Showing posts with label beauty. Show all posts

June Favourites


The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Body Butter

The Body Shop have launched a new Virgin Mojito range which is SERIOUSLY good. I don't even like Mojito cocktails (I know, so controversial, there's something strange about drinking mint) BUT anyway even I can't resist this body butter! So imagine if you actually do drink mojitos... The Virgin mojito range is pure lime scented zesty goodness, definitely not a subtle smell. For me this is especially important when its getting hotter, and a girls gotta do what she can to keep it fresh.


Rimmel Wake Me Up Anti-Fatigue Concealer

I'm in love with any concealer that comes with a wand - and this Rimmel one is fab. I think it's because you can apply the product and then just use your ring finger to lightly blend it in. The last thing you wanna do is really rub the concealer in and around your face - the trick is apply it in thin layers, dabbing your finger on your under eyes so you are adding another layer, as opposed to just moving it all around your face. Anyways, this concealer is perfect and completely fools everyone into thinking you've had a good nights sleep!  

Batiste Dry Shampoo Cherry

I praised the Lord when Batiste introduced some new scents. I can't even use the original scents anymore because to me they SO obviously smell like dry shampoo. Does anyone else get paranoid that people will know you have used dry shampoo just from the smell??? This one smells amazing and you can just pretend you washed our hair yeaaaah.


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Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser


I've always found it difficult to maintain a cleansing routine, but Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish is the ONLY cleansing routine I've managed to stick with! I'm starting to make more of an effort to cleanse because is it even acceptable for adults to get spots??? Do you ever think your skin is fine than you catch it at an angle and see that your entire face is actually really bumpy - but the spots have nothing inside to squeeze!? Scary stuff eh?

So ANYWAY, I love this product, because its luxuriously creamy, and unlike other cleansers it doesn't have that gel like sticky consistency which I hate – and not to mention is so difficult to rinse off. Also what’s great is that this product doesn't make your skin feel tight. There is a HUGE misconception that if your skin is tight after cleansing then that’s good for your skin, when in fact it means you've stripped away too many natural oils and dried out the skin. So yeah actually the opposite! You really won’t get this with Liz Earle and that’s why I love it!
I also love the cleanse and polish method which I've outlined below for you girls….

1) Apply 1 pump of the cream to your face and neck
2) Fill the sink with hot water and place the muslin cloth in
3) Ring out the cloth and use to polish your face and exfoliate the skin in circular motions.
4) Once you've exfoliated and are happy, rinse face with cold water.

Quick tip if you’re in a rush: while the shower is heating up, apply the cream, and polish the skin whilst you’re in there!

I love indulging my skin in the natural ingredients that are used in the Liz Earle products. The cleanser contains chamomile and eucalyptus which are anti-inflammatory, and accelerate the healing process against flaky skin/acne. As well as this is contains rosemary which promotes healthy collagen levels, and cocoa butter which keeps skin hydrated (but who didn't know that anyway). The best thing here is that we can actually comprehend and pronounce these ingredients – usually a good sign that it will be kind to your skin!

The cleanser is around £14, or £15.50 with the muslin cloth. The cloths wear out after a few months, and you can buy the Liz Earle ones on their own, but I've found some cheap alternatives in discount shops like Savers which are practically the same! The cleanser I know is a bit pricey but Liz Earle is 100% worth every penny!

Let me know what your thoughts are! x

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Desk Essentials: 8 Beauty Products You Should Keep at Work



It's a sad thought but we spend an awful lot of our time at work. In those 7 hours I'm at the office, literally anything can happen, and when your makeup is smudged or your hair is frizzy from the rain, 7 hours is a LONG time to wait until you can get home and can sort your appearance out. I cannot stress enough that this post is in no way a 'how to look fabulous at work' type post (that desire goes out of the window at 6.30am) instead it's more a guide of how to look presentable in the office, like a serious, respectable adult you know.

I work in an advertising agency so we can wear what we want, which sounds great but it is actually SUCH a struggle omg - it's like at school when non-uniform day was the best frickin' thing ever but if it was everyday would have been horrible. So whilst one can look smart and presentable in jeans and a nice top, that work chic look gets totally ruined when you've had a bad hair day and now look like a tramp. Anyway after a rather lengthy intro which I did not anticipate, here are my 8 essential beauty products to keep in your desk or your work bag or wherever the hell ya like if you hot desk or something!

1. Invisibobble Hair Band

I admit these look a bit weird, and the whole point of this post is to look presentable but these are SO COOL! I'm no expert but SOMEHOW the spiral shape of the Invisibobble prevents you getting a kink in your hair when you tie it up. This is so necessary during the week when no one has the energy to wash their hair every single god damn day, and you're relying on your hair staying perfect for 2 days. Also you don't get that overwhelming pain in your head when you finally untie your ponytail! (What is that?!)

Hair bobbles in general are an absolute must for your desk for when your hair is flicking out at all directions, and you need to tame that mane.

2. Floss

OMG the amount of times I have been walking around the office with food in my teeth after lunch, smiling and chatting to colleagues is just embarrassing. Why are all the good foods herby like lasagna, or seeded like bread? I am not lying when I say I have literally boycotted poppyseeded bread for about 10 years - it is just not worth the embarrassment and the shear pain of trying to unlodge the seeds from my teeth - so so tragic! Floss is the ultimate essential which I keep in my work bag at all times.

Luckily for you, I have suffered these embarrassing moments so you don't have to! The floss I keep in my bag is from Boots it must have only cost £1 and it is such a life saver.

3. Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation

While liquid foundations can be bad for the skin, this Rimmel Lasting Finish foundation does provide amazing coverage all day. I'm out the house for 12 hours on a normal day and even longer if I stay out for drinks, but I never have to worry about reapplying this stuff! I also have the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Powder which is amazing. You can't go wrong with this!

4. Compact Mirror

For sly little check ups at your desk. I mainly use mine for a quick peak of my teeth - damn that leafy, herby seeded goodness!

5. Perfume

This is the most obvious one, but definitely the most important! Now that summer is almost upon us and it's getting pretty hot, you'll want to make sure you're not stinking. I usually keep a small bottle of perfume like this mini Estee Lauder one in my bag, samples are great for this! Alternatively, I often just buy a cheap body spray like Impulse which you won't mind smothering your clothes with throughout the day.

6. Hand Cream

I've already written about how much I love these mini L'Occitane hand creams - so I won't repeat myself! Hand cream is an essential to keep on your desk. You're always being introduced to people at work and handshakes are generally awkward enough without having dry rough hands. There are too many potential handshake faux pas as it is, so it's good to have smooth paws.

7. Lip Balm

I get through this Blistex lip balm really quickly, mainly because it smells a m a z i n g. It's raspberry lemonade flavour and I can confirm that yes, it does also taste like raspberry lemonade.

8. Barry M Clear Nail Polish

A good clear base coat not only makes your nails look presentable, but can be there on guard for any potential ladders in your tights! I've never seen anyone with ripped tights at work before, and I can't help but imagine the judging looks I'll get when that inevitably happens to me one day.

May Favourites


MAC - Eye Brows

Buying anything from MAC is a truly exciting experience, and despite the price tag there is no doubt that it isn’t worth the whole £13.50! I’ve bought this eyebrow pencil a few times now and I only use little strokes to fill in the brows and add colour. THANKFULLY I narrowly avoided that ‘pluck your eyebrows until there’s nothing left’ phase of adolescence and can embrace the big brows a la Cara Delevingne. So despite being the weird Greek with a monobrow when I was 11, it brings me so much joy to finally say WHO IS LAUGHING NOW to those thin eyebrow-ed girls. I’M DIGRESSING SORRY – The darkest shade they do in this is called Stud which is a dark brown shade and you really don't need to use much to see a dramatic difference. Go buy it girls!

Seventeen - Stay Time Concealer

I often question where I would be without concealer. It is my true partner in crime. We fight dark circles together, we tackle spots together and we deceive others through contouring together. What I’m trying to say is if you use concealer as much as I do, you’re hardly likely to buy YSL Touche Eclat every time (I used it once and it lasted me like 5 minutes seriously).

Seventeen from Boots is a great high street brand which is amazing for every day use, especially for your work makeup. It claims to last 18 hours which is absolutely necessary to get through a tough day at work, and then to look fresh for those unplanned work drinks which you are totally unprepared for!

Benefit – They’re Real

I don’t think Benefit have created a mascara that hasn’t been amazing. Like can you name one?? Bad Gal was amazing, but I definitely prefer They’re Real. I love the plastic wands over the natural bristle ones because I find they prevent your lashes sticking together turning into 1 big scary spider eyelash.

I honestly believe that a good mascara like this one is worth the money – you save SO much time. This makes it totally effortless to get your eyelashes looking longer and flawless within seconds.

Rimmel - Rita Ora Nail Polish

Unlike everyone in the rest of Essex I don’t have gel nails or acrylics or whatever the hell people get? No, I am old fashioned or maybe just plain cheap but I paint my own nails. As it’s almost summer, it seems only right to invest in some pretty pastel polishes. People are always complaining that I wear too much black and white and grey, so bright nails are a great way to add a splash of colour! This colour is called Go Wild-er-ness and it is fab-u-lous.

Bare Minerals 30 Day Complexion Starter Kit

This 30-Day Complexion Starter Kit is a great way to try a few of the Bare Minerals products to get the full experience. Bare Minerals is the one brand that I always push on all of my friends to use, and let me tell you why…

1) YOU CAN SLEEP IN THIS STUFF. I’ve already told you guys that I am pretty lazy and sometimes sleep in my makeup after a night out (even reaching for a makeup wipe is a struggle). So as you can imagine, when discovering this, Bare Minerals foundation quickly became a staple in my makeup bag.

2) This is a god send when you’re having a spotty day. (No one tells you that you still get spots as an adult!) My skin is always looking healthier when I use Bare Minerals over a heavy/liquid foundation.

3) Your foundation won’t feel like it’s sliding off your face on a hot sunny day. Let’s be honest, we’ve all suffered from a melting face in the summer and it’s not pretty! I honestly don’t have this problem with Bare Minerals though.

Unless you have a QVC obsessed Auntie (like me) that can explain to you, Bare Minerals can be a bit confusing to use so let me run through the products!

The Prime Time Primer should be applied first after you have moisturised. I honestly never saw the point of primer prior to using this, but I’ve never looked back!

The Original SPF 15 Foundation is where the true magic happens. You pour the powder into the lid, swirl with the Flawless Face Brush and buff it into your skin and voila. I use medium beige which does sound dark, but I would usually opt for ivory in any other foundation, so bear that in mind.

The Mineral Veil is a pearl coloured powder that seals everything in and is applied using a similar buffing method.

The only negative I have about Bare Minerals is that their brushes have a tendency to malt. This has resulted in me leaving the house like a mad, hairy, bearded woman if I ever do my makeup in the dark. I would love to know if anyone has ditched this for a different brush!?

The kit also includes their SPF 20 Concealer powder and the Mini Concealer Brush. If I’m honest I have AWFUL dark circles, and as a result go a bit Kim K with my concealer, using a liquid one to hide everything. I have however applied the powder over my liquid concealer – This has stopped my mascara rubbing off on my under eyes and sticking - never a good look!

My favourites from this set are definitely the Prime Time primer and the foundation which I buy again and again. Bare Minerals can be a bit pricey so if you’re watching the pennies, the foundation on its own is great, and can be used in combination with your other favourite products.

April Favourites

Benefit - The Porefessional Pro Balm Primer

I was given a sample of The Porefessional after a massive splurge on Benefits products one afternoon, and I definitely will be buying the regular size when pay day arrives! Do you ever catch a glance of your face in the toilet mirror at work at around 4pm, and start to doubt whether you even applied makeup that day? Where does it go?! This happened to me constantly BUT I honestly can say this stuff prevents any 4pm mirror meltdowns, and ensures that your foundation stays put. Not only this, but it conceals any visible pores – perfect for when you’ve sat there squeezing spots in the mirror prior to applying your foundation!

L'Occitane - Verveine Gel Crème

I was sceptical of this hand cream when buying it because it sells for £8, but I’d heard wonderful things about L’Occitane so I treated myself. Although you don’t get a huge amount for your money you are paying for quality. My hands get so dry to the extent that they crack and even bleed - mmm nice! This hand cream has been an absolute dream and worked miracles. Plus it smells amazing.

Boots Slanted Tweezers

I have lost about 5 pairs of tweezers in the last year and I’m so intrigued to know if this happens to anyone else?! I just do not understand where they go, so I refuse to buy the Tweezerman ones which are £20. I’ve been using these Boots own brand slanted tweezers which are amazing and only £1.80!

Benefit - Hoola

This bronzer doesn’t even need an introduction, and now that summer is upon us everyone needs to invest in Benefit Hoola bronzer. A lot of people throw the brush away in favour of using a professional brush. I personally love the shape of the brush and usually brush a line under my cheek bones to define my face. Then I’ll apply it lightly to the upper part of my cheekbones and blend. If you have a round face like me, this bronzer is also amazing for defining the rest of your face. My friends actually say that I look like the moon emoji in photos because my face is round – it’s funny but also very true - so I tend to apply Hoola lightly to my jawline, the top of my forehead, and on the sides of my nose to look more defined (and less moon-like).

Bare Minerals - Lash Domination

Anyone that knows me knows I am BIG on mascara and apply a generous amount. Despite this habit, this mascara has lasted me a good few months without drying out. My lashes definitely did dominate.

Rimmel - BB Cream 9-in-1

To tell the truth this has been sitting in my draw for a LONG time and initially I saw BB creams as pretty pointless. However looking back, when I first used this, I applied way too much. You definitely don’t need as much as normal foundation and as a result it didn’t blend very well! I gave it another shot last week and have to say I’m impressed. I’ve had massive breakouts in the last few weeks, so I love that this isn’t too heavy on your skin. Also it says 9-in-1 so you know, that’s got to count for something?

First Post: Let's Introduce Ourselves



Hello! This is my first post on Nicole’s Beauty Journal so I shall introduce myself!

My name is Nicole Louis, I’m a 22 year old graduate from Essex that works in an advertising agency in London. When I was 5, I stole my mum’s red lipstick then smothered it over my whole face, and I have pretty much been obsessed with beauty products since this tragic experience! Also, when I was about 13 I looked a lot like a boy, so any female beauty product became my saviour!

I absolutely love experimenting with new makeup cosmetics and skin care products. Like most of us I tend to mix high end, expensive products with cheaper ones. For me, the ritual of getting ready can be super quick or take hours – there is no in between! My greatest skill in life is my liquid eyeliner, which I hope to share with you guys soon.

While I adore looking after my skin, I must confess that I am also extremely guilty of sleeping in my makeup after a late night– I know, it’s awful. But I want to use this blog to write about my favourite beauty brands which are not only innovative and kind to our skin, but are also compatible with our busy (sometimes drunken) lifestyles.

I’ve been desperate to create this blog for a really long time and have finally plucked up the courage to start it. Let’s have fun with it!
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