MUA Eyeshadow Palettes - Review

I purchased the MUA Heaven and Earth palette from the MUA website and got Glamour Days free for spending £4.00! I was so happy when I saw this offer as I have been wanting to buy MUA palettes for a while now!

I have used some of the eye shadows and already I think they are fantastic! The quality of them are pretty good, you get 12 eye shadows for £4.00 what an absolute steal!

Heaven and Earth - Neutral colours for a natural look.

Top row

Bottom row

Glamour Days - Shimmery and matte colours to add a pop of colour.

Top row

Bottom row

(Pictures taken with Canon A3300is and Nikon D3100)

The formula of the shadows are very pigmented and soft, they give a little fall out but nothing to complain about! The staying power of the shadows are good and last for quite a while, even without using an eye primer!

The packaging isn't amazing but it looks nice enough and I'm not always bothered about the packaging on products as long as what's inside is good quality. The colours of the shadows don't have names which for me isn't too much of a big deal but I know many people like to refer eye shadows by their names etc. I am also not really a fan of the applicator that comes in the palettes and prefer to use my own eye shadow brushes instead.

Pros:

Pigmented, colours to suit many skin tones, great quality and value

Cons:

Not a fan of the applicator


What do you think of the MUA palettes? Do you have a favourite one?
Leave a comment and let me know!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - Review

Hello everyone, I hope you have all been enjoying the glorious weather as much as I have! (You can probably tell I have spent most of my time in the sun due to my lack of posts lately!)

Today I'm going to share my experience of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser* Liz Earle kindly sent me this product to review and I was so excited when I got it as I have read so many good reviews about it on other beauty blogs and now I am going to share my opinion with you!

I received a 100ml pump starter kit which comes with 2 muslin cloths and retails at £14.25, for me this is slightly on the pricey side but I feel the quality of the cleanser makes up for the price!
If you go to the Liz Earle website you will find a variety of different cleanser sizes, I think this is a great idea as it suits the needs of everyone.

I use the cleanser in the morning to freshen up my face and help get rid of dry patches around my nose.

At night I use the cleanser to take off my make-up. This cleanser even removes waterproof mascara! I love how this cleanser acts as a 2 in 1 make-up remover and cleanser, it is very handy to remove your make-up and cleanse your face in one go! The cleanser is also very light and doesn't irritate my eyes when taking off my mascara - HUGE BONUS!

Directions:-

Step 1: Massage one or two pumps onto dry skin and over face and neck twice a day.

Step 2: Rinse the pure muslin cloth in hand-hot water and wring out before gently wiping off the cream. Rinse and repeat. Then splash face with cool water.

The muslin cloth is now a very important part of my skin care routine. It is used to gently exfoliate and remove dead skin cells, which I love as it isn't harsh on my skin unlike other exfoliators I have used in the past! After just a few uses I noticed my skin appeared to look more radiant! 

Washing your Muslin cloths:-

Muslin Cloths can be washed normally with your white wash or boiled in plain water.

This product smells divine and contains many natural ingredients that are suitable for all skin types:-

• Beexwax - relieves chapped skin
• Cocoa Butter - moisturising
• Rosemary Essential Oil - invigorating, stimulating and antioxidant properties
• Chamomile Essential Oil - soothes skin
• Eucalyptus Essential Oil - decongestant properties

(Pictures taken with Canon A3300is)

The packaging of the product is gorgeous too, I just love the whole style and look of it!

Overall this is such a great product and I am extremely happy with the outcome!

Feel free to share your experiences below!

*Disclaimer PR samples - My opinions are still 100% honest.

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

My week in pictures #2

Hello everyone, I hope you are well!

I apologise for my lack of posts recently! After finishing my last assessments I have spent most of my time celebrating the end of my first year at university and saying goodbye to my uni friends for summer. I have moved back home for summer now woohoo!! So now I will have more time to blog!

In the past week I have received a Cleanse & Polish from Liz Earle (review to come) I have purchased a new camera which I am still trying to figure out properly! I have also won my first giveaway and FINALLY booked my holiday! My boyfriend and I will be going to Turkey this year, I am so excited as I have never been before! Have any of you visited Turkey before? If you have, leave a comment and share your experience with me!

Now lets get on with the post...

(Pictures taken with iPhone 4s)

Moustache Ring - Primark

I grabbed this ring from the Men's section in Primark.

I think it is really funny and had to have it as soon as I saw it, it was only £1.

New Hair

I was bored of my hair being one length so I decided to cut more layers into it.

I am also thinking about changing the colour,

I either want to go a few shades lighter all over or go for an ombre style.

What do you think? - Take part in the poll on my blog!

Package from Liz Earle

I was so excited on Monday morning when this package arrived for me in the post!

The Cleanse & Polish was wrapped so beautifully and came with information booklets etc.

(I will show you everything I received in my upcoming review).

Power Pink!

Nails Inc nail polish free with InStyle Magazine.

Such a pretty colour!

Mac Studio Fix

New addition to my make-up bag!

I tweeted asking what foundation is good for oily skin and most of you raved about

Mac Studio Fix, so I purchased this on Thursday and I am already loving it, 

I don't know why I didn't buy it sooner! 

TRESemme - Instant Refresh

I don't know what is going on with my hair lately but it has been getting very oily 

a lot faster than usual! 

So this TRESemme dry shampoo has been a life saver!!

Liz Earle - Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

I am currently using this as part of my skin care routine and I am loving it!

I'm not going to say too much about this product as I will be doing a full review on it.


Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

My week in pictures #1

Hello everyone,

Today I'm sharing a collection of pictures from my week...

(Pictures taken using iPhone/Canon A3300IS)

1) Quick and easy stir-fry.

2) New purchase from H&M.

3) Time to get rid of my frizzy locks!

4) Magazine cutting - 'beat the bloat!'

5) Pamper time!

6) Mission: Beach Body = FAIL! - third flapjack I've had this week!

7) Enjoying having straight hair this week!

8) So far I'm liking Garnier's eye makeup remover.

9) My signature scent for Spring.

10) Current daily body lotion.

11) Click, click SNAP! - new camera

12) Nail design - bright yellow spots on pastel blue.

13) Trying out a new toothpaste.

I hope you all had a lovely week!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Review

Hello everyone,

Today I'm going to share my thoughts on the Mac Mineralize Skinfinish.
I bought this powder in 'medium dark' this usually costs around £20 but I actually got this product for much cheaper from a website called Fragrance Direct  I paid just £14!

What Mac say about this powder:

 'A luxurious domed face powder with minerals, slowly baked to provide a dimensional yet natural-matte finish. Provides perfect low coverage. Use to set and fix foundation or as a touch-up throughout the day.'

What I think:

I have been using this for just over a month and I agree with what Mac say. My skin looks so flawless after I've used it. I use this as a setting powder to set my foundation and so far I think it is extremely good!

 (Taken with Canon A3300 IS)

I have oily/combination skin so I like to use two different powders, I use a mattifying powder by Rimmel that is specifically designed to combat shine on my t-zone and then use the Mac Mineralize Skinfinish on the other parts of my face. I find that by doing this it helps to keep my skin looking matte and shine-free for longer and because this powder is so fine and smooth it applies evenly and leaves the perfect amount of coverage on the skin.

As well as having oily skin my skin can also be very sensitive at times but this product hasn't broken me out! Huge bonus!

Summary 
 
Pros: 

• lightweight
• fine powder
• easy to blend 
• natural-looking

Cons:

• quite expensive

For me I think this product is quite expensive for what it is, however I do think Mac products are high in quality and you definitely get what you pay for!

Have you tried the Mineralized Skinfinish powder? Leave a comment below and tell me your thoughts!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Garnier Body Tonic Firming Lotion - Review

Hello everyone, I hope you are well.

Since I'm going on holiday in June I want to make sure I'm looking my best! As well as trying to eat healthy and exercise as much as I can, I also want to make sure my skin is looking good too!

So I decided to buy the Garnier Body Tonic Firming Lotion on offer in Superdrug for £3.10 (was £6.21).

I have seen many good reviews about this product so thought I would give it a go whilst it is on offer.

After using this product for about three weeks now I have to say I have definitely seen an improvement in the firmness and softness of my skin. The lotion contains phyto-caffeine which is known to help with stimulation, it is hydrating so it moisturises as it firms - which is an added bonus! 

On the back of the bottle it says 'skin feels instantly toned' and I agree! Immediately after application my skin felt 'lifted' and tighter (not unpleasantly tight!)

The lotion smells like citrus fruits which smells amazing and very fresh. I prefer to use it in the morning after I've showered to give me that 'energised' feeling to help kick start my day!

(Pictures taken with iPhone 4s)

The texture of the product is a gel-cream, it is absorbed easily into the skin and doesn't take long to dry. 

Summary 

Pros

• fast drying
• smooths out skin
• hydrates and moisturises 
• inexpensive

Cons

• the smell of the product might not be to everyone's taste

I think this product is perfect to help you get that 'beach body' you want for summer!

Have you tried this firming lotion or any others? Let me know your thoughts below!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Revlon Nail Polish Review

Hello everyone, 

Today I'm going to be sharing two Revlon nail polishes that I have been wearing a lot lately.

  (Pictures taken with iPhone 4s)

These Revlon Nail Enamel polishes are gorgeous! I love the collection they have and the variety of colours are awesome!

I find the Revlon nail polishes last quite a long time without chipping, which for me is great as there's nothing I disike more than chipped nail polish!

For me Charming is THE perfect pastel lilac colour and Fuchsia Fever is so vibrant and fun!

I have been wearing these colours none stop lately and look forward to wearing both of them during summer!

I bought these polishes from Superdrug, they cost £6.49 each.

What colours have you tried? Let me know below!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

April Favourites

Hello everyone!

Here are some of my April favourites. 

(Taken with iPhone 4s)

Sudocrem

This is brilliant for reducing skin redness/irritation, acne and spots! I swear by this product, it helps keep my skin so smooth! My skin is quite sensitive and spot prone so if you have similar skin to me I suggest you try this!

Clinique facial soap

This product is amazing! I have the one designed for oily skin and I have to say it is brilliant! It helps my skin to feel clear and oil-free whilst keeping it hydrated.

Mac Mineralize Skin Finish Natural

This product works really well to set liquid foundation, it lasts a long time and keeps shine away. I purchased mine in Medium/Dark.

Sure Maximum protection

I always find that deodorants don't last very long for me and upto now this is the only product I have found that I can say hand on heart keeps me dry all day! It leaves my underarms feeling very smooth and on top of that it smells great!

Aussie Luscious Long Leave-in Conditioner

I love the Aussie hair range and this product hasn't let me down! I think leave-in condtioners are brilliant. This one is my new favourite, it smells gorgeous and helps to protect my hair from breakage. I have definitely noticed an improvement in the texture of my hair since I started using this.

Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Mascara (Cat Eyes)

This mascara is perfect! My eyelashes look so long and full after using it. The wand is curved which helps to distribute the product evenly across the eyelashes helping to curl the eyelashes upwards and outwards giving a 'cat eye' effect.

Garnier Body Tonic Firming Lotion

I haven't been using this lotion for very long but I have already noticed that my skin is looking smoother and feeling firmer. The product has a fresh citrus scent which I love!

Revlon nail polish - Fuchsia Fever

This bright pink nail polish is definitely a must have nail colour for spring/summer.

Garnier Hand Repair

This hand cream is definitely for people with very dry skin. The product itself is quite thick and takes a while to dry but for me it works well. The smell of this product might put some people off, it definitely smells like Play-Doh but it doesn't bother me so much - I actually quite like it!

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer

This is currently my everyday go-to concealer it's very soft on the skin and blends easily without being too cakey or creasing throughout the day.

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton