The Times Magazine Best 100 Beauty Products | Part 12 - Concealers

This segment continues, following on from the last one which gave us Perfumes, now this time we have the best concealers! (Although might it just be pointed out that the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer is not on here, which is essentially the holy grail of all concealers. True story.)

1. Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer SPF35, £38
High SPF protects fragile under-eye skin.

2. Clinique Airbrush Concealer, £18

Easy brush applicator.

3. Laura Mercier Secret Camourflage, £26.50
Its two tones tackle under-eye circles and blemishes.

4. Benefit Bo-ing, £17.50

Unbeatable. Our testers swear by it.

5. Cover FX Cream Concealer, £23
Creamy formula available in 12 shades.

Next tme we have the best products for cheeks! 

What are your favourite concealers?

xoxo

*Please take note that I am merely sharing an article made and published by The Times Magazine. I am not stating any of this as my own, but am merely passing along the information which I have read for the benefit of others. All comments and findings are the work of and belong to the publishers and writers at The Times Magazine. All writing in italics are direct quotes from the article and not my opinions, but those of the writers.

Easy Like Sunday Blogging... on a Monday

Things have gotten a little slow here on the blogging front...for which I apologise. I've just been una, I don't really have a good excuse, for which I also apologise, but sometimes, as we all know, life just gets in the way. (But recently it's been in a good way!)

So this past weekend I spent in Wausau, a city a couple hours north of Madison. And lo and behold, look what they had there! A London telephone box! I could hardly get over it! Especially as apparently there are in fact two! Never before have I seen one outside of London.

I saw the tallest building in Wausu and some incredible ice sculptures as well. It was really nice to see a more surburban area that is away from a college town. We also went into a Walmart, which I was again beyond excited about as I had never been in one; I feel no shame!

I have only been back in Madison for just over a month now, but things are definitely really good here. I am at the point now where I don't want to to leave and can't really imagine going back home. It's a really nice time in my life!

On that note as well, it is just under two weeks until Mother and my sister come to visit! I cannot wait; it will be soso good! I can't wait for them to see where I've been living and to meet everyone. It will be wonderful.

To do with blogging, I just feel at the moment that my blog is not what it needs to be. That it needs to be a lot better, with layout and all that technical shibang. I am currently stuck in a mode of thinking that there is so much that needs to be done to it that I am just unable to do. Whether or not this is the actual case, I don't know, but that is where I am at. I am struggling to not become disillusioned with the blogging world as a whole, which would devastate me a litte, but currently that is where I am at. (Sorry to bring a downer there everyone! I'm all up in my feelings [new favourite phrase])

So there is just a mini update on my current state of being. I have also just finished writing a paper that is due tomorrow, which through the pressure of writing on a book that not only do I absolutely hate, but do not understand (Foe by J.M.Coetzee if anyone was wondering) I have managed to make some very hard hitting points if I do say so myself!

I hoep you are all well! 

xoxo 

Top Ten Things I've Accepted As Just Being British

Having now been living in America since last August, there are some culture battles which I have just had to back down on. I have had to hang my head and admit, only in Britain. Quite often these crop up on a daily basis and I have to take a moment to remember that I am indeed very far from home, but it's all good, because I'm sharing the wonderful British-ness over some tea. So what's really to moan about?

1. That anything being 'cheeky' is just not a thing. No cheeky nandos. No cheeky tipple. I mean I'm gonna keep saying it anyway, but my soul hurts a little bit everytime someone responds with 'what?'

2. Biscuits. As many times as I argue that a cookie is a type of biscuit, it just falls flat on it's crumbly face.

3. Mince pies. Wikipedia really needs to update it's page, as they no longer contain minced meat.

4. To get leary. I mean this is also a very Essex thing, but it's both worrying and comforting that no one knows what I mean when I say I'm gonna get leary.

5. Saying the time in the 'half-past', 'quarter-past' format. Three thirty? No, it's half past three.

6. Squash. And I mean like Robinson's. Ahhh fruit and barley...

7. Requiring tea at all times, but especially at about half three. Like, it's basically law.

8. Forever being ever so slightly awkward. About everything. All the time. We just are okay.

9. That panicky kind of feeling when the phrase 'group work' comes up. Your insides genuinely curling up a little bit and feeling ever so slightly queasy at the very prospect.

10. Oh and the fact that you can get crisps in small single packs. Made by Walkers. The Father, Mother and all other high figures of crisp making. You cannot beat Walkers. Unless maybe it's Salt'n'Shake...

Has anyone else ever had these British struggles?

xoxo

The Times Magazine Best 100 Beauty Products | Part 11 - Perfumes

It's back, it's back!! The feature which I was regularly doing back last summer has finally returned! If you recall, I could no longer continue this segment due to the fact of my incompetence in that I left the articles at home... but I brought them back this time! And thus I can finally bring to you the rest of the 100 Best Beauty Products as decided by The Times Magazine*.
And just for a recap, here are what we have already gone through:
Suncare, Hair Tools, Footcare , Haircare, Masks, Serums , Eyecare, Bodycare, Cleansers  and what kicked it all off, Face Creams.
So without further ado, here is Part 11, Perfumes!

1. Jean Paul Gaultier Classique eau de parfum, £57
A scent as iconic as its bottle.

2. Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Escape to Panarea, £39
Sweet, summery fragrance. 

3. Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne, £78

Unisex without a hint of sweetness.

4. Tom Ford Jonquille de Nuit, £140

Floral but not sweet; our all-year-round favourite.

5. Chloé, £41.50

Feminine but not cloying.

I hope you are as excited as I am about the return of this segment!
Are any of your favourites on here?

xoxo

*Please take note that I am merely sharing an article made and published by The Times Magazine. I am not stating any of this as my own, but am merely passing along the information which I have read for the benefit of others. All comments and findings are the work of and belong to the publishers and writers at The Times Magazine. All writing in italics are direct quotes from the article and not my opinions, but those of the writers.

B. Glowing Shimmer Brick in 'Just Peachy' | An Ode To Products At Home

Finding a stock image for this was an actual nightmare! I think it's because B. isn't a brand that is extremely well known, and in fact I think they are exclusive to Superdrug...anyway.

This is a product which I bought on a whim back last summer after reading about it being half price at about £4 on another blog. It is also claimed as being a dupe for the Bobbi Brown shimmer bricks, which although I have only sampled them, would agree with to an extent. The Bobbi Brown ones obviously have a hefty price tag ($46/£32.50), and the quality is superb. Whereas this bad boy, is nice and for the on offer price of £4, (or full price £8.99), it is good for that price tag, but don't buy it expecting it to work as well as the Bobbi Brown one!

My first thoughts upon this were pretty poor I have to admit; it just wasn't that great and so I stopped using it. I mean it looks soso nice in the packaging and when you use your fingers, but then on the face it's just a bit...meh. 

Then when I was back in England over Christmas, I was using this everyday as it was the main blush I had over there. And I was really liking the effect of it! It still doesn't come across amazingly on the face but for the winter it was giving a really lovely just natural glow to my cheeks and made my face look really healthy. It has the range of different colours and tones to give a really nice finish once they are all blended. You can of course use them seperately to create different effects such as using for eyeshadow or much stronger highlighting.

I think what the issue I have here with the application is my brush. I was using a H&M Kabuki brush which is very soft. I think this requires a much denser brush, such as the Real Techniques Stippling Brush (which by the way I am loving). And so despite out rocky start, I am now really missing the B. shimmer brick now that we are no longer together. It definitely makes me think that shimmer bricks are the way forward...

You can get this here for £8.99. (As I said before, I don't think B. are available in the States!)

Have you tried this? Would you?

xoxo

Easy Like Sunday Blogging

So the snow is reeeally coming down here in Madison and has been snowing straight for nearly 24 hours. There is a car that I can see from outside my window, and all I can now see of it is a hint of the number plate. I can only see maybe 50 feet or so from my window, and the you can't tell where the shore ends and where the (frozen) lake begins.

Never before have I quite experienced weather like this. And I am loving it. 

Friday night and last night I went to a Badger (Ice) Hockey game. Aside from wanting to tick ti off my Bucky List, I also just reallly wanted to go. I love hockey; I have such respect for it as a sport and it was amazing! I was seriously loving life. I could watch a match every night and I don't think I would get bored for a very long time!

I'm really happy with the classes I've taken this semester; I'm only doing one Philosophy class. Oh the irony! I've just spent the last couple of hours reading articles that debate who the sitter is in a van Eyck painting; what could be a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon? Being back at UW for a second semester has been a whole lot easier than the first time round. I think there will be a separate post dedicated to just me rambling on about this, but I really am so happy here. It makes me sad to think that I'm only here for another couple of months and then my time in Madison will be over. 

I was writing this as the Superbowl was on; I am now finishing it after it has finished, and I can safely that I am actually feeling pretty sad about the outcome...despite not realising I cared that much. ALL THE EMOTIONS. There have been times this week when I have (oddly) felt very American. One of my lovely flatmates just came and asked me what was more importnat: the moon landing or the Royal baby? My instant response: Royal baby. Her response: Don't worry, you're still British.
I think this just goes to show that I really feel at home here!

I hope you've all had a good week, and are enjoying snow if you're near any!

xoxo