Holiday haulin'

After a bit of a break from blogging for the holidays I'm back with lots of new beauty purchases to share with you all! Some of this lovely lot were gifts for Christmas and some were bought out of Christmas money/student loan (oops!). So anyway, here are the new additions to my beauty collection..

I've arranged this is sections so it's easier to follow!

Eyes

1.Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette - My absolute favourite new addition, regarded as the only palette you'll ever need with 20 beautiful colours. Watch out for a blog post dedicated just to this in the near future!

2. Rimmel London Scandaleyes Gel Eyeliner - Love this product! It comes with its own little brush which is handy and has an intense black colour which I love for eyeliners.

3. Benefit They're Real Mascara - There's a lot of hype around this mascara and although I do like it I wont be running out to buy it again as it's pricey and I don't think it gives results which are much better than other mascaras I've used. I do like it but not a new favourite I'm afraid!

Face Base

1. Garnier BB Cream in Light - This is a great, moisturising BB cream with a light but lasting coverage. Great for lighter makeup days 

2. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Punjab - This was another splash out and again a product with lots of hype but I have to say I love this foundation! It gives good coverage with a lovely finish.

3. MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NW15 - This is my staple nicer foundation for evenings out or occasions and it recently run out so this is the replacement! It remains a good solid favourite of mine.

4. Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer in Classic Beige- Another staple which run out and needed replacing instantly! Conceals well and brightens up dark circles for a fresher looking face.

Nails

1. Illamasqua Speckle Nail Varnish - This was bought in the sale at about a third of the usual price and although I love the colour and pattern I wouldn't buy it at full price; it chipped fairly quickly and needed 3 coats to provide a good colour but it's easy to wear with lots of different outfits. 

Lips

1. MAC lipstick in Twig - This is a real new favourite of mine, it goes with almost any makeup look and can be worn in the day time or at night. It feels moisturising on the lips and provides a strong lasting colour. Watch out for this one in lots of makeup looks in the future!

2. Bourjois Rouge Edition lipstick in Rose Millésime - I already have one lipstick from this range and was very impressed with it so I decided I needed another! This colour is a lovely coraly rose that I can see being a favourite moving into spring.

3. NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien - This is another beautiful versitile lip shade that I can see being used a lot! And the product definitely lives up to its reputation in quality and colour and I can wait to use it with loads of different looks.

So there you have it, my holiday haul full of products I can't wait to use. Have you used any of these products? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments below.

Take care ♥

Eyelash trials

As I've mentioned before I'm a big fan of fake eyelashes. They really finish off any look and if your eyelashes are a bit rubbish like mine you'll appreciate any help you can get! So I tried out 4 different types of eyelashes to try and find a new favourite and here is the outcome...

1. Eyelure Volume No. 107

These lashes give quite a dramatic look and are perfect for a night out. They are quite bold so if you are feeling brave these are the ones for you! They give your lashes length, curl and and perfect outer corner flick.

2. Eyelure Texture No. 154

These lashes give a great effect without so much drama. They add (as the name suggests) texture to your natural lashes making them appear thicker and longer. These don't have such a flick and are a little more wearable.

3. Tanya Burr Everyday Flutter Corner Lashes

The first time I tried these lashes I was really pleased with the result. They give a much more natural look while still enhancing your natural lashes and adding a lovely outer corner flick to finish off your look. They were also super easy to apply and blended in with my natural lashes well.

4. Eyelure Pro-Lash Individuals

Individuals are great at appearing natural whilst also being impressive! They take a littler bit of practice and a bit longer to apply but once you have the knack they are a great way of being able to customise your lashes and fill in any areas that need extra help!

All in all I think all lashes look great but my new favourites have to be Tanya Burr's Everyday Flutter!

What are your favourite lashes? Do you change your look for different occasions? Let me know in the comments below.

Take care ♥

Skincare top tips

After my skincare routine post, I thought I should share my top tips of skincare and how to stick to a routine to share some of the rules that I try to stick to so here they are...

1. If nothing else, always moisturise. If you don't want a big skin care routine then just moisturise every night, I find this is the step that makes the biggest difference for me and also creates the nicest base for applying make up. This is especially important in the upcoming winter months.

2. Always remove your make up. This is an old chestnut but is great advice, leaving your make up on will clog up your pores and cause all sorts of problems so just take it off!

3. Stick at your routine for best results. It can be boring but just stick at it. One week wont make the world of difference but 3/4 weeks down the line you will be thanking yourself for sticking at it.

4. You will still get spots, don't give up. Even if you look after your skin really well you will still most likely get some spots. What you will probably find however, is that they disappear quicker and leave less of a mark which is always a bonus!

5. Have a lazy option. There will always be a night that you just want to get into bed and not do anything else so my advice is to always have a lazy option, this is mine...

Simple Purifying Cleansing Lotion cleanses and moisturises in one so I can just dollop this on my face and go to sleep! It doesn't work as well as the whole routine but is ok to do every now and then!

What are your top tips for skincare? Let me know in the comments :)

Take care ♥

My skincare routine

Today I'm sharing with you all my skincare essentials which I feel have worked best for me! The products that I've been using recently are...

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - this is amazing at removing make up it just melts it off without needing to rub or drag your skin and leaves your skin feeling properly clean.

Benefit Foamingly Clean Facial Wash - I use a facial wash every evening and this is by far the best I have used. It leaves your skin feeling so soft and clean and I would definitely recommend it. It is however on the more pricey side so I switch between this one and the next product just to save a bit of money.

Simple Moisturising Facial Wash - this is a really nice gentle facial wash which also foams and cleanses the skin. It definitely does it's job and is great for more sensitive skin.

Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub - I sometimes find some exfoliating products a bit harsh on my skin so this one was an ideal choice for me. It smooths the skin without the feeling of damaging or breaking that I sometimes get with other products. I exfoliate my whole face once a week apart from the oily areas which I do twice a week. I tend to do my whole face around midweek and the oily areas again at the end of the week, this just helps me to remember to do it!

Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser - This is just a great daily moisturiser which isn't heavy on the skin but leaves your skin feeling refreshed.

Young Skin Matt Finish Moisturiser - I picked up this moisturiser from ASDA and it was super cheap just because I was intrigued by the matt finish. Also no matter what the adverts tell you, all moisturisers work. As long as you are applying a moisturiser your skin will stay supple, the only reason to buy a more expensive product is because of personal preference for example smell or finish so personally I always opt for the cheap ones!

The reason I use a lot of Simple products is because I used to suffer with quite sensitive skin which I am only now growing out of. Also, they are great products which don't break the bank and I would recommend trying them if you haven't already.

And that's all folks, the ins and outs of my skincare routine. I hope this has been useful for some of you. Do you use any of these products or have better alternatives to share with me? Let me know in the comments below!

Take care ♥

October favourties

So October is over! It's getting colder and darker by the day so we've got to have a few favourites and treats to look forward to, on that note here are my October favourites...

Firstly, Galaxy Hot Chocolate. This one is pretty self explanatory, it's getting colder and this hot chocolate is a delicious treat for a cosy night in. The frothy top is also a nice touch and this one seems to dissolve better than any other hot chocolate I've had which is a bonus too.

Another must for this time of year particularly is a great candle. This Yankee Candle in Black Plum Blossom smells absolutely gorgeous, I spent ages in the Yankee shop trying to choose and I just couldn't stop smelling this one so it had to be the one! The scent also lasts in the room leaving your house smelling lush even after blowing out the candle.

Moving more towards beauty products I finally bought the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush recently and it was such a good purchase; it's just the perfect shape for applying and buffing in foundation to leave a flawless finish. I'm a big fan of this one!

I've also been wanting to purchase Tanya Burr Nail Varnish in Little Duck for a while now and finally picked it up the other week and I was not disappointed. This is purely personal choice but the colour is gorgeous and very close to my absolute favourite colour of all time. It doesn't last particularly well but I fell in love with the colour so having to reapply more often isn't an issue for me. Also I love the name but that is totally irrelevant!

If you had a look at my Lip balm showdown blog post you would have seen that I'm a big fan of this EOS lip balm in Strawberry Sorbet. It just does everything that you would want from a lip balm! I wont repeat everything I've already said in case you read it but for more details check out my last blog post. 

Finally a bit of cute organisation! I was looking for a little tray or something to keep my bobby pins in so I don't keep losing them and when I came across this Teapot Tea Bag Rest in ASDA I thought it would be perfect and at only £1 you really can't go wrong. After picking up the little teapot I saw the Pink Tea Cup and Saucer for only £2.50 and thought it would be a perfect addition to hold cotton buds and cotton pads. This was also super cheap and much cheaper than it would have been buying something that was actually made for organisation, so I think this one was a bit of a winner!

What are your October favourties? Do you have any of these items and are you loving them as much as I am? Let me know in the comments.

Take care ♥

Lip balm showdown!

I can't seem to stop buying lip balms. If I see a new one or a brand I haven't tried, 9 times out of 10 I will pick it up in the hopes that it solves all of my dry lipped problems. So today I'm having a showdown of the 4 I have been using recently and give you my honest opinions and a rating out of 5 to hopefully help inform your future choices!

1. Nivea pure & natural Milk & Honey
 The reason I picked up this lip balm is so I can keep it in my pocket while I'm at work. I didn't have high expectations for this one but I've been pleasantly surprised! It leaves your lips feeling hydrated with a nice smooth finish for a relatively long time meaning you don't have to keep reapplying and it just does it's job really! on the downside it doesn't particularly have a scent but it definitely does its job.
Rating: 4/5

2. EOS lip balm in Strawberry Sorbet
  I've been wanting to try this lip balm for quite some time after hearing nothing but good things about it but it's relatively hard to get hold of in the UK. So when I saw it in Urban Outfitters I had to pick it up despite the price tag (£6 does seem a bit excessive). But thankfully it hasn't let me down! This one is in the flavour strawberry sorbet and I love anything with a strawberry scent so that's already a winner, it also leaves your lips feeling hydrated but not greasy or waxy and the packaging is also really sweet. All in all I'm very impressed.
Rating: 5/5

3. Vaseline original
  Now I've been a Vaseline fan for years but I'm now blaming that on the fact that my lips have become dependent on constant application. If I stay somewhere overnight and forget my Vaseline my lips become very dry and uncomfortable. Vaseline is great for instant relief of dry lips but is not great at actually moisturising them meaning that you need to reapply regularly. It is effective as a barrier from wind and cold weather that could dry out your lips but not at actually moisturising them.
Rating: 2/5

4. Carmex Cherry 
  The reason I bought a Carmex lip balm is because I know how popular they are, I know loads of people that swear by it and wont use anything else. I, on the other hand, hate it. I really dislike the smell I find it too strong, I really don't like the gloopy finish, I can't get on with the plastic applicator and I don't like the way it makes my lips feel. Like I said, many people love it but I just cannot get on with this one. 
Rating: 0/5

And the winner is...

EOS!

Here's a little look inside, it's also rounded which is a nice touch, though not completely necessary. If you can't bring yourself to splash out on this one then the Nivea pure & natural is a close second.

I hope you enjoyed this post and it gave you some useful information. Let me know what you thought in the comments or what you think of each of these.

Take care ♥

Individuals attempt

I'm a big fan of false eyelashes and I've been wanting to try individuals for a while now so I finally took the plunge and bought some Eyelure Pro-lash Individuals! I didn't go crazy I only used 5 on each eye (3 medium length on the outside corner and 2 short length in the middle) and this is the final look:

They were much easier to put on than I thought they would be and they allow you to be a bit more creative than with strip lashes and customise your look. I was also worried about them coming off as they don't seem very strong but they stayed on and in place for the whole night. This is what they looked like when I got back in!

They do take some patience and a steady hand and it may take you a while to master it but I think they are worth a try. They don't have quite the same dramatic effect that is so easy to achieve with strip lashes but I would definitely recommend giving them a go. Next time I may try some of long length lashes for more impact.

I hope you liked this post, leave me a comment below if you have any tips or tricks for individual lashes :)

Take care ♥

Drink, dance, karaoke

Last night was my friends 21st birthday so we all went out for a drink and a dance (and a bit of karaoke...). I had so much fun and all in all it was a successful night!

For my make up I wanted to do something a bit special but not too over the top and this is the look I came up with...

I went for a brown smokey eye and tried to wing it out a bit further than normal for more impact and these impressive eyelure lashes in No. 107 finish off the big eye make up. For the lips I just used a fairly neutral coral colour from Revlon in No. 825 Lovers Coral which I thought finished off the look nicely.

 This is the full look with my hair done too, I did a simple fishtail plait with a few loose pieces of hair at the front. I like to make a fishtail plait a bit messy which is also great as you aren't worrying about it being perfect for the rest of the night!

And here's the full outfit! I love a skater skirt and this burgundy one is the perfect colour for autumn.

I hope you like this look, let me know down below in the comments what you think or if you've done a similar look in the past or any tips and tricks you have for me :)

Take care ♥

Current wish list

Today's blog is all about the things that I would love to buy if I had endless money!

1. Benefit Candy-Coated Countdown advent calender

I think this is really fun and would be so exciting to get a little beauty present every day up until Christmas. It costs £60 but the value of the products would be much higher so if you look at it like that it's a bargain! Other beauty advent calenders are available but I think this Benefit one looks really great.

2. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Love Liberty (top) and Amazing Grace (bottom)

I am in love with this whole Charlotte Tilbury range consisting of 10 beautiful matte shades which are perfect for autumn. Coming in at £23 each they aren't cheap so even on my wish list I've had to limit myself to two choices and these are my favourites. They also come in this beautiful rose gold casing and I am a sucker for packaging which has made me fall in love with them even more!

3. Eyelure Pro-Lash Individual lashes in Fine to Full

I'm a big fan of fake lashes, it may be because my natural eyelashes are pretty rubbish but I think they just complete any eye make up and really open up your eyes. As much as I love strip lashes I think the individuals look much more natural and less obviously fake. I'm yet to try these out because I feel like they'll be really difficult but one day I will brave it and see how it goes!

4. Daisy Dream by Marc Jacobs

This is the latest in the Daisy range of fragrances from Marc Jacobs. There isn't an awful lot to say about this one other than I absolutely love the scent. I tested it out in a fragrance shop and couldn't stop smelling it all day. It's a lovely fragrance that could be worn in the day or at night. 

5. GHD Curve in Classic Curls

If you're interested in this kind of thing I'm sure you'll be aware that GHD have released a range of curling tongs/wands which they have called the Curve collection. There are 4 different curling tongs/wands to create 4 different looks. Now I love the way my hair looks when it is curly but it just doesn't stay; I naturally have very flat, straight hair that is reluctant to do anything! Because of this I've been considering investing in a curling tong for a while now so I got quite excited when these were released. I've had my GHD straighteners for around 6/7 years now and they are still doing the job perfectly so I trust that the Curve collection will have the same staying power. I've decided that the Classic Curls tong is right for the look I'm aiming for but they have tutorial videos on their website explaining all of the 4 different looks for you to decide which is best for your hair.

6. Laura Ashley Lotion Dispensers

I saw these in a Boots magazine and I just think they are really pretty and would suit almost any room decor. They are also practical and will look a lot nicer that a line of half used bottles piled up on the side that I normally have! The picture isn't super clear but they have a really pretty design around the sides.

So there you have it, I expect most of these things will be going on my Christmas list and I might just treat myself to a slightly cheaper beauty advent calender in the mean time! If you enjoyed this post or have used any of these things then let me know in the comments below.

Take care ♥

September favourites

I can't believe September is already over and it's time for my September favourites but here they are...

I moved into my new house properly this month so I've rediscovered some old gems. The fake flowers at the back were a purchase from IKEA a couple of years ago and I love them because they are so simple, really brighten up a room and are much cheaper then constantly buying real flowers!

I think the strawberry doorstop in the middle is so cute and a lovely addition to any room; I can't remember where it was from but there are lots available in different shops.

 I also rediscovered the pink and black rose make up bag which I bought from boots about a year ago and is perfect for keeping all my make up nicely stored away and handy to pick up for weekends or nights away. 

Now, if you know me at all you will know that I absolutely love stationary, it's definitely a weakness of mine and when I saw this turquoise spotted notebook I had to buy it. It's from Tesco and was only a few pounds, it's lined and has a space in the top right corner of each page for the date which is a nice little addition. I justified the purchase with the fact that I have to write a dissertation soon so I obviously need somewhere to write down ideas and notes...

The tangle teezer also had to make an appearance in my favourites! It's working wonders on my hair and I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

I've zoomed in on the smaller items just so you can have a better look.

I'm really keen on hair accessories at the moment and this tartan bow and cream flowery clip are easy, pretty ways to make your hair style look a bit more special. The bow is from Asda and the clip is from Claire's Accessories.

I picked up the Garnier Micellar Clensing Water because I've wanted to try it for a while and it was on offer so it seemed the perfect opportunity! I can honestly say it works brilliantly and I feel like it removes my make up much better than using make up wipes yet it is still gentle on the skin which is great.

And last but not least the NYC eyeshadow in 906 Luxury Reborn. This is just a great colour to use for lots of different occasions. It's great in the day but can also easily be dressed up for a night time look. 

So there you have it! All of my favourite things from September :) 

If you enjoyed this post or have been loving anything similar then I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Take care ♥

Daytime occasion makeup

So today I had a family lunch time meet up thingy so I wanted my makeup to look as if I had made an effort but still be fresh and suitable for daytime. These are the products that I used:

 Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation in no. 200 Soft Beige

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer (in I think Soft Beige, the label has worn off!)

Sleek Contour Kit in Light

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in no. 001 Dark Brown

Seventeen Brow's That! Brow Kit

Barry M Blusher in Rose

Make Up Academy Eyeshadow Palette in Undress Me Too - colours used:

- All over lid: Reveal

- Crease: Tranquil

- Outer corner: Obsessed

- Inner corner: Shy

- Lash line: Corrupt

Seventeen SUPERlash! Mascara

Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara in Extreme Black

Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in no. 18 Violine Strass

And this is how my face turned out...

Some of these products such as the concealer and brow pencil are my absolute staples and will probably be used in every makeup look I do and I absolutely love this lipstick! It's just perfect for the upcoming autumn and I feel like it would also suit a lot of skin tones so I think its going to be a winner!

So that's it for this post. Let me know your thoughts in the comments and if you've used any of these products let me know how you got on with them and any tips or tricks you have :)

Take care ♥

Recent beauty buys

Hello beauties!

Over the past couple of months I've got my hands on some new beauty buys that I'm very excited about and I thought I'd share them as my first beauty blog post which is also very exciting! So here we go, here's my mini haul:

 So I'm going to write a little bit about each item and explain why I so desperately needed it in my life! For ease of explanation I've laid all my items out and labeled them, I hope you can see them all okay:

1. Sleep-in rollers

These seemed like a genius idea and something that I needed in my life immediately! They are like regular rollers but instead of being plastic and painful to lie on, they are foam cylinders meaning you can have a restful nights sleep while they work their magic! This set came with 20 rollers, a little pouch with bobby pins and this adorable carry case. They were also half price on amazon so I snapped them up to save some pennies as I knew I would give in a buy them eventually. If like me you have flat hair these are great to give your locks a bit of a boost. I think I'll do a full blog post about these at some point so keep an eye out for that one.

2. Benefit Foamingly Clean facial wash

This face wash is a little more pricey than my usual beauty buys but I was fortunate enough to be given it as a birthday present a couple of months ago so I am a very lucky girly. Although this is a little more on the pricey side I would highly recommend it, I felt and saw the difference in my skin after just one use and it continues to keep my skin in good condition. I'm not using it every day as I don't want to run out (!) but I'm alternating it with my usual skin care routine and it is working wonders.

3. Bourjois Rouge Edition lipstick in no. 18 Violine strass 
This one isn't overly clear in the picture but I'm sure it'll be featuring in some of my future posts as it is an absolute beauty of a lipstick. I was searching the whole of Boots for a perfect berry tone lipstick and just couldn't quite find the right shade until I stumbled across the Bourjois stand. I've never had a Bourjois lipstick before but it was a great colour and lasted well on my lips, it was also quite creamy so it kept my lips nice and moisturised. This one is a great shade for autumn and can be dressed up or down for night or day.

4. Real Techniques stippling brush
I picked up this brush as I've had the same flat foundation brush for years now and fancied a change. I invested my money in this Real Techniques brush as I know they are a good quality brand and will last well. I was super excited to try this one out and I was not disappointed! It gave me good coverage and was great for blending to give an even finish, this will most definitely be a regular!

5. Tangle Teezer 
Now, I have been longing for a Tangle Teezer for quite some time now but for some reason I had not yet taken the plunge and bought one. This is probably due to the fact that I already own far to many hairbrushes and they do seem quite pricey for a hairbrush when you already have lots! However a very kind friend of mine donated her old one to me as she knew how much I wanted one and she also had another one for all her hair brushing needs. This is honestly the best brush I have ever used, it seems to pull out far less hair than any other brush and leaves your hair feeling so soft. This is essential for me at the moment as I'm desperately trying to grow my already quite thin hair and I want to minimise any damage. Swapping unwanted/unused beauty products is also a great way of saving your hard earned pennies! Right that's enough about Tangle Teezers and my very generous friends for now, on to the next...

6. Make Up Academy eyeshadow palette in Undress Me Too
I'd been looking for some new eyeshadow palettes but didn't want to break the bank so these Make Up Academy palettes seemed perfect and are an absolute steal at just £4 each!! This one is a great mix of nude matte colours and some earthy shimmers. I take from the name that this is a play on the Urban Decay 'Naked' range (the first palette in this series is called Undressed) and at about a tenth of the price you really cannot go wrong.

7. Make Up Academy eyeshadow palette in Matte
This is another great palette from Make Up Academy but as the name suggests all of the colours are beautiful matte colours. I'm really excited to try out mixing and matching this palette and particularly experimenting with the blue toned 'Fog' colour on the bottom row second from the right as this is not a colour I usually use on my eyes. Both of these palettes come with a double ended sponge applicator and although I tend not to use these they are very useful if you are travelling and don't want to bring lots of brushes along.

8. Barry M Blusher in Rose
This blusher caught my eye as I had been looking for a brighter blush colour to use when I was feeling brave! This rose colour is gorgeous and comes in a cute pot with a mini brush included. As it is Barry M it is also a reasonable price which is always a bonus! I tried out this colour very lightly on the apples of my cheeks and it gave me a lovely rosy glow without being too over the top. I would recommend applying it with caution, however, as I can see how easy it would be to over do the rosy glow and end up like a made up tomato!

9. Sleek Face Contour Kit in Light
And last but certainly not least the sleek contour kit. This kit comes with a contour colour and a highlight with a handy mirror inside. There was also an instruction sheet included showing how to contour and highlight your face which I thought was a really great addition for anybody who is new to contouring. I ordered this online and so I chose the light shade, mainly as I was quite nervous of choosing a colour that was far too dark and looking silly - my thought process was that if it was too light I could always layer it up. However it ended up being just the right colour even though my skin isn't particularly fair so if any of you do have fair skin I would use this with caution. I also managed to buy this kit with the Boots advantage card points I had accumulated making it free which always feels great!  

So there you have it, a slightly longer than I expected first beauty post! I hope that somebody out there found this useful and enjoyed reading it; if you did then please let me know in the comments I'd love to hear from you. And if you hated it then some quick (friendly) constructive criticism would help as well :)

Take care and lots of love ♥