Summer favourites- Nail edition

Although there is still some time left of summer I thought I'd do this post now as the UK sun is on a limited life span.

Who doesn't feel put together when their nails are painted? However I am the type of person that paints my toe nails and can never be bothered to paint my finger nails (1.Because I don't like my toes 2. Toe nails last longer.) But I have got several summer favourites here for toes or fingers.

Starting with the pinks as there is always room for a pink or two in the collection.

Seventeen - Raspberry woo woo
A bright 'gel effect' fuchsia pink, good with a couple of coats and looks great on toes.

Nails inc- Uptown
On the other end of the pink scale- more of a rose nude pink but just as beautiful and looks so delicate next to any skin tone.

Seventeen- mint bon bon
A muted mint colour, fab for those who love pastels. Similar to mint candy apple by Essie.

Nails inc - Haymarket
AGAIN another mint shade but it wouldn't be right if I didn't have one or two (or 5) mint shades in my summer favourites. Its a gel effect polish so its high shine brighter tone mint and last that's little bit longer.

Nails inc-
I was very reluctant to add this one in because im unsure of the name BUT I thought maybe one of you lovelies out there might know it/have it. Its a Marie Claire edition polish (get it free with the magazine) - one of my all time favourites as it is a pale grey with a lilac base.

That's just a few of my summer favourites in the nail department, as I tend to wear the same colours in the summer (definitely more of a autumn/winter gal)

Thanks for reading!
Meg x

Finding your skin type

A lot of people get fustrated when they cant find the right product for them (make up or skincare) or when something doesnt work for them as it does for someone else.. its all about your skin, obviously application helps too!

Which is why i wamted to write this.

 Something that may seem easy, but actuallly can be very more confusing than one might think. Although i have a beauty qualification, it is still something i found very baffling until i did some more research and took the time to actually care about it! BUT I am no means a expert or specialist.

Many types of skin and soo many types of products but which one is right for you?

Firstly if you are struggling i would suggest going to see someone (more than one actually) at a skincare counter and get their opinion. 

☆ Just because your skin may not feel dry doesn't mean it isnt dehydrated- some people mistake them for the same thing.

  Dry skin may feel rough or only come up in certain patches of flaky/scaly textures, it might look slightly more coarse than normal nd products may stick to patches. Whacking aload of cream on it isnt going to help, it helps if you use a oil or serum and a cream that is oil based to bring moisture back. When it comes to cleansing, i have found foam cleansers tend to dry your skin out more, so i would stick to a cleansing balm or something you know isnt drying.

 Dehydrated skin may mean your skin looks slightly duller and can some times be noticed if you have fine lines on your forhead from not drinking enough and staying, well... hydrated. This means you cant necerssarily use the same product as you would for dry skin, its best to use a serum and a moisturiser that is water based. 

☆ You could have a certain shine to your skin, it could sometimes be released sweat and not necessarily oily skin.

Oily skin is excess oil (excess meaning over producing natural oils) which can cause black heads and spots. Majority of people with oily skin will have open or bigger pores which causes it to clog easier sometimes causing said spots and black heads. Over cleansing your skin will not help this as your skin once its clean, has to restore the natural oils and starts to work harder the more it gets taken away.

Combination skin is probably the hardest to maintain as it requires you to balance your skin. You may sometimes be oily or some days you might have drier skin, like wise you could get an oily T-zone and the rest of your skin is dry. I find what is best is giving it products for dry skin and oily skin, so if you cleanse your skin with something oil free then your moisturiser could be oil based to balance o

ut your skin so you're hitting the right amount for each skin types.

Obviously a lot of people know when it comes to make up oil free products are normally for oily skin so you're not adding to the mass and your makeup wont go south and oil based products tend to be good for drier skin.. putting a oil free primer on oily skin is good because it normally means you've got bigger pores so a primer for oily skin tend to be oil free and mattifying whereas dry skin works better with a tackier textured, oil based primer so your makeup with press into your primer instead of your dry skin.

Again.. combination skin just means you need to combined a variation of products, so a mattifying primer with a dewy foundation or vice versa, if you really wanted to apply certain products to certain parts of your skin to counteract you skin type.

Having the right skin care routine can work wonders but what I will say is :

1. Try to switch your products up every now and then just so your skin doesn't get used to it (because that may cause problems)

2. Sometimes a simple skin routine could be what you need, why feed your skin more than it needs? When it could occasionally benefit from the minority of products on your bathroom shelf.

Again I'd like to say im not a professional, this is just what I have learnt and somethings that I find work.

If you are still intrigued about what your skin is truly like, you can always visit a few skincare counters to get a few different opinions.

Thankyou for reading.

Meg x

The products that brought my healthy hair back

Although I have always had hip length hair, It's always been pretty healthy.
I get bored quite easily with my hair but then I also get bored and impatient in the process of a change.

Little back story: I've bleached my hair about three times (this being the third) and its been completely fine, might I add, either my hair couldn't take another go, or I put waay too much on, way too quick.

Lets get to the point.. my ends were dead after the ombre, they were shedding away as they had lost their elasticity.. so I cut it.
I cut it from my belly up to my boobs (ohh what a mistake, my tubby face can't handle a short cut).

If you've had both brunette and blonde hair you'll know you're hair looks much healthier, brunette.
Knowing this I went back brunette, to hide the hay until I could restore it.

Obviously what you're here for is to find out what products I've been using to give it a kiss of life.

Before I put anything on it after I cut it, I covered it in coconut oil to revive it a bit after it took a killing from chemicals!

I make sure I only wash it every other day, at most, just to get some of the natural oils back into my hair. Half of those washes I use a hair mask instead of a conditioner, my favourite is L'oreal Elvive restore mask.

I have been trying to do a few little things to help along the way but the main reason i'm writing this is because of the Tresemme Keratin Smooth shampoo and conditioner. I have always had a love hate relationship with Tresemme as I feel like they make your hair feel great but on the other side of things, they can make my hair quite greasy and heavy.. as someone with long, fine hair that was a bit of a issue because I never liked the flat look.

BUT (and a very big but) after wondering around Superdrug desperate to find something to make my hair look and feel some what normal again, I picked the Tresemme up.. mainly because I knew the brand made my hair feel soft, plus it was on offer too, so I thought it couldn't hurt to pick these up. I hadn't seen them around before, however I think that's due to them being repackaged? I'm not totally sure tho? ...

...Anyway, the first time I used this (bare in mind my hair was brittle and got really knotty) I was actually shocked and actually very happy that my hair felt great again! I could literally run my fingers through my hair with no interruption, which I've not actually been able to do properly since the bleaching. My hair was so soft, and had that newly dyed hair shine!

So as you can imagine i am very pleased to have found a product that has tamed my hair again, i've never really had much trouble with my hair until now, but i can finally straighten it with out it going bushy at the ends and finally brush it without it snapping!! I always finish my hair off after getting out the shower with Umberto Giannini Mend My Hair serum- it has been a life saver for a few years now, however i know they have changed their packaging too and can't seem to find the exact one.

Just a few products that have helped my hair and can maybe help you too!

what are your hair miracles?

Thanks for reading!

Meg x

beauty tips to my younger self

• A few coats of mascara is enough, you dont need the whole tube.

• Please stick to one foundation preferably something less cakey.. you dont need Rimmel match perfection with dream matte mousse on top!!!

• Foundation lips are not a thing! No not put gloss over it!!

• Go to a salon and get your nails done for prom, dont attempt it yourself, you'll only regret and hide your hands all night!

• I appreciate you blending your foundation and not creating 'slag lines' well done but your fake tan needs to be rubbed in, please ask someone to check it is before you leave the house.

• Mattifying powder is not extra coverage, stop clogging your pores by packing it on over foundation!

• Stop running a mascara wand through your hair to create streaks... stop trying to be cool!

Yes looking back at these things makes me feel very nostalgic and... embarrassed, although my make up skills have improved, leaving these horrid habits in the past woo!

what were your teenage mishaps?

Thanks for reading.

Meg x 

Lessons I learnt when starting a blog

1. Everything is not what it seems

is one thing that circulates social media quite a bit, the fact people put themselves down a lot because their blog, instagram isn't quite as well polished as everyone else's or that their life doesn't seem so great. No ones life is perfect not even for the person themselves, Pictures are deceiving, yes they might be off at a luxe resort in Bali or be splashed across a magazine for an AD campaign but everyone has troubles: Relationships, Family, Money, Self confidence. It is all ok, no matter what your life is like, you are the only one who can make your life the way you want it.

2. A small start

Everyone has to start somewhere and unfortunately that is the bottom! Engagement isn't going to happen over night, it takes time; some longer than others. Keep at it even if you feel like you are getting no where. 

3. Social media is your best friend

Although this is quite a obvious one, it really helps! I, myself have always tried to spread the word about my blog, i can openly admit i have never pushed it hard enough. I realised this recently when i put a lot more effort in to my socials and stepped away from blogging (i am not saying drop the blog for the internet.. keep at it guys!) the time and effort i put in to engaging on instagram and twitter really proved its worth. Liking and commenting on photos, posting on blogging trains, Hashtags and retweeting others work!

4. It's ok to say NO

I agree it may be exciting getting your first collab/sponsor with brands, however don't let that stray you. It is ok to promote a brand just to get exposure in return, if you are comfortable with it, it is the best way to start getting involved with brands. Having said this once you hit the right time, the right following and the right engagement, it is acceptable to turn down things because they have not offered enough, you need to know your worth. You may be sent lots of fab thing, you might be sent nothing but make sure you are in it for the right reasons eg. compatible content, similar beliefs/interests, a brand you enjoy or something that's relevant to you! Everyone loves tea but dont go advertising a tea-tox if you blog about fashion and you're just doing it about the money or product, promoting lip plumper if you are a food blogger, if its not for you just say no! 

5. Ask for help

I dont think i need to explain this one but anything you are struggling with, near enough everyone has been there! if you dont understand ask someone: a fellow blogger, google, twitter. Express your concerns, someone will help you, even if you have run out of ideas, every blogger has been through the small struggles of, blogger or wordpress, URL, schedules. Even to this day there is a lot of things i still have no idea about, the same as some others!

Just a few things i have learnt from my small time of blogging and inevitably there is more to come!

please feel free to ask me anything or share your own lessons learnt.

Thank you for reading!

Megx 

Beauty favourites that tested time

Every month there is hundreds of new beauty products that appear on the market and dont get me wrong I LOVE testing a new product in the works BUT that doesn't mean I forget my originals.

Here I am going to be talking about my oldies but goldies because there are still some products that I cant get over that I first fell in love with.

Lets jump in with a first favourite which is a high-street foundation. Rimmel 25 hour foundation is a lovely foundation however i will openly admit it wont last all day if you are up and about all day, other than that it is a lovely thick base with lots of coverage but still lets through a  natural glow, for those who like the best of both worlds.

Obviously I couldn't write this post without including collection lasting perfection because well it was one of the first concealers I bought and I still use it now. Its thick and creamy, that's all i'm going to say about that, because you should already know!

Rimmel long lasting lip liner, firstly they are retractable which are my fave kind of liners and the creamy texture to them are lovely to apply, these are pretty much the only lip liners I buy!

Estee Lauder sumptuous infinite mascara is a high end product I will always re purchase because its rare for me to find a mascara I love! I was shocked to fall in love with this 2/3 years ago when I realised it had a thin, plastic wand (not normally ma thing) damn was I surprised,  any time my eyelashes are looking on point, I'll be wearing this.

Maybelline falsies mascara, I feel like there was no drugstore mascara before this one, it was a fave for everyone and for everyone who didn't think so, you are doing life wrong. Such a basic mascara with a wand from the heavens that made it work! Obviously i like a bristle wand so that's a plus, but it also has great staying power, the non-waterproof formula stays just as good as the waterproof ones.

Malin and Goetz lip balm, one for all you dry lip lasses. I use this still to this day, lip balm is a thing you have about 100 of and apply constantly because you think its working but more than likely its just sitting on your lips, BUT this one I can actually feel it working even after all these years, minutes after having it one my lips they feel renewed. Also no stick which is what we all want. It has a protective layer which stops it from budging off your lips the second something touches it.

I feel like I have gone on a bit and could go on even more for another few paragraphs, I could.... but I wont for your sake.

Any way I hope you enjoyed my post of products that have got me through from the start of my beauty life and will forever (hopefully) be on this list.

What beauty products have been your day ones? Mwah!

Megan
    X

Seasonal transitions

Going through the seasons there are many transitions eg. Weather, temperature, colours etc. I for one love the fashion transitions, especially when it comes to Autumn/Winter, the colours start matching the trees and the clothing starts getting thicker.

Skin gets drier, sky gets darker and the days getting colder but everything gets a little more seasonal!!

So we've established fashion is my fave thing in winter, but so is the beauty aspect of it all.. lets talk about that a bit more.

 Makeup: The lips and nails start getting darker and the eyeshadow tones start to match the leaves. I have been looking a dark red/purple eye with a nude lip and a manicure to match, to create this looking i have been using the Revolution Resurrection palette mixed with the Mac burgundy x9 palette, i pair this all with Nyx soft matte cream in the shade London.

Fashion:
Red is a big part of autumn/winter fashion this year, however i am still addicted to my mustard threads and as usual anything grey!! Most of my outfits have consisted of my mustard suede jacket but i am sure i will be converting to my faux fur coat during the colder days.

Skincare: This season i will be trading in my simple skincare routine for a routine packed full of thick moisurising products and one of my faves.. Clarins HydraQuench mask which is great for feeding the moisture back into my skin in the colder months where my skin tends to be very desert-esque.

Obviously I have to mention the chang in decor.. ALL THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.

If you love winter as much as I do, give this a share!
Thankyou for reading!
Meg x

My night time routine

Beauty sleep is one thing we all need a great deal of, whether its to revitalise you for the day ahead or as part of your chilled night in.
I have a few things that I do before I get into a nice snug bed that helps me to wind down and relax to enhance my maximum beauty sleep.

After a long day of doing whatever I've been doing first thing is to run a nice relaxing bath, this is my wind down time with a candle and maybe a glass of wine or a nice hot drink .. time to catch up on some YouTube videos. Of course I use my much loved Soap and Glory scrub and body wash and my trusty Wilkinson Silk razor to feel refreshed an like a women again.

Then its time for my skincare routine. I start out with my Liz Earle cleanse and polish to remove any left over dirt or makeup and follow it up with using a scrub, I like to use Garniers Pure Active 3 in 1 scrub or Clarins Gentle Refiner.
On to the most important face product which is a night cream, I've been loving No7 Protect and Perfect Night cream but some nights I'll pop Clarins Hydra Quench cream face mask on and let that sink in through the night, its good to switch it up a little!

Time to get in some Pjs and hop in to bed with a glass of water and I like to do some light reading before I sleep so I have a scroll through some blog posts and jobs a gooden, BUT there is no point of trying to get a good night sleep if you're tackling a lumpy mattress in your dreams, that's why its important to make sure you have a great up to date mattress that's going to help you sleep not prevent it, like the Leesa Mattress.

Each step is on your way to a better beauty sleep that's why I love having a night time routine that will help me conquer the morning to come.. especially a Monday!

More information about Leesa Mattress here.

Night Night Lovelies

Meg x

Make up Organisation

 

Oh the joys of having a desk full of make up, am I right?
Having a growing make-up collection, you will know the pain of having to keep it tidy!
You think its just going to sit there 'aw its going to make my bedroom and I

nsta look cute' oh hell noo. You gotta keep it clean!

So lets get into the beauty set up 101..

I think first things first you need a place for your make up that is not in direct sunlight, so like not under your window etc. As Well as adjusting the quality and formula of your make up (perfumes too), it can actually damage the packaging too! (I have a mac lipstick that's feeling a tad sorry for itself after the sun melted its lid!)

There is some great organisers out there nowadays for make-up and beauty products, a lot of people including myself have opted for acrylic organisers but damn they do not stay clean! They collect dust like crazy. You can get clear cases to cover your lipstick holders etc. Which are a lot easier to wipe down then clean each and every lipstick, I would recommend getting one to keep them all together and dust free. Shown in picture.

This tip is great to keep your shelves clean and your mind clean too. Every now and then I think a de-clutter and a re-organise can be really good for you.. your make up too. Obviously its a good way to clean it all at once and clean out the bits you don't want. I find rearranging my set up helps it to look fresh and a lot cleaner, plus it stops me from getting bored of looking at the same layout every day.

Obviously making sure you use everything regularly keeps those products dust free, so keep on looking on point!

Love Meg x

2017 trends

When a new year comes it comes with a whole load of trends and styles however I think everyone has ran out of ideas and history is repeating its self, what we were forced to wear when we were kids are now part of peoples wardrobes, 90's is very in at the moment but im not sure how long it will last.
Its hard to predict trends and I definitely don't think I could do it as a job but recently over social media and especially runways there's been alot of similar trends that I just know are going to make it to the big brands!

Block colours. I first noticed as soon as the transition to spring started Newlooks spring/summer collection came out and its very hard to ignore. Most of their stock this season is very bright and bold and most pieces are block colour instead of various prints. I found Topshop have also caught on to the late 80's as they have a variety of skirts and cropped jumpers in bold colours. Also rocking the catwalk which will always be okay to wear is floral.

Gloss. Well we had a few good years of a matte lip but we're going back to basics with a simple lip gloss but it looks like lips wont be the only thing wearing it, expect lots of new beauty releases for a glossy eye shadow product.

Natural ombre lips. Some of the bigger brands like Benefit and YSL have already brought out a lipstick with a built in ombre effect and im sure the drugstore/high street brands will follow on. This has been a big thing on Instagram, very natural ombre lips, to enhance the beauty of a natural plump lip some times with a gloss, forget the Kylie Jenner over drawn lip, a subtle shaded lip is being recreated everywhere.

Bushy eyebrows. Again going from one extreme to another of having huge overdrawn lips to a natural lip and perfectly sculpted brow to a bushy brow. So the Cara brow is back but this time its not just big its bushy too. Many videos on social media of people trying to create a huge brow by splitting the hairs, kinda owl-esque, but now it has been seen on various Ad campaigns recreated in their own way.

Wire nails. I am not sure what I think of this one and I don't think it will last very long just like the pierced nails I think it will be a trial and error or a one off.

2016 was a very trend fulfilled year with a lot of glitter, colour and pastel 90's nostalgia, however 2017 is bringing out the colour and going back to basics with some of the classics.

Which is your favourite trend?

Meg x

Empties // Beauty products

So i thought i would do my first Empties post, so you can see whether i've been loving these products or not. I thought this time i would do it as a video instead of a blog post, so here is my very first You Tube video. Be patient. Here.

Thanks for stopping by.
Meg x

A pamper before the party

Going out, whether that be with the boyfriend, friends or family is great but what i find is the best part of going on a night out is getting ready before hand, if anything it gets me more excited and i love feeling relaxed and refreshed. A few steps i find a must before i go out:

I tend to do my body first before my hair and face so.. First things first (im a realist) i have to jump in the shower, make sure my body is fully exfoliated with Soap and Glory's Flake away and my legs are hairless, after washing my hair i let most of it naturally dry before blow-drying.

I use Garnier ultimate blends body lotion all over my body before tanning or if i want something thicker i use Soap and Glory's righteous butter especially on my elbows, knees, hands and feet where tan tends to stick a bit more. I tend to use Bondi sands Foam Tan but i sometimes substitute it for St Moritz medium foam rubbing in circular motions with a tanning mitt excluding my face.
 After the majority of my body is dry and the tan has set in, i make sure my toenails are painted, even if im not wearing sandals or peep toes it still makes me feel a bit more put together when my tootsies are painted and it saves me doing it another day.

 If needed i'll wax my eyebrows and upper lip before cleansing my face with my Liz Earle cleanse and polish and then finish my cleansing routine which you can see here. I then apply a gradual tan to my face like the dove face and body Dermaspa summer revived mainly because its a tinted lotion so it works alot better on the face.

  My go to hair style when i go out is big curls, i do love big curl and i create this look really simply with my Nicky Clarke heated rollers and i just leave them in until the rest of me is completely ready and they have fully cooled down.
Lastly i'll do my makeup and after I've done everything i'll do my nails, sometimes i'll just paint them or have acrylics depends what i'm feeling.

I love the feeling of getting all made up it really puts me in the mood to go out and just lifts my spirits, a spritz of perfume and im ready to go.

What extra bits do you do before you go out?
Meg x

daily cleansing routine

My skincare routine I do on a daily basis when I am not too tired and just grab a face wipe!

First steps first i always take my make up off before i cleanse just to make sure its all off and feel extra refreshed, the product i go to for that is, surprise surprise, the Garnier Micellar water, i am currently stocked up on this product for the next few months, the bottle lasts a while so its not one that you have to spend loads on every few weeks, if like me, you find this is your staple product them they also do a 700 ml that i tend to stock up on also the travel size fr times im not at home.

 I find this product completely refreshes my face, I wouldn't say it 100% cleans my skin but i can happily go to bed just using this product as it does a very god job! Its very refreshing and very gentle on your skin, another great point is it actually takes your eye makeup off (even waterproof!).

I then go in with cleanser, which i am currently using Liz Earle cleanse and polish. I have used this product for a very long time because it does the job, i wouldn't say its amazing but its lovely and creamy which keeps your skin moisturised and soft but definitely greasy, i like the fact it kinda strips your skin in good way without it feeling dry, that's how clean you feel!

Most days i will use one of my two favourite exfoliators depending on what im feeling. I have loved them both for a long time and i think I've got to the point where i am very comfortable with them at the moment so i haven't recently branched out. They are both very cleansing and leave your skin feeling super soft. The Garnier Pure Active Blackhead scrub is a harsher scrub so i tend to use this when i need a skin detox, whereas the Garnier Pure Active 3-in-1, so its a mask, scrub and wash in one but i only really use it as a scrub, its clay based so i find its quite gentle and the beads are quite fine.

After all of that i use the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer which i have only recently used for the past few months, its a great product to use during my makeup routine to spritz on my beauty blender as i go also when im finished to keep that radiant look on my skin. If you are anything like me and hate the feeling of your makeup drying through out the or starting to feel a tad uncomfortable then this mist is great for refreshing your skin and hydrating it.

Megan x

classic neautrals

Classic nude spring shades

A few neutral shades to give your look a freshly polished look. Sometimes its
great to pair them with a bold outfit instead of having colour in every aspect of your
outfit.

Nails Inc - Uptown £13.50

Revlon Colourstay gel envy 535 Perfect Pair £6.99

Nails Inc - Alexa Cashmere £13.50

Rimmel Salon Pro 237 Soul Session £4.49

Nails Inc - Basil Street £13.50

Seventeen Gel Colour Mocha-Tini £3.99

A red lip for everyone

A red lip, although can be very daunting to wear its also a great staple all year round, I honestly prefer to wear them in spring time, just coming out of winter when everywhere just gets that bit brighter but not quite hot enough for your peaches and hot pinks.

I think a touch of rouge on your lips can bring such a fresh look to your face especially paired with a subtle glowy make up base. No matter who you are everyone can rock a red lip, you've just got to find your perfect match.. there is no harm in experimenting.

Here's a few red's im going to throw your way to spice up a plain face.

I always think to start of a bold shade you definitely need to line your lips and maybe fill them in before you apply your lipstick.
  There is so many shades of red and finding the best true red for you can be hard.

If you are after more of a Parisian vibe Bourjois' Rouge Edition Velvet red-volution and hot pepper are great ones to try. A post box red goes really well with tanned skin but also can work with lighter tones for some of us pale girls.
 However if you are in to more of a cool toned red, i really like L'oreal Blakes red, its one of my favourites its super smooth and has a lovely scent.
Not to mention all the red lipsticks Mac have such as Lady danger, Redrock and obviously Rubywoo.

After applying, although its not a must i sometimes apply concealer around my lipstick to neaten up the line, red is a very vibrant colour so having that smeared across your face can look a little like your a bit to early for Halloween but with a good lip liner you wont necessarily need to.

Eye shadow pencils

Eye shadows are probably one of my favourite make up products, the world of make up has expanded so much recently that there is so many different forms of each product out there including eye shadows eg. cream, pigments, pencil/crayon, liquid and of course your bog standard powder eye shadow which have extremely upped their game too!

But im talking to you about Eye shadow crayons, which i do love but some times i forget i have. They work great as a base ready for other eye shadows on top or alot of the time i just use one on its own if i just want quite a simple look as its super quick and easy and doesn't take alot of blending.

It is all about finding one that is going to last on your lid and not to make you look like you have wrinkly eye lids. I have tried the Revlon colour stay pencils in the past but i found they weren't very pigmented and i found they were quite harsh on my eyes as they weren't very creamy, saying that i think they might have been discontinued.

These ones i have here have all worked very well for me and ticked all the right boxes:
  They last a very long time on your eye with out creasing, extremely easy to apply and blend down to the smooth texture so its not going to drag on your skin plus they don't loose any of their pigmentation once blended or throughout the day.

Kiko Long Lasting Eye shadow Stick: Probably one of my favourites. They kind of remind me of the By Terry Ombre black-stars because they have a very similar formula and are both retractable however Kiko's version is a fraction of the price.

Nyx jumbo eye pencil: I love the range of colours that Nyx have i don't think they last quite as long as the other both on your eye and they actual pencil itself as i don't think you can roll it up or sharpener it which is the only down fall really else they would be a very good shout!

Rimmel Scandaleyes shadow stick: They don't have as many colours but the ones they do have are lovely paired with another colour to create your look. They aren't as buttery as the others but its not a massive issue as they are still quite smooth saying that they still hold a lot of colour and they won't budge.

Thanks for reading
 Meg x

Battle of the Palettes

I suddenly realised the other day that i have consumed quite a lot of eye shadow palettes over the years, there was quite alot more there than i had thought, i think that is when i was certain that eye shadows are definitely my favourite to collect.

 Although i have a variety or high end and high street palettes, i also have my most used which are clearly my favourites.

I think from these pictures my eye shadow preference is pretty clear as most of them, if not all of them contain: neutrals, browns, bronze, copper, gold, dusty pinks and burgundy shades, mainly because these tones contrast best with my blue eyes (probably why im attracted to them so much) colour wheels don't lie.

My thoughts on these palettes and which is my most used 'go to' palette.. let the battle commence!

  My first palette that i bought was the Urban Decay Naked palette, the first out of the bunch and a very well known palette at that, it may of been my first but some how i sometimes  seem to forget i have it or when creating a look i have other similar shades i prefer to use, hence why it isn't as used as much as it probably should be; saying that i do still use it alot. Containing 12 compatible shades it is very easy to create a simple or more glam look using just a couple of these creamy matte and shimmer shades.

One of the most recent ones i have got bought for Christmas from my mumma, I knew as soon as i saw it i wanted it, being as its a Christmas limited edition im glad i have it, here's why: Ten beautiful shades in which some i don't own anything like, My main reason for falling for this Soap and Glory 'The perfect Ten' palette is down to the third shade Twinkle Belles, a gorgeous champagne shade full of shimmer, perfect to sweep over the lid or to use in a cut crease. This is most likely my second most used palette as of yet.

Another palette which i treasure, because i find it to be such a glamorous palette is the Smash Box Full Exposure palette with 7 Matte and 7 glittery shades. I adore all of the glitter shades; as you probably would too if you've seen them. It has a mixture of bronze tones and smoky shades in both shimmer and matte form to create natural or more extravagant looks. Although the pros are very high, i do find these shadows don't apply as well as some others but the brush it contains does work very well alongside them.

Lastly, I'll admit my favourite palette, the Revolution Ultra Flawless palette, containing 32 unique shades, of which a majority are shimmer shades, great for a more captivating look. Despite being a high street palette it is definitely up there with some of the best ones i have tried, it is a well loved palette... by me anyway, for many reasons; the variety of shades being one (alot of them being the colours i tend to go for) but maybe not a best friend to those who love bright/neon colours or a cooler smoky look, each shade contains great pigmentation without having to coat it over your lids multiple times and the texture is lovely as they are still very buttery and smooth in spite of the fact they do crease a little bit they are still great to use. You can't really go wrong for £8, i highly recommend checking it out, they also have a matte version if that is more your thing! both including a huge mirror.

  What is your winning palette?

Meg x

Products Youtube made me buy / Beauty

I don't normally give in to all the beauty hypes that everyone seems to obsess over unless i instantly get hooked as soon as i see it.
There is a few products that i wasn't too fussed about getting hold of but eventually gave in and here are my thoughts.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish: A very raved about product but they were not wrong in doing so, also a product i have wanted for a very long time but never got round to buying it. Its a lovely lightweight cream cleanser, it definitely does its job and worth the buy but i do have a few other cleansers i may reach for first however i don't regret buying it as it does leave my skin feeling super soft.

One product that i think everyone has tried at least once as it had such a good turn out for a smaller high street brand. Collection Lasting perfection Concealer, for me since they released that concealer their make up game got that little bit stronger and started bringing out some other really good products. Personally i think its a really good coverage but it doesn't look cakey or crease loads paired with the right powder, the best thing is they even have a pale enough shade for my skin which is normally quite hard to find in a concealer.

On to another concealer that I'm not all to impressed with is Maybelline Eraser Eye concealer, firstly they have very limited shades so unless you're a shade nude or light (meaning the tiniest bit lighter than nude, not light) then you might want to try a different concealer. I have shade light which is a little bit darker than my foundation.. so not really light enough for us ivory chicks. It also has a medium coverage but i don't find it does an awful lot for me.

Urban Decay all nighter setting spray was one hyped up product.. although i kind of went along with this one because i hadn't really heard any bad reviews plus the primer potions work fab, so i thought this might work just as well. Being quite excited when i bought it, it disappointed me as i didn't see a massive different, maybe i used it wrong or something but this product didn't quite do the trick for me. Hence why it isn't in this photo as i gave it away.

Lastly a highlight brighter than the moon, one everyone, their friends and their friends dogs were talking about, even now after its been out for a while. I do to agree with all those people that it is a lovely highlight, maybe a little too powdery for me but it lasts ages and the iridescent glow it gives also lasts all day, it is definitely one of my favourite highlighter, it is quite handy to take with you too as it has quite a big mirror and is very slim.

Pamper night

We all get to that point where we need a night of luxury to pamper are selves, with just the right products they can make you feel like a new woman.

A few products i like to use to revive myself and refresh.

Cup o' Coffee- A great face and body scrub/mask for those coffee addicts that like a good cleanse, i have wrote a full post on what i think abut this product here.

Dove Derma Spa Summer Revived Body lotion- A very good alternative to fake tan or in England.. sun. I really like this product because it doesn't feel as fake tan sometimes can when it starts to wear off, being a tinted body lotion it gives you all the moisture you need instead of dancing around trying to dry your body buttered body. i would recommend to go for the medium/dark.

Umberto Giannini Beauty Secrets Moisture Mask- A bit of a mouthful, saving the best till last-  one of my new favourite products. Having very long mermaid hair it can always get me in a tangle also having quite fine hair it tends to look quite limp not luscious. Before i laid my hands on this i had never found a product that quite does the job well enough, This hair mask instantly makes my hair feel smoother after applying it to the lengths of my hair (not the roots) and leaves it looking super shiny- basically a salon finish! It is also a great miracle worker fr those tedious knots in my locks, as it will for anyone with quite thick or long hair, or just tangle prone. Definitely a product i recommend!

Which are your go to pamper products?

Meg x

My go to brand

I think we all have a brand that we always go back to, no matter how many products we try it just doesn't match up to that product that we just cant get out of our heads. i find that regardless of how many things i try there is one brand that works for me best in a lot of ways. Garnier was one of the first brands i tried, hair, beauty, everything. I find that it they are quite gentle products with not too harsh and in a nutshell they do what they say on the the tin.

These are a few products from Garnier's ranges that i always repurchase:

Garnier Micellar Water- 

How can this not be in this blog post, I mean i have two back up bottles in my drawer for when i run out so its an understatement to say i like this product. A very gentle product with a few variations for everyone, although it is very popular, i love this product because quite frankly it does everything you need in a cleansing water - No more panda eyes!

Ultimate Blends-

Here i have a few different products from the Ultimate Blends hair range, The Marvelous Transformer shampoo, the Weightless Nourisher conditioner and the mask (which still doesn't quite beat Umberto Giannini Beauty Secrets hair mask) i also have the Strength Restorer serum which i find works really well at putting moisture back in to my hair and beating the dry ends.

 Another one from the Ultimate Blends range is The Marvelous Oils Hydrating body lotion, i will be quite honest i am very bad at remembering to look after my skin on my body, rubbing body lotions in just seem so time consuming, but after buying this one as it was on offer.. it is nearly gone, i have used this nearly every time i have got out of the shower to keep my skin hydrated, its not very thick so its very easy to apply and quick drying, plus it also comes in a pump to make it that little bit easier.

Moisture Match-

Garnier Moisture Match + Goodbye Dry Is one of the first moisturisers i bought as a teenager and still continue take it into my adult hood as i feel it is a very simple product and sometimes that's what your skin needs... simple, Its mainly for sensitive skin and contains rose so it isn't harsh on your skin but it is also very creamy to hydrate your skin so a definite to those who have de-hydrated or dry skin, it brings back all your moisture and makes your skin feel super soft.

Such a coincidence that i happened to use all of these products just before writing this up haha. 

What is your go to brand? Let me know.

Meg x