iPhone 6s+ review

I upgraded my phone a couple of months ago, so I thought I'd do a little review & what's on my iPhone post incase any of you are thinking about upgrading to the iPhone 6s+. 

I was undecided for a while whether to go for the 6s or  the 6s+ but I decided on the bigger one after thinking about what I use my phone for the most: photos, emails, social media. 

Pros

Large screen is great for photo editing, web browsing, social media, youtube and emails. 

Screen is a lot clearer than the previous 5s I had 

Speakers are improved

I love the rose gold colour I chose 

I went for the 64GB meaning I have loads more space

Cons 

The off/on button is on the side which is really irritating. I find I catch it all the time especially when altering the volume which is on the opposite side. (I think this is the same for the 6s) 

It's too big to fit in most pockets 

It's a little awkward to use at the gym for music as its so big, so I did invest in a specific arm band thing from Amazon.

It's difficult to find nice cases that fit properly. I ordered a skinny-dip one which was lovely, but didn't quite fit properly over the buttons, so I just have a plain clear one on at the moment. 

Overall Thoughts 

I really love this phone, and once you get used to the larger size, it's so much nicer to use. I found it a little awkward at first, but now I find the normal size far too small!! 

Apps 

I don't have loads of apps, but I thought I'd share some of my favourites in this post

My Fitness Pal - I use this to track calories instead of my old fashioned writing it down in the notes and it's so much easier! I also track my exercise at the gym using this, and my weight. 

VSCO - This is what I use to edit my instagram pictures and apply my filter 'theme'. If you don't follow me on instagram, you can see my profile and theme here. I just like the look of an instagram theme, and it makes editing photos easier as you can just copy and paste the edits. 

Face tune - I don't use this to airbrush selfies, just make whites whiter and smooth any parts of the photo that don't look right. I tend to only use this for selfies, pics of my dog and things with a lot of white that I want to bring out. (Also, mine always has 18 notifications which I can't get rid of and are really irritating!!) 

Spotify 

I actually got Spotify premium in with my contract, which was great! I use this to listen to music as it takes up less space than iTunes, and you can also listen offline which is perfect for the gym. 

Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Natwest/Paypal - pretty self explanatory!! 

Unidays - great for student discounts! 

Harvey Nichols Rewards, Starbucks Rewards - I love a good rewards program, and both are completely free and don't require you to do anything as you just set up an account and purchases/points are automatically added, or you can scan receipts. 

Netflix - I love netflix, I usually watch it on a bigger screen but have it on my phone as I use it sometimes. I had a trial of Now TV which was good for The Walking Dead, but I didn't sign up as there wasn't any other programmes on that I wanted to watch! 

Wordpress - good for checking blog stats and comments 

ASOS - for addictive browsing!

So that's a little overview of my phone - I hope some of you found it useful! If you'd be interested in a video to go through my apps, or a similar post with my iPad mini 4 then do let me know! 

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation

Charlotte Tilbury magic foundation 

I've been using the Charlotte Tilbury magic foundation now for around a month, so today I'm sharing my thoughts on it. I use the shade 2, and set it with the Charlotte Tilbury powder in shade 1. As with all Charlotte Tilbury products, the packaging is beautiful, and the products are very high quality. 

The foundation is a medium to full coverage depending on how much you use, and gives an even coverage without looking heavy. It covers blemishes, redness and dark circles well and doesn't cling to any dry patches. I apply mine with a brush (as that's what Charlotte Tilbury uses) which works really well, but I've also tried it with a beauty blender, which gives a lighter coverage. 

There are lots of different shades, and when you order online they send you 3 samples to ensure you have the right shade before you open the bottle, which I think is a great idea. Pale foundations are really difficult to find, but shades 1 and 2 of this foundation are probably the best I've found for pale skin. 

This foundation lasts all day and I very rarely need to touch it up. I set mine with the powder, which is a beautiful finely milled setting powder that mattifies without adding dullness. Sometimes I need to touch up my powder after a few hours, but this is normal for me with any foundation or powder, and I find that this lasts a lot longer than any of my other foundations. 

If you have any skin problems, this foundation is great for coverage and is long-wearing. What I really like about this foundation is the fact that it looks so natural whilst still giving good coverage. It's quite expensive, as with all Charlotte Tilbury products, but I'd say it's definitely worth the money. 

If you haven't tried the magic foundation yet, I'd highly recommend getting a sample or trying it at one of the Charlotte Tilbury counters. If you're unsure of what shade to buy and you can't get to a counter, I'd recommend ordering from the Charlotte Tilbury website, then you can get the samples and try them at home before opening the foundation. 

Have any of you tried this foundation? 

The Balm Mary Lou Manizer.

There's been a lot of hype about this little highlighter in the beauty world recently, so I thought I better try it. I go through phases with highlighter - sometimes I use it every day, other times I'll go months without touching it, but I'm always drawn to buying highlighters and bronzers for some reason.

I've only ever tried the Balm products in Birchbox before, and I have the Frat boy blush from an old Glossybox. It's not a brand that I've tried much from, or been really interested in before, but this Mary Lou Manizer caught my attention.

I'll start with the packaging. I'm not the biggest fan of it to be honest, it's difficult to open, and I don't really like the design on the front, but it does have a handy mirror inside. The product though, is a different story.

The highlighter is very golden (looks more so in real life than on-camera) and is very shimmery. It's beautiful on the cheeks and a little goes a long way. I'm very pale and I really like this on myself, but I think it would work well on darker skintones too. The shimmer is very fine but is definitely there, it's not one of those 'glitter' highlighters, but definitely sits more towards that than dewy glow. I personally quite like a bit of shimmer, especially in the summer or in the evening. I don't reach for this everyday as it can be a little bit too shimmery, but I'm looking forward to trying it with a tan in the summer.

If you don't like shimmery highlighters, this one probably isn't for you, but if you do, I think you'll probably like it. Because it's so shimmery, it's lovely as an eyeshadow, especially if you're in a rush - I've used it all over the lid with a bit of bronzer in the crease.

As for lasting power, I haven't had any problems with this, but one thing to note, if your foundation wears off a bit, the highlight is left looking very strong. My advice - use a very small amount.

I'm a bit mixed on this one really - I like it, but I'm not sure it's the best highlighter I've ever used.

Have you tried it? What do you think?

p.s about the tooth, I should be getting it sorted tomorrow, I'm still in pain, and still on a liquid diet :(

Bold metals.

Real Techniques Bold metals powder brush

Real Techniques Bold metals contour brush

Real Techniques Bold metals blush brush

Aren't these the most beautiful brushes?! There was so much hype around these when they first launched, but I wanted to see some reviews before I bought them, as they aren't cheap. After doing my research, these three brushes were the ones that most people loved and recommended. I did also want the eyeshadow brush but it was out of stock when I bought these. 

Firstly I'm a big fan of the original Real Techniques brushes, they're amazing and make up the largest part of my brush collection. These ones are on the same price and quality level as MAC brushes, but are all synthetic hair so are cruelty free/vegan friendly. I own mainly synthetic brushes but have a couple that aren't. 

The powder brush is great for its intended use, but I like using mine for bronzer, it seems to apply just the right amount, and blends seamlessly, which is really important to me. If you want to see these brushes in action by the way, they're in my makeup menu video which will be up on Sunday. 

The contour brush is similar to an Illamasqua one that I have, but is more fluffy and slightly less dense. It's perfect to contour with, and I've been using it with my new Anastasia palette that I bought from Sephora. As a newbie- contourer I've found this really easy to use and it seems to apply just enough. I was afraid that it might not blend very well, but it works fine and I'm really impressed with it. 

The blush brush is quite small for blush, and is similar to the mac 168 which is what I usually use. I find this one applies a bit less product and works equally as well for highlighter. I've been using it with my beloved Hourglass blushes and it gives a really natural finish, which I like. If it's too small for blush for you, you might like it for highlighter, and Kathleen lights (on youtube) I know likes it for concealer. 

The beauty of synthetic brushes is that they can be used with cream or powder products. I haven't tried them with cream products yet, but will report back if/when I do. 

The handles on these are beautiful, and the metallic colours are perfect. Definitely the most attractive brushes that I own! 

If you're fancying some luxury brushes I'd definitely recommend these, but if you're on more of a budget, I'd go for the original Real Techniques range! Have you tried the Bold Metals? 

Marc Jacobs - The Dreamer palette.

Marc Jacobs The Dreamer palette 

You may have already spotted this beauty in my Sephora haul video, but I couldn't resist taking some photos of it before I used it to share with you all! I'm a big palette fan, something about them just makes you want to buy them and I do have quite the neutral palette collection. One thing I didn't have though, was a lot of warm toned neutrals, so this palette has very nicely filled that gap. 

The shades are absolutely beautiful, especially the shimmer shades. The matte creams and dark brown are very 'normal', but ones that are so useful to have in a palette. The peach and gold shades are beautiful, and definitely my favourites. I've been using them a lot (tutorial video coming on Sunday) and I am really loving them, especially for spring and summer! 

The formulation of these shadows is a bit odd. I find that some of them can apply a little unevenly and some are a little difficult to blend. They aren't bad at all, but do take a little more work than Urban Decay shadows for example. The shadows do last very well and are really beautiful but it's not a palette I'd reach for if I was in a rush. 

I love the warm tones of this palette, and I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it in the warmer months (where are you weather?). It was expensive, and you can only get them at Sephora, which means for us in England, you can't swatch them. I'm happy I bought this, and I do think it's worth the money. The packaging is stunning, and very compact so it would be perfect for travelling too. 

If these shades aren't doing it for you, there are lots of other options! 

Have you tried any Marc Jacobs beauty? 

The Hourglass ambient lighting blush dupe?

There's hardly been a day since I bought my Hourglass ambient lighting blush palette that I haven't used it because I'm still obsessed with it. It looks absolutely beautiful for a start, the packaging and the products I just can't fault at all.

I find a lot of blushes are too pigmented and look a bit clown like, but these Hourglass ones are so flattering. They have a little bit of shimmer in them, but nothing too glittery. They're basically the perfect blush. The only thing is, this palette is £56 and is quite difficult to get hold of.

Max Factor have just released their Creme Puff Blushes, which are very similar. I've no idea why they names them creme puff, as they're definitely powder blushes. Obviously the packaging of these is no where near as beautiful, but they're only £8.99 and the hourglass blushes individually are £28.

I've been using the Max Factor almost every day now since I bought it. The one I have is Nude Mauve, which isn't an exact match of any of my Hourglass ones, but the formulation, application and lasting-power is exactly the same. I really can't find any fault with the Max Factor blushes.

There's a great shade selection both from Max Factor and Hourglass, and both will give you a gorgeous natural blush that just makes the skin look healthy. The difference is: one will cost you an extra £20 for beautiful packaging.

I love both of these to be honest, but I'd definitely recommend the Max Factor ones as they're just as good. Saying that, I love my Hourglass palette and would be lost without it.

Dupe? YES

Have you tried either of these blushes? x

Map My Heart.

Valentine's day is coming up, and I thought for the first time ever, I'd dedicate a blog post to something Valentine's themed. This is a book by Dom n Ink, who I met at a blogger event back in November (you may have seen his amazing illustration of me already). I bought this book back in December and have been thinking of how best to blog about it since, and thought Valentine's day was a pretty good fit.

I haven't filled mine in yet, but it's an interactive dating journal, that's really funny and has some brilliant illustrations. If you're stuck for a Valentine's day present, or like me, if you're single but just like quirky books like this, I'm sure you'll love it!

I think there's a bit of something for everyone in Map My Heart, there's some bits to read, places to draw, illustrations, little activities, and they're all based around dating. The thing I think is most unique about this book is that there's literally a section for everyone, no matter what your relationship status. I also especially love the unicorn patterned page.

I'm a big fan of books that you can pick up and put down at any point, or can simply flick through when you're relaxing, and this one is just like that. If you like journalling, or books like the wreck this journal, then I'm sure you'll enjoy filling this one in too.

So whether you're trying to find the perfect gift, planning something fun with friends, or spending the day by yourself, this book will no doubt keep you amused!

As with all cool books, it's available at Urban Outfitters (inthe US!), as well as book shops and Huck and Pucker (linked above) here in the uk !

Hope you're all having a wonderful day too!

xx

p.s Dom, great job! x

*Not a sponsored post.

Favourite Face Masks.

I've mentioned these masks a lot over on my Youtube channel but I thought I'd dedicate a post to them!

Firstly, the Aesop parsley seed mask. This has been a favourite of mine for a long time now, it's perfect for blemishes, acne, blocked pores and oily skin. It also does wonders for the texture of my skin and just generally clears it up and leaves it looking fresh and healthy. The scent is very herby and smells 'healthy' if that makes sense, which is kind of a recurring theme for all of these masks!

The Eve Lom Rescue mask is a good all-rounder. It's the most expensive of the bunch, and I find it doesn't make a big difference for spots. However, it's really good for cleaning the skin, and is very effective at exfoliating the skin. The scent is herbal and quite strong, but I really like this one, I wasn't sure at first, but through determination to use it up (and not waste my money) I've actually grown to love it!

The origins Clear improvement mask and the Out of Trouble mask, are both excellent for blocked pores, breakouts, redness (from acne/breakouts) and improving skin texture. I alternate between these two regularly and can't pick a favourite really. They're both scented really herbal, which I find relaxing, and both make a massive improvement to my skin. If you're struggling with breakouts, I'd definitely recommend these.

Last but not least is the Origins Overnight Drink Up intensive mask. This one I use after I've used any of the other 4. You apply it to clean skin, and leave it overnight. I usually apply an acne cream in the evenings (more as a prevention than anything else) but I don't use that when I use this mask. The mask is basically a very intense moisturiser and leaves my skin feeling super soft and looking amazing. It doesn't break me out or anything either, and has a beautiful citrus scent. The only thing that might be a negative is that it can feel a little bit greasy on the skin, but I personally don't mind that as I love the results so much!

What are your favourite masks?

Five Favourite Face Brushes

Finding the perfect makeup brushes can be a confusing and lengthy process, an I thought that some of you may be looking for new brushes, or might just be starting to build up your collection, so I decided to do a little edit of my five favourite brushes for base products: foundation, concealer, blush, highlight, contour and bronzer. 

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

I think just about every blogger has this brush, and I'll be honest, I have 3. I like to use a clean foundation brush every day, and having 3 (and other brushes) means I don't have to constantly wash brushes! The shape of the buffing brush is unique, I've not found any others like it, and it just applies foundation and concealer perfectly. I've used it with loads of different base products, all varying in consistency, coverage and finish, and it's never let me down. 

Real Techniques Contour Brush 

Day to day, I'll just blend in my concealer with the buffing brush, but when I'm taking a bit more time, or have used my hands to apply my base products, I'll use this little brush for concealer. I find it to be the perfect size: not too big, not too small, and it just applies concealer really well. It does also work well for contouring, it's intended use, but I personally prefer something else for that. 

Real Techniques Powder Brush

This one's good for both powder and bronzer. It's good for loose or pressed powders too. I use it for my everyday powder, but in summer I sometimes use it for bronzer too, to add an all over glow. It's a really soft brush too. 

Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt brush 

I bought this to use with my Filmstar bronze and glow from Charlotte Tilbury, and it's just the best contour brush I've ever used. It's the perfect size, picks up the right amount of product, and the application is really natural. That's also down to her bronze and highlight duo, but I do love the brush with other products too. It's also great for highlighter! 

MAC 168 brush 

This was one of the first brushes I ever owned. I remember going to MAC in Selfridges and buying a bronzer, mineralise skin finish and this brush in my first year at uni. I absolutely loved it then, and still love it now! I use it for blush too, which it also works really well for! 

So that's my little edit of face brushes, if you'd like me to do a similar edit with other brushes, just let me know! 

Hope you're all having a lovely day! x

The Origins Wonder duo

If you've been watching my YouTube channel, it's probably no surprise that these two origins products have made their way into a blog post. I've used them in multiple videos, each time raving about how much I love them. I've also been recommending them on the beauty chats on twitter, so if you follow me there, chances are you've heard me mention these!

So what's so good about them? I'll start with the Origins Ginzing eye cream. This is a little gem, and I use it in the mornings to wake up tired eyes. I have to get up early monday - friday, which is definitely not one of my favourite things to do, and I usually have some form of puffy eyes or dark circles! This eye cream somehow manages to get rid of all that, and leaves my under eye area feeling moisturised and awake. The other thing I love is that it makes the perfect base for concealer. As it's so hydrating, the concealer applies beautifully, and I get a finish which makes my skin look healthy and radiant. It is expensive, but I know that I'll just have to repurchase it when this one runs out!

Onto the Origins Vitazing moisturiser, this is a tinted moisturiser, which isn't something I've used much of. I find a lot of moisturisers can leave my skin looking and feeling greasy, and making my foundation loose about half of its longevity. This moisturiser doesn't have any effect on that, and just leaves my skin with the perfect healthy glow, and a great base for foundation or BB cream. I've used it every single day since I got it, and am so obsessed with it now! Again, it's not cheap, but I know that I'll definitely be repurchasing it, as I haven't found anything this good!

Another thing to mention perhaps is that I have sensitive  combination skin, with both oily and dry patches, and neither of these products have caused any skin irritations or break outs.

Thumbs up from me!
x

Benefit Watts Up!

You might remember me mentioning the Benefit Watts Up highlighter when I bought it way back in July. Purchasing the Charlotte Tilbury film star bronze and glow at the same time meant that this little gem never got opened, until a few weeks ago, when I remembered I still hadn't tried it. 

Well, I tried it once, and the rest is history. I love this thing! I'm not normally a huge fan of cream products, but this one is great. It applies easily over foundation (and powder), looks beautiful on the skin, and lasts all day! I'm so impressed with it that I just had to tell you all about it. 

The packaging is beautiful too. Benefit packaging is a bit hit and miss for me. I like it usually, but the cardboard packaging gets messy so quickly. This is great as it's not cardboard! The product is in a twist up stick formula too, which I find way easier to use (and keep clean!) than a cream highlighter compact. There is a little sponge on the other end of the product, which I haven't used, as personally, I think this highlighter blends beautifully with fingers. 

I know I'll be loving this product even more in Summer, as it's perfect for a bronzy glow too, as it's gold-tinted. 

It's not cheap, but I would really recommend it! 

x

Dr Marten Serena Boots review

You might have seen me mention these boots in one of my videos or seen them in an outfit post, but I thought that now I've had them for a couple of months, I'd do a proper review. 

Dr Martens can be really uncomfortable at first, and I know many people have their ways of breaking them in, but I hate having sore feet, so that definitely didn't appeal to me! These Serena boots are lined with faux fur, and the leather on them is really soft. I've worn them quite a lot as I find they go with so many outfits, and they're honestly really comfortable. 

I haven't had sore feet once whilst wearing these, and have had no blisters, cuts or anything like that. These have been really comfy since day one, and once you've worn them a couple of times they mould to your feet and become even more comfortable! 

I'm really glad that I bought these as they've been absolutely amazing, and I know they'll be invaluable as the weather gets colder. So if you're looking for the perfect Dr Martens boots, but don't want the sore feet, I'd highly recommend these! (they also come in other colours too!) 

Hope you've had a lovely week, I've been feeling ill which is why I haven't posted much, but I went to an exciting blogger event last night, and there'll be a vlog up on monday on my youtube channel, so I hope that you enjoy that! Also, if you didn't know already, I'm doing vlogmas this year, which I'm really looking forward to, and hope you all are too! xx

Click here for my youtube channel! x