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!

Even though this is supposed to primarily be a beauty blog but I do realise that recently I have been writing about everything but makeup. That's mainly because recently I have not really been wearing much makeup so I've not really felt like I can talk about makeup. So today I have decided to answer 20 questions I have seen around the internet to really get me thinking about makeup, why I like it and what's important to me. And I wanted to share it with you.

1. Do you remember your first makeup item?
I can't remember the exact first item but I can remember a couple of things. I remember when I was around 12 my mum took me out shopping for makeup for the first time, for my birthday. Obviously I was young and my mum always encouraged me to be confident and comfortable with who I am so she didn't really encourage the use of makeup. So the first items of makeup I can remember buying/owning is a brown mascara from Asda, a nude lipstick from Miss Sporty and a nude lipstick from NYC.

2. Describe your perfect mascara. Have you found 'The One'?
I don't think I've found 'The One' yet but I've definitely found some mascaras I am very impressed with. I want a mascara that will curl my lashes and add volume (not too much but enough for them to give life to my eyes). The mascara that I have found that does the best job for this is definitely the Maybelline 'The Colossal' mascara.

3. What coverage do you like in a foundation?
Although ideally everyone would love a full coverage, I personally feel like I would prefer a medium coverage. Something to cover up my imperfections but not something that will literally create a mask. The best one I have found so far for this is the L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Matte Foundation.

4. What's your favourite high end brand?
There are many high end brands that I like, but I'd probably say BareMinerals. I usually only buy my high end products from T K Maxx as it's the only way I can really afford it, and the BareMinerals items I have bought from there (which is quite a few) have never disappointed me.

5. What cosmetics brand are you desperate to try but haven't yet?
Definitely Morphe. I've always wanted to own one of their amazing eyeshadow palettes. I'm currently trying to use up some of my other eyeshadows first before I can justify buying one of the Morphe palettes.

6. Favourite drugstore brand?
I am obsessed with Makeup Revolution. Most of the items in my collection are actually from Makeup Revolution and some of the first makeup items I actually owned in my current selection were Makeup Revolution. Why not!? It's such an affordable brand!

7. Do you wear fake eyelashes?
No I don't actually. But I've always wanted to try them and see if they'd make any difference to my look. I just don't feel like I would have the patience for them!

8. What is your most cherished beauty product?
Probably my Stila eyeshadow palette. I worked in a pub for about a week and saved up all my tips specifically so I could buy this palette so I honestly believe it is the product I should treasure the most.

9. How often do you buy a makeup product?
Not a lot anymore but I think it got to the point where I was buying a new thing every time I was going anywhere near a shop, which could be every week, sometimes twice a week. It was obsessive, and I now own so much makeup that I don't know what to do with it all. I actually had to get my boyfriend to ban me from buying makeup because I was buying so much of it.

10. Do you have a monthly beauty budget or spend freely?
I don't have a budget but I won't let myself spend too much. If I feel like I'm starting to spend too much, I'll just stop myself from buying anything new.

11. Do you utalise coupons, reward cards and sales for your beauty products?
Of course! Reward cards are my favourites. In fact, my purse is just filled with them. But I don't see why you wouldn't want to use them. It's free to sign up to them and you can get so many free things with them.

12. Which beauty product do you buy the most of?
Definitely lipsticks! I'm obsessed with them and love exploring different shades that I could possibly use. I am particularly fascinated by the range of lip products from the NYX brand.

13. Is there a brand that you really don't like?
Not really, as there are items from most brands that I like but also items from those same brands that I don't like.

14. Do you avoid certain ingredients in cosmetics like parabens or sulphates?
No I don't but I usually avoid makeup from places such as pound shops because I find that they usually cause a break out on my skin.

15. Do you have a favourite place to shop for makeup?
For drugstore makeup I prefer to shop at Superdrug and for high end makeup I tend to go to T K Maxx.

16. Do you like trying new skincare products or sticking to a routine?
If I'm completely honest, I'm quite naughty when it comes to skincare and tend to neglect it. But when it comes to face wash and moisturiser I tend to stick to the same thing every time as I know what works for me and what doesn't.

17. What's your favourite Bath&Body brand?
Definitely Treaclemoon. I religiously buy my body washes from their brand.

18. If you could only buy from one brand, who would you pick?
Makeup Revolution 100%. It's a great price and I know it works for me. Plus most of my makeup collection is Makeup Revolution at the moment anyway.

19. What do you love about makeup?
The fact that it allows me to experiment and be crazy while learning to love myself for who I am. And for me to be able to share my love of makeup with many people around the world.

20. Is there any makeup you can't leave the house without wearing?
Surprisingly not as I have been going out of the house without wearing makeup for a while recently.

Why don't you think about these questions with regards to yourself and let me know what your responses would be?

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

Hello you beauties!

It's not very often that I actually write fashion posts as for some reason I tend to focus more on beauty, so I'm trying now to bring more fashion related posts to you all.

Today I want to discuss colour, and what colours I like to wear and what I usually avoid. Everyone always talks about what colours suit certain people and what colours they should avoid, and I always believe it depends on your eye colour, hair colour, skin tone, etc... I don't know if you all believe that too but that's my opinion on it.

Colours I usually tend to avoid are green and yellow. I just don't believe that they are very flattering colours on me. I have blue eyes so I feel like if I ever wear green then it clashes too much and just doesn't look right.

Also, I'm a very pale person so I feel that whenever I wear yellow, especially a light yellow, then it washes me out. Which of course is never very flattering - who wants to look paler than they are!?

However, there are many colours that I love to wear and feel very comfortable and confident wearing. My favourite colour to wear is definitely purple, but that is probably more due to the fact that it is my overall favourite colour and not the fact that it actually looks good on me.

One colour that I especially love wearing is red, because with my blue eyes I just feel like it is very complimentary and also makes me feel confident and empowered.

I also love wearing blue, especially a dark blue because I believe that blue (just like black) is a colour that anyone can wear and not have to worry about. It works with anything but can still brighten up an outfit if you don't want to wear black, or want to wear a black top but do not want a whole black outfit.

What colours do you like/dislike wearing?

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

Hello you beauties!

MUA is a brand that I have only just started using, and is slowly becoming one of the best but also one of the most affordable brands in existence. They're are some of their products which are hit and miss but overall I am IN LOVE with their blushers.

These are the rectangular blushers that I am talking about, and there are 6 shades altogether. Personally I choose to split them into two categories; The pinks and the nudes.

Let's talk about the pinks.

First there is the shade 'Marshmallow' which is a very bright, almost neon, pink. I was a bit unsure about this one at first, as the shade is very intense and I was worried that it would look stupid on me. But, if used sparingly, it creates a very lovely, girly look and is great for nights out.

Another pink is 'Bubblegum', which I find to be a very peachy pink and I loved using this during the summer for those very fresh, girly looks. Even though amazingly pigmented, I also found that the colour on my cheek was very subtle with this shade in particular, which makes it perfect for that everyday look.

The final pink-ish shade is 'Candyfloss', which is a more muted mauve-y pink toned shade, and while it's not my favourite of the MUA blushers, it is the shade that fits perfectly with almost any look!

Now onto the nudes.

The shade 'Lolly' is the first MUA blush that I ever bought, and I personally would class this as being a peachy nude with a hint of glitter in it. I find that it is perfect for basically any look you want to create, and is definitely perfect for the summer and spring months.

'Bon Bon' is, what I would describe as being, a pinky nude and is a great blusher to pair with those nude lips. It is also not too bright so doesn't look stupid, and is great for creating that natural look.

'Cupcake' is probably my favourite MUA blusher of all time, and I would class this as being the ultimate nude. There's no glitter- its a very matte blusher which I think is perfect for creating the 'Au Natural' look. I would personally say this is the much cheaper dupe for the BareMinerals Ready Blush in the shade 'The Whisper'.


Four things I love about these blushers:

• They're only £1 each!
• They are amazing quality and last ages
• They're extremely pigmented - not having to apply loads of layers for colour to show
• There's no fall out and are all very easy to blend

And what do I dislike about these blushers? Basically nothing! They're honestly worth the money and I would definitely repurchase these and choose them above high end brand blushers. Go out and buy yourself some today!

I'll be back on Saturday with another post for you all.

If you liked this post, be sure to subscribe/follow, comment and share with friends!

Byeeeee!!

Hello you beauties!

We are well into the autumn season now, and so I thought I would give you a break from beauty posts and tell you my favourite things about Autumn.

1. Hot Chocolate - I am not usually a fan of hot drinks, as I don't drink coffee or tea, so when the weather cools down, I love spending my nights in front of TV with a mug of gorgeous hot chocolate.

2. Cardigans - I love those big, cosy, knitted cardigans, and they're perfect for the autumn and winter months.

3. Wearing Uggs - Despite people's negative opinions of these shoes sometimes, I really do love wearing uggs to keep my feet warm.

4. Rainy days - While rain isn't the best for me now seeing as I cycle everywhere, I do love it when it rains sometimes. Not thunderstorm rain, just gentle, relaxing rain.

5. Blankets - these go perfect with the hot chocolate too. Sometimes the heating in the house may not be enough, and I need to cuddle up with a nice fluffy blanket too.

6. Crisp Air - the one thing I hated most about the Summer was the fact that the air always seemed stuffy, so I love the nature of the crisp air throughout Autumn. I can breathe again!

7. Scarves - We need something to keep our necks warm! I love going out shopping for new scarves every autumn and of course I love wearing them too!

8. Cinnamon Candles - While I usually light these scents of candles more during the winter months, I do love having cinnamon candles during autumn as I just relate it so much to the colder days.

9. Bonfires - While I'm not a fan of fireworks, having a nice bonfire is something I always love. Is there really a better way to spend time with friends during the dark nights of autumn?

10. Toffee Apples - Especially where I live, we get a lot of fairs visiting the city during autumn and I love nothing more than eating a toffee apple as I enjoy absorbing the exciting energy around me.

And one thing I hate about autumn: Halloween! This may be an unpopular opinion, but I just genuinely do not like Halloween. I was very shy as a kid, so Trick-or-Treating was not always something I enjoyed, and as I have gotten older, I have either been working on Halloween or just not been bothered about doing anything. This year I will be going to my first ever Halloween party so maybe this will make me love Halloween, but until then, I really do not like it.

So those were the things I love about autumn. Let me know what you love about autumn! Also, let me know if you hate Halloween too - I've never met anyone who doesn't like it.

I'll be back on Saturday with the last post of the month for you all!

If you liked this post, be sure to follow/subscribe, comment and share with friends!
Byeeee!

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!

Today I thought I would let you all know a little bit more about me, but also something beauty related. So here is my 30 Beauty Questions Tag!

1. Do you remember your first makeup item?
Yes, it was a Miss Sporty nude lipstick when I was about 12 years old.

2. Describe your perfect mascara. Have you found one that fits your specifications?
My perfect mascara would be one that curls my lashes, adds volume and adds colour and is also waterproof. I have not found one in my price range yet that is anywhere near perfect.

3. What kind of coverage do you prefer from foundation?
I prefer light to medium coverage. As I am on the move a lot I hate anything with heavy coverage.

4. Favourite high-end brand?
I only wear drugstore make-up so this is a question that I cannot answer.

5. What cosmetic brands have you always wanted to try but still haven’t?
Oh, it’s a massive list. NARS, Mac, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, Urban Decay, etc.

6. Favourite drugstore brand?
It’s hard to choose one favourite, but I love Makeup Revolution and Maybelline.

7. Do you wear fake eyelashes?
Never. I find them so difficult and fiddly to apply that I just end up giving up.

8. Is there any kind of makeup you can’t leave the house without?
I always have to take my lip colour of the day out with me.

9. What is your most cherished beauty product?
My No.7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in the shade ‘Shiny Conker’. It’s the best lipstick I have ever used.

10. How often do you shop for makeup? Do you like to pick up an item here and there or get loads of goodies at once?
I usually only buy things when I actually need them, e.g. when I am getting low. However, sometimes I may treat myself if I see anything that I really genuinely like the look of.

11. Do you have a beauty budget or do you spend freely?
I always make sure I don’t go over the top, but I always just spend whatever I can afford to buy.

12. Do you utilise coupons, reward cards and sales when you shop for cosmetics?
Always, I’ll do anything to save money. I find that if you save money, the money you have saved can be put towards another product. I have any reward card that anywhere offers (including Superdrug, Boots and The Body Shop), as I shop at a large range of places.

13. What types of products do you buy the most?
Mainly eyeshadows and nail polishes - I have a whole tub full of every shade of nail polish you can imagine!

14. Is there a brand that you absolutely cannot stand?
Natural Collection, as I find it is a waste of money. This brand is hardly even visible on my skin, so I don’t like paying for a product that doesn’t do anything.

15. Do you avoid certain ingredients in cosmetics like parabens or sulphate?
No I’m not bothered about this sort of thing.

16. Do you have a favourite place to shop for makeup?
Superdrug is definitely my favourite make-up store.

17. Do you like trying new skincare products or do you keep a certain routine?
I usually have a set routine (I love using the Nivea products) but I am always open to trying new products if anyone has something they would like to recommend.

18. Favourite bath and body brand?
The Body Shop. I have bought loads from this brand and will continue to do so in the future.

19. If you could only buy from one brand, which brand would you choose?
Maybelline. I trust their products more than another other drugstore brand.

20. What brand do you think has the best packaging?
Barry M. This packaging is so cute and bright and colourful that it’s just a fun brand to have in your makeup bag.

21. Which celebrity always has great makeup?
Selena Gomez. I am always in love with her look.

22. Do you belong to any online makeup communities?
No I do not.

23. 5 favourite beauty gurus?
I don’t actually have a favourite as the only Youtubers I watch are Zoella and Sprinkle of Glitter.

24. Do you like multifunctional products like lip and cheek stains?
No but I have seen the Seventeen and Maybelline ones and I am keen to try them.

25. Are you clumsy when putting on makeup?
Sometimes, if I am in a rush first thing in the morning.

26. Do you use makeup base/primer for the eyes?
Yes I do. I use the GOSH Eye Primer & Refresh (which I bought from Superdrug for £7.99).

27. How many hair products do you use on a typical day?
I usually just use Tesco’s own brand hair serum and hairspray, but if I am straightening my hair then I use an Argan Oil Heat Protection spray.

28. What do you apply first, concealer or foundation?
Always my foundation, as I can then see which places on my face need extra coverage from my concealer.

29. Do you ever consider taking makeup classes?
No as I don’t really have time to.

30. What do you love about makeup?

I love that it helps to give me confidence in how I look.

I tag you all to complete this too!

Thank you!

Hello you beauties!

My name is Lauren and this is my blog... Instaura, meaning 'Make-up' in the beautiful Latin language.

Within the past couple of years, my interest in make-up and fashion has risen dramatically, and I love writing too, so I thought - why not make a blog!? It'll be fun and I hope that you all enjoy reading this.

I wear drugstore make-up so, whilst my make-up may not be the best, it is certainly affordable for those who are strapped for cash.

I have also started subscribing to beauty boxes so I will be bringing reviews of those every month :) I hope that persuades you to buy one or just give you something interesting to read.

Before I jump straight into my make-up and fashion posts, I will be giving you something to let you get to know me better. So I can be a friend, rather than just someone who writes blog posts behind a computer screen. But these will be the next couple of posts, not this one.

So I hope you will keep reading my posts as I continue to write about what I love, and hopefully what you love too.

Thank you!!