The Summer Lip Edit

When it comes to lip products I am always more of a neutral kinda gal. I have my go-to shades which usually consist of every variation of nude going (I swear they are different, really!). However when Summer comes around I am all for something that little bit bolder. Bright corals and fuchsia shades are all that I crave in Summer time and just look great alongside a tan and my Summer attire. I left out my lip choices in my Travel Makeup Bag post so I thought today I would share my go-to lip picks for the sunny season. I did have a couple more shades however they are very similar to a few that I am going to mention anyway!

Starting with the lightest shades from the bunch. I got my first use out of the Illamasqua Matte Lip Liquid in Surrender. I picked this up way back at the start of the year and mentioned it in this haul. The shade is a bright pink-y peach that basically has Summer all over it. This is the first I’ve tried one of these Illamasqua liquid lipsticks however the formula applied quite streaky on me at first and the colour looked a bit odd on my appearance. However when I patted it down, it revealed a nice softer nude peach colour, perfect for a more toned down look. The formula ovbiously requires a bit of work but the finished result is worth it!

Keeping with the lighter options but moving on to the coral-y shades, I love Charlotte Tilbury Sexy Sienna. This is a beautiful peachy coral shade which can be worn toned down or more vibrantly. The CT formula is also worth a shout for being super creamy and comfortable to wear. To amp it up even more, Mac Tropic Tonic is pretty much like the bolder sister with a vivid pink-y coral colour that is definitely one for the tanned.

To the more bolder picks now, Relentlessly Red is much like a more pinker toned Tropic Tonic. The name is rather misleading, it is definitely not red but more of a bright fuchsia pink. The Retro Matte formula is also super long wearing. Moving on to a more redder toned option, I have also got my first wear out of the Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick in Soaked which is a gorgeous orange-y red shade. I love these kind of shades, more summery than a typical red with the orange undertones yet still so wearable. Lastly, is my latest new lip addition that I picked up at duty free, Mac Flat Out Fabulous. I had wanted this shade for so long and I am so glad I picked it up! It’s a beautiful plum-y fuchsia shade that looks so flattering and such a wearable way to venture into purple tones. Love it!

What is your top Summer lip pick?

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Summer Beauty Essentials

When a sight of sun is in the sky, my beauty priorities take a change from fuller coverage bases and sculpted, neutral looks to embrace the Summer vibes with bronzed skin and bright shades. As well as my makeup choices, my skincare also changes up slightly. With Summer in full swing, I thought I would share my top beauty essentials for dealing with the summer heat.

MAKEUP/NAILS

In terms of base, I love a lightweight glowy base for Summer. When the sun is shining, the last thing I want is a fuller coverage thick foundation so instead I love a light and comfortable tinted moisturiser/bb cream. My favourite is the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue which gives enough coverage for a light base and also provides a fresh glowy look to the skin all whilst remaining comfortable and moisturising on the skin. To add some extra glow to my skin, I love the look of liquid highlighters. They look soft and natural on the skin and can be worked in with foundation too. I am currently loving the Nars illuminator in Copacabana which blends into the skin beautifully.

To amp up the warmth in my skin, bronzer is such a must in Summer. It helps add a little definition to my face whilst giving me a little colour too. I am currently all for shimmery bronzers to add even more glow in my skin such as the Soap and Glory Wonderbronze which I have been loving. To add even more colour, I love bright lip shades at this time of year. There is nothing better than a bright coral or orange-y red to brighten things up. I will share some of my favourites later but I am loving Mac Relentlessly Red.

I also love bright nails as well, something I will also cover in another post. They look summery and great for enhancing a tan. I have so many Essie shades that I am loving but I am currently all for their new Summer shade Sunshine State of Mind.

SKINCARE

Obviously when the sun is out in full force, it is important to protect your skin. Having light skin, I need high protection for my skin in the sun so SPF is so important. I am currently using the Clarins Sun Cream for Very High Protection which offers UVB/UVA 50+ to help my skin stay safe in the sun. So having light skin means that tanning just doesn’t happen for me and I have to turn to self-tanning products. I am not much a tanning person anyway so a gradual tanner is all I need for a subtle bronzed glow. I am currently using the Clarins Golden Glow Booster to add in to my moisturiser for an extra glow.

Lastly, to keep hydrated I love hydrating mists. In the heat there is nothing better than a boost of hydration to stay refreshed and cool in the heat. I am all for the Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist which is a bargain and super hydrating on the skin.

What are your Summer beauty essentials?

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My Current Spring Glowy Makeup Menu

I would always think of myself being more into Fall makeup preferring bold lips and a semi-matte complexion however as of lately I am all over the fresh glowy bronzed look perfect for Spring. I have to blame the sudden summery weather that has hit the UK recently making me go all heart-eyed emoji over all the highlighters and shimmery bronzers! I also picked up a swoon-worthy peach-y toned palette that has Summer written all over it and I thought I would share my current favourite picks for a glowy, bronzed, looks-like-I’ve-been-on-holiday look. P.S Happy 500 posts to me 🙂

BASE

To start, I’ve been loving mixing in my Nars Sheer Glow foundation with the Nars Copacabana Illuminator . The foundation offers a long lasting satin base which offers a great build-able coverage. Teamed with the liquid highlighter, it adds a glowy effect to the base. I then as normal go in with concealer on any blemishes, I am currently using the NYX Concealer. I then use the Mac Prep and Prime highlighter in Light Boost to highlight under my eyes.  To finish, I then set my base with the Chanel Les Beiges powder to slightly mattify but still allow a a bit of shine to come through.

CHEEKS

To amp up the bronze-y glowy look, it’s all about the cheek products. Instead of my usual matte bronzer, I’ve been all over shimmery bronzers lately. I have been obsessed with the Soap and Glory Wonderbronze Shimmer Brick that I couldn’t wait to dig out again! This bronzer just adds a gorgeous sun-kissed look to the face. On top, the Tarte blush in Exposed acts well to compliment the bronzed look by adding a little more warmth and definition to the face. To achieve that overall glowy look, the Becca highlighter in Champagne Pop is the perfect addition. The formula is super buttery and smooth and the shade is just perfect.

EYES AND LIPS 

A very exciting new addition to my makeup collection and that has sparked my love for all the spring makeup lately is the Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette. Unfortunately this is a limited edition product and I believe no longer available so apologies for mentioning it but damn is it beautiful! The shade range is perfect and great for creating a light shimmery peach-y bronzed eye. After adding some mascara, I then move on to lips and I am loving a peach-y combination. I’ve loved mixing a bit of Charlotte Tilbury Sexy Sienna with Bitch Perfect for the perfect mix of coral-y peach and a light glossy nude.

What have you been loving for Spring?

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Life Lately #4

It doesn’t feel that long since my last Life Lately post! It is crazy to think we are entering the month of May already and nearly half way through the year! Even crazier though is the fact that I am writing this whilst it is snowing outside, yes snow! And they say it is nearly Summer eh! Anyway I am sure you will remember me going on about my computer technical problems at the start of the month which meant I couldn’t post for a bit. As you might be able to see, everything has resolved again and I am back to normal schedule again! It really is a weird experience being a way from a technology that I rely on so much but it was kind of a blessing at the same time. I wrote a bit about surviving off-line here if you’re interested.

However whilst I am fully able to post as normal now, I do have exams coming up in the next month. So I have been dedicating my time recently to a lot of studying so I do apologise if I have to miss a post or two whilst I get my head deep into months worth of notes. Fun! There are quite a few things I want to cover on my blog soon but some of which will be a bit more detailed so they will be reserved until after exams! Hopefully though the content until then should still be enjoyable!

As well as studying, this month has been rather spendy! Oops! I went a little crazy with the make-up purchases this month as you may have seen in two haul posts; from Space NK and Cult Beauty. Of course those two hauls weren’t even all of it! I am not quite finished yet either until I get my hands on that gorgeous Too Faced Sweet Peach palette, yes I am counting the days until it comes to the UK. I like makeup, okay? As well as that I picked up some new clothing too! I was so excited to see Alexa Chung collaborate with M&S for a collection and I had to grab a piece! My attention went straight to this beautiful navy blazer with gold detailing. I am truly obsessed! On another note, I am definitely up for doing more fashion style posts on my blog. I am sure I’ve said it before but I will definitely get round to it, hopefully after my exams anyway!

Also, I mentioned it in my April Playlist post, I also went to see 5 Seconds of Summer live this month! This was my third time seeing them live and they definitely didn’t disappoint. I am still truly obsessed with their first and second album and I enjoyed every minute of the gig. Probably one of my favourite live shows I’ve seen! So whilst the post-gig depression sinks in, I do have a couple of gigs over the next couple of months that I am very much looking forward to! I am sure you will hear more about them later!

Catch up with April posts: Tartelette palette in review, 5 Product Face and My top 5 Essie shades

What did you get up to this month?

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Life Lately #3

Hello again! Apologies again for the slightly messy blogging schedule that is going on just now. It looks like it may be a while before I get back to my regular schedule again with my own technical difficulties, sigh! Anyway it is a little later than usual for one of these posts but better late than never, eh! Since I haven’t been blogging much, I thought it would be nice to update you all on life-y things at the moment. So obviously with lack of IT going on, I have been having plenty of non-techy, less online beauty browsing days which in a way has been nice to have more time offline and has made me realise how much I waste time online browsing! So once I am back to normal, maybe I will see a little reduction in the amount of time I actually spend online! I am thinking of doing a post about spending time offline so check back soon for that!

March saw things dramatically change from a storm to quietness. I am just about finished my second year at university (except exams) with the start of the month looming with coursework deadlines til now were I am trying to find something to do! It has been such a relief though getting a ton of work out of the way and it means I can focus on finishing the year! Also, it has been nice to have a few holidays with Easter Break to finalise everything!

Other than uni, I am still on the spring cleaning front. My wardrobe has took a major hit since I have cleared out a ton of clothes over the last few months but I still have a lot of things I want to clear out. I may do a post in the future about my wardrobe and cleaning it out etc. if that is something that anyone wants to see? Speaking of my wardrobe, I have also been having a clothes moment, pretty much wanting to buy a new thing for everything I throw out! I am really trying to find perfect pieces that fit my wardrobe tastes now and just have a small quality collection of clothes. Quite the contrast from my makeup collection then…

On the topic of clothing, I have felt really inspired lately and been in thought about what I buy and where from. I watched the documentary ‘The True Cost’ which I truly recommend to watch as it gives you a great insight as to how the clothing we wear is made and essentially the true cost behind that less than a fiver tee from Primark. I don’t want to go into too much detail as I may cover the topic of ethical clothing in a separate blog post. Essentially though, the documentary has changed my viewpoint of where I buy clothing and my viewpoint on consumerism. It is a highly interesting watch and the scene showing the crazed shoppers on Black Friday really puts things into perspective.

How did you spend the month of March?

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March Favourites

Hello everyone! Firstly, apologies for my absence recently! If you follow me on Instagram then you may be aware of my technical issues I’ve been having lately at home meaning I haven’t been able to blog! I’m still having issues with no working desktop and going through the pain of the terrible WordPress app and mobile website! Anyway I obviously have managed to post today however I can’t promise my usual schedule again yet! I will of course update you all later and apologies for being late in responding to comments etc! Anyway on today’s post, it is time for another monthly favourites as March is officially (nearly) over! I don’t have a load of favourites this month but I have a few products that I kept returning to over the last few weeks!

Starting with base/cheek products, I had been in a bit of a concealer rut recently! Whilst I mentioned the UD concealer in my favourites last month, I really can’t get away with the shade right now so I have to turn elsewhere. The Clarins Instant Concealer has been my go-to over the month, it is fresh and lightweight and whilst I prefer it for my under eyes opposed to blemishes as the coverage is quite light, it has done a not too bad job. Most importantly though, the colour actually matches my skin! Hoorah!

Another rediscovery this month has been the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Diffused Heat. I’ve also been in a bit of a blush rut recently, feeling rather uninspired by my blush options. Although I went back to this beauty and have been obsessed. The coral-y shade is perfect for this time of year when the sun is finally appearing. The formula is also beautiful and the blush just looks so uplifting and glowy on the cheeks.

My routine lately has been all about the lip products. I am truly obsessed with the dusky pink/rosy nude shades (you know the one!) at the moment which is pretty evident from my next favourites. The first is the Soap and Glory lipstick in the shade Perfect Day which is a gorgeous rosy brown colour. This shade is in their satin finish range so is super creamy yet pigmented and long lasting. I honestly think these lipsticks are so underrated as the quality is superb however sadly I believe this line is being discontinued since they have all been reduced. I believe I picked this shade up for a mere £4 so if you have stock near you, I highly recommend picking one up! Alongside this lipstick, I have loved pairing it with Mac Whirl lip liner. At first, I did think it was a little too brown for my liking but it happens to be a perfect match for the lipstick and of course the Mac formula is fab!

Lastly, I have grew a bit of an obsession with liquid lipsticks. I basically want them all! I picked up a couple from Gerard Cosmetics and I have been so impressed. The shade Cher appeared it would be too dark on me at first however I am loving it! The shade is a deep mauve colour that is super flattering. The formula isn’t the most comfortable but it isn’t terrible either and it also offers incredible longevity! I need more!!

What have you been loving lately?

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Transitioning from Winter to Spring

I can’t be the only one looking forward to seeing Winter leave us behind. I am totally ready for Spring to come instead of having to bear with the cold and windy weather. With Spring on the near horizon, we are in that weird in-between season thing were the weather is feeling a bit mixed up lately with no idea of what season we are meant to be in. Although with the countdown on til Spring officially arrives, it is about time the preparation for the new season begins in all areas of our lives from our wardrobes to beauty to interiors. So here is a few tips to get you set up for the new season…

REARRANGE YOUR BEAUTY STASH 

With the cold of Winter leaving us, it is time to also leave behind the blankets of makeup we tend to adopt during the Winter months. I know that I for one always like to wear heavier foundations and always stick to powder formulations as well as deeper shades in my lip and cheek choices. Now with the sunnier days ahead, it is nice to change things up a bit by going back to cream formulations and much lighter bases as well as those brighter shades. Everyone’s beauty storage is different but it is the perfect time to simply change up what makeup will make your everyday wear stash. This could involve putting away your Winter beauty picks and bringing back out the more spring/summer appropriate products.

CLEAN OUT YOUR WARDROBE

I never miss an opportunity to talk about wardrobe de-cluttering. I may talk about it quite a lot but it really is very rewarding and there is no better time than present to give your wardrobe a good clean. Again I won’t ramble on too much as I spoke about it before here. Although the key at this time is to look through your Winter clothes and see what you haven’t worn over the season as this is a good indicator as to what should get thrown away or given to charity. You can always take the time to look through the Spring appropriate pieces and also decide if they are still up to your tastes and if there is any season essentials missing in your wardrobe.

ORGANISE YOUR NEW WARDROBE 

Once you have gave your wardrobe a good spring clean, it is always a good idea to give it a bit of a shuffle so your Spring clothes are accessible and keep your Winter clothes separate. Everyone’s wardrobe set-up is different but I have different drawers that keep aside my Spring/Summer pieces from my Autumn/Winter pieces. Another idea is to store your clothes away, some people may keep storage boxes for clothes and also put them under their bed. A fairly new concept for this is MakeSpace who are a company who basically pick up your clothes, store it and then bring it back to you once you need it. So this would be a great idea for anyone trying to find space to put their Winter clothes away instead of trying to find extra storage, basically a hoarder’s idea of heaven.

CHANGE UP YOUR HOME SURROUNDINGS 

Lastly, your own home environment could also do with a spring clean. In Winter it is pretty necessary to stock up on blankets and cushions as well as burning those Winter warming candles. In time for Spring, it is nice to update your surroundings a little. Changing your bedding is always a good idea by going for something a lot more fresh and light like opting for white or light sheets as well as storing away your thicker blankets for the colder months. It is also nice to change up your home fragrance so instead of burning cinnamon or winter like scents, it is nice to go for something more lighter and fresh, something like Diptyque Mimosa or Baies is a good option. Similarly, it is also a convenient time to swap your own personal fragrance option!

How do you prepare for a new season?

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Life Lately #2

Another month of 2016 coming to an end, crazy eh! February has been fairly quiet but busy at the same time (does that even make sense!?). I never really got up to anything too exciting but as usual life took over and I’ve been feeling rather overwhelmed with blogging, work and uni at the same time. I am kind of preparing myself to be hit with a ton of workload over the next month as uni deadlines are looming. Sigh. I am trying to be a lot more organised though and get on with the work much earlier so hopefully I won’t be suffering too much! In terms of blogging, I have to admit I have been feeling like I am in a bit of a rut lately. I have been trying to mix things up a little and move away from constant reviews after reviews although I am struggling for ideas and I always feel a little out of my comfort zone with some things. It’s difficult trying to add a little more creative edge to my posts when I don’t have a lot of time to work on them so hopefully this is something that I will conquer in the next while especially when I have more free time. Of course, if anyone has any feedback on what kind of posts you like then that would be much appreciated!

Anyway woes aside, I’ve been getting pretty organised this month. I am pretty sure I have mentioned before how I’ve been trying to downsize my wardrobe and basically de-clutter all my junk. I’ve really cut down the amount of unused clothes taking over my wardrobe which feels like such a relief and weight off my shoulders. I am also at the moment trying to rearrange how I organise all my clothes too and after watching a Lily Pebbles video I discovered a much better way to organise my t-shirts in my drawers. Using Marie Kondo’s method, my clothes now sit upright instead of stacked which means I can now see all my clothes in front of me rather than simply picking the first in the pile. After cleaning out one of my drawers I also made some room for my nail polish collection. I’ve always wanted it stored in my drawers so I am super happy to have it laid out like this. Hopefully over the next month I can do some more organising and get my wardrobe sorted! Can you tell I take pride in weird things?

My organising ways couldn’t come at a better time too as Spring is definitely on the horizon. I don’t know about anyone else but I am forever getting sick of the cold and rainy weather. The last week though has seen the sun come out and much lighter mornings and evenings too which has me super excited for the new season to begin! I can’t wait to start wearing lighter clothing and start on my Spring clothing wishlist! So hopefully next month there will be a lot of Spring stuff on the blog!

Catch up on February posts: Tartelette 2 palette review, Mac 90s nude lip edit, Skincare empties, Tips for on a budget, White chocolate chunk brownies recipe, Inside my Beauty sample box and How to overcome Winter blues.

How did you spend February?

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Style Wishlist

I tend to have moments where I am really into shopping around for new clothing bits for my wardrobe and other times when I am not really feeling inspired enough for a wardrobe refresh. Currently I am feeling it when it comes to clothes, I don’t know whether it’s the upcoming change in season or from having cleaned out my wardrobe that has sparked this but I definitely have a few pieces that are on my radar. I do have quite a few more investment pieces in the line up but I am looking to make some high quality purchases as I find the perfect staples for my wardrobe.

Starting off with Urban Outfitters, I have developed a love for UO lately, something I am sure I have made clear on my blog before. A lot of their pieces are a little more expensive but the styles are all so pretty and the quality is great too. I love a good casual tee and I love how cute this little strawberry tee is. Definitely one I will be picking up!

With Spring arriving, it is no better time for a good trench coat. I love the trench style and have forever longed to own a good quality camel trench. Whilst Burberry may be out of my budget for the time being (a girl can dream right!?), Zara will always remain queen of outerwear. Their coats and jackets are always great quality and totally reliable pieces as well as being truly gorgeous. I love this cotton trench which looks so much more expensive than it is. Definitely a great investment for the new season!

I have grew a strong love recently for Whistles. Their range does have a much steeper price tag but they have such gorgeous staple pieces. I have my eye on two tops from the brand, the first being this cute black knit with lace details. I seen a very similar top in Reiss but at a much higher cost so I was happy to see this at a much more affordable rate! The other is a little different, again another lightweight black knit but this time with cut-out shoulder details for something just a bit different. This would be such a nice option for an evening out!

Lastly, how could I do a clothing wishlist without a bit of ASOS. Firstly, I have been loving the whole pinafore trend lately. It took me a while to find a good affordable option that looked flattering but this one from ASOS seems to fit the bill. I think it will look great for everyday wear with casual tees for something a little different! Definitely something I need my hands on soon! The other two things from ASOS are very similar pairs of shoes from the brand Dune. I totally have to blame Kate from Kate La Vie for this as these shoes are all I can think about lately! The first being flat shoes in a gorgeous white and beige shade perfect for spring and super classy. These remind me so much of the Valentino Rockstud shoes (which are super dreamy!) with the studded design so a much cheaper alternative is well up my street! The other pair is basically the same although in heel form so would look great for going out.

What is on your wishlist?

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