Blogmas day seven: GLOSSYBOX

I have been subscribed to Glossybox for a little over a year now, in the beginning I would be so excited to get a little box of treasures in the middle of every month. Some months would be great and I would love pretty much all the products, other months I would be sorely disappointed. I have received some great products that I love and have totally been worth the cost, but then I also have a box of miniature products I don't like and have no use for. I have been thinking about cancelling my membership but I thought I would get my Christmas box and see how I like it first.

I picked it up from the postbox and it was all red and shiny, inside it had lovely candy cane tissue paper  and green shredded tissue, oh so festive. Then I saw the products...

1. LIPSY GLAM perfume 
Oh fab another 2ml miniature perfume, I think I may have had one of these in every Glossybox. I rarely like the scent, there is never enough for a days wear. It just seems like a slightly cheap, easy product for them to put inside. As for the actual perfume, I am not a massive fan it smells a bit like shampoo.

2. Seche - AUDACIOUS 
I was in two minds about this product in my box, first of all I love a nail varnish but I got the same brand of nail varnish in my Glossybox last Christmas, granted it was a blue not a pink. I did love the nail varnish last year but not enough to go out an buy it so getting another one wasn't really a bonus.

3. MAYBELLINE - COLOR TATTOO 24hr in Gold
Its nice to see a high street favourite in my Glossybox, I do love these for blending and lining the eye but not in gold. I know its the festive season but gold is just way too much. I am going to try to do some festive looks with it but the gold is very yellow. I'm just going to give it a go.

4. WILKINSON SWORD - Naturals Razor 
This is an odd one, although a good one finally. I have used this before and loved it but I'm not an expensive razor kinda girl, I usually buy five for £2. So this was a lovely surprise.

5. Beautiful Movements Cosmetics - Nude Lip Gloss
This is do love, I have wanted a nude lip gloss for a while but just never got found to finding a good one. I saw Kimberly Wyatt talking about this makeup range at the Glossybox one year anniversary in Covent Garden in the summer and she talked about it with a lot of passion, this is the second time I have used something from BCM and both times they have been from a Glossybox.

I really love the progression Glossybox have made in the last year I have been subscribed but in all honesty I think I am going to unsubscribe. I am always excited because I want each month to be better than the last and I love supporting something form the beginning, when I went to their Covent Garden event everyone was so friendly and I have never had a problem with Glossybox. The products more often than not just sit unused after I try them for the first time, I would rather spend the extra each month on something I know I will use.

Only nine days to go, are you ready?
Sending you all lots of christmas cheer x

Blogmas day six: My current face brushes.

Foundation brushes were something I just couldn't get my head round for so long, the flat ones just never made sense they don't buff into the skin and are difficult to use but then I found so many good ones. I love the Real Techniques Stippling Brush and Expert Face Brush, but these five are the brushes I use everyday at the moment.

1. ZOEVA - 104 BUFFER 
This is my favourite foundation brush I have found, it has a good size brush and works foundation into the skin. It is also a great price, they are sold from Germany so the shipping is slightly more expensive but they are totally worth it.

2. ZOEVA - 142 CONCEALER BUFFER 
The concealer brush is great for buffing in concealer, it is great for stick concealer. I like to use this before I apply foundation and then any blemishes that need concealing afterwards I use a liquid concealer.

3. NARS - #21 Ita Brush 
I am in love with this brush, I had been looking for a brush that contour easily. It works great for contouring but also easily applies bronzer all over the face.

4. Real Techniques - blush brush 
This brush is loved by makeup lovers everywhere. As a blush brush it is perfect. Real Techniques brushes are amazing, they are a great price and always amazing.

5. Real Techniques - setting brush
This is a small face brush which can also be great for concealer but I love it for powder under the eyes or for precise highlighter.

It's the penultimate shopping weekend before christmas, I hope your ready. I am getting super excited.

Blogmas Day Five: Top five festive nail polishes

One of my favourite things about the festive season is being able to get the glitter back out, wear white, red and green on my nails. These are my top five favourite festive nail polishes. As I have mentioned before I always use the Sally Hansen Insta-dri top coat but I also love Sally Hansen maximum strength as a base coat. I am a strong advocate of a base coat, no one wants stained nails.

1. OPI - Color so hot it berns 
I love this classic red by OPI, red is always a number one for Christmas time.

2. Revlon - 571 POSH
This a great green, it's just a bright medium shade of green. I love this in the summer too but it matches so well with the red.

3. Sally Hansen - 835 Coat of Arms 
This was one of my November favourites but I love this gold and it is seriously great for Christmas nails.

4. OPI - Alpine Snow 
The name says it all doesn't it. This white is great, its highly pigmented so you can get away with one coat. This is my go to white polish.

5. Revlon - 340 STUNNING 
This is a great glitter top coat, I loved the gold one Revlon had last year but this year I'm switching to silver.

I have so many nail polishes and I really wanted to included Essie's winter collection from last year because I love those too.

I hope your advent calendar is giving you all festive joy in the mornings.

Blogmas Day Four: Winter Plum Lips

I usually go for light lips, but this winter I have been loving plum colours. I have three favourites two of which I have mentioned quite a few times.

1. Chanel Rouge Allure 116 Envoutante
I have been loving this, I have mentioned it a few times. It is by far my favourite, it is very highly pigmented and glittery. I love wearing it, and I love the packaging.

2. Bourjois Color Boost 06 Plum Russian 
Again I have mentioned these Lipstick pencils a number of times but the colour of this one is my favourites. It's not too dark but is really moisturising which is great for the winter.

3. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick 477 Black Cherry
This one is super dark, but still holds the dark cherry colour. I really like the dark plum colour although I am not 100% confident about it yet, but with a lighter eye I think it really works.

Sending you all lots of lovely Christmas cheer :)

Blogmas Day Three: Lip Care for winter

Well I guess I haven't kept up with Blogmas very well. I will keep trying to blog more every week until Christmas.

Winter is getting into full swing which means chapped lips, the bane of my life. I have found some products that keep my lips moisturised during these cold spells and some ways to get rid of those chapped lips.
I generally use lip balm everyday to keep chapped lips at bay, I always have the clear Babylips by Maybelline in my handbag, I use this a lot when I am at work as the air conditioning can also dry out my lips.
I then Blistex Daily Lip Conditioner when I am at home especially in the morning whilst applying my make up, if I know I am going to wear lipstick it just help my lips to be primed and ready.
When I have a cold or just feel the effects of the cold air on my lips and they get dry I have a two step routine that usually clears it up in a couple of days. I use the Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub to exfoliate the dry skin, this tastes amazing (you can also eat it), I then apply Blistex Relief Cream as soon as I have exfoliated and then when needed through out the day.

All of these products are fabulous and we always want to have kissable lips.
I hope we are all having a gorgeous festive season right now.

Blogmas Day Two: Simple day to day eyeshadow

I tend to have a few favourite eyeshadow looks that I use day to day, this one I love when I want to use less eyeshadow but still build some depth into the look.

Step one: As always I prime my eyes for eyeshadow using Nars Pro-Prime.
Step two: I used Emite eyeshadow in the colour Nect on the lid of the eye and then lightly up the brow bone using a Real Techniques shading brush.
Step three: I then applied a small amount of the colour Foxy from the Naked Basics palette over the lid using the same brush.
Step four: Then taking a Zoeva 234 Smoky Shader I put the colour Naked2 from the Naked Basics palette on to the crease without blending it in.
Step Five: On the same brush and from the same palette I took Faint and again put it on the crease.

Step Six: I then blended the colours into the crease with a Mac 217 brush.
Step Seven: I then lined the outer corner of the top lash line using Topshop waterproof liner in the colour Burnished.
Step Eight: I applied the same eyeliner along the top and bottom waterline, then blended with a Mac 219 brush.
Finally I applied Benefit they're real! to my lashes.

 

I have matched this eyeshadow look with Mac Lovelorn lipstick but as it is so neutral it can be worn with so many shades of lipstick.

Spend the christmas joy!

Blogmas Day One: Red Lips for a Christmassy look

So yes it is the 2/12 today but I did say I wouldn't update on Sundays.

I am so super excited for christmas, there was puppy behind my advent calendar door today, not a really one sadly.

Today I am wearing red lips because I am so freaking excited for christmas. The fact I am going to the library to do revision and I have red lips on must mean I am excited. I have three favourite red lipsticks at the moment, here are some reviews and swatches.







Dior - Diorific 038 Diva

This is a luxury product I just can't get enough of. I always go for more pinky tones in my red lipsticks as I don't suit orange tones, and this one is perfect. I hunted high and low for a luxury red that was perfect and I think I have found it. I love the packaging it is very decadent and makes me feel super special.




Topshop - Really Ruby 

I love a Topshop lipstick and this one is no exception, it is a darker colour but still holding the pink tones. Topshop lipsticks featured in my Top Ten Under £10 blog post, I absolutely love them. This  one is highly pigmented and has a great colour, deep enough to match that christmas dress.




Bourjois - Color Boost 05 Red Island

We all know how much I love these, this is the perfect red lipstick if you are after something that will not dry out your lips this winter. It is beautifully shiny without being to glossy, therefore it keeps your lips hydrated. As it is not as matte as the other it doesn't last as long but it is still a lovely product.


Lets all enjoy statement lips this December...

Blogmas?

I feel rather foolishly I have taken it upon myself to take part in blogmas. I love blogmas and vlogmas every year, I tought I might give it a go. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the concept it is when bloggers and vloggers either post a blog or a vlog every day leading up to christmas. As I am super excited about christmas I thought I'd give it a go. Now I will try and upload something everyday, no matter how big or small, apart from Sundays, I work all day sundays which makes it hard to get anything done.

Another notice, I have now set my blog up on Bloglovin'. Thereis a link on the sidebar to link you to it, if you are not on it, sign up because you can follow all your favourite blogs in one simple place.

LETS GET GOING.

November Favourites

November has been a lovely month, I have really felt the build up for Christmas and have been getting super excited. I got all my Christmas shopping done the other day, and only have one gift left to buy. If you are after any gift ideas or suggestions have a look at my Luvocracy collections http://www.luvocracy.com/aislingellen But let's get on to the favourites I have a few.

First off I finally gave in at the end of October and purchased Benefit they're real mascara, when I first used it I didn't like it. It was slightly clumpy and I just didn't see the hype, but after a few uses I got used to it and it gives great volume and length. I usually hate comb style wands rather than brush wands  but actually this doesn't irritate my eyes at all. It is most certainly worth it and all deserves the hype and rewards.

Almost everyday I have had painted nails in november I wore Sally Hansen 835 Coat of Arms, its a gorgeous gold glitter colour. I like it because it is very fine glitter which makes it very highly pigmented, it is perfect for winter and Christmas, I have used it as a solid colour but also to create designs.

My third favourite is from my Glossybox in November, I have to say I have been slightly disappointed by Glossyboxes of late especially the October one. But in November I received an eyeshadow which I just love, it is by Emite and is in the colour Nect. It's a perfect base colour, it is a light pinky/white with a slight shimmer. I have used it almost everyday.

When I finally get a product I have been waiting for I always hope it will live up to everything I have heard, and HD Brows kit defiantly has. I have the colour kit bomshell, and although on an everyday basis I only use ash blonde it is great that it comes with a number of colours. It gives me the perfect eyebrows, the colour matches my hair.

My final favourite is a long awaited well saved up for with Boots points lipstick, Chanel Rouge Allure in the colour 116 Envoutante. Not only do I love the packaging, it is so sleek and the colours are amazing but the lipstick is so good. It is a gorgeous plum colour which is highly pigmented but has glitter running through which makes the plum a lot less dramatic. The perfect colour for winter.


Must get on with some revision, I hope everyone is getting super excited for christmas and enjoys December. If you try anything out let me know how you get on.

Have a holly jolly christmas...

Top 10 under £10 beauty buys

As someone who loves makeup, that feeling of a new product that is instantly a favourite is something I love. I always want to tell everyone and anyone about the product, because who doesn't love a good recommendation especially when its under £10. I usually end up buying that product in every colour I like or that suits me as you will see, so here are my top ten under £10 beauty buys. 

1. Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon - £7.99

I may have mentioned these a couple of times... and honestly I love them. I have them in five colours; 01 Red Sunrise, 04 Peach on the Beach, 02 Fuchsia Libre, 06 Plum Russian and 05 Red Russian. They  are highly pigmented, moisturising and have great staying power. So easily applied, they are my handbag staple for day where I need something I can reapply quickly and easily. I couldn't recommend this more, go and have a try. 

2. Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19

Quite honestly the best high street concealer and a favourite of so many beauty bloggers. I use the colour 1 Fair, it blends with any foundation seamlessly whether its Rimmel or Mac. It is so easy to apply and blends with a brush or a finger. A definite must have. 

3. Sally-Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat - £5.99

Again I am sure I have mentioned this before but I couldn't live without it. It is made for the impatient, who can be bothered to sit and wait for their nails to dry? I have found that within a few minutes nails are dry to touch, obviously don't go washing up or doing anything too hands heavy but generally they stay smudge free.  

4. Lips by Topshop - £8.00

Once I had tried one of these I knew I was on to something, I love them. They are great long-lasting and highly pigmented lipsticks, I have found that they are a great dupe for Mac lipsticks. I have four at the moment and my eye on a perfect one for winter. The colours I have are Beehive, Brighton Rock, Crystal and Really Ruby. I wore Brighton Rock a lot in the summer, it was most defiantly my summer favourite. 

5. Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint by BarryM - £3.99

Another summer favourite, I think this was possibly my most talked about product in the summer. One coat is enough of these, they are super shiny and look just like gel nails. They come in so many gorgeous colours and apply so easily I don't think there is anything not to like about these. I have seven colours; Guava 332, Key Lime 323, Dragon 319, Papaya 327, Satsuma 312, Passion Fruit 334 and one colour without a label. 

6. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation - £6.99

I bought this after so many beauty bloggers raved about it and I love it. Its a great high street foundation, it has excellent coverage without be heaving and clogging. It smells nice which is always a plus and lasts all day. I have it in the colour 100 Ivory and it matches my skin really nicely. If you need a new foundation definitely give this a try. 

7. Batiste XXL Plumping Powder - £3.99

As someone with relatively thin hair sometimes I need something to give a bit of volume, I have tried blowdrying spays but I find they make my hair sticky, when I found this I was super happy. It is like a talcum powder you apply to the roots of your hair and rub in and you get instant volume. Defiantly give it ago. 

8. Sleek Face Contour Kit - £6.49

I forgot that I had this until a few days ago when I fell back in love with it. It is such a simple product that can change a makeup look, contouring your cheeks always makes such a difference. I have this is in the colour light, it has a matte bronzing powder on one side and then a highlighter on the other side. A great addition to any make up bag. 

9. Lee Stafford Poker Straight - £5.99

The reasons I love this are simple, it smells great and protects my hair against the heat I apply almost daily. I use it along with Lee Stafford Dehumidifier and I find that my hair is always shiny and kept in place all day. 

10. L'oreal Voluminous - £8.49

I really love the way my lashes look with this mascara, although I have been using a different mascara recently sometimes I will venture back to this. I always feel that mascara is about finding the right one for you, everyone has different lashes that need a different boost. This is a classic that mascara and if you are after something new give it a try. 

All prices are from either Boots or Superdrug apart from the Topshop Lipsticks which are obviously from Topshop. The prices represent the full price, although some are currently on offer. The pictures and swatches are in colour order as described. 

I hope you are all wrapping up warm and finding you perfect winter makeup and outfits. 

Favourite everyday winter makeup look.

I was going to do a October favourites but then I realised that most of the products are in my everyday 'get ready routine' and I am loving this look for winter so I thought I would just talk though the products and how I have been using them. Let's get started...

Three of the favourites I had wanted to put into my October favourites had been shower products I have been using pretty much everyday, the first is a exfoliating face wash by Biore. It is exfoliating whilst being gentle on the skin, it gets rid of blackheads and cleanses the skin really well. I tend to use it  one morning a week and one evening, although this is gentle I would never recommend exfoliating more than twice a week. I used this to wash my face, I then shampooed my hair with Body Shop ginger shampoo and conditioned with their banana conditioner. I have been using the ginger shampoo for years but only last month bough the banana conditioner which I LOVE, it smells divine and gives a great shine. After washing my hair I washed my body with another favourite Soap and Glory Foam Call, this just smells gorgeous and is gentle on the skin.

I applied Giorgio Armani Si which was defiantly my October favourite perfume, I always apply my perfume as soon as I am out of the shower, it then lasts all day. I then finished cleansing my face using Avene Gentle Toner, I then used Avene Cleanance which is great base before primer. And one of my all time favourites Bobbi Brown eye cream under my eyes. Then finally I applied the base for my makeup Mac Prep+Prime.

The foundation I have been loving is Rimmel Match perfection in the colour 100 Ivory, I applied this all over the face using a Zoeva 104 Buffer brush. This provides a create base for an everyday glow, I cover any blemishes using a definite October favourite Revlon Photoready concealer in the colour 002 light pale using a Zoeva 142 Concealer brush. For my cheeks I have been loving the NARS cheek palette called Adult Content, I use in the bronzer to contour my cheeks, the two blushes together on my cheeks and then the highlight along the tops on my cheeks. This is such a good combo palette.

On my eyes I have been wearing a purple smokey eye, I have been making it slightly lighter for daytime but I think it is great for winter. As always I prime my eyes with NARS Pro-Prime, then use Mac Dazzle-light as a base all over the eye, then apply Naked Lunch over the lid. In the outer corner I apply Shale blending in lightly in the middle. Directly on top of Shale I apply Swish to create a slightly pinker look, blending this again in the middle. On the crease blend in Satin Taupe, and bring it out to the outer edge and along the lash-line slightly. I then line the lash-line with Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in  the colour 1 Black Ink creating a wing on the outer edge and bringing that slightly along the bottom lash-line. Finally I used Benefit They're Real which I gave in a bought after many recommendations and I LOVE it.

Finishing off the makeup with my current lipstick love Chanel Rouge Allure in the colour 116 Envoutante. For my hair I have been doing a french plait and gripping it to the side to take my fringe out of my face and curling my hair with my BaByliss Boutique tong, which I love because it has a wide barrel for loose curls. To protect my hair I use Lee Stafford Poker Straight and then Bumble and Bumble thickening hairspray before blowdrying, before curling my hair I use Lee Stafford Dehumidifier. Once my hair is done I get rid of my flyaway hairs with Toni and Guy Shine Gloss serum and use Lee Stafford Climate Control hairspray. 

And I'm done. That was a long'un wasn't it. 

Have a fabulous week lovliessss.

My weekend away makeup bag.

This weekend I am super duper excited as I am going home from university to Devon for five days, which means I have got out my beloved Laura Mercier makeup case and filled it with some favourites and I thought I would share what is inside.  

In the first side I have my Mac prep & prime primer and Mac studio fix foundation in the colour NC15 along with my Revlon Photoready concealer, this is the base I use for my face everyday. In the same section I have Benefit rockateur blush, which I am still loving since I reviewed it in my 'one week wearing' blog post. I then have a selection of Lipsticks, Bobbi Brown in the colour Pink, Chanel Rouge Allure in the colour Envoutante  and Mac Lovelorn. Lipstick is the easiest part of your make up to change in order to create a whole new look. So bringing a few different colours means you can mix it up so much more. 

Talking of lip colours in the middle section I have put in a couple of Bourjois Color Boost lipsticks. I love these A LOT, I have five of the colours and the two I have chose for these week are 05 Red Island and 02 Fuschia Libre. In the middle section of the makeup case along with the Color Boosts I have my Benefit They're real, Jelly Pong Pong eyeliner and Nars Pro-prime eyeshadow base. 

In the last side I have a Nars Laguna bronzer, which I love using as a contour or all over bronzer. I then have a number of eye products starting with Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in the colour Black Ink. I then have six Mac eyeshadows in the colours Dazzle-Light, Naked Lunch, All that Glitters, Swish, Shale and Satin Taupe. These colours make up everyday basic eye colours but I also like to use them to make evening looks. I have also packed my Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes palette in the colour Wide Eyes, as I am unsure what plans I have for the weekend this can used for both day and evening looks. Finally I have one of my October favourites (spoiler) a HD brows kit in the colour Bombshell. 

With makeup you always need brushes, as these do not fit in my case I have used the packaging from Zoeva brushes, in one I have face brushes including a Zoeva 104 Buffer and Real Techniques Blush Brush. In the other I have eye brushes including Mac 217, the Queen of all eyeshadow brushes and a couple of Real Techniques Shading brushes along with my favourite Bobbi Brown ultra fine eye liner. I have also packed my Zoeva Make up mirror, which is perfect for doing make up trains. 

All the extra products in the background of the pictures are other items I will be taking away with me! 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend filled with sunshine and smiles. 

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Simple Spooky Cheap Halloween looks.

Halloween is just around the corner, this year it seems to be way more 'in your face' than any other year, and unfortunately it's just not really my thing. But I decided I wanted to see what I faces I could make for halloween using only my makeup collection. Now when I had a look through I realised that although I could do pretty well the one thing you really need is a white face paint or a much lighter foundation. So I did have to buy one thing and that was a Snazaroo ghost and skull face painting kit, it was only £5 from Claire's Accessories, so it barely counts. 

I made three different makeup looks for halloween using only the small face painting kit (which only comes with white, black and green) and my makeup. I did not buy any extra sponges or brushes only what I already own. I did a zombie, witch and cat. All are very open to interpretation. 

Zombieeeeee

So I started by using the applying a primer to the face as a base and then applied white face paint all over the face using a real techniques sponge. I then blended black face paint and Jelly Pong Pong eyeliner/shadow stick to contour my cheeks. Using the same eyeliner I lined my eyes and blended with a finger. To give the effect of blood and cuts I used a me me me lip and cheek tint and let it drip down the face. Finally adding Topshop Really Ruby to my lips. 

Witch

I again used a primer and then applied the white face paint. I then drew small circles to look like moles with the green face paint. I lined the eye with collection fast stroke eyeliner, using the same eyeliner I drew a small spider, using Mac Water and Ice eye shadow along the wed to make it look silver. I then used jelly pong pong eyeliner to create the hairs on the moles and draw in harsh black eyebrows. Using the same Mac eyeshadow before on my eyelids to give some silver shimmer, I then coated my eyelashes with L'Oreal Voluminous mascara and finally painted my lips green. 

Cat

For the cat I used primer again but this time focused the white face paint to the lip, nose and eyebrow area. I then used the black face paint to draw a simple nose and whiskers, I also used the black face paint to do a simple winged eyeliner using a Zoeva 317 brush. Again applying Voluminous mascara to the lashes focusing on the outer edges and finally applied Mac Girl About Town lipstick to my lips. 

These are all so simple and easy, many of the items used are very cheap high street brands so can be recreated on a budget. Have a go, and get spooooooky this Halloween. 

One year of the NAKED Palette

I'm going to start with a quote from a blog I follow on tumblr

"It's a modern makeup classic and must have, simple as that" - Powderdoom 

And to be perfectly honest I couldn't have put it better myself, the Urban Decay NAKED Palette is by far one of the best makeup products I have ever bought. I am always singing its praises and recommending it to people. Not only does it cover a range of eyeshadow colours for both day and night but it is blendable and workable. I would say this is the perfect starter for anyone who is looking to start out with some high end eyeshadows, you get 12 colours for a reasonable price, a mixture of mattes and shimer. Yes this is expensive compared to high street/drugstore eyeshadows but it is so worth it. 

My pallette is so used, but still have so much use left of the colours. My two most used colours are 'VIRGIN' and 'NAKED', VIRGIN because it is a great base colour so I use it when I am using other palettes too and NAKED because it is the perfect brown for my eyebrows, and if I am after a slightly dark brow I can blend BUCK in. Again this just shows how versatile it can be.

With the range of colours it is so simple to create an easy day look by combining different shadows, and then adding one extra colour to turn it into an evening look. 

1. Use VIRGIN as a base, then blend SIN over the top and apply TOASTED in the crease. And then for the evening add HUSTLE into the crease and along the bottom lashes. 

2. Use VIRGIN as a base, then apply NAKED all over the lid, use BUCK on the outer corner blending through to the middle, then apply SIDECAR to the crease. 

3. Use VIRGIN as a base, apply HALF BAKED all over the lid blending SMOG from the outer corner to the middle. The apply DARK HORSE to the lash line and then along the bottom lashes for an evening look. 

4. Use bothVIRGIN and SIN as a base, then apply TOASTED all over the lid blending HUSTLE into the crease and outer corner, then use crease as a liner along both top and bottom lashes. 

5. Create a smokey eye for an evening look using VIRGIN as a base, using more in the inner corner, then blend GUNMETAL in leaving the inner corner, then use CREEP to highlight the crease and lash line. 

I love the NAKED palette and recently bought the NAKED BASICS, I haven't felt the need for NAKED2, and have heard it said that the first is slightly better and after a year I am so happy with the results and longevity. For me it is always important that if I am going to spend money on a product that it last a reasonable length of time. The NAKED palette has done just that for me. 

The BASICS palette is also fabulous, I find that it is perfect for a nude eye. Again it comes with two colours that are great for eyebrows and the super blendable shadows, and a matte black which the NAKED palette doesn't have. I love this for travel as it is small and compact meaning I can carry around great eyeshadows and have a simple eyebrow kit. Two products in one. 

After a year I am so happy with this product, the quote at the beginning sum it up. 

One week wearing...

Last week I purchased two products to wear for one week and review. So for the last week I have worn benefit Rockateur and L'Oreal Nude Magique every day, which has been quite hard. I like to mix up my makeup and I often change my foundation depending on sort of day I'm having or where I am going. But I did it so that I can review them. 

benefit Rockateur 
I was super excited to try this blush as I had seen it in so many September favourite blogs and videos, so I ventured into boots before the cinema last Wednesday. I couldn't wait until I got home to have a look at the product. 

First impression: 
I had obviously seen pictures of the product so I knew from the outset that I wasn't a fan of the packaging, I much prefer something simple. This is very 'tarty' the lace and snakeskin just aren't my thing. It smells gorgeous it just adds something extra to the product. 

Using the product:
I have loved wearing this, it is the perfect mixture between bronze and peachy/pink, it add great colour to the cheeks. It isn't to heavy to start off with so you can really build it up depending on how much you want, on the same note it blends well with other blushes and contouring kits to create the cheeks that you want. As much as I love this I have an issue, the brush that comes with it just doesn't apply the blush how I would like it, and it is a small box therefore my blush brushes just don't quite fit inside. 

Overall: 
I love it, I can easily forgive the packaging and the brush situation because of how good it is generally. I am happy I have bought it and happily wore it everyday and will continue to do so. 

L'Oreal Nude Magique 
I had seen this in boots and I was after a lightweight foundation, this one seemed like the perfect one to try. Especially as it was on offer. 

First impression:
The bottle is super cute and small, it seems almost like the perfect holiday foundation as it is lightweight in both actual weight and coverage. On the instructions it indicates to use your finger to apply but I wanted to apply with a sponge so whilst I was in boots I picked up a Real Techniques sponge too. 

Using the product:
I have really like the product and it defiantly does what it says on the tin, it is lightweight and non pore-clogging. I did find that on top of primer it almost feels slimy and is too dewy so I have had to wear a powder on top. For days where I was wearing it for 12hrs at work it didn't last the whole day, but thats not surprising really. It also doesn't cover blemishes well and I needed a strong concealer for blemishes and under the eye. I found the sponge worked well, the foundation is defiantly too light for a brush. It also provides a great base for other face products such as blush and bronzer. 

Overall: 
I would recommend this as an easy wear everyday foundation when you need a small amount of coverage, but for anything you need more coverage it would need to be built up. As I said it seems to be great for holidays. If you suffer from lots of redness or blemishes it just isn't going to cut the mustard. 

Woo hoo to reviews. And to finish something my Mum said to me this week 
'The task ahead is never greater than the strength within you.' 

September Favourites

Oh October here you are, the gateway to my favourite months. I love autumn/fall and winter, I am so ready for crisp blue skies, snow, wooly jumpers, boots, fires and seasonal greetings. October/November/December are my favourite months and here they are, ready to be enjoyed. 

As September has drawn to a close I have some favourites to show you, I have four makeup/beauty favourites, one food, one home and one music. Oooh how exciting. Lets make a start with some makeup, my favourite place to start. 

I'm starting with some MAC eyeshadows, in the colours Dazzle Light and Shale. Dazzle Light is a light shimmery white/cream colour fantastic to use as an all over base on the lid of the eye, right up to the brow bone as a highlighter. Shale is a dark purple, still shimmery but slightly more matte than Dazzle light. I love to pair both of these colours with MAC Satin Taupe and Naked Lunch for a light purple smokey eye, which with the addition of eyeliner can be made into an evening look. 

My second makeup favourite was a long awaited purchase, I knew I would love it but I just had to wait, and then finally for my birthday at the end of August I got some John Lewis vouchers. I went in and purchased the Bobbi Brown Long-wear gel liner in the colour Black Ink. It is by far the best gel liner I have found. It is like they say 'long-wear', it is also very highly pigmented and very easy to apply. I either use the Bobbi Brown Ultra Fine Eye Liner brush or the Real Techniques pixel-point eyeliner brush. 

My third favourite is a beauty fave, it is the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo. It is a face cream/lotion which is to be used for correcting and unclogging anti-imperfection care. It works as a spot cream, I apply morning and evening after washing my face before moisturiser. It has just made my skin feel cleaner and any spots seem to clear up faster and I haven't had as many since using this product. I really like it and it is recommended by so many beauty bloggers. 

Ahh perfume, my fourth favourite is a perfume. One I have wanted for ages, it was on my birthday list but I didn't receive it off anyone but I did buy it with my birthday money. It is Lancome La vie est belle. It just smells so beautiful, it is long lasting on the skin and on clothes. I get so many compliments I can't help but love wearing it. 

Ice Breakers Sours, need I say more? These are my food favourite. I have had maybe one pack of these before in my life and I fell IN LOVE with them, they are an American sweet that are sold in very few shops in the UK. My best friend at university knows of my love of these beautiful sweets and she got me two packets for my birthday, I savoured these. Then she gave another eight packets. My life was made. 

My last two favourites are a home favourite and music favourite, my home favourite is a candle from Urban Outfitters, it is their Fig and Wild Pear candle. I love the scent this candle gives off, it is light and fruity but not summery almost an autumnal smell, I have had in burning a few hours a day for a quite a lot through out September and I am pretty sure it still has a while left. And my music favourite is Arctic Monkeys new album AM, I have it on now, and I have had it on repeat since it came out. It is just so good, if you haven't heard it have a listen because it is so good, also listen to their cover of Drake Hold On, We're Going Home, because that is fabulous too!!

Now go on an October walk, be inspired by the falling leaves, the crisp air and the change in seasons. 

Bought, loved, bought again.

I have found that there are many products that I will buy but not be enamoured with and find myself reading reviews and doing research in order to find that perfect product. Here are some products that I love and do job perfectly. 

My first is the holy grail for all beauty bloggers and beauty lovers, it is my number one all time product. It is BIODERMA sensible H2O. 

If you haven't heard about Bioderma I'm not sure where you have been, it is the best cleanser and makeup remover. I have blogged about it before, but over the summer was in constant fear that I would run out and not be in London to get more but then I found a website called Escentual. Not only does it stock Bioderma but makeup and perfumes but it also has a points system like boots. So I got a new 500ml bottle of Bioderma shipped right to my front door. They also sell Bioderma in a 100ml bottle for £4.50 if you just want to see what the fuss is all about. But I highly recommend it. 

I have two shower and bath favourites that I have recently repurchased after they ran out, the first is Soap and Glory Flake Away, it is a body polish scrub which I use before shaving my legs. It cleanses the skin and removes any dead skin, it also smells delightful. The second is by The Little Bubble Co, it is the Mango Delight shower gel. No parabens, allergen free, not tested on animals and suitable for vegetarians this has be the best, most friendly shower gel ever. And it smells lovely and keeps the skin feeling refreshed and moisturised, and smelling lovely. 

The first of my two makeup products I have repurchased is Collection Lasting Perfection concealer, it defiantly feels like cheaper brand but that doesn't take away from how good the concealer is as a product. I have bought maybe three or four of this particular concealer and each time the packaging has worn away and it ultimately doesn't last very long but once on the skin it has longevity. The second is Nars ProPrime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, I have mentioned this numerous times on blog, but the truth is I love it. It is smudge proof, there is never a day where my eyeshadow rubs off, creases or fades away. 

I have two beauty tools (I'm not quite sure to call them) that I have not repurchased as they are unlikely to break but I will if ever that day shall come. The first is a tangle teezer, although this hairbrush look like a dog brush I can assure you it is a hairbrush of the highest quality. I have tangly, curly hair that is reasonably long this brush work wonders. I highly recommend. The second is the Emite Eyelash Curler, it came in my Glossybox a couple of months ago just when I needed a new eyelash curler. As it came in my Glossybox I can say that I loved it because I didn't have to pay the £20rrp, although it is that good I can imagine buying it again. 

I highly recommend all of these, and the majority have an reasonable price tag. Go on have a try and see if you love them just as much as me. 

My makeup storage.

For my 21st birthday this year I received some beautiful vintage drawers, I has spent ages trawling the internet trying to find makeup storage that wasn't just acrylic drawers, but also wasn't really big as my collection is just starting out. One afternoon in town I visited two vintage stores, one of them didn't have what I was after but when I walked into Relevant by Lady Lace in Exeter I saw these beautiful drawers, just the right size. Perfect! That afternoon when my mum got home from work I told her about them, we went back into town and I received them as an early birthday present. 

I moved back to university this week to do my final year, therefore I had an opportunity to sort them out once again. So I thought I'd show you how I have organised them and what they look like. 

The bottom drawer contains all my lip products, they are organised by brand rather than colour. Mainly because most of my lipsticks are shades of pink. It is easy enough for me to work out the colour I want to wear and then find it, I also only really wear my Mac and Topshop lipsticks and the Bourjois Color Boost sticks. 

The next drawer is high street/drug store mascaras, eyeliners and eyeshadows. Putting these together is just easier for me as these are the products I use the least, although I love many of the products I tend to start using something new and fall in love and only use that. And I am loving Lancome Hynose mascara at the moment and Bobbi Brown gel liner, so I forget about my fave high street ones. 

The middle draw is blushes and concealers, not a usual combination but they fit together well in this drawer. No actual system there. 

Second drawer from the top is eyeshadows and and eye primer. And just so you know Nars eye primer is by far my favourite, if you want a long lasting primer that isn't too moist and keeps your eyeshadow on all day then I highly recommend you purchase this. 

Out of the top two drawer the first one contains bits and bobs, other concealers, liquid blush, primers ect. And the other drawer is a Topshop highlighter and blush and then my sleek face contour palette. 

On the top I have all my brushes, two Urban Decay Naked palettes and my foundations and primer. I love these drawers because I can keep everything all neat and tidy, they fit the products so perfectly, and they just look so beautiful. I lined the drawers with some wrapping paper from Paperchase. I am so glad i found something that can be individual to me and that I love storing my make up in. 

Autumn/Fall make up looks.

So lets just get apologies out of the way. I promised at the beginning of the summer that I'd be blogging away, and believe me when I say I wish I'd had the time. I have been working pretty much full time which was unexpected and I've been on Holiday and doing lots of fun stuff. Which does mean that I have some ideas of blogs to come. Also for some reason when I have university work to do I suddenly want to blog, so as I'm heading back up to London next week I'm hoping to be blogging away. 

So this morning I thought I would do some research into the Autumn make up looks to see if I could recreate them into an everyday or less 'high fashion' look. I was pleased to see that eyebrows are back in, and as I have eyebrows this was exciting. The other big trends are; cat eyes, orange eyes, prune eyes, glitter eyes, smokey and grey wash eyes, big lashes, red lips, wine stained lips, nude lips, pink blush and statement lines. I was super excited by a number of these and actually found that they are seemingly transferable to easy day and night makeup looks. 

So is started with my normal morning skincare routine and then applied Mac Prep and Prime. I then used the foundation Studio Fix in the colour NC15 again by Mac. I have been loving the combination of both of these recently. I used the same base for each of my looks, and applied the Bobbi Brown concealer kit under my eyes. For mascara I used Lancome Hypnose and for each look with eyeshadow I used Nars eye primer. On my eyebrows I used the eyeshadow Buck from my original Urban Decay Naked palette. 

For the first look I combined the cat eye and the red lips. I already love this combination and I knew they would look perfect together. I wanted to create a strong effect by using more eyeliner and less mascara, so for the eyeliner I used Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in the colour Black ink. As I usually wear pink on my lips a red lip is kinda' out of my comfort zone so I chose a red that has slightly pink tones. The lipstick I used is by Topshop and called Really Ruby. This is the look

For the second look I combined smoky eyes and statement lines, I love smokey eyes and I have managed to find a palette that does the perfect colours for me, I never want my eyes to be too dark and I like to use softer browns than harsh blacks. The palette I used is the Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes in the colours Wide Eyes, I especially love this as it was designed by Alber Elbaz and the outside is just so pretty. For this I started super light on the inner corner gradually getting darker, blending the colours together and then I lined the eye under the bottom lashes and drew a straight line upwards toward the eyebrow using the Be a Bombshell eyeliner in the colour Onyx. This is the look

For the third look I chose glitter eyes and pink blush, because lets face it who doesn't love a bitta' glitta'. I was excited about this one, used only two eye products. The first was Mac Water and Ice mineralize eye shadow, this is by far my best looking eyeshadow, it is divided into two halves, one silver and the other blue. I applied the silver as a base and then the blue as an eyeliner effect. I then rolled The Body Shop Sparkle Roller Ball all over the eye. I did apply a small amount of Maybelline Babylips in the colour Pink Punch for a splash of colour. For the pink blush I used a product I got in my Glossybox this month, the Rimmel Stay Blushed Cheek tint in the colour Pop of pink. This is the look

 Finally I wanted to do the prune eyes, as this is a makeup look I go for anyway. I love purples to create a subtle smokey eye, so this one was always going to be my favourite. For this I used four Mac eyeshadows, I used Dazzle-Light as a base, then Naked Lunch on the inner-corner and then blended Shale across the rest of the eyelid, I then put Satin Taupe along the crease. I finished the look with Hustle from the Naked Palette as an eyeliner. I wanted to add a bright pink lipstick as I would usually wear a pink to go with this look, I used Mac Girl about Town. This is the look 

Did I just finish a blog? I off to bake some cakes or cookies. woohoo 

First baking post.

First off, exams are over, amazing!
Secondly I am back in Devon and enjoying the sunshine. So I have started decorating my room and baking again. I am hopefully going to get back into the swing of fun stuff and blogging!

Yesterday I had day off, so I spent the day with my family getting stuff for my bedroom and then we went down to the beach and enjoyed the beautiful weather and the seaside, Devon is one of my favourite places in all of the world. I think back to Australia and America in 2011 and seeing the beaches and the water and being totally amazed by their beauty, but I still no matter how many times I go to the same beach in Devon and it still takes my breath away.



With all of the summer air I just wanted to bake a summery dessert. I settled on my own recipe for

Summer Fruits Teacup Crumble.

Ingredients

Filling

300g Rhubarb
100g Strawberries
2 Nectarines
2tbsp Caster Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla bean paste

Crumble topping

100g Plain Flour
50g Butter
50g Caster Sugar
Handful of oats

Preheat oven to 180c 

Step one:
Wash and chop the rhubarb, and put into the saucepan with the caster sugar on top, put on to a medium heat and let the rhubarb and sugar wilt down until boiling and all the rhubarb is soft.

Step two:
Whilst the rhubarb is cooking chop the strawberries into quarters and peel the nectarines and chop into small pieces.

Step three:
Take the rhubarb off the heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste.

Step four:
Rub the butter and flour between fingertips to create breadcrumb like texture, then add in the caster sugar and oats.

Step five:
Place heatproof teacups or ramekins onto a baking tray. Fill each cup with an equal amount of strawberries and nectarines, then add the rhubarb on top and mix so even distribution of the rhubarb. Sprinkle the crumble on the top of the fruit creating an even layer.

Step six:
Bake in the over for 20 minutes until the top is golden brown. Leave too cool slightly before serving. 

I served mine with ice-cream to add summeriness! 

Lets all laugh and enjoy summer desserts.