Best of Beauty 2018

Hello everyone, I hope you’re doing well and I wish you a happy new year!

I wanted to collate together all of my beauty favourites of 2018 in this post for you all; I made the effort to explore different trends this past year, trying new brands, products and looks that I wouldn't normally wear in order to venture out of my beauty comfort zone and better my makeup skills. Out of this exploration, I managed to find new holy grail products that I'll definitely be repurchasing in 2019, and also maintained my love of some old favourites that I'll probably never stop using!

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

I was on a search this year for a perfect bronzer as I've always found them to look too ashy or orange, which I know is the case for many South Asian girls like me. Benefit's Hoola has been raved about for years and after discovering it recently, I can see why! It is the perfect shade for me, giving a natural sunkissed look but still being easy to layer for a more intense, bronzed vibe (which I looooove). For any other brown girls in the search for a perfect bronzer, do try this if you haven't already!

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Image from Gemma Etc.

This concealer has been a holy grail product of mine since I first started wearing makeup; although I tried different concealers this year such as the Mac Prolong Wear and LA Girl Pro-Conceal, I returned to this little gem as it has incredible coverage and I love the way it looks on my skin. Other concealers did not beat it and despite the colour match being slightly off, you really cannot complain as it is such a bargain price! I wear this on an every-day basis with a little powder on top, making sure to thoroughly blend it with fluffy brushes and a beauty blender, and it gives a beautiful skin-like finish whilst covering all of my acne scars, redness and blemishes. I can't praise this product enough!

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

Image from Google

I really aimed to make my makeup base look more creamy, natural and, well, skin-like this year as it's been a 2018 beauty trend that I have personally been obsessed with. I found it difficult to nail with my problematic skin but with the right products and tools, such as this sponge, I think I'm getting the hang of it! I use this sponge damp to apply and blend products, and it is the key to perfecting my base and maintaining the soft, natural finish that I aim for.

Eyelash curler and waterproof mascara

This may seem a bit weird, but I only started using a lash curler this year and it's really elevated the lash game for me! I constantly get asked if I'm wearing fake lashes but I hardly do, it is just me utilising a lash curler and locking the curl in with waterproof mascara (a tip I learnt from Alice T on Instagram). I particularly like this Maybelline waterproof mascara but I'm going to be trying a few, more affordable alternatives soon as I'm constantly running out of this one.

Pixi + Maryam Maquillage Strobe & Sculpt Highlight & Contour Palette

Image from Google

I was gifted this palette for my birthday and it has become a firm favourite of mine that I use every day (hence why my own version is really battered and I can't bear to show you all). The blush gives a lovely flush of colour to the cheeks, the highlight is a beautiful golden/champagne colour which builds up in intensity well, and the banana powder is what I use on an everyday basis to set my highlighting concealer. The bronzer shades are great too, though some are too dark for me so I use them as eyeshadow and they work really well. Overall, it's a great little palette with a lot of versatility!

Fenty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in Fenty Glow

Now, this is a bloody good lip gloss. I love using it as it smells like sweets, is a gorgeous colour that really compliments me and it gives an intense wet-look that is oh so beautiful. I also just love the brand overall, Fenty's inclusivity is something I really commend and I love supporting Rihanna and her vision with her makeup brand, I also can't wait to get my hands on her foundation and this gloss in its new shades!

L'Oreal Hydra Genius Hyaluronic Acid & Aloe Liquid Moisturiser

I wanted to include a few skincare favourites too as good skincare plays a big part in my foundation looking great. This L'Oreal moisturiser is brilliant in hydrating my skin, making it look super plump and feel really soft. It contains hyaluronic acid, which is great for moisturising as it helps the skin retain water, and aloe vera, which is really calming. Any time my skin is looking dry and dull, this really helps restore some moisture back into my face and keeps my makeup looking good. I mix it in with a thicker moisturiser as its a thin consistency (at the moment it's one by Simple) and apply it after a facial oil and before my foundation every day.

Fruits of Nature Acne Removal Cream

This little blue tub is magic! When I use this cream consistently my skin looks and feels amazing. It's a really natural product (which is important to me with skincare), containing just a few key, skin-loving ingredients like as shea butter, tea tree, rosehip and vitamin E oil which work amazingly well in keeping my skin glowy and healthy.

So, they're just a few on my 2018 beauty favourites which I have loved using over the past year. As for 2019, I'm hoping it's a wonderful year for us all; I'm aiming to be much more active on this blog and produce quality content for you all as it's what I love to do. Here is to success, creativity and happiness in 2019! 

Lots of love, Furvah x

Belle Âme

My lovely friend Megan has recently released her own clothing line, Belle Âme, with stunning and classic pieces that are perfect for any girl who loves fashion as much as I know I do. So, I wanted to do a little post to collate together my favourite pieces from her new collection to showcase to you all!

Cream Snake Satin Shirt - £25

I love how this piece brings together two key fashion trends at the moment, snake print and satin! It looks like a perfect item for a night out or classy dinner and I can't wait to get my hands on it as it seems like a very versatile piece! I think I would wear this with jeans and a pair of brogues or strappy heels, depending on the occasion.

Cream Snake Wide Leg Flare Trousers - £30

A perfect item to match the shirt above, these trousers are beautiful in their cut and design. I love flowing, flared trousers as I think they really compliment my figure and these trousers are no different. And again, the snake print is a must have from today's trends! One of the ways that I would wear this item is with trainers, a turtleneck and a leather or denim jacket for a nice, everyday look.

Black Cable Knit Tie Loungewear Set - £35

I love being comfortable in whatever I wear yet still looking presentable and on trend, which this loungewear set does perfectly! It looks really cosy, which is perfect for the colder months, as it is made from a soft knit, but it would still keep you looking like you've put effort into your outfit when you created it in no more than a few minutes. I would pair this set with a leather jacket and white trainers.

Black Faux Leather High Waisted Leggings - £20

These leggings are definitely one of my favourite item's from Megan's Belle Âme collection, as they're really on trend at the moment but still very classic and versatile. I think these leggings would amp up any simple, everyday look and give it a new edge. I'd wear them with an oversized, chunky jumper and knee high boots, which would be a great outfit for a Wintery shopping trip.

Belle Ame Slogan Top - £18

I love simple, slogan T-Shirts just like this one, as they're really easy to style and chuck on in a rush whilst still feeling confident and comfortable in your outfit. I like Megan's styling of this item, with the leather look leggings previously mentioned, and I would probably style it similarly or with mom/skinny jeans.

I hope you've enjoyed this blog post, and please do check out Belle Âme on Instagram at @belleamefashion.co.uk and their website https://www.belleamefashion.co.uk - they also have 10% off at the moment with the code GET10, so grab some items whilst you can get them discounted! A huge congratulations to Megan also on the launch of her lovely, little brand!

What's your favourite Belle Âme item?

♥

Minimalist Maxi Dress.

Dress - Stradivarius (£19.99)

Boots - Primark (£12)

Jacket - Boohoo (around £25)

Jewellery - Primark (£1-£3)

I am in love this dress and have been wearing it non-stop since I purchased it (which you will probably tell by the amount of times it's been featured on my Instagram!). It's a great transitional piece for the colder seasons and can be worn dressed up or down as it is very versatile, too. Here, I have paired it with tights, boots, a coat and complimenting jewellery for an evening look but I also like wearing it with a denim jacket and trainers for the day!

What's your favourite transitional piece in your wardrobe?

♥

Cool Blues

Top - H&M

Jeans - Primark

Shoes - Primark

Belt - Primark

For the hotter days that we’ve been having in the UK recently, I love oversized shirts and flowy materials to help keep me comfortable yet still looking nice. I always have a pair of mom jeans on whatever the weather, and paired with this pinstripe shirt, I really enjoyed the cute little look I created!

Hope you’re having a lovely summer!

My favourite lippies

Hello all! I hope you’re all doing well and are having a lovely week so far.
Today, I wanted to tell you all about my favourite lip products that I’ve been wearing non-stop over the past few months. I do love my lippies, as all my friends know, so I thought I’d collate all my must-haves into a little blog post for you all.

Mac Lipstick in ‘Kinda Sexy’ - £17.50

This Mac lipstick is such a gorgeous, peachy colour that I love to wear when I have more of a fresh faced look going on or if I want something a little bit different to my regular, skin toned nude. Again, it’s a lovely peachy pink that I find really flattering on me and it’s a more of creamier, sheeny finish which is a nice change from my usual mattes but does make it a little less long-wearing.

MUA Matte Lipstick in ‘Fawn Fancy’ - £1

This lipstick is definitely one of my all-time favourites. It’s got such a nice, soft matte finish and the colour is something along the lines of a warm browney nude (if that makes any sense!). The fact that it’s only £1 too pleases me a lot, BUTTTTTT when I went into Superdrug to pick this up again recently, I couldn’t find it and one of the employees said that they’re discontinuing this shade. I’m not sure how I’m going to recover from this loss, to be quite honest, but I’m just planning on making the most of the time that we have left together.

NYX Butter Gloss in ‘Madeline’ - £6

This is another one of my ride of die lippies that I’ve been wearing pretty much every time I wear makeup. It’s a gorgeous warm muted pink colour that is great for everyday and the formula of this gloss is so good. It’s really moisturising and non-sticky, very comparable to the Kylie Jenner’s glosses that I’ve tried, and it gives such a high shine/wet look finish that everyone is obsessed with at the moment, including me. Oh, and it smells like vanilla too!

Revlon Colorstay Ultra HD Matte Lip Colour in 'Forever' - £6.99

This shade is a gorgeous 'your lips but better' colour that I bought to wear as a natural, every day liquid lipstick. It's a really moisturising formula and it applies well, but my only hang up with this liquid lipstick is that it doesn't completely dry down and isn't very long lasting which defeats the purpose of a matte lipstick for me. However, it has an absolutely divine scent, something along the lines of cupcake or sweets, and it is a really gorgeous and natural looking colour on me. Plus, it's on sale from £8.99 at the moment on the Superdrug website!

Make Up Forever Aqua Lip Liner in 5C - £14

This liner is a little more pricey and was definitely an impulse purchase that I questioned myself about later, but, it’s a lovely long-wearing darker brown colour that I wear really frequently. It lasts really well and the shade is great for when I want something a little bit darker and bolder. I really like pairing it with the NYX gloss, too; I line my lips then blend the liner out then apply the gloss on top. It gives me cool 90s vibes and I was definitely inspired by Alice T on who wears a similar look a lot on her Instagram.

MUA Lip Liner in ‘Red Drama’ - £1

Another MUA lippie that I cannot get enough of is this true red liner. I bought it as the one I was already wearing that day was way too pink and smudgy so this liner was a great alternative. Liners are a great option for longer lasting colour and a truly matte finish that doesn’t budge. This one is my go-to red at the moment as it’s really vibrant and classic looking, it lasts so so well and I feel really confident any time I wear it. And again, £1?! 

Finally, I thought I'd mention my favourite lip balm too which is this vanilla and macadamia lip butter from Nivea. It’s super thick and moisturising, and I wear it day and night to help keep my lips super soft. Before I start my makeup, I gently exfoliate my lips with a towel or washcloth then apply this lip butter on top so my lips are smooth and ready for whatever colour I’m wearing that day. It’s a great product and it smells divine too!

I hope you liked this post, please let me know what else you’d like to see from me and I hope you all have a great day!

The Ordinary Coverage Foundation Review

Hello all!

I hope you're all doing amazingly and welcome back to my blog, today I'm going to be writing a review on The Ordinary's Coverage Foundation. A lot of people have been raving about this product, with one of the main selling points being the affordable price of £5.95! I bloody love a bargain myself, so I felt the need to get my hands on it and long story short; I have a lot of feelings about this foundation, so I thought I'd share them all with you in a long overdue blog post.

So, just for reference, I have a combination skin type as I get quite oily throughout the day but I'm also prone to dry patches, I struggle with a fair bit of acne and acne scarring so I like to have that covered up as much as I can and I have a light to medium skin tone, so roughly an NC35 in Mac. This is why I felt that this foundation might be a good one for me as it's supposed to be full coverage, it's made by a skincare brand which I assumed means it won't badly affect my skin and they have a pretty decent shade range too. I picked up shade 2.0YG, which is defined as a light medium with yellow-gold undertones and again, I had high hopes for the shade, but I do feel like it's a little off. When I first apply it, it looks like a good match apart from it being somewhat light for me but when it dries down, I feel like it becomes a lot more neutral toned which results in ash city for me.

Excuse my fluffy cheetah pjyamas, he he

Unblended, more yellow

Blended, much more neutral

In regards to the finish, I'd say it's skin-like, semi matte and a medium coverage. It is definitely buildable but it can tend to become a bit cakey when I do so, so I definitely have to use concealer and powder when I wear this foundation. It also clinfgs to my drier areas around mouth and any spots I've got straightaway, which ain't a good look because I hate attention being drawn to those areas.

Prepped skin - one layer - two layers

The way this foundation wears throughout the day is the main problem I have with it. On most of my face, it actually wears quite nicely (not anything to write home about, though) but around my mouth, it separates and cakes up significantly along with clinging to dry patches I've got. This becomes especially noticeable when I wear it for around 6 hours, which I feel is an average time to be wearing a foundation in reality, and the finish became so messed up that even other people began to notice..... I know.
I'll still wear it because I don't terribly mind the foundation and I do want to use it up, but not for more than a couple of hours, but prior to this it is a nice foundation. And before you ask, I've tried to bake and set this and it still ends up separating. It's just strange as I've never had a foundation do that before, you may not be able to notice what I mean as well on the picture I've taken but overall, it just ain't a great look for me especially because I have problematic skin anyway.

So overall, this foundation is nice for a few hours wear as it has a skin-like finish and decent coverage but I feel that it would probably work well for those with skin in better condition than mine. So at the moment, it's a no from me. 6/10. Try again next time.

Thank you for reading, I hope you liked this review or found it somewhat helpful and have an amazing February! 

Khaki Class

Details

Top (Co Ord) - Boohoo.com

Trousers - Primark

Kimono - My sister's wardrobe

Heels - New Look

Bag - Monsoon

Jewellery - Topshop

I loved wearing this outfit, I found it really classy and comfortable.

 ♥️