The UK Beauty Haul

So it's been a little bit since my last "real" post, and I gotta say it was a nice mini break. I did miss blogging but I gotta say that this mini hiatus was a good break that allowed me to just have me time. You may notice that I'm posting on a Wednesday, even though my regular schedule is set for Tuesday & Thursday. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I'm posting every day in June all the way through my birthday (on the 26th)! I'll be hosting a mini giveaway so keep your eyes peeled for that, and I guess enjoy the ride! If you have any post ideas or things you want to see/read, feel free to let me know in the comments below! 

Onto the post! 

If you haven't been around lately, I traveled to the UK (London & Edinburgh) for a little over a week mid-month. It was a short trip and one that flew by a lot faster than anticipated. I had originally made a mini list for items to buy but in the end I found that the prices were just a tad higher than what I'd like to pay, and I could get them here in the U.S. for just a bit more. I ended up caving while there in Boots & Superdrug - the 3 for 2 and BOGO deals were too tempting for me to resist. My mini roundup is relatively short and sweet, but I'm quite pleased with the items I picked up!

Of course I was tempted to pick up some Zoella Beauty Products. I was finally able to smell them and see them in person and they smelled divine! I first started watching Zoe a good 4-5 years ago and it's amazing to see where she's come with this - and I thought I'd support her and pick up some of her products. Upon returning home I found out that some products will be selling here in the U.S. at American Eagle & Tilly's - so hopefully I'll be able to pick up the body wash / body scrub eventually! I picked up the Fizz Bar and the Wonder Hand Lotion ( + an extra lotion for my best friend {hope she isn't reading this before I give it to her} ). I don't have a functioning tub but I know I love to soak my feet when I travel so I'll be breaking off a piece and placing it in a ziplock bag when I do. The lotion is in a luxe tube and smells light and floral - without being too overwhelming. Definitely excited to eventually try other pieces in her line! 

I picked up the La Roche Posay Rich Hydrating Lotion for my boyfriend as he really liked it when he picked it up during our last Europe trip. Unfortunately they don't carry this specific one in the U.S. so of course, my mission on this particular trip was to pick up a few backups for him.

On the nails I finally got a chance to pick up some Barry M Nail Polishes. These are relatively cheap but should be great quality - so I'm excited to see how these compare to Essie, OPI, and Nails Inc. I picked up two in the shade Almond & Orange Fizz. You know I love a good neutral and my current two are Essie Sand Tropez and Nails Inc. Porchester Square. So hopefully Almond fits right in. I'm trying to be brighter with my nails and thought Orange Fizz would be a lovely pop of orange-red! I got gel nails done before the trip so unfortunately I haven't gotten to give these a try yet, but I'll keep you all posted!

Soap & Glory is a brand I've quickly become a fan of - I've been using their skincare products for a while now and have gone through a good few tubs. (You'll soon see in an upcoming empties post as well.) I wanted to get my hands on the Brow Archery pencil but, of course, brunette was sold out. I did pick up two compacts - One Heck of a Blot and Solar Powder. These are both so finely milled and I haven't used them much yet, but I know I'll be getting a lot out of them. Especially with Summer now here (hello 90F days..every single day.)

Last up is Bourjois Paris. We do have a few pieces here sold at the drugstore but we don't have the Rouge Edition Velvet Lippies or the Foundations. For the lips I picked up 07 Nude-ist and 14. These do feel great on the lips although I must say your lips must be in tip top shape to wear them as they do apply a bit unevenly and patchy. They can wear for a few hours so once you've got them on, you're good. I'd recommend wearing a lipliner under to help these last a smidge longer. Saving the best for last - I picked up the Healthy Mix Serum which is a gel foundation that boasts a 16 hour wear with a radiance-boosting, even, and revived complexion. Oh my goodness - I may have found my favorite new foundation. I borderline want to return the other foundations I've picked up in the last 2 months as they do not even compare to this one. It's a perfect color match for me and is so lightweight on the skin - which is particularly great for the warm weather which I am finding myself in now. 

Overall I was just super impressed with the drugstores in the UK. They had all the products available for sampling which means all the products you were buying were new, pristine, and most importantly - unused. That can't be said for many drugstore products here in the U.S. so if we change anything here it should be that. 

I feel like I've been out of the loop for a while, so fill me in on anything that's been going around here!