Winter Fav's

SNOW FAIRY
Was so glad to receive some more Snow Fairy this Christmas. Smells so goood wish I could eat it and it's all pretty and sparkly. Love it. Going to stock up this Winter so I can use it all year round. Such magical, lovely smelling shower gel. The gift also came with some Pink Fun, which is a good versatile product. You can create bubbles and wash your body and hair with it, it smells lovely and feels like play-doh.

LANOLIPS
I got this Lanolips product in my Glossybox but it's been a lip saver this Winter. My lips cracked open as per this Winter, I used this for about 5 days and they're perfect. I've tried other products but this has been by far the best lip care I have come across. Nearly ran out, will definitely be purchasing some more. The colour of this one is lovely too, this one is in 'Rhubarb'. This product is also against animal testing!

NESCAFE GINGERBREAD LATTE'S

I know it doesn't fit in with the beauty theme but....Nescafe Gingerbread Latte's have been slightly addictive for me this year. I brought 3 boxes to stock up but me and my friends have got through them. I couldn't keep going to Starbucks and Costa every time I wanted a Gingerbread Latte, so I got these not expecting them to be as good...they actually are though. Thought it would be rude not to share.

USPICY 10 PIECE BRUSH SET
I actually got these USpicy brushes from Amazon...like Merry Christmas to me. I didn't expect them to be as good as they are as they were so cheap but thought I would give them a try. I actually find some of them better than my more expensive brushes. I tried contouring my cheekbones with the flat brush and was chuffed with the result. They're soft and application is spot on. If you're just starting your brush collection these just show you don't have to pay out loads. They were presented lovely too, great for a gift.

OPI
LOUVRE ME LOUVRE ME NOT
GOT THE BLUES FOR RED
I have been mainly using these two colours this Winter. I would show you what they look like on my nails but my extensions have just come off and my nails are looking all decrepit, sorry about that. LOUVRE ME LOUVRE ME NOT is a beautiful deep purple shade with a blue shimmer and some fuchsia tones, it's so pretty. GOT THE BLUES FOR RED is a classic dark red, I probably wear this colour the most now.

 

Glossybox, my Thoughts

I have been receiving Glossybox for 3 months now and I have to say I have been pleased with every month and can now give an accurate review. I'll show you the October and November boxes. If you want me to do the December one as soon as I receive it, let me know.

Glossybox has been a lovely treat to receive every month, I like the element of surprise and I get my beauty fix for a great value. It's a great way to try new things, I would really suggest it for bloggers, makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts. I looked into quite a few boxes but liked the overall content of Glossybox the most, then I saw a voucher for 40% off so thought ah may as well. I chose the monthly option which allows you to unsubscribe at any time, just in case I was disappointed. The longer you agree to subscribe the cheaper it is a month.

OCTOBER 

My favourite/most used items from the October box would have to be the Nicka K Airbrush blending sponge and the Lanolips lip ointment.

1 The Lanolips lip ointment in rhubarb is becoming empty rather quickly. I get terribly dry lips this time of year, as well as conditioning the lips the shade and slight glossiness was aesthetically pleasing also.

2 The airbrush blending sponge made blending my foundation very easy, it works well slightly damn, the consistency of my foundation was spot on. I use this most days now.

3  This box included a full size moisturiser called Talika photo hydra day. I sometimes use this as a base for my foundation. It didn't feel greasy, which I hate and it didn't feel heavy either. You can tell it's an expensive item, this moisturiser alone cost £24.85.

4 The Jelly Pong Pong play paint is great as a little can go a long way so you get the benefits of using it on your cheeks and lips and will last ages. You only need to use a tiny amount, it was good for me as I can look a bit washed out and pale during the winter and saves people from telling me I look ill when it's just my face.

5 So Susan haute light highlighting pencil. I liked the peachy tone as it blended well with the skin as opposed to white. I mainly use it on the waterline but it's great for highlighting the brows too.

NOVEMBER

1 The MUA eyeshadow palette has great shades for both day and night. I wasn't feeling optimistic about the quality as it's so cheap but the colours came out well and had good pigmentation. I thought this palette was great and I've already used it loads.

2 Revlon super lustrous lipstick. This lipstick felt and looked gorgeous! This month you got to choose from four shades. I chose the nude as I had an abundance of the other hues, I also like to wear quite dark heavy eye makeup so subtle lipstick shades are appropriate for me.  

3 Emite diamond heart primer. It had a slight peachy tone to it which helped even out my skin tone and I looked so healthy. I looked radiant so how can I not love a bit of that. Very pleased. 

4 It was nice to see some Eyelure lashes in there, I adore eyelure. These are the natural lashes. I don't actually wear big heavy lashes, I love them but they do not suit my eye shape. They are very subtle but better than mascara alone. 

5 The Royal Apothic body lotion contains lactic acid from milk proteins. I use this when I come out the bath, it feels refreshing and I stay hydrated for ages.  

Looking forward to next month 

xxx

Natural Beauty Life Hacks

No1

Coconut oil

I have been so glad to discover this one.

Skin- Coconut oil has now pretty much replaced my moisturisers. I also use it with sugar to make a good scrub. It's also great to use with shaving. It can also be used as an under eye cream.

Hair- It has been said that coconut oil doesn't only condition the hair well but stimulates hair growth too. It can prevent other hair problems such as dandruff.

Make up Remover

Lip Balm

Cuticles

There are so many other benefits, the list just goes on. It's magical stuff.

No 2

Aloe Vera Gel

Moisturises dry skin

Reduces stretchmarks

Helps prevent under eye dark circles

Helps treat inflamed skin

Helps to reduce scarring

Can be applied to sunburn or burnt skin

No 3

Honey

 I've used honey as a skin mask numerous times. I mainly use it on my spots or problem skin areas. 

Manuka honey in particular has caused miracles for my skin.

Natural cleanser
Softens skin
Manuka Honey-Prevents aging and reduces scarring and spots
Moisturiser 

No 4

Rose Water

Can help soften and tone mature skin

Can reduce puffy eyes

Is a great toner

Can help with oily skin types

Natural makeup remover

Prevents skin irritation

Adds a nice glow to skin (I was very impressed)

Can help prevent signs of aging

Mascara My Top 3

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No 1 Loreal Telescopic (extra black)

I have tried a lot of mascaras in my lifetime but I always default back to this one. I get the most comments about how long my eyelashes are wearing this mascara. The style of the wand creates amazing results. The only downside I would say is when it's brand new it can get a bit messy but I'm used to applying it now. I have yet to find a mascara that lengthens my lashes and frames my eyes as well as this one. Love.

No 2  Benefit Roller Lash

This is the best free sample I ever had. I will definitely be purchasing this, the sample ran out quickly. I find this mascara similar to Benefit's 'They're Real' mascara but more lengthening and easier to remove.

No 3 Benefit They're Real Mascara

I found this created the best volume out of all three and I found it neat and very easy to apply. The lashes were all separated nicely. The only downside is it's quite difficult to remove but it lasts so well. I also noticed there is now a special remover for it, which is a bonus.

Sleek i-Devine Palette

                   

I have been on the look out for some good value eye shadow palettes. I tried and tested a few for you all and discovered these little gems. Sleek i-Devine eye shadow palettes had a great range and I had some trouble picking. I chose vintage romance as I adore golds and purples and the oh so special palette for the pink shades.

I only paid £7.99 each for these, there are 12 shades in each. Overall I found the colours were well pigmented and very good value for money.

Oh so special palette shades

BOW, ORGANZA, RIBBON, GIFT BASKET, GLITZ, CELEBRATE, PAMPER, GATEAU, THE MAIL, BOXED, WRAPPED UP, NOIR 

Vintage romance shades

Pretty in Paris, Meet in Madrid, Court in Cannes, Lust in LA, Romance in Rome, Propose in Prague, A Vow in Venice, Marry in Monte Carlo, Honeymoon in Hollywood, Bliss in Barcelona, Forever in Florence, Love in London 

Here are some looks I tried out.

Oh so special

For this look I applied Organza on the lid and blended out with Gift basket in the middle to outer edge. In the outer edge I used celebrate, I also used gateau on the lash line.

Vintage romance

I applied Meet in Madrid on the lid and tear duct. Marry in Monte Carlo in the crease, Honeymoon in Hollywood in the outer corners, blended with Forever in Florence to darken the outer corners. 

I used Real Techniques Make-Up Brushes: Your Eyes Enhanced Starter Set to apply these looks. Great set of brushes, has everything you need and great value. 

How to be more Beautiful

The more beautiful things you choose to see and do, the more beautiful you become. Make everything in your life beautiful and it will be reflected back. Physical beauty is a matter of opinion all over the world, and over the centuries ideals have changed, therefore outer beauty isn’t reality or the true definition of beauty once we open our eyes.

People need to look in the mirror regardless of the negative beliefs they have learnt for whatever reason, it doesn’t matter. I challenge people to look in the mirror and say I am beautiful, I love myself exactly as I am. Do this every day and notice how quickly your confidence and life will change. 

Regarding my opinion of make-up, I use it as a tool for confidence, not to hide authenticity but to bring out the beauty that's already there. I came across this ted talk by Eva DeVirgilis I can really relate to it both in my makeup and photography. 

I have noticed too many people apologizing for their appearance, ashamed of their appearance rather than embracing their true beauty and uniqueness. The word shame vibrates at one of the most lowest frequencies. It's truly bad for us, even worse than the majority are aware. The world is abundant and everything serves a purpose and is unique, we are not supposed to look like anyone but ourselves. Stop competing and comparing, appreciate the beauty in others and yourself. Don't assume any limiting or negative beliefs are the truth. 

If no one told you yet today, I think you're beautiful!

Selfie Tips

#1 LIGHT

I believe the main place to start is lighting. Try facing the light so it's in front of your face rather than behind or above, as this can create unflattering shadows. Enough light affects the overall quality of the image too. It's best facing your window in daylight or if you have a strong enough light source that distributes light evenly, having this facing you is effective too.

#2 FINDING YOUR ANGLES 

Find your angles. The downwards facing angle is a common one for most but this doesn't suit me personally as I have a heart-shaped face. I have slight asymmetry like most humans so don't find straight on flattering and go for this angle.

I also find lying down if there's enough light to be a good angle for me. Everyone's different just take different angles till you decide which looks best and work with that. 

#3 MAKEUP 

The tricks of makeup really help. Makeup does not show up as much on camera, so I apply a little more for selfies. I find that false lashes really make my eyes pop more. Contouring helps to slender the nose and make your cheekbones pop.

#4 HAIR

I find loose waves the most photogenic style for me, but obviously it doesn't really matter. A trick I use is laying down, spreading my hair out so it looks like I have more of it. Another trick I use is pulling it out gently in a pose. Curling hair away from the face is another favourite of mine. Plaits are great for when you're having a bad hair day. 

#5 EDITING APPS

I use instacollage. I find that sometimes reflecting or rotating an image can improve it's appearance. There is a blemish remover option too. 

#6 EXPRESSION  

Personally I am not a big fan of the duck face. Relaxing your face with a slight smile or natural looking smile is most flattering for me. Pulling your chin forward slightly is another good trick to eliminate unflattering double chin angles.

I take a lot to find one I like. Also it sometimes pays to wait a few days as pictures can grow on you. 

I hope this helped people have more confidence in their selfies. Remember the camera can lie, the iphone front facing camera does distort features so don't be so hard on yourself. Everyone can take a good selfie with the right tricks. You're all beautiful.  

Real Techniques. My top 3

No 1 
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

This is now a mandatory product for me and great value considering how diverse it is. It blends any type of foundation so flawlessly and is effortless. Love.

No 2

Real Techniques core collection

I have numerous foundation brushes by various brands but these are my favourite's. I have yet to notice any shedding, they wash up brilliantly and are easy to maintain. My personal fav's from this collection are the detailer brush as I find it covers blemishes and pimples magically and effortlessly, it also makes a great lipstick brush. I also love the buffering brush, the design and soft texture applies foundation evenly and consistently, I use it for both powder and liquid foundation. 

No 3 

Real Techniques your eyes/enhanced starter set

           

Again no shedding. My fav's from this kit are the base shadow brush and the accent brush. I find the base shadow brush to be quite versatile, I use this one the most. I find that the accent brush is great for highlighting in the inner corners and applies the shadow with great pigmentation.