My e.l.f Haul

As a little graduation present to myself, I recently decided to take advantage of a generous offer from cult makeup brand Eyes Lips Face (e.l.f). The offer was spend £20, and receive a mystery goodie bag made up from the 'e.l.f loves' collection as a free gift. As I'd been dying to try out some of the most raved about elf products for some time, I thought it would be rude not to have a bit of a splurge.

Below is a picture of all of the products I received. Looking at them all now, I can barely remember which I ordered and which came as part of the free gift!

I thought I'd feature a few of the first impression stand out products in more detail, so here are a few of my favourites so far....

1. e.l.f Lipstick in 'Fantasy'

This was one of the products I received in the mystery bag, and when I first unwrapped it I wasn't too sold on the colour - it's a brick-brown colour and I just wasn't sure. However, when applied to my lips it comes out a beautiful nudey colour, smells and tastes delicious, is moisturising AND long lasting - winning!

2. e.l.f All Over Colour Stick

Again, this was a mystery bag gem. My first impression was pretty much...why? It seemed to me to be a messier alternative to bronzer, I couldn't be bothered to even try it. I can't remember what it was that made me eventually pick it up and give it a go, but I'm SO glad I did - this is a beaut little product! I use it mostly for contouring my face, by running it over my cheekbones, temples and jawline. It's absolutely perfect for this cause as it can be easily applied with precision and is very blendable. It's not too dark, not too shimmery and easier to use on the go than bronzer as there's no need to use a brush...I love it.

3. e.l.f Makeup Mist & Set

This was a product that I chose myself when placing my order. I'd been after a fixing spray for some time and found myself tempted my MUA's offering until I decided to do a haul with e.l.f. This spray does what it says on the tin - I've definitely noticed a difference in the staying power of my makeup since using this spray, perfect for all day events like my graduation last week. It feels a little wet when you first spray it, but it dries quickly and you can't feel it once it's dried. I would definitely repurchase this product.



4. e.l.f Liquid Eyeliner in 'Navy'

Not a particularly revolutionary product, but it does the job and does it well. I'd been after a navy eyeliner for a while so jumped at the opportunity to include one in my haul, and I've been pretty addicted to it ever since. I find it easy to create feline flicks with the applicator, it stays put all day, what more could you want?

Have you tried any e.l.f products? Are you a fan of the brand, and if so which amazing products am I missing out on?

June Magazine Freebies

Here are the goodies you can snap up free with magazines this June (the July editions of the magazines)

Red - Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm

This facial balm promises to create a youthful dewy complexion, and is particularly suited to those with ageing skin. The magazine costs £4, and the product is worth £11.50. A good opportunity to try a high end skincare product. 

Elle - Rodial Tanning Products

I hadn't actually heard of Rodial before...have I been living under a rock, or are throw just not that well known? Anyway, Elle claims that these freebies are worth £13.50 each, so if you're a tanorexic then it might be worth giving it a go. Elle costs £4.

Cosmopolitan - Sunglasses 

 Not exactly beauty, but still worth mentioning. Cosmo is giving away three variations of sunglasses with this months issue, so if you're going on holiday then it's worth picking up a copy and taking the glasses as a spare pair for knocking about on the beach. The mag costs £3.60.

Marie Claire - Ciate Nail Polish and Caviar Set

I'm really tempted by this offer as the polish and caviar come in such pretty neutral colours! The set is worth £10 and the magazine will set you back £3.80. If you're not familiar with nail caviar, then it is essentially a pot of teeny tiny balls that you apply to the nail for a textured finish. 

InStyle - Neal's Yard Remedies Face Moisturiser 

I've never used this facial moisturiser, but I am a big fan of Neal's Yard hand and nail cream, so I imagine I would love this too. Their products use high quality ingredients, and have a lovely lavender scent. The product is worth £12 and the magazine costs £3.90. 

Glamour - Various ModelCo Makeup 

With this month's Glamour mag, which costs just £2, you can pick up products including a Fibre based mascara, two lip glosses, an eyeliner and a lip liner. Worth £15-16 individually, these products are worth £78 overall for anybody that feels like collecting the lot! Another brilliant freebie deal from Glamour.

Which mag do you plan to purchase this month? 

May Magazine Freebies

Hi all. This is gonna be a very quick post to let you all know what beauty freebies are available with various magazines this month. I'm going to try to remember to do this post on a monthly basis :)

Three magazines have beauty giveaways this month (so the June editions of the magazines). They are: 

Elle - They're Real! Mascara by Benefit (miniature) 

This is a really great mascara, I've been using the full sized one on special occasions and it's fab. The full sized version is around £20RRP so this miniature is probably worth about a tenner. The mag will set you back £4, but it's a good bargain overall.

InStyle - Nails inc. Nail Polish

This freebie comes in a few different colours, my favourite being 'You're a Peach!', a lovely summery yellowy peach shade. Nails inc. polishes usually cost around £11 each. InStyle is priced at £3.70

Marie Claire - various Avon products 

You can pick up a 'glimmerstick' gel eyeliner, brow definer pencil or lipstick with this month's Marie Claire. I use Avon products fairly often, and I can vouch for the face that the twist-up eyeliners are amazing. The mag costs £3.80.

Happy shopping! 

Cosmo Careers Masterclass Goodie Bag Haul

I'd like to start this post by thanking everybody that has contacted me to tell me that they've purchased the Superdrug Coconut Oil from my last blog - I'm glad you all think it's as wonderful as I do!

This is just gonna be a quick post to show you all the uhhhhmazing goodie bag I received from the Cosmo Careers Masterclass that I attended in London this week. The Masterclass, which was hosted by Cosmopolitan magazine, was an opportunity to meet and hear speeches from some media experts and get tips on how to kickstart my own career (I'm hoping to go into public relations this summer). It was an insightful evening, made better still by this bag of joy that I received upon entering the Masterclass.

From left: Beverly Hills Formula Perfect White Toothpaste - John Freida Sheer Blonde Everlasting Blonde Shampoo & Conditioner - Umberto Giannini Day After Day After Day Frizz Taming Spray -DHC Deep Cleansing Oil - Kleenex Shine Absorbtion Sheets - DenTak Floss - Palmer's Cocoa Buter - Miners Dip & Define Eye Powder - Brush On False Lashes Lash Fibres - Benefit They're Real! Mascara - Tanning Mitt - Little White Lie Tanning Mousse - NYC Expert Last Lipstick

Not bad, eh? I was over the moon when I spotted Benefit's They're Real! Mascara, which I have wanted for absolutely ages but couldn't justify the £20 price tag. I'm also really excited to try out the Lash Fibres Brush on False Lashes, as I've been longing after a fibre-based mascara for a while but again, there were more urgent things to spend my non-existent money on.

The other products that I'm particularly excited to try are the Litte White Lie tanning mousse, which contains argan oil so should be lush (and for the £18 RRP so it should be), and the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, simply because I've never used an oil-based cleanser before.

In terms of potential beauty bargains, I'll be letting you know how I get on with the NYC lipstick, and the Beverly Hills Formula Perfect White toothpaste which promises to be a cheaper alternative to teeth whitening (we'll see). I've also heard good things about the Kleenex Shine Absorbing sheets, a much cheapter alternative to MAC's Blot Film. I'll also aim to post comparisons between some of the high-end products I received in the goodie bag and budget alternatives, so watch this space!

I'll leave you with one little gem of advice from Jazz Kaur, head of PR for Benefit (what a DREAM job that must be), who was one of the speakers at the Masterclass: If you love something, then you'll do it.