Marc Jacobs Honey Fresh Shower Gel // REVIEW

Hey guys! I am back with another review and this time it is about the Marc Jacobs Honey Fresh Shower Gel*. I had never tried any Marc Jacobs products before this one, but I had always been tempted to buy one of their perfumes (either Daisy or Honey), so I was really excited when I was offered the chance to try the shower gel version!

The first thing that you notice is the amazing packaging! I love bold, bright designs on packaging, and I think that Marc Jacobs do some of the best out there. It definitely suits the honey theme, since it is bright yellow with white spots, which is great for Spring!

Another great thing about it is the lovely smell! It has a very citrusy honey scent, without being too sour or sweet and having some some hints of floral. The scent does stay on my skin for quite a long time, however it is quite subtle! A problem that I quite often have with citrus shower gels is the fact that they can be really drying on my skin, however this one has got a really thick and creamy formulation. This is one of the things I really like in shower gels since it means that they are normally moisturising, and this one definitely is!

I've been using this for the past few weeks and I've really seen just how moisturising it is. I haven't felt the need to use any sort of moisturiser afterwards because my skin hasn't got at all dry, which it quite often does especially on my elbows! Whilst yes, it is on the slightly expensive side, it would be a lovely product to buy yourself as a treat, especially if you like Marc Jacobs perfumes!

Overall I was really impressed with the Marc Jacobs Honey Fresh Shower Gel, it is one of my favourite shower gels at the moment and I will definitely continue to use it! It's also a great product for Spring and Summer since it has such a fresh scent.

Have you ever tried any beauty products from Marc Jacobs?

DIY Sharpie Mugs

Hey guys! Since joining Pinterest (the link to mine is here) I have seen a lot about Sharpie mugs. I have always loved just how cute they are and the thought of having a mug, designed by yourself that will, hopefully, last a very long time! Yesterday I had a go at making a couple and I am quite happy with how they turned out. These would make amazing personalised gifts for somebody if you wanted to give a slightly different present, without having to spent a lot of money!

They are so easy to make and you only need a four things! You will need:

However many plain, white mugs you would like to design

A black Sharpie

A few cotton pads

Vinegar (I used white vinegar), rubbing alcohol or pure acetone

I bought my mugs in a pack of 6 from Argos for only £3.49, which works out at only 58p each! Personally I have only tried using a black Sharpie since I've heard that some other colours change colour when they go in the oven, so if you wanted to use something other than black I would maybe have a check online first.

The first thing you need to do is put some of the vinegar on a cotton pad, then wipe the section of the mug that you are going to draw on! Once you've wiped it try not to touch it with your fingers, because the oils could effect how the ink from the Sharpie applies.

Once you've got that part out of the way you can get on with the fun bit - drawing your design on with the Sharpie! If you need to erase any mistakes, take the cotton pad with the vinegar on, and wipe away the mistakes as quickly as you can after you drew it. On one of mine I wrote "coffee" surrounded by coffee beans, a swirly underline and then a plait design on the handle. On the other I did a heart, with a chevron print on it, and on the other side I drew a dandelion (which I should have drawn bigger)!

When your design is complete pop the mugs on a baking tray, put it in the oven and then turn the oven on at the temperature 220 degrees Celsius! You will then want to leave then in for half an hour. When the half hour is up turn the oven off, but leave the mugs in the oven until they are completely cool - if you take them out whilst they are hot there's a very big chance that they may crack!

After they are cool you can take them out of the oven, put them aside and leave them for 24 hours before you wash or use them! This allows them time for the ink to set properly and increases the chance of the design lasting much longer.

And there you have it, DIY Sharpie mugs! This is a great way to easily turn simple, plain mugs into something special and personalised. You could write/draw whatever you like, making them a lovely present for somebody who is fond of their tea, coffee or hot chocolate! I would love to know if you try making them and what design you did! 

Do you like the idea of Sharpie mugs?

April Advertising Packages On Hidden Beauty 50% Off!

Hey guys! I am just doing a quick post today (aswell as a proper post that will be coming up shortly) to let you all know of a special offer that is going on right here on Hidden Beauty. I have decided that advertising packages for April period, which lasts from the 1st of April to the 1st of May, will be a whole 50% off their original price! That means that the cost of the April packages start from only 50p.  I currently have four different packages (all of which are still available except for the Diamond Package, if any others sell out I will say below) that contain lots of lovely features - there is:

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Diamond Package - 1 Available Per Month - NOW SOLD OUT! 

£6 £3

Linked button of size 250x250 or less

Top advertising spot in sidebar

Individual #FF every Friday for the advertising month - With link

Top paragraph in my "Monthly Advertisers" post about you and your blog (along with a photo)

Mention at the bottom of every post of mine during the advertising month

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Sapphire Package - 5 Available Per Month

£4 £2

Linked button of size 200x200 or less

Group #FF every Friday of the advertising month

Feature in my "Monthly Advertisers" post about you and your blog (along with a photo)

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Emerald Package - 4 Available Per Month

£3 £1.50

Linked button of size 200x150 or less

Group #FF every Friday of the advertising month

Feature in my "Monthly Advertisers) post about you and your blog (along with a photo)

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Ruby Package - 5 Available Per Month

£1 50p

Linked button of size 200x100 or less

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I also have more information over on my advertising page. If you are interested in buying one of the packages for April, or would just like to know anything else, please email me at hiddenbeautyblog@gmail.com, tweet me @hidbeautyblog or leave a comment below and I will get back to you as quickly as I can. Happy advertising!

Chanel Le Rouge Collection Variation 2014 // REVIEW

Hey guys! Some of you may or may not have seen the new Chanel collection, the Le Rouge Collection Variation 2014, that was released in February. The collection is made up completely of lip products (baring one product that's a nail polish), be it lipsticks, lip liners or lipglosses! I am a huge fan of Chanel lipsticks and I was very lucky to be sent four of them. The swatches are just above so you can get an idea of what shade each lipstick is! Now, onto the reviews.

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour - La Malicieuse (46) - £25* First up is La Malicieuse! The formulation of Chanel's Rouge Allure Velvet lipsticks are inbetween matte and glossy. I wouldn't call them completely matte, since they do have a slight sheen, but I think that makes them gorgeous and original! At first sight this can definitely look like quite a scary shade if you like to stick to your neutral lipstick shades like me, however it really shouldn't be feared. It appears to be a very bold red shade with a little pink thrown in, but when applied it changes into more of a cool, light red with pink undertones shade, which would look lovely with a tan in summer!

There is one thing that I have found with this line of lipstick though, the fact that it really is not suited to dry lips! Saying that I find that most matte/almost matte lipsticks have the same problem (one of the reasons I'm not overly keen on them), so I would maybe look into another line of Chanel lipstick if you have that problem. Apart from that though it is a gorgeous lipstick - the pigmentation is pretty incredible, you only need to give it a little swipe on your lips and they will be covered! It lasts for about 5-6 hours too which is seriously good! After a couple of hours it dries, without being drying on my lips, to more of a lip stain, which helps make it last much longer.

Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour - Conquise (144) - £25* Conquise is a gorgeous satin coral, slightly tangerine, shade with tiny flecks of golden glitter! I love coral lipsticks, especially in summer, and this one really does not disappoint. It glides on very smoothly to reveal an glossy, even and hydrating finish!

I find that the Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour lipsticks have probably the best lasting power of all the Chanel lipsticks, so when this specific one lasted around 6 hours, I was pretty happy! I can see this quite easily becoming my favourite Summer lipstick for when my skin has a little more colour in it (instead of the pale shade it currently is thanks to Winter).

Chanel Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour - Cheri (61) - £24* I had never tried any of the Rouge Coco lipsticks before this one, but after seeing Kathryn's post about her favourite lipstick, which is also from the line, I was really eager to try one! The Rouge Coco lipsticks have the "traditional" Chanel lipstick look, with the square casing, lid and "Chanel" engraving on the lipstick. I absolutely love the packaging of all Chanel products, but this one is especially pretty!

Cheri is a peach shade with subtle rose undertones, making it a lovely shade for Spring and Summer! The formulation is quite similar to Satisfaction (below), which is one of the Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks, although it isn't quite as moisturising. It applies very easily leaving a smooth and creamy finish! It lasts about 4 hours, after eating and drinking, and although I find that it does get a bit drying after that time, all I do is top it up with a little lipgloss/balm!

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Colour Lipstick - Satisfaction (89) - £24* I have raved about the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks a lot in the past, meaning I was very happy to find that one of the lipsticks I was sent was from the line! I must say when I first saw this lipstick I was a little sceptical since it appeared to be very beige, which is a lipstick shade I had never tried before. However when applied to my lips it really doesn't look it, instead it's a lovely sheer beige-pink shade which gives the "your lips but better look"!

Like all the other Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks they are very moisturising and not at all drying, which is one main reasons I love them! They are the perfect lipstick to wear when my lips are dry or flaky, since it doesn't cling to the dry patches at all. I get around 3-4 hours wear out of this, and in that time I drink and eat, which I would say is pretty good!

I hope that you liked this post! I have really loved this collection, especially since Chanel is my favourite brand for lipsticks, so a whole collection made up of their lip products is pretty great in my eyes. There is such a wide range of shades available which means that there is one to suit everybody! I would love to know if there are any products from the collection that have caught your eye!

What do you think of the Chanel Le Rouge Collection Variation 2014?

Spring Fashion Wishlist

Hey guys! As we are getting closer to spring (I believe, geographically, it starts on the 20th of March) I thought that I would do a little fashion wishlist. Lately I haven't actually seen much makeup that has caught my eye, instead it has been more about the clothes - many of which are bags and jewellery! I chose a few of my favourites as if I included everything I would be writing this post all day. 

H&M Straight Cut Black Jacket - £14.99 

I saw this the other day when looking for jackets and it looked really nice! I can imagine it looking lovely with a skater skirt, top and sandals when it's a little warmer and it could be dressed up or down. I quite like how it doesn't have buttons as it makes it look a little more casual!

H&M Grey Handbag - £29.99

H&M always have lovely bags and this is just one of my favourites! I have never owned a grey bag in the past and this looks like a perfect one to start with. It looks like a great size to fit everything I would need in it and I can imagine it looking nice with most outfits!

Forever 21 Soft Cable Knit Beige Cardigan - £22.75

Firstly, excuse the fact that the photo has half a woman's body in it! I did try to find a picture of just the cardigan, but had no luck so I had to make do. I haven't bought anything from Forever 21 in about two years, however they seem to have some lovely things in at the moment! I have been after a knitted beige/cream long cardigan, to wear with dresses for quite a while and this looks like it could fill that gap perfectly.

Accessorize Rose Triangle Collar Necklace - £15

I hadn't really fallen for the statement necklace craze until recently and this is just one that has really caught my eye! I think that this would look nice with any outfits, especially a simple dress or jumper. Pastel shades are really popular this season too which makes the pale pink shade even better!

Forever 21 Refined Structured Handbag - £16.90

I absolutely adore this bag! I am a bit of a sucker for pale pink bags, and whilst it may not be the most logical colours, they are still lovely. I am going to a wedding at Easter so I am tempted to buy this bag for then as it looks elegant and cute!

New Look Petite Burgundy Slub Curve Hem 3/4 Sleeve Top - £16.99

I love tops with 3/4 length sleeves as they can be worn in summer by themselves, or when it's colder with a jacket! I am also a lover of burgundy since it looks lovely with jeans and boots, so I'd love to buy this top. I would say the only downside though is the price - it costs almost £17 and it isn't an amazing top in the scheme of things!

Miss Selfridge Infinity Chain Bracelet - £5

I spotted this bracelet on somebody's wishlist a short while ago (I can't remember whose sadly) and instantly loved it! I went to see how much it was and was quite shocked to find out that it was only £5. £5 seems like such a great price for a really cute little bracelet and I am definitely tempted to buy it! I think that another thing that sparked my love for it is the fact that I've been watching Revenge a lot recently, and if any of you don't know, the logo and important thing in the programme is a double infinity sign.

H&M 3 Pack Rose Gold Rings - £2.99

I must admit first off that I actually bought these the other day, after I did the photo for this post! Either way I had been after some cute little rings for a while, but my fingers are so small that most rings don't fit. These are a lovely rose gold colour, and they look really dainty and cute! Also you get three for only £2.99 which I thought was really good value for money. I admit that they aren't the perfect fit (still a little big) but they are definitely wearable without falling off easily!

H&M Black Circular Skirt - £9.99 

I don't actually own a black skater skirt because the ones that I have tried on before haven't suited me - be it because they are too big on my waist or go puff out too much (which makes me look an odd shape since I'm short). I have started looking at jersey skirts now as they seem to fit better and this one is only £9.99! 

That is some of my top wishlist picks at the moment! I may well have a haul up soon as I have bought a few little things recently (not enough to do a haul post alone) and since there have been so many lovely clothes that I've seen recently. 

What is on your wishlist for spring?

Monthly Favourites - February 2014

Hey guys! I can't believe that it is already March - soon it will be summer which, I hope, will involve lots of warm weather. Today I am here with my first ever monthly favourites post! There were lots of products in February that I absolutely loved so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to do this post. A lot of the products featured are new discoveries of mine, although there are one or two old favourites!

First up is makeup! One of the things that I received at Christmas was the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. I had heard so much hype surrounding it and as I am a lover of neutral eyeshadow shades, I decided to pop this on my Christmas wishlist - I am so happy that I did! All of the shades are very pigmented and last for hours and hours. I will be doing an in-detail review of it soon so keep an eye out for it!

The other eyeshadow that I have loved lately is the Clinique Chubby Stick For Eyes in the shade Ample Amber*. It is a gorgeous shimmery, bronze-amber shade that I have been using on the outer corners of my eyes! The shade also really seems to compliment the colour of my hair and eyes, which makes it even better.

There are a couple of lip products that definitely spring to mind when I think of my current favourites - the first being a MAC Lipstick in the shade Peach Blossom! I received this on my birthday and have been wearing it most times since. It's a lovely subtle pale pink shade, and whilst I wouldn't really class it as peach, it's definitely one of my favourite lipsticks! The formulation is very soft, since it is one of MAC's Cremesheen lipsticks, and it stays on my lips for ages. I will be posting about this soon too!

The second lip product that I have loved lately, and is from the Clarins Opalescence Spring 2014 Collection, is the Clarins Gloss Prodige Intense Colour And Shine Gloss (wow, that's a long name) in the shade Coral Tulip*. I am not a fan of most lipglosses, because I can't stand the stickiness, but this is very light and isn't one of those obviously sticky lipglosses! Coral Tulip is a really pretty peachy coral shade with little bits of silver glitter in it. I am actually wearing the lipgloss whilst writing this post, and although I have had it on since about 1pm (and it has now just gone 4pm), it is still very much there and in that time I have eaten, drunk and gone outside! It's my favourite lip gloss at the moment and I would love to try more shades from the line.

Currently my absolute favourite foundation is the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup*, in the shade Beige 10! I had wanted to try this for a long time after hearing such amazing things about it and how it is great on dry skin. Honestly, it is completely and utterly worth all the hype that you have heard! It has a light coverage, but makes my skin look healthier and just all round better, smoother and nicer. It also works very well on any bits of dry skin that I have and doesn't cling at all! I will be reviewing this amazing product soon!

The last makeup product is the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer, which I reviewed on Wednesday! It reduces the look of my pores and leaves my skin looking velvety, smooth and silky. I love to pair this with the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation, which I just talked about, since the two work really well together! If you would like to read more about what I thought make sure that you read my review here.

I reviewed the Estee Lauder Modern Muse Eau De Parfum* in October last year and honestly I kind of forgot it over Christmas, but since the start of the New Year I have rediscovered it! The bottle is one of the cutest perfume bottles that I have seen and it smells just as good, if not better. The smell is quite unique in that it is floral, citrusy and musky, all at the same time, which I really like! If you would like to hear more about it have a look at my review here.

Another new discovery of mine is the Nuxe Lait Demaquillant Confort Comforting Cleansing Milk! I had this over a year, but I had never actually used it, so when my holy grail cleanser, the Loreal Micellar Water, started reacting to my eyes (much to my despair) I started looking for a new cleanser. I then decided that I would try this out in hope that it works and it definitely does! It removes all of my makeup on my eyes, lips and face really easily without leaving any sort of residue or oiliness on my skin. This may just be the cleanser that I have been looking for!

Lastly is the Jergens Ultra Healing Hand Cream! I used to use this quite a lot, then went on to other hand creams to test them out, however I have lately reverted back to this one. Jergens are known for their moisturisers and this one does not disappoint! It is light, doesn't leave a residue but is still very moisturising. I have been suffering a lot with very dry hands (to the point where a small cut that I got on my hand about a month ago, still hasn't healed) and this has helped a lot!

That is it for my favourites in February! I hope that in March I find just as many new favourites so that I can write a favourites post again, because I've really enjoyed doing this one.

What were your favourite products in February?

Remember to enter my 1st blog birthday giveaway to win a MAC lipstick or eyeshadow in the shade of your choice!