My Current Skincare Favourites

 

Last December I trialled some skincare products I found on Amazon during the Christmas present search and some of them have become permanent fixtures in my skincare routine. I wanted to share my current favourites with you, so please enjoy!

 

Daiso Charcoal Peel Off Face Mask

 

 

 

There have been various charcoal masks circulating the beauty blogs this year, all assisting in the removal of pesky blackheads on the nasal area. I purchased a few different brands and found this one the less messy, thanks to the packaging. I use this once a week to clear my nose of any blackheads and it works a treat for me. Despite the front packaging being in Japanese there are English instructions on the back.

 

 

Bio Oil

I've been using this for a few months now to soothe my baby bump. It's not stopped stretch marks from making an appearance on my body but it has faded them quite a bit. I use this twice a day to get the best results.

Amie Skincare Set

Purchased as a quartet and became a trio due to being allergic to their face mask, these products are so gentle to my skin and have improved its appearance dramatically. Featured here is the Morning Clear Purifying Face Wash, the Bright Eyes Very Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover and the Morning Dew Matte-Finish Moisturiser. These were inexpensive to purchase as a set but range between £3-£5 as individuals. They are perfect for young skin and benefit most skin types.

Barefaced Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C Serum

This caught my eye during the scrolling on Amazon; I have heard so much about hyaluronic acid and when I saw this product which was on offer I decided to buy. I have never heard of the brand until seeing this purchase, but the bear looks honest enough. l use this twice a day and it has helped reduce my dark circles around my eyes whilst tightening my skin.

Garnier Micellar Water

As it was on offer in Boots and after hearing many positive thoughts on the product, I just had to test this out for myself. It does as it says, hydrating the face, eyes and lips as well as cleansing and triples as a makeup remover. A smart product that I use twice daily.

I can safely say these products have had a positive impact on my face. It visibly looks healthier and my dark circles have reduced dramatically, improving my makeup looks and also making them last longer throughout the day. The results also include a smoother face, less breakouts and minimised pores.

What products do you swear by for a fresh face? :)

Happy New Year! My 2016 Goals

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope everyone's 2016 has started off great. Mine was spent with my family, minus my brother who is currently in Sydney, Australia working. He had a good New Year celebrations from what I gathered from Facebook but I haven't heard from him personally, despite texting him!
Anyway, every New Year comes with those 'resolutions' we all try and stick to and the majority (Me) fail at keeping. This year I decided to have another go at making a list of what I want for my 2016, and I thought to myself, 'If I write them here they'll be there as a reminder, thus making them more prominent in my mind, they'll be stuck to.'. So here's my goals for 2016.

1. Less takeaway/fast food, more home cooked meals
2. 8 glasses of water a day
3. Start a savings fund
4. Have a healthy baby
5. Be more thrifty and frugal with my purchases
6. Moisturise my body more
7. Exercise my mind (And body!)
8. Stick to this list

Number 8 is most important for me as it basically ties them all together. Of course the majority of these goals are everyone's goals, but that doesn't mean we can't have these stereotypical goals for ourselves. I want this year to be my year for success, and with one step at a time I know I can achieve this. Here's how I plan to keep a check on my progress:

• Keep a food diary to record my diet
• Set routines in my day to keep a check on my progress
• Record an exercise diary
• Devote my nights to mind games and reading before bed
• Save money every week using the 52 week money challenge
• Look at this post every day as a reminder of what I want to achieve

What goals do you have for 2016? How do you plan to achieve them? I hope you all succeed in what you want for this year and again, Happy New Year! :)

My Recent Beauty Purchases

Hello all! I hope you all had a happy holiday season!
This year's Christmas was a bit different for myself; we picked our own presents and gave money to each other (Pretty spiritless, eh?) but nonetheless, my Christmas with my family was a good one. So with my gift money I treated myself to a few beauty products which I hope will become staple products in my makeup looks.

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Instant Retouch Pressed Powder - £12
 

I needed a new powder as my Max Factor Loose Powder is down to almost nothing. It was 3 for 2 on Soap and Glory™ products, if it weren't I probably wouldn't have made the purchase. I am looking forward to using the product but the lack of compact applicator downgrades its appeal for a future purchase.

Soap and Glory Archery 2-in-1 Sculpting Crayon and Setting Gel - £10

 

I've been having a few issues with brow products recently and have been searching for a new product to save them from more disastrous looks. I've purchased two different brow products to try out, and I can't wait to see which one will win my heart! The Soap and Glory Archery 2-in-1 Brow Sculpting Crayon and Setting Gel appealed to me first. I've chosen the Brown & Out shade to test, and after hearing positive reviews about the brow pen, along with it's appealing simplicity, it looks like it will be a recurring purchase for my makeup bag.

Soap and Glory Arch de Triumph Two-Step Shaping & Highlighting Crayon - £9

 

Contestant number 2 in my brow product search is the Arch de Triumph Shaping and Highlighting Crayon by Soap and Glory, purchased in Taupe/Buff. I am partial to an eyebrow pencil after using L'Oreal Paris' Brow Artist Pencil and getting along well with it, but I really wanted to try a different brand (I've never used Soap and Glory makeup before *GASP*). Again the simple design drew me to the pencil and the packaging even has tips on usage, something I take a lot of notice in when shaping something as delicate as my eyebrows.

Benefit Cosmetics Bad Gal Lash and They're Real Push-Up Liner - £18.50 Each

After having much success with the They're Real Tinted Primer I had to try more Benefit products. I really like their eye products after testing these two products out together. The mascara came with a miniature sized version of the product which is handy for a night out, and paired with the primer it elongates my lashes without them looking fake or clumpy. The eyeliner is also a pleaser, it's angled tip and gel texture makes the application smooth and simple, and it lasts a good few hours on the eyes without any touch up.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in My Two Cents - £15.50
 

A product I got for free with my Benefit order, but would purchase in the future. The creamy eyeshadow gives my eyes a strong, long-lasting pop of colour and also blends well with my normal powder palettes. This coppery-brown shade compliments my brown eyes well, too.

 

 

Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter - £24.50
 



I'm not a fan of this product and wouldn't purchase it again. This cream-to-powder highlighter just doesn't give my face that soft, highlighted finish I expected from a product that is so expensive. It made my skin look dirty and the powder transformation gave my cheeks a patchy finish.

 

Benefit Pore-Fessional Mattifying Powder - £23.50





Another product I wasn't so pleased with. This mattifying powder is just like any normal translucent powder but it says on the packaging that it can be applied after moisturising or on a finished face. Applying it before makeup gave my face a rough base for my foundation, but it did set my liquid foundation and lasted a long time on my face. I just don't think for the price it is worth it.
Have you tried any of the products I've mentioned? What are your thoughts on them? Don't forget to like and leave a comment! :)

Christmas Eeyore | Copic Marker Drawing

My mother's birthday is Christmas Eve, and I have always drew her something for her big day. She's always been my number one fan when it comes to my Art (My nana was second!) so I always like to surprise her with little arty bits.
I had taken a generic picture of Eeyore (My mother's favourite Winnie the Pooh character) from Google images and added a Santa hat to his head and gave him a red bow for his tail as opposed to his pink one for a festive touch.
I'm very quick at drawing an outline (I didn't get any photos of just the outline, sorry!) so I lightly sketched him out before colouring him in with the closest colours I have out of my small-medium copic ciao markers.

The colours I used were:

• 100 Black
• R27 Cadmium Red
• RV13 Tender Pink
• C-1 Cool Gray No 1
• V91 Pale Grape
• RV95 Baby Blossoms
• BV13 Hydrangea Blue
• YR00 Powder Pink

I used circular motions with the brush nibs to get a smooth finish from the markers.

 

 

I outlined Eeyore with Copic's Multiliner which has a 0.3mm nib. I thickened some of the lines to make him stand out more as I intended to add a background.
I sliced the excess paper off with a guillotine and proceeded with the background. I used:

• BG000 Pale Aqua
• BG01 Aqua Blue
• B00 Frost Blue

 

 

I used a 0.5mm Line Painter by Graphik in White for some specks of white throughout the background.
After a few finishing touches the drawing was complete.

 

 

What do you guys think? I'm not a professional artist and my art education only goes up to GCSE grade, but you can tell it's Eeyore can't you? Haha! Looking back on it I could have done his feet better but my mother loves it and that's what is most important to me, but please feel free to leave any constructive criticism!

 





My Favourite Lip Products

 

This year has been the first year where I’ve introduced lipsticks, lip liners and lip balms into my makeup looks and routines. I’ve always thought to myself ‘It’s not an everyday necessity!’, but this year was different. I wear a lip product almost every day now! Whether I’m going to work or going on a date, something ends up on my lips. I’ve picked out my favourite products to share with you all; they are not in any particular order of preference and are solely based on my opinion so I hope you enjoy.

Stila Convertible Color - £16

 

I bought this as part of a set which included a lip gloss and a hair band as it was only £15. The colour I have is Magnolia, a lovely dark rosy shade that compliments all of my makeup looks so its versatility won me over. I just apply this creamy lip and cheek duo with my fingertip and sweep it across my lips. There are a few shades to choose from and I will definitely be repurchasing this when mine runs out, and its handy compact casing makes it easy to throw in your bag and apply on the go if needed, having a handy mirror inside.

Burt's Bees Hydrating Lip Balm with Coconut and Pear - £3.99

 

A balm stick I impulsively bought on one of my frequent trips to the local Boots. This clear balm does as it says and hydrates my very dry lips, and the coconut and pear scents are a perfect combination! A bit on the expensive side for a lip balm but it is deliciously worth the extra couple of pounds.

Patisserie de Bain Lip Balm - £3.79

 

I bought this in Bakewell in September in a small store called Elliot Rose Apothecary. They had two flavours left and the Strawberry Cupcake was the last of its kind so I quickly purchased this. This jelly-like balm is easy to apply and gives a pinkish shine to the lips, perfect for a girly-girl! It retails at a different price everywhere I’ve searched online so I’ve taken the price from the link.

Maybelline Colorsensational Lipsticks  - £6.99

 

One of my favourite budget lipsticks that last on your lips. I have 3 shades from this collection but there are loads to choose from to suit all skin tones and personalities. Here’s a glimpse of my favourite Fatal Red – a bold, matte shade perfect for a safe transition for those wanting a more daring lip shade. These lipsticks are strong, dependable and affordable so try them out when you can.

Nivea Lip Butter - £1.99

 

Another cheap lip product that works its magic well. A little goes a long way with these little tins – a thin layer of this across my lips and they feel soft and supple. I like to apply this before I go to bed as I find it comes off easily with a drink or a lick of the lips. Despite this, it is still a worthy product that helps fight dry lips.

Rimmel London Exaggerate Automatic Lipliner - £3.99

 

Last but certainly not least on my list is this budget liner by Rimmel. I don’t usually like Rimmel’s products but these are the exception. This product applies smoothly to my lips with the help of the ovular-teardrop shape of the nib and again lasts through its wear. I have the shade Eastend Snob 63, a neutral pink that adds a subtle yet noticeable tone to my lips.

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of them? What are your favourite lip products? Leave your comments below. :)

 

 

 

 

Christmas Party Eyes | Picture Tutorial

Christmas is officially 10 days away! It's come by so fast this time and 2016 seems to be only around the corner. Most of us have had our Christmas parties by now but many are still happening. I thought I'd share my Christmas party look with you lovely people and how I achieved it through pictures. Please enjoy!
The face routine is already applied.

 

 

I always follow the same rule with every eye look I do - light colours in the inner corners and darker colours on the outside corners. My eyes tend to look really small so this rule brightens them instantly. The palettes I used for this look were W7 In The Buff and Lightly Toasted. These palettes are inexpensive and have a variety of matte and glitter shades to compliment most looks and eye colours.

 



The eyeliners I used were very basic - I applied a kohl liner to my upper and lower waterline and used the felt pen liner to create a cat eye on the top lid. A cat eye looks good on any eye shape so it's always a safe option for myself. After curling my lashes I applied a primer then a thick mascara to the top and bottom lashes, using a sparse amount on the bottom.

 

 

To finish the look I applied a bold, red colour to my lips. I used Maybelline's Colorsensational range for this.

 

 

 

I like to think this look is highly achievable for anyone as it is so easy to do. It is effortless yet glamorous and not over the top. I personally like natural looks that appear minimalistic but still show that you've made an effort to glam up, so if that's similar to you then this look is for you!
What do you think of this look? Likes and comments are appreciated :)



Scruffy Bun Hair Tutorial |Perfect For Hair Extensions Users

Being a hair extension user it's hard to put your hair up without those short ends making a sneaky appearance. After a good few years of wearing hair extensions I have finally mastered some updos. Here's a quick video showing how I achieve a 'scruffy' bun hair tutorial.

For this look you will need:

• Hairspray
• Bobby pins/Hair grips
• Thin hair tie (Preferrably non-metal)
• Comb

The look is designed to allow people who wear hair extensions to achieve a bun without the worry of seeing the clips or tracks or beads, utilizing the 'scruffy' effect to your advantage. This look could also be achieved for those lucky people with naturally long hair.