Favourite Matte Lipsticks ♡

Out of all my lipsticks, my favourites to wear are definitely mattes. I love the finish they give, and find them much easier to wear than most other products, as they're usually harder to smudge everywhere! I've collected quite the variety of matte lipsticks over the last couple of years, but there are two that really stand out to me as my favourites and the ones I always fall on for regular wear.

The first is Mac's 'Velvet Teddy'. Obviously this has become the holy grail lipstick for everyone and their cousin over the last year or so and this post definitely won't be the first you've heard of the infamous shade. The product glides onto the lips so smoothly, and it lasts hours and hours without showing signs of going anywhere - although it perhaps isn't the best to wear if your lips are dry, as it really can accentuate the condition of your lips and tends to cling to dry patches. It is a nude shade with a gorgeous warm undertone and it compliments many eye makeup looks - I love wearing it with a classic smoky eye.

The second of my favourites is the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in the shade 'Cannes', which is actually only a few shades away from Velvet Teddy - what can I say, warm and pink toned nudes are my thing. The applicator makes it so easy to apply and it has a super creamy formula that means it goes on really well. Once it dries it is extremely long lasting and can withstand pretty much anything that would usually leave you needing to re-apply (how many times have I said apply now... hahaha). NYX makeup is also really affordable, which is such a bonus!

Do you love these products too? What other matte lipsticks are your faves?

Maddie x

Blogger Recognition Award ♡

I'm here with something a little different today, as the lovely Shayla from The Plus Diaries kindly nominated me for the Blogger Recognition Award. Go and send some love over to her and her blog!

This is such a lovely idea, and it really shows how the blogging community is out there and supporting bloggers large and small. So why did I start blogging? I love writing, and I needed an escape from scheduled school work to just have some creativity with content I created myself and not tasks set by an exam board. I love photography, and this blog gives me the opportunity to both share my photos and also take photos for my blog posts. Being nominated for something like this just shows how active and supportive the blogging community is, so thank you Shayla!

Here are the fifteen bloggers I have chosen to nominate, in no particular order (I'll leave what you have to do below):

1. Saz Sinclair

2. What Chloe Wrote
3. Ella Was Here
4. Probability Reading
5. Bubbly Beauty
6. The Pink Bookshelf
7. Following Lisa
8. Molly Francesca
9. It's Kate Rose
10. The Polway
11. Simply Sitara
12. Sophia Whitham
13. My Cluster Of Thoughts
14. The Little Lady Diaries
15. Gabby Fabrizio

What you have to do:

• Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog
• Write a post about your award and give a brief story on why you started your blog
• Select 15 bloggers to give this award to
• Let each person know that you have nominated them for this award

Enjoy!

Maddie x

Favourite Drugstore Concealers ♡

In my opinion concealer is one of the products that matters most in every face of makeup. And with a huge variety available, both drugstore and high end, its often hard to choose the one that really will be that 'miracle product' you can't live without. After around five or six years of wearing makeup, you'd think I would have found it. The truth is, I haven't, but I do have several firm favourites. Here is my pick of the drugstore:

1. Maybelline 'Fit Me'

A relatively recent pick, after being introduced in 2015, I only found Maybelline's newest concealer product several months ago and it quickly became one that I would fall on for daily wear. It isn't the best coverage for under the eyes (although that does depend whether or not you spend half your life in the constant state of 'tired' that I do) but it is enough for spots and blemishes, and blends really nicely on top of both foundation and BB cream or tinted moisturiser.

2. MUA 'Hide and Conceal'

I don't use this for concealing in the usual respect, instead it's the product that I usually choose to put under my brows. For £1 it doesn't matter that I have to replace it about every month - and it comes in a great variety of shades, which means I can pick up a very fair one to highlight the brow bone.

3. Rimmel 'Wake Me Up'

I remember this being all the rage in the blogging and YouTube world quite a while ago, and I'm still using it. Unlike the foundation of the same name, which I personally find makes my complexion a little too 'shimmery', this works wonders for general blemishes and also under the eyes on those days when I don't look too much like a zombie in the morning.

4. Collection 'Lasting Perfection'

The staple drugstore concealer - forget that, the staple concealer in my makeup collection, is Collection's lasting perfection. The thick, creamy formula means that the coverage is amazing, it blends in really well and it really is 'lasting perfection' because it lasts the entire day. Definitely worth the minuscule £4 you pay for it - with this on top of my foundation nobody can tell how bad my dark under eyes are... hahaha.

What are your favourite drugstore concealers?

Maddie x

Ash Wednesday | Beginning of Lent ♡

Today is Ash Wednesday and therefore marks the start of the Lent period in the Christian church; 40 days of fasting from something of your choice which in theory allows Christians to become closer to God by turning away from sins. This is where the 'giving up something for Lent' idea comes from, which millions of people do every year. It isn't like me to write about anything religious like this, but, as Lent is actually a period of giving up something that is perhaps bad for you, I thought I'd write about what I've decided to give up this year and why!

I made the decision a few days ago, along with one of my friends, to give up some processed sugar and fizzy drinks, which means no sweets (or percy pigs!) for a whole 40 days - I'm definitely going to struggle with that one - and also no carbonated drinks. In cutting out these two things I'm aiming to become healthier over these 40 days and consume less processed sugar - although I think cutting out processed sugar altogether was slightly too much for me to handle, especially when I'm trying to do A Level coursework and revision; nothing gets me through a session of hard work like a good chocolate fix...

In the Catholic church (and I think a few other denominations, with the exception of the Church of England) today is marked by receiving ashes on the forehead in the form of a cross to represent that we all commit sins and that throughout Lent we try to reduce this because one day we will all be returned to ashes (nothing like brightening your day with the reminder you're going to die). We had our service at school today, so as of now I am officially sweet and fizzy drink free for the next 40 days... Wish me luck!

Are you giving anything up for Lent?

Maddie x