Festive FOTD.

Ello there! Did everyone have a lovely festive season? I know it's technically still happening with it being Hogmanay and all but yeah...
Does everyone have exciting plans for new year? We're having a few friends up to the flat, should be an enjoyable night.

Now, I know I missed last weeks Wednesday Waffle, but I think I should be forgiven seeing as it was boxing day and I had to work! Yes? Ok. :)
This weeks will be extra special. Promise.

This post is just to show you my Christmas FOTD, or what I had planned to do (these photos are from a test run I did the week before) but I was too tired to do a full face of make-up on the actual day. My eye make-up was done though!
Please, as usual, ignore my strange expressions...

Products used.

Foundation - Rimmel Lasting Perfection - Shade 010.
Highlighter - Britney Fantasy palette.
Blush - Nars - Orgasm.
Lips -  ELF matte lip pencil - Tea Rose + clear gloss (also ELF).
Eyes - Benefit Passport to Posh eyeshadows + Naked palette (Darkhorse + Sin, if I remember correctly)
Brows - MUA eyebrow pencil - Brown + MUA clear mascara.
Eyelashes - Benefit Bad Gal Lash.

I think that's all the products I used, it has been 10 days since I did this so I hope I remembered everything! I wanted this look to be a bit more shimmery so that's why I used the Britney highlighter. The little palette it's from was hiding at the back of my drawer and I suddenly remembered about it, it's got a couple of nice eyeshadows in it too. Maybe a wee review is in order, although I don't know if it is still available to buy.
It's still a very natural look and pretty similar to my last look, I used a bit more dark shadow in the outer corner/crease this time for a slightly more dramatic look.

Did you do any special make up for Christmas day? What will you be doing for Hogmanay?

X

Kittens.

I've been very bad at posting anything for a while now. I guess a lot of people have been because it's such a busy time of year!

Did you all have a good time? I had a nice quiet day with my family, I spent most of the day with my mum, eating and watching Tangled and Lord of the Rings. It was lovely.

I'll be posting more soon, this is just a little update and some more photos of the cats! They love looking out the window. Our window ledge is really high up so they don't get to look out much and they are too small to be left up there on their own just now. They are so cute and inquisitive. N'yawwww!

Benefit Passport to Posh | FOTD.

I was very excited to attend the Benefit event at my local Debenhams last week. The £10 ticket was redeemable so I picked up this handy little set called Passport to Posh for half price at £12.50 (there was also 10% off at the time)! It's also exclusive to Debenhams, full retail price is £25.

It comes with instructions on how to do your eye make-up which is great if you're a beginner, and I am when it comes to eye make up especially! I'm also looking forward to playing around with it a bit and seeing what other looks I can create.

I just did my eyebrows as well, I feel they could go thinner, a bit scared to pluck them more though!

The Wednesday Waffle - Week 2 | Tumblr, Benefit + Taylor Swift.

Seasons greetings!
It's getting so close to Christmas, I still can't believe how quickly this year has gone. It's crazy!

This week has been a little quieter for me, mainly been working. Also trying to get the rest of my present shopping completed. Yesterday was very productive; I did lots of tidying and cleaning as well as present wrapping.
In the midst of all that I did my make-up with the little Benefit set I bought at the event last week. My next post will be about that, I love it!

You can see what lovely things I've been reblogging on Tumblr by clicking on the screenshots below...

Fashion/Beauty/Inspiration Blog.

Personal/Random Blog.

Christmas Time!

This post is just going to be a little collection of some photos I've taken of decorations, work night out, cat paws, random things. There might be a couple that my boyfriend has taken too, they will be captioned accordingly. :)

Is everyone feeling festive? Only a week to go!

Mini Revlon Haul.

Something I really love about Christmas time is the special offers certain shops have on! Boots and Superdrug tend to have them all year round, but they have more around this time of year. 

I popped into Boots a couple of weeks ago and I noticed that it was 3 for 2 on all Revlon cosmetics, this caught my eye straight away as there are a few things I've been looking to buy from them for ages. Here's what I got.

The Wednesday Waffle - Week 1 | Amy Poehler + Benefit Event.

I felt like doing a catch up sort of post, so here we are. I decided to give it a fun title, so seeing as it's Wednesday and I tend to ramble (or waffle) on in posts like this The Wednesday Waffle it shall be! I would go ahead and commit to saying that I'll do this every Wednesday, but who am I kidding?! I'll try though. I also wanted to pay homage to Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation, possibly my favourite female character in a comedy series ever (she loves waffles)! Amy Poehler who plays Leslie is also one of the most inspiration people I've ever come across, just watch one of her Ask Amy videos and you'll see what I mean...

Pretty sound advice.

What have I been up to this week? Surprisingly, a lot actually. Usually I'm pretty boring and don't do a lot other than work, but this week I've been out and about.

Last Wednesday I went out dancing with my friend Megan, even though I had work at 8am on Thursday! It was great fun though, we had a laugh dancing to Gangnam Style and our favourite Nicki Minaj (we love to rap to Super Bass more than we should).

Thursday was work until 3, then to The Nether for a catch up with Kirsty and her friends. We ate the largest slices of cake ever, think Bruce Bogtrotter in Matilda! I then went home to get changed as I was heading to Nandos for tea with some friends from school. We had a lovely time, it was nice to catch up with them.
We finished up at about half 9, it was then time to get changed again and head up to meet Jess at her flat. We had a few drinks with her friend Katie and then headed to the Union for the Harry Potter themed night. I wish I knew we were going so I could be more prepared, but I had a top with skulls on and was dressed mostly in black (no surprises there) so I said I was a Death Eater. There were some fantastic costumes, such as a Golden Snitch, Fred and George, some owls, a few house elves and Snape. I wish I had some photos!

Friday was more relaxed even though I had work for about 7 hours.

It was my work night out on Saturday, I bought a new dress from Primark. It's lovely, very simple but suits me well and is easy to dress up with accessories. It's a grey capped sleeve midi dress, I'll maybe do and OOTD with it at some point because it's perfect for winter as it's pretty cosy and great for layering!
We went out for a meal then had a few drinks and some of us headed out to Kage nightclub for a bit of dancing and some more drinking! They play some ace music there, such as Slipknot, Pearl Jam, Disturbed, Metallica, System of a Down, and loads more.

Sunday was my day off, thankfully! Another lazy day, went up to visit my mum who cooked me tea and we sat and watched An Idiot Abroad and Americas Next Top Model. I had a great time there too, it's always nice to see her.

Monday I worked all day and went to a Benefit make-up event at Debenhams in the evening. Something I'd never done before, so it was a bit daunting but exciting. I went with my friend Jess. There was a make-up artist there who was showing us how to use Benefit products to create a look for the holiday season. This was very interesting and I think I learned a few new tips and tricks. There was wine and nibbles which was a nice touch. We were then able to browse the products and there were lots of people to help out, I think everyone that works at the counter was there. The cost of the ticket (£10) was redeemable on the night, so I picked up a nifty little eye set for only £12.50 as the 10% Debenhams sale was still applicable too. It was originally £25, so it was essentially half price!
We also were given a goodie bag which included a sample size Posie tint, a mini They're Real mascara and a full size Dandelion lipgloss worth £13.50 on it's own! 
I'll post some photos now.

Christmas Treat - Chanel Lipstick.

Every Christmas I like to buy myself a wee present, last year it was a pair of Jeffrey Campbell Litas (not such a wee present, I know) and this year it is a Chanel lipstick. I've been eyeing it up for a good few weeks. With a price tag of £25 I feel that I could only justify buying it as a gift to myself at this time of year. I also got 10% off in Debenhams, so it was £22.50.

I absolutely love the colour, and it's matte! It's from the Eclats Du Soir collection, and it's called Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick in L'Impatient. The colour is a deep berry shade, which does look a bit daunting in the bullet but it's gorgeous on. I would say it's the perfect colour for winter! If you're unsure about the colour it's best to swatch it first. I was surprised when I swatched it, but I still loved it!

You can wear it on it's own or with a lip liner, I prefer to use a lip liner and fill in my lips first. This helps show off the colour as I feel that it's not as pigmented as it should be. You will see in the photographs and swatches what I mean. If you don't want an opaque lip it works well just patted on lightly as well.  Like I said it is pretty versatile and you can wear it a few different ways.

"MAC" Brush Set.

Ok, so this post is perhaps going to be a slightly controversial one. Last month I purchased a set of brushes from ebay for £12. The controversial thing is that it's a set of fake MAC brushes. I don't feel bad buying fakes things once in a while because I do usually buy everything from the actual companies.

I didn't have many make-up brushes before, I had a powder brush, a blush brush and a couple of random eyeshadow ones. All of which are very cheap, but I still use them as they have lasted well and do the job!
I wanted to experiment a little and try out a few different types of brushes but didn't want to spend a lot. So ebay it was! These brushes have since been removed from the sellers shop as they apparently sold the maximum quantity they were allowed, although I have a feeling there were perhaps some legal reasons...Who knows. All I know is that they are great quality, and I'm very, very happy with my purchase!
What did I get? Well here we go.

 

Beauty Blogger Tag.

I feel like doing something a little different so it's time to answer some questions!

Why did you start blogging and how long have you been blogging for?  
Well I've had this blog for about 3 years and I was originally sporadically posting my photography here, but I neglected it for a couple of years but I'd say I'm back for good this time! I still occasionally like to post my photos here as it's one of my main passions. I enjoy having something structured to do as I'm pretty lazy most of the time so I find it motivating to have something to write about.

Whose blog did you fall in love with first?  
The first beauty blog I followed was Beauty and Baggage. Seonaids blog is fantastic, so many interesting, honest reviews that I find really helpful. Along with beautiful make-up looks, photos and fantastic style. Ok, I think I'm finished gushing now!
On YouTube it was Grav3yardgirl or Bunny Meyer, she's just so inspirational in so many ways. I guarantee she'll make you laugh and she makes me feel better no matter what mood I'm in. 

What was the first blogosphere hyped about product you bought and was it worth the hype?
It was probably the Naked palette, although it was a gift from my boyfriend I did ask for it. I think it's totally worth it! See my post here.

What are your favourite five things about blogging and being a beauty blogger? 
1 - Being able to review things and helping other people find things that work for them, for example I have very pale skin and I like to share when I find a foundation that actually matches! It works both ways too obviously.
2 - It's nice to find people who are passionate about similar things.
3 - I love going out and buying new things to write about, that's an obvious one I think. It does make it easier to justify buying things! 
4 - It gives me something to do other than waste my time perusing the internet randomly. I feel very productive when I'm blogging.
5 - Speaking to new people and as cheesy as it may sound, making new friends. :)

What have you learnt from being a beauty blogger? 
So many things, even just in these past few months! I used to just watch YouTube videos about make up and things. I then found the blogs of the YouTubers. I've learned lots of tips and techniques for applying my make-up properly, I'm getting much better at applying eyeshadow. I've also learned to swatch things a lot more before buying. I usually swatch things a couple of times before I commit to buying now, I like to think about it and know I'm sure. Saves a lot of money not impulse buying all the time. Another thing is that just because something it hyped up or expensive it doesn't mean it's the right thing for you specifically. There's probably a lot more things.

Have you changed anything since being a beauty blogger?
I've changed the way I apply make-up as I mentioned before. It does take me longer to get ready if I'm putting make-up on though! I take better care of my skin, I only used to mosturise when I really had to. I do spend more money on beauty products now, but I'm not really buying clothes any more so it's alright I suppose.

What advice would you give to a beauty blogger just starting out?  
Well I'm still starting out, so I'll just talk about what I'm doing at the moment. Write about what you like, what you know and what interests you. Chances are there will be other people out there with similar opinions and beauty likes. Don't worry if you don't have many followers, it doesn't mean you have a bad blog or that no-one is reading it. As long as you're enjoying what you're writing, that's what matters! Also, you don't have to go out any buy loads of new things, you could start by writing about your Holy Grail products and things you've maybe overlooked in your collection. Reply to all comments you get, be friendly and comment on other peoples blogs too!

Name your top five brands!
Rimmel, MAC, Elf, MUA and Collection 2000 probably. Bit of a weird mixture, but I have a wide variety of brands, they're the ones I have most products from I'd say.

Recommend your top five favourite beauty products!
1 - A classic red lipstick - my favourites are Really Red by Revlon, 111 by Kate Moss Rimmel and Russian Red by MAC.
2 - Naked palette, really does live up to the hype if you like a nude or smoky eye.
3 - MAC Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15 Foundation in NC 15 - best foundation I've used so far.
4 - Any Aussie hair product, be it shampoo, conditioner or styling products. They are all fantastic and smell so yummy.
5 - Batiste dry shampoo in the scent Boho - if they ever stop making this I'll actually cry. It smells amazing and works wonders on my hair.

Yup, so that's it. I tag everyone because you should all do this, it's interesting and I want to see your answers! Comment if you're going to do it or if you already have :)

X

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation | Review.

Recently I've been really enjoying Rimmel products, as you may have noticed! This time I'm reviewing their Match Perfection liquid foundation.
I'm always on the look out for a drugstore foundation that matches my pale skin tone, until now I hadn't found one. I'd say this is the closest match I've found, and for only £6.99! I bought shade 10 - Light Porcelain.

"Introducing a whole new Match Perfection, a makeup match like you’ve never seen before. Traceless coverage with Advanced Smart-Tone Technology reveals a perfectly flawless you, no matter what the light.
From the bathroom, to work, to the pub, your natural colour never changes.
Completely conceals imperfections with no foundation line, no makeup mask. Enhanced with Sapphire Radiance for an illuminating glow that never falls flat.
Natural, flawless coverage with a fresh finish.  Lasts all day."

Rimmel Website.

I would say this is a medium coverage foundation, and it's somewhere between matte and dewy. Which is a change for me, but I like it. It does cling to my dry areas, but most foundations do. Although it's not cakey or anything which is great, it looks very natural. I do like a medium coverage base as I don't like heavy make up and my skin isn't too bad.

Please excuse my sleepy faces that will follow...

Shade 10

Mini Primark Haul.

More lip products to talk about today! This time they are from Primark, as the title would suggest. I was pretty intrigued when they started doing beauty products a year or so ago. I use their sensitive 4in1 wipes, they claim to cleanse, tone, moisturise and remove make-up all at once. They do the job, and have never irritated my skin so I can't complain. A while back I bought one of their lip stains and a lip stick. I wanted to try out a different colour from what I was used to, they were both a bubblegum pink shade. The lip stain was much better quality than the lipstick which wasn't very pigmented.

This time I bought two lipsticks and another lip stain in a raspberry pink colour. They have changed their packaging slightly. I must say I'm not really a fan of leopard print so I don't like their lipstick packaging all that much. Who can complain for £1 each!?

The lipsticks aren't very pigmented, as I kind of expected, but they are nice for when I just want a hint of colour. They are very smooth and are easy to apply. So if you like a sheer lip these are for you.