January Favourites

Hi everyone! I haven't done a favourites post in so long because I was being very boring and using the same products ALL the time, however in January I've mixed it up a bit and have found some new products that I've absolutely loved! 

- Lush American Cream hair conditioner (250g £9.25). I bought this at their Oxford street store when I was in London after seeing people always raving about their hair products and I'd never actually tried any of them. I picked this one because I absolutely love the smell, it's like a strawberry vanialla milkshake, I love it! The best thing though is I just find that my hair is so much nicer after using it and I find it far easier to tame and make it do what I want, plus I feel like the bottle will last ages so that's always a bonus!

- Nivea Vanilla & Macadamia Lip Butter (£1.99). I got this in a little set of lip tins for Christmas along with a coconut one and I was unsure before I actually smelt it because I really hate nuts, it doesn't smell nutty at all though it has the most amazing vanilla smell, reminds me of baking or cookies! Plus it is so moisturising, my lips feel amazing after I use it. I just really like these because they are so good to put in your bag to use all day, but this is the scent I would recommend because it's so good!

- Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara (£7.99). I am so late to the party with this one! I was using Benefit's Roller Lash and I bought one tube of that and loved it, then bought another when it ran out and it was just never the same, I really didn't like it and I have no idea why it wasn't as good, so I knew that everyone absolutely loved the Maybelline mascara and it's so much cheaper as well so in my head it was a bonus if I liked it because repurchasing wouldn't be as painful! I am so happy it didn't disappoint I absolutely love it! It makes my eyelashes look so much longer and it doesn't make them go clumpy at all, plus it's far less messy than a lot of mascaras I have used where I get it everywhere but I haven't had that problem at all with this.

- MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle (£24). I've had this for a while now but I stopped using it when I got the Mary Lou Manizer however I recently dropped and smashed it (it was so sad) so I went back to this to save my buying another and fell in love with it all over again! It gives such a nice subtle glow, I think it is not as in your face as some highlighters but I actually like that because the glow it gives is so natural, but still definitely noticeable! It's also perfect for fair skin tones, and I am so pale at the minute so it works perfectly.

- Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick in Bitch Perfect (£23). The formula of these lipsticks are so amazing, definitely my favourite formula of any lipstick I've used, but I really love this shade because it's such a good day or night lipstick. It's a slightly warm toned pink and I just think it is the prettiest nude shade and I've been loving it for nights out recently, even though it's so creamy it also has really good staying power.

- Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla (£22). Another product that I'd had for a while and stopped using, however this month I got the worst spot ever on my chin (if I ever get spots that's where they go it's so annoying) and I should of left it alone however I didn't, as none of us do and it went bright red and even bigger so I was having a nightmare! I actually had work on the night and I was so upset in that I had this monster on my chin for everyone to see, however this concealer covered it up so well that it was barely noticeable I couldn't actually believe it. I saw my boyfriend on the night when he picked me up from work and he was all "you can't even see it" then I took my make up off and he just said "oh my god", that's when you know you've got a good concealer! If you want a heavy duty concealer with amazing coverage I would definitely recommend this! 

- The Body Shop Strawberry Hand Cream (£4). I've been so obsessed with this all month, it's so affordable and the perfect hand bag size plus it is honestly the nicest smelling hand cream I've ever smelt! It isn't greasy either but it leaves your hands so moisturised, I will probably continue loving this until I've used it all because it smells so good!

I also have been loving one non-beauty favourite in particular, and when I saw loving I mean full on obsessed, basically I'm a die hard Big Brother fan! I've watched it for years now and I get so into it every year, however the Celebrity version is on currently and it has been so amazing and so engrossing! If any of you have seen it or have heard about the Stephanie and Jeremy drama that is definitely the main thing that's had me hooked, it's just made the best TV! I could actually go on about it for so long, but I won't because I know a lot of people really don't like it, it's definitely a love or hate thing. Definitely excited to see the back of January now, let me know in the comments what products you've been loving this month!

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a lovely December and are getting excited for Christmas, once I break up from university tomorrow I will definitely be in the Christmas mood! I've said this before and I'll say it again but I am far too lazy when it comes to skincare, and I've finally become fed up of being jealous of other people's nice skin and decided to do something about it! I've wanted to try Kiehl's for so long but obviously it isn't the cheapest brand out there and it always put me off, plus I never really knew what to try first. On Black Friday Debenhams had discounts on their beauty range and I decided to just bite the bullet and try something, and since my skin is so dry and it is even worse now that it's so cold I decided to buy the Ultra Facial Cream.

I decided to buy the smaller 50ml size just to make sure that I actually liked it, I had really high expectations actually when I bought this because I'd heard so many good things and also for the price it had better be good!

"Inspired by our original beloved Ultra Facial Moisturiser, this 24 hour, light-textured daily hydrator leaves skin comfortable and visibly well-balanced, particularly in harsh weather conditions. Our formula is made with Antarcticine - a Glycoprotein extracted from microorganisms sourced from sea glaciers and notable for an ability to protect skin from cold temperatures - as well as Imperata Cylindrica, a plant indigenous to the Australian desert which possesses superb water retention properties in dry conditions"

I am absolutely in love with this product, I'm so happy that it lived up to expectations! I used it as a night cream after I'd used all my other products and my skin instantly felt so much more moisturised and when I woke up it will still so soft and felt so much springier and healthier. Also it has a slight scent but nothing over powering, however I love the smell it smells really fresh and clean.

I think that some people may be put off by the fact that it is a cream as they can be quite heavy and leave you feeling a bit greasy, however it's surprisingly light. Not light enough for a day cream in my opinion but you can wear it so comfortably on a night and it doesn't feel overly heavy on the skin. I don't know how well people with oily skin would like this, maybe something a bit lighter would work for them but I think if you have normal or dry skin you will absolutely love this! I noticed a difference to my skin overnight and I can't wait to see how my skin improves over time using this. Obviously it isn't cheap at £24 for the 50ml and £43.50 for the 125ml but it really won't disappoint and if you suffer from dry skin especially at this time of year I would definitely say it's worth the money. I really want to try the Creamy Avocado Eye treatment next as I have fallen in love with this brand. Let me know in the comments if you've tried any Kiehl's products and what you'd recommend!

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

Hi everyone! So excited to be writing this post because it's a product I've wanted for ages, it's been so hyped about especially for people with dry skin so I had to get it and it is the Too Faced Born This Way foundation. I really love Too Faced but I only ever really use their eye shadows but they have never let me down with them, and when they released their foundation and everyone was talking about how great it is and perfect for anyone with dry skin I was so desperate for it! However in the UK I can only get it online, I buy Too Faced from Debenhams and I never have any issue with this usually as I tend to buy their palettes, so I was really wary of buying this foundation because I was scared I'd get my shade wrong as I couldn't test it out in person. So I caved recently and told myself to just get it, I usually use Findation to match me to new products but as this is a newer foundation it hasn't been added onto Findation yet. I basically had to scour the internet for swatches until I found one I kind of liked, I settled on Warm Nude and....I got it wrong! How annoying is it when that happens! The most frustrating thing is you can't send it back because you need to test it to make sure it's right and as soon as you do you can't refund it, I see Youtubers from America talking about how lots of shops let you return used products if they weren't right for you and it makes me so jealous! I absolutely loved the formula though even though the shade is too dark for me so I bought it again in the shade I was going to get and this is much better, I'm stuck with two of them now so I have put the other one on Depop in the hopes someone will take it off my hands.

The shade I have now is Vanilla which is better for me however it isn't as perfect as I would want it, but what can you do, I'm not going to buy a third bottle! I was so excited to get it though, the packaging is so gorgeous which is just expected from Too Faced really, they never disappoint. It's really girly in a really pretty pink box, the foundation is in a frosted glass bottle although this doesn't make it too bulky thankfully and I love the gold writing, it's just too pretty! Plus it comes with a pump which is a bonus as who really wants to buy a high end foundation AND a pump for it as well, so thank you Too Faced! 

I absolutely love the formula for this, it really did live up to the hype! I feel like if you have dry skin like me then you need this in your life! It's infused with coconut water to keep your skin moisturised, alpine rose to brighten skin's appearance and improve elasticity and hyaluronic acid to make your skin look smoother. For me having dry skin makes finding a good foundation really difficult because all the ones that work give a dewy finish, I love the dewy look however it's not what I want all the time and it felt impossible to find a foundation that kept my skin moisturised but also not full on dewy, just really nice radiant smooth skin and that is exactly what this product does. 

Too Faced claims this is a medium to full coverage foundation and I would definitely agree, it has a fairly thick consistency and when you blend it the coverage is really good, only thing is it took a bit more work to blend but once I had it covered up the majority of my blemishes, only the really bad ones needed some more concealer on them. I'm always wary of fuller coverage foundations as I never want to feel like I'm wearing a mask but I didn't get that from this product, it definitely didn't feel light on the skin and I could tell I was wearing make up however it didn't leave me feeling cakey. It says on the box that it will provide natural coverage, I agree with this and at the same time I don't, it did make my skin look like it was in really good condition however you could tell I was wearing make up so I wouldn't say you would think I just had really great skin, it did look like I had foundation on, this isn't necessarily bad though, my skin just looked so much better and way more flawless that it obviously was the foundation. It doesn't make you look like you have a ton of make up on though don't worry! 

Biggest bonus for me right now though is that with the smoother, radiant skin it also covered up my dry patches which is a huge feat for any product to achieve right now as my skin seems to have lost all moisture this winter! Also my red pigmentation on the lower section of my cheeks was basically coverage up which never happens with foundation I feel like usually it is just emphasized as there is also light texture on the pigmentation. 

This definitely isn't the cheapest foundation at £29 however if you are looking for a foundation to help with your dry skin, that is medium to full coverage and gives a really nice satin finish then this ticks all the boxes, I'm so impressed with it! Definitely could be my new favourite foundation, I will have to use it for a couple more weeks to see if it can replace the Luminous Silk foundation but it's looking good so far, let me know in the comments if you've tried this and what you think!

NYX Angel Veil

Hi everyone! If anyone of you read my previous post you will have seen that last weekend I was in Manchester doing some Christmas shopping, the great thing about visiting bigger cities to go shopping is that I can get hold of some products that I might only be able to find online and I don't know about you but I'd much rather see something in person before I buy it rather than get it online. I recently discovered NYX and I've loved the products that I have tried but I could only find it from the NYX UK website or on Selfridges, so when I was in Manchester and saw they had a stand in Boots I was so excited! I'm really into primers at the minute, I think when you have problematic skin like me a primer can make such a difference to your make up so I definitely buy into them, I'd heard about NYX's Angel Veil primer before and people seemed to like it so I picked it up in the shop and I have now tried and tested it to share my thoughts with you!

This primer basically sells itself on giving you that smooth velvet looking skin that everyone loves, one thing I think is lacking however is that it doesn't say what skin type it would work for and normally I've never had an issue with this however in this case sadly I did. I think it's important to bear in mind that I have dry skin and it is nearly December so it's very cold and my skin has lost all hydration and is now extra dry and when I used this primer I felt like all it did was dry me out further and I was so self conscious because you could see all my dry patches, the flaky skin on my nose stood out when normally primers I use can disguise this along with my foundation.

The primer is white and has a fairly thick consistency, once blended it becomes invisible but you can feel it on your fingers after application, you know when it's blended in but it almost has a powdery feel? I definitely had that, it was such a shame because I had such high hopes for this product and the name Angel Veil to me kind of gives off that healthy glow look but it was so different from what I imagined and I think this is down to lack of information that I could find about it.

It did have it's good points though, I felt like my makeup wasn't going to transfer at all, I could definitely tell it was going to stay put. The biggest issue was simply the fact that my skin is so dry and it just didn't work for me however if you have oily skin I think you would really like this because it will give your makeup that satin look, in the areas on my face where my skin is relatively normal my makeup did apply smoother. At £12 as well it wasn't really a splurge so I think it's worth trying if your skin is oily because you might love it, it just sadly didn't work for me. I'm still on the hunt for my new favourite primer as nothing has beat Illamasqua's Hydra Veil yet however I've got the Becca Backlight Priming Filter as one of my Christmas presents so I absolutely cannot wait to try that! Let me know in the comments if you've tried any NYX products and what you think!

Lush Christmas Haul

Hi everyone! So I just got back from a lovely weekend in Manchester to do some Christmas shopping and visit the Christmas markets, they're amazing by the way however very very busy! We went on the Saturday and you could hardly move so if you are thinking about going I would definitely recommend going on a weekday as it will be much quieter and you will enjoy it a lot more. The food at the markets is insanely good, I had a spicy bratwurst and then chocolate covered strawberries from a Bavarian sweet stand and they were so nice! Anyway I had to pay a visit to Lush while I was there and I haven't been to the store in a while so it was so good to see all the Christmas stuff out and I obviously had to buy some!

From left to right:

- Golden Wonder. This one is huge and it smells amazing, it's got a lime oil and sweet orange scent so it has a really refreshing citrus scent. The website says that if you shake it you'll hear hidden contents and once it is in the bath it reveals a sparkling turquoise explosion. This one sounds so cool I actually can't wait to use it!

- Butterbear. This one is probably one of my favourites it's so cute and it has the nicest subtle smell, it's vanilla scented and it has cocoa butter in it so it will be really moisturising, plus it is really cute! It's also only £1,95 which I think is really good and it is one of the cheaper products from the Christmas range.

- Father Christmas. This is another massive one, I really really like this it looks so cool and the scent reminds me a lot of Snow Fairy. The website says it smells like sweet spun candyfloss and that once it is in the bath it reveals a holly green centre so I am very excited to use this! 

- Snow Angel. This one is a bath melt rather than a bath bomb and I really love the website's description of this it says that it 'dissolves into a flurry of snow, blanket your bath in white foam before revealing a shimmering golden glow'. This is another one with cocoa butter in so it will nice and moisturising, it has a marzipan scent however it is really subtle as I don't like marzipan but this smells lovely and it has a hint of rose in it which balances it out really nicely. 

- Snow Fairy. Would it really be a Lush Christmas haul without getting this product? It smells amazing and it is so popular, I was chatting to the woman at the till who was saying that they get customers coming in around May asking if Snow Fairy is back yet, people love it! They actually have a massive 1kg bottle of it selling for £21.35 I believe so if you love to stock up for the year then that would be really good value for you, I got the 250g one for £7.95 which I think is a bit pricey for shower gel however it's so worth it! It's candyfloss scented and it smells so good you want to eat it, I just love it and the scent reminds me so much of Christmas now!

I didn't actually get any bubble bars because I'm not too keen on them, I prefer just chucking a bath bomb in and then you're done but they did have some really nice bubble bars as well so make sure you have a look if you go in the shop. I don't know about anyone else but I am 100% in the Christmas spirit now, I've only got three weeks left until I break up from uni, my work Christmas party is in two weeks now and I've nearly finished all my shopping so I am feeling very organised and festive even though it's only November! Let me know in the comments if you've bought any of Lush's Christmas range and what you've been loving!

Soap & Glory GLAM-O-FLAGE

Hi everyone! Apologies for the lack of posts the past week I have been completely swamped with uni work, if any of you are in your 3rd year at uni or have experienced it before then you will definitely know what I mean! In fact as we speak I am writing this post listening to Justin Bieber's new album (which is amazing by the way) to take a break from preparing for a presentation I have to do in my seminar tomorrow, I have got the presentation fear right now, public speaking is not my idea of fun. So what better way to make my self feel better than talk about Christmas gifts! I absolutely love Soap & Glory but I love them 10x more at Christmas, my Mum usually gets be the big gift box they release quite close to Christmas full of really cool stuff however I still haven't used the one from last year because you get so much in it so when I saw this really cool make up set I really wanted to try it, especially considering I had never tried any Soap & Glory make up before.

I bought this set from Boots and it retails at £20 which I think is such a good price considering how much you get inside the set and it's a really good way for you to try a bunch of products from a brand you have never tried before so you can find out what you like. The set includes:

- Glow All Out luminising face powder

- Supercat carbon black eyeliner pen

- Thick & Fast high definition collagen coat mascara

- Sexy Mother Pucker lip lacquer in Charm Offensive 

- Lid Stuff shadow shades in Cream Soda, Copper & Choccy

You also get two brushes in this set, one for your eye shadows and one for your highlighter. I actually really love this and I think it's such good value, if you haven't seen any of Soap & Glory's 2015 Christmas range then you definitely need to have a look because they have some really good stuff in! Let me know in the comments the best Christmas gifts you've seen out so far I'm always looking for more to add to my list!

Morphe 35O Palette

Hi everyone! So excited to finally be writing this post because this product has been a nightmare for me to get my hands on! I'd heard of the Morphe 35O palette from Jaclyn Hill and I fell in love instantly, it was heaven for anyone who loves warm tones plus the palettes themselves are such good value for money. However as soon as this would go on sale it would sell out so quickly, on top of that you had to get it shipped from the US as there was no stockists in the UK that sold this palette. I saw that it was on sale again and I was debating whether to get it, as it was actually a pre-sale and the palette wouldn't actually be shipping until around a month after you had bought it, along with the shipping time to the UK on top of that. I gave in however and bought it and waited for what felt like a lifetime for it to finally get shipped. Then I got the email to say it had shipped after about a month, two weeks after that it has finally arrived and it is AMAZING! So worth the wait, I'm just in love!

I was so happy when I opened it and saw how pretty it was! It features 35 matte and shimmering shadows so it is such good value for money! It is very convenient that it arrived today actually because I was scrolling Cult Beauty today, a UK website that I actually love and saw that they were stocking it and it is available right now! You can get it here for only £25, I wish I'd known about this a month ago! However I don't know how long it will be in stock for so if you want it I would get it fast! 

The quality is so good as well, you'd think for such a good price such a large palette the quality would suffer however it doesn't at all. I do prefer the shimmer shades to the mattes, the mattes aren't bad it's just the shimmer shades are amazing! I have done some swatches of a few of the shades that stood out to me.

I'm obsessed with the middle shade in this picture it's so pretty! Bear in mind these aren't the heaviest swatches and the pigmentation is actually really good! They are very creamy and blendable, I am really impressed with the quality. As it includes 35 shades I knew it wasn't going to be the smallest palette ever but it isn't as ginormous as I thought it would be and surprisingly it isn't bulky at all.

I actually think this is the perfect Autumn palette, I love warm tones as well so I will be getting so much use out of this! Let me know what you think of this palette or any other Morphe products!

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Mini Lipstick Charms

Hi everyone! I know that some of you might be thinking that it's too early to be posting about Christmas gifting in October however I can't help myself! I just skip over Halloween and get excited for Christmas as soon as October comes around plus it's very nearly November so this is how I justify it to myself! I just love Christmas gifting too, in my opinion it's so much more fun than receiving the standard products that are out all year round, I'm obsessed with the cute little sets plus as soon as I see the words 'limited edition' I'm set on having it, definitely a little problem of mine, however I'm hoping I'm not the only one? Anyway I've been having a really rubbish couple of weeks, do you ever feel like life just throws everything at you all at once and it just seems like one thing after another? It's been one of those times! So I was having a browse online and I saw the Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Mini Lipstick Charms Christmas set, this was actually out last year as well and I really wanted it but I saw it too close to Christmas and it had sold out so I jumped at the chance when I saw it and bought it for myself now to make myself feel better!

I've actually never owned anything by Charlotte Tilbury before as I always found it too expensive but this was a treat so I was so excited to see if it lived up to expectations! This set costs £29 so it isn't actually the best value for money as the lipsticks are really tiny, the three of these lipsticks amount to the size of one full lipstick for £6 more than the stand alone lipstick price. Whilst this is a little annoying I think it's still really good for anyone like me who hasn't tried the brand before and wants to know which shades will work best for them. Plus even though they are tiny they are so cute and would be a really cute Christmas present for a loved one, or to ask for yourself!

The packaging is so cute and feels very festive! You get little ribbons on top of them as well so you could tie it to a tree for someone as a cute little surprise. You get three of the most popular shades from the K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick range, from left to right in the swatch picture you get:

- So Marilyn

- Bitch Perfect

- Penelope Pink

I'd heard so much about how the formula of these lipsticks is amazing and it is so true! I'm actually obsessed with them. The website states they are enriched with a breakthrough secret ingredient, The Lipstick Tree, that leaves lips cashmere soft and irresistible. I definitely have to agree they are so moisturising but also so pigmented! Despite being so moisturising the staying power is pretty good a well, I tend to go for a more moisturising finish over a matte finish as I have quite dry lips anyway. I'm in love with the colours in this set as well they are so pretty, I would have to say Bitch Perfect is probably my favourite and I am going to ask for the full size product of this for Christmas but surprisingly I fell in love with So Marilyn and I'm not really one for red lipstick but this one is so gorgeous and not too full on, so if you're a bit scared of red lipstick like me then this is perfect for you! They are all amazing though, I can see why they are so hyped up and I'm really glad I got this little set so I could try all three. 

I'm will 100% be trying more of this brand as a treat as it is expensive but I've fallen in love! Let me know in the comments if you've tried any of these lipsticks and also any good Christmas gifts you've seen around as I'm always looking for more!

Illamasqua Radiance Veil

Hi everyone! Apologises for the lack of posts this week I've had the worst flu all week, the kind where you have zero energy to even get out of bed so I've been off work and uni and thankfully I am starting to feel a bit better because it was not a good week! Before I start this post I just wanted to point out I am reviewing the sample size of this product in case anyone thinks that the product itself is just really tiny, this week I made an order to Beauty Bay and it allowed me to pick a free sample because I spent over a certain amount of money and I was so excited to see that you could get a sample of Illamasqua's new Radiance Veil primer. Hydra Veil is my all time favourite primer and I was so excited when they released Radiance Veil because I hoped to love it as much as Hydra Veil! 

On the website Radiance Veil is described as 'part primer part illuminator' and it also states that 'vitamin C provides moisturising benefits whilst the fine shimmer particles inject light onto the skin'. Being someone who has very dull skin this appeals to me so much, I love luminous skin that looks really healthy and glowy so I had really high hopes for this product and I really wanted it to be amazing! I was really glad I was able to get hold of a sample because at £32 it really isn't cheap, I find it harder to part with more money as well over a primer as oppose to say a foundation and because this is a new product there isn't much out there on how it actually performs. I really have jumped on the primer bandwagon though I love them and I think they make a big difference for me.

You can see in the pictures this product has a very thick consistency so a little goes such a long way and it doesn't pick it up too well but in the second image you can see how shimmery the product is, almost comes off metallic. To be honest and I was really disappointed to feel like this I am just really not sold on it! Because my skin had been very dry due to being ill I was hoping it would be as moisturising as it claimed to be but I didn't feel like it gave me any moisturising benefits at all and my skin still felt almost cracked and uncomfortable. It definitely does give a radiant glow to the skin though although I feel it is a bit too shimmery for me and I actually found that it didn't give too much luminosity once foundation had been applied. It's a shame because I love their other products so much and I really wanted to love this as well but I just didn't. 

I think for anyone with normal skin or anyone who just doesn't have dry skin it would be really good for you if you want that shimmery glow but anyone with dry skin I don't think it is the best fit for them. For me personally it just didn't work but everyone is different and I do think if you have good skin then this will help emphasise it and give a nice glow. It states on the website that this can be mixed with liquid foundation to customise a luminous finish, I haven't tried this yet but I think for me this would put better use to this product as oppose to just using it as a primer. I will definitely be sticking to Hydra Veil which I am still in love with and would recommend to anyone as a saviour for dry skin, let me know in the comments if you have tried any of Illamasqua's primers and what you think!

Pixi Glow Tonic

Hi everyone! I am the first to admit that I am totally lazy when it comes to skin care and I definitely do neglect my skin which is really bad, the problem for me is time. I work till 10 o'clock at night most days and then I have to be up at 6am for uni again the next day so when I get home I need to jump into bed straight away so I only take my make up off and that's it. As a result I have skin that I am fairly unhappy with. There are a few things that I feel aren't totally my fault for example I have red pigmentation around my cheeks but I think I could do a lot more to help my dry skin which to be honest I find very dull. So when I heard about the Pixi Glow Tonic from absolutely loads of bloggers who raved about it I really wanted to try it, especially because it sounded so quick and easy and something I could add into the new skincare routine I wanted to have. By the way these pictures were taken back when the bottle was new, I have been using it for around 2 weeks now.

It is an exfoliating toner infused with glycolic acid and aloe vera, whilst this doesn't mean much to me it also states that it can quickly and gently counteract dullness to leave your skin luminous. This is something that definitely appeals to me as I don't really understand the science talk! For me all I really want is soft luminous skin, I'm fed up of my skin looking so tired!

It is very simple to use as part of a skin care routine, you can use it AM and PM as it states on the bottle but I prefer to use it just on a night, you apply it with a cotton pad and sweep it over your face. I was skeptical at first because me and skin care products don't get on, I'm really impatient when I don't see a difference quickly and I give up straight away but this hasn't been the case at all with this product! I knew I wasn't going to wake up with perfect skin over night because my skin is so dull but the improvements I have seen over just two weeks are so reassuring! The biggest thing I noticed was that my red pigmentation has calmed down a lot and I'm really hoping that by continuing to use it this will even out more and more. Also I had a few spots the week that I started using this that wouldn't budge but it helped clear them up so quickly! I do find that since my skin is already dry it doesn't do anything moisturising wise but if I use this alongside a moisturiser my skin feels much fresher and softer. 

Although it does state it removes dead skin cells I have very flaky skin on my nose which I have still had to use a scrub on (I haven't had to use it on the rest of my face though, just my nose) as this doesn't tackle that problem however it is bad so I didn't really expect it to. At £18 a bottle it isn't cheap but it will last a very long time and it really is amazing! I bought mine from Cult Beauty and I really want to try the Glow Mud Cleanser to use alongside this. I would definitely recommend this for anyone looking to improve their skins luminosity and make it look less tired, it really has made a difference. I feel like I do look more glowy and that is only after 2 weeks so hopefully it will keep working. However the biggest plus for me is that it has helped with my red pigmentation on my cheeks, something which has made me so self concious in the past. Let me know in the comments if you've tried this or anything else by Pixi!

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Hi everyone! I know that the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer is an insanely blogged about product and an absolute bloggers favourite however I had never actually tried it, I just recently bought it and I wanted to see whether or not it actually lives up to the hype. That's the thing with these really hyped up products sometimes they just don't work for you and you will be so disappointed since everyone else seems to love them and I wanted to see whether this product works for me or not.

I bought mine from Boots for £4.19, it is such an affordable price for a concealer, really won't break the bank which is why when I bought it I was so hopeful that I'd love it because repurchasing it wouldn't seem like such a hassle for that price! I also got mine in the shade fair 01, this was the biggest issue I had, the shade range is very small. When I bought mine there was only 4 shades available and I felt like this one was a bit too light for me and the next shade up was too dark as I wanted to highlight and conceal. I went for 01 anyway and it isn't too light, I would have just preferred it a touch darker. 

This is claimed to be a long lasting concealer which can last up to 16 hours, I've tried and tested it and I would definitely say it has staying power, although I can't vouch for it lasting 16 hours and I don't think many other people could as no one really wears make up for 16 hours! It has a doe foot applicator which I love, this is my favourite type of applicators for concealer I just think they are no where near as messy as when you get those little bottles that are either a squeezy top or a pump! If I'm honest when I first applied it I really wasn't sure, I felt like it wasn't going to work with my dry skin and I found blending it quite difficult however it has really grown on me. Once I'd blended it I was very happy with the coverage, I have quite dark under eye circles and I felt like it worked really well at concealing them and the shade worked as a nice highlighter even though it may have been better a tiny bit darker. I found it really good for not creasing and it was also good at concealing blemishes.

I definitely think for the price it is really good, however for my skin type and for what I look for in a product I wouldn't say it's the best I've ever tried. I think for anyone with normal/oily skin or someone that prefers a full coverage look it will be amazing for them. I do like it and will continue to use it when I need my make up to last all day but it is a bit matte for me, I like something a bit more radiant and brightening however for the price I really am not going to complain and I would repurchase, let me know in the comments what you think of this product and whether you think it is worth the hype!

September Favourites

Hi everyone! I can't believe we are basically at the end of September already, how fast is time going! However I do love October, aside from going back to university it would be one of my favourite months, when I'm out of education after this year and I don't have the dreaded return of term looming over me at this time of year I will be loving it! I don't have a lot of beauty favourites this month as make up wise I have been using mostly the same products however there are a few things I've been particularly loving which I thought I would share along with some other favourites which aren't beauty related but things that I have been obsessed with this month!

- Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray. When I have been wearing make up this month I have really needed it to stay on as I have been doing longer shifts at work and going for days out so this has been getting used a lot to help and it really does work! I'm actually thinking about putting some of their other setting sprays on my Christmas list this year as I have only ever used All Nighter so if you have any let me know in the comments it would be much appreciated!

- Alien by Thierry Mugler. This is my all time favourite perfume but for some reason I have been using it everyday this month, I think you can own a lot of perfumes but there will always be one you love more than the rest and it kind of becomes your scent, this one is definitely mine. I have other perfumes but nothing compares to this one, if you have never smelt it you need to try it because it's amazing!

- Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer. I have really been liking this for my under eye area, it was just a nice refreshing change from using the same product all the time and I think it really does brighten up my dark circles. Also I haven't had any issue with this creasing so that's a huge bonus. 

- MAC Velvet Teddy. I know this is so talked about but I really wanted to feature it as I have been reaching for it a lot especially at this time of year. I know that berry lips are the big trend in Autumn but I just find them a bit too bold for me, I prefer a much more muted lip and to me this is a perfect Autumn colour when you don't want to have a bold lip.

- Spectrum Fan Brush. This is my go to brush for highlighting which is now something I have to do everyday, I feel a bit naked if I don't highlight! To me it just makes the world of difference and this brush gives the nicest application for a powder highlighter.

As I mentioned before I have a few favourites which aren't beauty related that I would love to share, if you are a TV nut like me then you might find this interesting!

- Narcos. So I was scrolling Netflix with my boyfriend recently and we love watching series together but there hasn't been one that has stood out for us in so long. We saw Narcos though and it had really good reviews and I saw a review that said if you want to fill the Breaking Bad void in your life then this would help and it really does! I absolutely loved Breaking Bad and was worried that this wouldn't compare or would try and be too similar but it isn't at all, it is so good in it's own way. I'm about to get onto to episode 9 of 10 and I can't wait to see what happens in the end!

- Scream Queens. The first two episodes of this show only just aired this week but I watched them and fell in love! It is created by Ryan Murphy who makes American Horror Story and if you love horror comedy then this will be perfect for you! It's so funny and it has the best cast, it is based on a sorority which is being targeted by a killer in a red devil suit, I would say it is more funny than scary but I think that is the point, I can't wait for the rest of the series it is so good.

I actually would never typically include music in my favourites however there is a song that I am so obsessed with at the minute and I want other people to love it too!

- Do it Again - Pia Mia ft Chris Brown & Tyga. I really have been loving this song, perfect for driving a long singing so loud, have a listen and I'm sure you'll love it.

Let me know in the comments what you've been loving this month!

Kylie Jenner The App

Hi everyone! I definitely think that the Kardashians have a love/hate thing going on, they're like marmite but I am not ashamed to admit that I love them! They have been keeping us hanging for ages now talking about their new websites and yesterday the websites were launched alongside the surprise of an app. Kim, Khloe, Kendall and Kylie all launched an app, each one different. The only thing that bugged me was that these actually aren't a free service which no one was aware of until they went live, they each cost a subscription fee of £2.29 a month which is paid through your Apple account. They are giving everyone a week free which allows you to test them out and see whether you want to continue your subscription. I personally was only interested in Kylie's app, she is one of my favourites and I was dying to know all her beauty secrets and how she looks so amazing.

I have to say that the app really didn't disappoint me, there will be new content frequently added and there are various features on the app. My favourite is the make up tutorials, it is so interesting so see the tricks that she uses to look so gorgeous and it also names all of the products being used. Along with that there is a 'cop my style' feature with selected outfits that Kylie has worn along with affordable alternatives so you can have a similar look. Obviously as it is an American app some of the items aren't available in the UK however there is a few Topshop items and other clothing which is accessible in the UK. She has a life section where she posts some of her current favourite things and she also shares some secrets that she using, including how she gets the appearance of a bigger chest using the Victoria Secret Bombshell bra. 

The app itself has been designed surprisingly well, it is very fluid and something I really love is that you get a notification when Kylie is live streaming to the app making it feel like you are on FaceTime with her! There is also a radio feature where she posts songs she is loving. 

Obviously I would prefer if it was free as it was a bit of a surprise when it was announced it is paid via subscription however I will be continuing mine as it really isn't a lot of money a month and I love the make up tutorials so much I want to keep it for that alone. I realise this definitely won't be for everyone however if you love Kylie like me it is definitely worth it. Let me know in the comments what you think of this app!

Top 5 Affordable Skincare Products

Hi everyone! I don't know about you but for me personally I find myself much more likely to buy affordable skincare as it just isn't something I want to spend lots of money on buying high end brands. I would much rather spend my money on high end make up and then save money on skincare because I think you can get some amazing drug store products. So since it is getting colder and my skin is about to dry out even more than normal I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite products that are also affordable.

From left to right:

- Johnson's Makeup Be Gone Moisturising face wipes. Can I just say I have literally tried basically every affordable brands face wipes going, I love them because they are so quick and easy but these Johnson's ones are my absolute favourite, I swear by them! I buy the moisturising ones which is the blue packet which are specific to dry skin but you can also get the refreshing wipes for normal skin. I haven't found any face wipes that I love as much as these yet and I've tried a lot. Even the more pricey Body Shop ones just didn't compare. I love the smell and they are so effective at getting your make up off plus they leave my skin feeling so refreshed. They are £3 from my local supermarket however they are on offer quite a lot at half price so I would definitely keep an eye out and try them because they are amazing!

- St Ives Apricot Scrub. I know everyone raves about this but it really is worth the hype, this is the travel sized tube as it takes me quite a while to go through them plus this one was from my holiday to save room in my suitcase. I have the driest skin ever on my nose, it gets so flaky really quickly so I use this every other day or every few days and after using it the dry skin is instantly gone. It smells really good as well and I don't find it harsh on your skin at all and this isn't the sensitive skin version either. I believe the full sized product is around £4, different shops vary in price however it lasts ages and really does make a difference.

- Dirty Works Eye Cream. I really like this brand because it is so affordable, I buy this from Sainsburys and I get really tired looking puffy eyes when I don't have a very good sleep and this really does improve it. One thing I really notice when I wear this is that I can almost feeling a firming sensation under my eyes as if the skin is getting tighter, a good feeling though because it makes me realise it is working! My bags and puffy eyes are instantly reduce, I couldn't remember the exact price for this but I believe it is around £4.99. Compared to some of the higher end eye creams you can buy this is a bargain for a product that actually works as well.

- Nivea Gentle Cleansing Cream Wash. This is amazing for dry and sensitive, I like to use this when my skin isn't in dire need of heavy duty products but still needs some TLC as I find it so refreshing. It is very moisturising and it leaves my skin feeling so insanely clean. I also get a lot of redness on my face and I think it calms it down a lot, also it smells so nice! You can buy from from Boots for £3.15 which is so cheap and great for when your skin needs a pick me up but isn't in really bad condition.

- The Body Shop Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream. This product is definitely aimed at people like me with very dry skin as it is so hydrating, so if you have normal skin I wouldn't recommend it as it may leave you feeling a bit greasy. I love to use this after I've used the St Ives Apricot Scrub on my nose and it absorbs into my skin straight away leaving it so soft. A little goes a long way with this product as well so you get really good value for money, it retails at £13 so it's pricier than anything else I have included on this post however if you have really dry skin like me it is a life saver!

Let me know in the comments what affordable skin care products you love!

the Balm Cosmetics Mary Lou Manizer

Hi everyone! I don't know about you but the certain beauty products that are all over the internet and featured on so many blogs make me question whether they live up to their hype. A product which I have heard and read so much about is Mary Lou Manizer by theBalm, this was the first introduction I have had to this company as I basically knew nothing about them other than this product. I've put off buying it for absolutely ages because I was unsure whether it would live up to it's reputation. also when you are first hearing about a company I think you are also a bit more reluctant to spend your money on it as you don't know much about it. Anyway I finally gave in because I'm obsessed with highlighters and I was like this product seriously must be good as people never stop talking about it!

I bought it from Debenhams when I was having a little spree for £17.50 which is a bit more expensive but you get 8.5g of product which for a highlighter will last ages! It is described as a 'honey hued luminizer', this is perfect for me because I prefer gold highlighters as I think they suit my undertones much more and I love the bronzed look!

I'd been reading a lot about theBalm and they do have that quirky sort of style to all their products which I think makes them interesting over your bog standard boring packaging. When it arrived it definitely did look really cute in a silver compact with a vintage style model on the front and it has a big mirror inside the compact which is handy. 

It's funny because when you first look at the product it doesn't look like it would give a really good highlight as it almost looks a bit flat, I think this is down to the lack of shimmer in it. However when you swatch it you can see it's almost like a different product! It's so bold and gorgeous and literally everything I would want from a highlight.

You can see here how pigmented it is, I'm obsessed with the formula when you swatch it you can feel how creamy and buttery it is. Obviously with it being so pigmented a little definitely does go a long way so application is important. My favourite way to apply it is with a small fan brush as it goes on so nice and not too full on. I was so obsessed with I first put it on, I can definitely say it lives up to the hype and more! It gives such a nice glow, by far the best of any highlighter I have used. I'm definitely now converting more to powder highlighters, before I was only into cream or liquid highlighters but I think with powder products such as this you get a much more intense highlight.

I wish I hadn't been so stubborn and just bought it ages ago now because I'm in love! It's definitely my go to highlighter now, and it will last absolutely ages because you get so much product. After being so happy with my first product from theBalm I'm desperate for more, if you've got any product recommendations from this company let me know in the comments!

Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge First Impression Review

Hi everyone! I made a post a couple of days on a Make Up For Ever foundation I bought as Debenhams now stock it in the UK and when I bought it I saw this MUFE lip product that I thought looked really interesting and it is called the Aqua Rouge waterproof liquid lip colour. I'm really into liquid lipsticks right now, but I'm yet to find a brand that makes one that I really love (still forever waiting to be able to buy Anastasia Beverly Hills liquid lipsticks in the UK). Aqua Rouge is said to be 'long lasting, doesn't bleed and leaves no trace'. I thought they looked cool because it comes with the lip colour on one side of the product and on the other side there is a gloss which provides a lacquer finish. I was so stuck on colours to choose as none jumped out at me so I got the shade 18 coral as coral is usually one of my go to colours.

You get 5ml of the liquid lip colour which I think will last a while as a little goes a long way with this product, you really don't need to put a lot on at all.

I swatched the gloss on the left of the liquid lip colour, you can see how transparent it is. To be honest I had really high hopes for this product however when I tried it the colour wasn't for me at all. I liked the feel of it and how pigmented it was but it was far too bright, basically neon. Not saying it isn't a nice colour but I prefer a less bright lip so it would be great for anyone who loves bold lips. I can definitely vouch for it being long wearing though because I took it off after I tried it on my lips and literally couldn't get it off I had to scrub and even once I managed to remove it my lips were tinted pink so if you want a long wearing lip product this is definitely for you! I was a bit disappointed because at £19 it is pricey so when you get something and don't really like it when it was expensive it definitely sucks! The struggles of buying online though! I actually looked at loads of swatches of this and it looked no where near as bright so I don't know if it just shows up neon on my skin tone but never mind! I can definitely say I would try this product again as I liked the formula, this particular colour just wasn't for me, anyone who likes a bold lip though it would be great for. Let me know in the comments if you've tried this product and also any shade recommendations if you have!