Benefit b.right! skincare

As I mentioned a while back in this post, I picked up this lovely little Benefit b.right! skincare sample kit for only £10. I bought this because I've been playing around with my skincare routine over the last few months, and I didn't want to spend money on all the full-size products and end up not liking them. I've been testing them out and finally made decisions about whether I'd repurchase these, so here's the verdict!

Firstly, I think that you get a decent amount of product for £10, plus the packaging is really cute. I think that once I've finished using the b.right! products, it would probably be quite easy to clean out the packaging and reuse it. I particularly love the glass pots, perfect for taking a little bit of moisturiser when you're going away for a few days :)

These first three are what I deemed as things that I would incorporate into my evening skincare routine. I wasn't sure how to use a few of these, but the instructions that come with them are thankfully really easy to follow!

I've used Foamingly Clean a couple of times, but I don't think I'll be repurchasing this. It's a nice product to use and it leaves my face feeling fresh, but one that I tend to use when I'm cleaning my face after a day of wearing no make up rather than anything else. I'm least keen on this style of packaging because I find the material quite hard to squeeze, therefore it's not always easy to use the product fully up. I'll probably have to cut this open to finish using it up, which I don't like doing.

As for the Moisture Prep, I'm a little bit on love with this. The smell of all of these is like smothering your face in loveliness by the way, and using this along with the moisturiser, it's like a double treat. By using this as part of my night skin routine, the Total Moisture sinks into my skin a lot faster, which is nice because it means that I don't have the problem of moisturiser coating my pillow. This is one product that I'm pretty sure that I'm going to repurchase. The full size is 177.4 ml for £23.50. I like the moisturiser, although I don't believe the sales woman when she told me that you could use it day and night (naturally suspicious much?). I find it too thick to be a morning moisturiser, but as a night moisturiser it's really nice. I might repurchase this, but I'm using up my Clinique one at the moment and I do prefer that slightly.

These were the bits that I considered more apt to use as part of my morning skin routine.

Out of these three, I can't say enough about It's Potent! because this is my favourite out of all these 6 products. I've not been a massive fan of eye creams before now, but this has completely changed my mind. I've been using this religiously as part of my morning face routine, and although I've been using a few other eye creams this remains my favourite. I've been seeing a definite improvement in my dark under eye circles since I've been using this, and as much as I love the really dinky sized packaging I can't wait to get my hands on the 14.2g foor £23.50.

The Triple Performance Facial Emulsion is something that I really like, but it is almost impossible to get out of the glass container. I really like the concept of this and how it feels on my skin, but I've used this less than the other 5 products just because I really have to bash at it to get it out. It might be the consistency of mine isn't quite right or something, but it should really be in a squeezable tube in my opinion! Lovely product, wrong packaging.

Finally the Refined Finish is a gentle exfoliator, which again isn't one that I'm overly keen on. I thought it was a nice product and it does what it says it will, but I think there are better ones out there that are slightly nicer and half the price. I'll probably get round to using this up eventually, but it's not one that I'll be hurrying out to repurchase.

Victoria from Victoria's Vintage recently did a review on the same set, so if you wanted to read someone else's opinions on the same products you can do so here :)

Have you tried any of these products, or are you just going to stick with high street alternatives? I'm still 50/50!

n xx

Room tour sneak peak

Hello lovelies!

Having had a rather hectic few weeks, I'm back! I'm now moved into university halls in Derby. I've been here around two weeks now, so I've finally got my room looking how I want it, which means you can expect a room tour shortly!

I never did a room tour of my room back home because I share with my sister, and even though she moved out 4 years ago, it's still a massive room and I just didn't feel like posting about it. But now I thought it would be nice for you to see how I've personalised my room, especially if you've just moved away too :)

Also, I'm planning a 'how to make your new home home' post soon because I've been picking up tips and tricks from all over the place.

I'm now living in a flat with four other girls (who are all very lovely) and my en-suite room (not trying to show off, just a hint for my tour!) looks out into a courtyard area that is looking lovely in Autumn so far :) I'm on the third floor, so there's a lot of stairs to go up, but on the plus side, there's no one living above me.

For now, I'll just leave you with a sneak peak of a few things in my room that I picked up while I've been here. There was a student lockdown event during freshers at IKEA which I went to (rather excitedly) and these things are all something I picked up while I was there.

I hope you're settling in well if you've also moved away, and if not that you've just had a good few weeks!

n xx

Nail art catch up!

I really am loving my nail art recently, so I thought I'd make a post of how I've been doing my nails recently :)  

My first ever french manicure yay!

In love with this Barry M sparkle

My dramatic ombre fail

Matte nails are right up there with my love for glitter

Ballet slippers by Essie

Mint apple candy by Essie & art using my new dotting tools!

one of my favourite A/W colours

Essie exotic liras with leopard print, I loved this!

I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I love painting my nails! If you've got any nail art you love, feel free to share it with me :)
All of these pictures are from my instagram, my username is nikkiyvonne_ if you wanted to follow me!

n xx

*This is a scheduled post because of freshers fortnight, I will reply to all comments as soon as I can :)*

17 nail varnish collection

For the second part of my nail varnish collection posts (see my first Barry M one here), I thought that I'd go through my next biggest collection at the moment. I've not got very big nail varnish 'collections' at the moment, as I've only bought colour over brand before now, but I'm sure it'll soon grow now I'm back into using them!

• nail xtras strengthening base coat • baked cherry • tropical island • gilt •

• bronzy •smoky marble • silva • mini skirt •

Some of my favourite colours are from 17, and this white is my current favourite to use for french manicures :)

What's your favourite brand of nail varnish?

n xx

*This is a scheduled post because of freshers fortnight, I will reply to all comments as soon as I can :)*

Loving lip balm

As we're now rolling into the A/W time of year, I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite lip balms that stop my lips from getting too dry when it's colder :)

Of course, everyone loves a little bit of vaseline! I've ended up buying these three over the years, and it means I can conveniently have them in different places so one's always close if I want it.

These two products are for when my lips are getting really dry, as they're super moisturising. I like having Vaseline around because it's the best for moisturising my lips that I've found. The other is a shea lip care stick from the Body Shop that I got off my mum ages ago. It's really nice and has a good coverage that soaks into my lips well and I love having this in my bag as an alternative to Vaseline. It's lasted me for a few years because I mainly use it in winter, but if you're not a fan of Vaseline then it's really worth checking out the Body Shop.

These other two are favourites more because of smell than consistency or anything else. The jelly belly lip balm is the least moisturising, but it smells amazing . The smell I have is blueberry, and this is really nice to have on when you're all wrapped up in a jacket and scarf to go out in the cold. 
This final lip balm from Lush is, well, lush. It came in a box of products that my sister got me one Christmas, and my flavour/scent of 'Whip Stick' is my favourite because it smells of chocolate. I tend to venture more down the line of fruity smells for my lips, so this makes a nice change. It's probably equal in terms of moisturising to the Body Shop shea lip care stick, and I'll definitely be repurchasing this when I finish it. Whip Stick also leaves a slight tint on your lips, a 'your lips but better' colour, so don't be put off my the fact that it's brown in the tin.

Are any of these favourites of yours too?

n xx

*This is a scheduled post because of freshers fortnight, I will reply to all comments as soon as I can :)*

All for a cause

Today's post is a little different and based around charities/some of my jewellery pieces.

Now I don't know about you, but I love having a piece of jewellery has a story behind it. Which is why over the last few years I've collected quite a few pieces into what I call my 'causes jewellery' because not only do they benefit various charities, but I feel like I've got a reason for having them other than 'I wanted it'.

I decided to write about where I've gotten some of this jewellery from as I've often had people asking me where I get them from.

Avon Speak Out Against Domestic Violence

I really loved the interlinking infinity sign of this necklace, so the fact that it was for a charity that I fully support was more of a happy coincidence. You can read more about this campaign here.

Avon Breast Cancer Crusade

This is one of my oldest pieces, and I take an active role in doing anything I can to help support and raise money for Breast Cancer because it's a cause I consider very close to home. This particular piece is on my charm bracelet, and you can read more about this Avon cause here.

 This is from another Avon campaign (which I found a news article for here) which was in aid of planting trees in the Atlantic Forest. I got this because I really love the design, and I also picked up a couple to make up presents for friends as I think it makes just a cute little extra!

 From the lovely Prairie Charms blogger collaboration, which donated 10% of the profits to Great Ormond Street Hospital. This bracelet is 'the simple things in life are often the best' which I did a review on here. I really love these bracelets because they layer up so nicely, and I'll definitely be buying some more in the future.

Avon Breast Cancer Crusade

Another few pieces from the same Avon collection- they launch new things through out the year, which is why I have quite a few things! As you can see, the bottom piece, a necklace, is pretty grubby. It was the first piece I got and I really need to give it a good clean!

This last piece is from when I went to the Manchester Hard Rock Cafe, and they were selling these for why hunger (or at least I think that's the charity). This isn't the sort of thing I'd normally wear, but I do wear it quite a lot. I even ended up buying a couple.

I  hope you enjoyed this post! Do you have any pieces of jewellery that are for charity? :)

n xx

*This is a scheduled post because of freshers fortnight, I will reply to all comments as soon as I can :)*

Lush 'focus'

I know I'm a little late onto the Lush 'emotional brilliance' bandwagon, but I bought this and then completely forgot that I'd bought it. The shame!

I don't know about anyone else, but I really enjoyed the whole concept of the wheel and choosing out the first colours that you see. If you haven't heard much about how this new line was launched, then you might think I've gone a little crazy. Get yourself into a Lush shop and investigate!

I chose this colour because it's not  shade I'd normally wear, and as creamy eye shadows are already a little out of my comfort zone by themselves, I thought I might as well just push the boat out all the way.

I've ended up really loving this! I don't think it will ever manage to fully convert me to a creamy eye shadow enthusiast, but by itself it's fairly buildable and blendable, and it has provided me with a nice base colour to build other colours onto.

It's a thinner consistency than I expected, which I prefer, and I am just in love with the packaging and names of the different colours. The applicator is nice, although I don't always like brushes that can't be washed, though I've given this a little bit of a wash with my trusty Dove hand wash a few times and it's turned out better than expected.

I might buy some more of these in the future, but for now I'm happy with just this one. The mascara and lipstick are another matter entirely, I'll definitely be looking into getting some of those!

Have you tried any of the emotional brilliance range yet?

n xx

*This is a scheduled post because of freshers fortnight, I will reply to all comments as soon as I can :)*

Empties review #2

Sure crystal deodrant in clear aqua

"Sure Crystal provides incredible white mark protection... Long lasting protection"

Just something boring to start off with! I really like Sure deodrants at the moment, and this one smells really fresh. I don't like deodrant to smell floral or citrus-y, because surely that's what perfume is for?!

Tresemme instant refresh dry shampoo

"the perfect solution to instantly cleanse & revitalise hair without water"

This product is probably one of the first things I would put on a holy grail product list if I were to make one. I'm really not a fan of Batiste, which does the job but is guaranteed to leave white in my hair, which this has never done. Plus, I adore the smell of this dry shampoo so so much more. It's seriously yummy.

Boots Tea tree & Witch hazel foaming face wash

"deep cleanses and refreshes & helps keep skin clear and healthy"

I'll confess, this sat in my product for such a long time in my bathroom being neglected. But now I really love it! It's a really gentle product, and I use it twice a day, once before moisturising in the morning and once after removing make up in the evening. It's leaves my face feeling toned and refreshed in just the right way- I've already repurchased!

Boots body spray in hope

"be full of hope with this gorgeous body spray, with hints of apple and amber"

I'm 90% certain that this was a present from someone, and I don't really like the smell. I think it might be just a little to heavy in amber for me. I liked it enough to wear and not bin, but I was glad to replace this in my handbag.

Boots Tea Tree & Witch hazel cleansing & toning lotion

"deep cleanses, refreshes & helps keep skin clear and healthy"

Anyone else feeling my love for this brand?! Until recently, this was my go to make up remover because it's easy to use and feels your skin feeling clean and fresh. If I ever had to pick up basics to take with me, this would be my number one choice to take off my make up. I only stopped using it to explore other products!

Avon advance techniques frizz control shampoo & conditioner

"formulated with lotus shield technology, to prevent frizz and leave hair more manageable"

These are another of my basic pick ups (or rather, order ins). My hair, I'm realising, is actually very fussy with what I'm putting on it, and Avon (along with the beloved Aussie) is  one that I'm sure works well with my hair. I use a couple of the different sorts from this range, and I love how good they smell. It reminds me of apples, and I am forever sniffing my hair after using this.

Have you used any of these products, did you feel differently about them? :)

n xx

*This is a scheduled post because of freshers fortnight, I will reply to all comments as soon as I can :)*

MIA (freshers fortnight)

Hello lovelies, I hope you're all keeping well!

As I recently mentioned, I'm now a student at Derby university, yay! I decided that because I wasn't sure how often I'd be able to catch up with blogging for the first few weeks, I'd have a few posts queued for your viewing pleasure. I'm mentioning it so you don't think I'm super mean and don't reply to your comments until a week later, but I promise they will all be replied too as soon as I can!

I wrote this before I left home (eep), but I'm setting it to publish during the moments when I'm discovering my new home. As much as I do so love to blog non-stop, it seems a bit rude to the people I'm living with!

At Derby, freshers is a for fortnight, so I'm hoping to be 'MIA' for 3 weeks at the most, by which time I'll have been shopping and organised myself well enough for some hauls and a room tour :)

If you're off to university this year too, good luck!

n xx

What's in my handbag tag!

Hello lovelies! I've got a tag for you today, which I've been meaning to post for what feels like an age now. I didn't want to do it until I'd had my new bag for around a month (I won't bore you with the tales of the epic bag search), so here we are!

 I couldn't get this photo to rotate for the love of anything, boo! :(

• Mirror (from Korea) •  Bach's rescue pastilles •  Mints from Boux Avenue (in love with this tin!) • 

• Tresemme hairbrush • Grapefruit & lime hand gel •  Dextrose energy tablets • 

• L'Occtaine hand cream •  tissues •  inhaler (because breathing is apparently important) •  hair bobbles & clips • 

 •  pen (like any good tourist has) • Argos watch •  nail file & clippers •  Vaseline •  Pineappple lip balm • 

• WHSmiths diary • memo pad •  internet banking thingy • spork (you may laugh until you need one) • ipod headphones •  L'Oreal hairspray (my motto "because carrying mace is illegal") •  Impulse 'true love' body spray • 

 • Accessorize purse •  mini makeup bag • 

 just in case you wanted to know what the inside of my purse looks like...

oh look a family mug shot!

 inside my mini make up case 

• nude lip gloss • concealer •  pencil eyeliner •  mascara •  mirror •  need-to-use-up eyeshadows •  blotting paper • 

 • my HTC wildfire S and it's sparkly blue case • my ipod (affectionately known as Hettie) •  memory stick •  keys and their adorable owl key ring • 

And finally, what it's all kept in! This bag is from Accessorise for £28, and I only recently bought it so it's probably still lurking in store if you wanted it :)

I hope you enjoyed sneaking a peak into my handbag, I love reading these kinds of post! If you've done this tag, feel free to link it below so I can have a look :)

n xx

University life!

Hello lovelies!

Today I've got more of a personal post for you. I've not really mentioned much about what I'm currently doing with my life outside of blogging, so if you're not interested look away now!

At the start of summer I finished my A levels, where I studied English, History and Psychology. Although I applied for university, I honestly didn't think that I had any real chance of getting in.

Results day came and I was shocked to find that I'd been accepted into my first choice university, so this weekend I'm off to live in Derby! I'm studying English and Creative Writing as joint honours, which I'm very excited about as I'm hoping to become a writer in the future.

My things are in such a mess at the moment, everything that I'm taking with me is just heaped into the dining room and I'm utterly dreading having to pack! I've never really wanted to move away from home, so this should be an interesting experience.

n xx

Liz Earle cleanse & polish

Like many before me, I've ventured into the world of Liz Earle. I've never really 'spiced up' my make up remover routine and having seen so much hype about this product, I thought why not?! I bought myself the Cleanse & Polish starter kit, which has a 100ml Cleanse & Polish and two muslin cloths. 

To be honest, my first opinions of this weren't all that great (controversial?!). The smell isn't something that I'm 100% keen on, which is something that I do look for when I'm looking into products that I'm smearing all over my face.

Despite those opinions, I've found that this is definitely something that I'm going to travel with in the future, because it's just so simple to pack. The first time I used this was when I stayed with my sister, and all I had to do was pick up the little bag that the starter kit comes in and I didn't have to worry about getting cotton wool pads, various different bottle of eye make up remover and so on.

Once I'd gotten used to the concept of this, which took a while as it just feels so abnormal to rub off eye make up, I started to really like it. I've noticed that, while my skin isn't prone to breakouts, it started to look and feel a lot clearer.

It's also pretty fascinating to see your make up wiped off onto the muslim cloth (how can my foundation match my skin tone so well and yet still come off looking so orange?!)

If you've been thinking about trying this, I would highly recommend the starter kit, which I picked up from John Lewis for £14.25. I don't know if I'll become such a keen fan of these as a lot of people seem to be, but I'll definitely be travelling with this in the future!

I'm also looking forward to trying some of the other skincare products, as well as some of the make up range.

Have you got any Liz Earle favourites or things you want to try?

n xx

Shopping my stash... again!

I recently did a shopping my stash post, and now I've got another! This one is actually from the same day, but I had a pretty massive rummage so I decided to post it in two parts. I've been clearing out everything in my room since I heading off to university soon, and I'm still in an excited kind of shock over everything I'm finding that I've hidden away and forgotten about!

 Avon fresh cut greens eyeshadow

I used this and it's sister in purple so much a few years ago, until I went through a serious stage of not wearing eyeshadow, thus these got tragically forgotten. I prefer this colour of the two palettes, and the colours are really well pigmented. 

 Barry M liquid eyeliner in brown

Unless I'm very much mistaken, this is another of the infamous Clothes Show Live haul that I keep rediscovering. I'd never normally get an eyeliner in anything but black, but I've recently used this a couple of times and I've surprised myself by really liking it. Who knows, I might even end up repurchasing!

 Benefit POREfessional primer sample

This little sample came with the Hello Flawless! Benefit foundation that I bought. I squirrelled this away because I really wanted to like it, so I saved it for a rainy day. I've now used it, and I'll definitely be buying the full version at some point in the future.

 Barry M fine glitter dust in old gold

This was my first ever Barry M purchase when I was way back in high school, and I'm so happy to have rediscovered this love. It's a really gorgeous bronze/brown colour with a lot of sparkle, and I can see it going really well with some of the colours in my MUA Heaven & Earth palette.

 Natural Collection brown eyeliner

A while ago, I had a massive meltdown and stress when my eyebrow pencil was about 2cm long and I couldn't remember where I got it from (I still haven't found out), so I hunted down every brown pencil that I could find/afford. This is now my emergency eyebrow pencil, but I also thought it might be nice as an actual liner having discovered a love for the Barry M liquid liner in brown.

Natural Collection bronzing powder in sun shine

I bought this at the start of summer, but I've barely even used it. I'm still getting into the whole bronzing process, and as I'm pale/practically see-through, I didn't want to risk anything too heavy duty. I'm going to try and use this a couple of times through winter, just to get used to it!

Lush Lemony Flutter cuticle cream

I bought this ages ago, but I've seen it in a few other recent posts and it's inspired me to rummage this out of hiding. I don't really use it on my cuticles, but I do get super dry elbows and knees so this is excellent for them because of its super-moisturising qualities. Now we're fast approaching autumn I'm happy to have this back out on my dresser!

If you'd like to see full reviews on any of these things, just let me know!

Have you been shopping you stash too recently?!

n xx