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!

The 'Sunkissed Summer' Tag!

The weather here in England has been amazing (although slightly muggy) lately, so I am most definitely in the mood for summer! Therefore, I thought that doing the Sunkissed Summer tag would be a great way of sharing everything that I love about this beautiful season with all of you. I recently saw Miss Glamorazzi's video and her responses inspired me to try this tag out for myself. I have really been enjoying doing more tags on my blog lately, as I feel that they enable my followers to get to know me a little bit better. Plus, they are really fun to type up, so let's get started!

1. What is your go-to product for a sun kissed summer glow? 
I am not big fan of fully-fledged fake tanning products because I do not think that they look very natural on me. However, I have been loving Garnier's Summer Body Moisturising Lotion. I can build it up gradually to my desired colour, it glides on seamlessly and just gives me an all round healthy glow!

2. What book would you recommend for a summer read?
I have recently read two books in a series of three called 'Losing It' and 'Faking It' by Cora Carmack, which was a really great read. I need to buy the last book pronto! I also love anything by John Green too, especially Looking For Alaska.

3. What's your signature summer scent this year?
This is definitely a toss up between Vera Wang's Lovestruck Floral Rush or Marc Jacobs' Honey perfume. Both of these scents are very appropriate for summer as they are sweet, light and fresh!

4. The sun is shining and it's time to get outside! What's your favorite thing to do?
To be quite honest, I just like to sunbathe and relax in my garden with a good book. I love topping up my tan and that is my main aim when I'm outdoors during the summer. I also really enjoy having barbecues with my friends and family.

5. You're on the boardwalk and your stomach is grumbling. What's your go-to summer beach food?
Without a doubt, the first thing I would go for is an ice-cream or an ice lolly. I especially love Cornetto's, Maxibons or Fruit Pastille Ice Lollies.

6. Sunscreen is always important, but it's a MUST in summer! What's your favorite? 
The two bottles I have on the go at the moment are Garnier's Ambre Solaire Light & Silky SPF20 and Piz Buin's Ultra Light Hydrating Sun Spray SPF30. I like both of these formulas because they are lightweight, not overly sticky and leave a nice sheen on my skin.

7. After a day in the summer sun and heat, what do you do to cool off?
I like to take a cold shower to remove any suntan lotion I have on and to cool myself down. I also like to take the time to look after my skin and thoroughly cleanse it etc, as it can get very clogged up throughout the day.

8. How do you wear your hair in the summer? 
I either have my usual style, which is loose beachy waves, or I have it up in a high ponytail if it is particularly hot outside.

9. Must-have nail polish for summer 2014?
There are two shades in particular that I have been wearing lately; China Glaze 'In A Lily Bit' and OPI 'Cajun Shrimp.' The China Glaze polish is a really milky lilac colour which looks great with a tan and Cajun Shrimp is a bright orange-y red shade that is very striking!

10. Sometimes it just feels good to chill out and watch Netflix. What shows/movies do you recommend for summer?
I am into a lot of programmes at the moment, so here are a few of them; Pretty Little Liars, Hart Of Dixie, Keeping Up With The Kardashians and How I Met Your Mother.

11. Do you wear liquid foundation, BB cream, or tinted moisturizer in the summer?
I still tend to wear my liquid foundation during the summer but if I do want to opt for a lighter base, I use Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream - which has an SPF of 30 too!

12. It's super bright outside! Do you reach for sunglasses or a hat?
Definitely sunglasses. I know that wearing a hat in the sun is very beneficial and it protects you but they just do not suit me at all!

13. What is your summer jam this year?
Over the past two weeks, I have been non-stop listening to Ariana Grande's new single called Break Free. It's so catchy and it always puts me in a good mood when I listen to it!

14. Do you have a summer bucket list? If so, share some things on the list.
I do not have a bucket list, in fact I do not think I have ever made one! My only aim is to spend lots of time with my friends, family and my boyfriend.

15. Bikini, tankini, or one piece? Show us your fave bathing suit this year!
I am definitely a bikini girl and I recently bought a gorgeous one from Forever 21 (see here.) I just love the blue and white tie-dye pattern! Plus, I love all of the little cut-outs which make me feel more sexy and womanly!

16. Summer means heat... and sweat! What's your favorite sweat proof product this year? 
I have two main products that help me stay sweat free throughout summer. The first one is Sure's Maximum Protection Deodorant which is a cream formula that you oddly apply at night time but it works wonders, I highly recommend it. I may even do an in-depth blog post on it soon! The second product that I like to use is Urban Decay's All Nighter Make-Up Setting Spray. It makes sure that my make-up does not slide or melt off all day, it's seriously amazing!

17. Summer wouldn't be complete without a scoop (or two) of ice cream! If you could create your own ice cream flavor, what would it be?
I really like chocolate orange flavoured things like Jaffa Cakes or Terry's Chocolate Orange. So, I would really enjoy some kind of vanilla ice-cream with chocolate and orange running through it. Yum!

And those are all of my answers for the Sunkissed Summer tag, I hope you enjoyed reading my answers and got to know me a little better. As always, I would like to tag everybody who would like to give this tag a go for themselves. However, I would also like to tag the following blogs; Sailor Jennie, The Imperfect Beauty Queen & Efflorescent Dream. Thank you for reading and please link your responses below if you complete the tag yourselves :)

Soap And Glory's 'Thick And Fast Mascara' and 'Glow All Out'

Hi guys! Yet again, I would like to apologise for the fact that I haven't written anything since my Liebster Award post, which was posted just over a week ago now. I have really been struggling inspiration wise to come up with some new and innovative posts for you all to read. Also, my unfortunate lack of funds has prevented me from buying lots of new products to review. However, I have bought two new products today - one of which I am very happy with and one that I am a little disappointed with. Whilst in town today, I thought that I would pop into Boots to see if Maybelline's Baby Lips lip balms were on sale in store yet, seeing as at the moment you can only buy them online. Then, I stumbled upon an amazing deal from Soap & Glory where you can buy two products for just £15. I thought that this was an offer that I could not pass up, seeing as both of the products seen above would have usually come to £21. I have never given Soap & Glory's make-up range a try but I am a huge fan of their bath and body products (the Sugar Crush Scrub being my absolute favourite!) So, without rambling on any further, here are the two products that I purchased and what I thought of them.

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Falsh Lash Effect Mascara in Superjet Black - £10.00
Being a girl with very thin, straight and sparse lashes, I often struggle to find a mascara that works for me. I have tried so many mascaras on the market that claim to do various things to lashes, yet none of them live up to my expectations and unfortunately, this mascara is no different. I tried this product out as soon as I got home and it did give me a little more volume at the base of my eyelashes but it gave me no added length whatsoever. Maybe if I had layered this on top of another lengthening mascara the end result may have been a lot better, this is something that I will have to experiment with in due course. In conclusion, I am not overly enamoured by this product. I will definitely be sticking to my two favourite mascaras that I find work with my troublesome lashes, which are No7's Extreme Length and Maybelline's The Volum' Express Colossal mascaras. 

Soap & Glory Glow All Out Luminising Face Powder - £11.00
This product has without a doubt lived up to my expectations, it is amazing! For a while now, I have desperately wanted to find a luminising face powder that did not have too much glitter or shimmer in it (which I find is the case with a lot of high street brands.) The powder is extremely pigmented and you only need to lightly sweep your brush across the surface of the powder. A little product will go a long way and so this powder is great value for money in my opinion, as it will last for ages. I can definitely see this becoming one of my every day make-up staples because I have quite a dull complexion and this powder highlights my face really well and gives it a nice, subtle glow. I would absolutely recommend you all to try this product!

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this mini review. Hopefully in the next few weeks I will be posting a lot more regularly than I have been, as I have a few post ideas in the pipeline which are different to what I have done before! Thank you :)

The Liebster Award!

Hi guys! I was very surprised to log in to my Blogger account this morning to find a comment on one of my posts from Emilythinks, a fellow fashion and beauty blogger, saying that she wanted to nominate me for the Liebster Award. This award is being used as a way to introduce new bloggers with under 200 followers on to the blogger scene. The way this works is that bloggers nominate each other and it works a bit like a chain. The rules of the Liebster Award is as follows: you must answer the questions that your nominator asked you, link 10 up and coming bloggers that you would like to nominate in your post and inform the nominees so they can answer your own questions. So, without further ado, here are the questions that Emily wanted to ask me!

1. If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be?

I would love to visit Los Angeles. I think that the atmosphere there would be absolutely amazing, as well as the weather. I would want to visit all of the famous tourist destinations too such as The Hollywood Walk of Fame, Universal Studios and so on. Also, if some of you do not know, I am a huge fan of the TV show 'Friends' and I would love to take a tour of the Central Perk set. And finally, who could resist a bit of American shopping?! I would love to take advantage of the shops that we do not have here in England, such as Brandy Melville.

2. If you could only use 1 brand of beauty for the rest of your life, what would it be?

This is such a tough question. I think I would have to go with Maybelline because it took me so long to find a foundation that worked for me and matched my skin tone well, which is the Dream Satin Liquid Foundation, and I could not give that up.

3. Straighteners or curlers?

Definitely straighteners because I use them to curl my hair anyway, how clever of me ;)

4. Foundation or tinted moisturiser?

Foundation without a doubt. Tinted moisturiser doesn't give me the coverage that I desire. However, I use BB cream if I need to wear make-up in the sun, due to it's SPF and how light it feels on the skin as opposed to sun cream.

5. Favourite high street brand?

Fashion wise, Topshop would definitely be up there in my favourites but I am going to go with New Look because I own a lot more items of New Look clothing. Make-up wise, I would have to say that I love Rimmel.

6. One lipstick you couldn't live without?

This is a balm stain as opposed to a normal lipstick but I couldnt live without Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm in Crush. It is a lovely deep berry colour and it is my go-to product on a night out to amp up my look. Plus, as it is a stain, it lasts for absolutely ages!

7. If you had to describe yourself as an animal, what would you be?
I really struggled with this question as I am not very good at describing myself so I asked my friend Lucy this question. She seemed to think that I most resemble a fennec (desert) fox. These foxes are petite, like me, and it lives in hot conditions and Lucy knows that I love summer and sunbathing. Last but not least, fennec foxes can be timid but are still very sociable - which is exactly like me!

8. Favourite high end make-up brand and why?

I'm not really a high-end girl due to my lack of funds but I do own a MAC lipstick and a few other bits, so I'm going to say MAC. I'd buy so much from them if I could!

9. What is the wackiest hair colour you've ever had?

In 2009 and 2010, I decided to dye my hair red. Before that, I used to have different colours put underneath my blonde hair such as purple.

10. What is your make-up summer staple?

This is so hard to whittle it down to just one product but I am going to be boring and say primer. I have oily/combination skin and my base is prone to coming off very easily, especially in the summer months. 

The 10 bloggers that I have decided to nominate are as follows: 
Coco Mykel, Byootee, Peach Pow, Beyond Imagination, Curls And Pearls, You Me Friday, Tiffany's Beauty Box, Lanie Cakes, Lydia Rose and Call Of Beauty

And the questions that I would like to ask these bloggers are: 

1. What is your favourite item of clothing in your wardrobe?
2. What is one make-up product that you would like to try but haven't got around to yet?
3. Which would you rather go with out; bronzer or blusher?
4. Currently, what is your favourite perfume?
5. Who is your favourite beauty blogger?
6. Over the years, what is the best beauty tip that you have learnt?
7. How much is the most expensive item in your make-up bag worth and what is it?
8. Have you ever made any major beauty mistakes?
9. Fashion wise, who inspires you?
10. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

Once again, I would like to thank Emily for nominating me for this award and I am very much looking forward to reading the responses of those who I have tagged :)

Summer Beauty: Essential Products

Hi guys! Following on from my previous post, 'Summer Style: Crop Tops,' I thought that today I would share with you some hair & beauty products that have been getting me through this lovely spell of hot weather that we have been having in England lately. Soaring temperatures often means that our make-up is prone to sliding off and our hair becomes unruly, which are both major beauty no-nos. Whether you are off on holiday or are just enjoying the beautiful sunshine here in this country, the products I have chosen should definitely be essentials in your beauty kit. So, here are the few key products that I have chosen... let's get started!

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream in Light - £7.99

During the summer months, it's very important to take care of your skin by using products that contain SPF to protect us from the suns harmful rays. I love this BB cream by Maybelline because it's so light on your skin and it almost feels like you are wearing nothing on your face at all. Plus, it has SPF 30 in it too which is perfect for days when you still want to wear make-up despite the heat. BB creams are great alternatives to foundation during the summer, as wearing heavy make-up can clog your skin and cause you to sweat and eventually break out (ew!) I simply apply this product to my skin using a buffing brush and then set it with powder to make sure it doesn't slip off of my skin during the day.

Carmex Cherry Lip Balm -£2.69

This lip balm by Carmex does exactly what it says on the tin (or tube in this case.) It soothes, relieves and moisturises your lips and also leaves them with a nice glossy, sheen too. When out in the sun, many of us neglect our lips and forget to protect them in the same way that we would protect our skin with sun tan lotion. Luckily, this balm contains SPF 15 to keep your lips from burning or drying out in the sun. In addition, I love this product for it's delicious cherry flavour. Carmex also make other versions of this lip balm including Strawberry and Mint, which smell just as lovely. 

Batiste Dry Shampoo Tropical - £1.99

Over the last few years, dry shampoo has become a cult product for so many people and I am a huge fan of Batiste in particular. Batiste can instantly refresh your hair and stop it from looking greasy inbetween washes, as it is unhealthy to wash your locks every day as it strips your hair of it's natural oils. In addition, the spray adds lots of volume to your hair and so if you have very fine or lifeless hair, you can also use this spray to add a bit of uplift to your tresses. To use this product, simply spray it on to your roots and then massage it in (you can also brush it through with a comb if needed.)  This dry shampoo comes in a variation of scents (including Cherry and Blush,) so there is definitely a scent to suit everyone. I use the tropical scent which is a lovely coconut smell, which is so refreshing and it reminds me of being on holiday. Batiste also do travel mini versions of this product, which are perfect for if you are on the go and need to slip a can into your handbag.

Revlon Photo Ready Perfecting Primer - £9.99

The key to getting your make-up to stay on all day is to prep your skin using a primer. Primers mattify your skin, which decreases shine, and creates a base for the rest of your make-up. In turn, this will allow your foundation to stay on much longer than it usually would and prevent it from slipping. I love this Revlon Photo Ready primer as it also really minimises the appearance of your pores and any imperfections that you may have. Of course, high end and premium primers will probably do a much better job, but I think that this primer is so affordable and it is easily accessible in the high-street. However saying this, I would love to own a Smashbox primer as they are meant to be amazing!

Kleenex Shine Absorbing Sheets - 99p

Last but not least, this pack of 50 blotting papers from Kleenex are so useful. Hot and humid weather often causes your skin to become a lot more oily - especially around your t-zone area. Normally, we combat shine by applying powder, but doing this several times a day is not only time consuming, but it is also bad for your skin too. Caking on layers of powder throughout the day can clog your skin and can cause a variety of problems including spots and blemishes. Instead, consider using shine absorbing sheets. They absorb the oil on your face just by you dabbing the sheet on to your face. The greatest thing about this product is that the packaging is so compact, so you can literally pop the sheets in to your handbag and you will always be prepared for when that shininess appears. I bought these sheets when they were on sale in Sainsbury's for 99p and I have since looked for them online to find the original price. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find them on websites like Boots or Superdrug etc. I have only found them in stock on various pharmacy and beauty websites where the price seems to vary. However, there are so many brands out there that also do blotting papers which are widely available in shops and I highly recommend you give them a go!

I hope that this little essential products post has been helpful and that you have enjoyed reading about them. As always, I love reading your opinions so if you have ever used any of these products or even if you want to after reading these mini reviews, please do not hesitate to leave a comment below. Thank you :)

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 :)