Photography | Anglesey Abbey

  Some more photography today, since it's been a while since the last one. My family went to Anglesey Abbey, which is a National Trust property, and I took these photos on my Dad's big DSLR camera. Hope you enjoy! xxx

Product Empties #2

  This is second empties post, and indeed it bears a lot of similarities to the last one. What can I say, I am a creature of habit. Sorry the picture quality is so bad, I had to take it on my phone instead of a camera. :(

L'Oreal EverRiche shampoo&conditioner - These were in the last empties too, and are consistent in their appearances because I like them a lot. I also tried the EverSleek conditioner, which I probably liked even more than the EverRiche, so if I was to repurchase, I would probably get the shampoo/conditioner of this one instead.

Snow fairy shower gel - This has been in my empties box practically since I posted the last one, and I actually bought it in 2013, but better late than never! There will definitely be another Snow Fairy in the next empties, because I received it again this Christmas. 

GHD heat protect spray - Not a huge amount to say about this, it protected my hair (at least I hope it did), but I probably won't repurchase because it is more expensive than most drugstore heat protectants. 

Bumble&bumble Straight shampoo - The most expensive shampoo I have ever and will ever buy. I will almost definitely not repurchase for this reason, not least because it didn't last very long (and I am stingy with my shampoo).

L'Oreal false lash telescopic mascara - I was very sad when I had to let this go, but it dried up completely and got very clumpy and disgusting. Sadly I think they have discontinued the waterproof version of this, so I have had to resort to different mascara. 

Collection illuminating touch concealer - Again a repeat from last time. Not a massive fan of this concealer (although you wouldn't guess it), because it provides almost no coverage, but given the price you can't really complain. 

Maybelline Dream matte mousse foundation - This, in my opinion, hardly counts to be classed as a foundation. I bought this probably 2 years ago, and it is in fact not empty, but the consistency has gone very strange and I am never going to use it again. 

Body Shop olive body butter - I got this in duty free, and on sale, so for a fraction of the original price. This was perhaps fortunate, because I wasn't a fan of the scent. 

H'suan wen sua hair mask - I reviewed this fully here.

Sanctuary instant hydrating toner - It took me a while to finish this, because I kept forgetting to use it. I wanted to finish it though, and I am at last through it. It leaves your face feeling very fresh, but takes a while to sink in. 

Bumble&bumble hairdresser's invisible oil mini - If it wasn't ridiculously expensive, I would definitely buy a full size of this. It is very weightless, and has a very pleasant scent. 

That's it for the empties! I can't believe its 2015 as I write this... Bye!!

Love Lucy xxx

Review | Soap&Glory Dr Spot

  I have very acne prone skin, and decided I would try and find a spot remover that actually worked. I alighted on Soap&Glory's Dr Spot. Soap&Glory is a very well known brand in the UK, and all the reviews I read said it was a miracle worker, so I thought I would try it out. 

  It is £8, so not the cheapest option, but it was a case of wanting to spend a little more for something really good, not be a cheapskate and get something rubbish. I have been using this for two weeks now, so I feel I am in a position to comment on how well it actually works. 

  It is a gel formula. You squeeze a little onto your finger and apply directly to the spot or breakout. The idea is that it lessens the appearance of the spot and speeds up the healing process. When you first apply the gel, it burns. And I mean it really burns. I have quite a few breakouts, so I had it on quite a few areas of my face, and it felt very VERY stingy. Not a very technical word, but that is how it felt. I was pleased, because it certainly felt like it was doing something. However, several days of twice-a-day application later and I had not seen much of an improvement. 

  I should probably have taken before/after pictures, if anything to show myself whether it has had an effect, because I couldn't really notice any, but to my eye, no change has taken place. 

  I was very disappointed, because the reviews raved about this, saying it was the best thing they had ever tried for spots. I however, especially given the price tag, would not recommend. 

If you have any good spot remover recommendations, comment down below, because I would really appreciate it!

Love Lucy xxx

Review + Swatches | Urban Decay Naked Basics palette

Up until recently, I had never owned an eyeshadow palette (apart from set of blue Maybelline shades I got when I was about 7). Then, for my recent birthday, after an unsuccessful attempt to buy it on a plane, I received the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette. This palette has been out for a while and got quite a lot of hype, which I can honestly say is totally well-founded. It is AMAZING. Seriously. I know it is getting a little late, but ASK FOR THIS FOR CHRISTMAS. It is all you will ever need, and I have literally used it every day for the last - almost - two months. 

It contains 5 matte shades and 1 satin finish one. L-R: Venus, Foxy, Walk of Shame, Naked 2, Faint, Crave. 

 I can honestly say I use every shade, and have already made a considerable dent in Foxy and Walk of Shame. 

Venus: A light cream shimmery colour, I use this for highlight on the brow bone and inner corners.

Foxy: A light yellow, good for using all over the eyelid.

Walk of Shame: Fleshy-toned, I use this for a base colour (to even out skin tone) or by itself all over the lid, for a more natural look.

Naked 2: A darker nude, good for a bit of shadow in the crease of the eyelid, or again by itself.

Faint: A plain matte brown. This is probably my least used shade, but I sometimes use it for liner along my lashline (see Crave)

Crave: Matte black. I take this on an angled brush and gently press it in all along my lashline, for a more smoky liner effect. 

So, as you might be able to tell, I love this palette very much. I will be posting again very soon!

Merry Christmas! Love Lucy xxx

Collective Boots Haul

 A combination of my birthday and my family Christmas gathering has meant that recently I have, for once, not been totally broke. Unsurprisingly, Boots was my main port of call. 
*Just to note that all these purchases were not from the same shopping trip haha*

  First was Batiste Dry shampoo. I wanted the oriental scent, but they had run out in my local Boots, so I went for the classic scent. Batiste isn't perhaps the best dry shampoo, because it leaves a lot of grey residue, but it was only £2.99, so oh well. After hearing pretty much everyone I know talk about the Rimmel Stay Matte powder, I decided to try it. I'm going to be honest I'm not blown away by it, but it does the job, and it is about as cheap as you can get. One thing I will say is that I've only been using it about a week and a half, and already I've made a sizeable dent in it, which suggests it isn't going to last very long. 

  Ever since I got my first Essie polish, quite a while ago, I've been set on adding to the (very small) collection. 'Go ginza' is that very polish. It is a pale lilacy pink colour, and has a really nice formula, just like my other Essie (playdate). I know you're supposed to stop using mascaras after a few months, and I confess I had been using the L'Oreal false lash telescopic for quite a while, so I thought it was time for a new one. Also from L'Oreal, this is the Volume million lashes waterproof mascara. I'm not a massive fan of the brush on it, but it does give a lot of volume (as the name would suggest), and it will definitely last for the next few months. Lastly is Soap&Glory's Dr Spot. I cannot say much about this because I haven't used it yet, but I am hopeful and optimistic!

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, but it is now the Christmas holidays, so expect Christmas-themed posts on the way!

Bye! Love lucy xxx 

Samples Roundup!

  I love samples, a lot. I have built up quite a collection over the last few months, and while at first I was loathe to use them, liking the look of all the packaging sitting together, I have now assigned myself to try all of them. I thought I would do a little set of reviews every so often, of 5 or so products at a time. 

Bumble and bumble Hairdresser's invisible oil primer - Its a mouthful of a name, but I do really like this primer. I use it as a heat protectant spray, and it feels so light and weightless that I would consider buying the full size version

Maybelline Baby skin primer - There have been mixed reviews on this, but I personally loved it. It has a smooth, gel-like texture and glides over the skin easily. I would definitely purchase the full size. 

Taylor Swift: Wonderstruck perfume - This is quite old, and I don't know if they even sell it any more, but the scent is quite pleasant.

Nars 'orgasm' highlighter - I don't know how you would ever use up a full size of this, because you need such a tiny amount to put on your cheeks. It gives a very nice pinky glow, but I wouldn't buy a full size because it is quite pricey, and I think this mini will last me a while.

Caudalie vinosource moisturising sorbet - I got this with my feelunique order, and I find it very refreshing and hydrating. Also, the tube it comes in is very cute.

I will be back with another samples roundup when I have tried out some more, and I hope you enjoyed this one!

Love Lucy xxx 

Favourite Eateries: Patty&Bun

  I thought, to inject some culture into this blog, I would start doing posts about my favourite cafes/restaurants, in case anyone wanted any recommendations, or were interested in new restaurants.

    Today's edition is about a restaurant in London I visited today. It's called Patty&Bun, and is a burger restaurant. There are two, one on James Street, and the other on Liverpool Street. We went to the James Street one.

   The decor is pleasantly rustic, and the small dining area is crammed with little tables. I went for the 'Ari Gold' burger, which is £7.50 and their speciality one. 

   The patty is served in a brioche bun, which has a pleasant shiny quality. The burger comes wrapped in paper, and it can be taken away, or eat in. It was, in all honesty, the most delicious burger I have ever eaten. The cheese melted in gooey, melted loveliness and the burger was squidgey to perfection. 

   I would highly recommend Patty&Bun, so if you are ever around Liverpool or James Street, I would definitely recommend checking it out. 

Love Lucy xxx