Can I get a dupe dupe!?!

If you read my last post, you will know I am on the hunt for more bank balance-friendly alternatives to add to my skin care and make up collection, and the search is now fully in motion.

We've all heard about, coveted and maybe even luckily used one of the Urban Decay Naked palettes but the price tag for each palette is, let's face it, a bit eye watering. If you are lucky enough to own all of them, well, when can I come round? But if you don't own any but don't want to count every penny to do so, I have found what could be described as the Naked palettes' long lost twin, twice removed.

Makeup Revolution is a relatively new brand that you can find in Superdrug and they host an array of beautifully pigmented eye shadow palettes that are possibly the closest copies of the Urban Decay palettes I have come across yet. I have the Redemption Palette Iconic 1 which is almost an exact copy of the Naked Palette 1. Makeup Revolution also have the Redemption Palette Iconic 2 is a great copy for the Naked Palette 2. As well as the Iconic 1, I own the Redemption Palette Iconic 3, my favourite of the bunch which, you've guessed it, is a pretty sweet dupe of the Naked Palette 3.

All of these palettes are an amazing £4.00 each. They are super pigmented, creamy and the stay power is tip top! There truly is a Makeup Revolution palette out there for everyone, and at such a great price, why not try them out.

Well, so far, we've looked at masks and makeup....what next? For now, the search for budget beauty buys still continues.

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'Ooooh'na Brennan

Around this time of year, my skin seems to always go through a bit of a melt down, and if you are anything like me, the main culprit seems to be the pesky not-this-or-that kind of weather we've been having. So before I book my next flight to the Caribbean, there's a remedy which has seen me through and her name is Una Brennan. 

Since moving to North London, I no longer have a healthy looking bank balance every month so I am always on the hunt for affordable products which really work. Una Brennan's face masks are right on up there and I have fallen for not one but two very different masks.

The Super Facialist Clay Mask is for those super detoxing days, go grab yourself a green juice and relax with this and rinse off to reveal gorgeous, fresh and completely clean skin. The Salicylic Acid, normally used in a lot of anti-acne cleansers, helps to really sweep away the toxins hidden in the skin and I find it so refreshing. My skin loves it.

The Super Facialist Rose Intense Moisture Mask is a much lighter mask which I love to use every other morning just to kick start the day. The fact it takes 5 minutes to seep into skin is perfect for those busy, rushing out the door mornings. I was so surprised how much I loved the rose scent but it really sn't overpowering at all. Using this makes my skin feel radiant and great all day.

You can pick up these little guys up in Boots for...wait for it...£8.99! 

I'm still, as always, on the hunt for bargain beauty bits so I'd love to hear any recommendations!

Don't forget to follow on bloglovin, twitter and on instagram @lou_rose.

A GOLDEN OLDIE

What better way to make a come back than with a celebratory post, not only celebrating Je Suis Louise's new look but also the 40th birthday of a dear ol' pal of mine, the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer. All the vital information you need to know about this dreamy pre-shampoo treatment is that Philip created it especially for Miss Audrey Hepburn herself....you're sold already right?

My hair has suffered a few blows during the years ('scuse the pun), from bleaching to sun exposure, heat damage to product abuse, after a good trim it was time to start giving my locks some much needed TLC and what better product to use than this one. Hair is stronger - check...thicker - check...bouncier...check and no signs of split ends...yet! This product gets a woop woop and a huge Happy Birthday from me.

VALENTINE OR SHMALENTINE 3 - Pucker Up

Valentines isn't all about kisses, snogs, making out...whatever you want to call it. But who says it can't be about celebrating those lovely lips of yours and making them stand out from the crowd. I could not live without lipstick and I am very rarely seen without a colourful lip companion in my handbag so I thought I would put together a lil su'in su'in and show you my favourite shades of red...perfect for this Valentine's.

Rimmel have stepped up a big notch in the last few years when it comes to affordable, accessible, drugstore makeup so how could I not put in their amazing Apocalips in (wait for the name) Big Bang. This is a great colour to achieve those perfect pin up style lips and it is s easy to glide on just like a lip gloss...EASY!

Next on my list is this gorgeous Ox Blood red from Revlon called Black Cherry and it is great for this wintery season. A twist on the vibrant red commonly on everything on Valentine's but if you're feeling vampy, why not mix it up a bit. You also don't have to worry to much about red wine stains...it blends right in :)

I know what you're saying..."is she colour blind? This isn't red!" BUT despite the purpley tone showing throw on the picture, this Kate Moss number 20 is a really bluey/pinky tone which reminds me of some gorgeous pink roses. A bit of a wild and daring shade but if it's good enough for Kate, it's good enough for me.

If you're more of a low key kinda gal, that doesn't mean you can't smack on some lippy every now and again and this Model Co in the shade Kitty is a nice little hand to hold to step into the world of colour. With the "your lips but better" slightly bitten shade, this lippy is fresh and really light and also enhances  natural beauty your lips in a subtle yet beautiful way. 

Last but not least is my dearest darling and that is NYX's Alabama. I am a huge fan of matte lipsticks but never really found out that didn't dry up my lips until this beauty came in to my life. Unfortunately it hasn't showed too much on my lil love letter there however, that just says it all, this lippy does not budge! And it is so creamy and moisturising, your lips feel as soft and as smooth as if you weren;t wearing anything. As you can see, my Alabama is looking a bit worse for wear but I put that down to being so loved. I must get my hands on another one of these very soon!

I hope you enjoyed a little look in to some of my favourite lipsticks for Valentine's Day, let me know if you have any lippy recommendations....can you tell I'm a bit obsessed?

Pucker Up and enjoy all those kisses coming your way

xxxxxxxx

JANUARY BEAUTY HAUL

January for all of us is a cold, tiring and very long month so when it comes to beauty, extra lengths are to be taken to keep dull looking hands, those dark under eye circles and dry, damaged locks at bay. A trip to my favourite Boots was just what I needed.

Nail o'clock

 One of my new year resolutions was to grow my nails and so far, all is going well but sometimes, I feel I need a little helping hand. That is where Sally Hansen steps in with the Miracle Cure Strengthener Polish. Applied thinly to nails every day on to naked nails or even under a layer of colour, this stuff really works! I have also been using Mega Shine  as a top coat, it makes your nails look like they have been freshly painted even days after and BONUS points to Sally, this stuff makes your nail varnish underneath dry after a minute or so of applying. MEGA!

Again Sally Hansen rules again with this amazing glittery black varnish called Midnight in NY. I would be lying if I said part of me bought this as I am going to New York this year but it really is a beautiful colour and paired up with Mega Shine is a match made in sparkly New York heaven. I can't await to wear it on my travels.

Now call me Late Lucy, but I have only just experienced the awesomeness that is Essie nail varnish. For the last year I have heard such great things but buying pricey polish is not a necessity when you have short nails, but with my new lengthy claws I couldn't resist this spicy red called Fishnet Stockings. How amazing are Essie's names?

Goodbye Bags

With my job, I see hours that even birds can't bare so more times than less I am suffering from dark under eye circles which are really hard to cover up. I have my favourite concealers but being the makeup magpie I am I couldn't resist picking up Soap and Glory's Trick & Treatment which says it acts as a double whammy in eye concealing and correcting. Not only doe it cover up but it fights the physiological issues that trigger under eye circles. However, in my case, this hasn't been proven yet and after one use I was disappointed to find it had glitter in which, for me, is a big fat NO when it comes to hiding problem areas. Maybe I need to give it a longer trial after all it is Soap and Glory...those guys know their stuff!

An old fave with a new look, this concealer has been purchased and repurchased again and again ever since I stumbled across a Tanya Burr video back in the day and it isn't very often I  succeed in finding a replacement (rewind to previous product). I have been searching Collection stands across London for my shade in this Lasting Perfection  wonder and failed tremendously. After months of withdrawals I finally found this beauty in it's glowing pride of place with brand spanking new packaging (oooh la la). I really hope this packaging is an improvement to before, it has amazing high end-like texture and staying power yet the writing on the old packaging would always rub off on to my fingers which ended up on my face when trying to blend or on my entire makeup bag (que sad bottom lip). Fingers crossed this packaging is a keeper :)

Hair-ven

Again, another product I have heard rave reviews about across blogger land and I must say it is well worth the hype. L'oreal's Ever Pure range is currently in the process of saving my hair from the tangled and dry death it had faced due to the UK's gail force winds and hefty amounts of rain. I have been using their colour care shampoo and conditioner, hair mask and heat protectant and have been loving the results. I want to try the entire range!

As we are now fast approaching Valentines Day, I think it's safe to say this Bumble & Bumble bad boy has had me weak at the knees since he entered my life. Now he's not a cheap date but well worth the time and effort plus you get to show off how great he makes you look. Ok, ok enough of the cheesy metaphors but BB's Thickening Spray is the one and only when it comes to achieving lively, full voluptuous hair and something (I'm sure my bank balance will regret) I can't live without. I am savouring every moment spent with it!

Hope you enjoyed this haul and please don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin, on Twitter  and on Instagram and leave comments as I love love love reading them and checking out your blogs :)

CHRISTMAS PRESENT BEAUTY HAUL

This Christmas, I was truly spoilt rotten with gifts from my amazing friends and family and of course that meant lots of beauty and makeup products to be squealed over. So without further adieu I give you my Christmas beauty pressies and my first ever haul.

Now this little beauty was a complete surprise, a box full of gorgeous products from & Other Stories. Whenever I enter this amazing store, I go a little bit giddy. To say I have a crush on this place full of beautiful treasures is an understatement. Their stands are something only Pinterest boards are made of and I only dreamt of adorning my bathroom with their beautiful, simplistically packaged products which smell exactly as it says on the tin. Luckily enough for me, a special someone treated me to some products from the amazing Cotton Care Range, a body scrub, soap bar, body lotion, shower cream, all purpose balm and a soft flannel - I am in heaven. 

If you read my What's the story Soap and Glory post then you will know how much of a fan I am of all of the Soap & Glory bath products. One of my favourites ranges is Sugar Crush. WIth it's fresh zingy lime scent it is perfect to start the day and I was lucky to unwrap a special Sugar Crush box set on Christmas morning filled with body wash, body butter, body scrub and a loofah sponge - Perfection!

My final beauty treat this Christmas was a trip down memory lane, a complete Best of Benefit kit with 5 of their best sellers, the Boi-ing concealer, They're Real mascara, High Beam, Bene Tint, Hoola bronzer and their Porefessional. I have used all of these products and they really are the best of the bunch and have been my fave Benefit products for years. Due to the beauty magpie in me I am constantly trying and testing new products and I seem to forget about the ol' favourites so this was the perfect present for me and I have most definitely rekindled that Bene-spark - they haven't left my face since I got them. 

If you got some beauty products as Christmas gifts this year, let me know what you got with a link to your blog below :)

OCTOBER BIRCHBOX

This blog wouldn't quite be MY blog if I wasn't fashionably late every now and again, so without keeping you waiting any longer, I bring you my October Birchbox. I have so enjoyed this passed months products and have nearly used most of them up...whoops! 

So lets begin with some magic...it was the month of ghostly goings on after all. Egyptian Magic, a cult beauty must have across the globe and apparent miraculous skin cream used by healers, sages and mystics in ancient times according to Egyptian folklore. It claims to maintain radiant and healthy looking skin through its interesting combination of olive oil, bee pollen, royal jelly (whatever that is) and honey. This magical treatment is also completely free of preservatives, fragrance and other nasties which of course had my sensitive skin goose bumping all over the place in excitement. Despite forming an oil, I had to work it into the skin quite hard as it didn't have that spreadable quality expected with this kind of consistency BUT it really did give the feeling of absorbent and rich moisture leaving my arms and legs looking truly healthy and soft. I am a huge fan of body butters so the price tag of this magical mystical cream doesn't quite encourage me to change my mind or shopping habits just yet and of course, being me, I have to add a hint of graphic design snobbery with this one. The packaging doesn't quite scream premium or have that "you will never want to live without me" aesthetic that most rich products of this calibre have, it says to me "Vaseline" or "Sudocrem" and that really doesn't excite me a great deal. Overall, my skin felt lovely and very rich but I think this is a very forgetful product. 

This was another product, that at first glimpse really didn't get my beauty addict heart racing, however, I am really cautious when it comes to my teeth after having braces for four years as a teen and not having a filling in all my 23 years (wohoo!) so was intrigued to try this one out. I've been told many times by my doctor to floss after meals and brush three times a day but sometimes this just doesn't really fit into my working hours and to be honest floss is kindof sticky and annoying when it curls up and tangles up with absolutely everything...I know you know what I mean! So this seemed kind of like the perfect solution for me. These tiny little brushes reach the places generally missed when brushing everyday and have a smooth rubbery-like texture which means they are super smooth and easy to use on even sensitive teeth like mine. I must say, I haven't been using them daily, but luckily this lovely Ultra Dex pack came with a handy plastic case that you can pop the brushes in and carry around in your handbag for whenever you need, that freshening up after a onion filled burrito lunch at work or to remove those embarrassing strawberry seeds left from that desert on date night. Doesn't have the wow factor but this is a really handy product.

(Now try your best not to laugh) Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm is the next goodie to review and despite the name that will always make me giggle, I have wanted to try this product for some time. Originally produced to help new mothers relieve the pain of breast feeding, Dr. Lipp later on upped its success and took a dive in the lip department and became one of the most well known multi purpose natural gels/balms. I am a huge fan of the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream using it on sunburn, eczema, dry/chapped lips, cuts and generally just anything that needs a little TLC but feel the Dr. Lipp is a huge contender for this. Unlike moisturisers, Eight Hour Cream and the Original Nipple balm use purified lanolin which the closest thing to your skin's natural oils so is the perfect agent in repairing damaged and broken skin. I must say, I loved this product but in comparison to Liz's Eight Hour wonder, I had to use a bit more than I would normally use of my favourite as it was quite stiff which means I have nearly run fully out :( 

I unfortunately only have fond memories of this product as I have completely finished it BUT I have a feeling I will be purchasing it very soon...my cheeks are having withdrawal symptoms already. I absolutely adored The Balm Cosmetics Stainiac. This adorable bright cherry lip and cheek tint really impressed me with its natural look and wonderful sponge applicator which is so easy to wear and left my skin streak free and glowing with a beautiful blush. I haven't tried a great deal of cream or liquid tints before other than Benefit's Benetint which is always a scary process, "go quick or go home" is my motto with that one, leave it on in one place for too long without blending, you are sure to win in the best clown makeup contest (if there ever was one). Unlike the Benetint, Stainiac leaves a light stain which you don't have to worry about being to slow with, apply it with as much time as you like, as little blending as you like, as many layers as you like and it will always give you that English Rose glow. 

To restore some kind of life into the ol' barnet, lately I have been going for the au naturel "what this? I've just rolled out of bed" kind of hair, leaving the hair dryers and straighteners at bay so when I saw the KMS Curl Up Wave Foam I got so excited that a no heat hair styling product had found me. Now I don't think I have used a hair mousse since the days of the Croydon Facelift and when the term Scrunching was something us straight haired gals worked all morning before school at, so I was intrigued what would come of this. As I've grown up, the texture of my hair has significantly changed and when left to air dry, my hair takes up a bit of a gentle wave so when using this I had hoped I would see those wild tousled beachy waves every magazine talks about, however, I didn't notice any difference other than my hair was immediately greasy once fully dried and I found random crispy areas when stroking my fingers through the ends. However, I did enjoy trying this out, I love trying different things to what I would normally use but I just don't think mousse is the product for me...someone pass me my serums and oils quick!

Onto a more positive product review and one of my faves in last months box, the infamous Dr Brandt Microdermabrasion Skin Exfoliant. As a teen suffering from mild acne I remember the term Microdermibration being thrown around but it always so expensive. Dr Brandt has come up with this amazing exfoliant which imitates the treatment and you can do it from your own bathroom. I still have the odd few scars from spots when I was younger and hate covering them up so this was the perfect product to come my way last month. It acts as a polish that uses lactic acids to sweep away dead skin cells which deminish the appearance of acne scarring, discolouration and fine lines. I know what you're thinking..."lactic acid? Isn't that used in detergents?" Yes it is but it is very safe to use on your skin but due to its exfoliating and abrasive properties, its best to test this on your hand before using on your face. My skin is really sensitive but absolutely fell in love with this product and I have been using a pea sized amount twice every week since receiving it and have seen huge results. So why 9/10, well as this product is imitating the super science behind the real Microdermabration, it comes with a heartbreaking price tag of £67.00. As I'm sure you can tell, I will be savouring every last bit.

And last but not least...in fact the best on the bunch, Laura Mercier's Foundation Radiance Primer. Laura Mercier is one of those brands that has me lasting after every single product. This one is no excuse and I will most definitely be buying a full size once this has run out. A mixture of this and my daily moisturiser makes for the perrrrrfect combination to keep my foundation lasting all day long. As well as that, like the name suggests, it adds a beautiful radiance the skin which shines through any foundation or BB cream and as fan of dewey looking skin, I feel like it has transformed my daily makeup. A beautiful product, now I want to try the tinted moisturiser and the secret concealer....there's no stopping me now!

A LITTLE BOX OF LOVE - and my first post

I wanted my first official post to be something quite familiar, so I decided a couple of weeks ago that I would hop on the Birchbox bandwagon and join the fun of reviewing their array of products every month.

Birchbox reviews are always something I look forward to when reading my favourite blogs but lately I've been very sad to notice that not so many take the time to write about this amazing little box of love that comes in the post every month.

This is my first beauty box...EVER! So I wanted to share all the goodness it is filled with. Enjoy...

The first item in the September Birchbox was the Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Gel. I was really eager to see some positive results with this product due to the amazing description given on the packaging. It is supposed to refresh and cool the skin whilst eliminating general toxins from the body, encouraging blood circulation and evening out skin tone. I can honestly say I didn't really notice any difference at all whilst using this. After coming back off holiday, my skin was desperate for some detoxification and moisture yet this didn't fulfill its needs and after having to reapply every hour or so, my skin felt dry at the end of the day. However, this body gel smells incredible, filled with ingredients such as grapefruit, rosemary and juniper, you can guarantee you'll be smelling good all day long.

One of my favourite products was this Party Proof Matte Lipstick by Model Cosmetics in the shade Kitty. Perfect shade for my colouring, especially as I have a slight tan at the moment, but it would carry on as a great nude for the autumn months too, imagine, your lips but better. Not only does this stay on very well throughout the day but it smells absolutely devine...fruity, light and almost like a holiday cocktail (you can tell my holiday blues have majorly kicked in now). In fact, I only reapplied it as much as I did because it smelt so good! Will definitely purchase this when the dreadful daycomes and this runs out :(

I always assumed Molton Brown was quite an 'old lady-ish' brand or something you would find in a posh hotel loo, but after working with them in my last job I started realising how much I loved the stuff so I was delighted to get a miniature Molton Brown Ylang-Ylang Body Lotion. Despite the price tag of this brand it always delivers some beautifully scented concoction of ingredients in the form of body lotions, hand wash, bath salts etc. This body lotion smells like a big bowl of fruit salad and is super nourishing due to a mix of shea butter, coconut, honeysuckle flower extract and macadamia seed oil....mmm DELISH!

The penultimate product is the box this month was the Reverence De Bastien Nail Varnish in Number 7. Not knowing anything about the brand, I settled down for a pedicure evening and was very disappointed with the results. I am not a nude person when it comes to polish and I'd rather go for something vampy and dark so perhaps it was the colour that put me off, but after two coats, the colour was barely visible. I think I must have sat through about three episodes of Game of Thrones before I got a colour similar to that of the bottle. The drying time was also a really long process so I don't think I'll be heading out and getting another colour any time soon.

And finally last but not least and my favourite of them all, the cutest bottle of Bioderma Sensibio H20. If you haven't heard of this product before then where have you been? Originally a French brand that could be found in every chemist or pharmacy overseas, Bioderma is now one of the leading Micellar waters sold in London's Harvey Nics and sells like hot cakes online...if you can find it that is. This stuff is amazing, it removes anything from a stubborn waterproof mascara to a 24 hour stay power lipstick and also cleanses, hidrates and leaves the skin feeling incredible. There has not been a day I haven't used this in my morning and evening routines since I was first introduced to it two years ago. I have tried many dupes along the way but will always go back to this. Bioderma...I think I love you!