The Best Of Amelia Says 2014

The last half of the year my blog started getting a bit more recognition (Shout out to LORAC Cosmetics for tweeting one of my posts) which I am really excited about and forever grateful for. Alix recently did a post about her top posts of the year and as a fellow nerd and stats-lover I thought I would do the same!

The Naked 2: My most used and beloved Naked 2 palette is one of my most popular posts ever. I love this baby so much, and I've been neglecting her lately, time to put her back in use! This ones technically from last year, but it was the very end so we'll roll with it.

The Camel Coat: I tried to get into fashion-y posts (which I'm not very good at) but thanks to the camel coat trend happening now, this one was well-recieved! Still freaking in love with this coat.

The Current Staples: This is one of my favourite posts featuring my most-used products from a few months back. FYI, they're all still my current staples, I mean they're THAT good.

The LORAC Pro Palette: This is my most popular post EVER. You should have seen me when LORAC tweeted the link. Dancing around my house like a damn lunatic, craziness.

The Butter Lipsticks: I almost forgot about this post and the product to be quite honest. But the NYX Butter Lipsticks are still gorgeous and I still love this picture.

So those are the top five posts of the year! Thank you for being wonderful, and here's to another great year!
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Happy Holidays

Good Morning everybody! I hope everyone has had a lovely morning opening presents, spending time with your family, or whatever you do to celebrate this time of year! I wish you all the very best and regular posts will be back on Saturday!

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The Christmas Mani

I'm really not a glitter girl. Sometimes I'll add a little glittery accent nail but in general I love a nice creamy nail. The one time of year I go all out is the holidays, so I just smacked glitter on every nail for the occasion. You'll have to excuse my weird, bendy fingers, can't really do anything about that. This is the Sally Hansen Insta Gel Strips in Take the Stage. I'm not the biggest fan of strip polishes but I found a ton of them at CVS for 75% so I thought what the heck. I do really love the effect of these on my nails and that they're smooth. I hate the grittiness of glitter polishes usually, they also tend to eat topcoat but these are so smooth and shiny!

What are you wearing on your nails?
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Kat Von D Tattoo Liner

Okay so you know the story by now... I walked into Sephora and I caved. Again. I mean I think it's literally impossible to leave without buying something. This time my little black bag contained the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper. The infamous black liquid liner. I'm definitely a felt tip liner kinda girl. A brush and a gel is not really the easiest thing and being an art major I can draw a line with a marker fairly easily (but not too easily, liquid liner is hard okay?).

I really really love this one because it has BRUSH HAIRS. Yes, no longer do the stupid little felt tip get clogged up and dried because it is a brush. Genius. It's also super thin, super black, and not glossy which I'm a fan of. It also glides on the eye easily without tugging and I kid you not could stay on forever. I accidentally fell asleep with it on a few weeks back and it looked flawless the next morning. HELL YES. Okay that's all I really have to say about it, because it's perfect. Well maybe not the price tag, $20 is slightly hefty for a liner but I'm a sucker so I'll continue to buy.

Have you tried this liner? What other Kat Von D products do you love?
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Bare Minerals Touch Up To Go

Recently, instead of setting my foundation using a powder foundation, I've been using the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil for a more natural finish. But, using a mineral foundation at 5AM takes a bit of brain power (to not spill it all over my desk). So, when I found this little cutie for $12 at Ulta, I snatched it up. The Bare Minerals Touch Up To Go set comes in a little clear plastic bag and includes a mini kabuki brush, so it really is perfect for throwing in your purse on the go. You get .15 oz of the mineral veil, a translucent powder that includes SPF 15 and gets rid of shine without being cakey. It leaves a gorgeous, natural finish to the skin which I adore. I'm not a touch up person because really I can't be bothered, but I will say this keeps my skin looking beautiful all day. I definitely never have problems with my skin being oily throughout the day anyway, but just a note.

I've fallen back in love with Bare Minerals, are there any products from them you'd like to try?
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Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot

 So I know I said I thought the Bite Beauty Best Bite Remix was the cutest holiday set, but this one trumps it by a million. I saw it in Ulta the other day and snatched it up (for my own Christmas present mind you, I stole it out of my mum's closet). The Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot Box O' Blushes contains six of Benefit's famous Box Powders and a mini pan of their Watt's Up? Cream Highlighter as well as a mini brush. The shades included are Dandelion, Bella Bamba, Sugarbomb, Hoola, Coralista, and Rockateur. The colours swatch beautifully, however I will say that Coralista is pretty different (the only powder I actually own) from the original. I'm not too bothered because it means I don't have two of the same blushes. However, if you're looking to try Coralista, this shade is more orangey-coral less pinky-coral. Another complaint is the packaging. It is absolutely gorgeous, and adorable but it's not practical. It's a cute little tin in the shape of a gingerbread house, but it is HUGE. I think if the palette was removable from the tin it would be fine but the only thing you could do is depot the blushes, which is quite annoying.

Regardless, the set is an amazing deal. At $39 you get $103 worth of product! Which, odd packaging aside, is too good to pass up if you've got a beauty lover on your Christmas list. The powders themselves are .17oz, a regular Benefit box powder retails at $28 for .28oz. For some reason the Rockateur blush also has .17oz in the normal packaging, so you're basically getting one full sized blush, five decent sized others and a pan of highlighter for $8 more than a regular blush.

You can buy this set at Ulta and Sephora, as far as I've seen. It is out of stock on the Sephora website and they're selling out fast in store so if it's something you want or want to get for a loved one, definitely grab it quickly!
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Elizabeth and James

So I'm not really supposed to be showing you this because it's supposed to be a stocking filler for yours truly, so shh don't tell mother. I couldn't resist showing you because one they're gorgeous, two they smell gorgeous, and three they're a gorgeous deal. This was on the top of my what's one thing you want in your stocking list. I said, 'mom, I don't care if I get nothing in my stocking as long as I have this.' So off we trotted to Sephora and grabbed it. This little beauty costs $20 and gets you 7mL of each the Nirvana Black and Nirvana White perfumes. I think this is a massively generous amount for a mini set. The rollerballs themselves cost $22 each and contain 10 mL, so you're getting a bit more product per perfume, but only one fragrance. SO, this set is huge bang for your buck. I could never choose between the rich sandalwood and beautiful peony anyway so I went for this option. I keep sneaking into my mom's closet and smelling them because yes they are THAT good. I can't wait for Christmas morning because I want to cover myself in them now.

Any more good Christmas sets out there? I've got a couple coming up this week!
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FOTD

Exam week is crazy, but I'm taking a quick break to give you a post! So here is my face of the day. I probably shouldn't be taking time out of my studies to put on an elaborate face of makeup but this honestly took me 15 minutes this morning. I'm using a lot of products (actually a majority of them) from my Slightly Excessive Starter Kit post so head over there if you want some product details!

For base I used the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 100 Ivory, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, and set with the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil. For a bit of colour I swept some Benefit Coralista Blush over my cheekbones and contoured with Too Faced Velvet Revolver. My brows as per usual are covered in Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade in Chocolate, Bobbi Brown Espresso Eyeshadow, and set with my beloved elf Clear Brow Gel/Mascara. For eyes I primed with MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot and NYX Sparkle Nude Jumbo Eye Pencil. I put the gold colour from my beautiful NARS Kalahari Duo all over my lids and mixed the chocolate brown color with Mauve from the LORAC Pro Palette in my crease. I also smudged a bit of Espresso from the Pro on my upper and lower lashlines. Mascara is several coats of Benefit BadGal and Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde (like several). And on my lips I'm wearing my favourite combo of Covergirl Darling Lip Perfecting Lipstick and Mac Angel.

And that, my loves is what I'm wearing on my face today! What have you got on?
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The Slightly Excessive Starter Kit

One of my friends isn't really into makeup. At all. But she decided that she wants to get into it and is asking for makeup for Christmas. So, she asked me to write her a list of my favourite products for starting a makeup collection. These are the products I would buy if I had to repurchase everything from scratch. The products I can't live without, so I thought I would share them with you too! I will say that this is an extremely long list and you definitely don't need all of these products to get into makeup, but I've chosen a couple of things from every category so there's quite a lot. Also, this is more of a starter kit for older girls/women ie 16 and up. I may do a starter kit for those just starting with makeup if you guys are interested, as you definitely do not need to be wearing half as much makeup as this if you're younger.

BASE
I didn't include a face primer because I frankly don't use one, I just moisturize before applying my makeup. I have two favourite foundations, both of which are drugstore yay! My tried and true is the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 100 Ivory (post here). I've gone on and on about it but I love it. Perfect match, texture, coverage, love. A recent love is the Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid Touch Foundation in Porcelain Ivory (post here). I love this one because the tone fits my skin perfectly. It is so difficult to find a pale foundation with a yellower undertone. I also really love the Maybelline FIT me foundation, so there's an honorable mention. My favourite ever concealer is the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (post here), but it is unfortunately not available in the US, NYX's HD Concealer is a good dupe though! I have always loved the MAC Mineralized SkinFinish Natural, but I've not got one at the moment, boo. I do like the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder as well and have recently been using the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil to set my foundation which I really like.

FACE
You all know I love a good contour and the MAC Taupe Shape Blush is one of my favourite products to use. It is unfortunately discontinued, so I've included my other favourite contour shade which is surprisingly Too Faced Velvet Revolver Eyeshadow, that teeny tiny little rectangular pan. Awkwardly enough, apparently this is discontinued too, oops. BUT, it is quite similar to NYX Bare My Soul Eyeshadow and Urban DecayNaked Eyeshadow, so I'm gonna recommend those instead. I'm not much of a blush person, but I use MAC Well Dressed almost daily and either Sleek Life's A Peach or Tarte Dollface if I want to switch it up.

EYES
I've always loved my Urban Decay Primer Potion, but on days where I need a little extra coverage on my lids I use the MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot. They're a little pricey but have lasted me forever. My eyeshadow favourites are also quite pricey. There are great drugstore eyeshadow options out there, but personally eyeshadow is the product that I don't mind spending more on. I'm always rambling on about the LORAC Pro Palette (post here), but I absolutely LOVE it. It's cheaper than the Naked palettes, has more colours, and is honestly better quality. I also love the NARS eyeshadows, specifically the Kalahari Duo (post here). I could also never use another inner corner highlight after experiencing my beloved Nylon Eyeshadow from MAC. I really need to do an updated brow post, but you should all know that my must haves are the Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade in Chocolate, Bobbi Brown's Espresso Eyeshadow (renamed Rich Caviar) and the elf Lash and Brow Clear Mascara. I can never settle on a mascara but I always find myself reaching for Benefit BADGal Lash, Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara, and L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black. I'm going to write a post about it but I may or may not have splurged on the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner and I'm in LOVE.

LIPS
I have A LOT of lipsticks. Like a lot. But for everyday I love the CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Darling which are also apparently being discontinued. What the heck is wrong with companies discontinuing my favourite products? They're 50% off at most CVSs right now though so we'd best stock up. I don't think I've ever actually mentioned this on the blog but it's my favourite and only nude-ish lipstick. No balm will ever moisturize your lips like the Vaseline Lip Therapy Skin Protectant Advanced. Trust me, I've owned a lot of balms in my life and my poor chapped lips have never been happier.

TOOLS
I've just done a makeup brush post so I'll let you read that, but I've got to recommend the beautyblender. That post is here, it's literally perfection. I don't know what I've been doing without it. I'll also recommend the solid cleanser to clean it versus the liquid, it's super easy!

Phew that took me a long time to write! So, what are your must have products? Anything I need to add to my list? Let me know!
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Maybelline Dream Wonder

 I've been going a bit foundation crazy recently. I can't help it. I'm forever on the search for the perfect base. I haven't heard too much about the Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid Touch Foundation, but when I wandered into Target the other day (oops) I snatched up a bottle. And how glad I am that I did because OMG. I have the shade Porcelain Ivory, which is the lightest shade offered. I was really excited about this because not only is it super pale compared to other drugstore shades, it's also yellow toned! I always struggle finding a foundation to match my skin shade AND tone because a majority of paler foundations are too dark or too pink. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say this is the PERFECT daily foundation. Obviously, foundation is a serious preference thing. It depends on you skin type, lifestyle, and coverage needs. I have quite dry skin but an oily t-zone, I'm on the go so I don't have time for touch-ups, and I thankfully don't get much acne (knock on wood).

The product has been compared to the Armani Maestro foundation and while I haven't tried it, I can see how the textures seem to compare when described. The formula is very liquify and feels almost like a serum or "dry oil" when you put it onto your skin. It provides medium, buildable coverage that literally looks and feels like skin. I have never gotten so many compliments on my skin before! It's very hydrating and doesn't cling to the dry patches around my nose. I will say if you need super full coverage, you'll probably be doing a lot of concealing. But honestly, I think it'll work for everyone because it creates such a flawless looks-like-skin base that concealer can be added on to if needed. It blends out perfectly and streak free (I use my beautyblender). It does have quite nice packaging for a drugstore foundation, but I prefer my sleek black and glass bottles. The applicator is frankly quite annoying. It's got this weird plastic ball thing that is supposed to allow the foundation to drip onto you fingers (Maybelline suggests to apply it this way). I however, find that the foundation does not drip onto my hand so I end up having to wipe the applicator off, dip it back into the bottle and repeat several times to get enough product out. It's a good idea to prevent bacteria growth in theory, but I think an actual dropper would have been more effective. I did include a picture with it on my skin below but daylight fades fast so it's a bit difficult to see. Trust me though, it looks gorgeous.

The Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid Touch Foundation retails between $6 and $10 so be sure to hunt around for the best price. You can find it anywhere that sells Maybelline. The full range has 12 shades, but not all stores carry all 12, so you'll have to search around for those too.

Have you tried this beaut yet? What did you think?
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It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Sorry I've been MIA on the blog front this weekend, it's been crazy for me. I've got so much schoolwork it's unreal. But, in two weeks the semester will be over and it'll be back to my blogging schedule. Anywho, the fam decorated the tree this weekend (while I sat on the couch working sadly) and I thought I would show you! We went very rustic this year. I'm more partial to classic silver and white trees, but it's cute. How do you decorate your tree? Tweet me a picture @ameliaahh :)

Speak to you all soon!
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The BeautyBlender

Yet another trip to Sephora during which I walked out with a much lighter wallet. I decided to buy a beautyblender. It's been raved about for years, and for years I've thought "as if a sponge could be THAT good." All these years I've been wrong, because this is magic. I know I've just done a post about tools, but oh my god is this a new holy grail so I had to talk about it.

I'm sure you guys already know the deal, but the beautyblender is an edgeless, non-disposable sponge. It is latex and fragrance free and is also non-allergenic. Their site says that this sponge features an open cell structure, meaning that when you get it wet, it holds water. This means that the sponge doesn't absorb your foundation, thus not wasting your money. In order to use the beautyblender, you run it under cold water squeezing a few times, then squeeze it in a towel. When squeezing the sponge, remember not to squeeze TOO hard. The beautyblender is incredibly soft and if you're not careful or squeeze with your nails, the sponge will tear. Getting it wet causes the sponge to grow almost double in size and it becomes even softer. I apply my foundation to the back of my hand, then dip the sponge into it. Then you just bounce it on your face. It's really quite fun and feels good since the sponge is damp and cool. It's important that the sponge is damp not wet, otherwise it will not work how it's supposed to. If done correctly, the sponge provides a flawless airbrushed foundation application. It's also a wonder on under eye concealer (I use the pointed side) and blends the product in without being cakey or settling into lines.

I've been a hardcore Sigma Kabuki Brush advocate for years. I always thought that was a super flawless finish, but recently I've been unhappy with how my foundation looks on my skin (aka streak city). This is what spurred me to purchase a beautyblender, because lets be honest? A $20 sponge? I was a little reluctant. I'm in love with it though. It does sheer my foundation out quite a bit so that I can apply a few thin layers, making my foundation look SO natural. Honestly I can't even express how flawless this makes your skin look. I'm a total convert and will, I'm sure, be purchasing for life.

The beautyblender retails for $19.95 alone and you can find it at Sephora, on Amazon (only $15.40 as of 11/27), and on Beautylish (one of my absolute favourite retailers). You can also purchase cleansers, which I haven't tried yet. I did purchase the set that comes with one blender and a solid cleanser which costs $25.

Have you tried out the beautyblender yet? Will you? Let me know your thoughts!
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Most Used Makeup Brushes Edit

I thought for today's post I would talk to you about my favourite brushes. After all, you get the best results with the best tools. The majority of my brushes are Sigma, but before we start I want to let you know that you do not have to purchase expensive brushes. A majority of the brushes I use every day are from elf and cost me $3. I've featured some of those here and you can definitely find similar ones to my Sigma favourites.

Anyway, let's talk brushes. The first brush there is one that I used to never ever use. It came with the Essential Kit, so I had it but rarely used it. Recently though I've been using the Bare Minerals Mineral Veil to set my foundation instead of a setting powder and the F30 Large Powder is perfect for it. It's super soft like all of the sigma brushes and is so easy to use because it is HUGE. Next up is one that I've used every single day since I got the kit for my birthday ages ago, the F40 Large Angled Contour brush. I've used it so much in my old YouTube videos that I didn't even need to look up the name. It's sad that I'm proud of that. Anyway, greatest blush brush ever. It is obviously white bristled and stains, but I'm not bothered because I love it so much. The holy grail Kabuki collection is another that I fell into, but my favourite is the F84 Angled Kabuki. I use it for my liquid foundation every day and it buffs to perfection. I prefer the angled shape because it is easier to reach contours in my face like my inner corners and around my hairline. The F60 Foundation is another that I never used to use, but I find it perfect for applying a precise contour. I like to really carve out my cheekbones so I'll apply the powder with this brush to get a straight line and then blend it out with a fluffy brush (usually the elf Studio Blush Brush). The last face brush is the elf Studio Small Stipple Brush which I really like to use to blend out my Benefit Highbeam.

I use a plethora of eye brushes daily but these are the ones I really can't live without. The E60 Large Shader is perfect for applying all-over lid shades and picks up the perfect amount of product. For a typical eye brush, I love the E55 Eye Shading brush. I use it for applying my inner corner and brow bone highlights. The elf Studio Eyeshadow C Brush is great too (I own several). The E30 Pencil I love for detail work in my crease. It's also white bristled and really stained, just so you know. For my beloved Anastasia DipBrow, I use the E65 Small Angle. I have found that this one has lost its shape a bit, but I still love it. The elf Studio Flawless Concealer Brush is a newer holy grail. Seriously, buy this. I have like 6 of them. I use it to blend eyeshadows, apply concealer, apply my paint pots, put best freind colours through the crease, literally they are the bomb. I also had to include my little disposable spooly because my unruly brows would be lost without them.

So, those are my can't-live-without brushes. What are yours?
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Mint Julips

As temperatures drop, my skin becomes drier, particularly my lips. But this year, I'm armed with LUSH's Mint Julips Lip Scrub so no more flaky lips! They have several other flavours like Popcorn and Bubblegum, but this one definitely appealed the most to me. It tastes like sweet mint and I could really just eat it as disgusting as that sounds. Like with any sugar lip scrub, it can be quite messy if you apply too much. You really only need a small amount to buff into your lips. As is to be expected from LUSH products, all of the ingredients are natural which means you can literally eat it. Win. It's also pretty gentle on your skin and extremely moisturizing thanks to jojoba oil. I love applying this everyday honestly, but it's perfect before a bright or matte lip.

They also release Santa's Lip Scrub with their holiday line, which apparently tastes like Coca-Cola? You can find the Lip Scrubs at LUSH stores for $9.95, or £5.50 in the UK.

Have you tried this baby out yet?
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The Camel Coat

Okay, awkward self-taken posey poses aside, I am in love. If you followed me on Pinterest then you would know that all I've been pinning for the past two months is camel coats and ankle booties. It's bad. So, I've been on the hunt for an affordable one. Some of you may know that I work at Banana Republic and this beauty FINALLY went on sale this week so I snatched it up. It's originally $170 which kind of makes me want to be sick, but with 60% and my discount I got it for $40. And let me say, wearing this on campus today I felt FABULOUS. It reached record low temperatures but I wasn't even phased because this baby kept me warm, I felt like I was on the runway. Okay I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but seriously people get on this trend. All black with a tan coat (and I threw on some leopard flats cause I needed a little somethin' somethin'). BR Factory doesn't have an online store but I've found some cheaper options here, here, here, and here.

What's your favourite outerwear style for this season?
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Bite Beauty Best Bite Remix

 Um, I think I win the prize for finding the cutest holiday set out there because I am in love with the Bite Beauty Best Bite Remix Set. So I went a little crazy with the pictures, don't judge me. I wandered into Sephora the other day to pick up another BadGal Lash and saw this in the checkout line. So you know I bought it without hesitation.

The set contains four mini High Pigment Lip Pencils from Bite and costs $25. A full sized pencil retails for $24 and contains .09 oz, each of these babies contains .05 oz so you're getting almost $55 worth of product. They come in the cutest little red tin with a massive mirror that makes them perfect for traveling or carrying around in your purse. The colours it comes with are Pomegranate, Rhubarb, Sable, and Winterberry and they are GORGEOUS. Pomegranate is an almost-neutral slightly cool-toned red. Rhubarb is a rosy shade with brown undertones, think MAC's Syrup and Kylie Jenner lips. Sable is a pinky nude, and Winterberry is  a bright raspberry. The colour selection here is seriously perfect, you pretty much have a full lip wardrobe. I've never tried Bite Beauty because I can't ever settle on a colour so this is perfect if you're wanting to try out the brand. The lip pencils themselves are incredibly pigmented and moisturizing. The formula is creamy and lasts well throughout the day, the darker colours wearing down to a stain. The finish is described as a "modern-matte" but I find that they dry down to a satin-like feel.

The odd thing is that it's definitely sold at Sephora, I just bought it the other day. Temptalia and several other blogs have done reviews recently, but I can't seem to find it online anywhere, and definitely not on the Sephora website. So I guess you'll just have to duck into the store to pick this beauty up!

I'm thoroughly impressed and will definitely be picking up some more Bite pencils in the future! What do you think? Have you tried anything from Bite?
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Covergirl Ready, Set Gorgeous

So I'm going to say right from the start that I hate this packaging. It's ugly. In fact, all of CoverGirl's packaging is ugly. I think that they need to get on the modern, sleek packaging trend. I understand it's drugstore but look at Revlon and NYX, they have beautiful packaging!

Okay, rant aside. The product inside is AMAZING. I've recently been using my Clarisonic again and with that comes the phase of oily skin while it tries to rebalance. My dewy, glowy foundations unfortunately do not like oily skin and they have been sliding off of my face all week. So, I needed a matte foundation and my poor MUFE Mat Velvet + is on its last legs. Enter Ready, Set Gorgeous. I think it's made out of magic. The formula is creamy and lightweight, it blends out easily but does dry quite quickly so keep that in mind. It dries to a beautiful satin-matte finish that looks so natural but provides an amazing amount of coverage. It's really buildable as well so if you prefer super full coverage just add a second layer! It honestly feels like I'm not wearing makeup and looks so natural. I've worn it all day today (a good day to test it as it was pretty hot!) and it's lasted well.

My only complaint is the shade, this is 110 Creamy Natural. Apparently there's one shade lighter that I've never seen, but it's supposed to be yellow-toned. Now, I'm super-pale so finding a shade light enough for me is pretty impossible. I will say that the shade range of this product is pretty good compared to other drugstore lines (it has 12 shades). I've ordered the Manic Panic White Dreamtone Foundation so I can start mixing it into my foundation so I'll let you know how that goes. Just keep in mind that this shade is light, but really not light enough if you're paler than an NC 20.

You can find the foundation in most drugstores, the price ranging from $6.99 to $8.99. I paid $8.99 at CVS which I'm rather annoyed about so look out for the $6.99! Target sells it at that price.
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MAC Syrup

 I know I'm always saying I've found the perfect everyday lipstick, but every other time I've lied. This is the perfect shade. MAC Syrup. I really don't know why this colour isn't more hyped up in the beauty world. It's a gorgeous mauve-based pink, but isn't too pink because I'm not really a fan of pinks. It's also a lustre finish which is my personal favourite. It can be applied quite sheerly but can also be built up. I like the lustres because they wear so beautifully, especially because I rarely have time to touch up. Rather than go all patchy, it just fades away, leaving your lips moisturized. I don't know what it is about this colour, but it literally looks good on everyone.

Head over to MAC and pick this up, Kylie Jenner lips for everyone!
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DIY Stacking Rings

Firstly, I would like to apologize for not posting this weekend, life kicked me in ass. Secondly, I would like to apologize for my chipped nails and ink stained hands, art major probs. Lastly, I would like to warn you that there will be a LOT of pictures in this post. Onwards.

So, I really really really love stacking rings. What I don't really really really love is that the cheap ones turn my fingers green. And it would be nice if I could buy expensive ones from esty but I can't, so what do I do? I make my own. For two dollars and twenty cents. Sweet justice. What you'll need is 22 gauge wire in gold or silver or copper (or all of them). I say 22 gauge because anything smaller is way too flimsy, and anything bigger is too hard to bend properly. I found this "Artistic Wire" at my local craft store, so I'm sure any big brand craft store will have it. It's important that it is "permanently coloured" and "non-tarnish." Otherwise, it will turn your fingers green. You also need wire cutters and needle nose pliers or tweezers (probably not your expensive ones though). If you wanna get fancy you can solder the ends of the wire together, but I'm lazy and impatient so I'm just loopin' and clampin'.

The first step is to turn the end of the wire back on itself. Simple enough. Make sure the loop is big enough that you can thread wire back through it later.

Next you want to press the loop down with your pliers, again make sure the loop is still big enough to be threaded.

 Now we need to cut the wire, make sure you cut a decent length so that your ring doesn't turn out too small.

 Thread the end of the wire through the loop and size it to your finger. This can be a knuckle ring or a normal ring, you can literally make it whatever you want!

 Once you've measured, loop the end of the wire around the other loop using your pliers.

 Then you want to clamp the loop down, this time don't worry if you crush the hole, just make sure it's secure. Also, don't press too hard or you could break the metal.

 In order to shape the ring after all that bending, push it onto something cylindrical (like the end of a brush).

 And ta da! Your ring is finished. Make as many as you like, sell them to friends. I have 8 yards of wire so pretty much endless rings for $2. I'm onto making some silver ones next!

Try this out yourself and tweet me pictures!
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Orange Blush

I'll admit I'm not particularly bold about my makeup choices, and blush is the last place I'd typically be adventurous. I usually just stick to my Well Dressed, thank you very much. However, for some reason, when I saw Sleek's Life's A Peach I was drawn to it. And boy am I glad that I grabbed it. In the pan it's quite a bright orange which is rather intimidating. On the skin it's a gorgeous glowy peach, it's matte so it looks natural, and is quite sheer. It can also be built up quite well if you want a stronger orange look.

You can find Sleek Life's A Peach on the Sleek website for $6.99 or in Superdrug for £4.49.

Do you own any Sleek blushes? Which is your favourite?
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Halloween

So I'm ridiculously excited for Halloween as per usual, but I decided this year I wanted to wear a quite comfortable costume. I was a flapper last year which was fun but I was dealing with high heels and sequins and it was a pain in the but my the end of the night. Also, I was freezing. So this year I decided let's go crazy with the makeup. I practiced this weekend and settled on the half skeleton look! I did this pretty quickly just for practice but on the night I want to go all out a la Lady Gaga Born This Way slash Rick Genest.

If this is something you want to recreate, I promise it's super easy. All I did was map out the lines with a black gel liner, filled them in, and went over with a matte black eyeshadow. I then took a small detail brush and added shadows on my brow bone, teeth, etc. Honestly, find a picture you like and copy it! It's so easy. I'm planning on just wearing a black leather jacket, tshirt, and black jeans!

I've also been roped in to doing everyone else's makeup so I've got sugar skulls and vampires to create, what are you being for Halloween?
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The Lorac Pro Palette

 I caved. I walked into to Ulta to browse and I was drawn to it. Generally I control myself and walk away but this time I was weak. And I'm oh so glad I was because the Lorac PRO Palette is literal perfection. It has 16 shadows, 8 of which are matte, 8 shimmer. They are the smoothest, most buttery texture I have ever felt in an eyeshadow. I already own the PRO to go palette and the texture is one of the reasons I love it so much. The shadows are incredibly pigmented as well, especially the shimmery shades. The swatches below are mostly one swipe up and down, with no primer. Insanity right?

Top Row, sequenced with palette (note that both Cream and Light Pink are very similar to my skin tone so they don't show up as well)

Bottom Row, sequenced with palette

I know the bottom picture looks a bit funny but I wanted to show you the gorgeous sheen on these in the sun. Overall I'm over-the-moon with this palette. Did I need it personally? Probably not because I have too many eyeshadows to ever use up. BUT, I do love it and I've not used anything else since buying it.

It's also worth mentioning that if you have both the first and second Naked palettes, it's probably overkill to buy this one as well. I do have them all, and a lot of the shades are similar. The only difference is in texture, I think UD's shadows are beautiful but Lorac's are slightly superior. I will say that if you're debating between Naked and this, I would go with the PRO, it's too gorgeous to pass up.

The Pro Palette is $42 and can be bought at Ulta. LORAC is unfortunately only available in the US right now, so if you know anyone over here, get them to ship it to you ASAP!

Do you own anything from Lorac? I really want to try their liquid liner!

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The Autumn Eyeshadow Edit

My eyeshadows don't tend to change TOO much from season to season, so I thought I would show you the ones I've been reaching for a lot lately and just call it an Autumn Edit. Okay? Okay. I love my bronzes, and I kick it up a notch during the colder months by wearing darker bronzes all over my lid in a smokey eye.

So starting at the bottom (right next to the makeup bag) is the ever famous Mac Mulch. Easily one of my favourite shadows ever. It's like the perfect combination of bronze and milk chocolate and looks gorgeous blended over the lid, like most MAC shadows it's beautiful quality. Next up is a MUA Pearl Shadow in Chamoisee. For £1 I don't really see how you could possibly go wrong with these gorgeous shadows, they're on par with MAC in terms of quality. Despite how it looks in the pan it's super metallic on the eye and is slightly taupe (aka my favourite colour ever). It is actually quite close to Urban Decay Suspect, which is one of my all time favourite shades, but slightly darker so they pair perfectly.

The big square pan is my beloved Inglot Pearl 423. Inglot shadows are probably the best quality I've ever used, they're not too expensive, and you get SO much bang for your buck. Like .09oz worth. I wish they had cute names, but 423 is a beautiful plummy rusty toned brown. I actually bought this on accident, but I'm so happy I did. Something about it makes my green eyes look out of this world. Too Faced Push Up is an oldie but a goodie. It's a gold toned brown and is beautifully buttery. I'm pretty sure you can only get this is the Natural Eyes palette, which is a bummer so if you find a dupe let me know! I talk about the NARS Kalahari Duo ALL THE TIME. I can't help it though it's so gorgeous it almost hurts. I've reviewed it here so I'll let you read that but the shades are a beautiful bronze and milky chocolate. Lastly is Maybelline's Bad To The Bronze Colour Tattoo, which is the perfect bronzy lazy day solution.

What are your favourite eye shadows for the season?
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The Vanity; Updated

In my last vanity post, I had all of my everyday products in cute little bowls which was probably the most inconvenient storage solution ever, but it was adorable so I dealt. Well, I got sick of it so I walked (drove) myself on down to Marshall's to hunt for an acrylic case.

I considered ordering another MUJI case (like the one on the right) but decided I wanted something a little different. A problem I have with the 5-drawer is that it's too shallow to fit a lot of my products in. Also, when they're hidden away in drawers I tend to use them less. In steps Marshall's, where I found this beauty. It says it's called "Simply Brilliant" by DesignStyles. I can't find this line on the interwebs anywhere, but there seemed to be a lot of them in my Marshall's so keep an eye out.

Basically the bottom of it is a big, deep drawer perfect for storing things that I don't necessarily use every day, but don't fit into my MUJI drawers. On top is a typical acrylic makeup organizer with lipstick slots and different sections. Having all of my everyday products visible has definitely cut down on my getting-ready time, meaning more precious sleep for me. Like I said, I can't find these exact drawers, but there are some similar options here and here and here.

I also picked up a little acrylic letter organizer from Target for my palettes. I like this one because it also has two 'pockets' at the back instead of just being open. These are perfect for storing longer palettes such as my Naked 1 and 2. I can't find this online either, but it is DEFINITELY in store (as of 10.20) so keep an eye out for it, it's by the Nate Berkus stuff in my Target. Other than that, everything is about the same. I think I just needed a bit of a refresh and some reorganization. Now I'm inspired to get the rest of my room organized!

Also, I can now fit more makeup in my drawers, ut oh.
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The Current Staples

There are several products in my everyday routine that rarely get switched out, so here's my current makeup staples!

Rather than having to buy new foundations as I get paler (who knew that was possible?), I've found an awesome product from LUSH called a Colour Essential. This specific one is called Jackie Oats, described as a creamy ivory base for pale complexions. I currently mix this in with my favourite foundations, but you can use it on its own as well. I love knowing that I'm putting a product with good ingredients on my skin rather than a bunch of synthetic crap. I've reviewed the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer here, and it's still a holy grail. It is just THE perfect concealer for a ridiculously cheap price. I wish I had bought more! The last thing I use on my face every day is MAC's Taupe Shape blush, which was Limited Edition from the CCO so keep your eyes out, it is the perfect contour for me.

I'm pretty anal about my brows so I use Anastasia's DipBrow Pomade in Chocolate and Bobbi Brown's Espresso Eyeshadow daily. These two together give me the perfect sculpted brow to replace my sad, thin ones. As an eye primer I always find myself coming back to my dear Urban Decay Primer Potion, nothing quite compares. It was also my first high end product I ever bought with my own money so it's quite sentimental. For lashes, my recent combination has been the Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara, which I have reviewed here, and Clinique's High Impact Mascara. I find that these two together create a perfect, volumized, natural looking lash. The NARS Kalahari Duo is one that I can't help but use at least one of the colours everyday, they are just so gorgeous. I've also reviewed this here.

What are your beauty staples at the moment?
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For Those Days When You Feel Shitty

So recently, there has been a lot about anxiety around these here interwebs. I just want to start off by saying that I DO NOT have anxiety as in the disorder. However, I do quite often have days where everything seems to go wrong and I feel extra nervous and overall shitty. I'm not comparing this nervousness to the terribleness of other's overwhelming anxiety, but I'm just saying that this does happen and it sucks.

So, on those days, I try to set aside some time to do things I enjoy. Reading Harry Potter, nerdily enough, is one of those things. It's what I've grown up with, my dad read us the books from a very young age, so it's really comforting to me. I also love reading blogs, watching my favourite YouTubers, and making imaginary shopping lists in my little notebook. Also, who doesn't love a little Netflix while curled up in bed? Also, being in college, I can generally choose to skip class if I want. NOW, red flag, i'm not saying to skip class willy-nilly. What I am saying is that sometimes, if I'm feeling really bad, I'll skip a day I know isn't important. Being an art major, this is pretty easy because I can make up studio time at home. DO NOT miss important lectures. I'm really strict with myself on this in general because I'm obviously spending hundreds of dollars per class (of my own money, ouch). Every now and again though, I'll give myself a day off if I'm feeling extra shitty.

Sometimes, just taking a day off and doing things that you enjoy can be really refreshing and a good reset after feeling shitty, friends. Really, life is too short, why would you not take a few days off?

Do you think I said the word "shitty" enough in this post?
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Barry M Huckleberry

Say hello to my favourite nail polish. Ever. I don't know what it is about this colour but I swear it makes your nails look PERFECT. At all times. It's a gorgeous pastel sky blue, with just enough white to be sophisticated. The formula is perfection, two coats and dries quickly. Have you ever heard of a pale blue that takes two coats to achieve opacity? Cause I sure as heck don't. You all know I'm into my darks, but this one is my precious baby, I really wish I had stocked up when I was in the UK.

You can find Barry M's Huckleberry at Superdrug for £3.99.

If you can find this beauty, BUY IT. You will not regret it. What's your favourite polish at the moment?
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Gotta Glow

I'm that kind of person that loves a dewy face, but I can't stand it if my foundation isn't set. So, I love highlighters. A lot. Like I have too many but buy them all the time anyway. So today I have for you my favourite highlighters for different occasions.

For the inner corner, aka my favourite highlight ever, I ALWAYS use MAC's Nylon. It's a gorgeous pale-gold frost with so much reflect it's almost blinding. Hello always looking awake. For my brow bone I use MAC's Chamomile. This was a limited edition shade but it's similar to Blanc Type. They are both creamy matte white-beiges. It looks a lot yellower in the pan than it does on the skin. Also, I almost killed the poor guy getting him out of my palette, the glue had melted!

For face highlighters, I have a few favourites. Generally, for everyday wear I'll use either Benefit's High Beam or MAC's Hyper Real Pressed Powder in Extra Light. Extra Light is another discontinued product, but it is similar to the MAC Mineralize Skinfinishes in the beautiful glow that it gives your face. This one has a slight gold undertone that makes your cheekbones look radiant. High Beam is the only liquid highlighter I've ever liked. The champagne-y pink tone gives a beautiful lift to the face and adds some moisture in the winter months. Finally I have the elf All Over Colour Stick in Golden Peach. I rarely use this one myself unless I actually get tan in the summer. For deeper skintones however, it gives a gorgeous golden glow that looks much more natural than the lighter tones I've mentioned previously.

So this is how I achieve my glow, what products do you use?
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The Autumn Foundation Edit

Autumn is that time of year in which I can wear absolutely whatever foundation I want. I don't have to worry about it sweating off of my face, and my skin isn't too dry for some. This autumn, it looks like I'll be sticking to some old favourites and a new love.

I recently did a review of the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation so I'll put a link to that here, but it is my current favourite foundation. It's glowy and light and perfect, but the summer is a bitch with the whole staying power thing, so I'm excited to wear this without worry. One of my oldest favourites is MUFE's Mat Velvet +, I am preferring a more dewy look nowadays but I'll mix this baby in when I need more staying power because it is the bomb. Another tried and true is L'oreal True Match Lumi which is a gorgeous dewy-satin finish. This shade is a liiiiittle dark considering I'm as white as a sheet of paper, but I can't help but love it.

What are your picks for foundation this season? Anything I must try out, I'm in the market for a new love!
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A Little Ulta Haul

Sorry I've been a little absent on the blog so far this week, I had a huge test on Wednesday so I've spent all my free time studying. Now, it's fall break so I thought I would treat myself. All NYX, Revlon, and I believe Almay products are 40% off at Ulta right now. Plus they have the $3.50 of off $10 coupon out, so I spent $18 on all of this, which I think is a pretty good deal!

I wanted to try out the NYX matte eyeshadows, and I'm pretty excited because the new shape will fit in my MAC palette. The shades I picked up are Bare My Soul and Skinny Dip. The colours look very discoloured here because of this lighting, but I'll put some proper swatches up later in the week. Bare My Soul looks like the perfect neutral-toned crease colour which I'm excited about because mine are all rather warm. Skinny Dip is a pretty eggplant and it does have a slight sheen. I don't generally wear colourful eyeshadows, but I thought this one would look nice with green eyes. I paid $2.04 each for these.

I have a couple of matte nail polishes, but I rarely wear them matte because they chip so easily, and obviously a topcoat is going to make them glossy. So I picked up the Revlon Nail Enamel Matte Top Coat for $2.04 as well. I haven't tried it yet but I've heard good things. My flat hair could use some help so I also got the L'Oreal Boost It High Lift Creation Spray. Not entirely sure how much I ended up paying for this but it is originally priced at $4.99 (L'Oreal is not included in the 40% sale).

The last thing I picked up was one of the Revlon Colour Stay Moisture Stains, this one in Passion. I did wear this beauty today and I'm in love. I paid $5.04 for this. It's one of my favourite dark red colours that I own a ton of, but I can't help it. I'm also going to do a review of this later in the week so keep an eye out!

This sale goes through October 4th, which isn't a lot of notice I know, but I just found out about it myself. Are you going to pick anything up?
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The Autumn Lip Edit

Today I've got my autumn lip edit, the colours that I think are going to be featured in my lip wardrobe this upcoming season. We've got the typical reds and berries, some pretty pinky-mauves, and a good ol' nude to round out the bunch. Let's dive in.

Tanya Burr Cosmetics Lipgloss in Chic. This cream finish gloss has beautiful pigmentation and shine, but it can be worn quite lightly if you want a more natural look. The colour is like a brownish-nude with just a hint of peach, making it the perfect every day nude. The smell is out of this world, and the applicator is perfect. Love.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lipstain in Honey. Chubby sticks are all the rage now and this is an oldie but a goodie. This baby is literally my lips but WAAAAY better. It's the perfect mauvey shade and has a slightly balmy feel, making it look natural. It has a nice minty feel on the lips and wears well throughout the day.

MAC Lustre Lipstick in Syrup. This shade is kind of hard to describe, I would say it's mauve with a bit of plum but it's still strangely a nude colour when on the lips. I love the Lustre formula because it can be worn quite sheer and is really moisturizing.

Wet N Wild Megaslicks Balm Stain in Lady and the Vamp. This cheap sucka is awesome for its price, it's a lovely berry-purple shade. It can also be worn quite sheer but when built up is quite pigmented and has a lot of shine.

Revlon Matte Lipstick in Strawberry Suede. Strawberry Suede is a gorgeous almost neon matte red, it isn't one of those awful matte formulas that's drying and it lasts forever. I believe it has been discontinued, but apparently the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in 109 is very similar!

Bourjois Colour Burst Lipstain in Red Sunshine. This beauty is gonna be difficult to find if you're living in the states like me, but it's worth the hunt. It's a beautifully glossy shade that looks like you've just rubbed a strawberry on your lips. It's also very moisturizing and wears well throughout the day.

NYX Butter Gloss in Red Velvet. I'm not a huge fan of dark glosses, but this one is definitely beautiful. A deep, rich red with a blue tint is a perfect colour for the holiday season. The formula for these is as perfect as a gloss can get, pigmented without being sticky and heavy and still moisturizing.

Rimmel London Kate Moss Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick in 107. This is my favourite lipstick ever. It is a beautiful bordeaux red that has cool undertones, perfect for my skintone. It has a velvety smooth finish and wears surprisingly well. It's also really buildable so you can wear it as a stain or a super-dark vamp red.

What are your picks for the season?
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