Cruelty Free Beauty: My Thoughts;-

Something that has been weighing on my mind for a long time is cruelty-free makeup and beauty so and I want to share some of my thoughts on that with you today. I've seen more and more Youtubers and Bloggers who only want to use and endorse cruelty-free products, along with the tag of 'How Cruel is my Makeup Bag?' it seems like it is finally becoming a forefront in a lot of people's minds. And as such I finally began researching it for myself.

I've never been somebody that agrees with animal testing, particularly in cosmetics. Considering there are so many brands that don't test on animals, its something I see it as completely unnecessary in this day and age. I absolutely love makeup, but its not a necessity to me, I wouldn't die without it. Therefore, I don't see why innocent animals should be harmed in order for me to wear it. For the longest time this is something I've put out of mind, never researched and remained ignorant on. This is not something I'm proud of and something that I want to change going forward. This year (as far as I'm aware) all of the makeup I have bought is from cruelty-free brands, which is something I'm really proud of.

So continuing forward I don't want to buy another makeup or beauty product that has been tested on animals and classing myself as cruelty-free. However, I do still have a number of non-cruelty free products in my makeup collection. I don't want to throw away these products as I feel like that would be wasteful when unfortunately the damage has already been done. As I have things like blushers and bronzers its going to take me years to use all of them up. I want to use Project Pans and declutters to get these out of my collection eventually. I also want to spend some time to find cruelty-free dupes for the non cruelty-free products I love.

This is completely a decision I've made for me and I never want to put other people down or make anyone feel bad if they don't want to be cruelty-free. I completely respect everyone's right to make decisions so I never want to seem like I'm ramming my opinions down somebody's throat. That being said, I also want to use my blog as a place to promote things I really believe in so any new products I review will be cruelty-free. But like I said I will be trying to move some of my current non cruelty-free items out of my collection, so naturally I will be using and talking about these things and I want to make sure I mention whether something is cruelty-free somewhere in the post, so you know. I'm really looking forward to sharing new cruelty-free products I bring in and I hope to provide a bit more information on what you can get your hands on without causing harm to animals.

This is something I am still very new on and things are always changing so although I try my best to do my research on brands there may be hiccups, or I may make mistakes. If you know something I don't about a brand please let me know! Another thing to mention is parent companies. If you don't know some companies are owned by bigger companies, so sometimes while the brand itself may be cruelty-free, the company that owns them may not. I've seen a lot of opposing views about this, but I have decided I will still be buying from these brands as I still want to promote these brands for being cruelty-free themselves. So in places of mistakes or my views being different than yours may be I would always recommend that you do your own research!

Cruelty Free Kitty and Logical Harmony are two websites I find particularly helpful when I'm looking to find out if a company is cruelty free and they are both a great read in general if you're interested in cruelty-free beauty for yourself

What are your thoughts on cruelty-free beauty, even if its completely different to mine I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts!

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March Favourites;-

I haven't written a favourites post in the longest time, so I thought I'd show you a few things I've been loving lately!

Cream blushes are one of those products I keep tip-toeing between loving or never using. I'll go months raving about them and then they go back in the drawer until next time. At the moment I'm back on the bandwagon and I've pulled my Revlon cream blush in the shade Flushed (this is pretty old and I can't even find it on the Boots website). I find this really easy to blend and gives you that natural flushed look, so I guess the shade name is pretty accurate! I've been suffering from dry skin and I've found this is one of the few products that doesn't cling to dry patches and I'm really enjoying using this.
I really loved the L'oReal liquid eyeliner, but I've decided I only want to purchase cruelty free makeup so I've been looking for an alternative. I think I've found the perfect alternative in this Barry M On Point Eyeliner. Just like the L'oReal liner this is a felt tip pen eyeliner with a really fine tip. This is really black that I think is really easy to use and I'm glad I've managed to find a cruelty free version of one of my favourite products.
Another Barry M product that I picked up completely on a whim and really like is this Showgirl Mascara. I generally only have one mascara at a time and the mascara I had just before this one game me a reaction which it lead to an eye infection (it was literally disgusting!). After it cleared up I was in desperate need of  a mascara, so I picked up this one because it was easily accessible and again, cruelty free. This has a really large bristle brush, which I usually don't like, but this works for both lengthening and volumising as well as being super black. It's not the most volumising mascara I've ever used, but it also doesn't make your lashes too solid making it easy to layer if you want to up the amp! I've literally never heard anything about Barry M mascaras, but this is really good especially for the price!
I mentioned in my 5 Best Things from Makeup Revolution post that I really like the Makeup Revolution Matte Lip Kits. I wear the shade Reign all of the time to work, which is a really nice, subtle nude shade. I don't really like the pencil because it really tugs on my lips so I don't use it, however the liquid lipstick is really nice on its own. It applies really nicely and doesn't feather when worn alone, it lasts a really long time too! I find this doesn't dry out my lips and wears well, I also like wearing this under a more glossy nude shade to make it last longer.
I recently sorted through my nail polish collection and discovered that for someone who paints their nails a couple times a year I own quite a lot of nail polish, so I've been trying to paint my nails a little more and use some of my polishes. The nail polish I've used a couple of times since is this one I got from Urban Outfitters. I can't find a shade name but its basically clear with a subtle purple glitter running through it. I find that because this is quite subtle, it takes a few days before you can see any chips. I think its a really great low maintenance nail polish.

I don't really talk a lot about hair care on my blog, but I'm quite fussy when it comes to shampoo and conditioner, my scalp can be quite dry but I get greasy roots and dry ends of my hair so I really struggle to find something that works well with all of that. I've literally sworn by using only LUSH shampoos for a really long time, but I ran out of shampoo when I didn't have to get to my nearest LUSH so I picked up the Herbal Essences bio-renew Clean shampoo and conditioner at the supermarket. I've found the combination of this shampoo and conditioner makes my hair soft, but it doesn't make my hair greasy and it hasn't upset my scalp at all. I think I bought this back in August and I'm only just getting near the end of the bottle, so it's lasted a really long time!

What have you been loving lately?

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Project 10 Pan 2017;-

I've been totally obsessed with panning Youtubers and blogs. Its almost a guilty pleasure of mine to watch people using up all of their makeup. I think most of us have more makeup than we will ever use, and a lot of our makeup products sit in the back of a drawer unloved while we accumulate more. Panning or using up a product makes you focus on getting the most of your makeup. I've even tried my own Project 10 Pan back in 2015, and while I finished 9 out of 10 products eventually, I was pretty rubbish about recording. I've picked another 10 products from my collection and I'd like to finish all of these before I buy any more makeup.

My first product is a perfume, called 'Be Kissable'. This was my signature scent back in school and it was discontinued by Avon quite some years ago, but a friend of mine's mum was an Avon representative so he saved me a few bottles and I've been working my way through them for literally years. I still have a whole bottle left, so I definitely need to use the rest of this one. Although there isn't a lot left I flit around from perfume to perfume, and forget to put it on most mornings while I'm rushing to get ready for work. But I think if I get in the routine of putting it on, this will be gone in no time.

Next up is a sample size of the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. I have had this in my collection for quite a while, but for the longest time I didn't use it at all. Its not my favourite primer, as I have oily skin and it isn't the most mattifying. The first time I wore this I looked even more oily by midday and I felt like my foundation was sliding around. However I pulled it out this winter when I was struggling with dry patches and it did a really good job at keeping my face from looking dry. When paired with a matte foundation, it tends not to work well. There looks to be just over a third left so hopefully it won't take too long to use up. 

The foundation that I pair my primer with is the L'oReal Infallible 24H-Matte. This is my favourite foundation ever, and I reach for it most often anyway (I even reviewed it here). As suggested by the name this foundation has a matte finish which is great for my oiler skin, and this does it without making your skin look flat. But I really want to use this up so I can move onto using some of my older unloved foundations. I'd say there is just under a third of this left, but it seems to be one of those never-ending products.

My last face product is actually the Rimmel Stay Matte powder, if you can't tell that's because I smashed it some time ago and I now use it as a loose powder from this tiny pot. I have had this for an amount of time that probably isn't healthy, because I really don't like wearing powder. Every powder I've tried had made my face feel dry and cakey, so I only tend to use it if I'm home and during the day if I look oily or to set my concealer. I really want to use this up because I don't like it, but now I've gone to the effort to put it in the pot I feel like I have to. I'm going to try to pop this in my hand bag for midday touch ups and hope that uses this up quickly.

Onto eyes I have this very worn Rimmel White Eyeliner. I actually had this in my first project, but since I used the rest of the products I lost interest in this. I really like using white liner in my water line to brighten up tired eyes, but that seems to take forever to use up and eye liner just using it there. I used to use white eyeliner as a sort-of makeshift highlight under my foundation when I was younger, and I have seen people use it as a base for eyeshadows to make the colours stand out. So I'm thinking of trying a few new things to finally clear this from my makeup collection.
I really like brown eyeliner, I think its really good way to line your eyes without looking too harsh and you can always smudge it in if you're crap at it so for that reason I have about 4. This one by Avon is one of my favourites as it stays in place all day, and it really easy to smudge into your lash line. I want to focus on this one so to get my numbers of brown eyeliner down. I don't use it every day as I usually wear quite subtle makeup to work (mostly because I never get in time to put on a full face of makeup), but I want to incorporate this into my daily makeup so that I can use the very little that is left.
My last product is this Arch & Shape by Makeup Revolution, this is a product that has a pen side and a pencil. I finished up the pen side quite some time ago but the pencil side has been hanging around. I actually really like the pencil as its not waxy or hard to blend, but its super dark. It usually only matches my hair when its dyed really dark, which at the moment it isn't, so this has been put on the back burner. There is probably only enough product left in this for two or three uses, so I want to work with it even if it is slightly too dark for me just to get the last little bit used!

Lastly onto lips I have chosen this Body Shop lip balm, in the scent Passionberry I think but I'm not sure seeing as most of the label has rubbed off. I'm a real lip balm fiend I have pots and pots of the stuff. There's one in every handbag I own, and one at my work desk, but this is the one I will keep in the front of my lip drawer to use at home. I usually use lip balm twice a day anyway so I'm sure it won't take long to use up and then I'll be able to move onto the next pot...
Next is this Rimmel Exaggerate lip liner in Eastend Snob. This lipliner was really talked about on blogs and Youtube for quite sometime so of course I had to have it for myself. I really like the colour because I love cool-toned pinks so much I have another 3 lip products in virtually the same shade, which is so unnecessary so this one needs to go. As you can see from the photo there is virtually nothing left of this, which is because when I was thinking of putting this in a project pan I began using it and it snapped for at least the third time (I swear I'm not winding it up too much), which is another reason I need it gone because it really irritated me. Luckily I really like just wearing this alone so I'm sure this will be all used up very soon.
My last product is this Revlon Lip Butter in Macaroon, I really like the formula of the Revlon Lip Butters as they are moisturising and still provide a nice amount of colour. This shade is pretty much the colour of candy apples, and its really nice red that is wearable for everyday. However I don't think this shade is an essential one in my collection, so I'd like to see this all gone. There is maybe half a centimetre of product left in the tube and I like wearing this to work so I think I can use this up in the next couple of weeks.

As I said in my little intro, I'm aiming to finish up all of these products before I buy anymore. I've gone pretty easy on myself so I don't get bored and splash out. I think it will be a challenge because I do love makeup, but I think it will be a good challenge because I'll have time to think about whether I really want or need the newest 'it' product while I work on my project.

I think that's everything, so I'll see you in my first update. In the meanwhile, leave me a comment and let me know if there are any products in your collection that you want to finish up entirely, and if you're doing your own project because I love reading them!

Update 1 >>

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My #ProArtist Palette

There hasn't been a makeup product that has got me so entirely excited as Freedom's #ProArtist refillable palette in the longest time! I spent so long perusing the shades and filled up several baskets of shades before I actually bit the bullet and clicked proceed to checkout.

A custom palette from a budget beauty brand is something I've been looking for ever since the Fashionista palettes, and these are miles above this. I've spent ours perusing Mac's shades for a palette that is all mine, but I could never face spending that money. Freedom offer the perfect solution. There are a range of face and eyeshadows (I of course needed both in my palette), the face products being £3 and the eyeshadow shades at £2 each. Along with the palette itself, this cost me £38.00, which does rival the prices of higher end brands but I was more than willing to pay that for a palette full of my perfect shades.

The palette is pretty large and will fit 18 eyeshadows or 8 face products, so its pretty large. It comes in shiny, sturdy black packaging. I will say that it does scratch easily and I don't really like the white writing on the top of it, but that's only a small complaint when I love everything inside. The entire lid is a mirror, so when filled with your favourite shades this is the perfect palette to travel with. The whole bottom of the palette is magnetic like a Z Palette, and at £5 it's a fraction of the price. This would be a perfect alternative for the Z Palette for anything that likes depotting all of their favourite panned products, or wants to store their custom shades from other brands all in one place.

Onto the products inside I'm going to start with the face products because I love the eyeshadows a tiny bit more. I wanted to include some face products in my palette because I wanted to try everything in the range, and I wanted to make this the perfect all rounder palette for trying.

I picked up the contour shade #3 as it was the palest of the bunch. I usually have to use a really light hand with contour because of my pale skin, but with this one I don't have to be as careful. I have also been using this as an eyeshadow as its the perfect transition colour, and I also really like it over the lid with the red eyeshadows in the crease.

I also chose the banana powder in 01 as I've been using a yellow concealer under my eyes, I really like the effect and I wanted to add to that with this powder. I have to say that I don't think this does much for colour correction, but it is a nice, light powder that is great for setting my under-eye area.

I really struggled to chose from the 3 highlight options as they are all gorgeous, I finally decided upon the shade 03. This is a gold toned highlight that is super shimmery, but not full of chunky glitter. This would be a great highlight for someone that wants a really eye-catching highlight that packs punch. I personally like a more subtle highlight and with my pale skin I think I should have chose a more pink toned shade. I really want to have a bit more of a play with this so I can find a way to work with it, but I do love an in-your-face highlighter when I'm going on nights out and I'll be sure to reach for this.

To finish of the face shades I got the blush in shade 01. This is the lightest blush colour, and so it looks great on my pale skin. Its a candyfloss pink shade that I think will look great as a spring blush colour,

Finally onto the eyeshadows I chose for my palette. I decided instead of picking an entirely neutral selection like so many palettes I already owned, I'd use this palette to fill in the spots that were more sparse in my collection. I want to start out by saying that as with all of Freedom's eyeshadows these are super pigmented and I haven't noticed any fall out from any of the shadows!

The first shade is a light shimmery pink in Shimmer 03, I picked this shade as I thought it would be the perfect inner corner highlight for the pink and purple shades, which it totally is!

 Shimmer #09 is a light shimmery brown, which I think will go with any of the other shades in this palette and in my collection. I've used this one most since I bought this palette because its a great all over shadow, that makes your eyes look 'done' with minimal effort.

I'm a big lover of smokey eyes, so 08 was a shade I needed in my palette. This is a shimmery steel grey that would look great blended with a matte black shadow and looks amazing with the darker purples that I picked.

I love pink eyeshadows especially in the summer, so I was drawn to 02 when I saw it. This is a bright but light shimmery pink. I've been wearing this all over the lid, with just the lighter pink on my inner corner. It makes a subtle, daytime look which I've found a nice change from neutrals.

The next two shades are 09 which is a brick red, and matte 10 a burgundy red. I've been seeing these kind of shades everywhere for the past year, but I really didn't have any my collection. I've nearly bought a few palettes just for shades like these, finding these shades saved me from buying an entire palette for only a couple of shadows (just another thing I found great about this custom palette). I tend to use 10 as an outer corner and crease colour and then 09 to blend the colour out as a transition shade. This is a nice change from brown without using crazy colours.

The next colour looks a little crazy, this 05 and its actually a shade I have been looking for some time.  This is a bright shimmery purple, which reminds be of a pencil we had in primary school that was dubbed 'special purple' (please someone say you know what this is). I like wearing purple in the crease with cool taupe shades, so I tend to focus on my outer V and then blend it out with a little of this shade to lighten up the colour.

The next shade is another I've been hunting down, this 01. I really like using dark purple as an alternative to a smokey eye, but I have bought so many that look purple in the pan and then transfer onto the eyes as a muddy dark colour. This doesn't do this, its dark enough that it is almost black, but the gorgeous purple shimmer shines through.

The last shade I chose is matte 04, this is a dark matte purple, which is lightly lighter that 01. I've been using this in the outer V along with the lighter purple and to sort of blend out 01 when I'm wearing it on the lid. I really like it as its a true purple, which I think is gorgeous.

I should also add that each of the individual pans have the shade number on the bottom, which I think is really handy and has been a total god-send while I've been writing this post.

Let me know if you have your own Freedom #ProArtist Palette or what shades you'd pick if you had one?

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Best of The Season - of Autumn;

I've already got my first cold of the year, and I'm wearing tights to work again that means its Autumn right? I've put all of my summer crop tops in a drawer until next year and all I've wanted to do is snuggle up in an oversized jumper so today I wanted to share some of my favourite things about the season of Autumn.

Autumn Fashion
The perfect Autumn outfit for me is a jumper, a big scarf, leggings and ankle boots, and I personally can't wait to roll down my sleeves over my hands and snuggle in a big blanket scarf. I love the colours of Autumn-wear; wine coloured jumpers and tan boots. I also got a couple of burnt orange skirts from ASOS last year, that looked totally awesome and I really can't wait to dig them out of my wardrobe again. Another thing I can't wait to get out of its summer hibernation is my burgundy cape. Capes are the best cover up when its not too cold enough, they're awesome for layering over thin jumpers and under huge scarves and make me feel totally Blair Waldorf! I also just got myself a dark purple, courdoroy pinafore, (because you need pinafores for every season) which I think will look great in Autumn with a stripey tee and thick tights.

Autumnal Makeup
I also love seasonal makeup, and Autumn/Winter is kind of my favourite. I'm a total sucker for a gold sparkly eye with a berry-toned lip. I'm so eager to delve into my makeup collection and drag out some of my old favourites that I haven't used since last year and I want to do a whole post of my favourite products for this time of year.

Halloween
I like to really embrace seasonal holidays, and Autumn is the time for Halloween. I always love dressing up and seeing everyone else's spooky costumes. Last year my outfit was completely last minute and comprised of a jumper labelled 'witch please' and some cobweb tights. But I made up for it spending hours on a bright green eye look and a purple gradient lip, not to mention even a light green highlight that made my whole skin glow an eery green. I'm not sure yet who/what I want to be this year, but I love getting creative and I'm really excited to get planning.

Hot Chocolate
I'm not a big hot drink, drinker throughout the year so hot chocolate is very autumnal to me. Bundling up, over eating and a hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows make the cold weather all worth it!  A Starbucks or Costa is the perfect Autumn/Winter accessory to warm warm your hands up while Christmas shopping. Is it a bit early to mention the 'C' word?
Candles
My last favourite has got to be candles, I burn candles all year through, but my favourite scents are definitely autumnal ones. Last year I picked up a spicy orange and a log fire smelling one from Matalan that made my evenings feel oh-so-cosy and amazing for the price!

What are your favourite things about Autumn?

Project 10 Pan Update #2;-

Anyone who has been following my project pan deserves an apology, I have been crap. For a while there wasn't a lot of progress and then I simply kept these photos on my laptop with no words written to go along with them. But I have kept up my panning I've incorporated the products into my work makeup which I keep the same. Then  when the weekend rolls around I wear whatever I feel like to keep things fresh. This seems to be working for me, it means I've made even more progress since taking these photos and I'm not getting bored of the products.
First up is a finished item, my Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer. I was struggling for a while and seeing any progress with this. I tried shining a torch into the packaging, and there was still product all up the sides. But with a lot of perseverance and patience I did it, I'd been scraping product from the sides for a long time and it seemed never ending. Finally one day, I couldn't get anything from the pot. I really liked this for under of the eyes, but it wanted my favourite concealer and I'm excited to be done with this and move onto another. I was so excited I chucked this in the bin when organising my makeup collection so I have no empty container to show you... Sorry.

My Rimmel White Eyeliner is still going pretty strong. I wear this everyday, its become one of my go-to products again as its one of the few things that makes me look awake in the morning. I feel like this isn't a lot smaller since my last update and I've only sharpened it once every 2-3 weeks. But I'm still enjoying using this every day so I'll keep at it.
I am ever so nearly done with my Benefit High Beam. My technique to push myself to use this is to mix it with my moisturiser and apply under my makeup. This has has been using this product a lot more quickly and I really like the glowy but not to in-your-face look that it gives. I have no doubt that this will be done by the time I get around to another update. Especially as I'm already using a q-tip to get the last from the bottom of the pot!
On the other hand if there was one product I don't think I'll finish its the LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub. I just can't seem to fit this into my routine, if I don't forget it I just think its a bit of a faff. I can't see any noticeable difference from my last update at all. I've been trying lately to use this when I remove my makeup, as its coming up to that time of the year when I need to use this. I will keep persevering and if I don't finish it I can hopefully get some more use out of it.

I also managed to finish up my Topshop Lip Bullet in Tamed. This was only a sample, but I still feel like giving myself a pat on the back for finishing this. I got into makeup because I love experimenting with it, so wearing the same lipstick that was a 'your lips but better' nude was a real feat for me. What I tended to do was to pop it in my handbag and apply it when my daily shade had worn off. Although I say that it was a nice colour that wore well and went with everything, but I am glad to see the back of it.

The part I'm going to hate updating this time around is my spending ban. Ok, it all went out of the window for a little while. Makeup is the thing I treat myself too, and I deserved a treat lately. I've bought a lot of new makeup over the past couple of months. But I'm hoping to get back on it, and I'm sure I'd have bought a lot more if I'd never started this and every little helps!

The Body Shop Cleansing Butter Review;

My skincare routine has always been very simple, and as far as cleanser is concerned I mostly use Micellar Water. But recently I've heard a lot about the Body Shop Cleansing Butter be compared to a lot of higher priced skincare brands and I had to give it a try.

The is a waxy feeling balm that melts to an oil when rubbed into your skin. I wasn't sure how to use this at first because I'd never tried anything like it. After having a quick Google (and yes it really came to that) I found out that the best way to use this is to apply is directly to the skin with your fingertips and massage the product into the skin. This lifts any makeup, even mascara leaving you looking like a melting panda. If you have any allergies this can sting a little when you're around the eye area, but its never given me any visible reactions like some products I've tried. Then the product needs rinsing, I do this just with a wet cotton round. At this point this cleanser leaves a slight residue on the skin, leaving your skin feeling a little sticky but not oily. I find this a little annoying, but I always double cleansed with Micellar Water just in case I missed any bit and to cleanse the skin underneath my makeup. When I use this Cleansing Butter for my first cleanse there's a lot less makeup left on my skin when I come to my second cleanse than with just Micellar Water. So I definitely think this does a good job at keeping my skin clean, and my skin  always feels really soft after I use it.
The Body Shop claims that this is indulgent, but gentle on the skin to leave your face feeling clean but pampered. This isn't a product that will completely clears breakouts, or stops my skin from ever being oily. But it is something I've been reaching for a lot, am really enjoying using, and a product that makes you feel pampered, without half of the effort.

Soap & Glory First Impressions

Soap & Gory are a brand I always go to when I feel like I need a bit of pampering, but in the past year they've been just as talked about for their makeup and its probably about time I tried a few things.

I decided to pick up the Love at First Blush, the Sexy Mother Pucker Matte Lip Stick and Lip Plumping Gloss. The first thing I have to mention  about all of the items is the packaging, its like all Soap & Glory products. Absolutely gorgeous. The main colours are black, gold and pink with details of retro pin-up girls. These are the kind of products you wouldn't mind leaving on top of your dresser.

I had to grab the Love at First Blush, because its a totally 'me' shade. This isn't a highly pigmented colour on my skin this adds more of a pink sheen as its more shimmer than pink, but without chunky glitter. This is one of those blushes that definitely doesn't need a highlight, and if you applied this too heavily you could look very 'disco ball'. I think this is a shade for lighter skinned girls, I think this would be more highlighter territory for anyone with darker skin. I personally really like this as its easy to wear, gives me a healthy glow to the cheeks. I think I'll be grabbing this when I'm wearing with a bolder eye or lip, or to pop over a matte blusher. 

This is is the Sexy Motherpucker Matte Lip Stick in the shade Blush Pink. This is a pink berry shade, its a perfect daytime berry shade that is noticeable without being in your face. This formula to this is like no other matte lipstick I've tried. The lipstick glides on to the lips, actually feels moisturising! It has a thin consistency while being completely opaque when you apply it. This means that you can move your lips, and rub them together without your lipstick smudging away. I've heard other bloggers make that claim about a lot of lipsticks that make that claim but this is the only one that works for me. This lipstick doesn't last as long as some mattes that I've tried, but longer than glossy colours. But this is the first where it continues to feel comfortable and moisturising while you wear it, and it wears away to nothing rather than leaving a line around your lips. I can't say enough good things about this I need to get my hands on some more of these! 

The Sexy Motherpucker Lipgloss was one of the first makeup products that Soap & Glory sold, its my favourite gloss ever and I've had one in my collection since I was about 14. I picked it up in the shade Nudestar this time, which is completely new to me. As the name suggests this is a nude shade, that doesn't adds a translucent splash of colour which is packed with tiny specs of glitter. This one of those plumping glosses that tingles the lips, in fact with this it almost makes your lips vibrate. I know that can turn some people off, but I think it really helps with the plumping effect. It also has the strong scent that most plumping glosses have when applying, but once its on your lips you don't really notice. This gloss is a little sticky, so its not ideal for windy days with your hair down. But this gloss is only one I've tried that lives up to the claims that your lips will be plumped, and it actually lasts. Once applied this gloss stays put for at least 1-2 hours on my lips, when most glosses have all but disappeared in 5 minutes on me. This looks really great over a nude liner and I can see me reaching for it a lot paired with a smokey eye.

What are you favourite Soap & Glory makeup pieces? I must try more!

December Favourites;

January 2016 has come around so fast but before I can sign off on last year, I wanted to look back on the things I've loved for the month of December.

Since my last favourites post (back in October) I've treated myself to a whole host of new makeup pieces, but my first favourite item is something I've featured in a post last year. This is the Avon Argan Oil Leave-In Treatment, I use this stuff all the time! But since the weather has turned cold my hair has been really dry and I've really noticed the effects of this. When my hair's wet this detangles it and leaves it looking and feeling healthier. But I also use this on dry hair and it makes my hair glossy as well as covering my awful split ends!

I recently picked up the Body Shop Cleansing Butter. This is unlike anything I've ever tried, its like a balm that melts into an oil that breaks down makeup. Its gentle on the skin and leaves it feeling clean and pampered. I shouldn't say anymore as I'm hoping to review this soon.

Dry hands are another thing that has plagued me since it got colder, my palms were completely cracked! I picked up this Garnier Deep Restoring Hand Cream at Boots during a break at work. This is a thick cream that really did a great job at repairing my hands, and it isn't at all greasy and dries really quickly. This has earned prime place on my office desk.

Onto the makeup favorites of the month, this first thing I lusted after before it was even released. Of course this is Makeup Revolution's dupe for the newest Naked palette the Iconic Smokey. I'm a sucker for a smokey eye, but as well as some shimmery greys and dark colours, there are some gorgeous light glittery neutral shades and some mattes that are just perfect crease shades. With the party season I've been reaching for this one a lot, and I'm eager to review this too!

Another eyeshadow I've been wearing a lot is this Tanya Burr Eyedust in Creme Brulee, this was limited edition for the holidays from her Beauty Advent Calendar. This is a gorgeous, glittery copper shade, that is so multi-tonal that I've loved wearing this alone all over my lid.

For cheeks I picked up the Collection Contour Kit. This has been all over the blogs and I can completely see why. The matte contour colour is extremely pigmented, but blends out really easily and even works well on my pale skin. The highlight is shimmery without being glittery and works well to create a lit from within look without looking fake. At under £5 this product is a complete steal!

Lastly we're onto lips, something I reviewed a couple of months ago Max Factor's lipstick in Rosewood which I'm still completely in love with. This is quite a natural pink lip shade. Subtle enough that I wear it nearly every day to work, but I still reach for it when I'm going out as it offsets a smokey eye brilliantly.

My other lip love is Makeup Revolution's Ultra Velour Lip Cream in Can't We Just Make Love Instead. This is a liquid lipstick that is neither completely matte or overly glossy, but an opaque brownish, nudey, red (official colour description). This is another subtle colour that goes really well with the smokey looks that I've been opting for over the last month. This isn't the most long lasting, but it isn't at all dry and I've been loving it.

The non beauty favourites include Winter Candy Cane from Urban Outfitters, I really love having a specific candle for the Christmas period because as soon as you burn it you instantly feel more festive. This smells really sweet with just a hint of peppermint which was a really nice change after the spicey scents I was burning in Autumn and early Winter. I already can't wait to get this out again next year.

I also had to include my Harry Potter Colouring Book. Colouring books for adults have been all the rage recently and I can completely see why, dragging yourself away from your TV or iPhone and indulging yourself completely in your colouring is so relaxing. I got this as a Christmas gift from myself and I completely love it, its full of intricate decorative patterns and scenes from the films it looks so cool! I also bought my sister one of these and on Christmas Day we actually sat down together and coloured which was so old school and really relaxed me. But I did forget how long it took to colour a whole picture, and I really want to finish the entire book I'm addicted!

Ferrero Rochers are another favourite of mine, hard chocolate covering soft chocolate centres and a hazelnut, what more could you want? I've definitely taken advantage of the festive season and all of its foodie goodness. My last favourite really just has to be christmas. I'm all for sparkly lights, I love gift giving and wrapping gifts. I spent my christmas amongst great friends and family. I played board games, gorged on buffets, Turkey and celebrated with a few too many glasses. I hope you enjoyed the festive season as much as I did!

L'oReal Infallible Matte;

Finding a great foundation for me is a difficult task. My skin is usually oily but can be dry, I can suffer from breakouts which I want to cover up but I still like my skin to look like skin. I ask a lot from foundation which is why I've never repurchased one... But the L'oReal Infallible 24 Hour Matte may be a game-changer.

Reviews of this have been flying around the Blogosphere for the last few months. It claims to be a matte, light finish that is not cakey and lasts 24 hours. The first thing I noticed was the formula of this, while not being watery it has a thin texture and a light weight feel on the skin. This makes blending effortless and quick. Every time I apply this (I've been using it for nearly 2 months now) I'm surprised by the coverage. I'd say the coverage is medium-high, and I find myself using a lot less concealer with this foundation. With this being matte it isn't best designed for those with drier skin, and I have used it on a couple of occasions when I've had some dry patches. The product clings to the drier areas of your face, but for those of us that suffer with odd bouts of dehydrated skin I don't think this makes it look any worse than bare, dry skin (especially compared to a lot of matte foundations). After application this does mattify, but it doesn't feel heavy and doesn't flatten your skin. Something that also stands out (amongst everything else) is the longevity of this. I used to wear a primer to keep my makeup on all day and keep my face matte, but I tested this out without one and have stuck to it because it lasts so well without. It doesn't wear off patchy and last weekend I applied this at 8 am it was still virtually perfect when I got in at 1 the next morning. When I wear this for a full day I only powder once throughout, which is a real triumph on my skin as usually after the first reapplication of powder everything will go cakey and I'm shiny again within a couple of hours.

Out of every foundation I've ever tried L'oReal Infallible Matte is the one I will whole-heartedly recommend, it ticks all of the boxes for me, its even under £10!

October Favourites;

October is finally over. Having started my new job and getting stuck in with my studies it has been one heck of a long month! And these are the things that I have loved throughout it.

First up is the Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturiser. I feel like this is more of a summer product as its really cooling and the added Aloe Vera in this scent is great for sunburnt skin. But I'm still using and loving this now. Its so easy to use, just spritz yourself all over and this requires barely any rubbing in or drying time. Which I think is fab for chilly mornings when you don't really want to be standing around starkers waiting for your moisturiser to absorb.

The last month or so my skin has been (if I do say so myself) fantastic, and I owe is all to these cleaners. I've been wearing makeup everyday for work, which means I've actually stuck to a very simple skincare routine. I firstly use my Garnier Micellar Water to remove my makeup, I like this because its effective, but gentle. I have quite sensitive skin and this doesn't irritate it at all, I can even use it to remove my eye makeup without it stinging my eyes and it makes light work of removing my mascara. After this I like to further cleanse to remove any missed makeup and remove bacteria from my skin underneath it. I think sticking to this step is what has greatly improved my skin. Lately I've been using this Cleansing Lotion from Simple. This is one of the first cleansers I ever used and I still go back to this because it works and it keeps my skin soft and smooth. Being a lotion it never dries my skin out. I take this on my hands and massage it into my skin, which is really relaxing rather than being harsh like some cleansers. I then remove it with a cotton pad. I've only had about 5 spots in the last month so I'm definitely doing something right!

I rarely talk haircare, but I can't not mention my new Tangle Teezer. My hair is the kind of knotty that has had me on the brink of tears more times than I care to admit, but I didn't buy into the Tangle Teeze hype because I didn't think how any one brush could be that good. In fact I still don't how, but it really is. This brush doesn't eradicate knots, however the flexible bristles allow you to work through them without repeated and endless tugging. The one thing I did worry about was the short bristles and my thick hair, but running my hand through it has done its job from top layer to bottom. Not having a handle is still taking some getting used to for me, but the shape does fit really well into my hand. I can use this wet, dry, to style, to create a part, or to section my hair. This means I no longer have the need for 6 brushes because this one really does it all.

For makeup this month I have been going back to basics, I get up a lot earlier in my new job, so I have just enough time in the morning to make myself look like a well rested, organised individual when I am most definitely not. I have been using my Smashbox eyeshadow trio nearly every week day. I usually go for a little more exciting shades, but these are office appropriate and really good quality. Even the lightest is shade is really pigmented enough that I've worn it alone when I'm in a rush, which I find rare. These last all day without fading or creasing. As for lips I've finally cracked open this Lip Primer I bought myself in April. I was definitely intrigued by the prospect of a lip primer and am a little disappointed to report that it doesn't add greatly to the wear-time of your lipstick. However it does have a silicone feel that smooths your lips and dries almost semi-matte. This makes it the perfect balm to apply under lipstick because the colour doesn't slide around like it does with other balms. This Lip Primer has also been a favourite of mine because it actually leaves your lips feeling moisturized for most of the day even under your lippy. My lip colour for pretty much every week day has been this PS Love Lip Liner. This liner is just darker than my natural lips so its subtle enough to wear to work, but leaves me not feeling like makeup is not too 'Plain Jane'. This is a slightly dark, berry pink, with grey-ish undertones, which I really like as it makes the lip colour pop just the right amount. Being a liner it has a matte finish, it doesn't last all day, but when it wears off evenly and for £1 I think its fab.

And breathe, I think that's it for another month of beauty favourites, what have you loved this month?

Lip Lava;

Something I've been meaning to talk about for the longest time are these Lip Lavas from I <3 Makeup. When these first came out they were so super hyped, that I didn't jump to ordering them. They almost looked a little too good to be true, but I've totally fallen for them and here's why.

Lip Lava's are liquid lipsticks in a squeezy tube that you apply through a sponge applicator, kind of like some lip glosses. Except they're completely different. These have been named £2.99 dupes of Too Faced Melted Lipsticks and I can completely see why even without trying them. The formula is like a lipstick left in the sun, glossy but still thick. I'm not sure if its down to formula or application, but although being glossy they don't feather around the edges at all when you apply. They go on evenly to give you a pigmented lip colour, like you'd get with any lipstick. When first applied they are glossy. But with wear it fades to matte look that lasts longer than any lipstick I have. This doesn't budge even with eating and drinking. These are my go-to night out lip colours as you don't have to worry about reapplication and they feel comfortable all night. I once experienced flaking but that was due to applying gloss over the top, and this faded the colour as well. My only other issue is that they're simply aren't enough shades... Hint, hint.

My favourite shade is Firestorm, which is a pillarbox red. This is the only red lip I can wear anywhere because I don't have to worry about touching it up.

Shockwave is a cool toned fuschia purple. I'm still not sure if I can pull this off but its definitely unique.

Forgiven is a brown toned nude. I think this ticks the box of the 90's lip trend, but I think it would be better suited to someone with a darker skin tone that my own.

Tremor is the perfect medium pink that is perfect for everyday.

Unleash is another bold one, its a gorgeous orange that I think would be great over summer.

You can buy these from the Makeup Revolution website alone or as a set.

Rosewood;

Two of my favourite things to watch are Pretty Little Liars and Velvetgh0st. So when this lipstick named Rosewood (where PLL is set) from Max Factor was given Gabby Lindley's seal of approval I knew I had to have it.

The packaging alone is gorgeous, its made from metal. The lid is a frosted gold colour, with the inside being a shinier gold. This is easily one of the most luxurious lipsticks from the drugstore. There's also a clear panel at the bottom which we all know is super handy when you're rummaging around your lipstick collection. The colour of this a pretty natural lip colour, with a reddish tint. This goes on really smoothly, and feels moisturising on the lips. It has a shiny finish, but isn't glossy or sticky. The colour also stays on your lips for a really long time. I think both the consistency and longevity of this lipstick make it feel more high-end than drugstore and I really want to get my hands on some more Max Factor lippies!

August... & September Beauty Favourites;

I've had a couple of super busy months, and finally broke my chain of favourites. I've been away twice and spent a lot of time with my friends before going back to my studies. I also celebrated my results, which I am really proud of. As well as attending my first festival and getting a new job. Unfortunately that means my blog has been a little quiet, so I've compiled everything that I've loved over the 2 months for a super favourites!

My only skincare favourite is this moisturiser from Natural Collection at Boots. I put another scent of this in another favourites post and this one is just as good. This is thicker than your average daily moisturiser, but no so thick that it's hard to rub in. It makes your skin feel so much softer and I can still feel the effect of this the day after use.

Moving onto makeup I have to mention this Smashbox Eye Primer again. This stuff doesn't budge or crease and is festival tried and tested. I applied this at 10am and my eyeshadow was still perfect when I stumbled back to my tent at 3am and it even kept loose glitter on my lids!

I also picked up this Rimmel Liquid Liner a little while ago. I tend to prefer potted liner over pen as I find its blacker and lasts so much longer. This is pure black and doesn't dry too matte but also isn't super shiny which is great. The brush on this is super thin making it great for precision and you can create thin lines or build it up. I still don't always get it right but it's easy to remove when wet but will not budge when it has dried.

When I'm not using liquid liner I like to use this Brown Avon Glimmerstick smudged across my lash line for a softer look. I really like these as they're the longest lasting liners I've ever tried.

My favourite palette this month has been my Makeup Revolution Iconic 2 Palette as its so versatile. The deep and shimmery browns are great to create smokier looks for daytime. There are also some cool-toned shadows which aren't usually my cup of tea, but the taupes and greys look lovely for nights out! All of the shades are pigmented and last all day and night with a good primer!
My next favourite is from a Ted Baker makeup set that I was bought for Christmas last year and while most of it was pretty crap I've actually been reaching for the brow pencil a lot recently. I've got to admit that it's not the best I've ever tried, however it isn't too waxy and is a nice cool toned medium brown. It's about the only thing that matches my 'I'm too lazy to dye my hair'.

The last makeup item that I've been loving over the past 2 months has been my Mac Lipstick in Pink Plaid. This is an all-time favourite of mine. Its a middle-of-the-range shade of pink, with cool, grey undertones that makes it understated as well as unique.  I've been reaching for it a lot lately because I think it really offsets the smokier eye looks that I've been going for.

My last favourite is the handbag I bought last month, I had to mention it because I love it and it only cost me just over £20. I live close to Clark's Village which is home to a lot of retail outlets, so I managed to get this heavily reduced from £60. I love it because the darker blue it makes it perfect for Autumn and the snakeskin is unique. Its also the perfect size, large enough to fit alot in it. But not quite enough for the kitchen sink.

What have you been loving lately?