HIGH END & DRUGSTORE BEAUTY HAUL

After a small blogging break, I'm back with a good old haul.  I've definitely got to be stricter with myself in future though, and the main reason for stepping back from blogging and social media last week was because I was busy budgeting and trying to sort out money and savings etc with my boyfriend.  We have holidays etc to save for this year so I really need to have more self control when it comes to buying make up, and so this haul may well be the last for a while - sob.  

The bargain of the week goes to this beaut Make Up Revolution palette in Affirmation.  32 mainly nude shades for £8, and they are really good quality too!  I haven't tried many of the shades yet, but the few that I have are decently pigmented and have little fallout so that's good enough for me.  

I reviewed the Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolors in my last post, but I picked up three shades in Superdrug on the 3 for 2 offer and I love them.  The are super cute, the colours are amazing and they feel like a much more expensive product than they are.

I was running low on my favourite Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation, so I've repurchased it in the shade Cream Ivory which is a perfect match for my skin.  I always rave about this base so I won't go on about it again here, but it really is worth the money and if you want good coverage but a light formula, then this is definitely for you.  

I was also on the lookout for a new concealer, and after seeing so many good reviews of the NARS Radiant Creamy concealer I decided to give it a go myself.  So far I'm really impressed and it is pretty similar to my usual Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer, except I'd say this one is more light-reflecting which is definitely a good thing.  It does a good job of hiding my awful dark circles and is pretty good for blemishes too.  

Finally, I rarely go to Boots without picking up something from Barry M, and this time was no different.  I picked up one of the new Mani Mask nail polishes in the shade Birthday Suit, and a clear topcoat.  The Mani Mask polish is perfect for a natural french mani look, and it makes my nails look a lot better than they actually are somehow, so I've been wearing it everyday along with the topcoat for work.  

I love it when everything I buy turns out to be worth it, this is by far the best bunch of products that I've bought in a while!  

What have you been buying lately?  Do you have any of these products? xx

BRIGHT SPRING MAKE UP

Spring usually translates into bright colours as far as make up is concerned, and I'm no different; as soon as the sun comes out and it's not quite as cold outside, I rummage through my dressing table and pull out all of the corals and bright pinks!  Only one of the products featured in this post is new, which I think is quite an achievement for me - however this post goes live on payday so the situation may actually be changing as you read this..

Stila Eyes Are The Window palette in Spirit is pretty under rated in my opinion, The twelve matte and light shimmer shades are so pretty and compliment my eyes really well.  I don't get much fall out with these either which is good when you've got summery shades, as the last thing you want is glitter cheeks!

Benefit Coralista blush is an old favourite that I've repurchased a few times now.  I just love the mix of four orange and pink shades; the resulting colour is a healthy, bright coral glow that looks natural and really enhances my complexion. 

Lipstick wise, it was really hard to narrow it down to just three shades because I have so many bright pinks and oranges that I love for spring and summer.  I had to pick my newest addition to the family which is MAC Flocking Fabulous, a gorgeous creamy pink which has a cremesheen finish.  

I also chose Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfecter in Rose Shimmer, which is a subtle shade with a gloss feel and finish but without the stickiness that glosses can have.  

I had to include a matte shade too, which is my favourite finish in lipstick, and I went for Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Unapologetic - an oldie but a goodie.  I love lipsticks in pencil form because they are so easy to apply, and this one is no different.  The colour is a bright and vibrant pink, which has a minty scent which I love and it lasts for hours too without fading or needing to be reapplied.  

On my nails, I always love a bright colour and I always find myself reaching for Essie Fiesta, which is a bright candy pink.  Essie is always a winner when it comes to nail polishes - they have a super glossy and professional finish, and last for days without chipping.    

I really could have picked out so many more products; spring is such a good time to experiment with bright colours!  What are you going to be wearing this spring?  Do you have any of these bits? xx

CURRENT BEAUTY FAVOURITES | 14

More make up favourites!  There's nothing too groundbreaking here today; I've not been switching up my routine much lately so apart from a couple of forgotten gems that I've rediscovered in the last week or two, most of these products have probably already been talked about on here so I'll keep it brief!  

I will most probably be using the Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation until I finish it, which almost never happens with me and foundation - I always find something new or get bored, so this shows just how much I love it.  I have to say that I am tempted to try out the new NARS Velvet Matte foundation, but I'm torn between buying that or repurchasing this Laura Mercier one.  I love that this is a perfect colour match for my skin, and how it gives full coverage whilst still feeling so lightweight.  

My latest highlighter love is the Becca Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfecter in Champagne Pop.  The peachy shade is so flattering and the glow you get from this is insane - I'm pretty sure my cheeks can be seen from space when I'm wearing this! 

My newest addition to my lipstick collection is MAC Shanghai Spice, which I wrote about in my last post.  This is one of the Cremesheen shades, meaning it's got a velvety sheer finish rather than a matte one, and I've been using it as my new work shade.  It is a lovely nude with warm tones which will be perfect going into spring.  

Two products that I've found in my drawers and fell in love with again are the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Magic balm and Benefit It's Potent Eye Cream.  The Charlotte Tilbury balm is a lip treatment containing propolis (something good from Beeswax), and it really works wonders on my lips.  Unfortunately it costs £25, so I'm doing my best to use as little as possible so that it lasts longer! 

Benefit's It's Potent helps to fade my dark under eye circles which are a nightmare thanks to my early starts every day.  It feels lovely on application and sinks in to my skin quickly so that I don't have long to wait before I can apply my base, concealer etc.  

Do you have any of these products?  What have you been loving lately? xx

TWO NEW MAC LIPSTICKS

Possibly one of the smallest 'hauls' ever, but as it's MAC lipsticks I thought that it would be ok!  I just thought I'd do a quick post on my first impressions, as I've literally only had them a couple of days so far.

They are both Cremesheen lipsticks, in the shades Shanghai Spice and Flocking Fabulous, and they have a more sheer, moisturising finish than the matte shades.  Both are really beautiful and wearable colours; Shanghai Spice is a warm nude which will be perfect for day to day looks, and Flocking Fabulous is a pink coral shade which is going to be perfect for seeing me through both spring and summer.  They apply really well and the pigment is really good considering they are sheerer than the usual shades.  I've had really dry lips all over the winter which is why I opted for these kind of shades rather than the mattes ones I'd normally go for, but I'm really impressed with the colours and how they look when on - the colour pay off (can't believe I just said that) is excellent and as always, MAC hasn't let me down!  

I can see already that I'm going to be wearing these shades to death over the next few months, I'm so glad that I added them to my growing collection.  Have you got either of these shades?  What do you think of them?xx

THE FOUNDATION LINE UP

Until my spending ban, foundations were probably what I enjoyed buying the most make up wise.  Along with eye shadow palettes of course, and lipsticks, and brow pencils...you get the picture.  I've not bought any new base products in a while, which is actually killing me right now because I am desperate to try the latest offering from NARS!  The ones pictured here today are what I currently have in my collection, some have been repurchased a few times now and others are ones that I'm trying for the first time. 

I'll start with L'Oreal Infallible 24hr Matte and Estee Lauder Double Wear, which to me are both very similar to each other.  They have matte finishes, are full coverage and are really long lasting.  The L'Oreal one is the budget choice, and I find it really easy to blend and cover any uneven skin tone and blemishes.  Double Wear does the same, and I love the lightweight feel of it even though it is full coverage and looks like it's actually thick and cakey.  

Revlon Colorstay is along the same lines as the last two, although I have to say that I rarely use this as even though it is a really good match for my skin tone, I find it really hard to blend and feels like it is clogging my pores around my t zone.  If you want a base that's really long lasting then I'd go for this, but blend blend blend, and then blend again! 

Clinique Even Better foundation is my favourite base when I'm looking for a dewy finish.  It is super light, has medium buildable coverage and lasts well too.  

My most used base has to be Laura Mercier Silk Creme Photo Edition foundation, which just ticks all the boxes.  The coverage is medium buildable to full, the finish is velvety with a natural looking sheen and it just makes my skin look flawless even though it never actually is!  

One that I've been disappointed with is Maxfactor Miracle Match, because it had all the promise of being an excellent drug store find, but it turned out to be hard to blend and also a bad colour match.  A problem that I often find with drugstore foundations is that their lightest shade isn't light enough, and they are often yellow toned which is not very helpful if your skin is pink toned.  This one had yellow undertones, so even when I'd managed to blend it in it made my face a different shade to my neck so I had to remove it again!  

Last up is Jouer Matte Moisture Tint, which technically could come under the tinted moisturiser category but I find the coverage too good be just that.  I've pretty much used this up now, but I lived in it all summer last year because it was so lightweight yet still gave me the coverage I needed.  This one comes second only to Silk Creme for me, I'd definitely recommend giving it a go if you're looking for a light base that still gives some cover.  I really want to try the Luminous Moisture Tint next, so come spring I may have to treat myself!

Let me know which foundations are your favourites!  Do you like any of these? xx

SHOPPING THE STASH | 7

My seventh 'Shopping the Stash' post...I didn't really expect to keep these going for so long, I was convinced that I'd get bored of looking through my old products and carry on shopping for new things instead!  However, I've enjoyed rediscovering make up that has been sat at the back of my drawers and it's been a good distraction from buying new things that I really don't need. 

Peachy lipsticks have been my colour of choice lately, and I really love Melon Shimmer by Estee Lauder and Buenos Aires from NYX.  Melon Shimmer is a light orange lipstick with a sheer but well pigmented finish; it feels really nourishing too which I love.  The NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream is a bargain buy, it lasts for ages and the colour is super bold.  

My Benefit It's Potent eye cream is a god send when I have early starts, which is most of the week.  I use it after moisturising and let it sink in to my under eye area before putting the rest of my make up on.  It really seems to fade, if temporarily, my dark circles and smoothes out any tiny little lines that concealer could sink in to.

A couple of nights a week I've been putting on the James Read Sleep Mask Tan, to try and gain a little natural colour in my face.  I love this facial tanner because it is non oily and it soaks into my skin without clogging it up and causing a breakout. 

I'm still really into all things grey, and this includes my nails where I've been wearing a lot of No.7 Gel Look Shine polish in Grey Mist; it is a beautiful light grey shade with a glossy, professional finish - I would definitely add more shades from this range to my collection. 

I must say that my wish list is currently huge, almost every day I see a product I want but shopping what I've already got is a massive help and I definitely recommend giving it a go if you're trying to cut back on your spending! xx

CURRENT BEAUTY FAVOURITES | 13

This post is kind of proof that my spending ban has failed a little in the last couple of weeks! I first slipped up when I was sick a couple of weeks ago and accidentally on purpose made an order on Space NK, and then I walked into Boots the other day and came out with a (small) bag of new things.  

Since every blogger and their dog have been talking about the Becca Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfecter, I had to see what all the fuss was about.  The shade is Champagne Pop and it's a warm, iridescent peach shade that is so beautiful and flattering; I've been wearing it every day since I bought it.  You only need a tiny amount to get a good glow on the tops of your cheeks, I definitely recommend it if you're on the lookout for a new highlighter!

My other recent purchase was the Fudge Urban Texture Spray, which is pretty much the best thing since sliced bread.  For your hair, anyway.  I picked this up in Boots, and it claims to be a 'back comb in a bottle', which is a pretty accurate description in my opinion.  I've been using this to add some texture and volume to my hair, whether I'm wearing it up or down.  When I'm styling my hair this makes it easier and gives it more hold, and if I'm just wearing it loose it just gives it that mess, lived in look that I'm loving right now.

Invisibobbles are these cute little hair bands that claim to hold your hair up in place whilst leaving no kinks in after you take them out - and they work!  I've always got a kink in my hair somewhere or other, so these have been such a great find.  

It wouldn't be right for me not to include a Barry M nail polish in my favourites this month, I've been wearing various shades from the brand for weeks and this one in Pink Lemonade has been my first choice for work.  It is a really soft, light pink from the Gelly collection which means it's super glossy and has a professional looking finish.

I've been keeping it neutral on my lips lately, and have been reaching for Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk and Maybelline Velvet Beige.  Both are nude shades which I occasionally wear together for that Kylie Jenner look, Pillow Talk in particular is great for creating the look of fuller lips and it lasts for hours.  

So there is another bunch of make up bits that I've been loving for the last few weeks, hopefully my spending ban will be back on track now!  What have you been reaching for the most lately?  Do you like any of these products? xx 

A VALENTINES / ANTI-VALENTINES DAY MAKE UP LOOK

Valentine's Day is one of those unavoidable events that happen every year - it's less fun and usually more expensive than Easter, if you're single you get love hearts and awful mushy cards all over the high street reminding you that you're single, and if you're in a relationship there's the moderate pressure of comparing yourselves to others and wondering if you've been romantic enough/spent enough blah blah blah.  

However, whatever your situation on February 14th or in fact any day of the year, there's no reason why you shouldn't feel good for you!  I have come up with this look and named it a Valentine's Day one, but to be honest I do my make up like this whenever I feel like it!  There doesn't need to be an occasion to get the pink lipstick out, and as bloggers/make up lovers we should already know this - but I'll shut up now and just go through what's on my face, soz.  

Got a bit carried away with preaching  there, but anyway, I used the above products to create this look.  I used all my usual base products to start with, (which I haven't included in the photo because I feature them all the time) like the Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation, and then did some contouring using my Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow palette.  I used the contour shade down my cheekbones and down the sides on my nose, and a little of the highlighter on places like my cheeks, chin, centre of my nose etc.  I went over the tops of my cheeks with a small amount of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter in Champagne Pop, to add some extra glow.  I chose the Bobbi Brown Greystone palette to create a soft smokey eye, with the Maybelline Master Precise eyeliner over the top to create a good old cat flick.  

My pink lipstick of choice was MAC Full Fuchsia, which is possibly my favourite ever shade.  I love how vibrant and bold it is, and there's just something about this colour that seems to make it so flattering to wear.  

Let me know what your plans are for Valentine's Day! xx 

MY CHARLOTTE TILBURY MAKE UP COLLECTION

I'm not sure why it has taken me so long to dedicate an entire post to my Charlotte Tilbury collection!  This has to be my favourite luxury make up brand and I use the various products daily, so it's about time that I paid tribute to them all on here.

The first things that I bought were the Dolce Vita eye palette and the Matte Revolution lipstick in Walk of Shame, both of which have become staples in my going-out make up routines.  The eye shadow quad is made up of four different shades that together create the Dolce Vita look, which is a beautiful deep red toned look with golden glitter to finish and an iridescent highlight shade to go in the centre of the eyes and along the brow bone.  

Walk of Shame is a dark plummy red lipstick with a matte finish which somehow magically makes my lips look fuller, while lasting for an entire evening without fading.  

The other lipstick shades I have are Nude Kate, which is a neutral beige shade which is the perfect colour for getting that natural lips-but-better look, 1975 Red which is a gorgeous orange toned red from last Summer's Norman Parkinson collaboration, and Sexy Sienna which is a matte peachy orange colour, which is my favourite summery shade.  

I aslo have the Lip Cheat pencil in the shade Pillow Talk, which I have to admit was an entirely blogger influenced buy!  Everyone and their cat seemed to be raving about it, so I eventually caved in to see what all the fuss was about; it turned out to be a good buy as it is the perfect pencil for lining and filling in your lips - the colour is natural looking and it's easy to apply and create the shape that you want.  

In an Instagram competition last year, I won the Lip Magic balm, which contains propolis and usually costs £25.  I would never spend that much on a balm myself, however it is a really nice product and only a tiny amount of product is needed to hydrate and prep my lips for the day. 

My favourite product of the lot has to be the brilliant Filmstar Bronze and Glow, which is a contour and highlighter duo that helps to define and add glow to all the main points of your face, especially the cheekbones.  I use this every day because I just love how the contour shade is the perfect colour - not too dark or orange on my pale skin, and it blends in easily too.  The highlight is also natural looking, and doesn't have any annoying fake looking shimmer.  

Do you own anything by Charlotte Tilbury?  What are your favourite products? xx

ROSE GOLD | THE OBSESSION CONTINUES

I can't be the only one who sometimes gets tempted to buy make up because of the packaging, right?  I admit that more than once I've come home with a new palette or some new brushes for no other reason than..I liked the look of them.  That's pretty bad isn't it?! 

Since I've put myself on a spending ban, I've been going through my make up collection and noticed how much of it happens to have rose gold packaging; it looks amazing, but actually some of it has just been sitting there looking pretty rather than been in my day to day rotation of products.. whoops.  

Some of the bits I came across were the Stila Eyes Are The Window palette and the Zoeva Rose Golden Vol 2 Brushes.  I've only used two of the brushes - that is ridiculous!  I've been too precious about using the rest, which is such a waste, so I've now put them all into my daily make up bag and removed my older brushes - there's no point in paying over £50 for them if I'm not going to use them, I have to say I felt pretty annoyed at myself for letting this happen!  As for the palette, this is I think a good example of buying something that I didn't really need; I saw it on a few blogs, saw the lovely rose gold case and that was that - I bought it.  I can't say that this is one of my most used palettes, because it isn't, and I kinda wish that I'd held back on buying this one and got the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette instead!  

One thing that I can safely say gets used every day is the beautiful Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow palette, which both looks good and works wonders.  I use both the contour and highlight shades daily, and it's one of the best products I've ever bought.  The same goes for the Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks; I own four at the moment and use every one of them regularly - the formula and finish is unbeatable and it just so happens that their gold packaging is absolutely stunning too!  

The same goes for the Barry M Daylight Curing nail polishes - I love the formula of these and the range of colours is excellent, so it's a happy coincidence that they have gorgeous rose gold lids too! 

Please tell me I'm not the only person to sometimes be shallow and go for looks alone when it comes to make up?! What is your favourite brand for packaging? xx

SHOPPING THE STASH | 6 & SPENDING BAN UPDATE

Oh hey there! Well this is a little embarrassing..at the beginning of the month I was writing about how 2016 will be the year that I post more and get organised with my blog, yet here I am crawling back after a rather unexpected break that lasted a little longer than I first thought!  I won't bore you with my excuses for my impromptu little hiatus, however I think I can faiiiiirly confidently say that I'm now getting on top of writing up my posts and scheduling them.  

My spending ban is so far going pretty well - I haven't bought any new make up since I first wrote about the ban at the beginning of the month and for me this a quite an achievement.  I am the worst usually for loving what other bloggers are using and getting them myself, but I really held back and went through the make up I already have instead.  

I have rediscovered the Limited Edition No.7 Rose Gold eye palette, which contains eight neutral through to smokey shades.  I could have kicked myself when I saw this laying in my dressing table drawer - it is far too good to be sat there just looking pretty; the shades are all beautiful and the neutral ones have been what I've been reaching for on a daily basis.  It is a shame you cannot buy this palette at the moment, though I believe that all the shades are still available separately.  

I've fancied a glower look lately, so I've switched my foundation over to Clinique Even Better which is fantastic for getting that my-skin-but-better look.  

I've also been loving nude lips (again) and one of my all time favourite shades is Maybelline's Tantalising Taupe, from their Nude Sensational range.  This is super moisturising, really pigmented and long lasting so it ticks all the right boxes.  

Another lipstick I've been loving is NARS Velvet Lip Pencil in the shade Valkyrie, which is a dark taupe shade which is perfect for taking your make up look from day to night. 

Shopping my make up stash really is one of my favourite things to do these days, and it helps you to realise that you don't always need to keep buying new things - because there is usually always some forgotten gem already in your dressing table! 

What have you been loving lately? xx

FIRST IMPRESSIONS | ZOEVA ROSE GOLDEN LUXURY BRUSH SET VOL 2

Let's just take a moment, shall we?  To appreciate the beauty that is the Zoeva Rose Golden Luxury Brush Set Vol 2 set.  They are good value for money, they are of excellent quality, and most of all they are rose gold!  The perfect combination I think!  

I treated myself to these just after Christmas, and I having been gazing lovingly at them ever since.  

The set includes three face brushes and five eye brushes, including a Buffer a Smokey Shaper.  The brushes are incredibly soft and each is perfectly shaped.  My favourite so far is the buffer, which I have been using to apply my foundation; it applies it seamlessly and creates a flawless and even coverage.  
I will post in more detail about these when I have used them more - I've not tried them all out yet so I can't really give a full review, but the ones I have used have been really impressive.  
I also have to mention the beautiful bag that they come in!  My obsession with all things rose gold is clearly not going anywhere just yet!

Have you tried the Zoeva Rose Golden Brushes?  What do you think of them? xx

THE PHRASE NO BEAUTY BLOGGER WANTS TO HEAR: 'SPENDING BAN'

Yes, it has come to this.  Two words that I feared ever having to associate with.  

I've decided to impose a spending ban on myself for a few reasons: when I was sorting out my make up bits and making room for new things and Christmas presents etc that I'd got, I realised that so many of the things I own are hardly used and left in my dressing table/storage because I buy new products all the time.  I had even forgotten many of the products that I own, so I thought what better way to both get using them again and save some money than to go on a spending ban!

I would be lying if I said that I'm looking forward to this, but I reckon that I'm up to the challenge.  The plan is to keep this up for two months, and then check up on how much money I've saved and how many old favourites I've rediscovered.  

I've still got some blog posts planned that are reviews of products that I've recently bought, but apart from those there won't be any new things on here for a little while - a thought that makes my blood run cold believe me!

However, I am looking forward to sharing with you how I'm getting on and what make up I'm using etc, so watch this space!

Let me know if you are doing anything similar, and if you have any tips for me! xx

CHRISTMAS HAULIN'

I'm not too sure what this post is if I'm honest; there's a few bits that I got for Christmas and some other things that I've picked up myself!  I've unfortunately had to leave out the lovely watch that my boyfriend bought for me, as it's too big for my wrist and I've had to take it to be adjusted -sob.  I also got quite a few bits of clothing, but I wasn't happy with how they were coming out in the photos so they've not made the cut either!

I some bath sets as usual, which I actually love getting as it's a great way to stock up and they're much more fun than buying a bog standard shower gel from the supermarket!  One of the sets was Boots Fruity Strawberry, which included a body wash and body butter.  They. Smell.  Amazing.  They smell truly like strawberries with no hint of that chemically fake smell, I'm addicted to the body butter already as I apply it and I waft around smelling like a smoothie for hours afterwards!  It leaves my skin feeling super moisturised too, and hasn't aggravated my eczema either which is a bonus.  

I also got a couple of Soap and Glory sets (yay!) and my mum knows how much I love the Sugar Crush products, so she got me a set of just those things.  I love the hand cream, I keep meaning to look for the full size version too but for now this handy size will fit perfectly into my handbag.  Another set by Soap and Glory I got was four of their body sprays - I usually stick to perfume, but oh my god these are amazing.  There is a Sugar Crush one - yes it smells incredible, and three others that I had not heard of before, including one called Fruitigo which also smells lovely and fruity. 

A friend got me a Champneys set, which included a body wash and a candle which is currently in my bathroom.  It smells of refreshing citrus, I'm not usually that fussed about candles (blogger fail right there) but this one smells gorgeous!  

One of the pieces of clothing that I manages to get in the photo were these grey and black leggings from Next, which my boyfriend's mum got me.  I love the print and they will be perfect with oversized jumpers and tops.  

So, onto the bits that I treated myself to!  I have had my eye on the Zoeva Rose Golden Vol 2 brushes for a whiles now - look how pretty they are!  I have to admit that I still haven't used any of them yet, I can't bring myself to dirty them with make up just yet! 

I picked up a set of four Laura Geller lip glosses in the sales, and they are all beautiful and wearable shades that I will be reviewing separately in a future post.  

I repurchased my trusty Anastasia DipBrow Pomade, my holy grail brow product, which is in the shade dark brown and which will now last me for months and months.  I also chose two Mario Badesco products as a free gift with purchase (either on Cult Beauty or Beauty Bay-I can't remember!), there is a cream soap and face mist; I'm really excited to try these as this is a brand that I've not come across before.  

So there we have some of my recent purchases/Christmas presents; I love having a nosey into what people got for Christmas, so if you have one of these kind of posts then send the link my way! xx

BEAUTY FAVOURITES OF 2015

It feels so strange to be writing a round-up of 2015 already - as I get older the years are definitely flying by quicker than ever, scary!  The year definitely got off to an awful start for me, and I didn't really start to feel like normal again until around September where luckily things started picking up.  So, I'm definitely looking forward to 2016 and hope that some good things are in store!  

I Have to say though that 2015 was a fine year in terms of make up - I found some absolute gems and all the products I've included in the post are ones that I've been using for the majority of the year and haven't felt the need to switch.

Obviously, Charlotte Tilbury's make up is featuring here - and with very good reason.  I resisted buying the Filmstar Bronze and Glow for a long time, but when I finally caved in I was so glad that I did!  I love using this to contour; the bronze shade is perfect for my skin tone and the highlighter is subtle yet still creates a beautiful sheen on the top of my cheeks.  I also having been loving the lipsticks in Charlotte's range, particularly the shade 1975 Red which is a lovely orange-red that I lived in throughout the summer.  The lipstick has a matte finish and lasts for hours, whilst giving your lips a fuller look.  

I love the Zoeva Rose Gold brushes so much that I've just put in an order for another set!  The quality is fantastic and for just over £50 for 8 brushes it is really good value.  Obviously they look great too so that is always a bonus!  

My favourite foundation of the year has to be the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Photo Finish.  The colour is a perfect match for my skin and it is ideal for getting some extra coverage without looking cakey.  I've used the same concealer all year too, which is the Estee Lauder Double Wear one, it works well on both my spots an dark under eye circles so I can definitely see me repurchasing this many times next year.  

Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade is my holy grail brow product these days - it's another product that I've just reordered for about the fifth time I think.  It last for ages and it's all you need to define and shape your brows.  

Maybelline Color Drama Lip Pencils have to be my best bargain of the year - at £4.99 each they are an absolute steal and are on par with their NARS counterparts.  I have so many shades now, but my favourites are Nude Perfection and Fab Orange which is pictured here.  The pencil means shaping your lips is made easy, and the colours are bold and deeply pigmented too.  

Last but not least, I couldn't not include my favourite nail polish brand of the year - and it's no surprise that it's Barry M.  I say it all the time but this is my favourite nail brand or all time, and this year I've been loving the Daylight Curing collection which is full of vibrant shade that have a gel-like finish.  

I hope that you had a lovely Christmas!  What did you get this year?  What have your favourite products been? xx

CHRISTMAS SPARKLE | GLITTERY MAKE UP PICKS

Christmas is all about the sparkle when it comes to clothes and make up, am I right?! I never need much of an excuse to get the glittery eyeshadows out, so Christmas and New Year are the perfect times for me to go a little overboard and look like an accident in the sequin factory.  

Eyeshadows are an obvious choice when you want to go for a sparkly look, as most palettes have shimmery shades as well as matte ones.  My favourites are the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita palette and the Bobbi Brown Greystone palette, both of which have gorgeous base colours and shimmer ones to layer on top.  

Benefit Sunbeam is a highlighter that is more bronze coloured than the usual iridescent pink, it compliments bronzer really well and gives a natural looking but glowing look to your cheeks and brow arches etc.  

Glitter nail polish is a must, and my current one of choice is Essie Rock at the Top, which is gold and I use it for both layering over another colour (white looks amazing with this) or just on its own or on the tips of my nails.  

And no sparkly look is complete without a bold and beautiful lipstick is it?!  My favourite this season has been MAC Full Fuchsia, which is a bright magenta pink that I find super flattering and vibrant.  

Do you love the whole sparkly look or do you prefer to keep things simple and matte? xx

SHOPPING THE STASH | 5

Shopping my stash has to be one of the most satisfying things to do, make up wise.  I love going through my dressing table drawers and finding products that have somehow got lost amongst the newer things, or fallen to the back where they lay for ages unused and forgotten.  This week I've been re-using some right old gems, all of which have probably popped up on this blog once or twice before in the past.  

I've been naughty and bought a few new palettes lately, so I naturally have been trying them out day to day and neglecting the ones I already have.  I forgot just how much I love the Make Up Revolution Iconic 3 palette, which is full of rose gold shades and is a brilliant dupe for the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette.  I've been mixing the shades and creating loads of different day to day looks, all of which are pretty subtle but with a beautiful pink-gold hue.  

Benefit Sugarbomb is a blusher that got pushed to the back of the drawer after summer, in favour of some plummier ones; however, I just always fall in love with this every time that I see it again.  The orangey pink colour is beautiful and adds such a healthy looking glow to your cheeks that it really doesn't matter what time of the year it is, it works whatever.  

My skin has been behaving itself a bit more this last week, so I've been chancing wearing a lighter base, and what better one to go for than my trusty Jouer Matte Moisture Tint.  I love the luminous matte finish, the handy coverage yet lightweight feel and the perfect match for my skin tone.  

On my lips I've been loving Tom Ford in Spanish Pink and Clarins Woodrose, two shades which I have been alternating between most days this week.  Spanish Pink is a soft peachy pink shade which is ridiculously moisturising, and Woodrose is a gorgeous soft plum/pink which just gives a subtle but english rose kind of look to your lips. 

What have you rediscovered lately?  Do you have any of these products? xx

(ANOTHER) CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE | £20 & UNDER

Soap & Glory gift set, No7 eyeshadow palette, Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish, pink Filofax, Cowshed cracker, Caudalie trio, REN travel set, Aromatherapy Associates oil, Toyshop eye duo, Real Techniques set, Accessorize socks.

Every year I struggle with Christmas presents; I'm rubbish at budgeting my money so that everyone gets something nice and I'm also incredibly unorganised and end up rushing around the shops at the last minute.  So, when researching the products for this post, I actually found it helpful for myself and now pretty much feel like I've got everything covered for everyone!  Well, the girls in my family anyway...I'm still working on the guys!  

I hope you find this little gift guide as helpful as I inadvertently did - nothing costs more than £20 and all can obviously be ordered online.  

Are you an organised Christmas shopper or are you as bad as I am?! 

CHRISTMAS PARTY LOOK 2 | BOLD RED LIPS

Today I'm showing you the second of my Christmas party looks, the first is here and was a smokey nude kinda thang and this one is a bolder take on it.  

I had my work Christmas party last weekend and this is the make up I wore for that (I doubt this is how I looked by the end of the night - luckily there are no photos); I love the eyeshadow and lipstick especially.  

The lipstick is Walk of Shame by Charlotte Tilbury, which is a gorgeous matte red that is flattering and works really well with a flawless base.  The YSL Sheer Candy lipstick is up there because it's a good alternative colour if you decide you'd rather not have both bold lips and eyes - it is very balmy    and has only a soft tint of colour.  The eyeshadow I used is a plummy purple shade from the Laura Gellar duo called Fine Wines.  This is deeply pigmented and also matte; I used it underneath my eyes too and finished it with eyeliner over the top.  

For my base, I prepped it by exfoliating and mixing a couple of drops of the Clarins Golden Glow Booster in with my moisturiser to add a bit of natural looking colour.  Foundation wise, I once again used Estee Lauder Double Wear as it gives excellent coverage and doesn't budge for hours - perfect for partying in basically.  

So there is my bold Christmas party look - which do you prefer, this one or the nude and smokey one? xx 

CHRISTMAS PARTY LOOK 1 | SMOKEY NUDE

earrings: Topshop, Necklace: Happiness Boutique*

Once again it has been a little while since I last posted, the last time I sat down to blog it was November and then apparently I blinked and suddenly it's very much December!  Things have been super busy lately, work gets hectic at this time of year and I'm still working (badly) on being organised and scheduling blog posts.  

Anyway, since we are firmly heading towards Christmas now I thought I'd better get going with the festive themed posts I have planned.  This week I have two different Christmas party looks to share with you, and the first is the smokey nude look - basically dark eyes and neutral lips.  

To be honest, this look is something that I wouldn't rule out for any day - I love a nude lip and smokey eye so this is pretty much ideal for any occasion, not just the Christmas parties!  

Being the ditz that I am (to put it really politely), I forgot to include Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow in the photo - so just know that it is there, providing some much needed contour and highlighting.  

For the eyes I used my trusty Maybelline The Nudes palette, which has 12 bronze and brown shades perfect for experimenting with different smokey looks.  I used a couple of these shades on my eyelids and also underneath my bottom lashes too.  Bourjois Twist Up the Volume mascara is good for giving your lashes a good coat of black colour, and it leaves them looking both longer and thicker.  I also love using it on my bottom lashes, I sometimes have to use a different one on them depending on the wand but this one is great for both.  

My nude lipstick of choice for this look is Charlotte Tilbury in Nude Kate, which is a super flattering shade that I find works best when applied with a little brush or even your fingers.  

Also, nothing sets off a a simple party look like the right accessories - I got to pick this beautiful necklace from Happiness Boutique*, and love how it just sets the whole look perfectly. 

My next post will be a more dramatic and colourful party look so look out for that!

What look do you go for at Christmas? xx