Weekend Post: #ShineStrong Tag Video

Do you remember when I was contemplating making YouTube videos? Well, I finally did it!! Thanks to some lovely ladies Paula from ThirteenThoughts and Tilo from TiloLovesVanilla for being very encouraging. Let's just say my camera was such a hassle to film with but I eventually got a hang of it...Phew!! Then, it was time to edit...Long story cut short, I finally got around it and filmed. I am quite excited and it sounds silly but I am (don't judge me!!). Now what did I film? I was tagged by the lovely Paula to do the #ShineStrong Tag. The #ShineStrong Tag features questions around strength and some hair care questions. It was an interesting tag to do because you also learn about other people and I watched a few of these tags and it's interesting to know that we, women, are quite similar irrespective of what part of the world we live in and I think that's beautiful.

#ShineStrong Tag Questions
1. Finish the sentence "Strong is......"
2. What's the bravest thing you've ever done?
3. What do you do to unwind?
4. What's the one thing you've always wanted to learn?
5. How does your bff (best friend forever) #shinestrong?
6. What natural talents would you want to be gifted with
7. What is your idea of happiness?
8. What is your motto?
9. What is your ultimate #shinestrong hairstyle?
10. Finish the sentence "I love good hair days because...."
11. Share your best tip for strong, healthy hair
12. Finish this sentence "I #shinestrong when I....."

If you are interested on seeing what my answers were, you can click here or watch the video directly from the blog post. I forgot to answer the last question : "I #shinestrong when I am with my immediate family and boyfriend because I can totally be myself and my true self is the silliest person you can ever imagine". I tag everyone who has not done this tag and I would see you in my next....x

L.A. Girl Pro Concealer Review (Fawn, Toast and Warm Honey)

For the longest time I have been pining after these LA Girl Pro Concealers after seeing many rave reviews on YouTube and blogs. I have not come across this in any store here in the UK but you can purchase it online which is how I got my paws on it. I was not sure of what shades would suit me so I chose three shades based on some swatches and reviews I had read. I ordered it from BeautyJoint which ships internationally and it was affordable which is why I would definitely be repurchasing since I now know what shade suits me best.




Packaging
I have already mentioned how I am not a fan of the packaging on this post here. I just struggle to understand the thinking behind it. It comes in a small tube with a brush-like tip which is useful in spot application but I think it's a little messy. Personally, I find it difficult to dispense the product from the tube; sometimes I get a decent amount, sometimes none and other times too much. It's a bit of a hit and miss which for all we know it may just be my fault or maybe I have not learnt how to work it yet. Annoying packaging aside, the overall packaging is cute and travel friendly and the good thing is it comes in a clear/transparent tube so you can see what shade you need and the labelling is really good. I have some products that the inscriptions just fade off but this has remained intact which is good.

Formula/Coverage/Application
It has a pasty texture/formula but it's not too drying on the skin. I would say it sets really well and you can choose to further set it with a setting powder if you wish. I use it directly on my dark blemishes and blend it out. The brush-like tip helps target the application better and I blend it out with my Real Techniques Setting Brush. It is medium-full coverage concealer which pretty much covers any blemishes although you may need to build it up a little for really dark blemishes but for the most part, a little dab goes a long way and does the job well. In terms of longevity, it lasts for a pretty good while; I would say about six hours which is pretty good for a drug store or non-high end concealer. I tried using it as an under eye concealer and it was not great at all because I felt it was not moisturising enough and just looked very unflattering to me. I tried to work it in several ways but my under eyes were not having it at all.




                                                          Shades Purchased
Warm Honey: It is a peachy beige shade which is much lighter than my skin tone. I use this for highlighting my nose and cheek area. I tried using this under my eye as mentioned earlier but it just looked really dry so I use it exclusively to highlight the bridge of my nose and my forehead and it works really well that way.

Fawn: Fawn is a warm toned concealer with yellow undertones which is right up my alley. This is my favourite of the lot and it matches my skin perfectly and works well with my blemishes. I really like it. I use this around where I have blemishes and it sets and blends really well. Sometimes, I just blend it in with my fingers which helps warm up the product and improves its application. This is very handy on "No-Makeup" days as it evens out my complexion. I am on the verge of repurchasing these.

Toast: I was actually shocked at how dark this looked in person. It is a dark brown shade and I think it has neutral undertones which means it would suit many darker skinned ladies. I though I would not have any use for this...wrong. On application, it actually does not look too bad as it appears just slightly darker than my skin but looks okay when blended really well.. When I want a really, really flawless look, I use this on the darkest blemishes and then use the Fawn on top of it and trust me, you would think I was airbrushed...lol. I thought I could use it to contour as well but it was a fail as I am not very skilled in contouring so it's reserved for those dark naughty blemishes.




Cost/Where to Buy
I bought mine from Beauty Joint which is an online shop where they sell really nice cosmetics at an affordable price. Each one cost £1.50 or so which is roughly about $2.50. I think it's an amazing product for the price and shipping costs about $4 or so but all in all, I paid £9.50 for all three concealers including shipping which is really good. I am not sure where else they sell this in the UK apart from this website but I guess it may be sold on Ebay. Also, Beautyjoint has some discount codes (about 5%) not massive but every little helps so be sure to google for these codes which change frequently.

Personal Thoughts
Despite the dodgy packaging, I really like it because it offers good coverage, sets well and is inexpensive. Although it looks small (it is only 8g), it has lasted me for a while. I purchased this in June/July and it is still going on strong and I am definitely repurchasing although I would only buy the Fawn shade as it is my favourite. That's it folks!! Sorry the swatch pics were a bit blurry..better pix next time...See you in my next post...x

August Favourites 2014 (Makeup)

I am so pleased to finally talk about my favourites because I have missed out on two whole months...:-)..I know, I know, very bad blogger. To be honest, I have been loving quite a few products these past few months but I am just keeping this list very minimal so I don't end up boring your pants off. I decided to just focus on makeup this time around and I will share skincare favourites sometime this month hopefully.



Lulu Guinness "Love Culture" Makeup Bag
Yes, I know I am crazy spending almost £20 on a makeup bag but I have always wanted something from Lulu Guinness and I worked really hard last month so this was a well deserved treat. It was reduced from £35 to £19.50 which was great and I snapped it up. It's very good quality as expected from Lulu (I like how casually I am saying Lulu like we are buddies..lol) and I  really like it because it is very roomy but not bulky even when it is stuffed. I love everything about it and I am pleased with it plus the "lips" zipper is very cute!!



MAC "Lovelorn" Lipstick
I think I already talked briefly about this lipstick over here on my MAC Haul. It's a nice medium natural pink shade that I can see flattering any skin tone because it is sheer and subtle. It has a lustre finish which makes it look even more appealing. Let me just say this was (and still is) my go-to lipstick. I wear it to work, church, outings, everywhere...it's ridiculous but I love it!

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder (No. 50)
This has served me really well as I bought it earlier this year in January as my birthday treat and my love for it is going on strong. Just look at that packaging; it's lush! Lovely packaging aside, it's great quality as expected from Chanel and it's pricey as well. It's a very sheer and finely milled powder but it surprisingly mattifies my face really well and I don't need to touch up for the good part of the day. It's not going to give very good coverage as it is not fashioned that way but it gives a really healthy glow to the face as the name implies.



L'Oreal True Match Foundation (N6.5 Caramel/Toffee)
This is the best drug store foundation hands down for me because it offers good coverage, sets matte and it's very easy to apply and blends really well. I definitely need to write up a review for it because I have been using it everyday. It's amazing and I have no idea why it took me so long to try it; I guess getting my correct shade was part of the reason. I had to buy three bottles (at different times of different shades) before I finally settled for this but it's well worth the hassle. Watch out for a review up soon!

Super Drug B.Prepared Primer
I can't remember what blogger or YouTuber mentioned this in passing; I think it may be Patricia Bright. She had only good things to say about this and I thought Hmmm! I better try it because I have been on the hunt for an inexpensive primer although I have a few I like but they are not all readily available. Long story cut short, I really like this primer; it mattifies and helps control shine on my face. Mostly, it helps my foundation glide on really smoothly. It was on offer for £5 when I purchased it but it's back to full price £9.99 which is so sad as I should have bought two tubes when I had a chance..Oh well!!

L.A.Girl Pro Concealer in Fawn
I finally got to try this primer after lusting after it for a few years now because every YouTuber especially the ones in America were talking about this. I was just lazy to order this across the pond but I was in need of a good concealer and my MAC Studio Finish Concealer was no longer cutting it for me (*shock horror*). I really like the formula and the shade Fawn is a perfect match to my skin although I find the packaging a little tedious and annoying but it does the job well so I have learnt to deal with it.



Essence "I Love Stage" Eyeshadow Primer
I bought this in my new fav store "Wilko" as they now stock Essence products. I can't recall trying any Essence products but this primer is the business. You only need a little as that goes a long way. It helps my eyeshadows sit well on lids, increases their vibrance and longevity. If you have oily eyelids, look this way as this keeps it at bay. It's only £2.50 and you get a decent amount of product. I love this and it would definitely be a staple in my stash.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in On-and-On Bronze 
Can you believe how late I am to the whole color tattoo eyeshadow games? I know but I was never really big on eyeshadows in general but now I am absolutely loving them and I have tried the Maybelline and L'Oreal versions of these colour tattoos. On and On Bronze is a light bronzy shade with a slight metallic finish. This is very flattering for many skin tones and I have worn this alone and as a base for other eyeshadows; they do not budge AT ALL. It's really amazing and I have two other shades which I would be reviewing soon.



Phew!! I did not realise I had quite a long list but I have been loving all of them and I use them daily. Sometimes, some products just get relegated to the back of the drawers but these ones have been absolute staples and favourites. Have you tried any of these products?...See you in my next post...x

Goodbye August and Hello There, September!

Yes, I am going to join the bandwagon and scream " where did Summer go?" but seriously where on earth did Summer go. More importantly, I absolutely feel this year has run so fast and it is almost coming to an end. I thank God for seeing me and my loved ones through and I hope it has been the same for you. I thought maybe a chatty little post will suffice for the beginning of the month.

What have I been up to?
Nothing much but the last three weeks in August were amazing (plus we were blessed with amazing-ish weather) and I made some changes in my personal and work life. Mostly, I achieved quite a few successes at work which I am really pleased and thankful for although it was hard work.  That was one of the main reasons I was unable to update my blog as much as I would have; I just did not have time at all. However, I am back now and I want to get better with my blog and photography. I also want to take more opportunities I have been turning down in the past because I was busy.

Posts I have been loving
I managed to write a few posts last month and I thought it would be nice to do a round up of all of them. My favourite would have to be the little piece Jay my sister's Lhasa Apso dog wrote telling us about himself and his day to day activities. He is so adorable and I love him so much. I also discovered Wilko Makeup Brushes which are amazing including the Stippler Brush and the Blush Brush which were both reviewed here on the blog. I also managed to sneak in a last minute weekend post on my favourite Breakfast Smoothie which was a staple in my meal plan through the summer and this was easy because I purchased the Morphy Richards Smoothie Maker.

Bloggers I have been loving
I read a lot of blogs daily via Bloglovin, Facebook and sometimes I just check their sites directly because they are awesome like that. I have a few bookmarked especially Tumblr ones which don't quite show up on my Bloglovin app. Here's a list of bloggers I love and you should check them out too as they are amazing and their photography is always on point.
TiloLovesVanilla-I absolutely love her blog and we would be meeting up soon this month; I truly can't wait.
Thirteenthoughts-I have been reading her blog for about a year or so and she is amazing with lovely photos.
ThatIgboChick-I really love her makeup tutorials and her reviews as they really pack the punch.
Samanthamaria's Tumblr- I just love her Tumblr because it seems so witty and funny.
Glamorously-Dope Tumblr- I also love this Tumblr and she always replies if you message her; I think that's dope (lol I'm rhyming)

What's next?
I have been toying with the idea of making YouTube videos but I don't know why I feel shy..lol I know it sounds silly but blogging is much more easier than doing videos. I think setting up to film a video actually gives me a headache because I want great video quality so I don't want to put any crappy content out there but let me know if you would like to see me in videos :-). Videos aside, I bought a few more props for blog photography which I am loving and you would see them pop on the blog soon. I am trying out a few products and I would let you know if they are worth purchasing and that's it folks. I hope you have an amazing month and enjoy the rest of the year...x