Sunday 27 July 2014

• L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau de Teint Foundation // review & demo - before & after •

"Perfectly invisible, invisibly perfect; our ideal nude" -
I couldn't agree with you more, L'Oreal.

I'd been wanting to try the L'Oreal Eau De Teint foundation for so long; the 'lighter than water' texture really intrigued me and I've been looking for a lighter base for summer. The foundation is super thin, almost like the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, and is very runny. I've been putting it to the test for about 2 weeks now and I've been itching to write this review! I've really been loving the way it performs and it's fast becoming one of my favourite bases.
I don't tend to apply moisturiser in the morning (sorry!) because I wear quite a heavy evening moisturiser that carries me over to the morning, but I'm sure that this foundation would work if you apply moisturiser under it. I've found the best way to apply it is by dotting it onto your face and buffing it in with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. It is tempting to splodge a ton of it on your face, as you may think that a foundation this thin can't produce much coverage, but honestly you won't need more than one or two light layers to give a good amount of coverage - I have scars on my cheek and chin and you can see here that the foundation covers them, it's just so pigmented. If you're looking for flawless coverage, you can layer this product and it won't cake up or look too heavy, which is perfect, as I've worn it on an evening out and have wanted more of a flawless base - it definitely works either way. 
The foundation feels so light on the skin, is barely detectable and it doesn't wear off throughout the day. The finish is matte, which I don't usually go for, but then I just use highlighter in the places I want dewy skin. One of the best parts about this foundation, though, is that you don't need to powder it - the foundation sets itself and doesn't go shiny in the places that I get oily (my t-zone). I 100% recommend this and I've been reaching for it more than any of my other foundations recently. It's just such a quick, easy product that never fails, which is what you want in the summer when sometimes applying make up is more of a chore when the sun is calling you outside!

Have you tried this foundation & what do you think of it?
What are your favourite Summer bases?
Daniela xo
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Saturday 26 July 2014

• The British Tag •

A tag all about cups of tea, dunking biscuits and Marmite... 
this is my kinda tag!
(ps. the photo is of Cambridge, and it's on my instagram: @danielascribbs)

1. How many cups of tea do you have and how many sugars?

I drink a lot of tea every day! I presume this question is about English tea, but I also drink about 4 mugs of green tea and one mug of Lapsang Souchong tea, as well. But on average I drink 5 mugs of English Breakfast tea a day. This number does go up in the Winter, though! As for sugar, I used to have 2 and a half in my tea, but I slowly weaned myself off it and now I don't take any sugar. I couldn't imagine drinking tea with sugar now - funny how your habits can change when you train yourself to like something!

2. What is your favourite part of roast dinners?

It has always been, and always will be, broccoli/cauliflower cheese. I could eat a whole tray of it and not be fed up. But if we're being really traditional, I'd have to say the roast potatoes - but only if they're crispy.

3. What's your favourite dunking biscuit?

Fox's chunkie extremely chocolatey cookies. They are to die for! You only get like 8 in a packet, so I always make sure I have a few packets lying around the house...

4. Favourite British past time?

Walking. I really enjoy long walks and I'm lucky enough to live in an area where there are beautiful countrysides with running lakes through them. If I had a dog to walk, it would be a dream! Walking just chills me out and I think it's quite a British thing to go for walk in countrysides.

5. What is your favourite sweet?

Haribo strawberries, all day, every day! I love it when they get stuck in your teeth and you have the strawberry flavour for a little while longer.... mmmmmmm!!

6. Who is your favourite British person?

I'd probably have to say Kate Winslet. Just because she is the first person that sprang to mind when I saw this question. She is the definition of English rose, and her accent is so beautiful. She just seems like such a classy lady, and it doesn't hurt that she's an incredible actress too. PS. She kissed Leonardo di Caprio and he is just...you know...Leonardo di Caprio...

7. What is your favourite shop and restaurant?

If we're going to be cliche and obvious about it, I would say LUSH is my favourite shop. However, I recently discovered Tiger and I'm not sure if it's a British shop but it has everything in there! It's a quirky, colourful little shop that sells earphones to cake displays, and I just love it. As for restaurant, my favourite is Teri Aki which is along the river in Cambridge. It's a sushi restaurant so not British so maybe it doesn't count for this question so... my favourite British restaurant has to be The George in Stamford. The food is amazing and the service is, too. I really recommend it!

8. What British song pops into your head?

Oh god, I'm embarrassed that this is the song that popped into my head but we're being honest here. I just thought of 'You don't know you're beautiful' by One Direction! And I mean, I am a One Direction fan completely, but I just wish a classic British song had popped into my head just now... oh well.

9. Marmite?

Er, HELL YES! I don't understand how people don't like Marmite and I always insist that they're doing it wrong! You need brown bread, well toasted, lots of butter and a thin layer of Marmite. Alternatively, toasted bread, lots of cheese, a layer of Marmite then melt it under the grill. Incredible.

Thank you to Tiffany at HelloPineappleJuice for tagging me in this post! I had a lot of fun writing it, even though I'm Italian...but I've lived in England all of my life, so this tag definitely applies to me, too :) I'd like to tag Faye from I Wish I Could Wink, Lizzie from Lizzie's Corner and all of you lovely readers. Please leave your links down below!

Daniela xo
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Thursday 24 July 2014

• A Boots beauty haul •

I picked up some bits and bobs that I needed for summer... 
(I say the word 'needed' loosely). 

First, let's talk lipsticks. More specifically, let's talk Revlon. Technically, I wasn't meant to fall in love with the Revlon Matte Balms as I had swatched them when they first came out and wasn't all that impressed. But the other day, when I wandered on in to Boots, I checked them out again to see if my opinion had changed. It miraculously had. Maybe it's because we're in summer now and I can see myself dipping into the brights a little more, but they just really appealed to me. I picked up the colours 'Unapologetic', a near-fluorescent bright pink and 'Audacious', a stunning hot bright orange. They're so pigmented, smell minty and are super creamy, so exactly what I look for in lip products, and I'm really looking forward to wearing these.

Next up are the Collection Cream Puffs in 'Fairy Cake', a coral-y pink and 'Cotton Candy' a really pretty muted pink. They're matte and ridiculously creamy (can you spot a theme here?) and their pigmentation is just amazing. One swipe and my lips are done, there's no need to go over the area with layers, the colour is what it is. I spotted Sabrina from LoveLaughAndMakeup rocking Fairy Cake in a tutorial and I was so surprised to find they were only £2.99 each. I've been wearing Cotton Candy non-stop and I can see these being perfect with a light base and winged liner. Oh and the scent? Sweet and gorgeous - good enough to eat (wouldn't recommend this though...)

As mentioned in my June lusting/July wish list post, I was so impressed with the L'oreal L'Extroadinaire Liquid Lipstick in 201 'Rose Symphony' and was excited to pick up another shade, so I did just that. I chose the colour 601 'Nude Ballet' as Rose Melody wasn't in stock and I've been lusting over it for a while - it's still on the list! Nude Ballet is the perfect nude though, especially for my pale colouring with olive undertones. The formula is gorgeously creamy and again, very pigmented, especially for a gloss.
Top row: Revlon 'Unapologetic' and Revlon 'Audacious'
Bottom row: Collection 'Fairy Cake', Collection 'Cotton Candy', L'Oreal 'Nude Ballet'
L'oreal has been killing it recently and they just keep coming out with amazing products across the board; I feel like their range is similar in quality to high-end make up - they own the likes of Lancome and YSL, so that could be why. Alongside the gloss, I picked up the Lumi Magique Primer which was also on my lust list. It's a really lovely iridescent primer that gives a dew look when foundation is applied over the top, which I'm really loving at the moment. It catches the light beautifully and I've been wearing it with my Revlon Colour Stay to give it more of a blowy look. Lastly, I bought the Nude Magique Eau De Teint Foundation in 'Warm Ivory' which I won't talk too much about as I'm planning a full review for it. As a little spoiler though, it's bloody fantastic. I'll go into it more in the review, with a demo to show you how it looks in terms of coverage, finish, texture, longevity and colour. Watch this space!

Have you picked anything up recently?
Have you tried any of the products I purchased?
Daniela xo
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Tuesday 22 July 2014

• The Battle of the Cleansers; Cream, Oil, Water, Balm, Paste, Milk •

Ooh I do love a good cleanser, me! I feel like since I was 
15 years old it's been my mission in life to find the 
perfect cleanser - and by jove I've tested many.

So I've thrown together a little 'guide' of different cleanser types, what I think they're good for, which skin they suit the best, which brands I recommend and my personal experiences with the products. By no means is this something to completely go by, as I'm no expert, but I have picked some information up on my quest to find some amazing skincare. I hope this post helps if you're a little stuck when it comes to cleansers - and even if you're not stuck, I hope it gives you some product recommendations! I love switching up my skincare to suit what my skin needs; my skin is combination so can be super oily one day, then as dry as a flip-flop the next day. It's very unpredictable to I always make sure I have a few different cleansing types to hand. Just to reiterate - I'm really not an expert and can only recommend the products that have worked for me and my own personal skin type. Disclaimers over and done with, let's get to the good stuff.

Cream cleansers are known for being really gentle on the skin and are great for deeply purifying and cleansing, by getting deep into pores and clearing them of any gunk. They are so gentle that you can use them on a daily basis and are great for skin of every age and every type, and I would probably opt for this type of cleanser if your skin is acne-prone or in need of a really deep clean. Cream cleansers are also great if your skin is sensitive and you don't want to exfoliate or scrub at it, whilst still having the feeling of soft skin.

The ones I've chosen are hot cloth cream cleansers and you can also use them to remove your make up. All you do is massage the product into your skin, wet a muslin cloth with warm water and gently wipe it away. You're left with super soft skin which is in no way irritated, which is great as sometimes skin can take unnecessary batterings! I've tried my fair share of cream cleansers but I have to say that my favourites are the Soap & Glory Ultimelt and Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish; sorry, I couldn't narrow it down to one! The Ultimelt is a really good dupe for the Cleanse & Polish and to be honest I can't notice much of a difference, but they are both really lovely cream cleansers. They feel so smooth, smell fresh and make my skin feel soft to the touch.

Oil-based cleansers are fantastic at removing make up as oils attract other oils and dirt. They're mostly famous for effortlessly removing all forms of waterproof make up (yes, even mascara!) which is why they're preferable to wipes and other forms of make up remover. They're so nourishing and good for the skin, adding moisture back and not stripping the skin at all, so they would be good for all skin types, particularly dry skin types. There is the common misconception that oily skinned-gals can't use oil-based cleansers, which isn't true; cleansing oils are actually great for oily skin as the cleanser attracts human-made sebum and oils, so it will leave your skin feeling really clean.

The Body Shop cleansing oil is wonderful as it's so gentle, smells amazing and makes my skin feel so healthy after use. It's such a quick and easy way of removing make up and I also use it as my second cleanser, too. The way to use it is really quite simple; you take one or two pumps of the oil, massage it into your skin, eye make up, lipstick (etc), then rinse it off using water. The oil then transforms into a milky, silky texture that rinses off really easily. You're left with gorgeously soft skin, which is ready for the rest of your skincare routine. I love this product and I use it in the warmer months; in the winter, I use regular organic coconut oil - oils are basically just so good for your skin!

Micellar waters are so big right now and there is definitely a reason why; they. are. so. easy. The science behind it is that there are little micelles which are basically little magnets that attract all dirt, grime and make up away from the skin and onto a cotton pad. The cleansing waters can be used for sensitive skin and are hypoallergenic, meaning that they won't clog your pores. I would probably opt for something like an cleansing oil over a micellar water if your skin is on the dry side, as micellar cleansers doesn't include moisture like an oil-based cleanser would. Every micellar water I've come across is unscented so it won't irritate the skin, and it's another way to gently cleanse your face. The water can also be used on your eyes and lips, and it doesn't need to be rinsed off, which is a bonus.

I'm really loving this Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water as it's just so effective at what it claims to do. All you do is pour a little of it onto a cotton pad and gently swipe it over your face. Whenever I use it there is no make up left on the cotton pad so I'm confident that it's lifted all traces of everything from my face, which is so reassuring as I can't stand the thought of having make up left on before bed. I always use this cleanser when I'm feeling a little lazy and want a quick skincare routine, and it's absolutely amazing - I definitely recommend it.
The Balm; One Love Organics Skin Saviour Waterless Beauty Balm

Balm cleansers are quite new to me and I don't have much experience of them, but they contain so many skin-loving ingredients that I couldn't not include this type. They are usually thick in texture and transform into a soft balm/oil when heated (rubbed between your fingers or massaged into your skin). I'd say that balm cleansers are suited to every skin type, although they might drag slightly on older skin, so that's something to bear in mind.

I love this beauty balm cleanser from One Love Organics; it's so mild and gentle on the skin and feels so nourishing. It includes mango butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil and many other wonderful ingredients. When brands make the effort to use natural ingredients it makes me want to purchase it even more, as I know that whatever is going on my face is good for me. The texture of this particular cleanser is strange; it's almost grainy, but when warmed, transforms to a thin consistency. The way in which I use this cleanser is by taking a blob of it in-between my fingers, rubbing it together to warm it, massaging into onto my face and using a warm, damp muslin cloth to gently wipe away the make up and grime.
The Paste; LUSH Let the Good Times Roll Facial Cleanser

The texture of this type of cleanser is very strange; it's grainy and thick, and when added to water, can be made into a custom-made cleanser type. Depending on the texture you're looking for, you can make this thick, chunky and scrubby, or you can make it thin and milky. I love having this option as it means I can change my cleanser to suit what my skin needs. I believe that pastes are suited to all skin types because, as I just mentioned, they can be custom-made to suit your skin.

I've written a huuuuge informative (and gushy) post about how much I love the LUSH Let the Good Times Roll Facial Cleanser and you can have a read of it here, but to give you a brief insight into the product, I will just say that it is amazing. You pinch a bit from the tub, mix it with water in the palm of your hand, and massage it into your skin, then rinse it off. It smells incredible - like toffee popcorn - is made from natural ingredients and makes your skin feel soft to the touch and ready for make up application. It scrubs slightly so you get a very gentle exfoliation (depending on how thick and grainy you make it) so it's perfect at gently wiping away dead skin cells every day. Something to bear in mind though; it does not remove make up and is more suited as a second cleanser/a cleanser for when you're not wearing make up. Anyway, check out the post - I go into it in a lot of detail, explain why I love it and why I 100% recommend this product!
The Milk; Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean 3-in-1 Wash Off Deep Purifying Cleanser

Cleansing milks are so wonderful for sensitive skin and are great for skincare beginners. They are gentle and fool-proof, so I think they're suited more towards younger skins and combination skin. I think they're a great way to purify skin really quickly as they don't need much work; I never stand there and massage this product into my skin, I just rub it on and wash it off, and I'm good to go. Great for if you're in a rush/half asleep!

I'm cheating a little with this Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean cleanser as it's technically a cream, but when you add water to it it turns into a milk straight away. The trick with it is to rub a small amount onto your skin and splash water onto it, then start removing it, so the cream becomes a nice milky texture. I've found that this way makes your skin feel a lot cleaner than massaging it in for ages and then using a cloth to remove it. I've been using this for ages now - as you can tell I've nearly finished the bottle - and I really like it. It doesn't remove make up unfortunately (I've tried this and it was a disaster!) but it works well as the second-cleanse, or when you're make up-free.

Have you tried any of these cleansers?
Do you have any recommendations?
Daniela xo
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Sunday 20 July 2014

• LUSH Goody Bag & mini reviews •

I was so lucky to go to the LUSH Cambridge Blogger Event and I was even luckier to receive an amazing goody bag!

I absolutely love LUSH as you will probably know, if you've been reading my blog for a while. I'm constantly in there buying new products, sniffing the bath bombs and testing the body lotions. As I mentioned in my LUSH Blogger Event post, I received an incredible goody bag with some gorgeous products to add to my collection. This post will include mini reviews of the products as I've tried them all out over the past few weeks - and have loved every single one.

This product isn't new to me as it used to be my face mask of choice back in my acne days. It's a chocolate-based mask with cocoa powder and charcoal to help draw out impurities and clear the skin, whilst the fresh mint stimulates and tones, and the cocoa butter softens. It's basically a do-it-all mask. With each of the LUSH fresh face masks, you have to keep it in your fridge and it only lasts 3 weeks, so I tend to use this mask twice or three times a week, depending on if I have time. I leave it on for as long as possible, usually 20 or so minutes, then wash it off with a warm damp muslin cloth. My skin feels so lovely and smooth afterwards and I just spritz it with LUSH Tea Tree Toner Water and the LUSH Full of Grace Facial Serum. It makes for the perfect mid-week mask and it gives my skin a deep, good clean. And the best bit of all? I made this one at the blogger event!

Solid shampoo bars are amazing and are a must for anyone that is going to be travelling. They are so easy to pack, don't require bottles as they aren't liquid, and they eliminate the worry of any accidents during a flight. I've used Karma Komba before but I forgot how good it was. They can be tricky and a little awkward to use at first, but once you get over the initial confusion of the product, they are great to work with. You just have to wet your hair in the shower and make sure it's really wet before rubbing the shampoo bar into your scalp. And no, it doesn't make your hair tangly as it lathers up so well. You then rinse out as normal, and I keep it in a soap dish in my room so that it dries quicker than in the bathroom. It also smells delicious of fresh and reminds me of summer, as I always take it with me on holiday! Dream Steam Toner Tab is also an odd one and something that I had to google how to use. You have to drop the tab into hot - not quite boiling - water and then place your head over it, with a towel over your head. If you've ever had a head cold, your mum has probably made you do this to get rid of it and clear your senses! You then let the steamer tab work its magic on your skin, and when you feel sufficiently sweaty/cleansed, you remove your head away from the water and leave the water to cool. When its room temperature, you can decant it into a bottle and use it as a facial toner for one week. Perfect! I hate waste so this option is perfect for me, and I'm using it as a toner currently. It's so refreshing and feels lovely on the skin, not astringent like most toners from other brands, and I really love it.

I am never without Ocean Salt so this was definitely a welcome addition to my stash! It contains vodka, limes and various butters to soften the skin, and I can honestly say my skin feels it's smoothest after using this. I tend to use it once or twice a week as it is abrasive and my skin doesn't need exfoliation more than that, but this does such a good job of removing my dead skin cells and brightening up my complexion. It smells so fresh, too, and I've converted so many people to it who love it equally as much as I do. I've been using it for years and always will!

I was the most excited about this product. It's one of LUSH's brand spanking new releases and part of the sun protection range, which everyone has been going crazy over online! This suntan lotion is SPF10 so perfect for British summers (which are mostly gloomy and overcast!) and the best bit is that it smells just like peanut butter - amazing. The texture of the lotion is quite thin so it doesn't feel like a sticky suntan lotion, it feels just like a light moisturiser, and it sinks in to the skin so quickly. It really is a delicious product and it lives up to the excitement! £15 for a 250g bottle also isn't bad at all, and it looks like it'll last me aaaages.
The Comforter Bubble Bar // £4.50 (for a proper, LUSH made one!)

Lastly, my very own Comforter Bubble Bar. I also made this product at the blogger event and I just had to show you the comparison of what the Comforter is meant to look like, which is hilarious. Hey, I tried! It's harder than it looks! Anyway, the bubble bar smells incredible, of sweet-smelling blackcurrant, and it's not surprisingly one of LUSH's best sellers. I used this in the bath the other night and the amount of bubbles you get from it is incredible! I have a little trick to get the most out of the LUSH bubble bars and I posted a tutorial of it here - please excuse the photos though, it was one of my first blog posts! I was so happy to make this bubble bar as it's a universally-loved, inoffensive product that I cannot find a single fault with.

Have you picked anything up from LUSH recently?
What are your favourite LUSH products?
Daniela xo
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Friday 18 July 2014

• July Birchbox #4 // review •

Not the best Birchbox I've received; it could be better, but then it could be worse. The thing is, it was always going to 
be pretty hard to beat a Beauty Blender, wasn't it?

The theme for this month's beauty box was Sun, Sea and Sand. I'm not going to lie, when I first saw reviews of this box, I assumed I would get a Vita Coco coconut water in my box and was ridiculously excited because it's my favourite ever drink, but unfortunately it was not to be! Aside from that, the beauty products are pretty average in my eyes and not super impressive, unlike previous Birchbox's I've received. But let's not bash without discussing the positives first.
benefit Porefessional primer // £24.50 (full size)

Obviously, popping in a benefit product will always bring the rating of the box up, particularly when it's a cult favourite. I've used Porefessional many times and can honestly say it's a good product, but I have to be honest and say that I can never really be bothered with primers, especially in the summer months when I wear such a light coverage foundation that I don't mind subtly slipping off. Nonetheless, it is a great product which I know I will get lots of use out of - and the sample size is pretty generous too, as you only need a teeny tiny amount of it for your t-zone.

When I first saw this product in my box I was a little gutted as I was unsure as to whether I could pull off a purple lip in summer, but the colour is more of a pinky/fuchsia rather than a deep purple so the packaging is deceiving. It's sheer but has a nice amount of pigment, so you could slap it on without a mirror and not be worried about application, and it has a lovely minty scent, similar to the Revlon balms. I really like this product and the name of it - Lip Lube (??) - makes me giggle a little bit...anyway, enough of that.
Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream // £20 (full size)

I'm in an abundance of eye creams at the minute and I'm thinking to myself, when will this stop?! I don't need more samples of eye creams as I pretty much have a box full, but I guess I can save this for when I run out of my others (in about 10 years time). I've received a few Balance Me products before and they are a bit 'meh', so we'll have to see how this one goes. I do have to say, though, that I've not tried an eye cream that is as moisturising, creamy and luxurious as plain old Vaseline. I've used it since I was 16 before bed and no other eye cream has lived up to it. It sounds weird, but give it a go - it conditions your eye lashes too, so you're killing to birds with one stone.

Again, I have about a billion glitter nail polishes - but then I guess, how were Birchbox to know that. This is cute for summer over the top of a pink polish and it's the only Models Own nail polish I own, so I'm not sure how good the formula is, but I may do a review of it along with the other glitters that I own.

People keep saying that this doesn't smell strongly of lavender, but I'm not a lavender lover at all and think this smells so strong. I'll be passing this onto my mum and I'm afraid I can't even give you an idea of the formula or texture of it as I disliked the smell so much that it went straight back into the box. Sorry! I'm sure that if you like lavender you'll be pleased with this product but I'm so not a fan unfortunately. On the bright side, my mum will be happy!
Filosofille - price unknown (can't find this anywhere?!)

This is probably genuinely the best product I received in this month's box. I've been needing a new one of these for a while so it's just saved me a trip to the shops. I love the way it has 4 sides so you can just carry this around and it'll do you for a full manicure - no using 4 different nail files, just this one. It's really quick and easy and is a real staple for nail lovers, such as I. And it's such a wonderful lifestyle extra, something I'd actually use - I mean, a flip flop key ring is cute, but...really?

So this month's Birchbox was okay, not great, not abysmal, but I really would've liked a 'wow' product which the other boxes have given me. I still really recommend the service and can't see myself giving up the subscription any time soon, although I know that a few people have been really turned off by this month's box. Each to their own I guess - but I'm just hoping next month's box will be amazing.

PS. sorry for the poor photo quality - my iPad is naff and the lighting wasn't great at the time. My Canon 600D is on it's way (I keep tabs on the tracking service every half an hour!) so the quality can only get better :)

Did you receive the same products as me?
Are you happy with your July Birchbox?
Daniela xo
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Wednesday 16 July 2014

• GUEST POST // Broomfie // My Top 4 Favourite Mascaras •

In my opinion mascara is a very personal product.

I have conversations about mascara with many different people and always come to the same conclusion - different people want different effects. Whilst my friend quite like long, thick, spidery lashes I much prefer volumised, elongated but clump free lashes that look more natural. I've spend a lot of money and a lot of time in the past buying mascaras of varying prices and now have my top 4 that I'll head back to time and time gain and here they are!

This in my number one go-to mascara. I have been using it now for at least five years and keep going back to it. Usually, I'll try a new mascara that is on introductory offer - hate it - and go back to Falsies. It gives long, volumised lashes with minimal clumping and flaking. I find it's quite hard to use when brand new. I'm not too keen on the runny, liquid formula. After two weeks of use or so, the actual mascara is much thicker and clumps much less. You can build it up or apply it very lightly depending on the look you want. It's brilliant!

I fortunately got this tester at the recent Company Style Blogger Awards and I am in love. Again, it is quite easy to build up long, voluminous lashes in just ONE coat. It flakes a little bit (quite a lot) and is very prices but I do really like it. It also is removes very easily by make up remover. It's nice not to have to rub my eyes raw removing a mascara.

My Mum constantly buys Avon products and every once in a while I pick up this mascara whilst it's on offer (prices range from £5-10 depending on the issue!). Rather than a bristle brush it is a plastic brush but the plastic bristles are so small, application is still easy. It takes a lot more  time to build up to longer, volumised lashes due to the smaller bristles but there is no clumping what-so-ever. It gives a very, very natural look very easily. I often use it as an undercoat to a mascara I know clumps to reduce the presence of dreaded spider lashes!

This is again another recent addition to my collection. At first I absolutely hated it but now I love it. It has a massive brush and gives long, thick lashes in just one swipe. If you are careful you can get a semi-natureal look but generally I use it for a dark smokey eye. It seriously adds volume and lasts for absolutely ages. If you want a long lasting mascara and aren't afraid of spidery lashes I'd pick this up. It's long lasting properties also means it is awful to remove. It takes me about 3-4 minutes to remove it completely of an evening (I'm not exaggerating) but that makes it perfect for a night out where you don't want to be reapplying your make up every 10 minutes.

So they are my top 4 mascaras. Have you used any of the above and loved/hated them? Let me know!

Rachael from Broomfie xoxo

PS. I want to give a special mention to the No.7 Lash Adapt Mascara which has mysteriously gone missing in my house and appears to be discontinued. It has the most simple brush but layers so well so you can create perfectly natural to full, extraordinarily long lashes with just one brush and a few coats.

*The above product was gifted but all views are my own.

If you would like to guest post on Daniela Scribbles, drop me an email on dannidiraimo@gmail.com
or tweet me @danielascribbs
Make sure to check out Rachael's blog - Broomfie - and tell her I said hi!
Daniela xo
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Monday 14 July 2014

• My life through a lens #1 •

1. I love lipsticks and I have to swatch them |
2. I went to the LUSH Cambridge blogger event and it was amazing! |
3. I experimented with blue liner and orange lips |
 4. going all healthy with strawberries, blueberries, special K and greek yoghurt.

5. make up mess ft. some of my faves |
6. L'oreal Nude Magique foundation... amazing |
7. my beautiful baby bunny, Tilly |
8. some Spring/Summer nail art inspo.

9. getting ready for September, my notepad and some drawer labels |
10. new hair selfie |
11. my gorgeous Topshop Birkenstock dupes |
12. Barry M 'Lychee' with Maybelline 'Brocades'.

13. sushi, because it is delicious and should be photographed, always |
14. the cutest cupcake, almost too cute to eat! |
15. home; Cambridge |
16. more make up mess because...my room is one big make up mess.

A little selection of my favourite instagram posts; I hope you enjoyed it!
Follow me on danielascribbs so I can take a peek at yours, too :)
Daniela xo
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Friday 11 July 2014

• LUSH Blogger Event & new product launches •

Receiving an invite to a bloggers event from @LushCambridge on Twitter brewed up an excitement that can 
only be likened to birthday butterflies. 
Scratch that - more like Christmas hyperactivity.

You know, if you've been a reader for a long time (if not, then hi!) that my relationship with LUSH is similar to that of an old friend. I have memories of using the Cupcake face mask at the age of 16 when I was suffering from acne. I can remember needing to relax with a bath bomb when I was 18 and just starting university. Finally, throughout my PGCE year, I was using face masks for my stress break-outs, bath bombs to chill me out, massage bars to clear my dry skin, body butters to speed up the bathing and skincare process and many other products to see me through a very stressful time in my life. Alongside the products, a LUSH store is a familiar and comforting place for me. The staff are genuinely the most warm, welcoming and friendly team I have ever encountered, and that goes for any LUSH store, whether that be Cambridge, Peterborough, Nottingham, Covent Garden, Birmingham, Milton Keynes and the list goes on (my God I've spent a long while hunting down LUSH shops in my time). So in truthfulness, I do adore LUSH and will always be a massive fan of them as a company. If you'd like to read up on more LUSH love, I've written a 3 part series which you can find here, here and here.
Upon arrival of the bloggers event, we were greeted with non-alcoholic Marks and Spencers cocktails - amazing, by the way, and I'm now obsessed (and poor) - and various fruits, chocolates and nut concoctions. We had a lovely introduction to the staff and all introduced ourselves and our blogs. Needless to say, the bloggers that I met are just as lovely in real life as they are in their blogs, and they will be linked below. We had some giggles and then got onto discussions on the LUSH life, their ethos and our personal relationships with LUSH.
We learnt about the new self-preserving range and we felt the new Mask of Magnaminty, which is just as creamy, delicious and effectives as the non self-preserving formula. We then moved onto make up and the Emotional Brilliance game, where we had a great time swatching the products and testing them out. I ended up with Vibrance on my lips and it honestly did not smudge or fade until I got home 3 hours later and had to remove it with a double cleanse. Amazing. And by the way, how pigmented are they?! Some of the more expensive brands should take a leaf out of LUSH's book!
Cupcake face mask making was next on the agenda and we all had a go at pouring and mixing in the ingredients. It's one of my favourite face masks and is brilliant for oily/combination acne-prone skin. You can't get much fresher than actually making the product yourself and using it that same night! My excitement was evident when we were asked who would like to begin making the Comforter bubble bar. My hand shot straight up (as if I were in school) and I was ridiculously enthusiastic to poor in the ingredients, mix them up and mould them into shape. Unfortunately my version of the Comforter is an ugly version, so the LUSH kitchen people shouldn't be worried about losing their jobs to me - but it smelled and performed amazingly, which is the main thing.
Now onto the juicy stuff - the new product launches. LUSH have spent years trying to find a formula for SPF that works and fits in with the ethos of natural, cruelty-free, effective and delicious products. They finally came out with a range that is perfect for this purpose and we were lucky enough to wander the store smelling and trying them all. They've bought out The Sunblock (SPF 30), a solid in-shower sun-screen wash; Million Dollar Moisturiser (SPF 30), a facial moisturiser; Sesame Suntan Lotion (SPF 10), a peanut-buttery scented suntan lotion; and Lifesaver (SPF 30), a cooling and nourishing moisturiser which contains calamine and mint. There are other product launches so if you want to check them out you can visit the LUSH website (you know you want to...)

So, to finish, I had the most amazing time at the LUSH bloggers event with some lovely staff and some amazing bloggers (who will be linked below). It was so much fun chatting to like-minded people who have the same passion as you do, and I can 100% recommend going to any blogger events you can - you find out so much about the products and meet some amazing people. Just to clarify - I was not paid or sponsored to write this post, although I did receive a rather excellent goody bag in which I shall go into detail in the near future.

Definitely check out Erin, Estelle, Charlotte, Aash and Georgi and tell them I said hi!

Have you been to LUSH before? What are your favourite products?
Daniela xo
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