Hello you beauties!

I hope you all had a great Christmas.

Back with the beauty posts this week and today I wanted to talk to you about the Revlon ColourStay foundation. With the colder weather, my skin has been getting a lot drier which I've found really annoying as no matter how much moisturiser I use, it stays dry. And the foundations that I usually use aren't the best for dry skin as they tend to stick to the dry areas of my skin, especially around and on my nose.

Yes, these foundations are good for normal or oily skin so they're perfect for me during the summer but not so much during the winter. So a couple of weeks ago I went looking for the perfect foundation for during the winter months. The one I chose to try for now is the Revlon ColourStay foundation for normal/dry skin and this is what I thought about it.

I have heard many great things about this foundation over the past couple of years but have always experimented with other foundations and so never got round to trying this one. But when I was trying to decide which one to try, this foundation was on the top of my list.

Once I tried it out, it left me wondering why I hadn't tried it before. It is definitely the best foundation I have ever used.

I chose the shade 'Ivory' as it was the lightest shade they had. Of course, I had no clue if it would be the right shade for me but due to the fact that I'm like super pale I always usually go for the lightest shade (which is usually the right shade for me) but there is always the risk that it can be too pale. However, 'Ivory' was the perfect shade for me and it doesn't oxidise at all.

It offers really great coverage too, which I wasn't expecting. With a lot of things happening in my life recently, I have been very stressed and have had a few serious spots on my face (you can tell I was stressed as I never usually get spots) and this foundation actually managed to cover them quite well. Obviously they didn't cover them perfectly, but it would take a very high coverage foundation for it to be fully covered. It just meant that the spots were less obvious and I didn't have to use as much concealer to try and cover my spots more.

This foundation is also very easy to apply. It doesn't dry too quickly so is easy to blend and isn't left with streaks when applying with a brush (although I think that is usually an issue to do with the brush and not the foundation). It also stays on for a while during the day which is great if you have a busy schedule where topping up on your foundation will not necessarily be easy to do.

I believe this foundation is very affordable to. Maybe not as affordable as other foundations that I've ever used (such as my Rimmel London foundation and my Bourjois foundation) but it isn't as expensive as other foundations can get. I bought my bottle of this foundation from Superdrug for just £12.99 which means I can easily afford to repurchase this in the future if I decide that this foundation is the right one for me.

And the most important part? It definitely does what it says on the bottle. It really is great for dry skin as it doesn't stick to my usual dry areas and make it look worse like the other foundations usually do. I really do feel like this this is a foundation I will use all year round and not just in the winter.

Have you tried out this foundation yet? What is your opinion on it?

I'll be back on Sunday with a special New Years' Eve post for you all.
Byeeee!

Hello you beauties!

As this is going to be my last post before Christmas Day, I thought the only acceptable post for me to write today would be my planned makeup look for the special day. I wrote one of these posts last year as part of Blogmas (which I apologise for not doing this year) but because I've had a whole year to experiment with new makeup so, while some of the items I'm using this year may be exactly the same as last year, there will probably be some different items in the look too.

Primer: Nivea Men Post Balm Shave
Foundation: Revlon Colour Stay Foundation for Normal/Dry Skin in the shade 'Ivory'
Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in the shade '1-Fair'
Powder: Rimmel London Stay Matte Powder in the shade 'Translucent'
Bronzer: Benefit Hoola Bronzer
Blush: BareMinerals ReadyBlush in the shade 'The Indecent Proposal'
Highlight: One of the gold shades (probably one of the lighter ones) from the Makeup Revolution Sophx highlighter palette
Eye Primer: Gosh Prime 'n' Refresh
Eyeshadows: I will probably create a nude eye look using my Makeup Revolution Ultimate 144 Eyeshadow Palette Matte 2017 and then, from my other Ultimate 144 Eyeshadow Palette with shimmer shades, I will use a gold, red or green shimmer-y shade for that pop of Christmas-sy colour
Mascara: Princess Marcella Borghese Superiore State of the Art Mascara
Eyebrows: Soap and Glory Eyebrow Archery Pencil in the shade 'Brownie Points'
Lip Colour:

What is your Christmas look this year?

I'll be back on Christmas Day with a 'What I Got For Christmas' post.
Byeeeee!

Hello you beauties!

Today's post is a little different than usual. I've been thinking a lot about the past year and what has changed. And one significant change in my life has to be my attitude towards body confidence - mine especially. It probably helps to think about it now because it is being talked about a lot in the media these days

For anyone who knows me well, they will know that I am not happy with my body. And I know that I'm no where near skinny or slim, and yes I am medically overweight. But should that stop me from doing anything though? No. But does it? Yes.

I used to hate looking at myself in the mirror and would always avoid places like fitting rooms, and if I ever walked past a mirror in a shop, I'd hurry up. I'd hate when people took pictures of me, so I'd avoid it wherever I could (yes, that does mean me and my boyfriend have very few pictures together). I also haven't been swimming for years - not because I can't swim but because I don't have the confidence to wear a bikini or a one-piece. To some people, lack of body confidence might not seem like that bad a thing but to someone like me, it can massively affect your life.

I've seen a lot in social media with celebrities encouraging you to embrace your natural beauty and encouraging body confidence. But in my experience? That doesn't help. These celebrities are always stunning and I KNOW that I look nothing like them but there always is that pressure there to look like them.

And when you know that you definitely look nothing like them, it can be damaging. You're always thinking you're not good enough. There's been many times where I've thought my boyfriend deserved better just because of the way I looked. Why should he stick with me when there's skinnier girls out there? Isn't skinny what all boys want girls to be like? Of course it's not. Every guy has their own preferences (most just don't care at all what your body looks like) and it's just the media making us think that we all have to be skinny like the supermodels that are shown on TV, in newspapers and magazines.

I used to hate looking at my body. Every inch disgusted me. The fact that I don't have a flat stomach. The fact that my thighs are actually quite large and covered in stretch marks. I hate many things about my body, as do many other women/girls that I know. A year ago, there were many many things I would have changed about myself (basically everything). But that has changed.

In April, I met my boyfriend and I will admit that meeting him really helped me with my body confidence. Before I met my boyfriend, I was actually in a very on-off relationship with a guy who finally decided that he didn't want to get back together with me because I was too fat. Getting comments like that really does hurt and makes you feel worthless. That all changed when I met my current boyfriend.

He's always encouraging me to love myself as I am rather than trying to impress anyone else. And obviously that is the sort of support you need from someone. And because of that, I am definitely a more confident person now.

So how has my body confidence changed? Well, I'm no longer finding it as hard to go into fitting rooms and actually do it more often now so that I'm not risking buying clothes that don't fit or don't suit me just because I'm too scared to look at myself in a mirror.

I've also started wearing clothes that I would not have worn before because I was too self conscious. I've started wearing skirts a lot more recently and even bought myself a new dress at the weekend. Yes, I do still wear really dark tights to cover my legs as I do still feel very self conscious about them but my confidence is improving, hence why I'm wearing skirts more often.

And I'm actually starting to appreciate my body more in general, especially my stomach. It definitely isn't a flat stomach (and probably never will be) but the more and more I look at it, the less disgusted I feel by it. I think it helps that I have actually lost weight and that's helping me be more positive about myself. But the most useful thing is knowing that I shouldn't care what other people think and my boyfriend loves me for who I am.

If you want to share your experiences with body confidence with me, then feel free to by either commenting on this post or emailing me at instaurabeauty@gmail.com.

I'll be back next week with another post for you all.
Byeeee!

 Hello you beauties!

I must admit this to you, but I never really thought about what I actually want for Christmas this year and, to be honest, I haven't actually asked for anything this Christmas. I will admit, that is probably because anything that I might possibly want is too expensive to consider asking for it from friends/family (I never want anyone to spend too much money on me) or it is the sort of thing that I would love to own but would probably never use because of how much it costs and then realistically it would be a waste of money. But if I could ask for absolutely anything for Christmas, regardless of the cost, from my loved ones, then here is my short wish list.

1. A Morphe eyeshadow palette
I have a feeling this may have been on my list last year, or may have been on one (or multiple ones) of my lust lists that I sometimes do, so if you've read my blog before then you may know that I have been wanting a Morphe eyeshadow palette for so long. Who wouldn't want one!? The shade range seems so great and I've heard that the pigmentation of the eyeshadows is amazing.

2. Calvin Klein underwear
Okay, this probably sounds a little weird but recently I have really been wanting some Calvin Klein underwear. A few years ago I used to see all over social media that everyone (well, it seemed like everyone anyway) owned some of this underwear and also back then I thought it was really expensive (which I suppose it is for underwear but it is branded after all). But now I just really want to own some myself - they just look so good and so comfortable! It's a really weird request, but I really wouldn't mind if someone bought me some Calvin Klein underwear for Christmas.

3. Spectrum makeup brushes
As a beauty lover, I will admit that I probably own more makeup brushes than I actually need. But that doesn't stop me from wanting more. And the Spectrum brushes (again, some that I have been wanting for a very long time) are probably some of the most beautiful brushes I have ever seen. I have noticed that they have started to sell a few of these individually in Boots at a reasonable price (priced between £5 and £20 for one singular brush) so I could easily buy them for myself but there would be nothing more satisfying than opening a special set of these on Christmas morning.

4. Harry Potter wand makeup brushes
Yes, there are even more brushes that I want, but these ones are probably some that I wouldn't use but just want to own because they're so great to look at. I am genuinely in love with the Harry Potter wand brushes - they're just so magical (excuse the pun)! If anyone was to buy these for me this Christmas I swear I will love them forever.

5. Mermaid blanket
I am a 20 year old seriously wanting a mermaid blanket this Christmas! I don't know if you have all seen them (but obviously I will include a picture) but I found these mermaid blankets in New Look a few months ago - probably around August time - and immediately wanted one. They come in a pink or a blue-ish teal colour and personally I would go for the blue. They're around £20 each so I've never really felt the need to buy one for myself (as I've never really had the money to be able to spend £20 on one item) but I have been dropping hints at my boyfriend ever since I first saw them.

6. Mini cactus
Okay, so this item may be just as weird as the request for expensive underwear. I always feel like a room needs a plant to make it complete and at uni (when I was in Brighton and then when I move to London next year) having a plant in your room makes everything feel cosy. But I'm just not the sort of person who can look after plants very well. I did buy myself a fake lavender plant to take with me when I moved to Brighton but I genuinely would love to have a little cactus in my room, especially in London. A real plant that takes very little looking after.

So this list was a little bit longer than I originally thought it would be but this would genuinely be the full length of the list of things I would love to receive for Christmas this year. Obviously any gift I receive will be appreciated and loved but these are the only 6 items I would specifically ask for.

What is on your Christmas wish list this year? Is any of it the same as mine?

I'll be back next week with another post for you all.
Byeeee!

Hello you beauties!

Christmas is less than a month away already and I know a lot of people may have already done their Christmas shopping but I know there will also be some people who still need some ideas. I haven't actually needed to buy anything beauty gifts this year (as the only person I've actually really bought anything for this year is my boyfriend).

I have seen some really good gift sets though which I know I would love to receive myself so I wanted to share these with you all.

From searching around Boots and Superdrug mainly, I feel like my favourite gift sets are definitely from the brands Makeup Revolution, No7, Soap and Glory, and Sleek.

The Makeup Revolution gift sets (available in Superdrug) definitely seem to be worth the money - most of them only being £15 each. Most of these include a palette of some form, with a couple of brushes, or a sponge, or maybe a fixing spray of some sort. These are great because the palettes are so large so they accommodate for everyone- no matter what shade you need, it'll probably be there for you. They have all sorts of different types of these sets - such as sculpting palettes, contour, strobing and highlighting, brows (whatever you want, you name it). You definitely get a lot for just £15 and I know I would love it if I opened one of these on Christmas Day.

Soap and Glory (available in Boots) has always been well-known by every beauty lover and always impresses with their Christmas gifts each year. Again, they're really affordable too, usually being priced between £10 and £30 (although if you want to spend a little bit more on a certain friend or family member then they have more expensive gift sets too). These gift sets, in my opinion, would probably be best for someone who loves skincare as these are very skincare heavy, even though some do feature some of the brand's makeup. I haven't tried much of their skincare (and only a bit of their makeup) but from my own personal experience with the brand, I can easily say that these sets are worth the money. My favourites are the 'Pick & Spritz', 'Pout-y Popper' and 'Glow Ball'.

Most of the best gift sets seem to be from Boots this year and it's been nice to explore Boots again recently as I've been spending most of my time and money in Superdrug (probably because of my ongoing obsession with Makeup Revolution). Boots have definitely outdone Superdrug this year with their gift sets and so I want to share some more of them with you.

Sleek have produced some good gift sets this year, with their focus mainly being on their matte liquid lipsticks (also known as 'Matte Me') and their eyeshadow palettes. Their famous highlighter palette, Solstice, is also in a few of their sets. I've used one of their 'Matte Me' lipsticks before, in the shade 'Birthday Suit', and I also own the Solstice highlighter palette and even though it's only a couple of the brand's products, I do really like this brand. And from the quality of these products, I would happily purchase more from them. I have heard great things about their eyeshadow palettes too, so these gift sets are definitely great for any makeup lover. They're very affordable too as each set is priced between £10 and £30. My only problem with the Sleek sets though is the fact that a lot of them only have mini versions of the product in it. And I know you probably are still getting your monies worth with the set even if the products are miniature but I always think the best thing about any gift set is being able to get full sized products in it for such a decent price.

Even though there are many, many other brand's gift sets I could talk about, the final brand I'm going to be mentioning today is No7. This is a brand I have used a lot in the past (and I do still use sometimes now) and although I wouldn't say they're the best brand I've ever used, they're definitely not the worst and I do like owning their products and will continue to use them. Their sets are so nice this year too, and seem really sophisticated while also being a really thoughtful gift. There is a great mix of makeup and skincare so you can find anything for anyone, whether they prefer skincare or makeup you will be able to find the perfect gift for them. These gift sets from this brand are pricier than the others as No7 is considered to be on the more expensive end of the spectrum when it comes to the prices of drugstore makeup. There are some items less than £10 but a lot are priced between £20 and £40. I personally really like the look of the 5-in-1 brow palette and their limited edition illuminating palette.

So these were just a few Christmas gifts that I've liked the look of this year. Obviously there are many other great ones, such as from NYX, FCUK and Jack Wills but we'd be here for a very very long time if I was going to tell you every single Christmas gift that caught my eye. Have you bought any beauty Christmas gifts for any friends/family yet?

I'll be back next week with another post for you all.
Byeee!

Hello you beauties!

Disclaimer: If you don't want any of the contents of advent calendars to be ruined then I would advise you don't read this post

Last year, if you read my blogmas posts, you will know that I had the Makeup Revolution advent calendar and I actually really liked it (it definitely was worth the money). This year I won't be having a beauty advent calendar as I own so much makeup so the last thing I need to do is add more to my collection. However, I have looked into many of the beauty advent calendars that brands have on offer this year and have decided on which ones I would consider buying this year if I was to have one. I wanted to share all these with you.

If I had to choose my favourite calendar of this year then it definitely would be the Sleek one. At just £35 from Boots, I believe that it's great value for money as you get 24 items in this advent calendar and while most of them are the mini versions of products, I still think that this calendar is definitely worth more than £35. The range of products available in this calendar is outstanding and I am really excited to especially see one of their blushers and 3 eyeshadow palettes in there! The only problem is that this calendar seems so popular that it actually seems to have gone out of stock almost everywhere and even if I wanted one it doesn't look like I'd actually be able to get ahold of one.

I also like the look of the NYX advent calendar this year too. I was almost tempted to buy their calendar last year as I love that they had lip products and eyeshadows but it was way too expensive for me to afford at the time. This year their product is just lipsticks which I suppose is okay because my favourite thing about NYX are definitely their lip products. I don't think it's that bad a price at £50 either considering that a lot of their lip products are priced around £10 each. One thing that is stopping me from buying this calendar this year is just purely the fact that I feel like a lot of the shades in the calendar won't actually suit me and so I won't get much use out of most of the products.

The Charlotte Tilbury advent calendar is one I have always wanted to try as I've always been desperate to try out their products and the items in this years calendar seem amazing! With a mix of makeup and skincare, I really do believe that this calendar really lets you explore and discover the brand. The only problem is that this calendar is pricey (which obviously you expect from such a luxury brand as Charlotte Tilbury is) and there is no way I can afford £150 for one advent calendar.

BareMinerals has always been one of my favourite brands ever since I first started to use their products so the idea of a BareMinerals advent calendar is really appealing to me. Just being able to add another product of theirs to my collection every day just seems so exciting. There is such a variety of different beauty products in different shades in this calendar which makes it perfect for everyone. I just don't think I could afford £75 for one calendar right now...

Have you got a beauty advent calendar this year? Which one did you choose?

I'll be back next week with another post for you all.
Byeeee!

Hello you beauties!

Although I haven't been wearing makeup as much recently as I used to but I definitely do still have a go to look for this time of the year. So I wanted to share this with you all today.

1. Fusion Beauty Brightening Primer and purple CC stick
During the winter months, I tend to get really red and dry skin due to the cooler weather drying it out. So the first thing I do is use my purple CC stick (from an unknown brand as I received it as an extra item in a beauty box) and also my Fusion Beauty Brightening Primer (which is also purple) to get rid of this redness but also to moisturise my skin.

2. Rimmel London Match Perfection foundation in the shade 'Light Porcelain'
During the colder months, I always want to opt for a more glow-y look with my foundation. My Rimmel Match Perfection foundation is perfect for this sort of look as it's the perfect shade for me, is easy to blend out and doesn't cling to my drier spots.

3. Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in the shade 'Fair'
I don't think this product needs any explanation. Everyone knows how amazing this concealer is and it's the only concealer I ever use.

4. Rimmel London Stay Matte powder in the shade 'Transparent'
Again, I don't think this product needs an explanation. Although I have tried a NYX powder before, this Rimmel one is always my go-to powder as it really does what it says on the tin. However, because I want to maintain a dewy look in my autumn look, I have to remember to use a light hand with this product.

5. Benefit Hoola bronzer
I wrote a post back in July where I mentioned why I love my mini version of this bronzer, and I particularly think that it is the perfect bronzer for the darker months. This is because it is darker than some bronzers I usually go for (although still definitely wearable). I find that I need a darker bronzer during the winter months as otherwise I would feel washed out as I am pale and feel even more pale with the colder weather. Bronzer definitely adds a bit of warmth to your look.

6. BareMinerals Ready Blush in the shade 'The Whisper'
If you've been following my blog since the beginning, you will know that as soon as I received this blush, it became my all time favourite blush. I always thought that any blush that I had to use had to be a pink shade but oh how wrong I was. Since I discovered nude blushers, they have become my favourite. This blush is definitely perfect for autumn as it gives you lovely natural colour to your cheeks without making you look too... rosy, I suppose.

7. MUA Undress Your Skin highlighter in the shade 'Pink Shimmer'
This is one of the newest items in my collection (although I did buy it all the way back in August) and I will admit I don't use it much. But I've heard great things about it and it's so cheap which is why I bought it. I have used it a couple of times since I bought it and have decided it is definitely a highlighter I'm going to favour for an everyday look as it isn't as intense as some highlighters I own but just gives you the perfect natural glow.

8. CoastalScents Revealed Smoky Eyeshadow Palette
This is the part of my routine that may actually vary sometimes. I tend to use this palette all the time as I actually love it. I love to use this palette for the autumn as it features a lot of dark colours such as dark brown and burgundy - perfect colours for the autumn! It also has some great shimmer shades in it too.

9. Collection Supersize Fat Lash mascara
This is also a newer item in my collection like the highlighter and it has quickly become one of my favourite mascaras. If you want dramatic lashes with plenty of volume and curl then I wouldn't recommend this mascara but it's perfect mascara if you just want a natural look - which is obviously what I'm aiming for with this look. Plus it's really cheap too!

10. Freedom Duo Brow Powder in the shade 'Blonde'
Now we're onto the penultimate product in this look. This eyebrow powder isn't my favourite eyebrow product ever but it really does make your eyebrows look natural which is exactly the look I'm going for.

11. Coloured Raine liquid lipstick in the shade 'Mars'
The final item is definitely the item that completes the look. This liquid lipstick is my favourite autumn lip colour this year, as it is a lovely deep brown which I feel like definitely makes this look very autumnal (see my previous post about why I love this lipstick so much).

I would love it if you wanted to share your autumn looks with me!

I'll be back next week with another post for you all (get ready for everything Christmas themed).
Byeeee!