One late night in February I was lurking the depths of eBay and ended up buying three sets of different make-up brushes - one including these RT dupes. (Here's the little link for where I bought them from). Upon arrival they were all in shape and didn't have that nasty chemical smell that some eBay brushes have. They also had a luxurious feel, not only in the way they looked - but in the way they felt (they're super duper soft). They cost $11 for the set, each brush being $1.50, which is such a steal.
100 Arched Powder: Ultimate powder brush. Personally I prefer a light swooping of powder so this is ideal if you want it light. I find my powder never goes on cakey with this as it isn't a dense brush.

 101 Triangle Foundation: I actually own the real version of this - shout out to my brother for being awesome and buying me an A++ birthday present - and the real thing is very similar. I would say the legit one is of obvious higher quality. That being said I think this brush is a pretty damn good for a dupe. Foundation applies lovely with this.

300 Tapered Blush: Despite this being intended to be used as a blush brush I use this for highlighter. Could definitely be used for either though! One of my favourites from the set.

301 Flat Contour: I use this to both contour and bronze. The shape is excellent for getting under those cheekbones.
200 Oval Shadow: It's meant to be an all-rounder eyeshadow brush but personally I prefer it for highlighting smaller areas such as under the eyebrows and cupids bow.

201 Pointed Crease: As you can probably tell from the colour of this brush I use it for ze eyeshadow crease. It's quite dense but it makes it oddly easy to blend in everything together.

202 Angled Liner: Is intended to be used as eyeliner brush but I prefer using it to apply eyeshadow to my lower lash line. That may be just me though - but I think it works well for that.

Verdict: I will admit I have noticed that the largest brush of the set (powder brush) is prone to shedding slightly but aside from that I haven't noticed shedding from any others. I think that these are fantastic eBay brushes. Ebay can be hit and miss - but these are the ones that are worth the buy. They are of high quality, feel luxurious, and have a great range of brushes. *heart eyes emoji*

I originally hadn't planned on posting this on my blog buut I decided "eh, why not!". A few weeks ago I snapchatted my sister a smokey eye make-up look and just yesterday she told me I should film how I do it. It honestly isn't my finest work of make-up (relying on the viewfinder is freaking hard!) but I thought the final outcome wasn't too shabby. Hope you all like it. I actually really enjoyed the whole process of editing a video so perhaps i'll do one again in the future??

I don't do a monthly favourites post each month because usually if I really love something i'll stick to it for a long time. This month (or last month I should say) I had quite a few new additions to my lil make-up family and discovered some old favourites.

 1. Too Faced "No Makeup Makeup" palette: This is such a gem! I've become a little obsessed. In April I was opting for a natural look majority of the time so this came in handy. It includes a bronzer, a cream blush, a powder blush, a highligher and two concealers. This is just going to be ideal when I go traveling because it includes so much in just one palette. I know, I know, this isn't a product with a lot of hype but trust me it is worth investing in.

2. Nars "Copacabana" illuminator: I had been seeing this product around for awhile so when I hit up Mecca it was on my hitlist. What I like about it is that it's multi-purpose. I put a little in my foundation to brighten it up, I use it on my cheekbones, under the brows etc. It's $39 which is great value for money because you only ever use a teeny tiny bit of it at a time. This will last for months because there is so much in it. I would say this is a product worth the splurge as it'll last a long long time and can be used for many different things.

3. Benefits "Rollerlash" mascara: I won't go on about this mascara because every second blogger has mentioned it haha. But! I will say that I really do like it. At first when I bought it I wasn't a massive fan. I found the formula very wet and..it just didn't do what I thought it would. I even wrote a blog post about it and although I was positive..I was a little unconvinced of its magic. Two weeks on I can say I love it! The formula dried up a bit after a week and now i'm getting the results I expected. It curls, separates, lifts. Basically it's great and I do think it lives up to the hype.

4. YSL "Babydoll" mascara: Oops, is having two mascaras in one favourites post a little excessive? I couldn't really choose which one I preferred so I decided to add in both. I rediscovered this mascara and fell in love again. It's just a great everyday one. Yes, it'll set you back a bit but if you've got the money to splurge on a mascara then give this a go. It's never clumpy. It separates. Oddly enough I find it curls despite it being a straight wand. So yes babydoll mascara you do belong here.

5. Clinique "Woppin Watermelon" chubby stick: I'm a lover of easy peasy lip products. I just love something I can whack on in the car before I sprint to the class i'm late for. It's just no fuss. It's moisturizing and has a nice little pink tint to it. If you need more lip products that are no fuss then maybe give this a go? An excellent dupe is the Revlon ones, they're great too.

6. Narciso Rodriguez "For Her" perfume: Have to give my mum her credit where it's due - my mum originally had this perfume and I would constantly sneak into her room to put this on. I found that whenever I would wear this perfume people would say "you smell really good" all the time. One time my friend hugged me and said "you always smell so good..you just have such a Holly smell.." and that was the moment I realized that this was my signature scent. For my birthday my mum bought this for me and i've been wearing it ever since. I'm terrible at describing smells but it's just a subtle elegant smell. I feel classy wearing it. So, give it a smell next time you're roaming the perfume isles?

Non-beauty favorites


 Suits: I had seen the first season agessss ago so now i'm re-watching it with the intent of getting up to date with the latest series. I just like watching this show because it tricks me into thinking i'm getting more intelligent by watching it because it's set in a law firm. I'll be honest..Harvey Specter is one of the main reasons I love it so much.
Moone Boy: If you want a carefree tv series to watch..watch this!! It's set in Ireland (which equals irish accents which are A+++) and follows this school boy who has an imaginary friend. There aren't many seasons of this but the episodes only go for 20 minutes so they're great to watch if you have time to watch a quick episode of something. It's just very funny.

And music wise: I'm listening to James Bay a lot, Asgeir (I GET TO SEE HIM LIVE NEXT WEEK!!) and Ariana Grande.

Anyway that's my April favourites! I feel like this has been a longgg post. Let me know if there have been any products that have stood out to you this month. I'm always creeping blogs so it'd be great to see other monthly favourites. I think they're one of my favourite posts to read. Hope you all have a great weekend

Holly xx

Am going to state the obvious - I look like a twat. One of the biggest reasons I could never model (besides the obvious fact i'm 5'3) would be that I am so awkward in front of the camera. I hate feeling posey. But alas, yesterday I took to the fields in hope that a couple out of the 100's of photos taken would turn out alright. I wish I could show you a couple of my very awkward looking shots but i'm far too embarrassed/ashamed to show them.

Lately I have been drawn to a more natural make-up look. A little bit has to do with not being bothered doing the whole hog for university, but mostly because i've been preferring it. I'm quite fortunate when it comes to my skin: I don't have massive breakouts, I don't have any scarring..so there really is no reason for me to do a full coverage foundation on just casual days. Sometimes I can get way too acquainted with a whole face of make-up that I start to feel more negative on my make-up free face. To counteract that I find having a more natural look makes me feel more confident in the long run. Also forgive me for my frizzy hair - I tried numerous products to make it slightly less de-frizzed and all failed.


The make-up I used was: Lancome 'Teint Visionnaire' foundation with a bit of Dermalogica's 'skin hydrating masque' mixed in to thin it out a bit. Collection lasting perfection concealer under the eyes. From the Too Faced 'natural face palette' I used the 'bronze veil' bronzer and the cream blush. For eyebrows I used my ole' faithful Yuva 'brow dust' which is great for achieving that natural brow look so they don't look like a cartoon characters. I used my shu uemura eyelash curler and then applied YSL 'babydoll eyes'. For the lips I used a M.A.C 'snob' lipstick and kind of patted it on so it didn't look so thick. I know it sounds like a lot of products but I only used a little of each so I didn't go overboard.

Hope you're all having a wonderful relaxed weekend. Yesterday I had a picnic with one of my best friends (which included the essentials: cheese and wine) and today I had a facial..so you could say it's been pretty relaxed!

Would love to know of any products that are great for creating a natural look!

Holly x

When it comes to my lips I can be incredibly fussy. I hate the feeling of buying a new lip product and ending up unsatisfied. I also hate when I wear a new lipstick out for the first time and come home to the wreckage that is my lips. Okay, i'm being a little dramatic, but it does bug me when the outside out of my lips hold the colour while the inside fades..I end up looking like I only had enough time to apply lip liner. Definitely not tres chic. Anyway these five are my favourite lip products that I used over and over, thought i'd share!

Left to right: Clinique - Woppin Watermelon chubby stick, Nyx - Matte lip cream in 'Istanbul', Mac - Brave, Mac - Russian Red, Mac - Cherry lip liner

1. Clinique Chubby Stick - Woppin Watermelon
If you need a quick lip colour on the go that is no effort then look no further - you need this in your life. I can't count the times i've been in my car before work or uni quickly applying this. It's quite sheer and leaves a subtle colour. It's also very moisturizing which is why I love it when I have cracked lips. I just love it because it's so easy to use and is a nice subtle colour. Most of the time my hand bag will always have one of these cause I grab it on the go.

2. NYX Lip Matte Cream - Instanbul
This is quite a new edition but already makes it into my top 5 due to its incredible staying power. If I want a long lasting lip colour I reach for this. Even when it fades a little (after eating a burger, drinking back coffees etc) it still leaves behind a pink stain which is great. It's odd because it goes on creamy and then within 10 minutes dries to a matte texture. To be honest I forget i'm wearing it sometimes because it feels like i'm wearing nothing at all. Definite staple. Will go back to NYX asap to stock up on more.

3. MAC - Brave
This is no surprise. I've mentioned this quite a bit. I love this lipstick because it's such a "my lips but better" shade (I hate that phrase haha). I use my MAC whirl liner with this bad boy, and it's really great for making my thin lips look a little plumper. This will be a lipstick i'll constantly repurchase because I just love it. Got to admit the staying power isn't amazing but it's no fuss to re-apply it as it's more of a neutral colour.

4. MAC - Russian Red
This may or may not be the first MAC lipstick i've ever owned. Sure, i'd stolen my mums in the past but this was the first one that was my own. I went to MAC one day and asked the make-up artist to find me a classic red lipstick that would suit me. She grabbed this shade! And I forever have been in love. The colour is a great classic red and every time I wear it I feel so confident. I just feel badass in this lipstick. So, yeah, if you need a shade where you feel like a badass then this is the shade for you.

5. MAC - Cherry Lipliner
I couldn't mention my Russian Red lipstick without mentioning my Cherry lipliner. These two go hand in hand. I struggle with red lipstick, I can never manage to make both sides of my lips look even and it ends up looking like a mess. And red lips is something you can't afford to mess up because it's so damn noticable if it isn't perfect. Does everyone feel everyones eyes are instantly drawn to your lips when you wear red lipstick? Well, if you know that, then there is that pressure to make sure they look damn fine in case someone notices any imperfections. That's why lipliner has been my life saver. My technique is simple. I lightly line around the shape of my lips. If i'm satisfied with how it looks i'll re-draw it harder so it's darker. Once i've done that i've created the perfect shape to fill in with my lipstick. And voila! Red lips made easy! Honestly it sounds like a colouring in drawing my technique but it's foolproof (or so I think). Also what I do most of the time is i'll do the lipline, and then i'll fill in with my lips with the lipliner and then i'll add lipstick. I find doing this makes it last SO much longer because even if the lipstick fades a little..it still has the red under.

So they are my top five lip products! And of course i'm going to recommend all of these because I believe they will become staples in your make-up bag too. Sorry for majority being mac, but mac is my favourite when it comes to lipsticks.

What are your favourite lipsticks? Any ones I should give a try?

Holly xx

Whenever people talk about the Kardashians they go on and on about how trashy it is, how the sex tape is the only reason Kim is famous and blah blah blah. I used to be quiet and never reveal that I actually liked the show because I would get odd looks and the "how could you like it?!" questions. Now I couldn't care less. I like the Kardashians. After a hectic day doing assignments there is nothing more I like to do than sit down with a hot drink and watch the Kardashians. It's the kind of show you can watch and you don't have to think. Plus it's hilarious.

There has been one family member that has come into her own in the last year and that is none other than Kylie Jenner. Her make-up has been on point lately and has inspired me to attempt some new looks.






I've just been liking the way she has been accentuating her lips and doing big lashes. Of course I would never do these as an 'everyday' look but they are fun to try for a night out. I know her make-up tutorials have been doing the rounds lately and many people are sick of them..but I still like seeing em. Her lips have suddenly become quite voluptuous lately and despite her saying she simply overdraws them..you can't deny the before and after photos. Make-up can do wonders but there is only so much it can do.

Who are your current make-up inspirations?

Holly Xx

1. Benefit: Roller Lash
The blogging world seems to be in a frenzy over this new mascara! Every review I have seen has been super positive. After the iconic "they're real" disappointed me I am really interested to see how this new mascara will be in comparison. Fingers crossed it ends up being as good as everyone says it is. If not then I doubt i'll ever try another benefit mascara. Review to come when I purchase it.

2. Nars: Orgasm Blush & Laguna Bronzer Duo
There is also so much hype around these two! I hear so many great things about both the blush and bronzer so I am really intrigued to give both a go. I want the duo because I think it would be such an easy thing to chuck in your bag (okay, maybe not chuck) when you are about to endure a long day and want something to spruce you up.

3. M.A.C: Cinderella Stoke of Midnight Eyeshadow Palette
Cinderella one of my top three favorite Disney movies (along with the Little Mermaid and Beauty & the Beast) and when I heard about the M.A.C Cinderella range I got so excited. The packaging of this range is super cute. I just really want to eyeshadow palette because it has some great basic 'everyday' shades but also has that purple shade which could look nice in the crease if i'm feeling a little daring.

4. Maybelline: Bad to the Bronze 
This is another product that gets lots of great reviews so I ought to try this asap! It's apparently long lasting which (if it is) will be great for those long days at uni. I think it's only like $13 or something so i'm almost obligated to give it a go.

5. Tom Ford: Brow Sculptor 
Back in 2012 the first time I ever went to Harrods I was greeted by the staff at Tom Ford and they offered to do my make-up for free. The one product that stuck in my mind was the Brow Sculptor. It's basically a brown wax and..well it just was great and applied so well. I liked the finish of it a lot but i've just never gotten around to purchasing it. Hopefully I can find somewhere near me who sells it!

6. Cavoodle Puppy (photo from thecavoodle.com)
I want this puppy sooo badly. My dog passed away 2 years ago and we had him for 15 years. My family all loved him so much and until now we haven't been ready to get another dog. I did a lot of research on dog breeds and couldn't find any I loved. One night I was out and this lady was walking her dogs and I went up to her and asked her what breed the puppy was. Apparently it wasn't a puppy and was fully grown - but it keeps it's puppy face forever! Instantly I knew I wanted it. It's quite trouble to find breeders cause it's a rarer breed (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel x Poodle) so i'm hoping I find it soon. Just want a puppy so bad!

So those are the things on my wishlist at the moment! What's currently on your wishlist that I should add to mine? OH and do you know of any great breeds of dogs?

Holly Xx

Helllllo everyone! About a week ago the lovely Aleeha messaged me about the prospect of doing guest posts. I was super excited because it's the first time i've done one of these. What I really love about the blogging world is that there are so many people with similar interests and it's so fun being part of a community where people are all so passionate. I find blogging is an excellent way of channeling my creative energy into something - and it also makes me feel as if i'm being productive when in reality i'm procrastinating on a uni assignment. Anyway it was super fun to get into contact with Hale and both write up our most used products. Sooooo enjoy! And make sure to check her blog out and read about my most used products on her blog.

1. When you do an awesome job at your make-up but no photos are doing it justice

2. Applying make-up in bad lighting and realizing you look like a mess in natural light
(usually you'll most likely find this out when you're in public)

3. Those kind of pimples that can't be hidden by any amount of concealer 
I mean come on you think three types of concealer would cover them but nooooo.

4. Trying to perfect cat flicks in a limited time. And yes the chances of them ending up even are slim to none.

5. The fear of eating with a vibrant lipstick
Praying furiously it wont go everywhere.
                   
6. The age old debate of "girls shouldn't wear make-up for guys"
No no no no no NO, we do not wear make-up for guys. It is fun to apply and makes us feel confident.

7. When you finally splurge on an expensive item that is all the rage and it ends up being average
Yes, i'm looking at you "they're real" mascara.

8. How M.A.C is almost always busy
The lipstick section is basically a war field to get into. I need a chai latte to recover from the stress of not being able to find a lipstick because of people in the way (yes..i'm aware of how 'basic' that sounds haha).

9. Attempting to do a dramatic look but ending up looking like a clown gone goth
Smoky eyes become panda eyes. My bold lipstick looks like a botched job of lip fillers. 

10. And lastly..being out and about when it starts to rain
Why didn't I check the forcast so I could wear waterproof mascara?!

  

Now I don't know about you but on days when I need (..well, want) extra volume to my lashes I usually will opt to use two mascaras. I haven't actually seen many other bloggers write about this so I am thinking it may be this untold rule that you must never use two mascaras. Will I be banned from the blogging world after writing this? I'll take the risk.

My current mascara routine is basically just coating my lashes in layers of the Maybelline Falsies. This is probably my favourite mascara ever because it curls, separates and lengthens my lashes without doing the dreaded spider legs affect. Sometimes though..I just want more volume. This is when I will opt to use another mascara which will add more volume to my lashes.

They're Real! by Benefit



This mascara has quite a buzz about it. To be completely honest: i'm not a fan of this mascara on its own. I need a mascara that curls and lengthens and I found that this just didn't do it. I put away this mascara for ages until one day I decided I could try it to add more volume to my pre-existing mascara. And voom! It added loads of volume while not looking clumpy. It is a little on the pricier side ($38) so there are definitely cheaper plumping mascaras out there. But hey, if you have the cash to spend then i'd definitely recommend trying this out!

Hypnose Drama by Lancome



The first time I used this mascara was in grade 10 and it was a little tester my mum got with her other Lancome products. I loved it, used it all up and forgot about it. It wasn't until I saw it in a gift pack (this time FULL SIZED) that I decided I wanted it. This really should be a product with more buzz because it is just so great. Definitely adds a whole lot of volume to ze lashes.

The Colossal: Go extreme! by Maybelline



Out of all the mascaras that are best for volumising the lashes: this is the winner! Just look at those bristles. I find I don't like this mascara on its own because it isn't an easy shape to get into all the lashes and doesn't exactly curl..but for volume..it is amazing. I got this mascara "just to try" a couple of weeks ago but I will buy this once it's dried up because it gives great volume.


Anyway those are my best mascaras that just add thickness to those lashes. (Side note - totally don't want to count all the times I said "lashes" in this post as I know I have used it A LOT. But what other word am I meant to use? Eyeball hairs? That just sounds gross.)

Would love to know if anyone else uses any of these. Also if you use more than one mascara on a regular basis? And what are your "go to" mascaras for volume?

Holly x

I saw another blog answered these questions (claire-frances) and I decided they would be fun to answer! I always love seeing other blogs answer these type of questions because you can get to know the blogger a whole lot more.

Greed: What's your most expensive beauty item?

Now I can't be 100% sure if this is the most expensive item but it popped up in my mind first. It's the Lancome teint visionnaire. I'm still not 100% convinced it's worth the price ($75!) but I do like it a lot. Currently though I can't really use it because i'm still so pale from my trip to England!

Rath: What item do you have a love/hate relationship with?

Liquid eyeliner! I still have not mastered the art of the 'cat flick'. I've watched many tutorials on how to do the perfect cat flick and I still fail at it. I know they say 'practice makes perfect' but I think i'm getting progressively worse. I'm still determined to master it though!

Gluttony: What brand takes up most of your collection?

Probably...M.A.C. Yep, definitely M.A.C. I use lots and lots of different brands but M.A.C is the one that I always find myself reaching for. Honestly I could spend hours in a M.A.C store. I mostly love the lipsticks and foundations.

Sloth: What product do you neglect the most due to laziness?

Definitely primers! I just always forget to apply them and when I do remember..I just can't be bothered. I know many people swear by them but they're the beauty item i've just never fell in love with. Would be totally open to suggestions if anyone had a 'holy grail' one.

Pride: What product gives you the most confidence?

Either concealer or mascara. Concealer for days where my skin is going crazy and my under-eyes are super dark. Whenever I go out without concealer I just feel people are staring at my spots. Plus I look like i'm in the early stages of becoming a zombie with my dark under-eyes! On days when my skin is working with me and my eyes aren't so puffy I think mascara gives the most confidence because it just adds a little something. I just feel my look is never complete without mascara.

Lust: Which item is top of your beauty wish list?

Benefit's new 'Roller Lash'! It just looks amazing. Every review i've seen of it has been amazing. I was a little disappointed with the "they're real" mascara because it was so hyped up and I felt it didn't do anything for me. The roller lash apparently curls soo much better. Plus the packaging is so adorable.

Envy: Which make-up product/look is great on others but not you?

Really dark lipsticks. I've seen so many beautiful dark lipsticks but..I could never pull it off. I think because of my insanely dark eyebrows any dark lipstick just makes me look more goth than chic. Really wish I could pull it off though :/


That's all the questions folks! Would loveee to have a snoop on other blogs to see what you're answers to these questions were. :) x

Last month I went absolutely crazy purchasing cosmetics. It was partly because I was traveling and had a lot of spending money and also because panic set in when I realized many of the brands aren't available back in Australia. As I have bought SO MUCH make-up I haven't been able to try all the products yet so I decided to cull it down to a couple I absolutely am loving.


1. M.A.C - 'Brave' lipstick

I am obsessed with this lipstick at the moment. It's a "your lips but better" shade. It has become my go to lipstick because it has such a nice finish and looks really pretty. This lipstick was so hard to track down though which made it a challenge. It was sold out online and every store I went into had it sold out. Although I hate when a product gets sold out..there is a part of me that loves it because it must be amazing to get sold out and it makes it a challenge. After going to many many M.A.C stores I finally found this in Paris. It was definitely worth the hunt because it's just such a flattering shade and this has become one of my handbag staples.


2. M.A.C - 'Perfect topping' mineralize skinfinish

As shown in the picture I haven't exactly gone bonkers using this product yet but..it's just so pretty and I want it to last a long time. What I love about this highlighter is that it is just gorgeous. When I first set my eyes on it I couldn't get over how lovely it looked. I'm totally surprised I didn't purchase it straight away but I wanted to wait until the end of the trip to buy it so it could soften the blow of the 24hour plane trip I was about to endure. What I love about this product is that it can not only be used to highlight but also as an eyeshadow. I can't wait for a dinner or night out so I can give this a good try.




3. W7 - 'In the buff' palette

This is an obvious naked palette dupe but I have read so many great reviews on this that I wanted to give it a go. I bought this online for $7.99 with free shipping which is an amazing price because I think it retails for about $25+. I've only used this a couple of times but i'm in love with it. I'm not one for bright colours so I just adore the selection of neutral colours it offers. It has a great variety of mattes and shimmers. I couldn't recommend this enough and for only $7.99 it wouldn't make sense not to try it!

4. Rimmel Kate Moss - '107' lipstick

I was on the hunt for ages looking for a nice dark red/berry colour. One day this blogger posted a video and I was like "WHAT IS THAT LIPSTICK" and it was none other than a Rimmel one! I'm very happy i've found this as it's the perfect colour for me. I have very dark eyebrows so I can't exactly go too dark with a lipstick otherwise I just look menacing. I wouldn't say it's overly long lasting but it is so easy to re-apply so I don't mind so much.




5. Ted Baker make-up bag

Isn't this the cutest thing or what?! Ted Baker is one of my favourite brands so when I saw this I HAD TO BUY IT. I like the size because it's big enough to fit all the essential items for a full face of make-up so this is my go-to make-up bag now. I just can't get over how cute it is.


I hope you guys liked some of my favourites! Feel free to comment what your go-to product is at the moment because i'd love to hear what they are..and perhaps invest in some ;). x

p.s As I bought SO MANY COSMETICS on my trip I was thinking I could make a video on my beauty haul. It's just an idea because there are far too many products to post. It will be a little nerve racking to film but it would be cool to share my haul.

I've been away from home for over a month now and I feel bad because I'm not really missing it at all, I'm just having a blast! There's something so refreshing about being in a new place. I've also been super lucky as one of my best friends and I signed up to a house sitting website so we could stay in a nice home for a couple of weeks over Christmas and we were lucky enough to score this divine five storey house in central London (woohoo!). 

I say part 1 because I know, I just know, that I will go back for another make-up haul. Now I must apologise for disappearing for a little while. I got busy is the simple answer. I had exams to study for and Europe to plan so sadly my blog took the back seat. But i'm back and pumped to start posting more again. After my 24 hour flight from Australia (yuck)...I'm in England!