25 February 2015

Yves Rocher Quelques Notes d'Amour Eau De Parfum // REVIEW






I've heard a lot of people talking about their love of Yves Rocher, but until now I'd only ever tried one of their eyeshadows! This was until I was offered the chance to test out one of their perfumes, which I jumped at. This particular perfume is the Yves Rocher Quelques Notes d'Amour Eau De Parfum*!

It has quite a woody scent, due to the Guaiac Wood essence it contains, with a floral and musky undertone! The thing that I really like is that it doesn't smell too sweet, or too bitter, so it is a lovely scent that I could imagine a lot of people liking. The thing that struck me most though was how long the scent lasted! I'd apply it one day, then could still smell it the next day, which was great.

The packaging is really pretty too! It's quite a thick glass bottle, then has a heart cutout on the corner so it would look perfect on a dressing table. It's also very dainty looking, which gives it a rather romantic look!

My only negative would be that the spray is pretty big, which you should be a bit careful of, however I'm used to this now meaning it's not that bad.

Overall I was really impressed! For £32 (although it is currently on offer for just £18) you get a lovely perfume, and it easily matches up to the quality of some of my high-end perfumes (which would cost about twice the price of this one).

Have you ever tried a Yves Rocher perfume?





My Diamond Advertiser for February is Daisy from Bluebirds & Bunting!

22 February 2015

Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection - 200 & 201 // REVIEW






In the past year there haven't been many launches that have made me think "wow I must own that", and I know that a lot of people would agree with me on that one! However there was one new line that really got people talking - that being the new Real Techniques collection. During the #bbloggers chat on Twitter, if you dare ask for any makeup brush recommendations you will most likely be bombarded with people saying Real Techniques! This just shows you how good their brushes must be, especially considering that they are fairly low cost brushes. I must own over ten Real Techniques brushes from their original brush line, so I really can vouch for how great they are!

This new line, named Bold Metals, is more luxe than their regular brushes, since they are of a higher quality! Probably the most attractive feature of these brushes though is the gorgeous and sleek metal handles, which are in either gold (base), silver (eyes) and rose gold (finish). There's no surprise that the brushes with the rose gold metal handles seem to be the ones that everybody wants, because we all know how popular rose gold has become in the last few years!

I was sent two brushes to have a play with, and you wouldn't believe how excited I was to try them, especially considering the amount of hype surrounding them! The first was the 200 Oval Shadow Brush*, which is a silver-handled, fairly flat, rounded eyeshadow brush. This picks up powder extremely well, to the point where since I started using it for the "base" layer of my eyeshadow I've been having to pick up less eyeshadow, than I had to with my previous brush, which shows that the 200 obviously holds the eyeshadow much better. I'd say that my only slight negative would be that it would be nice if the brush was a little smaller, as it can be a bit awkward to apply eyeshadow in the inner bit of my eyelid, but I will probably get used to that!

The second brush was the 201 Pointed Crease Brush*! This is rounded with a pointed tip, making it great to add definition into the crease, and Real Techniques also say that it is perfect to create a smoky eye with. Again this is an eye brush, so it has the silver handle! This is quite dense, but surprisingly very easy to blend with which is great.

I personally can see a big difference between the quality of the original brushes, and the Bold Metals brushes! The bristles feel much better quality and softer, which is always good. Plus the brushes weigh a fair bit, making them easier to use as it keeps balance towards the brush end, and again makes them seem more luxury!

Sadly, but understandably, this new line of brushes does cost quite a bit more than the original line! A lot of people didn't like the thought of a drugstore brand putting a high price on their brushes, however Sam & Nic (the two creators of the Real Techniques line) made a video talking about how the brushes are better quality and on par with high-end brushes, hence the extra cost, which seemed to ease everybody bit. You can honestly feel how much better quality they are, and they would obviously cost more to make, so I'd say that the extra money is fair!

Overall I am really impressed with these two brushes! I'd love to try the 301 Flat Contour Brush next, as everybody seems to love it, plus it is seriously beautiful. It would be great to hear your thoughts on this new line and what you think of the prices too!

Have you tried any of the new Bold Metals brushes?





My Diamond Advertiser for February is Daisy from Bluebirds & Bunting!

18 February 2015

Clarins Spring 2015 Collection - Garden Escape // REVIEW





I've been meaning to do this post for a while now as I kept forgetting that I had these products waiting to be tested out - oops! Clarins has been featured quite a lot on Hidden Beauty recently, as they've had some amazing products come out in the last couple of years. I'm back again though with a review of a few bits from the lovely new Clarins Spring 2015 collection, which has been named Garden Escape.

This collection has been based around, well, a garden! With the pink and red shades paying tribute to lovely flowers, and mossy green eyeshadows and an eye pencil similar to the shade of the greenery you find in gardens!

Clarins Joli Rouge Brilliant Perfect Shine Sheer Lipstick - Coral Dahlia (22) - £19* I've tried a few of the Joli Rouge Brilliant Perfect Shine Sheer Lipsticks (try saying that three times fast) in the past and have loved them! Coral Dahlia is definitely no exception because it has a smooth, buttery formulation which applies beautifully. It is very hydrating, although the lasting power isn't terrific for a lipstick, as I find that I need to reapply after 2-3 without eating or drinking!

The shade is a very glossy coral toned red, which has a slight shimmer! It isn't as pigmented when looking at it in the packaging, and this doesn't surprise me considering the balmy formulation, however I preferred this as very pigmented reds don't tend to suit me that well.

Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector - Rose (01), My Pink (03), Red (05) - £19* Clarins have made the "Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector" for a few years now, and I believe that they were quite popular, which meant that I was excited to try the lip balm version! If you've read my blog for a while you will know how big of a fan I am of buttery or balmy formula, and since I get dry lips this is a nice thing to have as it helps retain a level of moisture.

I was sent three shades from the line, and all have the same level of glossiness, without being sticky at all! The formula actually reminds me of a Balmi, so they melt really well onto the lips and apply nicely. Surprisingly for a very hydrating lip balm, they are quite pigmented too! They all have a fairly similar lasting power, which is around 2 hours! I personally don't mind topping up something like this as they are really easy to apply, and I don't even need to use a mirror.

The first shade in the line is Rose (01), a dusky pink shade! Then there is My Pink (03) which is a very pale pink shade when swatched, however when I apply it to my lips it does come up a bit darker. I vaguely remember somebody saying that My Pink is one of those lip colours that adapts its shade to your lips (think a lip product version of the Molecule 01 perfume), so let me know if you know anything about that! The final shade that I was sent was Red (05), a pink toned red!

I would personally love to try more of the Instant Light Lip Balm Perfectors, as these are the only shades I've tried and I love all three! If you've tried any let me know your favourite shades, since I may have to add them to my wishlist.

What do you think of this collection?





My Diamond Advertiser for February is Daisy from Bluebirds & Bunting!

14 February 2015

Monthly Advertisers - February

I'm back with another Monthly Advertisers post, this time for February! It's so strange to think that we are already half way through February - this year is already going really quickly. 

Diamond Advertiser

Blog | Bloglovin' | Twitter


Hi! My name is Daisy, I’m a 21 year old Sussex blogger and I write over at Bluebirds & Bunting. I’m studying to be a Tailor by day and Bluebirds & Bunting is a place for me to share my passion for everything beauty, fashion and lifestyle related. I’ve had a few months off regular blogging recently and I can’t wait to jump back in as I have really missed it! I have a lot of exciting posts lined up over the next month so would love it if you popped over and said hello.

Sapphire Advertiser


Hi everyone, my name’s Megan and I run www.meguana.co.uk! I’m a 17 year old girl, from near Bath, and I started my blog a few months ago just to post things that I want to be able to look back on in a few years time, but it seems that people like to follow my adventures along the way! I like to talk about products that I’ve been using, books I’ve been reading, what I’ve been wearing – all sorts. I’ve also done a lot of post about things that have been important to me, such as donating my hair to the Little Princess Trust. I hope you enjoy reading and finding out a little more about me. I’d love for you to leave some comments so I could find out about you too!

Make sure that you have a read of both Daisy and Megan's blogs, as they are both good reads! If you'd like any info about the advertising I offer here on Hidden Beauty, then have a look here






My Diamond Advertiser for February is Daisy from Bluebirds & Bunting!

8 February 2015

The Oversized Jumper // FASHION



Jumper - Next | Jeans - American Eagle| Boots - New Look | Satchel - ASOS | Rings - H Samuel & Past Times

Before I start with the outfit side of things I thought I'd say that today is my 2nd blog birthday - eep! It's so strange to think that I started Hidden Beauty two whole years ago, it has all gone so quickly. Thank you to everybody who has followed me, commented on post, and all those nice things, in that time! I hope that the next few years of blogging continue to be just as great.

Now for the outfit side of things! I said at the start of the year that I really wanted to start focus a little more on outfit posts (I've done a couple in the past but they have quite frankly been awful), so today is the first one of 2015. I've been wearing this outfit a lot over the winter, as it is super warm and comfy!

I decided to buy the jumper after spotting it on Victoria's blog, back in December I believe, and I don't regret it at all! It is a nice and thick material, with a warm cowl neck - which is perfect considering how cold it has been lately. The jumper is fairly oversized, as it is in a size 6 (my regular size), and still has plenty of room to spare! It would have been nice to have it possibly a little more fitted but I can see that it was intended to be the way it is.

As for the jeans, they are my favourite! I got them a little while ago, and featured them in a haul here, and they are just perfect jeans for me. They are quite short in length, which is great as I am only 5ft tall, and just fit nicely! I will have to try and buy some more American Eagle jeans, since I'm so impressed with these, but their only UK stores are in/around London (I live a few hours away) and delivery is a ridiculous amount, because they are shipped from the US.

What has been your go-to outfit this winter?





My Diamond Advertiser for February is Daisy from Bluebirds & Bunting!

4 February 2015

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick - Corail Intuitive (15) // REVIEW






A few months ago I finally bought a YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick! I had been wondering whether to get one for absolutely ages, because just look at them - they are so pretty. At the time their regular price was £25 (it seems to have increased to £26 now), but I actually only paid £15 because Feel Unique had a "£10 off a £25 spend" offer going on, which I obviously had to take advantage of!

I spent ages wading through all of the shades that I could buy, and as I am a lover of neural lipsticks shades, I knew I would want a shade within my comfort zone for the amount of money I would be spending! I ended up choosing the shade Corail Intuitive, which is a glossy pink toned coral. It does have a subtle shimmer which seems to enhance my lips slightly, although it is by no means glittery!

The formulation is absolutely beautiful, since it's really buttery and moisturising, whilst still being nice and pigmented! The finish is quite sheer, although I believe that most shades in the range are. It glides onto the lips nicely, and the end result is stunning! I know that a lot of people adore the formulation too, so it's not just me. I get around three hours wear out of this, which may not be the best ever, but I think that it is still pretty good!

I really can't recommend these lipsticks enough! I'll definitely be getting some more in the future, as they are one of the best lipsticks that I own. They may be fairly pricey, but for the money you are getting a seriously good lipstick, and I mean the stunning packaging must be worth it alone (just keep telling yourself that)!

Have you ever tried a YSL lipstick?





My Diamond Advertiser for February is Daisy from Bluebirds & Bunting!

1 February 2015

Debenhams Valentine's Day Flowers





I was contacted by the people at Debenhams Flowers a short while ago to ask if I would like to feature a bouquet of flowers from their Debenhams, and of course I had to say yes! Whilst flowers are a little deviated from my regular beauty topic, if there is anything that I take the most photos of, apart from my blog photos, it has to be flowers. This meant that I thought that it would be nice to combine the two in a post today!

The flowers that I chose were the Designer Goddess* bouquet, which are from their Valentines flowers range! Designer Goddess has a mixture of red and pale pink roses, white freesias and a few other bits, so it really is a lovely bouquet of flowers. They quickly arrived at my front door in a huge box, filled with bubble wrap and a little tub of oasis (that green hard foam saturated in water which florists use), meaning that the flowers were kept completely protected and hydrated. They were also wrapped in pretty white wrapping and ribbon, which made them look extra special!

With Valentine's Day now only being 13 days away, any of the flowers from the Valentine's Day collection would make a lovely gift for somebody, as you can't really go wrong with flowers! Even if you are just on the look out for some to treat yourself or somebody else for something non-Valentines related, then I would definitely consider Debenhams Flowers!

I've kindly been given a discount code to give to you all to use on the site, so if you would like to save 25% off at Debenhams Flowers then use the discount code "DFBLOG25"!

What do you think of the Designer Goddess bouquet?





My Diamond Advertiser for February is Daisy from Bluebirds & Bunting!