My Sephora Wishlist: Gift Sets

Hi guys, I hope that you've all had a great week and welcome back to yet another installment of my Sephora Wishlist series! One of the main things that Sephora are renound for besides being a beauty lovers dream destination their gift & value sets. I always see various YouTubers, especially Glam Life Guru (Tati Westbrook,) reviewing these sets and raving about them as you get to try many high end products for a really amazing price - you even get the odd full-sized product too! So today, I thought that I would share with you the sets that have well and truly caught my eye! Furthermore, here are the six sets on my current wishlist; 

Sephora Tools Of The Trade Brush Set / Sephora Favourites Give Me Some Lip / Sephora Favourites Meet Your Match / NARS Narsissist Blush, Contour & Lip Palette / Benefit Do The Hoola Beyond Bronze Kit /  Tarte After Hours Statement Essentials Set

As you can see, these sets are not only full of amazing luxury products but they are also excellent value for money too. My favourite set out of the six is definitely 'Give Me Some Lip' because I am the biggest lip product addict going - I can never get enough! Which gift set has caught your eye? What is your favourite product from Sephora? Please let me know by leaving a comment down below and be sure to check back soon to see another edition of my Sephora series!

My Monthly Favourites - April 2015

I was surprised to see that I hadn't done a monthly favourites in a while, so I thought that it was only right that I got back on track! I have been loving a bunch of products this month but I finally managed to whittle it down to these fab four. During April, not only have I discovered new products that work really well for me but I also dug out one or two older products in my stash too. So if you want to know all about these beauty marvels, keep reading!

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Kiss Me Coral
I bought this lip gloss around this time last year and unfortunately, I soon forgot about it... until now that is! Now that spring is in full swing, I am really enjoying wearing coral colours on my lips once again (this and MAC's 'Crosswires' are my two faves!) The main reason that I love this gloss is due to its formulation. It glides on like a dream but more importantly, it is not sticky in the slightest. Sticky and gloopy glosses are just the worst! I also love how it gives a high-shine finish to my pout, as there are little flecks of gold glitter running through it too. This is a must buy drugstore lip product for the upcoming season!

Benefit High Beam
I've had this mini High Beam after receiving it in one of Benefit's beauty kits for my 20th birthday. I used to only use this product on special occasions and nights out on the town, however, recently I have been reaching for it on an everyday basis. I love how well it highlights both the tops of my cheekbones and brow bone perfectly! The pearly-coloured liquid formula blends like a dream and a little goes a long way. It adds a gorgeous glow to my skin and I will certainly be buying the full-size version when this one runs out.

MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick
After lusting after it for quite a while, I finally got my hands on this infamous lipstick and I love it! Velvet Teddy somehow looks different on everybody depending on their skin tones but on me, its a very true brown nude with the slightest pink undertone. I had never tried any of MAC's matte formulation before and I was expecting it to be very drying but surprisingly, it wears very comfortably on my lips!

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter
Lastly is this wonderful cleanser that I picked up on my latest beauty haul (read here.) I was originally going into The Body Shop to re-purchase the popular cleansing oil but I decided to switch it up and go for the cleansing butter instead. I love the feel of this product and how it turns into an silky oil as you massage it into your skin. It's great as part of a double cleanse to remove any remaining scraps of make-up! It leaves my skin feeling really smooth and nourished at the end of a long day, plus the camomile calms my skin down too.

So, those are my four monthly favourites from throughout April. I am very excited to now be entering into May as it's officially my birthday month (woo!) Therefore, I am sure that I will have lots of brand spanking new favourites to come. What have been your favourite beauty products lately? What are you looking forward to this month? Let me know by jotting down a comment below!

A Soft & Smokey Eye Look

Hi guys. Unfortunately I have come down with an awful stomach bug this week but whilst I had some energy, I wanted to write up a quick post for you all. On Monday, my very talented friend and make-up artist Chloe (otherwise known as Glam By Coco on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) used me as a model to promote her freelancing! We decided to take me out of my comfort zone and start experimenting with eyeshadows because I usually stick to winged liner and not much else on my lids. Eyeshadow is something that I have struggled with in the past but now that I am growing to love it, I am even getting the Naked 2 palette for Christmas! Chloe did an absolutely amazing job and so I though that I would quickly share with you the products that she used to achieve this soft and smokey look!

Here is a list of products that were used:

MAC Swiss Chocolate Eyeshadow
MAC Embark Eyeshadow
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
Clinique Quickliner in Intense Charcoal
MAC Coffee Eye Pencil
Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Holy Smokes!
Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara
Tanya Burr Girls Night Out Eyelashes

Albeit rather short, I hope that you liked this post and I will hopefully be doing some more make-up looks or tutorials in the future. I am hoping to be on the mend as soon as possible, so that I can back to blogging properly once again. As always, please let me know what you think of this look by leaving a comment down below. Thank you!

My Boots Christmas Present Picks: Part 2

Hi guys! Welcome back to part two of my Boots Christmas gift guide. If you missed part 1 of this post on Tuesday where I focused on all things make-up and bath & body, then where have you been?! In that post, I explained that I like to start planning out and buying presents for my loved ones as early as possible. This is because I am an extremely organised person but also because I hate the last minute rush in all of the shops, I would much rather avoid the laborious queues and mad dashes to the till! 

As I also mentioned in the first half of this post, Boots is one of my favourite places to shop for Christmas presents when it comes to the ladies in my life. I love that there is so much variety and gifts that span all different price ranges, so you are certain to find something that is not only perfect for each person on your shopping list but that also suits your budget too! So, I thought that it would be a great idea to show you all some of the amazing items that I have come across on the Boots website. Hopefully my little gift guide will give you some inspiration as to what to buy your friends and family, or perhaps you will see something that you want to add onto your own Christmas list. Todays categories are fragrance and skin care, so without any further ado, let's see what I have found!

DKNY Be Delicious Eau de Parfum Gift Set - £34.99

Prada Candy Florale Eau de Toilette Gift Set - £49.50

Marc Jacobs Eau de Parfum Gift Set - £49.50

Benefit Delecta-belles Crescent Row Fragrance Set - £29.50

Bleach London Spin The Bleach Bottle Kit - £12.00

Mark Hill Blonde Bombshell Gift Set - £10.00

Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Mini Kit - £16.00

Toni & Guy Create The Look Tousled Waves - £14.00

So, that's it for part two of my Boots Christmas Present Picks! I hope you have enjoyed this little two part series and I am hoping that it has given you tons of inspiration for your Christmas shopping. Which gift featured today is your favourite? Feel free to let me know by leaving a comment below. As we have only just entered into November, I am sure that I will be doing a few more gift related posts in the next few weeks and as we go into December, so remember to keep your eyes peeled for those too. Thank you!

My Clubbing Make-Up Look

Hi guys. I went out clubbing with my friends for the first time in ages on Saturday night as it was my best friends leaving do (she's going to work in Barcelona for nine months!) One of my favourite parts of the night is dolling myself up and taking ages perfecting my make-up, as you can really go all out! I just love getting the opportunity to dress up as often as I can, as it gives me much more confidence and I love seeing how my outfit and make-up always come together. So today I thought that I would show you all what make-up I used to achieve this night time look. Let's get started!

Here are the products that I used to complete this look:

Benefit Porefessional Primer (mini version)
Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid Foundation in Ivory
L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer in Light
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent
Rimmel Blusher in Coral Rose (now discontinued)
Rimmel Sun Shimmer Bronzer in Light Matte
Benefit High Beam Highlighter (mini version)
Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner in Black
Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara in Black
Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil in Dark Blonde
Revlon ColorStay Moisture Stain in India Intrigue 

Before I started my make-up, I prepped my skin by cleansing and moisturising to ensure that my skin was fresh and hydrated ready to apply my base. Firstly, I applied my Porefessional primer to the places where my make-up tends to slip off and where my face gets oily - which is mainly in my T-zone area. I then applied my Maybelline foundation to give my skin a flawless and even finish. I like to use two thin layers of my foundation for when I'm going out to get my desired level of coverage. After this, I applied my Lumi Magique concealer under my eyes to eliminate any dark circles and to brighten up the area a little.

I then left my base for the time being and started on my eyes. I began by applying my Rimmel liquid eyeliner to create a subtle cat-eye flick, which is my go to look as it really suits my eye shape. I then curled my eyelashes and applied two coats of my Lash Accelerator mascara, concentrating mainly on my bottom lashes as I was going to apply some false lashes later. I then used my dark blonde Maybelline brow pencil to naturally fill in my eyebrows. After this, I returned to my base and applied my Rimmel blush to my cheeks and also contoured ever so slightly in the hollows of my cheeks using my Sun Shimmer matte bronzer. To finish off my face, I added a few dots of Benefit's High Beam to the tops of my cheekbones to highlight the area and give my face some luminosity too.

For my lips, I simply used my Revlon Moisture Stain in the shade 'India Intrigue' as the colour matched the flowers on my playsuit almost identically. To finish off my look, I applied some Ardell Demi Wispie fake eyeslashes, which add amazing length to my usually short and open up my eyes a lot. Lastly, I also spritzed some of my Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray over my face to make sure that everything was set in place and would not budge throughout the night!

(A photo of me and my friends during the night)

So, those are the products that I used to create my make-up look on Saturday night! What do you guys think? I was really happy with the results and my make-up pretty much stayed in place all night long (until 3am to be exact!) I love experimenting with night time, more dramatic looks and I cannot wait to go out again soon so that I can get all glammed up once again!

My Monthly Favourites - June 2014

Hi guys, it's that time of the month again to talk about the products I have been loving throughout the month of June! I did not do a favourites post last month as I wasn't really enjoying any new products and I decided to do a two part birthday haul instead (you can check out part one here and part two here.) However, since receiving lots of lovely gifts last month, I have been using a ton of new products and I have fallen in love with a lot of them. So, without any further ado, here are my favourite beauty products that I have been using over the last 30 days. Enjoy!

Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion - £5.10
First up is a product that I did a full review of on my blog last week, Garnier's Summer Body Moisturising Lotion. This lotion is a really lightweight gradual tanner which gives your skin the most amazing sun-kissed colour. I have never been into fake tanning too much as I find it quite laborious but this is a great alternative for me. I love the end result that this product gives, plus it is so simple to use. I love how quickly it sinks in, so I do not have to wait ages for it to dry before getting dresses again. I highly recommend Summer Body to tanning novices like myself and what's even better about it is that the lotion smells like apricots instead of your typical fake tan biscuit-y smell too. 

Benefit That Gal Brightening Face Primer - £22.50 (for full size)
Next is this amazing primer from Benefit. This mini version is part of the 'Do The Bright Thing' beauty kit that my brother bought me for my birthday. That Gal is a brightening primer that gives the most gorgeous glow to the skin. I apply this product underneath my foundation and it just makes my entire face look illuminated and radiant. Whenever I have worn this so far, I have always received compliments on how good my skin looks - which instantly makes it a winner in my books! A little goes a long way with this product but when my tiny tube does run out, I will definitely be purchasing the full-size version of this!

Lush Ultrabland Facial Cleanser - £6.95
After going on a spontaneous trip to Lush last month, I found myself buying the Ultrabland Facial Cleanser. Up until then, I had only ever used bath products from Lush but a lovely assistant showed me this cleanser after I said that I wanted to treat myself to something new. Since then, I have been using Ultrabland every evening on my skin to remove all traces of dirt and make-up - I'm on my second tub now! Although the cleanser itself is very thick, it has very gentle and natural ingredients (such as almond oil and rose water) in it which help to soothe, nourish and soften my skin. It's safe to say that I am not a huge fan of this product and I can see myself using it for a long time to come.

Urban Decay All Nighter Make-Up Setting Spray - £9.00 (travel size)
I have always been a little dubious of make-up setting sprays and thought that they were a little gimmicky. However, after using this one from Urban Decay, I have been converted - this spray is seriously amazing! I purchased the travel size version as I didn't want to buy the full size one in case I didn't like the product but I think this bottle should last me for a long time anyway. I simply spritz a little of it over my face after I have completed my make-up to lock it in place all day. As I have oily/combination skin, my foundation seem to slip off of my face throughout the day but this spray keeps everything where it should be. Even after a long day, my make-up looks like it has just been freshly applied. From time to time I might be a little shiny on my T-zone area but it is very minimal. I would 100% recommend this product to anybody, especially now the weather is heating up!

Lush The Comforter Bubble Bar - £4.50
Last but not least is the amazing smelling bubble bar from Lush, which is another gift that my brother got me for my birthday at the end of last month. The Comforter is one of Lush's largest bubble bars and so you can definitely get quite a few uses out of it. I adore it's blackcurrant scent (it reminds me of Rowntreee's Fruit Pastille ice lollies) and it makes the whole bathroom smell heavenly. Not only this but it turns your bath water a beautiful colour and produces a lot of bubbles so that you can enjoy a nice, long soak in the tub!

I hope you enjoyed reading all about my June favourites and the products that I have been loving lately. Have you used any of the above products before? What are your favourites this month? Please let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

Benefit's 'Do The Bright Thing' Beauty Kit

Hi guys. As my main birthday present from my brother at the end of last month, I received this amazing beauty kit from Benefit called 'Do The Bright Thing.' This kit in particular has been put together for those of us who want to achieve a brighter complexion or a dewy finish to their make-up. I think that beauty kits like this one are such a great idea because they enable you to try out a bunch of different products from a brand instead of just taking the plunge and buying the full-size products straight away. 'Do The Bright Thing' contains the following five mini products; the That Gal Brightening Face Primer, High Beam, Dandelion Blush, Bad Gal Waterproof eyeliner and They're Real mascara. The kit retails at £26.50 and it can be purchased from either a Benefit counter or on their website. It is also available on ASOS, where you can order it with free postage & packaging too.

The kit itself comes in a super cute, yet sturdy pink box with floral detailing. As you can see, the kit also comes with a good sized mirror which means that this kit would also be very handy for travelling to save space or even when you're on the move. As well as this, when you unfold the flaps covering the mirror, you are presented with a 'tips & tricks' section which gives suggestions and methods on how to use each product effectively. Another handy feature that Benefit have clearly put a lot of thought into are little yellow ribbon tabs that you can see poking out of each product section. These tabs make lifting out a specific item from the kit really easy, instead of you having to tip the entire box upside down.

The That Gal Brightening Face Primer is probably my favourite product from the kit. This pink-based primer really gives a luminous glow to the skin. Whenever I have been wearing this product underneath my foundation, somebody has commented on how good my skin looks! The product not only glides on smoothly but it has this really amazing smell too which I can't quite put my finger on, I just love it. I think it's safe to say that I will definitely be buying the full-size version of this when I run out!

High Beam is another great product within the kit. This illuminating highlighter is great for adding a glow to your cheekbones, brow bone and so on. Due to the fact that it is a liquid formulation, it is incredibly easy to blend with either your fingers or a brush. This particular highlighter is quite noticeable on the skin, however, so I think I will stick to using it at night time or for special occasions. A little goes a long with with this product too, so hopefully even this mini size will last me a long time!

The Dandelion Blush is one of Benefit's most popular boxed blushers. Dandelion is a lovely soft pink shade which has a lot of shimmer running though it. This blusher is perfect for days where you skin is looking a little bit on the dull side and applied to the apples of your cheeks, it instantly perks up your complexion! Due to it being such a light and subtle shade, sometimes the colour pay-off isn't amazing but it can easily be built-up to something a little more noticeable if you desire.

The fourth item in 'Do The Bright Thing' is the Bad Gal Waterproof Eyeliner. Personally, I am more of a liquid eyeliner fan myself but as far as pencils go, this one is pretty great. Bad Gal glides on smoothly and does not scratch or drag the eye like other eyeliners sometimes do. I wouldn't go as far to say that the product is waterproof, although it did last a lot longer than other brands that I have tried. I applied this product onto my bottom waterline to test it out and I still does wear off a little after it has been on for a few hours.

The last item in the kit is the ever-so-popular They're Real Mascara, which is the number one best selling mascara in the UK and I have loved this product every since I tried it early last year. I often do not have much luck with mascaras as they tend to nothing for my short and fine eyelashes but this one certainly does! They're Real adds so much length and volume to my lashes, as well as giving them an intense black colour. The brush is super handy too as it has a little ball on the end of it to get to all of those pesky little lashes too.

Overall, I have been absolutely loving this kit and I am very grateful that I got it for my birthday. My two favourite products out of the five are the That Gal primer and the They're Real Mascara. These beauty kits from Benefit are certainly a great buy and it gives you the opportunity to try out lots of products from the brand for an extremely reasonable price. 

Have you tried this kit or any of the above products before? What is your favourite Benefit product? Please let me know by leaving a comment below. Thank you!

What I Got For My 20th Birthday | Part One

Hi guys, I cannot believe that I haven't posted anything on my blog in seven days! I have been quite ill over recent weeks which is extremely unfortunate as it was actually my 20th birthday on Wednesday! However, despite feeling incredibly unwell, I still had a lovely low-key day at home and I received some lovely presents too - which is what I want to share with you all today. I know that some people find these posts to be a little 'braggy' but if you're anything like me (aka nosey,) you love snooping at what other people got for their birthdays! I am very grateful for all of the gifts that I was given and I am simply excited to share them with you. As it's the end of the month, I would usually be posting my monthly favourites but as I have been sick and have not been using many products lately, I have decided to skip the favourites post this month. So, without any further ado, let's jump right in!

First up, my parents kindly bought me a couple of clothing items from Forever 21. I picked out two of these outfits a couple of weeks ago as my Mum knows how fussy I am when it comes to buying clothes! I picked out both of the floral items above; on the left is a floral bodycon dress and on the right is a lovely floral playsuit. However, my parents also bought me this black & grey bodycon dress in the middle as a little surprise. I love all of them so much, I cannot wait to wear them!

My parents also bought me two new Real Techniques brushes to add to my collection; an Expert Face Brush and a Blush Brush. I am so excited to use these as I adore how soft new brushes feel, plus Real Techniques are just such a great brand. Not only this but they also bought me this gorgeous 'Lovestruck Floral Rush' perfume from Vera Wang, which I have had my eye on for a while now. The scent is, of course, a beautiful floral smell which lingers on the skin for absolutely ages. Plus, the bottle is so cute that it's going to look great on my shelf!

Next up, my older brother bought this beauty kit from Benefit called 'Do The Bright Thing.' I have been wanting to try some more Benefit products for a while now and so this kit is absolutely perfect for me. The kit contains five items including the That Gal brightening primer, High Beam, They're Real mascara, Bad Gal Eyeliner and the Dandelion blusher. As an extra little gift, he also got me a couple of bits from Lush too; a Think Pink bath bomb and two bubble bars, The Comforter & Pop In The Bath. Also when my brother opened the Lush delivery, it came with a little note saying that they had thrown in an extra product for free to spread some kindness (how cute!) So, I luckily got a Ceridwen's Cauldron bath melt thrown in for good measure too. Yay!

Last but not least for part one of my birthday post are the presents from my lovely boyfriend! Firstly, he bought me the How I Met Your Mother box set which features seasons 1 to 8. This is one of my all time favourite programmes and as well as this, I encouraged him to start watching it when we first got together too. So, this is definitely a present that we are both going to enjoy watching when we have our lazy nights in (which happen a lot!) Also knowing what a Lush addict I am, Kieran also bought me a little gift set called 'Relax... Take A Bath.' This set includes a Dorothy Bubble Bar, a Twilight Bath Bomb and a Dreamtime bath melt. They all smell amazing and I cannot wait to use them! Plus, he also got me a few bags of my favourite sweets and chocolate too... yum!

I hope you all enjoyed reading part one of 'What I Got For My 20th Birthday.' I am so grateful for all of the presents that I received and I have been thoroughly spoiled by all of my loved ones! I cannot wait to start using everything, I'm so excited! Thank you for reading and part two will be up at some point in the near future :)

My Favourite Valentines Day Products

Hi guys! Today I thought that I would show you some of my favourite products that are also Valentines Day inspired - aka red and pink makeup! All the products mentioned in this post are ones that I have use all of the time and absolutely adore, I would recommend them to anybody. I will most definitely be wearing some of them tomorrow! I hope that whatever you are up to on February the 14th, whether you are single or taken, you have a lovely day and remember to spoil yourselves rotten! With that in mind, here is a list of some gorgeous Valentines Day Products that are featured above.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Color Rush Lip Crayon in The Redder The Better

A vivid red lip crayon that is super moisturising and lasts for hours.

Yves Saint Lauent Elle Eau De Parfum (50ml)

An ultra feminine, rich perfume with notes of peonies and pink berries.

Max Factor Glossfinity Nail Polish in Red Passion

A classic and opaque red nail varnish.

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Pomegranate

A deep pink polish that gives an incredibly shiny, professional finish.

Barry M Ultra Moisturising Lip Paint in 156

A beautiful berry coloured lipstick with great staying power.

Maybelline Super Stay 24hr Color in Cherry Pie

A rich burgundy lip stain that stays put all day long.

Essie Luxe Effects Nail Polish in A Cut Above

A stunning rose gold glitter polish.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Nail Polish in Scarlet Fever

A chip resistant berry coloured polish that is incredibly opaque.

Benefit Posie Tint Lip & Cheek Tint

A liquid rosy pink tint for both lips and cheeks.

Rimmel Colour Show Off Lipstick in Shocking Pink

A vibrant pink lipstick which also smells like watermelon.

I hope you all enjoyed this post and even though it is rather short, I really enjoyed making it. Again, whatever you are doing on Valentines Day, I hope that you have a fabulous time. Thank you :)

My Current Beauty Wish List

Hi guys! Today I thought that I would share with you a couple of items that are currently on my beauty wish list. I have vowed to keep my expenditure of new products to a minimum until I have used up what I already have but the occasional treat can't hurt, eh? I am hoping to get my hands on these products very soon! So, without any further ado, here's what I have been eyeing up so far in 2014!

1. Essie Luxe Effects Nail Polish in Set In Stone - £7.99
First up is this gorgeous polish from Essie. I first mentioned this nail varnish in my November Favourites because my Mum bought me the pink shade, A Cut Above, as a little treat. Now, I am just itching to get another colour from the Luxe Effects collection. Although this product is designed to be used as a top coat on top of another polish, I like to build it up with a couple of coats to achieve an opaque look. The end result is really glitzy and makes me feel glamorous. Plus, it's chip resistant for roughly a week which makes it a winner in my books!  

2. Tangle Teezer in Pink - £10.99
Next up is the infamous Tangle Teezer. The main reason that I want to purchase this particular brush is because 1) I have heard great things about it and 2) my wide tooth comb has seen better days. As I have fine hair, it tends to get knotted very quickly - especially because I curl my hair most of the time. So, I want to purchase a high quality brush that is great at untangling both wet and dry hair. I will definitely be buying this product in the near future!

3. Benefit Erase Paste in Fair - £19.50
This concealer has been on my wishlist for quite a while now. Even though I am young and sleep well, I am prone to dark circles under my eyes and so I always look for concealers that are brightening. Up until now I have been using Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer (which is a great and affordable product) but I have heard that this particular Benefit product has a much higher coverage, which is what I need. Plus, who can resist Benefit's adorable packaging? I know I can't!

4. Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms - £7.99
Last but not least, and the product that I am most excited about buying, are the Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balms. The reason that I haven't purchased this lip product is because they are not available in the UK for another week or so. Anybody that has been reading my posts for a while will know that I am obsessed with the brands Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stains, so I cannot wait to try the matte version of these lip crayons. After reading a very detailed review of this product on Lily Melrose's blog, the colours I am most drawn to trying are Sultry (a muted, pinky nude) and Shamless (a blue-toned deep purple.) Not only are Revlon bringing out ten matte crayons but they are also re-branding the Kissable Lip Stains, (now named ColorBurst Lacquer Balms,) and are bringing out ten new shades of those too. Revlon are on top of their game at the moment and I cannot wait to try them!

So, those are the four products that are currently at the top of my beauty wish list. Which products are you lusting after this month? Please let me know by commenting below :)

My New Years Eve Make-Up

Hi guys, Happy New Year! This evening, I thought that I would do a quick post showing and listing the products that I used on New Years Eve. Unfortunately, I do not have a good photo of the my finished look but I thought that I would still do the post anyway. I know that I usually write a little description or review about every product that I mention, however, this is just a filler post whilst I prepare my 'December Favourites.' Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, that post will be uploaded tomorrow (fingers crossed!) 

So, here is a full list of the products that I used:

Face
Clinique Superprimer Universal Face Primer
Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid Foundation in Ivory
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Translucent
Rimmel Sun Shimmer Bronzer in Light Matte
Rimmel Blusher in Coral Rose (discontinued but still available on Amazon)

Eyes & Eyebrows
Clinique Eyeshadow Duo in Beach Plum (the light shadow only)
Rimmel Exaggerate Eyeliner in Black
Benefit They're Real Mascara in Black
Ardell Professional Demi Wispie Lashes 
Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil in Dark Blonde

Lips
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Crush

Tools
Real Techniques Buffing & Contour Brush (part of the Core Collection)
Real Techniques Powder Brush
Mister Mascara Eyelash Curler

Even though this is a very brief post for me, I hope that you all enjoyed snooping at what I wore make-up wise on New Years Eve. As mentioned, my December favourites will hopefully be up tomorrow or the weekend at the latest, so keep your eyes peeled for that! Thank you :)

Benefit's Coralista Ultra Plush Lip Gloss Review

Benefit have recently bought out a range of lip glosses that coincide with the six bestselling colours of their infamous boxed blushers; Hoola, Dandelion, Coralista, Sugarbomb, Dallas and Bella Bamba. In my opinion, this is a really excellent concept as I think that matching your blusher to your lip gloss could give a really stunning and polished effect. Moreover, like many beauty bloggers, I received a sample size of this lip gloss as a free gift when I purchased Elle Magazine recently. I do not usually tend to buy Elle due to it's £4 price tag which in my opinion, is a little pricey for a magazine. However, I just couldn't resist this time! 

The sample size of this gloss is 6.5ml, which is just under half of the products usual 15ml amount which retails at £14.50. So, paying a mere £4 didn't seem so bad after all! Elle Magazine had three different colours from the range to choose from: Hoola (a shimmery, brown nude,) Coralista (a sheer coral) and Dandelion (a soft, pearly pink.)

I opted for Coralista as I thought that this colour would suit me the best and I was right! When I swatched it on the back of my hand, the gloss looks super pigmented but when applied to lips, it is rather sheer and gives just a subtle wash of colour. In a way, it is a tad disappointing but I still like the end finish nonetheless. As for the way the gloss feels, you can tell it is a more high-end product due to the fact that the formula is thick but not sticky. On the other hand, seeing as the glosses are silky instead of sticky, they do not adhere to your lips too well and in turn, do not have very good staying power. So, be prepared to top up your application a couple of times.

Overall, these glosses are easy to wear and are quite natural-looking on the lips. However, for me I would like to see a little more colour pay off but that is just down to personal preference as I love bright lip colours. I am pleased that I bought Elle for this gloss but I do not think that I would fathom spending that much on the full-sized product. If you have tried or bought a product from the Ultra Plush range, I would love to know what you thought of them so please do not hesitate to leave a comment below. Thank you!

My First Autumn Inspired Makeover

(Before)

Hi guys! The other day, I had a serious brain storm about some new things that I wanted to try out on my blog and makeovers is one of them. So, I roped in my good friend Lucy to be my model for the afternoon. As Lucy usually wears minimal makeup (eyeliner and some mascara,) I thought she would be the perfect candidate for me to transform. Seeing as we are now well into autumn here in the UK, I wanted to reflect this with the look that I created. So, without any further ado, here is how I achieved the end result.

(After)

Seeing as Lucy has never worn foundation before, her skin is in amazing condition due to the fact that it is never clogged up with products. So, I used Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light rather sparingly to simply even out her skin tone a little. A light BB cream like this one is definitely all the coverage that she needs, as a foundation would be too heavy, which in this case is unnecessary.

Next, I primed Lucy's eyes with Benefit's Stay Don't Stray Eyeshadow Primer to ensure that any eye products I used on her would not budge or slide off throughout the day. I wanted to keep the eye area quite neutral in colour as I wanted the main focus of this autumn inspired look to be the lips. So, I chose Clinique's Eyeshadow Duo in Beach Plum and used the lightest colour of the two, which is a shimmery champagne colour, and swept it across the entire lid. Then, I continued to line the lash line with Rimmel's Exaggerate Eyeliner in Black bringing the product out into a subtle, cat-eye flick. To finish off the eyes, I applied lashings of Benefit's They're Real Mascara in Black to really make Lucy's eyes stand out.

Afterwards, I then went back and applied Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer in Ivory to brighten up Lucy's under eye area. The reason I did this after applying all of her eye make-up was in case of any fall out the eyeshadow may have caused, as it contained a lot of glitter which could have fallen down onto her face. Then, to set all of the cream based products I had used so far, I lightly dusted Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Translucent all over her face to set this and to also keep any shine or oiliness of the skin at bay. 

Next, I applied Rimmel's Blusher in Coral Rose  to the apples of Lucy's cheeks to give a little flush of colour. Please note that this blusher has since been discontinued by Rimmel still do a great variation of similar blushes such as 'Santa Rose' and 'Pink Rose.' The last of the facial products on used on Lucy is Soap & Glory's Glow All Out, which is a lovely luminising powder. I used this product on the tops of Lucy's cheekbones, the bridge of her nose and her brow bone to accentuate the high points of her face and to give the illusion of healthy, glowing skin. 

Finally, to finish off the look, I applied Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Crush to Lucy's lips. This lip stain is the perfect product to use for an autumn inspired make-up look as the gorgeous deep red/berry shade is very 'in' and is a trend that we see every year. At first, Lucy was extremely dubious of having such a bold lip because as mention, her usual look is very minimal. However, the colour looks amazing on her and she has since bought this product as she loved it so much!

I hope that you all enjoyed my first makeover/tutorial-style type post. I was really pleased with the end result and I am sure you will all agree that Lucy looked beautiful! If you would like me to do more posts like this, then please do not hesitate to leave me a comment below as I really loved making it! Thank you :)

Benefit and Bare Minerals Miniatures

A few months ago, my friend and fellow blogger Coco Mykel, gave me three miniature samples that she did not want herself. These were Bare Minerals 'Stroke Of Light,' as well as Benefit's 'Posie Tint' and 'Stay Don't Stray.' Now I must admit, for a long while I forgot I even had these samples as they stayed pretty hidden within my enormous make-up bag due to their tiny size. However, over the past month or so, I have been using these products on quite a regular basis. Being that I am currently unemployed and therefore short of money, I do not have the spare cash to splurge on higher end products, so I have really enjoyed the luxury of using these samples instead of purchasing the full-size versions (I'm sure I will be very sad when they eventually run out.) So, without further ado, let's get to it!

Bare Minerals 'Stroke Of Light' Eye Brightener
This product is my new favourite under-eye brightening concealer. For years, I have been a sufferer of discolouration and dark circles under my eyes which I cannot not seem to shift or completely cover up. Up until now, I have been using Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer which is still a great product, but this one tops it by a mile. The main difference between these two concealers is their consistencies. Stroke Of Light is a lot thinner than Wake Me Up, which means that it's coverage is a lot more buildable and never runs the risk of looking too cakey or thick on the skin. Although it does not say on the packaging, by looking online I have come to the conclusion that I have the shade 'Luminous 2,' which matches my complexion perfectly. The full size version of this product is £22.00 but I think it is definitely worth the investment as it is such an amazing illuminating concealer.

Benefit's 'Posie Tint' Lip & Cheek Stain
Out of the three products in this review, this one is probably my least favourite and the one that I do not use that often. That being said, the great thing about this stain is the fact that it is multi-purpose, as it can be applied to either your cheeks or your lips. I have tried and tested both of these methods and I much prefer using the Posie Tint on my lips as opposed to my cheeks, where I like to use powder blushers instead. The pretty rose-colour leaves a nice and natural tint to my lips. This is great for days where I wear quite natural make-up but still want a subtle hint of colour to make my look more complete. For what it is, I really do not think this product deserves its £24.50 price tag for the full version but it is still nice nonetheless.

Benefit's 'Stay Don't Stray' Eyeshadow Primer
Last but certainly not least, I am not one to wear eyeshadow that often (I prefer a simple cat-flick using eyeliner myself) but this primer is great for days where I do like experiment with my eye make-up. To accompany my combination skin, I also have oily eyelids with is extremely annoying. I hate the way that my eyeshadow creases throughout the day and it never ends up looking as good as it did when I first applied it. Although this primer is not 100% effective in my opinion, it did stop the majority of the creasing and any oiliness from surfacing. 'Stay Don't Stray' is the same colour as what a foundation or concealer would be, which is also makes this product a good base to even out any uneven colouring on your lids. The full size version of this product is £20.50 which could seem pricey to some but a little goes a long way, so this product would last for ages and so it is a good investment.

I hope that this review has helped to give you all a good insight into the effectiveness of the products above. If you have used any of them before, I would love to know your opinions of them via a comment below. I would also like to thank Chloe (Coco Mykel) for giving me the samples of products that I would not have been able to get my hands on otherwise!

My Recent Beauty Buys

Hi guys, I thought I would share with you all a few of the beauty products that I have bought lately and give you a brief review on what I think of them so far. So, let's get started...

1. Garnier Pure Active Intensive Charcoal Scrub - £4.99

I haven’t been using the scrub for too long but I have already noticed that my skin is nowhere near as oily in the mornings if I use this product before I go to bed. On the other hand, I do find the little charcoal beads quite abrasive and rough on my skin, which does make it feel a bit sore afterwards. I also found that applying moisturiser straight after using the scrub can cause your skin to sting a little, which is worrying. Apart from that slight problem, I really like this product so far. As for a reduced number in blemishes and faded blemish marks, I do not think I have been using the scrub for long enough to notice a real difference yet, but I am hoping I will do soon.

2. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Pink Blossom - £5.99

After watching many of Tanya Burr’s YouTube videos, she always seems to use this powder to set her make-up and so I thought I would give it a go. I have to say compared to the awful, cheap powder that I was using before (17’s Pressed Powder in Nicely Natural - £3.99,) I am impressed. This powder banished all of the shine, especially from my T-zone which can get quite oily throughout the day. I highly recommend this product to all of my readers!

3. Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in Love-Struck Rose - £7.99

After dealing with my cracked Rimmel blusher for quite a while, I decided it was about time that I got a new blusher and everybody I know speaks highly about Bourjois’ range. Consequently, I went into Superdrug this week to get some new make-up as there is currently 3 for 2 Mix & Match offer in there, which is amazing as you can mix and match with all of the different brands in store. I swatched this colour on my hand and thought it was gorgeous, but when I got home and applied it to my cheeks I found that the colour was too bright for me. I am definitely not going to keep on using this blusher as it is just too vibrant on my skin tone, but I will definitely be willing to go back and buy a subtler colour instead.

4. Benefit They’re Real! Mascara in Black – usually £19.50

I got the mini version of this mascara for free by purchasing Elle magazine this month, which features Miley Cyrus looking amazing on the front cover. Considering that this mini mascara costs around the £9 mark (£19.50 for the full-size product,) it was a complete bargain seeing as the magazine only costs a few pounds. I used the mascara for the first time this morning and I love it! It added a lot of length to my fine and sparse eyelashes, however, it gave me absolutely no volume. Hence, I then applied another mascara of mine over the top to make my lashes appear thicker. Overall, this mascara is definitely worth the money but the only problem that I found with it is that it takes quite a long while to dry, which can be slightly annoying.

5. Max Factor Max Effect Mini Nail Polish in Fantasy Fire - £3.99

I also purchased this nail varnish whilst in Superdrug as part of the 3 for 2 Mix and Match offer. I have never, ever had a nail colour like this before and I love it. Although the varnish itself is quite runny and a few coats of it is required for the colour to live up to how great it looks in the bottle, it is definitely worth it. The iridescent, purple colour has little flecks of gold glitter within it – as well as a slight blue/green hue mixed in with the purple too. I was debating between whether buying this colour or ‘Intense Plum’ as I could only afford one at the time, but I am definitely going to purchase the other at some point in the near future because it is just as gorgeous.

6. Nails Inc Nail Varnish in It's Red, Babez - usually £11.00

My Mum came back from work the other week with In Style magazine, as they were giving away a free Nails Inc nail varnish in three colour variations. I think that the other two colours to choose from were either a nude or a pale pink, but I am glad that Mum picked this colour instead. The nail varnish itself goes by the name 'It's Red, Babez,' however, the colour is more of a pinky-red. It is so eye-catching and very appropriate now that we are getting into spring/summer. I think that a bright nail can really finish off an outfit and this colour is no exception! The varnish is rather thick, which is great as you will only need to apply one coat. Nails Inc varnishes dry extremely fast, which is also an added bonus. I have had a little look on their website and I cannot seem to find this shade, so it may have been an exclusive colour in In Style, however, there are similar colours available so I urge you to have a look on their website!

7. L’Oréal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution - £4.99

After hearing rave reviews about micellar solutions in various magazine and online articles, I definitely wanted to try it out for myself. I know that most people use the Bioderma product, but that is definitely out of my price range. However, after using L’Oréal’s more affordable version for a couple of nights now, I am impressed. My make-up is dissolved and removed so easily, just by splashing a bit of this solution on to a cotton wool pad. In addition, my skin feels lovely and clean afterwards without any sort of residue – which is a bonus! I would definitely recommend this product as it is effective and a complete bargain! 

I hope that you all enjoyed this brief beauty review and as always, if you have any opinions on the products that I have mentioned above, please do not hesitate to leave me a comment below. I love reading all of your comments and always respond to them, as I love getting feedback on my posts. Thank you :)