The 5-Minute Face

I hate mornings, and the longer I can stay in bed the better. If you're the same, I'm sure you've experienced one of those days where you push snooze one too many times, leaving no time whatsoever to get ready.

Whenever this happens there's a certain makeup routine I do which I attempt to finish in around five minutes. Honestly, it's probably more like ten as I'll usually end up smudging something (notice the lack of eyeliner? There's no way I'd attempt that when I'm panicking!), but regardless this is definitely what I throw onto my face when I'm in a rush. I keep it fairly simple, and I'll throw concealer and powder in my bag for later on in the day.

Face: bareMinerals Blemish Remedy Mattifying Prep Gel, bareMinerals Complexion Rescue

Cheeks: Stila Convertible Colour in Cameilla , Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal

When it comes to the base, I'd rather pop on a primer and skip powder. I've been loving the bareMinerals Blemish Remedy Mattifying Prep Gel which was a favourite of mine last summer, and now the weather's getting a little warmer my oily T-Zone needs all the help it can get! The best thing about this primer is definitely the texture - the gel-like consistency is so lightweight and it feels really cooling on the skin. Afterwards, I'll apply one of my favourite tinted moisturisers, bareMinerals Complexion Rescue, and if I feel like I need concealer under my eyes that day I'll reach for my trust Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in Fair.

Top 5 Nude Lip Products

Nude hues are slowly taking over my lip product collection. A few years back you'd be lucky to find anything even slightly neutral in my stash but now nude lip products are all I seem to buy. I still absolutely adore wearing a classic red lip now and again but nothing seems to effortlessly pull a look together like the perfect nude lip. Somehow I've managed what I thought would be impossible and I've whittled down my collection and selected my Top 5 Nude Lip Products to share with you. From barely there washes of colour to bolder, more solid mattes I think I've managed to cover every base. I suppose my Top 5 products are almost like a capsule wardrobe for the lips!

Happy New Year | Favourites of 2015

2015 was definitely a year with major ups and downs for me but after a little social media detox I'm so excited to be back here and blogging again for 2016! As far as beauty products are concerned it was a year of so many amazing discoveries. My obsession with bareMinerals products reached new heights, I rediscovered Lush and I'm completely in love with the store again and I finally found a few holy grail skincare items that I honestly can't imagine living without. So, before I start to ramble on like I always tend to do (some things will never change!) let's get started with my makeup favourites of 2015.

Beauty Wishlist #3 - The Autumn Edit

I've only discovered one problem with being a blogger and it has to do with the fact that I now want absolutely every single makeup product on the planet. Okay, so that's a little bit of an exaggeration but the 'Beauty Wishlist' note that I keep on my iPhone has reached a completely ridiculous length and in an attempt to control my spending and avoid any impulse buys I thought I would put together another Wishlist Post. Plus, my birthday is in less than a month so at least I have a valid reason to treat myself. Prepare for an overload of Autumn hues - think dusty rose shades, lots of soft but musky lavenders and enough metallic, golden shadows to paint the eyelids of the entire nation! And, of course, there's a few essentials thrown into the mix. So, here's what I'm dying to get my hands on this Autumn and I'd love to know if any of you have tried any of the products above! Make sure you let me know what's on your Wishlist for Autumn too... I'm sure I'll find space to add to mine before the season is over!

The Cream Blush Crush

Cream Blush and I are having a bit of a moment. 

I've always been a powder finish kind of girl but my new found love for dewy natural looking skin has completely changed my relationship with the product. When bareMinerals kindly sent over one of their limited edition Blush Balms from the new Pop of Passion collection (which is fantastic by the way, expect another blog post very, very soon) I thought I might as well give cream blush another chance and I'm so thrilled that I did! My Blush Balm has sparked a cream blush obsession and when I pair it with my favourite lightweight base and liquid highlighter (which, if you were wondering, is Complexion Rescue and Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlight Kit) I can finally achieve that perfect lightweight, healthy glowing base I've been striving for this summer! 

 bareMinerals Pop of Passion Blush Balm in Posy Passion*

My bareMinerals Blush Balm is, by far, my absolute favourite of the three cream blushes I'm featuring today and in all honesty it's probably my favourite cream blush that I've ever used... yup, ever. That's a pretty bold claim! Unsurprisingly, it's hardly left my cheeks since I was sent this and I instantly knew that it was going to be part of my graduation makeup from the second I tried it. I have Posy Passion*, a beautiful English Rose shade which is slightly lighter and more pink than the colour in my photograph. The reason I adore this blush so much is due its texture as it's much more silky than your average cream blush. It literally glides onto your fingers and across your cheeks and, as the name suggests, it is much more similar to a balm than a thicker cream product. Due to its consistency it adds a gorgeous glow to the cheeks and it even feels moisturising on my skin (something the next blush definitely doesn't do). The product is semi-sheer: one layer provides a lovely natural flush of colour which I find is perfect for everyday wear yet it is so easy to build up the colour. For evenings or special occasions I amp up the intensity and apply 3 thin layers. Despite the extra layers you'll be pleased to know that the glowing, luminous effect doesn't increase to an unnatural finish. It still looks beautiful on the skin and after a few hours wear it still remains intact, with the dewy glow only fading slightly.

I'm beyond devastated that these blushes are limited edition and I know I'm going to have to pick up at least one more shade before they disappear from the shelves. The Pop of Passion Blush Balms retail for £20.00 each and they're available online and in stores in 3 shades (Posy, Papaya and Natural). QVC also sell an additional two shades (Guava and Mauve) that are even more exclusive so if you're a regular QVC shopper you should definitely check them out!

Review & Swatches | Stila In the Light Palette

Maybe I should just let the pictures do the talking on this one? Say hello to Stila's In the Light palette and my new obsession. The shade selection is what immediately caught my eye and swayed me into spending even more money on eyeshadow (but I'm so so glad I did!) The palette contains the perfect mixture of 6 shimmers and 4 matte shades that can be worn dry and wet. The swatches below are all taken dry but the shadows transform into even more pigmented and opaque shades when applied wet (applying the matte shades wet really improves their pigmentation and staying power!)

The eyeshadows themselves contain talc, an ingredient that initially concerned me as it can often make the shadows powdery or crumbly. The Stila shadows, however, feel rather creamy and leave a smooth, velvety finish on the lids. As for colour pay off, the shimmery shades are extremely pigmented and so beautiful. The shimmer shadows are quite soft, so you should use a gentle hand to apply and I find that Kitten and Bubbly appear almost metallic with their light-reflecting finish. I immediately found the matte shades to be less pigmented than the shimmers but the formulation of the shadows does help you build up colour nd blend easily. I also haven't noticed any fallout, even from the shimmery shades, which is something even the Urban Decay shimmer shadows do!

The selection of shades and finishes make this a truly versatile palette - there's really a shade for every kind of eyeshadow look. Overall, the palette contains more warm toned shadows but there are a few cooler shades mixed in. You can create an all matte look with the 4 shades Bare, Bliss, Sandstone and Ebony and there are endless amounts of day and night looks you can experiment with. I'm completely in love with Kitten, the most perfect champagne shade and I think it even rivals my favourite over the lid shade by Too Faced - 'Silk Teddy'. The beautiful blue shade Night's Sky was a colour I admired from afar but assumed I wouldn't really use it. However it completely surprised me by becoming one of my most reached for shades and I can't stop wearing it - even during the daytime!

Below are two of my favourite combinations so far:
~ Kitten all over the lid, Bare in the crease, Sunset as a transition colour and in the outer corner with Sandstone along the bottom lashes.
~ Kitten all over the lid with Night Sky in the crease and Ebony in the outer corner.

The palette also contains a Smudge Stick Waterproof Liner in Damsel, a very wearable dark brown shade. It glides on easily and smudges nicely but begins to set quite quickly - if you want a smudged effect I'd blend it out quickly. This staying power is due to the liner being waterproof which makes it perfect for the waterline and, as I often struggle with finding liners that stay put in the waterline, I was very impressed at how long the Smudge Stick lasted! The only annoying thing about the liner it comes in a retractable form without a sharpener so creating a sharp point is quite difficult if you were looking to create a fine line on the lid!

As for the packaging, my photos don't really show how beautiful the rose-gold palette is. It's pretty yet minimalistic and the lid contains a huge mirror underneath which is very handy! The only criticism I would have is that the palette is made of cardboard and, even though it's not bulky,I do worry about how well this will wear in my bag - although this was a concern of mine when I reviewed the Balm's Nude Tude palette and I've never had a problem so maybe cardboard is more sturdy than it initially appears!

Stila's In the Light palette retails for £25 which I think is a wonderful price - especially as it contains a Smudge Stick and the famous shade Kitten. You can purchase it online from Stila, Marks & Spencer, Feel Unique and other various beauty stores (if you're a member of Birchbox it's available on their shop too - I used my points to purchase mine!)

Have you ever tried Stila's In the Light palette?

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January Favourites

Surprisingly, after an unpleasant start to the month - consisting of essay deadlines and exams *shudder* - January actually turned out to be much more enjoyable than I could have ever expected it to be! Along with eating out more times than I care to admit (and completely taking advantage of Yo! Sushi's January Blues offer), I finally bought my first ever iPhone and it hasn't left my side all month - who knew how easy communication could be when you have a functional, working phone?! On the blogging front, I was possibly the luckiest girl ever and I had the opportunity to work with my all-time favourite make-up brand bareMinerals. After spending a few hysterical days in utter disbelief  I actually managed to produce some content that is (hopefully) worth reading and you can check out my posts here and here (one more post is on the way!).

As far as beauty is concerned, I've spent the majority of January hardly straying from my everyday make-up look. I have, however, had a little bit of time to play with some beauty products I received for /picked up over Christmas and I've discovered a couple of things that have found a permanent place in my make-up bag this month!

Beauty Favourites
Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne 30ml - £40: I can't help but feel glamorous when I wear my Jo Malone perfume. I was kindly given this for my birthday in October but I've been wearing it so sparingly as I never want it to run out. The Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne has accompanied me on every dinner date or night out in January. I can't quite put my finger on what I love so much about this scent but I've had to restrain myself from using up the entire bottle this month.

MAC Ruby Woo - £15.50: As a lover of red lipstick how have I only just tried the famous Ruby Woo? My boyfriend actually bought me this for Christmas (a complete surprise - somebody must have really been listening when I natter on about makeup!) and it was my lip colour of choice for New Year's Eve. I love the matte finish and it's the perfect, classic red shade! It is a little bit drying but applying lip balm beforehand easily fixes the problem!

Stila In the Light Palette - £25: Oh my... I don't think I can explain how much I love this. I love it so much I've had dedicate an entire post to it which should be up sometime next week. Everything about this palette is perfect - the formulation, the mixture of shimmer and matte shades and the shade selection (especially Kitten and Night's Sky) couldn't be better. If you don't have this eyeshadow palette then you need to buy it no matter how many neutral palettes you own!

Soap & Glory Supercat - £6: I honestly just can't find a fault in this eyeliner. It doesn't budge all day, the felt tip applicator makes it so easy to achieve a thin or a thick line and the liner is super pigmented and it hasn't lost any colour/dried out at all and I've had this for just over two months now! I love the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner but for less than half the price I don't think anything can beat Supercat (it also has a really cute name and makes me think of cats in cute superhero costumes aww!)

Revlon ColourStay Concealer - £6.99: After picking this up on New Year's Eve in a frantic dash around Boots I can't believe how impressive this concealer is. I've written a post on this which is going up on Tuesday but this concealer matches my skin perfectly and covers so well whilst blending seamlessly into the skin!

Non-Beauty Favourites
Fashion: In January it's simply too cold for tights yet revision in the library calls for comfort that denim simply cannot offer. My solution? Meet Topshop's Leigh Jeans, which in all honestly don't feel like jeans at all! I have them in Black and a light Blue colour but I'm itching to get my hands on a Dark Vintage Blue pair.

Music: ♫ Ben Howard - I Forget Where We Were  and all of Taylor Swift's 1989!

Random: My iPhone 5s and my cute Cath Kidston case!

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January Catch Up... (And a little haul!)

Before I begin making a dent in my long list of planned blog posts I wanted to write a little catch up to let you know what I've been doing for the first 16 days of January! I always hate this time of year, the Christmas tree comes down and all the festive cheer disappears and, for me, January means one thing - deadlines and exams. Erugh, even the sight of those words makes me shiver. The silence on my blog was pretty much due to University work but, thankfully, I've made it through. My essays have been handed in and my exam wasn't too terrible so I've been letting my poor hand rest and embracing my new found freedom by going out way too much for lunch and doing a tiny little bit of retail therapy.

One of the most exciting things that's happened to me in 2015 so far is that I've finally bought my first ever iPhone! After saving a bit of my Birthday and Christmas money I'm now the very happy owner of a shiny silver iPhone 5s and I can't believe how much easier my life is with a phone that actually works properly! I'm not ashamed to say that I haven't put it down since I skipped all the way to the Apple shop after my exam. I popped into Cath Kidston and picked up this adorable Little Birds case in the sale, along with a cute little floral make-up bag which I might use to store my phone in so it doesn't' get scratched in my bag. 

On the beauty front, I decided to cash in my Birchbox points and take advantage of free shipping on Stila this month. I've had my eye on this gorgeous In the Light palette for months now; the blue shade named Night sky is beautiful and I've finally had the chance to try out the famous Kitten (which is as gorgeous as everybody says it is!) I'm going to be writing a review about this soon once I've had a chance to test the palette out properly and I'll be including plenty of swatches but, so far, I'm completely smitten with it. I've also been reunited (finally!) with my beloved bareMinerals foundation and I've definitely been lost without it these past couple of weeks - it's my absolute favourite and perfect when you want flawless foundation in a rush! 

My last purchase of the month was this swing coat from Topshop. I've had my eyes on this for the longest time and when I found it in the sale yesterday I just couldn't resist. I have a very similar coat that I bought years and years ago which I completely adored but it was so worn out that I've  finally thrown it away (we're talking holes and very matted faux fur here!) Even though I really don’t need another coat I've always felt lost without my navy, fur hooded jacket and I'm so happy with my replacement, especially since it has a much nicer hood and it only cost £31 thanks to the sale and student discount!

How's your January been so far? Have you discovered any new beauty products?

Festival Beauty Essentials

Before I start rambling about festivals, I'd just like to say a huge thank you to everybody who has followed my blog so far! Yesterday, I reached 100 followers and I can't believe how wonderful everyone in the blogging community has been. I've talked to some lovely people, discovered so many amazing blogs to follow and I'm enjoying blogging more than I could have ever imagined. So, if you're reading this thank you so much and if I could I'd hug each and every one of you! 

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I know festival season is almost over but Reading & Leeds begins this Friday and, in a way of controlling my excitement, I thought I'd write a post on my festival beauty essentials! Of course I'll also be taking dry shampoo and a ridiculous amount of baby wipes with me but the items I've decided to feature in this post are the things that help me feel a little bit more glamorous and put together as I trawl through the mud in my pac-a-mac and eat an unsightly amount of fried food.