My Night Time Beauty Essentials

Sometimes I feel like skincare doesn't get enough recognition. It might be because the packaging isn't as beautiful as a YSL compact, and maybe products just become so integrated into our routines that we use them by habit and forget how fab they are.

When I actually took a min to look into it, I use quite a few products before going to sleep, most of which I keep in my bedside table draw and apply whilst sitting in bed. Although, one of them needs a more accurate application but it's a life saver so while we're on the topic, my acne lifesaver products comes in the form of a tiny bottle which is the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. For anyone who is suffering from any form of break out, or simply one little pesky spot, this little magic product has you covered. It really does what it says, completely dries the spot out. You need to apply it with a cotton bud, and it's a pink sediment that then dries once applied. It's honestly phenomenal and I couldn't recommend it enough! 

Before applying any spot treatments I always moisturise. My favourite and go-to product at the moment is the Clinique Moisture Surge. It's a gel formula and sinks into the skin really nicely. I also use this in the morning before applying my makeup and it's just a really lovely product that leaves my skin feeling hydrated which is 100% needed. 

Speaking of hydration, the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream is a miracle life saver. I cannot explain how nice this is as a glorified lip balm. For anyone who has dry chapped lips, ditch the cheap lip balms, this will literally save you. I put this on before I go to sleep and my lips always feel soft in the morning without a doubt. I feel like it also sorts out the corners of my lips as they can get really sore in warm/cold weather, so it's just an essential at this point. (I'd also like to point out that I've had this one tube for a year now and it's still going strong!). 

Now onto the lavender scents. I always find that lavender is a really soothing scent and helps aid sleep and helps me to unwind. The Lush Sleepy Body Lotion isn't strictly a simple lavender scent but it's you can smell it amongst some other ingredients but it does smell lovely. I seem to be applying this a lot recently, especially because it's been so hot and I am very very pale so I like to fake tan, gotta keep everything nice and silky smooth! If you're in need of another moisturiser, the Lush Sympathy For The Skin which smells like vanilla banana custard, is incredible. 

Finally, I like to spray the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray or the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray Plus (which is just a strong scent) for when I'm feeling super stressed and need to chill out. I feel like the scent is very soothing and makes me feel like I'm at a spa so it definitely helps me to relax and zonk out. 

I don't know if these products just have a placebo effect or whether it's just the lavender scent in them working but they're all my night time essentials and I hope you've enjoyed reading this post! 

Til next time xxx

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New High-End Additions To My Beauty Stash

Today I thought I would share some of the newbies to my makeup stash as I appear to have gone off the wagon and splurged on some high end products which I'm so excited to try out. It may have started with the justification that it would be wise to invest in them as Space NK were doing £15 off a £60 spend and that was all the justifying I needed - oh I am so weak.

So I thought I'd start off with this beautiful bronzer: the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in the shade Luminous Bronze. I have actually already been through one of these and needed to repurchase it again. Now this bronzer is near the top of the bronzer food chain coming in at £45 per compact. Yes, it's eye wateringly expensive, and unlike the Hourglass blushers which seem to last forever, I used up my last one seemingly quite quickly. Honestly it's 100% worth it as this bronzer is utterly stunning and I swear by it. If you have the cash huns, don't be afraid, this bronzer will be your new BFF giving you sun kissed bronze realness.

Next up is an eyeshadow I have been wanted to try for years but never got round to it because my eyeshadow addiction is out of hand. However, these colours are the most beautiful shades for Autumn so obviously now is the perfect time to purchase this. Yes you named it, it's the NARS Eyeshadow Duo in shade Isolde, featuring gold copper goodness. I've never tried any NARS eyeshadows before but I love the blushers so I have high hopes for this.

Finally, we have a product from Sunday Riley. I finally made the decision to take the splurge - I mean £68 for one product just makes me want to cry - and pick up one of these oils, specifically the U.F.O. Ultra-Clarifying Face Oil which is designed to treat and prevent acne. Honestly, the stress of going back to uni for my final year has given me major congestion and from watching Samantha Ravndahl's videos (especially this video linked here) and reading a tonne of reviews, this oil has been highly commended for it's skin clearing benefits and that's what I need right now. I think that seeing as this was so pricey, there will definitely be a post coming up in the near future to say if it's actually worth the splurge - cause lets be honest, there are a lot of cheaper alternatives on the market. But please can we take a moment to appreciate the beautiful packaging, its so luxurious, I love it.

There you have it, the new high-end additions to my beauty stash (writing a blog post about them makes me feel like I can justify the spend even more) and I hope you've enjoyed reading this post. Also, I'm so impressed with the photography I took for these considering it's been raining all day today so the natural lighting has been tragic - so not cool. 

Til next time xxx

US Beauty Haulin'

If you've seen any of my other blog posts, you will have seen that I've just been to America which obviously meant that a makeup spend up would be involved. I'm telling you now, you will mentally tell yourself to be good but you get into that makeup store and an overwhelming sense of excitement will flow through your body which essentially counteracts any rational thinking. I travelled to Las Vegas, LA/Newport Beach and San Francisco. Each different place involved three different splurges, so collectively here's what I picked up.

So my first stop was in Las Vegas where I met the lovely Faye and hit up Sephora - her blog and Instagram are actual goals, all of her photos are seriously stunning and dreamy so if there's one thing you do today, please follow her!

I think we both beelined to find the Sol Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and ended up finding a travel sized 75ml version, which is perfect to take on any flight because it fits the liquid limit. Anyway, having tried it through my stay, I decided to pick up the full sized tub on my last day in San Francisco because it worked out cheaper to buy it in the states than in the UK. I can't comment on whether it's made my bum any perkier, but it smells phenomenal and makes my skin feel so soft and in my eyes that's a winner.

I don't think either of us had a list so I genuinely think we swatched everything in the Caesar's Palace Sephora - which is blimmin' massive btw - but it was 100% worth it. We stumbled across the Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow in Kitten Karma a.k.a. the shade of my dreams. I can't even explain to you how beautiful this is. It's a beautiful shimmery champagne shade and I'm genuinely in love with it but I'm also lusting after Ballet Baby which is a sheer baby pink with a silver sparkle. 

What haul would be complete without a new highlighter? I've seen liquid highlighters over Instagram, and in particular the CoverFx ones, but having swatched nearly every highlighter this one stood out.. literally, it was blinding. This is the CoverFx Custom Enhancer Drops in Moonlight which surprise is another beautiful champagne shade. I'm actually obsessed with this product, unlike cream highlighters this is has just hit new heights of achieving perfect dewy glowy skin without looking like a cake.

As I might have mentioned before, I live for the glow. So I also bought another cream highlighter stick from Milk Makeup in Lit which, you guessed it, is another champagne highlight shade. I think, my mentally for rationalising this purchase was that you can't get hold of this in the UK? But it is a seriously stunning shade and I live for cream highlighters at the moment so, adding it to my collection.

There was also a little bit of skincare involved in this haul, and who can resist a rose gold/copper face mask?! This is the Origins GinZing Peel Off Mask and not going to lie, I've wanted this mask for ages so when I saw it in Sephora I'm like yaaaas girl treat yo self. Since using it a few times, it's very zingy and makes my eyes water a little bit before it dries but forget the tin man, you're gonna look like the rose gold queen, it leaves your skin feeling real soft once you've peeled off all your impurities and dead skin. Speaking of skincare, I also picked some of the own brand Sephora sheet face masks because i've used them before and they're so so nice.

Newport involved a cheeky spend up in Ulta. Little did I know that the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer was exclusive to Ulta so obviously I had to get it. What really got me was how big it is, the wand is massive compared to your average concealer wand. I've used this a handful of times since using it and I completely understand the hype

For the longest time I have wanted one of the Lorac unzipped palettes and when I finally saw and swatched them I immediately decided on the Original Unzipped Palette because the shades just look so gorgeous. My eyes are green so I'm all about those purply hues to make those eyeballs pop. Upon first impressions the shades are extremely buttery, soft and unlike any other eyeshadow formula I've tried so I'm so excited to cover my face with these (well okay, I mean my eyes).

I also picked up the most beautiful Essie Nail Polish in 'A Cut Above' which is essentially pink glitter (so majestic), the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer - a dupe for the YSL concealer - and two of the NYX lip liners in Natural (the most difficult shade to find in the UK) - a dupe for Mac's Whirl lip liner.

Of course I had to pop into Bath & Body Works where I fell in love with the Pumpkin Pecan Waffles 3 wick Candle, which smells heavenly. I can just see this being the perfect Autumnal candle and I'm excited to start burning it (stay tuned for those Autumnal posts).

I can't even believe how long this post is so thank you for reading all the way til the end! I loved shopping with Faye and it was so nice to finally meet her! - make sure you check out her blog and Insta (@fridayfaye), you won't regret it!

Til next time xxx

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