makeup

Current Favourites

Lifestyle

Hello everyone! I thought it would be nice to do a blogpost on all the things I’ve been currently loving. Not just beauty, I’ve got some other fab things thrown in their too. Think I’ll get the beauty bits out the way first, let’s get into it.

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First up is a super old product, I can’t exactly remember when I purchased this but I have used it so much, on and off, that I thought it was time to give it some credit. It’s the Natural Collection single eyeshadow in milk chocolate. This costs £2 which is such a bargain and I bought it way back in the day when I was first getting into makeup. It is the perfect crease shade, that can be worn alone or as a transition shade. It is just your standard neutral brown, it doesn’t have too much warmth yet isn’t too cool either. If I’m in a hurry, recently I’ve just been blending this into my crease to create some definition on my eyes then whacking on some mascara and I’m out the door. This colour doesn’t crease or fade on me and it blends so nicely. For £2 you can’t go wrong.

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Next, is a new product that has quickly become one of my favourites. It’s the Primark ‘My Perfect Colour’ foundation. I had been trying to get my hands on this for so long but the Primark in my city only had dark shades left. So when they finally restocked I grabbed it and I am not disappointed. I’d seen it’s a dupe for the Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation and even though I am yet to try that out, this foundation is so great that I don’t know whether I need to bother spending the dollar to try it out. It is so lightweight yet full coverage, dries matte but doesn’t cling to any dry patches on my face. It lasts all day long. Like when I put my makeup on at 10:30am before work and go to take it off at 10:00pm when I finish it still looks flawless. Takes a long time for it to go shiny which is perfect for me as my T zone can get super oily really quick with a lot of foundations. I am so chuffed I finally managed to get my hands on this (super late on the band wagon I know), it was definitely worth the wait ad I’m going to try and get a back up asap.

Still on beauty faves, my next top product has been a nail varnish. It’s the Chanel Le Vernis nail colour in 331 allegoria. It is a peachy nude shade. It isn’t the most opaque, with only one coat it just adds a shine and hint of colour but that’s what I love about it. I have been so bad with doing my nails recently, they have been so dry and brittle because I haven’t been looking after them. But with this nail polish I can put on just one coat on and feel like my nails look x100 better. And it offers them some protection as well. I always find my nails grow so much better and break less easily with something on them. So this has been my go to if I want to make them look nicer but I haven’t got a lot of time. It lasts a long time and applies really nice.

 

Last beauty fav is a skincare one. I’ve been using this face cream for a while but have only recently really seen the changes in my skin. It’s the Origins Make A Difference Plus + Rejuvenating Treatment . I have been using it day and night after cleansing and toning and I love it. It makes my skin feel so smooth. It really adds a lot of hydration which is amazing, without being harsh on my skin. It smells amazing (as do all Origins products). It has really helped my skin become smoother, more hydrated and glowy. I’ve tried out a few Origins face creams and this one is my current favourite.

Onto random favourites, I have a couple of TV shows that have been my addiction recently, they are very different but I love them in different ways. First is ‘Jane The Virgin’. I don’t even remember why I started watching this show, I hadn’t heard too many people talk about, I think was just scrolling Netflix trying to find something and decided to give it a go. I wasn’t sure at first as it has a very strange set up (if you’ve seen it you know what I mean) but I wanted to give it a fair go so carried on watching, and I’m so glad I did! I loved all the story lines, the twists and turns, you could never see what was going to happen. All the actors/actress’ are perfect at their roles, I never felt like one of them was wrong for the part. And of course I’m not proffesional in casting or ANYTHING screen related but you can tell when actors/actress’ arn’t portraying the part well. It wasn’t the case here. I just loved it. I cried various times through the series. If anyone reading this has seen it right up to the very end….no spoilers if you haven’t but…..crazy right?! I would recommend it if you like hopeless romantic family rom coms, but with lots of drama!!

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The next one I’ve just started in the past week since I finished ‘Jane The Virgin’. And to be honest I’m not sure anything I found was going to fill the void straight away, all I knew was I wanted something more serious. So I gave ‘How to Get Away With Murder’ a go. Oh my god. I was hooked immediately. So much suspense and thrill from the beginning. It keeps you guessing even when you are still figuring out the characters and whats going on. The actress, Viola Davis, who plays the main character, a criminal defence attorney, is fantastic. She makes the show. I love crime/law dramas anyway but I just love how they’ve done this one differently.

That’s what I’ve been loving recently! Let me know if you share any of my current loves! Thanks so much for reading!

May Birchbox – First Impressions

Beauty

Hello everyone!! Welcome back to my Birchbox series, I’m afraid I didn’t get round to doing one on April’s edition. I have had no time recently so just never got round to doing it. But I’m back with May’s box and I’m so excited to let you all in on my thoughts. I completely forgot about my Birchbox arriving this month, so when it popped up I was so buzzin, it always feels like such a nice surprise. This month’s box has a very summery, vacation theme which I am loving as the weather has been so lovely recently, everyone has been feeling summer on the horizon. The box itself is so cute, covered in palm trees with a peachy pink draw. The quote on the card is ‘Palm leaves & warm breeze’….I mean who doesn’t want that.

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Doucce Luscious Lip Stain in Steaming Red –  £21

This is the first thing I saw in the box, mainly as I knew it would be in here. This was the sneak peek product for May. I decided to go with the shade steaming red, which is such a lovely burnt red pinky shade. These kind of colours suit me really well so it was a no brainer when it came to picking the colour. They have a very sweet chocolately smell, which I don’t mind as long as I can’t smell it all day, that would be a bit much, but just as a quick sniff before applying, it’s quite a nice smell. In terms of formula, it seems quite thin, I think you would have to put on a few layers to get a real block opaque colour. It dries pretty quick but I have seen that when I’ve swatched it on my hand it does bleed a little into the lines on my hand. Slightly worrying, but paired with a lip liner I don’t think it would be an issue. I’m excited to try this out on my lips, I have so many ideas for eyeshadow looks to go with this shade.

Greenfrog Botanic Relaxing Geranium & Peppermint Botanical Body Wash – £8.95

To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of receiving body wash in the boxes as I’m not really bothered about trying out different ones, I have the ones I like and I just tend to stick to them. It doesn’t really excite me when I see one in the box as I find they all feel and do basically the same thing. Anyhow, on a more positive note, I do like the fact this one is green – cruelty free, vegan, palm oil free and 0% parabens. All good things!! I do quite like the scent, as I am a fan of anything minty. Also body washes for sensitive skin I tend to like as they are so gentle and a little more moisturising on the skin.

Native Unearthed Activated Charcoal Natural Deodorant Balm – £7.99

This product I was pretty excited to have in the box, as I’ve wanted to try a natural deodorant of so long!! Everything in the name of this product talks to me. Charcoal. Yes. Natural. Yes. It sounds really interesting. I think this would be perfect to wear if you were having a chill in active day. I’m not sure how it would handle with a full day of activity or even the gym! But still very intrigued to try. The only thing I’m not a fan of is the packaging. I understand its a balm so is a very thick consistency, so probably makes sense it put it in a pot. But I don’t like that I have to use my fingers to rub it under my arms. It feels super messy and not very sanitary. It smells very very fresh which is a really good sign, just wondering how it will apply.

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NUXE Aquabella Micro-Exfoilating Purifying Gel – £12

This is the only brand in the box that I’ve heard the name off. (Everytime I write about Birchbox I’ve basically never heard of any of the brands…I do know some brands I swear) But, again, have never used any of their products. I’ve been really into my skincare recently, so this sounds right up my ally and sounds perfect for my combination skin. I’m actually in the market for a new daily cleanser so I’m looking forward to see if this will fill that void. It smells really good, quite strong though so I just hope it isn’t too perfumed and could irritate my skin.

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner – £16

This is the product I’m most chuffed with to have in the box, as I’ve needed a new liquid eyeliner for donkeys years, but haven’t got round to purchasing one. I don’t tend to wear eyeliner that often, as I have quite hooded eyes, so wearing eyeliner doesn’t seem to suit me very well unless it’s paired with a full eye. So buying a new one always seems a little unneccessary for the amount of times I wear it. So having one in the box is perfect. When  I swatched it, it’s very black and really thin. It dries super fast which I love and doesn’t seem to smudge. Spot on.

Overall, my favourite thing in the box was probably the eyeliner, for the simple reason that I need a new one. Everything looks really nice and I’m excited to test everything out fully to see if they all live up to their claims. My main issue with this box… there was no full size product in the box this month which is super disappointing. Sorry to end on a sour note. Bring on June’s box.

Thanks for reading!

 

Throwback Review : Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation

Beauty

Hello everyone!! I thought it would be a cool idea to do a review on a product that I haven’t used for a long time to see if I still like it. The one I’m going to talk about is one of the first foundations I ever bought when I first started getting into makeup, and it was a staple for me back then – is it still a staple for me now? I thought this could make quite a good series on my blog, going back to see if I still loved the products I liked using when I was 16. Let’s get into it and find out whether it still lives up to me expectations.

I purchased the foundation in boots, which is where I still get 80% of my makeup. Rimmel used to be so big when I was getting into makeup, everyone used to rave about the ‘Scandaleyes’ Mascara and of course the ‘Stay Matte’ Powder (still in my collection…love it). And this foundation! It had massive claims, stating it can last 25 hours, full coverage, SPF 20, skin perfecting…it sounded like everything you wanted in a foundation. And for only £8.99 it sounded like such a bargain. I used to wear it all the time for these exact reasons!

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When I repurchased, I’m pretty sure I got the same shade – 100 Ivory. Which is a great shade, yellow undertone so it doesn’t look too pinky on my skin and great coverage!! I had forgotten that it does oxidise a little after you have applied it but I was able to fix it with concealer. No issues so far. I am still super happy with the coverage it gives, medium to full coverage but without feeling heavy and cakey. In terms of longevity, I don’t recommend you wear your makeup for 25 hours like they say, but it does have great staying power for a regular 8 hour wear of makeup. Everything about this foundation is how I remembered it being and for all the same reasons I was loving using it once again.

The one thing I didn’t like is the packaging. Yes it seems very easy and mess free being it’s a pump style. But for one the glass bottle isn’t my favourite, nowadays I prefer a squeeze tube as it’s better for travel! And this pump in particular always seems to be messy!! Everytime I use it I seem to get it on the cap and all over the pump itself. I don’t whether it’s me being messy or the pump just isn’t all that.

Overall this foundation is exactly how I remember it, I love it! For under £10 it is such a bargain, I would definitely re-re purchase!

Thanks for reading x

My Most USED and ABUSED Makeup Products

Beauty

Hello lovelies! I thought it would be interesting to do a post on my most used/loved makeup products as realistically this is what a lot of my products look like, because I’m clumsy, messy and use products right until the very very end. I got this idea for a post after I read the tag Beautyholics101 did on it (check her blog out here!). It’s so true that sometimes we pretend all of our products are shiny and instagram friendly when that’s not the reality! So let’s just get straight into it!!

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Rimmel London Lasting Finish Makeup Primer

I’ve loved this primer for so long and this is my second or third tube of it. I have squeezed the living day light out of this thing to get the last little bits of the products out. Hence why it is so bent in half….so not the prettiest.

L’Oreal Paris Brow Artist Plumper

As you can tell from the picture this is a super old product, it was the first brow gel I ever got so I’ve really been using it religiously. The name has completely come off, I had to google it to find out what the exact name was. It’s been a very loved product and I would 100% repurchase.

NYX HD Finishing Powder

I wanted this product after I head Kathleen from KathleenLights talk about it on her channel, and this was way back when we didn’t have NYX in the UK. So finally when it arrived in boots this was one of the first things I got from them. It is such a nice powder. The packing is nice and sturdy for travel which I love as I find I always seem to smash face powders if I take them anywhere!

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SEVENTEEN Define and Conquer Contour Kit

This for me has been a brand that I’ve not heard that much about, it is a super affordable brand that is exclusive to boots. I picked up this contour kit a while back for just £3!! It has been such a good little kit, the colour of the bronzer is so nice and blends really well. As you can tell I haven’t used the highlighting shade very often as it isn’t my kind of highlight, I find matte highlights can look cakey on me. However I would 100% repurchase just for the contour.

L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Eyeshadow Quad

I got given this product from a friend, and it has been such a trusty little quad. I would so ideal for travel but as you can tell from the picture it’s not come back looking the happiest. The shadows in this range are really nice and creamy. I have actually bought some of the single shadows in the same range as I loved this one so much. They are still in one piece…this one might have to go in the bin I think.

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Maybelline Colour Sensational Matte Lipstick

I first saw this range of lipsticks when I was in Canada, I picked up one in the shade ‘Touch of Spice’ which has soon become one of my all time favourite pink lipsticks. When I returned to the UK they now had the same range in boots. This nude shade has been so great for layering with other lipsticks. I can’t wear it on it’s own really as it tends to wash me out, but I would buy it alone just to use with other lip products. For me it is a dupe for ‘MAC Honeylove’. I’ve used this product so much, it doesn’t twist up properly…and if it does then I can’t twist it back down. This is another product that I think I need to buy a new one.

MAC Matte Lipstick

This is the first MAC lipstick I got and I have truly used and abused this product, I didn’t wear anything else for a long time after I first got this. It’s been such a staple for me, and now I don’t really use it has often because I have so many other colours so similar, but it still stays a favourite and just quietly sits in my collection. Which is probably for the best as if I turn it upside down the  lipstick does fall out of the tube….so I have to be careful!!

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Thanks so much for reading, those are my most used/abused/loved makeup products! It is quite a throwback writing this actually as a lot of the products I’ve had for a long time and includes my first ever high end product.

Comment below what you’re most loved products are!! Thanks guys.

 

March Birchbox – First Impressions

Beauty

Hello guys! It’s that time of the month again- birchbox time!! I feel like this months box took ages to come around, maybe I just expected it earlier, I don’t know, it’s not even late in the month but as soon as a new month starts I’m like ‘where’s my birch box?’ Just me being impatient I guess. Anyhow when I opened this box I was super excited, the pattern on the box is the nicest I’ve had yet, it is so adorable and such cute colours.  The theme this month is mindfulness. The quote on the card I thought was so great – ‘Be present, not perfect’. I think that is so fitting in our society now days where people strive to be perfect, when in actual fact it’s not about that at all, it’s about the journey and achieving your own goals. Anyway let’s get into what I got in the box!

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Baija Gommage Festin Royal Body Scrub – £14.90

This was the first thing I noticed when I opened the box as it’s the biggest thing in the box, so much that the box couldn’t close properly. I love body scrubs as I have quite dry skin on my legs, so I find scrubs really help with that. My favourite one I’ve found are the  scrubs from the body shop, as I find they don’t leave a horrible film on my skin after I’ve washed it off. I’ll be excited to see how this one turns out as it is more expensive than the body shop one. It is in the scent caramelised honey, so it’s an incredibly sweet scent but I quite like it. Sometimes these kind of scents can be too overpowering and you end up smelling like bonfire toffee and smoke, which isn’t ideal. But this one smells great! It reminds me off one of the Bath and Body Work scents….I don’t know which one!!

BLAQ Peel Off Mask – £14

Sticking on skincare, this product is one for your face. It’s a small tube of peel off face mask. These things have really intrigued me since they started to become popular. I have combination skin, so my pores are often clogged and I’ve got plenty of blackheads to be going at. So this charcoal mask sounds great for that. I think this would be perfect if you’ve been feeling particularly stressed or busy, and you’ve not had time for some proper TLC on your skin.

Oribe Apres Beach Waves and Shine Spray – £36

Now, normally I’m not familiar with the brands in the box which is why it’s great for discovering new brands and products that you wouldn’t have tried otherwise. But this brand I have heard off, of course, because of their ever famous dry shampoo. I’ve wanted to try that for a while but I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on something that just postpones washing your hair for another day. So when I saw an Oribe product in the box – I was buzzing. This one is more of a styling product, that can be applied to wet or dry hair to help create natural subtle beach waves. I am all about the beach wave look, I think it looks so flattering and effortless so if that product can help me achieve anything near that I’ll be happy. However it will have to be flawless to get me to spend £36 on it….ouch. Sorry Oribe.

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Manna Kadar Cosmetics Radiance Split pan Bronzer and Highlighter Duo – Fullsize £17

First of all this product is a birchbox exclusive and the only full size product in the box this month.. The second thing that I noticed was the size. It is quite a small duo for highlight and bronzer. I tend to like a larger pan for these products as I like to swirl my brush in it a little, especially bronzer, highlight not so much. So the fact it is so small, doesn’t worry me, I just think it could be a little annoying. When I swatched them, I knew the bronzer wasn’t for me, it is a beautiful shade but definitely more of an eyeshadow. Too much glitter for a bronzer for me, I prefer a matte bronzer than I can easily gauge how much shimmer or sheen I want on my skin. Beautiful for an eyeshadow shade! The highlight on the other hand looks amazing, perfect colour, no chunky glitters, and nice subtle sheen. I am excited to put it on my face. Having highlighter in the box is so exciting as it’s one of my favourite beauty products.

Benefit BADgal BANG! Volumising Mascara – £21.50

I knew this would be in the box this month as they had shown a sneak peek for what was in store back in February. But that doesn’t make it any less exciting, this mascara has been blowing up with fab compliments since then so I’m excited to have my hands on it. I am normally so sceptical about trying new mascaras as I always stick to what I know, my go to is the Maybelline Lash Sensational as it keeps my lashes curled, long and voluminous all day. I just hope this mascara doesn’t disappoint.

That’s everything I got in my March birchbox, I really liked this months and I can’t wait to try everything out properly!

Thanks for reading!

February Birchbox – First Impressions

Beauty

Hello! It’s Birchbox time! Super quick post for you today, just a quick first impressions and mini review about my February Birchbox. I was excited to be able to pick the design of the box this month, either a 70s, 80s or 90s theme. I went for 80s as I love everything about the 80s, the fashion, design, music, culture everything! I thought the design was super quirky and I loved the colours on it. At the moment as I’m only on my second box I am keeping them as storage boxes because they are just so cute! (We’ll see how I go once I’ve collected quite a few).  On the card it says ‘Beauty through the decades – true beauty is timeless’. I just love that, I love looking back at different make up trends and fashion throughout the years, so it’s nice to celebrate that. Without any further rambling let’s get into it!

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Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm by Petra – Pixi Pink Full-size £8

This was the first thing I noticed in the box as it’s the only brand I recognised at first glance. I’ve heard good things about Pixi but never knew where to get it or what to try so I was looking forward to trying this. On opening it I was buzzing, as I’ve wanted a tinted lip balm for ages but the ones I’ve tried are always way way too pink, which I really don’t like. So when I saw the colour of this I was so disappointed. I knew just from looking at it, that it was way too pink!! I tried it on my lips anyway, the smell was nice and super soft and moisturising but when I looked in the mirror I just hated the colour. It reminds me of being younger and wearing super cheap bright pink-tinted balm, it’s really not for me. I’ll keep looking for my perfect Pixi product!!

The Beauty Crop Eyeshadow Trio – Love U So Latte Full-size £7

My first eyeshadows in a Birchbox!!! I love eyeshadows, I’m always collecting new eyeshadows, as I’m always on the hunt for new more exciting shades. So even though I saw straight away these shades weren’t the most excited, I still love brown, golden shades so I was still super happy. This is a Birchbox Exclusive which is awesome, I’ve not heard of this brand but that doesn’t mean anything. When I swatched them, they were super powdery, a lot of pigment came out from a gentle swatch. But as I rubbed them on my hand they faded a little, not necessarily a bad thing as they could just blend really well. For me it looks like the perfect little travel trio for a day look. I love the colours and the name of the trio is just so cute.

Model Co Correct and Conceal – Full-size £14

This is the last makeup product in the box, it’s an anti redness crayon concealer basically. Now I have quite a lot of redness in my skin, especially on my cheeks. So this is right up my ally. I’ve heard of this brand but I’ve never had anything from them. It felt really creamy on my hand when I swatched it, and super blendable. I just hope when I put it on my face the green isn’t too intense. I have bought colour correctors before and the green is way too much that you can see it through your foundation, which is obviously not what you want. The colour looks ok – so fingers crossed! I’ll keep you updated! I always like the crayon form as it is a lot less messy.

Luseta Coconut Milk Hair Mask – £32

Getting hair products in the box is great for me as I am so lazy when it comes to hair stuff!! I never know what to buy, what it does, how to apply it. I’m just a mess when it comes to hair stuff. So getting them in the box is great as I get it try them out without having to buy a full size product. It’s also great reading other people’s reviews on the hair products in the box to find out if it worked for them. I’ve never used a hair mask before, but my understanding is you use it like conditioner in the shower??? My hair is super dry at the moment so this is just what it needs. It smells amazingggggg, so coconutty and fresh. I can’t wait to use it on my hair.

Percy and Reed Hair Finishing Polish – £10

The last thing in my box is another hair product. This one also smells great, it reminds me of a particular sweet I used to have as a child…can’t remember what is it though! Anyway very nice smell. I used a little of this last night after I had washed and dried my hair. I loved the consistency as it was a lot creamier than I expected, so it was easy to work through my very thick hair. It worked really nicely, smoothed out any stray hairs and made it a little more groomed without me having to keep brushing it. I think next time I use it I will put a little more on as my hair is so thick and I have a lot of it, but overall, so far I really like it!!

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Thats everything I got in my February Birchbox guys, I’m pretty happy with this month’s box even though the Pixi product was a bit of a bust, there’s always going to be one thing I guess! Can’t wait for March!

I’d love to know whether you loved or lothed your box this month!

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

NEW January Birchbox – First Impressions

Beauty

Hellooo! I’m so excited about this (I always start my posts saying I’m excited…I do spend most of my time being excited by the little things). I have wanted to subscribe to a beauty box for so so long but it was never the right time, I was always saving for something or I couldn’t find one that suited me. But I’ve known about Birchbox for ages but never did it, so in bed the other day I decided to sign up. It was super easy and quick so I was already impressed. I downloaded the app and logged in to sort my profile. I went through the steps personalising my account of likes/dislikes, beauty preferences, skin, hair…Such a neat idea so they can mould your box to you!

When my Birchbox arrived, I was actually surprised by the size, it was bigger than I expected, I don’t know if that’s because I’d seen a few comments saying people were disappointed by the size or what, but nevertheless I couldn’t wait to see what was inside. First of all the box was sooooooo cute, such sweet colours an covered in flamingos. I’m definitely going to be using it for a storage box, it’s too nice too chuck away. The first thing I saw in the box was Rituals harmonising foaming shower gel in indian rose and sweet almond oil scent. I thought it was a hard product when I first saw the aerosol style bottle, so I was pleasently suprised too find it was a shower product. The smell is truly delicious and I can’t wait to use it. Perfect little travel size. Rituals has been one of those brands for me that I’ve always wanted to try, so for it too be in my first birch box- I am chuffed.

Rituals: The Ritual of Ayurveda Foaming Shower Gel                                                                      Sample size (50ml): £4.50

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The next thing I picked up was Parlour Moisturising and Repairing Shampoo. I’ve never heard of this brand but that doesn’t bother me in the slightest, I’m always willing to try new brands. Again this was a sample size, so perfect for a little travel wash bag. I have really dry hair at the moment so looking forward to using it! It has a very subtle scent, described as ripe peach, fresh cut grass and white woods. I was so fascinated to read on the back that it is sulfate free, paraben free, gluten free, safe for coloured hair and most importantly cruelty free! As someone that has recently been thinking about going cruelty free – this was a big tick in my book. Might have discovered my new shampoo!

Parlour Moistursing and Repairing Shampoo                                                                                 Full size: £16

(Now on offer at 50%!)

Next I gravitated towards a makeup product that I knew would be in the box- as I got to pick the colour. This is the Lord & Berry Crayon Blush in Camelia. This one is a full sized product which I think is great, I love the colour, and when I swatched it on the back off my hand, I barely had to apply any pressure to get a great colour payoff. I would say maybe be careful when applying it to your face, use a very light hand if you don’t wanna have right clown like cheeks! Lord & Berry is another brand I’ve looked at before but never bought anything (every brand in this box I haven’t tried before haha) I’ve heard good things so excited to try something new with the way I do blush.

Lord & Berry Crayon Blush                                                                                                                   Full size: £16

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With only 2 things left in the box now I grabbed the last thing I would categorise as a makeup product. This is the Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner in Charcoal. Cute little sample size of this, but too be honest I’ve never finished a pencil eye liner in my life so this size should be perfect. The fact it says it’s waterproof is a win win for me (if it’s true…) as I always find eyeliner slides on my and goes very smudgy very quickly.  It looks like a really soft eyeliner, which is so much nicer as you apply it to such a delicate area of your eye. When I swatched it on the back on my hand it was super creamy. The colour was a little lighter than expected with a bit of glitter running through it. So pretty, it would look so nice with a dark cool toned smokey eye.

Marcelle Waterproof Eyeliner                                                                                                                  Full size: £10.99

The last thing in the box is a beauty tool! Which in a way, I think might start to be my favourite kind of things to get in the box, as it’s completely reusable. This one is the Afterspa Amazing Makeup Remover. It say’s to put it in the washing machine before your first use, then simple get the ultra soft cloth wet and wipe your makeup away with water alone!! That sounds to good to be true to me, but WE WILL SEE. It is reusable for up to 1000 washes which is fabulous. The real test will be how well it removes waterproof mascara- that stuff can be such a bugger with regular makeup remover let alone just water.

Afterspa Amazing Makeup Remover                                                                                                 Full size: £5.50

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The total price of this box with full size items (albeit most are decent sample size) is £51.99. That is such a bargain giving you pay £12.95 for the monthly subscription. Overall  I am pretty happy with what I received in my first box, a little mix of everything really and I can’t wait to start trying and discovering new products. In the bottom off the box there was a card explaining the contents of the box and that this month they have partnered up with ‘ohh deer’ a quirky British stationary brand. Also a few extra cards with discount codes and other birch box info. Also some super cute stickers, sticking with the theme of the box being part of the collaboration.

Thank you for reading. Sorry if I waffled a bit, as if you’re subscribed you’ll know what’s in their, but I’m just so excited about it.

Let me know what you got in your box and your thoughts!

My Go To Makeup After 4 months of a Bare Face!

Beauty, Uncategorized

Helloooo makeup lovers, it feels so good to be doing a beauty post, I’ve not being trying anything new or even wearing makeup as I’ve been away, so it’s very nice to start doing it again. I thought it would be really interesting to talk about what I put on my face the first time I put makeup back on after having a completely bare face for 4 months! See what I still love, what’s changed and get the creative makeup juices flowing again!

I’m going to start with eyebrows, I always do my eyebrows first as I’m pretty messy so I like to get them out the way then I can tidy them up with concealer when I get to that step (I also think it’s the most boring BUT most important step). I used the NYX Tame & Frame Brow Pomade in brunette … now it was a little dried up which is understandable as it’s been untouched for so long but even considering that, it did a pretty good job. It is my perfect brow colour and I really like the finish once you’ve brushed it out. This pomade was the first pomade I’d ever tried, and I was a bit scared when I first started using it as it can be so easy to over do it. But once I’d got used to it, I just love the finished look. Very clean. And when it comes to eyebrows, I like them pretty well groomed.

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Next, I went in my primer, it was a super cheapy one, the Rimmel Lasting Finish Primer I first picked this up on a an offer they had on Rimmel like 3 years ago, 2 for £10 or something, anyway I loved it and have been repeat buying since! It really filled in my pores and despite it being a bright white when you apply it to your face, it doesn’t give you a white cast or show under your foundation. Plus even though I can have oily skin, it was really nice and moisturising and didn’t add to any of my oiliness.

Carrying on with face products, I then went in with foundation. Now, I had to go and purchase a darker foundation as I had caught a cheeky tan on my trip. I purchased the Elf Flawless Finish Foundation in almond … I have wanted to try Elf products forever, and when I came home and walked into my Superdrug, allllllll the makeup stands had been redone with a few added extra brands thrown in there- it was so exciting! I managed to only pick up 2 things, the foundation and the Elf Highlighter in Blush Gems. I had heard Kathleen Lights talk about these Elf products and I really value her opinion so I thought may as well give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised (just because Kathleen as dry skin and I have oily) the foundation still worked an absolute treat. Blended really nicely, left a natural finish and only being £7.50 can’t go wrong really!

Next, I grabbed my concealer to go under my eyes and to highlight the centre of my face. I used Bourjois Radience Reveal Concealer in beige. This concealer truly does what it says, it illuminates, corrects and adds hydration. Even though I have oily skin, under my eyes can get quite dry during the winter, so this bit of added moisture is really nice. The colour was spot on and blended really nicely. I always use a damp Real Technique Miracle Complexion Sponge when blending out both foundation and concealer just to get the most natural look. Be careful with this concealer though as I have found it can oxidise quite badly, it only worked for me when I got back as my skin tone had changed. It was wayyyy to dark for me when I’m at my palest! I then set my whole face down with … This powder is such an old school classic, an oldie but a goodie! For me, it does the job, doesn’t crease and keeps me pretty matte but not flat matte Rimmel Stay Matte Powder if you get me? However I hate the packaging!! Every single one I’ve ever owned has cracked and broken within a week, so annoying. But it won’t stop me using it.

Moving onto contour and highlight, yet again I’m using an oldie but a goodie for contour. The Benefit Hoola Bronzer is still one of my favourites for bronzing and giving that slight shadow for a nice subtle day time contour. Mine is getting so old now so definitely going to repurchase however I would love to try something different so let me know if you have any bronzer suggestions!! Yet again, I’m not a fan off the packaging, I like really sleek slim packaging, and this little box it comes in does just drive me a bit mad. For highlight, as I’ve already mentioned, I used the Elf Highlighter in Blush Gems as it was a new purchase of mine. Katheleen Lights (Check out her channel!) said when she first used it, she was really disappointed as it didn’t give off a good glow, but when she scarped the top layer of, it was much easier to work with and now gives an amazing subtle glow! I followed for instructions and she was so right, just the perfect amount of glow. However, I feel the colour I got was a little to pink for me, going to go back and buy one with more gold/pearl tones. They are super cheap so might even buy one of each colour. Thanks Kathleen!

Onto the eyes, I had already primed my eyelids with the concealer I applied so didn’t see it necessary to add a primer on top as I was only going to put a bit of shadow on. I used my Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette and basically just repeatedly blended colours ‘Milk Chocolate’ and ‘Semi-Sweet’ into my crease, with a bit of ‘Salted Caramel’ as my transition shade. I have no bad things to say about this palette, it is worth every penny, the colours are incredible, they blend like you’ve sat there for hours doing it when it actual fact you just chucked them on, AND it smells like chocolate…like c’mon. Seriously. Love it. All I did next was whack on some mascara, my favourite is the Maybelline Lash Sensational. I am so bad at trying new mascaras, that when I find one that keeps me lashes curled aswell as sepearated and long it is very very unlikely I’m going to switch to a different one.

Finally, my favourite step, lips! I had gone very natural really so didn’t know if I wanted to keep the subtle look going or add a pop off colour. In the end I decided to keep it subtle  and go with MAC Modesty. This lipstick is such a cute colour, natural and so moisturising (forever trying to keep those chapped winter lips at bay). I love how it’s the kind of colour you can just slap on without a mirror. It doesn’t last the longest as it’s a cremesheen formula but if you’re anything like me, you love applying lipstick so it doesn’t matter to me if I have to reapply!

So guys, (if you’ve made it this far well done) that is what I first put on my face after not having makeup for 4 months! I think it’s quite interesting, it shows you what my real favourite products are as I just gravitated towards them first. It is so nice to be writing about makeup again. I’m hopefully going to be doing a recent skincare routine too at some point.

Let me know what your winter makeup favourites are and what I should try next!

Thanks so much for reading x

Favourite lip products this winter

Beauty

Hello! I know we are still in the thick of winter but definitely heading in the right direction to spring, so I thought I’d tell you about what I’ve been  loving to wear on my lips this winter! Winter is my favourite time of the year for lip products, full of dark reds and burgundies, that look great on all skin types. You can have a very simple yet sophisticated makeup look by adding a dark lip.img_4486

I’ll start with a classic, now I know this lipstick has been around a long time and definitely could even be called ‘cult classic’ among the beauty bloggers and youtubers, but it doesn’t help to bring it back. Mac ‘Sin’. I  wanted this lipstick for so long but never thought I would get the wear out of it as it’s such a dark colour, but I received it as a christmas present this year, and I love it! The colour is so complementary to my skin tone and indeed even my lip shape, making them look fuller and plump. I would describe the colour as a very dark purple burgundy shade, it’s a very bold colour but everyone has those days where you just need to wear a dark lipstick and get your sass on. Don’t you think? Another reason why I love this lipstick is because it’s matte. img_4492Matte is my favourite finish on lipsticks, for me it’s the most flattering and stylish, especially on dark shades, just makes it look so much sharper. It’s not an everyday colour for me, but perfect for those days you want to be a bit bolder. Definitely one of my favourites this year.

Next, I discovered this lip product on my first ever trip to Sephora, and by heck that was an experience and a half! I was so excited to go to Sephora, living in the UK we don’t have the pleasure of having it so when I was in Canada I couldn’t wait to go. I can’t lie and say I didn’t spend that much there because I definitely did over the time in many trips, but I got this the first time I went, it’s the Kat Von D everlasting liquid lipstick in Lolita.img_4489 I had heard so many  people talking about this so when I saw they had it in stock I couldn’t not get it, you get me?! Had to be done. Being the first liquid lipstick that I owned, I couldn’t wait to try it….it definitely didn’t disappoint. And many, many liquid lipsticks later it is still one of my favourites. Such a beautiful dark mauve purple but with a bit of a cool brown undertone, so so stunning on everyone. Perfect for winter, as in the UK we don’t get the snowiest winters or even the coldest, but it is well renowned for being very very rainy and windy. So liquid lipsticks are perfect, because as soon as they dry they don’t budge. No more hair sticking to your lips or transferring onto your scarf. The easy no mess lip product. Love it.

Now, the excitement towards the next one is about x10 the excitement I had for going to Sephora. It’s another liquid lipstick, and another very good one at that. Colourpop ultra matte lip in ‘Bianca’. I was so incredibly happy when i found out that Colourpop now shipped to the UK, I had wanted to try their products for-ever, so couldn’t resist putting in a huge  order when they started doing international shipping. img_4490This is one of my favourite products that I got, as well as being a great liquid lipstick for an extremely affordable price, their colour selection is amazing. ‘Bianca’ is the perfect mauve nude for me, but the degrees of shades they offer means you can get the perfect nude for you. In my order I also got another ultra matte lip in ‘Times Square’ and one ultra satin lip in ‘Magic Wand’ (plus eyeshadows, highlights and lippie stix….whoops). Such great products for a great price, so happy they are in my collection!

My last product I want to talk about is a different one, compared to the ones I’ve mentioned. It’s a lip gloss from L’oreal in the shade ‘Disco Ball’. Now I’m not the biggest fan off gloss, as I find it majorly awkward,  sticky and to be honest very annoying. I normally can’t manage to have it on my lips for more than 5 minutes without it being on my teeth or in my hair, so for these reasons I tend to avoid it, but when I was browsing the make-upimg_4491 in Tesco (off all places), I saw this gloss and had to have it! I had seen glosses similar but nothing quite as mesmerizing and metallic as this one. I wouldn’t wear it on its own as I feel it needs some kind of nude canvas underneath, but put it on top of a matte pale nude lipstick and you are winning. It was perfect for parties over the festive period and to pair it with a dark brown metallic smokey eye. Being a new blogger I apologise for this terrible swatch on my wrist, as I didn’t take into account watching the dark shades first so left a slight stain underneath, but believe it is beautiful in person!

Thank you so much for reading x