Tuesday 25 February 2014

Advertisements and Giveaway.

Hi lovlies.
This is a slightly different post for my blog as I've not before dabbled with advertisements before but I've decided to give it a go. I've been blogging for a few years now and have spent my own hard earned cash on buying products, lighting, cameras and improving my blog layout. I see it as an investment as the more my blog improves and grows, the happier it makes me. I always feel a little uneasy when the topic of making money from blogs arises and I just want to make a few things clear. I don't continue my blog in the hope to make money, it's purely a hobby that has served me well through the years and meant I've met so many amazing people. The sole purpose of this is to hopefully, make a little extra cash that I can use to improve my blog even further. I've just introduced Google Adsense also, but only a single ad and I can't imagine it'll end up being very productive anyway - I can't figure it out!

Twitter Followers - 1700+
Google Blog Followers - 1800+
BlogLovin' Followers - 1700+
 Views per month - 25,000 - 30,000

Large Package - £17.50
one available
300 x 250 ad in the sidebar. You'll be right at the top.
You'll get a #FF on Twitter each Friday of the advertising month.
You'll be featured in a 'Blog Supporters/Advertisers' post where you can write a little about your blog with links to your social media and blog, with links to your most recent posts.

Medium Package - £10
two available
300 x 175 ad in the sidebar. You'll be the second or third ad.
#FF on a Friday during your advertising month.
You'll be featured in a 'Blog Supporters/Advertisers' post where you can tell readers about your blog with links to social media and your blog.

Small Package - £5
three available
300 x 100 ad in the sidebar.
You'll be featured in a 'Blog Supporters/Advertisers' post where you can talk a little about your blog with a link back.

Payments can be made through PayPal.
Interested? Send me an e-mail - bubblinbudz@hotmail.com
or contact me through Twitter!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And, just to express how grateful I am for the continued support I want to offer up a small thank you. I wish I could treat you all, but don't worry I'll have another giveaway soon!

Giveaway

I wish I could treat you all but today I'm afraid there'll just be two winners this time.
 For a single chance of winning you need to be following my blog and leave a comment below telling me what you'd like to see more of.
For two chances, you need to be following my blog, leave me a comment letting me know what you'd like to see more of and also follow me on Twitter, tweet me a little message to let me know!
For three chances, you'll need to be following my blog, leave me a little comment, follow me on Twitter (send me a little tweet) and BlogLovin (leave your BlogLovin name below along with your comment).

One of you will win my Glam Goodies - an Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss of your choice, a pair of Eylure lashes and some other little goodies.
Another will win my Pamper Evening Essentials - Soap & Glory minis, a Lush face mask of your choice and some other goodies.

This Giveaway will end on the 14th of March, so just a little after two weeks - good luck!

Benefits Brow Wow - Gimme Brow Review.

Benefit Gimme Brow, £17.50
 
I've had my eye set on this product for a while now. I spotted it on a US Bloggers Instagram and then had to wait a gruelling month or so for it to be released in the UK. However, the wait was well worth it because these dropped through my postbox on Friday and I can confirm, they're pretty amazing.
These are everything I wanted the Mac brow sets to be and more. This product contains little fibres in the formula so as you deposit colour on to your brows it adds little fibres to your existing hairs to make your eyebrows look fuller and thicker. Who doesn't want that? The brush is teeny tiny, similar in size to the Clinique botom lash mascara but this works ideally for evenly spreading the product through your brows and ensuring you don't apply too much. Depending on how heavy you like to go with your brows you can always add another layer, although I wouldn't personally go in with more than two. This leaves your eyebrows looking naturally groomed but a better version of themselves.
This retails for £17.50, comes in two shades - Light/Medium or Medium/Dark and most importantly for me, doesn't contain any shimmer. YAY. Mac - what's up with that? I really have fallen head over heels for this brow beauty - it's now available in stores so if you fancy a try head to a Benefit counter and ask them to apply a little for you. 
 
In the photo below I'm wearing the Medium/Dark version.

Saturday 22 February 2014

London Beauty Haul // warning - slightly excessive.

Oops, I, did it again with my purse. Got lost, in the beauty isles.
 
I've been meaning to post this haul for a while now but just hadn't got around to photographing all the products. Group beauty shots are so impossibly hard for me! This shopping spree was on a trip to London with my boyfriend, I'd saved my pennies in advance and made a list of a few essentials and chucked in some extra products for good measure. We visited Selfridges beauty hall - amazing. Oxford Street, the Mac Pro store, a huge Boots, Space NK and a few other places. Now they've been snapped I can finally jump in and start trying everything out - yay! If you want anything reviewed, let me know! Boots - Too Faced Lipstick in Naked Dolly, 17 Stay Time Concealer, Nivea Sunny Melon Shower Gel, Bumble and Bumble Thickening Dryspun Finish Spray, Barry M Gelly Nail Paints and Soap & Glory Kick Ass Retouch Powder.
Selfridges - Louise Young LY34 brush, Mac 217, Illamasqua Lipstick in Liv, Illamasqua Netural Eyeshadow Palette, Eyeko Fat Brush Mascara, Topshop Lipsticks in Pillow Talk and Saint, Stila Convertible Colour in Gerbera, Nars Creamy Concealer - Custard, Nars Multiple Palm Beach, Nars Cream Eyeshadow in El Dorado, Nars Blush in Gaiety, Nars Highlighter in Albatross, Nars Radiant Creamy Foundation in Sante Fe, Nars Eyeliner Pencil in Rue Bonaparte and Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Eyeshadow palette.
Mac Pro - Mac Full Coverage Foundation, Oil Control Lotion, Lipsticks in Hue, Fleshpot and Creme De Nude, Select Cover Up Concealer in NC20, powder puffs, Mac Pro Palette with Bronze eyeshadow, Pro Longwear Blush, Pro Longwear paint pot in Mooncake and Indianwood.
Debenhams - Dior Cream Blush in Capri, Dior Tan BB Cream and Dior Lipstick, Chanel Les Beiges Powder, Clinique Chubby Stick in Fuller Fudge and Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer.
Space NK - Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder.
&Other Stories Couture Carnival Hand Cream and Body Spray, Eyebrow Powder, Eyeshadow and Blusher. 

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Current Favourites. Beauty Edition.

I'm aware most people save their favourites post until the end of the month but I'm awful at keeping to a schedule and there's no time like the present. I've found myself with a huge amount of products to trial out recently as the last few months I've gone a bit beauty mad - story of my life, and my plan to save has gone out the window. I'm sure I've missed out loads of amazing products but I'm sure they'll find their way in to a blog post soon.
 
Illamasqua Sculpting Powder Duo, £26 - This contains a matte bronzer and a shimmery highlight. Combined these create sculpted and glowing cheeks that Lilly Ghalichi would be envious of. I've reviewed it in detail here.
 
Mac Style Blush, £18 - This looks a little lighter and more peach toned in real life, however it's when you start swatching it turns in to something special. It's a gorgeous coral/peach with golden shimmer that adds a beautiful colour to the skin along with an illuminating glow. I usually stick to pinks so to opt for a shade like this was new territory for me but I love it. I also have my eye on Stereo Rose when it's re-released in March.
 
Cover FX Cream Foundation, £35 - This is the ultimate in cream foundation. If coverage is what you're after, this is the product for you. This is expensive at £35 and not easy to find in shops so I was really wary of ordering online but decided to take the plunge. I've had this for a while now and it's since been re-packaged but the product is the same. It offers full coverage and will cover everything you want to hide. I can mask my redness, under eye circles and freckles with no issue whatsoever. I always wear this on nights out as it wears beautifully although you will need a powder to set it. I suppose you could say it's similar to the Mac full coverage, although I prefer the Cover FX.
 
Mac Prep and Prime Highlighting Pen in Light Boost, £18 - I picked this up after Laura from Belles Boutique blogged about it. It has a yellow undertone and is a few shades lighter than my foundation which acts as the perfect product to highlight underneath my eyes, down my nose and the centre of my forehead. It adds radiance and brightens the eye area, if I need coverage, I mix it with a full coverage light concealer.
 
Soap & Glory Glow All Out, £11 - This is a subtle pink toned highlighter that I use for multiple purposes. I sometimes add it to my 'cheektones' - ha, on days when I want an almost undetectable glow or if I'm wearing a foundation with a matte finish I dust this all over for some luminosity.
 
Benefit Watts Up, £24.50- This is a new purchase, I've not even had a chance to Instagram it yet but I couldn't wait to share. This is a cream highlighter that twists up so you can draw it on to the areas you want to add in a glow then blend out with your finger. It's a really gorgeous champagne/golden shade that just blends so beautifully and gives a Victoria Secret highlight to the skin. It doesn't look like you've applied highlighter, it just looks like you've got healthy, gorgeous skin with a soft focus effect.
 
Nars Matte Lipstick Madere, £19.50 - I picked this up a while ago but have only just started using it on a regular basis. It's a nude, pale pink shade with a matte finish - a little similar to Elf Natural Nympth. The Nars matte lipsticks are incredibly pigmented, very matte but I don't find them drying. I can apply this with ease, no dragging or unflattering dry patches - although I would exfoliate my lips before using this. This is the perfect shade to use lightly alone or as a base for glosses and other lipsticks.
 
Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch, £2.99 - I was so happy when these came over to the UK as they'd be raved about my US bloggers and they did not disappoint me. I have Cherry Me as well and really love that too. These are great to pop in your bag for a quick wash of colour and a bit of added hydration. Pink Punch is a girly, bubblegum pink which is so pretty and these smell amazing!
 
NYX Butter Gloss in Eclair, £5 - Another highly raved product, the butter glosses add colour, a glossy finish and hydrate the lips. Eclair is a baby pink that looks pretty worn alone or layered with Nars Madere.
 
Yves Rocher Sexy Pulp Mascara, £18 - Ever since I tried a sample of this mascara in a GlossyBox I've been hooked. It has a huge brush full of bristles to catch every single lash, this adds volume and length and can be layered for a really bold, thick lashes. This retails for £18/19 so I tend to stock up when it's on offer for half price!

Sunday 16 February 2014

Topshop Make Up Haul.

Topshop Cream Blush in 'Afternoon Tea' - £6 , Eye Gleam in 'Bronze' - £6, Eyeshadow Duo in 'Woodland Walk' -£6 and Lipstick in 'Petal' -£8.
 
I really enjoy Topshop make up. Their cream blushers, highlighters, lip products and bronzing powder are firm favourites of mine. I decided to have a little browse the other day with my friend Lucy and I discovered a few new products I couldn't resist. At least they're new to me anyway. 
I already own the shades 'Flush' and 'Head over Heels' which are both gorgeous and I love the cream to powder formula. These are easy to blend, pigmented and creamy. I grabbed the shade 'Afternoon Tea' as soon as I spotted it on the shelves. It's a vivid pink in the pan which translates to a doll, feminine flush on the cheeks. I'm absolutely in love.
To add to my Topshop nudes I picked up 'Petal' a dreamy pale pink. This is so incredibly pretty on and completes my nude lip trio. 'Nevada' is a beige nude, 'Saint' is a pink toned nude and 'Petal' is a pale pink. One swipe and they leave an opaque colour, they apply smoothly and leave a semi matte finish.
The remaining two products I brought to use together. The Eye Gleam in 'Bronze' is a golden bronze, as the name would suggest. It's packed full of fine shimmer and used as a base will hopefully intensify the eyeshadow duo I picked up. The duo in question is 'Woodland Walk' which contains a really lovely golden shade and a chocolate bronze. These paired with the eye gleam will hopefully give me a seamless smokey eye on nights out.
 
The only downside of the Topshop range is the white matte packaging. It starts off cute and girly but after a few weeks in your make up bag ends up discoloured. If you can overlook this, then the range is affordable, great quality and offers a range of shades to suit minimalists to those more daring.

Thursday 13 February 2014

Dior Rosy Glow Blush - 001, Petal.

Dior Rosy Glow Blush, £30.50
 
Last week I dragged my boyfriend through Debenhams to have a browse at the beauty counters, I picked up a few bits from Benefit, lusted after products at Urban Decay - everything I wanted was out of stock, and ended up at the Dior counter. The Dior stand isn't one I venture to often but out of the corner of my eye I spotted this daring pink blush and I couldn't resist a swatch. I instantly fell in love with the embossed print, the shade, the packaging and was sold within seconds but after attempting to flag down an assistant for 45 minutes, gave up and left. Since then it's all I've thought about and since I had £5 on my Debenhams beauty card, I couldn't resist and snagged this for £25.50 on their website, with free delivery. I also had my eye on their fusion eyeshadow in 'meteore' so if you've got any thoughts on these, let me know if they're worth a try!
Like most compact products from Dior this comes encased in a velvet pouch to protect the packaging and make it feel a little more special. I don't tend to keep hold of mine purely because powder products in my handbag are a no, no unless they're inexpensive and unloved purely because I smash them all eventually. The outer packaging is reflective silver with Dior imprinted in the middle, very elegant and expensive looking. The only downside for me, is the inclusion of the brush because I never use them and when you take them out it makes the compact look bare. Not to say their brushes are useless, you could happily use it with no issues, I just prefer a domed blusher brush for application. 
This blush comes in just one shade, 001 - Petal a cool toned pink that looks daring, flirtacious and just gorgeous in the pan. The part that makes this blush even more appealing is that it adapts to your skin tone, within reason and promises to compliment all skin tones. It has no shimmer, yet manages to brighten the face and give your skin a healthy appearance which I adore! Although pigmented, it does sheer out a little on application but this just means you can build up the product to get your desired look.
 
 If you're a fan of Illamasqua's 'Katie' or 'Tremble', Cargo 'Catalina' or just pretty girly pinks in general - this is one for you.

Wednesday 12 February 2014

Illamasqua Sculpting Powder Duo.


I spotted this product on Instagram and was instantly drawn to it. I love bronzer, I love higlighter so why not pair the two together in a sleek compact?
Illamasquas Sculpting Powder Duo contains 'Heliopolis', a matte bronzer, ideal for contouring and 'Lumos' a beaaautiful highlight. I love the idea of having both of these products together but the issue that arises is that both products need to be pretty amazing and usable together to make it worthwhile. My first impressions of this duo were of disappointment. The highlight looked quite shimmery and a little on the peach side which reminded me of the Sleek highlighter in the contouring duo which I hate and the bronzer looked too light to make a difference. Obviously I must of been under some whack lighting as now I think that's such a ridiculous assessment of this product. The bronzer is completely matte, a medium brown with very neutral undertones and the highlight is a champagne/peach with just the right amount of shimmer. I need to stress that the highlight is in no way frosty, it has no glitter (hallelujah!) and the bronzer doesn't look muddy in the slightest. These two products absolutely blew me away when I actually applied it to the skin.
Both powder products are incredibly soft, buttery and blend with such ease. Pigmenation is consistent with what you'd expect from Illamasqua - one touch of the brush is all you need. Individually I love both the bronzer and highlighter, but together it's a match made in Kim Kardashians sculpted face heaven. I'm absolutely in love, smitten, it's nestled itself comfortably in to my February Faves and I imagine it will be a non mover for months to come.
If you want an idea of what it looks like on the skin the lovely Victoria from In The Frow has amazing photographs on her blog.

Friday 7 February 2014

Clarins Spring 2014 Opalescene Collection.

  *Clarins Spring 2014 Opalescene Collection

The whole collection is a celebration of Winter ending with delicate, ethereal products. As the weather become milder, days are filled with softness and light. This is the time for delicate, romantic make up that's bursting with freshness, encouraging the skin to glow and add luminosity. Rosy cheeks, light eyes and seductively glossy lips bring this collection together.

The only word I can find to describe this collection is - dreamy. As you can imagine the packaging is stunning, as are the designs on the products and the finishes - combined with the shades they've created. I'm in love. I could not believe my luck when the postman dropped off this luxurious package last week. I've had time to play around with the products so this is a view of their Spring collection and a few first impressions. 

Instant Light Radiance Boosting Complexion Base - 02, Champagne £26
This suprised me. I had expected something similar to the Loreal Lumi Magique Primer but in no way is this alike. The Instant Light Radiance Base is a far thicker consistency and feels rich and nourishing on the skin. It adds the most beautiful angelic glow to the skin with undetectable shimmer and works well used alone or mixed with foundation. I adore shade champagne, it works beautifully with lightly tanned skin.
Face & Blush Powder, £30
This is a thing of beauty. I didn't want to touch this powder in order to keep the detailed design intact but it would be a crime to let it go untouched. This has three complimentary shades that add a sunkissed finish to the skin.
Cream Blush, 01 Peach and 03 - Grenadine, £18
These add a gentle amount of colour which is buildable to create your desired effort. It doesn't leave you with the dredded overly dewy - dare I say it, greasy finish some cream blushers do, but with a satin/radiant effect.

Mineral Eyeshadow, 17 - Smoky Plum, £17
This shade is a deep grey with plum undertone, it contains a lot of shimmer and would be killer on the lids for an evening on the top. I found this easy to blend and I liked that the pigmentation can be built up to create the desired smokeyness. I'm hoping there's a champagne shade nestled somewhere in the Clarins counter with my name on it.

Perfect Shine Sheer Lipstick, 19 - Tropical Pink and 20 - Coral Tulip, £18
The lipsticks are a luxurious treat, encased in weighty gold packaging. They feel rich and moisturising on the lips, whilst adding just the right amount of colour. Anyone afraid of trying more daring shades should definitely have a trial with these.

Intense Shine Lip Gloss, 11 - Coral Tulip and 12 - Crystal, £17
I have fallen absolutely head over heels for Coral Tulip. As the name would suggest it's a coral shade but it has a pink undertone and shimmer running through it. You get a pretty wash of colour, combined with a glossy finish that combined with the subtle shimmer gives you the appearance of plumped up lips. These don't feel sticky, uncomfortable or leave you unable to rub your lips together - they feel effortless.  
Tropical Pink & Coral Tulip Lipsticks and Coral Tulip Gloss.