Laura Mercier Hydrating Foundation Primer

Hey All

Laura Mercier is a brand we've both loved trying products are. L swears by Silk Creme (review here) and it's one of her top foundations and M loves the Mineral Powder foundation which is one of her favourites (review here).

We've also both tried  and loved the undercover pot! (review here) After loving so many face products from them we couldn't wait to try the hydrating primer. We'd heard lots of many positive reviews about the original one.

Both of us have combination skin which has a tendency to be dehydrated so a few years ago we wouldn't have considered trying a hydrating primer. Even though it's hydrating it's more of a gel formula so it doesn't feel heavy on the skin or leave the skin feeling greasy, it actually feels cool and refreshing. It also sinks into the skin quickly. It also contains vitamin A,C and E which help protect the skin from aging due to the environment.

It's made applying make up so much better and feels like another product we can't live without. It's not like other primers we've tried and it just gives the skin a smooth base and makes foundation sit better and apply easier.

It would be interesting to try the difference between the normal and hydrating one.

M xxx

This primer is so lightweight - it feels just like a gel or serum and sinks into the skin super fast and creates a base without feeling like there is a layer on the skin at all. This was super impressive.
When applying it, it feels like another step to your skincare routine rather than make up.

M would like to try the normal primer but I was lucky enough to get it in a beauty box a few months ago. I like them both and the main factor that I've noticed about the two is that the hydrating primer is just that, slightly lighter and more hydrating.
I'd probably lean towards the hydrating just to add in an extra hydration step for my skin as it really needs it, I actually can't apply any more hydration to my skin sometimes!

Have you tried the Laura Mercier Primers? Which do you prefer?
Do you have a favourite Laura Mercier product?

L xxx

New House

Happy Saturday!

I've mentioned a few times on the blog how I am in the process of buying a house (eek!). It's really exciting but also kind of dragging now as it's been 2 months without much happening and I just can't wait to get my date and move in!

Moans aside, I've been picking up some bits and pieces to put into my new house and I wanted to share them with you. My first shop to get to? Obviously Home Sense!

I have always loved reading and have a massive collection of books. Some I've never even read because they are super old and leather bound and I just love the look of them.
But when I do get the chance I'd love to have an armchair to read them in.......and there it was in the middle of the store.
Some of you might hate it, but I absolutely love green and with the living area currently a black and cream colour palette I'm really looking forward to having some colour in it, so a brightly coloured armchair like this is perfect. It's also REALLY comfy so I can't wait to snuggle up in it.

My mum is also making me a quilt/throw for the living area that matches the colours of the chair. I didn't realise how much I like green but it just makes me feel really calm.
I've no idea what it's going to look like yet but I love the thought of having personal things in my house that nobody else will have.

I've also got a load of old wooden furniture that I can't wait to do up. Above is a super old writing desk that I'm planning on turning into a dressing table. I can't afford to buy lots of new furniture and with pieces like this that are solid and have lasted such a long time it would be pointless to throw them out for no reason.

I will be getting well acquainted with some sandpaper and chalk paints over the next few months I'm sure!

I also have a huge chest of drawers - the bottom one is so big that my dad used to climb in it and sleep in it when he was younger!

Then I have an ottoman and a table with a compartment inside. All of it has been stored away for a few years so it needs a good clean.

To bring in some bright colours to the kitchen I'm also planning on buying a lot of aqua coloured accessories like the kettle below, and hopefully a matching toaster. I think it's a great colour and as the kitchen has a lot of cream and beige tones in it, it will hopefully brighten it up!

I am also hoping that I might be getting hold of the chair below from some family friends, according to a Facebook post that I've seen (copied below) you can use chalk paints and paint straight onto the fabric to change the colour! How amazing!!

Spooky coincidence that the chairs are almost the same colour!

I really cannot wait to get the keys and start making some changes to the place, fingers crossed everything keeps going through and I get a date soon!

Have you bought your own place recently? Or have you moved?

If you have any DIY tips or favourite blogs for this kind of topic then please send them to me!

I'd love to see more ideas that I can incorporate into my house, especially storage...

L xxx

Fitness Friday: Spitfire Athlete App

Hello!

I've been trying to branch out and vary my routine as much as possible recently - it's hard enough getting to the gym and working it in around your life let alone now that wedding season seems to be in full swing along with trips for work and basically it's endless!

The other day I found this amazing app on the iTunes app store. Now I will straight away tell you that I've seen a number of complaints because the app is only available on iPhones and therefore not Android - so if you like the look of it feel free to make complaints as I'm sure they will have to create an Android one soon with demand!

The Spitfire Athlete app is an app that teaches you how to train to reach your goals. They follow these basic principles:

• The training plans are created by certified coaches
• Guides on training, nutrition and recovery
• Detailed exercise instruction

The most important factor? They built up Spitfire Athlete for women to show them how strong and powerful they can be.

They'd like to promote the 'athlete's mentality' to help you set and achieve your goals whether they are strength, power, flexibility or physique.

You can check out their website here, and see a quick bio of each of the two female founders Erin and Nidhi showen below, respectively.

The plans are separated into Gym workouts and Bodyweight workouts. They all have epic names that motivate you and make you strive for more: The Fighter, The Warrior, The Heroine. 

Some look totally out of my fitness range if I'm honest but working towards them is something I can definitely do. 

I would love to complete The Dauntless, a 12 week training plan to build serious muscle with each and every day with set exercise routines and rest days. Each day is dedicated to a different muscle group and contains a warm up and cool down. More impressively they include a timer for those exercises that require you to complete it in a set time - this is something that always makes me so annoyed with running apps that suggest you run for 1 minute and walk for 1 minute, they don't make it easier!

Personally I will be trying The Heroine, a HIIT based plan whereby you will build muscle, lose fat and increase metabolism, most ideal for me. It's only a 4 week plan so will give me a good feel for the exercises and hopefully some new challenges!

More importantly than anything else the app is totally free and they also have a facebook group to join (Spitfire Athlete) for you to join others and socialise.

What do you think of the Spitfire Athlete app? Do you think it sounds like something you would like to try?

I think it's a great idea and I love that the whole idea is created by 2 women, I will certainly be promoting this app and I hope more people try it out and come up with ideas like this!

It's so motivating and inspiring to know that there are other women doing the same exercises.

L xxx

MAC Cinderella Fluidline Eyeliner Gel: Little Black Bow

Morning!

A few weeks ago my amazing friends got me some lovely gifts for my birthday - MAC is always a lush present to receive right??
They got me both of the items below, the limited edition Cinderella Fluidline Eyeliner and the Toledo Ombre Blush. I will come to the blush in a separate post so this one is for the Cinderella liner.

If I'm honest I can't say the packaging excited me that much. I loved the look of the eyeshadow palette but that's maybe because it has Cinderella plastered across the front!
I just didn't feel like it was as magical as it could have been - though it is a pretty blue and matches the dress that she wears in the film. It needed a little more sparkle in my opinion!





The MAC Fluidline Eye-Liner Gel is called 'Little Black Bow', and is classed as a grey liner with silver pearl.

It's quite a dark grey liner gel with silver glitter particles, though it isn't gritty. It's one of those shades that can be used as intended as an eyeliner, but also as a cream eyeshadow. The texture is very smooth and has a sheen finish, it's a thin gel so applies really easily regardless of your application.

So for application as a eyeliner gel, how does it look?

I applied this using the Real Techniques liner brush, it was super easy to get a perfect flick considering I haven't worn eyeliner for a good few months recently. It may need a few layers to get a decent uniform effect but I didn't find it was too much of an problem.
I normally love liner but it's too fiddly for work and I haven't had any occasions for anything different.

I liked this in the pot but I wasn't sure I'd get much wear out of it. Having used it a few times now I can say that I surprisingly love it and it's a beautiful alternative to a black. I could in theory wear this grey to work as its a great subtle alternative to black (though maybe the glitter wouldn't be ideal....)



I was also impressed with how well the liner lasted too, it didn't smudge or budge all day and I think that wearing it alone as I have above or with a subtle or full blown smokey eye would be a really nice alternative to a black, especially for summer nights out when minimal make up is the best option.

What do you think of Little Black Bow?

I love receiving limited edition products but they can be hard to write about especially as they sell out so fast! Allegedly this has been brought out before under a different collection but a dark grey liner is generally a good addition to any make up collection.

Do you wear dark grey instead of black liquid liner? Do you buy from MAC limited edition collections?

I normally lust after them as they sell out!

L xxx