July Favourites

July is always a good month for me, there’s amazing weather, lots of nights out, outdoor concerts and the most important day of the year – my birthday.

 

Starting off with my number one favourite from this month and a birthday present from my boyfriend we have the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop created by my favourite Youtuber Jaclyn Hill. I am so in love with this highlighter, I’ve never tried any other powder highlighter that gives the same glow. It’s a perfect peachy gold that suits all skin tones. I think every beauty blogger I follow has bought one at this stage and haven’t seen or heard one bad review. It costs $38 and is only available from Sephora, if you can get your hands on it you will not be disappointed.

About two months ago I got a really bad dose of chicken pox. I got a few on my eye brow which resulted in scarring and some eyebrow hair falling out. I get my brows done at Elysian Brow and they recommended using an oil to stimulate hair growth. Around the same time I was sent some brow products from Eylure, among the bits I was sent was their Nourishing Brow Oil. I’ve used it nearly every night since I got it and have seen some major results. My brow hair has started to grow back where it had fallen out which I’m so relieved by. I’ve also been trying to grow the front part of my brow after an overzealous eyebrow lady a few years ago hacked away at them and have seen results there as well. If you’re trying to grow out your brows then I would definitely give this ago, its €11.99 and for all the times I’ve used it there is hardly a dent in it.

 

I bought the original Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Sephora last year and when my boyfriend was ordering the Jaclyn Hill highlighter I got him to throw in a few more beauty bits for me including the Agave Lip Mask in Champagne. I wear the Original Lip Mask at night, I really lash it on so my lips don’t dry out during the night. During the day I’ve been popping the Champagne version on, I keep it in my handbag for on the go application. It has a hint of a pinky champagne colour, I have a Nars Orgasm gloss that is very similar to it in colour. My lips are all the better for using this combo, they’re so soft and smoother than ever.

I attended the launch of Flormar in July and was given some goodies to try out. I’ve been loving their Illuminating Primer and their Bronzing Powder. I’m a matte girl but this summer I’ve been trying to add a glow to my skin and this primer is the perfect addition to my arsenal of glow inducing products. I’m not a lover of the smell but it does give me the glowing results I’m after as well as giving a good base for my foundation. I didn’t think I’d like the Bronzing Powder as it looked shimmery in the pan but when applied you can’t notice any shimmer at all. It’s the perfect bronze shade without being too orange. It’s a perfect natural bronze and looks great on pale skin.

Finally we have the new DKNY Energising Fall Limited Edition Eau De Toilette Spray, this is one of the presents I got for my birthday. I love this fragrance it’s a musky vanilla and lasts all day. It’s a real “me” fragrance, it’s not too sweet, not too deep and musky it’s somewhere in the middle and that’s the kind of everyday fragrance that I love.

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo

June 2015 Favourites

I haven’t done a monthly favourites post in a while but thought I’d do one this month as I’ve switched things up and have been using a lot of things that I wouldn’t normally use but have fallen in love with in the last few weeks.

My June favourites really reflect the summer mood I’m in, a lot of it is about getting that glow and about hydration.

Back in May I went a lot blonder so to keep my hair from discolouring I bought the Bleach London Silver Shampoo and Conditioner. I’ve tried different purple shampoos in the past to keep the brassiness at bay that haven’t worked but the Bleach London shampoo and conditioner combo are really working for me and my hair hasn’t gone brassy at all.

I used to only use my MAC Fix+ to spray on my brushes to intensify my eyeshadows more but in the last few months I’ve been using it to set my makeup after application. It’s helped get rid of that overly powered look and just helps your makeup settle and on these hot summer days it’s just nice to spritz it on your face to cool down.

I’ve fallen back in love with tanning, I spent the whole winter with not a drop on my skin but once the sun started coming back out I knew I had to put some life back into my skin. I have been loving the Tan Organic Self Tanning Oil. I’ve gotten so many compliments when I wear this and is possibly the most natural looking tan that I’ve used. It really makes you looks like you’ve spent a week on a beach in Spain, it’s gorgeous. I was a bit confused about it when I tried it first, it is an oil so it doesn’t really dry into the skin like a normal tan would so I was a bit scared to put my clothes back on afterwards but it was fine and I didn’t have one streak or build up anywhere.

I got the La Roche Posay Serozinc spray late in June so I’m still trying to figure out if it’s making a difference to my skin but I am loving using it. I spritz it on after I cleanse my face, it’s just so refreshing and leaves your skin matte without it feeling tight or dry. I have oily skin so this is perfect for my skin, I love a matte look.

I am in love with facial oils at the moment. I’ve heard people say that you should use facial oils if you have oily skin but it hasn’t made my skin worse in fact it’s made it a lot better. I apply the Josie Maran Argan oil onto my skin every night and when I wake up my skin is so moisturised, especially around my cheeks and jaw line where I can get very dry.

I’ve neglected my MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle but in the last few weeks I’ve fallen back in love with it. I’ve been using the MAC 188 Duo Fibre brush to apply it, it packs on the product a lot more than any other brush I’ve used. I’m blaming Jaclyn Hill on my obsession with highlighters a mirror.

For a glow over my body I’ve been lovely the Body Shop Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil in No.2 Golden Honey. Firstly the smell is amazing, I can’t put my finger on what it smells like but it lasts all day and smells glorious. With the shimmering flecks of gold in the oil it is more suited to night time but on these sunny days I have popped a bit on my arms and décolletage just to get a bit of that Victoria Secret model glow.

Finally I’ve been loving the Rimmel Get the Glow Highlighter in Notting Hill. It’s a silvery/pinkish cream highlight that I’ve been using three ways. The first way is to apply it lightly all over my face before my foundation, or I’ve been mixing it in with my foundation. Both ways result in an all over healthy summer glow without looking like a lightbulb. The Third way is to apply it before I’ve set my foundation onto the tops on my cheekbones to highlight them, I sometimes go in after with a powder highlight just to give that extra bit of pop.

As you can see my summer loves have all been about having healthy glowing skin, I’m trying to stay away from looking too matte so looking so glowy takes some getting used to without thinking I’m looking oily but it’s working.

What have your June Favourites been? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo

January Favourites

I’m so glad January is over, it just felt like it would never end for me. Nothing ever really happens, the weather is always awful and this month I was just so unorganised and had serious writers block that I was barely hitting more than 1 post a week. Luckily I feel like I’ve gotten my blogging mojo back and hopefully you’ll be seeing a more posts up during the week.

The first few weeks of January where pretty slow, I did spend most of it reorganising my makeup which meant coming across a lot of stuff that I hadn’t tried in a while. If you’ve a big enough collection of makeup I’d really recommend it because I’ve started to use products again that I haven’t in a good while. I also got rid of a lot of old makeup that dried up and went out of date.

The last 2 weeks of January I started to get back into blogging and getting really motivated about it. A lot of new products are starting to come out which I get really excited about and I also went to a few product launches too so it’s all given me motivation and a lot of ideas for new posts.

Now that we're over January lets take a look at what i've been loving last month:

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade:

I had been on such a Brow Wiz buzz during December that I neglected most of my other brow products. When I was reorganising my makeup I decided to start using it again. I go through fazes of loving really sculpted brows and then going to a more natural look. At the moment I’m trying something in between and it’s working out so far.

Bunny Cotton Bud Holder:

Back in December I bought this little bunny in boots. You stuff its bum with cotton buds until there’s one popping out. I keep mine on top of my dresser. I’ve also found a new love for cotton buds, they’re so much better for cleaning my makeup and nail varnish off, I don’t think I’ll be buying cotton pads in a long time, they seem so rough compared to the buds. I’m not sure if they still sell it in Boots but they have a version in Tiger for €3.00.

Buxom Hold The Line Liner

I know it’s just a black pencil liner but it’s actually really good. I’ve been using the Urban Decay 24/7 Perversion pencil but after using the Buxom liner the urban decay liner has been put to the back of the drawer. It’s a long wearing waterproof liner that doesn’t smudge or budge throughout the day. It glides on like a gel and is super black and as a contact lens wearer it doesn’t transfer onto the lens which happens an awful lot with the UD liner.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick – Pure Hollywood

I bought 3 of these liquid lipsticks back at the start of January and as the other 2 colours are darker I’ve been wearing Pure Hollywood nonstop as it a gorgeous nude so it’s a bit more wearable during the day. I’m going to try and wear the other colours more but for now Pure Hollywood is my absolute favourite and I think I’ll have to be putting another order in for some more shades. I’ll have a review coming soon on them hence why I’m not giving a lot away.

Kiko Colour Up Long Lasting Eyeshadow

I bought a few of these when I was in London a few weeks ago and am loving the number 10 colour. It’s a pinkie champagne colour. I just wear it on its own for a simple work day makeup look. I glide it on and then buff it in and I’m good to go. I’ve been loving shadow sticks recently as they’re so easy to use and so handy, especially when you’re in a rush in the morning and need to get out the door to catch the bus!

Image Skincare Ormedic Balancing Lip Enhancement Complex

I got this in the December Chic Treat Club box and use it every night going to bed. It’s a really hydrating balm that plumps up your lips and smooths out your fine lines and contours of your lips. I haven’t really notice it plumping but my lips have been so smooth and this is probably the first winter in years where I haven’t had any horrible chapped lips. I think this is €23 so I don’t know yet if it will be a repurchase but I’ve been using it pretty much every night since I got it and there is still quite a lot of product in the tube so if it does last a bit longer it might justify spending that much on a lip balm.

Thanks for reading.

Love Sarah xoxo

2014 Beauty Awards

Welcome to my 2014 Beauty Awards.

This is the Beauty Blunder Awards of my absolute favourite products I’ve loved this year. There has been some amazing new launches this year which has made it very hard to whittle the list down, I’ve also included a lot of cult classics in the mix.

So without further ado here are the winners – Drumroll Please!!

Best Overall Brand – Makeup Revolution

I don’t think I have been addicted to a brand like Makeup Revolution in a long time if ever. It ticks so many boxes for me – they constantly introduce new lines of products, the range of products they have on offer is amazing and the price above everything else is incomparable. I’m sure they’ll be my favourite throughout 2015 also.

 

Best Lipstick – Wet N Wild Megalast

I have a bit of an addiction when it comes to these lipsticks, I’ve lost count of how many I have of them. I love their staying power and have compared them to the matte Mac lipsticks in the past and because they’re so cheap I love to bring them on a night out so if I do end up losing one then it wouldn’t be as tragic as losing one of my more expensive lipsticks. If you haven’t tried them yet I would urge you to go out and get some!

Best Nail Polish – Wet N Wild Megalast

Apart from their Megalast lipsticks the Wet N Wild Megalast varnishes have been my favourite new find this year from Wet N Wild. The formula, brush, staying power, colour range, brush and price tick all the boxes when it comes to nail varnishes. I love to do my nails but when it comes to taking it off I’m very lazy so having a nail varnish that last for pretty much the whole week is way up my lazy street.

Best Shadow Palette – Maybelline The Nudes

It annoys me a little that I’m picking a palette that can only be bought in the US. If the rumours are true it will be released to the UK & Ireland in 2015 and fingers cross it does because you won’t be disappointed when you guys try it! There are 12 shades in the palette of matte and shimmers. The pigmentation you can get with or without primer is pretty impressive for such a budget palette. You can get so many looks from this palette, well worth the buy if it comes to our shores.

Best Mascara – Bourjois Une Seconde Volume Mascara

I feel like I’ve gone on and on about this mascara since its release. I’ve compared it to the Benefit They’re Real Mascara as it is super black and lasts for hours but unlike the Benefit mascara it is a lot easier to remove and is a fraction of the price. It has a big brush, with little tiny balls attached to make sure each and every strand is reached, even the little tiny hairs that some brushes don’t get. If you’re in the market for a new mascara this one is worth every penny.

Best Primer – Benefit The Porefessional

My face is like an oil slick some time so every little helps when it comes to sticking foundation to my face, I’ve also very large pores which can be as visible as the craters on the moon. At the moment the only thing that seems to be doing the job is The Porefessional, my makeup sticks and my pores are concealed (and the little lines too). I’ve yet to actually buy a full tube of this primer, samples and deluxe samples keep coming across my path and they last that long that I’ve never had the need to buy one, but when I do buy one at least I know it does the job.

Best Liner – Urban Decay 24/7

I have gels, liquids, pens and everything in between but when it comes to liners I always go for a Kohl pencil and there’s no better than the Urban Decay 24/7 pencils. Perversion or Smoke are my favourite ones. I also love kohl’s because I’m shit at doing winged liner so liquids and gels aren’t always an option when I’m running out the door in the morning.

Best foundation – Revlon Colourstay

I always go for matte foundations and I find this the best one. I stocked up on a few of the Colourstays when I was in the states as they were only $9.99 but €17.99 here so I’ve a good few to get through. It has a buildable coverage so depending what way I want my foundation that day it caters to my mood. It has been the most consistent foundation as well, working well with my skin and working well with any type of brush I use, the colours are also perfect matches for my skin.

Best Skincare - Glamglow Supermud

I don’t really have a favourite bit of skincare like moisturiser or cleanser but I do love face masks. This year I finally got my hands on the Glamglow Super Mud and I’m super happy I did. As a girl with craters for pores this stuff has really helped reduce them. It pulls all the gunk out and closes up the pores. It is pricey but I’ve gotten so many masks out of it and I’m not even half way through my tub yet so the more I get out of it the cheaper it becomes.

Best Bronzer - Matte Bronze Powder

I didn’t like my MAC bronzer at the start but the more it gets closer to the pan the better it looks on the skin. It’s not to brown or too red it’s just that perfect middle bronze colour.

Best Highlighter - Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector

I love a good highlight and my favourite is the Becca Shimmering skin Perfector in Opal. It’s a gorgeous champagne highlight that just makes the cheeks pop. This one isn’t an everyday highlight, I keep this one for nights out as it’s a bit more expensive than my everyday highlights.

Best Brow Products - Anastasia Beverly Hills

Give me anything Anastasia Beverly Hills and I will love it. I have a few of their products and I love them all. The Brow Wiz is my favourite though, it fills in the brows giving light hair like strokes to give a natural look and if you want you can go a bit heavier to give a more sculpted look. I use Soft brown for the front of my brows and use Dark Brown on the ends.

Best Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

I love my MAC Pro Longwear concealer but after finally getting my hands on the Collection Lasting perfection concealer this year it has really been my go to concealer in the mornings. Apart from being super cheap it gives a full coverage that lasts all through the day.

Best Beauty Tool - Beauty Blender Original 

This has been the best beauty buy of the year. I love the beauty blender, it makes applying foundation and concealer so easy. It gives an airbrushed finish that I never could have achieved with a normal foundation brush. Definitely worth the money!

Best Powder - MAC Studio Fix

Not only does this act as a powder but it is also heavy enough to be a foundation. I have tried it on its own as a foundation but it didn't work for me, while my skin is clear it just made my pores incredibly visible. As a powder though it is perfect, I only need to apply it in the morning and i'm done for the day and with my oily skin that is a success.

Best Fragrance - Victoria's Secret Bombshell

I love the VS perfumes but think they are so expensive so I always go for their sprays. They're just as fragrant but a fraction of the cost. Bombshell is my absolute favourite, it reminds me a little of the Abercrombie and Fitch aftershave but more girly. It's one of those fragrances that gives you live when you spray it on.



So that is my long list of beauty favourites from the year of 2014. I can't wait to see what 2015 has in store for me, i've already found a few favourites so I can imagine it will be a bigger list next year!!

Thanks for reading.

Let me know what your favourites have been.

Love Sarah xoxo

May Favourites

Hello my loveys!

 I can't believe May is over already, how fast did this month go by!

Here are my favourite products I have been using this May, starting off I have the Nivea Daily Essentials Regenerating Night Cream. A few months ago I got a facial and the girl told me I needed to start using night cream and once you turn 25 everyone should be using it. It took me a while to figure out which one to buy and I finally ended up with the Nivea night cream.

I love it, it's thick and cooling and stays on the skin for the whole night. My skin is so smooth and plump the next morning, I don't know why I wasn’t using it before.

I've been going on crazy online spending sprees the last 2 months and these Whitening Lightening Color Your Smile have been a result of that. I have used these pretty much every day for the last month. They have a mirror on the side and when opened it lights up. They are blue toned which helps your teeth look whiter. These are so pigmented the colours are really amazing and whether it’s intentional or not they make my lips so soft!

I’m a serious MAC junkie and I love my Pro Longwear concealer. I misplaced mine in April and found it again in May. Being without it for a month really made me fall back in love with it when I found it. It covers so well, and last for pretty much the whole day. Luckily my skin doesn’t need too much concealer but I do use it on my under eyes to help with highlighting.

My hair has been a mess lately and has been getting greasy so quickly so I remember about 2 years ago buying a Toni & Guy Shampoo that got rid of all my build up and left my hair feeling fresh and squeaky clean. I went to Boots and tracked it down, it’s from their Cleanse range and it’s the Shampoo for Advanced Detox. You only need to use it 2 or 3 times a month so it lasts for ages and is a god send for my hair!

No your eyes don’t deceive you I have put a toothpaste into my monthly favourites. I've been using whatever my parents have bought for toothpaste and it really wasn’t doing anything for me so when I was on my shopping trip to Boots I spotted the Colgate Max White One and I think what sealed the deal for me buying this was that you got a free Nails Inc. polish with it. I haven’t tried the polish yet but I love the toothpaste, it's left my mouth feeling so fresh and so clean. It whitens your teeth after every brushing but it's only temporary, but I think over a time your teeth will whiten.

And finally we have Pog Fro Yo, I love this place. They opened up a few months ago on Bachelors Walk serving salads, juices and fro yo. I love the salads, you fill in a slip and choose everything that you want in your salad and they chop it up for you, they are so fresh and the size of the boxes they really fill you. The frozen yogurt is just awesome, you can go super healthy with nuts and fruit on top or if you’re like me you go for the biscuits and chocolate. 

So these are my favourites from the last month! My June favourites might be a bit on the light side as I’m on a spending ban till the end of the month. 

Thanks for reading!

Love Sarah xoxo