Amazing Face

I will admit that I often follow trends when it comes to recommendations for books however I actually didn't hear anything about this book by Zoe Foster. The book is called "Amazing Face" and I honestly think it's a book that every beauty lover needs in their life. LIKE WHY ARN'T BLOGGERS TALKING ABOUT IT?!?!?! It definitely beats Lauren Conrad's Beauty book {Yeah, I went there *snaps in Z formation}.

This book is filled with everything from skincare for all ages right through to makeup and even haircare for all ages with helpful hints and tricks that I'm sure we haven't heard about in this blogging world. She also added in product recommendations to achieve particular things which is pretty handy if you don't want to spend ages scrolling through blogs!

I absolutely love the fact that Zoe made the book so fun to read with bright, colourful pages and picture tutorials on how to's {example: highlighting the inner corner of the eye ^shown above}. What I love about it the most is that there is actually personality in the book - it's pretty much like reading a blog that makes you chuckle at certain parts!! I mean come on, have a little read of the text in the picture above! {also, do you know how hard it is to hold a book open while trying to focus a big mamajama camera?! VERY omg apologies for the blurry blurry}.

I bought this book last year when I wanted to take makeup more seriously and I wish I had it sooner because I have learn't soooo much from it! I always go back and refer to the book when I get stuck with something makeup related and it really is AMAZING.

Definitely a must have for EVERYONE in my opinion, no matter your makeup experience!! Check it out next time you're at the bookstore, I'll promise you'll love it just as much as I do!

What's your fave beauty book?
xx

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Beauty Toolin'

We gotta give some credit to the little beauty tools that help up along our makeup journey. I probably forgot some things along the way but these are the ones that I reach for so often, if not daily!

I use mascara wands to brush out my brows after I applied my foundation to make sure no foundation is to be seen in there! I then do my brows then apply brow gel and then go in with the mascara wand again to neaten it up! It's such a random beauty tool but it does the trick! On the odd occasion if my mascara looks a little clumpy on the end or the lashes are not pointing in the right direction, I go in with the mascara wand to fix that!

If you're like me and love a good cat flick and always manage to mess it up at one point, then I use a cotton bud dipped in Garnier Micellar Cleaning Water to fix it up! It definitely works a treat to get a clean line and it dries on the skin almost instantly so you can go back with your eyeliner. I also use the Micellar Water along with some cotton pads to remove my makeup before I cleanse. I really like the Garnier one because it doesn't irritate my skin and doesn't leave an oily residue after! Definitely give it a go!

Every day I use a makeup wipe when I am applying my makeup to get rid of all the stains on my hands from foundation, concealer and mascara {and the odd lipstick swatch}. I have always used the Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes because they don't sting my face off when I am having a lazy make up removing day.

Makeup Brushes are easily one of the most helpful beauty tool that you could ever have!! They really make all the difference when it comes to a flawless base or blended shadows. I picked three brushes that I'm sure have cheaper alternatives, a foundation brush, a powder/blush brush and an eyeshadow brush. The best of all the brush worlds! If you're eyeshadows are blended properly, you're set for life! And then I also put the trusty Beauty Blender Sponge bc this baby is literally a gift from the beauty tool gods! I use the pointy end to apply concealer under my eyes and it just applies it so smoothly. {again, there are cheaper alternatives, I chose this one because it was the only clean sponge that I had, oops.}

I am so obsessed with the Japonesque Power Curl EyeLash Curler {I would recommend}. Before I upgraded to these ones, I use to use these random ones that I received in a magazine! These Japonesque ones really reach all the lashes and curls them to the point of no return! I find that my lashes hold the curl too which is real nice paired with a volumising mascara to make my lashes look fuller and my eyes more open and awake.

What are some of your holy grail beauty tools?
xx

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An Eyeshadow Palette That Willy Wonka Would Be Jealous Of

DA-DA-DAAAAAAA! That's right, the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette!! The palette that smells like chocolatey goodness as soon as you open the chocolate moulded tin {oh lawdy heaven is a place on earth}. I absolutely hummed and hawed over this palette like no tomorrow, I was only turned off about the fact that I had previously owned the Natural Eyes Eyeshadow Palette by Too Faced and it was just not my cup of tea with matte eyeshadows being so chalky and glitter shadows having sooooo much fallout {dicso cheeks} and the whole palette not being pigmented at all.

I walked into Kit Cosmetics and saw the tester and the first thing I did was sniff the palette and BOY if that won't win you over, I srsly don't know what will! I swatched away to discover that this palette actually has some decent pigmentation {OH PRAISE THE EYESHADOW GODS}. So without wasting time, I bought the palette and lemme tell you my thoughts!

We already know what I think about the smell {chocolate = fantastic}. The packaging is SOOOO CUTE, it's a chocolate bar shaped tin which I feel like I bought it from Willy Wonka's Factory! There are also really cute names that go along with the shadows but it's not directly printed onto the packaging, it's more on a plastic sheet.. awkward if you lose it amirite?! {probs not, moving along}.

The shadows themselves all have a really nice texture that isn't too creamy or chalky - the shadow doesn't get messy in the pan which is good! The colours complement each other so well except I really dislike that pink shade that looks so out of place. I also love how Too Faced gets how we use the light colours for highlighting the brow bone so they put not one BUT TWO highlighter shades in matte and shimmer that are bigger than the rest on of the shadows {4 for u Too Faced, you go Too Faced}. They all blend really nice together and the staying power is great with a primer underneath.

If you want to treat yourself to a palette that is almost good enough to eat a little different from the normal shadows you use, then definitely check this baby out!

Totally random but what is your favourite chocolate bar? ;)
xx

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Winter Blushes That Will Warm Your Soul

Winter has been the month of blush experimentation. Normally I just stick with the same ol' blushes all year round but with the addition of some newbies in my collection, how could I not try them out! I don't know what it is but there is something about winter and dark toned blushes that just work like strawberries dipped in chocolate.

I wanted to share the three blushes that have been on my cheeks this winter on rotation. All of them are quite different in undertone and in finish which is pretty snazzy considering they all look so similar in the pan.

You guys know that lately I have been LOVING the Clinique Cheek Pop in "Ginger Pop". I won't ramble about the daisy embossed pattern {but srsly tho, how cute is it?!}, but the blush is a dark-nudish type of shade that applies so seamlessly and gives such a natural glow to the skin.

Another blush that you guys know my ramblings about is the MAC Extra Dimension Blush in "Sea Me, Hear Me". I do find that my RT blush brush isn't picking the product up properly, so you definitely have to use a denser brush but anything works. The pigmentation is so there and it gives a pinky-mauve colour to warm up the face! + it has this really nice sheen to it that isn't disco city!

And the last blush I have been wearing is the NYX Powder Blush in "Dusty Rose" which has more of a reddy-pink tone to it. For a drugstore blush, this bad boy is incredibly pigmented and I have often accidentally put a little too much on as it is so pigmented but is does work a treat to give a warm glow during the winter + is incredibly flattering on my skin tone.

Blushes are not really my expertise in terms of finishes and all that jazz but I hope you got the jist of what I was saying! What is your fave blush for winter?
xx

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Uni Handbag Essestials

Ah, third week back at university and I can tell you that I did not miss the assignments being thrown at us. That being said, I bought a new bag and wanted to share all the random things that are in my bag aside from the obvious heavy text books and flimsy notebooks.

In my little black makeup bag {which is from colette}, I have a few products to help when winter strikes. I always carry a packet of tissues because I get the sniffles like nobody's business and some spare bobby pins and hair ties {bc you always lose them and they are never to be seen again}. I also carry around a bottle of anti-bacterial hand gel because YOU NEVER KNOW, NEVER!

As it is winter I tend to carry hand cream with me because I get dry hands and I recently purchased The Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream and this stuff does not disappoint! It soaks into your hands really quick, isn't oily at all AND smells like roses!! And then as per usual, I carry like a couple of lip balms to keep them moisturised during the cold weather and one in particular that I like is the Chapstick Everyday Lip Care one because it's a squeeze tube making it so easy to apply out and about. And then as for lip products, I carry around a bunch of sheer lipsticks to give a bit of colour {more on this in the next post ;)}.

And now for the random whosits and whatsits that chill in my bag in winter! I always carry my Diary and pencil case for Uni which are from TYPO {gotta love that shop}. My orange wallet pouch is a recent purchase and I am lovingggg it! I think it's a good alternative for the Mimco pouch!! And then my phone and my glasses are always with me to make me look really studious when I'm scrolling through instagram. I also carry a sturdy umbrella because I have had plenty of experiences in the past where all my umbrellas flip inside out and then break! {It's like the umbrellas are protesting about being umbrellas!} HAHAah anyways I got this zesty yellow coloured scarf for my birthday which I haven't used yet BUT it has been sitting in my bag waiting to be worn {it just hasn't been cold enough}.

I can't believe that I actually fit all this stuff in my bag.. BUT IT DOES and I think these are some of the essential items that help me along my adventure at university. Thanks for listening to me ramble! What are some of your uni/school handbag essentials?
xx

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Everyday Lips

There are days where I can't be bothered going all out with a bright lipsticks and checking the mirror every two seconds to see if I have clown mouth. On these days, I turn to the 'my lips but better' shades in order to cheat perfect lips without putting too much effort!

I have gone through various 'my lips but better' stages with different hues and undertones but I have finally found the shade that works the best for me! When I first applied MAC's Sweetie, I found it so lustrous with a pretty weak lasting power and it dried my lips out a little. I went on a quest and tested different lip balms underneath this lipstick which gave off different finishes on the lips {mostly lustrous which is cool I guess but I wanted something that made the colour show a little more}.

ALAS, I picked up the highly raved about NUXE Reve de Miel which is actually 100% worth the hype by the way {I would recommend to people with really dry and cracked lips 160% <- pretty serious! More serious that 150%}. The lip balm isn't sticky and slippery/oily like most lip balms, but it's creamy/waxy {in a nice way + smells like a french dessert} and has sort of a matte/satin finish to it. So paired with MAC Sweetie, they are a match made in heaven keeping your lips moisturised while giving off a simple and polished pout!!

What is your favourite every day lip colour?
xx

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July Favourites 2014

Happy middle of the year!! July was a good month with being on holidays from uni and my birthday! It feels like when July hits, the winter weather actually starts acting like winter which is my fave season but I wish it would snow here so I could play in it! So as the winter chills are upon those, a dry face and lips have been grinding my gears so I have been trying new products that I am absolutely loving~

NUXE Reve de miel
First thing: WORTH THE HYPE! I'm really picky when it comes to lip balms because some of them just dry your lips out even more so you apply more but this one.. It smells like a lemon dessert {yummo, if that wont win you over, I don't know what will!} and is has a creamy but waxy feel that really repairs dry and cracked lips! It moistures your lips for ages and it works just as great under lipsticks because of the "satten" finish {basically if a matte and satin had a baby- TAADAAHHH}

QV Face Night Nurturing Cream
I'm not one for fancy skincare at the moment, I know it's something to invest in because it's worth it but sometimes drugstore overnight creams work just as great! I have really dry skin and I have been using this cream for 6 months now. The reason it's being mentioned now is that I find that it soaks in quicker in the winter time and just because I genuinely really love it. In the morning it makes my skin feel smooth, hydrated and plump! What more could you want?!

Soap and Glory Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub
My favourite body scrub of all time is almost down to the last grain! It smells like maple syrup which makes me always feel like eating pancakes after I have a shower!! The grittiness is just right and it makes my skin feel fresh and smooth! Definetly try this baby out!

Revlon Colorstay Nail Enamel in "Blue Slate"
I've been obsessed with blue polishes this month and my all time favourite blue nail polish is one by Revlon called "Blue Slate". I think it's the most subtle shade of dark blue that is so winter appropriate! I just really love this colour!! It applies beautifully and it lasts a long time too!

Clinique "Ginger Pop" Blush
Makeup in July has sort of been little to none but when I have put my face on, almost every time I have used the Clinique Cheek Pop Blush in "Ginger Pop"! Even though it pains me to scrub past the pattern, the colour is such a gorgeous dark peach shade that gives a little warmth to the face during the paler winter months!

What have you been loving this July?
xx

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