Real Techniques Core Collection Review

Make up brushes are swiftly becoming my new favourite thing to buy and collect, and a brand that I have always fancied buying from are Real Techniques.

I recently brought the Core Collection by Real Techniques as I saw them on offer in boots for £10.99, due to the 50% discount, I couldn't resist! In the Core Collection pack, you get a Buffing Brush, Pointed Foundation Brush, Small Detail Brush and a Contour Brush. The 4 brushes also come in a nice black case for easy transportation, this can also be bent into a stand for display. I think this is such a good idea as it stops your brushes getting ruined when travelling.

The brushes are super soft on your skin and apply make up really well, leaving no streak marks and giving you a flawless finish. 

Buffing Brush

This brush is by far my favourite from the set! I use it too blend my foundation or concealer as it buffs the liquid into you skin and doesn't make you feel like you are caked in make up. It is extremely soft and works so well.

Pointed Foundation Brush

The Core Collection gives you two different brush options for your foundation or concealer, the pointed foundation brush or the buffing brush. I personally prefer to use the buffing brush, however this one works just as well!

Small Detail Brush

This brush is quite versatile as you can use it to help conceal hard to reach areas or you can use it too apply lipstick with more precision. You could even use it for eye-shadow if you wanted too!

Contour Brush

This is another one of my favourites as again, it is so soft on your skin. It picks up the product well and blends out any strong pigmented products to create your preferred colour.

The Core Collection retails at £20.99

Ellie xx

Back to School Cosmetic Essentials

So, it is that time of the year that we all dread - going back to school! As much as we don't like it, it is something we all have to do. So I thought I would make your school year easier by telling you some of my back to school cosmetic essentials to keep in your school bag. I know most schools don't allow makeup, therefore, these bits are more skincare related.

1. Lipbalms

Lipbalms are so important to keep your lips moisturised and soft during the day throughout the whole year. The most important season for lipbalms is Winter, this is because as the colder weather draws in, your lips and skin really start to suffer. Your lips can get really dry and chapped during the Winter which can make them very painful. The lipbalms I recommend are BabyLips by Maybelline which are £2.99 - £3.49 in Superdrug, Vaseline Lipbalms which are £1.99 in Superdrug, or Eos Lipbalms which are £7.00 in Topshop. I really like BabyLips, as you can get a range of products some of which are tinted so you get a hint of colour without the feel of wearing a lipstick.

2. Hand Cream

It is incredibly important to look after your hands, especially when you are in school and are writing all day. Using hand cream, revitalises your hands, making them feel incredibly soft and well looked after. I love the Soap and Glory Hand Food, this comes in a 50ml tube or a 125ml tube, it smells so fresh and leaves your skin feeling really nice! I would advise not putting the hand cream on immediately before you start writing though, as this can lead to some handwriting issues (I learn from my mistakes). Soap and Glory Hand Food is reasonably priced in Boots with the mini priced at £2.50, and the larger tube priced at £5.50. They are easy to store in your bag, ready for whenever you need them.

3. Hand Sanitizer

For me, hand sanitizer is a necessity, it travels everywhere with me. You never know what might happen at school, it is always a good thing to keep a hand sanitizer ready in your bag. I personally love the Pocket Bac's from Bath and Body Works, they smell incredible and the scent lasts for a long time on your skin. Unfortunately, we don't have Bath and Body Works in the Uk, but we do have some good alternatives to the Pocket Bac's. I really love getting hand sanitizer from The Body Shop as they come in so many different fruity scents which all smell amazing. They cost £2.50 for a reasonable sized bottle that will last you a long time, definitely well worth it!

4. Tissues

I don't really need to explain this one do I? Getting a small pack of tissues to keep in your school bag is a very good idea, if you don't need one, you can guarantee that someone else will!

5. Body Spray/Deodorant

Deodorant is important during school for P.E, but body spray is important to give yourself a little lift and keeps you smelling good throughout the day. There are so many different body sprays out there to choose from, it depends on how much you want to pay for one. I usually go for either Charlie or Impulse sprays as they are usually around the £1 mark in most stores. However, if you want something a bit more expensive, then I also love the Victoria Secret body sprays, these are £9.18 and they come in a range of scents which are all either fruity or floral based. They last for a long time and are perfect to take to and from school.

Although I have listed some shops that sell these products, the majority of these products can be found on Amazon or Ebay.com

Ellie xxx

Current Fragrance Obsessions...

I love to try new fragrances and wear certain scents depending on my mood or the season. Here are some of my current fragrance obsessions...

1. Victoria Secret Fragrance Mist £8.96

I adore the Victoria Secret fragrances, as they are so long lasting on your skin, and you get a lot of product for your money. There is a huge range of scents to choose from, all with floral or fruity fragrance notes. I have tried a range of the mists, but my current favourite is 'Pure Seduction'. This one is very sweet as it is enriched with red plum and freesia - I love it! The packaging is a big winner as the bottles are either pink or blue with a floral backdrop, the bottle also holds 250ml of the fragrance, so is definitely well worth the price!

2. Paris - Yves Saint Laurent 50ml = £52

My next fragrance is more of a high end product, it is Paris perfume by Yves Saint Laurent. This is probably my favourite perfume ever! The scent is quite sweet with a hint of musk, it lasts on your skin the whole day without the need to top it up. The packaging is very simple, a round glass bottle with a black and candy red top. It is quite small so can be taken on holiday, but it is slightly too big if you wanted to carry it in your handbag. Again, it is a high end perfume so is quite expensive, but if you are looking for something of high quality and long lasting, this is the perfume for you!

3. Cherry Blossom - The Library of Fragrance £15 or 2 for £25

I have talked about The Library of Fragrance multiple times now as it is swiftly becoming one of my favourite perfume brands. However, as much as I like all the scents I was given, Cherry Blossom stands out as a clear favourite. I love the smell of Cherry Blossom in a lot of things, so to wear it as a scent, is perfect! The scent reminds me of summer, so when I wear it, it makes me very happy. It is one of the stronger scents out of the four I was given,  but you do need to top it up throughout the day to freshen the scent. Although, this is not much of a problem as the packaging is so slim and small, it is very easy to carry around in your handbag for whenever you need it!

4. Daisy - Marc Jacobs 75ml = £56

My final fragrance obsession is Daisy by Marc Jacobs, another high end product. This perfume will always be one of my favourites as I love the scent so much! It smells very sweet and floral, perfect for summer! The packaging is also the prettiest thing ever! In fact, it is what I love most about all the Marc Jacobs perfumes! The bottle itself is very simple, with not much going on, but the bottle top is where it stands out. The lid is a gold sphere with big colourful flowers all over it, very eye-catching! However, you can't really carry it around in your handbag during the day. 

 Ellie xxx

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer Review

During the summer months, I don't tend to wear as much makeup as I don't want my face to feel cakey when it is hot. Therefore, foundation is a big 'no no'. Instead, I go for something a bit lighter and use concealer instead.

Over the past couple of months, I have been loving the Wake Me Up concealer by Rimmel London. It is a full coverage concealer that also brightens your under eye circles and revitalises your face. The product is so easy to blend, with no streak marks, giving you a flawless finish every time. The applicator for the concealer is a sponge head, similar to a lipgloss, allowing you to only use the correct amount and not wasting product. What I really love about this concealer, is how moisturising it feels on your face, it does not leave your skin dry or sore. If you add powder on top of the concealer, the product will stay on your face for a long time, without sliding off.

The concealer is £5.49 in Superdrug which I think is slightly expensive but for the quality of the product, it is definitely worth the price! Pair this with the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation, and your face will definitely be looking flawless!

Ellie xxx

July Favourites

I wanted to share with you a couple of things that I have been loving in the month of July.

1. Paris - Yves Saint Laurent

This is one of my all time favourite perfumes! It lasts on the skin all day without the need to top up, this is perfect for those long summer days! It smells quite sweet with a hint of musk. I also really love the packaging as it is quite simple but looks good. However, the packaging can cause a bit of a problem when transporting.

2. Watch - Aeropostale

I love wearing watches as I feel like they can add a lot too your outfit and are perfect for all occasions. I got this watch in Aeropostale in America, I love it because it is light blue with a floral design making it super pretty for summer. This has made my July favourites due to the simplicity of the design, the watch is elasticated making it really easy to take on and off without the hassle of doing up the buckle.

3. Pocket Bac - Bath and Body Works

I love using these hand sanitizers from Bath and Body works as they make your hands smell amazing while keeping them clean! The scent also lasts a long time for a cleaner and fresher feel. The packaging is really simple and small making them easy to carry around in your handbag for daily use. I would definitely recommend!

4. Paper Towns - John Green

I read this book while I was holiday as I had some spare time to relax - I couldn't put it down! The storyline is so gripping and interesting making you uncertain about what will happen next. I love the mix of humour and adventure in the book, with a little sprinkle of romance on the side. John Green is an amazing author and if you haven't read any of his books, you really need too!

5. She's Kinda Hot - 5 Seconds of Summer

5 Seconds of Summer released a new song in July called She's Kinda Hot, and it has become my new obsession! It is typical 5sos material, lots of guitars and drums, but the lyrics and beat are super catchy! I am in love.

Ellie xxx