♥ Pixi Glow Tonic Write Up and Review

It was quite a while ago now, that I purchased the Pixi Glow Tonic glycolic toner. I was really really hesitant to spend just shy of twenty quid on a toner when it wasn't even a step in my skin care routine that I was implementing. But, if you've read my blog before I'm sure you've noticed me yap on about my very problematic acne over the past year. Acne was never something I struggled with growing up - or even in my late teenage years - but ever since I hit my twenties I've suffered from the what I would say is the worst acne breakout ever. It's probably not as horrendous as I think, but I've been desperate to try out products that might help and this seemed like the perfect product to kick start a change in my skin...

♥ Liquid Lipstick Collection

Liquid lipstick is probably the most talked about product of the last couple of years. Every brand has launched their own and its no surprise to me, at all. They last all day, don't wear off and it's a no fuss approach to great looking lips all night long... AND they can be used as eyeliner, too. Try it. You all know that last year I went crazy for Kylie Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics launch, and I'm still a huge fan of the line, but there are some liquid lipsticks that I have and never rave about. So here's every last one I own and what I love and loathe about them!

♥ Kat Von D Update and Review

Back in September, Kat Von D's make up line launched in Debenhams and I posted this little haul to show you the things I picked up. I've used the products countless times now and thought it was about time to do a little review and update on the bits I bought!

♥ Illamasqua Black Friday Mini Haul

Last week we had Black Friday offers galore and it's great to take advantage of offers on makeup when they present themselves because they're not all too frequent. I took the sales as an opportunity to go back to Illamasqua and get some of their products to test out as it's been a few years since I purchased from them and I was looking for a lighter foundation to mix in with the majority of mine that seem seven shades too dark for me right now. I also picked up a palette and a pair of lashes and boy am I pleased with my purchases!

♥ Urban Decay Ultimate Basics Palette | Swatches and First Impression

Oh no, not another eyeshadow palette post I hear you groan. I'm sorry, but I just can't get enough. The day after the release of this palette, I found myself walking down Oxford Street, and passing a huge Debenhams. Obviously, I spied their Urban Decay counter through the window and of course, I had been eyeing up the new Naked Ultimate Basics palette since its announcement. I couldn't resist and had to pick it up there and then. I'm all about the Naked palettes - I own each of them, with Naked 3 and the first basics palette being the only exceptions and I've been blown away by every shade range and every formula of shadow from the brand. This brand new addition to the Naked lineup hasn't been any different.

♥ My Complete Z Palette | Featuring MAC, NYX and MUG

Over the past year or so, I have been very slowly building up a collection of eyeshadow pans in my own customisable Z Palette. I love it. It's a collection featuring some MAC shadows and some NYX products, but my palette features a whole heap of Make Up Geek eyeshadow pans that I can't get enough of. They're products I turn to time and time again and while most of them might seem similar or safe shades, they're ones that I couldn't live without.

♥ Kat Von D Beauty Haul

It's safe to say I lost my shit when I found out Kat Von D's make up line was finally being released in the UK. When we got given the date I was ecstatic. It's a brand I've wanted to try for ages but I just wasn't prepared to pay the cost of shipping it over from America and being charged for purchases in a foreign currency. I also wasn't too thrilled with the hike in prices third part companies were trying to charge in the UK. Thankfully, Debenhams have taken the line on and it's incredibly easy to get ahold of, now!

♥ Easy Autumn Eyes | Ft. Make Up Geek and Zoeva

Now that Autumn is upon us, warm orange toned eyes are much more acceptable and seasonally appropriate than they were a few weeks ago. Orange is my go-to colour at the minute when it comes to eyes and more often than not I start off a subtle brown smoky eye with an orange or peach toned transition. I just can’t get enough and there are a bunch of shadows from Make Up Geek that make my everyday look super easy to achieve. All you need are three somewhat fluffy brushes and three shadows. It's very neutral, too and only takes me a few minutes to do.

♥ Stila Perfecting Concealer | Review

If you’re new around here, you might not yet know that concealer is without a doubt my favourite make up product. I couldn't tell you why, when or how this happened, it's just always been the product I pick up from every brand I can. I have tubes and tubes of the stuff and though my collection is perfectly satisfying and full of brilliant products, I’m still always on the hunt for a new one to try. Liquids, creams, correctors and highlighters – I love ‘em all. But recently, this Stila offering has been my under eye areas best friend.

♥ What's In My Bag | Everyday Makeup Bag Edition

On a day to day basis, my life consists of either going to the gym and then to work, or going to work and then to the gym. I'm enjoying it at the minute, and it means for the most part I always have my makeup on hand and in a bag ready to take with me on my daily travels. I find taking a bag with set items in is a great way to use products consistently and get any old products used up once and for all. For a girl who hoards three of the same eyeliner, powder and tube after tube of mascara, this is a great habit I've pushed myself into. It's meant I have no other option but to use up the products I've been clinging onto. Keeping a set makeup bag has also meant I've been able to chuck in products that I haven't touched for quite a while and get them finally used up and out of my collection as a means to buy new items as and when I need them. Enough of the chatter, though, here are the bits I take along with me on an every day basis that give me the quick five minute face of makeup as and when I need it.

♥ Kylie Cosmetics Summer 2016 | Maliboo and Kristen Shade Swatches

If you've been around a while, you'll know that on the very first launch day of Kylie Jenner's cosmetics line I was able to purchase the two shades I deemed suitable for me. I've written blog posts on the lipsticks each time I've purchased and they've become some of my most read posts, unsuprisingly. As the line has continued to expand, so has my own collection of them and now Kylie's even bought out an eyeshadow palette. I'm such a fan of the line and even though I convinced myself I wouldn't purchase again after picking up my absolute favourite liquid lip from the line, 22, but it has been quite a while and I could not pass up on the opportunity to add these beautiful brand new summer shades to my collection of six.

♥ HUGE DRUGSTORE HAUL

It's been a long while since I went into Boots and just went crazy. However, I've had my eyes on quite a few things from my favourite high street brands for quite some time now and I'd been waiting to buy everything together and get some extra little points on my advantage card with the use of double points offers. So that's exactly what I did, and fifty quid later, I finally have something to post here.

♥ New Summer Skincare

Over the warmer, summer months it feels so much nicer to not have to have layer over layer of foundation on your skin. I find makeup so uncomfortable and annoying in the heat of summer and there's nothing I want more than to encourage my skin to clear up before we get some warmer weather. I've been really struggling with my skin for around a year now and I'm trying so many new things to try and encourage my skin to heal and look more radiant. Here and the few bits I've been using the most, most recently:

♥ Half Price Stila Steals

I know what you're thinking. It was only last week I posted my High End Foundation Wishlist which included three potential purchases for a more glowy, dewy base. Believe it or not, I almost mentioned the Stila Illuminating Liquid Foundation but I couldn't find enough about the product to make a well informed decision as to whether or not it was something I was truly interested in. However, at the end of last week I came across a cosmetic store that had a whole lot of affordable products you can't find in most places - like the American versions of L'Oreal products, the rip off Naked palettes from W7 and a ton of affordable Royal brushes. In amongst all those, though, there was a Stila counter and pretty much everything in it was half price. I couldn't believe it and I would have picked up much more if there was more stock available, but I did manage to swatch a little and pick up this foundation and concealer.

♥ June Favourites

June has been the most insane month for me. I finished university and got my results for my dissertation (I was marked a first in both sections, who'd have thought it!) and moved out of my cosy little student house with my four best pals and back into my family home. Boo. I went through a tough breakup and my brother had a bad bike crash, so it's been super hectic and everything has happened all at once, but I'm okay, I'm alright and I'm staying super positive and optimistic. Of course, I have a bunch of new favourite things to talk about and a few more interesting life changes to mention!

♥ Ardell False Lashes: Demi Wispies | Review

It seems like the Ardell Demi Wispies are everybody's go to false lash. I'm not joking. I've read about them and watched girls put them on time and time again and it took me such a long while to go and pick some up. That's probably because I'm not a huge lover of false lashes. For an everyday look, I never really understood why they were necessary. To me, they didn't seem worth it at all. That may be because I have naturally dark, thick lashes anyway and they hold a good curl - so I never really needed them. If it ain't broke - don't fix it, right? I have, however, always been a fan of wearing a pair when I had the opportunity to get really dressed up. So, when the end of university events started up I thought what better time to invest? It hasn't ended all too well, I'm afraid...

♥ Cheryl Strayed: Wild | Book Review

When I finished my degree, the first thing I thought to do was buy a good book and get totally lost in it. I've never really been one for reading non-fiction, but the older I get the more interested in the lives of others I become. University certainly helped introduce me and encourage me to discover new genres and styles of writing to get stuck into, too. When the film Wild was released at the end of 2014, starring Reese Witherspoon, I was intrigued. I was seeing it being advertised absolutely everywhere and the book shot straight into best sellers lists, despite being published in 2012. I read the blurb and thought 'I'll read that one day'. A year or so later, I finally bought it and started reading.

♥ High End Foundation Wishlist

Sadly, I'm nearing the end of my Estee Lauder Doublewear Foundation. I bought it in September after hearing loads of rave reviews on its coverage and lasting power. I loved it, and I'll no doubt purchase it again at some point. But right now, I'm after a foundation that's a bit more dewy and natural looking. Double Wear is my go to for long days out. It stays in place and covers my bad acne reasonably well. It's great but it's the finish of it that I just can't stand at the moment. It's far too matte and leaves my face looking flat and lifeless. Because of this, I'm looking to purchase a different foundation and to get exactly what it is I'm after. I'm prepared to spend a bit more to get a foundation that's going to look flawless, cover every imperfection and still make me look as radiant as possible in the warmer summer months, so here are the few I'm thinking of picking up:

♥ Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water | Original vs Oil-Infused

When micellar waters gained huge popularity a few years ago, I never thought they would be such a staple in my evening routine. Now, I get through the stuff like crazy. I wear much more makeup now than I ever really have before and removing my makeup before cleansing is something I try to do to ensure I'm as gentle as can be around my eyes and lips. To remove makeup, I love using cotton rounds and a water based makeup remover and when I spotted the new Garner Oil Infused Micellar water I knew I had to compare it with the original.

♥ I BOUGHT IT! MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Soft & Gentle | Review

I have been after this highlighting powder for longer than you can probably imagine. We're talking years. I don't know why it took me an age to pick it up but last week on a cheeky outing to Exeter, I popped into the MAC store and just went ahead and bought it. The MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft & Gentle is described as a gilded peach bronze baked face powder with a radiant finish and girls, let me tell you something, it definitely is all that and so much more.

♥ Make Up Geek Haul & Swatches

Last weekend Beauty Bay had the best sale ever on. They were offering half price off all Make Up Geek products and I just had to add some more shades to my collection. It all got pretty insane pretty quickly and most shades I had originally opted for sold out as I went to check out, but I did manage to get a few so I just had to share them with you.

♥ Testing out Mario Badescu Skincare

I'm not into skin care at all. However, now my skin is very problematic, I feel determined to get some skincare that is full of the stuff that's going to fix up my flare ups. Having spots is not fun whatsoever and there's not a lot that seems to be helping my situation, so in my recent Beauty Bay orders I picked up the Mario Badescu skincare samples that were available to me, for free, in a bid to test out some bits that might help. I mentioned these bits in my May Favourites, and here's why: