My Make Up Brushes : Beauty

My favourite make up brushes blog post from Beka's Beauty. British Beauty Blog


I like things simple when it comes to make up brushes. I have 6 in total in which I only really use 4 on a regular basis so I thought I'd just introduce you to the brushes that I would never let leave my side and the ones I save for certain occasions. 

 5 out of 6 of my brushes are from Real Techniques and anybody that has ever used one will know that once you go RT you don't go back. So I'll just run through each brush and let you know how I use each. 

(top left) - The Real Techniques Sculpting Brush 
 I think this brush is meant to be used for contouring, but I use it for my blush. It's the perfect size for the amount I like to put on and the oval shape with the gradient bristles make it perfect for blending and avoiding that streaky look. 


(top right) - The Real Techniques Bold Metals 101 Triangle Foundation Brush 
 So this has to be my least favourite brush from my collection. I want to love it, its so beautiful with its gold wand but it just doesn't deliver the results I get from my other brushes. It's meant to be a foundation brush but I just don't get a blended finish with this at all. I also find the bristles on this brush to be a lot harder than other RT brushes I have so I find it so hard to work with. 

(middle left) - The Real Techniques Powder Brush 
 Love this brush. I moved on from my usual Kabuki brush to this brush at the start of the year and I'm so glad I did. For one, I really love the feel of the longer handle on this, all of the kabuki brushes I have had all featured really stumpy handles but I feel this RT brush gives you a bit more control over the pressure and coverage you can get with your powder. Also, the bristles are so soft on this brush, which really work for blending and keeping your powder even. I use this brush for both my powder and bronzer as I wear fake tan and they just get blended together anyway. 

(bottom right) - The Real Techniques Bold Metals 301 Flat Contour Brush
 This is the other brush I don't use all of the time and that's mainly because I just don't contour every day. I use this brush when I'm going for a more glam look, so I take my shimmery bronzer and apply it under my cheekbones in a half attempt to contour my face. I'm so lazy with that kind of thing, but it works enough for me. I like this brush because it's quite dense, so it picks up the bronzer really easily and because of the flat design you don't get sneaky amounts of bronzer on the edges that you don't want. 

(bottom left) - The Real Techniques Expert Face Brush 
 By far my favourite make up brush of all time! This is the second one I've had of this brush because I used my old one so much. I use this brush for my foundation everyday because it blends perfectly! I use the Bareminerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream and the soft bristles on this brush move it across my face effortlessly. 


NUXE Dry Oil Review : Beauty

NUXE Golden shimmer dry oil and NUXE original dry oil review on Beka's Beauty. British Beauty Blogger


Hey Everyone! 
 It has been a while hasn't it! I haven't looked or really even thought about my blog for a few months now and that's down to a few reasons really; 1 - I moved into my own flat which was exhausting, 2 - I got made redundant from my job (stressed'r'us) and 3 - I kind of lost motivation. I was getting so frustrated with my photos not turning out how I wanted and scheduling in time to get posts up that it just got side tracked majorly. So I'm back and feeling pretty excited to get behind my laptop and lens again! 

 My first post has to be about a product that I only just discovered this summer but I've been obsessed with since!

 The NUXE Dry Oils are not new to the beauty/skin/hair world but they are gurrrrd! I have the Golden Shimmer version in a full sized bottle and also the original that I got in my LF Beauty Box

First Thoughts: 'At what stage of getting dressed do I put this on?'

Can anybody tell me this? I have tried both methods, slathering it on a few minutes before getting dressed and also after. I guess it does depend what you're wearing but I've found that putting this on before any clothes are even thought about to be the best method. Also, for the shimmer version, I would only focus on areas that are going to be on show as it just makes the inside of your clothes look as crazy as Miley Cyrus' instagram. 

It's also worth noting that with the Original oil I use this on my hair before blow-drying. I don't use too much as it does tend to make it greasy but a little goes a long way so just go easy and your hair will look great for it. 

Final Thoughts: I LOVE this product! It's not something I use everyday but when I want to make my tan pop a little more than usual I dab a bit on and it just looks so nice! 

Score: 9/10

So tell me!?! What have I missed in the world of blogging? Leave your links below because I have a lot of catching up to do :)


Beka xxx

Organic Matcha Latte


I've really loved getting into my green tea recently and although a cup of the hot stuff does do great things for your body, nothing compares to Green Matcha. 

 Rather than with the brewed water in tea, Green Matcha allows you to get the benefits from the entire leaf. In terms of the benefits, I've read that it's up to 10 times better than just having the tea - so that says a lot!

 Some of the main benefits you gain from Green Matcha are that it calms & relaxes, helps you fight against viruses and bacteria, rich in fibre, lowers your cholesterol, it's rich in antioxidants and also boosts your metabolism. 

 From my experience of using Green Matcha mixed in my Green Smoothies and in the Latte form (see below), I have a lot more energy throughout the day and my hunger pangs are kept at bay too. 



So I thought I'd share with you a quick recipe to make your very own Green Matcha Lattes. I got my Green Matcha from Kiss Me Organics and  it comes in quite a good sized pouch so it lasts for ages.

You'll need:
1 tsp Green Matcha powder
1/4 cup of boiling water
3/4 cup of Almond Milk
Honey or Sweetener to your preference



Mix the Green Matcha with the boiling water until smooth, then add your hot milk and sweetener. How simple! 

We Are Tea


I have always hated tea. 

It's been difficult to explain to the many British tea lovers out there, but for me, tea literally made me gag. I don't know what it was that did it but I just could not stomach the stuff. 

However, that is now a thing of the past. 

 We Are Tea has transformed my view on tea and I can't get enough of the stuff. There's no weird after taste and I actually look forward to having tea time now. 

Daintea is a slimming tea that tastes amazing. I like to have one of these in the morning and then again around half 3. They help to curb my appetite and give me a bit more energy just in time for the gym after work. 

I also got to try the Moroccan Mint Green tea which is lovely for those times you need something to just perk you up. It's very refreshing and I like to have a cup on those nights where I'm resting from the gym. 

And lastly, Serenitea is something I bought to settle myself before bed. I go through stages where getting to sleep is somewhat of a task, I get riddled with nightmares and even have to sleep with the light on just to settle. So I bought this in the hope that it would help and if I'm totally honest it has helped a little bit. I do feel calmer and I think that's a combination of the ingredients and also the time I take out to just sit in bed with a warm cup of tea. 

I'm really enjoying exploring the We Are Tea range and I'm definitely going to be a repeat buyer of this brand, especially the Daintea tea bags. 

Have you tried We Are Tea before?




Buff





Yes - another Illasqua lipstick!

This time in the form of a creamy greige/brown shade called Buff

Having just dyed my hair a bit darker, I was really keen to see how this lipstick looked on. It gives you that 90's grunge feel that looks absolutely stunning! 

I can definitely see myself rocking this for a girls night out, giving a different look to my usual nude or red lipstick I always turn to. 

If you love brown lipsticks then this is definitely worth a purchase. 








Test


By now you'll know that Illamasqua is my new lipstick soulmate!

I literally cannot help myself. The sale has been pretty amazing this year and I nabbed this beauty for only £9.80!

Test is an absolutely beautiful nudey/pink lipstick from Illamasqua and It rivals that of Climax in how much I love it. It's creamy with a slight matte finish that I can't get enough of. 

I just don't see lipsticks getting better than these. I know that's a big statement to make, but when you find a brand that really works for you it's difficult to imagine that any will beat it. 

What do you think? 




True Love with NYX







Can you tell that I love lipsticks yet?

I've really liked NYX as a brand for a while now after trying out another of their lipsticks at the Pro Beauty event in Manchester a few years ago. So it came as no surprise that when these landed in my hand I was going to find them irresistible too. 

Yes, another gift from Elliot (he obviously knows me well) this trio of True Love Butter Lipsticks is ideal for those days where you don't want to go overboard with your make up but still want to feel like you've made an effort. As for the 'butter' element of these lipsticks, they're super creamy, glide on and show no sign of ever drying out my lips when I wear them all day at work. 

Really impressed by this little set and it's perfect for somebody you know that has a love for all things lipstick.







SlenderToxTea




Teatoxes are everywhere at the moment and I think it can be quite hard to find one that suits you and your lifestyle.

So when I got to try SkinnyTeaTox for 2 weeks I was slightly aprehensive. 
However, this anti-tea girl may have just been converted. SlenderTeaTox is a 14 day detox tea plan that consists of formulas for morning and night time brews. 

There are a few benefits to adding this to your healthy lifestyle including;
  • Aids weight loss
  • Increases energy
  • Metabolism efficiency
  • Colon cleansing

The tea also contains the following;

Hawthorn Grain, Red Bean, Sterling Bean, Radish Leaf, Camelia Seed, Camelia Flower, Green Tea and Fennel Seeds. 

 I needn't have worried as the results are well worth it. When I say worth it, I mean experiencing some of the side effects that come with drinking this tea, so as a warning before you try these, they do have a slight laxative effect which explains why they recommend starting up your TeaTox on a weekend -joy!

But like I said, the results speak for themselves. I've lost 6lbs in 2 weeks and I couldn't be more chuffed! I would definitely buy these again as they don't make you cut out any meals and it just becomes part of your routine for a fortnight. They taste ok for a non-tea person like myself, so if you're not a tea person then you simply add a slice of lemon to your cup and it's as right as rain. 

Have you tried a TeaTox yet? I'd love to hear about your results. 

Pug in a Mug




Firstly, how cute is this little guy?

Secondly, isn't this just the best looking tea diffuser you've ever seen in your life!?!

I had a bag of cleansing tea leaves from Indigo Herbs that I was dying to try and I didn't have a tea diffuser to make a brew with. So after a quick Amazon search I quickly came across the Pug in the Mug!

You open him up and put your leaves in, add some water and he just hangs on the end of your cup while the tea quickly diffuses. 

And he was only £5.99 so I couldn't argue with that. He's a lovely addition to my kitchen!

Lightly Toasted




Love the Naked palettes?

Then you are going to fall head over heels for this beauty! At nearly a 5th of the cost, this W7 In The Buff Lightly Toasted palette provides you with a full range of 12 shades that bring you various finishes including matte and metallic that you can mix and match to suit the occasion.







How gorgeous are all of these shades? And as for the pigment, they look fab on and blend effortlessly. 

I've got my eye on some of the other palettes now from W7 as well as looking to trying some of the other various products they make.

Have you ever tried this palette before? What were your thoughts?

Madame La La



I watch a lot of American TV and as such, I think I now must have an unrealistic view when it comes to a good tan. Especially for a British girl who gets all of 3 days of sun in a year. 

So when I heard of tan that looks to emulate that LA glow that we all crave, I had to give it a go. 

Madame La La is a self tan mousse that contains Coco Water and Aloe that work to hydrate your skin whilst tanning. Promising for a 'deep golden colour in 3 hours' I was so excited to see the results. It also contains a quick dry DD tan Perfector (Dynamic Do all) formula that ensures for an innovative colour that customises to your own skin tone - no wotsit tan for me thanks! 





I followed the instructions and left this on for 10 hours to make sure I got the best results. 

So what do you think?

I am more than impressed and will be swapping out my St Moriz for Madame La La every time now. 


Constellation



I've always had a thing for small, dainty jewellery that says something about the wearer. From my sentimental necklace I wear from Elliot and for my Dad to my bracelet that my closest friends bought me, I like it to be simple.




So when I spotted these constellation star earrings from Not On The High Street, I couldn't help myself. They're so stunning to look at and once on, completely transform your look.




They aren't too in your face and don't get in the way either, I don't think I'll ever be a Pat Butcher earring kinda girl. 

So what do you think?