BENEFIT AIR PATROL.

The Benefit Air Patrol eye primer is something I've had my eye on since the spectacular press event in which many of the YouTubers/bloggers I follow were invited to. Lunch, 100ft in the air - probably the best promotional launch I've ever heard of. I thought it was so original and it automatically made me so intrigued by the product itself.

Air Patrol is a multi purpose product. It's a BB Cream Eyelid Primer with SPF 20, and contains EnviroDefend Complex which is known to protect your eyelids from sun, smoke and pollutants. Eyelids are one of the most delicate parts of your body - a thin piece of skin that acts to protect your eye, so it really is a part of the body we should start to pay more attention to, and look after! Alongside this, Air Patrol acts acts as an eyelid primer, preventing eyeshadow from creasing, fading or smearing. According to Benefit statistics, 91% of women said that Air Patrol helped to extend the longevity of their eyeshadow - how can they be wrong!?

One of my favourite things about Benefit as a brand is their packaging, and Air Patrol is by far my favourite. I love the simplicity of the packaging, but the fact that the lid of the product looks almost like a wing. The product also features a CushionCalm tip which is a super soft rubbery applicator meaning that the direct application won't put any added pressure on the delicate parts of the eyelid. No harm done.

I've used this a few of times, once or twice with eyeshadow and the other times on it's own and I must say, compared to the primer I usually use on my eyelids, it's a winner! My eyeshadow lasted all day/all night and through lots of tears (one one occasion, but I swear they were happy tears!) It also works as a brilliant cover for any dark or veiny eyelids - something I'm not particularly prone to but it did create a nice smooth texture on my eyelids.

Overall - this product is a big winner for me! Packaging ticks all of the boxes and so does the way the product works. Well done Benefit! Super impressed!

CLEANING MY MAKEUP BRUSHES.

Today I took on the mammoth task of cleaning my make-up brushes. It's something we all despise, but it needs to be done. Make-up brushes can harbour all kinds of bacteria - let's face it, it's something that's used all over our face, eyes, lips and anywhere else you apply make-up on a regular basis. If they are your personal make-up brushes, they may not need to be cleaned as often as those that belong to a make-up artist and are perhaps used on a number of clients. I like to try and clean my personal brushes as often as possible, and there are a number of ways to do so.

First of all - you want to find a product to clean your brushes with. When we talk about cleaning the brushes, we mean the bristles - not necessarily the handles which can be wiped down with a cloth or a make-up wipe of some variety. I've used a variety of different products - shampoo, baby shampoo, a solid cleanser, a liquid anti-bacterial soap, a regular brush cleaner - all of which do the trick, but I think it's all about finding a personal preference. I've heard about using Olive Oil but I haven't tried that and I'm not all that convinced that using a product that you use to cook food is all that good on your face. At the moment I've been using the Dr. Bronner 18 in 1 Pure Castille Soap in the scent Rose, (I purchased mine from ASOS, but you can buy it in a lot of other places) but you can use anything you like that does the job properly. I'd also recommend Johnson's Baby Shampoo, BeautyBlender Solid Cleanser and if you're in a fix - regular shampoo.

Let's talk as though you are using a liquid product (anything that's not a solid cleanser). You need to put a little amount in your hand and massage the brush into the product until the residue begins to appear the colour of the product originally on your brushes. When rinsing the product from the brush, you need to make sure that you are angling the brush downwards so that you don't get water into the ferrule (the metal bit) which is where the bristles are glued into place - any water in here and the bristles can get dislodged and eventually begin to shed.

I used to use the product in my hands, but after a few brushes I found it became uncomfortable so I started to put the cleanser on my make-up mixing palette and rub the brushes onto that instead, it worked a lot better and my hands felt a lot nicer as opposed to beforehand. This works brilliantly and gives my mixing palette a good clean too!

Once their cleaned, I give them a good squeeze and set them back to their original shape so that they dry nicely. Some of my denser brushes don't always rinse that well so more often than not I'll have to go back and rinse them out again. I then use an old tea-towel (nothing fancy at all), and roll up the end slightly so that the handles are higher than the bristles when drying - again, this stops any residue or water build up in the ferrule so prevents bristles from shedding.

I know it's tedious but it's something you MUST do! If you haven't done so lately, go and clean your brushes now!

CHANEL SOLEIL TAN DE CHANEL

The Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel is an iconic product and something I had my eye on for the longest period of time - perhaps the product I own that I lusted after for the longest - and I can safely say it was worth it. As a Chanel product, it was pricey but I treated myself to it as a gift for finishing university with a 2:1. First of all, the lady on the counter when I purchased it was the most helpful person, and definitely represented Chanel with style and class - something I always love to see. She explained the product fully to me and told me all of the different ways in which I could use it.

The product itself is a cream bronzer - something I'd never ever worked with but always wanted to. It's also one of those products that's so pretty you don't actually ever want to use it - it took me a while, but eventually I did!

I use it two different ways - one way is to use it to bronze up your skin, which is going to be perfect when it comes to Summer and my upcoming holiday. I use my Real Techniques Contour Brush and buff it into the skin instead of using a powder bronzer. Over application can give an orangey-muddy look but if used correctly it can give you a bronze goddess summer glow which looks gorgeous.

Another way that I use it is as a cream contour product - I use the Real Techniques Bold Metals 301 brush which is a dense, flat contour brush. The density of this brush means that it doesn't suck up any of the product and creates a stiff line of contour on your skin. I line the outer parts of my hairline, my temples, hollows of my cheekbones, chin and nose with this product, apply whatever concealer/foundation I'm using to the blank sections of my face and then blend together using a Beauty Blender.

One thing I can say about this product is a little for sure goes a long way - it looks as though it's hardly been touched so I know it will last me a long time!

TOO FACED BETTER THAN SEX?

The Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara has been at the top of some peoples make-up must haves for a while now, so I bought it for myself with some birthday money that I had. Considering I'd never tried anything from Too Faced before, needless to say I was eager to try it.

One of the first things that I noticed was the packaging - I've always been a fan of Too Faced's packaging, it's so iconic and allows you to immediately recognise the brand. The mascara tube feels as though it's made of metal, and is relatively heavy for a mascara however that didn't put me off at all.

The wand itself is relatively big and the hourglass shaped applicator is thick and at first glance seems as though it would give a false lash effect. The statistics on the packaging state that 90% of users saw a dramatic look with one coat so I had high hopes for this mascara, especially as I'd seen so many people raving about it.

The rumours were definitely true about this! It adds a lot of volume, although not that much length but it definitely adds a lot of drama. At first, I had to let this mascara dry a little as the formula is a little too wet for my liking, however once it had dried out the mascara was perfect for me and on first impressions alone has quickly become one of my favourite go to mascaras to use. I would definitely recommend a careful application, however, purely because the applicator is so big and if you wear mascara on your lower lashes then be even more careful with the application.

I'll definitely be using more products from this brand purely on the impression of this one product. 

Go Too Faced!

SHOW TIME MAKE UP.

I've been meaning to write this post for months. MONTHS. In June this year, I was in a professional production of Cabaret, performed and managed by the students, lecturers and professionals at Canterbury Christ Church University. It was an honour to be chosen to be a cast member and to work with the rest of the team and it was one of the most fun months of my life. I'd always been involved in the annual musical, having previously been part of the wardrobe team for Zombie Prom, and The Witches of Eastwick but this year was my first time on the stage and it was exhilarating. We rehearsed intensively for a month which was hard work but performing was one of the best feelings and it was honestly the best way to end my experience at university. Onto this post - one of my favourite ways to wind down before show time was to do my make-up.. quite often involved some tantrums with my false eyelashes but we got there in the end! It was a very stylised make-up look and with practice it became like second nature for me to apply.. this post is going to list the products I used and details of how I applied my stage make-up.. get yourself a tea, it's going to be a long one!

Okay, first of all let's give a brief description of the show - Cabaret is set in Germany, during the rise of the Nazi party and the whole show is set around the Kit Kat Klub, a seedy underground club where the tables are linked via telephone. Very naughty! Anyway, my character, Maria is zee baby of the Kit Kat Girls, the dance team in the club. The whole look for the girls in the club was very specific to the era, and although at first it was different and difficult to do, it ended up being so much fun to replicate!

So rather than starting with face, I would always start with my hair. Due to the babyish nature of my character, I had the easiest hairstyle! Two pigtails, right on top of my head. At first, they were curled however it proved to be too time consuming, so I decided to use my Babyliss Wave Envy to crimp them. I then used the Colab Extreme Volume Dry Shampoo, alongside a little teasing, for extra texture and volume. Finished them off with a little bit of ribbon and my hair was done - see I told you it was easy!

Moving onto face. Before I'd actually done my hair I'd coated my eyebrows with Vaseline - funny, but for the first couple of shows I used a tinted Vaseline and managed to have pink eyebrows for a while! So I coated them with Vaseline in order to slick all the hairs down before applying Grimas Eyebrow Plastic. We had to block out our eyebrows, but I'll explain more about redrawing them later! So to use the Grimas Eyebrow Plastic, you need to apply thin coats with a spatula, it looks horrifying, but once it's dry and covered with concealer or foundation it looks brilliant. All of the other girls used a glue stick, but because my eyebrows were thicker it worked a lot better for me to use this!

After eyebrows I moved onto priming my face - I used The Body Shop Instablur Primer (similar to Maybelline Baby Skin and Benefit Porefessional) I didn't feel like theatrical stage make up required a dewy finish so I chose something to mattify, and whilst that sunk into my skin I attached some surgical micropore tape to the outer corners of my eyes in order to make a harsh edge. I went onto applying my eye make up before a base because I had to use a lot of black so I wanted to avoid any fallout. I used a LaRoc 120 Summer Tones palette - basically the same as a BH Cosmetics 120 palette but I think cheaper. I used a grey tone as a transition shade, and then started to use black in and above the crease - as we were moving our eyebrows further up, it made sense to be able to blend our eyeshadow higher. I used a Grimas Greasepaint in Purple for all over the lid and then set it with a purple eyeshadow from the LaRoc palette - I made sure there was a harsh line along the crease to look almost like a cut crease and carried on using the purple along the lower lashline. I then used a Barry M Dazzle Dust in Gold for the inner corner and blended it into the eyeshadow on the upper lid. I tightlined my upper waterline using a Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Stick in Blackmail- I hate tightlining, I find it really awkward so I used a chubbier pencil as it covers more in a quicker space of time. I then used a Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil in Pure White to line the lower waterline. I applied the Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes mascara to my upper and lower lashes, before adding a set of Ardell Demi Wispies. To complete the eyes I used the Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner to cover the band of the false eyelashes and make the lashes look fuller.

From eyes, I moved back to the eyebrows, using the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer and a Beauty Blender to dab concealer onto them. This used a large amount of product, so I wanted to use something full coverage in lots of thin layers. I then set using the MAC Select Sheer Pressed Powder which was then lost during the performance process. Sad times. I moved onto base and used the MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation which I swear is an absolute Godsend. I made sure to use a Beauty Blender on and around the eyebrows in order to avoid moving the Eyebrow Plastic. I then used the Pro Longwear Concealer again to conceal and highlight the face. I dampened the Beauty Blender using MAC Mineralize Charged Water to blend in the concealer. I love using a spray like this, it's so handy when you're not really near a sink!  I went onto contour using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit and like always, using the shades Java and Fawn, however this time I used a brush that was a lot more dense in order to create a harsh contour line. I used a fluffier brush for the jawline and hairline and slightly on the nose. I went in next with a bright pink blusher - Hussy by Illamasqua. I applied this mainly on the apples of my cheeks but blended alongside the contour. We were working from a photograph for inspiration and her cheeks were so pink so I chose the brightest blusher I had!

After blusher, I decided to bake in order to create a harsh contour and bright under eye. If you don't know what baking is, it's where you apply a loose powder and leave it to set for a pro-longed period of time. I used the MAC Prep and Prime Loose Translucent Powder with a small triangular sponge underneath the contour line, and everywhere I had highlighted (forehead, chin, under eyes, nose and cupids bow) and left it to set whilst I finished my make-up. I actually went to mic check and vocal warm up like this, getting some odd looks from the band and the rest of the crew!

After this I went onto lips where I used a Essence Lipliner in Wish Me A Rose to line the lips, followed by a Rimmel Colour Burst Lip Crayon in a pink/red colour (I don't remember the shade) and sealed it with a coat of Lipcote which I had never used but love! My lipstick didn't even come off after cleansing!

I drew on a new set of eyebrows which proved difficult - they were probably different for each show. I used a L'Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim in Intense Black at first however I felt as though they looked too harsh and by the end of the show I was using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Medium Brown as the brown colour made them look a lot better, and as natural as they could possibly look.

After this, my face was finished - after mic check and vocal warm up, I dusted off the loose translucent powder from baking, and applied The Balm Mary Lou Manizer highlighter everywhere! Tops of the cheekbones, forehead, chin, cupids bow, and tip of the nose. I felt as though the highlighter really allowed my little girl character to come to life!

That was the finished product, requiring a lot of make-up and lots of touch ups throughout the performance! Stage make-up is possibly my favourite as it requires a lot of work but you become a completely new person through it! For anyone wondering too, this week my skincare routine proved to be very important and I used the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser to remove the make-up at the end of the day. Cream Cleansers can be heavy duty and therefore brilliant for removing stage make-up!


Be prepared for lots more posts now I've finally found the motivation to blog again - including lots more about stage make-up!

BEDSIDE BEAUTY #1.

We all have those beauty products we just can't live without and some of those live in the top drawer of my bedside cabinet - making them easy to reach for before bed, and when I wake up in the morning. There's not many products are lucky enough to be one of the first things I want when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I want at night but these are the lucky few..

First of all, the most used and definitely most important is a bottle of water. 'That's not a beauty product' I hear you say, but it is. Water has many health benefits especially upon the skin, staying hydrated keeps your skin looking plump and young, which is one of the many reasons I always have a bottle next to my bed. You'll also find the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, used more often than not a a lip balm however it can be used as a thick protective moisturiser and hand cream. I much prefer to use it as a lip balm, however as I love to keep my lips nourished and hydrated, especially when I go to bed. One slick application of this and my lip's definitely aren't dry in the morning. I keep a Witch Blemish Stick there at all times as it's something I swear by for any spots or blemishes - a generous application on top of a clean face at night time and it helps to keep all my unwanted friends at bay! Enough said there really.. Alongside this skincare favourite is my night cream - it's the Simple Kind to Skin Vital Vitamin Night Cream, It's thick so you only need the tiniest amount imaginable. I haven't been using it for long enough to be able see a difference yet, which is a reason I keep it in my bedside drawer - to remind me to use it! The final few bits are some scrunchies .. I like to sleep with my hair up sometimes and these are the most comfortable things to wear your hair in (although I feel like I'm secretly reliving my 90's childhood). I also keep two pairs of glasses and my television remote controls for my Sunday night CSI/NCIS marathons..

MY SKINCARE ROUTINE FEATURING LIZ EARLE.

Apologies for my lack of posts - I've been really lacking in motivation and ideas.. but I'm back now :)

A few months back I managed to get hold of two bottles of Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish during their anniversary celebrations - they were £9.50 a bottle which I originally thought was pricey for a cleanser, but after looking at the amount I was saving, I decided to take the plunge. The Cleanse and Polish is a cult product, constantly talked about and Liz Earle as a brand is highly recommended throughout the beauty blogging world.

Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish is a hot cloth cleanser - you massage the product onto your face (I tend to use one pump) to melt away any dirt and make-up left over from the day, and then use a hot muslin cloth to remove this from your face. I honestly find this method of make-up removing and/or cleansing so therapeutic - so much so that I like to leave the muslin cloth on my face for a minute or so, allowing my pores to fully open and clear. Without a doubt this cleanser has completely transformed my skin - it's so much brighter and softer now with much less redness - it's changed so much I wish I had taken a before photograph to prove it!

Alongside the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, I've been using the Kueshi Toner that I've raved about so much in previous posts - I love the smell of this product, and a little goes a long way meaning that it's lasted me months - I use the toner on a cotton pad and apply this all over my face. I'm running out of this though, so I need to find something affordable to replace it. Sometimes I follow up with an eye make-up remover, but only if it's being particularly stubborn that day, the Cleanse & Polish tends to remove most of my eye make-up with ease. When I do use an eye make-up remover it's a gentle one from the Body Shop Camomile Range (read about that here) on one cotton pad - using one side for each eye. My final steps are a serum and moisturiser - I use the Nip+Fab Dragons Blood Fix Plumping Serum - I absolutely adore this product - one pump and my face feels plump and hydrated. It's my first Nip+Fab product but I can definitely see myself purchasing more, I'm drawn to so many of them! I follow this up with a small amount of the Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturister - I use a pea size amount all over my face.

This skincare routine is the same come morning or night time - however I tend to treat my spots or blemishes overnight - for this I use a Witch Blemish Stick, I find that witch hazel draws any blemishes out and makes them easy to get rid of in any way shape or form. I swear by witch hazel, it's one of my go to products for anything and everything.  I'm on the hunt for a good night cream for my bedtime skincare routine too - I'll probably try Liz Earle if their cleansers are anything to go by!

Have you tried any Liz Earle products? Do you have any recommendations?

MY WORK FACE #1

Getting ready for work is usually the most relaxing part of my evening. I tend to munch on a little bit of dinner, watch some YouTube videos all whilst doing my make-up. I have a varied job, but moments like this tend to come before a bar shift. Bar work, for me, requires a much more 'glam' look in comparison to a children's party, therefore I tend to wear more make-up.

I didn't use a primer yesterday, as I've still run out and I've yet to find one that screams at me. I liked my old  L'Oreal Lumi Magique one, but I wanted something different. I prefer a luminous primer so if anyone has any suggestions, please comment them because I'm completely stuck for ideas. Rather than starting with primer - I started with my eyebrows - I find that applying them first allows them to last a lot longer, rather than sitting on top of foundation. I use the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Medium Brown - a little too dark for me but used sparingly it works pretty well and lasts forever. I apply this with the Real Techniques Bold Metals 202 brush, which is a very small and delicate angled brush which I absolutely adore. I set these in place with the Rimmel Brow This Way brow gel which I have in clear as opposed to the coloured gels.

I moved straight onto base from eyebrows, Last night I used the MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation in NW20 which I love. It really gives a flawless base, and although it runs a tiny bit lighter than usual, you don't need to get rematched. I actually think that after some bronzing, it looks a lot better than the usual shade matches. I applied this with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush which I really like, although I'd quite like to try the Sigma brushes that are angled as they look really cool! I applied my MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20 underneath my eyes, and to my forehead, nose, cupids bow and chin in order to conceal and highlight and patted that in with a Beauty Blender - rather than dampening with water I like to spray mine with the ELF Makeup Mist & Set.

I used my new Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel to bronze up my face and contour - I've been wanting this product for over a year now so I finally bit the bullet and purchased. I love it - it lasted all night and it didn't cake or slip off of my face. It also doesn't look as harsh as I originally imagined it could look which is amazing. I applied this using swirling motions with the Real Techniques Contour Brush. I went over this slightly with the shades Java and Fawn from the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit using an ELF Stippling Brush. After this I applied the Illamasqua Blush in Hussy with the Real Techniques Bold Metals 300 blush brush - I love the fact that this brush is tapered, meaning that you get a lovely natural finish rather than a huge blob of blush on your cheek - especially as Illamasqua products are so pigmented. I used a fan brush (don't know where from) to apply some highlighter to the high points of my face - I use the Balm's Mary Lou Manizer almost every day, it's one of my favourite products.

I finished my face by curling my eyelashes and applying Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes mascara, and then adding a little bit of MAC Velvet Teddy on my lips.

This may seem like a lot of make-up but obviously this differs for day to day, and quite often I won't wear any during the day for children's parties.

What make-up do you wear to work? A little or a lot?

FINALLY FINISHED UNIVERSITY!

- Myself and Mum, in Wetherspoons before the ceremony

I thought I'd write a little post to inform you all that after four very long, and hard years, I've finally finished my degree. From here on, I shall be Sophie Tumber, BA Hons. How exciting! I graduate in September - I'm unsure on my final grade as I'm still waiting on a couple of grades, however I shall find out in July the official grade I am graduating with.

UPDATE: I GRADUATED WITH AN UPPER SECOND CLASS DEGREE - 2:1!

Expect lots more posts now that I'm finished at university - including a few 'performance' based ones coming up!

MY EVERYDAY MAKE-UP ROUTINE.

Like many girls, I like to change up the items I put on my face pretty regularly. Recently, a lot of my 'go-to' make-up has run out, and rather than repurchasing and replacing, I've decided to use something new and completely change up what I use for my make-up. I'm often on the go or travelling, and like to use multi-purpose products.

I've been using a large coral mesh make up bag from Primark; it's huge and fits brushes as well as all of my make-up and more! I much prefer make-up bags with no structure, as you can stretch them to their limit and fit much more in as opposed to one with a structured edge.

I used to use my L'Oreal Lumi Magique Primer but I've run out and I'm unsure of what primer to go for next so I've been going without primer for a while. Since I've run out of my MAC Studio Fix Fluid I've been using my L'Oreal True Match Foundation in W3. I use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush to apply this to my face - I usually have to use an extra half a pump to cover the redness on my cheeks and jawline. To complete my base, I use MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20 to conceal any blemishes (which as of late are very sparse!) and highlight underneath my eyes, my nose, chin, cupids bow and forehead. I love the coverage of this concealer! It's very full coverage which is what I like. I set this with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Banana Powder and then move onto contour, bronzer and blusher.

I contour with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit - using a mixture of the shades Java and Fawn. I use an Avon brush to do this, I start very lightly at the hairline at the top of my ear, and work my way lightly down the hollows of my cheeks. The contour kit is pigmented, yet buildable which I absolutely love! Even the harshest of contours can still look natural because it's so easily blendable. After contour, I move on to blush. I've been using the blush shade (I think its called Hussy) from the Illamasqua Multi-Facet Palette in Semblance (such a great palette, I'm keen to do a blog post on the entire palette). It's so pigmented, just like all of Illamasqua's products (I'm so eager to get some more!) I use The Balm's Mary Lou Manizer as a highlight, and I've been using the Real Techniques Bold Metals Blush Brush to apply that to the tops of my cheeks, nose, forehead and cupids bow. I absolutely love highlight, it can do wonders to anyones face!

I use the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Medium Brown to fill in my eyebrows - I'm a blonde but I have dark roots and this matches perfectly, especially as my roots have grown out so far I'm beginning to resemble someone with ombre hair. I use the Real Techniques Bold Metals Angled Brush to apply this product. It's a small brush so it never picks up too much product - I tend to start in the middle of my brow and create a more pronounced tail with the majority of the product, then finish the brow by combing the brush through the front in order to make the front of the eyebrow appear a lot more natural.  I've been using the Rimmel 'Brow This Way' brow gel in Clear to set my brows - which works wonders. The Dipbrow Pomade doesn't necessarily need setting as it's waterproof and tends to stay on all day, but setting your eyebrows definitely helps, and allows you to comb through the product one last time.

I've been using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit as eyeshadows, I like to just run Java through the crease - I also use a little bit of The Balm Mary Lou Manizer on the lid and as an inner corner highlight. I love the Real Techniques eyeshadow brushes, from both collections. I use a small amount of eyeliner on my upper waterline and upper lashline - I've been using the Me Me Me pencil eyeliner in Clay as it's much more natural than using a thick black liquid/gel eyeliner. I curl my eyelashes using the Model's Own Eyelash Curler and then apply a generous amount of Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara to my top and bottom lashes. To finish off my eyes, I apply the Rimmel Kohl Pencil in Nude to my bottom waterline - I feel as though this really opens up the eyes.

To complete my face, I use MAC Subculture Lipliner to line and slightly fill in my lips. I then use MAC Velvet Teddy to fill in the entire lip, and then use an Essence XXXL Nude lipgloss in the shade Taste The Sweets to complete the look. I was absolutely amazed by the quality of this for such an afforable price. I tend to apply a layer and blot some of it off. It's long lasting and smells amazing!

This might seem like a lot to some people, but please bare in mind, I don't wear make-up every single day! Some days I'll just use a tinted moisturiser and mascara rather than wearing a full face, and some days I'll wear nothing at all.

CLOSET CONFIDENTIAL.

Closet Confidential is a tag that I watched a long time ago on YouTube, and I wanted to replicate it as a blog post. I'm massively into fashion, not necessarily a trend follower, but I love to dress up and make myself comfortable in what I'm wearing all of the time. Admittedly, we all have our off days where I just want to wear tracksuit bottoms, but recently I've been making sure I always dress well. Onto the tag..

1. What is the oldest item in your wardrobe?
The oldest item in my wardrobe is probably a vintage denim shirt that my dad gave me ages ago. I unpicked the stitches to remove the sleeves so it's much more worn in and fits me a lot better now. I don't wear it a lot, but I can't bare to throw it away.

2. What is the newest item in your wardrobe?
I recently picked up a midi dress from ASOS - it's plain black, with a split in each side at the bottom. It's so lovely and lightweight, perfect for Spring/Summer. I'm thinking of pairing it with a statement necklace and heeled boots for an evening look, or long necklaces and sandals for a more casual daytime look.

3. What is the most expensive item?
I'm definitely not much of a splurger when it comes to clothing - the most expensive item in my wardrobe is a dress that cost around £40 for my end of year ball in my second year of university. I bought it from eBay however it was originally sold for around £70 in Topshop.

4. What is the most affordable item, that you wear a lot?
I'm a lover of basics, and I wear them a lot. I buy the majority of them from ASDA George or Matalan. I love the jeggings from Matalan, they look like skinny jeans rather than cheap looking jeggings.

5. What was the biggest bargain?
I'm a bargain shopper anyway, and I always shop around before purchasing anything! Years and years ago I found a floral kimono on a sale rail in Primark that ended up being £3. I purchased it, and at the time I hardly wore it. Now I wear it all the time, it's a perfect lightweight cover up.

6. What was the biggest waste of money?
I bought a pair of wet look leggings which I love, but I bought the wrong size and couldn't return them. Constantly falling down and baggy on the legs, they look silly! I'll repurchase a pair sooner or later because they were good quality, but not yet!

7. What are your three favourite items right now?
My favourite three items right now are a split back t-shirt from Primark. I picked it up as part of a costume thinking it was just a t-shirt, and it wasn't until I got it out of the bag I realised it had a split back, something I'd been looking for for ages! I'm also loving my light blue jeggings from Matalan and my high waisted white skinny jeans from Boohoo. They're a really good fit and really comfortable!

8. What is the most outrageous item in your wardrobe?
I play it pretty safe when it comes to fashion, I own two leather skirts - one's a black one from Missguided that I've unfortunately torn a hole in, and one's a white one from River Island that I absolutely adore.

9. What is your favourite piece that you've gotten as a gift?
My favourite item of clothing that was gifted to me is most probably two (same top, different colours) zip front tops from ASDA George. Ones a teal, and ones a bright fuschia pink colour. I adore them both, very flattering and feminine cuts! The teal one matches a jewellery set I own perfectly.

10. What is the most comfortable item?
The most comfortable item is definitely tracksuit bottoms, but that wouldn't make for a very interesting answer now would it. I have two strapless summer dresses - lightweight cotton floral dresses which are so simple to throw on in boiling weather - probably the most comfortable thing I own.

11. What is the most uncomfortable item, but you would take the pain because you love it?
I got a pair of black ankle boots from New Look for Christmas two years ago, and as much as I love them, they absolutely kill my feet, always giving me blisters. I wouldn't give them up for the world though.

12. What is your favourite complete outfit - top, bottom, shoes, jewellery, accessories and all.
This always changes for me, but recently it's been my floral kimono with a vest, jeans and sandals paired with long necklaces. A more dressed up favourite of mine is a striped t-shirt, my white leather skirt and heels. I like to pair this with red lipstick - very nautical!

13. Pick your favourite black item and your favourite white item.
My favourite black item is my cold shoulder dress from ASOS, I wear it to death as it's really easy to dress up and dress down. My favourite white item is a lace cover crop top from New Look, I hardly wear it but I wish I could wear it more often!

14. Where do you shop the most?
I probably shop on ASOS the most - although it combines many brands, I'd say its the place I shop the most. It used to be Primark, all the time but I'm definitely branching out now that I'm getting more interested in fashion!

I'm hoping to branch out much more into fashion posts, I'm just not sure where to start!

LIFE OF A COSTUME DESIGNER.

I thought I'd try something a bit different and write about some of my work at university. I study a degree in Performing Arts and next week marks the beginning of the end for me. We have a module called 'Directing and Devising', better known to us as D&D, a module wherein we have to devise/adapt a show, and direct it as a performance shown to the public. We set ourselves a theatrical challenge, which basically means that we write our assignment brief which allows us to as creative as possible. It's a stressful period, lots of drafts, designs and hours and hours of directing to create a show which gets us an amazing grade - or so we hope!?

I've taken on the role of costume designer for two shows, one is an adaptation of 'The Breakfast Club', and one is a piece of children's theatre based on the works of Dr. Seuss. There's a rather common misconception that costume designer's not only design but make the costumes - that's not always true. I prefer to design and source - almost like a stylist. Simon says I'm a professional shopper and I guess that's kind of true. I've spent the majority of the past seven months scouring online websites, eBay, Depop, clothing shops, charity shops and as many other places you can think of in order to find the perfect costumes to fit both of my theatrical challenges for two completely different shows.

It's not all shopping though, and it's most definitely not as easy as it seems. There's lots of research and measurements and comparing and contrasting to do, and that's probably the most difficult part. I have to relay all of my finds back to various directors and producers and writers to make sure that they are perfect for the characters that I'm dressing. Most recently, I've had to research into 1916 childrenswear in order to dress a bunch of children for a workshop, and to make matters even more difficult, the costumes I designed needed to be of minimal budget, and consist of clothes they would possibly already own. It really does require some serious brain power.

There is a week and a half until show week - I've a small amount to find, simple bits. I need to dye a dress, make a pregnancy bump, do hair and make-up on a cast of around ten as well as ensure everyone is dressed perfectly before they head on stage. I've got things to do like stitch on buttons, find all appropriate hair tools and shoes and socks. I'm sure everyone else feels under as much pressure as I do, but the whole aesthetic of the show depend on me, which is a scary thought.

I'm so completely thrilled to be part of two amazing shows - but more so because I'm loving this work at the moment. It's really exciting being a costume designer, not only because it's one of the most important things in a performance but because it's so creative and there really aren't any boundaries for me. I'm so excited to return to university on Monday to complete the costumes I've been working so hard on for such a long time now, and I'm stupidly happy it's nearly over. As much as I've enjoyed it all, it's been rather stressful.

Of course I'll post pictures of the costumes in action when they're done!

THE LAZY GIRL GUIDE: REMOVING MAKE-UP.

I love the feeling of removing my make-up at the end of a long day - especially when I've got a lot on. I usually wear a face full, however today I only wore tinted moisturiser as a base, with some bronzer, filled in eyebrows and mascara - a pretty bare face for me. Although my 'proper' skincare routine is relatively simple anyway, sometimes I like to be lazy and I just cannot be bothered with a full skincare, bathroom job to remove the tiniest amount of make-up (let's face it, we've all been there) so I have a few simple, easy to reach products that I use to remove whatever scraps of make-up are left at the end of the day.

First off - something that's hugely raved about. Honestly, slightly overrated but still a relatively good quality product and that's the Garnier Micellar Water. It's suitable for all skin types - especially sensitive which I completely get as it's so gentle on the skin. It claims to remove make-up, cleanse and soothe the skin, which it definitely does to some extent. I tend to apply generously to a cotton pad and then wipe all over my face to get rid of as much leftover make-up as possible.

I then move onto removing my eye make-up as I feel as though the Garnier Micellar Water doesn't do this well enough for my liking. I use The Body Shop Camomile Waterproof Eye and Lip Make-Up Remover - a bit of a long name. It's suitable for all skin types which is brilliant as your eyes are the most sensitive part of your face, and what's great about this is that it doesn't sting at all. It's also one of those cool formulas where you have to shake to activate it - when you look at the bottle you can see the two different solutions atop of one another which is really interesting. I apply this to one cotton pad and use both sides - one for each eye - to remove my eye make-up.

As a final step, I use the Kueshi Pure & Clean Revitalizing Face Toner. It's aloe vera, camomile and calendula scented which smells gorgeous when you apply it to your face - I would love to apply this all day, just saying. I originally got this in a Glossybox, and I've never looked back. It's most likely my most used product from a Glossybox ever! Again, using a trusty cotton pad, I apply this all over my face and then bask in the scent. I love it. It's gorgeous, and a little definitely goes a long way.

So that's my honest, lazy girl guide to removing make-up - and not a single face wipe in sight (although they do pop into action every now and again).

What do you use when you just can't be bothered to remove your make-up?

WHATS ON MY FACE: LUNCH TIME.

Photograph stolen from my Snapchat, again :).

Today I went for lunch with my family to celebrate my Grandad's 85th birthday. We went for a carvery which was lovely and then back to my grandparents house for tea and cake :). When I'm with my family I don't particularly like to wear too much make-up, however it was a special occasion so I thought I'd make an effort.

I decided to use no primer today, which I'm immediately regretting as by the time I've got home (only a few hours later) my make-up has decided to break up on my face. I used the L'Oreal True Match foundation in the shade W3 Golden Beige and buffed this into my skin using a Real Techniques Buffing Brush, which is my go to foundation brush. I followed this up with my MAC Prolongwear concealer in NW20 under my eyes and my MAC Mineralize concealer in NW20 on any blemishes. I buffed and patted this in using my fingers, as well as the same Real Techniques brush. Rather than a harsh contour, I decided to use the Soap and Glory Solar Powder bronzer to bronze up my skin slightly, and then used the Benefit Rockateur blush to give some colour and life to my cheeks. I used my trusty Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Medium Brown to fill in my eyebrows, and the Eylure Brow Control and Shape Gel to set them. I went for a simple winged liner look using the Soap and Glory Supercat liner, and the Avon Supershock mascara which I've been loving lately, and then finished the entire look with an Essence XXXL Nude lipgloss in the shade 03 Taste The Sweets.

GET READY WITH ME: ELSA.

Totes stole this photo from Snapchat.

Firstly - apologies for my absence over the Easter weekend, I thought I'd use it for a bit of relaxation time, that and the fact that I've been absolutely rushed off my feet at work. On Sunday, I made my debut as Elsa at our brand new, 'Frozen' parties - something my boss and I have been planning for a long time now. I take on the role of Elsa, and stay in character throughout the party - I play lots of party games with the children and most excitingly - I SING! We've worked hard planning the perfect outfit and wig so I wanted to make sure that the make-up for Elsa was perfect, and appropriate for a children's party.
I cleansed as usual, using the Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser, Kueshi Aloe Vera, Camomile and Calendula Toner, Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser, and Benefit's It's Potent eye cream before moving onto make-up. In terms of make-up, I primed my skin with The Body Shop Instablur primer and then moved onto eyes, using the MAC Prolongwear Concealer in NW20 to prep my eyes and conceal any blemishes. I like to conceal blemishes before foundation in order to create a much fuller coverage for my foundation. I used a taupe shade from the Make Up Revolution Iconic 3 palette as a transition shade, and then moved straight onto my 120 Summer Tones palette where I used the brightest pink shade to work through the crease and the outer corner of the eyelid. I really packed this on to make the colour pop before I decided to add the purple to the main eyelid. I used a flat, fluffy eyeshadow brush to apply this and blend into the pink in the crease. I continued to build up these two colours until I was entirely happy with the pigmentation of the eyes. I then moved on to using the pink glittery shade from the same Make Up Revolution palette and applied this in the middle of the eyelid to add extra dimension. I tightlined the eyes using the Avon Glimmerstick Cosmic in the shade Blackened Night. and lined my upper lashline, without a wing, using the Soap and Glory Supercat Liner. I lined my waterline with the Rimmel Kohl Kajal pencil in the shade Nude before applying mascara - I used two, firstly the Avon Supershock mascara, mainly to the upper lashes, before applying a coat of Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless to the bottom lashes and a small amount to the top lashes to complete the eye look.

For the base, I wanted to create a pale, rosy, lightly contoured look - to do so I mixed Illamasqua Skin Base in SB04 and MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NW20 to create a paler 'your skin but better' foundation - I knew Elsa was the Ice Queen so I wanted to look appropriately pale without looking silly.. I buffed this into my skin using a Real Techniques Buffing Brush. I then used my MAC Prolongwear Concealer, again in NW20 to highlight under my eyes and the high points of my face before moving onto contour. For contour I used the Anastasia Beverly Hills contour kit and the shade Java to very lightly contour and Banana to highlight. After, I used the BellaPierre cosmetics Cheek and Lip stain in the shade Coral on the apples of my cheeks to create a really rosy look - I then went over this with Benefit's Rockateur blush to accentuate the rosy cheeks that I wanted to create. Rockateur also has flecks of highlight which made the cheeks look frosted, which was a lovely touch. The final touches to the skin were a light dusting of MAC Select Sheer pressed powder to set the foundation, and a touch of The Balms Mary Lou Manizer to the high points of my face, and the inner corners of my eyes.

I always do my brows after my base - I don't know why, it's just something I do. Elsa has dark brows (thank God!) so I went with my usual Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Medium Brown. Might write something on my brow routine sooner or later, but I just brush them upwards, fill them in and brush out any excess product with the attached spooly.

For lips, I'd prepped them with Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, and then lined with an Essence lipliner in the shade 12 Wish Me A Rose. I then filled in with my Avon lipstick in the shade Pout. I felt like this was too pink, so chose to remove and just use the lipstick instead. After the lips, this make-up look was complete.

When I got to work, I got changed and a work friend of mine french plaited my hair because my hair was so thick I couldn't get my wig (we finally settled on the Fever Wig Collection: Rhianne wig) on properly which I was really grateful for! We took some photos, I practiced my singing and off we went!

I really really enjoyed being Elsa for the day!

SS15 MUST HAVES.

Today was such lovely weather - I managed to go all day without a coat and just a lightweight jacket. I thought I'd start the official Spring season by compiling my Spring/Summer 2015 must haves. I've found my must have beauty products stocked by Zest Beauty for the season!

First off, the Dermalogica Favourites Gift Set. This is a travel gift set of all of Dermalogica's favourite  products - SS15 is the best time to debut your perfect clear skin and Dermalogica is a highly esteemed brand to use in order to clear up your skin. The set contains travel sizes of PreCleanse, Multi Active Toner, Skin Hydrating Booster, Gentle Cream Exfoliant and SkinPerfect Primer with SPF30. This travel size set seems like the perfect kit to kick start your Spring season!

In keeping with clear skin - the Medik8 Titanium Dermaroller. Covered with 0.22mm microneedle lengths this is designed to enhance the penetration of active ingredients of skincare products, allowing them to sink further into the deeper layers of the skin. I personally love to go out with clear skin and minimal make-up during warm weather - I don't particularly like to wear too much make-up when it's warm, and if my skin isn't clear that's something I would probably do. I've wanted something like this for a long time, I've been on a mission to make my skin brighter and clearer for quite some time and I've heard something like this really works.

Next is the Moroccan Oil Treatment for all Hair Types. Hot weather can really dry out your hair - so using a product like Moroccan Oil allows you to keep your hair hydrated and soft without looking dry and damaged. I've been using Argan Oil recently but I've heard so many good reviews on this particular brand that I'm eager to try it!

I first saw the Makeup Eraser in an Instagram video and immediately I knew I wanted it. This allows you to remove your make-up by only wetting this cloth with warm water! It even removes waterproof mascara which is amazing. You can flip the cloth over to use it to exfoliate your face. This is such a brilliant concept for all year round, but washing your face can really cool you down and make you feel clean after being out in the sun all day - perfect for hot days!

I'm a flip flop freak - I will wear them until the weather is physically too cold for me to survive any longer. The Burt's Bees Peppermint Foot Lotion is perfect for keeping your feet in check in flip flops, sandals, and any other type of dainty footwear. I danced for a long time, and I'm always on my feet in my job so my feet aren't exactly the nicest feet in the world - this lotion contains ingredients such as hazel, rosemary, peppermint oil and teatree in order to provide the correct nutrients to keep feet smelling fresh, and feeling pain free after a long day on your feet.

Finally - after a long day in the sun, theres nothing I want more than a refreshing shower to cool me down. I love the look of Burt's Bees Radiance Exfoliating Body Wash. This contains jojoba beads and a fruit acid complex in order to gently exfoliate, smooth and help even skin tone. What's a better way to wind down after a long day?

Those are my SS15 must haves from Zest Beauty. I'm so excited for the Spring-Summer season now, hot weather is my favourite.

Have you ever shopped at Zest Beauty?

THE BODY SHOP: SEAWEED IONIC CLAY MASK

A long time ago I received a sample of the GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Mask - a clay mask that seemed to pull all of the impurities out of your skin, leaving your skin feeling soft, fresh and clean afterwards. A brilliant mask, but for a hefty price tag of £40, it left me looking for the same results elsewhere. This is when somebody recommended the Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask from The Body Shop - just as good for a fraction of the price.

The packaging states that the mask is suitable for oily/combination skin, however I have normal/combination/blemish prone skin and it works fine for me. The seaweed mask contains Bladderwrack Seaweed which is well known for drawing out impurities and clarifying the skin - The Body Shop also have a Seaweed cleanser which uses the same ingredients however I'm currently using the Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser which is working amazingly on my skin. I tend to apply a thin layer and leave to set until the clay mask dries from a dark grey to a light grey. To remove it, I either use a toner or a hot flannel to remove it. This mask leaves my skin feeling so so smooth and clean, and helps to clear out the blocked pores on my face, removing all kinds of dirt.

I'm so glad to have found an alternative to the GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Mask thats less than half the price! I only use this once a week or once a fortnight - usually after a long weekend of work, but it's definitely made a difference on my skin.

Do you use any face masks? What are your favourites?

MY FIVE EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS.

I own a fair amount of beauty products and I try to constantly change up what I decide to use make-up, skincare and haircare wise every day. Anyone who says that they have a large amount of products yet use the same thing every day is probably lying to you! Saying that, there are always a few products I hardly ever stray from and use almost every single day - these products are things that really work for me.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream.
I use this every single day on my lips before I go to bed - it's a thick formula which means that the amount of product can gradually sink into my lips overnight. This is also really good on any parts of your skin that are particularly dry or chapped as it's so thick it keeps the skin really really hydrated.

Models Own Eyelash Curlers.
There's no doubt that there are better eyelash curlers out there than these, however I was in a quick fix and needed a pair after my previous ones broke. These are pretty good for only £8.00! They create a gorgeous, long lasting curl that stays pretty much all day. However, the only down side are the handles - I much prefer it when you can loop your fingers through and get a better grip.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush.
There really is no other way to apply your foundation. I've tried a stippling brush, I've tried a normal foundation brush, I've tried the Real Techniques Complexion Sponge and we just didn't get along like I get on with the Buffing Brush. I can use this to apply foundation, concealer and even bronzer when I forget a brush! I haven't yet found something that matches this, although I'm willing to try. I buff my foundation in circular motions across my face, and use the brush to pat in foundation and concealer on those places that I'd like extra coverage. This brush works a treat, and is great for anyone on a budget.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Medium Brown.
I love this - its my holy grail eyebrow pencil and I love the spooly on the other end too! The spooly that is attached is really small and stiff which is perfect for combing through before and after. I love how narrow and thin the nib on the pencil end of the product is, it really allows you to create small, precise hair like strokes so your brows can be on point all day long.

Schwarzkopf got2b All Star 10 in 1 Styling Treatment.
This is something I recently received in a Glossybox and I adore it. I've been using Argan Oil a lot recently and I've been wanting to try something new haircare wise - my hair is thick and extremely knotty and I like to put some product in it when it's wet before I start to dry and style it. I apply 1 pump of this to my hair and it makes it sleek, smooth and straight. It helps me to get rid of any knots and actually brush it with ease. I'm not sure how much this retails for but I would definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone.

Do you have products that you use every single day? What are they?

L'OREAL: THE NUDES.

Quite a while ago, L'Oreal released a selection of colours by prestigious women that we all know and love - the likes of Julianne Moore, Jennifer Lopez, Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Eva Longoria, Blake Lively and a few others. There's been a few collections from these women - most notably, their 'nude' shades and their 'red' shades. I own three of their nude shades - Julianne's, Eva's and J-Lo's - and I have to admit that these are definitely some of my go-to nude lipsticks. 

First of all, Juliannes nude. Julianne has quite fair skin, so I was expecting a relatively pink toned, pale nude. At first swatch, its definitely pink toned - the pinkest of the three. It's quite sheer - but definitely buildable in colour, however I tend to wear this quite sheer as I don't really think I suit a heavily pigmented light pink lip. The longevity of these lipsticks is pretty good - especially when put onto hydrated lips - although these lipsticks are hydrating themselves. They don't dry out your lips or make them look dry at all.

Secondly, J-Lo's nude. Jennifer Lopez is probably Queen of the nude lip - it's pretty rare to see her in anything but a nude lip so I expected good things from this shade. Again - quite sheer, they all seem to be quite sheer but that's a good thing because they can be built up. Swatched on my hand - this is the brownest of the nudes which is why I picked it - since I was a little girl I've loved a brown lipstick as it's something my mum has always worn - that and I'm a 90's kid. I love the fact that you can imagine each of these lipsticks on the woman they're named after - this is such a J-Lo shade and looks somewhat glossy when it's on due to the finish of the lipstick.

Finally, Eva's nude. This is the one I've worn the most and that's because it's a brown shade with orangey undertones. It's extremely wearable and after Velvet Teddy by MAC, it's my second go-to nude lipstick. This is the most pigmented out of the three yet still sheer and buildable which is what I absolutely adore about these lipsticks - as much as I love when a lipstick involves one application and you're done for the day, I love that you can build up as much or as little colour as you want.

This line of lipsticks is such a good idea - I'm eager to try the different styles of red that are on offer from the same ladies. They're drugstore lipsticks too which means that they are easy to get hold of and affordable too!

Have you tried any lipsticks from this range? What ones do you own?

FAVOURITES: MARCH 15'.

I can't believe it's the end of March 2015. 2015! The past few years have gone so fast and I can't believe that in the next couple of months (around 8 weeks time) I would have finally finished my degree. It's amazing. So my March favourites, not all beauty favourites but obviously, the majority of them are:

Argan Oil. This is only a cheap one from the Pound Shop but it's lasted me forever. I apply to wet/damp hair to help get rid of knots and split ends and just make my hair a whole lot softer. This really is proof that you don't need to spend a small fortune to get a good product that works. This was £1 and I really don't think I'll be purchasing anything else.

MAC Subculture Lipliner. Again - this was in last months favourites and I really don't need to say anything else.

Naked Lips lip balm in Superfruits. This is blueberry, acai, goji, baobab and pomegranate flavour - it tastes amazing and keeps my every dry lips hydrated for ages. I even use this over my lipsticks to keep my lips hydrates (lipsticks tend to dry them out) and to make my lipstick last longer.

L'Oreal True Match Foundation. After testing for the month I've really become a fan of this stuff - I don't want to repeat myself so you can read more about that one here.

Burberry Weekend Perfume. This really takes me back, I've been wearing this perfume for years and years - I actually think it was my first ever 'big girl' perfume I was bought. It's a really relaxing, floral and fruity fragrance - perfect for day to day wear. Which reminds me, I'm running out - should really repurchase.

Game of Thrones. Can we just.. for a minute. I'm a real girls girl and I love girls junk TV, until I found Game of Thrones. Simon and I have been binge watching this month and we are in love with it! I have a huge girl crush on Daenarys Targaryen - seriously!? If I could just look like that girl I'd be happy for the rest of my life.

What are your favourites for this month?

L'OREAL: REALLY A TRUE MATCH?

The L'oreal True Match foundation is something beauty bloggers, YouTubers, make-up artists have been raving about for a long long time, and because of this I've always had the urge to try it. It claims to be super blendable and match skin colour and texture, improving the appearance of skin quality.

I got the shade W3/Golden Beige and it's a really good match - it's a water based foundation so when you pump the foundation out it can be quite watery. Admittedly at first, I hated this foundation - yes, the colour was a good match and it was a good consistency but it was just horrible - it wasn't 'super blendable' as it claimed to be, it didn't even blend nicely when it eventually blended and ended up being a really really light coverage - which just isn't for me. I love a medium-full coverage and this hadn't proven to be that unless I used a lot of it. It just didn't do what it claimed to do, and I was super disappointed.

I decided to put it away and try again a little bit later, and I don't know what it did but all of a sudden it blended well, it was a better coverage (still not full enough but something I could work with without having to use a whole bottle on my face) and it stayed put all day. It looked really nice and I loved the texture and flawless finish it gave my skin. I've ended up using it a lot actually - I kind of appreciate the fact that we didn't get along at first. I always use a Real Techniques buffing brush for my foundation, and it works really well with this foundation - especially when I use the Body Shop Instablur primer.

I'd definitely recommend this, but don't give up on it straight away! Try it, try it with different brushes, different primers and I guarantee you'll find that it works for you.

Have you tried this foundation? What did you think?

BARRY M SHOWGIRL MASCARAS.

When I saw the Barry M Showgirl mascaras I completely fell in love with the packaging - a silver metallic tube, and a metallic pink tube, depending on the mascara you choose. Of course, I had to have both. I've never really used Barry M make-up, only the nail polish so I was a little reluctant to try mascaras from a brand I'd never tried.

First, the silver tube - Extra Lengthening Black Showgirl Mascara, it has a regular oval shaped head on the wand which was something I'm used to seeing - the short spikes on the wand coat all of your lashes well, and they definitely create a lengthening effect on your eyelashes. It stays all day, and although not particularly holding a curl well, they don't make your lashes completely flat. I love the doe-eyed really girly long lashed look, which this mascara is brilliant for, especially if you're on a budget.

The pink tube is Extra Volume Black Showgirl Mascara, with a fatter wand, that slightly curves. The spikes on the wand are longer and thicker - reminiscent of the type of lashes that this mascara should give you. Don't get me wrong, this doesn't give you full fat lashes like my favourite Masquara would (read about it here), however again, for a budget it does a pretty good job and you can definitely see a difference when it comes to volume.

These two mascaras are amazing for the price, and although not my favourite, I definitely wouldn't stray from a real make-up purchase from Barry M. They work well together, and they work well separately - definitely a good buy!

Have you tried Barry M make-up? Do you have any recommendations?

I LOVE BIORÉ.

I've been on a skincare hunt for a long time now - my skins been irritable and annoying for ages, I keep getting spotty and then when it clears up something else just rears its ugly head at me and brings my skin back down. I'm not sure what it is, but I've been trying a variety of different cleansers to see what it really is. I've tried Simple, Garnier, Neutrogena and even Benefit (probably the only cleanser to have cleared my skin, but will also clear my bank account too!) After experimenting with various different cleansers and styles of cleanser, I've stumbled across the Bioré Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser and I've officially fallen head over heels in love with it.

I purchased the Bioré cleanser for £4.99 from Boots, and I've used it morning and night and it's really, really helped to clear up my skin well. The charcoal within the product helps to draw out the dirt and impurities from your skin and essentially help to reduce spots and redness from the flaws in your skin. Once I've used it, it really makes my skin tingle - some people may not like this before bed and will perhaps prefer to only use this as a morning cleanser, however I've chosen to use it morning and night so that I'm able to fully cleanse my skin.

I tend to use one pump in my hands, rub them together to lather the product up and then rub over my face. I always wash off using a flannel as I really hate splashing water on my face, but I also like the feeling of scrubbing off a cleanser with a hot flannel as it helps to get rid of any excess dead skin cells and almost act as a really gentle exfoliant.

Have you used any Bioré products?