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!

Too Faced Hangover Primer

Hi everyone! I'm so excited to finally be writing this post because it's a product I have been after for ages but I couldn't buy it anywhere in the UK until I was having a look on Debenhams recently and saw that they had it in stock and it is the Too Faced Hangover Replenishing Face primer. I have wanted it for so long because the description of it matches exactly what my skin needs perfectly, plus Too Faced has never disappointed me, it is probably my favourite brand! It isn't cheap at a price of £27 so I was really hoping it would be worth the money (spoiler: it really doesn't disappoint!)

Even before I had tried it or read any reviews on it this primer appealed to me so much, first of all I'm primer obsessed I know some people aren't too bothered about them but because my skin is problematic I think a primer can make the world of difference to how my make up looks. 

"It's infused with coconut water, probiotic-based ingredients and skin revivers that work together to boost skin's radiance, promote elasticity and help hydrate while locking down make up for fresher, longer and more flawless wear". 

For someone like me who has very dry, dull skin this sounded like my saviour, I'm always looking for hydrating, radiance boosting primers so this sounded perfect for me.

The packaging is so pretty which is just a given for Too Faced, but the interesting thing is that it looks like a very tall squeezy tube with a very big lid however this actually comes with a pump which I think is so useful because it means you can use up every last drop of product. Also you get 40ml of product which is a little bit more than the usual 30ml so whilst it is expensive you do get more product.

I absolutely love the consistency of this, it is so light and creamy but still very moisturising. I also have to point out that this smells AMAZING. When I first used it I couldn't get over how good it smelt, it has the most refreshing coconut scent however it isn't too overpowering at all, I feel like my face smells so good after I've used it! I 100% agree with everything the product claims to do, it makes my make up application so much nicer, I find it so hydrating but it also gives a really nice radiant glow, I wouldn't say it's very dewy however this may because my skin is dry but it is a really natural glowy finish. I do feel like my skin is a lot softer after wearing it as well, but it really does make dull skin like mine look so much better. I've been using it with the Too Faced Born This Way foundation and I think they are a match made in heaven! This is also perfect for when you've had a rubbish nights sleep and you can see it on your face, so I agree that it helps solve your 'beauty hangovers'. I don't feel like it necessarily made a difference to the staying power of my make up, however it did help my foundation apply so much smoother and created a much nicer base for application which is a big plus for me.

This could definitely be my new holy grail primer, if you are like me and have dull skin that needs a boost than this will be perfect for you and I would suggest you go and buy it now because you will love it! It isn't cheap but I think it is definitely worth the price, I'm so happy I've found a combination of products that give my skin a nice glow in winter because normally my skin looks awful and dry and it is so hard to find products to help combat that. Let me know in the comments if you've tried this product and what you think!

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!

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!

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!

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!

Spectrum Collections Brushes Review

Hi everyone! I hate to admit but my make up brush collection is severely lacking, mostly because I struggle to part with money for brushes that seem to be so expensive when I'd rather be buying make up with it. By lacking I mean really lacking, so I've been wanting to build it up for a while. Like I said though it seems like one of those necessities that you can't be bothered to buy because you'd rather spend your money elsewhere. I am now constantly on the hunt for more affordable brushes and recently all over Instagram I have been seeing the prettiest brushes! Looking into it more I found out about Spectrum Collections and since I'd been hearing such rave reviews and judging by their appearance I actually expected them to be fairly pricey. I actually couldn't have been more wrong though, they are so affordable and their was a sale on the website, I was a bit unlucky that most had sold out but I got three that I really wanted. 

From left to right I bought the domed setting brush on sale for £4.99, the small fan brush on sale for £2.99 and the Atlantis flat top buffer which was £8.99. The Atlantis flat top buffer was actually from a different collection, it was part of a set called the Glam Clam collection which I really wanted but unfortunately it was sold out, however some brushes from this set are being sold on their own and I really wanted the buffer in this colour so I was able to get this one! 

They actually are so pretty and would look gorgeous on anyone's dressing table, I love how they aren't boring like a lot of brushes are. Another bonus is that they are 100% vegan, they're synthetic brushes so they are so soft (I mean really soft).

When I ordered them I had to pay a flat rate of £3.49 for UK shipping and it came within 4 days. They arrived in a really cute pink pouch with a personalised note on a little insert that comes with them. 

The great thing is that not only are they attractive and affordable but they are really good quality and really easy to use. My favourite out of the three that I ordered is definitely the small fan brush, I love this for highlighting. I use the domed setting brush for applying my bronzer and the flat top buffing brush to apply my foundation. 

I'm so impressed with the brushes I bought that I am definitely going to get more when they restock, I'm after the collections because they are such good value so I'm going to wait till they bring some out and go a bit crazy! I'd definitely recommend them for people like me who find it hard to justify buying expensive make up brushes but still want to get a bigger collection. Let me know in the comments if you've tried this brand and what you think!