream eyeliner 'Black'

L'Oreal Super Liner 'Carbon Gloss'

Prestige My Longest Lashes mascara

Urban Decay 24/7 Khol Pencil

Elf Brow Kit 'Medium'

Natural Collection lipstick 'Apple Blossom'

Barry M lipgloss 'Toffee'

We actually ended up in the Casino, first time I've actually been in a Casino and lets say I was a little bit hyper about it lol. Put £10 in the Roulette machine and said I wasn't going to go below £5, about 20 minutes later and I was down to £0. But I won back my £10 + £2.75!! As soon as it went over that £10 I cashed out!  I wanted to be able to say I won haha, wish I kept going now! If I'd taken advice from Jake I would've been £30 up... gutted. And of course a compulsory 'in the toilets' shot (blurry one at that)...

Hope you're all well!

NATALIESLOVEx

My First Shop in 20 Days!

Hello lovelies,

So if you follow me on twitter (@ntlieread), a while ago I announced I was going on a make up spending ban, lasting for a month. That was the 20th June, so it's been 20 days and I can confirm I've not bought a single item of make up since then *very proud blogger*.

The reason for the ban was because I realised how much stuff I already have and don't use. Now, I wasn't on a clothes shopping ban at all but to resist temptation I had been avoiding the shopping centre. But on Friday I went on a lunch date with a bestie from College and we ended up shopping. I was very controlled though and didn't go mad! May my problem be cured?!

Primark, Feather Print Vest, £3.00

I've got a few of these vest for £3 from Primark now and granted they're not the best quality... but they have some really lovely graphics and designs. Loving this feather one! Was also trying to hunt down an aztec print one I've seen about on Blogger but had no luck :(

Primark, Red Blue and Cream Stripe Vest, £6.00

This swing style vest screams summer if you ask me. I'm an avid stripes lover anyway but I love the navy and red and the varying thickness of stripes too. The fit and cut is really lovely and I think would be flattering to most body types.



H&M, Strappy Striped Vest, £7.99 £3.00

I can't shop the sales, I just can't. The sight of a messy sale rail and I'm running. H&M is my exception though, their rails always seem to be tidy all day and I find it much easier to shop the sale in H&M. I wish I'd had more of a look because this top is a steal. I love the strappy back - perfect for summer and subtly sexy.

H&M, Dusky Pink Blazer, £19.99

I've been looking for this Blazer for a while but they haven't had it in my store and there was no way I could even stomach the thought of ordering it online after my last experience. Alas, I found it and everytime I look at it, it steals my heart. It's the most flattering Blazer I've ever put on (pictures do it no justice) and in the most beautiful colour. This is going to get so much wear this summer, it's a staple!



LUSH, Fresh Farmacy Sample, FREE

In my last Month's Most Wanted I talked about how I really wanted to try a LUSH cleanser and I had my eye on Fresh Farmacy. I popped in and was served by the sweetest man who said they don't actually do samples of Fresh Farmacy but cut me off two slices anyway. When a girl dreams of having a gay best friend... this guy was it! He was so lovely. Excited to see if this cleanser is what I'm hoping it will be.

LUSH, Creamy Candy Bubble Bar, £2.35

I'm not really a Bath sort of person but you cannot walk out of LUSH empty handed, it just all smells so good. Their Bath Ballistics don't really tempt me but I love their bubble bars... they create the most gorgeous smelling and feeling bubbles everrr. I've never tried Creamy Candy before and I don't know why because its so cute and it smells like heaven!

So that was my controlled spend! Lol. What have you guys been buying recently? And can you ever walk out of LUSH empty handed?

NATALIESLOVEx

Skincare Secret: Sudocrem

Hello lovelies,

So I'm going to do a review on a product which I've always had in my possession since I was about 13. It is seriously one of my skincare saviours and is one of the best multi use products, in the world. Yes I said it! I was approached by the lovely PR team and asked if I'd like to try out the 'new' Sudocrem marketed as 'Skin Care Cream' that comes in a new squeezy tube opposed to the tub which it only used to be available in. I jumped at the chance because I do love the product and I only had the 400g tub (I told you I love the stuff), so I thought it would be nice to have smaller and more hygienic way of using Sudocrem, but essentially it is the same cream. I know that I was sent this product but it does in no way affect my opinion, this is an honest review :)

Like I said, this is a major multi use product and here are some of the ways that you can use Sudocrem...

- Nappy rash

- Sunburn (life saver)

- Minor burns

- Bites

- Rashes

- Eczema

- Acne (which is my favourite way)

Sudocrem used to only be available in tubs of various sizes, I think it's genius that you can now buy 30g in a squeezy tube. Most of my use from this cream is to treat spots, so this tube is much more hygienic than digging your fingers into tubs which is very important when dealing with acne. It's almost much smaller and good to carry in your handbag for things like sunburn, bites etc.

Initially it is quite difficult to squeeze the product out of the tube, because it's texture is quite hard - think butter. You only need to squeeze a tiny amount out (much less than the photo) because it does sort of melt once warmed up on the skin.

When warmed up, you can see it turns into this thick, rich cream. It honestly works wonders with acne - I'm not saying it gets rid of spots, but it does help them heal more rapidly and seems to take the redness out. When I was around 13 I suffered from acne on my shoulders/back. I applied this every night before I went to bed and they cleared up quite quickly, I rarely get one now but if I do - this goes straight on!

I use this for spots on my face too, and works just as well. When my skin is in a particularly bad state I will apply a thin layer of this all over my face and it helps calm the spots down. But on days where I just have one or two/redness from previous spots I use this as a direct spot treatment. I'll take a small amount and rub it into the spot/red area. It does leave the skin looking paler and pasty for a while, but I'd recommend you use this just before bed anyway.

This is definitely one of my holy grail skincare products I couldn't be without, and I know a lot of people swear by it. This 30g tube is available for £1.99 so is affordable as well!

What do you use your Sudocrem for?

NATALIESLOVEx

My week in photographs

For those of you who didn't know, I've been house sitting and looking after the animals for my Mum and Stepdad who are currently in Madeira, Portugal. They're probably on their way to the airport ready to come home as I type! So I'll be whizzing round with a hoover in a minute! So to be honest, I've really done almost nothing this week - it's been a nice wind down after exams :)

1,2,3,4: These little ones (or not quite so little in Dolly's case), have been taking up most of my time! Dolly (German Shep) wants to play 24/7! Which I suppose has been quite good exercise for me, haha. My mum gave me strict orders to water her tomato plants everyday and I found it hilarious that Dolly kept trying to 'chomp' the water, so cute! Other strict orders include; not letting the dog on the sofas and not letting her sleep on the bed, both of which have been broken!

5: I've been chowing down plenty of very healthy breakfasts such as sausage sandwiches... adding a fried egg every now and then too. Oh god, my diet has been awful this week. When I'm back home I'm back on healthy eat plan and project sit ups + squats. Lol! I've also had 2 takeaways this week :| Yummy pizza and chicken wings when I went round to my best friends new flat, and Chinese last night in front of the David Haye fight with the boy!

6: Thankfully, the weather has been really great this week (apart from Tuesday I think, when we had a thunderstorm) so I have been spending a little time in the garden catching some rays with a drink filled to the brim with ice!

7,8: I love living on the coast, I've mentioned it so many times and I really cannot imagine not being able to see the sea pretty much everyday. The other night it was about 9.30pm and it was still light, so I couldn't resist a little stroll on the sea front. There was no one around and the sky was beautiful!

Hope you've all had a wonderful week!

NATALIESLOVEx

My DIY Pamper Night: Face Mask

Hello again ladies,

So Wednesday I blogged about the home made hair mask I did for my 'DIY Pamper Night'. After I'd finished making the hair mask, it got me thinking a little bit more and I got back onto Google and started looking up more recipes, this time for face masks. I took bits and pieces from different recipes I'd read - especially ones claiming to be good for acne.

It actually ended up being quite similar in terms of ingredients to the hair mask! And it is also how I imagine LUSH's Oatifix face mask would be like...

Oats - Soothes and heals redness, absorbs oils, exfoliates.

Olive Oil - Contains Vitamin E which protects against free radicals. Moisturising and cleansing properties.

Honey - Anti-bacterial so can prevent acne, when combined with lemon juice it can also fade scars.

Egg White - Tightening effect so shrinks pores and deep cleansing. (Yolk is good for fading scars).

- Crack the egg into the bowl and remove the yolk... we just want the egg white this time!

- Add a small drizzle of Olive oil (feel free to use more if you have dry skin)

- Add about 1 teaspoon of Honey to the mixture

- Now add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of Oats. I used this already ground up type of oats, but bigger and rougher oats will do fine and would probably be more exfoliating.

The good thing about this face mask compared to the hair mask is that you can make up a big batch of this one and leave it in the fridge for a few weeks... nothing in the face mask is perishable so it will keep quite well.This was so ncie to apply - it was really cold from being in the fridge and felt really refreshing. It also smelt exactly like ready brek and was hard not to try and eat a bit! Haha. Again, some more very unflattering photo's...

It did actually dry like a usual mask, which I wasn't expecting at all! It didn't dry too tight and was easy to wash off. It left my skin feeling very soft and smooth straight afterwards but there was no obvious improvements. However, when I woke up the next morning, my skin was still very soft but there was barely any redness! Which is something that I struggle with, it seemed to suck the redness out of spots and improve the overall tone of the skin. Result! Pores seemed slightly smaller too which was more than welcomed!

Have you ever tried homemade mask? I really recommend it, it's much cheaper - just research which ingredients will help you the most!
NATALIESLOVEx