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.