July Favourites

Wow is another month over again already? I can't believe I'm into my 3rd monthly favourites post already since being back in the blogging world!
It is August tomorrow - this is crazy, I know we always say it every year but the years really do fly by as you get older!

Bit of a mix of things this month as always, I can honestly say I have become addicted to a few things over the last 4 weeks.... (no make-up this month though .... I think I am unwell! But don't get me wrong I have still bought loads in July haha)

Now smells is a BIG thing for me. If a product smells good, I'm sold! I'd be waiting for this to come into my local Boots for ages and a couple of weeks ago I spotted it and even thought it is £10.50 (which is quite alot for my current budget) I whacked it in my basket and didn't look back!
 This is the Sugar Crush Body Buttercream from Soap & Glory. I have the scrub at home and have been floating between that and The Breakfast Scrub for a while now but can I just say, the cream, to me, smells SO much better than the scrub! It is really sweet scent with a strong zest of lime but also has a creamy cake mixture type smell to it aswell. Okay that sounds weird but I think it is the Shea & cocoa nut balm and almond oils! I am addicted to this product! Every time I see it in my room I have to have a smell and put it on either my arms or legs! I put this all over my body after my shower every morning and I love it, I cannot wait to get the body wash aswell!

Next up in my new purse. I like to switch up my purse/wallet alot as I get easily bored and this is one I've had my eye on for a while! Ted Baker purses are so gorgeous and the quality of them is amazing. I recently went to Gunwharf Keys in Portsmouth which has a Ted Baker outlet in it and thought I would treat myself. 
They are normally anything between £75 and £85 so this has obviously put me off in the past! But I went in and this was actually the first one I picked up. I loved the colour and as soon as I looked inside and saw the lining was French Bulldogs (my dream dog) I knew it was the one!
 It was £50 but because I'm a very lucky girl (and it was out anniversary) my boyfriend put £20 towards it so I only had to pay £30 for it! I know this is going to last me years and years and there is noway I'm going to get bored of this one anytime soon!

This is a product which was actually recommended to me from a friend (Hey Lottae!)! After alot of 7am and 7:30am starts recently at work (I am NOT a morning person) I have started to develop major bags under my eyes! I've never really had this problem before where they are so visible but this product is actually amazing at keeping them at bay! 
It is the Garnier Skin Naturals Caffeine Eye Roll-on for Anti-bags and anti-dark circles! You can apply this as many times a day as you feel necessary (I normally only use it 2 or 3 times). All you do is apply it to your under eye in light and gentle circular motions! It is a roller ball dispenser so you don't need to worry about how much to use or making a mess! I can say with confidence that this has 100% helped reduce the appearance all the bags under my eyes and always makes me eyes feel more alert and awake ... must be the caffeine!

Another product now which had me sold by its smell! With the weather getting a bit colder now my lips have been getting a bit dry and chapped once again. Normally I am all for Vaseline and I recommend it to anyone who says they have sore lips but I have recently stumbled across my new holy grail. 
I am usually very fussy with lip balms as I never feel like anything works as well as Vaseline for me but I saw the flavour of this lip balm/butter from Nivea recently and was immediately drawn to it. 
This is the Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia. I thought I'd give it a go and thought even if it didn't work as well as Vaseline at least I can enjoy the smell BUT I was pleasantly surprised after using it to find out it works just aswell! I now take this everywhere I go and have it next to my bed at night, definitely something I will be re-purchasing over and over again!

I won't bore you with a huge paragraph about this product as I have done a WHOLE post on it earlier this week! But it has to be in my July favourites as it is truly an amazing product. Check out all my thoughts on it here - Moroccanoil Treatment - My New Best Friend.

Soap & Glory's Scrub Of Your Life is a product that I first used years ago as a teenager. I remember buying it purely for the comment on the front of the bottle which states it can get rid of the horrible red bumps on the backs of your arms. Now, I am a major sufferer of this and I seriously HATE it, like where do they come from? Why do only some people get them? They suck!
I was thinking the other week about the time I had a scrub which really helped with them and after alot of detective work I remembered it was this! A few weeks later and I have to say that once again it has been working a charm and has helped clear the red bumps up alot. Not to mention its lovely packaging and smell - thank you Soap & Glory another great product!

Last but not least is some music that I have been loving this month (and for a while now!).
Ariana Grande is known best for her role in Victorious but since she released her single 'The Way' a few months ago I have been obsessed with her and her voice. ( I play this song - every single day.)
This girl has some SERIOUS talent, I mean Whitney and Mariah level. 
She is incredible, just check out her youtube channel (osnapitzari) and watch a few of her personal videos! My favourite is her doing impressions, her Britney and Judy Garland impressions are so so amazing, this girl can SING! (Oh and I did I mention I swear to god she is Cheryl Cole's mini twin!!!)
Here is her new single "Baby I" - this really reminds me of the sort of RnB I was listening to about 10 years ago or so - I love it! 
Also check out her song with Mika called Popular Song it is so catchy, I love a good pop song!


What have you been loving in July? 

Mini Barry M Haul

Barry M nail polishes are addictive aren't they? 
Every shade, every style, every line they bring out I LOVE! I'm always picking up new colours to add to my collection!
This are by far my favourite brand of nail polish (I have lost count of the amount I own!) They tick every box for me - bargain, amazing choice, amazing shades and great quality!
So I'd thought I'd show you which colours I decided to pick up this week - and guess what.... one of them was FREE (My favourite price!)

1. Nail Paint 66 - Matt White - I have wanted this colour for so long - I am loving the white nail trend at the moment and think it looks so cool with a tan and is perfect for doing nail art on aswell! 

2. Gelly Hi-Shine 10 -Lychee - Another colour I have been eyeing up for months, this colour is a perfect nude (it looks alot darker and browner in the photo but I can assure you it is a nude.) I've been wearing it for the past few days and love it so much I can tell it's going to become one of my staple colours I always end up reaching for!

3. Limited Edition 327 - B - I guess it's called "B" that is what is written on the bottom! This was actually FREE! At the moment if you spend over £6 on Barry M in Boots you can pick from either this yellow or a pink limited edition colour polish! I bought 1. & 4. at the same time so got this for free! I only have a really crap yellow from collection in my nail polish collection and have been meaning to get a decent one for the spring and summer months for the past year so this seemed perfect! Totally goes with my blog name too!

4. Gelly Hi-Shine 318 - Prickly Pear - I know this is quite the Barry M Nail Paint in Berry Ice Cream (which I obviously own) but I love the Gelly nail paints and I do think the quality is better than the usual paints. I love how pretty and girly this lilac shade is and cannot wait to use it! Think it would look really cute with mix and match nails with a pinky colour!

Have you bought any new Barry M polishes recently? I am obsessed with the Gelly's and have a long list of all the other colours I want to get!

The Skincare Tag

I was recently tagged by the gorgeous Liza from Glambeautys to do this tag! I LOVE Liza's blog and following her on twitter - make sure you go and get check her out - she is literally stunning and her blog is such a good read!
So without any more rambling here we go - Kirstie does the Skincare Tag .... (few of my face favs in the photo below)

1. Describe your skincare routine in five words.
Easy, Simple, Affordable, Refreshing & Light.

2. What is your skin type? 

I've said this in previously posts before but I think my skin is definitely a combination. I never used to get oily skin but over the last few years I tend to get a little oily on my forehead and a few other patches but also have dry spots around my nose.

3. What is your favourite skincare product? 

Without a doubt Liz Earle's Cleanse & Polish I have lost count the amount of times I've raved about this on AYellowBrickBlog, it is just perfect for me, gets all my make-up of and always leaves my face feeling fresher than ever every single day!

4. Top blemish zapper?

I am (touch wood) extremely lucky with spots and don't really get outbreaks.... saying that I've had a few pop up over the last few weeks but I'm blaming that on the hot weather and me keeping my make-up routine the same during it! BUT in the odd occassion in which I get a hideous friend join my face I swear by Clearasil Ultra's Rapid Action Treatment Cream! Helps to reduce your spot and it's redness in just 4 hours! 

5. Face wipes….yay or nay?

If you asks me a few years ago I would say yay yay yay but nowadays I would say nay nay nay! I used these daily all throughout my teens but after using my current skincare products I have realised they weren't actually that great for my face especially for make-up removal! Saying that I do still have some at home for days where I am not wearing any make-up and want to freshen up but I don't include them in my daily routine.

6. Toner….yay or nay?

Liz Earle's Skin Tonic count? Then Yay! This stuff is amazing after cleansing and makes my skin feeling cleaner and brighter before using a moisturiser!

7. High end skincare or high end make up?

I'd pick high-end make-up, just because I am quite lucky with my skin and high-street products work just as well for me as higher end skincare products - so gimme the expensive make-up!!!

8. You’re in a French pharmacy and can only buy one item, what would it be? 

Bioderma Ceraline H20 - everyone cannot stop raving about this stuff so yes that is what I would pick! I've heard it's a rival for Cleane & Polish so would love to compare and make my own decision! 

9. Top skincare tip. 

Drink lots of water - I think this is my top tip for alot of things but I honestly think that drinking lots of water has so so many benefits and good effects on the body! Another one would be to NEVER sleep in your make-up, oh and try to have at least one day a week make-up free.

I TAG you all to join in with this tag and when you do make sure to let me know and send me a link, would love to read all your answers!

Moroccanoil Treatment - My New Best Friend

Hair oils.... Probably the biggest and best thing since GHD released their straighteners!
If you are a beauty lover, like moi, I'm sure you've tried at least one! 

Softer hair, healthier hair, stronger hair, protects your hair - they all more or less promise the same thing but after trying a few I know that I have my favourites!

Top of the list being this - the Moroccanoil Treatment.

For those of you who have been living under a rock or would just like to know a bit more - here's some of the main information about the brand itself.

I've only just recently started using this and over the last week or so I've actually been excited to wash my hair so that I can whack this on after!
I use this on my hair when it is has been towel dried and is still damp after washing, 99% of the time I just let my hair air dry as I have cut down on heat alot as I am trying to grow my hair. (which has made it feel 1million times better and I'm so happy!)

The main thought using this product is .... why did I not start using this sooner?!

This is 100% the best hair oil I have tried so far. (Lee Stafford's is also up there as a close 2nd, I LOVE his Argan oil and have been using it religiously since February.)

You only need to tiniest bit to cover the mid-end lengths of your hair. Anything between a 5p and a 1p is normal so this stuff just lasts and lasts! Like I said I've been using it for just over a week and it doesn't even look like any has gone from the bottle!

Here's a how-to video from Moroccanoil's Official YouTube, they have some awesome video's on their so it is definitley worth checking out their channel.



The scent is lovely - soothing, light and not overpowering - keeping your hair fresh and smelling gorgeous!

It has left my hair feeling so silly smooth, thick and really healthy after every use and I don't know how I've been living without it!

The only one downside I would give this product is the fact the bottle does not have a pump or an easy dispenser to it. You do just have to pour it straight onto your hand, which is fine and not a massive chore but I feel like having something like a pump would make it easier to handle the amount of product you are distributing. 

The bottle I have is only the 25ml which costs only £12.75 from AmazingHair.co.uk and for me this is a bargain! 
I know 25ml doesn't sound like you are getting alot for your money but this stuff really does last and last I have been using a good amount every time and it doesn't even look like the oil has gone down at all!
This is the smallest bottle you can get so it is perfect for a first time user to try out! 
I HIGHLY recommend this product and cannot stop raving about it to everyone I know, it is definitely something I will be purchasing over and over again.


(***Disclaimer : This product was kindly sent to me by the lovely people at Amazing Hair.  All thoughts, opinions and ideas are always my own and I would never include an item or product on A Yellow Brick Blog that I didn't truly believe in.)

Festival Fashion - The Evolution

So.... we all LOVE Festival fashion don't we?! Well... how amazing is this new feature on New Look's website at the moment?

The Evolution of Festival Fashion - http://daily.newlook.com/festival-fashion-timeline

You can click on the years through 1969 to 2013 and check out what Festivals, styles and music were on trend back then and how they all had an influence on each other! I really loved going through this and seeing how many I have worn, loved and loathed over the years (even the ones I wasn't alive for!)

Here are a few of my favs....

I love do love listening to rock music (not all of it mind you but some I adore ... The Pretty Reckless being my favourite band ever!) and the style shown here is one that's close to my heart - I love the boohoo hippy style, very Nicole Richie and Vanessa Hudgens!

1996 and the 'genre' is Brit Pop. I mean... what isn't to like? Reading through the "style" section and it says 'Aloha shirts, paisley shirts, printed pees, parka jackets' - sound familiar? Yup it sounds seriously like the style of 2013 right now and I love it! 

Well obviously this one was going to be close to my heart - The Isle Of Wight Festival. My home and the first festival I ever went too! The first time I went was 2005 and I've been 7 times since then. With printed scarves and skinny jeans being on the style fashion items for this year I know most of you are going to be a fan!

 Another proud moment,  my home being mentioned again with Bestival - my favourite festival! With Bestival being the only fancy dress festival I think literally anything goes! If you haven't been to a Festival before I really really recommend you go to Bestival - I have yet to meet someone who's attended and not liked it! 
Even though this has been shown as 2006 I think all the indie and new rave fashion items and designers listed are still totally on trend and being rocked at every festival - fluroscent colours being a huge one.  Izzy Azaela being a personal fav of mine - always love what she is wearing!

At last but not least this year, 2013! I've been to one Festival so far this year and as always I noticed so many cool trends and styles, I love people who wear something a bit different and stand out from the crowd! Trust your own style and rock whatever you fancy!

What have you been wearing to Festival this year?

Or are planning on going to any of the Festivals yet to happen?

Check it out HERE and let me know which styles, trends and genres are your favourties (or if you buy anything from the New Look site.... I am obsessed with their current range!)

D.I.Y. Nails - imPRESS Press-On Manicure

I've looked at these and 'ummed' and 'arrred' about getting them for probably about a year now so this week I just bit the bullet and splashed out the £7.99 for them to give them a whirl - why not! (anything has got to be better than my chipped nail polish!)

These are the imPRESS press-on manicure nails from the company Broadway Nails in the shade 120 Totally Busted. 
They are a really really bright orange - which I think is the nail colour of the season! I'm loving all the different shades of orange out there at the moment and not just for nails.
I purchased these in Boots but I think they are available in most places nowadays!

This is going to be a fairly short post as well, there isn't much to explain! 
With just 4 short steps and only around 10/15 minutes I had the nails on neatly and securely!
All you have to do to apply is peel of the plastic on the back of the nail off and place onto your nail firmly.

Sometimes I struggle with doing my own false nails as I find it hard to find nails small enough to fit my own, I have hilariously small child-like hands! But with these there are 12 different sizes  to choose from and I managed to find one to fit each of my nails with ease!

These say they can last up to a week, I am currently on day 3 and still have them all on and haven't had any problems so far!

I love having them on and would definitely recommend them.
 Even if you just want them for a weekend, they are so so quick and easy to do (compared to gluing nails on) and will come off so much easier and won't damage your nails like others!
There is a huge selection of shades and designs so you don't have to be crazy like me and get some that you can see from the moon!

I may be a little bit intoxiacted in this photo but.... you can see the nails haha!

Have you tried any of the imPRESS nails before?

Primark Haul

So I ventured over to Portsmouth in the week and quickly went into Primark and I mean quickly. Less than half an hour I was in there - that is nothing for me!
 Because I only get to go to Primark a few times a year (sad story I know) when I go in there I am normally a good hour and half haha, you may find that crazy but I love having a good look round!
Anyway moving on... I thought I would do a little haul post for you all! I love reading/watching Primark hauls and hope you do too!

I did pick up some random stuff I must say must have been the pressure of getting out quickly! And I'm still annoyed that I missed the flip-flop section, I think I might actually go back over next month!

 I'll start with a few cheap and cheerful necessitates! I went on a mission to find the cute pack of ankle socks that Zoe (Zoella) had in her recent video but they didn't have any so I just picked up these little mint socks with a frill, they also have metallic stitching aswell which I thought was really cute! 
Hairbands are a must and just like hair grips I swear there is a little pixie in my room hiding them all from me when I most need them, always handy to have more! Nail buffer - £1, can't say more than that really bargain!

 I always moan when I have a plain dress or outfit that it could really do will a belt to glam it up or make it look better so I picked this thin waist belt up thinking it would be perfect and the necklace, well you can never have to many and I like that it is a bit different!

 These tops are so expensive everywhere else and they are exactly the same quality (why does everyone feel the need to charge double the price for half the fabric of a regular top?!) so I thought £4.50 was a bargain and it would look cool under my dunagree dresses!

 Basic black shoes are just for work, £4 you can't go wrong! Love the red ones (very Wizard Of Oz.... as you know I'm a fan!) and I love the T-bar detailing on the other pair, perfect for summer evenings! Like I said before I am gutted that I didn't get to/see the flip-flops but next time I am all over it!

Well a sale in Primark?
Things don't get much better than that!

I was drawn to this at first by the collar and then I saw the price - the collar alone is worth £5 I think, it is soo soo pretty and this top is great for all seasons! 
I really want to wear it tucked into my leather look skater skirt! Would look great with high waisted jeans or disco pants too!
 Oh pyjamas, you are just the most comfiest of clothing! I wear pj bottoms probably 80% of the time I am at home, love getting new pjs! I always buy a few sizes bigger aswell, I like them to be oversized and comfortable! 

I feel a bit hypercritical buying this top because, I don't drink coke - I don't like it haha! But I think it looks really cool and love that it is bright red! Perfect for festivals!

If you haven't seen this movie yet - go go go! It is amazing, me and my boyfriend were both laughing out loud! These are so good for the weather at the moment aswell, so comfortable and t be fair, I look pretty cool too!

Another sale bargain! Thought it would look really cute with a tan (if I ever manage to get out in the sunshine before it goes!) and I think it will look great for both day and night! Love the colour, there was also an amazing coral coloured one too but they didn't have my size - sad face!

I know it is soooo hot at the moment but you never know when it is going to end in England! I love this plain grey jumper, I love having things I can just chuck on and you could easily accesorise it too with a scarf or a necklace!

 I love this dress so much, it is so summery and bright and I think it looks like it could be somewhere alot more expensive than Primark!
 I actually wore this out last night to my best friends engagement drinks, it is a little casual but I dressed it up with some summery high wedge sandals and a clutch! Can't wait to wear it with sandals and sunnies aswell!

Have you been to Primark lately  I would have bought so much more if I was in there longer I think!

SAVE YOUR SKIN - ARK Skin Protector Primer

It is HOT isn't it? The UK is getting it good this summer and although I am at work alot of the time as soon as I get the chance I love to hit the beach, get out and get some good old fashioned Vitamin D. Now there are a few things I do like to moan about with this hot weather and I don't mean the lack of deodorant and crap tattoos on display from some people.
I HATE melting and smudged make-up and worst of all - sunburn.
Queue  - ARK skincare. 

I am one of those idiots that everytime I go out into the sun I magical "forget" that I do catch the sun quickly and tend to burn before I tan.
The worst place to get burnt I think is your face, any sunburn feels horrible but your face just feels down right awful and not only that but you are prematurely ageing your skin, tut tut! 

ARK are an amazing age aware skincare company who focus on everyone at every age  - your fabulous teens, when you're old and grey and all that is inbetween!
Normally I think to myself  "I'm only 23 I don't need that yet" but... time is ticking people, if I don't look after myself now when will I?

The product I've tried from them is the ARK anti-ageing skin protector primer with SPF30. 

As soon as I received the product I was impressed, wrapped and packaged so beautifully you can tell someone put alot of time into making it look nice (Thank you Charlie!).
 That is something I like about certain companies - they are willing to put an effort into the appearance of your parcel even though you may just rip it open when you get it.

When you first pump the product out it literally looks like full-blown suncream which had me a bit skeptical.

 I was worried I would be a major shiny face (not a good look) BUT it turns out once it's being rubbed in it quickly turns clear and suddenly - it feels like a primer. 

All you need is just ONE pump, I find that is more than plenty to cover your face and neck areas easily and evenly.

I am really loving this product, I've been using it for about a week now and really love the feel it has. 
The scent is amazing, with Vitamin E, Shea Butter and Jojoba being just a few of the ingredients what do you expect eh?! Plus, not only does it protect my skin with its SPF30, it is a fantastic base for my make-up!
The SPF 30 for me is an amazing factor with this product, knowing my face is fully protected before I've even put my make-up on makes me feel alot better about being out in the sun for most of the day and it feels so much nicer than a thick and creamy suncream.

The product is a little pricey at £36 for a 30ml bottle, yes, but for an amazing primer and a protective cream I think it is worth it (it's about £20-£30 for a decent higher end primer now anyway!) and using only one pump a day will insure that it will last months.

The finish it has is just perfect for me and I would happily wear it with or without make-up. It makes a perfect base for my foundation but it also leaves my skin feeling smooth and with a slight glow (that isn't shiny) about it even if I go make-up less.

Check out the primer and all of ARK's other products they have to offer HERE. 
Love ARK? Want to get involved with the ARK angels?
Check this out -  http://sueardley.arkskincare.com/



(***Disclaimer : This prodyct was kindly sent to me by the lovely people at ARK skincare.  All thoughts, opinions and ideas are always my own and I would never include an item or product on A Yellow Brick Blog that I didn't truly believe in.)