Monday, 3 October 2011

Garnier B.B Cream, tried and tested!

Hi,


After hearing plenty about the latest skincare craze, Garnier's Miracle Skin Perfector cream, I decided to give it a go and try it myself. The cream acts as a tinted moisturiser and promises to instantly 'perfect' the skin by emulating Asian 'Blemish Balms' also known as B.B. creams. With an SPF of 15 it also helps to protect against the damaging effects of the sun.

I used the cream as I would use a moisturiser, applying it straight after cleansing my face in the morning. I was a little alarmed by the colour when I first used it, as it seems fairly dark. I opted for the 'medium' tone as I have olive skin, however even 'medium'is relatively dark for me, so I would recommend going for the 'light' option, even if your skin isn't particularly fair.

Having said that, the cream blended well and I managed to avoid looking orange, thank god! The consistency was good and the cream felt light on my skin, which is a definite plus over most foundations. The overall effect was that my skin looked improved and healthier and the cream gave a 'dewy' look to the skin which appears more natural than matte foundation.

However, the cream isn't quite thick enough to cover larger blemishes and it would be neccessary to use a little foundation or concealer on spots. Redness is trageted well though, so if you're lucky enough to have pretty clear skin, the cream would probably be enough. I ended up using a little foundation on some areas, but far less than I normally would, meaning my make up didn't feel as heavy usual.

Overall, I would recommend the cream as a quick fix for tired looking skin. If you're prone to oily skin I think it could leave skin a little too shiny, but for normal to dry skin it's a great solution to skin looking 'flaky' after applying foundation. It's also great if you don't have much time for make up in the mornings, or as a hangover skin pick-me-up!

 Go B.B beautiful :)!

Anna .x.

Sunday, 25 September 2011

Winter + Single = Disaster?

Hi,

I think it's safe to say that summer is definitely over. Despite certain speculations that we may be getting a freak heat wave in these last few days of September I'm going to remain realistic (and maybe somewhat pessimistic) and declare that we can officially welcome winter.

But winter's not all bad; think wooly jumpers, bonfires, Christmas, snuggling up by the fire...And that's where it gets tricky. Because snuggling up by the fire would require some form of boyfriend which, quite frankly, I don't have. Whereas being single in summer was fun (think flirting drunkenly with anyone and everyone at BBQ's and eyeing up potential on the beach) winter doesn't seem to bring quite as many opportunities for us singletons. It's all about seeing couples holding hands in matching his and her's mittens (vom) and hearing about romantic winter getaways.

However, when I relayed this view to a friend who HAS a man in her life to buy matching knitwear for (vom) she looked at me like I was insane. "But winter is a GREAT time to be single!" she declared, genuinely shocked. "Just think of the money you will save on Christmas presents!"

And really, she has a point; boys are notoriously difficult to buy for. Blindly picking out shirts he will probably wear once and asking the irritated woman in Boots to show you about 68 different types of aftershave is NOT fun. Similarly, receiving a gift which was definitely not on your carefully selected list, with your boyfriend eagerly watching you open it and having to thank him as if you mean it, also doesn't do much for your Christmas cheer.

So really, I may re-think my attitude about being single during winter. After all, Christmas also means plenty of opportunities for parties, drinking, getting glammed up and meeting fellow (hopefully hot) single blokes. And let's face it, not knowing who you might be kissing under the mistletoe this year is kind of exciting...

Lots of single love, Anna .x.

Wednesday, 31 August 2011

Blogging Debut

Hi...(is that how you start a blog post?! Any hints appreciated...)

So here I am, finally losing my blog virginity... No coincidence that this happens on a day when I've stayed off work sick and am confined to bed with a severe case of boredom!

I don't really have a specific idea about the topics my blogs will cover. I'm thinking more along the lines of taking ideas as they come to me and then Anna-lysing them (see what I did there?) on here. I'm moving to London in March to start a course in Journalism, and my dream is to one day write features for a young women's magazine, so my topics will most likely cover female issues...but I know guys secretly love reading that type of thing anyway! So something for everyone really...

So taking inspiration from a day of bed rest is fairly difficult... There's not a huge amount to discuss about Lemsip and the Gossip Girl box set. OK, I lie, I could spend hours discussing Gossip Girl with my friends, but somehow I don't think that swooning over Chace Crawford is quite the point of blogging!

Although I do find it slightly strange how a series such as Gossip Girl, full of rich and arrogant characters, manages to reach out to and capture the interest of so many (usually not particularly rich) young women. I mean, I love programmes such as Gossip Girl and The Hills, despite usually avoiding pretentious designer shops like the plague, whilst frantically saving up for aforementioned move to London and living by the mantra of 'I'm sure Primark sells something similar'.

For me, the appeal lies in getting lost in a fantasy world of beautiful people and gorgeous clothes for approximately 45 minutes at a time. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure to enjoy the drama when real life is getting a little boring. Plus, despite usually getting a little lost in the laps of luxury, there's always the lesson to be learnt that rich people aren't usually any happier than the rest of us. And, on a superficial note, you are guaranteed some serious eye candy ;].

So, to round this pilot episode of blogging off, I think I'm going to go back to my Lemsip and lose myself in a bit of Gossip Girl again...Hey, it can definitely be justified on a sick day!

Any views and comments appreciated!

Anna .x.