THE BEST SCENT I HAVE EVER SMELT

So, at christmas I was wandering around Milton Keynes shopping centre, gathering presents for everyone and slowly ticking names off of my list. I don't normally shop in BHS, but it's surprising the little gems that you can find when you're least expecting it. I am a sucker for a candle, and this candle looked absolutely amazing, it was just beautiful. It's scent is described as Mandarin and Clove, which is a scent i've never really put together.

There is one downside to this candle. I believe it has been discontinued. I have looked online everywhere for this candle and i can't find it anywhere. If you know where to find this candle please let me know.

:)

Lipstick to last a lifetime

I know, I know, I know. I have failed miserably at this blog. However in the time I have been away from here, I have realised that this is something that I love. It's one of the ways I can relax and have a creative outlet without the pressure of believing a lot of people will see this. Most of my friends aren't into make up and blogging like I am. My sister had a vegan blog when she did the 30 day vegan challenge, but other than her influence to start my blog, I haven't had any other encouragement other than my own will. Hopefully this is the last hiatus I will take from this little corner of the internet. I might not have all the greatest equipment but I have got a hobby.

When I say 'to last a lifetime' I don't mean the colours that will stay on for hours all day, I mean the type of lip colours which will be a staple in my everyday routine and will stay there for a lonnnggg time. I have about 3 lip sticks which I have been using for about a year now, and I have been using consistently.

First up is the Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick in Bitch Perfect, not only is the name like super cool, but the colour is a lush subtle corally nude colour. I've never found a colour to match this (if you know of one please let me know). It isn't the most long lasting lipstick ever, it comes off when you cook, but with a lipstick which is so moisturising I don't mind putting it on every few hours (haha).

Next lipstick that I adore is the Ciate Olivia Palermo lipstick in cashmere. I wear this once I've put on some fake tan on and feel a little more summery, but it's a really lovely brown nude colour. It just adds something different to your look.

Finally is mac's lipstick in twig. I got this because my cousin bought one for her and then returned to the mac store the same day because she knew I would love it. I love this colour because it's bolder than your average nude but it's really easy to put on. It's a very kylie-esq colour, and that is exactly what my cousin asked for when she went into the store. 

Giving it another go!

Ok blog. I'm back, or at least I'm going to give this thing a go (AGAIN!). I think it's probably been about a year, but I've had a couple of things which made me demotivated to keep going with this. But I'm going to start this again and keep going (I hope)!

I think a lot of the time people find little ways to stop doing something they enjoy so much because things become overwhelming and I think the best way to overcome this and decide whether this is a phase or whether this is a thing that genuinely makes you happy. I think sometimes you have to set across time each week to relax, or give yourself some time and cut off from everything else to make sure that you are content with what you are achieving in your life. This advice goes for when you're at school or at work. Your life can get very focused on one thing whether it be grades, an opportunity at work or the pressures that everyone else around is setting upon yourself. One major thing you need to do is remind yourself that this is your life no one elses and let yourself breathe from all the stress around you.

Just never forget that your life isn't going to be worth it if you aren't enjoying it. Yes try hard, and yes do the best you can do, but never forget about your happiness. 

A lazy day

If there is one thing that is needed every once in a while, it's a lazy day. I especially love lazy sundays. It gives a refreshing look at the week before going to work the next day. 

I love to stay in my pyjama's, catch up on the tv that i've missed during the week, and have a few too many cups of tea or hot chocolate through out the day. I think sundays are the best days to do this becuase when you get a food baby from sunday lunch it's great to be able to take a nap afterwards and not have to think about all the things you should be doing.

I also like to take these lazy days as a time to just chill out with my sister, with us both working full time jobs we don't see each other all week and so sundays are the perfect time to just sit around all day in each others company. No make up, pyjamas and beauty treatments all day long, who could ask for more.

I feel as though you should take one day out a week so you can destress, breathe and remind yourself that life is not so bad when you can take a deep breathe. 

Whats your favourite things to do on your lazy day? 

Halloween makeup from your bag

I wanted to do this because I'm in no way good at halloween make up or a professional or have practiced doing halloween make up. My parents were never ones who liked the idea of taking me out at night, when I should be going to bed, to ask for sweets from strangers, and I was ok with this because I'd never liked knocking on the doors of strangers and having to talk to them. But I thought I'd do these 3 looks to show you that you don't need the fanciest makeup to look good on halloween, even though they don't look professional.

The Halloween costume that everyone uses as a back up if they haven't got any idea as what to go as. The Cat. I used a very pale foundation to create a smooth and pale base (Nars sheer glow in Siberia). I also kept the eyes plain from eyeshadow and just used eyeliner and eyelashes to focus on a sleek cat eye. I used a blue eyeliner- Revlon Colorstay in 205 Sapphire to bring something special to this look. It's subtle and you only really notice it at various occasions and views. I then did a cat eye with a liquid liner. I didn't use any bronzer or blush because, when do you see a cat with blush or bronzer on? I then used the Cheryl Cole Eylure lashes in No 114 to bring some intensity to the eyes (eyelashes are extremely difficult to put on, I would suggest putting on mascara first as then the eyelashes have something to stick to). I did my normal brow routine of just some dark brown eyeshadow brushed through the brow. To finally pull this all together I used a Gel liner to create the whiskers, a little black nose and the top lip. I found that to get a little cheeky smile I also put little flicks at the corners of my mouth which I thinks adds to the cute of this make up look and a neutral pink brown on the bottom lip to make it pop. Then I just shoved my hair up into two buns on the top of my head to act as ears.

My sister let me use her for the next look because who wouldn't want to attack your sisters face with make up. This one was a little rushed because she was going out to a cartoon themed party afterwards, and not as a skeleton, but as minnie mouse. Again for this look I used the lightest foundation I own which is Nars sheer glow in Siberia, and then the rest I used a black eyeshadow and gel eyeliner to do the darkest bits. I did this look because I'd never done anything like this before and I wanted to show you that even though it's not the neatest and best looking skeleton look ever, but It looks pretty good. I would suggest that whatever you do with this look, as long as it doesn't look neat you'll be well on your way to scaring all of your friends. I also let her do her own mascara because I didn't want to be responsible for making her blind. she also pulled the mascara through her brows.

The final look is a doll style that with the right outfit could look super creepy. This uses the same base and eyebrows as the Cat look however I used my naked 3 pallette to make a pink smokey eye. I used buzz and burnout on the centre of the eye and also mugshot in the outer corner of the eye and just blended like crazy. I used a pink eye because I feel that dolls always look super girly and pretty 'dolled' up. I didn't use any bronzer but I used a bit more blush than I usually would use. I then used some volumizing lashes because I wanted them to be pretty packed, I do wish I'd used thicker lashes but this was the thickest that superdrug had. I the used a bright red lip I believe it was the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in 111. I struggled with making my hair look exactly what I imagined and I think that bunches are ideal because it reminds me of the hair I used to have when I was younger.

What is your go to fancy dress outfit when you can't think of anything to wear?

The Samples

I know i'm late to the party for most of these, but I'm always reluctant to buy things when they are being hyped up because it's more difficult to realise whether I genuinely like the product, or like it because everyone is telling me it's great.

Lets start with Benefits Porefessional. I use this on the areas where my pores are at their worst. It makes a smoother base without letting my make up slip away. I also love the packaging, it's cute. I never really used to wear a primer, when I first really got into makeup I used a cheaper one from Rimmel I think which would make the base look great for about 2 hours and then disappear, I think this kind of started a reluctance to use any other types. This has also lasted me so long even though it's a really small pot, I mean like weeks. Not only have I fallen in love with this, the area I live don't really have anywhere close by to buy higher branded makeup, but our boots has finally started to stock it, so my bank is going to start hating me.

The second Benefit product is the they're real mascara, I really like this for coverage on the lashes and it adds a lot of volume, but I do not love the heaviness. I have really long lashes so keeping them up and curled is quite difficult, and this just seems to weigh them down. I wanted to like this but it just doesn't work well with me.

Finally is the Lights Camera Lashes mascara from Tarte. This was another one that I always wanted to try but always forgot to buy. To be completely honest, I do prefer the Benefit mascara because this one was too much for me, I found it quite difficult to get my eyelashes to look how I wanted them too, I'm not sure why but I just did not get along with this. If you have shorter and thinner eyelashes I think this would work perfectly, giving length and volume, however it is quite thick.

Bronzing for the paler

I've said numerous times on here; I am white. I'm like casper the friendly ghost, you can't get much paler. However i find that if i don't use some type of countouring bronzey thing, then i look dead. Most bronzers are just too orange toned and look unnatural. I like this bronzer because it's a subtle colour and brings just a little oomph to the cheekbones. I use shade 01light matte and so 100% suggest this bronzer, also the name is just delicious, honey bronze bronzing powder (what is it with the foody bronzers i mean this and bourjois chocolate bronzer mmmm).

It's also a really beautiful shell casing which makes it great for travel because it's super smooth and little and there's no extra bulkyness. I also love the idea of the bee hive shapes in the middle with tbe 'honey idea'

Definitely a favourite in my opinion.