Monthly Favorites: May

Have quite a few favorites this month; this is probably because i have been spending way too much on cosmetics & hair products lately... i apologize, bank account.  I also haven't done one of these monthly favorites posts in a while, and that's probably for the same sort of reason, in months past i haven't splurged on anything really as i had been saving up for my trip.  (A little sidenote as i got a question about this on my last post: yes i will be doing a post on my trip eventually, it will just take a while to put together!  Sorry if you're a bit annoyed with me...)

This month i've been using a lot of products i got whilst in London, as well as two i got back here in the States.  If you are also from the US and are wondering where you can purchase brands like Barry M and Sleek Makeup that aren't available here, i suggest Googling them and going to the brands' official websites.  The shipping costs may be a bit horrendous, but in some cases i do think it is worth it!  On to what i've been loving in the past month. :)

♥ GOSH Eyeshadow Quad in Driftwood & Barry M Dazzle Dust in Tan.

The first time i tried this GOSH palette, i was actually really disappointed as the colors all tended to look the same on my eyes and it just didn't stand out to me at all, but now i've been using this most everyday!  I've found a combination of products to use in tandem with this palette to make a really lovely makeup look.  I use Benefit's RSVP as a base, then apply the Barry M Dazzle Dust in Tan all over the lid & slightly into the crease.  I then apply the medium brown shade (top, right) into the crease, the dark brown (bottom, left) into the outer v, and the highlight shade (top, left) in the inner corner and brow bone.

The Dazzle Dust in Tan is very similar to the famous MAC eyeshadow in All That Glitters, but you definitely get more product for your money with the Dazzle Dust!  This shadow is so versatile and i think it would look so lovely on just about every skin tone.

 ♥ Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Born With It.

The Color Sensational lipsticks are hands down my favorite lipsticks i've ever tried - yes, i even prefer these over MAC! *shock horror*  The formula, the color payoff, the longevity, everything is just spot on!  Well done Maybelline.  This shade in particular is a fairly new addition to my collection.  It's a super lovely nudey-pink shade, and leaves a bit of a sheen to the lips.  It's one of those lippies that would definitely be described as a "my lips, but better" shades.  It's so perfect and wearable, i think i will repurchase this until Maybelline stops making these (and probably even after...they shouldn't stop making these anyway! ;)

 ♥ Sleek Contour Kit in Light, Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Candlelight, and GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink.

I talked about all three of these products in my "Gosh & Sleek Loving" post, so if you want to read my little review on these products, deffo have a looksie.  Thought they were worth mentioning again in this post. :)

(left to right: 264 Pink Iridescent Glitter, 309 Strawberry Ice Cream, 318 Peach Melba, 304 Mint Green)

♥ Barry M Nail Paints.

I have been absolutely loving the Barry M Nail Paints i got (yes, i did get nine... *slap on the wrist*).  I had a laugh at all the comments from some of you saying you literally giggled when you saw how many i bought, haha... i'm so pathetic, i know!  The four above are the ones i have already tried (besides the Nail Effects one) and have been looooooving.  These nail paints have made me actually enjoy painting my nails, they dry so quickly and the colors are so fun!

Swatches (top to bottom): Too Faced Shadow Insurance in Candlelight, Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Born With It (is lighter irl!), and GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink

♥ Charles Worthington Rough & Tough Front Row Salt Spray.

I've done a post on this showing how i style my hair using this product, which you can read here. :)

♥ Tangle Teezer - Original.

In my London haul post, i said i didn't really know my thoughts on this product, but after a bit more use i've grown to love it.  It's one of those products that you don't really realize how good it is until you've stopped using it.  For instance, i'd been using this for about two weeks and thought it was nothing special, but then i decided to use my regular paddle hair brush.  The regular hair brush made it incredibly painful to detangle my hair and it ended up just ripping my hair out, really!  Since then, i've been using the Tangle Teezer - on wet and dry hair.  I love this and would recommend it to anyone whose hair gets all mangled like mine.  Such a hair and pain saver!

♥

Denim, waves, & floral print.

I find myself going through phases of liking my hair a certain way, or wearing a certain color or pattern excessively (such as black...ahem), etc. and i'm going through one of these phases at the mo!  I've really been loving denim jackets, beachy/wavy hair, and floral prints (in case you didn't catch the hint from the title of this post ;).  All three of these current faves are orientated around spring/summer, so i think these will be loves of mine for a while...

1. Denim jackets: The jacket i'm wearing in the photos in this post is from the beloved Primark.  It's crazy how many outfits you can put this over - dresses, dressier tops, more casual tops, the list goes onnnnnn.  It makes me feel a bit more put together and i don't know about you, but i just feel a bit 'cooler' wearing a jean jacket... maybe i'm just a dork. ;)  Many people may say you shouldn't wear denim-on-denim, but i think as long as you're not trying to match the washes of the denim, it's fine (as i display below with the jacket in question and some dark-wash skinny jeans).

Denim jackets are perfect for the spring and summer since they're light, but still provide a bit of warmth and coverage, and are versatile. :)

2. Beachy/wavy hair: I believe this current love of mine was sparked by the purchasing of Charles Worthington's Front Row Rough & Tough Salt Spray, which i got in Boots whilst in London.  It helps add a bit of texture to your hair and helps to bring out my natural waves.  My hair routine as of late has been as follows: shower at night, brush hair out with Tangle Teezer (that bright pink thing in the photo below), fishtail braid my hair, spritz it with hairspray and let it dry a bit overnight.  The next morning, i then take the braid out and it's still a bit damp, so i ruffle it a bit & scrunch it with my hands as well.  I spray the Salt Spray all over and with a diffuser, i blow dry my hair, scrunching more with my hands as i go.  Once it's dry, i hairspray it and if i want, i'll use my straightener to curl a few pieces of my hair.  I then finish off with a bit of Umberto Giannini's Backcomb in a Bottle. :)

Since i don't wash my hair everyday, i simply brush out my hair again with the Tangle Teezer before i go to bed (my hair still maintains a bit of the waves) and put my hair back in the fishtail braid to sleep.  Sometimes i add a bit more of the Salt Spray in the following morning and scrunch it, if not i just hairspray it and put more Backcomb in a Bottle in.

3. Floral print: I don't think i'll never not like myself a bit of floral print to be honest.  It makes me feel so girly and there are so many different ways to wear it... speaking of, i am really craving some floral shorts and floral sneakers at the moment, they would be so perfect for the summer!  The top i'm wearing in the photo above is another piece i got from London and it's from New Look.  It's so flowy, sheer, and gorgeous.  I'm obsessed.

What are you currently loving?

♥

Beauty Purchases from London!

If you read my last post, you'll know i spent the past eight days in England and Paris!  I feel like i have SO much to talk about, i just don't know where to begin really.  I had such an amazing time, England is absolutely beautiful, i don't know what i'll do if i don't get the chance to go back!  I'm in love really.  Paris was a bit... odd?  Gorgeous, but we'll get to that another day...

I figured i could start a bit smaller with a wee makeup & hair product haul.  I don't buy makeup too often, but i knew i'd go crazy once i got to London.  I had a mental list of products i wanted to try out & luckily, i found most of them!  I should say i was in a bit of a rush whilst there, so i didn't get to dabble around and really look at all the brands and products recommended to me unfortunately.  :/  I thought i'd stick to brands & products i can't get here in the States, since MAC, Lush, etc. brands i can get here are more expensive overseas anyways.

You may notice i didn't buy a single thing from Paris in this haul, i was running out of money by the time i got there and had to feed myself, haha.

Let us begin!

Hair

I popped into Boots on one of the last nights i was in London & got these products, as well as a few makeup bits & bobs.  From left to right: Charles Worthington Rough & Tousled Salt Spray - £6.29, Umberto Giannini Backcomb in a Bottle - £5.61, Tangle Teezer £10.20, James Brown London Photo Fabulous Volumising Shampoo & Conditioner - both £6.99.
It's fantastic that Boots has the 3 for 2 little deal on certain sections, i actually ended up getting the Salt Spray for free, as well as a Barry M Nail Paint.
The only products i've tried so far are the Tangle Teezer, which i'm not sure what my thoughts are on yet, and the James Brown shampoo & conditioner, which smell divine & i actually really like!  If you would like me to do a review on any of these, let me know. :)

Makeup

The first day i was there, i actually had a bit of 'free time' to go shopping - to say i was pleased would be an understatement. ;D  The hotel i stayed at was just a little walk from King's Mall in Hammersmith (can you say shopping addict heaven?!), where there was a Primark, River Island, etc. as well as a Superdrug.  I made a quick stop in there and had a bit of a spree...
From left to right: Sleek iDivine Storm Palette - £6.49, Gosh Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Black Ink (free with purchase of eyeshadow palette), Sleek Face Contour Kit in Light - £6.50, Vaseline Lip Therapy "Rosy Lips" tin £1.73, and Gosh eyeshadow quad in "22 Driftwood" - £7.99.
I was so lucky to get the last Storm palette in stock, i've heard an incredible amount of raves about this, as well as the Contour Kit - so excited to try these two out!  Although they're so pretty, i don't know if i can get myself to mess with them... The Vaseline Rosy Lips was a bit of an impulse buy.  I didn't have it on my mental list, but i saw it & grabbed it!  It smells so lovely.  I haven't heard too much about the Gosh palettes, but i knew i had to get at least one Gosh thing - and it was awesome that the eyeliner came free!

 A little closer peek at the Sleek & Gosh palettes and the Contour Kit.

I totally spaced out as far as blushes and lipsticks go from these brands, i was in such a state of disbelief, all these products and brands i've heard mentioned so many times but didn't have access to, come to life!  It was quite the moment for me, haha.  I'm quite pathetic!

Now, i went a bit crazy when i got to the Barry M sections of Boots & Superdrug (as you may or may not be able to tell by the 'nails' section of this post!).  Again, i didn't get to look around too much while i was shopping, so i just grabbed what i thought i might like.
From left to right: Lip Gloss Wand shade 12 Strawberry Milkshake - £4.49 at Superdrug, Lip Paint in 100 Baby Pink - £4.49 at Boots, Dazzle Dust in 39 Tan - £4.59 from Superdrug, and Dazzle Dust in 53 Chocolate - £4.59 from Boots.
I just about fainted when i saw the Barry M stands, i wanted everything!  The packaging and the shades were all so lovely, and the brand just screams "England" to me, is this weird?  Haha.  I haven't tried these products out since i tried them, but i am SO excited to!  *sigh* Barry M, Y U NO IN UNITED STATES?!

Nails

I had a bit too much fun checking out all the Barry M Nail Paints at Superdrug, you have no idea!  I easily could have just cleared out the entire section, but i had to restrain myself.  I had to throw out quite a bit of stuff in my suitcase to fit all my purchases in.  (And the pathetic-ness continues!)

From left to right - all £2.99: 309 Strawberry Ice Cream, 264 Pink Iridescent Glitter, 318 Peach Melba, 304 Mint Green, 290 Spring Green (free with other purchases at Boots), 308 Berry Ice Cream, 312 Indigo, 293 Grey, 311 Nail Effects in Black.

These are just too cute, i can't even stand it!  They're all lined up/hidden in my desk/vanity drawer, so my sister doesn't steal them... I tried the Nail Effect nail paint over a lilac nail polish i already had on, and i'm in love!  It looks so awesome, i've gotten so many 'in awe' comments on them already.

-

I feel like all my upcoming posts are going to be about England & France - i have yet to show you all what i picked up clothes-wise, as well as photos from my actual trip!  I think i'll do my trip photos first, since i'm going to try and film my clothes haul, as trying to take photos of all the clothes may actually be disastrous!  I took an insane amount of photos whilst traveling, over 1000, and they took me about 20 minutes to load them to the computer!  Really excited to share everything with you lovelies though, i really did have the time of my life *tear*. ♥♥

Thanks for reading & stay tuned everyone!

P.S. Congratulations William & Catherine!  You two are beautiful together.

♥