My Day To Day Face

I thought I'd show you all my day to day face and make-up, as to be honest I don't tend to wear loads. I work extremely early mornings and at half past six I don't really have the mental capacity to put on a lot of make-up. In these cases I just put on a bit of foundation and concealer, then dust over with my powder and spritz my face with my setting spray. When I'm going out somewhere I fill in my brows and add a bit of mascara, but for work I find that there isn't much point when I work mornings. When I have a little more time I guess I do spend a lot more of my make-up, but to be honest I don't think I wear that much at all. I should probably do a 'going out' or 'night time' make-up post to follow this, just to show the difference between my routines.

I tend to go for quite a natural look with just a really well done base and a dust of blush or bronzer - I'm slightly steering towards bronzer a lot of the time at the moment. Sometimes I'll do a little day time eye, but a lot of the time I find that I literally forget or don't have time.

So my day to day face - As you all know I massively struggle when looking for a foundation that I absolutely love, but at the minute Bourjois Healthy Mix is my saviour! I absolutely love it at the minute and I find that its the perfect coverage for me at the minute. I have it in Shade 51 which I think might be the lightest shade, but I'm really going to stick to using this because I love it. Its nothing new that I use Collection Lasting Perfection concealer, like every other blogger, and I just love the coverage it gives. Perfect for my dark circles in a morning. Sometimes when those bags just won't cover I bring out my YSL Touche Éclat  but I try not to use this as much because I don't want it to run out.

Something I've just started using again is the Rimmel Stay Matte powder. I used to use it years ago but for some reason it dropped from my make-up routine, and I've literally just this minute discovered it again after watching one of Tanya Burr's tutorials. I don't know why I haven't had a powder in my routine for so long, but I can really tell the difference now I've started using one again. This powder seems really good at setting my make-up and just evening everything out, which I definitely needed.

I tend to use Benefits BADgal Lash mascara  because it lengthens my lashes just enough for a nice day time look. I fill my brows in using the HD Brows Palette in 'Foxy', using the bottom right brown as I find it suits my brows really well. After that I spritz my skin with MUA's Pro-Base Fixing Mist which I bought a few weeks ago. In all honesty I don't really know if this is working for me or not, I just can't tell, but I thought I may as well continue using it anyway - I'm going to a review of it soon.

So there we go - my super simple day to day routine. I'm finding that as I read more into make-up, I'm finding out what really works for me. As well as this, I'm picking up some really good techniques and tips.

How I Clean My Make-up Brushes

I've read a lot of blog posts recently about how you all clean and keep your make-up brushes, so I decided to do my own. I've recently realised how important it is to clean your make-up brushes and now I can actually see a difference in my make-up when they're clean. There's probably a million ways to do this, but I find that this is a simple and low cost way to get lovely, clean brushes again.

I don't use anything really fancy like brush cleaners, just plain old baby shampoo. You can't really tell that its baby shampoo from the picture as the label has come off the bottle, but it is just Johnson's. You can buy this from any drug store or supermarket for about £3.00, so its totally cheap and a really good thing to have handy. The one I have is about a year old, so I really do need to repurchase some more as I don't really know if it works as well after a while.

Again, I don't really do anything special when cleaning my brushes. I start off by wetting and rubbing the brushes against the palm on my hand to loosen any make-up. Obviously wash your hands really well before hand, or this will just be a totally pointless exercise. I then apply a tiny bit of baby shampoo to the palm of my hand, and rub the brushes in a circular motion into it. You'll see that the make-up comes away from the brush and into your hand, or in my case in clumps into the sink. This is an absolute pain because we have a white sink and this leaves awful foundation streaks, so be sure to give your skin a good wash after.

I do this until the tops of the brushes are white again, which is such a satisfying feeling, I love having clean brushes. I then tap off the excess water, dry the handle and place the brushes to air dry on a towel. I always place my towel on the floor in front of my radiator, just in the hope that it dries the brushes a little quicker. Leave them there and just wait now... I often swirl them on the towel to get rid of any make-up remains or shampoo bits that might be left on the brush.

All done! Amazingly clean brushes again. I do have to admit I was never massive on cleaning my brushes, purely because I was lazy, but I've realised how much it makes a difference. I try to do mine every two weeks or just when I can see a build up of excess make-up.

How do you wash your make-up brushes? What tips would you give me?

A Mini Catch-up // Instagram Update

Salems Lot / My Journal / A Good Cuppa / Foot Tattoo / Healthy Breakfast / Cousins / Hogwarts! / Butterbeer / Packed for London /Valentines Day / X-Factor Tour / Yummy Graze Box / Me and Frazer in Sheffield / Beautiful Badie / BeTrousse Beauty Box

I haven't done one of these Instagram posts in a while guys, so I have quite a lot to show you all. Its been a good few weeks and quite a lot has happened in the past few weeks, its been a busy one. I went to see Rita Ora in Sheffield, which was absolutely amazing - she's gorgeous and my favourite! I also got taken to see the X-Factor tour by my boyfriend's mum, which was so fun! All the acts were really good and it was such a laugh. Me and my boyfriend headed down to London for Valentines day and stayed in a gorgeous boutique hotel, then visited The Warner Bros Studio Tour. This was by far my favourite thing, even though I never considered myself a huge Harry Potter fan it was absolutely amazing!

Apart from that I've pretty much been working, and my new found hobby - exercising! I have never exercised much in my life but I decided to take up Zumba, and it has made such a difference to me. I'm eating healthy too and at the moment I feel amazing. I also got my big foot tattoo re-coloured, ouch! The artist Danni is absolutely amazing, you can check out her work here. Apart from that, I've had lots of cuddles with two beautiful bald cats! My best friend was two Sphynx cats and I absolutely adore them, as you can see in the bottom row of my photos.

You can follow me on Instagram - @terribacon_

Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask - BeTrousse Sample

Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask - RRP £1.49

A few weeks ago I was contacted by BeTrousse to see if I would be interested in trying one of their amazing beauty boxes. Obviously I said yes, and this was one of the many full sized products that I received. (You can see my full post on the box here.) I love a good face mask and I hadn't ever used this one before, so I was quite excited to try it. 

The product I received was the Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Spa Mask, and initially I did think it was a normal clay-based face mask... how wrong was I. I was a little scared when I opened the packet and pulled out this huge scary face-shaped piece of cloth. I decided to persist anyway, but it was very weird laying with it on my face. It said to apply the mask and then leave it for 5-15 minutes, obviously depending on how it felt on your skin. I have to say it felt like my skin was so tight while I had the mask on... I know I keep saying it but it was such a bizarre feeling. I felt a little smothered as it got closer to 15 minutes, but I was persistent and it actually got a lot better.

After I removed the mask I was so surprised, as my skin felt amazing! It was super soft and even looked really tight and glowing. I'm so glad I received this product and I would definitely re-buy this again. It retails at around £1.49 for one of the masks, which I think is actually a really good price. I'm going to find more and stock up!

Have you tried Montagne Jeunesse masks before? What are your opinions?

My Mini Adventure - The Warner Bros Studio Tour

I thought I'd give a little insight into what I've been up to for the past few days, and why I haven't been blogging as much. Me and my boyfriend swanned off to London for a few days after Valentines Day and decided to do something totally different... visit the Warner Bros Studio Tour. My boyfriend is a huge Harry Potter fan so I thought this would be the perfect thing to do, and I was also quite excited to see what it was like. We booked an amazing De Vere Hotel ten minutes away from the studios in Leavesden called Hunton Park, it was absolutely beautiful!

The hotel is set in beautiful grounds and the main building itself is gorgeous. The rooms were so lovely too, and to be honest I was very impressed with the whole hotel. The food was so good too. We opted for food in the Bar area instead of the three course restaurant, but it definitely wasn't your typical bar or pub food. The hotel also had a huge list of spa treatments on offer from massages to manicures, I just wish I had enough time to try them out.

We headed to the Warner Bros Studio Tour on Friday and there are really no other words to describe it other than absolutely amazing. You book your tickets online and choose a tour time, but when you actually get to the studios most of the tour is self-guided anyway. I won't go too much into what they have there but as you can see from my photos its basically crammed full of Harry Potter props, costumes and entire sets. It was so bizarre walking around the Great Hall and thinking 'they actually used this in filming', or seeing all the costumes and props that were actually used. Admittedly I'm not a HUGE Harry Potter fan, but after visiting the studios

I definitely have a new found love. I wish I could include all the photos I took from the tour but this blog post would be so huge. I would recommend this for absolutely anyone, even if you're not a massive fan like me. It really is such a brilliant experience.

Cellnique Advanced Bio Renewal Masque

I received this mini sample in a monthly She Said Beauty box a few months ago, and decided to try it after having a good rummage through my sample boxes. I absolutely love face masks and anything like this at the minute as my skin is quite bad. I wasn't all that impressed with the actual size of the sample as it was so tiny, I didn't think it would be enough to really try the product. When I squeezed out the mask there was just enough to cover my face, but I do wish there was enough to try it at least twice.

The Cellnique mask is packed with fresh fruit enzymes and acids, which are said to help exfoliate and repair damaged skin and prevent clogging in pores. You can really smell these fruity scents and the best thing about this product is the smell, which was so yummy! It smells really fruity, almost like Pina Colada, which in my books makes it all the better to try. It was a really nice consistency and wasn't too thick, and it rubbed into my skin really well. I massaged it on my face and a bit of my neck, then left it for around five minutes to soak in and develop. I then washed it away with warm water and it left my skin feeling really soft.

Overall I did like this product but I didn't think there was anything overly special about it - it just felt like a normal mask that I use regularly. You can find out a bit more about it here. I wouldn't repurchase this product as I think there are other masks that work just as well, but it was a nice change from my everyday products.

Have you tried this product before? What were your opinions?

Wish List #1

Journal / Please Me / Viva Glam Nicki / Black Dress / Aztec Dress

Why is it that when I have money, I never see anything I like... but when I have money and need to save, there's so much I want to buy. Its killing me! I have a holiday to pay for at the end of March and I thought I'd get an early start on saving, but its proving so difficult. In January my wages lasted me so long because there wasn't anything I wanted... but now I'm finding loads.

I've been longing for one of these dresses for so long, but every time I try one on I put myself off and end up walking out empty handed. I think they're such a wardrobe staple, just for the fact that they can be worn casual or dresses up for a night out. I really do think I need one now - the Aztec one is gorgeous but of course Topshop do not have my size online... story of my life!

The Pony Brown journal and the MAC lipsticks are things that I'd really like at the minute. The journal is actually the cutest thing ever and I really think I need it in my life. I've been looking at it for a while but the only thing that puts me off is the price. I guess the fact its from Korea kind of does too, but this journal has been on my eBay watch list for about a month. I'm probably the only blogger who doesn't own a MAC lipstick, so I think its time I sort my life out and invest. I love 'Please Me' and I definitely think its the one I'm going to buy, but the Viva Glam Nicki colour is gorgeous too.

BeTrousse Beauty Box

BeTrousse Christmas Beauty Box (*) - RRP £19.00

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Christelle at BeTrousse to see if I would be interested in trying and reviewing one of their beauty boxes. I had never heard of BeTrousse before, but in the email I was informed all about the company and how they would like to work with me. Of course I was so happy to have been contacted and I couldn't wait to receive my beauty box to try. I did a little research about BeTrousse and found that they are actually a French company... but what really excited me if that all the products in their boxes are FULL SIZED! If you are a beauty box lover like myself, you'll know that its so rare that full sized products are included in boxes.

When my box arrived I actually couldn't believe how big it was - literally the size of a small shoe box. All the products were packaged lovely and the box was literally bursting full of things. I received seven, yes thats right, seven full sized beauty products to try and review. Admittedly I hadn't heard of a few of the products but with the company being primarily French I wasn't expecting to, but this didn't dampen my opinion at all. I was so impressed with both the range of products and the sizes of them.

In the Christmas box I received:
Charme D'Orient Relaxing Body Massage Cream
Saffron London Cracking Nail Polish
Skinetica Anti-Blemish
Tattyoo BeTrousse Tattoos
Forte Pharma UK TurboSlim ChronoActiv Tablets
Laboratoire Lda-Soins Expert Hydra Cream
Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Mud Mask

I am so thankful to BeTrousse for contacting me and giving me the opportunity to try this amazing box. If you look on their website they also give you the opportunity to order their past boxes, which look absolutely amazing too! (Link here) At the minute all their boxes are on offer for £9.00 each, they are usually anything from £15.00, so its definitely worth a look. The products included in the boxes themselves can range from £72.00 to anything over £130.00, so in my opinion it is such a good offer. I already have my eye on BeTrousse's Pretty Beauty box, which I will definitely be ordering in the next few days.

Have you tried a BeTrousse box before? Which one? What were your opinions?

My First Graze Box

Graze Nibble Box:
Lemon and Poppy Cake/Afternoon Infusion
The British Barbecue
Florentine
Garden of England

After months of seeing blog posts and television adverts, I decided to cave and jump on the Graze bandwagon. I've heard so many good things about Graze and I couldn't bare the temptation anymore so I hopped onto the internet and created an account. Its really simple to join... All you do is create an account and choose which kind of box you would like to receive. I went for the Nibble Box, which is one of the healthier boxes on offer, which offers the lower calorie snacks and treats. When you sign up you get your first box free, which is a big bonus! They ask for your card details because obviously your boxes will continue, but you can cancel any time. I'm going to keep it going for a few weeks to see what my other boxes are like, then decide whether to cancel.

In your Graze box you get four little punnets of whatever snack they have sent you. Its a good idea to go through all the snacks on offer and cross off which you don't like, that way you won't get anything you're not keen on in your boxes. I was under the impression you could choose what you wanted each week, but I quite like the idea of getting a surprise. You get a handy little booklet with some coupons to hand to friends and family so they can get a free box too, which is such a good idea. The booklet also includes all the nutritional information and the use by dates for each of your snacks too, which again is super handy.

I've just this minute had my first try of my box and it was so yummy! I tried The British Barbecue first, which is a mix of mini basil baguettes, rosemary crostini, smoked almonds and a mixture of seeds. It was actually really filling and the perfect size for a healthy little snack. At the minute I'm so big on healthy eating so this is the perfect box for me, but I can change to any of the other boxes whenever I want. I'm a massive Graze fan already and this is only my first week! I'll keep you updated on how I get on with my other boxes.

Have you tried Graze before? What is your favourite snack?

My code for your free box is: N4NYP5YD.