The Everyday, Working Girl Face

BASE:

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 'True Ivory;

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealor under the eyes in 'Ivory'

Seventeen Phwoarr Paint in 'fair' for pinpoint concealing

Bourjois Aqua Blush 'Cocori Coral' pushed onto the apples of the cheeks with my fingers

Kiko Radiant Touch Highlighter (the rose one, there's no name!) on the high points of the face

BROWS:

Maybelline Brow Drama in 'medium brown' to get all the hairs going in the right direction and keep them put all day

Soap and Glory Brow Archery (I only use the tint side) in 'brownie points' to define the outer 2/3 of my brows, I tend the leave the insides with just the brow gel

EYES:

MAC paint pot in 'painterly' to prime my lids and even the skin tone

Kiko Longlasting Eyeshadow stick in 'Golden Taupe'

MAC 'Mulch' eyeshadow to intensify the shadow stick and set it

Seventeen Waterproof mascara 

LIPS:

MAC lipstick in 'Faux' - my current everyday favourite!

This looks like a lot but honestly, it takes me about 10 minutes and looks like you've made a lot more effort! 

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My Nail Painting Essentials

Since growing my nails I've been an avid nail painter and I'm constantly rocking a new shade of pop of colour on my tips, so I thought I'd share my tips for the best finish I can get without seeing an expert!

1. Remove existing colour. I tend to use a nourishing nail polish remover as most tend to be very harsh and I have naturally pretty weak nails, so I try to keep the harsh products down to a minimum.

2. File and Prep. I then give my hands a wash in cold water and a mild soap, and use a nail brush to get rid of any dirt under my nails (yuck). I then file any sharp edges to keep them looking neat.

3. I then use the Rimmel Nail Rescue Nail Nurse which is a nail hardening treatment/base coat which stops splitting, it's a fab budget option!

4. Colour! This is where I apply two coats of any colour which takes my fancy, I'm a massive fan of Essie, Barry M (currently the Quick Dry range, but also the Gelly Hi Shine range), Models Own, anything! But currently, I'm currently rocking this bright fuchsia from Kiko which was only £1 would you believe! My favourite all time polish which is constantly on my nails from September-March is Essie's Bahama Mama a wonderful burgundy (pictured), and a classic. 

5. My current favourite top coat is a new release from Barry M (I think) named Gelly Hi Shine Plumpy Top Coat which gives a lovely shine and dries pretty quickly too! 

6. To quickly dry my nails I use a few spritzes of the Avon Nail Experts Liquid Freeze Quick Dry Nail Spray which stops that initial tackiness, and although greasy, does a wonderful job. I then run my hands under cold water which gets rid of the greasiness and also hardens my polish.

So there you have it! The whole routine only takes about 20 minutes which isn't bad considering all the steps. I'm going for a shellac manicure and cream tea on Wednesday so I'm taking my camera to document the day with my Mum and Granny, I'm really excited and can't wait to see what shellac is like! 

Summer MAC Lipstick Picks

Hello five photos of my face. Sorry all. Thought I'd share my favourite MAC lipsticks that I'll be wearing this summer that are suitable for all occasions! They range from bold to subtle, bright to soft so there's something for every taste, occasion and style!

MAC 'Crosswires' (£15.50)

Crosswires is a pinky red in a creme sheen finish so is super creamy and pigmented and lasts for a pretty long time. It goes lovely with any makeup look and add a pop of colour that isn't too bright or in your face. It's a subtle take on a red, a summer pinky red if you like!

MAC 'Impassioned' (£15.50)

This is the definition of bright pinks. It's in your face and has blue undertones which make your teeth look so white! This is an amplified formula so is heavily pigmented and lasts for a really long time. 

MAC 'Milan Mode' (£15.50)

Milan Mode is a subtle pink shade which somehow looks very similar to Plumful here but I promise you it's pink! It does have flecks of sparkle, but it's nothing 90's style, it enhances the light bouncing off your lips and gives them a nice sheen, nothing sparkly here! It has a lustre finish so is pretty sheer but still has high pigmentation, perfect for summer as it wears evenly and doesn't leave that horrible ring around your lips!

MAC 'Plumful' (£15.50)

The perfect purple. Another lustre that is beautifully subtle. I was wary about buying a purple lipstick but the lustre finish makes it very wearable and it's become one of my most favourite every day lippies! It goes with any look, but I love wearing it with a white shirt, don't ask me why!

MAC 'Vegas Volt' (£15.50)

A full power coral, the definition of summer, and a take on an orange lip. This looks fab with a tan, it just brings out the tan and looks beaut. It's another amplified so lasts for a really long time, a must for a bright lippy like this! 

What are your favourite summer lipsticks? Sorry for the face heavy post but I wanted to show true to colour swatches!

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A Primer Water?

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water (£20)

Until last year I was battling oily skin/the sweaty look without the use of a primer. Yeah. Bad move. But until now I've always stuck to more 'traditional' formulations such as the Benefit Porefessional or my ultimate favourite The Body Shop Instablur which you blend over your face and usually contain silcone to mask pores and create a good base for your foundation and any steps to follow. As soon as I heard about the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water I was intrigued at how a mist could create that smooth base that keeps my makeup lasting until I'm ready to take it off. 

I use this sparingly, one/two pumps is enough for my whole face, otherwise you're left wafting your hands around for 10 minutes while it dries - abit of a time waster. It feels lovely a cooling on your face and really gives you that extra boost of freshness to wake you up, lovely. As far as making my makeup last longer? I'm not too sure, particularly with  my oily skin, but it does give a lovely dewiness to my skin and makes even heavy foundations such as my fave MAC Studio Fix, give a lovely satin/dewy finish. For me it is a nice extra step to my routine but if I definitely want a fail safe product that is sure to make sure my makeup doesn't budge, I'd prefer to go for my Body Shop Instablur, but for everyday this is a lovely product perfect for warmer months in particular. But, the way I like to use this most is to moisten my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion sponge for buffing in my concealor. It just lets to sponge do all the hard work, makes my concealor blend effortlessly without looking cakey. I can use my Seventeen Phwoarr Paint on my blemishes and it hides them completely and still gives a beautiful finish. It's fab! This is my favourite use of his product and if you buy it, I recommend you try it!

I've Been Haulin'

ASOS Crop Top | ASOS Checked Skirt | ASOS White Tee
Maybelline Brow Drama | Soap and Glory Brow Archery | Garnier Miceller Water | Yes To Tomatoes Daily Repair Treatment | Barry M Speedy Nail Polish 'Pit Stop' 

In preparation for my 5 day UK break coming up in a few weeks I thought I'd head to ASOS and Boots to get some holiday clothes and makeup because why not... 

If you saw my ASOS wishlist a few weeks back then you'll have seen this striped crop top which I was lusting after... I just couldn't stop putting it in my basket so I just thought eff it and bought it! It's a lovely thick-ish material, nothign too heavy but very good quality, long wearing and seems like it will wash well! I went for a size up as I don't like my tummy showing and it fits perfectly. It's still slightly cropped but long enough for my own comfort, I can't wait to wearing this with my dungarees or high waisted shorts - an easy way to brighten things up!

This tailored mini skirt was in the sale for only £15 which was too good of a bargain to resist since I love this style of skirt and a grey one would add to my collection. This will look great with the next item with or without tights, dressed up or down so it really is a versatile piece and I'm glad they had my size left! 

The last thing from ASOS was a simple white tshirt with a v neck, such an easy piece to throw on with various things. I tend to wear a lot of black/dark tops so this will brighten up most of my outfits and I love the v neck, I'll definitely need to pick more up in this style. The only criticism I have is that this top is quite thin but it will do the job nicely. 

Next up is makeup and it seems to be very brow heavy.... first I picked up the Maybelline Brow Drama in the shade Medium Brown cause I feel like sometimes I just want to put on a brow gel and be done with it - particularly when I'm at work all day cause I go for a very simple (read: lazy) makeup. To go alongside this I picked up the Soap and Glory Brow Archery, I was torn between getting this and the solar powder but chose this to try alongside the brow gel from Maybelline. But lets face it, I'll be picking up the solar powder pretty soon cause I'm dying to get into bronzer. 

Then I repurchased my favourite miceller water from Garnier, no other compares and it dispenses just the right amount unlike others! Sticking with skincare, I was after a treatment to clear out the major breakout I have going on, on my chin right now as nothing is sorting it out, I aimed to pick up the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo and it did make its way into my basket until I spotted the bright packaging of the Yes To... ranges. I spotted the Tomato Daily Repair Treatment and as it is cheaper I thought I'd give it a whirl. First up, it has a pump!! Unlike the Effaclar Duo it has a pump so you know you're using the right amount of product so I just hope this works! I'll keep you updated. 

Finally is a result of binge watching Vivianna Does Makeup's videos (for the millionth time...) and seeing her rave about the Barry M Speedy Quick Dry Polishes. I've always been a lover of Barry M, they have every shade you can every imagine and for the teeny price tag they're incredible quality. I have no time when it comes to painting my nails so I tend to not bother so the promise of quick drying is a winner for me I picked up this pastel grey (not purpley, or bluey, actually grey!) named 'Pit Stop' and I love it! It only took two coats to be opaque and did indeed dry super quickly! Winner. 

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Current Skincare

I by no means have perfect skin, or am a skin care expert, I just thought I'd show what has recently been working for me moving int the summer months! For your reference, I have oily skin and am usually sporting some spots around my chin area but I've narrowed that down to a lack of fibre and not drinking enough water and since changing my diet and adding a certain tonic back into my routine, this has improved dramatically! 

Morning

In the morning I simply cleanse/wash my face with the Body Shop's Camomile Cleansing butter which I have raved about lots on this blog already so I won't go into detail. It leaves my face squeaky clean and locks in a boost of moisture. 

I then swipe half a cotton pad of the Pixi Glow Tonic over my face concentrating on my T-Zone but I just swiz it all over really. A few months ago I stopped using this as I saw it as an unnecessary step to my routine, how wrong was I?! My skin seemed so dull, my makeup didn't sit as well and I seemed to get a lot more clogged pores and spots. I quickly reintroduced it and my skin is improving daily. 

I finally moisturise with the Garnier Moisture Matte moisturiser for combination/oily skin which is a gel-like formula which absorbs into the skin very quickly and is a nice matte base for my makeup to sit on. I wouldn't say it completely stops my shine but I have very oily skin and nothing does that except a good setting powder! 

Evening

To remove my makeup I simply use a miceller water, this one is the Boots Botanics 3 in 1 cleansing miceller water but I also love the Garnier one - anyone really!

I then moisturise with the Garnier Moisture and Restore Night Cream, I love this as it isn't thick like normal night creams (it's a gel formula) but it still delivers lots of moisture into my skin to give it a boost overnight. It's lovely and light which is perfect for the summer as noone wants a thick cream settling on your skin in this weather! 

As you can tell, I don't spend ridiculous amounts of money on skin care cause a) I'm a poor student and b) I don't think you need to spend £60 on a serum, there are good products on the high street for affordable prices! I'm happy with this routine for these summer months and as I said, my skin is improving more and more each day :) 

The Two Product Smoky Eye

I'm all for a smoky eye, especially when it's as easy as 5 minutes, a quick blend and you're away. This smoky eye is perfectly subtle for everyday but also a bit more 'done up' than a bare eye - a happy medium. You should all know my love of eyeshadow bases by now so it will come as no surprise to you that the main feature of this look is Maybelline's 24hr Colour Tattoo in 'On and On Bronze'. (Also before we start can we please ignore the fact that I really need to pluck my eyebrows, and the two products doesn't include mascara and eyebrow products cause then this would be a hell of a long post!)

This look is so easy, I simply apply a layer of the eye base, blend, then build up the colour in stages focusing at the lashline and blending between each layer. Then if you like (and I have done here), you can deepen up the lashline with a dark brown eyeshadow which makes your lashes look fuller and gives a deeper smoke to the eye. I then draw the eye base under my eye, I like to bring the colour quite low but you can do whatever you fancy, even leave this stage out if you don't like colour under the eyes! The beauty of this look is that it doesnt need to be neat, if it gets smudged throughout the day it doesn't matter, and this is just a basic starting point, you can add a feline flick, more smoke, a heavy inner corner highlight or whatever you like! This is one of my go-to eye looks as it takes seconds and looks like you've put in effort!  

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MAC | My Everyday Quad

Since completing my MAC palette I've not wanted to carry round my whole pro palette when I've been staying at my boyfriends or out on days where I would need to touch up, so I decided to buy the four pan palette which I can store my eyebrow shades but also my everyday eye look. It keeps everything simple and compact. 

The four shades I have included are Shroom, Patina, Omega, and Coquette. Combined they can create a simple golden eye or smoked out for a more evening appropriate look so this quad is perfect for everyday or even if last minute plans arise!

I simply comb my brows through with a spoolie and then use an angled brush to define the mid-part and wing of my brows with Coquette and then fill in the fronts and mid-parts with Omega. Simple as!

I'd be lost without my paintpot in Painterly as I use this everyday to smooth and even out my eyelids, I then set with a transparent setting powder to ensure this lasts even longer and leaves a more powdery base for the eyeshadows to blend on to. I then define and warm up my crease with Omega, taking this slightly above my crease so the deeper shade blends out evenly. I then define my outer corner and slightly through my crease with Coquette and blend out by mixing both wha's left on my brush with a bit of Omega. 

I then apply a small amount of my Barestudy paintpot to the mobile lid, focusing mainly on the inner part of my lid and putting a small amount on my inner corner. This will add an extra bit of shimmer but also help the next shade, Patina, to really pop. I apply this all over my lid, pushing it with a flat shader to help really build up the colour, then going back in with my blending brush to ensure all the colour are blended together. 

To finish I simply apply Shroom to my inner corner to brighten up my eyes, then go in with a few coats of mascara, I used a sample of MAC's False Lashes Extreme Black which I like, the spoolie is very soft of my lashes, it doesn't tug or pull at my lashes. 

I tend to pair this look with a nude lip for everyday, especially when I'm at work as it is low maintenance, today I've used MAC's Faux which is my current favourite! 

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Eye Bases

If you follow me on various social media you'll probably know my love of eyeshadow bases, they're just so EASY! So I thought I'd dedicate a whole post to the ones I own and how I use them! 

First up are my MAC Pro Longwear Paintpots in 'Painterly' (middle) and 'Barestudy' (to the left of painterly). Painterly is one of my most used simply because it matches my natural eyelid colour perfectly and covers all my veins and imperfections. It helps any powder eyeshadows I use to stick and the colours to pop whilst not removing the blendability of the shadows. Barestudy is a beautiful champagne shade with gold shimmer which works wonderfully all over the lid as a wash of colour with a warm toned contour through the crease and lashings of mascara. MAC paintpots are super longlasting and wonderfully pigmented. 

Next are my three Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo's in the shades 'On and On Bronze', 'Pink Gold', and 'Permanent Taupe'. On and On Bronze is exactly what the name suggests, bronze which can be washed all over the lid or build up and blended out to be pretty smoky. I adore this in the autumn and winter smoked out with a black eyeshadow along the lashline, so easy but looks like you've spent ages applying shadows and blending them out - winner! Pink Gold is my least used shade, I bought it on a bit of a whim really and have only used it a few times! I think it would work really well the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette because of the rose gold tones. Permanent Taupe is fab as a liner with a bare lid and smoked out along the lashline for a bare eye with a twist. The 24hr colour tattoos are quite waxy in formulation but this makes them extremely longlasting, they don't crease or budge all day which is fab. 

Seventeen's eye base in 'Wild Nude' is a beautiful taupe which can be used very similarly to 'on and on bronze', the formulation of this is extremely creamy as so easy to blend which means I love using it on days where I have very little time! 

The Max Factor Excess Shimmer in the shade 'Copper' has a mousse like formula which initially gives a subtle wash of bronze shimmer but can be build up to a more opaque finish which sets and stays in place. 

As you can tell I don't just use eye bases as a base, I utilise the different texture and formulation which each brand takes on and use them to my advantage! I'm always on the look out for more eye bases so send your recommendations my way! 

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Review | MAC Plumful Lipstick

A recent purchase, a long lusted after shade, and a heavily influenced buy from Avi (@avisaxenaa on twitter and she also has started a new blog linked here). Plumful is a beautiful rose plum shade in a lustre finish which is perfect for the summer months. It gives a lovely wash of colour without being overpowering and too purple on the lips, and the finish also means that although the lasting power isn't amazing, it is low maintenance as it fades well and can be re-applied effortlessly. 

When it comes to MAC lipsticks my collection was pretty much reds and brights which is fab but I wanted more range. The lustre finish is a welcome addition as it gives a lovely finish, is moisturising and low upkeep for the summer months (or all year round). 

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Brush Collection | Zoeva

A new type of post for me, but since my brush collection is expanding I thought it would be fresh content! I owned a few Zoeva brushes before being lucky enough to receive the Zoeva Rose Gold Collection from my parents and then I've bought a few extras because they're just such good value for money! 

Base Brushes:

106 Powder - brilliant for giving a light dusting of powder leaving your foundation looking flawless and lasting all day

127 Luxe Sheer Cheek - my absolute favourite for contouring as it fits perfectly in the hollows of my cheeks!

105 Luxe Highlight - does exactly what it says on the tin, perfect for highlight

102 - Silk Finish - The best for foundation, especilly my MAC studio fix as it builds up the cover well and doesn't leave my foundation streaky, just beautifully buffed in. 

110 Face Shape - I love using this for stippling my concealor onto blemishes, it packs on the coverage but doesn't draw attention by leaving the areas cakey. 

142 Concealor Buffer - Good for precision concealor application or for packing on colour to the eyes

Eye Brushes:

222 Luxe Allover Shader - Wonderful for packing on colour and smoking shadow underneath the eyes, it's dense but sift so gentle on the eyes

2 x 227 Luxe Definer - Like the MAC 217's better half. It's less dense so beautifully blends out any shadow as it's so soft and fluffy.

231 Luxe Petit Crease - Great for blending darker shadow into the crease or outer corner, also for deepening up the lower or upper lash lines.

232 Luxe Classic Shader - A staple for packing on shadow, especially when adding that extra 'pop' shade to the lid.

230 Luxe Pencil - Good for an inner corner highlight or adding depth to the lashlines.

317 Wing Liner - Lovely for filling in my brows or as a wing liner applicator.

As you can see I tend to multitask my brush uses because why not break the rules once in a while eh?! I could not recommend a brand for brushes better than Zoeva, I much prefer them to my MAC one's and they are much cheaper too, what more could you want? 

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My MAC Palette

After months of buying the odd shadow here and there, I finally purchased my final 3 shadows and completed my MAC palette!

Going downwards, the first three shadows are my inner corner/brow highlights:
Vanilla - a creamy white
Dazzlelight - a full power pale shimmer
Shroom - a shimmery light beige

Second and third row are my 'all over the lid shades:
All That Glitters - a beige with gold shimmer
Patina - a gorgeous taupe with gold pearl shimmer
Woodwinked - a beautiful bronze

Sable - a plum/red with bronze pearl shimmer
Mulch - a deep bronze
Satin Taupe - a muted purple taupe

The final two rows are my crease, smoky eye shades:
Omega - perfect for filling in my brows and also as a initial crease shade
Wedge - a muted beige
Cork - a muted gold/brown

Charcoal Brown - the classic brown for the crease
Coquette - a grey toned taupe
Mystery - a plum toned brown which I love for giving my lash line more definition

I'm so happy with this palette! I definitely want to expand my collection as there are still many more shadows I want to try! Stay tuned for a post on my favourite quad of shadows and a look using them!

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Makeup Menu | May

Let's kick things straight off, I prime with Benefit's Porefessional Primer and my foundation base is MAC Studio Fix Fluid with a pump of Seventeen's Wow primer to give a bit of glow. To conceal my breakouts I used MAC Pro Longwear Concealor which is insane at covering imperfections. It's not cakey and matches my foundation perfectly in colour. I set my t-zone with a quick swiz of my trusty Rimmel Stay Matte powder as I get particularly oily here. I bronzed and contoured slightly with MAC's Harmony Blush and used MAC's Soft and Gentle Mineralise Skin Finish as an all over cheek highlight which is a new addition to my makeup collection and I wish I'd have bought it sooner. I love it. Any MAC/Makeup lover needs this in their stash. 

I primed my eyes the same way as usual, with my MAC Painterly Paintpot and then used MAC's Omega and Charcoal Brown eyeshadows from my MAC palette and a 217 blending brush to define my crease and warm up my eyes. I then packed the shade Bubbly from the Stila In the Light palette (another new addition) over the centre of my lid and took it into my inner corner and tearduct for a highlight. I then deepened my outer corners with the shade Glided Gold from the Stila palette and ran this under my eyes for added definition. I took the darkest shade in the palette, Ebony, and ran it along my lashline with an angled brush to define my lashes and give the appearance of thickness. I applied a few coats of Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara which gives length and a bit of volume so is good for everyday.

My brows were simply combed through and filled in using an angled brush and MAC's Omega eyeshadow, not my favourite method but my Sleek Eyebrow stylist is running low so I thought I'd go for this instead. 

To finish, I applied my new MAC Faux lipstick which is a satin 'muted mauve-pink' perfect for everyday. I'd never tried the satin formula before but it's a winner. Creamy, full power pigmentation and longlasting - everything I want in a lipstick.

This inadvertently turned into a very MAC heavy face... probably because I received money for my birthday so had a big splurge in there! Plus it's my favourite higher end brand so I use at least one product from them everyday. I'm really enjoying a very bronzed, glowing look and this fits the bil for this move into "summer".

Review | Sleek Brow Stylist

I've always been a 'Mac Omega and a 266 brush' kinda gal but after seeing the love everyone has for the Hourglass brow sculpting pencil I went on the hunt for a more budget friendly option. Obviously I can't compare this Sleek Brow Stylist to the Hourglass offering as I haven't tried it but as far as I'm concerned the Sleek one is fab. Here's why...

I had never used a spoolie until buying this product and it has seriously changed the look to my brows. It allows me to comb the hairs through before applying any product and then during application in order to sheer out the product and leave no harsh lines. This means that I can still get full brows but ones that look far more natural.

Most brow products in the drugstore are extremely orangey and red tones which doesn't work for most people. You may as well use bronzer on your brows, amiright?! Although the colour range isn't great, I found that the medium shade is actually a pretty good match for me, and is quite ashy toned but also has hints of red tones which works with my hair colour. 

I've always been scared of pencils because they have the potential to be extremely harsh (I found out the hard way - see my previous blog post on my brow history) but this pencil is very different to the one's I've tried before. It's quite waxy but also sets like a powder so you can sheer this out and also build up the colour to your desire. It's got a triangle sort of shape which is good because you can get precision on the tail of your brows but can cover a lot in one go on the full part of your brows, the shape works very well. 

Overall, I am a total convert to this way of doing my brows, it's so easy and carrying one product for travelling is so much easier than carting around brushes and eyeshadows. This is a definite repurchase and if you're in the market for a budget brow option (it's only's £5.99!) then I suggest heading to your nearest Sleek counter because you won't be disappointed. 

Comparison | Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil and Butter

If you have been reading my blog for a while you'll know my love for The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil so when it was running low again I thought I'd give its butter counterpart a try. Overall they are both amazing products which do a great job but they both have their pros and cons.

First of all the formula, both of which melt away makeup so easily and both leave my skin completely cleansed and makeup free but also surprisingly soft too. I have to say, the butter is far easier to work with as the pump sometimes squirts oil everywhere which is a bit of a mess to clean up. Also with both products, a little goes a long way which is great cause you really get your money's worth and they last a long time. 

I simply rub a bit of either product in my hands, just to warm up the product and then massage onto my dry face and neck, whether I have my makeup on or not. I then soak a flannel or muslin cloth in warm water and then buff and wipe away the product to leave my face squeaky clean! 

As far as packaging goes, the butter is definitely easier to travel with as it's compact and slim so fits into a small crevice in your luggage. I've also found that the oil can easily leak, I don't know if it was a fault with an individual bottle of mine but it made a big mess all over my packed clothes. Not fun.  

Overall, I love both products, they both do an equally good job but for the packaging differences I think I'll keep repurchasing the butter rather than the oil as it's much easier for me when I stay at my boyfriend's house. 

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Wishlist | My 20th Birthday

It's almost a month until I turn the big 2-0 so I've been trying to recount all the things I've been saying "ooooooh" and "aaaahh" over for months. These guys made the cut so this is my little reminder of what I could spend any money on or ask for if I'm lucky enough! Plus I just like lusting after all these things again and I also enjoy wishlist posts and hope you do too!

First up if the thing which I have been lusting after ever since I set eyes on them. The Zoeva Rose Gold Collection. Oh. My. How stunning are these?! I loooove Zoeva brushes so I know they are insane quality, pretty cheap for the price (all of these are only around £50!) and they are rose gold which is simply beautiful. What's not to love?

Topshop Joni Jeans are one of the styles of Topshop jeans I am yet to own but I recently found love in a pair of H&M high waisted jeans and now would like to try Topshop's more expensive offering. Ripped knees are bang on trend so I want a part of the action cause I think they would bring a bit of casual to any outfit.

I've been wanting to hit the gym for a long while and since I've been drowning my sorrows in a serious amount of McDonalds nuggs I really need to but don't have a pair of trainers with sufficient support for my poor ex-dancers ankles (curse you pointe shoes!). Plus these Nike Roshe's are gorgeous and I love the pop of atomic red.

As always my wishlist of MAC lipsticks and eyeshadows is as long as my arm so I'd hope to contribute a little more to my collections. I think Amorous and Creme in your Coffee lipsticks and Patina and Espresso eyeshadows are high up there.

I'm after a new bag cause I'm definitely a 'new academic year, new handbag' kinda gal (don't know if that's a thing but I'll certainly make it one). I love the look of this Topshop Tote bag with Arrow Detailing cause it's big enough to fit in all my stuff and is a little less structured than my satchel style that I usually go for. I love the shape of this and fancy a bag that can go on my shoulder rather than with a huge long strap leaving my bag bashing against my thighs all day.

Finally some Muji storage for my ever-growing makeup collection. I did infact buy some draws from eBay quite a while ago but they are in no way big enough to fit my makeup anymore so I think it's about time I invested in some larger which will look beauts on my dresser.

Apologies for the volume of stock photos on this post, obviously it's hard not to when it's wishlist but I did include my own photos of the lisptick and eyeshadow (for reference they are 'patisserie' lipstick and 'sable' eyeshadow). Hopefully I am a lucky egg this year but I stress that I'm grateful for any gifts I receive and buy all my makeup and clothes with my own money. Do I even need to say this? I don't know, got to cover all bases on the internet, right?!

Any ideas of how I can celebrate my 20th? Let me know!

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Review | L'Oreal Fibrology Range

When the first tv ads for this range popped up I was sold by all the swishy hair and the promise of long-lasting thickness, and after using both the shampoo and conditioner for around 6 months I feel I can now tell you my thoughts. 

First of all, does it make my hair feel fuller and thicker? Yes. It is noticeably full of volume and has given it a new lease of life. My mum has also been using this and her hair is visibly a lot thicker, she's received lot of compliments! It smells lovely and as the consistency is thick, a little goes a long way and the bottles last aaaages. 

But, on the downside, it really does weigh my hair down. I feel like it leaves a lot of product in my hair and if I've used a lot of hair spray for an evening look I feel like my hair isn't quite clean after using this. So it serves the purpose of thickening my hair a treat, and I'll keep repurchasing for that but I do think I'll be adding a clarifying shampoo into my routine to use every other wash. Any recommendations for a good clarifying shampoo would be greatly appreciated cause I'm a novice when it comes to hair! 

On the whole, I'll keep repurchasing it, cause I love it and it's given my hair lots of bounce and volume but I need to add in another something to give my hair a bit of a break every other wash. I'd recommend this to anyone who feels thier hair is a bit limp or thin, you'll notice a difference after the first wash! 

Review | B Makeup Brush Cleaner

I've never been one to spot clean my makeup brushes after every use, I tend to just deep clean them once a week and occasionally use a miceller water on my Mac 217's when I've done a heavy eye look. But I spotted this makeup brush cleaner in Superdrug for only £4.99 and thought I'd give it a whirl.

First of all, I love that it dispenses via a pump/spray rather than having to pour this directly onto the flannel because I just give each brush a few spritzes depending on the size and no product is wasted! So much better and means you get more use for your money. 

Considering the price tag I wasn't expecting wonders, I thought it would take a lot of work to get the product out of my brushes and thus using lots of the cleaner. But this works so quickly at just melting away the makeup and leaving my brushes squeaky clean. It smells a bit chemically, but it claims to be antibacterial so this is to be expected and to be honest, I quite like it! (Lets face it, we don't clean our brushes for them to smell of shampoo) It also dries super quickly meaning if you don't have loads of blending brushes (for example) you can give them a quick clean before blending a new colour, so handy!

Overall, this is fab for the money and I'm definitely converted to spot cleaning my makeup brushes and I can already say I'll be repurchasing this when it eventually runs out! 

x

Easter Drugstore Haul and First Impressions

Hi everyone! So after seeing that Boots not only had a triple points offer on but their incredible 3 for 2 on all makeup brands, I managed to convince my mum to let me have my easter money a little bit early so I could splurge on the items I've been lusting after for a while!

So first up is the L'oreal True Match Foundation (Rose Ivory) which I've seen quite a few people mention as a dupe for the Georgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation which I can no way in a million years afford on my student budget so any sign of a drugstore dupe and I jumped right on the bandwagon! Overall I really like this foundation, it's medium but buildable coverage and matches my skin colour perfectly which is rare in a drugstore foundation for me. I usually go for a very heavy duty matte finish so this velvet/satin finish is new to me but I really like it and think it will transition into spring very well. It lasts pretty well on my very oily skin once I've given it a little powder and only really needs a slight touch up once throughout the day. I can already tell that once this has run out I'll be repurchasing as for £10 this is a steal!

Next is the Seventeen Wow! 3 Way Highlighter described as the 'ultimate skin pick me up' and I totally agree! It can be used underneath foundation, mixed with foundation or just buffed on top of the skin on the high points of the face. I've tried using all three methods and I love each one! I was worried about applying it mixed with or underneath my foundation incase I looked like a glitter ball (I get a bit scared of highlighter) but it's simply gorgeous. It gives you a lovely healthy glow and leaves your skin with a bit of a dewy look when applied with the L'oreal Foundation. 

The Max Factor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow (Copper) was seen when I was binge watching Poppy (MeMyMouse1)'s videos and I knew as soon as I saw it (as I am a massive lover of eyeshadow bases) I needed it. It has a mousse-like formula which is different to the waxier texture of the Maybelline colour tattoo's but this is almost better as it blends so easily to just a slight wash of colour or you can build it up in layers to really give depth and definition. It is seriously amazing stuff and I can't wait to see what looks I can create using this.

I've never really been a blush girl, I own a few but they rarely get any use which is sad because now I have this Max Factor Creme Puff Blush (Seductive Pink) I am totally converted! Again, you've probably seen everyone saying that these are close to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes so I thought it was time I tried a fresh blush for Spring. This is seriously amazing stuff, it gives a gorgeous flush of colour with a slight highlighting effect so I dust this all over my cheeky area so really gives a lovely glow and flush. So dreamy.

I saw the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara advertised on tv and since my current mascara L'oreal Volume Million Lashes is starting to go dry I thought I might as well pick a replacement up while the offer was on. At first I wasn't impressed with this mascara, the formula is quite wet so although it glides over your lashes smoothly without tugging, it also left those annoying black marks where the tips of my lashes has brushed against my eyelid, thus ruining my shadow. But after leaving it a few days after opening I like this a bit better.It gives definition and length without my lashes looking like spiders and I quite like the wand as it grabs all the lashes, even the tiny little ones which I struggle to get close enough to coat. All in all, it'll do the job although it doesn't give me the 'wow' factor.

Finally, the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick (So Hap'pink) is something which I've been meaning to try for quite a while but never got round to. But seriously, if you don't own one of these I insist you run to your nearest Boots and grab one because they are incredible. They glide on so smoothly and literally can only be described as velvet on my lips. It gives a beautiful colour which a velvety gloss which fades to leave the longest lasting stain I'm yet to try. Literally I wore this on a night out and it did not budge. I like the packaging and the applicator is the perfect size for my lips. I need to pick this up in every colour, well done Bourjois!

So that's it! Hope you've enjoyed reading, I think I'm going to do a Spring/Fresh makeup look and blog it here (which will no doubt feature many of these products since I love them so much!) so you have that to keep your eyes peeled for.

Current Skin Care Routine

Body Shop Silky Cleansing Oil (£10)
La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+] (£15.50)
Pixi Glow Tonic (£18)
Nivea Pure and Natural Moisturising Day Cream (£5.35)
Nivea Regenerating Night Cream (£4.07)

I've decided to roll back into blogging with an old school, go-to post... my current skin care routine. It's nothing fancy, a few products I've loved for months and months and a few budget buys which I'm trialing. 

So first up is my Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil from The Body Shop, which I use both to double cleanse at night and for my morning cleanse as it's such a brilliant all rounder. It's amazing at melting away any type of makeup whether it be full coverage foundation or waterproof mascara, but it's also lovely and fresh which is perfect for in the mornings. It leaves my skin feeling so soft and like it's had a big boost of moisture, just lovely. It's quite a 'watery' oil so a little goes a long way and I only use one pump of this stuff per cleanse. On my second nightly cleanse and my morning cleanse I really take the time to massage it into my skin for a good 3/4 minutes - any excuse for a little face massage! As you can see from the amount left, it's a firm favourite after repurchasing several times!

After cleansing in the morning I then sweep my face with my Pixi Glow Tonic which is a liquid exfoliant which remove any left over dirt and helps to 'tone, smooth and refine skins texture'. It's good for the price, this has lasted months and months and won't be empty soon! It does exactly what it says on the tin!

To treat my pesky spots and blemishes (which are apparently deciding to make an appearance recently, boooooo) I use the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+] which does a great job at reducing redness and clearing up my spots. Every blogger and their mum has talked about this so I don't think I need to go on!

Finally, my moisturisers. I had run out of my No. 7 creams and as I'm on a bit of a budget I went to Nivea to see if I could find something and I picked up the Pure and Natural Moisturising Day Cream and the Regenerating Night Cream. 

The day cream is nice, it's a gel/cream formula and sinks into my skin fairly quickly leaving it soft and feeling fresh. I won't lie, I absolutely hate the smell! I can't describe it but it isn't a nice fragrance but apart from that it does the job for a small price! The night cream is okay, it smells like most Nivea products and is a really thick cream so you only need a little for your whole face. It takes a while to sink in (like most night creams) but by the morning it leaves my skin so soft, although a tad greasy (but that's nothing a morning cleanse won't fix!). I have to say after reading reviews online I think this may be breaking me out like it has done for so many other people so I may have to trial and error and I'll keep you updated!

So there we are, I like my routine, it does the job but I definitely will be going back to my No.7 Normal/Combination Day and Night Moisturisers when I have a bit more moola as they work much better for me!

I also use two face masks which are the Superfacialist Tea Flower Clay Mask and the Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask which are both fabulous. 

I hope you've enjoyed this post, I thought I'd ease myself back in gently to the world of blogging as I have recently found myself with lots of time now university is over for the year and extremely inspired by the blogging community!