HAUL!

Hello there my fancy friends (again, I dunno. I go with the written flow)

I am here today to present to you what I have purchased (yay)

Here is my altogether haul, it's predominantly drugstore but there's a Sephora product in there also:

I can't wait to try all these out! Reviews to come! Except on the Schwarzkopf hairspray (the yellow bottle) as it's actually my husband's, haha. He has such straight hair that he needs strong hairspray to hold any style, and this is the one he always buys.

I'm excited about using it all, particularly the Sephora highlighter, the mascara, and the Essie polishes which were reduced from $12 to $8! Bargain-tastic. That works out I think around £5 which is brilliant value for money. I love their range of colours but I've never bought one before so I can't attest to quality but other people RAVE about these so I'm sure I'll love them.

Revlon Nearly Naked liquid foundation in "Nude"

Aveeno Pure Renewal Shampoo

Aveeno Pure Renewal Dry Shampoo

Maybelline Volum' Express "The Rocket" mascara in Blackest Black

Sephora Collection highlighter

Essie nail polish in "Aruba Blue"

Essie nail polish in "Forever Yummy"

I'm going to start using these this week, so I'll probably report back soon! I think as far as the Essies go, I'll go for the Forever Yummy stage as it is Valentine's Day tomorrow :)

Hannah xo

Grammalammys '13

Please excuse my silly title, I just didn't know what to call this post. I guess I could have been  sensible, and said "Grammys Fashion 2013" or something of that ilk, but I'm not really like that as a person.

Without further ado, I shall proceed. My top three favourite Grammy looks - in no particular order - go to...

Rihanna in Alaia

In my opinion, this is the best Rihanna has looked in a long ass time. She's been a bit all over the place lately wearing pajama outfits and whatnot but I think she looks absolutely gorgeous here. Props to her also for totally flaunting the Grammys dress code by showing off her oh-so-naughty nip nip rings. I love the matching lipstick and her hair look so glamorous and kind of a modern take on old Hollywood. 

Katy Perry in Gucci

Again, props to fellow pop princess Katy Perry for flaunting the Grammy dress code with her bodacious breasts being fully on salacious show. I love the mint colour, the intricate and ornate-looking detail around the neckline. I think the colour is really flattering on her, not something we normally see her pick and it looks beautiful in contrast with her dark hair.

Taylor Swift in J.Mendel

I know that Taylor Swift does wear a lot of white, but I do think this J.Mendel gown is amazing and I love the detail on the top half and it the way it falls. I also think her hair and make up go really nicely with this look.

And my top 3 worst dressed (in my humble opinion) in no particular order are...

Miranda Lambert in Roberto Cavalli

Lots of people would disagree, but I just found this really boring? It's sleek and it's sexy but I think it's just my irrational hatred for halter necklines plus my desire to see lots of colour on the carpet. 

Carly Rae Jepsen in Roberto Cavalli

The dress is pretty. It is, if a little "safe" for someone who has such a bright personality and reputation. But for someone responsible for arguably the summer anthem of 2012, I expected better. I wanted more from this look as a whole - I feel like her hair and make-up were lazy and from the neck up she looks like she's going to the mall and that's upsetting. It's her moment! It's the music industry equivalent of the Oscars (OK maybe the Golden Globes)!

Alicia Keys in Alaia

Again, lots of people would disagree with me here. I'm not at all dissing her emphasising her pear shape - you go girl. But the top half looks like something from a tacky market stall that you'd wear to a fetish club. Hottie got a body for suuuure, but there's way better ways to show it off and defy the strict and lame Grammy dress code.

Agree with my views? Disagree? What did you like/dislike? Let me know in the comments!

Hannah

Disclaimer: These images were taken from www.cocoperez.com who in turn used these images from Getty Images. I do not claim to have ownership of ANY of these pictures.

Which Archie Girl Are You?

Hello there!

The long-awaited Archie Girls collection by MAC has arrived in cyberspace as of today, and will launch on counters and in stores in a week's time (Feb 7th). Globally the limited edition collection will be available from March onward, depending on how long it lasts...

I've heard things on and off about it for a while, but it only really popped into my head today and when I checked on the Canadian MAC site I was disappointed to see that the two lipsticks in particular that I had my eye upon have already sold out (I need to work on my timing clearly...in future, must sit with laptop and credit card all.day.long. Screw groceries, this is some REAL shopping). HOWEVER, I have faith that I shall get my hands on something I like, somehow.

First off, the packaging is the cutest thing I have ever seen. It evokes the real kitschy 50s feel of the comics, with white backgrounds decorated with small bright red hearts. Some of the products have Archie's face with a girl flanking either side of him (what a rascal), but the majority of the products are split by the two "heroines" of the comic, love rivals and best friends Betty (Cooper) and Veronica (Lodge) who both vie for the ultimate adorable ginger, Archie. After all, it's based on their characters and not his. That would be a bit odd.

The "colour story" is relatively simplistic and predictable but that's not at all a criticism and I think it reflects their characters well. MAC did a really good job of illustrating this (comic joke, geddit?).

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Archie comics, Betty is the blonde character, your stereotypical all-American cutesy girl next door. Her products are shimmery, pastel shades and very seasonally appropriate. Lots of light pastel pinks, corals and peaches. The eyeshadow quad inspired by Betty is very neutral. 

Veronica is the brunette/raven-haired seductress and Betty's total opposite. Some may see she is the more...precocious lady of the two (what is the polite way of saying Betty's the prude and Veronica is the...sluttier one? I don't think there is, is there?) ANYWAY, Veronica's colours are reds, purples and plums etc. Betty is the light, bright end of the spectrum and Veronica's colours are darker and richer.

Judging by my own personal style, the Veronica shades are more my cup of tea. I'm certainly not afraid of bright colour, and while I do like neutrals, being pale (as you all know, judging by the name of my blog) I feel that for the most part, jewel toned shades are much more flattering on me than pastel ones are.

Here is a taster of what's to come, and if I manage to get my hands on any of the products I'd fancy I will absolutely let you know and do a review!

Betty products:

Veronica products:

Let me know which one you liked best, or if you manage to get a hold of something and want to rant/rave about it!


Hannah


Note: All images were located via the official Archie Comics board on Pinterest. They are not my own. Credit where credit's due and all that - I wish I had all those products on my shelf ;)

Skin Love

So the title to this post sounds kinda dirty, but I don't care ;)

It's been about 11 days since I last posted but I've been trying to be good and save my pennies - which kind of relates to my latest "rave" which I'll go into now.

I am not in the slightest loyal to skincare. That's probably not a great thing, as I do and have suffered from eczema for around eight years now. I had it as a toddler, it disappeared - lying dormant I guess - and then (perhaps with the start-up of all my laaaaaady hormones) aged fourteen it came back with a rather vicious vengeance causing me much upset. It's kind of limiting it terms of what I buy in terms of shower gels and body lotions which is no fun because one of my favourite places to shop is Bath and Body Works (I make do with their delicious candles) and I am very careful about what I put on my face. I gravitate towards products designed for "dry", "mild" and "sensitive" skin, whatever the brand.

For some reason, I do tend to enjoy Garnier products. I frequently use their hair dyes (I'm currently rocking a bright red look so I buy their dye on average every 4-6 weeks) and have no problems despite my sensitive scalp. I also often use their skincare, and recently I purchased a couple of things, one I love - and one I don't. Let me elaborate:

Garnier Moisture Rescue Cleansing Cloths (for Dry and Sensitive Skin) available at  larger drug stores/pharmacies.

The wipes are great. They smell like roses (in fact, they take me right back to when I used to wear Paul Smith - Rose. Love that scent) and they have lots of make-up remover in them and they're great at taking off your eye make-up too. I wouldn't recommend using them alone, because you do need a cleanser too (I use Sephora's cleansing oil) - but for make-up removal and possibly those night outs where you can't face doing your whole routine, they're fantastic and affordable to boot. I think they're usually around $10, but often reduced.

Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel Cream for Dry skin. (Stock photo from Garnier.ca)

 The moisturiser, not such a fan. It's a gel formula, which I don't adore, and I don't have that lovely oh-so-soft feeling. It just feels like of thin and rubbish, I didn't notice any improvement in my skin using it and I don't see how it's meant for dry and sensitive skin when it's so lacking in the creamy goodness. When I was really suffering with my eczema around 18 months ago, my doctor told me you should always go for cream based moisturisers and lip balms as opposed to the oil-based ones - so for instance, you Vaseline addicts should maybe rethink your choice of skincare as it's actually very drying to your poor skin.

Pond's Dry Skin Cream (available at many drugstores/pharmacies and supermarkets. For price see below!)

So, after I used up the Garnier Moisture Rescue moisturiser (I like to give things a fair shot, and I'm a bit cheap) I decided to go for a much heralded classic that I'd never tried before. I opted for Ponds cold cream for Dry Skin. It cost me around $7 dollars (so around £3-4 for you UK folk) and I loooove it. I put it on right after the shower (experts recommend you do all your moisturising before you're out of the shower a mere 3 minutes, as your pores soak it all up best in that 180 second window) and I put it on my neck also. No itching, no breaking out, nothing. Just lovely, cooling, baby-softness. I was actually stroking my face and neck the other day oohing and ahhing at how lovely it felt, particularly in comparison to the Garnier Moisture Rescue stuff. My only criticism would be that even with dry skin I could see it being a little thick for summer, but as we're in the winter months right now it's perfect. Plus the jar is massive, and I use literally a tiny bit off my fingertips on the four "corners" of my face - each cheek, forehead and chin - and that's all I need to feel gorgeously soft and supple. Also, be sure to leave some time between the application of this (like I would suggest with any moisturiser) and applying your foundation, as if you're too hasty it could streak a little.

Some things you can compromise on, high-end or even upper end of the drugstore doesn't always mean best results (not that I'm calling Garnier high end by any means) and Ponds has a stellar reputation for a reason. They also offer a cream for "normal" skin types, which I'm sure is just as lovely as the dry.

Who knows, I may stop being so flighty with my product choices and become loyal for once...maybe...

New Year's Resolutions

Hello there 2013, how you doin'?

So...I know we're already five days in, but I thought I'd jot down my New Year's Resolutions. Sure, I don't really think they'll last all year (maybe not a month) but I'm going to make an effort with them, even if they are mostly silly ones.

I would like to...

• Lose some weight. I know, a classic. Not too much - just get back into working out and eat in a more balanced fashion. I did so well last year, and I've undone some of my good work. Back on the wagon in time for summer I hope!
• Be braver. In general.
• Drink more water I don't drink nearly enough. Not even a glass a day sometimes. Bad Hannah.
• Blog blog blog! I enjoy this new hobby of mine, even if nobody else does ;)
• Stress less. Let the little things go.
• Experiment with fashion and beauty like I haven't before. 
• Read and view more classics I've still never read To Kill A Mockingbird. What's up with that?
• Get more organised. My apartment is a bit of a state at the minute, and we've been here two months now!
• Bake and cook more Self-explanatory really. My skills are limited in this area!

I don't really believe in the start of the new year being the only time you should try and change and grow as a person, but it's a good reminder of our finite time on this planet and how we should be striving to be better and do great things, spend our time wisely and doing stuff we enjoy - whatever that may be.

Hannah

Happy 2013!

Hello guys!

I've been negligent on the blog front - work has been busy due to the nature of the season and I've been too tired.

However, not too tired to do some naughty spending! We did a Secret Santa with myself and my in-laws this year (and I bought little things for my own family) so I could afford to pick up some little goodies. I also had a side agenda to the majority of my latest spending - I was SO close to becoming a VIB (Very Important Beauty Insider) at Sephora which is a step-up from their typical Beauty Insider program with lots of potential deals and events and little perks! And with my mini post-Xmas haul I managed to get in there for 2013! You actually only need to spend around $29 dollars per month to qualify as a VIB (that's $350 spread out monthly over the year) and for all the upsides of being one I think personally it's totally worth it. I'll also include my Christmas present from my husband and some other random stuff I've collected over the past few weeks.

Lady Gaga, FAME

 This is Lady Gaga's debut fragrance, FAME. I firstly love the packaging - so true to her as a performer and the dedication to her fans "little monsters" as she calls them, is apparent in the lid of the bottle. As you can see, I've already used a wee bit of it since opening it on Christmas Day! I was surprised at how much I love this - for a celebrity scent, it's definitely got to be one of the best I've tried.

Although it's probably officially more floral what with the majority of its key ingredients being derivative of those found in flowers and plants (Belladonna, Incense, Honey Drops, Tiger Orchidea and Jasmin Sambac) I can definitely detect the apricot in there when I wear it, so I'd say it's a little bit fruity also. I wear this all day and into the night, however I would say it's a better day fragrance for our current Autumn/Winter season rather than in Spring/Summer, where it'd likely heavy to wear in the day time. I highly recommend this scent for those who like those addictive kind of perfumes and who aren't afraid of standing out.

Sephora Colourful Blush, $17. Shade Icy Fuchsia 11.

I made these pictures slightly smaller so that you could see the packaging and also the consistency of the product, so apologies if anybody is struggling slightly with those, I can make them bigger!


This is Sephora's own Colorful Blush in shade Icy Fuchsia 11. A lovely cool pink shade, it's perfect for my pale skintone and brings a nice pink flush to the apples of my cheeks. As you can see by the picture I took with the flash (the shimmer was impossible to see otherwise with my rubbish camera) the product has a lovely shimmer to it that comes out wonderfully on cheeks and not too much although in the pan it looks super-sparkly and kind of Barbie-esque, which I do admittedly love but others may find a bit gaudy.

Pro Foundation Brush no.47, Sephora. $34.

This is another of Sephora's own products, the Pro Foundation Brush no.47. I bought this because my Quo brush I'd bought a few months ago (Shoppers brand, Canadian pharmacy/drug store - for any UK readers, think Boots equivalent) had all clogged up and got nasty even though I'd tried without fail to clean it up using techniques I found on zee intranetz.The bristles on this were so soft, I honestly stroked my whole face with it when I opened it before I even had make up on...it is so so so lovely to the touch. It's made for liquid foundation usage, which is perfect for me as (so far) they're really the only type I use. I really liked the look I had after using this brush (with my new L'OREAL True Match LUMI liquid foundation) and I'd recommend this brush to others. It cost me around $34, which for a brush as nice as this yet not a professional brand is a total steal (it works out, for anybody reading from the UK, to be around £21).

Daily Brush Cleaner, Sephora. $8.

I threw this little thing in, because I bought it with the Sephora foundation brush and it will totally solve the problem I had with my last (admittedly less quality) brush! This is a daily brush cleaner - you literally spritz your brush 3 or 4 times to ensure it's fully covered and then wipe the make-up it dissolves off on to a tissue. Guaranteed to extend the life of your brushes, and it's so easy to do after use.

Aveeno Pure Renewal Dry Shampoo. Shoppers Drug mart, on offer for $6.49.

 I bought this a couple of days ago and used it for the first time today. It's Aveeno, and it's their "pure renewal" dry shampoo. The product is sulfate-free, nice news for your scalp - and it is also suitable for colour-treated locks. I LOVE this dry shampoo. Love, love, love it. It smells delicious, goes on lightly and does exactly what it says it will due with no hard-to-shift gray residue. Simply spray on to your roots, leave for 1-2 minutes, brush through, and rub any excess in with your fingertips. I didn't need to though. It also gave my hair fantastic volume, so any ladies who want a product that is either a freshener for inbetween washes OR to create body and volume, look no further! Not 100% sure about the UK stockists but I'm fairly certain it's available there, this bottle I bought in Shoppers on special offer - $6.49 this time and normally $10. Either way, a bargain! And a lovely one too. I'd definitely buy this again.

17 Fast Finish Nail Polish in "Potion"

This polish is from Boots own brand, 17. It's a gorgeous goldy pure Christmassy colour and I adore it. It looks goldy green in the bottle but it goes on like gold paint, it's the best. I got lots of compliments wearing it! I'd probably in future put on a top coat of clear polish (I am so lazy and never do that, I don't even think I own one - gasp!) because it did come off a bit little easily but then I do a lot of dishes these days (went from a home with a dishwasher to a home where the dishwasher is called Hannah) and nails are pretty much ruined as soon as I've done a good 2-3 days worth of dishes. My husband does do housework, but the dishes is kind of my thing in exchange for him doing the laundry. What an exciting life we lead eh...

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint in "Watermelon"

This one is a teal shade, a "Gelly Hi Shine" forumla from Barry M. Again, a British cosmetics company that are renowned for their large collection of nail polishes in a variety of different shades. I really like Barry M nail polishes and wish I could get my hands on them more easily. This too was sent to me by a friend of mine, and I put it on today and I love it! I'd take a picture but my nails aren't the neatest...maybe when I've cleaned 'em up! Gorgeous shiney teal colour that only needed one application. Looks like a manicure for much less $/£!

Bulls Eye Lash Applicator, Sephora. $14.

Last but not least is this interesting contraption from Sephora, again (I love that place, what can I say). It's called a Bull's Eye lash applicator, and it is for clumsy impatient people like me who love falsh eyelashes but cannot get them right for the life of them. I'll be trying this out in a week or so, so I'll let you know how it goes. I have high hopes for these babies! Solve my mysteriously shakey cack-hands!

I hope you all had a great Christmas, got everything you wanted and spent quality time with those you love. I hope you all also got incredibly smashed last night and snogged a total babe.

Will post again soon!

Hannah
xo

Quick Picks!

Hiya guysssssssssssssssssssssssssssss (obnoxious enough for ya?)

So over the past week I've picked up a couple of things, not each worth their own post bar the foundation (and something I'm saving for next time), so they can all be lumped together here because I'm hoping not to ramble about them too much.

SEPHORA Pencil Sharpener

This little cutie is from Sephora, my new favourite place since one opened up nearby recently. As you can see, it doesn't exactly warrant it's own post as it's just a run of the mill pencil sharpener. It came in green, purple, orange and pink. I channelled my inner girly girl and went for the pink. I like the addition of the colour because a) it's fun and b) easy to find in your bag if you need it on the go for whatever reason!

REVLON COLORSTAY gel eyeliner in Black

This is Revlon's COLORSTAY gel eyeliner. I'm late to this gel eyeliner trend, and so as it was reduced from $12.99 to $9.99 I decided to finally partake. If you can see in the photo, there's a little line in the handle. This twists off and holds the brush on the end. Very clever. I like the applicator, I like the consistency of the product, and most importantly how the gel looks when it first goes on but I'm not overly impressed with the staying power of it. Maybe I'm just too much of a newbie with it? If anybody has any tips to increase longer wear let me know. I do usually love Revlon products so this is surprising to me.

Rimmel STAY MATTE pressed powder in shade 003 Natural

This is Rimmel's "Stay Matte" pressed powder. Not much to say about this, as powder isn't exactly an exciting product even though it is what I consider to be an essential (just to set everything and even out). It's one of the few products I'm already loyal to and it lasts ages and barely costs anything! Absolute bargain beauty of a product at only $7.99, and in the UK I believe it's £3.99.

Rimmel Hide The Blemish concealer. I bought Ivory!

Another Rimmel bargain beauty at £4.49 and roughly $8.00 in North America. Does exactly what it promises, comes in a variety of shades and is easy to apply and throw in your handbag for on-the-go applications! (Apologies for the stock photo, I couldn't find my own when I wanted to post this)

Hope you enjoyed my Quick Picks!

Hannah :)