Simple and Glossy

I had to go and get some passport/ID photos done the other day, and I thought the make up I threw on was worth sharing as it really is one of those looks you can wear just about anywhere! 

(it's my go-to look for when I need to look really polished without making a statement)

I used Lioele BB Cream, which you might have noticed I've worn in the past few posts, that's not because I love it though, in fact now I've come back to after dabbling with so many other BB Creams and Tinted Moisturisers it actually falls rather flat. But the tube is almost up so I just want to finish it off! Usually I'd substitute it for Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser (as I truly love that stuff)

I decided to keep my eyes matte, something I never, ever do, but I was feeling a little inspired! I just used Mac Brule and Urban Decay Twice Baked over Mac Painterly. Some careful eyeliner and my new mascara finished the look! I usually swipe on some eyeliner in 10 seconds flat but I definitely took my time today making sure they were completely even - to be completely honest the extra time spent fixating on minuscule bumps didn't really make much difference!

A little bit of Hoola so I don't look dead, and then I finished it all off with a generous about of my all time favourite lip gloss - Buxom in Sugar. The slight tingling slightly plumps us your lips, the colour is perfectly natural, and I really think it's the gloss that makes this look something worth putting on here!

Non Beauty Favourites

I'm certainly not going to commit to these regular weekly favourite posts (because I know I'll fail) but I do love doing these random weekly(ish) updates.

The Thought Catalog
I've been seeing random articles from here popping up on my Facebook for months now but I only actually checked it out this week and I'm a little addicted to checking it when I'm bored. There's almost always something interesting to read and there really is a little bit of everything. It's a website full of articles written by.. well written by anyone on just about anything.

Photos from a different perspective
I saw this linked on Carly's blog and I actually really enjoyed browsing the photos. Some I'd seen before but there were a few I hadn't and I really enjoyed looking through them!

The White Queen
OK, so I am way behind on this. But I got the series on DVD last Christmas and I'm only now getting round to watching it and I'm totally hooked! Despite it being a TV Show it has the feel of a film and I'm totally loving it (may have watched 7hours worth in one day….)

Writing Thank you Cards
I must be getting old, but I used to hate it when my mum made me write my thank you notes after birthdays. But this weekend when I wrote out my cards I actually found really therapeutic and actually quite humbling, just how many people I had surrounding me that I wanted to thank. #grateful

Nail Polish Collection

I love looking at these, there's just something interesting about seeing what someone has, and, more importantly, how they store it! 

My nail varnish collection used to fill the top two drawers and now it fills around half of one and I'm so much happier about what I have. I hung on to tons of polishes in case I needed that crazy tangerine shade for a nail art look. But in reality I only used those colours once or twice and year and they simply weren't worth keeping when they clogged up my storage and stopped me being able to see the colours that I really loved using.

Like with my make up clear out I still have a few things I want to use up but I'm pretty damn happy with what I've got!

I recently put a dab of each polish on the lids and I'm not 100% happy with it, as although it's really practical for some polishes (like the Models Own packaging) I just don't think it looks pretty.

Old And New

This weekend I've been 'shopping my stash' as the blogger phrase goes! Since being back and organising my make up I've been loving playing around with some forgotten gems and the make up I ended up wearing yesterday was all about combining some old loves with some new favourites

Lioeli Waterdrop BB Cream
I'd actualy forgotten I still had this! After checking it was still in date, I instantly threw it on as I remember adoring this one summer and I think I wore it every single day for almost two months. Wearing it again I don't love it as much as I once did, but I still adore the dewy finish it delivers

Mac Creme Colour Base in Shell
After buying this I spent weeks trying to figure out a way I could wear it, as my original intention of using it as an eyeshadow base went down the drain since it creases after 5 minutes. I wore it as a cheek highlight today as I wanted a cream product to keep the dewy finish of the BB Cream and Cream blush. and it just looked beautiful and wore surprisingly well!

No7 Nude Lip Liner with ELF Runway Pink
I'm not really a lipstick person, and I can probably count on my fingers the number of times I've actually bothered with a lip liner. But these two trusty old products found their way onto my lips today and I was pleasantly surprised at the result! Both are creamy and the matte lipliner paired with a semi-matte lipstick created a great finish that I think was pretty modern despite being such a classic shade

Bare Minerals Hiking Trail
Everytime I've cleaned out my products this one has been in the 'maybe' pile, and yet has somehow ended up staying. The reason being it's a stunning colour. But I detest loose shadows, or any loose powders actually - they're just a faff. Today I used a tiny amount to lighten up my khaki shadow and it was such a pretty look I'm thinking about whipping Hiking Trail out more often.

Revlon Color Stay Eyeshadow Link in Kahki
A Beautiful colour that I loved playing with. But a corner smashed as soon as I took it out of the bag, and after it sitting in my make up drawer for 2 days it's somehow completely shattered!

LOreal Super Liner Perfect Slim
Loving it - it's just so easy to work with. I'm just waiting to see exactly how long it'll last since pen liners are notorious for drying out and the lid isn't as tight as I'd like.

I finished it all off with Mac Lady Blush, a dab of collection lasting perfection concealer and lots of Benefit They're Real Mascara!

Going Blonde!

I finally took the plunge! And I thought I'd show you how I got my hair to where it is now. I'm naturally a very dark brown, around a year ago I did a bit of an ombre, loved it. And every couple of months I seemed to push the 'ombre' up a little higher! I got to the point where I felt like I simply had to commit one way or the other, either go back to my natural dark tresses or go all out… :)

The Steps I took:
1. Deep Condition
I put a generous amount of coconut oil in my hair and left it for as long as possible. I usually do a few hours but I (accidentally) ended up sleeping in it this time…
2. Section it off
It's almost impossible to do your own hair without putting it into sections, I usually half it, then divide each half into 3 sections. It just makes it more manageable!
3. Highlight!
Just follow the instructions and make half the batch for highlighting. I prefer to take lots of small strands at this point and lighten them to give my hair some dimension. This definitely takes the longest, and I'd suggest you set aside as much time as you can 
4. Rinse
After leaving it for the set amount of time (mine was about 45minutes) I rinsed it off, just using water.
5. Towel Dry
Ideally I think it'd be best to wait for your hair to completely dry before doing the next step, but honestly I'm too impatient and towel dried is good enough for me! I also popped in a few more drops of coconut oil for the hell of it!
6. Bleach Baths
I know a lot of people condemn these as damaging, but this is just what I did. I took the other half of the bleach and mixed it with conditioner (roughly 1:1 ratio)
7. Apply
Then just smother all your hair with the concoction and wait. 
8. And your Done
Keep a close eye on your hair to check the colour, baring in mind that it'll often look lighten with the products on, and once your happy with it, rinse, shampoo and condition!

(I wasn't going to wear make up when I was spending half the day with goop on my head!)

 Things to Bear in Mind

- Things won't suit you the same

This seems obvious, but I wasn't expecting clothes to look so completely different on me! I love cobalt blue on me now, and I seem to be wearing black a lot more as it just compliment my hair so well

- Roots, Roots, Roots
you might not think your hair grows all that fast, but believe me, once you dye it such a significantly different colour it's gonna feel like your hair is growing 6 inches a week. argh

- Going Blonde is High Maintenance
generally if your going from dark brown to blonde your hair is going to want to pull red, and you'll often end up with an awful lot of orange. Toning becomes your best friends. But if you want a very warm blonde, like myself, finding the right balance of toning just enough to stop your hair looking orange, and not toning too much so that it becomes more neutral or ashy is a difficult fine line.

- Damage
There's no way to sugar coat this. If your lifting your hair so many shades your going to get damage. The amount of damage depends on how strong your hair was, as well as how quickly you lifted it. But no matter how careful, you'll insure some damage and you'll have to tackle. 

On the plus side, being blonde is fun! I know I'm not going to keep it forever, and I never thought I would ever go this light so I'm just making the most of it! I also don't have to wash my hair as much since the lighter hair doesn't get greasy as quickly, and when it does it seems to hide it much better! So that kind of makes up for having to use oil everyday to keep the ends looking healthy!

Autumn Wish List

So I've already done an entire post dedicated to my love of Tartan, and that definitely features very heavily on what I'm loving this autumn. But while I was putting together that post I couldn't help but mentally add some other things to my ever growing 'wish list' and I thought I'd shared them with you

Maybelline Great Lash
I think it's because the packaging is so distinctive, but I swear everyone seems to have used this mascara. My Benefit They're Real is steadily running out and this one is next up

Days of Blood and Starlight
I read the first book in this trilogy years ago and truly fell in love with the characters the author created. And now I'm back in the UK this is right at the top of my list for new book as I can't wait to emerse myself in her writing again.

Nude Shoes
I still don't own a comfortable pair of nude heels and i am determined to rectify that this autumn. These ones from ASOS look really promising with a decent sized heel at a pretty affordable price

Tory Burch Teresa Riding Boots (currently out of stock)
Carly mentioned these a few weeks back and I haven't been able to get them out of my mind. I really want to get some riding boots this winter, and although there's no way it's going to be these beautiful ones (since they're way out of my price range) I'm on the hunt for a similar pair.

Unicorn Top
This is just so cute, and so affordable. Part of me wants to just order it right now, this very minute. But I also know I'll probably only ever wear it for lounging around the house, and I have enough comfy clothes to last me a lifetime… #firstworldproblems right there

Boujois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipsticks
These are all over the blogging sphere with claims a formula that's comfortable to wear but doesn't budge. I desperately want to give them a go, but I just can't narrow it down! My top picks are definitely Ole Flamingo, Pink Pong and Grand Cru but I think getting three would be a little excessive!

Brighter is Better!

I've been steadily creeping closer to this point with my hair for the last 8 months. And yesterday I finally took the plunge and attempted to go 'blonde'. My colour before could have, possibly, been called blonde, but it could just have easily fallen into the 'light brown' category and I decided that at least once in my life I wanted to be blonde!

And I'm loving it so far, because I've gradually lightened by hair (deciding to go a little lighter every few months) it's not a huge change, but it still feels quite weird to look in the mirror and see such light hair! Especially considering my natural colour is a very, very dark brown!

I've kept my 'roots' as dark as I felt I could so regrowth shouldn't be a complete pain. But my biggest hurdle is definitely my eyebrows as they're naturally so dark - luckily bold brows are very in so I think I can just about get away with them!

The day after dying it I popped on some make up to go out and I wound up putting on Revlon Just Bitten Lipstick and I just loved how the bright colour worked with my lighter hair. The lighter I've gone the more I've had to change up my lipstick with bold lips becoming increasily popular! 

The rest of my make up was pretty simple, Nars Kalahari duo (the lightest swept all over), a mix of Lioeli BB Cream and Mac Strobe Cream (trying to use up the strobe cream) and my beloved Lancome Oche Doree. I applied Oche Doree slightly differently today, focusing on the edges of my face and not bringing it so far onto the apples and I think I quite like it!

It seems weird to be going for such bright colours when we're in autumn but the weather here has been so beautiful that it still feels like summer - and I'm all for clinging to summer for as long as possible!

UK Haul

So… I didn't wait very long after landing and making my way to boots! My intention was purely to buy some eyeliner (I'd run out), and the all other purchases I can completely justify so I'm quite proud of myself - I ventured into Boots and returned without a huge dint in my bank balance!

L'Oreal Super Liner
The one thing I intended to buy. I vaguely remember purchasing this before and liking it, so after playing around with every single other pen-liner boots had to offer I decided this one looked the most promising- by far! No Doubt I'll keep you updated on my thoughts

Revlon Kahki Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Mildew smashed on my last flight (still heart broken) and I don't have any similar shades as it's not one I wear regularly. The absence of a khaki eyeshadow has most definitely been felt though and I thought I'd try out a revlon eyeshadow as I've heard good things.
(but I dropped this getting it out the bag and it now has a precarious chip…not the best start)

Bourjois Liner
I saw another eyeliner similar in the US in Sephora and I was so close to buying it. So when I saw bourjois had a similar one I had to give it a whirl.

Barry M Gelly Almond
I cannot tell you how much I have wanted to try the barry M Gelly formula but I couldn't get my hands on it until I got back to the UK. I was all set on buying Lychee until I saw it in person, and at the last minute I swapped for Almond. (excuse the messy application I was so excited I just slapped it on)

I'm not 100% sold on the Gelly formula but I'll experiment more with it before I make up my mind! So glad to be back in surrounded by affordable make up - it's going to be a struggle to keep myself in check though!

Tartan Love

Despite clinging desperately to summer, I'm having to accept autumn is well and truly on the way and although I'm definitely not looking forward to the chillier weather, the amount of tartan in stores is making me drool! In the last week I've already bought a 2 pieces of tartan and I can see several more tartan beauties making their way into my wardrobe before winter is through!

Topshop Skirt / iPhone Case / New Look Dress / New Look Shirt / ASOS Shoes

I actually have that checked shirt already, and today I bought a near enough identical skirt from New look too! My Tartan collection is steadily growing, now I just need to hunt down the perfect tartan scarf

In keeping with the idea of embracing autumn, I tried a Pumpkin Spice Latte for the first time today, and I have to say - I just don't get all the hype! I mean it was nice, it didn't seem to be anything all that special though! Are you looking forward to the changing seasons?

Dressed up Ponytail

You may have noticed I'm very low maintenance when it comes to my hair, I wash it, let it air dry and then pretty much leave it alone! So I often fall back on a bun or a ponytail when I need to do something with it, but putting your hair up in a ponytail doesn't have to simply be functional it can also look really chic with just a few additions!

My make up was actually really minimal, no foundation, just concealer, mascara and a great matte red lipstick. Mac Russian Red is clearly the star here so I keep everything else simple so I can pull off such a bold lip for day time

And to jazz up my hair itself I just take a small strange from the pony tail ad wrap it about the hair tie. I don't normally even bother using a hair grin to secure the piece of hair, I typically just secure it by putting the end back through the hair tie. An easy way to make it look like you put in some effort!

I've been wearing this way more than I probably should as the whole thing takes literally 5 minutes and yet I think I look pretty put together!

The Lip Product Tag

I've seen a few of these on various blogs and youtube, are there seem to be a ton of different questions with everyone sporting their own list! So I've done a bit of a combination of a few different lists.

1. Favourite balm or treatment?
I'm very low maintenance when it comes to lip care, which is bad. But I hate feeling like I have stuff on my lips so treatments are out the window since I only do a lip scrubs once in a blue moon. I'm going to be boring and go for my EOS Lip balm. 

2. Favourite eye catching Red/Bright

This has got to me Mac Russian Red. It's a lovely matte red that's just deep enough to make it easy for me to wear.

3. Favourite Pink Lipstick
This is strange, but I rarely wear pink lipstick. I just haven't found one that really suits me. The only 'pink' lipstick that I've kept in my clear out is Mac Viva Glam Gaga as I do like to keep a pink on hand 

4. Favourite Nude Lipstick

I am not a nude lipstick person. Oh I've dabbled with them, bought more than I can count but I've never worn one more than once or twice before dismissing it. Nudes just do not suit me.

5. Luxury or Drugstore?
Buying a luxury lipstick just makes me feel pressured - if you get a bad shade then you've shelled out all that money for something you'll never use (speaking from experience here with YSL 24..) So Drugstore all the way… although that depends where we're putting mac as I always think of mac as somewhere in between

6. Best Mac Lipstick

I do love my mac lipsticks so picking one is just hard!

7. Favourite Gloss

This is another easy one. I'm really not a lipgloss person, I just never wear them reaching for lipsticks over a gloss any day. But I recently bought a Buxom gloss in Sugar and I'm hooked. It tingles when applied which I usually hate but for some reason it stops it feeling so heavy - heavy gloopy, sticky glosses are my idea of a nightmare.

8. Favourite Spring/Summer shade

Honestly, once the weather warms up it's tinted lip balms all the way. And if I'm being honest the one I reach for most is vaseline rosy lips. Boring I know, but you just can't beat that slight wash of colour 

9. Favourite Autmn/Winter shade

Benefit Do Tell. This was another one I only had to contemplate for a moment or two as do tell instantly sprung to mind. It's the perfect winter colour for me adding some drama to your look while staying creamy despite frigid temperatures.

10. Lip Liner: yes or no?

i want to say yes, but i never, ever use one. I'm actually guilty of 

Gaga Blush

So I was clearing out my blog drafts - as soon as I have an idea for a post I make a draft. And post never make it past then, I have even more that are half done, some photos taken, some writing thrown in, but it's just too 'out of date' to finish and post now

Well I was clearing it (54 drafts down to 12!) and found these photos I took in NZ. And I honestly don't know why I didn't post this as wearing Mac Gaga Lipstick as a blush really is one of my favourite ways to wear it and I love the finish it give.s

The photos aren't great, but I think they show what the lipstick really looks like on the skin so I figured I'd post them anyway!

I rarely wear it on the lips, but I do often grab it for a lovely dewy pop of pink on the cheeks. 

The rest of my make up is nice and simple. Nars Sheer Glow, a mix of lots of random golden shades (the sort of eyeshadow look I do all the time), lashings of Benefit they're real mascara and slightly filled in brows. I'm also showing off my lovely new OPI Polish - Taupe-less Beach!

Still loving this colour.. despite having several colours shamefully similar!

The Blush Tag

How many blushes do you own?

Now I've done my clear out, 9. But I'm not even going to hazard a guess at how many I had last week!

Favourite blush brush?

This is difficult since I switch out by brush all the time depending the blush and what look I'm going for… My most used it probably the Real Techniques Blush Brush for its versatility 

Peach vs Pink and favourites of each
The distinction between the two is hazy at best… is it cheating if I say 'peachy-pinks' over peaches or pinks? If I absolutely had to pick one it'd be peach since that's what I reach for more regularly 

Favourite Pink - Mac Two Virtues

Favourite Peach -  Sleek Rose Gold. It's not 'technically' a peach, but when it's on it definitely leans towards a peachy-coral

Drugstore vs High End and Favourites of each

Although price doesn't necessarily entail quality and there are really some amazing drugstore blushes out there, when i think of what I want to buy in the future it's a lost exclusively high end blushes - there's just something lovely about applying a blush in luxurious packaging in the morning… I'm aware buying a blush for the packaging is ridiculous but the heart wants what the heart wants!
High End - Nars. weirdly I don't actually have any right now since those I love I've used up
Drugstore - Sleek. Packaging and product are great value for money

Cream vs Powder

Something about cream blushes just suck me in, the idea of a lovely soft texture creating the perfect finish on the skin is addictive. But in reality they're just a bit of a faff to apply. So despite loving my cream blushes I'm definitely a powder blush girl at heart!

Most Overrated?

Nars Orgasm. 

Don't kill me, I know it's a cult classic… But I just don't get it. I ordered it, I waited with baited breath until it arrived, and then… it was just a bog standard blush. I mean it was pretty, it looked nice on, but it didn't do anything crazy. I gave it to my friend in the end as I just never reached for it.

Most Underrated?

The Balm blushes. 

I've only got the bahama mama and hot mama right now but I'm in love with the sleek, but cute packaging (pay attention benefit) and their buttery texture. I've certainly got my eye on a few others. 

Worth the Hype?

Mac Ladyblush

It really is quite unremarkable in the pan. But when it's on, its just so flattering. 

It's not been talked about quite so much recently, but when first bought it was definitely the product

Top 5 Blushes everyone should own

Blushes are so personal to your skin tone that this is really hard, but I have a few thoughts on it

1. A good 'basic'- one you throw on know it'll work with any look. For me, that's Mac Ladyblush 

2. I know shimmery blushes are a controversial one but when you're in a rush and your skin is looking drab a quick sweep of Sleek Rose Gold or Mac Stereo Rose just works wonders. 

3. A cool toned pink. I could talk for hours on why this is a necessity. Mac Two Virtues

4. Something to warm up your skin without resorting to bronzer. Topshop Head over Heels

5. The Blush/Bronzer mix. Lancome Oche Doree, is a light, warm bronzer when I'm pale and the perfect way to stop bronzers looking too muddy when tanned. 

This tag has been quite weird to do now my blush collection is so much smaller but it was really fun - I can't quite believe how much I just wrote about blushes though!

American Haul

I've spent the last 3 months travelling and a large chunk of that was through North America. And being a little bit of a make up addict, I obviously couldn't pass through the states without picking up a few things!

I was pretty restrained, and held myself back from going crazy but I absolutely love everything I did get

EOS Lip Balm
I feel like this is just obvious. I've wanted one for ever, so I simply had to pick one up. obviously.

Mac Nocturnelle
A little while ago Fleur sported a light purple smokey eye and since then I've been hooked on finding the perfect purple. Especially since Mac Trax smashed on my travels

Essie Watermelon
This purchase is entirely due to Laura. I'm addicted to her blog, and I've come to trust her nail polish recommendations so when I saw this beautiful shade I knew it'd be making its way into my basket.
(I actually got this in Toronto not the USA and the brush is completely different, I'm hoping it's not a new shape as I much prefer the bigger brushes)

Essie Bikini So Teeny
I saw this years ago on various blogs and I've wanted to get my hands on ever since. But I could never find it in the UK so when I saw it in NYC it was another no-brainer.

Buxom Lipgloss Sugar
This was the only purchase I wasn't set on buying before landing in the USA, but after trying it on in Sephora I was sold. Given I usually hate lip glosses this one is pretty special.

Nars Duo Eyeshadow Kalahari 
I have been eyeing this up for months but bars is ridiculously pricey in NZ so as soon as I went into Sephora in the states I knew this was coming home with me!

Worth it? Deep Comfort

I love body moisturisers, specifically body butters. I swear I hoard them like an addict. And in keeping with the whole streamlining and simplifying things I decided to start trying to use some of them up.

Clinique Body Butter is the first body moisturiser I'd say I 'splurged' on, it's no where near as expensive as some higher end brands, but compared to my bog-standard Bodyshop Body Butters it's quite a step up at around £25! So I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on whether it was worth the extra.

It's got a light fragrance and a gorgeous creamy texture. It's not as heavy so other body butters I've used, and yet it definitely takes its time to sink in. I feel like it perfectly walks the line between begin an intensely rich moisturiser without leaving an film on your skin.

I have to say there is certainly a difference, but what surprised me most was the packaging. I know packaging shouldn't really matter as it's the product that counts… but when I'm paying this much for a moisturiser I expect some nice packaging, and the tub just felt cheap.

Overall there is definitely a difference in general texture and feel of the product itself. But just not enough to justify such a price difference for me. If you're wanting to treat yourself - go for it, but there are definitely better things you can splurge on to pamper yourself!

I just couldn't do this post without throwing in my buffing brush. There are all sorts of different types but the natural ones are much better than the plastic (apparently). I've had mine years and it's still going strong so I definitely recommend investing in a good one as they are little miracle workers!

This little abrasive brush, used every morning (or just whenever you remember if you're like me) honestly makes the biggest difference. My skin truly is noticeable smoother once I use it. And If I know I'm going to be showing some skin (e.g. before holiday or once the weather gets warmer) I always ensure it's in my routine. If you don't have one of these I highly recommend you run out and get one!

This Week

I can't believe I've been back in the UK a whole week! Where has the time gone? Since I've been back there's been a few things I've been loving and I thought I'd share a handful of this weeks favourites! (reading people's weekly round ups are some of my favourite blog posts)

DeCluttering
I've decided to take the stance that if you don't use it and love it then it's clutter! This started with make up (which I wrote about here) and has steadily spilled over into nail polishes, shoes and is now infiltrating my wardrobe. And I'm loving being ruthless and donating things I simply don't need to people who do.

Practicing Hairstyles
This might be weird coming from someone with a beauty blog but I've never really bothered with my hair. I'm definitely a wash and go kinda girl but this last week I've been playing about with all sorts of different up dos and styles - and loving it!

Endless Birthdays!
My Birthday was actually way back in June but since this is the first time I've been home since I celebrated this weekend with my family and I have to say, I'm loving having my birthday celebrations spanning several months! (I actually still have another party planned for next month to celebrate turning 21 with some friends at university - Birthdays lasting over 4 months? Yes Please!)

Honey Lust
I truly have the most tumultuous relationship with this eyeshadow. I either loathe it or absolutely love it - there's never any in-between! Since I got back to the UK it's been all about the love though!

Graze Boxes
I am a verified snacker. So graze boxes just appeal to me! I've had one or two before (I remember placing an order when they first came out) So last week when I got a voucher through the door, I couldn't resist. I'm not one for a subscription as the novelty is half the fun!

& Incase you're thinking of getting one any time soon these are my thoughts:

Bonne wee Oatbakes:
These were so disappointing! I was so excited to try these, but… I only had two before they found their way into the bin - something just tasted 'off' about them.

Sour Cream & Garlic Crostini:
You definitely don't want to kiss anyone afterwards, but they were so worth it!

The Graze Brownie:
Considering the three little slices are only 110calories and 1g of saturated fat they're pretty damn good. Personally if I have chocolate I want it decadent, these worked as an after lunch chocolate fix though!

Cherries & Berries:
Dried cranberries are my weakness. And since they feature pretty heavily I was automatically going to like this one. Having said that it wasn't anything too special, but it was a delicious snack

Let me know if you like these kind of blog posts!

Bold Brows

Brows. Two little strips of hair that randomly sit on your face and make the world of difference.

To be honest, I do nothing to mine. Truly nothing, and I can get away with the laziness (for the most part) as they're pretty decent. But I've recently been testing out filling them in a little and I can't believe what I difference it actually makes!

Today I filled them in a fair bit more than normal, so it's quite bold but… I like it.

Everything else was kept nice and simple as I felt the brows deserved to be the centre of attention. Whenever I want everything else to be neautal it's always to Mac Ladyblush that I look, I'm wearing it on my cheeks and on my lips (wearing the same colour on your cheeks and lips always makes my face look so put together and I've been doing it most days)

I just pinned my fringe to the side as I couldn't be bothered attempting to tame it - plus I often think doing a simple little twist somehow makes it look like you put some effort into it instead of pinning it straight back… although that might just be me!

Bold Brows definitely aren't something I'm going to be doing everyday, or even every week, but it's something I think I might whip out now and again. Next time I'm pairing it with a strong cat eye so some real bold shapes!

let me know if you fill in your brows on a regular basis? I feel like everyone who blogs seems to,  hopefully I'm not the only one that usually skips this step!

Clean Out

Before I flew to New Zealand I made a consious effort to drastically cut down my make up 'collection'. And I did pretty well. Even so I couldn't take everything with me (shoes took priority over blushes). And now it's been over a year with only a slither of my make up and I've realised I just don't need as much, and in fact I prefer having a more streamlined selection.

I've been watching Christine from Pinksofoxy for a while and I just adore her decluttering videos - seriously you need to go watch a few! They're weirdly therapeutic to watch, not to mention motivating!

So this last week since getting back to the UK I've had a big clear out, and I'm really happy with the result. Everything now fits quite nicely in one drawer and most importantly I wear everything. regularly

It's not the prettiest storage right now but it is practical, and everything will be getting moved into my muji drawers in a month so I'll update you then when it's all looking pretty! For now everything is roughly separated my 'type' with samples kept at the back and my palettes on top.

It's nerdy, but the other motivation behind this was the desire to create a make up itinerary! I've now got a record of every single piece of make up I own and I can find out how many blushes, foundations or lipsticks I own in a second which I'm hoping will keep me in check for future online make up splurges!

It's been a few days since I cleared everything out, and it's so refreshing to just see variety without being overwhelmed!

Do Tell

Since this is my last few weeks of winter for a while (yay) I've fully embraced the darker palette winter offers - including this beauty of lipstick from Benefit

What I've been loving is that if I liberally apply it (as above) I get a great darker colour that's still very wearable but adds a little extra something! It's been great for days I can't be bothered to do anything fancy with my eyes, simple eye+beautiful lipstick is always a winter in my book.

But I can just pat some on the centre and blend it out to get a much more 'natural' look for days I'm just not feeling up to braving it. 

And I couldn't resist this oh-so-cringey photo showing off the lipstick and my current favourite nail polish - OPI Navy. It's so gorgeous on, it's very nearly black but it's got just enough blue for it not to look too gothic when I'm pale skinned. Also, I thought this photo showed my eye make up quire well too. So just ignore the cringey-ness of the photo and focus on the good bits!

A Little Tan

Today was one of those days that LM tinted moisturiser didn't cut it, I just felt like slapping it on. So today I whacked our my Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Punjab. 

You probably already know since it's been popular so long, but it's really not sheer, nor does it 'glow', intact it's medium-full coverage with a pretty matte finish.

 I have definitely had a real love-hate relationship with this, I bought it around Christmas when I was travelling and despite initially loving it, I found that it just seemed to do nothing special.

I was all set to write an 'it's ok, but it's really not all that review' but I've had a 16hour day and my skin is still looking surprisingly good - definitely more 'glowy' but coverage has stayed. And looking at how beautifully it's photographed I'm resigned to accepting it's just going to be one of those love-hate products. Some days it just seems to work out better than others.

I just threw on Maybelline's Fit Concealer and master precise liner, Benefit Hoola Bronzer and They're Real mascara, L'Oreal Brow Artist, Lancome's Oche Doree for a touch more colour, and ELF Runway

Whenever I wear something fuller coverage during the day I tend to keep my eyes light, today I went for my current signature look, Sleek's light gold from the Storm palette and Urban Decay Smog in the outer corner. And of course lashings of mascara and slightly flicked eyeliner

 Punjab is definitely my summer shade, so I decided to go along with the summery theme and whip out ELF's runway pink lipstick. It's a really pretty pink, and it's as close to nude as I can ever bring myself to go. I feel it just washes me out completely when I'm my usual skin tone, but with a little bit of a tan I understand why so many people love it. Creamy, opaque, somewhat matte, and just such a flattering shade if you have a little colour

I obviously reached for benefit hoola to contour those hamster cheeks, and then I dabbed on Lancome's ochre doree as something in between a blush and bronzer.

Seeing these photos I am definitely in no rush to go back to my old pale skin (prior to New Zealand I was mac NC15 to give you an idea - or in other terms, I was always lighter than the lightest foundation shade) having a little tan definitely suits this hair colour anyway!

Touch of Winter Colour

It's officially winter down under but I'm attempting to bury my head in the sand about the cold mornings as I only have a month left down here before I hit the sunny West Coast of the USA!

Although I still have a while left in the gloomy weather my mind is well and truly in summer mode, and that's definitely reflected in my refusal to commit to my winter staples.

I'm persisting with my tinted moisturiser and light shimmer colours. Today I decided to whip out revlon tutti fruiti lip butter for just a touch of colour as this never fails to 'lift' my face as it's just such a warm colour!

Eyes were light, shimmery and probably look the same as a hundred other photos as it's really my 'go-to' look. Urban Decay Sin in the middle and a couple of the lighter shades from ChiChi Glamourous Nudes Palette - which I've used a lot more than I thought!

I should mention, I've been trying out Laura Mercier's Primer as I've heard lots of good things, but I after a month of trailing with different products I'm not 100% sure it's breaking me out. And not just little breakouts, oh no. Every. Single. Time I use this I get a massive 'under the skin' spot (sorry for TMI) which for me is just crazy! 

I'm not sure why as the ingredients all sound quite promising, but something in it just makes me skin go crazy! I'm also not convinced it really made a difference in making my make up last longer either