Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation Review

"A girl should be two things, classy and fabulous"

-Coco Chanel 

I have been using the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation for several months and it has definitely become one of my favourite go-to foundations. 

Its very light on the skin and gives a light/medium coverage depending on how much you build it up.A great everyday foundation as its not heavy or cakey at all, in fact its closer to a BB cream than a full coverage foundation. 

Its quite watery in consistency and definitely leaves the skin looking dewy, great for people with dry or combination skin. If you tend it get oily throughout the day you will definitely need to powder over this foundation and reapply throughout the day. 

Its quite expensive at £30-35 for a 30ml bottle however as the product is so sheer a little goes a long way - my bottle has lasted for 7 months so far. 

Overall I would definitely recommend this foundation especially to people with dry/combination skin but if your looking for a full coverage foundation this is not the product for you. 

Have you tried it? Let me know what you thought?

-Hollie x

My Everyday Make Up Essentials

"Beauty is about being the very best version of yourself both inside and out"

-Anon

Hi again everyone! We all love having a look around other peoples makeup bags right? So I thought I would do a post on whats currently in mine! So here are the products I keep in my everyday makeup bag at the moment to create my basic daily make up look.

Face:
Mac Studio Fix
Nars Sheer Glow
Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

For my everyday face makeup I will normally go for Mac Studio Fix, as it is very quick and easy to apply and doesn't look too heavy on my skin. However if I feel I want a more 'done up' look I will go for a liquid foundation - my favourites are Nars Sheer Glow and Vitalumiere Aqua by Chanel. Both foundations give a dewy, glowy finish and work well with my combination skin.

Blush/Bronze:
Sleek Rose Gold Blush
Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzer

My favourite blusher is definitely Rose Gold by Sleek, its the perfect pale pink and gives my cheeks the perfect glow. My all time favourite bronzers is Delice de Poudre by Bourjois. I think this bronzer is a great tone as its not too orangey, its also goes on smoothly and doesn't appear cakey or patchy on the skin. I also love the size of the bronzing palette, so much product - great value for money as it lasts for ages!

Eyes:
Sleek Au Naturel Palette
Rimmel Extra Super Lash Mascara
L'Oreal Super Liner Liquid Eye Liner

My favourite mascara and eyeliner combination. This mascara gives my lashes fantastic volume without being clumpy and the liner goes on beautifully and lasts all day long!
I recently reviewed this Sleek Eye Palette, fantastic natural palette which is highly pigmented - perfect for everyday eye makeup looks. (You can find my full review here : http://theartofbeinghappyy.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/sleek-eye-shadow-palette-review-au.html

Lips:
Clinique Chubby Stick Lip Balm in Mega Melon
No. 7 Lip Crayon in Berry

For my everyday look I like to keep my lips quite natural so I tend to go for tinted lip balm products instead of full on lip sticks or lip stains. Recently I have been loving Chubby sticks by Clinique, they give a nice light colouring to the lips as well as being super moisturising.

What are your everyday makeup essential? Leave a comment and let me know :) 
-Hollie x

Snack Clean - Healthy Banana Split

When you feel hungry between meals it is so easy to reach for a chocolate bar or pack of crisps but there are so many better, healthy, clean eating snacking options!

Most people associate the word 'snacking' with junk food however there are plenty of yummy healthy snacks available that you can make quickly and easily at home.

I have been experimenting with different healthy snacking options over the past few months and decide to share a few of my favourites with you! The first one is my recipe for a healthy banana split.

You will need:

• A medium sized banana. 
• Natural yogurt 
• Natural/ Organic Honey 
• Crushed Nuts/Seeds 

This is extremely easy to prepare - simply place the banana on a plate and slice then spoon some natural yogurt over the banana. Finally drizzle with honey and top with crushed nuts or seeds.

And there you go! A filling, healthy, yummy snack made in seconds :) 

Let me know what you think :) 

Whats your favourite healthy snack?

-Hollie x

Sleek Eye Shadow Palette Review - Au Naturel Palette

I had been wanting a natural palette for a while and decided to give this Sleek palette a try- I didn't except too much as the whole palette cost me just over £7 however I was shocked at the excellent quality of this palette! I got the palette a few months ago and I have been using it almost every day since.

The palette contains 12 shades ranging from light white and sand tones to matte black (three shimmer shades, 9 matte shades). I loved the range of colours as I was able to do a day look, night look, no make up look or everyday make up look all with this one palette.

All the shades are super pigmented and remained on my eyes on day long. They are very easy to blend and great for creating smokey eye looks.

The palette itself is very nice looking - its very elegant and streamlined looking far more expensive than it is. It is also very robust, I have dropped mine a few times (oops) and both the case and shawdows are still in perfect condition.

The palette was extremely good value at £7.99, far cheaper than similar palettes such as the naked palette by Urban Decay (aprox. £37)

This is by far become my all time favourite palette, definitely recommend it :)

Have you tried this palette are another sleek palette? Let me know :) 
What is your favourite palette?

-Hollie x

September Favourites

September has flown past and October is here already! 
That can only mean one thing, its time for September favourites. 

My first favourite this month is the Mac Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation. I have been obsessed with this foundation this month and have worn nothing but it the whole month of september. I love how quick and easy it is to apply and it gives great coverage for being a powder product. I have always preferred liquid foundations but since discovering this product I am definitely converted!

Another favourite from Mac this month was their Oil Control Lotion - fantastic for putting under foundation to keep it in place all day. I rubbed one pump of this lotion on my t-zone before applying any make-up and it stopped my skin from becoming oily and wrecking my foundation.

This month I have also been loving hair oils, perfect for added hair hydration after a few months of sun. My favourite one has to be Argania Hair Oil which is moisturising without leaving my hair greasy. I love running a small amount through the ends of my hair while its damp to make my hair silky smooth.

As we move from summer to autumn, this month I have been loving getting into the dark lip trend. My favourite dark lip colour is this beautiful purple lipstick in the shade 'sloane's plum' from Rimmel. Its a beautiful colour which adds something special to any make-up look. 

I have really been loving this Body shop bronzing powder during september. Great colour, highly pigmented and looks great on the skin. Perfect product for keeping my face matching my summer tan.

As its getting into autumn the temperature is falling and there are plenty of raining days again, which means lots more indoor days for watching TV. So this month I have been loving re-watching all the box-sets of Will &Grace. Such a funny and brilliant sitcom, great rainy day viewing with a cup of tea. 

 Those are the products I was loving most this September! 

Make sure to leave a comment letting me know your september favourites

-Hollie xxx

Autumn Survival Guide - Skin Care

“Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile." 

- William Cullen Bryant

As autumn approaches the temperature is starting to drop and the outdoor conditions are getting harsher. With the indoor heating starting to come on again and colder autumn winds its important to look after your skin as heating and the cooler autumn conditions can lead to dried out and damaged skin.

It is important that we keep our skin hydrated and protected this autumn. Here are some of my favourite skin care products to keep your skin looking and feeling wonderful with autumn season.

Moisturising is key to keeping your skin in great condition this autumn. For sensitive or acne prone skin Cetaphil moisturising lotion is fantastic, keeping the skin moist without making it oily.

I also love Body Shops 'vitamin E moisture cream' it is fantastic not only for your face but as an overall body cream. It leaves the skin so soft and hydrated and I cant even put into words how amazing it smells! I just cant get enough of it - would highly recommend.

For added skin hydration one of my autumn essentials is Estee Lauder's 'Advance Night Repair'. This serum is applied at night to repair and hydrate the skin while you sleep. It is a high end product and therefore quite expensive but if your wanting to treat yourself its definitely a great product to keep your skin in excellent condition therefore the colder months.

Its important to not only moisturise your face but your hands also as they too are exposed to the colder conditions and can get cracked and dried out due to indoor heating. I love Soap & Glory's 'hand food' it keeps my hands feeling soft and moisturised all day as well as making them smell like marshmallows! I like to keep a tube of it in my handbag throughout autumn and winter as it can keep my hands moisturised throughout the day.

Let me know what are your autumn skin care essentials!
-Hollie xx

Autumn Survival Guide - Make Up Trends

'Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting, and autumn a mosaic of them all'. 

– Stanley Horowitz

Can you believe its nearly October already?! .. Sadly this means summer is coming to an end so it is time to put away the shorts and flip-flops and get ready for autumn.

With the changing weather and colours autumn is a great time to experiment with your make-up and fashion. Autumn brings with it a new collection of make up trends so its goodbye is bright summer colours and hello to muted nail tones and dark berry lips!

Lips - Dark Lip Trend

I love the autumn dark lip trends, you can really experiment with dark more adventurous colours. Why not invest in a beautiful dark red or deep purple lipstick this autumn. 

My favourite dark lip colour is this beautiful purple lipstick in the shade 'sloane's plum' from Rimmel.

This colour is exactly on trend for autumn and can be worn with basic make up to give a pop of colour. It also goes perfectly my a smokey eye for a more dressy make up look. This lipstick is extremely versatile and will definitely be a autumn make up bag essential for me. 

If you are not feeling too adventurous but still want to try the dark lip trend why not mix a dark red lipstick with a lighter lipgloss to give a less dramatic effect. I found the 17 lipstick in the colour 'showbiz' worked beautifully with this natural collection gloss over the top of it. The lighter gloss dulled down the redness of the lipstick but still gave a hint of that wonderful dark lip effect.

Lips - Soft matee textures

Summer was all about tinted lip balms and glosses giving a very dewy, moisturised look whereas autumn trends bring matte lips with heavier lipstick and lip stains.  Its time to experiment with different lip textures.

A lip stain is easy to apply and gives you great colour that will last all day as well as giving a very matte, flat texture (great for autumn as the wind blows your hair you don't want in stuck to your lips!!)

Nails - Stone & Earth Tones.

Its time to take off the bright neon and pale shades of summer because autumn is all about the grey tones and deep, dark shades. Earth and stone coloured polishes are exactly on trend for autumn, here are some of my favourites.

I especially love this pale grey Ciate mini in the colour 'pillow fight'. As its a slightly purplish grey to matches my dark purple lip make up fantastically.

                                         

Nails - Add some sparkle.

If you find matte colours too boring why not add a little sparkle to your nails. I love to layer these max factor nail polishes together. This brown/grey matte tone in the colour 'cappuccino' works perfectly as an undercoat for this grey glitter polish in the colour 'silver'. This gives a fun twisted while still remaining on trend.

Are you wearing these autumn trend? Are you going to rock a dark lip?
Let me know in the comment what other autumn trends you are excited about!

-Hollie xxx

Hair Happiness - Must Have Hair Products

"If you hair looks good I can deal with anything"

- Lorna Moore 

Hair is often described as your best accessory! Having a great hair day can instantly give you more confidence and put you in a good mood.

Here are a few of my haircare must have products to make sure you have a good hair day everyday!

Hair Oil

Hair oil helps to keep your hair silky smooth and hydrated. My favourite is the argania hair oil, this organic moroccan argan oil treatment is perfect for dry hair. Add a small amount of this oil to the tips and end sections of your hair for an instant moisture boost. 

I also like to run some of this oil through my hair while its damp before blow drying - this helps to stop the ends of my hair drying out too much under the heat of the hair dryer. 

 Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is a definite must have product! A few sprays of dry shampoo at the roots of your hair will give it new life. Not only does dry shampoo help to stop your hair getting greasy it also adds volume and body to your hair and can help cover up dark roots.

I love the batiste range of dry shampoo, they are very affordable, smell great and do a fantastic job of making your hair look amazing! My favourite scent at the moment is 'blush' - this scent makes my hair smell like flowers all day long. 

 Heat Defence Spray

When using any form of heat on your hair (hair dryer, straighteners, curlers etc) it is vital that you use a heat defence spray to protect your hair from damage.

My favourite is the Charles Worthington strength & repair spray - it has a very light spray which doesn't leave your hair feeling greasy, it also smells fantastic!

TreSemme Paddle Brush

My final must have hair item is simply a great brush. The right brush can do so much for your hair. I personally could not be without a paddle brush. The paddle brush is great if like me you have long, thick hair. I find that my TreSemme brush is able to brush through my thick hair easily without pulling or breaking the hair. 

Let me know what hair products you could not live without!
And remember happiness isn't all about having great hair, but its a good place to start :)

Art Therapy - Finding Happiness in Colouring.

"Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

 – Pablo Picasso

Often the stresses and pressures of everyday life can be draining and can negatively effect our happiness. It is important to take some time to relax and de-stress. 

Recently I discovered the world of colouring books for grown ups - books filled with detailed designs and patterns for you to colour. At first I was skeptical, isn't colouring just for children? but I decided to purchase a book and give it a go - I was surprised to discover that I loved it! 

Amazon have a whole host of different colouring books for adults available but I decided to get 'The Secret Garden' by Johanna Basford as I loved the beautiful floral patterns and garden designs. 

Every page of the book boasts a fantastically detailed picture. Below are a few pictures of my first completed page! I really enjoyed seeing the picture come to life as I added a little more colour to the picture day by day. 

The pictures are so complexly drawn that completing this page actually took me two weeks, working on it for an hour or so here and there. I definitely had a feeling of pride and satisfaction when it was finally finished.

I thought that colouring might just be a bit of fun but I was surprised to find how relaxing the process was.  I found out that this process of de-stressing through being creative is known as 'art therapy' and is a well known technique used to help people clear their mind, relax and unwind. 

I know colouring in might sound silly and childish but these books have beautiful, intricate, detailed designs that just come to life when you begin to add colour. The whole process is actually extremely relaxing and really helped me to escape and de-stress. 

I would really recommend getting these grown up colouring books a go - they are fun, relaxing and such a creative and different way to de-stress. 

Have you ever given a colouring book for grown ups a go? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below :)

-Hollie xxx

Holy Grail Beauty Products

"Happiness is the secret to all beauty, there is no beauty without happiness" 

- Christian Dior 

Here are a few of my 'holy grail' beauty products. These are products I use everyday and I could not be without. 

Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion

Definatly the best moisturiser I have ever used. As someone with very acne prone skin I found it hard to get a moisturiser that wasn't going to leave my skin oily, greasy, irritated or sore - then I discovered Cetaphil.

Cetaphil have a range of gentle skincare product specially designed for those of us with skin problems such as acne, eczema or sensitive skin.

The Cetaphil moisturising lotion is a  fantastic moisturiser for anyone with sensitive or spot prone skin. Very gentle on the skin while still keeping skin hydrated. I used this product every day and will not be stopping anytime soon. 

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer

I have repurchased this concealer over and over again as its simply the best when it comes to hiding spots and covering dark circles. 

As you can see from the picture below I have used this concealer so much that the lettering 'fit me' has worn away! - this concealer is a everyday must for me.

It is a fairly thick concealer but it is so easy to blend and smooth into the skin. It is extremely easy to use and apply as it comes in a tube with an applicator stick. One or two small dots of this concealer go a long long way so it lasts for a very long time.

I love that it doesn't go cakey on the skin when fixed with powder, as I use powder on a regular basis. It stays in place all day and I never need to reapply. 

Definitely a make-up bag must have! You will not be disappointed. 

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder 

Just the best matte powder around. This is a high street brand make up powder costing between £2-£5 but it works just as well (if not better) than the expensive high end branded powders. 

I have used this powder so often I am right down to the pan (as you can see from the picture). 

This powder keeps face shine at bay for hours and is so easy to reapply if needed. It keeps your face looking flawless without looking heavy or coated in make up.

Definitely the best, most affordable powder I have ever used - highly highly recommend!

Make sure to leave me a comment below letting me know your holy grail products!! :)

-Hollie xxx

Fantastic Foundations

“Happiness and confidence are the prettiest things you can wear” 

- Taylor Swift

It is true that happiness comes from the inside but happiness can also be found in being confident. As someone who has struggled with acne outbreaks, skin redness and blotchiness I know first hand how these things can severely knock your confident. So I know that finding a great foundation can not only improve the look of your skin but also do wonders for your confident and overall happiness.

Top Tips: 

The first tip I have when looking for the perfect foundation is, know your skin. In general skin types fall into three main categories - oily, dry or combination (some parts oily some parts dry). It is vital you know which skin bracket you belong to in order to get the correct foundation. 

Another important tip is to make sure you get the correct colour shade. I would recommend getting a makeup artist to help you pick the correct shade or ask for a sample you can try at home to make sure the colour is right.

 My Favourite Foundations: 

Nars - Sheer Glow Foundation

I love this foundation and have it in two shades - one for summer and one for winter. 

This is a beautiful, dewy foundation that glides onto the skin. As this is a sheer foundation it is great for dry skin as it adds a lot of moisture to the face. 

It is ok for combination skin or slightly oily skin as long as you add a powder over the foundation to set it in place. If you have very oily skin I would not recommend this foundation as it will not last on your face and you will find you have to powder constantly.

This foundation gives good medium coverage and can cover spots and marks well. It is very build-able and can become a full coverage foundation if you add a few layers. 

Top Tip: Invest in a good make-up brush for this foundation - when applied with a good brush it gives a flawless finish.

Mac - Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation 

This is a powder foundation by Mac. I was never a fan of powder foundations as I found they never provided enough coverage and didn't lasted all day. However this powder is fantastic! It gives lots of cover without appearing cakey and remains on my face flawlessly all day long.

This is a great product for oily skin as the powder does not add extra oil to your face like a liquid foundation would. The powder also helps to control oil throughout the day. However it is not ideal for dry skin as the powder does tend to cling to dry patchs or the skin - a good moisturiser and primer could help combat this.

This foundation is very quick and easy to apply and would be ideal for foundation beginners. 

Its coverage is very build-able and can be anything from a light cover to full coverage depending on how much you put on. The perfect foundation if you are in a hurry.

Top Tip: Make sure you get correctly matched by a Mac make-up artist.


Laura Mercier - Silk Creme Foundation

This is a full coverage foundation with a fairly thick consistency. This foundation is ideal for anyone looking to cover up spots, redness, acne etc. as it gives a flawless full cover to the face easily.

This foundation is good for people with dry skin as it is has a lot of moisture in it and can be slightly oily on the face if worn for several hours. For combination or oily skin make sure to powder well to set the make up in place.

The silk creme foundation is quite easy to apply however it is definitely best to apply it with a brush or sponge as it doesn't spread as evenly when applied with fingers.

Top Tip: Always shake with foundation well before using as it can separate in the tube.


Body shop - All in one BB Cream

This is a great all in one product which combines foundation, moisturiser and primer. BB creams often only provide little coverage however this BB cream from body shop can easily be layered to give good medium coverage. 

This is a very easy and quick product to use as you don't need to worry about moisturising or putting primer on first. Great for days when you don't want to put on a full face of makeup but you still want some coverage.

This BB cream is not too oily so it is quite good for all skin types, but if you are very oily you may want to add powder.

Thanks for reading :) Please let me know in the comments what foundations you love!
Hollie xxx