Monthly Favourites | January 2014 |

Hello! As it's the end of January (already...!) it's time for the first installment of monthly favourites for the year. This month features a lot of make up, mostly lip-centric with a little bit of skin care thrown in for good measure. If you are more of a listener than a reader, I've included a video that I filmed to accompany this post too.

1. Revlon Lip Butter in 'Pink Lemonade': I'm a massive fan of the lip butter range and this shade is one of my top shades. A soft peachy pink, its easy to slick on and go and pairs perfectly with natural make up looks or to soften a smokey eye. I also find the formula nice and nourishing which is great for this time of year.

2. Topshop Lipstick in 'Idol': A while ago now I did a post on my Topshop lipstick collection, which now I have bought quite a few more I'm looking to update in the near future. This lipstick featured in it and it is still one of my favourite pinks. It's a bright, Barbie-esque pink which I've been wearing as a pop of colour with pared down make up.

3. Sleek Matte Me Lip Cream in 'Brink Pink': This has been posted on really recently, so for an in depth review click here. As you can tell I'm well and truly in a pink phase at the moment, with this lip cream being the brightest and most statement lip out of the 3. 

4. Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm: The last of the lip products, this is an absolute must have for the colder weather. I like to use it before bed as it leaves a slight layer on your lips. It is so nourishing and smells delicious and works really well when used in conjunction with a lip scrub.

5. Benefit 'Million $ Mocha' Eyeshadow: A beautiful shimmery brown shade with pink undertones, I've been using this all over the lid for a really simple day time appropriate smokey eye. The formula is really buttery and easy to blend with no fall out at all. 

6. Estee Lauder Double Wear & Real Techniques Expert Face Brush: This duo is a perfect pairing in my opinion! With this brush you only need a tiny amount of the foundation and when buffed in properly it leaves a lovely natural, airbrushed finish. Double Wear doesn't have to be cakey! I also have a full review on this foundation.

7. Estee Lauder Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher: After receiving this for Christmas I've used this every day as my morning serum. I think its best suited for the day as it is so light weight, and as it melts into skin immediately it leaves a super smooth base, perfect for make up. The pump bottle is also a nice addition as it gives just enough for your whole face without being messy.

8. Clarins Lotus Oil: A whole post has been dedicated to how much I love this oil already! If you have oily/combo skin I urge you to try this as it has really changed my skin for the better. It is a really light oil which won't clog your pores or break you out, while still hydrating your skin really well.

What are your favourites for this month? xxx

Ted Baker | I Wanna Be Loved By You |

This cute little set from Ted Baker was one of my Christmas gifts and I thought it would be lovely to share with you. I love Ted Baker and already have their large pink patent plastic make up bag and gold glitter iPad case (which I use as a clutch bag!) so when I opened this up I was really happy! I'd been after a smaller make up bag to contain the products needed for when I'm out and about which can easily be popped into a handbag and this fits the bill perfectly.

Inside there are 4 mini products: a hand cream, a body spray, lip balm and a candle, which I think is a really lovely selection. My favourite is the body spray which I've been using every day as it has quite a strong floral scent it sticks around quite well and is nice and dinky to keep around in case I need to freshen up during the day. I've also been enjoying using the hand cream as it is thick and nourishing without being greasy and manages to sink it well within a minute. 

The lip balm features the same floral notes as the other products and is great for using on top of lip sticks as a top up but it isn't the most nourishing I've used and is quite a similar texture to Vaseline. I've not had a chance to use the candle yet, but I think its a cute little extra which will look lovely burning in my bedroom.

I don't think this particular set is still for sale but there are lots of similar gifts on their website and at Boots.

Have you tried Ted Baker beauty before? xxx

January 2014 Birchbox | My Thoughts & Why I'm Unsubbing |

Hi everyone, today's post includes another video for you which is an unboxing of this month's Birchbox so you can see what products were inside. I will also be voicing my opinion on what I thought of the box overall and also why I am unsubbing from beauty subscription services at the end of the video.

Are you a member of Birchbox or any other beauty subscription service? xxx

Review: Sleek | Matte Me Lip Cream | 'Brink Pink'

Sorry for the not so great picture-  best of a bad bunch!

Sleek - Matte Me Ultra Smooth Matte Lip Cream - 'Brink Pink' - £4.99

Sleek is a brand that I've wanted to delve into for a long time and everyone knows I have a penchant for lip products, so when the Matte Me lip creams were released it was the perfect time to pick up a few colours to test out (along with a few blushers which will be reviewed soon!)

Today I'll be talking about 'Brink Pink' - a bright magenta colour that is almost fluro in real life but difficult to capture completely on camera. Take my word for it though, its beaut! The formula is really smooth and easy to apply, especially due to the firm doe foot wand, and is really opaque which is a massive plus point. I've found the best way to use this product is to apply one thin layer, wait around 30 seconds for it to dry and then add another layer on top. If you try and add layers too quickly it just spreads the product around your lips. 

The formula dries down to a matte finish in less than a minute and has great sticking power. Tested during a normal day this stuff doesn't budge even when drinking. It even survived a three course meal really well with only slight wear at the very centre of my lips, which was rectified with a quick slick of lip balm to blend everything together again.

As you would imagine, due to the nature of the matte formulation you need to make sure you have exfoliated your lips well as it will cling to any dry patches. I always apply a lip balm before doing my make up so when I get to my lips they are nourished enough for the lip cream. I also find that after a while it can feel like there is a coating on your lips, so it isn't as comfortable as a normal lipstick but this has been true of all the lip creams I've tried, not just with Sleek's offering. Another plus point is when it has started to feel a bit dry I've been able to slick on some lip balm without disturbing the lip cream at all.

Overall, I've been really impressed with this product from Sleek. Everything from the colour to the formulation ticks all the right boxes and I can't wait to pick up some more colours!

What are your favourite lip creams? Have you tried anything from Sleek before? xxx

Review: Liz Earle | Instant Boost Skin Tonic |

Liz Earle - Instant Boost Skin Tonic - 200 ml - £13.25

It's no secret that I love this Boots Botanics toner, but after finishing up my second bottle the beauty blogger in me wanted to try something new. After falling in love with Cleanse and Polish around two years ago I decided that Liz Earle would be a great brand to delve back into and popped down to John Lewis to replenish my stocks of C+P along with a bottle of the Instant Boost Skin Tonic.

The packaging is superb for traveling as it features a nifty screw top, but I kind of wish I had gotten the spray bottle option as they are my favourite way to apply a toner. I use this as my morning toner by pouring the liquid onto a cotton pad and sweeping over my face after washing with Origins Zero Oil face wash and prior to a day time serum.  Like all Liz Earle products it includes lots of naturally active ingredients - in this particular product there is organic aloe vera, calendula, rose-scented geranium, cucumber and natural vitamin E. 

The main aims of this product is that it should refresh, sooth and brighten. I certainly agree it is really refreshing and gentle on the skin while featuring floral notes with a light fresh scent of cucumber. However, I haven't seen much progress in the brightening aspect. 

It is suitable for all skin types which I would agree with as it is non drying due to the lack of alcohol in the ingredients and very gentle, however for those of us who are more oily/combo skinned I would prefer something that does a little more. It is a great product for those who don't have many particular skin concerns but I like my skin care to really feel like it is doing something to actively improve its condition.

If you have normal to dry skin which is pretty well behaved then this would be a fabulous toner but personally I'm looking for something more.

What is your favourite product from Liz Earle? xxx

Collective Haul + A Little Surprise

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't posted yet this week, I will still be posting 3-4 times this week. The reason for the lack of posts at the beginning of the week is because my time was taken up planning and editing...... my first ever YouTube video ahhh!! I'm both excited and really really anxious about putting it up, but I thought it was about time I bit the bullet now I have my new camera and tripod to just give it a go.

Obviously I still have a lot of practice to get to know the right settings for my videos (note to self: turn off auto focus) and experiment with various backgrounds, but I think that all comes with time. 

So here it is, my first ever video, a collective haul.

I hope you enjoy it and it will enable you to get to know my personality a little bit better over time xxx

Body Care Review: The Body Shop | Honeymania Bath Melt |

The Body Shop // Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt // £8 // 300ml

Over the last couple of months I've had quite a Body Shop binge, building up a nice little collection of bath time and body care bits as there is always a fab deal on, plus I have a loyalty card which needs to get stamped (great excuse!) When the Honeymania range was launched I just knew I was going to love it and I wasn't wrong. Being quite restrained for once however I only picked up the item which intrigued me the most which was the bath melt. 

I think it is one of the fairest priced products the Body Shop has to offer as it is only £8 and you get a 300ml tub of bath melt which lasts for ages as I only use one desert spoon full each time, enough for plenty of bubbles in a large bath tub. The product is a thick runny consistency just like honey, with a golden colour and pearlescent sheen running through it - truly decadent! If you aren't a fan of the smell of honey though don't be put off this. It might look very similar to the sticky stuff but the scent if very heavily floral, which I absolutely adore. The Honeymania name instead comes from the use of Community Fair Trade honey made from the nectar of wild flowers.

I've reached for this so much recently when having a bath (hence the usage shown in the above photo) as it is an affordable luxury and perfect for a pick me up. The next products on my list to try from the range are the shower gel, body butter and scrub which all feature the same beautiful scent.

What is your favourite Body Shop product? xxx

All Used Up #8

Before I moved to my flat I had loads of empties to photograph and write up - I did the first part but never got round to writing up the other posts! So here is the next part of the series, which I'm pleased to announce actually contains some make up items which is rare for me as I find it hard to finish make up items.

Sure Cool Pink Deodorant: From what I can remember this wasn't anything special - I don't tend to be loyal to any brand really and mainly get whatever is on offer (bar Nivea which actually makes me sweat more...!) I do quite want to try Mitchum though as that is meant to be pretty good.

Boots Botanics Rosewater Toning Spritz: A review on this toner is already up on the blog here, but a brief summary is that this is my favourite toner that I have tried. It's refreshing yet gentle and I love the spray nozzle. I've already repurchased it a few times and have one in stock but after that I want to try a few others because as a beauty blogger you can never stay satisfied for long!

Batiste 'Tropical' Dry Shampoo: This brand of dry shampoo is my go to. I've used it since the beginning of using dry shampoo and have never felt the need to change as it does the job. The tropical scent is quite nice and smells of coconut (I went through a phase of being obsessed with that smell) but my favourite is definitely the wild version. Again, I normally chop and change in relation to scents.

Garnier Soft Essentials Face Wipes: OK before you say anything I know face wipes are really bad for you! I committed a cardinal beauty sin and for that I truly repent! I used these for taking off excess make up before cleansing in place of a micellar water which I usually use but these are really easy for travel. These were alright from what I remember but I've never come across a face wipe brand which has wowed me (probably because they aren't great for you!)

L'Oreal Lumi Magique in '1 Light': For ages I wasn't sold on this or touche eclat but now it is a permanent fixture in my make up bag. It's great for creating a subtle highlight, which can be built up if you want, is easily blended and easy to use. Once you know its purpose this nifty product is pretty fab.

Soap and Glory Hocus Focus: One of the first products I wrote about on this blog and my second ever foray into the world of liquid highlighters. I wasn't a fan at first and replaced it with this 17 highlighter but I do prefer Soap and Glory's offering and will be repurchasing once I have used up the former. It's a versatile product that can be mixed in with your moisturiser or foundation or used to highlight key areas without leaving you feeling greasy or sparkly like a glitter ball. I love highlighters both liquid and powder and this takes one of the top spots for me.

As stated, this photo was taken with my old camera so sorry for the not so great quality! 

What have you recently used up? xxx

Haircare Review: Macadamia | Deep Repair Masque |

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque - 250ml - £26.95

I can't believe that it has taken me this long to write up a review on this pot of joy as I've had it for around a year and was coveting it long before then too. When I first discovered the world of blogging, Macadamia hair products were one of the most talked about products that I fancied giving a go. I've managed to try quite a few of the range now (such as the healing oil spray) because luckily Matt's Mum is a hairdresser and stocks the whole range so is able to to give me trade prices or gives them as gifts.

I received the 250ml tub of the Deep Repair Masque for my 21st birthday last January from Matt after pointing it out to him in TK Maxx and was really happy that he took the hint haha. You can see how much is left after a year of use which shows the Macadamia range is really great value for money. The pot is kind of annoying when in the shower as it can fill up with water when opened but I don't mind that much and I like the addition of a stopper underneath the twist lid to keep the masque well contained.

The formula is a lovely thick consistency which features a strong floral scent that I adore due to a mixture of macadamia, argan, tea tree and chamomile oil. Whether you choose to leave it on for a few minutes or a long time, the results are fabulous. I always comb my hair through with a tangle teezer while conditioner is still in my hair to get out the many knots but when using this masque there is hardly any need for the tangle teezer as they seem to fall out naturally once this has worked its magic. My hair is left ridiculously soft, healthy looking and smelling delicious. This is great for preventing damage before it happens, and is smoothing and nourishing without weighing down my fine hair. It is also meant to prevent fading of colour treated hair and like the oil it provides UV protection (essential for coloured hair) and reduces the time your hair takes to dry.

It is also available in a squeezy 100ml tube and tester sachets. When my hair is need of TLC and I fancy a pamper this is always the product I reach for and is definitely one of my favourite products of 2013.

What is your favourite product from the Macadamia range? xxx

2014 - Year Of The Blog??

Hi guys, first of all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I've been absent for about a month now because the month of December was ridiculously hectic. I literally had no spare time after the demands of work, sorting things out for Christmas, running a house and trying to have a social life in between - oh and I graduated (but more on that at a later date...!) But now it is a new year and a fresh start, things have calmed down and I am settling down into a nice routine.

2014 brings fresh hopes and desires which I am hoping to achieve. A lot of crappy things happened in 2013 but without sounding too cliche I feel like they've made me stronger and even more determined. I am hoping to elevate this blog to a higher level with new content ideas and better pictures. That's right - I finally got the camera I have been after for ages woop! I was so luckily to get the Canon EOS 650d and 18-55mm lense for Christmas which I had been saving up for myself. In all honesty that is part of what held me back from posting in December too - I felt like my pictures weren't up to scratch even though I tried the best with the camera I had and I didn't want to put sub par content up on this blog, especially after having a brand new layout I wanted the posts to match up to it.

My plan for Little Miss Lifestyle is not too rigid, but I would like to post consistently around 3-4 times a week at the least and am hoping to be much more organised in scheduling posts etc. If there is anything you would like to see let me know. Now I've got my new camera I'm also toying with the idea of youtube... but putting yourself out there on video is a whole lot more scary than typing up a post! If you have a youtube account please could you give me some advice and tips?

A few other resolutions (most of which I have already broken...sigh!) are to do some form of exercise every day, eat more healthily, drink more water... basically just take care of myself a bit better as there was way too much food and booze consumed over the Christmas period and I'm not as happy in myself as I would like to be. I also want to complete some other career goals which I am keeping secret for now but will let you know when the time comes! Finally I want to make more of an effort to keep in contact with my friends as now I live further away and everyone has their own schedules its very hard to stay in the loop with everyone.

Sorry for the ramble but I found that post quite therapeutic and its always nice to have a catch up and lay out a plan which I can now be held accountable for! I would love to know what you are hoping to achieve this year xxx

p.s. all my social media links are located on the right if you would like to follow my day to day musings and snapshots of my life (there are lots of different platforms!)