Products I tried: February

At the start of February, I posted a Products I'm trying: February post. This is a new little series I am starting which a lot of you seem to be excited about! At the beginning of every month, I will let you know some new products I am going to be testing throughout that month and then at the end of the month, do a little round up of how I got on with them all.

I will post individual reviews of any of these products, so let me know which ones you would like.

I have really loved using the Philosophy Purity cleanser. My Liz Earle cleanse and polish has been a favourite of mine for ages now and I do still love that. Sometimes though, it's nice to use a cleanser that's thicker, creamier and leaves my skin feeling very moisturised.

 

I have been using my Clarins Exfoliator Brightening toner once or twice per week during February. I haven't noticed a big change in my skin, however skin products can take time to show results. I still love using this though because it leaves my skin feeling clean, refreshed and even.

 

My Maybelline Baby Skin primer is probably my new favourite primer! I absolutely love using this and have been using it almost everyday this month. The texture is so silky and smooth, plus it leaves my skin feeling the same way! My makeup lasts longer and applies flawlessly over this primer.

 

The Soap and Glory Glow All Out highlighter is perfect. It gives my skin a subtle and natural glow, without being glittery or shimmery. I love this product and will definitely be writing a full review with swatches!

 

I don't wear lip products everyday, so haven't worn my Revlon Colourburst Matte Balm in Sultry very much. When I have though, it has been lovely. One thing that has really impressed me, is this does not dry my lips out at all! I get very dry lips and even though this is a matte finish, my lips feel moisturised and don't look dry. The colour is gorgeous as well and complements my skin tone nicely.

 

The Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge hasn't had much use from me this month. I tried it a couple of times dry and it was very difficult to blend the foundation in at all. I tried bouncing it and blending it on my skin, however the foundation just wouldn't spread. I have heard it can be better used damp, so I am definitely going to try that and will review it once I have.

 

The Barry M nail paint in Silvery Lilac is so pretty. The colour of this isn't exactly what I expected. From the bottle, it looks like it would have a bit more green in it, however the green only shows slightly in the light. In the photos above, there is only one coat which is fairly opaque.

 

I absolutely love the Eyeko Skinny Liner. I am not brilliant at applying liquid eyeliner, however this makes it so easy! The line it gives is so pigmented, precise and smooth, which makes it a pleasure to use. I would highly recommend this product!

 

What products have you been enjoying using lately?

 

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Becca Luminous Skin Colour

I have heard various good things about Becca products, so thought it was about time I tried something! I decided to try the Luminous Skin Colour, as lately I have been wearing either no foundation or very light foundations, so thought this would be a nice product to try.

 

This is a combination of a tinted moisturiser and a sheer foundation, so leaves skin looking incredibly natural and radiant. I love the texture of this as it is very light and blends into the skin amazingly well. The coverage really isn't high at all, however I find it is perfect for evening out my skin and leaving it looking healthy. Then if I need it, I just pop a bit of concealer on over the top of this.

I bought the shade Porcelain, which is the perfect match for me. As you can see in the photos above, the products just melts into the skin and leaves a gorgeous glow. I think this would be brilliant underneath a foundation as well, so if I did want a little bit more coverage, I could just use this as a base.

 

Have you tried any Becca products? Let me know your recommendations, as I would love to try some more.

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My new website

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably already know about this. Yesterday I set live my new website called Beauté vie mode! This means beauty life fashion in French, which is exactly what this website is going to be. I want it to be where people can go to read about new releases, fashion trends, interior inspiration, recipes and basically everything you can think of to do with the beauty, life and fashion!

 

I am so excited to have this up and running, as it's something I have been wanting to do for a while now. It's not just going to be me writing on this either. I am looking for people to contribute for the website, so if you are interested please let me know!

 

So far there are 3 posts up and I am aiming for this to be updated with posts almost daily, which will be amazing.

 

You can follow Beauté Vie Mode on Bloglovin, Twitter and Instagram. If you do, it would make my day!

 

I hope you are all having a wonderful Sunday.

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Blog: Maintaining your blog

I have now written about starting a blog and growing your blog, so today's post will be about maintaining the blog you have built.



Design

 

I think a nicely designed blog can make a huge difference to the vibe your blog gives. I personally like clean, neat and minimal designs, as I find it harder to focus if they are too bright and cluttered. It's important to be happy with your design and let it reflect your personality, however consider being a reader and how easy it will be to navigate. I offer blog designs, so you can look at my page here if you would like to see the type of things designs can include.

 

Scheduling

 

Staying organised is very useful when it comes to blogging. I like to keep notebooks and diaries to jot down all of my ideas, posts I need to write and photos I need to take. I also plan blog posts on my laptop calendar, so I can see which ones need to be up soon and check they are ready! Blogger allows you to schedule posts, which I always do. I post every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and always schedule the posts before hand.

 

Advertising

 

I mentioned advertising with others in my post yesterday and when you feel the time is right, I would suggest offering advertising on your own blog. Don't jump into this too soon, as if you don't have many followers or don't post very regularly, people may not choose to advertise with you. Let your blog grow and look at other blogs to get an idea of prices.

 

Photos

 

I think it is very important to take photos yourself and avoid using stock photos. I used a compact camera and no lighting for a while, however I have now invested in a Canon 600D and studio lights. Studio lights were definitely my best investment as they have truly improved my images. You don't need a DSLR camera, however I absolutely love mine and use it for Youtube as well. Try and work out if an SLR camera would be a worthwhile investment, as they can be a lot of money!

 

Youtube

 

Some people may never want to start Youtube, which is perfectly fine. It's a different environment to blogging and something I find a bit scarier. If you do feel like trying something new though, a Youtube channel may be a great thing to try! You can link it with your blog, so they will almost promote eachother. It is nice having the option of either writing or filming, as some blog posts can be hugely long, so filming a video would be more appropriate.

 

I hope this post has been helpful for you. If you have any requests or questions on blogging advice, then please let me know!

 





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Lush haul

I haven't been to Lush for a little while, so I decided to pop in the other day and have a look! I came out with some things, all of which I have never used before, so I thought I would show you. All of these are products Meg mentioned in her Lush haul! She said they were amazing, so I thought I would have a look at them and give them a try.

 

The deodorant and toothpaste were the most unusual products, so I definitely wanted to give them a go. The Aromaco is a solid block deodorant, which you rub on your underarms. The toothy tabs are little tablets which you chew between your front teeth and then use a toothbrush to clean your teeth.

 

I also bought some hair products. I picked up the Fairly Traded Honey shampoo, which I think smells amazing! I have used this already and it seems really nice. I have also used the H'Suan Wen Hua hair treatment. This is one you use on dry hair and then follow with a shampoo and conditioner, which I really like.

 

Finally, they gave me two little samples. Lush are amazing at giving out samples, so definitely ask them for some if you are unsure on whether to buy a product. I received the Curly Wurly shampoo and Retread conditioner.

 

Let me know if you have tried any of these products. I would love to know your favourite items from Lush!

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Tanya Burr lips and nails

I'm sure a lot of you have heard about Tanya Burr's new lips and nails collection. I bought a lip gloss and two nails polishes as soon as they were released!

 

The lip gloss is in Afternoon Tea, which is such a gorgeous, creamy texture. It's not sticky at all, so feels amazing and soft on the lips. I really like the sponge applicator this lip gloss has and the shade is a very wearable, pretty pink. It's not overly bright, brown or shimmery - just a gorgeous, natural shade!

 

I bought nail polishes in Penguin Chic and Mini Marshmallows. In the photos above, I have shown them both with just one coat, however they are buildable. The nail polishes are both so glossy and apply amazingly well. The formula is thin, which I love and doesn't streak or run at all. The brush is the perfect size so that a nail is coated within 2-3 sweeps, which makes application fast and enjoyable.

 

I really like mini marshmallows with just one coat, as it is fairly sheer, incredibly glossy and looks simple.

 

Let me know if you have tried anything from this collection, as I am definitely going to be buying some more!

 

All of Tanya's collection is available here.

 

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Love Me Beauty: February edition

I used to receive Glossybox every month, however I stopped a while ago because lots of the products weren't that great for me. I have seen a few reviews on the Love Me Beauty box, so thought I would try it! Something I love about this, is you can actually see the products before you buy the box. There is a choice between 3 boxes where you can see the products, or a mystery box! Each box will contain 4-5 products, with 1-2 of those being full-size and the others being travel-sized.

 

The only thing that disappointed me slightly about this, is there isn't actually a box! The products are just in a cardboard posting box lined with tissue paper! It's good because it will save waste, however I was expecting a nice box like other beauty box brands provide.

 



In my February box, I received a full-size Percy and Reed dry conditioner, Beautify Me vitamin complex and Bakewell Soap Company multi-purpose pocket balm. My sample products were La Claree smooth day face care and a Murad tonic, which was my mystery product.

 

I am excited to try these products and will review some of them once I have! The multi-purpose balm smells amazing, so I'm definitely going to use this soon. I've heard good things about Percy and Reed as a brand, plus I love trying new hair products.

 

Have you tried any beauty boxes? I am tempted to try Birchbox, so please let me know if you have tried that one.

 

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Blog: Growing your blog

My first post in this little series was on starting a blog, so today's is going to be about growing your blog. Your blog will not grow overnight and it does take some time for people to discover it, so here are my tips for getting a bit more exposure.

Social media

I mentioned in my first post that it is a good idea to secure social media accounts all with the same name. I think social media is one of the best ways to let more people know about your blog, and also find new blogs to read yourself.

Twitter is my favourite and a brilliant social media platform. Regularly throughout the week there are Twitter chats, which I would highly recommend getting involved in. Every Wednesday and Sunday evenings there is a beauty blogger chat, plus there are ones for fashion, lifestyle and lots of other bloggers!

It is also a great way to build relationships with other bloggers and PR companies. You are able to chat with people from all over the world which is amazing! Socialising and staying active on social media accounts is great, as other bloggers can talk to you, ask you questions and I have made some lovely friends through blogging!

Commenting

 

Commenting on other peoples blog posts and replying to comments left on your own is a nice thing to do. I always try and comment on other bloggers posts if I have really enjoyed reading it. Please avoid comments such as, 'Follow me and I will follow you' or any fake compliments. Just comment if you have genuinely enjoyed the post, as it's nice to let people know that their blog is amazing and enjoyable.

If people ask me questions in the comments, I will always try and reply to them. I read all of my blog post comments and they make me so happy.

Advertising

 

Advertising on other blogs is a good way to gain more exposure for your own blog. Lots of bloggers offer advertising, which can include anything from having your button in their sidebar, to having a post written about your blog and tweets promoting it. I love advertising on other peoples blogs, as there are always some lovely new followers that say hello to me which I love. If you would like to get an idea of what advertising can include, I have a page dedicated to it here.

 

I hope you have enjoyed this post. My third one will be up soon! Please leave in the comments your top tips for growing a blog.



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Clarins Graphic Expression powder

You may have seen this beautiful product popping up recently (here and here), so I thought I would write a full review for you. I received this for Christmas and it is so pretty. I love that Clarins products always come in lovely velvet pouches and the outside of this is like a mirror!

 

This is the Clarins Graphic Expression powder which is made up of pinks, bronzes and a little bit of glitter. The gold strip of shimmer on this left my skin quite glittery, however thankfully it goes after a couple of uses. Whilst the gold was still coming onto my brush, I found this too glittery to bring onto my temples as a bronzer.

 

Once the glitter had gone, I started using this more often and love it! It is made up of beautiful bronze and pink tones, which compliment each other and my skin really well. I find this very versatile, as I can use all the shades equally to add some colour all over my face, or focus more on the pinks for a rosy blush on my cheeks. 

 

I find this starts off light and is very buildable. I like this as I am fairly pale, so don't like something too heavy. This adds a lovely, natural glow to my skin, which I can easily build up if I would like to look more bronzed. This always leaves my skin looking natural and radiant, however much I build it up!

 

Have you tried this? I would love to know if you have used any similar products which I could try.

 

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Blog: Starting a blog

I love reading blogging tips posts, so I am going to write my own as I hope some of you will find them interesting. Today's is going to be based on starting a blog, so for anyone considering starting their own blog, I hope this is helpful!

Topic

 

When you first decide you would like to write your own blog, decide what it is going to be based on. This could be absolutely anything you like, such as beauty, fashion, travel, cooking or lifestyle. I think it's important to be truly passionate about whatever you will be writing about. Your passion will shine through in your posts and you will find it easier to write if you are passionate about the topic.

 

Name

 

You will then need to decide on a name. I would do this after you have chosen your blogging topic, as the name could reflect this. For example, my blog name is Beauty Becky, which lets people know my blog is predominantly based on beauty. I would recommend not including lots of numbers or punctuation and just keeping it simple so it's easy for people to remember.

 

Platform

 

Once you have decided on your name, it's time to create your blog! There are various blogging platforms such as Blogger and Wordpress. I personally use Blogger and have had no experience with Wordpress. You may find that the name you have chosen is already in use and therefore unavailable, so I would recommend having a play around with the words and order to find an available one.

 

Social media

 

Now that your blog is created, I would also create your social media platforms. It's nice having the same name for everything, so even if you aren't planning on using social media, its a good idea to create an account with your blog name so you have it for future use. All of my social media accounts are beautybeckyblog, which makes it easier for people to remember!

 

Expectations

 

Finally, I think it is important to start a blog with the right expectations. Start blogging because you have a passion and an interest in it. Don't start with the intention of receiving free PR samples, being invited to events or getting lots of followers. This can all take time and having true passion and commitment will show through in your posts.

I hope you have found this interesting! My second blogging tips post will be up soon, so keep a look out for that.

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February advertisers

I have a lovely selection of bloggers in my sidebar this month, so today I am going to introduce you to them!

 

Hey everyone, how are you?

I’m Kay, I’m 23 years old and I am from the South Wales Valleys! My blog is primarily a beauty and fashion based blog, but I also blog about mental health and my opinion on various different subjects. I have also started my own youtube channel recently, same name as my blog, which I am really enjoying having. I blog every single day and upload video’s on Tuesday and Friday’s! Visit my blog and let me know what you think!

Blog | Bloglovin | Youtube | Twitter | Facebook

Hay everyone,

How are you today? My wee blog contains a bit of everything but beauty is my passion. I love all things beauty and review product on my blog and haul to many really. I am getting married in June so expect a few post on that. As with a wedding coming up I'm on a fitness and weight loss kick ATM.

I am currently running a series called inspirational people on Sunday to give us all a boost that dreams can come true! Pop over and see my wee bit of the blogging world. I love a good chat so feel free to contact me. 

Blog | Bloglovin | Twitter

Hey, I'm Cloey. I started this blog to talk about a manner of all student related nonsense from how to eat cheap and healthy to bargain beauty products, I also post weekly deals giving a quick summary of some of the weeks best deals.I'm fairly new but have some great ideas to share will you all and I hope you enjoy!

Blog | Bloglovin

 

 

If you are interested in advertising with me, you can start anytime throughout the month and all info is here!

 

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Garnier micellar cleansing water

You have probably all heard of Bioderma. I used to own this and I loved it, however you have to order it online which isn't always convenient. I decided to try the Garnier micellar water to see how it compared, as I have read some great reviews on it!

 

This works brilliantly for removing face, eye and lip makeup. It does not sting my eyes at all, which some cleansing waters do. I add some of this to cotton pads, hold them over my eyes and then gently sweep away. My eye makeup comes off effortlessly and this leaves no oily residue at all.

 

I use the Boots baby extra large cotton pads, which you may have seen in my daily essentials post. I soak one or two of these in this water and sweep them over my face to remove my makeup. My skin is left feeling incredibly clean and fresh. I am usually very good and still continue with a proper cleanser, however sometimes I don't as this leaves my skin feeling very cleansed.

 

I would love to know you favourite micellar cleansers, so please let me know in the comments below!

 

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