Pleasureful

Tag: Beauty

  • Things I Like a Lot

    Things I Like a Lot

    I don’t often do these kinds of posts; once upon a time I did do a list of my favourite beauty products, which you can search for on my site, but since then I haven’t really shared much about things I enjoy in my day to day life. I love watching favourites videos on youtube and reading peoples masterlists on a blog post. It’s a great way to end up spending a bunch of money on stuff that strangers on the internet have recommended to you! But for real, I’ve found a lot of my favourite stuff this way, so why not share my own list with you guys in the hopes that I help at least one of you find a new favourite product! I’m going to go through everything from makeup and skincare to technology, lifestyle and books. Grab a hot drink and get comfy, because this may take a while.

    Beauty

    • Better Than Sex Mascara by Too Faced – The name says it all, because it’s kinda true. I’ve tried an array of different mascaras over the years from drugstore to high-end, such as Benefits Roller Lash and Climax by NARS, but I always come back to Better Than Sex. It gives me the perfect amount of volume and fantastic length. I love the shape of the wand and it never makes my lashes super clumpy. Its staying power is also insanely impressive – I can wear this all day long and my lashes will look just as great before I get ready for bed as they did that morning. Too Faced really slayed with this one.
    • Conceal and Define Concealer by Makeup Revolution – Revolution is by far my favourite drugstore makeup brand. Their range of products and shades is insane; they really have everything you could ever need and for the best prices too. The conceal and define concealer is lightweight, buildable and neither too matte nor oily. I use it for both concealer and to cut my crease when doing eyeshadow and it’s perfect for both. Pair it with the conceal and define foundation for the most perfect base!
    • Hoola Matte Powder Bronzer by Benefit Cosmetics – An OG bronzer that has stuck with me through and through. I can’t part with this product. It’s just the perfect shade for both contouring and giving myself a bit more colour after I’ve applied my foundation and concealer. Not to mention this stuff lasts me FOREVER, making it more than worth the price! I believe Benefit have also come out with lighter and darker shades to suit an even wider range of skin tones.

    Books

    • ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ by Matt Haig – There’s not a single person on earth who has described depression as well for me as Matt Haig does in this book. He gives an account of what his day to day life was like suffering from a mental illness and how he overcame it to get to where he is today. He is inspiring, funny and real; Matt reminds us to find hope in the little joys that life gives us, letting those things give us the encouragement to push forward. I don’t only recommend this for those who have suffered from mental illness, but for those who wish to understand more about what it is like for those going through it. It will give you more understanding than a psychology textbook ever could.
    • ‘You Are a Badass’ by Jen Sincero – I really felt like I could do, have and achieve anything I wanted after reading this book. This is what made me really believe in the act of manifestation and letting the universe know exactly what your plans are. If you read any self-help book this year, make it this one. Jen shares her inspiring stories, gives advice based on what she has learnt and experienced and gives the reader exercises to help get us started on unleashing our inner badass. Want to learn how to stop holding yourself back and live a life you actually love? The first step is to read this book.
    • ‘This is Going to Hurt’ by Adam Kay – Possibly the funniest book I’ve ever read. Adam has documented his years working the medical field and it’s golden. If you’re fascinated by medical professionals and what they experience on a day to day basis like me, this is the book for you. If you just want to laugh, cry and say ‘what the f**k’ every 5 minutes, then this is also the book for you. Trust me. I know people always say ‘I never wanted it to end’ but I REALLY never wanted it to end.

    Hair/Body

    • Mario Badescu AHA Botanical Body Soap – Whilst I’ve never really struggled with acne on my face, I have been blessed with the joys of bacne for years now. It’s no longer as bad as it was in my early teen years, but I do still get small breakouts and have scarring on my back from the particularly aggressive spots. I’ve never found anything that really worked to help clear any of this up – until now. Since using this in the shower every day I can already see a difference in the skin on my back. Pair it with exfoliating gloves or a body brush for even better results!
    • Coconut Oil – Yeah, just coconut oil – the substance sent from the GODS. I use it to shave, moisturise and on damp hair to keep it hydrated. I couldn’t be without it. Buy a jar from your local supermarket and it’ll last you months – a way cheaper option than some fancy branded hair oil that’ll run out after one use.
    • Diva Professional Styling Universal Diffuser XXL Pro – A diffuser is basically just a scary looking hairdryer attachment that prevents curly hair from getting awfully frizzy when drying, by distributing the air more evenly (I think). I have tried and tested a number of different diffusers with my curls. Every time my hairdresser dries my hair, she always manages to get it perfectly big and bouncy, so I asked her what it was she was doing. She recommended this diffuser to me, which is the one she uses on my hair, and I immediately went online and bought it. I did have some trouble finding it in stock anywhere, but after some research I got it. And my god is it worth it. It’s extra big, so encases the majority of my hair and dries quickly. The even distribution of air stops my hair going frizzy and leaves me with a perfect, big body of curls.

    Clothes

    • Victoria’s Secret PINK T-Shirt Bra – I don’t really wear a bra unless I have to; I find most of them uncomfortable or they fit weirdly. Not this one. Probably the only ‘proper’ bra that I could wear on a day to day basis. It’s super soft, gives the perfect shape, great support and just fits amazingly on me. I honestly forget I’m wearing a bra with this one. Not to mention it won’t completely break the bank, as they always have a deal on where you can buy any 2 t-shirt bras for just £49.99. Considering that you’re getting a good quality bra, that’s a hell of a bargain!
    • Pretty Little Thing Mom Jeans in Mid Wash/Washed Black – Comfortable jeans that fit perfectly and don’t cost a whole sacrifice to the gods? Um, yes please! Firstly, it’s gotta be a mom jean for me. I just can’t hack wearing skinny jeans on a day to day basis like I used to – let my legs be free! Secondly, I used to spend a good £40 on a single pair of Topshop jeans but honestly I find my £25 PLT ones a whole lot better. They’re more flattering, fit better, softer and they haven’t shrunk in the wash or lost their colour AT ALL. Can I get a round of applause for these bad boys?
    • Gymshark Dreamy Leggings 2.0 – Usually I don’t like to spend too much money on my workout clothes, but this collection by Gymshark is worth it for me. The leggings fit like a glove, are the perfect thickness and you can just feel the amazing quality of the material. I have faith that these won’t split in the bum area, like my cheaper leggings often do after about a month or so of squats and lunges. They’re also high-waisted, sucking everything in and giving me confidence when I’m at the gym. I’d buy a pair in every one of their cute colours if I could, along with the matching Dreamy Sports Bra (also amazing).

    Technology/Lifestyle

    • Fitbit Charge 3 – My lovely dad ever so generously got me this as a gift when I started getting really into health and fitness. It’s really helped keep me motivated, and I literally never take it off (except to shower). One of my favourite features is the sleep tracker; download the free Fitbit app, connect it to your watch and it’ll analyse your sleep. It’s made me really see how irregular my sleeping can be, and as a result I’ve started getting into a better routine, which thanks to the Fitbit is easy to keep track of!
    • Calm app – I downloaded this app when I was having some real trouble getting to sleep at night. Sometimes my mind just won’t shut off, and it’s going 100mph when all I want to do is go to bed. So, I thought I would give sleep meditation a try. That’s when I got this app and it changed my sleeping game for good. It’s so good, I pay around £30 a year to have access to all the apps features. When I am really struggling to sleep, I’ll pop on a 15-minute-deep-sleep body scan to calm my brain. On a normal night, I listen to the relaxing sound of rain (on a window, if we’re getting into specifics) which I can set to play for an hour – perfect to help drown out any lingering thoughts threatening to keep me awake. I’m also a big fan of the guided meditations specifically aimed to tackle various problems such as anxiety and stress. An easy way to add a bit of Zen to your life.
    • Simple Modern Water Bottle (with straw lid) – You’ve probably seen the water bottles by the brand Hydroflask. You know, the one all the VSCO girls own? Well I wanted one – badly. Thing is, it’s an American brand and there’s no way I’m paying that much for a water bottle PLUS the shipping costs to the UK, so I started looking for an alternative and I came across this one on Amazon. It’s near enough identical to the Hydroflask and comes in an array of colours and sizes. It’s the best bottle I’ve ever had. The straw lid just automatically makes it better than any other water bottles out there. It keeps my water cold and fresh throughout the whole day; I swear water just tastes better when I’m drinking from this bottle. Plus, it sounds like I’m drawing a sword when I take it out of my bag.

    So, that was a lot and I don’t blame you if you only scrolled to read the sections that interest you most. But I love this kind of thing and always end up finding the best holy grail products through people sharing their favourites online; I hope that at least one person discovers their next best purchase through this list. Thanks for reading!

  • My Go-To Beauty Products

    I am most definitely not the kind of girl to wear a full face of makeup everyday; if I did, I’d constantly be late for work and my skin would hate me. However, on that rare occasion when I do decide to transform my face into a contoured and glowing masterpiece, I like to use products that I trust, sit well on my face, last throughout the whole night and help me to create the best look I can. So, here is a list of some of my all time favourite go-to beauty products, enjoy!

    1. Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray 

    Okay, so there is not another setting spray in this world that I will use over this one. It’s oil and paraben free, meaning it is perfect for my skin. I used to have a massive issue with my makeup just melting off halfway through the day/night due to my oily skin, but since using this my makeup has had no issues with staying on my face. I’ve tried other matte setting sprays, but always come back to this one, nothing compares!

    2. Revolution Bake and Finish Luxury Baking Powder

    I used to avoid baking my face at all costs. I would only lightly swipe the tiniest layer of setting powder across my face due to fear of terrible flashback making me look like a ghost every time someone took my picture. But let me tell you, this powder is a god send. It leaves no flashback whatsoever when taking those all important pictures at pre-drinks, meaning I can bake my face to my hearts content! It helps massively to keep my under eye concealer from creasing and is so soft and light on the skin.

    3. Jaclyn Hill x Morphe Eyeshadow Palette

    Let me start off by saying I just love all Morphe eyeshadow palettes. They’re affordable, you get so many amazing colours ranging from matte to glittery and they are always so pigmented. But this palette in particular completely stole my heart. Every single shadow in this palette is beautiful, there are so many different looks you can create with just this one palette! I will say that the fallout you get from this palette isn’t brilliant, but despite that tiny flaw I still find myself reaching for this palette more than any other!

    4. Jeffree Star Cosmetics Peach Goddess Skin Frost

    If there’s one thing I love, it’s a great highlighter, and this is it. When it comes to other products by Jeffree Star, I can’t comment as I admit I’ve never tried anything but this highlighter. But it’s one of the best ones I’ve ever used! The colour is perfect on my skin tone, and you can either build it up for a strong glow or dust it on for a subtle shimmer. The pink isn’t too strong, so it doesn’t leave me looking like a clown. It’s the right mix of colour and icy highlight, and goes with most of the makeup looks that I love to create. I would definitely try the other shades of this highlighter!

    5. Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original

    So a while back I didn’t even know primer was a thing, let alone eyeshadow primer. This is the first and only eyeshadow primer I’ve ever used, and I see no reason for me to look for another one. Since using this, my eyeshadow hasn’t creased ONCE (which says a lot, as due to my oily skin having my eyeshadow crease towards the end of the day was always inevitable). My eyeshadow in general just seems so much nicer to apply, and the colour seems so much more pigmented after using this first. And the best part is this lasts forever! I will not do my eye makeup without it.

    6. Benefit Hoola Powder Bronzer

    This is the only bronzer I’ve ever used that has the most perfect shade of bronze for my face. I’m not a fan of liquid contouring, especially in the summer, as it leaves my face feeling way too cakey and heavy. With this bronzer, I can leave my cheekbones looking sculpted and my face looking tan and healthy without over doing it!

    7. Urban Decay Optical Illusion Complexion Primer

    Okay so I don’t know what Urban Decay are doing to make their primers this damn good but whatever it is I am grateful for it. I’ve tried a few primers before (that’s after I discovered primer was a thing I should be using), both high-end and drug store, and nothing compares to this one. It feels so soft and satiny when applying it to your face, but it’s not overly oily. My foundation glides on perfectly over this primer and it makes my pores almost non existent, giving me the most flawless base for my makeup! It also lasts for such a long time. It may be slightly pricey but it’s definitely good value for money.

    8. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

    This mascara is hands down the best mascara I have ever owned. I am obsessed. I’ve been using it for a couple of years now, and I’ve tried to branch out and try out other mascaras from different brands but I always come back to this one. It gives you the perfect amount of both volume and length, isn’t too watery or too clumpy, isn’t so heavy that it weighs your lashes down after curling and lasts all day with very minimal smudging. Honestly I’ve cried wearing this a fair amount of times and my mascara has kept it together even when I haven’t. Trust me, you need this.

    So, that’s that. My go-to beauty products. There are probably a couple more I could have added to this list but I didn’t want to bore you all, so let me know if you want to hear more reviews/opinions from me on beauty products or if you want to know more about my favourite products and brands! I’m thinking of doing a skin routine/favourite skin products post so keep an eye out for that. That’s all from me for now, thanks for reading!

    – S x