My 'Go To' Brands

Hey guys, 

Everyone has those 'go to' brands, which they always go back to for their favourite products. Today I thought I'd share my favourites & why I love them so much. 

 Chanel is my absolute favourite beauty brand. I go there so often I've become good friends with the lady in my local department store, & she always gives me free samples to try, which makes me fall in love with the brand even more, & makes me want to buy these products. My favourite products that Chanel does, is their foundation. I absolutely love the natural finish that it gives. It's also so long lasting which makes the pricing so reasonable. When you first look at the price at around £34-£36, you think it's so expensive, but the quality is amazing with their products. I now won't buy a foundation from anywhere else. I do have a few over bits from Chanel, which I save for special occasions as I can't afford to wear all their products everyday (I so would if I could though). Another product I'm sworn by is their limited edition bronzer, I'm so upset that it was limited edition because I love it so much & never want it to run out, but seeing as I wear it everyday it's lasting a while. Plus the services they provide are always of the best quality, and their customer service is lovely. 

Mac is the brand which I go to for absolutely everything. But most of all their lipsticks. Everyone knows Mac does the best lipsticks, the quality, range of colours, everything. But not only that, all of their products are of the best quality. I don't just go into Mac to buy one product, I come out with loads of different products, from eyeshadows, highlighters, powders, mascara.. I could go on, but you probably get the idea. I have yet to find a product which I'm not 100% satisfied with by Mac, & I don't think that day will ever come. The girls in my local Mac are always so lovely & complimentary, so I always leave with a smile on my face. In my opinion customer service is a big deal within beauty, as they need to be willing to help their customers, some people may think this is bs.. but I had bad customer service in Clinique & I have never been back or bought a product since. 

Urban Decay I find is a hit & miss brand, some products I absolutely love & others I'm fond of. But this is definitely my go to brand when it comes to eyeshadows. I'm sure the majority of girls will agree that Urban Decay's palettes are to die for. I don't know anyone who doesn't have one. I cannot fault them... any of them. The fact they're bringing out so many recently gets me very excited. I cannot wait to get my hands on the Gwen Stefani palette when it's released! This is also the brand of my favourite mascara, Perversion. So, even though I'm not keen on all of their products, the ones I do like, are the best. 

Sigma has only recently become one of my go to brands. Ever since buying their kabuki kit, read my review here. I now know where I'll be going to buy all of my brushes. They leave such a flawless finish & are the best brushes which I have purchased, I had longed to find my perfect brush.. which I have now found within the kabuki kit. I'm totally eyeing up their new contour & highlight brushes, which I'll be buying in the near future as I can only imagine the perfect results they will make. Although Sigma is based in the US, they deliver to the UK, and there are many UK beauty website which sell a selection of Sigma brushes. I definitely recommend trying these brushes to anyone who hasn't tried them, as they're amazing & they make your makeup look even more incredible. I haven't got a bad word to say about them, the fibre bristles they use are so soft, which make the application so easy. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills is a new brand to me, I have only recently started purchasing their products. Every single product I have purchased I've been over the moon with, they've truly been amazing. This is now my go to brand for brow products, as I believe they simply do the best products for eyebrows. I've watched so many tutorials with people using ABH products, & they've always looked gorgeous. This is also the brand which I'm hoping to purchase a contour palette from (which has been on my wish list for months). 

What are your 'go to' brands?

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Love, Alix x

Winter Beauty Wish List

Hey guys.
I admit it's been a loooong time since I've posted, but I've been extremely busy filling out ucas forms & sorting out a few resits. As I've got a spare few minutes before I go to work thought I'd write a little beauty wish list for this for the upcoming winter months.

Mac Lipstick - Sin

A dark berry wine colour is a must have! It's perfect for nights out, as the weather gets cooler it's always good and refreshing to have a dark, warm colour on your lips. I've been wanting this shade for ages, but I've been waiting for the right time to buy it, & I think that time is now. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills - Self-Made Palette

Ever since I saw an image of this palette I wanted it. It contains so many pretty shades, which vary from light to dark. This palette is perfect for christmas time, as it's got so many pretty, shimmery colours. This palette is limited edition so get your hands on it before it goes!

Zoeva - Complete Eye Set

Having never bought any of Zoeva's brushes but knowing how amazing they are, is killing me. The prices are so reasonable for such good quality brushes. I've always been a fan of their professional sets, as I prefer the classic look of the brushes. This set is perfect as you're able to create any eye look with these 12 brushes. 

Chanel - Bronzing Makeup Base

This product would be so perfect for this time of year. Giving your skin a natural, bronzed glow. You're able to wear this alone or under your foundation. I personally want this to contour my cheekbones and forehead underneath my foundation, but it would also be handy to apply a thin layer all over, to stop myself looking so pale this winter.

I could go on for days saying all the products I want to buy, but I simply don't have time & I also don't want to bore you guys. I will be back posting more each week, as I feel as though I've let my blog go a little. But as soon as all the stress of applying for uni has gone, I'll be able to post a lot more. 

x

Favourite Mac Lipstick Shades

I've put together a list of my favourite Mac Lipstick shades, you can buy them all here. Everyone likes a look at peoples favourite little black bullets. So here's mine:

All Fired Up

I love this matte berry-red shade. The matte finish is not too dry and glides on smoothly. This bold colour is perfect for spring/summer, it's so pigmented. A bit of advice though, moisturise your lips before applying the lipstick, as a matte lipstick can looked cracked if your lips are a little dry. 

Patisserie 

Every girl needs patisserie in their makeup bag. It's one of the most popular mac lipstick shade. It's the perfect peachy-nude colour that suits all skin tones. This lipstick has a cremesheen finish and wears off smoothly and evenly. Looks great with smoky eyes and has little bits of gold glitter which look great when the light catches the lips.

Morange

Now I'm a true lover of orange lipstick. It's perfect of summer days and night occasions. It really suits tanned skin as it makes you look even more tanned. It really lights up your face, as the fiery orange brightens it up. 

Rebel

This was my first ever Mac bullet, I love it for evenings and going clubbing. It brightens any outfit. I love the berry-plum colour, the more layer you apply the darker the colour appears. It has a lovely satin finish, would recommend this colour to everyone.

Russian Red

The holy grail of red lipsticks! It is the perfect shade of red, for everyone. I would say this is the old glamour hollywood style. It's matte and will compliment a vast array of skin tones, so if you're looking for a red lipstick, this is the one for you!

What are your favourite Mac Bullet shades?

x

10 Summer Must Haves☀

Heyyy! England's finally sharing the sunshine so I've decided to share some fashion and beauty must haves for this summer, hope you enjoy!

1. Topshop's Poppy Garden Print Bardot Top £26

Bardot tops are very in this year! This top in particular is gorgeous, I love the colours and print. Topshop sell many of these tops, in different styles and prints to suit everyone. One thing I love about these tops is they're very airy in the sun, which keeps you cool. I have this top and a similar white one  and I wear them all the time, they're so flattering and floaty. This top has a lovely cross over back and will look beautiful with a tan.

2. Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint Natural Healthy Glow Powder £35.50

This product adds a lovely glow to your face and there are different shade to match your hair colour which makes it perfect for everyone. This powder gives a light coverage and pigments are less intense than a bronzer. It has a pink tint for blondes and apricot tint for brunettes and leaves a light sun kissed effect to deliver a burst of radiance. 

3. Topshop's Kingdom Ghillie Pointed Shoes £59

Now these lace up shoes have been noted as 'the shoes that stole summer' & they're totally right! I love the pointed toe on these shoes, and they're available in many colours. I've wanted a pair of these for ages and a pair of lace up heels. They're very slimming and look incredible on, an absolute must have!

4. The Body Shop Brush on Radiance £14

Aren't these highlighting pearls just the perfect shades? Truly gorgeous! They give a lovely shimmery finish and help give the skin a luminescent glow. Using these on the cheek bones and to highlight the nose and lips to create a perfect face shape. 

5. River Island's Pacha Crochet Halter Neck Top £20

This top is available in black and cream. It's the perfect cover up if you're on holiday or just to wear out when the weather is hot. Unlike most crochet tops, this top has a lined chest area so it's not see-through which I think is a bonus/ 

6. Mac Lipstick in Morange £15.50

I'm all about orange lips this year! I have recently purchased this lipstick and the colour is perfect! It really compliments tanned and olive skin tones. I thought this colour is perfect for festivals and just wearing out casually. Every girl needs a orange lipstick in their makeup bag this summer.

7. Topshop's Snake Chain Floppy Hat £32

I'm in love with these floppy hats. They can be dressed up or down, and will definitely get a lot of wear out it. It's important to protect your head from the sun if you're out for long periods of time, so why not protect it with something as stylish as this floppy hat? I really love the snake chain detail, a little chain can make a whole lot of difference.

8. Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multicolour £44

This duo bronzer offers the pure, fresh radiance of spending days outdoors. I wore this product for my leavers ball and fell in love with it. You can read about my leavers ball here. Blend the two colours together over the face to give your face a natural tanned glow. Add the lightest shade to the areas which capture the light and the darker shade below the cheek bones for a subtle contour. This really is a beautiful bronzer which you'll all fall in love with!

9. Topshop's Floral Print Strappy Bodycon Tunic £36

This beautiful print should be in everyone's wardrobe. This is a very flattering tunic and the cross over back is gorgeous. 

10. Tarte Showstopper Clay Palette £38

This palette has everything you need for summer, it's warm shades for the eyes and cheek are beautiful. It includes 6 eyeshadow shades, a full size blusher and a highlighter/bronzer to create the perfect contour look. 

So There we have it. Those are my summer must haves.. What are yours? 

Thankyou for reading x 

Top 10 Mascaras

Hello!

The start to my summer has been very busy so I've been unable to write many posts. But I've decided to share my 10 favourite mascaras with you, as I'm someone who never sticks to one as there are so many to try. 

10. Benefit They're Real! Mascara £19.50

Now, everyone raves about this mascara and I totally understand why! This mascara does create incredible results, it's lengthens the lashes and is very long-lasting. The application of this mascara is great, it applies the right amount of mascara to the lashes leaving no clumps. This mascara is now available in brown and blue. The reasoning this is number 10 on my mascaras is that I find it's not volumizing enough for my eyes as they're really small I need something thicker. 

9. Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Eyes Mascara £22.50

I do love this mascara and it really suits its name. Giving the outer lashes more length than the inner lashes, the results of this mascara are beautiful. I do find this mascara leaves a more natural finish, rather than giving the lashes full volume. But this is a lovely everyday mascara if you're looking for something a bit more natural.

8. Yves Saint Laurent Luxurious Mascara For Flash Lash Effect £25

So, I haven't got this mascara myself, but I have used it a couple of times which is why it's only number 8, otherwise it may be higher. I found this mascara really does what it says, it gives the lashes so much volume and defines each lash perfectly. It also extends the lashes, if you're a person who has quite short natural lashes then this mascara is perfect for you. 

7. MAC False Lashes Extreme Mascara £19

I recently received a free sample of this mascara in the post, so I haven't really had enough time to fall in love with it yet. I find this mascara leaves a beautiful, natural finish to the lashes. But also leaves them looking long and gorgeous. I also find you can build up on this mascara, applying more layers to create a more dramatic look. 

6. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara £16

This mascara is for you if you love volumous and thick lashes! Although this mascara can clump, it can be easily fixed by using a good primer before and after. I find this is particularly good if you wear eyeliner on your eyelid, it makes the lashes longer so you're able to see them over your eyeliner. 

5. Eyeko Black Magic Mascara £18

This mascara creates dramatic volume and curls the lashes. It has an extreme black finish which volumizes the lashes even more. The lashes appear thicker and longer without clumping. Eyeko mascaras also come with a little shield which allows application clean and easy and it's easy to remove as well so you don't have to spend ages rubbing your eyes at the end of the day. 

4. Dior Diorshow Mascara £25

I absoulutely love this mascara, the volume doesn't deflate during the day, the perfect amount of mascara is applied to the brush so when it's being applied to the lashes it looks amazing! Everyone else who has used this product has loved it as much as I have!

3. Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Mascara £25
This is so close to being one of my favourite mascaras, I do really love it! It does everything a mascara should do, lifts, curls, adds volume and length, what more could you want from a mascara? It is definitely worth every penny, I only have the little sample I was given from my leavers ball, and I will definitely be buying the full size one as soon as it runs out. 

2. Benefit Roller Lash Mascara £19.50
Of course Benefit's roller lash is in my top 10! It really is one of the best mascaras I have ever used, I love it. It does everything it says, It really curls the lashes and gives them an incredible length. The brush is the perfect design to give the lashes a real boost. 

1. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara £17.50
Here it is, number 1, Urban Decay's Perversion. It's perfect for making eyes look bigger which is what I look for when buying a mascara. This has been my favourite mascara ever since I got the travel size in the 'NAKED on the run' palette, so I had to buy the full size as I know wear it everyday without fail. The volume this mascara creates is unbelievable, it's so amazing I cannot put it into words, I recommend this product to every who hasn't tried it. There's no turning back for me.

So there we have it. My 10 favourite mascaras, what are your favourites? I will be trying to post at least once a week from now on, I've just been so busy I don't know where the time has gone!
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x

Everyday beauty favourites.

So, we all have our everyday favourite beauty products.. I thought I'd share mine with you and give a review about each of the products I use. 

When I'm in a rush in the morning for sixth form, this naked skin ultra definition powder foundation by Urban Decay is perfect (avg price £26). As it's a powder foundation there's no need to apply two products. It comes in a pretty little bag, and has an application sponge in the compact case. When I first wore this product my friends noticed the difference because it's quite light on the skin and makes it look so soft. If your prefer a fuller coverage, you're able to damp the sponge first so it applies a thicker layer to the skin. There are loads of different colours to fit everyone's skin tone - mine's fair neutral. I think this product is pretty cheap as it's a foundation and powder in one and it lasts for ages!

For weekends I use Mac pro longwear foundation(avg price £25). When it comes to foundation I don't really like a full coverage, so this foundation is perfect for me. It gives a light and creamy coverage. It applies really smooth onto the face and gives a natural finish. The thing I love about mac products is they have so many different shades to choose from. I got matched up to NW15, by one of the staff in Jarrolds and they were so lovely. 

I also bought the Mac select sheer pressed powder to go with the foundation(avg price £20.50). As they really do go well together. This powder just adds thats silky finish to the foundation and makes you look flawless. With this powder a little goes a long way, as you only need to apply a small amount to get the effect. The good thing about this powder is it doesn't really change the shade of the foundation, it just makes your skin look really natural and gives it a glow. It does come with a little sponge that fits in the compact case but I prefer to apply this product using a powder brush. I got the shade NC20. 

This was a really cheap concealer palette from Topshop (avg price £12). This product is really good for blurring and hiding imperfections. I use this product under my eyes and it really does make a difference. The good thing about this palette is that you can mix the colour to really hide dark circles, spots etc... I use the lightest colours to highlight my brow bone to make my eyebrows more prominent. I do find the darkest colour is too dark for me, but the other three are perfect for my skin tone. 

I use this makeup setting spray every time I put my makeup on. It's from Urban Decay (avg price £21) and it really does help to keep your makeup on for the whole day, or for the whole night if you're going out. I like to apply two layers, one after I've applied my face makeup and another after I've applied my eyes, lips and cheek makeup. I think you're even able to buy this product in a mini travel size, to keep in your handbag for a freshen up. I have three bottles of this spray, as I am just in love with it! 

I use this magic ink liquid eyeliner by Benefit on the top of my eyelids (avg price £15.50). I have tried other liquid eyeliners, but I found they smudged on my eyelids. This one doesn't smudge at all and it's got a flexible brush for easy application. I do love this eyeliner as it does come out black and dries black, whereas I found some other products dried more of a smoky grey colour. I do find this is hard if you want to do flicked eyeliner, as you can't get really close to the brush, so I'd recommend the 'they're real! push up liner' by Benefit (avg price £18.50) as it's a gel liner in a pen, so the tip won't flex and you can get really close to the lash line. 

I use this le crayon khôl eyeliner by Lancôme in shade 01 noir (avg price £16) along my waterline. I find it makes my eyes just that little bit bigger, which I really need as I have the smallest eyes ever. I find this pencil eyeliner is really easy to apply right up to my lash line without making a really thick line, so it looks more natural. 

Perversion by Urban Decay is my absolute favourite mascara at the moment (avg price £17.50). As my eyes are really small, I need volume and length in my lashes to make my eyes look bigger and this mascara does exactly that! I really want to try the subversion primer by Urban Decay to go with it but I never get round to buying it. I never really stick to one mascara as there are so many out there that I want to try. I own a few mascara's at the minute but this one tops them all. Sometimes I do like to add Benefits roller lash mascara on top of this own to give extra length and add curls to the lashes. But I've only got a small tube of roller lash out of the Elle magazine, which I will definitely be buying once my little one has run out. 

I never used to do anything to my eyebrows, but since I've got them waxed I like to add a little shape to them. This little brow box by Urban Decay, is perfect for my needs (avg price £19.50). It comes in two different colours, I got brown sugar as I've got really dark hair. Inside there are two little brushes and a tiny pair of tweezers, two shades of powder and a wax. The fact there are two shades, makes it easier to make your brows look more natural as you can apply the lighter colour where you've got more hair and the darker where you don't. The wax is handy for keeping your eyebrow hairs in place once you've shaped and coloured them. All this comes in a tiny box which fits in the palm of your hand. 

Hervana by Benefit was the first blusher I ever bought, and I've stuck by it since (avg price £23.50). The reason I like this blusher so much is that it's not just one shade. It's a combination of four different colours, which makes your cheeks look natural but rosy. I find this blusher is so pigmented, that you'll only need to apply it once during the day and it'll stay on. Because I'm so pale, I don't like blushers that are really pink, so this is perfect for me as it has a few nude shades in there as well. 

This is my favourite colour lipstick at the moment. The colour is ohh la la by Topshop (avg price £8). I think this shade is such a summery colour, which I think is going to be lovely for festivals this year. I really like Topshop lipsticks as they aren't expensive and the colours really do come out well and last for ages. The only thing I would recommend is to not buy them of their website, because I've found the colours look so different in real life than they do on their website. Whenever I go in Topshop I find myself coming out with a load of swatches along my arm of all their different colours. I wish I could buy them all.

x