With chapped lips and hands being the bane of so many peoples lives this winter Burt's Bees is probably one of the most helpful and useful gifts out there, so team that with smelling and tasting super good and you've got the ultimate stocking filler or Secret Santa gift. Here's a round up of my favourites from their winter range.

A Bit of Burt's Bees in Coconut & Pear, £5.99

This little beauty is a double-whammy, not only do you get one of Burt's gorgeous Coconut & Pear (omg yum) lip balm but you also get a mini tin of Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream to keep your fingers and nails looking tip top in the harsh weather. I've never been one for looking after my hands which is kind of silly of me I suppose as I also never wear gloves when I'm out in the cold, so my fingernails are going to be grateful for some much needed TLC this winter.

Beeswax Bounty, £12.99

If you're undecisive, like moi or perhaps you're not sure which flavour your mum or best mate will like the most then you can go no wrong with the Beeswax Bounty collection. This adorable looking gift set contains four scrummy flavours; classic Beeswax, Pomegranate, Mango & my personal fave Vanilla Bean. These are my go-to when it comes to lip products, I'm super lazy with my makeup when I go to work or the gym and most of the time I just use some CC cream and then one of these bad boys for some light coverage and most importantly some much needed moisture.

Endless Shine Trio, £9.99

As I just mentioned, I love Burt's classic lip balms for work or the gym but when it comes to a slightly more fancy occasion like dinner or drinks with friends then I opt for one of these beauties. Not only do they come in 3 gorgeous, natural shades but they also contain Apricot Wax and Sunflower Seed Oil to keep your lips moisturized and silky smooth which you know, is kind of what Burt does best!

Nature's Kiss, £9.99

This product is probably my absolute fave out of them all. This duo has you covered from all angles as it contains a gorgeous lip crayon in shade 'Sedona Sands' which gives the most gorgeous full-coverage matte colour plus a Lip Shimmer stick in 'Peony'. The lip crayons, of course, have their fair share of goodness, containing Shea butter and jojoba oil to add moisture without being too heavy. I love to mix and match this product with the Endless Shine Trio, using the lip crayon as a base and then pairing a Shine Trio gloss over it for the perfect finish.

*This post contains PR samples.

FREEDOM MAKEUP PRO BLUSH & HIGHLIGHT PALETTE COLLECTION REVIEW

If you're not familiar with Freedom Makeup then let me give you the lowdown. From the same team behind Makeup Revolution, Freedom Makeup is a budget beauty brand currently exclusive to Superdrug stores. Personally, I much prefer the products and packaging in the Freedom Makeup collection over its' sister brand Makeup Revolution's but that's just me.

I've got quite a range of products from Freedom but this particular post is all about their Pro Blush and Highlight Powders because they're not only affordable and great quality but they're also so very pretty!

Now, like other budget beauty brands these lovelies come with their flaws, don't get me wrong; they're not as long lasting or wearing as a more expensive brand, however they are perfectly suitable for the days when you want to try out something new or you've run out of your favourite blush or bronzer and have a great backup handy.

The four palettes I purchased are 'Bronze and Baked', 'Pink & Baked', 'Peach & Baked' and 'Highlight & Baked' and each palette only set me back £6 each - bargain!

Each colour is highly pigmented, as you can see above there are plenty of shades included meaning it's super easy to switch from a bright, hot pink blush one day to a muted rose shade the next using only one palette. The highlight palette includes six creme to powder highlighters and two baked highlighters which again makes it really simple to go for a maxed out super sheen highlight and then switch it up to a soft, natural glow another day.

One thing I love about this brand is their packaging, the palettes remind me a little of the Makeup Forever range, super sleek and compact which is perfect for storing (boring, I know but these things are important and I'm all about the space-saving).

Have you tried anything from the Freedom Makeup collection? Would you like to see a review of more products? Let me know in the comments below!

SALON SCIENCE HAS THE ULTIMATE HAIRCARE RANGE FOR DAMAGED HAIR

I have been a long-term sufferer of over-processed, dry hair for quite some time (due to previous highlights, ombre and dye-jobs) so for years I've been on the hunt for an affordable product I can use without shelling out loads of cash on the expensive ranges always pushed by salons and hairdressers. 
So, you'll be more than happy to discover that after googling 'Gigi Hadid hair secrets' at the weekend, I discovered one of her stylists swears by the Salon Science ReCorrect Leave In Treatment, £15, for over-processed damaged hair, which lead to me rushing out to Boots at the weekend to grab a bottle. I also picked up the Shampoo and Conditioner in the same range while I was there because they're currently on offer at 3 for 2 so I couldn't say no to that.

After recently having highlights to blend away the ombre look I've had for the past year I was in need of a little TLC so after buying the Salon Science products I was more than excited to try them out. I washed my hair first with the Salon Science Retextuluxe Shampoo, £13 and Salon Science Retextuluxe Conditioner, £15 and found only a tiny amount of each is needed and instantly my hair felt clean and soft and the smell, which is grape, is so lovely!

I was most excited to try the leave-in treatment, as I think these are where you find the best results when it comes to hair care. The great thing about this treatment is the fact that it is a leave-in conditioner, you don't have to sit around with wet hair for 20 minutes while it works before getting back in the shower and washing it off and I love that. I used a small, chestnut-sized amount and worked it into my ends before using any leftover nearer my roots.

A lot of comments and reviews about this product are that it's too heavy or it's making people's hair feel too greasy. Personally, I didn't experience this at all when using the treatment and I can only imagine that perhaps if you do get that feeling then using a smaller amount and making sure it's worked fully into your ends only, steering clear of the roots, then you may notice a difference.

I then blow-dried and styled as normal, using my usual heat defence spray and my hair felt amazing afterwards, soft and silky despite the beatings it's taken recently from the highlights. The best thing about this treatment is that you can use it regularly and the bottle recommends at least twice a week so you may get through it a little quicker than some of those other intensive hair masks but the fact you're treating your hair to that luxury multiple times a week means you'll notice a difference much sooner.

FRESH FACE SKIN ROUTINE

So, I have serious commitment issues when it comes to my skincare routine. My skin is so temperamental at the moment and for once it doesn't seem as sensitive and dry as it has done recently so I took the opportunity to have a look around Superdrug last weekend for something new and over the last week I've been putting everything I bought to the test!

My little haul consisted of three products (excluding my favourite Simple Cleansing Face Wipes which needed restocking); Neutrogena's Visibly Clear Pore & Shine Daily Scrub, £4.49, Neutrogena's Visibly Clear Pore & Shine Daily Wash, £4.49 and Nip + Fab's Soften Kale Fix Clay Mask, £7.45.

Let's start with the Neutrogena Daily Wash. I've been using this product twice a day, six days a week and because of a certain dreaded time of the month last week, I had a really nasty zit under my nose. It was one of those fiends that lurks under the skin and feels the size of a small comet but doesn't look too bad but you know it's there. Know what i mean? One of those.

When applying make-up I've always noticed how large my pores are, especially around my T-Zone which I think is why I tend to break out every now and again as they get clogged so easily with oils and make-up etc. Since using the Daily Wash my skin definitely feels healthier and brighter and it also smells like tangerine and lime which in itself just smells clean and fresh! Just a small amount of the gel lathers up to a nice foam when you use it so it's not one of those products you'll have to purchase again a week later because you've used it all already.

Next up is the Neutrogena Daily Scrub also from the same Pore and Shine range as the daily wash. The products are very similar but the main difference is that this product is a scrub so it contains little beads which have a gentle, exfoliating quality. I used this last night (Friday) because even though I've been using the wash every day it still felt good to scrub away the 'grime' after a week at work wearing makeup daily.

Lastly, I picked up the Nip + Fab Soften Kale Fix Clay Mask. Kale seems to be everywhere and the other day i honestly tweeted about how much more I prefer kale on my face to eating it and this clay mask is the reason why. I love a face mask, I think it just instantly feels luxurious and pampering which is what we all need at least once a week. This is a thick clay mask which you just apply onto clean dry skin, you let it sit for 5-10 minutes (or 20 if like me you apply it in the bath while you get distracted by Once Upon A Time). My skin felt really smooth and clean after using this and due to the fact it contains witch hazel it was also really gently on my skin.

Have you tried any new skincare products recently? Let me know what you're loving right now!

MAKE UP FOR EVER ULTRA HD FOUNDATION REVIEW

The Background

When you don't have a Sephora in your entire country it sort of means that when you do finally get a chance to hit one up it's comparable to how I felt when I was seven and unleashed into the many aisles of Toys R' Us.

So, during a recent trip to France I paid a visit to Paris' Sephora store and picked up something that I've wanted for about a year now; Make Up For Ever's Ultra HD Foundation. I have heard endless good things about this product and have been super excited to try it for myself.

My Experience

This foundation is an oil-free, long-lasting liquid foundation and there's a whopping 40 shades in the range which really helps to create that natural-finish as you're not forced to opt for a shade which can be one or two tones from your natural skin colour. 

As I suffer from quite dry skin I've found the consistency of this foundation perfect along with a setting powder and spray it stays put all day. I use a beauty blender to buff the liquid into my skin and it instantly settled in to create a satin-like finish. The coverage is probably a light to medium and I often use two layers to cover a few blemishes or the more red areas around my nose. 

I haven't suffered any breakouts since using this foundation and my skin is quite sensitive and spot prone so a foundation that doesn't feel like it's clogging up my pores is essential. 

My Recommendations

If you've given this foundtion a go and had a few problems then the one thing I'd suggest is trying it with a different primer as this foundation is primarily water-based. Silicone based primers will cause Ultra HD to break-up and appear patchy so when shopping for a primer check to make sure that's silicone minimal or free to make the most of your Ultra HD.

Comment below if you've tried this foundation and what your thoughts are, I'd love to know! Also, if you have any recommendations for great alternative foundations that you're loving then let me know as I'm always on the look out!

AUTUMN/WINTER BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Halloween is over. Bonfire Night is over. It's practically Christmas, right? That was my attempt to justify splashing out on a few new beauty products this month anyway because if you can't treat yourself during the festive period then when can you?

I'm a huge fan of all things smokey, bronzed and burnt when it comes to palettes during these chillier, darker months and I'm particularly loving the MUA Elysium Palette. It includes four matte and six shimmer shades ranging from a nude base shadow to a gorgeous dark shimmer purple shade.

This palette also includes a matte black which I use to smudge out my eyeliner for a super smokey look sometimes and there's also a duo eyeliner thrown in for good measure with a dark eyeliner one end and a nude highlighter the other, I've only given the highlighter a go so far and it's perfect for highlighting the inner corner of my eye.

When I was in Boots the other day I was enticed over to the Benefit counter and was instantly sold on buying the new limited edition Swarovski embellished They're Real mascara which is totally worth the extra £2 on account of how pretty this looks amongst my make-up collection. This mascara is a constant in my everyday make-up routine. I like to apply They're Real first for definition and separation of my lashes and then I whack Rimmel London's Wonder'full mascara with argan oil on top for thicker, fuller lashes.

The Hoola bronzer also ended up in my basket, after trialling the smaller sample last Christmas I really wanted a darker, more matte bronzer for contouring this party season and Hoola fitted the bill perfectly.

If you haven't discovered Makeup Revolution from Superdrug yet then you need to check this range out next time you're in store. As Makeup Revolution is a budget brand it can be a little hit & miss with certain products but I love it when I want to test drive new shades or products without spending a fortune. The Ultra Base Corrector palette caught my eye when I was in store last and with the harsh winter weather coming soon I knew I'd need some colour correction.

The palette contains eight colour correction creams to balance and correct on all complexions. If you're not familiar with colour correction then here's what each cream will do for your skin:

Pink: Brightens dull skin perfect for those months when you might not see much of the sun, read: every day in England.
Lavender: Neutralises yellow tones which can usually crop up in the under-eye area for example.
Green: Neutralises red tones in the skin, for example the green cream is perfect if you suffer from rosacea.
Orange: Neutralises blue and cooler tones in the skin.
Peach - Helps to balance out slight discolouration
White - Adds natural highlight and brightens
Cream - Neautralises purple and covers dark areas, perfect for under eye and darker patches.
Brown - Balances ashiness in medium to dark skin tones.

I suffer from dry, sensitive skin so I'm always using the green cream to neutralise the redness in my skin around my T-Zone. I always really like the lavender and pink cream to brighten up my skin when it's feeling particularly dull after not seeing the sun for hours on end!

Sticking with Makeup Revolution, they also have a new range of brushes in the 'Ultra Metals Collection'. If I'm totally honest I picked up these brushes because I'm obsessed with anything rose gold/copper at the moment and they were too good to resist! I bought the Ultra Flawless Powder Brush, the Ultra Sculpt Blush Brush and the Ultra Contour Foundation Brush although I'm not even sure if i'll get round to using them because the white brush hairs are far too clean and pretty as they are!

That's it for my current autumn/winter favourites, let me know what you're loving this season in the comments below!

OLAPLEX REVIEW: HAIR'S HOLY GRAIL

Well, Olaplex. Where do i begin?! If you've got color-damaged, dried hair then you're going to want to stick around for this one so grab yourself a cuppa and get comfy. I was heading to Leo Bancroft's Weybridge salon for a cut last weekend and knew I was in dire need of a treatment beforehand. Following a lot of salons and stylists on Instagram I was sure I'd heard of Olaplex before so when an Olaplex treatment cropped up on Leo's list of services I immediately asked my stylist Holly to book me in for a treatment before my cut.

If you haven't heard of Olaplex, let me give you the 101 on the sciencey-stuff. Most conditioners, even the expensive leave-in ones, usually just sit on top of your hair, temporarily treating damaged hair which can leave you with a silky smooth finish at first but after a few washes you're back to square one. This is wear Olaplex is different because it actually repairs and fixes the hair shaft while it colours and treats it. To give you some context, Olaplex is how Kim Kardashian went platinum from her natural dark locks in one day without going bald.

My Olaplex treatment was a two-part process and the whole process took half a hour from start to finish. The sensation was an odd one, the product is obviously a liquid but didn't feel super wet or thick like some conditioners so until I reached up and patted my hair it didnt' feel like there was any product on at all as it wasnt trickling down my neck or the side of my face which is always a bonus!

When it was rinsed out I reserved all judgement until my hair had been cut and blow-dried. When I finally ran my fingers through my previously thick, dry, damaged brittle hair I could have cried with happiness. That sounds dramatic but I've been through a few ordeals with my hair over the years and the last time I felt that silky-smooth, lightweight, freshly-cut hair feeling was probably about six or seven years ago. Since then, every blowdry has been a nightmare with hair breaking, brushes struggling to pull through the ends and stylists unable to run their fingers through my hair. It used to fall heavy, full of frizz and the ends looked frazzled.

Not now. The damage has literally been reversed and it's like I've rewound the last few years of bleach and dye, leaving my hair feeling so light and soft and genuinely healthy. I'm so excited that Olaplex is a thing and it doesn't cost a fortune either, my treatment was £30 and worth every single penny.

Olaplex can also be added to colour and bleach to minimise damage and if you YouTube Olaplex you'll find an abundance of videos showing girls with damaged hair going even lighter with little to no damage at all. It's incredible and a revolutionary product which hopefully will be rolled out to more and more salons around the UK - and the world - very soon!

Let me know either in the comments below or over on Twitter @laurenfell if you're thinking of giving Olaplex a try, I'm also happy to answer any questions you might have!

NEW HAIRCARE HAUL

So I've reached that point with my current hair care products where I'll sit pressing down the pump on my Aussie leave-in conditioner bottle for about 20 minutes before accepting that I've 100% run out and definitely need to replace it.

Of course, when I get to Boots they're completely out of the leave-in conditioner that I usually use so I had to stand there in the aisle talking myself - yes, out loud - through the pros and cons of the two conditioners they had instead. As you can see from the picture above, arguing with myself never gets me very far so I resulted in throwing both in my basket along with a couple of other bits.

I'm in love with Aussie's leave in conditioners and although I do really like a hair mask, I appreciate being able to spritz my  hair with moisturising goodness and leaving it in because I'm a very impatient human being. I usually use the Miracle Recharge Moisture conditioner but as I said they were out of it in Boots, leaving me to decide between Take The Heat and Shine before giving up and opting for both.

I haven't given either of these a go yet but if they're anything like their Moisture counterpart then these conditioners will be lightweight, non-sticky leave-in sprays which I feel just give my hair a little more of a silky soft finish after washing. Although I use a heat-defence product alongside the Aussie conditioner, I quite liked that the Take The Heat spray also does this so I can double up on the heat defence!

The Shine leave-in conditioner just sounded really nice, I've always had quite damaged hair until recently thanks to the incredible Olaplex treatment I had recently, post on that coming this week - so it will be nice to put a shine back into my much healthier looking hair.

Another product that I've ran out of recently was my heat-defence spray, usually I use a Toni & Guy product but once again, they were sold out. I'm really not selling my local Boots right now, am I? Although, this did give me a chance to look for something new. I'm a big fan of Lee Stafford products and thought that the Poker Straight Flat Iron Protection Mist sounded like it would do the trick. You can use this product before you blow-dry and also afterwards, on dry hair, before you use straighteners.

I also picked up a large can of the DeHumidifer Liquid Umbrella, also from Lee Stafford. I used to swear by this product when I was at school/college and when I discovered serum I stopped using it, however, I'm gradually running out of Bleach London's Split Fix Serum which I am obsessed with and was going to replace until I saw this! This is a lightweight spray which controls frizz and keeps your hair looking smooth, sleek and silky. I've already given it a go this afternoon and forgot how much I loved it. This product also comes in a smaller, handbag-sized can for frizz-control on the go!

Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to know what you think of them so let me know! 

COLLECTION AT BOOTS BEAUTY HAUL

Before we head off to Center Parcs for the week, I popped into Boots today to stock up on some essentials and some not-so-essential-but-still-really-lush beauty bits!

Ever since I gave the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer a go I've never used anything else to cover up my problem areas and under-eye area. I find nothing else conceals as well as this and I always opt for the lightest shade, 01 Fair, to give my under-eye area a lift and make it appear brighter. This concealer is also perfect for covering up those nasty zits that tend to spring up out of nowhere although I tend to find it can require a little pat from a finger-tip to really melt it into the skin for a natural finish.

Along with the concealer, I picked up another favourite of mine; Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Powder. This product teamed with the concealer really do make the perfect power couple. After I've used the concealer I whack some of this over the top - I use a powder brush and forgo the use of the pad/sponge that comes with this powder because I have a weird thing about bacteria/germs lingering on those things - and it sets everything perfectly!

While I was in Boots I also couldn't resist picking up a few coral/red/pinkish lipsticks. I've been after some lippys with more orange tones so I grabbed these three beauts - it's just a big coincidence that all of these products are from Collection but it makes for a consistent post fo' sho!

The lovely lipsticks are in the shades 16 Paper Rose, 17 Colour Pop and 2 Pretty In Peach and they're all quite similar with only very slight differences but I'm very excited to give them a go nonetheless! They were also on offer in Boots for only £2.50 each so I couldn't resist, I'm a bit of a lipstick hoarder - there's just something about lipsticks that are so aesthetically pleasing to me I don't know why I'm a weirdo - so I'm definitely thinking of getting a few more shades in this range if they stay at this price!

There are so many fantastic offers on at Boots at the moment and all of the Christmas boxsets and offers are in store already so if you live near a store then I'd recommend popping in for a gander.

Let me know if you've tried any of these products or if you're thinking of giving them a go yourself, I'd love to know!

JEROME RUSSELL BBLONDE MAXIMUM LIGHTENING SPRAY

If there's one thing you guys should know about me it's that I am always changing my hair colour. Over the past year or so I've been various shades of blonde and ombre but now that autumn/winter weather is creeping in it's got me in the mood for something very different altogether.

Now, I knew that I didn't want to go even blonder right now - let's wait til next summer though, eh - actually, my goal wasn't to drastically change the colour of my hair but to even it out ahead of a whole new shade that I'm aiming for this season and the Maximum Lightening Spray* seemed ideal!

You use the spray after you wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo and after three applications you should see a gradual lift, even more so if heat is applied after use. Now, I can probably guess what you're thinking, yikes, a lightening product + heat = fried hair and I'm not going to lie, I spread out the three applications over a couple of weeks as the thought of frying my roots didn't appeal to me. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how soft my hair feels after using, although bear in mind I did only spritz this product closer to my roots and kept it entirely away from my ends.

I noticed a visible lift in colour after one application and this product by Jerome Russell definitely helped to even out the colour, giving me a much better base for my next colour which I'm very excited to be having done by the lovely Holly at Leo Bancroft's salon in Weybridge. I shall keep my plans under wraps until Tuesday 20th but if you follow me on Pinterest you can probably tell the gorgeous shade that I'm hoping to achieve *insert smiling devil emoji here*.

The BBlonde range is so extensive and I definitely recommend it if you're thinking of going blonde this season, however, if you're looking for something less intense then the Lightening Spray is the one to go for to enhance highlights or keep your ombre looking fresh. Team it with one of their awesome toners - either a natural shade or be daring and go for a pretty pink - for a completely finished look!

*PR sample

CURRENT BEAUTY FAVOURITES

As much as I love autumn and winter it's always a slightly trickier business when it comes to beauty. The wind, rain and cold doesn't do much for my poor hair and skin so now's a better time than any to bring a few slightly different products into my routine. These are the products I'm currently loving.

Good Things Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser, £7.99

Moisuriser is a key player in my make-up routine and I find that my foundation just doesn't last without it. This little gem from Good Things Beauty includes extracts of blackcurrent - for its' clarifying qualities -  and goji berry (so it smells hella good for one thing). What I like most about this moisturiser is that it's fast-absorbing so I don't find myself spending ages trying to rub it into my face in the mornings.

Lush Rub, Rub, Rub Shower Scrub, £8.75

Not only is this pretty pot from Lush an exoliating shower scrub but it double's up as a hair treatment; adding volume and shine to the hair. So two for the price of one! I love to use this product once or twice a week in the bath to exfoliate and really treat my skin to a gentle cleanse, however, this product can be used dry for a really good buff and I find this makes it perfect pre-spray tan!

Montagne Jeunesse (now My 7th Heaven) Dead Sea Mud Spa Clay Mask, £1.09 

I'm such a huge fan of Montagne Jeunesse, who are now known as My 7th Heaven, and I probably own more face masks that one girl needs but at just over £1 a pop it's a crime not to invest in a bunch! One of my all-time favourites though is this Dead Sea Mud Spa Clay Mask.

Each mask from My 7th Heaven boasts lots of different benefits and ingredients but as I have breakout-prone, sensitive skin there's a select few I go for again and again and this is one of them. This particular clay mask is all ready for you to use as soon as you open the sachet, no awkward squeezing out and slapping on, the pre-constructed mask just unfolds, you pat it down and you're good to go!

John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Intensive Masque, £2 for 25ml 

If you dye, bleach or put heat anywhere near your hair then an intensive masque or treatment will definitely make your life a lot easier! Winter weather conditions can be harsh on your hair, making the ends brittle and dry and this treatment from John Frieda's Frizz Ease range gives my hair a little TLC when it needs it most.

Superdrug B. Makeup Brush Cleanser, £4.99

I'm hooked on the Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray but as I very recently ran out of the stuff I gave this (much cheaper) version a go and I think it's great for a temporary fix! The cleanser comes in an easy-to-use pump bottle and I've found it works a treat in between washing my brushes properly.

Let me know what beauty products you're loving at the moment in the comments below or tweet me @laurenfell!

MY WEEK IN PICTURES: MOVIE PREMIERE, HAIR DYE & HELLA GOOD CHEESECAKE

I'm sitting on my bed in an oversized Wildfox sweater and tracksuit bottoms, watching a terrible Adam Sandler movie feeling sorry for myself because my sinuses are swelling up and causing me major face ache. SO, I thought, hey, why not reminisce on happier times like last week when I was eating heavenly cheesecake?!

The Best Cheesecake In The World  (So Far)
Okay, I say 'so far' because I'm waiting to try something at The Cheesecake Factory when I go back to Florida next year BUT for now, this is The Best Cheesecake In The World. It's the new Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake from Prezzo, where I've been twice in the last two weeks just so I can sample this delight. I'm actually salivating now just thinking about it which isn't great because I'm sure all we have in the cupboards is maybe a Kit Kat or a chocolate digestive.

Dinner With Old Friends
I was super lucky when I finished my foundation diploma but didn't want to go to University, I ended up temping at a company where I ultimately stayed for over two years. There I met some of the loveliest people I've ever come across and the other week a few of us met up at Las Iguanas for dinner and drinks. It was a lovely evening and man the food at that place is so good, I do love me a sizzlin' fajita.

Scorch Trials Premiere
I've fangirled over this movie so hard on Twitter over the last week or so that I'm sure you're well aware of this BUT if you didn't know, I was lucky to attend the UK premiere in Leicester Square, London last Monday for The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. This is a photograph from our seats of the lovely Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Wes Ball and Jim Chapman when they answered some fan questions before the movie.

Lush Tea Tree Water
This is my holy grail right now! I wrote a whole post about this last week because I abso-freaking-lutely love the stuff. A quick spritz of this toner water in the morning when I wake up and before bed makes my skin feel really clean because of all the anti-bacterial shiz that's in this product.

My Hair Dye Collection
I didn't actually realise I owned this much hair dye until I got round to sorting out one set of my Alex drawers at the weekend. It's obviously ridiculous as no one person can use all of that much product at one time - especially seeing as there's a good old mixture of platinum blonde, honey blonde, ash blonde, golden brown, dark brown etc in there but I think I like to have the options and they kinda look pretty in there don't they?! Okay I'm just trying to justify my hair-dye-hoarder tendencies...

Makeup Revolution Palette in 'Flawless'
I posted all about this awesome product yesterday and seeing as the packaging is so darn pretty I thought it was Instagram-worthy! This is a 32-shadow palette from Makeup Revolution and is sold in Superdrug for only £8 - I can't get over the price and as it's nearing the end of the month I am living in Bargain Town right now.

Follow me @laurenefell on Instagram for more!

MAKEUP REVOLUTION ULTRA EYESHADOWS IN 'FLAWLESS'

If you're not familiar with Makeup Revolution then they're a budget makeup brand sold by Superdrug for extremely good prices, starting as low as just £1. Now, don't get me wrong, I love NARS, MAC and also loads of high-street brands like Rimmel and Maybelline but sometimes if I'm feeling experimental and want to try new shades that I'm unsure about, then I don't always want to splash out on products.

The Flawless palette consists of 32 matte and shimmer eyeshadows in beautiful shades, perfect for fall and winter. The colours are extremely well-pigmented which means that you get fantastic value for money - even for £8, it's always good to know you're not going to need to spend another £8 on the same product in the space of a month or two. I'm also in love with how sleek the packaging is. I'm a sucker for less-is-more when it comes to product packaging, especially palettes, and I even love the rose-gold foil box so much I tend to keep the palette in there when storing it.

The palette boasts shades such as Paper; a light nude shade, perfect for a base colour, Raw; a matte neutral shadow and Darkest Shimmer; a burnt orange hue great for defining your outer lid and crease. These three shades also happen to be fantastic dupes for the three MAC shadows I purchased earlier this year so if I'm looking to recreate that warm smoky-eye on the regular then I'll use my Revolution palette, saving my MAC shadows for special occasions.

Now, Makeup Revolution have released the all-new 'Beyond Flawless' palette, featuring 32 new shades in much more neutral tones. If you'd be interested in seeing a post on this palette then let me know in the comments below.

MakeUp Revolution Flawless Palette costs £8 and is sold in Superdrug, you can also purchase online at Makeup Revolution's website.

BEAUTY CROWD PRO MILANI BOX

I've only been a member of Beauty Crowd Pro for a short while but so far, I'm super impressed! If you're not familiar with Beauty Crowd Pro, it's an exclusive online community and marketplace for bloggers and vloggers. There's a forum for members to discuss their favourite products, an online shop with exclusive deals and also an area where you can apply to collaborate with brands.

One of the latest promotions that Beauty Crowd Pro offered was a box filled with full-sized Milani products called the Milani Pro Collection Box. Beauty Crowd Pro were selling this amazing collection for only £15 and although there were limited numbers - and it's now sadly sold out - I was lucky enough to get my hands on a box!

The Milani Pro Collection Box contained six full-size products; Color Statement Moisture Matte Lipstick in '67 Matte Confident' $5.99, Rose Powder Blush in '01 Romantic Rose' $7.99, Runway Eyeshadow Palette (sadly my palette broke in transit so I wasn't able to photograph it for this post), Runway Eyeshadow Single in '03 Bronze Doll', Bella Eyes Gel Powder Eyeshadow in '06 Bella Espresso' $4.49 and an Anti Feathering Lip Liner in '01 Transparent' $4.99.

Prices above are in dollars as Milani isn't actually stocked in the UK yet - another reason why this offer from Beauty Crowd Pro was so exciting! I haven't given these products a go yet but I'm very excited to try them all out, they're all in perfectly wearable shades - no crazy colours or anything that's not seasonal. If you're a blogger or vlogger then I recommend heading over to Beauty Crowd Pro to take a look and if you're not a blogger then there's BeautyCrowd.com which features a lot of amazing deals and offers so you don't miss out!

NARS LAGUNA & LUSTER

So I'm late on this particular bandwagon, I know, but last weekend I purchased the NARS Laguna bronzer. I've heard so much about this product and I know it's the 'holy grail' of bronzers for a lot of beauty bloggers and YouTubers out there.

The packaging is standard NARS, slightly larger than the blush packaging and still with that super sleek black casing - which, is it just me, or does it seem to attract smudges and smears?! The product itself is beautifully matte and can look a little scarily dark at first glance but I held back reservations until I'd given it a go.

I loved how well pigmented this bronzer is, it gives my skin a sunkissed, healthy glow with only the slightest hint of a shimmer. It can be difficult with some bronzers to avoid that awkward orange undertone but with Laguna there's nothing of the sort. Due to it's matte nature, this product is perfect for contouring and I use it with my Real Techniques Sculpting Brush for a really defined contour. Laguna blends out really flawlessly too so you're not left with harsh lines.

This bronzer does come in a little on the pricey side at £27.50 but in my opinion it's absolutely worth it.

When I picked up Laguna, I also bought NARS blush in the shade 'Luster'. I own a lot of pink blushes and decided that now fall and winter is practically here, it was time to invest in something a little warmer so I went for the beautiful, peach tones of Luster.

Luster has a really soft, smooth texture and just like all other NARS products is super well-pigmented so I find that I don't need to use a lot of it at all to get a really pretty warm glow. Personally, this shade is just right for my skin-tone but I am not sure how it would look on someone who is quite fair or pale as the blush does carry a lot of orange-undertones but like I said before, you don't need to use a lot to get a well-pigmented shade so just use a lighter hand if you do happen to be blessed with paler skin.

I'm incredibly happy with these two NARS purchases and they've become staple products in my everyday make-up routine, if you'd like to see me use these for a fall/winter look then leave a comment below.

LUSH TEA TREE WATER SPRAY REVIEW

I've been super lazy recently with my skincare routine and I've also been forgetting to take my Hair Burst pills (which I felt really made a difference to my skin) so, to get back on track I've invested in a new product to keep my skin feeling fresh and clean after I remove my make-up.

This is the Tea Tree Water, £7.95 which is a toner water from Lush and I picked it up from their Kingston branch last weekend, with the help of the absolutely lovely ladies who worked in the store. I watched Lauren Elizabeth (the YouTuber who I share both a first and middle name with) review this product and include it in her beauty favourites and I was dying to try it out.

This water contains only six ingredients, four of which are all natural; Tea Tree Water, Grapefruit Water, Juniperberry, and Limonene. The first of these three ingredients are well known for their antibacterial properties. The grapefruit is great for balancing oily and problematic skin which luckily I don't really suffer with, except a few little mishaps in the T-Zone area. Since using this spray after removing my make-up and washing my face - it's the final step in my skincare routine before my head hits the pillow - two zits I had on my chin have vanished into nothingness so already I'm loving it.

The ladies in Lush did mention that it can be used to remove make-up, I haven't tried this yet as I'm a big fan of the Yes To Cucumbers wipes, followed by a Freederm facewash which together get rid of 99% of my make-up, I will definitely spritz a little on a cotton pad and give it a go soon.

What I liked most about this spray, as I've used tea tree products in the past, is that this one doesn't smell medicinal or like something you'd drink when you've had a cold or the flu for a week. It's only lightly fragranced and there's no lingering smell after you've sprayed it. The bottle is easy to use and the pump distributes the spray evenly so you're not blasted in the face by a stream of toner water!

Do you use a toner? Would you try this one from Lush?

NEW ZOELLA BEAUTY RANGE REVIEW

I'm only 24 but as I stood in Superdrug next to a pair of fourteen-year-old's who were pondering over Zoella's new beauty range I've never felt older. However, that doesn't mean I'm ashamed to have snapped up almost every item from Zoe Sugg's new products, not one bit, as they are bloomin' brilliant!

Obviously, I've heard all about this collection and seeing as I never got round to trying anything from Zoe's first range, I just had to give these a go. After getting home and googling the newest line, I realised I had actually bought one of everything except the Foam Shower Gel, so I might have to grab that one next time I'm out and about and also the Cosmetic Purse.

I've given each of these products a go, except the Scrubbing Me Softly Body Scrub and the Fresh Fizz Bath Fizzer but I've posted loads of lovely pictures and first impressions of those products as well as everything else in this post so it's worth checking out.


Scrubbing Me Softly Smoothing Body Scrub, £7.00

There's one common theme that runs with each of these products and it's the heavenly, delicious fragrance. I love fruity, sweet smelling beauty and bath products and this body scrub definitely ticks that box. This product contains acai, coconut and blueberry so I'm sure you can imagine just how good it smells! I'm excited to use this product pre-self tanning as I think it will provide the perfect amount of exfoliation for a streak-free tan.


Kissy Missy Lip Balm, £3.00

The one thing I'd read online about this particular product was how well pigmented it is for a lip balm and that got me super excited. I currently use the rose tinted Vaseline balm on a daily basis so I was really looking forward to giving this a go. One layer of this tinted lip balm will give you a minimal-colour, nourishing lip balm but if you whack it on another one or two times then you can build up a beautiful bubblegum pink colour which not only smells amazing but also feels non-sticky and light to wear.



Let's Spritz Fragranced Body Mist, £8.00

On a day-to-day basis I'm definitely a body mist kinda gal, with Victoria's Secret Fresh & Clean Body Mist being my go-to for years now. However, I think the fragranced Let's Spritz Body Mist might just  take the top spot from now on. Not only does it come in the prettiest bottle, with lace print and polkadots no less, but it smells fruity, floral and feminine; the perfect body mist combination in my opinion.


Candy Cream Softening Body Lotion, £5.00

Like the Smoothing Body Scrub, this cream contains acai and blueberry so it'll come as no surprise that it smells absolutely delish. What I love most about this cream is it leaves your skin feeling moisturised and nourished without feeling sticky or taking forever to absorb, which let's be honest, none of us have got time for!


Fresh Fizz Fragranced Bath Fizzer, £5.00

This pretty product looks and feels like a bar of chocolate, which is probably why there are stickers on each end and a note on the back reminding buyers not to eat it as it is not food which made me smile. I haven't given this one a go yet but I have opened it up to have a look and I love how it's split into four chunks which makes it easier to break off a piece and drop it into a lovely hot bath!

Have you tried any products from Zoella's new beauty range at Superdrug yet? 

My Blogging & Beauty Space

 



Being super tidy and organised never came naturally to me until about a month or so ago, when I decided to spend a decent amount of money on revamping my bedroom. I live at home with my parents and brother, partly because rent around Surrey costs a very pretty penny but mainly because I love living at home and have a pretty sweet deal here.

This means my bedroom is the one place in the house I can truly make my own and as we live in a small Victorian cottage-style house, I have to make the most of what I've got! I've worked hard over the last couple of months to really do some research and pull together a room that I can relax in and blog in too, so creating a work space that can also double up as a vanity table too was the most important task for me.

Let's talk technical. I've been lusting after the Alex drawers from Ikea for a long time so of course they were a key feature to my workspace, I purchased two of these to sit either side of the desk. The table top is the Linnmon table, also from Ikea.

The large mirror, lined with fairy lights helps open up my bedroom and of course comes in handy when I'm doing my make-up and hair each morning. As the Linnmon table top is so big, I've styled the table in two halves; on the left side, I've got all my everyday beauty products, kept neat and tidy in containers and drawers. These acrylic storage devices are from Homesense and my make-up brush holder is actually a plant pot from Ikea.





The right-side of my desk is primarily blog based. I don't like to clutter my desk up so I just keep my iPad, a notebook and in this case, the latest ASOS magazine which I was flipping through for inspiration to hand. My blogging camera lives on the shelf in that empty spot next to a collection of concert and show ticket stubs and I keep my laptop tucked away in one of the drawers.





I wanted to use the wall space above my desk for a gallery wall and these are two of my favourite purchases! I custom-ordered the gold foil print which features lyrics from one of my favourite Echosmith songs.



I used Pinterest - a lot - to get inspiration for my workspace area and I hope in turn this post inspires some of you guys, so let me know in the comments below and don't forget you can automatically pin any images on my blog instantly to your Pinterest, just hover over the image!

A Week In Photos

1. This is the last post I uploaded before this one, it's an overview of all the things I am loving and pinning on Pinterest right now.

2. Now, I know some people aren't into taking photos of what they're eating but I've never eaten hummous before and I had some on a picnic with a friend the other evening and oh my goodness I love it! So this was yesterday's lunch (also had this today too) and it was scrummy!

3. I saw this on Instagram and absolutely loved it so re-posted it to my feed, credit to whoever came up with this though, it's hilarious.

4. Sigh, this is me reminiscing on my Florida vacation last October. I'm going back again next year and it's like a second home to me now, I was thinking about doing a Florida-related blog post with all my tips and tricks so keep an eye out because that might be coming very soon.

5. Elle magazine was giving away some lovely-looking beauty products and with the issue only costing £4.00 I just had to buy it for the freebies.

6. I grabbed this recipe book at a charity shop last weekend because my mum and I have been doing so much home-cooking lately. We've discovered some really great healthy-eating recipes in mum's Slimming World magazine and online, so we wanted to write them all down and keep them in once place so they're easy to refer back to. If you'd like to see some of the awesome Slimming World/diet recipes we love then let me know!

7. This is a funny one, these are my lovely acrylic nails after getting them done last Saturday, six days later and I can't bear them and sat at home last night using Superdrug's Artificial Nail Remover to dissolve them. I love how they look but they're so impractical for me.

8. This is my lovely new car the first day I brought it home, the weather was gorgeous so I had to take a photo, you can read more about that here.

9. This is the mixture that creates my all-time favourite no sugar, no flour banana and greek yoghurt muffins. So, so good.

That's my week in photos, if you'd like to see more then follow me over on Instagram @laurenefell