Beauty Budget Essentials

I love a bit of drugstore shopping and being a student, it's vital that I'm able to watch my cash or I can risk having to live off bread and water. I know that when it's a toss up of food or that new MAC lipstick, I know which one I'd go for which is why I've compiled a brief selection of some budget buys that I wouldn't trade for a more expensive counterpart...

It should be no surprise that I'm obsessed with KIKO cosmetics and their kohl eye pencils are some of the best I've ever tried. Ever. I love this blue one which is really brilliant for brightening up your eyes and adding a pop of colour to the outfit. Plus it's less than £5.

Many bloggers hype over the Hourglass Eyebrow Pencil and it's Anastasia Beverly Hills equivalent but I'm in love with the Soap and Glory Brow Archery. For £8, it's significantly cheaper than the high end versions and honestly I can't complain. I use it in Blondshell which is an ashy brown that looks wonderfully natural and the spooly helps comb it throw giving the ultimate natural brow look. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I'm not a massive fan of contouring but when I was wanting to try it I picked up the Sleek Contour, Highlight and Blush Palette in Light (there are other shades available). I can't remember exactly how much it cost but it was less than £10 and the highlight is beautiful. The contour shade is slightly ashy which avoids that orange glow and the blush gives a lovely natural flush but the highlight... The highlight is beautiful. It's absolutely stunning and I'm sure you can see the massive dent I've made in it! Probably my all time favourite powder highlight.

And finally, not so much a drugstore buy but a highstreet one... In the USA, they're big on roller ball perfumes but I rarely see them this side of the pond which is why I've been loving this River Island perfume. I was sent this and I've been keeping it in my gym bag as it's leak safe and helps me feel a little bit more put together. I don't know how much it costs but I can't imagine it would exceed drugstore prices.

And finally, hair. I love a bit of volume but find that even with dry shampoo, my hair is so fine that it can just fall flat. This Fudge Urban Powder Styler is brilliant. I think it was only around £5 but it really really holds. It's honestly wonderful and just brushes out at the end of the day.

What are some of your favourite drugstore essentials?

12 comments beauty, hair, makeup

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High Summer Beauty Essentials

So, not a typical summer essentials post today (been there, done that) but a high summer essentials so in plain English, a mid summer essentials. Fellow Brits out there know that our summers are often shattered into blocks of rare sunshine - an odd week in June, an odd week in August and if we're lucky, most of September. This is great, it's like an extended summer however it means we've always got to be prepared. But silky smooth legs is not what I'm talking about...

Whilst I may have lived in Asia for the vast majority of my life, by the time I reached the shaving my legs stage, I was living in a Muslim country where my school uniform consisted of an ankle length skirt, therefore banishing the razor to a corner of my bathroom. 

But alas, living in a country where showing my knees doesn't ellicit looks, I've learnt to cleverly disguise the fact that I haven't shaved my legs in a week. We're talking about the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi Use Oil which is essentially a cheaper version of the Tom Ford or Nars shimmering body oil. Spraying this on my legs gives them a wonderful glowing look - the coveted Victoria's Secret legs if you will. The shimmer and newfound bronze manage to hide the day old stubble whilst still allowing me to look perfectly glamourous. 

Whilst my legs are the bane of my existence, so are my feet. I have perfectly fine feet, they are feet, but they are never in tip top shape. Coming from the winter months when they're wrapped up in Primark's finest thermal socks, they never look summer ready. I love bright pinks or blues on my toe nails and sealed with a lick of Seche Vite, they'll last the entire year! I love Essie Super Bossa Nova and Barry M Blueberry. However, when reaching for the sandals, it's time to sand them down and make them look like they've been in a footspa all year round - hence the Scholl Express Pedi. This is essentially a battery powered sander for your feet and it's bloomin brilliant. My feet are now as soft as a baby's bottom and I have achieved the coveted year round foot spa aesthetic. You're welcome.

And finally, the hair. With higher temperatures comes more oil which typically results in greasy hair syndrome which is why I always have a mini dry shampoo stashed in my handbag. But I've gone off Batiste and am now reaching for my Bumble and Bumble Pret a Powder which is brilliant because it doesn't result in day three itchy hair. My hair smells clean, looks clean and has an added oomph. Definitely worth the price tag.

What are your high summer essentials?

This post may contain items that have been sent to me for review. All opinions are my own.

6 comments beauty, hair, makeup

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Angelic Hair: Halo Braids

Summer is fast approaching and so is the warm weather (finger crossed) and unfortunately, heat means humidity and humidity means sweat and well, you get my drift. Whilst the cold is fantastic for wearing hair down, summer not so much. When I lived in hot countries, my hair was rarely fully down as it was simply too hot; I would finish the day with my hair either sticking to the back of my neck or as a last resort, I'd use a pencil to help put it up in some sort of bun.

But recently I've been loving halo braids. They are so simple to do and perfect on either a hot day or one where your hair simply isn't cooperating (I experience this on a daily basis).

I was slightly worried that I wouldn't be able to style my hair into plaits as it is quite short, however I had to do it a little bit different to how many how-to videos suggested.

First off I split my hair in half, and plaited it and simply pinned the plait to the top of my head using bobby pins that more or less matched my hair colour and then did the same on the other side. I then sprayed my hair with V05 Texture Spray just to add a bit more texture to my hair.

It is really so simple to do and perfect for festivals as you can always just spray a bit of dry shampoo in your roots for a bit more volume. 

Leave a Comment angel braids, beauty, hair, halo braids

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Autumn Hair

[Loosely curled hair and a spritz of texturiser to relax the curls]

[Tied back curls into a side pony - very convenient if you couldn't be bothered to wash last night's curls out!]

[A side plait. Yet again, a quick and easy option to put that volumised hair to use!]

One thing is for certain, summer is definitely over. With days growing shorter and consecutively shorter, with nights darker and mornings fogier, it is time to break out those beanies and coats because winter is coming and it's going to be a cold one.

Having been back in the UK for little under two months, a primary element that differs to Asia is the wind. Although the days are cool, it is really the wind that chaps those lips and chafes the nose. 

In short, it is time to tie up the hair or opt for a more wind-resistant hairstyle. I waved goodbye to my normally straight hair and said hello to my natural waves (enhanced by hairspray and a curling wand).

Based upon the pouring rain before, I know that I shall be opting for more tied back or messy hair styles, because whats worse than straight hair gone frizzy!

Leave a Comment autumn, beauty, hair, makeup, season

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