MAYBELLINE COLOR DRAMA LIP PENCILS

After hearing that the Maybelline Color Drama lip pencils were similar to the Nars lip pencils I just had to get my hands on a couple to test them out. Nars lip pencils currently have a permanent place in my make up bag and so a more affordable alternative was really exciting to me.

The Maybelline lip pencil shades that I own are Keep it Classy and Fuchsia Desire. Both are pretty shades and are highly pigmented, Keep is Classy is a red toned plum (that will be perfect for autumn) and if rubbed in as a stain, gives a beautiful berry tone to the lips. Fuchsia Desire is a pretty, wearable warm toned pink which looks great for the warmer months.

Like the Nars lip pencils, these pencils also need to be sharpened. Although Maybellines offerings are a lot more affordable than the Nars pencils, I would still prefer a twist up applicator in a bid to waste less product. Despite this, there's something so aesthetically pleasing about the packaging of the Maybelline lip pencils, they fit so well in my make up bag and are great for easy application on the go. 

The formula of these lip pencils are pigmented and creamy, they're easily to blend on the lips and last me a good 2 hours before having to reapply. The shades that I own tend to be a little drying on the lips but nothing that a layer of lip balm beforehand doesn't fix. My favourite way to apply them is to dab a little of the colour onto moisturised lips and then blend out with your finger to leave a pretty tinted stain. This way I can wear them as a subtle sheen or really build the colour up to a bold, velvety lip. 

Although similar, they don't quite beat the formulation and longevity of the Nars lip pencils for me. However, Maybelline Color Drama lip pencils are a lot more affordable and pretty close to the Nars pencils so they're definitely worth taking a look at, especially as the shades available are just dreamy. There's a beautiful deep red that has caught my eye (and looks similar to Nars Cruella) and a pretty pink that has a slightly glossy formula and looks perfect for spring.

Have you tried Maybelline colour drama lip pencils?

SPRING GOALS

Every year I like to set myself a few spring goals as I feel like spring is the perfect time for new things, beginnings and growth. Here are a few of my spring goals this year:

Lean something new - I currently have an overwhelming urge to study and learn. There are so many great free courses online, I would love to study nutrition, french or astronomy.

Spend money on experiences, not things.

Take more photos & use my lomography camera more.

Vlog little snippets of my life for memories.

Take up spinning.

Buy fresh flowers, often.

Spring clean my home.

Invest in some new make up brushes. I do own quite a few lovely brushes already and my professional brush kit is good quality but I really wanted to invest in some new brushes for myself. Earlier this week I finally took the plunge and ordered some Zoeva brushes, I am beyond excited for them to arrive and can't wait to see what they're like!

Wear more colour - I only ever really wear colour on my nails or with my make up but I've been really inspired by Carrie's posts recently. Even if I still stick to darker hues I'm going to try to branch out a bit and wear a little less black! I've ordered this pretty rust cami from newlook to start me off, it hangs really nicely and I love the shade!

Make more. I would love to DIY something like this beautiful rose garland. I love this one too, I'm hoping that I might be able to make a longer lasting version by using artificial flowers or knitted rose buds.

Do you have any spring goals?

HEALTH AND FITNESS

I mentioned briefly in my wedding planning post that I had started to make little lifestyle changes to be healthier after the indulgent winter months. I've also got into a little exercise routine that I'm really happy with and that has helped to make me feel so much healthier. Here are five small steps that I've been taking for a healthier lifestyle:

1. Drinking more water: I love water and try to drink at least 2 litres of filtered water a day. Drinking herbal tea is also a good way of getting water, Teapigs and Pukka make an amazing peppermint and licorice tea that really helps to satisfy sweet cravings.

2. Having an exercise routine: I get easily bored with exercise and so often switch between cardio, yoga or pilates and doing exercise videos on youtube. I've started a little routine recently that I'm really enjoying and it's something that I look forward to completing every day. It's fairly easy to do at home and not too monotonous, this is what I've been trying to do daily:

AM: 30 day squat challenge.

PM: 1. Cardio and targeted area: I like to do two Blogilates videos, one cardio and one other,
            normally targeting arms or thighs. I absolutely love Cassey's workouts, she really motivates
            you to push harder and the workouts always make me sore the next day so I know they're
            working!

        2. Later in the evening I do Amberfillerup's ab exercises, there are so many great ones to do that
            it keeps me interested and I can increase my reps as I get better.

3. Yoga: I try and do yoga a few times a week, not only does it increase my strength and help tone, it really helps to relax my mind and lets me take around 20 minutes out to de-stress. I love Yoga with Adriene videos, Adriene is so inspiring, motivating and it feels like you're working out with a friend!

4. Snacks: I've made sure that the only snacks I have laying around are healthy and good for my body as I find it too tempting to snack on junk food when it's easily available. I love snacking on nuts, fruit, popcorn and vegetable sticks with houmous. My current favourite snacks are roasted Almonds, freshly picked blackberries and apple slices sprinkled with a dusting of cinnamon.

5. Meals: I'm becoming increasingly aware of what I put into my body and so I try to fuel my body with healthy and unprocessed foods. I initially found it quite difficult to change my diet, but it's becoming second nature to me now. I eat wholewheat pasta, brown rice and quinoa and I love using herbs and spices to jazz up vegetables. I use pink Himalayan salt (which is full of minerals) and I love using coconut oil (which is antibacterial, anti fungal and contains essential fatty acids) to cook with.

For a quick breakfast or lunch, I love to make a smoothie in my NutriBullet, it blends nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit so well and lets me make the most delicious smoothies!

I still like to indulge in a few treats, I just try to make sure that they're quite healthy and good for me. Some of my favourite treats include Almond milk hot chocolates using Alpro almond milk and Green & Blacks Cocoa Powder, Booja Booja chocolate ice cream (the most dreamy, dairy free ice cream made with creamy blended cashews), Gemma's healthy salted caramel sauce and squares of Lindt dark chocolate.

A book that I love reading to learn about great foods and the benefits of eating well is Eat Pretty by Jolene Hart. I've also flicked through Deliciously Ella, it contains some great recipes and will definitely be my next cookbook purchase.

SPRING BEAUTY

With my berry lipsticks and darker hues tucked safely away in my Alex drawers for another year, I've started to pull out pastels, brights and lighter bases ready for spring. I've had a little spring clean of my dressing table area and make up drawers and so with everything looking neat and fresh, I'm ready to embrace the lighter, brighter shades for spring.

I've switched out my thicker winter moisturiser in favour of Origins Ginzing Energy Boosting Moisturiser. The lightweight, gel like texture means that a little of this fresh citrus scented moisturiser goes a long way and it gives my skin a boost of radiance ready for the warmer months. I'm also putting my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer aside and instead opting for Seventeen Phwoarr Paint concealer, it still gives high coverage but feels a lot more creamy in texture and a little less drying than its counterpart.

For Blusher, Sleek Pixie Pink (swatched here) has been giving a pretty flush of colour to my cheeks. The vibrant pink blusher gives a fresh look to my make up and works beautifully with theBalm Mary Lou Manizer, a pigmented shimmery champagne highlighter that gives such a dewy glow. I've also started to introduce cream blushers back into my routine, I'm especially loving No7 Pop and Glow Cream Blush Stick in Mango Sorbet (swatch) which is a creamy pastel coral that's just perfect for spring.

On my eyes, I've been flitting between the L'Oreal Color Riche L'Ombre Pure Eyeshadows (these are the shades that I own) and the Maybelline Color Tattoos as an easy all over wash of colour to my eyes. I love the gel infused, buttery texture of the L'oreal shadows and have been enjoying wearing the lighter, shimmery rose and gold shades of the Maybelline cream shadows. I always drift towards cream or gel based shadows during spring and summer as they last so well on the eyes and rarely smudge or crease.
An eyeshadow palette that I've been loving recently is the Sleek Oh So Special Palette*. The shades are super pigmented, long lasting and it contains lighter mattes that work so well with bold spring lips.

I'm stuggling to let go of deep reds and berry nail polishes as they'll always be my favourite shades to wear, I've kept my Essie collection at easy reach for a range of shades to wear all year round. Essie Mint Candy Apple has been brightening my nails during the transition into spring and Essie Cute As a Button is a pretty coral pink that is so great for spring mani's.

The Nars Lip pencils from the Digital Lip Pencil Coffret have been a staple in my make up bag throughout winter and I'm bringing them with me through to spring. I've put Nars Cruella aside and opted for lighter shades like Yu, Iberico and Torres Del Paine. I'm so upset that Torres Del Paine is a limited edition shade as it's turned out to be my favourite of the bunch, it's a brightening creamy peach that looks so pretty for spring. Nars Yu, a bright cool toned pink luckily is part of the permanent range. It instantly freshens up your make up look and can be dabbed on for a pretty pink stain to your lips. See swatches here.

With all of these beauty products out, I feel so ready for spring. I just hope the weather picks up a bit now!

What are your beauty picks for Spring?

WEDDING PLANNING

There are so many things that I didn't realise I needed to do after getting engaged. I had browsed beautiful rings on pinterest before, watched tear jerking proposals and attended magical weddings but I wasn't sure where to even start after getting engaged! I insured my ring, read how to clean and care for it and then started to think about things I needed to plan for the day. I'm still not sure whether I should sleep with my ring on, how to even begin to look for a dress or when I should start to organise the paperwork for getting married! It's something that me and Alex aren't going to rush, we both want to get married on a beach, somewhere far away where we can also honeymoon and we really want to take time to save up and find the perfect location. We both want to keep it quiet low key and relaxed but even so there's still a lot to organise. Here are a few small things that I'm doing to slowly start the wedding planning process.

1. Buy Wedding Magazines: Not only is Elle Wedding magazine one of the most beautiful magazines that I own, it has a lot of great information such as flower types for the seasons, dress trend reports and travel locations. I think that I would have picked this magazine up even if I wasn't engaged as it's pinterest worthy, glossy pages are full of beautiful make up, decor, fashion and hair inspiration. It means a lot to me as it's my first bridal magazine and It's something that I'll treasure for a long time. I've also been browsing Brides magazine online which is from the publishers of two of my favourite magazines (glamour and vogue), they seem to have everything you need to know about wedding planning!

2. Invest in a nice notebook: I love making notes and writing absolutely everything down. I really love this Kate spade notebook, it's such a simple and nice design that would be perfect for noting down ideas. Some of the things I've written down so far include hair and make up products, honeymoon shopping lists (including this swimsuit, SPF and some Topshop Sunglasses), wedding ring ideas, bouquet ideas and I've also made a note to find out how to get a bouquet set into a paperweight like Millie Mackintosh did!

3. Collect Travel Brochures: One of mine and Alex's favourite things to do currently is to spend the evening surrounded by travel brochures, chatting and dreaming about possible locations and imaging ourselves on a beach far away. Some of the brochures contain wedding and honeymoon packages that help you with getting married abroad including the admin and the planning which looks so, so helpful!

4. Create Pinterest boards. I can already tell that Pinterest is going to be my best friend throughout wedding planning. I've had a pinterest wedding board for quite a while now (way before I got engaged!) and it's so useful for storing all my ideas. From bouquet arrangements to nail polish colours I've been using pinterest as a mood board and an area for ideas and things that I would like. It helps me to pin all my ideas and inspiration in one place which is so handy.

5. Starting a wedding healthy eating and fitness routine: Over the winter my normally quite healthy diet has slipped. I've overindulged in cinnamon apple crumbles, rich pasta dishes and far too many almond milk hot chocolates (my weakness!) I want to adopt a more healthy lifestyle and so I'm getting back into using my nutribullet to make healthy fruit, vegetable and chia seed smoothies. I'm drinking more water and trying to introduce a little bit of exercise into my daily routine, If you're following my instagram, you have probably seen a few snaps of my healthier meals!

SPRING BLUSHERS

With crocuses and daffodils starting to spring up everywhere and pastels and dresses appearing in the shops again, I'm finally starting to feel excited for spring. I've switched out my berry blushers in favour of creamy corals and pinks. Here are the ones in my make up bag for Spring:

No7 Pop and Glow Cream Blush Stick in Mango Sorbet: Swatched here, this pretty peach blusher gives a natural flush to the skin and works so well in the warmer months. The twist up stick applicator makes applying this creamy blusher a dream and it dries to a powder finish which makes it fairly long lasting. These are great to pop in your bag for application on the go and come in a selection of pretty shades, I have my eye on the shade Watermelon to get next!

MAC Well Dressed: I'm carrying this beautiful pastel pink blusher through with me from winter to spring. It's a great transitional shade and is my most worn MAC blush. I love wearing this cool pink blusher when I'm going for a look that's a bit heavier on the eyes or lips, it works really well with bold spring lipsticks. See it swatched here.

Topshop Head Over Heels: I love the formula of these Topshop blushers as they blend so seamlessly onto your skin as a cream before setting in place as a powder. Head over heels is a beautiful coral/peach blusher that brightens the complexion, giving a pretty glow to your cheeks. It blends out to quite a light, pastel peach making it such a lovely spring blusher.

Bourjois Rose Pompon: This light peachy pink blusher gives a natural, subtle flush of colour to your cheeks. It has a slight glow to it, produced by flecks of golden/coppery micro shimmer running through it. I love wearing this paired with a shimmery peach lipgloss and It fits nicely in my make up bag. Although it isn't the most pigmented blusher i own, I've been getting so much wear from it on natural make up days.

Sleek Pixie Pink: This pretty, highly pigmented and vibrant pink blusher is so brightening for the complexion. It gives a lovely flush of pink to your cheeks and works perfectly for spring, see me wearing it here.

What are your favourite blushers for spring?

FEEL GOOD BEAUTY PICKS

There are a few products that really help to lift my mood and set me up for a great day when i'm wearing them. Whether you like to spend a lot of time on your beauty routine, use luxurious products to pamper with or incorporate some of your favourite products into your everyday routine, theres a few products that just make you feel good. Here are a few of my feel good beauty picks;

Lush It's Raining Men: Probably my all time favourite product from Lush, this sweet honey/toffee scented shower gel instantly makes me feel happy and brightens up my day. The wild orange oil and bergamot lifts your mood whilst the honey and rosehip oil leaves your skin feeling silky soft and moisturised. Like a lot of Lush shower gels, the scent lingers on your skin and fills the bathroom with a delicious fragrance. 

Essie Summit of Style: There's something about wearing glitter nail polish that just makes me feel happy. Either on your fingers or toes, a coat of this chunky copper glitter add's a such a pretty metallic sparkle to your nails. 

Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Yu: This, paired with a shimmery wash of eyeshadow, L'oreal Miss Manga mascara and a cosy grey jumper makes such a great combination. There's something about popping on a bright pink lipstick that freshens up your make up look and makes you feel good. See my full review and swatches here.

Origins Ginger Souffle: This whipped body cream contains a combination of oils that moisturise and soften the skin. The warming, spicy and slightly sweet ginger scent is just dreamy and lingers on the skin for hours. It contains lemon, lime and bergamot which lifts spirits and leaves you feeling cheerful and refreshed.

MAC Soft & Gentle: Swept over the tops of your cheekbones and on to the brow bone, this golden champagne highlighter adds a luminous glow to your skin. If my make up is feeling a bit flat then a light dusting of this mineralised highlighter helps to pull everything together to give me a dewy, glowing look. See me wearing it here.

What are your feel good beauty products?

HOME WISHLIST

Ever since taking down most of the winter decorations and fairy lights, our home has felt a little bare and in need of some new decor. I've been lusting after these pieces recently and think they would fit in really nicely:

Diptyque Pomander: As you probably know by now, I'm a little obsessed with anything autumnal and cinnamon flavoured. I know that I would love this warm orange, cinnamon and clove scented candle. I love the fact that once burnt down, the glass holder is so perfect for holding cotton buds or hair clips, I've wanted a diptyque candle to place on my dressing table for a while now and think pomander would be really lovely!

George Asda Lightshade: I've been pinning a few geometric lightshades on my pinterest recently, I love the way that they look and how they don't block out too much light. I'm in love with this copper one from Asda and think that it would make such a pretty feature.

Anthropologie Latte Bowls: These cute little bowls come in an array of different colours and look like they would be the perfect size for granola, popcorn or fruit. I have my eye on this beautiful periwinkle shade and at £3.50 each they're quite affordable too!

Eames Chair: I love the eames chair, especially when paired with a fluffy white blanket draped over. This one is from John Lewis and although beautiful it's certainly not cheap, I spotted a pretty good dupe in home bargains last week for £49.99, which is still quite pricey, but a lot more affordable!

H&M Copper Glass Box: I'm always looking for pretty storage ideas for tidying the odds and ends that are scattered about our flat. I'm in love with copper homeware and this glass box would be perfect for storing bits in.

Ikea Stockholm cushion: Every time I'm in ikea I'm drawn to this soft, squishy cotton velvet cushion. Next time I visit, It's definitely coming home with me!

What do you think of my home wishlist?

SOIGNE NAIL POLISH IN POMEGRANATE

I've mentioned Soigné quite a few times in my recent posts, I love idea behind the brand and I've always been on the look out for a nail polish that is better for my nails.

Soigné translates to 'take care of' meaning that the polishes are free from nasties and help the nails to stay healthy and in good condition. The packaging is dreamy and the shades available are beautiful. They have a 5 free formula are eco friendly, cruelty free and vegan.

I purchased Soigné nail polish in Pomegranate recently as it's a beautiful, classic red colour that I'll be able to wear all year round. Ever since me and Alex got engaged I've been choosing nail polishes that I think will go well with my ring (soppy, I know!) and I love the way this true red looks. 

Although these polishes come in at £11 each, they often have offers and sales available. I would much rather spend a little more money every now and then for a great quality, eco friendly nail polish, I've already got my eye on the shades Betteraves Rouges and Orge to buy next!

Have you tried Soigné nail polish?

MALM DRESSING TABLE UPDATE

I've recently had a make up clear out which resulted in me switching up my Malm dressing table and make up storage. I though I would do a little dressing table update to show you the things i've changed!

I've moved my Essie nail polishes into the malm drawer as I use them so often, it's so great to be able to just pull out a colour and then paint my nails at the dressing table. Although Essie is still taking pride of place for me, I'm finally starting to branch out to other nail polish brands. I've recently discovered Soigné nail polish which is vegan, 5 free and eco friendly, I really love the formula and the packaging is so pretty.

I've also rearranged my eyeshadow section so that I could make room for the Stila in the light palette as I've been wearing it non stop recently. I love sweeping the shade 'Bubbly' all over my lids, it's such a pretty shade and is very similar to MAC all that glitters. I've written a full review with swatches here, it's such a versatile palette!

I've moved my face brushes into this little ikea pot, I love the way that it looks and it makes them so easy to reach. I need to pop to Ikea again to purchase another one as I'm planning on investing in the Zoeva brushes soon. I also have my eye on the bloggers Ikea cushion, I think it would look so perfect on my dressing table chair!
The little pineapple from Primark is a welcome addition as my malm was looking quite bare, it has a tiny little candle in it which I'm tempted to burn down quickly so that I can use it to store bits and bobs in.

The acrylic drawers are holding my favourite lipsticks, the top drawer is full of my current favourite lipstick shades, the second drawer holds my Revlon lip butters and the third drawer all my lip crayons. On top sits a little lipstick holder from Tiger with all my MAC and Chanel lipsticks.

I still really need to get some postcards and washi tape to brighten up the area a little and maybe some fresh flowers as the last of my Gypsophilia is looking a bit lonely! No doubt i'll have another little change around of my dressing table again soon, I hope you liked the updates that I made!

EIGHT TIPS FOR A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP

I read somewhere once that it takes the average person 15-20 minutes to fall asleep. Alex is always envious of how quickly I doze off, I can literally close my eyes and seconds later I'm fast asleep. I use a combination of things to help me sleep well and get on average 8 hours a night, here are my tips for a good nights sleep;

1. Count your blessings, not sheep. (Love this)

2. Use lavender or lavender oil to relax: Lavender induces sleep and it's calming scent helps to reduce nerves and anxiety. I keep a small lavender pillow (made by my mum) in my bedside drawer to pop under my pillow if I feel anxious or I'm having trouble sleeping. You can get some great sleep sprays and roller balls like the This Work Deep Pillow Spray and the Tisserand Lavender roller ball, they both contain lavender and chamomile which are great for helping you to relax and drift off to sleep.

3. Invest in good bedding and soft pyjamas: Being comfortable in bed is a must for a good nights sleep. I love Next pajamas and TKmaxx and The White Company sell some incredibly soft bedding. I like to change my bedding every 1-2 weeks to keep it fresh and every now and then I also like to sprinkle a light dusting of baking soda and a few drops of lavender essential oil onto my mattress, I let it sit for an hour before hoovering off to make sure my mattress stays clean and fresh.

4. Have a bedtime routine: Sticking to a routine helps me to unwind and lets my body prepare for sleep. I often have a relaxing bath with aromatherapy essential oils, take time to do my nighttime skincare routine, clean my teeth and then read in bed for 20 minutes. That way I can switch off and disconnect, ready for bed. Getting into a routine that allows you go to sleep at the same time each night is also beneficial for your sleep quality.

5. Breathe deeply: Another thing I do if I'm having trouble sleeping is to focus on my breathing. Taking a few deep breaths whilst being mindful of any tense areas of your body and slowly relaxing them on an exhale can really help if you're feeling restless. Trying to meditate and really concentrating on my breath helps to clear my mind and let's my body relax ready for sleep.

6. Read a book before bed: I love reading on my iPad but I save a paperback book on my bedside table for reading in bed. It let's you disconnect from technology and reading a slow paced book always helps me to drift off, I save the exciting ones that you can finish in just one sitting for lazy Sundays!

7. Have a comfortable environment for sleeping. I always aim to have a clean, clutter free bedroom. My bedroom furniture is all white, I have minimal clutter and try to keep it cool (temperature-wise) and a nice place to relax. With lighter mornings creeping in it's worth investing in thick curtains or a sleep mask. I prefer to use a sleep mask (I have this silky soft one from etsy) as it's better to try and wake up naturally with the sun but there's some mornings when you really just need to pop your mask on and lay in!

8. Beauty: Although bedside beauty isn't an essential, if I have dry hands or lips I find it easier to sleep if I moisturise them before bed. I always keep Nuxe Reve de Miel close by to dab on my lips before bed, It keeps my lips nourished and hydrated. I love Neils Yard Geranium and Orange hand cream as the scent is really uplifting. I also make sure to have a glass of water to hand to keep hydrated.

What are your tips for a good nights sleep?

FEBRUARY'S ORANGE FAVOURITES

February passed by in a blur of pancakes and roses. I spent most of my February days eating lemon and sugar pancakes, celebrating valentines day and practising yoga!

My lifestyle favourites are mainly food related this month, the tiny pumpkin represents my love of roasted squash (this little guy is so much cuter than a giant butternut squash!). It's so easy to chop up the squash and then toss with some olive oil, garlic and rosemary before throwing in the oven for a while. It tastes amazing on its own, mixed into a salad or even scattered over pasta with a generous sprinkling of goats cheese. I've also been enjoying soft boiled eggs with buttery toast soldiers for a lazy Sunday brunch. Crunchy nut cornflakes have been my cereal of choice this month, sweet honey and salty peanuts, is there a better combination?!

Moving onto beauty, these have been my favourite this month:

Lip Products: Soap and Glory A Great Kisser lip moisturiser has been giving a peachy hint of colour to my lips whilst keeping them feeling soft and moisturised. I've also really enjoyed wearing Revlon Tutti Fruitti this month for a sheer, subtle orange lip. It's so great to pop in your bag for application on the go, you can see it swatched here.
I'm still in love with my Nars digital world lip pencil coffret set and this month I've been wearing Iberico, a beautiful bold orange red (swatched here). Lastly, I've been loving Revlon Audacious. A bold, matte coral orange that looks so pretty for the run up to Spring, see me wearing it here.

Soigne permission: Soigne nail polishes are vegan, not tested on animals, 5 free and contain plant based and natural ingredients. The packaging is beautiful, as are the shades available. I've been loving wearing this burnt orange shade this month and I have my eye on a couple more shades from them as the formula is so lovely!

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush: This brush blends liquid foundation so seamlessly into the skin leaving a flawless base. It's such a great shape that allows you to buff just a small amount of foundation around the contours of your face, giving a natural finish.

Bourjois healthy mix: I've been wearing a light dusting of this orange toned blusher this month (swatched here) to warm up my complexion. It gives a lovely glow to the skin and looks so pretty paired with a golden highlighter.

What were your favourite products in February?

FAVOURITE MAKE UP BRUSH BRANDS

Real Techniques:

The Real Techniques Expert Face Brush is probably my all time favourite brush. It applies liquid foundation with such minimal effort and the domed end lets you gently buff in product around the contours of the face with ease.

I use the Real Techniques blush brush for powder, it's hand cut and blends powder in flawlessly. For blusher, I opt for either the contour brush or the stippling brush. The duo fibre stippling brush is great for applying cream blushers and the contour brush is lovely for powdered blush. They both pick up just the right amount and help to blend blusher in so seamlessly. 

The Real Techniques setting brush is my brush of choice to use if I really want my highlighter to stand out, for a subtle and more defined highlight I use the bdellium fan brush* noted below.

Bdellium tools: 

I first heard whispers about this brand on youtube a few years ago and desperately wanted to try their brushes after reading and hearing such great things. When working at IMATS, I was sat opposite the bdellium tools stand, it was so vibrant, cheerful and busy. I didn't have time to buy any brushes but I ordered a few online as soon as I finished for the day. I managed to get my hands on a few of their bambu brushes and fell in love with them straight away.

I now own quite a few of these handmade, vegan and eco friendly brushes, the Purple Bambu Precision Brush Set*, two green bambu and two pink bambu eye brushes. The purple brush bristles feel the softest to me with the green a close second, the pink are really great at blending out eyeshadow but don't feel anywhere near as soft as the purple or green.

I'm normally quite picky about my eye brushes and the green 716 smoky eyeliner is so lovely and quite possibly the softest brush I own. It's perfect for applying product to the delicate eye area, I love to use it for my inner corner highlight or for smoking/smudging out eyeliner. Bdellium is definitely now my first choice for eye brushes. The 785 fluffy brush and 781 crease brush work so well at blending out eyeshadows and creating the perfect smokey eye.

My new favourite bdellium tools brush is the feathery 925 duet fibre fan brush. I own a fan brush in my professional kit and now love having this one in my personal collection. It's great for sweeping a light dusting of translucent powder over the t-zone or for adding highlighter to the tops of your cheekbones for a really flawless finish.

MAC: 

I'm incredibly loyal to my MAC 150 brush that I use for bronzer so I had to include MAC in this post. Although my MAC 150 shreds terribly each time I wash it, it's lasted me a good 5-6 years now, is such a great size and distributes just the right amount of product with it's tapered bristles. I can't imagine using any other brush for bronzer now, it just works so perfectly for me.

I use the MAC 130 for applying foundation when I have the time to really take care over my base as  the small duo fibre bristles really buff foundation in to create a flawless base.

I used to use the MAC 266 brush for applying gel eyeliner when I wore it daily, now I use it with powder to fill in my brows, it's just the right shape to lightly brush on the powder and leaves me with natural looking brows. I also used and loved the MAC 217 brush when studying make up, it's such a lovely brush that blends eyeshadow seamlessly.

I have my eye on some Zoeva brushes next, I just can't decide between the rose golden luxury set and the rose golden luxury set vol.2.

Which are your favourite make up brush brands?