Kiko Milano Haul // Copper Isn't Just For Pennies!!

Well hello there!!! 

Guys, it's no secret that I have a major love for all things makeup. I don't think it's anything new to any of us ladies to be honest, if we really think about it! 

Myself though, I am a keen bean when it comes to buying the stuff. If there is anything new out by one of my (many) favourite brands I need to get it. I seem to be growing quite a bit of a collection these days compared to when I first started acquiring makeup. 

We can all relate (if you are my age that is) to when we were in high school and you weren't allowed to look at makeup let alone attempt to wear it. 

And lets be honest we all went through the phase of wearing blue eyeliner, electric blue mascara, glitter eyeshadow and a load of lip gloss that could of replicated fly paper it was THAT sticky! Ha.

What were we thinking? Actually, what was I thinking?!! 

Over the Christmas period I discovered the brand Kiko in its entirety. I had heard of them before when I have received free gifts in my Glamour/Cosmo magazines. I think I got a felt tip eyeliner which I really liked. 

I ventured to Merry Hill over Christmas to do some Christmas shopping... At that point, I only left with things for myself (as you do) and some of the products I left with were Kiko related. Their store had not long opened there and when I saw it I beelined straight through the doors. 

It's only a small store there but I was in my element, there was so much to look at. I love working with my eyes the most so I was looking to invest in eye products mainly. 

I have a thing for copper/rose gold and I LOVE coppers and warmer tones on my eyes at the moment. Even though I am a pale face those tones seem to work with my skin and make my eyes pop. 

They definitely weren't short of copper inspired items. 

So lets have a look at what I bought! 

That day I bought 4 products just to test out the brand. 

First off I purchased the Kiko 'Colour Sphere' Eyeshadow in shade (05). It's a deep copper hue with a small amount of shimmer in it. It has a baked element to it too.  

The packaging is pretty cool, the base has a slight rubbery feel and the lid is more of a clear perspex. It's simple and cute.

£5.90

As you can see the colour appears highly pigmented and it's true to its appearance. The colour pay off is really good and it's especially blendable which is 100% what you're looking for in a shadow. I really love this. 

Next, is the Kiko 'Eyetech Look' Eyeshadow in shade (104). Again this is in a copper shade, but in a slightly lighter hue and it's in a screw pen form. 

£5.90 

This product is pretty small and the shadow is in the unscrewed base, the sponge applicator I find for me, difficult to work with but that's because I really only use brushes. It's a beautiful colour and so frickin handy to pop in your bag!! 

This is a handbag essential! 

The third product I picked was... And you guessed it... A copper shaded eyeliner. 

This is from their 'Intense Colour' range in shade (03) 

£5.20

This is a really lovely product, it has a nice creamy texture when applying so you don't really get much drag when working around your waterline. The opposite end has a mini blending sponge to help create that 'smokey eye' look. The colour pay off again is pretty darn good, it works really well with the other products I bought from them. 

And finally, the last product I grabbed was the Kiko 'Cream Crush' Lasting Colour Eyeshadow in shade (05). 

Now this one, isn't within the copper theme and I actually picked it up and decided not to get it. I walked out of the store but I kept thinking about how pretty it was so I went back in and gave in to my demands. Ha. 

£6.90 

This was the most expensive out of them all but when I swatched it in the shop I thought it was so pretty. It was a subtle sparkle that is in the texture of a cream, but applied as if it was a dust. 

I thought it would look beautiful on the eyes with a nude lip. I don't really work with cream shadows so I think this is a case of tap and go in regards to application. 

I love each and every one of these products and I desperately want to try more of their range, I think they are good value for money and are a great quality brand. I have seen that they do a red eyeliner but I cannot find it in store. 

That is next on my list. 

I love to experiment me!! 

If you haven't already go check them out because in my eyes they are pretty huge!! 

Love 

L 

X

Doll White Review // Home Whitening Kits, Are They Worth The Hype? // First Impressions.

Well hellllooooo!!! 

I hope everyone is well and not feeling the January blues too much. I have actually heard that tomorrow is officially the most depressing day of the month. 

I know... Apparently so!! Although lets be honest January is like the Monday of months. It's only good for Jan sales and even then that's a pain in the arse! Ha. 

It will be over soon. 

Okay, so, today I have a little old review for you on the Doll White Whitening Strips. 

Doll White were kind enough to send me 7 day's worth of strips for me to try and give my opinion on which was really nice of them. 

First off can I please say how frickin cute the packaging is!!! I love it. I love black and white and it's really simple looking but oh so eye-catching. It's highly cute!! 

Look at it though!!! It's all shiny and I really love the fonts that they have used!! It's very Instagram, don't you agree?! 

The product comes in this packaging that opens up to reveal 7 little black pouches that have their logo on it. 

In each of those pouches you will find the strips. The outside texture of these strips remind me of those shoe pads that you put in your heels on a night out. The gel is obviously on the inside where you place it on your teeth. 

You have a strip for the top of your teeth and a strip for the bottom which you line up to your gum line and push on to the teeth. You then fold the excess over the top of your teeth onto the back. 

This product doesn't have any peroxide in it to whiten your teeth so it is totally safe and great for those of us who has sensitive teeth. I do, so I was excited to try these as I knew there would be no damage. How they actually whiten your teeth I have no clue. It must be actual magic!!! 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I have been using this product for 3 days now. I brush my teeth, use my mouthwash and then I will use some tissue to take any moisture off my teeth before applying the strips. 

I was quite nervous before using these for the first time as I have never tried to whiten my teeth at home. I only have been using a toothpaste that helps to whiten but that's it. 

I don't actually think I did it correctly the first time I used them as I didn't push them on to the teeth hard enough so there were gaps. 

When I first put them on I just kept dribbling as I was very aware I had something foreign in my mouth. They mould around your teeth and sit there like a mouth guard. You then leave it on for 30 minutes to do its thaaannnng. 

I have the strips on in this picture.
I apologise for my face. Ha. 

I am getting more using to the feeling now so it's starting to feel a little more natural. 

When it's time to take the strips off you are left with the thin film to dispose of and a lot of gel on your teeth. I didn't like the sensation of the gel as it's quite thick but it didn't taste nasty or anything. I wiped the excess gel off with tissue and swilled my mouth out. It took a couple of attempts as it was a bitch to get it all out.

I will be honest my teeth aren't majorly white but they aren't majorly discoloured either. After trying this product out for the first time I didn't actually notice much of a difference in my teeth colour at all, apart from the two top front teeth, they seemed brighter. Plus as I mentioned I don't think I pushed them on correctly.

I've Snapchatted these babies a lot.

I have done my third day now and I have noticed a slight difference but I think in my head I was expecting it to be whiter. I have read on their website some reviews from other people that have used their product and they noticed a difference the first time they used it. 

I think personally, it is going to work differently on different people depending on how discoloured their teeth are. Mine weren't overly discoloured so I think that's why I haven't seen a major difference as of yet. I think if I were to use this product for a longer period I think it would actually have more of an affect on my teeth. 

Please bear in mind these are my first impressions as I haven't used the product long enough to form a conclusive view. I really like this brand though and it's very popular within the celebrity culture, so I would like to continue using these when mine run out to see what the results would be. 

When I get a job that is! Ha. 

They are a great concept and as I have said I really like the brand and the product, I think I was just expecting Simon Cowell teeth on the first try. Ha ha. 

Check out Doll White here and go test them out for yourselves. Their prices are highly competitive and good value for money!! 

Love

L

X

Current Addictions For 2016 // A List That Will Grow!!

I have come to terms with the fact that I have an addictive personality. I literally get hooked onto certain things really easily, exhaust it to an inch of its life and then I am over it. 

Is anyone else like that? 

For instance, I will like a song... I will then listen to it over and over and over again until I am sick of it. 

Surely, I cannot be the only one who does this?!

I have had a lot of favourite things over the past year and going into 2016 and I would like to share those with you today. 

Where do I start? 

Ha, okay. So my current and most relevant addiction is and if you didn't know... 

HARRY STYLES

Photo credits: http://www.popsugar.com/beauty/Harry-Styles-Hair-American-Music-Awards-2015-39169596

I mean, seriously, look at him!!! He is one beautiful man!!

I will be honest, I have never been a fan of One Direction. I have never paid attention to the group, their music or even their concerts. They just never appealed to me. 

I do not know exactly when the turning point for me was but out of the blue I noticed Hazza. I even liked his weird looking 'curtain suits'. He could wear flip flops and socks and I wouldn't even care. 

It was either his final performance with 1D on the Xfactor or the carpool video with James Corden that did it. One or the other. I just suddenly got addicted to Harry. Then I started to like one of their songs. And it just snowballed. 

I feel like I should be in one of those alcoholic's anonymous meetings but not for alcohol, *covers face*. 

I don't know him at all or anything about him but when I watched some videos on YouTube of him I actually found he is a really lovely guy. He is amazing to his fans, he constantly interacts with them and has an amazing sense of humour!! 

Now I LOVE a guy who can make me laugh and who is talented. He definitely ticks all the boxes for me. He just seems so genuine and it's very hard to come by guys like that. Well I find it hard anyway. 

Unfortunately for me, he is 100% not contactable via social media. I am not going to lie... I have tried. On Instagram. Ha ha. How embarrassing.

I will look back in a couple of years and think "what the heck was I thinking". I don't do things like that. Hazza has made me drop my respectable standards. :D 

So my only hope of me even saying "hi" is by frickin some sort of miracle or chance meeting, which again is very unlikely. 

'Celebrity' or not I would still want to get to know him. If I saw him walk by (and he wasn't even in the band)  I would still think the same as I do now. 

Arrrrrgghhhhhhhh!!!! *LOVE* 

GAVIN AND STACEY

Photo credits: http://www.ssninsider.com/betting-on-that-second-chance-networks-roll-the-dice-the-second-time-around-on-retooled-pilots/gavin-and-stacey-series-2-2/

Just after Christmas I was feeling pretty crappy, I suddenly didn't have a job, I was still single and I was feeling quite lonely. I couldn't sleep either so I was up until like 5 am in the morning. 

I found that Gavin & Stacey (the programme, not the people) really cheered me up and made me feel that life wasn't all that bad. I love to laugh and I seriously dislike being sad and the characters in this are frickin brilliant!! 

It's James Corden, he's hilarious, there is something about him that just makes me smile!! 

So, if anyone else is feeing down in the dumps and being a bit of a Debbie Downer then go and watch this, honestly, it really makes you feel a lot better because you're constantly laughing. Ha. 



MOROCCAN OIL

Literally this product is a god send!! I don't think I have ever liked a hair product more!!! 

I have mentioned Moroccan Oil before in previous posts, but I genuinely think this product is great.

Granted it's on the pricey side, retailing at around £30-£35. I have fairly long hair and I wash my hair around twice a week (less if I can help it) and I just pop a 1p amount in to my hands and put it through my mid-length and ends. My hair LOVES it!!! 

Once I have blow dried it it's so smooth and healthy looking and I find it grows a lot nicer and quicker then when I don't use it. 

This is one product I am addicted to and I am oh so proud of it. 

:) 


WITH LOVE LILLY

Again, I have mentioned this brand on my blog a few times now but I am in love with this bra!! 

Even though I am a bit alternative in what I wear (black is my happy colour) I do like pretty underwear that makes you feel super hot and feminine. 

With Love Lilly is the brand that makes me feel that way. 

It is very rare to find a brand that comes up with unusual or unique designs and when I was gifted this bra at a blogger event in London last year, I was completely in love. I spotted it on the rack and my eyes were drawn to how pretty... Actually beautiful the design was and you could tell a lot of time and care had been put into it. 

They have their own website here... WithLoveLilly

They have so many lovely designs on their site. I need to 100% buy some more when I get a new job!! 



EXERCISING

Maybe an exaggeration, I am not addicted a such but I have recently got back into working out at home. 

I am not one for the gym, I cannot deal with all those sweaty people and all those little beady eyes looking at me as I am running like Phoebe from Friends on the treadmill. 

I have some 'man weights' which I had for Christmas a few years ago and when I say man weights, that's because they are for men and they are freaking really heavy. I see that as a good thing as I get more of an intense workout. 

For a while now I have been watching Kelsey Lee's video's on YouTube as she does some really high, intense exercises that literally make you feel sick afterwards but SO worth it. 

She is amazing and is the only person that I watch as I get results. This morning I could barely walk. 

Sign of a good workout that. ;)   




MONOCHROME OUTFITS

I am a stickler for wearing all black outfits. I am not a goth, emo or vampire. Ha.  I just think it's flattering, classy and easy to wear. 

Let's face it, you can never go wrong with black. Black is the new black. 

As it is. 

Recently I have been teaming my all black with a bit of white. Usually just a plain white tee. I like the fact it breaks the black up a bit and there is something a bit indie/rock about it. It's highly casual yet fashion forward. Monochrome is always a winner in my eyes. 

I currently like to wear either my ripped skinny's or my leather look trousers with my loose white tee over the top and my leather studded jacket. It's casual, cool and I am all down for that shiz!! 

I will also boy it up with a beanie and either a nude lip and smokey bronze eyes or a plain eye and red lipstick. 

Depends if I am in a feisty mood or not!! :) 



MAC - HONEY LOVE LIPSTICK

I bought MAC's 'Honeylove' Matte lipstick on my birthday last year. I first saw it on Emily Canham's YouTube video when she was swatching her MAC collection. I saw this colour and thought it looked really nice on. 

I went out and bought it and I have never looked back, this is without a doubt my favourite nude EVER!!! I have 'Velvet Teddy' which is a darker nude than this one and I prefer the lighter hue of this lippy. It looks perfect on me, you can see that you have a lipstick on but it's natural enough that it just makes your face glow. I LOVE it... A LOT!!! I like to matte it out a little more, so I will put my Rimmel matte powder over the top to set it. 

Perfection in a stick!! 



LIP SYNC VIDEOS

This has been an addiction of mine for many years now, even before it became a 'thing'! 

I used to get bored in my room so I just had the idea one day to sit in front of my web cam and just mime to my favourite songs or movies. You can find more of these on my instagram: anythingbutordinaryleya. :) 

Now I am addicted to doing them on my Snapchat!! The one on here is me (naturally, ha) lip syncing to One Directions 'Right Now' - such a lovely song!! 

It's just a bit of fun and it's always nice to make your own music videos!! Ha ha. 



THE SMULE APP

I am loving this app a lot!!! It's literally like being in a studio!! 

Basically, if you don't know what it is and you're a singer or like to sing you need to download this app. 

You can record solo songs and I mean practically any song you want and save it to your profile on there or you can choose to duet with other people across the globe. It's a great way to meet other singers and have fun singing together. 

You get a free trial at first then you can choose how you would like to pay, either weekly, monthly or yearly. I usually go with the weekly as I don't always want to sing. 

I have recorded like over 100 songs on there now and have had many join me. It's so much fun and the hours just fly by. 

Oh, and you can video record too and sing with the likes of Jessie J and many other well known artists. 




LUSH- INTERGALACTIC BATH BALLISTIC 

This is one of my all time favourite bath bombs. Look at the colours though. It really lives up to its name and smells immense!! 

I love a bath, I love a nice smelling bath and I love pretty colours. 

Ticks all addiction boxes. 


And finally. 



MAKEUP REVOLUTION - MATTE EYESHADOW

I am completely addicted to a warmer eye at the moment, I find it really makes my eyes pop. 

I have been using this Makeup Revolution 'Matte' pallet for quite a while now and it's totally my go to eyeshadow pallet. It's great to blend and it gives me the nicest, warm smoky eye. 

Love it! 

Love 

L

X