Of Love and Lipstick

Another month done and dusted! I swear it feels like it was just Christmas. This month was very important to me. June was the month that four quick years finally paid off; the month that will forever be remembered as when I graduated University. I'm a bit sad I'm not going straight into my Master's Degree, but I'm going to take some time off, make some money to help pay for it, and get some experience. But nobody wants to hear about my life, makeup is much, much more exciting! During my little hiatus, I took the opportunity to test lots of new makeup. June's beauty favourites are some of the stand out products from that time period.

Happy New Year Everyone! I sincerely hope that it was a good one. I was very boring this year spending it at home with my family; movies, disney board games and nibbles can compare to nothing else. However, with 2016 now in the past, I thought I'd make my first post of the new year a beauty round up. The past year has been full of new beauty discoveries, some I'm still using and others I found to be a passing fad.

Today all focus is on the Makeup Revolution Iconic 2 Palette. I picked this up quite a while ago, during the special Black Friday offer, and it has become a firm favourite. Posts that I had read prior to purchase described this as being the ultimate dupe for the second Lorac Pro Palette. I picked this up as I have always wanted to try the Lorac Pro Palette, but it has never been very high on my must have makeup list.

Now, I love Makeup Revolution. When I first stared blogging, Makeup Revolution was just starting up, and everyone was realising this could just be the next biggest drugstore brand. Everything that I've purchased has been gold; no regrets what so ever. But, still, I ave my doubts when I picked up the All About Cream Blush Palette. I've had cream palettes where the product was so stiff and unworkable, which is how I thought this palette would have went. I'm so GLAD to say this is not the case!!

When I first came on the makeup scene, highlighters were not that big of a deal. The focus was more on contouring so hard that your cheekbones looked like they could cut glass. Over the last year and a half (sometimes it feels like I've been blogging a lot longer), I have noticed that highlighters have turned into 'THE' product to have.

Please excuse my patchy uploading schedule, I'm right in the middle of exam season and it's kicking me while I'm down. I should be finished mid- May, which only leaves me two weeks to schedule a couple of posts before I leave for Orlando. But, anyway, monthly favourites time. 

The time has come again for my monthly favourites. When I was in my Alex drawers picking out what I had been reaching for most this month, I had a really hard time. There has not been a lot of consistent makeup products this month; only a small handful.

Where has January went!? Life is moving honestly too fast; let's slow down and take a moment. The next two months are the  busiest part of my year so please forgive any dips in activity during it. My musical society is performing the European Premier of Heathers the Musical; it has never been performed anywhere in Europe yet. So, basically, will becoming very busy soon with rehearsals, tracking down costumes, ticket sales, more rehearsals, etc. Any way, back on topic and onto my January favourites!

Rarely do I spend such a great amount of time out that I do need to fix my makeup. Nor do I ever think about touching up any of my makeup other than my lips.  Throughout a typical day I could only say that I notice my foundation fading.  I'm back at Uni now, which means I can spend up to 12 hours out and about. I also have more special night events to attend this semester which will require a more long lasting look. 

I know lots of people have already done their version of this post since summer is nearing it's end, but I still have to go on holiday. I seem to have left my summer holiday until the last possible moment.  As I'm going to Florida, I have been given quite a high luggage allowance, but I plan on bringing back A LOT! This means that I have to be rather scrimping with what goes in as too much will leave little space to bring back. I probably still have too much!

I thought I'd attempt the £20  makeup challenge. I believe that it is an adaption of the American $20 makeup challenge, for us in the Uk. I've seen other bloggers and youtubers convert the $20 to the actual pound equivalent (roughly £13 by the conversion rate), but I think that I wouldn't have as much selective freedom. I wanted to a small variety of brands; not what is just the cheapest. 

Lookie what I have!! I've wanted a blush palette for a while now, but had no clue which was the best to buy. I finally settled on this palette from Makeup Revolution, which is their Golden Sugar Palette. 

It's the end of the month, which means that it time for June Favourites! 

I thought I'd do another get ready with me; the first for this year! I was going to an outdoorsy summer party which I thought would be a fun 'subject', as such. I kept my face makeup very simple: L'Oreal True Match foundation; Makeup Revolution Blushing Heart Blusher; Essence Make Brows Wow! Kit; Benefit Boi-ing concealer, and bareMinerals Mineral Veil. The look was finishes with my MAC cremesheen lipstick in Creme Cup; which was very subtle as to now drag attention from they eyes.

I am sooo sorry; please forgive me! I had no intention of being absent for nearly TWO MONTHS! I just got so busy with University and other stuff that the blog fell to the wayside. I had assignments practically every week and then I started to have three rehearsals a week for the musical I was in. It just seemed like I never had a down moment! Needless to say that I am back and ready to roll. I have one week left of University classes and then I'm off for around five months :) Anyway moving on to the good stuff...

I keep hearing (and seeing) more and more from Makeup Revolution. It seems like every week they are bringing out a new product, or extending a range. Before November, I have never heard of the brand! I was severely behind on the times. I did a big haul during their Black Friday giveaway that I am slowly (keyword: SLOWLY) working my way through.

Cast your minds way, way back to Black Friday. You may remember that Makeup Revolution were giving away £25 worth of products for free. This was one of the goodies that came in that package! 

The real question should be what's NOT in my makeup bag. Haha! I quite literally carry all my everyday makeup in this bag. It's just a large cute floral patterned bag from Primark. It stays on top of my Ikea nine drawers and holds all my everyday makeup. It's so much easier to reach for the bag instead of rooting through my drawers searching for everything. 

Hey everyone I love Makeup Revolution! I first revieved some products not long after Black Friday (I got the free Black Friday bundle!), and so far I have been very impressed. So much so, that I now have a wishlist of other products that I need to buy and try. Blush Palette - All About Pink The description on their website: ' Celebrate the amazing PINK Blusher with this amazing palette. Mixture of matte, shimmer and baked merged powders.Comes in professional palette with large full sized mirror.'

I thought that I'd start a series of full makeup looks; showing you how I looked before and after. This means that, unfortunately, my face will be plastered all over the post. I thought I'd start with a simple, glam look with cat eye eyeliner and bold red lipstick.