Friday 30 May 2014

Fragrance Friday Week 3 Loverdose Tattoo

 
Welcome to fragrance Friday week three! The Diesel Loverdose Tattoo is one of my favourite fragrances to wear, i love the fact is girly but isn't to overly sweet. I have also previously used the original Diesel Loverdose and im still unsure as too which one is my favourite out of the two. 
 

 
 

What's the first thing you look for in a perfume
I always look for perfumes with a sweet underlying tone sometimes i go for perfumes that are overly sweet, but as long as they are sweet I'll most likely like it.

Are there any scents take you back to a particular time of life?
Britney Spears Curious is a perfume that takes me back to my care free school days i loved how the bottle looked and had an empty bottle on one of my shelves for months after i finished it.

Lots of different scents for different occasions or one significant scent?
This is my general perfume however i also like to use Marc Jacobs Dot to mix it up a bit depending on my mood or activities for the day.
 
What was the first perfume you remember buying?
I remember buying one of the playboy perfumes! i went through a stage of having playboy stationary, makeup and perfume so i was all matchy and that was when i bought one of my first perfumes.
 
Have you ever bought a perfume solely for the bottle?
No, i don't see the point in buying a perfume that your not going to wear and therefore i wouldn't buy a perfume i don't like the smell of just because it looks pretty.

Are there any male fragrances that you find irresistible?
Paco Rabanne One Million my boyfriend wears it when he wears a fragrance, this is often very rare as he spends most of his time in a hot kitchen! so when he does wear it I love it, i can also instantly recognise it on other men!



 
Anna
xxx
 

Sunday 25 May 2014

#Ultrabondchallenge

I Was lucky enough to receive this amazing package from Nouveau lashes, And take part in the #Ultrabondchallenge On Bank holiday weekend.

The package contained a pair of there infamous lashes and there Ultra bond glue, The challenge was to apply your lashes and the Ultra bond glue on the Friday, and not take them off until the Sunday night.. No glue can be that god right? 



The lashes them self where really nice and natural they didn't feel uncomfortable, and well to be 100% honest I forgot they where on! 

Now The weekend of the challenge I never got to go on a proper night out, It was mainly work and a few at the local with the work mates after as I was going on holiday when the Challenge ended on the Monday. So excuse these 'work selfies'

Friday, They where freshly applied and looked great, They just feel so natural and mend together with your lashes like there supposed to be there, I got alot of compliments on how good they looked.

Over the next 48 hours, I worked slept showered bathed.. And guess what? They didn't budge.. I half expected to wake up with what could only resemble spiders stuck to my cheeks that's totally never happened before after a night out! so I was very surprised to say the least!



I am blown away by the quality and longevity of these lashes and glue, As an avid Eyelash wearer I know it doesn't matter weather you wear £1 lashes or £20 lashes! as long as you have a good glue your set to go it really is an investment. Ultrabond glue retails at £12.95 and the lashes at £9.

So I passed the challenge, They lasted 3 whole days! You can see the results of this challenge by searching the hashtag #ultrabondchallenge 

Are you an avid Eyelash wearer like my self? Do you reckon you could pass this challenge please comment!!

Wednesday 21 May 2014

Vitage Skincare

Skincare is super-duper important to me, more important than any type of make-up. I was offered the chance to test out some skincare items from a brand called Vitage, which admittedly I had not heard of before but after a quick search online I was really excited to give them a go.

Vitage products are packed with superior antioxidants and potent anti-ageing ingredients. 
The products I was sent were:
Revitalising Daily Cleanse, Vitamin C Radiance Serum & Skin Defence SPF30


The packaging is simple and sleek, the cleanser and the serum both have pumps and the SPF comes in a tube, all of which are very hygienic. 

Revitalising Daily Cleanse - a very gentle cleanser that effectively removes any impurities and make-up from the skin. It calms and soothes the skin and is also suitable for all skin types. I have been mostly using this in the mornings as it leaves my skin feeling really fresh and soft. It has a very light scent which I can't quite explain but it is very subtle and non-offensive. This retails for £24

Vitamin C Radiance Serum - this helps tighten and hydrate the skin and provides an instant defence against ageing and environmental damage. It helps to restore uneven skin tone and sun damaged skin. This is also suitable for all skin types. I use this after cleansing to put the moisture back into my skin. Again it has a very light and non-offensive scent. This retails for £51

Skin Defence SPF 30 - this provides UVA and UVB protection and also defends the skin against premature ageing. A good SPF is so important in any skincare routine, especially in the warmer months. I've been using this as the final step of my skincare routine. It feels really light on the skin so you are able to apply make-up on top of it and it is really moisturising. Dryer skin types may want to use a separate moisturiser before applying this but for me this is enough on its own. This retails for £22


I have been enjoying using these products for the last month or so and this will remain to be my morning skincare routing for the rest of the summer. 
You can purchase these products aswell as the rest of the Vitage range here


Have you heard of Vitage Skincare before? I'd love to know your thoughts....

Linda x

Saturday 17 May 2014

A Tarte Sephora Haul

When I first heard Sephora had starting shipping to the UK I literally squealed with excitement, this is the biggest beauty news of 2014 for sure! It took a while for me to finalise my basket and several annoying moments realising certain things were excluded from UK delivery such as perfume, nail polish and specific brands such as NARS and Hourglass.

I finally decided on an all Tarte order as they were a brand I had always heard amazing things about but never had the opportunity to try for myself. (Just to point out, I know you can buy Tarte products in the UK via QVC but they seem to be constantly sold out, and never had the full product/shade range anyway)

Here are the products I decided on...



Amazonian Clay Full Coverage foundation - I chose the shade Ivory for my pale skin and luckily it is a perfect match! I have only tried this once so far but I really did love it and can't wait to get more use out of it. On my next order I shall be buying the foundation brush to go with this as it looks amazing!

Amazonian Clay 12 hour blush - I decided to go for 2 of these and it was too difficult to decided on just one. I chose Blissful and Fearless and I love them both equally. I have used these everyday and next time I make a Sephora order I will be trying out some other shades for sure!

Amazonian Butter Lipstick - Again I couldn't decide on just one shade and I went for Tulip and Angelic Nude. I love the packaging of these and the formula is lovely. They smell really minty which I'm not massively keen on but I can live with it. Tulip is my favourite of the two shades and I have been reaching for it daily.



Sephora charge a flat rate of £10 to ship to the UK no matter how much you buy and it came within around 4 days which as really impressive. I've already filled up my basket for my next purchase! This may become a little addictive...

Without going into detail I think an honourable mention needs to go to the amazing samples that come with each order, you can choose up to 3 and they also added a couple extra...


Let me know what you think of the products I bought in the comments below, and also if you want to see an in depth review of any of these products let me know and I'll be happy to do so...

Linda x

Friday 16 May 2014

Fragrance Friday Week Two- Lady Million

Fragrance Friday numero dos! Lady Million is my staple perfume at the moment. I got it for Christmas last year after lusting after it for months and months and it's just beautiful. I'm truly awful at explaining the smellut Paco Rabanne explains it as a "woody floral scent" with top notes of neroli, bitter orange and raspberry, heart notes of  orange flower and jasmine sambac and base notes of honey and patchouli. I'd say it was the floral scent for the women who aren't floral scent wearers and I would buy bottle after bottle!






On to the questions!

What's the first thing you look for in a perfume? 
I like something a little bit different, and something that I instantly love. I would never buy a perfume that I thought I could just get used to. 

Are there any scent that takes you back to a particular time of life?
When I was around 16 years old I just loved Kate Moss' perfume. It's such a recognisable scent and I've even kept one of the bottles to smell for a bit of nostalgia!

Lots of different scents for different occassions or one signature scent? 
Sometimes, yes. I use Lady Million on a day to day basis and on some nights but for a night out when I just want something special I'll use a spritz of Tom Ford Black Orchid. It's an unusual smell but it's so beautiful and ladylike.

What was the first perfume you remember buying? 
Oh gosh! I didn't buy my own perfume until I was 18, which was a bottle of pure by DKNY, which I still love. I remember being bought a teeny tiny bottle of Burberry weekend for Christmas one year from a friend at school when I was around 13 and feeling so grown up!

Have you ever bought a perfume solely for the bottle? 
No I haven't, although I've been tempted more than once!

Are there any male fragrances that you find irresistable?
I don't actually think I could recognise a male scent and no what it was so unfortunately not. I find male scents can be either really overpowering or spot on perfect- there doesn't seem to be an in between.

Kate A x

Wednesday 14 May 2014

Harper's Bazaar - Birchbox May 2014

This month we have a very exciting Birchbox - The Birchbox team have collaborated with the experts at Harper's Bazaar to put together this collection of products designed to prepare you for a season of outdoor adventure.

Here's what was inside...







Benefit They're Real Mascara - A great mascara I have used before and enjoyed so I was happy to see this in my box. This is a mini size and a full size retails for £19.50

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - I use this cleanser daily and I love getting the little mini's as they are perfect for travelling! This also comes with a muslin cloth so is everything you need. This retails for £13.25

Soigne Nail Lacquer - I had never heard of this brand before, but it is a non-toxic formula which sounds great and it is a very pretty summer colour. This retails for £11

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oil - I was most excited about this product as I have heard amazing things about these oils but never got around to trying them. This one is scented with pink grapefruit, rosemary and juniper berry and I think I'm addicted already. These retail for £39

Beauty Protector Shampoo & Conditioner - A sulfate-free formula to strengthen, nourish and protect your hair. I was pleased to see these in my box, although I'd never heard of the brand before. When travelling it seems I have mini's of absolutely everything except shampoo and conditioner. Last month on a weekend trip to Dublin I had to take a little sachet of shampoo from a magazine and no conditioner as I left all my packing to the last minute. I shall be saving these for future trips as they seem perfect! These retail for £14 each

Let me know what you think of this month's box in the comments below...

Linda x



Friday 9 May 2014

Fragrance Friday - Kate H - Vera Wang Lovestruck

Hi, it's Kate H here. Welcome to our first ever Fragrance Friday! Here at the Beauty Hot Squad we are wanting to let our readers know a little bit more about who's writing the posts by featuring a favourite perfume or scent every Friday. 

Every girl has at least one perfume that she adores! I tend to change my favourite all the time. I have lots of faves but tend to have a "scent of the moment". At the moment it's Vera Wang's Lovestruck EDP, I bought this in Vegas last year and I really think it's why I love it so much. It reminds me so much of the best time of my life.


This is an amazing bottle to sit on my drawers. It's so beautiful and it's my favourite colour! This is a perfect all rounder for me, I can wear it any time, at any occasion. The tops notes are guava with a light florally air about it and rich woody base notes. It's really, truely a wonderful scent. I got it for a bargainous $40 for a 50ml bottle.

So there is my Fave Fragrance. Now for a few little questions for you to get to know what we love about fragrances. Feel free to join in and let us know if you choose to join us in our Fragrance Friday Q&A's.

What's the first thing you look for in a perfume? 
I love a good floral scent but it can't be overbearing. It needs to sit light but last all day.

Are there any scent that takes you back to a particular time of life?
When I was 17 I went to Florida and bought my first ever high end perfume - Vera Wang Princess. I've been a massive fan of Vera's ever since. It reminds me of some of the fun times I had with my best friends BBAB. (Before Boyfriends and Babies)

Lots of different scents for different occassions or one signature scent? 
I tend to swap and change a lot depending on the season. My signature smell always has to be sweet though, something that puts a smile on my face.

What was the first perfume you remember buying? 
I bought Diesel Green for Women when I was 14. I bought it from TJ Hughes in the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle and I thought I was the absolute boss! (I wasn't)

Have you ever bought a perfume solely for the bottle? 
The Vera Wang Princess was bought solely for the bottle, I touched lucky when it turned out to be the scent of my late teens!

Are there any male fragrances that you find irresistable?
Oooh Paco Rabanne One Million! Oh yes! I bought it for my bf one Christmas and I love it when he wears it. He's keen on his Givenchy now, so hardly get any smells of it anymore. 

Thanks for reading our first Fragrance Friday post and keep an eye out for the other girls' FF posts in coming weeks.


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Fragrance Friday - The Fragrance Shop's Discovery Box

Now we've done a few of these reviews on here of these Discovery Boxes. They are amazing little boxes which contain lots of lovely brand spanking new perfume samples! Here at The Beauty Hot Squad, we've been thinking about doing a Fragrance Friday for a while so to start us off here's some of what The Fragrance Shop believe to be this Summers hottest scents. 

The Fragrance Shop's Discovery Box is just £25 subscription for the year. It's great if you're always on the look out for the newest smells around as these boxes only contain the hottest and most fabulous of fragrances. 



This one included 7 fragrances, 5 for her and 2 for him. 

Guerlain La Petit Robe Noire Couture EDP - Top notes of Raspberries with base notes of patchouli, moss and tonka bean and a warm heart of rose. It's an extremely fruity scent, it's one to definitely tread lightly with because it's very strong. I wouldn't personally wear this one but I do have people in mind that I would recommend this to. 



Givenchy Very Irresistible L'eau en Rose EDT - Top notes of blackberries which sparkle at the top with a musky base note and a heart of rose sorbet. This is my fave out of the whole lot! It's got a lovely rose scent which just channels completely through the entire scent. It's light and pleasant. A perfect scent for those who are looking for that signature smell. 



Eau de Lacoste Sensuelle EDP - With a vibrant blackcurrant tart top note and nougatine and amber base the turkish rose that runs through the heart of this scent envelopes it's essence throughout the whole fragrance. Ultimately, I'd hardly call this scent "Sensual" it's a lovely day to day perfume. I wouldn't save it for a special occasion but it does smell very sweet and tart.



Alien Eau Extraordinaire EDT - This scent is topped with neroli and bergamot tea, bases of white amber and heliotrope with a heart of floral and woody tones. This scent is for lack of other words, a real beaut. It's really nice and a close second to Givenchy. I've wanted to try Alien for ages and this edition of it hasn't disappointed. 



Elie Saab Le Parfum L'Eau Couture EDP - Fresh citrus runs through the top of this scent, also whiffs of bergamot and magnolia. Base notes of green almonds and an infusion of vanilla with a heart of orange blossom. This is definitely one for those who don't really do florally, it's an absolutely fabulous summer scent which I really think would be perfect for an occasion fragrance. 



The 2 male fragrances are Valentino Uomo EDT and Loewe Solo Sport EDT, they are both really quite nice. The Valentino is definitely one of those fragrances that would go fabulously with a man in a suit! 



The Discovery Box does not only contain lots of lovely samples it also contains vouchers to get money off the featured scents. It's definitely really worth it. So to all those perfume addicts out there, go out and purchase yourself a little sub to this! 


Thanks for reading and for more of the latest news and reviews from the Beauty Hot Squad please follow us on Blog Lovin' 

Monday 5 May 2014

Product of the Week - Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

This weeks PotW has been featured on so many blogs and videos that I felt I had to give it a try! It's the gorgeous Rimmel Match Perfection Light Perfecting Radiance Foundation (£6.99) in shade 100 Ivory.



This is a great day to day foundation. I've replaced using my Benefit Hello Flawless with this. It's light/medium coverage means that you don't end up feeling "cakey" like some cheaper foundations can do. It's going to be my go to foundation when the sun finally rears it's face because it's got SPF 18 in it and with skin like mine I need all the protection I can get when it comes to the sun. 



I think this is definitely a great foundation if you're going to an all day thing like a wedding, races, christenings things like that because it's lasting power is incredible. It really does last the test of time and because it has this thing called "Smart-tone" technology so it's great if you have patchy/combination skin tones. 

It's also a pump foundation which means you aren't going to waste lots of product. I think one good pump and a little half pump is perfect for a full face. I've been using my new best friend, the stippling brush, to get a perfect foundation look. I would go as big headed to say that this foundation makes my skin look pretty flawless!

It's a lot like finding a bra with a perfect fit that's well in budget. It fits your (facial) curves perfectly, it's not too bulky and it's just right, just for you. Now I felt I had to disprove this when I seen the raves about it, I am very skeptical and I honestly thought "Nah, bet it's not that good. It will never replace my more expensive stuff" and it has.

Pro's

  • It's cheap
  • There are literally sooo many shades to choose from even if you're porcelain to sun goddess bronzed!
  • It lasts all day
  • SPF 18 *thumbs up*
  • Doesn't leave any tide marks 
  • Perfect for those with patchy/combo skin tones
  • No waste due to pump dispenser
  • It's currently on Boot's 3 for 2 Summer Essentials offer
  • COULD GO ON FOREVER, WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING READING, GO OUT AND BUY!
Con's
  • It's too great, I'm still waiting for a flaw! 


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Sunday 4 May 2014

Product of the Week - Lush's Mmmelting Marshmallow Moment Bath Melt

Might as well change the title of this one to Lush of the Month. I can't help it though I loved this one soo much that I'm planning a trip into town today to get myself another. Now this is called Mmmelting Marshmallow Moment (£3.95) and here it is:


It's not as extravagant or special looking as other products from Lush, it's not a fancy shape and a pretty simple pink colour. The special thing about this is the smell and what it does to your skin. This little melt when put into a bath of hot water fizzes about, leaving the aroma of childhood. It smells like a proper sweet shop where you can buy sweets by the pound (lb) and there's an aire of wonder around. 

It's literally like submerging yourself into a childhood dream. I got two good uses out of this product and I wouldn't have been disappointed if it had only lasted me one! The best thing about this product is that it's fantastic on delicate skin. So if you're a little sensitive to certain bath time treats then this is definitely the one for you. 

Pro's: 

  • Great for those with sensitive skin
  • Smells pretty damn amazing! 
  • Think it's a great price for what it is.
  • Can be used in the kids bath and I can assure you they would love it.
Con's
  • It's no bubble bar but it's got no flaws in my book!
Well that's it from me for this post! Keep a little eye out for another PotW very soon! 



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Thursday 1 May 2014

Denman Tangle Tamer ~ Damage free brushing!


Say hello to the best brush I've ever used.
The Denman Tangle Tamer - aimed mostly at children because of its 'no tears' detangling qualities, has become one of my must-haves. I'm not in to hair, never have been, but even I knew my hair was being destroyed by my hair brush. Brushing my hair after washing was something of a nightmare, it would break, snap, get ripped out and was ultimately a horrific experience... Then I was sent the tangle tamer and it all changed. This brush simply glides through my hair, no pulling or snapping, no discomfort at all and when used whilst drying leaves my hair smooth and sleek. It comes in black and pink (perfect for all those young princesses out there) and is super lightweight so great to carry around. I feel like I should have more to say but it really is amazing and does exactly what it says. Id recommend this to anyone!
This brush retails for £6.20 
Check back for reviews on other brushes from Denman in the future but for now take a look at the website and comment below with your favourites from the range! :)




Lancome Hypnôse 10 year anniversary £10 offer

Hypnôse mascara by Lancome is easily one of the best on the market and one I personally love! It usually retails for £22.50 but for one day only to celebrate it's 10 year anniversary it is on offer for just £10 at debenhams, in store and online! I've bought 2 for myself as that still works out cheaper than one at full price!



Don't miss this great offer! Today only - 1st May 2014
Buy it online here