Review | Soap & Glory's Thick & Fast Mascara

No mascara | 2 Coats

 Soap & Glory's Thick & Fast Mascara in Super Jet Black £10

Soap & Glory are probably well known for their skin care products that smell amazing and come in beautiful packaging. I never thought about trying their makeup line until last year when I saw Elle magazine was giving away a free Thick & Fast mascara, so I decided to give it a go.

This mascara retails for £10 for 10ml of product in the colour Super Jet Black. 

The packaging of the mascara, as always with Soap & Glory, is very pretty and easily catches your eye. The tube itself is black plastic with pink writing on, which kind of reminds me of Benefit's Bad Gal Lash mascara. 

The wand and brush of this mascara does look quite daunting because it is very big and could be difficult for people with small eyes. However, I find this wand very easy to work with as it is about the same size as my eye, so coats all of my lashes evenly. The brush doesn't make the mascara clump on my eyes, but I do turn the brush as the apply to minimise any clumping. Also the wand is made from bristle hairs instead of plastic, which I find gives a more natural look as it doesn't clump as easy. There isn't any real fancy gimmick to the actual mascara brush, it's a pretty standard wand but does the job very well.

"Superfill false lash effect shine amplifiers and no flake technology."

The mascara formula is also very good. It's super (jet) black, so can create a really dramatic eye with the help of eyeliner and eyeshadow, or be used alone for a more natural look. I have thin, long eye lashes, but I find this mascara lengthens and thickens my lashes very well. I do like to layer it up a lot to make my lashes even thicker than in the photo (about 4 coats) for when I'm doing a more dramatic eye. 

In the quote it states that it is a "no-flake" mascara which I completely agree with. I've never had problems with this mascara flaking or falling on to my face throughout the day. I haven't noticed my eyelashes to be any shinier than usual, but the finish of the mascara is good and it stays on my lashes well. I also think you get quite a lot of product as I have been using this mascara daily for quite a while and each tube seems to last a good amount of time, about 4 months.

What's your everyday mascara?

 

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Instagram Photos

French manicures at college | Lily with a 'Sonic' hair do | Squirrel jigsaw! | Essie polishes from TK Maxx | Best Christmas chocolates | Being immature about college theory work | Essie and Revlon NOTD HERE | Glade orange & spice candle | Paddy wanting more food

Lily being crazy | Lily sleeping on black clothes. Not good! | Reindeer NOTD | Metallic pumps from New Look | Nails Inc polishes in Glamour magazine | What I wore to our bonfire party | Cute Cath Kidston catalogue | Trying to heal my dying hair | Lily posing at the window

I've been totally slacking at making these Instagram photos posts so I thought I would put my pictures from the last month or so into one post!

Just a little about my life, my college course is going really well! I can't wait to pass it and find a job in the beauty industry. I recently passed 2 practical assessments which was really motivating to finish this course. It's funny how waxing someone's leg can be so fun haha! 

You also may notice that I don't post as much as I used to when I started blogging. The main reason is rubbish winter lighting! Whenever I try and take pictures for posts, they always come out looking dark or weird looking. I know I should invest in a day light bulb, but I haven't got round to it. Do you have any tips about photographing in bad lighting?

If you would like to follow me on Instagram my user name is @amiehaffenden

Don't forget to enter my Christmas giveaway! Enter HERE

 

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Review | Max Factor Xperience Weightless Foundation

Blended slightly with fingers

Max Factor Xperience Weightless Foundation RRP £9.99

I've mentioned this product as my everyday foundation on my blog quite a few times. I've been through so many foundations in the past few years, but it's always Max Factor ones I can rely on. I've been using this foundation for over a year and it's definitely something I could not live without!

I use the shade Raw Silk 45, which is the second lightest shade of the six.

The packaging is very simple, black and green which I really like and it makes it seem more expensive than it is. For £9.99, you get 30ml of product, which is a standard amount for any foundation. I like how you have to squeeze the product out because you can use as much or a little as you want. This way, I think you waste less product as you do with a pump dispenser as it won't stick to the sides or clog up in the bottle.

"Luxurious flawless coverage with a weightless feel. Suitable for sensitive skin. Won't clog pores. Oil free."

The description on the back totally sold this foundation to me, and I'm happy to say it lives up to it's promises! I have very sensitive skin and I haven't broken out or had any skin issues from using this foundation. As it's oil free and weightless, it also hasn't given me any spots or blemishes. I would say this foundation is a light to medium coverage with one layer, but can be built up to a more fuller coverage with two layers. I usually have two layers of this foundation on and it doesn't feel heavy or caky at all. The consistency of the foundation is liquid, it isn't too runny and doesn't feel wet on the skin. The finish is quite dewy, so is great for people who have drier skin, but can be mattified with powder for those with oilier skin. The staying power is also really good. I never have to reapply through the day and doesn't turn patchy/ cling to dry skin. It also has SPF 10 which is great for all year round to protect your skin from the sun's rays.

What's your everyday foundation?

 

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Mini Haul | Beauty

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Lace £2.99 | Pantene Ice Shine Hairspray £2.99 | Aussie Limited Edition Luscious Long Leave-In Conditioner £4.99

Primark Natural Look Lashes £1 | Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19 | Maybelline Colossal Volum' Express Mascara £7.19 | Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara £10

Recently, Sainsbury's had a 3 for 2 offer across all hair care products, so I decided to pick up some new things to try. Firstly I picked up the Aussie Limited Edition Luscious Long Leave-In Conditioner as my hair has been feeling very dry at the moment, particularly at the ends. I absolutely love Aussie products as they always leave my hair silky smooth. This conditioner has eucalyptus and avocado oil in to "pamper your hair beyond the bounds of decency". It smells great, my hair feels soft after use and it leaves my curls very defined. Next I needed a new dry shampoo and I decided to try the Batiste one in Lace. I've heard some nice things about this product and I think the bottle is very pretty. So far I've been loving this! I've used it quite a lot this week and leaves my hair feeling fresh and smelling lovely. The final hair product was the Pantene Ice Shine hairspray. I used to use about a year ago, but I always change up on hairsprays because I usually buy what's on offer. I really like this hairspray. It's made for fine hair, which is what I have, so is strong but doesn't leave your hair crispy. I also find it sprays nicely, like a fine mist.

The next few beauty items are from a couple of shopping trips. I picked up the Primark Natural false lashes as I needed something to practise putting on eyelashes with and I heard in one of Kate's (dollybowbow) videos that these were pretty good! I also picked up my all time favourite concealer, the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection in Light 2. This concealer lasts me ages and gives a full and even coverage every time. If you haven't given into the raving posts/ videos and bought this product, I urge you to now! Next up are my two favourite mascaras, Maybelline's Colossal Volum' Express in Black and Soap & Glory's Thick & Fast mascara in Super Jet Black. I can't fault either of these products! They apply so well, give a volumised, full and long lash and also last really well throughout the day.

Love, love, love!

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Review | The Nail Doctor Nail Strengthening System

The Nail Doctor Rescue Me 10 Day Nail Strengthening System RRP £10.29

I have always suffered with really weak, peeling nails that hardly grow and when they did, would snap off instantly. I saw this on the Fragrance Direct website and for £1.95, thought it was worth trying out.

 This system is aimed at nails that are: thin, peeling and splitting, which are definitely what my nails are like. It promises within 10 days your nails will be healthier and stronger.

This system comes with two steps: Toughen Up extra strength base coat and Rock On nail hardener.

The base coat is there to nourish the nails and has "the perfect combination" of vitamins A, E and B5 as well as aloe, proteins, red algae and a calcium builder to make your nails thicker and stronger.

The nail hardener (or top coat) creates a durable, protective layer over the nails. It contains: nonychosine, amino acids, ceramium rubrum extract and calcium to help the nails maintain moisture, become harder and improve their growth. To be fair, I didn't know what some of these ingredients were actually for, but they sounded impressive on the bottle. 

These polishes can either be used with a coloured polish in between or on their own. I have mostly been using them on their own as I can't wear nail polish to college. However, when I do use them with a coloured polish they do act as a good base and top coat. My nails haven't been badly stained and the top coat does refrain from chipping. My one big issue with the polishes is how small they are! Per bottle you get 4.4ml of product and as you can seen within a month I have used half of each! I only use both polishes about twice a week and it seems like I've used up a lot of product. If I was paying the full £10.29 for this set I would be very annoyed.

As for the results, within 10 days my nails felt a little bit stronger. However the tips of the free edges were still very weak so broke and caught on things easily. I really didn't think there would be any improvement in just 10 days as my nails grow so slow, it would take ages for the damaged nail to grow out. I have now been using this system for about a month and I must say my nails are slowly but surely getting stronger. They actually have white tips instead of clear and they seem to grow quicker. However, they are still easy to break which meant I had some long nails and some really short. So I made the decision to cut my nails down short so that they could grow together and hopefully be stronger.

I do recommend trying this, but only if you're a patient person who will use this weekly. For me, it doesn't stand by the 10 days promise, but this may depend on the condition of your nails. 

You can buy this system from Cheap Smells for £3.49 HERE or Amazon for £6.51 HERE.

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Magazine Freebies | Glamour

Glamour Magazine December 2012 UK

Motcomb Street | St James | Glamour Glitter | Elizabeth Street

nails inc. London nail polishes RRP £11

So this month in Glamour magazine, there's the chance to pick up 4 full sized nails inc. polishes worth £11 each! This is probably one of the best magazine freebies in a long time. I love freebies with Glamour, it's only £2 which means you can try new brands really cheap.

The 4 colours available are:

Motcomb Street - this may seem black at first glace but it's actually a really deep and dark navy blue. This applies really well, it's opaque, creamy and will be perfect for the colder months.

St James - this is described as a pillar box red that will add glam to any outfit. I'm loving bright red nails at the moment and this nail polish couldn't have come at a better time. It's my favourite out of the selection and again, this is has the same lovely formula as Motcomb Street.

Glamour Glitter - from the name and not being able to find this online, I believe this is a limited edition polish you can only get with Glamour magazine. It's a fine, gold glitter polish that would look perfect as a top coat, especially with the 3 other polishes.

Elizabeth Street - I'm wearing this polish at the moment and really like it. It's a perfect baby pink that would be great for French manicures! If you're just starting out with nail polish, this would be the best polish for you to pick up. Again, it has the same amazing formula and gives a healthy look to your nails.

All the polishes have a glossy finish and look great with just 1 coat! These are my first ever nails inc. polishes and would love to try some more.

I'm also currently giving away a nails inc. Glamour Glitter polish in my Christmas Giveaway, click on the link to enter!

 
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Review | Topshop Lips Lipstick

Topshop Lips Lipstick RRP £8

"Velvet finish lipstick to smooth, moisturise and nourish lips. Apply for fabulous colour and moisturised, matte finish, wear alone or with gloss for a shiny finish." Topshop

Topshop lipsticks are usually talked about as being as good as MAC or any other high end lipstick, just with a cheaper price tag of £8-£10. For a while, I wasn't too fussed about picking these lipsticks up. I had tried other shop's makeup like Miss Selfridge before, and to be honest, it wasn't that good. In fact, it was shockingly bad! But after seeing so many good reviews on these lipsticks, I decided to pick up a couple.

 The two shades I have are: Infrared (a bold, red orange) and Confession (a bright, hot pink). Both of the lipstick's formula are very good. They are both very pigmented, so when you apply them you don't have to press really hard or keep swiping it across your lip. I'm so glad that Topshop's makeup is this pigmented, you can get other lipsticks from actual makeup brands for the same price that are just terrible! They are also both really moisturising and smooth to apply, but I always like to wear lip balm underneath to keep the colour even. The lipsticks also have a kind of strong fruity smell, which I'm not sure if I'm that keen on but I'm sure others will enjoy. However, the smell does fade after applying the product, so it doesn't bother me that much. As for staying power, these lipsticks are quite good and will usually last around 3 hours before I need to reapply.

The packaging of the lipsticks (and the whole makeup line in general) is probably one of the nicest makeup packaging! I love the drawn on design and it definitely stands out from other brands. However, I do think the light cream/ white colour they chose wasn't the best idea as it can get pretty grubby after a while of sitting in your makeup bag.

What are your thoughts on Topshop's lipsticks?

 

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Giveaway | Christmas Thank You ♥ CLOSED

Hello everyone!

Oh yes, it's that time again! Time for another giveaway, and this time it's for Christmas! 

This time of year is about giving to those you love and mean something to you. You guys all mean something to me as you have supported me and my blog over the past few months. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, this is a little something I want to give back to you to say thank you.

This giveaway will be running for 1 month from Monday 5th November 2012 12:01am EST to Wednesday 5th December 2012 12:01am EST (this is 5:01am GMT time). This way I will have time to send your prizes to you near Christmas time. 

The Prizes

You may use this photo if you create a blog post about this giveaway. Please link it back to my blog.

 Nails inc. London nail polish in Glamour Glitter
 Revlon Nail Enamel in 120 Hushed Blush
Revlon Nail Enamel in 762 Plum Attraction
Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Strips in 110 Cry Baby
Makeup Academy Lipstick in Shade 8
Sweet & Snuggles Chocolate Vanilla hand cream
A reindeer shaped shower gel
2 Montagne Jennesse face masques

The Rules

There are 3 simple rules about this giveaway and entering it!

1. This giveaway is for UK residents only.

2. Be a public GFC follower of my blog. Any new followers and entrants are welcome!

3. Leave a comment on this blog telling me what you would like for Christmas! I think it's nice to see what others are hoping to get! 

Please can you also leave either your Twitter or email address in the comment so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries

The next options will allow you extra entries to the giveaway!

♥ You can follow me on Twitter @beautybelleamie.

♥ You can tweet "I have just entered @beautybelleamie 's Christmas giveaway! Enter here: *insert link*".

♥ You can like my Facebook page "Belle-amie".

♥ You can follow me on Instagram @amiehaffenden.

♥ You can create a blog post about this giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for entering and good luck!

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Messy Bun

 I'm pretty sure every beauty/ fashion blogger is a fan of the messy bun. It's a life saver on bad hair days, keeps your hair out your face and best of all, they actually look pretty. For me this is probably my most worn hair style. Having curly hair means it's usually nice on the day I've washed it, but once I've slept on it the curls drop and I have this large mass of hair on my head. But for creating my messy buns, this is the perfect way to get volume without using heat, products or back combing. There's not set way I actually do my buns, I usually flip my hair over, tie in a high pony tail and just work from there. Today, I just went for a nude lip and loads of eye liner and mascara for an clean look.

 
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Haul | Poundland

Revlon Nail Enamel - Left to right: Fire Fox | Lilac Pastelle | Black With Envy | Craving Coral - RRP £6.49 each

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips in Cry Baby

I love walking into Poundland and seeing that they've re-stocked the shelves full of makeup and beauty products! I do wonder if people think I'm mad walking through the store with armfuls of makeup and nail polish, but I just can't resist a good old bargain!

I picked up 4 Revlon Nail Enamels in the shades: 507 Fire Fox which is a matte glittery red, perfect for Winter. 185 Lilac Pastelle which is a light lilac colour. I was happy to find this polish because I've seen it in other blogger's hauls/ collections and think it looks so pretty! 902 Craving Coral which is a bright coral colour. I have too many coral nail polishes but I think they look so nice on the nails, especially in the Summer time. And finally, Black With Envy which is a dark grey colour with silver shimmer. I think this would look great under a glitter top coat.

The next thing I picked up was the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Polish Strips in 110 Cry Baby which is a bright, neon pink colour which I will probably save for the Spring or Summer time. They are strips of real nail polish that you peel off and stick on to your nail then file into shape. I've seen some good reviews on this product so I am excited to try them out! My mum also got one in Blue Ice which is a glittery blue/ turquoise colour which is also really pretty.

Have you found any beauty bargains in Poundland recently?

 

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Tag | How Much Is My Face?

Earrings Miss Selfridge | Top New Look

 I've seen this tag post on quite a few blogs and I wanted to see how much my face makeup was worth. I did this on a day where I wasn't planning to make this post, so is genuinely what I would wear if I was going out in the day. Just so you know, my eyebrows aren't as weird as they look in the picture, it's just the dodgy lighting!

What I am wearing:

 Rimmel Fix & Perfect primer in 002 - £6.99 (review HERE)

Max Factor Xperience foundation in Raw Silk 45 - £9.99

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer in light 2 - £4.19

Stila Angel Light powder in Shade B - £1

Bloom Pure Mineral blush in Rosie - £2.99

Benefit Sha La Lovely brown eyeshadow for my brows - Gift

Makeup Academy Eye primer - £2.50

Urban Decay Naked palette: Virgin, Sin & Toasted - £36 (review HERE)

2True liquid eyeliner in 1 - £1.99

Maybelline Colossal Volume Express mascara in Glam Black - £7.99

Benefit Bad Gal Lash mascara - £2

Makeup Academy lipstick in Shade 8 - £1 (review HERE)

Barry M limited edition lip gloss - £4.49 (review HERE)

Total: £81.13

That's not as bad as some other posts I have seen! Rather pleased with myself. To be honest, I do use a lot of magazine freebies and Poundland products, so I haven't used the RRPs of them! I also haven't included brushes, but if you would like a post about my daily makeup brushes or any reviews then do leave a comment.
 

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