My First Ever Birchbox!

That's right ladies and gentleman... after all this time being a make-up fanatic and blogger, I have finally taken the plunge and subscribed to Birchbox! For those of you who may not have heard of Birchbox before, it is basically a monthly subscription service where you pay £12.95 per month (including shipping) to receive a box full of wonderful beauty-related goodies. I had always wanted to sign up to a beauty subscription service but up until recently, I did not have the room in my budget - so you can imagine how excited I am to finally be able to do so! I'm really looking forward to discovering new products and brands that I have never tried before. So today, I thought that I would show you all what I received in my first box and my thoughts on Birchbox in general so far. Let's get started!

As some of you may already be aware, Birchbox like to collaborate with other brands quite frequently and January' box is in collabration with Pinterest and this months theme to start off the new year with is the 'Best Year Ever' box - inspiring you to make the most of 2016! I love how visually appealing each box is and so I will definitely be using them for storage and keeping some of them on display once I collect a few.

Upon opening the box, I found all of this months products packaged up in this super cute drawstring bag (which I will definitely be using as a wash bag when I travel!) I love little details like this because it really shows how much thought and attention to detail goes into each months box. After seeing lots of beauty box reviews over the years on various blogs, the Birchbox team seem so creative and fun!

Now onto the products that I received... 

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle Leave In Conditioner
This spray seems to be quite the multi-tasker because as well as detangling and conditioning your hair, it can also be used as a heat protectant too. I loveproducts that I have more than one use as they are a great time saver! Although I haven't used tried out anyof the products yet, I did give this one a quick spritz and it smells amazing!

Absolution L'eau Soir et Matin Cleansing Water
I use my Garnier micellar water every day, therefore, it will be interesting how this one compares. I have never heard of the brand Absolution before, so I'm interested to see what its all about. After reading the booklet explaining more about the products inside my  box, this cleansing water seems to have lots of lovely ingredients such as hazelnut oil and aloe vera, which I imagine will feel amazing on my skin.

Benefit They're Real Tinted Lash Primer
I used to absolutely swear by my They're Real mascara, so I'm really interested to see how this lash primer performs. I have really short and straight eyelashes that struggle to hold a curl, so I'm wondering if this lash primer will help me out at all! Benefit claim that this product separates, lengthens and boosts your lashes and preps them for you mascara - I will have to test this out and report back!

Eyeko Fat Liquid Liner
This liquid liner is the full-sized item featured in this months box. If any of you have been following me for a while now, you will know that I do not feel complete unless I am wearing feline flick, so this product is right up my alley. The only thing that I am a little bit apprehensive about is that because the eyeliner is 'fat' aka it has a thick nib, I may not be able to get a super precise line with it but I guess time will tell on that one!

Rituals Foaming Shower Gel
The last item included in this months box is this Ritual shower gel. Although I have most definitely heard of the brand before, I have never used any of their products before. Of course, shower gels will always come in useful but I am really excited to try a higher end brand and see how it compares to a bog standard bottle from Boots or Superdrug. Also, I think that I will really enjoy both the scent and the foaming element of this product too!

As well as the five samples mentioned above, Birchbox also threw in a few little add-ons too. These prints above are actually postcards but I cannot believe how cool they are. I think that they will look awesome in a couple of frames scattered around my bedroom! They also included a #nofilter pink compact mirror (which you can see in the first photo of this post.) As I mentioned earlier, these extra little touches are what make this box really special and exciting in my opinion.

Overall, I am so happy that I finally took the plunge and subscribed to Birchbox. So far, I have absolutely no negatives to report! Not only am I happy with the products that I received in my January box but I am really impressed with how much you get for your money - especially as you get one full-sized item per box too! As you can all probably guess, I am so excited to see what next months box brings and I can really see myself being a loyal Birchbox subscriber from here on out.

I will probably do a blog post about each months box from now on, so be sure to check back for even more in-depth Birchbox reviews in the future! Furthermore, if you're interested in signing up to Brchbox yourself, then click here to find out everything you need to know.

MAC's Grand Galaxy Extra Dimension Eyeshadow

Whilst out picking up the last couple of Christmas gifts that I needed to buy for my friends and family, I decided to treat myself to an eyeshadow from MAC that I had been lusting after for long time! I use my Naked palettes pretty much religiously when I want to create an evening make-up look but to be honest, I am getting a little bored of the same old smokey eye that I always tend to gravitate towards. It's definitely my go-to look simply because I know that it works for me! 

So, on Friday, I picked up the ever so gorgeous 'Grand Galaxy' (£16.00) from MAC's Extra Dimension collection. Although upon first glance it looks like a typical shade that I would go for, it is actually the must beautiful iridescent lilac eyeshadow ever! I love it because it's still incredibly neutral and wearable; however, it's mixture of violet, blue and silver tones makes for the most stunning metallic shift when your eye catches the light. Of course, this was really hard for me to capture in a photo, so be sure to go into your local MAC store to swatch this bad boy for yourself! This shadow can also be applied both wet or dry depending how intense and glittery you want it to appear on your lids.

I'm not too sure how long wearing this shadow is yet because I haven't worn it for long enough but if its anything like MAC's classic eyeshadow range, I'm sure they will last amazingly - especially if you use a primer as well!

I cannot wait to wear this shadow properly on a night out or for a special occasion, especially now that we are well and truly into the festive party season! I'm like a magpie when it comes to sparkly eyeshadows too, so I am glad to have finally added 'Grand Galaxy' to my collection. Do you own any of MAC's Extra Dimension eyeshadows? What is your go to party look? As always, please let me know what you think of this product and my review by leaving a comment down below!

Selfridges Luxury Christmas Gift Ideas

We all love a little bit of luxury every now and then and I love browsing Selfridges' website online, looking through and lusting over all of the high-end beauty brands that they stock! As you can imagine, now that we are in the run up to Christmas, I have been doing this quite a lot lately and so I thought why not make a mini Christmas gift guide showing you some of the best festive gift sets on offer right now! Of course, these products do not come cheap, so they would perfect to add to your Christmas list or to buy for a loved one if your budget can allow it! Within this little gift guide, there a few slightly more affordable options as well as some extravagant ones thrown in there for good measure too. So, here are the six gift sets featured in today's post;

Tom Ford Lip Colour Set / Urban Decay Vice 4 Eyeshadow Palette / Charlotte Tilbury K.i.s.s.i.n.g Mini Lipstick Trio / Jo Malone Cologne Intense Collection / Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Gift Set / Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effect Mascara Gift Set

As I'm sure you would agree, all of these sets look absolutely amazing - everything from the packaging to the products themselves scream all things luxurious and fancy! I, for one, would loooove to find any of these beauties underneath my tree on Christmas morning! Please let me know which of these gifts you would love to receive the most by leaving a comment below and remember to come back soon to check out more festive themed posts all throughout December!

My Latest MAC Purchases

Hey guys! Sorry that I've been a little quiet on the blogging front recently but I have really been struggling both motivation and inspiration-wise lately. However, not to worry because I'm now back and ready to show you all the latest additions to my MAC Cosmetics collection. In the past, I was a lover of bright and bold lip colours but throughout the course of this year, I have been opting for nude shades over colourful ones almost every time! I'm not quite sure whats gotten into me but I am just really into more natural, understated hues right now. So, because I was using 'Velvet Teddy' to death, I thought that I would pick up another new nude shade to add to my ever-growing lipstick collection.

After a lot of swatching and trying on with an assistant in the store, I stumbled upon 'Faux' and instantly fell in love with it! Think of it as a much pinky and slightly paler version of 'Velvet Teddy.' What I love about this lipstick in particular is how well it compliments my eyes and my cool-toned complexion. This is also my first satin finish lipstick from MAC and it feels really creamy and moisturising compared to the matte finish of 'Velvet Teddy.' Of course, a creamier consistency is a much better choice to go with during winter too because it doesn't accentuate any dry patches or flakiness on your lips.

To go with the lipstick, the assistant also suggested purchasing a Pro Longwear lip pencil in the shade 'Cultured' to go with it. She applied both products on my lips to show me what the finished result would look like and I thought that it looked even more amazing than before. Even though in the swatch below the two products look quite different in colour, they go so well together and make my lips look plumper and thicker! As it is a pro product, the lip liner is super soft and glides on perfectly without any dragging or tugging at my lip line.

(Left: Faux Satin Lipstick - Right: Cultured Pro Longwear Lip Pencil)

Overall, I am really pleased with these new purchases and I have been wearing this lip combination almost every day because I just love it so much. I get so excited every time that I get to add another MAC product to my make-up collection and these two items were no exception! After testing them out for a few weeks now, I would highly recommend these shades as they are very wearable and comfortable on the lips. So, next time you are passing by a MAC store, why not pop in and give these products a go? You definitely won't regret it!

My Favourite Autumn Lipsticks

This year I have fully embraced nude lips (I like to blame that on MAC's Velvet Teddy and NARS' Anita) but now that we are well and truly in the midst of autumn, I am back to rocking a darker and bolder lip once again! I have four of my favourite autumnal lip products to show you all today, three of which are from the drugstore, so there are definitely some great bargains out their that you need to get your hands on! So, let's jump right in and see which red and berry hues that I have been loving lately!

MAC Lipstick in Plumful (£15.50)
First up is the ever-so-popular MAC shade 'Plumful' - a lustre formula that is the perfect autumnal pink shade with a really subtle berry hint to it. It is such a comfortable lipstick to wear in the colder months as it is super moisturising and it glides onto your lips so seamlessly! It is a great shade for when you want an understated pop of colour.

Rimmel Provocalips Lip Colour in Kiss Fatal (£6.99)
Next is Rimmel's version of a liquid lipstick in the shade 'Kiss Fatal,' which is a gorgeous dusky purple shade. It's not too in your face but it's bold enough to make an impact! Although the formula of the Provocalips line is far from perfect, (it can sometimes feel really drying and occasionlly it crumbles away slightly,) I always manage to see past it because the shade is so unique and is really long-lasting!

(From left to right: Plumful, Kiss Fatal, Standout, Dark Night Water-loops)

Revlon Color Burst Matte Balm in Standout (£7.99)
I have loved Revlon's range of lip crayons for such a long time now and the shade 'Standout' is no exception! It is a stunning blue-based cherry red that is matte without being drying on the lips. I love wearing this lipstick during the festive season as it is truly a classic red that looks perfect around this time of year!

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Dark Night Water-loops (£6.49)
Last but certainly not least is the amazing 'Dark Night Water-loops' from Rimmel. Although I barely get any wear out of this shade because it is really dark, (the swatch doesn't do it justice,) I had to give it a special mention because it is the perfect vampy purple shade for Halloween - I am even wearing it as part of my costume this year! It is so fun to wear and it definitely turns a lot of heads!

So, those are my favourite autumn lipsticks at the moment! Have you tried any of these shades before and if so, what do you think of them? Also, if you can recommend any more autumnal shades that you think I need to get my hands on, then please let me know by leaving any suggestions down below!

This Years Best Soap & Glory Gifts!

I am one of the biggest fans and advocates of Soap & Glory's entire bath & body range, I love their products so much and I always have one of the body butters on the go - seriously, their scents are addictive! So, you can imagine that every year, I am always excited to see what Christmas gift sets that they have on offer. Boots always have such a lovely display of S&G's presents and they are already out on the shelves (even if we are still over two months away from December 25th!) Therefore, even if it is a little early to start dedicating blog posts to all things Christmas related, I wanted to show you the best of this years selection in case you want to get in a little early!

Crazy Sexy Kohl - £14.00
I have never tried any of Soap & Glory's eyeliners but I have heard some great things about them during my time as a blogger. This little set contains 5 pencils from their Smoulder Kohl range in the shades Superblack, Cocoa Bean, Blue My Mind, Grapevine and Aquabat (three of which are exclusive to this set only!)

Well I'll Be Glammed - £40.00
This gorgeous set contains eight of S&G's most popular make-up products, as well as three mini brushes to apply them with. This kit has pretty much everything you would need for a stunning daytime or night time look - from bronzer, to lip gloss and everything inbetween! This is a must have for any beauty enthusiast in my opinion. 

Bright & Bubbly - £10.00
This nifty little gift set contains miniatures of some of the brands most iconic items; Clean On Me, Hand Food, Scrub Of Your Life and The Righteous Butter. All four of these lovely products have S&G's original 'Pink' scent, plus you get a pink body polisher too. Just think of what a lovely pamper session you could have with this set!

Get A Smooth On - £35.00
This has got to be my favourite gifts from the bunch for one reason only... all of the products inside have the Sugar Crush scent, which is my all time fave S&G fragrance. It is the most amazing combination of sweet lime and brown sugar (it's almost good enough to eat.) This set includes a body butter, a body wash, a body mist and one of my holy grail items, their body scrub.

The Righteous Butter Drum - £5.00
This is such a great stocking filler to give to any beauty junkie! The Righteous Butter is one of Soap & Glory's most renowned products and with good reason, as it is extremely moisturising and rich. This present also resembles a Christmas decoration, so you could also hang it on your tree for an extra-cute touch if you wanted to! 

Belle Of The Ball - £12.00
Last but not least is this adorable giant bauble containing four products from the Smoothie Star range, which smells like vanilla, almond and pistachio (my second favourite scent behind Sugar Crush.) Similarly to the Bright & Bubbly set mentioned above, it has a hand cream, a body wash, a body scrub and a body buttercream to give your skin a real treat!

So, those are this years best gift sets from Soap & Glory in my opinion! I think that there are some really cute design concepts within the range and I am hoping to receive at least one of these gorgeous sets myself. Remember that Boots have a 3 for 2 deal on all their festive pressies, so be sure to take full advantage of it if you want to treat either yourself or your loved ones to a good old pamper this year!

My Monthly Favourites - September 2015

The month of September has been a bit of a whirlwind for me! I started my new part-time job and I feel like time has just flown by ever since. Although I haven't tried out too many new products this month, I have discovered a couple of new favourites as well as fallen back in love with a few older items in my stash too. So, let's skip the long intro for a change and jump straight into what I have been loving this month!

Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturiser - £24.00
Some of you may remember that after winning Katie Snooks' Feel Unique competition a few months ago, one of the products I picked up using my voucher code was this moisturiser from Origins. At the beginning, I used it religiously but then I forgot about it for a little while... until now! I love the gel-like consistency of this product because it is not too rich for my oily/combination skin. It has really improved how radiant and clear my skin looks without make-up on too, which is something that I have struggled with in the past. This is the first thing that I have ever tried from Origins because of the hefty price tag but I am super impressed with them as a brand and I will definitely purchase from them again in the future!

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish in Street Flair - £9.99
You may have seen in my recent Boots haul that I picked up a few new nail varnishes this month and ever since then, this Sally Hansen number has constantly been on my nails! It is a gorgeous dusty lilac colour with a hint of grey within it, which makes it absolutely perfect for this time of year. It is a muted and understated shade but it has such an autumn feel to me! The polish itself is fairly chip-resistant, (especially when it's paired with the matching Miracle Gel top coat too,) and it has a gorgeous glossy, gel-like finish.

Invisibobble Clear Hair Bands (3 Pack) - £3.75
I had seen so many people talking about the Invisibobble hair bands and so I decided to take the plunge last week. Once my hair is tied up up, there is nooo way that I can take down again as my hair would then have a permanent dent and kinks in it. This would always upset me because if I had my hair up at work and then wanted to go out at night time, I would have to completely re-wash it in order to then wear it down! However, now that I have started wearing an Invisibobble, (which looks a bit like a clear telephone cord,) my hair is kink free! The bobble is virtually undetectable and it's so comfortable to wear, it never pulls on my hair or snags it in the slightest. This product is so amazing and I'm annoyed that I didn't pick it up sooner to be honest!

Max Factor Colour Collections Lipstick in Rosewood - £6.99
This Max Factor lipstick has been my biggest re-discovery of the month. I have had 'Rosewood' in my lipstick collection for such a long time now but I have found myself reaching for it a lot lately. It is the most gorgeous warm-toned rose shade that leaves a gorgeous sheen on your lips. Although the longevity of this product is not anything to shout home about, I do love how pigmented and comfortable this shade is to wear. It pairs well with so many different make-up looks too. You should definitely give it a swatch next time you're in Boots and Superdrug!

Lush The Comforter Shower Cream (100g) - £4.75
Last but not least is my favourite Lush shower gel of all time, The Comforter! I had always been a big fan of the bubble bar equivalent of this product, so when they brought out a shower cream I was beyond excited. I cannot even explain how in love I am with this sweet blackcurrant scent - it makes me look forward to shower time, even on cold autumn mornings! I love how soft and moisturised it makes me skin feel, plus it lathers up into a gorgeous pink foam too (which is always a bonus!) Even though it will be quite expensive, once this mini bottle runs out, I would like to buy the enormous 1kg verson which is just shy of £28 but in my opinion, it will be soooo worth it!

So guys, I bet you're glad I skipped the long intro now because that was a very in-depth favourites this month (oops!) I hope you enjoyed reading all about the five products that I have been loving and reaching for the most over the past 4 weeks! What have been your favourites this month? Have you used any of my current favourites before? Please let me know popping a comment down below with all of your thoughts and suggestions!

My All-Time Favourite Drugstore Lip Product

Bourjois' Rouge Edition Velvet lipsticks are by far my favourite lip product from the drugstore! I have spoken about them a couple of times now here on my blog and I still cannot get enough of them; especially now I have added a new shade to my collection, as it has made me rekindle my love for them even more! These liquid lipsticks certainly deserve to be raved about as much as possible in my opinion.

First of all, let's just talk about the formulation... it's truly amazing! Velvet is definitely the correct name for this range as these lipsticks glide on so smoothly and feel really buttery on the lips. Of course, liquid lipsticks have a bit of a reputation of drying out your lips but these ones are surprisingly comfortable to wear. They have minimal tackiness to them and are no where as sticky as some other products that I have tried in the past. Plus, at only £8.99, they are much more affordable than say Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick for example.

There are currently 12 shades in the range but I have heard that a few more are being released very shortly in time for autumn. However, below are swatches of the four shades that I own right now from left to right; 01 Personne ne Rouge, 02 Frambourjoise, 10 Don't Pink Of It & 12 Beau Brun.

In the photograph above, the swatches look glossy but after a few minutes they dry down to a lovely mate finish! I have become obsessed with matte formulas over the last year or so because they make bold colours much easier to wear, as they are less likely to transfer or fade throughout the day. I have to say that my favourite shade of the bunch is definitely the newest edition to my collection, Don't Pink Of It, which I featured in my latest Boots haul. I have only had this shade for about a week but I already love it because it is a great everyday shade that does with almost any make-up look or outfit! As for my favourite bold shade, it would have to be Frambourjoise - which is a stunning bright pink shade.

Overall, I think that the Rouge Edition Velvet range is the best lip product in the drugstore for so many reasons. I think they are just incredible! Have you tried out this product before? If so, please let me know in the comment below what is your favourite shade to wear and why?

My Favourite YouTube Channels For Make-Up Tutorials

I am absolutely addicted to watching make-up tutorials on YouTube! In fact, I am subscribed to so many beauty gurus that I've actually lost count. Sometimes, it's pretty hard to keep up with them all! With that being said, however, there a few gorgeous ladies in particular whose content I watch religiously. I love gaining inspiration from other make-up enthusiasts, picking up tips & tricks, as well as seeing which products are really worth the splurge. Therefore, today, I thought that I would tell you all about my top four favourite YouTube channels are right now...

Shaaanxo 
One of the main reasons that I love watching Shannon's make-up tutorials is the fact that she has the same hair colour and skin tone as me, so she often creates looks that would suit me perfectly! I also love how she experiments with such bright colours too - which makes a change from the amount of neutral looks that a lot of other beauty gurus make.

Kathleen Lights
I discovered Kathleen about 6 months ago and I have been hooked on her videos ever since! Her personality really is what draws me in, as she is so likeable and down to earth. I also love how she creates some really stunning drugstore tutorials - which are great for when you don't want to break the bank to achieve a specific look. Plus, she shares my outrageous obsession for liquid lipsticks too!

Jaclyn Hill
Jaclyn definitely creates some of my favourite glamourous make-up looks ever! I love how bold she is both in her artistic abilities and her on-screen presence (her positive energy really is infectious!) She really knows her stuff when it comes to products and I love getting her recommendations for highlighters and false lashes in particular. 

Mirella Belle
Something that really kept me coming back to Mirella's channel week after work was the amount of colourful tutorials she makes! She always comes up with the most amazing and innovative eyeshadow looks. Also, she is never afraid to pair bright eyes with a bright lip too - which is something that would have scared me away in the past! However, she manages to pull it off so beautifully!

So, those are my favourite channels for watching make-up tutorials on YouTube! They provide me with so much inspiration. Who are your favourite beauty gurus to watch online? Also, if you know of any other channels that I should be subscribed too, please let me know by leaving a comment down below. 

Yet Another Mini Boots Haul!

Yet again, I have another mini Boots haul for you all! As per usual, I found myself pacing up and down the aisles putting item upon item in my basket. Of course, this happens on a fairly regular basis for me but I surprisingly haven't bought myself to anything new in a while now (shock horror!) I have only found myself picking up some essentials here and there, rather than discovering new products. However, I decided to treat myself to a few bits and bobs in celebration of starting my new job last week! 

Firstly, I picked up a Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Nail Polish (£6.99) in the shade 'Nude Now.' One of my favourite nudes from China Glaze has sadly dried up and now I have finally found a replacement for it. I have always loved both the formulation and the brush of Sally Hansen products, so I'm sure I'm going to love this one just as much. In the photograph above, the shade seems to look quite peachy and bright but in real life it is waaaay more subtle and nude in colour, I can assure you!

Then, another shade called caught my eye called 'Street Flair,' which is from the new Miracle Gel range (£9.99.) I am really into muted and understated colours right now - especially as we are entering into autumn - so, I just had to have it! I also purchased the matching top coat to go with it, which also cost £9.99. I love the look of glossy gel nails but I hate how hard they are to remove, so this range seems like the perfect fit for me. I cannot wait to apply this shade and see how long it lasts, so I will be sure to report back on my blog soon!

I also decided to pick up another shade of Bourjois' Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick (£8.99) called 'Don't Pink Of It.' I already have three other colours from the range in my collection (Frambourjoise, Beau Brun & Personne ne Rouge,) so you can tell that I am in love with this formula! I wanted to purchase a more wearable shade wasn't too vivid and was appropriate for wearing during the day time and I think this nude-y pink is just perfect for that.

Lastly, as well the products I treated myself to above, I needed to pick up another bottle of my hold grail foundation; Maybelline's Dream Satin Liquid Foundation (£7.99.) This foundation is barely spoken about online and it is extremely under-rated but I love it and have done for years now! 'Ivory' is the absolute perfect match for me, as it is the second lightest shade in the range that is yellow-toned rather than pink-toned. It blends seamlessly, is very buildable and gives a gorgeous satin finish to my skin. The only thing that I am slightly concerned about is the 'new formula' sticker on this new bottle, so I hope I still adore it just as much as I did before and fingers crossed that it hasn't changed too much.

So, there you have it guys, those are the five new products that I picked up in Boots! What do you think? Have you tried any of these products before? What have you hauled lately? Let me know, as always, by leaving a comment in the box below!

My Monthly Favourites - August 2015

Hey guys, I'm back with another installment of monthly favourites for you! I have to admit I'm pretty sad that August has come to and end and we have now entered into September. This officially means that our summer is officially over! Soon enough, I'm going to have to start thinking about updating my wardrobe for autumn and donning a coat every time I leave the house - boooo! Moaning aside, however, August enabled me to fall in love with some new products and rediscover an old favourite too. So, let's see what I have been loving throughout the past four weeks!

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette - £38.00
It's never been a secret that my favourite UD palette has always been the Naked 2, as cool toned eyeshadows suit me a lot more that warm ones do! However, this month I have been turning to my Naked 3 palette a lot more than usual. Sometimes I just fancy wearing pink hues on my lids instead! A few of my most loved shadows within this gorgeous palette have been 'Limit,' which is a great crease shade, and 'Darkside' or 'Blackheart' for when I have been creating dramatic night time looks. As I'm sure you're all aware by now, these shadows have amazing staying power and pigmentation, which is why this palette has been such a holy grail for me throughout August!

Revlon ColorStay Moisture Lip Stain in LA Exclusive - £8.99
Next up is a bit of a rediscovery for me, as I was raiding my lip product collection the other day and came across this lip stain from Revlon. I used to wear this shade so much back in the day and I'm so happy that I have started using it again. Not only is the formula of the Moisture Stain range incredible due to it's buttery and non-sticky consistency but 'LA Exclusive' is such a flattering colour on my skin tone. The only way I can describe it is as a muted and paler Barbie pink! I highly recommend this shade and the entire range of colours in general, so be sure to give them a little swatch in store next time you're in Boots or Superdrug.

NARS Translucent Loose Setting Powder - £26.50
As some of you may know, my parents got me a little NARS kit with a few products in for my birthday and I absolutely loved it! Although, I was a little dubious of using a loose powder as I had never used one before. However, now I have fallen in love with using this translucent powder to set my under eye concealer. I used to apply my trusty Rimmel Stay Matte all over but using a different powder for under my eye makes me feel so fancy! Now that have become accustomed to this new technique, I really want to buy another loose powder that will brighten up my eye area instead of using this one that has no colour to it.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Lip Pencil in Turn On - £13.50
Of course, lip pencils have become very popular again over the past year or so and I heard that the 24/7 Urban Decay range were top notch. So, this year I have purchased two of them! My favourite shade is 'Turn On,' which i the most stunning blue-toned pink! It certainly packs a punch colour wise but it isn't too over the top and that's why I love it so much. It makes a nice change when I don't want to wear a nude lip during the daytime! I also love the formula of these pencils so much; they are super duper creamy and comfortable to wear. Plus, they have great longevity too!

Garnier Ultimate Blends Shine Revitaliser Shampoo - £2.79
Last but not least, I normally use a shampoo that adds volume or thickness to my fine and lacklustre hair but I feel that can build up a horrible residue in my hair from time to time. So, when I want to use a more lightweight and clarifying shampoo, I have been using this one from Garnier. The whole Ultimate Blends range seems to be very popular right now as it gets the job done and you cannot beat the price point! I love the lemon and green tea scent too as it's so refreshing and uplifting in the mornings. It also adds some shine and life back into my hair when it's feeling dull from my volume shampoo as well! 

So, those are my favourites from the month of August. I have loved using them and would highly recommend them to all of my followers! Now, I cannot wait to see what September brings and what I will enjoy using next. What have been you favourite products this month? Have you used any of my favourites before? Let me know by leaving a comment down below!

Rimmel's Kate Moss Nude Collection

Ever since I can remember, I have always been a bright lip kinda gal. However, this year, I have really found a love for nude hues on my lips too! I have discovered lots of great options from MAC's infamous 'Velvet Teddy to NARS' Audacious lipstick in 'Anita.' Now, I have yet another great shade to add to my ever-growing collection and that is one of the new Nude Collection lipsticks from Rimmel. The two Kate Moss collections previous to this latest release have been extremely popular due to their amazingly pigmented colours and gorgeously creamy formulas... and the new nude shades have definitely kept to these high standards!

There are six new products in the collection which all cost £5.49; five nude lipsticks and one clear lip conditioner. The idea is to apply the conditioner to your lips as a base coat for the shade that you follow up with, to keep them hydrated and to make for a smooth application. I decided that I wanted try one shade first to see how I liked it, so I opted for shade '45' which is a natural pinky-nude colour. It really suits my skin tone and colouring well as I am moderately fair (albeit, I do sometimes fake tan) with light blonde hair. 

I think that Rimmel have described this new collection perfectly, as they claim that there is a 'barely-there hue' for every skin tone. I without a doubt agree with that as this lipstick has just the right amount of pigmentation - it's neither too sheer nor too thick. It's definitely a wearable and natural daytime shade, although you can layer it up more if you would like to! Plus, I would also wear this shade in the evening too paired with a bold smokey eye. Just like the two Kate Moss collections in the past, the lipsticks are very creamy and comfortable to wear but that does mean that its not the most long-lasting formula ever. However, with that being said, it would probably be pretty easy to re-apply it on the go without any need for a mirror!

In terms of the performance of the clear conditioning lip balm, it does what it says on the tube really! It keeps your lips feeling nourished and it works as a good base for your nude shade to sit on top of. Still, one thing that I do like about this balm is that it contains an SPF of 15, which is great for the summer months and you could even wear it on its own if your going on holiday or are out in the sunshine a lot!

Overall, I think that this new collection is pretty great! It's affordable, the shades are extremely flattering and they are moisturising to boot. I would highly recommend that you go and pick one up for yourself but make sure that you figure out beforehand which of the 5 shades would work best for you! What is your favourite Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick? Have you tried this new collection yet? Please let know, as always, by leaving a comment down below!

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!

A Post Inspired By Lily Pebbles

This morning whilst browsing through my Bloglovin' feed, I came across this post from the gorgeous Lily Pebbles and I loved the concept of it so much that I have decided to answer the questions myself! Lily's post, 'If You Had To Pick One...,' is all about having to choose your favourite beauty products and whittle them down one brand for each category. I thought this post was a really fun and unique idea and so without any further ado, here is what I could choose if I could only pick one item for each of the following...

Make-up brand to use:
Although I only own a few products from this brand at the moment, I would have to say MAC! Choosing to use only one brand is, of course, a very hard decision but my thoughts are that MAC have a huge range of products to choose from. There is a great variation of bases and eyeshadows for any occasion and the lipstick possibilities are never-ending!

Mascara to wear:
At the moment, the mascara that I reach for on a daily basis is Rimmel's Lash Accelerator Endless in Black. I have really short & straight lashes and I find that this formula is excellent at adding a lot of length too them. It never smudges on me either, not even on my lower lashes, so that's an added bonus too.

Skincare item to use: 
Lush's Ultrabland cleanser has been a staple in my routine for the last year or so. It really is the most amazing balm cleanser; not only does it remove my make-up quickly and efficiently but it makes my skin feel silky smooth too. Also, it feels really good to use a natural product as there are no nasty chemicals in it to strip or break out my skin!

High street store to shop from:
New Look! Forever 21 comes a close second but sometimes their sizing can be a little frustrating (S, M & L just do not cut it sometimes.) I feel that New Look have a great range of basics as well as on-trend items to choose from. I also love their shoes and accessories too, which means that I would easily be able to create an entire outfit in there!

Make-up brush brand: 
I am a loyal fan of Real Techniques brushes. Can you believe that I only have one make-up brush that isn't from them?! Crazy, right! The main reasons why I love these brushes are that they are affordable, great quality and they are very easy to clean! The buffing brush is my favourite of the bunch though.

Lipstick to wear everyday:
Definitely NARS' Audacious Lipstick in Anita! It's such a lovely pinky nude shade that goes with absolutely any make-up look. It's a really creamy formula that feels really comfortable on my lips. Plus, I feel like it suits my complexion really well too!

Eyeshadow palette:
Without a doubt my Naked 2 palette. It's the first higher end palette that I have ever owned and it really sparked my love for eyeshadow, as I was a little afraid of it before then! The cooler tones in the palette suit me perfectly and I love how versatile it is - I can create a number of looks for both daytime and nighttime. 

Hair care band to buy from:
It has to be L'Oréal. I exclusively use their Fibrology shampoo & conditioner to wash my hair and I love the results that it gives me. I naturally have very fine, lacklustre hair and these products give it the volume and thickness that it so desperately needs! Also, of course their Elnett hairspray is very popular too, so I couldn't go wrong with sticking to only this brand to be honest!

So, those are my answers in response to Lily's earlier blog post! What would your answers be? Please let me know by either leaving a comment below or completing the questions yourself in a blog post and sending me the link. I would love to know the items that you would ultimately choose!

My Monthly Favourites - July 2015

Hi guys, I'm back again with another dose of monthly favourites for you all! July went by in the blink of an eye with me as I had lots of special occasions and events to attend this month. I have been loving a lot of new products lately, as well as a few old favourites too, so it was hard to whittle down which products made the cut this time! However, as always, I have chosen five wonderful items to share with all of you today. So, let's get going!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle

Even though I mentioned this product in last months favourites, I just had to mention it again - that's how much of a favourite it actually is! My gorgeous friend Chloe works for MAC and she bought me the cult 'Soft & Gentle' for my birthday back in May. Every time I wear this on the tops of cheekbones, I have the most amazing and dramatic glow ever. My highlight feels well and truly on fleek (insert Jaclyn Hills's #highlightonfleek hashtag here!) If you do not already have this product, it is definitely a must have!

Nip+Fab Glycolic Fix Cleansing Pads

If you've ever had a problem with the texture of your skin, these pads from Nip+Fab are a necessary step in your skincare routine! After using some kind of balm cleanser to remove any dirt and make-up on my skin, I follow up with one of these pads. The glycolic acid within these pads are a great exfoliant and its much better than using a harsh scrub on your skin! I have really noticed a difference after using this product for about three weeks now and those pesky little annoying bumps that I used to get on my forehead are almost gone. I will most certainly be repurchasing these pads again once I run out!

Garnier Body Intensive 7 Days Ultra-Replenishing Lotion

Next up is an old favourite of mine that I recently re-discovered in my stash of body lotions. This addition from Garnier has been a saviour for me this month! Lately, I have been struggling with a few super dry patched on the bottom halves of my legs and this product has really helped to hydrate them. Not only is this lotion specifically formulated for very dry skin but it contain shea butter, which we all know is a great moisturising agent! Plus, it sinks in so quickly and leaves a lovely sheen on my legs too - which is a great added bonus!

Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Moonspoon 

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you would know that a recently won a competition and received a £100 Feel Unique voucher! One of the items that I decided to pick up was this stunning single eyeshadow from Urban Decay. I had seen so many swatches online of the Moondust range and let's face it, I cannot resist anything glittery! So, I opted for the shade Moonspoon which is an amazing silver colour. This glitter really takes a smokey eye to the next level and adds that little extra glamour for a night out on the town!

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in Nude In Private

Last but certainly not least is another product that I picked up using my Feel Unique voucher. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to own a Yves Saint Laurent lipstick as they just feel so luxurious and fancy! To ensure that I got a lot of use out of it, I went for 'Nude In Private,' which as you can imagine is an everyday nude colour. I absolutely love that it can be paired with any make-up look and as the name suggests, it adds a lovely shimmery shine to my lips too. The formulation is top-notch as well, as it glides onto my lips so effortlessly. As I knew I would be, I am very impressed with the quality of this lipstick and I'm hoping that I can start growing my YSL collection from now on!

So, those are my July favourites done and dusted! I have loved using all of these products so much and I'm sure that I will continue to love them throughout August too. Have you tried out any of these products before? What have your beauty favourites been this month? Let me know yours by leaving a comment down below!

I Won A Competition!

If any of you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen that last Thursday I won a competition courtesy of the amazing Katie Snooks. I almost fell off of my chair when I received the tweet saying that I was the winner! A few weeks ago, I entered a competition via this video of Katie's to win a £100 voucher to spend on the Feel Unique website - I honestly feel so lucky to have received such an amazing prize and I immediately hopped onto the website to browse at all of the amazing items that I could potentially pop into my basket! I am predominantly a drugstore girl as my budget is usually pretty small. so I cannot tell you how excited I was to be able to pick some more luxurious products for myself!

 My delivery arrived yesterday morning and I thought that I would quickly show all of you what I ended up choosing. Of course, I haven't tried out any of the products yet (aside from the lip balm,) so I will be sure to write up a few in-depth reviews in due course! Although, I am sure that I am going to be obsessed with and love all of them. So, without rambling on for too long, here are the items that I chose:

Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Moisturiser
I have always wanted to try something from Origins and I am really getting into my skincare lately! I have heard such great things about this moisturiser, so I am really looking forward to trying it out.

Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Moonspoon
Another thing that I have really gotten into in the last six months or so is eyeshadow. I love experimenting with different looks and I thought that this gorgeous, ultra-sparkly silver shadow would be a great addition to my collection - I bet it will look amazing for night time looks!

NUXE Reve de Miel Lip Balm
I have never really been fussy when it comes to lip balm, I love what most high street brands have to offer but I have heard from so many people that this NUXE product is amazing! I'm really interested to see how well this conditions my lips.

Sigma E40 Tapered Blending Brush
I have been seriously lacking in the eyeshadow brush department. I have a few Real Techniques one that I use religiously, however, I thought that this one from Sigma would be a great fluffy blending brush to add to my collection!

Clinique Cheek Pop Blusher in Heather Pop
My beloved Rimmel blusher has hit pan and so I definitely knew that I wanted to try out a new one. I have seen so many reviews saying the the formula of the Cheek Pop range is outstanding, so I picked up 'Heather Pop' - a gorgeous cool toned pink shade.

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in Nude In Private
I have always wanted to own a YSL lipstick for as long as I can remember and so this is actually the very first thing that I popped into my basket. I opted for a nude-y pink shade with a subtle shimmer running through it to ensure that I could wear it both day and night. Plus, the packaging is going to look amazing in my acrylic lipstick storage!

So, those are the six items that I managed to pick up using the voucher code that Katie gave me. Again, I feel so incredibly lucky to have won such an incredible prize and I cannot wait to start using all of my new goodies! What would you purchase if you had £100 to spend on Feel Unique? Let me know, as always, by leaving a comment down below!

NARS' Blusher & Bronzer Duo

For my 21st birthday last month, one of the things that my parents knew was at the top of my wishlist was something from NARS! It was one of the high-end brands that I really wanted to have as part of my ever-growing make-up collection and so in turn, they kindly treated me to a few items that they thought I would enjoy using!

The main item that they bought for me was a brand new NARS gift set called the 'Basic Face Set.' The kit contains three key items; their oil-free primer, a translucent setting powder and a duo compact featuring their 'Orgasm' blusher and 'Laguna' bronzer - two of the most popular and coveted NARS products out there! As you can imagine, I was super excited when I unwrapped my presents that morning and I couldn't wait to try everything out. Of course, my favourite item out of three is the blusher and bronzer duo as the colours are just to die for!

Both of the powders are super pigmented but they are very buildable, which means you can definitely control how sheer or built up you want them to be! They are also very easy to blend - which is especially great if you plan to contour with the bronzer. 

'Orgasm' is the most gorgeous pinky coral colour with gold glitter running through it and that is one of my favourite shades to wear on my cheeks. It is the most perfect blush for spring and summer in my opinion! In regards to 'Laguna,' it is quite a warm-toned bronzer and so I personally would only use it to add some more colour to my face, rather than contour my cheekbones with it. However, it all depends on your skin tone and as I am quite fair, warmer shades of bronzer do tend to look a little muddy on me sometimes.

The only downside to this duo is the size as I find it very hard to swirl my brush around in the product as each pan is rather small (it looks much smaller than in the photograph!) Although, apart from that, this product is pretty much perfect! I can tell that it's going to become a staple in my make-up bag from here on out!

Have you tried Orgasm or Laguna before? What is your favourite NARS product? Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment down below!

MAC Cosmetics: My New Additions

A lot of the lovely presents that I received for my birthday a few weeks ago were, of course, make-up products! All of my friends and family know how much I love all things beauty and so a few of them treated me to some high end products - which I am extremely grateful for! One of my best friends Chloe actually works for MAC and so she naturally wanted to buy me a few of their products to add to my collection.

First up, she bought me a few of their eyeshadows that I really wanted to try and put them into this adorable quad palette. The colours included are; Forgery, Wedge, Naked Lunch and Shale. The four shades included are all ones that I've spoken about with her before that I thought would really compliment my complexion! 

Here is a brief overview and description of the four shades in the palette:

Forgery - A pale white shimmery shade with a lustre finish.
Wedge - A matte soft brown/taupe shade.
Naked Lunch - A neutral shimmery pink with a frost finish.
Shale - A satin shimmery mauve shade.

The other item that Chloe chose to get me is the super raved about, cult product which is their Mineralize Skin Finish in 'Soft & Gentle.' I had been lusting after this for a while after Chloe originally used it on me at the end of the last year, when she used me as a model to promote her freelancing that shes does in addition to working at MAC. It is the most gorgeous highlight that makes the tops of your cheekbones glow like no other! 

Although I haven't had a chance to try out these products properly yet, I have swatched them and I already love them ridiculous amounts! So, I can only imagine how amazing they'll look once actually applied onto my face! Have you tried out any of these products before? What is your all-time favourite MAC product? Let me know by popping a comment down below, I would love to hear your recommendations for when I buy more things in the future.