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

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

3 TO TRY | ORANGE TONED RED LIPSTICKS

Lipsticks! More specifically...red lipsticks!  To be even more specific/annoying, they're orange toned red lipsticks, but you probably already got that from the title.  These are my favourite shades of red lipsticks, I've found that orange toned reds suit my complexion the best, whereas blue toned reds just don't, to the point where I've got a couple in my collection that just lay there because I tried them and I just do not look right!  

Thankfully, I discovered that orange toned reds were my thing which has since made it much easier to shops for lipsticks and know in advance whether they will suit me or not.  

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Morocco is my pick of the budget lipsticks; at £5.50 they are an absolute steal - they are of high quality and the colour is ridiculously bold and deeply pigmented.  I love Morocco because it is a bright, cheery red that has a matte finish, yet doesn't dry my lips out at all and lasts for a really long time.  This is only one of two NYX lip creams that I own and I definitely want to try some more out.

MAC Dangerous, £15.50, is a classic: the sort of red shade that you would associate with old Hollywood glamour.  I love wearing this on nights out, the matte finish is super flattering and the rich orange red colour stands out nicely against my fair skin.  

Finally, it's Charlotte Tilbury's 1975 Red.  Aside from the beautiful gold packaging, I love this because the colour is the perfect shade of red - it's deep yet bright with a radiant velvet finish.  The style and formula of this lipstick makes it easy to create the illusion of fuller lips too, and I can wear this without any lipliner underneath to stop bleeding.  

These are my three go-to reds at the moment, my spending ban is currently stopping me from trying out any more but I'm really happy to already have these in my collection!  What are your favourite red shades? xx

TEXTURE SPRAYS | HIGH END VS HIGH STREET

The longer my hair gets, the more effort it takes if I want to style it.  I'm happy that it's finally started growing again after what feels like a lifetime of waiting, but I have to admit that I miss having short layers which made creating texture a dream!  I'm now always on the lookout for new styling products to try and give my hair a bit of extra oomph or those pesky beachy waves that everyone else seems to do better than me!

At the moment I'm using two texturising products, both at opposite ends of the price scale but both of which I quite like.  

First there is Fudge Urban Crisp Pear & Sweet Vanilla Texture Spray, £6.99, which can be found in Boots and Superdrug.  I picked this up because I have a couple of other products by Fudge and they smell a m a z i n g!  It's so lovely to use hair sprays that smell of something pleasant rather than that cheap, chemical smell that often comes with cheaper brands, and this texture spray is no different.  It smells just like it says on the can, so it gets top marks for that.  It claims to be a 'back comb in a can', which I also agree with.  I spray this in my hair, rough it up a bit and it makes it 100% easier to style.  The spray gives it a rough, mattified feel that has at least 30% more volume and it stays in place for hours (as long as there's no gale force wind outside!).  I think this is a bargain styling product that really gives the higher end versions a run for their money, I use it daily when I want to style my hair and it gives it that lived in, effortless look.  

Bumble and Bumble Cityswept Finish Spray, £22, claims to give a lived in look with 'separation and sheen' - basically a toned down texturiser.  I use this usually if I've straightened/waved my hair and want to add some natural looking movement to it.  The result is not as dramatic as the Fudge spray, but it isn't there to do the same job.  It's a lot more expensive too, however I've had this can since summer last year, and I've still got around half left - so I think I can say that I'm getting my money's worth out of it!  If I'm going to be out a lot when wearing this in my hair, I do find that I need some hairspray to help it out and keep it in place, so this is where the Fudge spray has the advantage.

I really like both of these sprays, however I think that the Fudge Texture Spray has the edge on the Bumble and Bumble one, because it is such a bargain and it has brilliant hold.  The smell is also gorgeous, I'd go as far as to say you should invest in it for this reason alone!

Do you have either of these sprays?  Which is your favourite?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 

MY CURRENT FAVOURITE NAIL POLISHES

l-r: Rimmel Precious Stones in Diamond Dust, No.7 Gel Look in Grey Mist, Barry M Sunset Daylight Curing in Vengeance is Wine & Essie in Summit of Style

I change my nails every few days, I get bored easily and usually if I see the odd chip here and there that makes me want to change them too.  I have to say that I've been pretty boring lately, and the four that are featured on this post are the ones that have been in my regular rotation for the last few weeks!  

I do love me some glitter, and Rimmel Precious Stones polish in Diamond Dust is perfect for an all out sparkle.  The concentration of glitter is the best I've ever come across, you wear it alone and it's a heavy duty grey/silver sparkly finish.  I tend to wear this with false nails, as it is pretty difficult to remove as you can probably imagine.  

Another favourite glittery offering is Essie in Summit of Style, which is a gold glitter that I either wear alone under a clear or nude polish, or with another colour for extra effect.  I also use this to create a sparkly tip, it's really easy and is a quick way to go from a regular mani to something with a bit more oomph! 

My favourite colour this winter season has definitely been grey, and this No.7 Gel Effect polish in Grey Mist has been my go-to since before Christmas.  It has a super glossy finish, lasts for around 4 days without chipping, and is an all round good'un. 

Lastly, I absolutely ADORE this Barry M Sunset Daylight Curing polish in Vengeance is Wine!  It is the most beautiful deep red shade, and when worn with the topcoat is it incredible glossy and looks a lot more expensive than a drugstore brand.  

What nail polishes have you been loving lately?  Do you like any of these? 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

CURRENT DAILY MAKE UP

'Scuse that mug shot of me there, but my face hasn't put in any kind of appearance on this blog for a long time and I thought I better show it for once with some actual make up on that I talk about all the time.  This was the best of a bad bunch I'm afraid, and believe me I tried.  It took approximately 538242 attempts and I've settled on this one because to be honest I was just getting impatient and angry at my unphotogenic face!  This was also the happiest looking photo I had (#restingbitchfaceproblems) so there we go. 

Anyone who has read any of my previous Face of the Day kind of posts will see that I really don't switch my day to day make up very often - the Estee Lauder concealer has appeared SO many times on here now, but I love it so there's really no need for me to try anything else at the moment!  

My current base of choice is the Laura Mercier Silk Creme Photo Edition, which I prefer to the original formula because it suits my skin better and blends like an absolute dream.  It works really well with the concealer too, and I've managed to find the perfect shade for my skin.  

I don't think I will ever stray from Anastasia DipBrow Pomade for my eyebrows, I absolutely adore it and it's so easy to apply:  I use an angled Zoeva gel liner brush for precision and to get a neat shape.  

Mascara wise, I'm back to my trusty Maxfactor False Lash Effect which never fails to make my lashes longer as well as thicker.  The overly bright light in the photo doesn't show this well, but it does actually make my bottom lashes look much fuller too.  

On my eyelids, I use Maybelline Master Precise felt tip liner, which has a really thin brush that makes it easy to create the good old flick.  

On my bottom lash line, my liner of choice is the Lancome soft kohl, which was actually part of a gift with purchase a couple of months ago.  It lasts for most of the day without smudging, which is good enough for me!

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat pencil in Pillow Talk is my current lip colour of choice; I love using it to add a bit more shape to my lips and the colour is a lovely natural shade which really does give the my-lips-but-better look.  

Finally, another Charlotte Tilbury favourite that I use daily is the Filmstar Bronze and Glow palette, which I talk about all the damn time on here!  I use it to contour and highlight my face, and it really has become a holy grail product for me.  

Do you love any of these products?  What have you been wearing lately? 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

CURRENT SKINCARE FAVOURITES

I don't often post about skincare on here, mainly because I 1) find make up posts more fun to write about and 2) because I don't really feel like I know enough about skincare to recommend anything etc. 

However, now I'm the ripe old age of 26, I have to start taking my skin more seriously and lately I've been using a few new bits that I've added to my routine.  

I've been trying out two bits from a new brand to me, the Maple Holistics Ancient Clay Facial Mask* and Vitamin C Anti Ageing Serum*, both of which I am really impressed with.  The brand focuses on natural ingredients, which is something I'm interested in due to my annoyingly sensitive skin.  I have been using the clay mask when I get in the bath, it comes in powder form and you mix it up and slap it onto your face.  My skin feels super soft and refreshed after using it; clay and charcoal is quite well know for been beneficial to the skin and for good reason - this big tub is huge too so I'm getting so many uses out of it! 

The serum has much the same feel as other facial oils - it is a bit thinner in consistency to say Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, but this just makes it feel really lightweight and not like it's just laying on my skin.  It sinks in quickly and doesn't feel tacky or greasy; I haven't been using it long enough to say if my skin has really benefited from it but I have noticed how soft it if left feeling in the morning.  

Another favourite mask is the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask, which I use a couple of times a week to give my skin some much needed hydration and just refresh it.  I love everything about this, from the smell to how awake my skin looks after using it - it's definitely my favourite of the Origins masks.  

I'm a bit late to the party with this one, but I'm loving Pixi Glow Tonic!  I've always had toner type products in my routine because they are good to use after cleansing to make sure all the product is off of my face etc, but this one from Pixi is just great because it gently exfoliates as well as leaves my skin looking instantly more glowing and generally more healthy.  I use this morning and night after cleansing and will definitely be repurchasing it once it's gone!

My current moisturiser of choice is Estee Lauder Daywear, which has handy SPF and sinks quickly into my skin - creating a perfect base for my make up.  

I adore the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Magic propolis balm, nothing has ever come close to matching how good this is for my lips!  It instantly soothes them and sorts out any dryness, but at £25 it is a definite splurge; I was lucky enough to win this in a giveaway, so it's hard to say whether I'll be buying this again myself when it finally runs out!

Finally, I've been using the Mario Badescu facial spray which also contains natural ingredients such as aloe and rosewater.  I use this throughout the day to freshen up my make up and to rehydrate my skin, it's a great one for keeping in my handbag.

So there we go, a few of my current skincare favourites.  What products are you enjoying right now?  Do you like any of these? xx

*these products were PR samples kindly provided by Maple Holistics 

NUDE LIPSTICKS I'M LOVING RIGHT NOW

Today I thought I'd do a quick little run through of some nude lipsticks that I've been loving lately.  When at work throughout the week, I try and stick to a natural make up look (i.e. lots of make up used to try and create it!), so I'm always going through my nude lipsticks and keeping different ones in my handbag.  

MAC High Tea is from the Lustre finish range, and is subtle yet really pretty on the lips.  The colour is very soft but it's perfect for that 'my lips but better' thing - ideal for when you really want the minimal look.  

Maybelline Nude Sensational lipstick in Velvet Beige is one of my all time favourites, and is an almost perfect dupe for MAC Velvet Teddy.  It is a darker nude and perfect if your looking for that 90s grunge/Kylie Jenner thing.

Charlotte Tilbury Nude Kate has more of a matte finish, and I find this looks best when I blend it in with my fingers.  The colour is a more beige shade than the rest and it's a great luxury staple.  

Less of a lipstick and more of a gloss, Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Nude Shimmer is a beautiful balmy product that gives a lovely glossy colour without the horrible tackiness that you can sometimes get when wearing a gloss.  I love wearing this when I'm going for a luminous look rather than a matte one.  

I could have picked so many more, but these are the four products that I find I'm going for the most lately.  What nude lipsticks are your favourites? 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

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

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

4 FESTIVE RED LIPSTICKS

I love a red lip all year round, but it always feels good to have the ready-made excuse of winter/Christmas to rock them even more than usual.  I have said before that orange-toned reds are the ones that suit me best'; three out of four of these are of this type and one is a lovely darker pink/red. 

So, to start of there is the Charlotte Tilbury lipstick in the shade 1975 Red.  I couldn't have a lipstick post without including one of hers could I?!  I love the brand so much and think the formula of the lipsticks is perfect; this shade is a bright red with a matte finish.  

Then we have MAC Dangerous, which as you can see from the swatch is a shade lighter than the first and also more orange.  This one also has a matte finish and I love wearing this with bold black eyes.  

Another MAC favourite is All Fired Up, which is the darker pink red of the bunch.  This one reminds me of red wine, and I love to wear it when I have a bit of a tan and coppery eyes.  

Maybelline Color Drama lip pencil in Fab Orange is a great drugstore dupe for MAC Dangerous, but I love using this because the pencil style makes it easy to apply and means I can make my lips a bit fuller if I want.  

What are your favourite shades for this time of year?  Do you like any of these? xx

CURRENT BEAUTY FAVOURITES | 12

I thought that I had been pretty good this month (so far) and not bought any make up at all, but it seems that when I don't spend my money in Boots it goes on food instead - oopsy.  However, amongst the Dominos pizza and Costa Christmas drinks, I did of course manage to buy a couple of beauty bits, one of which has made its way into this month's favourites.

It is of course another Charlotte Tilbury product, I literally cannot help myself when it comes to her collection and I end up buying something almost every payday.  I went for a lipstick in the shade Nude Kate, which is a creamy neutral shade which peachy tones and a satin finish.  It is super flattering and I've been wearing it for work most days; I find that for some reason it looks best when I apply it with my finger (I would say a brush but I'd be lying if I said I faff around with a lip brush when applying it at work).

I've also been wearing NARS Velvet Lip Pencil in Walkyrie, which is a dream to wear as it feels so so soft on the lips and it lasts for hours.  The colour is ideal for this season, and I like to wear it with minimal eye make up for more impact.

I've gone on about this for ages now, but Maybelline The Nudes eye shadow palette really is as good as it looks.  I have got so many different looks out of this palette, and the quality is as good as high end eye shadows that you would pay up to three times as much for.  

Another Maybelline gem that I've been loving again lately is the 24hr Color Tattoo in On and On Bronze, which is amazing for when I'm looking for a bolder eye look.  The gorgeous gold colour lasts all day without creasing and it has a metallic finish rather than any annoying glitter that would just create a tonne of fallout.  

Last up, I've rediscovered my love for the Autograph Highlighter, which is looking a bit worn out now but this is just testament to how much I've used it.  It is a beautiful iridescent pink which I use after any blush or bronzer to highlight my cheekbones and down my nose.  

So there we go, another bunch of lovely products that I can't get enough of lately!  Let me know what you are loving right now! xx

WHAT'S IN MY AUTUMN MAKE UP BAG?

One of the best things about blogging for me is definitely that I get to have a nosey into what  products other bloggers are using, there is just something really interesting about it - and I can't be the only person who thinks this can I?! So, as it's been a few months since I last did a 'what's in my make up bag' post, I thought I'd do an update, as even though one or two products have been repurchased, there are quite a few bits that I've switched up since. 

A repeat offender in there is my Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer, which I have repurchased since last time and rely on every single day.  If I'm having a day where I can't be bothered to put on much make up (not that often to be honest), I usually skip foundation and just put some of this under my eyes and on any spots and it does the job amazingly well.  

Another firm favourite at the moment is the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow palette, which I use to define my cheeks.  It takes only seconds using this to create some natural looking definition and colour, and it also comes in handy throughout the day as it has a good sized mirror in it.  

I always go back to Rimmel Stay Matte powder, and it's an essential in my make up bag because of it is perfect for setting foundation and for any touch ups.  I've had no need to find an alternative or spend more money on a powder, I find this one covers all bases and lasts for hours.  

My two go-to lipsticks at the moment are MAC Brave and Charlotte Tilbury 1975 Red - two completely different shades but Brave is perfect for day to day wear and 1975 Red is a classic that I can rely on to stand out and complete any look.  

My current foundation of choice is Estee Lauder Double Wear.  I often go for a fuller coverage at this time of year, and for the last few weeks my skin hasn't really been behaving itself so I've needed the extra cover that this gives. 

The cute make up bag was part of a gift with purchase that Estee Lauder did; it's so cute and it's a good size too!  

What have you currently got in your make up bag?  Are you using any of these products? xx

CURRENT HAIRCARE FAVOURITES.

I don't often post about my haircare on here because I'm really conscious of the fact that I'm not the best at picking the good products and do suffer with damaged hair, so I don't feel like I'm in a position to be dishing out advice! 

However, since having a lot (too much) of my hair cut off back in August, I've been making more of an effort when choosing products to keep it looking like it did on the day I walked out of the salon.  

My hairdresser recommended using a hair mask once or twice a week, to help repair the damage and to work on getting some much needed moisture on the ends.  I bought the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer mask and I apply it for a couple of hours before I wash my hair.  It leaves my hair feeling much more hydrated and after washing it looks healthier and the ends especially look better.  

My shampoo of choice lately is Charles Worthington Strength & Repair shampoo from the Salon at Home range.  I bought this along with the conditioner when it was on offer in Boots and it has really suited my hair well.  It claims to reduce the appearance of breakage which I am really surprised to say is true, I was really paranoid about the state of my hair and how it looked, and I've definitely noticed that it is sleeker lately and there are far less damaged ends on show.  I cannot say whether it actually does anything to repair hair, or whether any shampoos can do that, but for now this is good enough for me!

Like everyone else, I couldn't live without dry shampoo, even more so now that I am trying to wash my hair less.  My favourite is Batiste in the brunette spray, which is much easier to blend into my hair whereas the others tend to turn me grey!  I use this to give me an extra day in-between washes and also to give some extra body and texture when I am styling. 

I always repurchase the Fudge Urban Iced Raspberry & Vanilla hairspray because 1) it works really well and has good strong hold, and 2) because it smells pretty damn amazing.  I've got no reason to switch to another because I really love this product, and I like how it manages to have a nice smell rather than the standard hairspray smell that all the others have. 

So there are my current hair heroes; let me know what your ones are!  Do you love any of these? xx