Just to let you know....|katesbeautyblog

Hello dolls,

As you have probably guessed I have been super busy these last couple of months and completely forgot about blogging. I have wanted to do it but at the time it was far too time consuming. 

I have now made the decision to restart regular blog posts because its what makes me happy. I also would love it for anyone who is wanting a review done or a post written on anything from beauty/fashion, lifestyle, relationships or anything..then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

I am looking forward to restarting up my blog and doing something I love.

I hope you all are happy and healthy.

Kates xo

HEALTHY TUNA SALAD.

As a Student Nurse I find it either extremely hard to find time to eat lunch when I am in the wards or even harder to not eat a lot of junk as it seems to make myself feel better and draw the attention away from my 12 and a half hour shift I have ahead of me. I decided to do a different post today, something that interests me and thats food and diet. I wanted to take something for my lunch that was healthy and nutritious but was extremely easy and fast to make and kept me full. I have put some pictures below and I will explain how to make it...TRUST ME, ITS SIMPLE!

All the ingredients I used.

I used some shredded lettuce, Red onions, Tuna, Sweetcorn and some Salad dressing. If you don't like something in the ingredients totally take something you love and add it in. 

1. I just took a small bowl and placed, lettuce, red onion and three quarters of the tin of sweetcorn and placed it into the bowl.
2. I then drained the brine out of the tuna and added it to the pot.
3. After mixing all the salad together, I added three teaspoons of Salad dressing to the pot to give my salad that wee bit of extra flavour. (feel free to add BBQ sauce, Mayo, or any other sauce that makes your tastebuds tingle!!!)
4. I added pepper and put it in the fridge overnight so that it was ready for the morning.

The finished result.

It was fabulous when I had it for lunch today. I am going to add pasta next time and maybe try some different sauces in it. It is such a versatile dish and literally can be tweaked to your taste requirements. I had this with a shape yoghurt and an apple..(because I like to think I am healthy, aha- maybe I shouldn't say about the kit kat).

If you try this at all, please send me a picture and tell me what your version of this included. 

What is your favourite healthy snack? 

Have a fab day.

KATES xo

Brow Fibre Gel that is simply fabulous.

When I was younger I had never really been a huge fan of filling in my eyebrows. I think the main issue was that I never was able to do them...they were always misshaped and just did not look nice at all. Only recently have I started filling in my brows and due to watching many upon many of YouTube videos have I only cracked how to do the perfect brow for my face shape. I love using different products in my eyebrows and I am always looking for new things to try.

If you read my post on Brow Arch March, you would have seen that I went and had my eyebrows done at Benefits Brow Counter. My experience was absolutely fabulous and I shall definitely be back. If you would like a separate blogpost on that, be sure to let me know! After I had my brows waxed and tinted the lady put some product through my brows and it has genuinely changed my life...

Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow "brow volumising" fibre gel*, £17.50
(available in two shades). Available online and on counters now

This product is the god of all eyebrow products in my opinion. This is a tinted Brow gel which makes your eyebrows appear looking fuller and it also adheres to the skin making your eyebrows look simply fabulous. It is Water resistant, long wearing, natural looking and build able. 

                                       

I absolutely love this product and find that I can use either shade (light/medium or medium/deep) to brush my brows into shape. I fill in the gaps and it just adds a very natural colour to my brows without making them look too overdone. It doesn't budge at all, even after a 12 and a half hour shift my brows are still on top form. The small brush gives you the freedom to get all those wee tiny hairs that no wax will ever be able to make look good. 

                                        

Overall, I seriously will never be using another eyebrow product again, this is the definition of fabulous. I advise you all to go out and get your hands on this.

What products do you use in your brows?

Hope you have a fabulous day,

Kates xo

LANCÔME ROUGE IN LOVE 'VIOLETTE COQUETTE' REVIEW

Okay..I am not proud of myself but I done it again...I bought another lipstick. But this time I genuinely do blame Rachel (here) as her blogpost (here) was far too persuasive. 

The Lancome Rouge in Love  range always gets fabulous reviews and I wanted to see what all the hype was about! I love my dark colours, purples, deep reds and anything that isn't pink and girly, basically! This colour popped out straight away, outdoing all the other colours in the 24 piece collection. 

Rouge in Love - Violette Coquette - 381B

The packaging itself was what drew me in first of all. It feels like a high end product if that makes sense. The base of the lipstick is supposed to represent a wedding band which is so cute considering the love theme and all. The only downside to the packaging I have is that I feel it could hold more lipstick in the tube than it actually does. Also, the colour isn't at the bottom of the packaging only a number is shown and I feel like if there was this would allow people to distinguish colours easier if you had more than one of these in your collection.

Lets talk about the product itself...It is fabulous. The colour is so so so gorgeous, a vibrant purple which wold suit any skin tone in my opinion. It does contain some shimmer but not enough that it looks like you have just applied a lipgloss. The formula is very moisturising, I feel, and it literally lasts ALL day, even when I had been eating and drinking. It can be worn so many different ways and if you don't want to have such an intense colour it would look just as good as a stain with some lipgloss over it!

I have put a picture below of me wearing this for a night out!

I wonder if I could pout anymore than what I am already?

As for the price, this lipstick comes in at £21.50, which for the colour, versatility, pigmentation and packaging is completely justifiable in my opinion. I can't get enough of it and will most definitely be repurchasing this in the near future. I highly recommend you get down to your local counter and purchase one of these! AMAZING!!

Have you tried any of the Lancome Rouge in Love lipsticks? What is your favourite lipstick of all time?

I hope you all have a wonderful day.
Kates xox

THE TEATOX FOR WEIGHT LOSS.

Okay so it is coming up to Summer, everyone has booked holidays and now all that is on your mind is I want to look good in my bikini!!!...am I right? Well, that is most definitely on my mind.
I decided that I wanted a safe way to loose weight on top of my exercise and healthy eating that I have been trying to do. I have looked at so many different diet plans from the famous 'Juice Plus' to just drinking fluids. Realistically, none of these would work for me as I just love my food to much!

After months of searching, I found something that really did interest me. I discovered BOOTEA.
This claims to be the ultimate teatox for weightless. All you do is have a drink in the morning and at night whilst having healthy food throughout the day and exercising. What more could you want really???
I decided to purchase my tea at Holland and Barretts however they sell it on their website for the same price- £19.99.
I have started my detox. I will be sure to post some reviews on here when I have completed it.

Have you ever tried this BOOTEA?

KATES xo

FREE BENEFIT EYEBROW WAXING FOR CHARITY.

Hey everyone, I feel as if I have been slacking lately but today I am going to take it upon myself to get back into the swing of things and post about something that I am sure you all will be interested in.I received my weekly issue of LOOK today..(which can I  just say is fabulous) and when I was reading through it during my lecture...(not recommended, guys!!) something caught my attention.

Benefit Makeup counters at Debenhams have teamed up together to raise money for the cancer charity 'Look Good Feel Better'.

Benefit have launched a campaign named 'Brow Arch March'... (basically the woman answer to 'Movember'), which is to raise funds for people who are possibly challenged by the visible side effects of cancer! What a great cause, right?

Want to get involved in this great event and get your eyebrows shaped and waxed for FREE (usually £11.50),while helping to raise money for charity? Well, the good news is over 50 Benefit stores across the UK are holding this event. You can't really turn this down. To find your local store just visit HERE and book your appointment!

I hope you all take up this great cause and I would love to hear if you do! Use the hashtag #Browarchmarch.

Kates xo

*pictures are not my own. Terms and Conditions apply.

ELF EYESHADOWS.

As you all know from one of my previous posts, I ordered stuff from ELF cosmetics. I thought I would share with you my thoughts on there 'Glitter Eyeshadows', found (here). I bought three which now I regret and think I may have to go and purchase the rest of the collection. These are the definition of fabulous.

The three Shadows.
(see below for swatches)

As you can see these are super pigmented and they honestly last all day! They were only £1.25 which is an absolute BARGAIN! For this price I cannot believe the pigmentation of them as well as the shimmer. They would be perfect for an evening look and I also love to wear the brown colour during the day in my outer crease..(it adds a bit of shimmer to an everyday smokey eye!) I could go on all day talking about how much I love these but I think you all get the idea.

I highly recommend these products and while they are on sale I would go and grab them just now! If you have nay questions feel free to post a comment and I will get straight back to you.

Have you got any ELF products? What is your favourite? 

Hope you all have a FAB day.

Kates xo

*all opinions are my own

How I Deep Clean My Makeup Brushes.

Hello my lovelies. 

Today I thought I would give you all a run through on how I clean my makeup brushes. Cleaning your brushes is one of those horrible tasks that nobody can be bothered to do but it is actually one of the best things you can do for your skin! You would be disgusted by the amount of bacteria and dirt that is left on your brushes after even just one use of the makeup brush. This is why its important to spot clean your brushes after you use them, I use No7 Brush Cleanser from Boots. It is equally important to deep clean them once a week, I suggest a Sunday so they are all fresh for the week ahead. If you have skin problems or acne I can guarantee that if you do a 'deep clean' once a week, your skin will reap the benefits..(you heard it here first!) Below is my step by step guide on how I clean my brushes, this is just how I do it and I do know lots of people who do it different however this is what works for me.

Horrible, dirty brushes that need cleaned. These are the Real Technique Brushes.

I use Fairy Liquid..(The green smells the best) and I also use No7 Foaming Cleanser.

I put both products on a plate and swirl my brush in the mixture, creating a foam. Then I run under lukewarm water.

After this is complete, I leave on a dry towel and let them air dry. WOOHOO..CLEAN BRUSHES.

*I would also like to add that you should try not to put water near the handle area as it can loosen the glue. Also make sure all the mixture is out so your bristles are not damaged!

I hope you found this Blogpost useful! How many of you are now going to run and wash your brushes? What is your favourite way to wash your brushes?
Kates xo♥

WHAT'S IN MY BAG?

This week I am doing a 'what is in my bag'!!

I love having a wee look into other peoples bags so I thought I would share what things I carry around in mine. 

For my 18th birthday I got the 'Zara City Office Bag with Zips'. As you can see from the picture below the bag is very spacious and in my case full of rubbish! I think this bag is fabulous and is perfect for anyone is looking for a durable black bag that looks amazing!

I thought I would give you a quick sneak peak to what is inside and I will have some links below to where I got some of my favourite stuff I carry abound with me everyday!

This is basically what is in my bag at the moment. I got my owl purse from Urban Outfitters. My Green makeup bag from Ted Baker. I also like to carry the Soap and Glory Hand Sanitiser and Hand Lotion in my bag because they are handy and smell amazing.
If you would like to know about anything that features in these pictures please comment and I will find out for you.

What is in your handbag? What is your favourite bag to carry?

I hope you all have a fabulous day!
Kates xo

My Skincare Routine.

I've been thinking about what to write about for a wee while now but I finally decided to write a post about my skin care routine as it's been super requested. For anyone who doesn't know I have normal/dry skin and I rarely get breakouts. 
I thought I would share with you some of the products that I use to keep my face feeling fresh and clean after a long day of wearing makeup. 
The products in my routine are the  

• No7 Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser - RRP- £9.50 (this can be found here). 
• The Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water -RRP - £9.50 (this can be found here).
• Soft & Soothed Gentle Cleanser - RRP- £8.00 (this can be found here). 

These three products help me create the perfect skin.

First of all lets talk about the Soft and Soothed Gentle Cleanser. It claims to Clean, Comfort and Hydrate the skin. It also says it helps to sweep away makeup and impurities. It does all this and more. In my opinion this is very similar to baby lotion. It has the same smell and viscosity. It is very gentle on the eyes and it take my eye makeup off without pulling and tugging. 

                                       

Moving swiftly on to the Foaming Cleanser. This claims to be the 1 simple step to perfectly clear skin and I completely agree with this. You need one pump in your hand and then you are good to go. Massage it into your face and watch all your makeup slide off leaving you with a fresh feeling face and tighter pores. This is just fabulous.

                                       

Lastly, the Beautiful Skin cleansing water is just another way of removing the more stubborn makeup items. Out of all three of these products this one leaves me feeling the cleanest. 

                                       

I love No7 products as they are all hypo-allergenic which means they will not irritate your skin. 

These are all the products I use to make my skin feel fresh. They are reasonably priced and last for a long time. In my opinion you can't really go wrong with these. 

What do you use for your skincare routine? Have you tried No7 skincare products before?

                     (Kates xox)

Urban Decay | The Naked 3.

As we all know, since the first Naked pallete was released in 2010, Urban Decay has become some what of a craze in the beauty world. I am not really surprised as they are filled with 12 beautiful shades.
I have been dying to get the Naked 3 from the moment I knew it was being released but every time I tried to order it, it was SOLD OUT. Finally, last week my fabulous boyfriend surprised me with it and of course I was thrilled.
Read on to find out my thoughts and to see some swatches too!

At first glance of this palette my favourites are Limit, Nooner, Darkside and Blackheart. Limit is a gorgeous matte shade that acts as a great base. Nooner again is a matte shade and is good to use to cut the crease or even if you want to create the perfect smoky eye. Darkside is definitely my favourite it is a dark brown with hints of sparkle..(and who doesn't like a little bit of sparkle?). Finally, Blackheart is the darkest colour in the palette but it is my go to eye shadow for the outer corner.

The palette as you can probably tell by now has a rose tinted theme going through it which is perfect for tanned and darker skin tones however it does create a lovely colour on fair skin too. As with all Urban Decay products they have pigmentation spot on and these eyeshadows are no different. They are rich and creamy rather than chalky and with the Urban Decay primer potion they last all day and night.

This is for sure my go to eye shadow palette at the moment and I will be trying out many different looks over the next few weeks so let me know if you would like to see them.
This palette is available at Debenhams or House of Frasers stores and is £37, go and get one while you can! (I promise you won't regret it!!!)

Have you got this palette? If so, whats your favourite colour?

Have a fabulous day,
Kates xo

"There's more to life than hair but it's a good place to start" |Aussie Products

It's nearly the end of January..(THANK GOODNESS!!). In every post I write I always complain about the cold and this post is no different. I have felt that my hair has lost it's 'mojo' this winter, it feels dry and never ever looks shiny anymore. So this being a huge issue for me I took it upon myself on Friday to go and get a good bit chopped off and also decided to ombré it. After I had it all cut and blow dried it felt so healthy and 'back to normal'.

With this new found shiny fabulousness I asked the lady what she used in my hair and what she recommended to keep it this way. My hair is very long and extremely THICK which no, is not always a good thing. She recommended that I try the Aussie range because it is 'bottles filled with luscious magic' was the quote I think she used. 

So, I had been told what would help my hair so I obviously had to go straight to Boots and pick up some of these 'magic' products. I picked up three of their products because it was 3 for £10. I picked the Lucious Long shampoo, the Lucious Long conditioner and the Miracle Hair Insurance.

This stuff literally does what it says on the bottle. It's amazing, it smells fantastic and leaves your hair feeling fresh for days. It's my new holy grail. 

I've yet to try the Miracle hair insurance but I've been told it works a treat! It smells the same as the shampoo and conditioner which is a good start. I love these new found products and I think they'll do my hair wonders! Get down to your local shops and grab these while they're still on offer. I'll let you all know about the conditioning spray but I'm sure it'll be just as fabulous.

Kate's xo

THE LIEBSTER AWARD

Today I found out I was nominated for The Liebster award by the gorgeous Rachel from, Rachel says fabulous! Go and take a look at her blog! I was thrilled and wanted to find out more about it. I only started this blog one and a half weeks ago and never really understood what this award was for. So for all you 'newbies', like myself heres some quick info about the award - its a chain mail designed to promote new blogs and to get new bloggers to get to know one another. Isn't it such a cool concept?

Okay, so let's start with the rules:
1. You must link back to the person who nominated you. (THE FABULOUS RACHEL!!)
2. You must answer the 11 question given by the nominee before you.
3. You pick 11 nominees with under 200 followers to answer your questions.
4. You cannot nominate the person who nominated you.
5. You must tell the nominees that they have been nominated by you.

RACHEL'S QUESTIONS

1. What's your favourite food?

It has to be anything with mushrooms on it! They are the food of the gods! I loveee them.

2. Which celebrity do you get told you look like most often?

I don't really get told I look like anyone..

3. Do you speak any other languages, and if so, which ones?

Nope, I would love to speak fluent French though!

4. Have you ever broken any bones in your body?

Never, ever! Im actually surprised because I am the clumsiest!

5. What's your can't-live-without beauty product?

My Benefit eyebrow kit! I could never leave the house without putting on dem' brows.

6. What's the worst present you've ever received?

It has hands down got to be a packet of colouring pencils because the person thought I might need them for Second Year Art!

7. Have you got a holiday(s) planned for this summer?

I am planning to book up with my boyfriend in the summer.

8. If you use Emoji, what is your most-used emoticon?

It has got to be the wee cheeky monkey! I love that wee thing.

9. What did you dress up as for Halloween last year?

I dressed up as a pirate..how creative!

10. My favourite word is FABULOUS! What is your favourite word?

Oh..Fabulous has got to be up there with one of my favourite words but I also like the word 'doll' even although I don't use it often enough.

11. Where's the furthest you've been from home?

Furthest i have ever been is probably Iceland or New York.

11 RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ME

1. I am a Nursing student at University.

2.I HATE slow drivers.

3.I can't save my money.

4.I am TERRIFIED of sheep..(even the word makes my skin crawl.)

5.I once did YouTube videos back in the days where I wore blue eyeshadow..

6.I still own a Blackberry :(

7.Dr Pepper is my ultimate favourite drink.

8.I work in a Chip Shop.

9.I could eat mushrooms ALL DAY EVERYDAYYYY.

10.I don't have a specific music taste,I just go with the flow and listen to whatever is on.

11.I failed Higher Biology TWICE (ahahhahhahahhaa).

MY NOMINEES

Charlotte @ BUSYBURT

Meghan @ MISSMEGHAAN
Kat @ BLUSHINGROSE
Catherine @ YOUWISHYOU

 Katie @ THELASTSOUVENIR
Leigh @ HELLOMYNAMEISLEIGH

Lucee @ LIFEWITHLUCEE

Gemma @DUGGYDIMPLES

Emma @EMS BEAUTY

Laura @BEAUTY2COUTURE

Ellis @ ELLISTUESDAY

MY QUESTIONS

1.What is your favourite Beauty product?

2.What is your favourite colour?

3.What made you start your blog?

4.What is your favourite brand of makeup and why?

5.Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

6.What is your dream job?

7.What is your worst fear?

8.What is the three closest things to you right now?

9.Most worn item of clothing?

10.What is your favourite drink?

11.I love tartan clothing..what is your most worn pattern or colour?

Kates xo

ELF COSMETICS| HAUL

Its January which means the month where everyone is depressed and needs to be cheered up..right? So I thought I would take it upon myself to brighten my mood and take full advantage of the ELF cosmetics makeup sale (here). I didn't go too crazy and only picked up 10 things..(anyone who knows me, knows this is well restrained for me!).

I was so excited when this package turned up at my door and I couldn't wait to see what all the fuss was about! As I said previously, I have only bought a few things to try the brand out. Let's take a look at what I bought...

I mostly concentrated on eye products as that's what I feel I've got least of in my makeup collection. I bought a few glitter eyeshadows that were a crazy price of £1.25. I mean I couldn't just have one so I obviously I got three, ooooopsss!! I also bought an eyeshadow pallete that is especially for green eyes- this is one of the products I have tried out. I got the glitter primer because what girl can resist a glitter primer when she's buying three glitter eyeshadows!?

Moving swiftly on to lips, I purchased a jumbo lipstick stick which looks fabulous. Also to combine with this I bought one of the 'shimmer lip glosses' to out over the top of my lipstick.. This is in the colour pink umbrellas.

Finally, I bought a bronzer in the colour Golden, is it just me who thinks the packaging reminds them of NARS?.

I have actually tried the bronzer out and thought I'd give you a wee look at the colour pigmentation. It looks fab when it's contoured onto the face. I blend all four colours together using my real techniques blush brush and I dont think I'll ever go back to another bronzer. The picture does it no justice. I seriously recommended getting onto ELF ASAP and bagging this bargain for only £3.25!. 

I went on a night out last night and thought I would make use of this palette and 'enhance my eyes' as that's what this palette is supposed to do. The packaging is beautiful and the colours also look amazing but when I went to use them they were really chalky and the lighter colours were not the most pigmented things I've ever seen. In the end I decided to ditch the lighter colours and use the dark purple shown at the end of the palette and used some other loose eyeshadows I have from mac and urban decay. I really was disappointed with this but for the price of £2.75 I couldn't really complain.

To conclude I am not reallly sure how I feel about ELF cosmetics at the moment. The bronzer is fabulous but the eyeshadows not so much. I'll have to test all the other products out and decide from there.

Do you have any ELF products, and if so what ones? Is there any products from what I bought that you'd like me to review?

Happy reading,

Kates xo

Let's talk about..BABYLIPS.

As you all know the cold months are here and everyone seems to be Ill, complaining it's freezing or has chapped lips. Well, I can't do anything about the first two I'm sorry to say but I have discovered a product that may solve your chapped lips.

I first heard about this product while watching YouTube videos. I done my research and was so disappointed that they were only available in the U.S. I managed to persuade myself many times to just order some from America but I just couldn't justify the postage. So back in July when I went into Boots and saw these I was overwhelmed with excitement and decided I just had to buy all 6...Incase you haven't already guessed, yes, I am talking about 'Maybelline, BABYLIPS'.

I was drawn in by the wonderful colours and childish packaging. I was so excited to try these and was surprised by the formula. They are so soft and almost turn into a liquid unlike most lip balms that are hardening on the lips and almost pull at them. These glide on with ease and leave such a fabulous texture. I absolutely love these..however, Maybelline claim that Baby Lips offer 8 hours of hydration and I'm afraid that it is not case it is closer to about 3 hours, as long as the balm is on the lips the skin will remain moisturised but once it wears off all the benefits tend to vanish. These products come in at just less that £3 each which is an absolute bargain..(and who doesn't love a bargain?). For such a bargain price they do contain substantial ingredients which include Vitamin E, Shea butter, Aloe Vera and in some of them even SPF 20. Also, while I was researching I found out that they contain a lot of petroleum which may be the reason as to why they don't last for as long as claimed. The main problem with Petroleum is that it tends to only mask the problem of dry skin/lips with a barrier of hydration and over time said ingredient can suck out extra moisture from the skin/lips making the problem worse rather than better.

At the moment Maybelline have launched 6 of their now infamous balms within the UK which include three with an SPF : Hydrate, Mint Fresh and Intense Care. All of these three apply clear and leave a slightly glossy finish to the lips( personally these are my favourite!!). The other three are tinted and give a very sheer colour. Unlike the non-tinted versions these do not include an SPF and come in the following shades Pink Punch, Cherry Me and Peach Kiss.

Basically I LOVE MAYBELLINE BABYLIPS. I just wish that they would last a bit longer. They are fabulous for stashing in your pocket or bag as a quick fix for dried out lips. All in All, they are a great product that are fun, smell amazing and are CHEAP!

Kate's xo

Maybelline Baby Lips- Boots, £2.99*

BEST EYELINERS IN TOWN..

Let's talk about eyeliners..these were gifted to me at Christmas and I can't get enough of them! There crazy pigmented and stay on your eyes for hours without budging. All in all these are just pencils of complete 'fabulousness'. 

This set from Boots (here) stores contains 5 eyeliners and 3 eyeshadows..(but let's forget about the eyeshadows for now!!) The pigmentation in these are insane. Let's take a look.

I mean look at how gorgeous these all are!!! I think it's love! 'Blue my mind' is a gorgeous navy colour that is perfect if you feel like a change from that overworn black! Also, look at the sparkles in 'AQUABAT' isn't it just gorgeous?! 'Grapevine is another favourite as I have green eyes and I do feel it compliments them. 

I am in love with all of these colours and think everyone should go out and treat yourselves. I am so impressed with the quality and pigmentation of these. WELL DONE SOAP AND GLORY! 

I am so happy with my new eyeliners and can not wait to try out more of the 'Soap and Glory' makeup.
Hope you all have a fantastic day xo

Goodbye 2013..Hello 2014.

Hello there..
As you can probably tell I am new to all this blogging stuff. I guess this post is just to tell you a little bit about myself and what I hope to achieve.
My name is Katie and I LOVE everything to do with beauty and fashion. I am going to post on this page everything beauty and fashion related so that 'you fellow beauty lovers' can get ideas or reviews on products that I simply adore.
I hope you all enjoy reading about things I find fabulous.

Kates x