Newest Beauty Buys

Hi everyone, today's post is some beauty products that I've bought recently. They're not new releases, but some of them are new to me, so I'll give you a first impression of the products and recommend ones I like to you.

MAC Strobe Cream

I got sold this in MAC as a glowy primer. I wouldn't call it a primer that keeps makeup on for ages, but it feels nice and moisturising and makes my skin glowy. I think I'm going to try mixing it into my foundation to give my base a more dewy look. I decided to get the travel size as I wanted to test it out before getting the full size.

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2%
I featured this in a recent skincare routine, but so far I'm really enjoying using it. I see a noticeable difference in my blemishes, and it leaves my skin feeling as though it's just had a treatment. The Ordinary are a 'no fuss' brand and so it's really affordable, great value for money.

Benefit Bene Balm
This is a repurchase because I love this lip balm a lot! It leaves my skin feeling really smooth and hydrated and the light red tint is perfect, a typical 'your lips but better' shade. It's really low maintenance, no need for a lip liner, and can be applied really easily.

Mac Prep + Prime Fix+ Spray
I had always wanted to try this product as I see so many people using it. I've used it before makeup and after makeup. When I use it before my makeup, it leaves my skin feeling really fresh and hydrated. However, I haven't noticed much difference in my makeup, even when I use it as a setting spray too. I haven't used it many times yet, so hopefully I'll notice more of a difference soon.

Mac Studio Fix Fluid
I was in need of a new foundation and thought I'd try this one. I went into Mac and asked for the highest coverage foundation and told them that I'm normally the palest shade, to which they said I wasn't. I wouldn't actually call this foundation full coverage, maybe a medium coverage. It does look like on the skin and seems to last pretty well throughout the day, but I'd prefer more coverage. I was colour tested and given NW13, which I think is the second to lightest shade. I think the paler shade would've been better though, as I am so fair, but with a bit of bronzer down my neck it works okay, 

How to save money

Hi everyone, todays post is all about how to save money. Students, from what I know, can be notoriously bad with money, with so many people with only £10 left of their overdraft and spending it all on a jagerbomb. But as a student myself, I personally think I'm pretty good with saving money. I manage to save money every week and live happily on the budget I set myself, without having to live on beans on toast and pasta! So here are my top tips for saving money...

1. Take a packed lunch and your own drinks

In my first year of uni I would buy a Starbucks hot chocolate and a cup of tea for like £3 or more, when I had plenty of tea, hot chocolate sachets and a flask sitting in my cupboard at home. If you do this a few days a week, that's probably £10 a week just on hot drinks you could get for free at home. If you buy lunch, like a meal deal for example, thats probably £4 ish a time. If you just take your own, you could save so much money! All the money you'd normally use for lunch and drinks, put it aside and save. 

2. Get a savings account

Knowing that you have a savings account is a pretty good incentive to save money. Personally I have a Help to Buy ISA, which is a good choice if you're saving money for a deposit on a house/ mortgage. Some saving accounts may offer you perks if you put in a certain amount each month. 

3. Set a budget

Knowing exactly how much money you have to spend is so important. Work out how much things like rent, bills and direct debits will cost, then see how much you have left. Just make sure your stick to your budget.

4. Open a pay as you go card

This tip is perfect for people that can't stick to a budget. I put my weekly budget into one each week, then only use this card to buy things. I've tried both 'monzo' and 'revolut' and they're both great pay as you go cards. You can find them on the App Store on your phone. If you don't know what a pay as you go card is, it's basically a debit card that you top up with money. 

5. Do you actually need it?

There are so many things on my Wishlist that I'd love to buy, but I stop myself and think, do I actually need this. For example, I have at least 5 pairs of black jeans, and the other day I saw another pair and nearly bought them, but stopped myself, because I could save that £40 for something far more important! 

Hope this post has been helpful, if you have any money saving tips then please let me know by commenting them!

Jasmine xx

My skincare routine and favourites

Hi everyone, today's post is my skincare routine and other favourite skin products. I've never had any bad acne or anything, but I am pretty blemish prone. My skin has gotten so much better recently, and I think it's been down to the products I've been using. So here is my skincare routine and favourites...

Garnier - Micellar Cleansing Water

This is my staple, I use it everyday and love it. I have used both the combination and original version and they both work great. I use it to take my makeup off, and use it so cleanse my skin when I don't have makeup on and need a quick fix. I won't talk too much about it, as I think most people have used this now and everyone loves it! 

Soap and Glory - Face Soap and Clarity 3-in-1 Daily Vitamin C Facial Wash

I use this stuff in the shower to wash and cleanse my face. The Yuzu complex in the face wash leaves my face feeling super fresh and completely clean. It also works well to remove my makeup. It's also only £8 so really affordable! 

Pixi - Glow Tonic

If you haven't yet tried this out then you have to! This is my favourite skin care product ever, and I'm pretty sure this is the product that has done wonders for my skin! It is a 5% glycolic acid exfoliating toner, and has worked so well to clean up my skin. This is probably my 6th bottle (at least, maybe more), and it is completely worth the money. 

The Ordinary - Salicylic Acid 2% Solution

This solution works well to combat blemishes, and it is marketed for blemish-prone skin. It's really affordable, no gimmick product and works well if you don't want to splash out on a super expensive acid solution. You need barely any of it, and is good value! 

Clinique - All about eyes rich

This is a really lovely thick eye cream, and makes my eyes feel really hydrated and awake. It's quite pricey, but you need barely any of it, and so it lasts for ages. Clinique often do offers on their skincare, so keep an eye out for that!

Clinique - Moisture Surge

Another one of my holy grail products that I can't live without. This is a super hydrating product that leaves my skin feeling soft and plump. Like the glow tonic, I've re-bought this a lot, this is probably my 5th tub. It is my go-to moisturiser and my skincare routine wouldn't be the same without it! 

Hope you've liked this post, let me know your skincare recommendations so I can try some new things too! 

Jasmine xx

Harry Potter Tag

Hi everyone, I've mentioned before that I love Harry Potter. Like, I really love it. When I first got together with my boyfriend, he told me he had never seen Harry Potter, so like any Harry Potter fan would, I forced him to watch them all, and he must've liked it at least a bit because he then booked the Harry Potter Studio tour for my birthday! I don't actually remember a time when I haven't liked Harry Potter, but at the same time I also don't remember when I first got introduced to it. Any, if you love Harry Potter like me, then please answer these questions too and let me know so I can have a read! 

What house are you in?

I've done the Pottermore test probably 4 times, and each time I've been sorted into either Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. So my character maybe is somewhere in the middle, but I personally think I'm slightly more of a Hufflepuff so I go with that, and I always side with the underdog, which in Hogwarts is definitely Hufflepuff (or Ravenclaw). 

What is your patronus?

May patronus is a Weasel, but I don't really know what that means of what it says about me, so if you know, please tell me!

What is your wand?

According to Pottermore, my wand is an Acacia wood, Phoenix feather core, 13 1/4 inches in length and quite bendy and flexible. Apparently the Acacia wood is quite sensitive and will only normally work for its owner, though is ofter under-rated. The Phoenix core is the rarest core, use their own initiative and picky when it comes to their owners. The length of the want is somewhat long compared to average. 

What would your boggart be?

Like Ron, I hate spiders, so him crying over his fear of spiders is quite relatable. 

What position would you play in Quiddich?

I defiantly couldn't be a seeker, in fact I'm the most un-sporty person ever, so I'd probably be awful at any position! 

Would you be a pure-blood, half-blood or muggle born?

Hufflepuffs are happy to include anyone, so its difficult to say really! I think I'd be half-blood, but who knows.

What job would you want to leave after leaving Hogwarts?

I think I'd want to be an auror, or at least something within the ministry of magic. 

Which of the Deathly Hallows would you choose?

Definitely the invisibility cloak, the resurrection cloak and the elder wand just don't really appeal to me. 

Favourite book?

Definitely the Goblet of Fire. There's so much amazing stories and details in the book that make it so much better than the film. All the extra stories add so much to the book!

Least favourite book?

I think the Philosophers Stone is my least favourite, not because it's bad, but because it's the most child-like. Obviously all the books are meant for children, but where in this book Harry is so young, the whole book is more child-like. What I love is that throughout the series the story line gets so much darker and more mature. 

Favourite film?

My favourite film is either the Prisoner of Azkaban or the Half-Blooded Prince. I'm not sure why, but those are the 2 films I'd always choose to watch.

Least favourite film?

The Goblet of Fire is my least favourite. Maybe it's because the book is so good that the film can't match it, but it's never been on my top favourites. I still like the film though, it's still pretty good! 

Favourite character?

I think Neville would be my favourite. At the beginning he's kind of like any other extra character, but by the end his character grows so much. I do also love Hermione of course and Professor Snape.

Least favourite/ most hated character?

I can't say I hate any character because all the character's have some sort of value, but probably Lucious Malfoy. He's great in the story line, but a nasty character.

Thank you for reading! Hope you love Harry Potter as much as I do and choose to do this Tag yourself! 

Jasmine xx 

How to organise your life

Hi everyone, todays post is some organisation tips. Something that I am quite proud of is my organisation skills, because I have a plan and am always able to meet deadlines. Particularly if you're a student, trying to keep on top of things can be difficult, but hopefully these tips help.

Write lists - and lots of them

I talk about lists all the time, and so do most other bloggers, but they really are helpful. I write down everything I want to get done for the day, even the smallest of tests, and it's such a satisfying feeling finishing the day with everything ticked out. I try to be realistic with what I have to do, because there's not point planning to get a massive task done if you know it'll take way longer to do.

Use a planner

I have used a planner religiously for 2 years now, which doesn't sound like long, but it's made the biggest difference. In my planner I write uni deadlines down, meetings, my lists and anything else I need to remember. I much prefer to have a physical diary that I can highlight and write in than one on my phone. If you want a really pretty planner, I always find great ones in TKMaxx and Home Sense. 

Have a clean space

If my bedroom or work space is untidy then I feel so disorganised and unproductive. If you know where everything is and keep everything uncluttered, then you will feel so much more organised and ready to get stuff done. 

Leave nothing to last minute

I have never been someone to leave things to last minute, in fact, I get worried if the deadline is approaching and I haven't done it. If you get everything done nice and early you'll feel so on top of things and organised. 

Have a routine

I have tried to get myself into a routine of getting things done. The way I do it is to make sure I get all my uni work done in the week, and then can write blog posts and go to work at the weekends. This way I'm never overwhelmed by things I have to do and know I'll never fall behind with work. 

Hope this post has been helpful! 

Jasmine xx

Quick and easy everyday makeup

Hi everyone, today's post is my quick everyday makeup routine. I'm not going to go into detail on all the products as a lot of them have been featured in other blog post, and I love and recommend all these products!

Face Products

Maybelline - Superstay 24hr foundation
I've featured this in a recent favourites post. Click here to read that post.

Revolution - conceal and define concealer
I've written a review on this concealer, but spoiler if you haven't read it already, it's amazing!

MAC - studio careblend pressed powder
My first ever Mac face product. Really light feeling, and mattes my makeup down well.

Benefit - Hoola bronzer
My first benefit product, been using it for nearly 4 years and couldn't live without it!

Soap and Glory - Love at first blush
I lovely natural pinky colour, tiniest bit of shimmer.

The Balm - Mary Lou Manizer
my go-to highlighter! Stays on for ages and look lovely!

Eyebrow products

Benefit - Goof proof brow pencil
I just think that all Benefit brow products are amazing, if you haven't already, definitely try some.

Eye Products

Urban Decay - Naked Basics palette
The perfect palette when you just need to do a quick look. The lightest shade, 'Venus' is perfect for the inner corner.

Benefit - They're real mascara
One of my favourite mascaras, find it more lengthening than anything, which is good because I really don't like clumpy mascara. 

Lip Products

Revlon - Ultra HD lip colour in 'Desert'
This is also featured in my February favourites. 

Hope you've liked this short post, I have written about most of these products before on my blog, but if you want to know anymore then ask in the comments or suggest some blog posts! 

Jasmine xx

How to have the best night sleep

Hi everyone, I'm writing today all about getting a better night sleep. I'm normally a pretty good sleeper, but sometimes I do need a bit of a helping hand, especially living in a uni house full of noisy boys! 

Put that phone down

Sometimes you just need to stop scrolling and put the phone away. Instead of staring at my phone, I much prefer reading a book. It really relaxes me, and puts me in the mood to sleep. My personal favourite is Harry Potter, because I'm a major Harry Potter geek! 

Write stuff down so you don't have to think about it

Sometimes there's times when you want to sleep but just keep thinking about things you need to do. At times like this I like to write these thoughts down. This way, I am able to push it out my head and deal with it when I wake up the next day. 

Pop in some earplugs 

As I've already said, I live in a uni house with 2 unbelievably loud boys, 1 of which will never be quiet even after the 10th time of asking. This is why I wear earplugs every night whilst I'm at uni. I find that foam earplugs do nothing, so I wear silicone earplugs and can't hear anything at all. They help me sleep through any drunken-antics going on downstairs, and I'll even use them when I need to focus on uni work.

Have a routine

My top tips for creating a sleep routine is to try and fall asleep at the same time, try and get a solid 8 hours sleep, and wake up at roughly the same time. I feel like my body clock has adjusted to my routine and now I wake up at the same time regardless of setting an alarm. I'm also pretty prone to migraines and headaches, and sounds strange, but if I sleep for too long I get a headache for the whole day. This is why I get 8 hours sleep and no more than that!

Sleepy scents

Lavender sleep products seem to have gotten even more popular recently. I personally love the Sleepy body lotion by Lush, it smells and feels amazing! I am yet to try their sleep spray but that'll definitely be my next purchase from them.

Clean your sheets often

There is no better feeling than getting into a nice clean and fresh bed. I feel like I relax so much easier and get more comfortable. 

Stop working early

If you work from home or are a student you may be tempted to stay up late trying to catch up on work, but this'll mean its far more difficult to fall asleep. You're mind will still be working overdrive and hasn't had time to relax. Stop work early, have some down time and enjoy a good night sleep! 

Jasmine xx

February Favourites

Hi everyone, today's post is my February favourites. I love reading what peoples favourite products have been, so I thought I'd share mine with you. I'll be honest, this month I haven't actually tried that many new things, but since I haven't posted a monthly favourites in a while I thought I'd write it anyway!

1. Sí by Giorgio Armani

I love this fragrance so much, it's the eau de toilette which is slightly lighter than the original and perfect for just an everyday scent. It's quite sweet but nothing too sickly, and the bottle is just beautiful!

2. Thick and Fast HD Mascara High Definition Collagen Coat by Soap and Glory

I constantly re-purchase this mascara as it's probably my all time favourite. It gives your lashes loads of volume, so I use a steady hand and that way it gives a really fluttery look and makes your lashes look fuller. Personally, I prefer to use a mascara with a super small wand for my bottom lashes, so I only use this for my top lashes.

3. Superstay 24H foundation by Maybelline

I have this foundation in the shade 05 light beige which is perfect on me. Don't be fooled by the shade name, when I compared this shade to 010 Ivory, it was much lighter. This foundation is pretty full coverage which I love, and I find a little goes a long way, so I use a maximum of a pump and a half.

4. Crushed Jewel cream eyeshadow by Barry M

I bought this eye shadow on a bit of a whim as I'd never seen to before or heard about it. This one is in the shade '3 Cloud Nine' and the best way I can explain the colour is mainly a metallic bronze but almost copper. I normally will put on a tiny bit and then blend it out, as it's super pigmented, so for an everyday look it's better sheered out. Barry M have loads of different shades so will have to pick some more up!

5. Ultra HD Gel Lip Colour by Revlon

I originally bought this shade, '710 Dessert' to wear to my mums wedding back in October, but after the wedding I lost it and only just found it at the end of January. This shade is a 'your lips but better' shade. It feels really moisturising and comfortable with a bit of a sheen, but nothing too glossy. This is my perfect everyday lipstick and is a regular in my handbag.

6. Highlighting Palette in '032 Solstice' by Sleek Makeup

I am a lover of The Balm Mary Lou Manizer, but when I don't want a golden highlight then I'll use this palette. For such an affordable palette it is so pigmented and looks beautiful! Unlike some highlights, it blends nicely into the skin and doesn't like like just a strip of shimmer on your face. I don't use the brush it comes with, but it is nice to have it as apart of the palette.

7. Naked Heat palette by Urban Decay

I've saved the best for last...After lusting over the palette since the day it was released, I got bought this amazing palette from my Auntie for Christmas. My favourite colours to use on my eyes are reds, oranges and golds, so this palette is perfect. There are so many looks that can be created with it, my personal favourite is when I take a pink eyeshadow as a crease colour and then use the palette for my lid, lower lash line, inner corner and transition shade. If you are a lover of warm eye shadows and haven't already got this, then treat yourself to it, you won't be disappointed!

Thank you for reading, please let me know your favourite products this month!

Jasmine x