Review: Bourjois Paris Colour Edition 24H Eyeshadow

Hey guys,
So this time last week I was shopping in Boots (not surprising, right) and I picked up the Bourjois Paris Colour Edition 24H Eyeshadow (£6.99/5g). Something about the colour and packaging just promised quick application and reliability. Here is what I thought: 

I love this product, and I am so glad I bought it, I can't stop wearing it because it's so fool proof and quick. It's actually hard for me to think of something I don't like about it but I will try.

Good points:
1) Colour - I picked up the colour 'Merveille D'Argent' which is the gold shade, I am a huge lover of gold eyeshadow however sometimes I find that 'Half Baked' from Urban Decay's Naked Palette can be too in-your-face gold. This is a muted fine shimmer gold which catches the light perfectly.
2) Application - We all have those mornings where we are running late, and I usually find that fiddling around with brushes makes me waste time. This is a cream to powder eyeshadow and so can be applied with fingertips which takes all of 10 seconds. This can be applied with a brush too however it's really not needed.

3) Travel Friendly - The packaging of this is amazing, It's extremely durable and can probably handle the worst handbags. Again because it is a cream formula the shadow won't break in your make-up bag or handbag and so I know I will be taking this around with me when I travel.
4) Packaging - This goes well with the last point but I love the style of the packaging - It really reminds me of  the Chanel 'Illusion D'Ombre' in terms of packaging: simple yet useful.
5) Longevity - This says 24 hours but who wears eyeshadow for that long? This does last to the end of the day, it probably won't be the same as how you applied it in the morning but it is still there. I've also noticed that it doesn't crease as much as other eyeshadows. Again this is handbag friendly so if you did want your make-up looking as fresh as it did in the morning then carry this nice and dicky product around with you and you are good to go.
6) Layering - If you did want more pigmentation from this product then layering it also works - I think this works best with a flat eyeshadow brush because it's better to pat it in than swipe the colour away. This also blends super nicely if you did want more of a defined eye - add a matte brown in the crease and you are good to go.

Bad points:
1) Pigmentation: So this product is really a subtle gold shimmer and so it can be said that it lacks in pigmentation. However I did say that I liked this because it wasn't as in-your-face as other gold eyeshadows so for me it is perfect for everyday wear.

Honestly, I think you can tell I love this eyeshadow. It's hard to pick holes in it because I like that it doesn't do things like other eyeshadows. I really would recommend this product to everyone because it ticks all the boxes :) I have been wearing this everyday and I am obsessed. I hope you give it a go! Leave a comment telling me what your favourite eyeshadow is?
Thanks for reading,
Anjna x

Chai Recipe - From an Indian

Hey guys, 

So I have been meaning to do this post for a while and it is my Chai recipe! Who doesn't know about Chai nowadays? It's literally everywhere and there are so many variations of it but I honestly prefer the real Indian style Chai rather than anything Starbucks has to offer. 

This is the recipe that I use and it's quick and easy and just what it is supposed to be. 

Top Clockwise: Carom Seeds, Fennel, Cardomom pods, Ginger.
Middle: PG Tips Tea bag

Ingredients (one person): 

2 Tablespoons of Fennel seeds

1 Tablespoon of Carom seeds

3-5 Cardamom pods

A few pieces of Ginger or a Cinnamon stick

1 Tea Bag (I like PG Tips)

Optional:

Milk

Sugar

Recipe

1) Get the mug that you will be using and fill it up to the top with cold water. Put the water in a pan and put it on the stove. 

2) While the water is heating up put the Fennel seeds, Carom seeds and Tea bag in to brew. Open the Cardamom pods by using a pestle and mortar or by using a knife and add the Cardamom seeds which come out and the pods too. Since we are straining it all out in the end, it doesn't matter if we keep the Cardamom shell in the water.

3) Either add pieces of ginger or a cinnamon stick. The ginger is good for uplifting and detoxifying the body while the cinnamon is good at warming the body up (a good choice for Christmas and late nights). I used the ginger today. Ginger and Cinnamon are both strong flavours - that's why I like to use one or the other. 

4) Once this has all boiled then add milk. I like to make the tea go a medium to light brown colour and then I wait for it to boil again.

5) Once it has boiled then strain into a mug, add sugar to your liking (I use 2 teaspoons) and then it is ready!

See! It's super easy and literally takes me 5 minutes. Also if you usually like to have your tea black and with no sugar then it's ready for you when it has boiled the first time. It's totally customisable to what you like - I prefer cinnamon to ginger but I enjoy both. Also I know it's hard to find Carom seeds so it's okay if you don't use it but if you can get a hold of it then be sure to buy it cause it tastes great!In India they serve it with lots of milk and lots of sugar so I would recommend trying the entire recipe first just so you know what it tastes like in India. 

And there you have it - I hope you give it a try, you won't regret it :)

Thanks for reading, 

Anjna

Kiehl's: My Skincare Saviours

Hi guys!

So this post has really been delayed for a long time and I can't explain why because the products I have to share are phenomenal and work so well but I think I just wanted to make sure that they did work before sharing them. I bought two products from Kiehl's in June and I have now totally used one up and the other is still going strong so I thought perhaps now is a good time to review these products.

Before I start this review I want to tell you that around June my skin went through a horrible reaction to something that I couldn't pin down exactly so even when I changed some things around in my skincare the effect from reaction wasn't going away. I would get hyper-pigmentation from spots and my skin literally felt damaged - the texture was just awful. I know that skin renews itself every month so I felt that I had to help my skin as much as I could just so that it could get back to normal quicker. So that's why I bought these products:

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution (£36.00/30ml)

So the first problem I had to address was the hyper-pigmentation and I heard a few good reviews about this product so I thought I should give it a try. This is great, it does work but you won't see a difference overnight. I first saw a difference about 3 weeks after I bought it and I used it continuously day and night until about 3 days ago (when it finished). Although I am really happy with this I don't know if I would purchase a second bottle or if I would like to try something else. But I was happy that a product was specifically designed for dark spots and did actually reduce the appearance of it. I wear this product twice a day: in the morning it's the first thing I put on after I have cleansed my skin and because it is a serum it sinks in really quickly and feels light on the skin; be sure to wear SPF after applying this in the morning because if you are using a product which does aim to fight the pigmentation on your skin then being in the sun will actually make those area's darker. Even though the sun isn't exactly out I wouldn't risk not putting SPF on because technically the sun is still out even though you can't see it. I would give this product 8/10. 

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentreate (£36.00/30ml)

So the major problem I had to tackle was the broken skin that felt damaged and needed to be repaired. I bought this a week after buying the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution because I thought it would address the problems I was having. I was right. This is my holy grail skincare item that I will keep on repurchasing because it is amazing at everything - improving texture, reducing spots and just imperfections in general. It's crazy. Honestly, this product somehow makes you look better every single morning after you have used it. Any problem area's that needed some help are honestly better the next morning. On the bottle it says it 'visibly restores the appearance of skin by morning' and that's exactly what it does. I cannot recommend this product enough because it works the next day - even scoring a sample is enough to show you the benefits. It contains a bunch of essential oils which work magic and it's the best thing I have bought. I have half a bottle left and I have been using it since June, I even took this to Milan because 8 days without it seemed unbearable. I apply this at night after I use the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution - instead of going in with a moisturiser, I have oily skin so the Midnight Recovery has enough moisture in it to not dehydrate my skin. It's an oil product so a few drops is enough for your whole face. I massage it in for around 3 minutes and then I go to sleep and wait for this to work its magic. I found that using this made the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution work better too so I think this is  a must have in general. I would rate this as 10/10 because it's amaaazing. 

So as you can see that shopping splurge back in June was very successful and Kiehl's to me is a brand that delivers on what they claim soooo I would highly recommend trying their products because I know they have a lot of best sellers. Plus this stuff has lasted me a while so you do get your moneys worth for sure. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading this review - let me know if you have tried any of these or what you would recommend for me ;) 

Thank you for reading, 

Anjna x

Stress Relief! My Routine :) ft. Lush

Hey guys :) 

So lately I have been super stressed - I am in my second year of university studying psychology and I have a lot of other commitments that I dedicate my time too such as being a lab research assistant and having a part time job. I love all of the things I commit myself too and so I would rather take a lot on than miss out on amazing opportunities. That's where this post comes in - recently I have found that I should dedicate some time to myself and this post is how I do that and what I use! 

Before I head into the shower - I make sure to light my candle and the one I am using at the moment is The Body Shops Sandalwood and Ginger Scented Candle (£10.00/200g). I do this so when I come out of the shower my room smells nice and inviting. I also make some tea - either Earl Grey or some Indian Chai (I will be sharing my recipe really soon!) to cool down while I shower.

Shower

So at my university accommodation I don't have access to a bath which sucks because that's usually my method of choice when I want to de-stress. However the shower is still an awesome place to relax and the way I choose to do this is to pick a lot of nice smelling products. Currently I am using Bûche de Noël (£6.50/100g)*  from Lush which is a Christmas face and body cleanser - I just use this on my body because it is extremely moisturising for my skin-type and nowadays my body could use some more moisture. I really like this product because it contains ground almond which helps to gently exfoliate the skin and it really does smell like Christmas (that's probably because it contains Brandy!). I am also using the Yog Nog (£3.40/100g)* which is a soap from Lush - I haven't posted a picture of it because it's been too well loved these past few weeks. It smells wonderful and spicy because it contains Nutmeg Powder and Clove Bud Oil - my mom simply adores it too. 

Although I won't go too much into depth here I love to remove my make-up and cleanse my face in the shower at night because I feel like the warm steam helps to open my pores so I get a deeper clean. Also cleansing the face with warm hands makes the whole process more luxurious and pampering.   

Post-Shower Body

This is my favourite part lately! On days where I still don't have a lot of time I love to use Celebrate Body Lotion (£12.95/225g)* by Lush - It's amazing! I cannot rave about the smell enough! Too me it smells like Terry's Chocolate Orange which is just a weakness of mine. It contains Brazilian Orange Oil and Orange Flower Absolute so that's probably where I get that from. This body lotion also goes on like a dream - really easy to blend in and a little does go a long way. I love how quick the process is :)

Dirty shown Above and Shades of
 Earl Grey Below. Both looking worse
for wear!

However when I do have a bit more time on my hands I love to use the massage bars from Lush. I had never tried any until about two weeks ago and I am addicted already. I have two and although that may seem excessive I use them for different reasons. The first is Dirty Massage Bar (£5.95/1)* and smells like mint chocolate - really nice on the senses and soothing - it contains Lavender, Fair trade Cocoa and Shea Butter - I can smell this throughout the night and it really helps to calm me. The second massage bar is called Shades of Earl Grey (£5.95/1)* and I was attracted to this because I love Earl Grey tea and I knew I would love this too. This one also contains your Fair Trade Cocoa and Shea Butter but it contains Bergamot Oil which is what gives the massage bar the nice Earl Grey smell as Bergamot is an ingredient in the tea. I love that Shades of Earl grey contains Lime and Lemon Oil because it becomes very uplifting and refreshing. Honestly, from the first use I knew this product was something I needed in my life because when I did get into bed I felt a lot less burdened and I was able to sleep a lot better. Another plus is that massaging your body will make it more firmer and more toned :) 

Extra's

I don't have that much time to myself so reading actual books is problematic which is a shame but recently I have been loving reading quotes. This book is amazing for it - it's called 8,789 Words of Wisdom by Barbara Ann Kipfer (£5.73/1 )and I like reading it because it gives you a lot of perspective on life especially if you do feel down or just need some advice. I love philosophy and so this book is great because you don't need to read pages of it - just reading one quote could give you that push or mental enlightenment you need. 

From philosophical quotes to nail polish. Again this depends on how much time I have, so that's why Essie is the right way to go because the formula is perfect - giving you quick drying time and even layers that do stay on for a few days. Recently I have been loving Sew Psyched (7.99/ 13.5ml) and Chinchilly (7.99/ 13.5ml). If I am being honest these are my favourites all year round because they are lovely colours but right now it's the formula lean more towards.

So this is how I relax in my day to day life. I have discovered some awesome products in Lush and I know that I will continue to purchase them because they are helping me so much right now. I hope if you are having the same issues as me (stressing/no time) that you will use some of the items I have mentioned. They are honestly amazing.

When you begin something, believe it will end positively (Kipfer, page 191)
Thank you for reading,
Anjna xx

*This is not a sponsored post, these items were given to me by Lush so I could experience them since I work there. 

Saviour Products You Need To Have: Oils!

Hey!

So today I am going to be talking about a ton of oil products which I think every one should have and also one that you should stay away from! I was going to make this an 'Every Girl Should Have' post buut I think some guys could benefit from this too. I personally love using oils because they are a really quick and effective way of adding moisture to your body without being too greasy (you'll see what I mean). I will use at least one oil product a day - that is how obsessed I am. Also, it's November now and using something a bit more heavy duty like an oil will really benefit your skin and hair from the harsh weather sooo I guess this is good timing!

Hair

I think this is one of the first oil product I bought for myself and it is Avon's Advance Technique Moroccan Argan Oil (£5.50/30ml) and let me say after trying many more since then, this one is still the one I reach for. I love the fact that you can use it with damp hair (which is what I usually do) and I just rub the oil in my hands to warm up the product and then distribute it more towards the ends of my hair to condition it (especially if you know you are going to be styling it like crazy that day). Another way I love to use this is by leaving it as an overnight treatment for when I know I have no time to condition my hair the next morning - it's like cheating but you are preparing for it. I really like that you can use this on dry hair just to add in a healthy shine - I love that it doesn't make your hair look greasy, I apply this in the same way as I explained earlier although I would use less product because it's just for shine rather than intense conditioning.

I'm going to add something that you should stay away from too and that is the L'oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil Mist (£9.99/100ml). This product actually feels like oil when you spray it on your hair - I find this really odd because it is such a fine mist but even so I wouldn't apply this directly onto my hair because too much comes out. I swear 3 mists are enough for my entire head. I only ever use this at night and that's because I want to use it up. I would stay clear of this product and go for the Avon one instead.

Body

I think it is the body oils that actually made me realise how effective and quick oil can really be. Half a year ago I purchased Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturising Body Oil (£5.10/250ml) and I have never regretted it. I was really really bad at moisturising and I wanted to make myself get into a routine of conditioning my skin when I got out of the shower and this product actually made me a lot better at giving my skin the moisture it needed. It smells like vanilla and chocolate - so it's a semi-subtle scent that is really nice and easy to enjoy. I use this as soon as I am dry after showering - I pour some of the product into my hand and just massage it into my skin - it does absorb really quickly because it's a nice lightweight formula and it also doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy. I tend to put on my dressing gown straight after anyway to be sure it's sunk in properly while I do my hair or make-up.

Another one I can recommend for ease is Garnier Body Ultimate Beauty Oil (£7.49/150ml) I find that this works well too and I like that it has a spray so the time applying the product is reduced and it's really easy to blend it in so it's good when you are really in a hurry. The shape of the bottle makes me feel like I am using it up really fast though!
If I had to choose one I would choose the Palmer's one because I feel that it lasts longer on the skin and I enjoy the scent a lot better but both are good picks :)

Facial
This is when I got obsessed with oils. Having oily skin, I never would have thought that this day would come but I was so wrong. I love facial oils - they have literally changed my life and I don't think I can live without them. I have wrote a few posts about The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil (£10.00/200ml), words cannot explain how much I love this product - my make-up literally can be off in under 30 seconds. I think I love it because I don't have to tug at my skin for my make-up to come off - it is honestly like a massage (I do tend to massage it in for a few minutes) - I would pay a lot more money for this product because of how luxurious it is. Although it is an oil cleanser it feels more like silk than oil - it doesn't feel icky or nasty at all, honestly if you are looking for a make-up cleanser that works then this is the product for you.
This next product is one I am going to do a feature on in the next month or so and it is the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate  (£36.00/30ml). This is amazing - my skin went through a really rough patch over summer (I think I was allergic to something that I tried) and the texture of my skin went so bad that I had no idea what to do. This honestly made the recovery time go a lot quicker - every single day (even now) when I put this on I will see a difference in my skin the next morning. It is phenomenal. It basically contains a lot of essential oils that just help to repair and sooth the skin and I cannot live without it. I whole heartedly recommend this to anyone who is having the same problem or if you want something that will make a difference to the appearance of your skin in general.

So as you can see I am really into oil products :) I do use them on a daily basis and I think they do the job well - looking over what I have wrote I found that with hair and body it was the cheaper oils that I preferred - so I think I wouldn't go that crazy price wise with those. But facial oil is something I will spend money on, even though The Body Shop Camomile Oil isn't that expensive, for facial care it is the balance of oil and general goodness that is essential rather than pure moisturisation.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about my picks for each category :) Do you like oils? If so, which ones? I love recommendations soooo feel free to comment below :)
Thank you so much for reading,
Anjna xx

Review: Soap & Glory- One Heck of a Blot

Hey guys :)

So today I am going to be reviewing a product from Soap & Glory - I really like this brand - it's just quirky and the names are so cute and honestly I think there is a match between the quality of the product and the price which is really rare to find (another brand that does this is Kiko Milano). So I got this face powder called One Heck of a Blot and I will tell you all the highs and lows in the review below!

Good Points

Packaging: I really like that this comes in a box - I feel like it adds quality to the product in a way that makes it seem more expensive than it really is. The packaging of the product itself is really sturdy - I like that the top is not a clear plastic and also that it is a real compact (the Stay Matte by Rimmel London is just a loose lid which I hate). 

Extras: So this product has a mirror and also a puff to apply the product which is so handy! If I am using this to set my make-up then I probably wouldn't use the puff but if you are using this product for a midday blot then it's honestly really useful because I know everyone doesn't carry an excess amount of  products like a mirror and a brush. Also the mirror does fold out straight which is awesome because you can adjust the angle without hassle.

Blotting: So this powder is meant for blotting and it actually does a great job at that. I think they have formulated this perfectly and just got everything very right. This is the product I use and carry with me to get rid of my excess oils (when I can).

Price: So this actually retails for £12.00 which I think is a good price for this product simply because it will last you around two months. In my opinion if a product does something well then spending money is no problem for me. There are cheaper powders available but they do come at a different cost (bad packaging, doesn't work etc.)

Texture: I love the texture of this product! It is so finely milled and just feels really luxurious to put on your skin. I don't feel like I am putting on a product that will clog my pores either so I love how light it feels on the skin.

Bad Points

Translucency: Okay so this is translucent but I would never put more than one layer of this on my face because then the powdery look will show. This isn't actually that bad because firstly you shouldn't be putting that much powder anyway and secondly, if you were then you should be concentrating on specific areas rather than your entire face. Also I should add that I am more on the darker side (skin tone wise) and so if you have a lighter skin tone feel free to use all the powder you want - this product is perfect. 

Setting Make-up: This is my wishy washy second bad point: you can't really set make-up with this unless you like a really matte finish - which generally I do like but nowadays I feel like I want that dewiness and then blot later. I just think this product is good at absorbing those excess oils rather than keeping your make-up looking as fresh as when you applied it. This is my wishy washy point because they don't specify that it is for setting make-up although I do know that most people like to have a two in one. 

So I hope this answered any queries you had about the product - I honestly really like it - I think it is good for every skin type too the only thing that will vary is how many times you use it. If you are looking for a new powder then be sure to give this a try and if you have tried it let me know what you think! I am constantly on the hunt for good powders so recommendations would be amazing :) 

Thank you so much for reading, 

Anjna x