Make Yourself Sparkle This Winter!

Make Yourself Sparkle This Winter!

Comment   

We all know that winter is truly here: the cold weather has swiftly approached, it's already the final month of the year and everyone is putting up their Christmas decorations. I am so excited for Christmas this every year, and love to find new glittery beauty products to make my face sparkle all winter-round. 

This year I finally purchased one of many beauty bloggers favourite highend highlighters - the infamous Urban Decay Naked Illuminated Powder in AURA!!! I couldn't resist adding another gorgeous highlighter to my collection and even better, it completely unique to any that I already own.

Encased in a chunky, champagne coloured compact, this peachy, golden baked glitter ball had me in awe; it was definitely my favourite shade out of the three on offer (Lit + Luminous)! There is soooo much sparkle through product and the formulation is insanely pigmented so a little goes a VERY long way - using the contour brush from the Real Techniques Bold Metals range provides precise application to the cheekbones followed by a fluffy brush to thoroughly blend and avoid that 'glitter ball mess' look. 

The peachy tone in Aura majorly contributes to the overall Christmas vibe to the product - without that peachy glow, my complexion would be completely washed out and their would be no colour on my cheeks to give any depth to my makeup look. Something I have become really fond of in the makeup world recently is the definition you can form by applying different colours to areas of the face. Contouring has impacted insane amounts in the makeup industry this year - it is the highlighters turn to take the limelight in 2016, does anyone else agree?!

Being a performer, I also bought this product as an added bonus because it states that you can use it to illuminate your body too. This would be amazing on the collarbones/arms for my dance/theatre shows - I can imagine it would catch the stagelights wonderfully.

Sorry for my lack of posts and absence over the past month. I will try and stay posting as much as possible - A levels are the worst!!! 

Comment below if you love wearing glitter/sparkle in Winter just like me!

Lots of love

The Best Drugstore Full Coverage Foundation

The Best Drugstore Full Coverage Foundation

Comment   

If you know me, you'll know my undeniable love for a full coverage face - especially in the Winter! I just love having a 'perfect' complexion; although my skin rarely has spots, it is very discoloured and my overly red cheeks aren't at all appealing if I do say so myself. To solve this issue, I am constantly purchasing foundations that I hear are great to form an airbrushed, smooth base and this time I found one from the drugstore - a definite rarity!!!

In my time of trying out drugstore bases, I have never turned to Revlon. I have absolutely no idea why I didn't, as I luuurve Revlon eye and lip products! Anyway, I've seen numerous people rave about this foundation over the past few months so I thought I'd give it a go...

The Revlon Colorstay foundations are available in an array of colours and formulations, suitable for every skin type. I opted for combination/dry because I mainly suffer with dry patches in the Winter, however my T-zone remains oily all year round...great! This formulation works effectively on my skin, giving my complexion a warm, winter glow. When it comes to application, I either use a damp beauty blender or the dense-bristled base brush to blend into the skin. Due to the formulation being extremely smooth, it makes blending a dream.

A full coverage is achieved with two thin, even layers - this hides any blemishes and corrects any discoloration. On an average day, this base lasts for 10 hours before slipping off the face (without powder) and roughly 12-14 with powder keeping it in place; therefore does not match the claim, for me, on lasting 24 hours. But who even wears foundation for 24 hours, eh?! The only other flaw I've faced with the Revlon Colorstay is that there isn't a pump so you have to pour the product out. This can be very impractical and get quite messy in my makeup bag.

Overall, I totally recommend this foundation to anyone who is lover, like me, of full coverage bases or those who like skin-specific foundations. Revlon are the one to visit!

What foundation are you wearing this Winter?

Lots of love

Charlotte x

Nokia Lumia 735 // Review

Nokia Lumia 735 // Review

Comment   

Today I have a very exciting post - I teamed up with the wonderful people at Nokia/Windows for a two week project. This project allowed me to taste one of their latest smartphone additions on their branch of technology and let all of you know what my experience was like with it.

Before being contacted, I had seen the Lumia 735 in many online ads, newspapers etc with an exceptional reputation - headlines mainly consisting of 'THE BEST SELFIE CAMERA OF 2015!' Therefore, after being contacted by the Nokia community, I was nothing more than excited to know I was going to trial this fab phone and dive into all of its unique features.

On the visual end of the spectrum, I would like to point out my instant love for the large 4.7 inch screen. Huge phone screens are one of my favourite features to a touch-screen because it makes typing and navigating so much easier! As seen above, the colour phone I received was a vibrant, neon green; personally, I dislike this colour as I tend to opt for neutral phones colours (white,black&grey). However, I think that coloured phones can help incorporate individuality; there are a range of commonly-loved colours to choose from - RED, BLUE, ORANGE, GREEN, BLACK and WHITE.

THE BEST SELFIE CAMERA PHONE OF 2015!

Now, into exploring the wonderful photo features this phone beholds. With a 6.7 megapixel rear and 5 megapixel front camera, high quality images are processed and amazing results are achieved. I was unbelievably impressed with the photos I took because iPhone cameras have a poor tendency to form blurred, grainy images. Therefore, there is a 9/10 possibility you can take the best selfie of 2015 on this - especially with the array of pretty filters to chose from when finding your best angle! Finally, camera-wise, the flash is also a fab extension to the camera's many features.

Overall, the highlights of my time with this phone would be as follows. First, I would like to praise the wonderful selfie camera and its determination to make you feel happy with your appearance. Secondly, the home screen layout has a brightly coloured design and large buttons to allow easy navigation around the phone. Next, I can't stop thinking about the insane battery power; I went two days with no charging and the percentage was on 27%! 

The only negatives I faced was the colour (but can easily be replaced with my desired colour) and the speaker wasn't as loud as I thought it would be. I'm a music fanatic so carrying music on my phone is essential; this isn't a major fault though because speakers exist!!

Lots of love

Born Pretty Store // Review

Born Pretty Store // Review

Comment   

When ever a new makeup brand arises, I am always hesitant to try them out incase they don't quite meet my expectations and I feel like I've wasted my money/time. This is where Born Pretty Store comes in handy - an online, EXTREMELY affordable brand that sells cheap makeup for those who are sting-y like myself or who don't want to splash their cash on expensive beauty products.

Complementing their makeup related items, you can also find handy beauty tools for an amazing price too (brushes, tweezers, nail accessories etc). Shipping is surprisingly good, considering the low-priced items; there is free international shipping within 24 hours of your purchase! Pretty good, huh?

Let's indulge in the pretty pieces I picked out to show you guys...

Eyeshadow Trio #4 ~ £2.75

With the option of three different mini shadow palettes, I opted for this cool-toned, intense glitter trio.

The cool tones are perfect for the A/W season, suit my dark hazel eyes and the countless tiny sparkles are very flattering when caught in sunlight. Also, I'd like to mention how impressed I am with the high pigmentation and longevity of the shadows - for £2.75 I was, of course, shocked.

Fluorescent Liquid Lip Gloss #4 ~ £3.25

Despite not expecting the shade to be a powerful, vibrant pink, I am overall glad to have picked shade #4. There are an array of 12 fluorescent lippies to chose from and I picked something very 'out there' - away from comfort zone, for once. This appealed to me particularly because I love pink lippies with blue-undertones (they make my teeth look whiter)! This would 100% be perfect for anyone dressing up as Barbie for halloween - especially as it stays on the lips for a solid 2-3 hours which you can't find much when looking for the idea gloss.

If you would love to purchase a few cheap makeup products to try out, you can use this coupon code (giving you 10% off your overall order) MTH10.

Lots of love

Gold & Subtle | Orelia Jewellery

Gold & Subtle | Orelia Jewellery

Comment   

During this time of year, I seem to approach my golden jewellery more often than usual. Autumn, for me personally, is a time for golden, warmer tones so my beloved silver-wear gets shoved to the back of my jewellery box for a while. Additionally, this year I've gained a growing passion for subtle accessories to incorporate a little extra to my outfits.

Therefore, I couldn't do anything but get excited when contacted by Orelia Jewellery early September to collaborate on a post including their gorgeous products. I've been a huge fan of this trusted brand for some time now; they work alongside well-known brands, like topshop, to deliver the best jewels to girls who loooove adding a little sparkle to their attire. 

As seen on the left of the photo, you are introduced to a pretty rectangular crystal bar thread necklace with 4 diamontes in the centre. This is a necklace I've been pairing with many of my sixth form outfits; it is so versatile and works with absolutely everything/any occasion. One of those must-have jewellery pieces, I think!

My favourite of the three pieces has to be this Star Lariat bangle - this thin, simple golden bangle is fastened by a star through a cut-out moon. I love this very subtle but unique look - the night theme is appealing and would be a great addition to an evening outfit. This also reminds me of bonfire night, everyone spends their evening outside roasting marshmallows, sitting around a campfire or watching fireworks - one of my favourite days in the A/W period.

Finally, I was kindly gifted a stunning Open Circle Crystal Stone ring. The simplistic detailing instantly drew me in - understated, small rings are something I enjoy adding to any combination. The use of both contrasting jewellery colours also appealed to me because you get the best of both worlds and I get to include a little sparkle to the outfit. (BONUS!!!)

If you've never heard of Orelia before, where have you been? You definitely need to take a browse at the wonderful things they have to offer; they cater to anyone's jewellery preferences and needs!

Thank you so much to Etail Pr for giving me this oppurtunity; if you're a smaller blogger who wants to get noticed and take part in collaborations, sign up at ETAIL PR ASAP!!!

Lots of love

Winter Hair Care | Maple Holistics

Winter Hair Care | Maple Holistics

Comment   

Today, I've got a very exciting collaboration with Maple Holistics. I cannot wait to share with you guys the products I have to show you this evening. Maple Holistics are a brand that cater for those who want to enhance health, beauty or daily living. Their products are created in a way to therapeutically improve your average pampering session and turn it into a unique journey. 

The items offered by Maple Holistics are multiple skin care(face masks, oils&serums) hair care(shampoos&conditioners) and bath products(bubble bath,scrubs&salts). It is simple to get your hands on one of these A/W must-haves because of their worldwide shipping service - you can also get free shipping on orders over $25. 

Since I'm obnoxiously lazy when it comes to caring for my locks, I thought I would try some hair care products for a change. The Winter Blends set seemed appropriate/ideal considering the time of year so I opted for these blue bottled beauties.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTS

On receiving the Winter Blends shampoo and conditioner, the first thing I had to do what smell them. Honestly, they've got the smell of Winter down to a T; the intense mint undertones and cold winter fragrance made me feel like I was walking through a snow-embedded forest. Wild mint, Spearmint, Peppermint, Bergamot Mint and Eucalyptus Mint are all included in the formula as well as other ingredient such as Botanical Keratin and Jojoba Oil. This mixture of elements work together to stimulate root growth, help the scalp's blood flow, create a glossy effect, remove dryness, aid thickness and restore and replenish your hair's general health.

MY EXPERIENCE

After using these over a short period of two weeks, I've already been noticing minor differences with my hair. Primarily, the change that stood out the most was the amount of time my hair stayed fresh for. Usually, I have to wash my hair every other day to avoid greasy-ness or overly clean hair. However, on applying the Winter Blends products, my hair was feeling fresh and cleansed for three days straight. This made a huge impact on my hair care routine, as now, I'm able to leave my hair for an extra day before re-washing. Oh, and not to mention the compliments I've received from my family and boyfriend about my hair's new minty scent!

Maple Holistic's ever-so kindly sent me this little gem to add that extra mint-i-ness to my order. This Peppermint Natural Lip Balm contains vitamin E and sunflower oil to moisturize the lips; not to mention, it is a great handbag size! I will definitely be popping this in my bag to avoid the dreaded dry winter lips!

Don't forget to check out their vast range of products here.

Lots of love