angellec makeup

My Christmas Wishlist

Posted on by angellecmakeup

Want to know what I’d love to find under the tree this year? Read on to find out…

SELFRIDGES ASTROLOGICAL FRAGRANCE COLLECTION BAG: £15.00

Okay, hands up – I may have already bought this bag for myself. Oops. It’s just so gorgeous and manages to combine my love of so many things; stars, astrology, bags, perfume… Top marks Selfridges.

MAC LIPSTICK: £15.50 (currently £13.95 at Debenhams)

Would you believe that I, lipstick hoarder extraordinaire, do not own a single MAC lipstick? I can’t quite believe it either! I would love to find either Brave, Ruby Woo or Rebel under the tree this year for a perfect xmas kiss.

LADY GAGA FAME EAU DE PARFUM: £12.97 @ AMAZON

The first of two scents, Lady G’s Fame perfume is just about the only celeb scent I’ve found I actually like. I always alternate between a cheaper ‘day’ perfume and a ‘special’ perfume (see below for my more expensive choice), and this is the perfect everyday autumn/winter scent for me. And at under £15 for 100ml I think it’s amazing value for money. 

ASOS CURVE PACK OF THREE RINGS: £6.00

As someone with quite chubby fingers it can be quite a struggle to find rings that fit my little sausage hands! Lucky ASOS Curve comes to the rescue as always with their ring sets – I love this one in particular as it features both rose gold and stars. Love.

THE ANNUAL 2016: £10.00

My music collection is usually a mix of terrible 90s trash and the Heathcliff Live soundtrack (amazing) but I am partial to a bit of dancey/house music, and Ministry of Sound do the absolute best compilation albums. I’ve bought their ‘annual’ for the last few years as it’s just a guaranteed selection of great tracks – perfect for playing at all those super-cool house parties I never have. 

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD ASTRID BRACELET: £70.00

The VW Astrid collection has completely stolen my heart this year – it’s simply divine. I am obsessed with stars and Vivienne Westwood is one of my fave brands, so the two combined are a match made in starry heaven.

PAPERCHASE MYSTIC ROSE LETTER RACK: £8.00

Yes, I know, it’s a letter rack, but bear with me here. I may not have many letters to organise (unless you count various takeaway menus), but I do have quite a few makeup palettes. That’s right folks – innovation right there.

VALENTINO DONNA GIFT SET: £69.00

A little pricey, yes, but this is a ‘wishlist’ after all! I smelt this for the first time a couple of months ago and have been completely obsessed ever since. As I am the worlds worst person at describing scents I’ll just tell you what Valentino describe it as: “The fragrance revolves around a contrast of noble, subtle ingredients, with rose essence generously blended with notes of bergamot and iris Pallida, illuminating the fragrance with refined radiance and an impalpable texture. Warm, intense notes of leather blended with patchouli and vanilla express an exquisite, inescapable carnality. Embodying timeless elegance, Valentino Donna is luminous and sensual in equal measure.” Yeah…What they said.

What are you asking Santa for this year?

L’Oreal Infallible 24HR Foundation & Lip Colour

Posted on by angellecmakeup

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LOREAL INFALLIBLE 24HR FOUNDATION in 200 GOLDEN SANDS: £9.99

LOREAL INFALLIBLE 24HR LIP COLOUR in 213 Toujours Teaberry : £9.99

Any product that claims to be long-wearing (or in this case ‘infallible’) and I’m in. While I don’t think I’m too lazy with my makeup I do sometimes begrudge having to reapply a lipstick every two hours and if my foundation has a meltdown, so do I. After hearing positive things about the L’Oreal collection I decided to pick up a couple of bits to try, and test their long-lasting claims.

I’ll start with the foundation, as I tried it first and immediately recoiled from my mirror in horror, convinced the shade was far too dark for me. However the warm undertones in my skin and a hella lot of blending (especially on my jaw line) pulled me through, and I actually quite like the slightly-more-sunkissed-than-I-should-be look. The sun-deprived months ahead will really test how much I can pull this off though as whatever morsel of tan my skin has managed to achieve over summer will no doubt fade. The formula of the foundation itself though it brilliant, it blends incredibly well and gives medium-to-full coverage. And yes, it really did last all day with the aid of a powder.

The lipstick was the product I was most excited to try (obviously) as about three years ago I was completely obsessed with Max Factor Lipfinity, and these are very similar – a matte paint that lasts forever on your lips with a balm topcoat to stop the dreaded raisin lips. While I was definitely pleased with the formula overall (though I feel as if I’m going to run out of balm long before I run out of colour), it is the stunning shade that made me really fall this lipstick. XXX is such an unusual lilacy mauve that I’d describe as a baby plum, with a hint of metallic sheen that makes this unlike any other lip product I own. Definitely one that is far more interesting than it swatches.

Both products I’ve tried from the L’Oreal Infallible collection have been superb – a little pricier than your average drugstore products but they are well worth it.

KIKO Milano Haul

Posted on by angellecmakeup

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KIKO UNLIMITED STYLO LIPSTICK in 06 POPPY RED: £6.90

KIKO LONG LASTING EYESHADOW STICK in 06 GOLDEN BROWN: £6.90

KIKO INTENSELY LAVISH LIPSTICK in 05 HEAVY CHERRY: £6.90

KIKO LONG LASTING EYESHADOW STICK in 05 ROSY BROWN: £6.90

KIKO UNLIMITED STYLO LIPSTICK in 08 PEARLY STRAWBERRY PINK: £6.90

Here in England we have a phrase called ‘Sod’s Law’, which roughly means that whatever you want to happen, the opposite will of course happen instead. Or, according to Wikipedia: “while Murphy’s law says that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong (eventually), Sod’s law requires that it always go wrong with the worst possible outcome.” In this instance, I have realised my favourite makeup brand may very possibly be KIKO, which is completely ‘Sod’s Law’ as it’s one of the hardest to get hold of. My nearest KIKO shop is in Leeds and though there is an online option I’d really rather not meet the £25 minimum delivery threshold every time I want a £7 lipstick. 

So as you can imagine on a recent trip to the Regent Street branch I may have gone a teeny tiny bit overboard. Not too much though, as all things considered I could have easily spent far more time and money fawning over their glorious lipsticks, eyeshadows, brushes, eyeliners…yeah you get the picture, the poor friends I dragged along with me were just about ready to throw themselves down the Oxford Circus tube stairs.

Still, I just about managed to get home with friendships and purchases intact, and I am delighted with everything I bought in this little haul. The Shadow Sticks are simply amazing, liquid metal colours with creamy textures and unbelievable staying power, and I’ve discovered they are actually both dupes for my two favourite Urban Decay eyeshadows…post to come on that. The two Unlimited Stylo lipsticks both live up to their unlimited wear time claim as well as being great shades, 05 is a true cherry red while 08 is a metallic fuchsia pink with a hint of shimmer running through. My favourite has to be the Intensely Lavish lipstick though – who can resist that glorious rose gold packaging combined with an embossed bullet, and a rich plumy pink shade that for me is autumnal makeup in a tube.

I’m pleased to say that KIKO have indeed done it again, just please open a branch in Meadowhall! 

Fantastic Foursome | My Cleansing Routine

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SOAP & GLORY DRAMA CLEAN MICELLAR WATER: £6.00

SOAP & GLORY PEACHES & CLEAN CLEANSING MILK: £8.00

NIVEA DOUBLE EFFECT EYE MAKEUP REMOVER: £3.89

OLE HENRIKSEN PURE TRUTH MELTING CLEANSER: £24.00

I knew my obsession with cleansers was bad when, as I was changing lines in a sweltering hot underground station with my makeup melting off my face, my first thought was ‘I can’t wait to get home and have a good cleanse’. Seriously. I thought I’d do a post on the top four cleansers I’m loving at the moment as most of them haven’t been featured on this blog yet and they really deserve to!

 My first step when I want to take my makeup off is to use the Nivea Double Effect to remove my eye and brow makeup and any lipstick I’m wearing. You simply shake up the bottle until it emulsifies (temporarily) in to a light blue liquid that can be poured on to cotton rounds and pressed on to lids for a few seconds to melt away eyeliner and shadow. I’ll admit I do still have to rub a little to get all my mascara off, but I find I have to that even with the most expensive removers and the formula is gentle enough to do so.

Next I’ll head in to the bathroom to take off my base with the S&G Peaches and Clean. All it takes is a couple of pumps of this massaged in to my face and one hot flannel later all my foundation is off. I then usually go in for a second cleanse with it too to make sure all traces of makeup are gone and to give my skin a proper cleanse. After drying my face I quickly sweep a small amount of the Drama Clean Micellar Water over my face with a cotton round to remove any last bits of foundation or mascara I might have missed, while at the same time soothing and softening my skin. 

So, at this point you’re probably wondering where the Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser fits in. Well, this cleanser is that special it gets whole routine all of it’s own, especially as I only use it once or twice a week as it’s too rich for my skin to use every night. After taking my eye and lip makeup off as above, I will then use this balm-to-oil-to-milk to remove my base. A small dollop massaged luxuriously on to a dry face melts any makeup I’m wearing, and once I’ve added a few drops of warm water to turn it in to a soft milk I’m ready to rinse it off in the shower. At £24 it definitely won’t suit every budget but I really feel it is one of those rare products that are worth the price tag. Once I’ve dried off I don’t use any other skincare that night other than eye cream, as the balm/oil/milk leaves my skin feeling so nourished and cared for that I don’t feel I need any other products on top. The tub also lasts forever as you don’t need much and I don’t use it everyday. 

What are your skincare saviours?

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RECOMMENDED READS:

Simple Micellar Water Review

Garnier 2 in 1 Express Eye Makeup Remover Review

Surprise me!

Simple Micellar Water

Posted on by angellecmakeup

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SIMPLE MICELLAR WATER: £4.49

I’m a big fan of micellar waters and haven’t tried one yet I don’t like, so when this Simple one started to crop up on many bloggers favourites I knew I had to try it. 

The soft-water consistency dissolves my base makeup instantly leaving my skin soft and cleansed. Eye makeup does take a bit more work, as I have to press a cotton round over each of my eyes for around twenty seconds before it really starts to remove it, and even then it takes a bit of rubbing to get my mascara off. Still, this is normal for any makeup remover and the ease of not having to scrub away over a sink and soaking my top in the process makes it all worthwhile. 

It’s as good as any micellar water I’ve ever used and does leave my skin extra-soft, but it’s not really any better than other ones. This isn’t a problem until you consider that it’s nearly double the price of my favourite Garnier Micellar Water, which is £4.99 for 400ml compared to the Simple one which is £4.49 for 200ml – half the size. I understand it probably uses much more natural ingredients and is suitable for super-sensitive skin, but those things aren’t really an issue for me. So yes, the Simple Micellar Water is pretty fab but it’s no better than it’s competitors and at double the price you’d expect it to be. 

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RECOMMENDED READS:

Vichy Idealia Smoothing & Illuminating Cream Review

L’Oreal Velvety Soft Toner Review

Summer Skincare Routine

Surprise Me!

Lush Twilight

Posted on by angellecmakeup

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LUSH TWILIGHT BATH BOMB: £3.35

Oh. My. God. As a self-confessed Lush obsessive, I am almost ashamed of myself for ignoring this bath bomb for so long. I don’t know why I never got round to trying it but my inner-mermaid weeps for the lost years I could’ve been using this starry-patterned orb of happiness. It’s sublime. The second you drop it in to a hot bath the outer pink layer starts to gently fizz away, revealing a core of turquoise that mixes to form lavender waves. The soothing soft-sleepy-sweet scent is so relaxing that by the time you’ve watched this Candy-Land volcano melt in to the water you want to cuddle under a blanket and snore to your heart’s content. Bliss.

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RECOMMENDED READS:

Lush Granny Takes A Dip Bath Bomb Review

Lush Big Blue Bath Bomb Review

Lush Ultraviolet Bubble Bar Review

Surprise Me!

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Spray

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SOAP & GLORY SUGAR CRUSH BODY SPRAY: £4.00

Anyone who has been reading/watching me for any amount of time will know that I absolutely adore the S&G Sugar Crush scent. I’ve already worked my way through the scrub, the body butter and the shower gel so you can imagine my sigh of “finally” when they brought out a matching body spray. I’ll admit I was dubious that S&G would be able to capture the true bubbly-limey-sweet-loveliness of the fragrance in liquid form, but kudos to them they have. And in a great formula too, as this lasts amazingly well for a body spray. What more can I say, except go give it a sniff?

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RECOMMENDED READS:

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Shower Gel Review

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub Review

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream Review

Surprise Me!

Vichy Idealia Smoothing & Illuminating Cream for Normal/Combination Skin

Posted on by angellecmakeup

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VICHY IDEALIA SMOOTHING & ILLUMINATING CREAM FOR NORMAL/COMBINATION SKIN: £25.00

Ah Vichy. You’re like the successful elder sibling who all the others live in the shadow of and constantly try and compete with – and fail. Truly I don’t think I’ve ever tried a bad product from Vichy and I’ve tried a lot, from their Normaderm range to the to the Aqualia Thermal collection and even a couple of bits from the Liftactive range, they never disappoint. Their price point is typically mid-range with some exceptions that edge up to the higher-end side of the drugstore, this cream being one of them. In my opinion the Vichy Idealia moisturiser is completely worth it though, caring for the varying needs of my combination skin. It gives much-needed hydration to dry areas but isn’t too heavy on my oily t-zone, and prevents the dullness I can sometimes get from mattifying treatments and heavy makeup. Fab.

L’Oreal Velvety Soft Toner

Posted on by angellecmakeup

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L’OREAL VELVETY SOFT TONER: £3.99

If you’re like me and have been scarred for life by harsh, alcohol-filled toners that strip all the life from your skin, don’t fear, this is nothing like that. Honestly. Rather this toner is a thick-ish gel that soaks in to the skin leaving it feeling clean, refreshed and (believe it or not) velvety-soft. I use it after micellar water to remove any last scraps of makeup and remind my pores to sleep with one eye open, because I am on to them. Sure, this toner might be too gentle to give my pores a full-on fist fight, but after using this for a few weeks I am pleased to report I have noticed a reduction in the obviousness (is that a word?) of my pores. It might be just the side-effects of the product ‘removing impurities’ but whatever this toner is doing, I want it to keep doing it.

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