Blogger Interview- Laura from Shimmerofpink

1) First of all, what’s your full name and where can people find you?

My name is Laura and I am from Shimmerofpink || Beauty and Lifestyle Blog (shimmerofpink.blogspot.com)

2) What part of the world are you from and where are you now?

I was born and have lived all my life so far in Scotland.

3) What do you blog about and how often do you post?

I blog all things beauty and life. From reviews, tutorials, to recipes and my thoughts. I try to post 3 times a week; a lot of the time I post more than that; and during busy spells and University I will at least post one a week.

4) Why and when did you start your blog?

I started in April 2012, and I started my blog as an away of escape as I was very unwell, and it allowed me to remove myself from what was happening.

5) Who are your favourite bloggers?

Anna Saccone-Joly, Louise from SprinkleofGlitter, Chloesway.com, Couture Girl, DottyDolly and many more; I have a favourite bloggers section on my blog. 

6) What do you look for in a blog to make you like it?

First impressions for me is a big thing and if I'm not a huge fan when I first see it the chances are I probably won’t like it. I love simple web designs with some personality, good pictures and creative content. I don't like seeing copies of other bloggers post I love seeing new and interesting posts.

7) What, if anything, do you want to come from your blog?

Spread happiness and share what I love with others. I love getting comments on my blog and bloglovin followers as it makes me smile but I just love to blog.

8) What are your 3 Holy Grail beauty products?

Rimmel London Match Perfection Foundation

Soap and Glory SuperCat Eyeliner 

MAC Saint Germain Lipstick

9) Where do you get inspired?

From all around me; other blogs; pinterest; twitter; my family. Everything and anything!

10) What do you find to be the hardest part of blogging?

Not having the time to blog as much as I want to. If I could I would be writing for my blog all day everyday! But its just not possible with University and working.

11) As it’s coming up to the summer holidays, what are you travel essentials?

Foundation/ BB/ CC creams with SPF in them. Dry shampoo for the mornings you can't be bothered to wash your hair and just want to get out and about in the sun. A good book; I love reading lying in the sun. Ice-lollies!

12) What’s your favourite store for getting all your little beauty must-haves?

UK shops such as Boots, superdrug and supermarkets. They often have good deals on like 3 for 2 or buy one get one free.

13) Are you in work/school at the moment? If yes, what do you do?

I am currently at University studying Psychology and I also work in a restaurant.

14) Where do you see yourself in ten years time? 

Hopefully with children. Also working with children as a psychologist. I also want to do some travelling.

15) What do you like doing in your spare time?

Baking and blogging. I have finished University for the summer and all I seem to be doing is baking!

16) Any talents?

I sing and play the piano; if you follow me on instagram ( @shimmerofpink ) I quite often post little snippets.

17) If you could do any one thing, what would it be? (Travel the world/ learn ten languages/ feature on your favourite tv show etc)

I would love to meet the cast of friends! I would also love to be a makeup artist for celebrities (that would be awesome!)

18) What’s your favourite non-beauty item?

My denim jacket, sunglasses and my laptop! My three cannot live without items (during the summer).

19) Any top-tips for looking and feeling fabulous this summer?

Fake tan! I love a having a natural glow and with being in Scotland we don’t get a lot of sun so it is okay to cheat! Also staying hydrated and having lots of fun days out with friends and family.

20) Lastly, what advice would you give a blogger when they enter the big blogging world?

Blog because you love it. Be confident and passionate about what you love. Trust your opinions even if others tell you otherwise and enjoy! Enjoy your blog, enjoy writing and have fun with it. Let your creative side run free!

I would love to give a MASSIVE thank you to Laura for taking part in this quick little interview and I hope you guys enjoyed it!! Isn't she fabulous?!?! 

Best wishes lovelies,

Luke. XOX

Travelling Essentials

Having my hand luggage full to the brim is something that I do every time I go travelling. My father looks at me stupid when he sees what I am filling it with, but I do need it all, honestly! Like, I need all my essential products to get me through the flight/drive/train ride and something to read and listen to is also a must have.

First off lets start with the non-beauty essentials. I nice spacious bag is essential. Not only to fill it with all the things you need to take from home but also for any bits and pieces that you find in the airport. I also think entertainment is essential too. Something to read or listen to on long journeys is very important to everyone. How awful is it when you just have to sit and listen to the boring conversation of the people in front of you or listen to the squealing children sat two rows behind you? Usually when I go travelling I take both a book and a magazine with me and then obviously my phone/tablet/laptop with a set of good, noise-cancelling earphones. I think it's very important that you plan ahead and get some good music, games and apps on your phone or tablet and pack a DVD or two for your laptop. Also, make sure you take a book that you know a little about. I can tell you from experience that it is awful to be on a 6 hour flight to find that you can't get into the book that you packed. I would also give the advice to get a magazine before you get to the airport. Many times I have left buying my magazine until I get to the duty free in the airport and been disappointed to find zero Vogue or Attitude magazines on the shelf. It's pretty much the same with books. Airports, other than the really big ones (Heathrow, Gatwick etc.), only get deliveries once a month-ish. This means thy may not have the current best sellers or the latest book that you want to read. 

Now lets move on to the beauty essentials!! Firstly, remember to keep them in a toiletries bag that you can fit inside your hand luggage bag. You don't want to find that due to the pressure change (if you're flying) has caused a bottle to explode all in your main hand luggage bag. Toiletry bags tend to have easy clean material inside too, so it's quick and simple to clean up any accidents. It's also essential you remember that you can't travel on planes with liquids that exceed 100ml. Two years back I took a bottle of my favourite aftershave through customs which was 150ml but was half empty and they still took it off me.:( All these liquid items must fit in a clear, resealable bag which can often be bought in the airport, and there's a maximum of one bag per passenger. Haha, I bet after reading that you think you're reading the customs website, but I promise you're still on my blog.
If I'm going on a short flight I will only take some face wipes to get off any product I am currently wearing to ensure that my face is kept as happy as it is possible when travelling. If the flight is a little longer I might take a cleanser and a face mask to just have an all out beauty hour on the flight. It makes your skin feel so much better and makes the flight much more enjoyable! 
You've probably heard it a thousand times but I'm gonna say it too, the air conditioning on planes is seriously not skin friendly. It's like a big moisture thief that slurps all the moisture out of your skin. Both a moisturiser and a lip balm is a crime to be without. It's seriously like self inflicted abuse if you don't! I love  to slap a thin layer on just after take-off and then a little more when  the plane lands and takes a million years to get from the runway and to the gate. On the topic of moisturising, I also love to take a hand moisturiser too. 
I also find that on longer flights or just a long time in the car/train can cause me to break out. I just pop a small spot zapper in my hand luggage to get the beasts before they set up camp on my face. How horrid!! 
For my hair, I tend to only chuck a brush/comb in my bag and some hair wax to just sort myself out before the plane lands. To be completely honest, I don't think it's absolutely essential to take them but it's always nice to give your hair a bit off life rather than just chucking it bag out of your face, eh?
I don't know about you but when I go travelling, especially when it's a long flight/drive I tend to get all uncomfortable and feel disgusting. To help me feel a little fresher I love to pack a little toothbrush and some deodorant. I think this is extremely important on night flights. Nothings worse than when you've had a long day, then a night flight and you can't brush your teeth and freshen up with a little deodorant. 
Also, before I land I love to chuck on a little concealer to cover up an imperfections and maybe a light weight BB cream if I can be bothered. Again, these are not absolutely essential but it can be a nice pick--me-up after a few hours of travelling.

My favorite products I like to take are:
Burts Bees or Carmex (mint) lip balm
Collection concealer
Dr. Jart BB cream
Simple face wipes
Freederm spot gel
VO5 Extreme Style putty
and finally, Body Shop hand moisturiser (rose scent is my fav).

Well I hope you enjoyed reading my favourite things to take with me while travelling and I would love to know what your essentials are too! Comment them below, don't be shy!!

Best wishes,
Luke. XOX

Oral-B Professional Care 3000

Product retails for £99.99 (Boots.com)

"The Oral-B Braun Professional Care 3000 Electric Toothbrush removes twice as much plaque as an ordinary manual toothbrush*, and has received the British Health Foundation GOLD endorsement."-Online product description.

You must think I am off my nut spending £100 for a toothbrush. I'm not going to lie to you, I picked it up for £44.99 last Christmas (2013) after hearing some great reviews about it. I picked it up from Boots (for the points) with some money I had left over from Christmas. I wasn't going to do it considering it was only a toothbrush, like I could have bought a fab pair of shoes or a cute jacket in the sale.
      Any who, I picked it up and I don't regret it for one second. It's amazing!! My teeth have never ever ever felt so clean. I don't wanna sound cheesy and annoying but you do truly get a dentist clean feeling!! 

It comes with this cute, handy stand, where you can hold up to four toothbrush heads and it's where your toothbrush can live when you're not using it. The charging dock clicks in to the stand (as shown above) or can be taken out if you don't want the toothbrush holder part, if that makes sense. The charger is this little plastic waterproof thing that your toothbrush stands nicely on. Only trouble is, the plug is one of those shaver plugs, so it won't fit into the normal plug sockets. However, you can easily pick some adapters up at some larger Boots stores or you can pick them up at Argos (I paid £5 for two at Argos).

 When I purchased this toothbrush it came with the three brush heads shown in the little piccy above. To my knowledge there is also a sensitive brush that you can purchase that also fits this toothbrush. The FlossAction brush head (far left) is "for deep cleaning between teeth" and boy doesn't it mean it!! This is probably my favourite brush out of the three!! After using it, it feels as if I have been to the dentist for a good polish. My teeth feel all clean and fresh and fabulous after I use it!! The 3D White brush head (middle) is for "advanced cleaning and whitening". This, sadly, is my least favourite out of the three. I currently have braces:( and the little metal buttons on my teeth stop the little plastic thing in the middle of the brush head from touching my teeth. Really it defeats the object of the brush, so I can't really give a good review of this head. However, I can tell you that this brush head is not for you and it pretty pointless for any other poor little sufferers of braces. The Precision Clean brush head (far right) "cups each tooth for cleaner teeth, healthier gums vs. a regular manual toothbrush". I love this brush head too!!! This gives me a super clean feeling and it sooooo much better than a standard manual brush. It gets rid of any plaque that you may have on your teeth and it just fabulous on a whole!! The only problem I have with all the brushes is that I find they don't last as long as a standard toothbrush head and they can be pretty pricey, but they are amazing!!

A big problem with manual brushes is that you have no idea if you're brushing too soft or too hard. It's a pain, right? Brushing too hard can cause some serious gum damage and can lead to gum problems later in life, and we don't want that!! Another simple, but genius idea Oral-B has added is a little pressure indicator light. If you're pressing too hard on your teeth while brushing, this light gives a bright flash to let you know you need to calm down. It's your gums bestie and is genius!! What I tend to do is increase the pressure when I brush and keep that pressure just before the light flashes. That way I know I am brushing hard enough to get rid of all those nasty germs but I am keeping my gums in tip-top condition too. Amaze all around really!!

This essential gizmo also comes with two more snazzy lights! The top one (in the picture) flashes when your toothbrush needs a good sleep on the charger. The one below it flashes when the toothbrush is on charge on and just stays alight when the toothbrush is fully charged and is ready to make your teeth pearly white again!! The great thing is your brush can never ever over charge, so you can leave it on charge all the time and it won't have the slightest negative impact. Fabulous!! Only thing I find a slight problem is that it takes a good while to fully charge. It isn't essential that it is fully charged each time but I find it's most powerful and gives the cleaner feeling when it is used with a full battery.

This brush also has three modes: daily clean, sensitive and polish. I obviously use daily clean twice daily, and I also use the polish mode once or twice weekly. I kind of neglect using the sensitive mode as my teeth on't really need it, but I am sure it is just as wonderful as the other two modes! 

Oral-B also claim that it removes surface stains for naturally cleaner teeth. I agree that it does make teeth whiter but don't expect a Hollywood smile after using this brush.

They also say it will remove " twice as much plaque as a regular manual toothbrush". I 100% agree with this. Obviously, I don't for sure if it is twice as much but it is hell of a lot more!! I done a little test shortly after buying this miracle and found that my teeth felt and looked 10000 times cleaner when using this toothbrush compared to a standard manual toothbrush.

Finally, it also comes with a 2 year limited warranty and if you're not completely satisfied after 30 days of use, you can get your money back. Obviously terms and conditions apply but it's pretty amazing, right?

Overall, I would completely recommend this toothbrush to anyone! It's amazing and I don't think I will ever go back to a manual tooth brush again! I sometimes have to use a manual brush if I am over a friends or on a flight and you can seriously feel how much better this electric toothbrush is  compared to my manual brush! Honestly, I could not speak any better about this brush and how much a of a god send it is for your teeth. Your dentist will love you for using it!! It's almost always half price too!! I've been having a little nose on the web and I have found that it is currently half price in Argos and I am sure it will be half price else where too!

While on my little wonder on the web I came across some amazing reviews about it too!! I could easily say that over 90% of the reviews I read where positive ones (fabulous), so don't only take my word for it, take theirs too!! This is probably one of my favourite little beauty must haves and I would completely recommend you getting yourself one too!

Thanks for reading guys!
Luke XOX

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to promote this product, it's completely my personal opinion and I purchased this product myself.

Fragrance Dupe: Paco Robanne 1 Million

Product retails for  £18.00 per 100 ml (Mark and Spencer)

 "This masculine and dynamic fragrance opens with a burst of mandarin, grapefruit and mint scents. Warm and spicy aromatic middle notes amber and patchouli with a deep leathery signature base."-Online  product description.

This fragrance is called Homme Eau de Toilette from the Marks and Spencer Autograph collection. I had this fragrance as a little stocking filler about two years ago, for Christmas. I had never really bothered testing Marks and Spencer's fragrances simply because it's not a store someone my age would take much notice at.  

Don't you absolutely love it when you find dupe for something that's three times the price? I bloody do!! No word of a lie, but this fragrance smells identical to the famously, extremely exposed Paco Robanne 1 million and it's a fraction off the price. A 100 ml bottle of Paco Robanne 1 Million costs about £56.50 (Boots). You could purchase 3 bottles of the Marks and Spencer stuff and still have £2 change!

I understand that the bottle may not look as appealing and modern as the Paco Robanne one, but who bloody cares about the bottle? It's what inside the bottle that counts, right? Right! 

When you first spray the fragrance it's about as strong as the Paco Robanne one and lasts just as long. I have been told a good few times that I still smell fabulous well into a night out! I spray a squirt on my neck and on one wrist and rub both my wrists together. I also tend to give my clothes a few squirts too.

Isn't it just fabulous? I'm struggling to get over the fact that I could pick up 3 bottles of this stuff for the price they charge for the real stuff!! It's beautiful and if you like 1 Million yourself, you need to have a whiff of this!!

This would be the perfect gift for a friend/father/boyfriend or yourself if your feeling like you should treat yourself, and you probably should. You deserve it, pick a bottle up!!

Like every product I talk about, I have looked at other reviews online and they've all said the exactly the same! A birdy has also told me that the teenage boys love it too, so if there's any little teen love birds about and you're struggling with what to get your boyfriend, well this is the answer!

Hope this could come in handy guys and I hope this can save you  little cash!! 

Best wishes,
Luke. XOX

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to promote this product, it's completely my personal opinion and I purchased this product myself.

Review: Boots Anti-Blister Stick

 Product retails for £3.89 (Boots)

"Boots Pharmaceuticals Anti Blister Stick instantly protects your feet from friction and chafing."-Online product description

Blisters.. They just ruin a night out, right? Having an amazing night dancing your feet off and next thing you know you're struggling to walk to find a seat because those new shoes have torn your poor feet apart!! I used to experience exactly that  every time I would go out. I especially hate it when I have shoes that stain easily. Not only are my feet in agony but my brand new shoes are stained red. Awful!!

I have tried all the plasters and they either fall off or they just don't work at all. Plus, you don't want some ugly plaster showing on your foot all night, right? I needed to find something and I needed it fast! 

On one of my little outings to my local Boots I came across this little beauty. I know it looks like nothing and when I first picked it up I thought I was in for disappointment once again, but never the less I picked it up to give it a try.

I have used this little stick of magic since the start of summer 2012 and I have never looked back. IT'S FLAWLESS! I just don't understand how some stick of a waxy substance can stop that awful rubbing that used to always ruin my night. 

I rub the stick on the areas that rub in the shoes I am going to be wearing or where I usually get blisters. I then put my shoes and head straight to the dance floor without the slightest worry that I am going to be in agony in the next 10 minutes!! It's bloody amazing!! Just to be safe I either chuck it in one of my friends handbags or I pop it in my pocket just in case I need to re-apply sometime during the night. Just to be safe I nearly always end up re-applying it when I am sitting down or running to the toilet.

Since I have been using it I haven't had a blister since!! Fabulous!! This is just one of those products that puts a smile on my face!!

The only little problem I have is with the packaging. Now this might just be with the one I purchased but I am going to mention it anyways. The little thing that pushes the wax out has broken and I haven't used it that much, so it's a struggle to get it out to use. Actually gutted!! I have tried other brands (Compeed, Dr Scholl's etc) and I have never had this problem before, so I am assuming I just had the unlucky pick. But, if you don't want to risk it I would recommend picking up another brand just in case this is a common problem with the Boots own make anti-blister stick.

I have also had a little look around online and I am not the only one who thinks this product is the bees knees! I have seen many reviews on several websites saying that this is a must have product!

Honestly, if you are one of those poor people who get blisters all the time and you're still looking for a solution I would highly recommend this. Once you've got it I can guarantee you won't look back and it will be added to your 'Can't live without' list.

Thanks for reading guys! I know this will be your foots knight in shining armor! 
Best wishes,
Luke. XOX

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to promote this product, it's completely my personal opinion and I purchased this product myself.

Review: Osmo Intensive Deep Repair Mask

 Product retails for £5.05 (feelunique.com)

"Deep nourishing treatment to restore the moisture balance and elasticity. Jojoba provides a rich source of vitamins to hydrate even severely damaged hair.
Look: Silky, healthy, shiny hair.Feel: Nourished and manageable.Hair Types: Dry, permed, coloured, heat traumatised, any length."   -Online product description. 

I have thick, a little longer than average, damaged hair. I pain really! I'm told by my hair dresser that I have fabulous hair but it would be flawless if I didn't have to use heated stylers. If you're one of those people that can wash their hair and let it dry naturally into some fantastic style that is just to die for, I envy you!!

I use both a hair dryer and a flat iron on my hair after every wash. I bloody hate it! Anyways, it had come to a point where I NEEDED something to treat my hair from all that damaging styling. I had tried most deep conditioners from the drug stores and nothing felt like it was working.:( I then came across this savior in a salon near where I live and I had to give it a try!! I picked it up for about £8 (Little did I know it was £5.05 on feelunique -.-).

This is my second bottle/tube and I bloody love it!! It's like a spa day for your hair in bottle. Ladies and Gents, it's amazing!! I have been using it since last summer (2013) and I haven't put it down. I use it as a once to twice a week treatment on the days where I just have a full on beauty day! Don't you wish everyday could be one of those days, aye? I wash my hair in what ever shampoo I am using at the time and depending on the condition of my hair at the time will depend if I use a normal conditioner too. I then towel dry my hair and apply this mask. I leave it for about 10 minutes before washing it off, just as the bottle recommends. I sometimes apply heat to speed the process up, depending on how I'm feeling (Am I being lazy or not.. haha!). The product drys like an actual face mask and makes your hair go all stiff and funny, but it's easy to wash out and doesn't clog the drain, no worries.

Since I have been using this product I have noticed that it does help with my heat damaged hair a lot. Now I'm not saying that my hair isn't damaged at all, but it is considerably better since I have been using this. I have noticed that I don't have as many split ends as I used to and that my hair genuinely feels in better condition. My hair feels silky smooth and looks a little more shiny than it did previous which is always a bonus!!

I only have one tiny problem with this product and this is completely personal to me. As I have that hard to style hair that is a little longer than average for a guy, I find that my hair can sometimes be a little too silky soft. I know I sound incredibly ungrateful but it does make it a little harder to style.

I have also had a look around for some other reviews and I found that this hair mask is very popular in several salons and has high ratings online too! It's truly fabulous to give your hair that uplift it sometimes needs.

All this talking about it makes me wanna jump in the shower and apply it right now!!

Let me know what you guys think of it and give me any suggestions on other hair masks you like that makes your hair look and feel amazing!!

I hope that if you invest in this product that it works just as well fr you and that you find it as much as a miracle as me!!

Thanks for reading guys.

Best wishes,

Luke! XOX

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to promote this product, it's completely my personal opinion and I purchased this product myself.

Recommendation: Garnier Moisture Match Moisturiser

 Product retails for £5.99 (Boots)

"Garnier’s first ever whipped formula for a uniquely cooling texture.

With Aquakeep technology, Shine be gone is blended with super-absorbent micro-spheres to deliver a mattifying effect that lasts all day.

Just a little of the cooling sorbet texture goes a long way and is immediately absorbed leaving skin non-greasy and looking perfectly mattified.
Green Tea extract, known for its powerful antioxidant and detoxifying properties protects the skin whilst leaving it looking beautifully smooth and matte."- Online product description.

I first purchased this product at the start of April this year. I was in desperate need of a new moisturiser and come across this little gem when doing a little retail therapy.

My skin is sensitive/oily/combination/a pain and it really hates me! When ever it has the chance to develop a break out, you can almost guarantee it will and finding a product that works well with it is VERY hard.

To get straight to the point, I absolutely love this moisturiser!! It works really well with my skin and leaves it feeling silky soft. Fabulous! 

I use this product after I wash my face with my daily face wash both morning and night. I apply it to my dry face and neck with my finger tips, ensuring it is all absorbed. This is exactly how the box says you're supposed to use the product and they ensure you it is safe to use twice daily.

I find this product to leave my skin feeling soft an nourished each time I use it. However, I wouldn't say it lasts for 24 hours, like it states on the box. I could easily say it will last for 14 hours of the day, depending on the weather. I have found on colder days it doesn't leave my skin feeling as soft and nourished for so long, but that's understandable. 

After using this product my skin does look nicely mattified, but this wouldn't eliminate the use of a mattifying powder. I find that for my skin I could use another product to make it a little more matte looking, but for a drug store moisturiser this isn't too bad itself.

This moisturiser is extremely fast absorbing and doesn't leave a residue on the surface of the skin. If I was wearing one, I would take my hat off to Garnier for that! I find with a lot of moisturisers I have used, they can often leave a residue on my skin because they haven't fully absorbed. What a pain! 

I have also found this product to have a refreshing, cooling effect on the skin. It is perfect in the morning and gives your skin that awakening boost it probably needs.

The texture of this particular moisturisers is a medium thickness cream. I have been told that some of the other moisturisers from this range are slightly thicker or slightly thinner, depending on the skin type. I really enjoy the thickness of this moisturiser and find it works well with my skin.

IT HASN'T CAUSED ME TO BREAK OUT!! YAYAYAY!! Finally, I have found a moisturiser that doesn't irritate my skin. This makes me one very happy person! Amazing! 

In the Garnier Moisture Match range there is currently 5 different moisturisers to match different skin types. I have talked about the 'Combination to oily skin mattifying fresh cream' throughout this post but I have heard some good reviews about the rest.

I hope this has helped you on your moisturiser hunt and I hope, if you try it, it works just as wonderful.

Best wishes,
Luke! XOX

Disclaimer: I have not been paid to promote this product, it's completely my personal opinion and as I said above I purchased this product myself.