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!

Hello you beauties!

Everyone always seems to obsess over darker lips during the colder months which is completely understandable as it helps to represent the mood and I suppose the weather which is what some people do with their makeup looks. Hence why corals and pinks are popular in the summer and dark browns and purples are used a lot during the colder months.

I have been known to wear darker lip colours before, usually purples but within the past year (or just a bit later than that) I have also started to experiment more with darker browns, as usually with browns I stick to lighter nude browns.

Before I actually answer the question I asked in my title, I want to just discuss with you a few of my favourite darker lip colours. I'm sure that I've probably mentioned all these colours/lip products before in my posts, especially in a post last December where I wrote about my favourite winter lip colours of 2016.

My favourite darker lip colour of all time has always been the Topshop matte lipstick in the shade 'Beguiled'. It's not too drying which I sometimes find with matte lipsticks but that probably doesn't help that I have naturally dry lips. It's really pigmented too and such a bargain at just £8.

I've started to experiment with darker browns now which I was a bit nervous to do before as I never thought they would suit me. However, I have been loving the Coloured Raine liquid lipstick in the shade 'Mars' which is a lovely dark brown that I feel really does suit me well. It doesn't transfer or run even if you've been having a drink (as I've found out because I like to wear this lip colour on a night out) and isn't drying either.

If I feel like I want a pop of colour while still rocking a darker lip, I usually choose to use to use the NYX Intense Butter Gloss in the shade 'Spice Cake'. Surprisingly it is not a matte product this time, but I really do like the butter glosses from the NYX brand and these intense butter glosses are so much better than I could ever ask for! When it says 'intense' it really does mean intense. This is a very vivid colour but is still a perfect autumn colour.

But are these colours really only suitable for the latter half of the year? Of course not. I would wear these darker colours at any time of the year. I tend to match my lipstick to the outfit that I'm wearing rather than the time of year that we're at. So if I'm wearing a darker outfit, I will wear a dark lip with it, even if it's the middle of July.

I suppose I can argue that it's the same for lighter lip shades. These are definitely wearable during the winter months. You don't want to wear a darker lip with an outfit that needs a lighter lip just because it's November.

What's your opinion on the right time to wear darker lips? Do you agree that they can be worn throughout the whole year?

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

Hello you beauties!

I really hoped I would never have to write a post like this but I'm afraid that while you all probably thought I would be writing this post from my university flat in Brighton when in fact I am writing this from my bedroom in my family home in Nottingham.

Sometimes things that you dream will happen for a very long time don't always work out. For years, my dream was to study at the University of Brighton. And I managed to achieve that dream. When I realised I was going to be studying English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Brighton starting October 2017, I was extremely excited. It was all I had ever wanted and I finally got the chance to do this. I couldn't wait to move down there, many many miles away from my hometown of Nottingham, and start a new life there.

However, once I moved, it didn't take me long to realise that maybe I had made a mistake. Well, mistake probably isn't the right word to describe it but I definitely realised that Brighton was not the right place for me.

It just was not what I expected it to be. Before I moved to Brighton, I had visited just once - I spent a couple of days there visiting the university back in Brighton with my mum. I enjoyed my visit then as we spent one day exploring the shops to see what Brighton had to offer. We didn't walk along the seafront but I still enjoyed what I saw. Then the next day we went to the university for talks and to explore the university itself and I really liked the campus and the university course seemed interesting.

Reality is so much different. I lived in student accomodation at Varley Park, located on Coldean Lane. I didn't realise that this would literally be in the middle of nowhere. Don't get me wrong, I loved my flat - I had a decent sized room with an ensuite bathroom and a really modern kitchen and I got breakfast and dinner provided for me 5 days a week. But I felt like the public transport around there was very unreliable and it made me feel trapped. One day I waited over an hour and a half for a bus to go into Brighton city centre and then a bus still didn't arrive... so instead I got a taxi which cost over £20! Something I couldn't afford to do much.

My course also didn't turn out quite how I expected it to be. It was supposed to be joint honours but I really didn't feel like there was much Creative Writing to it which was the part I was looking forward to the most. The course was good but just not what I wanted to do - it was fun to read books and write essays about them but I couldn't see myself being able to build a career out of this degree. I wanted something specific to an English-related career but with an actual English Literature degree you could do whatever.

One of the main problems was how far Brighton was from Nottingham. I'm a naturally shy person so I thought that maybe moving so far away would help to get me out of my shell and become more independent. I didn't realise I would be so so wrong about it all. It took 2 trains, around 4 hours travel and set me back over £60 if I wanted to go home for a visit. So I didn't feel like I could go home for a visit, which made me miss my family even more than I already did.

So I began to feel homesick. And by homesick I mean extremely homesick. At first I knew it would be normal to be homesick so I just knew I had to deal with it and that it may get easier as time passes. It, however, got worse. Each day I would cry down the phone to my parents about how much I wanted to go home. I couldn't sleep. I lost my appetite. I didn't want to socialise. Unless I was at university doing lectures or seminars, I spent all my time in my room doing work or binge watching tv shows on Netflix. It was very lonely and made me hate being in Brighton.

I reached the 5th week of me living there and my homesickness was continually getting worse, to the point where I decided that the best choice for me would be to withdraw from my course and move back to Nottingham. It wasn't an easy decision to make as I didn't want to give up on university, I just knew it wouldn't be healthy for me to carry on how I was.

I don't think that Brighton is a horrible university. I really do wish that I could've made things work out for me in Brighton but, unfortunately, it just wasn't the place for me. I would recommend it as a university as the teaching is great and the staff were always so supportive. I just needed to do what was best for me.

So what now? Well, I am hoping to return to education next September. I'm hoping to submit my UCAS application soon and hope to be studying in London next year (I'm just so in love with London at the moment). This time I've applied to study Journalism which is something I was interested in before and I feel like this would be a better choice for me career wise as it's something I've always been an interest of mine. And I feel like London will be the perfect place for me to study this as there's so much going on and therefore so much more to write about.

In the meantime, I'm going to find a new job (as I quit my previous job so that I could move to Brighton) and work so much over the next 10 months. Obviously I'm going to keep myself busy during my 'gap year' as it's the perfect chance for me to get more work experience and to gain skills that could help me out if I do go back to university.

These next 10 months I also hope to volunteer for charities and fundraise for them - I'd love to do things that I would never usually do such as skydiving to raise money for a good cause and to also challenge myself more. I also plan to travel a bit during the summer with my boyfriend, so working a full time job will give me the perfect opportunity to save some money for this (and also save some money so that I don't have to work much during my time at university).

Leaving university last month wasn't the easiest decision I've ever made but, at this stage in my life, I feel like it is the best choice I could've made. I'm so excited to see what the future has in store for me.

Have any of you been in this situation before? I'd love to talk to someone else about it!

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