My Current Skincare Routine - Extremely Dry Skin

In recent years I have definitely neglected my skin as using makeup wipes became a consistent habit. However the past few months my foundation has not been looking nice at all due to my extremely dry skin, specifically on my nose. Finally I decided it was time to invest in some products, here is what I bought and what I think of them so far:

No 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm (£9.50) - I popped into Boots the other week and noticed this cleanser however did not pick it up. It played on my mind as it seemed like a great product to improve my skin due to specifically being for dry to very dry skin. It claims to 'cleanse, comfort and hydrate' which I definitely think is try. I apply it just like it says on the bottle, by smoothing it over my skin and remove with a cotton pad. If you are interested in this product then definitely check out the amazing reviews on the Boots website!

Soap and Glory The Greatest Scrub of All (£9) - With a name like this I just had to pick it up. This was primary bought to scrub my very dry nose as that was the area which was most noticeable, even without wearing foundation. I apply this onto a damp face and scrub my nose, forehead and chin for around 30 seconds then remove. It definitely leaves my face feeling a lot smoother and more fresh however, I will only be using this around once a week as it may be a little harsh on my skin if I do it more.

Soap and Glory Beauty Sleep Accelerator (£13) - I bought this in hopes that it would assist the No 7 cleanser in hydrating my skin. Reading the description, this product sounds like an intense moisturiser which is definitely is. It claims that it 'super-hydrating, powerfully rejuvenating, and specially formulated with actives and nutrients that feed and plump your skin while you sleep' which I have found to be true. After applying a tiny amount of this at night, I wake up with wonderfully hydrated skin and my foundation applies significantly better. 

If you are after some more skincare, Boots currently have a 3 for 2 offer which you should definitely take advantage of!

Amazon 'Metal' Makeup Brushes

I used to constantly hint to my boyfriend about buying me the Real Techniques Bold Metals contour brush and I think he got a bit fed up of it. He carried out his own research and found these brushes on Amazon for only £7.80 and with reviews such as 'the perfect dupes', I thought that they were definitely worth a try.

The set contains 3 silver brushes that are primarily for the eyes. The '201 Pointed Crease' brush on the right is perfect for applying a precise crease colour and also blending. In the middle is the '200 Oval Shadow' brush which is good at applying shadow all over the lid and finally the '202 Angled Liner' brush on the left which can be used for either liner or on the eyebrows.

The gold brushes seem to be for face products such as powder or foundation however I have yet to try both. On the left is the '100 Arched Powder' brush which will be good for applying powder all over the face. The brush on the right hand side is called the '101 Triangle Foundation' brush which personally I would use for applying powder under my eyes and not for foundation. 

Finally the rose gold brushes are for applying other face products. The '301 Flat Contour' brush on the right is definitely the one which persuaded me to buy the set. It works well in applying a precise contour as well as blending. On the right is the '300 Tapered Blush' brush which I have yet to use as I do not apply blush.

So overall the brushes are a great deal at £7.80 however I cannot compare to the actual Real Technique ones. The reviews on Amazon are great and state that although the brushes are not as heavy or dense as the originals, they work almost as well. They have not persuaded me to not get the RT contour brush though, that is still definitely on my wishlist!







Have you tried the Real Techniques Bold Metal brushes?

Valentines Date Outfit Ideas

Valentines day is one of my absolute favourite events to dress up for, whether that be hanging with your partner, friends or family. The colour palettes such as pretty pinks or bold reds highly appeals to me and also the feminine silhouettes. I will take any chance to dress up as I do not get to do that often! Here are some outfit ideas that I came up with, my one this year looks much like the fancy dinner one featured here.

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1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1, 2, 3, 4

Have you got any plans for Valentines day?

Maybelline's The Falsies Push Up Drama Mascara

When searching for a new mascara I like looking at what new ones are on offer. Recently I have been sticking to Maybelline's Lash Sensational as it separates the lashs so beautifully however decided that I need to change it up. This particular mascara of Maybelline's caught my eye due to the bright packaging and named The Falsies Pushup Drama, it gave me such high hopes.

As you can guess from the name, this product is meant to boost and volumise your lashes which is definitely something that I need. Lets start with the cons so we can end on a good note shall we? At first the mascara applies really wet which is not the most desired factor however I think over time once it dries out that the product will be better. Due to this and the shorter bristles on the brush, you really have to be careful with how much product is on the brush as it can go on very clumpy. The first time I applied this my lashes were a mess.

Now the major pro of this product is the formula as it is really dark and definitely plumps the lashes (maybe a little too much). To combat this, I found that the mascara works really well when applied then combed through with another clean mascara wand. I use an old Lash Sensational brush which as I mentioned before I love. This separates the lashes so much better while still taking advantage of the amazing formula. 

So overall the brush and wetness of this formula is not the best as when applied the product can go a little clumpy. However the formula is amazing and definitely does what it says on the tin (or tube). It really is worth investing the tiny sum of £7.99 in if you do not mind using an old mascara wand also. However it may dry out over time and apply with the original brush a lot better! If you would like to see this on my lashes then check out my winged liner post.

Have you tried this mascara?

How I Perfect Winged Liner

For years now I have been trying to perfect winged liner and now think that I am finally happy with my results. I know a lot of people will already know this technique but it is surprising how many of my friends say that they have no idea how to do winged liner.. therefore I hope this helps at least one person! 

I used Soap and Glory's Supercat liner for this however I often use gel also, if you would like to see how I do that then just let me know in the comments. 

1. First off I line my top lid with the liner. To do this I just hold the liner horizontally against my lid and glide it all the way across however do it in around 3 parts and not just one big sweep.

2. I then hold the liner from the corner of my water line and point the felt tip towards to the end of my brow. The tip of the liner is pressed down carefully and drawn back to create a line. Using the waterline as a guide works well as it helps create even liner on both eyes.

3. The very tip of the liner is then used to drawn a line from around 3 quarters of the way up the wing to the lid. Make sure this goes downwards and not straight across as that would just not look too great.

4. Finally I make the previous line on my lid thicker to incorporate the wing. This is done by tracing over the liner connecting the wing to the line and continuing it to the inner corner in a downwards motion therefore it gets thinner as it goes on. 

5. Once all of these steps are completed, I then take an angled brush and go over the liner with black powder. This sets the liner into place and also assists any mistakes by creating a soft line to fix it. I also run concealer under the wing to make it look more precise. 

Do you like winged liner?

Lace Up Wishlist

I am sure that we all have noticed the current lace up trend and have to say, I am impressed with what is on offer. An array of items are now available including shorts, shoes, tops and dresses. So many options, so little money! 

This post is not up to my usual standard for my wishlists as my free trial of Photoshop has ran out which makes me really really sad. I definitely think a monthly prescription is on the cards.

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My ultimate favourite item on this wish list are the lovely heels (6). They are the classic black therefore will go with everything however the laces add that something different. In addition to this the block heel looks so comfortable. Another trend that I am really loving right now is culottes therefore the jumpsuit (4) is definitely up my alley. However I just do not know how to pull off such a low front with my not so lovely assets. A more every day item in this list is this lovely cream jumper (5) with tie details up the side. I actually already own this as I could just not pass it up in the shop due to the idea of having lace up but not being revealing really appeals to me.







Do you like this trend?

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade

I have wanted to try the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade since it became so popular with all of the Youtubers and bloggers. The only thing stopping me was choosing a colour over the internet in case I got it wrong which would not be good as the product is £15. Finally I decided to be brave and order it as I really need a new brow product. After numerous hours searching on the internet, I decided on the shade Taupe. I chose this due to the shade being dark enough for definition but light enough for me dying my hair back fully blonde at the end of this month. 

First of all the shade is a lot darker than I thought.. but not in a bad way as I had my reservations that the product would be too light for me because although I am going blonde my brow hairs are still dark. When I first applied this, I have to admit it took me a while. It may be because my brush is not the perfect type to use with this therefore I have ordered another one much like the Zoeva 322 which has short, dense bristles. However once completed my brows did look really good! If you would like to see this applied then check out my go to eye makeup post.

Now onto the pros of this product. Although the pot looks tiny I can tell it will last ages as you only need to use the smallest amount of product. You can also adapt how dark or light you want your brows to be by how much product you put on your brush. This good as during the day I like light brows however for events like to go a little bit more defined. Furthermore the product definitely stays put all day and does not smudge, what more could you want?

Overall this product is great and once I get practice with it, I can tell it will become my holy grail. The £15 price tag seems a little expensive for such a tiny pot but as a little goes a long way, it is definitely worth it. 

Have you tried this product?