Nivea Men's Post Shaving Balm

You may be reading this blog post and thinking I've gone absolutely bonkers, but bear with me for two minutes and I'll explain myself.

Recently all over YouTube I have seen bloggers rave about this little product and using it before they apply their makeup so of course I had to give it a go. I was a little sceptical at first, not really understanding why I was putting a men's post shaving balm on my face, but miraculously this did work wonders.

Handbag Beauty Items

My bag pretty much contains everything but the kitchen sink. I am very much a “oh but what if I need this” type of person and have a hard time cleaning out my bag and getting rid of the unnecessary bits and bobs! However, amongst what is mostly junk I have a small number of beauty products that I keep in my Forever 21 beauty bag which I thought I would share with you all today.

Soap & Glory Hand Food

The first product that I like to keep in my handbag for easy access is hand cream. I am someone who suffers from very dry hands so I like to regularly moisturise them. The Soap and Glory hand food is definitely one of the best hand creams I have used plus it smells absolutely delicious!

The Best Hair Texturizing Products

 

I’m a girl that loves my hair to be big and voluminous with very little effort. There has been a lot of products that have popped onto the market over the years, and today I wanted to share with youse some of my faves; which of course are all budget friendly.

How to Deep Clean Make-up Brushes

 

One thing I really hate to do is clean my make-up brushes, but unfortunately it is a must. Every time you use a make-up brush you are picking up bacteria on your face, which is then left to fester on the brush after use. Therefore, the next time you pick up this brush to use the bacteria that has been left to fester is going to be applied to your face when you go to use the brush. Disgusting isn’t it? It’s a vicious cycle and it will make you break out, unless of course you clean your brushes. Obviously brushes that are predominantly used for eyeshadow will not be a problem and can be washed every few weeks. However ones that are used on a regular basis for face products should be washed regularly, such as foundation brushes. If you suffer from acne or problematic skin, try washing your brushes more than normal and see if you notice an improvement.

How to Fill in Your Brows

Hey guys hope you are well! Today I wanted to share some of my quick tips for achieve beautiful brows. I have come to realise that eyebrows are a very personal thing, and everyone prefers their eyebrows looking a certain way. Where one style of brow may suit one person, another may suit someone else. However, hopefully these simple basic tips will help you if you are struggling to fill them in.

The Best Drugstore Foundations

Recently, I was going through my foundation collection and realised there was a fair few drugstore foundations lurking around in there. When it comes to foundations, I think the drugstore have got it pretty spot on and there is one that tailors to everyone’s skin type and desired finish. Today I am going to share with you a few of my faves, and you will realise that achieving flawless skin really isn’t that expensive.

How to Conceal Spots

 

Everyone has days where their skin looks flawless and they look amazing: but today is sadly not one of those days for me. When life gets stressful, this definitely shows on my skin. Waking up this morning I was greeted by gross red blotchy spots on my face, which inspired me to make this blog post. Sometimes, it can be difficult to cover up blemishes with just a plain foundation, however using the correct concealer and using some of my steps below will help make a bad skin day better.

Ariana Grande Inspired Hair

Ariana Grande's popularity is growing by the day and she is well known for her signature hairstyles that lots of people love. Today I am going to teach you how to achieve her half up, half down hairstyle that is perfect for every occasion.

This hairstyle is a great way of keeping your hair out of your face whilst still looking soft and pretty with your locks falling down the sides and back. It's super girly and playful, and most importantly very easy to achieve at home.

How to Clip in Hair Extensions

If you didn’t know already I am obsessed with hair extensions. For almost 2 years I have been an avid wearer of hair extensions and will literally never leave the house without them clipped in. Today I wanted to share my quick steps on how to clip in hair extensions and help you achieve beautiful long locks.

How to Take the Perfect Selfie

Hello my beauties, I hope you are all having a lovely weekend and are doing well. Today I wanted to blog about how to take the perfect selfie. Although selfies are just a bit of fun it can be annoying when you can’t capture the perfect one. Here are a few of my quick tips and tricks, I hope you enjoy and I will see you all in my next blog post,

My Top 5 Favourite Perfumes

I am obsessed with smells. To me there is nothing better in the world when I smell good, when someone else smells good or when a place smells good. Today I am going to tell youse all about my favourite perfumes. I could write a 10000 word essay on them all, but instead I have narrowed it down to 5. Perfume is one of those products that I don't mind splurging money on, and look at it as an investment for the greater good- because no one wants me smelling bad.

How to Create the Perfect Top Knot

A hair style I have been loving recently is the top knot! Top knots are perfect because you still look put together whilst having your hair up off your face. Top knots are pretty easy and don't take much effort, however here are my quick simple steps to help you achieve this hair do.

Step 1
Placement is key when it comes to creating the perfect top knot. In an ideal world, the top knot should sit flat on the top of your head, ensuring it is not too far back. Pulling all the hair upwards, ensuring the back of the hair is nice and smooth, secure the hair in place with an elastic.

Step 2
To create a top knot that has lots of volume (my fave), back comb the ponytail for extra fluffiness.

Step 3
Once step 2 is completed, twist the hair into a circular shape around the hair elastic. Hair donuts can be used to help achieve the shape.

Step 4
To secure the bun in black, use some hairpins. However, if you back combed the hair, you shouldn't need to keep it in place.

Step 5
To finish and hold the look, apply some hairspray.

And you are done! I love this look as it is so quick and easy to do, but it really looks like I spent a lot of time on my hair. Let me know your favourite hairstyles to keep your hair out of your face. Until next time beauties, have a great day and I'll see you in my next blog post,

 

 

Soap and Glory

I am so easily won over when it comes to products that are packaged in such a pretty way. This is what happened to me when it came to Soap and Glory.

For years I have loved this brand. Soap and Glory can be found in Boots stores all across the UK. Unfortunately I am unsure whether these broads are sold in international stores, however I'm sure you will be able to find them online. In Boots these products are often on promotion which is fabulous but also dangerous for my addiction. Not only do these products come in pretty packaging but they smell amazing too! Below I have listed some of my favourite products from the range.


Soap and Glory Flake Away Body Scrub 

This product is absolutely insane! Not only does is smell absolutely amazing, but it exfoliates my skin beautifully during the week to help me maintain my tan and get rid of any dead skin.

Buy here: Flake Away Body Scrub

Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker XL Lip Plumping Gloss

Unfortunately we all can't have beautiful big lips and girls like me need some help sometimes. When I first purchased this gloss I was a little sceptical and doubted it would really make that much of a difference. However, it definitely delivered and gave me plumper looking lips.

Buy here: Sexy Mother Pucker XL Lip Plumping Gloss

Soap and Glory The Righteous Body Butter

Again the first thing I have to comment is the smell of this product- incredible! I love to lather myself in this body butter, not only does it make me smell amazing, but also helps my skin stay moisturised.

Buy here: The Righteous Body Butter

Soap and Glory Clean on Me Creamy Shower Gel

Apart from the smell, which of course is going to be amazing (spot a trend yet?), this product leaves me feeling clean and fresh all day long.

Buy here: Clean on Me Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel

Soap and Glory Drama Clean 5in1 Micellar Cleansing Water

This is by far one of the best products to remove your make-up with. I have tried multiple cleansing waters, and this one is the best by far! I guarantee, once you have used this to take your make-up off your skin will be feeling refreshed and revived.

Buy here: 5in1 Micellar Cleansing Water

 
Although I haven't tried out all of the Soap and Glory products, I can say that I have been delighted by each and everyone. Above are just a few of my favourites, however there has not been one product from the range that I haven't enjoyed using.

Until next time beauties, take care and have a fab day,

 

 

The Best Budget Make-up Brushes

I have always been a little sceptical with budget brands make-up brushes. I have always been a big believer that your makeup will only look as good as the tools you apply it with. However, recently my opinion has changed and my bargain brushes sit happily with my higher end investments. The handles of these make-up brushes are now nice and heavy, which gives better control over the brush. Also, these budget brands are creating their brushes to a high quality, and have showed little signs of the brush bristles shedding. Below are some of my budget options that have earned their spot in my make-up kit. 

Topshop Makeup Neon Pink Brushes, from £4, topshop.com

These brushes are absolutely fab, plus they are pink what more could a girl want? I would recommend these of the signature black range that Topshop offer, not only because of the colour but the general quality of the brushes. My faves are the foundation, smudged and slanted eyeshadow brushes. 

Real Techniques, from £6.99, realtechniques.com

A well priced and well known range of make-up brushes are from Real Techniques. Brush kits are priced around £20 which I think is a steal for these brushes. A particular favourite of mine which deserves a mention is the Real Techniques beauty sponge- similar to the beauty blender this flawlessly applies make-up and is well worth a try!

Eco Tools, from £4.99, boots.com

If you are looking for brushes that are eco friendly and cruelty free, Eco tools is just for you. These brushes come at a fair price and have the softest bristles! My top picks are the deluxe concealer brush and the bamboo eyeshadow brush.  

Models Own, from £4, modelsownit.com

These are not only a bargain but are also great looking. In particular I would recommend buying the eyeshadow brushes, or the five piece brush set for just £10.

Leave a comment below letting me know your favourite make-up brushes, whether they are budget busting or not! Until next time beauties, have a great day and I'll see you in my next post,

How to Prevent Oily Hair

 

Hello beauties! Today I wanted to talk about a personal beauty problem that I have faced for years! In the strive for beautiful shiny locks, my hair has often ended up looking more oily than I would hope for. However, what I didn’t realise was what was actually causing oil to build up in my hair. Below I have listed some of the reasons why your hair could be so greasy, and hopefully we can combat this issue together.

 

Serums

I love a good shine serum, however these products must be used sparingly. By adding a small amount to the ends of the hair where the hair is drier will be much more effective than smothering it all over the hair, which will end up in the hair looking super greasy.

 

The Wrong Shampoo

Picking the wrong shampoo or using a particular brand for too long can cause oil build up in your scalp. Using a shampoo that is designed specifically for oily hair can transform your hair from greasy to gorgeous.

 

Lack of Vitamin B

If you suffer from greasy hair there is a possibility you are lacking in B vitamins. The intake of these vitamins can directly affect the level of sebum (oil) your roots produce.

 

Stress

When I am stressed I can definitely see a difference in the greasiness of my hair. Due to the fluctuation in hormone levels, the scalp and skin can become more oily than usual. This tends to be why we break out during stressful periods.

 

Touching your hair too much

A guilty habit of mine is playing around with my hair too much once I have styled it in the morning. The oil that our hands produced is transferred onto our hair when we are touching it, causing it to become greasier.

 

Hormones

Unfortunately the Pill in particular can trigger changes in hormone levels and encourage excess sebum production, leaving your roots oiler than usual. If you notice a correlation between when you started the Pill and having oiler roots, check in with your GP and see if you can switch.

 

Over shampooing

Over washing hair can cause your roots to produce even more oil than before. Washing hair more than once a day will be counterproductive and make your hair greasier.

 

Too much conditioner

The best way to know if you are using too much conditioner is after a shower. If you’ve finished rinsing your hair after a shower and it still feels greasy, chances are you are putting on too much conditioner. Instead try only using conditioner on the ends of your hair for a week to let your scalp rebalance.

 

Finding the reason behind your greasy hair can be the solution to combatting oil. Hopefully the above post has shed some light and you can be one step closer to gorgeous glossy hair! Until next time my loves,  

 

 

DIY Makeup Organisation and Storage

Keeping all your beauty needs in one place is not always an easy job, especially since we don’t use the same products every day. With spring cleaning right round the corner, these DIY makeup organisation and storage tips will help you avoid being fashionably late!

 

 

Makeup Brush Display                                    

A cute way to store and display makeup brushes it by keeping them in a jar of some sort. Not only is this a cool way to display brushes, but it also makes brushes very easy to access. All you need is a glass jar of some sort, some decorative stones and your makeup brushes of course.

 

 

Recycled Makeup Organiser 

At first glance you would never believe that these storage jars are actually made of recycled plastic bottles! Cutting them to the appropriate size and ironing the edges for the finishing touch, this storage idea really makes a statement.

 

  

 

Candle Jar Holders

Old candle jars are another great way of storage your favourite beauty bits. Whether it be cotton balls, lipsticks or nail polishes, this is a good way to keep all these products together.
 

 

Hot Tools Storage

A good way to keep hot tools organised and in one place is by using a magazine holder. These can be found relatively cheap and are an excellent way of storing hot appliances.

 

 

Perfume Display

By using an old cake stand and displaying your favourite perfumes, can add a touch of elegance to your décor. Cheap but chic, love it!

 

 

Hair Product Organisation

To keep those pesky hair products from rolling around your drawer, try using a old wine rack. By stacking your hairspray, dry shampoo and more on a wine rack, you'll find it much easier to grab the product you need and style those locks.

 

 

Organising your drawers

A quick and simple way to organise your drawers is by using a kitchen utensil tray. The limits are endless to what you can store in these trays.

 

Let me know in the comments below your favourite way to store your beauty items. Hopefully this gave you inspiration for organising your beauty items. Until next time beauties,

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Top 5 Drugstore Lip Colours for Spring

Following my recent blog post on my top 5 drugstore nail polishes for Spring, I thought it would only be right to dedicate a post all about my favourite lip colours. During the next couple of months, I like to wear a more natural look during the day. However, depending on my mood and outfit I always like to switch up my lip colour.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter – Tutti Frutti

A different twist on the usual pink shades of Spring has to be this orangey red shade by Revlon. If you aren’t familiar with these lip butters you definitely should be. Due to the formula of these products the colour intensity is very sheer. This is great for an orange shade in the Spring, as it is different but isn’t too intense and bold. At £7.99 these are a great product for keep your lips beautifully hydrated.

Buy it here: Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter

 

L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Exclusive Nudes - Barely Peach by Julianne Moore

This lip colour is absolutely beautiful. For me I love wearing it as a pinky nude shade, for those days where my skin is a little bit lighter. For all the beauties out there with pale skin, this would be the perfect pink that would enhance your lighter complexion. At £6.99 and a variety of different nudish pink shades, there is one to suit every skin colour and tone.

Buy it here: L'Oreal Paris Color Riche

 

No 7 Moisture Drench Lipstick – Rose Blush

During my time working in Boots as a No7 consultant I got very familiar with the brands own products. These lipsticks that No7 have created are absolutely amazing!! During a 9 hour shift I found myself only reapplying this lipstick 2/3 to maintain the vibrancy of the colour. At £9.99 these lipsticks in my opinion are a steal. Unlike many other lipsticks these add moisture into your lips similar to a lip balm. In particular I loved this bold pink colour for days where I wanted more of a statement lip.

Buy it here: No 7 Moisture Drench

 

Revlon Colorburst Matte Lip Balm – Elusive

A big trend last season that will for sure role onto Spring, is matte lips. I love the look of matte lips however I hate how drying matte lip products can be. However, with these matte lip balms that problem is solved. I absolutely LOVE these and cannot say enough good things about them. They are by far the most moisturising matte lip products I have ever tried and are worth every penny if you love matte lips just like I do. Elusive is a beautiful mid tone pink that will suit lighter to medium tone skins. At £7.99 I would definitely recommend trying these velvety matte lip balms for yourself.

Buy it here: Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm

 

Maybelline Colorsensational Elixir Lip

Last but certainly not least are the Colorsensational Elixir Lip products by Maybelline. Whether you are wearing these products on their own or over a lipstick or lip liner these are absolutely incredible and smell so good too! I could not pick just one colour for these lip products as each of them are absolutely beautiful in their own respect, however my most used colours have to be Blush Essence and Captivating Carnation. Individually these products cost £6.99, however currently at Boots they are on offer, at 3 for 2.

Buy it here: Maybelline Colorsensational Elixir Lip

 

Leave a comment below on your favourite lip colours for the Spring time. Until next time,

 

 

 

How to Grow Hair Faster

I have always been a girl who had long luscious hair, until one day I decided I wanted a change and cut my waist length hair into a bob. Although I loved the look for a week or two, I felt odd and didn’t feel like myself anymore. Over the past year I have had multiple extensions and weaves to help me feel more like myself again by adding length to my hair.

I have found it extremely difficult since chopping off my locks to grow them back again. I tried everything that was suggested online however nothing was working or making any sort of difference. Apart from patience the tricks below have helped me out. Consuming the correct amount of nutrients and ingredients your body needs to grow hair is the fastest way of achieving longer hair. Whether you are in a similar situation to me, or just want to grow your hair back hopefully some of these can work for you too!

Eating a balanced amount of protein

Hair is mostly composed of keratin, which is a protein made up of amino acids. For hair to grow, the body needs to produce more amino acids, which can only be produced from consuming protein. To promote hair growth by consuming more protein, supplements that can be bought over the counter with these ingredients can help promote hair growth.

Eat an adequate amount of iron and zinc

Deficiencies in iron and zinc can lead to overall poor health and sometimes even hair loss. Iron is essential for the body as it allows oxygen to get to your cells. Various meats and dark green vegetables are great sources of iron. Zinc helps the body grow and repair tissue, and keeps the glands around the hair follicles working correctly. Peanut butter and chicken are great sources of zinc.

                                                                           Keep fat in your diet

Although a lot of fat is not good for your body, an adequate amount is crucial for hair growth and maintaining healthy hair. Unsaturated fats and fatty acids such as Omega 3 are the best fats to intake that are the healthiest for your body. Fat is also very important to the body as it helps absorb vitamins that are necessary for hair growth, such as vitamin A.   

 

Meet the recommended intake of Vitamin C daily

Having a deficiency in vitamin C can cause hair to become dry, dull and weak. When hair is weak, it is more prone to breakage and therefore cannot grow long and beautiful. Without vitamin C, the body will find it difficult to absorb iron.

Take Vitamin B

Vitamin B supplements have become very popular among those trying to speed up hair growth. Though there is not much scientific evidence that relates growth rate of hair to the consumption of vitamin B, it has been proven to decrease chances of hair loss or thinning. Vegetables such as broccoli and spinach are good sources of vitamin B.

By having a healthy diet this is a sure fire way to help promote hair growth. It is also recommended that using as little heat on your hair as possible, not washing hair every day and minimising stress can help hair grow. Hopefully you found these tips and tricks useful, until next time,