Emma's July Non-Beauty Favourites

This month, even more than last month, I have many non-beauty favourites. These include books, music, TV and movies. I think this may simply be due to the terrible weather we're having in the UK at the moment.

Music

Newton Faulkner 'Write It On Your Skin'

I have already reviewed this album but I have to include it in these favourites as I have continued to listen to it all this month and can conclusively say that every song on the album is amazing in its own way.

 

Lianne La Havas 

I discovered her this month through iTunes free song of the week. After listening to the track a couple of times I decided to purchase her whole debut album Is Your Love Big Enough? and I have not been disappointed by it.

1. Don't Wake Me Up
2. Is Your Love Big Enough?
3. Lost & Found
4. Au cinema
5. No Room For Doubt (feat. Willy Mason)
6. Forget
7. Age
8. Elusive
9. Everything Everything
10. Gone 
11. Tease Me
12. They Could Be Wrong

The whole album has a very alternative soulful vibe with many tracks also having an apparent folky edge to them also. Thought not overwhelmingly a standout album there is definitely a fresh quality to her voice which keeps you interested throughout.

Each track has a different vibe from the next so it is quite easy for me to pick out my favourites. The track which immediately stood out the most to me is Gone which is a beautifully simply arranged song that allows her amazing vocals to shine. I also really like the catchy title track Is Your Love Big Enough?

Overall this album displays a great potential for her to go far.

8/10

GlossyBox July 2012

I think on the whole GlossyBox send me products that match me perfectly more and more each month. This month is no exception. I actually have to say that this is my favourite box ever! Much better, for me anyway, than last months. I love everything in it and will definitely use it all. Also did I mention there is a bonus product?!

What's in My Everyday Bag?

This will be part of a series I thought would be fun to do on what I take in my bags for various different occasions.

Bag

Contents

Bag I got the bag from Accessorize at Monsoon about a year ago so it is no long in stock. However, there are quite a few like it in stock there at the moment for a similar price of £35. I like it because it's a medium size which is perfect for everyday and it also comes with a detachable cross body strap. I also sometimes use it for uni if I don't have many books to take.

Purse  I love, love, love the colour of this purse. It's a sort of bright turquoise colour and is the perfect size to fit all my cards, cash and change. I got this purse as a present for Christmas but I know it was also from Accessorize where the purses often retail for about £15.


Makeup bag The bag itself is from The Body Shop and was limited edition. The contents always include a variety of lip balms, my Collection 2000 concealer, a mirror, and my favourite lip gloss or stick. At the moment they are a Rimmel Lipstick in Coral Queen, Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick in English Rose ( used for this look) and NYX Lipgloss in La La.


Bits and bobs

• Glasses from Jasper Conran since I am very short sighted
• Soap and Glory Hand Food moisturiser and Hand Maid Cleansing Gel - these both smell amazing and do not irritate my skin one bit which is great since I slightly obsessed with keeping my hands moisturised
• Ipod Classic 160GB in white which I cannot live without
• Samsung mobile
• Bus timetable and subway ticket holder
• Extra chewing gum
• Small box a Velvet tissues I randomly received with an ASOS order
• REN Tonic Moisture Mist which is an essential in humid conditions
• Finally, I have a whole random bunch of pens and highlighters
  

Next in the series will probably be what I take with me to university.

Thanks for reading! We'd love to know what you think of our blog.

Emma x 

Top 3 Drugstore/High Street Foundations

I have tried loads and I mean loads of drugstore foundations over the years and finally I have found 3 that really work for me. The main reason it has been so difficult is because I have quite pale and dry skin so it has been hard to find a foundation that isn't too orange while not giving a patchy finish at the same time.

Left to right: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 100 'Ivory', Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in 51 'Light Vanilla, L'oreal Infallible Lasting Perfection Foundation 15 'Poreclain'

Summer Night Out Look

Since there was a party to go to and the weather was lovely my sister and I thought it would be fun to breakdown how we came up with the look.

Clothes

Leather jacket, Topshop / Floral play suit, River Island / Gold belt, River Island / Gold Sandals, Topshop

We sort of went for a 50's pinup style look with a modern edgy twist, which is evident in the pictures above. Jewellery seemed a little excessive with the busyness of the print so the belt is the only accessory we decided to use to complete the look.

OPI The Amazing Spiderman Mini Collection

After seeing the truly 'amazing' Spiderman movie (reviewed here) earlier this week I thought it would be fun to try out some of the polishes OPI created to go along with the movie. For the set of 4 it cost me £12.95 from BeautyBay.com but you can also get it for the same price from other sites. The polishes I got were Into the night, Number One Nemesis, Just Spotted the Lizard! and Your Web or Mine? If the names haven't sold you yet then hopefully the swatches will!

Max Factor {False Lash Effect Mascara v Masterpiece Max Mascara}

I recently decided that I wanted to try out some new mascaras since I've been quite stuck in a rut in that respect lately. I bought the Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara because I'd heard some great things about it and also at the same time got a free sample of the Masterpiece Max mascara to try so I thought I would compare the two.

False Lash Effect on left, Masterpiece Max on right

False Lash Effect Mascara

This mascara has turned out to be even better than I expected. Both mascaras claim to increase the volume of your lashes and obviously this one aims to give you the effect of wearing false lashes without actually having to. I would certainly agree that this mascara more than the other gives my lashes a very noticeable volume boost. My lashes are naturally long anyway so it doesn't bother me that this mascara does not lengthen or define my lashes as much as others have. Overall I love this mascara and I will definitely repurchase it when I finish this bottle.

Mascara wand

Two coats

Masterpiece Max Mascara

Out of the two I wold say this mascara is more of a multitasker. It did increase the volume of my lashes without making them clumpy but it actually also lengthened and defined and separated my lashes a little at the same time. The wand also made it incredibly easy to reach the smallest of lashes. I am really glad I got this mascara as a sample, initially I thought it might end up being too similar to the False Lash Effect but I've found that I really like it does stand apart from it.

Wand

Two Coats

Verdict

I think it would be impossible for me to pick one mascara over the other but I would say that I might be inclined to use False Lash Effect more at night and Masterpiece Max more during the day.

 Thanks for reading! We'd love to know what you think of our blog.

Emma x