What I've Purchased This Week - Boots and ASOS

Hey guys! So exam's have officially started and I had my first one today - Knowledge and Reality. It went a lot better than I had expected so I am pretty damn pleased!
I have purchased a good few new items this week which I will run through but more in depth reviews will be made in the next wee while!

My first lot of purchases was from Boots online. I normally shop in store but needed some new things and simply didn't have the time to go in. Plus if you spend over £40 you get free delivery so I wasn't paying extra for that. It came 3 days after I had ordered which I didn't expect with it being free so was just in time for the weekend.

 As you can see I got the Boots parcel and my Graze box at the same time which is always nice, love having things delivered as I often forget what I've purchased plus it's something to look forward too.

I bought two sets of Eyelure lashes 070 which were £5.49 each however I got one for free due to the 3 for two promotion they had on. The third item I bought in this deal was the Sleek make-up face contour kit which I cannot wait to review! I've been dying to give contouring a go but wasn't sure what products to use and didn't want to spend a fortune. After hearing a ton of good reviews on the product, seeing its in the 3 for 2 and that it was only £6.49 I had to buy. 

I then bought two items from the Benefit cosmetics range - They're Real mascara and Magic Ink jet black liquid eyeliner. I always use this mascara and cannot recommend it enough, yes there's a rather large price tag (£19.50) but it is justified by how brilliant the product is. It never smudges, I never have large bits of mascara on my lashes because if looked after it doesn't go dry and goes on super smooth. It's the first mascara I've purchased that also separates every single bottom lash! 

The eyeliner (£15.50) is again not cheap but I'm expecting big things as Benefit have never let me down!

As mentioned I will be doing more in depth reviews on these items with pictures of me wearing them so you can have a better look.

I also, due to feeling confident after my exam, purchased two items of ASOS. I got a lovely 25% off student discount voucher (go onto unidays) and it is advertised on their website and couldn't help myself! 

I am addicted to jumpsuits so the item below was something I've been wanting for a while, I love the back detail, with it being black I can do so much with shoes, accessories and make-up so for £25 and taking away the discount it was a steal!

ASOS Unitard with Back Strap Detail - £25

The second item I bought is the dress below, a beautiful plunge neck midi dress which I think oozes sophistication as your legs are nearly all covered and so gives way to have some cleavage showing! I feel items like this really flatter a small chest which makes it perfect for me and again being black means i have so many options for accessories and make-up!

Oh My Love Plunge-neck Bodycon Dress - £38

Outfit posts will definitely be needed for both my ASOS items so look out for them in the next month (no nights out until after exams)!

Thanks for reading

xox

Review - Raw Chocolate Brownie

Hey guys! So today's post is a review on Pulsin's raw chocolate brownie which I recently purchased from Holland and Barrett.

I've been trying out quite a few raw, vegan treats lately and especially like Nakd bars. After seeing the buy one get another for a penny sale on Holland and Barrett'ss website I decided to try some new things as well. One of which was the chocolate brownie as seen below. It was £1.79 and so a little expensive but considering I got so much else cheap in the sale I figured I'd try it. I read quite a few positive reviews online and follow a couple of vegans on Instagram who rave about this product however I didn't agree.

The bar itself was quite large and looked very similar to that of a regular non-raw, non-vegan brownie. All it seemed to lack texture wise was the crumbly-ness. It smells lovely and as though it's full of chocolate however in terms of taste it wasn't as enjoyable. Being made with raw chocolate and cocoa I didn't realise how strong the taste would be. It was much like dark chocolate which I don't enjoy and was very bitter due to the strength of the chocolate.
I was very disappointed at not liking this product however it's my own fault for not realising that raw chocolate does not taste like a milk chocolate Galaxy. It has not put me off other vegan bars however as I still love Nakd bars as even their ones with cocoa have a much better taste. I am glad I tried it though and will hopefully find other vegan products I can enjoy!

Thanks for reading
xox

OOTD - beach

So on Sunday I went to the beach and had a day off revision (see previous post) and despite the sun being out it wasn't terribly warm so had to dress cosily but still wanted to be summary! 

I wore my recently purchased gingham print joni jeans from Topshop which were £36 - I also got student discount off my order - and they are just perfect. I've owned a few of these jeans in blue denim and the fit it so perfect, I am a W2632 in Topshop and they fit well but comfortably which is what I need especially when thy are high waisted, I find others are only comfortable until you eat something because they are so tight! But, Topshop's jean's waist is stretchy which makes these great for a variety of settings! 

I teamed my jeans with my Nikki Lipstick 'Property of Salem' crop top which I love to pieces as I am obsessed with American Horror Story! This again is a perfect fit and I had on a black vest underneath but tucked into my jeans as I wasn't up for showing skin. The top is great quality and for an independent designer her stuff is truly unique which is difficult to find and for $20 your getting a complete steal! 

I also wore my little brother Nike Air Max which I bought off him for a tenner as his feet have grown too big for them. Regardless of what anyone says about these trainers, I think they're great. They are comfy, come in 110 different colours and go so well with jeans and leggings. As much as I adore heels and pumps, they just aren't reliable for a day at the beach!

My bag is another Topshop buy from last month and cost me £40. however I did get student discount. I needed a new bag and was sick of black as most of my bags are so went with this light brown. It goes with everything and the gold accents make it look much more expensive. It's a great size - I can fit all my uni stuff in it - and you can use it as a holdall or place over your shoulder! 

My make up is my usual that has been shown on a previous post, I wore no eye-liner nor did I wear false eyelashes but did use Topshop's 'Infra-red' lipstick which is an amazing bright orange colour which added some pop to this outfit!

Thanks for reading guys
xox

My Sunday Off

Hey guys!

So I've not been able to post the past few days due to revision and work, my first exam is a week on Wednesday and I am so excited to finish my second year at university but petrified in case I haven't done enough revision so fingers crossed please!

On Sunday though after a week of hard work I had a full day off and spend it with my boyfriend Scott, the weather was lovely and we took a stroll along Cramond and to Cramond island which is a mile or so out from the coast. As you can see from the above photos the views are amazing and although it was windy, everyone was out because in Edinburgh, the sun is a rare sight! We got the biggest Mr Whippy ice creams you have ever seen in your life with chocolate flakes and it was so nice to escape my laptop screen and the
four walls of my bedroom for a whole day.

The beach was really busy with kids, old couples, dog walkers and cyclists, literally don't think that anyone stayed in unless they had to at the weekend! Unfortunately the beautiful weather cleared up today and it's gotten colder and more cloudy but hopefully we get some more lovely days after my exams!

I will also be doing an outfit post on what I wore at the beach tomorrow for use all to see!
Thanks for reading
xox

What I purchased today - Topshop

Hello guys, so today will feature what I've literally just bought off Topshop online. I always tend to use Topshop online simply because they have new items every single day and the Edinburgh store can't keep up! As with most online stores, Topshop always have so much in stock and all sizes, being a size 8, it's always a risk assuming they will have what I want in store.
So I received an email saying I had a 20% off voucher code to use online which expired today. Having already had my eye on a few items I figured I may as well take advantage of the money off seeing as my student discount is only 10%!

The first item I got was the pair of jeans below. All jeans I own are plain blue (different shades) so I figured I'd go for something different and summary. Gingham print is huge this summer and I absolutely love it, its vintage looking and just makes any item 10x cuter and when I saw these jeans I knew I had to get them. White jeans are another popular choice this season however being so pale, I just am unable to pull them off so I feel these are a perfect mix of two current trends. I already have a pair of blue denim Topshop Joni jeans and they are an amazing fit and have a choice for length which I never see any more!

MOTO Gingham Print Joni Jeans - £38

Obviously I couldn't then stop at one gingham print item so just had to purchase this crop top. It is so sweet and perfect for Summer! I adore the pin-up vintage style and this hits the mark with the frills, print and bow so I'm super excited to add this to my wardrobe. Apart from jeans, I don't wear a lot of blue and so this will be something nice and different that can be teamed with a midi circle skirt or high wasted jeans!

Gingham Frill Bralet - £18

As I've just said, I love vintage styles so now that circle skirts are in, I am so happy! Previously when I wanted one I'd have to spend a lot and get one from America which would include a big shipping price. When quality isn't guaranteed I couldn't justify it so now they are the new 'in' item, they can be found everywhere in a variety of price ranges. Being pale, I love pastel colours and I thought that this lilac was so Summery and flattering. This item I'd team with a loose fitting blouse for a night out or a tucked in graphic tea for everyday! 

Texture Gathered Knee Midi Skirt - £45

So, delivery should be no later than Monday coming and so I will be wearing these items when I can (revision is currently making me housebound) and I'll be able to create reviews and outfit ideas! 

Thanks for reading guys!

xox

Error on previous post

On my previous post about the healthy snack I had (bread with avocado, salami, parma ham and sundried tomatoes), well my mum feels she had an input also, so to save her moaning I would like to say she helped in the making of the snack.

Thanks for reading guys and MUM,
xox

Review: Bitching and Junkfood

Hello again, so today I have another post on a purchase I've recently made!

Bitching and Junkfood are a clothing website I regularly admire and have wanted to make a purchase for a long while but simply not been able to justify it as I've had other things I need to buy. I follow them on Instagram and saw last week that they had a 40% off flash promo going. After just being paid my student loan I knew I had to grab something. I've had my eye on their fishnet shorts for months and with this sale, had to take advantage of it and so purchased a pair.

The shorts cost me £15 with the 40% off (£25 originally) and cost a fiver for shipping which I was happy to pay considering it meant I still saved something. It came a couple of days later, again a great surprise considering I live in the UK and have waited months for deliveries from America.

It came packaged in the cutest pink bag and tissue paper with the logo holding it together and I thought it was the nicest touch. The actual shorts were also in a plastic covering which means there's no chance of any damage whatsoever, another problem I've had to deal with, with overseas deliveries!

So obviously I try on the fishnet shorts (underneath a pair of my own denim shorts) and they look awesome! Add an edge onto my girly looking shorts I have on top and the waistband makes them really stand out. I love them so much more in person and yes £25 does seem a lot for fishnet however the quality is very high, they are very true to size (I purchased an XS and I am a size 8) and so I don't think the price is an issue is this is something your going to get a lot of wear out of.

I haven't worn them out yet as Scottish weather is not short-ready at the minute but when the weather does improve I'll be teaming these up with either the shorts already shown or a normal blue denim pair, a crop top, converse and some gold jewellery! I will do a full outfit post when I wear this properly, the above pictures were merely for trying the item on.

So thanks for reading guys, hope you enjoyed my post!

xox

Great Snack Idea!

One difficulty I have in terms of eating is that I eat the same thing for a week then go off it for three, hence I'm always looking to new things to try. I follow a couple of people on Instagram who are vegan and therefore follow vegan diets. I find these very interesting because they always feature combinations of foods which I would never think about never mind try. 

One thing that I noticed on these blogs that was always being featured is avocado. Now I always put this in my smoothies because they have healthy fats, lower cholesterol and in my opinion really fill you up! So after seeing these blogs show avocado on toast I thought, lets try it on crusty bread which I buy from Marks and Spencer's! Whilst purchasing these items in Marks I saw they have a packet of 'Italian things' I suppose you could say. Its got some parma ham, salami, thin sliced cheese and sundried tomatoes in different sections in it and looked amazing so I purchased it.

After getting home I thought right, I'll have some salami on a roll (my favourite thing ever and it's the closet to a spicy Italian sub as I can get). Then, remembering seeing the avocado on toast I thought I'd try make something up as I was really hungry.

So I sliced up Marks ciabatta bread and cooked it in the oven for 5 mins. Once it was nice and crispy I spread avocado onto the top, to the best of my ability, its not easy! So hears where I got crafty, having bought the packet of Italian food stuffs I figured if salami tastes good on a roll it must go well will this, all I've added is avocado. So i ripped up the salami done done the same with the parma ham (definitely trying to recreate a subway in some way) and after putting on the sun-dried tomatoes, placed the meat on top!

Now if that didn't make much sense there's a few photos below showing what the final outcome was -

As you can see I haven't put too much on the top of the crusty slices of bread because this was supposed to be a snack however it was surprisingly more filling that I thought and ended up as my dinner! It tasted amazing, the avocado was a great alternative to being dry (I'm not a fan of butter) and worked so well with the two meats and the tomato. All the flavours were different but in this size were not overwhelming.

So, if your looking for something to try, give this a go because it's great for yourself of even for at a party if your having a buffet! It's pushed me to be more interested in trying new things with food instead of forcing myself into eating the same old thing day in and day out.

Thanks for reading

xox

OOTD

Hello again guys, my posting has been a bit off the past few days as I am currently revising for my 2nd year exams so apologies for that! Today I'm going to feature an outfit I wore on Friday and got complimented on a good few times so felt great all day!

So above you can see what I looked like overall on Friday (minus my shoes which were River Island boots). It was a lovely day in Edinburgh but certainly not warm enough to go without a jacket. Hence why I had on my leopard print long blazer like coat which I haven't wore for ages. I purchased it at the River Island Boxing day sale in 2012 so it won't be available any longer, however I'm sure similar ones can be found online. Its the perfect jacket especially for me because I don't often wear print and so for casual days this instantly adds some excitement and makes it look like you have made more of an effort! Personally, the reason I love leopard print is because it matches my hair so well and I just love that. 

Underneath my jacket I wore Topshop high waisted skinny jeans which I highly recommend. They are so true to size, really high waisted and comfy - iv'e never found jeans otherwise that feature all three of these points. Yes they are a little expensive at £36 however, you can get 10% off with student discount. Plus, I've had these a few months and very little dye has been removed despite the amount they have been wash. So for jeans I would definitely say these are my favourites and I'll always purchases these ones because I've never had any complaints. 

I also wore a crop top I purchased off nikkilipstick.com and it says 'Property of Salem Witches' on it along with '666'. The reason I bought this is because of American Horror Story's season 3 - Coven, I loved it and this top matched perfectly. I also have the Supreme jumper and two sets of pasties from this website which can be seen below along with their prices. Being an American seller, these items do include a relatively large shipping price and an expensive customs charge. But coming from an individual seller (Nikki) who creates all these items herself, it is so worth it. In the Edinburgh I've never seen anyone with her items so I feel unique and as though I stand out. The final reason you need to check her website out is that everything is one size, she does not discriminate against slim or larger builds which I think is inspirational and hard to find these days.

Crop Sweater - $45

Salem Tee - $20

I will do another post showing how I wear all these items and review them individually but in the mean time go have a nosy into the store, it's got great stuff! Nikki also often runs money off promotions which can be found on her instagram (link on her store page).

 Finally here's what my make up looked like on Friday, I followed my normal skincare and face make up routine, added Eyelure lashes in 070 and Topshop lipstick in 'Beguiled'. My eyeliner is Soap and Glory's 'Supercat' which is my favourite!

Thank you for reading my OOTD post guys, hope you liked it!
xox

Graze boxes

Hey guys, so this post will be looking at Graze boxes which are to help encourage healthy eating.

A huge difficulty with eating healthy all the time is that it takes time and costs a lot to make these meals and snacks. This is especially true if you want to steer away from the normal apple and banana. Also, many people think certain items like nuts are healthy but actually when they have flavouring on them or salt this isn't so true. Hence Graze boxes are a way to have snacks already made for you and at low calories, are the perfect way to improve your diet. 

Each box is £3.89 and you chose how often to get it, so I get mine once a week. Each box contains 4 snacks, I use mine for work (I'm part time) because otherwise I just eat crisps. You chose from all their items what ones you like, love, would be willing to try and never want to have meaning you can alter them to your diet and what you like. So your £3.89 is never wasted. Also, the box is all recyclable, even the wooden spoons you get with cakes are, meaning your helping the environment at the same time!

For four different portions I feel the price is well worth paying considering the price of healthy food in stores anyways. Plus, portion size is another help, most things are for 3/4 people and I never eat it all in time and its wasted whereas this is never the case with Graze boxes. I've tried new things, some of which I like and some I don't like which I wouldn't have without these Boxes.
Don't be put off by me saying healthy though assuming its all dried nuts and fruit. Theres BBQ pistachios, popcorn, cake etc and everything is full of flavour. Its all prepared that day making it taste that bit better as the quality is amazing!
So in my opinion, a great way to swap crisps and chocolates for healthy alternatives!
Thank you for reading :)
Xox

Selling unwanted, unused clothing and shoes?

I have a common problem - I am a compulsive buyer. I own a ridiculous amount of clothes, shoes and accessories and almost half I've never worn. I am going to America this year for two weeks and therefore need to get rid of a lot of my wardrobe to make room for new purchases as I hope to bring back a lot!

Now instantly when I thought of seeling stuff I went to eBay as I've purchased off buyers through it on countless occasions and never had a problem. I did not realise however that you had to pay regardless of whether your items sold of not, yes it can be like 50p if you use the basic advertising system but still I was not impressed although proceeded to put clothes and shoes on. After a week nothing sold and im a few quid less than I was! Not a happy bunny to say the least! It seems eBay is more for small businesses or items you can't buy where you live e.g. I don't live anywhere near an American Apparel store and have purchased items off eBay that have been worn once and are a third of the price.

So, I had to look elsewhere. After googling other sites to sell my wardrobe I decided to give ASOS Wardrobe a try and I am not disappointed. It costs nothing to put your items on their website and they take a mere 5% of what you sell each item for. The whole process of putting my items up was efficient and quick which makes my live much easier. Plus, within 2 days I sold a pair of shorts which made me very happy! So, I will definitely be sticking with ASOS Marketplace and encourage anyone to give it a go, you can't lose anything even if nothing sells.

Thanks for reading my post, I appreciate it and if you would like a look at my items on ASOS Marketplace my ID is AliDaves94, everythings a size 8 clotheswise and a size 5 for shoes!
Xox

OOTD (last night)

This is an OOTD from yesterday's dinner with my gran and mum. Now we visited Jamie's restaurant at night so since I haven't been out properly like this in so long, I decided to dress up a little! 

So I wore a lovely circle skirt from ASOS that I purchased recently. At only £35 I couldn't say no especially with the added 10% discount for using my student card! I purchased a size 8 and it's a little big however a size 6 would have been too small and in the above outfit I tucked the top under my bralet anyway so it wasn't a problem! I feel these skirts, which are the 'in' thing at the moment are so flattering to every body shape which isn't common with most items. It emphasises my curves and I love the pin-up style and I was able to goth this up a little! 

ASOS Midi Skirt in Skuba with Zips - £35

The skirt is still available to purchase online and honestly with Summer coming up is a great investment. It is perfect for warm days and can be teamed up with pretty much anything!

My bralet is one I got from Topshop sale at the last Summer sale and has served me so well, you can find identical ones on ebay if you are interested in purchasing it! I paid £15 (plus 10%student discount) for mine and that was in a half price sale.

I teamed both these items with my favourite pair of flats - black patent penny loafers. I purchased these from Schuh and again had 10% off with student discount! They go with everything and are just so cute and girly that I hate taking them off. The fact their leather and have a thick sole is also great because I know they will last, I have paid more for shoes that have fallen apart within a week so it's worth looking around before jumping into buying ones from Primark for example. This type of shoe is supposed to look sturdy and clunky I suppose as they are an old fashioned shoe! Also they are really comfy and fit true to size.

Seth Tassel Loafer Flats - £40

As always before going out I took a quick close up selfie so you can see my make-up before going out -

I am also wearing Eyelure lashes (style 070) and Topshop lipstick in 'Beguiled' which are two products I use very often!

Jamie Oliver's Resturant

Hello guys, my post today will be about my experience in Jamie Oliver's restaurant and what I wore whilst there.

So my wonderful gran hit 70 on Saturday so me and my mum treated her to a Jamie Oliver meal at the restaurant in Edinburgh. It's the second time I've been and I thought I'd do a little review seeing as many people assume its overpriced. 

The restaurant itself is lovely, very chilled yet elegant and there's plenty of seating although I would recommend pre-booking. Granted the tables are quite close together but most restaurants seem to be like that nowadays as it's cheaper than making the restaurant bigger. 

You are given a vase of water on arrival which is always nice, I like to have a fruit cocktail alongside my dinner and always end up asking for water so having it there already is a lovely extra I feel. 

For eating I had a starter - the Italian bread selection - as my main. The portion sizes are large so bear this in mind, i got 4/5 different types of bread including bread sticks and poppadoms along side an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip. It was to die for, honestly it's insane how something so simple can taste so good, the variety of breads was great.

We were also given tasters of bread with black olive tapenade as it features on another one of their starters. Now, I really dislike olives but for some reason I loved this. After being persuaded to give it a try I ate half the tasters myself so give it a go if your there because I will be ordering it on my next visit. Again even the tasters were large, a few mouthfuls rather than the one bite and your finished ones most restaurants provide!

I was so full after eating all that that for my main course I just had their funky chips which are cooked with garlic and parsley. They are hand cut and what I love is that they have the skin left on meaning they are crisped to perfection on the outside and like fluff on the inside. I was devastated that I couldn't finish them but would love to try making them at home! 

So I think it's pretty obvious how my feelings are overall, the place is great! Prices are not too high either considering the quality and quantity of the food. Last time I went I had the burger which again was amazing and obviously handmade. You can tell effort has went into every process that leads to the food being served and many places are so focused on quick service that they let other things slack.  So if you are looking for a good restaurant to eat at for an occasion like a birthday, give Jamie Oliver's a go and I promise you won't be disappointed!

Anyways thanks for reading this post guys, I really appreciate it!

xox

How the products I've talked about look when used!

So today I took a photo in natural light with my Samsung digital camera with no flash just to show you all what my face look's like with the products mentioned in the previous two posts. First of all though I have a picture which I took for the 'no make up selfie' sensation which was used to raise awareness for cancer research.

Granted my skin is not awful here however you can see especially round my nose and chin, areas which are red caused from acne I used to have. I also have the following pictures with are closer up images of things I feel are imperfections.

The above two photos show a small breakout I had one my chin and around my mouth and the genral unevenness of my skin tone. You can also see how little eyebrow hair I have after my mum cut them off BY ACCIDENT and they have since never grown back properly so I shave round them and draw them on. I will post a step by step on how I draw them on and the products I use to do so, soon. 

However, in terms of face make up after using all my products from my facial care in the shower to my powder, my skin is visibly different - 

It is very difficult to tell I have a breakout in this picture or that I have a not so perfect complexion merely because of the products I use. Using them correctly and with good brushes is also crucial, I always spent extra time ensuring everything is blended. You can also see how these products match my pale skin tone perfectly and I do not look caked in make up whatsoever, or I wouldn't say so anyway!

I hope this helps give a better idea of how using the products from the previous two posts truly give the best results in my opinion. Again I will be creating a post on my eyebrow routine! Thanks for reading guys, means a lot!

xox

My concealer and foundation routine!

Being a redhead with pale skin means it is incredibly difficult to colour match my foundation and concealer. I have been turned away by The Body Shop, Max Factor, Clinque and a few other brands simply for being too pale! So here are the products I use on my face in order of how I use them! Prior to applying my make-up I go through my daily face routine which I explain in my previous post.

After applying my primer (last post) I apply my concealer straight away. I use Mac studio finish concealer in the shade NC15 - the lightest. Now, don't be fooled by the small tub, this product has lasted me about 5 months and has another one left in it. I use this under my eyes, the side and underneath areas of my nostrils, the area between my eyebrows, my chin and any spots I have. Yes I realise it sounds like a lot however I have such uneven skin from ache scars that I need it. A little goes a long way with this product through and I do not cake it on at all, i use enough to cover what I see as my imperfections. Also, for the price, this is brilliant value!

Mac Cosmetics Studio Finish SPF 15 Concealer (NC15) - £15

Next I apply my foundation. I do this using the same brush I use to apply my primer - Mac 187 Duo fibre face brush which I spoke about in the previous post.

Mac Cosmetics 187 Duo Fibre Face Brush - £33.50

The foundation I use is Mac's studio sculpt foundation in NC15 - the lightest shade. The foundation I was told was matte however I find otherwise. It leaves me looking shiny enough that I need to apple a powder on top. It does give good coverage however is thick which is great for nights out but bad in the long run as I feel it encourages spots when used daily. I am continuing to use it however until I go to America where I aim to purchase different foundations. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone with similar skin to my own as it simply isn't worth the price and unfortunately this is the only reason I'm still using it, I hate wasting money. If you don't take good care of your skin, this foundation would do you no favours.

Mac Cosmetics Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation - £25.00

As my foundation makes me look all over shiny - in my opinion anyway - I more often that not put powder on top. Now looking for a good powder has literally been my life struggle, everything seems to make me look orange, it goes on patchy or dries out my skin. After googling top products and watching reviews on YouTube I decided to give Benefit powder a go. I purchased Ivory (gee I'm swell) and it's the best investment I have ever made! I was shocked when I received the product to find what appears as a really small amount of powder however after using it everyday for two months it still looks untouched. It is so light and doesn't block up my skin or dry it out which keeps me looking flawless all day. I always spray a touch of hairspray on my face but even then the make up literally does not budge, the hairspray is mainly for my eye make up and brows! Everyone should be using it because I've never found better! Also student's if you order from Benefit online you can get 10% off from unidays.com.

Benefit Cosmetic's Hello Flawless Powder - £25.50

So that's all the products I use on my actual face however I shall be creating a post on my eye make up routine as well as my eyebrow routine separately as those are what I'm mostly asked about so look out for them, thanks for reading!
xox

Daily Skin Routine

So guys it is 23.53 here in the UK and I am wide awake. SO, I figured, why not make another post? This one will go through my daily skin routine and I'll be making a follow up tomorrow on what make-up I use with before and after pics!

First of all my skin has forever been a nightmare, being pale means any spot I get looks 10 times worse than it is and my complexion is never even. I had severe acne whist at school and picked it so I also have some scarring which you can see in the picture of me below. I have combination skin that is more towards the dry side and although it takes me a long time to do my facial routine its always worth it!

Everyday I wash my face with an exfoliator which you can pick up in any supermarket for a pound or two. It removes all my dead skin and leaves my skin feeling smooth and fresh! I also use Soap and Glory face cleanser everyday which I can not recommend enough especially at such a cheap price!

Soap and Glory Face Cleanser - £8

After my shower I instantly apple my moisturiser as seen below. Yes I knew it looks expensive considering the amount is only 50 ml however it always lasts me 3 months (I never go a day without it) and it is genuinely the best product I've ever used. It works wonders on my dry areas and has improved them over the years. It does not feel greasy, takes a few minutes to dry a little goes a long way! I get this off look fantastic and receive 10% off through unidays.com.

Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream - £32.70

After my moisturising has dried I apply a primer. Prior to the one below I used a YSL primer but it automatically squeezed out onto the brush and so I felt I was loosing a lot of product. After hearing rave reviews about Mac I decided to give this a go and quite frankly I am not disappointed! It makes my skin super smooth and it completely stops any make-up from going directly onto my skin stopping my break outs. Any spots or redness I do have are also made a lot less noticeable meaning I don't need to cake my concealer on.

Mac Cosmetics Prep + Prime Skin - £20.50

 To apply my primer I use a Mac brush (as seen below). This is the one I also use for my foundation and although yes it's incredibly soft it needs to be washed everyday and the quality has fallen pretty quickly. Hence, I can no longer justify the price tag. So I am currently looking for other types of brushes to use!

187 Duo Fibre Face Brush - £33.50

Finally, although my ache is under control, as with everyone, I still have breakouts. Having tried everything I could find on shelves, nothing seemed to work or it hurt - witch hazel sticks were the worst things ever. So to hide them I put on more make up and my spots got worse. However as a stocking filler a few years ago I received Elizabeth Arden's 8 hour cream. It was in a handy small pot with a screw top and you apply where needed. Now don't get me wrong, the stuff has a very medical unpleasant smell however you do get used to it. I also put it on at night and sleep with it before removing the product in the morning so it's not so bad! It's a thick formula and so you do not need much at all and I use it on spots and really dry areas on my skin. It instantly removes redness, spots disappear within a day or two and my skin feels a lot softer unlike many spot treatments which leave you with dry patches. The tub lasts me at least half a year and will honestly make such a difference! Oh and in case your wondering I purchase this from Boots.

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream - £32

So that's my skin routine day to day, thanks a bunch for reading!