Sunday, December 27, 2015

What I Got For Christmas '15 - Make-Up Edition

Although I wrote a 'What I Got For Christmas' post already, I thought I would do another one with just my make-up gifts. My friends and family know me awfully well and again, I am extremely grateful. Doing make-up is a real enjoyment of mine so getting these presents makes me so excited to try new things.

As well as getting make-up, my parents also brought me some new storage. I used to use the clear acrylic caddies but found that they didn't really hold much. I had been researching different storage ideas for a while but couldn't really find anything different. My parents got me this white, revoling caddy which stores a lot more. It's ideal as you can spin it around and has lots of different compartments to place things in. It was designed by Lori Greiner and is available through QVC. Although I have a drawer unit with the majority of my make-up in, I like to have a smaller storage unit to put my most used products in. I am in love with it!

I also got a new mirror which has built in lights around the edge. The mirror is from Lakeland and linked below. The lighting in my bathroom is awful so this is perfect. My sister also got me a new brush holder as my collection is getting bigger and bigger.

Illuminating Travel Mirror

Tabletop Spinning Cosmetic Organiser

Now onto the make-up. Firstly, I got three Make-Up Revolution eyeshadow palettes. I was recently introduced to this brand but quickly realised how amazing their products are. I'm pretty sure I own around 7 of their palettes already, cheek and eye. The make-up is such good quality with such a low price and all the palettes are so different. Below shows the three palettes I got;

(L-R); Girls On Film, Naked Chocolate and Mermaids Forever

The rest of the make-up I got is all MAC. I think it's safe to say that my obsession with this brand has rubbed off onto my friends and family. My best friend seriously treated me and brought me an eyeshadow palette and a lipstick. The lipstick is from the Viva Glam collection which I don't own anything from. It's a brown/berry colour which is a perfect shade for the winter. The other lipstick in the photo below is from the Ellie Goulding collection, which is what my parents got for me. It's a lovely pink nude.

Veluxe Pearlfusion Shadow in Amberluxe

(L-R); Ellie Goulding Lipstick in Only You and Viva Glam Lipstick in Viva Glam III

The last two things I got are from MAC's holiday collection. They're both sets of four and the packaging is so smart. The first item is the Irresistibly Charming Pigments in Glitter/Gold. These are the first pigments I own from MAC and they are so beautiful.

MAC Irresistibly Charming Pigments in Glitter/Gold

The second thing from their holiday collection I got is the Irresistably Charming Patent Polish in Nude. Again, I don't own any Patent Polishes from MAC but I love these. They're so subtle and leave your lips feeling moisturised.

MAC Irresistibly Charming Patent Polish in Nude

I hope you enjoyed seeing all my presents that are make-up related, this year.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

What I Got For Christmas '15

Another year is nearly over! As I'm getting older and busier, years just seem to fly by. I can not believe that my 20th birthday is next week, then it'll be New Year's Eve and then life will get back to normal until next year. Literally can't wait for 2016 though. So many new things are going to be happening and I have lots of things planned. Stay tuned!

Anyway, as I did one last year, I thought I would do another blog post on what I got for Christmas for 2015. I love love love reading these kinds of posts and was straight onto YouTube this morning to watch some of the videos. Just a quick disclaimer; I'm in no way trying to brag about what I got and am only writing this as people seemed to enjoy it last year. So, here goes!

The above picture shows a few of my favourite things I received this year. Again, I was seriously spoilt and am honestly so thankful to all my friends and family.

Firstly, I got the Jemma Kidd - Make-Up Secrets book. I already own another of her books and am absolutely in love with it. She is an incredible artist and has so much experience within the field. This book is all about her solutions to the most talked about dilemmas in the beauty industry such as; aging to how to apply false eyelashes. The book obviously also includes the usual make-up tutorials and ideas.

Secondly, I got a diary which has a bee detail and the words 'busy bee'. This fits me so perfectly, as you can tell by my blog name, and I can't wait to use it. A diary is such a essential in my life as I have an awful habit of forgetting things.

Lastly, I got a notepad that has a map of the world on it in beautiful metallic colours. I'm definitely going to use this as a journal and try my best to write in it everyday.

Around Christmas my parents, like the majority of others, always ask what I would like. I always would like some new shoes so went into town with my mum to pick some out. I knew I wanted some black shoes with white soles but couldn't decide which brands. It was a choice between Nike, Vans and Converse. As soon as I saw these, I loved them so luckily, I got them for Christmas. I just love Converse so much!

The last thing I wanted to show you was this Guess handbag. Isn't it beautiful? My parents brought it for me when we were on holiday last year, in Malaga. I can now use it for my next holiday as it is such a summer bag!

I hope you enjoyed seeing a few things that I got for Christmas this year. Look out tomorrow for a make-up edition!!

Sunday, May 31, 2015

NEW Avon Ultra Colour Lip Tint Pen Review

Exciting news! Avon are coming out with some new lip tint pens and I was super lucky and got to try them out. The line consists of seven lip tint pens which are described as a 'kiss-proof pout that lasts'. Avon also claim that they are bleed proof and transfer proof. This is what every girl looks for in a lip product. Is it too good to be true?

As mentioned before, there are seven different shades. All shades are super vibrant and look great for the summer. They include Strawberry, Coral, Raspberry, Freesia, Hazelnut, Fuchsia and Flamingo. My favourite of the seven is definitely Raspberry and I have been wearing it constantly over the past couple of days. You all know how much I love my statement lip! The packaging of the product is the same statement Avon packaging with a swatch on the end of the tube. I love when lip products have this as it's super easy to see all the different colours and pick the one you want, if they are displayed nicely.

Onto the product itself.. When first applying the colour, the smell of the product was slightly overwhelming. It smelt like a permanent marker which worries me slightly about what I'm putting on my lips. Overcoming that inital issue though, the application was so so simple. This is one thing I love about using pen style products. The tip is a great shape so it makes precision easy. The formulation dried quickly which avoided smudging and the colour came out very pigmented.

Naturally, I put the colour I decided on in my handbag so I could re-apply during the day, if needed. Although, I never felt the need to apply it throughout the whole day. These lip tint are definitely what they say they are. Amazing quality and only priced at £5.50. Such a bargain! Below are all the colours swatched:

I definitely recommend purchasing one of these new lip tints, especially to wear during the summer. They are so so pretty.

Drugstore Nail Polish Haul

I think I have a new addiction... Everyone close to me knows that I have a huge obsession with make-up and that my collection is out of this world but nail varnish wasn't really included in that. I've always loved painting my nails but I'm so impatient with letting them dry. I'll spend forever painting them but as soon as I'm done, I'll move onto something else and smudge them all. Then they'll chip and completely ruin. For some reason though, I've brought a lot of nail varnish without realising over the past few days. Below are the ones I purchased:

Barry M was the first section that I came across. As always, there was a 3 for 2 deal on all nail varnishes so I decided to take advantage. I love love love Barry M nail varnishes and they take up the majority of my collection. When I saw their new collection, Sunset Daylight Curing, I was super excited. The idea is that you apply the colour you like, from the collection, and then add the Sunset Topcoat. This then cures in the daylight, causing a similar effect to gel polish. The colours I picked up are; For The Stars, Like A Nude, Fuchsia Generation and Make Me Teal. All colours look great for the summer.
The next two I brought are from another new collection, Speedy, from Barry M. The name is pretty self explanatory but the nail varnishes supposedly dry quicker than their other formulas. Personally, I haven't actually noticed the difference yet but who knows? The colours I brought were; Stop The Clock and Pit Stop.
Lastly I brought one of their Gelly varnishes (my fav) in Chai and a Matte varnish in Copa Cabana. I'm always pretty wary of buying Matte polishes but this one does exactly what it's meant to. I love it! I also brought the Plump Topcoat as I love having shiny nails.

Rimmel was the second and last place I brought some varnishes from. Rita Ora has brought out a new line of her colours and they are all super summery with the cutest names. I brought Bestival Blues, Rain Rain Go Away and Peachella. I love the twist on festival names and knew that I had to buy some. I love the brush shape on these polishes as it makes the application super easy. One of my favourite brands, by far!

After writing about them all, who knew I brought so many nudes? They are definitely my favourite group of colours to wear on my nails and that totally reflects. At least my nails are ready for summer now!

Monday, May 18, 2015

Elf Cosmetics Haul

Elf has always been a brand that I've wanted to try for a long time now. I always had the idea of buying a few bits but because it was only available online or at minimal stores, in the UK, I always seemed to forget about it! Sadly, the online UK distributors from Elf have now stopped shipping to the UK so Elf products have become even harder to find. Because of this, there was a huge sale on the website so I took that opportunity to purchase quite a few things and I thought I would share with you..

Face Products and Brushes

Moisturizing Foundation Stick in Nude
Contour Brush
Eyeliner Brush

Cheek Products

Natural Radiance Blusher in Innocence
Mineral Blush in Bliss
Mineral Blush in Plum
Blush in Candid Coral
Blush in Fuchsia Fusion
Golden Bronzer

Eye Products

Eye Transformer
Mineral Eyeshadow in Socialite
Matte Eyeshadow in Pearl
Matte Eyeshaow in Smoke
Matte Eyeshadow in Charcoal
Everyday Lash Collection
Flirty Lash Collection
Cream Eyeliner in Golden
Brightening Eye Colour in Nouveau Nudes

Lip Products

Lip Balm SPF 15 in Rose
Moisturising Lipstick in Cheeky
Moisturising Lipstick in Velvet Rope
Glossy Gloss in Wild Watermelon
Conditioning Lip Balm SPF 15 in Peaceful Pink
Conditioning Lip Balm SPF 15 in Romantic Rouge
Glitter Gloss in Sparkling Wine
Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in Tiki Torches
Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in Movie Star

Nail Products

Nail Polish in Mod Mauve
Nail Polish in Mint Cream (My Favourite!!)
Nail Polish in Misty Haze

And that's it! I admit, I did go a little crazy but I have an excuse, right!?

Saturday, April 11, 2015

OOTD; Winter Walk

Although summer is fast approaching and the sun has finally made an appearance, there is still a super cold breeze outside. Looking out the window, it is very deceiving and can be hard to choose the perfect outfit for the day.

Me and a couple of friends decided to take a short walk around a nearby country park. We always seem to go there because it is always peaceful and quiet. It's a great place to chat and relax but, in the winter, it can be very cold as there aren't many indoor places. Below is my choice of outfit for the day;

Jumper: Booohoo, Skirt: Boohoo, Jacket: Bank Fashion

Necklace: New Look

Shoes: New Look, Ring: Wish

Handbag: New Look, Scarf: River Island

I found that I didn't get too cold but in the future, I may choose some leggings instead. Whenever I go on these walks, I realise that I'm super lucky to live in such a beautiful place. Can't wait for the weather to get better!

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Birchbox Unboxing - Feb '15

Every month, for over a year now, I receive a Birchbox. This is a beauty subscription service which consists of 5 deluxe samples for only £10.00 (+£2.95 for postage)! It's perfect for any beauty lover to try out different products including skincare, haircare, perfume and make-up. Little extras, such as food and vouchers, are also included. And, if you're lucky enough, you may even get a full-sized product!

Anyway, every month I will be sharing my box with all of you. I hope you enjoy!

Every Birchbox has a theme. This month was 'Birchbox Loves...', following the trend of Valentines Day which I thought was super cute. In the brief outline that comes with the box, it mentions that it includes all of Birchbox's favourites for the month.

This month, I received;

Liz Earle - Botanical Shine Shampoo (worth £10 full size)
theBalm - Staniac (worth £10 full size)
Caudalie - Vinoperfect Radiance Serum (worth £45 full size)
Wild About Beauty - Golden Skin Glow (full size! worth £21)
London Butterflies - Body Butter Souffle (worth £37 full size)
EXTRA The Chia Co - Oats and Chia (worth £4.95 for a pack of 5)

Below are my first impressions of the products;

Botanical Shine Shampoo - I have been using Liz Earle products for ages now but have never gotten around to trying out their hair products. I was obviously really excited when I saw this inside my box. I can't wait to try it!
Staniac - Hmm, I'm not really sure what to think about this. From the outside, the colour of the product looks beautiful but when I swatched it on my hand, it came out as a very sheer pink. It is described as a lip and cheek stain but because I like full pigmentation on my lips, I will probably use this on my cheeks.
Vinoperfect Radiance Serum - This brand is often inside the Birchbox. Luckily, I've never received a sample of the same product but it would be nice to get some other brands. Although, I always welcome skincare products!
Golden Skin Glow - I'm very eager to try this. I'm so used to wearing powders that I need to start trying some cream formulas. Although the swatch came out slightly darker than what I would usually wear, it's nothing a little blending can't fix!
Body Butter Souffle - The packaging of this is so so beautiful and it smells divine! Definitely putting this on my nightstand so I can use it regularly.
Oats and Chia - I love love love porridge!

I am very very happy with this box! All the products are something that I would use so it means no gifting. I would give it a 8/10.

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Benefit Haul

Benefit is one of my all time favourite brands. All of their formulas are amazing and their packaging is so beautiful. On Friday, I was very lucky and got to have a free make-up lesson by one of the Benefit therapists. I used to use Benefit all the time but recently I started to move away and onto drugstore brands. This is partly because it is at the higher end of the price range and also because I fell in love with a few drugstore items. As soon as I stepped into the Benefit boutique though, I knew I would be buying a few products. Before the make-up lesson, I got to choose between a lesson in base make-up or eye make-up. I chose base as I knew that it included a lot of things such as skincare, priming, contouring and other tips and tricks. I ended up learning a lot of things and that resulted in a huge splurge of money. Below are the products that I brought..

Ever since the 'rockateur' blusher was released, it's been on my wishlist. And ever since my make-up lesson had been booked, I knew I was definitely going to buy it. I asked my therapist if she could use it on me and when she did, it confirmed my want for it. I brought it straight away as well as the 'high beam' highlighter to go with it. The best thing about this highlighter is that you can use it everywhere. On your browbone, the inner corner of your eye and even your cupid's bow.

Rockateur cheek powder and High Beam complexion enhancer

The third thing I brought was the 'that girl' primer. My therapist mixed together 'porefessional' and 'that girl' to make an amazing combination. It felt super light on my skin and I knew that I had to get it. Luckily, I already had 'porefessional' so it wasn't too much money to spend. I seriously can't wait to use this. I also received a free sample of the 'hello flawless' foundation as this is what was used. I didn't end up buying it because I prefer matte finishes, although this one would be perfect for the summer!

'Hello Flawless' liquid foundation and 'That Girl' brightening face primer

Lastly I went for two skincare products. In the past I used to swear by Benefit skincare but then ventured into the world of Liz Earle (she's amazing!!) but since Friday, Benefit products have been re-introduced into my skincare regime. As I already own the facial polish, I decided to go with a moisturiser and an eye cream. I am actually in love with these two products. Not only do they smell amazing, the lasting effect both items have is great. I make sure to moisturise morning and evening and my skin is never ever dry. It is now my holy grail.

'It's Potent!' eye cream and 'Total Moisture' facial cream

I literally recommend to everyone to go and get a make-over/make-up lesson by Benefit. All the products are amazing and the treatment you get is incredible! I just want to say thank you to Hannah for giving me the most amazing service and making me feel super comfortable.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

What I Got For Christmas '14

Wow, I can't believe Christmas is over! This post is a little late but that's purely because Christmas is such a busy time and it was super refreshing, being able to relax. So, below are a couple of things that I received for Christmas. I've not included everything because it would be too long of a post but I realise that I am a very lucky girl and appreciate all of my gifts from various people. I just love reading this sort of post so thought I would join in!

For one of my main presents, my parents put together a hamper full of all different things. The idea behind it was that we booked a cruise for the summer and they thought it would be nice to create a hamper to take on holiday with me. It included make-up, body products, summer clothes and a few other bits and bobs. The pictures below show a few of my favourite things that were included..

L-R: Benefit Skincare Set, Bumble and Bumble Surf Set and Philosophy Cocktail Party Set.

These sets of minis are perfect for holidays! They all fit perfectly inside a suitcase, without taking up too much space and also let you try out new things whilst being away. All of the brands I have tried before but not the specific things inside the packs. The one thing I'm looking forward to trying the most is the Bumble and Bumble set, especially as it'll be summer.

Katy Perry - Royal Revolution Set

The next thing inside my hamper was the Katy Perry Killer Queen's Royal Revolution set. Whenever I go on holiday, I love to have a new scent. This is so whenever I wear it at home, it'll remind me of the times away. Does anyone else do that?? Also, I love sets like this as you can layer the scent, meaning it'll last all day.

Nyx - The Heat Is On Nail Varnish Set

This has to be my favourite thing that was inside the hamper. It's the most perfect thing to take on holiday and I literally can't wait to use them. This is ideal because it means that you have a selection of colours which you can swap and change as you please. Also, the fact that they are all miniatures, means that they will easily fit inside your suitcase.

Now onto the gifts that weren't inside the hamper..

Yankee Candle Simply Home Winter Collection and Yankee Candle Pink Dragon Fruit Tealights

As I've said before, I have a serious addiction to candles. All of my friends know this, resulting in a ton of them! I'm so so happy and can't wait to burn them. My room is going to be smelling amazing for days.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette and MAC Keepsakes Smoky Eyes Palette

I was a very lucky girl this year and received a lot of make-up from my family. Above are two of my favourite things. The first being the Naked 2 palette by Urban Decay. I've already got the first one and love it so when my brother brought the second one for me, I was over the moon. The quality of the shadows is great and you can do all sorts of looks with the variety of colours. Next to it is the MAC Keepsakes palette. The packaging of this is so beautiful, I literally squealed when I opened it. I love that the palette contains eight shadows, giving you a range of colours. Definitely one of my favourite collections by MAC. Below is a picture of the beautiful colours,

I hope you enjoyed seeing some things that I got at Christmas. As said before, I was a very lucky girl and appreciate everything I was gifted.

Happy New Year, everyone!!