JANUARY FAVOURITES

Well hello there!

Welcome to another favourites post where I will be sharing with you some beauty items I have been loving throughout the month of January. Who else thinks January flew by?! Last year it went so slow but I feel quite the opposite about it this year. In Essex it has got extremely cold over the past week or so and I am not a fan of it, after Christmas I am well and truly done with Winter - bring on Spring!
Enough rambling, let's dive into my January favourites...

Revolution Mattifying Primer

To be honest I always questioned whether primers actually worked, but I still applied them because it was an extra step in my makeup routine. As I have a combination skin type my t-zone will always start to get oily after wearing the makeup for 4/5 hours. After receiving this in the Revolution 12 Days of Christmas box I decided to give this a go. I apply this under a matte foundation and let me tell you I have noticed a huge difference in the longevity of my makeup. I don't know what magic is in this primer but it makes me skin stay matte for around 6/7 hours which is very impressive to me. If you have a similar skin type to me then I would definitely recommend this primer, plus its drugstore so that mean's its cheap! 

Primark Falsh Lash Effect Mascara

If you are looking for a very inexpensive everyday mascara then this is the one for you, I think this was literally only £2 which is an absolute bargain! This mascara claims to give extreme length, definition and volume and I completely agree with all of them. I was so shocked at how good this was at lengthening and separating my lashes I don't know how they do it for such a low price. The only thing I don't like about it is that it is quite a wet formula, it goes all over my lids which is annoying but when it dries down I just get it off with a spoolie. As I wear it for work, it doesn't bother me that much because I don't wear eye shadow during the week. If you like the sound of this go to your local Primark and pick one up!

Mario Badescu Facial Spray

I got 4 bottles of this facial spray for Christmas and I have been using them every single day. I will use them for before my makeup, part of my skincare routine, wetting products and as a setting spray. They smell amazing and my favourite scent is the Rose Water one. I just feel like they do the job and can be definitely be used for different things. You can get this either for £7 or £11 which I think is good, especially if you wanted to try it and wasn't sure what they will be like. When I use up all of the scents I am going to be purchasing the huge bottle of this! 

I Heart Revolution Strawberry Cheesecake Palette

I also received this eye shadow palette for Christmas in the Chocolate Heart Gift Set (which is still available!). My favourite colour is pink, so it was no surprise to me that I would love the colour story of this palette. I have used this a few times since getting it and I am loving it! The pink shades are not as good quality as high end which is obviously a given but they are super pigmented and easy to blend. This is my favourite I Heart Revolution eye shadow palette by far, and this is a limited edition palette at the moment which you can buy in a set. If you like the look of it, I would get your hands on it ASAP! I hope so much that they bring it out permanently, and if you would like to see this palette in action you can watch that below.

So those were all of the products I was loving throughout January!

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2019 BEAUTY TRENDS YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS

Well hello there!

I uploaded a post a couple of weeks ago telling you all about Spring time fashion trends and today I have a collaboration post for you to tell you all about the 2019 beauty trends. 

Clear out your makeup and beauty storage people, because a new year means lots of lovely fresh trends to sink your teeth into. In fact, you can find out about the most essential 2019 trends in so far in my post below.

Cheap and chic

Let's face it buying makeup and beauty items can be pricey at times, especially if your taste runs to Creme de la Mer moisturiser and Louis Vuitton lip gloss. However, one trend that is doing particularly well in the beauty market at the moment is the cheap and chic brands. You know the ones that focus on proving the material and equipment you need to have a go at the latest looks yourself, without needing to remortgage your house!

In particular makeup, brands like Makeup-Revolution do this well, and you can even get some products for under £10, like an eyeshadow pallete that can be used in multiple situations like in the day and in the evening. A price that means we won't feel so bad about indulging our makeup addiction!

Korean beauty

Korean beauty products were a strong trend in 2018, and it's and look as if 2019 will be no different. Of course, the main issue with this one is that it can be pretty hard to get your hands on what you want. In fact, sometimes the shipping prices are more than the actual products, and on some sites, you have to wait until you have enough for a bulk buy until you can order.

Luckily, you can now buy face moisturiser as well as other Korean beauty products, one at a time, from websites that ship to the UK with reasonable rates. Of course, that doesn't mean you have to, and with such an exciting range of products, available keeping your purchase to a single item may be a bit of challenge.

Glorious green

Green, it's the SS 2019 colour and believe me you will be seeing a lot of it. In particular, this tone will dominate the eye makeup game, with the pinnacle of this trend being a forest green metallic eyeshadow that is combined with copper and rose gold tones.

In fact, this is a look that is pretty easy to achieve, and not only looks classy but has some drama and and vintage elegance as well. Therefore if you are going to treat yourself to just one makeup item this season, make sure it's a green eyeshadow.

Two-tone lips

Lastly, if you want to keep up with all the Instagram makeup and beauty trends online, you'll also need to embrace the two-tone lip. This isn't too tough to achieve either as its all about using a darker colour around the outside and a lighter one in the middle.

In fact, it's sort of like contouring for your lips, making them appear more prominent. But beware the key to this trend is proportion and blending. Otherwise, you can look like your makeup got stuck in the 1990s, even though you were aiming for a 2019 trend!

I hope you enjoyed this post. let me know of any other trends in the comments.

Thank you so much for reading,

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HELLO 2019! DECEMBER FAVOURITES 2018

Well hello there!

First of all hello 2019, I cannot believe we are here already. I hope you all had a lovely end to 2018, I have been ill for the past week so I'm not entirely loving life at the moment but nevertheless lets get on with today's post! I am of course going to be telling you what products I have been loving throughout December, I hope you still love reading these posts as they're some of my favourite to read.

Let's talk skincare!

December is of course the start of Winter and whilst most of us were getting excited for the festivities, the Winter weather has caused me to not only get ill but it made my skin extremely dry.

 Revolution Hydration Boost Gel Cream

I was on the look out for a while for a moisturiser that would be good for a combination skin type. I googled a suitable skin care routine and a lot of them said to use more of a lightweight gel based moisturiser rather than a cream. To my surprise Revolution had just come out with their new skincare line, and I noticed they had released one and the name is literally 'Hydration Boost Lightweight Hydrating Gel Cream'. You can just imagine my excitement when seeing this on the website, but unfortunately it was sold out. I finally got my hands on it and I can safely say this is the best moisturiser I have ever used. It literally feels like you're rubbing water on your face, and it soaks really well into your skin. I have noticed a massive difference to my skin since using this, if you are after a new one then I would highly recommend this one! It's £8 which isn't the cheapest, but I promise you it is so worth it.

Not only did my skin start getting dry but it was also the start of the dreaded dry, chapped lips season. 

Carmex Lip Balm Strawberry

This is such a popular brand for lip care products, I for one had never tried this brand before until Chemist kindly gifted this to me for one of my Blogmas posts. I got just the standard lip balm in the tube with the flavour strawberry, this smells like strawberry sweets it's so yummy I could honestly eat it. It terms of the product itself, I cannot fault it. I am normally really picky with my lip balms because most of them can cause acne around my lips (which is the most annoying thing when you are prone to dry lips). This one fingers crossed so far has not caused any acne and it is very moisturising. Plus this has SPF 15 in it which is always a good thing and will protect your lips especially in the summer time and on holiday. For me there is a slight tingling sensation on my lips that I don't mind, I did google this and it says this is normal. You can pick this up at the moment for £1.79 what an absolute bargain!

Now it wouldn't be my blog if I didn't have a couple of makeup items!

I went into Primark a few weeks ago to get some bits and I come across their pressed powder, I know Sophdoesnails raves about this so I just had to pick it up.

Primark Pressed Powder

I only have a few pressed powder's in my collection as I tend to just stick to the ones that I know will work for me, however when I saw that this powder is only £2 I had to give it a go. Can I just say that Primark are absolutely killing the makeup game with so many amazing products, and this powder was no exception! First of all this does such a good job of mattifying my skin, just switching up this powder into my normal makeup routine has made a difference to how long it lasts. The best part about this is how amazing the coverage is, I've never had a powder that has this good coverage as all my other ones are drugstore. People have compared this to the Mac powder so it must be good!

It would also not be me if I didn't tell you about a highlighter I have been loving.

Ofra Highlighter - Glazed Donut

As you would know I got this in a recent Beauty Bay order as it was on sale. I had been wanting this highlighter for the longest time, as I heard SO many good things about it. Nikkie Tutorials is the queen of glow so I instantly knew this would not disappoint. First of all they have completely changed their packaging and I love it because it's white and silver. This highlighter you guys is super blinding and is the most perfect shade for us pale girls. The formula is very wet looking and it looks beautiful on the skin, it never lets me down. When I want a highlighter to shock a few people I am instantly drawn to this I love it so much. This is expensive at £25 but let me tell you it is worth every single penny, you need this in your life!

So those were my December Favourites, I hope you all have an amazing 2019 and let's make it the best year yet!

Thank you so much for reading,

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DAY 18: HOW TO RECREATE A SPA EXPERIENCE AT HOME

Well hello there!

For Blogmas Day 18 I have a collaboration post full of tips on how to recreate a spa experience, from the comfort of your own home.

Photo by Roberto Nickson (@g) on Unsplash

Everybody loves a trip to the spa for a relaxing day of treatments, jacuzzis and massages. Whilst they're an incredible experience, often they're far too expensive to be something you regularly enjoy.

Although it's not going to be exactly the same as heading out to the spa, there are ways you can affordably recreate your own spa experience at home. Whether you buy spa-inspired products, learn how to do home massages or invest in some aromatherapy equipment - you could have that magical spa feeling at home in no time.

With that in mind, here are 8 tips and tricks to recreate the spa experience at home:

1. Invest In Some Official Spa Beauty Products

There are lots of different spa beauty products that are now available to purchase on the high street. Whilst some may be expensive, when you think about how much use you will get out of them in comparison to the price of a spa treatment, they'll more than pay for yourself. Invest in some massage oil, moisturiser, bath salts and anything else that you think will create a relaxing spa experience.

2. Research Aromatherapy And How It Can Benefit Your Mind

Aromatherapy is a great way to change your mood using different scents and smells. Take the time to work out how you're feeling (stressed, nervous, fatigue) and research the scents that are best designed to treat those feelings and improve your mood. If you're on a budget you can use a wax melt and burner to create a spa effect, however, it may be worth investing in an aromatherapy diffuser for that real spa look and feel.

If you want to learn more about aromatherapy and how it can help you, you can visit this very handy guide here.

3. Buy Yourself A White Robe And Slippers

The ultimate sign of being at the spa is having fluffy white spa robes and slippers to wander round in. Whilst it won't quite feel the same walking around your own home, you'll still feel incredibly relaxed cosying up in your new dressing gown.

4. Play Relaxing Music In Your Bathroom

One thing that adds to the spa experience whilst you're there is the relaxing music they play throughout the facilities. Search on YouTube for spa music and use that to play in your bathroom as you have your bath and do your treatments.

For examples of relaxing music to play in your home spa, you can visit this website here.

5. Learn Home Massage Techniques

If you live with someone who you trust to give you massages, then it may be worth learning some home massage techniques. There's no feeling quite like a full body massage so being able to recreate even a few steps of the process will give you the opportunity to have a massage whenever you like. If you learn together you will be able to return the favour too!

6. Add Flowers To Your Bath

If you've ever been to Bali or Thailand then you'll know that ‘flower baths’ are an incredibly popular spa treatment. Filled to the brim with hot water, incredible spa products and colourful flowers - these baths truly are a special experience. If you're doing this on a budget then you can even purchase freeze-dried flowers that will come to life with all sorts of scents and feelings and soon as you add them to the water. You'll be transported to Asia for a fraction of the price!

7. Treat Yourself Afterwards By Relaxing With A Good Book

One of the best things about visiting a spa is being able to relax by the pool. Taking the time to relax after your treatments is a great way to let the true spa feeling hit you as you get lost in a good book. While you can't sit by the pool at home, sitting upright in bed with your feet up will create a similar effect.

8. Buy Herbal Tea For After Your Treatment

After having your relaxing treatments and incredible bath, relaxing with a hot herbal tea is the best way to top off your experience. The herbal tea will be the final thing that will completely relax you, making you feel as though you've just spent an incredibly relaxing afternoon at a high-end spa. Leave your phone, switch everything off and just enjoy the feeling of being relaxed.

Have you ever tried to recreate a spa experience at home? Let me know if you have any tips and tricks in the comment section below!

Thank you so much for reading,

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DAY 15: CHRISTMAS BOX SWAP // COLLAB WITH COURTNEY JAYNE

Well hello there!

Today I have an exciting post because it's in collaboration with Courtney Jayne, it's exciting for me because I actually know Courtney personally. We went to the same secondary school so it's nice to speak to a familiar face that shares the same passion as me. She is a Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle blogger who has a big passion for Badminton as well so go check her out and give her some love, also check out her Twitter and Instagram to. For our collaboration we actually gave each other Christmas Box's, we had a budget of £20 to get whatever we wanted to. I had so much fun picking out things for Courtney as I love getting other people gifts and I really hope she likes it all! Just a disclaimer I did not come up with this idea myself, I saw that Soph Hearts and Hello Bexa did a box swap collab and thought it was such a good idea that I wanted to try it myself! Let's get into what Courtney got me...

Courtney got me the most thoughtful gifts I can't believe how lovely she is, the first things are a mug and a key ring that have my blog header on them, and the background is pink glitter with a big A in the middle. How amazing is that! I love them so much I don't even want to use the mug I just want to display it. The key ring is going straight on my car keys, I am so impressed with them. I think I'm going to put some of my makeup brushes in the mug as I want it on display on my dressing table. My favourite colour is pink so it makes these even better!

The next thing is a pair of eyelashes from a brand called LA Splash which I have heard of but I don't have anything from their brand until now. These are in the style 'Extra' and let me tell you they are extra! The most dramatic lashes I've seen but I'm so excited to try them as it's very different for me. The brand is cruelty free which is always a good thing and what makes these even better is that they are super affordable at £4.50! They are synthetic mink and they look very fluttery. 

Next I got a Pure Essence Pearl Sheet Mask by a brand called Holika Holika which I have never heard of before. It is a brightening sheet that makes your skin radiant and flawless with pearl extract. I love sheet masks because they're not as messy so I am so happy to get this and I will definitely be giving this a go soon. 

Courtney also got me a few makeup items as well which was so nice of her and she obviously knows how obsessed I am with makeup revolution! There are 2 lipsticks, one that is in the shade 'Absolutely Flawless' which is a beautiful nude shade and I love my nude lipsticks! (Seriously...you should see my collection). The other one is in the shade 'Red Carpet' which is a stunning red colour and is obviously perfect for the festive season! The last thing Courtney got me is the liquid highlighter in the shade 'Starlight', I do already have this one but I am keeping it as a back up for when my one runs out. I love this product so it will definitely not go to waste!

So those were all the products that Courtney bought me, thank you so so much I love every single thing that was in the box! Don't forget to check out Courtney Jayne's Blog to see what products I got her.
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DAY 13: GLOSSY BOX OPENING | DECEMBER 2018

Well hello there!

Welcome to day 13 of Blogmas and today I have the December Glossy Box opening which I am really excited for. Obviously the theme for this month is 'All That Glitters' and includes 5 full-size products with an additional treat so let's dive in!

Bellapierre Cosmetics Shimmer Roll

This sounds amazing already, so this is a iridescent highlighter that glides on your skin. It contains pure pigments that blend seamlessly, and you can use this on your eyes, cheekbones or your body so this sounds perfect for the festive season! I think this could be great for beginners in makeup who would love to put some shimmer on their lids and want something that is quick and easy. As it is multi-use it just makes the product even better and the colour is stunning! It says the product retails for £19.99 but what I have linked takes you to Look Fantastic and you can get a 2g one for £7.

Imperial Leather Unicorn Shower Gel

I believe we got an Imperial Leather Unicorn shower related product a few months ago which I did use and it smelt amazing, so it's nice to see another another product from a familiar brand. This is a gel this time and it will leave your skin feeling soft and has a scent of pink grapefruit, citrus and floral amoras. This sounds good to me and I can't wait to use this! It says the product retails for £1.99 but I have linked it from Tesco's where you can it for £1, what a bargain.

Beauty BLVD Hydra-Gel Lip Mask

I have never heard of this brand before which is why I love Glossy Box because it really gives you a chance to try different brands that you would never think to use. This is a hydra-gel lip mask that is formulated with green tea extract and moisture boosting Hyaluronic Acid, and will rescue dry lips. Collagen and antioxidant rich red wine extracts also help to plump and smooth the lips. This sounds absolutely amazing as I do tend to get really dry lips especially this time of year, so I will be definitely be giving this a go. This retails for £7.50 which isn't the cheapest lip mask but if it does what it says on the tin then I will be extremely happy.

Doucce Matte Lip Crayon - Winterberry

This is give you that classic red lip for Christmas, and what makes it even better for me is that is has a matte finish. It has a long-lasting and pigmented formula that glides on smoothly and is a beautiful deep red shade. I haven't used a lip crayon in a long time and from past experience they are really easy to use and apply. Again I am really looking forward to trying this as I've just seen that it retails for £16.95 which is quite pricey for a lip crayon so it must be really good right?! 

Niko Pro Jelly Blush - Bali

I can't find a link for this product so I have just linked their UK website but this is another makeup item in the box which is exciting, and this is a jelly blush. Now I've heard of a jelly highlighter before but not a jelly blush so this really intrigues me. I've also never heard of the brand, which again is a nice way to try new things. The thought of applying a jelly blush really scares me but I am going to give this a try soon and see what I think. The colour is sort of rose gold which is my fav (of course), and it has a hydrating , pigmented and light weight formula. This retails for £12 which is quite expensive so I'm looking forward to seeing how it performs.

MayBeauty Pore Strip

So this is an extra treat this month which is super lovely of Glossy Box. This is a great product to help prep your skin for the party season and it is designed to remove blackheads and impurities from your nose. I love products like this and so does my boyfriend so we will be giving them a go! This pack of 2 retails for £3.50 which is a fair price, and I have linked the website where you can buy a pack of 12 for £17.

So that is December's Glossy Box and after seeing a few comments of people saying they were disappointing, I actually really like this months box. It includes a few makeup items and skin care for such a bargain price. Glossy Box only costs £10 a month before shipping so I don't get why people complain anyway. They have been really kind and left a discount on the card 'XMASGIFT' for 10% off gift subscriptions. If that isn't convincing enough there is a sneak peek of January's box, and it will include a full size Deluxe Hyaluronic Acid Vivifying Face and Night cream from Avant Skincare, that is worth a whopping £98!! Sign up here. 

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OCTOBER FAVOURITES

Well hello there!

October flew literally by I cannot believe it is nearly November, we can finally start getting excited for Christmas woop woop!! I can't wait to tell you about some more makeup items that I have been loving, more high end products this time which is different for me.

Maybelline Fit Me Loose Powder 

I am sorry to my fellow UK makeup lovers because we can't actually get this in the UK, but I absolutely love this loose powder. Before I tried this I only believed in high end loose powders because any drugstore powder I tried always clung to my dry patches. However, this has changed the game! This powder makes my skin look soo smooth and soft and what makes it even better is that it is drugstore. I use this all the time and I am so gutted I can't just go to Superdrug and pick a new one up. The best part about this is that it retails for $7.99 which is around £6, so they need to start stocking this in the UK ASAP!

Jouer Cosmetics Highlighter - Ice

You know me by now...I LOVE highlighters, its my favourite step in my makeup routine and believe me when I say I have well over 30 highlighters in my collection. What I love about this highlighter is the formula of it, it's quite unique and much different to my other ones. First of all it hasn't got any kick back which means there is no mess with it, and the formula is very soft and does not seem that pigmented when you apply it. However, when it is applied it has such a pretty glow to it. If you love soft and glowy highlighters that aren't in your face then you will love this formula. These are very expensive at £19 but it is a big pan size and I think it is worth it.

Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Long-Wear Brow Pencil

I have been using this constantly for over a month now, I received it as a 21st birthday present a couple of months ago and it was just sitting in my draw. When I started using it I just suddenly fell in love with it, the pencil is so so easy to use and it glides on so smoothly. Takes me less than 3 minutes to do my brows just so I can lightly fill them in for work. I love the pencil shape as it is slightly slanted tip to make it more precise when applying, and bonus is that this lasts on your brows for ages! Don't get me wrong this is hella expensive costing £30 and I personally would't buy it myself, but it is a very good eyebrow pencil. If you can't afford to spend £30 on an eyebrow pencil then don't buy this, but if you're looking for a new high end brow pencil then I recommend checking this out. 

Tarte Shape Tape

When my parents went to America in the summer I HAD to ask them to pick up the famous Tarte Shape Tape concealer. It's fair to say that I completely understand the immense hype with this product, the coverage is amazing. I was worried about it being too drying as it is a thick formula but that's not the case at all. I have been using this everyday and don't get me wrong this is an expensive concealer BUT it is completely worth it. If you get the chance to buy this then 100% pick it up because you will not regret it, especially if you love full coverage concealers. 

So those are my October Favourites, hope you all have a wonderful Halloween and watch lot's of horror films (I know I will be!).

Thank you so much for reading,

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