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Sunday 25 January 2015

Spring 2015 Benefit Wishlist


For some reason, Benefit is a beauty brand I've not tried many things from. Yes, I've had many a browse at the counter and nicked my Mum's They're Real! mascara plenty times, but I'm yet to actually buy anything: something that definitely needs to change! After an hour or two spent on the Benefit website, I've finally narrowed my wishlist down to 6 amazing products.

1. Bathina "soft to touch...hard to get" body oil mist, £26.50 - The first thing that caught my eye about this product was the gorgeous vintage-style packaging. Secondly, the fact that it's scented. This would be perfect to spritz over your body before a night out (or in) to give you that super soft skin with a lovely scent to it. Bit pricey, but as long as you don't overuse this I can imagine it lasting for a long time.

2. The POREfessional: Agent Zero Shine, £23.50 - This is basically a matte powder that reduces the visibility of pores. As much as I love my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, I really could do with something that hides my nose pores and I think this is the product to go for! I also like to touch my powder up throughout the day and the POREfessional looks like it'd be easily portable.

3. Brow Zings, £24.50 - I have to admit, I'm not very happy with my brows at the moment. I've been using Rimmel's Eyebrow Pencil for a number of years now, and whilst it is good, I'd like to try something new. Benefit's Brow Zings has been on my mind for a while and I really would like to give it a go, hopefully getting a more natural look. The kit contains a wax, a powder, tweezers, a hard angle brush and a blending brush. Reasonably priced for all this, I'd say!

4. Posiebalm, £14.50 - This pretty lip balm has a poppy-pink tint to it, making it perfect for Spring time. I'm all for something long-lasting with a great scent and colour; the fact that it moisturises your lips too is just a bonus!

5. Sugarbomb Blush, £23.50 - This blusher has four different colours that all combine to give a natural flush to the cheeks, which is why I love it so much. The little box comes with a brush, so it can easily be used on-the-go. You could even use the colours separately to create different looks!

6. High Brow Glow, £15.50 - I'm all for all things shimmery, so when I discovered the 'Glow' addition of Benefit's original High Brow I was very excited. This highlighting pencil is made to be used under the brow following the arch, where it beautifully lifts and illuminates. In the past I've used H&M's Eyeshadow Pencil and Urban Decay's Eyeshadow in Virgin instead, but I think this shimmery champagne colour will be the one for me.

That's my Spring 2015 Benefit Wishlist complete! I hope it gave you some ideas of what could be your next beauty investments. Let me know if you've tried any of these products and what you have on your Benefit Wishlist. Thank you for reading, Tasha xo

Saturday 17 January 2015

Green Eyeshadow Step-by-Step Tutorial

Hello lovelies! Today I'm going to be showing you a green eye makeup look. I'll be using Maybelline's Forest Drama Quad and the double-ended brush included in the Naked 1 palette. I've labelled the different shadows 1-4 below so you know which I'm talking about. These colours really suit brown eyes, however I'm sure they'll look gorgeous on everyone!


Step 1. Apply a small amount of eyeshadow primer all over the eyelid.

Step 2. Using the small end of the brush, apply colour 1 to the lower lid.

Step 3. Create a line with colour 2 which goes from the outer edge of your eye towards the end of your eyebrow. Next, take the top end of the line and bring it across horizontally until you're about 1/3 of the way across your eye. Using the brush much more lightly, take the line down slightly down towards the inner corner. Fill in the area you've created with the same colour, then apply it thinly just beneath your lower lash line.

Step 4. Repeat step 3 but instead use colour 3. Fill in slightly less of the area as you approach the centre of the eye as this will give a gradient effect. Now, with the thicker end of the brush, take a small amount of colour 3 and apply it all along the crease, from the outer end of your eyeshadow to the inner corner. With the thinner brush, apply this colour to the outside edge of your lower lash line.

Step 5. Using colour 4 (I just use my finger) apply all around the inner corner and brow bone, before blending out the edges of your shadow with a fluffy brush. The lines you earlier created should now be less intense.

Step 6. Add the rest of your usual makeup! You could glam this shadow look up with false lashes or keep it calm with a touch of mascara. I've just applied liquid liner with a wing, pencil liner on my waterline and mascara.

So there we go, my first makeup tutorial all done. I hope it wasn't too complicated, some bits were a bit tricky to explain! If you have any questions just leave it in the comments and I'll reply asap. I've had some lovely compliments on this shadow look and I'm sure you all will too! Thank you for reading, Tasha xo

Sunday 11 January 2015

Winter 2015 Nail Routine (for weak nails!)


So I'm someone who, unfortunately, has been the victim of weak nails for a number of years now. As for the reason, I'm not sure why, but over the past year or so I've been taking a number of steps to get my nails back to good health. The best thing is that it's working! This little post will show you some of my tips to getting that gorgeous at-home manicure.

Step 1. Nail File - If you've got nails that are prone to breaking, it's important to keep them from getting too long so they're less likely to catch on anything. When you're filing, try to always run the file in the same direction as this is kinder on your nail. I like to use a glass one as they last much longer.

Step 2. Nail Buffer - These are great for creating a smooth surface for your polish to go on. I use these in order of the numbered steps. Unfortunately, all nail buffers I've tried smooth down very quickly (including this one from Sephora) so if anyone has any suggestions of good ones, let me know!

Step 3. Strength Serum - Next, I use this Superdrug nail serum, which has given me much nicer nails. At £3.99 it's very inexpensive (especially as you only need to use a tiny bit) and has shown positive effects even though I don't use it as often as the recommended twice a day. Make sure you let it dry before continuing with your routine.

Step 4. Base Coat - A good base coat is essential to protect your nails from staining and help your polish last as long as possible. This OPI base coat can also be used as a top coat or a strengthener, so is perfect if you'd like to save some money. I use just one coat of this, but if you're using it as a strengthener you can use multiple layers.
Left to right: with base coat, with two coats of polish; with top coat.
Step 5. Nail Polish - Probably the most important thing in your manicure! The product pictured is part of Avon's gel range (great polish for decent prices) and I also recommend brands such as Sally Hansen, Topshop, or Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine, which are all fairly inexpensive. I like to do two coats, then use a cotton bud/Q tip dipped in nail polish remover to clean up the edges (which I didn't do on the pictures above - apologies!).

Step 6. Top Coat - This final step will make your polish long-lasting and super shiny! My Sally Hansen one is very fast drying which definitely comes in handy when you're in a rush. Your top coat can make or break your manicure, so make sure its a good one. Again, I just do one coat of this polish.

So that's it for my nail routine! It might seem like a lot of faffing, but for the long-lasting results, I think it's definitely worth it. Make sure you check out my last post on my current nail favourites to see what polishes I'm loving at the moment. If you've got any tips for making my nails as strong as ever, be sure to let me know!

Thank you for reading, Tasha xo

Friday 2 January 2015

Winter 2015 Nail Favourites


Happy New Year lovelies! It felt very odd putting 'Winter 2015' in the title of this post because we're only in January but I'm sure it's not Spring yet so Winter 2015 will have to do! I've acquired many a nail polish since Summer and here are this season's favourites.

1. Sally Hansen Grape Going! 410 - This purple shade has a gorgeous blue shimmer to it, perfect for nights out or a dramatic nail. I love the Sally Hansen formula, every nail colour is very long lasting. I purchased this from the US as this brand is a lot cheaper over there, so be sure to get your hands on a few if you ever visit!

2. Barry M Sugar Apple 21/431 - As a very similar yet much cheaper alternative to Essie's Mint Candy Apple, this pastel green is a must have. It's part of Barry M's Gelly Hi-Shine collection which are all much more shiny and longer-lasting than the usual. A gorgeous colour to suit the transition into Spring.

3. Avon Gel Finish Red Velvet - This twist on the traditional red nail fits right in with the darker colours Winter brings. This dark, metallic red has such a nice finish that you'll be desperate to show off.
Avon Gel Finish Red Velvet with nail transfer on feature nail.

4. Barry M Blood Orange 4/413 - Blood Orange is your classic telephone box red with a super shiny finish. I love wearing this along with Lush's Santa Baby Lip Tint to add colour to a monochrome outfit. If you need any nail polish colour in your collection right now, it's red, so be sure to get your hands on one!

5. Sally Hansen Lacey Lilac 270 - It's no secret that I have more pastel purples than I need, but this shade is much lighter than the rest. Lilac is perfect if you'd rather your nails blend in rather than stand out, and what better way to do it than with this high quality polish? You can find a range of Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear collection for a good price on Amazon. Long-lasting with a gorgeous finish.

6. Sally Hansen Showgirl Chic 01 - If this glittery blue/silver combination polish won't have you channelling your inner Elsa (hello, Frozen fans) I don't know what will. This is the top feature nail colour for Winter and the high amount of glitter means that two coats will cover the nail entirely. I just love how sparkly this is! If you'd like your nail colour underneath to come through, sky blue or white would be a great match. Unfortunately it's very tricky to remove, but what glitter polish isn't? Shout out to my mum for buying me this beauty!

Which of these nail colours would you love to try out? Thank you for reading, Tasha xo