What I Read | March

As the end of another month rolls around it's that time again that I share with you what book I read this month!

Dark Places - Gillian Flynn

A crime drama with thrilling plot twists and unsolved mysteries, this one from Flynn is a must read! Here is a quick synopsis from Good Reads..

'Libby Day was just seven years old when her evidence put her fifteen-year-old brother behind bars.

Since then, she has been drifting. But when she is contacted by a group who are convinced of Ben's innocence, Libby starts to ask questions she never dared to before. Was the voice she heard her brother's? Ben was a misfit in their small town, but was he capable of murder? Are there secrets to uncover at the family farm or is Libby deluding herself because she wants her brother back?

She begins to realise that everyone in her family had something to hide that day... especially Ben. Now, twenty-four years later, the truth is going to be even harder to find.

Who did massacre the Day family?'

I initially picked this book up because Gillian Flynn also wrote 'Gone Girl', a truly messed up but intriguing read. I wanted to see if this book was just as good and it really was! When I got into this book I just couldn't put it down, she left chapters on cliffhangers to keep me wanting to know more.

The novel is written from multiple perspectives and from both the past and present. Although I don't tend to like when novels are written like this, I thought Flynn did it excellently. It wasn't confusing and made the novel flow nicely. 

Honestly, it deals with many serious topics and contains some horrific and heart wrenching scenes but that is what you have to be prepared for when reading Flynn's work. It's an easy read, but not lighthearted and I wouldn't recommend this to younger readers. 

Basically, although sick and twisted it was absolutely brilliant and I would highly recommend this novel if you're looking for a mystery read. 

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Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Review

Concealers are that one thing you need in your makeup collection and once I find a good one I tend to stick to it. I find it very hard to find one that actually meets my needs- a very high coverage concealer (damn you under eye circles) that doesn't crease is quite hard to come by.

When I was in London a few months ago I was drawn to the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer and had planned to buy it in the airport on the way home. Unfortunately as it was getting late, the staff at the makeup counters were nowhere to be found so I decided to leave it and get it another time. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when Lizzy and I were going through her makeup collection and she came across a spare one. She offered to give it to me and I jumped at the chance to try it.

So am I glad I didn't buy it at the airport?! YES.

I was initially drawn to this concealer as it was a slight salmon colour which counteracts under eye circles, a feature that my current concealer lacked. This turned out to be the only part of the product that I actually liked because it did (slightly) do the job. I found this product to be too cakey, it was very hard to blend under my eyes. When I dabbed it under my eyes I couldn't get over how heavy it was and when it eventually blended out I wasn't blown away by the coverage. It needs to be set too or else it will crease. I generally just set my whole face makeup with the Rimmel Stay Matte but this product needs an extra amount.

I'm overall very disappointed with this product and would not recommend it as an under eye concealer.

Have you ever tried this concealer? If so what did you think because I have heard some people rave about it?!


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Money Saving Tips& Tricks

As a student, money seems to fly out of your purse without you even knowing. Luckily I have a job, an income that I don't know what I would do without anymore. I'm currently saving for a car and a trip to Florida, both very expensive things so today I thought I'd share with you how I save my money.

Create a Savings Account

This is one that really works for me. Whenever I get paid, I take the majority of the money out of my bank account and put it straight into a savings account. As it is harder to access, you'll be less likely to reach for the money on an everyday basis. When you don't have the money on your debit card and you see something you want, you have the time to wait until your next paycheque to really consider if you want the item, it helps cut out impulse buys! Lets be honest, if you leave all of your money and let it build up on your debit card, you'll buy all of them clothes that you don't really need on ASOS!

Budget

Budgeting is key. For me, due to the nature of my work I get tips. The tips that I get, gets me through the week for nights out, food, etc. and as a result I don't need to access my debit card. If this isn't the case for you, on payday take out a certain amount of money and try your hardest not to go over it.

Food, Food, Food

If I'm honest, food is where the majority of my money goes. Buying my lunch and eating out although doesn't look like much at the time, all adds up. By bringing a packed lunch and eating whats in the fridge, you really save your money. I know nothing beats the handiness of a Dominos on a Friday night, but think of all the lovely things you can get instead!

Thanks for reading and please leave your money saving tips in the comments, I would love to hear them!

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Step into Spring with Barry M's Gelly Shine Nail Polish

As the days are getting longer and the sun has finally made an appearance it is starting to feel a lot like Spring. Even though I am still loving dark lips and a more full coverage foundation (check out my foundation routine here) this week I have started to switch up my nail varnish for something more appropriate.

I absolutely love the Barry M Gelly Shine nail varnishes. They stay put for days and have a lovely glossy finish. My colour of choice recently has been 'Blueberry', which as you can see by the photo is a sky blue colour. I just love how smooth these are to apply and how opaque they get with just two coats. 

The Barry M Gelly Shines have such a great range of colours for Spring and Summer so I'm sure a trip to Boots will happen very soon so I can get some more shades.

What is your favourite Spring nail varnish?!

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The Flawless Base Foundation Routine

Even though we are transitioning into Spring and fresh, dewy makeup tends to come back in, for special occasions I like to go for a more full coverage foundation. 

Starting off I use Porefessional by Benefit, a silicone based primer that minimises pores and smooths out the skin. It has been my go to primer for years, I love it. My foundation of choice is the MAC Studio Fix Fluid, the perfect full coverage foundation for me. It took me so long to finally take the plunge and buy this but I'm so glad I did. This honestly covers every imperfection and makes your skin look flawless with a matte finish. I have normal to oily skin and it suits my skin perfectly although some of my friends with dryer skin hate it. It has SPF but I have never experienced flashback in photos. I use the Tarte Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush to apply it because it is very dense and as the foundation is so thick it makes it really easy to blend and buff it into the skin. 

Even though this foundation is really pricey, if you're looking for a full coverage foundation this is the one for you!

What is your favourite foundation?!

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Blogs Worth the Read!

Reading blogs is one of my favourite things to do. My Bloglovin feed is always packed with such interesting and creative posts written by some great bloggers. As there is nothing better than finding than finding a really good read, I thought that today I would share with you all with just some of the blogs I love. Plus, it's always nice to share the love for fellow bloggers!

Jasmine Harding Makeup // Beauty
With daily posts, Jasmine's blog would provide any beauty lover with their beauty fix with detailed reviews and great hauls.

Laura London // Beauty
Another blog for beauty lovers, Laura's blog is filled with beautiful photographs of all the newest beauty must haves.

Rachel Coco // Beauty, Fashion& Lifestyle
Rachel posts daily on everything beauty, fashion and lifestyle. She's such a lovely girl and she also has a YouTube channel which is great too!

Zoe With Umlauts // Beauty, Fashion& Lifestyle
If you're looking for diverse content, Zoe's blog is where you'll find it! She has such a variety of beauty, fashion and lifestyle posts so there is something for everyone.

Why not share the love and leave the links to your favourite bloggers below?! And don't forget to check out these great gals that I have mentioned. Thanks for reading!


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My Top 3 Red Lipsticks

When it comes to lipsticks, I tend to stay clear of the nudes and run straight to the bolds. I could spend hours researching bloggers favourites and running around the MAC store with my hands filled with swatches. Some may say it's an obsession and I'd have to agree, what can I say- I'm addicted to red lipstick!

On to my favourites and lets start with MAC. Ah don't we all love a good MAC lipstick, I think it's the gorgeous vanilla smell that draws me in. My top pick from MAC would be Russian Red (which I unfortunately lost on a night out) but since then I have been LOVING Ruby Woo. Both are matte finishes with Ruby Woo being slightly more drying. For some reason I always find Ruby Woo to be a better daytime shade and Russian Red for nights out but they are equally as long lasting.

On to a more wallet friendly option now from NYX. When I took a trip to the states in June I picked up the Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo and am I happy I did! This is a deeper red shade, similar to Russian Red. I love this product because it applies so smooth on the lips and then dries matte without being drying at all.

Again another American purchase and this one is from Sephora. If you follow Lily and Anna then you have heard of this product, the Sephora Lip Cream in 01. This is quite a vibrant red shade that is similar to the NYX shade in the way that it is a cream that dries matte but when it dries, oh boy does it dry. This lipstick doesn't budge so if you are looking for lasting power, this is the product you want.  It is so long lasting that at the end of the day I find myself scrubbing at my lips but with a lot of patience and Bioderma, it comes off!

You can't have enough lipsticks though (am I right ladies?!) so I currently have my eye on some of the Charlotte Tilbury Revolutionary Matte lipsticks, Love Liberty and Red Carpet Red in particular!

I hope you enjoyed finding out about my favourite reds, what are your favourites?!

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February Favourites

As every other month, February has gone by in a flash. I had a great month and I am very excited to see what March has in store. But with the end of the month comes the time for me to share with you everything I have been loving in February.

MAC - All Fired Up Lipstick

Possibly my all time favourites MAC lipstick, All Fired Up is the prettiest redish pink matte shade. This shade gives Ruby Woo a run for its money in terms of being drying but other than that I love it. If you want to see a full review and swatches click here!

RapidLash

Do you want longer eyelashes? Look no further. RapidLash is an eyelash serum which claims to grow and condition your lashes, as I have quite short lashes I said I'd give this product a go. In January I did a 30 Day RapidLash Update and Review post in which I talked about the product and gave my thoughts about it after using it for 30 days.. I said I noticed slight growth but nothing major. Since then I am pleased to say that I'm in love with this product. It has changed my lashes, they are so much longer than they ever were before! 

Benefit - Erase Paste

I had always heard that salmon coloured concealers cancel out dark circles but I had never tried one until Lizzy gave me Erase Paste one day. I was on the fence for ages about trying the Bobbi Brown Colour Corrector but I said I'd give this one a go first. When Lizzy gave this to me, I didn't have very high expectations as she claimed it creased under her eyes and it just pretty much wasnt a great product. After using it for a few weeks I have found that I can't do my makeup without it anymore! I use a little bit of this before foundation under my eyes as it is in the shade medium and is slightly too dark. I see a notable difference in my under eyes when I use this and I look a lot less tired (perfect for when I have to go in for 9am lectures!).

Nima Brush- The Patricia
Nima Brush is an Irish brand that sells both natural and synthetic brushes at a very good price. As beauty lovers, don't we all love a good crease brush?! If you are on the hunt for a new one The Patricia from the Nima Brush Artistic Collection is for you! It is made of synthetic fibres and blends shadows beautifully in the crease however I have also used this once or twice to blend concealer and it worked just as well. And how cute is it?! The baby blue packaging is the cutest amongst all of my dull brushes.

What have your favourites products over the last month?!

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