Best Beauty Discoveries of 2016

2016 was a great year in terms of beauty. I discovered a lot of new formulas, new products and really invested in some high end makeup. I found it so hard to whittle it down to one post that didn't take hours to read! Make sure you check out the links to full reviews!

Rimmel Insta Flawless Primer | £6.99 | POST

I've repurchased this twice now and it's rare that I use anything up so when I do and then repurchase it, I think that just shows how much I love something! The name of this does sound gimmicky but don't let that fool you, this is a great primer. It's tinted so it adds a bit of coverage as well as adding radiance and making a great base for makeup. Plus this is so cheap!

Becca Backlight Primer Filter | £32 | POST 

Again, another product I've repurchased. I discovered my love for this at the beginning of year and I haven't looked back. This is a glow enhancing primer that promises to act like a real life filter. I wouldn't go as far as saying it's like an Instagram filter but this really does give a dewy look to the skin. I like to use one pump over my whole face. It's also really hydrating, it's my secret weapon for using matte foundations.

LA Girl Pro Coverage HD Foundation | £9 | POST

This is a very new discovery but one I've been loving and easily the standout foundation of the year for me. It pretty much does everything I want from a foundation. It has such a good dewy finish and has a really good medium coverage. I find most dewy foundations have less coverage but this has it all. The formula is light, runny and easy to blend. Because it is so illuminating I do like to set it plus this ensures it stays looking flawless all day! I have heard people say this is a dupe for the Makeup Forever HD Foundation, I actually don't think they are. See this post for more details.

BareMineral Complexion Rescue | £27 | POST

This BB CC Cream hybrid gel cream was my go to most of the year. It's a lightweight, creamy gel texture makes it a great everyday base. It's also really hydrating and sits well on my dehydrated skin. It offers a light to medium but build-able coverage. And the finish is glow-y but not too glowy. I loved it so much I actually used on my wedding day!

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer | £22.50 | POST

I'm also trying to find the best concealer for covering my dark circles and this is one of the best I've come across. The consistency is light, creamy and so easy to blend. It covers my dark circles really well and lasts all day without creasing, cracking or fading!

Kat Von D Shade and Light Palette | £36 | POST

2016 marked the year that Kat Von D came to Debenhams and this caused quite a stir in the beauty world! The Shade and Light palette quickly took the top spot of my go too contour shades! The palette contains 3 contour shades and 3 matte highlight shades. The Yellow highlighter is perfect for setting under eye concealer and looks really good in photos. The contour shades vary from all cool to warm. My favourite is the centre shade which is perfect for my skin tone. It's not too cool nor to warm, it just gives a perfect shadow look.

Sleek Solstice Highlighter Palette | £9.99 | POST 

This little palette without a doubt is my most used highlighter this year! I've actually hit pan. The palette houses 4 highlighters - 3 powders and one cream. I'm not to fussed about the cream one, it's nice, I just prefer powders. My favourite is the Peachy colour. It gives a beautiful dewy, wet look to the skin without any glitter. The formula is also so soft and pigmented.


Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette | £59 | POST

Hourglass is definitely on the high end price scale, they're products don't come cheap. But they are well worth the investment. This little trio has been a real game changer for me. Having dehydrated skin I tended to avoid powders because they just leave me skin dry and cake-y looking. But these set everything perfectly and leave my skin with a lovely, lit from within glow. I can't recommend these enough! See my full review with swatches here.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Ranissence Palette | £41 | POST

As soon as I saw pictures of this palette before it was released I knew I had to have it. Being a lover of warm tones this palette accommodates all my shadow needs! It has 14 warmed shadows, majority of which are matte but it does have two versatile shimmers. The formula is incredible all the shadows are so soft, pigmented and easy to blend. There's nothing I don't love about this palette! This palette is difficult to get hold of so make sure you check out my dupes post (here) for an alternative.

Makeup Geek Shadows | £6 | POST

This year I fell head over heels for Makeup Geek. Who knew collecting single shadows could be so addictive. I put it down to just how brilliant these are. Most of the shades I have tried are smooth, soft, pigmented and easy to blend. I've filled a number of palettes with MUG shadows but there are 4 which are my absolute favourites. They are:

Creme Brulee - A light to mid toned, warm, matte Brown. This is my go too crease / transition shade.

Frappe - This a mid toned, warm matte. I love this to use to deepen the crease colour and add definition to the outer v.

Morocco - A warm toned, matte Red. This is perfect for warming the entire eye look. I like to just use a dap on a fluffy brush and use it over the over eye shadows I've applied.

Cosmopolitan - This is a warm, Rose Gold colour with a shimmer finish. My go to lid colour!

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick | £16 | POST

Since discovering these in the later half of the year my love for them has been well documented! The formula is very liquidy but the doe foot applicator makes them easy to apply. One swipe is enough to achieve full opanticany. They dry down completely matte pretty quickly, but they don't look dry or feel uncomfortable on the lips. My favourite shades are Androgony and Leo. Androgony is a dusky Mauve, Purple colour. Leo is a neutral Brown colour, this would be a great nude on darker skin tones but on me it's quite bold!

Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks | £15 | POST

This year Urban Decay launched a whole line new lipsticks, in a range of colours and different finishes. I've always been a fan of Urban Decay matte lipsticks so when they launched some new ones I picked a few from the comfort matte line. Comfort matte is a very fitting name - they are matte and comfortable. The formula is very creamy, very pigmented and long wearing, The shade Hitch Hike in particular has been one of my favourites. It's a warm Rosey Brown colour. On me it's more of than nude but quite a bold colour.

MAC Lipstick | £15.50 | POST

The shade Taupe (from the matte line) has also got a lot of love from me this year. It's a lovely warm Brown colour. The formula is creamy, pigmented and pretty long lasting, whilst still being comfortable. I imagine that this is another shade that would be great nude on darker skin tones.

So that's pretty much everything I've been loving throughout the year!

Have you tried any of these? What are your thoughts?

Until next time...

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What I Got For Christmas

I can't believe how quickly Christmas has come and gone. I'm really sad that it's almost over. I love this 'what I got for christmas' post and being a complete beauty junkie my list was full of beauty products, so today I thought I'd share what I got with you. I'm extremely grateful for everything I got and would like to say a massive thank you to everyone that kindly brought me gift. Anyway let's get in it...

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit | £69

My Hourglass love affair was born when I first tried the Hourglass Ambient Light Trio.! Can we just take a moment to appreciate the stunning marble packaging? Although I'm not looking forward to photographing marble on marble! The palette houses 2 blushes, a bronzer, a finishing powder and a strobing powder. All of which I'm excited to use. On first swatch they all seem butter soft and look like they will perform well.

Makeup Forever Water Blend Foundation | £27

I've wanted to try this foundation for the longest time! It's blended with water so it is super light and supposed to be hydrating. I've heard this is amazing on dry / dehydrated skin! I've used this already and so far I really like it. Keep your eyes peeled for a more detailed post.

Makeup Forever Pro Light Fusion Highlighter | £26.50

Another Makeup Forever product that's been on my wish list for the longest time! Ever since I saw Jasmine Swatch this over on her blog I knew I had to have it. I went for the 02 Gold, with a stunning Gold toned highlighter. It doesn't look like it contains any glitter so I'm sure this will become a firm favourite!

Urban Decay Ultimate Basics Palette | £38.50

This is another stunningly packaged palette! It contains 10 matte eyeshadows, a mix of cool and warm shades. I don't actually own a whole matte palette so I think this will be a welcomed addition to my collection.

Jeffree Star Valour Liquid Lipsticks | £16

I just can't get enough of these lipsticks at the moment! They are easily the best liquid lipsticks I've tried so I had to add a couple to wishlist! I got the shade Pumpkin Pie, from the Holiday Collection. which is a beautiful Orange toned Red with subtle Gold flecks in it. And Gemini which is a lovely warm, Brown nude colour. I know I will get a lot of wear out of Gemini because it's definitely right up my street!

My blogging friends and I also did secret santa. The lovely Nishi from Nishi V kindly sent me a Pink bag full of beauty goodies! Make sure you head over and check out what the other ladies got. There links are:

Dagmara (mummy's beauty corner)  
Dorota (Idorotkka)  
Siobhan (Beautylymin)  
Nishi (Nishi V)  

Anyway Nishi got me:

NYX Soft Matte Lip Creme | £5.50

Nishi got the shade spot on, I probably couldn't have picked this better myself. The shade Rome is a stunning warm, Brown nude colour. The formula of the soft matte lip cremes are brilliant. They dry down matte and aren't drying at all! Plus they're really affordable.

Primark False Lashes | £1

I've heard so many good things about the Primark lashes so I'm really happy to finally get to try them for myself! I got two pairs: Dramatic, which as you can see are super dramatic! These would be great for a night out or new years makeup look. And Sultry, which look super long and fluttery, I think these would compliment any look.

Mac Eye Shadow | £13

Another winning shade pick from Nishi. The Shade Nocturnelle is a beautiful Purple colour with a frost finish. I love Purples, they suite my Brown eyes so well. I can't wait to create a look with this.

Lacura Caviar Illumination 3 minute Mask | £6.99

This some how manages to escape the picture. But anyway this is a 3 minute exfoliating mask that removes dead skin cells, boosts hydration and just makes skin look better. I've used this mask a couple of times and both times it really tingled my skin. I'm not sure if this is normal but the results were fantastic! It left my skin so soft and smooth. I can't believe how quickly it works too! I'm really happy with this and want to try more from the brand.

Champneys Oriental Body Butter | (I can't find this to link)

Nishi also sent me a mini Champneys Body Butter. I love that this is mini because I rarely use up a whole body cream so this is a good size. It smells divine as well. I really like Champneys body care so I'm excited to use this too.

Also in the package from Nishi was a mini 2017 diary, which is handy because I needed a new dairy. I love the Gold stripes on this and it makes the perfect prop for blog photos. I'm not sure where this was from so I couldn't link it. She also kindly put some Augmented 3D Reality Flash cards for my children (which was super sweet) which are amazing! Each card is a different picture and when scanned with a capable device, ipad, iphone etc. The images come to life! My daughter was so impressed by these and spent hours trying to make dinosaurs walk around the sofa! You can check these out at Jassv.com. 

So that's all the beauty goodies I kindly got for Christmas. I hope you all had good Christmas no matter what you where doing.

Have tried any these? What did you get for Christmas?

Until next time...

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Win A Lee Stafford Academy Straightener + Review *CLOSED*

Welcome back after a short Christmas break! I hope you all enjoyed Christmas or whatever you were doing. To a say huge thank you to all my followers for your support over the last year, I've teamed up with  Review Directory to give a lucky reader a Lee Stafford Straightener worth £79.99 But first I'm going to review them!


I have thick curly, frizzy hair which means a straightener has to be really good to even do anything to my hair. I remember in my pre teen-years I absolutely hated my hair and would spend hours trying to straighten it with cheap hair tools that weren't up to job and left my hair looking a million times worse. So when looking for any tool I know what to look for. And this great straightener really does everything I want and more.

First of all the tool itself is slim, light and easy to hold. Let's face it if a straightener is heavy and bulky, regardless of how well it works, I'm probably not going to use it! The whole thing is also made of heat proof rubber so it doesn't heat up and burn your hands while in use! It also comes with a heat protection card, which is great for travelling and storage. Some of its key features include:

Fast heat - 10 seconds in fact! You can also what temperature it's on the digital display screen.

Nano Silver Titanium Flat Iron Plates - To glide through the hair without tugging or pulling. Most plates are only Ceramic coated so these really do glide through the hair!

Iconic Function - this essentially generates negative irons to reduce frizz and static. To leave hair soft and shiny.

Variable Heat  - You can control the temperature. The straighten heats up to 230 degrees or as little as 80 degrees. This is important so you can reduce the damage heat does to the hair. So if your hair is thick and curly have it on the highest for best results and lower for less curly hair.

5 year Guarantee - this is much longer than most companies!

3 meter Cord

This has some pretty bold claims but I can safely say it really does live up to them! Straightening my hair normally leaves my hair looking dry, unhealthy and just not great. But this really left my hair looking nice - poker straight and smooth. The Iconic technology also kept my hair frizz free and shiny looking all day. Overall, I think if these had such great results on my hair imagine the results on not such unruly hair?! The results, and how cleverly designed the straightener itself is makes it a brilliant all rounder!

You can buy the straighteners  from Amazon (here) for £79.99. This does sound pricy but you're getting a lot for your money!

On to the fun part, The Giveaway! All you have to do is follow the steps below. For full terms and conditions please see them on the widget. Unfortunatly the giveaway is only open to UK residents. The giveaway is open for one month, until the 27th January. The winner will be announced shortly after! Good luck. I'm sure you will love them as much as I do!


Win a Lee Stafford Academy Straightener #12


Have you tried these? What are your thoughts?

Until next time...

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A Few Drugstore Discoveries

Who else is feeling the financial pinch this christmas? With my Christmas lists as long as my arm it hasn't left many pennies for the beauty department. So I though it was the perfect time to share my drugstore discoveries that are worth of you last few pennies!

SleekMakeup Goodnight Sweet Heart I-Divine palette* | £8.99  | POST

Drugstore palettes can be so hit miss. With only a few brands getting it right. So I'm alway wary of these. But this palette from sleek is actually really nice. The sturdy, matte black packaging houses 12 mineral based shadows that have a range of warm pink hues and a stunning green colour. The shimmers in this palette are really pigmented and mojority are buttery soft. There are only two mattes in this palette, both are which are really nice - well pigmented and easy to blend, they work well in the crease and outer V.   I do really like this palette but as with all sleek palettes I wish there were more matte!

SleekMakeup Strobing Souffle* | £7

My love for the Sleek Highlighter palettes is no screte so i was super excited to see this! Its mousse gel like, cream highlighter. The Shade Smokey Quartz is stunning gold tone. I really like cream / gel highlighters I feel like these less of chance of looking glittery or too highlighted (is that even possible?). This is really easy to apply and blend. I just take a few small amount and pat it across my cheek bones and anywhere I want to highlight. It leaves behind a really nice subte glow that catches the light nicely. It doesn't distrube or move my base products either. It also makes a really nice base for powder highlighters, for a super dewy look!

SleekMakup I-Lust Hidden Gems Palette* | £7.49

This little palette house 6 truley stunning shimmers. All of the shades are incredible pigmeneted, long wearing and look stunning lids. Ruby Tuesday and Amber city are my favourites. This palette is perfect for creating a party look. They also have Champagne toned palette avaible which I eyeing up next!

SleekMakeup VIP Lipstick in Superstar* | £5.50

I've not tried Sleek Lipsticks before so I was excited to try this. To be honset the shade Superstar does look scary in the ballet, but It actually looks really nice! Its a stunning purple, berry colour. With a incandestent finish that give a subtle metalic look to the lips - its very wearable and very season apportaite. Its described as a semi- matte finish, but It feels very creamy and confotable on the lips. The actual design of the lipstick  is really pretty too! I'm really impressed and I definitly want to explore Sleek lipsticks some more.

Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleansing Wash* | £4.99

This face wash has quickly become a staple in my routine. I love it. It's a light weight gel formula, with small scrubby particles that lift away dirt and grime. It's formulated with Baking Soda which is known to unclog pores and leave looking brighter and fresh. I like to use it as my second cleanse in the evening and in the morning. I'm so impressed with how smooth this makes my skin feel! It doesn't leave my dehydrated skin feeling any dryer or stripped. It's just a great affordable face wash! Don't get this near or in you eyes though because it does sting!

Biore Baking Soda Cleansing Scrub* | £7.99

Another firm favourite from the Baking Soda range is this scrub. It's a powder scrub, that reminds me of the Demalogica Powder Exfoliator. I like to apply this to a damp face and water to get a good scrubbing action. You can control the amount of the scrubby-ness depending how much water you add - add more water for a gentle exfoliation or less for a thorough scrub. Like the face wash this leaves my skin so smooth and radiant looking. It does say on the packaging if you experience dryness than use less frequently but I really haven't experienced any, which I'm so happy about. Again, avoid your eyes with this. Since using this and the wash my skin has looked so much better, which I really wasn't expecting because they're both so affordable!

Biore Pore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips* | £8.39

My struggle with blackheads is never ending, especially around my nose area so after seeing good reviews on the Boots website I thought this would be the answer. And I can safely say they have made a huge difference. You stick them to your nose with water and wait for them to dry, then peel off. These do really stick to the nose and removing the strip was a little painful. But the gunk that was on the strip was impressively gross! Now, these aren't going to remove all blackheads in one use, but with continued use you will see a difference!

L'oreal Infallible Pro Glow Foundation | £12.95

Now this isn't a Uk drugstore discovery, it's not available here. Which is so frustrating I don't know why brands release different things in different countries. Beauty is global, you just have to watch a Youtube video or scroll through your Instagram feed to get the latest recommendations. Only to find they're not available in your country! Anyway where there's a will there's way - I managed to get this from Ebay, from a seller I've brought from before and trusted (which I've linked above). It arrived in a perfectly sealed and un-used condition. I'm really impressed by this! It offers coverage and glow in a long wearing formula, which is really difficult to find in foundations! The consistency of it is light, runny and so easy to blend. It does give my skin a soft, dewy look to it. With a solid medium coverage. It stays put on me on all day. Although I do find I have to use a mattifying primer and powder with this or I look like a sweaty mess at the end of the day. So I think this would be great for really dry skin! It actually reminds me a lot of the LA Girl Pro HD Foundation which I've been loving lately! Over all, I'm really happy with this foundation! I've actually just brought the US L'oreal Infallible Pro Matte Foundation because I've heard the formula is different to the UK one, so keep your eyes pealed for that review.

I'm really happy with everything I've discovered from the Drug store this month. Especially the Biore skincare, I can't recommend that range enough!

Have you tried any of these? What are your thoughts?

Until next time...

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Amazing Brands To Try In 2017

2016 was the year I really branched out in the beauty department. I felt like I've exhausted the aisles of Boots and Superdrug and started to look to higher brands and online affordable shops to meet my beauty needs. I've discovered some great brands and highly recommend checking them out next year...

Salon Science...

Salon science is a brand I hadn't really heard of - I've seen a few people talk about them on blogs but nothing really tickled my fancy. Until I tried a few products myself and I was instantly WOWED! The brand uses science to bring cutting edge haircare that works. And I assure you they really do! I have really thick, dry, frizzy hair, which is a mission to wash, dry and just do anything with! So I'm always on the look out for products that will address these issues and make the washing process a bit easier. The products I have tried are...

Hydruluxe Shampoo* | £11

This shampoo is described as a gentle cleanser for the hair and scalp whilst still removing the build up of impurities. I really like this shampoo - I tend to find most shampoos irritate my scalp and leave it dry and itchy - but this doesn't! It lathers up well and leaves my hair feeling clean and fresh.

Hydruluxe Conditioner* | £12

The Hydraluxe conditioner has similar claims to the shampoo. The conditioner itself is thicker than most conditioners, which I really like, It makes me feel like it's going to work. And this really does work. My only issue is the packaging, because it's quite thick it's difficult to squeeze out of the bottle, but because this is great I can forgive it.

It's recommended to be left on for 1-2 minutes but even when I don't do that my hair instantly feels nourished and softer! Once my hair is dry it's so soft and shiny. My frizzy-ness isn't as bad either!

Hydrasorb Intensive Masque* | £14

I use an intensive mask everytime I wish my hair, I find it's the only way to get my hair to look its very best. And boy does this mask do that! It has a super thick, almost balm like texture that's really easy to apply, without it dripping or running out of my hands. I like to leave this on for 5-10 minutes as recommended and rinse off. My hair is left so soft, shiny and radiant looking. It's also a lot easier to brush. Anyone with thick curly hair will know the struggle! I don't think I've had such good results from a mask alone. This doesn't leave my hair heavy or feel like it has product build up. It's just a truly brilliant mask!

Salon Science is available online at Boots (here). They have full ranges aimed at many different hair types. I'm eyeing up the Repair Range next, especially the Reglosse Smoothing Serum, that sounds amazing!

Anastasia Beverly Hills...

Who else noticed that Anastasia Beverly Hills launched a Uk website over the weekend? They kept that quiet! Although, I was late to the party and most things were out stock by the time I had got wind of the news. If you didn't know Anastasia Beverly Hills are an American based beauty brand that have quickly gained cult status. Especially with their brow products and contour kits. The products I love and highly recommend are:

Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette | £41

I heard Nishi V describe these as the eyeshadows that ruined eyeshadows for everyone. And I couldn't have put it better myself. The formula is out of this world! The shadows in the palette are so so so soft! The pigmentation of every shadow is incredible and they are a breeze to blend! Most of the shadows in this palette are warm toned with the exception of one or two, and warm shadows are my favourite! See my full review with swatches here.

Sun Dripped Glow Kit | £39

I now have 3 of the Glow Kits so I think that pretty much says how much I love them. But the Sun Dripped Palette is my favourite! It contains 4 generously sized highlighters that are inspired by the sun. Bronzed is a Copper toned Bronze colour. This would be a great highlighter on darker skin tones. I also like to use a blush topper. Summer has a Champagne tone with a White Gold finish. It's a stunning highlighter. Tourmaline is a Taupe highlighter, I like to use this as an eyeshadow. And finally Moonstone, which is my favourite. It's a stunning Peachy toned highlighter that suites my skin tone really well. All of the highlighters are buttery soft and give a really dewy look to skin.

Anastasia Beverly Hills have some great products and everything I've tried performs exceptionally! I'm eyeing up the single shadows next, which were available on the UK site but most were out stock.

Bravura...

AHA and BHA have quickly become the ingredient of choice, with people seeing dramatic results after using them. Bravura is a brand that have developed a range of AHA and BHA that have salon quality at home. What I love about this brand is the detail. The products come with a leaflet with detailed instructions of how to use products, the recommended time they should be left on and what to expect when using them. And welcome customers to contact them if products have a negative effect on the skin. Which I found super helpful with most skincare products I'm left wondering how to use it or I'm left disappointed when they don't work. The products I've tried are:

Revitalising Gingseng Toner With 5% Glyoclic Acid* | £12.40

This is a gentle Glycolic acid which melts away dead skin cells and leaves skin ready for moisturiser. As well as other ingredients that nourish the skin. This is suitable for all skin types and really easy to use. Just apply to a cotton pad and swipe over the face and neck. With continued use my skin is left more radiant. The ingredients are pretty identical to the famous Pixi Glow Tonic, with the exception of a few and has the results. But Bravura options are cheaper!!!

Lactic Acid 10%* | £9.59

I've not had much luck with Lactic Acid so far, the ones I have tried have broken me out, and haven't been able to stand the smell. But this is infused with Rose so the scent isn't anything revolting! Lactic Acid can be used on dry, sensitive skin types to treat acne, hyper pigmentation, ageing skin or dryness / dullness. It recommends to use this on a dry clean face and leave it on for 5 minutes and slowly build up the time to increase the skin tolerance to the acid. It tingles sightly when first applied but nothing uncomfortable,  but the instructions assure me this is normal.  I wasn't expecting much after just 5 minutes but the result were undeniable. My skin was so smooth - I couldn't stop stroking it! I've been using this every other day for 5 minutes and I'm so impressed by how quickly this works.

Glycolic Acid 10%* | £9.59

This is to be used in the same way as the Lactic acid. This dissolves the glue that holds dead skin cells together to reveal fresh, bright, new skin. It can be used on all skin types to combat a number of skin issues, including: acne, fine lines, dehydration and dryness. When I first apply this it kind of itches my skin, but the directions say this is normal. Again, this a great product and really helps my skin to look brighter and more radiant. Although I haven't seen such dramatic results from this as I did from the Lactic acid, I'm sure with continued use I will.

Bravura London is available here.  I do have a full review coming on these soon. I Highly recommend checking them out, they're also very affordable to!

Kat Von D...

Kat Von D becoming available in Debenhams was probably the beauty launch of the year for many! With beauty gurus in America raving about her products I had to get in on the action! I was not disappointed. My favourites are...

Shade and Light Palette | £36

I love contouring, it's become a step in my makeup routine I can't miss. And this has been my contouring product of choice since I got it! The palette contains 3 shades of contouring colours and 3 matte highlighter shades. My favourites are the two middle shades. The contour colour is perfect for my skin tone. It's not too cool, so it looks ashy and it's not too warm. It's just the perfect shade for making me look like I have cheek bones! The Yellow shade is also brilliant for setting under eye circles and really brightens up the area, while ensuring my concealer won't crease!

Lock Concealer | £20 | POST

Regular readers will know my struggle with dark circles. So I just had to try this full coverage, long lasting concealer. It does a brilliant job at concealing my dark circles and works well on blemishes too. The formula is creamy and easy to blend out. But because this is so full coverage, it doesn't look like i'm wearing concealer, but not in a bad way, if that makes sense. But if you have areas that you want to cover this is a great option!

Everlasting Liquid Lipstick | £16 | POST

Liquid lipsticks are my lip product of choice at the moment. Kat Von D has an extensive shade range. I have the shade Lolita II which is a stunning warm Terracotta nude. The formula is really nice. It's lightweight and dries down completely matte. This isn't drying and feels so comfortable on the lips. The only downside is the wear time. This doesn't last as long as some on me. But because they are so comfortable they can be forgiven.

Kat Von D is available here. Next I want to try the Lock It powder, I hear so many good things about that!

I'm excited to see what next year brings beauty wise and what brands will become favourites!

Have you tried any of these brands? What are thoughts?

Until next time...

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My Evening Skincare Routine For Dry / Dehydrated Skin

Last week I brought my Morning Skincare Routine (here). So I thought it was only right to share my evening one too. I have dehydrated skin but these products are definitely helping my skin and dehydration isn't too much of an issue..

First of all I double cleanse to remove makeup and then actually clean my skin. The first cleanser I use is the Liz Earl Cleanse and Polish | £14 |  I picked this up in the hope it would be an affordable dupe of my greatly loved Aurelia Cleanser. They are similar but the Liz Earl doesn't have the same nourishing effect on my skin. But it does a good job at removing my makeup and leaves my skin feeling clean. I then like to go in with Biore Baking Soda Cleanser | £4.99 | POST |  Which I am loving at the moment! It's a lightweight gel cleanser with small scrubby particles in it. I  I've really noticed a difference in how much clearer my skin looks. I also haven't had many break outs since I started using this!

After I've cleansed I like to go in with the Bravua Lactic Acid* | £9.95 | This is a new addition to my routine but one that I'm sure will be sticking around for a long time. This is an oil enriched with lactic acid, which is a chemical exfoliator, which helps the skin to shed dead skin cells and leave it looking brighter, fresher and more glowing. I like to leave this on for 5-10 minutes and the rinse it off. I do this because I've found most AHA / BHA products break me out so I'm slowly building up my skin tolerance to it. But after I've rinsed this my skin is so much softer and smoother. I'm really wowed by this and can't recommend it enough!

Because AHAs can be quite stripping it's important to add moisture back into the skin. I find layering my moisturiser products works really well at keeping my dehydration at bay. So I go in with the Dr Botanics Japanese Orange Serum* | £39.99  | This is a lightweight, watery serum that contains fatty acids to hydrate and plump the skin. The Japanese Orange also helps to protect the skin from environmental damage and boost radiance. This absorbs into the skin instantly and leaves it feeling smooth and hydrated even before going in with any other products.

Next up moisturisers. I won't bore you about the La Roche Posay Ultra Toleraine Fluid | £17.50 | POST | but to some it up this is a super lightweight but hydrating moisturiser that just works! I also like to sometimes go in with the Dr. Botanicals Japanese Orange Overnight Restoring Mask* | £39.99 | Which to put it simply is amazing! The creme is really thick, it has an almost balm texture. It does feel slightly heavy on the skin but this doesn't bother me because in the morning the results are undeniable! My skin is so soft and glowing! My dehydrating lines aren't as bad either. This is a great product. Plus you only need a tiny amount to cover the whole face so I can't see myself running out any time soon.

Lastly I use an oil to lock everything in and add even more hydration! Oils have been a real game changer in my routine, I have a few in my current rotation. Which are:

Pai Rose Hip Oil | £22 | I'd been eyeing this up for a while so I was delighted to see it in the Black Friday sales! But I would happily pay full price this stuff. It contains Rose Hip Oil which is known for its healing properties. It fades scars, marks, fine lines and UV damage. I have a few blemish marks which are taking forever to go so I thought this would help and it really has! I've noticed a huge difference in them and I'm hoping they will be completely gone soon.

Dr. Botanicals Japanese Orange Oil* | £39.99 | This is an oil aimed hydrating and firming the skin. It contains Nourile extract which firms fine line and helps prevent the early signs of ageing. While I don't think ageing is a problem for me yet, it's never too early to prevent it! This oil also intensely hydrates skin and leaves it so soft!

Dr Botanticals Advanced Anti Oxidant Super Food Oil* | £42.99 |  POST Another offering from Dr Botanics, which I like to use when I'm not using the other two or my skin is feeling particularly dry. The oil itself is silky smooth and absorbs into the skin pretty quickly. This is jammed packed with ingredients, all aimed at hydrating and nourishing the skin. This is like superfood for you face! In the morning my skin is noticeably softer, more plump and hydrated!

So that concludes my evening skincare routine. I didn't include the stuff I don't use regularly like scrubs and other treatments. Maybe I'll do a separate post on those.

What are your favourite products in your evening skincare routine?

Until next time...

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Christmas Day Makeup

I can't believe christmas is just over a week away. I feel really festive but christmas just doesn't feel so close! Anyway, I thought I'd share with you some christmas makeup inspiration. This year I plan on rocking a bold lip and a more subtle eye look...

Becca BackLight Priming Filter | £32 | POST

For christmas I would like super healthy, natural glowing skin. I don't hold much hope of santa actually bring me that so I will be reaching for this Becca Primer. Which is dewy, healthy skin in a bottle. This adds so much radiance and luminosity to the skin, I'm sure it would perk up the dullest of complexions. It doesn't contain any glitter just gentle shimmers that catch the light. I like to use one pump for the whole of the face, anymore than that and I look like a sweaty mess come lunch time. But overall this is a brilliant primer and really gives a smooth base for flawless makeup application.

Milani Concealer and Perfect 2 in 1 Foundation | £11 | POST

Because I've gone in with a super dewy primer I want something more on the matte / satin side of base just so I'm twinkling like a christmas tree! This Milani offering is perfect for just that! The coverage is a solid medium, but it isn't cakey or hard to blend. Blending it in is actually really easy, the consistency isn't thick. It sets down to a nice satin finish.

RCMA No Color Powder | £9.95 | POST

I heard Beauty Bay have actually stopped stocking this - why? I have no idea, it's such a good powder. But you can buy it from lovemakeup.co.uk if your in the Uk. But anyway this is essential for setting my makeup especially on christmas day when I want it to last! The powder is so light weight, not cake-y and non drying it's become an essential of mine for every occasion! It also doesn't flash back in photos so it's perfect for any family gatherings.

Kat Von D Lock It Concealer | £20 | POST

I won't go for products that I know I'm not going to need touching up so I can enjoy the day without having to worry about my makeup. So this Kat Von D concealer is perfect. It's super full coverage and conceals pretty much anything. It works really well under my eyes and conceals my dark circles with ease. If I set this with powder I don't find this creases or flakes either.

Becca Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Collection | £48 | POST 

I know this palette is no long longer available but you can still get Prosecco Pop and the blush in the split pans here. But christmas is the perfect time for a super luminous glow. And boy does Champagne Pop do that. As the name suggests it's a Champagne toned highlighter in a super butter, soft formula that is so easy to apply and blend out. For blush I'll be using the shade Amaretto. Which is a matte Brown Bronze colour. Because I'm going for a bold lip I wanted the cheeks to be a bit understated and natural looking so this blush is perfect for that. See my full review with swatches here.

Sleek I-Divine Goodnight Sweetheart Palette* | £9.99

For Eyes I think something subtle, but put together with a bold lip is good call. This palette has some lovely shades in it that are great for a christmassy look. I like the shade Romance - which is a matte dark Brown, Purple colour - blended through the crease. Paid with the shade Fire Side - which is a beautiful shimmery Mauve-y Pink, Gold Colour - all over the lid.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara | £7.99

No eye look is complete without a good few coats of mascara. This mascara choice will come as not a surprise for regular readers, but it's just the best mascara! It really adds length and volume without being clumpy. It also holds the curl really well and lasts all day.

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick | £16

I probably wouldn't go for such a bold lip colour if it wasn't for the formula of these! The staying power really is incredible! It also stays pretty much in tact after eating too. which is pretty important as I'm sure most of you will be enjoying your christmas dinner! And the biggest selling point is these aren't drying at all! The Designer Blood is stunning! It's a stunning deep, dark Red colour. Probably a lot darker than your traditional festive Red, which I don't think suit me very well anyway. So this is the perfect choice!

MAC Fix + | £17.50 | POST

And finally to make everything look a little bit more flawless, a few spritz of Fix+. This stuff is really great. It's not a setting spray as such, it's more of a finishing spray. I'm not too sure how this does it but it just meshes everything together a bit better and makes it more flawless and blended.

That's the makeup look I'll be going for on christmas day.

What look will you be going for?

Until next time...

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Makeup Lately

Not a lot has changed in terms of makeup for me lately. Recently I've discovered some products that have quickly become staples in my routine. For fear of sounding repetitive I haven't included those. make sure you check lasts months makeup lately here. But let's get into it...

Rimmel Insta Flawless | £6.99 | POST

This is one of those products that I wasn't expecting much from when I brought but I was presently surprised at how good it was. And now the weather is colder and my skin has been suffering this has been my go to primer. It promises to be like a real life Instagram filter. Not gonna lie this doesn't quite perfect the skin like Instagram but it does a really good job at blurring flaws, adding radiance and hydration. It's tinted so it adds a bit of coverage, if you're blessed with good skin you could probably just use it as a foundation. I, however am not but this makes a great base for makeup!

LA Girl Pro HD Illuminating Foundation | £9 | POST

I could talk about this foundation until the cows come home! I haven't felt this strongly about a base product in a long time, let a alone such an affordable one. LA Girl have perfected the perfect base (well for me anyway) this has it all - coverage, radiance, lasting power, all in a practical and functional bottle. This is super dewy but sets down great with powder and other base products apply well over the top. Since getting this all my other foundations haven't got a look in!

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer | £23 (with brush)  | POST

This concealer has been a bit of a rediscovery - I hadn't used it for a while but recently I put it back into rotation and I've been reaching for everyday. This is so super full coverage, and covers under eye circles with ease. The formula is on the thicker side, I find the Beauty Blender is the best and easiest way to blend this out. Because  this is so thick I do like to set it with a powder to prevent creasing.

LA Girl Shady Slim Brow Pencil | £5

I finally have a new brow product to talk about! I found it so difficult to find Brown products I like and always end up going back to the NYX Tame and Frame. But I've found myself reaching for this! It's double ended, with one end being a pencil and the other end is spoolie to comb the Brown through. Which is so handy! The pencil itself is a bit stiffer than most I've tried, but I don't mind this because it makes it really easy to draw in hairs and give a more natural finish. The shade Soft Brown is perfect for me too.

LA Splash Art-ki-tekt Liquid Liner | £11.25

Most days I've not been wearing eyeshadow, through pure lazyness but I've been really enjoying winged liner. And it couldn't be more simply thanks to LA Splash. This liner is amazing. The tip is so precise and easy to use. The liner itself glides onto the skin with ease, leaving behind the Blackest line! I didn't find this bled or smudged on me either. This is a brilliant liner, I can't recommend it enough.

Madame LALA Bronzing Ball* | £14

I like to be bronzed all year round so when this dropped through my letter box I was excited to give it ago. This is a bronzing ball that is formulated with coco water for hydrating, it has a 180 degree applicator to make it easy to contour and use on all areas of the face. But I wouldn't use this for contouring, it's very shimmer. It works as a nice glowy bronzer. The formula is super creamy and really easy to blend. I think this will be stable in the summer.

MAC Sweet Nutcracker  Copper Face Compact | £29 | POST

This is a stunning blush and highlighter all in one compact, that I've found myself reaching for a lot! The highlighter (Whisper of Guilt) is a beautiful Gold colour, that reflects light and really makes those check bones stand out! The blush (Pleasure Model) is a Brown colour which has quickly become one of my favourites. It looks amazing on the skin. Both the formulas are really nice, pigmented and easy to blend, with good staying powder. If you can get your hands on this I highly recommend doing so. I'm sure you won't regret it!

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick | £16

My Jeffree Star Liquid Lipstick obsession is getting a bit out of hand. But I just can't help it. The formula is everything I want from a liquid lipstick. They're easy to apply, the applicator makes it so easy to outline the lips and achieve a crisp line, they don't bleed or move, they are so long wearing without being drying, and the pigmentation is incredible - just one swipe for a fully opaque colour. My current favourite shades are Androgyny, a dusky Purple and Celebrity Skin which is a warm Brown nude colour.

So that's most of the makeup I've been reaching for lately.

Have you tried any of these? What are your thoughts?

Until next time...

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LA Girl Pro Coverage HD Foundation VS Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation

If you've read many of my posts recently you'll know how much I've been loving the LA Girl Pro Coverage HD Foundation. I've heard many people comparing it to the famous Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation, and straight away looking at both of the products packaging, I can see why people would think the LA Girl Foundation is a dupe. Even the names are similar. So I thought I'd throw my two cents in and compare them both...

Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation | £29

When I first got my hands on this foundation I did do a full review of it here. But it was a while ago so I've put it back in rotation to see if my thoughts had changed. First of all I like the packaging. It has a standard pump which makes application easy. I have the shade Y315 which has Yellow undertones and it's slightly too pale for me, but if I Bronze up this isn't too much of problem. The consistency of the foundation is quite thick - it doesn't run or dip when it's applied. But it's still quite easy to blend. I've found the best way to blend this is with a Beauty Blender rather than a brush. It has a light to medium coverage. It sets down to a satin finish. The whole point in this foundation is it's supposed to be undetectable by cameras, making it a great choice for selfie lovers and those on film. But here's where my issue lies. It's definitely not undetectable - you can tell I'm wearing foundation. I actually find it to be slightly cake-y looking, especially around my nose area. It does wear pretty well though -  6+ hours. Overall, I don't think this is a bad foundation, it's just not great. And for an almost £30 foundation I was expecting a little more.

LA Girl Pro HD Illuminating Pro Coverage HD Foundation | £9

So the packaging and the name are very similar to the Makeup Forever one. Exception is this has Illumination in the title which is what first drew me to this foundation. I have dry / dehydrated skin so I love anything that gives me a glow or radiance. It has a standard pump too. The shade Nude Beige is a perfect match for my skin tone. The consistency of this one is a lot more runny than the Makeup Forever offering. I think this makes it easier to blend. And this is so easy, just a few taps with my Beauty Blender and it's done! The coverage is medium but build-able, to full, so it's better coverage than the MUFE one. The finish is different to. It's far more dewy and gives a lot more radiance. Because this is so dewy I do like to set it with a powder. This also stays flawless for 6+ hours too. This has been my go to foundation since I got it. I really love it!

So the important question: Are these two similar. In short No. The finish, consistency and coverage are different. The only thing these two have in common is the packaging. The LA Girl doesn't even claim to do what The Makeup Forever Ultra HD does. So how it has been described as dupe - I'm not too sure. But I can't recommend the La Girl Foundation enough. It's a brilliant foundation and so affordable!

Have you tried either of these? What are your thoughts?

Until next time...

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My Morning Skincare Routine

I feel like I've been trying to establish a good morning skincare routine for a very long time. I've struggled to find products that fit the bill perfectly. Most moisturisers were too heavy for under makeup and finding a good face wash was difficult. But I've finally found some products that I have been loving so I thought it was about time I shared my morning skincare routine...

Biore Baking Soda Pore Cleanser* | £4.99

As I said, I really struggled to find a light refreshing cleanser. And I was a little apprehensive of this when it first dropped through my letter box. First of all I thought Biore was aimed at more oily skin types and I thought baking soda would dry my already dehydrated skin out. But I presently surprised by this! It's a light gel formula with a few scrubby particles in it. It lathers up well and rinses off with ease, taking any dirt or build up with it. This leaves my skin so smooth, I mean really smooth! It hasn't dried my skin at all either. I also use this as my second evening cleanser.

PIXI Glow Tonic | £18 | POST 

After cleansing I sometimes go in with this AHA toner, to lift away any dead skin cells and make my skin look brighter. Which this really does. It's a great product. I did use this everyday for a while but now I use it every other, because I just don't think my skin always needs it, especially if I've done an AHA treatment in the evening too.

Clinique Moisture surge Face Spray* | £22.99 (full size)

As I have dehydrated skin I like to layer on as many moisturising products as possible to prevent my skin becoming dry throughout the day. Which is were this spritz comes in super handy! It's so light and refreshing and gives my skin a moisture hit. I've also been really enjoying this throughout the day over makeup too!

I've been alternating between two moisturisers: La Roche Posay Ultra Toleriane Fluid | £17.50 | POST |  this is my most repurchased product. It is no fuss and doesn't claim to do anything other than hydrate skin but this really does keep my skin hydrated all day! The cream itself is very lightweight and absorbed into the skin instantly2. It also works beautifully under makeup.

I've also been reaching for this Clinique Moisture Surge Skin Fortifying Hydrator* | £34 |  I've wanted to try this for the longest time! It's a bit of a cult classic for those with dry or dehydrated skin. It's a lightweight gel formula that feels lovely on the skin. It absorbs so quickly and leaves my skin smoother. It looks plumper and feels more hydrated. Because this is quite new to my routine, I'm not convinced it works well under all my foundations in my current rotation. I think it makes my pores look a bit more obvious. But I'm still testing it and will report back soon!

And thats all I do skincare wise in the morning! It seems pretty lengthy on paper but it doesn't take me longer than 5 minutes to do all this.

Have you tried any of these? What are your thoughts?

Until next time...

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