June Update | True Friends & Ramadan

Hello everyone! I hope you’re all doing well. The month of June has been over-all a much needed wind-down from University and on the whole it has been wonderful. I want to start this post by kinda redefining what 'update' or 'catch-ups' are here on TBG. Sometimes I'll have had a really busy month, and it'll just be the highlights in a few photos and words. More often than not however, it's a little glimpse into non-beauty related things in my life and a chance for me to just pour out my thoughts out into a post and be a bit reflective once a month. If it's not your cuppa tea then I have loads and loads of beauty posts to read instead, but if you do stay and read please do drop me a comment, they're some of my favourites to read ^_^

Anyways no beautiful flower pictures this month (sadly I broke my memory stick and since my new one has arrived I haven't had time to hunt down beautiful flowers.) SO I thought I would show you my brand new phone-case instead, pictured on the left HOW CUTE IS IT?!? JFBSFBFEU. It was less than two pounds and the illustration has me going all *heart-eyed emoji* everytime I look at it! Also as much as I loved the glitz and glamour of the gold case, it was rather bulky and not that comfortable to hold due to the size of the phone.  This one is soft and though I've only had it for a day, I'm already enjoying it more (plus it protects the whole phone). The link is here if you're interested and they have so many beautiful designs to choose from with bargain prices - highly recommend!



As I was finally off Uni I spent the beginning of the month working a couple of extra shifts and having catch-ups with my best-friends who are all either living away from home for Uni, or working full time. I read this tweet about ‘low maintenance’ friends and it was basically about having those friends who you don’t have to talk to for months because you’re living your lives, doing what you need to do, but when you do meet up its nothing but love. I don’t know if it’s an age thing or if I’m just blessed, but all my close friends (I can count them on one hand) have this friendship with me, which I feel really relieved about. Those people who, when you meet them it’s like you were only with them a few days ago despite it being MONTHS since you last saw them sometimes. I’m not the best at keeping in contact and in some ways quite introverted so it’s just awesome knowing that those who really matter understand that life has to continue - and when we do see one another it’s just so special! ^_^ Good food and great company is the recipe for a perfect summers day.

Mid-month I took quite a big fall and ended up with bruised legs and cuts to match, on my feet and hand too. It was one of those W U T moments because as clumsy as I can be, I haven’t fallen over and actually cut myself like that in at least 10 years! Thankfully I recovered within a week or two, but it was a reminder to me about how weak we are, I mean one fall and I was bed bound for two days and wondering why I wasn’t more grateful for the ability to walk before this happened. Not a huge event in life, but sometimes it’s the little things that really make you realise what you have! Alhamdulillah (Thank God.)

Ramadan Quran explorer app ramadan legacy app
On the 18th of June Ramadan began, which as you probably know is one of the most spiritual and beautiful months in the Islamic calendar. These are pretty much the longest fasts we will ever do, as Ramadan moves forwards 10 days annually, however despite the length of the fast, it has been absolutely fine. The older I get, the more I understand about my religion and the more I appreciate it. Ramadan is not simply a time of no food and drink during daylight hours, it is a time to build our connection with God, to detatch ourselves from the world by cutting out or reducing T.V, Music etc. and to just focus on the beauty of the month.

Ramadan is also the month in which the Holy Quran was revealed to our Prophet (saw) - an abbreviation for a term of respect. So most Muslims try to read and engage with the Quran more. Personally I have a goal of completing the Quran in both Arabic and English and I have found the Quran Explorer app incredibly useful so far. I already had a English and Arabic Quran and I checked the translations between the app and the Quran and found them to be practically the same so I listen to the Arabic whilst reading along and when I’ve read a section I will scroll up on the app and read the English. Of course it is impossible to capture the true essence of every line by yourself using just an English translation, there are scholars who have spent their whole lives dedicated to explaining each verse in the most comprehendible way in other languages aside from Arabic. However you can easily see the under-lying meaning and I cannot express how emotional it makes me, I feel as though Allah is having a conversation with me and it never fails to astound me how these words which were sent down hundreds of years ago, are still very much relevant and applicable to modern day society.  I've also loved the Ramadan Legacy app! Highly recommend you downloading it if you want to have a more productive month, you can set goals, keep track of prayers and they have daily duas, hadeeths and ayahs too!

As you can tell this is an important part of my life and I do sometimes feel a tad apprehensive about discussing Islam on my blog due to the terrible perception most non-Muslims are fed through the media. However recently a lovely girl replied to one of my tweets about Ramadan and it really touched my heart because she said how nice it was to see someone proud of their religion and I realised that by just being myself, and adding a little bit of Islam here and there on twitter it didn’t make me a preacher or annoying, it showed me for who I am and really didn’t bother anybody. With that in mind I’d like to take the opportunity to say that if there is something you don’t understand or a misconception you have read or heard and would like to ask me about it,please feel free to do so. If I am now knowledgeable enough to answer I’ll ask someone who is, and no this is not becoming a religion blog, I just want to make it clear that I’d rather be asked slightly different/awkward questions and be able to clear up some of the negativity that surrounds Muslims, than be seen as unapproachable and leave anyone believing the rubbish that the media spews out.

If you got to the end of this post, then well done you *hands out Galaxy cookie crumbles for everyone*

That’s about it for my June update..roundup? How has your June been?


Thank-you for reading ♥


June Update | True Friends & Ramadan

Hello everyone! I hope you’re all doing well. The month of June has been over-all a much needed wind-down from University and on the whole it has been wonderful. I want to start this post by kinda redefining what 'update' or 'catch-ups' are here on TBG. Sometimes I'll have had a really busy month, and it'll just be the highlights in a few photos and words. More often than not however, it's a little glimpse into non-beauty related things in my life and a chance for me to just pour out my thoughts out into a post and be a bit reflective once a month. If it's not your cuppa tea then I have loads and loads of beauty posts to read instead, but if you do stay and read please do drop me a comment, they're some of my favourites to read ^_^

Anyways no beautiful flower pictures this month (sadly I broke my memory stick and since my new one has arrived I haven't had time to hunt down beautiful flowers.) SO I thought I would show you my brand new phone-case instead, pictured on the left HOW CUTE IS IT?!? JFBSFBFEU. It was less than two pounds and the illustration has me going all *heart-eyed emoji* everytime I look at it! Also as much as I loved the glitz and glamour of the gold case, it was rather bulky and not that comfortable to hold due to the size of the phone.  This one is soft and though I've only had it for a day, I'm already enjoying it more (plus it protects the whole phone). The link is here if you're interested and they have so many beautiful designs to choose from with bargain prices - highly recommend!

First Ever Sephora Haul!

Sephora Haul UK
Hello ladies! Firstly I want to apologise that this haul is two days late, I’ve just been very busy with Ramadan and working extra shifts too...but anyways enough of that, I am SOO excited to be posting this! This is literally a ONCE-IN-A-YEAR haul on the blog because there’s no denying that shopping from Sephora is a real treat/splurge.

Before we get into the haul I’ll just break down the payment side of things, so hopefully my fellow UK beauty lovers can have an idea of whether they think its worth it. Personally I’m not planning to make a trip to the U.S anytime soon and there are so many ethical brands that are easily available in America and not here in the UK! :c I always knew the shipping costs were steep so I decided that I would make an order for my 20th birthday and I reckon it’ll be an annual treat which, yes I’ll have to save up for, but after this experience it’s totally worth it.


Basically the actual shipping cost to the UK is £6 when you spend over £70 I believe and then they charge taxes and duties on site so you pay it all together online rather than being charged customs here in the UK. The T&Ds are what make any Sephora haul expensive, however if you don’t have family in the U.S or if you don’t take trips (and spend hundreds on a holiday) to America, this charge is well worth it in my opinion! I mean I’d rather pay £23 extra than wait till I get the urge to save up for a holiday to America y’know? It’s just not a destination at the top of my travel list personally and I’m 99% sure the main reason I would go if I DID make plans to go it would be to shop!! Just keeping it real here haha. So if I can purchase goodies from the U.S site for a small charge - I mean come on I'm not going to deny myself that treat once a year!

So justifying my spending aside (three paragraphs later) on to the haul...

Marc Jacobs #instamarc light filtering contour powder in 40 mirage filter
The first thing that I picked up was this amazing duo from Marc Jacobs, and I should say this now - most of the things in this haul are from brands I’ve not tried yet which makes it one of the most exciting hauls ever! Anyways I purchased the Marc Jacobs #instamarc light filtering contour powder which I had seen here and there before but not heard a LOT about. This is HUGE in size, so much bigger than I expected (larger than the palm of my hand) and it contains 18g of product all together. Despite the size, it’s super sleek and the packaging is reflective of the price in my opinion. Marc Jacobs falls in the ‘luxury’ category of makeup for me and so this is one of the most expensive products I’ve bought, it costs around £33. Yah..it’s pricey...

Marc Jacobs #instamarc light filtering contour powder in 40 mirage filter
but so far it is 100% worth it. The shade range is what prompted me to purchase this, I picked it up in 40 mirage filter which has a beautiful yellow tone (it's more yellow/bright than it looks above) and a just as amazing contour shade which is literally SUCH a great grey/brown mix. I thought The Balm’s bahama Mama was grey but nope, I had not seen a true contour grey until I tried this stuff! Upon first swatch it seemed a little powdery but I've realised that it's actually because the powder is so fine and filtering so to speak. The powder is protected with a cover on the inside, pictured to the right, and the mirror inside is brilliant. I can do my whole face using this one mirror which makes it perfect for travelling. Also the whole silver button opening thing is so cool heh.

tarte marauja creaseless concealer in medium sand Sephora beauty insider birthday gift
If you're wondering why I choose to do a Sephora haul for my birthday, you probably haven't heard about the birthday gift system they have. Every year they give out a free birthday gift to those who have signed up and the fact that this year it was NARS Lip Pencils only urged me to order more. I'm not sure how they afford it because there are a LOT of Sephora loving ladies out there, but hey I'm not complaining in the slightest! Each pencil is 1.8gs and such a perfect size for the handbag. The Satin Lip Pencil is in the shade Rikugien and I was worried that it wouldn't be my cup of tea - much to my delight I absolutely love the shade. It's such an easy to wear pink which pulls my whole face together and feels super comfortable too! The matte shade is in one of their most iconic colours Cruella and I haven't actually worn this yet but upon first swatch it looks like a wondeful deeper red which I really dig. These are great sample sizes which will last ages and I love that they're part of the permanent line so I can purchase either shade in the future should I fall in love with it - thanks NARS!

I also really wanted to try the Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer and I bought the shade medium sand to use as more of a highlight shade rather than one to match my skintone, which I already have plenty of. It claims to be full coverage and waterproof so I have high hopes! This costs £17.24 so it's certainly on the high-end spectrum. I love the packaging and the cute wooden lid - lets hope it performs as well as it does ascetically.

too faced natural eyes eyeshadow
I HAD to pick up one of the beautiful Too Faced palettes, so opted for the Too Faced Natural Eyes palette which I had seen over and over again on the net and experienced serious palette envy. Yas that's a thing .__.  Honestly if you've never seen these palettes in real life you won't be able to imagine how adorable they are. These are the ultimate travel friendly palettes and just look at those gorgeous shades! It comes with a decent sized mirror and a little booklet with eye make-up inspiration and how to's. I've used this twice, once for an everyday look and another time I went for a quick smoky eye and I'm so impressed with how speedy yet beautiful it turned out. It costs £24 on the Sephora website which is slightly cheaper than here in the UK and so far I'm very pleased to add this to my collection.


Finally one of the most exciting things in my haul HAS to be the Kat Von D Shade and Light Contour Palette which cost me £31.72. I decided to purchase this over the Anastasia Beverly Hills palette because I watched a few comparison videos of the two and this one ended up being the favoured palette. Especially from Nicole.G on Youtube, her video really swayed me towards this and I wasn't a big fan of most of the shades in the ABH alternative. The palette is large, includes a guide sheet and has amazing shades in it which I am incredibly excited to try out! This is the one that I've not used yet as I've been loving my Marc Jacobs duo, but I will be of course posting a thorough review as soon as I've used it enough ^_^



That concludes my first ever annual Sephora haul, there were so many other things that I was semi-tempted to pick up but I have more than enough beautiful goodies to use here and I cannot wait to share detailed reviews with you all!  Oh I should mention that unfortunatly they didn't include the samples I picked out which was a bit of a shame, why make you choose a few and then fail to deliver? But anyways, aside from that small annoyance, I had a great experience over-all and I think it's the perfect birthday present to one's self!

Have you tried anything here? I’d love to know what you think! ^_^


Thank-you for reading ♥




First Ever Sephora Haul!

Sephora Haul UK
Hello ladies! Firstly I want to apologise that this haul is two days late, I’ve just been very busy with Ramadan and working extra shifts too...but anyways enough of that, I am SOO excited to be posting this! This is literally a ONCE-IN-A-YEAR haul on the blog because there’s no denying that shopping from Sephora is a real treat/splurge.

Before we get into the haul I’ll just break down the payment side of things, so hopefully my fellow UK beauty lovers can have an idea of whether they think its worth it. Personally I’m not planning to make a trip to the U.S anytime soon and there are so many ethical brands that are easily available in America and not here in the UK! :c I always knew the shipping costs were steep so I decided that I would make an order for my 20th birthday and I reckon it’ll be an annual treat which, yes I’ll have to save up for, but after this experience it’s totally worth it.

A Trio Of Empties #3 | Eyeko Skinny Liner, Bioderma and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap in Lavender

eyeko skinny liner, bioderma micellar water, dr bronner's magic soap lavender
















Hello! It’s time for another trio of empties post, where I give you a mini review on three products I have used up and if I’d repurchase or not.



1. Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner | £12.00
I got this eyeliner free with a magazine and I was so excited to try it out because I’d heard good things about it. I have a love-hate relationship with this pen. On the one hand it’s nib is perfect for a cat-flick with ease. The end is great for a thin line but you can achieve a thicker line with ease too. At first it provided an opaque line with one sweep of the pen, but within 6/7 uses I found myself having to go over it in a few place. But the main reason I disliked this liner? Because it never lasted completely throughout the day. It seemed to fade and that just isn’t acceptable for such a pricy item, although I didn’t pay for it I still felt as annoyed as I would if I had paid for it. According to other reviews this is a bit of a hit and miss, sometimes it dries out too quick, for others it works great.
Repurchase: No. The Soap & Glory liner works better and it’s half the price!

2. Bioderma Sensibio H2O - Micelle Solution | £4.80  £3.19
I finally got around to trying the iconic Bioderma and I 100% understand the hype! It is the most gentle yet effective makeup remover and it leaves my skin feeling great. Refreshed and non-greasy or filmy like oil based makeup removers do. I like using micellar waters when I’ve got a lot of eye-makeup on or when I can’t be bothered to do a double cleanse over the sink with my oil and cleanser. A little on a cotton pad removes the bulk of my makeup and prepares my skin for a thorough cleanse with a hot flannel. The small bottle was a great tester size and now it’s on sale I’ll be stocking up on the 250ml one because it’s great for a quick cleanse in the morning or for correcting any makeup mistakes when you’re in a rush. This is the best micellar water that I’ve tried to date, great for sensitive skins and so easily available in the U.K now I couldn’t be happier.
Repurchase: Yes I would. It does what it says without a fuss and isn’t too pricy either.

3. Dr. Bronner Organic Lavender Castile Liquid Soap 236ml | £5.50
I raved about this liquid soap in this post where I shared how I clean my makeup brushes. This is the second bottle that I’ve bought and the scent was lovely and calming. Dr Bronner’s magic soap and a bazillion different uses (well they claim there are 18 but who’s really counting?), you can use them as shower-gels, household cleaners, shampoos and more. What I like most about the liquid soaps are they’re totally organic, I know my brushes (and my skin) aren’t being exposed to any harsh chemicals which extends their lifetime. Oh and they’re super affordable and easy to find through ASOS! I already have another bottle - the almond one I believe and I’m loving it!
Repurchase: Yes! Already have done, this is a total staple and I’ll never use another soap or cleanser on my makeup brushes again (baby shampoo isn’t strong enough!).

I hope this was a helpful post for you! Check out my first one in which I talk about a body wash, facial wash and daily moisturiser HERE. In my second empties you’ll find a quick nail polish remover, a lush scrub and a NUXE product HERE.


Thank-you for reading ♥



A Trio Of Empties #3 | Eyeko Skinny Liner, Bioderma and Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap in Lavender

eyeko skinny liner, bioderma micellar water, dr bronner's magic soap lavender
















Hello! It’s time for another trio of empties post, where I give you a mini review on three products I have used up and if I’d repurchase or not.

Review + Dupe | Mario Badescu Facial Spray - it’s better than MAC Fix+




Do you ever look back at old photos and wonder what makeup you were wearing? A few weeks ago I was doing just that and trying to remember how I got such a glowy complexion without the use of a highlighter. I love love love glowing skin! It looks healthy, bright and more natural than a matte finish. I finally realised that I had a glowing complexion in past photos because I had started using the E.L.F Makeup Mist & Set on a daily basis. It contains Aloe, Green Tea and lots of vitamins which helped to get rid of any powderiness and make my face glow. Recently E.L.F UK closed down and so I was looking for a replacement, after trying the whole rosewater mixed with water and just not getting the same effect. After doing a bit of reading online I discovered the Mario Badescu Facial Spray and there were simply rave reviews after rave reviews about the stuff. And well....not to ruin the surprise or anything but this is going to be another one!


Those who have been reading my blog know that I am an ethical beauty buyer which means I’m boycotting MAC Cosmetics to name a few. I plan to update my page on that at some point so it’s less intense and more clear as to why exactly I am doing this, but anyways one of the products I did own before I started boycotting was the MAC Fix+. To be honest with you I preferred the E.L.F spray over the MAC one anyways (I still have half of the Fix+ left) and I’m happy to report that the M.B version is even better than the two of them! In the simple plastic spray bottle, contains a facial spray which also contains Aloe as well as herbs and rosewater. It is paraben free, a light peachy/pink colour and has a shelf life of 24 months.

The reason this spray is so wonderful is because it has SO many uses. I find myself spritzing this a few times a day on my skin, straight after a shower, before I moisturise, anytime my face is feeling a little tight and dehydrated and of course the main use - as a makeup finishing spray. This is not a setting spray, but it does transform your makeup if you have the tendency to over-powder. Cakey makeup is never a good look and a lot of times it becomes that way because we layer so many products on. This spray does an excellent job at merging makeup together and providing some hydration whenever you need it. I’ve used the word glow too many times already in this post but honestly it provides such a flattering glow to the skin!! Which is the main reason why I can’t get enough, because recently I’ve been into more long-wearing foundations of the matte nature and although I enjoy the longevity, I really missed having a slight dew to the skin, which is now restored ^_^


Why it’s better than the MAC Fix+
  1. Firstly it’s an ethical brand so no profits will fund oppression of innocent people!
  2. Secondly it’s cheaper and much better value for money. This 118ml bottle only cost £7.50 (yed the price has increased, which is a shame, but it is popular for a good reason, I can't blame them). Even though I use it on a daily basis and I’ve gotten through it faster than any other facial spray in my life, it’s so affordable I’m happy to repurchase it. Plus it’s easily available from beautybay, who deliver fast and it's free when you spend over a tenner.
  3. Thirdly the ingredients are actually good for your skin, rosewater helps maintain the skins PH balance (hence why this is a great toner), it hydrates, moisturises and calms the skin and the scent it beautiful - like an actual flower rather than that artificial rosy scent. Aloe is fantastic for all skintypes as it’s super soothing and cooling and the herbal scent is wonderfully calming.
  4. Also this spray doesn’t contain glycerine which the MAC Fix+ does and apparently that makes oily skins oilier - so don’t think this spray is only good for those with dry and dehydrated skin!
  5. For those of you wondering if this too increases the pigmentation of eyeshadows - I’ve been testing them with different eyeshadows and they both increase pigmentation just as well! Spray the brush before you dip it into the shadow et voila, the MB spray gets colours looking richer than ever! ^_^
 
Rating: 10
Pros: Has so many uses, adds hydration, removes powderiness, makes matte foundations dewy, ADDS SO MUCH GLOW!!!, Smells lovely, is calming and cooling, affordable, does everything MAC Fix+ does but with added skincare goodness, no parabens, nourishing ingredients, great for all skintypes, increases pigmentation of eyeshadows.
Cons: I think if you HATE any smell of rose you might not love this...but it’s such a beautiful herbal smell and calming too. The nozzle of the spray isn’t quite as spritzy/fine as that of the Fix+ so I hold it a little further back but it’s not hard to use by any means.

Repurchase: YES! I am obsessed with how much this ‘finishes’ my makeup, giving it an effortless looking glow and makes my skin feel happy. I will repurchase this over and over again - highly recommend this ladies! A HG for sure!






Thank-you for reading ♥


Review + Dupe | Mario Badescu Facial Spray - it’s better than MAC Fix+




Do you ever look back at old photos and wonder what makeup you were wearing? A few weeks ago I was doing just that and trying to remember how I got such a glowy complexion without the use of a highlighter. I love love love glowing skin! It looks healthy, bright and more natural than a matte finish. I finally realised that I had a glowing complexion in past photos because I had started using the E.L.F Makeup Mist & Set on a daily basis. It contains Aloe, Green Tea and lots of vitamins which helped to get rid of any powderiness and make my face glow. Recently E.L.F UK closed down and so I was looking for a replacement, after trying the whole rosewater mixed with water and just not getting the same effect. After doing a bit of reading online I discovered the Mario Badescu Facial Spray and there were simply rave reviews after rave reviews about the stuff. And well....not to ruin the surprise or anything but this is going to be another one!

My 'Dream Team'

dream team rimmel london lasting finish primer and soap and glory make yourself youthful sunshield













Hello everyone, today I wanted to share my 'dream team' with you all. What is a dream team you all ask? Well let me explain...before 2015 I never bothered with using a separate SPF and nor did I dabble much with primers. I just stuck with my moisturiser and left it at that. However I've tried out so many bases in the last 12 months and found that some of them have really required a bit of extra skin prep which lead me to pick up a few primers. I also got more knowledgeable regarding skincare and decided to invest in an SPF because my bases usually have SPF 15 if anything at all and the moisturisers I’ve been using don’t contain any. It’s incredibly important to protect your skin against the harmful rays of the sun and this little step could potentially save you from a lifetime of skin related issues. (Okay enough of that, I sound like I'm trying to sell you suncream - you get my gist!) 


The Soap and Glory Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield SPF50 (£15.00 currently on offer) is wonderful under makeup, it’s a yellowish colour and a small blob is enough to cover the whole face. SPF50 is brilliant - you can’t really get a whole lot safer than that can you?! I noticed that this not only protected my skin, but had an impact on my base from first use. Due to it’s texture it just somehow helps makeup stick on and last. I like using lightweight products for day-to-day and they don’t always have the best longevity, however once I had applied this on top of my moisturiser, my base stuck around for at least an extra hour and a half! It also totally changed my opinion on the Diorskin Nude foundation reviewed here because that went from a 6.5-8 after using SPF first!

Soap and glory make yourself youthful sunshield SPF50 and Rimmel London Lasting Finish Primer


 I then started trying out the Rimmel Lasting Finish Primer (£6.99) which looks more like a cream and is super moisturising. It also does what it says on the tin, giving makeup a lasting finish whilst providing a lovely smooth canvas to apply product on.  These two together work amazingly well at keeping my makeup going strong no matter what.

I found this out when my friend took me to Birmingham for a birthday treat to see J.Cole. I did my makeup in the morning, using both of these and we got back pretty late, in fact I was out for over 10 hours and the HEAT in the arena was crazy. I’m unfortunately the kind of person who gets hot very easily (apparently it runs in the family). So I'm usually the first to get blushing cheeks and feel a bit clammy and it was safe to say I could really feel the heat there. But much to my shock when we went to the ladies after, my makeup was in place exactly how I had last seen it over 8 hours ago. Of course part of this was because I used thicker foundations and concealers and I set everything well too, but I fully expected to look like a melted mess! The final check of my makeup was just before I washed it off and cleansed my skin a good 13 hours later and I was amazed at how well it had all lasted - thanks to my dream team!

I wouldn’t use both together on a daily basis, but for the days that I want my base to last from morning to night I know exactly how I need to prep my skin now!  Also I was thinking of doing a heat-proof full coverage MOTD kinda post, listing out the products which I used and those that I can rely on. Would anyone like to see that?


Do you have a dream team which keeps your makeup lasting for hours on end?


Thank-you for reading ♥


My 'Dream Team'

dream team rimmel london lasting finish primer and soap and glory make yourself youthful sunshield













Hello everyone, today I wanted to share my 'dream team' with you all. What is a dream team you all ask? Well let me explain...before 2015 I never bothered with using a separate SPF and nor did I dabble much with primers. I just stuck with my moisturiser and left it at that. However I've tried out so many bases in the last 12 months and found that some of them have really required a bit of extra skin prep which lead me to pick up a few primers. I also got more knowledgeable regarding skincare and decided to invest in an SPF because my bases usually have SPF 15 if anything at all and the moisturisers I’ve been using don’t contain any. It’s incredibly important to protect your skin against the harmful rays of the sun and this little step could potentially save you from a lifetime of skin related issues. (Okay enough of that, I sound like I'm trying to sell you suncream - you get my gist!) 

Haul | XO Beauty Lashes

XO Beauty Eyelashes Haul UK

Hey ladies - haul number 3 features my first ever XO beauty lashes! I’m not a huge eyelashes person and because of this I’m not willing to pay over a fiver for a pair of lashes. At the same time my attempt at getting decent lashes from ebay failed, they turned out uncomfortable to wear and they looked far too false! D: I had previously purchased Red Cherry lashes which were decent too, just a little on the large size for a beginner. (Some of the styles, I believe the DW ones are great for those starting out but they seemed to be out of stock from most of the sellers on ebay).

 So I decided to venture out and try ShaaanXO’s brand as I enjoy her tutorials and her lashes always look great. They turned out to be surprisingly affordable and the shipping seemed like good value too until...



XO Beauty Eyelashes Haul UK

BAM they hit me with customs. I was not impressed, having never paid custom taxes before because I’m normally so careful wth the amount I order and keeping it under £15! Perhaps I got confuse with the currency? Anyways I ordered 5 pairs of lashes which cost $6.99 (NZD) which equals to only £3.05 each! The shipping cost for international orders is $12 - £5 again not bad at all. So basically because I went £0.25p over the allowed limit of £15.00 those meanies at customs charged me £11.56! Talk about bad luck, I ended up paying twice the amount for the lashes *sigh*. Anyways on to the haul...

XO Beauty Eyelashes Haul UK








 I purchased three different style of lashes, after watching Shaan’s video in which she helpfully tried each pair on and described it too. Another reason why I wanted to try these are because they have a really thin band making them a lot more comfortable to wear. I didn't want anything TOO natural as I'm not one for lashes with an everyday makeup look. At the same time I wasn't looking for the over-dramatic kind either. Just a couple of pairs to complete a makeup look for a party or wedding.

XO Beauty Lashes the wanderlush eyelashes haul UK









I purchased two pairs of The Wanderlust because look at how beautiful and fluttery they are!

XO Beauty Lashes The Gold Digger Haul UK

 I picked up one pair of The Gold Digger because I loved how they looked on Shannon! I went for only one pair of these because I wasn't sure if I'd really like them. I will be sure to report back with maybe one or two looks up at some point too ^_^
XO Beauty The Primadonna eyelashes haul UK
XO Beauty The Primadonna eyelashes haul UK

Finally I picked up two of The Primadonna...and I know I said I didn't want anything too dramatic but these are just about my limit haha. I love how they're double thick on the outerlashes which is exactly where you want volume for a special occasion!


And that’s my haul for this Thursday! Have you tried XO Beauty Lashes? What is your favourite Lash brand?


*P.S It’s currently Ramadan which means I’ll be spending a lot less time on the internet and more time just self-reflecting, learning and praying ^_^ I’ll be checking my blog now and again when I’m not fasting - yes we don’t fast for 30 whole days straight haha!! Thanks for commenting and dropping me e-mails I promise to get them back to you as soon as I can*


Thank-you for reading ♥


Haul | XO Beauty Lashes

XO Beauty Eyelashes Haul UK

Hey ladies - haul number 3 features my first ever XO beauty lashes! I’m not a huge eyelashes person and because of this I’m not willing to pay over a fiver for a pair of lashes. At the same time my attempt at getting decent lashes from ebay failed, they turned out uncomfortable to wear and they looked far too false! D: I had previously purchased Red Cherry lashes which were decent too, just a little on the large size for a beginner. (Some of the styles, I believe the DW ones are great for those starting out but they seemed to be out of stock from most of the sellers on ebay).

 So I decided to venture out and try ShaaanXO’s brand as I enjoy her tutorials and her lashes always look great. They turned out to be surprisingly affordable and the shipping seemed like good value too until...

This or That | MeMeMe Beat the Blues ‘Pearl Pink’ Vs Benefit High Beam

MeMeMe Beat the Blues ‘Pearl Pink’ highlighter and illuminator Vs Benefit High Beam review and swatch

Hello lovely readers! Can you believe it’s been a whole 5 months since I’ve added another part to this series?? The first was Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Vs Brow Wiz which you can read here. To sum it up this isn’t necessarily about finding dupes, but more about comparing two similar products I own, listing out the pros and cons and hopefully giving you an idea about which one you may prefer. Having said that today's This Or That is actually more of a dupe, using a mini of Benefit’s High Beam and the budget friendly MeMeMebeat the blues Pearl Pink. I have already reviewed the golden version of this here which I really have been enjoying, especially for mixing in with my more matte foundations.



MeMeMe Beat the Blues ‘Pearl Pink’ highlighter and illuminator Vs Benefit High Beam review and swatch



So starting with Benefit’s High Beam the full size contains 13ml and is available for £19.50.

PROs:
  • It can be used underneath your foundation, mixed in with the base to add a glowy look or ontop of your base for a beautiful highlight.
  • The applicator of the mini is similar to that of the mememe alternative and it makes controlling where you put the product very easy.
  • The best thing about Benefit’s High Beam is how richly pigmented it is and how it is easy to blend out. In general I favour golden toned highlights more but this pink sheen looks stunning when I’m not going for a particularly bronzed up look. It catches the light beautifully as it blends out into a slightly more silverish colour which looks beautiful in photos.
CONs:
  • It is pricy! Yes you get a good applicator and a little goes a long way, but I just wouldn’t spend so much on one little 13ml bottle. If I wanted to splurge on a liquid highlighter from a high-end brand I’d opt for NARS, put in a few more pounds and get 30ml instead. (They are currently on sale for £20 here!).
MeMeMe Beat the Blues ‘Pearl Pink’ highlighter and illuminator Vs Benefit High Beam review and swatch



The MeMeMe Beat the Blues Pearly Pink contains 12ml of product and costs £5.50.

PROs:
  • Applicator is easy to use as with Benefit’s, it puts the illuminator exactly where you need it and doesn’t distribute too much either.
  • The colour of this when first applied looks practically identical to the Benefit version, however when blended out this is ever so slightly more sheer and on the silver side rather than the pink. I actually prefer this a lot more because as mentioned above I’m not too fond of pink highlights on my yellow/olive skintone. Although the Benefit one is still blendable I just prefer that silver sheen.
  • It makes a stunning difference when applied, my cheekbones stand out and it catches the light just as beautifully as the Benefit one.
  • It’s a quarter of the price! And it does just as good a job, with only a minor difference in colour, so small you can hardly notice it.
 CONs:

  • Not as easy to find compared to the Benefit High Beam - you can find it on glossybox and Amazon.co.uk.

MeMeMe Beat the Blues ‘Pearl Pink’ highlighter and illuminator Vs Benefit High Beam review and swatch


 So on to the conclusion..

After spending a good few weeks testing out both of these, I can tell you guys that the MeMeMe Pearl Pink is the closest dupe that you will find to Benefit's High Beam. It lasts just as long on the skin, works well mixed with your base and as a highlighter and it's amazing value for money! Also it has a 'shelf life' of 12 months compared to the 6months written on my sample size - interesting...

The versatility of liquid highlighters/illuminators are so under-rated in the makeup world. Since testing these out thoroughly and also using Oyster Gold I have had a much more bright and glowy makeup look without appearing shimmery or glittery. If you're looking for 'zat highlight' you should probably look into purchasing a liquid one as a base which'll ensure your glow lasts all day AND all night if you need it to!

I'm not sure how well you can see from the swatches above but High Beam is ever so slightly more pigmented and pink toned. I only really noticed this when I swatched it on my hand - on the skin it was undetectable. For me it's definitely not enough of a difference to justify that price difference as they both give such a flawless highlight when blended out well, so if I had to choose one to buy again it would be the MeMeMe Beat The Blues Pearl Pink!


Have you tried either of these? What is your favourite Illuminator?


Thank-you for reading ♥







This or That | MeMeMe Beat the Blues ‘Pearl Pink’ Vs Benefit High Beam

MeMeMe Beat the Blues ‘Pearl Pink’ highlighter and illuminator Vs Benefit High Beam review and swatch

Hello lovely readers! Can you believe it’s been a whole 5 months since I’ve added another part to this series?? The first was Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Vs Brow Wiz which you can read here. To sum it up this isn’t necessarily about finding dupes, but more about comparing two similar products I own, listing out the pros and cons and hopefully giving you an idea about which one you may prefer. Having said that today's This Or That is actually more of a dupe, using a mini of Benefit’s High Beam and the budget friendly MeMeMebeat the blues Pearl Pink. I have already reviewed the golden version of this here which I really have been enjoying, especially for mixing in with my more matte foundations.

Review | Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit



Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit review and swatch

Barry M are my all time favourites when it comes to nail varnishes, but aside from those I’ve never really tried much of their makeup line. As the high-street is catching up with contouring craze (though I feel like Sleek were there way before anyone else) it’s exciting to try out what there is to offer at a budget price. The Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit costs £6.49 and just to give you a heads up I liked this so much that I bought one for each of my best-friends!



Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit review and swatch


The size of the kit is great for traveling and for storage, it slots away neatly and isn’t annoyingly bulky. Cardboard packaging isn’t the most sturdy of course, but it does the job well enough and is super lightweight. It keeps shut with a sturdy magnetic fastening and on the inside of the lid they have included three detailed and useful illustrations on where to put each shade. This was actually the first contour kit I purchased aside from Sleek because I was happy with using individual bronzers to add definition (e.g Bahama Mama from The Balm review) and similarly individuals powders to highlight (Ben Nye Banana Powder Review and Mary-Lou from The Balm Review).



It contains 3 matte shades, one to highlight which is slightly yellow toned, one to bronze and add that natural sunkissed warmth and finally the slightly grey-toned contour to sculpt out your cheekbones. The highlight shade I assumed would be good for setting the under-eye but a couple of hours later I found that it just didn’t hold up half as well as my trusty Ben Nye banana powder or my Bourjois healthy balance one. So personally I’m not going to be using it to set liquid or cream concealer but it works pretty well to brighten up all the areas you use your regular highlighter, especially for a work day or a quick 5 minute makeup routine. I love that the bronzer doesn’t lean on the orange side of things but a light hand is necessary because it’s super pigmented and matte which means it can be easy to over-do it. Finally the contour shade is not the most defining I’ve ever come across but it certainly does the job. I love that it’s cool toned and will work for those with light skin to those with olive skin too.



The powders are beautifully soft and aptly pigmented, but they don’t come off as harsh on the skin. Price point these are the obvious choice for anyone new to contouring but the quality means its well worth purchasing for everyone. Contouring doesn’t have to be all fancy or take 500 steps, if you think about it when you apply a base you’re changing all your skin-colour to the same and losing the dimensions and contours of the face, so a bit of shadow here and there and highlight in the right places is to a certain extend necessary (especially if wearing a medium/full coverage base).

Final Verdict:
Product rating: 8 
Pros: It contains everything a beginner needs to start contouring, the powders are soft and pigmented yet very blendable, the packaging is lightweight, travel friendly and fastens shut with magnets making it secure. It’s super affordable and you get a decent amount of product in each pan, the shades could work for those with light to medium skintones and none of the colours are orange based which is brilliant! It contains detailed illustrations telling you where to put each powder and I think this is the perfect little kit for day-to-day slight definition and highlight.

Cons: On my skin it doesn’t last all day, I wouldn’t opt for this on a day where I want my makeup to last from A.M - Night.

Repurchase? As I’ve recently bought a high-end contour kit (keep your eyes out for the next few Thursdays it’ll be featured then) I don’t think I will be buying this again anytime soon but in a few years time, I wouldn’t rule it out! It’s a great kit for those first getting into contouring and for those who are looking for an affordable kit which does what it says on the tin.


Thank-you for reading ♥

Review | Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit



Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit review and swatch

Barry M are my all time favourites when it comes to nail varnishes, but aside from those I’ve never really tried much of their makeup line. As the high-street is catching up with contouring craze (though I feel like Sleek were there way before anyone else) it’s exciting to try out what there is to offer at a budget price. The Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit costs £6.49 and just to give you a heads up I liked this so much that I bought one for each of my best-friends!

Night Time Skincare Routine

Hey everyone, it’s been a while since I updated my night-time skincare routine and it has changed a fair bit since I last shared it so here we go:

Everyday (when I wear make-up)


Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil by Una Brennan and Good Things Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser







TO REMOVE MAKE-UP


I start off with using the Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil by Una Brennan (£10.99). Taking a few drops between my fingers I rub it all over my dry face on top of makeup and it breaks down the makeup effortlessly. I love how this feels on my skin, which I would categorise as slightly dehydrated/normal. It’s not heavy and once massaged into the skin and then with water added on top it washes away most of my makeup so easily. You can also use this on a cotton pad over the eyes to remove eyeliner, mascara etc, OR you could just gently massage the oil over the eyes when doing the face if you’re lazy like myself. This will result in looking like a panda for a few minutes but it’s worth it! I also appreciate how it doesn’t leave a filmy/oily feeling after using it too. I bought this after Anna from VDM said it’s one of her all time faves and she knows her stuff when it comes to good skin products - honestly I couldn’t be more pleased with it! Although it’s on the more pricy side, you get 200ml and surprisingly a little goes a long way - I’ll still be using this bottle till the end of 2015 I’m sure!

The reason I use an oil cleanser before another cleanser is because I’m all about the double cleanse method - I don’t believe you can truly cleanse your skin AND remove makeup in one go.

TO CLEANSE

Next I take a small amount of my FAVOURITE cream cleanser in the whole wide world - the Good Things Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser (£4.99). It is the most soothing, luxurious feeling cleanser I’ve tried, much more than the much raved about Liz Earle one! It smells divine and is packed with brilliant ingredients that are found in much more expensive products such as - Royal Jelly and of course the Manuka honey itself. Most days I will massage this into my skin and then remove it with a warm damp flannel as that gets the best, squeakiest clean (yet still hydrated and plump) finish. Read the full review here.

Sometimes, not ALL the time I’ll tone with the Lush Eau Roma Water - reviewed here.


pure rosehip seed oil moisturiser



TO MOISTURISE

I did own a superdrug night cream but it just wasn’t doing it for me, so instead I use a combination of oils. Mainly the Pure Rosehip Seed Oil ($5.69) which is moisturising, nourishing and contains Vitamin C which is supposed to help reduce the appearance of dark spots and hyper-pigmentation. It's lightweight and works so well, in the morning my skin is glowing and feels soft and plump. I love the pipette style dropper allowing you to get the exact amount and not wasting any. The site I bought it from (linked) is so affordable and I will definitely be reordering.



THE UNDER-EYES

I pay special attention to my under-eyes with my all time favourite - Sweet Almond Oil ($3.81). Honestly this is like a miracle oil, the amount it has brightened my under-eyes is incredible! It takes a good few weeks to see results, but every night without fail I apply one-two drops on my under-eyes and pat it in. Then a couple of minutes later I'll take a little of the Soap and Glory Make Yourself Youthful Rejuvinating Eye Cream (£14.00) which is super rich and creamy but also absorbs into the skin nicely. I mainly focus this on the dry patch above my right eye which is very stubborn and doesn't temporarily go away using anything else. It's pricey but worth it as a little goes a long way - the only thing I'm not too pleased about is that it's meant to be using in 6 months which is a very short lifespan for any cosmetic or beauty product! I'm still using it despite opening it 8 months ago, however I'll be keeping an eye out for any strange smells or colour textures D:


 Soap and Glory Scrubatomic Daily Face Polish Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe Herbs and rosewater









3X A WEEK

Moving onto the parts of my night time routine that I do pretty much every-other day (more or less). I use the Soap and Glory Scrubatomic Daily Face Polish (£9.00) which is a very very fine scrub. When I first purchased it I was a bit disappointed by just how fine it was, but not wanting to use it daily (as that's too harsh imo to be scrubbing the skin) I decided three times a week is adequate. It's a decent scrub and I do feel like I'm having the dead skin gently buffed off but I'm not sure I'd repurchase. I also use a sugar scrub, this one I've had for a while and it's similar to the one you can buy at Lush stores. It's so important to exfoliate the lips too as lip balm just doesn't cut it alone. Finally a new addition to my skincare routine, something I don't actually use 3x a week, I use it everyday (I just forgot to add it to the photos above) is the Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe herbs and rosewater (£5.95). This amazing multi-use product is the best facial spray ever, after cleansing, after makeup basically anytime I need some light moisturisation. 

good things 5 minute facial, soap and glory 2-in-1 pore mask, una brennan face mask
ONCE A WEEK

At least once a week I'll try to remember to do a face mask, either the Good Things 5 minute facial (£5.99) which is a good all around skin booster or either one of the Una Brennan masks - depending on if my skin is congested and spotty or needing moisture. When I'm have an oily moment, which does weirdly sometimes happen and I feel like my pores need a really deep clean I opt for the Soap and Glory 2-in-1 Facial Pore Purifying Mask (£10.00). Its very refreshing and does leave my skin a little tight feeling but it's worth it every other week, maximum.  Not pictured but I also really love the Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Mask (£5.99) which is a clay mask that softens the skin! As well as brightening it and deeper cleansing. 



Boots currently have an offer on selected Soap and Glory - buy one get the second half price and all Una Brennan products are reduced so it's worth taking advantage of these offers if you're planning on buying new quality skincare ^_^



Thank-you for reading ♥