Musicals, glitter and a day at Ascot | June Favourites

Well wasn't June a great month! I don't know about anyone else but I seemed to have a lot of exciting things going on and with this nice weather we've been having it's just been a lovely few weeks. With that being said I've been a bit selective with my favourites this month and although there isn't much to mention, the things that are in this post I am 100% obsessed with.

I think I've mentioned the Stila Magnificent Metals Liquid Eye Shadow before, and for good reason. It's literally like magic in a bottle and it's perfect for when you have a special occasion that could do with a bit of extra sparkle. I have Gold Goddess, a twinkly bright gold that is seriously versatile. I've used this with my Naked Heat palette, Naked 3 and a standard brown smokey eye - it's worked for all of them. No mess as it's in a liquid form and really easy to build up for a super sparkly lid. Such a great product I could recommend this endlessly.

This month I've fallen back in love with the Revlon Colorstay Foundation, specifically in the shade Sand Beige. I've been fake tanning a fair bit over the past few weeks so I've needed a darker foundation shade so my face matches the my body. This formula is amazing for me. Semi matte so it stays put throughout the day but doesn't dry your skin out. Lots of coverage but it can be blended out to something a little lighter if you want. Just an all round good egg that I need to not neglect in the future.

Now, over the past month I have become obsessed with musicals, like seriously obsessed. I've always been a fan of some but it's started taking over my actual life. I listen to soundtracks all the time (we'll get onto those in a minute) and can't stop watching musical YouTubers. Amy Lovatt and Katherine Steele have been playing on repeat for the last month. They both do videos on musicals, songs, actual shows, etc and I cannot get enough. If you want something easy watching then their videos will be just the thing to pass four hours of your life (I've been on some serious video binges recently). It's through these two that I've discovered my new music obsessions - Mean Girls the Musical and Dear Evan Hanson. Yes you saw right, Mean Girls the Musical is an actual thing and the soundtrack is amazing. I think if you're a fan of the movie then you will love this! I love all the songs but my favourites are Revenge Party, Someone Gets Hurt and Sexy. Easy listening and great to sing-a-long to in the car. Dear Evan Hanson has an equally sing-a-long-ish soundtrack. I'm not 100% sure what the plot is but that doesn't matter when listening to the soundtrack. Again, easy listening, some songs more jolly than others but they all make you fell good. Anybody have a map and Good for you are my top picks.

A shout out has to go to the events I've had on this month. A weekend trip for my friend's birthday followed by the best day ever at Royal Ascot! It seems to be becoming an annual thing and I'm so there for it - what's better than a picnic, prosecco and betting with friends? Nothing, that's what.

One week with HD Brows Eyeshadow Palette

The second in my 'One week with...' series is HD Brows Eyeshadow Palette in Foxy. I got this little beauty in my Look Fantastic Advent Calendar at Christmas and although I've used it a couple of times I have never given it a proper rod test so I wanted to spend the week giving it a go to see what I thought of it. There are five shades which are all golds and warm toned browns in a sturdy (but maybe kind of chunky) black packaging with a mirror. The shades are:

Bare - A matte warm toned cream

Golden - A shimmery gold

Honey - A matte light brown

Bronze - A shimmery mid toned brown

Truffle - A cool toned shimmery brown

Now I really like this palette. The shades are totally up my street, golds and browns, and because there are only five it's really easy to decide which ones to use. I love a palette with a cream shade because that's what I use as a base to blend out and to highlight my brow bone (some people like a matte black but I need that highlight). Side note: I love the brush in this palette. A fluffy brush that is a bit too small to blend but is good for applying shades onto the lid and a tiny angled, dense brush which is amazing for the brows and to put a little something something on the lash line. This is the perfect everyday palette for me, I can put Bare all over the lid, Honey in the crease and Bronze in the outer corners and that's me done. I also love that I can use Honey in my brows as it is a great cool toned brown that just beefs them up a little bit.

But, what I love about this palette is also its downfall. The fact it's so easy to wear day to day means that if I want to do something a bit more smokey means it's quite difficult. The shadows aren't the most pigmented so when you want to do something deep it takes four times as long as it would take something like the Naked Palette to do. I tried to do a smokey eye a couple of times over the week and although I liked the look, I wouldn't use it for a night out or an occasion where I would usually go really dark on the eyes. That is the only complaint I have with this though - it really is a special little palette and I'm glad I've taken this week to really test it out because I'd love to start using it more often!

Have you tried this palette? Did you like it?

Are they worth the hype?

When products are hyped up I go one of two ways. Either I'm really not interested and actively don't search them out to not be the same as everyone else, or, I totally can't wait and have to have it RIGHT THIS SECOND. These three products definitely fall in the latter category and once I'd heard the hype, I caved and needed them in my life. But are they worth it?

I've mentioned Isle of Paradise in the last few blog posts so you can probably tell already that I've well and truly fallen for the hype, but there is good reason. Not only do the products look so instagramable you could cry but the one I've tried is pretty damn cracking. I have the Self Tanning Drops which I've used mixed in with my moisturiser to make my face a little more sun kissed. As terrifying as it I thought it would be it's actually really easy to use and looks great when it's on. Blends in with the colour I am when I fake tan and gives me that glow I have been craving during the warmer months. Totally worth the hype - I can't comment on the brand as a whole but this product is definitely a cracker.

I've wanted to try out the Dior Lip Glows for AGES. A lip balm that gives your perfect colour with a bit of a plump thrown in? Sign me up! I think it's not a bad price (£24) and the packaging is gorgeous. But is it worth the hype? A bit. I know I know! I do love this product, a lot, but I thought it was going to be better. Don't get me wrong, I really love this product and it works really well on me - like the perfect barely there lip product - but I think I wanted it to be a bit more glossy than it is. It you're wanting a lip product that needs next to no effort and feels nice on this lips then this is the one for you - but don't be expecting any miracles.

The Stila Glitter and Glows. Worth the hype? 100 per cent without a doubt. A liquid glitter that stays on your lids all day without budging, sign me up! There's a reason there's so much hype around this product because they're blumming amazing! I can't comment on the different shades but Gold Goddess could not be any more glittery and shimmery. If you're going to some sort of event then you need these in your life!

Have you tried any of these products? Thoughts?

One week with Urban Decay Naked Heat

One of my favourite blog posts that I've written over the past however many years I've been writing on this thing is the 'A week with the Naked Smoky Palette'. I spent a week where the only thing I used was that one palette to see if I could make it work for a variety of different looks. So, I thought, two years on' that I'd do the same with the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette. I bought this last year and although I used it a heck of a lot when I bought it, over the past few months it's been a bit neglected. So I used this palette everyday for a week, different looks for different occasions, and gave it a proper test.

So, how did the week go?

I started off with a makeup look that I used to wear all the time. Back in the day when I was at university I used to do a smoky eye situation everyday. I mean why I didn't want those extra precious minutes in bed I don't know! I do love the way it looks though especially with the warm tones of this palette. Basically, Ounce all over the lid (shimmery cream), Chaser through the crease (light matte brown) followed by Low Blow (matte brown) and Lumbre (shimmery peach) all over the lid. Finishing touches are Cayenne (dark warm toned matte brown) on the outer corner and Ashes smudged into my lash line. Loved this look and it wasn't too hard to do - the eyeshadows are so easy to blend that they're not hard to work with in the slightest.

Recently I've been all about the one stop eyeshadow. Basically a one swipe wonder that I can put on in the morning and not have to think about for the rest of the day. This palette has got a lot that can work for this. I love Sauced for everyday, a warm toned brown that is way on the reddy side but I'm totally in love with it. A couple of swipes blended out into the crease and I'm all set. The same with Lumbre and Scorched except they're a bit more jazzy as they have plenty of shimmer in them.

I went out on a big hurrah with another old favourite - a bit of shadow with some winged liner. I realised when I wore it how much a love it but boy does it take a lot of maintaining. The basic shadows I used were Ounce (the shimmery cream) all over the lid with a mixture of Low Blow and Chaser in the crease (matte browns) and then on the outer corner. Easy and simple because, let's face it, doing winged liner is traumatising enough without having it mess up a load of shadows underneath!

By forcing myself to use this for a week I've totally fallen back in love with the palette. I never didn't like it anymore but I got out of the habit of using it and every time I went back to it - the warm tones scared me a bit. But after getting back into the swing it's a yes, yes, yes from me. This will be my go to for a smoky eye situation and my one swipe wonders, in fact pretty much anything!

Go to guys: Sauced, Lumbre, Low Blow, Scorched, En Fuego, Ashes

Take them or leave them: Ounce, Chaser, He Devil, Dirty Talk, Cayenne

No thanks: Ember

My evening skincare routine

Welcome to part two of my skincare routine - the evening edition. I love nothing more than getting home from work, taking off my makeup and spending time doing my skincare routine. I have a little box that I keep it in so that in the evening I can easily get it and take it downstairs and chill out, watching tele whilst I spread creams and serums all over my face. For reference, my skin is oily but also dehydrated so my aim is to moisturise but not create grease.

After taking my makeup off with my cleansers and micellar water (read all about my cleansing routine here) I sit down and spray my face with the Body Shop Vitamin C Energising Face Mist to the point where my face is soaking wet. I love the stuff, I feel like it revitalises my skin and gets it ready for the rest of my products. Five minutes later, after leaving the spray to sink it, I give my under eyes a bit of TLC. I've been using the Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream which does a good job at moisturising under my eyes - I just press it in, do a few taps and wipe the excess on my brow bone. A quick bit of the Glossier Mint Balm Dotcom on my lips and we're onto what I'd class as the main event!

At the end of last year, I didn't use a serum and I didn't really have any interest in getting one, but honestly it's transformed my skin. It gets down deep in my skin and pumps it full of moisture that it definitely needs, something that the moisturisers I was previously using on their own just couldn't do. My serum of choice at the minute is The Ordinary 100% Plant Derived Squalane and it's very much an oil. Although it takes a while to sink in (about an hour to sink in enough to put a moisturiser on top) I love giving it time to work its magic. On days when I need a bit moreof a moisture boost (which is most days) I go in with the Body Shop Drop of Youth Moisturiser. It does a good job, and although I'm not totally attached to it, this is my third tub so I must quite like it!

And last but not least, hand cream. I'm not attached to any specific hand cream but I have been enjoying the Soap and Glory Hand Food in the Sugar Crush scent. The PERFECT summer scent and rounds off an evening pamper quite nicely.

Do you enjoy spending time on your skincare routine?

My morning skincare routine

I love reading out people's skincare routines and finding out what they're using because I've really got into pampering my skin over the past few months. By stopping touching my face on the daily and caking on the makeup as thick as I used to do my face has definitely cleared up a bit but I thought I'd share what I've been using as I think these products have been really working for me. For reference my skin is dehydrated but it also gets quite oily so I try to give it plenty of moisture without greasing it up.

After I've splashed my face with a little bit of water a give my face a bit of a spritz with the Body Shop Vitamin C Energising Face Mist. Just a few sprays does the trick. Eye cream is next up because I think I have quite dehydrated under eyes so putting something on morning and night perks them up a little bit. I've used the Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream for a while now (I think this might be my second tube) and I do really like it. It doesn't do anything sensational but it does the job! A bit of lip balm on the lips (at the minute I'm using the Glossier Mint Balm Dotcom) and then I go back to my face after letting my eye cream sink in. I've wanted to try the Glossier Priming Moisturiser for a while and a have to say it hasn't disappointed. I apply a medium dollop all over my face and a little bit down my neck, really rubbing and patting it in to make sure it sinks in. If I apply it an hour or so before I do my makeup I go back in with a little bit to refresh my skin and make sure it's nice and hydrated before putting anything else on top of it. The finishing touch to my routine now we have reached summertime is SPF. A new addition to my collection I've been enjoying using it because it feels like I'm putting on a super primer. The Glossier Invisible Shield has been doing a great job, I obviously can't see if it's doing my skin any good, but it's not greasy and leaves my skin feeling great.

What's your favourite skincare product?

A cleansing routine for dehydrated skin

This is first of a three part series (get me, a planned out series) which is all about skincare! In this post I’m going to be going over how I cleanse my skin after a normal day, then I’ll chat about my morning and evening skincare routine. 

Over the last few weeks I have fallen in love with cleansing. Like a deep love. I look forward to nothing more than getting home for the day, putting my pyjamas on and cleaning my skin. Over the years my routine has stayed pretty similar and so have the type of products I use and it really works for my skin. 

To start off with I go in with a cream type cleanser. In the past I’ve used the soap and glory peach cleanser but at the minute I have the Formula Daily Advanced Cleansing Milk. What I like about creamy cleansers is that it takes off the first layer but doesn’t dry my skin out or make it feel oily. It’s a great in between which is perfect for my dehydrated but oily skin. I just massage it onto my dry face, including mascara, and then wipe  it off with a cloth. It does a good job at getting off that first layer of makeup, which makes it easier when I move on to the next step, micellar water. At the minute I’m using the Garnier one and I think that is probably my favourite out of all the ones I’ve tried, cheap and cheerful but does the job. A couple of cotton pads does the trick on a normal day, one for eye makeup and the rest for my base. 

The next step is my favourite, and the newest to my routine. I use the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser, a couple of pumps, and then go in with the Formula Daily Advanced Cleansing Brush all over my face for my second cleanse. It. Feels. Amazing. I thought I’d find it a bit boring having to do it everyday but I actually really enjoy taking the time to get every last scrap of makeup off my face. Usually two minutes on the lowest setting does the job, stopping every so often to wet the brush again. It leaves my skin feeling clean but not dried out and gives the perfect start for my skincare routine (a post which will be coming next week!) 

First impressions and test driving Revolution

After having a cheeky purchase of a few Revolution products I thought I'd give them a little road test over one day and give my thoughts! I've started to slowly work my way down my friend Rachel's foundation recommendation list and the Revolution Fast Base Stick Foundation was the first one to give a go. I haven't tried any stick foundations before but the whole swipe, blend and go situation really appealed to me. Anything to make getting ready in the morning that little bit quicker. Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer - other than the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer has any high street concealer been as hyped up? I think not. But they've never had it in my shade! So when I saw there was one left I practically lunged at the stand in case anyone got in my way and took it (there was literally no one else there). Then I saw the Revolution Liquid Highlighter Drops. I've never tried this kind of highlight before but always admired the Cover FX drops from afar. Although the shade Unicorn Elixir was the most appealing sounding, it was purple and I don't think I'd have got much wear out of it. So instead I went for Liquid Starlight, a pink shimmer.

I can't tell you how fun it was to draw this foundation on my face. It was like colouring in! I did a few swipes and then blended it with a brush, it took no time at all and gave some pretty good coverage. There were a few areas that I just wanted a bit more but it was nothing a few more swipes and blending couldn't fix. The concealer has THE biggest applicator I've ever used, and that was perfect for under my eyes. Again a few swipes and I blended it in with a mini real techniques sponge which I also picked up recently. I loved this for concealer, it could really get to places I struggle to with my normal one such as around my nose and on the inner corners of my eyes. Back to the concealer, good coverage, not massively full but good enough, and C3 was a great shade match for me. Last but not least the highlighter. YOU DO NOT NEED A LOT OF THIS. I put a single tiny blob on the back of my hand and I used two taps of it. This spreads like wildfire, but looks stunning. So sheeny and metallic I don't own anything like this already. I blended it out with the same tiny sponge and it worked really well.

But how will it last throughout the day?

10.30am

My first thoughts were 'oh my god what has happened to this highlighter?!'. My nose and cupids bow had both kind of set and were no longer glowy but pink blobs of glitter, it looked stupid. I rubbed it in and it was fine but I think I might avoid putting it on these places in the future. It wasn't too bad on my cheekbones but it had gone a bit chunky on one side - nothing that a little dabbing couldn't sort out! Foundation and concealer still look great. Nothing to report other than that my skin shows no signs of getting oily just yet - an amazing sign.

12pm

Starting to get a little bit oily but not so much I was in serious need of a blot. Other than that my base is still looking good. As for the highlighter it's shining bright on my cheekbones but after dispursing the mess earlier it's totally gone from my nose and cupids bow. But to be fair I don't think my usual powder highlight lasts long there anyway.

2.15pm

Not much more oily than I was earlier but I gave myself a bit of a blot to take off some of the shine. Everything still looks okay but I don't think I properly blended one side of my highlight because I've ended up with a really harsh line by my eye where it begins.

4pm

Exactly the same as 2.15pm

8pm

After going out for a meal I came back to take my makeup off and was very impressed with what I found! Everything looked exactly the same from when I last did a blot and check at 2.15pm. Foundation was still sticking around as was the concealer and although it was a little chunky, the highlighter was still shining bright. If I had one complaint it's that my skin was going a bit dry (which never happens!) but it didn't feel like all the moisture was sucked out of it, just not oily.

Overall, I really liked all three of the products. my least favourite was the highlighter just because it went a bit weird but that being said it might have been my application. The foundation was the star of the show I think 

Stranger Things and Shiny Lips | April Favourites

This month has been a little bit lacking on the beauty front and there are just a couple of things that I've been obsessed with. I recently declared love for the best matte lipstick I've ever tried (read all about that here) but I've also been going between another lip product which is on the opposite end of the spectrum. It's the Dior Lip Addict in Tout-Paris. It's a bright pink colour that looks quite scary in the bullet but because the formula is so glossy and sheer it just makes the lips look juicy and totally transforms any lipliner it goes on top of. It's so easy to wear, the formula is really moisturising and I just love it. I would definitely get more shades of this because I'm just finding I reach for it all the time day to day. I've also been obsessed with the Body Shop Vitamin C Spray. Is there anything nicer than giving your face a quick spritz? No, I thought not! I've been using it all the time, in a morning when I wake up, in the middle of the day on a weekend to perk myself up and as a toner in the evening before I go in with my full on skincare routine. This one smells amazing too and it is one of those unnecessary products that I don't need but would now be lost without!

Stranger Things. Wow was I an idiot to put off watching this for as long as I did. I've been told time and time again to watch it but it took for me to be physically sat in front of it before I actually did. I'm fully obsessed. I powered through series one and I'm now waiting until I can have a real binging session before I start on series two and I'm so excited to watch it! It's just on the edge of my scary limit, I did find I was hiding behind a pillow for some of it, but then again I am a massive wuss!

I've been listening to a lot of music this month - well lot for me anyway which is basically on the way to and from work. I've started a three month trial with Apple Music and so far I'm totally into it. Whether I'd download enough to get my money's worth is yet to be seen but for free I'm enjoying downloading random songs to listen to on the way to work. My listening list this month has basically consisted of songs with complicated lyrics/fast tunes that I can learn the words to. Alexander Hamilton from the musical Hamilton is literally the most satisfying thing to sing/talk. It's been my go-to car song. if you haven't tried learning the lyrics then do, it's such an achievement to get through the song word for word (wow Abz big life goals there!).

What have you been loving this month?

Taking a trip down makeup memory lane

I was sat looking at my makeup the other day (you know, like normal people do) and I suddenly thought that a lot of it relates to a special time or has a significant moment attached to it. Even the most random and 'boring' of products reminds me of something that has happened. So, I thought it would be nice to look back at the makeup that give me my favourite memories and it might encourage me to get the products out of the drawer and use them a bit more!

Back in my early days of blog reading and Youtube watching the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes were big news. But being in the UK and no plans of visiting America on the horizon I just had to sit back and watch everyone rave about how amazing they were. So when we hopped on a plane to Florida in 2015, this was top of my Sephora shopping list. Obviously I bought the shade Tipsy (it was either that or Exposed - the go-to shades) and I still crack this out every Summer. Whenever I wear it I think of wandering around the Sephora in Florida (my first time in an American Sephora), filling my basket with vlogger recommendations. This product will always hold a special place in my heart.

The first non-stationary highlighter I bought was a great day. It was around this time two years ago after I'd been for an interview at the job I currently have, hooray! It was in Leeds and my mum went with me so afterwards we went out for lunch and popped along to Debenhams for a cheeky purchase to celebrate a job well done. The Urban Decay Afterglow Highlighter had just come out and it had received good reviews all round so I thought it would be a good one to give a go (up until this point I'd been using glittery champagne eyeshadows as highlight - it was very questionable behaviour!) The were three shades and I went for Aura, a pink/purple shade which I'd heard was good for people with pale skin. It's a good product but this colour is just not me. It's preety much purple and isn't the vibe I usually go for but this product gives me such fond memories of that day that I don't think I'll be able to part with it anytime soon.

Kinda Sexy - to this day one of my favourite birthday presents. It was the first Mac (and only) Mac lipstick I'd been gifted and I was given it in La Tasca in Nottingham on my 20th birthday from my friends. Up until then I'd spent so long searching for the perfect nude and then this magically turned up in my lap. It's a warm toned nude with a matte finish that looks cracking over the top of any nude-y lip liner. This was my go-to for ages and  reminds me so much of my second year at uni. It's still probably my most worn lipstick.

The Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector. If ever there was maybe too much hype around a product this was it. I'd waited for so long before I took the plunge and bought one. It was with money I'd got from my 21st birthday and I had some time to kill before I was meeting my friends for a birthday surprise (afternoon tea at Browns, yes, yes, yes!) and I bobbed into town to splash the cash. I'd heard so many good things about this product; it's the perfect gloss, the most moisturising thing you'll ever have on your lips, etc. But I have to say I was pretty disappointed - I just found it too thick and sticky. Even though I wasn't a fan of this product, I had the best time that day so I like to keep it as a littl reminder.

A couple of years ago for my 21st birthday, my mum, dad and me went to London. We had the best time there seeing the sights and having a wander round. One disaster that happened when we were there was that we only just made our slot to go up the Shard by minutes (you're allowed 30 minutes over your booked time, we were 25). The reason we were running late and had to run from St Paul's Cathedral to the Shard (it feels like miles) was that I was desperate to get my hands on the Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation. I'd been to every department store and shop possible to get my hands on this but they were sold out of my shade everywhere, it was a joke, But finally a very helpful House of Fraser answered all of my prayers! That was such a memorable day and there was so much hunting for a foundation which, I'm sad to say, I can't get on with. I just find it too thick and hard to blend but it gave us a great story to tell!

When Fleur de Force released her makeup collection on Feel Unique I was there with the items in my basket and checked out before you could even say'good god get a grip girl'. I went for her Cosmic Bronze palette and one of her glosses. I ended up getting so much wear out of the palette and it reminds me of my third year at uni because it's pretty much all I wore with some winged liner and a questionably strong brow. The thing that I remember most about this product is that I ordered it on a Thursday, it didn't come until the Thursday after at which point I'd gone back to uni (on that day - how annoying!) and had to wait for it to be posted from home to Nottingham which took nearly another week so by the time it reached me I was desperate for it. No wonder I ended up loving it so much!

What's your favourite makeup memory?

Is this the best matte lipstick ever?

This time last month if you's have told me I would fall in love with a matte lipstick to a point of obsession then I'd have probably laughed in your face. I was all about the glossy lip, slathering on the lip gloss, cracking out my sheeny lipsticks and generally having a great time moisturising in general. That was until this landed on my doorstep - The Powerlips Fluid. Big shout out to my mate Amy for hooking me up with this cracking beauty!

This is the shade Maven which I'd say is a nude which is slightly darker than what I usually go for. I have to say when I first saw the shade I was a bit concerned at how dark it was. I expected it to be more of a easy to wear nude but leans more to the vampy side. I have to say though now I've had a chance to wear it I'm completely in love. The shade also is bang in the middle of warm and cool which for me is bang on! The picture above is pretty true to life and it really pops and stands out against my little pale face.

With matte lipsticks I always feel like you need to compromise - something won't be quite right but you put up with it because that's just the way it goes. Like they're not matte enough so end up all over your face or they're so dry your mouth feels like the desert or it gathers on the inside of your mouth. You get it, nothing is ever quite right. But I've had zero problems with this one. It dries down totally matte in quick time but never gets to the point where it sucks the life out of your lips. One thing which is a big plus for me as well is that you don't need to be careful when applying to not go over the same spot - you can over the same space loads of times and it doesn't get clumpy and thick. This also gives it big plus points when reapplying as it just glides on top of what was there with no issues.

Overall I would love to get more of these because the other shades look incredible! If you're starting to lose your faith in matte lip products and think you'll never find the perfect one, think again!

What's your favourite matte lip product? 

Products that smell out of this world

I love good smelling products and scent can have a big impact on whether I like a product or love it. Something may be the best thing since sliced bread and do a great job but if it has a smell I'm not that into it's not going to be one of my go-tos. I just want to pre-warn that I am hopeless at describing smells, seriously bad at it, but my favourite scents are fruity or quite sickly sweet so that's what I tend to steer towards.

As far as dry shampoos go, Colab is my ultimate favourite. Not only are the names and bottles the cutest thing you may have ever seen, the product inside is actually pretty good too! At the minute I'm using the Unicorn one (obviously, unicorns are literally my life) and it has such a nostalgic smell to me! I don't know what it is but it leans more florally but with a bit more of something that isn't too perfume-y. I was also a fan of the Tropical one and I can't wait to try out more of the other scents!

Soap and Glory have some amazing scents across their different products. The Smoothie Star range gives me life, especially in the winter, but one that will always have a special place in my heart is the Sugar Crush scent. Like fruit and sugar, this is a great 'pick me up' scent. If you're ever feeling down, give this a whiff and it will transport you off to a summer's day on a beach with a good book in one hand and a glass of prosecco in the other. At the minute I'm loving the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Hand Cream. I find myself sniffing my hands all the time and looking like someone to avoid in the streets, I don't care, it smells too good not to.

Please can someone tell me - why do new Mac lipsticks smell the best? There's just something about them that makes them irresistible to sniff! It's a strict procedure whenever anyone shows you a new Mac lipstick, take the lid off, look at the colour, smell it. I don't know why! It's sort of a vanilla situation that also reminds me a bit of a tic tac but it's definitely the best thing about a new lipstick. (Sad news is the one in this picture - Kinda Sexy which is my all time favourite - now smells like a crayon. Breaks my little heart).

Pretty much any scent The Body Shop do I'm into. Everyone is just spot on but recently there's one that I've been slightly obsessed with, the argan oil scent. I've never been that interested in it and to be honest when I've smelt it in the shop I've just thought it was like their shea range but not as nutty. I was totally wrong. I got the argan oil body butter for my birthday and on my little dry legs this smells amazing. Kind of a cross between summer and winter it makes you want the sun to shine but isn't like a fruity scent because it makes you kind of feel cosy and warm as well. If you haven't tried anything from the range I would definitely recommend it!

I'd like to give a final mention to the Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer. Obviously the whole point of it is to smell like chocolate and the long and short of it is that it doesn't. BUT it does still smell great! Think The Body Shop Cocoa Butter in powder form I can't help but give it a little sniff before putting it on my face.

What's your favourite scented product?

What's in my travel skincare bag?

As you read this I'll be living it up in Brighton on a little weekend trip for my friends birthday and to say I'm excited is an understatement - I'm literally bursting! I wanted to see if I could streamline my packing for this trip, especially makeup and skincare-wise, not for any particular reason just because I tend to overpack. A Glossier much seemed like the perfect size, big enough but also quite thin. The bag is pretty much filled with my usual skincare routine but with some cute minis thrown in, so here is what I'm taking skincare-wise on my mini break to Brighton.

I constantly need Micellar Water in my life and these little Garnier ones are the best for when you're out and about. You don't even really need to get this for the product inside (although this is my favourite Micellar Water) but the bottle is great, relatively flat and there's no fear of a massive explosion all over your bag. Also, cotton pads, because I'm sorry but toilet paper and kitchen roll are not the same. For when I need to really cleanse my face during this weekend (say on Sunday morning when I feel like absolute death) then I have this sample size of the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser to use. It's my favourite product for a second cleanse and although it isn't very good at removing makeup, once I've gone over my face with the micellar water it really gets in and cleans out any gunk left on my face and leaves it feeling a little bit happier. It seems like quite a decent sample and I might even get two uses out of it (woo I know how to live life!).

At the minute my skincare routine is very much 'get in all the moisture to stop the skin shriveling up like a little raisin' but this isn't very travel friendly. Enter the Look Fantastic Advent Calendar I had last year. Possibly the best purchase I've ever made it's provided me with new favourites and, most importantly, minis. After using up the serum that you got in the run up to Christmas (which I loved but was SO EXPENSIVE) I can now use the bottle for my serum of choice when I'm out on my travels. The one I'm using at the minute is The Ordinary 100% Plant Derived Squalane (see my early thoughts on it here). I'm so glad that I can still keep up my current skincare routine without it taking up half the room in my bag.

This mini of the Body Shop Vitamin E moisturiser is something I've trying to use up. Again an advent calendar present it's quite similar to my current moisturiser (the Body Shop Drops of Youth) and I've used it before so I know my skin likes it. It just saves me taking a massive pot or trying to scrape the product I'm using into a tiny tub, everyone's a winner! 

Three things that I already use that are the perfect travel sizes are my Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream, the Coconut Glossier Balm Dotcom and my Body Shop Coconut Hand Cream. Three great products that I'm glad can come with me without taking up much space. Also my toothbrush and toothpaste will be coming with me - nothing special but very essential (get me, such a poet).

What's your cutest mini?

What's on my product wishlist

I could easily spend so much money on all things beauty it's actually now beyond a joke. So in an attempt to stop my spending I thought I'd list all of the products that are on my wishlist which is mainly made up of things which are a little on the pricy side which I'd buy for/on a special occasion.

One thing that I've always wanted to try (and I should really get myself down to a counter) is the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. It's one of those products that everyone and their dog raves about but it's so darn expensive that I don't want to get my purse out and take the plunge in case it's not quite right for me. One day I'll go to a counter and get myself a tester but until then I'll admire from afar!

Over the last couple of years there have been a few Nars eyeshadow palettes that I eyed up and very nearly bought but for one reason or another it wasn't meant to be. The Nars Unwanted Palette literally looks like a thing of dreams, mattes, shimmers and glitters in warm shades, I mean can we not. That's my idea of heaven. But it came out after I bought the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette and I couldn't justify the purchase of another warm toned palette. But everyone raves about Nars eyeshadows and I feel like one day I will take the plunge and add one of their palettes to my collection. (Side note: They all look like quite a petite size which would be good to travel around with - I might be wrong but that's the vibe I'm getting).

Last year I achieved one of my goals (small goals) and bought a Dior lipstick (which I cannot get enough of) and another thing I'd love is a Chanel Lipstick. Not only do the bullets look amazing but the product inside is pretty good too. I think one day when something exciting happens I'll buy one for myself as a little treat but for now I'll just look at swatches and dream.

Glossier You. Oh what a dream it would be to have this perfume in my stash. I got a mini sample with a Glossier order I made months ago and to be honest I haven't stopped thinking about how nice it smells. It's what I'd call a natural smell, kind of florally but it could be mistaken for your usual smell (side note: the bottle is really pretty). I usually wait until I've finished one perfume before buying another and only have two on the go at once so when I'm in the market for another perfume to fill the gap I think that this would be the one!

What's on your product wishlist?

Just going to give a mini shoutout to my instagram @abzisfabz - why not give it a follow! 

The best brush and on the gin craze | March Favourites

Get ready for a bit of a bumper favourites this month as this is a loves of February and top picks of March rolled into one post. We have a mixture of everything - makeup, an instagram account and the best drink you'll probably ever taste!

I've mentioned my sudden love for gloss a fair few times recently but there's one that has been head and shoulders above all the rest - NYX Butter Gloss in Angel Food Cake. Not only is the shade totally up my street, a pinky nude that is a bit darker than my usual lip colour, but the formula is legit magic. Not sticky but so high shine it's blinding. I think I'm going to have to pick up a few more shades of these because I'm obsessed.

I think I may have mentioned a couple of months back but when I went to Edinburgh last year we went on a gin tasting and it totally opened my eyes to this gin-mania that's going on at the minute. Although I'm still a prosecco girl at heart I am partial to a bit of rhubarb and over the last couple of months I've found myself thinking about having a rhubarb gin with lemonade at least twice a day. My favourite (and to be honest one of the only ones I've tried) is the Edinburgh Gin Rhurbarb and Ginger Gin Liquor. It's less gin and more a sweet sort of syrup but that means that it really hits you in the face with rhubarb and I'm all about that! 

My dad would say I have too many brushes, I say you can never have too many. So you can imagine my excitement when for my birthday my friends bought me a set of eyeshadow brushes that were multicoloured and sparkly. DREAM. For the past month I've been giving each of them a little go but there's one that I love so much, I honestly don't know how I've ever lived without it. It's got long-ish hairs (hairs?) and they're flexible with a flat top and it makes the perfect highlight brush. It may be a tenth of the size of previous highlight brush but I prefer it ten times more. It means I can just brush it onto my cheekbones in a sort of swirling motion, take it up to my brow bone and onto my cupids bow with no problems and no worries that it's going to end up spreading onto the middle of my cheek, which has been known to happen.

I'd like to give a quick shout out to Kate La Vie's instagram. It is so stunning and looking at it makes me instantly happy. Also I have an instagram album full of home inspo and 99 per cent of it are posts of hers.

How I relax and unwind

I'm a total lover of pamper sessions and any chance I get I'll hop in that bath with a cup of tea or a glass of prosecco, depending on what day it is, and just chill out. So after a day at work or on a lazy weekend what does a horizontal (ha!) person like me do to relax? Here are my favourite things to do when I just need to chill out:

Run. That. Bath. I put all of the bubbles in, if I have a bath bomb even better! Is there anything better than a bubbly bath, glass of prosecco and an episode of Endeavour? If I'm wanting to go all out with the relaxation I'll have what I like to call 'a hair wash bath' which is basically a bath where I wash my hair. It's like a full on treatment - head to toe pampering!

Putting a face mask on is like the ultimate pamper time for me. There's two I'm switching between at the minute and I feel like they're a match made in heaven. When my face is feeling a bit sad and dehydrated I use the Oskia Renaissance Mask. This costs a literal arm and a leg (luckily I got it in an advent calendar) so I've been using it sparingly but it does a great job of giving my skin a boost of hydration without making it feel oily or greasy. When my face is more on the spotty side of just feels gunked up I'm all about the epoch Glacial Mud Mask (thanks Amy for hooking me up!) . It draws all the nastiness from my skin without shrivelling it up like a prune. I have to say I'm really impressed with how non-drying it is for this kind of mask and although I've only been using it for a few weeks my skin seems to be enjoying it!

I'm addicted to tea, it's potentially my biggest obsession and I'm totally okay with that. There's nothing better than getting the biggest mug we have, popping in two sweeteners, bashing that teabag and going ham with the milk. Drinking a cup of tea is one of my ultimate happy places and I usually have about six cups a day so you know, treat yo' self.

Last week I was spending my mornings and evenings on a 40 minute train journey and although the teatime train was a bit like hell on earth, my morning trips were a total delight! I decided to take the time to get in some reading and I sped through The F Word by Lily Pebbles. I love Lily's videos and was really looking forward to reading her book but I was really surprised at how much I loved it. If you don't know, it's a book about female friendships with stories, advice and anecdotes. When I was reading it I saw all of my friends in the book, they all slotted into the different situations and I loved that. This little morning reading slot made me look forward to my daily commute and definitely chilled me out before a day at work.

An honourable mention goes to TV. I'm obsessed with it and have mentioned my love for it many times (see here) so I'll keep it brief. Cup of tea in hand, Ru Paul's Drag Race on the box, switch the brain off - is there anything better?

What's your favourite thing to do to relax?

Products that are seriously under hyped

There's always talk about hyped up products, how great they are or even if they are worth all the ranting and raving in the first place. So today I thought I'd give a special mention to those products that don't have much time in the limelight but are great and need to be shouted about.

Last year I delved into the world of NYX eyeshadows and I was seriously impressed. Their palettes get a lot of air time but I had heard next to nothing about their single shadows and I have no idea why. They're around £4 each, come in a ton of different colours and finishes and can fit nicely into magnetic palettes. I bought four shades last year that I thought would be quite versatile and then a shimmery red to make things a bit more interesting. I think they're so good for the price point and I have no idea why they don't get the kind of credit they deserve.

Back when they were released around 18 months ago there was a bit of hype around the Mac Liptensity Lipsticks but after a few weeks it all quietened off and hasn't really picked back up since. I am a total lover of this formula, creamy and comfortable on the lips but the pigment really packs a punch. I only have one of these (I'm much more of an eye shadow hoarder than a lipstick collector) in Smoked Almond and it's my go to autumn lipstick - a warm nude that verges on brown. There's a wide range of shades so why not give it a go.

Something which is slightly newer in my stash is the NYX blush in Mauve N' Out. Why has no one piped up about these blushes before! If you have and I've totally ignored it I apologise but I am well and truly on board with this product. It is pigmented, which can be an issue if I'm not concentrating and decide to slap a load on my face, but when used correctly it gives a rosy flush to my face which perks it up in all the right ways. It feels very similar to my usual blush colour so I feel like it will go with any kind of makeup look. Small and compact, I'm looking forward to travelling with this!

If you've read a few of my posts recently you might have noticed my sudden love for lip gloss. I'm all about that plumped vibe and I've been cracking out the creamy finishes and the glossy products left, right and centre. The thing that made me come to my gloss loving realisation was the Pixi Lip Lift Max in Honey Sheen. It's so good and I've heard next to no one share my enthusiasm for it. It has a subtle peachy shimmer so works great over the top of other lip products and it gives a great plump and tingling feeling without making it feel like someone is stabbing me in the lips with tiny knives. Such a great 'throw in your bag' product.

What is your favourite 'underhyped' product?

My go-to evening base

As I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago (here) my 'everyday face' has become very minimal and basically a slap it all on and run out the door kind of situation. But on a weekend and on the rare occasions where I leave the house in the evening I've been going all out and putting all of the products on my face. So I thought I'd share what products I've been using when I want a full coverage, 'look at how much makeup I have on my face' situation. Enjoy!

After making the discovery that I actually have a very dehydrated face my choice of primers has seriously changed. I've gone from one that is very silicone-y and makes my face very matte to something tacky and semi-hydrating to plump up my skin before foundation. Back in December in my Look Fantastic Advent Calendar I got a mini This Works In Transit Camera Close-Up and I love it. It's sticky (in a good way) and it gives my skin a boost of moisture - but it's also quite pricy for a primer so if anyone has any cheaper dupes for it please let a girl know!

Foundation wise I've been using the Maybelline Superstar 24 hour Foundation in. I like it because it's full coverage but I'm still on the fence and not 100% sold on it. I might be putting too much on or something but it likes to collect and not fully blend into my skin. Also it doesn't last as long as I would expect a full coverage to do. I think I need to play about with it a bit more with different primers and brushes - I will get this to work!

When I'm going on out on my base there are three concealers that are my go-tos. The first is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Peach which I use underneath my foundation. It makes my under-eyes look a smidge lighter and brighter and I prefer my face when I use this product. Then on top of my foundation I go in with the Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer (I've mentioned by love for this concealer here), blend it out with my Real Techniques Sponge and finish off my concealer journey with the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Light Neutral. I'm obsessed with this concealer, it's my all time favourite. Full coverage, tick. Crease proof, tick. Cracking colour, tick tick tick. This concealer trio is perfect for me.

Before I go in with the powder I dab a bit of the Pixi Glow Booster on the tops of my cheekbones, my cupids bow and the end of my nose. It gives me a bit of extra glow and I think it emphasises my powder highlight when I go in with that later. When my Laura Mercier Powder ran out a few months ago I thought I'd give the RCMA No Colour Powder a go and so far I'm very impressed. It's pretty much exactly the same, finely milled and does a great job at mattifying my face. Winner!

Dipping my feet in The Ordinary pool

I've been meaning to try out something from The Ordinary for a fair few months and recently I bit the bullet when I was looking for a new serum to test out. I'm very new to the world of oils and serums so I have no idea what I'm looking for, but I took to Beauty Bay and read all of the reviews for all of the oils and serums on offer to gage what might be the best for my skin. I always thought I had oily skin but other the last six months or so I've realised that although that might be true, my skin is also pretty dehydrated and I need products that hydrate my skin deep down but don't make it greasy. So, back to my purchase. After looking at all of the oils and serums from The Ordinary, I went for the 100% Plant-Derived Squaline. Warning: I have no idea what ingredient it is, what it's supposed to do and if it would be any good for everyone, but here's how it's worked on my skin.

When I first used it I was very surprised at how much of an oil it was. As I said, I have no idea what it is so I didn't know what to expect but I thought it was going to be more of a water than an oil. That being said, when I apply it to my skin (I use about four drops all over my face and down my neck) I can feel my face drinking it up. I usually apply this a couple of hours before my moisturiser to give it enough of a chance to sink in. It seems like a long time but I've noticed a major difference in my skin by doing that. Packaging wise it's in a standard 30ml bottle with a pipet (pipet? Is that right?) and a screw top lid. The only problem I've found with this is that the lid doesn't screw back on properly but seeing as though I have a spare mini bottle which I can use when I travel (not that I travel very often!) so it's not really much of an issue.

All in all this is a cracking oil/serum. For £5.50 it's an absolute steal and if you have dehydrated skin and are looking for something to plump it up I couldn't recommend it enough!

Products I'll always repurchase

As much as I like trying new things there are some products that I need in my stash either because a) I use it all the time and if I was without it things wouldn't be the same (oh the drama) or b) I don't use it that often but when I do I can't use anything else. So today I thought I'd share the products that I can't really live without and will always repurchase when the end is neigh.

It felt like a few years ago the Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer was everyone's holy grail product and I still stand by that it is one of the only things that sorts out my under eyes. You probably know the deal, a sponge applicator with a seriously light weight formula that doesn't crease and gets rid of under eye circles in a flash. Nine times out of ten I have this in my collection and pretty much as soon as it runs out I repurchase.

Have to thank my brother for the next repurchase, the Fleur de Force Eylure eyelashes in Fleur Loves. It was the only Christmas present I cried at last year (what a sad life I lead - I was just happy someone knew my eyelash preference!) and I'm super duper happy that I now have a spare set ready to crack out when needed. These three quarter length lashes are the easiest eyelashes I've found to apply and they look great when they're on. If you're a lash novice or, like me, find it hard to get ones that fit your eye or are easy to put on then these are great. On the rare occasions I wear fake eyelashes, I don't think I'll be using any others anytime soon!

Another Fleur de Force product I love (she makes some seriously good stuff) is the Eylure Brow Tamer in Medium. I've mentioned this product before and I love it just as much now as I did the day I bought it. The tinted side is the perfect brow shade for me. A tiny little applicator makes it easy to brush up my brows and have give areas a precise amount of colour. The clear side is my go-to when I've just had my brows tinted and it gives a fluffy, natural look to my browage. If I'm being honest, I do find this runs out quite quickly but it's so good I'm willing to look past it. I am quite keen to try the Glossier Boy Brow but for now this is my go-to for my brows.

Now this next products is something I'll always repurchase because I haven't actually used one up yet but I love them so much that I'm tempted to get one for every occasion. It's the Glossier Balm Dot Com. I have one on my desk at work and one with my skincare but I feel like a need one for my handbag and another for my car - I could just move the ones I have from place to place but, let's face it, that would require effort. This is another product which is super hyped so I won't go on about it too much but I love the formula, thick but not sticky, and they smell incredible!

I've not been loyal to one eye cream during my time having a serious skincare routine but this one is something I keep going back to. It's the Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream. I like the fact that it's in a squeeze tube so I can just squeeze out as much as I need and the formula is seriously hydrating. Some eye creams I've found have really stung my eyes but I haven't had a problem with this one. We may not be forever friends but for now we're having good time hydrating my face!

What product will you always repurchase?