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Spring Beauty Essentials | My 2019 Recommendations

Spring Beauty EssentialsMy Spring Beauty Essentials | 2019 Recommendations

With a change of season, comes a change in my beauty routine. Long gone are the cold winter nights, cloudy days and lack of sunlight which brought dry and dull skin. New obstacles arise, with hotter days and more time spent outside. Thankfully I am fully prepared this year. My recent trip to Japan helped a lot, as it meant I was able to stock up on some old favourites, as well as some new products I researched before/during my visit. That said, in 2019 I’ve continued to keep my beauty routine pretty varied in terms of origins & brands – with items coming from UK, Japan, Korea and France (amongst others).

I’ll be spending this spring focusing on the basics; healthy skin and hair, fresh scents and a fully prepped base with minimal make-up. So without further ado, here are my spring beauty essentials for 2019.

My Spring Beauty Essentials

I’ve always been an advocate for taking care of your skin first, and I think that’s pretty apparent with this list, as you can see I haven’t added any new make-up products to my cupboard. But I think the most obvious change from my winter beauty products, is the addition of lighter creams and stronger SPFs. It may not be groundbreaking, but it is practical, and it works.

Don’t forget to check out more of my beauty recommendations and let me know in the comments which products you’ll be coveting in spring 2019.

Spring Beauty EssentialsSpring Beauty Essentials Spring Beauty Essentials Spring Beauty Essentials Spring Beauty Essentials

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La Crème Main – Chanel Hand Cream | Review

Chanel Hand CreamLa Crème Main – Chanel Hand Cream *

I’ve always been oddly proud of my hands, and I often joke that I should have been a hand model. Sadly those dreams were not realised, and I was resigned to using my hands in another way… Ok, get your head out of the gutter, I meant typing! However using my hands so much means that I’ve become slightly paranoid about taking care of my skin. I’ve used a variety of creams, but in the past few years I’ve not gone back to any one in particular. So when Chanel announced their new hand cream – which comes in a design-geeks daydream – I decided to pick it up and see whether it could change all of that.

La Crème Main – Chanel Hand Cream

Honestly the packaging is what drew me in. It’s simple, yet beautifully designed. “Singular and innovative, its design was thought like a true handbag accessory. Fitting perfectly into the hand, the packaging maintains its shape and protects the formula.” I spotted it in an ad campaign a few months ago, and I knew I would end up adding it to my collection once it was launched.

That said, there’s more to this than just a pretty face. The cream claims to smooth, brighten and moisturise hands and nails, with a melt-away texture that absorbs quickly into your skin.

Final Thoughts?

  • Moisturises
  • Smoothing
  • Subtle scent
  • Creamy texture (quickly absorbed)
  • Nicely designed packaging
  • Easy to use, hygienic applicator
  • Didn’t notice any brightening

At £45 would I purchase it again? It wouldn’t be my first choice, but I would definitely keep it in mind. I think it would be a great gift for someone who is a fan of Chanel, or simply if you wanted to treat someone to something special.

You can purchase La Crème Main Chanel hand cream in-store and online.
Check out more of my beauty must-haves now!
Chanel Hand Cream Chanel Hand Cream Chanel Hand Cream

bloomzy /

My Current Beauty Faves | July 2016

Beauty FavesMy Current Beauty Faves | July 2016

Confession time! I don’t like watching beauty videos (unless it’s 100 Coats). I know I’m going against the grain here, but they just don’t appeal to me. That said, I’ve always appreciated a monthly favourites video. Basically I want my information short and sweet. I wanna know which products you loved this month, and which you hated. Since I don’t have the time to review every single beauty product I’m currently loving, I decided that a monthly Beauty Faves post was the best way to go about it.

My Beauty Faves | July

  • Sephora Express Drying Oil – Place a drop on newly painted nails and they dry within 1 minute. The perfect solution for clumsy ol’me.
  • Sleek Matte Me Lip Cream | Birthday Suit – The perfect matte lip cream. My perfect shade. The Sleek Matte Me lip creams do not budge through drinking and eating – no lie! I love it so much I’ve stocked up.
  • YSL Vinyl Couture Mascara | I’m The Clash #1* – I only ask for 2 things in a mascara. That it holds my lashes up – they point downwards usually – and that it doesn’t smudge. YSL have certainly come to my rescue with this one.
  • YSL Touche Eclat Concealer & Highlighter | Luminous Radiance #1*- Yes I know I’m late to hop on the bandwagon, but now I’m on it, I ain’t gettin off! This is the perfect tool to add a bit of luminosity to my face.
  • Barry M Gelly Nail Paint | Almond – This is a dupe of my favourite Nails Inc polish – everyone compliments this colour – and I honestly can’t tell the difference when it comes to shade or wear.  At £11 cheaper than it’s twin, I know which one I’ll be sticking with from now on.
  • Canmake Day & Night Treatment Lip Scrub – I picked this up in Japan and haven’t put it down since. It exfoliates my lips gently (it’s a sugar scrub), and prepares them for lipstick. Alternatively, I use it at night after removing my make-up – to prepare my lips for the following day.
  • Trilogy Daily Defence Moisturiser SPF15* – For a pale lady such as myself, a moisturiser containing SPF is a must! This day cream is thick, but absorbs quickly, and is the perfect base for my make-up.
  • CHANEL Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Toilette – I’ve always loved this scent, and so does everyone else! I get numerous compliments when I spritz this on, and everyone says it’s lovely.
  • Collection Precision Contouring Crayon – This one is sneak peek! It isn’t out yet, but it will be soon. Trust me, if you contour, you NEED this crayon in your life. It applies smoothly, and blends like an angel.

There you have it! My July Beauty Faves. Keep an eye out for more beauty reviews and recommendations here.

Beauty Faves Beauty Faves Beauty Faves

bloomzy /

Photo Diary: It’s Christmas Time…

I know I’ve been a bit quiet the last
few weeks, and I do apologise.
The few weeks leading up to Christmas
were pretty hectic for me.
I spent most of my time working, whilst
trying to hold onto a social life.
Still it was Christmas, and everything
feels better at that time of the year.
I went home and spent the holiday with
my family, and managed to see some friends.
So it was spent mainly relaxing, eating
a lot and generally just having a good time.
I’ve now made the trip across to Wales
and will be relaxing until the New Year arrives.
That means I should have more time to
blog thankfully, so you should see more posts soon.
You can follow me on Instagram: @bloomzy

bloomzy /

Review: Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick 104 Passion

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in 104 Passion

Every now and then I treat myself to a high end red lipstick.
I wear red lipstick literally everyday so it’s important that I have a good one.
Chanel is currently my go-to high end brand for red lipstick, and has been for a while.
The service is always impeccable, and not so surprisingly they really do know their stuff.
I always go back to Chanel for quality lipsticks that will stand the test of time!
So I decided to add Chanel’s Rouge Allure 104 Passion to my collection.
Pros:
+ Highly pigmented
+ Long lasting wear
+ Good coverage
+ Moisturising

Cons:
– Slight smudging

Notes:
I loved the pop of colour this lipstick gave. The red is very true to what you see in the tube and you don’t really need much at all to get good coverage. The lipstick itself has a slight shine to it as it’s moisturising but as my lips tend to dry out when I wear lipstick this is what I wanted. It’s not glossy though, so don’t worry! Without a lip coat this did transfer, however it didn’t come off entirely. I would suggest using something like Lipcote so that it stays and won’t transfer to your coffee cup or partner’s lips. Overall a great lipstick, and as always, I was impressed.
You can purchase Chanel Rouge Allure #104 at Chanel counters.
Or you can purchase it online at Debenhams.
bloomzy /

OOTD: Life in Colour

(Top: ASOS, Trousers: H&M, Watch: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Earrings: Accessorize, Lipstick: Chanel)
Today’s OOTD marks the beginning of my birthday celebrations.
It may not be my birthday until Tuesday, but my family are visiting this weekend.
That means a mini shopping spree and an excuse to go eat out at some of my favourite places.
I also decided to try out a different kind of layout for my outfit posts today.
This way seemed more appealing to me and I also liked being able to include a bit more detail.
I think the trousers may have inspired my need for more detail because they are so amazingly gorgeous!
I grabbed them in H&M’s January sales, and it was love at first sight. I just love the patterns and colours.
They also went well with my new badass (faux)leather sleeve top from ASOS, which I also got in the sales.
I’d been after the top for a while and I’m so glad I waited as I got it for less than half price!
What do you think of the new ootd post layout?

bloomzy /

[Nail Week] My Favourite Nail Polish Brands

Nail Week is coming to a close, and I decided to end it with a post on my favourite Nail Polish Brands.
Over the years I have tried various brands of polish. Some I’ve not been too keen on, others I’ve become a long-term fan of, and still continue to use today. So I decided to include some of my old favourites and some of the up-and-comers in my personal collection.Why have I chosen the brands that I did?

Maxfactor
A mid-range priced polish that offers great coverage and good colour.
Great application – opaque in 1 coat!
Buy here.

OPI
Such an amazing range of colours, shades and glitter polishes.
If you want a particular colour, OPI will have it.
Buy here.

MUA
Cheap and cheerful.
Polishes start at £1 and come in a variety of shades, including glitters.
Buy here.

Chanel
A high-end polish that doesn’t disappoint.
Application and removal is super easy, whilst the shades are always on-trend.
Buy here.

Barry M
Affordable, vibrant colours that are long-lasting.
They often have discounts and special offers for their large variety of polishes.
Buy here.

Dear Lee
Wonderful colours and cheap too!
I love their selection and the application of the polish.
Buy here.

Miss Sporty
Another cheap, but effective polish.
Buy here.

So there you have it, my favourite go-to nail polish brands.
Of course that doesn’t mean I won’t be experimenting with any new brands.
What’s your favourite nail polish brand?