MUA Lipstick Shade 4

Hello be-you-tiful people!


I had a little MUA haul a few days ago but instead of quickly mentioning it all in one post,i thought i would use each product for a little while and give them a proper test run so i can write a fuller review of each!
First up is this lipstick which i was instantly drawn to! Its a gorgeous bubble gum pink shade-definitely a girly colour!
The packaging the lipstick is held in is black but at the end it has a plastic which matches the colour which is inside,what a brilliant idea!It is really handy when they are being stored as it makes it so easy to find the colour you are after! The packaging doesn't feel particularly luxurious but what can you expect for a the price,which is a bargainous pound!!
The colour itself i was hoping would be quite pigmented as i thought it would be really great as a shade for when i want a bright lip,but alas it is fairly sheer. However i still do really like it! As you can see from the pictures below,the colour is pigmented enough to give you a wash of colour,and it is lovely and glossy!
This is the first lipstick i have purchased from this range,and i have to say i am rather impressed!The consistancy is great,it doesn't taste funny and you can not argue that the price is brilliant!I would definitely try these out again,as they have a fair few different shades in their collection!


Have you tried any of these lipsticks before?What were your thoughts if you have?Would you try products from a range priced so cheap,or do you only prefer higher end brands?
Love Kristina x

A little Personal...

Hi Everyone,
Today's post i guess could be considered a little off topic as it isn't really to do with beauty products but it definitely effects my life on a daily basis and how i look so i thought i would share it with you. 
If you follow me on twitter (KBbeyoutiful) then you may have seen mentioning if people would like to read this post and i had an overwhelming positive response so here goes...
I suffer both with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and with depression- which for anybody wondering are completely unrelated to each other. Both of which have an impact in the way i live my life, but with time i have had to learn certain ways and techniques to deal with both of these problems.I thought it may be helpful to some if i would share with in a series of posts the symptoms i personally cope with and how i try to deal with them and also other topics which i have had to deal with in life, so maybe my thoughts might help somebody going through the same thing or just simply inform others who may not have the same problem but are still interested. 


First up i thought i would talk about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome so here goes...


PCOS is when usually 1) a number of cysts that develop on the edges of the ovaries, 2) the eggs fail to be released regularly by the ovaries and 3) there is an increased level of male hormones (typically testosterone). It does state however that not all 3 symptoms have to be detected for diagnosis to take place, but myself personally i do suffer with all 3. I had been having irregular periods for many years, in some cases up to 4-5 months apart but did not worry about it as at the time i kept thinking eventually they would become regular! In addition to this, i had noticed excessive hair growth and the speed in which it grew back was incredibly quick. Last year i finally decided to brave it to the doctors and after some blood tests and an examination at the hospital i was diagnosed with PCOS. At the time the doctor was really lovely and spoke to me thoroughly about the syndrome and it's effect, but after i was left slightly feeling i had not been left with ways to deal with such effects. 
The are some symptoms which problems i personally suffer with  which i have to try and control/ find ways so it does not worry me!
Firstly, excessive hair growth, i had been told there was little that could be done on the NHS (such as laser removal) so this personally is a major struggle!I can literally shave my legs and the next day it can be growing back through! It was one topic which i did get bullied on as a young girl- some girls used to say i looked like a man! It is a constant battle to keep on top of it and i am very paranoid especially in areas such as my face where i feel i can sometimes get very dark hair! I have tried a number of different techniques of hair removal-shaving,waxing , threading,creams but none have had brilliant effects so if any ladies have any suggestions to help this i would love to hear them please!! 
The long term worries i have with having PCOS, is the irregular period and the ease of increasing in weight gain (which can lead to further health problems). I have been prescribed various forms of the pill and so far none have worked to making my periods regular. At the moment, it is not something that effects me greatly, but i know when i am older it could effect my chances of having kids so i would like to hopefully find a way of resolving this -again any suggestions from you guys would be greatly appreciated! In addition to this, i do have to be cautious about the weight i gain, as there is an increased risk of diabetes and heart problem with having Polycystic ovaries. To try to overcome this i do try to maintain a healthy diet and i find it important that i go to the doctors regularly for blood tests just to keep on top of my health- i really recommend this to any lady suffering it helps so much to put your mind at ease!


It is important to remember that millions of women suffer with PCOS with varying effects for each woman, but there is a lot of information regarding symptoms and possible treatments to symptoms and also doctors regularly see ladies who suffer with PCOS (i have always had the nicest experience speaking to doctors/nurses about this subject,they have always been so nice!) so please don't ever feel there is nowhere you can turn to for someone to talk to and to gain information. If you think you are suffering with PCOS, i am in no way a medical expert but i do wish i had gone to the docs sooner to get it all the info i could, i would highly recommend you visit your GP for a chat!


If you have any questions at all please feel free to ask! I hope you have found this helpful! Please let me know any suggestions you may have! 
Love Kristina x


NHS UK -Polycystic ovary syndrome info - http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Polycystic-ovarian-syndrome/Pages/Treatment.aspx 
 BUPA info - http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-information/directory/p/pcos
PCOS Support- http://www.verity-pcos.org.uk/

My Oscar 2012 Best Dressed!

Hello Everyone!
Just wanted to do a quick post, after waking up this morning and checking out all the beautiful Oscar looks, i thought i would give my personal favourites :D

Cameron Diaz in Gucci!

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad!-Look at the body AMAZING!

Natalie Portman In Vintage Dior (1954)-So timeless and elegant!

Milla Jovovich In Ellie Saab- The Red Lipstick makes this a knockout look!

Kelly Osbourne In Badgley Mischka-LOVE this look!

Angelina Jolie In Versace!-So Sexy but still sophisticated!

Michelle Williams In Louis Vuitton-Such a Pretty Colour!

Jessica Chastain In Alexander McQueen-GORGEOUS!

(All images above obtained from- Telegraph Fashion)

and finally a couple of dresses from Elton John's Oscar Party I just had to mention!:

Dita Von Teese In Jenny Packham- Timeless Elegance!

Katy Perry In Blumarine

(Image Via www.cocoperez.com)

Brooklyn Decker in Valentino-Super Sexy!

(Pic via hollywoodlife.com)

Nina Dobrev In J Mendel-This dress is SO beautiful!!

(Pic via hollywoodlife.com)

Miley Cyrus in Roberto Cavalli-GORGEOUS!she looks so mature!

(Pic via hollywoodlife.com)

There you go guys these are all my favourites! I am completely honest and no fashion expert but looking through all the images of the night these were all my personal favourite looks!

Let me know were your best and worst dressed!

Love Kristina x

  

NOTD

Hello be-you-tiful ladies (and gents!)


Today's post is all about a new unexpected favourite nail polish of mine!i previously did a post quickly reviewing the Nicki Minaj OPI mini collection i bought a few weeks ago and to be honest at the time i was most excited to see the baby pink colour 'pink friday'.However, a couple of days ago i decided to give the colour 'fly' ago and i could not be more impressed!!
The colour itself is is a gorgeous deep teal,which is beautifully vivid but not so much that on a daily basis it is too in your face! The colour is so pigmented and deep,i can not stop staring at it!
The varnish itself is a really good consistency,not at all runny or streaky,and really good at self leveling,making the shine off the varnish even better!it is really glossy,the pictures below are all without any top coat, however i did apply one after the photographs were taken just too ensure they did not chip quickly!
I have currently had this nail varnish on for 3 days and it hasn't chipped at all which is brilliant!
I am so impressed with the nail colour,it is really unique,i have not seen a colour quite like it on the high street,and the polish itself is of a brilliant quality!


I bought the mini collection of www.hqhair.com


Have you tried this nail colour or any others from the collection?Do you lnow any dupes? Let me know your thoughts!
Love Kristina x

Little Miracles Drinks

This post is a little different,but i couldn't resist blogging about these yummy drinks! A while ago on twitter i mentioned that i love green tea,and i was contacted by Little Miracles to head down to their press event for their new tea and fruit flavoured cold drinks,which unfortunately i was unable to attend. However,they were so nice to send me 2 samples of their drinks to try anyway which was really sweet! i was sent the 'green tea,gingseng,pomegranate and acai' and also the 'black tea,ginseng,peach and acai' flavours.
The green tea and pomegranate is my personal favourite!so refreshing and fruity! The flavour is nicely balanced and not too overpowering!I will definitely be stocking these up over the summer,these would be lovely in the sunshine!!
The second flavour, the black tea and peach is tasty too!i did find it sweeter than the other flavour,and i probably would not drink it so often for that very reason though.The black tea flavour is slightly stronger than that of the green tea when comparing the two flavours! If you are looking for a sweet drink i would say this one, and for a more thirst quenching drink i would say the green tea :)!
I honestly really enjoyed these drinks as i am such a fan of tea!They are brilliant flavours and rather good for you too!
These are currently being sold in waitrose, Morrisons, Asda and Holland and Barratt (selected stores) for £1.49 for 330ml, which is really rather reasonable.


Have you tried these before?What is your favourite type of drink?
Love Kristina x


These were sent as a PR sample,and as always i will be completely honest and the fact they were sent will never change my opinions!

HAUL!!

Hello!


If you follow me on twitter (@kbbeyoutiful) then you may have heard me mention that for the last week or so,i have been in my hometown of Maidenhead which is just outside of Reading. Currently, i am at uni in Stoke so to be able to come home for a little while is lovely!
I knew when i came back i would definitely go shopping as in reading we have shops such as h &m and house of fraser which aren't in Stoke! I was a little disappointed as there was not as much available as i was hoping,but i
did manage to find a few items!


First up,i went to Primark and managed to buy a new make up bag,which i was desparate for as i originally had this beautiful disney one from h&m (which as far as i know they no longer stock)but i broke the zip and so needed to replace it! The one i managed to get is okay,nothing amazing,but it is a lovely pink and purple colouring and on the inside it has 2 handy clear,zipped compartments so at least it is nice and easy to see all the products in there!The tag said it was £4 which i was fine with but when i got to the til it was down to £2 which was a bargain!
While looking for the make-up bag i also managed to find a blusher/face brush which is beautiful!!i absolutely love that it is a black and ponk colour scheme with the ends of the fibres being broght pink!Now i know that the brush is nothing amazing in its shape etc but i can not believe just how soft it is!definitely feels more expensive than the £1.50 i paid for it!Love it and wish i had picked another one up!
I also bought these eyelashes in a spur of the moment purchase!i can't argue really as they were a pound! they are lovely for a full lash look i just wish they were a little bit tapered,but that is just my preference! the glue they come with them is really good,they stick nice and easy,but they do stay sticky for quite a while so if you are in a rush these may not be best!
Finally from Primark i picked up these super cute pyjamas!Anybody who knows me will know i have a slight obsession with pugs so when i saw these i could not resist! i picked them up in a size large as i like my pjs baggy but to be honest i could have got away with the medium! They were £6-bargain!


I also stopped by at a MAC counter which i was so excited about and did say i was going to do in a previous post where i made a MAC shopping list!My boyfriend after some hinting bought me a house of fraser voucher for valentines which was so sweet of him,so i managed to use that to buy a few pieces! After your recommendations on here and twitter,i bought two eyeshadows, All that glitters and Patina! Both are beautiful neutral shades and i know i will be able to use them on a regular basis for say and evening looks!full reviews to come! Each were £10 and i bought them in the palette style so i could slot them into my pro palette!
Lastly i bought a lipstick in the shade 'angel', which i have read is apparently Kim Kardashians favourite shade!it is a beautiful neutral pink shade which has a beautiful sheen to it!love love love this colour! i didn't think about this colour prior to going to the counter but as soon as i saw it i loved it!


I have about £6 left on my voucher which i would like to use,any ideas what i could buy?i don't mind putting a bit of money towards it too!


Hope you enjoyed seeing this!Are there any new products you recommend i buy?!
Love Kristina x

BLOG AWARD!!

Hello Be-YOU-tiful readers!

I am so sorry i have been so quiet on the blog the last week or so! I have come home for a little while and have some personal stuff going on so just haven't had the time to write anything but i ALWAYS appreciate your support and your love of the blog!

Today's post has been a while coming and i am so,so excited to do it! Last week http://www.missbeautylicious101.blogspot.com/ ( you can follow her on twitter aswell - her username is @gazzyxo) who by the way is so lovely and so friendly, awarded me the 'lovely blog' award!! So exciting :D!

The rules of the award are that you put 7 Facts about yourself so here 

1-I am a MASSIVE gossip girl fan-addicted some might say ;)

2- I absolutely detest Marzipan!!

3- My favourite film is The Notebook (cheesy but true i'm afraid!)

4- I have 8 pets- 1 dog, 2 cats, 1 hamster, 4 fish!

5-I have nearly completed my degree in Forensic Science

6- My biggest food love is peanut butter!!

7-One of my goals in life is to own a Pug!

So there you go! Haha! Thank you so much for the blog award i am so happy about it!I would like to nominate these blogs for the blog award...

1- http://courtenaymwah.blogspot.com/ - Courtenay Lynch

2 - http://makeupandmemaisey.blogspot.com/ - Maisey

3- http://jessiemariem.blogspot.com/ - Jessie

Love Kristina x

Sally Hansen Bargains!

be-you-tiful ladies,

i have a slight confession to make, i am a complete and utter bargain hunter! I have no shame in admitting that i often to go in to Poundland etc looking for a cheeky bargain! I have always found that there is often well known brands on offer in stores like these at a much lower price than if you were to buy them in a supermarket etc! 

Yesterday i was on the hunt for a valentine's day present for the boyfriend and while in town thought i would have a quick look in the local Poundland store after reading recent blog posts from other bloggers saying they had bought nail varnish etc from brands such as Rimmel!

It was at this point i spotted a rack of Sally Hansen Nail Varnishes, but the majority of them were a bright yellow colour which definitely was not a colour that suits me! After a bit of a rummage however i managed to find these two AMAZING colours!

The first is called "Digital",which is the most amazing bright blue-toned pink! It is absolutely gorgeous! such a barbie colour! The second is called "Spectrum" which is a electric blue-pink duo chrome with minute blue glitter, which is really beautiful! They are both part of the Sally Hansen "HD High Definition" Range. I personally haven't seen this any of this range on sale before, although i do know you can get regular Sally Hansen colours in boots.

I have got to say that both colours applied really well! the formulation is brilliant as it easily allows for the building up of colour with multiple coats and levels out brilliantly. The brush is also really good shape which made the colour much easier to apply. The colours are also super reflective,meaning that my nails looked super glossy and the colour look incredibly vivid! 

The pictures below have 2 coats of each of the colours and then a coat of Sally Hansen Insta Dry Top Coat ( review coming soon by the way!) I literally can not staring at my nails i just love these colours!!

I wish i had picked up any other colours which they had available as i have been blown away with these colours and formulations! It also has made me want to give the regular Sally Hansen formulation nail varnishes a try after getting such good results from these. I really can not believe they were a £1! 

If you see these in your local Poundland i most definitely suggest to buy them!

Have you tried any Sally Hansen products? What shades are your favourites? Have you picked up any bargains from these £1 type of stores? Let me know!

Love Kristina x

ELF Brush Cleaner

Hello my be-you-tiful ladies!
Today's post is all about the Elf Brush Cleaner (as you may have guessed from the title :D). I bought this about 2 months ago after realising that simply washing my brushes with hot water was not good enough! I had already  had an order in mind for ELF so when i got round to buying it all i simply added it to it when i noticed it on their website. I thought the price of it, at £3.50 was a really good deal ( At the moment on their website it is currently being sold however for £2.45-available here).
When the bottle arrived i was surprised how much product you actually recieved as it is a generous 250ml, and i thought the packaging was fairly sleek with an translucent off black colouring and simple font. The bottle also is a spray lid which i thought was particularly handy as it meant easier application of the product. 

ELF states on their website that the product is "An anti-bacterial daily brush cleanser for quick cleaning in-between makeup applications. Disinfects brushes to provide a fresh and clean application every time. Helps to keep your brushes lasting longer for extended use." 

I found initially with this product that a fair amount needed to be sprayed to achieve a decent clean. The product itself has a strange scent sort of like anti bacterial gel which you use on your hand as well which is in my personal opinion is slightly off putting as when you use the brushes you have cleaned you can quite strongly smell it! 

I do think that the product itself does do a good job of cleaning my brushes, i haven't had any major problems, i just wish i didn't have to spray them as much as i do to get the brushes clean enough, however i do understand that this product is intended for daily brush cleaning not a deep cleaning treatment. 

I think that for the price you pay, the product does the job that you intend it to, and it has not got major problems, but for some reason i am just not a massive fan ( i do think the scent of the product plays a massive part in this- which to be honest is just personnal taste!!)

Would I Buy This Product Again?- Honestly, i don't think i would even with the price so low.

Is it Value For Money/Cost Effective?- For the price you pay for this product it definitely is value for money as it does the task you want it to fairly well. As for being cost effective, you do have to use a fair amount of the product to get a decent clean of the brushes, but as it is a good sized bottle and a low price you can afford to use more. I have been using this product at least 3 times a week on my brushes since i bought it and i am not even a 1/3 of the way through the bottle so it will last a long time!

I have heard other bloggers talk about other brush cleaning products and techniques e.g. MAC brush cleaner, baby shampoo, and i would LOVE to know your thoughts on these or others that you know of as i would like to find a good way of keeping my brushes nice and clean!

Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

Love Kristina x

L'Oreal True Match Foundation-Review

Hi Ladies! 
Today's post is reviewing the L'oreal True Match Foundation which i use in the shade 'ivory'
I have to be completely honest, L'oreal make-up is not a brand i regularly buy from, and i really don't have a reason why i don't they just seem to pass me by which is crazy really when you think of how massive of a brand they are and all the PR they have! However, after seeing a number of people reviewing this foundation and saying how much they enjoyed it i thought it would be worth giving it a shot! It especially appealed to me as the name suggests it is supposed to colour match to the colour of your skin which is particularly useful to me as i am really pale and i do find it hard to find foundations that don't leave me looking orange!
At the time when i bought it Tesco's had it on offer at £6.99 but as far as i know that has now stopped,but it is available in a lot of other places such as boots and superdrug for around the £10 mark which is fairly reasonable for a foundation.

 The foundation itself is in liquid form, and is held inside a clear bottle which has a handy pump mechanism (usually 1 1/2 pumps does my whole face). The actual liquid is fairly runny so you do have to be careful when you pump it on to your hand that it doesn't drip off!
When applying the foundation i find that it is fairly streaky if you are using a regular foundation brush and you have to blend some areas in with your finger to make sure it is all smooth, but if you apply it with a buffing motion with a flat top brush it does apply better and less streaky! 
Also, if like me you have dry skin i will warn you that sometimes it does sit on top which makes the area appear drier which is another problem i have had with this foundation!


The colour which i chose is ivory which as far as i know is the lightest shade they do. The colour once blended into the skin does match fairly well and appears lighter than when first pumped out of the bottle. If i was being completely honest, i probably could do with a shade lighter as sometimes it can make my face look a little orange but it isn't a terrible colour match which i have had with some light coloured foundation in the past.

Product pumped from the bottle

The foundation blended into my hand !

Would I buy this product again?- Maybe, it is isn't the worst foundation i have tried but it definitely isn't perfect for my skin type/colouring.
Is it cost effective/worth the price?- I have had this product for about a month now and have used it most days and it is still going strong! Its a decent 30ml bottle so for the price that it is (RRP £9.99) and especially the price i got it (£6.99) it is definitely cost effective. As for it being worth the price i do think it is pretty reasonable and it is an okay product, but i would rather pay a bit more and achieve amazing results- that doesn't neccessarily mean it has to be a high end brand by the way - but for me paying £10 for an "okay" product just isn't worthwhile. 
Would I repurchase?- Although i haven't had terrible results from this product a only fairly minor problems with it, personally i don't think this product is best for myself so it is unlikely i would repurchase it!
  The hunt for the perfect foundation continues....


Have you used this product before? If so what are your thoughts? Are there any foundations you would recommend for me?
Love Kristina x

MAC Shopping List!

Before i start i better explain that before the Viva Glam lipstick ( which i reviewed here) which i bought a few weeks ago and also the MAC PRO palette which arrived this week i did not own any MAC products! At home there is only one counter in the whole area you can get hold of their products and tbh it wasn't until recently at uni that i became so into makeup. However,as i started reading beauty blogs i soon clicked onto the fact they have a massive following and decided i wanted to try some!

After i tried the lipstick i have got to be honest i was hooked!So for valentine's day my boyfriend (after some persuasion) has agreed to get me a voucher so i can go buy some more :D!As we have decided also between us on a budget of £20 for our presents but i will no doubt be tempted and spend some of my own money at the MAC counter too!

So i thought i would create a " shopping list" of products i would like to buy, products which i have over the last week been recommended and also thought it would be a great way for you guys to tell me what you think of the products i will put on here and also other products you could suggest i look at while i am there :)!

Brule eyeshadow  pan

Eyes

Woodwinked eyeshadow pan

All that glitters eyeshadow pan

Patina eyeshadow pan

Naked Lunch eyeshadow pan

Bare study paint pot

Lips

Lipstick- Saint Germain

Lipstick-Hue

Lipstick-Creme Cup

Face

Mineralize skin finish natural-shade to be decided

  Obviously i won't be able to buy everything on this list at the same time but once i am at the counter i will be able to see for myself what the colour looks like ( as swatches online are never very exact!) and also if they suit me!

If you have tried any of these shades/products before or you think there are other products i should look at then please, please,please, leave a comment and let me know!

Love Kristina x

- All images were sourced and all the products mentioned are available from the MAC UK website (here)