Putting SheIn Makeup To The Test💕

I have wanted to try the online site, SheIn, for the longest time ever. I don't know what was putting me off because their clothing items are so cute and extremely affordable too. Then, after my friend told me it was worth ordering from, I thought "awk, why not!" and took to their app. After opening, I realised they had their own makeup line, SheGlam, and that was me, hooked. I decided to order a few makeup pieces, along with some random fashion accessories. And I can confirm, the makeup has taken me by surprise!!

Eye Candy Medium Coverage Concealer || 201 Finland || £2.49 || Originally I was going for their long wearing liquid concealer but I'm not sure what changed my mind! However, I cannot get over this concealer. I had read the reviews, and they were all super positive, so I was excited to try it out! For a start, the tube is actually a lot bigger than expected, so it'll last me quite a while. I just went for the palest colour as I am quite pale so knew it'd match me well. When I wear concealer, I typically apply it beneath my eyes, down the bridge of my nose and any imperfections I wish to cover, ie spots. I couldn't quite believe how thick the consistency is - I find that liquid concealers are quite thin, but this one is heavy duty. It blends really easily, and it's pretty medium - high coverage! It doesn't look dry or cakey whilst on the skin. I can't believe how good it is for the price it is!

Little Black Tube Lasting Setting Powder || 01 Natural || £3.49 || I've never really experimented with loose setting powders, but I'm running really quite low on my usual pressed powder so decided to switch things up. I just chose the shade natural, again for the same reason as the concealer and also so it's not overly natural. It does come with a puff sponge, but I'm not a fan of these. Instead, I tip some into the lid and use a large powder brush to apply as I find this to be the easiest method. I love the look it leaves; my skin appears matte, but without looking cakey. Instead, it looks super natural and fresh. I only apply a thin dusting and it sets my base pretty well. Impressive! I'd tried a setting powder in the past that was white in colour, and I found it was often noticeable on the skin, so I like that this is natural and matches me better!

3 Pairs Thick False Eyelashes || £2.99 || Now that I'm no longer a false lash novice, I'm quite partial to playing around with different brands. That's why when I spied these beauties at £3, I had to grab them - that's literally £1 a pair! They had a total of 15 styles available, so it took me quite a while to settle on a pair. In the end, I went for these; fairly natural yet long and effective. Some of them were more dramatic and bold, whereas others were more subtle and natural. I wasn't sure if they'd be quite plastic based, because they were so cheap, but I couldn't be any further wrong. The lash band is fairly thick, a black plastic band, however the lashes couldn't be any more natural if they tried. I had to trim them to fit, but applying them was fairly easy. They look super natural on, feel really lightweight and overall, I love how they look! They really help spice up a plain makeup look.

Dual-Ended Fine Eyebrow Pencil || 03 Dark Brown || £2.49 || I've tried pomade, brow gels, powders and all, but I've truly fallen back in love with brow pencils. I used to over estimate how good a brow pencil can be, and now it's all I will use! I love the natural effect they leave my brows, but also help give definition. This little brow pencil is a gem. It takes only a few minutes to do my brows but the results are magnificent. It helps to enhance my brows natural shape, bringing some added definition and structure to them. It's a dual ended pencil, so one end is the pencil, and the other end has a spoolie, which I find handy to use whilst doing my brows. I like that it's quite a creamy consistency, making the process easy - some pencils are a bit "dry" and hard to work with. I like that the tip of the pencil is slanted, which again makes it easier to fill in. The shade I have is the darkest to match my hair, and it's pretty much the most ideal match you could get, so overall, very impressed!

3pcs Star Velvet Lip Glaze Set || 02 Elegant || £5.99 || I had been searching for some new liquid lipsticks for the longest time ever, most specifically, a brown toned one. When I seen this gorgeous little box, I might've squealed a little. It comes packaged in a fairly sturdy cardboard box, and 3 lipsticks inside - a red, a pink and a nude/brown. I won't lie, the website did make them look slightly larger than they are, but for £6, I wasn't complaining. The pigmentation is super, I can't get over how opaque the colour is when applied to the lips! They feel quite thin in terms of formula, but it doesn't look thin and transparent on the lips. My favourite part is the fact they dry matte, but don't feel dry on the lips at all - in fact, it doesn't even feel like you're wearing anything. I am obsessed!!

In the above three selfies, I'm wearing the Shein lipsticks. Thought I'd include these instead of swatches so you can see how lovely they look on, and how pigmented they are! (Oh, and just realised I've used the brow pencil in all 3 too!).

The Artistry Eyeshadow Palette || 01 Bejewelled || £7.49 || This palette has my name written all over it. Seriously. Golds, browns and reds/oranges, what more could you want? It has a combined total of 18 shades, with a mix of mattes and glitters, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it - think of the possibilities of different eye looks you could create!! But, pigment? Damn, I can't believe how pigmented it is! It's more pigmented than some palettes I've paid more for, which I couldn't get over at first. The glitters have little to none for fallout, which I am still seriously impressed with. Course, it needs built up a little bit, but I can live with that! I find that the shadows blend quite well, they are more on the buttery side as opposed to chalk. I can't wait to keep experimenting with this little palette even more.

Shein, you have taken me by surprise!! After placing my order (which took roughly a week and a half to arrive), I ended up discovering more makeup (such as highlighters, foundations, contour kits etc) which I'm desperate to try next. Watch this space, I'll end up with the whole range!

xx

Be The Ultimate Fashion Icon💕*

I won't lie, I own way too much clothing. But, I am right into my fashion these days. Give me a pair of patterned trousers and I'm quite happy to build together an outfit! I also love a good night out with my pals, and this lockdown really got me missing the "what you wearing?" texts and multiple outfit meltdowns. However, over this period of time, I've ended up with a new few outfits which I CANNOT wait to wear out. But, my outfits are going to be on a new level with these little beauties from Femme Luxe.

One thing I've never really owned is jumpsuits, but damn I love how much of a staple this Red Strappy Wide Leg Jumpsuit* is!! It's super elegant and classy. I decided to wear it with a pair of black and silver diamante heels to add to the sophisticated vibe. Can someone have a formal party of some sort after lockdown please?! With trousers and similar full-length items, I often find that they're too short for me (I'm around 5ft8/9), but this genuinely fits like a glove. I wouldn't typically go for wide legged items but this just works well. Paired with some lashes, winged liner and bold lip, I am living for this jumpsuit! A gorgeous, simple and casual jumpsuit, but one that leaves you feeling bold and confident due to it's beautiful, striking colour!

I feel like for a night out, black is forever a safe bet, so it's no surprise I am super excited to wear this Black Utility Contrast Stitch Playsuit*! I feel like paired with my creepers, fishnets, sunglasses and cap, it's an absolute look!! I feel super comfortable in this playsuit as it's made out of the comfiest material ever, which is also stretchy too. I love the neon green detail, and paired with the "seat-belt" style belt, my fashion levels are totally through the roof! There are so many ways to style this playsuit, and if you want a striking playsuit that's not colourful, this black playsuit is the way forward!

And since I loved the black playsuit so much, I ended up getting it in white* too! Much like the black playsuit, the white one also has the same neon green detail, but it's hard to see it in the above photo because of the sunlight reflecting off it. Again, comes with a "seat-belt" belt, but because this suit is white, I'm keen to invest in some other "cool" belts to change up the outfit every so often. I'm not quite sure where I'll wear this one - white is an extremely risky colour on a night out! - but I need to find somewhere after lockdown! Also made with the same material as the black playsuit. I don't own any white dresses, nor any white playsuits, so super excited to add it to my wardrobe for the perfect excuse! And, can we take a minute to appreciate how well they go with my new white boots?!

Femme Luxe got me covered for my future nights out with some gorgeous and fashionable jumpsuits, and I can't wait! Bring it on, and let me be the biggest fashion icon out!

xx

*PR Samples

Beauty Bay's Liquid Eyeshadow Trios💕

For New Years Eve, I decided to explore the world of liquid eyeshadows, and bought myself two of the beautybay's own branded ones (read more here). I instantly fell in love with them, and truth to be told, rarely touch any eyeshadows because I love the simplicity of the liquid shadows. And, because I loved the first two so much, I ended up ordering another nine...lol. Rather than buying individual shades, I bought 3 of their trio packs cause at £15 a pack (or £6 each), it was cheaper to buy trios.

Beauty Bay Liquid Crystal Eyeshadow Trio Solstice || £15 || I feel this is perhaps the boldest, most out there of all the trios I got. The trio includes Garnet (left) which is a beautiful rich red shade; Pyrite which is a stunning gold shade; and Malachite which is a beautiful green shade. It's an interesting trio because all the shades vary from each other significantly. I feel that Pyrite (gold) is probably the most wearable, with the green and red being rather out there, but if you're brave enough, then I dare you to experiment! Each of them ooze pigment and are true to their colour. I recommend this trio for people who enjoy playing with bright eye colours.

Beauty Bay Liquid Eyeshadow Trio Celestial || £15 || Now, this is the trio full of colours I'm more inclined to work with! Golds, brown and oranges are my safe colours and go-to, so I feel that this trio is a safe shout for me. The trio includes Moonstone which is a silver shimmer; Rutile which is a bronze shimmer; and Precious Topaz which is a champagne shimmer. Each colour is rich in pigment, and I feel that this trio would work with most eye colours too! Due to them being more "wearable colours", you can either glam these up or tone them down, depending on the look you're after. 

Beauty Bay Liquid Crystal Eyeshadow Trio Equinox || £15 || I really like the Earthy tones in this trio, a lot of cool undertones too. It includes Tiger's Eye which is a rich copper with gold flecks; Selenite which is a soft white with silver flecks; and Smoky Quartz which is a black with gold flecks. Personally, I find these colours quite difficult to work with because I haven't quite conquered an eyeshadow combination to create a look that suits me yet. However, with that being said, they are beautiful colours which I need to experiment with more.

I now have a varying selection of colours available from the range. I'm pretty sure I'm missing one shade and I own the whole collection!! I find the shadows super easy to work with, and they are super pigmented too. All in all, I don't think you can go wrong with these. They don't crease nor transfer, and are pretty opaque. But, to make sure I get their pigment to its fullest potential, I always applying an eyeshadow similar to the colour I'm using before applying, using the doe-foot applicator it comes with before using a flat eyeshadow brush to top it off. These are my go-to for a night out because they don't smudge or sweat off either, and this is pretty important for me. I can't wait to get creative with them!

xx

Andrew Barton Haircare💕*

2020 has most definitely been the year that's seen the most, and best, haircare treatment my hair has had for a while!! I have been loving trying out new products, seeing what works or doesn't, the impact it has etc. My collection is growing at a steady pace, and has been all year. The brand, Andrew Barton, got in touch with me to try some of their products. Of course, right up my alley, so I agreed. Whilst doing my research into my brand, I discovered two things; 1. the vast range of shampoos and conditioners available; and 2. the fact it's stocked in Asda so is easily accessible!

Andrew Barton Kind & Gentle Shampoo* || £2.50 || First thing I noticed is that it's infused with moroccan argan oil, cactus flower extract and aloe vera - if you've been reading my latest haircare posts, you'll know I'm loving argan oil at the moment - so as soon as I seen this, the shampoo was already in my good books. They have shampoos for different hair concerns, so I was intrigued to this as it's classed as being "soothing and hydrating". I noticed it had quite a thin consistency to it, which doesn't bother me as I find formulas like this will lather up better. You know it's a good shampoo when your hair feels cleans before you even rinse the bubbles away - my scalp already felt a lot fresher. In terms of scent, it reminds me of baby shampoo, but also the clean cotton Yankee Candle. And, if you know what both those smell like, you'll understand what I mean when I say this shampoo smells gentle yet clean. It's soft and delicate on the hair, so I could imagine it being beneficial for those with a sensitive scalp: although I don't, I know it's kind on my hair and will protect it.

Andrew Barton Kind & Gentle Conditioner* || £2.50 || I used to be lazy with conditioner and use whatever was in the bathroom, but now I've very specific and like to use a conditioner that matches my shampoo. So, it's no surprise that I have the conditioner which is the same as the shampoo; their soothing and hydrating. Much like the shampoo, I find the conditioner to be quite thin in consistency, so I definitely don't need a lot per use - I only apply conditioner on the lengths of my hair, avoiding the roots. I find it quite difficult to wash out of my hair, so I spend a little extra rinsing to ensure there's no leftovers. But, I do love how smooth and silky it leaves my hair. Neither the shampoo or conditioner causes my hair to tangle which is a godsend. Again, much like the shampoo, it has the same gorgeous and delicate scent. It doesn't leave my hair feeling greasy or heavy either; instead it's smooth and feels healthy, which is what it claims to do in the first place, winner!

Andrew Barton S.O.S Hair Repair Miracle Hair Oil* || £2.50 || I love hair oils! They really make a difference when you're drying your hair. I always make sure to only use a small amount to avoid any greasy messes. I was relieved to see this one had a pump as I find it easier to judge how much oil to use - typically I go for 3/4 as I have thick hair. Same as the conditioner, I only use it on the ends of my hair whilst damp. It has a gorgeous scent which I can't quite pin-point as of yet. It's enriched with both moroccan argan oil and macadamia oil, meaning it will hydrate your hair to the max. If I use a hair mask whilst in the shower, I don't use the oil because I don't want to weigh my hair down, and again, avoid greasiness. But, it's totally worth looking into this little bottle. It leaves my hair feeling super hydrated and soft at the ends, so if you have dry or damaged hair, I could only imagine the benefits that it would deliver! 

Andrew Barton S.O.S Hair Repair Mask Sachet* || £1.20 || So usually, if I have a hair mask, it's a whole tub worth of product. However, this one comes as a one-use sachet, which I actually prefer the idea of as it gives you more of a trial before splurging out on something you might hate. So when I opened the sachet, I actually expected there to be more product inside. At first glance, I didn't think there was all that much, but after applying to my hair, found it was the ideal amount of product - not too much nor too little! But, I think I have found my new favourite hair mask. And by no means, am I just saying that because the brand sent me this. Like my hair feels so good, it honestly feels as though I've just left the hairdressers - salon worthy!! It leaves my hair in such good condition, not only smelling amazing but the shine is unreal too. I can't wait for my next Asda trip to pick up some more of these sachets! 

I love each of these products, and now I know my local Asda stocks a wide range of them too, I can't wait to try some more. They smell lovely, leave my hair in such good condition and aren't overly expensive. As well as their wide range of shampoos and conditioners, all designed for different purposes and issues, they also have a styling range, including heat protector etc. And, I am pleased to announce that they are also vegan friendly too!!

xx

*PR Samples