My Top 3 Autumn Lip Colours

Ever since I can remember, I have been a huge fan of bold lip colours. I really believe that a statement lip can really take your make-up look to the next level. My make-up always feels incomplete and bland unless I have a pop of colour on my pout! Now that we are now into autumn and winter, one of the most obvious and popular trends out there is berry lips. So today, I thought that I would share my top three favourite autumn lip colours with you all. I hope you enjoy! 

Rimmel Provocalips Lip Colour in Kiss Fatal - £6.99
First up is the newest addition to my lip product collection. I went out and bought this product on the very first day that it was released because I was really intrigued about the claims Rimmel were making. The whole Provocalips range claims to be kiss proof and transfer proof, which I completely agree with - this stuff does not budge! It's two steps of applying the colour and then the top coat is a genius idea and it really locks everything into place. 'Kiss Fatal' is a gorgeous purple/mauve shade with brown undertones and is even more intense than my swatch shows below! This is one of my favourite products to wear at the moment due to its unique shade and impressive longevity. You have to give it a try!

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Dark Night Waterl-oops! - £6.49
Next on my list is this stunning lipstick, again from Rimmel London. 'Dark Night Water-loops!' is a super dark and intense plum colour that is one step up from one of the most talked about Moisture Renew lipsticks, 'Sloane's Plum.' The formulation of this product is one of the other main reasons as to why I love it so much, it is so creamy and moistursing! In addition, this product will not make any dry or flaky patches look obvious, which can often happen when you opt for bold lips. I highly recommend 'Dark Night Water-loops!' to anyone who is a fan of rich and almost gothic looking shades, as this one certainly packs a punch!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush - £7.99
Last but not least is the product that first got me into berry coloured lips, Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain. This beautiful lip crayon allows you to get the same effect of a statement lip whilst being a little bit sheerer than the lip stain and lipstick that I have mentioned above. 'Crush' is a great product for beginners who are just venturing out into the world of darker lip colours. It is a classic berry shade that suits every skin tone and is incredibly easy to apply! Another great factor to this product is that it is also a balm, which means that it is moistursing and does not dry out your lips in anyway. This crayon will always be a firm favourite of mine (I've already gotten through almost two,) so I highly recommend it to all of you as well!

(Shades from top to bottom: Kiss Fatal, Dark Night Water-loops!, Crush)

So, those are my top three favourite lip colours for autumn. Berry shades are bang on trend at this time every year and I absolutely love them! Which out of the three products above do you like the look of most? Have you used any of them before? What is your go to autumn lip colour? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!

My Monthly Favourites - October 2014

Hi guys. As always, I cannot believe yet another month is has flown by. In a few days, Halloween will be over and we will then be turning our attentions to Christmas and all things festive! Seeing as I haven't done a favourites post since August, I thought that it was about time for me to do another and share with you all of the products that I have been loving lately. Let's get started!

Herbal Essences Uplifting Volume Conditioner - £3.99
After running out of my John Frieda volume conditioner, I wanted to find an alternative product that was less expensive. I've decided that there is no point in me splurging out on a conditioner anymore because I do not use one every day, as my hair is so fine and it goes limp if I condition it too often. So far, this number from Herbal Essences certainly gets the job done for me! It adds volume to my hair without weighing it down and it leaves it feeling very soft and manageable. Not only this but the orange scent leaves my hair smelling lovely too, which is a complete bonus.

O.P.I Nail Polish in O.P.I Scores A Goal! - £8.55
Next, this nail varnish has been on my fingers for almost the entire month (I have re-painted, of course!) This gorgeous deep brown/purple colour is so autumnal and is perfect for this time of year. I love O.P.I polishes because the formula dries really quickly and their wide brushes make application an absolute breeze. With only two coats, you get a really opaque and glossy finish and overall the polish is pretty chip resistant as long as you use a decent top coat alongside it too!

Rimmel Provocalips Lip Colour in I'll Call You - £6.99
I recently did a full review of this product at the start of the month (which you can read here,) so I will keep this short and sweet! This gorgeous pink shade packs a real punch and is still very wearable at the same time. Its two step system is excellent; the colour itself is matte and stains the lips perfectly, where as the top coat seals in the colour and adds a glossy shine. This product stays on your lips all day which is perfect as you can avoid touch ups and it has great staying power for nights out as well.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara in Black - £7.99
I'm going to get straight to the point, I am in love this mascara! Due to the fact that I have short, sparse and fine lashes (I'm not very lucky in the lash department,) I find it very hard to find mascaras that work well for me. However, this one has already become one of my favourites! It adds length and volume without becoming clumpy or weighing down my lashes too much. Plus, the plastic brush isn't too large which means that I can get to the root of my lashes properly and coat every single one easily. This one is definitely up their with my beloved They're Real! mascara.

Zoella Beauty Let's Glow Candle - £5.00
Last but not least, I was so excited about Zoella's product launch that I went and bought this candle and the bath soak almost immediately! Out of the two products, I have been loving this candle an awful lot. Whether I have been relaxing in the bath or having some me time in my room, this candle has been used the majority of the time. I love its sweet yet subtle scent as it is really relaxing and soothing. Plus, I love the look of the packaging and it looks great on display in my bedroom! Not only this but the candle burns pretty slowly, which means that I will be able to get a lot of uses out of it too.

So, those are my top five favourites for the month of October! I hope you have enjoyed reading about the products that I have been reaching for a lot over recent weeks. Which products that I have mentioned above do you like the sound of? What are your own monthly favourites? I love getting recommendations and feedback, so please do not hesitate to leave your thoughts and opinions below. Thank you!

5 Tips On How To Deep Clean Your Make-up Brushes

Deep cleaning your make-up brushes is a task that is rather like Marmite; some people find the task extremely laborious, whilst others revel in doing so. I, myself, apply to the latter half of that sentence. For some bizarre reason, I love the process of cleaning my brushes and get great satisfaction watching all of the dirt and grime that has built get washed away. Plus, the feeling of then using your newly clean brushes the next day is very satisfying! With that being said, there is a lot of confusion as to which way is the best way you clean your brushes. So, today I have a compiled a little list of tips that I have learnt since I have been blogging to share with you all. I hope you find them handy!

1. The best products to use to deep clean your make-up brushes are either a specifically designed brush cleanser or baby shampoo, if you are on a budget such as myself. The reason for this is that both formulas will be very gentle on your brush hairs, yet they will still give them a thorough clean at the same time.

2. Saturating your brush in lukewarm water before cleaning them will get rid of any excess product on your brushes, which will make your job a little bit easier.

3. I have found that the best method to use is to squirt a little bit of your chosen product into the palm of your hand, then swirl the brush around in circular motions. You should add a little more water in as you go too, to allow the product to lather up and to cleanse your brushes really well.

4. Rinsing your brushes thoroughly is key. When you squeeze out the excess water after you have washed each brush, it should run clear and not have any make-up or bubbles from the product you have used coming out of it. If it does, then you should repeat the process of rinsing the brush again until it is completely clear.

5. Once you have cleaned each brush, you will want to place it somewhere convenient to let it air dry. Although some people say that laying your brushes down flat on a table is fine, I disagree. The best angle to allow your brushes to dry is have the brush hairs facing downwards (I tend to prop mine up on my window sill.) This will ensure that any extra water can run out of the brush, instead of run deeper into the brush which in turn will start to damage the glue that holds your brush and its hairs together.

Extra Tips

- Aim to deep clean your brushes about once a week.
- Spot cleaning is a great way of keeping your brushes sanitisied inbetween washing them.
- Some people use brush guards to protect their brushes and keep the bristles in shape.

So guys, those are my five top tips for deep cleaning your make up brushes! Of course, this is just my method but I have found to be very effective and so I wanted to share my pointers with all of you as well. Please feel free to let me know what your method is or if there are any ways that I can improve my method by leaving a comment below :)

The Perfect Autumn Recipe

In the past, I have only ever done baking posts on my blog. However, today, I am bringing you something a little different in the form of a savoury dish that is perfect for autumn and winter. This lamb and sweet potato curry is the most delicious warming and hearty dinner for when it's cold and dark outside. Since my Mum and I first attempted this dish a couple of months back (found on the Simply Beef & Lamb website here,) it has become one of my favourite meals to have. Not only is it a yummy yet mild, fragrant curry, it is also packed with ingredients that are good for you too! Although the list of ingredients below looks pretty extensive, you will find that you probably already have some of this stuff in your cupboard already, so try not to be put off by that! If you have clicked on the link to the original recipe above, you may notice that I have made some changes but that's the beauty about cooking, it's adaptable to your own tastes. So, without any further rambling, let's get straight on with the recipe!

For a curry that serves four, you will need:

450g of lamb cut into generous chunks
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2tsp of oil
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped or crushed
400g of canned chopped tomatoes
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
1sp of tumeric
3tbsp of garam masala
200ml lamb stock
A pinch of salt and pepper
4 handfuls of spinach
Juice of 1/2 lime
Chopped coriander for garnishing

Step 1
Heat half of the oil in a large saucepan and brown the lamb for roughly 4 minutes (you may have to do this in batches as there is a lot of lamb to be cooked and you want to be thorough.) Then, leave the meat aside on a plate for the time being.

Step 2
Heat up the rest of the oil in the same pan and cook the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, tumeric and garam masala for a couple of minutes until everything is soft and golden. Remember to ensure that your spices do not burn or stick to the pan!

Step 3
Add your browned lamb back into the saucepan. Then, add the canned tomoatoes and stock in too. Bring the mixture to the boil, then allow it to simmer slowly with the saucepan lid on for about 2 to 2 and a half hours. Remember to stir every 30 mins and season it with salt and pepper if you think it needs it.

Step 4
Twenty minutes before the end of your cooking time, add in the sweet potato and lime juice. Once those twenty minutes are up, add in your spinach and stir it unto the curry until it wilts.

Step 5
Serve up your curry with a side of basmati rice and add some chopped coriander to garnish and add even more flavour. For an extra treat, you could have some naan bread or some poppadoms too!

So guys, I hope you all enjoyed reading this recipe and are maybe thinking about trying it out yourselves! It really is the perfect meal for this time of year and I know that I am going to be having it an awful lot. This dish is also a great batch recipe too, so feel free to freeze or refrigerate your leftovers so that they can be used for another day! What do you think of this tasty lamb & sweet potato curry? Will you be giving this delectable recipe a go? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!

My New Look Autumn Fashion Wish List

Hi guys. As the weather has taken a turn for the worse and it is now well and truly autumn here in England, I have been looking at updating my wardrobe a little and buying some items to keep me a little warmer. Although I am a summer girl through and through, I love the colours of autumnal clothing and one high street brand who are on point with these at the moment are New Look. Deep reds, purples, greens and monochrome items always catch my eye and New Look have these in abundance. So, today I have compiled a wish list of some of their best bits that I am hoping to purchase in the near future. Enjoy!

Dark Purple Bobble Stitch Zip Back Jumper - £19.99
Purple is my favourite colour, yet I do not have much of it in my wardrobe for some reason. When it's cold outside, my go to look is to wear on a simple jumper with a pair of jeans or leggings, throw on my parka coat and away I ago. This jumper certainly fits the bill for this and I love how it doesn't look too thick nor too thin, it's perfect! I also love the fact that the jumper has an exposed zip at the back, which gives it a little extra interest too.

Dark Grey Grid Check Scarf - £7.99
I have been looking for a checkered scarf that I really love for a while now and this particular one has really caught my eye. I love the fact that it is predominantly monochrome with just a hint of colour running through it, which means that it will go with every outfit that I wear this autumn/winter. I also like how long it is, which means that it will keep me nice and warm too!

Green Long Sleeve Check Shirt - £19.99
I am a huge lover of check shirts and already have quite a few in my collection, however, this green number is different to any of the others that I have in my wardrobe. I really like how versatile shirts are as they can be worn a number of different ways, as well as be worn on its own with a simple pair of skinny jeans. I am hoping to get my hands on this soon, as I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it!

Grey Double Flap Snakeskin Panel Satchel - £17.99
My black H&M handbag that I use every single day is looking a little worse for wear, so I am definitely on the hunt for a new one. I am not really a huge collector of handbags, in fact its one accessory that I seem to neglect. I have one set bag for day time and another for night time, and I rarely stray from that. However, this bag really got my attention as it is such a different look for me. I adore satchel style bags and I am in love with the pastel grey colour of this number too, as it will still match any outfit that I choose. 

Black Double Buckle Quilted Back Ankle Boots - £24.99
Last but certainly not least, I am after a new pair of boots to see me through autumn and winter. I have been wearing my New Look biker boots to death for as long as I can remember (I have had two pairs over the years,) but I also want a slightly less clumpy pair that I can wear with more feminine outfits. These ankle boots definitely fit the bill and I think that they will look great with a skater dress, wooly tights and a chunky cardigan. These boots are definitely high up on my wish list. In fact, they might be the first item that I purchase!

So, those are the five items that are currently on my fashion wish list. New Look have some amazing pieces at the moment, so I highly recommend that you check out their website or pop into your local store to have a look! Which item from my wish list is your favourite? What is on your own wish list at the moment? Please let me know by leaving a comment below, thank you!

Another Mini Lush Haul!

Hi guys. As I'm sure you are all aware by now, Lush have just released all of their new Halloween, Bonfire Night and Christmas products for this year both in store and online. I am super excited for all of the various new bath bombs, bubble bars and bath melts they have to offer and I knew that I had to get my hands on some as soon as possible. Therefore, when I heard that my friend was going to pass a Lush store yesterday, I asked her to pick me up a few bits. Two out of the three items I bought are from the new releases and the other is a product that I have been eyeing up for quite a while. So, today I thought that I would show you what items I went for and what my first impressions of them are. Let's get started!

Northern Lights Bath Bomb - £3.50
This is probably the product that I am most excited about out of the three! As it is based on Bonfire Night, this purple coloured bath bomb looks absolutely amazing. It has a calming jasmine and ylang ylang scent which is perfect for a cold and dark evening when you need a pick me up. Looking at the Lush website, the bomb gives your bath water a mystical array of colours as it fizzes away. Northern Lights also has lots of little confetti stars running through it which I think is such a lovely touch, plus it adds even more excitement to your bath time. I cannot wait to use it!

Candy Mountain Bubble Bar - £2.75
As I am such a huge fan of the Creamy Candy Bubble Bar already (it's my all time favourite Lush product,) I knew that I had to get it's Christmas themed equivalent. I absolutely adore its sweet candy floss scent and I am excited to have a gorgeous pink bath with lots of bubbles. I also love that the bar is covered in glitter dust too, as it makes it feel so festive. Bubble bars tend to make my skin feel really soft and nourished too, which is just what I need at this time of year. Who knows, Candy Mountain might overtake Creamy Candy is my new favourite product but let's hope not, seeing as it is limited edition!

Sakura Bath Bomb - £3.25
Last but certainly not least, I have been wanting to try this bath bomb for quite a while now. I love fruity fragrances the most out of any scent and this bomb combines this with some floral elements too. Sakura contains jasmine oil, lemon oil and orange flower to create this gorgeous scent, which I think will be perfect for when I want to freshen up as opposed to the other two products that are more relaxing and soothing. I am not too sure what colour my bath water will turn with this one but I cannot wait to find out.

So, those are the three items that my friend very kindly picked up for me whilst out shopping yesterday. I am really excited to try them all out and I'm certain that I will be buying some more Christmas products very soon! What is your favourite Lush product? Which product from my mini haul do you like the look of the most? Please let me know by leaving a comment below!

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!

Rimmel Provocalips Lip Colour Review

After hearing lots of rave reviews about Rimmel's new lip product 'Provocalips' from various beauty bloggers, I just knew that I had to pick up a couple of shades for myself. They sounded so amazing that I even went down to my local Boots on the first day of their release to the general public. Plus, there is a deal on at the moment whereby if you spend over £10 on any Rimmel products, you receive a Lash Accelerator Endless mascara for free - which of course, I opted for! I am a bit of a lip product junkie and it my favourite make-up product by far, I just love trying out tons of different colours and formulas! After only having these products for two days, I am already really impressed with them and so I thought it was only right that I did a review on this brand new launch. Let's get started!

The Provocalips range (RRP £6.99 each) comes in eight shades; Skinny Dipping, Make Your Move, Dare To Pink, I'll Call You, Little Minx, Kiss Me You Fool, Play With Fire and Kiss Fatal. What's really great about this range is that there really is a colour for everybody as there are both natural and bold shades to choose from. 

Rimmel claim that Provocalips can last up to 16 hours on your lips whilst being kiss proof, transfer proof and food proof. Those are usually some pretty hefty claims to live up to but so far, I would agree with all of those statements! The product is extremely long wearing and it barely fades at all throughout the day. You may need to touch it up just a tad as you reach late afternoon but just two applications throughout the day is pretty incredible compared to standard lip products.

The product itself has two steps. Step 1 is applying the colour to your lips, which will then dry down to a sticky matte consistency within about 30 seconds. Then, the second step is to apply the clear balm that acts as a topcoat for the product. Not only does this stage ensure that your lip colour is locked into place but it adds a lot of moisture and shine back into the lips too. Both steps also have a doe foot applicator which is the perfect size to apply the product onto your lips quickly and precisely.

The two shades in the range that I went for are 'I'll Call You' (a classic pink shade) and 'Kiss Fatal' (a deep purple shade.) I love how 'I'll Call You' is a shade that can be easily be worn during the day time when you don't want to go to OTT. On the other hand, 'Kiss Fatal' is a vampy and darker colour which will look great in the evening and for nights out, especially as we are now entering into autumn/winter.

I would say that the only downside to this product is that the top coat is not as long lasting as the actual lip colour, so that tends to disappear quite quickly. This means that your lips may start to feel a little dry and dehydrated, although it's simple to apply the top coat without a mirror to make your lips feel nourished again. That's a small price to pay in my opinion, as quickly swiping on the balm every now and again is not very time consuming.

Overall, I absolutely love this new launch from Rimmel and I am already looking forward to picking up a few more shades. 'Make Your Move' and 'Kiss Me You Fool' are definitely the next two on my list! What do you think of this new range? Have you tied out Provocalips yet and which colour did you purchase? Please let me know by leaving a comment below, I always love reading your opinions!