Weekly Favourites: July 7th to 13th

As you all probably know, monthly favourites are a common blog post by any blogger! But as June has now left us and we're nearly in the middle of July, I think I'm a little late haha! That's definitely the problem with me, I leave everything till last minute... Ooops! So I was flicking through my Bloglovin page earlier and saw someone post their weekly favourites - everything they've loved this particular week. So, I thought I'd do the same! And hopefully I wont miss out on doing July's faves haha! Enjoy guys :) 

1. If you read a recent blogpost of mine, you will see I purchased a mini Benefit gift bag sorta thing which included a mini 'Benefit Porefessional' which I literally have used every single day since I got it. I'm sure all of you will be familiar with this product, but if not it is a primer that magically minimises the appearance of pores and fine lines to give us girls perfectly smooth skin! You just apply this underneath or over makeup on the areas of concern, mine is usually my nose and T-zone, and it helps makeup stay put and also of course reduce those nasty pores! I love it, it keeps my makeup on all day long and it is a great product, especially for the Summer time when skin begins to get a little sweaty! 

2. Next up is my FAVOURITE foundation ever! If you've read many of my blog posts you'll all know I absolutely love the 'L'Oreal True Match Foundation' in the shade Rose Vanilla. It's the best drugstore foundation that I have ever used. It sinks into my skin so easily blendable, gives me amazing coverage annnnndddd it is the perfect colour match for my skin tone! I find matching drugstore foundations to my skin tone quite the task, which is why I think I steer away from them the majority of the time, but this foundation over high-end foundation any day! If you haven't already tried this I massively recommend you do! \

3. Another favourite of mine this week is actually a makeup brush. I'm always buying new brushes and mixing them up to see which one works best with each product. Plus, I actually enjoy the whole cleaning my brushes task... Sad I know haha! Everyone, literally everyone I know uses Real Technique brushes and this one I'm really enjoying is the 'Real Techniques Stippling Brush'.  I have always used a brush to apply foundation as I think you get a better finish as appose to using my fingers and I especially love stippling brushes rather than flat brushes. I just really like this brush as it applies my makeup really well, no patchiness and another great thing, it doesn't leave brush hairs all over my face! The packaging is also really cute about these brushes, I especially love how this one is pink haha! 

4. Another product that has been in my makeup all week is the 'Bourjois Delice De Poudre Bronzing Powder'... Better known as the Bourjois chocolate bronzer haha! Now my Bobbi Brown bronzer is completely gone, I decided to bring this bad boy back to life and use it as my daily bronzer. I have really been enjoying it actually, it's a really nice bronzed, golden tone on my skin and complements my skin tone really well! It's not too orangey or too brown, it's a nice sun kissed glow! It's really easy to apply and isn't too shimmery either! Plus it smells like chocolate, which is an added bonus! 

5. The last fave of mine this week is a 'MAC Woodwinked eyeshadow'. This eyeshadow is a warm gold colour which is perfect for a bronzey, smoked out look. This shade reminds me a lot of Smog from the Urban Decay Naked Palette, so if you enjoy using that shade I'm sure you'll love this! I like to wear this with Mac All That Glitters all over the lid and then Woodwinked blended through the outer crease.

What's you're weekly favourites been this week? Leave me a comment below :)

Thanks for reading, Phoebe x 

Arbonne Review - Skincare & Cosmetics

Hi everyone, before I get into my blog post I'd just like to say the reason behind me not blogging as much as I have been is because I've been sooo busy! If it's not college it's work and I've also been dying of a disease to say the least haha! But, I promise to get back into it and keep you updated with fabulous things to read as much as I can :)

Now thats out the way I can get onto my post... Arbonne! I have been meaning to do this post in particular for a couple weeks now as I did mention in my last post it would be upper coming. I was going to do two separate posts but then I thought why not blend them both together! Literally a few days after producing my blog and actually putting it out there so all you guys could see, I received a couple messages from people asking me about my blog, what I was going to write about and something even more exciting...Whether I wanted to test and review beauty products on my blog! My initial thought was... Erm YES! I thought this was such an amazing opportunity to take up on as who knows where it could lead me? Plus, I thought it would be great for a brand new blog like mine to get some attention!

The company the girls who messaged me work for is Arbonne International. Heard of it? No, neither had I! I'll tell you a little about it before I dive in with the products. Arbonne is a health, beauty and wellness company of a Swiss Heritage. All of their products are ultra premium and because of the products are distributed via network marketing (word of mouth) the cost is significantly less to what they would be if they were sold via a store. Great right?! Basically amazing products for half the price. Arbonne is committed to pure and safe beneficial products, all these being pH correct, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, free from animal products and many more! Also, all products are results driven and are seen within 24 hours.

Now the fun bit! 

Skincare:
When I agreed to testing Arbonne products the obvious questions about my skin type were asked so that I was getting the best out of the products as I could for the time that I had them! Depending on your skin type depends on the product type you may use. Personally, I have combination skin meaning my skin can be dry and normal in some areas such as around my nose, but can also be oily around my T-zone which is very much the case for me! I also tend to get quite shiny throughout the day. The products I tested were: 

1. One of the products I was advised to test was the 'FC5 Moisturising Night Creme'. Whilst testing these products, I realised they were all FC5 products because that is specifically for oily/combination skin therefore suited me perfectly! As it says in the name, this product is only used for night time once you have removed all makeup and followed through with your skin care routine this can then be applied. It is rich in moisturising elements to help nurture skin while we sleep helping to keep skin look fresh, revitalised, young and beautiful! It is better to start looking after and preparing skin at a young age to keep it looking it's best for as long as possible. I loved this product! I'm not a fan of moisturisers at all, whether it's on a night or before I apply makeup on a morning as I don't like the sticky 'tacky' feel so I was especially worried as I was going to have to sleep like that! But, thankfully this product melts into my skin in seconds and leaves my skin feeling silky smooth. I woke up looking fresher and brighter which is another benefit!

2. Next up is the 'FC5 Oil-Absorbing Day Lotion'. This is our morning moisturiser girls! I applied this every morning before applying my makeup as it is for day time and will last all through the day. Specifically for oily skin, it is an oil free moisturiser that helps to absorb the oil in the skin. This is perfect as it prevents the skin becoming shiny during the day and helps makeup to stay on all day long! It also filters UV rays to help prevent sunburn so this is a great product for the hot Summer days we are having! It could also be a holiday moisturiser due to the beneficial UV absorbing rays! Again, I loved this product as I felt my makeup stayed a lot less matte and more shiny during the day if I applied this before hand. Definitely left my skin with a free, matte appearance.

3. The last product I sampled was the 'FC5 Purifying Cleanser and Toner'. I used this product every night before I applied the night creme as it cleanses and tones the skin with a cooling and refreshing formula that visibly reduces oiliness and helps the skin to look young, fresh and clean. Who doesn't want that in their lives? I love this product as it really did leave my skin feeling so clean and revitalised... Can I say it even looked brand new? If that makes any sense haha! My skin felt so smooth and just looked so much better after using this every night before bed. It leaves the skin with a Matte Fresh Complex which is great before going to bed as the skin doesn't feel greasy or wet and it even contains strawberry cell extracts making it smell amazing. 

That's it for the skincare! I loved every single product and my skin has never felt so amazing after using them! I really need to invest in some of my own. Cosmetics next!

1. Of course, I had to test out the Arbonne Foundation! This is the 'Perfecting Liquid Foundation SPF 15' in the shade Porcelain. If you don't already know after reading my Current Makeup Faves post, I am very picky with foundations so I was a little wary of using this foundation in case it didn't satisfy my needs. I liked it, but I didn't love it. This foundation is without a doubt great for every thing it does! It's very much a multitasking product as it helps lift the appearance of facial contours, smooths and evens out skin tone whilst providing sun protection. I bet you're all thinking what more could I want right? For me, it was the consistency and the way it felt on my skin and how dewy and shiny it was on the skin. It has a very sheer finish, which for oily skin didn't really mix well and I definitely had to powder throughout the day and even then it shifted in my T-zone. I personally prefer more matte finish foundations, but if you love a dewy, sheer glow on the skin then check this out! It was quite thick so I did struggle to blend it into the skin but nevertheless, it definitely evened out my skin tone and any redness I had and with the added SPF protecting my skin from any sun damage. 

2. Next up is highlighter. I absolutely love highlighters! I love how they brighten and sparkle up my skin and are perfect for nights out when you want to look even more glam! This is the 'Sheer Glow Highlighter' and I have to say, I absolutely adore this product. I highlight my face generally using a stick form such as the Benefit Wattsup or any other powder form highlighter so when I discovered this was a cream, liquid formula I was very intrigued as I had never used one like it before. This product was perfect for me! The pinky champagne tones looked amazing on my skin, but is also suitable for any skin tone. It blended really well on the tops of my cheek bones and was very well pigmented meaning the light caught it brilliantly! It added radiance and a soft summer glow to my face and complimented all my other face products really nicely. Love love love! For anyone like me who hadn't experienced using a cream, liquid based highlighter I would definitely recommend this one. 

3. When I realised I had been given a primer to try out I was very happy! I love to prime everything haha, my skin before applying my base, my eyelids and I have to set my makeup with a setting spray before I can leave the house. I have such a massive complex about my makeup shifting or becoming patchy throughout the day that I have to apply at least something! This is the 'Arbonne Makeup Primer', very simple yet very effective! It reminded me a lot of the Smashbox face primer which I was happy about as that is my current primer! The consistency was very much like a gel form, that blended and sunk into my skin like a creamy moisturiser which helped to apply a flawless base. It diminished any visible pores or fine lines and I can safely say this product kept my makeup looking the same all day, no movement or patchiness and it looked fresh till the moment I returned home again. Massively recommend this to anyone who suffers from the same as I do as it really does work!

4. Bronzer! I was happy to receive a tester for a bronzer as sadly my Bobbi Brown one has ran out haha so I needed something to last me until I could get another! This is the 'Arbonne Bronzer' which actually doesn't seem to have a shade name! Sorry guys, I'm guessing it's another one of those suitable for all skin types kinda product? I do love bronzers as being a pale skin toned girl, I do like to bronze up my cheeks and down my neck. However, it has to be matte whereas this has a lot of shimmer running through it! So I was quite disappointed with that, but it is a good product. It's a silky light powder which is what I loved as it felt so light on my cheeks and didn't feel clumpy or heavy. Also gave me that sun kissed glow however less shimmer for me!

5. Blush! When I opened up my box of makeup goodies I couldn't help but think how all of the colours and shades I had been given, were ones I loved to use already and I know suit me the best! So I was very happy with the 'Arbonne Blush' in the shade Apricot. I love this product and what I especially love is how pigmented it is! The coraly orange colour has floods of gold, sparkly shimmers running through it looking amazing on all skin tones. The shade looked great on the apples of my cheeks and was again incredibly light weight on my skin that I literally felt like I was wearing nothing at all! The blush has just the right amount of shimmer and I really liked the way it looked on me. I love how natural it looked and I would highly recommend it.

6. Last up is a eyeshadow! Again, in my favourite dark, smokey type of shades! This is the 'Arbonne Eyeshadow' in the shade Smoke. I wore this one day blended through the crease with a lighter more neutral shade in the inner corner and considering I only used 2 shades, it looked so smokey and so gorgeous that with a lashing of liquid liner and some mascara I'd have been set to go for a night out! I got so many compliments on the day I wore this shadow and I adore it! It is so pigmented and is one of those colours that look exactly the same in the pot as they do on the eyes, which is a bonus! Very easy to blend and no fall out! Another bonus! This product is long wearing and I would recommend not only this product but this in particular shade to anyone! Definitely want to try more! 

That's it guys! I hope you enjoyed reading about all the products I tried and tested. I hope it maybe inspired you to try out new things and maybe even try some of the products on this post. I would also like to say a massive thank you to Chloe Wales who is one of the girls who messaged me and provided me with all these products. She is an Arbonne consultant so message her for any news or products that you may be interested in! Or, you can check out Arbonnes website.

Thank you for reading, is there any new products you have just recently tried?

Phoebe x 

Beauty Outlet And Mini Boots Haul:

One of my favourite things to do is sit down, click Youtube and watch haul after haul whether it's a clothing, makeup or skin care haul, I just love them! I love being nosey and finding out what people are buying and are interested in as it provides me with a list of what to buy next haha! Only downside from watching hauls - you want to hit the nearest shop and buy everything! Well, whats new haha? So after destroying my back balance the other day, and today actually, I thought why not do a haul post and show you guys what I bought! So that's what I'm going to do. This post is showing you all what I've bought from two different shops spread out in a few days so enjoy :)

Throughout the week I'm studying at college and my weekends are taken up with a weekend job. I work at Adidas Outlet in Dalton Park, some of you reading this post may be familiar with Dalton Park but for those who aren't, it's the biggest outlet shopping centre in the North East. So, for those who love a bargain, it's the place to be! So on Saturday after I'd finish work, I decided to be a little naughty and slip into the brand new Beauty Outlet store that has just recently opened a couple of weeks ago. When I found out they were opening an outlet store full of beauty products marked down by 50% I nearly died! That place is my idea of heaven haha! It ranges from high end products like Estee Lauder and Calvin Klein to Maybelline and Rimmel London. It also sells hair, nails, skincare and tanning products. It's GREAT! I bought a 'few' bits which I will insert below:

1. The first item I picked up was a lipstick from L'Oreal which is the 'L'Oreal Paris Caresse Lipstick' in the shade '301 Dating Coral. As you will be able to tell from the name, this is a coral shade with orange tones flooding through it rather than pink, so it's definitely an orangey coral...If that makes sense haha? The texture to this lip product is amazing! It's much more like a balm therefore moisturises and nourishes my lips and adds colour so if you enjoy wearing matte shades with a thick and heavy coverage I suggest you avoid using this product. This lip shade gives a glowy sheen to the lips and will need topping up throughout the day as it is not a matte. From what I can see online, this product is no longer available in drugstores, it is only the the updated version available which I'm sure is just as good! I only payed £2.99 on this product... Absolute bargain! Here is a swatch of the product: 

2. Skin care item alert! I've tried BB creams and thought I would see what CC creams are all about. CC Creams stand for colour correcting cream or colour control cream. The cream I decided to pick up is the 'L'Oreal Paris Anti-Fatigue CC Cream'. What a mouthful! This particular cream works with the natural skin tone of you're face which help to wake up tired skin, perfect for when I'm rolling out of bed on a morning looking like a zombie! The cream claims to have colour correcting beautifiers that work with with the natural skin tone and help neutralise the appearance of redness, dullness and tired looking skin. It also contains smart pigment capsules that transform into foundation when they touch the skin. This means you can wear it alone, or if needs be under foundation for more added coverage. I tried this product out the other day underneath my foundation as I was worried it would feel clumpy and 'too much' but it felt super light weight and weightless on my skin! It's easy to build up this product for added coverage and gives the skin a perfect nude look with apricot undertones! I love it and really awakens and brightens my skin! This product was one of the most expensive at £6.99.

3. Next I picked up a 'Calvin Klein Velvet Blush' in the shade 'Pearlescent Pink'. I had never purchased or tried any Calvin Klein products before so I was very eager and excited to try them when I realised the store sold them. The shade I bought again was a pink coral (you should all know it's my favourite kinda shade by now!) and just provides the cheeks with a fresh, Summer glow! This shade works really well with my skin tone which is quite pale, but I also think it would work really well with a tanned skin tone. The consistency is really nice on the skin, it's not sheer or shiny as it's quite matte as it doesn't really have any sparkle to it. I really love it :) This product was only £3.49! Here is a swatch below:

4. Mascara next! This is the 'Maybelline The Falsies Mascara'. I've used this mascara many times before and is a regular favourite of mine so I knew I'd love it! Well... I would have loved it if I had actually checked the shade and realised it was BROWN! Massive beauty error! So sadly, I will not be using it :( This mascara really does give that 'false lash' effect without making the lashes look clumpy or like spiders legs! I can use this mascara when I'm wearing shadow and liner and not feel like my lashes are going to look to short or non existent! It gives my lashes ultra thickness and volume. Really does what it says on the tin and I would recommend anyone to try it! This product was £4.99.

5. Brush time! This brush caught my eye and I instantly fell in love with it! It's by the brand 'Royal Cosmetic Connections' which I had never seen or heard of before, but there products are available to buy online if anybody is interested and doesn't have access to the Beauty Outlet. Basically, this brush is a brush with a baby beauty blender on the end which is why I thought it was amazing! This brush is intended to be used for applying foundation, but because of the spongey, blending sponge on the end of it I thought it would be great for my concealer underneath the eyes! And I was right! I can use this brush to dab and blend my concealer in underneath my eyes so that it sinks in, and I feel I definitely get a better finish than I have using any other brushes or my fingers. Would definitely recommend these and I definitely be picking up more! This one was £3.99. 

6. Another Calvin Klein product! This is one of the 'Calvin Klein Delicious Luxury Creme Lipsticks' in the shade 'Ethereal'. Yes, you guessed it! It's a pinky coral wow shock horror! I just couldn't resist and once I'd put a Calvin Klein blush in my basket I thought it would be lonely if it didn't have a lipstick to keep it company! (Best excuse I could think of haha!) I love this lipstick, its creamy consistency almost reminds me a little of a Mac Cremesheen when it's on the lips, hence it being a creme lipstick. As always in lip products, I like them to be sheer and shiny so it's as if there moisturising my lips as well as giving them colour! Which this product does! It's a lot lighter when applied but still has great colour pigmentation and is also long wearing! I'm definitely after more shades in this lippy! This was only £2.99 and here is a swatch for you below: 

7. Last lip product guys! If you read my favourite lip products post, you will know the 'Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquers' are very highly favourited by me! I just love how there a lipstick and a gloss all in one and literally stay on my lips all day long! I won't bore you too much with the details on this product as I mentioned them all in my previous post so read that if you're interested! I picked up the shade 'Luna' which I assumed was a nude... Turns out it's a nude but with more coral, orangey undertones running through it. I LOVE! I never really wear orangey corals on my lips as I tend to steer more towards pinks, but I love this on my lips! It works perfect for Summer and would be really nice with bronzed cheeks and a golden eye! This product is so pigmented and the colour pay off is amazing! And guess what...it was only £1.99! Swatch: 

8. Lastly is just a hairspray I thought I would pick up and try. It is the 'L'Oreal Studio Line Silk and Gloss Volume Hairspray' with extra volume. I don't have a particular favourite hairspray, I just pick up random ones and see what there like. Although, I do always go with sprays that are for volume or maximising volume within the hair as I always wear my hair quite messy and backcombed. I've been using this hairspray everyday and it's definitely doing the trick! This product was £2.99.

That's it for my Beauty Outlet hall guys! Now lets move onto Boots... This is a loooonggggg post. Sorry! I just thought it would be easier to do it all in one... I'm gradually beginning to regret that idea.

As I study at a college in Durham, instead of using my free periods wisely to study or finish work, I find myself strolling round the shops, doing the worst thing ever... Spending MORE money! Ooops! Here is my quick Mini Boots Haul, enjoy :) 

1. '3 for 2'... Boots does this a lot, let me tell you, it's a curse and I do not like it! (Jokes, I love it, my bank balance hates it). So long story short, I ran out of my Benefit Browzings Palette and I just couldn't justify spending almost £25 on a new one! (Student problems). So, I decided to try out a product that had been on my mind for a while which is the 'Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pen' which basically is a brown pen on one end to sculpt out the shape of the brows, then a pencil/crayon on the opposite end to then fill in and shade the brows. I got this in the shade 'Brownie Points' and so far so good! Long wearing and I'm loving the strong, defined yet natural looking eyebrows it's giving me and is a great cheaper alternative for only £10! 

So this whole 3 for 2 thing ended up in me buying 2 more Soap and Glory items! Next I purchased the most beautiful highlighter I may have ever got my hands on! It is the 'Soap and Glory Glow All Out Luminizing Face Powder' which is a pearly pink, ultra shimmery highlighter that I have been dusting over my cheekbones to give me a moonlit glow! I absolutely adore this product and I think it gives me the perfect shine I need for my everyday look. This product was £11.00.

The last product I purchased was a mascara which I kind of chose on a whim as I didn't really know what I wanted my third product to be. But can I say how glad I am I picked it up?! Literally life changing haha! It is the 'Soap and Glory Thick and Fast HD Mascara'. Providing length and volume this mascara has added collagen that wraps the lashes in a thickening and lengthening way for that 'Doll Eye look'. The best thing about this amazing mascara... the 7 sided fan flare 180 degrees brush! That has a V groove that intensifies, gives volume, curls and defines! This mascara isn't clumpy or flakey and my lashes stay put all day long! My new fave! This product was £10.50 and I would highly recommend it! 

So... On my way to the till and I see this little, baby, Benefit box with three little, mini Benefit products in. Did I need it? No. Did I buy it? Yes. Oh god! So the package had a Mini 'Benefit Porefessional' which is used to help minimise pores and any other problem areas. I use this every morning after I have applied moisturiser, around my nose where my pores are more visible and on my chin. Absolutely love it and I definitely need to invest in a big sized one! Next was a 'Benefit Posie Tint' which is a poppy pink cheek and lip stain. I haven't actually used this yet but I am excited to see how it goes! And lastly there was a 'Benefit Bad Gal Lash' which I have used many times before and I can't wait to rekindle my love for it! This was £9.50...I think! Somewhere around those lines!

THAT IS IT GUYS! Sorry for how long this post was, I can only assume half of you give up half way through haha! I hope it was useful and maybe give you some ideas on what to buy next time you're out shopping, or just enjoyed seeing what I have bought :)

*DISCLAIMER* - in no way am I showing off or bragging about the makeup I have or what I have bought, my blog is a beauty blog and I am simply just showing you all what I have decided to purchase this month.

Thank you for reading! Phoebe x