DIOR FOREVER

I think it clear I'm a fan of Dior foundation, given by previous glowing review of the Nude Air foundation. Well that product inspired to take a look at a product that I raved about when I was younger. The Dior Forever foundation was my holygrail at about 16, expensive taste I know. I have a neutral skin tone which can be frustrating as many foundations can be either very pink or very yellow. Well my skin has both, which essentially means I can choose which way to go but it would be easier if they just made a flipping neutral tone foundation. Around this time of year, I would be around a shade 20 in this foundation, I am a shade 11 in the winter months and a shade 25 upwards if I have had sun exposure. Instead of purchasing three shades I just buy the two from either end of the spectrum and mix them to make a medium shade. Which not only saves me money but also creates a nice undertone as the 25 is very warm and the 11 is very cool.

Enough about my complex shade requirements and down to the nitty gritty: finish, longevity, price and packaging. Dior claims that this is a luminous matte finish and I have to agree. This is why I loved and still love this product because whilst I have oily skin and need a matte product I don't want my face to look flat and loose luminosity. Its a great semi-matte finish that doesn't succumb to oil. As I've sorta said in a roundabout way, it's great for combination skin, airing on the side of oily. I can't really say how it would act with dry skin as at the moment I don't have any patches, but if I do I will update.

Moving onto longevity, with a good primer I've seen this foundation still look nice after an 8 hour shift at work. On my worst no primer, super oily days I would say it lasts about 4-5 hours; that is worst case scenario though. Judging on how this preforms against other foundations, it probably doesn't last as long as my Mac studio fix but I would choose this finish over studio fix every time.

Dior is not a cheap brand, I mean its not up there with Tom Ford prices but its still more expensive than Mac but on par with the likes of Bobbi Brown and Nars. Its £35.00 for a 30ml bottle, they do have a £32 version with lower SPF but it only comes in 3 shades... I have no idea why. £35 can seem like a fair bit to pay considering how long 30mls last but in my opinion I think foundation is something you shouldn't cheap on. When you find the one you like, you better stick with it. In relation to the quality I think the price is justified, I haven't found a cheaper alternative that I like as much as this and therefore I'll shell out the dollar.

The packaging of Dior is always very luxurious with their glass bottles, which make any vanity table look smart as a dart. That being said the bottles really gripe me, mainly because you just can't get the last dregs of your foundation out, the pump does not detach and obviously you can't squeeze it out the glass. That's my only negative, for a high end price I would like to make use of every last drop.

Available at Boots: http://www.boots.com/beauty/makeup/face/foundation/dior-diorskin-forever-fluid-foundation-spf35-30ml

Debenhams: http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_123172088699_-1

Feel Unique: http://www.feelunique.com/p/DIORSKIN-Forever-Foundation-30ml

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SUMMERTIME VIBES

Summer is officially here, not that we would know with all the rain at the moment.  Nevertheless, I've been keeping positive and focusing on my summer holiday. There's nothing like a change of season to make you reevaluate your wardrobe; I'm going to Rome in July and I currently only have knitwear in my closet. This calls for an excuse to shop, which would be so exciting if I wasn't so poor. So I'm picking up bits and bobs as I go and spreading out the costs, so chances are there will be a few of these clothing posts. 

My vision for clothes for Rome are flowy, white, cute and simple. Which isn't drastically different from my regular clothes. I like minimalistic fashion, I would call it chic but that word kind of conjures up a glamorous image and that's not a very accurate description of myself. I just like to look smart without look overstated and a neutral wardrobe with tiny touches of colour never fails. This is pretty much why I love Zara, they have some lovely pieces that are simple but still striking and they don't cost an arm and a leg (most of the time). I picked up this lovely embroidered top, the comes in at the waist with tassells either side and then flows back out almost peplum like without the structure. I think I'll pair this top with some baby pink shorts with darts and some wedges. For £25.00 I think this item is a great holiday staple, something that could be casual during the day or dressed up more worn with jeans and heels for a semi casual lunch. It fits my ethereal, wanderlust vibe that I want for my Rome trip, so I'm a happy girl. Link provided below! 

https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/tops/blouses/embroidered-top-c401028p4482509.html

As you can see my pop of colour usually comes in shoe form. I like a statement shoe, it usually where I have my most fun. Therefore I just could not pass up on these bright orange sliders from Zara. Paired with a minimal outfit these will really stand out and just give your look that extra something. They could be casual or more dressy. I wore these with some mom jeans, rounded glasses and a bardot cut top for serious retro vibes, but these also look really modern and classy pair with a simple white dress during the day. Best thing is that they are only £19.99. Downsides however, are my feelings towards sliders, I'm not convinced in practicality. Like it or not summer means sweaty feet, and sliders are hard to keep on at the best of times. My feet were flying out of these until I got used to them; and let me tell you standing on the back of that shoe with the fleshy sole of your foot hurts like a bitch! I will still wear them because pain and beauty and all, but if your not as willing to injure yourself for pretty shoes maybe reconsider these babies. 

https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/shoes/view-all/split-suede-slides-with-bow-c719531p4894630.html

My shopping trip was a little bit of a flop, I love the two items from Zara that I purchased but shopping is sometimes just a reminder that your skint and have gained a few pounds. Is there anything more depressing than going in a fitting room with those mirrors from every angle? Fabulous, now I can see the cellulite on areas of my body that I have never seen before... all at once. So shopping not only provided me with some new shoes and a top it also reminded me to stop eating crap and to bloody exercise.  47 days to go..

BOOTS BODYCARE BINGE

Yesterday I had a body care clear out and sold off all my old toiletries at the car boot sale. The main objective to make space and make a bit of dollar. However like the true beauty junkie that I am, no sooner had I got rid of some, I had bought some replacements. And so the cycle continues...

I am a sucker for new products and cute packaging. If that wasn't enough already for me to smuggle these into my basket, the smell well and truly sealed the deal. I have to admit that I am that annoying customer that likes to smell everything before they buy it. It's a very important factor for me, I love strong, long lasting scented products. I'd like to mention that I am struggling heavily with hay fever at the moment, rendering my nose just about useless, BUT I could still smell these very well which is a brilliant sign. 

Enough waffling Kelsey, tell them what you bought! 

 Sanctuary has just released a new line called Being, to me its the trendy younger sister of Sanctuary. I feel the packaging and diverse scent range is aimed at more my age range (20's). I love that sanctuary have been playful with the packaging and yet at the same time retained its luxurious spa like reputation.  I picked up two body washes in the scents Chili Mango & Tonka Bean and Salted Caramel & Macadamia. Frankly I'm terrible at describing scents so what I will say is they smell really good, good enough to be experienced in person. So go sniff a bottle in your local boots. But just remember that I warned you, if you return home with the whole range it's not my fault. I chose these two body washes in particular because they looked very creamy and thick, whereas other scents  in the collection looked like they had a thinner gel like consistency. I used the Mango & Tonka body wash tonight, and I was very impressed. It has a lovely lasting smell, a creamy and thick consistency and most importantly left me feeling very clean and also moisturised. 

The range also included's Bath Bombs, Body Lotion, Body Mist, Body scrub, Body Butter, Bubble Bath, Hand Cream and canvas bag. Scents include, Cloudberry & Lychee, Hibiscus & Coconut,  Chilli Mango & Tonka bean, Salted Caramel & Macadamia Nut, Water Lotus & Pomelo. 

The second brand which is new to Boots is Miss Patisserie, who I have followed on Instagram for a while now. I was really stoked for her to see her range in Boots, it's always nice to see people doing well. Despite following for months I hadn't purchased anything from her site, mainly because I like to smell my products and therefore avoid buying them on line. Now I've finally wiffed them, I am truly gutted I waited this long to give them ago. I picked up two sugar scrubs, because I am obsessed with exfoliating. I love fruity smells and the water melon and mango scrubs smell good enough to eat. The watermelon one even looks like watermelon, but I honestly don't eat it. I tried the mango scrub in the shower tonight and my skin smells amazing and feels really nourished, and so they should these scrubs are packed with oils to replenish the skin. So please bare in mind if these are left to sit the oils will come to the top, so shaking the tub and stirring is a must. I really love these so far and am intrigued to try more scents out and different products.

Sugar Scrubs available in: Watermelon, Mango, Vanilla, Coconut, Lotus Flower, Peony & Pear.

Other products include, Bath Bombs, Bath Crumble, Coffee scrubs, Bath melt, Body Souffles.

A very successful haul, I can't wait to delve into the ranges further. PS both collections are on Buy one get one half price at the moment! What are you waiting for?

BETTER THAN SEX

Last December I tried my very first Too Faced eyeshadow palette and I fucking hated it. Every silver lining... it came with a mini version of the Better Than Sex mascara and I fell in love! After quickly using up the miniature version I decided to repurchase the full sized item. I hummed and harrred over whether to stick to the formula I've tried or to get the waterproof version and clearly the waterproof one swayed my vote.

Is there much of a difference? I did notice a difference in formulation between the two and I have to say I liked the original more. That being said I only tried the original in a small tube and that can also be a contributing factor as it effects the brush size etc. Don't get me wrong this is still a really great mascara that I will continue to use religiously, I just liked the pink one more. The wand separated the lashes lovely and coats every lash, at the same time it doesn't make the lashes look sparse and certainly creates volume. Both formulations seem to achieve the same end result which is fabulous lashes. My only gripe is that the water proof one seems a wetter consistency, it drys super fast but I feel like the original was dryer and therefore easier to plump the eyelashes with by applying multiple coats. I often seem to get this on my lids when applying, something I never found from the original.

However, when this sucker drys down it drys down. I can testify that this is super waterproof, to the extent that I could shower and as long as I did not purposefully rub in an attempt to remove it, it would be intact when I got out. That being said its a bitch to get off, don't even think twice about baby wipes and micellar water. You need industrial strength shit for this. Something oil based that's gonna strip away that makeup. I find that MAC and Clinique make the best eye makeup removers for really stubborn makeup.  I recommend the Pro eye makeup Remover by Mac  or the Take the Day Off by clinique .

Essentially is you want separated but full lashes that almost look wispy Better than Sex mascara is for you BUT stick to the original formula unless you straight up know you need waterproof protection. This will be coming on holiday with me but I'ma go buy the original for everyday use.

Available at Debenhams Online and at certain stores for £19.00

Waterproof: http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_154614110899_-1

Original: http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_154614000099_-1

BATTLE OF THE BB CREAMS

If you're staring at this image and thinking, is that a semi naked man with a hairy bum wearing hosiery, covered in some metallic substance? Then you are completely correct and perhaps familiar with the fashion magazine pigeons and peacocks.

Moving swiftly on from my bizarre choice in backgrounds and reading literature, and onto the topic of today's post; The BB cream. A complete new concept for me.  I have always been a foundation only kind of girl and the thought of having something this 'natural' had always turned my stomach. I was once gifted a BB cream by the brand Shiseido in a twitter giveaway and I remember it distinctively. Mainly because it was in the shade dark fonce, which is hilarious because although I have olive skin I am a fuck load of pale. It was obviously way to dark and I gave it to my mam.

I think the fear of the BB cream started with my sheer scepticism of the concept, because to me a BB cream a is a tinted moisturiser that they have changed the name to suit the younger generation. Mainly because tinted moisturiser makes me think of nans and mams who have legit 2 minuets to get ready in the morning, neither of which conjures up a glamorous image. And in reality I'm right, the definition of a BB cream is a skincare makeup hybrid that provides the hydration of a moisturiser and the coverage of a light foundation. Sound like a tinted moisturiser to you?

I'm trying to approach this review with an open mind, so lets get into what I thought. I have 3 BB creams one from Dr Jart and two from Rimmel both with different finishes. 

I picked up the Dr Jart premium beauty balm in Barcelona because it was hard to come by in the UK but fortunately boots have started stocking the brand now! Dr Jart BB is hailed as Asia's beauty wonder (according to the boots website). This BB cream is supposed to be ideal for more mature skin, which I clearly didn't read when I bought it. However I always take age perimeters with a pinch of salt, better of to just try things and see how it goes. This product contains SPF 45 so high protection from the sun, moisturises and gives luminosity to your skin. You can wear this under foundation or on its own. For me I prefer it on its own, I love the glow it gives to your face. It really just makes you feel like you have lovely natural skin. For us oily girls however probs not the best product, it wasn't a complete greasy mess but as it contains SPF it is going to be on the oilier side. Everywhere apart from my chin looked really lovely and if you only plan a few hours wear out of it you could definitely get away with it. Bare in mind that I have super oily skin. This would definitely work wonders on those with normal to dry skin. Combination oily could get away with it paired with a kick ass primer. All in all love the product, but after a few hours it doesn't really love my skin. I'm going to keep experimenting with different primers and see if I can work with this, because I really enjoy the finish on first application. I have the shade medium to dark which is more warm toned.

The next BB cream I tried was Rimmel's BB cream Radiance. This product boasts an impressive 9 in 1 formula. Said to prime, conceal, smooth, minimise pores, moisturise, provide light coverage, awaken and brighten skin and give a radiant finish. This beauty balm comes in the shade light and very light, which honestly bugs me it not very inclusive. I am not very dark skinned but I benefit from a neutral undertone something rarely found in light shades. So I would appreciate if they would broaden their colour horizons not everyone is pale or paler with a pink undertone. So as you can tell the colour wasn't that great of a match, it was too pink and a bit too light. I would not say that this is ideal for oily girls and probably would be more beneficial to those with very dry skin as it seemed hydrating. Overall not a product for me.

Lastly I tried the Rimmel BB cream beauty balm SPF 25. I really wanted to like one of these cheaper Rimmel options so I decided to give the original a go. This product boasts the same 9 in 1 quality all apart from the finish which is supposed to be Matte and last all day. I put that to the test and wore it too a 8hour shift. It doesn't last all day unless your day is roughly 5 hours long or not very strenuous at all. Even through the product says it primes and reduces pores, I actually feel like it could have done with a primer. This product was no where nearly as bad as the radiance cream and another hats of to it, that it comes in a medium shade which is less pinky than its counter part. Still not an exciting range of colours by any stretch of the imagination. You can make this work if you apply a good base and set it very well, that to me however defeats the object of these quick and easy all in one creams. If you can't just through it on and walk out the door whats the point? I may as well just put on my usual foundation.


I think you can tell that I am not 100% sold on BB creams. My disappointment always lies in the fact that I am waiting for a product for oily skin that isn't f***ing matte. I want a bit of sheen and glow! But I also don't want to have to bolt every ten minuets. These products are workable but I don't see the point in an all in one that requires more effort. As for all the claims they make I am not sure they live up to anything they said. If I had normal skin, Dr Jarts premium BB would be a dream. I will use the Dr Jart product, during periods where my skin is behaving and producing less oil. But my quest for a good BB cream continues... Honestly I should have just bought a bloody tinted moisturiser.

(Since this review I tried Dr Jarts platinum BB cream SPF 30. This is a higher coverage BB cream and more suited to my skin type. I'm going to do a more in depth review once I have tried and tested more thoroughly but so far so good. Just something to keep in mind if you are intrigued but more on the oily side like me!)

AFFORDABLE FACE PRODUCTS HAUL

Recently I've been trying out more drugstore items. I know in the past I have been a bit of a makeup snob and kept it high end, so this is something very different for me. I want my blog to be more inclusive and its also a great way for me to break out of habits and try new things. Not to mention that April has been the most expensive month EVER. Forking out for a new car 'cause mine kicked the bucket, saving for a holiday and some major vet bills has left me a little bit poor.

Right now luxury makeup is just way out of my price range, so what a great excuse to try some new things and really get to grips with more affordable makeup. So recently I have picked up two products from Revlon, one product from Maybelline and one from Rimmel. One of these items is a repurchase and a firm favourite of mine and that is the Maybelline The Eraser Eye Perfect and Cover Concealer. I use the shade light, this is my third or fourth repurchase of this item. It's a really nice yellow toned concealer, I find it blends out very well and has minimal creasing. I also really love the sponge applicator, it disperses the right amount of product, feels very soft on the skin and its so easy to slap on. Plus its only £7.99
http://www.boots.com/beauty/makeup/face/concealer-correctors/maybelline-eraser-eye-concealer

Despite loving the Maybelline concealer, I wanted to try another from a different brand. I chose the Revlon Colorstay concealer based on both the price and shade. I bought the colour 03 light medium. It's a really nice tone not too yellow or pink perfect for neutral/ olive skin like mine. I've tried this as a spot concealer and under eye and as much as I like the product I find it slightly too thick for my under eye. I have still been using it to highlight the under eye region but I don't take it right under the eye as I find it creases too easily. Not a terrible concealer by any stretch, I'll use it all but I think that in the future I'll skip it. £6.99 available here: http://www.boots.com/revlon-colorstay-concealer-10153774

Second Revlon product is the Insta-fix Highlighting stick in the shade 210 Gold Light. I picked this up because the colour of this is stunning. The consistency is almost cream  to powder and it drys down super fast, which can make it difficult to blend out. So you could end up with just lines on your cheekbones if your not careful. I've mainly placed it on my nose, cupids bow and brow bone. I've tried it on the cheekbones and its not really for me, but I have enjoyed dabbing small amounts on to the apples of my cheeks for a little glow. You can get great results with the product its just a case of application, I wouldn't apply it like a stick, but when used with a sponge or brush it applied very nice. I will be keeping and using it however once again not the best highlighter its more a case of formula not colour with this one. £9.99 http://www.boots.com/revlon-photoready-insta-fix-highlighting-stick-10218589

Last but not least is the Good to Glow by Rimmel. This is a liquid highlighter/ illuminator, basically this can be used to highlight the face or you could add drops to your foundation or bb cream to give a more glow finish. I have tried both and had mixed results, I enjoy the finish it gives when mixed with my BB cream but it didn't agree very well with my super oily complexion. I found that on days I mixed with my foundation, were days my makeup faded quicker and I produced more oil. As a highlight it was really nice on my collar bones and shoulders. I would most likely take this away with me when I'm a little more tan and use it as a body shimmer. One thing I love about this product is the smell its got a coconut and vanilla like scent, very holiday appropriate. It is only £4.99 and comes in three shades, I picked up soho glow, the darker of the three. http://www.boots.com/rimmel-london-good-to-glow-highlighter-10193032

I would say it was a semi successful haul, nothing bowled me over but everything I will definitely use up and all worth the price paid! I am still going to continue my search for some mind blowing drug store finds that will worm their way into my daily routine. As of yet the Eye eraser is the only one to knock my socks off, but there are still plenty of products to try out so who knows maybe ill end up with a bag full of drugstore products. Im skeptical but who knows!

SLEEPOVER ESSENTIALS

To be completely honest hosting a sleepover in your twenties isn't really a thing that is done. So we will call it a girls night in.. same thing slightly more grown up name. But besides from the fact that we now legally bought our own alcohol and didn't steal it from our grans wine cabinet or beg someone to 'go to the shop' for us, it consisted of the same sort of thing. Ordering a very big takeaway, getting a bit tipsy and talking until two in the morning.

The purpose of this post is not to bring the sleepover back in fashion (although I totally agree its worth while) it's to talk about the very cute pj's I bought at a very unassuming price. YES I did use the excuse of having a sleepover to treat myself to some new jimjams. My criteria for nightwear is that it has to be light and non restrictive. I am a bit of a weirdo and I get very warm in my sleep so thin pjs are a must have, second criteria is that they have to be cute AF.

Drum roll please, because it's time for the big reveal of place bought and price paid. So these are the best purchase I have ever made in Asda living in my life. Yes, Asda. If that wasn't shocking enough the set was only a tenner. Lets be honest these could have been sitting on a Topshop hanger and you wouldn't even have questioned it. Definitely a supermarket bargain, so just in case you feel inspired to organise a sleepover, put on a few chick flicks and drink some wine in some fancy jarmies, I'll leave the link below.

http://direct.asda.com/george/womens/nightwear-slippers/2-piece-tropical-print-pyjama-set/GEM554507,default,pd.html