Beauty Through The Specs: 2018

Lifestyle | An Update

It seems like I haven't blogged for a while, it's only been a month but for me it feels like 6 months. There has been a lot going on in my life and I'm still getting back to normal however I wanted to start blogging again and feel like an update to wipe the slate clean and start fresh is needed.

When I started blogging I had high hopes and dreams of being popular and having a massive following however after a few months I realised it was more about being apart of something for me and gaining friends rather then followers was more important. Lately I haven't read any blogs or commented on anyone posts, I've not taken part in any chats and I've not attending any events.

This is all down to my mental health, I've spoken in the past on my blog and my Youtube about how I used to suffer with depression and I've always felt like I was moving forward, it was something in the past. However it's now something I'm having to deal with in my current life and it's a lot more aggressive and a lot more severe.

That being said I will be back soon and at first I may post and then wait a few days before posting again but I finally feel well enough to do something I really enjoy and blogging is something that I really enjoy. So look forward to some new posts coming soon and I'll be back to normal posting very soon!

Beauty | Makeup Obsession Contour

I love coming across new brands and products to try out so I was happy to see in my local Boots a new brand called Makeup Obsession. They have really affordable products that come in really adorable and easy to store packaging with a palette system, you pick 6 items and build up your perfect palette which I really loved. The brand is a sister company to Makeup Revolution so they are cruelty free and affordable which I love.

Beauty | Makeup Revolution Full Coverage Concealer

Makeup Revolution is the perfect high street make up brand to go for if you want affordable and cruelty free make up items. I find them really affordable with prices from as little as £1 to £15 there great for all skin shades and work well so you know you're going to get affordable products that are right for you, Available in Superdrug and online.

Beauty | Benefit Cha Cha Tint

My go to travel mini for makeup is always my Benefit Cha Cha tint, this little mini lip and cheek stain is perfect for anyone on the go that wants a two in one product. I use this mainly when I want to make my face pop as the coral shade may seem a little too bright for some people but it works well at creating a really nice make up look.

Beauty | Makeup Revolution Red Carpet Lipstick

Makeup Revolution is the perfect brand for affordable and fun products, so when I was after a new red lipstick I went straight to there stand in Superdrug and was not let down. The one product that really stood out was there Rose Gold Red Carpet Lipstick for just £3, this is a 5 set of lipsticks from nude to deep dark violet.

Beauty | Soap and Glory Blaze Of Glory Lip Gloss

I normally stay clear of Soap and Glory makeup as it always looks so beautiful but it is out of my price range, so when I saw an £8 lipstick in there clearance section for £1 I wasn't going to leave it there was I! I picked up there Spectaculips Galactic Glaze lip gloss in the shade Blaze Of Glory and was very excited to see what it looked like on.

Skincare | Sanctuary Body Wash

I love to test out and use mini's from brands I wouldn't normally shop at so when I needed a new shower gel for my travels I went with one from the Sanctuary brand at Boots. This brand if perfect for gifts and if you need a more luxury shower product, it's not one I would normally go for but as there cruelty free I opted to try out there shower gel.

Beauty | Wilko Wax Strips

An odd post for you today and one I thought I wouldn't be writing up, I'm normally a shaving fan but I have a few events and holidays all in one week so I decided to try out some wax strips from the Wilko brand. There a high street chain and sell all sorts of everyday products including wax strips. Starting from £1 they have body strips, face strips and also bikini line strips, they also do hair removal creams and other waxing products.

Beauty | Fleur De Force Brow Palette

My go to beauty brand for eye make up is always Eylure this is the one brand I know that does amazing affordable products that work well and look amazing on. I'm always reaching for this brand when I need something new and was happy to see there collab with one of my favourite YouTube stars Fleur De Force. They created some lashes and make up products including the brow palettes for just £12.

Lifestyle | Changing Careers Fail

I think when it comes to work everyone has that one moment in there careers that they think of changing it all up and going for something new. That's what happened to me and instead of pushing it to one side and focusing on my retail career path I did something about it by going for it and applying for new jobs. I wanted to focus on travel as this is my main interested in life so I opted to apply for a job as a currency adviser, still retail based but going more into travel - well that's what I thought.

Fashion | No Drama Llama Purse

Accessorize in my go to shop for quirky and all things cute from purses to bags and even clothing they have a great range of products for anyone that needs a little lift in life. They even do a pre teens range that is great for anyone wanting fashionable items to show off to friends. I normally go in for there jewelry items but a purse caught my eye and I needed a new one so went for it and picked up this No Drama Llama purse for just £12.

Beauty | Makeup Revolution Stick Foundation

Skincare | The Body Shop Mandarin Energising Face Mist

The Body Shop is a great high street brand that ranges with products for everyone, to use in the bath and shower as well as there great make up range there is something for everyone in The Body Shop. They are cruelty free and do a lot of products that are also vegan, as well as being affordable and available in most cities there a brilliant brand to go for.

Skincare | Superdrug Refreshing Face Scrub

When it comes to skincare I like to keep it simple and cruelty free, so I tend to stick to Superdrug's skincare range as I know they will always provide me with what I want. I was browsing there clearance section and came across a facial scrub for 30p, as it was apart of there own range I knew it would be what I needed so I purchased it and was not let down.

Lifestyle | How I Stay Happy

I've suffered throughout my teens and into my adult life with a serious case of depression, this has come in waves that like to hit me when I least expect it causing me to spiral into a downwards path and out of control. I have several ways I like to keep happy and try to attempt these things before I get to bad and for today's post I wanted to share how I like to stay happy.

Fashion | This Bag Is Out Of This World

I'm all one for quirky and fun bags and sometimes I have impulse buys and end up walking out of a shop with a bag that's impractical but really fun. In the Accessorize sale I ending up buying a small bag that caught my eye and only for £12.50 it was a complete bargain, have I managed to use it yet well no but it looks good.

Beauty | Faith In Nature Shampoo Review

One of my biggest struggles going cruelty free was trying to find a shampoo that didn't harm my scalp, as I have a dry skin condition this has been one of my biggest struggles even when I wasn't cruelty free. However it was suggested to me that I try out the Faith Shampoo from Holland and Barrett, for just £5.50 I picked up a bottle of there fragrance free shampoo.

Beauty | My Cruelty Free Makeup Routine

I made the decision to go cruelty free around 6 months ago now and have felt good every since I made the choice, for me it just felt normal to not harm animals anymore so going cruelty free was a good choice. I understand why people don't as it took me a while to find products that actually worked well for me and looked good but now I have my make up sorted I wanted to share an updated what's in my make up case for you.

Book Review | The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

The book has to be one of the quickest I've read in a long time, it was one I couldn't put down as I needed to know the ending ASAP. It has such a tragic twist at the end but just as you feel like it's coming to an end there's a biggest twist that will leave you beaming with happiness. With a mix of love, detest, mystery and religion this book is one that anyone can read and get a really buzz from, it's it family drama in the worst way possible that you want then I urge you to buy this book.

Beauty | Colour Correcting Palette Maybelline

At first when I used this product I wasn't overly impressed with how it worked and how I was suppose to use it but after some research and searching some online tutorials I managed to get to grips with the colour correcting palette from Maybelline. Maybelline are a great affordable high street brand that have some great products, for just £2 I managed to get my palette in the sale.

Fashion | Black and White Strip Sliders

I'm not one to be super trendy but there's certain trends I need to jump on and one of them was sliders, I have seen them everywhere but didn't think I could pull them off that was until I caved in Primark and walked away with a pair for just £4. They are very basic yet perfect for anyone needing a trendy look for this S/S.

Lifestyle | Diet Update

It's been a while since I did a diet update but I wanted to do an update and let everyone know how I'm getting on. I started a strict and much more control diet in January and wanted to share what I'm doing and also do around every 1 month an update. I'm not doing weekly updates as I find them to be quite similar with not much changing so it will be for now every month.

Lifestyle | Welcoming Spring

Spring is my second favourite season after Autumn and when it comes to welcoming it I'm first to get excited, the days start to get longer and the air starts to get fresher but it stills holds some of the winter weather with the frequent showers it decides to spring on us at any moment during the day.

Lifestyle | Living With Tension Headaches

16 months ago I woke up with a headache that didn't go away, it started at the front of my head and as the days went on it spread to under my eyes and around my head. It was a dull and painful headache that seems to ease before coming back fuller and more hurtful then the last one. Around this time I was dealing with ear infections/sinus infections and stress, I put two and two together and carried on as normal treating all my problems.

Beauty | Wearing Liquid Matte Lipsticks

I'm not beauty expert but when it comes to liquid matte lipsticks I know some good and helpful little tips to help out anyone who is nervous or seems to go wrong when using one. I found them rather intimating at first due to people saying they dry the lips out, or I would use one and get in a mess so it has taken me a while to get to grips with liquid matte lipsticks but I wanted to share some tips with you today.

Lifestyle | Giving Blood

For 2018 I wanted to become more helpful and the one thing I was really interested in doing is giving blood, it's something I thought about before but never really got round to doing it. So I looked online to see what the deal was and it turned out to be easier then I first thought.

Book Review | Basic Witches By Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman

I've been Pagan for well over 10 years now and always love checking out new fresh books on witchcraft, one that caught my eye and I've wanted to check out for a while now is the Basic Witches book by Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman. I've seen fellow bloggers and youtubers do reviews and of course I wanted to check it out for myself.

Beauty | Studio London Makeup Brushes

I've been using the same brand to buy makeup brushes from for a while now almost 3 years so I decided to branch out and have a look at other brands, I spotted Studio London in my local Superdrug and picked up a set of four brushes in there sale for £1.99 which is a massive bargain considering they are around £10-£12 normally.

Beauty | Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick Hire Me

When it comes to high end lipstick they really need to impress me, as I'm 100% one for looking after my pennies, however on a recent trip to my local Smashbox store I was very impressed and happy to pay £17.50 for one of the Be Legendary lipsticks in the shade Hire Me. I was after the perfect everyday lipstick that was fun and sweat but I could also wear to work and this one fitted that perfectly.

Lifestyle | 2018 Book List

One of my new year resolutions is to read more and being someone who can take up to 6 months to read one book I've got together a realistic book list of books that I should be able to read in 12 months. I've only picked out 4 books which is doubling what I normally read and once I've read one I'll be doing a review on my blog!

Beauty | Millie Mackintosh Glam and Glow

When it comes to makeup I'm a less is more girl and sometimes I need a quick pick me up so I opt for a face illuminator instead of a full face of makeup. I tired several ones in the past but I wasn't able to find the right one until I picked up a set from the Millie Mackintosh range at Boots. It was only £9 but I picked it up for half price at £4.50, it's a great price to pay even at full price.

Beauty | Soap and Glory Girls Con-Tour

Priced at £14 this five piece contour set is one that I've been reaching for over the last few weeks, it's a perfect travelling set and always great to have in my bag for on the go touch ups. I was really impressed with how much I got for the price I paid and would happily purchase it again.

Nails | Barry M Coconut Infusion Gel Nail Paint

In the Barry M Coconut Infusion range you get 10 gel nail paints priced at £4.99 each however Barry M always have offers on such as a 3for2. I currently own 8 originals Oasis, Laguna, Surfboard, Flamingo, Paradise, Scuba, Tiki Hut and Popsicle, included in the range is two more shades called Flip Flop and Lemonade. However I own Aloha and Sunkissed instead I believe this is due to purchasing a set from Barry M and not them individually.

Skincare | Lush Dream Cream

I'm super picky when it comes to using body lotion and hate trying new ones due to never finding the right one or my skin having a massive flair up of eczema. So I opted to try the Lush Dream Cream as a lot of people had told me it was great for dry skin conditions and also works well at keeping the skin looking good.

Beauty | Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

My first high end makeup palette and I'm pleased to announce it's an Urban Decay Naked one, I've heard so much about these palettes but the price tag has always put me of as spending £39.50 on a palette is way to much, I was happy to see it go into the Feel Unique Christmas sale at £25 still a lot of money however the hype surrounding them made me buy it!

Skincare | Iroha Peel-Off Detox Mask

I'm a lover of a new face mask so when I was gifted one for Christmas I was overjoyed, it's from a brand I'm new to called Iroha I did some online research and couldn't see much about them as there website is very vague however they sell a range of unique masks and strips for the face and it states nature so I'm guessing it's all naturally pure ingredients!

Skincare | Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Day Cream

Superdrug skincare is the perfect option for anyone looking for cruelty free affordable products that work well and do the job. I'm always in there mooching at the new products so when my moisturiser ran out I went straight into my local store to see what products they had. I picked up the Naturally Radiant Brightening Day Cream for just £5.99 this one stood out to be as I love products that brighten the skin, this one was also for normal to combination skin but you can also get it in other skin types as well.

The Body Shop make up is perfect for anyone looking for good quality high street make up that is affordable and works well. With it being cruelty free it's my first stop for when I'm looking for any new products, I went in to look for a new foundation and after speaking to a shop worker I left with the Matte Clay Skin Clarifying Foundation for just £10.

When it comes to eye shadow palettes I tend to go for natural and basic ones as I know this is what I'll wear the most out of bright and daring eye shadows, so I was happy to be gifted a palette for Christmas from one of my go to brands Sleek. It is a set of 12 highly pigmented eye shadows in all Natural and basic shades and tones which is right up my street!

I'm a sucker for mini products and could not leave my local Kiko Milano store without one of there mini lipsticks. For just £2.50 it's the perfect lipstick to take when travelling or for an event when you don't have a large bag, there is a great selection of ones to pick from but I picked up Rosy Hibiscus.

It's no secret I'm a massive fan of Stephen King novels and as I've just finished The Bazaar Of Bad Dreams I thought it was only far to do a little review. I picked the book up for $8.99 when I was in America but in the UK it is priced at £8.99! The only difference is the book covers for some reason America and Europe get a really lovely detailed covered with an image that shows an impressive artwork of butterflies and an eerie figure, the UK has a white cover with the tittle in a rainbow effect with butterflies on.

One of my favourite and go to make up brands is Sleek as all there products work well for me and it's one I know I can always find what I want when I shop the brand. For Christmas I was gifted a palette which was the Solstice Highlighting Palette which has four amazing and easy to use highlights, it also comes with a handy brush and amazing packaging.

2017 for me was all about me, this sounds awful as I was very selfish and only did things I wanted to do. I also had one of the best years I could think of with travelling more, seeing bands and going to events. So even though I say I was selfish and only did things I wanted I still saw the hardship and hurt that 2017 was.

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