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!

Thank you so much for reading,

Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixkateblog
Bloglovin': alixkate

YouTube: makeupwithalixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

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,

Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixkateblog
Bloglovin': alixkate

YouTube: makeupwithalixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

GLOSSY BOX OPENING | JANUARY 2019

Hi guys, firstly I'm so sorry I haven't been posting much. The past couple of posts have been collaborations and I haven't properly uploaded since the beginning of the month, I've just had to come away from blogging for a few weeks to find myself in the blogging world again. I am back now and have decided I am not going to put pressure on myself to upload every week, instead when I feel like I have produced good enough content that I am proud of. It's just so hard blogging, having a full time job, uploading 2 videos a week to YouTube as well as keeping up with social media! I hope you don't mind this decision, but get excited as I have a couple of good opportunities coming up!

Now let's get on with today's post which is of course the next Glossy Box opening, I couldn't miss this out - I do it every month after all! Also, sorry this is going up pretty late in the month.

This month's box is all about keeping our beauty resolutions easy with some face and hair care, along with a beauty tool so let's dive in!

Avant Skincare Face & Eye Night Cream

I am not the greatest person at skin care, I am trying to get into it more in 2019 so I'm not quite an expert yet! I do have moisturisers, a serum, cleansers, toners etc but the one thing I don't have is an eye cream. As you can imagine when I saw that this was a face & eye cream I thought what a result I don't need to go out and buy one. This has Hyaluronic Acid in it so you know this is going to be hydrating and I love to keep my skin nice and hydrated. It says it will help rejuvenate tired eyes, even your skin tone, minimise pores and it will smooth your skin! This sounds amazing and guys this product retails for £98!!!!!! I'm not kidding it says it here right in front of me, I cannot believe it. I am so excited to try this and you will definitely hear about this from me again if it is as good as I hope it is.

Batiste Rethink Dry Shampoo
Now I live on dry shampoo I use it all the time, I even have a mini in my handbag! The rethink range I'm pretty sure is new and they are infused with strengthening keratin, coconut, avocado and collagen to refresh, repair, soften, hydrate and revive your hair! The spray is also invisible and feels lightweight on your hair, I love their normal dry shampoo but I am very excited to try this one as it helps with volume which is something I do not have at all in my hair. If you love dry shampoo like me and are looking for something to give you volume as well, then I would definitely check this out!

Maybelline Blender Foundation Sponge
This is a latex free foundation blending sponge that will apparently deliver an even coverage and a smooth finish. I don't know about you but I'm not the biggest fan of sponges like this, I don't think it is big enough for foundation. However, this could be good for blending out under eye concealer or baking under your eyes instead of using your regular sponge. It will be one of those things where I need to actually try it for myself to see if I will get on with it. It seems quite overpriced at £5 but I will have to try it.

Hask Repairing Deep Conditioning Treatment
I don't ever use hair masks but I should really try them, it's just another step in your bath/shower routine and I'm just being very lazy. These treatments are infused with different oils and extracts to repair, soften, smooth and strengthen your hair. I mean it sounds amazing, whether I have the effort to do it or not is another question! Let me know in the comments if you've ever used a hair mask before and if you think they are worth doing.

-417 Facial Micro Luffa Foaming Gel
This gel is formulated with minerals, rare plant extracts and vitamins to leave your skin feeling clean, soft and fresh. You work the gel into damp skin in circular motions to gently exfoliate and remove your makeup. Exfoliating is quite an important step in your weekly routine, you should exfoliate 1-2 times a week to get rid of any excess dirt and dead skin. You can never have enough exfoliating products so I am looking forward to giving this ago! The full size of this is worth £22.71 so it's not the cheapest on the market but let's hope it's a good one.

So that was everything in the January box, if you want to sign up to Glossy Box you can here.
Thank you so much for reading,

Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixkateblog
Bloglovin': alixkate

YouTube: makeupwithalixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

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,

Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixkateblog
Bloglovin': alixkate

YouTube: makeupwithalixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

DAY 21: XMAS MAKEUP LOOK FOR £25! // COLLAB WITH LIFEOFERIINN

Well hello there!

Today I have a very different post for me, I have another collaboration and it is with The Life Of Erin. We are doing a Christmas makeup look for only £25! This was so hard for me to do because I don't have as much very cheap makeup as I thought I did. However, I did find some products and my look added up to just under the £25 mark.

PRODUCTS USED

Foundation - Revolution Fast Base Stick £5

Concealer - Primark My Perfect Colour £2

Powder - Rimmel Stay Matte £3.99

Bronzer, Highlight, Blush and Eyeshadow - Technic Show Stopper Palette £6

Mascara - Collection Lash Surge £4.99

Lipstick - Revolution Past Midnight £3

Total = £24.98

FINISHED LOOK

It was so difficult to come up with a look with such a little budget but I really enjoyed doing this. Just goes to show that you don't need to buy expensive makeup to create a good makeup look. 

Thank you to The Life Of Erin for collaborating with me, you can check her makeup look out here.

Thank you so much for reading,

Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixkateblog
Bloglovin': alixkate

YouTube: makeupwithalixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

DAY 19: BEST MAKEUP OF 2018 // COLLAB WITH LUCI BARKER

Well hello there!

Today I have a collaboration post with Luci Barker, who is one of my very good blogger friends. We are doing one of my favourite post's to write and that is the best makeup of 2018. Just want to clarify this is based off of my own opinion, and is not necessarily makeup that come out in 2018 but makeup I have loved using this year.

Primark Primer Water

I have been using this non-stop for everything, wetting eye shadows, priming my face, setting my face etc. I hope this is a permanent product because it is so useful, plus it was only £2.50! It's something you think you don't need but when you have it you are constantly using without realising.

Urban Decay Optical Illusion Primer

This is the best smoothing primer I have come across, I still have the travel size one that I got last Christmas! I use it quite a lot, especially when I want to use a matte foundation. It has such a soft formula and it feels in my pores very well, so if you have deep pores like me you will really like this.

Tarte Shape Tape Concealer
This concealer has changed the game for me, I can't imagine using any other concealer now. The coverage is unreal and I very much get the hype with this product, best concealer in the world. It is very expensive but I promise you if you want a FULL coverage concealer, it is worth the money.

Revolution Conceal & Define Concealer

This is my other favourite concealer that took the makeup world by storm earlier this year. It is a dupe of the shape tape however the shape tape for me has slightly better coverage. It is very creamy and blends out beautifully on the skin. I will use this on days where I don't want an extreme full coverage. You can check out a full review here.

Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
This bronzer is my absolute go-to, I use this everyday without fail. I take it away with me and I have finally hit pan after using it for such a good time (photo was taken before). If you have pale skin you will absolutely love it, it is expensive but completely worth it. Also it smells like chocolate so whats not to love!

Too Faced Born This Way Powder

Another Too Faced product that has changed my makeup routine for the better. For so long my drugstore loose powders kept clinging to my dry patches, but even the very first time I used this it didn't. I can literally cake this onto my nose to mattify it and it will not cling to dry patches, it is utter magic! Again it is expensive but very worth it. If you can get hold of the Maybelline loose powder (not available in the UK), then I recommend that one as well! 

The only decent picture I have is of the lid and that's no good, but this is what it looks like!

ABH x Amrezy Highlighter
Oh my goodness this highlighter is BEAUTIFUL, and it has come back in stock after high demand! The formula is very pigmented, soft and creamy and it looks wet on your skin which I love. This is a bit too yellow for my pale skin but I wore it everyday in the summer, and when I'm fake tanned. This is high end and very expensive, but if you have £29 to spend I do recommend this, especially if you are a highlighter collector like myself! You can check out a full review here.

Soph x Revolution Extra Spice
This is another product that come out this year and I have been loving it. You can create so many different looks with it and for a drugstore eye shadow palette the quality of the shadows is so good. This only costs £10 and I have used this so many times, more than some of my high end palettes! I have realised that you don't always need to spend a lot of money on eye shadow palettes to create a beautiful look. You can check out a full review on my YouTube channel here.

Zoeva Basic Moment Blush Palette
This is my favourite travel palette, I will always choose this over all my other ones. I love the cool toned contour powder, the highlighter in this is slightly yellow but I can get away from it. The blush is super light which I really like on my pale complexion. This may not be for everyone as there only 1 shade of each product but for pale skin this is perfect, if you haven't checked this out already I recommend you do! You can check out a full review here.

Jeffree Star Christmas Cookie
This is my favourite nude lipstick off all time, this come out this time year as a limited edition shade. Luckily for me Jeffree brought this back into the permanent range after high demand. I have raved on about how much I love his formula but if you're new, they are very pigmented, long lasting, comfortable and non-drying. I have accumulated a lot of his lipsticks over the past year and I love them!

Collection Lash Surge Mascara
I cannot believe how cheap this mascara is, this is a perfect everyday mascara if you don't like to have thick clumpy lashes on the daily. It separates your lashes beautifully and they look super black, I haven't been able to put this down and I am constantly using it. If you are on a budget this is the one for you!

So there we have it, for me personally this was my best makeup of 2018! Thank you to Luci for collaborating with me, go check out her blog! You can check out her post here.
Thank you so much for reading,

Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixkateblog
Bloglovin': alixkate

YouTube: makeupwithalixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

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.
Thank you so much for reading,

Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixkateblog
Bloglovin': alixkate

YouTube: makeupwithalixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!