© www.history.com

Ok, so Christmas is officially over for another year. I truly hope everybody had a lovely one filled with plenty of festive cheer and one-too-many mince pies, as well as, er, several glasses of mulled wine *hic*. Despite not asking for any gifts in particular, Santa certainly did well this year so I guess I must have made his 'nice' list - yippee! Some Soap & Glory body wash was lovingly welcomed into my arms along with a rather snazzy Fitbit and some cosy Christmas pjs... rather a random assortment but great nonetheless. As soppy and cliche as it sounds, I always think Christmas is more about spending quality time with loved ones and as much I appreciate the gifts, they don't have the same appeal to me now I'm a little older. That's also probably because you learn to appreciate people so much more after you have lost those who you were closest to, so spending as much time as you can with those who are most precious to you is so important to me now.

So after eating everything in sight on Christmas Day, I went to bed feeling fulfilled in every sense of the word. I had to drag myself out of bed the following morning though and head into work which I was completely ecstatic about as you can imagine! Busy was an understatement; there were people everywhere and I literally couldn't move without nearly stepping on someone. I can't understand who in their right mind would rush into town on Boxing Day in desperate need of new shoes (why on earth didn't they just ask Santa for a pair?!) Working in retail is certainly no fun at Christmas that's for sure.

My current to-do list goes pretty much like this:

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

Boxing Day

New Years Eve

New Years Day (I have to work, boo!)

On that note, I wish everybody a happy and healthy 2016 and sincerely beg that it'll be a better one than this year. In terms of resolutions, I'll probably go with the one about toning up and magically turning into a  petite Victoria's Secret model for about the fourth year running... I cant wait to see how well that turns out!

Do you have any resolutions?

Chloë

x

I've gone through quite a few drugstore foundations in my time, but I feel there are still more gems out there that are yet to be discovered. I tried the original True Match foundation last year, and while I got on well with it, I wasn't entirely convinced by its runny consistency and the way it liked to slide off my nose in the afternoon. Recently I discovered that this foundation is back with a BANG; it's been completely repackaged and reformulated, so I knew I'd have to give it a try.

Firstly, I'm impressed with the huge variety of shades that this foundation comes in as I know it's typically quite tricky trying to match up your skin tone with foundations from the drugstore/highstreet. I'm usually towards the lightest end of the scale (if not the palest shade) and I always find it such a task trying to find a shade that isn't too pink-toned to avoid looking like a porcelain doll gone wrong. I try and stick to yellow-toned foundations to counteract some of the redness in my cheeks but to also match up with my neck and the rest of my skin. Out of all the drugstore foundations I have tried, this is definitely the palest, yellow-est shade I have come across so far (Golden Ivory, BTW). Prior to this I fell in love with Bourjois' Healthy Mix foundation in Vanilla (no.52), but it's a little bit too dark for me now it's winter and I'm ghostly pale. 

In comparison to the first True Match formula, I can't say I've noticed much of a difference. It's still a very light and runny consistency that blends effortlessly into the skin, although L'oreal claim it's now "softer than ever, looks more natural than ever, and matches your skin's unique tone and texture even better than before." It certainly does look natural, though. I typically prefer a medium-high coverage foundation without it looking too fake and heavy, which is exactly why this True Match foundation is so perfect as you can easily build up the coverage without it looking cakey on the skin. 

Packaging-wise, the shape of the bottle has been elongated and it looks a little more modern compared to the old design. The chrome pump was seen on the previous bottle too, however it's now more square around the top which looks a lot neater but I found it almost a bit clumsy when trying to pump out the product. Besides from that though, the new design is really quite visually appealing as it sports an expensive feel and could easily be mistaken as being a product that is up there amongst some of its pricier, high-end competitors.

How it wears throughout the day is still a little bit of an issue for me. I applied it this morning after moisturising and priming my skin and by around 1pm I did notice my nose starting to look a little oily. If you carry powder with you then it's not really a big deal to do a two-second touch up, but I'd really rather not have to bother if I'm busy at work and my powder is locked away up two flights of stairs. Perhaps it depends on how you apply this foundation, though. I used a Sigma F80 brush this morning whereas recently i've been using (and loving) the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I used to love using brushes until I discovered a sponge - it gives such a light, flawless finish!

On the whole though, this foundation is a winner due to its huge variety of shades, its affordable price and its light-but-buildable coverage. Going from my personal experience though, I'd say it's probably more suited to normal-dry skin, but if you use a primer beforehand and set the foundation well it should see you through the day with minimal touch-ups!

It's a dark, dingy day here in England; the perfect opportunity to grab a cuppa and sit and write a new blog post! I should perhaps be spending my time a little more productively by wrapping the mountain of presents that seems to have just magically appeared in my bedroom, or maybe attempting to fetch the Christmas tree down from the attic, but right now I'm going to pretend that I don't have a list as long as Santa's beard containing all the things I have to do and crack on with this random, rambly blog post.

So I haven't spent as much time on my blog as I would have liked over the past few weeks, but I have a very *OMG* life update to share (well, it probably isn't that exciting to any of you).

I HAVE BRACES.

Dun dun duuuuuuun.

Ok, hear me out. I've been told many times by my dentist that I don't physically need braces, but over the past few years I've grown increasingly insecure about my teeth and I always think that if you have the chance to correct something then it's definitely worth pursuing. I'm currently sucking up saliva every 2 seconds like some freaky Henry Hoover and have a terrible lisp, but i'm trying to convince myself that, touch wood, it'll all be worth it in the end. 

Since i'm over 18, the NHS paying for my treatment was completely out of the question and so I am funding everything myself (I'm sure my poor bank account is currently in mourning). It's certainly very costly and unfortunately i'm not some millionaire who can pluck thousands of £50 notes from the money tree growing in the back garden, but I see it as a lifelong investment and that's the way I've had to come to terms with it. In terms of braces, I wasn't a candidate for Invisalign as I was told by the orthodontist that it would have no effect on my teeth. To cut a long story short, I've had to go with the gold old-fashioned metal bracket/train track braces which will hopefully give me the results I'm hoping for. I currently have an 'Upper Removable Appliance' which is supposed to widen my top arch and stop my front teeth from biting down on the train-track braces that are on my bottom teeth. Oh, it's all very complex! Much to my, er, horror, I've been told I'll have the URA for six months before then having train tracks fitted to my top teeth. Right now I'm a little bit frustrated at how silly I sound when speaking (good job I don't have to read that sentence aloud!!) Also, eating has become the biggest chore ever. I physically can't bite down anymore as I have to wear the URA whilst eating, but even when I take it out my top teeth hit the top of the train tracks on my bottom teeth so my back molars still don't touch. I understand this is completely normal and it's just something I'll have to get used to, but right now any solid food is out of the question so I've just accepted the fact that I am now somewhat of a smoothieholic.

Apologies if I just bored the pants off you; I just thought I might use my blog to document my 'braces journey' so I can look back in a couple of years time and laugh at my moany past-self.

Have you had braces? What was your experience like?

Chloe

x

A chatty mishmash of a blog post for you this week as I'm all out of sync with what day it is! I usually have Wednesdays off work so there's no confusion there, I just can't get my head around working all day tomorrow when I usually spend Thursdays sipping coffee and dawdling aimlessly around the handbag section in TK Maxx. 

Last week it wasn't just the handbag section I dawdled around, though. I ventured down the skincare aisle where I discovered what is now my favourite body moisturiser: Nip + Fab's Hyaluronic Fix Body Gel. I don't usually purchase body lotions all that often as I get incredibly lazy and don't seem to use up the ones I already have, but this one stood out to me as its texture is gel-like and not creamy like most moisturisers. I really cannot stand the greasiness of creams and hate standing around waiting for them to dry for what seems like hours on end, but with this one you don't have to. It glides onto the skin and isn't sticky in the slightest. LOVE.

Juicy Couture's Viva la Juicy has been my go-to perfume for years; this year is no different. I felt I had to include it in with the mix of my current favourites as I find myself (like many people) switching up my perfume according to the seasons. I went through a phase of using the Chloé Eau de Parfum, but have since swapped back to my well-loved, trusty Viva la Juicy.

Much like perfumes and body lotions, I'm always switching up the products I use on my face. I love this L'oreal Triple Active Fresh moisturiser at the moment which I've been using both morning and night. It's another gel-like texture which is super light and absorbs instantly into the skin. I'm sure I've already raved about this in a previous blogpost,  but it's such a lovely product I just had to give it another mention.

I bought this L'oreal #TXT Volume Spray on a whim the other day when I looked in the mirror and caught a glimpse of my hair looking rather depressed and lifeless. Naturally my hair is quite wavy and thick so I don't struggle with volume unless I've straightened my hair too much at the roots, but on this particular day it was just looking lank and weighed down. I spotted this volume spray in Boots and thought I'd give it a try. It's similar to a dry shampoo in the sense that you spray it into sections of your hair and use your fingertips to rub it in, but the great thing about this product is that it doesn't leave your hair feeling starchy and full of powdery residue. I've used it quite a few times now and so far, so good. It adds an instant lift and really helps to perk up the hair.

What are your current favourite products so far this month?

Chloë
x

Do you ever find yourself aimlessly scrolling through the photos on your phone when you discover a picture that you have absolutely no recollection of? Well, that happened to me just now. Believe it or not I took the above photo over four months ago with the intention of uploading it to my Instagram account, but for some reason or another it got lost amongst the mass of selfies and holiday snaps.

My makeup routine has changed massively since July though - surprisingly I don't use many of the products pictured on a daily basis anymore as they have more than likely been stashed away in a makeup box and completely forgotten about!

The Maybelline 'Baby Lips' lip balm and the 'Photo Flawless' primer by Seventeen are still used on a daily basis, though. The primer is silicone-based so it helps to smooth out the skin's surface and create an even base for foundation, and the lip balm is great at adding instant moisture to the lips. The 'Falsies' mascara was also a favourite that I used everyday until it ran out, but I haven't yet repurchased it as I found a stack of mascaras hiding in a spare makeup bag the other day. The same applies to the Maybelline 'Better Skin' concealer, which I found great for hiding under-eye circles but slightly too dark for blemishes.

I purchased The Balm's 'Mary-Lou Manizer' after seeing numerous YouTube Beauty Gurus rave about it but in all honesty, I'd say I've only used it a handful of times - it's been sat on my chest of drawers for weeks! It's very pigmented so a little definitely goes a long way - a light dusting above the cheekbones is all you need to create a lovely highlight.

I tried using the 'Supercat' liquid eyeliner by Soap & Glory the other day for the first time in a while and I just couldn't get my wings even (#firstworldproblems). I'll probably stick it back in my makeup box for now until I can find the time to sit down and watch hours of tutorials to get myself back on track (or back on fleek!).

The same goes for the Sigma 'Brow Duo'. I have used it a few times with a Mac 266 brush but I do prefer using a brow pencil overall - it's a lot quicker and so much easier when trying to get the brows to look somewhat even. 

Last of all is the Mac blush in 'Springsheen'. This is lovely during the spring and summer months as it's a very shimmery, peach-toned shade, but for the winter months I prefer a darker, matte shade like Rimmel's blush in 'Smoked Oyster'.

Oh, and the Real Techniques brush are still used on the daily. How could I ever forget about those?!

Chloë

x

This time exactly two weeks ago I began trekking up numerous steps to reach Gaudí's ever-so-wonderful Park Güell, situated on Carmel Hill with breathtaking views overlooking the whole of Barcelona. Today, however, I'm back at home slumped on the sofa reminiscing about my time in Spain and experiencing what I'd like to call 'PHD' (post-holiday depression, FYI).

Day One

The first day consisted of waking up at 3:00am (much to my delight) and heading off to the airport. I idiotically didn't go to bed until 11:30pm the previous evening as I was faffing around with my hand luggage and researching "Barcelona Fashion in Autumn" for waaay longer than necessary. Surviving on three and a half hours sleep was NOT fun, but I managed to sneak in a little siesta* when I got to the apartment.

*Side note: the thirty minute siesta somehow turned into a three hour sleep... I was completely ZONKED.

As I siesta'd for a little longer than planned, I woke up feeling rather groggy but didn't want to waste the rest of the day moping around in the apartment, so I pulled myself together and headed out to explore the area. 

Being located on the outskirts of Barcelona meant there wasn't an awful lot to see or do besides food shopping in the Mercadona, but the transport links were excellent and having a tram stop just a five minute walk away meant it was incredibly easy to travel into the city.

The view from the balcony

Day Two

Ah, the day when the real exploring began. After filling up on breakfast it was time to catch the tram to the nearest metro stop. Much like a London Travelcard, you can purchase a ticket which allows you access to the trams, buses and metros. What's even better is that it's just €9.95 and entitles you to use it for ten journeys, so you can hop on and off various methods of transport until your heart's content!

The first port of call was, of course, Las Ramblas. I was hit by a sense of familiarity here as just a couple of years ago my parents, my brother and I had all visited Barcelona on a day trip and it really brought back memories of when we used to have such lovely family days out. Near the end of the street you reach The Columbus Monument (Mirador de Colom) where you can cross the road and head over the bridge towards the shopping centre, Maremagnum. I remember this is exactly where my family had lunch, overlooking the marina.

 

Next stop was visiting the Gothic Quarter, but en route I couldn't help but notice the Arc de Triompf. Unfortunately it had started to rain quite heavily at this point which resulted in me dashing back the the nearest metro station, however I did manage to get a few quick shots beforehand.

Day Three

The day I hiked up to Park Güell. It was well worth it, though! Although rather tiring, it was a good leg workout to say the least and the views were breathtaking. You do have to pay an entry fee if you wish to access the 'Monumental Zone', but it is free if you wish to wander around the outside perimeter of the park.

A song to sum up this picture: 'The Climb' by Miley Cyrus! #SoSteep

It was so interesting to see the different types of architecture within the park - just look at the intricate mosaic patterns!

I was particularly fond of this little gingerbread house, another of Gaudí's designs. It's so cute!

Day Four

The last full day of the trip *sob*. As my brother and his girlfriend had briefly visited Barcelona for a day back in June, they recommended going to see Mount Tibidabo, a five hundred and twenty meter high mountain offering spectacular views of the city and surrounding coastline. 

The top of the mountain also featured an amusement park and a church... talk about juxtaposition!

After exploring Mount Tibidabo, I paid a visit to the Sagrada Família, one of Barcelona's most popular tourist attractions. There is still construction work taking place on certain parts of the cathedral, but luckily I managed to take photos from the opposite side so it didn't detract from the beauty of this incredible piece of architecture.

Noticed these two beauties whilst having lunch - so adorable!

Day Five

The day I travelled back home to dreary old England. I had such an amazing time in Barcelona, even if it was only for four short days! Whenever I go on mini-breaks I always think it's important to see and do as much as you can so you really make the most out of the trip. (Did I ever tell you the time I walked over 30,000 steps a.k.a over 23km in a day around Paris?!) 

If you liked the photos, head on over to my Instagram for more :)

¡Hasta luego!

Chloë

x

All photos were taken by myself using a Canon Powershot SX220. If you would like to use any of the photos featured above, please contact me first. 

Now that Autumn is well and truly here, it's time to swap those skimpy summer outfits for the biggest, chunkiest cable-knit jumpers you can find. This time of year is a firm favourite for me in terms of fashion - I just love the colours and the cosiness! 

I thought I'd do a different blog post today by posting an autumnal OOTD. Oh, and sorry for the bad quality photos, I had to take them on my iPhone :-( (#firstworldproblems).

So here it is! A pretty simple outfit but I do think you could easily wear this look in the daytime as well as at night. I picked up the black top and the patterned skater skirt from Bershka earlier on in the week whilst I was in Barcelona. I was actually really impressed with their clothing! It's super affordable and they stock some really nice pieces for the autumn.

I picked up the burgundy cardigan from Topshop (similar here). It's a little on the long side so would probably suit somebody enviably tall with a model-like physique a lot better, but meh, it's Autumn and wearing clothes a little on the oversized side is perfectly acceptable, right?!

Last but by no means least, I just have to tell you about my latest splurge. I have lusted over this bag for quite some time now and have always seen it as my 'dream' handbag. It's the Marc Jacobs 'Too Hot to Handle' satchel - the satchel being a miniature version of the tote. I'm not a huge fan of big handbags as I don't like to carry much apart from my phone and purse, so the size of this bag is perfect for me. There's also a long strap so you can wear the bag across your body - super handy for when you simply don't have a hand free! I'll have to be honest, I really didn't plan on buying this bag in the colour 'cement'. 99.9% of the time I only buy black handbags so I can wear them with absolutely everything, but this lighter shade is a nice change and looks lovely with the gold hardware.

Have you picked up any nice fashion pieces this month?

Chloë

x

I'm 99% sure i'm going to sound like a broken record for saying this, but HOW ARE WE INTO A NEW MONTH ALREADY?! Where on earth did August go?! In the words of every fangirl from 2012, I simply "can't even".

Anyway, you may or may not be wondering where the heck I've been for the past month. Well, I shall tell you. August was a very bittersweet month for me this year. Amongst my brother's birthday celebrations there was a great deal of sadness as we mourned the loss of my grandad. Even now, a couple of weeks on, it feels completely surreal saying that... in my head I imagine him to still be here, sat on the sofa overlooking the garden with The Daily Mail in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Like my mum has always done in these situations, i've kept busy by going into work and trying to carry on as normal, but I then find that I almost feel guilty for not sitting myself down and taking the time to actually think through what has happened. You get so caught up in the moment that in a way you don't want to think it through because you don't want to believe it's real. 

But, as harsh as it sounds, life goes on and you have no choice other than to come to terms with what's happened and cherish all of the memories and the good times spent together. 

One thing that has helped me tremendously, however, is Pinterest. I find it somewhat comforting to read through inspiring/relatable quotes and it's reassuring to see how many "likes" or "re-pins" something has as a little reminder that you're not alone.

I know there's only a small number of you that follow my blog, but it still means so much to know that there are people out there who are interested in what I post. This was very different to my usual blog posts so I hope you don't mind me being all "totes emosh" and personal! I'm sure i'll be back to writing about the bargains i've picked up off Boots' clearance shelf sometime soon!

Chloë

x

I don't know if it's just me, but I find it hard to believe it's August already. July certainly flew by! I was about to name this blog post 'July Favourites' and share a few things I've been loving recently, but after scrolling through my previous posts I've since realised that I've somehow managed to get ahead of myself by already writing about my favourite products during July... silly me! Not to worry though, I've found myself obsessing over face products recently so I figured it would make more sense for me to do an updated post focusing entirely on skincare - hope you enjoy!

For some reason I've suffered terrible breakouts lately, which has left me no choice but to frantically rummage around looking for pretty much anything containing plenty of spot-fighting salicylic acid. The 'Rapid Action' scrub by Clearasil is great at removing dead skin cells (gross but true) and fighting any stubborn spots. It's a creamy yet gritty consistency and you can start to feel it working from the very moment you apply it. It leaves the skin feeling soft and freshly cleansed and although I can't say that my spots magically vanished into thin air, it certainly helped to reduce any redness!

Now for something a little gentler on the skin - Champneys Gentle Conditioning Toner. I feel that toners often get given a bad name as they're typically stereotyped as being harsh and drying on the skin, but this one couldn't be more different. I've tried various toners in the past and this one certainly lives up to its name - it's so gentle on the skin and contains natural extracts of cucumber, aloe vera and rose water to name a few. I'd certainly recommend this to anybody in search of a new toner as it leaves your skin feeling hydrated and refreshed as opposed to dry and tight. Oh, and better still, it's available to pick up in Boots for under £10!

Having never owned a face mist, I was pleasantly surprised by The Body Shop's Vitamin C Facial Spritz. It's packaged in a 100ml sized bottle which makes it the perfect size for travelling and taking with you when you're out and about and in need of an instant boost of hydration. I love the scent of this - it's very fresh and smells strongly of citrus. You can spray it directly onto your face or instead onto a cotton pad to use it as a toner, but either way it feels very light and refreshing on the skin. Priced at £11 a bottle, it does seem a little costly for what is essentially just a toner with a spray nozzle, but I loved using this during the summer months so I would definitely consider re-purchasing this at a later date.

I hope this was somewhat useful to those of you who are perhaps thinking about adding some new skincare products into your regime! Have you discovered any fabulous face products recently?

Chloë
x

While i'll admit i'm no great lover of the rain, there's nothing I enjoy more than popping the kettle on, brewing the world's strongest black coffee and fetching last years onesie out from under the bed so I snuggle up on the sofa for a good few hours. Today is certainly one of those days (yes it is July, but it is England i'm talking about). What better way to spend a dull, dreary day than loading Expedia up on my iPad and searching for a last-minute, three-day break somewhere hot and exotic.

After hours of trawling the web comparing hotels and flight prices I feel i've made headway into actually booking somewhere during October, yippee! Many of you probably already know that I work in a shoe shop, and the weeks leading up to when the children go back to school is a NIGHTMARE let me tell you. Think walking upstairs into a vibrant, shoe-filled room where you're greeted by screaming infants and groups of families impatiently waving tickets in the air hoping to be the next ones that are served. I do like my job and my shifts soon whizz by when it's busy, but when you're continuously serving one family after the next for hours on end it can feel a little bit like you're working behind a till in a supermarket - the families are the groceries on the conveyor belt and i'm the cashier trying to scan everything through the till at 100mph... see what I mean?! On top of that you have every single type of foot to contend with: wide, narrow, small, big, young, old, bunioned, smelly... the list is endless and quite frankly i've had to stop before I start thinking up excuses as to why I can't possibly work tomorrow. 

Anyway, back to holidays. I've been fortunate enough to visit many of Spain's provinces while I was growing up as the country has always been a family favourite. My parents were always jetting off to Spain long before I was even born so I guess it's just been instilled in me to love travelling there too. While i'm not too fussed about which area to visit, Mallorca has caught my eye as Palma airport has plenty of hotels nearby - perfect for when you're only holidaying for a few days. This is always a factor I take into consideration as there'd be nothing worse than going on a short break only to spend a large proportion of time (and euros) travelling to and from the airport. I'll be sure to update this post to let you know if this goes ahead or not, but for now i'd like everybody to keep their fingers crossed so I can be up, up and away from the UK!

UPDATE: The (much needed) short break went ahead, hurrah! Although, the original plan of visiting Mallorca went completely out the window and I actually ended up in Barcelona for four days! You can read more about that here.

Today I thought it would be a bit of fun to step away from my camera and delicately-arranged pieces of makeup and trawl the web in search of a 'questions' tag, so that's what i've done. I came across a set of questions on Zoella's blog (you can view her answers here) and thought I'd have a go at answering them myself - so here we go!

What is your current fashion obsession?
I'm really loving striped T-shirts at the moment. Whether they're navy and white or red and white, i'm really into the stripes right now.


What is your current makeup obsession?
I'm getting really into using The Balm's 'Mary-Lou Manizer' highlighter at the moment - It's amazing!


What are you wearing today?
Unfortunately I'm still lazing around in my work uniform, so I'll have to go with a navy cardigan, a magenta-pink blouse and navy trousers. Nice.


Hair?
Curled... I'm all about that volume.


Do you nap a lot?
Rarely... I've discovered that I can't have a nap for just a few minutes and bounce straight back up again. I either nap and end up sleeping for hours on end or just fight through the tiredness!


Why is today special?
Because the Morrisons delivery is due later..


What would you like to learn to do?
I'd love to learn to speak Spanish and I could do with brushing up on my French too.


What's for dinner today?
Gluten-free spaghetti so I can beat the bloat!


What are you listening to right now?
The kettle is boiling if that counts?!


What is your favourite weather?
When the sun is shining and it's warm enough/socially acceptable to wear shorts in public!


What's the last thing you bought?
Some brown hair dye to cover over my ombré.


What are your essentials when traveling?
Mainly beauty-related bits like make-up wipes, a good cleanser, moisturiser etc. on top of a mirror, hairbrush and a toothbrush.. with toothpaste.


What's your style?
Classy not trashy, ha!


What is your most challenging goal right now?
Deciding what I should do with my life - hmph.


If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Somewhere super sunny, lively and exotic like Barcelona :)


Favourite vacation spot?
España!!

So there you have it! Feel free to answer these questions on your own blog - I'd love to read your answers!

Chloe

x

So far this month I haven't been all that adventurous regarding my makeup. Usually in the summer, I like to mix up my routine by swapping foundations for BB creams, lip glosses for lip balms and bronzers for highlighters, but so far I'm still in 'Winter' mode and find myself reaching for the same foundation that I was using waaay back in November. Besides from that, however, I have found a few new little gems that I thought were worthy of a mention - and better still, they are all pretty darn affordable!

Foundation

Aaaaand here it is, the foundation I've been using for months on end. It's Rimmel's 'Lasting Finish 25 hour' foundation in the shade 'True Ivory'. First off, I LOVE THIS STUFF. I've been through bottles and bottles of foundations desperately searching for 'the one' for so long and having no such luck. I find that a lot of foundations tend to look lovely when first applied but begin to leave your skin looking patchy after only a couple of hours, however this one does not. I do have to powder around my nose after a few hours or so but the rest of my face looks exactly the same as it did when I first applied it. It also has SPF 20 which makes it perfect in the summer as it will protect your skin from any harmful UV rays and the coverage is amazing - I'd say it gives a medium coverage at very least and can easily be built up (without looking heavy) if you need to cover any problem areas.

Powder

When it comes to powder, I usually always buy them in the 'translucent' shades so it doesn't alter the colour of my foundation, but recently, with it being Summer and all, I tried out Revlon's 'Nearly Naked' powder in the shade 'Light'. I was pleasantly surprised by the colour of this; I thought it'd be too warm and turn my face orange but it actually seemed to even out my skintone and make my skin look healthier. I was also impressed to find a mirror and a powder puff inside of the compact, something that my trusty Rimmel 'Stay Matte' powder doesn't offer. This is ideal if you're looking for a powder you can take with you if you're on the move, as thanks to its packaging, it's a lot less likely to open itself and crumble to bits in the bottom of your bag!

Lips

I'll be honest here, if it wasn't for my Cherry Chapstick finally running out after 7 years, I probably would have never bothered looking for another lip balm. I'd only bought a Cherry Chapstick in the first place after I'd heard Katy Perry's infamous 'I Kissed a Girl' song on the radio a trillion times... aaah the memories. Anyway, the time had come for me to buy a replacement. I'd seen so many people all over the internet raving about these 'Baby Lips' lip balms that I just had to hop on the bandwagon to see what all the fuss was about. I bought the blue one at random which turns out to be the 'hydrating' one of the range, promising to keep your lips moisturised for 8 hours. I took this to Spain with me as it also has SPF 20 which was perfect for when I was spending hours outside in the sun! I did think it left my lips feeling softer and a lot smoother than other lip balms I've used it the past, and it has a slight lemon-y scent to it which smells lovely and fresh.

Cheeks

I'm pretty sure I've written about this in a blog post before, but I've been using it so much recently I thought it was worthy of another mention. It's the 'Instant Glow' Shimmer Brick by Seventeen; a compact made up of 4 different shades that you swirl together and apply to the tops of your cheekbones for a gorgeous, healthy glow. Mine is in the shade 'Gold Bronze' but there is also a 'Pink Bronze' compact available which I feel you could also use as a blusher. Personally I like that this product isn't too strongly pigmented as it allows you to build up the glow very subtly and what's more, it's just a fraction of the cost of the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks!

Eyes

Ok, I'm going to start by saying I freaking love this mascara. I love the packaging, I love the wand, and most importantly, I love the volume it gives to my lashes. The wand has a slight curve to it which allows it to grasp hold of every single eyelash and immediately turns them all long and fluttery - without any of those dreaded big clumps. Oh, and another thing, it's not a disaster to remove either; you can literally wipe it off and it doesn't leave your lashes feeling like they've been coated in

cement!

Fragrance

Last but by no means least, I've really been loving this Chloé perfume this month. I usually go for fresh scents, but this one has notes of rose, lychee and honey and is beautifully light and floral. I haven't come across many perfumes that have good staying power but I have to say, this one does seem to last for hours on end and really is such a classy and sophisticated scent.

What have you been loving so far this month? I'd love to hear any recommendations!

Chloë