Last post of 2015

As 2015 draws to an end, I'm not going to make a post about how great my year has been or what I plan on doing in the new year. This post is just a little something to say thank you to everyone who took the time to read my blog, I never thought I'd have had this many people reading my blog. Thank you for reading, thank you for feedback and thank you for getting involved. In the new year I will be interacting more with you guys.

My new blog idea is that everyday I will be writing in a diary about how my day went, things I've done during the day, just normal diary things. I will be writing in it tonight and then tomorrow I will be taking a picture and posting it to my blog. I will make it clear enough for you to read so I don't have to explain each blog. This is so you get to know me better and so if you're going through the same thing, you can see how I'm dealing with it and so you know you are not alone! At the end of the year I will look over the diary and make a blog post on 31st December 2016 (exactly a year today) on how far I've come, what I've achieved, what I haven't achieved and reflect on my year.

I will also be posting regular blogs as I have done since this blog started, but I thought it would be a good idea. I haven't decided the pattern of what I'll be posting blogs on which day, but I'll figure that out and keep you guys up to date.

Anyway, Happy New Year everyone, I hope 2016 is a great year for you. Only you can make it great so make it the year you reach your dreams and goals! Stay safe tonight and have a great night!

Speak in the new year!

Xoxo

Instagram- saralouisehxo
Twitter- saralouisehxo

December 11th- favourite Christmas songs

I love Christmas songs. I love singing along to them, I love randomly singing them and I love dancing to them! Hearing Christmas songs in the stores makes me happy and excited to know that it's not too far away! Here are my favourite Christmas songs;

• All I want for Christmas is you. This is a great song! I love cranking it up full volume and singing at the top of my lungs. On Saturday I had my works Christmas meal and we had all had a bit to drink and were singing this really badly and very loudly.
• This is a song I discovered I liked last Christmas (and no it's not Wham), driving home for Christmas is a song I love singing too. It's a great song as it tells about how people are finishing work to spend Christmas with their loved ones.
• Rocking around the Christmas tree has to be in my top 10 favourite Christmas songs! It is also in one of my favourite Christmas films- Home Alone! I mean come on, who doesn't love watching Home Alone and wishing that happened to them... No, only me? Okay then..
• Whenever I hear jingle bell rock it reminds me of mean girls and then I try and recreate the dance but it never happens. I normally just end up slapping my legs randomly at points in the song thinking I've missed that part of the dance. 
• I love how dancey merry Christmas everyone is. I love dancing to it and just love the music. It makes me so excited when merry Christmas everyone comes on as it is just a great song!
• Wonderful Christmas time is another great song you can dance too and be silly too. It's in the film Rudolph the red nose reindeer; the movie and I just have this little clip playing in my head whenever it comes on.
• The history in the song stop the cavalry is so moving and is just a great representation of British history. It says about stopping the cavalry which means stopping war- World War 1 to be exact and just tells us about what Christmas was like for those fighting for our Country.
• Both versions of Santa baby- Eartha Kitt and Kylie Minogue are great. Eartha's version (the original) is just amazing with her voice. She has a unique voice which is why I'm so drawn to her version and Kylie's version is also great. She has a great voice and she did the song well. Madonna and T Swift have also done versions but I haven't listened to them.
• It's the most wonderful time of the year- quite literally. This song is also in my top 10 favourite as Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year! Need I say more.. I think not.
• I'm a huge Elvis Presley fan and blue Christmas is clearly in my top 10! Listening to Elvis sing this melts my heart and I love it! I'll have a blue Christmas, without you!
• This is a song that no matter how many times we sing it down in the South (of England) it never happens. If we sang this song and it came true, it would be snowing all the time of December. Just let is snow, let it snow, LET IT SNOW!
• This is a song I don't know the meaning of half of it. When I was in year 13 at school, we played this song in sociology and the people in my class who took Spanish started singing along. Feliz Navidad sounds typically Spanish- I played it to Ollie and he said 'cor this sounds like a Spanish song' and I showed him and he was right.
• This song sounds like a hymn but was sung by the same people who did daddy cool, which is why it's surprising it sounds hymn like. I really like Mary's boy child/Oh My Lord and I have no idea why as it's not like any of the other songs I have mentioned.

December 10th- DIY Christmas gifts

I thought making some gifts this year would be a great idea. I made a couple of gifts for Ollie last year as I wasn't in a position to spend loads of money- hence making some presents. I wanted to share with you some of the ideas I had and that are super easy to make!

'In case of emergency'
This is a good DIY for someone who smokes- I did make this for Ollie, however it was for his birthday but it'll still work as a Christmas present.

Things you'll need:

• photo frame
• plain paper
• lighter
• cigarette
• pen
• glue dots

- Cut the paper to fit inside the frame.
- Place the lighter and cigarette onto the paper to get it positioned how you want.
- Take the glue dots and glue the lighter and cigarette to the paper.
- Write 'in case of emergency, break glass' under the stuck on lighter (or cigarette, whichever way you chose to stick them).
- Place the paper into the frame and place the backing on.
- It is now ready to be given as a gift that they can hang on the wall.

When I gave this to Ollie, he couldn't believe it and thought it was the funniest and most thoughtful gift he had been give, as it was personal to him.

Malteser reindeer
I saw this on Roxxsaurus's YouTube channel and thought it was a great gift to give! you can give it to any chocolate lover and they can then use it as a decoration for their room after they've eaten all the chocolate. I won't put pictures up of me doing this DIY as she has it in her video, so make sure to check it out!

Things you'll need:

• mason jar
• brown paint
• googly eyes
• red pom poms
• twigs
• hot glue gun
• tape

- Take two pieces of tape and wrap it at the top and bottom of the mason jar.

- Paint a layer on brown paint in between the tape. Go over it when it's dried.

- Once it is completely dry, take off the tape carefully.

- Glue on the twigs as antlers, googly eyes and red pom pom for a nose.

- Fill the jar up with Malteasers. 

I know I haven't posted many DIY gifts but I have a Christmas craft post and last minute gift ideas coming up soon so I'll add more to them.

Xoxo 

Instagram- saraharpum

Twitter- kissmybeaute

December 9th- Christmas tree reveal

This is only the second year I've had a tree in my room- obviously it's a small tree, so I love decorating it.

This year I went for a classic white look. I got my tree from asda which came with lights already on for £5. I also comes in black and white, but I opted for the green tree. The decorations weren't that expensive either and also came from asda. I was really drawn to the white and the glitter which is why I chose the classic white theme. I haven't used tinsel (as it's tacky in my opinion) but I have been debating whether or not i should get some silver beads from asda just to add something else to it.

Xoxo

Instagram- saraharpum
Twitter- kissmybeaute

December 8th- Winter haul

I have collected a lot of makeup items and a few skincare since the beginning of December. I've posted a few on Instagram and Twitter but I've tried to keep it quiet what I've bought purely for this blog. I was going to have it as clothes, makeup and skincare but I haven't really bought myself any clothes.

I picked up the Bourjois healthy mix foundation and colorboost lip crayon. As I spent over £15 for these two products, I got a free gift. The gift contained a lipgloss, mascara, nail varnish and eyeshadow quad.
I recently got a few Clinique products. I picked up the Clinique sonic brush. I've got the No7 facial cleansing brush but I feel like it does nothing so I got the sonic brush and I've noticed a difference. I'm so glad I got the sonic brush! Along with the sonic brush I got the anti-blemish solutions clarifying lotion. I was given a sample of this and I noticed the difference so when boots were having a 10% off, I brought it then. I also picked up the dramatically different gel. The gel is better for anyone with oily skin as it's oil free. I've noticed that my skin is a lot softer since using the gel. As well as all the skincare I picked up from Clinique, I also picked up a lipliner in liquorice. It's the perfect plummy/burgundy colour!
From boots.com I ordered a couple of NYX products. I finally got my hands on the liquid suede in cherry skies! I was so excited when they came back into stock a second time but I was too late ordering so was only able to pick up soft spoken, but they brought them back (I think permanently) so I grabbed cherry skies while I could! I also picked up the microbrow in the shade chocolate. From swatching it on my hand, it may be too dark, but knowing me I will probably end up dying my hair dark again, so it'll be perfect for then.
Another skincare item I recently got was the No7 protect and perfect serum. I thought I'd try this serum out as it contains salicylic acid which helps with spots. This also makes my skin feel soft. I don't use it all the time so I cant say much about it yet.
Over the weekend I popped into TKMaxx and saw a gorgeous Nars lipgloss for £9.99 and obviously had to get it! After Ollie and I had been to TKMaxx we went to Tunbridge Wells (a shopping mall near where we live) and went into superdrug. Recently superdrug have added the brand Freedom to some of their store (and Tunbridge Wells is a bigger store) so I had to pick up at least 1 item. As they were closing very soon I only managed to pick up their brow powder- I haven't tried the Anastasia Beverly Hills brow powder but it looks exactly the same as that, with the duo colours. I opted for medium brown. I also picked up a Makeup Revolution blusher (obviously as I'm in love with their makeup!) and I love it! It's very pigmented so I don't need to use a lot and it just gives a very healthy glow to the skin. I picked up the colour all I think about is you. If you can get your hands on it, DO IT! Trust me!
Now the last items in my haul I actually picked up today. I went back to TKMaxx with my mum and my eyes were instantly drawn to this palette and I knew I needed it. I am now the proud owner of the Balm nude tude palette! I've seen so many tutorials using this and haven't had the chance to order it, so as soon as I saw it today, I knew I needed it. I also picked up a lipstick from the Balm too in the shade Ima Goodkisser. It's a little more orangey than I expected but I can mix it with another lipstick and I know it'll look amazing!

I wanted to have a bigger haul with clothes but I don't really get round to buying myself clothes- all my money goes on makeup, and obviously Christmas.

Xoxo

Instagram- saraharpum
Twitter- kissmybueate

December 7th- Christmas gifts for him

So I did a Christmas gifts for her, so I'm doing one for him. I won't make this too long as it's exactly the same as the gifts for her, they can be for you dad, brother, boyfriend or husband. I've done gifts under £10 and under £20.

Under £10
Salt and Worth glove box kit:
It prepares you for long car journeys and comes in a hancy case which is perfect for tucking away in the glove box. It contains- Chamois leather, ice scraper, snap-light, mints, pencil, mini notebook, moisturiser, tissues, plasters, sewing kit and plastic gloves. This is the perfect gift for anyone who spends a lot of time behind the wheel.
This product is £8.
Rudolph heat changing mug:
This is perfect for anyone who enjoys a hot drink. Watch Rudolph's nose change from black to red when filled with hot water.
This product is £9.
Pug in a mug:
Another perfect gift for anyone who enjoys a hot drink- especially tea. It is also perfect for dog lovers! It is a silicone tea infuser, so would match well with some loose leaf tea (another great gift idea).
This product is £5.

Under £20
Reiss mens duo:
This aspirational, chic and timeless British brand has carved its niche since its formation in 1971. It contains a body wash which cleanses and leaves skin feeling moisturised. The addictive, aromatic and woody body spray has notes of Laurel leaf and Clary Sage which is combined with notes of soft musk and Oudh.
This product is £15.
Sizzle and sear board and meat rubs:
This is the perfect gift for any meat lovers. You can add delicious spices and seasonings to meats to impress guests or to enjoy for yourself.
This product is £16.50.

December 6th- Christmas gifts for her

Choosing a present for your mum, sister, girlfriend or wife can be difficult, so I've come up with some gift ideas to make it easier for you. I was going to divide it into each person and with a price range e.g. mum under £10, under £20 etc. but most of these present can be for your mum, sister, girlfriend of wife, so I'm just going to do price ranges.

Under £10
I know it sounds cheap, presents under £10 but if you don't have a lot of money or you've left it till the last minute these are a good idea. Boots is a great place to look as they have a lot of good deals on (3 for 2 across all Christmas presents- the ones with the green sticker on them), and if you're unable to find what you're looking for, you can order in store and receive free next day delivery ( I will note that due to black Friday, it is back logged so will be 2 days after you order).
Ted Baker have a cute 'mini treasure'- available in pink, mint or golden limited edition soufflé. These can be hung on the tree and come in cute packaging. This product is £4.
Champneys have a citrus blush mini duo. It's 2 body care products which will make her feel pampered. It contains a shower gel and body lotion which will allow for pure pampering pleasure. This product is £5.
Boots extracts must-have minis box is the perfect gift for someone who likes to take care of their skin, whilst using products which smell great. This box contains 1 strawberry body scrub, 1 satsuma body spray, 1 vanilla body wash and 1 coconut body butter. This product is £8.

Under £20
If you want to spend a bit more and spoil them, look no further!
Sanctuary tin of good intentions is a good gift which allows her to indulge in a body wash, body scrub and body lotion. This body was is infused with essential oils and bursting jojoba beads. The gel body scrub is infused with natural pumice particles and essential oils. This silky smooth body lotion provides light, lovely moisture to the skin. This product is £14. Also available as Sanctuary favourite florals tin (same price).
Jack Wills travel kit is perfect for taking on the go. It comes with a wash bag- perfect for taking any beauty bits away, signature body wash, signature body lotion and signature body mist. The wash bag is a classy checked design and obviously has the iconic Jack Wills name. This product is £18.
WoodWick linen medium candle is perfect for any candle lover (like myself). It has the smell of freshly washed clothes drying in a soft summer breeze. It is made of all natural ingredients and nothing harsh or artificial is added. They have a Pluswick made of natural wood which gives the effect of a crackling fire when lit.This product is £16.99

There are plenty of other items in store which you can also get for her. Fragrances are a good option and they have plenty on offer, including gift sets, so you'll be able to find her that special something!

Xoxo

Instagram-saraharpum
Twitter- kissmybeaute

A few changes to Blogmas

I'm changing the way I do Blogmas slightly. I thought it would be easy to upload on the actual day but due to work I'm struggling, so I've decided that I'm going to upload on the following day. This means that todays blog (5th December) will be uploaded tomorrow- 6th December. This will make it easier for me as I can write the post and not have to worry about uploading really late at night. It means I can upload the post during the day when I'm at work!

This is a change which I should have done when I started Blogmas, but I guess you live and learn!

Xoxo

Instagram- xosaratalks
Twitter- xosaratalks

December 5th- winter skincare routine

Now I know I said today would be the DIY Christmas snack ideas, but it was tricky to do as I got home from work, had dinner and then sat down and didn't want to move. I've decided to now include it in the Christmas baking post I'll be uploading. For now, I thought I'd upload my winter skincare routine.

First I start with my No7 beautiful skin cleansing oil. This in a oil which you apply all over your face, including your eyes, then add water to emulsify it. I massage it into my face, using circular motions and then add warm water to my hands. I repeat the same steps with the water and then rinse the oil off.

After rinsing the oil off, I use the Clinique foaming sonic facial soap. This is only a sample, but I'm enjoying using it. I apply a small amount into my hands and foam it up by adding water. Once it's nice and foamy, I apply it to my face and then I use my NO7 face brush to really deep clean my face. I use the first setting to make sure the products is distributed all over my face properly. After that I use the second setting to give a deeper clean and to exfoliate my face.

I rinse this off with warm water then move onto my body shop pore-cleansing facial exfoliator. I don't do this every night, maybe once or twice a week. The abrasive agent in this is olive stone. This helps to really scrub the skin and remove any dead skins cells. 

After I have washed my face and rinsed everything off, I use the Clinique ain't-blemish solutions clarifying lotion. I notice a real difference in my skin when I don't use this product! I suffer with oily skin and acne due to polycystic ovary syndrome so I need anything that'll help with acne and this product is amazing! Once I've swept this over my face, I apply my No7 protect and perfect serum. I don't use the intense advance one as that's for older skin and contains hyaluronic acid and the one I use contains salicilic acid (which is great for acne)! After I've let that soak in, I apply the Clinique dramatically different moisturising gel. I use the gel instead of the lotion as it's designed for combination to oily skin.

After its all soaked into my skin I apply some lip balm and I've finished! 

Note: I will be adding pictures tomorow, I've been out all day and I'm currently at Ollies so don't have any of those items with me. 

This is a new routine for me as I've got new products. I'm looking into getting an eye cream as I have bags under my eyes and a few lines starting to come! Any recommendations are welcome! 

Xoxo

Instagram- xosaratalks

Twitter- xosaratalks 

December 4th- DIY Christmas decorations

I wanted to add some personal touches to my room and decorations in general, so I thought making my own would be fun. I've decided to do a mixture of both room decor and tree decorations. These DIYs are all easy and cheap to make.

I'm not sure what to call this DIY- maybe winter wonderland, but I saw a Youtuber create this (Idunngoddess) and had to recreate this for myself!
Things you'll need:
- glass candle holder
- salt ( for the snow)
- paper Christmas tree
- single use candle

⦁ Start by pouring the salt into the glass candle holder. Filling it a quater of the way will be enough. Lay some paper down for spillages.

⦁ Add the candle to the salt.

⦁ Stick a paper tree in the salt behind the candle. 

⦁ 'Winter wonderland' is complete.

The next DIY is wrapping paper tree decorations. This one pretty much explains itself, it's wrapping paper which you make into tree decorations.
Things you'll need:
- wrapping paper (obviously)
- scissors
- hole punch
- string or ribbon
- pencil
- glue (optional)

⦁ If like me you can't cut without a rough sketch, then start drawing shapes with the pencil on the non-patterend side. Do as many shapes as you want.

⦁ Once you have drawn the shapes, cut them out.

⦁ This next step is completely optional. Take 2 of the same shapes and apply a thin layer of glue to the non-patterend side- only apply to one half. Stick the other half to the one with glue on.

⦁ Let it dry for 10 minutes.
⦁ After it has dried, use the hole punch to make a hole in the top of your shape.

⦁ Taking some string of ribbon, feed it through the hole and tie a knot.

⦁ You can now hang your decorations on your tree.

The reason I glued 2 shapes together is because if the decoration turns around, it still shows the pattern. Whereas if I didn't, it would be plain but if that's what you want to do, then do it! Who am I to tell you that it has to be exactly the same! You do you! 

December 3rd- Christmas wish list

I know today was originally meant to be Christmas snack ideas, but as I'm at Ollie's it's difficult for me to create the snacks I wanted too. I decided to swap the snacks with my wish list.

These are things I would like for Christmas, but not necessarily getting- trust me, I'd love them all! I know some may seem expensive or unrealistic but they're just things I would like. 

• a new laptop- something I can start editing videos on.

• a camera- to record the videos.

• more space in my room- so I have room to put all my makeup.

• more storage in my room- for all my clothes and makeup.

• longer hair- so I can curl it.

• a job as a makeup artist or full time blogger- so I can work from home.

• more makeup- there's no need for an explanation for this one.

• better makeup skills- for the videos I want to make.

• a car- I can't drive but it'll make me want to learn.

• my own place- so I can have the freedom to walk around in my underwear! 

Now as I've said, these are unrealistic and just things I'd like; not things I'll be getting! 

I'll be doing the snacks on Sunday when I'm home and it's my day off so I'm able to actually do the snacks.

Xoxo 

Instagram- xosaratalks

Twitter- xosaratalks 

December 2nd- holiday bucket list

I have a lot of things I want to do this Christmas, so I thought writing a bucket list would be a great idea! Even though I want to do a lot of things, I've narrowed it down as I work full time. I will be trying to add more, but I'm not going to set 50 things. I'd rather set 10 and add 10 more after. 

• bake Christmas cookies

• watch elf

• go to a Christmas festival

• Pinterest DIYs

• put the Christmas tree up with my family

• get someone involved in Blogmas 

• make a festive meal

• rearrange my room- I want to add new festive decor

• take cute Christmas pictures

• kiss under the mistletoe 

• have a movie night with my family where we watch all our favourite Christmas films! 

• start new Christmas traditions

These are just a few things I want to do this Christmas and I hope to complete them all! I will be photographing and will have a blog dedicated to everything I did on my bucket list which I'll post after Christmas! 

Xoxo

Instagram- xosaratalks

Twitter- xosaratalks 

December 1st- things I love about Christmas

Christmas is my FAVOURITE time of the year! I love everything about it, the Christmas songs, movies, decorations, putting up the tree, snuggling by the fire with a hot chocolate and winter walks. 

I love when everyone is in the Christmas mood and telling you what they do for Christmas, if they've done their Christmas shopping and when they're putting their tree up. Everyone being festive makes me happy! 

When I was younger, I always got excited when putting the tree and decorations up. We always keep our decorations in a cardboard box and one year, my dad, sister and I drew on the box (self-portraits) and even though my mum and dad aren't together anymore, we still have the same box with the decorations in! (I will post a picture on Instagram once we get the box out again).

Now I'm older, I still enjoy putting up the decorations and tree- maybe a little more than when I was younger. I now enjoy watching Christmas films and wrapping up warm and going on walks through the countryside. Another thing I enjoy is turning Christmas songs up really loud and singing my heart out! At work everyone says I shouldn't be in this much of a Christmas mood and laugh when they see me dancing and singing along with the songs we have playing. 

I literally love everything about Christmas to the point where I can't pinpoint my most favourite part about Christmas! 

Xoxo

Instagram- xosaratalks

Twitter- xosaratalks

25 days of Blogmas

So as you know, I'm taking part in Blogmas this year. It's the first time I've taken part in anything like this and I'm excited to be taking part! I've got a whole mixture of DIYs, gift ideas and chatty posts which I can't wait for you to read! I'm writing this blog to let you know what to expect on which day. 

December 1st- things I love about Christmas.

December 2nd- holiday bucket list. 

December 3rd- Christmas wish list 

December 4th- DIY Christmas decorations.

December 5th- Christmas snack ideas.

December 6th- Christmas gifts for her.

December 7th- Christmas gifts for him.

December 8th- winter haul.

December 9th- Christmas tree reveal.

December 10th- DIY Christmas gifts.

December 11th- favourite Christmas songs. 

December 12th- holiday makeup, hair and outfits. 

December 13th- Christmas crafts.

December 14th- winter lipsticks.

December 15th- my perfect Christmas l.

December 16th- favourite winter candles.

December 17th- Christmas baking-

December 18th- favourite Christmas movies.

December 19th- Christmas jumpers.

December 20th- DIY Santa hat.

December 21st- last minute gift ideas.

December 22nd- pampering yourself.

December 23rd- what does Christmas mean to you.

December 24th- Christmas Eve traditions.

December 25th- what I got for Christmas.

I've managed to work out the DIYs around my days off so I'm sorry if they all seem a bit spread out and the order of everything looks funny, I work full time so taking part in Blogmas was something I had to really think about when it came to my days off and what I was doing on which days. 

I'll have December 1st posted up later today! 

Xoxo

Instagram- xosaratalks

Twitter- xosaratalks

Bloglovin

So I always have people message me on Twitter asking if I have Bloglovin and until people asked the answer was no. I decided to give it a shot, so I'm now on Bloglovin. 

I'm still pretty new to it so I'm not 100% sure how it works so be patient and give me a little time till I fully understand how to use it! 

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14554625/?claim=jean4m5tqrp">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Xoxo

Instagram- xosaratalks

Twitter- xosaratalks

Blogmas?

This year I thought I'd take part in Blogmas. Now I know we're only half way through November, but I thought I'd do a post on it now so I can prepare and plan ahead!

Seeing as I've never done anything like this, planning early is definitely a good idea and it means when it comes to starting Blogmas I'll actually know what I'm doing rather than winging it. I'm a massive fan of Christmas so I'm super excited to be taking part in Blogmas this year! I shall be planning and preparing from now till my first Blogmas post on December 1st which gives me plenty of time to decide what I'll be posting and on which day. 

I think I'll be posting everyday till Christmas, and then on Christmas Day I'll be writing a 'what I got for Christmas'. I have been thinking of some ideas and I'll be writing down any ideas which come to mind leading up to December, this way I'll be prepared for my first Blogmas and then the rest should just follow. There will be some DIYs which I will be writing before they're meant to be posted as I work full time so they will have to be done on my days off, which means lots of craft making and baking! 

I will probably be posting in the evening but if it happens to be a DIY then I'll post it in the moring.

I cannot wait for Blogmas and I hope you get just as excited as I do for these posts and to read these posts, I know I can't wait to see what other bloggers write!

Xoxo

Instagram- xosaratalks

Twitter- xosaratalks

My favourite autumn/fall lipsticks

This was very hard for me to narrow down as I love all sorts of lipsticks this time of the year, but I decided to share my favourites- and yes, they're all dark! I love a dark lip this time of the year, including winter so I wanted to share my favourites with you.

My first favourite is a classic. I mean I think nearly every girl on this planet has this colour. Yes I'm talking about MAC's rebel! This is such a gorgeous deep purple shade and is one I only tend to wear with a simple eye look- don't want too much going on with my face. It's a satin finish so glides onto the lips perfectly!nI wore it to work once and it wasn't wearing how it normally does on me. It was sort of a very vibrant purple shade which didn't suit me at all so I had to wipe it off! I'm not 100% sure why it did that and I've been too scared to wear it since, but its still a classic and I love it all the same. 

Another favourite is the most gorgeous burgundy shade ever! It's divine wine by Maybelline. This is a matte lipstick, but it is so creamy and glides on like a dream. The colour pay off is amazing and it's a drugstore brand so is very affordable. I was looking for a burgundy shade for ages as last year I wore rebel and that was it. This year I wanted to try other colours too, so I thought I'd give this colour a go after hearing everyone rave about it. I am so happy I brought this shade as it's just amazing!

Recently I discovered the soft matte lip creams from NYX. I've been so excited to try these that I brought 4 in total. I got 2 softer colours for more of an everyday wear, including the autumn/fall and winter months. I picked up Copenhagen and Transylvania for this time of the year and honestly I'm glad I did! Copenhagen is a wonderful deep red colour and it applies smoothly onto the lips, but I would advise giving your lips a little scrub with something like mint julep from lush and then applying lipbalm.. #drylipprobs! Transylvania is more of a deep purple colour. As I wasn't able to swatch this till I brought it, I'm unsure of the colour. But I'll make it work! It's still a gorgeous shade whether I wear it or not.

My last favourite lipstick, is New York Apple by MAC. I picked this up in Selfridge's (I'm planning on visiting again and never leaving!) back in July for my birthday. It's a red shade without being too red or too burgundy. It's just in the middle and is perfect for all year round. I'm so glad I picked this up, it's a frost finish. It has just the right amount of frost to it and gives off an amazing sheen. It feels amazing on the lips and the sheen it gives just adds that something else. I've never noticed it before in my local MAC stores but I'm glad my eyes were drawn to it!

MAC lipsticks are probably my all time favourite lipsticks because of the formula and the smell.. I could eat them! I wont, but I could. They have such a sweet smell that any other lipstick I own smells really chemically. The formula is amazing, they're so creamy and moisturising and don't slide around the lips. The matte ones are especially my favourite as they don't dry your lips out!

Xoxo

Instagram- xosaratalks
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'Everyday' autumn/fall makeup

I say 'everyday' as it sometimes changes, depending on how much time I have in the morning and if I'm going anywhere on my day off.

I always start with a primer. At the moment I'm currently trying out the babyskin from Maybelline and the fix + perfect from Rimmel. I've been using the benefit porefessional since it first came out, but lately I haven't been enjoying it as much as I used too. when I use the porefessional, I find it leaves a greasy feeling on my face and my foundation slides around. I'm planning on doing a review once I tested them out.

After I use a primer, I apply my foundation. I switch between the Vichy dermablend in 15 opal and the No7 essentially natural in calico. There are a couple of reasons why I switch between the two, one being that if the other woman on No7 who I work with says my skin looks good, I can't say 'oh it's not one of our products', and the same goes for if customers ask too. Another reason is that if my skin is playing up real bad, the dermablend gives more coverage without being caked on, whereas my essentially natural looks caked on as its only a light/medium coverage. On my days off, I tend to wear the dermablend more as I'm not in work so I can wear my makeup however I want! After I have applied my foundation, I use a face powder. The face powder I'm using at the moment is the No7 perfect light loose powder in translucent. I'm really liking this powder as a little goes a long way and it helps to keep me matte for most of the day. After I have set my foundation, I use my hoola bronzer by benefit to contour my cheekbones slightly to give my face some definition, as having a matte base can make the face look flat. Recently I purchased the sleek blusher in flushed- as part of my Halloween makeup look thanks to Roxxsaurus (I fell in love with the look she did for Halloween and she used that blusher as an eye shadow colour so I had to buy it!) Its a great shade for the autumn and winter months as it gives a healthy glow to the skin.

Once my face makeup is complete, I move onto my eyes. To prime my eyes, I use the urban decay primer potion. I haven't got the original one, I use the tightening and brightening primer but I'm considering buying the original as the one I use now makes my shadows crease. After applying primer, I use my NXY jumbo pencil in milk. I use a white base first so it creates an even base and it helps the colours I'll be using to pop and stand out more. I blend this in with a real techniques brush then use my finger to apply the kiko metallic shine eye shadow in 02 absolutely rose. This is a gorgeous colour and its great for everyday wear. I pat this on my lid with my ring finger as this gives the best colour pay off. After I have applied the eye shadow, I run a dark brown colour through my crease to darken it up. Depending on how I'm feeling and how much time I have in the morning for work, I use the L'Oreal perfect slim liner to line my lash line. I can't do a winged liner but on my days off, I do attempt to do a wing and it never turns out right, but I will keep practicing! If I've applied the eyeliner, I will set it with a black eye shadow as I have oily lids, but if I don't use the eyeliner I just move straight onto mascara. The mascara I use is the dramatic lift from No7. I love this mascara! It gives the look of wide awake eyes, it curls the lashes and adds weightless volume. Now I'm all about volume when it comes to mascara as I have really long lashes, so any mascara I find which gives me fuller looking lashes I'm all for. I apply a couple of coats and I've completed my makeup look.

I will sometimes wear lipstick but most of the time I use a lip balm which adds colour to the lips. As its autumn/fall, I love a dark lip! I especially love rebel by MAC, Copenhagen by NYX and Transylvania by NYX. These are perfect for this time of the year and tie the look together. At work I either wear the lip balm or one of our newest nude shades (Tawny Rose). This is a brownish nude shade, but isn't too brown as has a hint of pink to it.o brought a kiko lipstick which is also a nude shade and I switch it up to wearing that sometimes too. 

I will be posting swatches of the lipsticks, kiko lipstick and the eye shadow on my Instagram so make sure you're following me to check it out. 

Xoxo

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Bluewater haul

When I normally go shopping, I buy loads of makeup and that's it. Today was different. I actually brought clothes which I haven't done in months! 

I went into Zara and decided I needed a new pair of jeans as my current jeans have a hole in them- my bum has defiantly grown since I got them. Both of the back pockets have split and I have now been left with two holes. I ended up getting two pairs because why not? I chose a black pair, as you can never have too many black jeans and some denim ones, as my other denim pair are getting too tight and I fear the same may happen to them with the holes. I love Zara jeans! They're so comfy and fit me really well. I struggle with other stores as a size 8 (UK) may be too small, so I'll try on a size 10 and they'll be massive, whereas at Zara an 8 is perfect! 

Before we actually started shopping we went for lunch. Whilst we were walking to the food court, I noticed they'd opened a kiko store! This made me very happy, but then I realised that I hadn't been to Bluewater since it opened! I couldn't believe it as I didn't even know they were opening a store there. After lunch we looked in there. I was super excited and surprised as I thought it would have been expensive. I couldn't decide what to pick, but in the end I chose the metallic shine eyeshadow in shade 02 and the intensely lavish lipstick in shade 01. I could have brought more but I had to stop myself. 

We then went into boots and I brought the sleek blush in flushed as I saw it in Youtuber Roxxsaurus vampire tutorial (which I'm copying on Saturday for work). It's a beautiful shade and it's perfect for this time of year. I also picked up the new No7 nail polish in soft truffle. It's a gorgeous nude shade. 

I went into H&M and found a top I reall yes liked. This is rare as I'm not a massive fan of H&M. It's just a simple, plain everyday tee. I wish I had got it in black too but my mum said she had something similar to it in black- I'll still be getting it in black! 

The last store we looked in was next. I love next and they've done the shop up so it looks 100x better. I wasn't too bothered about looking at the clothes- I needed to replace my watch. I brought one at the beginning of the year and the strap has just broken. I decided to go for a thicker strap and a neutral colour. My old one was pink, so I would only wear it at work, whereas I can wear my new one with anything as its black. It also said the strap was leather so it should last longer too! 

I will have swatches and a review of the kiko makeup up soon, so make sure to check it out! 

Xoxo

P.s. I changed my Instagram name! I had enough courage to do it and not care what people say! 

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Family wedding makeup and outfit

Last Friday, Ollie's cousin got married. Now we didn't go to the actual wedding itself as there are a crazy amount of cousins in Ollie's family, but we went to the reception in the evening. It was a bit up and down if we were going- Ollie originally said yes before someone reversed into his car, but luckily his sister and brother-in-law said we could borrow the work van, so we ended up going. I was super excited but really nervous at the same time as I was meeting most of his family. 

I brought the dress a few weeks back as I fell in love instantly with it. I had been eyeing it up for months but couldn't justify buying a Ted Baker dress for £139 as I don't go to places fancy enough to wear a dress like that. Ollie told me we were going and now I had the perfect excuse to splash the cash!

For my makeup I started with the nenefit porefessional primer. In my Youbeauty discovery box this month I got a sample of the Vichy dermablend. Normally when foundation samples are sent, the never match me, but this seemed to be a perfect match. The shade is 15 opal, and blended with my skin so naturally. I'm going to try it a few more times but I'm really impressed. 

I set my foundation with the No7 perfect light loose powder. I know the pressed powder would be easier for on the go, but I ran out so quickly last time that I thought going with a loose powder would be better, as it'll last longer and I can 'bake' my under eye concealer too. To contour I used the contour stick from the smashbox contour stick trio. This gives a natural contour and featured in my September favourites. I went over the top of the contour with benefits hoola bronzer. 

I highlighted under my eyes and down the bridge of my nose with the Nars creamy concealer in Chantilly- which also features in my September favourites. I baked my concealer whilst I preped my eyes. 

I started with Urban Decays primer potion and went over the top with my Mac paint pot in painterly. 

I brushed away the excess powder from under my eyes and pressed the brush over the paint pot to set it before applying my eye shadows. I have really oily kids and this helps to stop them from creasing. 

Before I did my eyeshadow, I filled my brows in with the soap and glory brow archery pencil. I brush through my brows with the brush on the other end. 

For shadows, I chose the Urban Decay Smoky Palette. I've been loving this palette and creating different eye looks with it. I started with Bobbi Brown's woodrose as a transition shade and then applied radar all over the lid. Using a pencil brush, I applie whiskey in the crease and blended it out with a big fluffy brush. I went back in with whiskey on the same pencil brush and applied more to the crease to darken it up. 

I did this a number of times till I reached the desired intensity. I then swept whatever was left on the pencil brush in my lower lash line. 

As a brow bone and inner corner highlight, I used high. This shade is so pink and so sparkly, perfect for a brow bone highlight! 

I applied a couple coats of too faced better than sex mascara. I was going to wear falsies but 1) I haven't quite mastered it. I mean I can apply them but it takes like half an hour before they're on right and 2) I left them at home- oops! 

Anyway better than sex makes it appear like I have falsies on when I don't (I had a woman at work ask if they were my real lashes and I told her yes and that it was too faced better than sex mascara- to which she laughed!) 

I realised after applying my mascara, I hadn't put any highlighter in, so I rummaged through my makeup bag and found my No7 instant radiance highlighter. This looks very pink but once blended in, it looks natural and gorgeous. I applied it to my cheekbones and blended it out with my finger. 

Once the whole of my makeup had been applied, I sprayed the Makeup Revolution oil control fixing spray- check out my review! Just before we left, I used the Lush mint julep sugar scrub, then applied the Burt's bees mango lip balm. I let that soak in for a few minutes and pat the rest in with my finger. I used Mac Mehr lipstick as it's not too dramatic! 

We had a great time, even though the drinks were a tad over priced. It was lovely meeting everyone and I can't wait to see them all again! 

Xoxo 

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Beauty haul

I've been collecting a few beauty items for a while now and some I have done posts about already, but I wanted to do a haul and I had written those posts before I collected enough items. Some are old loves and some are new discoveries. 

My old loves include the body shop seaweed pore-cleansing facial exfoliator. I briefly touched on this in my skincare routine. This exfoliator is great. It does as says and cleanses the pores. I notice the blackheads I have start becoming not less and less visible. It cleanses them amazingly and I have gone back to using it, and I'm glad I have! 

Another old love is the garnier micellar water. I tried this when it first came out and I'm glad I did. As soon as j start running low, I stick up! It takes seconds to remove my makeup and it's so easy! I repurchased the exfoliator a few weeks back and the micellar water a couple of months back- which triggered the 'haul'. 

Some new discoveries have been found within the past month, one being last week! As you've probably seen, I'm obsessing over the makeup revolution oil control fixing spray. Now as I have a full review in this product, I won't go into too much detail, but I will mention that when I don't use this, I am one big, oily mess!! 

Another discovery for me- even though it's been out for some time is the Urban Decay smoky palette. The colour pay off for these shadows is great and they blend so easily. The palette is featuring in a 'get ready with me' post and should be up within the next day or too! 

This foundation I discovered was an accident. Normally foundation samples are WAY too dark for me- #paleprobs, but the Vichy dermablend foundation I received in my Youbeauty discovery box in the shade 15 opal (I wear NW13 in mac studio fix fluid, calico in No7, 01 in Clinique and N1 in L'oreal true match.. For those of you who're interested in colour matching) is spot on! It's my colour, it's not too orange it too pink and has great coverage. I used the sample in my get ready post and fell in love. I'll be posting a review on it soon as I brought the full size today. 

These will be repurchased when I run out! 

If there are any products you recommend, let me know! I'm always on the look out for new products to try and review. 

Xoxo

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Makeup revolution pro fix oil control fixing spray review

I brought this product simply out of curiosity. I hadn't seen it before in superdrug or on their Instagram page, maybe it's because I just wasn't looking for a setting spray. A few years back I brought the travel sized urban decay setting spray and wasn't 100% sure on it. 

I have combination skin, so anything which helps control my shine, I'm all for! I was sucked in by the 'oil control' which made my brain think I NEED this! As its only £5, I thought it wasn't a bad price compared to the urban decay setting spray. 

Upon using the makeup revolution fixing spray, I noticed one big difference from the UD setting spray. From what I remember (and I big part of why I wasn't 100% sure) was that the UD took forever to dry and once it was dry, it was very sticky on my face. When I sprayed the MR, it dried almost instantly and didn't leave a sticky feeling on my face. 

I was a bit skeptical at first as I thought it would be like the UD, but I was very surprised to find it was completely different. I fell in love with it! I spray it all over my face after my moisturiser has soaked in and again after I've completed my face makeup. The reason I used it twice was because I wanted my face to remain matte throughout the day and it locks in moisture. 

I would 100% recommend this for anyone on a budget, with combination/oily skin or just looking for a setting spray. They do have a regular fixing spray got every other skin type, so if you want to try this spray out but haven't got combination/oily skin, give that one a go! It also retails at £5 so is still a bargain! 

Xoxo

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September favourites

My September favourites have been put into categories: food, haircare, skincare and makeup. 

I'll start with food. I only have one item for this category and that's the new galaxy cookie and cream bar. These came out the same time I was on my period (TMI, sorry) but I had one and craved them for the rest of the month! A fact I found out thanks to Nikki Phillippi is that the reason you crave chocolate around that certain time of the month is because you're body wants more magnesium which is found in chocolate! Crazy right? 

I've always relied on dry shampoo on the days where I'm just too lazy to wash and dry my hair. Because I have thick hair the process takes me at least an hour to wash and dry my hair. I recently discovered this amazing dry shampoo. It's the Tresemmé instant refresh dry shampoo. It gives volume, it doesn't make my hair go white, I can use my fingers to work it into my roots and it smells good. I just love it! My hair looks refreshed instantly!

I wash my hair every other day (or if I'm not going out every third day) and when I do, I use the herbal essences beautiful ends shampoo and conditioner. This smells so good too. It's got a pomegranate scent which smells so good and it leaves my hair feeling soft and the ends feeling super healthy! The conditioner just tops it off, leaving my hair looking shiny and feeling soft. I always struggle to find a shampoo and conditioner where the scent will last and one brand I've found which does is the Aussie range, but this also lasts in my hair and I'm constantly smelling my hair in public because it smells that good! 

If you've read my skincare routine you'll recognise these products. I won't go into too much detail about them as I did that in my skincare routine but I'll tell you which products I've been loving. First is the garnier pure active micellar water. I've gone through bottles of this stuff, it's that great! The second is the Clinique take the day off balm. I love how effortlessly this removes my makeup. The third is the origins zero oil oil-free moisturiser. This hydrates my skin without feeling greasy and makes my skin feel soft. 

I have a real big problem when it comes to makeup, I mean it's more of an addiction than a problem. It's an addiction I need to stop as it's the beginning of the month and I'm already skint! A couple of these are samples and a couple were presents for Christmas and birthday so it's not all that bad. I'll start with the samples. Each month I receive a box from Youbeauty discovery which gives you two samples of your choice and two which come with every box. A few months back I woke up specifically at 7am to pick the toofaced better than sex mascara. I had to wake up extra early as products like that are normally sold out by midday. I have been loving this mascara! It gives so much volume to the point I've had customers at work ask what false lashes I use! 

The other sample I have is the Clinique antiblemish foundation. As I work in boots next to a Clinique counter I was talking to the girl about how my skin is always getting worse. She gave me a few other samples- check out my skincare routine to find out what they are, and gave me a sample of this foundation. I've been using this foundation for over a month (she filled the sample pot right too the top) and I love it! It's full coverage without looking like you've got a lot of makeup on! The first day I wore the sample, one of my colleagues said how amazing my skin looked and asked what I had done to get it to look like that. I told her about the foundation and later that day she went and got a sample too. It covers my spots and my skin just looks instantly better. This would be a product I would 100% recommend for anyone with problematic skin. 

As my dad works for an American company, he travels out there a lot. He was over there just before last Christmas so of course I took advantage and asked for makeup which is difficult to get over here in the UK. I asked for a few Mac products as they're cheaper over there and I also asked for the Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow pomade. The shade I got was soft brown as I had darker hair then. I still use it but I have to use a very light hand otherwise my brows are really dark! I love the consistency of this product. It goes on so easily and blends really well. It is however a pain to get off at the end of the day as its waterproof so I have to use wipes and rub back and forth on my brows- which does pull some out. After I have blended it, it looks really natural compared too a pencil. 

I love benefit oroducts and one I've been wanting to try out for ages was the hoola bronzer. I'm really pale so watching youtubers who have the same skin tone as me use it got me wondering. It doesn't look too orange or ashy when I contour, it looks natural. A little does go a long way, I overdid it the first time I wore it as I had been longing for this product for a long time. It has become my favourite bronzer and I can't get enough of it! 

I'm not sure if this product can be considered a cream contour product or not, but I have been loving the smashbox contour stick trio. It comes with a contour stick, a bronze stick and a highlighter stick, which as always is too dark for me! I apply the contour stick to the hollows of my cheeks, my temples and under my jaw line. I also apply the bronze stick in the same places to add a bit of warmth. It blends out seamlessly with either a brush or a sponge. I prefer a brush as I can really work it in but there are days where I feel like using a sponge and I get the same results, I just have to work that tad bit harder to really work it in. After I've blended it, I always go over the top with my hoola bronzer. 

I've seen loads of youtubers rave on about the nars creamy concealer. I jumped onto the bandwagon not too long ago and must say it's great for highlighting. I have the lightest shade- chantilly, which is slightly too light when I highlight. I always use a sponge when blending this out as it soaks in some of the product so it doesn't look too light and I find it blends better with a sponge. I use a dry disposable sponge to blend this is as I've found a damp sponge wipes off my foundation. After I've blended it in, I always set it with loose translucent powder. If I'm feeling it, I 'bake' the concealer but when I'm lazy I just set it in place. 

Xoxo

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Updated skincare routine

When I say 'updated', it's updated to me. I've always struggled to find and stick to a skincare routine as I'm lazy, but when o haven't given my face a proper clean and I see and feel the difference. 

I switch between using the garnier pure active micellar cleansing water and the Clinique take the day off cleansing balm. I use this as my first cleanse. On my more lazy days when I just want my makeup off, I use the micellar water. I love this stuff! It takes no time at all to take off the layers of mascara and removes my face makeup effortlessly. On days I want to take my time I use my Clinique take the day off cleansing balm. This stuff is amazing! It's a solid ball which changes to a fluid when applied to the skin. To remove this I rinse a flannel under hot water.

After my first cleanse I use either the origins checks and balances frothy face wash or the Clinique anti blemish solutions cleansing gel. The origins checks and balances frothy face wash has been designed to find the balance in your skin. It's formulated to remove excess oils and dirt as well as protect dry patches. This is great as I have combination skin- oily and dry skin. I larger this up and apply it to my face. I then take my No7 beautiful skin cleansing brush. This brush has two settings- the slower speed just cleanses the skin, whereas the faster speed gently exfoliates and gives a deeper clean. I always start off with the slower speed to distribute the product over my face. I then use the faster speed to give a deeper clean. I rinse my face with a flannel. If I opt for the Clinique anti blemish solutions cleansing gel, it's because my skin is playing up. This cleanser really helps when I have a spot forming it an area of spots on my face. It stops the spot from developing and reduces the areas where I already have spots. It says it in clogs pores, but as I switch between the two I haven't noticed any changes. I do the same as the origins and lather it up, then use my brush. 

Once a week it every two weeks I use the No7 total renewal micro-deem abrasion face exfoliator. Now the reason I do t use this very often is because it makes my skin sensitive as it's very abrasive. When I do use this though, I absolutely love it. My skin feels soft, the patches of dry skin have been removed and it gives a radiant glow to my face. Another exfoliator I love is the body shop seaweed pore-cleansing facial exfoliator. It contains plea europaea- olives, well the olive pitt to be exact which is the abrasive agent. I was able to use this exfoliator twice a week as it wasn't too abrasive but still removed excess oil and dead skin cells. 

After I have washed the exfoliator off I splash my face with cold water to close my pores. I pay my face dry and then apply my origins super spot remover blemish treatment gel. I'm so glad I found this product! It removes my spots and prevents more from developing. While I'm letting that soak in I use the sample of the ginzing refreshing eye cream. Once both the spot treatment and eye cream have soaked into my skin I use the origins zero oil oil-free moisturiser. I finish off by applying lip balm to keep my lips moisturised. 

Xoxo

Twitter- missBbeautyy

Sorry for lack of posts

I'm so sorry that I've been MIA lately. I've had a lot of things go on in my life which put me outta the mood of blogging for a bit but I'm back now! 

I forgot to tell you guys, I have a Twitter! I made it ages ago for my old blog but decided to stop using it, so I changed it for this blog! If you want to follow me my Twitter @ is @missBbeautyy 

Go give me a follow and I'll follow back! 

Ps I'm off work next week so I'll be getting back into the swing of blogging again!

Xoxo

Origins samples review

When I went shopping a few weeks back and brought my Origins zero oil oil-free moisturiser, I was given some samples as I spent over £30- don't worry, the moisturiser didn't cost me over £30, I brought the super spot remover blemish treatment gel too! 

I was given the skin renewal serum, checks and balances frothy face wash and ginzing refreshing eye cream. I love the checks and balances frothy face wash. I use it with my No7 facial brush and it makes my skin feel squeaky clean! I don't use this all the time as I have another sample of the Clinique anti blemish solutions clearing gel, so I switch between the two (I will do an updated skincare routine). 

The serum I wasn't 100% sure on as I ran out of it within 3ish days. I've been told that when applying serum, you should use a pea sized amount and press it into the skin. I would like to take a minute to apologise to the customers I have given this false information too. I tried this and there wasn't enough serum to cover my whole face, to which I squeezed more out and simply rubbed into my skin. From what I did use I liked but as I ran out so quickly, I didn't notice any big changes. 

This eye cream works wonders! I applied it before my makeup and straight away noticed a difference. The creasing under my eyes seemed to vanish before my eyes- well technically vanish under my eyes hehe. It made my makeup apply smoothly and I get hardly any creasing with my concealer. 

I would 100% recommend these products! 

Xoxo