My Past Week in Lipsticks #10

Lipsticks are one of my favourite things! The shades, formulations, packaging and the way it put the whole makeup look together. I am definitely a lipstick collector and I do love to spend my money or purchasing some more expensive lipsticks.

Monday
Charlotte Tilbury is one of my favourite brands, the formulations are so nice and gorgeous shades.  I do own a few of her shades, maybe my personal favourite is Charlotte Tilbury 'English Beauty' Lipstick. The shade is a lovely pinky nude for every day, on Monday's I have a full day in the labs at uni and it lasts a long time and not drying at all.


Tuesday 
I do love a pinky gloss especially in spring, the weather has started to get warmer and sunny. So I fancied a pinky gloss, my go-to is the Benefit Dandelion Lipgloss. The formulation and shade are really nice and as it's a mini it's great for your handbag. 


Wednesday
Wednesday was a rather lazy day, therefore I wore a very simple light makeup look. Therefore my lipstick of chose was NYR Persimmon Lipstick, it's a gorgeous nude which goes with most looks. The formulation is also lovely. 


Thursday 
Thursday was Valentine's day, as I don't have a Valentines it became Galentine's Day, therefore I applied a full face as I had a meal with some of my closest friends. MAC x PatrickStarrr Lipstick 'Spank Me Santa' has been one of my favourite lipsticks at the moment as it's fairly new so I'm wearing it quite a lot at the moment!


Friday
One of my favourite lipsticks of all time is the MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick, the shade and formulation. Friday I travelled to London to see my friend, therefore,  I wanted to wear comfortable lipstick which looked lovely. And I had worn it in a while so fancied wearing it again!


Saturday
Saturday was a busy London day, a lipstick which is gorgeous and long-wearing was key.  Charlotte Tilbury Miss Kensington is a personal favourite, it really compliments my skin shade and tone as well as my eye look of chose. The eye look I wore was a brown smokey eye with some sparkle on the lid. This lipstick complimented the look really well!


Sunday 
Lazy days do mean simple makeup,  Clinique Chubby Stick in Super Strawberry is a moisuturing red shade which is so pretty. The chubby stick contains vitamin E, therefore, makes my lips nice and soft especially when travelling!   

Hope you like this post and have a lovely week!

Please follow and comment on your favourite lipsticks.

Sarah X

For The Love Of Minis

Tomorrow is Valentines Day, but as I'm single it will more like Galentine's Day. But in today's post, I wanted to talk about my love for minis. I was lucky enough to have the M&S Beauty Calendar as well as the Dermologica 12 days of Christmas calendar* which meant that I gained a lot of new minis. In today's post, I wanted to share a new of my fave minis that I would love to purchase the full sized one day.

Pixi beauty is always a brand I would like to try, so I was so pleased when the M&S calendar contained the Pixi Rose Tonic Toner. For a start the packaging is gorgeous and the colour of the product. Toner is something that never used to be part of my routine, but since trying a few toners I love the difference it has made to my skin.  I have naturally red skin and helps to tone the redness as well as refresh my skin. 

Another toner I really like is the Dermologica Multi-Active Toner*, the plus point for this toner is the spray part of it. A few sprays create a refreshing mist on the skin which makes your skin so soft as it contains extracts of arnica and cucumber. Especially after using it with other Dermoloigca products, I sometimes use it day and night but mainly at night. 

 I love do love a good night cream, that makes your skin so soft in the morning. Ren Revitalising Night Cream is a refreshing night cream with anti ageing properties. A small pump of this is enough for the whole face and helped me a lot of the cold winter days. As over the cold, my skin got quite dry and red especially when I was ill, so this was so refreshing as it includes Vitamin C, Frankincense Oil and Wheatgerm.

The purple sparkle packaging of the Prai Anti Ageing Cream is lovely to start with. Technically I'm not fully sure on the anti-ageing properties as I'm a teen my skin isn't that wrinkled. However, it has helped with any decolourisation as it has a blend of  Mulberry, Saxifrage and Grapeseed Extracts. As well as moisturising the skin with the PRAI oil, Shea Butter and Hyaluronic acid.

I've heard a lot about pillow sprays and how beneficial they can be if you can't get to sleep. So when I saw  Deep Sleep Pillow Spray was in the calendar I couldn't wait to try. As a uni student, it can be sometimes hard to switch off, as every day is quite busy with lectures and work as well as meeting friends. So sleep is a need, therefore this has come so handy for the nights where I'm struggling to fall asleep.

Last but no means less the Dermologica Sound Sleep Cacoon*, I only use this on special occasions, on pampering evenings as the final step. The Sound Sleep Cacoon contains lavender essential oil is supposed to help your sleep. The smell reminds of a spa with the lavender, which makes it feel so luxourious. The cream also is so rich and moisturising as its a gel to cream formulation, therefore, leaves your skin so soft in the morning. 

These are a few of my favourites, some of the other minis I love are; the mini MAC mascara that comes free with purchases, mini Bobbi Brown moisturiser, L'Occitane body moisturiser and so many more...

I hope you like this post and it would be amazing if you could comment on your favourite minis.

I hope you have a lovely Valentine's Day whatever you are doing.

Sarah X

First Impression: Anastasia Beverly Hill Contour Kit

I do love a bargain, or especially when makeup I've always wanted to try is on special offer. I have always wanted to try the Anastasia Beverly Hill Contour Kit, and it can be seen as a small investment piece in your makeup collection from the drugstore. So previously I have been looking for good dupes, like the NYX Pro Contour Palette. But last week I saw on Facebook an ad that Anastasia Beverly Hill Contour Kits were half price so £21 instead of £42. So the Light Medium palette was very quickly in my basket!
The palette arrived on Friday, so I have the weekend to test and try it so I wanted to share my first impressions.

Firstly, I do have to admit the palette pans were slightly smaller than expected to when I first opened it. However the pans are fairly deep, so hopefully will last a long time. On the other hand, I do like the packaging, that isn't cheap plastic which will easily break. So hopefully it would be more long lasting and I'm not getting rid of it because of the packaging which has happened to previous products.

The palette contains 6 shades, 3 base powders and 3 bronzers/contours; 
Sand - Soft beige powder 
Vanilla - Peachy banana nude 
Banana - Warm nude 
Java - Soft mocha 
Fawn - Toffee nude 
Havana - Coffee brown 

The 'Vanilla' shade is lovely to brighten under the eyes, as it has a slight banana hint, therefore, counteracts the darkness under your eyes. And as I'm a student I usually have quite bad under eye circles. Then for the rest of my face, I used a mixture of 'Sand', 'Vanilla' and 'Banana' to mattify my face. I do love the formulation of the powders as they are so fine.

Then to sculpt my face, which is one of my favourite part of my makeup I think. I used a mixture of 'Java' and 'Fawn' to create a natural, bronze sculpted look. The formulation is also fine and doesn't move the foundation underneath. As one of my pet peeves is when your foundation moves and goes all patchy when applying powders on top.

Overall I'm so happy I purchased the Anastasia Beverly Hill Contour Kit and it's amazing as I thought it would be!!! I'm looking forward to trying a lot more, probably be in some monthly favourite to come ;)

If you love ABH, check their website as they have 50% off there lip palette this week!

I hope you like this post and have a lovely week!

Please follow and comment if you have tried this palette or what your favourite contour kit is?

Sarah X

My February Goals 2019

Technically it's already a week into February but it's never too late to set small goals to make the most of out of the month. January always seems a drag and definitely seems to last more than 31 days. But February is short and sweet and I love to set small manageable goals. Especially as February isn't too eventful apart from a week home and visiting some friends.

1) Healthier Routine!
This can mean a lot of things! Eating healthier, drinking more water as well as better work and fun balance.  Over the festive period, I definitely think I put on weight due to saying in quite a lot of time and a lot of food was consumed (and drink!) ;).  So this month, I would love to start a good exercise routine as well as creating healthy meals. A healthy body is nice but being mentally healthy is fairly important. January can be quite a dull month, which can affect your mood. Therefore a good life balance as well as being positive and not stressed is hopefully going to help.

2) Blog
Well, this is the first time I've written 3 posts in a week since September. I love blogging, it's my little corner of the internet where I write about makeup and all things beauty. I also so nice to chat with other bloggers who have similar interests and I would love to meet some blogging friends one day. So this month I would love to write more blog posts (in-between assessment of course, just thought I would put that in there just in case my mother is reading this!). I also want to improve my photography and more than doing flatlays as well as comment on more bloggers posts and photos.

3) Read a Book
This is quite a simple one, but something I probably should do! For a few years now, I've been more of a magazine reader with a few fashion books as well. So this month my challenge is to read a fiction book,  I tempted to pick up and read one of Carrie Hope Fletchers book. But please comment on your favourite book that I should read as I would love some recommendations?

4) Treasure Every Moment
This past month there have been a few events that would make you want to treasure memories with everyone you care about.  Which is one of many reasons I'm excited to go back home for a few days to see family, friends and my cats!

I hope you are having a lovely February at the moment and hope the rest of your month is great!

Hope you like this post and I would love to know some of your February goals!

Sarah X

My Everyday Makeup Routine February 2019

Hello! For the first time this year I'm writing my everyday makeup routine as well as writing more than one post in a week ;)! I love makeup and I may have a lot of it - perhaps too much in some peoples opinion but you can never have too much?! But posts about makeup routines shows that makeup you actually use and whether its change throughout the year.

Brows and Eyes

My current brow product of choice is the Rimmel Powder Duo in 002 Medium Brown. Personally, I prefer powder brow products as it's what I'm used to using and applying. The powder duo contains a light brown powder as well as a slightly darker brown wax. The mixture of both powders creates the perfect brow shade for me.

For my eyes, at the moment I'm going for rather neutral nude eyes so I always seem to go back to my trusty Urban Decay Naked Palette. The palette has a gorgeous array of everyday shades, my favourite combination has to be 'Sin' and 'Buck'. This creates a lovely pinky neutral eye which is a go-to for me! Then for mascara, I go to my favourite Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara for full, long lashes

Face

To neaten up by eye look as well as create a blank canvas, I'm using the Revlon Colourstay Foundation in Ivory. It's a lovely full coverage foundation which lasts all day, the formulation coverages any redness or blemishes I have. To add any extra coverage I use the Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer for my under eye circles. Or any blemishes I use Revolution Concealer and Define Concealer. Then to set all the concealer under my eyes I use the yellow toned powder in the NYX Contour Kit. Then for the rest of my face, I use a mixture of the 3 powder shades in the palette. For contour and bronzer, I use a mixture of the first 3 bronze shades in the NYX Contour Kit. To add some shape and sculpt back into my face. Finally, to finish my face, I'm going to add some glow back into my face I use 'Ice Queen' shade again from the NYX palette for the top of my cheeks as well as the brow bone and inner eye corners.

Lips 

One of my favourite parts of doing my makeup is lips! I do own quite a lot of lipsticks so a lot of choices! So at the moment, I'm rotating between MAC x PatrickStarrr lipstick and CT Miss Kensington lipstick. Both have amazing formulations and pigmentations, perfect for everyday wear.

Hope you are having a lovely day and I hope you like this post!

Please comment on what your go-to products have been the past month or so!

Sarah X

MAC x Patrick Starrr 'Spank Me Santa' Lipstick

One of my favourite things to do in my free time is to watch makeup gurus do makeup tutorials, one of my favourites is Patrick Starrr. Christmas 2017 Patrick Starrr announced his first MAC collab and he had more collections last year with his last collection being for Christmas 2018.  I love all of his collections from last year, but my favourite was his last collection for Christmas with the red packaging and the shade collection. MAC is also one of my favourite makeup brands, as it's great quality for the price and it's a good medium between the drugstore and the high end makeup.
 So with some of my Christmas money, I picked up the MAC x Patrick Starrr 'Spank Me Santa' Lipstick.

To start with the packaging of the MAC x Patrick Starrr 'Spank Me Santa' Lipstick is AMAZING!!!! With the red glitter making it feel very festive and pretty. And as the lipstick is red it spots out in my collection. I love the fact it also has Patrick Starrr signature to make unique to his collection. 

On the MAC website 'Spank Me Santa' lipstick is referred to as a dirty rose shade. I best describe the shade as a brown toned pink; to be honest, it was a lot darker toned than I thought it would be. But I still love it, the shade does compliment my skin tone and I love it with a neutral eye.

The formulation is the MAC traditional matte, long lasting and high pigmented. So you only have to put a thin layer to get the full pigment.

 So overall I'm so happy I purchased the MAC x Patrick Starrr 'Spank Me Santa' Lipstick, gorgeous lipstick especillay over the winter period.

Hope you have a lovely week!

Please comment your favourite MAC lipstick!

Sarah X