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!

Hello you beauties!

I am back today with another blog post for you all. This time I am telling you about my make-up brush collection. At the beginning of this month, I bought a whole new set of makeup brushes which I use everyday, so these are the brushes that I will be talking to you about today.

However, before I bought these brushes, I used a makeup brush set from the brand 'Pretty in Pink' that can be found at Argos for only £12.99. However, now that I am slowly getting more serious about my makeup, I decided that I needed to buy better quality brushes.

So I have been saving up for a while, and I have finally bought myself 12 Real Techniques brushes, all from Superdrug! So here is my brush collection - enjoy!

First I bought myself the Core Collection set, which is a set of 4 brushes for £20.99, so averaging at £5.25 per brush. This set comes with a case/stand for these brushes. I don't actually use this as I keep my brushes in a pale green small-ish bucket/tin that I bought for £2 from Tiger, though I am planning on keeping these cases for when I am travelling and taking my make-up with me.


In this set, there is the pointed foundation brush. The brush feels soft and looks like it could be good to use. I have not actually used this brush yet, but the cashier at the till told me it is a good brush, but because it is small, she finds it takes her a while to apply her foundation using this. I will try it myself and let you know what I think.

Also in this set, I have a detailer brush, which is a very small brush that I usually use to apply my concealer before I blend with my finger. It is a very small brush which is perfect for getting right around the eyes, and applying it in areas that may be more difficult to apply with larger brushes. This brush can also be used for your lips, but I wouldn't use it for that personally as I hate using brushes for my lips.

Next is a buffing brush, which is said to be perfect for application of powder and mineral foundations. As I use neither of those, then I have not used this brush for its intended purpose. I have, however, tried using this brush to blend in my concealer, except from around my eyes, and I suppose this brush is pretty good for that.

Finally in this set is a contour brush. Yes! Finally, I have a contour brush! I have always wanted one of these. I bought myself the Seventeen 'Define and Conquer' Contour kit last month but never really had a brush to use this with so I never used this. This brush is nice and small-ish and rounded so it is great to use if you're a beginner to contour just like I am.

The next set that I have is the Eye Makeup Brush Starter Set, which is a set of 5 brushes that also costs £20.99, therefore each brush averages at £4.20 each. Again, this set comes with a case that I have kept to one side for travel.

The first brush in this set is the Deluxe Crease Brush which, as the name states, is to use with eyeshadow in the crease. At first, this brush looks scarily big and you'd feel like your eyes are just not going to look right, but it's actually pretty easy to use and I prefer it more than I do other eyeshadow brushes that I have used. I usually use this brush with my glitter/shimmer eyeshadows.

Next is another eyeshadow brush - the base shadow brush. Again, as this name suggests, it is for your base eyeshadow. I choose to use this brush with my matte shades that I apply all over my lid. This brush is smaller than the crease brush but is so easy to use, offers great coverage for your lid and is extremely soft.

Next is the accent brush, which is supposedly used to highlight certain areas of your eyes. I sometimes (aka very rarely) use this brush to add a very nude and pale shade of eyeshadow near my tear duct. Other than that, I never use this brush.

Then there is a pixel point eyeliner brush. If you have been reading this blog for a while now, you will know that I hardly ever use eyeliner - basically almost never. Also this brush is quite thick so I feel like it will be even more difficult to apply it with this brush than I already find it. Therefore, I will probably not get much use out of this brush.

The last brush in this set is the brow brush. Again, if you've been reading this blog for a while you will know that I cannot leave the house without doing my brows! It's just something I find is essential in my life. I own the Maybelline Master Brow Pro Palette and I usually use the little double ended angle brush in this set, but since I bought this Real Techniques set, I have used this brow brush everyday for the powder. It is so soft and so easy to use that I don't understand why I haven't bought this before now!

The next 3 brushes I bought are all individually bought. None of these had any form of case with them.

The first is probably everyone's favourite Real Techniques brush. Yes, that's right, I'm talking about the expert face brush! This cost just £8.99, and I now use this for my liquid foundation, which I guess is what everyone uses this for. I find that this is much easier to use than my foundation brush from Wilko's, and so I would definitely recommend that you buy this brush for yourself!

The second brush is the powder brush. This cost me £10.99, and I find this brush is an essential for my makeup look. I always use powder, and I use the Rimmel Stay Matte powder in the shade 'Translucent'. This brush picks up the powder really well and helps to create that flawless, matte finish.

Finally, this has to be my most favourite brush that I have ever owned. It is the Real Techniques blush brush, which cost me £9.99. This brush is actually amazing! It has a very rounded shape which I find is brilliant for applying my powder blushers, and is extremely, extremely soft. Is it weird that a lot of the time I just sit stroking this brush on my face!? I am in love with this brush! Please please please, everyone go and buy it!

So this is my complete brush collection, and I hope the pictures prove to you just how amazing the brushes are. The total came to £70.95 altogether (I got £1 off from my Superdrug Health & Beauty Card), and even though it seems like a lot of money at first, the quality of these brushes means that it is definitely worth the price. I couldn't recommend these highly enough!

I will be back on Wednesday with another blog post for you all.

If you like my blog, make sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends! Thank you!
Byeeeeee!

Hello you beauties!

I am back again with another tag! I love doing posts like this because not only does it allow you to learn more about me make-up wise, I also learn new things about myself. As this is mainly a beauty blog, then this post is obviously a beauty related post. But in the future I might try different tags too. But for now, let's get on with this one!

Skincare
1. How many times do you wash your face daily?
Everyday I wash my face twice a day. Nothing is an excuse not to.

2. What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
Combo skin - I have a very oily t-zone but dry skin around my nose, under my eyes and often on my cheeks.

3. What is your current facial wash?
I use the Skin Therapy Tea Tree Face Wash from Wilkos, which is amazing and it only costs 95p!!

4. Do you exfoliate?
I used to but not anymore.

5. What brand do you use?
My exfoliator? I used to use an exfoliator from Tesco's own range

6. What moisturizer do you use?
I use the Nivea sensitive cleansing milk as my moisturiser, but I use the Nivea day cream too sometimes.

7. Do you have freckles?
I do! I never thought they were that obvious but I have been noticing them more now. They're even more noticeable in the summer due to the sun. 

8. Do you use eye cream?
No I don't but I really feel like I should!

9. Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
Not really. I never really had many problems with spots/acne

10. Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?
No and I probably never will

Makeup

11. What foundation do you use?
I use the Rimmel London Wake Me Up Anti-Fatigue foundation in the shade True Ivory

12. How about concealer?
I use the Makeup Revolution Cover and Conceal palette in the shade Light-Medium

13. Do you know your undertone color?
No I've never really looked into it

14. What do you think of fake eyelashes?
They're not really something I would use myself but they do look good on other people if applied properly and appropriately

15. Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?
I do know that and most of the time my mascaras run out before then anyway

16. What brand of mascara do you use?
I usually use Maybelline mascaras but I also own an Avon one

17. Sephora or MAC?
I have never really been in either store but I own a MAC lip pencil so I will have to say MAC

18. Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
No because I've never heard of one

19. What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
I only use Real Technique brushes

20. Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
Yes I use the GOSH Prime 'n' Refresh primer

21. For the face?
I use my Nivea primer for my face

22. What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
I usually stick with nudes

23. Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
Pencil because I really struggle with making liquid eyeliners work. Even then, I hardly ever use eyeliner

24. How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
All the fricking time!

25. What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
The loose eyeshadows? I wouldn't use them personally and I think you're very talented if you manage to make them work

26. Do you use mineral makeup?
I've used a bareMinerals blusher before....

27. What is your favorite lipstick?
Surprisingly, my favourite is an Essence long-lasting lipstick in the shade 'Natural Beauty' (a lovely pink shade). It's such good quality for only £2.30!!

28. How about lip gloss?
I don't really use lip gloss, but when I do I only use the Tanya Burr Cosmetics lip glosses.

29. What is your favorite blush to use?
My bareMinerals READY blush in the shade 'The Whisper'

30. Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
No. I'd rather buy my makeup in store or on websites that I trust such as Superdrug

31. Do you like drugstore makeup?
I love it. I usually only use drugstore makeup, although I do own a few high end products

32. Do you go to CCO’s? (cosmetic company outlets)
Not really

33. Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
No I'm not interested. I just do all this for fun and I don't care if I don't do it 'professionally'

34. Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
Usually because most of the time I leave it too late to do my makeup so I end up rushing it

35. Name a makeup crime that you hate?
What I call 'slug' eyebrows. Really thick eyebrows. I'll insert a picture if you don't know what I mean.

36. Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
I like more colour on my eyes, even though I do use a lot of nudes I do sometimes venture out and use blues and reds, whereas I pretty much stick with nudes and light pinks on my lips

37. Which celebrity always has great make up?
I have answered this before; Selena Gomez

38. If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
My Maybelline Master Brow Pro Palette because I hate going out without filling my eyebrows in!

39. Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
I sometimes do like when I am going to work. I hate going out without makeup on but sometimes I just have to - it's not that I'm not allowed to wear makeup to work but I work around fast food and get very warm and then my makeup just basically 'falls' off and goes all smudgy and patchy so there's really no point wearing it to work.

40. Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
Not really, but then again I don't necessarily like how I look either way

BONUS QUESTION 1: In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
Maybelline. I have only ever had a problem with one of their products but I bought that from somewhere for really cheap. But overall I find their products to be almost perfect

BONUS QUESTION 2: What do you think of Makeup?
Makeup is great and is fun to use. And if you want to use it as a cover up then I have no problem with that because I know some people feel more comfortable wearing it (like me)

Well that was my 40 Beauty Questions tag! This was so fun to do and I hope you find it equally as fun to read (even if it was really long!)!

I'll be back again on Saturday with another post for you all but until then, enjoy!

Thank you!!

Hello you beauties!

I am the sort of person that cannot leave the house without wearing make-up, unless I am going to work. I usually use the same products every day, and often the same look everyday, so I thought I would bring you a post telling you my everyday make-up routine/look! Enjoy!

1. The first step will be to apply a spritz of my Makeup Revolution Fixing Spray (£6), While it is a setting spray, I do find that it really helps to hold your make-up if applied under the primer base as well as over the top of your powder.

2. I then apply my oh-so-loved Nivea Daily Essentials Hydration Primer (£4.99) as a base for my make-up. If I'm honest, this is the only primer I have ever tried so I can't claim that it is the best, but I do think that it does a pretty good job. I will be open to trying other ones in the future but I am pretty happy sticking to this one for now.

3. I then apply my foundation, and I use the Rimmel London Wake Me Up Anti-Fatigue Foundation (£8.99), which is know is also popular among YouTubers such as Zoe Sugg and Louise Pentland. This is the first foundation I used as I was scared to try foundation, worried that I'd end up over-doing it. But I found this foundation is really easy to use, and I now use it pretty much everyday to try and create a flawless look.

4. Next I apply concealer. I know some people like to apply their concealer before their foundation, but I find that I can offer myself better coverage if I apply concealer afterwards. I use the Makeup Revolution Cover and Conceal Palette (£6) and while not all the shades are perfect, it is really easy to mix different shades to create something that you want and I find myself using this religiously on any spots/blemishes and under-eye bags.

5. Then, I decide to apply my blusher. I never really used to wear blusher, but have decided to experiment more with it now and I am actually loving it! I find myself switching between the Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush Palette in Hot Spice (£6) which offers 8 different shades from brighter, lighter pinks to darker, more toned down pinks, to even a coral shade. Even though they're really pigmented, they don't stand out immensely which creates the perfect look. I am also enjoying using my beloved bareMinerals READY blush (£22) in the shade the Whisper, which is a very toned down, neutral shade, and I usually use this on my more natural, barely there, days.  While it's more expensive - over 3 times the price for only one shade!- it really is good quality and will see myself buying their blushers again in the future.

6. Then, it is time for the eyebrows! I used to use pencils, but found they could be tricky as the shades weren't always perfect for my eyebrows, so I recently invested in the Maybelline Master Brow Pro Palette (£6.99) in the shade Soft Brown. I am extremely pleased with this product and it's so easy to use. I find myself reaching for it everyday now.

7. Now, I would apply my eye primer onto my lids ready for my eyeshadow. Usually I use the GOSH Prime 'n' Refresh Illuminating Roll-On Eye Primer (£7.99), which is great and helps my eyeshadow to stay perfect for a few hours and it is still easy for me to apply my eyeshadow. It does crease, however, after a few hours, but it's better than I expected. However, I also often use the Korres Anti-Ageing Eye Primer (£15). This primer is easy to apply and blend, and I sometimes only apply this without putting eyeshadow on top and it gives a little colour and light to my eyes. It's not amazingly easy to apply your eyeshadow on top, but I find this works even better than the GOSH one does. I can go hours wearing my makeup and not having to top up my make-up and most of the time when I return home 8 hours later, my eyeshadow is almost as perfect when I return as when I went out.

8. Then I apply my eyeshadow which is my favourite part of my whole routine. I only ever use the Makeup Revolution Flawless Palette (£8) with 32 shades. With such a huge array of shades on offer, I can create countless combination looks just from the one palette. I usually use a plain neutral shade on the whole of my lid, and then a glitter shade down near my eyelashes which I then blend out. Having not even dared use glitter eyeshadows in the past, this palette is really helping me to try something new.

9. What better way to complete your eye make-up than the perfect mascara!? My favourite mascara, and also usually my go-to mascara is the Maybelline The Colossal Go Extreme Volum' Waterproof Mascara (£6.99). I prefer waterproof mascaras as I find that they stay put a lot longer than non-waterproof ones, and that's useful because I am on the move A LOT. This mascara also adds great volume and a lot of colour to your lashes.

10. Next it is time for my lips. This, I find is always the hardest part of the whole look. Do I go for a matte look or stick to gloss? Do I wear lipstick or use a lip crayon? Will this go with my lip liner or should I just not bother with that today? So many questions, so much choice. Usually, I go for my Collection Work The Colour Lip Butter (£2.99) in the shade Cappuccino which is a very basic but subtle neutral shade for my lips. I am also loving my Essence Long-Lasting Lipstick (£2.30) in the shade Natural Beauty which is a very toned down pink, perfect for that pop of colour that isn't over the top.

11. Finally, I finish with any spritz of the Makeup Revolution Fixing Spray, and then a light dusting of my Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder (£3.99) in the shade Translucent. This has to be the best powder I have ever used. It does exactly what it promises, and does not get patchy at all. I would highly recommend this product, and it creates the perfect finish to my look.

So that is my daily look.

Overall, my everyday make-up look totals £68.24 - £91.94! Wow! A lot more than I expected!

Maybe one day I will be brave enough to upload a picture of me wearing that look, but for now I will leave you with this post and your vivid imaginations. I hope you all enjoyed reading this and I will be back on Wednesday with another post for you all.

Thank you!!

Hello you beauties!

So another month has gone, and it’s time for my monthly favourites post again. So, enjoy!

1. H&M face masks (£1.99)

These have been mentioned on one of my haul posts before today. I bought a few at the beginning of the month and have pretty much reused them all - I have even re-purchased a few since then. I mainly love the peel-off masks, though I have not been a fan of the self-warming ones! They have been great for my skin at the moment, especially the Tea Tree one, as I have been having problems with blemishes and spots a lot recently.

2. Essence nail polishes (£1.60 each)

I have always been a fan of adding a bit of colour to your nails, but have not wanted to spend a lot of money on just one because I usually only wear them for a couple of days before removing it (due to work). So when I discovered the brand Essence and saw their nail polishes for such a cheap price, I thought I would try them out. I only bought a couple at first, but loved them and now I own almost 1 of every colour they offer! You can mix and match them too, and I often wear more than one. They are great quality and hardly ever chip and I have found myself using them a lot over the past month.

3. Lip Crayons (Ranging in price depending on the brand)

Back when I was first experimenting with make-up at the age of 11 (way back in 2008), I used to only use cheap lip gloss, most which I accumulated free from magazines, and then when I was 12 I purchased my first lipstick. Ever since then, I have only used lip balms or lip sticks. Within the past year, I discovered lip crayons and since then I have found myself with so many in my possession that they're pretty much all I use now. They're quick and easy to use, and add brilliant colour. My favourite include the brands Collection (their lip butters cost around £2.99 each), Rimmel London (See my previous post for a whole section about their colour balms retailing at around £5.99 each) and MAC (their PatentPolish Lip Crayons cost a hefty £17.50 each).

4. Maybelline Master Brow Pro Palette in the shade 'Soft Brown' (£6.99)

I have mentioned this in two posts before now, the previous one about my top 10 under £10 and my massive haul! I am keen to experiment with products for my eyebrows, and since not having much success with the Rimmel London eyebrow pencils, I have found myself reaching for this product most days over this past month. I know I haven't owned their product for very long, but I can see myself using this for months to come.

  

5. Beauty Boxes (Look Fantastic - £11.25 p/m; My Little Box - £14.95 p/m; Look Incredible - £20.49 p/m)

You should all know by now that in April I subscribed to my first ever beauty box, the Look Fantastic one. While overall I have been disappointed with the two boxes I have received (although other people may love them), I have to keep with it as I have a 12 month subscription that I cannot cancel. I have read the sneak peek for the June box though, and that has me really excited.

The second box I subscribed for was the My Little Box beauty box, and I signed up for this just days after the Look Fantastic one. I was keen to subscribe as this box offers lifestyle items as well as just beauty and skin care. So far, I have been extremely impressed with this box and I am excited to receive my June box already.

The third box was one that I was never really meant to subscribe too, but after seeing all of the amazing reviews about it, I knew I just had to! It is the Look Incredible beauty box, which offers 5 full sized products a month for only £18.99 (plus £2.50 P&P). This box has included brands such as MAC, NARS, Korres etc, in the past. Even though I have only received one box of this subscription so far, I am excited to see what the future boxes bring to my life.

6. Netflix Original Show 'Orange is the New Black' (Netflix monthly subscriptions start at £6.99 a month)

Unfortunately, if you don't have Netflix then it will be hard for you to legally watch and follow this show. I will admit, I mainly purchased my Netflix subscription just so I could watch OITNB, and I am glad I did. This show has started a few years ago, but in light of the next season being dropped in June, I decided to watch seasons 1-3 again. I always have loved this show and found it to be a great show to watch to relax during this stressful exam period. I will not go into detail about what this show is about, but this series is based off of a real life story. I am excited for the new season to be dropped and I am sure you will hear my opinion of it soon.

So that was my monthly favourites post for May! Again, short but sweet. I am loving a lot of things this month, so it will be impossible to put them all into one post (okay, it is possible but it'll be extremely long and boring for you all) so this is just a selection of things that I am loving. Mainly the things I am loving the most.

There will be another monthly favourites post for June this time next month, but until then I will continue to bring you all a post every Wednesday and Saturday (at 9am if I can!).

Thank you!!!

Hello you beauties!

Today I am bringing you a Top 10 for under £10 post, which is great if you're on a budget. There are many products that I own that are under £10 so this post is going to be difficult for me, but I am sure I can give you some really great recommendations!

1. Make-Up Revolution Flawless Eyeshadow Palette (£8)
    I swear by this palette. You get 32 shades for only £8, which means you can create a massive variety of looks with just the one palette. This is going to last ages and this is why I think it is great value for money.

2. Maybelline Master Brow Pro Palette Kit (£6.99)
    Until just recently, I have never really been bothered about my eyebrows. But then I started to care, and I used pencils. I really struggled with those, so when I found this palette, I was keen to try it. It's great value for money, easy to use and I would really recommend it.

3. Rimmel London Stay Matte Finishing Pressed Powder (£3.99)
    I think anyone interested in beauty understands the importance of using a good finishing powder, but sometimes it's hard to find one. I used to use a loose powder from the brand Natural Collection (RRP. £1.99) but honestly, I have never really had much luck with this brand's products. So I found this Rimmel London one, and I actually love it! I use the shade 'Transparent' because I personally find it to be the safest, and it definitely does it's job. I would definitely recommend this product, and I know a lot of other people would too.

4. Nivea Daily Essentials Regenerating Night Cream (£4.35)
    After taking my makeup off at night, I always find that my skin feels too dry. So I've been searching for the perfect night cream, that is also affordable. From my previous posts, and future posts to come, you will notice that I absolutely love Nivea products so when I found this night cream, I thought I would give it a try. This is the closest I have found to perfection so far, and I would recommend that you all try it too.

5. Zoella Candy Cream Softening Body Lotion (£5)
    I am a sucker for body lotions. You all should know I love scented products, and Zoella's products have always managed to impress me with the amazing scents. I bought this alongside the Zoella Scrubbing Me Softly Body Scrub (RRP. £7) and the scents work perfectly together, and leave your skin feeling amazingly soft. However, this is from her Tutti Fruity range, which will be discontinued soon, so buy it while you can! I will be stocking up very soon.

6. Nivea Daily Essentials Extra Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover (£3.49)
    I have to admit that I am guilty of using wipes to remove my make-up, and I know I shouldn't but sometimes I am lazy! So when I saw this eye make-up remover for such a low price, I thought I would buy it to try it. And it is amazing! It is so easy to use, and so quick to use too! It causes no irritation and has no annoying scent to it.

7. Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (£7.99)
    I am extremely fussy with mascaras. I always find they do not add enough volume, or they clump too much. However, I have always been very impressed with Maybelline products, especially their mascaras and brow products, so I was keen to give this mascara a try, especially hearing all the good things said about this mascara from other people (such as Zoe Sugg). It does add volume - it really makes your eyelashes stand out and hardly ever clumps. While it is not a perfect mascara, it is great if you want a decent product without breaking your bank.

8. Rimmel London Lasting Colour Colour Rush Intense Colour Balm (£5.99)
    I always find that Rimmel London make-up is so hit and miss. There are products that I love (such as their foundation and pressed powder) but so many more products that I hate (such as their mascaras). I cannot remember why I decided to buy 4 of these colour balms, but I did and they're actually pretty good. They apply well, and the colour stays for ages. When it says intense, it really does mean intense! The colours that I own are way too bright and 'out there' for an everyday look but I have saved these colour balms to use on special occasions/nights out.

9. Nivea Daily Essentials Hydration Primer (£4.99)
   Everyone knows the importance of a good base for your make-up. Again, this is a Nivea product so I knew when I bought it that it'd probably be impressed. And I am impressed. Not only does this primer create a brilliant base for make-up (even better if applied over a spritz of setting spray), it also moisturisers your skin, so there is no chance you will be left with the feeling of dry skin once applying your foundation. I would definitely recommend this product.

10. The Body Shop Born Lippy Pot Lip Balm (£2)
      The Body Shop is one of my favourite stores ever. I received my first one of these products as a gift alongside miniature body wash and body lotion (all in the satsuma scent) and since then have purchased one for myself. The pots offer a generous amount of product, and the scent is very strong yet not too overpowering. In the pot, they're coloured with links to the scent (e.g. the satsuma one is an orange colour and the strawberry is a reddish colour). I love these lip balms and for such a cheap price (and they're usually on a 3 for 2 offer), they're something you cannot say no to!

So that was my top 10 for under £10 post! If you want any posts like this in the future then let me know, specifying exactly what you want and I will try my best to sort it out for you.

Thank you!!!

Hello you beauties!

I am back again with another haul for you all, and this time it is an Avon haul! Now, I haven't bought any products from Avon for years, so when I was offered the opportunity to, I had a look in the catalogue straight away. Over £30 later, here I am bringing you this possibly long haul!

First things first I treated myself to a cute little silver ring with an 'L' on it (for 'Lauren' which is my name if you do not know), which wraps itself around your finger with a little heart at the bottom. It's so lovely and fits perfectly and for only £3, I was happy to buy it.

I then purchased the 'Planet Spa Sleep Serenity Pillow Mist' in the scent Camomile and Lavender. I have been searching for a product like this for months, and was so happy when I finally found one for only £2.25 for 100ml. This really does help to relax me, and I feel like I have slept loads better since I started to use this spray.

The next product is a nail art pen-like item. I have never really been adventurous with my nail colours, usually just sticking to one block colour. So when I saw this for only £1.50 I thought I would buy one to try new things out. I am looking forward to finding the time and patience to create amazing patterns on my nails!

I then bought an eyeshadow pencil in the shade 'Flipping out pink', which cost only £4. I decided to buy this as I've heard many great things about eyeshadow pencils and I thought this colour would be great to use as a highlighter on the inside corners of my eyes.

Next, I bought 3 eyeliners, which they called 'Glimmerstick Flick Eyeliners'. I bought these in the shades 'Ebony' (a black), 'Hazel' (a brown), and 'Mulberry' (a purple) for £3 each. I don't use eyeliners a lot, as I find them fiddly and time consuming to use, but I genuinely think I will find these easier to use and in such great colours, I can create any look, thin and thick lines galore!

I then bought an 'Ultra Colour Lipstick' in the shade 'Pout' for only £4. This is a great nude shade and is highly pigmented. I have been able to use this with a variety of outfits/looks. I also bought the 'Ulta Glazewear Lip Gloss' in the shade 'clear' just to put on top of my lipsticks for added gloss/shine, and this only cost me £3.50.

Finally, I bought the 'Big and Multiplied Volume Mascara' which cost me £5.50. This promises to 'fan' out your lashes and therefore make them look even more full and volumious than ever, and therefore suggesting you will have no problems with clumping. This product is not as good as I expected, but it is definitely worth the money I spent and is better than a lot of mascaras I have used before.

And that's it! The end of my Avon haul. Not as long as the previous haul, despite the fact that I did buy quite a lot in this haul!

Can you believe it is almost the end of May!? Just one more blog post after this and then we'll be in June. June 1st, to be exact, I will be posting my May monthly favourites, which is not only the 1st of the month, but also a regular uploading Wednesday. 

I will be back in a few days with another post for you all.

Thank you!!

Hello you beauties!

I received this box last week but decided to wait until today to upload it because I thought you might all be overwhelmed with 3 beauty box reviews in a row!

This is a fairly new beauty box to the beauty box market (I think they are pretty much new for this year) and this is the first ever box of theirs that I have. 

They promise to send you 5 full sized products every month, which is completely different to most other beauty boxes, which only usually send you 1 or 2 full sized products and many travel and sample products. This box also sends you products mainly from high end brands, with bareMinerals being featured in a lot of the boxes and brands like Mac, NARS and Tarte have also been featured too. 

Now can you see why I got so excited about this box!? And trust me, it didn't disappoint!

Price of box is £18.99 per month. And £2.50 P&P

There are 5 products in this month's box

This box is worth £86

The brands included in this box are: Claire's, Bellapierre, Korres, bareMinerals and Mac

Claire's Nail Polish (Rating 4/5) (3 shades for £3 each)

Okay, so I know this isn't a high end brand, but they do make up for it by giving you 3 of these, so it brings up the value of the box. So really, you're getting 7 full sized items, not 5. But they classed these as just 1 item. I am not disappointed with these at all. I have used Claire's nail polishes before so I am actually excited to use these as I know they will be great quality. They are great shades too - one being a base coat shade and two being top coats. The base shade is plainly called 'Silver' and is exactly that. It's a beautiful glittery silver and I feel like this will be perfect for Christmas time.
Now, the top coats are called 'Gold Glitter' and 'Rainbow Sparkles' which, again, are self-explanatory. I don't usually try top coats like these very often as I only wear nail polish a couple of days before taking it off because of work. But I definitely will be using these in the future. I feel like the 'Gold Glitter' looks like gold confetti and the 'Rainbow Sparkles', as my mum described it, looks like 'hundreds and thousands'. I would definitely recommend that you buy these products.

Korres Eye Primer (Rating   ) (£15)

I am new to eye primers - I haven't really used them until just recently. I am really excited for this as I want to know what works and what doesn't. From my first swatch of this product, I found it to blend well and the apricot undertone gives this product an amazing colour. Part of me is hoping that this will be better than my favourite GOSH Prime & Refresh Eye Primer, and if it is I will probably buy this Korres one again. £15 isn't bad for an eye primer after all, is it!?

Mac Patent Polish Lip Pencil (Rating 4/5) (£17.50)

This is probably the product I am most excited about from this box as I have been desperate to try Mac products ever since I really got into make-up. The shade I received is 'Hopelessly Devoted' and it is probably not a shade I would've chosen myself, as it is a very bright fuchsia tone (and these do not usually suit me). But because it is not a lipstick but more of a lip balm/lip gloss, it means I can have it quite sheer coverage and build it up as I wish. I will probably experiment with this and probably use this for a night out (like for a drink with friends or a family meal). It is highly pigmented and very glossy, which is brilliant. I will definitely treat myself to something like in the future. 

Bellapierre Kabuki Brush (Rating 4/5) (£22.50)

Admittedly, I already have a Kabuki brush that I bought from Wilko's for like £4 which is amazing quality but it was nice to receive a brush from such an amazing brand like Bellapierre. The handle on this one is a lot smaller than on my other one though, so I will probably use this as a buffer for my foundation. The brush is extremely soft and the bristles look beautiful, with white tips. I am excited to be using this regularly in the future and I may consider buying brushes from this brand again. 

bareMinerals READY blush (Rating 4.5/5) (£22)
This is probably my favourite product in the whole box (hence why I left it until last) and I have been keen to try bareMinerals products ever since I heard of the brand. I received the shade 'Whisper' which is a very neutral, beige colour and is perfect for me. I do risk pinks sometimes but usually I stick to my nude tones. I have never owned a nude blusher before though, so I am excited to try this out. This product is extremely pigmented and easily blendable if necessary. I would probably buy this product again (despite the hefty price tag!).

And that's it! That's my first ever 'Look Incredible' beauty box review done and, I must admit, this has to be my most favourite box ever that I am subscribed too. Always saving the best until last! 

I'll be back on Wednesday with another beautiful beauty post!

Thank you!!

Hello you beauties!

Well, you'll never guess what I've been up to... I've been out shopping again! But this time I actually went into the shops rather than looking online and I honestly love this experience sometimes - it's often just so satisfying walking out of the shop carrying a bag full of products you treated yourself to with your hard earned cash!

So this may seem a lot - hence the title - but I did buy this all over a couple of weeks, not just in one day!

First I went into Tiger, which is honestly now my favourite non-beauty related store ever! I didn't buy much from here, just a Makeup Organiser for £3. This is very handy... It has 9 slots within it to store your makeup, so I use it for my favourite lipsticks and lip crayons and place it next to my jewellery box. This is definitely great value for money. 

Next, I had a wander over to the Yankee Candle store. Now... I have a bit of a problem. I have, like I do with makeup, a small addiction to candles. And by small I mean massive. I have a box packed full of candles, and I can't even fit the lid on properly. I really should be getting down these first, but that didn't stop me from buying 4 new candles while at the Yankee Candle store. I bought a votive holder (for £3.99) and 4 votive candles (at £1.80 each), in the scents 'Black Cherry', 'Midsummer's Night', 'Pink Dragon Fruit' and 'Mango Peach Salsa'. These are very spring-like scents and I am extremely excited to try these out. 

Then I went to Boots, and oh boy it was hard to control myself in there! There were so many beautiful beauty products that I wanted to buy but I had to limit myself. I only bought a few things over three different visits which is very surprising for me, as I usually go to Superdrug for most of my beauty items instead (as I find it is usually cheaper as Superdrug often puts on more deals).

On the first occasion, I bought the Seventeen 'Define&Conquer' contour kit in the shade light-medium for £5.99. These powders are highly pigmented and therefore great for contour (as was the creator's intention). I have only used it a couple of times now, but this product works extremely well. I would definitely recommend it to you (bonus, the packaging looks like NARS products). The second and final item I bought during that visit was another Seventeen product (as the offer was buy one get one half price), so I bought the Seventeen 'Clear Definition' mascara which, as you can guess, is a clear mascara. I mainly bought this to use on my brows once my Maybelline brow mascara actually runs out. I also use it on my bottom eyelashes and also after I have curled my eyelashes and it holds them great. Full price, this item costs £4.69 but due to the offer, I only paid c.£2.35 for this product.

The second occasion was much more exciting, if I'm honest. I had a £10 voucher to spend, so this time I was willing to buy some products from brands I don't usually buy from. The first item I picked up was an Essie nail polish in the shade 'Sunday Funday' which when it's in the bottle I would describe it as being a corally pink colour, but on my nails it looks almost neon pink with a hint of glitter in it. I do love it though, and this product costs £7.99. The second item I picked up was a Revlon ColourBurst Lacquer Balm in the shade 'Demure', and this also costs £7.99. This is a brilliant pink colour and it has an amazing scent of mint to it (possibly my most favourite scent ever!). I usually use this product to create a natural look (it has amazing colour pay-off) and I would definitely recommend this product to you.

My third visit shows a clear trend between my visits. I seem to only ever pick up two items during my trip to Boots, but that means I can build up my make-up collection slowly but in an affordable fashion. On my third visit. they had a buy one get one half price offer on all Maybelline products. So the first item I picked up was the Maybelline 'Master Brow Pro Palette' in the shade 'soft brown'. This product has a wax, powder and highlighter, and I am excited to try it out. I am only used to using the Rimmel London eyebrow pencils so I wanted to try out something new, and for only £6.99 I thought this was perfect. I only paid £3.49 for this product, however, due to the offer. The second product I picked up was the so 'raved' about Maybelline 'Lash Sensational mascara', the waterproof one,  in the shade 'Black'. I have heard so many great things about this mascara, especially from Zoella, and I was keen to try it. I haven't tried it yet, but when I do try it, I will let you know my opinion. This product cost me £7.99.

Now, onto H&M. I only ever seem to buy one thing - face masks. But they're a great price and with a great range of scents...it is easy to love these masks.

During my first trip, I bought 3 of these face masks at £1.99 each. I bought the scents 'Dead Sea Minerals', 'Manuka Honey' and 'Kiwi and Watermelon'. The 'Kiwi and Watermelon' was a self-warming mask, which I wasn't a huge fan of and I probably will not buy this one again. The scent was quite nice though and it worked pretty well. The 'Dead Sea Minerals' one was to soothe tired skin, but this is not the best for sensitive skin as it caused a mini-breakout on my skin so I will not be buying this one again. My favourite was the 'Manuka Honey' one, which had a great scent and it actually seemed like you were putting honey on your face. It worked amazingly well on my skin, and it was a peel off mask so I found it easier to take off at the end. I loved this one so much that I bought another one during my next trip...

On my second trip to H&M, I bought 2 more face masks, in the scents 'Manuka Honey' and 'Tea Tree', again at £1.99 each. Both are peel off masks, but of different scents. I have not tried the 'Tea Tree' one yet, but I am excited to try it. And of course, as the 'Manuka Honey' one is my favourite, I decided to buy another one as a treat.

I also decided to buy myself a double make-up pencil sharper (for thick and thin pencils) as I do not actually own one and the fact it had a cover over the top to catch the sharpenings was more appealing to me as it meant I didn't have to find a bin every time I used it (or I could still use it even if I would struggle to find a bin). This cost me £2.99. 

Next I went to what is probably my most favourite store ever! Which, as you can probably guess is Superdrug (as I buy a lot from there now). They have a lot of offers on at the moment because of the 5 year anniversary of their health & beauty card (which of course I own) so I definitely decided to take advantage of it. With the L'Oreal Paris make-up, they had a buy one get one half priced offer, and I've always wanted to try out their products. So, their lipsticks all cost £6.99 each, so with the offer I paid £10.48 all together for both lipsticks, which is a brilliant steal! I bought the 'Julianne's Nude' lipstick, which is a brilliant pink shade that is extremely subtle which is why they classed it almost as a nude, and the other was called 'Sepia Silk' which is a very nice brown nude colour, which loves brilliant for a natural look. I love them both and they are very highly pigmented and help create a great look. 

Finally, I made my way over to Tesco. I know, not that exciting, but I love buying skincare products from there as I've found it cheaper than other places, especially for Nivea products, which are always my go-to skincare. First, I bought 2 boxes of T-Zone 6 Clear Out Nose Pore Strips. I have never used these before, but saw on Louise Pentland's YouTube channel (Sprinkleofglitter) that she recommended the Biore nose pore strips. These T-Zone ones, however, are much cheaper than the Biore ones at only £3 a box. These are great and work just as well as I expected them to. 

Next I bought some Nivea 3 in 1 Gentle Cleansing Wipes for dry skin. I always use these wipes and they're very great for my skin. I would definitely recommend them for dry skin as they don't dry your skin out even more, and for only £1.50 for 25 wipes, you can't go wrong!

I then bought the Garnier Soothing 2 in 1 make-up remover. I will admit to you all, I am quite 'naughty' sometimes and use my Nivea cleansing wipes to remove my make-up when I know I shouldn't. So I decided to buy this make-up remover to actually do things properly. I thought this was great for only £2.

Next I bought the Witch Blemish Stick for only £2.50. I have been having problems lately with spots and blemishes due to stress, so I thought I would try this product out to see if I can tame that a bit. I haven't had much success with these yet, but I will keep you updated. 

Finally, I bought a Tinted Moisturising Day Cream! I haven't owned a tinted moisturiser for quite a while now, but I feel like this will be better as the weather warms up rather than using foundation. It gives me that extra colour to my skin but is not as heavy as foundation. It is amazingly pigmented and is greatly moisturising. I always love the Nivea moisturisers and for the discounted price of £1.74, I did not feel guilty for treating myself. 

Wow! That was a long haul! If you've read down to this part, then you get 10 brownie points! It took ages to write it so if you did read it all then thank you very very much! Hopefully I'll bring you individual reviews of these products at some point. 

I'll be back on Saturday with another post for you (maybe this will be a sneaky little beauty box review for you!). 

Thank you!!!