DIOR FOREVER

I think it clear I'm a fan of Dior foundation, given by previous glowing review of the Nude Air foundation. Well that product inspired to take a look at a product that I raved about when I was younger. The Dior Forever foundation was my holygrail at about 16, expensive taste I know. I have a neutral skin tone which can be frustrating as many foundations can be either very pink or very yellow. Well my skin has both, which essentially means I can choose which way to go but it would be easier if they just made a flipping neutral tone foundation. Around this time of year, I would be around a shade 20 in this foundation, I am a shade 11 in the winter months and a shade 25 upwards if I have had sun exposure. Instead of purchasing three shades I just buy the two from either end of the spectrum and mix them to make a medium shade. Which not only saves me money but also creates a nice undertone as the 25 is very warm and the 11 is very cool.

Enough about my complex shade requirements and down to the nitty gritty: finish, longevity, price and packaging. Dior claims that this is a luminous matte finish and I have to agree. This is why I loved and still love this product because whilst I have oily skin and need a matte product I don't want my face to look flat and loose luminosity. Its a great semi-matte finish that doesn't succumb to oil. As I've sorta said in a roundabout way, it's great for combination skin, airing on the side of oily. I can't really say how it would act with dry skin as at the moment I don't have any patches, but if I do I will update.

Moving onto longevity, with a good primer I've seen this foundation still look nice after an 8 hour shift at work. On my worst no primer, super oily days I would say it lasts about 4-5 hours; that is worst case scenario though. Judging on how this preforms against other foundations, it probably doesn't last as long as my Mac studio fix but I would choose this finish over studio fix every time.

Dior is not a cheap brand, I mean its not up there with Tom Ford prices but its still more expensive than Mac but on par with the likes of Bobbi Brown and Nars. Its £35.00 for a 30ml bottle, they do have a £32 version with lower SPF but it only comes in 3 shades... I have no idea why. £35 can seem like a fair bit to pay considering how long 30mls last but in my opinion I think foundation is something you shouldn't cheap on. When you find the one you like, you better stick with it. In relation to the quality I think the price is justified, I haven't found a cheaper alternative that I like as much as this and therefore I'll shell out the dollar.

The packaging of Dior is always very luxurious with their glass bottles, which make any vanity table look smart as a dart. That being said the bottles really gripe me, mainly because you just can't get the last dregs of your foundation out, the pump does not detach and obviously you can't squeeze it out the glass. That's my only negative, for a high end price I would like to make use of every last drop.

Available at Boots: http://www.boots.com/beauty/makeup/face/foundation/dior-diorskin-forever-fluid-foundation-spf35-30ml

Debenhams: http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_123172088699_-1

Feel Unique: http://www.feelunique.com/p/DIORSKIN-Forever-Foundation-30ml

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SUMMERTIME VIBES

Summer is officially here, not that we would know with all the rain at the moment.  Nevertheless, I've been keeping positive and focusing on my summer holiday. There's nothing like a change of season to make you reevaluate your wardrobe; I'm going to Rome in July and I currently only have knitwear in my closet. This calls for an excuse to shop, which would be so exciting if I wasn't so poor. So I'm picking up bits and bobs as I go and spreading out the costs, so chances are there will be a few of these clothing posts. 

My vision for clothes for Rome are flowy, white, cute and simple. Which isn't drastically different from my regular clothes. I like minimalistic fashion, I would call it chic but that word kind of conjures up a glamorous image and that's not a very accurate description of myself. I just like to look smart without look overstated and a neutral wardrobe with tiny touches of colour never fails. This is pretty much why I love Zara, they have some lovely pieces that are simple but still striking and they don't cost an arm and a leg (most of the time). I picked up this lovely embroidered top, the comes in at the waist with tassells either side and then flows back out almost peplum like without the structure. I think I'll pair this top with some baby pink shorts with darts and some wedges. For £25.00 I think this item is a great holiday staple, something that could be casual during the day or dressed up more worn with jeans and heels for a semi casual lunch. It fits my ethereal, wanderlust vibe that I want for my Rome trip, so I'm a happy girl. Link provided below! 

https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/tops/blouses/embroidered-top-c401028p4482509.html

As you can see my pop of colour usually comes in shoe form. I like a statement shoe, it usually where I have my most fun. Therefore I just could not pass up on these bright orange sliders from Zara. Paired with a minimal outfit these will really stand out and just give your look that extra something. They could be casual or more dressy. I wore these with some mom jeans, rounded glasses and a bardot cut top for serious retro vibes, but these also look really modern and classy pair with a simple white dress during the day. Best thing is that they are only £19.99. Downsides however, are my feelings towards sliders, I'm not convinced in practicality. Like it or not summer means sweaty feet, and sliders are hard to keep on at the best of times. My feet were flying out of these until I got used to them; and let me tell you standing on the back of that shoe with the fleshy sole of your foot hurts like a bitch! I will still wear them because pain and beauty and all, but if your not as willing to injure yourself for pretty shoes maybe reconsider these babies. 

https://www.zara.com/uk/en/woman/shoes/view-all/split-suede-slides-with-bow-c719531p4894630.html

My shopping trip was a little bit of a flop, I love the two items from Zara that I purchased but shopping is sometimes just a reminder that your skint and have gained a few pounds. Is there anything more depressing than going in a fitting room with those mirrors from every angle? Fabulous, now I can see the cellulite on areas of my body that I have never seen before... all at once. So shopping not only provided me with some new shoes and a top it also reminded me to stop eating crap and to bloody exercise.  47 days to go..

BOOTS BODYCARE BINGE

Yesterday I had a body care clear out and sold off all my old toiletries at the car boot sale. The main objective to make space and make a bit of dollar. However like the true beauty junkie that I am, no sooner had I got rid of some, I had bought some replacements. And so the cycle continues...

I am a sucker for new products and cute packaging. If that wasn't enough already for me to smuggle these into my basket, the smell well and truly sealed the deal. I have to admit that I am that annoying customer that likes to smell everything before they buy it. It's a very important factor for me, I love strong, long lasting scented products. I'd like to mention that I am struggling heavily with hay fever at the moment, rendering my nose just about useless, BUT I could still smell these very well which is a brilliant sign. 

Enough waffling Kelsey, tell them what you bought! 

 Sanctuary has just released a new line called Being, to me its the trendy younger sister of Sanctuary. I feel the packaging and diverse scent range is aimed at more my age range (20's). I love that sanctuary have been playful with the packaging and yet at the same time retained its luxurious spa like reputation.  I picked up two body washes in the scents Chili Mango & Tonka Bean and Salted Caramel & Macadamia. Frankly I'm terrible at describing scents so what I will say is they smell really good, good enough to be experienced in person. So go sniff a bottle in your local boots. But just remember that I warned you, if you return home with the whole range it's not my fault. I chose these two body washes in particular because they looked very creamy and thick, whereas other scents  in the collection looked like they had a thinner gel like consistency. I used the Mango & Tonka body wash tonight, and I was very impressed. It has a lovely lasting smell, a creamy and thick consistency and most importantly left me feeling very clean and also moisturised. 

The range also included's Bath Bombs, Body Lotion, Body Mist, Body scrub, Body Butter, Bubble Bath, Hand Cream and canvas bag. Scents include, Cloudberry & Lychee, Hibiscus & Coconut,  Chilli Mango & Tonka bean, Salted Caramel & Macadamia Nut, Water Lotus & Pomelo. 

The second brand which is new to Boots is Miss Patisserie, who I have followed on Instagram for a while now. I was really stoked for her to see her range in Boots, it's always nice to see people doing well. Despite following for months I hadn't purchased anything from her site, mainly because I like to smell my products and therefore avoid buying them on line. Now I've finally wiffed them, I am truly gutted I waited this long to give them ago. I picked up two sugar scrubs, because I am obsessed with exfoliating. I love fruity smells and the water melon and mango scrubs smell good enough to eat. The watermelon one even looks like watermelon, but I honestly don't eat it. I tried the mango scrub in the shower tonight and my skin smells amazing and feels really nourished, and so they should these scrubs are packed with oils to replenish the skin. So please bare in mind if these are left to sit the oils will come to the top, so shaking the tub and stirring is a must. I really love these so far and am intrigued to try more scents out and different products.

Sugar Scrubs available in: Watermelon, Mango, Vanilla, Coconut, Lotus Flower, Peony & Pear.

Other products include, Bath Bombs, Bath Crumble, Coffee scrubs, Bath melt, Body Souffles.

A very successful haul, I can't wait to delve into the ranges further. PS both collections are on Buy one get one half price at the moment! What are you waiting for?