UPGRADING MY DRESSING TABLE MAKEUP STORAGE

Hello everyone! It has been a good year probably almost two, since i had a huge spring clean/de-cluttering of my makeup collection and it was getting way out of hand (when i say out of hand, i mean i could barely shut my drawers as they were full up to the top). So i decided to have a huge sort through and throw away/give away like i normally do, the things i didn't use or didn't want to keep anymore. I also decided to upgrade my dressing table makeup storage, i did have some Muji drawers which housed my lip products but they simply had to make way for the most perfect set of drawers i have ever seen...

So these are the set of five drawers i picked up by the brand Beautify and it is in fact a brand i have spoken about before, as part of a eBay makeup storage ideas under £40 post. That being said i actually picked mine up from Tesco via the click+collect service, you can also get the storage from Domu and eBay also but i went with Tesco as it was the quickest. You can get the set of six drawers in two different styles, one when you have a open top or one like mine which has a closed top that can be opened. What i love about these drawers is how the bottom drawer is slightly bigger than all of the others, making it the perfect size for foundations or larger bottled items and i also put a couple of my favourite highlight/contour sticks on the end. In the drawer one up from the bottom drawer, i have put all of my favourite/everyday bronzer, highlight both liquid and powder as well as my favourite face powders at the back.

In the next drawer i have some more of my favourite/go-to powder products like bronzers, blushes and highlighters. At the moment i just have them spread out like this as i had a huge de-clutter before hand so i still have some space to fill with any new favourites that might come along, that being said at the moment i don't have too many favourites left and then the highlighters/bronzers i still like but i don't reach for as often are all stored in my dressing table drawer. 

Next up i have put all of my go-to/everyday eye and brow products, as you can tell there is room for quite a lot of products including two eyeshadow palettes. Another great thing about these drawers is they are big enough height-wise to stack slightly smaller products as well, allowing you to fit more inside of the drawers overall. The quality of how the drawers are made are so much more sturdy and thicker acrylic, unlike the Muji ones which were a thinner acrylic. Then in the final two drawers i have my go-to lipsticks/liquid lipsticks, which i think i might do a separate post on in the form of an updated nude lip products collection as even after a huge de-clutter there is still quite a lot of products to go through. 

Where to buy the beautify six tier clear acrylic drawers

| tesco (click to buy) | domu (click to buy) | eBay (click to buy) |

xo.

QUICK, EASY + HEALTHY PINTEREST BREAKFAST IDEAS

Hello everyone! So it can be so easy to fall into a rut when it comes to deciding what to make/have for breakfast, especially if you are wanting something quick, easy and healthy. If you want to take all three of those things into consideration, it doesn't mean you have to opt for a boring bowl of cereal every single day (even though i do love a good bowl of "boring" plain wheat cereals like wheatabix or special k). That being said for today's post i thought i would share with you a selection of my favourite Pinterest approved breakfast ideas...

1. fluffy, gorgeous coconut yoghurt pancakes (a mummy too, blog)

If you are a pancake lover this simple yogurt based pancake recipe is going to be right up your street, as they are super simple to make and you only need seven ingredients in total to make them. I love pancakes when they are thick and fluffy, which is where the yogurt comes in with a helping hand and not to mention give that gorgeous coconut-y flavour. If dairy isn't your thing, which it isn't for me milk-wise anyway you can switch it out for the Alpro yogurt and milk (which both can be bought in coconut flavours).

2. carrot cake overnight oats (jar of lemons, blog)

I have mentioned a couple of times now how obsessed with overnight oats i am, as they are literally the quickest, tastiest breakfast and the perfect meal-prep breakfast food. This particular recipe is vegan but you can obviously adapt it to your liking by adding milk and yogurt, but i definitely prefer it the vegan way. Pinterest is full of different "fillings/flavours" for overnight oats but this carrot cake one, a mixed fruit and cinnamon one and the chai latte one hands down are my favourites out of all the ones i have tried.

3. vegan blended peanut butter chocolate porridge (my vibrant kitchen, blog)

I almost feel like this breakfast recipe could almost pass for looking like a delicious yet naughty dessert, but it isn't it is actually super good for you and if you are a fan of anything chocolate/peanut butter flavoured then you are going to love this. This is different to overnight oats, as you only soak the oats for ten minutes before blending and layering with the remaining ingredients.

4. smashed peas on toast (sainsbury's, magazine blog)

Smashed peas on toast is a favourite of mine for either breakfast or lunch, as it is the perfect alternative to having avocado on toast if you don't like avocado as i don't. Yet again this is another recipe that you can cater to your own topping preferences, as i like to skip on the mint and goats cheese and opt for garlic, chilli and sometimes a poached egg all depending on how hungry i am or how much time i have.

5. grilled peach breakfast parfait (kitchen sanctuary, blog)

To me this breakfast absolutely screams summer alfresco dining breakfast food, especially with the grilled peach. Yet again this is such a quick and easy throw together breakfast, that can be adapted to your diet by switching up the yogurt for a non-dairy yogurt as would. I love how many different textures and flavours this recipe has, from sweet to crunchy and then smooth. I also have to admit that this style of breakfast, is definitely one of those Instagram worthy breakfasts.

6. coffee chia pudding (the little blog of vegan, blog)

Finally we have something similar to overnight oats, but obviously instead of using oats you opt for some chia seeds instead and it is just as quick/easy to make. Just like overnight oats, there are so many different ways to have this for breakfast but i must say having a coffee flavoured one has to be a favourite of mine. This breakfast is a winner if you have a sweet tooth and would sooner have something sweet over savoury for breakfast.

Similar: the tips i swear by to save time in the morning

xo.

MY FAVOURITE PICKS FROM MY BEAUTYBAY (30% OFF BLACK FRIDAY) ORDER

Hello everyone! So if you cast your minds back to just over two weeks ago, when it was Black Friday i shared my black friday buys from h&m, boohoo, beautybay + discount codes post and in that post i shared the majority of the things i picked up from the 30% off everything on beautybay. Keeping that in mind for today's post i thought why not share with you my favourite picks, from the items that i had picked up and have now put to the test.

l.a girl PRO.coverage HD long wear illuminating foundation

I had been wanting to try this foundation out for so long now, seeing as i already love the concealer but i didn't know whether i would love the foundation or not (as it is very rare that i will like both the foundation and concealer in the same range). So seeing as there was 30% off i thought why not just pick one up to try and i am so glad that i did, as it is simply beautiful and does everything that it claims to do. The finish is illuminating but not overly shine-y, amazing coverage even if you only apply one layer yet it is build-able without being cake-y as it is a lightweight formula. I picked this foundation up in the shade Beige, but i really want to pick this up in a slightly lighter shade as this shade only works well when i am freshly tanned/darker.

laura geller baked gelato swirl illuminator in the shade gilded honey

So i have lusted after this highlighter for quite a while now and every now and again when i go past a Laura Geller counter, i always swatch this. The only thing that has ever put me off buying this is the packaging, to say this is more of a "high end" type of product at £16.50 the packaging is pretty simple and cheap looking (some drugstore packaging is more upmarket). That being said seeing as it was 30% off i decided to finally pick one up, because i knew how beautifully it swatched and now packaging aside i just can't put it down it is that beautiful. I love how silky smooth the texture of the baked powder is, the way it applies/stays looking freshly applied all day long and most important of all how much of a stunning gold shade it is.

morphe plush liquid lip kit in the shade paint the town nude

This particular product is one i had wanted to pick up when i made my first order at the beginning of the 30% off week but it was actually out of stock, so when Black Friday itself beautybay did a full site re-stock and it became available again. Morphe have recently re-branded a lot of their products and as well as releasing new eye palettes etc, they have also released these limited edition holiday lip kits (one is paint the town red, the other paint the town nude). Of course i was going to pick up the nude lip kit, including the shades sweets, lulu and dainty. I wasn't sure whether i was going to love these or not but i have to say i was so surprised at how beautiful they are, as well as how moisturising/comfortable they are to wear. For £12 RRP, i think this would also make a really great gift for any makeup lover, as it comes packaged really nicely also.

jordana best length extreme lengthening mascara

Jordana is a brand that we have only just recently been able to get a hold of in the UK (thanks to beautybay) and this is a mascara i have seen many a beauty guru from other countries rave about, so i thought why not take advantage of the discount and pick one up. I am usually a KIKO 30 day lash treatment mascara or Maybelline/L'Oreal mascara kind of girl and nothing else really compares, but i must say i am really enjoying reaching for this one at the moment. I love how this mascara really separates your lashes and lengthens quite quickly without becoming clumpy in the slightest, this mascara also doesn't transfer at all as it isn't too much of a "wet-like" formula and this also comes in a volumizing formula for £6 RRP each.

Catch up on some recent beauty related posts here:
| six high-end products i probably couldn't live without | quick almost no makeup makeup in december | five affordable november favourites |

xo.

THINGS TO DO THIS DECEMBER

Hello everyone and Happy December! So a couple of months back now at the beginning of Autumn, i shared a "things to do this autumn" post which you can catch here if you missed it first time round. With that in mind and seeing it is the first of December today, i thought i would an updated Winter edition in the form of a "things to do this December" and the countdown to Christmas is officially on.

1. make a spotify/music playlist, filled with you favourite Christmas songs.

2. buy yourself an advent calendar (if you haven't already).

3. buy/light your favourite scented Christmas/Winter candles.

4. visit a Christmas market.

5. treat yourself to a Starbucks or Costa Christmas drink.

6. put up some fairy lights.

7. decorate your Christmas tree and house to feel all festive.

8. go late night shopping.

9. go for a family winter walk to a Christmas tree forest.

10. do some Christmas baking (lots of recipes coming this December).

11. go ice-skating.

12. treat yourself to a festive bath bomb or bubble bar from Lush.

13. reach a Christmas/Winter themed book (books i want to read this winter).

14. watch all of your favourite Christmas movies.

15. plan your Christmas party/Christmas day makeup and outfit.

16. visit a stately home that has Christmas activities and decorations.

(if you live not too far from Derbyshire, then Chatsworth house is a good one).

17. plan a Christmas party/night-in with family or friends.

18. paint your nails in a festive colour or glitter.

19. watch all of the Christmas themed cooking shows on TV.

20. take a last minute weekend away to either explore or do some Christmas shopping.

21. buy or dig out a Christmas cup, to help you feel festive,

22. write out a Christmas wish-list or gift giving list.

(check out my tips & tricks to save money/get organised for Christmas post).

23. take a trip to a garden centre that has a Christmas display.

24. visit a Christmas lights switch on or display.

25. go for a Christmas meal out at a cosy pub or restaurant.

26. have a family games or movie night in.

27. search for local events in your area or somewhere close to you.

28. wrap your Christmas presents, either listening to Christmas music or movies.

29. visit a local or close by Winter Wonderland.

30. do some Christmas themed DIY's.

Even though i am not doing "blogmas" this December, i am still posting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday as well as posting Christmas baking recipes every Sunday up until Christmas at 5PM GMT.

xo.

MY FAVOURITE PICK-ME-UPS

Hello everyone! So we all have those moments from time to time where you are feeling down, not ourselves, stressed from work etc or you are just having one of those bad days when nothing is going right and feel like you need a serious pick-me-up. We all have those go-to little things that we do to, either shake off the bad day/mood or simply just to make ourselves feel better. With that in mind i thought i would share some of my personal favourite pick-me-ups, that always help me out when in need.

1. have a relaxing pamper night.

There is honestly nothing better sometimes after a tough day, than having a nice relaxing pamper night and giving yourself the full works when it comes to beauty treatments. Kicking things off with a nice hot shower, bath bomb filled bubble bath and a good face mask. 

2. giving yourself a mani/pedi.

Sticking with the beauty/pamper theme another thing i like to do to not only relax but also to give myself a boost of confidence is giving myself a manicure and pedicure, because there is nothing like having nice and freshly painted nails. I always tend to be the happiest when my nails are a nice nude shade or a vampy autumnal shade, which is very fitting at the moment.

3. applying fake tan.

Another confidence booster for me is being tanned, as i always tend to feel a lot happier in the way i look when i am tanned/have some colour and not feeling ghostly pale. You might think this is more of a time consuming pick-me-up but honestly it is totally worth the up keep, even in the autumn/winter months.

4. listening to music.

Music for me is definitely the quickest form of a pick-me-up if i am feeling down, as i will simply put one my favourite artist/songs/albums at the moment. So i will either listen to music whilst doing other things about the house, or with headphones in. I have so many new artists/tracks that i am loving at the moment, so expect an updated "music at the moment" post sometime soon.

5. scents: candles/room sprays.

Something that is so simple yet so relaxing to me is simply by being in a beautifully scented room, whether that be from lighting a candle or spraying the room with a scented spray. Seeing as we are in autumn at the moment, those are the scents i am opting for such as the "warm cashmere" scented candle by Yankee Candle and the Frosting With Love room spray by Glade that i picked up recently at Home Bargains. 

6. reading a book/magazine.

Reading a good book is a great way to help you relax and get out of your head for a little while. For me there is nothing more relaxing sometimes than lighting a candle, putting on some cosy pyjamas, making yourself a hot drink/glass of wine with a good book. When it comes to books i am a suck for a romance book and The Forbidden by my favourite author Jodi Ellen Malpas, is definitely the read of the year for me.

7. binge-watching your favourite show/movie.

I love to binge-watch tv shows, i have always been a season a day kind of girl (well not so much these days) maybe more like two or three episodes now. I always have those specific tv shows that i watch/re-watch to cheer myself up and that is usually some form of sitcom like Will & Grace, Friends or Full/Fuller House. Another go-to of mine and a show i have re-watched from start to finish probably as many times as Friends and that is Sex and the City, because lets face it you can't beat the classics.

8. shopping/online shopping.

Finally probably the most dangerous pick-me-up of them all but sometimes the most effective and that is going shopping/online shopping. I am pretty sure we have all looked into our wardrobes full of clothes, shoes, makeup and accessories and thought "i have nothing to wear", then you spend the whole night/whole of your bank account on buying new things. Then the added little pick-me-up you get when the package arrives at your door.

Have you seen these posts yet?

things to do this autumn / binge worthy tv shows / halloween eyeball cupcakes 

xo.

BUDGET BEAUTY WEEK: FULL COVERAGE GLOW-Y BASE FOR UNDER £50

Hello everyone and welcome to the final instalment of "budget beauty week" on my blog! To finish the theme week off, i thought i would re-visit and share an updated version of a popular post from earlier in the year which you can catch here. Since that post i have discovered a bunch of new products/ways to get products for less, that all go towards creating a perfect full coverage yet glow-y looking base for under £50. All of the products in this post are equally as good as some high-end products, extremely pigmented and easy to work with. I have also linked where to get what at the best offer/the lowest prices.

rimmel #insta fix & go 2-in-1 prime and setting spray (£6.99)

Kicking things off with the primer/setting spray duo that i have been personally not been able to put down, ever since i first tried it. Not only are you saving space in your makeup bag, but you are also saving money rather than buying two different products, you only need to buy one as you can use this to prime and set the face. I love how quickly this sinks into the skin, as well as leaving your skin feeling super fresh and hydrated.

revlon colorstay 24h foundation in the shade 220 (£7.25)

I think as of recent this is probably my second favourite drugstore/affordable foundation, next to my beloved maybelline fit me matte and poreless foundation (but i always talk about that). The finish of this foundation is simply beautiful, it looks super flawless yet light-weight feeling on the skin, it has build-able medium/full coverage. The great thing about this foundation is that it comes in two different finishes for different skin types, normal/dry and combination/oily. If you want to take that natural radiant look to the next step, a drop of facial oil looks stunning added with the foundation. 

bourjois radiance reveal concealer in the shade light (£7.99)

This particular concealer was my concealer of choice for pretty much the whole of last year and that still continued this year also, along side the maybelline fit me concealer. If you want that highlighted/healthy radiant look both under the eyes and other highlighted areas of the face, then this concealer is a must try. I love how super light-weight it is yet still has amazing coverage and stays in place without creasing, it is honestly just an all round beautiful concealer.

maybelline fit me matte and poreless powder (£3.98)

If you are like me and love the maybelline fit me foundation/concealer, then you are going to love this powder equally as much. This particular powder is a newer release by the brand and like the other products in the fit me range, it is super affordable and does exactly what it says it does. The great thing about this powder is that it comes in a wide range of different skin-tone shades, as well as a translucent shade which is the one i personally like the most as i would rather not add any further colour or change the colour of my foundation/concealer.

makeup revolution liquid highlighter in the shade luminous gold (£6)

If you are scared to give liquid highlight a try but you really want to, i highly recommend giving the newly released highlighters from makeup revolution a try. These liquid highlighters are super easy to apply, blend and they have a super natural finish so there is no danger of accidentally making yourself look like the tin man. Applying a small amount of this to the highlighted areas of your face, a drop into your foundation or before as a glow-y base can make all the difference.  

makeup revolution skin kiss highlighter in the shade golden kiss (£5)

To set that liquid highlighter in place/add a further glow to the skin, also another makeup revolution highlighter that is simply stunning and not to mention pigmented. If you are like me and love a golden toned highlighter then you will love this and be crazy not to give it a try, especially as it is only £5 and for such a huge pan/amount of product you get. If a golden glow isn't for you don't worry as this highlight comes in two other shades, a peach kiss and a ice kiss.

freedom shimmer bronzer in the shade 115 shimmer (£2)

Finally we have bronzer, which can be a tricky one to get right but this particular one might sound off putting with "shimmer" in the title, that couldn't be further from the truth as it actually gives more of a healthy glow/warmth to the face. I have mentioned before how this bronzer looks really warm in the pan but it honestly applies beautifully and effortlessly blends out, also £2 is an absolute bargain considering you can pay anything from £28-£40 for a great more "high-end" bronzer. 

total look cost: £39.21 (£10.79 under budget)

Catch up on yesterdays budget beauty week post HERE...

xo.

TIPS AND TRICKS ON HOW TO GET BEAUTY SAMPLES

Hello everyone! I am all for spending money on trying new products, but keeping that in mind there are so many different ways to get your hands on samples either for free or for a little amount of money and over the years i have learnt a trick or two. With that in mind for today's post i thought i would share with you some of my personal favourite tips and tricks to get beauty samples, whether that is just for trying a new perfume, shampoo or to take away on a trip rather than lugging around a huge bottle of product.

1. feel unique pick 'n' mix sample service

First up is probably my favourite of them all because you can pick and choose the samples that you go for, from a selection of over 300 products and these products range from makeup, to skincare, hair and of course perfumes. I have actually previous blogged about this particular sample service a couple of times this year, so you can catch them here and here where i explain the details of the whole service in full. This will only cost you £3.95 p&p for 5 samples per month, but you will get that money back in a voucher for the following month.

2. buying magazines

Another way to pick up samples for a little amount is by buying magazines, which will probably only set you back around £1-£2 and you get some great reading material/inspiration at the same time. Some magazines will also include free gifts, which can range from deluxe sample size products or even a full sized product as well as the samples included on the advertisement pages. My personal favourite magazines for great samples are cosmopolitan (which i have bought every single month for years) and also glamour magazine.

3. free samples/gift with purchase with online orders
There are so many different brand sites that will give you a selection of free samples with purchases, whether that be if you have spent over a certain amount (which you can usually choose what sample/s you want to try) and sometimes they will simply just add samples into your order bag or box. Certain sites such as feel unique and debenhams do a free gift with purchase or if you spend over a certain amount, which will usually be a deluxe sample or full size of a certain product from the same brand. Sites that i have received the most samples from are feel unique, superdrug, asos and mac cosmetics.

4. asking in-store for samples
It can be really scary sometimes even thinking about approaching a makeup/beauty counter (especially in a department store) and you might think you will feel embarrassed asking someone if they have any free samples, but do NOT feel embarrassed as so many brands are more than happy to give you free samples. Whether you are buying something or if you are just curious about a product, a lot of sales assistants will give you the advise along side the correct sample. One time i was paying for something and the sales assistant gave me a huge bag of samples, along side a clarins beach bag (which came in super handy).

♥

EBAY DUPES FOR HIGH-END BRUSHES

Hello everyone! If you are a makeup addict or just a frequent makeup wearer, then you will know one of the key things to have is makeup brushes, just like a painter needs paint brushes to do their work. A lot of the time we tend to spend a fortune on brushes, because lets face it half of the time they aren't the cheapest of items. Now with the aid of eBay and Amazon, there are so many different high-end brushes that have been duped "look-a-likes" that are just as good as the real thing (with the exception of a few misses). With that in mind for today's post i thought i would share with you a selection of eBay dupes for high-end brushes/brush brands.

1. nars yachiyo kabuki brush £43 vs. 

eBay flat kabuki powder brush £1.64

I am all about a splurge from time to time but i have to be honest, i don't think i would ever spend £43 on a single makeup brush, a set yes maybe but not a single brush. With that in mind eBay have an identical dupe for famous NARS yachiyo brush and i bet there is barely any difference, plus you could go through around 25 of the eBay dupes for the price of one NARS brush.

2. tarte airbuki bamboo powder foundation brush £23 vs. 

eBay flat powder foundation bamboo brush £1.39

Literally how identical are the two of these brushes and so unique in their shapes, as it is a great really dense brush and perfect for blending all over face products (whether that be foundation or powder). This brush is also one of those dressing table piece items, especially if you are into mixing woods and metals together.

3. real techniques bold metals arches powder brush £22 vs.

eBay seven piece metals brush set £6.99

If you really don't justify spending £20+ on technically still a drugstore item/brush, then eBay or Amazon have you covered on that front as they have so many different metal brushes on offer, from single items to sets and talking of sets you can actually buy a few different sets for the price of one single brush. The eBay dupes are also still as weighty feeling as the real deal, which amazes me as the product is obviously a lot less costly.

4. tarte the slenderizer bamboo dual ended contour brush £27 vs.

eBay double sided bamboo contour brush £2.81

Another great unique/dual purpose brush that is identical to one from Tarte, this particular brush picks product up so well and is great for applying/blending out cream products, such as contour/concealer etc. The feel of the bristles are super soft yet sturdy and is super handy for travel.

5. anastasia beverly hills dual sided brow brush £14 vs.

eBay double ended brow brush £1.39

Who doesn't love a good dual ended brow/spoolie brow brush? I know i do, as they are super handy when going in with a brow pomade and you can brush through the brows by simply twisting the brush around. I am also extremely picky when it comes down to the angle/shape of a brow brush and this particular eBay brush is just as great of an angle/density as the ABH number 14.

6. nars ita kabuki brush £43 vs.

eBay flat kabuki contour brush £1.88
Finally we have another brush that i would never justify spending £43 on and it is another ever so famous brush from NARS, that i have actually tried the real deal out before and i wasn't that impressed if i am being completely honest. That being said my friend picked up an eBay dupe for under £2 and it became her favourite contour brush, so naturally i had to give it a try for myself and i actually ended up preferring it.

♥

MAKEUP DE-CLUTTER/HOW I ORGANISE MY MAKEUP #2

Hello everyone! So a couple of weeks ago i shared the first instalment of my makeup de-clutter/how i organise my makeup process/series, which was all about my two main makeup drawers that contains products such as single shadows, bronzers, blush, brow products etc. For this instalment i thought i would share how i de-cluttered/organise the type of product i had the most of, which happens to be lip products.

So when it comes down to lip products i am such a sucker for buying nude after nude, which i am not even ashamed by anymore because if that's what you like it's what you like. Before de-cluttering i stored half of my lip products into four muji acrylic drawers and then the other half was stored on a shelf in two of the billinger drawer inserts like i have in my main drawers. Because they were out of eye view i never reached for them anymore, so i went through the same process of emptying everything out onto the floor, throwing away anything old/what i didn't like, the only lip products i gave away was the ones that were new/un-used.

Now that i have de-cluttered my lip product collection, i can pretty much fit all of my most used lip products into the muji wide two drawers and the muji narrow two drawers with room still to stack if i ever need to. Kicking things off with the wide two drawers, i like to keep my nyx lingerie liquid lipsticks, some l'oréal glosses and a selection of nude lipsticks i reach for often like the tanya burr ones and a few random nude glosses. In the next wide drawer i like to keep my sleek matte me liquid lipsticks, one of my favourites the nyx soft matte lip creams (the nudes only) and my three most used mac lipsticks, which are creme d'nude, honey love and viva glam ii (the rest are in separate storage). Then towards the back i just keep some other liquid lipsticks, as well as a couple of the rimmel kate nude lipsticks which i love.

Moving on to the two narrow drawers i like to keep my favourite brand of liquid lipsticks from la splash, the shades angel cake and innocent vixen are my favourites. Then i also have two of my favourite jouer lip products which are the ever so famous skinny dip lip topper and the lip creme in the shade papaye, i also have my mariah carey x mac cosmetics lipstick in the shade dahhlinggg! which i barely use because first of all it is limited edition and second of all it's just so pretty. In the final narrow drawer i keep my anastasia beverly hills lip glosses, i also keep my two bareMinerals gen nude products that i can't put down. From the whole drawer i would say my two favourites definitely have to be the bareMinerals far out gloss and the anastasia beverly hills gilded gloss, they are just stunning glosses to add on top of any nude lip combination.

♥

MY THREE GO-TO CONCEALERS

Hello everyone! Last month i kick started this little series on my blog, sharing with you my current "three go-to" products from a specific category. The posts from the series so far have been my three go-to travel friendly highlight palettes, my three go-to nude lip liners and finally my three go-to blushes, which you can catch up on by simply clicking on the post titles. This month i have found myself reaching for a couple of new concealers, which is nothing new for me seeing as i am a complete concealer junkie. So for this instalment i thought what better than to share with you, the three concealers that are my current go-to's.

maybelline fit me concealer in the shade 10 light

First up we have a concealer that i have loved for the longest time and a couple of months a go i decided to start using it again over my maybelline age rewind concealer, which i have also loved and used for years. I love this concealer as much as i love the matching foundation which is a lot, i love how full coverage yet hydrating/lightweight on the skin it is, the selling point for this concealer for me is how effortless it is to blend out and it is completely crease-proof. I have also mentioned how this is a great alternative to the nars radiant creamy concealer, but this will only set you back £5.99.

morphe brushes concealer in the shade oats

So this is a concealer that i only tried out for the first time recently, i also mentioned it in my recent what i use to fill in my brows post, as i use it to carve out/clean up my brows. I had mentioned in that post how i had heard so many mixed reviews on the concealer, that the only way to find out was to give it a try myself and i am so glad because i love it! I love me a more yellow based/under-toned concealer, to brighten up the under-eye area and the shade oats is perfect for that. What i will say is this concealer isn't as hydrating at the maybelline fit me concealer is, but it is still hydrating and doesn't crease under my eyes at all. This concealer is a complete bargain for only £5 and if you are from the uk, you can pick it up on beautybay.com.

nip+fab high coverage matte concealer in the shade 15

Finally we have this concealer from the new nip+fab makeup range, which i have been trying out a few things from this month and i will be sharing my thoughts in a post later on in the week, so stay tuned for that. Firstly if you have tried the ever so famous l.a girl pro conceal hd concealer, then this concealer is such a dupe for that, everything from it's formula to it's brush applicator in a squeeze-y tube. This concealer is super high coverage, yet creamy/not drying on the under-eyes which high coverage products can do. The only thing i would change about this concealer is that i would make it slightly more yellow toned, but  that is just my personal preference. What i will say though is for only £8.95 it is definitely a must-try affordable concealer. 

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UPDATED MAKEUP WISHLIST

Hello everyone! How is that it either goes one of two ways in the world of makeup, you are either not lusting after anything or you are lusting after everything? My case just recently is that i am lusting after pretty much everything, so much so i feel like i need to share an updated wishlist post even though i only shared a two part special with you all last month, which consisted of a makeup edition and a skincare edition.

1. urban decay optical illusion complexion primer

So i believe this is a new product from urban decay, i well i know it has just been released here in the uk and i am so intrigued by it, but i have heard a couple of huge differences in opinions about this product. Putting that aside this is a product that i feel i would like, as i am all about the flawless looking base and products that help you achieve just that. I also believe that this particular product comes in three different finishes, the optical illusion, the self-adjusting and the de-slick.

2. bareMinerals invisible bronze bronzer in the shade medium

I have mentioned in several posts that i am really enjoying makeup from bareMinerals at the moment, especially their gen nude lip products. This particular bronzer has been on my to buy list for quite a while, but there is one problem it is forever out of stock in the shade i want to get and it is so frustrating because i feel like this bronzer would look stunning, even more so in the summer time.

3. huda beauty 3D higlight palette in the golden sands edition

This is probably one of those products that is going to be super hard to get a hold of, as if you follow huda on snapchat you will have seen how insanely beautiful the swatches/formula these highlighter palettes are. There is two different editions of the unique buttery formulated strobe/illuminating palettes, the pink sands edition and the one i am lusting after the golden sands edition.  

4. zoeva sweet glamour blush palette

I have mentioned so many times in the past that i was never a huge blush fan/collector but, oh boy how times of changed and now i find myself always lusting after some form of blush palette. That being said one of my favourite brand of blushes are by zoeva, i already have a few of the luxe color blushes, the pink spectrum palette and the rose golden palette. So naturally i am going to lust after whatever one they release next and can i just say how stunning is the sweet glamour palette packaging?

5. mac cosmetics lipglass in the shade signs of spring

First of all just recently i have been loving a glossy finish to whatever nude lip look i am going for on that day. I also recently picked up a sized to go gloss in the shade clear water from mac, which i love and is super handy to have in your handbag. That being said there is still quite a few different shades in the lipglass collection that i have my eye one, especially the shade signs of spring.

6. iconic london limited edition illumination in the shade original

So i have seen quite a few people on instagram/youtube use these particular illumination drops from iconic london and i have always thought wow they look stunning. Now that i really got into using more cream/liquid highlighters these drops have firmly made their way onto the wishlist, i love the look of the shade original as it is champagne toned with golden shimmer and i am all about the gold/bronze toned highlighters.

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OFFICE/DESK FINDS: STATIONERY/DECOR

Hello everyone! A couple of weeks a go i shared a post talking about dressing table essentials that won't break the bank, i also mentioned the fact that my dressing table also doubles up as my desk/work space. So with that in mind for today's post i thought i would do a part two to the essentials post, this time sharing some great office desk/stationery finds from organising to decorative items.

1. typo gold acrylic stapler was £20 now £12

2. john lewis rose gold magazine file £15

3. sass & belle stargazer unicorn trinket dish £7.19

4. paperchase rose gold paperclips £2.50

5. typo rose gold eiffel scissors (also available in gold) £8

6. paperchase rose gold hb pencils (set of 5) £3

7. asos x ohh deer big dreams notebook £4.95

8. paperchase rose gold binder clips (pack of 24) £2.50

9. etsy fresh and modern color mouse pad £9.86

10. john lewis gold stripe mug £5

11. john lewis rose gold pen pot £8.50 

12. etsy ooh la la print french quote £5

13. etsy eiffel tower print £4.50

14.next large coral ranunculus jar £10

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COLLECTIVE BEAUTY HAUL

Hey guys, i hope you are all having a great day whatever you are up to! Over the last week or so i have made a few beauty purchases and for today's post i thought i would share with you what i have bought. I finally made an order from Makeup Revolution, i have been wanting to try some of their products out for the longest time as i have heard such great things about the brand. So if you want to find out what i have been buying then please keep reading...

All items listed below in order of image:

Zoella Beauty Makeup Bag - £8 Feel Unique

Barry M Nail Paints - £2.99each Boots

(From left to right: Vintage Violet, Nightshade, Ballerina).

Makeup Revolution:

Awesome Metals Foil Finish in the shade Rose Gold - £4

Run Boy Run 18 Eyeshadow Palette - £6

Blushes - £1each

(From left to right: Sugar, Now!).

Vivid Baked Highlighter in the shade Golden Lights - £3

Lipsticks -£1each

(From top to bottom: Black Heart, Vamp, Rebel with Cause).

I am super excited to give all these products a try, have you tried anything out from Makeup Revolution before and if so what?

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WHAT I ATE WEDNESDAY

Today i had something a little different than i have usually been having. Quaker Oats so Simple Porridge topped with Currants and Cinnamon. To drink i had a cup of tea rather than a coffee.

For lunch i had a Ciabatta Roll with Turkey and Chili Sauce, whilst on the laptop obviously.

For a mid afternoon snack i have been obsessed with having these, the Go Ahead Chocolate Thins Orange. They are so good, if you haven't tried them already you need to go ahead and do so (ha ha i made a joke).

For dinner surprise, surprise i had pasta again. This is Rigatoni with Meatballs and a Tomato Sauce, the recipe is from the Hairy Dieters book SO GOOD!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Hairy-Dieters-Love-Weight/dp/0297869051

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NON BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Hey guys, i hope you've all had a great week. So yesterday i was sat thinking what post i could do for you all next which was different. I had noticed that a couple of other bloggers doing "non beauty favourites" posts and thought i would give it a go and share with you a few of my non beauty related favourites that i am loving at the moment...

I had mentioned in a previous blog post about these particular sandals what i had bought from New Look and said that i was tempted to buy them in more colours which i did (white, shown here and also gold). Flat sandals are my favourite thing to wear in summer as they are really comfortable and go with so many different outfits as well as giving a plain outfit a pop of colour.

Check out my blog post related to the New Look Sandals:

http://katiebeautyshake.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/springsummer-accessories-peachy-shades.html

Soy Milk is one of my favourite things to have in either porridge, smoothies, with cereal or even just on its own. I don't have many dairy products in my day to day diet anymore as i was finding it really didn't agree with me so i switched to alternative non dairy products. 

Talking of not having many dairy products anymore i do still have chocolate from time to time ha ha. My favourite type is White Chocolate, especially Milkybar Buttons. When in conversation about favourite types of chocolate a lot of people don't actually like it but i suppose with anything you either like it or you don't.

  

Yankee Candle's are by far the best candles in my opinion and i think i have an un-healthy obsession with buying them, i always have to have a back up candle. I have currently just used up a large jar of the Beach Flowers fragrance and now i am on to my back up one which is a small jar of Clean Cotton. When buying candles the main type of scent i tend to go for is anything clean smelling, there is nothing better!

My Kindle HD Fire is by far is one of the best investments i have ever made. I love reading books but they just take up too much room, so by having one of these it allows me to keep them all in one place. I read so many different genres of books but my favourite has got to be anything with a romantic story line as i am such a sucker for a love story. At the moment i am currently reading In Search of a Love Story by Rachel Schurig, this is the first book in a series of three books and i am really enjoying it. With books i think you know within the first few pages whether its for you or not.

Finally my last favourite at the moment is Sam Smith. I am obsessed with this album "In The Lonely Hour", his voice is just perfection and is so easy listening. I am always listening to so much different music as i am obsessed with music and can't go a day without listening to it.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about some of my favourite non beauty items and i hope you all have a fantastic weekend whatever you have planned!

SPRING/SUMMER ACCESSORIES: PEACHY SHADES

Hey guys! One of my favourite colours to wear when it comes to spring/summer is anything peach coloured, coral or even just pure orange. So i thought i would share with you a few of my favourite accessories and beauty items...

Firstly i thought i would show you some of my "go to" beauty items...

Benefit Coralista Blush - £23.50

This is just the most perfect blush for spring/summer as if gives you that perfect peachy glow.

The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Butter - £13

If you love peachy scents as much as the colour then you will love this. This particular scent is new in at The Body Shop and i am totally hooked, i have it in the body butter, shower gel and body mist!

No7 High Shine Lip Gloss (Coral Kiss) - £9

This is my favourite peachy/coral lip gloss that i have in my collection, it is the most perfect shade for the time of year. What i love about the high shine lip glosses is that they are really glossy looking but not sticky.

Revlon Lip Butter (Juicy Papaya) - £7.99

The lip butters are such an amazing thing to wear during the late spring/summer months because they are so light wearing, you get that colour pay off and your lips still feel hydrated.

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Polish (Papaya) - £3.99

This nail polish has got to be in my top 5 of all time in my nail polish collection, i am just obsessed with this colour. The great thing about the gelly nail polishes is that they are so long wearing.

Models Own Nail Polish (Fuzzy Peach) - £5

I have always been a fan of Models Own nail polishes as they are another brand that make the nail polishes so long wearing, it is so similar to the Barry M one but maybe a shade darker.

Anther great way to wear this pop of colour is with a great pair of flat sandals. I have been looking for a while now for a new pair of sandals as i usually just get them from Primark as they are cheap and it doesn't matter too much if they get damaged during the summer months, a lot of the sandals in Primark are around the £10 mark now but then i spotted these New Look ones on ASOS and they were a bargain at £7.99, they also do them in white and lilac (which i am also tempted to buy).

Another way to add a pop of colour is with jewelry, it can add a little something extra to a plain outfit like these rose gold bracelet set from River Island and are pretty inexpensive at £10 for the set. If you didn't want to wear multiple items you could just go for one single bracelet with the pop of peach colour, i think this bracelet was from Primark so again pretty inexpensive.

What is your favourite colour to wear at this time of year?