The secret spot in London for beauty

While on my recent trip back from to England we had the pleasure of staying in south Kensington.. Our hotel was very pleasant and modern and not extortionately priced for London.. you can find it HERE if you want..

So while exploring the area and the beautiful streets around Kensington I happened to notice a TONN of independent pharmacies which had a great selection of hard to find, or limited ranges that are usually in the drug stores.. (DHC,  La Roche-Posay, Nail berry, Nuxe, i could go on)

There were three within a stones throw of each other on old Brompton street, leading up to south Kensington station.. find there web sites HERE, HERE and HERE.

So there are some of the things i picked up which you wouldn't find in a usual drug store haul...



In the first store I was in, I saw some bioderma in mini travel sizes which were cute but were £4.50 each and then i came across some in  the second store (here) which were packaged together and were buy one get one free for £10.50 which was definitely a bargain..

Next i came across a brand that I have wanted to try for ages DHC which is a Japanese skin care brand that have a few cult products that i wanted to try out, especially from their cleansing range .. such as the Deep cleansing oil.. its a number 1 best seller for makeup removal, and as I'm a complete emma hardie amazing face cleansing balm addict i thought this too would be up my street..

 I also grabbed some of the 'silky cotton, deluxe cosmetics pads' which are essentially fancy cottonwool pads, however like the name suggests they have a really silky feel and are super thick and lovely.. basically.. they also have a little pocket you can pop your fingers in while using and makes it really easy to apply toner.

Lastly I made a repurchase, I had received the DHC mattifying blotting papers in a Birchbox ages ago and used them up, so when i saw them i picked them up too.

The next brand I have seen all over instagram and wanted to try out was Nailberry they are a nail brand that was create by a french lady called Sonia and are free from 5 chemicals used across the nail varnish industry so they are really good for the health of your nails, they also are free from being tested on animals which is also a great plus.  I picked out two colours that i thought would look great in the autumn.. Mystere which is a mauve/grey/nude and Baby blue which is most defiantly a minty green. 

The last thing I picked up was from the new hair product range from Bastiste.. yes you can find these in most boots and Superdrugs but thought I would include.. i got the 'Texture Me Texturizing Spray' I've heard it is a dupe for the Oribe texturising spray which I love at a 10th of the price.. yay!

Hope you enjoyed this post.. if you in or around London soon make sure you pop in to a independent pharmacy.. as they really are full of gems.

Lauren Bea

The travel essentials you need..

So this weekend I got back from my first trip to New York.. so thought I would share some of the travel essentials I have come across recently and made packing easier and traveling light less of a drag..I was only taking on a carry on case and so had to pack light (mostly so I had more room to buy clothes and makeup!)

Firstly I came across this brand over instagram and thought it would be an great multi purpose makeup essential.. Model co has just launched their new mascara Lash and Line, it has a eyeliner in the top which is amazing.. when i first got this I thought it may be a bit gimmicky (if thats a word) and the eyeliner probably wouldn't be that great..


However I was sooo pleasantly surprised how black it was and how long-lasting it was..  and even though it has a small handle it was easy to apply.. and the mascara has a great wand.. it has a spoon shape which adds curl and lift.. the mascara is also super volumising and lasts all day without having to re-apply all the time. its the perfect 2-in-1 product for on-the-go glamour! Well done Model Co!!

Here is a pic so you can see the shape of the spooly.. click here to grab your hands on one 

 The next item I have discovered was this cutch from dollop beauty.. which is like the classist little cutch which also doubles up at a makeup storage which is great for packing for trips as it has a compartment for depotting your shadows, blushes or powders, doll up beauty have a really easy and helpful video on depotting. You can find this here. It was the perfect thing to pack my makeup in to for traveling and then use as a clutch in the evenings.. it also seemed to go with everything I paired it with!

Here it is open and you can see it can actually store quite a lot.. more than I thought at first! it also has a massive mirror for touch ups on the go! Which I found super handy..

These were my 3 staples that I used everyday while I was in NYC, nars creamy concealer in mont blanc, my Models Co lash and line mascara and a mini smashbox liquid lipstick.. and they all fitted perfectly in my dollup beauty clutch 

The last item that I fell in love with and knew I had to get as soon as I saw it, was this in flight travel essential bag from emma lomax.. (she has done colabs with clinique and also does a lovely selecttion of quirky makeup bags) that has everything you would ever need, all tightly packed in this plane friendly see through zippy bag.. it even has a extra battery pack for your phone 

you have to take a look at her website to see all the different themed SOS bags she does, think palm tree, brides, gym, and even festival theres one for every kind of trip you may want to go on! Click here to find them!

(I think there may be a common colour theme... hot pink and orange?)

For my skin I popped in these minis from (Malin + Goetz) as they were just enough for my trip and saved me decanting my emma hardie cleansing balm... these were, a cleanser, face moisturiser and lip balm (I may add that they are all very very good, find the whole range here ) 

Hope that helps.. are you going away soon? 

Lauren Bea 

A day at the Zoo

A day at the Zoo 

So, as we are super new to the area, i have been exploring, trying to find pretty places to go to and cool attractions, Lewis (my husband)and I have been such tourists! 

Yesterday I went to Indianapolis zoo, which I must say is one of the best I have been to! PLUS there is an amazing butterfly house and beautiful gardens,
I can imagine them being a perfect place to get married, if i had to do my wedding again the butterfly house and gardens there would be top of my list. 

 It may seem crazy but the Bird enclosure was by far my favorite exhibit, not the Dolphin show, kolas (although they were so so cute) or the wild cats. the thing is with the tropical birds was that you could go right in the the enclosures and they were simply stunning, they would just come and land on my head and chill there for a bit and then just fly off, also you could buy for like $2 a lollipop stick with bird food and they would come and eat off it straight from your hand, needless to say I spent A long time in there.. 

There are a couple of pictures from the day, if you are ever in the area, its a definitely worth a visit!   

 

The butterfly house had all these beautiful massive butterflies which really reminded me of the current Kate Spade collection.. have a look here.. I'm dying to get this clutch  so pretty! 

// Sunglasses RayBans, Top DryGoods (Sold out but similar here) //

This parrot was so funny, he loved the sequins on my top and was trying to eat them! 

 

Here are some pics of the gardens, I really wanted to plant myself down with a blanket, picnic and enjoy the boiling hot heat! 

Hope you enjoyed this little day out post, where do you like going in the summer???

Until next time... 

Lauren Bea 

*This post was NOT sponsored*

The balm


Recently i have been absolutely loving 'The Balm' makeup range.. (as is everyone else on the planet)

They remind me of benefit the Kitch packaging, the vintage feel and super funny names of the products>

My two most favourites from their range are the brand new 'nude dude' palette which i was luckily able to get my hands on it! thankyou covet cosmetics  ! and the 'instain' blush in 'Argyle' which is a really pretty peachy/petal shade.

The Nude dude palette is a fab palette for everyday use, i have actually stopped using my Urban Decay make palettes as i have been loving these shades so so much..
It has 12 shades mostly shimmers with 3 mattes, a eyeshadow brush comes with it, its double ended with a angle brush at one end which is super handy for sing the darker shades as liners.. which i have been doing lots!
the packeting is sleek and thin, yet it has a massive mirror, which is always a bonus..

There is a great range of light, medium and darker shades, but instead of plain white/black shades there is 'fearless' which is a pale gold with iridescent under tones.. which is simply beautiful.. and can easily be used as a highlight and 'fierce' is a black with both gold and silver shimmer added to it which is subtle yet adds a little extra glam..

My favourite look i have been wearing includes, 'fearless' all over, using a fluffy brush and then 'fit' all over the lid.. then just add firm in the crease to add dimension ..

Something else that i have noticed is that the instain blush in Argyle  is incredibly similar to NARS orgasm which is a cult blusher so a good dupe for that product. It is the most beautiful shade of blusher,  its a super wearable peachy/pink shade that you can wear everyday!

Have you tried any The Balm products? What are you favourites?

Until next time.... Lauren Bea  

Thankyou covet cosmetics for sponsoring this post. 

// January detox and Guilt Free treats //

As soon as the party season has gone and everyone is back to work/college/school in january we each try and either work on being a better person, cultivate that bikini body for summer or generally become healthier.. all in many cases ( and certainly mine) all three.

Now i know january has come to an end, but hopefully some of the products i have been using and have loved you may also find helpful.. 

Now if you want to ease your self in to a detox/diet a detox tea is a great way of starting.. there are heaps on the market but the one i tried and loved, was the 'love superfood tea' 14 day 'skinny teatox', its super easy and doesn't taste gross.. you can find their instagram page here and their Facebook  here

You simply have 2 cups of the AM tea everyday, and the PM tea every other night.. they come in a pouch of loose tea.. so i would definitely invest in a tea strainer you can find one super cheaply here , it just means you don't have to battle a load of plant matter while drinking the tea! 

What i loved is that even after strewing for the recommended 5-8 mins, it still didn't taste bitter and just like strewed grass.. it was very delicate, slightly floral and like green tea (one of its core ingredients)

So.. did it work? well i tried to be as healthy as i could, and went to the gym 2-3 times a week and over the 2 weeks and i did lose 6 pounds.. so in a word yes.. but if you keep scoffing doughnuts and mac'n'cheese everyday I don't think it would have the same effect.. its to boost you weight lose and carb your appetite.. so you do need to being putting in the hard work too.. overall i would recommend them and will be using up all the remaining yummy tea!

The next thing i wanna talk about is the H&M gym wear range.. O my goodness i am in love, actually all the H&M range, the new spring clothing line, the home ware,  its all super lovely and very affordable.. the sports wear in particular…  

i ordred a couple of bits and have just found them so comfy plus they look very high end  (very nike) and have really enjoyed sporting them in the gym.. 

i did order some pink patterd tops too but unfortunately i think them are out of stock…  but you can still find the range here

 Lastly and most definitely my most favourite… who loves chocolate..? who would like GUILT FREE chocolate? meeeee….

Anyone who knows me know how much of a chocoholic and general chocolate gobbler i am.. but recently i have made an effort to try some more heathy chocolate alternatives…

The company Booja-Booja have a whole range of luxury truffles which i knew i had to try.. the company is based in norkfolk uk, you can find their website there and order there amazing products here... they are DAIRY FREE, GLUTEN FREE And ORGANIC.. so you would
expect them to taste of cardboard, yes? NO! they are simply amazing.. the hazelnut chocolate truffles have won all sorts of awards and i know why.. they literally taste as good (if not better) than regular truffles they have all sorts of favours, ranging from the classic champagne truffle to Banoffee and  rhubarb and vanilla…

They also do an amazing Ice-cream alternative range that is simply amazing too.. my favourite are the 'hunky punky chocolate' and the 'keep smiling vanilla m'gorilla' they are made from just 4 ingredients.. the vanilla ---- water, cashews, Agave syrup (a natural plant syrup) and vanilla, and the chocolate one----water, agave syrup, cashews and cocoa powder …
yet they taste so yummy!

 Finally.. i stumbled upon this company on instagram and they were kind enough to send me some of their chocolate range.. they are called Doisy&Dam  and are also based in the UK..they use the finest organic dark chocolate and add super food, such as macs, goji, spirulina  and mulberries..you can buy them on their website here 

My personal favourite is the goji and orange bar.. so so yummy.. what i would say is that if you aren't a fan or dark chocolate then these aren't for you.. but if you looking for a treat that is guilt free than these are perfect! 

Hope you enjoyed this post!

Love Lauren Bea

xxx

// The ultimate relax and pamper evening…//

With all these freezing cold days at the moment in the uk.. i have just been craving a hot bath and pamper evening.. putting on some music, or watching net flicks on my IPAD, lighting scented candles.. and using gorgeous smelling bath bombs.

Although i do love popular high street brands (LUSH of course), i came across a new brand of homemade gorgeous luxuriant cosmetics…  SOAPARAMA.. and i can definitely recommend them.. they are made with all natural ingredients.. and are vegan just like LUSH products.. also they are so affordable.. yet still fabulous quality..and beautiful packaging. 

so what did i try out???… over the last couple of weeks i have having super relaxing baths, indulging in 'me time'.. 

Firstly i used the creamy vanilla bath fizz.. this super creaming and sweet smelling fizz is so dreamy.. if you follow my instagram your know i love, love, love the a vanilla scent.. but for those who don't, don't worry its not in the slightly bit over powering..  it turns the water all milky and also has pink himalayan salts in which 1) look so pretty but more importantly 2) they detox the body and help the muscles and mind to relax…

The bath fizz is also super moisturising due to having almond oil in them.. 

mine was also in a cute snowman shape.. and they are priced at £3.60..

There are also rose bath fizzes.. which are equally as fabulous they have little flakes of dried rose petal with is a lovely touch as it turns your bath in to a real spa experience.. and smells divine.. in the bag i received there were  5 fizzes, yet you only need 1 per bath.. some for £3.60 a bag its definitely good value.. to see all the different bath fizz flavours click here

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I also got the grapefruit & ylang ylang aromatherapy candle.. which has a lovely fresh smell, it is perfect to burn in the bathroom or i have also popped in the kitchen which is lovely as it fills the house with lovely fresh citrous tones..

all the candles are made from soy wax, rather that the cheap alternative  petroleum wax.. so no nasty chemicals.. this also means that it will burn for 25-30 hours.. all for £3.50 for all the candles click here

Another product i loved was the porridge delight soap scrub.. its super moisturising and contains rolled oats and shea butter.. which contain vitamin A and E … 

the soap is a gentle exfloiant and my skin was left feeling lovely and soft afterwards.. 

Lastly and my personal favourite.. was the bumble bee kiss.. this is the most sweet honey smelling creamy soap going BETTER than honey i wash the kids from LUSH, its a pleasure to use and your skin smells so so lovely after, i use it in the shower instead of shower gel..  for all the soaps click here

Hope that was helpful guys and make sure to check out the Soaparama website HERE they are a family run company and lovely to deal with..   

 Love Lauren Bea

xxx

4000 followers GIVEAWAY!!! MAC and TOPSHOP

 

Hey Guys!!!

  

Thank you all so much for getting me to  OVER 4000 followers, to say thank you, i thought i would do a giveaway…

So up for grabs is this super cute Topshop beauty duo,  the lipstick is in the shade 'innocent' and the blush is in the shade 'illicit'… ALSO there is a MAC eye shadow in the shade 'endless passion' and thats a 3.4g shadow..

So the rules...

1) repost my insta pic of the giveaway on your instagram

2) use the hashtag, beasgiveaway

3) tag me and 1 other friend on your pic

4) comment on my pic when done

5) open internationally 

6) no giveaway accounts 

7) giveaway ends friday evening

Here are some added pics so you can see what you could be winning…. 

GOOD LUCK GUYS!!!!!