BirchBox x Oliver Bonas – September

‘Work Hard, Play Hard & Be Kind’ that is the quote that’s on the front of the September Birchbox and I love it! This months box is a collaboration with Oliver Bonas which is definitely one of my all time favourite shops, mainly for their home decor pieces! As soon as I found out that they were collaborating with Oliver Bonas I was instantly excited and knew it would be a good one! One thing I like about Birchbox is some months you can choose the design of your box and this month you got two choices so I went for this one. I think its super fun, bright and the print is perfect for this collaboration. When you get into the box the products are also super bright and I’m really looking forward to trying these out. As usual there are 5 products two of which are full size and the rest sample size.

• Manna Kadar 3 in 1 Blush, Highlight, Eyeshadow (Full Size) – This is super pretty and I have already used it as an eyeshadow. This is one of the full size products and its in the shade Fantasy.
• Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle – I’m never usually bothered about hair products, I don’t know why but they just never excite me. However, when I realised that this is a leave in conditioner I was quite intrigued. I haven’t tried it yet but one thing I can say is that it smells so nice!
• Dr PawPaw Original Clear Balm (Full Size) – This is another multi-use product and can be used for the lips, skin, cuticles and beauty finishing. First impressions of this are, it feels like velvet when on the skin so thats a plus from me. I still need to try it properly though but I feel like this will be a good product to have now that its getting into the Autumn/Winter seasons.
• Arrow Boost Colour Enhancing Lip Balm – The packaging on this is super fun, I love it! I’ve never tried a product like this before as when you apply it, it changes colour to suit your skin tone which is really interesting. It also smells really fresh.
• Polaar IcyMagic Instant Eye Contour Energiser – I think this is my favourite product in this months box. I love skin care, especially when its eye related because I am always on the hunt for new eye creams etc. This is a cooling eye roll on to soothe tired eyes, which is my eyes all the time!! Hopefully this can work its magic and sort out my eyes!!

So thats everything in the September Birchbox. I did also ‘upgrade’ my box for a little extra cost and got an Oliver Bonas candle but completely forgot to include it in the photos.. silly me! They also included some super cute stickers and a 15% off code to use on the OB website so I will definitely be using that!! If you received this Birchbox let me know which product you were most excited about. See you soon!

Rachel x

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The Perfect Nail Combination!

Painting my nails is one of those tasks that when I think about it I find it such a chore but then when I actually start I find it very therapeutic. I was painting my nails recently and discovered a super pretty combo using the Ciate Paint Pot in the shade Ice Frappe and a Kiko Glitter Metals Polish in the shade 002. I like this combo so much that I have decided to do this for my holiday rather than getting them done in a salon. Plus I’m saving money this way – bonus!I always apply a clear base coat before painting my nails and I just use one from Barry M then I go ahead and put the colour on. I actually got the Ciate nail polish in a magazine and it is probably one of my favourite nail polishes that I own. So after the clear basecoat I apply two coats of Ice Frappe. Once that has dried I put on a thin coat of the Kiko Glitter Metals on my ring finger and it just finishes it off nicely. Depending what colour you apply the Kiko polish over it can look different each time but this has got to be my favourite so far. Once they have all dried I then apply a topcoat which is the same Barry M clear polish as it’s a topcoat and a basecoat.I absolutely love this combination and will definitely be wearing it for a long time! With the base and topcoat it usually lasts about a week before it starts to chip but I am pretty happy with that. Usually my nail polish only lasts about 1 or 2 days which is so annoying because who’s got time to be re-doing your nails every other day… not me!I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know your favourite nail polish’s at the moment, I feel I need to have a clear out and buy some nice new fresh colours! So any recommendations are welcome.

Rachel xx

What’s in my Holiday Makeup Bag & Skin Care!

On Friday I will be on my way to Tenerife and I am so flippin’ excited to get some sun and just relax for a whole week! So I thought I would let you know what makeup I will be taking with me. I find packing in general hard because I always feel like I’ve missed something off my list clothes wise and then adding makeup to that situation just makes things harder, especially because I don’t want to be taking my whole makeup collection. So I always find these posts super helpful. I thought I would split it into two sections, skincare and makeup because skin care is just as important!

SkincareI’ll start with skincare as its super important that the skin is always hydrated and protected from the sun because who wants to age early?! Not me!

• Nivea Tinted Moisturising Day Cream – On the days where I’m not wearing makeup this is what I will be using as it has SPF 15 in and because its tinted it will even out my skin tone and make me feel a little more like myself!
• The Body Shop Aloe Vera Day Moisturiser – I love this stuff and have used it everyday for the last couple of years. Its super lightweight so perfect for underneath makeup.
• NYX Studio Perfect Primer – This is my new favourite primer and will probably use this with and without makeup on top as it really helps blur out my pores.
• The Body Shop Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream – This is a thicker consistency and really keeps my skin hydrated on a night.
• Doux Me Pure Spring Water Spray – I received this in one of my Birchboxes and have only just started using it but I feel like it will be perfect on holiday for some extra hydration on a morning and throughout the day. You can also use it on your body which will be nice and refreshing.
• Vichy Normaderm Face Wash – This is another product that I have used for years and love so this will definitely be coming with me! Once I have used it, it makes my skin feel so clean and refreshed.

Makeup

• Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation – This is the only foundation I use at the moment but I will only be wearing it on a night as I will hopefully be makeup free for most of the holiday!
• Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer – Concealer is a must for me as I have dark circles so this will be used during the day of I’m going out anywhere and also on a night along with foundation.
• Laura Mercier Translucent Powder – Why would I take any other powder?! I absolutely love this stuff!!
• TopShop Glow Stick – I really like this for a subtle glow through out the day so I could use this with or without a full face of makeup just for an extra glow.
• Zoeva Naturally Yours Eyeshadow Palette – Think I will probably take just the one palette as this has all the shades in that I will need and they are so easy and quick to apply.
• L’Oreal Super Slim Eyeliner & Doucce Punk Volumizer Mascara – Can’t go anywhere without these two!!
• Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette – I’m taking this because it’s got everything I need in one place, plus I am loving using this at the moment.
• Maybelline Eyebrow Pencil – This is the only eyebrow product I’ve found that is light enough for me.

I feel like that is quite a lot to take on holiday but I like to be prepared and I still wear makeup on holiday in an evening so it’s not too bad. What’s the one product that you can’t go anywhere without? Let me know in the comments 🙂

Rachel xx

Uncommon Goods – Gift Guide

Buying gifts for people can be a struggle sometimes especially when trying to think of something different or unique. I also have quite a big family so birthdays seem to be coming round every month, sometimes multiple times a month for me! So when Uncommon Goods contacted me I had a look at their website and just loved the whole idea behind it. They have so many unusual gifts for everyone ranging from cute, unique jewellery to amazing home decor pieces. So to help anyone struggling with finding a unique birthday present for a family member or friend I thought I would do a gift guide showing you some of my favourite things from their website. They have different sections on their website depending on who you are buying for which makes it super easy to use.

I’ll start off with gifts for all the lovely women in your life. There were so many things to choose from but I finally decided on the Birthstone Wishing Ball which is basically somewhere to record any wishes/dreams you have for that year and you can pop them in here and then after the year is up have a read and see how many came true. These are handmade as well so everyone will be completely unique.Now for all the gifts/gadgets for men. This is one that I find the hardest because they never seem to be bothered or know what they want. Pretty much all the men in my life love gadgets so I thought this gift was a perfect one for the gadget lovers/big kids. Its called Makey Makey and basically its a circuit board that allows you to turn anything into a working keyboard.. how cool is that!?Finally, this is just all the gifts that would suit anyone which is good if you aren’t looking for something in particular. I came across these which are similar to the Wishing Balls but its a Wine Bottle Stopper and I just think its so pretty! I can already think of quite a few family members who would love this!!So that is my birthday gift guide using the Uncommon Goods website. I hope this helps you in someway and gives you some fun unique gift ideas. See you soon!

Rachel xx

This post was sponsored by Uncommon Goods.

Day in the City!

Chilled/unplanned weekends are my absolute favourite. Don’t get me wrong I love having plans but when you have an unexpected great weekend I just love it. Last weekend my boyfriend and I ventured into Manchester city centre because I needed to get some more bits for our holiday. We shopped, explored, had cream tea in a little cafe that we have wanted to go to for ages, shopped some more and then had a lovely walk around Salford Quays which is where I, finally, decided to take some pictures of my outfit. I had been trying to find a decent (quiet) place to take pictures all day but kept on putting it off because there was too many people!! So when we were walking around Salford Quays, it was relatively quiet, I just decided to get it done!!Because I knew we would be walking around Manchester all day I went for a comfy outfit and flat shoes, plus it was nice weather so wanted to wear some sort of sandals. I have had this top for a couple of months now and I absolutely love it! It’s pretty, comfy and really brings an outfit together and its from Primark which makes it even better. I really like the style and on the back there is a criss cross pattern just at the top which just adds something extra. The only downside is that it gets creased quite easily, especially if you are wearing it all day, which is why it looks a little creased in these pictures.These jeans are my favourite jeans at the moment. The fit is lovely, the colour is perfect and they are so comfortable. They are from Stradivarius which is a shop I have never heard of before until it came to the Trafford Centre earlier this year and its now one of my favourite shops! I really like the rips on the knees and the distressing as well. I have rolled them up just a little bit at the bottom as well.My shoes are quite new to my collection and they are from Ego which is another shop that is quite new to me but I saw these in the sale a few weeks back and knew I had to have them. I had been looking for a pair of espadrilles for a while and these ticked all the boxes for me. They are also really comfortable, which as you may be able to tell is a big thing for me!! They also remind me of Valentino shoes because of the studs.I finished the look off with my Kate Spade purple handbag and Olivia Burton watch. This is the bag I use everyday because its big enough to fit in everything I need but its not too big for walking around all day. I also feel like it goes with pretty much anything. I have also been wearing my Olivia Burton watch a lot recently and I’ve been loving it. Its so pretty and if I could I would buy every single watch from them because they are all stunning.

Let me know what your favourite high street shops are at the moment. I would say mine is currently New Look.

Rachel xx

NYX Professional Makeup Studio Perfect Primer!

After using the same primer for quite a few years I felt it was time to try a new one. I had been looking for a while but nothing was really jumping out at me until I came across the NYX counter in Boots and saw the NYX Professional Makeup Studio Perfect Primer. NYX has been on my list of makeup brands that I wanted to try but every time I go to their counters I either have no time to properly look or I get overwhelmed and end up leaving empty handed. However, this time I went straight to the ‘primer section’ and decided on this one.As soon as I tried it on my hand it just reminded me of velvet and made my skin feel so smooth. So that mixed with the product description.. ‘Prepare your canvas with our silky primer. The Studio Perfect Primer formula is easily absorbed creates a smooth surface for foundation and ensures the longevity of your makeup‘ I was like ‘yaasss’ this sounds like the perfect primer for me!!

There are three different shades of this primer each with there own benefits. Clear, to cover fine lines and large pores; Lavender, to brighten and illuminate yellow undertones; Green, to conceal redness. I went with the Clear shade as I am always looking to cover my pores. My foundation and concealer go on so smoothly after using this primer and last pretty much all day.Considering that this is the first NYX product I’ve tried I am very impressed and can’t wait to try more from the brand. If you are looking for a new primer then I honestly 100% recommend this one. Let me know if there are any NYX products that I need to try, I would appreciate your recommendations.

Rachel xx

August Favourites

It’s that time of month again where we all share our favourite products. These posts are some of my favourite posts to read and also to write. I usually only do a ‘product of the month’ but I have way to many favourites to choose from this month, so I have decided to go back to sharing all of my faves from the month and if there is a stand out product then I will let you know on Instagram/Twitter or something. Let me know your favourite products this month and if you would like to know mine then please keep reading..

August Beauty Favourites

• Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder – Every time I use this I ask myself ‘why didn’t I buy you sooner?!’ Absolutely love this product and can see this lasting me ages so it’s well worth the investment!!
• NYX Studio Perfect Clear Primer – This is the first product I have tried from NYX and its ace! It feels like velvet when you apply it to your face and my makeup stays put all day!
• Topshop Glow Stick Play Up – I bought this on a whim as I couldn’t decide which highlight to get and the shop was closing in like 2 minutes but I definitely made the right decision! Looks so pretty for everyday use as it’s not too ‘in your face’.
• Kiko Glitter Metal Nail Lacquer 148 – One of the prettiest nail polishes I own. I use this as a top coat to a plain colour and it looks gorgeous! (I can’t find this on the UK site so linked the American one so you can see the shade etc. I bought this in store)

August Accessory Favourites 

• Angel Wing Earrings – I got these for my birthday this year from my lovely cousin so I’m not too sure where they are from but they are so pretty. I have been looking for a pair of earrings like this for a while but had no luck so I was very pleased when I opened these on my birthday.
• Olivia Burton Blue & Rose Gold Watch – I have had this watch for a while now but only kept it for special occasions but realised I wasn’t getting as much wear out of it as I would like. So I have been wearing it for pretty much the whole of August and really enjoying wearing it again. Olivia Burton watches are definitely some of the prettiest I have ever seen!!

So that rounds up my August favourites. Don’t forget to let me know what you have been loving this month and feel free to leave me links to your posts as I would love to read them.

Rachel xx