Makeup Starter Kit | Affordable Edition

Hello everyone, I thought I'd type up a makeup starter kit filled with ethical recommendations from yours truly. As 2016 draws to a close, you and I will be bombarded with fantastic deals and sales, so I hope this post is helpful for all, but especially for those of you who may not be too much into makeup, but just want to add a couple of bits to your collection. These items are all affordable and most of them you can purchase from the highstreet, however some I would recommend picking up online, because there are always great deals on them. These are also the items that I would repurchase if all my makeup disappeared, so I hope if you purchase any of them, you enjoy them as much as I do.  Apologies for the lack of photos, teacher training AND short days = no time!

To prime or not to prime?

Personally I only use a primer on a special occasion, because I tend to stick to my Soap and Glory (£14.99) SPF 50 as being a base, which is so important ladies! I have written a post on it before, but the basic jist is that it manages to get makeup to stick onto the face AND protect the skin. However the Topshop airbrush primer (£12.00) is fantastic for providing a smooth canvas if you have uneven skin. If your makeup melts away quickly, spritz your face with a makeup setting spray after moisturising, but before applying any makeup - the MUFE Mist and Fix 30ml (£8.00) is travel size and very affordable to try out.

Foundation

If we are talking strictly bases you can buy in the drugstore, I would recommend the Bourjois Health Mix Foundation (£10.00) which has a beautiful medium coverage and really leaves a healthy glow to the skin. However the shade range isn't fantastic...so I highly recommend the EX1 Invisiwear Liquid Foundation (£12.50), which I didn't love at first but I've grown to like it a lot. I find its quite versatile, though the finish is more on the matte side, if you mix it with some illuminator or even a tin drop of oil you can achieve a glowy finish. The coverage is great too, a solid medium but buildable. I tend to apply it with my E.L.F Stippling brush (£4.50) when I'm wearing it for 'everyday' as it sheers it out a little. They have actually recently released a bunch of new shades, so its no longer limited to just olive skintones. My new shade is 6.0 and I found their website quite helpful when trying to determine the perfect match here.

Correctors and Concealers

My all time favourite corrector is the Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer in Medium (£10.00), which IS pricy for the amount of corrector you actually get! This is a three piece kit and the good thing is, I can use each of the items just fine, however it is the corrector which I love the most. It is the perfect shade for neutralising my horrendous dark circles and works even better than a similar Benefit product! Pricy, but worth it...especially when theres a 3for2 deal on! In terms of actual concealers, the L.A Girl Pro Concealers creamy beige (£5.00) and Collection Lasting Perfection in 3 (£4.19) are my two tried and tested. The L.A girl one is more hydrating, yet has great pigmentation and manages to conceal and brighten at the same time. The collection one is thicker, creamier and if you have dry under-eyes won't be your cup of tea, but as long as I have colour corrected it works a charm.

Powders

Over the years I have liked powders more and more, because quite frankly I cannot wear makeup without a light bit of baking under the eyes these days! When I don't I notice the most awful creasing and melting of my undereye concealer. My favourite brightening yellow powder for under the eye is the Wet 'n' Wild Megaglo contouring palette in Caramel Toffee ($4.99), which I have a post on here. I like to bake with the Coty Airspun loose powder ($8.99) which works really well. I keep it on for about 50 seconds and then brush it off - works like a charm. I don't have a favourite face powder for all over the face, instead I just use the excess of the coty powder over my T-Zone which can get a little oily sometimes.

Contour, Bronzer, Blush and Highlight

For bronzing the face, Topshop's Mohawk (£9.00) is my all time favourite shade and formula from the highstreet. It is beautiful for those of you who have an olive medium skintone and provides the perfect warmth of the skin. Contouring wise, if you're looking for a really strong one which sharpens your features the Natural collection shadow in crushed walnut (£2.00) works a treat! I would advise you go with a light hand though. I have a few favourite blushers from the highstreet, the Sleek blush by 3 in spice (£10.00) is gorgeous for a medium skintone and I often will mix and match the shades. The value for money there is fantastic and so is the pigmentation! I also enjoy the Rimmel soft colour blush in pink rose (£4.00), which has been a long time favourite of mine and mentioned on my blog many times. It is a gorgeous natural flush and you are at no risk of looking like a clown. I have to say for highlight, I am a firm stickler for my highend ones - especially ABH! But when I think my collection and the one I would want to repurchase, I go back to the Topshop Glow Pot (£9.00) or their baked highlighter - either one is BEAUTIFUL. A little goes a long way and both of them can look very natural on the skin, or be built up for a more intense glow.

Brows, Liner and Mascara

Brows is a tough one because I am again so used to my ABH products, which are well worth the investment ladies! However if they're out of your budget, I would recommend checking out the Freedom eyebrow kit (£3.50) which I used to use all the time. It has a range of shades and even a gel in the kit, as well as a mirror, applicator and mini tweezers - the biggest bargain of all time! If you like a bolder brow and don't mind practicing, pick up their version of the ABH drip brow (here for a fiver). I don't think its quite as good as the ABH, but it does the job so long as you have a good spoolie. I am a real fusspot when it comes to eyeliner, but if I HAD to pick one I'd recommend The Balm's Schwing liner (£13.50). Not the cheapest, but by far the best you can pick up in superdrug or online! It is extremly black and lasts all day long. The applicator is thin and relatively easy to create cat eyes with, once you get the hang of it. When it comes to mascara, the only drugstore brand I ever spend money on is Essence! The 'I love crazy volume mascara' (£2.80) is a firm favourite and worth at least 4x the price.

Lips

Finally I'd recommend you pick up a good lip liner and the Rimmel 1000 kisses lip liner in spice (£3.00), is one I have back ups on, just in case they stop making it! My favourite affordable lipsticks are most definitely the Wet n wild mega last lipsticks ($2.00). They're very pigmented, beautifully creamy and ridiculously cheap - you can find a bunch of reviews for them on my blog by searching wetnwild! Liquid lipstick wise, The Balm's Meet Matte Hughes Liquid Lipsticks (£13.50) are fantastic. They feel comfortable, have a good pigmentation and aren't too drying. At the moment there is a cute little gift set available to purchase for the holidays, which contains 6 of the shades and is sold out everywhere, but keep an eye out, its a good one!

Final Touches...

How could I type up a makeup starter kit without my all time favourite Mario Badescu Facial spray (£7.50). It is definitely my go-to spray for before and after makeup, it hydrates the skin, diminishes any powderyness left on the face and just leaves me with a subtle glow. Although I am loving a more expensive version a little more, I'll always have a bottle of this in my collection!


I really hope this was helpful for you all! It was so nice to sit down and blog without worrying about my huge to-do list, I kind of despair when I see the lack of posts I've managed to get up this year :( But thankyou SO much for continuing to read and support my blog, I hugely appreciate it!

Thank-you for reading ♥

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Makeup Starter Kit | Affordable Edition

Hello everyone, I thought I'd type up a makeup starter kit filled with ethical recommendations from yours truly. As 2016 draws to a close, you and I will be bombarded with fantastic deals and sales, so I hope this post is helpful for all, but especially for those of you who may not be too much into makeup, but just want to add a couple of bits to your collection. These items are all affordable and most of them you can purchase from the highstreet, however some I would recommend picking up online, because there are always great deals on them. These are also the items that I would repurchase if all my makeup disappeared, so I hope if you purchase any of them, you enjoy them as much as I do.  Apologies for the lack of photos, teacher training AND short days = no time!

Top Three | Topshop Beauty

Hello everyone, its been quite a while since I've typed up a top three, so today I am going to be sharing my absolute favourites from Topshop beauty. The purpose of these posts is to whittle down my makeup collection to the best of the best from each category, be that a whole brand or simply my favourite golden highlighters for example. I have tried quite a few things from the Topshop beauty line and so it was tricky to limit this down to three products, but if push came to shove the following are definitely the items I'd repurchase in a heartbeat.

Topshop Bronzer in Mohawke | £9.00

This is my favourite 'highstreet' bronzer by a thousand miles, I am totally smitten with it. Its a little darker than Benefit's Hoola and a little warmer but not orange in the slightest, which makes it the perfect everyday bronzer for me. When I first saw this bronzer in the pan I felt very ehhh about it, I had gotten into such a habit of opting for grey-toned bronzers over warm bronzers that I pretty much dismissed it. So I'm really glad that I finally put down Laguna and Hoola and gave this a go, because I really haven't looked back since! As the formula is completely matte, it looks very natural on the skin and it blends so well. There is no chalkiness, streaks or patches when you apply this. The formula is very comparable to that of a high-end product and I find it looks lovely with my lighter foundation shades and when I opt for a warmer shade too. The large mirror on the inside is fantastic and I do like the sleek yet cute looking black packaging. You get an impressive 10g of product, which is great value for money considering a full sized Hoola costs £23+ for only 8g!

Topshop Glow Pot in Gleam | £9 (on sale for £8.10)

I have spoken about these little pots of joy many a time here on my blog, they are wonderful! Glow pots are cream highlighters in the cutest little frosted glass packaging, which blend in so well and look stunning worn alone or under a powder highlighter. I LOVE highlighters, but I recently had to have a clear out and both shades I own managed to stay in the stash. The reason I picked gleam over polish is because it is more of a golden shade and I reach for it often. I love how quick and easy it is to use these, with the tips of my fingers just patted onto the tops of my cheekbones and nose. Its also very versatile and I often use it as a base for a powder highlight when I want a strobed look. Gleam is definitely one for those of you who have a warm/olive skintone and although the pot looks small, a little goes a long way. I have been using this for well over a year and still have quite a bit left!

Topshop Highlighter in Horizon | £10

One of the most unique highlighters in my collection, Horizon is a sort of rose gold/bronzy shade and when I looked at it in the pan I wasn't that impressed. However when I swatched it, the baked formula lead to a beautiful silky finish without a single bit of glitter in sight. Thanks to the lack of shimmer or glitter, its one of those bronzers that works really well if you have a lot of texture on your skin, because it doesn't emphasise it at all. I also think this is a lovely highlighter for everyday, sometimes when I go for my typical golden shades and then step out into the daylight I realise I've over done it for an average day. However I think the unique shade of this makes it difficult to go over the top, and if you did keep layering it would no longer look like highlight - it would appear very dark. So you simple need a small amount to create a beautiful sheen on the skin and I can't get enough!

So in a nutshell (or a few haha) those are my top three products from Topshop and each of these I would repurchase straight away! Gleam and Mohawk are great for light-medium skintones and horizon I'd recommend for medium-deeper skintones.

What are your favourite Topshop beauty products?

Thank-you for reading ♥

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Top Three | Topshop Beauty

Hello everyone, its been quite a while since I've typed up a top three, so today I am going to be sharing my absolute favourites from Topshop beauty. The purpose of these posts is to whittle down my makeup collection to the best of the best from each category, be that a whole brand or simply my favourite golden highlighters for example. I have tried quite a few things from the Topshop beauty line and so it was tricky to limit this down to three products, but if push came to shove the following are definitely the items I'd repurchase in a heartbeat.

May 2016 Favourites

Hello everyone, it feels so great to be writing a monthly favourites again ^_^ This month the majority of my favourites have been new purchases and there is nothing like new makeup to make me feel excited!

I'm going to start off with the least swoon-worthy items, but these are the products that have been helping my makeup game stay relatively strong, so they're just as important! The Freedom Priming Water (£6.00) is supposedly an exact dupe for the smashbox version, which is an unethical brand so I never had any intention of picking it up. Anyway, the freedom brand in general are known for creating cheeky dupes, I know there are mixed opinions on this but personally I think it’s great to have a brand that creates budget alternatives. I DIGRESS. This water contains a high amount of glycerin, which is also a concentrated ingredient in the much talked about Nivea post shave balm. It is the glycerin which helps the makeup stick to the skin and I find this priming water works well. I spray some on just after moisturising, let it set into the skin for 30 seconds and continue with my makeup. When I’ve finished my makeup, I spritz this over the top and my makeup lasts well.  I also love this for further dampening my beauty blender before I start blending out my concealer - it actually makes a difference to the amount of creasing under the eyes!

As I’ve mentioned now that I’m back to buying makeup, liquid lipsticks are my new best friends. However they do dry out the lips no matter how light the formula, so using the Blistex Relief Cream (£2.65) at night as a lip mask has been making all the difference. I wake up with soft plump lips and without this gem of a product, I wouldn't be able to enjoy the Liquid Lipsticks I own! It’s also one of the first products I spoke about on my blog back in 2013, which shows it has stood the test of time.

Talking about Liquid Lipsticks, the two that have been floating my boat in May are offerings from Gerard Cosmetics and The Balm. I reviewed the Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte Lipstick in Everything Nice (£9.50) here, which is a beautiful muted orange toned nude colour. When I say orange, I mean it in the most flattering way and there is just a tiny hint. It’s also one of the only shades I like to wear alone, as most ‘nude’ shades just look a little off on me.  I won't waffle on too much as I have a whole review up already, but great shade and an awesome formula!

The most recent addition to my LL stash is The Balm’s Meet Matt(e) Hughes Long-Lasting liquid lipstick in Committed (£13.50) which I first saw on Katy's snap months ago. This is another everyday kind of shade, although its more pink than I usually go for. It's probably the only sort of colour that I think is appropriate for work from my collection of LLs so far...and the formula is AMAZING. It has an odd cooling effect on the lips and a vanilla scent, dries down fairly quickly and lasts well throughout the day. It does fade in the inner part of the lips after eating oily food, but the fact that this formula doesn't dry my lips out much at all means it's landed a spot in my favourites.

The Coty airspun powder loose powder in translucent ($8.99) has been a firm favourite this month, as has the technique known as 'baking'. Only I don't like to leave the powder on for too long, or else it just looks a little too matte and feels a lot drier than it needs to be. I own the NARS loose powder too, however I much prefer the Coty one for baking, its affordable and does the job well. Plus it really is translucent, at first it looks a little too light but it ends up almost undetectable. There is a LOT less creasing under the eyes and the oily areas are kept under control too! Couldn't ask for a whole lot more really ^_^

The L.A Girl Pro HD Concealer in Pure Beige (£5.00) is my perfect match and I have been using it a tonne this month thanks to those pesky blemishes on my face. The formula of this concealer, as well as the extensive shade range, is what has me coming back to it time and time again!

And finally on the powder front, back to an oldie but an absolute goodie the Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette ($46.00) has been popping up all over my social media accounts because I can't stop adoring it, the love for this runs DEEP. I use every single shade, although the yellow shade is clearly the most frequently tapped into. If I only have 5 minutes to do my makeup, this palette is one of the only things I reach for because I can set, bronze, contour and eyeshadow my face in a matter of minutes.

YES THAT IS CHAMPAGNE POP *squeals* one of the best birthday presents I have ever received in my whole entire life (thank-you Ayesha🙊). I finally have the most coveted highlighter on this planet and it is absolutely stunning, no other highlight has been on my face since I received this beauty. The only thing I want to note is, if you have texture on your face, this does highlight them, so either go in with a light hand or wait for the 'poured'/ cream version to be released in the UK. I'm definitely planning on getting my hands on the liquid version and I'm thrilled that its permanent.

The bronzer that I have not been able to put down this month is Topshop's Mohawk (£9.00). I've had it for a while, but always opted for highend bronzers and totally overlooked this gem in my stash! It's a couple of shades deeper then my skintone, so not too red nor grey toned. Just the perfect bronzer shade which warms my complexion up beautifully! I typically do the '3' bronzer motion on the sides of my face and dust some on my nose, which gives me a lovely warmth to my face. It also blends really nicely, resulting in an actually natural look - I am smitten!

As you may know, I've picked up quite a few Morphe eyeshadow brushes lately, however the two that have been most used are the M330 and the M139. The first M330 Blending Crease brush (£4.95) is a brilliant blending brush, for that transition shade, for merging colours together and for everything in between. Its basic but very much an essential and priced at less than a fiver, I need a couple more! The M139 Tapered Crease Blender Brush (£2.50)  is just as amazing, especially if you have a smaller lid space. This brush is like the little sister to the M330 and I love how its half the price too ^_^ another brush that I need to restock on, it's wonderful for the crease too!

A product I've had in my stash for a couple of years now, which I always whip out for every special occasion is the Illamasqua pigment in 'Ore' (£17.00). It is very hard to describe but I'll have a go...a bronzy/gold with flecks of silver and a tiny hint of khaki. Google the shade and you'll hopefully see what I mean from the swatches available online. Anyway I adore this pigment, it's very versatile depending on what colour base you apply underneath and how you apply it too. For my 21st birthday I did a smokey eye, with this packed all over the lid and I was obsessed with how it turned out. It's a pricy little investment, but so worth it for how it adds a gorgeous touch to my eye makeup.

Those are all my favourites of May! Have you tried any of these products?

Thank-you for reading ♥

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May 2016 Favourites

Hello everyone, it feels so great to be writing a monthly favourites again ^_^ This month the majority of my favourites have been new purchases and there is nothing like new makeup to make me feel excited!

February Favourites

Hello lovely people, I hope you're having a great start to the weekend so far. Today I'm going to be sharing the products I loved during the month of February, a real mix of skincare and makeup. I definitely got back into eyeshadow this month, thanks to my giftcard and new additions which have been very exciting, so lets get started!

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser in St. Moritz | £29.50

This has been my go-to base of choice in February, mainly because its so quick to apply with just the tips of my fingers and it works really well at evening out the skin-tone too. For an everyday base this is ideal, it covers up discolouration, brightens and leaves a dewy and radiant finish to the skin. Although at first St. Moritz looks a little dark, I find the colour lightens slightly once I'm done applying my makeup. I will say however that as my skin is normal/combo now, with an oily nose, I do always have to apply powder to my nose area if I don't want to look super shiny a few hours later! So for oily skinned girls I feel like face powder would be necessary if you use this as it'll increase  longevity too. I love that this base contains SPF of 30, it means I can skip that step in the morning, so if you're usually in a rush when doing makeup and you want a dewy base which evens out the skin, you should definitely try this out!

L.A Girl Pro Conceal Concealer in Creamy Beige | £2.98

I have definitely re-discovered the L.A girl concealer which took the makeup world by storm last year and I am so glad that I have! It is one of my all time favourites and this particular shade is so perfect for my under-eyes. I find that the slight orange tone when you first apply it, really brightens up the area when blended out. I always have to go in with a corrector shade first (I'll link the review to my current favourite below), however this is one of the only concealers that doesn't crease, shade wise it matches really well and best of all is really affordable! Most of you will know that I love beautyjoint.com for U.S beauty, however you can now order them for a similar price from Amazon which I've linked above, so if you don't want to order internationally there are more options available which is great.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer | £23.50

I've owned this bronzer for months now, but it's never really been one I've reached for on a daily basis. At first I was obsessed with the Too Faced chocolate soleil, then NARS Laguna and then of course the Kat Von D contour kit. You may be able to tell I love me some bronzer! Of course all of those mentioned products are much loved, but this month I wanted less of a focus on proper contouring and a product which would add warmth and a subtle amount of definition. I totally forgot that Hoola is quite unique, although it looks almost orange in the pan, it actually applies slightly grey toned and it's also buildable! Especially for adding a natural looking nose contour, but also a great all rounder - Hoola is brilliant and works great for light to medium skintones.

Topshop Beauty Highlighter in Horizon | £10.00

If there is one thing Topshop do fantastically, it's highlighters! You may know that I adore their glow pots, one of the best cream highlighers I have ever tried (reviewed already). I have had Horizon for a few months, but I was saving it for the summer time as it looks super bronzy in the pan. However it's quite deceiving because although it appears as if it could be a bronzer, it's the most gorgeous rose gold tone highlight with a silver/bronzy mix too. Wow, that has to be the worst description I have ever written of a product ._. If you're Stromboli or darker in skintone, you need to try this out! Don't be alarmed that it isn't the typical champagne/brighter gold colour, because on olive/medium skintones this looks gorgeous and when the light hits there is a slight silver tone which is super flattering. At the same time it's not an in your face kind of highlighter which means I've been wearing it every single day that I've applied makeup and it is BEAUTIFUL.

Inglot Freedom System Eyeshadow Palette | Review

I made this eyeshadow palette months ago and since ordering some MUG shades I have really gotten back into experimenting with shadows again! If you read my haul you will know that I ordered a lot of crease and transition shades, as well as a few base shades. I didn't pick up a highlight/ base colour or my absolute favourite shade of eyeshadows (gold tones) because I already have the perfect ones in this Inglot palette ^_^ The light yellow shadow (313) is literally perfection for every single day because I use a concealer to cover the darkness on my eyelids and I need a bright powder to set it in place. The cooler gold shadow in 155 is probably my most favourite gold I own, it is beautiful and the formula of these shadows are wonderful. They last all day long, the pigmentation doesn't fade and I am so glad that I've put this back into my daily rotation again.

Make Up Geek Eyeshadow in Creme Brulee | £4.95

I have been enjoying many of these beautiful eyeshadows, yes they are totally worth the hype! However the shade Creme Brulee has been my all time favourite and the one I opted for everyday, along side Inglot's 313. I have heard countless beauty gurus rave about this shade and I always wondered why...well, let me share this wisdom with you all today!  It is a MAGICAL shade, sure it looks pretty boring in the pan, but it literally pulls together any eyeshadow look you create. Adding this to the crease, then popping a couple of other shades on, then using this shade again to blend the whole crease area together...et voila you have an eyeshadow look which appears to have taken a lot longer than it seemed!

Zoeva Cocoa Blend Eyeshadow Palette | £15.50

THIS PALETTE IS WORTH ALL THE HYPE IT GETS. It is officially my favourite neutrals palette, you only need one swipe because the pigmentation is so fantastic. The formula is creamy and each shade is super blendable too. I've swatched a couple of my favourite shades below to show how beautiful they are ^_^ If you've been umming and ahhing about this, trust me and just pick it up, you'll thank me later because the hype is totally real.

Essence I Love Extreme Volume Mascara | £2.80

I cannot sing this mascara's praises enough, it is ahhhhhmazing. Pretty much the perfect voluminising mascara and it costs less than £3 which makes it even more brilliant. Granted it does give slightly clumpy lashes, but that's nothing a decent lengthening mascara can't sort out. I've said before that I'm not really a mascara kind of girl, because it is such a hassle to remove. However I've had this particular one for a good couple of weeks now and it's showing no signs of drying out...so I thought I should get a couple more uses out of it before I throw it away - and this month I've fallen for it all over again. A real must have in my collection for sure.

L-R: Inglot 313, Inglot 155, Zoeva cocoa blend 4 swatches, one swipe of creme brulee at the end!

Alpha H Liquid Gold | £33.50

I purchased a duo pack of this back in the X-mas sales for an insane price, literally 2for1 and after hearing about this for a few months I couldn't resist that deal! Liquid gold is a chemical exfoliator which has been designed for the treatment and reduction of skin issues such as hyper-pigmentation, age spots, sun damage and scarring. The magic ingredients are the glycolic acid and the liquorice root extract. The very next morning after I apply this, my skin looks brighter and feels smoother too. It also dries out spots considerably and I have noticed a difference in the hyper-pigmentation around my mouth. I need to continue using it consistently for a few more weeks before I write an in-depth review, but I simply had to give it a mention in this post because it has evened out my skintone more than I had expected. (Not quite as much as I want, but I shall keep using it regularly!). Also two weeks ago I discovered a great budget product which has SIMILAR results..watch this space, I may have stumbled across a wonderful alternative!

Nuxe Creme Fraiche Serum | £27.50

Another bargain from the sales, this serum by one of my favourite skincare brands ever has been a skincare game changer. To be honest for the full price, I would expect nothing less because almost £30 for a serum is pricey for my student budget. The serum claims to provide 24 hour moisturisation, as well as soothe the skin. It is super lightweight, absorbs into my skin easily and it really does make my moisturiser sink deeper/better into my skin, rather than sit on the surface. The weather has been so much colder in February than December/January (so typical *rolls eyes*) and with that my skin has been freaking out a little. This serum went a long way in balancing it out and taking away that horrid tight dehydrated feeling almost instantly. I'm not sure if I would repurchase unless it was on a similar sale, but whilst it's in my collection I will be using it daily.

Antipodes Moisture Boost Minis | £12.99

Antipodes is another skincare brand favourite of mine, so when I saw this duo I simply had to pick it up. Like I mentioned in the above paragraph, my skin has been pretty dehydrated so I started using the Divine Face Oil  from the start of February. The blend of avocado oil and rosehip oil really do work to hydrate the skin without making it feel greasy at all. I have also been using it now and again to mix with the EX1 foundation which is just a little too thick for my liking. A tiny bit of this oil makes the absolute world of difference, it helps the base blend so much easier and takes away any cakeyness as well as adding a subtle glow! The Vanilla Pod hyrating day cream smells wonderful and a little bit goes a long way too. Again like the oil, it feels light on the skin yet still manages to add a boost of hydration. The size of the products are great too, so I'd highly recommend picking up this kit as the full sized products can be rather expensive.

Phew, that post felt like it took an age to write! I'm sure I'm the last person to share my February favourites, so please link your post below if you've written one OR let me know you favourite product from the last month!

Thank-you for reading ♥

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February Favourites

Hello lovely people, I hope you're having a great start to the weekend so far. Today I'm going to be sharing the products I loved during the month of February, a real mix of skincare and makeup. I definitely got back into eyeshadow this month, thanks to my giftcard and new additions which have been very exciting, so lets get started!

January Favourites 2016

This is the latest I have ever posted a favourites video, I do apologise! Again like I’ve already said in my January update post, I have to prioritise uni over this little area now and again…but anyway, without further ado lets get on with my favourites of January.

Starting with the bases I have been loving the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation in Y365 (£29) which I have been promising a review for over a month now, it is coming I promise! But to give you a quick summary, it looks like skin that I wish I had woken up with! Light to medium coverage and a formula which sits between satin and matte to me, it feels weightless on the skin and my favourite part about it is that the colour match is the most accurate I have ever found! 

January was the month that I finally got on board with the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger (£22.50) which I have owned for a good few months, but as this shade is a great match for my skin tone and not brightening for the under-eyes I just didn’t find myself reaching for it that often. I should have picked up custard, but as I have this shade and can make it work I made myself pick it up more often and the creamy formula and delightful coverage that many a YT-Guru have raved about is lovely! I found that wiggling the applicator around the tube got a tonne more product out and although its not brightening or highlighting under the eyes, it worked well to conceal on a more low-key look y’know? It is also great for covering redness and blemishes on the days I didn’t wear makeup (which I’ll talk about below!). 

Finally from the bases I rediscovered and became slightly obsessed with the Rimmel Lasting Finish Concealer in 3 (£5.49). It is a lovely peachy shade which corrects 80% of the darkness under the eyes in less than 5 seconds! A little goes a long way, which really minimises creasing and I can easily layer a brightening concealer over the top. It is an essential in my makeup bag and I will be repurchasing several backups in May!

The next favourite is perhaps a little controversial, especially being an Asian girl but I have absolutely loved it for more reasons than one so I had to share it; the Bareminerals Faux Tan Face Gradual Glow (£18.00). Before this I had only tried fake tan given to me at a blogger event and I had no desire or need to use it on my arms and legs. However for quite some time I’ve been wanting to wear foundation less often, but my face happens to be a good deal lighter than my hands because I always protect it from the sun, so without foundation I look so peaky and pale. I wanted to try a tanner which was gentle enough to use on my face and also not clog the pores. When I saw this on look fantastic in the December sales I couldn’t resist. So far I’ve used it about three things and the first two times were great, my skin was a beautiful olive shade (not orange in the slightest) and it matched my hands and neck really well. All I wore on my face was concealer and I LOVED it! This time I may have applied a little bit too much as it’s a tad uneven (I still need to figure out the best application for it, other than my fingers) and I would be lying if I said it didn’t smell at least a little like fake tan. However the fact that the colour looks naturally sun kissed and spares my skin from a full on base for at least three days I can get over the scent! 

I have also been loving the REN Vita Mineral Lip Balm (£9.00) which has been the fastest acting balm I have tried in a while. I totally agree with the description, it is deeply replenishing and any soreness and chapped lips were soothed literally overnight! I hate those balms that you have to constantly reapply and this is not one of them. It is also miles better than the NUXE one at actually doing what it’s supposed to do! I don't think I can be without this stuff and the fact that it is paragon, sulphate, mineral oils, fragrances etc free is yet another tick in the box for me. If you’re looking for a lip balm that actually works, spend a little extra and I’m sure you’ll never look back! 

The Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer (£29) has blown me away this month. When I initially got it in a Space NK goodybad, I felt pretty ehh about it, didn’t use it much and ended up putting it away. However since being on my ban I have had a good root through my stash and rediscovered this with a very different experience. It is actually hydrating, without being sticky or heavy on the skin, makeup goes on so much smoother…and the best part? It really does keep my base on for longer, which means previous foundations I complained about, for fading away quicker than I’d like (Bourjois happy light!!) will work so much better for me now.

The Topshop Glow Pot in Gleam (£9.00) reviewed here has been another item I have rediscovered and it’s such a gorgeous cream highlighter against my olive skin tone! I love how quite and easy it is to use with the tips of my ring finger, alone or as a powder highlight base, it has been a firm staple in my makeup routine this month! I was going to post my LOTW on sunday, but I already has the update going up then, so I’ve decided to wear the Wet’n’Wild Mega Last Lipstick in ‘In the Flesh’ ($2.75) for the second week in a row because I have loved it that much. It is a medium pink, mixed with a tiny bit of dusty pink if that description makes any sense?! You’ll be getting full swatches this sunday, but this line of lipsticks are honestly one of my all time favourites. Creamy, pigmented, they last a good 3 hours and then they fade evenly. Highly recommend! 

Finally, last but certainly not least my final favourite of the month is the NARS And God Created The Woman Eyeshadow Palette (£40.50)! I purchased this in the summer of 2014, hid it away as motivation for my exams that year and quite honestly I totally forgot about it *inserts red faced emoji here*. I found it a few months ago and throughout January it was the only palette I used because the quality of the shadows are glorious. They’re all one-swipe wonders, which to be honest with you at that price point I would expect! The shadows last on my lids all day and the size of the palette is so perfect for travelling (although shockingly small if you’ve never seen it in real life before!). I don’t know how many of you have seen the beautiful customisable NARS palette (link here), you can create your own and I had a lot of fun playing with this feature and then wincing at the price! ONE DAY I would love to create my own, but not while I currently have so many products not in pan form, it would feel like a waste.  A lot of the shades that I had put in my custom palette online, I already owned in this little palette, so I’d recommend checking it out if you want some NARS shadows, a brush AND the pro prime (both of which I am yet to try out!).

Have you tried any of my January Favourites? What have you been loving this month?

Thank-you for reading ♥

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January Favourites 2016

This is the latest I have ever posted a favourites video, I do apologise! Again like I’ve already said in my January update post, I have to prioritise uni over this little area now and again…but anyway, without further ado lets get on with my favourites of January.

November Favourites 2015

We have reached the LAST favourites post of 2015, WHAAAAAT??? Honestly I have no idea where this year went and this time next month I’ll be sharing my 2015 beauty favourites ._. (I’ve already jotted down some firm HGs but we’ll get to that in a few weeks!) So November has been a month of ‘5-10 minute makeup’ routines, filled with pretty much Uni or Work and not a lot of other stuff in between - which is why I didn’t bother with a November catch-up post. So I definitely don’t have a tonne of products this month, but knowing me its still going to be a looooong post so lets get into it ^_^

Bourjois CC Cream in 33 | £9.99 | Review
I rediscovered this gem of a drugstore product this month, as 33 is a perfect match to my winter skintone. I was impressed all over again with how well redness and discolouration was covered with such little product and effort. Also I really enjoyed how quickly I can apply this with my fingers, which has been a HUGE timesaver for the days I am running late and want to be out of the door as soon as possible. This really is one of my favourite bases from the drugstore and I will definitely be repurchasing this next winter! If BB creams did nothing for you, I can guarantee you'll have better luck with this stuff (its just a shame the shade selection is so poor._.).

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer SX06 | £36.50
Ok I know I said I would save my 2015 favourites till next month...BUT this right here is a sneak peak, the SSE is 100% one of my favourite makeup items I have purchased this year. I have the shade SX08 which is basically the closest match to my skintone and I also have SX06, the lightest shade I can get away with and my absolutely perfect highlight shade. A little goes a long way and the sensual skin enhancers cover like no other product I have tried before. Mixed together  these two shades have been great for concealing troublesome dark circles whilst adding brightness. SX06 alone its great for wedding or party makeup, but for day to day it is a little TOO bright, so mixing a little of each has worked out a treat.

#Instamarc Light Filtering Contour Powder in Mirage Filter | £32.49
Now this was a SPLURGE! I last featured it on my blog in my Birthday haul here and then it didn’t reappear because as you probably know...I fell in love with the Kat Von D Shade and Light contour kit. In the last two months I’ve decided to finally take it out of the box and start using this too, which has had a bunch of mixed reviews on YT. I LOVE the yellow shade, it’s one of my absolute favourites because its just yellow enough to actually brighten, but it does a great job with setting concealer too. I also really like the contour shade, which has a great grey tone to it, sometimes it does need building up but the amount of product in here means I don’t mind this too much. The only thing I don’t love about the palette is that there is a lot of ‘fall out’, you put your brush in the pan and it kicks up quite a bit of powder. I’m guessing this is the reason why they’ve applied the whole 'filter' thing because it is so finely milled and its hard to achieve cakey-ness...I can live with it but I understand why people get annoyed. Would anyone like a full review? Let me know!

 
Wet’n’Wild Mega Last Lipstick in Sugar Plum Fairy | £1.82 | Review
From a super splurgy product to a budget pick, this has been my favourite lip product of the month for sure! SPF is a dupe for MAC’s rebel, at a fraction of the price and of course it is a great ethical alternative! The formula of the lipstick is lovely, the pigmentation is pretty much all I could ask for and the purple shade is my cup of tea. For me its my perfect bold lip, without turning to a shade from the red family and although I don’t love the stain it fades too, I don’t mind reapplying after a couple of hours - something I rarely bother with!

 
Topshop Magic Liner in Engraved | £6.50
This eyeliner has been my absolute favourite this month, the colour is a deep black and the tip, though it takes some getting used to has been a huge advantage. I find myself doing winged liner in less than a minute which is very useful for those busy mornings and it also lasts over 6 hours on my lids. However it does smudge a little, I accidently smudged the tip so if I wanted to use this for a long and special occasion I would most definitely set it with shadow or gel. But to get the shape of the line and flick, this liner is absolutely magic for me.
 

 
Aztec Secret, Healing Clay | £3.99
I had heard about this mask here and there, but it was only when I read in a YouTube comment that this is a dupe for the GlamGlow deep cleansing mask, that I really paid attention. A deep cleansing mask for less than £5, that people were RAVING about, saying it is the only thing that truely cleaned out their pores, removed the gunk from their skin and left it feeling clean on a whole new level? Of course I had to purchase it, I also bought some Apple Cider Vinegar and got the whole family involved, masking their faces and laughing as our faces turned rock solid for half an hour. Although it is a pain to remove, this 100% natural calcium bentonite clay mask is well worth it and lives up to the claims. This is actually out of stock at the moment, however I cannot express how much I have enjoyed using this mask so far and it is well worth keeping an eye out for its availability.

 
Bioderma Sensibio H20 | £10.20
I HAD to purchase this after facing a real dilemma with my eye makeup removal. You might know that I swear by the Una Brennan Vitamin C cleansing oil to remove the majority of my face makeup, however rubbing oil all over my eyes just wasn’t working out for me. A bit of oil would always get into my eyes and it was most uncomfortable. So I knew I had to find a great micellar water, the Nivea one I am not a fan of as it just doesn’t remove enough and the L’Oreal and Garnier ones are totally unethical and not an option for me. So I turned to the original and luckily after a quick google search I found an amazing deal - buy 1 get 1 free! So I purchased 500ml of micellar water for only £10.20, such a bargain! They only have 100 left though, so do take advantage ASAP (link above). Oh and customer service and speed of delivery was A* too...and did I forget to mention that it is the most gentle, yet most effective makeup remover ever and well deserving of the praise it gets.

 
Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask | £22.00
I mentioned this mask in my top three hydrating masks post, and it has been the one that I have reached for every single makeup free day this month and at least three times over night. I can owe my skin staying hydrated throughout the significantly colder weather to this mask here and I love the honey scent too. Although it is more than I would normally spend on skincare, I have really grown to appreciate this in the winter time and I have no doubt that I will be repurchasing it next winter time!

 

What have you been loving in November? Link your favourites post down below, I’d love to read them ^_^

 

Thank-you for reading ♥

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November Favourites 2015

We have reached the LAST favourites post of 2015, WHAAAAAT??? Honestly I have no idea where this year went and this time next month I’ll be sharing my 2015 beauty favourites ._. (I’ve already jotted down some firm HGs but we’ll get to that in a few weeks!) So November has been a month of ‘5-10 minute makeup’ routines, filled with pretty much Uni or Work and not a lot of other stuff in between - which is why I didn’t bother with a November catch-up post. So I definitely don’t have a tonne of products this month, but knowing me its still going to be a looooong post so lets get into it ^_^

September Favourites 2015

Hello ladies, I hope you’re all doing well. I missed out my favourites of August, because most of them were the products that I put into my travel makeup bag post. This month I have a bunch to share with you, a couple of new things and some older rediscoveries so lets get started.


 Base wise the month of September was focused on flawless. As briefly mentioned in my Aug/Sept catchup post here I had a lot of wedding events going on and so my key needs from my foundations were to cover well and not flash back in photos. The DiorSkin Star Foundation is one of my all time favourite foundations, it helps me to achieve beautiful looking skin, with a little glow and great lasting power. It does have SPF but it still looks lovely in photos...idk how but hey! The other foundation which has been floating my boat is a brand new one - the Too Faced Born This Way in Warm Beige. I picked this up with a gift voucher and used it on myself and my mum for two weddings, verdict? we both loved it. Phenomenal coverage, yet light on the skin and nothing too matte or dewy, a happy medium! The only slight issue was selecting the right shade, for me this is a tad dark - nothing a bit of highlighting can’t fix but I think I would have been good with natural beige too...or perhaps a mix, but who has $60 to spend on mixing foundations -.- Anyways it’s not too much of a difference and you can’t tell anyway thanks to my hijab.

 My absolute favourite concealer and highlighter in one has been the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX06 it is highly pigmented, creamy and brightens like no other. I’m still working on how to stop it creasing as much, but the rest of it works so well that I don’t mind TOO much. Also the Charlotte Tilbury flawless airbrushed powder in medium is ALL that it’s cracked out to be. Honestly this powder is glorious, a little goes a long way and despite the lack of more colours this one is a good match. I once got home after an eight hour day and powdered half my face...I kid you not it was like fresh makeup. Incredible. I have normal/dehydrated skin so powder isn’t part of my everyday routine but a light dusting of this when I need my makeup to last longer is perfect.

The Kat Von D Shade and Light palette is something I’m still in awe of (despite managing to create a dent in the middle contour shade -_-). I love how versatile it is and how I can set, brighten, contour and bronze my face using use this one palette - I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, it is PERFECT! On the rare days I didn’t pick the palette up I rediscovered Benefit’s Hoola which is one of my all time favourite bronzers. I didn’t think it would work so well for my medium skintone but I’ve found it’s so great for warming my face up AND adding a nice contour line with the awesome brush included. I tend to reach for this when I’m doing a 4 product face as it’s quick and easy to use and makes a huge difference. If you haven’t found your perfect matte bronzer and you have light-medium skin check out hoola!

Moving on to the brows, a brush mentioned in my recent haul has totally changed my brow game. I know, a pretty dramatic statement to make but I’m not even kidding the Anastasia Beverly Hills Large Synthetic Duo Brow Brush #12 is worth every penny. I don’t know what it is about the shape, but it works better than any other slanted brush I’ve used in the past and I find it so easy to shape and add more to my sparse brows with the Dipbrow pomade. Plus dat spoolie. Yaaaaaas. I have been loving the Topshop Magic Liner in Engraved it’s super black and the nib makes it SO easy to draw a great cat eye. I’ve switched my liner shape up since using this pen, my wings are more elongated and I’m really enjoying them like that! Finally my favourite Mascara of the past for weeks, yes I ACTUALLY have a mascara in my faves! Is the Benefit They’re Real, I got the full sized version ages ago when it was really discounted and only opened it up for the weddings - this is such a good thickening mascara. Yes it’s a pain to remove but it makes such a huge difference, especially when used with a bit more of a lengthening formula underneath. Pricy but worth it!

The lip products that I’ve been reaching for are all from the highstreet! Sleek’s Matte Me in Birthday Suit used alone or with a deeper lip liner has been one of my favourite lip looks to go for. It’s a mauvey/nude shade and I think it is so flattering on medium skintones. Plus it doesn’t budge for ages so it’s great for a long day, because I’m rubbish at remembering to touch up. Moving on to a very new product to in stash, the Barry M Matte Me in 3 which I picked up online on a whim, not knowing what to expect. It’s a chunky crayon type of product with a beautifully creamy consistency which feels SO comfortable on the lips and provides a good wash of colour in one swipe. This shade is definitely a MLBB for me, surprise surprise and I find it perfect for when I’m in a rush! I have been LOVING lipliners in the past few months, but the one that stands out the most is the Rimmel 1000 kisses lipliner in Tiramisu. For some reason this doesn’t get enough love on the blogosphere, it’s a beautiful nude shade which isn’t too pink. It’s a mix of brown and peach and it’s the lipliner I’ll go for when I want fuller looking lips without that obvious over-lined look. It creates believable pouty lips and for the small price tag the quality is phenomenal. Highly recommend you check out the whole line!

 Finally on to the skincare bits, firstly we have the Pixi Makeup Fixing Mist which is brilliant - an ethical alternative to the UD one FINALLY! It kept out makeup up flawlessly throughout all the wedding events, the countless hugs and kisses with family members and the humid conditions. It also refreshes and hydrates the skin which is always nice when it’s a hot and icky day. The Una Brennan Vitamin C Cleansing Oil has been a favourite for months - it’s the only product that actually makes me excited for take my makeup off and I am obsessed. A little oil gentle massaged onto the skin breaks down the majority of my makeup and it leaves my skin feeling so hydrated! It is brightening and I can’t imagine my night time routine without it.

And those are my favourites from the last month and a bit! Right now back to my Uni reading (which I’m really enjoying right now!).

Reviews from this post:

Dior Star Foundation

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer

Kat Von D Shade and Light Palette

Topshop Magic Liner

What were your favourites from the month of September?

Thank-you for reading ♥

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