The 'No Make Up' Make Up Look

Hey guys!

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I am going to be doing a post today that I have seen a lot of since people have been starting to wear less make up as spring/summer start to roll in. I personally have been trying to wear less make up, and today I even went to school without foundation! My skin has been a lot better recently and when I was taking it off last night I just thought what's the point in clogging my pores with a product that I may not even need? So today I ventured out in public wearing just concealer, powder, bronzer, brow pencil and mascara - this might sound like a lot for some people because I know that a lot of you wear absolutely no make up to school, but I actually usually wear a lot of make up for school but today I did tone it down a bit and I actually felt a lot better. I didn't have to constantly think about when's the right time to re-do my eye shadow, should I re-do my foundation, are my dark circles showing - I could just chill out which was great. However I am not quite so confident that I can leave the house wearing literally no make up, so here are some products that I use to create a 'no make up' make up look. I will include steps below on how I achieve this look as well as list the products.

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1. Buff Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser into the skin, I used the Real Techniques Stippling Brush.

2. Blend MAC Moisture Surge Concealer under the eyes and on any imperfections. I used the Forever 21 Foundation Brush.

3. Using a large powder brush, apply MAC Studio Fix powder on the T-Zone and any other oily areas.

4. Brush MAC Stay Pretty Blush onto the apples of your cheeks using a big fluffy brush.

5. Apply MAC Naked Lunch all over the lid with a large fluffy brush, I used my MAC 217 brush. Then blend satin taupe through the crease and then brush Phloof! on the brow bone and in the inner corners of the eyes.

6. Apply Benefit They're Real mascara to the top and bottom lashes.

7. Apply YSL Rouge Volupte Shine lipstick in shade 15 to the lips then apply Benefit Dandelion lip gloss over the top.

8. Apply a spring/summer perfume such as Marc Jacobs Daisy or Prada Candy Floralie. 

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I hope you guys liked this short kind of tutorial on this simple pretty spring look. Obviously you can switch up any or all of the products and brushes. I am of course not an actual make up artist so don't follow these directions too carefully haha! Thanks for reading guys and I think I am going to be doing some product reviews soon!

Love Claudia

xx

May Favourites!

Hi guys!

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It feels so good to type that again. I have missed talking to you guys so much when I went away! I've put some holiday pictures on Instagram (@xoclau_diaxo) if you guys want to check those out. I am doing mainly a beauty favourites post today but I will be throwing in some other things that I have been loving!

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First is the Benefit Posie Tint and High Beam. I got these two sample sized products in a set called Feeling Dandy. It cost me £21.45 from the Duty Free in Birmingham Airport. I was going to buy a MAC foundation but they didn't have NC13 in any of them so I headed for the Benefit counter and picked up this box of beauties. I got a Dandelion lip gloss, blush tester, and these two. Posie Tint is the perfect pop of colour for spring which adds a natural flush of pink. High Beam is a liquid highlighter which I actually prefer to the Topshop Glow highlighter. It is a very different product in texture, size and finish. I would prefer the Topshop highlighter in summer and High Beam in spring because of the intensity of colour. 

Next is the Rimmel Match Perfection foundation in shade 100 Ivory. I think I might have included this product in a favourites post before because it has been a constant favourite of mine so far this year. It's a really good dupe for the Nars Sheer Glow foundation, it's just a little easier to blend. It gives a really dewy finish which I love for spring, I don't really know why I love dewy looks in spring I guess it just looks more natural. 

Then I have a product that I really wasn't a fan of until I decided to give it another try and it's the MAC Select Moisture Cover Concealer. I am using it under my eyes and on any imperfections and I really love it. It's not as thick as the Collection concealer which I love for spring/summer because I like my make up to look a little less 'done up'.

Then I have my Baby Lips in Cherry Me. This was a life saver on the plane because I always get really cold on planes and my lips always get super dry, so I popped this baby in my carry on. However I forgot to put it in on the flight home so my lips were hell, but a little Blistex lovin' and they sorted themselves out literally overnight. I have also been using this for school because it's not a solid red colour, it's like an opaque red which means it looks a lot more natural than a bold red lip for school.

Next is the Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub. This is a new product that I got about 2 weeks ago (I was a little late on this one) and I love it already. I have to admit I don't use it super regularly because my lips don't need that much scrubbing but I do like to use it to give my lips a little pick me up and to prepare them for any lipstick or lip gloss that I would apply. 

Then I have my Barry M Strawberry Ice Cream Nail Varnish which I think I wore my whole holiday. It's such a pretty, girly, spring varnish which is perfect for me.

Finally I have my MAC eye shadow in Phloof! This was a toss up between Shroom and Phloof!, but I thought that Shroom was a little too similar to Naked Lunch which is a colour I already had, so I chose Phloof!, and boy am I glad I did. This colour has been all over my eyes, from my lid, to my brow bone and my inner corners. It's such a multi-purpose shadow which I love. It's like a frosted off-white colour and it's so pretty.

A few non beauty favourites - I am loving my New Look kimono (picture on my Instagram), I am becoming more and more obsessed with Bethany Mota, I also have gotten really into Forever 21 clothes, I love chokers so much right now (thanks Beth), I love Imagine Dragons It's Time, and finally even though it has finished now, I loved America's Next Top Model College Edition.

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 This has seemed like a really long post but I wanted to do a long post to update you guys on some stuff! Thanks for all the lovely comments and questions! I love you guys!

Love Claudia

xx

MAC Spring Kit Dupes

Hey guys!

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Today I am doing a dupe post for my latest post which was my MAC spring go-to kit, and I had loads of ideas for dupes when I was writing it so I thought that I would do this post today to show you guys that MAC is not the only brand to sell spring products!

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Maybelline Color Tattoo in Eternal Gold is a great dupe for MAC Bare Study paintpot. I do prefer MAC's consistency but this is an amazing product for just £5.

Prestige eyeshadow in Love is a great dupe for MAC Sushi Flower because it's the same kind of bright popping pink. Prestige is a new brand and I only have one product from this brand which is an eye liner.

Next is an eye shadow from Maybelline which is called Naked Beige and I actually already own this colour. I think it's a really good dupe for Shroom because it's a really pretty shimmery gold colour.

I also own this Collection Deluxe lipstick in the colour 02 and I don't know if I have mentioned it before but it is amazing. It's a pretty pink colour which is the perfect pop of subtle colour for spring.

Finally a good dupe for the MAC Saint Germain nail varnish is this Barry M Strawberry Ice Cream nail varnish which is only like £2.99. I love Barry M and I hve this colour myself and even thought it requires a few coats to get going it's a really pretty pastel pink.

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So there are just a couple of dupes for my personal MAC Spring Kit. I know that some people will prefer the MAC post and some will prefer this post but honestly I believe that both collections of products are gorgeous for spring time!

Love Claudia

xx

Haul Plus OOTD

Hi everyone!

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Today as promised I am doing a little haul as today I went on my weekly shopping trip and headed to MAC, Topshop and Lush - my usual 3 stops. I again bought another eye shadow from MAC, a top from Topshop which is actually a present and a lip scrub.

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 This is the kimono I was walking about in my last post - New Look £19.99

 This lip scrub was my final pink item to add to the top of my make up storage along with my Hand Maid antibacterial and MAC brush cleanser. Lush - £5.50

 This is Phoof! from MAC which is my new favourite shadow. I did compare it to shroom and I just preferred it for some reason. I used it in my inner corners today and I loved it so I might be trying it on my brow bone tomorrow and start using it as a lid colour as well. MAC - £10 in the pan, £12.50 for the regular.

This top is a present for a friend that she specifically asked for. It's not my colour but they do have a nice khaki one that I prefer. Topshop - £8.

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So there's my tiny haul guys, I won't be posting from next Saturday onwards for a week because I'm heading off again so expect a couple of holiday snaps on my Instagram which I also posted a lot on today (@xoclau_diaxo).

Love Claudia

xx

My Spring Summer Go-To MAC Kit

Hiya everyone!

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I'm doing my spring summer go to MAC kit today because I am starting to get really into seasonal make up for example I was wearing some blue jeans, a white shell top and a cream floral kimono the other day (see picture on my Instagram @xoclau_diaxo) which had pops of pink, blue and purple in so I opted for MAC Cranberry eye shadow on my outer corner and outer half of my lash line, and the Bare Study paintpot all over my lid. I then applied a lot of MAC Stay Pretty blush and a highlight. Then I slapped on some MAC Ravishing lipstick and a pink nail varnish. I am really loving the whole spring summer seasonal make up and particularly pops of colour.

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The first is MAC Bare Study which is a product I already own and I love it - I actually persuaded my mum to buy this product the other day. The texture of the paintpots are perfect and this colour is like Naked Lunch in cream form. 

The next product is something new that I would love to try! It's Sushi Flower eye shadow from MAC which is a bright, matte (I think) eye shadow which I love. I think if I wore this eye shadow in just the inner corners and lower lash line with a light golden shimmery colour over the lid.

Next is Shroom from MAC which is a colour that I saw Tanya Burr used and loved the look of. I think this could double up as a lid colour and inner corner highlight which will save me buying two different colours. 

Creme Cup is a lipstick that I also already own and wear everyday. Out of all my lipsticks this one is my absolute favourite. It's easy to wear for different occasions and looks so pretty and pink.

Finally this nail varnish from MAC called Saint Germain is a pretty pink just like the matching lipstick and I think wearing both with an eye shadow like Expensive Pink would look gorgeous.

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So of course MAC isn't the only brand that sells MAC products and some great dupes for the above products will be my next post featuring Maybelline, Collection and Barry M! Have a lovely day tomorrow and I might be doing a teeny tiny haul tomorrow with just two products.

Love Claudia

xx

Products I'm Interested In

Hey guys!

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Today I am doing a products that I'm interested in at the minute and I am really interested in a lot of items at the minute, so here are just a few!

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So I smelt the Lush 'Let The Good Times Roll' in the store the other day and it's one of the most amazing smells ever. It smells like buttery popcorn and it's actually got little pieces of popcorn in it! I think it's £6.40 which is really cheap but it is a little more money that the regular face masks, either because it's relatively new (I think), or it's in high demand.

The Marc Jacobs Daisy fragrance is so spring/summer and I think the bottle is so pretty. I know that Tanya Burr has this perfume and it's got really popular this Spring. I think it would look so nice on my dressing table but I actually haven't smelt it yet! But of course I am nipping into a Boots next weekend so I will have to seek it out and have a sniff.

The MAC 187 brush is the brush at the top of my list foundation wise because it's duo fibre which means I can use this one brush for a range of textures of foundations from mousse to liquid. However I hope it's really dense because I think big foundation brushes can be too light and not blend well.

I had no idea that NARS was sold in Space NK so when I found it I couldn't believe it and I fell in love with the lip glosses! I also discovered that Space NK sold Kevyn Aucoin, Laura Mercier and Lipstick Queen.

The Kevyn Aucoin bronzer is such a pretty product and looks like such a natural bronzer which I am all about for spring. I'm not a fan of dark bronzer especially for summer when it should be all about getting a natural tan and just complementing it with a light bronze sheen.

The MAC mineralize lipsticks are gorgeous. I love how the packaging is different to the average MAC lipstick packaging. I also love how rich the colour is, as I would of course expect from MAC. I don't actually have any idea about the price of this product, I'm pretty sure it's under £20 though.

I nipped into The Body Shop a few weeks ago and I'm never really interested in their make up when I go into the shop, but I did take a closer look this time because they had no offers on their body butters. I don't really like the colours of eye shadow, and the foundation doesn't look too interesting, I don't like the finish on the lipsticks and I haven't really looked at the other products, but the brushes really caught my eye. I think the brushes were ranging from £8 to £20, and the eye shadow brushes really interested me the most because they looked really useful as they is a small but workable collection of brushes that are mostly real hair.

The Revlon scented nail varnishes are really interesting product and the main question I'm asking is do they really work? I think they could improve the collection of colours available for the different seasons, but I do love the bottles and hopefully they will smell good and I'm up for trying any nail varnishes that smell like strong paint and old alcohol. 

Finally the product that I am super interested in is the Chanel perfume which I also haven't smelt yet but I really want to because the bottle looks so luxurious and the whole brand is just perfect.

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Just my opinion on the MAC Maleficent collection - they just bought out a red lipstick and some grey/black vampy eye shadows which I could have bet all the money in the world on them bringing out. Just like Lorde and her heroine replica lipstick (not a fan). And I am really sorry for not uploading this post for ages, I actually started this post on Friday last week and it's now Monday when I'm uploading it which is crazy, but I do have a good reason - I have been revising for my RS GCSE exam which was today and I think I did okay if you guys were wondering haha!

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Have a lovely day guys, listen to Echosmith (my new favourite band), drink peppermint tea (my new favourite drink) and use primer (my favourite new belated beauty discovery)

Love Claudia

xx

Lush Cupcake Face Mask

Hey guys

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So I am doing another review today this time of the Lush face mask 'Cupcake'. I reckon that they slightly changed the recipe for this face mask, I mean I'm not sure but I think it used to smell nicer or maybe it's just me. Anyway it basically smells like mint chocolate as it's mainly flavoured with cocoa butter and spearmint and it's meant for oily teenage skin which is obviously perfect for me as I do have oily an teenage skin. I personally prefer the smell of 'Oatifix' which is another Lush face mask. However I do want to try their amazing 'Let The Good Times Roll' cleanser and the 'Catastrophe Cosmetic' face mask. The face mask made my skin really smooth and soft and I will tweet tomorrow if anything happens with my skin ie breakouts, excess oil.

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Have a lovely day guys and I hope if you have this face mask you love it as much as I do! A tip - pop on a lot of moisturiser after use as it can be quite drying and make your skin feel tight. Just a few things - MAC are collaborating with The Simpsons (hold me tight), Space NK sell Kevyn Aucoin, I love NARS lip glosses, MACs new Alluring Aquatic collection packaging is perfect, and the MACs Lorde collaboration is coming out in June!

Love Claudia

xx

Maybelline Baby Skin Review

Hey everyone!

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I know I am a bit late to catch on to the whole 'Baby Skin', but I had a lot of doubts about this poreless - looking primer. It was actually when I was helping my friend go through her make up and she was telling me about how much she didn't like it and suggest if I wanted it. I said I would love to give it a go because it's a really intriguing product. I tried it yesterday under my foundation and it's texture is a little off-putting as it is a really oily primer and it can feel like your applying oil to your face, but if you give it a minute so soak into your skin and apply your foundation over the top, it felt smooth on my skin and actually worked very well. It seems that every primer I use at the minute works better than my Clinique primer. The primer is £7.99 from Boots and it works really well! I'm pleasantly surprised with this product and I recommend it to everyone with all different types of skin.

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Have a lovely day!

Love Claudia

xx

What I Wore

Hey guys

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The weather was gorgeous today so I popped into town to pick up some bits and bobs for my bathroom, a top from Zara and a necklace from Primark, however today I am not doing a haul because there are only a few things, so instead I am doing a what I wore post. The pictures below are also on my Instagram @iceicebby04 so you can head over there to see more. I am really into my white jeans at the minute and I am also loving navy so yeah, this is what I wore!

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Bracelet - DKNY - £65

Jumper - KIN at John Lewis - £35

Jeans - Topshop White Joni Jeans - £36

Shoes - JuJu Black Jellies - £25

Bag - F&F at Tesco - £18

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So I have found my white jeans such a staple in my wardrobe at the minute, as well as my jellies. Also my black bag is great for going to town, school and hand luggage, and every girl needs a good jumper. Have a lovely day guys!

Love Claudia

xx

Benefit Porefessional Review

Hey guys!

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The new ELLE June issue was out the other day and I of course went straight to Sainsbury's before school to pick up the new issue. I knew that the Benefit Porefessional sample was inside and that did sway me a little but I have been waiting for this issue for weeks now! I wanted to test the sample before I bought the large tube as I tried it at one of the counters and I wasn't totally convinced. So I tried it today and I came home from school and somehow my foundation had actually stayed on? It was honestly never stayed on all day before and I use the Match Perfection foundation which isn't high coverage and usually tends to slowly disappear. I know that this sounds a little far fetched but I am seriously blown away by this primer. I actually find it better than the Clinique Super Primer which I have almost used up, I mean I did like it but it was a bit oily unlike the Benefit primer which doesn't make me oily. I couldn't take a picture of the sample because my phone memory is once again full, but I will be posting something on my Twitter or Instagram soon (my twitter has changed to @claudiabull0ck and my instagram is @iceicebby04) .

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My overall review of this product is that it's well worth picking up the new ELLE if your looking to try before you buy because you will be seriously impressed!

Love Claudia

xx

MAC Brun Eye Shadow Review

Hi everyone

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So I was on one of my many MAC visits today and I asked one of the lovely gorgeous employees if they could recommend a brow colour. She grabbed Mystery and Brun and tried Brun on my brows and I really loved it. As I have ran out of space in my quad I have actually been keeping some pans in the packets they came in, but today I bought I would buy this one in the black pot. The colour is like a mix between Embark and Concrete which creates the perfect brow shade. It's obviously matte and also natural which is the look I obviously prefer as I opted for this over the pencil.

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The swatch on the back of my hand hasn't come up very well but the non blended swatch on my ring finger is a little better. Also yes I have already chipped it when I dropped it on my tile floor. Today I also bought Flake Away from Soap And Glory which smells incredible by the way. So this colour is a great colour as it serves a multi-purpose function - brows and smoky eye. Have  a lovely day guys!

Love Claudia

xx

My Beauty Shopping List

Hey Guys!

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Today I am going to be telling you what is next on my beauty shopping list. So I have a range of products that are on my list and I will be getting all the photos from the internet as obviously I don't own these yet. I get a certain amount of money per week so I save up for two weeks then take that money into town and buy 1-4 products which I have listed, separated and put into groups based on price.

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1. Nars Sheer Glow

2. Urban Decay Eye Primer

3. Urban Decay Setting Spray

4. Barry M White Nail Varnish

5. Lush Carrot Soap

6. Lush Rockstar Soap

7. Lush Porridge Soap

8. MAC Wedge Eyeshadow

9. MAC Mystery Eyeshadow

10. MAC Shroom Eyeshadow

11. MAC Pure Zen Lipstick

12. MAC Speed Dial Lipstick

13. Jo Malone Blackberry And Bay Fragrance

14. MAC Select Cover Up Concealer

15. Benefit The Porefessional Primer

16. MAC Soft And Gentle Mineralize Skin Finish

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So this is just some of the things on my beauty shopping list and my list actually takes me up to Christmas to buy everything. I think in total I must have over 50 items on my lists which I have split into SS and AW. Have a lovely day and I hope this post has inspired you to add to your wishlists!

Love Claudia

xx

Products I Regret Buying

Hey guys!

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So today I am doing my products I regret buying post because recently I have been regretting spending money on a few products. There are a range of products from lipstick to nail varnish and from drugstore to high end so I'm not being biased to any particular brand or product. 

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 So I might have mentioned this product before in a previous post but I'm not sure. Basically I bought this foundation a while ago from a Clinique counter. I think this was one of my first foundations. So I got this foundation I think it was around £20 and I think it's a mix between a tinted moisturiser and a foundation. Firstly, even though I had this foundation matched it's far too dark, it's literally orange. Also I find it really stick, difficult to blend and patchy. I mean I guess if this was a drugstore foundation I wouldn't really mind because some you like, some you don't, but because I paid £20 for this foundation I feel like I regret buying it.

 So this is a Clinique mascara called 'High Impact'. I have no idea how expensive this mascara is or where I got it specifically, but I really am not a fan. I find it really clumpy and clogs up my lashes so they end up looking like 3 individual lashes. I guess because they aren't plastic teeth, they furry and have thick fur on the wand so I guess that doesn't help.

 This is a lipstick from Rimmel and I'm not sure what this means but it's in shiny plastic casing instead of matte black or pink, so I reckon this means it's a different finish but I have no idea what finish it is. I also have no idea why I thought it would suit me. It's like a dark red/purple and just makes me look really pale.

I am really not a fan of matte lipsticks so I don't know why I bought this Barry M matte lipstick. If I wear a lot of lip balm under it I do prefer it and the colour is really pretty, I'm just not a fan of the finish.

Finally this Jack Wills nail varnish is one of my least favourite nail varnish's because it chips so easily. Also the colours is so light that I end up using a quarter of the bottle on one hand (slight exaggeration, but eh).

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So these are just some of the products I regret buying and I hope you guys found this post helpful in some way? Well have a lovely day guys!

Love Claudia 

xx

April Favourites So Far

Hello guys!

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It feels so good to be back blogging after my holiday! I promised some holiday pictures, and you can find these on my Instagram (claudiabxo). If you follow my twitter (@allsparklesblog), I tweeted a picture of my new YSL lipstick which I am in love with! I actually picked up the wrong colour in the duty free because there were so many different collections and I ended up picking up a really dark red colour which I didn't think would be used on holiday, so I swapped it for a different kind of coral colour. It has more of a cremesheen finish than MACs Coral Bliss however they are similar colours. I was going to do a review of the lipstick but instead I decided to do my April favourites so far because there are a few products I have been loving at the minute! Its been quite a long intro so I'll just get on with the post now.

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 Pointed Foundation Brush

 Bourjois Number 8 Eye shadow

 MAC Staunchly Stylish Lip Pencil

 YSL RougeVolupte Shine no.15

Benefit They're Real Mascara

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So the first item on my list is the Real Techniques brush which I am currently using as a brush for powder highlighter. I find the brush is too long and is not dense enough for foundation, however it is a good brush for highlighting cheek bones. The next item is the Bourjois eyeshadow in number 8 which is a really pretty shimmery colour which I am actually using as a highlighter. I know that sounds ridiculous but honestly it's one of the best highlighters I have ever used. It turns out I am not a fan of the Topshop highlighter, however this eye shadow gives a natural finish and it has the perfect texture. Then a recently rediscovered item is the MAC lip liner. It's quite a dark red colour, but it doesn't show up well in the photo as my camera wouldn't focus, but I think that I will use this more in Autumn/Winter, but I still love to use the pencil at the minute too. Then of course is my YSL lipstick in a gorgeous pinky coral colour. It's pretty opaque and feels like a lip balm when you put it on so there's no need for a lip gloss. Then finally is my Benefit mascara which is also a rediscovered product after raiding my mascara pot I found this mascara lurking the bottom so I gave it a go and remembered how much I loved it!

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So comment your guys favourite products at the minute! I will be uploading a lot hopefully in this week because I'm trying to up my blogging game! Have a lovely day in the sort of sunshine! 

Love Claudia

xx

Haul

Hi guys!

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I am doing a slightly smaller haul than planned today because I did find some items in Topshop however many of them weren't in my size so I ended up with two pairs of jeans. Then I headed to John Lewis and picked up a navy jumper from their KIN collection, I then got some JuJu's from Urban Outfitters, some nude pointed flats from Next, some flip flops from Accessorize, a set of rings from Topshop, perfume from Zara, and a nightie from Next.

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 So on the left are my black jellies which are from Urban Outfitters, some nude pointed flats from Next and some gold flip flops from Accessorize.

 Then I got some rings from Topshop which have 3 midi rings and 3 finger rings. They have tiny flowers on, little ridges and come in gold and silver.

 I got some jeans from Topshop which are Joni jeans and I have been wanting some white jeans for ages as I have loads of colourful camisole's which I thought would be a great pop of colour in summer.

 This is my jumper from KIN. I actually wore it last night and it was so comfy. It's navy so it can go with anything and itsn't too heavy.

This is my NEXT nightie/playsuit from the nightwear collection and it's really cute! 

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So I didn't photograph my other pair of jeans because I'm actually wearing them right now but they are also Joni jeans from Topshop however they are a really light blue colour. I also didn't photograph my perfume because I put a picture on my Twitter yesterday (@allsparklesblog) so you can see it there. I'm not sure of the prices of the items but if you really want to know you can comment below and I will try and find out for you. Have a lovely day!

Love Claudia

xx

Carry-On Essentials

Hi everyone!

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I am going on holiday soon, then in May and then in August, and I have mainly been planning for my holiday in August, however I'm going on holiday next week and I am starting to plan what I'm going to take. I want to take a beach bag this year which I tweeted about earlier today (follow me @Allsparklesblog) and I did see a really nice one in Primark that I might buy on Saturday so I will post a picture on twitter, however I am starting to think about what to take on the plane with me. I used to find this a difficult choice what to take on a plane, however I think I have it sussed now so I wanted to show you guys what I will be taking and I think I'm going to use this post as kind of a check list when packing so I'm super organised. I also will be posting some holiday snaps when I get home so expect a lot of pictures!

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1. I take gum with me everywhere because it's something that you can take everywhere with you and refresh you throughout the day.

2. I also take my Burt's Bee's lipbalm with me everywhere because it's one of the best lip balms ever that can hydrate my lips in moments.

3. Next is of course something to read which is usually an ELLE or VOGUE magazine that I can pick up in the airport for £4. They keep me occupied for ages and I can read them on the plane or in the airport.

4. A spray is something that I wouldn't really take in my bag because obviously you aren't allowed liquids on the plane, but it's good to spray before you leave and you can still spray to keep smelling fresh!

5. I always take earphones on the plane so I can watch films and listen to music.

6. I also take an extra cardigan or jumper to wear on the plane because I always get cold on the plane. The one pictured is from Zara.

7. Obviously you need sunglasses for when get off the plane because unless your on a night flight, chances are it's going to be sunny. The ones pictured are from New Look and they cost just £4.99.

8. I take either my IPad or my Nexus so I can either read an ebook, listen to a book on Audible.com or or watch a film on Netflix.

9. I take a hair band all the time because I always end up putting my hair up as it can get in my face and annoying during the flight, and it can be nice to get it out of my face when I get off the plane.

10. Finally I always take hand sanitiser or handy wipes to of course keep my hands clean in the airport as I am a bit of a clean freak and like to keep a handy sanitiser in my bag, however wipes are a better option for the plane as they are not a liquid.

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So I hope this has helped you guys planning for what you want to take in a carry on for your holidays as much as it helped me! Have a nice evening guys.

Love Claudia

xx

Do Or Don't: Eyebrow Waxing

Hey guys

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Today I am going to be debating the question everyone wants the answer to - should I wax my eyebrows?. Now let's clear one thing up - always go to a salon. I had my eyebrows waxed for the first time last Thursday and it's an understatement to say that I was nervous. I went to a local salon and it cost me £7, and let's be honest that isn't going to break the bank. So I went in to the little room at the back and filled out a form then they cleaned the area, showed me in a mirror what they were going to take off, applied the wax which wasn't that hot, then just went right in with the waxing. I was in and out in literally two minutes. I know my eyebrows were not the easiest to work with because there were overplucked at the front and back, and underplucked underneath. I have such a low pain threshold that I can barely pluck two hairs without my eyes watering and putting down the tweezers in self pity, so they're never really 'perfect'. This meant that when they actually were waxed the lovely lady couldn't remove parts of my brows because they still had to fill in. I'm not going to lie this did confuse me a bit because let's be honest who wants patchy brows. So basically when I got home I just quickly plucked the few stray hairs to neaten them up a bit. Now they did tell me that it's not recommended to put make up on that area after but let me tell you they were red raw, so of course I attacked them with concealer, and of course, I ended up with some spotty brows. So let this be a warning to you - if you get your eyebrows waxed, DO NOT put make up on afterwards! The spots have cleared up now and I am genuinely pleased with them. I'm not going to take a picture because I have no make up on at the minute so I will spare you of that horror for today, however if I post any eyeshadow looks I have been loving etc on twitter then you may catch a glimpse. I'm going to rank the methods in terms of pain, 1 being the easiest and 4 being the most painful. Now this is just my experience so please don't go getting your eyebrows waxed because I said it was fine then end up crying in the shop - be sure to go off what you know best, this is just from my experience.

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1. Waxing (Didn't hurt at all)

2. Shaving (Not recommended - been there, done that)

3.Plucking (Not my favourite)

4. Threading (I literally cried in the shop and they had to call my mum down)

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So there is just my overview on the subject. I would say go for it - at the end of the day you pay around £10 for a good shape and clean look. I don't find that it hurts anywhere near as much as threading or even plucking. The plucking that the lady did after the waxing actually hurt more. Well enjoy the sunshine guys and I am actually going away soon so I won't be posting for a while, however when I do expect lots of holiday essentials, airport looks, and what's in my beach bag posts! 

Love Claudia

xx

May Edition ELLE Overview

Hi guys!

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I bought an ELLE magazine today and I have had a lot of thoughts on this issue. So I'm going to get stuck in with my personal overview of this issue.

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So starting with a beauty product I have seen appearing all over the shop are the stick form foundations, and the NARS Matte Multiple. I saw two adverts, one for the NARS Matte Multiple and one for the Bobbi Brown Foundation Sticks. Both are quite different as the NARS products are for lips and cheeks, and Bobbi Brown products are foundation. I have also seen Topshop bring out yet another form of highlighter, this time in stick form.

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Another thing that I have seen that I am very very interested in is this whole idea of 'dark summer'. This is so intriguing because I have seen a lot of navy, camel and stone colours which is something I have never seen before. However in controversy to this I saw one article with all white garments on the high street edit.
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The final thing I was interested in was the 'New Metal' article which I knew was going to come back, I mean it was such a big hit last year especially because it's not like a specific garment or colour scheme like pastels, it's just an all round trend that can be worn all the time.
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I am really impressed with the May issue and I just have to mention this perfume that smelt amazing from Jour d'Hermes from Hermes Paris. I also loved Daisy from Marc Jacobs. Have a good evening everyone!
Love Claudia
xx

NOTW: Barry M Strawberry Ice Cream

Hey guys!

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I'm doing a NOTW post today which is something I have never done before. I have been wearing this nail varnish all week long because it's so pretty! It's from Barry M and is in the colour Strawberry Ice Cream. It's like a pastel pink which is really spring and looks like Tanya Burr's 'Mini Marshmallows' nail varnish, but is only £2.99. I know that Barry M have loads of ranges of finishes and textures, but to be honest the plain nail varnish is my favourite because it's cheaper, it dries quickly and gives a glossy, classic finish. It doesn't chip easily and goes on smooth, and it's not difficult to remove, however you do have to apply a few coats because it's quite a light colour until you layer it up. 

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I really recommend this colour for you guys because it's a beautiful spring pink! Follow me on Instagram for a picture of my nails with this colour at @claudiabxo. Have a good evening everyone!

Love Claudia

xx

Product Of The Week #1: MAC 217 Brush

Hey guys!

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 I am doing a product of the week post today however the product I am going to talk about is a make up brush so I'm not sure if this really qualifies as a product but oh well. I bought this brush on Wednesday last week and I have some photos of it on my Instagram (@iceicebby04) and I have fallen in love. It's a soft fluffy brush that has a lot of really light real hair bristles which makes it light but effective. It's purpose is blending and that's always what I use it for. It was £18 which I feel happy paying for the brush I have been searching for. I don't think Real Techniques do a make up brush like this one, I mean I might be wrong but I have never seen it. So anyway I haven't photographed the brush because once again my phone storage is full so I just have the picture from the MAC website! Just a little side note my mum loved the Tom Ford lipstick (it's the lipstick I did a review of the other day)! 

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So this is my product of the week because it's so fluffy and soft which makes it a great blending brush for a smoky eye. Have a lovely day everyone!

Love Claudia

xx

MAC Coral Bliss Lipstick Review

Hey guys!

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I am really excited to be writing a review today because I haven't done one for ages. I think the latest review I did was on my Tom Ford lipstick, and today I am doing another lipstick, this time from MAC. I have had Morange on my holiday wishlist for a while but I didn't think it would suit me when I saw it in the shop, and I did want to buy Coral Bliss, however I had never seen it before, and couldn't find it on display in the store, so I took a gamble and bought it anyway. I opened the packaging and I fell in love. It's such a gorgeous coral lipstick with a real opaque finish which is an advantage to me because I don't think I would have liked it as much if it was a matte finish as the colour is a little out of my comfort zone as you guys know I am a pinks/nudes kind of girl. It cost me £15 which I don't find extortionate for a lipstick as I am aware of the quality that comes with the price. 

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So overall this lipstick is one of my new favourites that I am so excited to take on holiday because I can just picture this lipstick paired with some oversized shades, a messy bun, a white bodycon dress and a great tan! Have a nice day and I hope you enjoy mothers day tomorrow!

Love Claudia

xx