KIKO 24h Cream

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well!

It has been a while, but I am back! This year has just been complete madness, I have now finished university and will be graduating next week with a 2:1! I decided that I needed to put my blog on hold for a little bit to allow myself time to focus on getting my work done which has definitely paid off, I am so pleased with my final grade. I want to thank you for your patience whilst I've been away and what better way to kick-start my blog again than with a review of my current favourite moisturiser...

I was initially given this moisturiser as a sample and fell it love with it straight away! I loved it so much I decided to go out and buy it and I have been using it ever since. KIKO 24h Cream makes my face feel super smooth and the best thing about it... it doesn't break me out!

KIKO 24h Cream 50ml - £11.90 (more info)

If you haven't heard of this brand before or want to know more about it then head over to their website: kikocosmetics.co.uk.

"KIKO MILANO is a leading Italian brand of cosmetics, make-up and skin care products. KIKO MILANO offers safe and effective beauty products as well as face and body treatments of the highest quality, created to satisfy women of all ages."

This product by KIKO is a moisturising and energising cream that is recommended for normal to dry skin, however, you are all aware that I have combination to oily skin and this product works amazingly well for me. I use this as my night-time moisturiser rather than during the day, I prefer to wear something lighter and more mattifying during the day. I use this before bed after I've cleansed my face and I allow it time to soak in - if I was to use this product as my day moisturiser then I would look super shiny by lunch time! For those of you who have dryer skin though, this product could work brilliantly as both a day and night-time moisturiser.

Directions

I use this product after cleansing in the evening and apply it to my face, neck and neck line.


Summary

(Pictures taken with Nikon D3100)

I have noticed such a big improvement in the texture and look of my skin. My makeup seems to glide on much more smoothly than it did before.

Pros

• Smells lovely
• Feels nice on the skin
• Very moisturising
• Contains SPF15
• Hypoallergenic (formulated to ensure minimum instance of allergic reactions)
• Non comedogenic (doesn't clog pores)
• Paraben free
• Simple, clean-looking packaging

Cons

• Might be slightly too heavy for oilier complexions (Personally I like the consistency of this moisturiser because it's exactly what I look for in a night cream)

If you haven't tried any products by KIKO yet, then I suggest you do! I have a feeling this won't be the last post involving this brand!

What is your current favourite moisturiser? Let me know!

Natasha Carly x

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February Favourites

Hello everyone, I hope you are well! 

Here are my favourite products of last month. 

Face

Nivea Refreshing Facial Cleansing Wipes (normal & combination skin) - Superdrug £2.99
I usually use the Simple Cleansing Wipes but they were out of stock when I went to the store, so instead I picked up the Nivea wipes and I'm glad I did! I have been enjoying them a lot more than the Simple facewipes, they smell amazing and leave my face feeling clean and soft.

Maybelline Colossal Volum Express The Rocket Mascara (Very black) - Superdrug £7.99
I went into Superdrug to repurchase my usual mascara which is the Maybelline Volum' Express Colossal Cat Eyes (the yellow one - these names are far too long for my liking!) When I got to the till I was asked if I wanted to try the Rocket one as it was on offer, after requesting to take a look at the wand before purchasing and with very little persuasion I decided to give it a go! At first I was a little unsure about this mascara as I'm not really a fan of the 'plastic bristle' wands but I find this wand is much more flexible than the other harder plastic brushes I've tried in the past and now I am in love with this mascara! It spreads out my eyelashes without clumping and gives me great volume and length - although my eyelashes don't look quite like they do on the advert!

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara - Fragrance Direct £6.50
My boyfriend gave me this as a gift from as part of a Wowcher deal and it was love at first sight! This mascara is brilliant, my eyelashes always look amazing after using this. I tend to use this mascara alongside my main mascara - this is my personal preference as I like the look I get when I layer up my mascaras. However I do wear this on its own on days where I'm not wearing much makeup or if I want a more subtle, natural look.

Hair

Edward Beale Ultra Gloss Argan Oil (normal/coarse thick hair) - TK Maxx £9.99
I found this in TK Maxx last year when I was browsing through the hair care and beauty section. I think this store is amazing, I always find something new to try out and everything I find is usually very reasonably priced!
I have tried many hair oils but it's always nice to try out more! The thing I like about this oil is that it is very lightweight on  my hair and doesn't way it down, it also smells good! I use this on towel dried hair and then go ahead and style my hair as usual. It always feels soft and looks shiny after using this.

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Conditioner - TK Maxx £12.99
My boyfriend's sister bought this back from America for me and I fell in love with it, it seriously is a miracle product! I didn't want to like this product as much as I do because it's not easy to get hold of in the UK (as far as I know) and I know I would have been rather upset when it had ran out. Luckily TK Maxx came to my rescue just in the nick of time! I noticed them when I was Christmas shopping in Manchester so decided to stock up on a few! My hair has never felt so good! I use this every time I wash my hair, it detangles my hair in no time and leaves it feeling soft and extremely moisturised.

Lips

I have had extremely chapped lips for the past few months and these lovely products have been getting me through! As well as my homemade sugar and honey lip scrub! 

Nivea Pearly Shine - Superdrug £1.49
I like this lip balm as it gives me a sheer pink tint on the lips which means I can have a hint of colour on my lips at the same time as moisturising them.

EOS Summer Fruit Lip Balm (organic) - Amazon £6.99 
Boots now stock a different version of these lip balms called 'Balmi' they cost £4.99 and contain SPF. I don't know how good they are as I haven't tried them for myself but I'm sure they do the same job if not, better!

Vaseline (with Aloe Vera) - Boots £1.99
This is my favourite Vaseline out of all of them mainly because of the smell!  It also works really well under lipsticks.

Nails

(pictures taken with Canon A3300is)

Essie We're in it together- available at Boots £7.99
I have been loving this nail polish as you probably know from my previous blog posts! (take a look here). The colour is gorgeous and I love how it looks on my nails. I actually got this when it was on offer on the Fragrance Direct website but I'm not sure if they stock this colour anymore.

Barry M Diamond Glitter - Boots £2.99
I love the Barry M glitter polishes, I really need to get more! They are a simple way to jazz up your nails when you don't have time for fancy nails designs and patterns.

Nail Art Fine Painting Brushes - Ebay £2.69
I have been looking around for more nail tools in the hope that if I practice nail designs more often then I'll get better at them. These are really easy to use and the fine brush tips make nail designs much simpler to do if you're a beginner like myself I would definitely recommend getting some brushes like these.

What were your February favourites?

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton 

Follow on Instagram - @prettylittlelives

*Please be aware that any offers or prices mentioned in my posts may have changed by the time you read them.*

We're in it together.

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well!

Today I'm sharing my current favourite nail polish/nail looks with you, featuring Essie's 'We're in it together' - This cost me just £1.99 from the Fragrance Direct Website I ordered a few other colours too as they were such a bargain!

This is such a beautiful colour, to me this is THE perfect pink! I've been enjoying mixing it up with other colours and glitter polishes epecially Barry M 'Diamond Glitter' and China Glaze 'Champagne Bubbles' (as shown below).

(pictures taken with iPhone 4s)

If you would like to see a step by step tutorial of how I did this triangle design then let me know in a comment below. There are many videos on YouTube that show you how to do this but it's really simple to do and I would love to share my tips with you.

What are your current favourite nail designs?

Natasha Carly x

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Let It Rock!

Hello everyone, I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas holidays!

I certainly did! I ate a lot of food and and spent lots of quality time with my family, just what I needed!

Today I'm going to share a perfume that I got for Christmas that I have been loving!

Vivienne Westwood - Let It Rock 30ml

 (Pictures taken with iPhone 4s)

When I opened this I instantly fell in love with it as the packaging is to die for! The bottle is extremely cute! It's tall with a 'lipstick effect' logo on the front along with the signature Vivienne Westwood orb on top!

This is a very feminine fragrance, which smells sexy and woody - it's divine!

Top notes: bergamot and freesia

Heart:  jasmine

Base: patchouli and amber

Let It Rock is available on the Fragrance Direct website.

Have you tried this perfume? 

What has been your favourite perfume this season?

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Follow on Instagram - @prettylittlelives

Favourite Autumn Polishes

Hello everyone,

Today I'm sharing my favourite Autumn nail polishes that have been loving and wearing a lot this month.

They are all Essie nail polishes and are the first polishes that I have tried from the collection.

 I have to say I am very impressed with these polishes, the consistency is perfect and they apply nice and smoothly!

This lovely trio cost just £9.99 from Tk Maxx - you can't beat a good bargain so I just had to have them!

I got a few other bits and bobs from Tk Maxx too, if you want to see what else I got then let me know and I will do a post on them!

Here are the polishes:-

                                  

 (Pictures taken with iPhone 4s)

It's Genius 

A violet purple with golden flecks/shimmers.

Brownie Points 

A creamy rich brown.

Mamba 

A warm-toned nude with a hint of peach. 

(It has very fine shimmers that you can see in the light if you look close enough).

I hope you enjoyed this post!

What were your favourite polishes this month?

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara

Hello everyone,

This is my all time favourite mascara.

 Lancôme Hypnôse Volumising Mascara (more info)

I got this mascara as a gift from my boyfriend for my birthday and I love it, it has been one of my favourites for quite a while now! I like how long and full it makes my eyelashes look. It is buildable and doesn't clump together like other mascaras that I have tried in the past.

With just a few coats of this mascara you can dramatically transform your lashes, you can use this for both subtle and dramatic eye make-up looks, which I think is fab!

"The supple texture of this exclusive formula turns into an ultra-light fluid with endless playtime, enabling you to build your lashes, over and over, without smearing, smudging or clumping."

"With its 1,000 sensor bristles, the Power Full™ Brush delivers made-to-measure lash volume that you control. With each sweep, it glides through your lashes for perfect separation, while evenly applying the mascara from base to tip."- Lancôme Website

(Taken with Canon A3300is)

Summary

Pros 

• Thick bristles.
• No clumping.
• No smudging or flaking.
• Gorgeous, sleek packaging.
• Contains vitamin B5.

Cons

• Quite expensive compared to high street brands, retails at £21.

This is such a gorgeous mascara! I'm so happy to have it back in my life, I would be lost without it!

Have you tried any mascaras by Lancôme? What are your thoughts?

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

August Favourites

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well!

Today I am sharing my August Favourites with you.

 

MUA Glamour Days Palette £4.00

This palette is gorgeous! I love how pigmented the colours are and they last me all day without creasing. The colours are gorgeous shades of both matte and shimmers, I have really been enjoying them this summer!

Ben Nye Banana Powder $7.99 (£5.00)

I have been LOVING this powder, I have done a full review on this which you can read it here. I love how flawless it makes my skin look and how it controls my shiny face all day!

MAC Sculpt and Shape - Accentuat/Sculpt

I don't know a price for this as I believe it has been continued but I got this from The Sunday Girl's blog sale a few months ago and have really been loving it! I use it to contour my cheeks and my nose etc I use the lighter shade to highlight my cheekbones and brow bone.

Sleek Blush - Flamingo £4.29

This is such a gorgeous pink colour, it is very pigmented and gives a gorgeous pop of colour on you cheeks. You can layer this blush up or down to intensify the colour or to give a more natural subtle hint of pink.

 (Taken with Canon A3300is)

Xen Tan Deep Bronze Luxe - Dark 236ml £28.99 approx*

I have only used this a couple of times but think the quality of this product is amazing! The colour goes on evenly and it smells like vanilla which I think is gorgeous and makes a change from the typical biscuity smell of other self tanners. I will be doing a full product review on this soon so I won't blab on too much about how I love it here!

Sinful Colors - Tapping Nails 15ml £2.99

This is such a gorgeous summery orange colour it looks lovely against my skin tone and I like that it has tiny gold flecks in it, it really adds depth to your nails!

Eylure False Lashes £5.35

This brand of false eyelashes are my favourite! They have such a variety of different lashes from natural look to dramatic evening lashes! I use these lashes over and over to, they last quite a while before you have to buy new ones. I always keep a few boxes handy though just in case!

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment 200ml £7.99

I have been using this hair treatment twice and week and I have to say it is doing wonders for my hair! It makes it feel silky soft and smooth! I will be doing a full review on this as lots of you have asked for one so I will get that up asap!

PanOxyl 5% Cream £3.00 approx

As you probably know by now I suffer from terrible skin! I bought this cream around March time but stopped using it after a few weeks because I got impatient waiting for it to work! I have recently started using it again over the past few months and have seen such a huge improvement in my skin!

Thanks for reading!

*Disclaimer this post contains PR Samples - My opinions are still 100% honest.

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

July Favourites

Hello everyone, hope you are well!

Here are my July Favourites, apologies for being a tad late but better late than never!

Most of the products are hair products as I have been working on getting my hair healthier.

 (Taken with Canon A3300is)

Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Cream 150ml

I use this after I've washed my hair and after using my Aussie Leave-in Conditioner. It helps to make my hair soft and more manageable. I have also noticed that it stops my hair from looking so frizzy too! This product has raspberry and silk extracts and smells incredible!!

It retails at around £4.79 but it is currently on offer in Boots (view offer)

Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Intensive Mask 200ml

Along with the other Spit End Protection products by Herbal Essences, I started using this Intensive Mask at the beginning of July and have to say my hair has improved so much! I have mentioned to you before that I prefer to use masks as I feel my hair needs more of a deep condition than what I get with a regular conditioner. I think this product is a must have! It is one of my top favourite hair masks! This product retails at £3.49 but is currently on offer in Superdrug (view offer)

Dove Damage Therapy Intensive Repair Overnight Creme 120ml

I bought this at the end of June and since then I haven't stopped using it! It works really well on my hair and makes it feel really soft. I apply the product onto towel dried hair and leave it on my hair for the night, when I wake up the next morning my hair is so much more manageable and doesn't get knotted together as easily as it usually does! I will be doing a full review on this product so I don't really want to say too much about it here! This Overnight Creme retails at £4.99 but is currently on offer at Superdrug (view offer)

OXY Seaweed Power Fresh Skin Wash 150ml

You have probably been expecting this to be in my favourites since I did a full review on it which you can read here. I like how clean my skin feels after I've used it, the tiny microbeads help to work deep into the skin. This product is high quality and really inexpensive, for £5.99 you can't go wrong!

Soap & Glory Hand Food 125ml

I have been trying to grow my nails recently so as well as trying out hardening polishes I have been using hand cream more often to see if that helps them to grow. I love the smell of all Soap & Glory products and this is definitely no exception. The smell is amazing! This hand cream costs £5.00 which to me is very reasonable! I will definitely be repurchasing this!

Primark 'Tangle Teezer'

This 'Tangle Teezer' is brilliant, it cost me £1.50 and does a really great job of getting out knots in my hair without tearing. It is suitable to use on both wet and dry hair, I have been using this instead of a wide tooth comb since I got it. I think it works so much better than a comb. You can read my full review here.

I would love to know what products you were enjoying last month! Let me know in a comment!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

June Favourites

Hello everyone!

Today I'm going to be sharing my top 5 June favourities. I hope you enjoy reading! 

Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub (£9.50)

I am obsessed with many of the Soap & Glory products and this is one of my favourite exfoliators ever! It smells like maple syrup which I love!

Being a sugar scrub it works really well to combat dry skin and it leaves your skin feeling nice and smooth.

This is what I used to prepare my skin before I went on holiday! 

 Palmer's Cocoa Butter (£3.77)

 

This is one of the best products I have found for moisturising my dry skin.
I have to say I like this moisturiser much more than the Garnier Firming Lotion which I did a full review on click here to see it.
If you are a fan of cocoa butter then you will love the smell of this product if not then I suggest you stay clear from this as it does smell quite strong!
This is what I have been using since I came back from my holiday, it is perfect to use if you want to maintain your tan and it contains Vitamin E which helps to keep your skin soft and smooth!

 Bourjois Healthy Mix (£9.99)

This has been my favourite foundation this month. I love the smell of this foundation, it has a nice fruity, clean fragrance to it. 

People I know who have sensitive skin have been put off by the fact that it is scented and I know many people who have had break outs when using this, but for me it works well on my skin.

I like the 'fruit therapy' aspect of this product also!

This foundation goes on smoothly and lasts a very long time! It is my favourite go-to summer time foundation!

Benefit Porefessional (magazine freebie)

Benefit Porefessional 22ml retails at £23.50

I got this free in Glamour magazine and I love it! However I have stopped using this since I started using the Good Things Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser as I don't like to use a moisturiser as well as a primer, but I had to put this product in my June Favourites because I really do love it.

I don't think it hides my pores a great deal but it definitely leaves my skin looking and feeling smoother and my foundation glides on more easily!

Ciate Bon Bon (magazine freebie - worth £9)

 (Taken with Canon A3300is)

 This is such a gorgeous nude colour!

 I love how this nail polish applies it looks flawless and dries quickly!

I always apply 2 coats as I think that gives the best colour pay off! 

And the packaging is adorable!

What were your June Favourites? Leave me your links below!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Favourite MAC Pink Lipsticks For Spring!

Hello everyone, 

Today I'm going to share my 3 favourite Mac lipsticks for spring, which are; Creme Cup, Lovelorn and Plink!

I really like light pink lipsticks so I'm definitely going to wear these a lot this season and I will most probably continue to wear them through to summer!

(Taken with Fuji Finepix HS10)

Creme-cup (Cremesheen - Soft shine and creamy, full colour) 

Lovelorn & Plink! (Lustre - Sheer and glossy)

I love the texture of Mac lipsticks and they seem to have a light fragrance to them, although I can't put my finger on what it is exactly!

Do you have any suggests of pink lipsticks that will look good during spring time? 

If so let me know below!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton