Spring 2015 Benefit Wishlist

For some reason, Benefit is a beauty brand I've not tried many things from. Yes, I've had many a browse at the counter and nicked my Mum's They're Real! mascara plenty times, but I'm yet to actually buy anything: something that definitely needs to change! After an hour or two spent on the Benefit website, I've finally narrowed my wishlist down to 6 amazing products.

1. Bathina "soft to touch...hard to get" body oil mist, £26.50 - The first thing that caught my eye about this product was the gorgeous vintage-style packaging. Secondly, the fact that it's scented. This would be perfect to spritz over your body before a night out (or in) to give you that super soft skin with a lovely scent to it. Bit pricey, but as long as you don't overuse this I can imagine it lasting for a long time.

2. The POREfessional: Agent Zero Shine, £23.50 - This is basically a matte powder that reduces the visibility of pores. As much as I love my Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, I really could do with something that hides my nose pores and I think this is the product to go for! I also like to touch my powder up throughout the day and the POREfessional looks like it'd be easily portable.

3. Brow Zings, £24.50 - I have to admit, I'm not very happy with my brows at the moment. I've been using Rimmel's Eyebrow Pencil for a number of years now, and whilst it is good, I'd like to try something new. Benefit's Brow Zings has been on my mind for a while and I really would like to give it a go, hopefully getting a more natural look. The kit contains a wax, a powder, tweezers, a hard angle brush and a blending brush. Reasonably priced for all this, I'd say!

4. Posiebalm, £14.50 - This pretty lip balm has a poppy-pink tint to it, making it perfect for Spring time. I'm all for something long-lasting with a great scent and colour; the fact that it moisturises your lips too is just a bonus!

5. Sugarbomb Blush, £23.50 - This blusher has four different colours that all combine to give a natural flush to the cheeks, which is why I love it so much. The little box comes with a brush, so it can easily be used on-the-go. You could even use the colours separately to create different looks!

6. High Brow Glow, £15.50 - I'm all for all things shimmery, so when I discovered the 'Glow' addition of Benefit's original High Brow I was very excited. This highlighting pencil is made to be used under the brow following the arch, where it beautifully lifts and illuminates. In the past I've used H&M's Eyeshadow Pencil and Urban Decay's Eyeshadow in Virgin instead, but I think this shimmery champagne colour will be the one for me.

That's my Spring 2015 Benefit Wishlist complete! I hope it gave you some ideas of what could be your next beauty investments. Let me know if you've tried any of these products and what you have on your Benefit Wishlist. Thank you for reading, Tasha xo

Green Eyeshadow Step-by-Step Tutorial

Hello lovelies! Today I'm going to be showing you a green eye makeup look. I'll be using Maybelline's Forest Drama Quad and the double-ended brush included in the Naked 1 palette. I've labelled the different shadows 1-4 below so you know which I'm talking about. These colours really suit brown eyes, however I'm sure they'll look gorgeous on everyone!

Step 1. Apply a small amount of eyeshadow primer all over the eyelid.

Step 2. Using the small end of the brush, apply colour 1 to the lower lid.

Step 3. Create a line with colour 2 which goes from the outer edge of your eye towards the end of your eyebrow. Next, take the top end of the line and bring it across horizontally until you're about 1/3 of the way across your eye. Using the brush much more lightly, take the line down slightly down towards the inner corner. Fill in the area you've created with the same colour, then apply it thinly just beneath your lower lash line.

Step 4. Repeat step 3 but instead use colour 3. Fill in slightly less of the area as you approach the centre of the eye as this will give a gradient effect. Now, with the thicker end of the brush, take a small amount of colour 3 and apply it all along the crease, from the outer end of your eyeshadow to the inner corner. With the thinner brush, apply this colour to the outside edge of your lower lash line.

Step 5. Using colour 4 (I just use my finger) apply all around the inner corner and brow bone, before blending out the edges of your shadow with a fluffy brush. The lines you earlier created should now be less intense.

Step 6. Add the rest of your usual makeup! You could glam this shadow look up with false lashes or keep it calm with a touch of mascara. I've just applied liquid liner with a wing, pencil liner on my waterline and mascara.

So there we go, my first makeup tutorial all done. I hope it wasn't too complicated, some bits were a bit tricky to explain! If you have any questions just leave it in the comments and I'll reply asap. I've had some lovely compliments on this shadow look and I'm sure you all will too! Thank you for reading, Tasha xo

Winter 2015 Nail Routine (for weak nails!)

So I'm someone who, unfortunately, has been the victim of weak nails for a number of years now. As for the reason, I'm not sure why, but over the past year or so I've been taking a number of steps to get my nails back to good health. The best thing is that it's working! This little post will show you some of my tips to getting that gorgeous at-home manicure.

Step 1. Nail File - If you've got nails that are prone to breaking, it's important to keep them from getting too long so they're less likely to catch on anything. When you're filing, try to always run the file in the same direction as this is kinder on your nail. I like to use a glass one as they last much longer.

Step 2. Nail Buffer - These are great for creating a smooth surface for your polish to go on. I use these in order of the numbered steps. Unfortunately, all nail buffers I've tried smooth down very quickly (including this one from Sephora) so if anyone has any suggestions of good ones, let me know!

Step 3. Strength Serum - Next, I use this Superdrug nail serum, which has given me much nicer nails. At £3.99 it's very inexpensive (especially as you only need to use a tiny bit) and has shown positive effects even though I don't use it as often as the recommended twice a day. Make sure you let it dry before continuing with your routine.

Step 4. Base Coat - A good base coat is essential to protect your nails from staining and help your polish last as long as possible. This OPI base coat can also be used as a top coat or a strengthener, so is perfect if you'd like to save some money. I use just one coat of this, but if you're using it as a strengthener you can use multiple layers.

Left to right: with base coat, with two coats of polish; with top coat.

Step 5. Nail Polish - Probably the most important thing in your manicure! The product pictured is part of Avon's gel range (great polish for decent prices) and I also recommend brands such as Sally Hansen, Topshop, or Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine, which are all fairly inexpensive. I like to do two coats, then use a cotton bud/Q tip dipped in nail polish remover to clean up the edges (which I didn't do on the pictures above - apologies!).

Step 6. Top Coat - This final step will make your polish long-lasting and super shiny! My Sally Hansen one is very fast drying which definitely comes in handy when you're in a rush. Your top coat can make or break your manicure, so make sure its a good one. Again, I just do one coat of this polish.

So that's it for my nail routine! It might seem like a lot of faffing, but for the long-lasting results, I think it's definitely worth it. Make sure you check out my last post on my current nail favourites to see what polishes I'm loving at the moment. If you've got any tips for making my nails as strong as ever, be sure to let me know!

Thank you for reading, Tasha xo

Winter 2015 Nail Favourites

Happy New Year lovelies! It felt very odd putting 'Winter 2015' in the title of this post because we're only in January but I'm sure it's not Spring yet so Winter 2015 will have to do! I've acquired many a nail polish since Summer and here are this season's favourites.

1. Sally Hansen Grape Going! 410 - This purple shade has a gorgeous blue shimmer to it, perfect for nights out or a dramatic nail. I love the Sally Hansen formula, every nail colour is very long lasting. I purchased this from the US as this brand is a lot cheaper over there, so be sure to get your hands on a few if you ever visit!

2. Barry M Sugar Apple 21/431 - As a very similar yet much cheaper alternative to Essie's Mint Candy Apple, this pastel green is a must have. It's part of Barry M's Gelly Hi-Shine collection which are all much more shiny and longer-lasting than the usual. A gorgeous colour to suit the transition into Spring.

3. Avon Gel Finish Red Velvet - This twist on the traditional red nail fits right in with the darker colours Winter brings. This dark, metallic red has such a nice finish that you'll be desperate to show off.

Avon Gel Finish Red Velvet with nail transfer on feature nail.

4. Barry M Blood Orange 4/413 - Blood Orange is your classic telephone box red with a super shiny finish. I love wearing this along with Lush's Santa Baby Lip Tint to add colour to a monochrome outfit. If you need any nail polish colour in your collection right now, it's red, so be sure to get your hands on one!

5. Sally Hansen Lacey Lilac 270 - It's no secret that I have more pastel purples than I need, but this shade is much lighter than the rest. Lilac is perfect if you'd rather your nails blend in rather than stand out, and what better way to do it than with this high quality polish? You can find a range of Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear collection for a good price on Amazon. Long-lasting with a gorgeous finish.

6. Sally Hansen Showgirl Chic 01 - If this glittery blue/silver combination polish won't have you channelling your inner Elsa (hello, Frozen fans) I don't know what will. This is the top feature nail colour for Winter and the high amount of glitter means that two coats will cover the nail entirely. I just love how sparkly this is! If you'd like your nail colour underneath to come through, sky blue or white would be a great match. Unfortunately it's very tricky to remove, but what glitter polish isn't? Shout out to my mum for buying me this beauty!

Which of these nail colours would you love to try out? Thank you for reading, Tasha xo

Lush Halloween/Christmas 2014 Wishlist

I can't imagine there being anyone who doesn't look forward to Lush's Halloween & Christmas collections every year! Things from Lush make great presents, which I think is the reason why I think of shopping in Lush as a vital part of my Christmas. I haven't been lucky enough to see these products in the store yet, but I've had a good look online and I've found a few things I look forward to purchasing this year. I suggest having a browse on the website too, they have little videos of the products so you can really get an idea of what the it's like!

Christmas Hedgehog - This bubble bar is full of skin-nourishing ingredients like shea and cocoa butter so will be perfect if your skin needs a bit of softening in the chilly Winter weather. I love the shimmery snow-like look of this, I imagine after the bath your skin will look just as good as it feels!

Northern Lights - It's the colours of this bath bomb that draw me to it. It has a purple/lilac outside and is said to later reveal colours of blue and green, complete with little stars. Gorgeous to relax in this Autumn.

Santa Baby - I've always been more into lip balms rather than lipsticks as they're so much easier to apply, but the balm pigment is never as strong as in a lipstick. However, I think I've found my happy medium here with this red lip tint. Red lips are a must have at this time of year and I can't think of a better product to use than a tint that claims to taste like Christmas!

Snow Fairy Shower Gel - We all know the classic Christmas Snow Fairy scent that Lush treats us with every year. The shower gel is my favourite as I can use it everyday - if only they had this as a perfume!

Reindeer Rock - I've only recently got into using soaps. I'm currently using one that smells like sherbet lemons (more on that soon!) and this berry-scented one is going to be my next stop. Plus, isn't this reindeer pattern the cutest?

Santa's Lip Scrub - I've used Lush's lip scrubs plenty a time although I've never actually owned one (not as dodgy as it sounds - I've borrowed my friends' before) but I think I'll have to cave in and give this one a buy. The taste description sounds the same as the Santa Baby Lip Tint and I think the two would be perfect together with the scrub to exfoliate the lips before applying the tint. What better way to prep your lips for that mistletoe?

What Lush products have caught your eye this season? Thank you for reading, Tasha xo

Autumn 2014 Topshop Wishlist

I always think of A/W as  party season: you've got Halloween, Christmas and New Year all in the space of a few months. These bits and pieces from Topshop are sure to get you prepared for this year's party time.

Mermaid Card Holder, £5 - I'm loving all things shiny at the moment and this holographic card holder is just my type. The best thing about a shiny card holder is that it's easy to find in your bag!

Pale Blue Ribbed Glitter Socks, £3.50 - If you're going to wear socks to a party, you may as well keep them fancy. These glittery ones will look great with black shoes and add a bit of sparkle to your outfit without being too over the top.

Sequin Skirt, £48 - Whilst skater skirts were all the rage last year but this time more fitted mini skirts are in. This gorgeous piece would be perfect as the main focus of an outfit and will look amazing paired with the dark Autumn colours. A bit pricey, but I'm sure some inexpensive alternatives will hit the high street this year.

Nail Polish in 'Pink is the Colour', £5 - This peachy pink shade is like a nude colour with a kick. It's toned down enough to match almost any outfit but pigmented enough to brighten you up a bit. What more can you ask for?

Black High-Waisted Jeans, £36 - I've not had a pair of black jeans for what seems like forever and on top of that, I haven't had any Topshop jeans either. As we all know, black goes with pretty much everything and getting a high-waisted pair means anything cropped works too. Topshop are known for their amazing jeans, so what other place to get them from? At the reasonable price of £36 (when you consider how much wear you can get out of them) these jeans are definitely a must-have this A/W.

Hair Bow, £6.50 - We often forget to accessorise our hair and a piece with matching colours to your clothing can pull a whole outfit together.

Satin Bralet, £22 - This piece has a definite vintage look to it with the satin fabric and the old-fashioned shape. It's certainly pretty, and you might as well wear nice underwear even if no one else is going to see it!

Shift Dress - £70 - May we just take a moment to appreciate the colours in this dress? Thank you. Unfortunately a bit on the pricey side for me, but if you're looking for a dress that'll impress, this is the one. I reckon this'd suit an olive skin tone perfectly (although I'm as pale it gets and I'd still wear it without a doubt) and the shift style suits so many body shapes. This material type is everywhere at the moment; you'll be bang on trend. If anyone comes across a cheaper alternative do let me know!

What's on your wishlist this Autumn? Thank you for reading, Tasha xo

Lip Favourites Autumn 2014

Autumn is the time of year when the nights get sooner, the air gets cooler and the clothes get darker, so what better season to brighten things up with a lip colour? Here are my recent much loved products.

Baby Lips Cherry Me, £2.99 - My two words to describe this would be sheer and warm. It gives your lips a nice pinky-red tint which is perfect for a subtle look.

Sleek Lipstick in 'Cherry', £4.99 - When I was looking for a lipstick this shade, it was a Superdrug Sales Assistant who persuaded me to go for the brand Sleek, which I haven't bought from before. She explained how the lipsticks have the same pigments as MAC, and wow, she was right. This gorgeous dark red is on point for A/W. I often apply with my fingertip just over lip balm to calm the colour down for more of an everyday style. A must-have if you really want your lips to pop.

MUA Lipstick in 'Nectar', £1 - I just picked up this product yesterday in one of my college frees (college is 5 minutes away from a Superdrug - my beauty buying is going to go off the rails) as I loved the peachy tone of the colour. I can't lie, I loved the price too. This lighter colour will brighten up any dark outfit, and for just a pound, what's stopping you?!

Swatched in the same order as product list

Baby Lips Electro Pink Shock, £2.99 - I got very excited when I saw a new Baby Lips line in the UK, and this vibrant pink caught my eye right away. It's a lot more pigmented than the other Baby Lips but it still has a pretty sheer finish. Again, great for a pop of colour.

EOS Lip Balm in Sweet Mint, £6.50 - I actually bought my EOS whilst I was in America, where they are significantly cheaper (around $4.20 which is about £2.50) and I'm very glad I picked one up for myself. They look cute as ever, smell amazing and moisturise your lips perfectly. I use mine often and it's lasted quite a while, so even though they are a bit more pricey in the UK, I do think it's worth the investment!

What have been your favourite lip products this Autumn? Thank you for reading, Tasha xo