natalieslove

Yes, more boots..

2012-02-11T11:40:00.000Z

I don't know exactly when it started, but when Winter started worming it's way in I seemed to acquire an obssession with boots. This was completely out of character because I've never been a girl who's shoe-obssessed. Especially not boots. I think I probably owned two pairs - but now the collection has grown quite considerably. Here are the two latest additions...

New Look Black Wedge Zip Shoe Boot, £19.99

I had a work's-do at the end of January and I was on the lookout for a new pair of going out shoes. Preferably ones that will go with anything and everything, I don't go out that often so it's pointless for me to buy electric blue shoes etc. (even though they're amazing). Of course, New Look was my first choice and it didn't let me down.

They are a suede-like material which I love, a wedge and platform which makes for easy walking, and a gorgeous gold zip down the side. Amazing. I love the way these boots are cut too - sometimes shoe boots can cut my legs off at a really unflattering place because I'm quite short. But because these dip at the front it doesn't make your legs look stumpy. And omg, THESE ARE COMFORTABLE. I wore these from 8pm-4.30/5.00am, and spent the majority of that time dancing and I didn't need to take them off once!

New Look Buckle Flat Ankle boots, £27.99

I've always looked at these on the New Look website, but never seen them out in the store near me. But when I did, I loved them just as much. I love the slouchy 'suede' part, I love the 'leather' heel and strap. I'm just in love with these boots. They feel really good quality. I did have to get a size 4 though because the size 5 did seem to run quite large. I think these will look good with tanned legs and denim shorts in the summer too!

Lets hope this is the end of my boot obsession. What's an obsession you thought you'd never have?

NATALIE, XO

Week In Photos

2012-02-07T19:02:00.002Z

Walk by a river near me - Broken mirror, 7 years bad luck! - Diet Coke spillage - Vita Coco - Demolished Milk Tray - Amazing brunch at a greasy spoon - Old fashioned sweet shop that stole my heart <3

Sorry it's two days late! This week was pretty chill, but nice :) The beginning part of the week we had loads of sun where I live so I took a little stroll by a river near me, and although there was loads of sun the temperature was about 0.5. The sun still made me happy though! Also broke a huge mirror - good luck *no pun intended* I'm not superstitious ;) But perhaps I should seeing as though it was followed by spilling an entire an of diet coke onto my lap. Two massive fails in a week? Amazing. I always hear people talking about coconut water so I decided to see what all the fuss was about! (still haven't drank it). Milk Tray and fry up brunch have taken a large amount of my calories this week. My Mum was disgusted that I got hash browns AND chips, lol. And OMG look at this sweet shop! It was incredible, they had jars upon jars behind the till and I ended up coming out with more than a few bags!

I hope every ones week (well, last week) was great. I know it snowed a lot at the weekend in a lot of the UK - the snow forgot about us though :( I was kind of glad because I wasn't at all prepared for snow haha. AND YAY FOR THIS BEING MY 500TH POST!

NATALIE, XO

Illamasqua Precision Ink

2012-02-03T22:27:00.000Z

Illamasqua is a brand that I've always eyed from afar, but never really bought into. Partly because I like beauty products on a budget and partly because it's quite difficult to come across in my area. After Christmas though, there was a 10% off code floating around so I thought I'd bite the bullet and order two items I'd been lusting over, one of them being the liquid eyeliner, Precision Ink in the colour 'Abyss'.

The packaging is very sleek and minimal, something that I personally really like. I'd heard so many rave reviews about this eyeliner and I was using Rimmel Glam Eyes (which I hated) so I thought I'd try out my first 'high end' eyeliner. It retails for £17.00 which is really quite ridiculous for an eyeliner, but I was clearly still in a festive mood at the time, lol.

The applicator is very felt-tip penesque and quite similar to L'Oreals Super Liner, which is one of my favourites, although the nib doesn't bend like Super Liner, it's stiff and doesn't have any movement. It's amazingly pigmented, I can't fault it on that. But it is extremely glossy, so if you don't like a glossy eyeliner stay well clear of this. Super Liner is quite glossy but this is so much glossier. I also find it quite hard to get a very thin line/sharp wing with this nib.

So here the eyeliner is in action. Yeah sure it looks fine - like any other liquid eyeliner right? But do I like it? In all honesty, no, not really. It's too glossy for what I like and I find the applicator quite hard to work with, I think it needs a bit more flexibility. It is a very wet formula, but it tends to get on your lashes whilst you're applying it and clumps them together making mascara application a bit of a faff. It's one of the most pigmented eyeliners I've used, but it does take a bit of going over - because it's so wet it tends to be a bit watery and streaks a tad, so you need to go over this twice. The longevity is actually unbelievable... this will last you the whole day, no doubt. I've been on a night out and forgotten to take my make up off and in the morning this was still in place *slap on the wrist*. Removing it is a bit strange though... when you take it off (I use a baby wipe) it comes off in the same as eyelash glue - in weird sort of strips. Anyone else had this?

I wouldn't repurchase this, and I would recommend L'Oreal Super Liner over this. BUT if it's a very glossy, very black, stay-in-place-forever eyeliner that you're after this might be worth a whirl!

NATALIE, XO

Review: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

2012-01-25T11:14:00.000Z

My logic is, that if I'm going to splash out on any make up product, it may as well be foundation. Because that's the most important part really isn't it? We all long for flawless, healthy looking skin without looking like we're wearing a mask. I got a few samples, one being Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, and I instantly fell in love with it. So much so I bought it the next day...

It is extremely expensive at £31, so definitely grab yourself a sample first because otherwise it's a huge waste it you end up not liking it, getting the wrong colour or it being completely wrong for your skin.

This foundation needs to be shaken up before you use it, and it is quite a liquidy/runny texture. On application it feels weightless and blends seamlessly into the skin. It doesn't have the best coverage, but with concealer underneath it is perfect. Normally I'm into very full-coverage, heavy foundations but this has completely changed my mind. The most stand out thing about this foundation to me is that it looks like your skin. It matches the texture amazingly, making it look as though your skin is just very even and healthy. The finish is semi-matte in my opinion, it isn't too shiny but doesn't make your face look flat. I do powder over the top, purely because my skin is so oily. It stays on for a reasonable amount of time, it lasts a good 7-8 hours on me without touch ups.

The top photo was taken in natural daylight and the bottom with flash photography. Vitalumiere Aqua does have an SPF of 15 but as you can see, it photographs beautifully even with flash, without any the horrible white ghostface look.

I have oily, blemish prone skin and it certainly isn't perfect, but this foundation gives the illusion that it is. I've also heard many people with dry skin rave about this foundation too, so it's definitely one to give a try! I think it's well worth it and is probably always going to be a foundation that I own.

What did you think about this foundation?

NATALIE, XO

MAC, Illamasqua, Clarins, LUSH + Boots

2012-01-23T11:25:00.000Z

Hello my lovelies,

So this is my first haul of the year! I've got lots of stuff piling up that I need to show you all (there'll be a clothes post shortly after this one too) so I thought I'd make a start with the make-uppy/skincare bits :)

Creamy Candy £2.35, Sex Bomb £2.99, Three Gold Rings £1.88, Catastrophe Cosmetic £5.50, Butterball £2.30, You've Been Mangoed £2.85

Soap & Glory Clean on Me £5.11, Soap & Glory Righteous Butter £10.21, Stella 50ml £47.00, Benefit Hooked on Carmella £29.50

Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel £10.50, Daily Energizer Wake-Up Booster £15.00

Skin Base foundation '07' £25.00, Precision Ink 'Abyss' £17.00

15 Eyeshadow Palette £11.50, MAC Brule, Wedge, Patina and Mulch eyeshadows all £10.00 each, MAC Fleur Powder and Frankly Scarlett blushes £14.50 each.

So I've had a bit of a splurge lately which I'm a bit guilty about! And I finally caved in and ordered an eyeshadow palette which could become an expensive investment, lets say. Reviews and proper swatches to come :)

Hope you're all well!

NATALIE, XO

Disneyland haul

2012-01-17T13:34:00.000Z

Now I couldn't go to the magical Disneyland and resist the urge to buy cuddly toys and souvenirs, and I probably went a little bit mental. But here are the bits and pieces I bought home with me...

Yes, I went a little crazy but I was in DISNEYLAND! And how cute is Dumbo???

Do you go a little souvenir crazy on holiday?

NATALIE, XO

My disney week in photographs

2012-01-13T12:38:00.000Z

I've been away for a while because me and my boyfriend took a mini-holiday (4 days) to Disneyland Paris, and it was amazing!!! Does anyone know how I can become a Disney Princess?? Had a really great time, even though the journey there and back was a bit traumatic because train lines were undergoing work! I took 400+ photos but I thought I would share just a few - still going to be photo heavy though! Got lots of posts to come now I'm back though :) Hope you've all had wonderful weeks!

NATALIE, XO

feline smokey

2012-01-04T13:15:00.000Z

Last night I was extremely bored, and I ended up rooting through my make up and creating a dramatic (for me) smokey, winged out eye look. I've got into a make up rut of just winged eyeliner and fresh skin and it was nice to go for something a bit more dramatic. OH IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! 19! My last year of being a teenager :( I'm not going out tonight because I'm working, sad times, but if I were this is the type of make up I would wear...

Jemma Kidd Light as Air foundation

Bourjois Mineral Radiance powder

Bourjois Chocolate bronzer

MAC Melba blush

Matte Black from Sleek Storm Palette

Matte Tan from Sleek Storm Palette

Uban Decay White Rabbit

Maybelline Studio Gel eyeliner

Maybelline Colossal mascara

Ebay fake eyelashes

Elf Brow Kit

Rimmel Spotlight Beige lipstick

My birthday is going well so far... my dad bought an array of birthday treats for me to eat - including croissants for breakfast along with a Starbucks Caramel Latte. Won't be doing a birthday haul because I literally just got money :) Having to work tonight is a little bit crap, but I'm off to Disneyland on Sunday!

Hope you're all having a wonderful day, and that all of your new years resolutions are going well!

NATALIE, XO

goodbye, 2011

2011-12-31T11:16:00.000Z

Sorry I've been a bit quiet after Christmas! But this will be my last post of 2011 so I just wanted to wish you all a very safe and happy New Year! (and happy new year to those on the other side of the world who have already entered 2012! how weird is that??) 2011 was quite a quiet year for me, and I'm excited to see what 2012 will bring! I will be right back after New Year though, I've been doing a lot of online shopping, oops, so expect a haul!

Everyone have a wonderful night, whatever you're doing. And here's to a good 2012 :)

NATALIE, XO

Month's Most Wanted

2011-12-21T13:16:00.000Z

It's the last Month's Most Wanted of 2011! Can you actually believe that it's the end of the year?? I'm sure everyone says it every single year, but 2011 seems to have zoomed by. I'm glad to see 2012 though, I'm hoping it'll be a good one!

This Month's Most Wanted is going to be a bit bigger than usual, because of course it's the Christmas addition ;) Although saying that, I haven't asked for anything this year - so will more than likely just get money. Why didn't I ask for anything? Because I'm really not wanting that much... It's a bit different when you have a job, because if there's something I want, I'll wait til payday and I'll more than likely buy it. Anyways lets start with beauty...

MAC Powersurge Eye Khol: I've seen Tanya Burr use this countless times throughout her tutorials and it always looks so gorgeous. It's a beautiful goldey-bronzey colour. Much more subtle than a black in the waterline.

[£13.00]

Jemma Kidd Light as Air Foundation: Everyone and their Nans have been raving about this foundation, and after dabbling in high end foundation (post to come), the hype has got to me and I've decided I need this in my life.

[£25.00]

MAC Frankly Scarlett Blusher: This is the most perfect winter blush... it may look a bit scary (pretty much bright red) I think with a really light hand it would give the perfect winter flush.

[£17.00]

Models Own Disco Mix Nail Polish: Possibly the most festive/party season appropriate nail polish. It is absolutely stunning, and impossible to find in Boots! Will have to venture online for this one.

[£5.00]

Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel + Wake Up Booster: I tried this skincare range in a little travel sized kit and it was amazing. I loved everything about it and could not fault a thing. So it's probably about time I got the full sized products.

[£10.00 for cleansing gel, £15.00 for wake up booster]

And now onto the random bits and bobs I'd quite like to receive...

Yankee Candles seem to be a bloggers favourite, so I'd love one or two of those. I also seem to be obsessed with car air fresheners (always changing mine) and Clean Cotton is my favourite Yankee Candle scent. I bake quite regularly and a hand mixer would make baking so much easier! Any vintage style photo frames are more than welcome, and some Henry Holland Suspender tights would be greatly appreciated. And I would love my all time favourite film (Lion King) and my top 3 films of the year on DVD. Duvet day anyone?

What's on your whislist? Hope you get all that you want!

NATALIE, XO

it's the most wonderful time of the year

2011-12-18T11:43:00.000Z

Just thought I'd share a few photo's of the festivities going on round my end ;) One week today!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! (or happy winter time for those who don't celebrate Christmas)

NATALIE, XO

one last haul before christmas

2011-12-16T09:26:00.000Z

I'm aiming that this is my last haul until Christmas. I'll try and restrain myself! I'm off to Disneyland Paris in early January so I need to keep some monies for then! But in the mean time, this is what I've bought...

Sparkly Jumper | H&M £14.99

Yup, I picked up the jumper I showed in this haul in another colour. It's a mix between a dark grey and navy. The sparkles are a lot less subtle on this jumper than the silvery/lilacy colour. I feel so festive in it! LOVE.

Batwing Top | Topshop £16.00

This top fits beautifully. I have nothing more to say. I got it in this steel blue colour which I love for winter.

PU Trim Shorts | Miss Selfridge £32.00

I featured these in November's Month's Most Wanted, and I finally got round to getting them. I might return/exchange them because I'm not 100% convinced they suit me, but this might just be because they're too big.

Sleeveless Peter Pan Blouses | Primark £6.00 each

I'm clearly having issues with choosing between colours... I seem to be buying multiples of everything. First these H&M lace skater dresses, then the H&M sparkly jumpers, then these blouses! They're really pretty! I find that the peter pan collars that go right to the bottom of the neck, just don't suit me, but the collars on these are a little bit lower and I find a bit more flattering. Plus they were only £6!!

Pyjama Bottoms | Primark £5.00 each

The one thing I love the most about Primark is their pyjamas. They're so cheap, but last forever... come in a million different designs and are the most comfortable thing in the world. AND LOOK HOW CHRISTMASSY THESE ARE!

So they are my last purchases before Christmas *fingers crossed. Have you finished present shopping?

NATALIE, XO

Boot Fetish

2011-12-14T09:58:00.000Z

It's become apparent over the last couple of months, that I have some sort of obsession with boots. I've just recieved my 4th pair of the season through the post, oops. Chelsea boots in particular...

So these are the latest addition to the shoe rack. They are tan, leather heeled chelsea boots. They are available in black too, which were my last resort if I couldn't find a good Allegra dupe - because they are a bit similar. The heel is much lower, so more day-time friendly. They are the River Island Cuban Heel Chelsea Boots. They are originally £40 but I got mine for £30 on ASOS as they're currently on sale (they've now gone down to £28), so go and grab yourself a bargain now! I couldn't resist them... even if my boot obsession is a little out of control. I vow not to buy anymore, until the new year? Ha!

PS: Did some Christmas shopping in these yesterday (walking for a good 3/4 hours, so comfortable!)

What have you been buying lots of recently?

NATALIE, XO

Champagne Supernova

2011-12-12T13:07:00.000Z

Just a quick face of the day! Feels like I hardly ever do these anymore... I tend to reach for the same make up all the time recently and it really doesn't change. But I thought I'd share what I look like these days ;) OH and yup I've dyed my hair a darker shade for the Winter.

Ignore the brows, they're unruly! Just a light champagne/taupe/bronze over the lid with winged eyeliner (when I'm I wingless?!) and kept the skin pretty natural, but bronzed.

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation

Bourjois Mineral Radiance powder

Bourjois Chocolate bronzer

MAC Melba blush

Mix of Urban Decay YDK & Sellout all over lid

Urban Decay Half Baked in crease

Urban Decay YDK on lower lashline

Rimmel Glam Eyes eyeliner

Bourjois Volumizer mascara

Benefit Highbeam on brow bone

Elf Eyebrow kit

No 7 'Nude' lipliner

MAC Hue lipstick

And there we are! Nothing fancy schancy.

NATALIE, XO

Is that you, Allegra?

2011-12-09T10:48:00.000Z

Probably the most sought after boot this season - the Topshop Allegra's. They're everywhere, and rightly so because they're b-e-a-utiful. However, I don't think they are still available (haven't been able to find them on their website, or in store) and they also come with quite a hefty £75 price tag. Lets take a look at said boots...

And now lets look at the boots that the wonderful postman bought me this morning...

Do they or do they not look identical? To the point where it probably shouldn't be allowed, lol. Although they're not real leather of course, they're a pretty damn good 'dupe'. So, did I shell out some extortionate amount on Ebay? Nope! Believe it or not these actually cost me £30 + £2.99 delivery.

They're from the Desire Clothing Ebay page, they do also have a regular website, but I can't seem to see these boots on there! And here is the direct link to the boots. Totally recommend the seller, came within 3 working days, exactly as photographed. Definitely a steal! A saving of £42!

Hope you liked this post, especially if you were lusting over the Allegras!
NATALIE, XO

It's a habbit...

2011-12-07T13:23:00.000Z

Shopping is a habit, and old habits die hard. Even when it's Christmas and purchases are supposed to be for everyone else. I do feel like it's justified a tad though because I actually finished all of my Christmas shopping in October/early November, so it's well earned? Pfft.

Camel + Red Stripe Knit Cardigan | £12.00
Black 'Super Skinny' Jeans | £9.00
Patent Bow Flat Pumps | £5.00
ALL PRIMARK

Was so impressed by the cardigan... it feels and looks much higher quality than a Primark cardigan, it's super soft and the red stripes are perfect for this season. Black skinny jeans are a staple I've been putting off buying for ages (who likes shopping for basics? It's so boring!) so I just went with these. Been after some plain black pumps and these fit the bill. Don't recommend Primark shoes for everyday wear (especially pumps) because they get ruined.

Metallic/Sparkle Jumper | £14.99 H&M

I'm obessed with these sparkly jumpers, anyone else? I couldn't choose between this silvery-grey with lilac undertones or a darker navy kind of colour so will probably end up getting that colour as well! Amazing price and really festive! Can't beat a bit of sparkle.

'N' Wash Bag | £16.00 Alphabet Bags

Bought one of these wash bags to use as a make up bag after seeing them on Lisa Eldridge's Christmas gifts video and instantly fell in love. It is HUGE, and also has a zip up side pocket which is nice. It's from Alphabet Bags which do all sorts of different tote bags etc. really good website if you're looking for gifts!

Snow Fairy Gift Set | £10.95

Mask of Magnaminty | £6.47

Butterball Ballistic | £1.90

Cinders Ballistic | £1.95

ALL LUSH

No countdown to Christmas is complete without a pitstop in LUSH! The Snow Fairy set is for Dean's Stepsister, I think it's a great little gift for those you're not wanting to spend too much money on without looking like you haven't. The mask is also Dean's - he loves the stuff! The two ballistics are both mine and are my favourite LUSH products of all time. I get so excited at Christmas time to stock up on these. They both smell delish and Butterball makes your skin so soft! LUSH if you're reading please make these two permanent??

And my most expensive purchase apart from my car (and insurance) ever! Was so excited to receive this, it's a beaut. My old laptop was dying a slow and painful death, and the charger had also broken so I was having to steal my Dad's when he wasn't using his for work. Ideally a MacBook would've been nice but is such a crazy amount of £

Have you finished Christmas shopping or have you been treating yourself?

NATALIE, XO

New Booties

2011-12-04T23:04:00.000Z

Say hello to my new boots, with whom I am in love. I've been after a pair of brown ankle boots for absolutely ages and I just couldn't find the right ones. I did have my eye on some Kurt Geiger ones but they were sold out everywhere. These ones are perfect, they are distressed dark brown (faux) leather, wooden look low heel with a buckle and strap detail. They are comfortable as well! So where are they from? Ebay! At a really affordable price. They are on sale at the moment, so now is a great time to order them, perfect for winter and look great with everything. Just had to share this bargain with you!

Completely recommend the seller, they dispatched quickly at a good price and they actually feel like really good quality. You can find them here for £19.59.

What are your staple winter boots?

NATALIE, XO

Max Factor Xperience foundation

2011-11-30T12:53:00.000Z

I've had this foundation for yonks now and it's just on it's last legs so I thought I'd finally get round to reviewing it. Let me just start by saying this is the completely wrong shade for me - it's too pale and far too pink toned. The Xperience range from Max Factor have an amazing colour range for you pale ladies! Nothing for darker skins though which is a shame, why are there no drugstore brands that have the whole spectrum??

*Why this swatch looks like the perfect match, I have no idea. ANYONE WANT TO GET ME A NEW CAMERA PLZ?

I'm gonna start by saying this is the nicest feeling foundation on my skin I have ever used. They market it as being 'weightless' and it literally is... it doesn't feel like you have anything on your skin at all, not even as thick as a moisturiser which means it's runny in consistency. It blends perfectly and is effortless to apply. Now I'm someone who loves a good medium-full coverage foundation and I'd say this is medium coverage. Isn't going to cover everything but hey, what is concealer for? Because it's so lightweight you can apply another layer and build it up to full coverage if you so wish. The only place this foundation falls down for me is oil control. It says that it's oil free, and that may be the case but it doesn't stop any oil from collecting on my skin (how gross does that sound?). It has a semi-matte finish, and lasts on the skin reasonably well (around 8hrs when powdered, for me).

I think this foundation would be ideal for dry/normal skins, and is a great one for oily skins as well - it just requires more effort. It retails for £9.99 in Boots.

NATALIE, XO

I spent some ££...

2011-11-29T09:29:00.000Z

Had a little shop with my Mum last week and I picked up some more wintery pieces which are keeping me nice and cosy, even though the weather has been quite mild! To think we had snow this time last year is a little bit mental...

Zip Pocket T-Shirt | H&M £7.99

Really simple piece... I'm a fan of pointless pockets on the chest, lol, and I love the zip detail. It's a really nice light, jersey (?) material. I'm dying to get this in the pinky/rose/nude colour as well because the fit is so flattering, and so cheap!

Navy Cable Knit Cardigan | Primark £14.00

Love this cardigan! It's so cosy and looks a lot more expensive than Primark (they also have it in cream which looks identical to the Topshop and New Look ones). The only thing that lets it down is the buttons really - they're supposed to look like those grandad leather ones, but are really plastic.

Grey Heavy Knit Jumper | Zara £25.95

Cannot express my love for this jumper enough. Zara is a store I often wander in to but never really buy anything. I made an exception for this jumper though. It's just a regular knit jumper but the sleeves are cable knit. LOVE. They also have it in cream and camel, camel is next on my list.

Lace Skater Dresses (Cream and Black) | H&M £14.99

I'm not normally someone who buys the same thing in a variation of colours, but I adored these dresses and I couldn't decide between the two. The fit and shape of these dresses are so, so flattering. Plus for £30 for two dresses, how could I possibly resist? Already go so much wear out of these! The cream one with a biker leather jacket and 80 derniers is a-mazing.

Bourjois Mineral Radiance Powder, £9.49 | Revlon Nail Polish 'Facets of Fuschia', £6.49

Been meaning to pick up the Bourjois powder for an age, it was in one of my Month's Most Wanted and I really do love it. The Revlon nail polish speaks for itself really doesn't it? Seriously... just look at it.

And that's what I've picked up lately!

NATALIE, XO

My week in photographs

2011-11-27T15:52:00.000Z

My Mum got some bad news early on in the week, so being the amazing daughter that I am, I drove round there with some lillies and cream cakes (opted for chocolate choux pastries and strawberry jam scones), nomnom. | The dog going absolutely berzerk over the broom, does anybody elses dog do this?? | My Stepdad was driving and saw this 'stack of £50 notes' so pulled over to pick them up. Only to realise it was novelty tissues. LOL. | Got a sample of Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, hoping to dislike it. Loved it. Gonna have to buy it. Ouch. | Cooing over all of the sparkly shoes in New Look. Someone tell me the secret to walking in these? | I can't talk about this week without mentioning to Youtube Royal Wedding. Alli & Charles (CTFxC) got married this week and I urge you ALL to subscribe to them if you're not already. Was so beautiful! Even if you're not subscribed you have to watch this montage video because it is stunning. Dare you not to cry!

NATALIE, XO

Month's Most Wanted

2011-11-25T10:38:00.000Z

Topshop Leopard Collared Playsuit: When Peter Pan style collars first came onto the scene I wasn't sure on them, but they've definitely grown on me. This Topshop playsuit reminds me of the leopard peter pan collared skater style dress everyone was loving last year.

[£46.00]

Sleek Brow Kit: My holy grail brow product is the Elf Brow Kit, (repurchased 3 times) and this Sleek version is essentially the same thing. I love Sleek palettes but I haven't really ventured into any of their other products, think I'd like to get my hands on this one :)

[£6.99]

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua: The hype surrounding this foundation is immense. And now I know why. I got a sample and I loved it instantly upon application and equally as much at the end of the day. I was hoping I wouldn't like it so much - because now I have to purchase the full size and ouuuuuch. A lot of money. Well worth it though I think.

[£31.00]

Miss Selfridge Naples Shorts: I'm in need a of a good pair of high-waisted black shorts and these caught my eye whilst browsing on the Miss Selfridge website. Love the paperbag style waist as well.

[£32.00]

La Roche Posay Effaclar K: I've heard many a blogger rave about this, saying that it helps their breakouts but that it also doubles up as a really good primer. Sounds good to me?

[£13.00]

H&M Snake Print Chunky Heels: I love the subtle gold-metallic, snake print (?) chunky heel on these shoes. I'm loving chunky heels - they're on trend and doesn't give your feet as much hassle as a stiletto heel. The rest of the shoe is suede and I <3 them for party season.

[£29.99]

Aldo 'Whiton' Handbag: As tacky as this bag should be in theory, I think it looks very chic and classic. It's got iridescent/metallic silver top and handles with lots of sparkly silver glitter on the main body of the bag - sounds very 'essex'. But the shape and style of the bag is so classic I think it just balances out. IN LOVE.

[£40.00]

So that's what I've been lusting over this month, what about you?

NATALIE, XO

Thrifty

2011-11-23T10:46:00.000Z

Went on a quick trip to the town centre where my Mum lives yesterday, and we ended up strolling around a few charity shops. I think I've mentioned before - never charity shop without her, I never find anything if I don't! Picked up a few bits, not a lot, but finding anything in a charity shop you're in luck, right?

Denim Shirt (George) - £3.00

Been looking for the right denim shirt for absolutely ages, and there this was! Long - check, Midwash - check, Nice buttons - Check. The buttons are opalescent :)

Embellished Sheer Vest (F&F) - £2.50

Loved the studded/embellshed/beaded detail and the very sheer material. Can see this with leather look leggings and mega heels for a night out!

Ruffle Front Blouse (Jasper Conran) - £2.50

This was so different and I had to pick it up... think it will look amazing with a navy blazer and black skinny jeans. Fits like a glove as well.

Across Body Stripe Bag (Dorothy Perkins) - £4.00

Star of the show! Instantly fell in love with this bag... the clasp is lovely, it has chain and (faux) leather strap and it actually has so much space inside!

Are you a fan of charity shopping? What's the best bargain you've ever picked up?

NATALIE, XO

My week in photographs

2011-11-20T19:08:00.001Z

It was Dean and I's 3 year anniversary on Tuesday, whoaa that's a long time, to me anyway! | My lovely roses from Dean. Him being a florist I expect nothing less. One for each year. | Red cups are back at Starbucks! Hazelnut Hot Chocolates are my winter tipple of choice ;) Working next to a Starbucks and not going in there everyday is the hardest thing. | My very healthy lunch, carrot sticks with dip! | The cat being absolutely adorable, if not a little crazy. | All of my healthy lunching undone by the Golden Arches, this wasn't all for me btw, although I definitely could've managed it. Again - working next to McDonalds, FAIL. | When we have family games nights Balderdash is our most loved game. Tried to have a game on Friday and failed miserably when we realised you can't play with only 3 players :(

Hope everyone's well! Any posts you'd like me to do? Let me know!

NATALIE, XO

NYX Concealer in a Jar

2011-11-18T09:49:00.000Z

I've just completely used up NYX's Concealer in a Jar, so I thought it was about time to do a review. I feel a little bit sick when I look at the amount of make up I own and the amount of money I must've spent on it all... so now I'm trying to use up products completely before I buy a new one.

This concealer actually really reminds of a mix between MAC Studio Sculpt concealer and Studio Finish concealer. It has amazing coverage and is very opaque but I wouldn't say it was as heavy as Studio Finish. It melts really quickly when used with fingers and is easily blended (in that respect it's very similar to Studio Sculpt). I've used this under the eye a few times and I personally think it works better on blemishes as I did find it a tad cakey on the delicate skin under the eye. Also used this on my eyelids as a primer and I found it creased big time. If you're looking for something to cover blemishes, redness and spots I can't fault this concealer.

I buy all of my NYX products on Cherry Culture, which does come with a bit of a hefty delivery fee but if you buy a few things at a time it's really cost effective. It retails for $4.50 on Cherry Culture which equals around £2.83 which is an utter steal. Really recommend this concealer!

What's your must-have concealer?

NATALIE, XO

Blushed Lips

2011-11-15T11:17:00.000Z

A while ago now I showed you two cream blushers that I bought from NYX (you can see them in this haul here). And whilst I adore the formula, I really can't fault it, one of the shades just wasn't cutting it for me...

The shade in question is Boho Chic, I found that it just made my skin look very dull and a little bit greyish. It also has small shimmers in it, and I usually favour the matte blush variety. Like I said - the formula is beautiful and I use the shade 'Natural' quite regularly (much more often than I anticipated). It's not greasy, but doesn't dry to a powder either, so leaves a nice sheen/glow.

Anyway, not to fear, I have put Boho Chic to good use and for the past 2/3 weeks it's been my go-to lip colour. I think the reason why these NYX cream blushes make such good lip product though is because they don't dry to a powder formula, they look glossy on the lips and are not drying at all - something I was worried about. So here it is in action...

Are there any cheek products you like to use on your lips? Or a lipstick you use as a cream blush??

NATALIE, XO

My week in photographs

2011-11-13T18:39:00.000Z

Finally got a chance to catch up on both of the 2hr specials that were Kim's Fairytale Wedding, and wasn't it just that? Seriously every little girls dream of a wedding. I can't help but loose (the little) respect I had for her... I adore her and I think she's beautiful but the whole wedding shenanigan has touched a nerve with me, maybe it's because I never liked Kris? Kourtney is my new fave. Oh I'm so fickle.

Went out with one of my besties Kelly during the week, had a right old feast at lunchtime in the Harvester; can't resist the salad bar, HELLO BACON BITS. In a spur of the moment thing I went down to the horse stables with her (she has a horsie... we weren't being weird) and as a result this is the state of my Chelsea boots. Hoping this comes out in the wash!

Amazing fry up breakfast I cooked for myself with fried bread, ketchup and brown sauce in tow. - Amazing new Frijj milkshake that is delicious, if ~~a little~~ sickly. - Was craving these badboys, can anyone say Christmas? And no your eyes are not deceiving you, you only get four in this box. for £1.39. I feel robbed. Although perhaps it's a good thing after looking at the calorie content of the milkshake [450kcal]! - More! magazine is my favourite trashy (?) celeb mag, if not purely for the Men Overheard page at the back... never fails to amuse.

So here I am... belly full of Lindor Lindts and Honeycomb Choc Swirl milkshake whilst flicking through More! and getting through my backlog of youtube videos. Apologies to anyone who was on a diet reading this post!

NATALIE, XO

Chelsea Boots

2011-11-12T11:58:00.000Z

In October's Most Wanted post, I mentioned that I was really lusting over the Topshop Chelsea boots. I really am loving Chelsea boots - heeled ones, flat ones, they just go with absolutely everything. But I managed to save myself from spending the £36 on some Topshop ones and managed to find these ones for a fraction of the price...

I actually much prefer these ones to the Topshop ones, I love the rouching and it makes them look a little bit more worn. They're super comfortable and actually keep my feet warm for the winter! And where are they from? F&F at Tesco!! They were just £15 and I love them.

You can find them on the website here. Have you got yourself a pair of Chelsea boots?

NATALIE, XO

MAC order

2011-11-10T11:51:00.000Z

So this week I was feeling a bit down and probably a bit sorry for myself, so I got a McDonalds for dinner and a Starbucks on the way home from work then whacked the 'continue to checkout' on a few items from my MAC fantasy basket. All was right with the world.

Melba Pan Blush, Hue Glaze Lipstick, Studio Sculpt Concealer NC20, Matte Gel

I sort of restrained myself, there were a whole bunch of other things I could've added, but I definitely would've felt a little bit sick if I had. I actually bought Hue from a blogsale, which makes me feel a tad better? Listen to me trying to justify myself, LOL.

What make up brand excites you the most?

NATALIE, XO

My week in photographs

2011-11-06T21:07:00.000Z

Obviously Saturday was fireworks night in the UK, which is probably my 2nd favourite holiday - the smell of bonfires and the sound of fireworks is <3 Can someone please explain to me why fireworks are so damn hard to photograph?? Don't judge! | Nice candlelit dinner in a pretty pub/bistro/restaurant. | Angry Birds docking station!! | Bunch of mushrooms growing on the side of the street, I felt compelled to take a photo because it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland? | Now the nights are getting colder, Peanut spends a lot of her time chilling cozying on my bed with me, how do cats look so comfortable all of the time??

Hope you all enjoyed fireworks night (if you celebrate it) tell me what the highlight of your week was! :)

NATALIE, XO

Foundation Advice?

2011-11-04T13:24:00.000Z

I need to ask for all of your expertise! I've never bought a 'high end' foundation and I have no idea why... because it seems like the most sensible make up product to splash a bit of cash on? But anyways, I have no idea which to go for first? Of course I'm going to get samples before I purchase a full bottle because well, I'd be silly otherwise?

The above foundations are the ones I've got my eye on at the moment, but I'd like your opinions on what are the best (very helpful if you've tried any of the above). I have oily skin so I'd like a foundation to be matte, last on my skin a long time, have medium-full coverage and photograph nicely :) What can you recommend me??

All of your opinions and advice will be very much appreciated!

NATALIE, XO

Korres Guava Lip Butter

2011-11-02T10:12:00.000Z

I've always lusted over the Korres lip butters - they receive rave reviews of their texture and of their scent. So I finally caved in and ordered one (I got mine on ASOS) for £6.00. I found myself in a bit of a dilemma and I couldn't choose between Jasmine, which is a light baby pink, or Guava, which is a milky colour.

I opted for the Guava because basically... I have very pigmented lips. And not in a nice 'just eaten fresh berries' kind of way, and I wanted something that was going to tone down my lip colour (and bright lipsticks) so that I don't feel like I have to wear lipstick all of the time.

I adore the packaging, it's so simplistic and sleek and I love the typeface, ~~I swear I'm not a nerd~~. And I really do rate this product... totally worthy of the rave reviews. Guava doesn't have a very strong scent, it's pleasant but it's not OMGZ NEED TO EAT THIS NOW. I think Jasmine would probably smell nicer. It has a very buttery texture and keeps my lips well hydrated (it does well against the work air con so thumbs up for that).

The top photo is my natural lip colour, with absolutely zero product. The bottom picture are my lips with a thin layer of the lip butter. Actually find this pretty impressive!

All in all, I really like this Korres lip butter and I will definitely be ordering Jasmine soon, and probably Mango if I'm honest. *I've just looked on ASOS and Guava is currently £5.10 :)

Have you tried the Korres lip butter, which is your fave shade? Korres is a brand I've never really ventured into, but now I'm intrigued. Any other gems I should know about?

NATALIE, XO

Small shop...

2011-10-31T10:44:00.000Z

I've been on a mission to try and get sorted for Winter. Because usually, winter rolls around and I don't have anything sensible to wear! So the last week I've picked up a couple of bits, so I'm a step closer to being prepared for the cold weather (which is already here!).

Chunky knit cardigan, £14 Cream cable knit jumper, £12 /Both Primark

I've seen this cardigan on a few blogs for a while now and I finally got the chance to get it - they also have it in a really nice rusty red colour but they didn't have my size :( Bit pricey for Primark, but it just seems to be at the moment? The cable knit jumper is pretty self explanatory... a staple really.

Oversized striped crop top, £8.00 /Primark Burgandy crochet front top, £28 /Next

Okay so the crop top isn't very winter appropriate but I really loved it... the stripes go in a different direction on the sleeves and sides, and I bought it in a few sizes bigger because it was just more flattering. I bought the burgundy lace/crochet/granny/doily front top mainly for work as part of my uniform. But I've already got loads more wear out of it. The sleeves and back are sheer chiffon, love!

Did the obligatory run to Boots this week, but I controlled myself (sort of) and only bought two items. I got the Lady Million perfume, which I love btw. I just bought the 30ml bottle for £33.70, I was going to get Stella but I thought I'd wait for Christmas to see if anyone picks up my hints or I'll just buy it with some Christmas money :) I also picked up the Maybelline gel liner, will do a review on this ~~probably~~ eventually. The gel liner was £7.99.

So there are my latest goodies!

NATALIE, XO

My week in photographs

2011-10-30T20:23:00.000Z

1: Mega breakfast of homemade American style pancakes, was delish.
2: Hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows is my cold weather saviour.
3: My current fantasy MAC basket, so tempting to click 'continute to checkout'!
4: H&M order came in 4 days - I take back all the moaning I did about their delivery. I ordered the jumper I spoke about here in my month's most wanted - didn't like it though :(
5: Always thought vitamins were a bit of a... well, con. But I'm always the first to catch a cold so thought I'd see if vitamins make any difference.
6: Got back into reading again, currently reading 'One Day' which I know I'm completely late on. But how cute is this book mark?? From Amazon fyi.
7: MAC Shy Girl is dying :( Love Cremesheen formulas... but this is their downfall!

Hope every has had a good week as always, and I hope every has been enjoying and continues to enjoy Halloween. What are all of your plans? Gotta say, I'm not a Halloween fan :/

NATALIE, XO

Month's Most Wanted

2011-10-27T11:56:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies,

I've been a bit MIA recently... lack of inspiration and the fact I've lost the USB cable for my camera have both played a part. If I don't find the cable today though I'll order another one, got a few posts I want to get up! But for now, it's my month's most wanted, I must say it every month but OMG time is flying. I mean - it's almost Christmas!!

H&M Striped Dress: I've seen this dress on a few people and the stripes make it super flattering, I'm already a massive fan of stripes, so I was sort of drawn to it instantly. This can take me through all the seasons as well - big chunky knit/blazer on top with some tights and boots instantly make it winter appropriate.

[£12.99]

MAC Matte: Heard really good things about this, and I'm looking around for a new primer and this seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. It's a mattifying gel applied before make up, and after moisturiser. It's a toss up between this and the Laura Mercier primer!

[£14.00]

Topshop 'Pillow Talk' Lipstick: Of course, I'm sure you've all seen this floating around on the blogsphere. It's a limited edition lipstick (so of course I have to have it) and it's a really pretty pink colour, looks very similar to MAC's Creme Cup which is one of my all time faves.

[£9.00]

Stella McCartney Perfume: I've always overlooked this perfume, and to be honest, I'd never really smelt it. I always imagined it to be really... mature but I gave it a sniff in Boots a few days ago and I've fallen in love with it. It's a unique scent and I've never owned something like it. Now I need it in my life. The bottle is to die for too.

[£35.00 for 30ml]

Topshop Chelsea Boots: I'm loving Chelsea boots at the moment, they're quite 'heritage' and very on trend. They literally go with anything as well - skinny jeans, skirts/shorts/dresses with tights, leggings etc. So versatile!

[£36.00]

H&M Cable Knit Jumper: I'm trying to stock up on lots of winter suitable clothes - loads of cosy, chunky knits. And this is just the epitome of chunky knit, right? Emily was wearing it in this post here, and it solidified my need to have it in my wardrobe. I love her style of wearing it over a pretty floral dress! LOVE her blog btw, you all need to follow.

[£19.99]

So there we are! That's October done and dusted :( Winter is well and truly on it's way... plenty of orange leaves embellishing the pavements right now.

NATALIE, XO

Blogs I'm Adoring

2011-10-25T15:14:00.000+01:00

Hello loves,

I go through phases of really loving certain blogs, and I thought it would be good to share them with you :) I'll probably do a couple of these... I don't know how often, I suppose when I start to realise I've been loving different blogs? I think this is a great way to get some of your favourites blogs out there to others who don't know about them - and vice versa, if you have any recommendations, leave them in the comments!

Emily /Emily Charlotte

I've been following this blog for ages and every time there's, I get excited to read! I particularly love her outfit posts because her style is just so pretty, she actually inspired me to order this H&M cable knit jumper (pictured above). But her 'Sunday Slob' posts are my all time favourite and never disappoint.

Julie /Musings of a Make Up Maniac

Julie's blog is another one of my 'first reads'. She is really talented and she's never posted a look that I haven't liked... I wish I looked as good in them as she does! She also does really useful posts such as 'MAC Palette: Worth the Hype?' which I loved. She also has a Youtube channel which I love watching, she just seems so... genuine!

Charlene /Dainty Dresses

Charlene does the most amazing week in photos posts - a post I look forward to every Sunday and enjoy every single week :) She's also a bit of a LUSH fanatic, so if you're looking for a LUSH product review you're bound to find it on her blog ;)

Michelle /daisybutter

Another blogger that does fab week in photos posts. I'm always quite envious at how well photographed they are, the layout is always gorgeous, always seems to be up to something interesting and food that looks delicious! Her style is so cute as well, so look out for her OOTDs. Another thing I love about Michelle is, to me, she is a massive part of the blogging community - she comments a lot on other people's blogs and that's not something you see a lot from 'big bloggers', so it's really nice.

So there we are! That's four blogs that I'm loving at the moment. I really recommend going on over to all of their blogs and following, if you're not already :) And don't forget to tell me your faves at the moment in the comments.

NATALIE, XO

Blog Overhaul

2011-10-24T15:02:00.000+01:00

Good afternoon ladies :)

I was getting a bit bored with my blog layout etc. and I always find when I start getting bored of the way it looks... I have no inspiration or motivation to post anywhere near as regularly as I usually do or would like to. So today I thought I give my blog a big re-vamp.

You may have noticed that I've also changed my blog title... from 'Beauty Has No Label' to 'Natalieslove'. Don't worry, the URL hasn't changed or anything like that. When I first made my blog I had no idea I would still be doing it 2 years later. And to be honest, 'Beauty Has No Label' just got a bit... cringey to me. I also feel like when I started this blog it was solely a beauty blog, but as times gone on it's changed and evolved into a mishmash of everything. I've always ended my posts with 'natalieslovex' and my URL has always been the same, so I thought this made more sense :)

I didn't want to delete this blog and start from scratch because I cherish this little blog :) Hope you don't mind, and let me know what you think of the new layout!

NATALIE, XO

Vivo eyeshadow trio

2011-10-14T12:24:00.000+01:00

So I'm pretty sure you will all know about the new make up brand 'Vivo' by now, it's being doing it's rounds on Blogger and it totally deserves recognition! If you didn't know, it's a new affordable make up brand that's hit the shelves in Tesco! I could've picked up everything, because it all looks pretty amazing. But for right now I just picked up an eyeshadow trio in 'Innocence'.

On first impressions I really liked the packaging and I thought it was a great little neutral trio that would be ideal for travel, but in the back of my mind I was thinking 'oh but I bet the pigmentation is pants, or it's really chalky' so of course, like a pro blogger ;) I swatched a few in store and they were really pigmented! I snapped up 2 of them - my Mum isn't into make up at all, but she's asked for a few little bits for Christmas so I thought this would be great for her, as well as myself ;)

Here are the swatches, and you can see that they're well pigmented, and they're actually very creamy. All three shades are shimmery but not glittery which I like. Great little trio of eyeshadows on days you don't know what to wear or you don't want to be rummaging through solo eyeshadows or numerous palettes. The compliment each other perfectly and would suit any skin tones.

I just did a really, really quick and simple look this morning with it before I went off to work, so that I could let you guys know about how well they blend, wear etc...

I used the second shade all over the lid and along the lower lashline, the third shade in the crease and outer v and the first shade on the inner third/tear duct. Super quick and super easy.

On my eyelids, the eyeshadows lasted really well. They were still there at the end of the day (9.00pm) without any creasing and minimal fading - without a primer. Overall, really impressed with this range and I have my eye on some of the baked blushes!

You can find this eyeshadow trio in Tesco stores for a tiiiiny £2.50. Have you had a chance to try Vivo yet? What did you think?

NATALIESLOVEx

I bought too much stuff...

2011-10-12T10:46:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies,

Yep, today is a haul day. And I'm fully aware that I bought far too much and I do feel pretty guilty about it now. However, most of the clothes are essentials/basics ~~that I really needed~~. There's a bit of beauty in there as well, of course. I still have my eye on loads of stuff that I want but I'm staying strong, and Christmas is right around the corner right? ;) *Be warned, this is a pretty boring haul*

Purple Cardigan, £6.00 /Primark

This is actually a really vibrant purple which isn't translating on camera well at all. In need of some new cardigans in preparation for layering in Winter. Vibrant purple was obviously a sensible colour choice? FACEPALM.

Deep Red Cardigan, £9.99 /H&M

Again, another cardigan. I've had my eye on this coloured cardigan for a while and thought I'd finally pick it up. BTW if you're trying to save money they do this kind of colour (slightly more berry toned) in the same cardigan as the one pictured first from Primark. But I think this H&M one will probably wash/wear a little better. I hope, anyway.

Mesh Insert Bodycon Dress, £12.99 /H&M
Every girl needs a staple LBD and for me, this is it. I've already worn it on a night out and I loved it! It's very figure hugging and shortish but isn't too risque because the mesh insert at the top stop there from being too cleavage-y. And it was so cheap! *The mesh was making the camera go crazy, so sorry about the rubbish photo.

Grey Flecked Jumper, £18.00 /Next

Pretty much just a basic for when it gets colder... but I adore this flecked detail. In love. They have it in a bunch of different colours and I definitely have my eye on the dusty pink one!

Sequin Stripe Jumper, £35 /Next

Words cannot describe how much I love this jumper! I've been umming and aahing over it for a while. Normally, I never shop in Next but now that I work there I just seem to be mentally shopping all of the time. I'd be really sad if the sequins fall off easily so hopefully they stick around for a while. Going to get a lot of wear out of this I think :)

Crackle Mirror Vase, £12.00 /Next

Bit of a random buy here, but I'm so attracted to this crackled mirror effect! I'm trying to get my room looking a little bit prettier so I'm going to put some white artificial flowers in this - ideally tulips and peonies. I love how you can see my saved pennies haha. Can I just say... I do work for Next so I did get discount on all of the Next items featured :)

Now onto cosmetics...

Earlier in the week Boots were having a 3 for 2 offer on pretty much everything in store, so I took advantage of that :) Picked up some essentials that I was running out of and some other bits that I've been lusting over (VO5 miracle concentrate). Of course, I then got some No 7 vouchers and went back to spend them - they know how to reel me in! I picked up the Men's face wash because I saw someone here on blogger mention how well it worked for her *If that was you please let me know!

So yup, finally done! Now it's time to go back on a spending ban me thinks.
NATALIESLOVEx

My week in photographs

2011-10-09T20:50:00.000+01:00

1: 'Hungry Caterpillar' stand in a garden centre, anybody remember this book??

2: Last part of Summer hanging around [flowers in a memorial garden]

3: PEZ?!?! Amazing. Santa Pez? My world exploded. Love.

4: Christmas decorations are everywhere now... it's becoming real that it's really soon! Made a start on my Christmas presents so feeling quite organised :)

5, 6: Had major chocolate cravings this week! Usually more of a savoury person... but when a girl needs chocolate, they need chocolate. Popped to Tesco before work and indulged myself ;) In the car. Classy. Did anyone else used to eat Animal Bars when they were little?

7: So I had an appointment at the hospital at the start of the week - I had a few moles that I was concerned about. The others were no problem but the Doctor said she'd like to take the one on my foot off and sent away for biopsy. I'm sure it's nothing though! So I currently have 2 stitches and dressing on my ankle/foot. Sorry for the gory photo, I like to make things dramatic ;) Go and get your skin checked guys, if you think anything might've changed!

How has everybody's week been?

NATALIESLOVEx

Project 10 Pan: Complete!

2011-10-05T11:11:00.000+01:00

Good morning lovelies,

So I finally hit pan on a tenth product, which means my project 10 pan is now over and I'm free to buy more make up! Although I'll try to only stock up on things I actually need! So the last product that I hit pan on is Elf's Eyebrow Kit - which is actually my third one so I thought it definitely deserved a mention/review.

This is my favourite brow product I've ever used. What makes it even better is that is only £3.50 from the Elf website! This one is in the shade Dark, I'd usually go for Medium but they didn't have any in stock and I couldn't be without it! You get two pans of product that can be used in conjunction or separately. As you can see from mine, I only really use the wax side.

L: POWDER SWATCH R: WAX SWATCH

My natural brows are very dark, almost black. The main problem I have with them is that the start of them aren't even, the ends are quite sparse but I'm quite lucky in that I really just need a product to groom them and make them look a bit neater. Here is a horrible photo of my brows in their natural state, with no product.

And here are my brows once I've put the wax in them (no powder)...

I like my brows to still look quite natural which is why I only use the wax - I find the powder can make them look a little bit fake and 'drawn on'. But if I'm going on a night out or something, or want them to look a little bit more defined I'll pat the powder over the top very lightly.

This is a really great little brow product without spending a fortune and I don't think I will ever be without it! It does exactly what I need it to do and I even use the little brush that comes with it - so very travel friendly.

Have you tried the Elf brow kit? What is your favourite brow product?

NATALIESLOVEx

My week in photographs

2011-10-02T17:57:00.002+01:00

The week got off to a nice start, in the UK at the moment (well, most of it) we're experiencing an 'Indian Summer' which is pretty nice! In Brighton I think we got highs of 24C but other places got 29C! Was obviously very excited to see this temp come up on my dashboard <3

Took a little trip to Pizza Express - again. This is starting to become a habit I think?? Because it was so nice we actually sat outside. Eating outside in late September/October, how crazy is that? Oh and does anyone else's other half spend the whole meal on their phone? (And I know he reads this so, hi Dean!). I always order either the llegera contadina pizza aka a pizza with a whole in the middle filled with salad or the ceaser salad, they're both amazing.

Dean got another tattoo this week, when he first told me his plans to get a Polynesian tribal sleeve I was a bit sceptical - didn't think I'd like it at all. But after seeing the result after his first session I really like it :) I know tattoos aren't everyone's thing so... yeah.

So now some sad news... my Chinese dwarf hamster died :( It's all a bit distressing really. If the hamster had just died of old age/natural causes it wouldn't be quite so upsetting, because that's life right? But the cat actually managed to get hold of the hamster and it didn't turn out well and it was horrific to find. What's more is I can't really be mad at the cat because it's in her wiring isn't it? Poor little guy :(

So I hope you've all had a lovely week, and enjoyed the sunshine if you got it!
NATALIESLOVEx

Stuck in the middle

2011-09-29T10:20:00.000+01:00

Hello my loves,

I tried out something a little bit different with my hair today... for about 5+ years now I've had pretty much the same hairstyle - just varying in lengths. The standard layered hair with a sidesweeping fringe. I don't think I've had a middle parting since I was about 10?! But numerous celebs rock it, and looking amazing...

MILA KUNIS - WHITNEY PORT - MARYKATE + ASHLEY OLSEN - KIM, KOURTNEY + KHLOE KARDASHIAN

Couldn't mention middle partings and not include the Kardashian sisters, right? Anyways, after getting my hair to co-operate (was obviously very confused about the change in direction) I managed a middle part. And I don't think it looked to shabby... thought my face looked very odd at first but it's grown on me, think I might don it more often :)

Was obviously feeling brave/experimental today because I also whacked on a red lip! The lipstick is Hero by NYX which you can see in this haul here :)

Are you a fan of the middle part?

NATALIESLOVEx

Month's Most Wanted

2011-09-28T09:44:00.000+01:00

Hello ladies (and gents?),

I literally cannot wait for payday, the blogger/cosmetics junkie in me is telling me to splurge... but my head is telling me to only buy what I need and put the rest towards my NYC fund (possible trip there in January!). We shall see... I'm sure you'll be able to tell by how big my next haul is ;) Although I don't think I've done a haul for about a month, I must've been good... anyway, this is a total tangent. Here are some bits I've really been wanting this Month...

H&M Camel Striped Jumper: I'm a massive fan of camel and a massive fan of stripes, so this jumper could not be more perfect. It is getting seriously chilly in the UK right now, so stocking up on some jumpers is probably a good idea. They have this jumper in loads of different colours and I love every single one.

[£14.99]

Boots Extracts Brazil Nut Body Butter: As you saw in a recent post, I just finished up my last tub of The Body Shop Body Butter... as much as I love the Body Shop's body butter, I can't help but feel they're well overpriced. The Boots ones on the other hand are more reasonable, just as good quality, fair trade and equally delicious in scent. Will be picking up this! They're often on 3 for 2 as well :)

[£7.29 for 200ml]

Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine: I've been lusting over these from afar for a while now, they're raved about both on Youtube and Blogger. I just don't know whether to go for Jasmine or Guava? The air con at work is a nightmare and my lips get so dry... this would be great to keep in my pocket for a little bit of colour and some moisture!

[£6.00]

F&F Duffle Cape Coat: Like I said, it's getting cold, and it's only gonna get colder! I love cape style coats. They do this same one in a camel colour - but zomggg could never keep that clean! Who would've thought a coat like this would be from Tesco??? My boyfriend said 'er no that looks like little red riding hood' what do guys know about fashion?! In love.

[£35.00]

VO5 Miracle Concentrate: Another hyped-up-on-the-internet product, this one a hair oil. My hair is going through a bit of a funny phase at the moment... a bit dull, lifeless and it's at the awkward length where my layers just keep flicking and not staying nice and straight. Hoping this would tame it!

[£4.99 approx]

Bourjois Mineral Radiance Powder: I've had this powder before and I couldn't fault it - I've just not repurchased because I've been a bit skint. It does what it claims... it sets my make up and stops me from looking like an oil slick but retains some sort of a 'glow' and stops me from looking so flat. Smells amazing as well!

[£9.49]

So that's that over, looks like I've been in a rambling mood because I normally like to keep these posts short and sweet. I've missed blogging, what can I say?! As always - tell me what you think of these products in the comments or recommend me something that you prefer :)

NATALIESLOVEx

My week in photographs

2011-09-27T21:31:00.000+01:00

Yep, I normally put these posts up on a Sunday, I know. I suck. I don't even have many photo's to put up this week! :( I know. Again, I suck.

Definitely the yummiest meal of the week... crispy halloumi cheese with salad. DELICIOUS. If you've never tried halloumi cheese, you need to.

Marbling experimentation took place... I'll keep you posted on how that goes! More practice required.

One of my best girlfriends, Kelly, has a birthday coming up this week so of course, on Saturday night we all rallied into town and it was a night full of dancing and drinks. Pre-drinks was obviously a must accompanied by a massive bag of Doritos. The next morning neither of us felt too fresh, so we headed to Marks and Spencer to get hangover recovery food. Apparently we thought M&S would make us look less like hungover girls and more like sophisticated ladies who lunch at Marks and Sparks. I think our make-up-less faces gave that away though...

So yup, that's all I have for this week guys :( Sorry it's so lame!

NATALIESLOVEx

Project 10 Pan: 9 down!

2011-09-26T10:59:00.000+01:00

Hello cuppycakes,

So, my project 10 pan is really nearing an end now. I'm so glad that I only have one product left to go because I am itching to go shopping! You know when you just have an uncontrollable urge to shop?? But I promise not to buy any make-up until this is finished!

To be honest though, I was a little bit sad to see this one go. I've been savouring it for ages because it is without a doubt one of my most used products and I'm going to be repurchasing this as soon as I can!

The product I'm talking about is MAC's Fix+ spray. At first, me and Fix+ didn't get along - I just didn't see the point of it and it didn't seem to do a lot. However, I grew to love it and it blossomed into a love story. I literally have been using this 5/7 days of the week, probably more.

It has so many uses... if I'm going to wear a heavy foundation like Revlon Colorstay, I'll spray this onto a moisturised face and it helps it glide on a little better without being so cakey. Or, I spray this onto a made-up face to set it and it helps it last a little longer (especially do this when I'm working 1-9). Spraying this on your face during the day also helps you feel refreshed as well as reviving your make up. It has an unbelievably cooling sensation that I'm literally addicted to - amazing in the summer, and I love the smell as well!

Other uses I've found are using this with particularly glittery eyeshadows (UD Midnight Cowboy I'm looking at you), it prevents fallout and makes any usual eyeshadow more intense. I recommend putting the eyeshadow on the back of your hand, then spraying the brush and using the eyeshadow from the back of your hand otherwise it can make your eyeshadow go a little manky. If you want to use an eyeshadow as liner Fix+ is a good thing to use :)

I really recommend everyone trying MAC Fix+ it's been an absolute life saver for me and although it is a little pricey I really think it's worth it and it lasts forever. You can get it from any MAC store or website for £12.50.

NATALIESLOVEx

I just wanna stay in my bed...

2011-09-23T10:18:00.000+01:00

Expect more of these random little posts - kind of just have the urge to blog sometimes, lol. Hope you don't mind :)

For those of you who don't know, I recently got a job at Next - and I'm actually in the Home department. I've loved interior design ever since I was little, so being surrounded by beautiful furniture, wallpaper and accessories is pretty amazing. I just wish I had my own house to decorate! I'm always mentally mapping out colour schemes and the like.

If any of these bedrooms were mine, I would be an extremely happy bunny ^_^
NATALIESLOVEx

Project 10 Pan: 8 down!

2011-09-21T23:45:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone :)

So this morning I woke up and finished the 8th product of project 10 pan, so it looks like I'm finally coming to the end! It has been very difficult not to cave in and buy any other products because I've wanted so many, and apart from that little Elf haul blip, I think I've been really good! Okay, so I basically failed... but I couldn't pass up the chance of a 50% off sale on a company that are already so cheap!

So the product I finished up today was The Body Shop's Peach Body Butter. Now I realise this isn't a make-up item, but it's cosmetic right? It's not a necessity. It counts, yes? :)

So this is in the scent Peach which they claim to be for all skin types. I think this may be my favourite scent, it is so fresh and not too heavy - couldn't see it clashing with any perfumes/deodorants. But then again I also love the Coconut, Almond, Brazil Nut and Mango ones!

I'm always banging on about how oily my skin is, but my legs? Whole different kettle of fish. They're so dry - probably something to with the fact they regularly have a sharp metal blade pulled across the skin in an attempt to have 'Veet advert' worthy pins. So moisturising them after a shower/before I go bed/in the morning is needed.

Generally, all of The Body Shop body butters are quite thick, which makes them very hydrating. The scent lingers all day on me which is why I really do love these so much. Moisturisation? (is that even a word? NB: spell check tells me no) Well, they moisturise my legs just as well as any other body moisturiser I've ever used, so in that department it's not outstanding. However, it does leave a really lovely sheen/glow on the skin which is beautiful on a night out. But, I do find that it doesn't sink in particularly quickly, and I feel as though it leaves a bit of a greasy film.

I'm just gonna throw it out there... I think TBS Body Butters are overpriced. Yes, they smell good enough to eat and sure, they moisturise fairly well. But £12.50? Meh, I could go with out. I usually only buy these body butters when they're on some sort of offer - which to be fair, they always seem to be. So if you feel like a bit of a splurge, a little slice of luxury then I think you'd enjoy these. Something about them is so addictive and inticing!

*Currently on buy one, second one 50% off, Body Shop Wesbite*

What do you think of The Body Shop Body Butters? What Body Butter is your ultimate favourite?
NATALIESLOVEx

Little Peace Of Me

2011-09-19T14:45:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies,

Long time no see, I know! Sorry about that, I've been lacking inspiration in all honesty - I've been pretty busy as well but anyways... I felt compelled to blog, so I thought I'd share with you a lipstick that I've been loving recently.

So the lipstick that I'm talking about is the shade 'Peace' from the Boots 17 Mirror Shine range. This range of lipsticks have featured on my blog numerous times, and no doubt you've heard about them on other blogs and Youtube channels. And I promise you it's not just all hype, they are honestly such gorgeous lipsticks. They are so moisturising and glide on beautifully - with no need for a gloss. They are quite sheer, so the pigmentation is amazing but the formula is so great, it's hard not to love them.

This shade, in the tube is a neon and I'm not exaggerating when I say neon, orange/peach/coral/pink. That was helpful right? Haha. But like I said, they're quite sheer lipsticks so do not expect it to apply on the lips the same colour as the in the tube, because it is really quite different...

This is such a hard colour to photograph so I apologise, but definitely go and swatch it on the back of your hand... it's a 'bright' lipstick without being so in your face, quite subtle without being a boring and safe pinky/peachy/nude colour. Really enjoy wearing this lipstick :)

You can pick up these lipsticks for £4.59 in Boots. If you want to see swatches/post on another shade from the range you can find it here :)

What is your lipstick love right now?
NATALIESLOVEx

Did we chase the rabbit into wonderland?

2011-09-08T18:30:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies,

Sorry I haven't been posting as much as usual! To be honest, I've not be that inspired to blog - and I haven't been buying any new products so no hauls, and no make up to get excited about! Even my week in photos have been slacking :| Sorry about that! Blogging shall resume shortly I would imagine :)

It was my Mum's birthday at the weekend, so me and one of my sisters took her out for lunch and shopping in a quaint little place full of higgledy piggledy shops selling loads of cute and adorable things... I found an old-school Vaseline tin! Anyways, I wish I took more photo's (especially of lunch) but I thought I would share anyway.

Just thought I'd pop by and say hello :) Hope you're all well!

NATALIESLOVEx

Project 10 Pan: 7 down!

2011-08-31T22:35:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies,

Another make up product hit pan! Finally, I only have 3 more items left until I can buy make up again! So the next product is a bronzer...

It's the NYC bronzer in the shade Sunny, which is a matte shade. This is the first bronzer I have ever hit pain on... and I bought this for literally about a pound and some pennies from Fragrance Direct. Unfortunately, this is what happened to my beloved bronzer whilst on it's last legs...

It's not too bad though, still useable! This is actually quite an orange toned bronzer, but don't all run away in horror, it doesn't look orange orange on the skin, it just gives a really nice warmth to the skin. Because it's matte it can also be used as contour which is probably my main use for it). So here it is on my skin as a contour (hollow of cheeks, temples, jawline) and very very lightly as bronzer (chin, nose, cheeks).

What is your favourite bronzer?!

NATALIESLOVEx

Month's Most Wanted

2011-08-28T16:29:00.000+01:00

Hello :)

So I have been working loads of overtime recently so I'm hoping I'll be picking up a majority of these things this payday!

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream: I've been lusting about this for absolutely ages, I've only ever heard great things about it and I want to see if all the hype is true! It is quite pricey, but if it really is as good as people say it is, then it's worth it right? Let me know in the comments!

[£25.00 for 50ml]

Chanel Chance Eau Tendre: I love all of the Chanel Chance fragrances but Eau Tendre is my favourite, I've just never been able to bring myself to part with that amount of money... but it's such a gorgeous perfume that I'm just going to have to cave soon!

[£48.00 for 50ml]

Topshop 'Nevada' Lipstick: I haven't actually tried any of the Topshop make up range yet, but the blushes and lipsticks especially interest me. I've seen Nevada used on a few make up tutorials and face of the day post's and it seems like a gorgeous nude!

[£8.00]

Bourjois Volumizer Mascara: I've mainly become interested in this because Tanya from Pixi2woo raves about this, and it does make her lashes look amazing. I haven't yet tried a 2-step mascara so I think I need this in my life...

[£10.49]

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment: I've bought this before and it made my hair feel AMAZING, like seriously... it makes it feel so thick, so soft and so healthy! I wouldn't say it made my hair grow any quicker but I can't be without it, it just made my hair feel and look too good.

[£7.99]

Let me know if you've tried any of these products and what you thought of them :)

NATALIESLOVEx

My Work Face

2011-08-25T09:32:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies,

I've been working a lot recently - which is why I haven't been posting as regularly as usual/as I would like. I'm normally only a part-timer but I've had tonnes of overtime and pretty much been working a full time week. Which will all pay off on Payday! Anyways, I thought I would show you my 'work day face'. It's not too different from my day-to-day looks if I'm honest, lol.

Elf Flawless Finish foundation

Max Factor Xperience foundation

Natural Collection Loose Powder

NYX Bronzing Powder in Sunny [contour]

NYC Mosaic Color Wheel in Pink Cheek Glow

All eyeshadows from W88 palette

L'Oreal Super Liner in Carbon Gloss

Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara

Benefit Highbeam [inner corner + brow bone]

Elf Brow Kit

Natural Collection lipstick in Rose Petal

17 Mirror Shine lipstick in Bee Hive

So yeah, not much different! I just make sure the skin is very clear and fresh looking, with very subtle bronzer or blush. If I wear eyeshadow I keep it very neutral and I won't wing my eyeliner... keeping it quite thin and following my natural lashline. I keep the lower lashline very clean, which is something I don't usually do. I don't bring any eyeshadow underneath, no eyeliner in the waterline and only a small amount of mascara.

What is your go-to work make up?

NATALIESLOVEx

My week in photographs

2011-08-23T10:21:00.000+01:00

1,2,3,4: It's always been a long running joke that dean has cooked me dinner twice in the space of 3 years, so this week he decided he was going to learn how to make a pizza from scratch - and now he can't stop! The second attempt had cheesy stuffed crust, nomnom.

5: A gorgeous, yummy Sunday lunch made by combined effort of me and my Dad... love cooking with him!

6: Left over Indian takeaway... for breakfast please don't judge, lol!

7: I bought a car! So happy after finally passing my driving test I could not wait to get a car. It's actually pretty much the same exact car as my boyfriend's apart from it's 3 door instead of 5. I cringed at this fact... especially after seeing them parked next to each other! His & hers cars are something that will never catch on...

8: And of course, the perks of having a car are running over to McDonals to get a sausage and egg mcmuffin and two hash browns, as well as bags of sweets to keep in the car!

As well as all of that, I also picked up my A Level results and I got BCC (would've loved a BBC), which is enough to get into Uni to do Nursing next year... but now I don't know whether to go back to college until January to see if I can improve my results or spend the year doing voluntary work to go on my UCAS application :/ Advice?

I hope everyone got the results they wanted/needed and had a really great week :)
NATALIESLOVEx

Project 10 Pan: 6 down!

2011-08-18T19:33:00.000+01:00

Hello :)

So I know that technically I failed my project 10 pan mission because I did have a bit of a splurge on the Elf website... but it was just an offer that could just not be missed! I'm sure you all agree? (Elf haul here). But yes, now I'm back onto finishing or hitting pan on 10 items, and I managed a 6th one just recently!

So the 6th product I've hit pan on is a blush from MAC in the shade Pink Swoon. In the pan, it looks pretty terrifying, but I promise once it's on it is not that bright! It is a Sheertone blush which does mean... well, just that! It's a colour I can see working for lots of people, of varying skin tones. I did have this MAC 6 blush palette full, but I've actually sold all of the others - so there must be something special about this one?

This is the only photo that really showed the colour on the cheek - apologies for it being such a crappy one, and I apologise again for the minimal make up + bad skin day. As you can see it's nothing too over the top or done up and it just gives a pretty flush :) I find myself reaching for the blush most days of the week - it just seems to work with anything!

This is a very heavy swatch, but you can see that it still isn't as bright as you expect it to be when you see it in the pan. I'd definitely recommend MAC blushes, they do last for a long time and are good quality. This shade is particularly pretty :)

What is your favourite MAC blush? What is you favourite blush of all time?

NATALIESLOVEx

My week in photographs

2011-08-15T21:03:00.000+01:00

1,2,3,4,5: Did some ~~boring~~ shopping this week and I thought I would show the stuff here because it wasn't exciting enough for a haul, lol. Got a couple of pairs of shoes mainly for work - I really should learn my lesson and stop buying shoes from Primark but these were too cute! Also picked up the body spray + lotion duo from Hollister in Solana beach which is super fruity and is a repurchase (far too overpriced but I adore the smell), I've been looking for some new books recently and I asked for recommendations on twitter and I got these three :)

6: Obviously I couldn't talk about last week without mentioning the horrific riots. I don't usually watch the news, it just depressed me too much. However, over the few days of the riots I could not switch the news channels off, I watched in pure shock, it honestly sickened me.

7,8,9,10: I went to Pizza Express for lunch during the week with one of my best friends from college, Jess. I got a llegara pizza, where basically they cut the middle out and fill it with salad to make it healthier, lol! Jess went healthy too and ordered a ceaser salad... and of course we undid all of those healthy choices by getting the dough balls with nutella, what else? We didn't have one each btw, it's just two photos! Sorry for crappy Blackberry photos >.< another reason why I need an iPhone!

11,12: Most exciting part of the week? I PASSED MY DRIVING TEST! Eeek, I know - I got there in the end! It was actually my 4th time... my best advice to anyone who is struggling to pass their test is do not give up the feeling when you finally do it is amazing. And of course, my boyfriend being the wonderful person he is got me some flowers with a mixture of all my favourites! <3

Hope you all had amazing weeks!

NATALIESLOVEx

Umberto Giannini Enviable Body Blow dry spray

2011-08-09T20:07:00.000+01:00

So once I'd purchased this blow dry spray, I popped on to Boots and looked up some reviews... it wasn't promising, a lot of people were complaining that it made their hair extremely sticky which made me a little worried to use it, but I did and here's what I thought...

I sprayed this into wet hair (as recommended) before blow drying and winced as I aimed the hair dryer at my head, expecting it to turn into some sticky mess. It didn't and I was thrilled! Until I realised that my hair looked exactly the same as it would have if I'd used no product at all. No volume, no body, no difference. I've tried this multiple times using different amounts of the product - but it's never made my hair sticky (or heavy surprisingly) but it's never made a difference to the volume either.

One positive thing I did notice about this spray though, was that it cut drying time in half. This is a big thing for me because usually it takes 15-20 minutes to completely dry my hair with a dryer, but with this spray it literally only took 5 minutes. One main reason I picked this up because it has heat protection built in... I'm normally good at remembering heat protection before styling, but not before drying!

So all in all, if you're looking for something to solely cut drying time + protect your hair from the heat then go for it, but don't expect any of the extra volume that it promises.

What's your favourite thing to create volume? (not dry shampoos)
NATALIESLOVEx

My week in photographs

2011-08-07T16:44:00.000+01:00

1: I ordered 3 votive/sampler Yankee Candles from Yankee Direct and I'm loving them! I got Clean Cotton, Bahama Breeze and Fluffy Towels. In general, scents like 'clean cotton' are my favourites because they're so fresh but comforting at the same time. Really wanted to try Soft Blanket but it was out of stock :(

2,3: Who remembers this post here about my cat getting wasted on catnip? Well I found another cat that seems to be equally as wasted... although he's more of a sleepy catnip drunk. This is my boyfriend's nan's cat Bobby who is a Persian.

4: Been trying to eat bigger and better breakfasts to stop me getting so hungry in the day. Lovely bit of quorn bacon and scrambled eggs, accompanied by ketchup and black pepper, nom. I'm not a vegetarian but quorn bacon is honestly delicious try it if you haven't!

5: A Graze box was popped through the letterbox and I've never had one I haven't liked, it was particularly yummy this week. If you want a free box to try out just use the code 21PDYGM :)

6: Ben & Jerry's ice cream, need I say more? Love and happiness can always be found at the bottom of one of these tubs ;)

7,8,9,10: The fam and I have a tradition of going out for dinner on the first Thursday of each month. We went to Miller and Carter's which is my absolute favourite place to eat (it's a steakhouse/grill). Sharing nachos to start, followed by steak <3 I'm very manly when it comes to eating :L a nice lump of meat and I'm good to go... I was considering adding half a rack of ribs but I'm glad I didn't - major food baby when I got home!

Hope every one's weeks have been fab! What have you got up to?
NATALIESLOVEx

What I Bought: Elf 50% Off

2011-08-06T11:04:00.000+01:00

Hey everyone,

So of course, like everyone I took full advantage of the 50% off sale that Elf were having - how amazing is that deal?! It's one of my favourite brands but I pretty much bought lots of boring stuff, like essentials, but I thought I would share what I got with you all anyway :)

Flawless Finish Foundation L: Porcelain R: Sand

Originally £6.50, Bought for £3.25

Love the packaging of these, feels so expensive. I bought 2 different shades because the Elf website SUCKS for swatches, so I figured if I bought 2 I could always mix them. I think Porcelain is far too pale and Sand is just right.

Mineral Infused Face Primer

Originally £6.00, Bought for £3.00

Had my eye on this for absolutely ever. I've heard it's really similar to the GOSH Velvet Touch and I loved that so I thought this might be a good alternative!

3 Pack Shiner Eraser Set

Originally £3.50, Bought for £1.75

I've never actually used blotting sheets *shock horror* and I do hate the idea of putting on powder over oil, and I'm very oil. So I thought I'd try these because you get three different types: Green Tea, Tea Tree and Aloe.

Wet Gloss Lash & Brow Clear Mascara

Originally £1.50, Bought for £0.75

I told you I bought some boring things! I've tried the Elf Brow Treat & Tame from the Studio line but the tame side has a colour and is just too red toned for my brows.

L: Innocent, Originally £1.00 bought for £0.50

R: Clear, Originally £1.50 bought for £0.75

Innocent is a really pale pink which is a shade I've been looking for for a while, will be great for work. Also just ordered the Clear one because I've run out of base coat/top coat and I thought I'd see how well a plain clear nail polish would work.

Single Eyeshadow 'Pebble' Originally £3.50, Bought for £1.75

Can see me getting a whole lot of use out of this eyeshadow! Beautiful neutral brown :)

Mineral Blush 'Joy; Originally £3.50, Bought for £1.75

I've heard a lot about this shade and it is a really pretty colour. I have one of the other mineral blushes and it is honestly one of my all time favourites!

Did you take advantage of the 50% off? What did you buy?

NATALIESLOVEx

What I Bought: Primark

2011-08-05T08:51:00.000+01:00

Hello :)

I had to go the Orthodontists yesterday which is in town, and of course I couldn't not go shopping. Although I would've loved to of had a massive spree in H&M (because I love everything that's in there at the moment), Primark is all that my budget could stretch to. This is what I bought over 2 seperate occasions...

Cobalt Blue Sheer Shirt, £10.00

This has technically already been featured on my blog but I haven't really showed it so yup, here it is, lol. I love these shirts from Primark, - I have it in nude as well. Would love to have every colour! I think £10 is expensive for Primark (anywhere else I would be thrilled) for what it actually is though...

Peach Sheer Tiered Blouse, £8.00

Another sheer blouse! Really am loving them. There are similar ones in H&M and Topshop but this one was much cheaper. But again, for what it is? £8? I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just being stingy because I'm trying to save ;)

Black Duffle Style Coat, £18.00

I know, I know... a coat in August? Maybe it was because it was absolutely pouring hard with rain when I went shopping? I liked to be prepared and my coat from last year is a little bit worse for wear and has gone all bobbly... HATE when that happens. Does anyone have any tips on how to get rid of the bobbles or prevent them?

Small Quilted Bag, £6.00

I love these sorts of bags for nights out, big enough for essentials but with a strap! I'm not good with clutch bags, I always forget to pick them up (perhaps that's alcohol). Bargain for £6! It did have a fabric bow attached to the strap but I cut it off because it was eurgh.

Skull Charm Necklace, £1.50

Silver Wing Earrings, £1.00

Wrap Around Snake Ring, £2.00

Double Finger Leaf Ring, £2.00

How amazing is Primark jewellery right now? I love skulls. And the wing earrings really reminded me of these from ASOS and the leaf ring reminded me of this from ASOS as well. Loving them <3

So that's what I picked up! Hope you like it :)

NATALIESLOVEx

Project 10 Pan: 5 down!

2011-08-04T10:00:00.000+01:00

Hello again :)

So in this post here I showed you, and reviewed the first 4 items I've used up since starting Project 10 Pan and now I've used up yet another one. This time a skincare item - the Clarins Daily Energizer Cream. Here's a quick little bit on what I thought about it...

This stuff smells delicious (I think it's the Moringa) and is really fresh. It's a little bit thicker/richer than moisturisers I usually go for but it sinks in quickly and I found it made a nice base for make up. It didn't make my skin any oilier and I think it helped balance it out a little bit. A good all round moisturiser that I think would work well for all skin types. I love the bright orange packaging and the scent, but it is quite pricey and I'm not a fan of moisturisers in the pot. I probably wouldn't repurchase; it's a good all-rounder but not something that will wow.

Have you tried this moisturiser? What Clarins products would you recommend?

NATALIESLOVEx

My week in photographs

2011-08-02T11:22:00.000+01:00

I usually post these on a Sunday, so it is a couple of days late but I've had 0 time to blog!

On Saturday it was Dean's (my boyfriend's) 21 birthday! He doesn't like a fuss, even though it was his 21st I know! Unfortunately I had to work on the Saturday anyway so he went off to watch a football match with his brother and on the Sunday Dean, two of his friend's, my niece and me went to Thorpe Park for the day.

1: A generous slice of birthday cake, nomnom.

2&3: Bar of chili chocolate that I bought Dean (he's obsessed with spicy foods and burning his mouth)

4: Mega mega hot crisps, yummy though! He hadn't decided on his 'big' present that he wanted from me but I couldn't let his 21st go by without giving him something to open so I made him a little goodie box of treats I knew he would like, including these things from the chili shop.

5: Pulling over on the side of the motorway to tape his wing mirror back to the car on the way to Thorpe Park, it made it though!

6: The amount of ketchup that chloe consumed with her lunch is vile.

7: Moral of the story... don't fall asleep in a car full of boys because you will get ring pulls and paper aeroplanes in your hair!

8: The mandatory keyrings of hilarious and unflattering photo's from the rides. NOTE: SAW LIVE MAZE IS PRETTY SCARY.

9: The most epic bath I got into after getting back from Thorpe Park courtesy of LUSH's Creamy Candy Bubble Bar. Never been so thankful for hot water.

Just wanted to say a massive thank you because I also hit 700+ followers last week! Honestly is crazy to think... I always forget anyone reads these posts! Never thought I would still be blogging this far on so thank you everyone!

NATALIESLOVEx

Month's Most Wanted

2011-07-29T16:20:00.002+01:00

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!

2011-07-27T22:07:00.000+01:00

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

Golden Cranberry look

2011-07-26T21:31:00.000+01:00

Hello my loves,
I don't know whether this is just me, but when I get bored I sit at my dressing table, open my drawers and rummage around my make up collection and have a bit of a play - okay that sounded totally wrong - but you know what I mean! I was looking through my Sleek Storm palette and realised that only a few of the shades actually ever get an outing, so I thought I'd use some products that don't get much love. This is what I came up with...

ALL EYESHADOWS FROM SLEEK STORM PALETTE
Both gold shades,
Blueish/Greenish Grey shade,
Cranberry shade,
Light pink shade,
Black shade

Elf Black cream eyeliner
Fake lashes from Ebay
Collection 2000 Big Fake mascara
Elf Brow Kit

This is what it looks without the flash and under natural sunlight :)

Maybelline Superstay 24h foundation

Rimmel Stay Matte powder

NYC Sunny Bronzer as contour

Elf Blushing Rose blush

Rimmel Nude Delight lipstick

NYX Pumpkin Pie lipstick dabbed over the top

So yup, this is my make up this Tuesday evening... I ate dinner on my lap in front of the TV with my Dad and then wrote up this blog post. Always the way - all dressed up with no where to go!! Sorry it was so photo heavy... I feel like a camera whore (I pray that nobody finds my blog by searching 'whore' haha :|)

NATALIESLOVEx

Week in Photo's

2011-07-25T10:39:00.000+01:00

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