Thursday 27 November 2014

Christmas Gift Guide: Stocking Fillers (£10 & Under)

Welcome to my first christmas blog post of 2014! I've put together some stocking filler gift ideas for £10 & under..

Lush Gift Box- £8.50
Topshop socks- £3.50 or 3 for £8 (There are lots of patterns to choose from)
John Lewis Christmas Mug- £5
Next Beanie Hat- £10 
Yankee Candle- £7.99
Body Shop Lipgloss- £10 
ASOS Diamond Shape Drop Earrings- £5
Models Own Nail Polish Set- £10


Have you started your christmas shopping?

Monday 24 November 2014

Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara


The Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara claims to 'magnify lashes to twice their size and thicken them to maximum volume'. I didn't see much volumizing but I don't need much help in that department as my eyelashes are fairly thick. The mascara does however lengthen your lashes. 

The mascara doesn't clump, applies very smoothly and throughout the day does not transfer onto my skin. I've found only one coat is enough to achieve a lovely lash look. 
The sample size (3.4ml) is perfect for travelling and carrying around in your handbag. (The cap also screws very tightly, so no mess is made). The packaging is also very chic and simple, which I love. 
I will say though, this product does have a 'wet effect' and because of this the mascara does take a while to dry so you do have to be careful when you apply it. 

Although I don't think I'd use this mascara as part of my everyday makeup routine I do think it's great for touchups or if you're looking for a mascara to purely lengthen your lashes. 

Have you tried this Mascara? What do you think? 

Monday 10 November 2014

Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder



The 'Rimmel London Stay Matte powder' has been a favourite of mine for a long time. I mentioned it waay back on my 'Everyday,Affordable Makeup' post and haven't stopped using it since. 

I absolutely love the velvety smooth feel of this powder. The powder keeps my T-zone matte for up to 5 hours without any touch ups. However if you do have very oily skin a touch up every couple of hours might be needed. 

The product delivers well without a powdery, chalky feel and look. It helps keep my face oil free for hours with a flawless finish. The only disadvantage of this powder is the packaging isn't that great, the lid doesn't lock securely so it's not very travel friendly. 

Overall however, I think this is a really great product with an affordable price tag. If you have oily skin and want light coverage to prevent any unwanted shine then you should definitely try out this product. 

          Have you tried the Rimmel Matte Powder? What are your thoughts? 


Wednesday 5 November 2014

How To Clean Your Makeup Brushes



It's really important to ensure you wash your makeup brushes regularly after use. When you apply concealer or foundation to your face, bacteria is picked up from your skin onto the brushes, which then sits there until the next time you use the brush, except this time the bacteria is swept across your face and onto your skin. Causing you to break out in spots and blackheads. Gross isn't it? 


To clean your brushes you will need:
  • Your sink
  • Bowl (optional) 
  • Shampoo/conditioner/brush cleaning product
  • A towel 
1) Begin by lining up the brushes you'd like to clean. One at a time, run your brushes under lukewarm water rinsing out all of the residual makeup. (Tip- try and avoid water touching the part of the brush where the handle meets the brushes, as this can cause the glue to loosen and eventually break your brush).

2) At this point you can either fill a bowl with lukewarm water and a squirt of shampoo or you can do what I usually do (saves time and washing up) and squirt the shampoo onto your hand and swirl the brush in your palm rinsing out with water every so often. 
3) Keep repeating step 2 until the water runs clear from the brush. Once clear wipe your brush clean, and try and get the bristles as dry as possible (without damaging them!)

4) Lay your brushes on a towel or a cloth and leave to dry (I usually do them in the evening and leave them to dry overnight). 

5) Use the beautifully clean brushes, and see the affects on your skin! :) 

Hope you found this blog post helpful! How do you clean your brushes and do you have any tips on how to?