It's about time I made another makeup post on here! I thought I would share all the products I have been loving lately as I have been getting back into putting makeup on and feeling fabulous! I hope that you enjoy reading these little recommendations!

Base

Revolution Conceal and Define Foundation & Concealer


For me, these were the ultimate makeup discoveries of the year! I finally found a shade range with tones pale enough for my face! I long suffered the eternal struggle of buying the lightest shade of a foundation I wanted to try, putting it on my face and it not even remotely matching my skin tone. These are the only foundation and concealer products which I have been using for many months now and I don't see myself changing up my base routine any time soon! The coverage level is EVERYTHING too! They make my skin look flawless, even when it's blotchy and breaking out beneath the makeup in those stressful times!

You can buy the foundation from Superdrug HERE, Beauty Bay HERE
You can buy the concealer from Superdrug HERE, Beauty Bay HERE

Cheeks

Tarte Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette Volume 2


I managed to swipe this palette up in TK Maxx for an absolute bargain and I have been using it non-stop since! Skylight is the perfect highlight shade for my complexion and I use it to highlight my cheekbones, brow bone and the inner corner of my eyeshadow looks! It's very pigmented and leaves me looking lovely and glowy! Plus, the product itself smells amazing and the packaging is beautiful since it's a part of the Rainforest of the Sea collection!

You can buy the palette from Tarte HERE

Sleek Blush in Antique and Sleek Face Contour Kit in Light


You know what? My mum was right! I needed to wear more blush! I was so scared of blush since I figured it would show up so bright on my pale skin, so I was so happy when I found a blush that isn't a shade of pink or peach! This browny blush matches my everyday makeup so nicely and I love how it looks! Another product I struggled to find which wouldn't overpower my face was a good contouring powder. This Sleek one is light enough to not look OTT but still dark enough to give me a well-defined contour!

You can buy the blush from Boots HERE
You can buy the contour kit from Boots HERE

Eyes

Nip + Fab Eyeshadow Palette 02 - Fired Up


Rusty shades have been an absolute must and this palette has been one of my best makeup purchases over the whole of 2018, that's how much I get my use out of it! It's packed with 12 beautiful buildable blendable shades straight out of my dreams! When I visited home for a few weeks, this was the only palette I felt the need to take! It's just so versatile for both every day and special occasions and I love it so much!

You can buy this palette from Lookfantastic (sale) HERE, Superdrug (sale) HERE and ASOS HERE

Lips

Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick in Allegedly and Leo


The lighting is making these shades look the same but I SWEAR Leo is darker than Allegedly! Allegedly is a beautiful terracotta brown lipstick which has been my perfect everyday shade! I had really wanted a lovely orange-toned brown lipstick and this one is perfect. Leo shows up a bit darker on my lips and therefore has been my go-to evening lipstick for cocktail nights! As always with Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks, the staying power of these is insane! I will wear Allegedly all day without a single retouch and it will still look perfect! I have yet to find a lipstick formula which I love more than these and I'm happy that my little collection is growing!

You can buy Allegedly on Beauty Bay HERE
You can buy Leo on Beauty Bay HERE

What products have you been loving lately? Any recommendations for makeup which I should try? x

Autumn is well and truly underway and I am thriving! Not only have I been loving the chilly weather and reason to wrap up warm, but I have also been loving the changing leaves and early evenings! Autumn is truly the best season of the year! Since I'm loving writing these conversational posts lately, I figured I would chat about all the best things about autumn!

Atmosphere and colours

The LEAVES! As soon as the first leaf turns orange I feel so excited and anticipatory about the coming change of seasons! I grew up living near a patch of woods and those autumn walks were everything to me! I love the colours all around during autumn, and the fallen leaves making even the dingiest paths look lovely! The weather may be cold but the colours are warm and inviting! I feel like there is a buzz in the air in Autumn. It's no longer summer and everyone has gone back to their daily grind, not quite tired of it yet! This is especially evident on the campus of my university! Everybody is making the most of being back and settling into another academic year!

Clothes

Autumn is peak fashion time for me! I am at my most stylish and confident at this time of year! The jackets and scarves are layered without being overbearing, and I can hide my bad hair days with a beret or beanie. Life is good. I've been wearing all those autumnal warm colours and loving all the purchases I have made lately, especially from New Look! Photoshoots are also incredibly lovely in autumn since the backdrop of the leaves is always exceedingly beautiful!

 Makeup

The weather is finally chilly enough for me to not feel like I'm going to sweat off all my foundation by midday and I love it! I have never been a lover of wearing foundation. I feel like most foundations make my face even greasier than it always is, and I can just never find a shade that perfectly fits my pale face! However, this month I have started using the new Revolution Conceal and Define Foundation and it has really been a game changer for me! I wear makeup almost every day, I feel super confident and I actually enjoy getting ready in the mornings!

After a great month of stats and social media growth, plus after finishing my summer internship and going back to having more free time to write, I figured it was about time I ran a giveaway! I gathered a few of my fave products, along with some products I've been eyeing up for a while. All you have to do is check out my giveaway tweet HERE, retweet it and give my profile a follow! If you want a second chance of winning, just follow my Instagram profile HERE and reply to the giveaway tweet with a link to your profile! For now, I can only afford UK shipping so this giveaway is UK only!

Prize List

• Revolution Reloaded Iconic Fever Palette
• I <3 Revolution Chocolate Elixir Glow Highlight Palette
• 3x Garnier SkinActive face masks
• Moisture Bomb Super-Hydrating Soothing Mask
• Moisture Bomb Super-Hydrating Re-Balancing Mask
• Pure Charcoal Purifying & Hydrating Pore-Tightening Mask
• Little Black Book by Otegha Uwagba
• Hempz Triple Moisture Herbal Whipped Creme Body Wash 
• (Gifted for this giveaway)
• Lush Deep Sleep Shower Jelly
• Revolution Crushed Pearl Pigments in Kinky
• 3x Primark Nails
• Squareletto Cashmere
• Almond Obsessed
• Almond Silk Grey
• Candy Kittens sweets in Wild Strawberry (Vegan)

 Have you joined the giveaway?x

My hair is in the best condition it has been in years and I wanted to do a post all about what I did to improve my hair quality and what products I use every week to keep it in good condition! Expect a rant about how darn good everything smells too! I love a good-smelling hair product!

In the shower!

So, years of using the same cheap shampoo had stripped my hair of all its oils and goodness and made it look super dull and lifeless! I don't know why it took me so long to switch up my shampoo and conditioner, maybe I was just in a solid routine of buying the same thing without wondering whether or not it worked for me! It clearly didn't. I replaced my shampoo, conditioner and daily heat protector spray with the Garnier Ultimate Blends Delicate Oat range and it has transformed my hair! Using the shampoo and conditioner is lovely because they smell so good and the shampoo lathers up like a dream! This is how shampoo is supposed to feel! Even after switching the products for the first time, I could clearly see that they were nourishing my hair way more than my old hair products!


As for the heat protector spray, it has the same wonderful smell and feels great and lightweight in the hair! I have been trying not to blow-dry my hair or put any heat on it at all lately since the weather has been warm and my hair dries pretty quickly on its own. Instead, I spray sea salt spray onto my hair while it's still wet and it helps to give it some more texture when it dries. I used to use the Fudge Salt Spray (nothing beats the smell of this) but lately, I was a bit more broke than usual and I picked up a Primark Salt Spray for £2, which does the job!


Yes, I dye my hair!

I decided to finally pay attention to my neglected roots and dye my hair again for the first time in months! I used the L'Oreal Casting Creme Gloss, as I always have ever since I was about fourteen years old! It always leaves my hair looking super healthy and smelling wonderful! I used the colour 'darkest brown' and it looks so natural and glossy! Most importantly, my hair looks way healthier and so many people agreed when they first saw it! Casting Creme Gloss is only semi-permanent so it requires quite a bit of upkeep but it's also gentle on the hair and makes it feel so healthy and smooth!


Hair masks and pampering!

One thing I have begun to do is to pamper my hair and not just my skin! I discovered the magic of hair masks and I wonder how I never thought to try them before! There are two that I use regularly and they make my hair feel so SOFT! My favourite hair mask is H'suan Wen Hua from Lush. It is INCREDIBLE! I personally love the spicy deep smell, although I know some despise it, and I love the consistency, which isn't too thin or too thick so it spreads through the hair super well! The other hair mask which I love to use is the Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Mask, which is a good budget alternative to the Lush mask!


So that's about it! Switching up my hair products and finding what works well for me has completely transformed the condition of my hair and I'm super pleased with how my hair looks and feels now! What are your hair holy grails? x

Can you believe that April is already over?? It flew by, I didn't even notice it passing! As usual, let's delve into some of my favourite things from this month! This is quite a mixed list this month since I have been all over the place with stress and work and illness. However, when I have had some time to chill and take a step back, this is what I have been loving!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

I can't believe I didn't start this show sooner! I was at my guy's house one night and we were looking for something funny to watch and I told him that I had been meaning to watch this for ages but never found the time. That night, we watched a good few episodes and fell in love with the show. Then, when I figured we could watch the next few episodes together, I found out that he had almost finished season 2 when I had been waiting to watch it with him! I vowed to catch up to him and haven't quite got there but this is definitely my new favourite show! I have never laughed at anything as much as I laugh at this! My favourite character by far is Terry, he's just so hilarious and sweet!

Starbucks Reusable Cup

I wanted to buy a reusable cup but really didn't have the money for anything too fancy. The reusable cups from Starbucks are £1 and are definitely sturdy enough for their purpose! When you carry a reusable cup, you can often get discounts on your hot drinks and this is the case at the cafe in the psychology building where I spend most of my time! It feels good to cut down on waste and also to get those discounts! They really do add up when you drink as much coffee as I do!


Pixi Glow Tonic

This stuff is so good! Just starting and ending my day with a swipe of this chemical exfoliant has definitely improved the texture of my skin, which feels so much more smooth and even! I had been dying to try it out for so long and I am so glad that I finally picked up a little bottle of it. It's lasting well as a little goes a long way but I will definitely be repurchasing it when the time comes!


Borderlands

When I got my Xbox 360 the other month, I stuck to playing games which I had played before and knew I loved. However, this month I became completely addicted to Borderlands after looking for something new to play for a while. I love the art style throughout the game and how purely fun it is to play! The soundtrack has also been a must for me while I've been writing all my essays!


Puma Basket Platform Patent Trainers

These trainers are my new everyday item of footwear! I love how they look and how comfortable they are! The red spruces up any outfit and I love how these trainers look with my usual black culottes or skinny jeans. I have been wearing these non-stop with no signs of giving them a rest! Definitely an investment worth making! I know, the pic is blurry af! I don't have them with me right now but I want to get this post out to you so I screenshotted a boomerang from my Instagram story (which is @jessistryingblog btw).


Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

After a long spell of not reading much of anything, I delved deep into Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin and finished it in a single sitting! It was eerie, creepy and excellently written! I could not put it down! It is definitely a book which I will read again in the future and I will probably be rewatching the film soon as I haven't seen it in a long time! It was a quick read for me and this is definitely what I needed!

Muji Notebook, Pen Case and Pens

Back at the end of March, I went to London to see Hamilton! It was incredible! While I was there, I picked up some bits and pieces from Muji and I have been loving them! I bought a little notebook, which I use for all my blog planning and ideas. It's so nice to work on dotted paper as you can work portrait or landscape and still with the guidelines to write along. I bought a couple of 0.38 pens and a pen case to use with the notebook so that everything matches. It's also all so compact and easy to throw into my ten thousand bags which I switch up on the daily.


How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

It wouldn't be a faves list if I didn't mention a personal development book! In April, I finally read the classic How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. I am trying to gain more confidence in my interpersonal interactions and found this book incredibly useful! No wonder it's a long-time favourite for many people and has become such a classic! I will be picking this up and reading through certain chapters time and time again!


My tattoo

Yes, I'm mentioning this again! I got a lovely tattoo on my thigh! It is unfinished and will soon be sporting some more shading and a lil bee but it's so cute and I love it! It's also healing wonderfully which is a lovely relief!