March Favourites!

Hey buttercups,

This is my very first favourites post, or any method of expressing my favourite things, so I haven't really got a method of how I'm gonna do this yet. For this post though, I'm going to separate things into categories. Maybe I'll switch it up, maybe it'll stay the same, I haven't decided. Like I said, I'm new to this kinda thing, I'm a favourites virgin if you will excuse the crude expression, but I'll give it a whirl!

Let's just jump right in!

Because my blog has kinda started to focus more on the make-up and beauty side of the blog spectrum, I think I'll start with that:

BEAUTY & NAILS:

I've recently gone back to using my Rimmel Match Perfection foundation (101 Classic Ivory) after using a Revlon foundation for a little while. I've had some really bad skin issues over the past month or so (I'll include my favourite face product later because lemme tell you, this thing works miracles!) and I've wanted to use a lighter foundation so to not clog my pores any more than they already were. I got this recommendation from Tanya Burr and it really is perfection! The colour matches amazingly, it's super light, it has a little bit of a dewy finish which might not work well with some oily complexions but for me, it just leaves me looking super healthy. I've recommended this to a lot of people and I couldn't hype it up enough!

Next is concealer and, lets be honest, we all know what everyone's favourite concealer is: Collection Lasting Perfection (Shade FAIR 1) What can I say? It's probably my most favourite product I've ever used. It's creamy, the coverage is fantastic be it blemishes, redness, scarring, and it never creases on my skin. I just pop it on after foundation (is that right? I don't know, it's just how I personally do it) and it blends right in and for what, £3.99, you really cannot go wrong!

My other concealer is the MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC15 which is a little bit more on the pricey side of things but you get what you pay for. Again, the coverage is perfect, it blends into any kind of foundation I have used, including BB Cream, and it isn't drying. It's the perfect product for a little treat for yourself and it covers any little imperfections!

Powder, I've got to say the Revlon Nearly Naked (010 Fair Clair) powder. I can wear this on it's own and it gives me amazing coverage but I tend to wear it most over the Rimmel foundation. It's not drying but it mattifies your makeup if you have an oily complexion. I use this on my T zone but I also blend it over my blush if I got a bit carried away and it smooths out the harsh lines. Perfection!

Speaking of blush, in my previous post about what is in my make-up bag, and while the blush that was in there (MAC Azalea In The Afternoon) is still a beautiful colour, I've started using an old Revlon powder blush that I found in my makeup collection. It's called Smokey Rose and it is a beautiful matte, dusky pink colour that gives you the perfect pinky hue on your little cheeks. Revlon is a great cross between high end and highstreet beauty brands and this product is no different. Colour pay off is incredible, blend-ability is on point. While I love my MAC blush, that is just a little too shimmery for the weather we're having now in the UK but it will be perfect for the summer (it saves you using a highlighter if I'm honest) whereas this Revlon blush is matte and perfect for the darker weather we're enduring at the moment.

I have been dying over my Naked 3 palette at the moment for my eyes! Oh my-lanta, is it beautiful! A cheeky splurge, yes it was. Worth every penny, hell to the yes. Rose Gold isn't everyone's cup of tea but with blue eyes especially I find it to be probably the nicest palette I own. I am going to a wedding soon and I'm just going to delve into the beautiful colours to make the perfect wedding look. My favourite colours to use have been Burnout, Dust, Limit, Buzz, Trick, Nooner and Mugshot. I don't know how anyone could possibly resist the glitter!

Obviously I paired this palette with the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (Original). Every beauty-guru's favourite primer, probably my favourite product in my make-up bag, it is just perfect. I have quite oily eyelids so shadow tends to crease on me if I don't use this but when I do, shadows can last through the day, night and through sleeping (oops!) and still look grand.

Mascara wise, Benefit's They're Real mascara kicks ass. It really does, it's hella expensive which is why I was kinda hesitant of buying it (I think it's £20 in boots?) but I don't regret it. It's definitely something that I'd use until it ran out, then maybe switch to a highstreet brand just to give my bank some R&R, and then go right back to it. It keeps a curl fantastically and really makes your lashes pop! My tried and true mascara has always been the maybelline the falsies mascara but now? Sorry Maybelline, there's a new sheriff in town! (mascara really but I'm trying to be punny) Yay Benefit, squee!

Okay. Just, hold me before I start and talk about lips. I've been using Baby Lips (maybelline) for about a year, maybe a little less than a year, and boy do my lips thank me! I have quite dry lips naturally, especially when the weather changes, but this has saved my life. I always use the green one, the Mint Fresh one (because I love mint) and it preps my lips gloriously before lipstick at the end of my make-up routine. After that I use my holy grail of lipsticks. I use the YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in number 8. Hooooooly mackerel I have never loved a product more in my whole make-up life. Is it expensive, yes (£25 per tube) but do I care? No. It's perfect, it is my every-day lipstick and I intend to re-purchase it every time!! (I have recently found a dupe for it that comes in the form of the Revlon ColourBurst Lacqure Balm in 105 Demure which is a new product, it's fabulous and shiny and pretty, if a little bit more nude than the YSL lipstick. I think it's around £7.99 in boots)

As for nails, I've really been enjoying my new Butter London polish in the shade Tea With The Queen. It's a beautiful, orange-y nude that stays shiny and glossy for as long as you keep it on, it lasts a long time which is all you can really hope for in a polish! (I think Tanya Burr has a similar coloured polish in her new make-up line, I'm not too sure of the name but I know that Niomi Smart (her chanel and blog name is LadySmart I think) has it on in her new March favourites video so go look there to find out the name) It's a little pricey, £12.99 I think, but it's a lovely, lovely brand, one that hasn't failed me yet. Another I have been using on my ring fingers as an accent nail over the top of this has been the Essie top coat in As Gold As It Gets. It's shiny, pretty, and chip-proof! Beautiful, elegant combination!

SKIN CARE:

Finding something that will work with my skin has been a massive priority in the month of March. I had a stressful time at uni with deadlines and my skin reacted terribly. I had huge blemishes on my cheek and chin that made me miserable and horribly insecure. So off myself and mother went to Boots to find a cure. I stumbled across this Garnier Pure Active Intensive Exfobrusher Spot Fighter for anti-shine, anti-spots and anti-marks. It's specifically for oily to spot prone skin and it really works. What you do it there is sort of an exfoliation brush at the top of the bottle that you wet, squeeze product out and exfoliate your skin with. It might seem a little harsh at first and leave your skin a little red but that goes down within minutes. I used this every morning and night when my skin was at its worse and it started working straight away, now my skin has pretty much completely cleared (I hope I didn't jinx it!!!) so now I use it every morning as a face scrub. It's gentle enough to use every day which I love because I like my skin care routines to be consistent :) love, love, love and would recommend as highly as I can!

I changed up my moisturisers once again because I'm obsessed with moisturisers and I think I've found the one, guys. Shout out to momma who persuaded me to get it! Okay, these are both from Nivea. I've been using the Daily Essentials Rich Moisturising day cream for dry & sensitive skin (as you guys already know, my skin is super dry after showers and after I've taken my make-up off) and I've also used the Regenerating Night Cream. Both of which, I am in looooooove with! My skin has never felt so soft or well looked after. Love, love, love once again! (they're the perfect combination, too. Not greasy or sticky at all)

SHOWER:

I have been using the Herbal Essences 'Tousle Me Softly' shampoo every day. It says that it has wild violet extract and is for naturally wavy hair. Now, I do actually have naturally wavy hair. Or poofy hair. Never the less! this shampoo is amazing. It smells amazing, it's PURPLE for goodness sake, and my goodness does it do its job. I'm in love. I still love my Toni & Guy shampoo and conditioner but sometimes I wanna smell like something other than herbs! Mmmm. It smells delicious. I've always loved Herbal Essences. Good job, herbal essences.

As for body wash, I went into boots today and picked up  the Original Source Mint and Tea Tree shower gel after I saw youtuber AndreasChoice talk about a mint and tea tree shampoo she used and loved. I love anything tea tree and anything mint so naturally I adore it. I've used it before and let me tell you, it just makes you feel so clean and fresh! It smells delicious, ugh, it's just a fantastic product that I forgot I loved so much!

Now for the fun things:

SHOES:

Ugh, okay, can we just talk about these boots I bought from Boo Hoo last month? I swear, I'm trying to be Detective Kate Beckett from Castle. These boots!! Okay, so they're an ankle boot, obviously, laces and a zip up the size, black, about a 3 maybe 4 inch heel and a nice grip on the bottom. Holy hell am I obsessed with these! Now I'm tall, I'm 6ft and I could never wear heels before but these? These are a god send! I got 'em in a size 8 because I'm big foot and they're from the brand Koi Couture from within Boo Hoo. I'm literally so obsessed. In LOVE! (and they're unreal quality, too. Definitely a staple piece in my wardrobe) I've been wearing these with floral dresses and tights to give it a slightly edgier look, with black leggings for a slightly more than casual look. They're just so versatile. *Smiles sweetly* thank you, boo hoo.

ALMOST DONE! Okay (I hope you're all still with me!)

CLOTHING:

Boo Hoo now has a plus size range that I love and am totally obsessed with, in fact I have a bunch of stuff from there that are swiftly becoming my favourite clothing items. Especially this jacket. Oh my-lanta. I'm actually wearing this jacket to a wedding next week as a blazer because it goes perfectly with my dress.

It is from the brand Pink Clove within Boo Hoo, mine is in a size 18, and oh it is just beautiful. It's called a metallic jacket which I didn't see until I wore it outside once but it made me love it even more! It is a sort of off white colour, black rimmed on the collar, sleeve cuffs and tiny little fake pockets. The best part? There is sparkly gold thread threaded into the white. Ohhhhh it is so beautiful! It's jersey material too which you guys know I'm a huge fan of. It fits perfectly, sort of tailored like a blazer so it shows off your natural assets (the ones you wanna show!) and because it is white, it goes it probably everything. You can dress it down it jeans or dress it up with a dress like I will be doing. 100% in love. I want more!

ACCESSORIES: 

I am, admittedly, not a mahoosive accessories person. I much prefer a good jacket or pair of shoes to dress an outfit up, nor am I much of a sunglasses person. I popped into a shoe shop during last month, you know, those 2 days we had some kind of sunshine, and I saw these sunglasses. they are a nude-y pinkish colour, the style of them is very Marylin Monroe, cat-flick esque, oh I love them. I find this style of glasses really suits those of us with a rounder face, like yours truly. Perfect, beautiful, MM! Love. I have been converted!

SCENT:

An old favourite, Britney Spears 'Fantasy' has made a re-appearance in my life recently. I bought this a few months ago, maybe just before Christmas, because the scent that is 'my smell' as my boyfriend so lovely puts it, has always been the Britney Spears 'Curious'. I wanted to venture out of my comfort zone and buy more! I love it, it's sweet, fruity, delicious and everyone loves it on me. Obviously, scents smell differently on different people so don't go buying it just based on my judgement. It smells sweet on me but it might smell poopy on someone else!

RANDOM:

Random things now! A movie! The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones. It's amazing, I've read all five (or six I can't remember) of the books and I fell in love, I saw the film and now I want to marry Jamie Campbell Bower and it is still my all time favourite movie since it came out! would highly recommend. (READ THE BOOKS FIRST)

Uh, Music! I've been really into American Authors this month, their new album What A Life came out a few weeks ago and it's been on repeat since! Love! I think that 'Love' and 'Best Day Of My Life' are the best summer songs!

Tv Shows have consisted of Breaking Amish, Dance Moms and Castle. None of that has changed! I still want to adopt Maddie and I still want to squish Beckett and Castle!! (yay for being my number 1 tv show couple!) A new obsession has to be Believe because holy crap, is that show good! It's super funny which I didn't expect but now I'm anxiously awaiting finishing this blog post so I can go and watch the new episode that's been on record!!

AND I AM DONE!

Wow. This was longer than I expected. Youtubers make it seem so easy! but I suppose I'm typing and they're just talkin'.

Okay, great! I think this was a success! I hope you made it to the end, and if you did, biiiiiig squishes and kisses for you!

Thanks for reading, cuties, I'll include pictures either later tonight or tomorrow :)

Laters,

Kate xx