My Dry Skin Saviour: Garnier Moisture Match Dry to Very Dry Skin.

I really couldn't wait to share this product with you because recently it has literally become my saviour product!

       

As some of you may (or not) know, I would consider myself to have normal to (sometimes) dry skin. I rarely get oily other than my t-zone in the summer or when exercising, but as I get older I rarely suffer from majorly dry skin. I say as I get older because when I was younger I suffered with pretty bad dry skin on my face. Although I do suffer with eczema (it has got considerably better with age), it's rarely been that bad on my face but, until a couple of years ago, as soon as winter hit us I would have dry patches on my face that nothing was able to hide or treat. As I said, with time, my face has thankfully became more on the normal side, leaning towards slightly dry but unfortunately this year I had suffered with a week of weird, textured skin on the bottom half of my face.

I'd call it weird because it wasn't the usual dry skin that I would expect, it was somewhat rough and itchy and textured but not red or anything (nothing like eczema). This was only a few weeks ago so I don't think it was because of winter, but I have thought about it being down to the change in season? Crazy idea I know but I did have a similar episode in October/November time so I sort of made a link? I also thought it could be a reaction to some new beauty products I had tried but there was no certain way to tell. The main victims of this dry skin epidemic were my nose (on top and around) my chin and some of my cheeks.

Anyway back to the main point of the post... Nothing in my regular skin care routine was strong enough fix this so I had to employ a new product but I had no idea where to start! I'd seen a couple of bloggers using the Garnier Moisture Match for dry to very skin and it appealed to me but I didn't really think I needed that much moisture and I was pretty happy with my current Estée Lauder moisturiser. But desperate times called for desperate measures so I had to bite the bullet and by it.

From day one I saw a difference, it just seemed to inject so much moisture in to my skin and gave it the hydration it really needed. After a couple of days, my skin felt so soft and less dull and I could really see a change in my skin. Of course I had to exfoliate because no moisturiser would get rid of dead skin cells, but with a routine of moisturising and exfoliating once or twice a day my skin was back to normal in just over a week- a miracle product!

I did use this everyday when my skin was at it's worst but because it's so thick and soo incredibly moisturising, I've began to alternate this with my other moisturisers.

When I brought it, I needed it urgently so I quickly picked my Garnier Moisiture Match from Asda without comparing prices anywhere else like I normally would. I picked it up for £5.99 but I know you can get it for £3.50/£4 at BodyCare as well as Boots and Superdrug when it's on offer. You get 50ml which is your average amount for a moisturiser and it comes in a nice squeezy tube which I much prefer to a tub because it feels more hygienic. It has a slight pink tint to it but obviously that's not noticeable on this skin and it has a slight pleasant scent which I really can't describe to you haha (I'm awful I know). I have sensitive skin and it hasn't affected me but a scent might put some of you off.

    

 

Overall I'm super impressed with this product and it helped me in my times of desperate need. I obviously haven't tried the rest of the range out but I love how they make a different one to suit different skin types so it makes it really easy to find the perfect moisturiser for you! If any of you have tried this product or anything similar, I would love to hear your views- as always!

See you soon, Hollie X

My Favourite Makeup Brushes! ♥

After cleaning my brushes yesterday, I thought now would be the perfect chance to let you know about my go-to, favourite make-up brushes that I use on a regular basis. I probably have more brushes than I should, so I’ve narrowed it down to the essentials!

So let’s begin with my top 5 face brushes…

The first contender is my relatively new, but definitely well-loved, Real Techniques Duo Fibre Face

brush. (Beware there is continual theme of Real Techniques haha). This is just a great all over, multi-use face brush for bronzer and powder etc. Being duo fibre means it’s designed to not pick up too much excess product and gives a light coverage. Therefore it’s particularly great for powder, as I have dry skin; too much powder isn’t a good look so this gives just the right amount of powder to keep the slight bit of oil on my t-zone at bay without being cakey. I also love to use this with my Benefit Hoola bronzer as in the winter it’s slightly too dark for my pale complexion, so as it’s duo fibre it doesn’t give too much colour that I look orange, but just gives a nice warmth and glow.

Secondly we have a pair of foundation brushes because I just can't decide which I like more, so I use them alternatively! The first is the Real Techniques Buffing Brush which I bought first from the Core Collection and I loved it so much and used it every day. Then for Christmas I received the Expert Face Brush and now I use that a lot too! I really can't decide which one I prefer more I just think they're both really high quality blending brushes that work brilliantly with liquid foundations to give a flawless complexion. Sometimes, when I haven't used it for foundation, I like to use the Buffing Brush to pack on powder in areas that I need shine to stay away rather than using a fluffy brush. But other than that, these are two of my top brushes that I used every day!

Something I really couldn't live without has to be my Real Techniques Contour brush! A-m-a-zing! It fits perfectly into the hollows of my cheeks and creates really defined cheekbones that also look natural because it blends out product sooo nicely. I use this with powder bronzer but I think it would work just as well with a cream bronzer like the Chanel Soleil De Chanel. I've also used this for concealer because it fits just under your eyes and blends out seamlessly. I wish they sold this brush separate from the core collection and then I would by two- one for contouring and one for concealer! This is just an overall great, unique brush that I haven't yet discovered anything like it on the market.

And lastly for face brushes we have the Real Techniques Stippling Brush. This was my first ever RT purchase and I used it for foundation religiously. After incorporating the Buffing Brush and Expert Face Brush into my routine, this sadly got neglected.  After spending around £10 on it and I felt extremely sorry for it, I had to find a use for it so I started using it for blush and now I would never go back! It blends all blush out perfectly to a really natural flush to the cheeks without being too harsh. Occasionally I opt to using this for foundation and I still love it for that but it's essential for my blush!

Okay, so next we have all of my favourite eye brushes. I now that I bombarded you with Real Technique brushes, but they really are the best face brushes I've tried for a reasonable price. You'll be glad to know that my selection of eye brushes is less of a RT theme haha.

Firstly we have my two favessss. My favourite blending brushes are No7 Eyeshadow Blend and Contour and the famous Mac 217. I was forever longing over the 217 but really couldn't justify the price so I heard that the No7 was a good but not an exact dupe so I tried it with a voucher off at Boots. Yes it did shed a little at first but other than that it blends out beautifully and is sooo soft on my eyes which is obviously a good thing because no one wants scratchy lids! I finally plucked up the courage to get the 217 and it is only £16 but £16 for an eye brush is slightly OTT if you had asked me before I brought it. But now that I own it and know how GOOD it is, it's totally worth the money. It's a lot more dense than the No7 so is good for blending out harsh edges and packing on colour. I still adore the No7 one as the bristles are a longer, it's more flexible so its great for the crease. If any of you girlies have also been longing over the 217, DEFINITELY try the No7 one first- and Boots alwaysss have vouchers of No7 cosmetics.

Next is an essential brush that every one needs- an eye shadow brush. My favourite is just a cheap and cheerful yet very effective ELF Eyeshadow Brush. I have quite a few Elf brushes and I think they are really great quality for the price and especially good to help build up your makeup brush collection. This basically just do what it says on the tin, packs on basic colour to the lid but I couldn't be without it!

Another Elf brush is the Eye Crease Brush. In my opinion, it's much more like a pencil brush however I do sometimes use it to define my crease in a heavy smokey eye but mainly I use it to smudge colour onto my lower lash line. I reallly couldn't be with out this brush as smudging a little bit of brown or whatever colour on your lower lash line just completes whatever look and adds dimension to your eyes.

Lastly but definitely not least is my Elf Small Angled Brush which I use every single day to fill in my eyebrows. I really like this one in particular because the brush hairs are slightly longer so it's not so dense so it produces much more natural, softer eyebrows without any harsh lines. I also use it to line my upper and lower lash lines to add extra dimension. It's just a simple brush that everyone needs in their collection.

Well that's it for today's post! I hope you enjoyed finding out about my favourite makeup brushes that I use regularly. I'd love to know what makeup brush brand is your favourite or what your ultimate holygrail brush is!

See you soon, Hollie X

Tag: My Furry Friend

Hello there! I thought it was finally time for you to meet my best friend! I don't know how you haven't met her sooner as she is such a big part of my life (so cheesy but true). Any of you dog owners will understand how once you have a dog, you can't imagine life without them!

Soo here are the questions:

1) What is your pet’s name?

Maggie! Some people laugh, some people say it's cute. Personally I couldn't imagine her being called anything else. It all stemmed from when we were planning on getting her, me and my mom wanted cute names like Daisy and Rosie but my brother and my dad were totally against them. They also said she wasn't allowed a pink lead etc, but me and my mom managed to worm our way into that idea! Anyway, since we weren't allowed a really cute girly name, we were watching the Simpson's one day and it suddenly clicked that Maggie (the little baby in it) would be perfect!
2) What kind of pet is it and what breed?

A dog (obviously haha) and a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel :-)
3) How long have you had your pet friend?

We've had Maggie since she was 8 weeks old and she's 7 this year so 6 and a half years!

4) How did you get your pet?

From a local family who had had a litter of cavaliers. As soon as we got through the door and saw her,

we had to have her she was so small and innocent! The family were so lovely and we wanted to take all the litter home!
5) How old is your pet?

6. I can't believe she's so old!
6) What are some quirky things about your pet’s personality?

Sooo many things. I don't know if it's quirky but she is reallly obsessed with going in the car- she doesn't care where you're going or how long for but she has to come or else she goes in a mood (typical female!). It's really weird because I know a lot of dog owners whose dog's hate the car or it makes them ill... weird.
7) What does your relationship with your pet mean to you?

It sounds really cliche but she's such a big part of my life! My whole family adores her, she is basically like a sister/daughter.
8) What are some of your favorite past times with your pet?

I have soo many, she's brought the family so many special, unforgettable memories that I can't just pick one!

9) What are the nicknames that you call your pet?

Maggie is quite a hard name to shorten but we sometimes called her Magz but it sounds a bit awkward. I often call her my little munchkin or my baby haha!

Well I hope you enjoyed meeting my special furry friend! What pet do you have?

See you soon, Hollie X

My Current Favourites!

Welcome back! I knowww that I’ve been MIA for way over a week now, but I’ve been so busy with my birthday and just life in general! I’ve found it really hard to find time to take pictures because by the time I get home from school, it’s already dark! Stupid shitty England weather. Anyway, enough of the excuses and let’s get started with today’s post…

 I was planning on doing a February favourites but now it’s 11 days into the next month so I don’t think I can class it as my February favourites (woops) but it’s too early to do my March favourites so instead I’m going to do a mixture of both and do My Current Favourites. I've discovered quite a few products this month as it’s been my birthday and I can’t wait to share them with you!

Firstly, we’ve got a primer- L’Oreal Lumi Magique. I’ve not really been into primers In the past because having normal to dry skin means I don’t really struggle with my foundations not lasting that long or I don’t need to reduce oil/shine. But when Maybelline came out with Baby Skin, I thought I’d give it a go (hang in there and there might be a review coming soon!). After my first experience with a primer, I wanted to branch out more and since my skins been so dry and dull lately, I needed something to bring it back to life so I decided to try some of the Lumi Magique range. It is soo good at brightening my face of a morning and slightly helps with dryness as it just smooths over the skin. It just gives a really nice glow without making you into a disco ball and I love it! I do think that it’s slightly over priced at £9.99 but it’s still worth the price in my opinion.

Secondly we’ve got a mascara and I know some of you may be shocked in case you think I’m cheating on or betraying my Maybelline the Falsies (I’m not, I still love it as much as I did before!) but I couldn’t not jump on the bandwagon and try Benefit They’re Real when everyone (and their dog) raves so much about it! Nothing will ever beat how the Falsies makes my eyes look and how well it lasts all day but this is a pretty close runners up! It gives suchhh good length and separation and works a dream on my bottom lashes. I wish it was waterproof because I’m used to that with The Falsies but it doesn’t smudge like normal non-waterproof mascaras do! Sometimes I like to add a layer of The Falsies as well to add a bit more volume but other than that I can agree with the hype.

My favourite foundation of the moment has to be Estée Lauder Double Wear in 0.5. I've been loving this when I want slightly more coverage than my Mac Studio Sculpt and something that will last all day. It has great coverage but not as heavy as the Double Wear original and has a lot more of a natural sheen. The colour matches me perfectly and I am in love! £28.50 is slightlyyy more than I'd wish to pay but it's definitely worth it.

I've been using my Calvin Klein sheer créme eyeshadow in snakeskin silver on my inner corner a lot lately. It's soo good at brightening my eyes and making them look bigger. I prefer this to a powder form because sometimes my eye area can get a bit dry if I overload too much product in there, so a cream sits there nicely! I often put this all over the lid as well when I'm not wearing much eye shadow and it looks so pretty. I can't wait to try more shades.

Lately, I’ve been lovinggg my Mac lipstick in Craving. It’s not as natural as a nude but it’s not a bold lip, a bit of something in between. It’s the perfect pinky plumy lip. Being an Amplified finish (my favourite of all the Mac ones) means it lasts a reasonably long time but definitely not as drying as a Matte finish. It doesn’t have much shine, which I quite like, but can easily fixed with a gloss on top.

Continuing with the lip theme, I’ve been using my Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lip gloss in Pastel a lot lately. It has a lot of shimmer but gives a nice amount of shine to a look. It’s not sticky so doesn’t cause my hair to get stuck (soo annoying) and it lasts a good amount of time. Can’t wait to try more lip glosses from Bobbi Brown.

Moving on to brushes, I had to jump on another bandwagon with the Mac 217. I never stop hearing people talk about this as their holy grail brush that they couldn’t live without so how could I not buy it! Before I used my No7 dupe (anyone want a review/comparison??) which I still lovee but I can see why everyone loves their 217. It’s great and for £16 it seems pretty high quality and it will hopefully last a long time.

I’d been longing over the Real Techniques Duo Fibre Brushes since they came out, not only because they’re so different to the rest of the range, but they look so nice with the monochrome! (haha soo sad) Apart from being aesthetically pleasing, they are also really great brushes! Soo incredibly soft (as are all Real Technique Brushes) and apply just the right amount of powder. I use the large one for a dust of power or the smaller one for a more concentrated application and the little one is great for blending out eye shadow! I really recommend them :)

Well, that's it for my current favourites, I'll definitely be posting more regularly again. Hope you enjoyed this post! What have you been loving recently?

 See you soon, Hollie X

TMI Tag- Blog edition

Welcome back! For this post, I thought I would veer slightly away from beauty and let you get to know me better by doing the TMI Tag. Some questions are definitely TMI, but I guess it's the best way for us to interact if we know as much as a possible about each other haha! There are 50 questions, so lets get started...

1: What are you wearing? My cosy primark ‘I heart bed’ pyjamas. 

2: Ever been in love? No not yet but I've definitely still got time haha.
3: Ever had a terrible breakup? No…
4: How tall are you? Around 5ft 10
5: How much do you weigh? Definitely TMI..
6: Any tattoos? Nope, I hope to get a meaningful, hidden one later in life- but only if I’m 100% certain.
7: Any piercings? I have a piercing in each lobe and my cartilage in my right ear. I’m pretty happy with the amount I’ve got, a lot of people have their belly button done but the thought of it being pierced makes me feel sick inside- ew!! I also love the way nose piercings look but I doubt I’ll ever come round to getting one.
8: OTP? I can’t think of any- how boring!!
9: Favorite show? Hmm I’m a huge lover of Emmerdale and Coronation Street (sad I know), but lately I’ve been obsesseeeed over Dexter on Netflix. I also love all crime and police dramas
10: Favorite bands? I’m not a huge band lover, I don’t really obsess over anyone like One Direction haha, I just love Chart music!
11: Something you miss?  I really miss being able to do whatever I want without being restricted by my back. I’d love to have a week, or even a day, free from pain and do everything I want to! But I also miss chocolate...
12: Favorite song? I lovee Afterglow right now.
13: How old are you? 15, but I’m 16 next week!
14: Zodiac sign? Pisces.
15: Quality you look for in a partner? Funny, takes care of himself and thoughtful.
16: Favorite Quote? Love the life you live, live the life you love- Bob Marley.

17: Favorite actor? Leonardo Dicaprio!!
18: Favorite color? Green or blue??
19: Loud music or soft? I love listening to acoustic music softly, but dance music loud.
20: Where do you go when you’re sad? My bed with my dog, or the stables J
21: How long does it take you to shower? Hmmmm 10 minutes but it varies
22: How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? On a school day 20 minutes but maybe an hour on a weekend.
23: Ever been in a physical fight? No, I think I would be terrible! I can’t punch to save my life hahaaaa
24: Turn on? Smell nice.
25: Turn off? Smelling like B.O!
26: The reason I joined Youtube? I haven’t yet and I don’t really intend to. I love watching them but I don’t think I’m suited to making videos. I don’t really have the time that filming and editing requires at the moment, blogging is much more convenient for me. Never say never though!
27: Fears? Slugs and Snails- biggest fear everrr!
28: Last thing that made you cry? Watching 24 hours in A & E the other night haha!
29: Last time you said you loved someone? To my dog just (haha how sad)
30: Meaning behind your blog name? It’s my first and middle name. Choosing my blog name was so hard because they were all taken!
31: Last book you read? The cruible does that count?
32: The book you’re currently reading? I am Malala- by Malala Yousafzai.

33: Last show you watched? Dexter!!
34: Last person you talked to? My dad before he went to work and my dog who’s asleep next to me haha.
35: The relationship between you and the person you last texted? My best friend.
36: Favorite food? Chicken orrr bread- mmm!
37: Place you want to visit? Definitely Paris.
38: Last place you were? School this morning.
39: Do you have a crush? Haha not really.
40: Last time you kissed someone? My dog just…
41: Last time you were insulted? Probably by my older brother.
42: Favorite flavor of sweet? Rasberry or watermelon. I  hate green or yellow.
43: What instruments do you play?? None :(((
44: Favorite piece of jewelery? My Pandora bracelet because all the charms mean something different to me.
45: Last sport you played? Swimming and horse riding.
46: Last song you sang? Afterglow.
47: Favorite chat up line? Did you just fart, because you blew me away.
48: Have you ever used it? Sadly not.
49: Last time you hung out with anyone? At the weekend or in half term.
50: Who should answer these questions next? Anyone! 

Well that is all the questions, I hope you enjoyed getting to know me better! If any of you do this tag too, send me an email and I'd love to read it! 

See you soon, Hollie X

Bronze Eyes & Bold Lip Make-up Look + OOTD

Hellooo there! So today I'm trying something different here on Its-Hollie and show you my makeup look and outfit suitable for a night out or even shopping with the girls if you like bold looks! To make this look more wearable for day time you could switch up the lips for a nude, or keep the bold lip and neutralise the eyes! It's entirely up to you! So lets get started...

BASE:
Firstly, I had already moisturised so I primed my skin with Maybelline Baby Skin Primer to ensure a flawless base ready for foundation. I then concealed my under eyes with Garnier Roll On Concealer; spots and blemishes with Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Light (see post here) and around my nose with Mac Select Moisture Cover (see post here) because this stupid cold has made my nose area dry!! I then finished my base off with Mac Studio Sculpt Concealer in NW15 and set that all in place with a light dusting of Collection Setting Powder in translucent and sprayed MAC Fix+ to avoid any dryness.

To warm up my pale complexion slightly, I used Bourjois Bronzing powder in shade 52. Then to contour I used Mac eye shadow in Coquette (see post here)  and a bit of Benefit Hoola Bronzer. To add a bit of colour back into my cheeks I applied the Natural Collection Blush in Pink Cloud.

EYEBROWS: 
Now my base is perfected and concealer, I moved onto eyebrows because the foundation that may have covered my eyebrows helps the eyebrow powder stick down better. I used my trusty Mac eye shadow in Croquette (see post here) and deepened up the tail with Mac eye shadow in Charcoal Brown. Then to set them in place and stop them budging throughout the night, I used Maybelline Brow Drama in Dark Brown

EYES:
As always, I primed with Mac Paintpot in Painterly to conceal all the nasty veins and discolouration and to help all the eye shadow stay all night. I then applied Mac eye shadow in Coquette (see post here). on a fluffy blending brush, to my crease to add dimension and a transition shade. I then deepened the crease up further with Mac eye shadow in Charcoal Brown. After it was all blended nicely and there were no harsh edges, I applied Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze, blended it out with my warm finger and then applied Mac eye shadow in Woodwinked and carried on blending adding extra Coquette if needed. I highlighted my inner corner with Calvin Klein Sheer Cream Eye shadow in Snakeskin Silver, to brighten up my eye. Next I would usually deepen up the crease and outer V with a black shadow, but I wanted this to suit everyone and some people may find that too heavy, especially with the purple lips, so I just left that part out but feel free to if you want to. Instead I lined my eyes with No7 Stay Perfect Felt Tip Eyeliner with a slight wing but then smudged it out with Mac Charcoal Brown and Natural Collection eye shadow in Midnight. Finally, using a smudger brush, I applied Charcoal Brown and the black shadow to my lower lash line, curled my lashes, then added Maybelline The Falsies Mascara.

Finally, and my favourite part of the look, I used Seventeen Supreme Shine Lipstick in Deep Secret.
LIPS:

Seventeen Supreme Shine Lipstick in Deep Secret.

This is my favourite look at the moment, I think the bronze eyes and purple lip really compliment each other, and really bring out my greeny eyes, but will suit anyone!

Next is the Outfit:
I chose to go plain with a black play suit, a black clutch with gold hardware, tights and black cutout ankle boots. I kept it simple with jewellery and just wore my usual cross necklace that I alwayss wear, my River Island Watch and my beloved Pandora and Thomas Sabo bracelet.

Final look.

Hope you enjoyed reading, and I hope you liked this different style of post! I'm still experimenting with my blog so any opinions would be kindly appreciated! And I would love to see if any of you do a similar look :)
See you soon lovelys! Hollie X

MAC Coquette Eye Shadow Review

Hello there! So for today’s post, I thought I’d share a product with you all that I probably couldn't live without- MAC’s eye shadow in Coquette. I know you’re probably thinking “C’mon Hollie, it’s just an eye shadow” and I know that but I use Coquette in 3 or 4 different ways!

I initially brought it because I was in need of a cool toned, not too dark but not too light eye shadow to fill in my brows. I know many people usually opt for Omega or Charcoal Brown, and I do have Charcoal Brown but, in my opinion, it’s lightly too warm toned and no one wants orange eye brows!  I've never heard many people use Coquette before- it definitely doesn't get the attention it deserves.

Mac Coquette and Charcoal Brown + swatches

Secondly, I decided I could try using it as a crease colour, like a transition shade, and it works so well for that as well! It’s the perfect eye shadow as you get just enough colour pay off that it’s easy to control because it’s buildable. I also use it under my eyes on my lower lash line for a soft, slightly smokey look or on my upper lash line for slight extra dimension- perfect!

Thirdly, and my favourite use of Coquette, is for contouring. I've been on the extensive hunt for the perfect contour shade for us fair skin girls. Matte bronzers just seem too orange and harsh, I even tried the ever so famous Benefit Hoola and it’s pretty good but for an everyday contour, it’s slightly too harsh. I’d also heard that NYX blush in Taupe was good but it’s not very accessible in the UK. One day I was filling in my brows, I realised Coquette was a pretty similar match to Taupe. So I tried it and its perfect! Even though it’s great for fair skin, it would also be great for all skin tones because it’s so buildable!

Mac Coquette + Swatch

(If anyone could help me out by telling me what the bumpy bits are in this shadow it would be a great help please!!)

I definitely will be repurchasing MAC’s Coquette eye shadow whenever I run out, I have it in the pan form to go in my quad palette and it’s only £10. Sometimes £10 for one little eye shadow seems a bit overpriced, but when you can use it for so many different things, it’s certainly worth it! I've been using it for 2 months religiously and there’s barely a dent. Very impressed with this eye shadow and I recommend it to all of you!

Hope you enjoyed this post, next time you’re in MAC have a look at Coquette and maybe try it out for yourself- would love to hear your opinions too!

Thanks for reading, see you soon. Hollie X