What's In My Travel Makeup Bag!

Hello everybody! So I'm going on holiday in 11 days and I'm crazily excited. I've started to plan what kind of things I want to take with me and I thought I'd tell you all what I'm planning to bring with me make-up wise as I love reading these posts myself! 

To start off the bag I'm putting my make-up into is this gorgeous orange and pink waterproof (which is vital so spillages can be cleaned easily) number 7 bag that I got for Christmas a few years ago. It has 3 compartments; a transparent compartment which is great as I have put the majority of my make-up in it and I can see all the products so I can get them out easily, a mesh orange pouch that can be removed (as it had poppers) and this is such a good feature as you can use this as a little make-up bag you can carry around in your bag whilst you're away and finally an open compartment with a little pouch which I've put slightly larger things in that wouldn't fit anywhere else or were a bit miscellaneous. I am storing my brushes in a Cath Kidston brush roll which unfortunately I don't think is being sold any more despite how beautiful it is but I think they have released a new smaller version with brushes included. For me a brush roll is essential for travel so they don't get ruined and it is also very convenient as they are all stored in one place

Lips:

♡ Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm - Cherry Me

♡ Revlon Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick- Smoked Peach

♡ Rimmel London Vinyl Gloss - Take A Chance

I wanted to bring a minimal amount of lipsticks on this trip that would work for all occasions and I think these 3 fit that as they all work amazingly on their own and give a completely different look but they also work together really nicely.

Rest of the make-up and miscellaneous products: 

♡ Urban Decay Naked Pallet

♡ Hair Bands & Clips

♡ Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

♡ Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer 

♡ Seventeen Stay Time Concealer

♡ L'Oreal True Match Foundation

♡ Rimmel London Stay Matte Powder

♡ L'Oreal Waterproof Volume Million Mascara

♡ Bourjois Delice De Poudre Bronzing Powder

When packing make-up it can be difficult to travel light so I decided to go for only one base so I included only one foundation, one powder ext. (apart from concealer which I am planing to bring two as I use them for different things!) and then I could change the looks daily with the eye-shadow pallet as with the naked pallet you can go from a really subtle look to a really bold look.

Brushes:

(left to right)

♡ Real Techniques Duo-Fibre Eye Brush

♡ Urban Decay Shadow Brush (Comes with the 1st naked pallet for free!)

♡ Real Techniques Detailer Brush

♡ Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush

♡ Mac 275

♡ Real Techniques Brow Brush

♡ Real Techniques Duo-Fibre Face Brush

♡ Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

I love using way too many make-up brushes at the same time so it was so hard to narrow it down to a few so I decided to go back to basics and only pack brushes I *need* so I chose one brush for everything and then a few extras for eyes because that's the part I can't not use a tonne of brushes on.

I hope this was somewhat helpful?!?

I'll speak to you all soon,

Sarah x

How To: Ombre Hair

The lighting is slightly different in each photo but the upper hair of the hair on the right is the same colour as the hair the right, I didn't dye that too.

So I finally decided to bite the bullet and ombre my hair (again!). Some of you may  not know that I used to have ombre hair for about a year but I cut it all out about half a year ago for a slight change. I've missed the dimension and texture the ombre look gives to my hair and I'm so happy that I have done it again.

Firstly I want to stress that I'm not a hair dresser/ expert at all I just find from the 3 other times I have done this that this technique has worked for me! Also I am doing this on un-dyed/ 'virgin' hair, The results may be very different on dyed hair.

 What you will need:

♡ Bleach - I have tried to go lighter before without bleach and it just doesn't even make the slightest difference so this is essential. The bleach I am using is 'Bblonde Maximum Lift'

♡ A Hair Brush - My hair brush of choice is a tangle teaser. You need to thoroughly brush your hair so it's easier to work with and section off.

♡ Sectioning Clips - These are so useful weather you use clips or maybe even hair ties, sectioning hair makes it so much easier to work with.

♡ Foil and Scissors - These are optional but I like to wrap foil around the section of hair I have finished to separate it from the rest of the hair, make sure it doesn't transfer onto parts you don't want it on and also it locks heat in which makes the bleach preform faster.

Please excuse my dirty mirror!

The first step is to whack on some funky old clothes that you don't mind getting ruined (like you can see I have demonstrated above with my Happy Gilmore tee). I don't want to go ruining my 'nice' clothes with bleach stains and I'm sure you don't want to either!

Then (if you're planning to use foil) cut lots of strips about one inch wide. It's best to cut more than you think you will need because you don't want to be half way through the process to find that you haven't cut enough!

Don't be alarmed by the purple colour it is supposed to go like that and wont actually make your hair go purple!!

This is the moment where you get to feel like a little scientist and mix everything together (but please read the instructions your bleach comes with or this could go cray)

Ok so for the actual application i like to firstly take a small section of hair and place it on the foil ready for the bleach making sure there are no knots and tangles.

(Excuse the weird angle it is just very difficult to apply bleach with one hand) Then I like to coat the tips of the hair pretty heavily with the bleach making sure it's got every strand

And as I work my way up my hair I like to use a stippling/ dabbing technique with the remaining of what's left on the brush to give it a gradual effect and not just a block of colour - The sectioning also helps to create a more natural look as every section will be slightly different. And then fold the bottom of the foil over to cover the bleach and scrunch it a little so the foil doesn't fall out.

 Now you get to wait whilst looking super cool with foils in you hair. I let my bleach develop for around 25 minuets.

Then it's finally time to take the foils out and wash all the bleach out of you hair and take a look at the final result!

I really like how mine has come out because I think it looks really natural but still noticeable. I didn't want it to go too far up my hair as I always worry it could go terribly so I'm prone to only doing a small bit so I could cut it off if it went crazy but I'm tempted to maybe going a little higher next time? 

I'll speak to you all soon,

Sarah x

OOTD: Prom! ♡

  

On Friday 18th June it was my schools prom so I thought I'd update you all with an 'outfit of the day' (or night in my case) as I love seeing what people wear to their prom's so I thought you might too?!

What I am wearing:
♡ Dress - True Decadence (sold at House of Fraser) you see it online here
♡ Necklace - Topshop (no longer available)
♡ Nail Varnish - Sally Hansen Arm Candy - I couldn't recommend this stuff enough it's so amazing and you can get it here
♡ Shoes - Dorothy Perkins - These shoes KILLED my feet and I got blisters in places I didn't even know you could get blisters but if you don't plan to be dancing or on your feet a lot (unlike me) you can get them here

I have previously made a post of the make-up I wore to prom here, my prom hair here, and also a 'what's in my bag' here if you want to check them out to find out the full details!

I'll speak to you all soon,
Sarah x

What's In My Prom Bag!

I though I'd just upload a super quick blog post for you! So this is my 'what's in my bag: prom edition post' but lets all be honest I should have really called it 'what's in my purse' as it's tiny.

The clutch bag I had for the night was from Japsar Conran and was around £25(?) and I love it so much. It has a nude patent lining and the main fabric is a nude snake skin effect with little bits of gold shimmer (I don't usually go for snakeskin but I thought this looked so classy). It hasn't got tonnes of room inside so I opted to put my essentials in the bag which were:

♡ My prom ticket - Kind of important if I actually want to get into prom

♡ My phone - Of course only for photo's and if I need to contact my parents

♡ And my lip products - This is because this is always the first part of my makeup to move itself around and look funky so it often needs retouching! If you were wondering the lip products are a Mac lipstick in 'Politely Pink' and a Rimmel London vinyl gloss in 'Take A Chance'

I am planning to upload a few more prom posts in the not so distant future.

I'll speak to you all soon,

Sarah x

My Current Skin Care Routine

 I have slightly oily blemish prone skin and I have suffered with acne (or spots) for around 6 years so the products I mention are targeted around that area. My skin has got hugely better (still not perfect though) from using these products. This skincare routine works for me but of course it may not work for you as everyone is slightly different.

L'Oreal Paris Skin Perfecting 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution - RRP: £4.99

This stuff is insane! This is what I use to remove my make-up and it's worked wonders. I used to cleanse my make-up off but now I realise that doing that wasn't the best thing ever because it definitely didn't remove all my make up therefore my breakouts were more frequent. This removes all my make-up (even waterproof mascara but it does take a little longer) and leaves my skin feeling super clean and refreshed and my breakout have become so much less frequent and not nearly as bad and I think this is one of the main reasons for that. To a extent it sticks to it's claim 'unclogs pores and removes impurities' but it doesn't really remove blackheads, a facial scrub is still needed for those pesky things. All the other claims I 110% believe. I use cotton pads to use this which also gives a slightly deeper clean. You can purchase this here.

Purifying Palmarosa Daily Moisture: RRP - £23.75

I have previously talked about Neals Yard Remedies here so you can check that out if you want. I apply this to my skin every night and most mornings. This is a bog standard moisturiser but is specifically targeted at combination/ oily skin. Even if you do have oily skin it is so important to moisturise or your skin will produce even more oils. This moisturiser is so light and sinks right into the skin. You can purchase this moisturiser here.

Germolene - RRP: £2.19

This is the remains of probably my 3rd tube or Germolene. This to me is holy grail. I may be wrong but I briefly remember in science being taught that spots contain pathogens (and if I also remember that correctly it is something to do with cells that cause illnesses like the flu etc) So basically they are made up of pretty crappy harmful stuff which is why I love using an antiseptic cream as I feel like it kills off spots before they get a chance to appear or if they do appear it at least makes them sanitary. I may be talking complete rubbish but regardless this does wonders to my skin and is so moisturising as well. I would highly recommend this to anyone especially if you're on a budget as it is insanely cheep! You can purchase this antiseptic cream here.

Clarifying Mahonia Skin Gel: RRP - £16.50

This is the shizz! its basically a organic spot gel that actually works! I find lots of products that target individual spots actually make the problem worse but this is insane. It gets rid of spots that usually last a week in the space of around 3 days which is amazing in comparison and sometimes it takes even less time and once you get around the funky smell this product in my opinion has no flaws (it also has a nifty pump which is great for getting the right amount of product).You can purchase this here.

Then every 2-3 days I use the following Products:

Palmarosa Facial Wash: RRP - £15.50

Not gonna lie this face wash is mediocre. I say this because it does the job and doesn't break me out but it doesn't work 'wonders' on my skin. The only reason I still use it is because it is the only face wash yet to break me out but I do feel like I really need a face wash in my routine somewhere. I'm still on the hunt for another so any recommendations would be fab! You can purchase this face wash  here.

Soap & Glory Scrubatomic Face Polish - RRP: £9.00

If I could use one facial scrub for the rest of my life it would be this. I personally wouldn't use this daily as the instructions suggest but it's great for use every 2-3 day. Its so gentle on the skin and removes all nasties like dead skin and most blackheads. This has never broken me out in spots like quite a few other scrubs have but I will mention again, personally not for everyday use or your skin may react badly. This makes my skin feel so refreshed after using it. You can purchase this facial scrub here.

I'll speak to you all soon,

Sarah x

Prom Hair! ♡

Hey everyone! So I thought I'd update you all with a quick little blog post. Today I had my prom hair trial at a hair dressers called 'Debut'. This is the style I have chosen to wear for my school prom and I'm in love with it. It's a half up, half down style and the hair that is down is a collection of messy waves (but unfortunately have dropped out before I took theses photos as I forgot to hairspray my hair!), The top section is 2 French plaits that join together at to make a loose bun at the back. I haven't included the clips that I mentioned in this blog post as it is only a trail and I wanted to be able to wear this all day without looking extremely fancy but they will be placed randomly between the 3 buns to make it look like one big messy one (I'm sure I will update you all with a photo from the actual day). You could defiantly achieve this look at home with a little patience but I'm not great at hair so off to the hairdressers I went.

I'll speak to you all soon,

Sarah x

Summer Primark/ Boots/ H&M/ Accessorize Haul

Primark:

I cannot express in just one blog post about my love for frilly socks! They are so damn cute and make any outfit you wear look a touch more girly. Weather you can see the frills poking out of a pair of ankle boots or sandals they work for all seasons! These ones from Primark are only £2 for a pack of 3 and in my opinion are nicer than the Topshop ones that are almost four times the price for the same amount! 

Wow wee this was such a bargain. I was walking down one of the isles in Primark and came across this gorgeous kimono and it was love at first sight. It was £13 and for how much detail and the quality of this it was such a bargain. Especially since I have come across lots of similar ones that are double that price. 

I love Primark pj's so very much! I wanted to get the matching top to the shorts but unfortunately all the sizes left were too big for me so I went for a little hunt and got this white vest instead which matches reasonably well. I think in total the top and shorts came to around £5. These are so so comfy and great for summer time as they are made from quite a thin material. They have lovely lace detailing and i just like them lots.

A little later on I discovered these very similar pj's but in a different pattern. Luckily they had my size in both pieces so I went ahead and put these in my basket. You may be thinking that 2 pairs of pyjamas in one shopping trip is a little much but I'm planning to take these on holiday with me and I before had no summery sleepwear.  

Accessorize:

I've been looking for some hair accessories recently for me to wear at my school prom and as my dress has  no 'sparkle' or whatever you want to call it so I thought these would be perfect. These types of clips are great because you don't need to worry about bits sticking out. These were £6 for a pack of 4 which I think is fab because of how expensive they actually look.

I have a serious case of 'I have lost my earrings again' so I am constantly buying new ones. I love this pack and I think their great as you could wear them with anything and I'm thinking of wearing the pair second to the left for prom. They were £10 which is kind of expensive considering I'll probably loose them soon but the damage has been done.

Boots:

The other day I was reading someones blog post (I can't for the life of me remember who) about how much they love this concealer and that it in their opinion is potentially better than the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. It's around the same price and I have tried this once and it's super creamy - I will get back to you all with a cheeky review on this once I get a proper opinion.

As some of you may know I'm a crier. Not just when I'm sad - In fact when I'm sad I very rarely cry. But whenever I'm really happy for someone or about something I will just burst into tears and I'm yet to try a waterproof mascara? Also coming into the summer months all of my make-up tends to smudge all around the place. I have previously already tried the non waterproof version of this so I already know I love it and can we just take a moment to appreciate the beautiful packaging. It's on the higher end of high-street/ drug store make up at £10.

I am soon to be writing a skin care blog post about my love for this stuff so I wont rant too much about it now but this is great for people with acne and is a super cheap (£2.19!) effective solution that could also be used as a moisturiser.

As I just mentioned I will be uploading a skincare routine post so I wont go on about this product too much. This solution is one of the main things that have saved my skin. It's great for getting rid of make-up/ getting rid of impurities on the skin.

I have raved about this amazing powder before in this blog post so I made a cheeky re-purchase before my current one completely runs out. This powder is so lovely and affordable and never looks cakey - the powder almost sinks into the skin and makes it look flawless.

I am yet to try a Sally Hansen nail varnish so I have picked up this one to wear potentially for my prom (I am bringing this up a lot but this is the reason for most of my purchases oops) It's a lovely pale pink colour and I got the shade called 'Arm Candy' which is a little funky sounding but whatever. 

I am before today a false eyelash wearer virgin. I picked up these individual Eylure eyelashes as I heard these look the most natural on which is what I wanted because all I'm really looking for is length. After looking at a tutorial on YouTube I conquered these bad boys and managed to apply them in about the 3rd time which I think is pretty good for a first timer?

H&M:

You will be able to see from these next 2 purchases that not only do I love wearing dresses but I also have a love for ditsy floral prints. This skater style shift dress is so lovely for summer but with a bit of layering and a pair of tights you could definitely get away with wearing it in winter. It was around £12 (?) and I already know I'm going to get so much wear out of this as I wear dresses similar to this all the time.  I think this dress would suit anyone of any body shape as it's not particularly tight fitting and I think the colours would really suit darker skin (and pale skin too but you know what I mean).

What really drew me to this dress (apart from the floral pattern) was the straps that connect at the back which look super flattering and eye catching when you wear it even though it's only a little extra detail. This dress is slightly out of my comfort zone as it's not completely body-con but fairly tight fitting which is something I don't really go for but I thought that I should be comfortable to wear tight clothes even though I don't have the 'perfect' figure as I should be comfortable in my own body and so should you. This was the same price as the first dress and I think you could really dress this dress down or up with a few accessories.

I'll speak to you all soon,
Sarah x

Natural Prom Makeup Look

My school prom is coming up very fast in just a few weeks so I thought that I would share the potential make-up look I'm going to wear. I wanted to keep the look reasonably natural so I would look like myself in photos if that even makes any sense?!?

Base:

The POREfessional (Sample) - Full Size RRP: £24.50

I love love love love this primer! Even this little tester tube has lasted me so long as you need only the tiniest bit to cover all you face. A few primers I have tried have broken my skin out in the past but this defiantly doesn't! It controls my oiliness throughout the day and helps to keep my make-up in place for even longer than usual. I specifically wanted these features for prom as I will be wearing more make-up for a longer amount of time than usual so a good primer is essential for me. You can purchase this primer here.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - RRP: £4.19

As you can see from the battered packaging that this concealer is deeply loved within my heart and I have repurchased this concealer at least 5 times now. I use the lightest shade which matches my completion perfectly. It's a very high coverage and is super blendable. It is perfect for blemishes and redness and I use this for under eye circles too. For prom I defiantly want a higher coverage because I want my skin to look as flawless a possible for photographs. You can purchase this concealer here.

Revlon PhotoReady Foundation - RRP: £12.99

I often have a massive struggle with finding foundations that are pale enough for my skin tone. Even brands like L'Oreal who have a massive range of shades don't have one that is pale enough. For me this one is perfect. As well as being the perfect shade it also has  the most amazing finish on my skin. It's a lovely matte/ satin finish. The foundation itself contains SPF 20 which is great for summer as I do not fancy getting a burnt face and photographic pigments that claim to 'diffuse light to erase ever flaw' which I completely agree with, especially in pictures (perfect from prom yet again). This foundation is full coverage but feels surprising light on the skin and looks so natural, It's not 'cakey' at all. i like to apply this with the Real Techniques 'Expert Face Brush'. You can purchase this foundation here.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - RRP: £3.99

As you can see I have hit pan hard on this powder and this is the second purchase I have made of this which shows how much I love it. It contains no fragrance or added oils so it is great for sensitive skin. This gets rid of all oiliness/ shininess on my skin whilst also adding a little bit more coverage (But you can also get a transparent version if you don't want any more coverage). You can purchase this powder here.

Bourjois Bronzing Powder - RRP: £7.99

This bronzer is fabulous! I have the lightest shade and it doesn't look orange at all. It's perfect for bronzing up the whole face/ to add a slight contour or if you're feeling wild both! It gives your skin a really healthy glow and if you are pasty white like me it makes you look slightly more alive. You can purchase this bronzer here.

Benefit Coralista (Sample) - Full Size RRP: 23.50

This is my favourite blush ever! It's a coral colour (as the name suggests) which you can build up or make look very subtle. I haven't even hit pan on this tester and I have used it almost every day for at least 2 months so buying the full version is definitely worth the money. It has a slight shimmer to it which looks beautiful and is just all round a great blusher. You can purchase this blush here.

Eyes:

I have 'hooded eyes' where the eyelid droops slightly lower than normal eyelids so I'm limited with what I can do without it all smudging everywhere. But if I could I would add winged eye-liner to create more definition.

I also forgot to take a photo of this but  I used the Urban Decay 'Primer Potion' to prime my eyelids and help they eyeshadow stay in place for longer.

Urban Decay Naked Pallet - RRP: £37

Out of this pallet I have used: 'Buck' (5th from the left) to fill in my eyebrows and 'Smog' (6th from the right) all over the lid. These eye shadows are so blendable and pigmented. The only downside is that they do have a fair bit of fall down but you can just sweep this away with a brush! This pallet is definitely worth they hype and worth the price for such high quality. You can purchase this pallet here.

ColourWorks Eye Shadow Pallet - This was limited edition at Super-drug and I got it for Christmas so I have no idea how much it was or if it will be re-released.

In this pallet I mixed a tiny bit on the black (far right in the middle row), brown (on the left of the black) and taupe (top left corner) and used these in the crease and blended them all out with a fluffy brush. I love the way this combination turned out and it made a perfect gradient from the urban decay colour. I also used the white (3rd from the left in the middle row) as and inner corner and brow bone highlight which looks really natural.

Mac Zoom Fast Black Lash Mascara - RRP: £14.50

I love this mascara because it gives lots of definition and makes you're eyes look so fluttery and bigger than usual. I prefer my mascara once it has dried up slightly. Before it dried up a little I didn't like it that much as I felt it smudged a lot and wasn't doing anything spectacular but now a little while later I love it! You can purchase this mascara here.

Lips:

Mac Lustre Lipstick in 'Politely Pink' - RRP: £15

I have a very small mac lipstick collection at the moment but this is my favourite I think! It's the most beautiful sheer pink which gives your lips so much shine. I got this lipstick for my birthday by accident as I actually asked for another one but I'm so glad the accident happen as I don't think I would have personally picked this up myself as it doesn't look that exciting in the packaging but I love it on my lips! It's a lustre finish which means it's really hydrating and glossy too.  You can purchase this lipstick here.

Rimmel Vinyl Gloss in '130 Take A Chance' - RRP: £4.99

This is surprisingly the first lip gloss I have ever brought! I was really sceptical  that it would be really sticky and gross I thought 'why the heck not, pull yourself together Sarah' and my pep talked paid off because it's not sticky at all! It pairs wonderfully with  the mac lipstick as they are almost identical colours and this adds to the shine. I also occasionally wear this on it's own to school or everyday wear as it adds a little colour but isn't too in your face. You can purchase this lip gloss here.

I'll speak to you all soon,
Sarah x