Sewlomax Summer Sale + Discount Code!

You may know this if you follow me on twitter but I recently became a Sewlomax ambassador! I am so glad that I was one of the lucky few who were picked. This post is just a quick heads up about the Sewlomax summer sale which starts officially tomorrow but some items on the website are already reduced! 

The Sewlomax summer sale sounds amazing as it is up to 70% off with prices starting at £2! I have the cream lipstick pouch which I adore, I have reviewed it, here. Also Sewlomax have just launched their new I'm Sew British collection which is amazing! 

The summer sale starts officially tomorrow and will run for two weeks only! As I am an ambassador I can give my lovely followers and readers a special code that gives you an EXTRA 10% off the sale prices! The code is: AMBASSADOR10

Have you bought anything from Sewlomax? Will you be buying anything in the summer sale?

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Guest Post: Yasmin's Top Chanel Picks

Hi, I'm Yasmin, I blog over at Grandads Gravy and I  have been using Chanel makeup for years! When Heather asked me to write a review I felt like it was a good opportunity  to talk about my favourite Chanel products. Here are my top five products in terms of quality and convenience. 

5. Chanel Le Blanc De Chanel (30ml, £31): This product is ranked fifth within my top five products from Chanel, as it is good but I wouldn't use it everyday. The base/primer comes with a spatula but it would be better if the bottle had a pump dispenser. It makes my skin a blank canvas so my foundation shade shows up true to colour. I find it does make my foundation last longer and my skin feels hydrated for longer. I would buy it again but I have found a better primer, the Smashbox Photo Finish Oil Free Primer - ★★☆☆☆, 2/5. 

4. Chanel Perfection Lumiere Long-Wear Flawless Fluid Makeup (B40, 30ml, £36): This foundation bottle has a pump which is convenient and it is easier to top up my foundation throughout the day. I use my hands to apply the foundation, it has a matte finish which lasts for up to ten hours. I have combination to oily skin so it suits my skin perfectly but when my skin is slightly dry, this foundation highlights the drier patches. Also the foundation lasts for a year even though I use it everyday, I would buy it again, it is worth the money! ★★★☆☆, 3/5. 

3. Chanel No.5 Eau Premiere (75ml, £78): This fragrance may have been discontinued as I cannot really find it online, it is not in stock on the Debenhams website. It smells like a modern version of the original Chanel No5 and has notes such as rose absolute, jasmine, neroli and ylang-ylang. It is a lighter, contemporary version, it is less strong than the original. It lasts for about four hours on the skin however it lasts a long time on clothing. ★★★☆☆, 3/5.

2. Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush (76 Frivole, £31): The shade is a deep pinky coral with no shimmer, but it has a slight iridescent sheen on the skin. The shade is suitable for everyday use as it is subtle when used with the brush that comes with it but it can be too pigmented when heavily applied. The packaging and brush are great for travel, as it is enclosed in a velvet pouch. Also the blush never smashes even though I have dropped it quite a lot! It wears off a bit throughout the day but you can still see it on the skin, I would definitely buy it again. ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

1. Chanel Hydra Beauty Creme (50ml, £50): Where do I start! This is my favourite Chanel product out of my top five. You get a good amount for the price and it is suitable for everyday use - I do not have sensitive skin but it is perfumed so it might irritate sensitive skin types. When applied during my evening skincare routine, my skin feels radiant, plump and...juicy the next morning! It is quite light weight, moist and hydrating but it sinks in quickly and it smells amazing! I could bathe in it! ★★★★★, 5/5!

There are my top five Chanel products!

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Review: W7 Cosmetics

I have heard of W7 cosmetics through the wonderful blogging world for a while but I never got round to buying anything from the brand. The products are sold on Amazon, Xtras, Fragrance Direct and other websites. I was kindly sent four products to review, honesty as always, click here to check out my disclaimer for more information. 

I have the *W7 The Bronzer Matte Compact, *W7 The Cheek Of It Blusher (baby pink), *W7 Souffle Mascara (blackest black) and the *W7 Glamorous Lipgloss (05). These are the first W7 products I have tried. I like the packaging although I think it could be updated and the products look like they are well made. 

W7 Matte Bronzer (£4.95): The bronzer in the pan looks very dark - the photograph above makes it look more orange than it is. The bronzer is actually a really nice shade on my very pale skin, although I have to be careful when applying as the bronzer is quite pigmented. The shade is a bit orange but when used lightly it looks so nice! It has a smooth texture and applies evenly to the skin. The bronzer used lightly gives a nice sun kissed glow to the skin but it doesn't have any shimmer in it, which I like. Overall, ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

W7 Blusher (Baby Pink, £4.95): The blusher has similar packaging to the bronzer, it works well and the shade is really pretty. The shade is a medium bright baby pink with very fine silver shimmer. The blusher as you can see from the swatch above is very pigmented but it can be used subtly or built up to be very strong. The blusher as with the bronzer applies very smoothly and evenly. The shade has the most gorgeous luminous glow but it doesn't look shimmery/glitter. It is almost a blusher/highlighter hybrid. Overall rating, ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

W7 Souffle Mascara (Blackest Black, £4.95): W7 has a large range of mascaras, almost as largest as the huge range of mascaras of Essence cosmetics. I like the packaging, the bristles are not plastic and it doesn't pick up too much product on the brush. With one coat it is quite natural which I love but it can definitely be built up to be very dramatic. It is not clumpy on me and it applies smoothly. Overall, ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

W7 Glamorous Lipgloss (05, £3.95): I am not that much of a lipgloss kind of girl and the shade in the tube doesn't look amazing but on the lips it just gives a gorgeous glossy luminous finish and a slight rosy/browny hue which will look differently depending on how pigmented your lips are. The gloss is really nice on its own or it could be layered within other lip products. It is not sticky, or heavy and my hair doesn't stick to it. It makes the lips looks quite full as it is sheer and has a amazing radiant finish/effect. Overall, ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

Overall, I am very impressed with the products I have tried. I love the mascara, bronzer and lipgloss especially. I would definitely recommend these products and they are so inexpensive! To check out more W7 cosmetics, click here.

Have you tried W7 cosmetics? If you have, what is your favourite W7 product? 

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Birchbox: June

I received an email from Birchbox (I re-subscribe with the same account every now and then) and the email said that if you subscribe and buy the June box, you will get the famous Beauty Blender in your box - this is just for new customers/subscribers which I thought was unfair sending it in a email to people who already have accounts! But I made a new account and used the code so I received the Beauty Blender in my June Birchbox - life complete?

The June Birchbox is world cup themed with a green and yellow bag, the same colours as the Brazilian flag and there is a OPI brazil collection nail polish in the box too - also some flip flop keyring thing that was thrown in the bin straight away! My first impressions are that it is a good range of products, usually beauty subscription boxes are just full of skincare samples (which really annoys me) but this was a nice mix of a nail polish, hair mask, spf and a beauty tool. 

Beauty Blender: First up, I have to talk about the famous beauty blender foundation sponge! I have wanted to try it for ages but I haven't wanted to pay the rather steep price tag for a sponge but I am so glad I was able to try it in this beauty box. I have only used it a couple of times but it has worked so well, I am definitely impressed. I have tried the Cosmopolitan version, the Mac foundation sponge and the Real Techniques one but the closest to the Beauty Blender has to be the Cosmopolitan sponge. It applies foundation so well over dry/flaky skin, I love it! It also comes with a mini soap for the sponge which is so cute. 

Silk + Honey Shea Butter Hair Mask: I have only used this mask once and as I currently have very long, thick hair, I have used up half of the tub already but it was a nice mask. I applied it to dry hair, as I do with all hair masks/treatments and it left my hair smooth and detangled. I am not that keen on the smell and I probably wouldn't buy it but it is nice. 

Caudalie Vinoperfect SPF 15 Day Fluid: I love Caudalie skincare on the whole, so I am excited to try this. I think it will work well and I have been on the hunt for a good SPF for my sensitive skin. 

Naobay Body Radiance Lotion: I do love beauty boxes for their travel size products, I however probably won't use this as I have far too many body lotions - I really don't need more but it does smell nice, quite citrus scented. I will be giving this to a friend but it seems like a nice product.  

OPI Brazil Collection Mini Nail Polish: I have the shade You're So Flippy Floppy, I believe this polish is part of he Brazil beach sandies range as it is a textured polish and looks/feels like sand on the nails. I would have preferred a more wearable shade but it is nice. 

That is my June Birchbox, I am really happy with the box, especially the beauty blender! Did you receive the June Birchbox, if so, what did you receive? 

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The Throwback Tag - are you a 90's child?

I am quite nostalgic about the 90's, as a 90's child there are always photographs on Facebook about 90's kids - it was a great decade to grow up in, in the UK. I saw this tag post on the blog, Little Law a while ago and I knew I had to do it! Who does't love a bit of 90's nostalgia!

Here are the questions! If you want to do this tag, just copy the questions below and leave the links to your throwback tag post in the comments. 

What year were you born in?

1992

Do you have any pictures of yourself from when you were younger? If you do, show them.

We have a lot of photographs of myself and my family, especially when I was a toddler. My auntie also has photographs. It is great to look back through some of them although not all of them - why did my mum think that clown like Disney leggings and Minnie Mouse sunglasses was a good combo!

What TV shows did you grow up watching?

Sabrina the teenage witch, The Simpsons, Goosebumps, Hey Arnold, Kim Possible, Scoobydoo, The wild thornberries, The Amanda Show, Recess, Lizzie McGuire, that's so raven, drake & josh, kenan & kel, saved by the bell, art attack, are you afraid of the dark, power rangers, pingu, postman pat - yeah, we watched a lot of tv! I personally loved Sabrina the teenage witch, art attack and that's so raven.

What did you want to be when you grow up and do you still want to be that?

I didn't know or even think about what I wanted to be, is that weird, it probably is....while in year 5 (about 9 years old) I wanted to be an immunologist - yeah, I was that kid, always wanting to learn and ask questions.

All images are from Google

What were your favourite toys to play with?

There were so many amazing toys when I was a child, not just the computer and gameboy we had but things like furbys, swing ball, barbies, roller skates, twister and playing curby. I also love the horrible history books. Oh and don't get me started on my tamagotchi, that was the only stresses we had as children of the 90's and it was a life and death struggle!

What was the 'cool' thing to have during your childhood?

Slap bracelets, Pokemon cards, pens in every colour, password journal, having your ears pierced and aliens, that were supposed to give birth...still waiting.

What's the most embarrassing thing that you can remember doing?

Oh gosh, there were so many moments but the main one was falling in school in front of everyone and it was down a small set of stairs.

Songs you loved to listen to as a child.

Here are some of the bands I used to love as a child - spice girls, backstreet boys, nsync, Britney Spears, hear say and any kind of Brit or euro pop! Does anyone remember the crazy frog song or the ketchup song! *goes to YouTube immediately*

What was one funny thing you dressed up as when you were younger?

I always used to dress up as Aladdin (strange for a girl I know) as my dad bought an intricate Aladdin like outfit for me from India.

Tell a funny story of something you remember happening when you were young.

Myself, my sister and some friends from our street went to see Jurassic park 3 at the Roxy cinema and when we got back home, we all started digging the garden hoping we would find fossils!

Are there any special things you've kept from when you were a child?

I have kept some of my stuffed teddies, beanie babies and little keepsakes since I was a baby which are in my memory box. Also I have a carved wooden elephant that my dad bought back from a business trip to India when I was a toddler.

What was something weird you used to do as a child?

I used to read through my books/school notes and write all of the information neatly into another notebook with diagrams and facts - as I said, I love to learn!

What's the scariest thing you remember that happened to you when you were younger?

Getting vaccinations, doing presentations in front of my class and loosing a toy in a supermarket!

How is the world now different from how it was like when you were a child?

As a child the only stresses were looking after your tamagotchi pet and deciding what crayons you were going to use. Now there are so many stresses and pressures in terms of what I'm going to do now that I have graduated from university and also body image. I loved growing up in the 90's, it was all about pop music, playing on the street with your friends, water fights, weird and wonderful toys and cheesy tv shows. Someone needs to build a time machine, stat!

Are you also a 90's child? What were your favourite things as a child? Feel free to do this tag and leave your links below. 

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Essence Review: Lips

I recently attended the amazing Essence Cosmetics event in Manchester, you can read my post on the launch and more information about Essence cosmetics, here. I received so many products, so I am going to split the products up into categories such as lips, eyes, face, nails etc. This post is all about the lip products I received (not including a few products I put into giveaway packs). 

Essence XXL Shine Lip glosses: I managed to pick up the shades 'pretty in hibiscus' which is the first product on the left and the shade 'velvet rose'. I also have the shade 'just gorgeous' from the same line but I forgot to photograph it - too much makeup! The 'pretty in hibiscus' shade is so glossy and shiny, it doesn't have much colour but it is nice. The 'velvet rose' shade is a matte and I was excited to try it out but it is so patchy and horrible on my lips! The shade I forgot to photograph 'just gorgeous' is my favourite it is a nice bright medium pink. Overall, they are nice but the matte one 'velvet rose' is awful in my opinion, it is one of the very very few products that I am not too happy with. 

Essence Glow Tinted Lip Balm: I only picked up one of these in the shade 'light up' which is a bright, almost fuchsia pink, it has so much colour which is unusual for a tinted lip balm. It feels very smooth and moisturising on the lips but it can be a bit too creamy and a little bit patchy. 

Essence Long-lasting Lipsticks: I had my eye on these before the event so I knew I wanted to get them. I picked the shades 'barely there' and 'blush my lips' both of which have a cute E logo on them. The lipsticks apply so smoothly and evenly, they are very pigmented and not too creamy. I adore the shade 'barely there' I have been using it almost everyday since I received it. I haven't tested the longevity yet but I think they will last for a while. 

Essence Lipstick: This one is not part of the long-lasting range, I have the shade 'all about cupcake' which is such a cute name and the shade is equally as cute. It is a natural medium baby pink which really isn't a shade I usually go for but it looks so pretty on the lips. It is fairly sheer, slightly glossy, moisturising and smooth. A fantastic everyday lipstick. 

There are all of the Essence lip products I picked/received from the event, I am very happy with the majority of products. My favourite product from this category has to be the long-lasting lipstick in 'barely there'. I have left a few lip products aside for my current giveaway and a giveaway in the future. 

Click here to go to my current international Essence giveaway, it ends soon!

Have you tried any Essence lip products? If so, which one is your favourite?

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