#BTTowerTrip

Last week I blogged about the Secret Spaces event at the BT Tower. I ended up not being able to attend due to a poorly pup and I was incredibly gutted as judging from the pictures it was an amazing night!

 













The evening consisted of a talk from Leo Hollis about how London has changed and 'grown up' over the years. What better place to hear this than at the top of the BT Tower where you can see all of London!
BT's resident archivist, David Hay, talked through the history of the tower before everyone went up in the lift to the viewing area.
With an incredible 360 degree view of the whole of London I am gutted I couldn't make it but am incredibly grateful to have been invited!

Review | Benefit Big Easy Complexion Perfector

shades Light/Medium, Medium and Beige 

shade Light

Benefit seem to be constantly on the ball with their product releases and one of the newest ones, Big Easy, might be the dream base some of you are longing for! Benefit claim Big Easy is 'bigger than a BB cream' and better than other formulas that we have all seen hundreds of times in the beauty world. It balances moisture and control oil whilst having a natural finish. I've never been that big a fan of BB creams as I prefer something with a fuller coverage but I've been reaching for Big Easy more than I thought I would!

Benefit packaging seems to be a love/hate thing. Personally I love it, it's refreshing to see a brand not being so serious. Big Easy has a bit of a circus theme and I was incredibly lucky to receive the most amazing box of goodies from Benefit to celebrate the launch.

The formula is thicker than you'd expect and very creamy. It blends into the skin easily and feels velvety until it dries to a powder like finish. It's light weight and has a matte finish that looks very natural. Benefit recommend applying Big Easy with your fingers but I like to buff it into my skin with a brush.

This is not something you should go for if you have dry skin as it will cling to dryness. My skin is fairly normal at the moment so I can get away with this on good skin days. It covers most of my redness and evens out my skin tone well. It wont cover any major blemishes, but I feel this suits my skin best on the days it is behaving and wouldn't reach for it if my skin wasn't that good. I thought the matte finish might leave me looking dull or dry my skin out, but it's the complete opposite! I look awake and healthy when I use this.
It's a great base for the warmer weather and has SPF 30 to keep the skin protected. The oil free formula and matte finish keeps the shine away and would be great for oily skin types.

I really enjoy using this, it's a simple product that takes good skin and makes it look better.
It's pricey at £27.50 but worth the investment if you like a natural coverage and have normal/oily skin.
Available in 6 shades, I'm shade Light. Being very fair it's great that they have shades for paler skin tones, there is even one lighter called Fair.
It's going to be a must have for oily skin tones or those who like a matte finish!

Check out Big Easy here.

*this post contains pr samples, review 100% honest as always

Isle of White Festival with BT

Festival season is almost upon us and one of the big ones this year is Isle of Wight Festival. It's one I have always wanted to go to but have yet to take the chance!
This year BT is one of the festival's offical sponsors and will be hosting the Big Top Tent. The Big Top Tent will host headliners Boy George and Katy B as well as so many more great acts (including one of my current mini obessions The Vamps!) Check out the line up here.

If the festival goers want a break from the music then there is the BT Sport Field of Dreams where football fans can keep up to date with all the World Cup action and won't miss any of the action. Find out what matches will be shown here. There will also be coverage of the MotoGP Grand Prix of Catalunya. If like me sport isn't your thing then there will also be lots of films and live music. Basically everyone will be thoroughly entertained!

In the run up to the Festival, BT have a competition running each day til the 30th of May here, just answer the question for a chance to win tickets! There will be a new question each day for you to answer so make sure to keep checking back to increase your chances of winning.
Click here to be taken to the competition page.

*this is a collaborative post

Top 10 Disney Tips and Must Do's for First Timers

I recently went on a mini adventure to the land of Birmingham to visit the lovely Charlotte from lilmisschikas! We had such a good weekend involving a wholllllle lot of food and even more Disney, talk about the perfect trip!
We filmed our top 10 things to do at Disney for my YouTube channel. These are things we suggest doing if it is your first trip to Disney or even any time you go.

It would be amazing if you could subscribe to my YouTube channel here!
What's your must do thing at Disney?

Review | Make Up Revolution Redemption Iconic 3 Palette

Make Up Revolution Redemption Palette Iconic 3* £4

The latest make up brand to make a stir in the blogging world is Make Up Revolution, a new cheap make up range that reminds a lot of people of MUA. There has been a bit of conversation about the brand and whether it is anything to do with MUA as it's at the same price point and the packaging is incredibly similar. To be honest I've no clue and did ask the brand but haven't heard back, so I'm just going to review the products as they are!

The Make Up Revolution Redemption Iconic 3 Palette obviously is a 'dupe' of the Naked 3 by Urban Decay, I can't compare the two as I don't own Naked 3 (unfortunately) but I do have the original Naked palette so know how excellent Naked 3 must be. The casing feels the same as MUA, maybe slightly sturdier, and I much prefer the Make Up Revolution strip layout of the shadows.

My inital impression of Iconic 3 wasn't great, the first half of the palette really lacked in pigment the first few times I used it. Since using it a few times the shadows have improved in quality and are slightly more pigmented but don't really show up that strong on me unless I really layer them. It might be because I am really fair skinned though. The second half of the palette with darker shadows is much more pigmented.

It takes a bit of time to get the pigmentation to be strong with some of the shadows, but the shades are gorgeous and worth the effort. The shadows blend well but there is a fair amount of fall out so definitely make sure you remove the excess before applying so you don't end up with shadow all over your face, (I made this mistake the first time!) The shadows last around 6 hours on me which is great for such a cheap palette!

This might sound like a slightly negative review but for £4 this palette is so worth picking up, of course the quality doesn't rival Urban Decay but if like me you don't fancy spending almost £40 on a palette or aren't sure if the shades will suit you then go and get this! It's a great mix of shimmer, pearl, satin and matte finishes that dupes the Naked 3 shadows really well. For £4 it's an utter bargain and you'd be a fool to not give it a go!

Definitely go and get the Make Up Revolution Redemption Iconic 3 if you don't have Naked 3!
Have you tried anything from Make Up Revolution?

*pr sample, review 100% honest as always

Secret Spaces at BT Tower

source 
Something very exciting is coming to London thanks to BT and Google! The BT Tower is going to be open to the public for the first time since 1980! To celebrate it's 50th Birthday BT and Google are giving a selected group of Google Maps fans the chance to go all the way to the top.

If you've ever been to London then you will have seen the BT Tower, it's one of the tallest buildings in the city and is a landmark as well as a major communications hub. It's as tall as 20 double decker buses stacked on top of each other and at it's widest part it is 3m!
It's an incredibly iconic part of the London skyline as well as being an essential part of the UK's communications network.

A new campaign called Secret Spaces is giving the most engaged users in the Google network the chance to gain access to their favourite places on Google Maps. A select team of the most active and engaged Google Maps users will be given the chance to travel to the top of the BT Tower as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.

The event is taking place tomorrow and will include:
-a talk all about the history of the BT Tower
-a 'School Of Life' talk about London to teach the attendees more about the city
-a photography course with Andy Fallon.

You can learn more about the campaign and tomorrow's event using the #BTTowerTrip tag and you can also find out what's happening from the @BT_UK account! I will be updating my social media through the night and probably sharing lots of pictures of the amazing view!


*I have been provided with entry to the event for this post. 

Review | MAC Morange Lipstick

MAC Morange Lipstick £15

I've had these pictures saved for about 6 months and wasn't sure whether or not to share them and write about the MAC Morange Lipstick as I get frustrated every time MAC put the prices up. However this is my current lipstick obsession and when I wear it I get lovely compliments so I thought that this is something I need to share with you all!

I say it every time I talk MAC Lipsticks but I really do love the packaging, it's simple but sleek and has the most satisfying click sound when you put the lid on. The black casing is pretty ironic and I have to admit my mini collection of MAC Lipsticks does look very lovely sitting on my dressing table. As with every MAC Lipstick I have tried Morange has that vanilla scent that you'll either love or loathe, I adore it as I love all things sweet scented but it does make me want to lick my lips!

Morange is an Amplified Creme Finish and is part of the permanent collection of lipsticks MAC has. The Amplified Creme Finish means Morange is incredibly creamy and pigmented with a slight glossy finish. It feels moisturising and doesn't tend to cling to any dryness. The colour is stunning and has replaced Lady Danger as my current favourite MAC Lipstick. It's a very bright true orange shade with a tiny hint of red, it isn't for the faint hearted but I can imagine it would suit every skin tone. I'm very fair and I love how it contrasts against my pale skin. It's a stunning shade that lasts about 6 hours on me.

MAC Lipsticks cost £15 and to be honest I think whether or not they are worth the money is a hard thing to say. I know when the dreaded day comes that I use Morange up I will be skipping to the store to repurchase it as long as the prices haven't been yanked up even more!
Have you tried MAC Morange?

Review | Sudocrem Skincare Cream

Sudocrem Skincare Cream* £1.99

Say Sudocrem and the first thing that probably comes to mind are the grey pots of cream used for nappy rash, cuts, grazes, burns, eczema and much more. Sudocrem has been known as a spot treatment that has helped many people who suffer with acne to those who have the occasional breakout. Sudocrem have released a new formula specially created to be used in your skincare routine. It's gained a bit of popularity lately thanks to a few celebs, like Cheryl Cole, claiming its their skincare saviour and I can see why.

Sudocrem Skincare Cream is a very thick cream that has the same smell and feel to the original Antiseptic formula. It uses the same ingredients but in different proportions so it is a more skincare friendly and 'grown up' product than can be used as often as you like. My skin isn't necessarily spot prone but I will get a few spots due to hormones or stress.

When I get any sort of spot appearing I apply a very small amount of the Sudocrem Skincare Cream in a thin layer and leave it to sink in overnight. You really only need a tiny amount as it is a very thick formula that can feel greasy if you apply too much.
I did this last night on four under the skin spots (you know what I mean) and this morning they were almost gone, there is just the smallest hint of a bump if you touch my skin but nothing that can be seen. It really calms down my skin and soothes the redness. I've been using this as a treatment all over my skin once a week to keep bacteria and any possible future spots away, and it's safe to my skin loves it.

The Sudocrem Skincare Cream can also be used on flaky skin, dry patches, cuts etc but for me this is my new go to spot treatment. You need so little cream that this tube will last me forever and it's the perfect travel size!

For £1.99 from Boots this is worth picking up and trying out. Have you tried the Sudocrem Skincare Cream?

*update*.. I'm obviously in no way a skincare specialist this is just my experience. This might be a controversial one so let me know what you think in the comments!

*pr sample, review 100% honest as always

The YouTuber Confessions Tag

I'm back in the YouTube world at last after what feels like a seriously long time (four weeks)! To ease myself back in I thought I'd give the YouTuber Confessions Tag a go!
It would be amazing if you could subscribe to my channel here. I really love making videos and I have some exciting things coming very soon, including a huge Primark haul and some Disney content!

Giveaway | Win 1 of 10 Remington Silk Waving Wands

I declared my love for the Remington Silk Waving Wand in a review here and the brand have really generously offered my blog readers the chance to win one! The Silk Waving Wand has become my go to for subtle curls and waves, it's easy to use and leaves my hair feeling healthy and not damaged from the styling.

I'm really excited to be giving away 10 Silk Waving Wands, so if you fancy winning one then make sure to complete the Rafflecopter form below!
This is a UK only giveaway open til May 31st. Remember to come back each day to tweet your entry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dont forget to read my review of the Remington Silk Waving Wand here to find out why I love it so much!

giveaway prizes kindly provided by Remington

Review | Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint Summer 2014

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Summer Nail Paints* £3.99 each 

I've talked about my love of the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint's before and am so excited about the new Summer shades launching next week. There are seven shades in the Summer collection that have got me right in the holiday mood, now if anyone wants to take me away...? The collection is a great mix, it's lovely to see nudes mixed in with brights and in all honesty I love every shade!

Damson-This is the absolute stand out from the range for me, I am obsessed with it. A gorgeous cobalt/cornflower blue, similar to Baker Street by Nails Inc. I'm so in love with this, if you pick up just one shade from the collection then go for this one!

Kiwi- An almost jewel coloured, ultra bright green with a hint of turquoise. It makes me feel all tropical and summery. It'a a really unique shade and unlike anything I've worn before, I will be wearing this a lot on my toes I think.

Pink Punch- This is the only polish from the shade that doesn't excite me so much simply as I have bright pink nail polishes and don't really wear them that much. It's a lovely bright almost neon shade that. It's not that unique a shade but there is nothing like it in the Gelly formula!

Elderberry- Similar to Huckleberry from the Spring collection but a more grey toned shade, if you look at them both together in store you can see how different they are. I really love this and will get a lot of wear from it. It's a really pretty dusty blue.

Almond- A mushroom nude similar to Lychee but much deeper in tone. It has a hint of lilac about it and is a classy neutral shade. It's very easy to wear and quite classic.

Olive- I've not come across anything like this shade and really like it, which I didn't expect to. It's a very light green with a beige/grey tint. Quite unusual but really lovely and flattering.

Coconut- An off white shade that is quite warm in tone and really creamy. It's incredibly flattering on my short nails, making them look much longer. It's my second favourite from the collection and I know I will be wearing this a lot all year round.

The Gelly Hi-Shine formula is my favourite from the drug stores/high street, the lighter shades can be slightly streaky but careful application stops this from being an issue. Two coats gives the most gorgeous glossy and gel like finish that lasts on me for about three days before starting to chip off although the better your topcoat the longer they will last.
For £3.99 each I think they are fab and I love them!

What shade is your favourite from the Barry M Summer Gelly Hi-Shine collection?

Review | Benefit the POREfessional

 Benefit POREfessional Primer £24.50

Why I've never talked about this before I've no clue, this is my third tube of the stuff! You probably know by now how much of a Benefit fan I am and I'm warning you now this is a big love of mine! POREfessional is the top selling primer in the UK, has won multiple awards and is probably one of the most hyped up Benefit products.

POREfessional is designed to minimise the appearance of pores and fine lines to leave skin smoother and a better base for make up. Its a really light weight formula with a silky balm feel. It's translucent so can be worn alone or under make up to smooth out the skin. It's so silky and smooth, it blends easily into the skin and has a powdery finish.

I don't use primers all over daily but using POREfessional is now an essential part of my everyday routine on the areas that need smoothing out! I like to lightly tap this onto and around my nose where those lovely pores live. This isn't one for applying everywhere, only where needed. I personally think the results it gives are impressive, it blurs and softens leaving my skin incredibly smooth. It fills in most of the fine lines and pores as well as creating a better base for foundation, it doesn't clog the skin and leaves the softest finish. Benefit also recommend using POREfessional for touch up's during the day however for me this doesn't work to well over the top of make up. It doesn't make pores disappear but it definitely helps to soften the appearance.

It's pricey at £24.50 but I use so little each time that it lasts me ages. It's genuinely one of those products I can't imagine not having and I will keep repurchasing it forever!
What do you think of POREfessional?

Review | Nubar Nail Lacquer in City Self, Succulent and Dreamy Moss

 Nubar Nail Lacquers in City Self*, Succulent* and Dreamy Moss*    £8.99 each

I may still be living in dark colours and lots of layers (the curse of being constantly cold) but I am embracing the approaching *hopefully* lovely weather by switching up the nail polishes I reach for to include some brighter and more fun shades. Nubar is a brand from LA that have been established for over 10 years, there products are used professionally in salons and can also be bought online. The brand was set up with the aim to provide the highest quality products that are healthy for beautiful nails.

Nubar Nail Lacquers are free from phthalate, formaldehyde and toluene, granted I don't know much about the science but they are much healthier on the nails than most polishes. Nubar lacquers are also vegan & cruelty free.

I was kindly sent three lacquers from the 'Spring In The City' collection Nubar have brought out this year. The colletion has your typical spring shades but also a few colours you wouldn't expect!

City Self is a slight pink toned violet/lilac that is quite warm in tone, Succulent is a bright coral orange that would look gorgeous with a tan (if I am lucky enough to ever get one) and Dreamy Moss is a soft mint green with a bit of a grey tone to it. Each of the lacquers has a gorgeous creamy finish. The formula is quite thin and you need to mix it well before applying, I find three thin layers gives a lovely opaque, creamy and streak free finish on the nail. I love all three shades and have been wearing them non stop lately, now lets hope the sun turns up!

The Nubar Spring Collection Lacquers last around four days on me with my usual topcoat before beginning to chip. I will definitely be keeping my eye on the next Nubar launch and adding my favourites to my overflowing nail polish collection! The Nubar Spring In The City Collection lacquers cost £8.99 each here.

*pr sample, review 100% honest as always