My Yearly Favourites

Hi guys

Happy New Year!!!! I hope your head doesn't hurt too much today ha-ha. 

I say it every year, but I cannot believe how quickly this year went and I also can't believe everything that happened in 2016. It felt like the year that every music legend was taken, there was numerous atrocities all over the world and there were some very important issues highlighted which will hopefully be the beginning of something very special. I also can't forget the UK voted to leave the EU, Donald Trump is the President of the USA with Nigel Farage being an unofficial spokesperson for Britain and Marmite almost caused a rammy in our local supermarkets! But lets leave all that behind, this post isn't meant to be heavy at all, I just couldn't believe the things that have happened and I wanted to reminisce. This post however, is all about beauty.

My Christmas Wish List

Hi guys, 

I thought I would put together my Christmas Wish List today. I haven’t been lusting after many makeup items but I am all over home comforts this year such as bath products, skincare, pyjamas and candles. I have added a few beauty items too so don’t worry. This isn’t a huge expensive wish list, infact the majority of items are under £30 so there’s something for everyone, even if it’s little stocking fillers for that special someone in your life. 

Why I Am Excited For Autumn

Print bought via Sweet Allure

Hi guys,

I thought I would just have another chatty post today. I’ve been doing a lot of that recently apart from the CB12 review and the reason behind it was the fact I was getting a little bored of writing the same kind of posts. Don’t get me wrong, I adore writing beauty content but I feel like I have lost my mojo a bit and I am taking a little break from it. I’m not saying I have stopped but I just want to get some of my thoughts down and things that I enjoy as this blog is supposed to be about me and my opinions but also about me as a person so my lovely readers get a feel for who I am and what I am about. So... I am going to talk about my favourite season EVER! Autumn. The official day for autumn to begin is something like the 22nd September but as far as I am concerned it starts as of today, the 1st September. 

Now you will notice there is no pumpkin spiced lattes or Ugg boots in this post ladies and gentlemen! I’m not criticising but I’m not too fussed about those things really. Everything else however, is what I’m looking forward to most.

Print bought via Sweet Allure

1. Weather

Ok, I’m not one to moan about it being too hot, especially when the sun is shining but man oh man, it’s just been too humid recently. I live in Glasgow and we pretty much get about 11 months of rain/wind but the other month is normally made up of a few sunny days, maybe a few weeks if we are lucky and then just some unbearably humid days with no sunshine whatsoever. What the fuck is that all about? Give me sunshine or don’t but don’t make me sweat with no chance of a BBQ or tan in return! Give me a break mate.

2. Clothes

Nothing screams autumn to me more than plenty of loose layers, chunky knitwear and some cute boots. I love the colours of the season too when it comes to clothes as they are all so inviting and comfy looking. 

3. All the Holidays

Let’s face it, the best holidays ever take place in autumn, apart from Christmas of course. But my favourite has to be Halloween. I love everything about it, especially if there is a party going on. I love Halloween sweets, candied apples, dressing up, having a night to get drunk with all my besties and then chilling out with some awesome horror movies. 

4. Movies

I love all the movies at this time of year. They are some of the best, especially when there is a good old fashioned horror going on at the cinema but I love the classics such as Hocus Pocus, Chucky and Beetlejuice. They just scream autumn to me.

5. Return of TV

As far as I am concerned, the TV situation is seriously lacking during the summer months. I understand why but when you live in Glasgow, there aren’t many opportunities to go out and enjoy the sun so you end up staying in more often than not hence the reason I am excited for some fall TV. The ones I am most excited about are Great British Bake Off, Great British Menu, The Fall (Jamie Dornan anyone?!), Cold Feet, Gilmore Girls (YASSSSSSS), Black Mirror, Westworld, How to get away with Murder, Transparent, Our Girl, Divorce, Criminal Minds and SVU. I have just finished season one and two of The Affair but I don’t think that will be back until the winter. Another great show that I watched online was The Night Of. I think it might have started already or may be starting soon but I highly recommend it.

6. Food

Who doesn’t love a huge hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows? I mean it is a staple when it comes to the colder months. Usually people will say this is a winter drink but for me it all starts in autumn. It doesn’t just end with HC, I touched upon this in the holiday section of the post but for me I love everything Halloween based with some great meat, vegetables and fruits thrown in for good measure. I am happy with a good stew, a glass of red wine and then a banging dessert, usually something apple based.

7. Colours

There is something about the colours of autumn that gives me great comfort. I just love the red, orange, yellow and green hues flowing through each and every street but it’s the parks where it’s really at. I love going for wee walks in the autumn months as the whole place is truly magical.

8. Homeware

Now this is probably my most favourite of the lot. I absolutely love going into the supermarkets and stores round about me and seeing all their gorgeous autumnal products on display. Again, it’s mostly the colours that capture me but it’s the designs on mugs, bedding, cushions, etc. that really gets me excited. Next Home has got to be one of my favourite places on earth and it does not let me down when autumn hits. It’s also a favourite due to the fact that Costa lives upstairs and I can grab a Chai Latte and some cake before walking about the store.

9. Dark Lips

I love a deep dark lip when the colder months come in, it’s just the perfect time to make those bad boys stand out. Anything that is red, purple or deep pink is where it’s at for me when it comes to makeup. I especially love Nars Liv, Mac Rebel and Rimmel #107 as they are the perfect shades for autumn.

10. Baths and Comfy Pjs

Come on now! How could I write this post and not talk about my two favourite things in the world. When the colder months come in, I am all about baths and comfy warm pyjamas. I absolutely adore it and I always buy a few new pairs of pyjamas every year. Lush and Pretty Suds are probably my favourite websites to buy from when it comes to bath products as they have a wide range and always have some great smelling autumn delights. Throw in a good book and a large glass of red wine and I am one happy lassie.

So there we have it, my top highlights of autumn. Seriously, how many times can I say autumn in this post ha-ha. Autumn, autumn, autumn.

What are your top choices?

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*All photos are courtesy of Pixabay

Why I Stopped Buying Beauty Boxes

Hi guys, 

This is in no way a bitch or a moan, its simply my thoughts and opinions on this trend. As you know, there are a million beauty boxes out there now with Look Fantastic, Birch Box and Glossy Box being the most well-known. Since their launch we have seen countless monthly offerings including ones that aren’t necessarily beauty based such as The Melt Crowd (candle subscription service), Graze (snack box), Ink Drops (stationary), Pink Parcel (period box), Lip Monthly (lip products) and The Vegan Kind (vegan products). All very good actually!. There are also some pretty cool collaborations between the queen of skincare Caroline Hirons (£175) and Cult Beauty or Anna and Lily's (sold out) colab but I am still left bemused by beauty boxes.

I used to be an avid Glossy Box subscriber but I felt I was paying for something that was just thrown together with no thought put in whatsoever. Maybe that's changed now, but I had enough after a year. At first all of the products were deluxe samples of some fantastic brands but after a few months, it all went downhill and I felt it was cheap products in tiny sample form. I then moved onto Look Fantastic, again, everything was great, their monthly offerings were more than welcome and then it went downhill. I have only ordered Birch Box once, it was ok, nothing to rave about but it made me mad that these companies were receiving thousands of subscribers per month and then downgrading the products which isn't fair. 

The thing with beauty boxes is you have to be somewhat of a gambler as you never know what will be coming each month. Sometime's they give a sneak peak which is always fun. I used to like the not knowing aspect but I was left bemused some months. I understand there are dips and troughs, this is to be expected, but the bad outweighed the good in the end which led me to cancel all of my subscriptions. I now see the odd great one from LF, GB or BB so I buy it for that month only if they offer it, but I wouldn't subscribe to them anymore. I know not all subscriptions are the same and some are better than others, especially some of the ones mentioned above, but as for beauty boxes, I think I’m done.

I do love the idea of the collaboration boxes though, but if you ain't fast your last baby, as they sell out pretty quickly. Caroline's one is still in stock but if you dont have £175 then your pretty much screwed. I know these ones can be ridiculously expensive but when you look at the products you are receiving, it works out cheaper in the long run as most of them are deluxe samples or full sized products. Don't know if I would be rushing out to spend £175 bucks on this though, could think of many more things I would buy with that kind of money.

Where do you stand with the whole Beauty Box Monthly subscription service?

Is it a waste of money?

Do you like the products each month?

Do you prefer non beauty based boxes?

Have you checked out my latest featuring Disappointing Beauty Products?
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Disappointing Beauty Products

Colab Paris Extreme Volume Dry Shampoo

Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes

Zoella Sweet Inspirations Double Creme

Magic Cosmetix Magic Tips

Hi guys, 

After reading Allure of a Girl's guest post on Twenty Something Meltdown, I decided to carry out this blogpost. as it’s nice to take a break from talking up the great products and discuss the ones that have disappointed me. I did one of these a few years ago and I still stick by my views on those items but I have some more to throw into the mix. You can’t like everything and a lot of these products you are going to think, what the hell is she talking about, but it’s only my opinion. You may love some of these but we are going to have to agree to disagree I’m afraid as I thought they were pants.

1. Colab Paris Extreme Volume Dry Shampoo (£4.49)

I had high hopes for this little guy as everyone and their mother were raving about the Ruth Crilly launch so I was keen to get my hands on it and see what all the fuss was about. I hated this from the get go. I didn’t like the texture of my hair afterwards and I didn’t like the fragrance either. I used this as I would any other dry shampoo, I held it away from my hair and sprayed onto my roots by sectioning my hair but it left my hair feeling sticky and unclean. I had slight volume but nothing worth raving about. This felt more like a hairspray rather than a dry shampoo so for that reason it gets a thumbs down from me.

2. Maybelline New York Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Lightweight Primer (£7.99)

I just couldn’t get to grips with this at all. It didn’t do anything for me and it didn’t keep my makeup in place nor did it "erase my pores". Not that I was expecting it to. Instead it left a film over my skin which didn’t feel natural and its texture was quite off putting when I began applying to my skin. 

3. Magic Cosmetix Magic Tips (£9.99)

These have been made for those of us who like to use our fingers to apply makeup. They are silicon tips which are supposed to feel skin like and smooth makeup on easily. I can wholeheartedly disagree. These do not help anything smooth on my face, infact they pull at the product which leaves it looking streaky and not applied properly. I used this to apply concealer before buffing out with a concealer brush but I had to go back in with the doe foot applicator as the product which pretty much non-existent. 

4. Eve Lom Cleanser (£40)

I really wanted to like this as it smelt fantastic and everyone raved about it. Vogue hailed it the "probably the best cleanser in the world" but I have to disagree. I liked how soft it made my skin feel (before the breakouts) and how it took off makeup, don’t get me wrong. I also adored the scent but as far as good skincare went, this was a nightmare. I was left with horrible spots all over my face. At first I thought the skin was purging (although I don’t agree with that statement) so I persisted but after a few weeks I had to stop as my skin was sore to the touch. As soon as I stopped using this, my skin started to heal and thankfully, its back to normal but I would never buy this again as my oily/sensitive skin hated it. Maybe this would be better on dry/normal skin though.

5. Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes (£22.99)

I really disliked this mascara. It done absolutely nothing for my lashes and left me with black rings round my eyes. I can handle a little seeping at the inner corners of my eyes which can easily be removed but this little guy smudged all over my lower lash line, above my eyes and at each corner. I looked like I had been punched in the face which is not a look I go for when wearing mascara, I can assure you. My eyelashes felt limp, there was no length,no separating, no curl and no volume. The only good thing was the fact that my lashes looked black at the roots but that’s not enough for me, I need a mascara to create some fabulous eyelashes not little black stumps!

6. Zoella Sweet Inspirations Double Crème (£5)

I bought this off the back of many reviews online and I am gutted that it didn’t work on me. It took far too long to work into the skin, regardless of how much I used and left me with white streaks up and down my body. I also woke up with the worst smell coming from my skin when I wore this overnight after applying after a bath one night. The smell was disgusting. I can safely say this has never happened with any other body lotion, butter or cream I have used before going to sleep but this was horrible. I also didn’t like the smell it left throughout the day, I can’t quite explain it, but it was almost like a fusty smell, you know if you leave wet clothes for too long and they carry that lingering smell. I thought it actually was my clothes for a hot minute, but it wasn’t, it was this bloody cream. 

That’s all I have today guys. Just because I didn’t like these particular items doesn’t mean I hate the people or the rest of the products. I actually adore everything else that I have tried from Maybelline, Charlotte Tilbury and Zoella but I didn’t get on well with these at all. I haven't sampled anything else from Eve Lom, Magic Cosmetics or Colab but I will try some of their other products to see how I get on with them. Let me know in the comments if you disagree with any of my choices as I like to know how you got on with them too.

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Beauty Trend | Draping

Source

Hi guys, 

It’s all about the latest makeup trends today. We had contouring, non-touring, strobing and now draping. Yes, I agree, it is a silly name. Draping is all about adding depth to your face by sculpting with colour rather than our normal bronzer shades. I don’t know about you but I instantly thought of 80s makeup where they have lashings of blusher heading all the way up to their temples. I adored this makeup look. In the 80s! But I wouldn’t dare try it nowadays. Especially not with the vibrant pinks and purples they were rocking back in the day. Thankfully, this trend is a mellowed out version of that extreme look and involves some pretty subtle blushers. 

Marc Jacobs has commanded us all to drop the contour and start draping and normally if someone as great as Marc tells me I need to do something, I tend to listen. Yes, I am easily persuaded and I always fall for the latest makeup trend. Way Bandy, celebrity makeup artist to Cher and Elizabeth Taylor, and author of Designing Your Face first introduced the world to this trend back in the 80s and now it has made a comeback. He stated that he wanted to bring out the natural drape of the face by using this technique also known as Colour Glow.

The way to do this is by simply using a deeper shade of blush and applying just below the cheekbones, think contouring but not as harsh. You then start blending two blusher shades together and placing on the higher parts of your cheekbones and blending horizontally toward the temple. Blending is key for this look and no bright colours for day time, unless that’s the look you are going for. I prefer it to look understated. Add a pop of colour to the apples of your cheeks and you are good to go.

Draping can be amazing for a creative makeup looks, editorial pieces and for those of us who are brave enough to add brighter shades to our cheeks. If you are doing an editorial look, then apply the deeper shades of blusher to the jawline, hollows of the cheeks and side of the neck.

I used the Gwen Stefani Blush Palette by taking the shade OC to deepen my cheeks and then adding Hush over this to create a more highlighted version of draping. I liked it but didn’t love it. I am going to play around with this makeup look but at the moment, I prefer a contour, blusher and highlight combo or just a highlighted face so sadly, this is not my favourite makeup trend. 

Would you try Draping?

Is this just another trend that will quickly fade?

Have you checked out my latest featuring My One Choice of Makeup?
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If I Could Only Use One...

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush

Revlon Colorburst

Nyx Liquid Liner

Maybelline Lash Sensational

Hi guys, 

After having a major Pinterest session the other day, I came across the lovely Rebecca from “From Roses” latest posts including one based on choosing one product from each beauty category. I really liked this idea, so much so, that I decided to carry it out too. I changed mine up a little by only choosing drugstore products and adding more categories. I am going to choose products based on everything I do after cleansing and moisturising so I don’t leave anything out. Please head on over to From Roses post to see what she choose as some of her choices are stunning! 

Primer

There's only one primer for me and that’s the Nivea Post Shave Balm for Sensitive Skin (£5.35), I use this all the time. Every time I apply my makeup, regardless of where I am going, this is the first step for me. I have a full review of this bad boy right here.

Foundation

This is the easiest one to choose, of course it’s going to be Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation (£9.99). I have raved about this ever since I first purchased it and years later it is still a staple in my foundation drawer. I love the consistency of it (think Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua but way cheaper), how easy it glides onto the skin, the subtle glow it gives and its impeccable staying power. An absolute must have! 

Concealer

This was a little tougher I have to admit. I like so many drugstore concealers but after thinking long and hard, I decided on Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (£4.19) as it’s amazing. The consistency is magical, it blends out beautifully and covers a multitude of sins. I use this to cover dark circles, to cover blemishes, redness around my nostrils and also to highlight down the centre of my face. It is an absolute dream.

Face Powder

It has to be Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder (£3.99) doesn’t it! Not much to say about this other than it helps keep my makeup on all day.

Contour

I have tried an obscene amount of contouring products in the past but when I am in a rush and just want something to add a bit of colour then I find myself reaching for the Tanya Burr Peachy Glow Palette (£8). This is perfect for my fair skin and as it’s a compact it also includes a highlighter and blush.

Blusher

Even though the TB contour palette has a blusher, I always reach for the multi toned Max Factor Crème Puff Blush (£8.99). I really struggled to pick just one shade so I am picking all 6 of them as they are just dreamy. This is easy to blend and you only need the tiniest amount on your brush to create a gorgeous shade on your skin. 

Highlighter

Has to be Makeup Revolution Pro Illuminate (£4). It’s the only drugstore highlighter I have used and had to take a step back once the glow was applied! Seriously impressive.

Mascara

Erm, there is only one mascara out there for me and it is the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (£7.99). I was always a Falsies (£8) kind of a girl until this beauty was released. I honestly cant big it up anymore, it creates the most gorgeous lashes by coating each and every lash, even the small corner ones. It helps to blend your lashes into false ones without being over the top. It has the blackest of black shades, beautiful formula and better yet, it doesn’t bloody transfer onto my eyelids or bottom lash line throughout the day. I have a full review right here. 

Eyeliner

This is a little frustrating as my all-time favourite is the NYC Liquid Eyeliner but I can’t seem to find it anymore so I have to settle on the NYX Vinyl Liquid Liner (£5.50) which is my second favourite. The NYX liner is a dream come true, it has a thin tip which helps to glide over the eye to create a beautiful line and it is easy to create a little flick or a full blown wing. I’m not saying it will be perfect every time as that depends on the person but this is really good. It is super dark, one of the blackest liners I have ever used and I don’t have any issues with it moving throughout the day. 

Eyebrows

Soap and Glory Archery (£10) is the best I have tried from a drugstore. I have tried a million different compacts, gels, pencils, powders and this is still the one I would go to as it has a little pencil for precision and then a felt tip point to create texture. 

Lipstick

This is a little tougher as there are so many good lip products out there, especially from the drugstore. If I had to choose just one I would pick the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms (£7.99) as I find them to be moisturising, pigmented and have a great selection of shades. 

Setting Spray

It has to be L'Oréal Paris Infallible Fixing Mist (£7.99), this is a little cloudy concoction that helps keep your makeup stay on all day. If there was only one setting spray in the world and this was it, I would be happy. 

So there we have it, if I could only choose one product from each section, then it would be these guys. I actually buy these over and over again as they are some of the best products on the market, well for me anyway. I love the finish I get after applying my full face and I have to say, I am never disappointed with how my makeup settles as the day goes on. 

PS. The print in the pictures was created by Jemma over at Dorkface. You should check out her Etsy Store, she has all kinds of wonderful girly, colourful pieces.

What would be your top picks?

If you decide to do this blog post, please link back so I can see your answers.

Have you checked out my latest featuring my My Holiday Reads?

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Beauty Wishlist

Hi guys, 

Its my wee mammy's birthday today so I am taking her out, colouring her hair and spoiling her with presents as my sisters are away. Hopefully she has a nice day with little old me ha-ha. 

I thought I would put together a wish list as I haven't done one for ages so I thought I would focus on makeup today. I have refrained from buying makeup recently, well a few bits here and there aren’t going to hurt anyone but I haven't had a real splurge as I am saving for my holiday next month. That doesn't stop me pining after some amazing products out there. 

The first things I want to get my hands on are the new Becca Cosmetics & Jaclyn Hill releases which are the Shimmering Skin Perfector Slimlight ($28 see picture for swatches).These are part of the Champagne Glow Collection and come in three shades. They are travel friendly pen highlighters which allow you to be more precise when applying your highlighter. I think these would be great for the inner corner of your eyes, brow bone, cupids bow and bridge of your now before blending out. The Splits Shimmering Skin Perfector Mineral Blush Duo ($38) also look pretty special. They come in four varieties each including a highlighter and blusher. 

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I am running low on foundations and want to try a few that I haven't had the pleasure of before rather than buy ones I am familiar with so I have the Guerlain Tenue de Perfection Foundation (£37) and the Makeup Forever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation ($43) on my wish list as they both have great reviews and look perfect. I wouldn’t know where to begin shade wise, but I’m sure I can figure it out. 

Metallic lipsticks are all the rage right now with brands such as Milani, Jeffree Star and Kylie Cosmetics all jumping on the bandwagon so it’s no surprise that I have included the Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick (£19.90) in the shade Solano (see picture below for close up). This is a beautiful copper shade and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.  As well as the Ofra Liquid Lip, I finally want to try some Colourpop Ultra Satin Lip Products as I have had my eye on their products for the longest time but I refuse to pay for shipping and I don't want to go through the hassle of shipping to another address in the US and then shipping here and probably being hit with custom charges so I will bide my time and wait for them to become available in the UK, which is going to be sooner rather than later if rumours are to be believed.

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The last items on my wish list are the Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops (£34) which look incredible! I am so excited to buy this. I have watched a few tutorials using this product and it honestly couldn’t get any better when it comes to glowing like the sun. The new Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Crème ($26) also looks pretty fab. I bought the Lock-It Foundation last year and I have to say, it’s one of the highest coverage foundations I have ever used. I don’t normally like thick foundations but this was very comfortable so I am keen to try the concealer to see if it's just as good. Lastly but not least, I want to try the new Marc Jacobs Beauty Air Blush Soft Glow Duo ($42) and the Marc Jacobs Cover (t) Stick (£28). I have yet to try anything from the Marc Jacobs Beauty line but I am sick of hearing everyone's praises and still not owning anything. That will change soon enough!

That’s all I have for today. I’m sorry they are a lot of US links but I have been browsing Sephora and most of these caught my eye. Ofra and Colourpop only have American links as they are based there so if you wanna buy straight from the website please check the shipping costs as they might be ridiculous. If you really do want to buy Colourpop and don't mind the hassle that goes along with shipping it to the UK, I would advise you to check out Hannah's post which you can find here as she has a fantastic blogpost about her first order. 

Have you checked out my latest featuring Jeffree Star Liquid Lipsticks?

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