MUSIC AT THE MOMENT: MY GO-TO SONGS ON SPOTIFY

Hello everyone! So it has been a couple of months now since i last shared some of my go-to songs on Spotify, in the form of a music at the moment post. I kind of went through a stage where i wasn't really loving anything new that was released, until recently where i feel like everyone is releasing new music for the summer. With that in mind for today's post i thought i would share with you some of my current go-to songs/albums on Spotify...

click on the track title to play on Spotify -

1. good man (deluxe album) - ne-yo 

(favourite songs: hotbox feat. eric bellinger, on ur mind feat. partynextdoor)

2. we can - kranium feat. tory lanez

3. the light - jeremih feat. ty dolla $ign

4. scorpian (album) - drake

(favourite songs: after dark feat. static major + ty dolla $ign, emotionless)

5. dirty dancin' - eric bellinger feat. ne-yo

6. pull up (skrrt) - mandia feat. eric bellinger

7. wouldn't leave - kanye west feat. partynextdoor

8. ghost town - kayne west feat. partynextdoor

9. 4275 (album) - jacquees

(favourite songs: inside feat. trey songz, special feat. jagged edge, all of my life)

10. turn the lights on - car*LA

11. focus remix - H.E.R feat. chris brown

12. all night - rayven justice

13. go crazy - rayven justice feat. eric bellinger

14. neither do i - stwo feat. jeremih

15. get home - JR castro feat. kid ink + quavo

16. rough drafts, pt. 1 (album) - trevor jackson

(favourite songs: right now, apocalypse, night time)

17. eazy call (album) - eric bellinger

(favourite songs: not a love song, main thang, dirty dancin, she, g.o.a.t 2.0)

18. temperature - devvon terrell

19. talk to me (with rich the kid) - tory lanez

20. you different - devvon terrell

 

Catch up on my previous post HERE...

xo.

MID-MONTH FAVOURITES | TV SHOWS + BOOKS

Hello everyone! I know it doesn't seem all that long ago that i shared a few of my current more lifestyle favourites, in my may beauty + lifestyle favourites post but over the past few weeks/June so far i have been loving so many different more lifestyle things. That being said for today's post i thought i would share a handful of my current favourite binge-worthy tv shows and books...

love island | netflix | itv hub |

First things first, i had to mention the show that pretty much the whole of the UK (me included) are talking/thinking about all of the time. If you aren't familiar with the set up of the show, it is basically singles both men and women, living in a villa and hoping to find love, with a little help with everyone at home deciding who stays and who goes. This reality TV show is so addictive and if you haven't indulged in the show before, i highly recommend catching up from season one/two on Netflix or if you are yet to watch season three you can catch up on the season so far on the ITV hub. 

bulletproof | sky one |

So i actually briefly mentioned this show in my May beauty and lifestyle favourites post, but i didn't go into too much detail. If you are a huge fan of the police drama Lethal Weapon from the US, then you are definitely going to love this as it is basically an English version of the show and as well as having a serious crime story line each week, it also has an hilarious comedy element to it. The show is a mixture of a partner/friendship and conspiracies. Bulletproof is currently on Tuesday's at 9PM on Sky One, but you can binge watch all six episodes so far.

desperate housewives | virgin |
A show that i have started re-watching now it is on Virgin Box sets/on demand is Desperate Housewives, this show used to be one of my all time favourite shows way back when it was first aired. If you never watches it first time around i highly recommend that you do, it is a show that is full of mystery and drama that never gets old no matter how many times you re-watch it.

the ruthless gentleman by Louise Bay | amazon |
So first up on the book favourites is this one by Louise Bay, which happened to be the first book i had ever read by this author and i wasn't sure what to expect. I went in thinking i wasn't going to enjoy this book, as i was still suffering from a slight book hangover after the cliffhanger that the controversial princess and i surprised at how i couldn't put it down. The way this contemporary romance novel was written just flowed so easily and had you captivated with the chemistry between the two characters, i also liked how the way it was written actually made me feel like i was sat on a boat whilst reading it. I will definitely be reading something from her again!

driven by K.Bromberg | amazon |
This book is actually my current read but is one i was literally hooked on from the start, as it started super full-on rather than a build up to the meeting of the two characters. This is also a book from an author that i have never read anything from and i probably wouldn't of ever discovered her books, if it wasn't for this book in-particular being turned into a movie for Passionflix. As i mentioned in my books i want to read post, i am one of those people who likes to read the book before the movie so that is exactly what i am doing. Once i have finished book one i will definitely share more of my thoughts on the story and i am so glad there is 5 books in the driven series.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

xo.

MAY FAVOURITES | BEAUTY + LIFESTYLE

Hello everyone! It is that time of the month again and when i say time of the month i mean, monthly favourites. I honestly can't believe how fast this month has gone, i swear it was the beginning of the month just last week? yet somehow we are in June in just a couple of days and i don't know if that upsets me or makes me happy because it is my birthday month. Putting that to the back of my mind for now, this month i didn't a whole lot of new beauty favourites so i thought i would do another combined favourites of both beauty and lifestyle...

topshop onara lattice white cross body bag

So first up we have this super cute small cross body bag which i picked up a few weeks ago from Toshop (currently has £10 off) and i actually featured it in my recent how to update your wardrobe for summer on a budget post. I am obsessed with this style of bag and the white is perfect for summer yet it goes with so many different coloured outfits. What i love the most about this bag is even though it is a "see-through" style bag with its lattice design, it also has a zip section in the middle to hide your money, cards etc.

good grain high fibre puffed wheat

As i mentioned in my previous post, i like to switch my breakfast up pretty much everyday and rotate what i am having, just so i don't get bored of having the same thing over and over again. So on the days when i just want something quick that isn't overnight oats, i have been loving having some of this puffed wheat with some almond milk and a drizzle of honey. If you are a 90's kid or you grew up around the cereal "sugar puffs" this is basically the healthy version of those and so low in calories/sugar/fat yet super high in fibre.

palmer's cocoa butter natural bronze tan lotion

In my eight products to keep you smelling beach-y this summer post i talked about a bunch of different Palmer's products that i love and i also mentioned how i had recently switched up the everyday tan lotion from what i usually use. I feel like this natural bronze tan from the brand lasts longer/looks fresher longer, as well as it being easier to apply to a mitt as it has a pump top. Another thing i love about this tan is that it smells so good with the original cocoa butter scent, as well as keeping my skin super hydrated. 

primark bronze + glow bronzer/highlighter butter duo

The two makeup items that i have been reaching for this month different to past months are a bronzer and highlighting face/body butter both from Primark (first impression linked). Since we are now coming into the summer months i have been loving the whole bronzed up skin with a natural/dewy highlighted look and these two products used together do just that.

the controversial princess by jodi ellen malpas

So i am currently suffering from a serious book hangover because i read the whole of this new book release within days of it being released, as i was just so hooked, so fast just like i always seem to be when Jodi releases a new book and that is probably why she is one of my favourite authors. I know i have a bunch of other books on my to-read list which i did do a post on recently here but i still can't wait for August for the next instalment. 

tv show favourites

Finally we have TV show favourites and i actually have a few different shows that i have been enjoying this month, a couple of regulars and a couple of new shows. This month has been leading up to the end of the current season of Grey's Anatomy, which has been my favourite show for years but with a couple of the main cast members leaving it has been a gripping yet emotion few episodes and i have loved every single one. Sticking with the similar show theme i have also been loving Station 19, which i had saved a few episodes back to binge watch. Finally a new show that i have been loving is called Bulletproof on Sky One, if you love police/crime/action tv shows you will love this and i especially love the whole banter/comedy elements between the two main cast. 

Catch up on a similar post HERE...

xo.

APRIL FAVOURITES | BEAUTY

Hello everyone! Here we are yet again at the end of another month, about to say hello to another as well as keeping our fingers crossed and saying goodbye to April showers. With that in mind for today's post i thought i would share with you a selection of my favourite beauty items from this month...

1. revolution brow tint in the shade dark brown

First up, earlier this month i shared a five makeup favourites for £5 and under post and i mentioned how i after giving it a go for the first time, i was left wondering why i hadn't tried it before. This brow tint is literally a brow time saver/game changer for me, as you literally paint it on like you are filling in your brows, leave it on for up to two hours before peeling off and you are left with perfectly done brows for up to three days!

2. c.y.o matte an eyelid eyeshadow in the shade deep thought

This is actually another item from that same post i mentioned above, which is an eyeshadow that has become an everyday favourite of mine and is the perfect dupe for a favourite warm matte brown eyeshadow of mine that i have almost ran out of. This brand is new to the UK and you can pick them up in most Boots stores and online, this eyeshadow was a bargain at just £3.50 and it is super pigmented, easy to blend out without any fall-out.

3. essie nail colour in the shade spin the bottle + next rose gold glitter polish

Next up is two nail polishes that have definitely been my nails and toe nails combination of choice this month, especially now we have had a handful of opportunities to wear sandals this month. I have mentioned in so many posts through the years on how Spin The Bottle from Essie is my favourite nail polish, as nude nails are my thing. That being said i have been loving switching things up by adding in a couple of accent nails using this Rose Gold Glitter polish from Next, which just adds a new level of sass to your manicure. 

4. maybelline master chrome highlighter in the shade molten gold

This favourite is actually one that i forgot to mention in last months monthly favourites post, that being said i did mention it in my affordable/drugstore go-to flawless/glow-y base makeup post. Sometimes drugstore highlighters can be hit and miss, some are good and some are not as good but this one is definitely high-end level. If you are into the whole glowing from space highlighted look, then this highlighter is for you. It actually really reminds me of the ever so famous Laura Geller Gilded Honey highlighter but half the price, twice as big and actually more pigmented, which is crazy because that is pigmented!

5. l'oréal elvive dream lengths restoring shampoo

Finally i have really been enjoying reaching for this shampoo this month, which i decided to try-out since i know how much i love the No Haircut cream and i use that religiously whenever i have washed my hair. Since using this shampoo/conditioner and then the No Haircut cream, i have noticed a huge difference in my hair as it is stays cleaner looking longer, super silky soft and a lot healthier. I would of never of said that a product would be able to help prevent split ends but this one does just that. 

Catch up on my books i want to read in 2018 part two post HERE...

xo.

MARCH FAVOURITES | BEAUTY + LIFESTYLE

Hello everyone! Finally, finally, finally we are officially in Spring, which hopefully means we are going to be getting some warmer weather some time soon. Putting that a side i still can't believe that we are about to say goodbye to another month, i'm pretty sure it was new year's five minutes ago. This month as i haven't got all that many beauty and lifestyle favourites to do individual posts, so i thought i would switch things up and combine the two..

mario badescu facial spray

So i have been wanting to try something else out from Mario Badescu, after discovering my love for the drying lotion and i had actually seen a fair few people talking about/using the facial spray, so i decided to give it a go myself. The facial spray comes in three different fragrances, aloe herbs and rose water (which i have), aloe chamomile and lavender and then also aloe cucumber and green tea. This spray leaves your skin feeling refreshed and hydrated without completely wetting your face through, how some facial sprays do. I love how pretty affordable the products are for a more "high-end" brand, as this facial spray for the large 236ml one it is only £11 and the MAC ones cost anything from £12 for the small one and £19 for only 100ml of product.

makeup revolution fast base foundation stick

Next up is the foundation that i have been reaching for pretty much every single day since i first tried it, which i didn't think that would of ever been the case. I have never found that stick foundations work for my normal/slightly dry skin-type but this one works so well and lasts all day long, whilst still looking flawlessly applied. Usually when you are using a stick foundation you have to use a brush to blend it out, which i am not a fan of doing but this foundation blends out flawlessly with a beauty blender. (foundation review post)

morphe bamboo color pencil + anastasia beverly hills gilded lip gloss

Last but not least for the beauty favourites this month, is actually a lip combination that i discovered i love only last week and it is literally just lip liner and gloss - super simple. I finally picked up some of the Morphe Lip Liners from BeautyBay recently and i love them, they are super pigmented, creamy and easy to work with. This shade bamboo is the most beautiful "soft sand" almost light beige nude shade and when applied all over the lips and then topped with a little of golden shimmer gloss from ABH, it looks simply stunning and i am obsessed!

with this man by jodi ellen malpas

I had mentioned in a recent things to binge on in the evenings/weekend post that i had been binge re-reading one of my favourite series of books called This Man, before the release of the all new book and that day came last week. Of course as soon as it was delivered to my door, all my plans for the evening was cancelled to start reading it. Once again Jodi has done an amazing job of captivating you and sucking you back in to all things Jesse and i simply can't put it down, which i am actually amazed i have managed to read properly as from Chapter six on-wards i couldn't stop being tear-y. Talk about a book filled of all the feels and emotions!

the matchmaker's playbook movie

Sticking with the whole romance theme, this time a book turned movie bought to you via Passionflix a service that i have spoken about before. This was also a new release this month and i was super excited to watch it, as i have loved every other movie they have released and i was not disappointed so much so i have seen the movie twice now! I also believe that this movie is going to have a sequel to it, which i can't wait for and i might have to indulge in the book series before this happens (which i have done now with a couple of the movies). 

Catch up on a similar themed post HERE...

xo.

BEAUTY FAVOURITES | FEBRUARY

Hello everyone and welcome to the final post for the month of February! In my previous post i talked all about my more lifestyle favourites from the month, so i thought for today's instalment i would share the beauty products i have been loving this month. It is true what they say that even though February is only a few days shorter, it does make all the difference therefor i don't have a huge amount of new products to chat about...

johnson's makeup be gone moisturising face wipes

The first one is actually a fairly boring one, as it is just face wipes but that being said i finally tried a different type of face wipe other than the Nivea exfoliating wipes. The reason for this being is i was totally out of my stash, so i picked these up in Tesco as they don't stock the Nivea ones. I actually didn't expect to like them but i really do, i have tried a different pack from Johnson's before but these are so much better because they remove all service makeup quickly and leaves your skin feeling super hydrated. I always like to use a makeup wipe, before going in with my cleanser. 

zoeva matte eyeshadow palette

So i actually first tried this eyeshadow palette out a couple of months ago, as i got it as a gift for Christmas after lusting over it for a while because let's face it the shades in this palette are me. That being said i haven't been reaching for eyeshadow all that often, especially day to day as i will usually just use some bronzer for quick. On the days/night that i did make more of an effort though, i have been reaching and loving using this palette. The shadows are pigmented, easy to blend and apply evenly which is why i always recommend Zoeva palettes to people and they aren't going to break the bank either.

mua amplify statement lash black mascara 

I actually first mentioned this mascara that i have been reaching for a lot recently in my quick, easy + affordable weekend no makeup, makeup look post and in that post i mentioned how much of a creature of habit i am when it comes to mascara, yet this one completely took me by surprise. I love so many products from MUA but i have never tried their mascara's and seeing as it was only £3, i didn't expect anything from it but it does everything to my lashes, lengthens, leaves a voluminous finish and doesn't apply clumpy or transfer.  

mac cosmetics lip liner pencil in the shade spice, nip+fab makeup matte liquid lipstick in the shade biscuit +

 morphe liquid lipstick in the shade sweets

Finally we have my favourite lip combination of the month and is one i have pretty much been wearing non stop. I actually mentioned how much i loved the way Spice lip liner looks paired with a lot of different nude lip products applied on top but especially the Nip+Fab liquid lipstick in the shade Biscuit, in my recent go-to brown/nude lip liners post. This combination is just the perfect warm/brown-beige nude lip with a matte finish. That being said if i am feeling something slightly more pinkish-toned nude then i will go in with Sweets liquid lipstick from Morphe, which was from their holiday collection.

See you in March (Spring is finally on its way yay)!!!

xo.

MUSIC, TV, BOOKS + FASHION AT THE MOMENT | NON-BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Hello everyone! So last month (well last year now) i shared my first non-beauty favourites post in the longest time, which you can catch up on here if you haven't done so already. Seeing as it is a new year there is a lot of new things that i am loving non-beauty related, as well as a lot of things i am looking forward to that i already know will be favourites of mine from, tv to movies, books, music and fashion.

| music favourites | spotify links |
| heartbreak on a full moon - chris brown (album) | the space between - majid jordan (album) | for you (fifty shades freed) - liam payne + rita ora | beach house 3 - ty dolla $ign (album) | finesse (remix) - bruno mars feat. cardi b | william singe covers (playlist) | think about me - dvsn | code blue (fifty shades darker) - the-dream | alone - jesse ware | aura ii ep - elhae |  sex in the city - elliott trent | it's yo birthday - the-dream | h.e.r. volume 2 - h.e.r. (album) | 

| tv favourites | friends (netflix uk) |

This is an obvious favourite ever since January 1st, just like the majority of people in the UK with a Netflix subscription and that is binge watching Friends for the 1083483050th time. The thing that makes it different is you can simply pick and choose now the time and what episode you want to watch. I think Friends will forever be one of those shows you can watch over and over again without getting bored/still always find it hilarious.

| tv favourites | celebrity big brother (channel 5) |
Another TV show i have been watching religiously every night is Big Brother, well Celebrity Big Brother which is something i haven't stuck to watching for some time now and i usually just watch the launch and that is it. That being said i am loving this series, as they have switched things up slightly dedicating it to "the year of the woman" and celebrate the 100 years since women won the right to vote.

| book favourites | darker: fifty shades darker as told by christian |

If you have been reading my posts for a while then you will already know that i have been such a fan of all things Fifty Shades, ever since E L James first released the books and of course now the movies to match. Another thing she has also released is two of the three books, told from Christian's perspective of things and i have finally just got around to starting Darker (which has been so annoying as i have had it sat there ever since it was released at the end of November). Just like i knew i would be i am completely obsessed with it, because Fifty Shades Darker was my favourite book of the three and favourite out of the two movies so far. I am also so excited for the third movie coming out next month and the tickets have been booked for a girls night at the cinema.

| fashion favourites | my january must-buys (post link) |
So at the beginning of the month i shared a post filled with all of my must-buys for the month of January, which included quite a few of the items that i had recently picked up. Three of the items included in that post have become everyday favourites of mine, from the bargain sale DKNY wallet i picked up from House of Fraser to the Chanel Boy bag dupe from Shein and now that has become my everyday purse/bag combination. I have also been obsessing over these bargain detailed block heel ankle boots from Dorothy Perkins, which were a bargain £12 instead of £45, i can't wait to wear these (preferably when it isn't a rainy day).

Catch up on my previous current non-beauty favourites post HERE...

xo.

2017 BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Hello everyone! This past year i have tried so many different products, some i have loved and some i have not loved so much, with that in mind and now that we are into a new year i thought it would be the perfect time to share a selection of my favourite beauty products from the whole of 2017.

mac pro longwear lip pencil in the shade oh honey!

I have used this lip liner so much ever since i first picked it up earlier in the year, so much so it is pretty much a tiny stump now ha ha. It is one of those nude lip liners that will go with pretty much any other nude that you pair it with. I also love this pro longwear formula even more than the original formula, as it is so much more creamy in texture and obviously lasts longer on the lips.

bareMinerals gen nude buttercream lip gloss in the shade far out

Just like the lip liner this is pretty much my most used lip gloss for the same reason as the lip liner, as it is one of those toppers that goes with any nude. These gen nude lip glosses from bareMinerals come in such a wide range of different nudes but this one by far is my favourite, as it is the most perfect pink/beige nude with golden shimmer through-out it.

dose of colors bake browns eyeshadow palette

When it comes down to eyeshadows and palettes i always opt for the warm neutral brown-ish shades, which won't come as a shock (just like a nude lip it is my thing/go-to) and out of all the eyeshadows and palettes i have bought and used this year, this palette by far is my favourite. I use two particular shades on a daily basis (deserted and outdoorsy), i even did a full first impression and review post all about this palette which you can catch up on here if you haven't done so already.

nuxe huile prodigieuse multi-usage dry oil

This particular product from NUXE has been one of those that i have wanted to try for the longest time, but never got around to and then a few months a go i finally did. Ever since then i have never looked back, in fact it has ended up being my favourite skincare product from the whole year. This particular oil is another product that i have a full first impressions/review post on, which you can catch up on here.

zoeva the basic moment blush palette

I have mentioned these little travel friendly blush palettes by Zoeva on so many occasions, as they are some of my favourite palettes and this particular one is my new favourite from 2017. The bronzer/contour shade is the perfect tone as it is not too cool or too warm, the blush is a subtle light pink shade but the show stopper of the palette is the fine-milled golden shimmery highlighter and is one i reach for on a regular basis.

bareMinerals invisible bronze medium bronzing powder 

Sticking with the something i reach for on a regular basis, in fact i think i have used this bronzer every day since i finally got my hands on one. I had wanted the medium shade for so long and it was always out of stock, but it was well worth the wait and doesn't disappoint. The bronzer applies flawlessly and lasts all day long. 

barry m liquid chrome highlighter

2017 for me was the year that i really got into trying/using liquid highlighters, as before then i was too scared (along side liquid or cream bronzers). That being said ever since getting over that initial fear, i became obsessed and out of all of the ones i have tried this one from barryM has to be my favourite and you can find out why in my full review/first impression post here.

Happy New Year Everyone!

xo.

CURRENT NON-BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Hello everyone! It came to my attention the other day that it has been a hot minute since i last did a non-beauty related favourites post, talking all things non beauty related obviously. Seeing as it is December i am loving a whole bunch of different festive related things like food, music and tv/movies, as well as a few fashion favourites. With that in mind for today's post i thought i would share my current non-beauty favourites.

| fashion favourites | miss selfridge checked scarf (similar linked) |

During "Black Friday" week i picked up this scarf (shown in image) in House of Fraser, i was looking to stock up on a few different scarves for the winter months anyway but when i spotted this particular one, i just couldn't leave it in the shop. I love all the different shades of pinks, with the slight blue and yellow accents as i don't really have anything like this in my wardrobe. It was also such a bargain, as it was £8 down from £16.

| fashion favourites | prettylittlething + boohoo |

For clothing at the moment i have really been loving both pretty little thing and boohoo also, they both have so many great knitwear pieces, coats/jackets and especially this boohoo faux fur gilet. I love faux fur jackets/gilet's, as they can add a little something extra to a plain outfit during the cold months. I also have a similar black faux fur gilet that i have been wearing again, which i picked up last winter from pretty little thing.

| music favourites | mariah carey merry christmas (spotify link) |

So towards the end of November and during the whole of December, the majority of music that i have playing on my Spotify is Christmas music and of course the most played album the same as every year is Mariah Carey's classic Merry Christmas album. I also love all the classics pretty much the same as every year, Spotify have some really great festive playlists under the Seasons Greetings genre.

| movie favourites | christmas movies (netflix link) |

Just like with music, from November right up until January i am constantly watching Christmas movies as they are just the best aren't they? I love how feel good a lot of them are and the Christmas24 channel is constantly playing on the TV, as i love the tv Christmas movies the best and the classics of course. Netflix also have a bunch of new festive films which have been recently added, along side a few other channels. If you want to know a huge list of some of my favourite Christmas movies, then tweet me @iamkatiee_ and i will do a separate post.

| food + drink favourites |

Is it just me of does anyone else use the whole of December as an excuse to nibble on something naughty more than usual? by saying "ok seeing as it is Christmas" ha! With that in mind at the moment food-wise i am living for all of the sweet treat snacks, especially mince pies, terry's chocolate orange (these popping candy ones are amazing) and also white chocolate covered oreo's, which are the best thing in the whole world anyway. Drink-wise which i have mentioned in a different post, i am living for the Starbucks festive drinks made with soy milk.

Catch up on last weeks blog post instalments...

| winter wonderland | christmas homeware picks | quick no makeup, makeup |

xo. 

FIVE AFFORDABLE NOVEMBER FAVOURITES

Hello everyone! I swear this month has gone by with a blink and December is just a few days away now. With that in mind for today's post i thought why not do a spin on last months monthly favourites spin, which was five october favourites from superdrug. That being said this months affordable favourites products can all be purchased at Superdrug, except for one.

 brush techniques makeup brush cleansing spray

First of all i thought i would start with the only item that you can't get at Superdrug and it is this makeup brush cleanser that i randomly picked up from Home Bargains of all places. I didn't expect anything from this as it was only £1 (what a bargain) but that being said my trusty baby shampoo costs the same. It works in the exact same way as higher end/more expensive brush cleaners do, if not better than some i have tried and is great for those in-between brush cleaning days.

mua prism strobe cream in the shade golden ray

Next up is a product that i first featured in a huge mua highlighter haul and probably my favourite thing from that haul, as i have been reaching for it every single day pretty much since first trying it out. If you are a fan of MAC's strobe cream, then this is the perfect affordable dupe for it and to be honest i think i actually love this one more now. Ever since using this as a base underneath my makeup, i have had so many compliments on how healthy/glowing my makeup looks.

batiste naughty dry shampoo

Kind of a boring one that we all probably know everything about, as the majority of the time our hair is probably 75% dry shampoo am i right? That being said i recently picked up a different scent, which i think might be new and i really like the scent over all of the others that i have tried before. Batiste is probably one of the best dry shampoos i have used, which is probably why it is the UK's number one best selling dry shampoo as it never lets me down when i need some serious hair help.

maybelline x gigi west coast strobing liquid gold

The last couple of products are both from the Maybelline x Gigi Hadid collection, which first of all can we take a moment to appreciate how beautiful this packaging is! The first product i have been loving from the collection is this strobing liquid gold, which is kind of a similar product to the MUA one i shared above but this one is slightly deeper in colour but still equally as beautiful. This can be used either underneath foundation, mixed into foundation or simply applied to the highest points of the face and blended out.

maybelline x gigi east coast lip kit in the shade mccall

Just like the strobing liquid gold and the rest of the collection, the lip kits packaging is equally as beautiful with its pale nude-pink matte packaging with holographic writing. The formula of both the lip liner and lipstick in the lip kits are super creamy yet pigmented and not to mention hydrating on the lips. My favourite lip kit shade is McCall, which not only reminds me of Scott from Teen Wolf but also shock horror it is the pale nude-pink toned nude from the collection. 

Catch up on last weeks blog posts here:

six high-end products i probably couldn't live without | my favourite ways to find interior/decor inspo | black friday buys + discount codes | what i ate in a day 

xo. 

FIVE OCTOBER FAVOURITES FROM SUPERDRUG UNDER £5

Hello everyone! Can you honestly believe that come Wednesday, October will be over? It has also been a hot minute since i last did any form of "monthly favourites" post, i believe that last one was my end of summer favourites. With that in mind i thought i would do a little spin on a monthly favourites, by sharing with you five of my recent favourite purchases from Superdrug that all retail for under £5. Superdrug is pretty much my go-to to get the everyday essentials from shampoo, to toothpaste, makeup etc and i always tend to order them online as it is free (with a beautycard), the delivery is quick and you don't have to wait in the busy queues.

garnier ultimate blends maple and castor oil shampoo 

So i just had to start things off with probably my favourite of the bunch i am going to talk about, because it is a must have product this autumn to have in your shower. First of all how rare is it to see any form of autumnal hair/body product in the UK? This is why i got excited and because it is actually by one of my favourite brands for shampoo, which i have to thank for keeping my hair frizz-free this summer (ultimate blends review). The smell of this shampoo is simply beautiful, with its sweet but not too sweet maple syrup fragrance. This shampoo and conditioner retails for £2.50 half price each currently at Superdrug.

garnier ultimate blends marvellous oil hand cream

Sticking with the Garnier Ultimate Blends theme and a new hand cream i have been reaching for this month, because with the weather getting cooler i have found my hands getting dry easier and i need to give them some serious hydration. Ironically now me and both of my sisters are loving this hand cream, because of how instant after application this hand cream leaves your hands hydrated and it has a very luxurious feel/scent to it. I picked this up from Superdrug earlier in the month for only £2, but the full retail price is £3.99.

mua luxe powder brow definer in the shade dark brown

For the longest time i have always stuck to my trusty Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow pomade and not really bothered giving anything a try, because i just found that worked for me so well. Until recently that is anyway as started reaching for brow pencils more, i found myself buying a few to put to the test and this one being one of them. This is probably the perfect dupe for the brow definer by Anastasia Beverly Hills, as it is dual ended with one end having a spoolie and the other having that angled shape with the product. Although as i say "dual ended" it took me a while to figure out there was a third part to the pencil, with a thicker tip in the centre and when i discovered it i had one of those "oh that's why it says 3-in-1 brow".

t-zone charcoal and bamboo nose pore strips

So i have tried nose strips out by this brand before but it was a long time ago and they wasn't the charcoal bamboo ones, i think they was the normal strips. That being said i decided to pick some up from Superdrug a few weeks back, as for some reason my pores were quite blocked and i had a few more black heads appearing and honestly from the first use these were so effective. I know you can get some by Biore but honestly if you are thinking of giving charcoal nose strips a try, just go for these ones as they are so affordable at £3.99 for 6 and the Biore ones are almost £10 for the same amount.

nip+fab makeup matte liquid lipsticks
I have mentioned in so many posts before about my love for the liquid lipstick by Nip+Fab in the shade Tart, as it is one of my favourite go-to and the most perfect pale beige/pink toned nude shades. That being said this was the only shade i owned, so i decided to pick up a couple of other shades and they were such a bargain on offer for around £3 each rather than £7.95 (current offer £5 for beautycard members). The two shades i opted for are Toffee (brown/beige nude) and Biscuit (pink/mauve beige nude), which i think are both perfect for this time of year. The formula of these matte liquid lipsticks are super pigmented, long-wearing and comfortable to wear as they are enriched with shea butter and vitamin e.

Catch my perfect nude lip combination post HERE...

xo.

END OF SUMMER BEAUTY FAVOURITES

Hello everyone! Seeing as the end of August is near and summer is already drawing to a close, i thought why not do a little summer recap of all the beauty related products i have been loving over the summer. I have mixed feelings about summer being over so soon, as on one hand i love summer but i also love autumn equally as much, so it is very bitter-sweet. That being said i am super excited to start buying all the fall scented candles ha.

bareMinerals gen nude lip gloss in the shade far out

Kicking things off with the lip gloss i have been obsessed with through-out the whole of summer, it is literally one of those glosses you can pair a little amount with pretty much any nude lip. The shade is the most beautiful pink/beige toned nude with gold shimmer throughout, the formula is also super hydrating non-sticky and long lasting on the lips. The gen nude range from bareMinerals comes fully stocked in a huge variety of shades/finishes retailing for around the £17 mark.

dose of colors baked browns eyeshadow palette

So i actually did a full first impression/review post on this particular palette, which you can catch up on here if you haven't done so already. Ever since i first tried this palette out, i have not been able to put it down and even though i finally got my hands on the Urban Decay Naked Heat palette, i still keep going back to this one and even more so the shade deserted (sandy caramel beige), as it is literally the most perfect crease/all over lid shade for everyday. The texture/pigmentation of these shadows are insanely beautiful, soft and like to dream to blend out. Even though this palette is slightly pricey at £28 for only five eyeshadows, i personally think it is worth every penny and you can create so many different types of matte looks from the diversity of the palette.

l'oréal paradise extatic mascara in the shade black
When it comes down to mascara i have made it no secret that i am all for drugstore mascaras, especially if we are talking L'Oréal or Maybelline and in this case for the majority of the summer it has been L'Oréal's latest mascara launch. The think i am most obsessed with about this mascara is how it lengthens and adds volume to your lashes at the same time, which is quite rare as you usually get one or the other. I also did a full first impression/review post on this mascara, if you didn't catch it first time round catch it here.

garnier ultimate blends coconut water shampoo and conditioner
I am that girl who's hair goes all Monica from Friends frizzy when they go to Barbados in summer/if i don't use hair products designed to keep frizz at bay. This particular shampoo and conditioner duo from Garnier has been such a hair saviour for me, as it not only keeps my hair frizz free but it also keeps it super hydrated without being weighed down. I also love how this combination seems to keep my hair looking fresher for longer, than many others have done in the past.

l'oréal sublime bronze medium gradual self-tan

Summer isn't summer without something than/bronze related and towards the end of summer i decided to switch up my self-tanner from the regular one i use. I love how golden yet natural this tan looks on my skin, as well as giving that healthy looking glow from within and how it gradually gets darker over the days, for a longer looking tan. I first talked about this product in a recent new drugstore favourites, where i also talked about the #insta range by Rimmel and how much i have been loving pretty much the whole range, especially the medium duo contour stick and the translucent pressed powder. The L'Oréal sublime bronzer gradual self-tan retails for £6.99 and the Rimmer #Insta range products start from £4.99.

♥

MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE SETTING POWDERS

Hello everyone! Something i will always remember from when i started to wear makeup at around age fifteen-ish, is the first ever makeup purchase i made and it was the ever so still kind of famous stay matte powder by Rimmel. I believe i used to just use concealer, powder, a little mascara and lip balm back then as i was still at school. That being said fast-forward ten plus years to the place i am now, with multiple favourite setting powders and with that in mind, for today's post i thought i would share with you all my all time favourites.

rimmel stay matte pressed powder in the shade transparent

Kicking things off with the powder i was talking about in the beginning and the very powder that i wouldn't like to guess how many i have gone through over the years, yes you got it Rimmel stay matte. The texture of this powder is so silky soft, it does just what it claims to and minimises the appearance of any pores you might want to hide. If you are yet to try this powder, you can't really go wrong for £3.99 and it comes in six shades.

l'oréal infallible 24h matte powder in the shade warm vanilla 

So after years and years of sticking to the same Rimmel powder, i actually decided to branch out and try a different powder and this is the powder that took over and stole my heart. Yet again another powder that i have gone through so many of, yet again another powder that does what it claims to and is a great one for those scorching hot days. This powder retails for £5.99 and comes in three shades.

nyx hd finishing powder in the shade banana

As i became more confidant/more adventurous with my makeup, i started to learn what i liked from the base products i was using and one of the things was/still is a bright under-eye. Banana/more yellow toned powders are amazing for further achieving this, as well as a brightening concealer and this powder is one i also love in the translucent pressed and loose form too. For a "drugstore" powder this is slightly more on the price-y side at £9 but honestly i still think it is worth every penny. 

makeup revolution luxury banana powder

Sticking with the banana/brightening themed powders but this time a loose finely milled powder, that will make your under-eye area look super bright and almost air-brushed looking which is great if you are like me and some powders crease easily under your eyes. This particular product is such a dupe for the makeup worlds famous Ben Nye banana powder but only costing £5, which is a complete bargain as a little product goes a long way.

rcma no-colour powder

I picked up this powder towards the end of last year, after seeing so many people on YouTube rave about it and i was just like i need to see what the fuss is about (along side one i will get to soon). I honestly can't grip my head around how air-brushed this powder makes your make set, without adding any colour/flashback to the face. It is super soft and lightweight feeling on the skin, the only downside to it is that is is super messy so don't wear your best clothes when using it. This powder retails for £12 and also comes in a translucent form.

laura mercier translucent loose setting powder

As you could probably tell for the longest time i was team pressed powder all the way, but for the past year i tend to mainly reach for a loose powder now as there is just something about them. They always sit beautifully on the face and this one in-particular is just simply beautiful. It is so light-weight and luxury feeling, as well as being a great powder to bake with, which i am not keen on doing with the rcma no-colour powder. This powder is definitely the most expensive of the bunch retailing for £29 but a little product goes a long way again.

rimmel insta fix and matte translucent powder

This powder is one of two new powders new to the drugstore recently and i have actually been loving them both. The first is the insta fix and matte powder by Rimmel, which i thought was probably a new pimped up version of the stay matte but this one doesn't add any colour whatsoever, it just mattify's the skin with its light-weight pressed formula. Even though mine have all worn off, i also loved the cool touch of the hashtags in-printed on the powder. This powder retails for £4.99 and comes only in this translucent shade.

maybelline fit me matte and poreless powder in the shade translucent

Finally we have another new product to the drugstore recently and honestly there is a powder god out there somewhere, because if you have read my posts for some time then you will know that the fit me foundation and concealer are two of my go-to holy grail favourites. So naturally i knew before i even tried this, that i was going to like it and it is as equally as amazing. This powder retails for £5.99 and comes in this translucent shade, as well as four other skin-tones shades. 

♥

BEAUTY & RANDOM FAVOURITES: JUNE EDITION

Hello everyone! Can you seriously believe that is will be July tomorrow already, where has this month gone? It feels like months and months since i last did a traditional "monthly favourites post", as the last couple of months i have done them in a different style like my favourites from the week and my mid-2017 most read posts. With that in mind and seeing as we are at the end of another month, i thought why not bring things back to basics and share with you my beauty/random favourites from the month of June.

lee stafford coco loco coconut spritz

At the beginning of June i did a post all about the best of beauty: coconut talking about all of the coconut infused products that i have tried and loved, when i posted that post my sister said to me "you need to try this Lee Stafford coconut spritz" it's a leave in conditioner/de-tangling spray. So of course i took her advice and picked one up, now i love it even more than the ogx nourishing coconut oil mist as it is super lightweight. This product also works super well in conjunction with a set of coconut products, which i will be doing a review on. 

freedom makeup london brushes

So this month i was lucky enough to give these brushes from Freedom, which i have tried and loved a fair few products from now. First of all these brushes are super affordable, as we all know makeup brushes can be quite hefty in price so i wasn't sure what to expect but i was literally blown away with how amazing they actually are. Both the eye brushes and face brushes are super soft/fluffy, pick up products easily, apply evenly and blends product out effortlessly. The brushes i have are multiples of the FE103, FF104, FE102, FF103 and the FE101, the brush prices start from £2 and non of them are above £5 in price which is insane. 

freedom makeup london pro artist lip liner in the shade nude, anastasia beverly hills liquid lipstick in the shade naked and anastasia beverly hills lip gloss in the shade gilded

This month i have pretty much been wearing the same lip combination because i am that obsessed with how perfect it is. Starting with the pro artist lip liner in the shade nude to line my lips, yet another Freedom product that is amazing and is honestly so comparable to the MAC lip liners, yet these lip liners only retail for £2 each. Next up is the liquid lipstick i haven't been able to put down, which is Naked by Anastasia Beverly Hills and is one that i featured in a recent post that you can catch here and followed by the gloss also by Anastasia Beverly Hills in my favourite shade of all time Gilded, to add the perfect golden sheen to a perfect nude lip combination.

anastasia beverly hills modern renaissance eyeshadow palette

Another product from Anastasia Beverly Hills that i haven't been able to put down all month, even though it isn't a new product i have recently tried out it is one that i have fall in love with all over again. If you want to know more about this palette/my thoughts on it, then i recently shared a post talking about my go-to palettes for summer but what i will say is that i have mainly been reaching for three particular shades, which are raw sienna, burnt orange and primavera. 

maybelline master precise skinny eyeliner in the shade black

Last of all for the beauty items i have been loving this super skinny eyeliner pencil from Maybelline, this eyeliner is one that has been shown/loved by so many US beauty guru's for a while now and finally it launched in the UK. It is literally everything it claims to be, not to mention super long-wearing, as well as making it effort free to tight-line your eyes as well as the waterline. The only complaint i have is i wish they would bring it out in brown in the UK, like they did in the US as i prefer brown liners these days.

fifty shades darker unmasked edition dvd

I have been so ready for this dvd to be released since the last time i went to the cinema to watch it in February (i went multiple times, sorry not sorry) and finally on Monday it was released on dvd, but i was super lucky for it to land on my doorstep the Saturday before. Now you all know what my plans were on that Saturday night, as i was so excited to see the extra scenes included.

all i am drew's story (a this man novella) - jodi ellen malpas

Whilst on a similar subject to fifty shades, my favourite book out of the two i have read this month has to be this novella by my favourite author Jodi Ellen Malpas and i actually mentioned this book first of all in a books i want to read in 2017 #2 post. First of all i tried to saviour it and not read it too fast but it was just so addictive and i finished it in two sittings, the ending also got me even more excited for her next book the forbidden which isn't released until August, as we got given a little teaser of the character/s and a snip-it from the book. 

wild thoughts - dj khaled feat, rihanna and bryson tiller

If you follow me on social-media then it is going to be obvious that i was going to mention this song, because i just can't get enough of it and Bryson Tiller's verse is everything to me. I am also really loving the Greatful album, especially the song Don't Quit and of course Wild Thoughts. I am thinking of doing an updated "music at the moment" post soon, as it has been a hot minute.

♥