Sunday 22 January 2017

What's in My Small Z Palette (With Swatches)

Like I promised, I am going to be doing a blog post all about the single eye shadows I keep in my Z Palette. At the moment, I have been pretty good at linking everything so if you like the look of any of the products I mentioned, they should be linked.

I did do a first impressions of the Makeup Geek eye shadows which I will link here, in case you want to know more about the formula, but I will briefly talk about each shade individually.
The Z Palette itself is from the proper brand Z Palette and I got mine off Beauty Bay (linked here). I only wanted the small one to begin with so I could just get a couple of shades just to test for the time being. This palette is super compact and it comfortably fits in nine single eye shadows. I do sort of wish that it has a mirror, but that is something that I can deal with. These empty palettes retail for about £10 which I feel like is a lot of money but I am sure that I am going to get a lot of use out of it.
This is the only shade in this palette that isn't from Makeup Geek. It is the NYX Single Eye Shadow in Whipped Cream. It is just your standard matte white shade but I think that it is essential to have a shade like this in every palette. A matte white/ cream shade has so many uses, inner corner highlight, brow bone highlight, lid shade or setting cream shadow in place. I am not a huge fan of this formula though because even though the pigment is good, the eye shadow is so powdery and it gives you a little too much kickback. Saying that, I cannot really complain since it was only around £3 which is half of a Makeup Geek eye shadow. I would recommend a shade like this for your palette but maybe not from this range but it does depend on how much you want to pay. 
From now on, all single eye shadows are by Makeup Geek which I bought off Beauty Bay. This particular one was bought because of the huge hype there is around this shade, Shimma Shimma. I have heard only good things about this eye shadow, it is a beautiful champagne shade. It is super shimmery and reflective which I love. This shade is definitely one of my favourites, it is beautiful on the inner corner, eyelid or even as a face highlighter. Since it is a very shimmery shade there is a lot of kick back on the product but not as much fall out as what you might think. The powder is very butter and smooth feeling. The pigment is so beautiful and intense, definitely one I would recommend.
This is the only duo chrome eye shadow I bought and I definitely want to get some more because this is beautiful. The shade itself is called Rockstar it's a light, pale grey with a pink sheen depending on how the light hits it. I do think that this shade is a little out of my comfort zone because is isn't super warm or golden which is what I usually wear but I like it a lot. As you will be able to see by the swatches at the end of this post, this shade is super pigmented and even, the colour does change from grey to pink depending on the light which I think looks very unusual on the eyes. This shade is very powdery but that's okay because the pigment is there. I would also recommend dampening your brush before applying this because it will reduce fallout and improve the pigment even more.
I feel as though this is a classic shade from Makeup Geek, Creme Brulee, so you could say I only bought this because of the hype. When I first got this, it looked very light in the pan, like it wouldn't work as a transition shade, but don't be fooled. It is a lot darker once you swatch it and put it on your eye and it is the most perfect transition shade. Creme Brulee is on the warmer side of a brown but I think it is a shade that everyone should have because everyone would be able to wear this. This is definitely a favourite shade. I find that all of the matte shades apply beautifully, they are pigmented, even, blendable, buttery and they are not as powdery as the shimmery shades, although I would recommend tapping off the excess before applying it to your eye.
Not going to lie, I can be a little scared of this shade because of how unusual the colour is but on the eyes it look lovely. It is called Desert Sands and it is a mustard, warm yellow shade but it is quite dark. This is lovely for the crease as it is matte and really flatters any brown shade. It also gives a little pop of colour as it is not brown but it is still neutral. I don't use the everyday but I think it's a nice shade to pull out occasionally for an extra something.
I love this shade a lot, I think it is quite new and was part of their autumn range but it is called Early Bird and it is a lovely bright orange. I like it because it is not too light and not too dark which I think is quite hard to find and it is also matte which again, I love for the crease. This is perfect to just add a lot of warmth eyes while flattering all of the other browns I use. I also love it on the eyelid with dark browns in the crease, it creates a warm smokey eye which I love. If you love warm eye shadows this is definitely one for you.
When I got a Z Palette I knew that this had to be one of the first eye shadows. Tuscan Sun is a beautiful muted, mid pink shade, like most of these shadows it is matte so I love it in the crease. I mainly bought this because I thought that it would make my green eyes pop. Personally, I love pink shades on my eyes but all of the pink eye shadows are matte, until this shade. I probably wouldn't use this without pairing it with a warm brown just to keep it neutral. This is definitely a shade that would flatter all eye colours and skin tones, especially green/blue eyes.
This, like Creme Brulee, a classic shade that I feel like everyone has, it's Cocoa Bear. This is just the perfect brown shade, I would say it has a very neutral undertone, it's not cool but it is not super warm either. It almost has a red undertone to it which I think looks really beautiful. I love this with all of those matte shades I mentioned previously. This is great to add depth in the outer corner and crease because it is not too dark like a black but it still adds enough depth. Sadly I find the formulation of this eye shadow a little disappointing, it is not like the other matte shades. It's a little rough to the touch and when I swatch it, it can be patchy. Thankfully on the eyes it's not a little too bad but just thought I would make you aware of this shade.
Corrupt is probably the most disappointing shade because I have always read, saw and been told that it was a matte black and so I bought it, a matte black is essential in an eye palette so I bought this one to figure out that it is shimmery. Now a lot of people will think that I am being stupid for being so sad about this but I was so sad. The difference between a matte shadow and a shimmery shadow might not be a lot to people but it is for me. I would much rather but matte shades near my lash line or in my crease and a shimmery shade on my lid and inner corner. This black is still very nice and I will still use it but I just wish that it was matte. Just to add in also, if you look at the swatch the shade is a little patchy but I expect that from a black shade. 
(Shades top to bottom, Corrupt, Cocoa Bear, Tuscan Sun, Early Bird, Desert Sands, Creme Brulee, Rockstar, Shimma Shimma, Whipper Cream)

What's your favourite Makeup Geek shade?
Grace xx

Wednesday 18 January 2017

Favourite Songs Right Now!

 At the moment I have been in a bit of music rut but I wanted to share a few songs that I have really been loving lately. Some are some old classics and some are new releases that I love.

Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill
How could I not mention Ed Sheeran's new music? it's amazing! Castle on the hill is a beautiful, it almost tells a story but it is not a super, slow, sad song which I like. Some of the lyrics are sad but the rhythm is very uplifting.

Ed Sheeran - Shape Of You
I can't mention one without the other, this song is just as good as Castle on the hill. At the moment I am struggling to pick which one I prefer as they are quite different. Shape of you is a little more unique and current. In my opinion, it is a little more catchy but I love them both equally. You should definitely give both a listen if you haven't already.

Galantis - Love On Me
Correct me if I am wrong, but I feel like this song has been out for a while but I am only just loving it. Galantis have a few stand out songs and this one is no different. All of their songs are very upbeat and catchy. Love on me is definitely a song that makes me just want to dance.

McFly - Transylvania
After Christmas was over, I started to grow a little obsession for McFly, I have no idea how or why but I just love them all. Over the past few weeks I have been listening to all of their albums and Transylvania is definitely a song that has stood out to me. It is a little gothic, very rock and very catchy. You will catch me singing this all day, I just love it.

McFly - Obviously
Another one by McFly and this has to be my all time favourite McFly song. I don't know what it is about this song but I just love love love it. The lyrics are quite sad when you listen to them but it sort of upbeat in a way. It is a song that always cheers me up and I think the boys sing it brilliantly.

James Arthur - Sober
I love James Arthur's new album, every song is brilliant but my favourite has to be Sober. It is quite a unique song but it is so catchy and has a bit of an old school vibe to it. I don't think this song is for everyone but I am in love with it.

Bruno Mars - Finesse
Another amazing album, 24K Magic. Bruno Mars has always been a loved artist of mine and his new album did not disapoint. My favourite has changed and changed but at the moment it is Finesse. It is quite old school again, very upbeat and catchy. I could listen to this song all day and not get bored of it.

Drake - Fake Love
I am not a huge Drake fan (don't kill me) but I find this song very relatable and well written. As you can probably tell by what it is called, it is about fake people pretending to like you which I think is something that most people can relate to. The beat is quite calming but I think what I love most is the lyrics.

What's your current favourite song?
Grace xx

Sunday 15 January 2017

Makeup I Am Currently Loving...

Since I didn't do a December favourites, and it's a little late now, I thought that I would share with you five makeup products that I have been using a lot lately. Some are rediscoveries and some are completely new that I have fallen in love with.
I am going to start with the makeup brushes, I got these for Christmas off my parents because I did ask for them, and I am so pleased with them. They are by Real Techniques and they are the duo fibre set. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I swear by my Rucci Professional large duo fibre stippling brush, but I know how hard it is to get hold of so I wanted to find something similar to it but from Superdrug. This set comes with three brushes, two for the face and one for the eyes. I have not used the eye brush just yet because I am still trying to figure out what to use it for because it is a bit unique. Anyway, the two face brushes I have been living for recently. There is a large fluffy one which is amazing and a smaller, more dense one which I have been loving for foundation. Both apply and blend product beautifully and I hope that you can still get hold of this! Also noticed that they are 20% off right now, so get them before they go because they are limited edition.

Next up we have a concealer, which I finally got my right shade in. It is the LA Girl Pro Concealer Concealer, I actually now have this concealer in three shades because online, the shades are a little dodgy but I finally got a shade that matches me. When I had the wrong colour, I felt as thought I could give a fair review on it so now that I finally have my shade I can call my final verdict, it is amazing! This concealer is a mixture of medium coverage and lightweight, it is beautiful. It is very comparable to the Naked Skin Concealer by Urban Decay because it is super lightweight, blendable, pigmented and has a lovely finish. One thing I don't like is the packaging but I can handle it for the amazing product inside.

Now I am going to go onto a blush and bronzing duo that I have finally gotten round to using. Last year in March, I went to Orlando on holiday and I obviously did some makeup shopping and I picked up an Elf Blushing and Bronzing Duo in St. Lucia, but it has been sitting in the back of my draws for almost a year and I have finally pulled it out to try it. I have mostly been using the bronzer because it is such a lovely colour, it is quite neutral which is different for me because all of my other bronzers are very warm. It also had gold glitter in it which I think will look great in the warm months. The blush I have not really played with too much because when I swatch it, it is very powdery and has a lot of chunky glitter in it, which isn't really my style. I will keep try it out but I love this duo anyway because the bronzer is so good.

Moving onto brows, recently I have really been liking a softer brow look, something a little more natural. You all know I love my ABH brow pomade but it is quite heavy so I wanted a powder that would help me achieve something lighter. I bought this one from Freedom, it's their Duo Brow Powder and mine it in the shade soft brown. At the moment, I have been loving this, the colour is great, the colour is super pigmented and it blends really well. I use both colours, the lighter one nearer the front and the darker one at the end, and I love the effect it leaves. This is definitely something I would recommend to anyone, it's a great little compact and it is a few pounds which is hard to believe.

The last product I am going to mention today is a new mascara. I am on the hunt for a mascara that is just as good or even better then my Maybelline one. This one by Benefit it close, it is their Bad Gal Lash mascara. I am not a fan of Rollerlash and They're Real is good but I love Bad Gal. The wand is huge but I like that for my upper lashes because it grabs every lash. It is super black and I find that it really helps lengthen and hold my curl. I will keep having to test it to see whether it can beat my Maybelline one, but this is definitely a gooden that I think should be talked about more.

What have you been loving lately?
Grace xx

Wednesday 11 January 2017

5 Products, 5 First Impressions

I have been wanting to do a post like this for a while and since I have a few new makeup products I thought I would finally do one. At the moment, I am pre-writing posts for January/February time so you may have already seen these products in previous posts but I am writing this straight after trying them after a few tries. Let me know if you like this post idea and I will definitely do more in the future.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer in Light Warm
Not going to lie, my immediate thought with this is that the colour does not match me, which is still the case, but I am still going to try it. I have been mixing it with other colours my colour recently and I do like it. This is the first high-end concealer I have tried but I think it is one of the cheapest luxury concealers out there as it is only £17.50, which is a lot but good for something high-end.
Firstly I love the packaging, super simple, sleek and expensive looking. I also love the applicator, a simple doe foot applicator which is definitely my favourite because it is super easy to apply and control. I did treat this how I would treat any other concealer, but applying the same amount and blending it in with a sponge.
The formula is not too thick but it is not super watery either which is good. It is definitely a medium to full coverage but it is super lightweight on the skin, you almost can't feel it. I also find that it doesn't dry out my skin as much as what other concealers do which I love and it is very comfortable to wear. On the skin, it looks very luminous and natural looking which I really like when I am highlighting. I would definitely only use it to highlight with just because I think the finish would look a little unusual when spot concealing.
Like I said before, the only downside so far is the colour but hopefully I will get another one in a more suited shade.

LA Girl Strobe Lite Powder in Watt 120 - £8
I got this for Christmas and in the pan it looks beautiful, I chose this shade because I thought a white highlighter would be super beautiful. When I first swatched it, it was crazy pigmented and amazing so I was expecting great things from this. This is only £8 which I think is an amazing price and it is actually huge in size.
After using it on my face with my go-to highlighter brush, it didn't disappoint. It was super intense and pigmented, it also really suited my skin tone. The highlighter is not very natural, it is a very chunky and has a lot of glitter in it but when I am wearing a dramatic makeup look, this is the kind of highlighter I want. I definitely want to try some more shades from this range and I would definitely recommend this. 
The formula is really good for an affordable product but it can be quite powdery so I would warn you of that. Sadly the packaging is kind of annoying also because it is quite bulky, as much as I would want to take this travelling with me, it just would not be practical.

Makeup Geek Eye Shadows
I have wanted to try Makeup Geek for so long and so I thought Christmas was the best time to ask for some and test them. At some point this month, I do want to do a full post with swatches and a proper review but so far I am really impressed. They were quite affordable at £6 which I think is an alright price for some single eye shadows and I do think that they are very good for the quality, at least that's what I have found so far.
Swatching each eye shadow proved a lot of pigmentation, each shade was buttery and super even. The shimmer shades were a little more powdery but that is expected from something that pigmented. There are shades that I prefer in in terms of there formula just because the formulation is a little inconstant throughout the ones I own.
When applying them on my eyes they were great, they were just as pigmented as when I swatched them on my hand. They are super easy to blend and I am so happy with my colour choice because they all really complement each other. Do keep a look out for a more in-depth post coming within the next few weeks. 

Max Factor Xperience Mascara
I am sure that all of you who read any of my makeup posts are getting sick of me mentioning my Maybelline mascara so I am on the hunt for another alternative. Max Factor isn't a brand that I have tried a lot from so I thought that I would try one of their mascaras. My initial thought on the brush was that it is super simple and it nothing too much which I like.
My first time using it, it worked quite well. Not going to lie, it was nothing spectacular but I liked how it was super black and it really lengthened my eyelashes. I particularly liked it on my lower lashes because it was super easy to apply. Since the wand is quite small, it is super easy to get under my eye and grab the bottom lashes.
The one thing that I am not loving about this mascara is that it is not in waterproof. I get very paranoid about my mascara, thinking that it is going to smudge everywhere as soon as a drop of rain falls on my face. I tend to feel better when wearing a waterproof mascara but so far this one is not too bad at smudging but I will have to wear it more to have a final thought.

The Body Shop Lip Liner in Pink Clover
I got this during advent and I was in need of a new lip liner so it was destiny I tried this one. When I first saw the colour I thought that it would be way too pink for me but once I swatched it, it was a beautiful pinky nude. After swatching it, I found that it was super creamy and pigmented but it did not smudge.
I have tired this a few times just to see which way works best but I honestly love it for everything. It is really good to map out the lips and then fill it in with a lipstick but I do also love it on its own just all over the lips. The colour is beautiful, it is right up my street and it matches most of my lipsticks so I can use it with everything.
Overall I am super impressed with this and I would love to get more shades. I would definitely recommend this especially because it is super affordable, I do wish that they would expand their colour range though.

Swatches (Left to Right)

What makeup products should I try next?
Grace xx

Sunday 8 January 2017

How I Edit My Flat Lay/ Makeup Photos!

This is a post I have been wanting to do for so long now and I am finally doing it. I get a lot of questions asking how I edit my blog and instagram photos so I thought I would let you know today. Let me know if you want me to do anymore blog related posts and if so which ones.

In this post I am not going to include how I take the photos, but if that is something you want to see then let me know. I am going to start from the point were I have imported all of the photos from my camera onto my laptop, and gotten rid of any I don't want. Just something to say, every photo I take is different but this is just a general routine I follow mainly for makeup photos. When it comes to doing more fashion/ nature photos, I do edit them slightly differently so I can always mention that in another post.

The software I use to edit my photos is PicMonkey, I find that it is super easy to use and I think it is very easy to manipulate each photo. I would definitely recommend this website, especially if you are like me and get a bit overwhelmed with most editing apps or websites. 


I tend to start off with exposure because I find that it really sets the base of a photo, like I said before, every photo is different so a lot of things depend on how I edit it. To begin with I will up the contrast just to make it look a little more realistic but I have learnt that less is more with contrast so I will only bring it up to 5 and I find the impacts the photo enough.
I will then adjust the shadows and brightness to complement the contrast, again, less is more, I don't really over-do anything because I find that if I do that, it can look a little fake. Normally the shadows will be more than brightness just because when I take the photo it already has additional brightness but in this example they are actually the same. The shadows will usually be around -15 but it depends on how much black is in the photos. The brightness will then go up to around 10 just to enhance any white or lighter colours in the photo.
Finally I will slightly adjust the highlights just to really accentuate the white in the photo. In this particular photo I took it up to 16 because there was not that but light in the photo so I really wanted to exaggerate what was there.


Next, and usually the last, step I tend to do is the colour. I did say that my way of editing is very basic, but it works for me. All of this does depend but I always play with the saturation. After adjusting the exposure the colour tends to be a little muted but when it comes to showing beauty products in a photo, I want them to look as real as possible. I try to never over-saturate a photo, I try to keep it looking true to colour and realistic. Usually the saturation will go anywhere between 1 to 20, but this also depends on the temperature.
I don't always use the temperature but if I find that the photo is looking a little too warm or cool in tone I will switch it, this usually happens because of the natural light I use, or the colour of the products. Most of the time, the photo is too warm and I will try to make it more neutral but nothing too dramatic. The temperature never goes past -5 to 5. I find that by adjusting the temperature I won't have to saturate the photo as much, so it is a game of trial and error until I am happy with the way it looks.


I just thought that I would add this in even though I only do this for up-close photos, like swatches or a single product photo. 
There is a setting on PicMonkey where you can focus a circle on a certain part of the photo and it will blur it and I am so glad I discovered it. It looks super natural but I think it really helps to emphasis the photo. I try not to over do it so it looks very natural, my camera does have a natural focus to it but this just enhances that. Depending on the thing I am trying to focus it on will depend on the focal size but I always make sure that it is a really high blur but also a really high fade to make it look natural and not super over-edited.
Like I said before, I do only use this occasionally as not all of my posts include close ups of products, but when they do, this is a life saver.

Did you find this useful?
Grace xx

Wednesday 4 January 2017

Day to Day Makeup, Hair and Outfit

Makeup
I am not going to do a super chatty tutorial today because I wanted to keep this post a little more short and sweet. At the moment, I have really been trying to experiment more with makeup and do things a little more out of my comfort zone. I came up with this cool-toned, grey, daily smokey eye, paired with an ombre lip and a fresh but flawless face. I did try to include a few different products but I am super happy with this makeup look.

Products Used:
Collection Cream Puff Lip Cream in Powder Puff (Similar)

Hair
I am pretty basic when it comes to my hair, I don't like to put too much heat on it but I prefer it so much more when it is down. Saying that, I actually put it up in a high ponytail on this occasion. I recently got shorter layers put in my hair, so it is a lot more textured and short which I am really liking at the moment. Having my hair tied up is really starting to grow on me and I really liked it on this day.

Outfit
To be honest, I don't really feel like I have a style but today I went for something quite grunge and casual. I didn't really get a great outfit photo but from the first photo you can see I wore my over-sized shirt with a choker, which I love love love together. The part that you cannot see is that I wore it with black skinny jeans and black chelsea boots, but I will still leave the links. I then finished it off with the coat I got for Christmas, which a lot of people told me that they loved it, so I have left the link in case you want to look at it in more detail. I really loved this outfit, it was a little out of my comfort zone but I think each element really complemented each other.

Shoes - River Island (Similar)

Do you want to see more of these posts?
Grace xx

Sunday 1 January 2017

2016 Beauty Favourites!

Happy New Year!
I am sure everyone is saying this, but 2016 has flown past and I seriously cannot believe that I am posting this on the first day of 2017. 2016 has definitely given me the chance to try and experiment a lot more with beauty products, especially makeup. This post is going to be me celebrating all of the beauty products I have loved and discovered this year. Since there are a lot of products I want to mention in this post I am going to link posts that have mentioned certain products in that give more detail so you can read a little more into my opinions of them.
Skin:
Garnier Micellar Water 
I feel like this product has really broken through this year. Micellar water really became a trend this year, especially through spring and summer. This Garnier one is super amazing and has been a constant repurchase of mine this year. Going into 2017, I want to try different kinds of micellar water, just to find the best, but I can't doubt this one.

Lush Tea Tree Toner
This year I have really been discovering the different steps of a skincare routine and so toner has been something I have been trialing out this year, and this one has turned out to be my favourite. I have got very spot-prone skin and so this toner has worked best to not upset it and it's helped to sooth it. I would highly recommend this.

St Ives Face Scrub
I have actually just noticed that I haven't mentioned this as much as I thought I had. Anyway I love this face scrub. I have actually been through a whole tube of this but I will continue to repurchase this until I find something better. This is super amazing and it is so affordable so I would definitely recommend it.

Simple SPF 30 Moisturizer
There have been a lot of moisturizers I have tried and loved but this one stood out the most to me. I used this all throughout spring and summer. It contains spf which is perfect for the sun, I definitely don't think that it is the best but I have just found myself going back to it a lot this year.

Soap and Glory Hand Food
I am so lazy when it comes to moisturizing anything that's not my face, especially my hands. Saying that, I hand cream I always use is Hand Food. It smells amazing, not too overpowering, it is very moisturizing and it keeps my hands hydrated for a long time. Hand cream isn't something I am too fussy with but this is definitely a good one I would recommend.

Soap and Glory Righteous Butter
Probably my favourite skincare discovery of the year, like I said before, moisturizing my body isn't something I am good at but since using this, I have found myself moisturizing more. I have been through so many pots of these and I will continue to love this throughout 2017. The smell is so fresh and the formulation is just unbelievable.

Zoella Beauty Let's Spritz
I tend to switch up my scent a lot depending on my mood, or the season but a fragrance I have loved and ran out of is the Zoella Beauty Let's Spritz body mist. This year I have actually managed to go through a whole bottle of this and I am so glad to have mini of it. I mainly used this during spring and summer because of it's floral scent but you could totally wear this all year round.

Makeup
L'Oreal True Match Foundation
This will probably come to no surprise to any of you, I discovered this foundation this year and I am so happy I did. This foundation is so amazing, great colour, great formula, I just can't doubt it, especially for the small price tag it comes with.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Doesn't everyone just love this concealer? I have definitely tried to discover a few more concealers but I always come back to this one. I have no idea how many tubes I have been through of this but I know that it's a lot. This is so insanely affordable, super high coverage and I find that as long as I set it, it will not crease throughout the day.

Seventeen Stay Time Concealer
Another concealer discovery for me, this one is a lot lighter than the Collection one but I prefer this during the warmer months because I prefer something lighter. It still has amazing coverage and it lasts so long. I would definitely recommend, it's super lightweight and it comes in a great range of shades especially for people who are really fair.

Seventeen Define and Conquer Contour Kit
If you have been reading my blog for a while you will know just how much I love this duo. I discovered it this year and I am so glad I did. It is a face duo that comes with a highlighting and bronzing powder, both matte. I use the highlighting powder to set my under eyes and the bronzing powder to bronze with. This is so amazing and it is from the drugstore, If you have not tried it, you totally should.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit
Another palette I am totally in love with, this is a product that is so hyped up about but it is totally worth it. The formula is beautiful, pigmented, buttery and everything you could ever want in a powder. The colours are perfect for my skin and I will continue to love this throughout 2017 also.

Kiko Blush in Provocative Pink
I bought this halfway through the year, but it is my favourite blush of all time. A matte blush is what I tend to prefer and this is just a beautiful colour on my skin tone. It is a two colour blush that just creates a super light and natural flush. I love how compact it is, I definitely want to look at a few more shades.

Mary Loo Manizer Highlighter
This is definitely a game changer product for me, I can't love a highlighter as much as I love this one. It is a beautiful light gold colour that suits my skin really well. I think it is an over-hyped product but it is good and it is definitely my favourite highlighter out of my collection.

Mac Paint Pot in Painterly
I got this for Christmas last year and it is one of my favourite eye bases. This is my first pot and there is a huge dent in the middle of it. It is definitely an eye base I always go back to, the pigment is there, it is not heavy and it really helps my eye shadow to last all day.

Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Palette
This is another product I got halfway through the year but I had to give it a little mention. Too Faced eye shadows are definitely my favourite I have discovered so far because they are so pigmented, blendable and this palette includes all of my ideal shades. I love warm, rich eye shadows and this palette has it all. The packaging is super cute and it has been my favourite eye shadows palette of the year.

Maybelline Colossal Go Extreme Mascara
I am sure I included this in last years favourites, but it is honestly the best mascara I have ever tried. I have repurchased it so many times, always in the waterproof but it is just amazing. This gives me so much volume and length and because I get it in waterproof it really helps my eyelashes to hold a curl.

Benefit They're Real Mascara
I did have to give this mascara a bit of a shoutout, I got this for Christmas last year and I loved it throughout the start of the year, I loved it so much that it actually ran out about halfway through the year. It is an amazing mascara, super lengthening, super black and it was amazing. It is definitely my favourite Benefit mascara and one day I would love to own another They're Real.

Kiko Lip Oil in 03
This has been sitting in my draw for the last month empty because I knew I wanted to mention it in this post. I bought this back in August because I really wanted to see the difference between a lip balm and a lip oil and I can definitely say this this has been my favourite lip product of the year. I actually managed to finish this after three months of having it, but it is so amazing, so moisturizing, I really need to get another one.

Artdeco Hydro Lip Booster Lip Gloss
I bought these back in Germany at the end of 2015 as a spontaneous purchase but I never expected to love them as much as I do. There is nothing mind blowing about them, the are just simple but lovely. It gives your lips a small tint of colour, a super glossy look and no sticky feeling to it what so ever. I have used these all through the year, every season and every occasion and they are one of my favourite discoveries.

Mac Lipsticks
My collection only began this time last year and I some how, now own four Mac lipsticks which is a lot for me because I tend to swich up my brands a lot so there must be something about this brand that I come back to. My most used shades are definitely Kinda Sexy during spring and summer and Velvet Teddy during autumn and winter. Both are matte which is my favourite formula Mac do. They are very similar in colour but the pigment is there, they last ages and they are just beautiful.

Barry M Nail Polishes
We all know I love Barry M nail polishes so I don't want to talk about them for too long, but I can't help it, they are spectacular. My most used shades this year are definitely Lychee which is part of the Gelly Hi-Shine range and Kiss Me Quick which is part of their Speedy Quick Dry range. I love every formula Barry M bring out and I honestly cannot fault the brand.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush
I love this brush, it is quite simple just a round top face brush, but I love the way it blends my cream products. It is great for foundation or cream contour and it is definitely one of most used brushes of the year.

Real Techniques Contour Brush
This brush is so good for so many purposes, contour, concealer, setting, highlighter, I could go on. I mainly use it to set my under eyes and it is definitely a brush I cannot do my makeup without.

Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush
I feel as though, this year, I have really stepped up my eye shadow game and this brush has been amazing. It was the first crease, blending brush I owned and I still use it everyday. I love it for my crease and lower lash line, it distributs the product so well and really helps to blend any colour.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
It took me so long to finally try this sponge but I am so glad I did. This is amazing for my foundation, concealer or any other cream products. It makes my base look so airbrushed and beautiful. I am still on my first sponge so I think I will need a new one soon because it is looking a little dead, but I cannot live without it.

Seventeen Cheeks Brush
This brush is so amazing and deserves a lot of hype because it is incredibly affordable and so good. I loved this for bronzer but it is great for any face powders. It is definitely a brush I am super happy I discovered this year.

Rucci Professional Large Duo Fibre Brush
This brush actually replaced that Seventeen brush for bronzer because this is so amazing. Since having this, I have learnt just how much I love duo fibre brushes. This applys bronzer and blush beautifully, it is super even and I wish this brush brand was easier to get hold of.

Primark Eyelash Curlers
These are honestly my ultimate beauty product, eyelash curlers. I know a lot of people don't use them, but I can't image doing my makeup without some. These ones from Primark are my favourite and they are only a few pounds. I do need a new pair because these are looking a little worse for wear but they are amazing and definitely a game changer.

Primark Eyebrow Brush
I never really did anything to my eyebrows until this year and this brush has been a life saver. It only cost me a few pounds and it is good. Obviously it is not the best but it has served it's purpose for a whole year, and I am honestly so impressed with this.

Hair
GHD
I got these for Christmas last year and they are so amazing. Definitely the best straighteners I have ever tried, I even love the heat protectent from GHD. Mine is running out so I do need to pick up another but I find this duo the best. The straighters heat up really fast, straighten my hair really easily and I can even curl my hair with this.

Herbal Essence Shampoo and Conditioner
This is a brand I wanted to try in 2016 and I am so glad I did. I have had a few kinds from their range, my favourite being the coconut but all of them have impressed me. I definitely want to try more from them in the furture since there shampoo and condtioners are so good, and smell amazing.

Bastite
I have tried a few dry shampoos this year so when it came to picking my favourite, I had to say my go-to and that is Bastite. I have no idea how many cans I have been through of this, this year but I know that it is a lot. This has definitely been a saviour product this year and it has served me well. Definitely one of the best dry shampoos out there.

Tangle Teezer
It has taken me so long to get on the hype about this hair brush, but it is honestly amazing. I don't use any other brush on my hair. This is compact, it doesn't tug at my hair and it just makes brushing my hair a dream. If you have not tried this, you really need to.

Wella Hair Oil
I am sure you have all heard me talk about how much I love hair oil and this one is definielty my favourite. This makes my hair so soft and shiny while hydrating it. I have found my hair to have less split ends since using this and it is just a beautiful formula. This brand isn't too popular but it is one you should definitely look into.

Happy New Year! I hope 2017 brings you happiness and a whole bunch of memories!
Grace xx

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