FAVOURITES | March 2014 Best Of

You know I am gonna get all cliched on you right now and say I can't believe March is over, right? Right ok good. Now on to the best of beauty for March - I had some really great new discoveries this month, as well as a few old favourites pop back into rotation. It was a great month for trying new things, and I imagine several of my late month purchases will be April favourites. Here's what I've been loving...

BRUSH BREAKDOWN | Face Essentials

Two weeks ago I broke down my favourite eye brushes for you in this post and for what use I deemed each best for. This go round I'm getting even more detailed with a face brush breakdown, letting you know which brushes I reach for which products, and in which order. Let's take a look...

THE TEENAGE CHRONICLES | The 90's Part One

With #throwbackthursday being such a hit over on Instagram, it had me thinking back to my teenage self. The 90's also known as the majority of my teenage years were a bit of a rough one for girls yeah? This is a part one of a little series I am doing devoted to my teenage years, because that's really were my love of makeup all began (and my first introduction to MAC!). Let's take a look at some of the things I sported on regular basis back in the day, prepare to cringe...

THIS vs THAT | A Possible MAC Chromagraphic NC15/NW20 Dupe?

Ages ago I wrote a post about nude liners, and how I still hadn't found a decent dupe for my beloved MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in NC15/NW20. Given that it is a MAC Pro product, and my local MAC Pro store has been out of a it for a good solid 3 months, I was feeling the urge to find a decent dupe again...

THE LINE UP | Rosegold Edit

A while back I wrote this post a handful of monochromatic products I was loving lately. Carrying on with the feature, I'm going for rosegolds this time. Here's a handful of products I've been reaching for lately that boast the golden pink hue everyone is lovely for spring and summer...

MASCARA MONDAY | L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara

Since I've been on a mascara buying binge, I figured I'd start putting my mascara reviews and first impressions on Mondays, thus calling them Mascara Mondays. 

This week, I thought I'd go back to a brand that hasn't impressed me with a mascara in years and try out their newest (and somewhat gimmicky looking) release. 

SUNDAY STEALS | 6 Under $10

While I have a much too spendy habit on much too spendy cosmetics, I love a good bargain as much as the next girl. Here are my picks for budget friendly beauty that is all tried and tested by your's truly with a promise not to break the bank. 

BATTING LASHES | My Go To Mascara

So, by now you know my all out love for mascara. Given my lashes are decently long (thought not like they used to be) it is probably one of my favourite features to play up. I want it all in a mascara - the length, the volume, the drama, the separation. I find myself a bit of a mascara floozy trying new ones constantly, but there is one that is a stand by tried and true favourite and it never lets me, or my lashes, down.

HAD TO HAVE IT | Things I Bought Because Others Said So

Remember when you were a kid and you would do something because your friend did it and your mother or father would say, "If so and so jumped off a bridge would you do that too?" - I almost feel like the beauty community is along the same vein. Someone buys something, raves about it on a blog or YouTube video, so someone else buys it and before you know it that product is out of stock for the next month. The power of good word, hey? 

Here's some things I bought recently because someone else said they were amazing, and my thoughts on them.

WANTS | My Current Beauty Wish List

With a new Sephora way too close to my home, a MAC at my fingertips, and online shopping my night time past time, my wish list is forever growing. It's a burden I tell you.

Here's a look at some of my most recent wants; I wont lie, I may or may not have purchased some of these before this post even went live...

CREAM SHADOW | My Favourite Long Wear Cream Eyeshadows

 A good cream eyeshadow can have you covered in so many situations. Late for work? Swipe one on with lashings of mascara. Not comfortable going sans makeup to the gym or the beach? A little waterproof cream shadow perks up bare eyes. You're favourite shadow just doesn't pack enough punch on it's own? You guessed it by now, start with a cream base.
Here's a breakdown of my favourites and why I love them >>

LUCK OF THE IRISH | Wearable Greens for St. Patrick's Day

Minus the odd pint or ten of green beer over the years, wearing green on my eyes has easily been my most favourable way to celebrate the touch of Irish I have in my blood line on St. Patrick's Day. In my younger years I'd go a little wilder with my shade choices, but these days I'm opting for more wearable green...

WARM PINK BLUSH | Illamasqua Tremble

Now that Spring is just around the corner (finally!) I've found myself steering away from the rosy pinks and plum blushes that look amazingly flush on winter skin, and instead trading them for a touch of tanner and warm pinks and peaches. It can be hard to find a good pink blush that is a yellow based pink that isn't packed with shimmer, but I've managed to find a great one to perk up that between season complexion! 

THE PROBLEM SOLVERS | Items You Wont Regret Buying

Let's face it, we all have had makeup mishaps. That winged liner? It was supposed to match on both sides, wasn't it? The eyeshadow brush you just used turned your brows purple because that's the last colour you used with it. You've finished your makeup and its perfect, then the dreaded mascara blob happens. Been there. 

Here's a round up of products you wont regret keeping on hand. Beauty blunders beware!

PRETTY PASTELS | Nail Polish Picks for Spring 2014

One of the big trends for Spring most years is a healthy dose of pastel. I've picked my current four favourite pastel polishes for Spring inspired tips.

GOTTA HAVE EM | Items I'll Always Repurchase

Does anyone else ever have it happen were you just run out of everything all at the same time? Last week I ran out of three of my all time favourites; Products that I just need to have on hand at any given time. 

BRUSH BREAKDOWN | Eye Essentials

I can still remember the first makeup brush I ever got, that wasn't one of those crummy scratchy blusher brushes that came in the compact. My grandmother took me to MAC ( I know right? Props to the grandmother for going big rather than going home) and besides letting me pick out two eyeshadows ( Scene, a blue tinged charcoal grey and Fade, a long time discontinued frosty pale blue - don't judge me it was '96) and a lipstick (Cherish if your wondering, and again it was '96, concealer nude lips were the rage I tell you) she also bought me a #21 brush, which though long since discontinued I actually still have. 

Since then, I've expanded my collection greatly, but there are a few I've gone back to and even repurchased over and over. Today's blog post is going to breakdown the eye brushes I wouldn't be without.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY | LilyPebbles and ViviannaDoesMakeup

Today, March 8th 2014 marks International Women's Day, something that has been observed since the early 1900's, a time when the world was vastly changing and women were starting to make their voices heard. There's a great basic timeline on the International Women's Day website that can be read here.

Two of my favourite bloggers and YouTubers, LilyPebbles and ViviannaDoesMakeup teamed up with Comic Relief recently on a trip to Ghana where the met with women who with the help of Comic Relief, had taken charge of and turned their lives around. They've been able to create a network, train each other skills, start their own businesses and empower themselves to earn their own living and support their families. 

Anna and Lily both made videos on their trip, which I've embedded below for your viewing pleasure. It's inspiring to watch their trip and even more so to see women build a life for themselves amongst poverty, rampant HIV and AIDS.

BARGAIN ALERT | MakeupGeek Eyeshadows

I realize I might be late to the game on this one, after hearing beauty gurus on YouTube from far and away rave about these shadows or eons. I finally caved and ordered myself a handful and lets just say, I can fully understand the hype now. I'm already filling up my shopping cart with more shades...

MAGIC LASHES | Revlon Lash Potion Mascara

I always get a little sceptical when mascaras claim to add both length and volume to lashes, because in my experience the formula and brush are usually geared to one or the other. Rarely does a mascara hit both marks, but I think I may have just discovered one that does, maybe it's magic?

SUPER BASE(S) | The Foundation Breakdown

Every morning when open my base drawer (yes, that's right, I have a drawer dedication to foundations, tinted moisturisers and BB creams. Don't judge...) I choose my foundation of choice by the way I want my skin to look that day. So I thought I'd do a base breakdown for you on all on a few of my favourites. 

BROW BASICS | My Daily Brow Routine

Regardless of the fact that I was a teenager of the 90's, I actually never did much shaping (re: over tweezing) to my brows, despite what everyone seems to suggest to me. Sorry folks, my thin sparse brows never went through a lush Cara Delevigne phase, they've just always been this lean. 

Bring in the brow routine, my go to products for fine browed girls like myself.

MONTHLY MUST BUY | Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

Last month I brought you the first entry for my Monthly Must Buy feature. Today I'm back with another product that if you don't already own, you need to. If you spend your money on one thing this month, spend it on the workhorse Expert Face Brush by Real Techniques.