REVIEW: Topshop "Infrared" Lipstick

Hello lovelies, I hope you are all well! I love all things orange, and I wear orange lipstick on a day-to-day basis, so when I saw this colour in Topshop I had to pick it up and buy it. I have never before owned a Topshop lipstick but have always wanted to try one and I must say, I am quite impressed. "Infrared" is a beautiful bright orange shade, it looks just as bright on the lips which I love. It is a lovely texture and does not feel at all drying (and my lips have the tendency to be rather on the dry side) and the colour lasts really well. This colour has definitely made me want to try more Topshop lipsticks, if there are any colours you would recommend be sure to let me know in the comments!

Thank you for reading! :)

REVIEW: Clinique Redness Solutions Makeup SPF 15

Hello lovelies, I hope you are all well! Since suffering badly with teenage-acne a year or two ago my skin has been left horribly red and scarred. So with my love for Clinique foundations in mind, I was super interested in trying this too see if it really could make a difference.

This foundation really does work, usually I will put on foundation then cover up any visible redness with concealer but when I use this foundation, the only place I need to put concealer is under my eyes - amazing! This foundation gives a really good coverage, it will literally camouflage any imperfections. However, whilst giving such a full-on coverage, this foundation does not fail to give the skin a beautiful, natural glow.

My only dislike towards this foundation is that I find it's not brilliantly suited to my oily skin-type, I find myself getting shiner than usual throughout the day and having to powder more often. 

My mum and auntie both suffer with rosacea and use this foundation. It really does cover the redness in their cheeks and would honestly leave someone with no knowledge of their skin condition completely unaware. It is impressive stuff!

Thank you for reading!! :)

FOTD: Everyday Make-up

Hello lovelies, I hope you are all well! This make-up is what I turn to pretty much every day so I thought it was worth sharing with you all!

FACE:
bareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation in 'Fairly Light'
bareMinerals Warmth All-Over Face Colour
bareMinerals Mineral Veil
Dainty Doll Cream Blush in 'Billion Dollar Babies'
Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer in 'Ivory'

EYEBROWS:
Natural Collection eyeshadow in 'Crushed Walnut'

EYES:
Natural Collecion 'Sea Shell' across the lid with 'Crushed Walnut' blended into the crease
Maybelline Gel Eyeliner in 'Black'
No 7 Stay Perfect Amazing Eyes Pencil in 'Brown' blended under the eye
Benefit They're Real Mascara

LIPS:
Revlon Lip Butter in 'Tutti Fruiti'

I love the bareMinerals foundation/bronzer/mineral veil combination on my face, it leaves my skin looking so healthy and glowy but still completely natural and not too shiny. I reviewed the Dainty Doll Cream Blush in my previous post so you can read more on that there. The Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer really does brighten up underneath the eyes, I also find it works fine on any blemishes too.
I like a strong brow and 'Crushed Walnut' makes it so easy to achieve. It also creates the perfect shadow when blended through the crease over 'Sea Shell'. I don't feel myself without black eyeliner and the Maybelline Gel eyeliner has always been my favourite for this. I like to put a little brown eyeliner underneath the eye then blend it in with my finger to create a subtle smoky effect. Then when it comes to mascara, Benefit's 'They're Real' is famously brilliant.
I wear Revlon's 'Tutti Fruiti' Lip Butter near enough everyday, it's perfect because it is a lovely colour but is not too heavy and is  moisturising on the lips.

Thank you for reading!! :)

REVIEW: Dainty Doll Blushers

Hello lovelies! Sorry the posts haven't been so regular recently, I've been revising non-stop for my soon approaching AS Level exams!! Anyway, a little while back I was reading Bell-aimie's review on these lovely little blushers, after learning that they are currently just £1.99 (as opposed to the RRP £13.50 price tag) on Fragrance Direct I could not resist ordering a couple to try out for myself! I picked up a powder blusher in the shade 'You Are My Sunshine' along with a cream blusher in the shade 'Billion Dollar Babies'.

'You Are My Sunshine' is a beautiful pink shade with lots of gold glitter running through it. It looks so lovely and glowy on the cheeks and would be perfect for a night out or healthy, glowing makeup in the summertime! It blends onto the skin nicely and lasts really well, I am definitely thinking of buying some more powder blushes in different colours.

'Billion Dollar Babies' is much more subtle, it is completely matte and just adds a little 'something' to the cheeks during the day. I've been wearing this blusher to work and school constantly since I've had it, similarly the powder blush it blends onto the skin really well and has great staying power.

Overall I am very impressed with these blushers and would definitely like to pick up a few more colours - any you would recommend? Thank you for reading!

REVIEW: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo

Hello lovelies! I haven't spoken to you about my skincare routine in a while, so expect a fully detailed post on that soon. But for now, I want to tell you about a fairly new product to my skincare routine that has changed it for the better. 

This moisturiser is recommended for those with problem or acne-prone skin, I'd say I sort of fit this barrier, I've been known to break out badly in the past and although I haven't had a bad breakout recently, I'm prone to the odd hormonal spot here and there. I also have scars from where my skin has been bad in the past, and that's one of the biggest issues I have with my skin.

When this moisturiser is first applied I find it feels really thin and refreshing (badly said but that's the only way I can think to explain it). In the morning I find it gives my skin enough moisture to be worn alone underneath make-up, but at night time I use it like a serum underneath a heavier moisturiser. 

This product, as well as feeling lovely on the skin, really has made a positive difference. I found at first it made my skin worse because it was bringing out all of the dirt and yuckiness, but now I have been using it for a month or so I have really started to see improvements. It even seems to have taken down some of the redness in my scarring which I am rather chuffed about.

I think this is going to become a staple in my skincare routine and remain there for a long time. I bought my Effaclar Duo here and they have 15% at the moment so I'd say get it whilst you can!

Thank you for reading xx

March Favourites!

Hi lovelies! Isn't this year flying by! I cannot believe Easter has just passed and it's already time to be posting my March Favourites.

Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush: I absolutely love a thick black winged eye and I find a gel eyeliner the best way to achieve this. I have always just used the little brush that comes with the Maybelline Gel Liner, this Real Techniques brush, however, is miles better. Apart from anything it makes applying the liner so much easier and allows for more precise lines to be drawn.

bareMinerals Prime Time Primer: I got this primer in the Get Started Kit, I rarely bother with a primer so I wasn't expecting to be wow-ed by this. But it actually works wonderfully as a base under both the bareMinerals Original Foundation and other liquid foundations I have in my make-up collection. I will be buying the full sized product when this has run out!

TRESemme Divine Definition Spray & Tousled Wave Spray and Toni & Guy Sea Salt Texturising Spray: I want to talk about these products together because the three of them combined have completely changed my hair-styling routine for the better. I have thin, flat, boring hair and the combination of these products gives it a voluminous, messy look that I love. The products work well on their own, but together they are perfect.

Yankee Candle in 'Wild Passion Fruit': A bit of a random, non-beauty related one to finish things off but I have to mention this because I have literally been burning this candle every day. My friend bought me this for my birthday back in February and it literally smells heavenly. Big love for this candle!

What have your favourite products been this month? Thank you for reading!

Instagrammin'

Hello lovelies! Bit of a random post today - just a snippet into my Instagram from the past few weeks!

You can follow me on Instagram here 

Or on Twitter here

That's all for today, isn't the world of social media a fun place! I hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend. Thank you for reading :)

LUSH Dragon's Egg Bath Bomb

Hello lovelies! I do love a nice bath and think there's nothing better throwing Lush bath bomb in and letting it fizz away. I've tried a lot of Lush bath bombs over the years but never before had I bought Dragon's Egg. My friend bought me a load of Lush products for my birthday and this bath bomb was amongst the goodies.

I've heard quite a bit of about this bath bomb through various beauty blogs, so I was interested to try it. When I first put it into my bath it let off a layer of foam, then it carried on fizzing and began to turn my bath an orangey colour. When it had almost fully fizzed away, a load of gold glitter was released along with some popping candy. The bath bomb itself smelt really fresh and lovely but not too overpowering at all (excuse my inability to describe a smell of something!).

Overall I thought this was a lovely bath bomb that left my skin feeling nice and soft. This is one that I would definitely repurchase and use again and again!

Have you tried this bath bomb? What's your favourite Lush product? Thank you for reading :)

25 Facts About Me!

Hello lovelies! A little bit of a random post today, but I love watching these types of videos on Youtube or reading these types of posts online so I thought I would post one myself. Also, it's a nice get-to-know-me opportunity for you guys!

1. So, starting with the basics... I'm seventeen years old. My birthday is February the 2^nd .
2. I'm currently studying my AS Levels in school. The subjects I'm taking are English Literature, Philosophy, Psychology and ICT. I hope to drop ICT next year and carry on with the other three as full A Level's.
3. I can't go a day without listening to music. I find it so difficult to name my favourite band or artist because I love so many, but at the moment it is probably between The Vaccines and Bastille.
4. When I leave school I would like to go to university to study Law and Business Administration.
5. I decided to start my blog after months of watching various beauty bloggers on Youtube.
6. I'm the eldest of three children. I have a younger brother and sister aged 14 and 12.
7. My favourite colours are bright orange and red.
8. I'm painfully shy and awkward when I first meet someone and for a while after. It's only when I know a person very well that I can be myself around them.
9. Only a select few of my friends know I write a blog. I don't know why but I feel embarrassed by the idea of loads of people I know reading it. One day I want everyone I know to know about my blog, though.
10. I have a part-time job in Sainsbury's. My mum calls me a "checkout chic" embarrassing, really. 
11. I have an irrational fear of dogs. There really is no reason for this fear, but they petrify me. 
12. I think I have some kind of OCD. I'm constantly cleaning out my bedroom because I can't stand the clutter. Sometimes I wake up really early in the morning with the urge to sort out my entire bedroom.
13. I have two sentimental family rings that I can't not wear when I leave the house. I feel completely lost and naked without them.
14. I'm only 5"4 but for some reason I'm convinced that I'm really tall. Standing next to taller people or looking at my height in photos tells me I'm not so tall, however.
15. When I was 14 I shaved a section of the right side of my hair off so it was super short. I thought I looked cool at the time.
16. I'm just a little bit scared of both elbows and feet. They just make me cringe and feel sick.
17. My auntie lives in the South of France and where she lives is my favourite place to visit on holiday.
18. I've got a scar on my hand that looks like bubbles and feels strange. It's from a mysterious rash I had on my hand that lasted for literally weeks if not months a year or two ago.
19. One of my bedroom walls used to be completely covered with old train tickets, photos, posters and other things. In some ways I regret taking it down because it was basically a wall full of memories.
20. I have a cousin who lives in Australia, we were really close when we were younger and I miss her more than you could imagine.
21. I rarely drink fizzy drinks. There's not really a reason for this, I'm just not overly keen on them.
22. Autumn is my favourite season of the year.
23. Penguins are my favourite animals.
24. I have a beach hut on my local beach. It's a lovely getaway in the warmer months of the year.
25. And finally, my middle name is Eleanor. After my great grandma.

Thank you for reading! :)

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain vs. Clinique Chubby Stick - Is there a difference?!

Hello lovelies! Here lies two products that look almost identical, right?! Well I'll tell you one thing, they are pretty similar in application, too. Both of these products are really moisturising and add colour that isn't too bold yet not too sheer or subtle either. They are ideal for drier lips in the daytime. The only real difference in these products is that the Revlon Just Bitten tends to last longer in terms of colour, however this is a given as it is a lip stain, after all. I really enjoy using both of these products and will definitely be looking into buying more colours.

Have you tried these? What colours do you recommend?! Thank you for reading :)

Above - Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey Douce
Below - Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon

bareMinerals Original Foundation

Hello lovelies, I hope you are all well! I was talked into purchasing this foundation recently but, my gosh, am I glad I did! Usually I rarely step away from Clinique in terms of foundation, but I knew mineral foundations are so much more beneficial to the skin so I thought I may as well give this a go.

After using this foundation just once I absolutely fell in love and literally haven't stopped using it since! After a few weeks of experimenting I've learnt that you can apply the tiniest amount to make your skin look even and flawless but like you're wearing no makeup at all, or, it can be built up to cover absolutely anything but still look like you're wearing little or no makeup! It is amazing. When buying this my main worry was that I wouldn't be able to achieve a full enough coverage, but trust me on this one, you definitely can!

I did consider buying the matte version of this foundation as my skin has the tendency to get rather oily throughout the day, however I didn't because I like glowy-looking skin and worried the matte foundation would look too matte or too cakey. With the Original foundation, I get very little excess shine throughout the day and my skin looks healthy, dewy and glowy - so I think I made the right choice there!

I use the Full Flawless Application Face Brush by bareMinerals (pictured above) to apply the foundation, it just buffs the makeup into the skin so perfectly. However, the Real Techniques Buffing Brush also works a treat!

Have you tried any mineral foundations? What are your thoughts? Thank you for reading!! :)

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti

Hi guys, hope you're all well! I'm a big fan of the Revlon Lip Butters, they are so creamy and moisturising and add just the right amount of colour for a relaxed day-to-day makeup. I have had my eyes on 'Tutti Frutti' for a while now, so whilst in Boots the other day, I picked it up.
This Lip Butter did not fail to disappoint, as with all of Revlon's Lip Butters, it is perfectly moisturising and just lovely. This Lip Butter in particular, however, I am a little obsessed with the colour of. The orange is just a little more exciting and fun than some of the other colours in Revlon's Lip Butters range. Because of it's formula, this product isn't as bright as it looks in the bullet. So it's perfect for someone like me who is too scared to wear a bright orange but would just like a wash of colour on my lips to wear throughout the daytime.

Thank you for reading! Have you tried any of the Revlon Lip Butters, which is your favourite?

LUSH Mint Julips Lip Scrub

Hello guys! Please tell me I am not the only one who suffers with unbearable dry lips during the cold winter months? During this time of the year, this lip scrub is like a life saver to me! I use it every morning (and sometimes in the evening if my lips are extra dry and flaky - ew!) to get rid of any dead or dry skin and leave my lips feeling softer and a bit more normal. Using this then a little lip balm really does set your lips up for a lipstick, lipstain or whatever you like to wear on your lips no matter how dry and horrible they felt before!

The other amazing thing about this lip scrub is the smell, it smells literally identical to mint chocolate-chip ice cream! LUSH do say you can lick this off of your lips after use to clean it away because it is perfectly edible, however I don't really find the idea of licking all the dead skin off my lips too appealing! However, when the odd bit of this has ended up in my mouth it did taste pretty good!

If you want to find out a few of my favourite lip balms to put on after using this scrub you can read my Let's Talk: Lip Balm post here.

Thanks for reading! What are your essential lip care products for these cold months?

REVIEW: Urban Decay Half Baked Eyeshadow

Hey guys!

I haven't splashed out on either of Urban Decay's Naked Pallette's. However, this eyeshadow has definitely tempted me. 

Urban Decay's Half Baked is a beautiful bronze/gold colour with shimmer running through it. It's one of those versatile eyeshadows that look gorgeous during the day or night. This eyeshadow was a staple in my make-up bag over the Christmas period, paired with a red lip and some dramatic lashes it looked wonderfully festive. But, now the holidays are over, I still get plenty of wear out of it. During the day it looks lovely with just a nude lip, or it is easily dressed up for the evening. This product is the perfect texture for an eyeshadow, it can be easily built up and is perfectly blend-able.

If all Urban Decay eyeshadows are as lovely as this, I am tempted to purchase one (or even both) of the Naked Pallette's - what do you think? 

Thank you for reading!

Haul: American Apparel Disco Pants!

Hey guys! I have wanted a pair of these beauties for so long, but the price tag has always been a bit of a put off. However, I had a 30% off all American Apparel clothing discount, so I ran to my computer and ordered them right away!
After six days of waiting impatiently for them to arrive, the postman knocked on the door and asked me to sign for a parcel, when he handed it over to me I realised the parcel held my Disco Pants and got all excited and probably scared the poor postman!

Excuse the background mess - I took
this photo in my sisters room, the
messy pup!!

The Disco Pants themselves are so flattering. When I first opened them I was scared at how tiny they looked - the waist looked like it was for a twelve year old! But because they are made of such a stretchy material they fitted just fine (phew!). I absolutely love the high waist and super-skinniness of them. I was so worried these trousers would look awful on my body, but I have fallen in love with them!

Do you own a pair of these beauties? Or are you lusting over them as I was for SO long? Thank you for reading lovelies!

Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean Deep Cleansing Milk

Hey guys! As you may know, for Christmas I received Soap & Glory's 'The Best of All' set, so this is probably one of many upcoming Soap & Glory reviews!

My Clinique 3-Step is a skincare routine that I have used religiously for years. In fact, I have always been pretty damn reluctant to change it since it has always worked for me so well. My skin is oily and tends to be prone to spots and blemishes from time to time, so I have never wanted to use anything too harsh. In fact, this was my first worry with the Peaches and Clean Deep Cleansing Milk, the smell (although lovely) I thought was perhaps too strong for a facial cleanser. But I bit the bullet and - for the first time in years - used a different cleanser. And I was impressed!

For a cleansing 'milk' I found this cleanser to be quite thick. However, it works incredibly well. It literally does melt away make-up and leave the skin feeling cleansed, soft and lovely. I was worried that this cleanser would break me out but, if anything, it has actually improved my skin. This cleanser isn't something I would use in the morning, I've stuck with my Clinique Liquid Facial Soap for this, but in the evening it works a treat to remove make-up.

After trying this cleanser, I'm interested to try more from the Soap & Glory skincare range. I love their make-up and body range, so I hope the same love will grow on me for their skincare range!

Have you tried any of Soap & Glory's skincare range - what would you recommend? Thank you for reading!

Removing a Shellac Manicure At Home!

Hey guys! Usually I wouldn't try and remove my Shellac Manicure at home, but I've been rather busy recently and haven't had the time to pop into town to get it removed! So instead, I did it myself at home (it's probably better better to get the manicure removed properly but to do it at home is both inexpensive and less time consuming!).
To do this I simply used my everyday nail polish remover, Sally Hansen Strengthening Polish Remover, which I poured into a shallow dish - I couldn't find a shallow dish so I actually used the lid of some Johnson's Cotton Buds! I know it is possible to buy pure acetone which will obviously be more effective, but I don't know where you buy it from so I stuck with your bob-standard nail polish remover.
Then, I simply dipped my hands into the dish and waited. Usually it is recommended you wait 10 minutes but this is with pure acetone, so I waited more 15 or so minutes. Then I used a manicure stick to scrape off the Shellac polish. Most of it came off pretty easily, I did however have to dip some nails back into the dish because there were a few stubborn bits left behind.

Immediately after removal, my nails looked a little damaged and perhaps peeled. But after washing with soap and water normality was restored *phew*. Then, finally, I applied my trusty Soap & Glory Hand Food and my nails were as good as new!

Real Techniques Core Collection Set

Hey guys! I know there are plenty of reviews on these brushes in and amongst the 'beauty blogging world' but I love them so much I feel I have to jump on the bandwagon and tell you guys about them! 

Buffing Brush - who has tried this brush and not completely fallen in love with it? It applies any foundation seamlessly and beautifully, leaving a flawless finish on the skin! It even applies my Clinique Stay Matte Foundation wonderfully, even though this foundation looks awful when applied with a normal foundation brush!

Contour Brush - This brush is the perfect shape for applying bronzer in the contours of the cheeks and it is oh-so-soft. I also find it to be a really good size, not too big nor small.

Pointed Foundation Brush - I have to be honest, I've never ever used this as a foundation brush. Instead, I use it to blend in concealer, both under the eyes and on blemishes. It leaves a flawless finish, blending the concealer into the foundation really well, leaving everything I want covered out of sight for the day!

Detailer Brush - I occasionally use this brush to blend in concealer under my eyes. But also occasionally to apply lipstick or gloss. It's one of those small multi-use brushes that are rather handy to have!

Thank you for reading! What are your thoughts on Real Technique's brushes?

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

Hey guys! For Christmas I was lucky enough to receive Soap & Glory's 'The Best Of All' set. Inside it, amongst many other goodies, was the Sugar Crush Body Scrub - a.k.a heaven inside a tub - I don't even know where to start with this product, it is just amazing! First of all; it smells good enough to eat (although I wouldn't recommend eating this at all). On the front of the tub it tells you some of the lovely ingredients it is made from, which may explain why it smells good enough to eat, but also why it works so well. It contains 'smashed brown sugar & sweet lime, almond oil & macadamia grains'. I've been using this every three or so days in the bath or shower and every time my skin is left feeling like silk (almost literally - I swear). I had been using Soap & Glory 'Pulp Friction' Scrub religiously for the past year or so, but I may even go as far as saying I prefer this scrub now, it's just lovely!

What's your favourite body scrub? Thank you for reading!!

December Favourites & My New Years Resolution!

Hello guys - it's been a while hasn't it?! I'm so sorry that I haven't posted anything in months! But I am back now and I have made it (one of my) New Years Resolutions to start updating my blog once again, at least once a week! I have no idea where last year went, it disappeared so quickly! I can't quite believe this post is my December Favourites.

(Sorry about the terrible picture quality - there wasn't
a whole lot of light left when I took this!)

So, let us begin with the best mascara this world has ever seen! That being Benefit's They're Real Mascara of course! I'm lucky enough to have naturally long eyelashes but this product seems to take that to a whole new level! It's both lengthening and voluminizing, leaving the lashes looking just fluttery and gorgeous!

My next favourite is Rimmel's Kate Moss Lipstick in 107. This colour is just so beautiful and wintery, I have been wearing it almost all the time recently! I do love the matte finish - but I will occasionally wear a little bit of gloss over the top if I don't want the matte finish. The product itself smells - to me - of Cherry Drops, which were my favourite childhood sweet, and that makes me love it even more!

I've also been loving Maybelline's Black Gel Eyeliner this month, I love the black winged liner look and this gel liner makes it so easy! It glides onto the eye wonderfully, and lasts the entire day! I use the little brush the liner came with because I find that works just fine!

Last but not least, is AVON's Advance Techniques Moroccan Argon Hair Oil. Recently my hair has been a little dead and thin from constantly wearing my hair up in a topknot (even my hairdresser noticed - it isn't good!) so I bought this Moroccan Oil because I've heard from numerous people that it does wonders to your hair; and doesn't it just! My hair is already looking a little more alive and healthy, definitely a good purchase! Especially as it only cost me £5.50!


What have your favourites been this month? Thank you for reading!