Brands I Want To Try in 2017

Long time, no see! I have been essentially buried under uni deadlines so I do apologise for leaving this place rather abandoned but hopefully I should be back posting again more regularly *fingers crossed* Anyway we may be in March already but I am still talking about the fact that it is 2017! Being a beauty hoarder enthusiast, I am always looking at new products and brands to try. Despite trying so many products, there is still plenty of brands that I am desperate to try out so I thought I would share what is next on my wishlist…

Estee Lauder 

Estee Lauder is such a classic beauty brand yet their makeup line has always seemed to be under my radar. They have so many classic cult products including the ever so popular Double Wear foundation, yet I am still yet to delve into the brand. I have actually already made a purchase, being the Double Wear Brush-On Glow BB Highlighter so this brand will quickly be ticked off my list. However, there is still many products I would love to get my hands on!

Products to try: Double Wear Light Foundation, Pure Colour Envy Sculpting Lipstick, Pure Colour Envy Blush (ooo that ombre!) and DayWear BB creme.

Tom Ford 

If there is one beauty brand I’ve been desperate to try for far too long it is Tom Ford. I mean who wouldn’t want one of those luxurious products in their stash!? The entire range from packaging to colour range is stunning although does come with a very steep price tag which is the main reason I haven’t caved yet! However, there is just far too many positive reviews on the brand and a tube of TF lippy would really look the part on my dressing table…

Products to try: Matte Lip Colour, Eye Colour Quad (Nude Dip looks gorgeous!) and Nail Lacquer (African Violet is top of the wishlist!)

Giorgio Armani 

Another luxurious brand that I have heard so much about is Armani. Again the range simply looks the part as you would expect from the luxury brand. They also have a great range of unique products that could certainly be welcomed into my makeup collection. Again their products are pricey but the brand always appear to have nailed it on quality!

Products to try: Eye Tint, Lip Magnet, Lip Maestro, and Power Fabric foundation.

Dior

There seems to be a luxury theme to this list, apologies, I really am the worst influence on my bank account! Again I’ve heard so much about the amazing Dior makeup range yet I still have not managed to try anything out! Their products are also gorgeous to look at which is always nice! From their bases to their lip collection, there is so many hyped cult products that I just need to get my hands on!

Products to try: Addict Lip Glow, Creme De Rose Lip Balm, Nude BB Cream and Star Fluid foundation.

What brands would you like to try?

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Blogging Goals 2017

I’ve already shared my 2017 goals on the blog but I thought it would be nice to share some of the blogging related goals that I hope to achieve this year. It’s crazy to think another year of blogging has went and by the end of this month it will be my 7th blogging anniversary! Say whaaat!? 2016 saw a lot of change around my blog and I felt like as my interests changed and grew, I created more content that I felt happy with. As my blog generally improved, I also got the chance to work with some amazing brands too! So here is to another year of blogging and hopefully an even better year! So this is what I would love to have checked off my list by this time next year…

1. Improve my photography – My photography has already improved massively in the last couple of years, I mean just look at some of my older posts (apologies in advance if you do!). Photography is one of my favourite things about blogging and I’ve learnt so much from being the one behind the camera to also being exposed to the various photography styles used by different bloggers. I’ve grown a little tired of having the same old flat-lay, I want to experiment a little more in adopting different styles but also making my basic flat-lay a lot less basic!
2. Get more use out of social media – Social media is such an important tool for bloggers and I definitely want to make more use out of it. As well as promoting posts on Twitter and Pinterest, I want to add more additional content particularly on Instagram! I hope that I can get more active and also get more chatty as I know there is a wide range of bloggers about!
3. Update my blog design – I changed my blog about a couple of years ago and I still love the way it looks! Although there is some aspects that could do with updating to make it even better. I may also go down the line of upgrading my WordPress? Who knows but hopefully I will be very happy with the look of my blog this time next year!
4. Branch out into other content – Beauty is obviously one of the main focuses on this blog however I have so many other interests that don’t get as much air time. Style in particular is an area I would love to chat more about, especially since it is the reason I started this blog in the first place! Hopefully along with my first goal of photography, I will be able to better capture style and clothing photos as it is something I do struggle with! I also want to up my lifestyle and food related posts, I spoke a bit about my change in eating a few times so I would love to being share more on that!

What are your goals for the year?

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December Favourites

2016 may be so last year but before we get too focused on the excitement of the new year, it is time to go back and look at my favourites from the month of December. From a month of constant festivities, expect a lot of glitter…

Starting with the more sparkly additions in my stash lately that have been the front of my makeup routine in December, Mac pigments are always my favourite products to bring out for any sort of party season! I am always super excited about the limited edition Mac holiday pigment sets that are released each year and this year was no different. this time around I picked up the Bronze set. The set includes three pigments and one glitter in a range of gorgeous bronze-y shades. They create such an impact on the eyes and have such a gorgeous finish. My favourites are Stardream, and Handsome Prince. For Christmas, I also I added to my pigment collection with the addition of Kitschmas which is totally different to anything else I own. It is a gorgeous pearly shimmering pink! Only a recent addition but still one I am already loving!

Continuing with eye makeup, there has also been a new mascara love recently! To help achieve thick voluminous lashes perfect for the party season, Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Lashes has proved to be a winner. This mascara is responsible for creating a full on look of thickened and lengthened lashes! The only issue with this mascara is that as the formula is pretty wet it does smudge easy which is a pain but the impact it creates makes it worth it!

To create the ultimate party look, I can’t be without a good highlight. Becca is my go-to highlighter brand and I knew before trying the Moonstone Shimmering Skin Perfector that I would love it and of course I did! I love liquid highlighters as they create such a gorgeous natural but glowy look. This shade works perfectly too with my pale skin!

On to lip products, I was super excited to see that Jeffree Star is now stocked on Beauty Bay making it really accessible in the UK! I picked up two of the liquid lipsticks in the shades Doll Parts and Gemini. The two shades are so gorgeous and super wearable, Doll Parts in particular is a shade I’ve wanted for so long. The formula is also easy and comfortable to wear! The shade range for the collection is impressive so these definitely won’t be my last liquid lipsticks from the brand!

Lastly, I mentioned this in my Beauty discoveries from 2016 post here, which already says a lot about this product! It is of course the By Terry Baume De Rose Lip Gloss. I wanted to try this for the longest time and I am now so happy I have. It is such a lovely moisturising balm with a pretty light pink sheen. The perfect no-makeup makeup!

What beauty products have you been loving lately?

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2017 Goals and 2016 Reflection

Happy New Year and Hello 2017! What better way to start 2017 than the clichéd New Years Resolutions! Whilst some people will roll their eyes, I personally love setting goals for myself. It can be so motivating having something in mind to achieve and of course it’s incredibly rewarding to have a successful end result! So I thought I would share some of my personal goals for the year ahead as well as looking back at my goals from 2016 to see how I got on!

2016 Reflection 

It seems like quite the trend to simply hate on 2016. Whilst a lot of tragedy took place over the year across the world, personally 2016 was a decent and mostly successful year for myself.  I made four goals for myself in 2016 which you can recap on here. The first one related to improving my blog. Now if you look at last years post and compare the photo from last year to now, I think you can tell that there has been some large improvements! My photography has improved massively, as well as changing up what I blog about which has definitely improved the quality of my posts. Connecting with others on social media has been rather slow however and this is still something to work on! I am going to do a separate post on blogging goals for 2017 so keep your eye out!

I also spoke about adopting a healthier lifestyle. I have been really happy with my success on this goal. Snacking has always been a big issue of mine and I’ve really curbed my sugar appetite! I’ve learnt a lot about healthy eating and even trying out new recipes and cookbooks this year. On the fitness side of things, I still continue doing yoga and I also took up a bit of running over the Summer. I could definitely have improved my fitness from the year but I am still happy with my progress and I am also over a stone lighter than I was in Summer 2016!

Also, one of my goals was to invest properly in my wardrobe and have a good clear out essentially starting fresh! I really wish I took a picture of my wardrobe then and now as it has changed so much! This time last year it was full of unworn and unwanted clothes and now I have so much space as well as a wardrobe filled with some really great pieces. Whilst there is still a bit more cutting down that can be done, I am really happy about how it is looking now. Speaking of wardrobe revamping, Farfetch have created a swishy Capsule Wardrobe Generator which can help give you a little inspiration for giving your wardrobe a revamp for 2017. There is already so many beautiful pieces I am dreaming about…, check it out here!

Finally, my last goal for 2016 was to save regularly. When I look at my spending from the last month, I am starting to wince now at the thought of this goal! Nevertheless, I started the year off pretty well taking a note of everything I wanted to buy from the month and how much it would cost. I also saved a good bit too and put money towards things I had always wanted. I could’ve been stricter but I am still feeling positive about this goal!

2017 Goals 

Now onto what I want to achieve this year…

1. Invest in body-care – A couple of years ago I really wanted to get into a regular skincare routine and since then I can’t go a day without. Now I really want to spend more time and efforts into maintaining good body-care. It is easy to focus on cleansing your face etc. but when it comes to body care and looking after the rest of us, it can easily be neglected. I want to keep up with regular moisturising ensuring my limbs are as cared for as my face!
2. Continue a healthier lifestyle – I already spoke about my progress from 2016 and I want to continue finding new recipes, eating better and also even trying to do a little exercise now and again!
3. Spend more wisely – I love buying clothes and makeup as I am sure you all know! Although I want to be more stricter about dropping money on more things every now and again. I already have so much makeup that I would love to use up rather than continuously buying more! I have a few ‘treat-yo-self’ or spendy purchases I would like to get this year so I am hoping I can cut out on regularly unnecessary spending and save regularly!
4. Have fun – I’m still young and whilst I have many things going on, I still have time to do whatever. Instead of wasting that time away, I want to properly cherish it and use it properly. See my friends, go out and do something new or even just watch a movie that I’ve been desperate to see for a long time! Why sit sulking when you can do something enjoyable!

 

What are your 2017 goals?

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Life Lately #12

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas! It is crazy to think it’s been and gone already but I still count the time being as the Christmas period and of course we all still have New Years to look forward to! So on that note, Happy New Year when it comes as this will be my last post of 2016! How crazy!

Life

This month has been pretty crazy, and not just because of the build up to Christmas. I finished my semester at uni which of course meant exams. I spent the first half of December in exam mode which as you can imagine wasn’t the most exciting way to spend the start of the festive month! Obviously though the feeling of getting exams out the way and looking forward to Christmas was indeed very exciting! Annoyingly enough however after my exams past I felt in such a rush and ever so busy with work and preparing for Christmas that I never really felt as chilled as I imagined it would be. Nevertheless with it all cooled down now, I have been enjoying simply doing nothing over the last few days with lots of chocolate and cheesecake and finally catching up on TV that I’ve missed over the past month! I am very much excited to keep that going for the next few weeks before it’s back to uni again!

Blogging 

Of course with the busyness of the past month, I’ve not had a lot of time to spend on my blog. I’ve also felt a little uninspired too lately and I’ve been feeling like I’ve been in such a rush to come up with ideas, never mind write the posts. I took the decision before to cut my blog posts from three posts a week to two which has helped so much! However with a lack of inspiration, I feel pressured by myself to meet my two a week post schedule and it’s obviously no good when I have a lack of ideas and no one wants rushed poor quality blog posts. So to help get myself out of this rut, I have decided to get rid of my ‘Tuesday/Friday’ schedule and instead just post whenever. It isn’t the most ideal especially for my usual organised self but it does mean that I can post when I really want to with posts that I have put all my efforts into and that I really want to post instead of just random rushed posts that are published just to meet my schedule. This doesn’t mean that I will hardly post, there probably will be less posts but I am still going to be active on here and posting as often as I can. I read many other blogs which I love who post randomly without a set schedule so hopefully that won’t bother anyone too much!

On the other hand, I have been pretty active on Instagram this month! I did make a little goal for myself to post every day until Christmas and whilst I did miss a couple of days I did pretty well and it was good to finally get back on to the platform. It was also fun to share some extra stuff too so you can check out all my latest posts here.

Catch up with December posts: Nars Sarah Moon Collection, Things to do this Christmas, Christmas Party Makeup, Winter Skincare Essentials and 2016 Favourites Part 1 & Part 2

How did you spend your Christmas?

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The Best Beauty Discoveries of 2016: Part 2

Being a lipstick hoarder, naturally I had to have a separate 2016 favourites post dedicated just to lip products. This is part two of my yearly favourites, so if you missed my first part then you can catch up here on all my other beauty favourites. Back to the the topic of lipstick however, my favourite, there is a few different products I want to discuss from liquid lipsticks, lipsticks and lip balms which have made my year. Honestly, I could’ve maybe added more options to this post but I thought I would keep it streamlined to mention my top ultimate lip products from the year so here we go..

Starting with liquid lipsticks, 2016 has officially been the year of liquid lipstick. It seems like every brand has their own version of a liquid lipstick with so many to choose from now. There were quite a few I tried this year and particularly ones I hadn’t previously tried out. Kat Von D finally came to the UK this year (finally!) and of course I had to nab a couple of her ever popular everlasting liquid lipsticks. I have a few shades from the range including both Lovesick and Mother (pictured) and they are so gorgeous. Lovesick in particular is such a great everyday shade but also super unique too as well as having a great wearable formula.

Another liquid lipstick that won me over is from the Mac Retro Matte range, in particular Lady Be Good. I heard a lot of mixed reviews regarding these matte liquid lipsticks however I am obsessed with this one. The formula is super comfortable as well as having an amazing doe foot applicator which is spongy and shaped perfectly to fit the lips. The colour is a beautiful peachy nude shade, perfect for everyday wear. With new shades of these being released, I definitely need to try more!

In terms of lipsticks, I fell in love with two new formulas. Firstly, lipstick queen Charlotte Tilbury when I finally tried her KISSING range out, in particular the shade Bitch Perfect. This is my perfect nude, a beautiful light peachy pink and the most comfortable creamy formula. Major Love! A new release this year came from Urban Decay when they revamped their lipstick range, introducing the vice collection of 100 lipsticks. With so many to choose from, I settled for the shade Backtalk which I am so glad I did. It is definitely one of my favourite lipstick shades, a beautiful cool toned rosy mauve shade in a comfortable matte formula. Definitely one I recommend!

Lastly, moving on to lip balm/glosses. I found a lip balm this year that I truly do not know what I would do without in my beauty stash! It is the Instant Light Lip Perfecting Base from Clarins. This works as a treat as my go-to lipstick base as it helps hydrate my lips before layering on the heavy liquid lipsticks. I honestly don’t find matte lipsticks uncomfortable at all, yes even the Mac Retro Matte range as this seems to work so well as if I am wearing nothing on my lips. A truly ground-breaking product in my stash!

Lastly, a newer product in my stash but still one I am already obsessed with. A lip gloss/balm hybrid. the By Terry Baume De Rose Lip Gloss. A special holiday release, this is essentially a pearly lip glossy version of their cult balm, except with a texture much like a balm in that it isn’t overly sticky like a gloss which I love. I always wanted to try the original so I am super excited to be able to try this and since I’ve been loving it, I desperately want the original in my stash! It is such a great minimal makeup option, a beautiful glossy nude pink shade.

What are your top lip products from 2016?

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The Best Beauty Discoveries of 2016: Part 1

The final fortnight of 2016 is upon us! So what better way to end the year than to discuss all of my favourite new beauty discoveries from the year. As of course there is many products to discuss, I have split this post into two so a lip product favourites will also follow this blog post on Friday!

Firstly, starting with face products I’ve been loving this year. The Mac Prep + Prime Highlighter in Light Boost has been my go-to for under eye concealing for its brightening properties. The twist pen style pen highlighter is super easy and convenient. In terms of bronzing and highlighting, I’ve found two products that I know will be long term favourites of mine! The first is the Too Faced Sweethearts bronzer which is only a fairly new addition to my stash but I am already obsessed with its glowy effect and pigmentation. Of course I also had to mention a Becca highlighter as they truly are incredible products. I love all the shades I’ve tried but in particular I am obsessed with Champagne Pop, the ultimate pigmented gold-y peachy glow.

In terms of tools, I had to mention the beauty blender. By far one of the best discoveries for me this year! I have became such a convert to the beauty blender and it is now my go-to for applying my base products. It creates the most flawless fresh base and makes even some of my poorer foundations sit better.

Moving on to eyes, for the brows there have been two products that I’ve been loving. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pomade has been a long year favourite of mine, it is super easy to use whilst creating defined and long lasting brows. More recently, I’ve been enjoying the newer release of the Goof Proof Brow Pencil from Benefit. The twist up pencil is super easy to use and creates a minimal soft brow.

Other eye product shout-outs go to the Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant Mascara which has became a big favourite of mine this year. It has been my go-to mascara for creating voluminous and lengthened lashes. I’ve also got back into rocking eyeliner recently since I discovered the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner which is worth all the praise and hype it gets! It is incredibly pigmented and the fine nib makes it super easy to use. Lastly, the Too Faced Sweet Peach palette (which is back in stock!!) also deserves a lot of love. The Too Faced shadows are amazing quality but this palette also offers a dreamy and unique shade range!

What are your top products from 2016?

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Winter Skincare Essentials

Skincare is something I adore as much as my makeup collection yet I’ve not spoke so much about it on the blog. However with Winter making a strong appearance lately, I thought it was appropriate to share some of the products I’ve been relying on recently to help give my skin the moisture and hydration much needed in the cold weather!

Moisturiser – Origins GinZing and Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins

Moisturiser is obviously a must have at this time of year! However there is a few that have been particularly floating my boat recently! Both from Origins who fyi have amazing moisturisers, for day time, I have been loving their GinZing option as it is incredibly hydrating. Appropriately names ‘Energy boosting’, it essential is a boost of life with its coffee bean formulation. For night, I have been loving their night cream which is again refreshing on the skin without being too heavy.

Toner – Pixi Glow Tonic

To help ex-foliate my skin to get rid of any dry patches and to also help brighten my skin, I love this cult Pixi product. It is feels refreshing on the skin whilst doing its job of clearing and evening out of the skin.

Eye Cream – Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream 

My under eyes can get pretty dry and to combat it, I love this Kiehl’s eye cream. It is incredibly rich and creamy and offers an amazing boost of hydration for under the eyes. I couldn’t be without this, great for those who have dryness!

Facial Mist – The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist

With the heating on full blast, my skin can feel super parched and I just need something to quickly refresh my skin. That is where a good facial mist can come into play! There is so many available on the market but one of my favourites is this budget friendly option from the Body Shop which gives my skin a quick re-boost and spray of hydration!

Lip Balm/Oil – Clarins Lip Oil 

Lip Balm/oil is such a must at this time of year as I always seem to ger dry lips in the Winter time. I am obsessed with the Clarins Lip Oils as they are super hydrating on the lips without being overly sticky!

What are your Winter essentials?

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The Christmas Party Makeup

It’s the season of red lips and glitter, my favourite! I had a Christmas party last weekend so thought I was the perfect excuse to show some of my top picks for the party season. Expect the standard cliché red lips, glitter and lots of highlighter!

In terms of base, I like to go for something I can trust to be long wearing and provide the coverage! Of course I opted for my trusty Nars Sheer Glow along with my usual concealer combo of the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer and Mac Prep + Prime highlighter in Light Boost. To top it off, I applied a light layer of the Chanel Les Beiges powder to keep things in place!

To add more warmth to my skin, I bronzed up with the Too Faced Sweethearts bronzer which I love! I then added more definition with the Kevin Aucoin sculpting powder and topped it off with a lot of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed highlighter in Pearl because if you can’t have go overboard with highlighter at Christmas, when can you!?

For eyes, the Mac pigments came out to play! I picked up the Bronze set from holiday collection, using the a combination of both Stardream and Handsome Prince. Of course I added some liner using my favourite Kat Von D Tattoo Liner. I finished my eyes with the Make Up For Ever Smoky Extravagant mascara.

Finally, I obviously finished with some red lips for the ultimate Christmas party look using Mac Russian Red.

What are your party picks?

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