This Week I'm Loving... #15

The Girl On The Train

Yes I am finally reading again! I took four books from my parents bookcase a few weeks ago, this being one of them! My Mum read it recently and said it was brilliant so I thought I would give it a go. So far, so good!

Hollyoaks

I know this is obviously something I watch every week but I'm loving the storylines at the moment! I can't wait for Mercedes to come back and for Kim to be revealed as a nutter haha!

Clearasil Rapid Action Treatment Cream

Unfortunately the last week or so I have had some friends join me on my face..... the big red ugly kind! This stuff is what I run too as soon as I have an unwanted zit - it works like a charm for me and has helped me vend these beasts off!

Sunshine (Finally!)

ENGLAND HAS HAD SUNSHINE! Yes it's true that big ball of fire in the sky does actually work. It's amazing how much it can change my mood and put a smile on my face!

 I went for a lovely walk along to seafront with my favourite songs playing in the week and it really lifted my spirits - it's the little things in life!

Ralph Lauren 5150 Sunglasses

With sun comes sunglasses, these are my total and utter favs at the moment - I did a blog post on them a few months ago! They are great for my face shape (aka a massive face!) and I think the pink detailing on the arms and inside.

Special K Porridge Pot

I love porridge and I love easy porridge. I have been having these for lunch everyday with a few almonds and raisins chucked in - they are great if you are on the go and so, so yummy!

Revenge

I know this was in my 'TWIL' post last week BUT I have still been watching it ... ALOT. I'm half way through season 2 already and am still loving Emily Thorne and her antics!

MAC Viva Glam Miley Lipstick

Most worn lip colour of the week has to go to Miley once again! I love this bright pink shade and have even been wearing it to work!

Writing

Like I said earlier in my "Me Project" post, one of my missions for this year is to write a book! I have now started to draft out my idea and expand my thoughts for it, hopefully soon I can get started on the proper writing - I'm excited for it.

Zoeva Luxe Cheek Brush

This has been my favourite brush for contouring for months now ..... and I'm not sure how it hasn't been mentioned on here yet! It's the perfect angled shape to use with my matte bronzer and highlighters to create great daily contour!

Lee Stafford Poker Straight Flat Iron Protection

Since getting my haircut I have been styling it alot more, which of course means alot more products and alot more protection! The 2 heat protectant's I was using have totally run out so after hunting through my haircare stash I found this beaut which I hadn't used in month! I'd forgotten how fab it was and how much I love the scent!

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My 5 Most Used Brushes

Brushes... one of those key ingredients to make-up and it's application. 

I honestly don't know how I use to apply my make-up with no brushes when I was younger - what on earth was I thinking, I dread to think what I looked like!

Back when I was about 15 I used probably 1 brush and that was just a cheap little kabuki brush to apply some bronzer - everything else was done with my hands... opps!

I like to think I've come along way since then, it's 9 years later and I owe more make-up brushes than kitchen cutlery but there are a few that have a firm place in my daily make-up routine and those are rhe brushes I'm going to share with you today!

These are the 5 brushes that I use the most. 
Brushes that I use daily and brushes that, now, I couldn't see myself living without - they are my fav's and are all pretty affordbable in my opinion!

1.  Real Techniques Powder Brush

I love this big fluffy brush. It's perfect for using with a powder after foundation  to help set it and I use it daily - also fab if you want to add some bronzer to your neck and chest!

2. Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
I use this for my Seventeen Pwhooar Paint concealer and it works wonders! So good for blending - I will never use my fingers for concealer again! Would also be great for contouring!

3. Zoeva Silk Finish Brush
This is the greatest foundation brush I've ever used! I hate your standard flat foundation brush - I've never go on with them and just don't get them! I love a flat buffing bruh like this and this works so well with any of my favouite foundations! This thing is a lifesaver!

4. Zoeva Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush

This angled brush is what I use with my Sleek contouring kit - which, to be honest, I don't know how I lived without! 
The Sleek kit has become a staple in my make-up bag and this brush with it, I hardly go a day without it! This brush is fab for using along my cheek bones and jaw lines with the bronzer and then I flip it to the other side and use it for the highlighter!

5. ELF Eyeliner Brush
Yes yes yes I know this is an eyeliner brush BUT for me this is my eyeBROW brush! This size and shape is perfect to help me fill in my brows with my HD brows palette and I have been using it for years!

So there you have it - my 5 most used brushes! Was this a bit of a boring post?!
 What brushes do you use the most and which are your favouites?

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August Favourites

Another 31 days, another 4 weeks, another month down.
 Can you BELIEVE it is September?!?
Is it bad that I love it - I love the build up to Winter because... winter is my favourite season! (waiting for people to look at me in disappointment - sorry kids!)

Anyway August has been both a good and a busy one and September looks to be even crazier! I'm moving out of my house for the first time.. TODAY and I'm off to Bestival on Thursday - it is all go go go!
Anyway back to August and my favourites of the month...

Yes, this is the "wash bag" from Ted Baker,but looking at the size of the Make-up bags from them though I knew they would not be big enough for the likes of my daily face so I thought I'd get the washbag where I knew everything would fit!
I bought this from ASOS and it was £25. I love French Bulldogs. Like, alot. If I see one it makes me want to cry and my number 1 aim in life is to be a French Bulldog owner (I even have names picked out already..... am I sad?) but anyway.... this pattern is perfect for me! So so cute! 

Now... if you have been reading my blog for a while you know that in last month's favourites I raved about Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush Body Buttercream. The smell is just so incredible (if you want a description head over to that post) and at the end of that post I said "I cannot wait to get the body wash aswell!" ... Well guess what came back into stock! And with it being 3 for 2 I grabbed 3 while I could! They are £6.50 each, which in fairness for a bodywash is a little expensive but the smell is just amazing and they are so creamy and moisturising I can't imagine using anything else now! 10/10!

I love Taylor Swift, you should know this by now, and I own all of her perfumes. (I am not ashamed, I have an obsession with country music and I think she is so talented.) Her first perfume Wonderstruck I actually bought when I was travelling in the US as it wasn't out in the UK yet and is probably my favourite perfume of all time - big statement there.
 So when she bought out another new perfume a few months ago - Taylor by Taylor Swift - I knew I had to have it! But with me trying to be sensible with money I have been putting off splashing out for it but this month I just thought why not? My local Superdrug only had a 30ml so that's what I settled for and it was only £22, barry bargain!
I love love love this scent, alot more than the second perfume, "Wonderstruck Enchanted" as it is alot sweeter and I actually really recognise the scent but can't work out what it smells like! Nice work T-Swizzle!

My Zoeva brushes HAVE to be in my favourites for this month. I did a whole post on them so I won't bore you again with everything but you can read that here if you want to find out more! But they are just such good quality and I have been using them non-stop! Fabulous brushes!

I know I am a big slow with the up-take on this one but I am loving the Garnier 5 sec Perfect Blur Smoothing Perfecting Primer. Yes this has been out for a good while now and I have been meaning to pick it up for months but for some reason every time I always thought "I'll get it next time" But when it was down to about £8.65 or something on promotion I snapped it up and I am so glad I did! 
This stuff is awesome, primers are something I switch up all the time and this one is brilliant! It leaves your skin so silky smooth and perfect for make-up application - I have used so much of this that I'll probably be buying a replacement real soon!

I'm just going to have to add Pretty Little Liars to my favourites this month. THAT finale was just amazing!
 I'm still sat here thinking about it! I have read a couple of the books and have been a loyal watcher/fan since the show started and I recommend it to everyone and anyone! Obviously I'm not going to write any spoilers but if you watched it too and are upto date you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about! Bring on October 22nd and the Halloween episode!

What have been your favourites this month?! 

Zoeva Cosmetics : Complete Brush Set

Some people may call me jammy, I'd just like to think of it as lucky.... yes I won another competition!
 Along with Rimmel, Revlon and Umberto Giannini wins this past 6 weeks or so I also managed to win a competition with the lovely people at Zoeva.
Zoeva are a cosmetics brand based in Germany, I'd seen them a few times on twitter and had heard really good things so thought I would enter - why not right?!
The prize I won was the "Complete Set" - a set of 15 make-up brushes and a brush cleanser product - A-mazing.

"The ZOEVA Complete Set is an exclusive selection of ZOEVA’s favorite makeup brushes for face an eye application.

This set contains 15 essential brushes for a perfect makeup finish. From powder, foundation and blush brush, to professional eye brushes for the application of eyeshadow and eyeliner – with this kit you are all set! 

A travel size mini Brush Cleanser is included in this set." - Taken from Zoeva's website

The brushes came in a lovely black case/pouch and are all black and silver - simple but gorgeous. There is literally a brush for everything here and I have been using them non-stop for the past week.

106 | Powder Brush
104 | Buffer Brush

102 | Silk Finish Brush

127 | Luxe Sheer Cheek Brush

110 | Face Shape Brush

142 | Concealer Buffer Brush

228 | Crease Brush

227 | Soft Definer Brush

231 | Petit Crease Brush

234 | Smoky Shader Brush

230 | Pencil Brush

317 | Wing Liner Brush

238 | Precise Shader Brush

315 | Fine Liner Brush

321 | Brow Comb

Zoeva Brush Cleanser 15ml

All the brushes are super soft which the first thing I want in a brush and to me they are just as good quality as the Real Technique brushes. (a personal fav)

The silk finish brush is perfect for liquid foundation application and the concealer buffer does the perfect job with my Collection Lasting Perfection concealer!

I'm also loving using the Luxe Sheer Cheek brush for my Sleek contour kit bronzer - it is the perfect shape to contour my cheeks and the powder brush is fab for my ELF Warm bronzer or Fake Bake shimmer brick!

The wing liner brush I actually use with my HD Brows palette to fill in my eyebrows, it works so well!

I can't wait for a big night out soon when I can put to use all the other brushes as I've only done that once so far - other than that I have just been using them fr my day-to-day make-up which is pretty basic!

I highly recommend these brushes and for only €88 for 15 brushes and a brush cleanser I think it is a bargain (works out at just over £5 per item - alot cheaper than going out and buying a whole brush collection separately!)

I'm definitley going to look into trying some of the Zoeva make-up because if the products are as good as the brushes then they are slowly going to be heading up to the top of my fav brands!

Have any of you tried any Zoeva products? What are your favourite brushes to use?

30 Day Snap #30 - The End

I made it!! I have successfully managed to complete the 30 Day Snap - Louise I hope you're proud! 
Here is my June in a nutshell (sang in Harry Hill TV Burp tune ... if you are from the UK and have a sense of humor you will understand...)!
I actually made this photo collage earlier and then went onto Louise's blog and have seen she's done exactly the same thing - great minds think alike eh? 
Some of these photos are from my 30 Day Snap posts... and some are not (New photos for you guys to nose over... nice aren't I?!)
I hope you have all had a fab month now... bring on July! I have lots of ideas for new posts and if you want to request anything please feel free to leave and comment below!

Catch up here, Days - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29.

June Favourites

Another month down which means, another favourites post! June has been mostly a great month, with a few lows! My highlight of the month has to be the Isle Of Wight Festival, I had such a great time with my boyfriend and friends (check out my 30 Day Snap for some pictures of my weekend)!
Here's just a few other things I have been loving in the month of June!

A bit of a mixture of things this month and I've actually already mentioned a few of them in previous posts aswell, but these are my top picks from the last 30 days or so!

First up is the Sally Hansen Moisturising Nail Polish Remover for dry, brittle nails (aka mine!)

I actually was going to put this in my May favourites but totally forgot about it, so Iknew it just HAD to go in this months!

I have been using this stuff for  a few months now (after stealing it from my Mum) and really love it! 

My nails are so so brittle and flaky and always have been. They don't grow and if they do then they just break - which is why I love have extensions and shellac! Not only can I feel this stuff befitting my nails but it works so so well as a remover. Just one cotton pad with this stuff gets all my nail varnish from both hands off first time, not alot of removers can do that! (if you go looking for this in the shops it is the blue Sally Hansen remover .... you can't really tell that in the photo!)

Next is the Face Contour Kit by Sleek in the shade - Light. I mentioned this in a haul post called Thank You Mr. Postman and have used it everyday since! (Well everyday that I've worn make-up)! I use an angled blush brush from the elf mineral bamboo line for the bronzer along my cheek bone and then the real techniques contour brush to apply the highlighter above it! I then use the blush brush again from Real Techniques to blend them together to avoid any harsh lines. I love the effect and the quality of the product is amazing, I keep getting asked if I'm wearing High Beam (a Benefit highlighter) on my cheeks - well worth the price it is now a staple in my make-up bag.

Pretty isn't it? Yup I've got myself a new bag this month, so clearly it has to be in my favourites!

This is the mini shopper bag from Zara (I'm sure you've all seen it before!). I don't have a Zara anywhere near where I live so I always get my stuff from their online store. Originally I did want the orange version of this bag but unfortunately they didn't have that one available on the website so I settled for this gorgeous green colour. (Although black is a great colour as it goes with everything I fancied something a little different this season)! I think this bag is such a bargain for the price -  only £22.99 - and the size, for me, is perfect! 

I always seem to manage to have everything in my bag, I feel the need to be prepared for any situation or outcome so space is a big thing for me and although it looks fairly small it really isn't! I've used this everyday for weeks and keep getting loads of compliments on it, if the orange shade ever goes online I will 100% be buying that one too! (What's in my bag? post will be up later this week!)

                 

First of all ... LOL at my foot sneaking in the photo, I've only just noticed this as I'm writing this section - doh!

If you read blogs alot, watch youtube, go on twitter or hell, just use the internet you are going to have heard so much about  these already! Baring this in mind I shan't bore you for long. These are some of my Real Techniques brushes - the best brushes I own. From left to right you have - the Powder, Buffing , Blush, Stippling, Contour & Expert Face brushes. I use most of these daily, they are so soft and give the best results for someone who wears a full-face of make-up like myself - a fantastic investment.

Now, I could do a whole post about these. If you are a regular reader (thank you) you would have already seen me rave about these in my recent post - Kirstie's Beauty Buys Of The Week. A few weeks ago now I purchased the pink shade on the right - Nova. I immediately fell in love with the feel and result of it and knew I would be purchasing more.

 After searching high and low for a new red lipgloss I knew this was going to be the one - Big Bang (left) is such an amazing colour and I love that I have the look and stay of a lipstick and the shine of lipgloss all in one!

 These lip lacquers are faultless I'm going to be buying more this week!

Guilty confession to make with this one. I copied my Mum! She has the larger version and this one and I always think they look so cute! So this week when I saw this on sale for half price I had to buy it! 

It is from M&Co (I think this is actually the first thing I've ever bought from there) and was down to £6 from £12. I've put all my small stacking rings in here and it's replaced the glass ashtray that was featured in my Make-up Storage post with it.

In my last favourites posts I shared with you my favourite album of the month and this month is going to be no different!

 I cannot stop listening to Demi Lovato's new album - Demi! This is my sort of music, girly, fun, a few ballads and great to sing along too! It is one of those albums that you only have to listen to once and you know you love it, I have been playing it non-stop for weeks and weeks! My favourite tracks are Nightingale, Warrior, Made In The USA & Really Don't Care (which features Cher Lloyd!).

What have you been loving this month?!

30 Day Snap #26 - Brush Love & A Sad Day

Returned home from work today to find these beauties waiting for me (Thank you Mr. Postman!) 
Been wanting these 4 for so so long (so far I only have the core collection and that is NOT enough!) and finally splashed out (yes I'm tight) and bought these Real Techniques brushes from feelunique.com.
I ordered  the Powder Brush, the Stippling Brush, the Blush Brush & the Expert Face Brush.
Now...I know they are all going to be amazing so I'm not going to bore you with a post about them because there is already hundreds out there but I thought they would be perfect for today's 30 Day Snap!

Had a really bad day today, one of my little doggies had to be put down so I'm very sad this evening :-( He was 13 and I know it was the best thing for him but I can't help but feel heartbroken, I've grown up with that little guy!


Catch up here, Days - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25.