Collection 2000 Perfecting Minerals Foundation

Hello there my foundation hunting sisters!!

So, like most of you, I am constantly on the look-out for a truly fabulous foundation that will take away all my skin worries. Over the years I have tried sooooooo many. Most of which I have been unhappy with.

With there being a lot of movement towards mineral makeup I have been giving some of the products out there a try.

Obviously there are LOADS out there, but I stumbled across the Perfecting Minerals and it was £5 for 15g! For that price I will try anything!

I LOVE this foundation. I pop on my moisturiser and primer and it just smooths on.

It evens out my complexion beautifully but doesn't cake, which I like given that it's powder based.

It is a bit thicker than other mineral products I have tried, so the coverage is a bit heavier and not really sheer like some others. Oh, and it has a brush included - but it shreds loads so you probably won't use it.

Here's what it looks like on my skin (phone pic so not too clear)...


Please excuse my sleepy eyes, I have not slept more than 6 hours max a night in 2 weeks and it was first thing in the morning!
Advantages:-

1. It is super cheap and there is loads!!
2. Very smooth on skin
3. My skin looks bright and it smooths out my pores.

Disadvantages:-

1. When my skin gets hot it can itch a little (but I mean when I get really hot)
2. It probably needs touching up to look perfect all day - although I don't because my skin looks even all day.
3. There aren't enough shades (only 4). I use the darkest shade in Biscuit and it's too light so I always have to put Bare Minerals warmth on too.

I would definately recommend trying this, I was very pleasantly surprised!

Giddy Princess xxx



~*Giddy princess*~
From iPhone

Ruby and Millie Face Gloss

Ok so I don't want to spend ages reviewing this product, so this should be a quick post.

This product was an impulse buy when Boots were giving us £5 off No7 and Ruby and Millie products.

The plan was that it would give a nice "flush" to the cheeks and could perhaps be used as a base colour or maybe built up if I wanted it to be a bit deeper.

I was wrong. What a total waste of my money. It retails at £12.50 (day light robbery) so I paid £7.50. Still expensive if a product doesn't work...

Basically, I use this and all it does is create a layer of grease on my face. It is disgusting, even better it rubs off my makeup and highlights my pores. Lovely, if you want to look like a greasy mess. Also, I tried it as a lip stain - no colour and tastes vile.

It appears the daily mail agree also putting this under their "DON'T BOTHER" section of "rosy cheeks in the winter weeks" article.

There are (surprisingly) some positive reviews on the makeupalley.com website, but I would still say steer clear.

Sorry this couldn't be a more positive review :( I was hoping to bring good news but unfortunately, it just doesn't cut it.

Giddy Princess xx

Jolene Creme Bleach - Before and After

Hey peeps!!

Some of you may be familiar with this product as it has been around forever, is cheap and can be bought from most chemists. But for those of you who are not, it looks like this...





Although the one I use has a pink stipe along the bottom as it is the milder formula for sensitive skin.


As you can see, you get a spatula, two tubs and you also get a mixing board which isn't pictured here.

The instructions say to mix 1/4 tsp of the powder with 1/2 tsp of the creme. You must mix until no lumps, although I have never achieved this and I have been using it for 7 years!!!


I am olive skin toned with dark brown hair, but in the winter I am pretty pale, so the darker hairs on my skin show a lot. So much so a boy once at high school once said "gosh your arms are hairier than mine"! I was 14. So you can only imagine how that made me feel.


So it was only natural that I would try this. I used to use it on my arms and tummy and it was only after about 2 years that I started using it on my face, because prior to that it hadn't really been a problem and if I felt a bit hairy on the face I would just use hair removal cream.

Anyway, after around 6months of bleaching my arms I got bored and have been shaving them ever since.

However I now regularly bleach the hair on my face to avoid it showing up as it's a nightmare with my foundations and very embarrasing!

Because I am nice though I left it that bit longer to show you how this works... Please be kind - I am practically showing you my soul by showing you my before and after shots but here they are:-


Before
After

So you can see that on the first pic I have lots of dark hair around the mouth and also the jaw area. It's horrendous.

However, obviously it's not gone on the second pic, but its much less noticeable and my makeup goes on fine with it. Which for me is fine. Personally, I would rather bleach than remove if I can because I then don't have to deal with the re-growth.

In order to do this I left it on for around 20 mins. The instructions say 5 - 10 but that you can leave for longer. I find that the best results are if you leave it for around 20. By the way it BURNS!!! My face was killing for the first 5 - 10 mins, but this happens every time. Aside from that though I never have any irritation and my skin is perfectly fine afterwards!

I would seriously recommend this, it retails at around £5.00 and lasts AGES. However, if you have a dark skin tone I wouldn't recommend this as I have both family and friends who have tried it and said it made the hairs on their face more obvious because they were blonde!!! They swear by laser treatment, but its a bit pricey for me!!

Let me know your thoughts and opinions, or if you have any good hints and tips for concealing or removing unwanted facial hair!!

Giddy Princess xxx

ME ME ME Colourama Cream Eye Shadows

Hey there lovelies.

So I wanted to do a review for you on a cream eyeshadow I recently purchased at Superdrug.

The brand is ME ME ME and their product is the Colourama Cream Eye Shadows in shades Liquid Bronze, Chiffon Rose and Azure Blue. They retail for £5.50 each ordinarily but I picked them up for £3.99 each last Friday on offer.

I did try to find a website for this brand to link for you and also so you could see what the product is like. Unfortunately, it seems that they don't have one (!?) so here's a piccie of what they look like on the Superdrug site

I know they kind of look basic really here, but when you are in the store they do look quite pretty.

I tried them quickly on the back of my hand also and was please so I took them to the till to purchase!!

Anyway, here's a quick peek of what they look like...

with flash...
without flash...

From top to bottom the shades are:-

Chiffon Rose

Azure Blue

Liquid Bronze

Aren't they priiiiiiiiiity???

Advantages:- It has a great applicator that comes with - like the ones that you get in your lipgloss. The sponge with a gradient... And they are stunning colours - very pigmented!

Disadvantages:- They don't go on as smooth as I would like. I used to have a divine Benefit bronzing highlighter thingy which I doubled up as e/s -it used to just glide on, whereas this dries almost on contact, so I got an uneven finish.

However, I've been using my fingers so I will try and eyeshadow brush and I am sure it will be better. But I want cream e/s to be convenient! So shouldn't I be able to just slick it on and quickly rub in??

The colours more than make up for it though as they are so cute and I am happy to have these in my makeup collection. I don't think I would re-purchase at £5.50 each but I think that £3.99 was a reasonable price for them!

Giddy Princess xxx

Suncream Offer!!

Quick! Get yourself to Morries (aka Morrisons) for half price suncream before 6 June 2010.

You know you are just going to spend a fortune when it comes to going away otherwise!!!

It was only the other day I was saying how expensive it is to save yourself from skin damage. I think it's ridiculous what we have to pay really, and I am lucky because I don't really need it. Well I don't burn is what I mean to say, but obv still want to be protected...

Here is the link so that you know what I am talking about.

Giddy P xx

Forever 21 Haul - NYC

Soooooo my lovely ladies... Just thought I would give you another post on some more of my NYC purchases!!

I had heard a lot about Forever 21 prior to heading to NYC and had seen their website through a site related to Soho in NYC. So it was one of the stores I was sure I would be heading to before I went.

Sooooo I searched the address and looked it up once me and the boyfy walked into Soho. OMG when I first walked in it was BEDLAM I mean Primark mid afternoon on a Saturday bedlam. STRESSED.com!! So I quickly did a U-turn upon seeing the sea of people, the clothes all over the floor and my poor boyfy's face of horror!! We will come back, I said - it was a Saturday after all.

We returned once again on the Monday. And what a difference. It was much much quieter. I mean yes there were a few shoppers in but you could move at least!

So I picked up a shed load of clothes and headed to the fitting room, which was heaving. So I went back upstairs and headed to the other fitting room - but alas it was shut. Given that I had already spent LOADS of time in fitting rooms that day and it was around 6pm, I just dropped the things I wasn't sure about and bought the clothes I pretty much knew would fit. Sometimes, it's just not worth it!!

Plus I wanted to get back to the apartment to get changed for cocktails!!

And here is what I bought...

The full loot - I can't quite remember now but the tops didn't come to more than $10 each I don't think!!


Making use out of one of my purchases on this hot weekend... (glasses £1 primark - and yes, they have the UV kite mark also, so I am protected properly)


The earrings - super cheap $4.80 - sorry that they have all turned upside down!!


The accessories - necklaces around $3 and scarf around $7 -


I so so so love the sunglasses. Yes they are tacky, but hey - your only young(ish) once!!! Plus they look hilarious when I hold them up to my puppy's face because they are the perfect size for him!! Haha. Anyway, I digress...

Whilst we are on the subject of accessories I may aswell show you the little pieces I picked up off a Soho street stall too...


I love picking up things like this because you can't get handmade jewellery like this in my home town. I just loved all the rope jewellery whilst I was there, it's still pretty but yet takes me to my youth when we all wore friendship bracelets. I feel like this is the adult version or something...

They were $10 each and the ring was $15. I love the ring. It literally goes with everything!






So ladies, what do you think of this haul?? You likeeee????
Giddy P xx

Yellow Nail Varnish!?

So today I picked up 17 Last Fix Nail Polish from Boots in shade "Sherbet Lemon". It looked stunning in the bottle and well, I simply love sherbet lemons!!



I was pretty excited to try this too as it was a pastelly yellow and given I seem to be obsessed with pastel anything at the moment (yes I am talking eyes, lips, nails, clothes!) I thought it would be very pretty.


Now I am not so sure, but I think that is down to the polish more than the colour as such!

Without Flash...

With Flash...


I am really not sure about this. I need to see it in natural light I think. It jus seems a bit too yellow at the moment rather than pastelly. But seriously talk about TERRIBLE brush. The bristles are a pain! It just streaks upon contact! Not good. Even after 2 -3 coats it is still streaky. Well I am not putting any more on or my nails won't dry for the rest of my life!
I seriously don't get it though because I already have nail varnishes in this range which are fine!!!!
What are your thoughts on the colour ladies???
Giddy P xx

Necessary Clothing Haul - NYC

Ok, so this was weird - in a good way. There seemed to be quite a few of these in Soho, but in particular 2 opposite each other!! Hmmmm, that's a new one. Ah well I went into both.




My first trip wasn't super successful, which was harsh because it was sooooo busy and the boyfy had to wait outside the fitting rooms (well he went outside) for 50 minutes! All for me to buy this one top!! But as I kept saying at the time, it's not like it is around the corner and I will be in NYC everyday!

It was around $25 - $30 (seems so long ago now!), it is truly stunning on, the kind of perfect smart casual top to wear with skinny jeans to a meal or drinks after work.



So I was pleased because I tend to have either casual or going out clothes and because I am petite but with a bit of a chest I can find it difficult to find styles to wear that flatter me when it comes to smart-casual.

Therefore I went back the next day. Haha I just had to. But I went into the other shop (i.e. on the other side of road!) which was dead! Loved it. So again I spent around an hour trying on in the fitting rooms and came away with these beauties...



Sorry the picture isn't too clear but I will describe. From left to right we have:-
Pretty summery dress
White gorgeous going out dress - stunning zip detail on the back
Back version of white dress with same zip detail on the back
Stunning jumpsuit
And gorgeous cut out back detail dress which will be perfect for a wedding!!

The white dress I wore on Saturday night and you can just about see the detailing here... ......................................................>

In total it came to around $200 I think. It might have been less... On average I seem to remember most things costing around $25 which I think is pretty reasonable.
So I am having to steer clear of buying going out clothes for the next few weeks hehe. But at least I have a dress sorted for some of the weddings I am at this summer now that no one else should have!!
Hope you like as much as I do!
Giddy P xx

Fill Monty Facial Wrinkle Filler - Soap and Glory

So one of my beauty purchases yesterday was this...


I had intended to purchase the eye gel they do because I do really like that, however I left it in NYC so I had been using Boots cheapy eye cream only (which incidentally is good, but I get puffy eyes because they are so darn sensitive so the eye gel really helps).


Anyway, firstly I picked up the eye gel which was on offer and had like a £1 off or something in Boots. But next to it there was the "You won't believe your eyes illuminating serum"... Well I am always one to be tempted by something new and it did look quite nice so in the basket it went, and out went the eye gel.


Then I dragged L and myself over to the other Soap and Glory section "just incase" there was anything else. And that was where I spotted the Fill Monty Facial Wrinkle Filler. Now I read the description which says

"Helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles in just seconds after application!
An instant wrinkle filler engineered with Virtual Retouching Technology™, a blend of wrinkle-baffling spheres and skin moisturising magnets"

Yeah right! I thought to myself and put some on a crease on the palm of my hand. "Woah!" L said when I showed her that it had practically dissapeared!! Maybe it does work I thought and out went the illuminating serum and in went the wrinkle filler into my basket.


Ooooo goody I thought. This is perfect! Especially because my eyes are looking pretty tired this week due to the jet lag and max of 4 hours sleep I have been getting. Now I am (only) early(ish) 20's so I am not heavily wrinkled (yet). However, as I said I have very sensitive eye lids and eye balls haha!! So this has resulted in me getting little fine lines under the eyes due to my furiously rubbing off like 80 layers of mascara each night. So when I came to do the usual routine this morning I though oooooo I am going to have no lines AT ALL ladies!! Excited!? Very.

So you can imagine how dissapointed I was when my eyes looked pretty much the same!!! Yes, it didnt bleeding work!! All it served to do was act as a normal hydrating eye cream. Well I am sorry but my freaking moisturiser can do that!

So yes, I feel a little conned! After all the promise of hope and linefree eyes yesterday I have come to the conclusion that it must work because of what that crease was like - but it must only work on REAL wrinkles, I mean lines (I feel bad saying wrinkles - makes me think of the witch in Snow White, anyway it's their word not mine). I don't think that it is designed for fine lines, or infact under the eyes because it was quite thick. And after all it says its a Facial Wrinkle Filler so I have to blame myself haha!

Would I recommend?? No, I would say try it if you want to smooth out deeper set lines on the face because it probably would be sort of effective and for something like that it is cheap. But if you have relatively young looking skin I would say that it's not worth it because I wasted like £9!!

I wonder has anyone else used this?? Or the Soap and Glory You Won't Believe Your Eyes serum?? If so, what were your thoughts? I will go and purchase the eye gel again for now but I do fancy the serum too!

NYC American Eagle Outfitters

Firstly, just let me say this:-

I freaking loved this shop. As much as I would love to be fashionable, really I am a basic tee's and jeans kinda girl. So this place was amazing to me. Graphic tee's for $10!!! Loads of teeny casual shorts, hoodies, flip flops, skinnies (I mean jeans not people).

And the big billboard in front of it!!!

Yes I know, I am easily pleased, but the city I live in isn't much of a city so forgive me.

Anyhooooow!! I didn't go wild because at the end of the day I buy t-shirts all the time haha. And I knew that if I basically bought shed loads of summer clothes I'd regret it because we don't get a summer in the UK!

Here's what I did buy however...

Still not bad. So the tee's were only $10 each!! How good is that, and so far so good - they have retained their shape (unlike some more expensive ones I have purchased in the past!).

The shorts were bought because it was like freaking 80 degrees or something when I got there and was bored of wearing my going out ones haha!! (oh yeah, and then I never wore them cos the sun went in!!).

The jeans were like $30 and the grey top was like $29.50 I think. I lived in that grey top too in NYC in end because it got so windy!!!

Oh! And not to forget the mini roll on perfume at $12 something. LOVE IT. It hasn't left my handbag!!

Oooooo and the best bit?? I have found out that I can purchase online and that they ship to UK (yay!) at ae.com

Happy times...

Giddy P

New Nail Paint Love!

Giddy Princess here once again...

Just a quick post to show you my new nail colour. Love love love. It's Barry M (I know I know, what a surprise I hear you say!! But they were two for a £5er!!) and its in shade #304 "mint green".

Tried to do a NOTD when I put it on on Sat night, but it wouldn't show up properly on my camera. However I stumbled across this beauty of a pic and thought this would demonstrate it in it's true glory. Even if I do look like I have hands like shovels and an alien head...

Isn't it pretty though!!? I love it, although it's a bit OTT for work so I am now wearing shade #310 "mushroom" which was the other purchase in the 2 for £5er. I love this colour also, however again I do not seem to be able to take good photies at the mo!! So I will wait until I manage to "capture" the colour once again!!

Night all

Giddy P xx

Giddy Princess Is Back!!!!!!!!

Hello ladies,

it's been a while, but I am now back from my little trip to NYC. DEPRESSION!

Anyway, I would have loved to have posted to you from there, but unfortunately I was just too busy sightseeing, cocktail drinking and shopping!! So didn't want to do a half hearted post just for sake of it...

Sooooooooooo I am still somewhat jet lagged, but I am out for a girlie's b'day tonight so it should help me party to all hours hehe!! But because I am a little tired, and very busy at the mo I thought I would give you a quick post showing you my purchases in NYC - I will tell you more about them shortly but here's a taster:-

How much do you love the Michael Kors bag!!!? So pretty.... And I got my gorgeous Toms espadrilles, yay!!!

As you can see I picked up some clothing and makeup too!!

More on all the above later ladies...

Giddy Princess xxx

Lipstick Loves

Hey again...

I just wanted to show some love to a new lipstick I have recently tried alongside one I use all the time.


Like many of you out there, I have recently found the new MUA range at Superdrug and pretty much went wild and bought every product haha!! One I have been wearing all weekend though is a pretty lipstick in shade 2. Its a stunning deep purpley pink which can be seen here ...








Alone, it can be a teeny bit too dry for me, so I have been mixing it with my favourite lipstick - the beautiful Estee Lauder Pure Colour in Crystal Baby...











Crystal baby is a really pretty light pink. It's slightly glossy and I love it because it isn't drying on my lips. In fact, its the kind of colour I look for in a lipgloss but can never find! Using it as a base for the MUA in shade 2 I found that the colour that I got is still a pinky purple, but that it's more like an intense girlie pink yet still quite natural. I found that it was slightly more flattering as the colour was not as dark and still managed to make me look a little more made up than the crystal baby because it highlights the edges of your lips, so that you don't need lip liner. I liked it because it made my lips look more defined, but the colour wasn't so intense that I felt like a fool wearing it!

I will definately be wearing it again and think it's a very good colour given that it only cost me £1.00. It's by far been the best MUA purchase I have made as some of the other colours I have not been as keen on.

I am going to try mixing some of my other lipsticks with my Crystal Baby lipstick and let you know how I get on - it really does seem to be working as a really good base colour!

Giddy Princess

NOTD - Berry Ice Cream

Ooooooo so I love love love this nail varnish. Seriously. Divine!

It is precisely what I wanted it to be. As I have found with most BarryM nail paint's it needs two coats, but after that you are good. The colour for me is just how you see it in the bottle and even without a top coat it has lasted a couple of days. Very impressive considering these products are such a bargain!!!

Here's a quick swatch pic of it on...

How much do you LOVE it!!! It's sooooooo pretty, by far my most favourite nail varnish of the year. Wearing it ALL the time!

I would seriously recommend it to anyone that wants a proper lilac nail varnish. It doesn't have the pink undertones that all the other ones I have tried have, its a real bluey lilac tone. I can't tell you how much I love this colour! Everyone should have Berry Ice Cream nails, they are just too cute!!!

Giddy Princess

Hair style and hair colour issues...

Soooo, it's been like 10 hours I've been getting used to my new hair and I'm really not sure :( I'm thinking too short and the fringe just isn't right.

Plus I've come home tonight and found that some of the layers have kinda pouffed out at the sides.

I wouldn't mind but it takes ages to grow back :(

Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow, thinking of dying it though now also but the colours always seem to look black on me. Need to find a nice warmer dark browny type shade. Maybe then I'll feel a bit happier with it...


~*Giddy princess*~
From iPhone