I think it's safe to say liquid lipsticks are having a huge moment right now. Everyone is talking about them, every brand is bringing out some sort of product and every makeup lover out there wants to give it a try. Including me, obviously! There are amazing high-end brands which brought out great liquid lipsticks, such as the Anastasia ones or the Kat Von D. ones, but for a liquid lipstick newbie like myself and many others, paying that much for something you're not sure you're gonna love is not an easy thing to do. That's why, we can thank the Drugstore Gods for giving us some cheaper alternatives to make sure we're on board with the whole concept, like Sleek 'Matte Me' liquid lipsticks and their beautiful trendy shades.

   Me and my skin have always had a love-hate relationship. Breakouts and scarring have always been present for me, in the last years. My main concern is that every breakout leaves a mark and it takes ages for it to go away afterwards. Fortunately, if you're in the same boat or would just like to resurface your skin for a brighter and softer complexion, there is something that can help with the process: acids! They are incredible for getting rid of acne, acne marks, discoloration and uneven texture.

   I've tried a lot of them - salicylic, lactic, pretty much everything. However, my favorite one is definitely glycolic acid. It's mild enough that it doesn't irritate my skin but strong enough for me to see the results. My skin reacts wonderfully to it so I'm always on the hunt for products that contain the right concentration of glycolic acid.

   If you've never tried glycolic acid before, I'd suggest you start with a small concentration, something like 5% maybe. That's usually the concentration you'll find in your average skincare products. Remember that everything over 40% is mostly for professional use, therefore you shouldn't probably use it at home (my experience with 30% glycolic treatment coming in a future post!) However, I found my skin can take bigger concentrations of this stuff as it got used to it pretty well, so I opted for 13% in the form of a toner from Bravura London.

   I had never heard of this brand before, but it had pretty good reviews online and it seemed to be the only one offering the type of products I was looking for, so I gave it a try.

   Firstly, I was surprised by the packaging! I actually posted an Instagram when it came in the post saying how weird it looks and you guys agreed! I'm not sure if I want to drink it or put it on my face. It's a frosted glass bottle with a screw-on lid. It's pretty heavy but sturdy and it's really easy to pour the toner onto a cotton pad.

   The smell is something I absolutely love about this one! I don't know what it reminds me of but it's amazing! Maybe that's how calendula is supposed to smell? I don't know, but it's a winner in my book!

   Now for the toner itself, it's incredible! I usually swipe this all over my face after cleansing and before moisturizing and it feel so nice and fresh on my skin. It doesn't sting, except for when I have an open breakout and even then it's not unbearable. It dries almost immediately and doesn't leave a sticky finish. I follow up with my night cream and I can usually feel my skin being softer right away, as I'm massaging the cream. It's like it swipes away all of the dead skin and annoying bumps and leaves you with new baby-like skin in seconds! It doesn't dry up my skin either, but I have pretty oily skin and don't tend to use it under makeup, so I'm not sure about that.

   The long term results are definitely great too! My dark marks from acne are fading away and I'm sure the toner helps with the process as they are a lot less noticeable than they were before.

   I would highly recommend this to everyone who likes glycolic acid or even to someone who wants to try it, only if you know you don't have really sensitive skin. Otherwise, start with something lighter, like the Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner (3%) and follow up with this magical product if your skin likes it! You'll be surprised at how soft and even this makes your skin feel! I know I sound like an advert right now, but I really feel like raving about this endlessly, haha!

  I've never been someone to really experiment with makeup a lot. For me, it's all about getting a decent looking base and enhancing my features a little bit. However, lately, it's become one of my priorities to start having more fun with makeup, as in more eyeshadow shades and maybe even bolder lips (I'm yet to tackle that one). I didn't want to start spending loads of money on high-end palettes just yet, so I thought Sleek would be a good brand to go to. And I was right, their i-Divine palettes are amazing, especially for the price. After a few swatches I picked up the Storm one, as I think it's the most versatile one.

   Just throwing this out, I love the packaging. It's black, kinda matte looking (a nightmare for fingerprints but I sort of like that?) and very sleek (indeed). It comes with a big, great quality mirror which comes in very handy when travelling. It's sturdy and feels really nice.


 There are 12 shades in the palette, both matte and shimmery ones. I've swatched them all down below, as it's easier than trying to describe them. My favorites would probably have to be the orangey one in the middle of the top row, as it makes for an amazing crease/transition shade, and also the first one on the left, bottom row, which is a copper shimmery shade that look amazing all over the lid. The second one to the left, top row, is also amazing for highlighting the inner corner and the brow bone.


    Now for the actual texture of them.. it's good. It's not the best but it's not bad either. I think for a drugstore palette with such a good variety of shades, it's the best it could be. The shimmery shades are very pigmented and buttery. The matte ones, however, tend to be a little bit less pigmented, especially the black one, as you can probably tell. Anyways, it's great that there's a black in there, as you can smoke out any look, with the help of a wet brush or a bit of eyeliner underneath.

   Over all, I think this is an amazing palette for someone who has just started playing with eyeshadows a bit more or simply for someone who's looking for a great, compact and versatile drugstore option, in this department. For £8, I say it's definitely worth it!

   These days, I find there's nothing like a movie or a TV show to help me relax and forget about annoying school-work. I'm a big fan of the cinema and I love analyzing movies when watching them, as aesthetics and filmography have always been something I was interested it and something I'd love to maybe study in the future. That being said, I love talking about movies, which is why I decided to dedicate this post to the ones which delighted us in the year that just ended.
   Now, I'll have to admit, compared to its predecessor, the year of 2015 hasn't been the most amazing in terms of movies, in my opinion. Of course, there are amazing ones nominated for The Oscars and I love pretty much all of them. However, I decided to tell you about the other ones, the ones you just watch on a lazy afternoon..



   ⇨ Me And Earl And The Dying Girl is a comedy-drama film, based on Jesse Andrews' debut novel of the same name. The title is pretty straightforward to be honest, as the film is literally about three amazing characters: Greg - a senior in high school with a pretty monotonous life, Earl - his longtime co-worker with whom he makes short films, and former childhood friend of his, Rachel - a.k.a The Dying Girl, who has been diagnosed with leukemia. Greg and Rachel become friends again as a result of his parents literally forcing him to do so. From then on, the story develops into a very sweet and emotional journey.
   What I absolutely loved about this movie is the way it's filmed and directed. The characters are so likeable and relatable and I weirdly found myself thinking of Tumblr whilst watching it, for some unknown reason. It's so quirky and yet extremely touching. I'm pretty sure anyone would enjoy this one. (The battle was between this and Paper Towns, but I found that I enjoyed the book too much for the film to really really impress me)


   ⇨ True-Story is a mystery thriller film, starring Jonah Hill and James Franco. The movie it's based on the memoir of the same name and it presents the story of  Michael Finkel, a reporter who writes for The New York Times and Christian Longo, a man who is accused for murdering his wife and three children in Oregon, who has taken on Finkel's identity. The two meet and the mind games begin. The reporter starts writing a story about the murder, that would help Longo prove his innocence. In reality, things aren't really as straightforward as that, but a lot more twisted and overall amazing.
   I love the actors (I mean, James Franco in that orange suit.. yes!), the plot and the way it presents how the human mind works, at its best. If you like mystery films and psychological analysis, this one's for you! I enjoyed every second of it and I can definitely say that this is my type of movie! The end will definitely leave you surprised, and wondering.


   ⇨ Dark Places is another mystery thriller film and it's based on Gillian Flynn's novel. It tells the story of Libby Day, a girl whose family was was brutally murdered in their farmhouse, when she was only eight years old. Thirty years later, she decides to find out the truth of what really happened in that terrible night. As you might suspect, secrets are discovered and everything gets confusingly intriguing, with lots of suspense and lots of mind games (are you sensing a theme here?).
   Again, if you're a fan of mysteries and crime and drama and a bit of weird, crazy stuff, maybe check out this one. It's one of those films you might find a bit hard to follow as it has a pretty heavy plot (and a cool twist perhaps?) but it's definitely worth it once you've managed to fully grasp the story. (Oh, and Chloë Grace Moretz is in it as well, which makes it 100 times better!)


   ⇨ Focus is a dark-comedy thriller, starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie, and probably the most popular one out of all of these. The story is about Nicky, a veteran con man, and Jess, an incredibly beautiful a woman from his past, who decides to accomplish him in his latest scheme, managing to spoil his plans and become an essential asset to his team, at the same time.
   It's not really my type of movie, as it does have a lot of action scenes and some overused hollywood-clichés in the plot, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. It's funny, catchy and the actors are beautiful as fudge. From time to time, it doesn't hurt seeing some gunshots and dangerous romance, if the story is captivating enough and it's nicely presented. Again, I'd recommend this to mostly anyone who fancies a good ol' Will Smith movie that will make you smile.


   ⇨ Hotel Transylvania 2 is a 3D computer animated fantasy-comedy film and the sequel to the 2012 film Hotel Transylvania. I do recommend watching the first film before seeing this one, but it's not a tragedy if you haven't seen it, I mean, it's an animation. It started as the story of Count Dracula, who owns a hotel filled with weird but very fun monsters, in Transylvania, aways from any civilization, and his daughter, whose newly born son becomes the main focus in the second movie.
   As all animations, it's super cute. I considered choosing Inside Out for this category as it's a lot more clever and interesting but I thought, you know what, I'm gonna be honest with myself, I've enjoyed this one with weird monsters more (lol). If you like having a laugh at childish but yet oddly amusing animations sometimes, maybe check this one out!

  It's been a while since I properly talked about skin care so I thought, as the new year has recently begun, it's the period when everyone seeks for new products to try and habits to change. As a girl with very oily skin, I know I've always been afraid of really hydrating moisturizers and always looked for the "matte finish" claim on the label. Recently, I found out your moisturizer isn't really supposed to say it will mattify your skin, as that's not really its job, especially now with the cold, dry weather.

   I'll admit that I first tried this product when doing my Glycolic Peel At Home (let me know if you want a post on that) and I needed something rich and super moisturizing. Since then, however, I keep reaching for this one on a daily basis.

  The packaging is really easy to use and it's pretty hygienic as well, since it's a tube, rather than a pot. It smells really nice, like most LRP products actually, so if you don't like that smell in particular, you might not be a fan of this one either. I personally love it!


   It's a really nice consistency, a combination between a lightweight cream and a gel. It's not runny but it's not very rich either. It's that perfect "in the middle" situation.

   When you first massage it into the skin, you can really feel that it's moisturizing it thoroughly. It sinks in pretty fast, although not completely. It still leaves a nice supple feel to the skin, but definitely not greasy what's so ever! Just a fresh and healthy glow. Makeup goes on beautifully on top of it!


   What I really like about it is that during the day, my skin doesn't get super oily, it just acts normal, maybe even better, as it doesn't feel the need to produce extra oil to combat the dryness. It did not break me out, and my skin is pretty sensitive when it comes to new ingredients.

  It's targeted at "oily skin that feels weak and fragile due to anti-acne treatments" so it is strong enough to moisturize really dry and stressed skin but lightweight enough that it won't clog pores or cause any excess oil. I would highly recommend this to all skin types. However, if you're oily and not using any strong treatments, you might want to avoid this one during the summer time, depending on the amount of heat you're in, as it might get a bit too much. Other skin types, you're good to go!

 

   A couple months ago I wrote a review on my favorite foundation, the L'oréal Infallible 24-Hour Matte one, and said that I didn't find my shade but it's all good because of this magical product The Body Shop has come up with recently: The Shade Adjusting Drops - Lightening. You guys wanted a review and I definitely been wanting to talk about this ever since I bought it. It's a life saver. Ok.

   Firstly, it looks so pretty, just look at it! Like a cute little potion glass bottle with a pipette and everything. It makes it really easy to use as you can literally pour small drops of this wherever you need it. I don't have anything to say about the smell of this. It's not really potent, just like an ordinary foundation smell.


   There are two shades available, the Lightening and the Darkening one. This one is kinda white but also kinda pink toned (so not that great for me but oh well, you can't have it all). The other shade is like a really dark brown and from what I've heard, can be used to contour with, just like this one can be use to brighten up under the eyes. So it's a versatile product!

   The consistency is pretty cool actually, because it doesn't interfere with the consistency, coverage and finish of the foundation at all. It's not super watery but not creamy either. It's like a perfect in the middle, maybe more on the liquidy side. It only changes the color of the foundation, which is something I really appreciate.


    You just have to pour one or two drops of this next/over your foundation on the back of your hand and mix them up. It takes just a few seconds before you're left with a whole new foundation shade. It properly works! It's such a simple concept and yet only higher-end brands have thought of doing this so far. I am so glad The Body Shop brought it out because this is my saviour now.

    Because my skin is very yellow-toned but also pretty light, I find that most drugstore foundation are either too dark and too orange, or they are light enough but really pink. With this, I can just buy the orange shade and make it perfect. Yay! I would definitely recommend giving this a try if you ever struggle with matching your face to your neck.