Real Techniques.

Real Techniques Core Collection £21.99 & Real Techniques Stippling Brush £11.99 

It was only a matter of time before I gave into the hype and invested in a set of Real Techniques brushes. The amount of praise I have heard from vloggers, read reviews online and been bombarded by tweets, I was  interested to see what set these brushes apart from every other brand. I have used makeup brushes for years now, and my collection was mixed from value brushes from H&M more upmarket and animal friendly ones from The Body Shop, and they did a pretty good job. So, what made such a difference between a brush for £2.99 vs a brush at £12?

I bought the Core Collection set which comes with 4 brushes and a travel case which easily transforms into a stand (handy!). The brushes make up everything you would need to create the perfect base: pointed foundation brush, buffing brush, contour brush and detailer brush. The foundation brush is perfect for applying liquid foundation which is what I would normally use and it has ultra soft bristles. I have used it several times and I would rate the application of the foundation more or less the same as my other brushes, however the soft bristles make such a huge difference in the way the brush feels, it didn't irritate or prod my skin at all. Because it's quite small and pointed, the brush gets into the corners of your nose and other hard to reach areas easily, which gives it a thumbs up! I then use the detailer brush for my concealer, because it's so tiny and easy to use - it can also be used to apply lipstick for a better finish and long lasting results. But my most favourite experience was the buffing brush: use it to apply powder and also mineral foundation. I used it with my powder and I was quite amazed with the results - flawless, soft, even coverage. It made my skin look really soft too, and almost airbrushed. This by far was the best brush for me, it is now my holy grail of brushes and I swear by it. Even if my foundation looks dull and uneven, enter the Buffing Brush and suddenly it's all glowing and even! I then finish with the contour brush which is used for highlighters, the pointed and rounded shape of this brush makes it perfect for applying the product onto your cheekbones and on the arch of your brow.

I also bought the stippling brush which has been reviewed by some of my favourite bloggers. I watched the video by Samantha Chapman, the creator of Real Techniques, and it truly is the one brush you do need as it applies everything from liquid foundation to powder blushes. It's easy to use, soft on the skin and creates a flawless, airbrushed finish.

The verdict? I'd recommend the brushes to anyone who asks. It's a small investment into your skin and a promise to look the best you can look, with the added benefit of quick and mess free makeup application.

Benefit Full Finish Lipstick.

Benefit Full Finish Lipstick in No Competition £13

Last winter, I have been looking around for a nice plum colour to wear and I came pretty close with a Bloom lipstick (which later on was not that great as the colour faded quite quickly) and a Models Own (which was great but very, very dark). I know it's not the trendiest lip colour going at the moment, but I think plums will be making a comeback so for any of you who are thinking of grabbing a darker lip colour, look no further than this.

At Christmas (I know, months ago!) I got this lipstick as a present and prior to that I've only tried Benefit lipglosses, so I was really intrigued.

I loved how soft and creamy the Full Finish lipsticks are, they colour in your lips and keep them nourished without having to apply the lipstick over and over again in the space of an hour. Even though the shade is quite dark for me, I think it suits my paler complection and I like that it's creamy, so you can just dab it on the lips for a softer look.

I have to confess that this lipstick might end up in my drawer for a little while as I'm loving my corals at the moment, but I am looking forward to wearing it again once A/W 2013 happens.

Late Night.

playsuit Zara // denim jacket Warehouse // belt River Island // shoes Zara // silver collar Rock n Rose // rings Topshop

I know it's been a while since I last posted and I feel like I've been competely out of the loop in the world of bloggin for the past couple of weeks, but I'm back now and look forward to catching up with everyone!

I've just started a new job, which I'm really loving and it looks to be just the right daily challenge that I need so it's been keeping me on my toes in the best possible way. I've also been travelling around the south of England for work / play and I loved every second of it, but it does mean that I had little or no time at all to indulge in my little blog. Now that I'm getting used to my new routine, I'm back on track and full of new ideas! 

This outfit is currently one of my favourites and I wore it out on Saturday night (sorry about the chaos going on in the background, I've started a DIY project which makes that corner a temporary mess!) and I really loved it. I'm not the kind of girl to have 10 same style bodycon mini dresses in different colours, because that is the dress code of every girl in the town I currently live in, and I guess I just like to stand out in my outfits especially if we're on a girly night out!

I bought this jumpsuit from the Zara sale, and it is my favourite item in my wardrobe - it looks great paired with heels on a night out or with wedges and a big hat on sunny Saturdays. And I'm even thinking of teaming it with a blazer and black open toe courts to wear to the office. The best thing is that it's so comfortable and stylish, with the added 70's vibe which is perfect for the hot weather! Which we will have this summer, I've stopped taking no as an answer. 

Models Own "Apple Pie" Fruit Pastel Polish.

Models Own Fruit Pastel Collection in "Apple Pie" nail polish £5

I jumped on the band wagon on pastel mint nails this spring, and my pick was the Models Own polish which intrigued me for ages, as it is "scented". I was really curious to see how this would work and if the quality of the polish would suffer at all, so I picked up the mint coloured "Apple Pie".

I love the colour, I think a pastel mint is so pretty and is right on trend this season, so thumbs up immediately. I think the Models Own polishes are very well priced at £5, the quality is great and they last me quite a while, and don't chip as easily as some other brands. Now, let's get to the "scented" part.

You can scratch and sniff the sticker on top of the polish, and this one is a very zingy apple scent, really fresh. This is the part you are free to laugh at: I thought the polish would be scented from the beginning as in you open the bottle and the fresh aroma of apples would drift out. When that didn't happen, I attempted to sniff the actual polish which did nothing more than leave me slightly light headed. So disheartened I started to paint my nails. The colour turned out great and after two coats I was pleased with it, and after finishing with a clear topcoat my nails were ready.

The next day, just as I gave up on the polish being scented, I brought my hand up close to my nose whilst snacking and I caught a fresh scent of apples. Stupid over here didn't realise that the scent comes after you paint your nails and I have to say it stayed there for a good 3-4 days after! I was so happy and pleased with my purchase after that :) So there, a little story of my scented nail polish crusade!

Have you tried the Models Own scented range? What did you think?

Rio Rosa Mosqueta Oil Review.

Rio Rosa Mosqueta Oil* £10.49

A couple of weeks ago I discovered Rio Rosa Mosqueta through Twitter, and after chatting to the company they kindly offered me a bottle of rose oil to review. I'm always on the lookout for oils which help scars and damaged skin, when I was a teenager I had horrendous acne, I literally don't even have pictures from about two years of my life because of how self conscious my skin made me feel. The acne left some scars on my cheek and although I cover them up with makeup now, and they're not very big, I would like to get rid of them permanently. I have tried products like Bio Oil and it doesn't help me at all, so I was very curious to see if this new rose oil would make a difference.

The Rose Oil is 100% natural, not tested on animals and is suitable for vegans which I think is great as a lot of people are now taking a stand in having products which support animal rights and are paraben free, so this would suit everyone.
The oil comes in a tube with a pump at the top so it's easy to squirt onto you finger; I hate faffing about trying to shake oil bottles to get the product out! The oil itself doesn't have a scent, again I think that's a bonus as not everyone likes scented products, especially with particular smells like rose. It's a very light oil, if that makes sense?! It's not gloopy and thick, basically!
You take a little dab of the oil and massage it into the area of the skin you'd like to revive: scars, stretch marks, dry skin patches, crows feet and even sun damaged skin. I've been using it on my face for scars, and it's actually made my skin really nice and bright when I wake up in the morning. I use it over night before I go to sleep, or on days when I know I'm not going to have to wear makeup - I just apply it morning, lunch and evening.

I've been using this product for a couple of weeks now, and I can definitely say that it has brightened up my skin, and has helped reduce the scars by making them lighter. I will carry on using this oil because I think long term the effects will be very noticeable (fingers crossed) and I will give you guys an update on how my skin looks in a couple of months. I would recommend it over Bio Oil, only because Bio Oil literally did nothing to me and I used it for several months with no noticeable changes, however it could work differently on your skin.

Look Beauty Stay-Put Powder Review.

Look Beauty Stay-Put Powder £7.00

I have used some Look products in the past and I have enjoyed using them for the bargain price, so I picked up this powder which is currently half price a couple of weeks ago and costs a mere £3.50.
The Stay-Put Powder is applied after foundation, concealer and powder to keep your makeup in place and keep your look fresh for longer. I've never used a setting powder before, but after seeing it used by a makeup artist I recently worked with, I decided to give it a go and see if it makes a difference.

I use it after applying the base and to keep my foundation looking fresh throughout the day as I tend to think if you've got the foundation and concealer set, the rest of the makeup will stay on. You can of course dust a fine layer over your finished look to set it, the powder is translucent so it won't affect any colours of your makeup.

I quite like using the setting powder, not every day but when I go out or if I know I'll be out and about for several hours and it does keep my skin matte for longer. I think as an everyday item it can be a little excessive, it's always good to give your skin a break with just some BB cream, but it's an item I'm loving for heavy duty makeup days!

DIY Pretty Makeup Brush Holder.

jug Wilkinsons £1.25 // pot pourri Wilkinsons £4.00 // brushes from Sigma, H&M, bareMinerals

Lately everywhere I turn I see beautiful makeup storage (Instagram is probably the biggest culprit!) and I really wanted to give my room a spring update and store my brushes better. I used to keep them in an old Glossybox, but it started to get annoying having to get them out of the box - I wanted to just reach over and grab the brush I wanted. So, with ALL the money I have in the world (£10) I went on a bargain hunt to create my own little holder. 

I originally went to Wilkinsons to pick up a jam jar when I found this cute, simple, country style jug for a mere £1.25 and thought this will be the perfect start. I then realised the jug is too deep and I wanted the heads of brushes to stick out the top, so I needed to find something to fill the jug with. I thought about white sand which I saw, but then I got worried that when I pick up the brushes the sand would get into the bristles and oh the faff. So, I decided on this pot pourri which was a lovely pastel colour and smelt of rose and ylang ylang. 

Then all I did is empty the pot pourri into the jug until I got the level I wanted and I still had half of the box left to use. This project cost me just £5.25 and I think it looks pretty cute and smells delish. And I accomplished what I wanted which is make my brushes more accessible!