BEAUTY TALK | 2016 ROAST: TRENDS I HOPE WE DITCH IN 2017/LEAVE IN 2016 TAG

It's that time of year where everyone shares what trends they are secretly hoping we ditch in 2017. I thought this would be a fun post and it is inspired by Jackie Aina, one of my favourite YouTubers, she has already uploaded her Roast on her channel which you can watch below, Wayne Goss did a video too, both are a good laugh. I fully believe that makeup is fun and you are free to use and abuse it as you please, but sometimes it can just be overkill. My list has less to do with specific "trends", although I do mention a few, but also just things I am sick of hearing about in general. I hope you enjoy it and of course I mean no offence to anyone in this post, these are my personal opinions and I don't mean to make anyone feel bad in anyway. I hope you know that and please enjoy.

HIGHLIGHTING 

Y'all knew it was coming, it was the trend of the year pretty much. Strobing, glowing, gleaming, steaming. We had it all. Highlighter is great and it looks gorgeous on everyone but me, but this year it was insane how much press highlighter received. Every brand released one and every beauty guru had a three minute segment in each tutorial dedicated just to highlighting. The nose and the cupid's bow being common favourites. The hashtag #highlightonfleek trended and it seemed to be a competition on who could have the most reflective, beaming highlight in the world. "Highlight so bright there are aliens from another galaxy trying to communicate with me right now. . ." You know.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminators

DROPPER APPLICATORS 

If one more brand brings out a foundation with a dropper applicator like it's some kind of god-damn serum I am going to lose my shit. My hatred stems from the Tarte Rainforest of the Sea foundation (review coming) because that dropper is trying me every damn day. I hate it with the heat of a thousand suns and it seems more brands are rolling out foundations with similar dispensers and I am so over it. Like I'm not angry enough in the morning already, I really don't need this shit.  

Tarte Rainforest of  the Sea Foundation

COLLABS

2016 was a year of collaboration. I am all collabed out and the worst thing is that each collab was accompanied with a scandal. So many brands partnered with big YouTubers to create a limited edition product this year that it was no longer exciting for me. Although, there were some fantastic collaborations namely the Master Palette by Mario, there were quite a few duds like the Power of Makeup  Palette by Nikkie Tutorials (just my opinion). YouTube just feels grimy now and cliquey, each YouTuber got so much support this year for their collaborations, as they should! But I don't recall seeing anyone talk about Carli Bybel's palette, which is still available. Why is that? The BH Cosmetics Carli Bybel Palette has to be amongst my favourite and the Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave is at the top of my list, created with Jane from Brit Beauty Blog. Amazing. 

Carli Bybel Palette BH Cosmetics

SCANDALS 

As mentioned, with each collab came a scandal as brands seemed to want to cut corners to produce more product quicker. The focus this year seemed to be on creating a demand and not a supply, so many people were left disappointed by poor customer service, unsatisfactory goods or just insufficient product. I was gutted I couldn't get my hands on the Kathleen Lights x Morphe Palette. Moreover, there just seems to be a lack of heart in the beauty industry. It's all about making a buck. I know it has always been about that but now I feel brands are being much more aggressive and calculated about it. Not all brands are like this and I have newfound respect for those that don't shove products down our throat or use YouTubers like minions to "big up" their products. I understand it works exceptionally well as a marketing strategy and is smart business but it is also fucking annoying when 10 videos on the same collection appear at the same time. It's so boring. 

Makeup Revolution Fortune Favours The Brave Palette

"LIMITED EDITION"

Sick of hearing it and seeing it. It is common knowledge that scarcity increases the value of a product. If we hear something is limited or rare it makes us want it more because there is a chance it might be gone soon. We have to act quickly, thus causing websites to crash and products to sell out in minutes. My favourite is when brands state something is "limited edition" only to make it permanent later on, or to release it in a different form. I just wish there was more transparency in this industry and I really wish brands would focus on making great additions to their permanent lines than just focusing on seasonal crap that everyone will forget about in a few months anyway. This is not all brands, this is largely in response to Becca Cosmetics and Too Faced who have really taken the piss this year. Again, there are plenty of limited edition releases I do love. 

Becca Cosmetics x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Face Palette

LIP FILLERS

I don't even know if I can name one YouTuber that hasn't at least tried it. It's not that I have anything against people doing what they want, it's the fact that people in this community seem to be turning to sheep. I find it sad and disheartening. I know we all want to look our best but to get so swept up in a trend is crazy to me. You can do whatever you want with your body but it's just crazy that everywhere I turn I see puffy lips. It's driving ME mental. I completely understand why so many people have gotten them, I do. I have considered it more than once, but it's not because of how I feel. It's because I see it EVERYWHERE. It is literally becoming the new normal and I wish it would stop. There's nothing wrong with enhancement but the lips I have been seeing are just puffy and cartoonish. 

No shade to Kylie Jenner, I actually think her lips look quite good. Although here they are slightly puffy.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this post. It turned out more negative than I thought but I genuinely hope we see a change for the better in 2017. Not only in our makeup because I really miss the days where everyone looked different but also in the way we conduct ourselves. I hope your 2016 was great and even if it wasn't I hope you learned, laughed and loved. Take care. 

What trends do you hope die in 2016? 
If you have a blog I would love to read your post on this, consider yourself tagged!

Love ❤

Kiran

Bloglovin'    Instagram    Twitter

10 THINGS THAT WILL HELP WHEN RETURNING TO WORK AFTER THE HOLIDAYS

10 Things To Help When Returning To Work After The Holidays

Is there anything more painful than returning to work after an extended food-filled weekend? I think not, and I have to admit I am not looking forward to going back to the grind tomorrow either. So in the spirit of keeping things cheerful and jolly, despite the mixed bag that was this Christmas (RIP George) here are a few things to help you get back in work mode without killing the good vibes:

1. Pamper Routine is mandatory, use all those lovely treats you got for Christmas. Immerse that bath bomb into a bath and soak yourself in some me time. 
2. Wash your hair. Put in some fancy hair oil or leave-in conditioner. 
3. Pop on a face mask, battle that imminent breakout from all the chocolate you have been swimming in. 
4. Exfoliate, until you feel so clean and smooth and perfect that you sparkle.
5. Paint your nails so when you're typing at your desk you feel like a boss. 
6. Drink some green tea because it will help you get into a healthier frame of mind. If you have time to squeeze in a quick workout or at least a stretch you'll feel better immediately.
7. Have bottled water on hand because the key to battling hangovers and sluggish behaviour is H20. 
8. Set your alarm half an hour earlier than you usually do just so you have an extra half an hour before you actually have to get out of bed.
9. Say to yourself before you step out of the door or even before you manage to drag yourself out of bed that "today is going to be a great day". Statistics show saying it makes it so, okay I made that up, but if you choose to believe it surely you have a higher chance of having a really good day. 
10. Eat a healthy breakfast, a banana is a good option. They are quite refreshing and not too heavy first thing in the morning. 

BONUS

• Plan something fun for your lunch, I tend to save specific YouTube videos so I can watch them in my lunch hour, plus most beauty YouTubers are starting to roll out their Best and Worst of 2016 videos which are amongst my favourite to watch. Another suggestion is getting your hands on your favourite limited time only Christmas drink from one of your chosen coffee shops before you can't get them anymore. THE HORROR.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful. On the plus side, I have a three day week ahead which is my favourite kind of week and I jet off to the US the week after. Which I am so excited about, I cannot wait to try cinnabons, they sound fabulous. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed the holidays. For all you lucky fellas and lasses who still have time off to luxuriate in, I am so very jealous. Have a wonderful week guys! Thank you. Take care. 

How was your Christmas, what did you get, when do you go back to work?

Love ❤

Kiran

Bloglovin'    Instagram    Twitter

KAT VON D X TOO FACED BETTER TOGETHER ULTIMATE EYE COLLECTION INTERLOCKING HEART EYESHADOW PALETTE SWATCHES

Kat Von D x Too Faced Interlocking Heart Eyeshadow Palette First Look and Swatches from the Better Together Collection

Let's talk about the Kat Von D and Too Faced collaboration, shall we? Set to be released on the 26th December (really don't know why that is), their Better Together Ultimate Eye Collection (£57) includes the limited edition Interlocking Heart Eyeshadow Palette ($65) which is what this post is focused on because you know I only show up for the eyeshadow palettes. I don't even see anything else. But in case you are interested, the bestsellers that are the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (£19) and Kat Von D Tattoo Liner (£16.50) are included in this set too, thus making it the ultimate eye collection. If you subtract the price of the full size mascara and liner from the collection, the palette itself would come to £21.50 which is quite decent. My point is that I think the price is fair given that both Too Faced and Kat Von D are highly respected high end brands and there are some brands that will charge around £57 for an eyeshadow palette (cough *Viseart Natasha Denona Huda Beauty* cough). Let's get into the eyeshadow palette and don't forget to let me know what you think down below. I am so intrigued about this collaboration, I think its's refreshing that two makeup artists and brands are coming together and not another brand-social media star collab. Not that I mind that, I really don't but it has been a year of vlogger collabs and I would love a break.

Kat Von D x Too Faced Interlocking Heart Eyeshadow Palette Swatches Review

In the photo above, taken from Too Faced, the Too Faced side is on the left and the Kat Von D side is on the right. You can see the annotated swatches below, here are the colours and descriptions. 

Too Faced side: BFF (matte vanilla), Lovely (matte baby pink), Friendspiration (metallic bronze), Heart of Gold (gold glitter), Power Couple (antique gold glitter), Better Together (plum glitter). 

Kat Von D side: Devotion (matte jet black), Yours (matte stone gray), Swoon (metallic scarlet), Darling (metallic pewter), Lovestruck (iridescent peach) and Por Vida (matte white),

Kat Von D x Too Faced Interlocking Heart Eyeshadow Palette Swatches and First Look

The colours look really bold and beautiful. There are 6 shades in each half and are what I expected to be honest. The Too Faced is very pretty and soft and the Kat Von D side is bold but mostly neutral with a striking red. In total, there are 5 mattes which is not too shabby, but all in all, I don't think the shades pair that well together in all honesty. I really love the dark shadows you see in the middle but the lighter ones especially on the Too Faced section look a little out of place. 

Kat Von D x Too Faced Interlocking Heart Eyeshadow Palette Swatches Better Together Collection

I honestly thought with all the previews and teasers they were posting on their respective pages that they might play around with an angel/devil motif and name the Too Faced side positively and give the Kat Von D side shade names like "Damned" and "Bloodshed". I would probably be more inclined to buy it if they did do that to be honest. It would have been a lot more fun than the names they came up with, they are just so vanilla. I do think it is a good collaboration and I am sure many people will jump at the chance to get this. I am so pleased to see two amazing minds come together on a project like this and hope to see more brand mergers in the future. It is a fantastic concept, I just like my palettes to make a little more sense and a lot of these shades aren't very flattering on my skin tone. Please share your thoughts on this palette and both the collaboration and release date in the comments below, I would love to hear what you think. Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin' and Twitter. It means the world to me, do you want me to post on Boxing Day or will you all be in food comas? I hope you all have the best possible Christmas guys. Merry Christmas. Take care. 

What do you think of this eyeshadow palette and collaboration?

Love ❤

Kiran

Bloglovin'    Instagram    Twitter

QUICK NOTE

Hi guys, just to say with it being Christmas and all, if you haven't followed me on Bloglovin' yet please do. I work so hard on all of my posts, even if it doesn't seem like it. All the blogs I read I catch up with via Bloglovin', it is completely free, spam-free and very convenient. By following me on Bloglovin', you will see when I have uploaded a new post. I spend hours promoting my posts so a little help would make a huge difference. Your support and kind words mean everything to me. This year has been amazing, I'm really proud of my blog and have started to see it as being more than a hobby. I don't make any money off this website, but I pour every spare second I have into it. It's a labour of love and the interaction and the comments you all leave make it all worth it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, I truly hope you all have a kickass Christmas. I hope 2017 will be even better for us all and that I can show my appreciation in a more obvious way by doing giveaways and more. This year has been full of the greatest highs and the most heart-shattering lows and through it all I am so glad to be part of this community. On that note, Merry Christmas!

MOTD EDIT | CHRISTMAS WORK MEAL WITH FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE BEAUTY BLENDER

Our Christmas "party" happened just last Thursday, it was just a low key meal at a carvery, it was the kind of day where I wasn't sure I would even make it for a few different reasons. I had about ten minutes to try and transform my face into something a little less miserable which brings me to this post. Here are the products I used on my face, a lot of these I am using for the first time so you will hear about my first impressions of everything as well. In the end, it was good fun and I am glad I went. I would love to hear about your Christmas events in the comments as well, please share.

PRODUCTS:

LA GIRL PRO COVERAGE HD FOUNDATION (£9)

TARTE SHAPE TAPE CONCEALER (£19)

ORIGINAL BEAUTY BLENDER (£16)

RCMA NO COLOUR POWDER (£10)

SLEEK CONTOUR KIT IN MEDIUM (£10)

PIXI ROSE GOLD BLUSH HIGHLIGHT DUO WITH KABUKI (£18)

HUDA BEAUTY ROSE GOLD PALETTE (£56)

BENEFIT THEY'RE REAL MASCARA (£19.50)

Quite a simple look really, I used the mattes from the Huda Beauty palette on the eyes. I have been reaching for them so often lately, they're just easy to use, soft and blend effortlessly. As for my first impressions the LA Girl Pro Coverage HD foundation is quite good coverage, a tad wet-feeling so I definitely set it well with the RCMA powder. I love this powder but I find that it doesn't set my smile lines very well. With this powder I always notice cakiness and distinct separation where my smile lines are which I have never experienced before. Is it age or is my skin just drier? If any of you know what is up with that please share your knowledge with me in the comments. 

The star of this show is the beauty blender. It was my FIRST TIME using this popular tool and I have to say I wasn't loving it at all. I am not getting the hype on this so far, but will persevere with using it for the rest of the week to see if I can get the hang of it a bit more before reviewing properly. It just takes ages. The dabbing is so repetitive and I find I have to use more foundation to get the coverage I want. Need to spend some time playing around with this as I watch Nikkie Tutorials blend her concealer away with a beauty blender in 3 seconds and for me it took almost 3 minutes. I do like it for pressing powder into the skin, but so far I much prefer using the Miracle Complexion sponge from Real Techniques. It is much faster as you can swipe with this firmer and flat-edged sponge whereas the beauty blender has to be dabbed/pounced onto the skin. I also think the RT sponge is quite a bit bigger so covers a larger area, again this helps with time. A flat top kabuki brush is still the fastest, most flawless method for me. I don't notice a significant difference in the finish the beauty blender provides either, but I will continue testing it out with more foundations next week. 

That's a wrap on this post, I wish my Christmas makeup was more exciting and that I had the skill to deliver a kickass, bow-down-bitches selfie of my makeup, but photos make me so uncomfortable. I am going to try hard to get over that in 2017 but for now I hope my poor flat lays will suffice. To all you flat lay queens out there, I don't know how you do it. Sometimes, I really don't know why I am a beauty blogger, I seem to lack most of the basic requirements like taking good photos and being organised. Hope you're all having an awesome weekend, it's Christmas in days now! Take care.

What was your  go-to Christmas party makeup this year?

Love ❤

Kiran

Bloglovin'    Instagram    Twitter

FIRST EVER UK COLOURPOP HAUL WITH SWATCHES

First Ever UK Colour Pop Black Friday Haul

Do you know how long I have waited to post this exact post! Since I first heard this brand existed I have been silently coveting pretty much every single product in their line, especially their gorgeous eyeshadows. When they had so many deals happening around Black Friday I had to snap all this up, if I hadn't been so excited and eager to get my hands on everything I probably would have bought even more. DO NOT let the "Free International Shipping" shit fool you, I had to pay £22 in custom fees which is just rude, in my opinion. I know Colour Pop aren't responsible for that (damn you Royal Mail) but it is disappointing nonetheless. Depending on your country, I am from the UK, custom fees may or may not apply. Now onto the goodies, I want to dedicate singular posts to the two sets I pick up so stay tuned for that. This post contains swatches of everything I got, so enjoy!

SINGLE SUPER SHOCK EYESHADOWS 

Colour Pop Single Super Shock Shadows in Bandit, Hammered, Game Face and Kathleen 

It was a difficult choice, but luckily many fellow bloggers have already dived into the Colour Pop world so I took on board their suggestions, scrutinised their swatches and made an executive decision. I decided on four single shadows in total, in hindsight I wish I had picked up a few more mattes but what can you do? The 4 shades I selected are (swatched below from left to right): Game Face - ultra metallic intense penny copper; Kathleen Lights - bright golden copper; Hammered - blackened olive with gold sparkles: Bandit - matte warm rust coloured brown. The texture is unlike anything else I have tried, buttery smooth and soft with a mousse-like texture, almost like a whipped cream shadow.

Colour Pop Single Supershock Shadow Swatches (l-r): Game Face, Kathleen Lights, Hammered and Bandit

LIPPIE STIX DAYDREAM AND GRUNGE & ULTRA SATIN LIP IN CALYPSO

Colour Pop Ultra Satin Lip in Calyspo and Matte Lippie Stix in Daydream and Grunge

Most of you know that lip products aren't really my thing but the Ultra Satin liquid lipsticks and Matte Lippie Stix get such a good rap that I had to try them. You can see I don't steer away from my nudey wearable tones. The one Ultra Satin Lip I purchased in the full size is Calypso ($6), every blogger and vlogger cites this as one of the most wearable and reached-for shades out of the line. It is described as a mid-tone pink.The 2 Lippie Stix I chose, are very similar in colour to each other and they are Daydream ($5) - an intensely pigmented plum brown and Grunge ($5) which is slightly darker, described as a red brown, than Daydream and not as creamy, strongly pigmented. Daydream is stunning and just one swipe and the pigment is insane, Grunge is still very pigmented but it took two swipes to achieve the same intense colour payoff as Daydream.

Colour Pop Lippie Stix Swatches in Grunge and Daydream and Ultra Satin Lip in Calypso Swatch

ON A WHIM ULTRA SATIN MINI LIP SET 

Colour Pop On A Whim Mini Ultra Satin Lip Set

The On a Whim Set ($18) contains 5 mini Ultra Satin Lips and they all have a mauvey/brown neutral tone which is my favourite and what I deem to be most flattering for me. I was so excited for this gift set, the shades are just so pretty. From left to right: Stud ($6)- warm brown terracotta; Mess Around ($6) - mid-tone greige; Magic Wand ($6) - light nude; Toolips ($6) - deep plum brown and Dopey ($6) - muted pink. These are so little and cute, about half the size as the full size.

Colour Pop On A Whim Ultra Satin Lip Swatches (l-r): Stud, Mess Around, Magic Wand, Toolips and Dopey

NEVER NOT CHILLIN HOLIDAY SET 

Colour Pop Never Not Chillin Holiday Limited Edition Set

The Never Not Chillin Holiday Set is sold out, but inside you get 6 super shock shadows with a variety of finishes (matte, satin and metallic). Fairfax ($5) - matte black brown: Babykins ($5) - metallic purple with violet/pink glitter; Patchwork ($5) - ultra-glittery turquoise with duochrome glitter flecks; Thirsty Girl ($5) - metallic bronze with multi-dimensional glitter; Desert ($5) - satin warm brown; Peekaboo ($5) - metallic ivory with silver glitter. Such a great set for evening party looks, I am excited to try out all of these. 

Colour Pop Never Not Chillin Swatches(l-r): Fairfax, Babyskins, Patchwork, Thirsty Girl, Desert and Peekaboo.

That is everything I got, if you have any recommendations or anything you feel I was utterly stupid not to get that you love please leave them in the comments below. Custom fees or not, I definitely see myself ordering again. My only issue is I hate using single shadows, especially when they are as buly as these. You can't de-pot them and put them into a Z palette either and the texture is so mousse-like and unique that it is imperative to close the lids properly after use or they won't maintain their awesomeness. Unfortunately, lids and I don't mix but I will try and reach for these products as much as I can and then do a more in-depth review in the future, if you would be interested in that? Last week until Christmas! I have so many posts for you this week, get ready and don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin' so you don't miss any of my posts (no spam and completely free). Take care.

What are your favourite, or most coveted, Colour Pop products?

Love ❤

Kiran

Bloglovin'    Instagram    Twitter

SKINCARE REVIEW | FIRST AID BEAUTY FACIAL RADIANCE OVERNIGHT MASK

I have been searching high and low for overnight miracle workers for quite a while now. I stumbled on this Facial Radiance Overnight Mask from First Aid Beauty. I had read about it on Beauty Bay and felt sufficiently intrigued to give it a whirl. This mask is available at both Beauty Bay (£22.50) and Sephora ($38), it isn't cheap by any means and you receive a total of 50ml in a jar that comes with a seal. It is described as being a "gentle yet effective overnight cream that brightens and hydrates skin while sleeping". It is fragrance-free and is supposed to give you fresh, radiant skin upon waking working to reveal a hydrated, nourished, smoother, more even complexion. What stands out to me is that it claims to make your skin look immediately brighter and better after the first use. So did it work? Well, let's find out. 

Unlike most reviews I post, there are two sides to this review. At first, I hated it. This did nothing for my skin. Nothing at all. The consistency is like a gloopy milk and slathering a healthy amount on my face after cleansing it is uncomfortable and didn't seem to sink in at all. It just sits on top of my skin, I have used it a total of around 5 times now including last night to try and give it one more go because I so want this to work. My skin is feeling extra crap at the moment so a pick-me-up product such as this show elicit a notable difference. It feels sticky on the skin, doesn't have an offensive scent at all which is nice, and washing it off in the morning is a relief but my skin looks the same. Not brighter, not more even, not radiant or fresh. If anything it makes my skin look worse because I find it difficult to sleep with a wet-feeling face, I can't get comfortable and that makes me irritable. Am I using this wrong? Do I have really awkward skin? All the reviews are positive, I am inclined to believe that this doesn't gel well with my oily/combo skin and is better suited to normal/dry skin. The only positive effect I can glean from using this as that my skin does feel the tiniest bit softer after washing it off in the morning but that's not enough to justify the price. But wait ...there's more!

It was my initial impression that this would be most effective on freshly cleansed dry skin, but have since found that applying it after my skincare routine (toner, moisturiser, eye cream and facial oil) works a lot better. It applies better, feels less gloopy and definitely sinks into my skin faster. I would recommend applying it after using your skincare products. It still feels sticky on the skin but at least it has been absorbed and my skin felt much softer in the morning. I also asked my sister to use it because she has been having some issues with dry skin lately and wanted to see if she noticed a difference at all. SHE LOVES IT. Genuinely, it is her new favourite thing and her skin is honestly so much better. Soft, dry, plump and refreshed. This is exactly the miracle worker she has been searching for, so I am glad I purchased it for that reason alone. For me, and I really don't know why, it just didn't impress me very much. I don't hate it anymore but I haven't noticed a transformative effect on my own skin unlike my sister. 

PROS
 + Completely phenomenal for people with dry skin aka my sister: overnight transformation for reals

 + Does make my skin feel softer and slightly plumper

 + Fragrance-free

 + Free from parabens and other harmful chemicals, pretty safe ingredients list

CONS

 - Jar packaging raises some concerns with the air getting to the ingredients
 - Expensive
 - Doesn't make my skin more radiant, refreshed or more even as claimed
 - Does not seem to work for my skin type (oily/combo - anyone else have a similar experience?)

Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed this review, as always my reviews are honest and based on my experience. If this product works for you I would love to hear about it and if you have any recommendations please let me know in the comments. So far, skincare oils are what are doing the most for me and toners. The Alpha H Liquid Gold will forever be one of my skincare saviours and I have recently cracked open a brand new bottle of Pixi Glow Tonic. I am keen to see if this makes a difference in my skin, as for oils the Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial Oil is gorgeous. My Iceland re-cap post is taking a little longer and will be up Saturday morning if you are interested. Hope you are having a lovely week so far, I appreciate you all taking the time to read this post. Take care. 

Have you tried any overnight masks?

Love ❤

Kiran

Bloglovin'    Instagram    Twitter

ICELAND MINIMAL TRAVEL MAKEUP AND SKINCARE ROUTINE

Travelling with as few products as possible is my motto. It never seems to matter how streamlined my routine is I always seem to overpack and never use or wear all the stuff I roll into my suitcase. For makeup in Iceland I wanted enough to protect my skin but really wanted to bring only a few products and barely any liquids. The security regulations mean that you can't take any liquids on the plane that exceed more than 100ml. For my liquids, I packed toothpaste (Colgate Whitening always), Sarah Chapman Day Cream (travel size), Tarte Mascara (which I never used) and Nude Firming Youth Oil. I also had some dailies contacts in there just in case. I never forget to bring makeup wipes, deodorant and usually a travel size facial scrub, my favourite is St Ives Apricot Scrub. 

Makeup was easy, I took my Bare Minerals Ready to Go Kit which has everything I want including mineral foundation with SPF, mineral veil powder, bronzer, illuminator, concealer and two small brushes. I also packed my Sleek Contour Kit and Premium Swede bronzer brush, it is one of my favourites and was sent to me but cannot find it on the internet to link anywhere. I can't travel without translucent powder so I did take the RCMA No Colour Powder. I am so in love with this powder. I wish it was easier to expel, most powders have a cap you can tap the product into but this one doesn't so it can get a little messy and look like you have a mess of cocaine and talcum powder all over your hotel room. Partay. I use my RT Bold Metals Powder brush to apply powder. The mineral foundation alone settles into my laugh lines a few hours into the day, which I guess is proof that I smile a lot more than I thought...interesting. Setting it with translucent powder really helps with  that. 

As for eyes, I hate removing mascara so tend to skip it. I did pack some eyelash curlers and my Huda Beauty Rose Gold Palette. I used the mattes only in this palette and just loved how they performed. They blend well together and are pigmented, soft and produce barely any fallout for me. That is pretty much all I packed for my face, not forgetting my Burt's Bees Lip Balm in Vanilla Bean. I do apply minimal makeup on a daily basis when I am at home and I adopted that routine whilst on holiday. Iceland is such a chilled out country, everyone is dressed comfortably, swaddled in thick coats and warm scarves and trotting around in hiking boots. And everyone is beautiful, with flushed cheeks and relaxed gaits. There's just no pretense here and no pressure to look "good" which is so refreshing. Thank you so much for reading, I know it isn't much but I wanted to show that packing your makeup can be really easy when you just take the bare essentials. I could have left the mascara and the eyeshadow palette and just used my contour palette for my eyes instead. Hope you are having a great week. Take care. 

What makeup do you take when travelling?

Love ❤

Kiran

Bloglovin'    Instagram    Twitter

ICELANDIC FASHION | WHAT TO WEAR IN HARSH COLDER CLIMATES AND IN ICELAND IN DECEMBER

Iceland isn’t called Iceland for nothing, and although the weather is unusually warm for this time of year it is certainly better to be prepared. So if you’re planning a trip to somewhere with colder climes, fear not, here is a guide on how to dress comfortably for your chilly destination, wherever it may be. Wintry weather can be a tough foe to dress for so if you're hometown is experience freezing temperatures and slippery roads this post will be just as helpful for you as it is for those going to the North Pole. The key component to being able to dress comfortably for unpredictable weather is layers. That way you can adjust your outfit accordingly by subtracting and adding an extra layer as and when required. To do so a customisable wardrobe is necessary. For me, that meant several pairs of fleece lined footless tights from Primark. Ordinary leggings, jeans and even loungewear, such as sweatpants, can be layered on top if needed. Plus, the fleece is like a permanent hug wrapped around your legs. If you prefer to wear dresses and skirts definitely grab some super cosy tights from Primark, they are life-savers, or hunt for a higher denier of your go-to tights. Alternatively, you can just wear two pairs of tights and that will help keep your legs protected from the cold. 

Again, layers apply to all areas of the body so for the upper half consider buying thermals. Marks & Spencer sell them as do Asda, Tesco and other similar stores. I didn’t have time to grab some thermals and it is my personal opinion that they are overpriced, however they do the job so might be worth the investment. I typically layered a normal plain t-shirt (pack a long-sleeved option too) underneath a relatively thick jumper. Roll-neck jumpers and hooded sweatshirts are great, anything that covers a lot of skin will be a godsend, trust me. If you already own a thermal top or went to buy one then layering a checked shirt over it is a really cute look and is sufficient for the most part. 

As for dresses, search for knitwear and jumper dresses. You could even buy men’s jumpers in large sizes and turn them into a dress. Packing a warm cardigan or even a jumper to go over your skimpier dresses would be handy, or placing a roll neck sweater underneath a strappy dress is very on-trend right now. I think being comfortable is the most important thing, especially when you are on holiday so you don’t want to dress in a way that would hinder your enjoyment. 

A few years ago, I went to Amsterdam in February and it was freezing cold. Luckily, I purchased a coat just days before we were set to leave, I got this incredible parka on sale at New Look for £12 and it is still in great condition. It keeps me so warm. A good coat is essential, I think hooded parkas are the best. Reykjavik is cold and can be wet and windy at times, so having a hood can shield your ears from the gusts of wind as well as keep you dry. Parkas are warm and that is what you want. Your coat should do most of the work in keeping you warm as many indoor places are heated, so when you take your coat off you don’t want to be drowning in forty layers, unbearably hot, when you are sampling the local cuisine. Any fleece-lined coat should keep you warm and I recommend going one or two sizes up so additional layers will fit under your coat easily and you’re still able to fasten/zip your coat securely without it being too tight. 

Not only do you want your feet to be warm but you want them safe and secure. Colder climates can be icy and in Iceland the wind can be intense and the walking conditions muddy and slippery if you’re not in the appropriate footwear you could fall flat on your face. I bought a pair of boots just for the occasion and I regret nothing. My feet were so warm. I would wear a pair of ordinary black cotton socks, then an extra pair of fluffy black socks before putting my boots on. I went a size up on my boots so I could layer my socks. They have great grip, are lace-up and served me well, they were easy to get in and out of as well, which is convenient for airport security. When I was in Iceland I was staring at people’s footwear all the time and I saw some really cute boots. So although walking boots are mostly ugly, chunky and clunky, there are some really nice ones available. Fur or shearling-lined boots look really nice as well. I would get boots that reach at least your ankles. 

Lastly let’s discuss accessories. You will need a scarf, the bigger the better. Zara scarves are my absolute favourite, just because they are so big but Primark and all other stores do great, inexpensive scarves. Choose a soft material so you can wrap it around your face without it itching. I would also recommend gloves for your hands as well as a coat with deep pockets so you can tuck your hands in them and so you don't have to lug around a bag. The last thing you want is to deal with annoying straps while you're battling muddy terrain and strong winds. Finally, you might want a woolly hat to hide your ears, if your coat has a hood then you can definitely skip this as you can use your scarf but it might be worth buying one just in case. 

All the photos in this post are taken from the Zara website purely for aesthetic reasons. You can easily get clothes from Missguided, New Look, Top Shop, Boohoo, ASOS and Primark. I bought several roll neck sweaters, super soft, from Primark as well as my black leggings, fleece-lined leggings, plain black socks and fluffy black socks. I bought a hooded sweater from Missguided that is really warm and an oversized knit jumper from ASOS. My coat is from New Look, my scarf is from Primark and my gloves were from Marks & Spencer. This post isn’t sponsored by anybody and to make that as clear as possible I haven’t included any links, those photos are simply for inspiration. 

My boots were from M and M Direct, for boots the brands I recommend are Caterpillar and Timberland. I am not a hiker but these are boots that worked well for me. North Face is popular in terms of coats and jackets. Thank you for reading! I hope you liked this post, Iceland wasn't much colder than England so hopefully you will find this helpful wherever you are regardless of whether you are going on holiday or not. Thank you all for following me, I reached 700 followers while I was gone and I can't explain how much that means to me. Feeling all the feels, your support and kindness means everything. Thank you from the depths of my soul, let me know what you think of this fashion post as I rarely do them. My next post will be my minimal makeup bag and then on Thursday I'll recap my adventures in Iceland. I hope these travel-related posts don't bore you, but it was such a cool experience that I need to share it with you all, hope you have a great week. Take care.

What keeps you warm in cold weather?

Love ❤

Kiran

Bloglovin'    Instagram    Twitter

REVIEW - SCREAM & POUT ROSE QUARTZ CREAM COLOUR BLUSH

Back to a beauty review, I do miss these. This Scream & Pout Rose Quartz Blusher Cream and Colour (£10) arrived in my post one day out of the blue. I mean no correspondence, nothing, I have no idea how this company got my address and it has me feeling a little paranoid if I am honest. But, I am definitely grateful that they sent me a blush and not hate mail so I thought I would do a quick review on this anyway. I am in Iceland right now so this post was written and scheduled ahead of time *snaps for Kiran*. I don't have wifi in Iceland so this post is most likely going to get about 10 views. If you haven't already: follow me on Bloglovin' so you won't miss a post, you don't get pestered at all, but my recent posts will appear in your feed. It's a fantastic way to collate all the blogs you like. 

Onto the review, I am not a fan of cream products because I have combination to oily skin. The packaging is nice, the compact is very small. There is no mirror in the compact and although it is nice packaging I don't think it looks like it is worth £10. I think the blushes in Primark and other affordable high street brands have a similar appearance and they cost a tenth of the price most of the time. When I say it is small it is about the same size as if you were to join the tip of your thumb and your index finger together to make a circle you will understand how big the whole blush is.

I like the logo and the name of the company which is not a brand I have heard or received anything from before. I don't know their backstory or if they are completely new. I am only basing this on the product I received. The blush is a cream to powder formula, the shade Rose Quartz is a pale peachy pink. It is matte and has a soft cushiony feel. The colour looks suited to people with paler skin than me, in the pan it doesn't look as bright as it swatches. 

Below, you can see the swatch of Rose Quartz and although it looks quite muted and neutral in the pan, which is exactly what I like in a blush, it is a lot brighter and pinker on my skin. It isn't very pigmented and I found it difficult to blend and appear natural on my skin.. I have to say I do think I am slightly biased because the colour is just completely wrong for my skin tone and preferences. This would look lovely on someone with fair to light skin, like a sweet natural wintry flush but it is just a little cool for my undertone. I think you can definitely make this blush work and it would be a good product to include in your routine if you wanted to layer your products for longevity. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this particular blush as it just isn't worth the £10 price tag. If you  like the colour and you like cream to powder formulas then this might be a good product for you.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you are all having an amazing week, if you want to stay up to date with my blog, follow me on Bloglovin', if you want to see what I am getting up to in Iceland follow me on Instagram and on SnapChat (both alittlekiran) and I will post something whenever I have wifi. My next post is scheduled for Friday and will be my December Goals. Quick disclaimer this product was sent to me, I did not purchase it with my own money but as I have literally no correspondence with this brand I cannot say that it was sent to me for a review, for all I know it was actually meant for someone else, but in the spirit of full disclosure that's the sitch. Take care. 

Do you prefer cream or powder blushes?

Love ❤

Kiran

Bloglovin'    Instagram    Twitter