December | Monthly Top 5

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I hope you all had a really happy christmas and got lots of great stuff! 2014 has gone so fast, but I'm looking forward to 2015. and without any further ado, here's what I loved during december...

5. Avon Nailwear Pro+ nail polish in Starry Night

Sadly, they don't sell this perticular shade any more, which is a shame as I really love it for christmas, however the formula is really good too. It lasts nearly two weeks with a top coat and about 1 week without. It doesn't chip too badly and although this shade is quite sheer and needs several coats, I'm sure not all shades are.

4. Zoella Soak Opera bath soak and shower cream
I'm a huge Zoella fan, so this review might be slightly biased! This smells amazing, although it's a delicate scent. I like using it in the bath for bubbles more than in the shower, but it's nice then too. You get a lot of product for your money too, I think it's great value, and I'm really proud of Zoe (zoella)

3. The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry body spray

I always love the Body Shop's Christmas ranges, and this year didn't disappoint! I loved all three scents this year, but the cranberry was probably my favourite,  although it's close! This spray stays on for ages and is really good value for money, especially as it's half price at the moment!

2. Rimmel Colour Rush lip crayon in Rumour Has It

I don't normally go for a dark, bold, red lip, but I actually really like this one. I've worn it almost every day this month. I usually dab it on to create a more sheer colour, but occasionally I wore it full on. When I did, it was easy to apply and the colour lasted quite well. It had a matte finish, which isn't too drying. Overall I really rate it. 

1. The Wet Brush

I bought this back in November,  buy I didn't do a November top 5, so I've been using it for a while now and absolutely love it! It's the only hairbrush I use. It's meant for using on wet hair, which means it's really gentle and doesn't tug on knots, but still getting rid of them. My hair gets really tangled and brushing with some other brushes can hurt, but this doesn't, which is why I love it and would really recommend it!

So that's what I've been loving through december. If you didn't see it, then I uploaded my Christmas Day Get Ready With Me on my YouTube channel recently, so you can check that out if you like. I hope you all have a very happy new year and I wish you all the best :)

Contouring tips

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Before I begin, there wasn't a Monthly Top 5 for November sadly because I haven't had the time to put one together and plus I haven't really tried many new products this month, let alone ones I loved. Anyway, this is part two of the extra tips that I didn't know about when I did the 'Tips & Tricks' series earlier in  the year. Last week I did lipstick, so click here if you haven't seen that and want to.

My first and main tip is where to contour. The main place is under the cheek bones to create the illusion of a thinner face. This also works with the nose and hair line. You can also add highlighter to brighten up your face and make you look more awake, like this....

Photo credit: http://www.taylorandrew.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/highlightcontour.jpg

Obviously blend the product in more than that picture, but that's just to show where to put it. Also just to add, I don't do all of this every day, but on occasion I'll make an effort.

Lipstick Tips

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I've got two posts for you this week and next that I didn't know about when I did my 'Tips and Tricks' series, so I'm going to talk to you about them now and next monday. The first is some lipstick tips, which I'm going to get straight into.

First is a technique called blotting, which is applying one layer of lipstick, then dabbing your lips with a tissue to remove excess and create more of a stain. Just repeat this a couple of times for longer-lasting lipstick and more of a matte finish.

If you don't like a matte finish, then a clear lip gloss is a great option for you and relatively inexpensive.

If, like me, you don't like a very intense colour, but you want a deeper red or berry tone for autumn/winter, then there are two techniques you can try. The first is dabbing the bullet of the lipstick on your lips instead of a swipe. The other way is to use a lip brush to apply the colour, which also creates a neater edge, as well as a slightly paler, more sheer colour.

Something you could also do is use a lip liner all over your lips instead of around the edge to prevent bleeding with darker lipstick colours.

My final tip is that you can actually use lipstick as a cream blusher, and visa versa with powders on lips, a technique I used at Halloween with a red lipstick and a back eyeshadow, which looked pretty cool!

Anyone else getting excited for christmas yet? I am! Keep an eye out for a Christmas video soon on my YouTube........

Quick & easy hairstyles

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I recently uploaded a tutorial on my YouTube channel to show you some inspiration for some quick and easy hairstyles for when your about to run out the door to school, or just running late. They're all really simple so all you need is hair bands, bobby pins, a hair brush and maybe some hairspray. Click below to watch....

Essential tools & SOS kit

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I thought I'd share with you guys what I consider to be the bare essentials to use for makeup and what I carry as my "SOS" kit to fix any makeup disasters on the go. I got the inspiration for this from a Vogue makeup book I read a few months back, but I've adjusted it to what I think you absolutely need.

First, essential tools that you need as a basic start to makeup. All I think you need are 3 things: a medium face brush, a medium eyeshadow brush and a thin lip brush. You can multitask with these brushes, so you only really need these. The face brush can be used for powder, bronzer, highlight and blusher. The eye brush can be used for concealer, eyeshadow and detailed shading with bronzer, while the lip brush can do eyeliner as well as lipstick.

Now moving onto my SOS kit, which is just four things. The first is Vaseline, or any lip balm, which if you've got dry lips it's an absolute savior. Next is a cotton bud, which sounds odd, but if you've got dramatic eye or lip makeup on and it smudges, or your mascara dots around your eyes, cotton buds are really great to clean it up. The next thing is a compact mirror, which I find always comes in handy, just to check that everything's in order. You can get one for under a fiver from most highstreet makeup stores. Last is an emery board (or nail file), which I don't use as often as the other things, but it's great if a broken nail crops up just to put that right and neaten everything up.

I hope you liked this and found it helpful, particularly if you're just starting out in makeup, and leave any requests for posts or even videos below as I'm always open to your suggestions :)

October | Monthly Top 5

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Before I begin, happy halloween! I don't think I've ever been more exited for halloween than I was this year. I think it's because I put a lot of effort into my makeup this year (pictures on my instagram). I was considering doing tutorials leading up to halloween, but decided that I didn't have the time, sadly. I might consider it next year if I pre-film them over the summer, what do you guys think? Anyway, I'll leave halloween behind now and get started on my top 5 products from october.

5. MUA Mosaic Blush in English Rose

I discovered the other day that my local Superdrug stopped selling MUA, but they still sell it online which is good. I like this blush because it's very pale and natural looking. It also has some highlighter, which adds a nice sheen but still looks really natural. 

4. Batiste Dry Shampoo scent Blush

I bought this a few weeks back hen I had a major greasy-hair disaster, and I'm very impressed. It left my hair almost freshly washed, which is fab! It's the first dry shampoo I've tried, and I really like it. It does leave a white residue if you don't massage it in, so don't use it in a hurry! On the plus side, this fragrance is really nice and fresh, if a little heavy. Overall, I would recommend it. 

3. The Body Shop Honey Soap

I stumbled across this in store other day and instantly loved it. For one thing, how cute does it look?! None of their other soaps look this amazing, just this one. And then there's the smell. Oh. My. It smells so good!! When I use it, my hands smell amazing, and it makes my bathroom smell good too! I really love it and completely recommend at least smelling it!

2. Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24h cream eyeshadow in Permanent Taupe

I bought this instead of an eye primer to use on Halloween as I thought I'd get more use from it and I'm very happy I did. The swatch on my hand genuinely lasted 24 hours, even through washing my hands (obviously). I like this colour, I thinks it's really wearable, you could dress it up or down, all over the lid or on the crease. It's a really great eyeshadow, I would recommend it loads!

1. Primark brown suede-effect boots

I've been looking looking for a good pair of ankle boots for a while now, when I found these on a second-hand shopping app called Vinted. I've been a little addicted to shopping apps recently (it's just as well I don't have a credit card.....) I got them for about £8 ish including postage, which I think is a great deal. When they arrived I was very excited and instantly fell in love! The heel height is perfect for me, the colour is great as they go with anything, the fur around the top looks super cute and they're really cosy for winter. I've work them twice so far and I love them so so much! If you can find a pair similar, I would highly, highly recommend them! Autumn winter staple for sure!

Hottest Eyeshadow Duos A/W '14

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I saw this as a feature in Glamour magazine over the summer and thought it would be a great idea for a blog post. They're all very quick, simple and a little bold, but have fun and experiment!

Yellow and black 

Yellow is a very bold colour that's usually avoided but it can look great when you use it right, especially for autumn. First, apply a yellow eyeshadow to the outer corner of the lid and blend into the socket. Then draw a line of black along the top lash line and blend out to the outer corner.

Green and gold

Like yellow, green is another bold, autumnal colour. Take a small amount of dark green all across the lid and blend thoroughly with a fluffy brush. After running a black kohl pencil along the waterline, dab gold onto the centre of the lid.

Silver and grey 

This combo is a little more dressed up than the others. Start by sweeping a dark grey across the lid and blend into the crease and out to the corners to create a small, smokey wing. Finish by dabbing silver in the inner corner and taking it along the upper lash line and a little on the outer edge of the lower lash line.

Blue and gold

This is another bold combo that looks a little more glamorous. Begin with a deep blue line along the upper lash line, drawn into a flick if you like. Then take a gold shadow through the crease and along the edge of the lower lash line.

Just to say about the upload schedule I mentioned in my last couple of posts, I have decided to post blog posts every monday and upload videos randomly!  On the subject of YouTube, I'm thinking about doing a Halloween Get Ready With Me, what do you think? Please let me know what you want to see from me!

Boots Botanics Eye Cream | Reviews

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I'm going to talk to you about the Boots Botanics Refreshing Eye Roll On eye cream. (Side-note: I'll be doing reviews like this for all the products that I don't like because the ones I do like end up in a Monthly Top 5 eventually!) I bought it, not only to moisturise under my eyes, but mainly to reduce my dark circles, which are my nightmare! I've been testing it out for about 2 months now and thought I'd share my opinion with you guys.

The Good

It's really good at moisturising my under eye areas, and reduces the puffy, tired look. It leaves my eyes feeling nice and moisturised. That's about as far as the good points go.

The Bad

Unfortunately, although it moisturises, it did leave me with creases and a generally uneven surface. Beside that, the main thing that really disappointed me was that it said on the box that it would reduce the appearance of dark circles, but that didn't really happen at all! Very frustrating because that was the main reason I bought it!

The Bottom Line

If you don't suffer too badly with dark circles and just want something to moisturise and care for your under eyes, then I would recommend it. But for me, it just doesn't cut it if you have mega dark circles. All I can say is I'm glad I bought it on sale!

Just to add, I know I didn't post last monday, but I was ill, sorry! As for the uploading schedule, I think it might have to be a post every other monday and a video at the start of every month. Not very regular, I know, but I'm busy sometimes!

September | Monthly Top 5

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Another month is drawing to a close, another monthly top 5. Is it just me, or did September go super fast? Anyway, I had a lot of trouble deciding the order of the products for this month, I love them all too much! They are all tied number 1 if I'm honest, but I managed to rank them...

5. The Body Shop Lip Butters
I have Shea Butter, Coconut and Chocolate and I love them! They keep my lips moisturised for ages and they smell so good! Especially the Shea Butter. The chocolate is nice, but a little too sweet, whereas the others are far more natural. Best of all, they're only £1-£2! I really want to try some more and would highly recommend them.

4. Barry M Cor Balmy! Lip Balm in Rosie Lea
These are Barry M's version of the Maybelline Baby Lips idea, which a few brands are catching on to. I haven't yet tried any Baby Lips, but I want to compare them alongside these and Rimmel's version to see which is best. So far I am extremely impressed with the Barry M ones. Admittedly I have only tried one shade, but I love it. It is unbelievably moisturising and smells absolutely gorgeous, as well as giving your lips a lovely, natural sheen. I really rate this and highly recommend it (again)!

3. No7 Stay Perfect Shade and Define eyeshadow stick in Cool Mink
I can totally see why they called it Stay Perfect! I had the swatch from when I first bought it on my hand all day, and it didn't budge! I washed my hands several times and even tried to properly rub it off, but still it stayed! I use it through my crease, all over my lid and underneath my waterline and it looks lovely everywhere, on its own or with something else, dressed up or dressed down. I think that the shade I have (cool mink) is especially wearable, day or night, it's a shimmery taupe that's really subtle but adds a bit of something. It's my go-to eyeshadow at the moment and I love it a lot! It's on the expensive side for the high street, but completely and utterly worth very penny, especially if you have one of the Boots No7 vouchers!

2. Rimmel Scanaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal eyeliner in 001 Black
I heard Tanya Burr rave about these and then Gabb aka VelvetGh0st a few months later so I thought I'd give one a go and wow! It's really smooth and creamy to apply, but the best part is how waterproof it is! I have used my Superdry liner to tight line, but it just ends up on my waterline, but this one doesn't budge at all. Like the No7 eyeshadow stick, the swatch of this lasted all day, through hand-washing and rubbing, it's brilliant! I would really recommend it if your looking for a really good eyeliner that stays put. Plus it was under £5, bargain!

1. Barry M lip paint in Genie 428

If you haven't tried this, you have to! It's the most amazing, magical beauty product I have ever bought! Even if you don't like makeup, just try it! Not only is it super moisturising and long lasting, but the best part is its colour... it's green! yeah..green...but when you put it on your lips, it turns pink!!! How cool is that??? And, it turns a different shade on everyone! I love it so much, you need to try it!

Quick sidenote: I am going to be (attempting) to give you new content every monday, alternating between videos and blog posts! No promises though, you've seen what I'm like, I swear I have no free time, I don't know where it goes! It might turn out to be content every other monday, or it might all go down the drain and back to randomness, but we'll see how it goes.... Another sidenote, I uploaded a new video the other day: my Daily School Makeup Routine, I know, not with the new upload schedule, but I couldn't wait! See you soon :)

What's in my beach bag?

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So I recently filmed a new video called ‘What's In My Beach Bag?‘, which I thought I'd tell you guys about in case you hadn't seen it. I saw the idea on Fleur De Force's channel and thought it was a great idea, so I did it myself, as I was on holiday in Spain at the time, and had been to the beach a few times. Click the picture below to watch it and don't forget to like and leave me a comment while you're there, and I would appreciate it loads if you subscribed, thanks :-)

What's in my school makeup bag?

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So if you're in the UK, you're probably dreading going back to school soon, so I thought it would be appropriate to show you what I keep in my school make up bag, especially if you're starting out in make up and would like to see what I think are the bear essentials. I have also done a tutorial of my daily make up routine to go with this post so you can click here to go and watch that, I would really appreciate it too if you liked and subscribed! :)

So the first thing I should mention is the bag itself, which is from Superdrug or Boots, I can't remeber. I really like it as it is the absolutely perfect size for the makeup I take with me. Plus it has a little pocket on the front, which is handy for little bits, like cotton buds, spare hair bands/grips or a few tissues. Sadly they don't sell it anymore though :(

One thing that I feel like I should mention is my foundation. Although I don't feel the need to take it with me to school, it is part of my school makeup so I ought to talk about it really. I'm currently using the Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Foundation, about which I have some explaining to do... so, I am aware that I raved about this a few months back when I first bought it. It was (and still is, you'll see why) my first ever foundation, so I thought it was amazing. However, over time I began to realise how much I didn't get on with it. I mean, sure, it has SPF 20, which is quite high for a makeup product, but that's as far as the good points go. It claims to last for 16 hours, where as it has basically gone after 6, its also quite cakey and drying on my skin, I definitely wouldn't recommend it for dry skin, and it's supposed to minimize imperfections, which it really doesn't do at all. So why don't I just buy another one and stop using it? Because that would be a waste of money, and I don't like waste! So until it runs out, I'm afraid it's all I can offer in tutorials, sorry!

Now onto the stuff I do like, and I'm starting (ironically) with the Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer, which is so SO much better then the foundation. It has OK coverage, it lasts quite well and it doesn't crease too much on me. Its not perfect, but for under £5, that's not bad at all.

Next I have my Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder. This, like the Collection concealer, is a cult product amongst British beauty bloggers and I can see why. It keeps my skin matte all day, which is great as that looks far more flawless than oily skin, which I have a bit of around my t-zone (my forehead, nose and chin). Love it!

Bronzer is next and I use the L'oreal Glam Bronze in 00 Blonde Sun. I don't use it everyday, but I like it, especially in winter when I'm less tanned, as it's quite light and my skin's quite pale so it works much better than a lot of other bronzers, which are quite dark and look unnatural on me. Yes, it is a little more  expensive, but worth it in my opinion.

Next I do my eyebrows with the 2true Eyebrow Pencil in Shade 2. I only do a little but on the outer edges of my brows as I don't want it to look too dark and defined just for school. Plus I don't have the time before school to perfect them too much. I reviewed this pencil here.

I don't do any eyeshadow or liner for school-it's too much hassle, so now I go onto mascara. I use the Avon Superextended Mascara. I like this for school as it gives length and definition without looking too full on. Its also waterproof which is handy, just in case!

The last thing I do is lips. I use the Nivea Pearl Shine lip balm. I like it for school as it moisturises my lips and looks really natural and pretty. You could also use the Vaseline Rosy Lips as it does the same thing but without the shimmer that the Nivea one has. If you want something a little more glossy, I would suggest the Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Afternoon Tea. It doesn't moisturise like the other two, but it's far more glossy and pigmented. I guess it depends how much makeup your school allows you to wear.

I hope you liked this little insight into my makeup bag and I will see you soon with another post :)

August | Monthly Top 5

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Another month gone, another monthly top five. You know the drill by now, so I'm just going to get straight into it.

5. Simple Kind to Eyes Eye Makeup Remover

There's not much to say about this, other than it works! It takes some work to get waterproof mascara off, but it comes off eventually. It's nice and gentle on my eyes, and I would recommend it, especially if you've got sensitive skin or eyes. 

4. Mylene Klass nail wraps

I like these simply because they're so quick and easy to apply. No drying time and no chipping. Brilliant! I did try having them on my toes when on my holiday, but they didn't survive a swim in the sea, sadly, but they don't always peel too much. So, if you hate painting your nails but still want some colour or even patterns, then I would highly recommend nail wraps.

3. MUA Highlighter in Iridescent Gold

This is my first ever highlighter and I really like it. It adds a really subtle shimmer and glow without making me look like a shiny mirror. It also makes me look a little more awake, which is great, especially before school, when I'm usually still half asleep for the first 3 hours of the day. I also like using a little in the corners of my eye sometimes, for the same reason. It's also only £4, complete bargain!

2. Primark Strappy Sandals
This and the next item are my first ever fashion items I've included in a monthly top 5, and they really deserve it (that sounds odd.....it's not like they're people......anyway...). I took these sandals away on holiday with me, which is where I fell in love with them. I wore them everywhere: to the shops, into town, out to dinner, to a market, everywhere! They are so easy to dress down with shorts and a t-shirt/vest top or dress up with a plain maxi dress. They look gorgeous with everything and I can't wait to wear them next summer, that is, if they still fit...

1. Primark Mini Satchel
I. Love. This. Bag. If you know me, then you'll know I have a huge obsession with bags (and shoes....but mainly bags.... *sighs* .....), so when I can choose a favourite above the rest of my collection, it must be good. And it is. I've been trying to downsize the amount I carry with me in my handbag, especially to take on holiday as they take up room in the case, and this bag has seriously helped. It may look small, but I can fit a surprising amount in it, exactly what I need in fact. So I'm no longer carrying around pointless bits and bobs with the excuse "just in case". I used it everyday on holiday and continue to now I'm home. And to top it all off, it was only £6!!!! Yay!

So those are my favourite things from august. More posts (and maybe some sneaky videos...) coming soon! 

Beauty Haul

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Over the last month or so, I have had a few shopping trips and collected a small stash of stuff to show you. The majority is from Superdrug, but some stuff you can only get from Boots, so that's where I went. I prefer Superdrug as it has more budget-friendly stuff, which I like! Especially as I have one of their beauty cards-bonus! Anyway, before I start, I would like to add that some of the stuff was bought in the last few days, where as others are from weeks ago, so I've had a chance to try them out.

I'm going to start with skin care, and the first thing is the No7 Beautiful Skin face wipes. I haven't tried these yet, but I've heard some good reviews, so I can't wait to give them a try. They are £7 from Boots, but I had a £5 off voucher, so that came to only £2!! Bargain!

I also got the Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser in Honey. I had the original and really liked it, as I said my Winter Favourites post, and I love the honey one too! It smells gorgeous and leaves my skin really soft. I also want to try the cocoa one because it smells like chocolate! Heaven! They are £2.36 from Boots or Superdrug. 

The rest is all makeup, and I'm starting with the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. Its a bit of a cult product and I raved about it in my April Top 5 and I still love it! Everything I have to say is there really. It's £4.19 from Boots or Superdrug. 

Superdrug were having a deal where you got a free nail polish with any Collection  purchase over £4, so I had to! I got the shade 22 Lilac Daze. I haven't used it yet but I can't wait to! They cost £1.99 from Boots or Superdrug. 

Another cult product I picked up was the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder. I really like this, it was in my May Top 5, so go check that out for a full review. It was £3.99 from Boots or Superdrug. 

Next up is the Tanya Burr lipgloss in Afternoon Tea. Again, it was mentioned in my May Top 5, and again, I love it! They are £6.99 from Superdrug only. 

The L'oréal Glam Bronze in shade 00 is my next product, and once again, it was in my May Top 5 (I'm seeing a pattern here!) Yep, I love it, read it for the rest!

The same thing goes for the 2true Eyebrow Pencil which I have in the lighter shade, which is just called Shade 2. Click here to read that. 

I have also mentioned the MUA Lipstick in Shade 9 in my most recent top 5. 

These last 3 things are my most recent purchases, so I haven't mentioned them yet, starting with the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer. I haven't used it very much yet, but so far I quite like it. When I get my hands on the Wake Me Up Foundation, I will do a Rimmel Wake Me Up vs Collection Lasting Perfection post, so look out for that in the next few months.

Next is the MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter in Iridescent Gold. I have used this a bit, and I like it. It gives my skin a nice shimmer without looking shiny. Plus it was really cheap, only £4 I think, which is a total bargain!

The final thing is the MUA Undress Me Eyeshadow Pallet. This is supposed to be a dupe for the original Urban Decay Naked Pallet, which I don't own so I can't confirm that either way, but the colours look very similar. The MUA shadows are really nice, a little chalky but for £4 are a fantastic bargain. I would seriously recommend you check out MUA, it's really cheap and good quality, especially if you're just starting out in makeup.