March Favourites

It’s that time of month again where I ramble on and on about all of the things that I have been loving for the past month.

The first thing that I have been absolutely loving is NARS Sheer Glow. I have been using this foundation for such a long time, but it seems to have found its way to the back of my foundation draw in the midst of me trying out so many different ones. After sorting out my makeup collection, I found that I had the shade Santa Fe which I used all throughout last Summer, but my skin is slightly lighter this time of year, so I ordered another one in the shade Fiji. I completely forgot how much I loved this foundation. It has medium coverage, but could definitely be built up for a fuller looking complexion. This really brightens the skin, making it look more radiant and glowing.

My next favourite is the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. I use this in the shade 1 Fair and this is perfect for brightening the under eye area and covering those pesky dark circles! This blends in super easy and lasts all day unlike some other concealers. It also works great to highlight other areas of your face. I could not be without this product!

The next thing is a recent rediscovery and this is the Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen. This is really pigmented and the colour stays all day, which I find is such a rarity in the world of liquid eyeliners. The shape of the pen makes it perfect for creating a cat-eye flick and makes it so simple and easy to do.

Another favourite is the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder in the shade Vanilla. I find that powder is such a tricky thing to get right; too much and you look flat and cakey, not enough and you look oily and shiny. I have combination skin, so I have quite an oily T-Zone but I also have a few dry areas, so when I apply certain powders it does help control shine but it tends to cling to those dry patches. For a while now I have been on the hunt for the perfect lightweight powder and I think this is it! I would definitely recommend this product if you have the same problem as me. This powder makes your skin look more glowing and radiant as opposed to flat and cakey. I’ve heard that this a cheaper alternative to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders… I do have one on the way (oops!), so I will let you know my thoughts on this when I am able to compare the two together!

A skincare favourite is the Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser. I am in love with this product! It takes me a while to decide whether I really like a skincare product as it takes a while to really notice a difference. I try and use this scrub every day and if for some reason I forget, then I can really, really tell! It exfoliates and helps to smooth and brighten the skin, making it feel really refreshed! I really couldn’t go without this product; this has most definitely become a staple in my skincare routine!

A non-beauty favourite is a coat from Topshop. I saw it in the shop and I knew straight away that I just HAD to buy it. I am very aware that I already have more than enough coats but I just could not resist. It is perfect for this time of year as it isn’t too cold, but it isn’t quite warm enough to go out without a coat. It is perfect for Spring and seeing as though I live in Britain, I thought that buying a Rain Mac would be a pretty sensible investment. I love it that much, that I bought it in blue and yellow.

That is all for this month’s favourites! I hope you liked this post, and let me know what you have been loving this month!

As you may have noticed, I have changed the layout and background of the photos for my blog posts, and I would really love your opinion on this; whether you like the new look, or if you prefer the older one, or if you have any other suggestions!

Also, I am considering starting up a YouTube channel, I’d love it if you could give me your thoughts on this!

Don’t forget to like and follow!

Thanks for reading!

Love, Meg x

Links and prices below;

NARS Sheer Glow £31

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19

Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen £6.99

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder £8.99

Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleaner £18.50

Topshop Rain Mac £55

 

 

JANUARY FAVOURITES

It is that time of the month again where I ramble on and on about all of the things that I have been loving throughout this month!

I’ll start off with drugstore products! Firstly, is the L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes mascara. I am SO fussy with my mascaras; they need to make my eyelashes look fuller, and longer, without them feeling too thick and clumpy and this mascara does exactly that! It has lovely packaging, which makes it look a lot more expensive than it actually is. It also has a curved wand that makes it easy to grab every lash and allows you to work your way from the root upwards! This is the mascara that I have found myself reaching for the most over the past few weeks.

Until now, I have always hated pencil eyeliners. I just find that they don’t stay on and they smudge so easily. However, I decided to buy the Soap and Glory Smoulder Kohl eyeliner as it was on a buy one get second half price, so I thought I’d give it a try, and now I love it. It is so easy to apply, doesn’t smudge and stays in place all day! I apply this to my top and bottom waterline and it really does make a difference to my eye makeup.

I love the Kate Moss lipsticks by Rimmel and I recently bought the shade 38. I have always gone for nudes that have more of a brown undertone to it, whereas this is a lot more pink. However, I have found myself really enjoying using it! It is the perfect nude pink and has more of a satin finish, leaving your lips with a bit of a sheen to them and it lasts for a really long time!

Now, onto high-end products! This next product has probably become my new favourite foundation – a big claim to make, I know. This is the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation. I wear this in the shade B20 and it gives a light to medium coverage, which isn’t something I usually go for; I tend to go for foundations with a much fuller coverage. This product is so lightweight and has quite a thin consistency. It blends so easily and makes your skin look flawless without a lot of coverage! It also lasts all day long, doesn’t transfer, doesn’t crease and it doesn’t make me look oily or shiny. It does cost £33, but I am 100% going to be repurchasing this product!

This next product is extremely talked about and well-loved within the beauty sphere; this is the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm. I was really reluctant in spending so much money on a cleanser, but now, I can totally see what all of the fuss is about! It is so easy to use, it removes all traces of makeup, it smells lovely and it doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry like some other cleansers that I’ve used. I can’t see myself using any other product to take off my makeup! I can see myself repurchasing this A LOT.

Another lipstick that I have been absolutely loving is the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipstick in Glastonberry. I am all about the lips, especially during autumn and winter and this is a really dark, berry colour that suits this time of year perfectly! To be fair, I will be wearing this all year round because it is such a good quality product that feels so luxurious; in terms of both packaging and the formulation of the lipstick itself. It is a matte lipstick, however it is not at all drying and really does last a long time. This is another product that I can no longer see myself without and will most definitely be repurchasing, along with many other shades from the same collection.

My next favourite is actually a coat. I bought this from Topshop at the beginning of the month and I have worn it pretty much everyday since! I didn’t really need a new coat, but this was in the ‘last chance to buy’ section and was the only one and in my size too, so I had to buy it, didn’t I? It is such a warm, cosy and high quality coat that goes with most things, and I will most definitely be wearing this next winter too!

My final favourite is the Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes Shampoo and Conditioner. Recently, I have noticed that the blonde in my hair has started to look quite brassy and yellow and I wasn’t ready to have it dyed again, so I thought I’d buy something to get rid of the brassiness. I decided to go with the Lee Stafford range because I have so many other things by him that I absolutely love, so chances were, I was going to love this too. It has made such a difference to my hair and in the two weeks that I have been using it, it has completely reduced the yellow and brassy tones in my hair and is almost back to normal!

That is everything for this month’s favourites, let me know what you have been loving!

 

Links and prices below;

L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara £9.99

Soap and Glory Smoulder Kohl Eyeliner £5

Kate Moss by Rimmel Lipstick (Shade 38) £5.49

Chanel Vitalumeire Aqua Foundation £33

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm £38

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Glastonberry £23

Topshop Coat £78 – no longer available

Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes £6.99 each

 

Birthday Haul

So, it was my 19^th birthday at the beginning of the week and I feel like I have barely even had chance to get over Christmas, let alone start thinking about my birthday!

I had no idea what to ask for with my birthday being so close to Christmas, so most of my family gave me money which I then went shopping with in Birmingham!

Firstly, an Olivia Burton watch is something that I have had my eye on for some time now and this is what my mum bought me as my present. It is the Big Dial watch with a rose gold face and a black leather strap. I chose this one because it will go with everything and the rose gold matches the other jewellery that I wear. I also prefer watches that have a bigger dial as I just feel as though they suit me better.

My boyfriend bought me a perfume that I have wanted for such a long time, ever since I received a free sample. This is Black Orchid by Tom Ford. This has quite a heavy scent to it, which I don’t think everybody would like, but I absolutely love it! I would say it is quite a warm, spicy fragrance and definitely suits this time of year! It is a very sexy and sophisticated perfume, and reading the product description online, it isn’t something that I would have picked up myself, but I absolutely love it!

I also received the Real Techniques Bold Metals Essentials set. I was going to buy the brushes individually anyway and when I saw it online for half of the original price, I added this to my birthday wish list. The brushes cost around £25 individually and the set was reduced to £30 from £64 which is such a bargain! (I think it has been reduced even more online at Boots). And as you can see, I couldn’t even wait to take pictures of them before I used them! They are super soft and are really nice to use! My boyfriend also surprised me with a spa weekend which we are going on this weekend. I will be taking photos whilst I am there for a future blog post!

My best friend bought me the MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation (shade NC25). I asked for this to lightly apply over my foundation to help it set a bit better or to use on its own on days where I don’t need to wear much makeup. I have heard so many mixed reviews on this product but I thought I’d give it a try! I have only worn this a few times, but I can say it goes on really nicely and keeps my foundation in place for the majority of the day. I was slightly concerned as I have quite sensitive skin and a lot of people said that it caused them to break out, but for me, so far so good!

In Birmingham, I spent the majority of my time at the Selfridges Beauty Hall, oops.

I made my way over to the YSL counter where I bought the Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll mascara. I have heard so many great things about this mascara and I have never been a massive fan of plastic applicator brushes, but Benefit’s Roller Lash has totally converted me! I cannot wait to try this out! Also from Yves Saint Laurent, I ordered the Touche Èclat Kiss and Love Edition from Feelunique.com. I had this a few years ago and I loved it, but I just seemed to have forgotten about it. I am so excited to get back to using this product.

The next thing I bought was the Clinique Sculpting Contour Chubby Stick. I have been looking for a cream contour product for so long and I just haven’t found the right one yet, so hopefully this is it! I didn’t bother buying the highlighter stick as I already have so many highlighters, but now I wish I had and I may have to add it to my online shopping basket…

The Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Glastonberry is something that I have been debating over for SO long, but I finally bought it! I love a dark berry lip and even though it is a more autumnal/wintery look, I do feel like I will wear this shade all year round. I have used this twice since buying it; I didn’t use a lip liner and it goes on so smoothly and doesn’t bleed at all! It lasts a really long time, through eating and drinking, and doesn’t dry out my lips as some other matte lipsticks tend to do– definitely worth the £23.

I did buy another lipstick whilst I was there. I was in dire need of a new red lippy so I headed over to the MAC counter. I am a huge fan of MAC lipsticks, and in the end I opted for Russian Red. This is such a lovely shade of red and although it is a matte shade, it does not dry out my lips. I have worn this once since buying it and again, I didn’t use a lip liner and it didn’t bleed which a lot of reds and darker shades tend to do.

I also bought two things from Topshop; a jumper and a pair of jeans. I have tried the Joni jeans before and I liked the way they fit and looked, however they didn’t last very long; the colour faded quickly and the stitching came undone. I usually have the Jamie jeans but I saw a new version of the Joni jeans so thought I’d give them another try. I love the jumper that I got, it is quite a thin, ribbed material and has a lovely dip-dye/ombre effect. It is a very flattering and oversized fit. Plus, I hate Summer clothes so I’m trying to make the most of Winter for as long as I can!

Birmingham now has an Oliver Bonas which I was so excited to see! I love Oliver Bonas as it sells things that you wouldn’t necessarily find in other shops and I feel as though it has quite a specific theme to it, in terms of colours and the items that it sells.  While I was in there I bought two things; a Rose Gold/Copper card holder and a White Tea and Mint scented candle. I have been after a card holder for a while now and as soon as I saw this one, I just HAD to get it. I mean, it’s Rose Gold, so why wouldn’t I? I also love fresh, minty scents and this candle just happened to be half price, so of course, I had to get this too.

 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know if you have any recommendations of new products that I might like and what products you have been loving!

Links and prices to everything are below;

Olivia Burton Watch £80

Tom Ford Black Orchid Perfume 100ml £105

Real Techniques Bold Metals Essentials £25 (was £64)

MAC Studio Fix £22

Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll Mascara £25

Yves Saint Laurent Love and Kiss Touche Eclat £25 (no longer on Feel Unique)

Clinique Sculpting Contour Chubby Stick £19

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Glastonberry £23

MAC Matte Lipstick in Russian Red £15.50

Topshop Joni Jeans £45

Topshop Jumper £39

Oliver Bonas Candle £10 (was £20)

Oliver Bonas Card Holder £12

 

 

Pre-Christmas Shopping Trip

As we are fast approaching Christmas, I thought I would treat myself to a few bits and pieces before I get stuck in with my Christmas shopping. This little trip consisted of a few beauty products, skincare, haircare and clothing.

The first beauty product is something that I have been meaning to get for such a long time.  This is Benefit’s Hoola Bronzer. I have read so many mixed reviews on this product, so I was slightly apprehensive about trying it but I am so glad that I did. This bronzer is so easy to blend into the skin and would suit all skin tones; it isn’t too cool, nor too warm toned and is something you can wear all year round. It is also very buildable, allowing you to have a more subtle look, or something a bit more bold. Definitely worth the £23.50.

Next, is another product from Benefit; Roller Lash Mascara. This mascara is phenomenal. I know so many people that don’t like it, but this has become my all-time favourite mascara and is definitely a staple. I don’t need to curl my eyelashes beforehand, and I get so many compliments when I wear it. It costs £19.50 and I have already bought a back-up for when this one runs out!

Finding a decent primer is something I’m sure we all struggle with. Barry M is never a brand I considered, other than for nail varnishes, but when I saw their new range of primers, I thought I’d give it a try for £5.99. I chose the Flawless Brightening Primer for dull skin. This is pore minimising and mattifying, which are the two main things that I look for in a primer and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did just that. My makeup lasts a lot longer before I have to re-powder and it really does minimise my pores! Win, win.

I love this time of year because it means I can finally wear knitted scarves! So far, I have bought two; both from Topshop. The first one is dark grey and has two different monochrome patterns on it. It is extremely thick and cosy so it is perfect for this time of year! The second one is a burnt orange/rust colour and is slightly thinner than the grey one, however it is still incredibly soft and warm.

To get into the Christmas spirit a little bit more, I went into my local Yankee Candle shop and bought Sparkling Cinnamon. I never used to be that keen on the spicier, Christmas scents but this year I seem to have fallen in love with them! This candle isn’t too heavily scented and doesn’t smell too strongly of cinnamon and now I am starting to wish I bought the bigger jar!

I have been searching for a decent eye cream and serum for so long now, so I went into The Body Shop as they had 30% off and picked up the Nutriganics Smoothing Serum and the Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate. These are the slightly pricier products that they sell, but just by trying several different products out on the back of my hand, you can certainly tell the difference! I always think its worth spending that little bit more when it comes to skincare, especially during the colder months. I am so excited to try these out and will definitely be writing a blog post dedicated just to these at some point!

Another product from The Body Shop is something that I use every single day and have had to repurchase so many times. This is the Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil. This stuff is absolutely amazing, it removes makeup so easily, even waterproof mascara, and it leaves my skin feeling so clean and hydrated. I apply two pumps of this to dry skin, starting to remove my eye makeup, making my way around the rest of my face. It is always good to double cleanse, either with the same product or a different one. This has definitely become a staple in my skincare collection and lasts me months before I need to buy another!

Finally! I also bought two products from the Lee Stafford section in Boots. I bought the ‘Hair that Never Grows Past a Certain Length’ treatment and the ‘Coco Loco Coconut Mask’. I have used the hair growth one before and it really improved the condition of my hair and it smells amazing! I use the OGX Coconut Water and Coconut Milk shampoo and conditioner and the coconut has worked absolute wonders for my hair and I have seen so many good reviews on the Lee Stafford Coco Loco mask, so of course I HAD to buy it!

That is everything I got from my pre Christmas shopping trip – I best finish my actual Christmas shopping now!