5 minute 5 product make up look

So this is my first ever make up look post and the first time my face is out there so people of the internet be kind. Also my photos have little to be desired, I need to work on my photography skills!!!

However I wanted to share this mainly for the products I used as now that I have less time to get ready I have had to perfect a quick make up look.

This look uses just 5 products all of which are drugstore and really affordable, obviously you can swap in or out any of these products for others you may have.

The 5 products I have used are:
Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in 01 Fair.
Barry M Get Up & Glow face palette.
Soap and Glory Brow Archery pencil in Hot chocolate.
Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara.
L'Oréal Infallible Mega Lip Gloss in 103 Protest Queen.

To save time I haven't used a foundation just a concealer, I find that the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer has a really good coverage when applied with a foundation brush.

Next onto brows - I had to decide between brows and eyeliner. Brows won. I just brushed them through added shape and filled them in a bit.

The Barry M Palette is something I have been really surprised by. There are 3 blushes a coral, bright and pale pink, then a shimmery bronzer and a highlighter. For this quick look I have used the pale blush on my lid with the highlighter over the top to give a nice shimmer. If you have a slightly darker skin tone you could possibly use the bronzer or the brighter blushes. I then also used the pale pink blush on my cheeks.

I added a coat of my Max Factor False Lash Effect mascara plus some L'Oréal lip gloss and I'm good to go.

Hope you liked my first make up look. Comments very welcome.

Em x

Mum and baby 3 months

My baby girl turned 3 months old this week!! It's so crazy how fast that has gone. Actually it is scary, if these 3 months have gone this quick the rest will and before I know it I will have to go back to work.

Although the past three months have flown by so much seems to have changed, she is growing so fast. I have got out the 3-6 month clothes, I probably should have done it a week ago but I am trying to cling onto her being small, the 3-6 month clothes look huge but when I actually get them on her they do fit which scares me, before I know it she will be running around.

Most of my time at the moment seems to be either putting things in the baby or waiting for something to come out. She gobbles her milk down like she is out on a binge drinking session, I have never seen anything like it. She tries to get it down so fast I have to take the bottle out all the time to allow her to breathe. Then I spend the remaining time waiting for outgoings!!! which I find way to interesting. If she doesn't go for a number two for a day I am waiting for her to explode, then we class the severity on how many wipes it takes or if it is a bath situation. Our conversations have really changed since having a baby!! Then burping, this is what I seem to be doing the most, getting the wind out is our main obstacle.

In the last week or so she is staying awake more in the day, she doesn't take too much entertaining at the moment, she seems way to interested in the sides of her cot, her hands, lights and peoples faces. She talks a lot and smiles, mostly at her dad, not that I'm jealous!! It is funny, she looks at him and just grins it is hilarious and amazing how they recognise people so young. Also this week on the day she turned three months she did a giggle, like a proper belly giggle.

She is a good sleeper, has been since she was about two weeks old. She likes her sleep like her mummy. At the moment she is going from about 11pm through to 7am. She has a few cat naps in the day but nothing longer than an hour or so. I don't mind her not sleeping much in the day as I like my night time sleep so I'm glad that she has got herself into a routine (it has nothing to do with me).

As for me I am mostly back to normal plus a few pounds!!! I have recovered from the birth and my stiches are all healed. Obviously one thing that is not back to normal is my tummy, still a bit saggy and wobbly, I think that will take a while to get back to what it was before and I will have to exercise!!! Then there is my general weight, I am up a dress size all over, I wasn't the skinniest before the baby and now I have more weight to get rid of. I will get there though I am determined. Mostly!!

I have also found my skin is a lot dryer after having her, I seem to itch a lot so am trying to remember to moisturise but as I have to grab a shower when ever I can I don't always remember, plus it's one of those boring jobs.

Mentally I am fine, I do get a bit down and sometimes feel lonely or like I am doing everything but that's rare and I think my mood swings are more severe now I am back to the monthly cycle (rubbish) so that will probably explain it.

I have yet to venture to a baby group, I am not sure exactly why I keep chickening out of going. I think it is going out by myself with her, I have only done it a couple of times, I like to have the support of someone else. If she starts grizzling I think I can cope better having someone there. It sounds silly - I think it is because I doubt myself a bit, I'm not too sure but I need to get over it at some point and go to a group for her as well as me. Did anyone else take a while going to their first group?

Are you a new mum? What are you loving or perhaps struggling with?

Em x

L'Oreal Color Riche La Palette review

This is a quick review on my L'Oréal Color Riche La Palette.

There are three palettes in the range Nude Beige, Nude Rose and Smokey Black each with 10 shades. I have the palette in Nude Rose as these colours suit my skin tone better. As you can see below it is already well used!

The Nude Rose palette consists of more warm toned mauves and rose colours with a couple of darker shades great for along the last line. There is good mixture of shimmers and mattes. The matte shades in the palette are really creamy and blend really nicely on the skin, the shimmers are not as creamy but also are not powdery so sit well on top of the matte shades but do work well straight onto the lid and do not move a great deal.

As the palette has such a good balance of shades it is so versatile and can be used to create so many different looks for both day and night.

If you want to see some looks with this palette let me know.

Em x

New mum confidence tips

So I have been thinking bout what motherly advice I can pass on and to be honest there isn't much, I need more than I can give! But one thing I wanted to write about are tips that I have used for feeling like my old self and more confident.

Tip One - Buy new trousers
As soon as I had my baby I wished to be rid of my maternity clothing, I still wear them but it is nice to have some clothes that are not maternity. So as none of my pre-pregnancy trousers fit I tried to think of alternatives to my maternity jeans and leggings that I could add to my wardrobe. Whilst shopping at my local supermarket I found some jeggings and bought a pair to try (in the next size up) and after going back and buying more in other colours they are all I have been wearing. It is so nice having something else to wear other than maternity jeans and leggings. They are stretchy and have elasticated waist so they are comfy and make me feel more normal.

Tip Two - Pre-pregnancy clothes
I also dug out any of my pre-pregnancy clothes that I wore early on so the floaty tops, tunics and oversized tops. Wearing clothes that you haven't in months is a real boost in confidence.

Tip Three - Pamper yourself
Take time for yourself, go and get your hair or nails done, its nice to have some pamper time and if your like me I didn't spend a lot of my time on myself in late pregnancy and having someone else to wash your hair is luxury. Or if you don't want to go out ask your partner to be in charge of baby and take a long bath and relax. It is surprising what a nice soak can do for your mood and outlook on life.

Tip Four - Treat yourself
In the first few weeks of motherhood I didn't wear any make up but when I decided I wanted to it was nice to have some new make up to wear. You don't have to spend a lot buying  new everything, just a new foundation, mascara or lipstick can make a difference when you have time to do your face.

Tip Five - Look after your body
Try to eat healthy, obviously when you are recovering from labour and have a newborn there is nothing better than a cup of tea and biscuits or chocolate but after a few weeks start to think more consciously about what you are eating. Keep the biscuits and chocolate for a treat. Also remember to drink lots of water, it is something easily forgotten. This will have a great impact on how you feel and will also help clear your skin for those days where you don't get a chance to put make up on!!

Do you have any other tips for getting back to normal and feeling yourself?

Em x

Christmas gifts

I wanted to do a post on what we got for Christmas not to show off but we got some really good gifts and the ideas are ones I will be using for future years. Plus I want to keep Christmas alive for a bit longer, it goes way to quickly.

Considering we did not ask for anything specific our family and friends did very well, I seem to have years like that where I am so happy with what I have got people and had ideas and other years I have no clue what to get. Anyone else have that?

We got some joint presents for myself and my husband, the best were these retro sweets and Game of Thrones Monopoly from my parents. Here we are in the middle of the game, which is still ongoing (it's pretty even at the moment!!!) I think this is a really good present idea and will probably do some thing similar for others.

 

Some of my favourite gifts were more sentimental gifts like these elephant patterned trousers from my brother in law. I wasn't expecting anything as he only got back from travelling on the 22nd but he bought these in Asia, I cannot wait to wear them. I also got a Disney DVD from my best friend, she got me Sleeping Beauty which is one I haven't seen which she must have remembered. My main present from my Husband was a Wii U, although I expect it was more for him!! I am really rubbish at games I don't know why the only game I was ever good at was Crash Bandicoot on PS1!! But I seem to be pretty good at Mario Kart. Perhaps I will stick to children's games as my forte!!

 

We also got some amazing things for the baby as well. We got various toys to last her over this year. I have come to the realisation that our lives are now going to be full of colourful noise making plastic. The horror!! Although one noise maker that I don't really mind (yet) is a musical book that can either sing the songs with words or just the music. It also has buttons for colours and instruments, she is too young for that but does seem to love the music. She also received clothes, she had a 1st Christmas onesie with the cutest reindeer feet. Just take a moment for those feet!! Then we started our book collection, I love reading and really wanted some fairy tale stories and got this really amazing book with gold embossing and it is just beautiful. She won't know what the hell I am on about but I will read it to her anyway.

I hope that everyone got what they wished for this Christmas and aren't too depressed now it has gone. Only 351 days till next Christmas..... Ok sorry I will take that back.

Em x

Naughty purchase

A quick post about a naughty bit of shopping I have done which I received today.

I am working on a post about my beauty wants and was writing about the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit palette which I have been eying up for a long time. I knew it was limited edition and not sure how much longer it would be available. So I decided to buy as I would regret it if I didn't.

It came today!! I was so excited I waited like a little kid at the door for the delivery man to get out of the van!!

It is beautiful and made even more special by the packaging it came in from www.net-a-porter.com, here are a few photos of me unboxing. (I also bought a new eyeliner to try).

It's almost to perfect to use!!

Keep an eye out for a What I got for Christmas and my Beauty wants post.

Em x

2016 Goals

New Year Resolutions are not something I normally go in for as I am really bad at keeping them I get depressed and eat chocolate!!

However I need to make some changes in my life and feel like a fresh start at the beginning of the year will help me, so rather than New Year Resolutions I have decided to do a 2016 goals, so if I don't achieve them at the beginning of the year I won't get down as I have the whole year to achieve them.

Most of these are very cliché goals but I feel I need to write them down and I will update on them which I think may help me to get there.



Study
I have been studying AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians) for a few years and I am on the last level. I struggled with two of the exams and the last time I took them I had just found out I was pregnant so I was not in the right frame of mind. I sort of gave up then to be honest but I want to get this done and hopefully being on maternity I will be able to fit it in whilst I am at home.

House

Our house is a real mess and still not finished. My Aunty saw it for the first time a few weeks ago and her words were "You have a lot of stuff" which we do. Neither of us went through our belongings before moving in and so we have just moved rubbish from one place to another and now it needs sorting out. Also we haven't finished decorating and I have no pictures up or curtains, these are the things that make a place feel homely and I want to get the house done this year.





 

Weight loss / fitness 

This is the most cliché goal. Having a baby just before Christmas meant that it was hard to start on a diet or exercise routine and I have put on weight since giving birth with all the Christmas food, I have no self control. I am not going to set myself a weight loss goal but am going to have a dress size goal. This is because I have always been quite heavy for the size I am so I don't really look at my weight, obviously when I get on the scales and it is really high I get depressed but I want to feel good in myself so I will aim to go down a couple of dress sizes. Also I do want to get fitter, I have gone through phases of exercise but never really stuck at them so I need to find the right exercise for me. I cannot run due to leg problems which is annoying as I do like running, also I am a bit of a loner when it comes to exercise so struggle in classes. I think a bit of research is needed to find something that is right for me. I do enjoy kettlebells so might look into that.

What are your resolutions or goals for this year?

Em x