The Acne Proof Base

I have finally got together the products which I find help keep my base products on for as long as possible. This has taken a good few months to crack, and it is finally worth me putting them all together in one giant post.

I start off after applying my moisturiser by adding the Smashbox photo finish silicon primer to my entire face. My foundation of choice for everyday wear is the L'Oreal true match which is a medium coverage foundation with a first application, but it is easily buildable to full coverage which is what I do. I blend my foundation with my beloved Beautyblender. I did not get the hype of this little sponge for years and years, but a year or so ago I finally purchased one and now I rave about it to anyone who will listen. I then add a layer or two of the newest item to this base routine, and it is the Makeup Revolution conceal and define concealer. This has become an absolute must have, it is a full coverage concealer which does everything you want, and costs just £4!

For powder I use the Rimmel stay matte powder. Last year, I tested a few high end powders including Charlotte Tilbury and MAC. I recently went back to the Rimmel one, and for £4 it is such a great powder and does the exact same job as the high end versions. I had wanted to try the RMCA powder for soooo long, and I finally picked it up after reading so many reviews. I use this lightly on the tip of beautyblender to set my makeup especially over my chin area, which is where my clusters of acne usually are. This is the area which 100% wears throughout the day the quickest, therefore it is the area which needs the most staying power. Lastly, I use the Gerard Cosmetics slay all day setting spray. I am not sure how good setting sprays are, but this does add some last minute hydration back into my skin and also helps to lock in the finishing touches to my base makeup. After this process is complete, I finish the rest of my makeup. Once my entire makeup is finished I add another spritz of the setting spray, for a final lock in. 

You may be thinking it must take me ages to do this base routine, but really it is just six simple steps and doing it on a daily basis means I complete it in about five minutes. The most important step is to make sure that the foundation is fully blended in, so that when the concealer and powder is applied it does not look cakey. 

I am definitely able to put products to the longevity test as my shifts at work are 12.5 hours, so I have my makeup on for approximately 15 hours a day. This new routine has mainly revolved around adding in the primer, RMCA powder and setting spray. From these extra products and steps I have definitely seen an improvement in the longevity to my overall makeup. I often pop to the loos at different times of the day to see how long my makeup is wearing. My makeup is usually still looking great at the 4-5 hour mark. Beyond this I definitely start to see some minimal wear, I always think until about 7 hours I am happy with my makeup. This is a definite improvement as previously at the 5 hour mark there would have been much more wear. After 8-9 hours it is pretty much a downward spiral if I am being brutally honest, everything starts to melt into my face and there are obvious signs of wear. By the time I get home my base makeup is just about still intact, but you can see in my greasier areas is where there has been the most wear.

On a more positive note, I use this base routine for my nights out and I always feel as though it is all locked in for the entire night. It is unusual for someone to have their makeup on their faces as long I do, but as I have mentioned these steps have definitely helped to add to the longevity and overall wear of my makeup. If you are looking for ways to add to your overall makeup staying power, try adding a few more simple steps to your basic base routine.

Lucy

xoxo

Olivia Burton Lace Detail Black and Gold Watch

This beautiful Olivia Burton lace detail black and gold watch was a present from my lovely big sister for Christmas. I had mentioned to her once or twice about wanting a watch from her line so much that she finally caved and bought me one. I think Olivia Burton has arrived on the scene with a bang, and good on her because my god are her designs beautiful.

I have been wearing this watch a lot since Christmas and I have had lots of compliments on it. I like the black leather strap as it definitely not what I would have chosen for myself, but it goes with every single outfit which I wear. The black dial face is a classic design and I love it in contrast to the gold detailing. As a whole I am more of a rose gold than a gold lover, but this has definitely added some variety to my jewellery. The stand out part of the watch and what I adore about it to most is the actual design of the watch face. The lace and the flowers intertwined is such a pretty combination, and I like that it is just around the bottom part of the watch. The size of the dial is 30mm which a perfect size for my arm, as I did not want anything too big or bulky.

The watch costs £78 which is I think it a very reasonable price as I think they have found their market with customers. The brand has created pieces which are delicate and she definitely has quite a classic girly feel to her jewellery which is honestly why I love it so much. I love pieces which are not too over the top, which are simple but have some details which finish the pieces off perfectly. She has recently launched a bee collection and I am simply obsessed with it. I recently treated myself to a bee a ring from the line as it is so beautiful.

Olivia Burton has definitely got my seal of approval with this watch and her simplistic designs. I know for sure I am going to be looking at her line when I want to expand my jewellery collection in anyway. She has a vast variety of watches out at the moment and there is definitely something for everyone.

Lucy
xoxo

The Jaclyn Hill Morphe Palette

The Jaclyn Hill Morphe palette first launched back in November and there is no hiding the amount of hype which surrounded its release. I am a big fan of Jaclyn Hill and her YouTube videos. I can always scroll through her videos and find a makeup look which I want to attempt to recreate. She I started watching her videos years and she has always been a champion for Morphe, and she has definitely contributed to the huge brand which is it now. When she announced a collaboration palette with Morphe, I had huge expectations for this palette. It is not hidden fact that I have been a Morphe palette lover ever since their famous 35O palette launched (post here), and took the beauty industry by storm. They recently brought out a 35O2 palette and I love it, I wrote a full dedicated post to it which you can read here.

I have had this palette for three months now, so I have definitely put it to the test. The palette comes in a white cardboard case, which looks nice but it gets very dirty and it is not as durable as there black plastic casings. I like the size of the palette though as it is not too thick or bulky in length and width. The palette contains 35 palettes which is a-m-a-z-i-n-g, as most palettes contain 12-15 shades. It is no lie that I am fond of warm golden and coppery shades, they are my ultimate go-to. What I love the most about this palette is there are around 10 shades which would be my usual go to shades. However, she has added some yellow and pinker undertone shadows to spice up the palette. On the left hand size she has also put in 5 green, blue and purple tones shades and I love that. She has added some versatility to the palette, and it isn't just the good old classic golden warmed toned palette.

There are 17 matte shades in this palette, and the others are a mix of shimmer and metallic shades.  I feel that Jaclyn has got this bob on and has a really got a great mix of textures in the palette. The most important aspect of any product is how good it performs. All the shadows have a dreamy creamy, easy to blend consistency. They are all highly pigmented and are one swipe shadows. The metallic shadows are must ultimate favourite especially firework (6th on the second row), queen (7th on the second row) and cranapple (7th on the third row). This came with a plastic sheet which had all the shadow names on, and this is a little bit annoying as it is super easy to loose. It would have been much better to have the shade names printed underneath each shadow. The only negative thing I have to say about the shadows performance is a few of the shimmer shades have quite a bit of fall out, so I have learnt take a little bit and build it up so I don't end up with it all over my face!

This palette cost £37 from Beautybay and is finally back in stock after so long. It took me so long to get my hands on it and I managed to get it in BeautyBay's first launch which was actually quite a few months after the initial USA launch. There was a little bit of controversy regarding the price of the palette as Morphe's other 35 shade palettes cost just £23. I totally get why consumers are a little sceptical about the added £14 difference. I understand that this is a limited edition palette, and also BeautyBay have to pay more for the import on these palettes. However, in the USA it is the same pricing, the Jaclyn Hill palette is $38 and their other palettes are $23. Overall, I think this palette is still worth the £37, and I think that Morphe and Jaclyn have created a unique palette which is different from anything else on the market right now. I don't often say I would whole heartedly recommend a product, but this palette is great and brilliant if you want something which you can travel with and has a vast shade range. All hail Jaclyn and her dreamy palette!

Lucy

xoxo

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid

The Ordinary salicylic acid 2% solution was one of the first items I bought from the brand when it first hit the beauty market. Salicylic Acid is an ingredient used to help with blemish prone skin as it a beta hydroxyl acid (BHA). The purpose of this acid is to exfoliate the skin. I think what makes this so special is that before this was brought out there wasn't many salicylic acids they contained 2%. The solution is said to exfoliate the inside of our pores, which with continuous use will hopefully reduce the appearance of blemishes. Over time, we should see visibly better skin with fewer blemishes. To me, all this sounds fantastic and was the reason I invested in it.

The main reason as to why The Ordinary has done so well since its launch is down to it selling products without particularly fancy packaging, it has a very appealing price tag, and most importantly it actually doing to the job it states. How many of us have invested in high end pricey skincare which had lots of promises, but ultimately didn't do very much? That is why this brand has taken the beauty market by storm. This solution costs just £4.20.

It says to use this day and night, but I have been using it on a daily basis in the morning. I apply a small amount straight onto my blemishes. It does state you can also apply a small amount to the whole of your face in order to maintain clear skin. I found when I first started using it that my skin tingled a little bit. It was nothing huge, my face did not burn or go red. I just felt some mild tingling over my blemishes. I do get very itchy skin anyway, as my skin is dry due to other acne products my dermatologists has prescribed for me to use. It does say to be careful using this in direct sunlight as the BHA increases the skins sensitivity.

I find that this has reduces the size of some of my blemishes that sit just on the surface of the skin and give me a bumpy texture. I find that this does not work as well on pus-filled blemishes. If you get red, angry spots then this works really well for them in reducing the size and drying them out. I have not found it helps with my overall reduction on acne as a whole, but I did not expect it to. This is good as a one hit wonder on those pesky blemishes that appear from nowhere, and you want to them to reduce in size as soon as possible. It does what it says and dries them out, which can cause slight difficulties to that direct area when applying my makeup. To overcome this, I ensure that I add a thicker nourishing moisturiser underneath my makeup to stop it looking cakey.

I have used three quarters of this 30ml bottle, and I will be repurchasing once it has finished. For the price you simply cannot complain. If you get spots every once in a while which come with avenges, then this is the perfect product to keep at the top of your skincare cabinet to pull out and be prepared. For those with acne, unfortunately I cannot report that this is our skincare saviour which has come to resolve all of our skincare woes. However, I am impressed as like I have said I have seen a reduction in size of the particularly big angry, red spots which can linger on the skin for weeks.

Lucy
xoxo

Gerard Cosmetics Setting Spray

I got this Gerard Cosmetics peach setting spray in the black friday sale from Beauty bay. It was a one day offer for half price, and I paid £8.25. I had heard many of my favourite beauty bloggers raving about this, so I thought it was the perfect time to pick it up. I have always thought that setting sprays is one of those gimmicky products that probably don't really do much, and the beauty companies are just making millions of pounds on glorified water. However, some people swear by setting sprays so I was willing to give this a good try. I am happy to say this has been put through the tests and I have used at least a quarter of this bottle. I have used this pretty much every day which I have worn makeup since buying it.

I have recently created a new base coverage routine which includes lots of 'setting' products, which I will be bringing you in a post very soon. This spray is included in two of the steps. I use this after applying my foundation and concealer; I use 3-4 sprays on setting and locking it into place. I do feel as though it does set it in place and stops it from sliding around my face. I then use about 6 sprays after I have finished my entire makeup to set my entire makeup into place. I am very oily across my t-zone and over my chin area where my acne mostly is and these are the areas where I want my makeup to stay locked it. However, I always find these are the areas where my makeup sinks in the fastest, due to the oils absorbing the makeup quicker. I have found that since using this spray my makeup is staying put longer than usual which I have been super have surprised at, but I have also been very happy about.

I find the peach scent is nice as I really like fruity scents anyway. I don't find this that this is too strong or overwhelming. I can only smell it when it is being sprayed, and not directly on my face. I was also initially a little concerned about the bright orange colour, but it seems to come out pretty clear and I have never noticed an orange glow to my face!

Overall, I like this spray. I have previously used the Urban Decay setting spray and I liked it, but due to the price I didn't repurchase it. This is formulated to control the amount of oil in the skin. I find it does add a slight mattifying hue to my skin, but it does not set my makeup to look too matte as I am very much into a glowy and brightening finish to my skin. I am going to continue using this as I do think it adds some benefits in the setting and locking aspect to my makeup. Although, I do not think it is an essential to anyone's makeup routine. I would say if you have oily skin or blemishes then it is worth the money in trying this out to see if it helps with the longevity of your makeup over a day.

Lucy
xoxo

Wonder'fully Real Mascara

 So when I went into Boots recently they had an amazing offer on. It was 3 for 2 on all items, and then when you spent £8 you got their new wonder'fully real mascara free. I had tried many Rimmel mascaras over time and I have had some great ones, but some also not so great ones. I was excited at what this mascara was promising me - both length and volume.

The length of the wand is longer than most, which to me initially sparked thought that this would mean that it would capture all of my lashes at once. It does do this and it manages to reach every lash which is a definite bonus. I feel as though it does coat my lashes well, it does not smudge, or flake and it is definitely a clump free formula. It also feels comfortable on the lashes and the application process is smooth.

However, if I am being truly honest this isn't the greatest mascara I have ever tried. I have to say it does add some length, but for me it doesn't add much volume. When I first tried this mascara I found that it coats my lashes but did not add any definition. I am not sure if this is down to their not being a 'curling' aspect to the wand. It does not claim to have this, but I think it is an essential to any mascara. I think the curl and the volume go hand in hand when it comes to what a consumer wants from a mascara. This is all down to the actual brush wand; I feel as though the bristles are short, thin and spread out. I then started to use my eyelash curlers to add the curl which the mascara did not, and this indeed did help. It also helped with the definition as my lashes stood out more.

I came to the conclusion that this is very different to most of my mascaras which I have used in the past. This is definitely the reason why it has taken me quite a few weeks to get my head around the best way to use this. As I have already mentioned the bristles are much smaller, and I think I need something bigger and fuller to reach from root to tip of every lash. It also has quite a wet formula and I find it takes a little while for it to set, and if you move in too quickly with another coat it can end up looking very clumpy, very quickly. However, if you are already blessed with longer more fuller lashes, this can definitely help to add some length.

Lastly, I have been using this in combination with my L'Oreal Paradise mascara, which is currently my favourite go-to everyday product. I did write a full review ranting and raving about it, which you can read here. The past few days I have been using the L'Oreal Paradise first to coat my lashes, I then curl my lashes with the eyelash curlers, and to finish off add a coating of the Wonder'fully Real on top, and so for it is proving to be a great combination. The end result is my getting the volume, curl and length - which is a total winner.

It is no hidden fact it is a struggle for me to find a mascara which does everything that I want. My lashes aren't short, but they are sparse. Therefore, I need a product which does a lot. This unfortunately did not do everything which I wanted it to do. I am always going to be honest with my reviews on my blog, and that is the reason why I have been brutally honest with this mascara. I have tried this product on many occasions, and as I have mentioned with the use of my eyelash curlers and another mascara I am finding it much better. I do like the formula, but the actual bristles on the brush just don't do much for my lashes. I would definitely suggest trying this mascara with some eyelash curlers as it definitely did help to add some curl and definition. As I always say, a product which doesn't do everything I want may do everything you want. I am, and I will probably always be a huge fan of Rimmel and their drugstore affordable products. Unfortunately though we are all different and all want different things from products, and I am never going to try a product and give it a 10/10 rating every time.

Lucy
xoxo

My Netflix Picks

Over the past two weeks I have been off work with the flu. This means a lot of TV has been watched - morning, noon and night. There is no denying that since Netflix landed on the scene, its audience has become catastrophic. I have put together my best shows which I have really enjoyed, and there is such an array of different types of programmes.

First up, Pretty Little Liars, this show had me from start to finish. I was a bit late to the bandwagon with this, as I think I only got on track at series 4. I binge watched the first few series, and was instantly hooked. I would wait each week for the episode to be available on Netflix, and my friends being as obsessed as me did not help! It is a simple storyline following a group of girls and their friendship through high school and into adult life. There is a character called A who does lots of different things to this group and many of the other characters, and the purpose of the programme is the girls finding out who A is. Let's not mention the final few episodes of the last series (what the hell were they thinking!), but if you want a seriously girly, cringe-worthy series with lots of eye candy then this is for you.

This is not going to be for everyone, but Cheersquad was definitely up my alley. Since they age of 3 I have taken dance lessons, and did 5 years of cheerleading whilst at school. Now, the girls on this programme are in another league, as they are one of the top cheerleading teams in the world. I love the behind the scenes and seeing the tears and dedication which goes into being in such a high ranking team. This series follows the girls on their journey to the world championships. I totally loved this and I so hope they bring out a second series. 

When 13 Reasons Why was first put on to Netflix, there was a little controversy surrounding its storylines. It is based around a teenage girl called Hannah Baker and each episode is a tape recording of her speaking to a particular character. It is a very thought provoking programme, and it highlights the current issues with mental health and suicide. For me, I thought it really highlighted how you interpret differently what someone says and their actions. Apparently there is a series 2 of this on the way as the first series was watched by millions, and it really did get the internet talking.  

Now Riverdale series 1 was great, the story moved along at a good pace, and the characters were intriguing. Series 2 is currently on at the moment, and I personally feel as though it has let its self down. The story seems to flutter backwards and forwards and it is hard to keep up with what is really going on. I really hope they manage to drag the storylines back together, during the second half of this series. I thoroughly enjoyed watching series 1, and it had some great twists and turns within the story which made you want to come back for more each week.

I discovered Dynasty one day at the start of December, on the picks for you section that Netflix offers. You have to watch it with a light heart, as the storyline is very stereotypical. The story is based around a family who own a big energy company which is worth millions. It follows the dad and his new wife, and his two children from his first marriage. They live the lifestyle which you would expect with a huge mansion with lots of staff, the daughter has every designer bag you could think of, and the son is struggling with his relationships. As always with this type of series, there is lots of twists and turbulence along the way.

I am not quite sure how to describe Stranger Things in a nutshell! It is set in a town called Hawkins in the USA in the 1980s. Within a group of four school boys, one of them (Will) disappears and is abducted by a creature in the upside down (which is essentially like another paranormal universe). The upside down was created by this science lab in Hawkins, which often involve human testing. A girl who has been involved in this testing for years escapes from the lab, and ends up in hiding in one of the boy's bedroom. The story then develops from here, in how Will's family and friends search for him. In the meantime, there is a lot of abnormal activity going on. The second series develops on this storyline, and how this activity is still ongoing.  

You Me Her, is not my classical typical of programme. The storyline is unique and nothing like I have watched before. It follows a married couple who seem to have lost the fire in their relationship. It focuses on how much they still love each other, but the sexual side of their relationship has become almost non-existent. The husband decides to hire an escort at the advice of his brother, it turns out that Izzy (the escort) is not what he expects and this is where the story stems from. His wife finds out about Izzy and it turns out she has had relationships with girls in her youth which her husband has never been aware of until now. It then develops into them starting a three-way relationship, and how none of them know how to handle it. However, none of them want it to stop as they all start to become emotionally invested in it. I have just finished series 2 and I have really enjoyed how the story has developed, and it hasn't become too unrealistic.

If you watch any of these programmes, please let me know. Also, if you have any other Netflix recommendations that you think I would enjoy, I would be super happy if you can share them with me!

Hello Internet

So I came into 2018 which a fresh mind in regards to the blogging industry. But last night my eyes couldn't believe what they were reading. I am not going into detail about anything, however when someone is publicly targeted and called every name under the sun then that is going to affect someone.

Last August after 3 and a half years of having my blog, I finally had the courage to put up a post about my insecurities and how people perceive me on a daily basis. I have a thick skin, I definitely didn't when I was younger but honestly people can be truly vile. Troll or no troll, someone is writing these comments. I am proud to say never would I even in a heated discussion with someone would I ever first thrown out about their looks. It is so easy for people to throw out the words 'ugly' and 'fat'. It honestly makes me blood boil. I don't think I have ever met someone who hasn't had something offensive regarding their looks said to them.

This just made me remember something which I have thankfully not thought about in years. I remember at high school someone said something nasty to my best friend on Facebook, and I replied telling them to stop. The next minute some unknown person joined in and started calling me every name possible, and my entire school year saw it. I was honestly devastated. I remember going to bed that night and literally sobbing my heart out. Thankfully, like I say I have grown a slighter thicker skin. I know for sure I have grown up, and I am done with people's bullshit and opinions. I think I come across as quite a confident person; I am in some ways but not in a lot of others. I think this is because I really value my friendships, and if someone is being truly out of order I will say.

I do think some people go out of their way to cause drama, but I am not about that life. I am 23 years old and I see women still acting like petulant children, and being catty about something so minor. On the internet, this is made a million times worse as you get thousands of unknown people commenting on anything and everything, which 99% of the time has nothing at all to do with them. Honestly if one more person writes that bloggers blog for freebies, I think my eyes are going to roll out of my head. I am not holding back in this post, and one thing I have noticed when it comes to trolling is that a large proportion of these people (both male and female) are in their 30's and 40's with children. Now, I am not saying that just because you have children you cannot have an opinion on any social media. What I am saying is this age category should know better. No one, no matter what age, understands the repercussions of what their nasty comment will have. They have done it to simply create a reaction.

When I was at school, Facebook was the biggest social media platform alongside MSN messenger that we used. I would come home from school and hop straight onto the computer and onto the MSN messenger, and speak to all of my friends who I have spent the entire day with at school. As we had phone top ups I could not roam the internet freely for hours upon hours, and I kind of wish it was like that now. From this, I just want to highlight how when you type something, whether it being a direct comment, jumping on the bandwagon which seems to be the most popular one, or the worst of all writing or sharing a nasty post about someone please just stop for 5 seconds. All I want you to do is think what if that was me. I am not going to lie I have typed out some unkind messages when people have been on personal rants to me or my friends, and my initial reaction because my blood is boiling is to lower yourself to their level and write something equally as nasty back. There has been several occasions where as I am about to press post, I have had to take a deep breath and just delete it. It goes back to those simple morals of - if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I believe in only saying something to someone, which you would want someone to say back to you. Is it really isn't that hard to be nice. I often refresh my Twitter feed so I am only following people who are uplifting and positive, as people on a daily basis who moan and groan can be draining for you to read.

I am not going to really include too much regards into blogging, pitching and the rest of it. All I can say is in ten years when the blogging industry is actually recognised for being more than just collecting a few freebies, I will have a big smile of my face. I just don't get it I go to ballet lessons and have done since I was 3, and everyone still thinks that it is nice that I go. If you mention your blog online, people's first reaction is "do you get sent loads of samples?". No, it is just another hobby like anything else that people enjoy doing in their spare time.

What made me laugh in all this, is those parents, or anyone in that older age bracket who are trolling, is how many of them have bought some Youtuber merchandise for their children, niece/nephew or younger cousin? I am pretty sure Zalfie wouldn't be living in their glorious mansion, if people hadn't bought their merchandise. Just saying. Their biggest audience is definitely the 10-15 age bracket and these kids aren't buying it all themselves. I am a fan of Zoella, some bloggers love her and some dislike her. This is fine, as people are entitled to their own opinions, and can come to their own judgments on this. We are never going to like everyone. There are many YouTubers I don't like, but I simply do not subscribe to them. It is easy. These trolls come from nowhere and spend hours hopelessly creating arguments with anyone who has a slight difference of opinion, and it is simply just getting down right boring. I see it that is fine for the big Youtubers who have millions of followers as their merch keeps their kids happy, but it is not fine for anyone with a smaller audience as our opinions seem to become completely invalid.

I have come to realise that maybe I am allowing too much of myself to be on my social network pages, and it is something I am going to think about. As you can probably tell I am still livid, but I am most of all just massively disappointed in where we are at the moment. I think I am going to take a break from social media over the next few weeks, to clear my mind and not get caught up with all this nonsense. Tomorrow I am back in work for the first time in nearly two weeks after being off with the flu, and I have literally spent an embarrassing amount of hours in bed scrolling through social media. It is pretty rubbish to think that we have to 'take breaks' in order to clear our minds of all the crap that is out there on social media. I do think it is sometimes needed for our own sanity and I think I am at that point.

I think I need a holiday. Is anyone offering a free plane ticket?

Lucy
xoxo

Urban Decay Haul

On boxing day whilst shopping in the aisles of the Selfridge's sale, I was surprised to see a mass of girls over at the Urban Decay makeup counter. In previous years, high end makeup brands never really get involved in the big sales and only offer minor discounts such as 10% off. However, Urban Decay had some really big reductions on some of their products. It was a little bit frantic trying to reach in for the products which I wanted to have a look at. I did manage to pick up some absolute bargains; they had 30% off some fabulous makeup pieces.

The first thing was the Urban Decay meltdown makeup remover which is a dissolving spray. I have never heard of this before, and I was instantly intrigued. This powerful spray mists onto the skin and when it comes into contact with makeup it starts to instantly dissolve. It says to simply spray onto a cotton ball and swipe away makeup. It sounds easy and like a great innovative addition to the skincare world if it works as simply as it sounds. This was just £6.70 for a 30ml size bottle. I cannot wait to try this out and report back.

The next item which caught my eye was the lockdown travel duo set. In this set you get the optical illusion complexion primer and the all nighter makeup setting spray. The primer is intended to blur out flaws and smooth out your skin. On first impressions, this is a soft primer which has a slight rosy pink hint to it, but sets down to a translucent matte finish. The consistency of the cream is thicker than expected, which will hopefully create a perfect base for my makeup. This set also comes with an all nighter setting spray. I have previously tried their de-slick setting spray when I had more oiler skin and enjoyed using it. I hope this does exactly what it intends and locks my makeup in place. This was on sale from £18 to £12.06.

The last thing I picked up from the sale shelves is the ultimate pair. This came in different colours and I picked up the backtalk and rush duo. These are both mid-tone mauve pinky nudes, which are both stunning shades. Urban Decay is not a brand which I have bought a lot of products from over the years. However, I have numerous eyeshadow palettes from them, and I have always been impressed. I have read some great reviews about their lip products, so I am very excited to put these to the test. Just from swatching the lip liners they are a soft crayon, which are easy to apply did not pull at all and was super smooth. The lipstick is part of their comfort matte range, which feels super comfortable and has a lovely creamy consistency. This duo was a bargain as both of these are full size, and was originally £22 and I paid £14.74.

What are your favourite Urban Decay products?

Lucy
xoxo

The Best Beauty Products of 2017

So there is no denying that in 2017 I once again purchased a lot of makeup. Today I am here with the products which deserve a medal, and beat everything else in their category. I love finding new products which are amazing, and I am confident that everything mentioned in the post belongs in your makeup bag.

The Urban Decay heat palette jumped out to me as soon as I saw it. The colours are warm toned, with an array of golden, burnt coppers and orange shades, and contains a mixture of mattes and shimmers. I chose this as my favourite palette, as it is hands down my most used palette of 2017. I really struggled with this category last year, but it was a no brainer this year.

At the start of autumn on the whim I discovered the Morphe pressed pigments, which on the whole deserve a lot more recognition than they get. Once I started to use these pigments I was instantly hooked. They are smooth to apply, and the pigmentation is outstanding. This is proof that you do not need to spend a lot in order to get a fantastic product. I am excited to try out some more Morphe products in the upcoming year.

I am 99.9% sure this won the award last year, but Kat Von D's tattoo eyeliner is once again worthy of the prize. It is the best liquid eyeliner I have ever tried. In 2017, I tested quite a few new liquid eyeliners to try and find a cheaper yet equally as good alternative. However, the mission was a complete failure, and I always went back to my ever-so-trusty tattoo liner. I use the black shade and it is a pure pigmented black, which delivers the goods and does not budge.

I saw a lot of bloggers recommending the L'Oreal paradise mascara when it was first released. However, it was well worth the hype. The brush to this is the winner, it is a like a number 8 as it is thinner in the middle section of the brush. I find that the bristles really grip on to my lashes well, and add volume from the root to the tip. I usually struggle to add both length and volume as my lashes are not particularly short but they are sparse, but this does both as each layer applied.

I wrote this last year but it is still true I am still on the search for my perfect glowy full coverage foundation. The two which have impressed me the most are, L'Oreal's true match which is a great everyday medium coverage foundation, and Nars' sheer glow foundation which is my absolute favourite but at £31 a bottle it makes me cry every time I apply it. Will 2018 be the year that I finally find the perfect foundation that is 1. glowy, 2. full coverage, and 3. is actually long lasting?

Now, this year I have tested out a serious number of lip products in all different forms. I have bought a lot of liquid lipsticks, and I think Kat Von D still wins the prize for the best formula. The everlasting liquid lipsticks are super pigmented, long lasting and comfortable on the lips. The colour range she now has is sensational. I have also really fallen in love with Charlotte Tilbury's matte revolution lipsticks. I am not usually the biggest fan of matte lipsticks, but this formula is hydrating and makes my lips look fabulous and plump.

Lastly, the product which I just cannot stop talking about comes from Benefit. I am not a big Benefit lover, their products just never really jump out to me. But, one thing they are good at is brows. I purchased three of their goof proof eyebrow pencils in 2017, as I just love it. I love the waxy texture of the angled pencil. It applies super easy and allows you can create real looking brow hairs with just a few strokes. I love that this comes with a spoolie, as it pulls the whole eyebrow look together and ensures the entire product is equally disrupted.


What deserves the crown as your best product of 2017?

Lucy
xoxo

Instagram Giveaway

I planned to put this post live two weeks ago, but with the festive period I never got to put it up. As we all know our Instagram followings goes up and down on a daily basis, but a few weeks ago I did actually hit 500 followers. However, it has once again dropped since! Anyway, to celebrate the new year and hitting 500 followers I am doing a little Elf Instagram giveaway at @lucyalanaxo.

A few terms and conditions -
1. Must follow me on Instagram - @lucyalanaxo
2. Must have liked the post
3. Must have left a comment and tagged 2 friends

This is open for 2 weeks and will close on midnight Sunday 14th January. Winner will be contacted on Monday 15th January once winner has been chosen. I will enter all of numbers of entrances into a random draw and the winner will be chosen. If the person who matches the number has not followed all the rules, then another winner will be announced. The winner will be contacted, and I will send out the prize as soon as possible!

Lucy
xoxo

Under £15 Gift Guide

So if you are like me and you are just about getting around to starting your Christmas shopping, then do not panic we still have a week or so to get it done. This year, I am struggling with the smaller presents, the ones that can be the most meaningful. At work we have are doing secret Santa which is set at £15, and I wanted it to be a thoughtful gift and not just another bath set. 

If you are like me and you drink umpteen cups of tea a day whilst at work, buying someone a mug is always a great present. Primark have got a fabulous range of mugs in at the moment, and this Harry Potter mug (£6) is so god dam cute. I think buying chocolate lollies is always a lovely extra present, and my mum always buts some in mine and my sisters stockings.

If you are a beauty junkie like me, then these cute makeup Christmas sponges are a must have. For just £2.50 from Primark, they are a great little addition to someone's stocking. The priciest items in this post come from Real Techniques and their fabulous new brush crush collection. I love, love, love these brushes. First up, look at just how beautiful they are, the handles are glittery and the bristles are ombre. They range from £10-£15, and are currently on a 1/3 off offer which is always a great help.

Whilst in London I went into the Sass & Belle store which was so lovely and contains some beautiful home decor. I picked up this bird trinket dish which I have put on my desk, I am keeping my most worn earrings and rings on it. This is such a nice present for pretty much anyone, as everyone has lots of little things that they need to keep safe. I also think a pair of cute Brandy Melville earrings, or any earrings in fact are something which I would like to receive. If are unsure what style to go for, stick to something simple and everyday appropriate.

I think buying someone personalised or personal presents is always a great option. It is a thoughtful gift and it does not have to break the bank. Cheerz offer snapshot photos which you can choose and send as presents. I keep mine on a string of lights which have clips on, and I display them all above my mirror. You can choose how many photos or magnets you want to include in your personalised box, whether it is for you or a gift for someone else.  I worked with the Cheerz team last year and they kindly gave me a code which you can use: LUCMCSO, with this you can get £4 off your first order when you spend £8 or more.

I hope this has given you some last minute ideas for the presents you have still got left to buy. Let me know if you pick anything up from this gift guide.

Lucy

xoxo

Pillow Talk

There is no doubt Charlotte Tilbury is one of my absolute favourite brands. Her iconic Pillow Talk lip liner has become one of her best selling products, and a holy grail item for a lot of beauty lovers. However, I am really not a lip liner person, so I have never thought about the need to have it in my collection. She has recently answered my prayers, as she has launched to exact same shade in a lipstick version. The Pillow Talk lipstick is £24, and is part of her matte revolution line. I am not a huge fan of lipsticks that are really matte, as I find them very uncomfortable on my lips. This formula is enriched with hydrating properties such as lipstick tree and orchid extract to help soften the lips, making it very comfortable once applied.

The reason why this is such a best selling product, is because it is a beautiful mid toned pink rose shade. I feel as though my mission is finally complete, I have found the perfect my lips but better shade which I have been searching for forever. It gives my lips a natural plump and boost without the need to over line them. I have been wearing this on a daily basis day and night, as it is literally a colour that I can wear everyday no matter the occasion.

The formula has quite a waxy texture feel to it, making it glide over the lips super easily. The pigmentation of this line of lipsticks is beautiful, and they are a one swipe product which is what I always want in a lipstick. The tip of the product is a unique square shape, which is angled helping with precision and equal coverage. I have two other lipsticks from the matte revolution line in the shades Sexy Sienna and Very Victoria. Both of these shades are lipsticks I pull out in a rush when I am on to go as I know they are not high maintenance.

Lucy
xoxo

Morphe 35O2 Palette

So as soon as I got the pre-sale email off BeautyBay informing me that Morphe were launching a new 35O palette, my heart started to flutter. It is no secret that the Morphe 35O palette is a holy grail item of mine. This is such a well priced palette considering the amount of shadows that you get, and mostly importantly the quality and colour pigment pay off is amazing. I recently bought their Jaclyn Hill collaboration palette, which I am also very much enjoying. So as you can see I am a big fan of Morphe, so as soon as I saw pictures of the 35O2 palette I knew I needed it.

This was only released last week on pre sale, and I picked it up within 2 minutes of receiving the email. BeautyBay always do cracking delivery and I had it in my hands within 2 days. I have literally worn this everyday since I got it, and I am so happy with it!

As you can see from my swatches the shadows (as always!) are highly pigmented. I am always very honest with all of my reviews, and I have to say I did find 2 or 3 of the shimmer shadows needed more than just a one swipe to get full pigmentation. However, I have not come across one dud shade which is what you usually find in a palette of this size. As always with Morphe, all of the shades are creamy and super easy to blend.

This palette contains 11 shimmer shades out of 35, which always makes me happy. There is no denying I am a big fan of a good shimmery shade especially for a night out. What I like about this palette is that it has more brighter shades than the original palette, which add some vibrancy to the overall feel of the palette. The array of matte shades are much warmer compared to the 35O, and I think they have got a great variety of light to dark colours.

I thought it was important to do a comparison picture of the 35O with the new 35O2. When I actually put them side by side, I can definitely see that the tones of the darker brown shades in the 35O2 palette are much richer. I enjoy using dark cocoa brown shades, however I would have liked a few more of those firey shades that this new palette has incorporated. I am not sure if I will ever be daring enough to wear the bright fluorescent red shade, but a few more coppery shades or even some deep purples would have made this my perfect palette.

As you can see Morphe has come out with a new brand logo. They have kept the exact same sleek black packaging for the actual palette. However, the new white logo looks great on the black background, it is very plain and simple, but effective. They have also changed the outside boxes to match the new look and layout.

To put this simply - get this palette on your Christmas list, with a big underline and star next to it! For £23, yes just £23, you will not be disappointed. If you think about how many high end brands charge £40+ for 12 shades, when you get 35 in this I think it is a jolly decent buy. I don't mean to rub salt in the wound, but this palette is currently sold out everywhere. However, definitely sign up to BeautyBay's alerts, so when it is back in stock you can quickly snatch it up!

Lucy
xoxo

24 hours in Christmassy London

When your best friend lives in London, it is always a treat to pop on a train to see her. This time me and my other two best friends planned a little overnight trip, with a visit to Winter Wonderland as the main event. We hopped on an early morning train and headed to Euston. We decided we would head towards Carnaby first, it looked so amazing as they had all of the Christmas decorations up. As we always act like such tourists, we went to Liberty's to have a look at their entire Christmas floor. I always like to buy a present or two, but this year I decided to buy a tree decoration. As it was a Saturday afternoon every restaurant was packed, but we managed to get a table at Pizza Pilgrim's. The pizzas were absolutely divine, and I would definitely recommend visiting. After some more shopping and encouraging each other to buy pretty much everything, we began to make our way back to where we were staying.

We did end up taking a slight d-tour to the giant Topshop with five floors on the way back to the underground. That store is unbelievably big, at one point I actually lost everyone and was concerned we were never going to reunite! After yet again spending money we probably shouldn't have, we then actually did head back to my friend's house. We had always planned to get tea at Winter Wonderland, so we all sat on the sofa for an hour or two, catching up and making Christmas plan whilst drinking tea, before cracking open the prosecco!

We left a little later than planned, and last year it was busy but nicely bustly. This year it was 10x as busy, the queues for security (which I understand is completely is necessary) were just so huge. There was hundreds upon hundreds of people trying to all get into the park. Once inside, we headed to the carousel bar which is always fun. It is a literal carousel which has a small bar right in the centre, whilst everyone stands around on the moving part of the carousel, which after a few drinks can make you feel a little dizzy. There is no doubt that there is an amazing atmosphere, wherever you decide to wander. There are lots of different rides to go on, and a variety of classic fair ground stalls. There is also a  great range of food stalls to choose from, and wine and bar huts to get your alcoholic beverages from. They have huge beer halls where they have performers on, and everyone can sit around on long tables and have a little dance and a sing along. The only thing I would recommend is getting there earlier than planned, if you are wanting a whole night there. They stop serving alcohol at 9.45pm, and the music and stalls start shutting at 10pm.

On the Sunday as one of my friends had never been to London before, we took her on a mini sight seeing tourist tour. We went to the House of Parliament to see Big Ben, and you can also see the London eye along the River Thames. We then went for a wander along the Southbank as they had some Christmassy markets. For brunch we went to a little place called The Fire Station, where we all had a nice late big breakfast. The restaurant was lovely, the decor was nice and cosy, and most importantly the food was great. Before heading back to Euston, we stopped off in Covent Garden. We had a look around some of the shops, and we loved how the inside of the markets had been decorated. It looked beautiful with lots of lights and huge baubles hanging from the ceiling. Of course I made the girls take a trip to Ben's Cookies in Covent Garden, as it simply sells the best cookies which I have ever tried. As always I had a fabulous time, and we have already planned next years trip.

Lucy
xoxo

Bye Bye Bad Skin (well lets hope!)

So I am finally (well hopefully!) if all things go to plan, I am going to start on Roaccutane early next year. I feel like I have not really posted too much on my blog about my skin issues, expect in posts where I explain the makeup I use due to my acne. I have had acne for a good ten years now, it all started when I was about 13. It started about the time I started my periods, and ever since I have had acne. My dermatologist for a long time described it mild, but for the last few years it has been in the moderate -severe category.

I have to say over the last ten years I have popped a lot of pills and tried a lot of topical treatments to try and solve my acne. I have tried every pill possible under the sun, and I have literally no other options left. I met a new dermatologist at my last appointment, and she seemed to really understand my frustration. As soon as she saw me, she said your acne is definitely hormone related due to it being spread over my chin and a little bit on my cheeks. I have never had spots on my forehead and she said for this exact reason she knows it is my hormones that need to be directly treated.

I have also not discussed my recent testing for polycystic ovaries on here, but it is pretty much confirmed that I have it. I am just waiting on my final blood hormonal profile results and my appointment with my gynaecologist in January to confirm what we all suspect. I am so grateful to my doctor at university two years ago who started these investigations for me, as I never knew the reasoning or causes to my acne. I have to say I went on a contraceptive pill called dianette for 18 months a year ago and I did see improvements in my skin. This is the only pill of any kind which I have actually seen an improvement in my skin. However, this is not a pill which you can use forever and is suppose to be a short term solution.

I sat in my dermatologist appointment and stated that I had done a lot of research and I had previously discussed with both my GP and previous dermatologist the prospect of starting roaccutane. My previous dermatologist who I had seen for 20 years recently retired, therefore I felt very deflated at the thought of having to start all over again. I am so grateful at the way she reacted at the prospect of trying the treatment. She straight away stated how she could see that I had tried many treatments and had little success. After some discussions into other medical problems and a thorough explanation into side effects, she had hoped to start me on stage one of roaccutane (the brand name) which is an isotretinion topical treatment. However, as always things are never simple for me and this product is stopped being produced at the moment, due to a manufacturing problem. However, I have been put on epiduo which she states is similar, although I know it is not as good as it does not have the same ingredients as the isotretinion topical treatment.

There is always going to be bumps along the way, and I am determined not to let these set backs get to me as overall I am excited to finally be getting the ball rolling. At the start of January, I have another appointment with my gynaecologist to discuss which contraceptive pill will be best for me to go on whilst under going the roaccutane treatment. This drug is not giving out easily, and it is imperative you do not get pregnancy during treatment due to it causing serious defects to babies. You have to use contraceptive methods during the treatment. I will then go on a contraceptive pill for 6 weeks, before meeting again with the dermatologist where stage 2 of actually taking the isotretinion capsules will hopefully happen.

I tell you something, boy am I ready for this. I am actually really scared as the dermatologist laid out clear and simple that I am definitely going to get some side effects in some way and form. However, I am just dreaming of acne free skin and it actually makes me feel really emotional about it. I am now 23, a fully fledged adult and I am glad we have finally concluded my acne is not due to 'teenage hormones'.

I originally wrote this post about a month ago after coming out of the dermatologist appointment with hope that I am finally on the right path to having some kind of clear skin. I have updated it with the problems of getting the topical treatments I need. It is really interesting as I had to go back to my GP yesterday (who I have to say has tried to help me as much as possible), and his words were "These dermatologists are fobbing you off, none of these topical treatments will work for your acne. It is clear to see it is all hormonal due to it being focused on your chin". He also told me how so many other patients go to him expressing the same frustrations as me. However, I work in the NHS and I know how grateful we should all be to have such a great health service in our country. I find it very interesting as at work I get so many patients saying we feel like we are being fobbed off, as we go to these appointments and then again in 6 months time and no improvement or change has been implemented. I always say I know the feeling, as I do. But, I do reinforce that things do take time and unfortunately we often have to explore lots of avenues, and sometimes it takes some changes before you find exactly what works for you. I think that what can be hard to grasp is that we are all very different, and what might have worked perfectly for others, may not work for you.

I do still have hope that 2018 will be the year I will confident in my own skin.

Lucy
xoxo