Sunday 3 November 2013

NOTD: Fireworks


As it is nearly fireworks night, I thought I would be a bit 'creative' and put together a nail of the day that kind of resembles the sky on the 5th of November. Basically it's just a dark plum with a tonne of glitter as a topcoat! 




Kathleen x 



Wednesday 23 October 2013

Origins Make a Difference +


After being on the hunt for the perfect moisturiser, I think I may have found it. Origins is very well known for its amazing selection of moisturisers for an array of skin types, so I felt it was a rather good place to start the moisturiser search. After hearing many a rave from various beauty bloggers about the "Make a Difference" range, I was curious to try it out. 

I decided to go for the "Make a Difference + Rejuvenating Moisturiser", I thought the consistency was light enough to use during the day without my makeup sliding off my face but it still nourishing enough to avoid those pesky dry patches. I've been using this moisturiser for about a month now and I am absolutely in love with it. It has honestly completely changed my skin from being dry, red and irritated to being soft, moisturised and my skin tone has definitely evened out. It's not cheap but personally, I feel that part of my skin care routine that I want to invest in is a moisturiser and I definitely want to try more from the range. It has definitely earned holy grail status in the world of Beautiful Notions.


Kathleen x

Sunday 20 October 2013

MAC Fall - RiRi Woo Lipstick


This has probably been the most hyped MAC collection for a very long time. Rihanna, being the massive icon that she is, has brought out her own MAC collection for Fall and it is absolutely stunning. The collection consists of some gorgeous eye pallets, a beautiful cream colour base, brushes, eyeliners and of course lipsticks and the list continues! But the most delectable aspect for me is the rose gold packaging, being a sucker for the rather shiny packaging myself. I decided to pick up the lipstick in RiRi Woo - the star of the show in my opinion.



A lovely matte, blue-toned red, obviously very similar to Ruby Woo by MAC, that is super easy to apply and stays ALL DAY. I absolutely love this new MAC collection and it is rare that I get so excited about their collections. Seriously well done to Rihanna for bringing out a fabulous collection - all of the products are Diamonds!


Kathleen x

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm


I know, I've seriously jumped on the bandwagon with this one. Every blogger in the beauty universe has been blabbing about this pot of magic for the past year and I decided to give it a whirl. My skin is most definitely dry and I really struggle to find a cleanser that doesn't leave me with a tight feeling across my face. Even the infamous Liz Earl Cleanse and Polish doesn't do it for me, so I decided to delve into the world of balms. 



This is a very luxurious product, by taking a pea size amount and massaging it all over my face and neck, I am left with velvety soft and nourished skin. It breaks down makeup like a dream and the moringa content is an excellent source of vitamins, collagen and anti-oxidants. The balm has a relaxing herbal sent which is great for the evening and by double cleansing the results are really lovely. This is an excellent cleanser for all skin types but I would say in particular, for dry and sensitive skin to leave it nourished and moisturised. The hype is real. 


Kathleen x

Monday 30 September 2013

Bourjois Colour Boost Gloss Finish Lipstick


These have been sitting in my makeup bag for quite some time now and I just haven't had the time to write about them - ridiculous really, they are all I have been wearing this past month! The Bourjois Colour Boosts have been causing quite a stir in the beauty-sphere. They are pretty late to the party as lip crayons go - Revlon, Soap and Glory etc have certainly "been there and done that" - but they have still seemed to go right to the top of all our shopping lists. Why? 


03 Orange Punch 


02 Fuchsia Libre

Firstly, the colour range is excellent. A hot pink, an orange, a sheer red and a peachy pink - all perfectly wearable colours for during the day and super easy to whack on at night. The packaging is decent, in my opinion it’s difficult to go wrong with a lip crayon … they all kinda look the same! But it’s really the formulation that has got us all running to Boots. Moisturising, pretty long lasting for a sheer lip colour, buildable and an SPF of 15! Can they do no wrong? They do promise 10 hour wear and to be honest, I’m not sure if I can hold them to that but these truly are a lovely punt at the lip crayon.

Clinique – kudos for starting the revolution.  


Kathleen x

Monday 16 September 2013

Apivita Express Beauty Masks

Before I begin raving about these masks, I would just like to apologise for the serious lack of posts on Beautiful Notions of late. I have just started Uni and things have been a bit crazy and I have just not had time to sit down and write let alone film! Hopefully, I'll be back on track soon and I may do a video on my Uni experience so far - if you would like to see it? Now on to these little sachets of wonderfulness!


I had heard of Apivita but I knew very little about it apart from the fact it was a Greek skincare brand that was rather well known for its face masks. Whilst wondering through Marks and Spencer, contemplating my lunch purchase (the sushi always wins!), I stumbled across their fairly new beauty section. With brands such as Nuxe, Jurlique and Leighton Denny, I was pretty impressed with this Space NK/French Pharmacy hybrid but it was the Apivita counter that stole the show. 

I picked up - rather feverishly - two of their masks: Express Beauty with Grape and Express Beauty with Aloe and they are both rather lovely.

First, Express Beauty with Grape. Containing Vitamins A and E, it claims that it firms the skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles whilst revitalising the skin. Being under 20, I am possibly not the best guinea pig for this mask but it did make my skin feel amazing after one use. My skin felt brighter and slightly firmer without feeling at all tight. I do think it would be a great mask for older skin or for an instant facelift fix!

Now on to Express Beauty with Aloe. My personal favourite of the two but this could be purely to do with the fact that it much more suited to my skin type. Dry. So, so dry! As soon as I applied this onto my skin, it instantly felt soothing due to the aloe and with the addition of rose water to maintain moisture, this mask really delivered! I used this as an overnight mask and my skin felt so soft and nourished in the morning but you could just use it for roughly ten minutes. 

Both these masks are really excellent and I would highly recommend that you give them a go. They are great for travelling due to the sachet size or if you just want to try them out before purchasing the full size ... which I will be doing very soon!

Check Apivita out here!

Kathleen x

Tuesday 27 August 2013

Topshop and Boots Haul

I am sure that some of you will be able to sympathise with the gravitational pull of Topshop, so I hope you all understand that this is an "accidental" haul. I found myself amongst the shelves of pointed flats and rails of pleather trousers and suddenly the overused debit card was out ... 



Kathleen x

Friday 23 August 2013

About Me TAG!

I had been requested to do an "About Me TAG" video and I thought it would be nice for you all to get to know me a bit better. I think all I have talked about in my videos so far is neon nail polish and Parisian pharmacies! So grab a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit and lets have a chat. 


Kathleen x

Monday 19 August 2013

NOTD: Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Rouge Noir



After having a bit of a rant in my Top 5 Summer Nail Polishes video about the poor quality of Chanel nail polishes, I feel rather sheepish while I type away at this post with my deep red - you could say Red Black ;) - nails. In my defence, it was raining and after watching Love Actually in my Snowman onesie, I felt worryingly festive. The mint greens and pale pinks just weren't doing it for me polish wise and so I grabbed the first maroon-y colour I could find ... just so happened that it was the infamous Chanel Rouge Noir. Oops. 

Two coats later and I was pretty impressed with the application. Quick to dry and super glossy, this can't be the Chanel nail polish I know. Can it? A top coat was whipped on - Sally Hansen Double Duty FYI - and I went on with my day with an uneasy feeling but damn, my nails looked good! 

A couple of days in and there is not a chip to be seen. Although I am still pretty dubious about Chanel's Nail Polish line, I do think I maybe was originally a bit harsh on the old Classic that is Rouge Noir. Yes they are atrociously expensive but a little bit of Chanel in my life can't be a bad thing! 


Kathleen x

Friday 16 August 2013

Empty Products # 1

As I write this post I am feeling rather productive, I have just thrown out an unhealthy amount of empty products that were cluttering my room. Surely this means I can justify some naughty purchases in the future ... Watch my latest video on my thoughts on them.



Kathleen x

Wednesday 7 August 2013

Holiday Packing: Makeup and Skincare

The panic that comes over us when we contemplate packing for our well deserved holiday is truly terrifying - 'Do I have enough SPF', 'Why did I use up ALL of my new BB cream?! I will never shop at Dior again.' and 'Where is my razor?'. Here is my, slightly calmer, packing video. Made in the hope that it might help you pack - either that or it will be a terrible distraction from the hair remover search. Sorry ... 


Kathleen x

Top 5 Summer Nail Polishes

Anyone struggling to decide what colour their nails should be this next paint job? I've got you covered with my Top 5 Summer Nail Polishes! Click below and dive into a world of beautiful mints and hot, hot pinks ... 


Kathleen x

Friday 19 July 2013

What Is In My Bag?

Hey everyone! I've just posted a "What's in my bag" video on Youtube. Watch to find out the excessive number of lip products I can carry around with me ...


Kathleen x


Monday 15 July 2013

The Tanning Trilogy


When the sun decides to come out in the UK, us gals are filled with dread at the pastiness of our legs, the blue tinge on our arms and almost transparency of our face.  But ladies, it's time to get our limbs out and embrace the summer! Here are three of my favourite tanning products for beautifully bronzed skin.

Palmers Natural Bronze Body Lotion - My all time hero when it comes to gradual tan. Goes on with ease and smells divine (not a biscuit-y smell in sight!). This product is a rather quick fix as gradual tanners go, one layer of this before bed and you wake up with a two-weeks-in-the-Seychelles look about you! About £5 from Feelunique 

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanner for Face - This product adds a subtle glow to the complexion which is ideal for those days wen we don't want/can't be bothered/forgot to wear makeup. Don't expect a dramatic change with just one use but it does build up to a beautiful bronzed - makeup? What makeup? look. Everybody and their goldfish will be jealous! £18 from Boots

St Tropez Instant Glow Body Lotion - Now for those spontaneous nights out (of which I have many ...) there is a need for a slap on fake tan. As appealing as it sounds, this sun-in-a-bottle product is a God send. Easy to apply WITH A TANNING GLOVE - lets not join the Orange Hands Brigade if we can help it! - and gives a lovely golden look to the skin which can be washed off in the morning. Shame we can't say the same for that unusual headache that crops up around the same time ... Around £10 from Feelunique 

Hope this post helps you on your way to the Bronzed Goddess look this Summer!

Kathleen x

Wednesday 10 July 2013

French Pharmacy and Sephora Haul

Yeah, so I did a bit of shopping in Paris ... Watch this video to find out what I bought!




Kathleen x

Tuesday 18 June 2013

My MAC Palette

I thought for todays post I would show you guys my MAC palette, I've been collecting them for about two years and I absolutely love all of them. Most of them are fairly neutral which means that I use them A LOT! They are also so pretty to look at ... 


l-r vapour, naked lunch, quarry, satin taupe, star violet
brule, all that glitters, sable, fig.1, beauty marked
wood winked, expensive pink, sushi flower, shadowy lady, carbon


Kathleen x

Friday 14 June 2013

Statement Necklaces


For me, I like to keep my summer outfits really simple but a statement necklace can really bring an outfit together. Here are some of my favourites for this season. 


Silver and gold collars from Forever 21, £3.80 each



Turquoise necklace from Forever 21, £12.85
Gold triangle necklace from Topshop, £10



Gem necklace from Accessorize, £n/a

Kathleen x

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Banishing the Blemishes


We all have those days. Wake up, look in the mirror and begin to devise a concealer routine for the rest of the day to hide those pesky blemishes that have appeared during the night for ABSOLUTELY. NO. REASON. Skincare wise, I like to keep it fairly simple when in a blemish battle and the following products are my knights in shining armour. 

Firstly, we have the Garnier Pure Active Intensive Anti-Spot Exfoliating Scrub - yes, I know, the name is ridiculous. Although chemical exfoliants have become the "it" product recently, it is sometimes rather nice to give the face a good ol' scrub and this product certainly delivers. It contains small beads which provides just the right about of scrub without being too abrasive, whilst the 2% Salicylic Acid content keeps the black heads at bay. 


Skincare wise, REN really hits it out of the ball park for me and this clay mask is no exception. The Invisible Pore Detox Mask is incredible for getting out all the grime for the skin and leaving it feeling super smooth and clean. To finish up, I like to dap a little tea tree cream on any particularly stubborn blemishes and this helps the redness and inflammation. I seriously love it and it's super inexpensive! 

Kathleen x

Tuesday 4 June 2013

May Favourites

I thought I would start off this weeks blogging activities with my May Favourites. I've spent the majority of May studying for exams so most of these products are for covering up greasy hair, dry skin and stress break outs ... Am I painting an attractive image of myself here? Nope? Thought as much. 


Hair Favourites


Redken Hair Cleansing Cream - So after several days of denial in a top knot, I would finally admit that my hair was no longer sanitary and for safety reasons I would be forced to wash it. There was only one man (shampoo for arguments sake) for the job and this miracle comes in the form of the Redken Hair Cleansing Cream. Two washes produced squeaky clean hair that felt light and grease free. Redken says that it 'Clarifies and works to remove copper, iron, hard water minerals and styling product build-up on all hair types. Formulated with fruit acids to add shine, purify and refresh hair'. My hair was immediately put back in top knot of course. It's a studying ritual, ya'know. 

Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume - Literally does what it says on the bottle. Gets rid of the grease - are you starting to see the pattern? - and seriously puts a little somethin' somethin' in my hair. If you like your dry shampoo to leave your hair feeling light, then this isn't for you but for a serious dose of texture and volume this baby means business. 

Skin Care Favourites


Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning for Face - This stuff is flipping amazing. It takes a couple of applications for a bronzed goddess look to materialise but apart from that it truly is faultless. Melts into the skin instantly, no funky biscuit smell and lasts for ages. It's not cheap but my God is it worth it. More raving will be coming soon in my tanning post. *UPDATE* The orange finger tan lines are receding very slowly. Will be brave enough to leave the house soon. 

Botanics Soothing Eye Makeup Remover - It's cheap and it seriously works. I wear waterproof mascara everyday due to my infuriating straight lashes and this 'oil phase' sensation dissolves mascara with a swipe of a cotton pad. No stingy eyes and due to its oily nature, super quick and easy. 

Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum - My skin has been hit with dry and flakey patches and it looks as horrendous as it sounds. Trust me. The only product that has been keeping this flakey period at bay is this serum. Light and fresh but absolutely packed with moisture. Its a good un'. 

Palmers Natural Bronze Body Lotion - Okay, this ISN'T a gradual tanner. End of. One application and after a couple of hours golden and silky smooth legs are present. It's pretty amazing but be warned, it's speedy stuff. 

Makeup Favourites


NARS Laguna Bronzer - Unless you have been living under a rock for ... EVER, then I'm sure you'll have heard of this product because it's, umm, pretty darn famous. Everyone and their goldfish seems to use it and I am no exception. Amazing for pale skinned gals like moi and just adds a subtle glow to the face. LOVE IT. 

MAC Lipstick in Speed Dial - The perfect summer pink. Creamy and is ideal for a sheer slick of colour or a bright statement lip. Bit melted now though, took ages to get the perfect grass shot and for some unknown reason, the sun is shining in Scotland. We're all pretty shaken up. 

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in Bronze - Apart from the fact that I don't understand the name - what is a Kajal?! - it's a lovely product. Super blend-able and stays on ALL day. Perfect for the summer months and super easy to achieve a bronze-y, brown-y, smoky eye. Ya get me? 

Chanel Les Bieges - Perfection in a compact. Light, delicious and radiant. I say no more. 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - Again, an infamous product. Cheap as chips and lasts really well on the skin. I seriously can't imagine using anything else but the packaging is truly crap. Excuse my french. 

Essie's Meet Me at Sunset - The epitome of summer. A true orange-red, reminiscent of Chanel's Holiday without the over-priced and horrendous chipping formula. Me likey. 


Sorry that this was a bit of an epic but I just couldn't miss any of these out! Well done if you have reached this far.

Kathleen x


Monday 3 June 2013

Welcome to Beautiful Notions

Hello fellow beauty addicts, welcome to our first meeting! My name is Kathleen and I gravitate towards Space NK subconsciously. This blog will be a place for me to share my beauty experiences, the good and the very, very bad - I am currently sporting the ever so classy fake tan between the fingers look - and for us all to create a beauty community to share these mortifying occasions and exciting product revelations. Poet didn't know it! I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I enjoy writing it and I promise never to pretend that I am at all experienced in the beauty world. I am just a ditzy Scottish, blonde girl who wears sunglasses indoors because they are Chanel - don't lie you would do it too - and is completely and utterly obsessed with all things beautiful. 

Kathleen x