Today I felt like writing something a bit different. You see "why we choose to wear makeup" and "does it improve or hinder our self-esteem?" have been just two questions that have been on my mind later.
Could Your Love Of Makeup Be Affecting Your Self Esteem?
Today I felt like writing something a bit different. You see "why we choose to wear makeup" and "does it improve or hinder our self-esteem?" have been just two questions that have been on my mind later.
eBay Bargains #74 - Blogging Essentials
It's been more than awhile since I've put together a blogger themed eBay finds post and as it went down well last time I thought I'd create a more updated version!
I've made sure to include items that I already use for blogging and UK items where I can - fast delivery! Hope you find a few bargain buys here!
FREE Printable Daily Planners - For Readers & Bloggers
However, in the past 2 years I've become a daily planner fan! I have a whiteboard, a tear-off planner notepad, a swish ring-bound desk planner and I even have my own personalised planner sheets... just because! It's all a bit obsessive, but it keeps me on track (kind of)!
So I thought I'd share the love and create some free printable daily planners for anyone that wants one!
eBay Review: Incredible Unicorn Rainbow Brush Set for under £7!
Okay, I feel I need to apologise for featuring two amazingly priced eBay brush sets in the space of two weeks. No one needs multiple brush sets.... but ya know, when they are this pretty!!
Much like the oh, so magical unicorn makeup brush set I recently reviewed, these are of a similar theme. I don't know what that theme is exactly... but it's god damn pretty none the less!
Changing My Skincare Routine from Budget to Luxury
For the past year or so I have been dabbling in more high-end luxury skincare... and I annoyingly like it. No surprise there, then!
It's simple, select the correct higher-end skincare products for your skin type and they will be effective and often for the long term. That's really what changed my mind, why spend £5 on a face mask that will give you mediocre short-term results that you end up using 3 times a week over a £20 mask that is highly effective and only needs to be used once a week. I guess it's about being more skincare savvy I've come to realise!
How To Build A Custom Eyeshadow Palette You Will Actually Use!
A few months ago I decided it was time to invest in a custom eyeshadow palette. A palette I would use daily and never get bored of.
I came to this conclusion after buying endless budget to mid-priced eyeshadow palettes (think Makeup Revolution, Sleek, theBalm etc) which although initially loving, they would ultimately end up at the back of a drawer. Not savvy!
eBay Bargains #73 - Pastel Perfection
Spring is officially just around the corner and I for one couldn't be more ready for it. Right about now we are all feeling the effects of short daylight hours and Winter's chill so a little lusting after what's to come in the form of pastel shades can do no hard!
Below you will find a range of eBay items I love the look of, I've ordered a few, and the best part of all... most are low spend at £1-3! Guilt-free spring spending right here!
Could Bloglovin' be Doing your Blog a Disservice? (and How to Change it!)
If you told me last year that I'd be sitting down to write a fairly negative post about Bloglovin', I really don't think I would have believed you. You see I've been using Bloglovin' for over 5 years now and it brings me a decent amount of traffic due to the 90,000+ followers I've accumulated in that time. So I'm pretty grateful!
Plus, I use it daily to keep up to date with blog posts from all my favourite blogs.
But recently there has been a massive shift in how Bloglovin' are conducting themselves as a platform that is potentially harming a lot of bloggers hard work. And the strange thing... it seems to have gone unnoticed!
New Too Faced X Kat Von D Launch You Will Want To Snap Up Immediately
If there was every a beauty collaboration I didn't know I wanted until it happened, it would be Too Faced joining forces with Kat Von D for three amazing makeup sets!
How I Picked Up Makeup Samples Worth £45 for only £3.95!
Since November I feel I may have banged on about a certain free makeup sample service (you pay the p&p). But as a self-proclaimed savvy blogger I feel it would be a disservice to any fellow bargain hunters out there to not mention how flipping amazing it is just a few more times.
eBay Review: The Most Magical Unicorn Makeup Brushes for under £9!
Over time, I feel I've become more knowledgeable about eBay and can suss out both good and bad listings/products. So I now have a high success rate when buying low-priced items from eBay and I'm generally always pleased with the items I buy.
A Whole New Look for Makeup Savvy
Happy Monday and welcome to my spanking new blog!
Okay, the content is the same but things are looking pretty different, and I'm beyond glad for it!
eBay Bargains #72 - Cactus & Succulent Finds
Are These 'Beauty Mistakes' Worth Giving Up?
Today I want to talk 'beauty mistakes'; the taboos of the beauty world that we should all apparently be not doing. Are these sneaky lies fed to us by lucrative beauty companies? Or important guidelines that are wise to follow?
Here are 5 'beauty mistakes' that you may very well be doing. Along with my personal verdict on whether you should be giving them up or not!
eBay Haul - What I Bought in January 2017
After a bit of a break from my eBay haul posts due to the materialism that is Christmas, I'm very much back! I've got my savvy eBay ways back as it were!
You may be happy to know that I have not one, but two eBay makeup brushes reviews coming up soon that really are amazing on all fronts! But for now, I thought I'd share with you a few humble buys that on average cost me no more than a magazine would cost. Hope this gives you a better look of some of the eBay items I may have featured in the past month or so, along with a few extras that I couldn't resist!
NIOD Dermal Science Skincare Set QVC TSV & Review (£90 Saving)
Today I want to talk about an amazing skincare offer from NIOD.
Now if you know my style of blogging then you will know I don't often hone in on one specific brand, this isn't sponsored FYI, however over the past 6 months I've been slowly switching my skincare to something a bit more grown-up and luxury. This is where NIOD comes in, and although their tag line of "skincare for the hyper-educated" doesn't really apply to me as scientific explanations for products frankly go over my head, I've yet to dislike a single product from the brand and my skincare routine is becoming more and more saturated by them.
What are Your thoughts on Copy-Cat Makeup Brands?
For the past year the beauty industry has seen an increase in copy-cat beauty brands. They've always been around and often come and go, but copy-cat makeup brands are now doing better than ever.
I've been someone that buys from brands like these but often feel on the fence about them. Should it be tolerated or do they rightly deserve a place in the beauty world? I'm still unsure.
But let's rewind a bit, let's talk about what exactly makes someone label a brand a copy-cat. For me this would be low-cost makeup brands that look at the products of popular high-end makeup brands and aim to reproduce some of their key products in both packaging and product as close as they possibly can... without them looking counterfeit of course!
Below I've detailed three makeup brands that I believe to work in this way, which I should importantly point out that I don't dislike (I've enjoyed the odd product from them!) and I'm not suggesting should be avoided. It's definitely a personal choice but I'd love to know how you feel about them in the comments below.
W7
The original copy-cat makeup brand
Ahh W7, the first of it's kind! I have fond memories of finding W7 branded products for £1-2 on market stalls in my teens and feeling I had a bit of Benefit; their no.1 'inspiration' at the time. Of course, as a penny less teen I saw no harm in it, but looking back many products were so close in packaging and actual product to Benefit. Over the years they have focused on producing more Benefit style products, along with Urban Decay look-a-like products and a very similar OPI-style line of nail polishes. From time to time they will also hone in on brands that are doing well with a particular product and attempt to reproduce them - think Kylie Jenner's lip products, Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronzer and a budget version of the Hourglass Modernist eyeshadow palette. On the whole W7 look the business, but I often wonder are they spending more on packaging and the aesthetics than the actual product inside. As for how they fair against the high-end brands they take 'inspiration' from, I'd say it's pretty hit and miss, with some products falling short against other high-street/budget brands but then other times products will surprise you!
Makeup Revolution
The new high-street player
Now I'm not going to lie, I love Makeup Revolution products! They truly create some amazing eyeshadow palettes at very reasonable prices and I'm a fan of their lipsticks. However what I'm not a fan of is when they blatantly rip-off certain high-end products. This started with a very similar product to the Too Faced Sweetheart Blushers and continued with their I Heart Chocolate eyeshadow palettes that look almost identical to the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palettes. Their latest acquisition - Kylie Jenner's Lip Kits in the form of their own Retro Luxe Lip Kits. For a brand that could have a really strong identity of their own I wish they would stop copying high-end products like this and stick to their strengths, creating amazingly pigmented palettes and face products.
Beauty Pie
The Bobbi Brown look-alike with a twist
Beauty Pie is a totally new player in the beauty world and with a totally new concept of how we buy makeup they have received a good coverage of press both online and in magazines. If you are unaware of the recently launched brand let me briefly explain! Beauty Pie works on a monthly membership basis. Pay £10+ per month and you are allowed to buy 3-6 products from the brand within that month at a reduced price. For example, you could buy one of their eyeshadow palettes for £35 without a membership but with a membership you apparently pay the factory cost of only £6.94. Will it catch on? I really don't know. I personally wouldn't pay to be allowed to buy makeup, it just doesn't make sense to me, however this kind of business model is definitely new to the cosmetic market and only time will tell. My main problem with this new brand - they look very similar to Bobbi Brown products. From their packaging choices and all black theme, to their double-spaced logo font that's oh so simplistic and Bobbi Brown-like. Their shade ranges also screams Bobbi Brown to me and although I can see they want to go for a luxury feel I don't know if copying an established high-end brand is the way to go.
Is it just the same as high street clothing brands taking 'inspiration' for the high-end seasonal fashion shows and brands? Or does it run deeper than that?
I'd love to know your opinion on this - Do you avoid brands that use these techniques to sell their lesser quality products or do you embrace them?
Fee xo.
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