My Favourite films at Christmas

I love watching movies and I particularly love watching Christmas films, or ones that are appropriate for this time of year, especially when you want to get in the Christmas spirit. 

I have put together a list of my top three favourite films to watch at this time of year in the run up to Christmas! 

1) Elf 
Of course I had to include this film. For me, Christmas is not Christmas without watching this film, and until I have watched it, only then am I ready for the big day! This is a perfect mix of humour, family fun, warmth and spirit. Shot on location in New York this is such a brilliant film, with a perfect cast that really leaves you feeling magical and ready for Christmas. Will Ferrell plays a human raised by Elves who sets off to find his real Father and discovers that the true spirit of Christmas seems to be lost amongst society and modern times. 

2) Christmas with The Kranks 
 I don't understand how people don't know or seem to talk about this film as much. This is in my top three that I have to watch every year otherwise all is not right. This makes me laugh throughout and has a cute and emotional ending that really brings a smile to your face. This film was based on the book 'Skipping Christmas' by John Grisham, a couple plan to skip Christmas to take a cruise as their daughter will be away and this causes tension with their neighbours as Christmas is a real community affair. Their plans end up changing last minute when their daughter surprises them by returning home and they have to work together with their neighbours to save Christmas. This film also has an amazing cast; Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis and Dan Aykroyd. 

3) Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
Starring Richard Attenborough as Santa, and Mara Wilson, the child actress from Matilda, this is the fourth remake of the original film. For me, Richard Attenborough is the Santa Claus, and this is a heart warming story of a little girl with a wish for a family and Kris Kringle on a mission to prove that Santa does exist. Kris is hired to be a department stores Santa Claus and with much success, this brings along rivals that decide to frame him and further results in a court case where the judge has to decide if Santa Claus is real. 


Have a very Merry Christmas everyone! 

Rimmel The Only 1 Matte Lipsticks

I have always been a huge fan of Rimmel London's lipsticks, they never disappoint me, They are highly pigmented, have a wide selection of different ranges, tons of beautiful shades, and they always smell so good! 

I was lucky enough to receive all nine shades of their new range; 'The Only 1 Matte'. As is quite clear, they are a matte formula but were not drying on my lips at all, and the colour lasted all day, only occasionally having to re apply the lipstick after eating or drinking. 

All shades are rich in pigment and colour and I believe there is a shade available to suit everyone. It is very difficult to find a matte lipstick that is comfortable to wear or gives you the confidence that it will stay in tact without drying out your lips but after wearing each shade I was pleasantly surprised with each one in the range. The slightly darker shades I definitely did have to re apply after food or drink but that was expected and they still stayed just as vibrant throughout the day. My personal favourites are the brown and pink nude shades as I love wearing these at this time of the year. 

The packaging I like, I could easily distinguish these lipsticks as being Rimmel, and the slanted bullet makes for easy application. I can definitely see myself wearing every single shade from this collection, but the one I have been particularly loving is '700 Trendsetter', I think it is a great dupe for shades such as Velvet Teddy from Mac. If you go out and purchase one for £6.99 use the hashtag #liplibrary' to share your thoughts! Thanks again to Rimmel! 

(Below are some of my all time favourite Rimmel lipsticks!) 

BRYT Skincare Nourish Serum

BRYT Nourish Serum Dry to Dehydrated Skin

BRYT Skincare is all about providing an 'easy and effective way' to take care of your skin, whatever your age. With natural botanical skin products without the use of parabens or sulphates and other preservatives, BRYT Skincare aims to help maintain a healthy complexion whilst maximising suppleness and tone. Their effective method of taking care of your skin includes three steps; cleanse, nourish and protect, a regime that ultimately brings lasting results. 

I am reviewing one of four of BRYT's Serums, each one is suitable for different skin requirements, but all of the Nourish serums are 'soothing, calming, hydrating and penetrating right down to cell level.' What I love about the BRYT website is that they provide you with really useful information on figuring out your skin type if you are unsure. 

The serum comes in an small attractive bottle, at £16.50 I will admit that it is a little pricey in comparison to other skincare products, but if you suffer with dry and dehydrated skin like me, I am willing to try so many different products to get the results I want and this one in my opinion, is worth a try. This serum is in a 30ml bottle and dispensed with a pump which makes it easy to use. The serum is pretty thick and so once on the skin it definitely feels like it is giving it an intense treatment, but a little goes a long way and with just a couple of pumps I could spread the serum across my face and down my neck as instructed. My skin was not left feeling sticky as it sunk in quickly, but was left feeling smooth and soft pretty immediately, and it was still fresh and hydrated in the morning. This I was pleased about as the product is described as 'penetrating right down to cell level' which helps to revive skin, and I have been sceptical about other skin products before that are specialised towards dry skin. 

This serum is cruelty free and has a vegan formula, and includes a number of essential oils, fantastic for retaining moisture and hydrating the skin. It also has a pleasant, fresh and clean smell that is not overpowering at all - I really enjoyed trying out this product and look forward to getting my hands on more products in order to be able to fully take advantage of BRYT's three step process. 

Check out their website and social media handles:
http://www.brytskincare.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/brytskincare
https://twitter.com/BRYTSkincare
https://uk.pinterest.com/brytyoungthings/
https://www.instagram.com/brytskincareuk/

Tips for shaving your legs

It is no secret that shaving generally can be a chore that many of us would rather not have to carry out, particularly myself, who has hair that grows at the speed of light, and this paired with sensitive skin, makes shaving for me painful and at times a waste of an effort.

I have put together some tips and tricks that I have stumbled across over the years that help with sensitive skin, avoiding rashes and ensuring that you are actually shaving properly. 

Always use a clean razor: 
It is no good using a blunt or an old razor, you will not be getting the same effects as you would with a clean, fresh razor. Change the blade at the first sign of it starting to look worse for wear. 

Exfoliate: 
Preferably the day before you shave. Using a gentle scrub will help to remove ingrown hairs that can cause itching and get them ready to face the blade by making them raise up and easier to shave. Exfoliation is also good for removing dead skin cells, and by doing this a day before you shave you are giving your skin a chance to recover. 

Shave at the end: 
By the end of your shower your skin is warm enough and the hairs softer, your pores will be open which gives a closer and easier shave. 

Use a foam or a gel: 
This gives a more gentle experience, that creates a foam preventing rashes, soap can dry out the skin, so a cream product or even a conditioner gives moisture to the skin with offers a softer and smoother shave. Try to skip the temptation to shave dry to save time, you will avoid cuts when the blade can glide over your skin. 

Shave against the grain: 
Usually, shaving upwards towards your chest is the best direction to shave your legs. This offers the best results and can prevent ingrown hairs and irritation. However going against the grain and shaving upwards can cause cuts if you are not gentle. 

Moisturise: 
Moisturising your legs with an overly alcohol based or perfumed product can cause irritation and so it is best to use a plain moisturiser. Moisturising prevent dryness. 

August Faves

I haven't really been trying too many new and different products as of late, but there are a small number of items that I have been reaching for constantly throughout August, and here are my thoughts on them: 

Sunglass - Primark As soon as I saw these I picked them up and knew I wanted them before I even tried them on to see if they suited me. They are a dupe for the 'Dior So Real' sunglasses, and instead of having to pay out £200, these are a bargain, costing only a couple of quid! (I'm sorry, I cannot remember the exact price but they were around the £2.50 / £3 mark). I don't think they are the most perfectly suited sunglasses for my face, but I still wore them at every chance I got throughout the warm, sunny days, and I am sure I will continue to wear them during the rare, sunny days in the upcoming Autumn and Winter months. 

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick 'Mannequin' A full review and post is dedicated to this product on my blog here, so I won't go into too much detail, but I have been using this non stop this past month, as it is long wearing, non drying, and a warm nude colour that I enjoyed wearing with bright and bold outfits. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Blending Brush I have to be honest, this is a dupe, not the real product. I have not tried the Anastasia version, but found this on Aliexpress, and having experienced good and bad products from the website, as it is usually hit or miss, I was not expecting much. However, is is lovely. It blends the product really well, it is dense and helps to create a flawless finish. The handle if flexible so you can bend it to reach every contour and I have found that it is compatible with a number of different products. 

Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess This is summer in a bottle for me. It reminds me of really sweet suncream and coconuts from the beach. It is long lasting, fresh and I always get compliments whenever I wear this. The bottle and packaging is luxurious yet simple, and as a perfume lover and addict, I have only found myself reaching for this throughout the last few weeks. 

What have you been loving throughout the month of August? 

The Body Shop Pinita Colada Body Sorbet

This range from The Body Shop completely captures summer. The smell of Pina Colada is so summery to me, and reminds me of sun sea and sand and I feel like I am on a tropical vacation whenever I apply this. 

As soon as I heard of the 'Pinita Colada' range from The Body Shop I immediately went into stores to browse it and came away with the 'Fresh Body Sorbet'. I was intrigued by this and decided to purchase this over the body butter, as it claims to be lightweight, and particularly in the summer I prefer to use moisturiser's that do not feel heavy or sticky on the skin and ones that sink in over just sitting on the skin. This range consists of this body sorbet, a body butter, shower gel and body scrub. 

For £8 and a 200ml sized product this offers 'up to 24 hours of hydration' is light and fast absorbing' and 'leaves body instantly moisturised'. After using this not only is my skin moisturised immediately, but when I wake up the next day my skin is super soft and smooth. It does soak in really quickly and is great for use after a shower for quick moisture, and it is nice and lightweight. It does not smell as strong as the body butter, but it still smells delicious and exactly like pineapple and coconut that I find it very difficult to not eat the stuff! 

I would love if The Body Shop could create a perfume or body spray for this range as it is my favourite by far. 

NU Skin AP 24 Whitening Toothpaste

I love trying out new teeth whitening products, I am quite lucky as my teeth are naturally straight so I love finding new and different products to brighten my smile. Many of these products I get the chance to try are usually strips, gels or pens and not normally an actual toothpaste so I was keen to get started on using this, and after 5 days I already noticed a difference. The second picture is my teeth after a week of using the toothpaste, unfortunately the first picture doesn't quite pick up the more dull colour to my teeth before use. 

This toothpaste isn't necessarily designed purely to whiten teeth, but it contains ingredients that clean your teeth which effectively brighten their appearance and removes stains to make them appear brighter.  This toothpaste also claims to have many benefits; brightening and fighting plaque formation. It also contains a formula that contains no harmful peroxides, and aids in the prevention of cavities. 

I found that this toothpaste does brighten and whiten my teeth, but as it contains no peroxide it is not really whitening teeth, but cleaning them by removing stains which in turn effectively makes the teeth look whiter. I think I will choose to use this every so often, rather than every day, so I will see clearer effects. I am a daily tea and coffee drinker, so I think this toothpaste will work best for me if I choose to use it occasionally to brighten my teeth after stains appear. 

This is a rather expensive toothpaste at £9.32 on the NU Skin website, link here, however I saw  difference after only a few days of using the product so if you are willing to pay a bit more than other toothpaste brands then you are definitely getting your moneys worth and achieving what you pay for. I like the taste of this, it is not too strong or minty and so it is not too overwhelming. This is definitely worth trying, if like me and many others you cannot afford to have your teeth whitened at the dentist! 

Website: https://www.nuskin.com/content/nuskin/en_GB/home.html 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NuSkinUK

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NuSkinUnitedKingdomAndIreland

Current Favourite Base

Nivea Men - Post Shaving Balm

Revlon Colorstay Foundation

This is my current every day base make up that gives me a medium coverage, and lasts pretty much all day on my skin. The Nivea Post Shave balm has been well known now for a while in the beauty world of working as a great primer and base for your foundation. Whilst it doesn't hold qualities like actual primers for make up do, such as covering up pores etc, it does keep foundation in place for hours and helps to blend foundation for a smooth finish. 

The Revlon Colorstay foundation is great as it has two formulas to choose from, one for normal/dry skin and one for combination/oily skin. I cannot speak for the combination/oily skin formula, but I have heard from friends and read great reviews on both versions of this foundation. I have dry skin and this foundation works wonder for my skin, it does not cling to dry patches and leaves a dewy finish on my skin that creates a natural and healthy looking glow. When used with a primer and either set with a powder or not, I find this lasts all day without budging. 

I definitely recommend both these products and they also don't break the bank either! 

Bloggers Fashion Week Must Haves - Part Three

Sensationail Polish To Gel Kit & Lab 2 Beauty Blending Sponge

The Sensationail Polish To Gel Kit is recently new in at Boots in the UK, and I have a full review on this, which you can find here, as this was also a part of London Fashion week, and I am not surprised that this is included in the must have lists for bloggers fashion week. This is a quick and easy at home gel nail kit, which creates salon like nails and lasts for me, at least four days without chipping, depending on which nail polish you use. I am also running a competition to win the kit along with two ciate nail polishes which you can find here. 

Lab 2 Beauty, now available on Amazon provide a range of make up brushes and I was sent their sponge applicator for liquid and cream foundation. I don't use cream foundations often, but I can say that it works really well with liquid foundations, giving a perfect, smooth and flawless finish without any streaks and lines, that I find you can sometimes get when using a sponge with foundation. When wet the sponge increases in size, giving you more to work with and the shape and pointed edge makes it easy to access parts of the face when blending.

http://www.sensationail.co.uk/

https://www.lab2beauty.com/

Weleda

Uses pure natural ingredients that support skin and enhances natural vitality.

Skin food for dry skin - This is a whole body cream for dry skin of all ages, it helps to restore smoothness which I noticed happened so soon after application, and I apply it on my elbows, hands and feet where I get the most dry. It has a clean and fresh scent but is not overwhelming and really does do what it says it does. Definitely one worth purchasing if you have dry skin! 

http://www.weleda.co.uk/

Ioma Paris

This skincare range is my favourite from the must haves list. IOMA creates products that offer personalised precision skincare for the specific features of your skin. 

Vitality Shot Serum - Newly released this month 'the first personalised radiance creator serum' targeted at those of us who are stressed, tired, with a washed out complexion and would like to gain a radiant glow to the skin. You can use this mixed with your day cream or on its own as a serum before your day cream. I like to use it as a stand alone product, and the dropper nozzle makes it easy to use. It gives my skin a radiance boost, which I love in the morning before I apply my make up. It is suitable for all skin types, and gives a boost due to the vitamin c within the formula that neutralises the effects of fatigue. I adore this product, and really love the results. 

Weekend Ritual Tabs - Designed to slip into every suitcase, these seven single doses of five skincare treatments offer care for skin over the weekend, providing you with everything you need; cleansing milk, day cream, cell protector SPF50 and a gentle ex-foliating emulsion. I am yet to use these as I want to keep them for when I travel, but I really believe these will be great after loving the serum so much! I really recommend checking out this brand! Available in the UK at Harrods, Look Fantastic and Feel Unique.

www.ioma-paris.com

UFit and Collagen Beauty Milk

Ufit chocolate flavour high protein shake - delicious whilst reaping the benefits this is designed to 'support the demands of an active lifestyle and can help keep you healthy and on top of your day.' It is great as a snack and fills you up, 22g of protein and no added sugar. 

Collagen Beauty Milk  Strawberry Flavour- enriched with vitamins and antioxidants, this is also great for a snack or with breakfast, I am not really keen on strawberry flavoured drinks but the benefits seem worth it, it has skin firming collagen within it, which I have not yet noticed as I have not been using these for long, but I look forward to hopefully seeing these results. I has green tea extracts and 12% essential protein, these really are great alternatives to your regular snacks!

 http://theproteindrinksco.co.uk/

My Top Summer Nail Polishes

I still find painting my nails sort of a chore, it's safe to say I don't particularly enjoy the task; I either get impatient waiting for them to dry, think to myself why on earth did I pick this colour once it's on my nails, or I end up smudging them because I get an itch or I need to move - why does this always happen?!

However, I still buy way more polish than I need and get excited whenever brands bring out a range of new colours or finishes. Despite not particularly enjoying the task of painting them, I still do it, and enjoy picking out a shade suitable to an upcoming event or a season of the year to match an outfit or to make me feel happy. I love wearing bright colours on my fingers and toes in the summer, and wearing a pair of pretty sandals to show them off, or accessorise with some sparkly rings and bracelets to really accentuate my hands. 

In this post I share with you my favourite shades that will make you feel totally summery for this season. There are a range of neon, bright, pale, shimmery, matte and even scented shades so there are plenty to choose from. 

Barry M 'Eat My Dust' - Speedy Quick Dry

This is a gorgeous pale blue colour and as the name suggests it dries quickly to achieve perfectly coated nails efficiently. It has a flat brush to cover more of the nail with one coat and I find after two coats my nails are full of the colour and aren't streaky or sheer. Little to no clean up is needed after because of the style of the brush and this is something I really look for in a polish as we've already established my dislike for the task of painting my nails. I find one coats dries after about 60 seconds and I have touch dry nails within five minutes after using this polish. 

Maybelline New York 'Pink in the Park' - Super Stay 7 Days

Without a top coat this polish lasted four days on my nails before it chipped or started flaking. You can get an even finish quickly due to the flat brush as more polish can be distributed onto the nails. This a bubblegum pink shade that looks great with a tan, but is perfect for any skin tone. 

Sinful Colours 'Snow Me White' 

When my nails are well manicured I like wearing a white shade and for £1.99 Sinful Colours offers a great polish. It's not streaky or watery and opaque with just two coats. It is a little thick but for the inexpensive price it does the job. 

Rimmel London 'Goddess' - Salon Pro Kate Moss

This polish also has a flat wide brush to distribute a lot of polish onto the nail. I found it was quite sheer after one coat, but after about two or three coats there was a good amount of polish on my nails. The polish has a gel shine finish and I found that it didn't chip until about five days wearing it.

Barry M 'Guava' - Gelly Hi Shine

This polish has a very glossy gel like finish and is rich in colour with just one coat. It is a gorgeous turquoise blue colour and is bright and perfect for summer. 

Barry M 'Mediterranean' - Aquarium Collection

This a mix of a pink and copper to create a shiny colour that looks beautiful in the sun. 

Models Own 'Banana Split' - Fruit Pastel Collection

This polish is from a range of different scented shades from models own which are made up of creamy, pastel shades. Each has a different fruit scent and comes with retro scratch and sniff stickers on the lid. Pale colours tend to be fairly sheer but this polish can be easily built up with two to three coats.

Models Own 'Beach Hut' - Polish For Tans Collection 

New this year, this is the first of three in this post from this collection. This colour is a super bright, neon and attention grabbing orange.

Models Own 'Cocktail Hour' - Polish For Tans Collection

Definitely the brightest in this collection, this polish is a neon coral and I love wearing it with a lipstick I own which is an exact colour match!

Models Own 'Malibu Pink' Polish For Tans Collection

This is a bright, easter egg, barbie pink and would compliment any summer outfit. Two coats for this collection works best I find. 

Let me know what your favourite shades are!

Laura Elizabeth xo

GIVEAWAY - Phone Case from Zing Cases

Hello, 

There is a giveaway taking place on my Instagram account www.instagram.com/lelizaxo where you can win a phone case from http://zingcases.com/.

The phone case will be the one pictured in the above picture and will be available to win in iPhone models, Samsung Galaxy S5 and S6 and Xperia Z2, Z3 and Z3 Compact! If you would like a chance to win, head over to my Instagram account and comment on this post, tagging a friend who you think would be interested. You also have to be following my account and Zing Cases Instagram account found here. 

Winner will be announced Sunday 26th July, good luck!

Laura Elizabeth xo

Touchstone Accessories

I was fortunate enough to receive some necklaces from Touchstone Accessories recently and they are beautiful! You can check out their jewellery and accessories concessions in 'Select' Fashion stores and 'Store Twenty One'. 

They are also on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/touchstoneaccessories?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/touchstoneacess

Instagram: https://instagram.com/touchstoneaccessories/

Website: http://www.touchstoneaccessories.com/index.html

5 Piece Cutout Necklace - £5

Flower Necklace -£5

Petal Cluster Collar - £5

Silver Heart Collar - £4

All necklaces are super cute and versatile, and easy to style. At only £4/5 each you can't go wrong! Don't forget to get social with them online, and look out for their items in stores!

-Laura Elizabeth xo