Nail Varnish Favourites | Autumn 2015

Montreal | Summer 2015 Photo Diary

Benefit Roller Lash | Worth the Hype?

It might not be that relevant right now but I forgot this in my drafts and I kinda love the photos too much to not post it.

When the Roller Lash mascara first hit the blogging world, all I heard was amazing positive things. But not wanting to spend so much on a mascara I have yet to judge myself, I was so happy to see this sample inside the Elle magazine packaging. Although there are probably thousands of reviews already from people who actually know what they're talking about, I thought there might just be someone who is interested in whether I think this product is worth all the hype it's received.

 

First of all, if all I was looking for in a mascara was pretty packaging, this would score 10/10 no doubt. The shiny rose gold colour of the lid is so lovely, and is pretty much the main reason I bought the magazine in the first place. But as they say, you can't judge a book by it's cover, so lets talk about the content.

My first thought when trying this mascara  was 'Not Bad!'. I like the fact that it has a curved brush and how it helps to create a pretty, subtle curl. I would say subtle is a key word here. It's not the most voluminous of mascaras, but it nicely lengthens and does the job of accentuating your lashes. My main issues with it are 1. I prefer more over the top mascaras that compensate for my pathetic excuse for eyelashes, and 2. The 'pretty, subtle curl' I described doesn't last long. Maybe a waterproof version would work better?

Overall, I would say it's a decent mascara if you're willing to pay the £20, but I do think you'd be better off just going for a Maybelline alternative for half the price.

 

13/09/15

Crop top - Topshop

Suede skirt - New Look

Cardigan - Primark

Everyone's Beautiful | So What?

Its a well known fact that in todays society there's a big issue with body image and beauty pressures. What with models and fashion encouraging the straight skinny body shape, and music and social media telling us that having 'curves' is the most important thing in the world, it seems to be pretty much impossible to be happy with the way you look.
However there is still a big part of the population that recognize this as a problem and want to do something about it.

 

We see so many campaigns nowadays telling women that they're all beautiful. But is this really the best way to go about it? Doesn't this simply encourage the view that beauty is all that defines a woman's worth. Yes we are all 'beautiful' but should that even matter?

What I hate, is that someone's looks are so commonly used as a means of complimenting and as ammunition for insults. I may be in the minority here but I know that I would 100% prefer to be complimented on something I had worked towards or put effort into. Of course I always appreciate a compliment about my appearance, but it always seems slightly superficial. I find that complimenting someone's physicality can also create unnecessary self consciousness and take away from personality and skill. So you think I have a nice nose?...great...I'm flattered, but shouldn't you really be complimenting my parents?

As for insults, insulting someone about the way they look is pretty much the lowest you can get. Appearance should never influence your respect for someone ever. I think that's all I need to say about that really.

When you compare appearances to all the other incredible attributes that we humans have; creativity, intelligence, empathy, wit... it becomes clear how unimportant and superficial it really is.
Think about all the people in your life. Now think about the reasons certain people mean so much to you. I'm guessing 99.99999% of those reasons have nothing to do with the features they were born with or the body they grew into.

In short, I'm saying this: How about we stop telling people they're all physically beautiful, and instead start telling them that really, it doesn't even matter.

20/06/15

blue floral print top -  Primark
black high waisted jeans -  Primark
denim jacket - Pull & Bear
necklace - Primark

May + June Playlist

My blog has really been lacking new content recently, sorry about that, and thank you to everyone for not unfollowing me! Not blogging much has resulted in me forgetting to post my playlist for the month of may. I love sharing the music I've been loving and didn't want to miss anything out so I've put the two months together to create one slightly longer playlist for you.

Makeup Base Routine | Spring 2015

I go through phases with makeup. Sometimes I'll care very little about what I do to my face, and just the thought of watching another makeup tutorial will make me want to remove myself from the internet. But right now, I've been waking up in the morning excited to do my makeup for the day, and I think that is partly because I'm loving the products I'm using. I probably will experiment with some other products in the future but for now I'm satisfied enough to share with you some products that I can confidently say are my favourites.





















L'Oreal True Match Foundation

 In my makeup routine post back in august last year, I said that I had given up on using this foundation because it didn't give enough coverage, well, I changed my mind. For ages I used the Revlon Colorstay which definitely gives the most coverage of all foundations I've tried, but I came to the conclusion that it was too heavy for everyday use. At the other end of the spectrum the L'Oreal True Match is very lightweight and from afar really can look like you've just got good skin. I didn't notice at first but I think it does also have a very very subtle shimmer in it (not noticeable) which helps to add a glow to your face. I find that most pale foundations look a bit too pink toned on me so I also love the fact that the broad colour range allows you to choose more warm toned shades.

Another point I'd like to make is that ever since I've stopped using the Revlon Colorstay, my acne has improved a lot...


Ok it could actually be a coincidence, but I thought I should just give you a warning.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge 

 

If you've never used one of these beauty blender style sponges then you should definitely try it right now. I honestly can see so much difference when I use a sponge compared to a brush. It gives your skin a much more smooth finish and completely avoids any streaks. And using it damp, as I always do, really helps to make sure your foundation doesn't apply cakey or patchy.  

 

 Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer



I had been putting off buying this concealer for quite a while because I was worried it would be a bit too dark for me, especially for under my eyes. But I did it and I'm glad. I love how light and creamy this concealer is, and it really doesn't ever look cakey. It also does make you look a lot more awake under your eyes and gives your skin a healthy glowy look. I feel like on it's own it doesn't have much coverage, but on top of foundation it just helps to cover those bits that the foundation didn't quite hide. I've actually stocked up on this and have 2 tubes in reserve for when I run out, which is a good indication of how much I love it!  

(p.s. The very first photo is more representative of the colour)

 

 

Collection Pressed Powder

 

This is a very basic powder, nothing particularly special but good for the price.  I never really used powder until I watched Wayne Goss' video where he raved about a technique where you buff powder all over the face once you've done all your foundation ect. to create a really airbrushed look. I was slightly hesitant because I thought it would just make my face look cakey, but it really doesn't.

Sleek Contour Kit

I really like this bronzer. It doesn't make me go wow, I'm not obsessed with it, but it just has a really nice colour that isn't too orange but has the perfect amount of warmth. I'm thinking of trying some new bronzers so if you have any suggestions I'd love for you to leave them in the comments.
I only really use the bronzer side of this kit but the highlighter is really nice and subtle if that's what you're looking for.





















Seventeen Instant Glow Shimmer Brick

I used to not be able to stand having any sort of shimmer on my face but I've been seeing so many photos of beautiful highlighted glowy makeup looks on pinterest, youtube ect. that I'm really loving at the moment. Rarely do I even glance at the Seventeen section of Boots, but I bought this on a complete whim a few weeks ago and I'm so glad I did. It creates a really pretty glowy sheen rather than being full of chunks of glitter, which I think is always a sign of a good highlighter. I do have a couple of other highlighters which are pink toned, but I love this for it's summery bronze colour that perhaps looks a bit more natural. At less than 5 pounds, I definitely recommend it!

Biarritz | Day 3

Wow this is late but here's some more photos from my short trip to Biarritz back in April.
This day was definitely the hottest, reaching 32 degrees at one point I think. In the morning my mum thought it would be a great idea to take my dog to beach. I think she had some kind of image of him happily jumping around in the waves, but in reality he just barked at every bird that flew over and rolled around in the sand to try and get dry after we practically dragged him into the sea. After a bit of sunbathing we went for lunch where I had the most amazing vegetarian pizza which basically made my day. We then thought 'what could we do on a lovely sunny day like this? oh I know let's go to an aquarium where we'll be inside in the dark.' Haha ok I don't really see how we came to that conclusion but I had a good time nonetheless and took way too many photos (I might have to do a separate fish photo post). In the evening we just kind of sat around the beach and played a bit of football. As cheesy as it sounds, there's something really special about warm summer evenings when you can watch the sun set over the sea, especially when you're with some of your favourite people. #cringe