Autumn Favourites

Its been a long time since I posted about makeup, I just haven’t been feeling it recently! And to say its been a few months, I actually haven’t accumulated that many new products, I’m trying to limit myself as I have more makeup than I could ever use! But here’s a few makeup and skincare products I’ve loved so far this autumn.

Huda Beauty Textured Shadows Palette Rose Gold Edition

I’d been looking forward to this palette launching for so long, and had to have it no matter the expensive price, because it literally has all of my ideal colours in it. Huda Beauty was the first youtuber I ever started watching and is why I first started loving makeup. So I was insanely excited to get this palette as I knew it would be amazing, which it is. It contains 10 matter shades, 2 shimmer shades, and 6 textured shadows which are liked pressed glitter pigments. Now a lot of people aren’t keen on this, but you just have to get used to the way they need to be used. The textured shadows need to be applied with your finger which I honestly don’t mind. The colours are stunning and the pigment pay off is insane! The matte shades are also super pigmented as well which is quite rare, you only need a little bit!

There is every colour you could possibly need to create a variety of looks, even though there are loads of bright colours and glitter, there’s still your basic matte shades to create more subtle looks too. And its talc free which is great! Yes the packaging should probably be better considering the price, but it’s slim enough to carry around with you and the actual product more than makes up for it. This palette has hands down become my favourite ever. I’d say the price makes it so mainly only hardcore make up fans will purchase it as it is really pricey. It’s currently sold out, but I believe Cult Beauty are restocking in January.

NYX Ultimate Shadow Palette – Warm Neutrals

This eyeshadow palette is literally the perfect one for autumn, with 16 gorgeous warm shades including golds, reds, oranges and browns. There are 7 shimmer shades and 9 matte shades, which all have great pigment and are easy to blend. All the colours go together, so you literally couldn’t create a bad eye look whatever shades you use. It’s really affordable as well and one of those palettes you can use every day. I would definitely recommend!

NYX Gotcha Covered Concealer

I really struggle to find a good concealer with enough coverage to hide my under eye circles, but doesn’t cake up. So I literally try out so many! This time it’s another NYX one. I really do like the coverage of this one, it pretty much totally covers my dark circles and doesn’t feel cakey! The formula does take a bit of getting used to though, it feels really sticky and shiny when you first apply it, so I apply it before my foundation to avoid having a sticky, shiny face. After liquid foundation I then put a tiny bit of powder over top to get rid of the shine. I find it applies best with your fingers using a patting technique, then dab it in with a damp makeup sponge to really blend it in. The sticky feeling is a little weird at first, but I think under my foundation it really helps to keep my makeup on longer as it has something to stick to! It also doesn’t dry my eyes, crease or get cakey.

• Collection Contour Stick – I’ve mentioned this one before but I literally love it so much; the colour is perfect, it has a nice creamy formula, it blends really well and its so easy to use!
• Kiko Extra Sculpt Volume Mascara – I think I have finally find my holy grail mascara! Kathleen Lights raved about this on her channel as a great budget mascara, and it is so amazing. It makes my lashes so long and full without being clumpy or smudging during the day
• NYX Glitter Primer – This is amazing not only to keep loose glitter in place all night, but it’s also really great as an eyeshadow primer for really glittery eyeshadows as it has the perfect sticky formula. Make sure you pat product over the top of it, don’t wipe or rub
• NYX Cosmic Metals Lip Cream in Speed of Light – I’ve been wanting a metallic lip product for ages, so when this finally came into Boots stores I was so excited. I love the coppery/rose gold colour, and its a lip cream which means it’s not drying like a liquid lipstick, but still lasts a long time
• NYX No Filter Finishing Powder – a great setting powder that mattifies the skin and helps makeup last longer, with a slight bit a colour for more coverage. You really don’t need a lot of this stuff, a little bit is definitely enough or you’ll get that cakey look (trust me I made that mistake)

Last month I couldn’t really afford to spend a lot on skincare but I needed a few things, so decided to go with the super cheap option and was pleasantly surprised! I bought three of the Boots Essential products (which I think was 3 for £3) and I actually really like them! I got the moisturising cream which is literally just as good as any expensive moisturiser, and I love the cucumber smell. I also got the toner which take my face makeup off really well without irritating my skin. Then I got one of the mini cucumber face scrubs which has really fine particles in to buff the skin and leave it super clean and soft. The other day when I had a bit more money, I raided the discount shelf (I love a bargain) and picked up these Masque Bar Hydro Gel Eye dark spot eye patches for only £4.50! It contains all sorts of ingredients to help improve elasticity, brighten, and reduce puffiness and dark circles. You get 30 pairs in a pot, and I’ve only been using it for about 5 days but already am noticing a difference! My under eyes instantly feel tighter, smoother and less puffy straight after use, and do look a little brighter. I’ll be interested to see the effect after 30 days!

Recently The Body Shop opened a new concept store in Leeds which I love, and since I went on the opening day and they made us wait for ages to go in, I got loads of free goodies! Two of my favourites were the Moringa Body Milk which melts into the skin so much quicker and easily than a normal body moisturiser, and I love the scent. I also got a full-sized bottle of the Vitamin E Aqua Boost Essence Lotion. I was unsure of this at first because the name doesn’t really mean anything, but it makes my skin soft and moisturised, has a lovely smell, is packed with good ingredients and makes a great base for makeup due to its slightly tacky feel, helping makeup stick to it. I also bought two fragrance mists from The Body Shop (unfortunately not free) which are absolutely delicious! They were only £7.50 each, and if you wanted that actual perfume version they’re still cheap at only £15 (apparently the fragrance mist is cheaper as its more subtle and doesn’t last as long)! I got Polynesian Island Tiare, a light floral scent with a tropical, exotic feel, and the Indian Night Jasmine with jasmine (obviously), violet leaf and sandalwood.

One last thing I’ve loved recently, none beauty related, is the Street Cat Named Bob film/books. I had heard of them before but never got round to reading them, but the other day went to see the film (and yesterday again) and absolutely loved it. I then read the original book and A Gift from Bob which I equally loved. The story is so inspirational and uplifting, and really makes you think about how we treat homeless people. I often bought food for homeless people I saw, but this film and books have definitely inspired me to do more! Everyone should watch the film/read the books!

Trip to Rome!

It’s been well over a month since I went to Rome so maybe there’s no point doing this post but I’m gonna do it anyway! I’d never been to Italy before and always wanted to go, and wanted another tattoo by the artist who did my second one. And since she’s based in Rome, I thought why not make a trip out of it! I was originally gonna go on my own, but my mum said she’d come with me and I’m so glad she did!

We went to Rome at the end of September which was a good time to go as it was still nice and warm but not red hot. It was still pretty busy as September is still peak season, but we got a good deal! My mum found us a hotel in a really great location called Hotel Canada, which was perfect as it was a proper traditional Italian style hotel, and only a 5 minute walk from the main metro station Termini. They served a lovely breakfast and the staff were so kind and helpful. We flew out on Wednesday (the cheapest day to fly) and came back on the Sunday, which was the perfect amount of time for us to see everything we wanted to see. Before we went, we did lots of research into where we wanted to go and what we wanted to see, and made an itinerary based on what was closest together. I know some people don’t like to fully plan an itinerary, but it really helps to make sure you see everything you want.

Day 1

We arrived in Rome on Wednesday afternoon, and after checking into the hotel, we pretty much went straight out to explore.  We headed out to see the Spanish steps in the Piazza Di Spagna, which I personally didn’t find as impressive as I’d hoped (they were just steps?) but the piazza itself was lovely, especially the fountain in the middle, and the view from the top of the steps was great! We wandered around the surrounding area for a bit, full of loads of fancy shops and boutiques. We then arrived at the Santa Maria Del Popolo, a famous church in Rome. The inside of it was beautiful, just what I had expected Rome to be like. However, after a few minutes and a few pictures we were told to leave as our shoulders were bare! Yes it sounds ridiculous, but make sure when you go into religious places you have your shoulders covered and wear appropriate clothing or you’ll be kicked out like we were!

 

After that, we explored a bit more and ended up in an area we’d actually planned for another day. So while we were there, we went into the Pantheon, a former Roman temple that’s now a church, and a pretty impressive building! The inside was full of ornate statues and shrines, with a stunning carved, circular roof with a hole in the middle (not very practical when it rains). One of the things I had been most excited to see was the Trevi fountain, and after a few minutes walking we could hear the roaring of the fountain and knew we’d stumbled upon it. The beauty and powerful presence of this stunning fountain is hard to describe, and I was totally blown away by it. It was insanely busy around there (with lots of idiots taking a million selfies), but I kind of forget about that after a while of starting at this amazing monument. This is definitely a must see when you’re in Rome, and a place we visited another couple of times on our trip.

 

We hadn’t really planned where to go for dinner, but decided on a place called Enoteca Barberini which turned out to be a great choice. It was quite a modern restaurant with an impressive bar and really friendly staff. I had some kind of pasta dish (obviously) which I can’t remember the name of, but I can remember it was delicious! We had cocktails afterwards, which were lovely but too strong for me (yes I’m weak). On the way back to the metro to get back to the hotel, we walked past the Fontana del Tritone in the Piazza Barberini, a striking fountain of a merman which I absolutely loved. One of my favourite parts of Rome were definitely all the beautiful fountains. Something I would highly recommend getting is the 3 day Rome pass which gives you access to trains, metro and buses which we bought from a newsagent in the Termini station.

Day 2

On the Thursday we had planned a day around Vatican city, some of which I didn’t actually enjoy. If you are gonna go to the Vatican museum, I would recommend booking tickets online before you go otherwise you’ll be waiting for hours to see something that in my opinion wasn’t that impressive. We got the head set which tells you about all the different things in the museum, but is pretty boring and I barely listened to it. Unless you’re crazy into this kind of thing, I would not get a guided tour as they sounded really dull and must have lasted hours. Instead we just wandered around on our own. The first half an hour was interesting, looking at the different statues, but after that I got really bored and agitated with the huge crowds, all moving so slowly. We finally got into the Sistine Chapel, and safe to say we were both really disappointed. I expected it to be incredible, but it was just a room with paintings where men were shouting at everyone to be quiet (ironic). Obviously its one of the things in Rome most people really want to see and will go to regardless, but honestly it was nothing special.

After the disappointing morning, the afternoon was much better. We went for lunch at a place call Pizzarium, recommended in lots of guide books and blogs, which was a traditional pizza place with no seats just tables to stand at. The pizza wasn’t your usual type of pizza, but it was absolutely delicious and the choice of toppings was huge! Next stop was St Peter’s Square and Basilica, one of the highlights of the trip for me. The square was dotted with fountains, and the columns outside the Basilica were topped with incredible statues. Often in Rome you’ll find yourself wondering how the hell did they make all these outstanding buildings and statues. They really are breath-taking. The inside of the Basilica was just as amazing, words can’t describe the intricate detailing of the statues, mosaics and paintings on the ceiling. One particular feature I could have stared at for hours was the baldacchino, a bronze canopy covering the shrine of St Peter. I can’t even imagine how they made this beautiful monument, the detail and artistry is unforgettable.

After lots of walking around, we made our way to the Piazza Navona via the Ponte Sant’Angelo bridge. This Piazza was one of my favourites, filled with street performers, cafes, pretty shops and the four rivers fountains. We got the infamous ice cream ball from the Tre Scalini cafe (tip: it’s so much cheaper to take out then eat in), which we enjoyed sat on a bench overlooking the piazza and soaking up the lovely atmosphere, which was both busy and peaceful at the same time. That night for dinner, we found a quaint restaurant down a side street that had lovely lasagna and desserts with a nice chilled atmosphere. I really loved the whole outdoor dining culture here and would recommend going off the main track to find traditional Italian restaurants. Before going back to the hotel, we walked to the Trevi fountain again which seemed even more magical at night.

 

Day 3

Obviously while in Rome you have to go to the Colloseum, for which we bought a joint ticket in advance with the Palatine Hill/Roman Forum. Walking round the interior was really interesting (especially since I saw a cat down in the ruins) but the view was so much more impressive from the outside, particularly when we walked over to the Palatine Hill which offered amazing views of the Colloseum, as well as over the rest of Rome. In the Roman Forum were pretty gardens and worn down statues of saints, which I felt made a refreshing change from the perfect monuments and away from the crowds. For lunch we stumbled across a nice cafe called Ristorante Cleto, that turned out to be one of my favourite meals of the whole trip. I had something called ‘Seven Sins Pasta’, filled with delicious ingredients including tonnes of cheese, cream, eggs and bacon.

 

Now came my favourite part of the entire trip, which if you know me makes total sense. I was so excited when my mum told me there was a cat cafe in Rome, as I am self-confessed crazy cat lady. The area was a little tricky to get to but we got there eventually via bus. As soon as we stepped into the Romeow cat bistrot, I was in heaven. We were first greeted by the most chilled cat I ever seen curled up in a small crate. At first we were thinking well where’s the rest of the cats, but once we had sat down we started to notice more and more, curled up in crates and on top of book shelves. They were all such chilled, friendly and happy cats and I wanted to take all of them home. Whilst we didn’t eat in there, although the food did look amazing and I think was all vegan, we did have some refreshing juices while we cuddled with the cats. I honestly could have stayed in that place forever. If you are a cat lover you definitely have to go here!

Dinner that evening was at a place near the Piazza di Pietra which I think was called Da Brunello, where we had delicious pizzas that were absolutely huge, but had more of an English feel than the other eateries we had been too. However, the purpose of going to this area was to have cocktails in the piazza at Salotto 42. The outside of the bar was covered in plants and fairy lights, and the inside was one of the coolest places I’ve ever been. And the cocktails were even better. I had the lavender passion fruit cocktail, literally the most amazing cocktail I have ever had. I still crave it sometimes. If you’re looking for a cool bar in Rome, this is the one.

Day 4

So our last full day was mainly taken up by getting my tattoo! Flo Nuttall was the tattoo artist who did my second tattoo, so I just had to go to her again for my third one. I went to the Pyscho tattoo studio where she works in the area of Pignetto. Honestly, if you’re ever going to Rome and want a tattoo, Flo is absolutely amazing, especially if you like the mandala style tattoos. Before my appointment we wandered around a little and had smoothies and cakes at a lovely little cafe called Dar Ciriola, and then another snack at Rosi Snack Bar which had amazing graffiti outside. Pignetto was quite a strange area, one I think becomes busier at night, but in the day time wasn’t a place I would visit.

After the pain of the tattoo, I didn’t feel like doing much, so we had a quiet last evening and went to a restaurant just down the street from our hotel that my mum had found on Trip Advisor, called Trattoria Dell’omo. From the outside it didn’t look like much but had great reviews, and the food didn’t disappoint! I had the best spaghetti carbonara I have ever eaten there. The restaurant itself was insane, and if it hadn’t been so amusing it would have been really annoying, it was like something out of Fawlty Towers. It seemed like there was only one waiter who was running round like a mad man, and ‘mama’ the cook who made all the food kept wandering out the kitchen, and I don’t know how she was the only cook as she looked like she could barely stand bless her. A huge group of Australians also made the night pretty entertaining. If you want your food quick with no hassle I wouldn’t go here, but I loved the food and the amusing staff and atmosphere.

So if you take out the day for my tattoo, it is definitely possible to do the main bits of Rome in just three days. I absolutely loved my first trip to Italy; I loved the raw edge of the city with its graffitied streets contrasting with the beautiful architecture, fountains and monuments. The highlights of my trip were definitely the cat cafe, Trevi fountain and St Peter’s Basilica. I can’t wait to explore more of Italy one day and hopefully go back to Rome too!

New Products and Recent Favourites

Since I haven’t posted for a while I’ve accumulated quite a few new/favourite products, which mainly focus on the face; I’ve become so lazy with eye makeup recently but hopefully I’ll get back into soon, especially now it’s autumn and even though I hate the cold, I love the makeup for this time of year!

Face

Makeup Revolution Ultra Pro Glow (£10): I’ve talked about this brand a lot, so as soon as I saw this palette come out I had to have it! It contains one yellow/white highlighter, 3 pink colours, and 4 bronzes, which make it the perfect palette for highlight, blush and bronzer! The consistency is so soft and almost suede like which means it blends beautifully into the skin, and all the colours have a gorgeous shimmer/glow to them.

 

Sleek Makeup Solstice Highlighting Palette (£9.99): I’d heard people rave about this palette for a long time but I was put off getting it because of a previous Sleek highlighting palette I bought that I really did not like, but this one is truly amazing. It has one creamy highlight that has a pink/bronze sheen to it, then 3 powders: a gorgeous purple (sounds odd but looks phenomenal), a warmer champagne colour and a blinding yellow toned highlight. All the colours are so bright and pigmented, you’ll be glowing to the gods with just one sweep! Just don’t use the brush in it though.

 

No7 Airbrush Away Primer (£16.50): I got a mini sized one of this free and absolutely loved it so had to purchase a full-sized one! The formula of this primer is so soft and creamy, but with a matte finish that really helps my makeup last all day, which is a struggle with such oily skin! This is literally the best primer I have ever used, and its hypo-allergenic!

NYX Dark Circle Concealer (£6.50): This tiny little pot has the ability to help colour correct my annoying dark circles with its peachy undertone. It has a lovely creamy texture so its blends nicely, and helps my main concealer go on much better.

NYX HD Concealer (£5.50): I really struggle with concealers, and even though I love the Urban Decay Naked Concealer, I wanted to try to find a cheaper alternative. And this is it! It has a similar formula to the Urban Decay one but not quite as liquid, it covers really well (especially when paired with the dark circle concealer), blends well and hardly creases! The only downside is I have heard it doesn’t last very long so I will have to see, but for the price you can’t really complain, I could buy three of them for the same price as the Naked one!

NYX Soft Light Highlight Pro Single (£3.25): I loved the look of the NYX highlight/contour powder kit but didn’t think I would use all the colours so I just bought one highlight and one contour. I kind of stopped using this highlight powder for a while and I have no idea why! It’s not a highlighter as in glowy, it’s just highlights as in brightens up your face, which it does really well! I use it all over my face and it helps to keep my makeup in place for longer, and the colour is perfect for fair skin.

Collection Precision Contouring Stick in Fair (£3.99): I find it a real struggle to get my nose contour right, as doing it with a brush never seems to work out right for me, so I’m so happy Collection came out with this stick which helps me to get a precise nose contour, and also gets right into the hollows of your cheek bones for a fierce contour. The colour is also perfect; a lot of contour colours aren’t ash enough, but this one certainly is!

Makeup Revolution Pro Fix Oil Control Fixing Spray (£5): I always struggle with my makeup melting down my face halfway through the day and previous setting sprays I’ve tried never seem to actually do anything. But recently my makeup has been staying in place much longer, and I can only think it’s down to this spray! Not only does it fix my makeup in place (even at the gym) it also gets rid of that powdery look and helps the makeup really sink into your face for a natural finish.

Brushes

Real Techniques Fan Brush: I’ve had this brush for a while, but over the past few months it’s literally all I have used to apply highlighter. It’s super light and fluffy and the fan shape helps to distribute product really well and evenly for a gorgeous highlight (I bought this as part of a set, so I’m not sure if you can purchase it separately, but the whole set is great).

GOSH Eyeshadow Brush Slanted (£6.99): For a while I’ve been wanting to find a really great affordable brush to do my eyebrows with, and I was pleasantly surprised by this one from GOSH. It says it’s an eyeshadow brush, but I use to for my eyebrows with the ABH Dipbrow Pomade. The brush is so thin and sharp it helps create a super precise brow.

Superdrug Blending Brush (£1.99): Now the name of this brush is deceiving as it most definitely does NOT blend. But I was looking for an eyeshadow brush that would pack product onto my lid as opposed to blending, and the flat for of this one is perfect for that!

Wilko Luxury Powder Brush (£5): Now Wilko is not one of the places you would expect to find good makeup brushes, but I assure you this one is fantastic! I wanted a really large, thick fluffy brush and this one is perfect. It’s literally so soft and dense, and is great for applying powders to larger areas, and I particularly love using it to apply bronzer to my neck and chest. Don’t be put off by where it’s from, its seriously great and the brush itself is so pretty!

 

Eyes and lips

Makeup Revolution Ultra Professional Eyeshadow in Flawless (£8): I have been in love with this brands’ eyeshadows for so long, and have had this palette for a while but recently started using it a lot again as the colours are perfect for autumn. All the colours are so pigmented, easy to blend and last all day. It comes with an array of 32 (yes, THIRTY TWO) mattes, shimmers and glitters in beautifully warm shades including golds, coppers, pinks, reds and mauves. Literally the perfect autumn eyeshadow palette. Plus it comes with a large mirror.

 

 

Collection Eyes Uncovered Nude Rose (£3.99): I know some people can be snobs when it comes to makeup and wouldn’t buy anything from a brand like Collection. But you would be wrong to do so. So wrong. This nude rose gold palette is absolute perfection. It contains 6 gorgeous shimmer shadows which are so pigmented! If you love those rose gold and mauve colours, you MUST get this!

 

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Rome (£5.50): I have quite a few of these lip creams now, and had to buy this colour for when I went to Rome (yeah I’m really sad like that). I don’t usually go for darker colours, but this wine-red shade is so gorgeous and I think would suit any skin tone. Now the formulas are of these aren’t the best as they aren’t very long-lasting, but they wear off really well without looking a mess. And the colour choice is amazing so I don’t mind, especially for the price.

August Favourites!

Ok so how is it September already. I see so many people saying they’re looking forward to autumn/winter, but I’m definitely not one of those people, I love sun and summer clothes! The only good things about autumn are the makeup and the fact The Walking Dead is back on. Anyway, I’ll get into my August favourites/new products now!

No.7

I have wanted to try the No.7 Beautifully Matte foundation for a while now, as I get such oily skin and contains oil-absorbing powders and is oil-free, as well as being hypo-allergenic. So the fact they had a special offer on was even more reason to purchase it! I had to buy two things to get the free products, so I purchased this foundation. The woman at the counter kindly colour-matched me, but it wasn’t really that helpful in my opinion as she went from saying I was the lightest shade, to saying the one two shades up would be best. So in the end I got the one between them, Cool Vanilla. I’m still not entirely sure about the colour, but I absolutely love this product! It goes on wet to start with, then dries to a gorgeous matte finish, but not a dull matte which is great! The instructions recommended to apply with a brush, but I found blending it in with my fingers then buffing with a makeup sponge to be the right technique for me, as the warmth of your fingers make it easier to blend. Since it is a matte product, it does dry so you need to work fairly quickly otherwise it would become harder to blend. This is definitely one of the best foundations I have ever purchased, I usually have to apply powder throughout the day to avoid getting shiny, but with this I only have to do it once! The other product I purchased was the Skin Illuminator (Nude) which I had a sample of before so knew I loved it. Personally I put it all over my face before foundation to give a natural, radiant glow.

I then got three free products, all of which I love! Firstly the Airbrush Away primer which I think in combination with the foundation has really helped to stop my makeup melting and becoming shiny. I’ve never found any primers that actually work for me, but this one really does! The consistency is lovely as it feels hydrating but still slightly mattifying, and it creates a great base for blending foundation smoothly. I also got a small single eyeshadow colour which is from the Cappuccino Trio. Now in the past I haven’t thought much to the No.7 eyeshadows, but this one is a game changer! The colour is so unique, it’s like a lilac/silver/mauve shade, which makes me love it even more. It has a great pigmentation, but not too strong which I like for a more natural eye, it blends easily, doesn’t create fallout, and lasts really well. I think I will definitely try more of these eyeshadows in the future, as N0.7 seems to have really improved them. They are also hypo-allergenic which is perfect for my super sensitive eyes. Lastly I got a full-sized Moisture drench lipstick in the colour Honey Bloom, which specifically matched my foundation colour on their chart. I am obsessed with nude lipsticks so this one is perfect for me; it’s like a pinkish/brown that’s not too dark or warm, which is ideal for pale skin like mine. And the formula is so smooth and hydrating, it makes my lips looks and feel amazing! Other

Another product I’ve been loving in August is one I’ve had for a while and fallen back in love with; the Sleek Makeup lipstick in Liqueur. I absolutely love this colour, again it’s another nude, but this one is more of a pink colour and has a slight sheen/shimmer to it which looks stunning (swatches above, No.7 top, Sleek Makeup below). The formula is also really smooth and hydrating. I’ve also recently got back into curling my eye lashes; recently my lashes seem to be pointing in all sorts of crazy directions, so curling them for just 10 seconds in really helps to keep them in place! For V-Festival I purchased a mini-sized Wilko sun lotion in SPF50 just in case it was sunny, which is actually was for a little while! So I used this and I couldn’t believe for an own brand product how good it was. I usually burn really easily, but with this I didn’t at all, I even tanned a little bit! As well as the sun protection, the product felt really nice on my skin, not sticky or greasy like a lot of others, and smelt lovely! I’ve now bought two big bottles (one SPF30 one 50) for my holiday next week so they’ll really be put to the test then! Lastly, I purchased some scented candle tealights from Primark for just £1 in the sale. I was drawn to the Sea Salt & Lavender ones as they smell so gorgeous; they remind me of holiday with the mix of sweet and salty smells.

Fashion

I swear H&M is the only place I buy clothes; they’re just so affordable and very “my style”! I bought a lovely teal coloured, slightly cropped top with white stripes on the sleeves. I love the colour, how comfy it is and how versatile it can be! Dusty rose is another one of my favourite colours so I had to buy this little high neck crop top with the little frilled bottom – it reminds me of tops I had as a kid – it’s not as versatile as the other top as it’s more cropped so I only wear it with high-waisted bottoms, but it’s one of my favourite colours, and the tight fit means I can get away with no bra, yay! Lastly, I am all about comfy trousers nowadays, so these floaty, wide-legged patterned pants were a must buy! I was unsure whether I’d like how wide leg they are but I love it; I feel like a hippy! And the crazy print in black and white is another reason why I bought them, and the material feels really nice to say they were so cheap!

If you’ve tried any of the things I’ve mentioned or have any recommendations, please comment and let me know! The rest of September I’m hoping to do a blog on how I do my winged liner, a little review of my holiday which I go on next Wednesday, and hopefully an updated skincare and haircare piece! I’m gonna hold off doing any autumn-themed makeup posts as I still have two holidays left in September so it still feels like summer to me, but I’ve got one autumn look I’m really looking forward to writing about! So stay tuned! x

Bright Blue Summer Makeup!

Summer isn’t quite over yet, there’s still time to experiment with some fun, bright makeup looks! This blue eye look came up on my time hop from a year ago today, so I thought I’d do a little throwback on how I created it.

In terms of base, from what I can gather from my post on Instagram, I used a mixture of Urban Decay naked foundation and the Max Factor skin luminzer foundation, which I no longer use as Max Factor are not cruelty free. My brows however, are created using the Anastasia Dip Brow pomade which I still use now! But a year on, I have improved the shape and do them a little lighter!

Now the fun part. For this blue sea eye look, I used the Makeup Revolution Welcome to the Pleasuredome eyeshadow palette. I started off with the lightest cream shimmer shade (first top left) to prepare my lid right up to the brow bone to help blending. I then blended in the brightest blue colour (bottom third from right) all across my lid and up to just above the crease. Don’t blend it up too far or it could start to look a little drag queen! In my crease I used the darker blue colour above. I start with my outer crease and gradually blend it across my crease about two thirds of the way in. I use this technique as I want the most product to be on the outer corner, and if it to get softer the further in I go.

Then just concentrating on the outer corner, I blended in the teal colour to the right, but only on the very outer crease and lid to create more depth, and to elongate my eyes. I also applied a small amout of the teal colour to my lower lash line, just concentrating again on the outer part, and not dragging it all the way in. I use a smaller, flat brush for this to make it more precise, but you still want it to be blended, not just a thick, harsh line! If you feel like you’ve gone a little over board on the eyes, just take the light cream colour to help blend the edges. Then to make the look less 80’s, I did my winged liner and put on loads of mascara!

As always, I contoured my cheekbones and jawline very lightly with Anastasia Beverley Hills contour cream kit, and for highlighter I used The Balm Mary-Loumanizer along my the tops of my cheekbones, tip of my nose and brow bone. For lipstick I wanted to keep it nude to balance the bright eye look, so used Sleek Makeup’s lipstick in Liquer, a creamy, satin finish “my lips but better” colour. Then spritz with setting spray!

I don’t do a lot of bright eye looks any more, but this throwback has inspired me to try something a little more colourful again! This blue, sea-effect look is perfect for summer and if you’re going on holiday. Let me know your favourite colourful eye looks!

Gold Crease Liner Look

I have seen a few people in Instagram doing an eye look where they have gold liner along their crease. It’s such a simple yet effective look so thought I’d give it a go!

I stuck to a simple, glowy skin look to the glittery eyes were the focual point. First I applied my Skin Illuminator by No.7 to moisturised skin, then corrected any red bits with my L.A Girl Green Corrector concealer, mixing it with a bit of normal concealer to make it blend more easily. Then I went in with my EX1 Invisiwear foundation in F100 with a few generous drops of Lightening drops from The Body Shop. Next I filled in my brows (look out for my how to brow tutorial soon!) then started on the eyes.

I wanted to keep the eyeshadow neutral to the eyeliner could really pop, so I used the Too Faced Natural Matte palette. I always blend my conclear onto my eyelids as well to give a smooth base, then set the lid to brow bone with Heaven from the Too Faced palette. I applied Lace Teddy all over this to give a subtle wash of colour, then blended Strapless into my crease area and buffed it upwards. I then deepened my outer crease area with a bit of Risque. For eyeshadow, I apply with a denser, flatter brush to pack colour on (I use a shadow brush from a Real Techniques set), then use a larger, fluffier brush (I use the NYX 17 brush) to blend and buff the colours to create a nice gradient with no harsh lines. I left the lower lash line bare as I wanted a simpler, more subtle look. Next I did my winged liner, which I’m gonna do a tutorial on soon!

Now for the glitter! I used my NYX Glam Liner Aqua Luxe in 24 Karat. I applied a single line in my crease from about a third of the way into my eye, right to the edge and flicked it up and out, above my black winged liner. I thickened the line to add more pigmentation. Make sure to keep your eye closed until the glitter liner has properly dried or it’ll smudge! Once you open your eyes, you won’t actually be able to see a lot of the liner, but that’s the beauty of the look; you get a flash of gold glitter when you blink or look down! Lastly, finish off with a few coats of mascara to top and bottom lashes.

Then I finished off the look with a soft contour along my cheekbones and jawline using the Anastasia Beverley Hills contour cream kit, and added the gold blush colour from the Makeup Revolution Golden Sugar palette to add a little warmth to my face and the highlight colour from the same palette. Then applied a nude lipstick (Makeup Rev “You’re a star”) as I didn’t want anything to bold to detract from the eye look. I wore this look into the day time so I wanted to keep it subtle, but if I was wearing it at night I might add a bit of a bolder lip. And to finish off, spray a generous amount of setting spray over your face to keep it in place!

This is a great look if you just want to try out the glitter trend, as its more subtle that doing a full on glittery eye, and it’s really easy to do! Let me know if you try this out or if you have you’re own glitter looks you’d recommend!

Throwback Thursday – Trip to NYC

So I’ve been reminiscing recently about my trip to New York City just over two years ago. It is literally the most amazing place I have ever been to, and would recommend everyone to go, its incredible! I went in the summer of 2014 with my mum and nan, and stayed at the gorgeous Refinery Hotel on West 38th Street. It was a great location as it was pretty central in Manhattan, and the hotel itself was stunning with very sleek, modern interiors and the service was excellent. For me going in summer was the perfect time, even though I think its more expensive, as I hate the cold!

Now I can’t exactly remember the order in which we did things, but before we went we planned a very extensive itinerary for each day, grouping the attractions we wanted to by area into one day as Manhattan is huge; be prepared for lots of walking!

Whether you are a fan of musicals or not, I would strongly recommend anyone to see a show on Broadway. The actual Broadway street itself is a sight to behold, and the two shows we went to see were Chicago and Jersey Boys. Chicago was my choice as I’ve always loved it, and it definitely did not disappoint! I was a bit sceptical about going to see Jersey Boys as they obviously aren’t my era, but I actually loved it and knew nearly all the songs. The singers in both shows were incredible and the whole Broadway experience is one I would tell everyone to do! Whilst we were in the area, we walked around Times Square which is such an insane and vibrant place. Now I normally hate crowds of people, but this was just magical; the lights, the people and the noise was breath-taking instead of annoying!

Obviously one thing you have to do while in NYC is go to the top of the Empire State Building. The views from the 102nd floor are absolutely phenomenal and something you definitely don’t want to miss out on. It was a bit of a cloudy day when we went up but we were still able to see everything clearly; so a tip is to check the visibility before you go so you’re not disappointed! Another building that offers outstanding views is the Rockefeller. We went to the Top of the Rock at night so all the buildings were lit up, it was magical to see the whole of Manhattan like this. Going here is a definite must as you get to see the whole skyline including the Empire State Building.

So this part of the trip may not be for everyone, but since I am obsessed with Gossip Girl I had to go on the Gossip Girl tour, obvs. Even if you aren’t a fan of the show or have never heard of it, going on a tour like this is a great way to see the city. We toured all the places they filmed on the show including the school, the Met steps, where all the characters lived and The Empire Hotel. We drove around the glamorous Upper East Side (my future home btw) and stopped off at Central Park, visited the famous Harry Winston jewellers, and went inside Grand Central Station where the most infamous scene of Serena coming back to Manhattan was filmed. As a massive fan of the show it was amazing to see where my favourite show was set and filmed, and even my nan and mum enjoyed it too (I think!).

Now onto a sadder part of the trip, but something you have to see. The 9/11 Memorial Site is a harrowing experience, and I don’t think you really understand the magnitude of the tragedy until you see where the Twin Towers used to be and read all the names written on the plaques. The spots where the towers once stood have been turned into beautiful water features. A real negative of the experience was the disrespect of others tourists; at the site we walked round in silence, but some others were taking smiling selfies next to the names which I found extremely disgusting and disrespectful. If you go, don’t be one of these people. Yes its fine to take pictures, but not smiling selfies! We went inside the Tribute Center which was incredibly emotional with photos of the people who tragically lost their lives and images of the aftermath. It was an incredibly sad part of the trip, but one I am glad to have seen.

Whilst in Downtown Manhattan we walked around Wall Street and went on the Staten Island Ferry which sails past the Statue of Liberty, an even more breath-taking site than you could imagine from seeing pictures. As the symbol of America, it’s definitely one of the top attractions to see, and the ferry is free! Also downtown are the districts of Little Italy, SoHo and Tribeca which we did all in one go. The little villages of Soho and Tribeca are a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of central Manhattan, and are so chilled and friendly. If I were to ever live in NYC, this is where I would choose to live as the vibe is just so relaxed with all the cool and edginess you would expect. Little Italy is obviously a little busier, and is an absolute heaven for Italian food lovers! The street artwork in these areas is also another thing to take note of, and is what gives the areas their cool edge.

We didn’t really visit any museums, except The Museum of Modern Art, which to be honest didn’t impress that much, I think that’s just because I don’t get modern art! The only piece that stuck in my mind is this one here. No explanation, it speaks for itself. My nan even took pictures of it to show her friends back home! I was more impressed however with 5th Avenue. The most famous shopping street in the city. We didn’t really buy anything, but its nice to window shop and imagine what you’d buy if you were a rich New Yorker! I wasn’t as in the know about different make up brands back then so didn’t take full advantage of the Sephora. But if you are into make up, definitely visit (and pick me some stuff up while you’re there).

A few other sites to see are the Flat Iron building which is a serious architectural spectacle, as is the Trump Tower. Manhattan has many great parks; we visited Madison Square Park, and found a lovely breakfast place opposite Bryant Park which was near our hotel. We went here pretty much every day for breakfast as they had such a great selection, and the most incredible waffles and pancakes! In terms of food there’s nowhere except here that has really stuck in my mind. Food wasn’t really our focus and we normally just went where was most convenient, and we ate at our hotel which was delicious. If I were to go again, I think I would research food places more, but on this trip we were more focused on packing in as many attractions and experiences as possible!

So that’s my trip to NYC! It is literally the most incredible place, just walking around the city generally and all the amazing buildings makes you feel like you’re on a movie set, and I found that everyone there was so friendly and helpful, not at all like London! Even if you have a smaller budget, I would still recommend going to this city, literally do everything you can to save up, it’s a place you have to see at least once in your life! A few tips if you are planning on going are to create an itinerary before you go. If you don’t I think you’d end up aimlessly wandering around and not see everything. Also be prepared to do lots of walking and have comfy shoes, and if you are going long distances then take the Underground! Hopefully I’ll go back one day, but I think my next trip to America will be to the west coast! If you’ve been to NYC or anywhere else in America, let me know about your experience and any tips!

July favourites

Another month, another set of new make up! I am really trying to cut down on the amount I buy as I think I have enough to last a life time, but sometimes I can’t resist the odd little (cheap) purchase! I’m going to try and be more concise today as usually I ramble on forever. It would be so much quicker if I did this in video form, but I’m not ready for that yet haha!

Highlight

I bought two Makeup Revolution highlighters the other month, the Baked Highlighter powder in Golden Lights (£3), and Ultra Strobe Balm in Hypnotic (£5). Both are the same colour, a very pale gold, but have different consistency. I love using the strobe balm on its own for a more dewy finish, best for dry skin, but when I want a more intense highlight I layer the powder over the top. The colour is so gorgeous, and would look especially good with a golden tan!

Base

I’ve been looking for a good setting powder for a while, and saw this one reviewed online and thought I’d give it a try since it’s so cheap (either £3/5 I can’t remember!) – the MUA Skin Define Hydro Powder. It gives a lovely matte finish with just a bit of coverage, but doesn’t dry out my skin at all or go chalky like some powders. It has vitamin E and jojoba which helps it to be non-drying, and it’s lovely and lightweight.

Another base product I’ve purchased is the NYX Dark Circle Concealer in Fair (£5.50), which used underneath normal concealer has really helped to brighten my under eyes and reduce the darkness. It’s really creamy which is great for my super dry eyes, and I apply it using a small brush, but then dab it in with my fingers.

Over the top I have been using my newly purchased Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Fair Neutral, which is incredible! I purchased one of these before but it was the wrong shade for my skin which put me off. But having bought the correct colour, I can say it is truly amazing! The consistency is perfect; it’s full coverage but doesn’t feel thick and isn’t drying. I use this around my nose, chin and under my eyes, and it really does cover all redness! It’s a little on the pricey side at £17.50 but totally worth it, and the perfect shade for pale skin tones.

Lashes, lipstick & liner

I just can’t resist the NYX counter in Boots; I also purchased a mascara, glitter liner and two lipsticks. The mascara is the XXL Lush Lashes, which I probably wouldn’t buy again as the wand is too fat and a bit hard to work with, but it does extend my lashes really well and is super black. I’ve been wanting to experiment with glitter for a while, so bought the NYX Glam Liner in 24 karat, which is a great way to ease into the trend. I’ve used it to replace my winged eyeliner and today I created the glitter crease look with it. I absolutely love the colour and pigmentation, would definitely buy more colours in the future!

I am really impressed with the two lipsticks I bought – Shy and Ultra Dare, complete opposites! Ultra Dare is a dark blue/grey which I really have to be in a daring mood to wear! Shy has become one of my all time favourite lipsticks. Now on its own it’s a little too light for my pale skin, but when I mix it with a slightly darker pink or a lip liner it looks amazing! I have been pairing it with another new lipstick, You’re A Star by Makeup Revolution, and it looks so stunning! It creates the perfect nude for me and looks like ABH Pure Hollywood, but without the drying effect. The NYX lipsticks are matte so can get a little drying as the day goes on, but nothing major! The Makeup Revolution one is creamy (which is why this and Shy are a great combo) and a gorgeous pink nude, and also smells delicious!

Skincare

Last few products are skin care. The Vitamin E Hydrating Face Mist from The Body Shop, has been a god send in this weird humid weather in England; it cools and hydrates your face without taking your make up off, but just use a few light spritzes (if that’s a word)!

Next is a recent purchase from Superdrug, the Dehydrated Konjac Facial Sponge. It’s apparently made of some kind of vegetable fibre, but all I know is that it helps to gently exfoliate and buff your skin, which it totally does! It’s great for more sensitive skin that still needs exfoliating, and really helps to work in face wash for a deeper clean.

I have also bought a replacement for the Olay serum I was using – the Boots Botanics Super Serum Radiant Youth. Now I’m not sure about the radiant youth part, but it does make my skin feel so much smoother and hydrated, I would never skip putting serum on before my moisturiser. And it smells great and is really cheap!

Hair care

So that was me trying to talk about make up concisely. Oops. Anyway onto a few none make up things! Firstly and most importantly, new purple shampoo and conditioner! I have searched for so long for purple hair products that 1) actually work and 2) don’t make my hair feel like straw. And this Maria Nila set has answered all my wishes! There’s a shampoo and conditioner, both of which are vegan, 100% cruelty free, and contain no sulphates or parabens. The other great part is that they have actually made my hair blonder and got rid of the yellowness from the first wash. The FIRST WASH. Amazing. Not only that, but they detangle my hair unlike any other product I’ve used, and leave my hair super soft and hydrated. I use them twice a week (as that’s how many times I wash my hair) and if possible leave the shampoo in for about 10 minutes all over my hair, and the conditioner for about 3-5 minutes on the ends. I cannot say enough good things about these two products. If you have blonde hair, GO BUY THEM NOW. I got mine from Sally’s Salon in Leeds for about £27 altogether (totally worth it) but you can probably get them online too.

Fashion/home

The past month I have actually been loving Primark. I used to shop there a lot when I was a teenage but went off it because the quality of clothing was awful. But I’ve been in a few times recently and actually got some great things. Firstly I bought a pale pink back pack for when I went to Amsterdam, but now use it every day, it’s so convenient! Then I bought some jeans from there for £13 which were originally just meant as slobbing around jeans, but now I wear them most of the time! They are so comfy and I love the lighter colour. I also bought these cute gold trainers for £8 which rubbed a little at first, but are now really comfy. I’ve actually always loved their home stuff, so while I was there I couldn’t help but buy this adorable cushion and bed set, I’m into all my boho/hippy style stuff at the minute, so these are perfect!

Books

Now lastly I have a few book recommendations from the past few months. I’m so happy I have finally got back into reading properly again, I went from not finishing a book for years, to literally finishing one and picking another straight back up! Here are the ones I’ve particularly enjoyed:

• A Year of Marvellous Ways – about an elderly woman who helps a soldier get his life back together, a truly beautiful story that is also beautifully written like one long poem
• The Improbability of Love – a fast-paced book about a chef who accidentally discovers a famous work of art, with lots of intriguing characters and a great ending (I like a solid conclusion at the end, not the whole “use your imagination” shit – no, you wrote the book, you tell me the dam ending. Rant over!)
• The Catcher in the Rye – one of those classic books you have to read, but nothing really happens, but it teaches you something about life
• Lost Lake – this would make a great easy beach read about a magical summer lake cabin resort
• Nod – a thought-provoking dystopian novel about what would happen if most of the world stopped being able to sleep. I couldn’t put this down, and had to keep reminded myself that I wasn’t really in that world!
• The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test – I’m only a few chapters in but already love it. It’s a crazy book about the hippies and the rise of LSD in the 60s. No need to take drugs, just read this book and it feel like you have

73 questions tag!

So I saw Emily Rose whose blog I love do this 73 question tag, and just thought it would be a fun thing to do and for people to get to know me a bit better if any one is bothered haha!

What’s the best thing that has happened to you this month?

I’ve booked to go to Rome with my mum in September and getting a tattoo whilst I’m there, so excited!

What’s the best thing that has happened to you this year?

If we’re counting as in a year from today, then I’d say meeting my boyfriend last September, meeting my now best friend Lara and going to Amsterdam with her in June, and getting a new job. Think that’s all!

What’s the best thing ever?

My family, my boyfriend, my friends, my cat, makeup, sleeping, feeling really happy.

What’s your favourite season?

Summer definitely! Although this insanely hot weather we’ve been having in England is a bit much for me, but I hate winter!

What’s your favourite holiday?

Can I say my birthday? haha, I’m not a massive fan of any of the holidays really, but if I had to pick one it would be Halloween coz dressing up is fun!

Would you ever live anywhere besides the city?

Yes, by the beach definitely! It’s my dream!

What’s your favourite ice-cream?

Ben and Jerry’s half baked! I also love mint chocolate chip, and the pistachio one they do at Thaymar’s ice cream parlour!

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?

Depends how lazy/tired I’m feeling.

What’s your favourite dessert?

If you know me you’ll know what a hard decision this is as I’m such a sweet tooth. Something chocolate and gooey is my favourite though I reckon. And I never share pudding!

Cake or pie?

Cake. Cake. Cake.

What’s your least favourite food?

I’m pretty picky with food, but lamb has to be the worst and the smell is terrible. And poor baby lambs!

What’s your favourite condiment?

Is it basic to say tomato sauce?

It’s brunch, what do you eat?

Pancakes with maple syrup, strawberries and bacon! I could eat breakfast foods for every meal of the day.

What’s your favourite colour?

Rose gold 🙂

What colour dress did you wear to your prom?

Pale pink with a black bow.

Blow dry or Air dry?

Air dry always! About a year ago by hair started snapping due to poorly trained hairdressers (that’s me putting it nicely) so ever since then I’ve taken super good care of it and only ever have a blow dry when I go to the hairdressers to get my roots done every 2 months. I only wash my hair 2/3 times a week, always at night then I put it in plaits to let it dry then take it out in the morning! No blow drying or straightening!

Do you think you’re strong?

Physically not that much haha, mentally I can be sometimes.

Who’s a person you would love to have a coffee with?

I don’t like coffee so I’m gonna change it to having cocktails with Rihanna!

When was the last time you cried?

A couple of weeks ago I think!

Who’s the last person you texted?

My boyfriend 🙂

Twitter or Instagram?

Instagram definitely! All I follow are accounts of makeup, kittens and tattoos.

Who should everyone follow right now?

Me obvs haha, but no, my friend Lara Duncan she’s beaut, foster_kittens for the most adorable cats, and Nikkie Tutorials and Sonjdra Deluxe for makeup!

Had you ever had anything stolen from you?

I actually don’t think I have, touch wood! I’m very lucky.

Favourite country you visited?

I went to New York City 2 years ago and fell in love!!!

Last country you visited?

Netherlands, I went to Amsterdam in June.

Country you wish to visit?

Omg the last is endless! Pretty much everywhere in America, Australia, Italy, Japan, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland, Bora Bora and Canada. Basically everywhere!

First pet?

My cats Poppy and Splodgie.

Favourite Disney animal?

Wow that’s tough… the Aristocats!

What are you doing tomorrow?

Going to work same as always! I’m a marketing assistant in Leeds.

What are you most excited about in life right now?

Going to Rome with my mum and getting another tattoo there! And hopefully going on holiday with my boyfriend for our one year anniversary. And hopefully going to America with Lara next year. All travel related!

What book are you reading right now?

I’m in between book, I just Nod by Adrian Barnes – I couldn’t stop reading it, basically the majority of the world stops being able to sleep, I love all that apocalyptic stuff! Now I’ve just started The Electric Kool-Aid Acid test haha, it’s a book about hippies!

A book you read because everyone else was reading it?

I don’t normally go for books like that, but probably fifty shades of gray which was shit so I’ll never read an overly hyped book again!

What are you completely bored of right now?

Social media. I still use it but it does my head in most of the time!

What’s your favourite beverage?

I’m loving peach lemonade at the minute!

What’s your favourite cocktail?

Pina Colada! It’s delicious when made right. The best one I’ve had was at Lost in Amsterdam.

What would you order at a drive thru?

Pizzaaaaaaa!

What’s one thing you still have from your childhood?

A dog teddy from when I was first born! It’s sat on my bed right now.

What’s your favourite current TV Show?

I don’t really watch much TV to be fair, my favourite shows are The Walking Dead, Gossip Girl and New Girl. And Friends obviously! The only thing I’m really watching atm is Eden on Channel 4.

What’s a movie that made you cry?

Marley and Me, I don’t really cry if humans die, but if an animal does I’m a mess!

Who do you miss the most?

My grandad who isn’t with us anymore. And I always miss my boyfriend!

What’s something you can’t do?

Cook! I’m really not very good at it, probably because I hate it haha.

What are your nicknames?

Jazz. And my boyfriend for some bizarre reason has started to very affectionately nickname me trollop hahaha! My family call me Paz as well.

What makes you laugh a lot?

My friends, boyfriend, family! Also people falling over lol, I’m so mean.

Heels or Flats?

I do love a good heel! Although flats are so comfy, impossible decision!

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve done?

Oh god this is hard as I’m a pretty boring person haha. I’d probably say booking a trip to Rome to get a tattoo in September!

What’s one thing you’ve wanted to do but been scared of?

Going travelling by myself! I’d love to do it but I’m not very good on my own!

What’s one thing you’re most proud of?

Graduating from uni last year with a 2:1 in BSc Geography. Honestly didn’t think I could do it, uni was such a struggle for me and it was a hard 3 years, so I’m proud I got through it with the grade I wanted!

What did you want to do with your life at age 5?

At that age I used to change my mind all the time about what I wanted to do! Ballet dancer, sweet shop owner, archaeologist, working in the rainforest! I’m not doing any of these things now haha, but the rainforest makes sense since I’ve now got a degree in physical geography!

Dogs or Cats?

Cats, no contest. I’m such a crazy cat lady!

What’s the most important thing someone can learn?

Sounds proper cringe, but to love and value themselves!

Bath or Shower?

It depends! I love a nice bubble bath and candles when I need to relax, but I like a shower when its hot or I need to wake myself up!

Mountain hideaway or Beach house?

Definitely beach house! My dream is to live by the beach one day.

What’s your favourite scented candle?

Hmm probably lavender.

If you could spend three months anywhere, where would it be?

Travelling around America!

Are you messy or neat?

I’m very neat, everything has to have its specific place and has to be in order.

What’s the first thing you do each morning?

Put my alarm on snooze and cry hahaha.

What do you have for breakfast?

Always cereal! My morning is not complete without it.

What’s the last thing you do before you go to bed?

Normally text my boyfriend and cuddle my cat Alfie. Such a soppy answer.

What’s one skill you wish you had?

To be able to draw! When I was younger I wanted to be a fashion designer, but realised this wouldn’t happen as I couldn’t draw for shit haha.

What’s your favourite pizza?

Margherita, I’m basic I know.

Describe your ideal man in 3 words?

Trustworthy, loving and funny.

Who was the last person you spoke on the phone too?

My boyfriend, when I could pull him away from his playstation haha.

At what age were you the happiest?

Probably like 5 or 6, everything was so simple then!

What’s the last thing you ate?

Fish, chips and peas! Not from the chippy though.

Where do you go when you need to be alone?

I don’t often like being alone, but if I do I’ll just chill in my room, no place better than my bedroom!

What’s the biggest thing on your mind right now?

What to do with my life!

What’s the best activity to do at home on a rainy day?

Cuddle up with films and snacks. I tried to persuade my boyfriend to make a blanket fort with me the other week when it was raining but he wouldn’t haha.

What are you listening to right now?

Bruce Almighty on tv.

On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you about life right now?

Hard question, some parts of my life are higher than others!

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

I’m so picky with food, the weirdest thing for me was probably mussels but I actually really liked them!

Is there a dessert you don’t like?

Absolutely nothing, I love dessert! Such a sweet tooth.

What is the farthest you have been from home?

New York City, best place I have ever been, so far!

So that’s the end of the 73 questions! I really enjoyed doing it and hopefully it lets people know me a little better! I’m not going to tag anyone specific, but if any bloggers read this, do your own 73 questions and let me know when you’ve done it!

Makeup Revolution brand review

I’ve been wanting to do this post for a while but just haven’t got round to it, so today I’m finally going to do a review of the beauty brand Makeup Revolution. This drug store brand is sold in Superdrug and creates great makeup for such affordable prices; a lot of their products are dupes but some are original. I started buying this brand about a year and a half ago after I purchased an eyeshadow palette that had 18 shades and was only £6. And now I have 5 eyeshadow palettes, 2 blush palettes, 3 highlighters, 1 bronzer, 1 lipstick and 1 makeup setting spray, which if you add altogether only costs £69.50!

Eyeshadow palettes

Makeup Revolution’s eyeshadow palettes are what first got me into this brand. The first one I bought was the Run Boy Run eyeshadow palette (£6) which comes with 18 shadows, 12 shimmer and 6 matte. All the colours are very different, but also go together to help you create easy yet stunning eye looks. In the shimmer colours, there’s a real mix of warm and cool tones which I love, that also range from light to dark, so you’ve got a really diverse palette from which you can produce endless looks. Not only are the colours great, the quality is also really impressive for a drug store brand. The pigmentation of these shadows is great, but whilst still remaining subtle which I like, meaning you can wear this palette day or night. They blend really nicely and stay put longer than some high end eyeshadows I’ve bought! After loving the quality and colours of this one, I then purchased Welcome to the Pleasuredome palette (£6) which is a really contrasting palette as half is neutral browns and then the other half blues, greens and purples. This is a great palette if you love doing natural eye looks most of the time, but like a pop of colour every now and then.

I also have two of their 32 shade eyeshadow palettes (£8 each) which are just as great quality. I have the Flawless Matte palette, which as says in the name, is a fully matte eyeshadow palette with an amazing mixture of cool-toned olive colours, warmer pinky tones and darker bluish hues. My personal favourite part is the 2 middle strips which are the warmer pink-toned colours. And whoever says a matte eye look is dull or boring or not as impressive as a shimmer eyeshadow is wrong! This palette will seriously prove you wrong, you can create a more wearable neutral look, a bold smokey eye or a bright vibrant eye, literally anything! Just pair it with glowy skin and a more satin lip to avoid looking overly matte. The other 32 shade palette I have, Flawless, consists of pretty much all shimmers and a few mattes, and is full of warm coppery and pinky colours, some really glittery and others with a more subtle shimmer, and a great selection of darker shades for a really dramatic dark eye. This is a great palette if you love more neutral shades instead of bright, vibrant colours, but has enough interesting colours so it’s not boring!

The final, and undoubtedly most impressive, palette of theirs I have is the amazing 144 Eyeshadow 2016 Collection palette. Yes that’s ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR EYESHADOWS. Every makeup lovers dream. I don’t even need to explain this palette, it literally has everything you need; neutrals, brights, shimmers, mattes, pinks, purples, blues, greens, pinks, blacks, browns, creams, oranges, LITERALLY EVERYTHING. My only issue is that I can’t carry it around with me for top ups, but it is fabulous!

Cheeks

 

 

Next I’ll go onto the cheek stuff. The first blush palette I bought of theirs was Hot Spice (£6), which in hindsight is a little too dark for my pale skin, but looks great with a tan! My favourites are the two on the right which suit my skin a little more and have a subtle shimmer to them. I really like their blushers as they are quite subtle and not overpowering, so its hard to go overboard with them, and they blend well with a big fluffy brush. The other blush palette, Golden Sugar (£6), is far more suited to my skin and is one I use almost every day. It has 3 pinky blushes, 3 bronzey blushes, a contour shade and a highlighting powder, creating a must have palette with all the stuff you need to make your cheeks look amazing! Again I love the subtle colours than can be kept pared back or built up, and the shimmer in them creates a gorgeous glow. I won’t go on and on about this palette like I could, just trust me its amazing. I also double this up as eyeshadow which works really well and means I have everything I need for cheeks and eyes in one little compact!

The powder bronzer I have from Makeup Revolution, Ready To Go, is my all time favourite bronzer ever. It is the perfect colour for my pale skin, it warms up my complexion without being orangey, but isn’t cool toned either, it’s just the perfect shade for fair skin. And I love that the finish isn’t completely matte but doesn’t really have shimmer in it either, it just gives a nice radiance to the skin whilst warming it up. And at only £3 there’s nothing not to love about this. The first powder highlighter of theirs I bought was ages ago and I actually haven’t used it in a while and I don’t know why because its gorgeous! It’s called Peach Lights (£3) and it’s not so much a full on peach colour, but more pinky with hints of gold and peach to create a gorgeous, yet subtle and natural looking glow. I would highly recommend this, and I think it would look just as great on darker skin tones as it does on my paleness!

The other two highlighters are ones I bought only this week; the powder highlight in Golden Lights, and the strobe balm in Hypnotic. They are the same colour, but putting the powder on top of a creamier highlight really gives an eye-popping glow. Golden Lights has the same texture as the other highlighter and the bronzer; it blends well and isn’t too powdery. And the colour is to die for! It’s more of a gold, yellow tone which doesn’t suit my skin quite as well as Peach Lights, but is still amazing and would look even better on tanned/darker skin. I also love the strobe balm (£5) which has a creamy consistency, creating a more natural glow than the powder highlighters when used alone, and is a better option for dry skin. When you first put it on your finger, which is how I’ve been applying it, it can look a little streaky, but once blended in, helped with the warmth of your finger, it looks stunning!

Other

I purchased Makeup Revolution’s Makeup Fixing Spray a while ago and have since bought another one so they can’t be bad! I love the way they help makeup settle into the skin to eliminate that cakey, powdery look, to create a more radiant finish. As a setting spray for just £5 it is quite impressive as its helped my makeup stay pretty much in place during a gym session, however I’m still not sure it’s the one! But for such a great price it’s definitely worth buying, and it would take a miracle for something to keep makeup in place on my super oily skin! And lastly, just the other day I also purchased one of their Iconic Pro lipsticks in You’re A Star (£2.50), which is the perfect “your lips but better” colour that everyone raves on about. I really love the colour, its the perfect pinky nude, and the formula is great; it has a nice satin finish that stays in place, feels soft and really accentuates and plumps the lips. Plus it has a really nice smell, which I just can’t put my finger on but I love it!

And that’s it for my review of the Makeup Revolution products I have. Now obviously the products aren’t as luxurious as the high end brands, the packaging is pretty plain and I’ve found the palettes I used most often have started to break at the hinges, but the good points definitely out way this. The prices are great and the quality is really impressive and superior to a lot of drug store brands, especially the eyshadows which I think even surpass some of the high end brands! And to make it even better, they don’t test on animals! So I would highly recommend you go and try some of their products out as I really love this brand, and what have you got to lose (only a couple of quid!).

P.S apologies for my terrible writing, swatches and photos, at half 9 its past my bed time (I’m such a granny) but I really wanted to write this!