L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Excess Mascara

I have recently ran out of my Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara which I was loyal to for a around three tubes, so I thought it was about time to venture back into the world of mascara and take a stroll through the heavenly isles of Boot's after a good wonder I decided I would choose this L'Oreal one.

The thing that originally drew me to this particular mascara is that it promises 'no overload' and 'no clumps' due to the way the applicator is designed to remove excess mascara because I do not personally enjoy looking like I have three weirdly thick clumpy eyelashes.

The formula is extremely black and is also buildable, but as I prefer to go natural on the eyelashes one coat is enough for me. As the products name suggests it is more of a volume building mascara rather than length, but this is personally what I need. I found that the mascara wand covers every eyelash and that the formula lasts quite well and does not flake.

 Before:

(Taking pictures of your eye is much more difficult than I anticipated also excuse my messy brows, dark circles and lack of make up)
After:

For £10.99 I wouldn't say this is a bad mascara, but I will also not be rushing out to repurchase- yes it does the job, but its also not breathtaking (selected L'Oreal products are currently 3 for 2 at Boot's so if you were looking to purchase this now would be a good time)

What are your mascara recommendations? 

Green People Scent Free Sun Lotion

As it has been extremely hot in the UK recently sun cream has been even more important than ever, I have recently been using this organic scent free sun lotion by Green People the thing that intrigued me the most about this product is that it is free of parabens, alcohol, artificial perfumes and colourants.

The product is also suitable for sensitive skin which I have. I found this product was not sticky and gross feeling how sun creams can often be as stated it is scent free you literally cannot notice the smell. This product is suitable for vegetarians. The packaging is sturdy so definitely suitable for travelling, the packaging is also recyclable so double win for you and the planet. Also 10% of Green People's net profit is donated to charity and they appear as proud sponsors of the marine conservation society so not only are they passionate about protecting your skin, but also marine wildlife.

The fact it is SPF 30, not 50 originally put me off, but I recently shockingly found SPF 50 only filers out 1% more UVB light than SPF 30 so this product is definitely suitable for everyday wear and protection (from the sun- not an innuendo) 

Mine came with a leaflet with a cheeky discount code so if you're wanting to try the Green People organic sun care range quote 'BEACH' for 20% off (who doesn't love a cheeky discount code eh?)

Tell me what you have been loving to protect yourself from the Sun in the comments

Organic Surge Daily Care Deep Cleansing Face Mask

The packaging is relatively simple, but I quite like it I think the hint of metallic silver and pink adds a pretty edge to the relatively minimalistic looking product- I love the use of the pump as it prevents waste of product,

 Before I go on to review the product I would just like to point out I really like the ideology of this brand as they do no test on animals, they are organic, the packaging is fully recyclable and they are vegetarian and vegan friendly and along with all of this the packaging also states they support a Kenyan Children's home.

Not only are they a lovely brand, but I have been loving this mask- it leaves my skin feeling ridiculously clean and hydrated as in summer I suffer from rather dry skin this has helped an awful lot. The product also has a rather delicate scent I believe this would be due to the lemon and rosemary oils it contains. Overall this product leaves my skin feeling soft and glowing ready for those long make up free summer days it also doesn't break me out which is very rare for a hydrating mask the light formula of this one has even perhaps helped to clear my skin up.

For £8.50 I will definitely be purchasing it again from their online shop I am also excited to try more from them.

Have you tried any products from this brand? Would love to know your thoughts

A Week On My Instagram #1

I have always seen these posts and thought they were cool and I am unsure as to why I have never done one because I am not going to lie, I am instagram OBSESSED. When I am not posting I am constantly scrolling and double tapping my life away.

Ever since studying The Kite Runner during my AS levels, I have been dying to read more by Hosseini. I decided now after finishing my A levels would be a perfect time and can I just say- I am loving this book so far and would definitely recommend to anyone.

I recently spotted this in Nottingham Victoria Centre- it is 'The Butterfly Project' to celebrate the return of the Emmet Clock to Nottingham intu invited children to decorate a beautiful butterfly and what appears to be after a lot glitter later this gorgeous display (if you want to know more about this then visit this page)

A silly selfie by me and my best friends on a recent trip to Birmingham to celebrate my friend Leah's birthday- not much more to say about this.

PIZZA!!! What to expect if I continue doing these posts as I love a good food picture and what makes this pizza better is that it was mega cheap all hail Pizza Express 40% NUS discount on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Just your average blog post advertisement insta pic for my Getting Lippy post.

 A cupcake my Mum got me, but I sadly did not eat this despite how scrumptious it looks as I am on a clean eating mission in order to lose the weight I gained in the many months I spent revising and snacking whilst revising ( I realistically ate like 20 jars of peanut butter in 3 months- no regrets, well slight regrets

An example of the clean eating I just mentioned. Is it weird that I actually like kale? Also poached egg topped with chilli flakes= fabulous.

And to finish- a cheeky selfie, what an anti-climax (I love these earrings though not going to lie) 

Feel free to follow me @clairefrancesxo or to comment your instagram names below and I will follow you

Getting Lippy

With summer fast approaching I decided to switch my lip balms up, nobody wants to be caught crusty lipped whatever the weather. In this post I will be sharing how I have been keeping my lips hydrated who knows when your lips will need to be smooth for that summer holiday fling or cheeky festival kiss (not that I need to worry about that, but I do not want lips drier than the desert because that's an awful base for any bold summer lip.)

Brit Balm Cherry Flavoured Lip Balm

I am sorry, but first of all how cute is this packaging? This lip balm contains SPF 15 perfect to protect your lips from burning in the sun. This is definitely the more hydrating of the two and it also leaves a pretty pink sheen to lips. It also has a sweet smell and by sweet smell I mean it literally smells like sweets, I think this product is probably marketed towards a young teen audience from the packaging and smell, but I am not afraid to admit I love it.

 The Body Shop Mango Lip Butter

Oh my gosh- the smell of this product is UNREAL literally good enough to eat the mango scent is the perfect summery lip addition. I find this product heavy when first applying, but nonetheless it does the job of keeping your lips hydrated for a long time. It leaves a nice clear glossy look to the lips also very natural yet pretty looking perfect for a hot summers day or a fuss free picnic lip so you don't have to worry about reapplying your lipstick after stuffing your face. I would not suggest this for mega dry lips as the product is definitely not the most hydrating on the market, but for a quick everyday application it is sufficient to add moisture to lips.

What are your favourite lip balms?

Clearasil Ultra Blemish + Marks Scrub

So my A level exams are officially over and here I am reviewing (yet another) face wash.

This recently caught my eyes on one of my many visits to Boot's I should literally be banned for my own good, but that's another matter.

I have tried many Clearasil products in the past as many spotty teenagers like myself probably have and have found they are extremely hit or miss- you either find a new holy grail or are left with 50% of an apparent spot fighting mega treatment and left feeling extremely underwhelmed.

The packaging is pretty bog standard and isn't exactly instagram worthy, but it does the job. The squeezy tube (very technical sounding, I know) makes it easy to get the right amount of product and prevent wasting product; because lets face it we've all been there trying to remove the last drop of our favourite face wash from difficult packaging- absolute nightmare.

This product has some rather large claims 'Helps clear blemishes fast and fight appearance of marks' whether I am sold on that I am not sure, before I started using this product I had a breakout which soon cleared up- whether it aided this process I am unsure. For someone with sensitive break out prone skin like me this product did most certainly not do me any harm, like many products do. It doesn't have a funky smell like some face washes do which is always a bonus, nobody wants to feel as if they need to cleanse their nostrils after a hideous smelling face wash has polluted them.

It is a gel like formula containing scrubbing beads which they claim 'provide a deep skin cleansing experience'  I cannot deny it left my skin feeling clean, although I cannot say I will be rushing to Boot's to repurchase I am also not disappointed as it works wonderfully as an everyday face wash to leave the skin feeling fresh.

It retails for £5.99 at Boot's which I would say is fair for the product and the amount you get.

What are your favourite Clearasil products?

MUA Loving

So the end of my A level exams are near and I have one exam to go (HOORAY!!!!) so after next Friday this blog will become post central, but I thought I would take a revision break and upload a quick post on some cheap and cheerful new faves of mine from MUA.

Up first is the Romantic Efflorescence Palette at the cheeky price of £4.00 yes you read right 4 pounds- absolute madness. Not only does the name mean I now actually have some romance in my life, but it is also a gorgeous little palette with the perfect mixture of matte and shimmer shades, what more could you want! I was also thrilled to find that all the eye-shadows in the palette are individually named unlike many purse friendly palettes - does that make me sad? Probably. The packaging isn't that exciting which is standard for any MUA product and it also includes one of them horrific sponge double ended weird things that nobody has used to apply make up with since the age of 13, but the shades as swatched below are stunning and give a great colour pay off  with the exception of mesmeric and reveal, but for £4  you cannot really complain and all shades are more than easy to blend.

Left to right: Captivate, Reveal, Siren, Exposed, Magnet, Bewitch

Left to right: Fiery, Lavish, Obsessed, Corrupt, Tempt, Mesmeric

Another MUA product I have been trying and thoroughly enjoying recently is the

Power Pout Colour Intense Tint & Balm and for £3 it would have been rude of the lip product hoarder that I am to not pick up 3 right? They are extremely moisturising and add a lovely sheen to the lips a perfect no effort yet pretty looking carefree summer lip essential. I picked up the shades  Broken Hearted, Irreplaceable and Runaway.

Top to bottom: Broken Hearted, Irreplaceable, Runaway

Broken Hearted

Irreplaceable 

Runaway

What are your favourite MUA products? I would love to know