Claudia&#039;s Café

Vivadogs Subscription Box

Paws at the Palace

A Little Pupdate 🐕

The Trials of Murphy 🐕

My Furry Family

Testing Alpha H Skincare

Hey guys, I’m back…ish! I might be a bit more scatty than usual for a little while as life with a new puppy is hard!

I’ve not had much chance to try out any new makeup recently but I have been testing some new skincare so I thought I would share.

I say new skincare, I have had this little collection for about a year after winning an Instagram giveaway (thanks @eyelinerflicks and @cosmeticsonline_ireland) but I’ve only been consistently using it for the last month or so!

The good thing about being on a “no buy” until the new year means I get to try out all the things I’ve only briefly used!

As a brand, all Alpha H products are manufactured in Australia and they do not test on animals. They also get their products from sustainable sources and try to be as cruelty free as possible when using animal products. They do have some vegan products on their site too.

Maybe not perfect to some, but definitely a step in the right direction!

This little collection is part of the Alpha H Essentials range which is perfect for sensitive or dry skin as it doesn’t contain any glycolic acid.

I got it as a 3-piece set which I can’t see is available anymore but you can pick up the items separately so you can choose the items that fit in with your routine.

The set I received contains a cleansing balm, hydration concentrate and moisturiser. In the collection you can also get a hydration cream, vitamin mist and a few other moisturisers.

The items range from between £27.50 to £39.99 so not a budget brand but I am aware that there are more expensive products on the market too!

The best part about it?? All the products have rosehip in them so smell like Turkish Delight! If that’s not a reason to splurge occasionally, I dont know what is?!

Cleansing Balm

So this balm might be the weirdest consistency I have ever used in a skincare product!

It almost feels like Turkish Delight too! Until you rub it on your face and it breaks down into a more creamy consistency.

As it’s a balm, it doesn’t foam up like some cleansers but it still feels really good on the skin and afterwards my skin was feeling soft, clean and looked clearer!

This is definitely my favourite of the three products. So much so I’ve finished it already!

Hydration Concentrate

The hydration concentrate comes with a dropper bottle and a little goes a long, long way.

You can either use this on its own or add it to a moisturiser for an extra shot of hydration.

I have been using it on my dry bits before using moisturiser and it’s really helped balance out my skin.

I think if you had normal skin this could be used in place of moisturiser, likewise if you have dryer skin, I can really see how adding it to moisturiser would really help.

It absorbs really quickly and doesn’t leave skin feeling greasy or sticky either.

Hydration Cream

The moisturiser is quite thick when it comes out the tube but once it makes contact with your skin it melts into it so fast!

It does take a little longer to absorb into the skin fully than the concentrate but it doesn’t leave any greasyness behind when it does.

It gives a nice shot of moisture which lasts all day and made my skin feel so, so soft and gave an almost brightening effect!

None of the products left my skin blotchy or itchy like some things I’ve tried recently and I haven’t noticed any abnormal breakouts from using them either so that is a plus!

I don’t tend to buy higher end skincare at all but I would consider buying the Cleansing Balm again once I allow myself to buy stuff in the new year!

Have you tried any Alpha H products? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments below ⤵️.

As always, thanks for reading! Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

Full(ish) Face of First Impressions – Drugstore

August 19 Birchbox Review

July 19 Birchbox Review

My Summer Skincare Routine

Testing The Body Shop Skincare

Lush Birthday Haul

Hairburst – Worth the Hype?

Testing Nip + Fab

Urban Decay Game of Thrones Eyeshadow Palette

Hey guys, I’m back with another review!

For the last few weeks, I have been playing around with the Game of Thrones eyeshadow palette from Urban Decay.

To be clear, I had to intention of buying this palette! I’m not a big Game of Thrones fan, I like the books but never got into the TV show.

When I was in Debenhams a while ago, I saw it on display and swatched a few of the shades which led to me walking to the till with it in my hand!

Yes! A couple of swatches led me to drop £45.00 on a palette I had no interest in before! FML 🙈.

The packing is stunning but not by any stretch of the imagination is it travel friendly! It’s heavy and bulky but you do get a pop up Iron Throne and some quotes on it.

There is also a decent sized mirror but ive found it quite an awkward shape to use while trying to hold the palette at the same time.

Inside there are 20 shadows. Four are “transformer” shades, I would classes eight as true shimmers, five are demi-mattes and there are only three matte shadows.

The mattes are all brownish shades which makes it quite difficult for me to be inspired by this palette as I feel like I can’t play around with the colour as much as I would like to.

The darkest matte – Lannister Red – does not show up as dark as what you would expect from looking at the colour in the pan so trying to get any depth is pretty difficult.

They also apply quite patchily. Usual for an Urban Decay palette! The look above took so much time to build up but no matter what I did it didn’t seem to look right!

The palette is laid out in sections but it doesn’t feel like it has been done with any thought to it.

I personally would expect to be able to create a look from all four sections but the bottom and top parts are all shimmer/demi-matte shades so it’s harder to get a cohesive look.

The shimmer shades and demi-mattes apply beautifully and are pigmented but there is quite a bit of fallout from the darker shades so I would definitely advise doing your base last!

I’m not sure what I think of the transformer shades. They don’t seem to work very well on their own but over the top of other shadows, I can’t actually see them doing all that much so I have been using them for inner corner highlight.

They are also really crumbly and Winterfell in particular, covers your face in glitter particles which isn’t my favourite thing in the world!

The shadows do have staying power and don’t crease which I really appreciate! They are also removed fairly easily with a cleanser and I’ve luckily not noticed any staining when I’ve tried to remove them, even with the more pigmented shades.

I really love the top four shades of the palette – Frozen North, Take the Black, Free Folk and White Walker are beautiful. And they are the shades I swatched in store and used for the above look.

I do wish Take the Black was a little bit more pigmented but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a shadow quite like it before. It’s a stunning glittery black.

All in all, I like the fact I have this pallette in my collection but I do feel its been tailored to Game of Thrones fans rather than makeup lovers who like good quality products

Will I reach for it a lot? Probably not. I like being able to get one look from a palette and this just doesn’t allow me to do that.

If you are a collector of eyeshadow palettes or a big fan of Game of Thrones then I think you would like having this but for the Average Joe or Juliet, I don’t think it will add much worth to your makeup routine and the £45.00 is better off spent elsewhere.

I am a massive fan of Urban Decay so just feel pretty let down by this one unfortunately.

Normally I have nothing but praise for the brand but feel they have missed the mark a little in their formula and design this time.

Do you have this palette? Do you agree with me or did you really like it? Please let me know in the comments below! I would love to know your thoughts! ⤵️.

Until next time! Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

Urban Decay Stay Naked Foundation

Tammi X Revolution Tropical Carnival Palette

BH Cosmetics Zodiac Palette

Urban Decay Naked 4Some Vault – The Palettes!

Kalon Kosmetics Achelois X Goddess Collection

Urban Decay: All Nighter Vs Naked Skin

The Pawfection Pack Subscription Box

Hey guys!

I missed an upload last week due to illness, sorry about that!

I’m feeling much better this week so looking to share a new subscription box I’ve discovered!

I’ve also got some very exciting news to share and need to ask for your help!

You all know I love a subscription box and the next best thing to makeup and skincare is stuff for my dog (obviously!) 🐕.

The Pawfection Pack is a themed subscription box. You can choose from a one off box, a monthly subscription, basic or premium and even boxes for multi-dog and cat households!

I got the premium box this time around and a quick search on Instagram allows you to find discount codes from the company’s brand reps which gives you some money off.

The premium box is normally £30.00 plus postage but I was able to get 25% off by doing the above.

Each premium box guarantees you 6-8 items including toys, treats, accessories, poo bags and care items as well as discount codes or recipe cards.

September’s theme was Harry Potter so obviously I had to have it! I was even able to pick Murph’s Hogwarts House – he’s obviously Ravenclaw, same as me! 🤣

Murph was very excited by his box and couldn’t wait to get stuck in but what did we get?

Hogwarts House Tie

Murph loves wearing things on his collar. Don’t believe me? Try picking up a bandana in my house and he will run over for you to put it on!

This tie is made by Paws So Pretty and feels really good quality!

You can adjust the size so it fits any thickness of collar.

I’ve even popped it in the washing machine on a normal wash it’s came out looking fab!

We also got a discount code for Paws So Pretty so I may need to make another purchase!

Random Rewards

From a company called The Dog House, these dog treats are apparently crafted by Michel Roux the chef! That definitely means Murph gets fed better than me! I’ve never eaten anything made my a Michelin star chef!

The treats are small so perfect for training and there are four different flavours in the box so your pooch won’t get bored!

There is Ostrich with Cherry, Seaweed with Orange, Venison with Blueberry and Salmon with Trout.

They are grain free and don’t have any artificial colours or preservatives.

Infusion No. 7

This is a bath product and unfortunately Murph hates baths but we will give it a try.

This is from Dug and Bitch and contain porridge oats and calendula flowers in a little muslin bag and Scottish thistle flower oil which you use create a bath soak.

It smells wonderful and is suitable for all fur and skin types!

Brainy Biscuits

From Bark Bites, these biscuits contain cheese, krill and salmon to give a healty coat and apparently boost learning.

They are wheat free and Murphy seems to think they are pretty tasty and crunchy!

They are a little big for my liking so I do break them up a little to make it easier to give during training.

Stick Toy

Made by Plubber – who make plush and rubber dog toys this toy is great for playing fetch! If your dog will play!

It’s easy to carry, it floats and bounces to give your dog hours of fun!

It isn’t indestructible though, and if you have a heavy chewer, I’d definitely advise supervision!

It comes in three different sizes and Murph has a medium which seems to be a good size for him.

Carob Frog

We have had cakes from The Little Blue Pupcakery before. I love them because they make items that look like human cakes and treats but they are completely safe for your dog to eat!

This little “chocolate” frog certainly looks the part!

Things like this can be fed in moderation and I will cut this up to give to Murph rather than give it in one sitting.

Poo Bags

Every dog owner needs these! Although it feels like we are the only dog owners that use them sometimes!

We actually got 4 rolls in our box but we have been using them already.

These bags are strong and are biodegradable too. The only downside is they don’t have handles which makes tying them a little bit harder!

The boxes aren’t the cheapest out there but you can pick and choose a subscription that suits you and your pet to make it more affordable.

The thing I love most about the box is it includes products from independent brands rather than things you can buy from the pet shop!

The pet community on Instagram is a supportive community and I love supporting independent retailers and have made some great friends through Murph’s Instagram!

He is a brand rep for two companies at the moment – Meg Pet Co, who do a stunning range of bandanas and UniqueWa07 who make the cutest collar tags!

If you see anything you like on either of these pages, you can use the code MURPHY10 to get 10% off your order!

***Announcement*** if you guys follow me on any of my social media you will have seen we are adding a new member to our family!

This little guy will be coming home in a few weeks now and we are very excited!

He’s five weeks old at the moment and is an orange roan cocker spaniel.

I’m hoping Murphy likes him and that they get on as well as I think they will!

He doesn’t have a pet name yet and we are struggling to find one we both really like at the moment so we need ALL the suggestions from you! Get your thinking caps on!

We are always on the lookout for new toys and treats for Murph, have you found a pet subscription box you love? What do you think we should name our new family member? Do you want more puppy updates? Let me know in the comments below ⤵️.

As always, thanks so much for reading! I hope you don’t mind when I post something slightly different!

Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

Paws at the Palace

Vivadogs Subscription Box

A Little Pupdate

The Trials of Murphy 🐕

My Furry Family

August 19 Birchbox Review

A Few of my Favourite Things 💜

Full(ish) Face of First Impressions – Drugstore

Hey guys, it’s me again!

I am always on the hunt for new products that won’t break the bank.

Don’t get me wrong, I love higher end brands like Urban Decay and, more recently, Jeffree Star but the sad fact is, my bank account doesn’t let me buy these all the time!

I decided to try out a few new products when I saw Boots were going an offer of free products if I spent more than £20.00.

The Boots Beauty Edit Box claimed to contain £40.00 worth of products so it’s always worth waiting to make a purchase when a website has an offer running!

I kept my order as cheap as possible to bring you a full(ish) face of first impressions on a budget.

*Disclaimer* I don’t really do a typical full face of makeup anymore. I’ve almost given up on setting my face with powder now, I don’t use primer because my moisturiser is quite tacky and I don’t really use powder highlight unless it’s a special occasion.

I’ve tried to stick to brands that I’ve either not tried or not tried for a while.

Wet N Wild Photo Focus Foundation – £5.99

I’ve seen quite a few people rave about this foundation and it’s so cheap!

I hate picking shades on websites but I think I managed to get the lightest one. It doesn’t look like there is a huge range though so you might struggle to get a match.

I got mine in the shade Nude Ivory, which is a teeny tiny bit too dark as it oxidises a little as the day wears on.

This foundation does not smell great! It smells a little like paint but luckily it doesn’t hang around once it’s blended!

It has a pretty weird spatula applicator which I’m not really a fan of but once the product is on your face, it blends out quite nicely.

It did sink into my smile lines a little but it didn’t seem to get worse through the day after I initially noticed about an hour later.

I noticed a bit if transfer where my glasses sit but that’s nothing unusual for me!

It lasted until bedtime which was great, I can definitely get a full days wear out of it and I didn’t look super oily or anything either which is definitely a plus!

If you are looking for a cheap foundation and you have combination skin, this might just be the one for you!

Wet N Wild Photo Focus Concealer – £3.99

This smells a little like the foundation but again, the smell doesn’t hand around too long!

I was really impressed with this little budget concealer! It’s not completely full coverage but it blends so well! I think it could be buildable too.

I didn’t notice any creasing as the day wore on either.

Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Highlighting Creams – £7.99

I don’t normally use cream contour or highlight products but I think that might change!

I’m not fussed for the highlighter stick as it doesn’t really show up too much but the contour stick is definitely worth it!

You can only get this in one shade and it says it works on all skintones. I think if you had really dark skin it probably wouldn’t show up but light or medium skintones would be fine.

The formula is so creamy and it really does blend effortlessly to a really natural looking contour.

It sits nice on top of foundation too and doesn’t move it or remove it which I’ve found with other sticks like this.

Wet N Wild Colour Icon Brow Pencil – £2.50

As I mentioned in my last post, eyebrow pencils are really not my forte. I’m determined to get better though!

This pencil has a spoolie on one side and the pencil on the other. I’m drowning in spoolies at the moment 🤣.

This pencil is a little scratchy to begin with but once it’s warmed up it’s nice and creamy. You definitely only need a light hand as it deposits a fair amount of product with one swipe.

I’d say it’s easy to be accurate if you are used to using a pencil, for me, not so much!

Collection Eyes Uncovered Urban Jungle – £4.99

This is where I was ridiculously surprised! The pigment! 😍

So this is a pretty tiny palette but it really does pack a punch. I was not expecting the colours to look anywhere near as vibrant as they did.

It is an entirely matte palette which I know would put some people off.

The shades are slightly dusty in the pan but fallout was pretty minimal and it only seemed to be the blue that I had any issue with.

They blended really nicely and I think the colours are versatile enough that you can make several looks from this pocket friendly palette.

There were a few different colour stories available but I had to go for the brightest one of course but you can get more neutral tones if that’s more your thing.

Collection Lip Liner Pencil – £1.99

I don’t normally use a lip liner so I don’t have much to compare this to but I thought I would try it for the price!

It does feel a bit scratchy on application but you can get a fairly solid line.

There was quite a few different colours available too. I went for a boring pinky nude since that’s normally my go-to for lip colour.

NYX Lip Lingerie Liquid Lipstick – Free (RRP £7.00)

Everyone always raves about NYX products but this is the first time I actually got to try one out!

The formula feels lovely on first application and the doe foot makes it really easy to apply.

I did notice as it started to wear, it made my lips really sticky which I didn’t appreciate quite as much but it doesn’t dry your lips out like a lot of liquid lipsticks out there.

The colour I got in my box was fairly dark – shade – and it didn’t wear off as prettily as some other lipsticks I have but I will definitely be using this again!

A cheaper option would be Wet N Wild liquid lipsticks. I love mine and they seem to last as long as the NYX one that I’ve used.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara – Free (RRP £5.99)

I know this mascara is a favourite for many people, if judging from the comments on Instagram is anything to go by!

I never picked it up first time around but I’m glad I got a chance to use it.

The formula is pretty wet but the brush is a good size which makes it easy to apply.

I found it gave me a lot of definition to my lashes without making the too clumpy.

I did notice a little bit of flaking but that doesn’t bother me all that much but it took me a lot of makeup remover to get it off my face at the end of the night!

The Beauty Edit Box

Along with the NYX liquid lipstick and the Maybelline mascara, my freebie box came with lots of other goodies to try out.

I got a Garnier Moisture Bomb sheet mask and a L’Oréal Rivitalift Filler sachet which I’m looking forward to using on my next pamper day!

Lip products were clearly the highlight of the box because as well as getting the NYX liquid lipstick, there was a L’Oréal Colour Riche lipstick and a Sleek Matte Me lip cream.

I also got a Rimmel 60 Second nail polish and a Rimmel Kohl Kajal eyeliner. The liner is blue which I’m actually weirdly excited about trying out. I’ve not worn eyeliner in the longest time!

I managed to get all this for £27.45. I know I cheated a little for my full face as the liquid lipstick and mascara came as part of my free beauty box but it’s easy to exchange this for a cheaper options to keep the cost as low as possible or take advantage of a deal like I managed to do.

I also managed to bring the cost down a little by using Top Cashback with my order which I always use when I can to get money back on purchases.

I think the look turned out pretty good, and I’ll definitely be using these products again – the highlight for me was definitely the eyeshadow palette (obviously) and the contour cream (maybe not as obvious!).

The eyebrows could have been much better and I have used better foundations but I will keep trying and maybe with use, I can get them looking better!

Im fairly impressed with my purchases considering I spent less this time than what I did on Stay Naked Foundation a couple of weeks ago!

What’s your favourite budget brand? Do you prefer budget or high-end beauty? Let me know in the comments below ⤵️.

Thanks so much for reading as always! Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

Mini Primark Haul

Urban Decay Stay Naked Foundation

Urban Decay Stay Naked Foundation

Superdrug Haul

Mini Primark Haul

Hey guys, me again!

I’ve bought so much stuff recently and having a hard time trying to test it all out! I need about 5 of me right now! 🤣

I went into Primark the other week to have a “look”. We all know how that ends up! Luckily I didn’t spend too much but I could have bought so much more!

I normally go straight to the makeup/beauty bit (shock!) And this day was no different! I found some really cheap bits and bobs that I’ve never seen before in the Edinburgh store so thought I would give them a try!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Eyeshadow Palette

I think this palette is a limited edition one as it’s seems a lot of their Disney stuff is.

I found this on the bottom shelf with a couple of others. Luckily I picked up one which wasn’t broken or swatched which can be so difficult to do sometimes!

When I first tried it out, I realised why! Primark have upped their packaging game! It had a cellophane wrapper which I had to cut off and a plastic sheet covering the shadows. It was like trying to get into Fort Knox!

They shadows are a cute mix of pinks, browns and a black (huzzah! You all know I love a black!).

There are 13 shimmers, 4 demi-mattes and 11 true mattes. For £8.00 you are getting a decent amount of shadows!

They mattes blend quite nicely but the real standouts for me are the shimmer shades! They almost feel wet they’re really that creamy!

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m getting older, but lately shimmers seems to make my eyelids look really textured and I’m not sure why. These did the same but from far away they look really pretty!

The packaging is so cute with artwork and a “mirror, mirror” quote under the little oval mirror.

Emergency Brow Kit

This little gem was only £2.50! Inside you get a brow pencil, clear brow gel, tweezers and a spoolie.

I’m not great at doing my brows at the best of times and I rarely use a pencil but it is such a creamy formula that it feels like you are using a pomade. I wish the tip was slightly thinner but I cant really complain.

The tweezers and spoolie actually feel like decent quality and I’ve been using the spoolie to sort of blend the pencil a little which helps it not look so harsh.

I’m not really sure what the brow gel is supposed to do as it doesn’t seem to set your brows in place! 🤷

Wonder Lash Mascara

I’ve heard people talk about the Primark mascaras but this is the first time I’ve used one and I absolutely love it!

It will be the perfect replacement for my Seventeen Mascara that is running out way too quick for my liking.

The wand is nice and small with teeny bristles. The formula is quite wet but it dries quite quick. It isn’t waterproof though and does smudge pretty easily!

They had a volume one too but I wanted to give the length one a try and I think it does a good job.

At only £3.00 each you could buy both for cheaper than a lot of drugstore mascaras out there!

My Perfect Colour Matte Foundation

The shade range of their foundations is seriously lacking but I think I picked up the lightest shade – Porcelain. They all looked really similar on the shelf!

I’ve never used a Primark foundation before so I was excited to try it and for £3.00 I wasn’t losing out on much!

When I first put this on, I hated it! It took ages to blend out and seemed to show up all the texture on my skin but after about 30 minutes it actually looked not too bad. I’ve definitely tried worse foundations!

I didn’t need to set it but I did forget to put contour on so I’m not sure how it sits under powder. It did seem to last all day just on its own.

It is not super full coverage, I’d say it’s light to medium but I was hesitant to try and build it up too much because it seemed to cling to dry bits way too easily but with it being a matte foundation that’s quite common.

The Little Mermaid Perfume

Let’s be honest, I bought this because of the bottle!

Luckily, it happens to smell really good too! It reminds me of a perfume I had as a teen, maybe Britney or JLo (yes I was that girl 🙈).

The bottle is huge and it is a parfum rather than a eau de toilet so it has staying power.

I can’t remember exactly how much it was, it was on sale. It was no more than £8.00.

In Primark, I have to check to see if there is any new Harry Potter merch! I can’t help it! I’ve got myself quite a collection. I don’t care that I’m 30, I’m a Potterhead!

My other love in life is cosy clothes and now it’s coming into winter again, I’m in more need than ever!

Harry Potter Sweatshirt

This is so cute! I love grey clothes at the moment, I’m being slightly more colourful than my usual black with black and grey is a good option for me.

This jumper is cosy although it feels thin, I’ve worn it out a few times without a jacket and I’ve been warm enough.

It has the main three characters – Harry, Ron and Hermione in case you didn’t know! – in cartoon form and the Harry Potter logo underneath.

I think this was only £8.00 but I can see me getting the use out of it as it goes with jeans and leggings – my usual attire!

Ravenclaw Jumper

I am definitely a Ravenclaw and proud! Edinburgh Primark never seem to have much in the way of Ravenclaw merch so when I see something, I have to buy it!

This jumper looks a bit preppy for me and is not really my usual style but it’s big, baggy and very very warm!

It is grey with Ravenclaw blue sleeves and accents and has a nice knitted feel. Thankfully it’s not an itchy one!

This one was a bit more expensive at £12.00 I think but that’s good for something that will last me all winter!

And that’s my mini haul! I was trying to contain myself as if just spent £70.00 odd in Debenhams and believe it or not, trying to save money 🤭 I just can’t help it!

What’s the last thing you’ve bought from Primark? Do you have a favourite from their makeup range? What house are you in? Let me know in the comments below ⤵️.

Thanks so much for reading guys! Stay tuned because I have so much coming up! Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss it!

Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

Kalon Kosmetics Achelois X Goddess Collection

Superdrug Haul

Lush Birthday Haul

Harry Potter Makeup 😲

Mini Benefit Haul

Urban Decay Stay Naked Foundation

Hey guys, I’m back! I’ve been a little spend happy this month so got lots of things to tell you about over the coming weeks!

Starting off with the new Urban Decay Stay Naked Foundation!

I am a big fan of the Naked Skin and All Nighter foundations so I knew I had to try this as soon as I saw it!

I went in to Debenhams where I got much better service this time (see my last post if you have no idea what I’m talking about), thankfully because I hate trying to colour match from a website!

The shades are totally different this time around. I used to be shade 1.0 but now they have letters and numbers which is way too complicated for me!

The girl at the counter matched me to 20WY which is Fair (shade intensity), Warm (Mastertone) with a Yellow (Undertone).

It kinda makes sense but I would have never worked that out on my own!

The bottle comes with a cardboard outer which says “Flexible. Breathable. Real-Skin matte finish. Medium buildable coverage. Does not transfer. Minimises the appearance of pores. Stay true colour. Waterproof. Vegan formula.” It also claims to be wearable for up to 24 hours.

So I won’t be testing it out for 24 hours because I just can’t but I have had it on for about 10 when I’ve written this which is normally who long I would have my makeup on for anyway.

Application is good. It blends out so easily with a sponge and doesn’t cling to any dry patches that I’ve noticed which is great for my skin type.

It dries down so quickly, I didn’t even need to set it in place which will definitely speed up my makeup routine if I don’t need to faff with powder!

Also, with it being a matte finish, I’m glad I don’t need to set it because it just makes my skin look really dry usually!

I think it is definitely breathable, I don’t actually feel like I’m wearing foundation which is nice! Normally after a few hours I can feel my face getting heavy!

I don’t think the coverage is quite medium on first application but it is buildable. I’m quite happy with a light coverage nowadays anyway so it works fine for me!

It doesn’t look or feel cakey and looking at my skin close up, it doesn’t really look like much. It looks very natural which is what I was hoping for!

My biggest complaint with the previous foundations were oxidation – I say I was shade 1.0 but I probably could have used a lighter one just because they dry down so much darker!

With this, I barely noticed any oxidation, there was maybe the tiniest amount but nothing that looks out of place.

Even a few hours later, with most foundations, I’d be looking like a oily mess around my nose and forehead and it would have sank into my smile lines too.

I’m genuinely impressed that, yeah it’s sunk into my pores a little but it’s keeping my oils at bay and my smile lines aren’t hugely noticeable! As I’ve not had that with a foundation in so long!

It has come off around the blemishes on my chin a little but I sit with my chin in my hands when I’m on my phone most of the time so I’m used to that. It’s also transferred to my glasses a little but I wear them all day so you can’t actually see it until I take them off!

The packaging is definitely travel friendly as it is so lightweight compared to their previous ranges as the bottle is plastic.

It doesn’t feel or look cheap though, the design is definitely that of a high end brand to me.

A bottle of this will set you back £29.50 for a 30ml bottle but Debenhams are currently doing this with 15% off on their website (I wish I knew that when I was in store!) so if you are thinking of grabbing a bottle – now is the time to buy!

I love that Urban Decay is vegan and cruelty free, it’s good to see so many other brands seem to be following suit!

Would I repurchase this? Most likely! I think it is the best foundation I’ve tried in a long time! If you are looking for full coverage it’s unlikely to be the one for you but for a natural, every day finish, I would highly recommend!

I hope you enjoyed reading and you found this helpful of you were on the fence about picking this one up!

Like I said, I’ve got lots of things coming up, including the eyeshadow palette I used to get the eyelook in my terrible selfies! ⬆️ 🙈

Speak soon!

Claudia Xxx

My Summer Skincare Routine

Urban Decay Naked 4Some Vault – The Palettes!

Urban Decay Naked 4some Vault – First Impressions

Revolution Conceal & Define Foundation Review

Urban Decay: All Nighter Vs Naked Skin

Putting Sport FX to the Ultimate Test

Makeup Revoloution Haul – Part 1 – Base

Debenhams Goody Bag

Hi guys, I’m back again!

A while ago I popped into Debenhams on Princes Street to pick up some Urban Decay bits and bobs but the service I received was so bad that I didn’t get anything at all!

I was ignored by the Urban Decay counter person and then she disappeared so I couldn’t talk to her about some of the products. I ended up leaving the store feeling a bit deflated as it wasn’t the first time something like this has happened to me.

I work as a complaints manager for a company so I do feel that if service falls short then the only way a company can improve is to feed it back.

I logged a complaint through Twitter and got a lovely response back from the store manager who explained that she has passed my feedback on to the colleagues at the counter.

She also offered to send me a goody bag as a way of an apology too. Although that wasn’t the purpose of my complaint, I wasn’t going to turn that down!

My little parcel arrived in a magnetic Giorgio Armani box which will definitely be used in my craft room.

Inside the box I got a couple of products and some samples.

I got a little bottle of Emporio Armani In Love with You perfume. This smells amazing! It’s quite a fruity perfume with black cherry and vanilla.

I don’t care what season it is when I wear perfume but this reminds me of summer!

It’s only a 25ml bottle but I’ve worn it almost every day and barely made a dent in it!

I was also given a full sized tube of Lancôme Hydra Zen Jelly Mask. Which I keep forgetting to use as it’s to be applied at night time and left on over night. By the time I go to bed, I’m already half asleep!

It smells lovely and has peony and rose water in it to help de-stress.

The samples I got where mostly perfume but they did throw in an urban Decay All Nighter setting spray sample.

This is the holy grail of setting sprays for so many people but I’ve actually never tried it 😮. Excited to be able to give it a go!

There were two samples of Arizona by Proenza Schouler and two of Dior Joy, a L’Interdit by Givenchy and Good Girl by Carolina Herrera.

I like the smell of all of them but trying to explain a smell is like trying to describe a colour, it’s almost impossible!

They all smell a bit floral and fruity which is the type of scents I tend to go for.

I don’t buy perfume very often and I certainly don’t go for any high end brands so it has been really nice to be able to try some new ones out!

I think the only perfumes I owned before receiving this box was a bottle of DKNY and maybe an old Britney Spears one (clearly very old and should be binned! 🙈).

I am really grateful to the store manager for getting stuff sent out to me as it’s allowed me to try and out some new things.

I would have preferred my experience in Debenhams to be better that day but I’m hopeful that with my feedback, the next time I go in, will be much more pleasant!

Thanks for reading guys! Tell me, do you normally complain if something isn’t right or do you just stew about it in silence? Let me know in the comments below ⤵️.

Speak soon!

Claudia xxx

August 19 Birchbox Review

July 19 Birchbox Review

Superdrug Haul

Lush Birthday Haul

30 Things I’ve Learned Before I Turned 30!

73 Vogue Questions Tag

Hey guys! I’m back with something a little bit different!

I was tagged to do this by the wonderful Wildflower Hippy. Go check our her blog!

I thought this would be a good way to share a bit about me and hopefully you will find it mildly entertaining!

The rules are simple, I answer some questions and then tag some bloggers to take part!

#1. What is your usual Starbucks order?

No matter where I go I always get a latte with an extra shot of coffee. I luckily don’t have coffee very often, I don’t think my heart could take it! 🤣

#2. What does your work station look like right now?

For blogging, that can be anywhere on my house, normally my couch because it’s comfy.

For when I work from home for my actual job, I have a very messy desk with my laptop, keyboard, mouse and headset.

#3. All-time favourite food?

I don’t really have a favourite, if I had to really pick, I’d probably say lasagna but anything with carbs is awesome!

#4. Favourite Author?

Phillip Pullman, Garth Nix, Trudi Canavan or JK Rowling. It’s too hard to choose just one!

#5. What do you think of open relationships?

As long as all parties are consenting then it’s absolutely fine.

#6. What is your favourite video game?

Argh, another hard one! Final Fantasy VIII or X, Kingdom Hearts, Blue Dragon, tbh most JRPGs are really good!

I like playing couch co-op with J so I also love Halo and Gears of War.

#7. Guilty Pleasure treat?

Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate!

#8. Favourite Movie?

Terminator 2, Thirteen, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, John Wick, The Lion King (original) or Blood Diamond.

#9. Favourite book?

I can’t pick one, I tend to go with authors who have a series so they come as a whole! His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman or Abhorsen series by Garth Nix. I tend to read both of these every year or so.

#10. Twitter or Instagram?

For posting pictures, Instagram. For chats and more general stuff, Twitter.

#11. Desktop or laptop?

I prefer to do stuff on my phone actually! Out of the two I would say laptop as I can move it around.

#12. Best advice you’ve ever received?

Friends are the family you make for yourself. I don’t have a relationship with most of my family any more but my friends are the absolute best in the world!

#13. What project are you working on right now?

Not much! I don’t really have anything on the go except for just trying to be more consistent with blog posts. I’m really that boring!

#14. Favourite colour?

Purple 💜.

#15. Did you get good grades at school?

Not too bad, I wasn’t in the brainy classes but the classes I did do, I did well at.

#16. Dream job?

Stay at home dog mum! Working with animals. Dog training, dog grooming, pet rescue, working in a vets. I’m not fussy, I would just love to help animals in some way.

#17. Played any sports?

Not well! I have competed in martial arts and got a few medals, I did dancing and gymnastics when I was younger and I occasionally do some pole dancing at a local studio. I don’t really do team sports though!

#18. Do you have a degree?

No, I had to drop out of university in second year studying Animal Biology due to personal reasons. I wish I had finished my course though.

#19. Nationality?

Scottish. I am also 1/8th Irish on my mum’s side.

#20. What is your favourite kind of blog post to do?

A review, I love trying out new products. Eyeshadows are obviously my favourite!

#21. What do you like to collect?

Makeup! I also collect Funko Pops, books and Harry Potter stuff (I live for anything Ravenclaw!).

#22. Describe yourself in three words?

Sarcastic, loyal, boring.

#23. If you were a rapper what would your rapper name be?

I wouldn’t be a rapper 🤣.

#24. Who was the last person you DM’d?

I don’t tend to DM. My friend is moving to Canada today so I have been messaging her a lot this week to make sure she doesn’t forget about me!

#25. What is on the top of your wish list right now?

Jeffree Star Jawbreaker palette and a grey cuddle chair for my living room that doesn’t cost the earth!

#26. Sorting house?

In case you haven’t guessed from my response above, Ravenclaw!

#27. How many tattoos do you have?

A lot. Right outer ankle, Left outer ankle, left inner ankle, left thigh, right hip, backs of both thighs, left and right inside wrists, right wrist bone, spine and shoulder. The picture only shows a few of them, I’ve got so much more now!

#28. What are you most grateful for this year?

My boyfriend, friends and animals.

#29. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this month?

Having all my future bridesmaids meet up and get along! We went for lunch, it was awesome!

#30. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you today?

I’ve had breakfast? It’s still morning so not much has actually happened.

#31. What is the best thing ever?

Lazing about with J and the pets and not needing to go to work!

#32. Favourite Season?

Summer, I hate the cold!

#33. Favourite Holiday?

Halloween! So much so, I use Halloween decorations as home decorations! 🎃🎃

#34. What fictional character do you relate to the most?

John Wick – I would kill anyone that hurt my dog! 🐕 Or any of my pets! Or my friend’s pets!

#35. Do you like surprises?

Absolutely not!

#36. What’s the biggest surprise you’ve ever had?

Being allowed to get a puppy! I finally wore J down enough that he actually said yes!

#37. What’s the surprise that made you cry?

I am not a crier but I almost shed a tear when J proposed.

#38. What’s the best surprise you’ve ever given someone?

I don’t do surprises, I can’t keep anything quiet!

#39. Do you like muffins?

Of course, who doesn’t?

#40. Do you cook often?

I used to be a chef so you would think my answer would be yes but J actually does most of the cooking. I make a mean macaroni cheese though!

#41. What’s your favourite dessert?

I am not fussy! If it has sugar in it, I’m on board! I love cake and pie and pastry. Ice cream is good too and custard.

#42. Is there a dessert you don’t like?

I don’t really like tiramisu but I’d eat it!

#43. Cake or pie?

Both? Don’t make me choose!

#44. What’s your least favourite food?

Baked beans scare the living crap out of me! Not a fan of sweetcorn either!

#45. What’s your favourite condiment?

Depends what I am eating. Salt, tomato ketchup, brown sauce, chilli sauce and garlic mayo are all regulars in my house!

#46. It’s 4 am on a Saturday night, what would you eat?

I would not be up at 4am on any night! I need my sleep! 💤

#47. If you could teach a college class what would it be called?

How not to be an arsehole 101.

#48. Best animated film?

The Lion King or Aristocats!

#49. What has a guy (or girl) done or said to impress you?

I don’t get impressed easily!

#50. Best thing to do on a date?

I don’t really go on dates but if we have food, don’t judge me for how much I can eat! 🙈

#51. Worst thing to do on a date?

Tell me I shouldn’t eat something!

#52. What is the funniest pick up line a guy/girl could use on a girl/guy?

No pick up lines are funny!

#53. Best comic book character?

I really like Black Widow from the Marvel comics or Butcher from The Boys.

#54. What are three things that are always in your purse?

Phone, bank card and vape.

#55. Favourite drink?

Tea.

#56. If you could play a historical character who would it be?

I’m not really into playing a historical character, they normally all die horrible deaths. I’d be happy just being an extra who just gets on with her life in the background.

#57. Kittens or puppies?

Both! Puppies are definitely harder work!

#58. Favourite sushi roll?

The ones without rice in tempura batter! 🤤

#59. What kind of lipstick do you use?

Liquid lipstick normally. My favourites are Revolution, L.A. Girl and Smashbox at the moment.

#60. What kind of foundation do you use?

I’ve not been using foundation much recently because I have a bit of a tan and nothing matches me! I normally use Revolution or Urban Decay.

#61. Blow dry or air dry?

Air dry, when you have hair like mine, using a hair dryer is a waste of electricity. It dries in about 10 minutes!

#62. Who is your fashion icon?

I know I’m 30 but can I still say Avril Lavigne? 🙈

#63. Favourite Disney character?

I can’t really think of a favourite, that’s why I have a whole thigh tattoo dedicated to Disney.

#64. What are you doing tomorrow?

Working from home.

#65. Movie you laughed the hardest through?

Anchorman. I don’t think will ever fail to make me laugh.

#66. Movie that made you cry?

Marley and Me. It. Gets. Me. Every. Time! 😭

#67. If you could sing a duet with someone who would it be?

I can’t sing but it would be amazing to lip sync along side someone who could sing.

#68. If your life were a song what would the title be?

Welcome to my Life…wait, that’s been done! I don’t have any other ideas!

#69. Favourite animal?

All of them, except wasps, they can f**k off!

#70. Favourite illustrator?

At the minute I’m really liking Nathan W. Pyle. His little comics are fab!

#71. Person you want to have coffee with?

David Attenborough or Keanu Reeves💜.

#72. What’s the country you wish to visit?

I would like to explore more of Europe so anywhere really.

#73. Best ways to decompress?

Watch TV or read a book. Take a nap. Eat some chocolate. It really just depends on the mindset I’m in at the time.

And there you have it, my answers to a list of questions I thought would never end 🤣.

Tagging others is definitely the hard part! I nominate –

Chocoviv

The Beautiful Bluebird

Spooky Aunt Anna

Caledonian Kitty

I hope you guys might want to play along and of course anyone can join in! I’ll pop the questions without answers at the bottom of this post to help!

Thanks very much for reading guys! I hope you don’t mind a deviation from the norm too much! I’d love to find out more about you too! Let me know a fact about you in the comments below ⤵️.

Until next time!

Claudia xxx

30 Things I’ve Learned Before I Turned 30!

A Few of my Favourite Things 💜

What I’ve Been Watching

A Little Pupdate

Deep Sea World – Influencer Evening

My Furry Family

The Mystery Blogger Award

Here are the questions without my answers to help you out:

#1. What is your usual Starbucks order?

#2. What does your work station look like right now?

#3. All-time favourite food?

#4. Favourite Author?

#5. What do you think of open relationships?

#6. What is your favourite video game?

#7. Guilty Pleasure treat?

#8. Favourite Movie?

#9. Favourite book?

#10. Twitter or Instagram?

#11. Desktop or laptop?

#12. Best advice you’ve ever received?

#13. What project are you working on right now?

#14. Favourite colour?

#15. Did you get good grades at school?

#16. Dream job?

#17. Played any sports?

#18. Do you have a degree?

#19. Nationality?

#20. What is your favourite kind of blog post to do?

#21. What do you like to collect?

#22. Describe yourself in three words?

#23. If you were a rapper what would your rapper name be?

#24. Who was the last person you DM’d?

#25. What is on the top of your wish list right now?

#26. Sorting house?

#27. How many tattoos do you have?

#28. What are you most grateful for this year?

#29. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this month?

#30. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you today?

#31. What is the best thing ever?

#32. Favourite Season?

#33. Favourite Holiday?

#34. What fictional character do you relate to the most?

#35. Do you like surprises?

#36. What’s the biggest surprise you’ve ever had?

#37. What’s the surprise that made you cry?

#38. What’s the best surprise you’ve ever given someone?

#39. Do you like muffins?

#40. Do you cook often?

#41. What’s your favourite dessert?

#42. Is there a dessert you don’t like?

#43. Cake or pie?

#44. What’s your least favourite food?

#45. What’s your favourite condiment?

#46. It’s 4 am on a Saturday night, what would you eat?

#47. If you could teach a college class what would it be called?

#48. Best animated film?

#49. What has a guy (or girl) done or said to impress you?

#50. Best thing to do on a date?

#51. Worst thing to do on a date?

#52. What is the funniest pick up line a guy/girl could use on a girl/guy?

#53. Best comic book character?

#54. What are three things that are always in your purse?

#55. Favourite drink?

#56. If you could play a historical character who would it be?

#57. Kittens or puppies?

#58. Favourite sushi roll?

#59. What kind of lipstick do you use?

#60. What kind of foundation do you use?

#61. Blow dry or air dry?

#62. Who is your fashion icon?

#63. Favourite Disney character?

#64. What are you doing tomorrow?

#65. Movie you laughed the hardest through?

#66. Movie that made you cry?

#67. If you could sing a duet with someone who would it be?

#68. If your life were a song what would the title be?

#69. Favourite animal?

#70. Favourite illustrator?

#71. Person you want to have coffee with?

#72. What’s the country you wish to visit?

#73. Best ways to decompress?

August 19 Birchbox Review

Hey guys, I’m back! I didn’t realise I’d be back so soon with another Birchbox review but here we are! 🤣

I ended up keeping my subscription going for longer than I intended this time but I’m not mad about it!

I love getting a subscription box through the door. I genuinely don’t feel like I ever intentionally buy skincare any more because I’m just using up the products I’ve received in the past!

Clearly better for the environment and my wallet and it’s slowly clearing space in my overflowing skincare drawer!

This month’s Birchbox has a summer theme. The packaging is gorgeous as always!

I always keep my Birchbox boxes as they are the perfect size for keeping bits and bobs together in my craft room.

As per usual, we have five treats inside the box. Three of them this month were full sized products which is fab but I don’t remember being asked to choose a product this month so I feel it’s been less tailored to me!

With that being said, let’s get onto the products…

Anatomicals – Body Scrub

I really like Anatomicals products, their packaging is always really cute and they smell amazing!

The strawberry body scrub is no exception! It really does smell good enough to eat!

The particles seem to be from strawberry or apricot seeds so they are gentle enough but leave your skin nice and soft and exfoliated.

This little tube is only £1.50 and it’s such a handy size for travelling that I would definitely pack this for a trip away.

Love Beauty & Planet – Shower Gel

This is another travel friendly product to pop into your overnight bag. This is a full sized one too!

This smells lovely with coconut oil and ylang ylang which lingers long after you’ve had your shower!

Love Beauty and Planet are vegan friendly and cruelty free. Their packaging is also 100% recycled plastic. So nice to brands becoming more environmentally conscious!

This travel bottle is only £2.50 for 100ml. You don’t need to use a lot either so although it’s a little bottle, it will definitely last you a week or two in the sun!

ModelCo – Highlighter

I have a confession to make, I’m just not a highlighter kind of girl. I almost never use it!

In saying that, I do appreciate a good highlighter and I’m really not blown away by this one.

It is definitely very subtle so potentially great for those that need something for everyday but it’s not very pigmented and doesn’t seem to do all that much.

This was the last full sized item in my box and with an RRP of £10, I don’t think I would be rushing out to by another unfortunately.

Balance Me – Plumping Mist

I know hyaluronic acid is a big thing just now but my skin does not like it one bit. It goes red, blotchy and is a bit uncomfortable after using it.

I’ve said it before, and I really don’t see the appeal of putting acid on your face.

It does smell nice though so maybe if you are a user of these types of products, it could be right up your street.

The full size bottle of this is £18 and it can be used throughout the day with or without makeup.

Polaar – Smoothing Cream

So this is a pricey product which is probably why it is only a sample size. This RRPs at £38.68 which is much more than I would pay for a moisturiser!

The tube that you get is more than enough to do me for a while!

Made with Siberian olive it is filled with vitamin C and salicylic acid to help refresh your skin.

It smells nice and it did leave my skin feeling hydrated but I was left with a slight greasyness so maybe not the best if you do have oily skin!

I feel like I’ve gotten quite a good selection of products this month but I have cancelled my subscription just now. I’ve heard lots of good things about Glossybox so I’m thinking of trialling that for a month or two to see how I get on.

What’s your favourite subscription box? Let me know in the comments below ⤵️.

As always, thanks so much for reading. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss a post!

Claudia xxx