My Birchbox Favourites

I started my Birchbox subscription in September 2014, and it was my first beauty subscription. After testing many others Birchbox is by far the best in my eyes. I'm here to tell you about my favourite products, so good I've repurchased most and use them everyday.

But first a little about Birchbox. When you subscribe you fill out a 'Beauty Profile' where you are asked about about your skin type, your areas of concern and your skin tone, as well as your hair type and colour. Then you can add your personal style choices so your box is tailored to you each month. It only cost £12.95 including postage, and if you really like the boxes you can subscribe for a few months at a time and save some pennies.


The first of my favourites is a tinted moisturiser from Caudalie, Vinoperfect Radiance Tinted Moisturiser. I have it in light, and I find it's the perfect shade for my extremely pale skin tone. I've never really been one for tinted moisturisers as almost all the high street brands have a 'light' shade about three shades too dark for me. Damn you pasty skin! But I don't have a bad thing to say about this product, it looks the same when I get home from work as it did when I left that morning, it's a great consistency and it smells amazing.

It does retail from the official Caudalie shop at £27, but I have found it cheaper online so have a shop around if you're looking to try this.

Next up is the Yes To Cucumber Hypoallergenic Facial Wipes. I am one of the lazy people that really cannot be bothered to wake myself up with a proper face cleanse every night before bed and that is why these are so great. Society says that make up wipe are bad for your skin, but you will not able to do anything but love these wipes. They are so soft, so refreshing and so damn good at getting rid of makeup, dirt and soot apparently (a long story).

You can't purchase these from the UK Yes To online store but I do know they're around about £5 from Birchbox, and it you're not like me and have a half decent Boots near by, you will find them in there for around £3.

This next one won't be for everyone, just for you dry skin suffers. If like me you have very dry patches on your face, so much so that you have to tackle broken skin every morning (gross, I know) then Birchbox have pointed me in the direction of a lifesaver. Pomade Divine's Nature's Remedy Balm. It is very thick and sticky lotion that you do need to apply in advance to applying makeup, I usually put this on first thing and moisturise over the top to get rid of the greasiness.

I am trying to squeeze every last drop out of my tester as this retails at nearly £20 on Pomade Divine's online store.

I love a good mascara, so when Birchbox emailed to ask which Benefit mascara I'd like to test I did my homework. I went for the newish Roller Lash and my god did I choose correctly. I wear this all day everyday, and unless I've fallen asleep in front of the TV before bed it stays in place all day long. It drys instantly and is really build-able so good for an everyday look but you can layer it up for going out too.

I bought a full sized version of this after about a week so I could keep the mini in my handbag, it was £19.50 from the Benefit counter.

Finally, nails. I'd never heard of this brand before but their polishes are stunning. I received a Soigné nail polish in Pistache. I'm rubbish at painting my own nails because I'm fair too impatient, but this polish is so easy to use. It's not too thick and glides on without a lot on the brush, I did a couple of layers and they lasted great over the weekend, then being a jewellery maker went and ruined them. I have however painted my toes and they look the same now as they did two weeks ago.

I bought another bottle in the shade Chou-Fleur Violet from Birchbox for £11 which is the same price as the official store. 

I do hope you have a look at some of these products and you find them as great as I do. 

Catch you later, 

Ellie

My Taste in Music

First of all I'd like to apologise for my disappearance over the last few months. Everything got a little bit crazy and any free time I had tended to be used to sleep. My bad.

This post goes against the normal flow of this blog, it being a beauty blog and all, but I wanted to write a post about music. When I was 12 I received a gift in the form of an iPod Touch, primarily to play games and use iMessage, but receiving this gift marked a milestone. My discovery of music.

Having two older brothers with two very different tastes in music I found myself going to both of them and begging them to send me songs and albums. So much so that they'd start suggesting things they thought I'd like. So over the next two years I found my own taste in music and pretty much spent every spare penny on music.

Lately I've felt as though my dedication to music has declined, only really listening to a couple of songs on my way to and from work. So I've decided to go back to the roots of my liking of music and start where I started when I was 12.

So I'm going back and listening to pretty much my entire iTunes library, started in 2009. There's over 450 albums from a huge variety of artists. From Kings of Leon to Florence + the Machine, from Red Hot Chilli Peppers to Ben Howard, from Death Cab for Cutie to Elbow.

Some facts on my taste in music for you:

• My favourite band is a tie between Kings of Leon and Foo Fighters, Kings being my first love at 12 and Dave Grohl of Foos being my hero. 
• My favourite album is again a tie between 'Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm' by Benjamin Francis Leftwich, 'Good News for People Who Love Bad News' by Modest Mouse, and 'Codes and Keys' by Death Cab for Cutie. I think. Oh man, this is too hard.
• My most listened to song according to iTunes is 'Wanna Know' by Dan Croll. 
• The last album I bought was 'Sun Structures' by Temples and the last song I bought was 'Young Chasers' by Circa Waves.

Mini review here to end, I bought myself a pair of Bose SoundTrue around-ear headphones for Christmas, which I am using to listen to the entirety of iTunes. Yes they were a bit pricey, costing £150, but they are totally worth it. The sound quality is top notch and because I listen to a variety of genres they are so adaptable, they have just the right amount of bass. And comfortable, my gosh they're comfortable.

The moral of this blog? Well it seems to have mostly been a ramble, but I really would encourage you to go back to your old favourites and give them a listen. They bring back some fantastic memories. 

Zoella Beauty Review

For a fan of Zoella I was slow to jump on this one. I knew Zoe Sugg was launching a beauty range, and I knew it was available in Superdrug, why it took me so long to get myself there I have no idea. But I'm glad I finally did.

I picked up the 'Soap Opera' Bath Soak and Shower Cream as well as the 'Let's Glow' candle. I'm secretly a horder of candles and incense sticks so found it pretty much impossible to let go of the candle once I'd had a sniff. I'm the type of person to light a candle in the bath, I'm sat in my room with two candles burring as we speak and I have to say this scent is divine. 

Both these Zoella products have a subtle scent which istn't overpowering or harsh. Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for scents. I can't walk past a Lush without wondering in purely to take as many deep breathes as possible. But I can't feel relaxed in a room smelling of flowers and berries, it makes my nose tickle. 

I really like this range and I can see myself popping back to Superdrug for more. As for Zoe, I feel strangely proud. I have watched her evolve over the last few years like many other people and she deserves the praise for fitting all she does into a manic schedule and coming out with great products like these. 

The War Between Matte Lip Sticks

I wake up in the morning to a very dull, dark and cold world, which only means one thing. Winter is here. I love layering up with giant scarfs, packer coats and chunky boots. But winter also means wapping out those matte red lipsticks.

When it comes to my lips, I go matte. I feel like any matte colour will last longer and suit me better so I thought I'd tell you about my top five products. They're all high street brands with fantastic price tags.

#5 Barry M - Ultra Moisturising Lip Paints in 163

It's very rare I visit the Barry M counter, and I can count the number of nails varnishes I've purchased from them on one hand but on a venture for a new red last winter I came across this gem. Barry M do both matte and satin colours these days but this shade is matte in my books. I wear shade #163 which is the second darkest shade in my top five.

The wear on the this product is good, I find I only have to reapply once or twice throughout the day. And this is also the cheapest of the five retailing at £4.49.

#4 Top Shop - Lips in Hazard

I will admit to avoiding Top Shop as much as possible, not that I don't like their styles, I just feel like I need to be a size 8 to fit into anything in that damned place! Anyway, on a trip to Cambridge I was forced to tag along into Top Shop and found myself in the make-up section, and I must say I was in my element.

I purchase the shade Hazard, along with many other products that displeased my bank account. It's one of the brighter shade in my top five and a great look for a night out. At £8 it's a reasonable price, my only niggle being that the packaging is cream, put this bad boy in our makeup bag and it's rainbow coloured within minutes.

#3 Soap & Glory - Super Colour Fabulipstick in Pom Pom

This is the first ever lip stick I purchased, it's a lot more subtle than the others, perfect for everyday wear. Soap and Glory do only a couple of matte shades, this being the pinkest shade. The last on this lip stick is outstanding, and is the easiest to apply. The only downside is the £9 price tag, making it the most expensive of the five.

#2 L'Oréal Paris - Color Riche Collective Exclusive in Blake's Pure Red

This is a relatively new collection from L'Oréal, only hitting the shelves a few weeks ago, but I've already worn it twice since I purchased it. I chose Blake's Pure Red as her skin tone is most similar to my own but testing the rest of the colours on the back of my hand it was a tough decision, they're all great.

I've always been a fan of L'Oréal lip sticks and this one doesn't disappoint, I feel like it might be my go to this winter with a very unhappy Ellie when this limited edition shade leaves the shelves. It's only £6.99, so your bank account will stay happy.

#1 Rimmel London - Lasting Finish by Kate Moss in 107

Finally my number one. And yes it's Rimmel. One of Kate Moss' shades. Shade 107 is a more purply-red shade and fairly dark, but it's my favourite purely for that reason, the darker the better. The wear is great and at £5.49 it is a bargain.

So there you have it. My top five.

If you have any suggestions please do share, I'm always looking for great lipsticks for my ever growing collection.


Catch you later,

Ellie

How To: The Winged Eye Liner

A lot of people go for a simple eye everyday, but I like to nominate my eyes as my best feature and sport a cat eye in pretty much every look I wear.  It has taken a lot of practice, so don't worry if you can't match your left and right, or you slap it on too thick, you'll get there.

First off you need to choose your product. There are four options: pencil, which I must admit I have never used for a cat eye but it'll do the job; a felt liner, which I class as a good starting point; a gel liner, which is my everyday go to; and eye shadow, which is slightly more tricky to get perfect.

The products I choose for each option are as follows:
Felt liner - Bourjois Liner Feutre (£6.99)
Gel liner - Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner (£7.99 - This gel comes with a brush but my top tip is to make a trip to the Real Techniques section and pick up a Real Techniques Silicone Liner Brush, £5.99)
Eye Shadow - Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette (Shade: Crave, £22. You could also use Blackout which is sold separately for £14)

Step 1: 
Apply a eye lid primer (Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, £16).

Step 2:
If you're using eye shadow, wet the brush first. Using one hand pull your skin taught by pushing upwards at the brow bone. Then draw a line from the corner of your eye out wards to mark your flick. I allow some leeway for sharpening the flick at the end.

Step 3:
Start from the inner corner and use a long brush motion across the lash line until you meet the line you've previously made. This line can be as close to or as far from to the lash line as you feel comfortable with, if you want a more subtle winged liner look you should keep it thin but you can always go back and thicken it.

Step 4:
Depending on how thick you want to flick to be, draw a dipped line from the tip of the flick across to the line on the lash line. This should create the flick, you can fill in any gaps now.

Step 5:
Finally, work over the liner again to get the desired thickness and colour. If you make a mistake or want the flick to be cleaner you can use a straight edged brush and some concealer to neaten the liner. Apply mascara, my favourite being Doirshow New Look at the moment (£24), and the look is complete.

You can wear a winged liner on a naked base, or over a shadow, it's completely up to you!


Catch you later,

Ellie x

University Isn't For Everyone

During Sixth Form at my local secondary school, I felt like it was drilled into everyone that going to university was the best and only option. So much so that although I was adamant I didn't want to leave school and go straight back into education I was forced to complete a UCAS application and encouraged to attend open days.

The majority of the population deciding what to do after A-Levels have no doubt that gaining a degree is the way to go. But for me, I had a hard enough time getting through the final two years of school and I still feel like I'm the only one who doesn't want the student life.

I found that one of my teachers understood that I didn't want to go, and understood why. She would e-mail me job advertisements she found, tell me about apprenticeships she thought would suit me, all relevant to the areas I was interested in and the subjects I was doing well in in Sixth Form.

I've never had a 'dream job', well apart from the time when I was 10 and decided I could be a paramedic, thanks Casualty but it was a short lived dream. So I had no idea what I was looking for when it came to employment but just like when applying to university making yourself stand out is key.

Before I'd even started my final exams I had knocked together a CV, and been invited to an interview. The interview happened the day after I left school for good, and I lucky walked straight into the job. It's not a waitressing gig, it's not in McDonalds or KFC, it's a job I really like. Yes, they do exist.

My point is that even though we are told from a young age that having a mass of qualifications will get us a dream job, it's not true. I can't say my decision is the right one, or that I won't feel like I'm ready to try uni at a later point in life. But I don't mind a bit of hard work and perseverance to get myself to where I want to be at the moment.

Catch you later,

Ellie x

So Many Foundation, One Must Work

No one persons skin is the same, hence every make up stand in every chemist or department store has an array of foundations claiming to look natural, to match our skin tone, to last twice as long as it actual will, and to make our face flawless. Well, if you've found a foundation that does all of these things for you, you are a very lucky lady. I must admit I've come close, and heres how.

I start off with a primer, Rimmel's Fix & Perfect Pro to be exact (prepare for a Rimmel overload, they're my go to). There always seems to be some sort of offer on on this primer therefore I keep going back to it, it works well and I feel theres a big difference in the quality of my make up when I do apply it.

Now for the foundation, I have two main contenders for the perfect foundation. Urban Decay's Naked Skin is the more pricey option, at £27 per bottle I understand why many people on a budget stay away from brands like Urban Decay. This foundation is so light but very build able which is great when your skin has on and off days like mine. I can wear this for a more natural look, to cover up breakouts, or for a heavier look. It's also never let me down on the staying put front, I've worn this on nights out and come home with my skin looking as it did when I left the house. I wear shade 1.0 as I am very fair, the staff on the Urban Decay counter will recommend a shade for you.

My everyday foundation is Rimmel's Match Perfection, I like a good radiance foundation so firstly opted for Rimmel's Wake Me Up but found that it was a little too dewy for my liking and gave a slightly heavier coverage than I wanted. I use the shades Ivory and Light Porcelain mixed to get the right match. It's a good send of a product for £7 a bottle.

For an under eye concealer I use Rimmel's Match Perfect Illuminating Concealer, I think this retails at around £6, trust me it's worth it. For the odd spot and blemish I reach for Bourjois' Correcting Concealer Stick. I originally bought this from a rather dodgy looking pop up stall in a shopping centre, so I didn't hold out hope for finding it on an actual Bourjois stand but sure enough there it was at a reasonable price of £7.

I set this all in place with Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder, this is a miracle product and comes very close second to eye liner in the 'products I cannot love without' list. My only peeve with this powder is how long it lasts, like all make-up in a pan the middle usually wears away first and eventually crumbles. Top tip for getting the most for your money is to use the handle of a brush to crush the product into a loose powder, slightly messy but puts you on until you can run to Boots and make a repurchase. But don't worry, it's only £4.

To give my skin some colour I contour with Urban Decay's Naked Flushed Palette, it's slightly pricey at £22. It contains a matte bronzer which I use to highlight my cheek bones, sides of the nose and jaw, it also has a highlighter which I highlight under the brow with. Finally it has a slightly shimmery blush, I'm more of a matte colour girl so I opt for Sleek's Blush in my favourite shade Pixie Pink.

And that is how I get the best out of foundation. It's guaranteed that I'll wake up too late each morning and be too tired to follow the process, resulting in concealer after powder and no blush at all but when I take my time this way works for me.

Catch you later,

Ellie