Hi lovelies!

This week seems to have been a somewhat lazy yet productive one for me, with the majority of my time being spent trawling the interweb gawping at anything and everything. I made a few rash purchases; some Soleil Tan de Chanel bronzer, a snazzy black and gold studded handbag that I had my eye on months ago (that I saw in a Zoella video) and a new camera somehow winged their way into my shopping basket... oh, the life of a shopaholic. 

Seriously though, i've been lusting over cameras since early December but couldn't make my mind up in time for Christmas. It was a struggle, but last night I decided it was to be between the Olympus Pen E-PL7 (definitely a favourite amongst bloggers right now) and the Canon EOS M. The EOS M is the slightly older model as its sparkly, new and improved M3 and M10 siblings are out now, but truth be told, I was after something affordable and didn't think the tilting screen was worth the extra £100+. You may have noticed that both of the cameras mentioned above are 'compact system cameras', or CSC for short. Essentially this means you can produce the same high-quality images that you would on a DSLR, but without the added weight and bulkiness of a larger camera body. Think the offspring of a DSLR, if you will. It was a tricky choice believe me; the Olympus Pen E-PL7 is certainly a super camera that would be sure to win 1st place in a technology beauty contest... the white one is so pretty! The Canon is certainly a lot less streamline but does have some advantages:

1. You can purchase a lens mount which allows any existing Canon EF lenses to be compatible - perfect if you already own lenses for a Canon DSLR
2. It looks a little more robust, thus less likely to get damaged
3. It's a Canon... 'nuff said.

So yeah, I went for the Canon. I figured it would be far more economical seeing as I already own a couple of Canon lenses and I've had my DSLR for years so I'm familiar with the settings. I'm hoping this means my blog photos will be nothing less than exceptional from now on!

Do you own a compact system camera?

Chloe

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We're vastly approaching the end of January and it's suddenly occurred to me that I haven't written a blog post since last year... *gasp*. This year I haven't set any resolutions as such, but I have decided that it's time I started being more optimistic and appreciating the little things in life that truly matter. The year of 2015 saw me pass both my driving theory and practical tests first time, leave the country to visit the wonderful city of Paris with one of my closest friends and take the plunge to go ahead and get braces. Those are probably quite mere achievements in the grand scheme of things, but I am certainly not the most confident of beings so I'm rather pleased that I managed to get those things done and ticked off my ever-growing 'to-do' list.

So, what's next for 2016?

Well, I'm currently off work for a couple of weeks due to the shop undergoing refurbishment, so it's left me with lots of free time that I've been spending verrrry wisely trawling the likes of Expedia for any last-minute holiday deals. I'm pleased to say I've already got the first mini-break of the year all booked in for March so I'll be returning to sunny Spain in a matter of weeks.. yay! Also this year I'm hoping to step up my career game and look for another job with longer hours because, well, how else can I afford to live the lifestyle of a serial jet-setter?! 

In terms of accomplishments, I'd love to improve on my Spanish (seeing as Spain is practically my second home now!) I've already downloaded an app called Duolingo which is brilliant for learning the basics and it incorporates reading, writing, speaking and listening into each lesson which is great. I'd also love to plan and organise more mini-breaks for this year as I've really grown to adore travelling (despite not yet venturing outside of Europe, ha!) In general, I'm hoping to just spend this year having a good time and experiencing new and exciting things.

What are your plans for 2016?

Chloë

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Ok, so Christmas is officially over for another year. I truly hope everybody had a lovely one filled with plenty of festive cheer and one-too-many mince pies, as well as, er, several glasses of mulled wine *hic*. Despite not asking for any gifts in particular, Santa certainly did well this year so I guess I must have made his 'nice' list - yippee! Some Soap & Glory body wash was lovingly welcomed into my arms along with a rather snazzy Fitbit and some cosy Christmas pjs... rather a random assortment but great nonetheless. As soppy and cliche as it sounds, I always think Christmas is more about spending quality time with loved ones and as much I appreciate the gifts, they don't have the same appeal to me now I'm a little older. That's also probably because you learn to appreciate people so much more after you have lost those who you were closest to, so spending as much time as you can with those who are most precious to you is so important to me now.

So after eating everything in sight on Christmas Day, I went to bed feeling fulfilled in every sense of the word. I had to drag myself out of bed the following morning though and head into work which I was completely ecstatic about as you can imagine! Busy was an understatement; there were people everywhere and I literally couldn't move without nearly stepping on someone. I can't understand who in their right mind would rush into town on Boxing Day in desperate need of new shoes (why on earth didn't they just ask Santa for a pair?!) Working in retail is certainly no fun at Christmas that's for sure.

My current to-do list goes pretty much like this:

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

Boxing Day

New Years Eve

New Years Day (I have to work, boo!)

On that note, I wish everybody a happy and healthy 2016 and sincerely beg that it'll be a better one than this year. In terms of resolutions, I'll probably go with the one about toning up and magically turning into a  petite Victoria's Secret model for about the fourth year running... I cant wait to see how well that turns out!

Do you have any resolutions?

Chloë

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I've gone through quite a few drugstore foundations in my time, but I feel there are still more gems out there that are yet to be discovered. I tried the original True Match foundation last year, and while I got on well with it, I wasn't entirely convinced by its runny consistency and the way it liked to slide off my nose in the afternoon. Recently I discovered that this foundation is back with a BANG; it's been completely repackaged and reformulated, so I knew I'd have to give it a try.

Firstly, I'm impressed with the huge variety of shades that this foundation comes in as I know it's typically quite tricky trying to match up your skin tone with foundations from the drugstore/highstreet. I'm usually towards the lightest end of the scale (if not the palest shade) and I always find it such a task trying to find a shade that isn't too pink-toned to avoid looking like a porcelain doll gone wrong. I try and stick to yellow-toned foundations to counteract some of the redness in my cheeks but to also match up with my neck and the rest of my skin. Out of all the drugstore foundations I have tried, this is definitely the palest, yellow-est shade I have come across so far (Golden Ivory, BTW). Prior to this I fell in love with Bourjois' Healthy Mix foundation in Vanilla (no.52), but it's a little bit too dark for me now it's winter and I'm ghostly pale. 

In comparison to the first True Match formula, I can't say I've noticed much of a difference. It's still a very light and runny consistency that blends effortlessly into the skin, although L'oreal claim it's now "softer than ever, looks more natural than ever, and matches your skin's unique tone and texture even better than before." It certainly does look natural, though. I typically prefer a medium-high coverage foundation without it looking too fake and heavy, which is exactly why this True Match foundation is so perfect as you can easily build up the coverage without it looking cakey on the skin. 

Packaging-wise, the shape of the bottle has been elongated and it looks a little more modern compared to the old design. The chrome pump was seen on the previous bottle too, however it's now more square around the top which looks a lot neater but I found it almost a bit clumsy when trying to pump out the product. Besides from that though, the new design is really quite visually appealing as it sports an expensive feel and could easily be mistaken as being a product that is up there amongst some of its pricier, high-end competitors.

How it wears throughout the day is still a little bit of an issue for me. I applied it this morning after moisturising and priming my skin and by around 1pm I did notice my nose starting to look a little oily. If you carry powder with you then it's not really a big deal to do a two-second touch up, but I'd really rather not have to bother if I'm busy at work and my powder is locked away up two flights of stairs. Perhaps it depends on how you apply this foundation, though. I used a Sigma F80 brush this morning whereas recently i've been using (and loving) the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. I used to love using brushes until I discovered a sponge - it gives such a light, flawless finish!

On the whole though, this foundation is a winner due to its huge variety of shades, its affordable price and its light-but-buildable coverage. Going from my personal experience though, I'd say it's probably more suited to normal-dry skin, but if you use a primer beforehand and set the foundation well it should see you through the day with minimal touch-ups!

It's a dark, dingy day here in England; the perfect opportunity to grab a cuppa and sit and write a new blog post! I should perhaps be spending my time a little more productively by wrapping the mountain of presents that seems to have just magically appeared in my bedroom, or maybe attempting to fetch the Christmas tree down from the attic, but right now I'm going to pretend that I don't have a list as long as Santa's beard containing all the things I have to do and crack on with this random, rambly blog post.

So I haven't spent as much time on my blog as I would have liked over the past few weeks, but I have a very *OMG* life update to share (well, it probably isn't that exciting to any of you).

I HAVE BRACES.

Dun dun duuuuuuun.

Ok, hear me out. I've been told many times by my dentist that I don't physically need braces, but over the past few years I've grown increasingly insecure about my teeth and I always think that if you have the chance to correct something then it's definitely worth pursuing. I'm currently sucking up saliva every 2 seconds like some freaky Henry Hoover and have a terrible lisp, but i'm trying to convince myself that, touch wood, it'll all be worth it in the end. 

Since i'm over 18, the NHS paying for my treatment was completely out of the question and so I am funding everything myself (I'm sure my poor bank account is currently in mourning). It's certainly very costly and unfortunately i'm not some millionaire who can pluck thousands of £50 notes from the money tree growing in the back garden, but I see it as a lifelong investment and that's the way I've had to come to terms with it. In terms of braces, I wasn't a candidate for Invisalign as I was told by the orthodontist that it would have no effect on my teeth. To cut a long story short, I've had to go with the gold old-fashioned metal bracket/train track braces which will hopefully give me the results I'm hoping for. I currently have an 'Upper Removable Appliance' which is supposed to widen my top arch and stop my front teeth from biting down on the train-track braces that are on my bottom teeth. Oh, it's all very complex! Much to my, er, horror, I've been told I'll have the URA for six months before then having train tracks fitted to my top teeth. Right now I'm a little bit frustrated at how silly I sound when speaking (good job I don't have to read that sentence aloud!!) Also, eating has become the biggest chore ever. I physically can't bite down anymore as I have to wear the URA whilst eating, but even when I take it out my top teeth hit the top of the train tracks on my bottom teeth so my back molars still don't touch. I understand this is completely normal and it's just something I'll have to get used to, but right now any solid food is out of the question so I've just accepted the fact that I am now somewhat of a smoothieholic.

Apologies if I just bored the pants off you; I just thought I might use my blog to document my 'braces journey' so I can look back in a couple of years time and laugh at my moany past-self.

Have you had braces? What was your experience like?

Chloe

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A chatty mishmash of a blog post for you this week as I'm all out of sync with what day it is! I usually have Wednesdays off work so there's no confusion there, I just can't get my head around working all day tomorrow when I usually spend Thursdays sipping coffee and dawdling aimlessly around the handbag section in TK Maxx. 

Last week it wasn't just the handbag section I dawdled around, though. I ventured down the skincare aisle where I discovered what is now my favourite body moisturiser: Nip + Fab's Hyaluronic Fix Body Gel. I don't usually purchase body lotions all that often as I get incredibly lazy and don't seem to use up the ones I already have, but this one stood out to me as its texture is gel-like and not creamy like most moisturisers. I really cannot stand the greasiness of creams and hate standing around waiting for them to dry for what seems like hours on end, but with this one you don't have to. It glides onto the skin and isn't sticky in the slightest. LOVE.

Juicy Couture's Viva la Juicy has been my go-to perfume for years; this year is no different. I felt I had to include it in with the mix of my current favourites as I find myself (like many people) switching up my perfume according to the seasons. I went through a phase of using the Chloé Eau de Parfum, but have since swapped back to my well-loved, trusty Viva la Juicy.

Much like perfumes and body lotions, I'm always switching up the products I use on my face. I love this L'oreal Triple Active Fresh moisturiser at the moment which I've been using both morning and night. It's another gel-like texture which is super light and absorbs instantly into the skin. I'm sure I've already raved about this in a previous blogpost,  but it's such a lovely product I just had to give it another mention.

I bought this L'oreal #TXT Volume Spray on a whim the other day when I looked in the mirror and caught a glimpse of my hair looking rather depressed and lifeless. Naturally my hair is quite wavy and thick so I don't struggle with volume unless I've straightened my hair too much at the roots, but on this particular day it was just looking lank and weighed down. I spotted this volume spray in Boots and thought I'd give it a try. It's similar to a dry shampoo in the sense that you spray it into sections of your hair and use your fingertips to rub it in, but the great thing about this product is that it doesn't leave your hair feeling starchy and full of powdery residue. I've used it quite a few times now and so far, so good. It adds an instant lift and really helps to perk up the hair.

What are your current favourite products so far this month?

Chloë
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Do you ever find yourself aimlessly scrolling through the photos on your phone when you discover a picture that you have absolutely no recollection of? Well, that happened to me just now. Believe it or not I took the above photo over four months ago with the intention of uploading it to my Instagram account, but for some reason or another it got lost amongst the mass of selfies and holiday snaps.

My makeup routine has changed massively since July though - surprisingly I don't use many of the products pictured on a daily basis anymore as they have more than likely been stashed away in a makeup box and completely forgotten about!

The Maybelline 'Baby Lips' lip balm and the 'Photo Flawless' primer by Seventeen are still used on a daily basis, though. The primer is silicone-based so it helps to smooth out the skin's surface and create an even base for foundation, and the lip balm is great at adding instant moisture to the lips. The 'Falsies' mascara was also a favourite that I used everyday until it ran out, but I haven't yet repurchased it as I found a stack of mascaras hiding in a spare makeup bag the other day. The same applies to the Maybelline 'Better Skin' concealer, which I found great for hiding under-eye circles but slightly too dark for blemishes.

I purchased The Balm's 'Mary-Lou Manizer' after seeing numerous YouTube Beauty Gurus rave about it but in all honesty, I'd say I've only used it a handful of times - it's been sat on my chest of drawers for weeks! It's very pigmented so a little definitely goes a long way - a light dusting above the cheekbones is all you need to create a lovely highlight.

I tried using the 'Supercat' liquid eyeliner by Soap & Glory the other day for the first time in a while and I just couldn't get my wings even (#firstworldproblems). I'll probably stick it back in my makeup box for now until I can find the time to sit down and watch hours of tutorials to get myself back on track (or back on fleek!).

The same goes for the Sigma 'Brow Duo'. I have used it a few times with a Mac 266 brush but I do prefer using a brow pencil overall - it's a lot quicker and so much easier when trying to get the brows to look somewhat even. 

Last of all is the Mac blush in 'Springsheen'. This is lovely during the spring and summer months as it's a very shimmery, peach-toned shade, but for the winter months I prefer a darker, matte shade like Rimmel's blush in 'Smoked Oyster'.

Oh, and the Real Techniques brush are still used on the daily. How could I ever forget about those?!

Chloë

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