Any beauty addict will know the excitement of trying out a new product. Unfortunately, more often than not, products can be disappointing, particularly when you're on a student budget. From time to time, though, a product really shines and you make a life-long friend. Here are some products that have done just that for me, and while I cannot promise that they're cheap, they are most certainly cheerful and for me are worth every single penny.


St. Tropez Self Tanning Mousse This was the first ever self tanning mousse that I used after reading great reviews, and I was not disappointed. My pale skin would be very easy to turn orange, but I am yet to be let down by my trusty mousse. Of course if you apply this badly you’re going to get streaks, but these days I tend to apply this with my tanning mitt which prevents that from happening. I put this on exfoliated, moisturised skin before bed and allow it to develop over night before washing it off during my morning shower to reveal beautiful, sun-kissed skin which lasts up to one week per applicaton. I’ve tried a few other self tanners since this which have been good, but never quite live up to St. Tropez, so I always go back to it. The mousse consistency makes it super easy to apply due to the golden brown colour it leaves as you apply it on the skin and it doesn’t smell too strongly at all. I’m still open to trying new things, but for now, I’m not wasting any more time or money when I’m happy with what I’ve got.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in ‘Mount Blanc’ Hands down, best foundation that I have ever tried. I adore my skin in photos when I wear this and feel like a million dollars. I like to save this for special occasions so that I don't get too used to its fairly high coverage (I'd say medium). I'm a huge fan of the dewy finish, and even when powdered this definitely gives that - it's in the name, duhh! If I want to feel great, this is a necessity whether I've got five minutes and slap it on with my fingers, or hours to prep and use one of my foundation brushes.

Mac Lipstick in ‘Hue’ For a long time this was pretty much the only lipstick that I would wear. Ever. I've branched out a little more now but I still find that it’s the perfect pinky nude shade for me. It’s also brilliant when I don’t want to make a statement with my lip colour as it glides on easily in a thin layer, making it the perfect day-to-night lip product. This goes with loads of makeup looks from neutral to smokey, but I do find that due to it’s milky consistency I have to ensure that my lips aren’t too dry or cracked before applying it.

Bourjois Ultra Black Eye Pen I bought this product on a whim a few years ago when I needed a black liner that I could throw on quickly. This was back in the days when I was just discovering makeup, you see. The felt-tip-styled end makes it really easy for any novice to apply, and even five years later I still go back to this every few months. The colour is a true black and it's so handy for those days when you just can’t be bothered with liquid/gel liner. I’ve got to say that Bourjois really steps up to the mark with quite a few of their products and this is no exception - a brilliant product whether you’re fourteen or forty.

Apologies that my blog seems to be throwing a bit of a tantrum at the moment - I am working on sorting out the pictures that are missing at the moment but I am also trying to balance an internship and I just haven't had much time! Thanks for your patience :)










You may have seen a few weeks ago that I compiled a selection of green and blue polishes for summer. These happen to be the nail colours that I have been reaching for the most so farthis summer, but in close second come my pinks and corals! I sometimes get very jealous of tan girls because corals look amazing on them. Well, perhaps they don’t compliment my skin tone quite as well but it’s my fingers and I’ll paint if I want to!


Coral by Barry M - This is one colour that is a little red for my skin-tone, but I still find myself going for it when I want something really bold. I love Barry M because of the good quality of their polishes despite their inexpensive price tag. I think that this would look gorgeous on medium skin tones and is a brilliant cheap buy for summer.

Big Hair... Big Nails by OPI - This is my favourite coral polish that I own. Unfortunately it takes a few coats (around three) to become opaque, but I like how it’s a bit more pink and almost seems to have a warming effect on my skin, if that makes sense. It also applies really nicely and evenly. I think that it’ll be a great colour on my toes for summer evenings and I can’t wait to take it on holiday with me!

Feelin’ Hot Hot Hot by OPI - This is more of a true blue-pink. I don’t find myself reaching as much for this unless I’m really in the mood for it just because I feel that colours with blue undertones suit me best in winter time, but I love how quick and easy it is to just pop on and it’s a brilliant bright colour if you feel your summer outfit is lacking a bit of colour.

208 Paparazzi by Chanel - I absolutely love how this photographs. I don’t normally go for a shimmery polish but this was a gift and now I absolutely love it. It’s great because it’s not too dark for my skin tone but is still a true pink without being so light that it verges on nude. This polish applies like a dream and even though you need a couple of coats you can slap this on and it’ll still look beautiful.

203 Miami Peach by Chanel - Just like the one above this polish is so easy to slap on. You really do need around three to four coats of this for it to be opaque, which is a bit of a pain, but when I’m in the mood for this colour it’s really worth it. Depending on how tanned I am sometimes I feel that this looks great on my skin tone, but sometimes I find it a little too orange. This is a great colour for days when you want a pretty colour on your nails without making too much of a statement.

N.B. Some of these colours are unfortunately now discontinued but I couldn’t resist sharing them with you! Please check the links provided to search for similar colours/finishes.

I’m sure that at some point we’ve all tried some home remedies to enhance our looks... talcum powder as a dry shampoo, anyone? There are some beauty tips, however, that are pretty outside the box or just downright strange. Over time I’ve come across a few such tips, and I’ve got to say, some of them really do the trick. So please allow me to introduce to you my weird but most certainly wonderful beauty tips.


Lemons - This is one that I’d heard from a couple of sources and had been meaning to try to for ages. You know that slight tinge of colour that is sometimes left on your nails after you’ve painted them without a base coat? Well lemons are actually extremely effective at getting rid of it. A lot of us will have lemons hanging around our kitchen, and if not then they’re very easy to get hold of. Simply cut your lemon into slices and rub the juicy bit onto your naked finger nails and BANG the stain is gone. Get it? But seriously, you don’t need much and it is a little bit like magic.

Bicarbonate of Soda - Most of us are familiar with physical exfoliants such as the sugar or salt that are put into body scrubs to force off flaky skin, but what about chemical exfoliants? They’re actually present in a lot of beauty products, but Sodium Bicarbonate is a very good chemical exfoliant. Yep, that stuff that you have lurking in your baking cupboard can be mixed with water or a water based cleanser (I use Bioderma) to make a substance that will gently lift off any old skin cells to make space for the new, prettier ones. Mix until a thick paste is formed, slather on your face and after ten minutes rinse it off. Simples!

Olive Oil - More kitchen fun. A lot of you may be familiar with Argan or Moroccan oils, but let’s give a little love to their less celebrated cousin ‘Olive’. A good helping of this left in your hair overnight and rinsed out in the morning makes for a cheap yet effective hair mask and it leaves it silky soft and shiny. Perfect for any dry-haired ladies on a budget.

Nipple Cream - Perhaps the weirdest of the bunch, this is a tip that I pulled out of Rae Morris’ book (the one I always prattle on about that you can see here). She said that the best way of prepping your lips and making them smooth and soft before applying lipstick was to use Lanolin, most readily found in... nipple cream. Yes, that’s right, I went into Superdrug (with my boyfriend I might add) and bought My Little Star New Mum Nipple Cream. It felt a little weird, but I tried it and I am amazed. Bye bye flaky lips, hello perfect pout.

Baby Wipes - It seems if it’s not kitchen goods, it’s something from Mothercare. Another tip from Rae Morris was if you haven’t got a good toner to hand, then the best way to tone skin when you’re prepping it for makeup is to use baby wipes. She advises that they're alcohol free so I like to use the Johnson's Baby Extra Sensitive Wipes as they are also fragrance free. I almost always use these on my eyelids before priming them for eyeshadow, and they're always coming in handy in my makeup application for my hands as well as my face. I’ll never be without them again!


Well that’s it for now folks. Hopefully you’ll be inspired to try out some of these tips, they’ve really helped me, plus they’re also a brilliant way to save money if you’re a student, or just a bit skint.

We've all been there. We totally buy into the hype and purchase a product, and only once we have parted with our precious pennies do we realise that it's really not all that. Today I'm going to be sharing with you some of the products with which just that this has happened to me. I feel like I have to make a note of saying before I start that I do not hate these products. In fact, I use most of them at some point or another; you see, being a student has taught me to be a little thrifty. If a product has not turned out to be what I expected, I will more often than not strive to find a way to make it work. Besides, we all have different tastes, don't we? Well on that note I think that I should begin...


Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray £21.50 - I got this product as a gift a few months back along with the Bumble and Bumble surf spray (which I love). I was really looking forward to trying some of the company's products, and this one particularly as I have very fine hair and am always looking for ways to make it look thicker. I followed the directions for this on the bottle and sprayed into damp hair as I was blow drying, but after a couple of uses I really couldn't notice any difference in my hair. So, of course, I tried using more next time but this only left my hair feeling crispy and not at all nice. I'm really not sure how I can make this product work and so if any of you have used this and have any tips or tricks then please let me know!

Mac Eyeshadow in 'Vex' £12.50 - When I saw this colour at the Mac store it was love at first sight. I couldn't understand why I hadn't seen it more on blogs and YouTube... after owning this for around three years I now understand. There's nothing wrong with the texture or pigmentation, it's just incredibly, incredibly difficult to implement in a makeup look. There's no denying that the frosty off white with a greeny pinky sheen is a gorgeous colour, but I've reached for this on fewer than a handful of occasions in all of the time that I have owned it. I'm going to have to get my thinking cap out for how I can give this colour the love that it deserves.

Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel £18 - It was only a few minutes after I bought this product that I realised I had picked up the wrong item to begin with, but I was still optimistic about this product. The lady at the Clarins counter assured me that it was safe for use on both the face and body (something that I normally tend to avoid as I'm quite paticular about my face) but I thought I'd give it a fair shot. The first time that I applied the tan on my body I used my hands and I loved the way that it applied, but the next morning it came out streaky. So I tried again with a tanning mit, but found that it barely changed the colour of my skin. So I have to say that for it's fundamental use this product it very disappointing indeed, and it most certainly is not instant in either it's drying time or colour development time. I have, however, found use for this as a facial tanner which it does fairly well. I apply it with my tanning mit and am yet to have a streaky face. Unfortunately I really couldn't see myself repurchasing this product, but for £18 it may interest some of you guys!

No. 7 Triple Protection Tinted Moisturiser £11.50 - This product has to be the most disappointing of them all. I purchased this on a sunny day when I forgot my sun cream for my face because it's SPF 15 - better than nothing, right? Well, in terms of sun protection perhaps, but in almost every other category? Certainly not. The first thing that disappointed me about this product was the lack of colour range. Even when I blend this in reaaaally well it still darkens my skin tone a fair bit. If it's not blended on the other hand it is not a pretty sight, we're talking orange streaks all over my face. I pull this out very occasionally when I need a bit of coverage but really can't bring myself to use foundation. If I could afford a new tinted moisturiser this would have been binned months ago.

Banana Split Nail Polish £5 - I bought this after seeing it on Tanya Burr's nails. I had never tried a yellow polish before and I thought that this one would really suit me as it's a pastel, so I went for it. If you're looking to buy this for the scent then don't bother. It's barely noticeable. If you're buying it for the colour (like me) then for £JAEOFIJ it may still be worth it, but what I can't stand is how long it takes. As it's a light pastel it takes a good three to four coats to become opaque, but the formula is pretty tricky to get right and when you're applying so many coats there's a lot of time to go wrong.

June's been good to me, despite the first part being taken up with exams (which of course means little to no makeup). I've had a fantastic start to the summer with IMATS, seeing friends at home and a cheeky trip to London. I hope that you enjoy my small but "eclectic" pick of beauty products.

I have been learning about makeup for around four years now. Among the books I've read and the talks I've been to, the most useful tool that I have found has definitely been YouTube. Not only is it free, but unlike a book it’s always getting new content which keeps it up to date and relevant. With this in mind I thought that today I would share with you the makeup artists who are, in my opinion, the best in the biz. That way you can pick up some great tips straight from their mouths!





Rae Morris: I first heard about Rae Morris around three years ago when I saw a number of people, including Wayne Goss, talking about her new book on YouTube. I ended up purchasing this book (Makeup: The Ultimate Guide) and I don’t know what I would do without it. It is my holy grail of makeup tips and there are so many tricks that she writes about that save time and effort in doing your makeup. Not only is her work efficient but it is beautiful. She truly is one of the top makeup artists in the world, and I find this all the more incredible as she actually fell into the profession by chance. Having originally trained as a hairdresser, a series of events at a fashion show meant that she was left attempting to finish Naomi Campbell’s makeup (having had no previous experience in the field) just as the paparazzi jumped in and starting photographing her. Rae makes YouTube videos, however, I would say that the best way to learn from her is to read her publications.




Lisa Eldridge: I came across Lisa Eldridge after another makeup artist that I know of assisted her for a short time. After looking at her channel I was astounded by the incredible makeup looks that Lisa created. She has numerous international credits including many Vogue covers and making the faces of some incredible models and celebrities. Lisa has a YouTube channel where she shows of some of her insane skills and shares some really useful tips. Her tutorials are extremely clear and professional, arguably making them some of the best on YouTube for the budding makeup artist. Lisa also runs a blog, but I think that in terms of learning new techniques it is essential that you watch her videos which she makes regularly.




Wayne Goss: I think I actually love Wayne. Not only is he an incredible makeup artist who is responsible for busting many a makeup myth, but he’s hilarious too and always adds a cheeky wink at the end of each of his videos. He’s no nonsense, straight to the point and incredible at what he does. For quick tips on how you should really be doing your makeup, he’s your guy. I love the way that you can learn so much from one of his four minute videos, but still come away from one of his videos grinning (Wayne, if you’re reading this, please be my friend?!). If I ever want to know the best technique to do something, I would always turn to Wayne’s channel first, plus his honest reviews have made buying makeup so much easier for me in the past. You know the bit in the Wizard of Oz when it goes from black and white to in colour? That’s how you’re going to feel after you go and subscribe to him.



I love sharing my makeup tips, but at the end of the day I’ve learned everything I know from other makeup artists, and I continue to learn so, so much from these guys now. They have had years of experiences on thousands of clients, so they're bound to have something to say that will help you no matter what your level. If you are serious about makeup then you seriously need to check them out!

Today is a bit of a spontaneous post (my favourite kind!). I was having a trawl through some blog pictures on my computer, and since I’m currently away from home I thought that it would be a fantastic opportunity to share with you some of my favourite drugstore products. I think that all of these have been featured at some point before on my blog, but you can never give a product too much love! The products that I’m writing about today are my most frequently used and the products that I love to use the most - perfect for a student budget!




Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19: A product that needs very little introduction. These little tubes of creamy concealer are extremely popular among the blogging community and over the past two years I’ve purchased more than five. The great thing about these is that they are only £jorgh per tube and will last you a few months, which I love. They are also brilliant both for blemishes and for under-eyes. Just to play devil’s advocate, I have to also point out that the colour range isn’t fantastic and I often find myself mixing two colours. The text on the tube also rubs off within a couple of days, but if dodgy packaging keeps the price low then I don’t mind at all!

Maybelline Falsies Mascara £7.99: I’ve bought this product quite a few times now too. I find that it’s brilliant because it doesn’t dry up too quickly (as long as you don’t abuse it with the dreaded pumping!) and the shape of the wand is a dream! It curls upward which encourages your eyelash into a curl. If you love black, thickening mascaras then this is definitely for you, but if you wipe a little product off on the tube then this also looks great on the bottom lashes. I couldn’t say whether or not this is very lengthening as my lashes are already fairly long, but this mascara seriously rivals some high-end mascaras and it is my go to.

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint: I purchased this polish in ‘Greenberry’ back in April. I’m in love with the colour and have worn it on and off on both my fingers and toes since I first got it. Besides the gorgeous, bright colour (only one to two coats needed) I adore how quick and easy it is to apply with fantastic results. The polish dries to a lovely, glossy finish which is never in a hurry to cheap, but can be taken off with regular polish remover like a dream. Oh, and did I mention it’s only £3.99?




Elegant Touch Rapid Dry for Nails £3.05: This product has a whole review to itself and is one of the best beauty bargains that I have ever come across. I’ve had this for nearly five months, and after using it nearly every time that I paint my nails it has still not run out. This product is designed to be sprayed over freshly painted nails to make them dry in just 60 seconds. The 60 second claim may be a little exaggerated but I’m ready to use my hands again after about two minutes, and so long as you hold it far away enough it will not affect the quality of your manicure in any way.

Charles Worthington ‘On-The-Go’ Hair Serum (similar here for £5.19): Why did I only get a travel sized version of this?! This hair serum tames frizzy hair amazingly whether it is dry or wet. If my ends are looking a little dry I sometimes pop a bit of this from my mid-lengths to my ends then comb it through and it doesn’t leave any greasy residue whatsoever. It has really been a lifesaver, but it also gives great results on freshly washed hair. Once combed through and blow-dried it leaves my hair looking glossy, healthy, and mostly importantly, tamed!

Maybelline Gel Liner £7.99: I know I’m not the first person to catch on to the fact that this gel liner rivals it’s high-end friends. I couldn’t see myself buying a high-end gel liner for a very long time after finding this, and I was even quite impressed with the brush. Although I tend to use the brush with other liners, when I want a really thin, black line on my top lash line this is the gel liner that I turn to. It isn’t the most intense black that I’ve ever seen, but it is in no way grey or brown and will stay put!

It's June, and oh yes my friends that means summer is here. Quick, get out your summer nail polishes before it starts to rain again! I've put together a collection of polishes that I think are perfect for the summer months. I've tried to pick colours that will suit a range of skintones - think deep sea blues and minty greens.

Mint Candy Apple by Essie - Have I not raved about this colour enough? Pastels look beautiful on tanned skin, especially when they're greeny blues and this is the perfect balance between the two. It's also pale enough to suit fairer skin tones (tried and tested by yours truly). Unlike most pastel nail polishes, however, this one doesn't appear patchy and when it'sapplied well, plus it's opaque after only one coat. Although I'm pretty sure I have the old formula it is easy to apply smoothly.

Rock the Boat by Essie - This is a fairly new addition to my collection. It has the smooth and even product formula that I love about Essie polishes and take two layers to become opaque. I'd describe the colour as a pale cornflour blue with a very slight lilac tinge to it. It has some shimmer in it which adds a lovely sheen. This colour is the only one of this selection that slightly steps outside of the bluish-green spectrum, but I think that it would be so perfect for evenings out when you're on holiday.

Gone Fishing by Topshop - This was my very first blue-green polish that I bought. This shade sits perfectly inbetween Mint Candy Apple and Greenberry. The formula of this one has to be my least favourite of the bunch - I've had it for a year now and it is already gloopy and difficult to apply evenly (I find that this happens with my other Topshop nail polish too). The colour, however, is undeniably lovely - I love how fresh it looks. For £5 this would be a great addition to anyone's green/blue nail polish collection.

Greenberry by Barry M - Have you not heard me rave about this already? Oh, well this is Greenberry by Barry M (you can read about it in my May Favourites post here). This colour is absolutely gorgeous: really bright and glossy as well as perfect for all skin tones, even on toes! This only costs £3.99 and is so easy to apply evenly. It's opaque after just one coat and won't start to chip straight away when you don't use a topcoat either!

Naughty Nautical by Essie - Another new addition to my collection, this slightly dark green colour would be perfect for deeper skin tones. Don't let that stop you if you're a little paler though, it has a little bit of shimmer in it which adds a bit of a glow in the sunlight. It really looks surprisingly bright on your nails, plus it would be the perfect autumn transition colour. Two coats of this easy application formula and you're good to go!

Skinny Jeans by Sephora by OPI - This deep, shimmery shade of blue was my absolute favourite when I was younger. I went off of it for a few years but it's back in my good books once more. This is one of those colours which almost changes colour when the light hits it and brings out it's green tones. This is a really versatile colour which I could picture being ideal for lazy days by the pool.

What are your favourite blue and green polishes?

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