MAKEUP FAVOURITES FROM 2017

Is it just me or can no one else believe that 2017 is nearly over?! This year has been pretty incredible for makeup releases and products I have finally tried out but my bank balance simply wouldn't let me try everything I wanted. This post is a round up of some of the products that have really wowed me this year.

RECENT BEAUTY HAUL | CHRISTMAS GIFTS, BLACK FRIDAY BUYS & MORE...

I love reading what others got for Christmas and although there is some controversy over these type of posts and some think they are bragging, I don't at all. I thought I would share some of the lovely gifts I got with some other recent buys in either the sales and Christmas deals there were going on in December. This will probably be the last of my beauty buys for a while as it gets closer to my new house being built and my money will be spent on buying furniture instead of makeup.

DRUGSTORE LIQUID LIPSTICKS

Liquid lipsticks are such a big thing lately and i'm so glad that the drugstore brand are in on that hype. As you can see I have tried my fair share of formulas now so I think I can give a good opinion on these. In terms of liquid lipstick I like a matte finis but one that doesn't dry my lips out lips out like the Sahara desert and won't go patchy.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS | MAKEUP MINIS

I love this time of year for makeup releases as brands tend to bring out mini versions of their bestsellers and you can try a products before committing to a full size. Minis are also great, because if you're like me and have a lot of makeup you rarely finish products before they pass their sell by dates and so minis mean you can use them up quicker and not risk them going stale. This year I have picked up quite a few mini sets and so here is the run down of them.

CURRENT MAKEUP FAVOURITES

I don't do these posts often as I sometimes find myself using the same products over and over when I find favourites. I have added quite a few new bits to my makeup collection recently and some have turned out to be stand out products. This post features some new releases and some old favourites I am rediscovering.

CHRISTMAS PARTY LASHES

Christmas party season is now in full swing and mine is actually tonight so I will probably be wearing a pair of these lashes. I don't have the time to be wearing lashes everyday so it's always nice when I get to dress up and wear a pair. I like to go for ones that aren't too over the time and enhance my natural lashes but also something you can see you're wearing, they also have to have a comfortable lash strip that wont feel heavy or irritate me.

HUDA BEAUTY COLLECTION

My Huda Beauty collection has grown considerable over the past few months as she has brought out so many new releases that really have wowed me. She started out with a line of lashes and if you have ever seen her own you'll understand why she is the queen of lashes, then came the Lip Contours and Liquid Lipsticks and now their is eyeshadow palettes, foundation, primer and highlighting palettes.

CHRISTMAS WISH LIST | BEAUTY & MORE

I have been a little slack on my blog this week due to blog commitments but today i'm back with a new wish list post. With Christmas coming near i've been asked a few times what I would like, with buying a house next year I will be getting some money to buy furniture etc. but there are a few small bits I would like too. Being a beauty addict I mainly ask for yes you guessed it, makeup! but their are some other bits I would like too.

COLOURPOP PALETTES

Colourpop have been absolutely killing it with their new releases lately and their eyeshadow palettes are so amazing and at a really affordbale price point. I did say at one point I would stop ordering from them as I was sick of the customs fees but I really haven't been able to resist. Their eyeshadows palettes are priced between $16 and $26 depending on how many eyeshadows and to me that is amazing as the formula of these is amazing and you get a good amount of eyeshadows.

BIRTHDAY BEAUTY BITS

It's been just over two weeks since my birthday now and this year I got quite a few new beauty bits or I picked myself some up so I thought I would share it all. I have now had chance to try out the products so I can give a review of them at the same time.

WINTER NAIL PICKS

When seasons change my nail colour picks update too and I lean more towards dark shades and a bit of glitter for those christmas parties. With a full time job I struggle to paint my nails as often as I like so longevity is also important when i'm picking a nail polish, so i'll discuss that as well as the shades in todays post.

JACYLN HILL x MORPHE PALETTE

This is probably one of the most hyped up palettes of the year and also extremely hard to get hold of. The collab between Jaclyn Hill and Morphe has been talked about a lot and its initial release in the US sold out instantly as did the one in the UK on beauty Bay. I luckily managed to pick mine up on its Beauty Bay launch, although I did have to sit in a virtual queue.

WEEKEND PAMPER FAVORUITES

Working a full time job means I don't really get time to pamper myself in the week as I often work late or i'm away with work, so a weekend is the time I pamper myself. I love nothing more than relaxing with a film on a treating my skin to a good face mask, or having a long soak in the bath. Other ways I pamper myself are some fake tannings as lets be honest life is better with a tan and to keep my hair looking luscious I'll use a nourishing mask.

BLACK FRIDAY BEAUTY DEALS

Since it's Black Friday tomorrow and the huge shopping sensation has reached the UK I thought I would share some of the deals that will be available in the UK and US deals you can order to the UK. Now that Black Friday has reached the UK massively I tend to go a bit crazy each time and spend a small fortune, this year I will be on the hunt for homewares mostly but I may treat myself to a few small beauty purchases. 

EVERY LIP FORMULA YOU NEED

I swear at the moment there are so many different formulas of lip products around it is hard to know what to choose and whether it will work for you. I am a bit of a lip products addict so have quite a few different formulas and finishes. There are liquids, lipsticks glosses and pencils and every different finish you could ask for. Today i'm sharing some of my favourites and the brands that I love.

NEW IN BEAUTY

My makeup is collection has grown yet again and I have picked up some amazing new bits recently so I thought they were worthy of a post. This time of year is great for makeup release as all the Christmas releases are out and they are either brand new limited edition products or minis so you can try out products before buying the full size.

BERRY PINK MAKEUP

Although this season is all about those plum and red shades I'm not always brave enough to wear something like that and find that berry pink is more of a me shade. In todays post I will feature lots of lovely berry shades in lipstick, nail polish, blusher and eyeshadows. I find this shade so easy to wear and it can either been worn naturally for an everyday look or enhanced with a smokey eye for a night out.

LIQUID EYESHADOWS

A shimmer eyeshadow is my favourite look and especially this time of year, with christmas parties you can't go wrong with a shimmer look. I have found you can get much more of an impact with a liquid eye product as it lasts long and the shimmer appears more intense. So todays post is me sharing some of my favourite cream/liquid eyeshadow products.

DRUGSTORE MAKEUP LOOK

It's been a while since I have done a full drugstore makeup look on my blog and since there are so many amazing affordable products out at the moment I thought it was a good time to do one. I am finding so many gems of products in Boots and Superdrug recently and because they are affordable and normally on offer my collection has grown quite a bit. That means that whilst before I wouldn't be able to find every products I need in the drugstore I now can and a full face of makeup is easy and good quality.

MAC SNOWBALL COLLECTION

It's that time of year again and all of this years holiday releases are dripping through and MAC's range is out with it all selling out pretty quick. MAC theme their ranges each year and this is one of the first years myself and i've heard many people say that is is their best yet. It's called the Snowball collection and the packaging is very pretty gold, rose gold and silver snowflake style.

MAYBELLINE X GIGI JETSETTER PALETTE

As soon as I heard Maybelline were releasing a collab with Gigi Hadid I knew it would be a good one. This palette was released about 3 weeks ago in an online exclusive with Boots and it sold out pretty much straight away but I managed to grab it. The rest of the collection is available now from Boots and Superdrug and I'm already eyeing up some of the products.

FULL COVERAGE FOUNDATIONS

Now that we are in full blown winter with the darker nights and cold weather is very much acceptable to wear my most full coverage foundations again. This is a dream for me as I love and need full coverage but in the summer months it can be too much with the heat. Today's post will feature my full coverage collection and my thoughts on them.

THE CHRISTMAS BEAUTY RELEASES YOU NEED

This time of year is great for the beauty world as all of the Christmas released are now out and all my money could disappear on these fabulous products. I love these type of sets as they normally minis of some of their best selling products so you can try them out. Today's post is featuring some of the best ones I have spotted over the past few weeks but the list is really endless of how many amazing releases there are.

PEEL OFF MASKS

I love a good pamper evening with a face mask and a peel off one gives my skin that refreshing feeling. I do sometimes struggle with these masks as my skin can get sensitive when peeling them off but these are great at unclogging pores. Todays post features some I have loves and some not so much.

BIRTHDAY WISHLIST

I love reading peoples wishlist posts and I love writing them even more as I get to dream about all the makeup I would love to have. Today's post is a birthday special as my birthday is in just over 3 weeks and I have also known family before to take note of what I mention in these posts. This post is featuring lots of new releases and Christmas releases from brands.

FRICTION FREE SHAVING | THE MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION YOU NEED*

There are so many monthly subscriptions out lately, from beauty to sweets and even dog food now. However, some can be quite gimmicky and others really are quite useful and this is where Friction Free Shaving (FFS) come in. I think everyone is guilty of using a razor for way longer than they should, I know I certainly have used one until it pretty much doesn't shave anything any more.

CARING FOR BLONDE HAIR

I did a similar post to this last year (here) but I thought it was time for a refresher as I'm always discovering products to help keep my coloured hair in good condition. Now that my hair is ombre it isn't such an issue for me to have it done as often which i've found has kept it in better condition as bleach isn't on it as often. There is also the bonus of no concealing dark roots, however, I still need to use blonde treatments to mend my broken strands and keep the blonde looking as good as possible.

AUTUMNAL LIQUID LIPSTICKS

Autumn is probably one of my favourite seasons for lipsticks as I love all of the autumnal shades and paring them with outfits. Instead of lipsticks I thought I would solely do liquid lipsticks as they are massive at the moment and everyone loves them. I probably favour liquid lipsticks over actual lipsticks as long as they don't dry my lips out too much or end up looking patchy, so I'll be talking about that in todays post.

TARTE MAKEUP COLLECTION

Tarte is definitely becoming one of my favourite brands and considering I only picked up some products last year I have amassed quite a collection. One of the best things about them is that they are now available on QVC and they often have deals where you get 4/5 products for an amazing price, which is how my collection has grown so fast.

THE PRODUCTS YOU NEED TO TRY FROM THE BODY SHOP

The Body Shop have definitely upped their game over the last few years and some of their new launches are amazing. Years ago I use to love going in there and picking up the body butters and sprays in different scents but now their skincare range is incredible and the makeup products are really wowing me. I guess one of the biggest selling points is that they are cruelty free and since lots of people are turning in that direction you have lots of amazing products to choose from. Todays post is about the products I would recommend you go and try.

3INA | THE BRAND YOU NEED TO TRY

3ina is a relatively new brand to me and I only heard about them about 6 months ago. I did think they were mainly brightly coloured makeup and colours that you couldnt really wear on a daily basis but I have no discovered they have some lovely bits and they are super affordable too.

LIQUID GLOW PRODUCTS

I'm obsessed with glowing skin and can't leave the house without some highlight. I normally favour a powder highlight but more and more I'm liking a liquid highlight and loved them on holiday for a dewy look. In terms of liquid glow products I like both subtle ones that can be used all over the face or more intense ones that are highlighters.

DRUGSTORE FOUNDATIONS | THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

I have picked up quite a few new drug store foundations lately and they are bringing out lots of new ones that definitely rival more expensive ones. I did used to struggle finding affordable foundations that covered everything I wanted but in today’s post there are some absolute gems that have wowed me and will be definite repurchases.

BEACH HOLIDAY MAKEUP BAG

So as you're reading this I will have just arrived in Mexico for a week of relaxing and drinking cocktails. My holiday makeup bag is quite important and always a tough choice about what products to take. Since the weather in Mexicos is going to be very hot my makeup picks will be quite simple and a natural glowing look.

GO TO BROW PRODUCTS

Brows are one of the most important parts of my makeup routine, if not the most. I find having my brows filled in really helps shape my face and I feel weird leaving the house without them. Because of this it is important I find the perfect brow products and thats what todays post is all about.

HOLIDAY LIP PICKS

You might have seen on my Twitter that I'm heading to Mexico on Friday and I couldn't be more excited, it feels like forever since i've been on holiday and so I can't wait to relax for a week. Heading to a warmer climate means I can bring out my summer lip shades again and these will all be heading to Mexico with me.

AUTUMNAL EYESHADOW PALETTES #2

I did a similar post to this last year but thought it was worth doing again as I have added lots more autumnal palettes to my collection and they will be used a lot over the coming months. You can probably sense from the photo that warm brows, golds and bronzes are my eyeshadow picks for this season.

GOLDEN GLOW PRODUCTS

Highlights are probably one of my biggest obsessions and a golden glow is a go to look. Although summer is ending and i'll be swapping a bronzed look for paler skin a golden highlighter is always a favourite for me. Today's post features all of those products I use for creating that bronzed goddess look and lots of these will be taken to Mexico with me to use with my tanned skin.

DRUGSTORE HAUL

I love a good drugstore haul and I don't tend to get the guilt like you can when you buy something more expensive, although what I spend would probably buy a few higher end products anyway. Superdrug and Boots have had quite a few good deals on at the moment so I have picked up quite a few new releases.

JUVIAS PLACE PALETTES

Juvia's Place is a brand I have only recently become aware of after seeing it on Instagram and then Beauty Bay launched the collection on their site. The brand is known for rich, vibrant colours that can instantly transport you to the Caribbean. The eyeshadow palettes were what stood out to me as some of the colours were unlike anything I had owned before. 

BICESTER VILLAGE BEAUTY HAUL

Bicester Village is one of my favourite places to visit for a bargain and whilst most people head there to pick up a discounted designed bag or a pari of shoes, one of my favourite shops it the Cosmetics Company Store. I am sure these are all over the country in different outlet places but i've only been to the Bicester one and it always have an amazing selection of discounts makeup, perfume, skincare and haircare. So here are just a few bits I picked up on my last visit.

BRAND FOCUS | BENEFIT

Today's post is another in my brand focus series and this one is from one of my all time favourite brands - Benefit. I always remember Benefit being one of the first higher end brands I had makeup from and I got their They're Real Mascara in the airport and was amazing at what it was like. Recently they seem to be relaunching a lot of old favourites into new packaging and bring out other new products.

COLOURPOP EYESHADOW COLLECTION

Colourpop have become one of my favourite brands lately and their eye products are absolutely killing. I was a big fan of their Super Shock Shadows but their single pans and new palettes are so amazing and so affordable, so I thought it was time I shared my rather large collection.

SUMMER FAVOURITES

I used to do a favourites post every month but the past few just haven't seem to have happened, mainly because I have been so busy lately I just haven't been on top of my blogging and also I found that finding lots of favourites every month was hard. Instead I have decided to do a summer round up post as it seems like summer is officially over and I thought it was time to share the products I have loved over the last few months.

THROWBACK THURSDAY WITH SO...?

The beauty regime of my teenage years was filled with dream matte mousse, blue eyeshadow, Babyliss Crazy Braider and of course So...? body sprays. I think they were the epitome of everything who was a teenager from 2005-2010, however, they have no relaunched with a much more grown up and wearable range. The have launched body sprays, perfumes and dry shampoo, which is all still as affordable as the old range was.

COLOURPOP HAUL

Colourpop are really nailing it with their launches lately, this year they have bought out single pan eyeshadows, powder highlighters and bronzers, concealers and eyeshadow palettes. As much as I hate ordering from America and the customs fees, I just can't resist these new released and I have places a few orders recently. 

WEDDING GUEST MAKEUP

With the weather we are having at the moment it seems summer is pretty much over and so wedding season would be over too, however, obviously weddings are all year round. I attended my first wedding last Friday and so I thought I could share the makeup I picked for the day. For a wedding I try to pick looks that would match what i'm wearing and for this one I wore a yellow floral dress so went for a glowing golden look.

MAKEUP WISHLIST

It's actually been ages since I last did a proper beauty wishlist post so I thought it was about time. I always have wish lists of makeup and baskets full online just waiting to be purchased. One think I tend to so is write a list of everything i'm lusting over and then if I deserve a treat i'll pick something off the list and go for it, however, impulse purchases do happen often.

GLOW GIVING MAKEUP

So it seems like summer is pretty much over and it may seem like it's the time for berry lips and autumnal eye looks. However, no matter what time of year it is I always love a glowing makeup look. I mention it all the time but highlighter is definitely my favourite beauty product, I own way too many and there are always new ones I need. Other glow giving products I love are an illuminating primer, glowing foundation and highlighting concealers.

NEW IN | SKINCARE

I recently did a post about the new in makeup products I had and now its time for skincare. I tend to stick to favourites on skincare but I still love trying new products and especially ones that have some interesting claims. Todays post features both products I have bought and ones I have kindly been gifted, there are stand out products and some that didn't impress me that much.