the 2 year anniversary♡

On the 26th December (Boxing Day) 2015 my blog turned 2 years old! Being the forgetful person I am I only actually remembered that a few days later. I thought that I would do a special post dedicated to this milestone. This past year has been amazing for my blog. It has grown and it became a passion for me this year. I actually became passionate about the community and the posts I was writing. So to sum it up here are my blogging highlights from this year!

A new camera♡

In the December of 2014 I got a new camera - the Fugifilm FinePix S1. This is when I became obsessed with taking photographs. The quality of my posts greatly improved from my old posts where I was taking photographs on my iPhone which especially in the Winter looked pretty awful. The camera gave me a new lease of life! Photographs are one of the most important things on a blog for me. Although, a camera doesn't mean your blog is better, (many of my friends have more successful blogs and still take photographs on their phones) but the camera made me feel confident and added to the excitable experience of making a blog!

Blogging Best Friends♡

In December 2014 I joined forces with Rebekka and Charlotte to make the Secret Blogger Project 2015 (more on that later.) This is going to make me feel really emotional about them but honestly these girls have been my rocks during this past year! People always question me about internet friends because they question whether they are actual 'friends' as we have never met but honestly, they couldn't be more wrong. Internet friends are amazing because they are friends to confide in and get an outside opinion to any problem you have. And also it's crazy to meet two individuals so far away that are so similar to me! If your reading this girls, I am forever thankful and grateful for everything you have helped me with last year. This is so cheesy but I am so lucky to have met you and I can't wait to ACTUALLY meet you in the future (hopefully in 2016!?)

The Secret Blogger Project 2015♡

The Secret Blogger Project was a project Rebekka, Charlotte and I set up in December. It was an opportunity for teenage bloggers to talk to each other and write posts every month together. The girls and I could not have expected how many people would be interested and how it has created a community of teenage bloggers that are working together and creating friendships. We all talk and chat in a group chat and it means so much to me that people are forming friendships with girls all across the country and even across the world! The project was designed to give beauty bloggers the opportunity to not just write about favourite lipsticks but to chat about life experiences etc. We hope everyone who has taken part in the project has enjoyed it so far and I can't wait for the Secret Blogger Project 2016. I honestly, could not expect the project to have lasted such a long time! It's been amazing to get to know you girls!

New Blog Designs♡

I have had two new blog designs this year. Some lovely girls called Chantelle and Chloe designed them and I can't thank you enough for all your help. I am such a novice when it comes blog designing! I would be lost without your help girls. I can't believe your kindness and patience and how fab each of your designs have looked on my blog. Thank you so much! 

Opportunity to work with brands♡

Being a newish blogger getting the opportunity to work with brands was honestly such an amazing opportunity and I was like an excitable puppy at the thought of having companies read my reviews and let me test out products. This year I got to work with the makeup brand W7 in March, I was also able to promote the new book Geek Girl All That Glitters in March, AA Skincare in June and The Library of Fragrance in September. I loved writing reviews! I found it so enjoyable to test out lots of different brands that I may not have naturally picked for myself. Although, blogging is not about free gifts, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities working with companies and brands gave. 

Bloggers Meet Up♡

In June, my lovely friend Chloe and I decided to host a bloggers meet up in a local tearooms. Again, this was an opportunity I had never thought I would be able to have through blogging. It was such a lovely couple of hours and it was lovely to meet Chloe and Lottie for the first time. I never thought I would get the chance to go to a meet up as bloggers meet ups mainly happen in large cities such as London. We also got the chance to promote brands products in goodie bags. It was fab! 

Thank you all for making this past year on my blog so enjoyable!

Emily x

2015 beauty favourites♡

Happy New Years Eve! I hope you all have had a lovely 2015 and that 2016 is an even better year for you. Also, thank you for all of your support throughout 2015 with all your comments and feedback. It really means a lot to see many of you reading and enjoying what I post so thank you! So it's that time of year where beauty bloggers recap on what beauty products have been stand out favourites in their routines. Some of mine are new found loves and some of these are golden oldies that I have continued to use in 2015. I hope you enjoy!

So first up is the Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro primer. I have been on a bit of a primer obsession this year especially in the Summer. I was trying to find the perfect primer for Summer that wasn't too silicone based, wasn't too greasy and was still moisturising. This was the answer! I love the consistency on my face as it doesn't feel thick. It's the texture of a moisturiser and sinks into my skin easily and doesn't feel like I've put something horrible on my skin. It has become my primer of choice whenever I need my makeup to last for the whole day. 

I'm not going to dwell for too long on these next two products as ever since I discovered them back in 2013 I have been hooked and have repurchased these many times. The first is my favourite concealer which is the Collection Lasting Perfection. It covers my spots, it's a perfect shade for my skin-tone, it doesn't look orange or too peach toned on my complexion and it is easy to blend. I love it! The second is my Rimmel Stay Matt Powder. Again, another product that I have repurchased many a time and is my favourite setting powder. 

Lastly for base is another powder. I didn't really have a stand out foundation for me this year but this powder springs to mind. Unlike the Stay Matt which is more of a setting powder, this Bojours Healthy Balance powder gives me coverage. I absolutely love this and I don't know why I didn't discover this before. I have oily spot-prone skin and I never thought a powder would replace a foundation for me but this has! It lasts for the whole day and my skin doesn't build up a greasy look to it as quickly when I use this. I apply it with the stippling brush by Real Techniques and it applies it lightly and evenly. I have the shade 52 Vanille which is the lightest shade.

2015 was definitely a year for bronzer to make an appearance in my regular makeup routine. I was always a blusher kind of gal and bronzers were never perfect on my skin. Either too orangey or didn't look natural on my pale skin until THIS - The Body Shop Honey Bronzer. I bought this back in the Spring and it's probably one of my all-time favourite makeup products. I know prioritise applying bronzer over blusher which never used to happen. I really love it because it gives a natural warmth to my pale complexion without looking fake or orange at all. I adore this product so much!

Of course I still love blusher and this year I discovered the Natural Collection blushers. I really love the natural blush look and this range has the loveliest selection of natural looking colours. The colour I purchased was 'Dusky Pink,' which is a light raspberry pink shade. It was my go-to for a daily blusher look and perfect for school to give you that rosy glow.

2015 was definitely a year for me to experiment with my eyeshadow. I was always into the cream, light pink and champagne kind of shades but in 2015 I went wild and tried everything from burgundy to bronze to even green! Yep, told you it was wild. My eyeshadows which I have reached for the most has to be the Urban Decay Naked 3 pallet. I was also introduced to the wonderful world of high end makeup this year and I was obsessed with this pallet. The quality of these shadows are the creme da la creme of eyeshadows. The range is fabulous and in the Autumn I ventured into the darker shades. My favourites have to be: Strange, Burnout, Limit and Liar. 

So for brows. My brows still need some TLC but I discovered many techniques to filling in my eyebrows this year. I have to of course give an honourable mention to the Mabelline Colour Tattoo in Permenant Taupe which was a favourite for a few months but it dried up in the Summer. Therefore, the award of best brow product goes to the Soap and Glory Brow Archery pen. I think this is so easy to use and creates the perfect natural eyebrow look. It comes with a thin pen end which I use to put the shape back into my eyebrows and then a waxy end which I use to fill in any of the gaps. 

Now for mascara!I couldn't pick one as I have been using both together and have loved both! In the Spring I purchased the Maybelline Lash Sensational and the Benefit Rollerlash. The Maybelline Lash Sensational still remains probably my favourite out of the two (at this point my bank balance gives a sigh of relief as the Rollerlash happens to be £19.50!) The Lash Sensational gives me lots of volume and really does look like it's multiplied my eyelashes to give a fuller look. However, the Benefit version gives me more length and curl to my eyelashes. The formula of the Benefit stings my eyes sometimes so that's why I prefer the Maybelline alternative but both give such a lovely look and are fab. 

My favourite eyeliner this year has been the Soap and Glory Super Cat. Back in the beginning of the year I purchased this and had used this most days lightly on my top lash line. Recently, I have been using black eyeshadow for a slightly subtler smoky effect but for nearly the whole year this was a staple! The pen is really precise and easy to use and I will continue to repurchase this next year when it runs out.

Surprisingly, choosing my top lip products this year was easy because all year I have been reaching for the Revlon lip crayons. In December 2014 I got one of the laquer balms in Demure for Christmas and I loved it so much I bought the shade 'Coquette' in January. Back at the start of the year, my lipstick application was pretty rubbish but then I found these which made the application of a lip colour ten times easier. I love the formula and the look of them. They are moisturising, glossy and give my lips a bit of shine like a lipgloss. I took these everywhere with me because there quite balmy and don't really require a mirror. I have three of them: two laquer balms (in the shiny packaging) called 'Demure' which is a light pastel pink and 'Coquette' which is a bright hot pink. I also bought one of the ones from the balm stain range called Honey which is a plum nude colour. 'Honey' gives a natural stain to the lips after it has worn down which looks really lovely. I will continue to use these next year and possibly purchase more! 

 What are your beauty favourites from 2015? 

Emily x