How to make use of your expensive candle now it's finished.

Your candle's finished. 

You're sad. 

You spend £40 on that just for it to LITERALLY burn away. It's ok though, you'll survive because there's life after death of the expensive candle. 

If you've been able to avoid the instragammable, Pinterest-worthy expensive candle afterlife then let me brighten your day - there's life after the wick has burnt out. Whether you want it to house, pens, brushes or cotton buds, the choice is yours and it's a lot easier that you think. 

 Once you've burnt the last remains of your candle wait for it to completely harden, I can't stress this enough, don't mess with hot wax. Don't pour it out anywhere or rinse it... nothing. Simply wait for the remaining wax to completely harden (this is best overnight, but if you want, once it's cooled, you can pop it in the freezer for a few hours to speed things up). 

Then, take a butterknife and scrape around the edges of the hard wax to loosen and pop out. If it's not coming out so easily try scoring an X through the middle and then prise out each quarter. 

To clean the waxy film once the majority has been removed, take a brilo pad/scourer and dose it in warm water and washing up liquid and scrub the inside of the jar gently to remove. 

Et voila! Simple as.

Oh and one last thing, make sure you don't allow the warm water to run too much around the out side if your want to keep the sticker on!

Hyperpigmentation - Prevent, Treat and Cover

The Real Techniques Multi Tech Collection

The Real Techniques Multi Tech Collection - From £9.99

I’m a huge fan of Real Techniques brushes, having bought into the Youtube hype of them when they first launched. I would actually say they are the best blog/vlog-influenced purchase I have ever made. These brushes are just as soft to touch as the rest of the range and are still made of completely synthetic fibres but that’s where the similarities end. 

The multi tech brushes are unique in the fact that they are designed to be used in anyway you want. Now, if you’re like me this won’t be a particular draw to them - brushes are just brushes, right? You can use them how you wish if if that means a setting brush is actually your favourite to apply highlighter. The best part about the range is that they are all the same brush. Literally. Each of the seven brushes and even the point are the same rounded shape with a slight point, meaning that you’ll never have to say “this brush would be perfect for [insert makeup stage] if only it were bigger/smaller”. 

The range consists of XXXS, XXS, XS, S, L, XL, XXXL and a makeup sponge which is like a cross between the beautyblender pro and the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. Also the sponge and the range of small brushes come with a sponge/brush holder which is a nice touch. My favourite is the XL, it’s a dream for applying bronzer, it picks up the right amount of product and distributes it perfectly on the high points of your face. 

The Real Techniques Multi Tech Brush Collection is available from superdrug.com 

Everyday Makeup Essentials

I read so many blogs and watch so many makeup videos talking about girl’s ‘everyday makeup bags’ and I’m always a lil skeptical. How is it so neat and how do you use SO many things EVERYDAY? I switch and swap the contents of my face all the flipping time and so there are very few things that I use everyday. When I get new products to try out for work I still get excited and want to put them on my face immediately and so these are currently the things that have stuck. 

Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick, £42 

I promise you, you will not regret forking out the money for this foundation. Yes, it’s bloody expensive (Like the equivalent of looking at Whistles prices when you’re used to H&M) but boy, is it worth it. The beauty is not only in it’s formula - which stays put and doesn’t shine on throughout the day -  it’s in the applicator. So. Handy. The chic twist-up stick means that it’s great to apply and retouch when you’re out and about and the triangular shape means it’s excellent at using as a concealer too (just be careful around the eyes as it’s a full coverage formula and therefore subject to creasing). Also this has a fab shade range for us Black girls. 

bareMinerals Lash Domination Volumizing Petit Precision Mascara, £19 

I don’t tend to do my full makeup on my commute - usually just my mascara. I don’t know how or why this came about but as soon as I get on the bus I’ll whip it out, carefully applying on the straight and usually bump free route to the train station. I love this particular mascara because the wand is so tiny that you can apply it right to the root of the lash and to the smallest hairs with minimal chance of mess. It gives excellent length, volume and separation with no clumping. 

M.A.C Lip Liner in Chestnut, £13 

Ahh the allure of the brown lip still pulls me right in and this is my favourite liner out there. In fact this old gal hadn’t ever finished a lip liner until this came along and changed the game. Even if I’m just popping on a regular lip balm I’ll still put this on to give my cupid’s bow extra definition - it just makes my lips the perfect nude-y brown. Just remember to fill in your entire lip and not just the outline otherwise you’ll be harking back to a trend in makeup we all just want to forget tbh.

Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil, £18.50 

This newbie makes creating a solid brow shape unbelievably easy. It comes with a spooli on one end and the waxy pencil on the other. It’s amazing for filling in gaps with light feather-like strokes and doesn’t budge, I recently wore it in 37 degree heat in Vegas and still had on point brows come nightfall. Impressive. 

Maybelline New York Master Ink Matte Eyeliner, £4.99

I don’t think this will be everybody’s cup of tea but I love it. After reverting to eyeliner pens for a little bit and getting frustrated but how quickly they all dried up, I gave this a try. I love how wet and inky it is, it’s so smooth to apply and the tip is great for creating a cat eye. It’s going to work better for people that are seasoned in eyeliner application (I wear it everyday) as it’s easy to make a mistake with due to the wetness. 

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow - Medium to Dark, £49

This used to be a “special occasions” product but I enjoyed the highlight so much I upgraded it to everyday status. Using a Real Techniques Bronzing Brush and a very light touch this gives a perma-sun-kissed glow. It’s been a consisted fixture in these parts for over a year now and it’s still going strong. God bless you, Charlotte. 

I am not my hair*

*but it is a huge part of who I am. 

I have never felt more low in self esteem than I had the past month or so. I’ve felt so crap. And I know it’s got to do with change. Change isn't easy. Especially for a person like me. I get the same coffee order, get the same time train to work, get into bed and sleep on a specific pillow. I'm not obsessive and do embrace some spontaneity, I just, you know, like consistency. And I think this is something that spawns from laziness in all honesty because routine is easy, it's tried and tested and proven to work. So why stray? Why create disruption when it's not necessary? This is me all over. So when I stopped relaxing my hair a year ago it was a departure from my easy hair routine - wake up, brush hair and if it doesn't look presentable stick a hat on - and I was knowingly disrupting my order. But working in beauty journalism I had so much knowledge on the subject of hair products that I knew in the long run I wouldn't want to keep relaxing my hair - so by continuing to I was just putting off the inevitable, right? So I just stopped, I didn't make much over it and I wasn't planning a hair journey and big chop, I wasn't waxing lyrical about giving up the "creamy crack" I just carried on with my normal hair routine without the relaxing part. Or at least I tried to. I'd continue to straighten it after washing and treat my new texture as the "regrowth" that I used to see as the sign it was time to return to the Hairdressers. Even though I embraced the change the change didn’t embrace me. My hair was in disgusting condition, it was breaking off in excess, shedding - when I’d brush it, it was like grooming a malting cat. I was so ashamed about it I refused to go to the hairdressers as I was embarrassed by it’s condition, I was stuck in a loop. 

Cutting my hair has never been something that I’ve been into - when I was relaxing my hair I got a trim every time I got a touch up (oh look, more routine) but without the need to visit the salon I just stopped. But it was holding me back - big time. It was stunting my style, I was paralysed by the idea of styling my TWA/straggly ends so I’d just pop it in two space buns. and the next day, and the next day. And before I knew it a cute, quirky style became my new routine. It was the only thing I got down that mimicked the ease of relaxed hair. You know in Mean Girls when Regina George is like ‘sweatpants is all that fits me right now’? That was me, but replace sweatpants with space buns. And because I hated the way that my hair looked and didn’t want to go backwards (relaxing) or forwards (big chop) I was in self-inflicted limbo. It pushed every other part of my image into perspective too. I hated my hair and I couldn’t use it as a distraction from my face so I hated my face, my skin was awful, I treated myself to sweets because I wanted a pick me up… then my jeans got tighter. A new routine. 

For a person that’s so open and up front about a lot of sh*t I kind of just recoiled into myself. I was me outwardly (bubbly, seemingly happy) but I didn’t feel like I looked like myself and inside I was a whirl of anxious discontent. My Outside had affected my Inside that subsequently affected my Outside and it was a circle that needed to stop.

I made it stop. 

It was so simple - I got my hair done. I sat for 5 hours to get a style that took the morning worry out of the equation and my spirits were instantly lifted. No, but literally. My hair was considerably heavier but my spirits were like a helium balloon on a ribbon. Anyone that tells me that appearance doesn’t matter can kiss my backside, because it does. It really does. There’s a reason why they call your hair your crowning glory, because even if you don’t buy into the idea of long hair being a woman’s beauty (I don’t), hair does act as a crown. A queen is a queen always but it’s when she has that crown of jewels on her head she sits up straighter, more confidently, more gracefully, more regal. When you feel good about what’s atop of your head, you feel good about yourself. 

Video - Current Skincare Essentials

Video - My Current Make-Up Essentials

stila aqua glow watercolor blush in water blossom

stila aqua glow watercolor blush in water blossom, £20

I'm so not usually fussed about blush, I'm normally much more of a highlighter and bronzer lover. Give me a fan brush and I'll go to town highlighting the hell outta my cheekbones so by the time I've finished, blush would just be absolute overkill.

But lately I've been embracing a more pared back look and this blush is the perfect accompaniment. Where I like my base to be more velvety matte the texture of this blush adds a hint of life back into my cheeks. It's literally the less painful, more expensive version of someone pinching your cheeks with the result obviously lasting a hell of a lot longer. To use, I simply give it a little shake and then use my ring finger to dab it onto the apple of each cheek, blending up towards my temple. While the shade looks a bit 'in your face' in the pot, on the cheeks it just a pretty flush of colour. 

I'm definitely going to try the other shades too!

ghd azores collection

ghd V Marine Allure Styler, £130

ghd's are giving us all kinds of beachy feels this year with their limited edition summer stylers. The collection, which has just launched, includes two aquatic shades of the ghd V styler (marine allure, pictured, and atlantic jade) and gorgeous iridescent shade of the ghd platinum. The range is inspired by the tropicalAzores Islands and everything about the collection and the advertising makes you feel like you ought to be jetting off to a luxury island. Nothing about the stylers themselves have changed besides the colours, so if you have relatively new straighteners, then there's no need to chuck them BUT if your electricals game needs an update then these are for you!

I must say the regular ghd stylers like these aren't the best for straightening thick Afro hair, the v gold max styler and the eclipse are the best ghds for this in my experience. But what I think these are amazing for are creating form-free waves and curls. 

Topshop Beauty

I don't think Topshop Beauty gets enough credit. The range is great. It's affordable with an unreal selection of products with fab colours and the formula is always on point too! 

I dipped my toe in the Topshop Beauty pool when the range first came out years back with a lipstick and nail polish - that's all and to be honest,  the nail polish was a bit pants - it was streaky and chipped within a day. The lipstick on the other hand was the thing that had be coming back. The pigment, the staying power, everything! So I bought a few lippies (which have since become staples in my collection) but didn't really explore the rest of the range - until now. They are killing it y'all, here are a few of my fave Topshop Beauty buys.

Lipsticks in All About Me and Inhibition, £8 each  - All About Me was the aforementioned first lippy I got from Topshop and Inhibition (pictured above) is the smoky purple of dreams. The Topshop lipsticks are matte but so creamy and not at all drying.

Cream Blush in Dalliance, £7 - I love the muted colour of this blush. On my skintone it gives me a subtle healthy glow and is perfect for lazy weekend not-much-makeup kinda days.  

The Concealer Palette, £12 - This palette comes with three different shades so you can mix and match for custom colour it also comes with a translucent powder to set it.

Contour Cream in Swerve, £10 - The Contour Cream comes in two colours now, Swerve being the darker one. and when I say dark I mean real dark, and therefore actually wearable for us brown girls. I love the consistency - it's highly-pigmented and creamy therefore easy to blend out. Because ain't nobody wanting contour stripes. 

Smokey Eye Palette in Subversive, £12 - Twelve pounds for four awesome colours that create a bangin' smokey eye. Nuff said. 

Bobbi Brown Nude on Nude Eye Palette

If there's two things I love most when it comes to eye make-up, it's matte shades and a nude colour palette. Sure I like to experiment with colour every once in a while but as I'm more of a statement lip lover (way easier to perfect) for the eyes I prefer a simple colour and a precise eyeliner flick. So when this Bobbi Brown beauty dropped onto my desk I basically resembled the heart-eye emoji. 

The Nude on Nude Eye Palette, £36, hits shelves in March and is limited edition as a part of their Malibu Nudes Collection. The five shades come with a dual-ended brush so while it's on the higher end of the price scale you do get a range of shades and a quality brush to apply them with. 

All the lighter shades work well as a base and to even out the skin tone on the eyelid. The first shade is also great as a matte brow-bone highlight. However the darkest shade (Espresso) is my favourite, not only is it fab for a smokey eye, it's fab for filling in your brows too if you have dark brown hair like myself, which is great if you're travelling.

The formula of the shadows are pretty buttery soft with just the right amount of pigment.

Get yours at bobbibrown.co.uk from March 

Kiss USA Blooming Lash

Lashes, they are amazing for making make-up look complete. I, however just can't seem to get on with them. They are irritating to wear and a faff to put on and I always feel like they are going to fall off when I'm out. 

These lashes, however, have changed the game (well for me anyway). After attending a Kiss USA event last week guests were given some samples of the lashes and nails to try and I thought, hey, why not give them a whirl.

Above I have on the Kiss Blooming Lash in Lily and it's love. The Blooming Lashes are supposedly super spesh as they are created with 'multi-angle technology' which basically is a fancy way of saying that they are layered. Said technology does though give them a lovely fluttery look so I decided not to apply mascara to my actual lashes so the look was fresh and natural. The band is so thin I found them easy to apply onto my lashline and they are super light too so after a while I genuinely forgot they were on. 

They are also 100% natural hair, and you can get your hands on them at boots.com 

N.B Shout out to the Zoeva Warm Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette which I used to create this look. 

Current Skincare Essentials

My skin has been hating on me recently. God only knows why, I mean, ok do drink a lot of coffee and snack on a bit of crap when I'm bored but that's always been the case. Anyhow, I decided it was time to take my skin care more seriously again as I'd realised my routine had completely slacked! And while it hasn't been able to stop those hormonal chin outbreaks (mmm sexy) it has made my skin feel a lot fresher, less clogged and look more glowy and healthy. 

Colbert MD Tone Control Facial Discs - Seen as I don't use manual exfoliators this is the closest thing I do to buff away dead skin. I love that the box comes with 20 individually packaged facial discs as they are handy for travelling. While the packet says you can use twice a day I only use one once a week. Firstly, because I think that for my slightly sensitive skin that would be way to harsh and secondly because at £65 a box I don't have that kind of money to throw around. I simply rub the disc on my face in a circular motion for about a minute and then look at it in disgust. Even when I've double cleansed it never fails to surprise me how much dirt comes of on it. I'm about half way through the box and have definitely noticed that my hyper-pigmentation and spot scarring has lessened.

REN Wake Up Wonderful Night-Time Facial -  After my beloved Origins Drink Up Intensive overnight mask finished a while back I didn't rush to try a new one but when this bad boy landed on my desk I was so excited to try it - I love REN. This is more like a leave on mask/serum so it's nice and light and you can pop it on by itself or under your night cream.

bliss fabulous drench 'n' quench cream to water lock in moisturiser - I have been on the look out for a good day moisturiser for so long. I was using a Simple one but it took too long to sink in. This bliss offering literally sinks in immediately and leaves your skin feeling super smooth before applying make-up.

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins - Origins is probably my all-round favourite skincare brand. I love how there is a product for every skin type and every skin concern and this night cream is the perfect dry skin quencher.

* ALSO * Shout out to my cleanser... Clinique Take the Day Off

Amazing for removing make-up but isn't harsh and leaves the skin feeling so soft afterwards!

The Friday Five #4

Sketch

I attended an event for a new launch from Phyto this week (more on that soon) and it was held at Sketch, London, one of the most beautifully bonkers restaurant in town. I snapped this pic on the way to the loos which are thee coolest johns to do a twinkle. The main restaurant is all kinds of interiors inspo, I mean would you just look at those tiles. 

Braid brigade

I'm in a weird phase with my hair - I haven't relaxed it since last July and it's at an annoying transitioning stage 1/3 teeny weeny Afro, 2/3 straggly relaxed ends. I needed a solution to stop me from crying while styling every morning so I asked my very talented big sister to do me two chunky braids and I LOVE them! It's so easy in the morning now and I keep them neat by wearing my headscarf at night. I think I might film the process next time for my YouTube channel.

Netflix fix

I love finding out tv schedules so that I can have an excuse to not go out (I swear my parents have a way better social life than me) and Netflix releasing their 2016 schedule has got me all hot and bothered. First of all Unbreakable Kimmy Schimdt is BACK! The happiest show ever is returning to Netflix for a second season! Hallelujah! We have to wait until April though which kind of sucks. Also very excited to watch Love which lands on the 19th of February, created by Judd Apatow, which sort of looks like it has the can't-not-watch awkwardness of Girls. 

Keep it Simple - Raleigh Ritchie ft Stormzy

Greyworm has been my earworn this week (I can't tell you how proud I am of that sentence, guys). Seriously, if the toe-curling cold has been getting you down, pop this song on on repeat whilst commuting. Close your eyes (only if you aren't walking/driving/cycling) and imagine you're cruising down a country road on a warm summer's day with the windows rolled day, sun on your face, hanging with your favourite peeps. THIS IS WHAT THIS SONG DOES TO ME. It's musical sunshine.

Acne Studios Shearling Jacket Appreciation Overload

All my feelings for this Acne jacket have gone into overdrive this week. I neeeeed it - if anyone has seen an amazing dupe please tell me so I can purchase immediately if not sooner. 

Bobbi Bobbi Instant Detox Mask - Review

Huge fans of clay face mask rejoice, there is a new one to add to the mix and I'm telling you from the get go - it's a good'un.

Let me start by letting you know my skin type, which I don't think I've stated on here before. It's combination (oily congested t-zone normal, if a little sensitive, everywhere else) and I get hormonal outbreaks on my chin and temples. Sexy. This is why I'm such a fan of clay masks as their sole purpose is to draw out imperfections and deep cleanse the skin.

When I heard Bobbi Brown was launching three new masks the Instant Detox Mask was the one I was the most excited about as it's the type of mask I know I need for my skin type.

The packaging - It comes in a metal tube - enough said.

The formula - It's a lovely consistency, and is ease to apply, I applied mine with my Bobbi Brown foundation brush for accuracy and it's less messy but with your finger is fine too! The way it sets is great because it does dry down like all clay masks but not so hard that when you laugh and talk it's not like you've lost feeling in your face! I also LOVE the smell, it's not heavily-scented but gives of a subtle spa-like scent which is very calming and relaxing.

The result - After I removed the mask easily with a warm, wet flannel, my skin felt so baby soft and not stripped at all. I cannot recommend this mask enough especially for an oily t-zone. 

Now I just need to buy the other two...

The Bobbi Brown Masks are available now from bobbibrown.co.uk

#WinItWednesday Giveaway - Smashbox Contour Kit!

To get you over the hump of the week I have an awesome giveway occurring over on both Twitter and Instagram!

Win this Smashbox Step-By-Step Contour Kit in Deep, worth £35! 

This Contour Kit is one of the staples in my make-up bag so I figured it was only right to give one of you one to try it out as well! The three shades work together to create the most flawless definition and are the perfect shades for deeper skin-tones. It even comes with a handy application guide if contouring is still a little alien to you!

You can enter via my Twitter here, or Instagram here

Ts and Cs

UK only (so sorry!)

The competition closes on Friday 22nd of January 2016 @ 5pm

Good Luck! 

x

TANGLE TEEZER NEW THICK AND CURLY BRUSH

When the original Tangle Teezer launched it changed the post-hair-wash detangling game. Every girl and her mum had the handy lil' gem in their shower ready to tackle any knot that came its way. However, as much it was great for smaller sections of my hair, anything larger and it wouldn't make a dent in a tangle and if I had any natural hair regrowth it wouldn't make it from root to tip. 

So when I heard about the new release of the Thick and Curly brush I was excited to see how much mane it can tackle. The design is exactly the same and fits into the palm super-snug. The main difference is the length of the the teeth, which are 4mm longer than the original. In this picture below you can see the extra length compared to the shorter teeth (which are the length of the original brush) 

The teeth are also now made of firm-flex technology so no matter how much they bend they always return to shape. 

I gave it a try after washing my hair and I definitely felt the difference as it detangled from the root more easily than with the original. Considering that I have about 1/4 natural hair now, the brush glided through my transitioning mane without many snags at all - definitely an improvement from the originally if you have thick Afro hair.

They are also releasing Couple's Compact brush duos ready for Valentine's Day! 

The new Tangle Teezer Thick and Curly is available from tangleteezer.com and Topshop.

Video | Urban Decay Naked Palette Tutorial

Smashbox's Smash Hits!

When I got my first payslip from full time employment I headed straight to Westfield and bought myself the Smashbox Liquid Halo Foundation. I hadn't heard a great deal about it and I don't really know what made me get it but I did and that my friends was the first ever Smashbox product I bought.

Now two years later I would say that the brand is one of my absolute favourites, up there with the likes of Bobbi Brown and Char Tilbs, I just know I can rely on it for great products that won't break me out and deliver quality every time. I've tried my fair share of Smashbox and I haven't ever hated something the brand has to offer, but these bad boys are definitely, in my opinion, the best of an awesome bunch.

Liquid Halo Foundation

If I'm not mistaken, this was the second high end foundation I ever bought. It's sheer to meduim coverage and feels light and breathable on the skin. It's hydrating too but doesn't look too dewy, which I love because my immensely t-zone will give me that all by itself. It lasts a decent amount of time before it needs to be powdered too! 

Primer Oil

This is the newest Smashbox offering I've tried and I love it! I know what you're thinking. A primer... Oil? An oil that primes? Whaaaaaaaat? Because I have to admit I thought the same. But dang I love it! This is perfect for the colder months if you're prone to tight, dry skin as it helps to moisturise the skin before applying make-up. I'll cleanse and tone and then apply a few drops, allow it to sink in for a few minutes and then apply my foundation. It gives your skin a lovely dewiness without looking or feeling over greasy.

Photo Finish Primer

This is your regular kinda primer (the type with a silicone slip feel) but I love this one when I'm rocking a powder foundation as it creates the smoothest bloody surface ever and doesn't slip off after like 5 minutes like many others I've tried.

Photo Set Finishing Powder 

I am so obsessed with this powder. Previously I used the M.A.C compact but found that if I used it throughout the day it would cake up, so when translucent powders were on test I opted to try this one as it was a loose powder. Don't get me wrong at first it is a bit of hassle and messy but now I don't even notice it. It rids the skin of immense shine yet doesn't make it look dull and overly matte. 

Contour Kit

This is a newish addition and it's love. While I really like the Sleek offering (and it's a lot less expensive) I love this more for two reasons. Firstly, it comes with a handy contour guide on the actual mirror so you can look at it as you apply - genius Smashbox babes. And secondly, all three shades are super wearable, which is something I didn't find with the Sleek Contour Kit. There's the contour shade, great for creating shadows, a rich terracotta blush and a perfect non-shimmery highlight shade.

BB Eye Cream

I don't own any BB or CC creams because they all tend to be too dewy for my oily t-zone. But a BB eye cream I can get behind. My undereyes and eyelids are actually some of the driest parts of my combination skin so a hydrating concealer is exactly what I need and this one is a Godsend. It's quick to apply with a twist up brush so you get the perfect amount of product and is easy to just blend with your fingers. Not only does it hydrate, it brightens too - this is the first thing I reach for in my makeup routine. 

November Love it & Leave it List