Nanshy Face & Eye Brushes || Review

I'm a huge makeup brush lover, like I mean my makeup brushes nearly outnumber my actually makeup products! And now I have another 5 to add to my already large collection. Nanshy are a brand I've seen lots of recently and after trying their products I fully understand why. I have two face brushes and 3 eye brushes from their collections and they are all amazing...

Nanshy Blending Eyeshadow Brush - £5.95*

I am the kind of girl who believes you can never have enough blending brushes and this one is the perfect addition! Similar to the Mac 217 brush (but oh so much cheaper) I use this brush to really blend the colours together. It fits into the crease perfectly which makes it perfect to add just the right amount of depth to the eye and leaves you with a really natural look. The synthetic brushes wash really nice and remain just as soft once they've dried. This has become a staple in my makeup bag and I can't imagine being without it now.



Nanshy Eye Crease Brush - £5.95*

This is another wonder product for me! This brush I use for the outer v of my eye when i'm creating a smoky look. It applies just the right amount of product and still allows you to blend it nicely, getting rid of those harsh lines. I also use this to apply colour to the crease and then use the Blending Brush to blend it out. I love having lots of eye brushes when I'm making a big effort with my makeup as it's so much easier then having to spot clean the brushes each time you use them.

 Nanshy Precise Bent Eyeliner Brush - £5.95*

Hello life saver! Nope, i'm not exaggerating! If like me, you cannot create the perfect eyeliner flick then you need this brush in your life. The unusual shape makes it perfect for applying gel liner, I dip it in the pot, draw the flick and then draw the line across my lash line. Honestly, it's that simple. The length is perfect for a cute flick, I cannot rave about this enough. I love the shape and how easy it is to handle, perfect for all us shaky hand girls! If you take anything away from this review, please let it be that you have to buy this.

Nanshy Flat Face Brush - £9.95*

Again, i'm going with the notion that you can never have to many buffing brushes. This is slightly bigger and more dense than the Real Techniques Buffing Brush so I tend to use this when I want a more heavier coverage which lasts all day. This gives the most amazing coverage, it looks like you have a completely different skin. I tend to dab the foundation in to begin with and then start buffing it into the skin which gives that perfect finish. I love the look of these brushes too and i'm surprised with how clean they've stayed considering the white handle.

Nanshy Angled Round Face Brush - £9.95*

This brush is like nothing I currently own, hence why I chose it. It's a kind of buffing brush but with an angled head. At first I wasn't too sure how to use this but then I realised it's the perfect partner for cream bronzer. I simply apply the cream bronzer to my cheeks with my finger and blend it using this. The shape fits perfectly into the contours of my cheeks which means I can achieve perfect cheek bones in seconds (not!) I really love this brush and if you're a fan of contouring then i'd say you need this in your collection.

Have you ever tried Nanshy brushes? What are your current staple brushes?

xo

Hull Blogger Meet Up

I've finally been to my first meet up, wahoo! After blogging for over a year on the 22nd March I headed on down to the beautiful The English Muse in Hull to mingle with lots of other lovely blogging ladies. The English Muse is a little coffee shop situated down one of the more lively avenues in Hull, I'd never been before but it was absolutely stunning and the drinks were to die for! We took over the function room and I couldn't resist taking a few snaps of the lovely décor. I was pretty nervous before I arrived but I met Joanna at the door and we instantly hit it off.

We all had a little chat and then Charley (she organised everything and she did an amazing job of it, kudos to Charley!) handed out the goodie bags and raffle tickets. This was the best bit, we were all looking in our bags for a good ten minutes there was sooooo much stuff. We then chatted for a little longer, everything was so lovely and the conversation flowed for the two hours we were there. Next, we moved on to the raffle and the prizes were amazing! I managed to bag myself the Ren Over Night Serum which I was pretty darn happy with. I just want to say a massive thank you to Charley as I know she spent hours and hours organising this whole thing but trust me girl - it was definitely worth it.

After our chat in the wonderfully decorated function room the girls decided to head into town to do some shopping, unfortunately I wasn't feeling brilliant so I headed home to unleash my goodies and climb into bed watching Gossip Girl!

I'm so excited to go to more meet ups this year, all the girls were really lovely and I hope to see a lot more of them both in Hull and other events. It's so nice being in a room full of girls, who are all getting on and really understand me and share the same interests as me. If there are any more events happening in Hull or Leeds/Sheffield then let me know :)

xo

Seventeen Skin Wow Primer - 3 Way Highlighter || Review

Seventeen Skin Wow Primer - 3 Way Highlighter - £5.99

I'm a big primer fan and the drugstore have some pretty good ones that work for me. Seventeen have been bringing out some killer products at the minute, I actually posted a review of three of my favourite Seventeen new releases a few months ago. I bought this a couple of weeks ago (hauled here) and I've been using it everyday since.

I'm going to start by saying this looks awful when you first apply it. I use a teeny amount, about the size in the last picture and apply it to my t-zone. At a closer look, this looks like a glittery mess but once it's applied and blended it leaves the nicest highlight so please don't be put off. I started off by applying this first before my foundation but since then I've decided to mix it into my foundation and it leaves the nicest, dewiest look that lasts all day.

It's marketed as a "Glow and Prime" and it is exactly that. It leaves the skin with a natural looking glow and at the same time primes your face and keeps your makeup in place all day. It isn't sticky or tacky in the slightest and feels really hydrating on the skin. This doesn't cling to my dry patches of draw attention to my oily t-zone which I was really worried about. I've never tried anything like this before but i'm really happy I picked this up.

Have you tried this primer yet? What are you loving from Seventeen?
xo



EOS Strawberry Sorbet Lip Balm || Review

Eos Strawberry Sorbet Lip Balm - £2.40

What a beautiful ball of joy this is! I've seen Eos floating around the blogosphere for a while now and always wondered where in the UK you can buy them from. I've still never found them in the UK but I ordered mine for the bargain price of £2.40 from the wonderful site that is My Pretty Face Place. This is my second time ordering from them and I'm so happy with there service, considering you only pay around £5 shipping and it comes all the way from America my parcel was here in under 2 weeks!

I chose Strawberry Sorbet as I love anything strawberry scented and i'm not disappointed. The scent is super strong but not in the slightest bit off putting, it's good enough to eat. The scent transfers to the lips and lasts for a couple of hours which is a really nice trust. The ingredients boast Shea butter, Vitamin E and Jojaba Oil meaning that these lip balms are super moisturising and hydrating on the lips.

The packaging makes them perfect for traveling, the pink hardware is really sturdy so there's no need to worry about it cracking in your bag. I also love that you apply this straight to your lips alas Miley Cyrus! I hate lip balms that you apply with your finger as it's so unhygenic, especially if you're on the move.

Have you tried an Eos lip balm?
xo

March You Beauty Discovery Box || Review

The Vintage Cosmetics Company Tweezers (Full Size) RRP: £8

I received my second You Beauty Discovery Box earlier this month and again i'm really happy with the products. Firstly, my added extras were brilliantly. I gave the Dragonfly Tea to my boyfriend as i'm not a tea drinker but the Vintage Cosmetics Tweezers are lovely. I've never owned a branded pair of tweezers before and I honestly think the difference is incredible. These grab the hairs so easily and remove them pretty much pain free, I would definitely pay for these so i'm very happy to get them in this months box. 

The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter (Full Size) RRP: £12

The first product I chose was the Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter which is actually a balm FYI. I've been wanting to try a cleansing balm for ages but they are actually quite expensive (this retails for £12). I've only used this a few times so I can't give you too much of a review just yet but it seems really nice. The product is quite hard in the tub so I break a bit of, melt it in my fingers and then apply it to the face. It does a pretty good job and taking off the remainder of my makeup off, especially gel liner! I've also just bought the Body Shop Seaweed Exfoliator (I hauled it here) and i'm really enjoying that too.

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips (Full Size) RRP : £11.50

Finally, a product that has major hype in the blogging world Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips. I haven't tried this yet but I've heard so many wonderful things about this that i'm sure i'll love it. I get quite dry lips so i'm sure this is going to be the perfect addition to my night time skin care routine. You can also use it on other areas of your body as the name suggests but I think i'll stick to using it on my lips or my hands!

Overall, this box is really worth it. The products I chose add up to £23.50 alone, plus the prize of the tea and the tweezers and I only paid £6.95 including P&P. I'd really recommend this beauty box to anyone, it's simple, fuss free and the product choices are always amazing.

xo

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ || Review

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ - £15.50*

La Roche Posay is a brand i'm sure you are all familiar with. We've all seen the rave reviews on the originial Effaclar Duo and now I bring to you, the even more hyped up Effaclar Duo +. With an added ingrediant which targets dreaded acne scarring you can see why there's all the fuss.

I've never tried Effaclar Duo so I jumped at the chance to review its slightly better sister product. Although my skin often breaks out, i'm not prone to scarring but what I hoped this product would do was speed up the healing process and once the spot had 'gone' so would the angry red skin that I often get left with. I've been using this for over a month now (it arrived on Valentines Day, what a treat) and unfortunately I have seen little to no improvements in my skin. I am putting it down to my weird skin type though because I've seen plenty of reviews of this and the before and after pictures are wonderful.

Whilst this didn't improve my skin (sigh) it does make for a really nice makeup base! I like applying this in the morning as I really think it helps my makeup stay put so I will continue to use this but maybe I won't be repurchasing it in the future. I am tempted to by the original Effaclar Duo but i'm pretty sceptical that La Roche Posay and I just don't get along. I bought the Effaclar K early last year and again saw no difference in my skin.

Have you tried the Effaclar Duo+? Do you think there is much difference from the original? Escentual also currently have a third off French Pharmacy brands too, making this £10!
xo

A Skincare Experiment

If you asked me six months ago what skincare products I used, i'd have looked at you blankly and replied 'face wipes?' Yes, I can hear you all gasping at the thought but before I started beauty blogging I really didn't see the need to spend 10 minutes in the bathroom prepping my face for sleeping. However, that's all changed and I now have shelves, bags and drawers full of beauty products that I slather on my face morning and night.

That being said, my skin still has breakouts and as much as I enjoy and look forward to taking my make up off I'm not quite sure it's made a massive difference to my skin. The lovely Joanna did this wonderful guest post on my blog about why she doesn't swear by skincare and it really got me thinking, is it worth it? I spend lots of £££ each month on new skincare, in the hope that my skin will return to it's blemish free appearance and each month i'm left disappointed.

The post has had a brilliant response and so for the sake of beauty bloggers everywhere I've decided to undertake a mini experiment. For one whole month i'm going to cut my skin care down to two steps (okay, maybe three). I'll be taking off my makeup, moisturising and climbing straight into my bed. Serums, oils and toners will be a thing of the past and instead i'll be embracing warm water and face flannels and maybe good old fashioned face wipes (cue shrieks of horror)!

I'll be keeping you updated on my skincare quest throughout the month, i'm hoping i'll uncover some wonderful secret but i'm sceptical if i'm honest. Let me know your thoughts on skincare and if you decide to join me then let me know, maybe we can swap tips for a simple skincare routine!

xo

Beauty Battle 03 || Cream Blush

Illamasqua Cream Blush in Rude - £18.00, Topshop Cream Blush in Morning Dew - £7.00 and Mua Cream Blush in Bittersweet - £2.00

I'm a big fan of blushers and my newest addiction is those of the cream variety. These are perfect Spring colours and I can't wait to start wearing them more now that it's finally starting to get a bit warmer and the sun is shining. Apologise for the usage in the pictures, damn you Real Techniques Stippling Brush for creating holes in all my cream products. All the colours are pretty similar, natural peachy tones except for the Mua blush however there is a huge difference in price.

 Illamasqua Cream Blush in Rude
I featured this blush in my Three Brands Three Favourites post it's such a gorgeous peachy, pink neutral colour that is perfect for all year round. I've loved wearing this in the winter to give me a rosy glow and i'm going to love it equally in the spring I'm sure. I love that this blusher stays in place all day as some cream products tend to slip and slide all over the face. I do team this with a primer though to make doubly sure i'm covered. I apply this with a Stippling Brush and then blend it on to the apples of my cheeks. It blends so easily and you can never apply to much, especially because the stippling brush picks up just the right amount of product. I'd definitely recommend these simply for the staying power. 

Topshop Cream Blush in Morning Dew
Okay, it's official. I'm in love with Topshop packaging! But I am also in love with the product. This cream blush is a similar shade to the Illamasqua one so it's going to come in perfect in the warmer weather. I love how pigmented Topshop cream blushes are but again they don't ever end up looking like you've gone a bit OTT. They blend perfectly when applied in the same way as the Illamasqua ones. This shade really compliments a strong contour as it's quite a natural tone, I love teaming this with my Sleek Contour Kit. These apply like a cream blush but dry to a more powder finish which means they are pretty long lasting, I wouldn't say they last as long as the Illamasqua ones but you get what you pay for.

Mua Cream Blush in Bittersweet
Now we come to the cheapest of all the cream blushers and my least favourite unfortunately. I find these really super pigmented (most of the Mua range is) however the staying power of these cream blushes is not brilliant. They apply quite wet and stay on your cheeks in a similar texture meaning they slide off at any sign of warmth. That being said, the colours look really lovely and bright. The packaging is also pretty rubbish, the hinges on the lid have broken and the product itself slides all over meaning that hygiene goes out of the window with this. I tend to apply this with my fingers as it's so wet that it needs some firm blending but it does leave a nice finish once it's applied.


Left to Right - Mua Cream Blush in Bittersweet, Illamasqua Cream Blush in Rude, Topshop Cream Blush in Morning Dew.

All in all I think you get what you pay for with cream blushers, if you're looking for something that lasts all day then i'd definitely be recommending the Illamasqua version. For a cheaper alternative that might need a touch up mid-day but leaves the same finish and has the nicest selection of colours then the Topshop product is for you. However if you're looking to experiment than for £2 you should try the Mua blusher but don't let them put you off if you find it hard to work with.

Have you tried these cream blushes before? What's your favourite cream blush?
xo

Drug Store Haul

Whilst I was in Manchester I decided to do some drug store shopping and here is the results! I didn't go crazy but considering I had a huge spree in the Selfridges Beauty Hall, I didn't do to badly.

Firstly I took advantage of the Boots 3 for 2 (again) and picked up the Seventeen Skin Highlighting Primer, this is always sold out so i'm hoping that there's a reason for that. I then also headed along to the Sleek contour, I got a little excited because i'd never seen one in Boots before and I picked up the Pout Polish in Pink Cadillac and the Eau La La Liner in Dragon Fruit the colour is gorgeous and will go with so many lipsticks I already own.

I then popped in to Topshop and found this bargain Lipstick and Blusher set for £7.80 (with 10% student discount). I've bought one of these sets before and loved them so I was so excited when I saw another one, the blusher is in Morning Dew and the lipstick is Rio Rio. The packaging of Topshop make up is so beautiful, it looks so nice in my Muji Drawers.

On to skincare now and I only bought two things but one of them I've wanted for ages. I'm a big lover of Lush and their bath bombs, I've also been using their Tea Tree Toner water for so long and love it so I decided to delve deeper into their skin care. Grease Lightening is a spot treatment that I've heard lots about. I've been meaning to buy it for so long that when I saw it in Manchester, I added to my basket straight away. Finally, I hardly ever go in The Body Shop but those pesky 3 for 2 on skin care signs drew me in. I've heard a lot about the Seaweed range and this Pore Cleansing Exfoliator really stood out to me. I have a shortage on exfoliators (honestly) so I decided to give this a try and hopefully my skin will be looking glowing in no time!

Have you tried any of these?
xo

A Gift For Mothers Day ft Daisy by Marc Jacobs Gift Set || Review

Daisy by Marc Jacobs Gift Set - £44.99*

If like me you always struggle with Mother's Day, you need to get yourself on Fragrance Direct asap (after you've read this, obviously!) My mums birthday always falls around Mother's Day meaning that I literally have no idea what to buy her, seeing as Christmas has just been however I'm a firm believer in buying fragrances as a gift. I love receiving perfume as presents as it's so much nicer than splashing out £40+ yourself.

Different perfumes hold different memories for me, I often associate memories with smells. For instance whenever I wear Britney Spears Circus Fantasy I instantly think of being on holiday. What nicer present can you buy for your mum than something which could hold precious memories for years to come and at the same time making her feel special and smelling good. Now let's get on with the scent...

Marc Jacobs Daisy is a scent I've heard so much about but never tried. It was the first scent created by Marc Jacobs and is one of the most popular of his scents. It combines a mix of fruits, such as strawberries and grapefruits alongside vanilla and musks to create a beautiful scent which lingers on the skin all day. Although there is a floral hint to the perfume, it is also very sensual and perfect for both day and night. I'd say Daisy would be perfect for all ages because of the floral yet sexy scent meaning that you can definitely pinch a few squirts after your mum has opened it!

The gift set is also the perfect option for a gift as it adds a little something to an 'ordinary' present. This box features a 50ml bottle of Daisy perfume plus a bottle of 75ml Shower Gel and 75ml Body Lotion which means you get great value for money. Both the shower gel and body lotion have the Daisy scent and they stay on the skin forever! They are super moisturising and really hydrate the skin, something which I don't often find with products from gift sets.

Go on and treat your mum, if she's anything like mine then she thoroughly deserves it!
xo

What I Got For My 21st - Beauty Edit

So i'm finally 21, yeyy! For those of you who don't follow me on Twitter I turned 21 on Wednesday and celebrated by going shopping and staying over in Manchester with my boyfriend. The majority of this makeup was bought by my hugely generous boyfriend whilst we were in Manchester and my lovely sister also bought me some bits too. My mum and dad also bought me a new laptop which i'm currently blogging from, my old one was on its lasts legs so i'm hugely grateful for a new one.




Firstly, my sister bought me the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette and Mac Shy Girl lipstick. These were complete surprises but the sneaky sausage had been reading my blog so knew exactly what I wanted. The Naked 2 Palette is just as beautiful as the other and i'm so glad I have the full collection now. Shy Girl is a beautiful nudey coral which is a shade I've wanted for ages, I even said it was going to be my next purchase in my Mac Lipstick Collection Post.

Moving on to the bits from my boyfriend... I asked him for the Naked Palette and was lucky enough to receive this wrapped up on my birthday. I love all the shades in this palette, they are all so wearable and I know i'm going to get a lot of use out of it. Next up is another Mac lipstick, this time in Angel which is an every day nudey pink, again it's a shade i'll be able to wear all the time. I've been lusting after Nars Sheer Glow for some time but the nearest counter from me is Leeds so my loveliest boyfriend took this opportunity to buy it for me. I've only worn it a couple of times but I love it already, my boyfriend can also see a difference which proves how good it is! Sticking with the lipstick theme, I also lucky enough to receive a YSL Glossy Stain in the shade Violine Out Of Control. Because of the £25 price tag, I wanted something completely different to the lipsticks I currently own so Curtis choose this lovely lilac shade which really compliments my skin tone. Finally, I knew I wanted this ever since Charlotte recommended it to me when I first ever started talking to her. I saw the Guerlain Maxi Lash mascara, tried it in Selfridges and fell in love with it. It gives the perfect mixture of length and volume without ever looking clumping, i'd totally recommend it to anyone!

Finally I bought myself a little treat using my Boots points and picked up the Origins Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask. I've heard so may good things about Origins yet never tried anything myself so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. At £22 it is expensive for a face mask but my skin has been terrible lately so I thought why not try it. I haven't used this yet but i'll definitely be reviewing it soon.

xo

3 Brands 3 Favourites || Tag

My lovely friend Paige created this amazing tag a couple of weeks ago and I've been waiting to post this forever. Basically you choose three brands that you love and then pick three products from them to talk about, you can see Paige's choices here. I've chosen two high end brands and one from the drugstore so hopefully there's something for everyone.

Mac

Eyeshadow
I have a bit of an addiction to eyeshadows at the minute and Mac have the nicest selection of shades and finishes I have ever seen. I could literally spend hours swatching the colours and dreaming of owning them all. At the minute I have one quad and two single shades but that will definitely be changing soon. They have the perfect mixture of brights and neutrals that make it so hard to choose. They blend super easily, making them perfect for creating a smoky eye. At £10 in the pan or £12.50 for packaging, these aren't the cheapest of eyeshadows but they really are worth it.
Lipsticks
I bought my very first Mac lipstick almost a year ago and I fell in love, I now have seven in my collection and love them all dearly (you can see my collection here). There is nothing better than getting ready and finishing off your look with a beautiful lipstick that has a gorgeous finish and stays on the lips! I have a variety of finishes and really can't decide which I prefer as they are all so lovely. I decided to buy colours that are different from each other as £15 is a lot of money to spend on lipsticks that look identical. The packaging is pretty darn iconic too, they are instantly recognisable.
Mineralise Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle
I received this beautiful product for Christmas, we should take a minute to appreciate how pretty it looks... I use this as a highlighter on the cheek bones mainly but I do like to give my face a slight powder with this, especially if i'm going out for the night. The finish is perfect for a highlighter, it isn't too shimmery yet it still gives that 'glow' that really lifts the face. It's a gorgeous pink champagne colour although it isn't obvious on the skin. You literally need a tiny amount, I don't think i'll ever hit pan on this so it really is worth the price.


Illamasqua

Lipsticks
I'm a big fan of Illamasqua lipsticks, there shade range is beautiful and they look absolutely beautiful on the lips. At £16.50 they are slightly more expensive than Mac lipsticks (RRP: £15) but they are totally worth it. Both the colours I own are super pigmented, even the nude shade Test. The lipsticks have different finishes too, meaning they are perfect for every type of occasion. I have Immodest which is a bright Barbie pink with a matt finish and although it does cling to dry parts, a thick lip balm underneath sorts it right out. I definitely have my eye on the new Glamore collection, so expect a haul post soon.
Blusher
Whenever I buy high end makeup I always over look blushers. I have tonnes of drug store blushers and only a few higher end however the Illamasqua cream blusher in Rude is so beautiful. It's a gorgeous matt pink shade which blends like a dream. As with the lipstick, the colour is super pigmented and lasts all day, something which never happens with drug store blushers. My next purchase will definitely be the Powder Blusher in Katie, a gorgeous pale pink shade which suits my skin tone perfectly.
Cream Pigment
A purchase enabled by Charlotte, surprise surpise! I decided to buy the Cream Pigment in the shade Hollow as i'd seen so many reviews of it being used as a contour for pale girls. I literally love this, I've struggled so long with finding the right product to contour with and i'm pretty sure this is the one! Again, it's so easy to blend and leaves the nicest 'shadow' under the cheek bone. On a night out I start by applying this and then go over it using the Sleek Contour Kit for extra definition.

Mua

Undress Your Skin Highlighter
Another powder highlighter? Yes, I do have a problem. However, this one did cost me all of £3. Realistically I could buy 7 of these instead of one Soft & Gentle but where is the fun in that. Anyway, this is a lovely pinky highlight that blends on to the cheek bones and brow bone. This is slightly more shimmery than the Mac one so it makes it perfect for nights out etc. The design is also really lovely too, I love the swirly pattern.
Lipsticks
So I know I've featured lipsticks in all of these but I buy lipsticks like there's no tomorrow. The difference with these lipsticks is they are £1, yes you read it correctly £1! The colour range is brilliant and they honestly last for so long. They have both normal finishes which are pretty moisturising and super pigmented as well as a matte range which I am yet to try. These are the perfect items for any lipstick beginner and they should honestly be an essential in any beauty lovers collection.
Nail Varnish
Another £1 bargain from MUA and these come in the form of Essie-esque nail varnishes. The colour range of these is brilliant, they have so many dupes for famous Essie shades but 6 times cheaper. Although they don't last for too long, for £1 I don't really mind. I have so many of them I like to change my nail varnish every other day anyway. The brush is quite big considering the size of the bottle and coats the full nail. The lighter shades also need a few more coats so I tend to save these for pamper nights when I know I have a bit of time to paint them.

What three brands do you love? Do you love any of the same products as me?
xo

Why I Don't Swear By Skincare || Guest Post

Image Source

Hello lovely readers! As I’m sure you’re aware if you regularly browse studentstylexo, Megan is away this week for her birthday and asked for some volunteers to write a few guest posts. I’m always eager to help out fellow bloggers, and I love surfing Megan’s site, so I didn’t hesitate to ask if I could be involved! If you fancy a read of my blog, I’m over at http://simplyredhead.com. I write about anything that takes my fancy, but focus on beauty, fashion and theatre reviews, with the occasional recipe post! Why theatre, you ask? Well, I’m studying drama at uni so I love going to see plays. Although I mainly read beauty/fashion blogs (and have a slight makeup/clothes addiction), I really wanted to share my love for theatre with readers when I started my own blog! So I mix it up and try to write about a variety of things that interest me.

 Anyway, what I want to chat about with you all today is skincare. I’m going to introduce a somewhat controversial opinion: I don't rate skincare that highly. Oh god, is that the sound of all of Megan’s readers clicking the little red x at the top of the screen? Just hear me out. I am by no means an expert  (i.e. I don't really know what I'm talking about), but I do know what works for my skin, and using a whole bunch of different products on it just… doesn’t. I must admit I'm also a bit of a sceptic, and I tend to think that companies are telling us all the buzzwords we want to hear when in actuality there isn’t a massive difference between many of the skincare products available.

Here's my motto when it comes to my skin: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. For years, my skin was perfectly fine with absolutely no skincare routine at all. My issue was that if I put too many products on my skin the result was a major breakout, so I stayed clear from almost all skincare. It’s only recently that I’ve noticed I’m starting to really suffer from dryness and sensitivity (I think it has a lot to do with the weather), so I popped into the local drugstore to buy some products targeted at dry skin. I came skipping back with my first serum/oil in the form of The Body Shop's creatively named Serum-in-Oil, and some other moisturising products for my face. Don't get me wrong, they have really done their job and I'm thrilled with them. However, I won't be rushing out in a hurry to buy a massive array of face creams, waters, elixirs and gels. I just don't think they're necessary for my skin, and I don't like the thought of having products on it 24/7.

I like giving my face some breathing space. In the summer, I rarely wear any makeup, especially if I'm on holiday. I tend to get my eyelashes dyed, as it's not too pricey and lasts for a while, which means I don't need to bother with mascara, and that means I’m good to go and jump in the pool any time of day (which, let’s face it, is all you need to worry about on holiday). Another reason I wear less makeup in a particularly hot climate is that I have to put at least SPF30 on my face (if you didn't know, I'm a redhead), so there is really no point in slapping on makeup as it will quickly get ruined by the heavy, greasy texture that is most high-SPF sun creams.

However, I must say that although I don’t rely on skincare that much, the thing I always do without fail is remove my makeup. Some of my friends often sleep in their makeup after a night out (and fair play to them because their skin is flawless), but I can't lie in bed and go to sleep if I know I've still got my slap on. It just makes me feel icky – anyone else get that?

So, my skincare essentials are a good cleanser and a couple of moisturising products (at the moment I’m loving my Korres Wild Rose 24-Hour Moisturizing & Brightening Cream and the afore-mentioned Serum-In-Oil). Otherwise, I go by what my skin is telling me it needs. Don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to tell everyone they should abolish their skincare routines! Do what works for your skin. But if you think maybe it would still look fresh without using every product, then why not try missing one out for an evening and see what happens? You never know, you might end up loving the result!

xo

 

Avon Lipstick Review & Swatches - Guest Post

Hello, Megan needed some guest bloggers on her blog as she was going away for her 21st and I volunteered as she would do the same for me and its something new. Be sure to check out my blog here on http://blushingbeauty9.wordpress.com/ were you will find my Twitter, Pinterest and Bloglovin.

My nan gave me this lipstick after she ordered the wrong shade which I thought I wouldn't even use knowing me, but I finally gave it a go.
I have used Avon lipsticks before and I quite like the consistency and the way it looks, the colour was also very bright but coral as well as it fits in with spring. On my lips it applied very well, not to drying but not sticky either like a gloss. On my lips I really liked the colour because it wasn't exactly neon or anything but it was bright enough to stand out. I personally don't love bright colours so I attempted to tone it down a little bit with a clear lip gloss which looked great too.

Overall during the winter I don't think this will be using this a lot but in the spring it will be a great coral colour to wear with a jumper and jeans. Its not drying like I thought it would be, so I do love this lipstick and would give it a 6/10.

Thankyou for reading and don't forget to check out all my social networkings over on Wordpress xo

February Beauty Favourites

Another month go and a whole lot of new products i'm loving yet again. All of these are new products (whoops) that i've collected from January and early February, they are all drug store though so I don't feel too guilty.

Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Afternoon Tea & Soap & Glory Kickass Concealer

Let's start with makeup! Firstly, I have been loving Tanya Burr's Lipglosses I have two shades (you can see my review here) but i've been wearing Afternoon Tea the most as it's a simple pinky nude that looks gorgeous over most nude lip colours. I love the smell of these, they remind me of strawberry chewits! Next, is something I featured in my Drug Store Wishlist post and it's the Soap and Glory Kickass Concealer. Everyone beauty blogger and their dog raves about this. I love the two different shades, one for under the eyes and one for redness and blemishes, it's such a handy little travel friendly product. It also comes with a setting powder too which is perfect for under the eyes.

VO5 Heat Protect Styling Spray

This isn't a new discovery for me but it is a repurchase, which shows how much I love this. I went nearly a year last year without using heat on my hair but then I received my lovely GHD's for christmas and my Enrapture Totem Styler for Valentines day so i'm afraid my hair has taken a bit of frazzling. I use this every time I blow dry, straighten or curl my hair and it's stopped the ends from splitting and becoming frizzy. I love the Vo5 products and they are super cheap, their always on offer in Boots and Asda so keep an eye out.

Models Own Utopia Nail Varnish and Flat Top Concealer Brush

Moving on to beauty accessories... So I hate to admit but I'd never owned any Models Own nail polishes before! I know, crazy isn't it? So when I saw that they were offering 50% off I made a little order. 5 polishes later and I think i've found my favourite, EVER! Utopia is a gorgeous gray, lilac colour that is just perfect. I urge anyone to try this and not fall in love, i'm looking forward to trying the other 4 I purchased too. Next is a makeup brush that cost a grand total of...99p! Got to love an Ebay bargain and this is certainly that. I use this for blending in concealer under my eyes and on blemishes, it leaves the nicest finish and never leaves a cakey look. It also washes really well too, i'm definitely going to be ordering a few more for my collection.

Boots Botanics Hydrating Night Cream

Finally another product that I featured in my drug store wishlist post. My night cream was running out and i'd heard so much about this range that I took full advantage of the 2 for £6 offer at Boots. This is the perfect texture for a night cream, creamy and thick but not sticky and oily. The smell is quite herbal but not particularly strong and it doesn't stick around for ages. I use this in conjunction with the Boots Botanics Hydrating Day Cream and I have to say I've found my skin to be brighter and more hydrated which I didn't expect for £3 each. I'm definitely going to be trying more from this range.

What have you been loving this month?

xo