Winter Wardrobe Favourites - Coats and Jackets!

It's getting only just getting into winter here in New Zealand, although it sure doesn't feel like it - it hailed three times in one day this week!! - but I decided to take advantage of the colder weather and get out my favourite winter coats and jackets to show you guys! (*be warned, there are a lot of photos in this post*)

 

Up first is my coat from Glassons. I love this coat, because it's so warm and cosy as well as super comfortable! I also think that it is quite flattering, and I have been pairing it with a pair of black leggings and vans for a super easy, comfy look.  I got it on sale for around $65 dollars, which isn't too bad for a well made coat! I also love the colour, because it makes it a bit unique! I picked this up about  two months ago, and I'm not too sure if it's still in stores, but I would definitely recommend it if you can find it. 

Next is my woolly cardigan! I didn't actually buy this one, it was my mum's when she was younger which I think makes it more special than a store-bought one. It is in amazing condition as well, considering how old it is! This cardigan is so warm, perfect for chilly mornings and evenings and wearing around the house. I often find wool things quite scratchy and itchy, but this is really soft and comfortable. I also really wanted a chunky knit jumper, and this is almost exactly like ones I have seen in stores, so it's perfect! 

My next winter favourite is another one from Glassons - the Leather Look Trimmed blazer. This is my favourite blazer, because you can dress it up easily and I love the leather panels on the arms and collar. It isn't as warm as the other things on this list, but if its not too cold it's great to throw on over a dress or a nice top and jeans when you're going out. I wore this quite a lot while I was in Italy as we were going out to dinner most nights. I think this cost around $50, which seems like quite a bit for Glassons, but I'm really happy with it, and it is really well made. 

I might do a few more of these throughout winter, since this one was only about coats and jackets! This was a different kind of post, so let me know if you like it or not!  If you have any comments or suggestions or just want to say hi, leave me a comment below! Also, if you have a blog, feel free to leave a link, I would love to check it out!

Inspirational Beauty Bloggers/Youtubers!

Hi guys! Sorry that it's been so long since I last posted (a week already!?) but things have been pretty hectic lately - since I was on holiday and missed some school, I had a LOT of schoolwork to catch up on and I haven't really had time for my blog!

If you know me, you will know that I am completely obsessed with blogs and YouTube, so I decided to share a few beauty bloggers and/or YouTubers that I love and am inspired by.

Sprinkle of Glitter - Sprinkle of Glitter a.k.a Louise Pentland is one of my absolute favourite people on this list! She is a beauty blogger and YouTuber (although her posts aren't just about beauty) who I have been following for around a year or so now. She has an adorable toddler, and she's just hilarious and seems really really nice. If you aren't already, I would definitely recommend looking up her blog here or her YouTube channel here.

Zoella - Zoella (or Zoe Sugg) is another British YouTuber and blogger who happens to be Sprinkle of Glitter's best friend! She is also a beauty blogger, but does other types of posts as well. She is really funny, and I love watching her videos. Check out her blog here and her YouTube channel here!

LLYMLRS - LLYMLRS (Lily Melrose) is a fashion and beauty blogger and YouTuber. I love her style and her posts and videos are always great. She has two blogs - a fashion one, which is her main one, here and a beauty and other things one here, as well as a YouTube channel here!

Beautycrush - Beautycrush (Sammi) is a beauty and fashion blogger and YouTuber who I only started watching this year, but I love her blog and her videos! She is really funny, and I love her style and all her amazing tattoos! Her blog is here and her YouTube channel is here :)

I Covet Thee - I also only recently started watching I Covet Thee (a.k.a Alix)'s videos and I am in love with her style and her videos! She also has both a blog and a YouTube channel and I love them both equally. I would definitely recommend checking out her blog here and her channel here.

Tanya Burr - I found Tanya Burr through Zoella and Sprinkle of Glitter, and I'm really glad I did! She is so good with makeup, and does loads of really amazing looks inspired by different celebrities. She also makes videos with her fiance Jim Chapman who is another YouTuber I love! Check out her blog here and her YouTube channel here!

Shaanxo - Shaanxo is a New Zealand beauty YouTuber which is why I really like her (as well as the fact that she makes good videos!). She has loads of great videos, and I have been following her channel for ages!  Check it out here.

I do follow a lot of other beauty channels and blogs like pixiewoo, milkteef, amodelrecommends. viviannadoesmakeup, dollfaceree and many more, but these are just my personal favourites! Who are your favourite bloggers?
If you have any comments or suggestions or just want to say hi, leave me a comment below! Also, if you have a blog, feel free to leave a link, I would love to check it out!

LIQUID EYELINER: Maybelline, L'Oreal or MIKI?

So while I was digging through my makeup bag, I realised that I had not one, not two, but three almost identical looking liquid eyeliners! Turns out I bought my L'Oreal one a few months ago in a big online shopping spree and forgot about it until now, and the other two I bought on a whim when I didn't really need them!

I thought I would review them, and tell you their pros and cons. I don't use liquid eyeliner too much, mainly because I am crap at applying it - for some reason I get an urge to blink whenever I get halfway across my eye. Also, liquid eyeliner isn't exactly school suitable so I mostly wear it when I'm going out or on the weekends.

Maybelline Line Stiletto eyeliner in 'Black'

The Maybelline Line Stiletto eyeliner in 'Black' is the first liquid eyeliner I ever bought. It has a long, thin tip which is pretty good and easy to apply, however it dries out really quickly which is good when it's on your eye but not when you have to keep dipping the tip back in. The packaging is alright, a little on the boring side, but the handle is a little too short for my hand to hold comfortably without slipping off the end! I would give this eyeliner a 3.5 out of 5, because it does last for quite a while on your eyes and seems to be quite good quality. I got this off Amazon for $7.00 (US) but I think it's on sale now (check it out here).

L'Oreal Paris Lineur Intense eyeliner in 'Carbon Black'

The next eyeliner I found, which I had completely forgot about until today is my L'Oreal Paris Carbon Black Lineur Intense felt tip liquid eyeliner which I also got off Amazon. This cost around $9.00 (US) - check it out here. It has an almost identical felt tip to the Maybelline liner, but maybe a little bit softer and more triangular. It stays on for ages, and I really like the formula and the Carbon Black colour. I also like the packaging, as the handle is quite a lot longer than the Maybelline one, and easier to hold. I would give this eyeliner a 4.5 out of 5.

MIKI Intense Colour eyeliner in 'Black'

On to a cheaper option, I have the MIKI Intense Colour liquid eyeliner in 'Black'. I got this at Postie Plus for $3.00 (NZ) which is really really cheap for an eyeliner, especially in New Zealand where makeup is insanely expensive! I think I included this in my favourites a while back, because it does a really good job, especially considering it's price. It has a very thin tip which I like because I don't usually go for thick eyeliner, and it also makes it easier to apply. It also stays on for quite a long time. I wouldn't say I like the formula as much as the L'Oreal Paris one, but for the price it's really good. I would give this a 4 out of 5.

If you have any comments or suggestions or just want to say hi, leave me a comment below! Also, if you have a blog, feel free to leave a link, I would love to check it out!

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush review!

A few days ago I bought the Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush off Trade Me, so I thought I would do a quick little review for you guys! I got it in Pink Plum which is a light pink.

This blush is really sheer, so it doesn't come up much on the swatch and you can't really see it when you have it on your fingers but on the cheeks it shows up a bit more, and is easily buildable so you can keep adding to it. It also has a weird texture, it's almost spongey, but turns more powdery after you apply it. It dents quite easily though, especially since you have to dig into it a bit to get enough for it to show up.

Overall, I think this blush is really pretty and I love the colour but I wish it was more pigmented and showed up more. It also doesn't last that long, which isn't great. I got it for around $10 which is pretty cheap for a blush, so I wasn't expecting too much of it, and the colour does look very natural, so that's a plus!

I would recommend this blush if you are looking for a cheap, natural looking blush that isn't too bold or bright!

Have you tried this blush out? If you have any comments or suggestions or just want to say hi, leave me a comment below! Also, if you have a blog, feel free to leave a link and I will check it out!

Nail Polish Top 5!

Hi everyone! Hope you are all having a great day (or night!)!

Today I decided to show you my top 5 favourite nail polishes! This was quite a hard post to write, because I LOVE nail polish and I have quite a collection! 

I would just like to say that I'm going to show you the nail polish on a nail display wheel not my real nails because a) I hate my nails! I have a really bad habit of biting them (which I'm trying really hard to stop!) so they are really short and gross, and b) I didn't want to put all of the 5 nail polishes on to my nails then have to take them all off again, I thought that would be a bit of a waste of time! Now that's out of the way, let's get on with the post!

I'm a sucker for black nail polish, so I had to include this XOX nail polish (I can't find a name anywhere!). I bought this in a pack of...6 I think? from NZ Sales for around $20 so it was really cheap, and the consistency and everything  is actually surprisingly good! It has tiny little gold glittery bits in it, which I love, because it's different to just a plain old black nail polish, and they aren't too big or obvious! For a cheap nail polish, I would definitely recommend this one!

                                                                
On to a slightly more expensive one, the next one across is my new Sephora Collection nail polish in 'Seductive Red'. This is in my Sephora Haul, and I looove it!! At first I didn't love how bright it was in the sun, because in the store it looked much darker, but now I have gotten used to it a bit more, and I love it! It brightens up an outfit and is such a nice colour. 

                                                                           
Next along, is my first Essie nail polish in 'Eternal Optimist' which I think is a really cute name! It's a soft pink colour,which looks a lot more nude-y when it's on your nails! I love this colour, it's great for every-day and school wear because it's quite soft and natural, and I find it goes on really well, and usually you don't need to put on a second coat! 

The next nail polish is also a very cheap option! It's a Cotton On Body Nail Enamel in 'Nude'. This is my favourite nude nail polish, because it's not too light, which I find looks a bit weird sometimes. It cost around $3.00 from Cotton On Body which I think is only in New Zealand and Australia (they have an online store though!). I have been wearing this nearly every day recently, as it's perfect for school!

                                                   
Last but not least is my second Essie nail polish in 'Bikini So Teeny'. I'm in love with this colour, I think it's so pretty, but my only problem is that you need to put multiple coats on for it to stand out and it's a bit runny. I do really like the colour though, so it's still in my top 5! 

What are your top 5's? I would love to hear them! If you have any comments or suggestions or just want to say hi, leave me a comment below! Also, if you have a blog, feel free to leave a link and I would love to check it out! 

(Late) April Favourites!

I know it's a little bit late, but here are all the things I've been loving in the past month!

Sorry about the dusty desk - this was the only place in my house that had okay lighting!

Sephora Collection Eye Shadow in 'It Bag'-
This was in my Sephora Haul post, but I felt like I had to put it on here - I love it! It's so pretty and it stays on for hours! It's definitely my favourite eye shadow at the moment. I love that it's shimmery but still looks natural, and it's not too over the top and bold.

Maybelline Falsies Volum' Express Mascara-
I'm so late to the party with this one, it seems like everyone has got it and raved about it but I only just recently bought it! This mascara gives my lashes volume, and it really does it's job well. I think it's more of a going-out/night time mascara as I kind of go for a more natural look during the day, especially at school, but I love it anyway!I did find it was quite hard to get off though, but that's good if you want a long-lasting mascara!

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in 'Coral Berry'-
I actually got this a while ago, when Farmers (only New Zealanders will know about that haha) was having a 2 for 1 sale on all Revlon lip products! Obviously I couldn't miss out on a sale like that so I picked up this lipstick and my friend got a lip stain. I haven't really started using it until recently and I love it! It's a pinky coral, which is quite shimmery - it actually looks a lot less bright and more coral-y in real life than on the top picture! It's really creamy, which I love and it stays on for at least 3-4 hours.

MIKI Liquid Eyeliner in 'Black'-
This eyeliner is so cheap! I think it cost around $3.00 from Postie Plus (again, a New Zealand store!) and it is actually surprisingly good! The tip is really thin which makes it easy to apply, which is great for me since I am the absolute worst at putting on liquid eyeliner - for some reason I just cannot do it! But I have had a few attempts with this, and most of them have turned out pretty well, so it must be good!

Some other non-beauty related favourites!

Shoes-
These were kind of an impulse buy on my last day in Italy, because the only shoes I had brought with me were $15 fake Vans from Rubi Shoes (don't judge me, they were the only ones that I could fit in my bag!), and they were ruined from all the walking I had done, so I popped in to a little shoe shop down the road from our hotel and I bought these! I had seen so many people in Italy wearing shoes similar to these and I thought they were really cute. They weren't too cheap, around $60 NZD, but that's not too bad for shoes and they are well-made.

Vogue Italia-

Obviously you can't go to Italy without picking up a copy of Italian Vogue, so I bought these at the airport on the way home! It was only 5 euros which I thought was pretty cheap, especially considering it came with an edition of Casa Vogue which is all about (amazing) houses! Unfortunately I can't read them since they are in Italian, but I think that makes them special, and I love looking at the pictures anyway! 

If any of you have any comments or suggestions, I would love to hear them! I love reading all your lovely comments and discovering new blogs so if you have a blog, leave a link and I will check it out!

Sephora Haul!

Yesterday I got back from Italy, which was absolutely amazing!! I think I will do a separate blog post about what I got up to there, with some photos as well, but this post is all about the things I bought while I was there!

Probably the shop I was most excited to find was Sephora! Sephora is one of my absolute favourite makeup shops, but we don't have it in New Zealand, so I was really happy when I saw it in Arezzo (a town in Tuscany!). I could have stayed in there for hours, but we only had one day in Arezzo and there were loads of places we wanted to go, so I had to be really quick. I picked up Sephora eyeshadow in 'It Bag', and Sephora nail polish in 'Seductive Red". 

I love the eyeshadow! It goes on really well, and it's shimmery but not over the top glittery, which is perfect for me! It also stays on for ages, especially if you use eye primer first. I have been using it a lot, and now is my go-to eyeshadow! I think it cost around 12 euros, which is around 18 NZ dollars, which is quite expensive for one eyeshadow, but I really like it and I think it's definitely worth buying. 

Personally, I find Sephora nail polishes are so easy to apply, especially the bigger bottles, which is why I had to get a nail polish when I went in. This colour looked a lot darker when I saw it in the store which is why I got it, because I thought it would be perfect for winter, but it turns out to be quite a lot brighter in the sunlight. I do still like it, but I think I would have preferred it to be a little bit darker, and it chips quite easily. It cost around 9 euros, so about $13.50 which is pretty cheap for a nail polish, especially one this size!

When I bought these, the lady at the counter gave me loads of free samples like the Sephora Ultra Nourishing shower cream and a little Bleu de Chanel sample bottle (which I gave to my dad!). They also gave me the Sephora Brightening and Hydrating foundation samples, as well as a 20% discount voucher which I thought was really nice. I tried the foundation sample and loved it, so when I was in Rome I went to another Sephora shop and picked it up, as well a few other things (which meant I spent almost all of my money in Sephora - oops!).

 I was going to get the lighter shade, which was 'Ivory' but the shop assistant told me I should get 'Cream', which is slightly darker. It looks a little bit orangey when you first put it on but it blends surprisingly well, and I think it definitely was the right colour for me. I like this foundation, I think it's lightweight and does it's job (of brightening and hydrating) well. It has medium coverage, which I like, because it covers redness and blemishes well but isn't too heavy or cakey. It was also not overly expensive - it was around 17 euros, so about 25 NZ dollars. I am pretty happy with it overall and would recommend it!

While I was at this Sephora shop, I was a little bit naughty and picked up some other things as well! The first thing I got was the Sephora complexion and eye brush set. I really wanted to try out the Sephora brushes, and this set of 4 was only 24 euros, so I decided to give it a go, and I love it! It comes with a foundation brush, a blush/powder brush, an eyeshadow brush, and a precision smudge brush. It even has a little booklet explaining how to use each brush properly. The little bag it comes in is really cute, and the brushes are great so far!

The last thing I picked up was a Sephora Rouge Cream lipstick in 'Seduce' which is a pinkish beige colour. I really like the colour, which is quite pigmented, but it does come off and smudge quite easily which isn't great. It is quite hydrating though, and doesn't dry out your lips at all like some other lipsticks.



Sorry that was such a long blog post! I would love to what you guys think about Sephora, or if you want to more about any of these products, just leave me a comment below! If you have any blogging tips, or suggestions for what I should post, leave me a comment or email me at beautibits@gmail.com.

I'm back!

Hey everyone!

I'm so sorry I haven't posted for aggggeesss, things have just been really busy and I couldn't find the time to post on here or find things to post about :( Also, I have just been in Italy for the past 3 weeks (will post about that later - it was amazing!!), so I didn't have much time for other things!

Blogging is so much fun, and I've decided that I will give it another go! I have given my blog a complete makeover, and even changed it's name! I promise I will post at least once a week from now on :)

If any of you have any suggestions for what I should post about or review, I would love to hear them, so just comment below, or email me at beautibits@gmail.com!

You can also follow me on Instagram - @ella_halstead