Tuesday 27 September 2016

September Favorites!

Hi everyone,
Today I am going to share with you some of my favorite products from this month. I honestly cannot believe that we are almost at the end of the year. Anyway let's begin!

Makeup
Collection Lasting Perfection - I have been addicted to this concealer for all of this month especially for under the eyes. This concealer never fails me and recently it is all I have been using. If you have never tried it, I highly suggest you do.
Kiko Provocative Pink Blush - This is a recent makeup buy for me and I have been loving it. I quite like how it is not very pigmented as it just adds that little pop of colour to the cheeks. The colour itself is a super, wearable pink shade that goes with everything and since there is two colours in the blush you can custom the blush to your perfect shade.
Seventeen Define and Conquer Contour Kit - You all know I love love love this duo. The highlight shade I use everyday but this month I have especially been loving the bronzer shade. It is the perfect shade for my skin, not too dark or light, it is very pigmented and it lasts a super long time on the skin.
Revlon Laquer Balm in Demure - It feels like forever since I have mentioned this in a blog post. Recently I have been using this for school as it keeps my lips moisturized, glossy and gives it a tint of colour.

Skincare/ Body care
Garnier Micellar Water - This has been a staple in my skincare routine this month for on a school day when I am too lazy to deep clean my face. I try not to use it everyday but every so often it does a great job at getting all of the dirt out of my face.

Hair
Batiste Dry Shampoo - Not going to lie, I go through phases with dry shampoo, I either use it constantly or I don't use it at all, but this month I have really been liking Batiste. I find that the new formula is a little more clear when applied to my hair, and it instantly gives it more volume and texture.

Fashion
Topshop Jamie Jeans - Sorry Joni jeans, but we are over, I have found a better pair. I use to love my Joni jeans from Topshop but there was always something about them I didn't like, and I think it was the fact that they were so thin. After doing some research I found that Jamie jeans were seen as the better version of Joni jeans so I had to try them, and I have to agree. Jamie jeans are still high waisted and skinny fitting but they have more of a jean feel to them rather than a jegging feel, I would highly recommend them.

Films/ Tv
Twilight - Can you believe I have never seen these films until this month? I know! I was scrolling through my Netflix realizing that Twilight kept showing up, loads of people had recommended it to me but I never got round to watching it. I actually finished all five films within two days, which you could call obsessive but to me that is a sign of a good film. Anyway it is definitely a must see, I love the story line and it is such a beautiful film.
Footloose - I can definitely put this film in my top three as I have seen it more times than I can count. It is an amazing film which deserves so much more recognition. I do prefer the newer one just because it appeals to me more but you should all definitely watch it. I think the main reason I love it so much is because of the dancing and music, it is not your cheesy love story and I think it is quite mature which I like.

Music
Illuminate - I don't know whether this counts as a favorite, just because it hasn't been out for that long, but I have been obsessed with this album. In case you didn't know Illuminate is Shawn Mendes' new album and it is spectacular. Each and every song has something unique and beautiful about it. You should all go and give it a listen. My favorite songs from the album at the moment are Ruin and Patience.

I really hope you enjoyed this blog post. Let me know in the comments what you have been loving this month. Have a great day!
Grace xx

Sunday 25 September 2016

Autumn Q&A!

Hi everyone,
Today I am bringing you a Q&A. I am super sorry for the lack of posts recently, my computer has been doing it's own thing recently, but now I have it all under control. Another bit of new is that I am going to be posting on my blog every Sunday at 10 and every Tuesday at 5, I am sorry but I don't think I will be able to keep posting three times a week constantly as I am going into GCSE year, and it is important for me to focus. Anyway now that all of that is out of the way, let begin the Q&A!

(@Georginaleigh_) What's your favorite hair product?
It has to be hair oil! My favorite one is by the brand Wella but I'm sure you have seen it on my blog a few times, but I just love it. Naturally, my hair is very dry and so to moisturize it I use a hair oil. I use it whether my hair is wet or dry and it just makes my hair look super silky and shiny.

(@holaitsmaddy) What is your biggest piece of advice for anyone thinking about starting a blog?
Start it for the right reasons, I do actually want to do a whole ramble post on this so keep an eye out for that. Please, please, please do not start a blog if you want fame, free products, money or any nonsense like that, you can find another "hobby". You should start something because you want to and you think it would make you happy. Start a blog if you know that's what you want, you want to commit to it, you want to write, share and publish. Just remember that blogging isn't easy, although it provides jobs and great opportunities, it does come at a price.

(@emily.young.x) Top 5 makeup brushes and palettes?

Makeup brushes I would say the Real Techniques buffing brush, contour brush, base shadow brush, Seventeen cheeks brush and the Rucci Professional Stipple brush. For palettes I would say the Too Faced sweet peach eye shadow palette, ABH contour kit, Freedom secret rose eye shadow palette, Naked flushed palette and the Makeup Revolution blush goddess blush palette.

(@mblogs.co) What's your favorite thing about summer?
I love the weather a lot but also the fashion. Even though I live in unpredictable England and I love the cold, frosty mornings in winter, I do love a nice summers day. In summer I love to wear lightweight, breezy clothes and as much as I love layering, not having to wear a jacket is great. 

(@amybatcherrs) What GCSE are you doing?
Obviously the main ones, maths, English grammar, English literature and then I am taking combined science, history, German, fine art, computing and product design.

(@whiteinteriorsblog) Where would your dream holiday be and who with?
I think it would have to be travelling around America with my friends and family. I would be so much fun!

(@everythingxerin) Favorite song at the moment?
Definitely Mercy by Shawn Mendes, it is such a good song, I am obsessed!

(@pennyellice) Top 3 favorite clothing shops?
At the moment, Pull and Bear, H&M and Topshop, all of which have great autumn collections out now.

(@louloves01) If you could only take 5 products to a desert island, what would you take?
My phone, portable wifi, lip balm, bottle of water and some crisps.

(@morganjonesx) What's you favorite makeup brand?
I honestly don't have one, drugstore brands I love include L'Oreal, Maybelline and Freedom and for High end I would say Too Faced even though I don't own a lot form the brand.

(@sara_czern) Top 5 TV series?
I am actually thinking of doing a blog post dedicated to my favorite TV Series but as a short list, Teen Wolf, The Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl and House of Anubis, but there are others which I love.

I really hope you enjoyed this post, let me know in the comments whether you like these Q&A posts. Have a great day!
Grace xx

Wednesday 14 September 2016

The Biggest Fashion Bargain Of Autumn!

Hi everyone,
Today isn't something I planned on doing but it is so amazing, I felt like I had to share it. Fashion isn't something I do enough of on my blog but I want to change that. Since autumn and winter are my favorite seasons for fashion I thought I would kick off my fall fashion posts with an absolute bargain. Let's begin!
I was just casually in H&M browsing and I came across this rack of tops labelled with "Only £3.99" I immediately ran over to see what there was. I found this top and my jaw dropped once I had saw the price. I don't think Primark cold get any better then this. This top is a high neck, long sleeved, ribbed, slightly cropped top and for only £3.99. Not going to lie, the quality isn't amazing, it is a little thin but for £3.99, I am not complaining. This would look amazing with skinny jeans, skirts or pinafores, they had lots of colours but I bought the black and mustard because they were the only ones with my size. For a top that is perfect for the colder seasons, it is a mad bargain.

I hope you enjoyed this post, I know it was a little short but I really just wanted to share with you this bargain. Let me know whether you want a post on how I style these tops. Have a great day!
Grace xx

Sunday 11 September 2016

Music I am Currently Loving!

Today I am going to be sharing with you albums that I am loving. Recently I haven't been enjoying the charts that much so I took matters into my own hands and I have been listening to certain songs, albums and artists which I have rediscovered or found and really enjoyed. Let's begin!

Albums:
Nick Jonas - Last Year Was Complicated
I am a huge Nick Jonas fan, I love all of his music and so this album was definitely on my list of albums to listen too. My favorites are definitely Teacher, Champagne Problems and Under You but all of them are amazing. The album is very mature and has a very modern sound to it. It is very different to something I would usually listen too but it is so good, I would definitely recommend it!
Shawn Mendes - Handwritten
I am so late on this band waggon but this album is beautiful! Shawn Mendes has always been an artist I have had my eye on because he is young and has such an amazing voice. My favroite songs off the album are Kid in Love and I Don't Even Know Your Name, but again all of them are amazing. This album to me goes from one extreme to another, from super upbeat and happy to emotional and slow. Personally I love that variaty in an album!
Years and Years - Communion
A lot of you might not know this but I love love love Years and Years. They are one of my favorite bands and I am just obsessed with their music. I love all of the songs on this album but my favorites are Real and Border. The main reason I love Years and Years so much is because their music is so unique and modern. Their sound is just very original and there is nothing like it.

Songs:
Good Grief - Bastille
Obsessed! I am totally crazy for this song, I don't know what it is but I just love it. Bastille isn't a favorite band of mine but this song is superb! There is something about the way it sounds which I am just in love with. To me, there is an old fashioned vibe to the song and I think that's what I like so much about it. If you haven't listened to it you totally should!
Twist - Nathan Sykes
You can all blame Penny for this! Nathan Sykes again in't someone I look out for but because Penny showed me the song, I started listening to it more and more, and I do really like it. It is a very happy and upbeat song with almost a jazzy feel to it. He sings the song really well and I just think it is very different to anything in the charts.
Let Me Go - Gary Barlow
When this song first came out, I was obsessed but I soon forgot about it and moved onto something else. I have recently rediscovered it and I have fallen back in love with it. The song is quite a sad song when you listen to the lyrics but it is upbeat and happy all in one song. This song never fails to cheer me up and I do just love it.
Catch Me Here - Drumsound & Bassline Smith (feat. Conor Maynard)
This is a very new song that was only released a few weeks ago but I really like it. I have always had a thing for Conor Maynard but this song is so unlike his others and I really like it. His music has definitely matured and it has a modern feel to it which I really enjoy.


Artists:
Adele

Honestly who doesn't love Adele? Recently I have been loving her old music from the 19 and 21 album but that's not saying I don't like her 25 album because I love that too. To me, Adele's music is very sad most of the time but I love that about her. Her lyrics in every song have a meaning to it, which I find not a lot of artists maintain very well. My current favorite songs by her are Rumor Has it, Hometown Glory and Chasing Pavements.

I hope you enjoyed that post, it was something a little different to the usual makeup post. Let me know in the comments who your favorite singer is. Have a great day!
Grace xx

Friday 9 September 2016

What's In My Bag?

Hi everyone,
Today I am going to be doing a post I have never done, can you believe? I have been blogging for almost 2 years now and I have never done a what's in my bag, so that is what I am going to be doing with you today. Let's begin!

My Bag?
My bag is from Michael Kors, I bought it in America so you might not be able to get hold of it anymore but it is a beautiful black tote with gold hardware on it. I love this bag because it isn't too big, there are lots of compartments in it and you can carry it over your shoulder or arm.

Phone - Cannot go anywhere without it!
Purse - Goes without saying, money is needed for shopping, lunch and bus fairs. Mines from Michael Kors and I love it.
Loose Change - I am lazy and sometimes cannot be bothered to get my purse out, so I toss it stright in my bag (Oops).
Umbrella - I live in England, what can I say?
Sunglasses - Again unpredictable weather problems!
Plasters - Clumsy is my middle name so I always need plasters.
Bobby Pins/Bobbles - Everyday is a bad hair day in my books so I need my saviours.
Tissues - Bad weather usually equals unexpected colds.
Hand Cream - I get really dry hands, especially in winter.
Deodorant - Just for a refresh when on the go.
Handy Wipes - I cannot come out of superdrug without a rainbow on my hands, these get rid of it.
Current Lipstick - After eating I tend to touch up on my daily lipstick, this one is Too Faced Chocolate Milkshake.
Chewing Gum - To get rid of a bad taste and for fresh breath.

I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know what your bag essentials are in the comments. Thank you so much for your support, you have been killing it lately! Have a great day!
Grace xx

Tuesday 6 September 2016

Super Affordable Online Beauty Haul!

(Disclaimer - This post might be in collaboration with a brand but I am not being paid to say anything, all opinions and thoughts are my own. I genuinely love this brand and want to share it with you.)
Hi everyone,
Today I am going to be doing a haul which is something I do quite often on my blog but this one is a little different. Since it is back to school season and Christmas is soon approaching, I wanted to share with you an online website that sells endless beauty products for crazy affordable prices. I think you all are going to really like this website as a lot of the products you can't actually buy in your local Boots or Superdrug! Lets begin!
I got in contact with the brand Nur Besten and they told me all about their online website where they sell a range of products all very affordable. They asked me if I would be interested in working with them to spread the word about there shop, after taking a look on their website I obviously said yes, they let me pick out five products of my choice I now I am reporting back.

Shipping Information!
If you do go and check out this website you might realize that it is in German and euro prices, and I know that most of my readers are from the UK and so I wanted to make sure that you are all able to get products from this site wherever you are. You can easily translate the website to any currency or language and I did email the brand about shipping information and they say that it is free shipping worldwide. If you live in the UK it is predicted to come within three to four weeks but mine actually took less. Even though the package is coming from another country they say that you are not likely to get charged customs which is great because I know a lot of companies that do charge (quite a bit!). 

Package Review!
When my package arrived it was a day less then three weeks which I thought was great because I was expecting it to come a lot later. It came in a sealed package and all the products inside where very well protected with layers and layers of bubble wrap, it actually took me a solid 20 minutes to unwrap it all. None of the products came damaged and they all came in one package. Overall the shipping and package where very successful.
Let's start with the haul!

First thing was something I have been wanting to try for a while and that is an oval brush. These have recently taken over the makeup world with endless instagramers using them. I wanted to give them a go for myself so I picked up this one. It is fairly small which is what I was expecting because I thought that this would be great for cream contour. This brush does come in three colours, gold, silver and rose gold, I went for the rose gold and it is super beautiful. I have used this a few times and I do really like it, it is very dense and blends out creams like a dream but I am not fully use to it yet. I am still lacking in practice, but this cost around £12 which I think is great because the of the super high quality.

Next thing is kind of related to brushes an that is a silicon brush cleaner. If you have seen my how I clean my makeup brushes blog post (linked here) you will know that I use a silicon cleansing pad to clean my brushes with and so I wanted to try out this one. It is in a super cute heart shape with four different engravings on it, you can get it in eleven different colours and I chose the purple one. I have used this once and I am obsessed, I prefer it so much more over my cleansing pad, it just does an amazing job at removing all of the dirt from my brushes. When I clean my brushes I tend to use the bottom of the heart with the circles on it as I find it works the best. It is fairly big and it is also really affordable, I think it was less than £1 which I think is an absolute steal.

I obviously couldn't do this order without getting some actual makeup so I bought this concealer palette which I have seen around the place so I thought I would give it a go. This doesn't have a brand or shade but it comes with fifteen concealer shades three of which are colour correctors and the rest range from light to dark, warm to cool. I have used this once or twice and I think it is quite nice. The creams themselves are very thick but if you dampen whatever brush you use to apply it with you get a good consistency. They work really well with that oval brush and my two favorite shades are the green and the one in the top right corner. I wouldn't actually use this to concealer with because the coverage isn't very high but to cream contour, prime eyes, carve out my brows, anything like that, it works great for. This was super cheap as well, it was about £12 for fifteen concealers which is just insane.

Final makeup product is a blusher because I feel like that is what my makeup collection lacks in. This one is from the brand Efolar which is a brand I am not aware of but I am very impressed with this. You get the choice of five shades and the pictures on the website are very true to colour I find so I went for shade 1 which is a light, peachy pink. I really like the packaging of this because you get he blusher which is fairly big, and then you flip it and you get a brush (which isn't all that good) and a mirror which is great for travelling. The blusher itself is very nice, it is quite dry in the way that it is not buttery feeling when you swatch it but it is very pigmented and it lasts for a very long time which I think is rare in a blusher. This also cost around £3 which is just amazing for a compact blush, so I think I might get a few more shades of this.

Final product of this haul is another brush. I have been looking for a tapered blending brush for quite a while so when I found this I bought it straight away. This brush doesn't have a brand but it is a very dense, tapered eye brush. I was very surprised by this because it is so much more dense then what I thought so I don't actually use it for blending, I use it for creams. When I apply my eye base, colour corrector or spot concealer, I use this brush. I tend the stipple it and that works best for me since it distributes the product nicely, it is very soft gentle on the skin. Even though it was not what I expected it to be I still, somehow found a purpose for it, and I didn't break the bank I think it cost around £2 which is just crazy!


I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know in the comments whether you like the look of any of these products. The link to the website is here and on the side bar of my blog is a discount code which you are able to use to get 10% off your purchase. Happy shopping! Have a great day!

Grace xx

Sunday 4 September 2016

Back to School Makeup Look: All Drugstore!

Hi everyone,
Back to school is approaching us very quickly and so today I wanted to share with you an affordable makeup look that is super natural and appropriate for school. I am in no means trying to say that you need to wear makeup to school, this post is for people that want to wear it, never feel pressured. Let's begin!

Base
You want to ensure that your makeup lasts all day and doesn't shift so a primer is going to achieve that. I have chosen the Nivea men post shave balm, I know that this isn't actually labelled as a primer but it contains glycerin with allows products to stick which is what we want. This is also really good for school because it is cooling which will awaken your skin, it also gives your skin a beautiful luminous finish. 
his step is optional but if you are like me with an uneven skin tone then you might want to include it. A foundation is a great way to give your whole face an even look, nothing heavy is needed for school so I have chosen the Miss Sporty Insta Glow foundation which is super sheer coverage and light weight. This also has a very lovely glow to it which is going to make your skin look very natural and healthy. 
For concealer I have chosen the Collection Lasting Perfect concealer because it is high coverage so if there are any problem areas you want to conceal then this is the right product. You can use this to highlight under your eyes as well if you have lacked in some sleep the night before.
To set all of the liquids in place a powder is necessary, the L'Oreal Infallible powder is great because you can put it in your school bag and touch up throughout the day. You will mainly want to focus the powder on where you put your concealer and then dust a little bit over everywhere else. If you are not wearing foundation or concealer a powder like this is still great because it is going to give you the smallest bit of coverage and it will help keep any oils at bay.
You are going to want to give your face some definition and so a bronzer like the Collection Bronze Glow Matte Bronzer is great. You want to apply bronzer around the edges of your face cheekbones, forehead, nose and chin making sure that all is well blended. This is going to give your face some dimension and colour, as long as you blend it really well and use a light hand it will look very natural.
To give your cheeks some colour you can use some blush. My drugstore favorite is the Makeup Revolution Blush Goddess Blush Palette. The great thing about this is that you get four colours to choose from so you can mix it up each day. A little bit of these blushes go a long way so just dust a little over the apples of your cheek and blend.
Highlighter is something you can wear if you want to accentuate any parts of the face, you can use the same palette you used for blush as that comes with four highlighting shades. Take a small brush and apply it to the tops of your cheekbones, cupids bow, nose, brow bone and inner corners of the eye. This will give your skin a glow making it look very fresh and pretty.

Eyes
Keeping it super simple with no eye shadow and straight onto mascara. If you are blessed with very beautiful, long lashes then don't feel the need to do this step but if you want to open up the eyes and make them pop, add a few coats of mascara. I would recommend a brown mascara as it is more natural and appropriate for school. The Revlon Lash Potion Mascara is one of my favorites, it gives my lashes a nice amount of length and volume without them looking clumpy.
For brows, a tinted gel is the best because it is going to keep all of the hairs in place but add a little bit of thickness and definition. The Maybelline Brow Drama is great because it comes in a great range of colours and it distributes the perfect amount of product. I find that this gel also lasts a long amount of time which is what we want.

Lips
You could change this up all the time with a lip balm, lip gloss, lipstick, lip stain anything you like but I wanted to share by favorite school appropriate lip. It is the Revlon Lacquer Balm in Demure, because it is a balm it is super moisturizing with a light wash of colour and a glossy finish, giving your lips a super juicy look.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know in the comments when you go back to school, I go back on Monday (Uhhh). Have a great day!
Grace xx