If we make the commitment to wearing a bright lip for the day, we want it to last, and we certainly don't want our hard work in the morning to go to waste. Here are a few tips and tricks to ensure that your lip colour stays put all day whatever you're doing. 

Start with a blank canvas...using a bit of leftover foundation from a brush or sponge can help block out your natural lip colour and give the products on top something to stick to. Just pat your brush or sponge over your lips after exfoliating them and this should stop your natural lip colour poking through as the day progresses. See, concealer lips aren't always a bad thing. If you have naturally darker lips this will also help the true colour of the lipstick to show through. 

Use lip liner...seems a kind of an obvious one, but ensuring you line your lips and fill them in with a lip liner will make sure your lip colour doesn't fade or bleed. It's important to use one that's a similar colour to your lips or that matches your lipstick, this will look the most natural and you won't have those awkward 90's lip liner vibes going on. Charlotte Tilbury, Urban Decay, Rimmel and MAC do some of the best in my opinion. I always start by lining the perimeter of the lips, going from the outside in, then run the pencil over the lips to fill them in. 

Go matte...if you're using bright shade, matte is the best way to go. The formula lasts longer than others as they don't slip around on the lips and the colour is more intense - go big or go home right?. There are brands which offer some that aren't completely drying such as Nars, MAC and Revlon, the colour range and quality of these brands are also excellent. If your lips are on the dryer side make sure to use a lip balm pre application so it doesn't sit in any cracks and cling to dry patches. 

The blot and reapply method...this is one I tend to do a lot if I know I'm going to rocking a bold lip for the whole day and won't be able to touch up often. Step one, apply; step 2, blot with tissue; step 3, reapply. The idea behind this is that once you've blotted the first layer it will sink into the lips and act as a stain so when you apply the second layer, if it does fade, there will be a stain underneath so you don't get patchy lips and you'll always have a nice colour on the lips. This is a great little routine which can be done in seconds. 

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Making Lipstick Last


If we make the commitment to wearing a bright lip for the day, we want it to last, and we certainly don't want our hard work in the morning to go to waste. Here are a few tips and tricks to ensure that your lip colour stays put all day whatever you're doing. 

Start with a blank canvas...using a bit of leftover foundation from a brush or sponge can help block out your natural lip colour and give the products on top something to stick to. Just pat your brush or sponge over your lips after exfoliating them and this should stop your natural lip colour poking through as the day progresses. See, concealer lips aren't always a bad thing. If you have naturally darker lips this will also help the true colour of the lipstick to show through. 

Use lip liner...seems a kind of an obvious one, but ensuring you line your lips and fill them in with a lip liner will make sure your lip colour doesn't fade or bleed. It's important to use one that's a similar colour to your lips or that matches your lipstick, this will look the most natural and you won't have those awkward 90's lip liner vibes going on. Charlotte Tilbury, Urban Decay, Rimmel and MAC do some of the best in my opinion. I always start by lining the perimeter of the lips, going from the outside in, then run the pencil over the lips to fill them in. 

Go matte...if you're using bright shade, matte is the best way to go. The formula lasts longer than others as they don't slip around on the lips and the colour is more intense - go big or go home right?. There are brands which offer some that aren't completely drying such as Nars, MAC and Revlon, the colour range and quality of these brands are also excellent. If your lips are on the dryer side make sure to use a lip balm pre application so it doesn't sit in any cracks and cling to dry patches. 

The blot and reapply method...this is one I tend to do a lot if I know I'm going to rocking a bold lip for the whole day and won't be able to touch up often. Step one, apply; step 2, blot with tissue; step 3, reapply. The idea behind this is that once you've blotted the first layer it will sink into the lips and act as a stain so when you apply the second layer, if it does fade, there will be a stain underneath so you don't get patchy lips and you'll always have a nice colour on the lips. This is a great little routine which can be done in seconds. 

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Monday, June 29, 2015

Recently I've had a few early starts and have had to conjure up a routine which I can do in a few minutes and be out the door. To me, this is the perfect natural, everyday look which can be worn for work or to school - if you're allowed any makeup at all - it's quick, easy and lets get started.

First of all I always start with a clean face. I'll wash it either in the shower or it takes just a minute or so doing it over the sink. I then follow up with a simple skincare routine - tea tree water, origins serum and moisturiser - and I'm ready for makeup. I start with something thats going to give me a fresh glow and wake up my tired skin, for that I've been loving the Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Enhancer. I've mentioned this a few times over the past week, purely because it's a great base for makeup and even on it's own it makes the skin smoother and more even. On top of that I love something light and I can pop on with my fingers if needs be, the Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue is a lovely tinted base and covers well but still moisturises and keeps the skin looking fresh throughout the day. Of course I can't go a makeup day without concealer, so pop your favourite under eye concealer on and we'll move on to cheeks. I love palettes that do it all, so the Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette is perfect for covering the cheek area. It has a nice bronze, a pinkly highlighter and a pinky peach blush which go really nicely together - as you would expect - and they have great colour pay off. I use the bronzer first of a fluffy brush and apply that under my cheekbones and around my face, I don't do any fancy countering here, just bronzing the face. I then take an angled brush and mix the highlight and blush together and apply those to my cheekbones.

As I've recently had my brows threaded, filling them in is a hell of a lot easier so I've just been grabbing a tinted gel and running that through them. The Benefit Gimme Brow is my favourite for this as it contains little fibres which create the illusion of thicker brows. I kept the eyes simple and used products which I know work well and last all day. I've been running the Charlotte Tilbury Barbarella Brown Rock n Kohl Liner in my tight line and upper lash line which naturally defines the eyes. I then curl my lashes and apply mascara, and that's the eyes done! For lips, I use anything which is in arms length and isn't too fussy to apply. The Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Balms are great as they nourish the lips as well as giving them a nice hint of colour.

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5 Minute Face


Recently I've had a few early starts and have had to conjure up a routine which I can do in a few minutes and be out the door. To me, this is the perfect natural, everyday look which can be worn for work or to school - if you're allowed any makeup at all - it's quick, easy and lets get started.

First of all I always start with a clean face. I'll wash it either in the shower or it takes just a minute or so doing it over the sink. I then follow up with a simple skincare routine - tea tree water, origins serum and moisturiser - and I'm ready for makeup. I start with something thats going to give me a fresh glow and wake up my tired skin, for that I've been loving the Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Enhancer. I've mentioned this a few times over the past week, purely because it's a great base for makeup and even on it's own it makes the skin smoother and more even. On top of that I love something light and I can pop on with my fingers if needs be, the Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue is a lovely tinted base and covers well but still moisturises and keeps the skin looking fresh throughout the day. Of course I can't go a makeup day without concealer, so pop your favourite under eye concealer on and we'll move on to cheeks. I love palettes that do it all, so the Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palette is perfect for covering the cheek area. It has a nice bronze, a pinkly highlighter and a pinky peach blush which go really nicely together - as you would expect - and they have great colour pay off. I use the bronzer first of a fluffy brush and apply that under my cheekbones and around my face, I don't do any fancy countering here, just bronzing the face. I then take an angled brush and mix the highlight and blush together and apply those to my cheekbones.

As I've recently had my brows threaded, filling them in is a hell of a lot easier so I've just been grabbing a tinted gel and running that through them. The Benefit Gimme Brow is my favourite for this as it contains little fibres which create the illusion of thicker brows. I kept the eyes simple and used products which I know work well and last all day. I've been running the Charlotte Tilbury Barbarella Brown Rock n Kohl Liner in my tight line and upper lash line which naturally defines the eyes. I then curl my lashes and apply mascara, and that's the eyes done! For lips, I use anything which is in arms length and isn't too fussy to apply. The Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Balms are great as they nourish the lips as well as giving them a nice hint of colour.

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Sunday, June 28, 2015

I love finding things at the drugstore that I love, as their normally pretty cheap and easy to find in your local Boots or Superdurg, and sometimes even supermarkets. Over the years there's been a lot of drugstore brands I love and will go back to time and time again for various bits. Today I will be covering makeup but if you want a similar post focusing on hair, body ect then leave a comment down below.

Base first, and we'll start off by covering primers and skin perfecters. I love priming my skin, it feels softer, makeup applies more evenly and whatever I put on top lasts longer. Perfecters are great for no makeup days when you still want your skin to look even and glowing. I love The Body Shop primers, especially the Vitamin C Glow Enhancer and the Instablur as they both help to smooth out the skin and give it a more perfected look without using a layer of foundation. Other primers I love are from L'Oreal and MAX Factor. For foundation I always go to L'Oreal, their True Match and their Infallible Matte are great for everyday and are very similar to some high end ones I own and love. If you've tried both of these, Bourjois have a great range too which are a lighter coverage and formula. I love the highlighting concealers drugstore brands do, the ones from L'oreal and Maybelline are fab and I love how they cover but also lift and brighten the under eye area. If you want something a bit more high coverage the Collection Lasting Perfecting Concealer is one I would recommend. As for powders the two I love are the Soap and Glory Kick Ass and the Bourjois Healthy Balance powder. These both take away any unwanted shine but still leave the skin looking natural and non cakey. 
Cheek products are something I love to buy at the drugstore too. They have a great range of blushers, both cream and powders, and you can find some really good bronzers too. The Soap and Glory Solar Powder is the first bronzer that comes to mind and I love having the two shades that I can mix or use separately. Another one I love would be the Body Shop Honey Bronzer which is a lovely matte brown shade, not too orange, nor too grey. For blush I love the ones from MAX Factor, their cream and powered formulas I really rate. Bourjois also do some nice cream formulas and Sleek do some that are very comparable to NARS
Eye liners, shadows and mascaras are probably my favourite things to buy at the drugstore as the quality and range is actually pretty amazing. For eyeshadows Maybelline and L'Oreal are my favourites as the quality is great, Maybelline for their creams and L'Oreal for their powders. Sleek do some lovely palettes too. Liners, I love the Rimmel Scandal Eyes Pencils as they are super creamy and last ages. Soap and Glory's Supercat liner is fab, it's really black, doesn't dry out quickly and the nib is really easy to manoeuvre and create the look you want. Collection also do a nice liquid liner too, which isn't in pen form. For mascaras you all know my fav brands to go to are L'Oreal for their Telescopic, MAX Factor and Maybelline. I don't think you need to spend a tonne of money for a good mascara, try one from one of these brands and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
Lips now and my favourite lip formulas have to be from Revlon, I think they do lips so well. Their lip butters are the first products that got me coming back for more and since they've released their Matte Balms their Ultra HD lipsticks which are both great. Bourjois do a really god liquid lipsticks - just not the shade Grand Cru - and the L'oreal and Tanya Burr glosses are the ones if you love a good, non-sticky gloss. 




Best Drugstore Brands For...


I love finding things at the drugstore that I love, as their normally pretty cheap and easy to find in your local Boots or Superdurg, and sometimes even supermarkets. Over the years there's been a lot of drugstore brands I love and will go back to time and time again for various bits. Today I will be covering makeup but if you want a similar post focusing on hair, body ect then leave a comment down below.

Base first, and we'll start off by covering primers and skin perfecters. I love priming my skin, it feels softer, makeup applies more evenly and whatever I put on top lasts longer. Perfecters are great for no makeup days when you still want your skin to look even and glowing. I love The Body Shop primers, especially the Vitamin C Glow Enhancer and the Instablur as they both help to smooth out the skin and give it a more perfected look without using a layer of foundation. Other primers I love are from L'Oreal and MAX Factor. For foundation I always go to L'Oreal, their True Match and their Infallible Matte are great for everyday and are very similar to some high end ones I own and love. If you've tried both of these, Bourjois have a great range too which are a lighter coverage and formula. I love the highlighting concealers drugstore brands do, the ones from L'oreal and Maybelline are fab and I love how they cover but also lift and brighten the under eye area. If you want something a bit more high coverage the Collection Lasting Perfecting Concealer is one I would recommend. As for powders the two I love are the Soap and Glory Kick Ass and the Bourjois Healthy Balance powder. These both take away any unwanted shine but still leave the skin looking natural and non cakey. 
Cheek products are something I love to buy at the drugstore too. They have a great range of blushers, both cream and powders, and you can find some really good bronzers too. The Soap and Glory Solar Powder is the first bronzer that comes to mind and I love having the two shades that I can mix or use separately. Another one I love would be the Body Shop Honey Bronzer which is a lovely matte brown shade, not too orange, nor too grey. For blush I love the ones from MAX Factor, their cream and powered formulas I really rate. Bourjois also do some nice cream formulas and Sleek do some that are very comparable to NARS
Eye liners, shadows and mascaras are probably my favourite things to buy at the drugstore as the quality and range is actually pretty amazing. For eyeshadows Maybelline and L'Oreal are my favourites as the quality is great, Maybelline for their creams and L'Oreal for their powders. Sleek do some lovely palettes too. Liners, I love the Rimmel Scandal Eyes Pencils as they are super creamy and last ages. Soap and Glory's Supercat liner is fab, it's really black, doesn't dry out quickly and the nib is really easy to manoeuvre and create the look you want. Collection also do a nice liquid liner too, which isn't in pen form. For mascaras you all know my fav brands to go to are L'Oreal for their Telescopic, MAX Factor and Maybelline. I don't think you need to spend a tonne of money for a good mascara, try one from one of these brands and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
Lips now and my favourite lip formulas have to be from Revlon, I think they do lips so well. Their lip butters are the first products that got me coming back for more and since they've released their Matte Balms their Ultra HD lipsticks which are both great. Bourjois do a really god liquid lipsticks - just not the shade Grand Cru - and the L'oreal and Tanya Burr glosses are the ones if you love a good, non-sticky gloss. 




Friday, June 26, 2015


If there's one thing I love from LUSH, it's their honey scented products. It's Raining Men is one of my favourite shower gels and recently I've fallen in love with Honey I Washed The Kids, which is one of their soaps.

You can buy however much you like of this soap and they'll do the price accordingly, I think this is a great way of doing it, as you can really stock up. You can use this as a conventional hand soap, or on your body, it's a super moisturising formula so does work well with both. I've always been put off bar soap as the only memories I have with them are that they smell super soapy and leave your hands too squeaky and stripped, I'm pleased to say that this has proven me wrong. If you use it on your body it feels creamy and afterwards your skin is nourished and soft, exactly what I want from a body product.

As I touched on before, it smells like honey, and boy does that smell good. It's not a really sweet, overpowering scent but still leaves the skin with a nice smell after. If you don't like your body products lingering then you may not love this, but if you do, check this out. I haven't tried any other soaps from LUSH but I'm keen to now, so let me know if you have and which ones you love.

Honey I Washed The Kids



If there's one thing I love from LUSH, it's their honey scented products. It's Raining Men is one of my favourite shower gels and recently I've fallen in love with Honey I Washed The Kids, which is one of their soaps.

You can buy however much you like of this soap and they'll do the price accordingly, I think this is a great way of doing it, as you can really stock up. You can use this as a conventional hand soap, or on your body, it's a super moisturising formula so does work well with both. I've always been put off bar soap as the only memories I have with them are that they smell super soapy and leave your hands too squeaky and stripped, I'm pleased to say that this has proven me wrong. If you use it on your body it feels creamy and afterwards your skin is nourished and soft, exactly what I want from a body product.

As I touched on before, it smells like honey, and boy does that smell good. It's not a really sweet, overpowering scent but still leaves the skin with a nice smell after. If you don't like your body products lingering then you may not love this, but if you do, check this out. I haven't tried any other soaps from LUSH but I'm keen to now, so let me know if you have and which ones you love.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015

This summer I really wanted to find a hair removal method which worked well and didn't mean I had to reach for my razor every day. My mum swears by her epilator and inspired me to give it a go, although she's a lot more brave with it than I am, so I did and here's what I thought.

I've used this on my arms and legs and have been pleased with the results is given me. When it first made contact with the skin I have to say I hurt like a b****, but once the area gets desensitised it really doesn't feel as bad. I like to describe it as an electronic plucking device, so like plucking individual brow hairs which you would do manually, this is an electric version which does that 10 times as fast. To get an idea of how long this hair removal method lasts, I did it a day or two before going on holiday for week and didn't have to use my razor once when I was out there and a good few days after coming back. When the hairs do grow back I find they grow back in patches and is a lot more gradual than when I shave, they also grow back finer too. My mum says that if you do it for long enough less and less hairs grow back, so I'm still waiting for that as I'm not convinced. 

Onto the epilator itself and I use the Braun Silk Epil 7 which is wireless so you don't have to be getting your legs tangled up in a wire. Obviously they aren't the cheapest to buy, but in the long run they will last a hell of a lot longer than a set of razors you have repurchase every month, so it's worth it I'd say. It has a couple of speed settings too, I like it on the lowest because I'm a woos, but it's still fast so don't be fooled. 

Post epilate I like to go in with an oil as my legs do go very red, although that does die down. I love the L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil which smells amazing and has a handy spray dispenser so your hands don't get really greasy. This just helps to tame the area a bit and keep your limbs moisturised. Your body can also be very sensitive after doing this so I wouldn't recommend going in with a fake tan or anything like that, stick to an oil or gel you know and love. 

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So I Got Into Epilating...


This summer I really wanted to find a hair removal method which worked well and didn't mean I had to reach for my razor every day. My mum swears by her epilator and inspired me to give it a go, although she's a lot more brave with it than I am, so I did and here's what I thought.

I've used this on my arms and legs and have been pleased with the results is given me. When it first made contact with the skin I have to say I hurt like a b****, but once the area gets desensitised it really doesn't feel as bad. I like to describe it as an electronic plucking device, so like plucking individual brow hairs which you would do manually, this is an electric version which does that 10 times as fast. To get an idea of how long this hair removal method lasts, I did it a day or two before going on holiday for week and didn't have to use my razor once when I was out there and a good few days after coming back. When the hairs do grow back I find they grow back in patches and is a lot more gradual than when I shave, they also grow back finer too. My mum says that if you do it for long enough less and less hairs grow back, so I'm still waiting for that as I'm not convinced. 

Onto the epilator itself and I use the Braun Silk Epil 7 which is wireless so you don't have to be getting your legs tangled up in a wire. Obviously they aren't the cheapest to buy, but in the long run they will last a hell of a lot longer than a set of razors you have repurchase every month, so it's worth it I'd say. It has a couple of speed settings too, I like it on the lowest because I'm a woos, but it's still fast so don't be fooled. 

Post epilate I like to go in with an oil as my legs do go very red, although that does die down. I love the L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil which smells amazing and has a handy spray dispenser so your hands don't get really greasy. This just helps to tame the area a bit and keep your limbs moisturised. Your body can also be very sensitive after doing this so I wouldn't recommend going in with a fake tan or anything like that, stick to an oil or gel you know and love. 

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Sunday, June 21, 2015

We all know that getting those important 8 hours of shut eye doesn't happen all the time, and for some, it's a very rare occurrence. I thought I would tell you about some products that help me look less zombie like when the mornings roll around that really help to wake up my skin.

A cooling eye cream/gel is of course one of the first things I reach for and ones that have a metal applicator will help to de-puff under eye bags. The Body Shop Vitamin C Eye Reviver Duo is one I use a lot and because it's enriched with vitamin C its going to brighten and make the eyes feel fresher and more awake. The second Body Shop product I make sure to have nearby is their Vitamin C Instant Glow Enhancer which I use as a base before makeup. Don't be put off by the fact it comes out the tube bright orange, it doesn't stay like that on the skin, trust me. I love how glowing my skin looks after I use this and it really helps to make everything look a bit less lack lustre which my skin is known for. 

Onto makeup and there's a lot you can do here to cheat an 'of course I didn't stay up till 3 in morning watching Netflix' type look. First is of course covering up those notorious dark circles. I use the Bobbi Brown Corrector which is fab for this. It's one of those heavy duty colour correcting concealers which cancels out any dark tones under your eyes. I then tend to go in with a more highlighting concealer, such as the Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer to bring some more light to the area and really lift the eyes. As a quick step to help make your eyes appear brighter and whiter I would recommend going in with a fleshy toned eye pencil to cheat this a little. Benefits High Brow is a good one, as it's a light pinky flesh tone so your eyes will appear bigger and more awake. Curling your lashes is another good step to do if you want bigger looking eyes, this will help lift them too. 

Adding a nice pop of colour can be a great way to brighten the face and putting on a bright lip makes it look like you've spent a lot longer on your makeup than you actually have. MAC's Lustering is a lovely fuchsia pink shade, and I think pink is the way to go as far as brighting the face, the same for blush.


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Cheating 8 Hours Of Sleep


We all know that getting those important 8 hours of shut eye doesn't happen all the time, and for some, it's a very rare occurrence. I thought I would tell you about some products that help me look less zombie like when the mornings roll around that really help to wake up my skin.

A cooling eye cream/gel is of course one of the first things I reach for and ones that have a metal applicator will help to de-puff under eye bags. The Body Shop Vitamin C Eye Reviver Duo is one I use a lot and because it's enriched with vitamin C its going to brighten and make the eyes feel fresher and more awake. The second Body Shop product I make sure to have nearby is their Vitamin C Instant Glow Enhancer which I use as a base before makeup. Don't be put off by the fact it comes out the tube bright orange, it doesn't stay like that on the skin, trust me. I love how glowing my skin looks after I use this and it really helps to make everything look a bit less lack lustre which my skin is known for. 

Onto makeup and there's a lot you can do here to cheat an 'of course I didn't stay up till 3 in morning watching Netflix' type look. First is of course covering up those notorious dark circles. I use the Bobbi Brown Corrector which is fab for this. It's one of those heavy duty colour correcting concealers which cancels out any dark tones under your eyes. I then tend to go in with a more highlighting concealer, such as the Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer to bring some more light to the area and really lift the eyes. As a quick step to help make your eyes appear brighter and whiter I would recommend going in with a fleshy toned eye pencil to cheat this a little. Benefits High Brow is a good one, as it's a light pinky flesh tone so your eyes will appear bigger and more awake. Curling your lashes is another good step to do if you want bigger looking eyes, this will help lift them too. 

Adding a nice pop of colour can be a great way to brighten the face and putting on a bright lip makes it look like you've spent a lot longer on your makeup than you actually have. MAC's Lustering is a lovely fuchsia pink shade, and I think pink is the way to go as far as brighting the face, the same for blush.


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Friday, June 19, 2015

Every beauty blogger loves a good rave, and it can be hard to know whether what they're talking about is actually worth the hype or not. Personally, they rave with good reason so there has to be something good about it, and these are a few that definitely did live up to their expectations and didn't let me down.

We'll start off with some brushes and the Sephora brush collection has put its name on the map as far as brushes go. You'll find one or two pop up in various Sephora hauls and bloggers showering them in compliments and I have to second everything they say. I own three, and love them all. They have tonnes to chose form varying from their pro and classic lines. Their face brushes equal out to around £15-£20 and the eye brushes about £10, so not too bad in my opinion. They're great quality, very soft and I love the black handles, very chic.

For base products I thought something summery would be appropriate so I've chosen the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser. As far as tinted moisturisers go this one is probably the most talked about and most popular and for good reason, it's one of the best for sure. It offers decent coverage for a tinted product and they have an oil free version for those of you who suffer from oily skin which is a nice bonus. Kind of pricey but it looks natural on the skin and is a great moisturising base. 

Eye wise I had to talk about the Naked Palettes which have made the rounds on several occasions. Both the originals and the basics are fab in my opinion. They're buttery, pigmented, long lasting and overall amazing. My favourite is the original as I love all the warm tones and the two matte browns are really decent crease/blending colours which can sometimes be hard to find in palettes. And if you want some mattes added to your collection the Naked Basics - again, original - will be a brilliant one to try. It has nice mix of lid/highlight colours, a few good blending shades and a black to use as a liner. 

I have a couple for lips, and no doubt you have heard of both of these. The first is a lip liner and the second a tinted balm. The latter are the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfecter Balms which are the perfect tinted lip balm in my opinion. They are super super moisturising and the colours are really lovely for everyday wear, the brighter ones you can also build up and get a more intense look, a great day to night option. They also smell incredible! The former is of course the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Cheat. I'm so over the whole Kylie Jenner lip look and you want fuller lips you can do so without people thinking you want to be like her. This is a nice pink shade which feels creamy on the lips and leaves them looking natural and not too 90s. I really want to try some more of these lip liners because so far, I'm hooked! 


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Beauty Products Worth The Hype


Every beauty blogger loves a good rave, and it can be hard to know whether what they're talking about is actually worth the hype or not. Personally, they rave with good reason so there has to be something good about it, and these are a few that definitely did live up to their expectations and didn't let me down.

We'll start off with some brushes and the Sephora brush collection has put its name on the map as far as brushes go. You'll find one or two pop up in various Sephora hauls and bloggers showering them in compliments and I have to second everything they say. I own three, and love them all. They have tonnes to chose form varying from their pro and classic lines. Their face brushes equal out to around £15-£20 and the eye brushes about £10, so not too bad in my opinion. They're great quality, very soft and I love the black handles, very chic.

For base products I thought something summery would be appropriate so I've chosen the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser. As far as tinted moisturisers go this one is probably the most talked about and most popular and for good reason, it's one of the best for sure. It offers decent coverage for a tinted product and they have an oil free version for those of you who suffer from oily skin which is a nice bonus. Kind of pricey but it looks natural on the skin and is a great moisturising base. 

Eye wise I had to talk about the Naked Palettes which have made the rounds on several occasions. Both the originals and the basics are fab in my opinion. They're buttery, pigmented, long lasting and overall amazing. My favourite is the original as I love all the warm tones and the two matte browns are really decent crease/blending colours which can sometimes be hard to find in palettes. And if you want some mattes added to your collection the Naked Basics - again, original - will be a brilliant one to try. It has nice mix of lid/highlight colours, a few good blending shades and a black to use as a liner. 

I have a couple for lips, and no doubt you have heard of both of these. The first is a lip liner and the second a tinted balm. The latter are the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfecter Balms which are the perfect tinted lip balm in my opinion. They are super super moisturising and the colours are really lovely for everyday wear, the brighter ones you can also build up and get a more intense look, a great day to night option. They also smell incredible! The former is of course the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Cheat. I'm so over the whole Kylie Jenner lip look and you want fuller lips you can do so without people thinking you want to be like her. This is a nice pink shade which feels creamy on the lips and leaves them looking natural and not too 90s. I really want to try some more of these lip liners because so far, I'm hooked! 


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Wednesday, June 17, 2015

I thought about doing a top MAC lipstick post, then realised I don't have a lot to pick from so may as well show you my entire collection instead! To some people this may seem like a lot  and for others, you may be sitting there like 'that's about a tenth of my collection', it varies I'm sure. I'm very happy with the ones I have but would love to pick up some other shades as MAC have a tonne to pick from, so I would love to know your favs and have a massive swatch session when I have about an hour to kill...

On the far left we have Lustering which is the one I'm obsessing over right now. It's a lustre finish which means it's adds a nice amount of shine as well as being a semi-sheer formula which you can build. Colour wise, it's perfect for summer in my opinion, a gorgeous watermelon pink shade, can't really go wrong! Next to that we have Plink! which was my first ever MAC lipstick and one that's kind of collecting dust at the moment. This one is also a lustre, but because it's such a pale pink I find the amount of sheen it gives doesn't look great with my skin tone, but we all have that one MAC purchase we regret right? Vegas Volt is the next one along and another summer appropriate option. It's a gorgeous coral pink which is part of their amplified cream formulas so it's super pigmented, yet super creamy at the same time. If you're on the hunt for a new lipstick this summer I would definitely recommend this one. 

On to the more non summery shades now, and Patisserie is an all year round kind of job which you all know I love and is my perfect nude. I shan't talk about this much because you all know the deal by now, but basically is a creamy moisturising pinky beige nude which I think everyone should own. For the most daring of the lot, we have Diva which is lovely deep burgundy. This is matte, which is great as it is such an intense colour, so it will stay in place all day and will need minimal touch ups. I would recommend applying this with a lip brush though, because dark shades like this can get a bit messy. 
I've definitely left the best till last - in my opinion anyway - Plumful is one I've had and worn for years and it's such a unique mauve shade that I can't seem to out it down. This is another lustre - can you tell I love those - which makes it very comfortable on the lips and you can build the colour up nicely. Out of all the MAC lipsticks I own, I wear this one the most and if you don't own it, you should, as I think it would suit everyone. 


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My (kind of small) MAC Lipstick Collection


I thought about doing a top MAC lipstick post, then realised I don't have a lot to pick from so may as well show you my entire collection instead! To some people this may seem like a lot  and for others, you may be sitting there like 'that's about a tenth of my collection', it varies I'm sure. I'm very happy with the ones I have but would love to pick up some other shades as MAC have a tonne to pick from, so I would love to know your favs and have a massive swatch session when I have about an hour to kill...

On the far left we have Lustering which is the one I'm obsessing over right now. It's a lustre finish which means it's adds a nice amount of shine as well as being a semi-sheer formula which you can build. Colour wise, it's perfect for summer in my opinion, a gorgeous watermelon pink shade, can't really go wrong! Next to that we have Plink! which was my first ever MAC lipstick and one that's kind of collecting dust at the moment. This one is also a lustre, but because it's such a pale pink I find the amount of sheen it gives doesn't look great with my skin tone, but we all have that one MAC purchase we regret right? Vegas Volt is the next one along and another summer appropriate option. It's a gorgeous coral pink which is part of their amplified cream formulas so it's super pigmented, yet super creamy at the same time. If you're on the hunt for a new lipstick this summer I would definitely recommend this one. 

On to the more non summery shades now, and Patisserie is an all year round kind of job which you all know I love and is my perfect nude. I shan't talk about this much because you all know the deal by now, but basically is a creamy moisturising pinky beige nude which I think everyone should own. For the most daring of the lot, we have Diva which is lovely deep burgundy. This is matte, which is great as it is such an intense colour, so it will stay in place all day and will need minimal touch ups. I would recommend applying this with a lip brush though, because dark shades like this can get a bit messy. 
I've definitely left the best till last - in my opinion anyway - Plumful is one I've had and worn for years and it's such a unique mauve shade that I can't seem to out it down. This is another lustre - can you tell I love those - which makes it very comfortable on the lips and you can build the colour up nicely. Out of all the MAC lipsticks I own, I wear this one the most and if you don't own it, you should, as I think it would suit everyone. 


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Monday, June 15, 2015




I love my makeup to be simple in the summer, and this look here is what I've been gravitating too on a day to day basis. I tend to use a lot less products and use ones that are lighter on the skin too, so my skin doesn't feel all gross in the heat. 

For my base I threw on the Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation which I love a few reasons. 1. It's a perfect colour match for me at the moment - 130 Shell if you were wondering - so I find it blends in beautifully and meshes well with my skin - yes I did just say 'mesh' - 2. It's light-medium coverage and looks natural on the skin, and 3. It's pretty inexpensive! I blended this in with my beauty blender, and although this takes a bit more time, it's worth it for the finished result. Under my eyes I used my Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer which I love for bringing light to my dark circles as well as offering a bit of coverage. I then popped on a bit of bronzer then moved on to blush. I have been loving this one from YSL at the moment in the shade 9 which is such a pretty coral pink. It has a nice amount of shimmer to it so I didn't add a highlighter. I has four little quadrants, two of which are matte and the others are the ones which pack the punch, mix them together and the glow you get is stunning. I kept my brows super simple and just ran some of the Benefit Gimme Brows through them for some definition and shape. 

On to the eyes now, which I think is my favourite part of this whole look, and I'm practicing my pencil liner skills and am pleased with how this turned out today. On the lids I used Laura Mercier's Caviar Stick in Amethyst which is a pretty taupe. This has a bit more purple running through it than some other the taupe-y shades but I think that's why I love it so much. I also blended this under my eyes too do define my lower lash line. For liner I used the Charlotte Tilbury Barbarella Brown Rock n Kohl Liner which is the perfect pigmented, creamy pencil and I love it. I wanted to use liquid liner to create a wing, but I thought I would use something a bit softer so I attempted to use a pencil and I don't think I did too badly, right? I blended it out a tad on the outer corners with an angled brush then kept going back in to intensify the colour until I was happy. Using brown will create a more natural and softer look which I think is really flattering, especially on green eyes. I then topped off the eyes with a coat of L'Oeral Missmanga Mascara and then it was onto the lips. I wanted something moisturising, kind of sheer, yet kind of bright at the same time - does that even exist? I settled on the Korres Mandarin Lip Butter Stick in Rose which is a pretty raspberry shade and was very happy with my choice. 


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Simple Summer Makeup





I love my makeup to be simple in the summer, and this look here is what I've been gravitating too on a day to day basis. I tend to use a lot less products and use ones that are lighter on the skin too, so my skin doesn't feel all gross in the heat. 

For my base I threw on the Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation which I love a few reasons. 1. It's a perfect colour match for me at the moment - 130 Shell if you were wondering - so I find it blends in beautifully and meshes well with my skin - yes I did just say 'mesh' - 2. It's light-medium coverage and looks natural on the skin, and 3. It's pretty inexpensive! I blended this in with my beauty blender, and although this takes a bit more time, it's worth it for the finished result. Under my eyes I used my Maybelline Dream Lumi Concealer which I love for bringing light to my dark circles as well as offering a bit of coverage. I then popped on a bit of bronzer then moved on to blush. I have been loving this one from YSL at the moment in the shade 9 which is such a pretty coral pink. It has a nice amount of shimmer to it so I didn't add a highlighter. I has four little quadrants, two of which are matte and the others are the ones which pack the punch, mix them together and the glow you get is stunning. I kept my brows super simple and just ran some of the Benefit Gimme Brows through them for some definition and shape. 

On to the eyes now, which I think is my favourite part of this whole look, and I'm practicing my pencil liner skills and am pleased with how this turned out today. On the lids I used Laura Mercier's Caviar Stick in Amethyst which is a pretty taupe. This has a bit more purple running through it than some other the taupe-y shades but I think that's why I love it so much. I also blended this under my eyes too do define my lower lash line. For liner I used the Charlotte Tilbury Barbarella Brown Rock n Kohl Liner which is the perfect pigmented, creamy pencil and I love it. I wanted to use liquid liner to create a wing, but I thought I would use something a bit softer so I attempted to use a pencil and I don't think I did too badly, right? I blended it out a tad on the outer corners with an angled brush then kept going back in to intensify the colour until I was happy. Using brown will create a more natural and softer look which I think is really flattering, especially on green eyes. I then topped off the eyes with a coat of L'Oeral Missmanga Mascara and then it was onto the lips. I wanted something moisturising, kind of sheer, yet kind of bright at the same time - does that even exist? I settled on the Korres Mandarin Lip Butter Stick in Rose which is a pretty raspberry shade and was very happy with my choice. 


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Sunday, June 14, 2015

Being a beauty lover myself, I know theres nothing more exciting than getting some money off for those times you're feeling spendy - anything to keep the addiction alive. Companies tend to make these so we get money off, yes, but in tern we normally have to spend more, thumbs down to that. I do own a few and can see the benefits of owning such pieces of plastic, so here are few I think you should have too.

Boots Advantage Card...Aah, a classic. There is a Boots in every town - am I right - and whether you go there to haul the entire makeup section or just pick up the essential body wash and deodorant, everyone can benefit from this. The idea behind this is that points ultimately add up to money you can then use to pay for something you've either been saving for or think would be worth the wait. You also receive vouchers through the mail where you can get double points, and other vouchers which tend to sound a little something like '£5 off when you spend £30 or more', we know the ones. 

Space NK N.dulge... There's nothing more worrying than walking into Space NK knowing you have £5 sitting on your card - the damage that could be done people - but there's nothing more satisfying either. The only downside is you need to spend £100 before you get the £5 off, but if you are a frequent Space NK shopper then make sure you get your hands on this.

The Body Shop Love Your Body Card...If The Body Shop don't already have 1 million deals on, they have a card too, meaning you can get even more money off! This is basically a 10% voucher you can use whenever you like as well as a nice little gift on your birthday. In my opinion this is the best of the bunch.

Debenhams Beauty Club Reward Card...This is another, spend money, earn points, get money off type card. With this you also receive a free Benefit brow wax around your birthday as well as free samples of products and free makeovers. This is a great card if you love beauty and want to try out new launches without paying for a full size. I also love the fact you can get a free makeover from any makeup artist on any counter, perfect for a special occasion. 


Beauty Cards For Beauty Lovers


Being a beauty lover myself, I know theres nothing more exciting than getting some money off for those times you're feeling spendy - anything to keep the addiction alive. Companies tend to make these so we get money off, yes, but in tern we normally have to spend more, thumbs down to that. I do own a few and can see the benefits of owning such pieces of plastic, so here are few I think you should have too.

Boots Advantage Card...Aah, a classic. There is a Boots in every town - am I right - and whether you go there to haul the entire makeup section or just pick up the essential body wash and deodorant, everyone can benefit from this. The idea behind this is that points ultimately add up to money you can then use to pay for something you've either been saving for or think would be worth the wait. You also receive vouchers through the mail where you can get double points, and other vouchers which tend to sound a little something like '£5 off when you spend £30 or more', we know the ones. 

Space NK N.dulge... There's nothing more worrying than walking into Space NK knowing you have £5 sitting on your card - the damage that could be done people - but there's nothing more satisfying either. The only downside is you need to spend £100 before you get the £5 off, but if you are a frequent Space NK shopper then make sure you get your hands on this.

The Body Shop Love Your Body Card...If The Body Shop don't already have 1 million deals on, they have a card too, meaning you can get even more money off! This is basically a 10% voucher you can use whenever you like as well as a nice little gift on your birthday. In my opinion this is the best of the bunch.

Debenhams Beauty Club Reward Card...This is another, spend money, earn points, get money off type card. With this you also receive a free Benefit brow wax around your birthday as well as free samples of products and free makeovers. This is a great card if you love beauty and want to try out new launches without paying for a full size. I also love the fact you can get a free makeover from any makeup artist on any counter, perfect for a special occasion. 


Friday, June 12, 2015

I love travelling, and over the years I've compiled a mini mental checklist of the items I have to pack. As far as my carry on goes, I keep it fairly minimal, as, if I'm not doing long haul I tend not to carry many liquids with me. In my suitcase though, I find minis to be best!

A good carry on bag is key, and try to find one with a zip, 1. Safety and 2. Nothing will spill out. I always use my Longchamp Le Pilate large tote as it holds a lot and is secure enough to keep all ma bits and bobs in. I also use it as my beach bag as the martial is easy to clean and dry if you do get any spillages - it's happened. I freaked. But all was good. Inside I keep, passport - of course - and anything to keep me entertained and happy during the flight. Bose headphones are a must because I'm sure we've all been on a flight with a crying baby before, it's a nightmare, but noise cancelling headphones can be your saviour. They're pricey yes, but for headphones they are the best of the best in my opinion as the sound quality is amazing and the fact it cancels out any noise around you is groundbreaking. Second on the list for entertainment would be some sort of reading material, for me that's my Kindle where I can download as many books as I like to and have them ready when I'm on the plane or laying around the pool. I'm currently reading Paper Towns by John Green and am loving it so far. Kindles also have amazing battery life so you can charge them before you leave and they will last the whole holiday. I also love to keep fuzzy socks in my carry on as I find my feet are always freezing on flights. 

If you're going long haul/overnight it may be an idea to pack an eye mask and some earplugs as you  never know who may have their reading light on when you're trying to get some shut eye. A little beauty skincare routine is also advised, especially if you're boarding in a full face of makeup. A mini bottle of micellar water or some makeup wipes would be ideal, I know you can get Bioderma in a cute mini size! If you struggle to find minis - in the UK it can be more difficult - a lot of higher end brands come out with sets which contain a few minis and in the drugstore you can sets from Soap & Glory which are really great. For hair I tend to buy a couple of clear plastic bottles which you can pick up from pretty much anywhere and full them up with my favourite shampoo and conditioner of the moment. Clarins and Clinique do some nice minis and if you're subscribed to any beauty box of any kind you'll find that in a few months you'll accumulate some good travel sizes which are worth saving for a holiday. Clear masks like the Origins Drink Up Intense and the Elemis Enzyme Peel are great clear masks you can pop on and not worry about scaring anyone next to you. Intense lip balms are also great, I love ones from Nuxe and Elizabeth Arden as they are super moisturising and will keep your lips nourished throughout the flight. 

Suncream, sunglasses ect are obvious things that you should know to pack, but there are a few extra ideas that you can add in you're bag if you're unsure of the essentials you may need. 

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Travel Essentials


I love travelling, and over the years I've compiled a mini mental checklist of the items I have to pack. As far as my carry on goes, I keep it fairly minimal, as, if I'm not doing long haul I tend not to carry many liquids with me. In my suitcase though, I find minis to be best!

A good carry on bag is key, and try to find one with a zip, 1. Safety and 2. Nothing will spill out. I always use my Longchamp Le Pilate large tote as it holds a lot and is secure enough to keep all ma bits and bobs in. I also use it as my beach bag as the martial is easy to clean and dry if you do get any spillages - it's happened. I freaked. But all was good. Inside I keep, passport - of course - and anything to keep me entertained and happy during the flight. Bose headphones are a must because I'm sure we've all been on a flight with a crying baby before, it's a nightmare, but noise cancelling headphones can be your saviour. They're pricey yes, but for headphones they are the best of the best in my opinion as the sound quality is amazing and the fact it cancels out any noise around you is groundbreaking. Second on the list for entertainment would be some sort of reading material, for me that's my Kindle where I can download as many books as I like to and have them ready when I'm on the plane or laying around the pool. I'm currently reading Paper Towns by John Green and am loving it so far. Kindles also have amazing battery life so you can charge them before you leave and they will last the whole holiday. I also love to keep fuzzy socks in my carry on as I find my feet are always freezing on flights. 

If you're going long haul/overnight it may be an idea to pack an eye mask and some earplugs as you  never know who may have their reading light on when you're trying to get some shut eye. A little beauty skincare routine is also advised, especially if you're boarding in a full face of makeup. A mini bottle of micellar water or some makeup wipes would be ideal, I know you can get Bioderma in a cute mini size! If you struggle to find minis - in the UK it can be more difficult - a lot of higher end brands come out with sets which contain a few minis and in the drugstore you can sets from Soap & Glory which are really great. For hair I tend to buy a couple of clear plastic bottles which you can pick up from pretty much anywhere and full them up with my favourite shampoo and conditioner of the moment. Clarins and Clinique do some nice minis and if you're subscribed to any beauty box of any kind you'll find that in a few months you'll accumulate some good travel sizes which are worth saving for a holiday. Clear masks like the Origins Drink Up Intense and the Elemis Enzyme Peel are great clear masks you can pop on and not worry about scaring anyone next to you. Intense lip balms are also great, I love ones from Nuxe and Elizabeth Arden as they are super moisturising and will keep your lips nourished throughout the flight. 

Suncream, sunglasses ect are obvious things that you should know to pack, but there are a few extra ideas that you can add in you're bag if you're unsure of the essentials you may need. 

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Wednesday, June 10, 2015