Skincare, lipstick and brush haul!

Why is it that I can go weeks without splurging on makeup, and then spend it all in one go! I guess this is the result of shopping with my brothers girlfriend! This week I went to Covent Garden and Oxford Street in London where I spent my money on some makeup bits that I had been lusting over for ages! So this post is going to be a mixture of some new beauty products from both high end and high street makeup brands! 

On the date this post was uploaded, I am currently enjoying a two week break from the UK in USA. Because of this trip I had to make a trip to Primark to pick up some basics. Obviously I couldn't leave without looking at the beauty market where I picked up these three goodies! I had seen so many great reviews on the PS makeup brushes, and although being a little disappointed they didn't have the paddle brushes, i'm excited to try these out nevertheless. I got the Precision eyeliner brush and the angled brow brush which has a spooly on one end. I also wanted to try a new nose pore strip so am going to give this one a try. Everything was £1 each which is amazing! 

I finally purchased something from NYX on this trip to London! Which is very ironic seeing as I will probably be able to buy NYX everywhere in America! Knowing that I am going to America, where the climate is a lot more humid than being at home, I wanted to take a setting spray. I hadn't researched this product before purchasing but after giving it a little trial really love it. It sets the makeup perfectly and mattes the skin which is what I was after! The setting spray was £7. For my birthday I received a lovely gift set with a couple of Clinque skincare items in. I loved the moisturising lotion that was included and after using it for the past couple of months have found a change in my skin which I love. It has really smoothed out areas and I haven't (touch wood) had a breakout in a couple of months. The only thing about this cream I don't like is the price (£29) But I guess you have to invest in skincare! 

I also finally purchased one of the famous NYX soft matte lip creams in shade Athens. This shade is a nude orange. I have used this already a couple of times also and know that it is going to feature a lot in my everyday makeup looks now! This was £5.50. Finally I am so excited to share that I have finally, after a lot of lusting and longing for online, purchased a Charlotte Tilbury lipstick from the Hot Lips collection! I got shade Super Cindy which I have decided is going to have its very own special blogpost next week! So stay tuned! 

I hope you enjoyed this blogpost! After being very spendy this month with my mum, dad and brother all having their birthdays in the space of a week. I am going to be having a little spending ban. I really hope I can stick with it haha! 

Have a lovely rest of your day! 

Lots of love, 

Seventeen Contouring Products!*

Unless you have been living under a rock, then you probably haven't heard or seen the contouring phenomenon that has seemed to take over the world of beauty! I am a little late to the game when it comes to contour and whenever I see the charts or where to 'place' the products I cringe a little bit with fear of never being able to do it. I had been reading lots of blogs about these products and knew that I really wanted to try them out!

Seventeen Define and Conquer Contour Kit

So this palette is the perfect contour palette for complete newbies like myself! As soon as I opened the box I knew that this was going to be something that I loved. I wouldn't call myself advanced in makeup, I only really started wearing it properly when I started university 3 years ago, so I love finding products that aim to help you learn. As you open the palette you are greeted with what I can only describe as a dummies guide to contouring. This is something that I deffo needed! It gives you the four simple steps to contour, and tells you when to apply each product and in what places. If only all makeup application tips were this helpful! 

One thing I noticed with this product is how pigmented it is. I was a little worried with how 'chalky' the highlight shade appeared as I am used to a more 'shimmery' one. But when applied on the skin, it gives a subtle glow which finishes off the look perfectly. I have since used this to highlight the inner corner of my eye makeup too!

Seventeen WOW concealer

This product has become really popular recently within the blogging community and its clear to see why. It is basically a brightening concealer which could also double up as a highlighter. It gives skin the 'wow' factor. I love the whole application process of this product. To get the product out you simply push the button on the end which slowly releases to the brush applicator. This brush is super soft and makes it easy to apply it to places where you want to add that extra glow. I have used this product as both concealer and highlighter. Although it can be used as both, I much prefer using it to highlight cheekbone, brow bone and cupids bow. 

This is my final look of my first ever attempt of fully contouring the face. Although it took a little bit longer than my usual makeup routine, I love the results! I am obsessed with the highlight the concealer and palette gave me. I am certainly going to have to think about getting up a little bit earlier to use this more often! I also love the combination of the contour look with the darker lip. (I am wearing Kiko Velvet Passion, 319)

What do you think of my first attempt of contouring?

Let me know! 

Have a lovely rest of your day! 

Lots of love, 

Products mentioned in this post:

Seventeen Contour Palette*: http://www.boots.com/en/SEVENTEEN-Define-Conquer-Contour-Kit_1538986/

Seventeen Concealer*: http://www.boots.com/en/SEVENTEEN-Skin-WOW-Concealer_1824448/

Kiko Lipstick: http://www.kikocosmetics.com/en-gb/make-up/lips/lipsticks/Velvet-Passion-Matte-Lipstick/p-KM00201020

*Products mentioned in this post were sent to me to try! All opinions and comments are my own and are as always completely honest!

Never-Ending Summer - Birchbox July 2016!

Over the past couple of months, you may have read that my opinions on Birchbox haven't been that great. This month however has changed my mind on cancelling my subscription! July's Birchbox, named Never-Ending Summer, was designed and curated by Millie Mackintosh so I knew instantly that we were in for a treat! 

A couple of months ago we were sent an email from the Birchbox team to choose the box design that we preferred. It was between a blue/green/yellow watercolour design, and then  pink/purple design. Personally I voted for the blue/green/yellow combo as I felt it seemed more summery, but although it didn't win I love this box equally as much! (I also know that I am going to use this to store my pro marker pens for university! 

A bonus thing with this box is that Millie teamed up with Birchbox to design an exclusive LOC lip pencil in shade Bohemian Rose. I love these type of lip products as they are really moisturising, yet so easy to apply! I believe that eventually this product will be available to purchase on the Birchbox website, but for now you can only get it when purchasing this box! 

Another exciting thing about this months box was that we were able to choose which full sized hair product we wanted to receive! I choose the John Freida Anti Frizz Primer. I knew that I wanted to try a humidity/frizz hair product for my trip to the states at the end of the month! So am excited to give this a try! 

I was so excited to see a cute little Nails Inc varnish in the box this month. I love new nail polishes and am alway changing up my colour. The shade I received was a gorgeous duck egg blue in Royal Botanical Gardens. 

Recently, I have really got into being consistent with my skincare. This month I received an Elemis night cream which I had read some really great things about! I was secretly hoping I would be lucky enough to receive the night version that was available in my box so am over the moon! 

Finally, I am excited to try the Hudraluron moisture boosting sheet mask! I have never tried any sheet masks but always hear that they feel nicer on the skin than the normal face masks! If I love it, I know this is something I will be buying more of! 

Festival makeup with Natural Collections!*

I am still trying to come to terms with the fact that we are now in July! How quickly has the time gone?! It's crazy to think that we are over half way through the year. This week I attended a 'Christmas in July' event in London which made me feel more festive than I probably should be feeling right now! 

Now we are in July, it means festival season is only around the corner! With Glastonbury starting the festivities off right, there are lots more festivals to follow which are super exciting. Looking at all of the different festival fashion is probable one of my favourite things to do. I wish I could look so fabulous in a pair of wellies. When considering festival makeup, it's always handy to have products that can be used quickly, but also can give an effortless festival look. Natural Collection are just one of the brands that offer the variety and versatility of products within their collections. Natural Collection's products are also all priced at £1.99 so are perfect to take with you to a festival, and in my opinion they are great quality products too! 

Step by Step guide to festival makeup

1) Apply your favourite tinted moisturiser for a soft, youthful glow, then apply concealer to conceal any imperfections. (I am using Natural Collections tinted moisturiser in Natural and the Cover up Stick in Fair) I then tapped it into my skin using my Spectrum blending sponge. 

2) Set your makeup in place using a powder! (I am using the Natural Collections Pressed Powder in Natural) Using a powder helps to mattify your face which is essential for the long day's that comes with festival season!

3) Lock in lashes with your favourite waterproof mascara. Using waterproof mascara ensures that your lashes will look fabulous all day, come rain or shine! (I am using the Natural Collections Waterguard mascara in black) I love this mascara as it really holds the curl of the lashes well! So would be perfect for wearing throughout the day and night!

4) Fill in your brows! (I used the Benefit Goof Proof brow pencil in shade number 2) This is the perfect brow product as it is seriously, as the name suggests, Goof proof! Stupidly, I didn't take a picture of this step! But imagine me tongue out applying the product!

5) Finally, keep lips low maintenance with a tinted lip balm. (I am using the Natural Collection Lip Balm in Caribbean Crush) Using a lip balm is so much easier than worrying about a full on lipliner/lipstick duo. Plus you can reapply without a mirror! Double bonus! 

This is my final look! I love how natural and effortless it looks. The only thing I am missing is a boho braided headband. You can totally add some winged liner or a deeper lip if you want to vamp up the look a little bit. 

I hope you enjoyed this blogpost, I enjoyed creating the look and love that I am rediscovering some of my favourite NC products that I loved back in the day! As I mentioned above, every product is £1.99 so is perfect if you are wanting to experiment with a look or just want to buy products that are affordable but great quality. 

Let me know if you have tried any NC products in the comments!

Have a lovely rest of your day! 

lots of love, 

Products used in this post:

Real Techniques Brush: http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Expert-Face-Brush_1277695/

Tinted Moisturiser*: http://www.boots.com/en/Natural-Collection-Tinted-Moisturiser_24297/

Cover Up Stick*: http://www.boots.com/en/Natural-Collection-Cover-up-Stick_25838/

Spectrum Sponge: https://www.spectrumcollections.com/collections/accessories/products/lilac-blending-sponge

Kiko Brush: http://www.kikocosmetics.com/en-gb/accessories/brushes/Face-106/p-KM0050100910600#zoom

Pressed Powder*: http://www.boots.com/en/Natural-Collection-Pressed-Powder_24303/

Goof Proof Brow Pencil: https://www.benefitcosmetics.com/uk/en-gb/product/goof-proof%20

Waterguard Mascara*: http://www.boots.com/en/Natural-Collection-Water-Guard-Mascara_24322/

Tinted Lip Balm*: http://www.boots.com/en/Natural-Collection-Tinted-Lip-Balm_1543916/

*Some products mentioned in this post were sent to me to review. However all opinions and comments are my own and I have been completely honest throughout! 

Not On The High Street: Christmas in July press event!

Last Tuesday I was invited by the lovely people at Not On The High Street, to experience Christmas six months early! If you have been reading my blog for a while, you may know that Christmas is probably one of, if not THE, one time in the year where I get very very excited. Everything about the Christmas season is so magical. The fact you can spend so much time choosing the perfect gift for someone excites me, and I am always longing to put my tree up in the middle of November. So being able to attend the annual Christmas in July event was pretty much a dream come true! 

As I entered the building, it felt like I had just stepped into a very Pinterest version of Santa's grotto! I was greeted by one of my favourite christmas Cinnamon smells and I felt very excited at what I was going to be seeing. The whole layout of the rooms were so eye catching and lots of detail had been put into ensuring that things were easy to look at. It also meant that you could mentally plan for people as you were walking around! I know that I have a few edible items that I am going to be buying for family members! (Chocolate Brussel sprouts anyone!?!)

True to Not On The High Street, personalisation is a key feature to Christmas 2016. From stationary to bags you name it and you can pretty much have your name on it! I love buying personalised gifts as it show's that you have put a little bit of thought and care into the present! The notebooks are certainly going to be on my wish list!

Christmas jumper Chocolate Lolly Selection Box £22.50

Chocolate Sprout Centerpiece £48

Matte gold cutlery £28, 

I think I need to buy a few more houses to put wreaths on!

Nothing say's Christmas to me than an advent calendar! So whats better for adults than an alcoholic advent goodness!

Hanging mirrored bright balloon lights £14.95

Matte gold cutlery £28, (top of pic) Copper intertwine candle holder in violet and concrete £48,  Copper rose cocktail glass £17.99

I think pineapples are going to be a huge hit this year! This is something I am so excited about as I love a cute pineapple illustration!

Marble plate £25, Matte Gold cutlery £28,  Personalised chips £14

Candle tree candelabra £48, Marble look deep plate £25, 

Wooden tealight holder with personalised chips £14, Hexagon personalised wooden napkin ring £31, Matte gold cutlery £28,  Sherry gets me merry festive Christmas decanter £20 

'Sherry gets me merry' drink decanter £20, Wooden tealight holder with personalised chips £14, Candle tree candelabra £48, Metal flower votive holder £44.95, Personalised 'mr' and 'mrs flute set £45, Marble look plates £25

Personalised wooden napkin ring £31, Matte gold cutlery set £28

I love how these personalised napkin rings look! It adds a little bit of festive joy, whilst being a great table name place mat. 

Santa and Reindeer hanging advent calendar £21, Personalised reindeer name christmas sack £15,

I won't lie I got very excited about seeing a Christmas tree! I now have total tree-piration of how I am decorating this year! White and gold, yes please!

Personalised reindeer name christmas sack £15, 

Personalised reindeer name christmas sack £15, 

Pork crackling advent calendar £10, 

'Prosecco made me do it' soy wax candle £22.50, Geometric 'tinned' alternative personalised cracker £10

I loved this idea of different personalised crackers! I reckon, you could also use these as a table place setting. They also look really cute and different!

Stacking initial rings £30

Glitter watch £18

Coming from Essex, I love a bit of glitter! Nothing says Christmas to me than this sparkly watch. I think this would make a lot of girls happy.

(bottom third left) Zoom pure 1740 watch £120

All of the children's stuff had been beautifully crafted and laid out in a way that screamed 'Christmas Eve'. My particular highlight was the tent personalised with a child's name on the side.

Personalised unisex geometric fox baby shoes £25, Personalised brushstroke initial print £15, Wizard robot children's print £15, Personalised toy bag bundle £45, Personalised deluxe building blocks £45

Personalised children's wooden tent £175, Handmade polar bear stocking £50

How cute is this tent! I just want to snuggle up on the fluffy rug and read so many bedtime stories with my baby cousins!

Girls unicorn dress £44

Santa hat tree or bottle warmer £18

How funny is the Santa tree hat! We got gifted this in our goody bags, but love how vintage it looks.

Personalised map of the stars print £84

Solid oak personalised chopping board and iPad stand £45

So as you can see from the images above, there are lots of things to love for the upcoming season! I love that there is so much selection of personalised gifts, but also gifts that you might not think of buying which would be so perfect for someone!

I have tried to leave the price under the images that I could find although I am sure they will all be appearing in wish lists and blogposts for the months to come!

I had an amazing time at my first press event, and am looking forward to attending more in the future! Thanks Not On The High Street for putting me in a festive mood in July! You held a beautiful event!

Lots of love