Make Up Brush Collection + Reviews

The key to a flawless make up application is not solely reliant on the products you use, but also the brushes you use to apply them.  I've always been interested in make up from an early age, but up until recently, I either used my fingers or the applicators that came with make up.  I've been building up a decent brush collection for a few months now and I am finally ready to show you what I use and also if they work or not.  

I have a mixture of brushes from Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman, Sigma and Topshop.  I got my brush organiser from Muji, for around £2-£3.  Here are the brushes I use on a daily basis, as well as some that are a little bit rubbish. 

FACE

(L-R) Real Techniques Blush Brush, Real Techniques Powder Brush, Real Techniques Buffing Brush, Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush, Real Techniques Contour Brush and Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki

Real Techniques Blush Brush - Before I picked this brush up, I used to use an Eco Tools blush brush for everything (contour, bronzing, blush and powder).  Now I have a separate brush for each I will never go back.  This brush is tapered allowing for precision when it comes to blusher.  It's extremely soft and like all the other RT brushes I use, washes extremely well.  

Real Techniques Powder Brush  - This brush is big, flexible and fluffy.  Perfect for all over powder application.  It hasn't shed at all, unlike my Eco Tools brush used to and like the Blush brush is extremely soft.  

Real Techniques Buffing Brush from the Core Collection - I've heard this brush is excellent for a quick and easy foundation application but I have yet to try it for that purpose.  At the moment I use it after applying foundation and concealer to ensure that I have a flawless base with no lines or patchiness.  

Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush from the Starter Set - I use this for under eye concealer and around my nose, rather than eyeshadow which is was the Pixiwoo girls do.  It's a ruddy fantastic brush and blends concealer seamlessly.  I wish all the brushes were sold separately as I'd love another for eyeshadow.  

Real Techniques Contour Brush from the Core Collection - Another brilliant brush.  I feel I can sculpt and highlight my face so much easier with this brush.  

Sigma F80 Flat Top Kabuki - I absolutely adore this brush and it's probably the only reason I haven't tried the RT buffing brush with foundation yet.  I've never been able to apply my foundation as flawlessly than I have with this brush.  It's dense but has enough flexibility to move around the nooks and crannies of the face.  The bristles are soft and wash up lovely without loosing shape.  

EYES

(Top - Bottom) Sigma Tapered Blending E40, Sigma Small Tapered Blending E45, Real Techniques Base Shadow, Real Techniques Accent and No.7 Eyeshadow Blending

Sigma Tapered Blending E40 - A brilliant brush for blending.  It's big and fluffy allowing to blur harsh lines quickly.  When I first got it, it shed a little but after using and washing it's now fine.  

Sigma Small Tapered Blending E45 - This brush is brilliant for crease work and precision eyeshadow application.  It's also good for the outer V and a brush I pick up most days when applying eyeshadow.  

Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush from the Starter Set - A does the job brush.  Great for packing on eyeshadow.  

Real Techniques Accent Brush from the Starter Set - I use this brush to highlight the inner corner of my eye.  It's also good for applying eyeshadow underneath the bottom lash line.  

No.7 Eyeshadow Blending - I'm going to be honest.  This brush is rubbish and I no longer use it since getting my Sigma brushes.  In comparison the brush is tiny and doesn't blend well at all.  It's also extremely scratchy and irritates my eye area.  Whoever told me this was a dupe for the MAC 217 lied! 

MISCELLANEOUS

(Top - Bottom) Topshop Foundation Brush, Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush and Real Techniques Detailer Brush

Topshop Foundation Brush - I used to use this on a daily basis but found it didn't blend my foundation all that well.  It works well with some foundations, with others though it can be streaky.  

Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush from the Core Collection - I haven't used this brush yet, but I've been told it works well with concealer so I will give it a go soon.  

Real Techniques Detailer Brush from the Core Collection - I use this for applying bold lippie.  It works really well and gives me a precise application.  

So those are the brushes I use pretty much everyday.  I wash them in Johnsons Baby Shampoo and it works just as well as expensive brush cleaners for a smidgen of the price (plus they then smell gorgeous)!  It's also easily found in supermarkets and high street stores too.  

Have you got any of the Real Techniques or Sigma brushes or have any recommendations for other brushes to add to my collection?  

Birthday Haul: Beauty, Fashion and Miscellaneous

As some of you may know, it was my 20th birthday yesterday and I had a really great day - Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday.  Sitting here a little hungover, I thought I'd blog about what I got.  I was a bit rubbish and didn't actually take pictures of my outfit or my make up, due to visitors leaving late, resulting in a frantic two hours of getting ready.  I was extremely lucky this year and got most things I asked for and i'm very thankful to my family and friends for it.  

1.  GHDs - I needed a new pair, as the ones I had were 7 years old and were showing signs of old age.  My new pair, from the Gold series, came with a heat protectant sleeve which will come in handy.  They also glide along my hair a lot better and smoothly than my previous pair.  

2.  Casio Mini Digital Watch - Another from my list, I've been eyeing this watch up for a long while, needing to invest in more silver jewellery to go with my Links bracelet.  I haven't taken it off since I got it (except to shower, obvs...) I absolutely love it!

3.  DVDs - If you are new, you may not know that I collect boxsets of my favourite shows.  No birthday would be complete without a little bit of Tree Hill finding it's way to me.  I got season 8 on DVD which means I'm now complete again, until season 9 is available.  I'm literally addicted to One Tree Hill and have no idea what it's going to be like without it... I also received TOWIE season 3 which makes for great hangover TV.  Speaking of TOWIE, Joey Essex did a PA in the club I went to last night, he looks quite reem in the flesh and he even brought Diags with him!

4. MAC Make Up - This present was unexpected but very welcomed.  I received the Matchmaster foundation in shade 1.0, Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Light and the infamous Hue lipstick.  I wore all three products last night and on first impressions I really liked them.  The foundation is definitely one of the sheerest of the MAC products but it's still medium coverage which can be built to full if you need it.  The powder is great for setting and the lipstick is a gorgeous nude which will be an everyday favourite. 

5.  Dolla - I also received money from various relatives which is always good to have.  I'm not sure what I will spend it on just yet, I'm sure I'll tell you in a haul soon what I do buy!

So that's my birthday for another year.  It's very odd knowing I'm an adult now - I definitely didn't act like one last night! How have you spent your weekends?

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my 20th birthday and I feel a bit odd knowing that I'm no longer a teenager, but now an adult.  I wont be acting like it tonight! I'm off out into my local town for some (okay, a lot) of drinks and dancing.  What's better is that Joey Essex is making an appearance at my favourite club (obviously to wish me a happy birthday), so you never know I could be coming to a screen near you soon (I wish).

Have a lovely day girls, I will try and remember to take a picture of tonights outfit and make up to share with you all, and also a birthday haul if that's something you'd be interested in? 

Book Review: Pretties by Scott Westerfeld

The second in a four part series see's Tally Youngblood as a full blown Pretty.  Not only is she pretty, she's a member of the bubbly-making Crims, reunited with her best friend Peris and dating Zane, leader of the clique.  But with this visual perfection comes a price, being pretty minded.  As Tally is met with her past and given a letter with the 'cure', she turns to Zane.  After curing their brains, Tally and Zane plan to leave New Pretty Town and return to the Smoke but complications arise and as usual the Specials get involved.  Will Tally and Zane make it to the Smoke?

I really enjoyed the sequel, Scott left Uglies on a real cliffhanger and Pretties was the same, so I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next.  The language takes a while to get used to, you wouldn't think by adding 'making' onto the ends of words would be as confusing as it is!  If you love book series like Twilight, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner you will love these too.  Uglies is also being made into a film to be released sometime this year.  Overall I give this book a 4 out of 5.  

Currently reading: The Hunger Games

Would anyone like to see a Kindle review as I've had it for about two months now?

Find me on Goodreads here. 

Beauty Review: Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque

If you're like me, your hair has a hard life being subjected to heat, copious amounts of product and (in my case) bleach.  When I first went blonde in September, I knew I'd need to maintain it well and also look after my hair with a slathering of conditioner.  After my third appointment at the hairdressers to get my roots sorted out, my stylist complimented the condition of my hair and that it was in shockingly (I thought she was being a little dramatic) good condition.  I only have one product to thank for this and that is the Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque.  

This treatment is an extremely thick paste, which turns creamier when warmed up in the palms and smells gorgeous.  On the packaging it says to use the product no more than twice a week and leave in your hair for seven minutes.  I actually use this once a week and leave it in my hair for 1-2 hours.  By doing this I am allowing the moisture that the bleach sucks out of my hair, a chance to get back in and help condition my hair better.  Every other week, for extra nourishment, I will add some of the Macadamia Healing Oil to the mix which gives an even more intense condition.  This has been an absolute life saver and is obviously doing some good if my hair stylist is seeing better condition in my hair.  I do as well, always get my hair trimmed 1/2-1 inch each time, just to help it out.  

If you're wanting to try this miracle product out, it is slightly pricey at £18.50 for the 250ml pot, but it is nearly half the price of the Moroccan Oil Restorative Hair Treatment.  These two products are said to have the same results, so personally I would rather buy the cheaper product.  The Macadamia range is available on FeelUnique and I highly recommend you check them out.  

Do you have any healthy hair products to recommend?

Getting Mini: Moo Business Cards

Last week I bit the bullet and ordered myself some MiniCards from Moo, which turned up on Saturday.  After attending several blog events and not having business cards, I thought these would be pretty handy.  I decided to go with my blog theme, making two different cards - one with my blog header and another with the striped background I use.  I got 100 for just over £10 which I thought was extremely inexpensive and they come in a nifty little box too! 

Have you invested in some Moo cards?

New In: Fashion & Beauty Haul

I've been doing a spot of shopping here and there for the past couple of weeks so thought I'd show you what I picked up.  I always find haul posts a bit long so I've done mine slightly different this time.  If you like the new layout, let me know down below (poet but didn't know it comes to mind...)

1. There comes a time (or maybe more in my case) in a girls life when you stumble upon the most gorgeous bag and pretty much know you need it in your life.  Walking around M&S, of all places, whilst my mum shopped for her holiday, I spied this beauty. It's a medium sized, leather structured bowler bag and is the perfect sized everyday bag.  It was a bit pricey (£79) but I thought it could be an early birthday present to myself.  

2. I've heard only good things about the Tweezerman tweezers and whilst in a lecture, my tutor kept banging on about them and as he's pretty hard to please in general, I thought they must be good. I picked these up at Benefit and were cheaper than any others I've seen.  

3.  A re-purchase of my new favourite concealer - Collection 2000 (soon to be rebranded as COLLECTION) Lasting Perfection in shade fair 1.  It covers a multitude of sins, breakouts, freckles, dark circles and I wouldn't do my make up without it.  Only downfall - the writing on the tube all rubs off after a few uses.  

4. If you're like me, YouTube has become my new TV and the Pixiwoo girls have become a firm favourite channel.  Sam released her own line of brushes called Real Techniques and received rave reviews.  They were quite hard to get hold of in the UK until this month, as they were launched in bigger Boots stores.  I picked up the Powder and Blush brushes as well as the Starter set for eyes.  I haven't used them yet but they are so soft! 

5. I rarely shop in Dorothy Perkins but they were offering 25% student discount so I thought I'd have a wander.  I picked up quite a lot, including this oversized, square cut top.  I live in things like this and it will look great paired with those loafers.

6. I placed my first ever order on Missguided and it came today.  The first thing I picked was these turquoise loafers, which look almost radioactive.  They are going to be great at adding a pop of colour to otherwise dreary outfits.  

7. Another of my Dorothy Perkins picks.  I bought an oversized silver triangle ring and an extremely long necklace with cross pendent.  I needed some silver pieces to go with my Links of London bracelet and hopefully my new watch (see birthday wishlist here).

8.  The main reason I went to Benefit was to get the new blush box in 'Hervana'.  The four colours swirled together are supposed to create a healthy rosy glow on the cheeks.  I'll let you know how I get on.  

9. I picked up another top in Dorothy Perkins, which has aztec print all over it.  Again, it's a baggy number and will get a lot of wear.  I'll either wear this with a plain black bodycon dress and tights or with jeggings.  

10.  My second purchase from Missguided was this leopard print skater dress, which I plan to wear for my birthday.  I was a bit worried it wouldn't fit as I'm top heavy, but it fits like a glove and I really like it.   It came with a black patent skinny belt, but I didn't like it so took it off.  I'll wear black tights, sky high heels, my biker jacket with this and plan to do my make up like this.  Would you like to see an OOTN?

11. While I was in Boots, practically happy dancing over the Real Techniques brushes, I noticed that all the Katy Perry lashes were in stock and I immediately knew I wanted to pick some up.  After the success of the Girls Aloud lashes, Eylure teamed up with Kitty Purry and brought out 5 different lashes.  I picked up Sweetie Pie (pink) for everyday and Oh, Honey! (yellow) for the evening.  

12.  Oh look, no roots! Fresh from the salon today my roots have been bleached up! My hairdresser was pretty surprised that my hair was in "excellent" condition, which I believe I have Macadamia products to thank.  Review coming soon!

Let me know your thoughts on the new way of doing my haul posts and feel free to ask questions about what I picked up in the comments section.  Have a lovely evening!

Trending: Pastel Jeans

It may be Valentines Day but I'd rather talk about my true love, fashion.  All the S/S collections are out in stores and one thing I've really been eyeing up is pastel jeans.  Now if you know me, I can imagine your jaw has just dropped pretty quickly, I don't wear jeans.  For the past four years, I've been a complete leggings junkie but something has changed and I fully intend to embrace this latest trend.  Here are some of my favourite pastel or coloured jeans.  

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1. New Look; £19.99 - These were the first I found and I adore the colour. Originally when I fell for this trend, it was lilacs and blush colours that I imagined myself in.

2. Topshop; £38.00 - Slightly pricier, these leigh jeans are lovely with contrasting turn ups.  

3. River Island; £35.00 - Admittedly, these are jeggings (one step at a time people) but I love the colour and they look like jeans with pocket and button detailing.  

4. New Look; £19.99 - Another of the cheap and cheerful New Look jeans.  This orange creme colour would look best with a tan and gold accessories.  

5. Topshop; £40.00 - An online exclusive, these high waisted beauties would look great with a tucked in tee.  I like the colour, but not sure I could get away with it against my fair skin.  

STYLE TIP: To pull off pastel or coloured jeans, it's best to wear white, grey or black tee's.  I really like oversized tops at the moment, anything from a sheer blouse to basic t-shirts.  If you're daring, go for a contrasting colour to colour block.  

I am definitely going to give this trend a go, even if it only lasts in the changing rooms.  Who knows, one day I might be weaned off leggings for good. 

What's your favourite trend this season?

Happy Valentines day from me to you xox

Beauty Review: LUSH King of Skin

If you want extremely moisturised skin just out of the shower, then LUSH's 'King of Skin' is for you.  I'm quite lazy when it comes to moisturising and if I'm truthful, it only ever happens once in a blue moon, until I discovered this product.  After Christmas I had completely fallen in love with LUSH and took to the website quite frequently.  When they released their fruity collection with I Love Juicy shampoo, American Cream conditioner, Avobath bath bomb and King of Skin body butter, I pretty much bought everything.  King of Skin has a lovely Banana/Coconut smell and contains shea butter, avocado and cocoa butter, good enough to eat.  

As you can see, my King of Skin has almost melted away, I will probably get another two uses out of it. I also recommend purchasing a tin like I did, to stop the steam from melting it before you get to use it (priced at £2.95).  Priced at £4.95, this solid body butter is amazing both in the shower or bath.  When I shave my legs I used this and it leaves my legs silky smooth.  It's possibly one of the easiest and no fuss products I've tried.  You simply glide it over the desired area and then stand under the shower or in the bath.  It doesn't wash off, but what I do notice is that when you step out you are left with water globules all over the body.  I just pat these away and underneath my skin is silky smooth.  If you do this in the evening and go to bed, most of the product will rub off, although I have found my skin still has some of the product on, so it is best to use in the morning.  It's definitely solved my lazy moisturising issue.  

I will definitely be repurchasing and trying some other ones with more abrasive, exfoliating particles too.  Have you tried the LUSH body butters?

Get The Look: Lana Del Rey Vogue Cover

The whole world has gone a little bit Lana Del Rey mad as of recent.  Her album, Born To Die, was released last Monday and went straight to the top of the UK album charts. To celebrate my minor girl crush, I thought I'd do a get the look from her recent Vogue cover debut.

On the cover she wears Louis Vuitton S/S12, but for those of you with a less extravagant budget, here's a high street alternative to the look.

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The dress for this look is from Lipsy, costing £58, whilst the ring (which is the exact one Lana is sporting on the cover) is from Topshop, costing £8.50. It's hard to see on the cover photo, but she's wearing a bow belt in a creamy beige, this one from Topshop is a great alternative, £16.  I'm incredibly envious of Miss Del Rey's locks, to get that swept back look try this Oasis hair comb at £12 from ASOS.  To get the perfect winged liner that Lana sports here, try the MAC Penultimate Liner, £15 online and instore.  

What do you think of Lana Del Rey, love her or loathe her?

Now it wouldn't be right if I didn't leave you with my favourite song off the album, This Is What Makes Us Girls.  

Birthday Wishlist 2012

In a couple of weeks (the 25th to be precise) I'll turn one year older (a fancy way of saying I'll be 20).  Of course this calls for a wishlist of sorts.  For my birthday, I generally don't ever ask for much, other than money and therefore not have very many presents to open.  This year, I fancy a present or two to open, so here's a few things I wouldn't mine unwrapping...

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1. GHD IV Styler; £79 - I got a pair of GHDs one Christmas when they were first on the market, making them about 6-7 years old now.  They've started to show signs of age, when I turn them on they get confused and start flashing and amking a few popping noises every now and then.  I've been contemplating a new pair for some time, so my birthday seems the best time.  

2. Casio Mini Silver Watch; £30 - I miss having a watch, ever since getting my Links of London charm bracelet for my 18th birthday, I haven't worn a watch as the one I have is gold.  I'd like this dainty watch to wear with my bracelet (it will hold me over until I can afford a Michael Kors...)

3. One Tree Hill; £14.99 - This was one of the things on top of my Christmas list, so I was disappointed when I didn't get it, because if you know me, you'll know my love for Tree Hill.  

4. Topshop Gift Card - I've seen a lot on the Toppers site which I really want, so a gift card would be rather handy!

5. Money - Technically I can't unwrap money, but it's always a nice thing to have for your birthday.  

6. The Only Way is Essex Season 3 DVD; £11.99 - I am a proud TOWIE fan! Been loving the new season, but there's always time to sit down and watch old series.  

Of course this is only a selection of what I'd like, I have an ever growing Lush list which I'd love to start ticking off soon.  Next on the Birthday agenda, finding THE dress.  Do you have any party dress online shop suggestions?

Book Review: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Meet Tally Youngblood, a 15 year old ugly.  Counting down the days until her 16th birthday and the big operation to turn her 'pretty' and finally be reunited with her best friend, Peris.  When a trick goes wrong, Tally is left trying to run for her life, when she bumps into Shay.  Shay's also an ugly, and is counting down the days until she can run away to the Smoke and never be turned pretty.  As Tally and Shay become closer, the two friends are suddenly seperated when Shay runs off with David.  Tally must now go after her friend or face being ugly forever, but is that so bad when the one you love thinks you're beautiful regardless?

I watched Joey and Whitney of YouTube fame do a review of this book before Christmas (click here to see that video) and decided it was one I wanted to read.  When you first begin the book, it's extremely fast paced and before you know it, it's Tally's birthday.  I thought this was a bit weird and couldn't see where the next 250+ pages would take me but Westerfeld cleverly introduces a twist.  It's a great book and it makes you think about how we perceive ourselves and the others around us.  If you enjoy dystopian novels in general, I really recommend this book and if you like books like Twilight, I'd also recommend this.  

Overall, I'd give this book a 4 out of 5.  

Currently reading: Pretties (2nd in 4 part Uglies series)

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