2018 Beauty Wishlist

Last year I started a beauty wishlist where I shared five beauty items that I'd like to or planned on buying through the year. It went down really well last year so I thought I'd bring it back for 2018 with five new products that I would like to/plan on buying this year.

Dior Forever Foundation
The first and only make up item in this beauty wishlist comes from Dior. I'm already a fan of their Star Foundation but really want to try their Forever Foundation after hearing really good reviews. Unlike the Star foundation, it has a matte finish with a exceptional coverage that feels comfortable on the skin. And it sounds right up my street, except it's £35 a bottle and that's a lot of money to pay out and it not work, plus I already have a few foundations that I like on the go. However I think I will be asking for a sample when I'm at a Dior counter next.

Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray
The first skincare product I'll be wishing for this year comes from Clinique. Their Moisture Surge Face Spray has been on my radar for a while and I've never gotten around to trying it. But this year I want to change that and add this to my ever growing collection of skincare. I've tried a sample of their Moisture Surge Concentrate and loved it so I know that this product will not only suit my skin but fit in with my skincare routine. This may be one I actually purchase instead of keeping looking at, at the Clinique counter.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Facial Oil
The next product is one that may take a bit of saving up for. Sunday Riley's Luna Facial Oil has been on my radar for a while but until recently I hadn't been interested in oils. Now that I am a big lover of facial oils this has popped back up. I've heard some brilliant reviews on this and think it would work well with my skin but at £85 a bottle, I think this is one I need to save up for.

Liz Earle Superskin Overnight Mask
Liz Earle is one of my favourite brands on the market so it's no surprise that there is a product in my wish list this year. I'm a big fan of their Superskin Moisturiser with Natural Neroli so when I saw they did an overnight mask I knew I'd have to try it. Yet it's something I've never gotten round to trying so I'm adding it to my wishlist in hopes that it'll encourage me to actually buy it instead of staring at it wistfully everytime I'm at a Liz Earle counter.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair
And the last product in my wishlist this year is another product that I've been putting off buying and am hoping that by putting in this post, I will actually buy it. I had a sample of the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair last year and loved it. I only used it when my skin was in dire need of help and after every use my skin looked plumper, clear and refreshed. I definitely need to buy a full sized bottle but with Christmas and that expensive time of year I just never got round to it. This year however I'm going to buy this as I haven't found a more budget friendly option that works just as well.

Three Party Season Beauty Essentials

Tis the season where everyone is donning their glad rags for various different Christmas parties and nights out. Most of us have that one particular dress we reach for whereas others have an essential beauty product they won't go without. For me there are three beauty essentials I can't go out without this festive season.

The first essential for me is a good foundation. I find if my base looks good then the rest of my make up applies better which then makes the look as whole tens times better than what I expect it to look like. I like a fuller coverage this time of the year to camoflauge any redness I may have. And my go to for this is the Dior Star Foundation. This gives fantastic coverage but still lets my skin look like skin. It perfects my base and leaves it looking flawless but doesn't clog pores or leave skin looking cakey. It's long wearing and contains a technology that works to disguise and minimise the appearence of redness, something which comes in handy for me and my constantly rosy cheeks. An expensive choice but worth, especially for those long evenings full of food and laughter that will be occuring over the next couple of weeks.

The next essential is a good mascara that actually holds a curl throughout the night. I've tried tons of mascaras trying to find the perfect one that will give me a curled, volumised, defined look that doesn't fall flat after a few hours wear. However there is one that does all that and doesn't cost the earth either. Maybelline's Lash Sensational Mascara has a curved multibristle brush that catches even the thinnest of lashes and lifts them in a defined, volumised curl that makes eyes look bigger and more awake with minimal effort. This has a very wet formula which in other mascaras would cause clumps but this coats lashes with enough product to see your wearing mascara but doesn't clump lashes together or create that spidery look that a lot of wet formulas do. And once it's on the curl lasts for a good few hours without signs of drooping or falling flat. It's perfect for those nights where you want your eyes to be the centre of attention or if you want your eyes to have that wide awake look in all those selfies you're bound to take throughout the evening.

 And my final essential for the festive season is a good red lipstick. Now I'm a fan of a red lip all year round but I find that I always stick to one particular red when it comes to the festive period. Last year I was obssessed with the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Outlaw and this year it't the Loreal and Balmain limited edition collaboration in the shade Domination. It's a stunning true red shade that'll suit a multitude of skintones. It's creamy in texture and glides effortlessly onto lips, it's formula not dry like a matte but not shiny like a gloss. And it lasts. I've worn this to eat out already and was really impressed with it's staying power. Some did transfer but that was a small amount from the centre of the lips where you'd bite down on food but it's easy to fix with a quick reapplication. Red lips may seem like the most high maintenance of colours to wear, especially when all you want to do is have a good time but find the one that's right for you and you'll have no worries.

Dior Star Skin Foundation: Day Test and Review

For the longest time I've struggled to find the perfect foundation. Either they've turnt too dark as I've worn them, worn away completely throughout the day or generally just made me look gross after a few hours. Then I tried the Dior Star Skin Foundation and it changed my make up completely. So today I'm going to take through a day test of me wearing this foundation to give you an insight of why I love it so much and at the end I'll be giving you a mini review of it as well.

Overview: This foundation is a full coverage foundation with SPF30. It also has colour filter pigments that neutralises colour imbalanaces on the skin such as redness or sallowness. As well as the colour trap pigments it also contains hollow silica beads that captures light and adds luminosity to the skin. I do use a primer under my base products just so they stay in place for longer.

10:30am: It's time to do my make up. Firstly I apply my primer which is a mixture of the Barry M Primer Water and the Maybelline SuperStay Primer. They work well to both hydrate my skin and lock my make up into place longer. Then I use two pumps of the foundation onto the back of my hand and dot it all over my face, adding more to my cheeks where there is some slight redness. It's all buffed in with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush. It's dense and easy to buff foundation in. The end result is skin that is flawless looking but still natural and skinlike. It also has a glow to it that makes skin look healthy and dewy without being overly shiny. Once everything is blended in I can finish the rest of my make up and set everything into place with my trusty Maybelline SuperStay Setting Spray. I do use setting spray most days as it helps keeps my make up on for longer whilst I'm at work.

2:30pm: Four hours have passed and it's check in time. Usually by now some of my foundation has dissappeared around my jawline and cheeks. But with with this Dior foundation my skin still looks perfected but natural. My concealer has faded slightly under the eyes but that happens reguarly so it's not a problem. Otherwise my foundation still looks fresh, glowy and in place.

6:30pm: Another four houes have passed and I'm done at work now. I like to take my make up off as soon as I get home to give my skin a chance to breath. Looking at my face in the mirror I'm pleased to see that my foundation is still mostly in place except around my nose where I've obviously wiped it with a tissue. Under my eyes could look better but I put that down to my concealer and nothing more. There is no sign of any redness or cake face and if I wanted I could go another few hours wear out of this and it wouldn't look any different.

Review: I absolutely love this foundation. It's lightweight yet brilliant at coverage. It doesn't go cakey or powdery when you build it up and it wears well without looking fake or mask like. It allows skin to breathe and covers exactly what you want it to cover. Unlike some foundations this doesn't dry out my skin or leave it feeling gross to the touch. The only downside to this foundation for some is the price tag but with the results paired with the way it wears on the skin, the price tag is irrelevant. Definitely have a look at it if you're struggling to find a budget friendly foundation that works.

2016 Beauty Favourites: Make Up

Welcome to the first of three 2016 Beauty Favourites. This year I've decided I would split my yearly favourites up into three posts. Today we're starting with my make up favourites, Wednesday I'll be talking skincare favourites and Friday I'll be talking all things non-beauty related.

Primer: There's only been one primer this year that has thoroughly impressed me. And that is the Benefit Porefessional Primer. It has a that silicone feel to it but isn't overly slippy or hard to work with. It not only helps keep make up in place longer but also helps the look of pores and smooths over any enlarged or open pores you may have. Applying foundation over this is a dream and I've loved wearing this during the hotter months when my face has really needed a primer.

Foundation: There have been two foundations this year that have really stuck out for me. The first being the Loreal Cushion Foundation. It was the perfect breathable lightweight coverage my skin needed through Summer and whilst it wasn' full coverage it still gave my skin a flawless yet natural look. And towards the end of the year I discovered the Dior Star Foundation. This is more a medium to full coverage foundation and was brilliant at covering up my redness. It's the only foundation I've ever tried that still applies brilliantly everytime I wear it.

Concealer: Concealer wise there have only been two I've found myself reaching for religiously. The first is the Maybelline The Eraser Eye. There's just something about how this applies and blends out that I love. It covers my dark circles brilliantly no matter how bad they look. And the same can be said for the Rosie For Autograph Miracle Concealer. It's less creamy than the Maybelline but still gives the same coverage and finish. However the Maybelline has the sponge tip applicator which just gives it that at extra something about it.

Powder: There's only been one powder this year that I've truly enjoyed using. It's the Collection Pressed Powder. It's cheap, it's easy to get ahold of and it doesn't leave skin looking cakey or powdery. I have the shade Ivory and I absolutely love it. It's very finely milled so it works well both under the eyes and over the rest of the face. And because it comes in Ivory, it doesn't oxidies on the skin and turn me orange after a few hours.

Brows: Brows have been a big thing this year and I've tried quite a few different products but there has only been one that I've been impressed with. And it comes from Rosie For Autograph. Her brow pencil is soft enough to give brows a natural look but not soft enough for it to disappear or smudge easily. I like that it comes with a spoolie so I don't have to keep reaching for a seperate spoolie when I'm in a rush. Plus it's colour match is perfect and doesn't make my brows look like they've been filled in.

Mascara: I can never stay loyal to a mascara, most lost my interest pretty quickly but the one who I've reached for most this year is the Loreal Miss Hippie Mascara. It has one massive bristle brush that looks like it would leave lashes looking clumpy and fake but in reality gives a stunning fanned out, volumised look that makes my eyes look bigger and more awake. I like the fact that I can go in and add more coats if I think I need it and the mascara won't become clumpy or flaky to the touch.

Lip Liner: I have stacks of lip liners in my collection but I've only found myself reaching for a select few. From that select few I've noticed that one in particular is used most than others. And that liner comes from Primark's PS Love range. It's in the shade 03 and is a bright red shade. It works beautifully under a variety of red lipsticks as well as on it's own. Over the last month this has been the only lip liner I've reached for when I've been doing my lipstick, there really isn't a red lip that this doesn't work well under.

Lipstick: Lipsticks is always a hard category to narrow down but I've managed to choose four favourites. Two of them come from the Rosie For Autograph range. Lady Rose and Silk Rose are both beautiful neutral shades that look good with any look, any outfit and any skintone. They are a sheen finish lipstick but they don't budge or dry the lips out. They're probably my most worn lipsticks of all time. I also found myself reaching a lot for the Maybelline Matte Lipstick in Burgundy Blush. It's the most stunning shade for the colder months and unlike some matte lipsticks it's not drying or uncomfortable to wear. Definitely one of my favourite budget lipsticks about.

Liquid Lipstick: Liquid Lipsticks have been massive this year and each brand is slowly bringing out their own version. There were a few that were really disappointing but there was also a few that really impressed. The first two come from Stila and basically raised the bar for any liquid lipstick afterwards. Sure these are a little uncomfortable to wear but the high pigmented colour, opacity and longevity is enough to make me look past it. The shades Beso and Ricco have been my favourites and I've lost count of how many times I've worn these shades. A recent addition to my collection which has raised the bar even further is the Kat Von D liquid lipstick in Outlaw. It's non drying, long wearing, highly pigment and transfer proof. I could even eat a greasy burger and not have to worry about reapplying afterwards. Made a lot of those Christmas nights out a dream as I didn't have to worry about my lipstick.

Setting Spray: There has only been one setting spray that I've reached for this year. And it comes from Maybelline. It's Superstay 24 Setting Spray is amazing. It sets make up, takes away any cake face or powdery looks and keeps skin feeling hydrated even hours after intial application. It does require shaking before use but that doesn't effect the wear of this product too much and it doesn't effect how long your make up lasts either. I've gone through quite a few bottles of this this year and I can safely say next year will see me go through even more bottles.

New Year's Eve Make Up Look

Happy New Year Everyone! This will be my last post of 2016 and I'd just like to say thank you for all of your support this year. I have so many plans for 2017 and can't wait to share them with you. But today I thought I'd show you what make up I'll be wearing on New Year's Eve.

 Primer 
For primer I start off with the Barry M Hydro Fix Primer Water. This is good at giving skin an extra hydration boost before make up. I don't like to just this on it's own because it doesn't feel like it's going to give my make up something to grip onto. So I then go in with my Barry M Flawless Primer. This has a tackiness to it that actually feels like it clings onto the make up and keeps it in place. This is a cream so it doesn't have that horrible silicone feel that some primers have, plus it won't make foundation ball up or slide away when you're applying it.

Foundation
For foundation I'm going in with my Dior Star Foundation. This is a medium coverage foundation that covers all signs of redness, dark circles and blemishes whilst still looking natural and not over the top. Two pumps is enough to cover my face (chubby cheeks) and blends out flawlessly to give my skin a skinlike but well done face. I like to use either my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush or Buffing Brush to blend this in as they give such stunning results.

Concealer 
Time for concealer and first we start with the under eye area. To conceal my dark circles I'm going in with the Maybelline The Eraser Eye Concealer. This is brilliant for disguising those one too many late nights and gives the under eye area a more awake look. To blend this in I bop it with my damp beauty blender. This gives it a more natural look and stops it from creasing. And then to cover any blemishes or redness that's peaking through I go in with the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. This is very high coverage so is perfect for concealing any imperfections. A little goes a long way and once bopped in with a beauty blender is almost flawless in finish whilst still looking natural.

Setting 
To set everything into place I take my tried and tested Collection Pressed Powder in Ivory. This is very finely milled so it doesn't settle into fine lines, wrinkles and stops concealer from creasing. I take my Real Techniques Setting Brush and bop it under the eyes. Don't swipe or rub the under eye area as it's more likely to take away the product. Once my under eyes are done I take my big fluffy powder brush from B Beauty and swoosh it down the centre of my face and along the outside of my face. I don't take iton the cheeks as this is when it can look cakey and patchy.

Eyes
I really want my lashes to stand out with this look so I'm going to use my Benefit Tinted Lash Primer once I've curled my lashes. This works perfectly to not only condition the lashes and add a hint of colour but also helps to hold a curl and any volume your lashes have. One coat of this is enough and then I go in with my Maybelline Go Colossal Extreme Leather Black Mascara. This gives lashes a stunning fanned out effect without going clumpy or false looking. A couple of coats of this and my lashes are big, fanned out, volumised yet defined and clump free.

Lips
For lips I would normally go for a red shade especially because it's still so close to the festive period but right now I'm really feeling this dark burgundy lip. And this Maybelline matte lipstick is perfect for that. It's called Burgundy Blush and has a stunning red undertone to it but still comes across as a deep purple shade. These lipsticks are highliy pigmented, long wearing and comfortable to wear. However because it's such a dark colour to wear I had to go in with a lip liner and the one I've chosen to wear is the Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Liner in Midnight Plum. This just adds a bit more definition to the look and stops it from bleeding or feathering.

Setting Spray
And after all of that I like to set my make up in place with the Maybelline Superstay 24 Setting Spray. This is a very fine mist that doesn't leave a white cast over the face and sets make up whilst keeping it looking natural and stunning.

GRWM: Christmas Day

Merry Christmas Everyone! This is my last post this side of Christmas and what a better way to end the festive posts than a GRWM of what I'm planning on doing to my face on Christmas Day.

 Prime
For primer I'm going in with my Barry M Hydro Fix Primer Water. I like this as it adds hydration to my skin whilst priming my skin and creating a base for my foundation to grip onto. This is ultra lightweight so it doesn't feel like it's clogging up the skin.

Foundation
For my base I was going to go with the Bourjois CC Cream but I decided against it as it doesn't last as long on the skin as my Dior Star Foundation. The Dior Star Foundation has brilliant coverage and staying power. A pump and a half is enough to give my skin a decent coverage without looking cakey or overdone. Once I spread it over my face I take my Real Techniques Buffing Brush and buff it in until it looks as natural as possible.

Concealer
As my foundation such a good job for coverage I'm only going in with my Maybelline The Eraser Eye concealer. This is very yellow toned but has great coverage and covers any dark circles no matter how servere they look. The sponge tip is a great applicator and means I can be as heavy handed as I want. Once this is in place I take my damp beauty blender and bop it into the skin, making sure not to take away any of the coverage but not leaving that unblended that it'll crease or fade away. And as the Dior has such good coverage I'm forgoing my Collection concealer and letting my foundation cover everything.

Powder
Powder time and I'm going in with my trusty Collection Pressed Powder in Ivory. This is very lightweight in finish and feel. It's perfect for under the eyes as well as for setting the whole face. I take my Real Techniques Setting Brush and bop/press the powder into my under eye area so it doesn't cake or crease. Then I take my B Beauty Powder Brush and sweep this down the centre of my face and along the sides, avoiding my cheeks.

Eyes
Because I've kept my base pretty simple I want my lashes and brows to pop. Luckily for me I've had my brows tinted and waxed a couple of weeks ago so I don't need to do a lot to them except run a spoolie through them. Then it's onto my lashes. I want my lashes to look volumised and big but not clumpy and fake. So once they're curled I pop a layer of the Benefit They're Real Tinted Primer on and quickly afterwards pop a coat or two of the Maybelline Go Colossal Extreme Leather Black over the top. This works to give my lashes a big fluttery volumised look that isn't too over the top or clumpy. Plus the primer helps to hold my curl so they'll stay looking bigger for longer.

Lips
For lips this month I've been trying to wear a different red lipstick everyday. However there is one that I keep gravitating towards because it's amazing. And that's the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Outlaw. This is a stunning red shade that would look gorgeous on anyone. It's a liquid lipstick but it's one of the most comfortable liquid lipsticks I've ever worn. It doesn't leave lips feeling dry, reapplication is easy and best of all you can eat a greasy burger and it won't transfer. I'm pairing it with my PS Love Lip Liner in 03 to make sure my lips are crisp and precise.

Setting
As I want this to last all day long I'm going in with a setting spray to lock it all into place. And recently I've gone back to my trusty Maybelline Super Stay Setting Spray. This is very lightweight on the skin, locks make up in place all day and takes away any cake face or creasing you may have. Shake it well or the sediment at the bottom will spray all over your face but otherwise this key to keeping my make up on my face until bedtime.

So that's my face for Christmas Day. I hope you all have an amazing Christmas filled with love, laughter and good food. I personally am just excited to spend some time with my family and eat a lot of good food. Merry Christmas Everyone!

What I Got For My Birthday

If you read Monday's post then you'll know it was my birthday last week. I've already shown you my look for the day so today I thought I'd share with you what I got for my birthday. A quick disclaimer though, this is not me showing off. This is just me sharing what my family was so kind to buy me and hope that if you're struggling for gift ideas it'll give you some help.

According to my mum I'm very hard to buy for this year. So after weeks of me saying I don't know, she went practical and just brought me a couple of bits she knew I wouldn't buy myself as I've had other things to buy (cough Christmas cough). And as I am a big Disney fan, she ever so kindly brought me a couple of their new releases that I hadn't had time to pick up yet. I got Zootropolis and the Good Dinosaur, both of which I've heard are very good. I can't wait to snuggle up with Stanley the cat and a coffee and enjoy these.

My mum also brought me an iTunes card as yet again it was something I needed to pick up but hadn't gotten around to it. It means I can now pick up the new Little Mix album which is brilliant. I highly recommend giving it a listen when you can.

There is a theme this year to what I recieved. Yet again as they didn't know what else to get me, my step-dad brought me a HMV gift card. If you didn't know I'm a huge movie and tv lover. When I can I pick up the latest film releases or the latest boxset of my favourite TV shows. I'm going to save this until after Christmas to use and then spoil myself in the January Sales.

My nan also struggled to find something to buy me so she gave me twenty pound. Bless her, she apologised for not giving a lot but I'm not worried about that. I wouldn't have be bothered if she hadn't put anything in though, a card would have been enough. I haven't decided what I want to use it for yet. If any of you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them. I may just put it towards a nice jumper or a pair of Winter boots.

I know it's not the norm but I treated myself to a couple of things as a birthday present to myself. The first thing I brought was a full sized bottle of the Dior Star Foundation. I've been using a sample of this and absolutely loved it, so thought I'd treat myself to a full sized bottle as a present.

And I also picked up this lip combo from New Look. They've recently re-released their beauty range and added a few lines as well. When I saw this matte lipstick I knew I had to have it. It's in the shade Mulberry and is a gorgeous looking berry toned shade. It's perfect for this time of the year and paired with the matching lip liner which I also picked up I think it's going to make a beautiful statement lip. I will be getting more of these lipsticks so keep your eyes peeled for a review at some point.

GRWM: Happy Birthday To Me

Last week was I turned 24 (the 17th) and spent the day out shopping with my mumma. So I thought today I'd share the make up look I did for the day with you.

Prime: To prime my skin I went in with the Barry M Hydro Fix Primer Water. This is very lightweight, moisturising and nourishing. I pat this into my skin before going in with a little bit of the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer down the centre of my face. This helps blur the look of any enlarged pores I have and makes sure to lock anything I put over the top into place.

Base: For base I went in with my favourite Dior Star Foundation. This is very full coverage but allows skin to still look like skin without looking cakey. The shade Ivory is perfect for my complexion and blends seamlessly. I love how long this lasts on my skin and how even after a few good hours this still looks flawless. I use my Real Techniques Buffing Brush to buff this into the skin. It's such a wide topped brush that it blends everything in seamlessly.

Conceal: Under my eyes I popped a little (a lot) of the Maybelline The Eraser Eye concealer. This is brilliant at covering my panda eyes and isn't too heavy or cakey. I bop this in with my damp beauty blender and take any excess over my eye lids to cover any veiny-ness I have. Then I take my Collection Lasting Perfection concealer to cover any redness that may be peeking through and to add a bit of highlight to the under eye area. This is also bopped in with my damp beauty blender, which I then take all over the face to make sure everything is blended in.

Set: To set everything into place I go in with my trusty Collection Pressed Powder in Ivory. This powder is perfect for setting both the under eye area and the whole face. I take my Real Techniques Setting Brush and pat it into place, patting it instead of brushing it helps with creasing and making concealer last longer. Then I take my B Beauty Powder Brush and sweep it down the centre of my face and along the edges. I don't take powder over my cheeks as it usually ends up looking cakey.

Brows: For brows I just swept a spoolie through them to give them a brush and remove any foundation that may have gotten in there. Then I just popped a bit of Benefit's Gimme Brow through them and left it at that.

Eyes: Eyes-wise I gave my lashes a good curl. I find these Wilkinson's eye lash curlers to curl my lashes better than any other curler I've tried before. Once my lashes are as curled as I want them to be, I popped a couple of coats of the Loreal Miss Hippie Mascara on. I love the amount of fanned out volume this gives my lashes whilst looking natural and clump free.

Lips: I lined my lips with this MUA lip liner in Caramel Nougat. This a paler nude than I'd normally wear but there's something about it that I really like. I was going to wear it on it's own but at the last minute I added the Rosie For Autograph lipstick in Silk Rose. This has a reddish undertone to it so added a bit more depth to the liner. These lipsticks are creamy, highly pigmented and long lasting without being drying. Some of my favourites to wear.

Setting Spray: To make sure everything stayed in place I set everything in place with the Barry M Matte Finish Setting Spray. This fine mist is lightweight, mattifying and helps to remove any cakey-ness from the face. A couple of spritzs of this and my face is locked into place.

Outfit: Clothes wise I went with my black skinny jeans from Primark. These are so soft and comfortable I could live in them, plus their high waisted so they suck me in right where I need them to. I paired them with my extra fluffy jumper from Primark which has the most stunning cut out at the back. A pair of converse along with my tan saddle bag and I was ready for the day.