Benefit Cheekathon

Hi everyone! Sorry I've been a bit MIA recently on my blog I've been so busy trying to finish my dissertation, I'm hopefully handing it in on Tuesday though so that will be a massive relief if I can manage it! I'm just going to have a weekend dedicated to finishing it, as depressing as that thought is because I just need it to be over. I've been trying to save money recently because I've got so many expensive things coming up, but when I got an email last week from Benefit's newsletter promoting their new blush and bronzer kit I actually could not resist buying it, purely because it was such good value! Usually around Christmas Benefit releases blush kits but half the time they aren't full size so it's not really that good value, but in the kit they just released they have 4 full size blushes and a full size Hoola for £44.50 which is insanely good! Considering one of their Box'O'Powders is £23.50 and you get five full size ones in this kit you're saving so much money. I've always loved Benefit's blushes anyway and I needed another Hoola so it kind of turned it into a bit of a need rather than a want for me!

It comes in a really cute little palette with a nice big mirror, it's thankfully not too bulky because I think Benefit can sometimes have a bit too much packaging but this is a decent size.

Benefit was actually one of the first brands that really got me into makeup because I was always so obsessed with their packaging and this kit definitely doesn't disappoint, really pretty illustrations and girly packaging so standard Benefit really. You also get a little how to guide with some looks you can create with the palette.

You get a full size Hoola in this and the blushes are Dandelion , Rockateur, Dallas and Coralista along with a little brush. I don't think I will be using the brush though but it's good if you're travelling. I actually really like these palettes for travelling because you get a mixture of products all in one rather than bringing lots of loose products.

Left to right: Dandelion, Hoola, Rockateur, Dallas, Coralista

I'm so obsessed with this palette I'm so happy that I bought it! I feel like I'm so set blush wise now for ages and definitely won't have to be buying more anytime soon. The quality of all of them is so nice, I've always loved Rockateur but I've never tried Dallas and that is probably my favourite from the kit. I actually love all the new products that Benefit has released recently, I want the liquid version of Dandelion so much but it's out of stock at the minute, plus it's expensive and I definitely can't justify it after having a full set of blushes to work through now. All their new Hoola products look so nice as well, they have made me feel so summery! I really think this palette is worth buying while it's still in stock, I'm actually surprised it's still available as it's such good value, let me know in the comments if you've tried any of these shades and what you think!

Go To Autumn Make Up Products

Hi everyone! Since the seasons are changing and everyone (including me) is jumping on the Autumn bandwagon I thought I'd post some of the go to make up products I like to use in Autumn. I'm done with corals and peaches for now and I'm moving on to the lovely warm browns and berry colours.

I'll start with the eyes first, I've used two palettes because they have the most gorgeous Autumn shades in them.

- Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette. This is the first image and to me it actually screams Autumn, I pictured those colours as they are the most fall appropriate from the palette in my opinion, I don't have flash on but one of the shades which is the 2nd in on the middle row is my all time favourite gold eyeshadow and the picture really doesn't do it justice but it is amazing! It's called Marzipan if you are wondering, I don't know why but those shadows all pictured next to each other remind me of a scarf you would wear in Autumn, weird I know. It is definitely my go to palette for this season, I just love it!

- Anastasia Beverly Hills Shadow Couture palette. I pictured these shadows from this palette, particularly Fudge and Morocco as they are gorgeous warm shades that look so nice at this time of year. Also the quality is amazing, they are so pigmented and are so easy to apply.

Berry lips are definitely the trend in Autumn and I've got two that I really like

- MAC Craving. This is an Amplified finish and it is amazing! It's described as a 'burst of plum' and I think it is great for people like me who aren't daring enough for a really dark lip, it is a dark shade but not too full on and very wearable. 

- Too Faced Melted Lipstick in Melted Berry. This one is definitely for when you are feeling more adventurous, it is a lot more full on that the MAC lipstick but so pigmented and the nicest deep berry colour. The applicator isn't my favourite and I would recommend using a lip brush to apply this since it is a bold colour but it is so long wearing and surprisingly not drying considering it is a matte finish.

- Benefit's Benetint. I love the colour of this especially for this season, it is a nice plum colour and I think it gives a nice flush to your cheeks but it is fairly sheer so it doesn't look too crazy once applied. I also love this for when I'm feeling lazy as it is so quick and easy to apply.

- Maybelline Dream Touch Blush in 07 Plum. Another plum colour I know but I think they are so gorgeous at this time of year, I love this cream blush because it is so affordable and a very subtle plum shade. Also you get so much product and a little really does go a long way so very good value for money.

- Benefit Watt's Up. I know I've only been raving about the Mary Lou Manizer recently but for some reason Watt's Up definitely fits Autumn better for me. Gold highlighters are my favourite and this gives a really lovely golden glow but it works for Autumn as well as Summer. Application is a bit more awkward because I think applying it from the stick gives you a bit of a stripe so I prefer dabbing it on my finger first.

It's so funny how as soon as they seasons change so does your taste in make up products, but it keeps things fresh and stops it getting boring I suppose. Let me know in the comments your favourite Autumn make up products!

Shopping My Stash

Hi everyone! I've never actually done a shopping my stash post so I figured why not start today. Just to put this out there now, I am a hoarder and I can fully admit to that, I buy things that I don't use and then just leave them stashed away somewhere which is why I think this is a great idea for me! It was so strange to have a look through things I haven't looked at in a while and it does make me realise how I need to stop hoarding and actually use the things I buy. I could have picked out a lot more but this would have gone on forever! It's funny how by doing this you discover some old favourites as well, we get so easily sucked into using the same products everyday so it makes a nice change to go back to the products you used to love!

- Urban Decay Naked2. I bet people think I'm crazy for having such a popular palette and it basically being untouched, you can see from the pictures how I've only used it once and for some reason it makes me feel so guilty! It is so pretty, I actually got it last Christmas and I loved it, then one day you decide actually I want to use something else and it has been forgotten about. My love for my Naked3 palette and my Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette definitely played a part in pushing this aside however after digging it out today I really want to start using it again. It is more on the cool toned side for my liking but there is some shades I love like Half Baked and Chopper, going to do my best to start using this more!

- Benefit That Gal primer. This used to be one of my absolute favourite primers and I think it was one of the first Benefit products that I ever bought, I would use it everyday without fail and I still have some left so definitely showing some good value for money! I had honestly forgotten about it until today because again another primer took over which I now use everyday, 100% going to use this again until it's empty so I get that satisfied feeling of fully using up a product!

- Too Faced Sweetheart Blush in Something About Berry. This was another product I got last Christmas which I was so excited about, I used it a couple of times and tossed it aside, no clue why though because it is so pretty! A little really does go along way though, use too much and it looks far too bright pink, but when you put the right amount on it gives a really nice flushed look to your cheeks. Biggest downside about this product though is that it's so bulky, I have a feeling this might be why I put it somewhere else and forgot about it because it was taking up so much room. Still love it though and it being so bulky doesn't take away from how pretty the packaging is.

- MAC Mineralize Concealer in NC20. I bought this totally out the blue one day and I remember not loving it when I first used it, however I think a lot of people do that, use something once and aren't blown away but use it some more and they end up loving it. Going to experiment with it some more and see how that goes so it isn't a total waste!

- Benefit Fine One One. Again this used to be an absolute favourite of mine, I would use it all the time because I went through a stage where I thought cream blushers were the best thing since sliced bread and I have actually had so much use out of this but you can see in the pictures above how there is absolutely loads left. It gives you the nicest colour and stays on so well, only issue I have is blending due to the application, it just makes it a little trickier but I still love it.

- MAC Pressed Pigment in Blonde Streak. I bought this when I was really new to getting into makeup and I didn't really know what to do with it, now though after finding out what works for me and what doesn't I would absolutely love this when I'm feeling adventurous and wanting a gold shimmery eye look. The colour is gorgeous, I know now that Autumn is coming around it might not get used so much but I think for the party period around Christmas it would be perfect, this one is basically untouched as well so I am determined to get some use out of it!

This was a strangely eye opening experience to highlight how I need to use more of my products, I need to stray from using the same products day in day out and revisit some of my old favourites and also things I've barely touched. Let me know in the comments if you have any of these products and what you think!

July Favourites

Hi everyone! I've actually never done a favourites post before so I thought I'd do a post about all the things I've been loving this month.

1. OGX Weightless Hydration Coconut Water Oil. I was absolutely obsessed with this on holiday when my hair was insanely dry from the sun, I got the shampoo and conditioner as well but this one is my favourite from the set, and it smells amazing!! You can spray it onto damp hair before you blow dry it or just all over dry hair. It's so light, really doesn't feel oily at all and it's so easy to use which is why I love it!

2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation. I've had this for a while but as it's summer (even though in the North East it has basically rained the whole of July) I want something light and dewy that still gives nice coverage and this is perfect for it! Also if the sun EVENTUALLY decides to appear where I live then it also has SPF15 which is a bonus for daily wear in the summer.

3. Benefit Roller Lash mascara. I wasn't too sure whether I'd love this at first as I was so used to intense eyelashes that my favourite mascara, Too Faced Better Than Sex, gave me and this is basically the opposite. However, again for the summer I think that the fluttery eyelashes this mascara gives you are ideal and I find it really easy to use because of the very slim wand. Only thing is I would still use an eyelash curler with it even though the product claims you no longer have to but I do have the straightest eyelashes ever so this might just be me!

4. Glow by Topshop highlighter in Gleam. I've only just got this and I am obsessed!! It's the nicest mousse formula ever and it gives such a pretty bronzed highlight. I love how it's loose so you can easily apply it with your finger although a little really does go a long way so you have to be careful. Also at £9 it's such a bargain and it's so easy to find.

5. Clinique Cheek Pop blusher in Peach Pop. This for me is the nicest peachy/coral blush for the summer and the formula is amazing! It's great because I feel like when you apply it there is not a lot of excess product so you can't accidentally go overboard and look like a clown. It's so creamy and I really want to get the other colours.

6. Benefit Hoola bronzer. This is the travel sized Hoola that I got when I bought their Do The Hoola bronzing kit which I did a blog post about and I'm totally converted and desperate for the full sized one! I had never actually used bronzer regularly before as I found that all the ones I tried made me look orange but you get such a natural look from this that I can use it for daily wear to add some colour. 

7. Body Shop Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream. I think I have definitely found my go to moisturiser here, my skin is so dry especially my nose and after I've exfoliated I put this on and it instantly sinks into the skin, you aren't left feeling greasy at all it just leaves your skin feeling so much softer. You hardly have to use any product which is also great as it means it will last ages and it also smells amazing.

8. Collection 2000 Cream Puff Lip Cream in Fairy Cake. I wanted some cheaper lip products to try out this summer and for £2.99 you really can't go wrong although I wasn't expecting to be blown away by something so affordable but I actually really like this. I have the shade Cotton Candy as well but Fairy Cake is my favourite as the colour is a really nice bright coral pink without being too in your face. They can be drying but as long as you put a lip balm underneath I don't think it's as issue and they do last quite a long time as well, plus they smell so much like vanilla and sugar, I'm obsessed!

Thanks for reading and let me known in the comments what you have been loving this month!

May Make Up Haul

Hi everyone! Sorry I've totally disappeared off the face of the Earth recently I've been so busy with exams and assignments but I finally made it to the end and I can not get excited for all the good plans I have this summer! I haven't gone too crazy this month with shopping as I honestly just haven't had the time at all but in between my last two exams I had a little spree to keep me going until I was done so I thought I'd do a little haul on what I got!

1. Benefit Fake Up hydrating crease-control concealer. I have been so excited to get this product, I was definitely influenced by the fact I was so tired all this month from all the work I've been doing that I had actual suitcases under my eyes. I use Nars Creamy Concealer most of the time but I've been having an issue with it creasing quite badly so I thought I'd give this a try and see how it goes!

2. Stila One Step Correct Primer. I am so fascinated by this product, I actually heard about it from Shaaanxo and I've got a bit of red pigmentation on my cheeks and on my jaw so I wanted to see if it could even out my skin tone. I was a bit wary at first as I always need my primers to be hydrating as I've got such dry skin but I did a little research and it also apparently nourishes the skin so I hope it's good! I might do a blog post on this after using it to see if it does do what it claims to.

3. Benefit Rockateur. I have wanted one of the powder boxes from Benefit for ages but I always thought they were really expensive but I eventually gave in when I wanted to treat myself so I got their most popular one to give it a try and I love it on first impressions! I know I'm late to the party but I got there in the end and I hope it's as good as people say.

4. Benefit World Famous Neutrals Easiest Nudes Ever. Benefit have three of these world famous neutral palettes and I'm absolutely obsessed with a neutral eye so I picked this one because I'm no good at eye shadow I find it such a chore so anything with the word easy in the name is good with me! I like these palettes because they come with the little tips and tricks books which are good when you aren't an expert like me! I'll post a picture lower down of the inside of the palette and what colours it has.

5. Zoeva 104 Buffer Brush. I already have one of these and I know this is so weird but I really wanted a new one for my holiday, brushes are just never the same even after you've cleaned them and in my opinion you cannot beat using a brand new fresh brush so I got this one as a little holiday treat for when I go at the end of this month. The quality of these brushes is amazing and they're so reasonably priced so I would definitely recommend this brush!

6. Benefit First Class Glosses travel set. I got this for free when I spent over a certain amount on the Benefit website I think it was £50. You use a code that they put on the offers section and you get 4 travel sized lip glosses for free when the set is worth over £24 so looking on their offers section before you buy anything is definitely worth it! Currently that offer is still on so if you're going to be spending that much money anyway then it's something for free. It includes Bella Bamba, Coralista, Dandelion and Sugar Bomb.

Literally obsessed with Rockateur it's so pretty and I wanted to show you the Stila One Step Correct primer because it looks crazy! The green is supposed to minimise redness, the lavender counteracts sallow undertones and the peach brightens and illuminates the skin.

The World Famous Neutrals Easiest Nudes ever palettes has two cream eyeshadows, the top shade is 'r.s.v.p' (my favourite one) and the other is 'no pressure!' The top two eyeshadows are 'call my buff' and 'thanks a latte' and the bottom two are 'pinky swear' and 'quick, look busy'. 

Thanks for reading and if you want any more info on any of these products then just comment below!xxx

Benefit Do The Hoola Beyond Bronze Kit First Impressions

Hi everyone! I've literally been so excited for this product to get delivered and I just got it about 15 minutes ago so I needed to do a post to tell you all about it! So last week I saw a post on Instagram about this bronzing kit that Benefit had come up with, kind of like how they do the kits like Go Tropicoral centered around a specific look. I had a look on the Benefit website and couldn't find it anywhere so I went back to the Instagram post and read it properly and saw it was exclusive to the QVC website. It also said about the brand new product in it called Dew The Hoola which is a liquid bronzer not available anywhere apart from QVC (I've heard it's getting released through Benefit in 2016). I am such a sucker for anything exclusive so I had to get the kit even just to try the new product, I've also never actually tried Hoola before either and you get a mini powder in this so I thought it would be good to try a smaller one before I commit and it is expensive. QVC currently have it on an introductory price of £23.16 and then £3.95 postage and it is normally priced at £25.50 and you can get that here: http://www.qvcuk.com/Benefit-5-Piece-Do-the-Hoola-Kit.product.208648.html

This is the contents of the kit (there's also a little brush but I forgot to put that in this picture however you can see it further down!) You get a Hoola lip gloss which is described as a shimmering golden nude lip gloss, a mini They're Real, a mini Hoola bronzing powder in a cute little travel compact and a mini Benebalm. It's such good value for money considering you get the brush as well and if you are wanting to try the products or just bronzing it self then I think it is such a good kit to get. 

That's the packaging that the box comes in and what it looks like inside, it's got a tips and tricks section which you fold out and it tells you how to use all the products and you can see the brush here. 

The best part about this kit is definitely the Dew The Hoola, the liquid bronzer, it is described as a sheer soft-matte bronzer that gives a seamless natural looking glow. First of all it smells amazing, I really like scented products I know a lot of people don't but it isn't too full on so I don't think it would bother you too much. I swatched it on my hand and I definitely agree with the tips and tricks book that says it gives a believable bronze, it is so natural and sheer but you can still see it. Not orange as well just the perfect bronze. There is also no shimmer in this at all so you can use it to contour as well, it just gives a really healthy looking bronze that is really natural, I'm obsessed with it! In the tips and tricks book it shows you where to apply it all over your face as well which is helpful because I'm not familiar with how to apply a liquid bronzer. You can see it on my hand below and what it looks like blended.

It looks quite full on here but you can see in the picture below that it is really sheer and natural.

The lighting isn't great on this picture but you can see it in the middle of my hand, also the lighting here makes me look grey (I'm not haha) but I think it would work for pale people as it kind of adapts to your skin, it's gives a really nice subtle glow to me and I'm not pale but not tanned either, I do think for darker skins you won't see much effect though.

I absolutely love this kit and it's such good value for money introductory price or not even at £25.50 I think that's really good but as I speak it is still available from the QVC website at the introductory price so 100% get it while you can it's so worth it! Also the Dew The Hoola isn't available till 2016 so get it while it's out now, I don't know if they are close to selling out or not on the QVC site. Let me know if you get this kit and what you think of it!xxx

Benefit High Beam VS Nars Illuminator Copacabana

Hi everyone! Thought I'd do a post on two highlighters that I have which I actually feel are very similar to each other, Benefit High Beam and Nars Illuminator in the shade Copacabana and my personal preference out of the two.

 High Beam retails at £19.50 compared to Nars at £23 so slightly cheaper however both are still more high end luxury products therefore I felt like a post comparing the two would be helpful for people who are stuck on the highlighter for them rather than wasting your money. The swatch picture below shows how similar these two products are, Nars Illuminator is on the left and High Beam is on the right. 

Starting with High Beam I've had this product for a while now and I do use it quite regularly when I want a more natural dewy glow compared to when I want a more intense look. It goes on nice and is easy to blend, it is quite sheer when you blend it so it does come across as really subtle. I feel like you have to be careful however it can come out a bit messy if you aren't careful and look like splodges on your face if not applied correctly. The picture below is High Beam along my temple down just under my eye. As you can see it leaves a pinky glow definitely not too intense and it looks really pretty in natural light,

I think the main difference between the two products is that Nars Illuminator comes out much more metallic, it has a lot more of a shimmer in the product so a little definitely goes a long way as you can come out looking a bit too sparkly if you aren't careful. In my opinion it does stand out a bit more than High Beam, I think it's better if you want a less natural look, I tested this product on the other side of my face which you can see in the picture below. You can see it definitely shows up more than High Beam, and it gives a more reflective glow which is nice.

In my opinion however I think out of the two I am more inclined to use High Beam, they are so similar to me but I love the natural glow that High Beam gives however if I was doing something more exciting like a nigh out then I would be more likely to use Copacabana. The main issue I have with this product however is that it is very metallic and you need to be really careful when you apply. Since I am such a fan of the natural look I definitely do use High Beam more, at £19,50 it is quite a lot for a highlighter but worth it because you can get so much use out of it and it works with a lot of looks. Thanks for reading and let me know in the comments what your thoughts are and whether you have any of the other Nars Illuminator shades!xxx

Makeup Collection: My Favourite Items

For my first makeup post I thought I'd introduce you guys to my favourite makeup items in my collection! I'm constantly changing my mind over what brands are my favourite however there's always the same go to products that are staple items to my makeup bag. I've picked out my favourite foundation, concealer, mascara, primer, eyeshadow palette and contour products.

Foundation

Firstly I'll start with foundations, it took me a long time to find a foundation that really worked for me and I went through a LOT of them before I found one that I really liked. I actually really struggle to find a foundation that I feel looks good on my skin as I struggle with having really dry dull skin so I need to make sure that I'm happy with it. The one I had before this one was Estee Lauder Double Wear, which I do still occasionally use for when I'm going out on a night as I wanted it to stay on, however if I'm having a particularly bad skin day I feel like it highlights every dry patch on my face (maybe that's just me but it's a real issue I have with it!). Eventually I came across Nars Sheer Glow which I was a bit unsure on at first as to whether I should buy it as it's quite expensive and I don't have a counter close to me so I'd have to buy online. I settled on it eventually and I love it now! I love the dewy finish and I really don't like full coverage so this works so well for me, it is a lot of money but worth the price especially if you have dry skin like me. I wear the shade medium 1 Punjab. 

Concealer

Concealer wise I've only just recently changed to one that I love, I'd being using Boi-ing by Benefit for a long time in the shade 02 however as I said before my skin seemed to get drier and it highlighted a lot of creases in my skin, more recently I'd discovered Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer after seeing it all over YouTube. It works to well for me, I use it to cover my under eye circles and any blemishes, I use this in the shade Vanilla.

Mascara

My current favourite mascara is Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara, I only recently got this for my birthday in February and at first I found it quite hard to get to grips with as I'd previously been using They're Real which comes with a plastic wand and is obviously really different, however when I got the hang of it I absolutely love it now! For someone with straight but long eyelashes I do still think an eyelash curler is necessary but it can create a really dramatic look when used well.

Primer

My absolute favourite primer which I love so much is Illamasqua Hydra Veil, I would recommend this to anyone! I got in when I was in London as they have a store there after hearing lots of good things about it online, it's a bit strange when you first see it a bit like jelly! However once you get used to it it's such a good product especially when you've got dry skin, you have to let it dry a bit after application but I think it makes any foundation looks better and helps keep your make up on well.

(Thought I'd show you a picture of the inside, it reshapes itself after you've used it as well so it never seems like its running out!)

Highlighter

This was a toss up for me as I have two highlighters both from the same brand that I love for different things, both from Benefit I love Watts Up for a night time going out look, whereas I love High Beam for a day time glowy look. Both are amazing it just depends what you want from your highlighter and what look you use more frequently.

Eyeshadow

This is a really obvious choice but my current favourite palette is Urban Decay's Naked3 palette, I got it for Christmas and it was the first of the Naked palettes that I got (I also have Naked2 now), I found it hard to choose one at first but I'm so glad I picked it! I'm really into pink glowy looks and this was perfect for me, the only issue I have with it is that I find you can only make the same looks over and over even though they are so nice. I've actually just ordered the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette however and I may do a first impressions on it when it arrives.

Contour

Again a bit of an obvious choice but for good reason, I love the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Palette, again I got this for Christmas from a website called Beauty Bay, it's expensive at £39 however I love it and I think it's good when you're just introducing yourself to contouring as it has everything you need in one palette, my favourite contour shade in there is Fawn, the great thing about this palette as well is that they are refillable on the Anastasia Beverly Hills website so if you hit pan on your favourite shade you have the option to just buy that particular shade again if you're willing to ship it over from America.

Thanks for reading this post and I hope it gave you an insight into the makeup I'm interested in, if anyone would like to see/hear more about these products don't be afraid to leave a comment!

xxx