Top 5 Cheek Products 2013

Today I'm back with the second post in my Top 5 of 2013 series. This year was the year I fell hard for cheek products. Blush, bronzer, highlighter, you name it I tried it.
So here's the one's I really fell for in 2013!


First up is Sleek's Blush in Pixie Pink.. Well actually, any of Sleek's blushes! The quality of them is fantastic, and the colour pay off is better than most other blushes I've tried! A tiny bit goes a long way with any of them, otherwise you will end up looking a bit clown faced! The one I've pictured here is Pixie Pink, which is a really girly Barbie pink colour, and on the cheeks it just looks really natural and adds a nice pop of pink colour. And they're a bargain at 6 euro!
Next up is a fairly recent purchase of mine, Benefit's Dandelion. I had been wanting to try a Benefit blush for ages, and eventually I did! I can genuinely see the fuss around them now. Dandelion is a beautiful Coral pink, with some slight glitter through it, which is great because it means you don't need a highlighter with it. Result, especially if your a lazy bones like me! At 34 euro though they aren't cheap, but I think this will last a long time. Next one I'm eyeing up is Rockateur! 
I discovered the brand MUA last year aswell, and on a few trips to England I picked up a few bits. This Undressed highlighter was perhaps the best of the bunch! (Besides the eye shadow palettes,if you haven't tried them you must) I've seen some people compare it to one of the MAC highlighters, which of course I can't remember the name of now, but I will pop it in when it comes back to me! Its a gorgeous pinkish highlighter, which adds a really subtle glow to the face when applied. I hadn't really tried any highlighters before this one, and now I definitely don't want to try anymore! It was only some crazy price too, around 4 euro I think!
NYC is another brand that is super friendly to your wallet if you're on a serious budget, but still like to get your beauty fix. This Colour Wheel Mosaic Powder in Rose Glow is one I turn to if I'm not wearing a lot of make up, or if I just want to keep my cheek's natural. It just makes me look healthy, and for that I love it! Again its not expensive, I think its about 4 euro at the most!
I love Rimmels products, they're bang on trend with every new trend in the make up world, and they make them more affordable for everybody which is always a plus! This Mono Blush in Pink Rose isn't new by any means, but it is one I've reached for a good bit throughout 2013 and I felt I had to include it! Again this is just a really natural colour blush, and its one I'd wear a lot, especially for work and just every day when I'm not up to much!

                                          LEFT: Pixie Pink, Right: Dandelion


So that completes my roundup of my fave cheek products! Is there any that you all like that I don't have included? What are they?

Thanks for reading,
Alisha
xxx

Top 5 Face Products 2013

Hey there everyone, how depressing is it being back to normal after all the excitement of Christmas and New Years! :( Oh well, such is life I guess! So on to the good stuff! 

By far the beauty post's and video's I love to read and watch are good old favourites of the month!

I find it really interesting to see what products other's use and love. More often than not it does end up in me buying them to try out for myself! 

I decided rather than doing one long post it would be better to break them up in to a couple of shorter ones, which it'll make it a lot less boring for you all! 

So first up I decided I'd share my favourite face products with you all! 

2013 was the year that I really did become a tad more obsessive about beauty, and previously to that I had one foundation and I'd use it until I ran out and that was that. Now I have slightly lost track and have begun to branch out and try different brands and formula's, and pretty much spreading my foundation wings! 

So in no particular order.... :

The Porefessional Face Primer from Benefit: I only recently picked up the full size of this, but beforehand I did have a sample, and god did I get every last drop out of it! I know everyone had raved about this, but I never could see myself forking out. Until I tried it that is. I have rather large pores on my nose, and I've become quite paranoid about them lately, so I really couldn't believe the difference this primer made. It reduced the size of the pores quite largely, and it also toned down any redness I had on my nose and face too.. Happy days! It is expensive at 34 euro, but I do think its worth it, and I have a feeling it will last ages! 

L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint Foundation:  This was definitely one of 2013's most raved about products. Although it was only released this side of the pond in recent months, everyone and anyone who's tried this product has loved it. Everything about this foundation is different to most other foundations, in that this is a really liquid product, (it is lighter than water after all) it has to be shaken up and then tipped on to the finger to apply, and it is also a really light coverage! I'm loving this since I bought it, and it has firmly earned its place as my new everyday foundation. The finish is just beautiful, it just looks like you're having a really good skin day! Its priced at 14.99 from Boots and most other pharmacies. 

Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation: Rimmel had a fantastic 2013, and came out with some amazing products, the most well known probably being the Apocalips Lip Lacquers. They release this Stay Matte Foundation in late August/early September, and although I don't have oily skin, I did want to try out a foundation with a matte finish, and what better way to do it than with a budget product. I have to say though I fell in love with it as soon as I tried it! Its a thick mousse texture, and a little goes a long way with this, otherwise you may end up looking very caked, which is not a good look for anybody! It is a more full coverage foundation though, so if you do like your lighter coverage, then this  isn't for you. I loved it though, and at times when I thought it looked a bit flat, I just added a bit of highlighter. Simples. Its cheap as chips aswell at 7.99 (ish).

Catrice Camouflage Cream: This was another one that set the beauty world alight this year, and because I'm lucky enough not to get blemishes too often, I'm not one to use concealer an awful lot. On a whim in Penneys one day I picked it up to try, and this is some hardcore stuff! I've tried it on a scar I have on my hand and you wouldn't even know I had a scar after using this, and as for blemishes, well they just vanish into thin air! It is a thick concealer, so I don't know would I use it under eyes as I would fear it would sit in lines and whatnot, but maybe someday I'll try it just for curiosity's sake!

Maybelline The Eraser Under Eye Concealer: I gave this a go back in August after a week full of late night's and a couple of sleepless nights, which resulted in me having bags under my eyes bigger than Ryanair's carry on bags. They were horrendous, and no matter what I did I couldn't make them disappear! As soon as I started using this I instantly saw a difference. Although it doesn't make bags disappear altogether, it does a very good job at hiding them, while also brightening up the under eye area. As you can see by the picture I've been getting some serious use out of it, and I will definitely repurchase!

Have any of you tried any of these products? If not, what have your favourites been? 

Thanks for reading,

Alisha xxx

2013... The Highs and the Low's ...

Its hard to believe that another year is over, and that 2014 is creeping up on us, slowly but surely... 2013 for me was definitely a mixed bag of emotions and what nots, and I think its nice to take time and look back on it and reflect before another year comes charging at me head on..

Highs:

• At Easter last year, myself and my mother bit the bullet and joined Weight Watchers. I had put on near a stone, and at 5''1, and over 10 stone, I was very unhappy in myself. Sure people kept telling me it didn't matter, and maybe to them it didn't because to them I was still the same, but it mattered to me, because I felt so crap in myself because I felt heavy and sluggish, and a lot of my clothes didn't fit anymore. :( So when I did bite the bullet I was delighted, because I had a goal to aim for, and I was determined to do it. And by God I did it! I lost over a stone and a half, and went from 10''1 to 8''5 and I feel like a completely different person. To go from wearing size 12 to size 8 is such an unbelieveable feeling for me because never in my life have I been a size 8, until now! It just shows that goals are achievable if you do set your mind to it and are determined to do it!
• 2013 was the year that I discovered beauty blogs and beauty channels on YouTube. I don't know why but before this year they seemed to slip by me somehow! After a lot of thinking and consideration, I set up this blog and I'm very glad I did, I've got some amazing feedback off friends and family, and although in recent weeks I've lost my blogging mojo, I am determined to work very hard on this blog in 2014 and make it something I will be very proud of. 
• This is a bit of a soppy one, but I really learned the true value of friends and family in 2013. I think it is often something we take for granted, but throughout this year I have developed a bond with my cousins that I didn't think was possible. I'm not saying that we were never close but 2013 brought us all closer together, and hopefully that will last for many more years to come. 

• Lows:

Without a doubt, the biggest low of 2013 was losing my beloved grandfather. He lived just around the corner from me, and so for that reason I saw him pretty much every day. I know to some people this is odd, but not seeing my grandparents to me and my brother was odd. It was just our families way. Unfortunately back in August he took ill very suddenly, and never recovered, and passed away peacefully on Ladies Day of the Galway Races. It was heartbreaking for all the family because he was the life and soul of the party. Words can't explain how much a part of our life he was and how much he will be missed, but I have no doubt that he is in a better place with the rest of the loved ones that we've lost. 

How was 2013 for you all?

Thanks for reading,

Alisha xxx