Those 5 feelings I get when I walk into Boots.

First of all, Boots is like my mothership. I can always find one, no matter what the size is. Give me a small Boots, and I'll still find at least 3 products that I like the look of. This happens a lot, which is brilliant, yet also terrible because I want to buy everything and have a room solely dedicated to makeup, skincare and my face... but that would be too vain. Tooooo vain. Or would it? 

1. First reaction. 

It's like coming home; a place warm and familiar, backed to the brim with all the things that I love. Now, if they started like a pug petting zoo... it would then have everything that I love. It already has yummy foods, plus really good meal deals - where else can you get a falafel wrap, an innocent smoothie and a protein bar for £3.29? I can breeze past the perfume sections and either revel in the wonderful scents, or make that face (that really horrid smelling reaction face) because someone has sprayed something, and it's ghastly. 

2. Marvelling at all the goodies. 

Aisles upon aisles of products. There are about 20 types of conditioner that I've never heard of, but you can bet that I'm going to spend a good ten minutes reading about them all, before picking up something new... and hopefully not regretting it. This is how good things happen to arrive in my life, but also how terrible things happen to appear. All of the new releases are always presented so joyfully, making me want to try and buy them alllllll... that's just good marketing skills! When new makeup is released, and I see it looking all pretty, I just go weak at the knees before heading in for a swatch. 

3. Becoming lost and overcome by all the products.

This happens to me a lot. I become so overwhelmed. I swatch so many things that I run out of room on my hand and have to start using my arm, and then I can never find tissues. Even if I do, I end up removing a swatch, and then swatching the same product ten minutes later because I've forgotten what it looks like. I end up with a basket, filled to the brim with eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks, body care, nail polishes, makeup brushes, cotton pads, tampons, shampoo, false eyelashes... basically when I go into there, everything that I love goes into the basket. That's not even mentioning all of the wonderful skincare you can get. Like the French Pharmacies have come to Britain in the most accessible way. 

4. Trying to remember what I already own, and in what shade.

Anyone else get this? I own so many lipsticks, eyeshadows, palettes and nail polishes, that I have to stand in the aisles of Boots, trying to remember what my makeup storage drawers look like, so I can avoid buying a colour that I already own. Yeah, I can try, but it still happens. Luckily, someone close to me usually gets the duplicate product - lucky them! Believe me, trying to remember what Rimmel lipsticks I own, and in what finish, is no easy feat. 

5. Feeling an odd sense of relief and sadness when you get to the tills.

The experience is over. Almost every aisle has had a walk through, now it's time to queue and part with some serious money. The painful part. Handing over my debit card and trying not to cry is my main reaction, before smiling as I get a bag full of goodies, and walking out, swinging my bag for life and swearing to eat nothing but rice/pasta for the rest of the month. Ahhh good times. 

Shopping my Makeup Stash

Do you ever just stick to a few items for a few days, and then realise that it's been two weeks and you're still putting the same thing on your face? That's me, all of the time. The only thing that I change, almost daily is my lipstick... probably because I have about a dozen of them in my handbag, and they're just so easy to slick on, depending on my mood. Red one day, a pinky nude the next; the options are endless. So, with the idea of switching things up, I had a good rummage through my makeup collection, and uncovered some gems that I'd almost forgotten about. Remember those Maxfactor Excess Shimmer cream eyeshadows? I do, and they were wonderful, so you can bet that rediscovering this was a fabulous day. I just love that feeling when I find some products that I'd pretty much forgotten about in my current makeup bag haze... so it's kinda like going shopping all over again, except you're not spending any money. Woo! Guilt free shopping! 

I'll start with base products, and a foundation that I've been reusing quite a lot is Urban Decay's Naked Skin Foundation, which is a light/medium coverage that builds up really well in areas that you need more coverage, but just blends really lightly into the skin when you just need a hint of concealment. I can see this being a really go-to summer foundation with some glowy highlighter and a glowy setting powder... yes, I can see it now. I'd add some bronzer to it, especially one of my favourites, my Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Bronzer and just look so healthy and cheery, as if I've been on holiday... but sadly without the compulsory Duty Free purchases. Then we have Seventeen's Stay Matte 18 hour concealer, which does pretty much stay all day, and some days it can be a little pale for me, depending on how the redness in my skin is behaving, but it's such a fabulous thick concealer, perfect for concealing things that need to be concealed, such as my redness, which really does get me down if it shows through my makeup. Why can't my skin just all be one shade? First world problems, right? Continuing with Seventeen, next up is their Skin Wow Highlighter, which is a glorious cream formula, perfectly blendable, and wonderful when mixed with a bit of foundation, as you know, bases can get so dull during Winter time.

Next up, we have Clinque's Cheeek Pop blusher and Sleek's Contour kit, which comes with a highlighter and a contour shade, perfect for quick application - it's pretty much the first contour that I ever bought, and has paved the way for brands such as Charlotte Tilbury to bring out their own contour and highlight palettes, such as her Filmstar Bronze and Glow Palette. The packaging on the Clinique and Sleek are two of my favourite things ever - I'm a sucker for good packaging, and there's something so sleek about them (haha). Plus I love the embossed and printed flower blush from Clinque, it's totally inspiring me to expand my range of their 'Pop' line, which now includes eyeshadows and more blush shades. Whilst speaking of their 'pop' range, it wouldn't be fitting at all, not to mention their game changing lipsticks, which I have in three shades, and they are just beautiful. The texture is smooth, moisturising and packed with pigment - with a built in primer for extra last time - what more could you want?

Benefit's Gimme Brow is another game changer, in my opinion. For me, it was my first brow mascara, and the perfect product for shaping my brows after drawing them in. It gives texture and makes them look like brows, not just drawn on caterpillars... which they can sometimes look like. Plus I love the way that I can comb the bushiness at the front of my brows, and almost seem to tame them. Almost. Such an amazing product! Continuing on with eye area items, and next up it's Maxfactor's Excess Shimmer cream eyeshadow, a soft, creamy formula that lasts so so so long on the eyelid with very minimal creasing, think Maybelline Eye Tattoo eyeshadows, but creamier. These are just a fabulous product, as I'm very happy to welcome them back into my makeup bag. What did I do without them? One thing that I really did forget about was Soap & Glory's One heck of a blot powder and I can't remember why I ever put it away. It mattifies and sets makeup, plus I think I even hit the pan on the last one that I owned, so it seems very odd that I would just leave it in my makeup drawer. But no need to be upset, it's found it's way back into my makeup bag, and even my handbag on occasion, as not only is the product amazing, but the mirror is so handy, plus the design on the front is super cute. I don't feel smug at all when I whip this out of my bag to touch up my lipstick... nope, not at all. 

I've got some amazing products in my stash, and uncovering them again was kinda like Christmas. I can't wait to do it again once I get into another makeup funk. What have you uncovered in your makeup stash that you'd forgotten about? Any gems? 

International Women's Day 2016 with Smile Makers.

Happy International Women's Day folks!  Today is a day where we celebrate women - which we should be doing everyday anyway, but hey, one full day is awesome, right? Feminism is really important to me, and I'm constantly learning about it. I think it's about being honest and listening to other peoples opinions (I mean reasonable opinions, not the opinions of trolls on Twitter, because apparently anyone with an opposable thumb can have a Twitter account these days). I've read what other feminists are saying, and doing... and they're defending what they believe in. I'll admit, I'm really chilled out about a lot of things, but until it was pointed out to me; being reasonable and understanding the opposing point of view (as skewed and awful as it was), was hurting my sisters - my fellow feminists. So no more! I will support my feminist sisters! I thought trying to understand and change opinions was something that I was meant to do - to listen and respond, but trolls don't do that... they don't care about logic, or reason, they want to further their messed up agenda and I'm not going to sit by and say 'Yeah, you're entitled to your own opinion'... because goodness, some people do not deserve to have opinions. People are equal. Regardless of gender, race and religion... we're all the same. When you hurt someone, they're a person... they're not they're religion, or their race, or where they live... you're hurting the person, and that disgusts me. I try never to hurt anyone, like people have hurt me in the past, and cannot fathom as to why people feel joy out of bringing others down. No. Not today and not ever. I may be envious of some of my fellow bloggers, but you know what? That just inspires me, because they put so much effort into getting there. They're trailblazing the way. 

But I don't just want to talk about that today. I want to talk about Smile Makers, and Emma Watson. Hear me out, here! Emma Watson, is basically my age and I feel like I've grown up watching her through Harry Potter, so when she spoke about sexual health and women knowing their own sexuality, I felt like this was a huge step for younger women, and all women actually. I know women who feel ashamed of themselves sexually, and other women who focus solely on the pleasure of men... but I also know women who are so incredibly proud of their sexualities and bodies, and I just wish that they could inspire everyone. I know women who shy away from orgasming entirely, and I totally understand why. It's the unknown and that's frightening. It takes time to build up the courage and confidence to allow yourself to relax and achieve orgasm. So hopefully, this post here will present you with a little more courage, so you can own your sexuality and not be ashamed. For some, orgasm through masterbation is followed by the shame of the act, and what you have achieved. I used to feel that. Like 'How can I do this?'. Well, there's nothing shameful about it. As women we're taught to be quiet, or as my mum used to say 'Ladies were seen and not heard', taught to be reserved and remain modest in terms of clothing and sexuality. Some men could have sex with whomever they liked, and no one would bat an eyelid at them... by ladies? Oh no. Religion and social constructs depict women to be pure of mind, body etc... but in embracing who you are, shouldn't you therefore be allowed to do whatever makes you happy? To do whatever makes you feel confident and proud of your sexuality? Yes, you should. So when I read that Emma Watson was talking about sex, and female orgasm, I felt that this was a huge step forward. A woman in the public eye that's speaking about this, when she's inspired so many already... this is so important. Emma Watson has started a global initiative in her HeforShe campaign, which is fantastic, but still has a lot of growing to do if it''s going to garner support from all feminists - but I am so proud that she's willing to make a change, and talk about these issues which are affecting all of us. 

One thing that I am very passionate about, is the cause behind Smile Makers: They're inspired by the belief that 'beauty starts with a smile. When you're smiling on the inside, you smile on the outside', and nothing is more beautiful than that! With sleek packaging, and illustrative designs that make them look more like whimsical cartoon characters than vibrators, these two are designed to make you smile. The frenchman* (here) - 'a cunning linguist, he may speak in a foreign tongue, but he sure knows what he's talking about'. He's super flexible and soft, making him a fully waterproof, body-safe addition to anyones collection. The Millionaire* (here) - A classic gentleman, and an all-rounder, he's here to pleasure you like the princess you are. A classic bullet vibrator with perfectly crafted form. They both have four speeds, and are surprisingly quiet if you're living with people that you'd rather not hear any buzzing coming from your room. 

I love the this of this brand - smiling on the inside, means that you smile on the outside... unless you've got bitchface like I have. Believe me, I'm happy... my face just doesn't look it. And you know what else is brilliant about them? They're stocked by Superdrug, so whilst you browse for your perfect lipstick shade, or pick up some painkillers, these little beauties are there to aid you in helping to feel good and radiate confidence. At £29.99, these are sleek, pastel additions to anyones collection, and there's no naughty feeling of sneaking into Ann Summers, nope - these are the vibrators that are marketed openly in the same shop that you can buy tampons and a small bottle of orange juice. There is no shame - and why should there be? Owning your sexuality it up to you, and why should you feel ashamed of that? I think anyone that owns who they are, is amazing, and is an inspiration to me. Sex is a natural thing, so are our bodies, so trust me, getting to know you and what you like, is as natural as breathing. You can read all about Smile Makers through their website - it's a fantastic read. 

TAG| AM & PM Routine

The beautiful Celina from The Celution (Follow her, she is seriously amazing) tagged me to complete this post (I swear she just wants to know what I use on my face haha) and I've never really completed a tag, so I thought it'd be really fun! Plus I'm so nosy about other peoples routines, so why not welcome others into mine? 

In the AM.

1. What is your morning beauty routine?

I'm really, really, really not a morning person, so I'm not going to lie to you... I don't really wash my face in the morning. I know, I should, but I just don't. I will if I shower, or if I feel like my skin needs it, but my skin is really picky in the morning, and I find that just applying a little Pai Bio-Regenerate Rosehip Oil leaves it feeling nourished, before applying my Benefit It's Potent Eye cream, followed by my Nourish Radiance Rejuvenating Serum and then a thin later of Embryolisse's Lait Creme Concentre. 

2. What's for breakfast?

Once again, really not a morning person... so maybe some fruit and yoghurt with muesli, or just some fruit and cereal. I can't eat properly at 8:15, so I just tend to go for small portions, and then have something more substantial for lunch. 

3. Coffee or tea?

Fruit or herbal tea. My favourite right now is Lemon, Ginger and Manuka Honey from Pukka, it's warming and so refreshing for anytime of the day. 

4. How long does it take to get out the door?

Roughly about 45 minutes, but it does depend on how organised I am, and what time I need to be in work. 

5. What is your go-to makeup look on a fuss-free morning?

For a fuss free morning, I'll keep my base light with Urban Decay's Naked Foundation, before applying Amazing Cosmetics Concealer under my eyes, then drawing in my eyebrows with Anastasia Beverly Hills' Dip Brow Pomade. For a quick flush of colour I'll dab on some Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush and then some Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soliel Bronzer. To complete the look, a slick of mascara from Maybelline's Lash Sensational after curling my eyelashes with my Shu Uemura eyelash curler. A quick sweep of powder from Soap & Glory, and I'm done! Although I may slick on some lipstick in work once I get there. Clinique's Lip Pop Lipstick in Nude Pop has been a most recent favourite. 

In the PM

6. What is your evening beauty routine?

Now this is where it all starts. I firstly, double cleanse with Una Brennan's Vitamin C Cleansing Oil and then with Ren's Hot Cloth Cleanser, to remove all traces of makeup and pollution from the day. Then, after splashing my face with cold water a few times, I dry my face and move onto my lotions and potions. I tone my skin with Pixi Cosmetics Glow Tonic, before spritzing my skin with Jurlique's Rosewater Balancing Mist to prep the skin, and lock in some moisture before applying my Pai Bio-Regenerate Rosehip Oil. I pat that onto the skin, and use my The Body Shop Facial Massager, to increase blood flow in my face, and remove the build up of toxins from under the skin. Then I apply a layer of La Roche-Posay's Effaclar K to the skin, before squeezing out a small amount of Merumaya's Iconic Youth Serum, and then lastly applying my moisturiser, which is Soap & Glory's Beauty Sleep Accelerator. 

7. Snack time! What's in the bowl?Usually a mixture of coconut soy yogurt, fruit, cacao nibs, chia seeds and muesli.

8. How do you wind down and prep for bed?

I try and do some stretches, occasionally some yoga before I get into bed, check a few things on my laptop, and snuggle down for a cosy nights sleep. I may also have a bath, with some candles and bath oil, so my skin is nice and supple for the next day. I'll also just apply some extra body cream to my eczema ridden skin, in the areas such as behind my knees and my inner elbows. 

9. Cozy up! What are you wearing to sleep?

Old mismatched pyjamas, probably one's with dogs or cats on them, as well as fluffy bed socks, which I then end up taking off at about 3am because I'm too warm. But they, nothing wrong with being too cosy, right? 

10. What are some things you must do before hitting the hay?

I set my alarms for the next morning, or if I have a day off, then I'll set a later one, just so that I do get up at a reasonable time. I apply my Jurlique Intense Rose Handcream and then quickly make sure that I haven't got any urgent emails to reply to, before lulling myself into the land of nod. If I'm having trouble sleeping, I'll spritz my pillow and duvet with a mist from This Works, just to ease myself into a night of sleep. 

Now, for my choices, I choose:

Katie from Katiedoesbeauty

Jessie from allthingsbeautiful 

and any of you lovely folks that would like to do it! leave me a comment, and i'll add you to my list. 

Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soliel Bronzer

I wasn't really a massive fan of bronzer. When I applied it, once or twice, I would have massive streaks of orange on my skin, and it would just ruin my makeup, so I decided to steer clear of them. Matte, Shimmery... basically all of them. I was quite content with my pale skin and rosy pink blush - or maybe I felt exciting, a coral blush. Bronzer wasn't something that even crossed my mind for a long time, until I went on holiday, caught a bit of a tan, and bought as Estée Lauder bronzer in the Duty Free on the way back from Turkey. Let me tell you, it changed me. A sweep of it made me look healthier, more awake and just generally more alive - less corpse/ghost like. I was hooked. Then came the matte offering from The Body Shop, then some other drugstore favourites... and then, after a great deal of research... Too Faced's Milk Chocolate Soliel Bronzer. A matte bronzer suitable for even the palest skin tones... it was  game changer. Buttery soft and completely blend-able (because hey, even I can put too much on sometimes), this golden encased bronzer is an everyday product that sits quite joyfully in my makeup bag, waiting to be used: waiting to brighten up my look and make me look as if I'm not in the middle of Winter, but maybe if I'd had a little weekend away somewhere warm, where I've sipped cocktails and relaxed lazily on a sun lounger, whilst the sun beamed down upon me. Wouldn't that be lovely? Doesn't it paint such a fabulous picture? 

Sadly, I've not been on any mini holidays. The only cocktails I'm having are those to make cough syrup taste less horrid, or one of those lemon, honey and hot water concoctions to help relieve me of a cold. It hasn't been pretty, let me tell you. But bronzer lets me dream of happier and warmer times. Mostly warmer, as it's so so cold right here in the UK. Pretty sure that there's snow here somewhere. But still, that's no excuse to put the bronzer away. I'm definitely not putting away this Too Faced number, as Milk Chocolate Soliel is here to stay, and it's staying on my face. 

It may look dark, but trust me, it's not at all. Pale skin and bronzer is usually a massive no-no, but a light bronzer and a big fluffy brush are two items that you need to have. Start light, with sweeping motions as it can be layered on for a more chiseled, warm look... trust me, start light and then add more. It's harder to take off than it is to put on. I usually start on the contours of my cheeks, before dusting some on the natural high points of my face, where the sun would hit, and where I would tan the most. Think down the nose, brow bone, forehead, chin and cheeks, but that doesn't mean to leave you neck a completely different colour to your face! Do not be afraid to blend down the neck and even onto the collarbone and chest! A soft blendable formula is your friend, so trust me, you don't want a golden flushed face, and a ridiculously pale neck... it's just not going to look good at all. 

This glorious bronzer comes in two shades, Milk Chocolate, Chocolate and Dark Chocolate are are matte and cost £25. Milk Chocolate is obviously the choice for paler skin tones, whilst Chocolate is for the more mid tone shades, whilst Dark Chocolate is a gorgeous, deep shade for darker skin tones. I've not seen Dark Chocolate in my usual Debenhams, but I'm sure that in bigger store, where the Too Faced selection is bigger, there is a better opportunity to swatch and discover the right shade for your skin tone. You can find Too Faced's Milk Chocolate Soliel Bronzer here on Debenhams. 

Mother's Day Afternoon Tea of dreams with Amara Living.

I love a bit of Afternoon Tea. Cakes, cupcakes and teeny tiny sandwiches cut into little rectangles, with no crusts in sight. But that is nothing compared to tiered cake stands, delicate bone china tea cups with saucers, sassy little plates and cake slices that are fancier than anything I've seen in a long time. When Amara Living asked me to create a Mother's Day Afternoon Tea themed post, I practically jumped at the chance because I love love loooove afternoon tea. I'll actually take cake and tea at any time of day, but I think that there's something so special about having it in the afternoon, and what could be more wonderful than sharing it with the people that you love the most? In this case, it was my parents, and for a little pre-Mother's day celebration, as I'll be working all day on the actual day that is Mother's Day. So, to celebrate we had some amazing Victoria Sponge cake slices, lemon drizzle cupcakes, ginger cake squares with a ginger syrup... yum.. but before that, the sandwiches. Smoked Salmon, Cucumber and a slather of cream cheese in crustless bread as well as creamy, soft egg mayonnaise sandwiched between two fluffy pieces of bread. I'll stop now to let you wipe away the salvia that's dripping from your mouth... because believe me, just by writing this, I am drooling.

Crumb speckled Kate Spade tidbit plates* were used to be the means of hoarding all of the sandwiches and cake, because hey, in my house, an afternoon tea session is an excuse to eat a ridiculous amount of cake.. whether in a pretty little package, or looking like a small doorstop. We don't discriminate when it comes to cake. With slogans such as Salut!, Care for seconds?, Pull up a chair and What a spread! these plates are as perfect for an indoor treat as an outdoor one, thanks to their beautiful and sturdy plastic nature. I can imagine these holding numerous little delicacies whilst the sun beams down, and I'm sat on a little gingham throw, with daisies and buttercups all around. I'm nothing if not a romantic when it comes to situations involving food.












Not only were they carriers of tiny sandwiches and robust cupcakes, but they were home to delicious slices of Victoria Sponge cake, which looked like a dream, sprinkled with icing sugar snow and little jewels of red strawberry popping out from under the thick deluge of cream. It's all so good. So good. You can bet that after these were taken, the cake slices were quickly demolished... as who can say no to a cake that's light, moist and so quintessentially wonderfully? Two sponges sandwiching jam, sliced strawberries and dollops of cream - it's everything I dream about. Yes, I do dream about cake... you jealous?

And what better to slice and manoeuvre one of my favourite foods, than a cake slice that's pretty much fancier than any other cutlery that I own? Say hello to Baci Milano's Evergreen Cake Slicer* in a beautiful clear finish, making is seem like a ghost cake slice... adding to my theme of the Afternoon Tea of dreams. It's a stunning addition to a table of roses, cake and sandwiches. With curved edges and an ornate handle, this baroque meets contemporary cake slice is definitely one that I'll be using to impress anyone who wants a slice of cake... and who wouldn't want one when it looks that good? The most important piece that you'e going to ask me... was the cake slice easy to use? It's a piece of cake. Haha. I had to go there. I just had to. A sturdy cake slice and a cake with too much cream may seem like a bit of a disaster, but I'll have you know, I actually managed it quite well. Me being one of the clumsiest and messiest people ever. No cream on the table cloth, and no jam on my fingers. It's a small success, as I do love licking strawberry jam off of sticky fingers.









Amara Living has some beautiful items, ready to be dispatched next day, so if you're struggling to find anything for Mother's Day, then take a quick peek... you won't regret it. From homeware and  kitchenware to luxurious candles and elegant furnishings, it's a website that's gathered all of the best things together, so you can get it easily, and as quickly as possible. It's as easy as pie. Damn, there was no pie on my table during Afternoon Tea... I'll just have to organise another. Oh what a shame.

You can find the beautiful and quirky Kate Spade plates (£26, here) and the Baci Milano Cake Slice  (£8, here) on www. amara.com. If anyone would like any recipes, just let me know, so then you can all enjoy the most delicious Victoria Sponge cake.

February Monthly Favourites

I love monthly favourites. It's that time of the month when I get to have a good nose at what other bloggers are loving... and what's more interesting than makeup and skincare? Nothing! Unless their favourite is a pug, or a sausage dog... in that case, the puppies are infinitely better. Regardless! I do love me some monthly favourite posts. It's where all the lovely items from the month come together in some lovely photography... and they just kinda sum up what your month has been about. I've been loving a lot of makeup this month, and just really sticking to my regular skincare, so there's nothing really new there. But makeup... oh makeup. People ask me how I can have so much, but the real question here is, how can I have so much, and still have a wish list the size of a small country? Huh? Answer me that! I just want to try everything... I really do. I want to have drawers of foundations, concealers, blushes, bronzers and probably an entire wardrobe of makeup dedicated to my eyes and lips. I want to try them all, figure out my favourite ones, and stick to those. Is that so hard to understand? 

Anyway! Monthly favourites for the month of February are almost a complete look, despite the fact that I never like going out of the house without concealer... yeah, these bags need covering. Except the pretty black one with a chain and a pom pom, everyone needs to see that one. For the base, we've got Collection's Illuminating Touch Foundation (£5.99, here), which is a rather fabulous product, as it really does pack in some glow, much like their infamous concealer, without it looking like you're sweaty, or too shiny. It gives a very even coverage without being too heavy, and also blends easily, despite coming out quite thick from the bottle. I have the shade Porcelain, which is rather perfect for me and those with pale skin, and the shade range is good if you're light skinned, but I'd say if you're any darker than a NW30/35, then you might have some issues. Hopefully Collection will expand their shade range and allow those with darker skin to covet their wonderful formulation. Next up is Illamasqua's Cream Pigment in Hollow (£18, here), a sort of grey, beige shade, perfect for pale skin contouring. Or a greige, if you will. It's a cream that can be used on the cheeks, lips, face and body for contouring, or just for general usage. I do like to apply this onto the hollows of my cheeks, and also a little into the crease of my eyes, just to give more depth and definition. This doesn't crease or smudge, making it a fantastic addition to my makeup kit, and a brilliant buy at £18, considering that I've had it for ages, and it's barely made a dent. 

Keeping with the base products, we have a firm favourite of mine and it's from Estée Lauder's Bronze Goddess range, their wonderful Bronzer (£33, here). It still has that wonderful tortoiseshell casing with a huge mirror, small brush and powder that gives a glorious bronze glow to the skin - and considering how pale I am, it doesn't overwhelm the skin. In the Summertime, when my skin naturally catches a slight tan, this comes in handy once again, giving a lovely sheen to the skin, and adding a sun kissed glow to the contours of my face. Such a wonderful product, and I'm so glad that I managed to dig it out of my stash. Estée Lauder truly are one of my favourite brands, regardless of whether it's skincare or makeup... I just find their formula's, textures and packaging to be so effortlessly chic. Like that cool Parisian girl who can throw an outfit together, not brush her hair, apply some lipstick and just outshine everyone else who spent hours pinning a look together. Estée Lauder is that girl, and I'm forever in awe. Now moving onto the eyes, we have three fabulous little eyeshadow pans from Makeup Geek (£4.95, here) and they are Vanilla Bean (the cream, champagne shade), Bedrock (a gorgeous taupe) and Barcelona Beach (a sandy bronze shade). These three have convinced me that I need so much Makeup Geek in my life. I really, really do. Buttery soft, with little to no fall down... these three shades blend seamlessly together, and they create a subtle look with a defined crease, and when combined with black cat eye liner... oh, just yes. The look is perfect. I did a post a few weeks ago on the three Makeup Geek eyeshadows and for £4.95 each, these come in at a lot cheaper than most, so you know you want to build up your own collection.

Last but not least, is one of my favourite lipsticks at the moment from Urban Decay. UD have been slaying the makeup game right now with their Gwen Stefani releases, but I'm taking it way back to the start with their Revolution lipsticks (£15.50, here), and the one that's got my heart right now is in the shade Fiend, a pink mauve shade that looks so damn good on the lips that I can't stop wearing it. A little shoutout to the shade Naked as well (as I forgot to include it) which is a nude peachy pink, perfect for a neutral look with a bit of added warmth. The formula's are creamy and long lasting, and if you want to know more/see some lip swatches, they were featured in an Urban Decay Revolution lipstick blog post earlier this month.

What are your monthly favourites? Are there any of mine that have caught your eye?