Haul: Sephora, Zara, H&M + More!

So I did a bit of shopping recently and so I decided to film a haul video! I hope you like it, all the items mentions are listed in the description box below. Don't forget to go over to YouTube to subscribe to my channel! Thanks for watching!

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Favourite Eyeshadow Brushes

I promised an edit of my favourite eyeshadow brushes here on the blog a while ago but for some reason it was a post that I kept putting off. I think I felt I should wait until I had all the brushes I wanted but then I realised that I'm actually quite happy with the ones I've got. You'll probably be quite surprised to see that this edit does not feature a MAC 217! I know, shocker! I just never got round to getting it as I have a few quite similar brushes that work well for me. That said, I'm sure I'll end up picking it up at some point! Anyway, here are my favourites and what I use them for!

(Clockwise from top left)

1. Real Techniques Accent Brush (available as part of the Eye Starter Kit)

This brush is great for precision application. I use it mainly for an inner corner highlight or to apply shadow under the lash line for when I want a bit of subtle definition. 

2. Nars #40 Eye Shadow Brush

This brush has had a makeover since I got my hands on it but the newer version is essentially the same brush with a nicer handle. It's the biggest eye brush I have and I think it's great at blending and softening out edges. I never actually ever put any eyeshadow on it! I just use it clean to make sure there are no harsh lines and everything looks well blended out.

3. Space Nk Eyeshadow Brush

This flat number is great for packing on colour, particularly high shimmer shadows, pigments and even cream shadows. 

4. Nars #43 Wide Contour Eyeshadow Brush 

A recent purchase that is very quickly becoming my favourite and most used. It's just so easy to use, works with so many different eye shapes and makes eyeshadow application unbelievably quick. In my opinion this is a seriously underrated brush! I use it to apply shadow all over the lid and the outer corner, it hugs the eye contour really well and does all the work for you.

5. Kiko 207 Blending and Contouring Brush

I don't use this one quite as often as the others but I love it all the same. It's great for applying lots of shadow under the lower lash line for a grungy, smoky look or for getting really precise definition in the crease. Both looks I love but don't wear that often.

6. Sephora Pro Blending Brush #27 

I love sephora makeup brushes, I think they're great quality for their price range. This one is a great all rounder, at a push I can do my entire eye make up with just this, for that reason it's usually the one that makes the cut when I'm travelling. It's similar to the MAC 217 but a bit bigger and fluffier, the hairs aren't as tightly packed. I use it to apply shadow to the lid, in the crease, blend out and to add a brow bone highlight. As I said, it does a bit of everything.

7. Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush (available as part of the Eye Started Kit)

Another great does-a-bit-of-everything brush. Similar to the sephora one but smaller and more densely packed. I tend to use this one if I want to build up more pigment and it's probably my favourite for blending shadow into the crease or for creating a smoky eye. 

With these brushes I pretty much have all my eyeshadow needs covered, I hope this post was useful to you if you're on the hunt for some new brushes. What is your favourite eyeshadow brush?

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Empties #10

I know, I know, it's been a while. Things have been super busy but I assure you I've not fallen off the face of the earth! I'm back with a nice long empties post to make up for it! As usual I'll be talking about all the products I've used up, what I thought of them and most importantly, whether or not I'll be repurchasing them!

Anatomicals Spray Misty For Me

This moisturising facial mist was given to me by a friend who wasn't too keen on it. I enjoyed using it as a toner but I definitely still prefer the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. Repurchase? No.

Botanics 82% Organic Softening Cleanser

A lovely cream cleanser that feels a lot more expensive than it's £4 price tag. Equally good to use in the morning as in the evening to remove makeup. Repurchase? Yes.

MAC Studio Fix Powder

I'm not much of a powder wearer anyway but I particularly disliked this one, I found it to be far too heavy and cakey for my liking. It was such a pain to use up! Repurchse? No.

Avon Aero Volume Mascara

Another product I didn't get on too well with. It wasn't terrible but it just didn't do much for my lashes. Repurchase? No.

Rimmel ScandalEyes Mascara 

This mascara on the other hand, was brilliant! It lengthened, volumeised, curled and made my lashes look jet black. By far the best 'drugstore' mascara I've ever used. Repurchase? Definitely.

Botanics 100% Organic Facial Oil

Another brilliant budget skincare product from Botanics. I used this a few times a week and loved the results, it plumped up and moisturised skin and helped even out my skin tone. Repurchase? Yes.

Sephora Exfoliating Cream Cleanser

I bought this cleanser quite a while ago and used it more as a mask to allow the exfoliating enzymes time to get to work. I enjoyed using it but have since found other masks that give me better results. Repurchase? No.

Lee Stafford Frizz Off Treatment

It's no secret that I love Lee Stafford products, I rave about them endlessly here on the blog but unfortunately this one wasn't for me. Although it did smooth out my hair a bit it didn't give it enough moisture or nourishment. This one would be great for those who have hair that's slightly unruly but not particularly dry. Repurchase? No.

Lee Stafford Shine Head Spray Shine

I've been using this hair shine spray for years and love it. I've lost count of the amount of times I've repurchased it. I have however recently discovered a similar product I love even more, the Argan Oil Anti Frizz Serum Spray (full review here) that one adds shine too but also moisturises hair, protects it against humidity, reduces frizz and I prefer the scent so I'll be buying it instead! Repurchase? No

Redken All Soft Supple Touch

A lightweight, cream textured, leave in conditioner. The product is lovely, it moisturises hair and controls frizz but the packaging is very annoying. The spray pump kept getting clogged up with product so I had to take it off and pour it into my hand. Not ideal! I'm not sure if this happens to all of them or if it was just mine but either way it meant I ended up using the product less often than I wanted too. Repurchase? No.

Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream

I loved this hand cream, it was a mini that I got as part of a GWP that quickly became a handbag staple. It did everything a hand cream should do and smelt great too! Repurchse? Yes.

Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise

I was given this mini as a gift, it came in a set with a few other EL fragrances but this was the one that immediately stood out to me. I just love it! I've since bought the full sized version so I'll be doing a full on review soon. Repurchase? Already have!

The Body Shop Aloe Eye Defence

I seem to have used up a lot of budget skincare lately! This was a great sensitive skin friendly, hydrating eye cream that performed just as well as a lot of the high end eye creams I've tried. Repurchase? Yes.

Avon Naturals Lavender and Chamomile Room & Linen Spray

A relaxingly scented spray I spritz onto my pillow before bedtime, it relaxes me and sends me off to sleep. Maybe it's just phycological but who cares if it works! Repurchase? Yes.

What have you used up recently?

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#ManiMonday

I've decided to rename my nail posts #ManiMonday! They were previously NOTD but seeing as I don't do nail posts everyday I though it was maybe a bit misleading. Either way, it's still a post all about what I'm currently rocking on my nails!

Today I decided to try out a bit of nail art, I've dabbled in the past but never really blogged about it. I usually try out some fancy design and then end up removing it as soon as I'm finished. Usually because I'm not happy with the finish (I like it to look really neat) or because I decided the design isn't very 'me'. This time I thought I'd try something simple, clean and minimal and I'm actually relatively pleased with the result! It's still not as perfect as I'd like it to be but I think with a bit more practice I can get there!

I applied Avon Nailwear Pro in Loving Lavender to all of my nails and then used one of my favourite polishes, Sephora Colour Hit Nail Colour in Will You Jump? on just under half of the nail on my ring finger. I used a piece of cellotape to get a neat line but it's still not quite as crisp as I'd like. I think the trick is to wait till the nail varnish is completely dry before removing the tape. I love the design as well as how the colours look together and I'll definitely be trying out a few different variations in the near future! 

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FOTD #2

I've decided to try and do a few more makeup posts here on the blog, I hope you like this one, it's a look I'd probably reserve for evenings as the eyeshadow really is quite glittery, although it doesn't seem to look like it in the picture! I used my Sephora Moonshadow Baked Palette in In the Dark which I did a full review of here. It's a palette I'm trying to use a bit more as it's been left unloved for a while! 

For base I went for MAC Studio Fix Fluid, another usually unloved product. I tend to reach for lighter bases over this one most days but I was having a bit of a 'bad skin day' so I thought I could do with a bit of extra coverage! I applied it with a Buffing Brush and then tapped on a bit of Bobbi Brown Corrector under my eyes to cover dark circles. I then used all the shades from my Sleek Face Form Palette in Light, the contour shade to define, a tiny bit of blush to add some colour and the highlighter to add a bit of a glow back into an otherwise quite matte finish. 

For the eyes I started with the shade Gold (top row, second from right) all over the lid, then added a tiny amount of Nude (top row, second from left) into the inner corners and under the brow bone. Next I went for the shade Deep Brown (bottom row, second from left) and packed that into the outer corner. I then blended everything out with a fluffy brush so it all looked a bit softer. To finish up I used the shade Glitter Black (bottom row, middle) as an eyeliner using a small angled brush and Avon Aero Volume Mascara which I don't love but am trying to finish up!

For lips I kept things super simple and just went for my favourite, wear with everything gloss, Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in 56 Imaginaire. I hope you like the look!

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Objects of Desire

Sephora All for One: Full Magnetic Travel Brush Set

I'm a regular browser of the 'New In' page on the Sephora website, usually because it gives me a heads up on new launches before they hit us here in the UK. I spotted this lovely travel brush set during my last browse and just had to mention it. There are 6 different interchangeable brush heads and one handle, great for saving space, they attach themselves magnetically too so there's no faffing about. 

I've tried a few brushes from Sephora before and been very impressed with the quality, I also like the look of all these brushes, there isn't one that I think I wouldn't use so this set has firmly been placed on my wish list!

Sephora Moonshadow Baked Palette

I picked up the Sephora Moonshadow Baked Palette in In The Dark while I was on holiday last year and if I'm totally honest, I haven't used it much since. It's a lovely palette but it's just not the easiest to use. It has a good range of shades, mostly neutrals, a couple of purples and an eye catching cobalt blue. All the shades are very shimmery, bordering on glittery, they don't appear so in the palette but they do when worn. I don't tend to use it in the day in fear of looking like a day time disco ball! The shades do look great as part of a more 'evening' look.

The shadows don't have great colour pay off, they deposit more glitter than colour but they are very buildable so it's definitely still possible to achieve a bold look, it just takes a bit of time and layering. I find the best way to apply them is to pack on the colour with your finger and then just blend out any edges with a fluffy brush.   

Top row: Lavender, Nude, White Gold, Gold, Platinum

Bottom Row: Black Purple, Deep Brown, Glitter Black, Black Gold, Cobalt Blue

In spite of not using this palette very often, I'm still glad I own it as I can create some really great looks with it. A good one to add to your collection if you're a fan of glittery shadows but probably one to give a miss if you like your products quick and easy to use!

Available from Sephora

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NOTD #22

On my nails today is Sephora's Color Hit Nail Lacquer in Sweet Candy, a pastel, bright, bubblegum pink which I'm still not 100% sure of. It's not the kind of colour I'd usually go for as I think it's a little bit barbieish but at the same time it seems to have grown on me!

As always with these polishes, both the formula and brush are brilliant and I think their idea of making small nail varnishes for cheaper prices is great because who ever gets through a whole nail varnish? The only time I ever do is if it's a real favourite.

What do you think of this colour?

REVIEW: Sephora Gentle Exfoliator Cleansing Cream

Yesterday I spoke about a cleanser I really dislike so I thought it was about time I turned the tables and spoke about one that I love. It's the Sephora Gentle Exfoliator Cleansing Cream which I brought in Sephora when I went to France last summer.

It has a thick creamy consistancy which you massage into the skin and wipe away with a warm damp flannel. I contains exfoliating fruit acids (AHAs) which gently rid skin of dull surface skin cells without the need for using harsh grainular products that can often irritate sensative skin. 

I tend to use it as a mask rather than a cleanser, I just smooth it on and leave it for about 10 minutes, that way all the ingredience have a chance to work for a bit longer. When I remove it my skin feels really soft and smoother and looks a lot brighter. I'll definitely be repurchasing this next time I'm in France! 

Winter Makeup Bag

If ever there's a time to go a bit crazy with your makeup, the lead up to Christmas and New Years Eve is definitely it, it's definitely not the time for minimalism! I definitely like to take a more is more approach, especially when it comes to sparkle! Here's what I'll be stashing in my makeup bag!

I'll be using my Clinique Even Better Concealer in Honeycomb and Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal in Nude to brighten up the eye area as well as disguise any seasonally induced under eye circles. 

I find a good contour is essential with heavy eye makeup or a bold lip and Nars Bronzer Multiple in Malaysia is super easy to use, just swipe on and blend in. For highlighter I'll be upping the ante with my Sephora Illuminating Highlighting Powder in Golden, which is definitely one for the evenings.

For eyes I've dug out my Sephora Moonshadow Baked Palette in In the Dark which I picked up in America over the summer. It's full of shimmer packed shades that build up really well, the mix of darks, lights and brights means all outfits will be covered. I also couldn't resist the temptation to throw in L'Oreal Colour Infaillible Eyeshadow in Goldmine, purely for being the most shimmery gold shadow ever to have been created.

Everyone needs a red lipstick over christmas and mine is an ever so slightly darker than pillarbox red. It's Avon Colour Lipstick in Chilli which I'll be sporting with a slick of black gel eyeliner. 

What makeup will you be wearing this winter?

Jen's Sleepover Makeup

There's nothing more fun on a girly sleepover than having a nose through your friend's makeup bag and giving makeovers, apart from  eating an extensive amount of chocolate and watching terrible movies of course!

To start with I smoothed Benefit Porefessional Primer all over Jen's skin with my fingers to create an even base and make the makeup last well (even though we weren't going anywhere) I then worked in MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC15 with my trusty Real Techniques Buffing Brush, which left her skin looking absolutely flawless! We skipped concealer and went straight onto the fun bits, colour!

Using a Real Techniques Contour Brush I used the contour shade from the Sleek Contour Kit in Light to lightly accentuate Jen's cheekbones. This is such a great palette, we both own and love it, amazing really as we have such different skintones! Of course I had to be much more handed with it on Jen than myself. I then used a Real Techniques Stippling Brush to apply Revlon Photoready Cream Blusher in Flushed to the apples of cheeks and Benefit Highbeam to the tops of cheekbones, down the centre of the nose and above the cupid's bow. The light pink, pearlescent tones in this highlighter complemented Jen's skin perfectly! 


The main focus of the look was the eyes, we went for a soft neutral smoky look. I started by filling in Jen's brows with the Benefit Brows a go go kit and then adding the lightest shade (top left hand corner) from the MUA Undressed Palette under the brow bones and in the inner corners of the eyes. I then added the colour next to it all over the lid and blended out the edges with a Sephora Pro Blending Brush 27, next I used the bronze shade (bottom left) and worked that into the crease using the same brush, continuing to blend to make sure there were no harsh lines. I then added a really thin line of Clinique Quickliner for eyes in Black and smudged it across the top and bottom lash line for a softer look. Lashes were then curled and a generous amount of YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara was layered on, leaving Jen's already amazingly long and curly lashes look seriously stunning. This mascara is amazing, It's now been firmly placed onto my wish list!


To finish off the look we went for Clinique Almost Lipstick in Luscious Honey, it complemented the eyes perfectly while still being really subtle. Perfect! 

Autumn Nail Edit

It's no secret that I'm quite into nails so I thought I'd put together an edit of my favourite autumn nail shades. Here's what made the cut!

Avon Nailwear Pro in Perfectly Flesh

This nude shade works really well with my skintone, it looks good all year round really but it's a particularly nice option in the autumn for when you don't wan't something dark.

YSL La Laque No 37 (discontinued)

This dark inky blue looks stunning on short nails, it's black in some light but has just a hint of navy. It's been filling the Essie After School Boy Blazer sized hole in my collection nicely. 

Chanel Le Vernis 509 Paradoxal

A two toned grey and purple that somehow has a neutral quality about it and seems to go with everything. The formula isn't great, as with all Chanel varnishes, but the colour is spot on.

Essie Aperitif 

Quite possibly my favourite polish of all time, this is another one that works well all seasons, but particularly autumn and winter. An ever so slightly darker take on a classic red that you just can't go wrong with.

Nails Inc Ledbury Road 

A concrete grey with a subtle metallic finish that I can't help but love in spite of generally being someone who sticks to cream finishes. It only needs one coat, and is super glossy making it a great last minute nail option that adds a little somethin' somethin' to an otherwise boring outfit. 

Sephora Colour Hit Nail Lacquer in Will you Jump?

An amazingly rich royal blue which is bang on trend that I just can't seem to stop staring at when it's on my nails. I love these polishes, the brush is great, the formula is great and there's a huge variety of shades. 

What have you been wearing on your nails this autumn?

Empties #4

I've been trying to use things up and avoiding buying new  products recently in an attempt to prepare for my house move next month. Here's what I've recently got through.

Ted Baker Hand Cream

I touched on this in my Project Use Up post, it's a decent hand cream which smells nice but doesn't seem to do much longterm. Repurchase? No.

Redken Extreme Shampoo

This protein enriched shampoo is brilliant for strengthening damaged hair (full review here). A little goes a long way with this one so it's lasted ages! Repurchase? Definitely. 

Caudalie Gentle Cleansing Milk

I feel like I haven't stopped talking about this stuff recently, it's a new descovery and I absolutely love it, massaged on and flanneled off it removes all traces of makeup and leaves skin feeling silky soft. (full review here) Repurchase? Already have!

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor

I loved this conditioner years ago and never used to use anything else but after trying it out again recently I don't love it quite as much. Most probably because I've tried a lot of other conditioners since and my hair is in a lot worse condition! That said it does leave hair feeling soft and lightly fragranced. Repurchase? Maybe, but there are some others I want to try first.

Sephora Express Body Scrub & Mask

I picked this up when I went to France in the summer and had very high hopes for it but unfortunately I wasn't that impressed. It's a 2 in 1 product that contains traditional exfoliating grains as well as exfoliating AHA fruit acids and can be used as either a scrub or a mask. For me it didn't do much because I like scrubs which are quite course and really 'scrubby' and found this one was too gentle for my liking. I didn't find the AHAs to do much either. Repurchase? No

Kerastase Reflection Chroma Cristal

This one was unfortunately another disappointment, I usually love all Kerastase products but this one is the exception. It's a shine perfecting mist take settles into two parts that you shake before you use. I found it to be very watery and therefore cause my hair to get a bit damp, obviously not ideal if you've just spent ages straightening your hair! It also doesn't leave a great finish, I much prefer my Lee Stafford Shine Spray which is a third of the price! Repurchase? Definitely not.

Schwarzkopf Got2b Oil-licious Styling Oil

This is a great budget argan oil serum, I've been using a few pumps on damp hair before blow drying and it leaves hair with a lovely finish. full review here. Repurchase? Definitely

The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Compact Foundation

It's not often I get through a foundation because I have quite a few on the go but I really enjoyed using this one on sensitive and dry skin days. It's very moisturising and leaves skin with a dewy finish (oily skinned girls this is definitely not for you. This was the only thing that worked for me when my skin was reacting to everything. Repurchase? Yes, if my skin gets reactive again.

Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturising Balm 

This technically isn't an empty because I still have more than half the pot left, but I've had it a while and it has separated so definitely needs getting rid of. I didn't use it because it just didn't work for me, I found it to be very greasy and not last very long on the skin. Someone once told me it made my skin 'glisten like a basted turkey' needless to say I never used it again! Repurchase? No

The Body Shop Vitamin E Lip Care

This is a brilliant lip balm that actually treats dryness rather than just keeping lips comfortable till it disappears. It doesn't have a fragrance and leaves lips with a natural finish meaning it's great under lipsticks and on girls and guys alike. Repurchase? Definitely.  

NOTD #14

I usually reserve bright nail colours for the summer but thought I'd make an exception today, I went for Barry M Block Orange, a bright pumpkin orange as a base and swiped a coat of Sephora Purple Jewellery Top Coat on top. 

The result was a lovely autumnal finish than reminded me of the falling leaves, unfortunately it was a bit difficult to capture on camera! 

What have you been wearing on your nails this autumn?

Empties #3

Another month, another empties post, I honestly can't believe how fast I go through stuff! Anyway, here's what I thought of it all!

Soap & Glory Heel Genius is definitely a 'pedicure in a tube', it's a super rich, blue, foot cream which contains exfoliating fruit acids. I've been slathering it on in the evening and following it up with some cozy socks. Come morning feet are super smooth, no scrubbing necessary! Repurchase? Yes.

I've throughly enjoyed using Soap & Glory's Foam Call Body Wash, it's so fruity smelling and it really wakes you up first thing in the morning, plus, it leaves skin feeling nice and soft as it contains built in moisturiser. Repurchase? Definitely!

Yep, you guessed it, more Soap & Glory! This one is the Butter Yourself Body Butter, an all time favourite. It has the same lovely fruity fragrance as Foam Call Body Wash and also contains exfoliating fruit acids, meaning your skin is left feeling silky soft. It also sinks into the skin really quickly which is a great time saver. Repurchase? Yep!

Next is The Body Shop Vitamin E Sink In Moisture Mask, it has a light gel-cream formula, gives skin a huge moisture boost and applies clear. I've been using it overnight and waking up to plumped up skin. Look out for a full review coming soon! Repurchase? Already have! 

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC45 is a foundation I've been using for years. It's a medium coverage foundation that can be mixed with moisturiser for a light finish or built up to a full coverage without looking heavy or caked on. It's a great all rounder. Repurchase? Already have.

Sephora Softening Facial Mist is a very lightly scented facial mist that I picked up in France this summer, it's a great skin refresher that adds a bit of dewyness to the skin, and it's so much cheaper that other alternatives. (I paid 4 euros for it!) Repurchase? Yes, when I next go to France!

The Simple Moisture Boost Hydro Mist is basically the same thing as the sephora one, although not quite as nice because a single spray can be quite full on whereas the sephora spray produces a fine mist. Repurchase? Probably not.

Next up is the mini Jurlique Lavender Hand Cream that I took away on holiday, this stuff is amazing! Not only does it smell amazing, it really does your hands a world of good. As it's a balm like formula, you only need a small amount, it spreads easily and sinks straight into the skin leaving no residue. It leaves hands feeling lastingly moisturised so you end up using it a lot less often. Repurchase? Definitely at some point but not straight away as I got a few other ones stashed away already! 

I usually love everything by Chanel but unfortunately their Automatic Liquid Eyeliner was a huge disappointment! It has a pointed brush tip, you twist the bottom and the product is dispensed into the brush, sounds great right? But everytime I went to use it I found that the entire brush had dried out and the brush was full of dry, cakey bits of eyeliner. I would then have to wash it and dry it before I used it (every single time) and very soon the brush started to fall apart from all the wear and tear! Repurchase? Definitely not!

At the other end of the spectrum, I have another product by Chanel which I absolutely loved and was so sad to finish, as it's long since been discontinued! It's one of their old bronzers and the shade was just perfect for me, not too pale, not too orange, with the tinniest hint of shimmer! Repurchase? I wish! 

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think of them?