Beach Beauty Essentials

 

Today is the daaaaay! When you read this I'll be flying out for a summer holiday with the gal pals, and obviously as a beauty blogger I have a few essentials for a holiday in the sun (besides a mojito.)

 

The most important thing in my opinion, above make up, is a summer fragrance - having a special scent for an event creates a memory that can be accessed every time you pick up the same fragrance again, and so my favourite perfume for a trip somewhere hot is the 'Sun Kiss' scent from The Body Shop, which comes in a gorgeous ombre bottle and smells pretty and feminine, not sweet or floral but somewhere in between.

 

A nail polish is a clear winner when the sandals are coming out, and I went for this pastel lilac shade from Barry M in the colour 'Berry'. To be honest I think a better name could have been chosen, but I still love it all the same. The other essential other than make up is a selection of travel size minis of your go-to products; my Mum picked me up this adorable little Garnier Micellar Water to take away with me, and I've got some other mini products like a Simple face wash and some Colgate toothpaste.

 

 

Make up wise, I'm skipping the foundation - although I'll be going out at night I don't think the 'sliding off your face' look is so hot around here. I am taking a concealer with me however, and an absolute essential in my opinion is to pick up a slightly darker shade for the nights when a tan is starting to develop - the perfect shade for my skin when it gets a tan is the Lasting Perfection concealer in the warmer colours. I'm taking my beloved TooFaced Chocolate Soleil bronzer with me, as the warm brown is perfect for a holiday bronze, but I have to admit I am terrified of packing this on the odd chance it gets smashed or my case gets lost (is that irrational??)

 

As for highlight, which just can't be left back at home in England, I'm thinking that Sun Beam by Benefit is definitely the way to go. Its a gorgeous golden shimmer that I think will look amazing with a tan, and its a product with staying power, and one that doesn't need to be layered with another highlight, which is obviously a bonus when trying to pack as light as you can.

 

I bet you were expecting me to recommend a trusty waterproof mascara here weren't you? I'm sorry but nothing makes me want to whack on a product that involves the ripping out of lashes to take off. I can't get on board with waterproof mascara - its so stubborn! I'd rather have naked lashes at the pool thank you, so instead I'm taking my trusty Push Up Glamour by Bourjois for the evenings. Nothing makes my lashes pop more than this beauty. Last but not least, I'm turning to gloss for lip products, since it would look rather odd to skimp on face products and then layer on the lippie. My favourite for the summertime is Hoola by Benefit, but I'm sure a couple of NYX Butter Glosses will slip into my carry on, as always.

 

What are your essentials for travelling to a hot destination for a holiday on the beach?

 

A Boots Haul For Y'all

 

Hi guys,

I realise I've been completely MIA this past month! Its been a shock to the system how tough the exam period was, but now its over and I'm so glad to be getting my blog back on track. This post was meant to go up weeks ago, but I accidentally posted it on bloglovin before it was written up, and you know how annoying it is to try and get a post taken down from your BL page (although, they've just enabled a feature so you can do it yourself, Hallelujah). So this is take two of my boots haul; I didn't want to abandon it completely since I'm quite fond of these photos!

 

The Barry M Strobe Cream highlight is something I knew I had to pick up when I saw it on other blogs - I'm a complete sucker for a new highlight, particularly a cream, and this product has not disappointed me at all. I got the shade 'Iced Bronze' and although its a different tone to High Beam by Benefit, the two look amazing layered together, creating a gorgeous glow that could pretty much be seen from space. I also grabbed the Brow Kit from the Barry M stand, since I've been investing in a few more brow products recently; this shade is perfect for a brunette, and I particularly love the wax to set the brows in shape (I've been complimented on my brows by my Grandma since I started using this, and I think if your grandparents approve, its all good.) 

 

The Colour Elixir Glosses from Max Factor are something I've had my eye on for a while, the packaging is beautiful and the shade range is pretty darn good for a drugstore variety. I won't go into too much detail since I've got a separate post coming up based on these, but the two shades I picked up were 'Lustrous Sands' and 'Glossy Toffee'. The second I actually got in a free set when you spent over £15, and I also got this Eye Luminizer product, which I've got to be honest, I haven't yet tried! (But I probably should - if there's one product I need following exams, its an eye brightener to fix those dark circles.) The last thing I picked up from the stand was the 'Crème Puff' powder in Transparent, which I don't have a photo of but is pretty much your average face powder - I can't say I'm a huge fan of the powder as it smells a bit odd, but that's probably because I'm such a devoted fan of the Rimmel Translucent powder.

 

Now obviously if your local Boots has acquired a NYX stand, it would be rude not to have a look and pick up a couple of bits (I've since purchased five more items, actually help me). I absolutely adore the Butter Glosses, so I got the shade 'Fortune Cookie', and I picked up the powder blush in Taupe, which works wonders as a cool toned contour powder for my especially pale days. I think NYX is my favourite stand in the shop now, you can't beat the quality for the prices and I feel just as satisfied buying a new Butter Gloss as I do splashing out on a Benefit gloss.

 

What have you been buying lately? I'm so happy to be back!

 

May Update

 

We'll just gloss over the fact that May is practically over. I haven't done a chatty post in absolutely ages, and I thought one was needed so I can explain all that is going on and why it might effect my blog.

 

May and June are always the busiest months, but this year I'm taking my A2 exams to get into university, so any procrastinating and blogging comes at a higher price. The grades for Leeds are (to me) quite high, so I've been working extra hard all year and I don't want to let it slip now. For that reason, I think for the next month I'll move down to one post a week, on a Wednesday with a bonus post if that's possible. Blogging is my escape, but I don't want to see it becoming my life ring if I fail my exams! I don't want to post mediocre content for the sake of posting; I was ridiculously proud of last weeks MAC lipstick collection, but that took me over three hours and I don't have six hours a week at the moment to dedicate to my camera. For anyone else taking A Levels, I'm chucking a ton of good luck your way. I'm hoping I might be able to resume some sort of life after these exams are done.

 

Two days ago I 'officially' left sixth form, and its nostalgic and sad, but for the most part, I'm just excited for the experiences ahead. We went to a lovely restaurant in Liverpool and then out for drinks, cocktails and a night out (although we had the sad experience of ordering pizza to our hotel room and it never showing up - just think about that situation for a second, RIP pizza). I thought I'd post a few pictures from the night, since for all intents and purposes it was our version of a 'prom', so everyone got dressed up to the nines. If anyone was wondering, my black jumpsuit is from River Island, and my heels and clutch are from good ol' New Look.

 

In 11 days its also my first Anniversary with Harry, which is crazy - I would say its been a struggle, but its been as easy as breathing. Don't worry, I won't do a soppy blog post about it (although there may have to be a soppy instagram #noregrets). It's nice to know that I have someone always supporting me, even when I'm not my own biggest cheerleader.

 

What's been going on in your life?

 

P.S. Does anyone object to two hauls in the next few weeks? I ran a poll and it seems like people wanted to see all the Summer clothes I've been buying - but I've also bought a TON of drugstore make up recently. Let me know!

MAC Lipstick Collection

 

At what point do you even start considering your MAC stash as a collection? I just don't know. What I do know is that for now, I'm happy with the selection of MAC lippies I have in my organiser; there won't be more additions any time soon, so now seems like as perfect time as any to write about them. I only own six (which is ridiculously small compared to some collections) but that means I use all of them regularly, which works out as a good investment. If you're looking for some recommendations of neons and bold shades then you won't find them here, eek! For the most part I focus on the nude shades, since they're the colours I gravitate to most.

 

 



Left to right: Yash, Mehr, Spirit, Patisserie, Whirl, Stone.

 

I thought I'd talk about the lipsticks in the order that I bought them - a couple of years ago after my sixteenth birthday I purchased my first high end products, including Mehr, which is a matte lipstick (almost all of these are matte) in a deep pink shade. It has a nude undertone to it, which is why I love it as I don't usually go for pinks. One thing I will say is that, as with all the matte products, I find them a bit drying without lip balm underneath, but if you make sure to hydrate your lips then you're good to go, and Mehr is a beautiful Spring shade to brighten up an outfit or make up look.

 

When I visited Cambridge my Dad let me pick out a lipstick as a Souvenir (that's how you know you're a beauty blogger - souvenirs start to become make up items and not snow globes and keychains), and I chose Spirit, the prettiest brown nude that I've found. It's my go-to for nights out because its long lasting and wine-proof, and I feel like its so underrated, in my opinion this is much more of a classic shade than Velvet Teddy, which to be honest doesn't really sit well on my lips when I've swatched it in the store.

 

My third shade was bought for me by Harry in London; I'd literally been coveting Whirl for months on end until I think he got bored of me searching for swatches on Pinterest. Whirl is most similar to Spirit, its just a little bit of a deeper colour, with red undertones. This is probably the closet I usually get to a red lip, since I haven't yet found my forever red. The lippie I went for after Whirl was Stone, the boldest in my collection as a dark grey lip shade that made my Mum freak out a bit (and I won't lie, me as well!) Its a gorgeous colour, and even though I might be too scared to wear it too much yet, one day I'll conquer it. After taking these photos I actually dropped Stone and smushed it...moment of silence please.

 

Yash is my go-to everyday shade, a nude-beige that gives a put together look to any outfit, and out of all of these matte shades sits the best with no drying out. If I was to recommend a first MAC lipstick to anyone, especially a matte one, it would definitely be Yash - although Spirit is my forever love, Yash is so subtle that if you're a bit wary and want to play it safe but still pretty, its the right pick.

 

My final lipstick was given to me by my little Sister for Christmas, and is my first non-matte formula. Patisserie (I squeal every time at the cuteness of that name) is a pink lustre finish, and if I do splash out again on one of these lipsticks then I know it will have to be of this finish - I love it so much! The coverage is more sheer, and this shade is the 'your lips but better' colour that almost appears like a gloss or a pigmented tinted balm. For me this is a staple, since it isn't at all drying and good for days when I'm hardly wearing any make up.  



 

 

Left to right: Patisserie, Yash, Mehr, Spirit, Whirl, Stone.

 

What would you suggest would fit in next with my other shades? And what's your all time favourite from MAC?

Feeling Healthier, Inside and Out

Hey guys!

I've been wanting to talk about this for a while, but since health can be such a fragile and influential issue I'm a bit wary of the whole situation. In the past couple of months I've started consciously thinking about all aspects of health in a way different than I have done in the past, and the whole process has got me to a happy place, and one which I feel comfortable with. I thought I'd fill you in on the steps I've taken to becoming healthier, and why they've been a huge help. Obviously healthy living means something different to everyone, but if you're needing a bit of inspiration to feel better inside and out, then have a read of this post and see what you think!

 

Exercise

About two months ago I decided to start exercising my body. It's not something I've ever been committed to before, and I didn't do it to lose weight, because I don't feel that (besides strengthening my muscles) I need to lose weight. More than anything, starting to exercise has given me a way to work off exam stress and stop worrying for an hour of my life. I started out by running, but soon realised that that wasn't for me at all, so I picked up Charlotte Crosby's DVD and I absolutely love and would swear by it. It's a very intense workout, but you pick the duration of it and fit it into your routines however it suits you. I know people are constantly bashing celebrity DVDs, but the way I see it, exercise is exercise, and I like this workout and know that it works for me. I do this every other day (the night before a hair wash if you're interested) and as well as already seeing the difference that it makes, I feel a lot better about myself now that I'm doing something productive.

 

Healthy Eating

For a lot of people, healthy eating means cutting out food or carbs, but I can't stress enough how much I am not on board with that line of thinking. Fair enough if it works for you, but I don't want anyone to leave this post thinking they can never eat bread again - this mind set is one that has made me unhealthy in the past. It's taken me a long time to realise that the answer (for me) to eating relatively healthily, is to find a good balance and perhaps substitute a couple of items to get the vitamins and nutrients that you need.

I thought I'd give you a day in the diet of myself, if I'm making my own meals (and if it isn't pizza day obviously):

• Breakfast: A smoothie containing one banana, 3 tablespoons of oats, a teaspoon of peanut butter and a small glass of milk, and one piece of wholemeal toast.
• Lunch: some Ainsley Harriott instant couscous (omg try it its the bomb dot com) and a sprinkling of feta cheese, with an apple.
• Dinner: 80g of brown rice with stir fried red pepper, onion and sugarsnap peas, with soy sauce and chilli sauce. A chocolate treat for dessert - my favourite is the Cadburys chocolate yogurts or a choc chip cookie!
• Snacks: Usually a granola bar in the morning.

I can't cut out all my sugary treats, and I don't think having a balanced diet means that you should have to. I get 'shaky legs' when I don't eat enough, so I never skip a meal or eat ridiculously tiny amounts - I'd probably pass out! This is the part of the post I was most worried about writing; don't feel in any way that you have to alter your diet if you feel happy as you are. Beauty is not based on what you eat.

 

Other bits and bobs

I think healthy living is down to so much more than food and exercise. For me, its about surrounding myself with people who support me, drinking a whole lot of water, and getting to sleep at a reasonable time. During the exam season, its so important to try and think positively, so I'm making a conscious effort to take a day at a time and remind myself of everything to be happy about. Going make up free most days is also doing me a world of good in regards to confidence and feeling comfortable.

 

This is my current recipe for my own mental and physical health, but I'm not an expert! What do you do to give yourself a boost of happiness?

 

P.S. I just thought of another thing which settles my mind! Organisation is my personal route to mental satisfaction, writing down my worries and making to-do lists settles my nerves like nothing else.

 

Luxury Bronzers || My Top Picks

 

I've always said that one product I'm prepared to splash out the cash and go high end with is Bronzer - its a product I rely on a lot in my daily routine, and I've found that the formulas and shades I prefer tend to be on the luxury end of the scale. I thought I'd share with you guys my top three favourite picks that I would rush to buy again, because these products are definitely some that you need to add to your collection.

 

Okay so anyone that's been reading for a while will know that my literal holy grail product is NARS Laguna. Its a cult classic and its obviously that for a reason; its amazing. This for me is the perfect bronze shade, a balance between warm and cool toned (a neutral if you will), with a slight shimmer to give that glow effect. I will admit that £27.50 is a lot to pay for a product, but I find this one, which was actually my first ever high end purchase, it completely worth the money. It works well when I'm tanned or when I'm pale, and has such a beautiful formula that makes it simple to blend out with a fluffy brush. As you can see, I've sadly hit pan on this bronzer (which is why I've bought others to be getting on with) so currently I'm only cracking out this bad boy when its a special occasion.  

 

 

A bronzing product I've been using non stop this month is the MAC Powder Blush in 'Harmony', despite the fact that I'm using it for contour instead of a blush (I actually think this is way too brown toned to be a blush) - its much more matte than Laguna so lacks that shimmer, but is the ideal cool toned bronze for when my skin is at its palest. I've been skipping the foundation every day for the last few months and I've found that this bronzer goes on perfectly despite the lack of base, and has a natural look and that be built up or dressed down. For a quality, long lasting product, I don't think the price of this (£18.50) is bad at all - if you have dark hair I think this looks especially lovely, although to be honest this looks good on all the tutorials I've watched that include it.



 

The final bronze I would recommend is my least used, but that's mainly because its a very new addition. I wanted a warm bronzer for Summer, and this one is ideal. First of all, Holy Moly the smell - the TooFaced Chocolate Soleil has the best chocolate scent I've ever experienced with make up. My Mum literally walked into the room when I was taking these photos and asked what chocolate I'd been eating. This one is £25, has a slight shimmer (but less than Laguna) and is a gorgeous warm bronzer that looks particularly pretty around the hairline to give a healthy glow. The gold packaging on this is what drew me in, TooFaced win every time with packaging! What I will say with warning is that a little goes a long way with this, Harmony is a product that needs building up, but I find that with this I use a tiny bit and make sure to tap the excess off my brush. All in all though, this is a great summer bronze (if you want an everyday bronze for paler skin then they do a 'milk' chocolate bronze with is more on the cool end of the spectrum) and is from a cruelty free brand, which I do value and is something I'm beginning to consider more when I purchase.

 

What's your favourite bronze, and have you tried any of these?

 

Building a Travel Scrapbook

 

Scrapbooking is something I've wanted to get into for years - when I was in primary school, one of my favourite pastimes was card-making (I know, you can laugh), so I've accumulated a lot of bits and bobs that would make a scrapbook come to life. I think the whole scrapbook scenario can be quite daunting when you don't have a specific topic and you're faced with mountains of polaroids and no theme to sort them into, so when I received this beautiful travel book from my friend Hannah for my 18th, I was determined to finally put into action something I've wanted to do for a while.

 

The scrapbook is honestly such an amazing gift to give someone who enjoys city breaks and has a sentimental streak - if you want to check out the book that I was given and others as well, check the link here.  You could even make one for your significant other and surprise them with a lasting memory of all your adventures together.



 

 

Until I go on more trips with Harry, this book will remain quite empty, but I thought I'd show you my progress with the first double spread about Amsterdam (I did a full post on Amsterdam back in February.) Although this book is specifically just for photos, I had a few tickets and tokens that I thought would look perfect to layer it all up and create that scrapbook vibe. On the first page I placed the Anne Frank House ticket, a tram and bus ticket that got us through the trip, a polaroid taken at our favourite spot and a cut out of a little paper bag that we bought souvenirs in. On the other side of the double page I stuck a train ticket from the airport, a postcard I picked up whilst drinking cocktails in the Hard Rock Café, another polaroid and a 50 cent coin that I had left over from the trip. I layered up the pages with coloured card and patterned paper, and used ribbons and buttons to make the whole thing a bit more mismatched and loved. 

 

 

 

I'm over the moon with how these pages turned out, and can't wait to add to the book in years to come (I'm hoping that in the next couple of years there will be a page dedicated to Disneyland Paris - fingers crossed!) A scrapbook is such a beautiful way to display memories, instead of shoving everything into a drawer and forgetting it was ever there. When you go to a lot of different cities you forget the little memories about each specific one, so its nice to have a constant reminder of all the small things.

 

What would you scrapbook about?

 

P.S. I'm sorry for being MIA lately, A Levels are rapidly approaching and I'm finding it so difficult to keep up with social media. If you're sitting exams like me, I wish you the very best of luck - you got this!