I caved and I bought the new Fendy Beauty products, but can you blame me? I'd watched like 4 review videos on YouTube and I was convinced that I needed it in my life.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, base make up is literally the most important part of any make up look. Yes, you can have eyeshadows that slay and eyebrows on point, but it doesn't matter if your base isn't quite right. So this range is right up my street! 

I was going to order it online but thought I'd rather go in store and give it a proper look, At first I thought I was going to be shade 170 or 190 in the foundation but boy was I wrong, I ended up going for the 150- let's just reflect on how pale I actually am. This foundation does dry a little bit darker so that is something to remember. 

Next I went for the trio sticks, I think these are good value for money as you get three for £46, whereas if you buy them individually they are priced at £21 each. I went for the lightest shades, they are creamy, so easy to blend and even more importantly they do what they say! My face looked defined and concealed, so what more could I want.

I went a bit crazy when it came to highlighters and ended up buying two as well as the brush. I felt like I couldn't get Fenty beauty without getting the trophy wife colour- despite the sales assistant insisting this wouldn't suit my skin tone. I thought it would be perfect for the inner corners of my eyes! I also bought the double highlighter in the lightest shades and this is amazing.. a little really goes a long way!

If you'd like to see a full video of me using the products and my thoughts then just click below! 

Have you bought any of the products? What are your thoughts?

Emma :)

When it comes to makeup, I've always been interested in foundation. For me, it's the most important part of any make up look- if it's wrong, it's wrong. There's no clawing back a bad base. I don't know if it's the same for everyone else, maybe you're more interested in your eyeshadow or your eyebrows, but when you've suffered with acne for years as a teenager, any sort of cover up is a blessing.

My skin has changed quite a lot over the years, from really oily to dry, to combination (which is where I'm at now.) So once I find the right foundation, I don't tend to change it much. For the past year or two, I've been using Too Faced Born This Way- which is also absolutely amazing so check it out if you haven't. I had no reason to change from it, other than the fact I stumbled into Sephora in Dubai and found myself at the Tarte section. I'd hear about their Under The Sea foundation but they didn't have it in store, and the lovely sales assistant was showing me the Amazonian Clay Foundation instead. It is oil free, and felt so lightweight as soon as she put it on my skin. The coverage and matte look was exactly what I wanted and so I wanted to know more about the range!

About ten minutes later, I ended up with the primer, the brush and the foundation and I left Sephora so happy! I felt confident and yet, not full of makeup. My skin can breathe with these products, and it actually doesn't move from my face. Even though I don't suffer from severe acne anymore, I always want to have a good coverage foundation and I honestly can't recommend this one more. It's hard to buy in the UK as we don't have any stores where you can have a colour match, but if you want to buy it online then just click here.

I know the base of your make up can be boring but it's so important! What's your favourite make up product?

Emma :) 

I thought I'd do something different today. I mean sometimes it's a bit too much pressure doing blogmas/vlogmas and sometimes I feel like my content isn't exactly what I want it to be. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want to post just for the sake of it. So today, I really wanted to talk about something that I have a little bit of trouble with. Treating yourself.

I bought some make up the other day from Chanel. Now I've never owned anything from Chanel if I'm completely honest and I felt like I hadn't bought myself anything in ages. So I took the plunge, and after trying some out a few days before at the counter, I decided to buy some products for myself.

I got the bronze universal and also a blush. This blog post isn't really about what I bought though, it's more of an expression of how I feel when I buy myself things. I guess I feel kind of guilty.. Having said that though, I'm trying to learn that we all work hard and if you don't treat yourself, then what's the point? So it's okay to gift yourself, especially at this time of year. Working overtime to get other people amazing gifts so it's not really that bad to treat yourself once in a while.

I'm not sure if it's just me that feels that way but I just thought I'd get my views out there anyway. So if you plan on treating yourself then do it! Try not to feel guilty, even though I know it's easier said than done and get whatever it is that you want. Of course, it has to be within reason, I don't think you'll be able to get yourself an actor husband or something anytime soon.

Emma :) 

It's time for a giveaway!

I've never done one of these before so I'm a little bit nervous to say the least. But I'd been thinking about it for quite some time now so figured I'd just do it now!

I posted a video on YouTube explaining what it is that you can win and how to enter so if you'd like to watch that then click here.

It's pretty simple, you just need to enter your details into the rafflecopter below and the more things you complete, the more entries you get! Simple! a Rafflecopter giveaway

The name sounds a bit like a football show but ESPA is actually a skincare brand. In my advent today I have their hydrating skin mask. I love the white packaging, although it is simple, it is clean and to the point.

I say this about everything, but I could smell it through the packaging, and it smells so nice and fresh. I'll be honest, I've never used an overnight mask before but I'm really looking forward to trying it. Especially during this time of year where my skin is really dry.

It's only a sample size so is really small but that's enough to try it out! I'll let you know how I get on with this, along with everything else I open this month.

Emma :) 

Hi everyone!

On Wednesday I finally graduated! I had an absolutely amazing day but unfortunately, it had to come to an end. As I keep trying to relive it, I decided to share my outfit with you in case you had an upcoming event and I'm pretty sure the dress is still available in certain sizes as well as the shoes (which were a massive bargain at £13!) All of the details are over on my YouTube. It's only 1 minute and 11 seconds so please please take the time to check it out and let me know your thoughts. Just click here to watch it and don't forget to subscribe if you like what you see.

Emma :)

Hello!

So I recently subscribed to a Birchbox, and decided to film my unboxing.
I'll probably be reviewing these products too, but for now, if you'd like to watch my YouTube video to see what is inside then click here and please subscribe!

Emma :)

I feel like all of my favourite products are running out recently!
I've had this foundation since around November and use it nearly every day- so it's lasted me quite a while. You'll have heard it raved about a million times, so let's make it one million and one. Yeah, you guessed it, it's the Nars Sheerglow Foundation.

I've tried many foundations, drugstore bought and high end products, but this is by far the best. My skin is normal to combination but it can get slightly oily. I like coverage, but a light soft feel on my skin. If something is too heavy, it can go grubby throughout the day when wearing it for a long amount of time. Another negative to other foundations is that they rub off easily, you know when you hug someone and pull away, only to see you've left a cheek on their fancy coat- er.. awkward. Well thankfully, this product doesn't do that, in fact, I don't even feel like I'm wearing any.

As you can see, it's well loved just by the finger prints all over the bottle. I must say, the only bad thing is that there is no pump and it must be bought separately. That wouldn't be too much of a problem if they ever actually had one in stock (I'm still yet to buy one myself!)

Also, a fancy glass bottle is great, but not for someone who's clumsy. Overall, I love the product itself, and I don't think I'd switch to another one after trying this, it's just the packaging that lets it down a little bit. The newer foundation from Nars comes with a pump so that could be an alternative.

If you haven't tried this before, and want coverage that looks (hopefully) and feels flawless, then it is definitely more than an option!

Emma :) 

I have yet another empty product! I've bought this multiple times in a few different shades. It's the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. This time in the shade 1- Fair. I've had the medium before but it just seemed to stand out too much on my skin and I find it works that little bit better putting it on before applying foundation.

The packaging is probably my least favourite feature of the product, but it costs very little so it is to be expected. It just wears away easily, but I suppose what is inside the bottle is what really counts!

The consistency is fairly thick so it can get a little bit 'cakey' sometimes, but as mentioned, under foundation it works a treat! It hides pretty much any blemish, which is important for me as I can get a bit self-conscious sometimes. 

If you're after a cheap concealer then it's definitely a go to. Let me know if you have any other great drug store products that I should know about. 

Emma :)

There are a lot of products out there than are made to clean make-up brushes. More often than not they are fairly expensive, and although there are D.I.Y tutorials everywhere, I just don't trust myself to do it.

As someone who has struggled with skin problems before, I'd been told that I shouldn't use brushes to apply make up as it can spread bacteria. I still do but I have to clean them regularly and it really does help. 

I use a product from Lush (yet again!) that is easy and affordable. It's from their 'fun' range which is mouldable and has multi-purposes. They have a variety of colours and scents to choose from too. At a price of £5, you can't really complain. You get a good few washes out of each one! 

As you can see they aren't that dirty really but I like to keep mine clean. I use a small amount and then add more if I need to. All you need to do is rinse the hot water over both the brush and the soap, then rub the bristles into the mould.  The dirtier brushes always take a little longer but that is to be expected! 

Afterwards my brushes are much cleaner and just need to be left to dry! 

I'll definitely be sticking to these products for my brushes anyway! Hope this helps some of you who are stuck with too much choice. 

Emma :)

I was lucky enough to receive a medicine cabinet shelf and a medicine cabinet divided organiser from the Lenny Agency. Now I know what you're thinking, how does that relate to beauty? Well I decided to use them as a way to keep my make-up a little bit more organised!

At the bottom there are grips so they don't topple over and spill the contents everywhere. The simple colour means that they can match pretty much any room. 

On the shelf you can see that I've chosen to place some of my everyday products, such as foundation, eyeshadow etc. in the divider, there are four compartments. In the back two I've put my rather messy brushes and in the front two, my concealer, mascara and lipstick.

They are both only £6.50 each and It's definitely easier to know where everything is by seeing it on your worktop! Buy them both at www.oxouk.com

Emma :) 

Although I've been enjoying my current mascara I was starting to find it was going a little clumpy. When I realised Elle were giving away minis of the new benefit mascara, I had to buy it!

The packaging is really cute with the pink background and the fancy writing. So it's safe to say that the first impression was good. 

The lid is a little different to what the full size one will look like but it's still cute and matches the pink and black theme. The brush is slightly 'wanded' to give the curling effect, although I'm sure the bigger product will be more noticeable. 

It applies really nicely and the bristles feel soft- which in my opinion is always a winner. 

I really like the look of the mascara and how I don't need to mess around with eyelash curlers. I've never tried any of benefits mascaras but I do love the brand and judging by the first couple of uses so far, I can see me purchasing the full size. A definite staple in my current every day make-up!

Emma :)

It's always after christmas that people get loads of new products to try.

Last Christmas, as you may or may not know, I had the You Beauty Discovery Advent Calendar and have found a few products that I've fallen in love with. 

The first one to mention is the one I got on the 1st December, the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser. I love it so much that I've actually ran out and need to purchase the full size product. It leaves your skin so soft and I've found that it's controlled my oil levels, leaving me with fewer spots. 

The second thing I seem to be enjoying is- oddly enough, the thing that I opened on the 2nd December. The laura Mercier Primer, I like how a little amount goes a long way, but I'm unsure of when repurchasing I should get the oil free one and it is slightly oily for me. However, I am enjoying it nonetheless. It keeps my make up in fact and doesn't irritate my skin. 

I've been using two other products together from the calendar, these are the teeez desert metals mascara and the Eyeko eyelash curlers. Both of which work really well, and when combined give lots of volume. The only thing I've noticed is the more I use the mascara, the clumsier my eyelashes seem to get with each use.

Finally, I have been loving the Rodial Stem Cell Glam Balm. It smells very strong so is probably one thing that I don't like (I feel as though I'm eating roses) but it does leave your lips soft and moisturised, so I'd recommend if you have troubled lips. 

I do have a few other favourite products up my sleeve but I might leave them until the end of the month!

All of the products mentioned have a quick blog post about them so be sure to have a look if you're interested. The links are all available there too so you can check them out for yourself, maybe they might creep into your favourites sometime soon!

Emma :)

It's now officially, less than a week!

I've had Benefit The Porefessional  before, but after running out, I hadn't repurchased for some reason, so I was glad to find it in my advent calendar this morning. 

It's a minature version of the original at 7.5ml but I'm sure I'll remember to buy it again when I run out this time! 

It's soft of the skin and does what it says, minimises pores! I normally use it underneath foundation, just so it gives a nice base for applying make up. 

If you haven't tried it already, I definitely recommend it! 

Emma :) 

16 days now!

I've been feeling far too comfortable with my current mascara and needed a change. So I was happy to find a Teeez Desert Metals Mascara in my calendar in the shade Midnight Sky.

 

I absolutely love the packaging, the colours and patterns just work well together. Thankfully, the product has the same design. It also says on the back that they use no animal testing, it's smudge proof and also, long lasting. What more could you want?

I've already used it and I can tell I'm really going to love it. It doesn't clump, adds volume but still looks natural. The brush is thin at the end and gets gradually thicker, which I think works well for application. 

A possible future favourite? Only time will tell!

Emma :)