Hey guys,

Hope you are all great and enjoying the little bit of sunshine we have been treated to over the past few weeks. I have been changing up my make-up and skin routine recently as the sun is making more of an appearance. Bye bye mattes and hello glow! So I thought I would do a post on what I am loving this spring. There's also a chance to win one of my current favourites so be sure to scroll all the way down.

1. L'Oreal Infallible Blush Paint in Ambers

So L'Oreal are killing it at the moment. They have so many fab new releases and when I saw this I just knew I had to get it. They have two versions: one in Pink and one in Ambers. I chose Ambers because I liked the mix of orange and pink blushes and thought this would suit my skin tone better. The blushes are a mixture of matte, satin and sparkly so you're set for any occasion! And at £14.99 it's a steal.

2. Pixi Glow Mist 

This beautiful skin mist is enriched with 21 natural oils and gives you a glow like no other. Sometimes I spritz when I'm having a make-up free day and sometimes I spray over my finished make-up to give me that extra glow. The finish on this is just beautiful, it gives you dewy, summer-ready skin in a matter of sprays. I also have to give a special mention to the spray nozzle, mystifier, spritzer thing-a-ma-jig as it just sprays so evenly. The worst thing is, when you try and spray a face mist and you get squirted in the eye. No chance with this.

3. Starskin Walk Of fame Foot Mask Socks

Come on girls, now that the warmer weather is coming we know we all need to get our feet sandal-ready. I put away my boots the other day that I have worn for about 4 months straight. Then I caught a glimpse of the pale, dry feet that haven't seen the light of day in ages and was horrified. Luckily I had bought this foot mask in the Asos sale and it leaves your feet super soft and ready to be seen!

4. Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm*

Let me just tell you now, hands down this cleanser is fantastic. You can apply this straight to your face even if you have a full face of make-up, and as you rub it in, it is so creamy, it literally melts your make-up away. It can also be used as a moisturiser. It is so nourishing and altogether fabulous. I've tried a lot of cleansers in my time but this one is special. You can get 100ml tube for £16.50. 

5. Johnny Loves Rosie Body Stickers*

Johnny Loves Rosie is a beautiful jewellery brand that I discovered when I went to Blog Con in March, but in particular I'm loving their body stickers at the moment, especially as festival season is  almost upon us. I can definitely see some great make-up looks to come using these, as they add a little bit of fun. You'll be Glasto-ready before you know it!

6. Jouer Longer-Wear Lip Topper in Rose Gold

Like I said before, it's time to ditch the mattes for shimmer and shine, and my recent purchase from Jouer does just that! It's the most beautiful lip topper and it literally brightens my day when I wear it. Apply it over a lipstick or wear it on your bare lip - it's stunning either way!

7. Oyster Brighteing Eye Serum*

Oyster is new skincare brand that know what it is they are talking about when it comes to skin. What makes them different is they incorporate what they call 'plant wisdom' with essential oils. I for one can tell you the quality of this product is definitely premium, even though the price might not suggest it. The fact that it only costs £14.99 for a 30ml bottle is fantastic, as I know other gels that are twice the price for half the size and do a quarter of the job! 

 I have been using this eye serum for just over a month now and I'm addicted. I have literally put all my other eye creams to one side and always seem to reach for this one now. It is packed full of goodness like Hyaluronic Acid, Co-Enzyme Q10, Pentapeptides and Green Tea. I put this on first thing in the morning and it just seems to reduce any puffiness straight away and decreases the dullness. I don't know if this is due to the fact that the gel is yellow in colour, but whatever it is, it works.  You are encouraged to inhale the aroma when applying, and if you like Green Tea, you'll love it. I also apply last thing before bed. It is very easily absorbed and gives a cool and soothing sensation.  

What's more... you can win one for yourself by entering the giveaway below! There are 13 ways to enter. Ends 10th May. You will be contacted by the company directly.

Hi Guys,

This post is coming straight from the heart. It's something I truly believe in and want every other person to believe in too. This became even more important to me, as with a lot of things, when I became a mum. What I am talking about is the pressure men and women feel these days to look a certain way. 

I know this post might come across as hypocritical coming from a part time beauty blogger and make-up artist but actually I think it puts me in a great position to talk about this topic. Like I said, this all came about when I had my first baby girl. As with a lot of other strange things that you never thought you would think about, thoughts about what she would be like when she was older started to creep into my head and this happened all over again when I had my second. I found myself worrying   about them being concerned over their image, as I once did when I was a teenager. I didn't want them to be so concerned with it that it took over their thoughts, or worse, gave them anxiety. 

I think my teenage years was when I really started to worry abut my appearance, to the point when it would effect my health in terms of anxiety. I was bullied at school about my appearance. My curly frizzy hair was where it stemmed from and because of this, the way I looked became a big thing to me. I wanted to 'fit in'. Well what I thought was fitting in. Now I look back I am so grateful I didn't. Without this experience I would not have been the strong, thick-skinned, determined woman I am today.

Beauty has now become a passion of mine. Yes, I am a beauty blogger and make-up artist, but that is because I find make-up fun! Not because I need it to hide behind. Most days I am make-up free and comfortable in my own skin. I've posted numerous times on my blog without any make-up or with my curly hair out and proud. I have stretch marks as thick as tiger stripes, muffin tops which hang over my trousers, but I am secure in what I am. I'm not saying I don't have the odd insecurity, it's natural to, but in no way do I let my appearance take over my thoughts or give me anxiety.

I hope my girls see it as fun like I do. There is so much pressure put on girls and boys that I worry about how I can actually protect them from this. What can I actively do to make them feel secure? I just want them to feel comfortable in their own skin and not feel like they have to put make-up on or be a certain size because that's the norm. I can only be open and honest with them and let them explore. Teach them good eating habits and make them feel happy about who they are and what they look like. I naturally find myself telling them they're beautiful and that I love them with all my heart, and hopefully this will give them some inner confidence too.

More recently I found myself reading Sunita's blog post, from LuckyThings.co.uk, on the Be Real Campaign and my ten line comment made me think I needed to write a post about it. The Be Real Campaign, if you don't know, is a pledge to be exactly that. It is a campaign that hopes to change attitudes to body image and help us to put health before appearance. It also encourages diversity in media and advertising and to promote body confidence. It's a great campaign that gives you practical things you can do to actually support the campaign. From complimenting your friends to speaking out about this issue. With the media playing such a big part in people's expectations, it is so important  for them to make a conscious effort to make these realistic. Brands such as Dove, New Look and Superdrug, all sponsor and support the campaign which is a step in the right direction. However there is still a long way to go. So the more people that can read and be aware of the campaign, the better!

Hey Guys,

This week I have a fabulous giveaway as part of my review of these Lee Stafford Coco Loco Long Tongs (£24.99). Just scroll down to the bottom of the post for details on how to enter. I was so excited to receive these tongs as, believe it or not, I have never curled my hair with tongs in my life. This might sound strange but it's because I have naturally curly hair, so if I ever style my hair, it's usually with straighteners. However since receiving the tongs I have created a few curly styles which I'm quite proud of!

The tongs are infused with coconut oil and leave your hair feeling super shiny. I found that you could use them both as a tong with the clamp, but also as a curling wand where, for a more tousled effect, you could wind your hair around the tong without clamping it in. But be careful not to burn yourself! You will notice the tongs are quite long. This is because they are designed for longer hair and have a 205mm barrel, so that there is enough surface area to actually curl your hair. For long-haired girls this is definitely a bonus. However for me I found it quite hard to manoeuvre the tongs around my hair because of the length of the tong. I did need some help in creating my hair style, as I was too scared of burning myself. I definitely think, as with any hair tool, you get more confident the more you use it.

Another great aspect is the look of the tongs. Being rose gold and pink, it's just gorgeous to look at. I also liked the fact that the cord rotated with the wand. One thing to note however, is the length of the cord is quite short. For people who have a socket next to their dresser it would be fine; others may need an extension.

I definitely think for the price (£24.99), the tongs are worth their money. I was skeptical about the coconut oil infusion at first but I can genuinely say my hair was left looking shiny and healthy rather than dry from the heat. To get the look my sister helped me to segment my hair into sections and then wind around the tong. Once she let the hair go, she then rolled the curls back up and bobby pinned to root. Once the whole head was done, I left the hair to cool and set into place and then finally released the curls. I then brushed through with my fingers. For a more tousled look, I could have brushed the curls out with a comb. Let me know what you think in the comments below!