2014 Reflection

With only a few days left of 2014, I decided to take time and reflect on what joy the year has brought me. This year was like a roller coaster. There were highs and lows, good and bad, tough yet memorable moments. 2014 to me was full of surprises, from the time I saw Katy Perry in concert to the time I got tickets to One Direction.The time I discovered my true friends to the time I had an alone jam session to Taylor Swift. It defiantly was a year where I learnt a lot of life lessons, some which have made me stronger. I definitely battled with optimistic scenarios this year and it was tough, it really was. However, it made me a lot stronger and made me learn from my mistakes so I can become a better person.

I can't imagine a life where everything is perfectly perfect, where everything goes the right way and where nothing bad stands in front of you. Even though that would be nice, how would you grow knowing that you can't 'be a better person than you were yesterday'. Life to me is all about growing as an individual and becoming stronger and wiser.

My favourite moments of 2014 were being surrounded by friends and family, being apart of the blogilates community, getting a job, starting a blog, reading Divergent, rescuing a kitten, seeing Katy Perry live, watching The Fault In Our Stars, dancing in front of an audience for the first time in ages, getting my first Mac Lipstick, visiting Sephora, buying way too many Lush goodies.... and the list goes on and on.

A highlight of 2014 for me was starting my blog. It's not easy putting your thoughts onto the internet for everyone to see but I can say that it's helped me a lot. I've never been the person to open up about things. I never like telling people about my problems, especially the ones I love because I don't want them to worry. So, it's nice to let my thoughts out, even if I get no reply. Who would of thought that typing on a word document would be therapeutic.

My hopes for 2015 are:

♡ Be modest

♡ Stay forgiving

♡ Smile more

♡ Save money

♡ Worry less

♡ Take more baths

♡ Dance more

♡ Stay away from the negatives

♡ Buy another Mac lipstick *oops*

Despite the horrible days, 2014 was a pretty good year. I can't wait to see what the new year has to offer. May God bless every one of you and I wish you the very best for 2015!

Much love,

Sara

(if you're reading this, you survived 2014, well done, I'm proud of you)

Xo

Christmas Eve Make- Up Look

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Christmas is a wonderful time of year full of socialising, gifts and food babies. Christmas Eve, for myself, was full of lots of sweets and laughs. I came up with a fun look that features glowing skin, pink lips and a classic winged liner. 

For the base:

I used my Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer to hide my under eye circles and because I'm lazy, I used it to cover up any spots and redness on my skin. 

I then set that in place with my Australis Fresh & Flawless Pressed Powder to add a little extra coverage.  

I bronzed up and contoured my pale skin using my Benefit Hoola Bronzer and added a glow and flush with my Benefit High Beam and my Benefit Bene Tint.

For the eyes:

I used my Chi Chi Bases Palette for the eyeshadows. 

I first used a gold shade across my eyelid then warmed it up with a brown in the crease mixing the last 2 shades together. I then highlighted the inner corner of my eye using a white shimmer shade from the palette. 

I created my wing using my e.l.f Cream Eyeliner in Black and smudged it on the lower lash line to darken it up. 

I then coated my lashes using my Maybelline The Colossal Volume Express, Smokey Eye Mascara.

For the lips:

I used my gorgeous new Lime Crime Lipstick in the shade Centrifuchsia on my lips.

The final touch:

I used my Benefit Gimme Brow to complete the look.

......and that's the final look. The make-up I wore on Christmas Eve 2014. Super simple yet fun with a pop of fuchsia on the lips. Have a beautiful Christmas and a happy holiday lovelies 

Xo

Mac blush; Peachy Keen

I wasn't sure what to post this week but then remembered that I recently went to a Mac counter and picked up my first ever Mac blush! I like to call this a 'Christmas present to myself'. I was super excited when I saw this on the shelf because I have wanted it for a while now. If you know me, you know that I am blush obsessed! And was super happy to bring this love into my collection. This is 'Peachy Keen'. It's a beautiful peachy-pink colour. (Typical Sara shade which I absolutely adore). It has hints of gold sparkles and looks gorgeous on the cheeks. Perfect Spring and Summer shade because the pretty sheen flushes in the sun light. This blush adds just the right amount of colour to your cheeks and gives you a beautiful, healthy, radiant glow. I love that it looks good with every make up look and I love that I can say that I finally own this baby!

Overall, I think if you want to treat yourself to a Mac blush and not sure which shade to get, get 'Peachy Keen'. It's stunning and will look lovely on every skin tone.

So, that's all I have to say really,

thanks for a wonderful year and I hope this made you want to buy a blush.

Xo

Review: Real Techniques, Nic's Picks

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♡ Duo-Fiber Face Brush: "For light-weight application + blending of face powder or pigments"

♡ Cheek Brush: "Evenly applies make-up across cheekbone for a more dramatic finish"

♡ Angled Eye-Shadow Brush: "Perfectly cut for layering eye shadow in the crease"

♡ Base Shadow Brush: "Applies a smooth, flawless foundation of colour"

♡ Eyeliner Brush: "Firm, angled head for optimal control along lash line"

First Impression:

Beautifully presented, perfect size & super soft.

These brushes are absolutely gorgeous! I'm a massive fan of the Real Technique brushes and was super excited when I found out that iHerb had Nic's Picks in stock. This collection is stunning and limited edition so defiantly pick it up if you're interested. In the collection, you receive 5 brushes. 2 for the face and 3 for the eyes. They are synthetic like all Real Technique brushes and are easy to use and wash. The plush bristles allow smooth application when applying make up and you find that you don't get any loose hairs left on your face. These brushes are also super soft and I adore them!

I would highly recommend Nic's Picks as you get a nice variety of brushes. These are a perfect Christmas gift to a beauty lover or someone starting out with make up.

Xo

Lush Christmas

Christmas is a great time to spend with loved ones but it's also a great time to relax and reflect on the year and who you are as an individual. To help get the mind to settle down and reflect, Lush bath products are a must-have essential. The Christmas collections they bring out every year are always exciting. These are just a few of my favourites, i've already used a couple before writing this post including Candy Mountain and The Christmas Hedgehog which I adore...

☃ Dashing Santa Bath Bomb: Cutest thing ever. All you have to do is throw Santa into your bath and watch as he prances around, allowing the bath to fizz up. This bath bomb is very uplifting, so if you're having a bad day, this should cheer you up!

☃ Butter Bear Bath Bomb: Look at that little smile! I'm a massive fun of the 'Butter Ball Bath Bomb' from Lush and for it to be in a shape of a bear is adorable. The Butter Bear contains Cocoa Butter which releases into the water and creates a soft-creamy texture. The sweet vanilla scent makes everything all cosy. It's super nourishing and leaves the skin feeling nice and smooth.

☃ Melting Snowman Bath Melt: HOW CUTE IS THIS! This melting snowman contains almond oil and cocoa butter which is amazing for the skin. All you have to do is put this little guy into your bath and watch as he slowly melts away into a smooth-buttery texture. Smells like Christmas spices and is a lovely treat.

☃ Luxury Lush Pud Bath Bomb: The most exciting of them all. Throw this into your bath and watch as it fizzes into a whirl pool of colour. It's super fun to watch your bath change into beautiful colours. It's an amazing scent and reminds me a lot of the Christmas Time. As well as a ball of fun, this bath bomb really helps break the tension between muscles which is a amazing.

Lush Christmas is one of the things I look forward too at the end of the year. I'm defiantly going back to a Lush counter and stock up on some of my favourites while they last. These are a perfect treat for the end of the year!

Xo

Holiday Beauty Essentials

Christmas is upon us and it's an exciting time of the year. When it comes to the holidays, there are essentials that keep me in the Christmas spirit. Some including sparkling eyes, minty lips and red kisses. These are my beauty essentials!

 ☃ Sparkling nails are a must during the Holidays. I love my O.P.I Nail Varnish in 'Polka.Com'.

The hints of blue, pink and purple look gorgeous on the nails. 

☃ What screams Christmas other than sparkling cheeks. On the trend of a sparkle theme, my Revlon highlighting palette in the shade '030 Bronze Glow' makes the holidays a little brighter. This adds the perfect flush of warmth to the cheeks. (Bonus: You can use these as eye shadows)

☃ Gold eyes are a Christmas necessity. This is my Maybelline Colour Tattoo in the shade 'Bold Gold'. These are long wearing so they'll last even if you cry a lot because you love the holidays. This adds the perfect sparkle to the eye lid and looks gorgeous!

☃ Chapstick is so important, especially if it's in a Christmassy flavour. You're probably gonna be eating a lot of sweets anyway so why not prep your lips with Chapstick in the scents 'Velvet Cupcake' & 'Candy Cane'. These are super moisturising and are a life essential.

☃ Last but not least, what's a Christmas without red, glossy lips. This is my wonderful Revlon Colour-burst Lacquer Balm in the shade '120 Vivacious Exubérante'. This is more on the pinky side of red but who doesn't love a glossy bright lip for the holidays. 

♡ ☃ So these are my Holiday Beauty Essentials. What are yours? ☃ ♡ 

With love,

Xo

I CAN'T TAKE COMPLIMENTS!?

There are two types of people, one who takes a compliment when received and another who rejects the compliment when received. As for me, it can be hard to take a compliment. Insecurities get in the way and it can be difficult to accept a praise from another person when feeling down. 

Have you ever had these thoughts?

" When I am complimented, I don't believe it and I assume the person is only saying it because they feel bad "

" I never know how to respond to a compliment "

" Whenever I accept the compliment, people judge. When I reject the compliment, people think i'm an attention seeker "

" When I say 'thank you', I sound overconfident "

If you find it hard to take compliments because you don't believe them, that's nothing to be ashamed of. We all have insecurities, things we can't accept about ourselves or things that we're unsure of and rejecting compliments because of that, is completely understandable and okay. We are taught to stay modest and humble and we get told to love ourselves. Finding it hard to take a compliment is tough for most of us but we have to learn to accept it, we need a little praise once in a while! 

Not knowing how to respond to a compliment is the tricky one. It can be a struggle to look at the person in the eyes and say a simple 'thank you' without getting pink in the face and looking at the ground. This usually happens when your self-esteem levels are low. When they are down, they need a little help back up so accepting compliments will do you good! Having a higher self-esteem will allow your confidence to expand and you'll be a much happier person. It's extremely common to not want to come across as 'cocky' when accepting a compliment, I know I can relate to that but honestly, who are we hurting? the only person we're hurting when we reject a compliment is ourselves!

So how can we take a compliment? 

Remember that you are entitled to receive compliments as everyone else. If you don't know what to say, simply "smile". If you find it hard to accept it, and you feel uncomfortable, simply thank the person and let it go.

You are loved!

\

Xo

November Beauty Favourites

November is over and here we are with my favourites from the month. I'm so excited for December because it's CHRISTMAS TIME! I love getting into the festive mood and watching the film Elf a billion times. I did't have too many favourites this month but these are the products I have been enjoying...

♡ Sephora MoonShadow Baked Palette 'in the nude': I got this palette as a gift for my birthday back in October and i'm obsessed! The palette comes with 10 baked eyeshadows, they all have a hint of shimmer which it super appropriate for the festive season. These shadows glide on like a dream and you can create so many different looks with these. I've been obsessed with the shades "Peche, Peach" and "Bronze Clair, Light Bronze". They're gorgeous and I'm in love. 

♡  Essence So Glow, cream to powder high lighter: Recently i've been getting into high lighting. I've been loving this one from Essence. It's super affordable and looks so pretty on the skin. It's a pink with a slight hint of silver reflexes powder finish which gives you a nice healthy glow. If you have oily skin (like myself) give this a go because it doesn't over power you with shine! It blends easy and I'm not sure if this is limited edition, but definitely pick it up when you have the chance. 

♡  Rimmel London Provocalips 16hr Kiss Proof Lip Colour in the shade '200 i'll call you': I've been loving this product. It's super opaque and creamy and lasts a really long time. I haven't had a chance to wear it for 16 hours but I can definitely say it stays on your lips! I can eat and drink without it wiping off and I don't even have to reapply it. It gives you a semi matte finish but if you use the other end which is a clear gloss, it locks in a bit of shine. It does get drying through out the day but a little lip balm will help. The colour is perfect for pretty much every season, so definitely recommend it.

♡ Essence Lip Liner in the shade '12 wish me a rose': Another Essence product (it's super cheap and good quality so you can't go wrong). I've been really into lining my lips these past few months It just makes your lips look a lot fuller and applying lip products is so much easier. This is a pretty pink shade which goes with a lot of lip sticks I own. It's super creamy and glides on easy. It goes well with the Rimmel Provocalips which is a bonus. 

♡ Rimmel London Lasting finish Nail Varnish in the shade '066 Cranberry Zest': Been loving this nail varnish. It's basically what is says, a Cranberry shade. It's opaque and you only need about 2-3 coats or so when applying. It dries pretty fast which is awesome and it looks super pretty on the nails.

♡ Taylor Swift Enchanted Wonderstruck Fragrance: First of all how cute is the bottle! I've been wearing this perfume every day and it's amazing! I've been getting a tonne of compliments on it and it's a perfect scent for Spring & Summer. It's a very sweet scent, slightly musky and not too overpowering. I love it a lot.

♡  Music time ♡

1. Taylor Swift 1989 album! (the whole album is brilliant)

2. One Direction FOUR album! (especially Fool's Gold & Night Changes)

3. Partition - Beyoncé 

So that's my November Favourites! I hope you all have an amazing December and a happy holiday!

Xo

Best looks at the 2014 American Music Awards

So the American Music Awards were on. Besides recognising amazing artists, the fashion, hair and make up looks always get me excited. This year there were some gorgeous gowns on the red carpet and these happen to be the ones that caught my eye.

1. Selena Gomez: This was my absolute favourite from the night. If you know me you know that Selena is my major girl crush and when she walked the carpet in an Armani Prive gown I instantly fell in love. My favourite part of the dress is the back! The cut out is stunning and looks super flattering and chic on miss Gomez. Simple sleek low bun and a stunning red lip to finish the look.

2. Fergie: Another favourite on the carpet. The beautiful Fergie pulled off this gorgeous Halston Heritage gown from the Spring 2015 collection. Love love love the slit showing off the shoes. Fergie kept her hair and make up simple leaving the main attention on the amazing outfit. Add a gold belt and a few rings and you're good to go!

3. Jennifer Lopez: An award show would not be complete without the stunning JLO. She can literally wear anything and still look like a goddess. This creamy silk dress looks gorgeous with Jen's skin tone. She kept the hair super sleeked back with a sexy smokey eye and nude lip. Add a gold clutch, pointed pumps and you're red carpet ready. 

4. Kendall Jenner, Khloe Kardashian & Kylie Jenner: These three lovelies killed the carpet wearing these gorgeous dresses. All three wore black pointed pumps and kept their looks super shiek and stunning. I adore the wine colour of Kylie's dress and I love how she wore the same colour on her lips.

5. Jordin Sparks: Jordin definitely sparked the carpet wearing this stunning Halston Heritage gown from the Fall 2014 line. Love the slit, the bronze sheen and strappy black heels. Her make up was kept simple and her hair was left out all curly and glam.

6. Jessie J: Jessie is wearing an ivory suit designed by Prada Milan, very chic and classy. 

Something she always goes for. Her hair is slicked back, she kept her accessories simple and topped it off with a black clutch. As for Makeup she went with a nude lip with a neural eye and played up with the lashes to complete the look.

7. Nicki Minaj: The gorgeous Nicki, wore a stunning mock dress by Alexander Wang. (Let's talk about how amazing her legs look in this dress.) I love how Nicki's fashion choices are changing but she still keeps it a little quirky with a few unique accessories to show off her personality. For example; the cuff bracelet. Miss Minaj completed the look with a pair of black pointed pumps and smashed the red carpet!

8. Danai Gurira: How freaking stunning does Danai look in this Naeem Khan Resort 2015 gown?! I love love love the colour of the dress. It goes incredibly beautiful with her skin tone. Danai paired the look with little accessories and a neutral make up look to keep the main attention on the gorgeous detail of the dress. STUNNING LADY!

9. Rita Ora: There wasn't too much boldness on the carpet this year, however as always the beautiful Miss Rita Ora loves a bright colour. She wore an electric yellow Zac Posen gown and rocked the AMA's. Her hair and make up were super sleek and chic She kept her accessories at minimal, pairing the look up with a gold clutch to keep the main focus on the bright dress. Love the shape of the gown on Rita, super glam and fun.

10. One Direction: Had to include these loves because of how dapper they all looked wearing complimentary black and a little cheetah print. *giggles*

~ They were my my favourite looks at the 2014 American Music Awards

♡  Who was your favourite? ♡

Xo

Jennifer Lawrence: Mocking Jay; Part 1 Premiere

Jennifer Lawrence is a beauty goddess. She can literally wear anything and look absolutely stunning. 

As well the Hunger Games, I'm a massive fan of Jen and who she is as a person, her style and her attitude. 

Mocking Jay Part 1, premiered recently and I'm still yet to see the film but I adore the looks on the carpet this year. These are the dresses Jennifer Lawrence wore, which I'm in love with.

Jennifer wore a stunning Dior quilted pale blue dress in London to the premiere. I love the cut of the dress. Shortness at the front and a long flow at the back. The back of the dress has a dip cutout which balances out the look because the front is higher up. Jen paired the dress up with a black sandal heel to keep the main attention on the dress.

Jennifers make up was absolutely stunning. The kohl around the eyes made her green eyes pop as well as the pink gloss on the lips. Jens hair was slick back with a blank headband which is really hitting up the red carpet at the moment. 

This is probably my favourite look on Jen. This was from the after party in London and I adore it! Jen is wearing a gorgeous beige Mugler dress paired up with Jimmy Choo shoes. I'm obsessed with the cut out and slit at the bottom. The slit really shows off the heels keeping it sleek and chic.  

Her make up was stunning with again, a black kohl smoke around the eye and neutral pink lip. Jen removed the headband and kept the hair super simple and out of her face to show off the gorgeous look.

Which dress was your favourite? I love her after party one, but she looks gorgeous in both!

Xo