I didn't want to be the one to say it but where the hell did April go? Spring seems to be flying by and I'm sure I'm not the only one who's excited about the prospect of summer being on our doorstep. So as we say hello to May and goodbye to April here's my empties and a few repurchases...

Clarins Double Serum | £55 30ml

Being in my mid-twenties I wanted to start using something for preventative measures against ageing and Clarins Double Serum was my first choice as it's a multi award winning anti ageing product. Suitable for all skin types this powerful serum helps shrink pores, firms skin and helps smooth wrinkles. I use at night and over the last 6 months have seen a dramatic change in my skins texture, my pores are considerably less visible and my complexion has an all round glow to it. A definite repurchase.

Botanics All Bright Micellar Water | £2.99 250ml

I bought this micellar water on a bit of a whim as there was an offer on in Boots. This micellar water claims to not only remove makeup and cleanse skin but also contain a natural mild exfoliator to leave skin brighter. I found this micellar water to be ok, not as great as my favourite (B. micellar water from Superdrug) and I certainly didn't see any improvement in my skins appearance from using it. Unfortunately not a repurchase.

B. 4in1 Cleansing Wipes | £3.50 25 wipes

These wipes are the best I've come across. The B. range from Superdrug offers some seriously brilliant skincare products, these wipes along with their micellar water gently remove all traces of my makeup and leave my skin feeling soft and smooth. These wipes are a regular repurchase.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Lotion | £11 200ml

I had high hopes for this toner after reading so many shining reviews on it but unfortunately my skin didn't reap any of the benefits it claims to give. Despite this toner claiming to be free from alcohol the scent tells me otherwise and it really dried my skin out (and I have pretty oily skin!). Definitely won't be repurchasing this one.

Body Shop Almond Nail & Cuticle Oil | £7.50 1.8ml

For my pre mani cuticle treatment I use Leighton Denney's Slick Tips, a great product but not practical for when you're on the go as it comes in a glass nail polish style bottle so queue The Body Shop's pen style cuticle oil. I usually keep one of these in my handbag and one on my keyboard at work, because it comes in a pen style applicator it's such a quick and easy product to use. A definite repurchase.

Cutex Nourishing Nail Polish Remover | £1.60 100ml

This has been my favourite nail polish remover for what seems like forever. It does a great job of dissolving polish quickly and leaving my nails feeling moisturised and clean. The formula also helps whiten nails so it's great for those times you forget to use a base coat and are left with some staining. A regular repurchase.

Lancome Hypnose Mascara | £22.50

I adore this mascara, I have raved about it in a previous post as it does the most amazing job of lengthening and giving volume to my lashes without leaving them looking clumpy and loaded with mascara. I love the fact I can wear this mascara all day and not need to worry about smudges or any dry flakes. Already repurchased another one of these little beauties.

Number 4 Lumiere d'hived Super Comb Prep & Protect | £20 200ml

This was actually a sample from a Birchbox from months ago that I totally forgot about. This stuff smells divine and really helps to seal the moisture into my hair after washing and leaves it feeling soft and smooth. I've gone on to purchase the full size product from the Birchbox shop as I couldn't find it anywhere else in the UK.

Did you see any of your favourite products here or anything you'd want to try?

Nails Inc The New White | Whitehall Review

Nails Inc Whitehall | rrp £14

When Nails Inc released their 'New White Collection' I hurriedly bought three of the four shades, this being one of them. The New White Collection is described as 'an innovative collection of white based polishes. Enriched with Porcelain Flower extract - a rare flower from Thailand with recognised healing, therapeutic, illuminating and calming properties the range will help improve nail strength and health'. Whitehall is described as a white with a hint of peach to it, being obsessed with everything peach I couldn't wait to get it on my nails.

The formula of this polish is a bit of a nightmare, it's not overly watery but it did take me four coats to reach complete opacity, not a polish for a quick mani. Is this polish peach? Every person I asked said it looks pale pink and I think I'd have to agree. This shade is very similar to Barry M's Gelly Polish 'Rose Hip'.

Overall a bit of a disappointment colour and application wise. Such a shame as I really love the other two (White Horse Street - a pale lilac/grey and Swan Street - a pale mint).

Barry M Speedy Quick Dry | Pit Stop Review

Barry M Speedy Quick Dry Polish | Pit Stop | RRP £3.99

When Barry M released their new pastel quick dry shades I told myself I didn't need them. I probably have at least ten variations of the newly released shades but when browsing the Barry M stand in my local boots I didn't retain the control I had displayed at home. I picked up 4 shades in total, being pale skinned and quite stuck in my style rut shades of oranges and lilac's just aren't for me. 

The first thing that impressed me about their new range is the brush, Barry M have given us a flat brush that almost covers the nail in just one swipe. The claim of being a quick dry polish didn't really draw me to them, I use Seche Vite Quick Dry Topcoat over every mani so the speed of drying isn't really an issue for me. I found three thin coats worked best and the finish is a milky pastel grey with just the right amount of shine.

After all of the vampy shades and glitter polishes I wore over the winter I am really embracing neutral shades at the moment. I will post some reviews of the other 3 polishes I bought for the new range soon, I recently had a Nails Inc binge so I'm unto my eyeballs in nail polish at the moment!

Nails Inc & Victoria Beckham Collaboration - Bamboo White

A bit of a latecomer to the party I know but admittedly I did tell myself for ages that I do not need a nail polish that retails for £25, but how wrong was I! 

Out of the two polishes featured in the VB and Nails Inc collaboration Bamboo White most appealed to me as I already have 5 or 6 tomato red's and who doesn't love a classic nude? So what's so special about this polish to retail for £25? Everything. The bootle oozes sophistication, customised by VB herself and made from hand frosted Venetian glass with a viewing window on the side to see your chosen shade. This polish, like all of Nails Inc's new lines, is a very generous 14ml bottle and the square lid pops off to reveal a more manageable screw in bottle top.

The formula contains bamboo extract to help build healthy nails and ensure a smooth application. I like to paint my nails with quite thin layers so I found I needed 3 coats for complete opacity. What I love about this colour is it varies in different lights, I would best describe it as a beige-pale pink. The polish wears so well, I have had this shade on for 6 days now and there's not a chip in sight, still as glossy as the day applied.

Do you own any of the VB and Nails Inc collaboration polishes? Could you part with £25 for a nail polish?

White Horse Street - from Nails Inc 'The New White' Collection

Nails Inc have delivered some seriously gorgeous new arrivals recently and White Horse Street rrp £14 is definitely one of those. The New White is described as an innovative collection of four white-based polishes with a hint of colour. Enriched with Porcelain Flower Extract - a rare white flower from Thailand with recognised healing, therapeutic, illuminating and calming properties, the range will help strengthen and improve nail health.

Of the four new shades my first choice was White Horse Street, a soft smokey grey. As with all of Nails Inc new ranges you get a very generous 14ml of product all housed in a seriously sleek square glass bottle. What I love about this shade is that in some lights it looks a pale grey and in other lights it looks more lilac...It's just perfect!

Topshop Nails Arabesque

I've had this polish in my arsenal for a couple of months now and really should have done a post on it before as it is simply the perfect nude shade for me! Arabesque is simply described as a 'Creamy Nude' on Topshop's website, I was a little apprehensive when ordering it online as I've never tried Topshop's nail polishes before, however now I find myself removing when my nails are looking a little tatty and re-applying straight away!

This nude polish is the most complimentary to my (NC15) skin tone that I have found to date. So, there are many pro's to this polish, (the colour, the cute bottle and the longevity-5 days without a chip!) but there is one con...the formula. The formula is great in the respect that I have not had a single chip, it grows out before before it chips but I needed FOUR, yes four coats for complete opacity. Not really an issue as I use Seche Dry Fast Topcoat which means my nails are dry super quick but for people without it may be an issue.

Despite the one niggle I love this polish and am really excited to try some more from Topshop!

Autumn Beauty Picks

I love this time of the year, ditching the fake tan and opting for more full coverage make-up is where I'm most at home. Here's a few of my favourite beauty products so far this autumn...

Clinique's Black Honey on lips
Topshop Dream Phone on cheeks

My favourite lip and blusher combo lately has been Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey rrp £17.50 and  Topshop Powder Blush in Dream Phone rrp £7. These two berry shades compliment each other perfectly and really warm up my complexion now I've stepped away from the fake tan. 

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Grand Cru

Another lip product I've been sporting is from my favourite drugstore brand, Bourjois. I have all but one of their Rouge edition Velvet Lipstick's rrp £8.99 and Grand Cru is one of my favourites. Described as a dark burgundy you can either apply one coat for a dark red (as seen above) or another coat for a deep burgundy red.

Essie Sole Mate

My favourite autumnal nail polish shade is Essie Sole Mate rrp £7.99. This gorgeous deep plum colour has a glossy finish and really gives your nails a polished look. I will be sporting this colour pretty much all autumn/winter!

Topshop Inhibition Lipstick

Last but certainly not least is Topshop's Inhibition lipstick rrp £8. Described as a deep plum colour I would say this leans slightly more on the purple side, but is a gorgeous matte shade none the less. I adore Topshop's make-up range, I'm yet to find a disappointing product.

My Favourite Autumnal Nail Shade - Essie Sole Mate

As much as I love breaking out the pastels and brights in Spring and Summer, I love breaking out the neutrals and dark shades for Autumn and Winter even more. My favourite nail colour at the moment is the deep, rich plum shade that is Essie Sole Mate.

I love the jelly finish of this polish, it really does look neat and classy. I find two coats are needed for opacity, which is no surprise with a shade like this and always wear a base coat as it will stain otherwise! I get a good 5 days wear before any chips or sign of wear appear. This is definitely a shade I will be wearing all Autumn/Winter!

August's Beauty Favourites

With August coming and going in a flash and September now upon us, reviewing my favourite beauty products from last month makes me kind of feel like I'm mourning the summer! I discovered some fantastic products throughout August and I'm going to be clinging to those summery buys until those early nights start drawing in. So here's my best buys of August, the products I've been reaching for everyday...

Body Shop Honey Bronzer

This amazing bronzer was also in my July beauty favourites, I did a post a few weeks ago with some swatches if you fancy checking it out for yourself. I've literally worn this bronzer everyday since I bought it, the shade (shade 2) is perfect for my fair (NC15) complexion and just gives you a totally natural, sun kissed look. 

N4 Super Comb Prep & protect

I discovered this gorgeous smelling leave-in conditioner in August's Birchbox. I did a post a few weeks ago about that box and the contents and this was my star product. Not only does it smell amazing but it leaves your hair so soft and more manageable. I loved this sample so much I went on to buy the full-size product and I must admit I now couldn't be without it in my routine.

Bourjois Cream Blush (R) Pink Sunwear

When Bourjois released their Summer 2014 products including these gorgeous cream blushers the blogisphere went nuts! Pink Sunwear was another product that featured in my July beauty picks. This subtle shade gives you a gorgeous glow and completely compliments my bronzer. I'll be sad to see this go in a drawer until next summer!

Essie Sand Tropez

One polish I've been taking off and reapplying straight away is Essie's Sand Tropez. This shade is the perfect greige that I will be wearing well into the Autumn/Winter. As with all of Essie's polishes that I've tried its fantastic coverage and I get around 3 days of wear before any chips appear.

Clarins Radiance-Plus Glow Booster

I did a post on this gradual tan a couple of weeks ago and I still feel now how I did then. This amazing gradual tan allows you do totally tailor your tan by controlling how many drops of serum you use a day mixed in with your regular daytime/nighttime moisturiser. This is one skincare product I will be rocking all year round.

Bobbi Brown Blush In Pastel Peach

I let out a little shriek inside when I saw Bobbi Brown had released new shades of their cult blusher. I hastily purchased two of the shades (post coming soon on those) one of them being Pastel Peach. This gorgeous shade looks great on cheeks for a little pop of colour. This is another shade I will be sporting for as long as the sun stays.

Lush Cosmetic Warrior Face Mask

This face mask is the best spot fighting mask I have tried in a long while. Anyone that reads my blog regularly will know that I suffer from horrible hormonal break-outs from time to time and this mask calms angry skin down and clears up break-outs. This is one mask I will be repurchasing now I've run out.

As much as I will miss the summer and will relish in those last few sunny days we have left, I am really looking forward to Autumn/Winter as there are some great products lined up for release and I can't wait to be sporting my favourite vampy lip and nail colours.

The Essential Mini-Break Beauty Kit - Premae's Festival Glower Set

Hello beauties, today I have the pleasure of reviewing the must have beauty kit for the approaching festival season from Premae. Anyone that reads my blog will know that I have a real affinity for Premae skincare and well, just the company themselves. Not only do they create luxury, allergy-free products they also provide excellent customer service, you really feel as though getting some beauty products from a pal and not buying from a big impersonal company.

The Festival Glower Set is an exciting new kit designed and compiled with the festival season in mind. This travel-friendly kit contains everything you need to keep you feeling and looking your best, whether you have a short break booked or you just need some handbag sized essentials to carry with you. Inside the set you will find 9 beauty essentials to keep you feeling fresh and looking groomed...

5ml Premae Balance Rescue Face Wash - Delicate yet thorough for blemish-free skin.

100ml Premae Balance Rescue Face Tonique - Revitalising, pore tightening and make-up refreshing.

5ml Premae Harmony Serum - SPF8 - The essential product to prep and prime your skin.

5ml Premae Harmony Creme Balm - SPF8 - Mattifying 15 hr moisturiser.

5ml Lab Definitive Eye Creme - Soothes and refreshes tired eyes whilst priming for eye make-up.

2-in-1 Compact hairbrush and mirror to keep hair and make-up in check whilst space-saving.

A floral nail file to keep those talons neat and tidy.

Tweezers to keep those brows as groomed as you are.

All of the above are housed it a practical yet cute PVC wash bag (styles may vary) small enough to squeeze into that overpacked backpack or weekend bag. The Festival Glower Kit truly offers everything you need to keep you blemish-free, feeling fresh and looking your best this summer. Worth over £35 but offered at the incredibly affordable price of £21 don't hesitate in purchasing THE essential from-home beauty kit. 

Jodie

xo