My Morning Skincare Routine...

So today I thought I'd share with you guys my current 'morning skincare routine' -  my evening one will be uploaded soon. Whilst I like to put new skincare products to the test I don't like to mess around with my skin too much as I believe that overdoing it can sometimes be worse than doing nothing at all. So I like to keep things simple. I have 'normal' skin so do bare that in mind if you are considering purchasing any of the products mentioned. For any of you with a different skin type to me then please help each other out in the comments section below if you have any skincare products you enjoy using :-) thanks guys 

First up in replacement of 'cleansing', I like to exfoliate my skin on a morning, I do this because it still cleanses the skin but goes that one step further for me. I feel it really helps to remove any dirt that may have built up on the skin overnight. So I like to go in with Soap and Glory's, 'Greatest Scrub of all' which contains a blend of silicami particles and salicylic acid-loaded scrub beads (fancy ey?!) which is a mouthful for sure but heaven for your skin - it'll be baby-smooth in no time! Salicylic acid is said to be amazing for the skin and for good reason too, it helps to keeps spots at bay improving not only the condition of your skin but the complexion too. I instantly notice a difference in my complexion and skin tone becoming more even which is due to the 'instant radiance polish' part of the formula. This is a great product to use on those makeup free days because I find if I'm skipping coverage on my skin, I want to do everything I can to get my skin looking its best without makeup. Go get your hands on this bad boy here 

Next up I reach for my Clinique 'Clarifying lotion' which is part of my three step skincare line. So I use this to tone my skin. It helps to keep my skin clear, aswell as keeping my skin firm and tight which down the road should act as an anti-ageing treatment. Toner also helps to remove any dirt on your skin that a cleanser (step 1) may have missed. My favourite part about this toner is how cooling it is on my skin which leaves it feeling so refreshed and healthy - this gets me in the right mind set for the day, I can leave the house feeling ready to go! As I said, I purchased this product as part of a set but bought individually, retails for either £16.50 or £25.00 depending on which size you choose - this product can be bought here 

And to finish everything off with moisturizing, I like to keep things nice and light on a morning so I spritz some of The Body Shop's 'Vitamin E face mist'  all over my face and neck to achieve a light injection of moisture without anything being too heavy plus this smells great too so couldn't ask for anything more from that product! It retails for £8.00 and can be found here

I hope you guys have seen something here you fancy trying out but if nothing else then go and give the Vitamin E face mist a sniff - trust me...SO worth it! 
Thanks for reading guys, don't forget to like and subscribe to keep updated on my upcoming posts :-) thanks, Lily xo

Summer must have...

Hey lovelies,

sorry I've not been as regular with my posts lately; I've just finished exam season and I think it's safe to say everything has been a little hectic in my life as of late. However I finally have time to relax and have some 'me time' - yey! Back to blogging and very excited as I have some fab products to recommend to you all. 

So I recently caved and picked up Nuxe's - 'Reve de Miel' and I'm glad I did. 

This lip balm is slightly different to anything I've previously used. It has a thicker consistency than anything I've ever tried before so I have learnt that by applying the amount I usually would with a regular balm causes it to 'clump' up on my lips, right in the corners of my mouth (gross right?!) so I would say with it being a thick consistency you are gonna need to apply a little less but don't fret, this thicker balm gives a greater concentration of moisture...just in a thinner layer. And like the name 'Ultra-nourishing lip balm' with honey and precious oils suggests, it is very soothing on the lips and relieves any chapping and is just generally a really nice lip balm for all occasions - perfect to take to the beach with you after a day in the sun as we need to take care of our pouts! I would say it has the texture of Benefit's, Porefessional if any of you have tried that you'll know what I mean. 

I think the best part is it smells like chocolate-orange - yum! 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004MZMEGC/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=479289247&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000EVD8FY&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=00J6ZFG6HH57APWKTE0D Here is a link to where you can purchase the lip balm on Amazon at a reduced price of £6.33. It normally retails for £9.50 which whilst it's only a few pounds more than I paid, I have to say I don't think I'd be prepared to pay nearly £10 for a lip product! I will be on the lookout for a dupe to recommend to you guys so if any of you know of one then let me know in the comments below :-) So, I hope this inspired you guys to go and try this out - let me know what you think! 

Lily, mwah xoxo

Long awaited . . .

I'm back today guys to share with you my exciting new purchase. There really are those buys that just make you feel as though your life is complete (well your beauty life anyway!) - slightly dramatic but I'm sure you will all agree with me about that when I tell you that I purchased the absolutely stunning combo that is the Urban Decay Naked palettes 1 and 3 (I already have the 2nd palette).
I have been wanting to pick up the 3rd palette since it was released as I it holds the most beautiful array of rose-gold tones.  The 3rd Naked palette has 3 smooth matte shadows and 9 metallic. I love how the palette is so versatile - the shadows are great transitional colours to take a look from day to night. I think this is the most wearable edition in terms of everyday use (a good palette for anyone who's an eye shadow newbie!).

The 1st palette is  a dream of bronze-hued shadows and whilst again, these tones are neutral they are the richest out of the other two palettes. This collection holds a mixture of 2 mattes and 10 metallic shades. I particularly like taking 'Sin' all over the lid and blending 'Buck' through the crease and lower lash line for an everyday look. 'Creep' is also a great colour for lining the upper lash line with. I am so pleased to now have all the Naked palettes in my collection as they have the most beautiful colour payoff and when used with the 'Urban Decay Primer Potion' (which comes as a sample size with the palette) increases the pigmentation even more and prolongs the longevity of the shadows. You also receive a double ended shadow brush with the palette which I think is fantastic value for money - the palette retails for £38 which is obviously still on the pricey side of things but when compared to other high end brands I think the Naked palettes are one of the best in terms of value for money.

And as if that weren't enough, the packaging is just beautiful!

My Pamper Night Essentials...

Hi everyone - I don't know about you but I LOVE me a good pamper night! It's nice to just really indulge yourself every now and again and a pamper night is a great way of doing this. So basically my pamper nights involve skin and body treatments which is great as it's all about unwinding and finding ways to relax after a somewhat busy day.

My first step is removing my makeup. I like to use the 'Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water' to do this as it is so quick, I just soak a cotton round with the water and job done! I switched to this after using different liquid makeup removers but found they were stinging my eyes and I'm so glad I did as I find the formula of this product to be a lot gentler. This water is great as you can leave it on your skin - no rinsing needed! It claims to soothe the skin which I have to say I don't particularly notice a massive difference (although I don't have very irritated to skin to begin with so...) but it definitely does a great job of removing the makeup build up we accumulate throughout the day and it cleanses the skin well too.  

 

As a second 'cleansing' treatment which I do like to do on a pamper night to really soothe the skin after a long week (I generally do my pamper evenings on Sundays!) I take the 'Emma Hardie Amazing Face' cleansing balm which really gets deep into your skin to remove any dirt or excess oils sitting in the skin. This product also exfoliates the skin leaving it feeling fresh and soft ready for the week ahead!

 

Then I like to run a nice hot bath and take the time to just really relax and I find that after sitting in the warm water it relaxes my muscles making me feel rested for the evening! In the bath I like to use my Soap and Glory 'Glad Hair Day' shampoo and conditioner as they leave my hair feeling super soft and conditioned. They also lather up really nicely (!) and smell great too :-)

 

About once a week I like to exfoliate my body and I've been enjoying using another Soap and Glory product 'Scrub of your life'. I like this because it is a gentle exfoliant so nothing too harsh. I find it to be moisturising aswell which is nice to have a kind of 2 in 1 product. And again Soap and Glory are getting it right with their scents again, (do they ever go wrong? I don't think so!) this one smells like the much loved 'Hand Food' from their line which I also love! Yes I think it's safe to say my Soap and Glory addiction is out there!

 

Just like exfoliating on our face and following up with a moisturiser we must do this for our body too. So I like to use the (wait for it) Soap and Glory 'Righteous Butter' as it not only smells amazing (would you expect any less of said brand?!) but is super moisturising and leaves my skin feeling soft for days - LOVE.

 

Speaking of moisturising our pretty lil' faces why not apply the Origins 'Drink up intensive overnight mask'? I love this as it's a no fuss mask that does wonders for my skin. It moisturises like you would not believe. This is my skin saviour whenever my skin is feeling a little dry/tight, I'll just pop a slither of this on (you need the tiniest amount - gonna last you ages) and when I wake up my skin feels totally replenished. This is a slightly pricey lil' thang, retailing at £22.00 but personally I think it's worth every penny and I would definitely re-purchase this beauty.

 

Now that I've finished with my treatments I like to sit and give myself a manicure - today's is Barry M 'Huckleburry'

and then after that's dried I'll use Essie 'Apricot cuticle oil' to keep my nail area moisturised and prevent and damage to the area which is obviously very important.

Whilst all of that's settling down I'll go and make myself a nice cuppa' tea! Recently I've been enjoying 'Snore and Peace' (and can I just say what a great name, I'm lovin it - not war and peace - snore and peace...love it!!) as it has been formed (if you hadn't already taken a wild guess) specifically for evening consumption! It contains really relaxing ingredients such as chamomile and lavender which help you sleep well; plus this tea's super yummy too!

 

And then finally, I hop into bed with my tea and read a magazine or a book. I'm currently reading 'The fault in our stars' by John Green which I would definitely recommend if you haven't already read it as I'm sure many of you have due to it's rave reviews.

 

Before I turn out the lights I like to use a lip scrub, my favourite one's from Lush and it's their 'Bubblegum' edition, this exfoliates the lips really well leaving them soft and plump. Again after exfoliation I follow up by using Soap and Glory's (!) ' Great Kisser' lip balm as it's super moisturising and I love the coconut scent.  

So I'm all ready for a good nights rest, relaxed and rejuvenated! Night, Lily xo

My weekend hair and accessories...

Hello, today I wanted to share with you how I typically style my hair on the weekends, along with my chosen accessories. Hopefully it will give you some style inspiration :-) If you give these ideas a go then be sure to leave me a comment or instagram a photo and tag me  - @pastelinfusion in it so I can check them out!

So I like to keep things really casual on the weekends and unless I'm going anywhere special I try to style my hair without using any heat in order to give my hair a break and prevent any unnecessary damage.
So my ultimate go-to style is the fishtail braid -

 

 

as it's slightly more 'fancy' than a regular plait and gives a really nice beachy look, perfect for this time of year as we are in peak festival season! This hairstyle is also super simple and quick to do so it's great if you're in a hurry. And I also kinda feel like Ariel when I wear this style as it has a sort of mermaid vibe!

 

I also like to wear a casual but cute outfit so maybe I'll do a spring look-book soon :-)

A great way of jazzing up a simple outfit is to wear a piece of statement jewellery; this can be anything from a pair of earrings or a bracelet, to a bold necklace which is what I wore last weekend and I am so in love. I think it's super pretty and can either be worn on the weekends as an everyday kind of piece or you can wear something like this when going out with your friends in the evening etc.

I hope you've picked up some style tips here guys, thanks for reading - Lily xo

My top 5 Spring nail polish picks...

So as Springtime is in full bloom and we've been having some really lovely sunny weather recently (the odd rainy spell but dry for the most part!) I thought I'd share with you the 5 nail polishes in my collection that I find myself reaching for the most in Springtime - enjoy...

So first up is 'Huckleburry' by Barry M, which is a kind of almost cold pastel blue (as you can see, all of my colours for Spring sit in the pastel family!) shade which I am drawn to for the Springtime, a colour which I find to be very appropriate for before we start to break out the bolder, brighter Summer shades. I also feel this colour would compliment any skin colour which is nice. As you can see, it is part of Barry M's 'Gelly Hi-Shine' nail paints (as are all of the Barry M ones featured) which retail for £3.99. Whilst these polishes are very shiny, I like a very opaque, non-streaky coverage (as I'm sure everyone does - nobody likes a streaky polish!) and I find that in order to achieve this look you need to apply at least 2 coats, but I like to go in with 3 so this is a bit of a downfall to these polishes. However once on the nails they do look beautiful.

This next polish, 'Celestial' is one from Topshop which I purchased last year but it is still available to buy this year either online or in store for £5.00. I bought this as I had seen it floating around a few youtuber's channels but once I'd got it home I didn't really warm to it and kind of forgot about it I guess. My issue was that I felt it looked a bit 'tipexy' but after giving it another go recently, I really like it! Just one of those things I guess. I love the application of this, it has a smooth consistency and builds the opacity in just 2 coats.

 

 

I actually picked up this nail paint 'Sugar Apple' after seeing 'Icovetthee' recommend 'Huckleburry' on youtube, not looking at the label in a mad rush in Boots before closing time (!) and thinking it was 'Huckleburry'. I have come to think of this as a happy accident as I really like this colour, it is very similar to Essie 'Mint Candy Apple'. Slightly more green toned than the previous pastel blues which I like as it adds an almost sharp pop of colour to your nails and can really jazz up a simple outfit (it also looks perfect with midi rings!).

This next polish is the one I am currently wearing on my nails - I love it! It is called 'Rose Hip' by Barry M - this polish is such a classic colour, almost like a French manicure but less sheer and obviously doesn't have the white tips. I am wearing this for school at the moment because I like to have something on my nails but it needs to be subtle really so this is perfect! Because it's so simple it compliments everything which is what every girl wants, right?!

 

 

My final polish for today is also by Barry M (guys I'm not being sponsored by this brand, I just really love their polishes!) in the shade 'Papaya'. This is a slightly more bold look and adds a nice pop of colour to your nails which I love! It is a good transition colour from Spring to Summer as it still holds a pastel quality whilst adding that brighter pop of colour to the nails as it can be a little strange going from the darker colours we wear during Autumn and Winter time to more brighter tones so this is a great way of swapping up to your bolder colours for the warmer months!

Hello everyone!

Hello everyone (probably not a great deal of you reading at this point!)
I'm Lily, I'm 15 and I live in England.
I wanted to start a Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle blog as these are things I am very interested in. I hope I can offer some fun tips and ideas for those of you who also share my interest; likewise I would also love to hear from you guys if you would like to leave me some comments, I'll enjoy reading those. Like I said, probably not too many of you right now, but I hope to build up some readers who find my blog helpful! If you like my posts I would love it if you could follow me and then you can maybe make some requests for future blog posts etc! I'm looking forward to starting my journey as a blogger! Thanks for reading - Lily xo