Essence Day to Night Challenge

Essence is one of my favourite cheaper makeup brands since they launched in the UK back in July last year (I was very kindly invited to the launch in manchester which was amazing and I received a gigantic bag of goodies to try - best blogger event ever!). I have been challenged to create a day to night look using only Essence products as as few products as possible...as with my previous Essence challenge I did cheat a little bit!

Here is my first look, the day time look which features a shimmery nude eyeshadow, glossy pink lips, light coverage and a tonne of mascara for a bright eyed, fresh look!

Firstly, I used the Essence CC Clear & Correct Cream in the shade Natural which I believe is the lightest shade - I had to use it VERY sparingly as it is far too dark for my pale skin tone. To add coverage and to match my skin better, I cheated and used the Essence Stay All Day Concealer in 10 Natural Beige which matches my skin pretty perfectly. It's a shame that the concealers are light enough but Essence don't made foundations/CC creams in lighter shades. 

Next up the eyes, I used an Essence product that I hadn't tried before, the Essence 3D Eyeshadow in 08 Irrisistable Vanilla Latte. I used the creamy shade all over the lid, brow bone and inner corner for a light wash of shimmer and it really brightens the eyes. For mascara I used the Essence Get Big Lashes Volume Curl Mascara in Black which is amazing for definition and length, in my opinion. For brows I actually used the Essence Long-lasting Eye Pencil in 02 Hot Chocolate which is matte and when used very lightly, can be great as a brow pencil - just brush through otherwise it will look crazy!

To finish the look I used the Essence lipstick in 44 Almost Famous. You could use this shade as a creamy blush if you wanted. You could also set the makeup with the incredibly amazing Essence Fixing Powder which I will always re-purchase. Now onto my night look using the same five/six products from Essence. 

This look is great if you already have your day makeup on and you need a couple of products to transform your look quickly and easily. To change up the day look, I used the Essence Long-lasting Eye Pencil in 02 Hot Chocolate to line the lower and upper lash lines as well as the lower waterline for definition. Blend with a brush or your fingers. To finish the eyes, I add more shimmer with the peachy shade from the Essence 3D Eyeshadow. 

To finish the look I add more of the Essence Lipstick in 44 Almost Famous which is a pretty pinky red shade. It is quite glossy and it is perfect for spring/summer. Again you could top up with the Essence Fixing Powder. 

Overall, I love Essence products, they are amazing especially for the price! You can easily create a couple of day and night looks with only five/six products. I would have loved to add more products such as brow gel and contouring but you can easily create a day or night look with so few products. You can buy Essence products from select Wilkinsons stores and on the Wilkinsons website. 

What do you think of the day and night look I created? What are your favourite products from Essence? 

Read More

Autumn Day to Evening Looks ft. Essence

Back in June I was invited to the launch event for Essence which was the first blogger event I went to on my own and it was amazing (here)! Ever since I have genuinely loved pretty much all of the Essence products I have tried; especially the eyeshadows, liner and the incredibly amazing fixing powder! Here are my picks for a quick and easy day to evening look. Sorry the lighting isn't great in the photos below! Autumn/winter weather is not great for natural lighting and photography! 

First up, the day time look which consists of a very simple eye and a bold pink lip. I used the Essence All About Matte Foundation in Light. For concealer I used the amazing Essence Stay All Day Concealer which I actually love a lot more than the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer! A dusting of the Essence Silky Touch Blush in 20 Babydoll on the apples and back of the cheeks to finish the face.

For the eyes I only used one shade from the *Essence Quattro Eyeshadow Quad (15 Most Wanted) as I wanted a simple eye look to contrast with the bold lip. I used the white shimmer shade lightly on the lid and also in the inner corner; then a sweep of the Essence Lash Mania False Lash Waterproof Mascara. Lastly for this day time look I use the *, Essence lipstick in 10 Cotton Candy which looks really pretty but personally I don't think blue toned pinks suit me at all.

Now onto the night look, I used the same foundation, concealer and mascara that I used for the day time look. For the eyes I used the *Essence Quattro Eyeshadow Quad (15 Most Wanted) which contains all of the shades for pretty autumnal eyeshadow looks! I used the golden shade all over the lid as a brightening base and also in the inner corner of the eyes. I then used the deep purple shade in the crease, along the upper and lower lash lines and across the outer third of the eye. I LOVE the combination of gold and purple, especially for the upcoming festive season. 

To finish I used the *Essence Colour & Go Polish in 111 English Rose which applies so smoothly and it is a very pretty everyday shade. Overall, I am so impressed by all of the Essence makeup I have tried and I am so glad it finally arrived in the UK back in July. You can buy Essence makeup from select Wilkinsons stores (such as the Manchester arndale store and there is a stand alone counter in the arndale too) as well as on the Wilkinsons website.

Have you tried Essence products? What do you think of my day to evening looks? 

Read More

Valentines FOTD + Sharing The Love

Happy Valentines Day to all of my readers! I'm not really a fan of Valentines Day but I received a lovely Valentines package from the wonderful people at Essence this morning so I thought I'd write a very impromptu post featuring the products as well as some of my current beauty favourites. Also as it is Valentines Day, I'm sharing the blogging love by sharing some of my current favourite blogs (just a few as if I featured all of the blogs that I loved reading, the post would be ridiculously long!).

At the end of December and throughout January, I have been clearing out products, sorting and organising as well as going through all of my foundations one by one to decide whether I want to keep them or not, I've tried at least seven so far and guess how many I've kept...yes, seven. My latest favourite is the Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation (71, apricote claire) which is probably the best colour match I've ever found; it is also perfect for my dry skin so if you are suffering with dryness and patchy foundations this winter then check this beauty out from Bourjois, that is, if you can find it! Combine this foundation or the Lancome Cushion Foundation, Maybelline Better Skin or the Yves Rocher Comfort Foundation with the Essence Fixing Powder and I end up with fantastic looking skin!

Some of my favourite products from Essence are their powders, polishes, liners and mascaras; the new mascara I have in this post is the *Essence Forbidden Volume Mascara which leaves my lashes volumised, black and curled - most of the time when I curl my lashes and apply mascara, the curl holds for about five minutes if I'm lucky but this mascara manages to hold a curl really well! The liner I used today was the *Essence 2 in 1 Eyeliner Pen which has a thin marker style pen on one side and a thicker highlighter pen style pen on the other. It worked really well although after only one use it feels like it's starting to dry out so maybe try the Liquid Ink Liners from Essence instead.

Lastly, for the lips, I used the *Essence Long Lasting Lipstick in 21 Tres Chic which is a beautiful blackberry shade. I love Essence lipsticks as they are so inexpensive, creamy and comfortable to wear and long lasting when you consider the price. I've also been loving my Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita recently!

Now onto my current favourite blogs and bloggers which is always changing as I read blogs almost everyday and everyone seems to be killing it recently which gorgeous photography and fantastic content! Definitely check out these blogs and if you are looking for more then check out #TheGirlGang hashtag on Twitter!

The Lovecats Inc  -  Elevator Musik  -  Being Little  -  Jasmine Talks Makeup  -  Miss Makeup Magpie  -  Really Ree

Who are your favourite bloggers? Have you tried Essence cosmetics?

Read More

15 Years Of Essence

Essence has been one of my favourite brands for the past three or so years, since I was invited to the brand launch in the UK! The event was amazing, I received an incredibly generous goodie bag and met some lovely bloggers; it also started my love of Essence!

The brand recently celebrated it's 15 birthday which is amazing and I was very kindly sent a gorgeous box filled with party hats, confetti, sweets, balloons and of course, Essence makeup which made a dull monday morning much more exciting.

Today I wanted to share some of my favourite products from Essence over the years as there are so many and they are well worth checking out! My favourite product by far is the fantastic Essence All About Matte Fixing Compact Powder which I've gone through at least two of already and I'm now on my third. The powder just makes my skin look amazing and it helps to keep my makeup in place all day - if you only buy one thing from Essence, make sure it's this powder!

Another favourite is more of a category of products and that's mascara. I've tried so many mascaras from Essence and they are all fantastic. They are so inexpensive, they work really well and I particularly love the waterproof mascaras in their range. I'm now using the Essence Volume Stylist Mascara which I'm loving.

Another category is lipsticks and while they aren't the most long lasting, they are so comfortable, inexpensive and pigmented. The same goes for their eyeliners, I love the Liquid Ink Liner and the pencils too. Lastly, I have to mention their nail polishes which are so fantastic and pretty much everything I look for in a nail polish - pigmented, easy and quick to apply, great shade range and as with everything from Essence, they are so cheap!

Here's a short video of the amazing box of goodies and some swatches too!

Have you tried anything from Essence? If so, what are your favourite products? 

Read More

Halloween Look: Space Girl ft. Vision Direct

For the past few years I have been creating Halloween looks every October and this year is no different, although I am going to be posting less than usual. I've already posted my first Halloween look of 2017 which was a very simple skull look featuring items from Johnny Loves Rosie. Today's post is all about how to create this simple but effective galaxy/space inspired Halloween make up look!

Today's post is in collaboration with Vision Direct who kindly sent me some coloured contact lenses to use for a couple of halloween looks, the second of which will be live next week! I have the *FreshLook Coloured Contact Lenses (£14.99 per box and there are two lenses per pack). I used the shade Amethyst which is a gorgeous purple shade but obviously you don't have to use the shades that I have used as there are 12 to choose from so any will be perfect for Halloween, depending on what look you’re trying to create.

They do look obvious close up but from a distance as they blend/enhance your natural eye colour, they don’t look incredibly visible, especially this purple shade. They are monthly lenses so they can be used for 30 consecutive days but then they have to be thrown away – they are just like my normal contact lenses. You can use them for cosmetic/fancy dress purposes or as prescription, every day lenses. They have a high water content which means that your eyes will stay hydrated and they will be comfortable for as long as you need to wear them but remember you can’t sleep with them in!

I have been wearing contact lenses for the past seven or eight years so they're very easy for me to put in and take out but if it's your first time using contact lenses then you will need time to practice. I don't find these any different to my regular contacts when putting them in, taking them out or the feel of them as they are comfortable and easy to use. I applied the lenses after creating the look but then I wore them all day and they were just as comfortable and clear as my regular contact lenses. Just a quick note, if you are going to be re-using these lenses then make sure you put them in a contact lens case filled with contact lens solution/saline solution – not water! Also don’t wash them in water, always saline solution!

Before we get into the step-by-step tutorial, let's list all of the products are used. Obviously you don’t need to use the exact products I used but anything similar will work fine - also use whatever shades you want!

Bourjois 10 Hour Sleep Effect Foundation
Glossier Stretch Concealer
Essence Fixing Powder
TheBalm Schwing Liquid Liner
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Zero
Eylure Brow Pencil in Dark Brown
Eye Of Horus Brow Pencil
Kiss Lash Couture Lashes (67750)
Ciate London Wonderwand Mascara in Black
Tweezerman Brow Mousse
Makeup Revolution House Of Glam Dolls Palette
Dolly Wink Eyelash Glue
Eye Of Horus Ancient Pewter Liquid Metals Liner
Makeup Revolution Lipstick in Make Me Magnificent
The Body Shop Shade Adjusting Drops - Lightening
AHB Cosmetics Highlighter Palette
Crown Brushes/Tweezerman Tweezers

The first few steps is the easiest part as I just created my base as I normally do with the amazing Bourjois foundation, the new Glossier concealer and the essence fixing powder. I also added a quick coat of the Ciate mascara and I did my brows as I do everyday. I didn't really know what I wanted to do with the eyes, so I just created a simple wing and applied the black pencil eyeliner to the waterline all around my eyes and connected it in the outer corner to the wing which I think tuned out well with the rest of the look as I think a smokey eye wouldn't have looked right.

For the next part it would be best to tie up your hair as we are going to apply the eyeshadows right up to the hairline and into it a little bit. I started with the darkest colours as I wanted them to be around the edges of the face and then for it to gradually become lighter towards the centre of the face. I used blacks and navy shades around the edges of the face and hairline to create depth and shadow. I then blended in slightly lighter shades of blue and purple closer to the centre of the face. I also added in some lighter blues pinks and purples around the blue shade so it didn't look so one-dimensional. I looked on Pinterest for inspiration photos.

When you have a well blended patchwork of shades that you're happy with for your galaxy, take whatever eyeliner you want and start to create dots aka stars over the top of the eyeshadow. As well as the eyeliner I also used The Body Shop shade adjusting drops in the lightning shade to add more brighter white stars to the look which really stood out so I’d definitely recommend using an opaque white foundation or white eyeliner for the stars.

For the lips I just used the same black eyeliner that are used on the waterline all over my lips; I then used the Makeup Revolution purple shimmery lipstick over the top which gave a glittery effect and complimented the shades already used on the rest of the face. Keeping the shimmery lipstick mostly to the centre of the lips gave it an almost ombre look. You could just use a black or purple lipstick for this rather than a combination of the two or an eyeliner.

We are onto the final few steps! I cut up some false lashes and applied a few of them to the middle and outer corners of my own lashes and applied some more mascara over the top. I then put in the amethyst contact lenses from Vision Direct which were so easy to put in, they were just like my normal contact lenses. I think they really add to the look and would be perfect for Halloween! If you're not comfortable with contact lenses then don't worry are these so easy to put in and take out but you will need to practice.

Here's a quick guide on how I put in my contact lenses - I wash my hands then place the contact lens on my middle finger so it looks like a little clear bowl and tilt my head down and place the contact lens on my eye - try not to blink. You really don’t need to pull your eye open to put contact lenses in! Whenever I see someone who doesn’t usually wear contact lenses (aka. halloween looks on Youtube) trying to put them in, they always make it seem so incredibly dramatic and painful but it isn’t at all if you do it correctly!

What do you think of this halloween look? Have you tried coloured contact lenses? 

Read More

Halloween Looks: Sugar Skull

I created this look at the end of August, that's how excited I am for Halloween! I created series of halloween looks last year and it was SO fun and I love being able to be more creative and use products/shades that I wouldn't normally. This is the second halloween look I created which is a sugar skull inspired look with a difference, I hope you like this look!

- Barry M White Creme Foundation

- Colorsport Rapid Gro Black Liquid Liner

- Eye of Horus Teal Malachite Goddess Pencil

- Eye of Horus Smokey Black Goddess Pencil 

- Eye of Horus Dynasty Dual Brow Perfect 
- HD Brows Eye and Brow Palette in Vamp

- Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette 

- Max Factor Smooth Effect Foundation in 40

- Glo and Ray Velvet Two Way Cake Powder in N00

- Benefit Roller Lash Mascara 

- Essence Fixing Powder

- Brushes from Spectrum and Fancy Witch (at Beauty Crowd)

First up, the base - I used my regular foundation and powder for the top half of my face and the white foundation (mixed with a tiny amount of grey/black eyeshadow) for the lower half of my face to create a half normal, half sugar skull look. I used the amazing Fancy Witch foundation brush to blend the white as it leaves a gorgeous soft focus finish and it blended the edges of the white foundation perfectly so there wasn't a harsh line. I set the white foundation with the Essence fixing powder so it wouldn't effect the colour of the white foundation. This white foundation isn't as pigmented as I would like, it can be very streaky and it does highlight all of my damn peach fuss so maybe face paint or another brand would be better.

Using a liquid liner, I created a 'cavity' on the nose, I filled in my lips (a black lipstick would work so much better) and I used the liquid liner to make a 'smile' extending from the sides of the lips up towards the ears - you can extend the line as far as you want. I also used the liquid liner to create a flower or leaf design on the chin and along the lines of the white foundation on my cheeks for an extra detail. I added dots and colourful accents to these areas with the Eye of Horus liner pencils which came in so handy for this look. 

I filled in my brows as usual with the amazing Eye of Horus pencil and gel as well as the HD Brows Palette in Vamp. I then created a more unusual black smokey eye with the new Too Faced semi sweet chocolate bar palette and created a winged out shape and blended more towards the outer corner of my eye rather than the rounded shape I usually go for. I lined my upper and lower waterline with the same Eye of Horus black pencil and applied mascara. 

That is the finished look, of course you don't have to use the exact products I did and you can switch up the colours to suit your costume. I love the way this halloween look turned out first time round and I can't wait to publish all of my other halloween makeup looks, so stay tuned!

What do you think of my halloween sugar skull inspired makeup look? Have you tried any of the products I've used?

Read More

July Beauty Favourites

Usually I have around 6-8 favourites per month but this month I have a lot more than that - I have 13 beauty product favourites this month, with a couple of items left out otherwise I will not be able to fit them all in the photograph and the post would be even longer! July has been a month of beauty product finds that I have been using daily and loving!

Makeup: Oh gosh, were to start! Lets begin with Essence cosmetics, they have just launched in the UK and I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch event last month (check out my post, here) and I have been testing out all of the products I received. The two incredible, stand out products from Essence for me have been the All About Matt Fixing Powder and the Stay All Day Concealer, both of which I would highly recommend. Staying with the face products, I have been loving the W7 Matte Bronzer this month to give some warmth to my very pale skin. Now onto lips, there have been not one but two lip balm loves this month - the EOS Pomegranate balm and the Malibu Mango Lip Balm SPF30, I adore them both and they are super hydrating! I have a lipgloss favourite (I never thought I would type that), it is from W7 and it is a natural shade (shade number 05) and it makes my lips look fuller and glossy. The last makeup favourite is a Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in 'socialite' which is a gorgeous 'my lips but better shade', it is so easy to wear.

Skincare: I don't know whether to class this next favourite as a skincare product or as a makeup product but it is the amazing Decleor DD Cream which is an SPF30 lotion that is tinted so it does give light coverage - it is lovely and it adds some sun protection, it is perfect combined with the Essence Fixing Powder. I have two facial moisturiser favourites for the month on July, first up is the new Hydraluron Moisture Jelly which I won in an Indeed Labs twitter giveaway at the beginning of the month - I have been using it as my day cream and I love it! Secondly, the Nivea Sensitive Night Cream which is the best night cream I have ever tried. It is like a comforting blanket over my dry, sensitive skin! 

Tools, Haircare + Body: I won a seven piece brush set from Spectrum Brushes this month and I love all of the brushes (I have already posted a review of the set, here) and my favourite brush has to be the blush brush, it is amazing for contouring and bronzer. Spectrum brushes are cruelty free which is fantastic! A haircare favourite of the month is the Moroccan Oil Frizz Control Spray which is a miracle product, it is the only product I have tried so far that actually reduces frizz and helps keep it at bay! The final favourite for July is the My Trusty Little Sunflower Cream which I have been using multiple times a day as a hand and foot cream - it is fantastic, super cheap and profits go to patient care, click here to read my full review. I have actually just used up the bottle, it is super quick to absorb and it smells heavenly.

There are all of my favourite beauty products for the month of July! Have you tried any of these products? What are your favourite beauty products currently?

Read More

Halloween: Mermaid Look + Cloud Nine Review

For my final halloween look, I've teamed up with Cloud Nine to create a more glamourous halloween look and quick hairstyle rather than the more scary looks I've created over the past couple of years. If you do want some more scary and unusual halloween looks, then check out my previous posts, I've created a Cheshire Cat, Pop Art Zombie and Sugar Skull look this year. 

This look is very different to others that I've created although I'm using a lot of the same products that I used in my previous halloween looks this year, here's the list of products but feel free to substitute and use whichever products you have!

- MeMeMe Seventh Heaven Facebase

- Max Factor Smooth Effect Foundation in 40 Porcelain

- Maybelline Fit Me Concealer 

- Essence Fixing Powder

- Makeup Revolution Awesome Eyeshadow Palette 

- Eye of Horus Goddess Liner in Teal Malachite 

- Makeup Revolution Unicorns Unite Lipstick in Horn of Magic 

- Benefit Roller Lash Mascara 

- Primark False Lashes in Sultry 

- Sephora Blue Liquid Liner

- Essence Body Glitter

- Real Techniques and Spectrum Brushes

- Primark Fishnet Tights

- Cloud Nine The Original Curling Wand 

Phew, yes I did use quite a lot of products for this look but most of them are quite inexpensive and easily available. If you are looking for cheap halloween and brighter makeup then definitely check out Makeup Revolution as they have a fantastic range including their new Unicorns Unite lipsticks. 

1. First I started with my regular foundation, concealer and powder, all three of which I have been using for months and I love them! However this time round as I wanted the skin to be more moisturised and luminous so I used the MeMeMe primer before my foundation. 

2. Now, this is where it gets a little weird...put the fishnet tights over your head/face...yes, this is essential to the look as when you apply eyeshadow over the top it will look like scales on the skin! This method is so quick and easy but it can be slightly unconformable and restrictive. I would recommend using eyeshadows wet and with a stiff/dense brush for the pigmentation to be as strong as possible. I used blues, purples and gold in this look but you can use whichever shades you want. 

3. When you have the scales as you want them, you can move onto the brows. I used a gold eyeshadow with a wet brush over the brows because you know, mermaids have gold brows, right? 

4. For the eyes I applied a shimmery light blue shade all over the lid and a gold into the inner corner. Instead of regular black liner, I used a bright blue liquid liner and made a dramatic curved wing. I finished with mascara then Primark false lashes in Sultry which even for a newbie like me, they were SO easy to apply but I did have to trim them. 

5. I kept the lips simple, I applied a bright turquoise eyeliner all over the lips and then the new blue shade from the Unicorns Unite range to make it more metallic/wet looking. 

6. For the final touches I used a body glitter from Essence and lash glue to add some glittery dots to the temples, this is entirely optional. I added more blue to my jaw and hairline. 

When the makeup is done, I moved onto my hair and I was very kindly sent the *Cloud Nine The Original Curling Wand (£99.95) which comes with a heatproof glove, safety mat, protective heat guard and instructions. The wand came very quickly and was packaged well so it would make a great christmas gift. 

The wand is tapered so depending on where you wind your hair around, you can get tighter or loose curls! It is unlike other curlers I've used as it comes with a plastic heat guard/cover over the barrel so you can put the curling wand in it just after you've used it so it protects the surface you leave it on. I used the mid heat setting to create beachy waves as it's the perfect hairstyle for a mermaid! 

The wand was so quick and easy to use and the glove was so useful even though it looks and feels like an exfoliating shower glove...The curling wand gave me smooth, soft and long lasting beachy waves that with a small amount of hairspray lasted all day which is very impressive as my hair is fairly thick so curls usually drop after an hour or two. 

I will have a post on my blog next month with a full review of the wand and a few hairstyles that you can create with this fantastic curling wand so stay tuned! 

What do you think of my final halloween look? Have you tried any products from Cloud Nine? 

Read More

The Hut Group Summer Picks

The Hut Group kindly sent me some summer beauty picks to test and review from the brands: Decleor, Stila, RMK and Redken. The Hut Group is the UK's leading multi-website online retailer, some of their websites include a couple of my favourites such as Lookfantastic, HQHair and Beauty Expert. 

*Decleor Daily Defence High Protection Tinted SPF (£29.50): I have been using this product as my foundation/tinted moisturiser for the past couple of weeks and I am kind of in love with it! It is basically a SPF 30 face cream that you use after your normal moisturiser and it is tinted so it provides light coverage. It says that it is non-greasy and matte but it definitely gives a moisturised sheen to the skin so even with my normal/dry skin, I have to apply a fixing powder. Even though it looks far too dark for my very pale skin, it blends perfectly and doesn't oxidise. The combination of this cream and the Essence Fixing Powder is my summer base dream team! I will be writing a full review on this product at the end of summer, it has already made it into my July favourites - here. I have to give this product the full five stars! ★★★★★, 5/5.

*RMK Nail Color (CL-14, £14): The only product I have tried from RMK is their cleansing balm which I love but I do hear the Pixiwoo sisters talking about RMK makeup occasionally. The shade in the bottle is a gorgeous vivid blood orange colour. It is a sheer polish but with three/four coats it has a good level of opacity although the more coats you apply the longer it takes to dry - it takes ages to dry with four coats! The polish is very quick and easy to apply, I love the brush and the packaging is gorgeous! ★★★★☆, 4/5.

*Redken Pillow Proof Two Day Extender Dry Shampoo (£11.85): I have the Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Spray which I adore so I was excited to try another product from the range. Sadly, my hair does not get along with ANY dry shampoo but this one works to an extent on my hair. It doesn't absorb that much oil but it does not leave a white/grey cast which is fantastic. ★★☆☆☆, 2/5 - it will probably work a lot better for others as my hair just hates dry shampoo!

Finally, I have the *Stila Stay All Day Foundation/Concealer/Brush Kit which is in the shade '04 Beige' which is far too dark for my very pale skin sadly so I cannot really review it but it looks interesting and it comes with a brush! 

Have you tried any of these products? Have you bought anything from The Hut Group or their websites? 

Read More

2016 Beauty Favourites

Images from Google

Yes, this post is quite late but I've had a bit of an unproductive start to the year..oops. I love reading end of the year favourites posts rather than monthly favourites as you know the products included are consistently effective and worth buying! I've published my end of year favourites for the past couple of years which you can look back on. Today's post is all about the beauty products I've loved throughout 2016 and a few honourable mentions too because I can't just choose a reasonable amount of products...

Skincare

My favourite skincare brand over the past couple of years is definitely Antipodes! I've tried quite a few of their products and I have been extremely impressed with every single product which is a bit of a miracle as my skin is dry, sensitive and eczema prone so it's one of the worst skin types to have and it makes finding effective but gentle and natural products very difficult. However, Antipodes is a wonderful brand and I'd recommend any product from Antipodes but I've particularly loved the Manuka Honey Day Cream the most this year!

Another fantastic natural brand that has impressed me in 2016 is Supermood which is a natural skincare brand based in Finland. I was lucky enough to try a range of their products back in March and I've loved both of the serums since. I used up the gorgeous Beauty Sleep Serum a few months ago and now I'm using the Egoboost Serum - both are so effective, natural and they don't irritate my skin at all. I definitely want to try more from this brand!

Bodycare & Haircare 

It's well known and kind of inevitable that Lush is one of my favourite brands and it has been since well before I started my blog back in 2012. I've tried so many of their bath bombs and I adore the skincare that I've tried; while in college my whole skincare routine consisted of Lush and my skin was fantastic so I'm definitely going to have to start using their products again. Anyway, tangent over, I have been using the Silky Dusting Powder consistently for the past four or so months and I've remembered why I loved it so much years ago - the scent is so nostalgic to me. It's amazing as a scented talcum powder for the skin but I've also been using it to sprinkle over bed linen too.

Another bodycare product that I have loved in 2016 is the Mama Mio Liquid Yoga Bath Soak which I  reviewed fully in 2015 and I've been using it very sparingly since. If you have tense muscles or sore muscles then you need this bath soak, it's one of the most effective bath soaks I've ever used and it came in so handy while learning to drive last year. After a stressful day of driving for over five hours, having a bath with this product helped SO much.

The only haircare product is the Moroccan Oil Dark Tones Dry Shampoo which is surprising as I have hated drys shampoos for the longest time but luckily I've found two that work really well. The most effective dry shampoo for my hair is this one from Moroccan Oil (I love Moroccan Oil products!). It mattifies my hair, absorbs oil and makes my hair look quite frankly amazing even when I haven't washed it for three days. It also makes my hair so soft and smooth too unlike most dry shampoos which leave my hair feeling weighed down, tacky or built up with product.

Makeup 

Now onto the most exciting part, makeup! I've loved two fixing powders in 2016, the amazing and super inexpensive Essence Fixing Powder which I cannot recommend enough and the equally fantastic Vichy Setting Powder - if you want your makeup to last all day without looking cakey then check these out.

Speaking of long lasting makeup, the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita has been a favourite of mine for about two years and it has become a product that I'll definitely repurchase in the future as the natural rosey red shade is my perfect everyday shade, it lasts almost all day even through eating and it feels very comfortable on the lips. I need more shades now!

Well, it seems like I loved relaxing products in 2016 as well as long lasting makeup and the Too Faced Hangover Primer has been a favourite since starting driving lessons back in the spring last year. The primer doesn't irritate my skin, it feels so lightweight and it helps my makeup last all day - what more could you ask for!

Honorable Mentions 

• Tweezerman Rose Gold Eyelash Curler and Contour Brush
• Lush Intergalactic Bath Bomb
• Jurlique Balancing Mist
• Benefit Gimme Brow
• Eylure Brow Pomade in No.20
• NYX Lingerie Liquid Lipstick in Bedtime Flirt

What beauty products have you loved the most in 2016? Have you tried any of these products?

Can you believe that this is my 1,200th blog post! 

Read More

Halloween Cheshire Cat Look ft. Vision Direct

Halloween is almost here *squeals*, it is one of my favourite holidays, closely followed by the mother of all holidays - Christmas. For the past couple of years I have been creating Halloween looks of varying success...and I couldn't wait to create some this year. As Alice in Wonderland was one of my favourite cartoon films as a child, I had to create another Cheshire Cat look but unlike my previous look, this one is based on the Alice in Wonderland film featuring Johnny Depp. 

I received the *Freshlook Colourblends Contacts in Turquoise (found here at £14.48 per lens) which are prescription coloured contact lenses from Vision Direct. I chose the turquoise shade as the Cheshire Cat does have teal/turquoise eyes in the film but if you didn't want this shade then there are a range of others to choose from including amethyst (which would be great for the original purple Cheshire Cat look), Honey and Gemstone Green which looks amazing! 

I've been wearing contacts since I was 17 so these were quick, easy and fuss free to put in, remove and wear for hours and unlike other coloured contacts I have tried, you don't see the colour while you're wearing them which makes them feel like my regular lenses. They look so vivid and bright on my eyes and are perfect for this look. They may be a little expensive but I think they are the most comfortable and bright coloured contacts I've tried. 

Here is my step by step guide to achieve this easy but effective Halloween look:

1. I prepped my skin with my daily moisturiser and applied a mixture of the green, lilac and silver shades from the Makeup Revolution Corrector Palette with a combination of my Real Techniques and Spectrum brushes until the base is even. Stipple the foundation/base you are using to add more coverage. To add extra colour, I used the blue shade from the new Makeup Revolution Unicorns Unite lipstick collection around the perimeters of my face for more depth. I then set the base with the Essence Fixing Powder but you can use any white powder so it won't affect the colour. 

2. Next up, I used a range of black liners from Essence and Makeup Revolution to draw in the nose, mouth and teeth as well as a swirl at the end of each corner which makes it looks a bit like a Tim Burton character to me. It is a little time consuming but it is a Halloween look so it doesn't have to be completely perfect. I filled in the nose with a purple/plum lipstick from Duwop; I also filled in the teeth with the yellow shade from the same Makeup Revolution Corrector Palette but a white face paint would be better. 

3. This step is the one that makes the look, in my opinion, I used so many liners of different shades and textures to add the effect of fur. I used a silver shimmer liner from Rimmel as all as navy and blue liners. 

4. Now onto the eyes and brows. I used the Eye of Horus Teal Malachite Pencil to fill in my brows and the Makeup Revolution Salvation Palette to create a winged out blue smokey eye with most of the deeper blue shades under the eyes and the outer corner - blend, blend, blend. Lastly, I lined my upper lash line with the Colorsport black liquid liner and my upper/lower waterline with a black kohl pencil. Then the best step, add the contacts! Make sure you hands are clean and free of makeup before you add the contacts. 

Overall, I'm so happy with the way this look turned out first time round as it is simple and easy to create but so effective. I have to say, the contacts are comfortable to wear and they really make this look! Vision Direct have a great range of coloured contacts which would be perfect for halloween or fancy dress parties. This is a sponsored post. 

What do you think of my first halloween look of the year? Have you tried any coloured contacts?

Read More

August Beauty + Travel Favourites

Well if I thought last month was filled with favourites, this month has to be the largest number of beauty favourites ever! For two weeks out of the month of august I was on an amazing Royal Caribbean cruise around the Mediterranean (lucky me) so most of these product are not just august favourites but holiday/vacation/travel favourites.

Makeup: The first makeup favourite is a foundation by Benefit, it is their Hello Flawless foundation in 'believe in me ivory'. I loved the foundation while on holiday for two weeks in august, it was perfect paired with the amazing Essence All About Matt Fixing Powder which I sadly used up completely on holiday. Another Essence base product I loved for the past couple of months is the Essence Stay All Day Concealer which is just fantastic and all Essence products are really inexpensive! My next makeup item is a very long term favourite, the NYX Blush in 'taupe', it is fantastic for contouring especially if you have pale skin as I do. I have a contouring post coming soon. The last makeup bits are lip products both of which are stains (my favourite kind of lip product). Firstly, the Topshop Gloss Ink in 'sugar rush', it is a gorgeous bright pink glossy stain that does last well; secondly the Loreal...splash stain...things! I have the shade 'lolita' which is a perfect neutral shade - at the time these were released they had a lot of negative reviews but I don't know why, I love this lip stain!

Skincare + Haircare: The product I am going to talk about next is a mix between skincare and makeup, it is the Decleor DD Cream which is an SPF and tinted moisturiser combined in my opinion. It was in a previous favourites post. My favourite moisturiser for the past couple of months has been the Nivea Sensitive Day Cream, I took it on holiday and it was just perfect. I am currently using the night cream and it is equally great although the packaging breaks very easily! The last couple of skincare products are from Guinot, you may have seen them already in my travel beauty posts (here) and (here). They are cute mini SPF products, the lip balm was a life saver on holiday! Onto the only hair care favourite for August, the Moroccan Oil Anti-Frizz Spray which does exactly what it says on the bottle, it really helps to reduce frizz - I have been using it every single time I wash my hair this month. 

Tools + Accessories: A few makeup brush favourites, the first is the powder brush I have been using everyday this month - it is from the Ecotools travel brush set that I purchased from Feelunique back in January. Ecotools brushes are amazing in my opinion and inexpensive. Next up some trusty brushes from Real Techniques, they are all from the core collection - the bristles are super soft, smooth and blend products quickly and easily. My last favourite for august is my Sewlomax Grey Lipstick Pouch which is personalised - it says Heather on the back! I love the Sewlomax makeup bags, I used this one on holiday as my mini-mergency bag.

There are all of my favourites for the month of august, I am missing a few products such as the Ted Baker Mia Perfume and the L'Occitane Almond Hand Cream but I thought the post was very long already! 

Have you tried any of these products, if you have what did you think of them? What were your stand out products throughout august?

Read More

Pebble Grey Mirror + Everyday Makeup Routine

Applying my makeup at this time of the year is becoming increasingly difficult because of the lack of natural light - I always apply my makeup in my office next to the window so I get as much natural light as possible but with the dark mornings and gloomy or snowy days, it's not the best conditions to apply my makeup. In comes the Pebble Grey Illuminated Mirror:

*Pebble Grey Sara Magnifying Vanity Mirror (£84.49)

I've wanted to try a magnifying, illuminated mirror for so long; I've had compact mirrors that were illuminated but I can't apply my makeup like that unless it's on the go. The mirror is main powered, there's no set up process and it has a 3x magnification side as well as an LED illuminated ring (almost like a ring light). The LEDs are energy saving but they are still really bright; the combination of the light and magnification means that I can see my skin in all it's close up grossness...

I've been using the mirror every day since I received it and I couldn't imagine doing my makeup during the dark autumn and winter months without it. I mainly use the non-magnified side with the light on to apply my makeup and I use the magnified side for my brows. The only negatives for about mirror is that it's a little pricy and the cord could be a teeny bit longer but other than that I couldn't recommend it enough and I've been using it constantly!

The mirror looks sleek and expensive on my desk and it so quick and easy to use on a daily basis. As well as the mirror I've been using a lot of the same products consistently over the past two months as my skin can be so dry and eczema prone during the colder months so I have a range of products that are failsafe items I can use everyday.

First up for my base, I don't usually use or stick to a primer but I can't stop using the Too Faced Hangover Primer. I have been using the Clarins Extra Comfort Foundation which is a perfect shade match, it blends easily and it is great on my dry skin (unless it's super dry and flaky, gross). I've been setting my makeup with either the Vichy Setting Powder or the Essence Fixing Powder for most of the year and I love both powders - I can't recommend them enough.

For brows, I use the Eylure Brow Pomade in Mid Brown which is a product I wasn't initially impressed with but after some practice, it has become my favourite brow product ever as it makes my brows to defined and fuller while remaining natural. However, if I'm just staying home then I'll use the Eylure Brow Amplifier. My tweezers and eyelash curler of choice for the past week or so has been the gorgeous Tweezerman rose gold offerings *heart eyes emoji*.

My mascaras of choice over the past few months have either been the Essence All Eyes On Me Waterproof Mascara, the Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara or the Tom Ford Extreme Mascara - all of which are fantastic!

Lastly for lips, I've been loving the Makeup Revolution Lip Balms and the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita recently and I can't recommend them both enough especially if you have dry lip, which I tend to have all year round *lucky me* but more so at this time of the year. Also I've been loving the NYX Lingerie in Bedtime Flirt which is a gorgeous 90's nude shade. Oh and the brush I've been using the most have been the Ecotools Powder Brush and the amazing Tweezerman Contour Brush.

What products have you been loving recently? Do you have an illuminated/magnified mirror? 

Read More

2014 Favourites: Makeup & Nails

I cannot believe how quickly the year has gone by! It is now time for my yearly favourites, I will split the products up into categories such as makeup & nails, skincare, body care and fragrance. I have already published my favourite blogs of 2014 (here) and my 2014 favourite skincare (here). This year I have decided to pick a winner from each product type and a runner up otherwise this list would be even longer!

Primer (eye/face) Winner: Nars Pro Prime Eyeshadow Primer

Runner Up: Maybelline The Smoother Face Primer

Foundation Winner: Max Factor Smooth Effect Foundation

Runner Up: Max Factor Luminizer Foundation

Concealer Winner: Clinique Airbrush Concealer

Runner Up: Essence Stay All Day Concealer

Powder Winner: Essence All About Matt Fixing Powder 

Runner Up: Revlon Nearly Naked Powder

Bronzer Winner: Chanel Multi-Colour Healthy Glow (01)

Runner Up: Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer & Smashbox Baked Fusion Soft Lights

Highlighter Winner: TheBalm Mary Loumanizer 

Runner Up: Kryolan For GlossyBox Cashmere Highlighter

Contour/Blush Winner: NYX Blush (Taupe)
Runner Up: Nars Douceur Blush

Mascara Winner: Yves Rocher Sexy Plump Mascara 

Runner Up: Rimmel 100% Waterproof Mascara 

Liquid Eyeliner Winner: Essence Liquid Ink 

Runners Up: Sephora Waterproof Liquid Liner & Stila Stay All Day Liner

Lip Stain Winner: Loreal Splash Stain (Lolita)

Runner Up: Rimmel Provocalips Lip Colour, Soap & Glory Lip Lacquer & Topshop Gloss Ink

Lip Gloss Winner: Laura Mercier Lip Glace 

Runner Up: Maybelline Colour Elixir 

Eyeshadow Quad/Palette Winner: Makeup Revolution Palettes 

Runner Up: Soap & Glory 'What's Nude' Quad

Makeup Brushes Winner: Spectrum Brushes 

Runner Up: Real Techniques Brushes & Bare Minerals Face Brushes

Nails Winner: H&M Nail Polish Pot Remover 

Runners up: Revlon Parfumerie Polishes & Colorstay Top Coat

Now for a few honourable mentions for products that I have also loved during 2014 but didn't quite make the final cut:

Firstly, the Sewlomax makeup bags! I have three of them and I took one of them on holiday with me back in august and I loved using it! Also the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil, Clarins Extra Comfort Foundation and the Essence Nail Polish Corrector Pen have been fantastic long term favourites!

What are your 2014 makeup/nail favourites? Have you tried any of the products I have mentioned? 

Read More