Tuesday 27 January 2015

Quick & Easy Makeup Look!



Here is a video on my Quick & Easy Makeup Look!


It features only high street/drugstore products and my face is in it. A LOT. Sorry...

Okay, so I'll admit that I filmed this just over a month ago... But I've only just got round to editing and uploading it! 
(I totally procrastinated on the editing thing, because my own face kept on making me cringe so much that I had to stop.)

Be gentle with me, because filming/editing a video and putting my face on the Internet like this (for the first time) is pretty scary and nerve-racking. I'm no Zoella, but at least I've tried!

Hope you like it!

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Monday 26 January 2015

Beauty Wishlist #1


A girl can dream, right?


1. LancĂ´me Grandiose Mascara - £24.50
2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation - £33
3. Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter - £13
4. Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette - 'The Dolce Vita' - £38
5. MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in Ruby Woo - £15.50.

What's on your beauty wishlist?


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Sunday 25 January 2015

The Week in Review!

A very car orientated week!

Here's my week in review! (Not that you're interested...)


Firstly, I started doing #100HappyDays this week. If you've not heard of it, it's basically a social media declaration of what makes you happy every day for 100 consecutive days. 
(For the more cynical of you, it's relentless social media bragging about how amazing your life is...) 

If you're interested, head over to my Instagram page to see what's been making me happy!

We also said goodbye to Colin the Corsa this week! He was my first car, so it was oddly emotional and I couldn't quite understand how I could get so sentimental over what's basically a big chunk of metal. I've seen him for sale on Autotrader though, so at least he's going to a new home instead of being stripped for parts. We also said 'Hi!' to Pedro! (Yeah, that's genuinely his name.) Why are all the cars in my life 'male'?!

I went up to Leicester to get my phone fixed after months of it acting up and falling to pieces. Thankfully it's as good as new now! And the best thing is, Apple fixed it for free! While I was waiting, I nipped into Accessorize to get some sale jewellery (which I'll be writing about soon!) and I treated myself to another MAC lipstick from Debenhams.

And, it snowed, AGAIN, but thankfully it didn't cause nearly as much trouble as last time.

I also discovered that my car's windscreen is broken; there's a growing crack in it, so that's less money to go towards my MAC Lipstick fund... Because windscreens are quite expensive! Clive the Corsa has cost a ridiculous amount of money to fix recently, so I've been looking at new cars this week. Weighing up the cost of a new car vs. the cost of constantly fixing Clive is tricky. I don't know if I can say goodbye to two cars in such a short space of time either!

If you didn't fall asleep while reading the above, well done!

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Saturday 24 January 2015

FOUNDATION FRIDAY: Top 3 Foundations for Super Pale Skin

©Katiewrites.co.uk
©Katiewrites.co.uk

Don't want to look tangoed? Here are my top three really pale foundations.


Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation - Porcelain
Type of Skin - Normal/Oily

This is the perfect pale foundation for you if you've got oilier or spot-prone skin. It's non-comedogenic, so it won't clog your pores; causing more spots and it's also got anti-bacterial properties. I wrote a full review of this foundation last year, which you can read here if you want to know more.

When applying this, I just pop a bit of Collection Lasting Perfection concealer on blemishes and red patches before buffing this over the top with a kabuki brush. It offers quite a light coverage, although you can build it up without it going too 'cakey'.

This foundation costs £13.49 and you buy it directly from Lily Lolo's website or from FeelUnique.


MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation - NC15 
Type of Skin - Dry/Sensitive

This is the pricier of the three, costing a hefty £25 for a 40ml tube. Having said that, I've had this for months and there's still loads left. You only need a pea-sized amount to cover your face and the coverage that it gives is excellent.

Studio Sculpt is probably one of the only foundations that I've tried where my skin feels moisturised and soft after washing it off at the end of the day. I'm really impressed with it, the only thing that I'm not that keen on is the smell, but you soon get used to it.

You can buy this from any MAC Cosmetics shop or their website.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - Light Porcelain 
Type of Skin - Normal/Dry.

This is the cheapest of the three at £8.99, but it's often on offer on ASOS for slightly less. I wrote a full review of this last year, where I was slightly harsh and you can read that here.

I've adopted this as my 'main' foundation; the one I go to when my skin's not really playing up in any way. It claims to have an 'anti-fatigue effect' and gives you a 'radiant glow'. I can vouch for the fact that it does give a radiant finish; which you might need to tone down with a bit of powder, especially if your skin tends to get oily patches.

Rimmel also brought out a concealer to accompany this foundation, although there isn't a shade light enough to match the foundation. That's a bit silly, isn't it?


Have you tried any foundations that are great for really pale skin? If so, let me know!

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Thursday 22 January 2015

Review: Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer

Just a tad too dark?

I've become a bit of a fan of Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation, so will the concealer live up to the same standards?


Erm... No.

It's way too dark. Pictured is the lightest shade of concealer (Ivory) with the lightest shade of foundation (Light Porcelain). Why bother bringing out a super-pale foundation if you don't make a concealer to accompany it?

I've heard so many people raving about this so I thought I'd give it a try. I really wish I hadn't bothered because it's just a waste of money if you're pale.

I honestly can't comment on whether it's got an 'anti-fatigue' effect or a 'radiant glow' because as soon as I've applied it I'm too busy staring at the mirror going: "Ahhh, I've got orange panda eyes!".

It looks like I've got orange dark circles. (Please try not to laugh at that image.) Every spot and blemish is encircled with an orange hue that makes me look like I've developed some kind of horrendous skin condition. What are pale people supposed to do? It's bad enough that we look like death warmed up due to our pallor, but to have such a lack of products to conceal our dark circles and blemishes just adds insult to injury.

Please, cosmetics companies, is it really so much to ask for that pale people need concealer too? Please. Don't bring out pale foundations and then forget about creating a super-pale concealer to accompany it. That's just silly. Isn't it?

Rant over... Do you know of any really pale concealers? If so, comment below or tweet me!

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Tuesday 20 January 2015

Arrivederci Colin

RIP Colin ©KatieWrites.co.uk
RIP Colin ©KatieWrites.co.uk

What are you reading, you might ask?


Today's post is in a different vain to usual. It's a dedication to a car. Yes, I've clearly lost the plot. (The men in white coats are hammering at the door and I'm sure I'll be sectioned in due course.)

Colin the Corsa was my first car. I bought him six years ago when I was 17. Back in 2010, I stumbled across Clive the Corsa, and my Dad needed a new car, so he bought Colin off me. 


But now Colin is trundling towards death's door and it's nearly time to say goodbye. 
(To the more mechanically-minded of you, his headgasket's gone.)


Your first car is always special. It's one that you always remember. The memories that you have with that car remind you of the journey you've had from a clearly inexperienced driver, to passing your test and beyond. If you're yet to learn to drive and get your first car, choose wisely. It's one you'll never forget. 

The word 'Corsa' is Italian, apparently. That's what my old English teacher taught me and he should know because he married one. (An Italian, not a car.) So don't say you never learn anything from this blog.


R.I.P. Colin the Corsa. 
(2000-2015)
*Sob*

I think I'm going to go for a lie down and then reassess my life.

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(Note: I might be weird for naming my cars, but you should never let anyone make you feel bad for having the odd quirk.)
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Monday 19 January 2015

No7 Limited Edition Brush Collection


Half price makeup brushes!


These lovely brushes are currently half price at Boots. They're £10 instead of the usual £20.

The set contains five brushes, which are:
Directional Powder Brush,
Foundation Brush,
Eyeshadow Blend & Contour,
Eyeliner Brush,
Lip Brush,
Makeup Bag.

I particularly love the Eyeshadow blend & contour brush because it really allows you to get right into the crease of your eyelid with ease. If you're quite bad at applying eyeshadow, as am I, then it makes it really easy! And the bristles are white, which allows you to see how much product you've actually got on the brush. (Handy!)

I must admit that they look more expensive than they are. The handles are made of plastic, but initially looking at them, I thought they'd be metal. It does mean that they're quite light to hold though.

The brushes are quite a lot more expensive if you buy them individually. They range from around £7-14 each! So this set is an absolute bargain!

They're limited edition, so if you want to get your hands on them, be quick! Sadly, I can't find this set on the Boots website, but you might still be in luck if you pop down to your local Boots store!

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Friday 16 January 2015

Foundation Friday: Loreal True Match


It's Foundation Friday again! So here are my thoughts on Loreal's True Match!


Loreal have brought this foundation out in loads of different shades. I've been using the lightest, N1 Ivory, which can you see pictured above!

It tends to give medium to heavy coverage. Although, it's still a tad too dark for my deathly pallor. As you can see from the picture, it is noticeably darker. Having said that, I am really pale, so this shouldn't be an issue for most people.

The staying power of this foundation is pretty impressive. I normally have to touch up my foundation during the day, but this stays put! It doesn't really get oily on my skin either. A lot of foundations do, so I normally carry blotting papers around with me just in case! I wouldn't recommend this to people with really dry skin though, as it can be a little drying.

True Match has a high SPF, which is good! But perhaps not if you're wearing it on a night out, as there's probably going to be a bit of flashback.

Loreal claims that this is 'Super-blendable'. It is quite easy to blend in. I've been using my trusty Real Techniques Face Sponge, but it also applies really well with a brush or your fingers too! It does seem to settle quickly on my skin though, so you do have to blend it quite quickly. It's also quite watery, but not so much that it'll run off the back of your hand when you're applying it.

Price-wise, it's not the cheapest of high street foundations, but I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a good quality foundation on a budget.

If you fancy trying this, you can buy it from Boots for £9.99 by clicking here!

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Thursday 15 January 2015

Lost in Austen


'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.'


I always wish that I could understand and get to grips with 'classical' literature. Despite having studied Theatre Studies (and even doing an English Literature module whilst at Uni), I still have trouble sometimes getting my head around more classical literature. Because I'm a tad thick.

This year, I want to try and read more; and from across a variety of genres too. In 2013, I read loads and I felt more knowledgeable for it, but last year I just slipped a little didn't read nearly as much. 2015 is the year I bring out my inner bookworm once again.

You might have noticed that my recent post New Year, New You? consisted mainly of a rant about New Year's Resolutions, however, this is definitely one thing I'm striving to achieve this year! (So I'm a hypocrite, basically.)

Are you a big bookworm? What books do you suggest I should read? Comment below or Tweet me (@katiee_brown) to tell me!

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Tuesday 13 January 2015

Body Shop Sale Bargains!


Half Price Body Shop Goodies!


Vanilla Brulee Soap - £1.50
Small Frosted Cranberry Body Butter - £1.50
Passion Fruit Body Butter - £6.50
Frosted Cranberry Shower Gel - £2
Papaya Shower Gel - £2
English Dawn Gardenia Shower Gel - £3
Passion Fruit Shower Gel - £2

I'm becoming obsessed with The Body Shop now. These are some wonderful bargains that I've managed to pick up from their January sale! 

If you read yesterday's post, you'll see that I've stumbled across some good deals from other retailers too! I'm especially smug about the lovely Body Shop passion fruit body butter though because it's normally £13!

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Monday 12 January 2015

Sale Steal: £10 Boots



How gorgeous are these shoe boots? I just had to show them off. 


They're from George at Asda and I managed to pick them up for £10!! They're normally £18, which isn't a bad price anyway, but I'm quite smug that I've bagged such a bargain.

They only had them in size six when I bought them, which is thankfully my size! Unfortunately, they're not in stock online anymore, but they do still have some lovely boots available!

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Friday 9 January 2015

Foundation Friday: Max Factor Lasting Performance


Formerly my favourite foundation.


Every Friday in January will be Foundation Friday on Katie Writes. (How exciting!) So, I'm going to kick things off with a review of one of Max Factor's foundation stalwarts.

I use the palest colour, 100 Fair, which as you can see, is still way too dark for my deathly pallor. It's got quite a red undertone to it too (which you can't really see in the photos), so it's great if you've got a yellow-ish tone of skin.

I used to use this every day religiously for years. In fact, I only really stopped using it regularly last year. The reason why I stopped using it regularly? Because I finally realised it was too dark for me. In fact, I kind of knew all along, it's just I'd never stumbled across a paler foundation that I liked as much; so I lived for ages in 'orange-face denial'.

It gives quite a matte finish, but I'd definitely recommend that you keep some blotting papers handy if you're out of the house all day, just in case. It can get a little shiny in places after a few hours of wear.

The coverage is medium to heavy, depending on how much you apply. I normally apply this with my fingers as opposed to a brush or sponge, I find it tends to look better that way. As for its name 'Lasting Performance', it does last a good few hours, but you will need to touch it up if you're planning on wearing it well into the evening.

I've read elsewhere that it's a dupe for the Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation, but I've never tried that before, so unfortunately I can't draw a comparison there!

Price-wise, it's not the cheapest high street foundation but it's not really expensive either. This retails for £9.99, but I've often found it in discount stores or on markets for £7.99!

All in all, it's a good foundation, but it's definitely not made for really pale people!

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Sunday 4 January 2015

New Year, New You?

I don't want to be one of those people.

The start of a new year is always reflective for me. I look back at what I've achieved and as much as I hate to admit it, it's also a time for regret.


I'm a little fed up of being bombarded with this obsession of creating a 'New You' when each January arrives. New Years Resolution after New Years Resolution being made, then forgotten about and thus never being achieved. As someone who's constantly too hard on myself, I look at failure to achieve a New Year's Resolution as some kind of dreadful defeat.

I'm also a tad cynical when it comes to reinventing or regenerating ourselves at the turn of each new year anyway. It's impossible to do that. You're not Doctor Who. Or James Bond.

This year, I'm taking a stand. The only promise I'm making to myself is that I'll try and remain as healthy and happy as possible. That's all that matters really, isn't it?

I'm going to try and be more optimistic, to try and look after myself a little more and also to try and shut that critical, anxious voice in my head up... Worrying is something that plagues my life and I'm going to at least attempt to calm down. Whether it's worrying about what people think of me, what I look like, where I'm going in life or whether I've got the money to do what I want with life. There's always something to worry about. That time spent worrying could be better spent doing something else that's more productive.

The main things we should all be focusing on are health and happiness. That's it. Not having a 'bikini beach body', or attempting every stupid exercise DVD going, or stopping yourself from having the odd choccy biscuit.

Let's just concentrate on being as good as we possibly can be, and bettering ourselves as much as we can, without putting ourselves under ridiculous amounts of pressure to reach that unattainable level of perfection that society expects of us.
(and breathe...)

So, here's to 2015 being happier, healthier and more carefree than ever before!


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Sparkly Sunday: Barry M Cappucino & Moonlight


Just a little post.


You know that I'm terrible at painting my nails neatly, but I thought I'd attempt to be a little more creative than usual. So, I used Barry M Cappucino before applying Barry M's Limited Edition Moonlight as a topcoat.

I'm quite pleased with it!

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