Miami Haul Overview

Since I asked for your help with shopping list ideas for my recent trip to Miami I thought I might as well show you what I picked up.  I'll be reviewing the make up/beauty bits individually once I have the chance to try them all out properly.

So the stores I managed to visit were: Khiel's,Victoria's Secret, MAC, Urban Outfitters, Sephora, Abercrombie & Fitch, CVS, Walgreens and my favourite - Ulta.  I also went to Anthropologie, Bath and Body Works and Forever XXI but didn't get anything from them.

Sadly I didn't manage to find a Taco Bell.

There was a Sephora, Victoria's Secret and MAC two blocks from my hotel in Miami Beach...heaven!

From Sephora:

From Ulta:  
The UK needs Ulta!:
The CHI products, Stila palette and OPI set were all impulse buys, but the rest were on my list.  I can't wait to try out the Spin Pins.

I also picked up this 3-way lighted mirror from Ulta, it was in the clearance section for $23.99.  It made my suitcase so heavy!

From Victoria's Secret:

I wasn't very impressed that the price of VS stuff Stateside is pretty much in line for what they charge in the UK ...I was hoping for some big savings!  I was SO annoyed that I didn't wait to make my purchases on Black Friday as I could have got a really nice free tote bag :(

From Abercrombie & Fitch:

I normally don't like their clothes, but this hoodie top is a thin material and unbelievably soft.  I also got Fierce, which I know is a man's cologne, but I really like it and it's the scent they have wafting around their shop.  I hope I don't get funny looks when I wear it!

From CVS Pharmacy:

I was delighted to find the Milani stand and grab their infamous Luminous blush.  I also picked up one of their lipglosses which looks like a good dupe for MAC Nymphette.  We have Milani in Westfield London but their stand is hardly ever stocked up.  We also have N.Y.C in London but their SoftSkin Bronzer in Sunny is one product which never made it across the pond.  I'm excited to try the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer SPF 30 face cream as it seemed to sink in really fast and not leave an icky layer.  The best bits of course are the peanut butter M&Ms and the Hazelnut flavour Coffee-mate. Yum!

From Khiel's:

I have lusted after the Avocado Eye Treatment ever since I saw Lollipop26's YT review on it, and I got it for about £17 which is much less than in the UK.  I've also never tried the famous Creme de Corps, so I picked up a mini bottle.

From MAC:
I actually planned to pick up a few brushes at Heathrow as with the tax off they worked out a lot cheaper than the US prices (which are only £1.50 ish per brush cheaper).  As usual T5 was not stocked up, and so I  couldn't get the 168 or 109 :( So in the US I got the 168 when I picked up a back up of Viva Glam Cyndi lipstick.  I'm so disappointed MAC are discontinuing it in Feb 2011 :(

I had a great cheeseburger and Passionfruit Daquiri at the News Cafe on Ocean Drive and kept the souvenir cup, and the shopping at the airport was unbelievably disappointing, so all I got was this tacky, but cute, photo frame:

I never made it up to Saw Grass Mills as it was too far from the airport, and I didn't want to deal with Black Friday madness with a massive suitcase! But I did get up to Aventura Mall, which was fabulous!

Giveaway Winner Announcement!

I was overwhelmed by the number of entries for the giveaway so a huge thank you to all of you who took the time!  I'm especially grateful for all your suggestions for new posts.  It's taken hours to check all the valid entries (lots of duplicate comments and non GFC following!), enter them on Excel and let random.org do the easy bit, but it's finally done! Yay!


So without further ado...I'm delighted to announce that the lucky winner is:

*Starsglittermagic*

I'll email the winner in a moment to let her know, and here's what she gets:

I'll be holding a Christmas/New Year giveaway very soon, so check back soon for details.  It'll be after 9th December as I'm building up to a big work event then, so my posts may be a bit sporadic.

EOTN: Double-Winged Eye Liner

Here's my first stab at double-winged liner.  It actually looked a lot better in real life than it photographed, as both eyes don't really match!

I used L'oreal Lineur Intense to line my top lid and then moved onto the Sleek Ink Pot eye liner as the applicator is stiffer and therefore gave me more control over the 'flick'.  I have an ancient Rimmel white kohl pencil which I attempted to use in between the black lines but it really didn't come off so good!

I'll definitely try this look out again in better lighting and closer to a mirror (this attempt was made when I was in Rhodes and the hotel didn't have the best set-up for make up application) as it really makes your eyes stand out.

The eyeshadow is a mix of shades from the UD Naked Palette - Half Baked on lid, Dark Horse in crease and Sin for highlight.  Lancome Hypnose for mascara.

ClickandMake-Up's Giveaway: Closes in 2 days!

Happy Thanksgiving Day to all my American readers! I'm celebrating it with your countrymen on the Allure of the Seas and hope they have Turkey and some sort of pumpkin concoction for dinner! I hope you all have a wonderful, joyful day :)

Just a little reminder about my make up giveaway if you haven't got your entry in yet... 

To find out how to enter and for more details on the prizes click HERE or on the photo below! 

I've noticed a few of you who've entered aren't following my blog via Google Friend Connect - so you might want to check that you are or your entry won't be counted! 

The closing date for entries is Midnight GMT on 27th November 2010 and I will announce the winner on 28th November! 

Good Luck! 

Kat x

*THE PRIZES*

Everything I'm giving away I bought especially for this giveaway and are all brand new and unused!

  

Saffron London 48 colour cream eye shadow palette

Victoria’s Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss in Cherrybomb

Benefit BAD gal

Benefit eye BRIGHT

Vital Radiance by Revlon Blush Brush

e.l.f. Professional Eye Shadow Brush

e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 in

Maybelline Pure Blush Mineral in Topaz Rose

N.Y.C. Colour Wheel Mosaic Face Powder in Bronze Glow

Impulse Primark Haul

I popped into Primark last week to exchange something for my boyfriend, and it turned out to be an expensive errand!  I did need to pick up a pair of leggings (£3 and the slate colour I've been looking for) and a scarf and fascinator for my cruise, but didn't think I'd find them in Primani!  I also picked up a pair of indigo skinny jeans for £8.  Some of my best fitting jeans are from Primark and I have some from Miss Sixty which cost a fortune but look rubbish on.  I also grabbed some 80 denier body shaping tights for £3 when I'd already paid £6 in M&S for a similar pair.

Now, onto the accessories...

This pearl flower ring matches a pretty necklace I got from Primark about two months ago.  The diamonds will probably fall out within days, but it was only £2 and is nice a blingin' for Miami!

Now, how amazing is this flower fascinator for only £2?! There's a hair clip attached at the back, as well as a pin so you can wear it as a brooch.  I love it!

I love Blair Waldorf, and so, I love my hair bands!  Again this one was only £2 and I'd even wear it to work.

Again, this purple hair band was only £2 and will match the purple dress I plan to wear on the formal night of the cruise.

This is more in line with the fascinator I had my eye on at River Island, but only £3 instead of £15.  It does stand out quite a bit so I'll only wear it on very formal occasions.

I didn't know Primark had a line in false eyelashes, and they had some really fancy ones, but I passed them over as the quality didn't look great.  These look pretty natural and I'll give them a whirl on my cruise and let you know how I got on/take photos.  They cost £1.50, which is good for me as I only ever get one wearing out of falsies and Eyelure's are a bit pricey, if great quality.

And finally, my impulse impulse buy that I grabbed at the counter while I was paying for all the other stuff...Coco Cola Vanilla Lip Smacker! It actually tastes just like it (from what I remember Coke Vanilla to be like...come back!) and it very creamy.  It was £1.50 though, when I'd only expected it to be about 50p...there was no price on the tub ¬_¬ But hey, by that point I'd been spoilt by the other bargain basement prices!

I noticed some really pretty embellished jumpers and a couple of dresses caught my eye, but I am restricting my clothes purchases until I shift some chub :)

The Best Cleansing Wipes Ever: No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes

I can't tell you the number of packs of these amazing wipes I've gone through in the last few years.  Prior to my discovery of them I tried just about every type of wipe out there, but now I wouldn't even dream of buying another brand.  I guess that makes them a holy grail product for me.

Now I'm not an avid wipe user.  If I'm at home I do a proper cleansing routine with cotton wool, creamy liquids, soap, toner and moisturiser, but if I'm travelling, or absolutely knackered and only wearing minimal make up, I reach for these wipes.

The Pros:

• Quick and easy to use - I keep a pack near my bed for less sober nights :)
• Suitable for all skin types: every single brand of wipe I tried before these stung my eyes.  These wipes remove even eye make up really efficiently but are utterly gentle and don't irritate my skin or eyes at all.  There's not much alcohol in them.
• They are enriched with Pro Vitamin B5, and extracts of Witch Hazel and Fennel.
• Remove waterproof mascara. 
• Leave skin feeling refreshed and you almost don't need to moisturise (unless you have very dry skin).
• They feel a lot more 'moist' than many other brands - I store the pack upside down so the top wipe is always saturated.
• No discernible scent - so no nasty perfumes which often cause stinging! 
• A must have for when your travelling, and flying especially - they really perk up dehydrated skin.
• 30 in a pack - more generous than other brands.
• The cloths are good quality and very sturdy - they won't rip apart easily.
• The sturdy seal stops the pack from drying out quickly - the wipes remain moist for about 4-5 months, so I always have a few stashed away.
• To remove a full face of make up two wipes will do, but if I'm wearing natural make up, one does the trick.

The ONLY Con:

Their full price is £6.75.  I know.  22.5p per wipe.  As amazing as they are, I doubt I'd ever cough up full price for them, but saying that, all the other wipes I tried were a false economy.  If it wasn't for those £5 off vouchers I may never have even tried these! Spare the thought!  Now I stockpile them during voucher time!

Have you tried these wipes? You like?

NOTD: Nails Inc. Elizabeth Street

Without flash

I picked up Elizabeth Street with as a Glamour mag freebie a while back and it's my ideal French manicure colour, even though I didn't bother with the white tips here.  However you do need about three coats to make it look opaque.  I have no idea where Elizabeth St. is, but I like what it does to my nails!  I wouldn't pay the full Nails Inc. price for it, but as a freebie, it's all good...

With flash

What's you favourite French manicure nail polish? 

What's In my Travel Make-Up Bag II?

Considering that I went to Greece for two weeks in September I was very restrained in my make up packing, but then again it was very beachy and we travelled round quite a bit so I needed to travel as light as possible. But as I'm going to Miami (will be on a plane when this posts) and onto a cruise ship, my make up routine will be a lot more involved, as I like to do dramatic eyes for night.

A lot of the old favourites are coming with, but this time I'm bringing two Sleek eye shadow palettes; Storm for day and Bad Girl for night instead of the UD Naked Palette. I've got three different types of foundation too, and will probably finish the No7 Stay Perfect sample and Bourjois Healthy Mix while I'm there. My Prescriptives mineral foundation, Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil, Maybelline Lash Stiletto mascara and Amber Rose lipstick are on their last legs too, so it's turning out to be a bit of a Project 10 Pan!

I love having a nose at what other people take on hols, so here's the contents of my make up bag:

All squished into here:

And I had to sneek some eyeliners and pencils into my brush roll as they just wouldn't fit into the bag and I refuse to take a larger one!

No doubt I will buy about this much make up while I'm there if I find a Sephora and CVS!

I hope I haven't forgotten anything!

Party in the city where the heat is on...

I'm flying out to MIA from Heathrow tomorrow morning for the launch of Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas - the largest ship in the world (her sister, the Oasis of the Seas was launched this time last year).  It's for work (read: jolly!)  I'm so happy my boyfriend is coming with (to carry my bags! hehe), and my work mates are coming too, so we'll be celebrating Nat's birthday and Thanksgiving on board.  

So to keep you all entertained while I'm otherwise engaged I've used that scheduling contraption on draft Blogger, I hope it works!  I'm sure the hotel will have a computer I can use so I'll be able to keep up with comments, even if I don't have time to post.  When I get back I'll be in Turbo-Kitty mode (working late) as I'm preparing for the largest event of our year, so my posts may be a bit sporadic, but I'll be back on form after 9th December, and be launching a Christmas give away!

We board Allure on Tuesday so I have a few days on the beach to work on my freckles and drive myself silly in the shops!

Believe it or not, I've never had a manicure before, so I've booked one in the Elemis Spa on board.  I tried to get a hair appointment before the formal night, but the salon got booked up within minutes!

The ship is insane.  There's an ice rink on board, a climbing wall, a zip line and a 'Flo Rider' (surf machine), so here's hoping I come back in one piece (I had to sign about 574 waivers!).   This time I've booked to see the 11pm theatre shows as I was such a granny on Celebrity Equinox last year and fell asleep both nights at 9pm  in a food coma! 

Open bar card here I come! Eeeeeeeeeeee!!!  

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How I Clean My Make Up Brushes: Deep and Spot Cleansing

I really should wash my brushes more often that I do, but I tend to go through them all until they're all manky and then finally wash them all in one go rather than to wash my favourites more often.  Some people have the same attitude towards dishes!  I try to deep clean (water & shampoo) my brushes at least one a month, and I spot clean with a brush cleaning fluid more often, normally to remove dark eye shadows or bronzer on a daily basis.  Luckily I don't have problem skin, otherwise I'd need to be deep cleaning them at least once a week.

So, start with some dirty brushes:

Gather the materials you need:

I like baby shampoo.  It's meant to be mild but I it's actually a very good cleaner, it lathers well and I got this big bottle of it in the £1 shop.  I squeeze some into a small bowl rather than have to squeeze a blob from the bottle for each brush.  You go through a lot less of it this way too.

Grab a clean towel:

Grab an any old (but clean) cloth, I use an ex-facecloth:

Brush guards are an optional extra.  You can order these from HERE and they cost around $5.  They're great for helping your brush keep it's shape after a wash, and also excellent for travelling.

And of course, a sink filled with luke warm water.  Too cold and the brushes won't clean up properly, too hot and you will risk melting the glue that holds the bristles together in the ferule.

Grab a brush and dip the bristles into the water.

Dip the tip of the bristles into the shampoo in the bowl.

Swirl the brush with the shampoo on it onto the cloth or your hand until it lathers and you can see the make up loosening.

Dip the brush into the water to rinse off the soap, and you can also run it under the cold tap to make sure it's fully rinsed.  Take care not to submerge the base of the bristles near the ferule or over time, this will ruin the glue holding it all together, your brush will start shedding and will expire quicker!

Squeeze out the water gently and shape the bristles 

There are a few different ways you can leave your brushes to dry.  You can place them on a clean, dry towel.  Leave a bit of space around each brush to speed up the drying process.  You can also balance the brush so that it hangs over the side of a desk, etc, so that the bristles will dry into as natural a shape as possible.  With my favourite brushes I pop on a brush guard and place them upright with the bristles facing down, or lay them on a towel.  However with a brush guard on it does take a little longer to dry.

Never stand the brushes up with the bristles facing upwards as the moisture will seep down into the ferule = bad things will happen.

And remember never to use artificial heat on your brush, like a hairdryer or placing near a radiator as this could damage the bristles, and again melt the glue in the ferule.

All clean!

It took well over an hour to clean them all, one by one.  I left them to dry overnight.

Now, onto spot cleaning...

As I said, I do this on a daily basis and keep a clean cloth on hand.

I have two types of brush cleaners: MAC and e.l.f.  The MAC one (£8) is more slightly more effective at removing product (and pink!).  But the e.l.f. one smells lovely and is much cheaper (£3.50).

The MAC bottle is annoying in that there's no spray, so I picked up the little spray bottle below from Superdrug for about £1.50 and decanted some of the MAC cleaner into it.

I spray the fluid directly onto the brush bristles, or onto the cloth, and swirl the brush onto the cloth until there's no trace of make up is left on the cloth.  It takes a few minutes for the bristles to dry.

Happy cleaning!