Adios Google Reader

I'm sure you're all aware by no that today is the last day of Google Reader. It has been no secret for a few months that July 1st would be the day that Google would pull the plug on this, something which I'm very disappointed in! 

I love how easy it is to use and its simplistic layout. However, I have been enjoying using other platforms to read the blogs I love, which is something I have been learning to do since I learnt of the demise of GR. So, with this in mind, and because I really would hate to lose any of you, I thought I would leave you some of my links so that you can still read my posts. Without further ado, here's where you will be able to find me:

Bloglovin

SheSaidBeauty

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Baobella

Google+

I would love it if you could take a look on any of these links and give a me a follow. I love having you all as readers and it would be such a shame to lose any you, as you're all like my blogging family. I would also love it if you could send me your links too, so that I don't miss any of your posts :)

What University Taught Me

I have a different post for you all today, as it's more of a lifestyle post but I thought that it might be useful to a lot of you who are heading off on the next part of your life in a few months, or are thinking of going to University. So here's what University has taught me...

I started Uni in September 2010 and at that time I thought I was pretty grown up but little did I know that I had so much more to learn.

1: It's completely fine to be different:

The night before my first day at Uni, I panicked about what to wear, how to have my hair and makeup, even if my notebook was cool enough. In reality all of that panicking really didn't matter. You will not meet a more mixed bunch of people than the ones who you are Uni with. Stick to being you and you will be fine. Honestly, I feel extremely silly and vain when I think about how much I panicked before my first day. Within 20 minutes of sitting in a lecture theatre, I noticed an elderly lady (who I later found out was doing her 11th degree and was 71 years old), a boy with a multi-coloured mohican, and a girl with a Cruella De Ville style hair do. My point is that, whilst in High School, there seems to be this thing that makes everyone think that they have to fit in with the masses and follow the crowd. Being at uni made me realise that by standing out and being different, you are actually more likely to fit in.

2: You don't need to save up to go to University:

I always thought that to go to Uni, you had to have money in the bank. Wrong. Don't get me wrong, I think that saving a little before you head off to Uni will help. There were many times when I found that I had to rely on my overdraft on  my student account, but I don't think that my experience would have been the same had I had money all of the time. You don't need to worry about saving for your fee's as everyone is entitled to a partial or full payment of fee's. This is available through the Student Finance, which explains exactly what you are entitled to and what you will need to pay back. 

3: Work hard and you will get the results you deserve:

I know this sounds really obvious, but it really didn't kick in with me until I started at Uni. It's really simple but if you don't do the work you will NOT pass. At GCSE and A-Level, I just expected to get good grades, and didn't work as hard as I should have and when I didn't get what I wanted, I wondered why. You will always meet people during your studies who think that they will get good grades if they don't work hard, but the reality is that they will eventually find that they will struggle and won't come out with the grades that they could have.

4: Don't worry about nor making friends. You will make hundreds:

Just before I started my course, I started to worry that I wouldn't make friends. You have to remember that everybody is in the same position. No-one knows anyone and some people have moved hundreds of miles away from their loved ones. You will make friends. Don't be afraid to ask if you can sit next to someone, or if someone wants to go to the library to study, or for a drink after lectures. I can honestly, say that the fiends I have made at Uni are my friends for life, and I couldn't have got through my degree without them.

5: Make the most of what you've got. 

There were plenty of times throughout my studies where I wished I had that dress from Topshop, or that lipstick from MAC, or I wished I could go out for Student Night. Even though you can't always have exactly what you want, the stuff you already have is perfect. Being strapped for cash and wanting new things made me develop a new thrifty lifestyle. You can easily do DIY projects for a few pounds, or customise items that you already have. Your bank balance will thank you.

So, if you're heading off to University this year or in the future, remember to think of it as a new start and something that will develop you as a person. I'll be graduating with a BA (Hons) in Tourism Management in three weeks, and without learning these things, I wouldn't be doing that. I'm sorry this has been an extremely long post, but I thought that I would share my experiences, which I hope has helped some of you :)

MUA Blusher: Lolly

A few days ago, I shared with you one of the new shades of blusher from MUA. If you follow MUA on Instagram, you may have seen that they sneakily teased us with a blurred picture of some new products. After a lot of speculation, it was revealed that these new products would be blushers, and today I'm going to show you my favourite, Lolly.

All of the new shades of blushers have sweet treat inspired names, and is something that I'm pleased to see. As with the rest of MUA's powder blushers, the formulation is nothing to moan about. I literally cannot fault it in any major way. They are so pigmented that they rival some of the more expensive blushers that I own, and they do not budge once applied. What more do you want in a blusher? Well, they blend like a dream, I was a little worried about them looking stark against my medium skin tone due to the high levels of pigmentation, but these look so lovely applied to the apples of my cheeks. I apply this with the F6 Blusher and Contour Brush from MUA and it is a match made in heaven. 

Lolly is a lovely peachy orange that instantly stood out to me. I love wearing orange, peach and coral tones when it comes to the spring/summer so this blush was obviously going to find it's way into my makeup bag. I love this shade against my medium skin tone, but this would look perfect against all skin tones as it is just so versatile. I love wearing this with a soft blend of bronzer, and bronze eyes with a nude lip. I find that this way brings out the bet of the blusher, but it does also look great solo as it adds a lovely amount of warmth to the skin.

Overall, I really love MUA blushers, and their quality for £1 is astounding! You can purchase these new shades, along with all other MUA products from Superdrugs and here, from their online store :)

My Online Store Is Now Live

A few weeks ago, you may remember that I announced that I had set up a new business venture. This new business of mine is something that I have had a huge passion for and am so pleased to finally make it a reality!

My online store, rlaccessories, is a place where you can find quirky, handmade and personalised accessories that will be completely unique to you! I hate when I go into a shop and everything us looks the same, or doesn't quite feel like "me". So this shop has been set up with that in mind, and a little piece of yourself can be added into your accessories. 

You can visit my shop here :) where any products can be purchased. I would love it if you could take a look and perhaps share the page :) I hope you can find something you like, however if there is something that you have in mind, please feel free to contact me via the contact page and your ideal product can be made from scratch.

Thankyou all for your continued support, and happy shopping :)

MUA Blusher: Candyfloss

If you follow MUA Cosmetics on Instagram, you will more than likely have seen the new blusher shades that were revealed. A lot of people initially presumed that these products were cream blushers or bronzers, but once the powder blushers were revealed, I knew that some shades would find their way into my makeup bag.

The first shade that I'm going to show you is Candyfloss. All of the new shades of blushers have sweet treat inspired names, and is something that I'm pleased to see. As with the rest of MUA's powder blushers, the formulation is nothing to moan about. I literally cannot fault it in any major way. They are so pigmented that they rival some of the more expensive blushers that I own, and they do not budge once applied. What more do you want in a blusher? Well, they blend like a dream, I was a little worried about them looking stark against my medium skin tone due to the high levels of pigmentation, but these look so lovely applied to the apples of my cheeks. I apply this with the F6 Blusher and Contour Brush from MUA and it is a match made in heaven. 

Candyfloss is a lovely rose pink which I would say has slight purple undertones. It also has a tiny amount of shimmer which lifts the shade when applied, but doesn't make you look like a walking disco ball. I find this shade to be the most natural of the new shades and is one I have found myself reaching for quite often. I do prefer to wear this when I am having a very simple makeup day. For example, I wore this one day with my regular bronzer and it looked like there was too much going on. The day after I tried it with nothing more than my regular base and mascara and it looked lovely.

Overall, I really enjoy these new blushers from MUA, and I do have another few shades to share with you. I would definitely recommend picking one of these up from Superdrug or here from their online store. For the bargain price of £1, you can treat yourself to every shade!

Do you like MUA blushers? What is your favourite shade?

My Exciting New Venture

Earlier today on Twitter, I said that I had something exciting to tell you all and I hope that it is something that you will all be excited about too. 

After a while in the planning, I have set up an online business offering bespoke phone cases and other accessories. This is something that I have been interested in for a long time and hope that it can go down well. You can visit my shop here, where there will be some products up very soon. 

The products that will be on offer will be:

Personalised/Bespoke Phone cases

Personalised/Bespoke Tablet cases

Jewellery

Sunglasses

etc.

If you have any questions please feel free to send them over to retrolove17@hotmail.co.uk or tweet me @RetroLoveBeauty and I'll be happy to answer them.

I'm so excited about this, and I hope you will too :)

rlaccessories

Seventeen On The Spot Foundation

Hi, my names Katie and I'm a foundation hoarder. Seriously, I needed another foundation like a hole in the head. I just can't help myself. Today's offering is the lastest foundation from Seventeen, a brand that most are aware of, and it has some pretty big claims!

The On The Spot Foundation claims to give clearer skin in just 4 weeks. The idea of this confused me. As a child, my Grandma always used to say don't wear too much makeup because it will ruin my skin. As always she was right. So how can it be that wearing makeup can actually clear your skin of blemishes?! Well this particular foundation contains Salicylic Acid, which is a common ingredient in many products which help in clearing problem skin.

When applying this foundation it was soon clear that you have to work extremely quickly to get an even finish. I found that you have to apply this in small areas at first rather that dotting about your face, and working with a buffing brush helped with the quick application. As for it's claims to be full coverage, I thought it was a little short of "full". It's definitely buildable but not full coverage. It does cover blemishes and dark circles but I still had to apply a little concealer for them to be fully covered. It sits well on the face, given a satin finish. However, leaving the house without a powder would be a big mistake. I do have oily skin, but I had to powder after 2 hours of wearing this. 

As for clearing my skin, I have seen some improvement but only with tiny blemishes. If you suffer from anything more than the odd pimple, I don't think this would be of any benefit but it is always worth a try.

Overall, I do like this but I'm not in love with it. With that being said, it is a drugstore/highstreet foundation and when you take that into consideration, I think it's a good product. For £6.99 you really can't grumble. I would also, definitely suggest going into store and finding a shade rather than shopping online, as the shade range is very limited.

Have you tried this foundation? What is your favourite drug store foundation?

Chatty Update

Hello lovelies! I thought that I would take the opportunity to have more of a chatty post today, so that I can update you on a few things that are going on at the minute. So shall we sit with a cuppa and a biscuit?

Firstly, I'm sure you will all know by now that I've finished University. I'm so pleased that the education part of my life is now over, although I was sad to leave because it had been such a big part of my life. At the minute I'm waiting for my results, and I watch the postman like a mad woman to see if he has dropped anything off in our letterbox. Eeeekk! I graduate in 5 weeks time and I'm so excited for that day to come round, even though I'll be extremely nervous! My Mum, Dad and Brother along with Olly are all coming to the ceremony. In the mean time, I'm looking for a job. It's so hard trying to find something which ill tailor in the skills from my degree, but also interest me at the same time. So fingers crossed on the job front1

Me and Olly are also looking to move into a new place. We moved in together two years ago and at first we thought the flat was perfect. However, now we're hoping to find somewhere else in a different area, but we have had a few disasters! I'm also looking at finally learning to drive! I'm 20 now and think its about time I got round to it. Main reasons being a) I took lessons when I was 17 and just stopped when I got to Uni, b) public transport irritates the life out of me and is stupidly expensive and c) I want to go on roap trips!

I've also got a few ideas for some different bits and bobs on my blog which I'm really excited to share with you and can't wait to get started on them. I'm hoping to go to a few blogger meets this summer too, so if you know of any please let me know :)

Hope this hasn't been too boring for you, I just thought it might be nice to have a chatty post for a change.

P.S I'm thinking of offering advertsing on my blog, if you're interested let me know and I'll try to come up with a plan. 

Sleek Candy Collection: i-Candy Palette

A few days ago I posted about a gorgeous new Blush By 3 palette from Sleek that was part of their new Candy Collection, you can read that here. Full of pretty candied pastels, this latest collection from Sleek is nothing short of pretty, and today I'll be showing you the stunning i-divine palette from this collection.

I have to admit I'm a bit of a Sleek palettes fanatic. I have so many and my beady little eyes were set on this a few weeks before it was due to be released and I knew I had to have it. I'm really pleased I went into Superdrugs and saw it in person because straight into my basket it went! Let me also admit, I'm a neutrals girl at heart although I cant stop buying pretty colours, but this is right up my street!

The i-candy palette includes a lovely range of matte, frost and shimmer finishes, so there is bound to be something for everyone. The colour range is so pretty that they actually do look like little jewelled sweets from a traditional sweet shop. Even if you are a neutrals lover at heart, this palette is exactly what is needed for a little bit of inspiration, and to add a pop of colour to these warm summer days. Each colour compliments any other in the palette so perfectly, meaning that there are so many looks you can come up with. Another great thing about this palette is that you can be a subtle or as bright as you want, so it really does reflect some personality.  So, enough waffling, here are some swatches. Enjoy!

I know that in most Sleek palettes there is normally one colour  that just isn't up t the same standard as the rest, and you probably wouldn't miss it if it wasn't there. However, every single shade in this colour is just as good as the last. Each one is so pigmented and easy to blend that you can forgive all of the duds that have ever been included in any other palette. The formula is as expected, with the mates being harder than the rest, although they are softer than previous matte shades that Sleek have come up with. Win!

If you're looking for some soft pastels to add to your summer makeup routine, I would definitely suggest this! But be quick though, because this is Limited Edition and I'm sure it will sell out quick. You can purchase this, along with the rest of the collection from Superdrugs or Sleek Cosmetics website, for £7.99.

Sleek Candy Collection: Blush By 3

A few days ago, Sleek Cosmetics launched the amazingly pretty Candy Collection. After seeing a few bloggers write about the collection I knew I wanted it! I love Sleek products so I knew that I was going to enjoy this collection.

Firstly, can we just take a moment to appreciate just how lush this packaging is? I love the sweets and bright colours, it just makes me want to bake cakes and eat them in the sun (apologies holiday diet). I know in the past, Sleek have been criticised for their somewhat "tacky" Limited Edition packaging. Remember the Boho

and Circus palettes? Well luckily, the products in his collection still have a matte black casing, but the outer box is beautifully adorned.

Quite a few months ago I picked up a few of the Blush By 3 palettes and was so impressed by them! When I saw that this collection would include a BB3 I was really pleased. Another bonus is that this is different to all of the permanent blushes that they have as this one includes a cream blush, something I've been loving at the minute. As usual the powder blushes are so pigmented that the slightest touch is all that's needed for a beautiful flush of colour on the cheeks.

Candyfloss (Cream): Ridiculously bright and pigmented that almost looks neon. Although it looks scary in the pan, it blends out to a beautiful shade that is one of those suit all shades we all look for.

Dollymix: A really unusual colour due to its lilac undertones. I was a little dubious about this shade but wow is it beautiful. Definitely my go to summer shade!

Cupcake: Another bright pink but with a tiny amount of shimmer. This is one of those shades that will be the focus of the face. I wore this with just a bit of bronzer and mascara and it made me look so awake and healthy that I pretty much declared it love!

Overall, this collection is definitely worth looking into if you love a bit of colour in the summer. This collection is available now from Superdrug stores and online. This Blush By 3 palette is available for £9.99 and I strongly recommend that if you pick up anything from this collection, it be this palette. Make sure to be quick thought because I think that this is going to sell out fast!

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box

Selfridges is one of my favourite places in the world. Especially the Beauty Hall, surprise surprise. I love everything that they have to offer and it's rare that I leave empty handed. Cast your minds back to just before Christmas, when the Selfridges  Beauty Lucky Bag were realised, I quickly snapped one up. Cue disappointment. I then swore that I would never buy anything like that again from Selfridges. Enter the Summer Beauty Box.

This particular box is exclusives to Selfridges and was available throughout May on their website. The cost of the box was £25 with the total value of the products inside totalling a whopping £70. Every box was the same, so here's what was included...

Tangle Teezer Aqua Splash:

I was super pleased to receive this as I've always wanted to use a Tangle Teezer. My hair is really long and thick, so it does get matted really easily. When I'm on holiday I wear my hair up in the day time because the chlorine and sand, etc makes it really tough. So, this will be welcome in my beach bag on holiday so that I can brush my hair as the day goes on.

Molton Brown Templetree Bath and Shower Gel:

I've never tried anything from Molton Brown, so I was really excited to try this. The scent is amazing, and it's a decent size bottle. Expect a full review of this soon.

Jane Tran Hair Clips:

I remember wearing these sort of clips when I was in primary school! I never ever thought I would be wearing them at the age of 20! That said, I think these will come in useful on my holidays when my hair needs pulling back, but I can't see me wearing them any other time.

Lancaster Tan Maximiser:

On holiday, I always use after sun so this sort of product is nothing new. However, I do love the thought of having my tan prolonged! This smells divine, one sniff and I'm whisked off to a tropical Caribbean beach!

Erborian BB Cream:

This is a brand that I have heard of but never really come across (if that makes sense?). Erborian is a Korean brand and we all know that the Korean know a thing or two about BB Creams, so I'm definitely looking forward to giving this a whirl.

Models Own Nail Polish in Bubblegum:

If you cant wear neon pink nail polish in the summer, when can you ey? I've applied this to my toes and really enjoyed it. It does have a matte finish so is different to my other neons, but a lovely edition nonetheless.

St.Tropez Instant Glow Face Lotion and In Store Offer:

I'm a big lover of fake tanning, but have never actually tried St.Tropez. I'm really looking forward to testing this out and to see just how well it works. However, the in-store offer is a little misleading as I thought it was for a free spray tan at Selfridges (I should have guessed really, because this definitely sounds too good to be true!). It is infact for a free limited edition beach bag when a full priced spray tan is purchased. Did anyone else think this was misleading?

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray:

I've tried a few texture sprays, and all of them have left me underwhelmed. I have heard great things about Bumble and Bumble so I will definitely give this a go and hopefully it will change my mind on texture hair sprays.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir:

A firm favourite amongst beauty bloggers everywhere, and another cult product I have yet to try. I've heard plenty a rave review about this, and with the warm weather finally making an appearance, I think the refreshing spray will become a love of mine.

So, that's everything in the box. I'm sure that you'll agree that this is amazing value for £25 plus postage. The total of the box comes in at over £70 so it is a pretty good deal that you are getting.

I'm really, really impressed with this box, and it definitely is a marked improvement on the lack lustre lucky bags they previously released. 

Unfortunately, these were Limited Edition and are now unavailable. However, I'm sure Selfridges will continue to release Limited Edition boxes so keep an eye out on the Selfridges website.

Did you order this box? What is your favourite item?

Bourjois Maxi Delight Bronzer

Hello! What a lovely summers day we are having! I hope that you're all enjoying the blue skies and have waved a firm goodbye to the dark gloomy grey skies that we are so used to! So as I've said before, out comes the sun and out comes the bronzer! Here is another product that I'm sure you will enjoy...

A few days ago, I shared with you the amazing Bronzing Primer from Bourjois which I've been loving so far, but this next product has taken top spot in my daily routine. If like me, you love a good bronzing routine then this is the perfect bronzing powder for you. 

The Maxi Delight Bronzer is a deep tan shade with tiny flecks of golden shimmer running through it. When I first saw this in store and on a few blogs, I instantly dismissed it as I thought it was too dark for my medium skin tone. How wrong was I? On a recent trip to Boots, I took a quick swatch of this and was surprised by how well it matched my skin. The deep tones actually looked very natural and the golden flecks added a nice glow without looking like I was at an Under 18's club night in 2006 and had gone a bit wild with the shimmer spray (ashamedly, I'm guilty of this). 

There is currently only one shade available, 02 for olive and deep skin tones. This is where I was a little dubious about buying it, but after testing I just thought "What the heck?!". I like to apply this with my Real Techniques Blush Brush, and lightly dust it all over my face after the  rest of my make up is complete. This makes me look really healthy and glowing, which is what we all like in the summer. Applied with a light hand this bronzer can still be perfect for those paler skin tones to myself, and would add a lovely warmth to those with darker skin tones. Definitely an all rounder.

As with all Bourjois bronzing products this does have a scent to it. I have seen people say that this is the same as chocolate bronzer that Bourjois is famous for. However, I have to say, I think that this is more tropical as I find it leans slightly towards a Coconut scent, which I really enjoy.

I would definitely recommend this as that perfect summer product, and it is one that I will definitely be taking on my holidays later on this year. 

This is available from both Boots and Superdrugs for £8.99 but is currently on offer in Boots for £6.99

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P.S Due to the demise of GFC I would love it if you could follow me on any of the above sites as I don't want to lose any you :)

Bourjois Bronzing Primer Review

If you're anything like me then as soon as May hits, the tanning and bronzing products come out. The only place I don't apply my fake tan is to my face as I'm worried about it clogging up my pores and settling into fine lines. The new Bourjois summer collection includes its fair share of different bronzing products that I'm sure will quickly become staples in many a makeup bag.

The Bourjois Bronzing Primer is small pot of brilliance for all of those who like to be falsely sunkissed, A hybrid between a mousse and gel like texture, it's no surprise that this has been compared to the famous Soleil Tan De Chanel, except a lot smaller but with a more affordable price tag. This product has been designed to give your face a subtle glow, which is suitable for all skin tones. 

The formula of this primer is unlike any other product I've ever tried. It's so lightweight that it really feels like you have a bare face. You can wear this alone or under your foundation/BB Cream. When worn alone it really does look like an instant tan, really subtle and a lovely bronze shade. I wore this under my BB Cream all over my face and I looked like I had a really healthy glow, something which I find quite hard to achieve. In the pot, this do look really scary, I'm going to admit. However, you only need the slightest amount for a pigmentation, that can be blended out to be as sheer as you desire, so even those will pale skin tones. However, I do think that if you are super pale, this may look a little too stark, and may lean a little orange. For reference, I'm a MAC NW20 and find this is a nice shade for me. Like I say, it does apply rather dark and strong but there are no issues with blending and it can be a sheer or as strong as you like, without the fear of getting tide marks.

At the minute this is only available in the one shade but I'm not sure if I think that there is a need for Bourjois to release more shades. I think I should also point out the scent that this has. Having never tried a bronzing product from Bourjois before this, I noticed a lot of people had mentioned the synthetic chocolate scent, but I have to say I quite like it. I did have a sniff of their Chocolate Bronzer but this smells different to me. I think it has more a coconut fragrance, one that most associate with holidays, but I can understand why some might not like this, although it isn't detectable once applied to the skin.

This is available from Boots and Superdrugs for £9.99, although Boots have it on offer at the minute for £6.99.

Top 10 Summer Lipsticks

Here in the UK we have had a whole two days of sunshine, and so summer has been officially declared! No doubt it is going to rain twice as much as we have sun, because lets face it, that's British weather for you. However, it is definitely time to grab your favourite summer products and wear them like there's no tomorrow!

The first of my favourite summer products is Lipsticks. I do like to wear them all year round but lipsticks look really special in summer in my opinion. So here are my favourite summer lipsticks. 

1: 17 Beehive. A simple neutral glossy shade that looks lovely against any skin tone.

2: Topshop Brighton Rock. A bright coral/pink that has a semi matte finish. Looks lovely with simple eyes and a tan.

3: Look Beauty Double Lip Hit in Pink Punch. The brightest pink ever. Wear Matte or glossy due to the double ended function (gloss over lipstick shown here)

4: Rimmel Apocalips Luna. A perfect peach glossy shade that will last all day, even after a few a lot of cocktails.

5: Illamasqua Flare. A bright semi matte orange that goes amazing with bronzed skin.

6: Maybelline Fuchsia Flash. A glossy, neon, blue toned pink. Need I say more?

7: NYC Blue Rose. Another blue toned pink that would suit pale toned lovelies.

8: MAC Morange: The. Best. Orange. Ever!

9: MAC Lady Danger. An orangey red that stands out so much its almost illegal!

10: MUA Sealed With A Kiss. This liquid lipstick has a lovely raspberry glossy tone that is ultimately girly.

I hope you've enjoyed my 10 favourite lipsticks for the summer. I'll be sharing my other favourite summer products in the next few weeks so keep an eye out for those. 

What is your favourite summer lip colour?