Itty Bitty MAC Haul.

When I saw that MAC had released a new foundation; Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation, I knew I had to buy it. The original Pro Longwear foundation was a staple of mine for over two years until I somehow became paler and there was no longer a shade pale enough for me.

With the release of this foundation I realized the amazing range of colours and knew I just HAD to.

I pondered a lot over which shade to select. I don't live anywhere near a MAC counter (hour and a half away in fact) so I was making this choice based purely on online swatches and reviews (of which there aren't many yet). I wear the shade Buff in Revlon colorstay which is very pale but seeing as though summer is coming (and I really want to show my skin some sun) I decided to go for NC20.

I haven't used the product yet, as they arrived today AFTER I had done my makeup, but i did have a peek in the tube and the colour seems promising!

When ordering this I realized that also they finally had the Harmony blush back in stock. I've heard a lot of good things about this by fairer skinned ladies so I took the plunge and ordered it. First impression - it seems warmer than I expected but I will let you know how it works soon enough.

Finally I ordered a backup Pro Longwear concealer (NC15) just because I can't live without it.

So here they are - I plan on wearing the new items tomorrow and giving them a trial over a working day so keep your eyes peeled (ew) for my next post!

Gerard Cosmetics; Mini Lipstick Haul + First impressions.

I've heard a lot about Gerard Cosmetics through social media in the past year. They are an American brand and there has been a lot of hype about their lipsticks and glosses recently.

I wanted to make a sizeable order from them, but considering the items would be coming from America  I wanted to try a mini order to check the waters (postage time, packaging, hidden fees).

One thing I love about the brand is that there always seems to be a discount code available. I managed to get 35% off my order PLUS free delivery (made me very tempted to order more).

I ordered two lipsticks; 1995 and Underground.

I've always been a fan of the 90's lips and fashion so 1995 was definitely a lipstick I had to try. Underground was also a no brainer, something really grungy but pretty about it.







Top; Underground. Bottom; 1995.

Let me just start by saying - I'm REALLY happy with them. These lipsticks definitely feel and look matte on the lips, however they are not drying. It sounds unusual but i feel there is a certain amount of elasticity in them so that talking and lip movement doesn't alter the appearance. I have been wearing underground for 4 hours (I have eaten) and it is still going strong.
The colours I've purchased are very flattering on my pale skin and I'm excited to try more.


The packaging was not overly impressive but I don't really mind that as it goes straight to the bin anyway.
I ordered on the 11th, they arrived today (19th) which is understandable as they came from America. However I was unable to track my package and I didn't receive any updates on where it was or when it would arrive. I'm a patient person though so this didn't really bother me, I'd have been happy waiting up to about 10 days.
The items came in a tube of sponge, within a brown mailing bag.




I will definitely be ordering in the future, as a few of the glosses have caught my eye (despite me being a no-gloss kinda girl).

Keep an eye out for the next haul and some in depth reviews!

Easy and Healthy.

So I did mention that I would make a post about everything I eat in a week, however I soon realized that some of the recipes I enjoy most are so delicious that I have them a few times a week. I'm the type of person that could eat the same thing 4 nights in a row if I liked it enough.
Alternatively I've decided to share with you a couple of my favourite recipes from this week, and I will do the same next week.

I have to say my #1 dinner time recipe for the past few weeks is my carb-free courgette Chow Mein.

To make this you will need a spiralizer.  I cannot tell you ENOUGH how much of a game changer one of these things will be to your healthy eating or weight loss. I have adpoted a rule of trying to limit carbs to one meal a day (surprisingly easy) at breakfast or lunch, so having one of these is a great way of lowering your carb intake. You ca make a Bolognese, stiry fry (as you will see), Carbonara, and loads of other things using vegetables as noodles.

So this is my Courgette Chow Mein  Stir Fry.
I used Courgette (for the noodles)
Then, using Fry light spray (one calorie per spray) I fried the mushrooms, thin sliced carrot and chicken (optional).
Once these are done, you can add your spiralized courgette to the pan for about a minute just to heat it up, and add your sauce.
Any Chow Mein stir fry sauce will work, but make sure you take a look at the calories/fat on the back.
Mix it all up and serve!








Next is this Super simple salad.



All I did here was use a handful of leafy lettuce, quarter of a sliced avocado , smoked salmon and a nice drizzle of low fat honey and mustard dressing. I also added a few dates to finish it off.

Super easy but delicious and satisfying..!