30 Apr 2014

April Round Up


Here is a round up of the month of April for me in pictures.

My April Favourites (see below for details), Time for some nail polish shopping?!, Finally got a Tanya Burr lipgloss, Eye makeup of the day featuring Benefit, Trying out this little beauty treat, Pretty pink nails of the day, Happy Easter!, Yum hot cross bun!, Love these shoes!, Loving Benefit's gimme brow, Pretty little bluebells, Loving this dry shampoo it has such a pretty scent, My favourite nail polish duo, Makeup brush washing, Loving this moisture stick from March love me beauty box


My April Favourites:
Benefit box of powder - dandelion, Essie nail polish - Gucci Muchi Puchi, 
Batiste dry shampoo - Oriental, Simple kind to skin light moisturiser, Eyeko eyelash curlers


What have been your favourite products this month? 
Love Bella x 




28 Apr 2014

Wardrobe Sort Out


Last week I posted about clearing out beauty products, so this week I have decided to stick with the spring clean theme and post about sorting out wardrobes! I have decided that this year I will finally sort through everything in my wardrobe from clothes, accessories and shoes. This is all well and good, but where do I start? Well that is the question I am going to answer, so here we go!

Now first things first is to decide if you want to spend a mammoth session sorting through everything, or if you want to sort through a little bit at a time. 

Mammoth session plan of action:

1) Start by emptying your wardrobe, take out all your clothes and place in one pile, shoes in another and accessorizes in yet another pile. 
2) Decided on where to start, for example accessories, or shoes. Or on one clothing item like tops. Then work your way through all your piles.
3) When you have finished place everything neatly away back in its new home.

Sorting a little at a time plan of action:

1) Decided on where to start, eg tops, shoes etc. (basically like the mammoth plan but without emptying everything all at once)
2) Sort through the first pile, then place back neatly.
3) At another time sort through the next, then neatly place back. Carry on until you have sorted through everything.

Now you have decided on what plan of action you are going to take it is on to the sorting out process. When you are sorting though ask your self these questions or every item, 
1) Does this fit?
2) Do I like it?
3) Have I worn it recently or in the last year?

Then from your answers decided on what you are going to do this item. 
Are you going to:
- Keep
- Sell
- Throw away/donate
- Store (This is for any special occasion or memory attached items)


For example: 
- A top that you love, fits and wear a lot would be keep
- A top that either doesn't fit, you don't like, or haven't worn in ages could be either sell or throw away/donate
- Anything that is damaged or ripped should be thrown unless you can easily mend it and know that you will use it.

So there are my tips for sorting through your wardrobe! I hope that this has helped and if you have any other tips that you have found work for you I would love to hear them too! 

Have you had a sort through your wardrobe recently, or are you in need of one? 
Love Bella x 





This is just a guide on how I have found sorting out the best. If you have any other ways of sorting, or any tips you are welcome to share them in the comments as I would love to hear them and they may also help other people too! 

24 Apr 2014

Nails of the Day


I am loving Essie nail polishes at the moment, so of course I had to share with you all my nails of the day with one of my newest Essie polishes. This pretty pink polish is called 'Guchi Muchi Puchi'. This polish has made an appearance on my blog before in my first Friday five post all the way in July! It wasn't until recently that I finally found this polish, and I am so glad I have it to wear during the spring as it is perfect for this time of year. 

What nail polish do you have on your wishlist?
Love Bella x 




21 Apr 2014

Beauty Product Clear Out

Beauty Products can build up and up until you have quite a stash and often more products that you can use! But you don't need to worry right? Beauty products last forever, wrong! Beauty products go out of date, so it is important to make sure that you are only using in date products. Why is that, well these products are being used on your skin and face. If a product has gone bad you are then putting this on your skin and transfusing the bad bacteria. The product is then doing the opposite to what you are using it for. For example a face washed is used to clean your skin, but if it has gone off it is not cleaning your face only adding more nastiness. 

So you may be thinking it is time for a spring clean of your makeup. But how long do products last for? Never fear here I will go over how long to keep products and when it is time to toss them out! 

Many products will tell you how long they will last for. You can find this on the backs of products, it is a picture of a pot with a number inside (like the pictures from below). The number inside tell you how many months the product will last. 


However on some makeup products there isn't anything to tell you how long it will last, but never fear I will list a general outline of how long makeup products keep for.

Foundation: 
Liquid - 6-12 months
Cream - 18 months
Unopened - 2 years

Powder:
Pressed - 2 years
Loose - 3 years
Blush/bronzers - 2 years
Eyeshadow - 2 years

Cream based:
Blush - 6 months
Eyeshadow - 12-18 months


Concealer:
Liquid - 1 year
Powder/sticks - 2 years

Eye Products:
Mascara - 3 months
Eyeliner - 3 months
Liquid liners - 6 months

Lip Products:
Lipsticks - 1-2 years
Lipgloss - 1-2 years

Nail polish: 2 years

Lotions: 2 years

Remember that this is just a guide and if a product has dried, looks or smells off then throw it away. To help keep your products lasting as long as they can here are some tips:
-Sharpen pencil products after each use
-Instead of pumping the mascara wand, swirl it
-Wipe lipsticks and other stick products after use
-Use clean tools to apply makeup
-Make sure any caps/lids are securely placed back on
-Some people even find keeping products in the fridge helps them last longer

One more tip is to make a note of when you opened a product so that you know how long it has been opened for, and how long it will last. You could even write down in your diary/calender when to repurchase a product. 

Well there you go now your beauty products will always be fresh and safe to use. Do you clean out your beauty products? Are there any other tips you have?

Love Bella x 




18 Apr 2014

Friday Five

For this Friday five I have put together five shoes for spring. It is always nice to get some pretty new shoes to wear when the weather gets warmer and your feet don't need to be hidden away in warm shoes. 


These shoes are so pretty. I love the laser cut detailing on them and the little flowers are perfect for spring and summer. Also with the neutral colouring these shoes can be worn with many things.


These gem sandals are perfect for adding that bit of glam to an outfit and with the neutral cream colour these sandals can be worn with plenty of things! These are also great for wearing into the summer months too.




These pink sandals from Zara would be lovely to wear on warmer days in spring and again can be worn into the summer months as well. These are great everyday shoes and the pink can help add a pop of colour.



These heels would be great for a a more formal occasion or used to dress up a more casual outfit. Maybe not the best shoes for wearing all day, but perfect for heel lovers! 



These mint green pumps are perfect for everyday wear during spring. They could be worn with almost everything, from shorts, jeans, dresses and skirts. They are also a lovely way to add a pop of pastel colour to an outfit.


Which shoes do you have your eye on for spring? 
Love Bella x 




14 Apr 2014

Benefit Gimme Brow




One of Benefit's newest releases is 'gimme brow'. It is a brush on fiber gel that helps build up brows, but still leaves them looking natural. The brush is like a very mini mascara wand. It apply's the gel as well as combing your brows into place. The end result, perfectly tamed and natural looking brows hooray! 

The thing I love the most about this product is how quick and easy it is to use. It is perfect for anyone and everyone to use, and even better it is great for those who haven't mastered the art of filling in brows or worried about that drawn on brow look. I think this is a product that everyone can use, it is perfect for any makeup look and even better for a natural or 'no makeup makeup' look. It is great for when you are in a rush, and just the right size to take anywhere with you. 

On me it lasts through the day without smudging out of place. It is also easy to remove with my normal eye makeup remover. It has been my go to brow product ever since I got it. In fact if I am just quickly popping out or in a rush I swipe this through my brows, add a dab of concealer, brush on some powder and I am good to go!

It comes in two shades, light/medium and medium/deep. If you are unsure about which shade to get then just visit your local Benefit counter, they will help you decided on the best one for you. Like all Benefit products it comes with tips and tricks to help you get the most out of the product and the best way to use it. 


Have you tried gimme brow? What is your favourite brow product? 
Love Bella x 




11 Apr 2014

Essie Polish Duo




I bought this polish duo back in December and recently found the photo's I took of it. As I love these polishes so much I decided that I would wrote up a post on them! The duo is called 'a sprinkle in pink' and includes the polishes 'fiji' a creamy pale pink colour and 'a cut above' a sparkling pink glitter top coat. 

'Fiji' is such a lovely colour, and also a very popular colour too. It can be worn all year round and goes with a lot of things. I love it paired with 'a cut above' as the two polishes go so well together and 'a cut above' adds that extra bit of sparkle to 'fiji'. It is also a great way to take your nails from day to night, wearing 'fiji' during the day then in the evening adding a layer of 'a cut above'. 

The lasting power of the polishes is really good, especially with a layer of 'a cut above'. Of course like any glitter polish it is more difficult to remove, but I wouldn't say it takes a really long time either as there is less 'glitter' to remove than a full coverage glitter polish. 

As soon as I painted my nails with these two polishes I feel in love with them, and it has stayed as my favourite duo. I also get a lot of compliments from people on how lovely my nails look when I wear them. 

Do you have 'a sprinkle in pink'? What is your favourite nail polish duo?
Love Bella x 




8 Apr 2014

Makeup Of The Day


Hello there! I have a new type of post on my blog today, my 'makeup of the day'. This is my first makeup of the day post as I decided that I would share with you my current make up look. As it is now spring I am going for a more natural light makeup look. 

So on to the products: 
No7 essentially natural foundation- This is a lovely lightweight foundation with light-medium coverage. I just apply this where I want a bit of coverage and it blends in well giving a really nice natural finish.

Benefit fake up concealer- Perfect for covering up the under eye area and not to heavy. I won't go into too much detail as I already have a post on this product so if you want to know more on this concealer check out the post here.

Benefit dandelion brightening face powder- This is such a pretty colour and I am loving this powder for spring. It is a beautiful soft pink, and as it is a brightening powder and not a blush it can be used all over the face as well as a blush.

Benefit gimme brow- This product is great, perfect for really quick and easy brows. It also gives a great natural look, so perfect for an everyday natural look.


Maybelline Colour Tattoo- This is the colour pink gold and it is such a pretty colour. I am loving it for a spring time, and is perfect for adding a quick pop of colour to the eyes. I love that it looks great on it's own but can also be used as a base too. 

Maybelline the rocket waterproof mascara- I always prefer a waterproof mascara as I find they last longer and I don't need to worry as much about that dreaded 'panda eye' look! I am really loving this mascara at the moment and adding a few swipes of this over my lashes really helps to open up my eyes. 

What products do you like to use for a natural look?
Love Bella x 




5 Apr 2014

Love Me Beauty Box - March Edition


Hello lovelies, and happy weekend! Some of you may have seen that last month I got my very first love me beauty box. As I got my box very late in the month I decided that I would share what I got with you all at the beginning of this month. 



So here is a peak inside the box. I went for edition 1. There are three editions to chose from, the boxes have some similar products and some that are different in each edition.


First up some bath salts in from Quintessentially English in 'English rose'. You can't see in the photo but there is a small dried rose bud in with the salts - so cute. I haven't used bath salts before so i'm looking forward to seeing what they are like! I also got a very mini Murad 'sheer lustre day moisture' sample to try. I haven't tried anything from Murad before and as it is a rather expensive brand it is a great way to see what their products are like! 


Next up, blanx white shock toothpaste. Toothpaste isn't the most exciting of beauty products to receive but it will be useful for travelling or those times when you run out of toothpaste and haven't got another. Something more exciting now is the Deep Steep moisture stick, in lavender and chamomile. Deep Steep was not a brand I had heard of until now and I hadn't tried a moisture stick either. However I really love this product, it is perfect for me as I have dry skin and this helps give an extra boost of moisture and great for taking on the go. I also love that how easy it is to use as you don't have to worry about mess like with other tubs or tubes of lotions . 


Now I don't tend to wear false lashes that much as I have naturally long lashes anyway and usually just adding some mascara can give a false lash effect, however I am always hearing wonderful things about 'The Vintage Cosmetic Company' lashes, so will see how they go! Now last but not least the Nip + Fab 'CC Eye Fix'. This is the product I am most excited about trying. I am always on the look out for products to help the under eye area, and this one sounds promising! It is basically an eye cream and concealer in one and said to give instant and long term results, sounds good doesn't it! 

To sum up I am really impressed with this box and can't wait to see what these products are like. I think it is a great way to try new things that you wouldn't normally buy for yourself or wouldn't necessarily heard of. 

Do you subscribe to any beauty boxes? Which beauty box is your favourite? 
Love Bella x 




3 Apr 2014

Theme Of The Month / Spring Clean



Well we are now in spring and what better theme for this time of year than spring cleaning! This month is a great time to clear through make up, beauty products and the wardrobe! As well as the beauty and fashion side it is also a great time to spring clean anything else you may want from lifestyle to the old fashioned cleaning and tidying! 

Will you be doing any spring cleaning this month?
Love Bella x