2016 September Favourites ♡

Where did this month go! I think I was too busy stressing over end of year exams, getting excited for my birthday and binging on so many old Zoella vlogs. However, I did get to try a whole lot of new beauty products which excites me because I get to share them with you...so grab a cup of coffee and a snack and carry on reading. 

♡Australis Banana Powder: I have been loving using this product to brighten up under the eye. This banana powder is not too yellow so I find it looks great on fair skin. It has a nice, smooth texture and is quite pigmented. It completes any make up look in my opinion so I highly recommended checking out this one if you're after a good banana powder from the drugstore. 

♡Becca Jaclyn Hill Collection Champagne Splits Shimmering Skin Perfector Mineral Blush in 'Champagne Pop - Floweredchild': Believe me when I say that my cheekbones have been on point this past month and I owe it all to this product. The highlight shade is a stunning champagne with gold reflects. It is so pigmented so you don't need to use a lot of the product. This duo is so luxurious and I am obsessed! I have been using the highlight shade more than the blush, only because my cheeks naturally flush; nonetheless the blush incredibly pigmented and looks beautiful on the skin. 

♡Kat Von D Tattoo Liner: I do not at all have steady hands so eyeliner is a bit of a challenge for. Thankfully, Kat Von D has made my life a whole lot easier with this fine liner. It is easy to apply because of the fine tip and allows for great precision when creating a wing -that has allowed me to fly away from everyone's bullshit. The liner lasts all day, even through watching the titanic. I highly suggest checking this one out if you need a new felt tip eyeliner. 

♡Australis Make-Up Finishing Spritz: What is life without setting spray. This spray has been amazing at setting my make-up for the day. It leaves the skin looking healthy and not too dewy or matte - which is what I love. It makes my skin feel hydrated because of the rose water in it. I do not feel complete without it. 

♡Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Parfume: This was a special birthday gift from my mamma bear. I am so obsessed with this scent! It it so flirty and feminine. It is one of those fragrances where you do not need to drown yourself in it because it is quite strong. I am awful at describing scents so if you see this in stores, give it a try! Also, how aesthetically pleasing is this bottle. 

Music:

Heart on Fire - Scott Thomas
Let Me Hold You (Turn Me On) - Cheat Codes
Mercy - Shawn Mendes 
The Sound - The 1975

Movies:
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: I have been waiting for this movie since the first trailer came out. It definitely did not disappoint. Despite the bickering and munching of people in the cinemas (pet peeve), I really enjoyed it. I loved the fantasy world and the characters. I highly recommend you check it out. 

I hope you are enjoying the month of October! 

Love always,
Sara xo

be selfish.

"we are taught to be kind to others, but no one has ever told us that we should be kind to ourselves" 

Is being 'too' nice a good thing? - I mean, it is vital to be nice in this world but I feel like being 'too' nice is bait to getting your heart ripped out of your chest - well for me at least. This may sound insensitive but the one thing I have learnt after 17 years on this earth, is that you have to be selfish at times. The word selfish has such a huge negative connotation to it. If being selfish means stopping one's heart from being broken then sign me up! 

In this world the idea of treating people the way you want to be treated is complete bullshit. In all my experiences I try my best to be kind and caring to others. I go out of my way to make time for people and I feel like I don't get the same love in return. People come and go in and out of your life and there is no point in holding on to someone so tight if you know they are going to leave you. Don't get me wrong, it is nice to be nice. I think being kind is one of the best qualities a person can have. However, I feel that constantly going out of my way to please other people is not worth it. - sure I am being nice to others, but I am not being nice to myself. I think self love and care is so important. If we are not happy within ourselves, how can we love and care for other people. Think of Maslow's hierarchy of needs; it demonstrates the notion that one cannot achieve peace if they have no self-esteem and self-confidence. Self-esteem and self-confidence is driven from the degree to which one cares for themselves. 

As egotistical as this may sound, I think putting yourself first is a good thing. I feel this way because it is not enjoyable giving all your love and care to another person and then getting your heart broken. It is not enjoyable making time for someone and for them to cancel on you to be with someone else. It is not enjoyable watching the person you spent so much time caring for having the time of their life with someone else. None of this is fun and unfortunately, it is all apart of life. I think this is because we all have different hearts and minds and the way we empathise with others differs. 

Do you feel this way or am I going mad?! I don't know if this post made any sense but I needed to wrap my head around things. I feel like in this world you need to be selfish - to an extent of course. For example; you can simply leave that text message on read for a few hours whilst you go and do something that makes YOU happy. I am so sick of being kind to people who don't give a shit about me. It is just not worth it.

Love always,

Sara xo

Rimmel London 15th Anniversary Collection by Kate

Lipstick is a girls best-friend - well probably not for some people but I do personally love me some lipstick. Rimmel London is one of the best drugstore brands with good quality lip products - especially the Kate Moss collections. As you might have seen, the 15th Anniversary Collection by Kate recently hit stores. It includes 6 new dreamy shades in this stunning rose gold packaging that I am obsessed with. All shades are have a smooth, satin finish formula. The lasting power is not that great but topping it up is no issue. 

From left to right:
53' Retro Red: A stunning burgundy red shade with a purple undertone. It is easy to apply because of the smooth texture. This one did feel quite uncomfortable after a few hours on my lips so have lip balm on hand. However, it is a pretty colour and suits all skin tones. 

54' Rock N' Roll Nude:  A sweet nude with a baby pink undertone. This nude is perfect if you have fair skin. This one is a bit hit or miss for me because sometimes I feel like it washes me out. Nonetheless it is still a pretty nude.

52' Idol Red: This one is a fire red shade. It has an orange undertone which can unfortunately make your teeth look yellow. I'm not very big on blood orange lip shades as I feel they do not suit me.

51' Muse Red: Your classic red. It has a blue undertone which makes your pearly whites shine. This one is perfect if you're after a bold red lip because the formula is super comfortable and smooth. I much prefer this one than Idol Red because it looks good on all skin tones.

55' My Nude: This nude has a slight pink undertone. It is deeper than Rock n' Roll Nude and a lot more opaque. The formula is very soft and glides on the lips smoothly. It feels comfortable on the lips however, the lasting power is not that great.  

56' Boho Nude: A nude with an apricot undertone. This one is my least favourite out of the nude shades because I don't think it suits me. Although, it would look great on a lot of people. The formula is lovely and applies full colour in one swipe. 

Overall, I think these lipsticks are lovely. The formula glides on the lips smoothly and leaves a nice, satin finish. The long lasting formula was slightly disappointing although, reapplying lipstick is not a problem for me. I found the darker/bold shades to almost flake off my lips which was irritating as it made it feel uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the opaqueness makes up for it.

Love always,
Sara xo