New Year Resolutions

Hi Guys,

I'm not one to ever make new years resolutions, I cant actually remember the last time I did actually make one. I've come up with a few things this year though, so I'm going to give them a go and hopefully they'll last longer than January! 

1. Blog more during 2015 and hopefully stick to a proper schedule.

2. Start saving and not go mad in boots as often...

3. Try different posts on the blog, baking and hopefully a bit of fashion.

4. Learn to drive.

5. Become more organised with college, blogging and basically overall.

Hopefully I'll stick with these, although I'm not too sure the staying way from boots one is going to work too well haha. Hope you've all had a great 2014 and hopefully a great 2015 too, Happy New Year!

Eloise x

Favourite Beauty Bits and Bobs of 2014

Hi Guys,

I wanted to share with you my favourite beauty bits from this year, well the ones I can remember at least... I was also going to add in some non beauty bits, but it'll be a bit too long I think. Just like the What's in my New Year's Make up Bag Post, this one is also going to be quite Illamasqua heavy. 

Illamasqua have to be my top brand for 2014 though and possibly my all time favourite right now, They're really inspired me to get into colour and really experiment this year and I've totally fallen in love. Im just trying out so many new things that I would never of dared of putting on my face before.

More Skin care wise, I have been loving these three little saviours. My Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm also has to be up there, I just forgot to photograph it... sorry! 

I have very very dry skin all year round, it also can become quite red and irritated. Thats why Ive been loving the Lush Eau Roma Water, which is a toner with rose. I first discovered this at the Sheffield Blogger Meet up, fell in love with the smell, then realised actually it was doing pretty good things with my skin, like calming it down. 

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream has been my go to just slap it on lip balm, the Nuxe one is a lot thicker, so for during the day the 8 Hour Cream is lighter but still hydrating. Also for that Hydrating kick, my Illamasqua Hydraveil, this product has not only made me fall in love with Skin Base. But it really does just give you an instant hit of hydration and makes my make up go on a lot smoother. 

Illamasqua Skin Base in 3.5 has to be my foundation of the year, of course I have quite a few others that I love, but skin base has been the most well loved and used this year. It's just such a brilliant coverage, especially if you're having a bad skin day, yet its not heavy, its very light and so long lasting!

As well from Illamasqua, I have become obsessed with their Nail Polish in Melange, its so unique with its almost moss green base and the gold shimmer running through it. I think it didn't leave my nails for quite a few months, I cant remember any other polish being replaced over and over again like Melange was. 

For my lips, I kicked off the year with the Baby Lips Cherry Me, which was super fast and easy, as well as still being hydrating and giving a slight colour. I was really enjoying quite natural make up, using a lot less products at the start of the year. Then my Illamasqua colour obsession happened, My favourite Illamasqua Lipstick this year has to be from their Glamore range, in Rosepout, its the perfect pinky nude for me. I did also love their matte lipstick in Brink which is a coral/orange shade. 

Three very long standing favourites, not only this year but for quite a few previous years have been the Clinique High Impact Mascara, which I think I've used all year. Bar one month where I tried a Barry M one. I love what it does to my lashes, how defined they can be, I prefer it once its dried out too.

The other two long standing favourites are the MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre, which is a fantastic neutral base to apply under any eye shadow colour. I always need a product like this or my shadow will crease. Plus my Holy Grail, Illamasqua Thunder Brow Cake, I have been using this for nearly three years now and thats how much I have used. This beauty lasts for ages! It also does wonders for my pale brows. 

Lastly I have new found friends in the form of the Illamasqua Powder Shadows, specifically in Vapour (Burnt Orange) and CanCan (Lilac) Leena from Illamasqua paired these two together, which I wouldn't expect to work but intact its insanely beautiful. Also with their Inception Shadow (Violet Purple), I have also loved their shade in Feint (Reddish Brown) too, The pigmentation of their shadows and the wear time are fantastic, well as are all of their products!

I may do a non beauty favourites post too, if thats something you'd like to read, I can think of quite a few things to add into it, I've gotten quite a bit of inspiration from even writing this! 

Eloise x

My Roundup of The Big Blogmas Project

Hi Guys,

As you may of noticed I've been taking part in Blogmas this year and I am so pleased that Ive actually managed to do it, because I never ever expected to get this far. Its been great fun, even though I have been very busy, due to that I haven't been able to read as many blog posts as I usually like to. But I will catch up and have a January-Blogmas session!

So I thought out of the posts that I have read, I'd show you a few I've really liked, there was a few more but I looked at them on Bloglovin and cant find them anymore! 

Cosy Winter Night Lush Stash by Knickers & Nail Polish - HERE

This post by Sarah is literally Lush Christmas heaven to me! Northern Lights, Dashing Santa, Luxury Lush Pud! I love reading hauls, so Lush ones are even better too. It makes me want to run to Lush again, but after that Boxing Day sale I doubt theirs anything left! 

Christmas Decoration Wishlist by All Things Beautiful - HERE

You may of noticed my quite large obsession with Christmas Decorations this year, So I loved reading everyones Christmas Decoration Wish lists and having a good browse and actually trying to hunt down some pieces myself! I love Jessie's, especially because we seem to have a similar taste in decorations as I also am in love with the Moose and the lovely little Santa bauble, I think I actually have the bunting too haha. 

Christmas Nail Art - Penguin by Beauty by Karis - HERE

Some of my favourite things, especially at Chrsitmas time are 1. Nail Art, 2. Glitter and 3. Penguins! (Monty in perticular!) I think Karis' nails are extremely cute and incredibly festive, I just want to dip my nails in the penguin glittery goodness! So can Christmas carry on for a few more weeks so I can try these myself?

A Little London Photo Diary - HERE
Finally I just wanted to add one of my posts, not in a strange show off way I hope. I just loved this post so much, It reminds me so much of the fun I had in London this year and also just the photos I had taken. I'd love to get a bit more into photography I think, its a bit of a different post for me but I really enjoyed it. This has to be my favourite post I've done.

Eloise x

What's in my New Year Makeup Bag?

Hi Guys,

As you're reading this Im currently away for New Year, but I couldn't not finish blogmas! I thought I'd share with you what I've chosen to put in my make up bag for my week away! I think I may of gone slightly overboard but this is after a lot of whittling down! Plus a little warning, this post is a bit Illamasqua mad, They're just my favourite brand.

I actually have added a few more bits too, I just like to have a big choice, which is usually a bit of a pain. I feel like I need my Zuca Trolley for my make up every time I go away haha, so Im quite pleased that Ive gotten it down to this many products. 

Eyes

I bring my MAC Palette with me every time I go away anywhere, just because its the best option for me to have quite a wide selection of shades to pick from. Although I have brought my favourite Illamasqua shades in Vapour (Burnt orange) Can Can (Lilac Purple) and Inception (Violet Purple) for some brighter options.

I always wear a cream shadow under my eye shadow and my favourite one has to be the MAC Paint Pot in Soft ochre, its just very versatile. I also have a new found love for the Illamasqua Vintage Mettalix in Bibleot. I don't really wear any liner at the moment unless Im using the purple shades, so I've packed my Gel Liner from Illamasqua just incase. 

Base

This is probably my go to base now, Illamasqua's Hydraveil and Skin Base come as a bit of a duo for me. I love Skin Base, but cant really wear it without Hydraveil as my skin is so dry it just doesn't work. Then what I even did before the Skin Base Lift Concealers by Illamasqua I dont know! I use two, Light 1 to Highlight and Light 2 to cover up any darkness under my eye Light 1 didn't cover. Because they're peach toned they cancel out the purple tones in my dark circles.

Finally to set I have my Nars Light Reflecting Loose powder, I find that If I set my make up with this powder it stays all day, it does crease a little under my eyes nearer to the end of the day. But seeing as that area usually creases way before that, this is actually really good. I do wish I'd bought the pressed version though as this can be a little messy to travel with. 

Lips and Cheeks!

I decided to have an orange, red and nude option for my lipsticks. As well as a lipgloss, I picked my new Laura Mercier Plumping Gloss in Rose Flush because it seems like quite a nice your lips but better shade. For my red option, my new winter lipstick favourite Russian Red by MAC.

My favourite lipstick to wear with my purple eye shadows has to be my orange option, Brink by Illamasqua. It's not as scary a combination as it sounds! Also my other favourite right now by Illamasqua is Rosepout, for my nude option, I like teaming it with the Maybelline Lip Liner in Soft Pink.

Ive also packed my Virtual Domination Nars Palette, It's just a lot easier to travel with rather than the usual two full size blushes, two highlighters and a sculpting kit combination, I try to cram into my make up bag. As long as I remember to be light handed with Laguna i'll hopefully be fine!

Brows and Little Extras!

I have found a new found glitter love! Lime Crime Glitter, I love Leo, for a really festive party eye. Set with the Illamasqua Sealing Gel this just does not move! I had it on, on Christmas Day from 10am to 11pm and I noticed no fall out at all!

For my brows, I have my trusty old Brow Cake in Thunder and to clean them up and attempt to give them the Illamasqua Brow look, I love to use Vow Pencil underneath and blend it out. It also hides any stray hairs if needed. 

I dont wear false lashes, until I found the Tanya Burr Everyday Flutter lashes and now all I want to do is wear them constantly. 

Eloise x