My Holiday Makeup Bag 2015

*Products listed from left to right as shown above*

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Real Techniques Powder Brush

Sleek MakeUp Face Contour Kit in Light

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake

Maybelline Lash Sensational Lash Multiplying Mascara in Black

Real Techniques Duo-Fibre Face Brush

Sleek MakeUp Blush in Rose Gold

Revlon Colorburst Laquer Balm in Whimsical

No7 Stay Perfect Amazing Eyes Pencil in Brown

Revlon Lash Potion by Grow Luscious Waterproof Mascara in Black

Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Peach Glow

Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer in Ivory

Real Techniques Cheek Brush

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As I am soon to be venturing off on a lush summer holiday and have been preparing myself over the last few weeks, I thought, to get myself even more excited, I would share what cosmetic products will be travelling with me for the evenings when I want to look a little more glamorous for dinner. 

First of all, I will be taking all my makeup in this adorable Beauty Bag from Zoella Beauty (mentioned in my last Fave Five!). This is the perfect size to fit not only my makeup products but my brushes too and the washable, plastic material makes it even better and more durable for travel. As you can probably see, I have been quite reserved with my choices for this holiday, my bag not carrying an abundance of the same products. Even here in the UK, where the weather isn't exactly off-the-scale scorching, I still find wearing a lot of face makeup quite uncomfortable out in the summer heat and find it just doesn't last on my skin. With this in mind, my facial makeup routine will most probably consist of a dusting of pressed powder and some blusher to add colour and shimmer to my complexion. For these I have chosen the Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder and the gorgeous Sleek MakeUp Blush in Rose Gold, the perfect shimmery, golden coral shade. The blusher I have included I have absolutely fallen in love with! It gives my cheeks a beautiful, healthy glow, adding shimmer to suit any occasion. If you visit Boots or Superdrug, have a little look at this shade, it's so pretty! I've also slotted in my Sleek MakeUp Contour Kit, mainly for the gorgeous highlighter to add a beautiful glow to my complexion, but also if I want to bronze myself up for a summer evening by the pool. I have also included the Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer, which I am not actually the biggest fan of, but purchased due to the fact my holy grail Collection Lasting Perfection concealer was out of stock every time I visited Boots or Superdrug! It is quite a light coverage concealer, alot better suited for summer weather, so it'll be coming with me just in case I want a little more coverage than just my powder. 

In terms of eyes, I have kept my selection very simple. You'll probably notice I haven't included any eyeshadows, which is very unlike me! I know that in the hot weather, any eyeshadow will just slide off my eyes and, as much as I love adding a splash of colour to my makeup with my eyeshadows, I don't want purple and pink powders half way down my face! I've stuck to just a brown eyeliner - I'm taking the No7 Stay Perfect Amazing Eyes Pencil. I most probably won't wear this everyday but I'll smudge it across the top lash line for a more dramatic look some days - a quick, easy way to give my eyes a bit more depth. In terms of mascara, I'm taking my favourite mascara at the moment, the Maybellline Lash Sensational Lash Multiplying Mascara as it makes my lashes so long and fluttery, perfect to compliment a subtle and simple makeup look for my evenings. I know that this will primarily be my go-to mascara on the trip but I am also packing a waterproof mascara - the Revlon Lash Potion By Grow Luscious Mascara - just in case.

My makeup this holiday will be all about the lips! With such simplistic eye and face makeup, I want to add a more glamorous feel with bright and colourful lips to compliment any outfit. If you know me, you'll know I stick to nude lips on an everyday basis. Both the lipsticks I have chosen will push me to be more daring with my lip colour and dress up any look. First is the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake. What I love about this product is it keeps your lips hydrated but it's also really buildable, perfect for someone like myself who isn't used to seeing strong colours on the lips. This bright, 'Barbie' pink is the perfect holiday colour and will give a lovely sheen to the lips too. I have also chosen the Revlon Colorburst Laquer Balm in Whimsical, a shimmery fuchsia shade. This is a really glamorous shade and compliments my complexion really nicely too. I know it will add a pop of colour to my simple makeup and always makes me feel confident and pretty when it's on my lips!

Finally, the brushes I will be taking with me are all, to no surprise, by Real Techniques. The Real Techniques Powder Brush is just amazing at applying soft and even powder across your face, perfect for building, depending on how much coverage you want. I know this will be the best brush for applying my powder on holiday as well as blending out blusher and bronzer. My other brushes are the Real Techniques Duo-Fibre Face Brush and the Real Techniques Cheek Brush, both of which are from the Nic's Picks Collection (Read a full review here!). I will use both for either bronzer or blusher application; the Duo-Fibre Face Brush giving a lighter touch and the Cheek Brush for a more defined and dramatic look, all depending on how I'm feeling! 

All in all, my holiday makeup bag doesn't look like that of the average 'makeup fanatic', but I know I love each and every product I will be taking and I won't have to worry about spending so long on getting ready and enjoy soaking up the sun! 

Are you off on holiday this year?

- Becca x

*prices listed in order of products above*

- RRP £10.99

- RRP £6.49

- RRP £7.99

- RRP £7.99

- RRP £29.99 (for whole 5 brush set including 'Cheek Brush')

- RRP £4.49

- RRP £7.99

- RRP £7.50

- RRP £9.99

- RRP £3.99

- RRP £5.49

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Fave Five: December 2014 & January 2015

Over December, I hadn't been buying a lot of new products to try because I didn't know what gifts I would get for Christmas! Also, I wanted to wait to see what bargains I could find in the New Year. I thought it would be silly to do a December Fave Five so waited until I'd fallen in love with some products over January as well to show you what had made the cut!

I Love... Strawberries and Cream Body Butter

The first of my favourites is one of my Christmas presents from my best friend Hannah. I'm a big fan of the I love... range, even buying some of their products myself to give to others last Christmas! This is the Strawberries and Cream Nourishing Body Butter, the perfect way to end a soothing bath or relaxing shower. Body butters can often be a bit of tricky thing to work with, their thick consistency meaning they take a while to fully absorb into your skin leaving you sat around feeling sticky! When I first applied this body butter after a bath, I was careful about applying too much, given that this may be the case. I was pleasantly surprised by how it absorbed into my skin and by the time I had finished from head to toe, it didn't feel sticky at all! Each time I have used it since, I am still so impressed with how easy and quick it applies and how wonderful my skin feels after. I haven't noticed extreme changes in the hydration of my skin but it definitely feels so much softer compared to when I don't use it and leaves my skin feeling velvety for days after too. Possibly the best thing about this body butter though is the incredible scent! It leaves my skin smelling sweet and delicious, the perfect accompaniment to make this a pampering staple for me from now on, without denting my bank account too!

Sleek MakeUp Face Contour Kit in Light

Next is a product I had been desperate to buy for months! The Sleek MakeUp Face Contour kit in Light had been on my need-to-buy list but I told myself I would wait until the No7 bronzer that I previously used had completely run out so I wouldn't waste anything. It was definitely worth the wait and has been particularly incredible in adding a little colour to my skin over the bleak winter months. In the kit you get both a matte bronzer for contouring and bronzing as well as a shimmery highlighter to balance out each other. On the left, the pressed powder bronzer is incredibly pigmented, it blends really well so the contour lines don't appear harsh. Thanks to it's matte finish, it looks natural and adds a subtle definition to your cheek bones, jawline or anywhere you choose to apply it. For those with pale complexions like me, you just need a little dusting of the bronzer to give you a natural effect, yet it's so easy to blend if you were to make a mistake, making it completely foolproof, perfect for those wanting to step into face contouring. I adore the highlighter, on the right, for the beautiful finish it adds to complete any makeup look I create. Before buying this product, I had been using a matte highlighter just under my brow. I was a little nervous to start using a shimmery finish, mainly due to the fact I always opt for shimmery eye shadows and didn't want to overkill the glitter! I couldn't have been more wrong and this highlighter has brightened and complimented my complexion perfectly! I now use this highlighter on the tops of my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, anywhere to add a bit of a glimmer and a new definition, opposed to the contouring. I feel like my skin is glowing and I was scared for nothing! A lot people have raved about this Face Contour Kit and I can see why, from the amazing pigmentation to the beautiful defined finish, this is a makeup must-have! 

Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel

The Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel has been another favourite of mine over the past couple of months. I have horrible dark circles under my eyes which give me a constantly-tired appearance - not exactly the vibe I want to give off! My friend Katie suggested this, just to soothe and hydrate my eye area and hopefully combat the puffiness. I'd never really thought about my under-eye area being particularly 'puffy', so I never thought it was something I wanted to change. Since using this each night before moisturising, I have woken up and progressively seen the puffiness disappear. I'm not going to say it works miracles or is better than any other eye gel on the market but it has definitely made some sort of difference. My eyes seem brighter, more hydrated and although my dark circles are still there, I feel a lot more confident about their appearance since using this and will definitely keep it in my skincare routine for a long time. Even if you don't need this to combat dark circles or puffiness, this little bargain is a really refreshing and soothing treatment, cooling and hydrating the eye area and perfect for after a facial. 

No7 Natural Blush Tint Powder in Coral Flush

Next is the No7 Natural Blush Tint Powder in Coral Flush, a product I have used for a while but rediscovered in a new shade. I have always loved wearing blusher as I am naturally quite blushed and think it compliments my fair complexion well. This shade is a deep pink with subtle flecks of a silver shimmer through it. Although it looks like quite a bright and shocking colour, the formula means it is very light when applied and really easy to build to the strength of colour you want. It blends into the skin really well and what I love most is that it almost looks as though you aren't even wearing blusher. Some powders have a problem with sitting on the skin and can appear cakey. This blusher settles perfectly and blends to a matte finish that looks natural - people have asked me if I am in fact wearing blusher as it gives off such a natural effect. This deep colour could flush any skin tone to the perfect blush and, although it isn't as pigmented as others, this plays to it's advantage allowing for a build-able yet natural finish making it very easy to work with and lasts all day long!

Real Techniques Nic's Picks Makeup Brush Set

My final favourite favourite over December and January has already featured in a blog post of its own (Click here to read!) so I won't go into too much detail, but it definitely needed a mention. The Real Techniques Nic's Picks Makeup Brush Set is the perfect collection of brushes that cover every aspect of makeup from blusher to eye shadow to eye liner. This collection gives you 5 essential brushes in one simple purchase. They are all made and decorated beautifully, the bristles are amazingly soft and easy to work with, giving a soft and professional finish. This set also gives access to 3 exclusive brushes from no other collections! Real Techniques as a brand are very consistent with their quality and versatility of brushes. This little collection is worth every penny and the looks you can create with their help are endless! 

That's all from the last couple of months! What have you been loving recently?

- Becca x

I Love... Strawberries and Cream Body Butter - RRP £2.99 (for 200ml)

Sleek MakeUp Face Contour Kit in Light - RRP £6.49 

Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel - RRP £1.50 (for 15ml tube)

No7 Natural Blush Tint Powder in Coral Flush - RRP £8 

Real Techniques Nic's Picks Makeup Brush Set - RRP £29.99 

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Review: Real Techniques 'Nic's Picks' Makeup Brush Set

I first bought the Real Techniques Powder Brush early last year and fell in love at the first stroke. So, as my Mum walked through the door holding this set of brushes, it was far too tempting to not go and buy a set myself! Nic's Picks is a set of 5 brushes, some from the existing Real Techniques collections, others completely exclusive to this range. The set has both face and eye brushes, all decorated beautifully in silver and with details of each of their uses on the packaging. I really admire Real Techniques as a brand, set up by YouTube sisters Sam and Nic Chapman, who have worked hard to produce these amazing brushes and deserve every success in the world! It's even better knowing you can trust their products. As makeup artists, these personally designed products can help even beginners create flawless finishes like the girls themselves. 

Starting from the left, the first brush in this set is from another collection by Real Techniques - the Duo-Fiber Face Brush. I have predominantly been using this brush for applying my blusher and am very impressed so far. Due to my fair complexion, blusher is something I have to get spot on to avoid either looking like a vampire or looking too flushed like I've been on a 4-mile run. The bristles of this brush are very fine and not concentrated like a powder or bronzer brush may be. This means less product is picked up so, when applying the product, it is much more workable, as you can build it up to as deep of a colour as you want it without looking 'cakey' or patchy. This brush is also perfect for a light dusting of highlighter on the top of the cheekbone, again for an even but flawless finish. The bristles are so soft and the brush itself is the perfect size, not too big or small, to work on the cheeks making application far easier than the larger brushes I used in the past. If anyone else struggles with blusher application, this brush is amazing to help you get that perfect flush or glow. 

The second brush from the Nic's Picks collection is the Cheek Brush, the first of the exclusive cuts in this brush set. When I first got these brushes, I began to use this brush as it was best described, for my cheeks. I soon found that the dense bristles weren't suited to my desired blusher look. I'm sure this would be an excellent blusher brush for someone of a different skin tone, not concious of looking over-blushed as I do. However, the uses for this brush don't stop there. For a more dramatic highlight, using this to glide glimmer to the tops of the cheekbones or down the bridge of the nose to aid an accentuated glow. For a more dramatic contour, this brush is small enough to sit right in the contours of your cheeks or under the jawline to give a crisp line of bronzer for a emphasised contoured look. The close, dense bristles of this make it also ideal for blending foundation or even concealer too. I am looking to change it for this exact use but need to give it a good wash before! So although this brush isn't my 'go-to' of the set, it definitely isn't useless and is brilliant for versatility, in adding a little more depth to a look or for just everyday blending! 

The Angled Shadow Brush, another of the exclusive cuts, was probably the brush I was most excited to use of them all. Before buying this collection, I owned just one eyeshadow brush that I used for everything. Yet I had always found the normal rounded brush didn't quite cut it for the 'smokey eye' looks I love to wear. After using this brush for the first time, I was surprised by how much easier applying and blending eyeshadow through the crease and winged-out on the outer corner became. The angled shape helps it slot perfectly into the crease and the soft bristles work just the right amount of colour through. I find it also the perfect shape for angling eyeshdow at the outer corner in the perfect, soft winged shape to flatter my eye shape, especially teamed with winged eyeliner too. What's more, the softness of the bristles means the brush is gentle to work around the delicate eye area. This is the ideal brush for anyone struggling to perfect a smokey eye, or for beginners starting to be a bit more daring with eyeshadow looks and colours. 

The forth brush of the collection is my favourite of all. The Base Shadow Brush is the perfect eyeshadow brush. The shape is slightly pointed to the tip and the soft bristles, again, work carefully around the eye area. It applies the most even colour onto the lid, yet still grants a build-able look, allowing you to easily blend in other colours. The smaller tip means a smokey line can be applied under the bottom lash line too, without dragging it below too much. This is also an amazing brush for simply blending in harsh lines of eyeshadow, to create a soft and flawless finish. After using the Angled Shadow Brush, this brush can blend the edge of the colour, making sure the eyeshadow doesn't appear harsh around of the eye, especially important with darker colours. This brush is available to buy as a single item, so even if you aren't interested in this set, I would really recommend buying this brush on its own! It has added so much ease to applying eyeshadow, not leaving a patchy finish like the previous brush I owned. If you wear eyeshadow on an everyday basis like I do, this is the brush for you, you'll wonder how you coped without it! 

Finally, we come to the Eyeliner Brush, where the name speaks for itself. This brush is absolutely tiny and the bristles are dense and firm to create a controlled finish. Although I don't use gel eyeliner, the precision this brush allows would be perfect for this application. I have been using it for adding a thin line of eyeshadow close to the lash line instead of eye liner. I have really liked wearing this sort of look as it brings a darker edge to the other eyeshadow shades, accentuates my lashes yet doesn't leave my lash line undefined. The size of the brush gives a sharp line opposed to a smokier finish which I have always tended to opt for. However, as I hardly ever wear anything on my lower lash line, the thin and subtle line this brush creates means I can start being a bit more adventurous with this. So, although this isn't a brush that makes an appearance every time I reach for my makeup bag, it is definitely one that has encouraged me to try some new looks I couldn't have created without it. It's ideal for precision and a lovely way to add a line of definition, without eyeliner itself.     

All in all, the Nic's Picks collection gives you everything you could need to produce a range of flawless and almost professional looks with just five simple brushes. The quality, versatility and ease of each brush is amazing and this set is perfect for those just starting out with makeup as well as confessed beauty lovers like myself! 

I'd love to hear what your go-to brush collections and brands are. Or if reading this has made you want to buy each and every brush, say sorry to your bank accounts for me! Thank you for reading! 

- Becca x

Real Techniques Nic's Picks Makeup Brush Set - RRP £29.99

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Fave Five: April 2014

'Fave Five' is a new series of blog posts which I will be starting on Beccaful. Hopefully I will be able to update this as a little extra each month with my favourite five products, foods, films, songs - anything! - of the month. So, without further ado, here we go with the month of April. Enjoy!

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer 

This concealer was probably one of the most talked about for it's amazing coverage and exceptional price and so, I was eager to purchase it when I first started wearing concealer last year. Although I didn't 'discover' this concealer this month, it was one of the products I repurchased and I was quick to remember why I loved it. As a person who doesn't wear foundation, I have high expectations of concealer to banish the dark circles under my eyes that I am, admittedly, self-concious about, as well as any blemishes without the need for an excessive amount of product. What I have found with this concealer is a little goes a long way and it is so easily blend-able. It would personally say this product is more suitable for dark circles and redness over use for blemishes and spots but I don't tend to suffer too greatly with spots and so think this is perfectly suited to me. What's more, with my very pale complexion, I am often fearful of skin products appearing too dark or 'orange' for my fair skin tone. Yet, using this product in it's lightest tone, No.1 Fair, it blends easily into my skin, masking my insecurities without the drawing attention to the wearing of concealer. I would also support its bold statements of being 'long lasting' and have found it particularly durable as I have started going on nights out a lot more often. I could probably write an entire essay on this concealer but I'll leave here: Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer is possibly the best on the high-street and I would encourage anyone in need of a new concealer to purchase this one!

Hollister Tidelands Beach Body Mist

This is the first of two products featured in this post that I purchased in New York. I was torn on buying this body mist but I am so glad I did. I should probably admit that I am not very adventurous fragrance-wise. I don't tend to wear perfume and feel much happier applying a body mist in the morning. This scent is so fresh and beautiful. It's not overly floral or heavy - it's light but lasts without coming across too overpowering. There were so many to chose from but I'm so glad I picked this. Compared to the others, which came across quite sweet, I absolutely adored the pretty and flowery scent of Tidelands Beach. I also love how long it lasts - only a few sprays and you're set; it hardly looks like I've used it and I've had it 2 months! On top of this, the bottle is really nice and big so it will last me a long time. All in all, although it's not as powerful as a perfume, this beautiful scent from Hollister is definitely perfect for this summer and has got me so many compliments from friends. I love it!

EOS Strawberry Sorbet Lip Balm

This is the second product I have featured that I purchased while in America. I was drawn to buying this product not only because I needed a new lip balm but also the ease of its application. I love the packaging of this product and the twist it puts on ordinary lip balm. The ball-like shape makes the product so easy to apply to your lips and, as for the product itself, smooth and non-sticky are perfect adjectives. The concept differs from competing lip balms such as Vaseline, with the requirement to use your finger to apply the product from a pot to your lips omitted - something I personally love. With a choice of other 'flavours' including Sweet Mint and Lemon Drop, Strawberry Sorbet appeared an obvious choice to me - admittedly also for the pretty pink colour of the packaging. For me, the flavour is sweet and delicious and a bonus on top of the other advantages of this product, but it could be considered a flavour you either love or hate (I have friends on both sides of the fence). The only disappointing aspect is the fact this American product is more expensive to purchase here in the UK compared to the prices available in America! This being said, I would definitely love to repurchase this product which has been a life saver for my lips this month. 

Real Techniques Powder Brush

After using the same powder brush since I started using make-up, I thought it was time to treat myself to a new one and so purchased the Real Techniques Powder Brush. I'd seen a lot of praise not only for this brush but also for Real Techniques as a brand and was excited to be apart of the hype. I am very pleased with this brush, it feels so soft on the skin and powder is applied evenly without looking 'cakey' or thick. It feels luxurious on your skin and is amazing quality for the price it can be purchased. This brush does everything it says on the tin and the quality guarantees its durability and use day-after-day. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a new powder brush!  

Cadbury Creme Egg

Finally, I felt this April edition of Fave Five would be incomplete without acknowledging Easter and so, the final item to make the cut is Cadbury's Creme Eggs! When these little eggs start to fill supermarket shelves, it's clear Easter is on its way and absolutely love them! Sweet, sticky and sickly, they bring back memories of Easter Egg hunts and will always be my favourite treats at Easter time. Yum!

That's all the items featured this month! I hope you enjoyed reading about what I've been loving and the reasons that you should try them too! I'm really excited to start this series and share with you what my favourites will be during the month of May.

- Becca x

Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer - RRP £4.19
Hollister Tidelands Beach Body Mist - RRP $6 (Purchased in Hollister in America) / £12 (For
250ml)
EOS Strawberry Sorbet Lip Balm - RRP $4.59 (Purchased in American CVS) / £5.99 (Available online)
Real Techniques Powder Brush - RRP £12.99 

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