MY WORK IS PUBLISHED IN A MAGAZINE!!

About a week a go I found out that a shoot I worked on around May time with an awesome photographer had actually been published in a fashion magazine, and to make it even better, it made the front cover!! I was so excited, just being able to see something you helped created getting recognition is amazing! The shoot was definitely one of my favourite shoots I have worked on so far while being at university, so this was a great ending to the project! I am currently waiting for the hard copy to come through the post, so I can keep it forever ;)
This year I am hoping to carry on collaborating with photographers and build my portfolio, ready for entering the industry!

Here are the images that made it into the magazine

Photographer: Oda Eide Photography
MUA Samantha Hutchings Makeup Artist
Stylist: Camille Bennett
Model: Nicola Joy Smith Model
Assistant Gavin Wong Photography

Last Year of my Degree in Makeup!!

Today was my first day back at university; I am now a third year student!! Ahhh!! I am so excited and scared! Excited to push myself harder as a makeup artist but also challenge my creative mind. Scared because in 7 months time I will be entering the 'real world' trying to get my foot in this crazy industry!!

This year I really want to push myself through social media to help get my name out there. Build a platform online, get my work shown and prepare for life after uni!

If you haven't checked out my social media account here are my links:
http://samhutchingsmua.wix.com/sam-makeup
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Samantha-Hutchings-Make-up-Artist/511749052280080?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/SamHutchingsMUA
http://www.pinterest.com/samanthahutch93/
http://instagram.com/samhutchingsmua/
http://samantha-hutchings.tumblr.com/
*My tumblr account is very new, so it is a little empty right now*

It would be great if you could head over to some of my pages and give them a follow and a like :)

So much to come this year with big projects in the making.. Watch this space ;)

NEW COLLECTION - MAC Prabal Gurung

Woke up to see a picture of this gorgeous upcoming makeup collection! I literally want it all! 

MAC is now collaborating with designer Prabal Gurung and the collection looks aaaamazing!! Gold and red are my colours! I am very excited about this collab, it will be available globally December 2014, which gives us students time to save for the collection, I really do want it all! 

Are you excited for this new collaboration?

Summer..

*You are about to be overloaded with GIFs...
I cannot believe we are approaching the final week in August, where is the time going.. Seriously, it is like some powerful wizard has set life on fast forward. - Yes, that is my theory - I also have taken note that it has been nearly a month since I last posted; due to my summer job being a tourist spot, my work hours increased in August, and after running around all day, I just want go home and watch Pretty Little Liars and Keeping Up With The Kardashians!

I get too obsessed with these shows...

In this post I just wanted to share some of my favourite things this summer. Firstly I have been LOVING the weekly Beyonce X10 videos on HBO, as I don't live in America I have to wait until Mondays when they are all over YouTube, I can't believe there are only 3 more to go *cries* But I am totally excited about Beyonce's VMA performance this Sunday and watching her accept her VMA Vanguard Award. 

And Beyonce ft Nicki Minaj ***Flawless Remix was EVERYTHING!

*No divorce here.. 

This summer I got obsessed with Orange Is The New Black, this wasn't a show I thought I would like but I decided to give it a go, and holy crap on a cracker I was obsessed! Now they are making me wait until next July for season 3?? Are they crazy? - Yes - But I am 100% sure it will be worth the wait... *sighhh* 

The music out at the moment, I am in love with! Iggy Azalea ft Rita Ora Black Widow is an awesome new track, the beat gets stuck in my head all day long. The softer tones of Ella Henderson are currently on repeat on my iPod, her voice is so relaxing and her songs are so so good! I am very excited for her album release, I think it is going to be a good one! I am thinking of doing my first album blog review and writing a 'first thoughts' of every song, starting with Ella Henderson's Chapter One. Mix up from the beauty side once and a while!

Finally, I couldn't finish my discussion about music without mentioning Nicki Minaj's new single Anaconda. I have seen it has had some mixed reviews but I absolutely love it, I think it is fun, catchy and music doesn't have to be serious all the time, and that is what I love about this song, it is fun! 

I have a few new beauty products, some high end and drug store, that are sat on my desk waiting to be praised on my blog so be sure to keep checking back, I will be getting them done over the next week!

BYE GUYS!

*This blog post turned into a collection of GIFs... Better posts to come I promise ;)

My New Skincare Routine - On a Budget!

The past couple of months I have been very neglectful of my skin. After I finished my Liz Earle skincare set I was unable to afford to purchase it again, although it was amazing, it is a luxury a makeup student can't afford - too much makeup to buy. I would use wipes to remove my makeup - a sin to skin, so many harsh ingredients - Clean and Clear cleanser in the shower and then a cheap oil free moisturizer; I knew these steps were not right for my skin and I could see the effects taking their toll. I have an oily/combination forehead and a fringe on top of my forehead, creating the perfect setting for little annoying spots and blackheads. I very very rarely have spots anywhere else on my face. 

One evening I sat down and began researching. Researching is key to finding your personalized skin care combination, what may work on your best friend may cause your skin to break out and rebel with unsightly red spots. Firstly, you must must must know your skin type, your products must work with your skin type, not against. As I mentioned before I have oily/combination skin, if I was then to buy a moisturizer for dry skin, this would contain oil meaning my oily skin areas would most likely be sent into overdrive and produce more oil. I started researching products on beauty and skincare blogs, then researched the products, studied ingredients and learnt what exactly it 'claims' to do. Research is all well and good for knowing what you are applying to your skin but the real test does come through trail and error, I knew Clean and Clear was out the window, I have purchased products from them so many times in the past and never once noticed any difference in my skin! 

I wanted to find a good cleanser, one that would completely clean my skin of all the makeup. I have been reading so many good things about Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, I was intrigued to see how well this removes makeup and dirt on the skin. At a bargain price of £4.99, it was a must have, and I can honestly say I have never seen makeup vanish so quickly in my life, it is literally like a magnet, with a few cotton pads my skin is completely clean within a matter of minutes - I don't believe wipes removed ALL of your makeup and dirt on your skin - I knew I was going to love this product straight away; I use it morning and night and over the past 2 weeks I have watched my spots and black heads vanish! My skin is looking so great! I would 100% recommend this product to anyone! 

The next product I spontaneously picked up, doing no research but the description had me dying to try it! It is Botanics Shine Away Invigorating Face Scrub and it is currently on sale in Boots at the introductory price of £2.69. This scrub buffs away excess oils to instantly mattify, refresh and rebalance your skin. It unclogs pores and leaves skin feeling smooth and even. I was sold after I read 'Our beauty scientists have worked with the world experts in plant science at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (England), to bring you beautiful, plant-powered skin care that’s proven to work.' At that price I felt I had to try it out, I use it as recommended 2-3 times a weeks and my skin feels so smooth, I believe this has really helped clear my forehead of blemishes and I have noticed less oil on my skin, it is definitely doing it's job! This is was a great buy, it really does what it claims to do!

The last product I picked up was Neutrogena Visibly Clear Oil-Free Moisturiser. I struggle with moisturisers, I find some can feel greasy or too wet and take forever to soak into your skin, but this is very mattifying and takes less than a minutes to absorb into my skin, it also creates a great base for my foundation. It was at the great price of £4.99.

I still have my Liz Earle toner as that has literally lasted forever! I use this after cleansing with a cotton pad. You can read my detailed Liz Earle review here.

I feel all three of these new product have seriously helped my skin and within only 2 weeks I am already noticing great improvements, my skin has never looked so good since I finished my Liz Earle set! I believe by researching and leaning about your products, you can create a routine that will work with your skin and keep any nasty surprises at bay! Good looking skin just makes you feel better and ready to face the day, it is worth looking after your skin! 

Any questions feel free to ask... 

Christian Louboutin Beauty - *Oh My Gosh - annnnd breathe...*

This morning all over the internet I saw these beautifully packaged nail varnishes and could instantly picture them on my dressing table just adding attitude to my beauty collection! Christian Louboutin is set to launch his own beauty range a collection of luxurious signature nail polishes housed in strikingly tall, spiky bottles. Oh my..

They will be priced at $50 each, the spiked-heeled, red nail enamel, Rouge Louboutin, is scheduled to go on sale today in a U.S. concession shop on the eighth floor at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship in New York. - Jealous. But no fear UK fans, these visually perfect bottles will be on sale on August 14th at Selfridges, Harrods and Harvey Nichols. S Club girls, London date??? ;)

I am assuming the price of these polishes will be heart dropping - in the pound conversion - as I have read they will be priced higher than Tom Ford and Chanel,  but if you were to compare it to a pair of £2,000 shoes, it kind of seems like a bargain *Silver linings and all*. I just want them perfectly lined up on my dressing table, stare at them, shed a tear, then spend the evening painting my nails!  Ahhhhhh..

Will you guys be breaking the bank for this collection?

Pulp Fiction Makeup Collection Coming!

Urban Decay and Pulp Fiction joining forces! Wow, did not see that coming when I first heard! It sounds so good! I really love these collections that companies do, especially the MAC Limited Editions collections! I love the fact they are inspired by something or someone. Even if you already have very similar makeup, you still have to have it! 

Looking at the released images so far (below) I really love the five series colour selection (Righteous, Tyranny, Vengeance, Furious and Anger), it is a palette I could see myself using every day; very natural. I adore the packaging, Pulp Fiction is a classic film, and that is shown in the packaging. I also love how they have added the films quotable lines such as 'Be cool honey bunny' on the back! I WANT! The collection will also include a lipstick, lip liner, nail colour and glitter eyeliner. Snazzy! THE LIPSTICK LOOKS AMAZING! 

 It will be available in the UK from the 1st September ranging from £10 to £17.50 to celebrate the films twentieth anniversary. I believe it is already available in the US though! BE THERE! 

Images from Temptalia   - Swatches can be found here

My Essential Makeup Brushes

As a training makeup artist I have quite a few brushes; hoping to build my collection up as I leave uni and head into the industry. When it comes to applying my own everyday makeup I always pick out the same brushes plus my Real Techniques Beauty Blender. Most of my collection is Sigma, but I am hoping to purchase some new brush sets this summer to widen the range in my kit. I have always loved my Sigma brushes, each brushes shape fits it's purpose perfectly, the few issues I have had with these brushes are, the tips of the brush hairs were white, after a few uses the white ends begin to stain and become near on impossible to get white again, I like everything in my kit to be very clean so it does annoy me that these brushes can still look dirty even when completely sanitized! Another issues is the writing down the side of the brush - which tells you the name and number of the brush - is beginning to fade, I have only had these a year and would have liked the writing to last quite a lot longer, it makes the brushes look older than what they actually are, especially for the price I payed - I purchased two sets and payed shipping from USA and the total was £170. - But, to look on the bright side they do apply makeup very well and I have never had a problem with loose hairs, which I know can be a common problem with some makeup brushes. 

The brushes above are:

Duo Fibre F50 - I find this brush great for stippling my foundation, it creates a great flawless finish. 

Large Angled Contour F40 - This is obviously great for contouring, especially the hollows of your cheeks, the angle fits the face perfectly, and it blends the contour in really well. I also find this brush works nicely for powdering under the eyes, it fits nicely ensuring you powder under the lashes as well. 

Tapered Blending E40 - This is my favourite brush of them all. I use it in the crease under the brow bone. With slow movements it blends really well and can create a super defined crease or a very natural contour, I am not sure what I would do without this brush in my kit, I would highly recommended this brush! I have also used it to contour the sides of the nose as it blends really well and is small enough to fit the edges of the nose.

Small Angle E65 - This brush is primarily used for eyeliner and eyebrows. The angle is fantastic for creating a winged eyeliner look, I literally hate doing eyeliner, especially on other people but this brush makes it so much easier! The angle also works great on eyebrows for creating that perfect arch! 

Pencil E30 - I actually find this brush best for highlighting the brow bone and the inner corners of your eye, it's shape allows easy application to those smaller areas. It also works well applying shadow under your bottom lashes, the point of the brush allows you to get underneath your lashes.

Eye Shading E55 - Finally, this brush is great for applying shadow to you lids, the flat rounded shape of the brush makes it easy to apply shadow over the whole lid finishing with E40 to blend. 

Do you guys have any essential makeup brushes in your kits? 

MAC - The Simpsons FIRST LOOK

Here is the first look of MAC's latest makeup collaboration; the ten piece Marge Simpson inspired collection will be available online on 28th August and in store Sept 4th. Although I was excited to see what they were going to do with this collection, I don't think I will be rushing out to purchase any of these limited edition items *gasps at my negative feelings towards new makeup* as it just not seem like my thing; I have never been a Simpsons fans, - I was more The Powerpuff Girls kinda gal - non of the colours involved that I have heard/read about so far appeal to me. Maybe once it hit stores I will go check it out in case I am proven wrong and I fall in love with yet another makeup collection.

Is that a yellow lipgloss??

What are your thought on the latest collection?

The '03 Bonnie and Clyde, Hov' and B

I feel we all need to take a moment and see how AMAZING Beyonce and Jay-Z's new tour 'On The Run' looks! I am one of Beyonce's and Jay-Z's BIGGEST fans! I may have a slight obsession, their music just give me chills! It is genius! I am so so so so so so so so sad that they have not released dates for London, what is that about? Such a missed opportunity, but in true fandom style I have my emails on alert, so if the day comes when that email from BeyHive - Yes I am joined to Beyonce VIP, obviously ;) - comes through, I am ready! I will also spend the day crying! 

The first time I saw Beyonce was in 2009 for her I Am tour, I have since seen her 5 times. Her concerts are a must see; she gives every ounce of her being to ensure to entertains us for the 2 most fabulous hours! I basically cry my way through, she is my idol! The first time I saw her I remember thinking if Beyonce and Jay-Z ever go on tour together I have to go, it has been my dream for them to tour together for four years and they are not even coming to London! WHAT?! 

When I went to see Beyonce in March in London, Jay-Z made an appearance when she sang Drunk in Love and I started crying, shaking, screaming and singing so loud it is cringe worthy to listen back to the video I was filming. But it is also so funny to watch and I love to re-live that moment..

 and here it is.. 

*If you get motion sickness, please be aware, when Jay-Z walks on you may get sick* 

My brilliant camera skills showcased below! 

So as you can imagine, being such a fan of the power couple and getting a taste of watching them live together in the flesh, then being denied of a whole concert! I will continue to believe that after their last scheduled tour date in Paris is over they will then be all 'Hey y'all, SURPRISE, here we come London' I will freak, faint, have an anxiety attack, sell my kidney and finally purchase those golden tickets! It will happen!! #trust

'Who wants that perfect love story anyway.. cliché, cliché, cliché'

I will leave you all with the beautiful pictures of their amazingness... 

Pretty Little Things...

I have been mentally planning this post for the past few weeks and to my shock, June has gone, gone in the sands of time! *Stands in protest* What? Where?... It is JULY! What? Can I start my Christmas countdown? 

While I am still trying to figure out where my passing days have gone, I wanted to share what has been my favourite products this month, last month? *soooo confused* 

Starting with the most appropriate...

Hayfever Relief - Nasal Spray 

I was never an unlucky child that got struck by the pain of hay fever, I always thought people were exaggerating, until last year! Last year I was hit.. hit hard! I was confined to my house, and as soon I would venture outside, my nose would block, my ears would freak and my mouth and throat would go into a frenzy! This year has been the exact same, may I say worse... My body refused to let me breath.. literally! I was sent to the doctors and sent away on double doses of everything; it all stays safe in my handbags and I never leave my house without my trusty drug supplies... This nasal spray has been safely by my side and my sinuses are now able to breath... *praise the lord*

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum

I spoke about this foundation in my previous post which you can read here. I just love this foundation for summer as it is very light on my skin, I find some foundations can feel too heavy for summer, I want my skin to still breath during this delightful weather we have been having *well done England*. It leaves my skin looking clear with a natural glow... I wear shade 53 Light Beige.

Oil Free Moisturising Day Cream

I like to try out different moisturisers as I am still yet to find that holy grail that works perfect for my skin. My favourite moisturiser has been the Liz Earle Combination Skin Moisturiser but as a student I cannot afford that on a frequent basis. I picked up the little bargain a few weeks ago and it has been great for the price I payed, my skin has been kept hydrated and my oily skin has been kept at bay. I am currently doing a lot of research into different skin care products and learning about different ingredients etc as I feel I need to get a set routine down.. Since I ran out of my Liz Earle products, my routine has been all over the place... 

Tan Towel

I get sent Tan Towels by my Auntie *shout out to Shelley, thanks for saving my lily white legs ;)* who lives in America. I believe these are only sold in the US as I am yet to find them here in the UK. These have been my life savoir in keeping my skin looking sun kissed. They are just like a face wipe and you wipe them over your skin; what I love most about them is you can slowly build up a tan colour that is right for you, it doesn't go instantly orange, it looks like a natural tan. As long as you follow all correct procedures - Exfoliating, moisturising etc -  it comes out beautifully! I once did not follow the correct procedures and I was as patchy as a giraffe. *Not cool Sam, not cool*...

Kryolan Lip N' Cheek

I have this product in 'Rose'. It is gorgeously natural pink tone, which leaves you lips looking full of colour with a slightly shine, that is long lasting and great for a day out in the sunshine. I have to admit, I have never tried it for my cheeks before, and thinking about this I am not sure why, I think I just love the colour so much for my lips. This collection from Kryolan is great, the colours they offer are gorgeous, and it is great to have two products in one. I would love to have the whole set for my professional kit as they are just a great staple piece to have and work in all genres of the makeup industry.

The Time Travelers Wife 

I actually began reading this last summer, *no it has not taken me that long* but I got so busy with doing extra hours at work, that I forgot all about it, and with so much going on sometimes it can be hard to fully concentrate on a book. When I am at uni there is no time for reading as my course is very full on, we are in lessons 4 days a week and I also have a part time job working 2 days around that, leaving me with evenings and 1 day to be doing coursework/log book.. It is a very stressful time.. so I decided to wait until now, when I can really enjoy it and appreciate the great things I have heard about this book! I really love reading, I love getting involved in the characters. I am a sucker for a romance story.. 

The last line in the Twilight Saga books made my heart melt just a little ;) 

What's in my Makeup Bag... *SUMMER EDITION*

When I first started blogging - nearly a year ago - I did the always popular post What's in my Makeup Bag; I had so much fun doing that post that I wanted to do an updated summer version. I am not one to stick to the same makeup, I love switching my makeup bag up, trying and testing new products, so I wanted to go through all my current loves right now! 

This is my everyday makeup bag, as a makeup artist I have a whole kit of makeup but that would lead to an extremely long post, so for now I wanted to share my everyday casual makeup.

Makeup Forever High Definition Primer

This is a great primer, it keeps my makeup in place all day long and does not leave my skin feeling oily or cakey like other primers have done. It is slightly more expensive than other primers but it lasts foreverrr, it is literally never ending!!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum

During the summer months I like a light foundation, a formula that is not going to feel heavy during that rare hot English sunshine and Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum is just that, the product allows me to build up a coverage that I want, it's lasting power is also great; my summer job involves a lot of running around in and outside and it can get hot, yet this foundation is yet to melt off my face! I apply my foundation with the amazing Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge instead of a foundation brush as the sponge leaves a flawless finish.

Urban Decay Naked Flush

I love love love this palette, it works great on my skin, and I prefer a blush that you can build up so you are not left with un-natural coloured cheeks! It has a great contour shade, but I won’t use this in an everyday makeup look, I use this for when I am going out and spending a lot more time on my makeup; it is a great natural shade to contour your face.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

So as all makeup junkies will know, this is life, this stuff is pure genius, I won’t ramble on about its amazingness as I am pretty sure EVERY beauty blog has featured this on their blog at one time or another! If you are ready this and you do not own the Eyeshadow Primer Potion, GET ONE! #lifechanged

Urban Decay Ammo Palette

I was given this palette as a gift at Christmas, and it has quickly become a staple piece in my kit, each shadow is beautifully pigmented, and ranges from browns to pinks. I have created so many different looks just from this one palette; natural eye to a smouldering smokey eye; I will do a full review my blog soon.    

DIORSHOW Black Out

I bought myself this mascara in the duty free section on my way home from America in January 2014 and it is my holy grail of mascaras! I have never had a problem with clumping eyelashes or drying out too soon like some mascaras do; it is just beginning to run out now, seeing as I have used it every day since 4^th January 2014 it is safe to say this is honestly one of the best mascaras I have used along with Lancome Hypnôse Drama mascara. It glides on your lashes beautifully, adds length and volume making your lashes look gorgeous.

Smashbox Instant Eyes Shadow and Liner Palette

This palette is great for a very natural eye, it consists of 4 eye shadows, not the best pigmentation, the colours are very light, so great for when you are in a rush and want to apply a quick shadow to your eyes. The main reason this is in my everyday kit is because it also comes with 3 different shades of liners, one of those liners match my eyebrow colour perfectly; I use this to fill in those odd gaps towards the ends of my eyebrows. It lasts all day and leaves my eyebrows looking natural.

MAC RIHANNA HEARTS HOLIDAY 2013 RIRI WOO

HOLY GRAIL LIPSTICK! This lipstick is perfecttttt, the beautiful colour along with the matte finish is just beautiful! Although I attempt not to use this everyday as I am trying to savour every last piece it is extremely hard as it is such a beautiful colour. I am a sucker for a matte red lipstick, I wear red lipstick a lot of the time, I just love the colour red and it is a colour that has always suited me best. I can wear this all day long with no need to top up and with my Kryolan red lip pencil I have never had troubles with bleeding! #perfect. The only disappointment about this lipstick is the fact it is limited edition, although Rihanna does have the Viva Glam lipstick out now which is a continually running line. #bestdayever

Sigma Brushes

Finally, I apply all this makeup on with my beautiful Sigma brushes. Here I have the Essential Kit - Mr. Bunny and the Performance Eyes Kit, these brushes were the best purchase I ever made, slightly expensive but so worth it, I especially love the eye brushes, they help in creating such a create contoured eye. The only negative thing I would have to say is the tips of the hairs were white, and they have been stained from makeup products, I clean my brushes with IPA then soapy water and I still cannot get that white back, which sadly can make the brushes still look dirty, it would have been wiser for all the hair to be black to prevent this from happening. 

Do you have any holy grail makeup products for summer? #tellmeee 
If you have done a similar post let me know.. I may find myself a new summer must have! :)

Excel Clothing Wish List

Since finishing my second year at university and starting my job full time, I spend some of my evenings drooling over beauty products and clothes I wish I could buy as I am sure you have guessed from my last post. I also have a slight obsession for magazines, my favourites being Elle and Cosmo, both full of the latest clothing trends and where you can buy all these beautiful clothes, along with that dreaded price tag.
A few nights ago I came across Excel Clothing  and so began my mental wishlist of all the beautiful clothes I wish I could wear this summer. If you are unsure Excel Clothing are on of the UK's and Ireland leading designer brand retailers, with only two stores which provides 10000 sq ft of luxurious retail space for us fashion crazy customers.

I decided to share my three favourite clothing pieces I came across on their website. Recently I have been trying to find some new dresses, my dresses in my wardrobe are all starting to get slightly old and they have been photographed on my Facebook account numerous times, it is about time I had a clear out and started again, so naturally I went straight to the 'Dresses' section and came across these two dresses. The orange beauty is from designer Darling and was listed at £55, you can view it here. This price is quite a bargain, this is a standard price for a good quality dress, and being this gorgeous shade of orange you will be bang on trend. I wonder if the writers of TV show Orange is the New Black knew they were fashion forecasting when they began? #skills.
I love, love, love this black cut out dress from Supertrash, it would be a perfect addition to my wardrobe and I can imagine myself busting out my moves to Beyonce in this dress! I WANT THIS DRESS! Sadly it retails at £130 *cries uncontrollably* so I will not be purchasing it anytime soon, but if you love it as much as I do you can purchase it here.
Finally, I found these funky looking Armani Jeans which are currently on sale, they retail at £149.00 but are on sale at £74.50 and you can purchase here, this print is great for summer and is different to any of my jeans I have now, I love to try new styles as I think I am still trying to find what my style is. These jeans would be great for a casual summer look while drinking cocktails on the beach... I can dream ;) 

www.excelclothing.com 

High End Beauty Wishlist - Summer 2014

I want, I want, I want! Oh the struggles of student life, seeing all these beautiful products, then watching my ever growing overdraft increase and these products get further and further away from my dressing table. Now that I am able to do extra hours at work hopefully some of these products will have pride of place on my dressing table soon enough.

Lancôme Star Bronzer £35

If I am totally honest with myself I first wanted this product because of it's beauty; the whole package and the design of the delicate engraved rose looks gorgeous. Researching this product a little more, it sounds like the perfect summer bronzer, the product is heavily dusted with golden shimmer to get you looking sun kissed all day long. It is only a summer limited edition product *contemplates taking out a tinie tiny loan* but this means it will be super sized, lasting even longer.. *Slowly beginning to convince myself to make this purchase* So you will undoubtedly get all your moneys worth, so it is good to look at this as an investment into beauty rather than something I cannot afford... I can almost hear my mum telling me to come back down to reality...

Benefit Watt's up! - £24.50

I have been on the hunt for a highlighter for a while now, and I have been hesitant to purchase one as they can be quite expensive and I want it to be the right one. I currently have the Benefit High Beam, but I find this can sometimes go on my skin quite patchy, I have tried it on different foundations, put it on before the foundations, it just is not a good match for me. Recently, one of my friends had a mini version of the Benefit Watt's Up highlighter, and it just felt like a perfect match for my complexion, it's golden champagne shine had me sold.  I will own this product by the end of the summer, so a full review will be coming your way soon ;)

Burberry Lip Glow Balm in Orange Poppy, £23

For the past few months I have been on the hunt for an orange tone lipstick and although this lipstick is slightly more red toned than what I have been looking for I just fell in love with the colour, I can easily see this being my summer lipstick. Also the packaging is to die for - I am a slight sucker for packaging - the matching engraved patterns send my OCD in to overdrive, I just want to own this, right now!! I am pretty sure by this time next week I will have given in and purchased this beauty. The layers can be built up from a sheer lip to a bright colour - Again, I am a sucker for a bold lip - I mean £23 for a lipstick that can give you two different looks, technically you are only paying £11.50. Looking at the positives ;) 

They're Real Liner 

I am not 100% sold on this product yet, the hype sounding it suggests it could be an amazing new eyeliner; the people at Benefit have spent 5 years trying to make this product the best it can be. The tip looks genius and I really hope it turns out to be as good as eyeliner is the bane of my life!! I have an appointment with Benefit next week to test it out, so I will write up on my blog how I get on! 

Laura Mercier Bonne Mine Colour Stick in Pink Glow, £26.

I have always used powder blushers but I feel it is time for a change and try out some cream base blushers; this sheer bendable cream enhancer is said to give your skin a glowing radiance. I particularly like the pink glow for these summer months. Although I love the colour of this product I feel I should find a more affordable version to see how I find the cream blusher.

Do you have a favourite drug store cream blusher I could try? Let me know.

 Also, what is on your summer beauty wish list? 

Skin Spa...

This past few weeks the weather has been gorgeous and while us humans love to get outside and soak up the beautiful sun rays before we are cursed yet again with rain, we really do have to remember our skin! It goes without saying.. SUN CREAM! I had an awful, awful experience with sun burn a few years ago, and I have been scared - physically and emotionally *slightly dramatic* - ever since! Sun cream! Sun cream! Sun cream!

I wanted to share with you my two favourite skin products right now; they are the Ted Baker Body Scrub and Baylis & Harding Skin Spa Intensive Body Butter.

The Ted Baker Body Butter was an impulse buy, I was attending my Summer Ball and wanted to look sun kissed by applying a little fake tan, and running out of exfoliator meant running to the shops and picking up the first one I saw. This is literally the best exfoliator I have ever used, it's buttery texture leaves your skin feeling fresh and silky smooth. I am slightly in love with it's smell, it is delicately fragranced with an opulent mix of bergamot, red fruit, tuberose and patchouli. The beautiful packaging reminds me of summer, and will definitely be part of my beauty regime throughout this summer. Currently sold at Boots for £8.00.

This little gem I received in a Christmas set and have been using it ever since, it is Baylis & Harding Rich Intensive Body Butter. I find some moisturizers can take what feels like an eternity to soak into your skin and can then leave your skin feeling greasy rather than smooth, but I find this product takes no time at all settling into your skin; it also has a very silky, creamy texture and leaves your skin beautifully smooth and hydrated in the summer sun all day long. It is enriched with essential oils of rose, ylang ylang and patchouli, with similar ingredients to Ted Baker Body Scrub, I find these two go well together. You can purchase this from the Baylis & Harding website here for just £12. 

The Best Year Yet...

Wow it has been months since I last blogged, I have missed the blogging world tremendously and feel some what lost right now, I have a lot of catching up to do! Uni has been tough this year, the work load was hard and you have to learn to prioritize and unfortunately blogging had to wait *sad face*. I am now in my 4 month summer and have just got a job at the Oceanariumin Bournemouth to fill up my time and start saving for a potential New York trip in 2015 *ahhhhhhhhhhh*! I have tones of blog posts waiting, so as of right now, I shall be posting at least twice a week, I promise. I also have some new ideas for my blog to keep it entertaining and interesting for you all.

This week one of my closest friends at uni and fellow blogger at 'Confessions of a Makeup Nerd' did a blog post, 'A Beautiful Ending' which you can read here. I was completely inspired by this post and it got me thinking about this past year, so many things have changed and I feel I have grown so much as a person. Plus, when you get to see Beyonce twice in one year, you know you are doing something right ;) *excuse me while I pray for the 1,256,754 time that Bey and Jay bring On The Run to London*

One of my highlights of this past year was spending 3 weeks in America with my family for Christmas and New Year, it was truly amazing! It took me 4 months to fully accept the holiday was over, I still get emotional now knowing it is over now, I waited 13 months for that holiday haha, and it was over in the blink of an eye! But, it bought great memories and the time will come when we shall do it all again.
I have also met and worked with some amazing people this year, that is the one thing I love about uni, I have never met so many different people from all different backgrounds and cultures. I have also become a lot closer to my group of friends, and they have made this past year so much fun and I am certain we shall all remain friends for life...

Here is to hoping third year will be just as great and that time starts to slow down - Why is life going sooo quick!!

Fashion Shoot

Last week I helped out on a friends fashion test shoot, she is a photographer at my uni - The Arts University Bournemouth - I jumped at the chance to help out, my goal would be to go into the fashion industry when I leave university. I had such fun and it definitely assured me that fashion is where I want to go, the makeup was so much fun and just watching the shoot was so interesting. I was so excited to get the photos, and seeing as they are only test shoots I think they have turned out great. The photographer has asked me to do the makeup and hair again on her next test shoot and then hopefully the final photoshoot, which will be great. Until then I wanted to share the photos with the blogging world :)

Photgrapher: Oda Eide Photography 

Model: Therese Skundberg Fidje