My birthday felt like it was yesterday but also as if it was months ago, any August babies feel me? Having a birthday during the summer is great but the yearly wait for my birthday seems like it's getting longer and longer. Here's a few of my favourite gifts from my closest friends & family, I was incredibly spoilt this year and I am eternally grateful for everything and everyone. *Cue the makeup*


+ Huda Beauty Rose-gold Palette
I have the sweetest friends ever, I could not believe the fact that they got me this. This palette is gorgeous, while I'm not the biggest fan of 'Huda Beauty' herself I give props to her makeup range. The glitter shades are my favourite, I love using pink, copper and gold for inner corner highlight.

+ Zara Nude Bouquet 100ml
Not only does this smell great but it holds more meaning than your average perfume. When visiting my friends in Birmingham we popped into Zara and browsed through their fragrances, I told them how I really want to try one of them. A few days after my birthday it came through the post with our infamous Whatsapp group name.

+ Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit
Highlighter, dewy and glowy makeup is my jam when it comes to putting on my face. I love all the shades in this glow kit and can't wait to use it continuously. Zainab really pulled out the stops this year with this, a burgundy fur coat (I have an unhealthy obsession of fur coats & coats in general) and her classic peanut butter filled chocolate cupcakes.

+ Beauty blender
I needed this after my old beauty blender started to collect dust, figuratively. I've never owned the real one, while I am yet to use this as I would like to preserve the newness of the critically acclaimed beauty blender I can't wait to blend the shit out of my face.

+ PewterHooter Swarovski earrings
I always have a special place for jewellery, and these are beautiful they may be simple and small but they look great on especially when worn with other earrings.

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I have not posted in a handful of days but to be frankly honest I've not felt the most motivated to type up a post, take 100+ photos to then sit and edit them. I've spent most of my summer working & binge watching horror movies while redoing my room. Also this heat has me wishing for Autumn & Winter even more and I can't wait to wear all my cosy knitwear! Here's a few bits I've been crushing over recently. 

+ Tortoise shell cat eye sunglasses 

This is probably the trendiest item in this post, this particular style has been everywhere and in every single colour way too. Sunglasses tend to typically cover my entire face and luckily these don't, I also love the tortoise shell pattern. 

+ Suede belt 

I have wanted an O-ring belt for the longest time but each one was far too big and I was far too lazy to get extra holes punched in. This one can be adjusted to your waist making it perfect because you can wear it with jeans, a top or to cinch in a dress. 

+ Kiko green me blush in 'coral view' 

This has been on my cheeks ever since I bought it, it allows me to skip the highlighter part of my makeup. It is a mix between a coral-y pink and a gold and is gives you a little summer glow. I like the compact packaging of the blush, I can't stand unnecessarily large & bulky products. 

+ Morphe M496 fan brush 

I used to apply my highlighter with a fan brush bigger than my face, a slight exaggeration I must admit but it sure felt like it. This ones perfect for precision especially when it comes to applying highlighter on your brow bone or nose. 

What better way to start off February than with a few of my makeup related obsessions? I picked out the products I've been non-stop reaching for ever since I got them. They're all drugstore products making them inexpensive but of an amazing quality. It also hurts you a little less when you run out and you have to repurchase it. It always kills me when I fall in love with a product so much that it becomes part of my daily makeup routine and has to be purchased repeatedly. 

- NO7 Limited Edition palette in Nude 

This has become my absolute go-to for highlighter and now you're probably thinking but it's an eyeshadow palette? Why limit yourself to only using actual highlighters for your highlight? Personally I love a product I can use in more than two ways because then I'm getting more use out of it than I usually would. The first shade on the left is what I've been using for my highlight because it's iridescent and changes colour in the light. 

+ Garnier BB cream in Light 

I like using this as a base for my makeup as mentioned in my B Beauty Blender review. It's also great for those days where you wanna wear makeup but want to keep it to the bare minimum. It has very sheer coverage which is expected of a BB cream nonetheless it adds a tint as opposed to others doing nothing. 

+ P.S Velvet Matte crayon in Ballerina 

When I first tried this I didn't quite like it but after wearing it and trying it out with lip liners underneath it or lip glosses on top I quickly changed my mind. It's a very soft pink making it subtle but it can be built up by pairing it with a darker liner underneath or you can maintain it's subtlety by wearing a nude gloss over it. 

+ Rose Water facial spray 

You guys are probably sick to the stomach of me going on and on and on about this stupid rose water. But honestly I just can't get enough of it, I love spraying a little before I do my base makeup and again after I finish my makeup. It's great for those days where I don't even wear makeup but I still want to refresh my face. 

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I'm pretty sure I've ever only done 2 hauls on my blog since launching it about a year ago so here's another one. I recently placed a few orders on Amazon and there's nothing more I'd rather spend my money on than makeup and food obviously. I was pleasantly surprised with how pigmented and great all these products were considering the price. I mainly bought from brands that are a little difficult to get your hands on in the drugstore thus giving me an opportunity to try them all and let you know what I think. 

+ Technic Cream Contour Kit 

After seeing such great reviews on Amazon itself I knew I had to buy this, this has 8 shades and so you're bound to find a contour & highlight shade that matches your skin tone. The pigmentation is unreal and they're all really creamy making it easy to blend. 


+ W7 Automatic eyeliner 

Now I had some difficulties in actually purchasing this eyeliner and that was largely the seller's fault, I originally wanted this but in the felt tip liquid eyeliner version but instead I was sent this. I did get a refund but was allowed to keep the eyeliner and I could not be more glad, this glides really nicely on to the waterline and is ideal for your upper lashline. 


+ Focallure Glitter eyeshadow Palette 

Note to self: Always check the size of the product before purchasing! On receiving this I was a little surprised by how small this palette was but I also thought to myself when have I ever finished an entire eyeshadow palette? I mainly wanted this for the glitter shades but it also comes with 3 matte shades. These shadows are not chalky whatsoever and the glitter shades are really pigmented, it comes with a brush and a mirror, I mean what more could you possibly want? 


+ Technic 'Get Gorgeous' Highlighter

From seeing so many people rave about this I had to give it a try. Personally for me this is too much of a pink highlight, I like my highlighters dripped in gold but the colour payoff is really good and you can't really complain for the price. 


+ Crystal Statement Necklace  

I thought I would just include this considering I had purchased this on the same day as the other bits. This is unbelievably stunning I mean just look at how beautiful it is. I thought this would be nice just to spice a rather plain outfit. 


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Now I know I've been a little inconsistent with blogging this month but in all honesty the past 2 weeks of college has drained the life out of me. Nevertheless here's a long awaited blog post of my everyday makeup for college, I did one of these last year but have switched up the products I use along with a few different brushes. 

+ Nivea Creme Moisturiser

I'm pretty sure you get the jist of moisturiser it's pretty basic if I'm honest, the key to a good base is well moisturised skin! I've been pretty brand loyal when it comes to moisturiser simply because it just works wonders for my skin. 

+ ReCover Cosmetics Concealer & MUA Pro Concealer 

If you like a light to medium coverage like me then stick to just concealer I use the ReCover Cosmetics concealer in ...? all over my face and then the MUA Pro Concealer under my eyes to make them super bright oh and to cover my bags from all the late night essay writing. 

+ Natural Collection Powder

I then set my base with this powder I mentioned in my last makeup routine I'm quite surprised at how well it has lasted despite the widening hole in the middle of the pan.

+ W7 Bronze & Glow or Sleek Contour Kit

It's finally bronzing time!!! I like switching between this Bronze & Glow palette from W7 or this Sleek Contour Kit in 'light'. Personally I've been reaching more for the W7 one but for the bronzer only and I love using this huge fluffy brush I mentioned here.

+ Collection Glow Bricks or Mai Couture Highlighter

I think my love of highlighter has died down just a little I mean don't get me wrong I still love looking like a glazed donut but I prefer a more subtle highlight. I've been really reaching for my Collection highlighter more than any other especially the darker more golden shades. This Mai Couture highlight is perfect for that 'natural glow' and the brush I've been using to apply them with is this extremely large fan brush. 

+ Collection Clear Brow Gel

For my brows I really don't tend to do much apart from just brush them out with a clear brow gel. I've been really liking the super messy brow for a long time now, it's just effortless but still bold. 

+ Eyelash Curler 

I like my eyes super simple for college and that's because they are susceptible to rubbing and so I do nothing to them. That's right no mascara, no eyeliner just a little lift with the help of these trusty eyelash curlers. 

+ Rimmel lipliner in 'Cafe au Lait' or MAC Taupe

These two shades have been my go to whether they're worn separately or combined together they look great either way. I love my nudes and browns they look good with any makeup look and they're less maintenance than a red lip. 

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Highlighting has been quite a 'CRAZE' recently, you & me both know that's a bit of an understatement I mean it's practically taken over my Instagram Explore page. We all want 'dewy looking skin' that glows with or without make-up, I'm going to show you how to achieve just that. If you guys have any tips for dewy looking skin then leave them in the comments below, I'd love to know!

My first tip is to use a brightening concealer, trust me it makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE in your make-up. Recently I've been gravitating more and more towards this concealer by ReCover Cosmetics because it's actually one shade lighter than my skin tone making it perfect for brightening & concealing. 

My next tip is to powder your under eye area & T-zone ONLY! The reason being is because obviously by applying a powder you're mattifying your face. As a result when it comes to highlighting it can often look 'cakey' especially if you're using a powder highlight. So my tip to you is only use powder to set your concealer or foundation in the places you need to!

My third tip is to use an 'illuminating powder', it adds a great glow to your skin without looking unnatural and too over the top. This one is from Mai Couture and it's actually a foundation papier with finely milled shimmers which work perfect for this look. 

My last tip is obviously to use HIGHLIGHTERS, highlighting is probably my favourite part of my make-up routine. You guys have heard me go on and on about this highlight 'Gorgeous Glow' from Collection, I've used it so much to the point it almost looks damaged oh well! The other highlight and bronze duo I've been reaching for is by War-paint Cosmetics in 'Bronze & Glow' it gives a really natural highlight making it ideal for everyday wear. 

I hope you guys enjoyed this tips for dewy looking skin and remember to leave your tips & tricks down below along with your favourite highlighters! 

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What's the next BIG THING in the make up industry you ask? It's 'Mai Couture' with their papier make-up! Yes, you heard me make-up on paper. It's a crazy yet a cool concept that surprisingly no one has ever thought of before, making it original & exclusive. This company is based on making your life a whole lot simpler when it comes to make-up application. Not only have they made make-up lightweight & easy to carry on the go but they've also created a more sanitised way of applying make-up. You simply tear a sheet, apply it and 'toss' it in the bin. The make-up papiers are paraben and talc free leaving your skin unharmed. 

Left to Right: Fair Glow, Nude Glow & Gorgeous Glow flawless foundation papier

The first papier make-up is their 'Flawless Foundation' which comes in 3 shades to match everyone's complexion. The shades are 'fair-glow', 'natural-glow' and 'golden-glow'. To apply this all you need is a sheet and your hands! Simply sweep the sheet over your face for a matte foundation finish. What I love about this is that it's perfect for those (like myself) who can't stand the feeling of foundation on their face and prefer lightweight powders & concealers.

Left to Right: St Barts Highlighting papier & Crystal Cove Highlighting papier

The next make up product is probably my favourite 'highlighters'! I honestly can't get over them, like seriously how did I do my make-up before discovering highlighters? Their highlighter's come in the shades 'St Barts' and 'Crystal Cove'. The highlighters add a beautiful glow to the skin with their finely milled shimmers making it perfect for everyday wear.

Top to Bottom: Prettyful, Sicily, Sunset Blvd & Montecito Blush papier

Now if I'm totally honest with you guys, I'm not a blush person, the slightest thought of going 'over the top' with blusher scares me. However, after receiving four of their blushes I forced myself to give them a little try. Boy was I surprised... I'm in love with the blush papier in 'Sunset Blvd'. It adds a healthy flush & glow to your skin without being too in your face!

Left to Right: Like a diamond trio & Glow-geous trio papiers

Last but not least is their trios, 'Like a diamond trio' and 'Glow-geous trio'. Not only have Mai Couture made carrying and applying make up on the go a whole lot easier & lighter but they've also created a trios with a blush, bronzer & highlighter making your life even simpler! In the 'Like a diamond trio' there is a highlighter in Crystal cove, a blush in Studio city and another blush in Sunset Blvd. The 'Glow-geous trio' comes with a bronzer in Sin city, a blush in Prettyful and a highlighter in St Barts. 

Links to Mai Couture: 

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/maicouture/
Website:
http://maicouture.com/

I hope you guys enjoyed this review on Mai Couture, I just want to say a huge THANK YOU to Mai Couture for making this possible. 

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Disclaimer: I am not being sponsored or paid to say this, all of these products were kindly sent to me for reviewing purposes.