What's Been Going On/Update

Hey everyone,

I thought I would write a quick post on why I have been so absent on my blog and Youtube channel. There has been a lot of changes in my life lately. If you follow me on Twitter you will know I recently got a job as a Social Media and Marketing assistant at a fashion company which I am really loving. It is literally a dream come true. On the other hand, I am also going through a hard time in my personal life, a break up to be specific, which is the reason for the lack of content on my blog. I also stopped doing YouTube videos when I started seeing said person as I found myself spending all my free time with him. I am not going to go into too much detail as it's something that is still quite raw. I'm not sure when I will be coming back to Youtube, but I will definitely be blogging again so make sure you follow my blog regularly to stay updated.

Facetox Face Mask Review

Hey everyone, 

I hope you're all well. It's been a while since I've updated on my blog, there's been a lot going on but I'll talk about that in another post. Today I'm reviewing the Factox face mask* that was kindly gifted to me a few weeks ago. I actually took photos with my Canon 70D but I lost them and then had to retake them with my old camera which is why the quality is so bad so I do apologise for that!

Facetox is an organic, cruelty free vegan face mask that comes in two different sachets - one contains the powder which is kind of like an aztec clay with the other being rose water. Together the combination is like magic on the skin! The clay pulls the toxins out of the skin while the rose water repairs and nourishes the skin.

Besides the sachets, the box comes with a mixing try and applicator which makes it super easy to mix and apply the mask to your face. 

Just before applying the face mask with clean skin.

#nomakeup #nofilter #crazybun

I applied the face mask to my face and neck and one sachet of each was more than enough to cover the whole entire area. I left it on for about 30 minutes and I instantly noticed a difference. My skin was a lot softer and as nasty as it sounds, I could see my blackheads come to the surface so it definitely does pull out the toxins! I tend to get blackheads/whiteheads and I have large pores. My complexion just appeared brighter in general and my pores had also noticeably tightened. I was pleasantly surprised by how pleased I was with the results, I have tried so many face masks and this is definitely one of the better ones for acne/oily skin. 

If you have oily skin like me or tend to get a lot of acne and blemishes, I would highly recommend you give this a try as it is fantastic and delivers the results it says it does. The masks aren't too pricey and work out to be £3.57 each.

You can purchase this on the Facetox website.

Have you tried Facetox before? If you have, let me know in the comments! Or if you've tried other face masks you think are amazing don't forget to also mention them in the comments.

Sleek Makeup Cleopatra's Kiss Highlighting Palette Review

Hey everyone,

I was immensely excited when I heard Sleek Makeup were coming out with a new highlighting palette full of golden tones called Cleopatra's Kiss. Their top selling highlighting palette 'Solstice' has been talked about all over social media and has gained even more international success following popular YouTuber Jaclyn Hill's snapchat raving about the palette. As I am quite tanned and of a medium dark complexion, Solstice just didn't work for me but I loved the formula of the highlights - which is why I was super excited to try out Cleopatra's Kiss. 

I bought mine in store from Superdrug yesterday (22/09/16) and there were only 2 left so I decided to get both since they were doing 2 for £12. This palette is part of their Halloween collection so I'm not sure if it's limited edition or permanent. I swatched the shades in store and was super impressed with the pigmentation and the shade range. The shades will look particularly flattering on medium to deeper complexions.

Top Left to right: Sphinx, Delta, Dynasty and Goddess

The palette comes with 2 cream highlighters; Delta - a light bronze shade and Dynasty - a light gold shade, and 2 powder highlighters; Sphinx - a true bronzed gold shade with glitter and Goddess - a light champagne shade with a bit of sparkle. Upon first swatch Dynasty and Sphinx are my favourites as I love the shades and they are the most pigmented. The texture of the powder highlights are a little bit chunky but still really beautiful. The packaging is the same for all of their highlighters, it comes in a sturdy sleek gold packaging with a mirror and mini brush which is perfect if you're on the go.

Here's a swatch of all the shades on my arm. For reference as most of you will know I'm an NC42 in MAC.

From left to right: Sphinx, Goddess, Dynasty and Delta

I am definitely going to test the products on my face and will post a photo on snapchat and instagram so make sure you are following me on both! I will also be using the palette in an upcoming makeup tutorial on my YouTube channel.

I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful. Please leave comments below and let me know if you have got this highlighting palette or plan on getting one - make sure you get it fast as I'm sure this palette is going to sell out.

Ellesse Sportswear Collection review

Hey everyone,

At the start of 2016 I made a conscious decision to be more healthy, fit and active. Though it's still a working progress, I make sure I go to the gym at least twice a week and *try* to eat as much good food as possible (though this is proving to be a lot more difficult than exercise). I think what you wear when you work out is equally as motivating to the results you see. I like to make sure I look good as well as feel great which is why I was super excited when I was contacted by JD Sports to review this Ellesse fitness set*. The pieces I was sent are from the Lucy Mecklenburgh collection.

Sports Bra:here  Leggings/Tights:here 

I have tested the Renn Tape leggings at the gym and even in an intense spin class and I was quite impressed with the results; unlike some sports leggings, these are fast drying and has a sweat wicking material which makes them ideal for intense training.

Vest: here

The Ellesse read 2-in-1 vest is great for cardio as the design of it allows your skin to breathe whilst still covering up. This is definitely a new staple for me especially for spin class. I love how the vest is draped so it doesn't cover the sides of your waist though I still have to wear a sports bra for extra support.

The Greta Tape sports bra is something that I would probably use for less intense exercise such as weight classes or yoga. It has a nice thick material while still being fast drying.

Overall, if you are a fitness enthusiast like me who enjoys working out or if you are into sportswear, I would strongly recommend you check out the pieces from the Lucky Mecklenburgh collab with Ellesse sportswear. You can shop the whole Ellesse sports range here: www.jdsports.co.uk/women/brand/ellesse/

Vatika Naturals Hair Oil and Hair Mask

Hey everyone,

I hope you're all well! It's been a while since I've put up a blog post but today I wanted to share something that I have been testing out the past 2 weeks, which is the Vatika Naturals Olive enriched hair oil and the Egg Protein deep conditioning hair mask. I have tried out Vatika Naturals before as its quite easily accessible - a lot of Indian shops tend to stock the brand. It is one of the most popular brands amongst South Asian and Middle Eastern women, known for its use of natural ingredients that promote healthy hair and skin.

Product

Firstly, the Olive enriched hair oil is very nourishing on the scalp and hair which is due to the fact it has olive, almond and cactus which all work together to protect your hair from daily wear and tear. It definitely provides my hair with shine and strengthens the hair follicles, as I notice my hair doesn't fall out as much. The Egg Protein hair mask noticeable softens my hair and makes it easier to manage, It also provides my hair with a lot of much needed moisture. Both products have a strong herbal smell which I personally really like.

Packaging

The Hair oil comes in a nice plastic squeezy tube which I always prefer over glass bottles as it's less messy and easier to use. The Hair mask comes in a plastic tub which is great as you can fit in more product and easily take out as much product as you need.

Price

The hair oil retails for about £3.99 while the hair mask is £5.99 which is pretty standard for the high street. Vatika Naturals is also available in a number of high street stores and supermarkets such as Superdrug, Wilko, Asda and Tesco.


Overall I highly recommend Vatika Naturals as I am a long time user myself and their products never let me down. I particularly enjoy the hair mask as it really does deep treat your hair.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know what else you'd like to see on my blog and youtube channel. I have been lacking creativity on my youtube so your suggestions would really help :)

Lancôme Juicy Shakers Review

Hey everyone,

It's been all about the lips lately with many lip products being released on the market recently, from liquid lipsticks to lip collagen infusions. Most people want plump lips including me, which is why I was so excited to receive 2 of the new Lancôme Juicy Shakers in the post. Even though the Juicy Shakers aren't explicitly targeted to those who want fuller or plump lips, I find these do help in creating a nice healthy wash of colour with an added boost to the appearance of the lips. I received the shades 142 freedom of peach and 151 cherry symphony. 


142 freedom of peach and 151 cherry symphony. 

Packaging:

The Juicy Shakers come in a little glass bottle which doesn't make it particularly travel friendly. The applicator is a very soft foamy cushion which I personally quite like; it's very unique and helps to control the amount of product you use.

Product:

You have to shake the bottle before applying. As you can see in the image it has a very liquidy formula. There is a slight fruity scent and the Juicy Shaker has a very oily finish which is both moisturising and nourishing. This lip gloss has a bi phased formula pairing nourishing lip oils with pigments for plump but natural looking, glossy lips. These nourishing oils contain sweet almond oil, omega 3 and cranberry oil. 

Price:

The Juicy Shakers retail for £18 which is a little expensive for the amount of product you get. There is 6.5ml and because the product is so oily I feel like it will be easy to get carried away and use it up very quickly.

Overall, if you do suffer from dry lips this could be a life saver for you. For me personally, I wouldn't wear this out as I feel it doesn't really do much for me apart from giving me a sheer wash of colour and oiliness to the lips. 

I hope you guys found this review helpful. Let me know if you've tried these Juicy Shakers and what you think of them.

Bloggers Hangout Fashion Week Party

Hey everyone,

On Monday I attended the Bloggers Hangout Fashion Week party in Shoreditch. I have been to a few fashion shows and after parties for London Fashion Week so I was excited to attend this particular one as it was during  the day. 

It was held at a small location in Hoxton where there were many amazing brand stalls. If you follow me on snapchat (@BhavnaNina) you might have already seen what it was like.

There were a lot of food brands there which was great for me as I have become a lot more health conscious in the last couple of months and I am therefore open to testing out new products to contribute to my healthy lifestyle. 

The brands that I enjoyed the most were definitely theproteindrinksco, Raw Gorilla, Pudology and Naturigin. I'll mention each of these brands in a lot more detail in upcoming posts but here is an overview:

Raw Gorilla offer grain free snacks that are as close to its natural state as possible. Everything is organic and offers so many nutritious ingredients like cacao and lucuma. I actually placed an order for their munchies on energise for life where they offer free delivery. Let me know if you'd like an in-depth review on these.

I was very intrigued by Naturigin because as a person who dyes her hair at home, though I use ammonia-free hair dye, there are still chemical ingredients that are damaging and cause a strong unpleasant smell. Naturigin offers hair dyes with all natural ingredients so I am excited to give it a try.

The Protein Drinks Co are a relatively new company taking on the big global brands with their UFit protein drinks. I spoke to Huw who is the sales director there and he said how one drink is equivalent to three eggs or a small chicken breast which left me curious to find out more.

I hope you enjoyed this post. I am hoping to include a lot more health & food posts on my blog so keep an eye out for them.

Barry M Spring Launch 2016

Hey Everyone,

Last Friday I was fortunate enough to go to the Barry M Spring launch at the beautiful St Martins Lane Hotel. They've released quite a few new products for the Spring along with a new 2016 face of the brand which is Lucy Mecklenburgh.

From left to right: In a Flash, Winning Streak, Freestyle & Personal Best

I have always loved Barry M products, especially their nail polishes as I think they are the best on the market. They are going to release a few new Gelly Hi Shines, Speedy Quick Dry and a completely new gel type polish called Daylight Curing which I am super excited to try out.

At the event we got the opportunity to get our nails done and I got mine done by nailsbymets - who was absolutely amazing! I chose the shade 'Butterscotch Sundae' from the Gelly Hi Shine range.

From left to right: Acai Smoothie, Pink Lemonade, Cream Soda & Butterscotch Sundae

From left to right: Topcoat, All the Things She Red, Bug a Blue, Empire State of Mint & Pinking Out Loud


As well as the new Spring collection of nail polishes, Barry M have also come out with some new makeup bits. The 'That's How I Roll' Mascara is specifically designed to lift and curl lashes - I'm excited to try this as I have very thick lashes that tend to stick to each other so I'm keen to see if this will do the job.

They also released a darker shade in their popular chisel cheek contour palette. I have tried this out since receiving it and I think its amazing. I will have a video up soon of me using it so I'll link it here when it's on my YouTube channel.

Another new release is their Shape & Define Brow Kit, which now comes in a lighter colour, this will work amazing with fairer complexions and/or those with lighter hair.

What product are you most excited to try out from the Barry M Spring 2016 collection? Let me know in the comments below! 

New Years Top Picks Wishlist

Hey everyone,

Happy new year! I hope you have a great year ahead. I'm hoping this year will be big for me in terms of blogging, youtube, makeup and my other personal projects as I have decided to focus more on myself and my dreams. Work has been hectic but I'm due to leave later this month to focus on these exact things. I have also got a few new year's resolutions that I will hopefully stick to - one that includes joining the gym (we'll see how long that lasts).

It has been getting really cold lately, especially in the last few days and that has inspired me to come up with a New Year's wishlist. There's no better way to stay warm and snug than a pair of knee high boots and a comfy coat, so I've compiled a list of affordable winter wear I have been eyeing to get me through this winter season.

AX Paris Faux Suede Knee High Heeled Boots

These boots are stunning and a complete duplicate to the very popular Stuart Weitzman Highland boots. These would look great with a nice jumper dress or skirt and polo jumper.

Brantano Emillio Luca X Knee High Boots

These boots are awesome for the winter weather as they are super stylish yet offer a comfy alternative to pumps or converse. These particular ones are in a unique taupe colour which I find very flattering and a bit more daring than the typical black boots. They also have a variety of amazing ankle boots

Boohoo Emily Parka with Faux Fur Hood

One of the comfiest looking coats I have come across. This coat looks like its guaranteed to get you through the cold climate. It has a fleecy lining that's detachable which means you can also use it when its slightly warmer. It also has a big furry hood to keep your ears warm.

ASOS J.D.Y Funnel Neck Knit Dress

A gorgeous jumper dress that comes in a lovely olive colour. I have been obsessed with shades of green lately and this knit dress has the perfect combination of style and comfort. 

Accessorize Wool Beret Hat

You can never go wrong with a classic beret. I really like this one from accessorize as it's timeless while still having that stylish edge.


So that's about it for my top picks for the new year. I hope you all enjoyed this post. Let me know what else you'd like to see and leave your comments below.