A Quick and Easy Office Makeup Look

You know the drill: It's 8am and after hitting the snooze button more than you'd like to admit, it's time to get ready for work, uni or school. Of course no-one should feel they have to wear makeup but for me it's part of my morning ritual and I really enjoy it. One thing I always lack, however, is time. For me the best products to wear to work are the ones that are quick to apply and blend (if necessary) but also the ones that are long-lasting. The last thing I want to be doing in my lunch break is doing a complete makeup overhaul.

Checking Out a By Terry Dupe

We've all heard of the By Terry Ombre Blackstar cream eyeshadow sticks at some point or another. They sound beautifully blendable and perfectly encased in gorgeous gold packaging. I was sold until I saw the £29 price tag in Space NK. As much as I'd love to invest in one, I think there are other high end beauty products I'm more interested in at the moment. So when I heard Alix from I Covet Thee mention an Ombre Blackstar dupe from the UK drugstore, I had to check it out. Enter the No7 Shade and Define pencils which I bought in three shades - Glistening Ray, Pink Pearl and Cool Mink.

Spring MAC Haul

2016 is already flying by so quickly and I feel like I haven't had a minute to catch my breath. Lots of exciting things will be happening this month and next so make you're following me on Bloglovin to keep updated. I won't give too much away today but there have been many reasons to celebrate so I've been treating myself here and there to a few MAC products, hence this nice little collective haul.

The Pre-Year Abroad Haul - Beauty (Part One)

If you've been reading my blog recently, I've mentioned a few times that I'm moving to Germany on Friday for my year abroad. If you're reading this as a friend, however, you'll know I mention it all the darn time. I definitely have mixed feelings about the big move - excitement, nerves, insecurity, it's all a little bit unknown right now but whether I like it or not, it is happening. To distract myself a little, I've been throwing myself into the packing and shopping side of things and boy has it been great. Thinking ahead, I won't be able to get hold of certain products and brands abroad in Germany so I've been using this as an excuse to stock up. Here are the beauty products I've purchased recently to pop straight into my suitcase..

1. No 7 Beautifully Matte Foundation - Cool Ivory

My all-time favourite foundation, I can't live without this so naturally I bought two.

2. Colour WOW Root Cover-up - Platinum

As I won't be able to go my hairdresser in the UK until Christmas, it's going to be a while before my hair is re-highlighted. This little beauty of a product is a great way to extend your highlights by using the powder to mimic the look of fresh highlights. 

3. Clarins One Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser

Another cute travel size, this is a great addition to my Germany skincare stash. If you'd like more information about my skincare routine, check out my recent post here. 

4. Clarins Daily Energizer Cream

As you know from My Updated Skincare Routine post, I'm a big fan of Clarins and I used a recent 10% off Debenhams promotion to persuade me to buy this moisturiser. So far, so good. I'll write an in-depth review once I've tested it a few more times.

5. Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector - 01

This little lip wonder came in the Clarins '5 minute makeover set' and is moisturizing, plumping and glossy. 

6. Mac Lipstick - Star Magnolia

A new purchase! Granted, I'm not convinced I'll never peruse a Mac store in Germany but this new lipstick simply had to be mine. 

I hope you enjoyed this post, I'll be posting a pre-year abroad fashion haul shortly!

xxx

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag

I always love to read a good 'what's in my bag' blog post, it's a classic for a reason. Today's theme is packing for a city break and I've tried my very best to downsize my collection for a 5 day trip to Rome. I've spent the whole of the Easter break so far counting down to our little European getaway and I can't believe I'm here! For days in advance I satisfied my excitement by planning my travel makeup bag and although it may look extensive to some, I wouldn't describe myself as a low maintenance traveler so this is pretty good by my standards. With products such as makeup and toiletries, it can be very difficult to pick out a capsule collection but I'm happy with my choices. The photo below is the contents of my travel makeup bag which includes almost everything I've taken with me makeup and beauty wise. There are a few exceptions such as a toothbrush and deodorant - travel essentials of course - but those are the things I threw in at the last minute! I also packed an everyday lipstick such as Mac Creme Cup in my hand luggage.

• I'll start with the beautiful Leighton Denny makeup bag that is the epitome of spring florals. It's the perfect size to fit everything in for a city break such as this one. 

• My Real Techniques makeup brushes go everywhere with me - there's the powder brush, expert face brush and blush brush.

• The No7 Beautifully Matte foundation is a must, as is the Bourjois Liner Pinceau.

• The YSL Touche Eclat needs no explanation, it's the number one under eye highlighter and holy grail beauty product for a reason. This one's my third!

• There's also a mini Benefit Roller Lash courtesy of last months Elle magazine.

• The Kiko Eyeshadow pencil in Taupe will be great to spice up evening outfits and I'll need the Kiko Nude Nail varnish to rectify any chips!

• The Maybelline Brow Drama gel is a quick-fix for perfect brows.

• The Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner and Max Factor Lipstick in Ruby Tuesday is the perfect combination for a bold lip.

• L'Occitane's Amande Shower Oil, Amande Hand Cream and Shea Butter Lip balm are essentials for luxurious body care and the travel sizes are adorable. 

• I've mentioned the Stila in the Light Palette in my 2014 favourites post and wish I'd added the Rimmel Stay Matte powder and Tangle Teezer.

• Benefit's Hoola Bronzer is a new one for me and is a gorgeous matte tan colour that complements a variety of skin tones - love!

• A few Clarins samples have made their way into my travel bag and it's the Toning Lotion, Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel and the Multi-Active Day moisturizer.  I haven't tried the final two and I'm excited to give them a go!

• The Benefit Porefessional is a guilty pleasure of mine because I know how pricey it is but this mini size is a little treat for the trip!

• Finally, the more practical products include a mini toothpaste, nail file, tweezers, an Aussie shampoo and an Aussie 3 minute miracle conditioner. 

What are your beauty essentials for a trip away?

xxx 

Christmas Luxury Haul - Topshop, L'Occitane, The Body Shop



Christmas is a time when I sort of forget my 'broke student' status and buy products that are a little more luxurious. This year I've been obsessed with Christmas wrapping paper and this gorgeous black glitter roll from Paperchase is the most beautiful pattern I've ever seen. Granted, using it has been a bit of a nightmare - the glitter goes everywhere in sight - but the end result is totally worth it. Similarly, I've been completely drawn into the Lush hype after years of not quite understanding all the fuss. This shampoo is called 'I Love Juicy' and it smells like a tropical fruit salad which I love. Look out for a Lush Wishlist coming very soon! The Frosted Cranberry Set from the Body Shop is a gift for my mum and the tin is as much of a gift as the goodies inside - it was £15 and includes a shower gel, a body butter, a body polish and a 'bath lily'. A great gift idea for any bath lover. In addition to this, The Body Shop have teamed up with the children's charity 'War Child' and for every gift you buy from them, a child affected by war is able to take a class in education. I think this idea is brilliant and is yet another reason to buy your Christmas gifts there.

The L'Occitane mini hand cream set was a gift from the Harrogate store after signing up to their mailing list and spending over £15. The set includes 10ml samples of the Shea butter handcream, the Arlesienne scent and the Rose scent. Unfortunately I can't find the set nline so I'd recommend going into your local L'Occitane store to get the best deals - the staff are always very helpful! On the left there is the No7 Beautifully Matte foundation, it's my go-to foundation and I use the shade Cool Ivory. Paying full price without a Boots voucher certainly makes the product feel like a luxury product as it retails at £13.50; in future I'm going to stock up when there are No7 promotions!

Finally, this beautiful forest green Topshop dress has earned its way into my wardrobe, an OOTN will be coming soon!

What did you think of this haul? Did you like anything I bought? :)

xxx

(This post was not sponsored, any gifts from brands are clearly marked with a * )