The ASOS Knit Picks

Is it too early to be looking for a winter wardrobe?

I've been in the Middle East all summer and as much as I love being here with family and friends, there is a part of me that is desperately wanting to switch the shorts and strappy tees for some winter woolies. That's probably the effects of the blistering heat talking. 

Admittedly i'm a knit hoarder. I go to university in them, go to town in them, go out to town in them, sometimes sleep in them and most importantly feel most comfortable in them. And as university is around the corner, I think it's about time I start searching for some Autumn/Winter bits.

So while I sit here and have a cup of tea, I couldn't help but have a nosey on the ASOS website for some inspiration. I have 16 saved items so far and 80% of them are knits. Here are some of my choices:

1. ASOS Colour Block Sweatshirt 
I have a tendency to gravitate towards monochrome. I'm intrigued by contrast. This is the sort of sweatshirt that, given you buy the right size, is a flattering loose fit. Fitting in all the right areas. I'm thinking black skinny jeans and ankle boots.

2. Boohoo Plunge V Back Jumper
I'm a firm believer in 'if you've got it, flaunt it'. But recently i've been more interested in showing off more back than front. I appreciate a garment that looks sexy without the exposure of your lady lumps.

3. River Island Lightweight V Neck Jumper
A little see through, but the length and neckline are grabbing my attention.

4. ASOS Jumper Dress
I can't go through winter without a couple of short and sweet jumper dresses. I specifically chose this one as it's navy (surprise, surprise a dark colour), and it's elasticated at the waist. They also look great with over the knee boots. *happy dance*

5. New Look High Neck Ribbed Jumper 
Chunky and high neck, my favourite! Did someone say cozy? I appreciate how you can dress these pieces up or down. It's the best feeling being comfortable and looking your best.

6. ASOS Chunky Jumper With Cold Shoulder And Split Sides
Cut outs in jumpers add a bit of edge too them. Admittedly there's nothing particularly attractive about shoulders, but in this I think there could be.

Who else is excited for an Autumn/Winter wardrobe edit?

In The Nude This Spring/Summer

I never realise how much I have of something until I either have a gander into my make up collection or go to photograph things for a blog post. So when I was choosing which products to include and photograph it was then that I realised how many nude lipsticks or glosses I actually have. I like to think of myself as a bit of a nude hoarder. They're a safe buy and worth the money as nude shades are more often than not my go to lip colour, especially in the day time. There's something about wearing a bold block colour in the day time that makes me feel a little uneasy. I always think, 'is the colour bleeding' or 'has the colour rubbed off'. But don't get me wrong, on a night out I love wearing a statement lip.

The nudes i'm loving:

1. Marc Jacobs New Nudes Sheer Gel in Moody Margot - I've spoken about this two or three posts ago. It's a new addition to my lip collection and i'm really enjoying wearing it. I love the sheer simplicity of it.

2. Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 02 - It's no secret that i'm a huge fan of the formula when it comes to these Cream Lip Stains. They leave you with a matte finish that is extremely long lasting, but not at all drying. The shade 02 is a muted peachy brown nude.

3. Maybelline Color Drama Lipstick in Nude Perfection - Peachy, cheap, cheerful and an overall slap and dash product.

4. MAC Velvet Teddy - It's difficult to find a nude lip colour that suits all skin types. MAC's famous Matte lipstick 'Velvet Teddy' is one for all complexions.

5. MAC Spice Lip Pencil  - This '90's lip pencil looks great paired with Velvet Teddy or all over the lips on its own. Whatever takes your fancy.

My style and go to make up looks are always changing, but my instinctive reach for a nude on a daily basis will always stay the same. Is that boring?

What are your go to lip products this Spring/Summer?

Real Techniques

I've been eyeing up these brushes for months now and have read and watched nothing but good reviews. It seems that all of our favourite beauty bloggers and vloggers are loving these brushes and rightly so! They were designed by none other than Sam Chapman and Nic Chapman from Pixiwoo. Would you expect anything other than greatness from these two beauty gurus?

As i've never tried these brushes before, I wanted to get a selection to try out. I was browsing through the Feel Unique sale and they happened to still stock the Sam's Picks collection which i believe came out quite a while ago. They came in a simple yet chic transparent box, allowing you to see the product first hand. The back of the box was made up of information about Real Techniques and Sam Chapman, the make up artist behind these brilliant brushes! The concept behind these products is fantastic. There are online video tutorials that are uploaded to Youtube that can assist you on how to create the perfect look with these brushes. You don't have to be a professional! I really like the appearance and structure of the brushes, the funky colours are fun and the way the brushes have been designed makes it easy to handle them when applying make up.

The set came with 6 different brushes.

• Multi Task Brush
• Buffing Brush
• Pointed Foundation Brush
• Setting Brush
• Essential Crease Brush
• Fine Line Brush

Multi Task Brush

Like the name suggests, you can use this brush in a multiple of different ways. A great contouring brush but also great for applying blush and other powders to the face. Looking side ways on, the brush isn't as wide as you'd think which is why i think that it's perfect for contouring and sculpting the face! Bringing out the best in your cheek bones.

Buffing Brush

This was the brush that i was most excited about. The Buffing Brush, a great product to use for really working your foundation into the skin, resulting in a flawless finish. I just much prefer these kinds of brushes when applying foundation more than using a regular flat foundation brush. The product feels much more blended into the skin.

Pointed Foundation Brush

This brush is quite small and i don't think that i'll be using it for foundation. However, it's great for blending in your concealer. The pointed end of the brush allows you to get right in the corners of your eyes when blending in your under eye concealer.

Essential Crease Brush and Fine Liner Brush

The Essential Crease Brush and Fine Liner Brush are the eye tools that come with the set. Great for applying eyeshadow to the crease of the eye as it's quite tapered, fantastic for precise application. The Fine Liner Brush is quite sturdy, you can achieve a great feline flick with this. I personally prefer to use these to apply my gel eyeliners than angled brushes, but that's just a person preference. It's quite similar to a MAC  210 brush, they do the same job. 

Setting Brush

This is a very fluffy setting brush. Great for setting under the eyes to stop your concealer from creasing and anywhere else you may have concealed.

I'm seriously impressed with these brushes and definitely will be purchasing more in the future! They're super soft and retail at such a affordable price! Nic's Picks are coming out on the 1st October 2014 and they look stunning, so keep an eye out if you're interested and grab and buy as they're limited edition!

All-In-One Instablur Eye

Before i start can i just say how excited i am for this product? I'm already a huge fan of The Body Shop's All-In-One Instablur. So when i saw the Instablur Eye sat on the shop shelves i didn't need to think twice before grabbing it! Like the original Instablur, the finish is beautiful. It conceals and primes around the eyes and results in a gorgeous smooth and silky finish. (I can't stop touching under my eyes, super soft!)

One of the great things about this product is that it's a tinted concealer, this allows for the product to blend evenly into your skin tone, resulting in a natural look and is great for concealing under the eyes. Furthermore, the product primes the skin, making it easier to apply other make up products on top of it and further perfects the finish. 

Finally, it can also be used as an eyeshadow primer. I'm a big fan of eyeshadow primers, they intensify the colour of your shadows and helps them last longer on the eye. A great product if you tend to get oily eyelids.

Overall i really like the Instablur Eye. It's a great formula and it can be used in a multiple of different ways! Go and get yourself some!