Pick of the Peachy Pouts

My go to lip is a healthy, peachy, glossy finish. I'm going to give you a lowdown of my two current faves; one high end, and one cheap as chips! So let us commence...

Rimmel Vynil Gloss Hippy Spirit- £4.99

I really like this lipgloss because it isn't at all sticky or tacky, and you don't get the problem of biscuit crumbs clinging to your lips; meaning I can wear a glossy lip, and munch on crumbly snacks - what could be better? But anyway, my eating habits aside, it's really comfortable to wear, not very pigmented; but just what you need for a natural peachy nude sheer glossy pout! I prefer to wear this during the daytime as it has a very subtle shimmer. It doesn't last long on the lips, but what gloss does? So for the price this is pretty good!

Yves Saint Laurent Golden Gloss 30- £22

I love this, and it is a real treat to wear; as with everything from YSL! This is much more shimmery than the Rimmel offering above; with flecks of gold glitter running through, which stay on your lips even after the gloss has worn off. The really high shine finish makes your lips look plump, without feeling sticky. I do prefer this for the evening, as it is a little too glossy for the daytime. This smells amazing too (why do I always mention the smell?!). 

Overall I think the YSL golden gloss is my favourite, but it should be at over four times the price! If I'm honest though, if I were to buy more shades from either range, unless I won the lottery, it would be the Rimmel Vynil Glosses, purely to save the pennies (or pounds!).

Do you have any lipgloss formulas you love? 

But for now! 

M x

Product of the week #3

This week I have been loving 'OPI Cajun Shrimp'. The picture doesn't really show the colour well due to the lighting, and nor does the one on their website, but if you look at the two, the actual shade is somewhere in the middle! 

Not only do I love this colour, a sort of coraly, reddish, orangey pink; but I would just like to take a moment to announce how much I freaking love OPI polishes! They have a flat brush, which I love (why don't all nail polishes have these???), they're so so pigmented that you could get away with one coat if you're in a hurry (but I went for two just for the sake of it), and omg the application actually makes me enjoy painting my nails; a task usually resulting in me becoming incredibly frustrated from streaks, smudges and all round messy application! Last but certainly not least, these polishes are so durable, I went five days without any chips at all, a record for someone who can barely usually go one day. Their staying power is probably also down to being paired with my 'OPI Natural Nail Base Coat', and 'Seche Vite Dry Fast Topcoat'; two of my nail painting staples. I will definitely be extending my OPI collection, as I think they're worth forking out that extra little bit of money; and there are so many colours to choose from! You can always also find them a bit cheaper than the usual £11.50 online, so there's no excuse not to try them!

Do you recommend any shades, or maybe you have a brand of nail polishes you love? Let us know!

Bye for now! 

M x

Empty Products...

I love a good empties post as I feel they show the products people really like, enough to use all the way to the end, rather than the ones raved about for the sake of raving. You'll notice the majority of these are hair products, as I seem to go through them like anything with my fairly long, very thick hair; but there is a range of other good stuff too! 

VO5 Refresh Me Quick Dry Shampoo

I hate washing my hair, so dry shampoo is something I find myself reaching for quite often in a quest to prolongue the interval between washes! This one is my favourite; it smells AMAZING, isn't too heavy in my hair, and I must be on at least my fourth bottle which shows how much I love it! 

Repurchased? Yes

Aussie Dual Personality Coloured Hair Protection + Shine Serum

This too smells amazing, and I have also gone through a fair few of these too! I run it through my damp hair after every wash, and it's also light enough to use a tiny bit in dry hair to take away any frizziness and leave it soft and shiny.

Repurchased? Yes

Tressemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Shine Spray

This really helped to smooth down my split ends, and gave my hair a healthy shine.

Repurchased? Not yet - I'm trying out the tressemme straightening spray with argan oil but not loving it as much so I think I will go back to the keratin one!

Loreal Telescopic Waterproof

I LOVE THIS MASCARA!!! Before this, my favourite mascara was benefit they're real, but as they unfortunately don't have a waterproof offering, I had to hunt for one with that to offer. And along came this. It makes lashes volumised, lengthened, and separated; the perfect balance between everything you want in a mascara. 

Repurchased? Ofcourse!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Radience Reveal Foundation

Another favourite of mine! Although my skin is combination, sometimes verging on oily, and this is supposed to be a dewy offering, it doesn't make my face look at all greasy, as long as I set it with a  light dusting of powder. It's hydrating, so much so that my skin feels moisturised when I take of my make up; and a high enough coverage to cover blemishes, but low enough to look natural.

Repurchased? Yes

Body Shop Shower Gels in Strawberry and Passion Fruit

In my opinion shower gels don't get any better than body shops creations; purely for their smell. They do a range of scents, and I love them all; but these two are my faves!

Repurchased? Yes both, and more scents too!

Body Shop Tea Tree Face Wash

Tea tree is so refreshing, and great for combination skin like mine; as it clears blemishes and spots a treat, however I do occasionally find it a little drying as my skin isn't really, really oily. So I think although it's attributes are impressive, I'm going to hunt for a more moisturising alternative. 

Repurchased? No - but I may come back to it if I don't find anything better

So, that's it for my empties, and keep your eyes peeled for more in the future as I get through lots of products!

Bye for now!

M x

Product of the week #2

It's fair to say I'm very lazy when it comes to lip products, forgetting to re-apply throughout the day; and I'm not at all daring with my choice of colours either! I very rarely wear a lipstick, often opting for a safe gloss, or even just a slick of tinted balm. So to ease me into the world of lipsticks, I have been on the look out for the perfect nude/pink 'your lips but better' colour for a long time. I've found it difficult to find the right one, especially with my extremely fair skin; often resulting in either the colour being too dark, or the 'concealer lips' look. But now I have finally found one I think I lurve! All hail Sleek True Colour Sheen Lipstick in Barely There.

Although I'm not entirely sure this can be called 'nude', it is very close to the colour of my lips, enhancing them without the use of a bold colour. I have heard many good things about sleek lipsticks, but sleek unfortunately isn't sold in my local superdrug *sob*! So, when I came across the brand slightly further afield, I couldn't resist a gander! Although the good reviews I've heard have largely been for the brighter shades, I didn't feel quite ready for that; and 'Barely There' sounds right up my street! For the £4.99 price tag, these are such a bargain, and I would definitely, definitely recommend them. They're long lasting, hydrating, and highly pigmented; I'll certainly be purchasing more colours from the range! Maybe papaya punch next? Who knows; I may become a bold lips lover after all with sleek!

Bye for now! 

M x

Product of the week #1

So... I have really neglected blogging recently and I don't actually have any excuse- my exams are over and I just haven't felt motivated. Because of this I decided not to clutter up my little space here with writing for the sake of it, but now I really am feeling inspired to write and have found some great new summer products so this isn't a promise it's a "I will really try" to blog at least weekly to update you on a new find or an old favourite that you might also enjoy!

So, that out of the way this weeks find is a waterproof mascara that is actually waterproof! Yes ladies it does exist- the new maybelline the rocket in the waterproof version!

Now normally I don't bother with waterproof formulas as I find that they usually aren't even splash-proof and there are other things higher on the agenda like length, volume etc. however this week has been a bit of a disaster eyes-wise, resulting in a trip to the hospital only to find out I have developed very severe hayfever! While that in itself is not a disaster (it's hardly life threatening and is controllable now I know) it does mean that until my symptoms die down and the medication kicks in my eyes have been streaming 24/7- to the extent that an old lady in asda thought I was crying! 

So I popped into boots and picked this up and I can safely say IT DOESN'T MOVE! 

I'm currently on 20 eye drops a day and its not even smudged. I also jumped off a boat into the sea (several times) the other day and it stayed perfectly in place, wow! I am impressed!

The brush of this mascara is a plastic one, which I don't normally go for but it is actually really good and I personally prefer this to the maybelline the falsies. It gives good volume as well as length and is relative cheap!

The one negative is it has such good lasting power I haven't actually managed to get it off with my make up remover, although this is probably a fault of owning a cheapie make up remover- I use the simple one. This has just made me yet more determined to get my hands on some bioderma, but until that wonderful day, any recommendations?

E x 

Hello Again!

So it's fair to say that the blog has been a little neglected recently, and no one feels worse about that than us *bowing our heads in shame*. But unfortunately those horrible little things known as exams showed their ugly faces and put our lives on hold! Then of course as I'm sure many of you will know, even the thought of any post exam mental activity (even writing an enjoyable blog post!) is not something that seems appealing for a good few weeks. However we are back, yay!!! And to be honest, bored of relaxing; so we're more determined than ever to share everything with you! We are going to get our acts together and plan all sorts of posts, from more beauty tips and product reviews, to more recipes, with a few lifestyle things thrown into the mix for good measure. So if you have any suggestions for posts, we would love to hear them; just comment below, or tweet us - @vanillavelvets !

Bye for now! x

(And we promise to have another proper post for you soon!)

100 Calorie Courgette Soup Recipe...

Hey! At this time of year many if us (including me) are desperate to shed a few pounds for summer, and personally I am bored of the usual salads which leave  my tummy rumbling away all afternoon! So when on the hunt for a quick, easy, filling, yet low calorie and healthy lunchtime option, I came across this tasty courgette soup, which for a pretty generous bowl full comes in at around 100 calories and takes me about 30 minutes to make; sounds hard to believe I know! I would usually have this with two rice cakes or low fat cream crackers just to give it that extra tummy filling factor and I'm good to go!

The recipe serves 2 people if your having it as a meal, or you could have it as a light starter and spread it between 3-4 people; I like to make it in big batches, bung it in the freezer in containers and then heat it in the microwave when I want  some!

Ingredients

2 large courgettes

1 large onion

350ml of vegetable or chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste 

Method 

1. Chop the onion and courgettes

2. Sweat the onions in a tiny bit of olive oil, I have a spray bottle which I love as you don't use any excess oil. You can get them in cook shops for less than a tenner and they're a really good investment if your serious about the dieting lark!

3. Once the onions are softened, add the courgettes, followed by the stock and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes or until everything is softened.

4. Now blend the soup, either using a hand or a jug blender, serve, and enjoy!

Let us know if you find these recipes useful in the comments or on twitter - @vanillavelvets

Bye for now! x

Benefit High Beam Dupe?

So today I was in poundland and saw this, it's called "Chit Chat Highlighter" .

It reminded me of the benefit highlighters in the way that they're both a liquid formula with a brush in a glass bottle, white lid etc! 

Even without my benefit high beam with me I could tell that this was a more pinky tone in the bottle and I didn't expect it to be excellent.

However once I got home and swatched them next to each other on my hand they came out the EXACT same colour, I promise you, just look at that photo! 

Now clearly there is massive price difference- but the only flaw I can find with the 'Chit Chat Highlighter' is that the brush is a bit rubbishy, but it's good enough to get the product out and as I'm sure you know you don't use that to blend it in anyway so I don't see it as a major issue! 

I'm so so please I picked this up and I actually think its slightly more pigmented and long lasting than Benefit! So all in all I would definitely choose this over Benefit and really want to go and grab another one as I have absolutely no idea where else you can get this brand, or how long it will be in pound land. (If any of you do know please please let me know, I would really appreciate it!!) 

The only reason for the size difference of these bottles is because i have the high beam in a mini version- i believe the full size version is the same size as Chit Chat

 

Benefit top, Chit Chat below

Chit Chat left, Benefit right

Cheap Ring Trick

I learnt this little cheap trick ages ago, and it's flipping useful! Say au revoir to embarrassing green fingers and ruined rings!
Cheap jewellery, and rings in particular, although very pretty in the shop can turn your fingers green instantly turning tasteful to tacky, but here i have the solution! So, before you wear your latest Primark purchase, grab a good top/base coat, or any clear nail polish and coat the inside of your ring, leave it to dry! Then if you have time do the outside too, but the inside is the part most important!
I always do this as allows me to buy cheap rings from on the high street without them staining your hands- a nasty give-away that no-one wants!


These are just a couple of silver coloured rings i bought a while ago in a pack for a few pounds in HandM- now i can wear them all the time!


Nail polish- BarryM in Mint Green
As always picture quality isn't perfect, my apologies if this bothers you

Say it with cake...

I have many people in my life who when it comes to birthdays or any other cause for giving a gift, are absolute hell to buy for. Although the usual go to 'no idea' gift cards or cash will suffice, I sometimes like to add something a little bit more personal, either as an added extra, or a much cheaper alternative (yes I'm tight like that)! So I ask myself, what is the one failsafe option loved by 99% of the population? CAKE! Now, if you have never set foot in a kitchen then this might not be the best option for you just yet, we don't want to be giving the gift of food poisoning; but if you know your whisk from your wooden spoon, then what could possibly go wrong? So, decide on a great recipe, whack out the mixing bowl, put on an apron and... Say it with cake! After all it shows much more time and effort than just putting money in an envelope, and there's lots of things you can do to make it look really pretty such as edible glitter, sprinkles and even ready made icing shapes; you can get them everywhere and lots of them are really affordable!

My cupcakes for last years diamond jubilee (I made the cake toppers myself! Super cheap!)

I always bake a cake for my friends and family's birthdays, mothers day, fathers day, easter, parties, christmas... any excuse really, and (I hope) it's enjoyed by everyone!

Please follow us on twitter @vanillavelvets and don't hesitate to leave a comment, we love to know what you think!
Bye for now x

White Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

I Love white chocolate, and I adore cheesecake, they are two of my favourite foods; so combine the two, and you have an absolute winner for me! I always make this as a delicious pudding, it's loved by everyone in my family, and it never fails to satisfy my taste buds and provide a source of indulgence for that heavenly ten minutes spent eating it. Give it a go, you won't regret it... I promise!

Recipe: 

Serves 8-10. Takes about 1 hour to prepare, plus at least three hours chilling time, or ideally overnight.

Ingredients:

200g digestive biscuits

50g butter, melted

400g white chocolate
280ml double cream

250g soft cheese (Philadelphia)

Method:

1. Line the base of a 20cm/ 8 inch spring form tin with non stick baking paper.

2. Crush the biscuits until that resemble bread crumbs, then pour in the melted butter and stir well. Now tip the biscuit mixture into your tin and press them down firmly to form an even base layer for your cheesecake.

3. Break the chocolate into small pieces, place in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering chocolate and gently melt the chocolate stirring once or twice but not continuously. Once melted, remove the bowl from the heat and allow to cool slightly whilst you do the next step...

4. Gently beat the cream and soft cheese  in a bowl until well mixed - try not to over best as that will make it go stiff. Fold in the melted chocolate until a smooth mixture is formed.

5. Now pour over your biscuit base in the tin and chill for at least 3 hours, or ideally overnight.

And that's it, now all that is left to do is eat it and enjoy! Comment and let us know if you've tried it and how it turned out for you, and follow us on twitter @vanillavelvets !

Thanks for reading! Bye for now x

Raspberry and Banana Smoothie

Hi, I made a really nice smoothie the other day so thought I'd tell you how!
I didn't plan it in advance so it was just what I had in and if you planned you could probably make a much nicer one, but hey ho!
I used
A Handful frozen raspberries
A splash of orange juice
1 banana
I don't know the exact measurements because as I said I just chucked it all in and luck of the draw it turned out well!
You don't have to use frozen raspberries obviously, however I always try to use at least one frozen ingredient as it makes my smoothie come out super cool and refreshing.
Smoothies are a lovely healthy snack as well as a way of getting some of your 5-a-day but if you want a nice treat add in a few scoops of vanilla ice cream - it's yummy!
I'd live to know some of your smoothie recipes, please leave some in the comments below or let me know your favourite secret ingredients!
Bye for now! x x x

What's in my bag...

I think a handbag can tell you a lot about its owner, and the things they can't go a day without! So, here's a peep inside mine! Enjoy ...

My bag is the Anna bag from stylistpick.com in black, and I bought it reduced from £35 to £15 in their recent sale... Bargain!!

I'm not one of these people who somehow finds the time to top up on make up through the day (as much as I wish I was) so beware, the make up in my bag is very very minimal!

Inside:

Body shop almond hand cream - this is super moisturising but drys quickly without any stickiness (my hand cream pet hate) leaving my hands super soft!
Body shop strawberry hand cleanse gel - this smells AMAZING!! Perfect for freshening up hands on the go!
Hugo Boss orange perfume - I love this fragrance, it's lovely and citrusy fresh but quite sweet at the same time, perfect for day or night
Rimmel stay matte powder - As I said, I don't tend to top up my make up through the day, but I do always carry a powder just in case I have any unsightly shine! Rimmel stay matte is my favourite, it's so cheap and does the job just as well as any more expensive powders I have tried
No 7 liplicious lip gloss - I always chuck whatever I'm wearing on my lips for the day in my bag, and this just happened to be today's choice. It's super shiny with a subtle pinky colour; a really nice everyday product!

Tissues - always a must have
Umbrella - we all know how unpredictable the English weather is, even now we're heading into summer, and there's nothing worse than spending ages on your hair only for it to get ruined in a surprise spurt of rain!
Chewing Gum - I always have some on me as it stops me from snacking unnecessarily and freshens breath
Bottle of water - saves me having to make a detour and by one when I'm thirsty, and water is good for you and your skin so drink up!
Sunglasses - as soon as the first hint of sunshine appeared these went straight in my bag!
Glasses - much to my dislike I have to wear them, but I do so as little as possible, which usually results in them sitting in the bottom of my bag whilst I squint to see things over the opposite side if the room
My phone - the most important thing in my bag!
My purse - from river island. Its nice and big to fit all my loyalty cards, coupons and the money I wish I had more of!
House keys

So, that's everything in my bag! I hope you found this interesting (especially if you're nosy like me), and don't forget to comment if you have any questions and follow us on twitter @vanillavelvets .

Thanks for reading! Bye for now! x

Nails of the Day

Just thought I'd do a quicke (post- minds out of the gutter please!) on today's nails as I thought they looked quite nice if I say so myself! I'm wearing BarryM as always in Mint Green and with the BarryM glitter on my feature nail (several coats necassery for this look!)
In short I thought it would be nice to show you some nails that look nice but not perfect and done by a real girl on the go who isn't perfect at all beauty things- see the bits rounds my cuticles?
Hope you enjoy, and I'd love to see your fave spring nails just tweet us a picture and we'll follow back for today! @vanillavelvets
Bye for now! x x x

My May Make-Up Bag

There are a few new finds, as well as old essentials, but i thought i would share with you some of my favourite things for May, as well as giving you a little bit of information about them! Hope you enjoy!

Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman Pointed Foundation Brush 
This ones a new purchase and i love, love, love, it's absolutely perfect for what i want it for- putting on my foundation, and i would really recommend it to anyone as i think it's a staple brush for every girl!

Revlon Baby Stick 
I picked this up about a month ago and have been using it non-stop since! It says 'for lips & cheeks' i prefer it for lips but do still use it on my cheeks as its a perfect on the go blush, as you don't need a brush and its so small and compact. 

Soap and Glory Solar Powder
This is an old favourite, lovely to use both colours as a bronzer or just one at a time for a contour and highlight.

Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint by BarryM in Papaya and Lychee
I know spring is all about corals and bright colours and much as i have been loving Papaya i think Lychee may be my favourite! its such a lovely nudey beige and goes with almost any outfit, a new favourite i think!

Lush Bubblegum Lipscrub
I always have one of these on my bathroom shelf but until recently it had been pushed to the back and forgotten about, but having had a tidy up I have rediscovered my love of this and remembered just how good it is at leaving your lips dead-skin free and smooth as well as tasting yummy scrummy! 

Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter
One of my favourite smelling products of all time and an excellent moisturiser, i have the mini one for my handbag too!

Argan Oil (for my hair)
This little beauty has just become a must-have, it smoothens, adds shine and i also think has helped to strengthen my hair.
I picked up this mini from Primark for about £2.50 and now need to find somewhere that sells a bigger version!

St. Moriz Self Tanning Mist in Medium
I am a complete self-tanning newbie and as i have only used this once (on many recommendations) i think a few small streaks on my legs are down to my lack of experience rather than this product, but i will keep you updated and do some fake tan product reviews if you'd like?

Posie Tint by Benefit
I have loved this product a long time and for spring/summer it's especially good as a 'my lips but better' (much, much better tehe) it's also one of those rare lip and cheek tints that i actually use and like for both! dan dan dahhh! Well done Benefit! 

Vanillary Solid Perfume from Lush
I love the smell it's perfect for daytime and not too overpowering or sickly sweet. Lush also makes a spray version but i like this for my make-up bag as i know it won't leak or smash, it's also much cheaper, what a bonus!

Amie Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash
In my opinion exactly what it says on the tin (or tube in this case). I have been using this every morning and it's so calming on my skin and adds just the right amount of moisture without causing grease or breakouts, i loves it! Probably the best morning face-wash i have ever used and i would highly recommend this for ALL skin types. 

I hope you've enjoyed a little snoop into some of my spring make-up bag staples, personally i love a nosey into someone else's!

Full reviews to follow on a few of these (any particular requests?), so keep an eye out!
Bye for now! x x x

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush...

Hi!
As someone who had always remained a lover of my good old fingers to apply my foundation, I was excited to see what all the hype was about surrounding the real techniques brushes from Samantha Chapman. I now understand! After much deliberation I decided on the expert face brush; partly because of it being the lowest price of all of the foundation brushes that can be bought separately, but mainly because of how frequently Tanya Burr and Pixiwoo seem to use it in their tutorials these days above its sister the stippling brush.

At £9.99 I thought it wasn't cheap, but after having been using it for about a month now, I think this price is completely reasonable for the difference it has made to the appearance of my foundation! Whatever foundation you use (providing it's a liquid one) this brush will get the most from it, and help it glide on much better than with just fingers. The size of the brush head is large enough to cover your face in a fair amount if time, (which I have heard is the stippling brush's main downfall for us large headed peeps) but still small enough, and the perfect shape to fit around the tricky eye and nose areas. I an yet to try it with any product other than foundation, but i have heard that it does come in handy with contouring; something I am keen to try out with it. My final impressive features are that there has been no fall out at all, and it has made me less lazy when it comes to cleaning my brushes because I want to prolong my expert face brush's life as much as I can! I would definitely recommend this brush to all liquid foundation lovers!

Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any other questions, and don't forget to follow us @vanillavelvets !
Bye for now! x

Beauty Bargains!

Beauty bargains, a controversial topic i know! and as i'm sure any of you who are beauty fanatics will know some are really worth it and some just aren't. Yes that lipstick might be only 3 quid, but thats 3 pounds wasted if its a rubbish formula or you don't really like the colour so it rots at the bottom of your makeup bag, and 3 pounds more that you could have put towards an amazing one...sigh mac, ahhhh yummy. However there ARE amazing offers that really are worth it like the regular Boots 3 for 2 on everything, or the everlasting No7 vouchers handed out by the till ladies.
The other day i heard someone saying that they were embarrassed to use coupons or things at the tills which personally i think is sad, theres no need what so ever to be embarrassed about saving money - we all do it to a certain degree! What would be much worse is missing out on that last promotional price mascara!
So, what i'm trying to say in a very round and about waffly way is that whilst theres no point in a bargain you don't actually really want, when you could have put that money towards something you will use and value, theres no shame in bagging a bargain, no one apart from the till (or self service machine if you really want) has to know!
Some little tips for good beauty bargains i know of (and these are just a few) are to look out for the Boots 3for2 which includes nearly everything! Also i don't know about anywhere else but my local savers often has lots of Rimmel make up all for under a fiver (a bit cheaper than Superdrug and Boots), also BarryM nail polish is often on some kind of deal if you buy more than one, and the other day i picked up a Benefit magazine (for free off the counter) and its got two free vouchers to have your makeup done at the counter, wowee!
so all in all you get the drift, beauty doesn't have to be mega pricey, and cost isn't everything!
Let me know in the comments if any of you have found some great deals!
bye for now! x x x

Statement Wall Decoration...

After redecorating my bedroom recently, I decided I wanted to decorate my walls with something other than the usual pictures, and have something more me! So when I spotted this jewellery hook in Next, I thought it seemed a good idea. You can get these kinds of hooks all over the place, and they are a really nice way to make a statement in your room on the cheap, by using the jewellery you already have! If you don't want the expense of a ready made hook ornament, you could just get some basic hooks from a DIY store, screw them in all over the wall and hang your favourite necklaces from it! A great cheap way to liven up a boring bedroom wall, whilst showing off your jewellery collection! Enjoy x

Topshop Cream Blush

Okay, so the Topshop cream blush is quite a well-liked raved about product online in the bloggingy youtubey world and I have been wanting one for ages and today I finaaalllllyyy got one, yay!
The packaging is quite cute, the standard Topshop white with black polka dots but nothing too special and I can see it getting covered in foundation/ other makeup dirt in my makeup bag.

Unfortunately my webcam does not take a good photo so I will link it on the Topshop website below if you would like to see....

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=1&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=2256969&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208568&parent_categoryId=208495&pageSize=20

I bought the colour "head over heels" which is a really lovely corally pink colour, it definitely does have orange tones in it but is nowhere near as orange as it appears in the top 2 photos on the Topshop website- even they don't have amazing lighting clearly! This colour will be really nice for spring and summer i think so hurry up warm weather!

It is a cream blush but when applied turns to powder which is something I've not found in any other blusher (high street or otherwise) but i really like so if anyone knows any other brands with this formula please comment below!

For six quid I think this is really reasonable although we will have to see how long it lasts! I'm hoping a long time as because its very pigmented you really don't need to use much to get a light healthy glow which is what I like.

Has anyone tried this or knows a better high street blush? Comment if you do!

Bye bye for now! x x x

MUA Undressed Eyeshadow Palette Review

Hey!
I recently purchased the MUA Undressed eyeshadow palette after hearing that it was a good dupe for the Urban Decay Naked palette; something I've always wanted but at £36 could never bring myself to buy! However at £3 (reduced from £4 in Superdrug), the MUA palette was definitely something I had to try!

There are 12 colours, ranging from neutrals and golds to greys and blacks, in both shimmers and mattes, making it the perfect day to night palette with a choice of lots of different looks to create, making it very versatile with the choice of a nude or a smokey eye; it means it is also great for travelling if you only want to take one palette but still want options. The colours are quite pigmented, but from pictures I have seen, I don't think they are as pigmented as Urban Decay Naked; however, you get what you pay for, and in this case I think it is still a great alternative, and amazing value for money. The colours are really blend-able, and you even get a step by step guide on the back on how to create some looks and what colours go well together, which I thought was a really nice touch for people like me who need all the help they can get when it comes to eyeshadow application!

I would definitely recommend this palette as I think it us a great make up bag staple to have, and the quality is amazing for the price you pay!

If you have any questions please leave a comment!
Bye for now x

Peanut, Fudge and Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I saw these cookies on the TV, I instantly new they would be right up my street! The combination of chocolate, fudge and nuts is to die for, so I have tweaked the recipe slightly to make it even tastier (more chocolaty)  and have decided to share it! Enjoy...

Ingredients - makes about 12 cookies
100g of unsalted butter
100g of light muscovado sugar
1 tbsp. of golden syrup
100g of milk chocolate chips
50g of fudge pieces
80g of salted peanuts - chopped roughly
A large bar of white chocolate

Method

1. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk or wooden spoon until creamy.
2. Add the golden syrup and mix until fully combined.
3. Sift and fold in the flour.
4. Add the milk chocolate chips, the fudge pieces and the salted peanuts and fold them in too.
5. Now form the mixture into about 12 golf ball sized balls, place onto a baking tray fairly far apart to allow for them to spread in the oven, and gently flatten with a fork or the palm of your hand.
6. Bake for around 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius.
7. Remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
8. Finally, as a finishing touch, melt the white chocolate and dip half of each cookie into it to coat it and allow the chocolate to cool and set.

I hope you enjoy the cookies, if you have any questions don't forget to comment!
Bye for now! x

Welcome!!

Hi, welcome to vanilla velvet! We are starting this blog as we have been inspired by other bloggers such as, the famous Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter and Zoe from Zoella, both of who we are huge fans! As beauty addicts we hope to share with you similar beauty and lifestyle tips but on a lower budget scale. Our posts will range from reviews of our favourite products to our best recipes, as we also love to bake. We are extremely grateful to anyone who reads, enjoys or subscribes to our blog, so if you have/ know of a good one please let us know! We'll be back with a new post soon, bye for now!