My perfect summer foundation mix

Should I wear foundation or should I let my skin breathe? I swear, I find myself contemplating this question every single morning before doing my make up. But I'm guessing that I'm not the only one to do this though, right?
Back a few years ago, I used to be one who would steer clear from foundation particularly during the summer and I'd just allow my skin to breathe and tan. However, I don't know why, but this year I've gotten so much more into make up that I can't seem to be able to go out not wearing anything at all!

I have a hard time because I'm somebody who loves to tan, so when I do, it then means I need to find something to perfect my complexion whilst allowing me to show off the tan! When this happened, I would usually opt for a tinted moisturiser and a bit of bronzer on my cheeks as I felt this allowed me to look more tanned. However, one thing I have really disliked about this throughout the years, was the shine on my face at the end of the day. As well as, the way in which the tinted moisturiser would oxidise on my skin leaving me with a slight tangoed complexion (Obvs not the look I'd be going for!).

As summer came around the corner, I found myself wondering whether I should go out and purchase a new tinted moisturiser which would not do this...
So, I decided to give the NARS Moisturiser a go but I was soon disappointed to find that if I wore this on its own, by the end of the day it would have gone patchy and of course...Orange. This is so annoying because whilst I'd want to have that extra glow on my skin and look a bit more bronzed, Orange is far from the colour I want to be rocking on my complexion. At the same time though, I don't really want to wear my foundation on it's own because not only is it too heavy for summer, but it's also a bit on the pale side, masking away the bit of tan that I've managed to get on those two hot British days!

So instead, what I have been doing is mixing my foundation in with the tinted moisturiser and I've been achieving the perfect colour that matches my skin! :) I know it's pretty basic, but honestly, I never thought to do this before in all of those years! It's great because as well as achieving the perfect shade, it has also allowed my skin to look glowy. I have managed to find the right balance between the mattifying Charlotte Tilbury foundation and the super dewy NARS moisturiser- perfect for summer!

Below is a swatch of the shades as well as the finish I would achieve with and without mixing in the colours:

(Top: Charlotte Tilbury #shade: 3. Middle: Nars Tinted Moisturiser #shade: St. Moritz. Bottom: Mixture of both)

As you can see from the pictures, the foundation on it's own is just a tad bit pale for the time being and it's also a bit too "cakey". On the other hand. the moisturiser on it's own is so greasy looking and well, Orange. So the combination of the two make a perfect finish which I have been LOVING all summer long. It's also great because, if I tan some more, all I have to do is just add a bit more of the moisturiser to the mix. Whilst as the tan will begin to fade, I will slowly reduce the amount of moisturiser that I add, ensuring that I will always have the perfect shade! :)

Have you guys tried this before? Let me know what your favourite summer foundation routines are!

❤️

   Love, ML x

What to bring to University

Hello lovelies,

I figured that during the next upcoming month there will be lots of you getting ready to embark on the next chapter of your lives...University. 

Having been through it all before and I realise how stressful this time may be for you. Getting everything together and ensuring that you are well prepared before the big "Moving in day" is something that we've all dreaded doing before. I still remember buying a whole pack of notepads and filling them up with things that I felt I needed to bring with me to university. I remember spending hours on websites and student forums reading up on lists telling you what you need to bring to uni. However, I thought I'd try to save you all some time and give you a list of items that you will most probably need. 

Be aware though, that some of these things may vary depending on the accommodation that you will be staying in. So be sure to check what your accommodation will be providing you with before you go off and buy everything you see below! 

I have split it all up into sections to make it a little bit easier for you to read. But I hope that you'll find it helpful! 

Bedroom

🔸Duvets

🔸Duvet sheets

🔸Pillows and pillow cases 

🔸Under blanket /mattress protector (some uni's may already provide this)

🔸Laundry basket 

🔸Room decorations- picture frames, fairy lights, posters, candles, cushions

🔸Alarm clock (although you can probably use your phones now a days)

🔸Rubbish bin

🔸Door wedge 

🔸Warm blanket to throw on your bed

🔸Hot water bottle 

Kitchen

🔸Saucepans/ frying pan/wok 

🔸Crockery (forks/spoons/knifes) x4 of each

🔸 Washing up liquid 

🔸 Sponge for the dishes

🔸 Glasses min x2 

🔸 Mugs x2 

🔸 Drying cloth

🔸 Surface cloth

Toiletries

🔸 Hand, body wash shampoos, conditioner, moisturiser etc 

🔸 Shower puff

🔸 Toothbrush and toothpaste

🔸 Your skin care items 

🔸 Make-up remover

🔸 Bath towels/ hand towels/ face towels (x2)

🔸 Hair dryer 

🔸 Hair brushes / straighteners/ curling tongs 

🔸 Girly bits (tampons/sanitary towels) etc

🔸 Retainers/contact lenses etc 

🔸 Plasters

🔸 Tweezers

🔸 Nail clippers

🔸 Pain killers and antiseptic creams

University essentials

Bare minimum to begin with -wait for the sales to come on!!

🔸 Folders and filing envelopes 

🔸 A4 pads and notebooks to take notes 

🔸 Diary/ planner

🔸 Pencil case

🔸 Pens and pencils

🔸 Ruler

🔸 Highlighters

🔸 sellotape 

🔸 Post-it notes

🔸 Calculator

🔸 Reading list (most universities will provide you with one in advance)

🔸 Tippex

🔸 Blue Tack

🔸 Stapler and staples

🔸 Language dictionaries (if you're studying languages)

Other

🔸 Cleaning products for kitchen and bathrooms (bleach/ Mr muscle/ wet wipes etc)

This is a list of the products that I had brought with my to university and I found that I had everything I needed to get through living alone at uni! 

I hope that if you haven't already completed a list, you will be able to go by this post and be ready for the next chapter of your life. 

Thanks for reading!

❤️

   Love, ML x

WHEN Bio-Cellulose Face Masks Review

Hello Beautyholicgirls, 

So lately I have been chilling out a lot. Since uni has ended, I have so much free time and it feels like every night is a girly pamper night in! (hehe). And I'm not complaining, I am just going to make the most of it before the real life, working 9-5 for the next 45 years begins (yeah OK, that's so depressing to think about right now, right?!). So of course, what is a girly night in without a good ol' face mask?

I recently had the pleasure to be sent the When bio-cellulose face masks to try and I could not wait to give them a go and review them for you guys! I love trying out new face masks and will always lust over products which will help to improve my complexion. 

I was instantly drawn to these because they are quite different from your usual face masks because they are bio-cellulose sheet face masks (fancy, I know!). 

So I guess that some of you might be wondering what a bio-cellulose face mask actually is right?...Let me tell you.
It is one of those sheet-like looking face masks that already come with holes in the eye, nose and lips area so that they can literally be placed right over your face. Just like an ACTUAL face mask. For those of you who have already used these before, I am sure you know how amusing and scary looking they actually are. I was completely freeked out the first time I tried something similar with my flat mate. However at the same time, it was so funny that we couldn't even bare to look at each other. But, looks aside, these face masks are 3D fibre and are infused with deeply hydrating serums enabling them to lock the moisture right into the skin-making them more effective than standard face masks.

What do they claim to do? 

When created 5 different face masks all which aim to target and work for different things. I thought I would give you a list to tell you what each one does and who they are useful for:

1. Travelmate which aims to: Soothe and refresh your skin from UV rays (excellent for those who like myself, have been frying away in the sun). This particular face mask is good for all skin types but most importantly helps to combat dry skin and dark spots on the face
2. 10pm face mask, this one is again suitable for all skin types but mainly for those with dry skin looking to combat fine lines and wrinkles
3. Snow Magic: Suitable for all skin types. Aims to help with uneven skin tones and dark spots (also can we appreciate how cute the name is!). 
4. Make-up base: Suitable for all skin types and helps to firm the appearance of the skin as well as creating a flawless base for makeup application
5. The Last Choice: As the name suggests, this one is really the last choice! It's for those who have neglected their skin regime and they are lacking the hydration and skin tone that they need. This one is also suitable for all skin tones

I was lucky enough to have been sent two to try and I received the Travelmate* (perfect as I have gotten back from holiday not very long ago) and The Last Choice* (also great because I can get very lazy with my skin care at times). So I allowed myself to have a week in between each use and I must say I was VERY impressed!

The Travelmate, really helped to put some glow back into my complexion. I had been out in the sun a lot and my skin had become very dry. My skin is usually quite normal to combination. But it has its oily times too. But this face mask really helped to give me that moisture in those dryer areas on my cheeks and around my nose.

After a week of binge eating and wearing a face full of make-up my skin started to show the signs. As a result I decided to give "The Last Choice" a go! I must say that I was really impressed! It left my skin skin feeling revived and it really helped to dry out some of the pimples that I had developed on my forehead whilst deeply moisturising my skin. 

I had previously tried the "Starskin" face masks (which are double the price) and I found that the results were the same! 

The When facemasks are available at Sephora for 7$ each or online at Birchbox for £25 for a pack of 4. I'm guessing if you're doing a big shop, Sephora may actually work out to be cheaper for those in the UK. But if not, then I guess with the shipping fees it would work out to be cheaper to purchase them from Birchbox. I will also insert a link to their official website for anyone outside of the UK. 

Personally, I will definitely be repurchasing these When face masks and I would also recommend them to any face mask lovers out there :) 

Have you tried any bio-cellulose face masks? Let me know what you guys think! :) 

Thanks for reading. 

❤️

   Love, ML x

*Sponsored post. All opinions were my own.

Forza Supplements "SHAKE IT SLIM" Review + Tips on how I became FITTER

Hello lovelies,

I hope that you're all well!

I did say when I first started my blog that I would be doing both beauty, lifestyle and fashion posts, but because I am totally makeup OBSESSED, the beauty posts have been more common than the rest.

Nevertheless, today's post is more on the lifestyle side :)

I recently joined the Forza Supplements bloggers program and I received the Shake It Slim meal replacement starter pack, to trial out and review for you guys!  

For those of you who already follow me on Instagram, you will know that since beginning university (4 years ago) I put on a hell of a lot of weight! You know it, life as a fresher means literally eating your own body weight in takeaway meals 2/3 times a week...so of course it was not surprising that after 4 months into uni I started to look like a whale, literally. 

However, luckily I managed to get my myself back into gear last year whilst I was away on placement by following the Kayla Itsines Bikini Body guide (for anyone who does not know who she is, check out her Insta as she posts some very inspiring transformation pictures every day). By the end of the 12 week guide, I had managed not only to shed all of the weight that I had gained, but I also became a lot fitter and stronger. 

So anyway, like most people do when they lose a lot of weight, times get hard and cheat cravings start to kick in. Usually, with some control and determination, I can resist to the temptations however, whilst I was on holiday in Italy for 2 weeks I ate, ate and ate until I got to the point where I could no longer fit into the jeans that I had bought with me. Yes, that's right... I was an actual PIG and just gave into EVERYTHING... When I finally came home, reality kicked in and I was seeking a rapid way to help me fit back into my jeans. 

The Forza diet shakes are what I used to help me. The pack I received contained enough shakes to keep me going for 7 days. Essentially the shakes are a meal replacement which you are supposed to take twice a day and include one healthy meal at whichever time you prefer. Personally, I tried to follow the plan by drinking two shakes a day. I was having one for breakfast and one for dinner with a big lunch around 3pm. However, I found that by 8pm I would be feeling very hungry as the dinner time shake was not filling enough. 

Since I was also training, I decided to substitute just ONE meal per day, depending on what time I was going to the gym. For example, if I was training in morning, I would have the shake in the evening for dinner, that way I could have a large breakfast to refuel me after the gym. Whilst for those days where I would be going to the gym in the evenings, I'd have the shake for Breakfast. 

Result: I found that they really helped me to debloat and get rid of that water that all of the salty holiday food had made me retain. With just 204 calories per shake, it meant that my weight loss happened much sooner as I was able to stay below my 1,200 calorie intake for the day. The added bonus was that surprisingly, the shakes tasted very nice! They came in 3 different flavours, Strawberry, Vanilla and Chocolate (Strawberry was my favourite), And I was soon able to fit back into my jeans comfortably :). 

On the downside however, I would not recommend this plan for longer than 7-12 days as it is tough and probably not very healthy! I would encourage anyone who wishes to lose weight to follow a healthy diet plan with proper food and exercise. It would be a LOT more effective in the long run as well as being more feasible to maintain. 

I would however recommend these shakes to anyone who is about to go on holiday and wants to shed a few extra pounds or for those "Fatties" like myself, who have just returned from their holiday and need an extra boost to shed the weight off.  

All in all, I would give these an 8/10. They taste great, they work (in the short-run) and are affordable. On the other hand if you do follow the instructions i.e: 2 shakes per day, you will most likely be finding yourself getting hungry which will lead to you snacking in between. I would definitely recommend that you drink just ONE per day and eat 2 healthy meals along with some physical exercise and you will have some quick results! 

For anyone who is interested, you can find FORZA supplements in Superdrug, Holland and Barrets and on their own website which I will link here. 

I hope that you have enjoyed this post. Do let me know your thoughts and whether you have tried these or anything similar before and how it worked for you :) 

❤️

   Love, ML x

NEW Revlon Dramatic Definition Mascara Review

Hello there Beautyholicgirls,

I hope you're all well :D

As promised I am back with another make-up review. 

I did mention in my previous blog post that I would be making sure that I am blogging more frequently this summer, so here I am! :)

As you can tell from the title of this blog post, today I will be reviewing the Revlon Dramatic Definition Mascara which I received in May's Glossybox. I am usually not a "definition" girl as I tend to prefer volume and lengthening mascaras over definition, however, I thought I would try this one out to see how it would work on my lashes. 

As you can tell from the picture it comes with a plastic wand with very fine and close bristles. I don't know whether I have mentioned this before but, I find that plastic wands really do not work anywhere near as well as fibre ones on my lashes. I have lots of very fine long lashes and what I usually find is that plastic wands clump them all together and do not help to bring out their maximum length. 

Upon noticing that this was a plastic wand, I instantly had an idea in mind of how my lashes were going to look but, I went ahead to try it anyway. 

Below are some pictures of my eyelashes before and after the mascara application. 

As you can see, the eyelashes are quite clumped which confirmed my initial thought. However, I did find that if I used just one coat it did quite a good job at defining the lashes without clumping. It wasn't until the second coat that it started to just add lots of product and clumping the lashes. As you can see from the picture below, my lashes look quite clumpy and there isn't much definition.

On the whole, I think that it it's not a bad mascara and I would not give it a bad rating. Unfortunately though, it didn't work for me as I have tried a lot better. Based on this I would score it a 7/10. In terms of price, I think it's a bit too highly priced at £9.99 as personally I wouldn't say it was worth more than £5.99. 

Finally, I wish to say that of course this is just my own personal opinion about the product but I have read lots of other great reviews about it. I think for myself and the types of lashes that I have I would have been better off with their Volume or Volume and Length mascara which appear to come with fibre bristles. 

I think that this mascara would probably work quite well for those who have quite short and thick lashes. Or even, those who only like to wear one coat of mascara. 

However, if you like"spider-leg" fluffy lashes like myself, there are better options! 

Have you tried this mascara before? I would like to know how you have got on, or even if there was anyone who has tried any of the other Revlon ones? :) 

Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed this! 

❤️

   Love, ML x

Arbonne skincare review

Hello lovelies, 

How have you all been? 

Today's post is one that I've been meaning to post about for a long time but have not had the chance to do it because as you all know I was busy with my final year exams! 

I was contacted by Maimie Yelland who kindly sent me some samples to test and review for you guys. 

As you all know my favourite kind of blogs to read are product reviews. This is because I love gaining other bloggers opinions before investing my time and money into products that are on the market. As a result, I will always give my honest opinions on products that I am sent to trial as this is what I would expect when reading other blogs. 

As you can tell from the title of this post the products I was sent were from a company called Arbonne. Who are they?, you may ask.

Arbonne is a Swiss premium brand, whereby all of its products are Vegan Certified, pH corrected, Hypoallergenic and Certified Gluten and Cruelty-Free. 

They stock a huge range of products from skincare to hair and make up. In addition, they offer various products depending on the types of skin that you have.

Given that I've not really tried many "cruelty-free/vegan" skin care before, I was really excited to give their products a go!

I told Maimie that I had combination skin and she sent me a sample package with an "Oil-Absorbing Day lotion" and a  "Purifying cleanser and toner" to help combat the oil and dryness at the same time. 

The samples I tried were very small so I only managed to get 3 days use out of it. However, I did notice that my skin felt a lot more revived. And on the whole I loved how "matte" my T-Zone stayed throughout the day. Another pro about these particular products were that they smelt incredibly nice. Not too fragranced but nice and "clean" smelling. Like I said though the only down side was not being able to try it out more. Nevertheless, I will very likely be purchasing these in full-size and keep you updated with the results! :)

For anyone that's interested and wishes to know more about it, contact Maimie Yelland on Twitter. As she would be able to inform you more on which products would be best for you. I also believe that Arbonne works a little like Avon, i.e.: Their products are sold via sales representatives, so you would need Maimie as a point of contact! :) 

Thank you all for reading and I will see you all soon! 

❤️

   Love, ML x

Freedom!

Hello there Beautyholicgirls, 

How are you all?

It literally feels like ages since I last blogged. I cannot believe that it's probably been like what, 2 months maybe? 

I know there are no excuses but I am not even joking when I say that I was literally living in the university library since mid April. It's been crazy. I literally thought that I was never going to make it through and get away from all of the revisions and exams but HERE I AM! Finally, writing on my blog that I have finished! 

Sorry let me just say that again because I think after 2 weeks it's still not gone in, 

I have finished and I'm FREE!!!! :D 

OK, now that it's gone in and after over indulging into lots of food, celebrations and oh, shopping of course. I can now go back to reality and finally dedicate myself to by blog. There are so many amazing products that I have been able to try and test out and I am so excited to finally be able to take the time to take good pictures, sit and just blog away without feeling guilty and having that annoying voice at the back of my mind reminding me that I should be revising! 

So yep, I thought that I would just bore you all, at least to let you know that I am back now. And most importantly, that I am officially making it my aim to blog the minimum of once to twice a week for the rest of the summer! :D 

See you all soon!! 

❤️

   Love, ML x