July 2013 Blogger Meetup in London

Last Saturday came the day I'd been excitedly waiting for months - a blogger meetup in London hosted by Helen from Beautifully Superfluous. By no coincidence, this was also the first day of not being on a spending ban for myself, Poppy from Let's Drive Far Away, Natasha from Shot of Beauty and Rachel from Beauty Queen UK, for two and half months! I don't go to London very often (I'm one of those people that annoyingly stands in the middle of the escalator up/down to the tube because they forget), so as well as looking forward to meeting lots of other bloggers, I was excited to do some shopping.

The first part of the meetup was in Tiger Tiger, not far from Piccadilly tube station. It was a chance for everyone to chat and have a drink, which was really nice. Helen brought an amazing cake and some seriously yummy cake pops for us, but regretfully I didn't take a photo. Unfortunately I didn't manage to speak to everyone but it was great to catch up with some bloggers I'd met before at the Bristol meetup and finally meet some that I've spoken to for awhile on Twitter and/or followed their blogs. It would take ages to mention you all but you know who you are :-)

I got to chat lots with Georgina from Makeup-Pixi3

With the lovely Emma from Meet the Millards

Great to meet Kat from Tales of a Pale Face after following her blog for ages

Clair from Bags, Bows, Boots on the left & Poppy, one of my spending ban buddies, on the right. I met both of these lovely ladies at the Bristol Meetup in February.

A group shot courtesy of Emma

As you can see some of us are rocking some pretty awesome eyelashes in these pictures! Helen had arranged for a representative from Paperself, who create paper-cut eyelashes, to come along to Tiger Tiger and apply their lashes for free! Their eyelashes are amazing, they are so intricate and have a selection of beautiful designs. They even featured in The Hunger Games film. When looking through the designs I came across a pair with a bird design and knew I just had to choose those ones! The Paperself representative was lovely and expertly and quickly applied a third of the eyelashes to my eyes. Apparently this design will be worn in the second Hunger Games film, Catching Fire. 

Some of the Paperself designs

Close up of my lashes courtesy of Clair

Before leaving Tiger Tiger to head off shopping, Helen gave out some seriously generous goody bags with a amazing range of brands and products. The most exciting part of the bags for me was the Rio nail art sets; I love a bit of nail art and I can't wait to start using them. 

Not the best lighting here - sorry! The very white bag on the bottom left contains samples of the Ginvera BB Cream and Marvel Gel

We all split off to go shopping and went to Libertys, MAC Pro, & Other Stories and Boots. Considering I've been on a spending ban, my spending was really rather reserved! I will do a separate post spending ban haul post in the very near future! Poppy and I got the train to London together and we were getting the train back together as well at a set time, so we didn't have time to go to lots of shops, as we wanted to eat too (starving was an understatement!). Grace (from All That Slap - so good to finally meet her), Kat, Natasha, Poppy and I had a really nice meal at The Spaghetti House, before heading back to the train to get a coffee cooler from Costa and then rest our weary feet!

All in all I had an amazing day, so thank you so much to Helen and everyone else involved!

I hope you all had a good weekend?

Beauty Bird xx

OOTD: Birds and Bows

Outfit

Embroidered Hummingbird T-shirt - New Look - bought in store, not available online

Shorts - Primark - bought in store, not available online

Sunglasses (Style 52) - Accessorize - bought in store, not available online

Sandals - Dorothy Perkins - old

Necklace - Zara Taylor - link

Nails

Daisy Nail Art - NOTD link

I know right, another OOTD! Hopefully I'll keep this up and make fashion posts a more regular thing. This is quite a special OOTD for me, as the same evening as taking these photos my boyfriend proposed! I wasn't wearing this outfit when it happened, but I look back at these photos and think how completely oblivious I was to what was going to happen, whereas he was probably full of nerves! The photos are taken by the River Thames near Kelmscott and it was absolutely boiling! We were on my boyfriend's fiance's boat on our way to stay at an old inn for the night and stopped here to have a picnic on the riverbank. It really was the best day and evening ever.

I'm wearing here a pretty cheap but cheerful outfit. The t-shirt was just £12.99 from New Look (I only bought it two or three weeks ago but I can't see it online) and is quite thin and not too fitted, so perfect for hot days. The shorts were an absolute bargain £5.00 from Primark, bought a few months ago. I usually wear slightly longer shorts, but it was so hot I was past caring to be honest! Finally, I just need to express my love for my bow necklace from Zara Taylor; I'm wearing it all the time at the moment. I really recommend checking out the website, the jewellery range is amazing and I have quite a few things on my wishlist!

What are your summer fashion bargains?

Beauty Bird xx

Products I'd Love To Sample #1

Rachel from Beauty Queen UK did a post like this recently and I loved reading it; it made me think about what products I'd love to try in sample size, so I could make more of an informed decision on whether to buy the full size. 

Elemental Herbology Facial Detox Purifying Mask

Designed for oily, blemished and congested skin. A deep cleansing, purifying mask for effective treatment of breakouts.

I've had my eye on this ever since reading about it on Mel's blog Wall of Mirrors as it sounds perfect for my troublesome skin. You can get a 15ml sample of this for £2.25 on the website Naturismo (here) when you purchase a full size product, so now I'm off my spending ban this is happening!!

Elemental Herbology Facial Glow Radiance Peel

This brings radiance to dull, dry skin and unblocks pores to relieve congestion.

I've been dying to try a radiance mask for ages. I picked up a sample of the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask at yesterday's London blogger meetup I attended (post to come!) but it would be great to have another to try and compare it to. A 15ml sample of this can also be bought from Naturismo.

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15  

Absorbs excess oils and minimises the appearance of pores while keeping makeup looking fresh all day. 

With the full size of this costing £52.00 for 30ml (!!!) and £20.00 for 10ml, I think I'd be forgiven for wanting to try this before splurging. I have read a lot of really positive reviews on this but it's an awful lot of money just for a primer. I'm just so intrigued about whether it's worth the hype!

La Roche-Posay Toleriane Teint Corrective Fluid Foundation SPF20

Corrects and evens out complexion with a natural looking result, designed for sensitive to intolerant skin. 

As some of you will know, I absolutely love my Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation, but as a blogger itchy feet is inevitable! This sounds similar - it's high coverage with an SPF and I'd love to see how the two compare.

  

REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser

A purifying, antibacterial cleanser formulated to combat and help prevent breakouts and blemishes. 

I really should have asked for a sample of this when I asked for the Radiance Mask sample, but I felt too cheeky! Regretting not being cheeky now to be honest! This another one that the lovely Mel has talked about and I'd love to use something like this in the mornings to give my skin the best start. 

Originally the Ginvera BB cream was on my list too, so I was seriously excited to discover a sample of it in the London meetup goody bag! 

 
What products would you love to sample before buying full size?

Beauty Bird xx 

 

Ambiance Giveaway 5 - Volumizing Dry Shampoo in Red

Last month I blogged about the Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo in Blonde (here), a 100% natural dry shampoo that comes in the form of a coloured powder applied with a brush, available in five colours; blonde, black, brunette, grey and red. Not only does it refresh and volumize hair, but the concentrated colour conceals those dreaded roots or areas where your hair might be thinning.

I have teamed up with the lovely people at Ambiance to give away five Volumizing Dry Shampoos in each of the available colours to five lucky winners! For the next five days I will post one giveaway a day, each lasting 24 hours, so please keep checking back for your colour!

 

Today is the chance to win an Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo in RED. You will receive the dry shampoo as seen in the picture, along with a powder refill (as seen on the Natural Origin website here). 

This giveaway is open to UK residents only and the prizes will be sent direct from Ambiance. It's really easy to enter, all you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

GOOD LUCK!

Beauty Bird xx

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ambiance Giveaway 4 - Volumizing Dry Shampoo in Grey

Last month I blogged about the Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo in Blonde (here), a 100% natural dry shampoo that comes in the form of a coloured powder applied with a brush, available in five colours; blonde, black, brunette, grey and red. Not only does it refresh and volumize hair, but the concentrated colour conceals those dreaded roots or areas where your hair might be thinning.

I have teamed up with the lovely people at Ambiance to give away five Volumizing Dry Shampoos in each of the available colours to five lucky winners! For the next five days I will post one giveaway a day, each lasting 24 hours, so please keep checking back for your colour!

Today is the chance to win an Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo in GREY. You will receive the dry shampoo as seen in the picture, along with a powder refill (as seen on the Natural Origin website here). If you don't have grey hair, why not enter on an older friend or family member's behalf?

This giveaway is open to UK residents only and the prizes will be sent direct from Ambiance. It's really easy to enter, all you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

GOOD LUCK!

Beauty Bird xx

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTD: Daisies

Today's NOTD post comes to you on location! I've wanted to have a go at floral nail art for ages and daisies seemed like an easy one to start with, plus they're so summery too! My sister has already asked me to do this on her nails one day.

For the base colour I used the gorgeous Lapiz of Luxury by Essie, which was my first ever Essie nail varnish. For the yellow centres I used Almost Famous by Color Club and created them by using the end of a bobby pin dipped into the nail varnish. Finally I used my Models Own Nail Art Pen in White to draw on the petals and finished with a Seche Vite top coat.

My very own Daisy came with me when I took these pictures, so I took a picture of her lying among the daisies!

What type of floral nail art do you love?

Beauty Bird xx

Ambiance Giveaway 3 - Volumizing Dry Shampoo in Brunette

Last month I blogged about the Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo in Blonde (here), a 100% natural dry shampoo that comes in the form of a coloured powder applied with a brush, available in five colours; blonde, black, brunette, grey and red. Not only does it refresh and volumize hair, but the concentrated colour conceals those dreaded roots or areas where your hair might be thinning.

I have teamed up with the lovely people at Ambiance to give away five Volumizing Dry Shampoos in each of the available colours to five lucky winners! For the next five days I will post one giveaway a day, each lasting 24 hours, so please keep checking back for your colour!

Today is the chance to win an Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo in BRUNETTE. You will receive the dry shampoo as seen in the picture, along with a powder refill (as seen on the Natural Origin website here). 

This giveaway is open to UK residents only and the prizes will be sent direct from Ambiance. It's really easy to enter, all you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

GOOD LUCK!

Beauty Bird xx

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Budget Bucket List Competition with Money Supermarket

First of all, thank you very much to Helen from Beautifully Superfluous for tagging me to do this competition!

The Competition and The Rules

The idea of The Budget Bucket List Competition is to write a blog post about one budget bucket list item ad one extravagant bucket list item. The post should also include what is preventing you from doing them and what it would mean to you to complete each of these items. The post should also three other bloggers you think would also be interested in entering this competition.

To let Money Supermarket know you have entered, you can tag them on Facebook or Twitter (the latter using the hashtag #budgetbucketlist) or email them at competitions@moneysupermarket.com with the subject "Budget Bucket List". For full details click here.

The competition ends on 2nd August 2013 and the winners will be chosen by Money Supermarket's Social Media Executive, Salome.

The Prizes

The first prize is £1,000.00 and four runners up will win £50.00. If more than fifty people enter the competition, the first prize will be doubled to £2,000.00.

BUDGET

Source

I would absolutely love to go to the theatre and see a musical! My other half and I went to see We Will Rock You for our birthdays quite a few years ago and it was so, so good! However as we have now have a mortgage and bills coming out of our ears, this sort of thing is one treat that I have dropped. I have always wanted to see The Lion King; it looks visually stunning.

EXTRAVAGANT 

Source

At first I couldn't decide on which of my extravagant bucket list items to choose, but last week a new one cropped up and I knew instantly this had to be the one. Last week I think I was made the happiest girl alive when my boyfriend of 9 years PROPOSED. Obviously we've been together a long time and we've mentioned the idea of marriage on the odd occasion (more on my side!), but I never expected it to happen at this point in our lives (although I was praying it was before I turned 30!). He ordered the ring 6 months ago and had decided he wanted to ask me to marry him sometime last year, so he kept it all very secret; I really didn't have a clue. We're going to wait a few years to get married so we can get some more money together and enjoy planning it slowly! Obviously a wedding can cost as little or as much as you like and I have no idea what we will look to spend budget wise, but I would definitely class it as extravagant. It would be lovely to have exactly what we want on what is meant to be the happiest day of our lives, but we have to be realistic too and so it's time to be extra frugal from now on!

The three bloggers I tag for The Budget Bucket List Competition are:

1. Laura from A Scottish Lass
2. Alessia from Whispers from Angels
3. Mel from Mirror on the Wall

Have you entered this competition? What sort of things are on your bucket list, either budget or extravagant?

Beauty Bird xx

Ambiance Giveaway 2 - Volumizing Dry Shampoo in Black

Last month I blogged about the Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo in Blonde (here), a 100% natural dry shampoo that comes in the form of a coloured powder applied with a brush, available in five colours; blonde, black, brunette, grey and red. Not only does it refresh and volumize hair, but the concentrated colour conceals those dreaded roots or areas where your hair might be thinning.

I have teamed up with the lovely people at Ambiance to give away five Volumizing Dry Shampoos in each of the available colours to five lucky winners! For the next five days I will post one giveaway a day, each lasting 24 hours, so please keep checking back for your colour!

Today is the chance to win an Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo in BLACK. You will receive the dry shampoo as seen in the picture, along with a powder refill (as seen on the Natural Origin website here). 

This giveaway is open to UK residents only and the prizes will be sent direct from Ambiance. It's really easy to enter, all you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

GOOD LUCK!

Beauty Bird xx

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ambiance Giveaway 1 - Volumizing Dry Shampoo in Blonde

Last month I blogged about the Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo in Blonde (here), a 100% natural dry shampoo that comes in the form of a coloured powder applied with a brush, available in five colours; blonde, black, brunette, grey and red. Not only does it refresh and volumize hair, but the concentrated colour conceals those dreaded roots or areas where your hair might be thinning.

I have teamed up with the lovely people at Ambiance to give away five Volumizing Dry Shampoos in each of the available colours to five lucky winners! For the next five days I will post one giveaway a day, each lasting 24 hours, so please keep checking back for your colour!

Today is the chance to win an Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo in BLONDE. You will receive the dry shampoo as seen in the picture, along with a powder refill (as seen on the Natural Origin website here). 

This giveaway is open to UK residents only and the prizes will be sent direct from Ambiance. It's really easy to enter, all you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter form below.

GOOD LUCK!

Beauty Bird xx

a Rafflecopter giveaway

OOTD: A Nautical (Rope) Twist

 Outfit

Colour Block Dress With Rope Belt* - Club L - link

Sandals - New Look - old

Sunglasses (Style 52) - Accessorize - bought in store, not available online

Skull Bracelet - Dorothy Perkins - old

Nails
Fingers - Bottle Service by Essie* - link
Toes - Hypnotic Turquoise by Miss Sporty - link

First of all, I know, I actually have my legs out in a post! All I've been wearing since the summer crept out of nowhere is dresses, skirts and shorts - it's been too hot to worry about how white my legs are! 

I absolutely love this cream and navy dress; I wore it out to an early summer's evening meal with some friends. I think it's a nice compromise between casual and dressy; I wore it with sandals but it would look great with a pair of tan or gold wedges. The rope belt with the gold cuffs gives it a fab nautical twist (I love the nautical trend!) and gives the dress that extra oomph it would be missing otherwise.

I really enjoyed doing this OOTD post, as at the beginning of the year I made a resolution to do more fashion and lifestyle posts, which I've not been too good at. So if you would like to see more, please let me know!

Beauty Bird xx

P.S. This post contains a PR sample. This does not affect my opinion of the product. 

Review: Soap and Glory Scrub, Actually

Once a week I like to have a good body exfoliate and this is my current exfoliator, which I received as a present for my birthday. Being a huge fan of Soap and Glory's Breakfast Scrub, I couldn't wait to give their Scrub, Actually a try.

Soap and Glory say, "An absolute smash of a body buffer, with smoothing brown sugar, white sugar and natural apricot kernel oil. Loaded with kukui oil, mango butter and vitamin E. Scented with our fruity Blueberry fragrance."

I really do like the formula of this; the grainy sugar granules surrounded in a mix of moisturising butters and oils are a winning combination. The butters and oils prevent the sugar from being too harsh on your skin when exfoliating and leave it soft and hydrated afterwards. Everything just sort of melts into the skin, so no risk of finding the odd stowaway granule once you get out of the shower! I absolutely love the fruity scent too, it's really fresh and reviving. 

If you want a hydrating exfoliator then Soap and Glory's Scrub, Actually is a great solution and I would definitely get another when this runs out. I still love The Breakfast Scrub but the two are very different; I'd use The Breakfast Scrub for a more intensive exfoliate as the formula is drier and lot more scrub-by!

Scrub, Actually is £7.00 for a 200ml tube and can be purchased from Boots here.

What's your favourite body exfoliator? 

Beauty Bird xx

The Skincare Tag

The lovely Natasha from Shot of Beauty recently tagged me to do this post. I absolutely love skincare, so this was definitely a tag I've enjoyed writing as well as reading! 

Describe your skincare routine in 5 words.
Cleanse, tone, serum/oil, eye cream, moisturise.

What's your skin type?
Combination - my t-zone is oily and my cheeks go between normal and dry.

What's your favourite skincare product?
My favourite skincare product tends to change quite frequently! At the moment I'm absolutely loving Antipodes Divine Face Oil. It makes my skin looks amazing - radiant, plump and healthy. I add a little extra on blemishes and scars; it seems to control blemishes really well and my scars are gradually improving.
 
Top blemish zapper
I haven't been using spot treatments much recently - I've been focusing on my skincare routine and added some new products, which seems to have improved my outbreaks greatly. But of course they always arise at some point, so if I do use a spot treatment, I'll use Dermalogica Overnight Clearing Gel for lumpy spots and Metique 10% Blended Tea Tree Oil for whiteheads (full review here) before bed.
 
Face wipes yay or nay?
As an integral part of a skincare routine definitely not! I keep a pack in my bedside drawer though as a backup for removing eye makeup in a rush. 

Toner yay or nay?
Yes definitely! I use the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer, which is a hydrating toner, every day after cleansing. I also use it throughout the day as needed. Caroline Hirons has made me realise that toner is an essential part of a skincare routine - just choose one without alcohol! Toner re-balances skin, hydrates and aids the absorption of serum/moisturiser. I've also recently started using an exfoliating toner every other day - Pixi Glow Tonic - which is a liquid that you apply around the face with a cotton pad. It exfoliates without the need for a product that contains beads or grains.

High end skincare or high end makeup?
High end skincare - I'd rather invest in my skin and work on improving it. I'd love to have flawless skin and the confidence to go without makeup! But in the meantime, I think the better your skin looks, the better the makeup will look!
 
What's the most unusual skincare product you've tried?
I don't think I've ever tried anything really unusual. The Ginvera Green Tea Whitening Marvel Gel has probably been the most unusual for me - it's a green gel which you massage into your skin. Despite containing no beads or grains, it exfoliates and after 15 seconds of massaging creates white flakes of dead skin and dirt! You can see my full review here.

You're in a French pharmacy and can only pick one item - what is it?
I would definitely pick something that isn't readily available in the UK. I'd love to try La Roche-Posay Serozinc, which is a hydrating spray, after Caroline Hirons mentioned it in the video with Pixiwoo here.
 
Tell us your top skincare tip 
One of my favourites is to double cleanse - the first cleanse removes the top layer of any dirt/makeup and then the second can really get into your pores and cleanse the skin. I would also recommend choosing products that don't contain any harsh ingredients - choose natural ingredients where possible.

I really hope you enjoyed reading this tag! I tag all of you lovelies reading this post - if you decide to do it please send me your links!

Beauty Bird xx

July 2013 Beauteco Box

There are a lot of different beauty boxes on the market, but I when first heard of the Beauteco Box it really stood out to me from all the others.

With Beauteco, you will actually know what you will be receiving in the box before it even reaches your door. Every month Beauteco will have three different "menus" available, with the products on each menu fully listed on their website. This means you can make an informed choice about which box you will receive. Each box contains 5 products, which are a mixture of full size and sample size products. The reason I've never ordered a beauty box before or signed up to a subscription is because of the element of surprise; I don't want to risk ending up with lots of beauty products that I will never use. The Beauteco Box is the perfect solution for someone like me!

I am so impressed with the menu options available for July. I chose Menu Two, which consists of a whopping four full size products and one sample size: 

Neal and Wolf Elevate Volumising Lotion 200ml (full size, worth £11.95)

Designed to leave hair stronger, fuller and give more control.

Neal and Wolf Harmony Intensive Care Treatment 200ml (full size, worth £12.95)

A unique combination of intensive conditioners to repair damaged hair.

Art Deco Eyeshadow Base 5ml (full size, worth £8.00)

Prevents the deposition of eyeshadow in the eyelid crease and makes powder eyeshadows highly long lasting, intense and brilliant.

Art Deco Soft Kajal Liner (full size, worth £6.75)

A liner with a colour intensive formula and soft, gel-like texture.

Pukka Radiance Serum 10ml (sample size, worth £6.40)

A wonder serum to leave skin feeling fresh and bright.

So far I have tried both of the Neal and Wolf hair products and when used in conjunction with each other, I was left with super soft hair and a serious amount of body! I can't wait to give the other products a try.

In total the value of the contents of this box is £46.05 and the box retails for £10.00 plus £2.95 postage, so you are saving yourself over two thirds of the price of buying the items individually! Beauteco also offer pre-paid subscriptions plans for 3, 6 and 12 months, which offer savings compared to buying the box on a monthly basis. The actual boxes themselves are also 100% recyclable; Beauteco state that they "hope to make an impact on you, but not on the environment".

I can't wait to see what Beauteco will have on offer next month! You can check out their website here. July's box is available for the whole month or until stocks last.

Are you a fan of beauty boxes? Have you tried a Beauteco box?

Beauty Bird xx

P.S. This post contains a PR sample. This does not affect my opinion of the product.

NOTD: Essie Bottle Service

Normally in the summer I instantly reach for pastels when it comes to nail varnish, however after applying this I am a neon convert! This gorgeous neon fuchsia shade is called Bottle Service and is part of Essie's 2013 Neon Collection. The Neon Collection is made up six bright and beautiful shades; Bottle Service, DJ Play That Song (neon plum), Shake Your $$ Maker (electric green), Saturday Disco Fever (fire coral), Boom Boom Room (ultra bright pink) and Bouncer, It's Me! (vivid blue). 

I applied three coats to achieve a fully opaque finish, although you could get away with just two coats. I've absolutely loved having this on my nails - I think it's perfect for summer; a stand out shade to really make your whole outfit pop. 

Essie Bottle Service and the rest of the 2013 Neon Collection are available now on the website HQ Hair here and they're currently on a 3 for 2 offer with free delivery!

Are you a fan of neon nail varnish? Will you pick up any of Essie's new collection?

Beauty Bird xx

P.S. This post contains a PR sample. This does not affect my opinion of the product.

Review: Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask

I lusted after the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask for ages before finally buying and oh was it worth the wait!

Antipodes say, "A traditional remedy of New Zealand Maori people is antibacterial manuka honey, which powerfully draws moisture to your skin to hydrate it intensely. This facial mask delivers an intensely moisturising, cleansing and antioxidising treatment. It is the ultimate solution for spots and blemishes. Fragrances of vanilla pod and mandarin linger to bring peace and balance to your aura."

It has a lovely thick and creamy formula (similar to that of your typical hair conditioner), which I smooth over my face once or twice a week and rinse off after 15 minutes as recommended. The formula does dry and tighten your face slightly, but it's not uncomfortable at all and it comes off easily with a flannel or muslin cloth. It smells absolutely gorgeous - this must be one of the nicest scents I have ever smelt for a face mask.

After using the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask my skin feels so soft and looks plump and hydrated - just really healthy! When it comes to spots and blemishes, I do feel that they look slightly less angry and inflamed directly after use. However I notice the biggest difference the next morning - when incorporated with my normal nightly skincare routine, this really seems to accelerate the reduction of spots and blemishes compared to when I don't use it. It's just the ideal mask if you want to treat troubled skin without having to use a clay based mask and because it hydrates at the same time, you don't really need to use a separate hydrating mask afterwards. 

I bought this 75ml tube from Feel Unique (here) for £21.50 and for me, it's worth every penny. I will definitely re-purchase; this one's a keeper!

Have you tried the Antipodes Aura Manuka Mask? What face mask are you loving right now?

Beauty Bird xx

Guest Post: Beauty in Japan - Products I'll Be Using This Summer

*waves*

Hello! Let me introduce myself… *smartens self up*

I am Danniella Josephine and I am here today to ramble on about the products I am going to be reaching for this summer! I’m like, totes excited about guest posting on Sasha’s blog today as Sasha was one of the first blogs I followed when I took the first steps into Twitter (and in turn realising there was a helluva lot more blogs out there than I had thought…)

At the time of writing, the weather in England is a bit dire.  It’s wet, it’s windy; it’s downright miserable. *grumbles* *shakes fist at sky* I am however staying optimistic that we haven’t seen the last of the sunshine. Just in case the sun and the rain have got themselves muddled and the rain is here and the sun is in Spain, I will be reaching for the Models Own nail polishes in Hedonist and Sunset Chillout to inject some colour and sparkle into my life.

When it is sunny, there is always one product that I use consistently every day; that is the Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream.  Regular readers of my blog will be sick of me harping on about this, so perhaps it’s time for you, as Sasha’s readers, to bear the brunt of my love for this product.  When you have tried this product, you’ll be throwing all your heavy Western BB Creams into the bin! (or perhaps donating them to a family member).  This BB cream IS what a BB Cream should be.  It promises to “provides the benefits of blemish free concealing, sun block effects, whitening, moisturising and reduction of lines, providing a long lasting smooth and ultra light feel to nourish and perfect your skin”.  In a nutshell, this is a product that will make your skin look better with time.  Ready to hop on to the bandwagon?  Take my hand, I’ll help you up.

Summer days = longer days, which means my hair style needs to stay put.  I’ve somehow been “blessed” *rolls eyes* with soft, wispy hair that never seems to have any texture; which makes styling 10x harder than it needs to be! I’ve been using the Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray to cheat textured, beachy waves without the actual going-outside-and-going-to-a-beach hoo ha.  Why go outside when I can stay INSIDE and read blogs?

Recently, my eagle eyes spotted a cute Benefit set by the name of “Coral my World”.  Those sneaky Boots people placing products near the till, knowing full well us beauty junkies will give into temptation! The Coral my World set contains minis of Benefit Sunbeam and Benefit Coralista; products which may actually be summer in a box.  I like to dab Benefit Sunbeam on my Real Techniques Stippling Blush and stipple and blend on to areas of my face where the sun would naturally hit and then use the Real Techniques Buffing Brush to swirl Coralista on the apples of my cheeks.   If you see this set in Boots, get it!

As the typical English summer gives us sweaty summer days, it is also partial to a downpour every now and again.  To stay prepared for any weather condition I use my favourite mascara evaaa; Benefit They’re Real.   This mascara, curls, lengthens, volumises… it does it all!  It’s also a devil to remove but I’m willing to sacrifice a few eyelashes (they died for a good cause) if it means the false lash effect doesn’t budge for hours and hours.

Summer means food festivals and BBQs, and I’m not going to pass up on food because I’m scared my lipstick will smudge! The Maybelline Super Stay 24 Hour Lip Colour is seriously life changing. Simply apply the colour, let it dry and apply the balm on top.  Whizz, bang, pop; you can now re-enact your own version of Man vs Food.  Every now and again, use the lip balm to keep the product from shrinking (not a good look) and to give your lips a bit of TLC.

Last but not least, it’s sunglasses.  With the bright sunshine out, I don’t want crow’s feet at 20!  I picked this pair up free with Cosmpolitan magazine, so no one has an excuse not to protect their eyes.

I hope you enjoyed this post and that you didn’t mind the odd ramble here and there!  A big thank you to Sasha for letting me come over and guest post on her blog.  If you liked what you read you’re always welcome to visit the blog or follow me on Twitter.

x x x

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Thank you very much to Daniella for this fab post and make sure you check out her blog! Please let us know what products you'll be reaching for this summer?

Beauty Bird xx