My 5 Favourite Apps Right Now

Good evening ♡,

I hope your Monday was great (well, as great as a Monday could get). This week was a busy week for me. Why, you may ask? Well, I GRADUATED from law school!! :) :) and it was also my boyfriends birthday so I had a very busy week.. CELEBRATING!

But, Monday struck. And it's back to reality. I can't exactly complain, because I had a delightful week, but scrolling through photos just makes me wish it didn't have to end. On the plus side, every week that goes by is a week closer to Christmas... so I really can't complain.

Lately, I've been using all sorts of different apps to try and make me feel as in control as possible. I've decided to jot down my five favourite apps right now, and what makes them so special.

1) Instagram

This is an obvious one. I'm pretty sure it's nearly everybody's favourite app. But I really do love Instagram, mainly because I am obsessed with taking photos, editing them & just making my feed as pretty as possible. And with an exciting week like the one I just had, there's nothing better than editing your favourite photos and posting them to Instagram, for your friends to see and mostly, for such memories to be stored :)

(Follow me on @lexiefarrugia)

2) UNUM

Speaking about Instagram, UNUM is a gem I recently stumbled upon when scrolling through the app store. This app works with Instagram, and allows you to edit photos and see what they would look like on your Instagram feed before posting them. It also allows you the possibility of posting the picture automatically at a particular time (if for e.g. you wouldn't be able to manually post it yourself). This app has made me feel extremely in control of my Instagram feed, and has helped me develop a consistent theme on my Instagram.

3) Boomerang

This is a really fun app, which also works with Instagram (and has recently launched on Snapchat Story too). I really enjoyed making use out of this in the past week with friends. This app creates a very short video clips which loop back and forth to create a very fun and cool effect. It's perfect for capturing great moments in mini videos that will make you smile whenever you watch them back.

4) Pinterest

I love love love Pinterest as it's the perfect app for your daily dose of inspiration. I turn to Pinterest whenever I need any sort of inspiration; whether this is for makeup, hairstyles, gift ideas or room decor. This app is also super easy to use, as you simply type key words and it automatically generates all images that would be useful to what you're searching for. Having an account also means that you could post your own photos, and possibly be someone else inspiration.

5) Calm

And last, but not least, an app which has helped me to relax and breathe during all those times when anxiety got the best of me (and for those of you who suffer from anxiety, you'd know that these busier weeks are when it hits you the hardest). Calm is an app which provides meditation techniques for "stress reduction". Although I don't use this app every day like I should, I turn to it on those days when I really feel like I need some help relaxing... and it works wonders. Just imagine how effective it would be if I were to use it daily.

These are definitely my favourite apps right now. These apps are all free on the app store (although you can pay for upgrades for Calm) and I've really been enjoying lately.

What are your favourite apps? Let me know in the comments below.

Love,

Lexie Rose May X

Best Beauty Advent Calendars 2016 | Lexie Rose May

Hellooo :)

Today is my first Christmas post for 2016 and I am just so excited!! As I sit cosily on my sofa, sipping a lovely cup of tea, surrounded by loads of halloween and autumnal decorations, I can't help but think that this simply means that Christmas is round the corner!!! And for all of you who don't know this, I love love love Christmas.

Thinking ahead for the festive season, I spent a few days doing research about the best beauty advent calendars available this year! Disclaimer: this does not mean that we have to give up our chocolate advent calendars. We can do both, right??

There are many calendars available on the market, some makeup based, some skincare based, some perfume based and many many others. Below are my favourite beauty advent calendars available this year (price: high - low):

1. Jo Malone (£260)

For anyone who loves Jo Malone as much as I do, this is the perfect pre-christmas treat to put a smile on your face every day. The design is in the form of a small townhouse, with little drawers containing the daily treats.  It consists of mini perfumes, mini candles, body oils and scented creams.

2. Diptyque (£250)

This advent calendar is an absolute dream - especially for the candle junkies. Although this calendar is a little bit more pricey than others, the treats you get inside make it worth it (especially if you love your candles and fragrances). I mean, who wouldn't want a collection of mini Diptyque candles?! (answer: nobody)

3. Liberty London (£165)

This luxurious calendar is not only stunning to look at, but is filled with treats from brands including Nars, Bobbi Brown and Le Labo. If you're a beauty addict and want to splurge a little bit before Christmas, this calendar is magnificent.

4. Charlotte Tilbury (£150)

Charlette Tilbury's makeup products are out of this world, so to have a beauty advent calendar containing mini versions of all her best-selling products seems too good to be true. The Charlotte Tilbury's World of Legendary Parties Advent Calendar is the perfect calendar for any beauty junkies out there. This has got to be my personal favourite for 2016 - both for its contents and just because of how cute the calendar is!

5. Kiehls (£95)

Skincare addicts - this calendar is for you. Packed with mini versions of some of Khiels amazing skincare products, this is the perfect calendar to be able to sample new products that you've never tried before, or just have mini versions of products you already love.

6. Selfridges (£95)

Selfridges have teamed up with L'Oreal Luxe to create the perfect advent calendar for 2016. Filled with little goodies of all our favourite brands, including Lancome, Khiels, Urban Decay and even YSL, this is the perfect calendar for beauty and skin care junkies combined.

7. Nyx (£60)

The Nyx Professional Makeup Advent Calendar is absolutely gorgeous. Imagine waking up every day in December to a makeup item from this super brand. From their eyeliners to their liquid lipsticks, Nyx is an up and coming brand that is taking us beauty addicts away by storm with their awesome quality and super prices!

8. ASOS - The Beauty Advent Calendar (£50)

I was super thrilled to see Asos' beauty advent calendar - and to top it all off, the box is absolutely beautiful (classic marble, you know), so you can definitely make use of it after the goodies are all gone. This 24-day advent calendar is packed with skincare, beauty and hair products from several brands including Philosophy and Dermalogica! The price tag is also super when you consider that the items inside add up to around £150!

9. Lush (£49.95)

Apart from having really cute packaging, this 12 day advent calendar is packed with natural, homemade products including shower gels and bath treats. I love Lush products, and have such fun experimenting different products and smells - so if you're anything like me, this is a great calendar for you!

10. L'Occitane (£42)

This was my choice of advent calendar for 2015, and it was superb! Every window reveals a mini version of some of l'Occitane's best products, including hand creams, face creams shampoo/conditioners and shower gels. If you're a l'Occitanne fan, then definitely pick this calendar up this year!

11. Benefit (£34.50)

Benefit's 2016 calendar, called 'Girl O'Clock Rock' is the perfect beauty calendar crammed with 12 mini versions of bestsellers from the brand! This includes their Hula bronzer, POREfessional primer & they're real! mascara. A definite must-have for any fans of this brand, and for the non-fans, this calendar will surely convert you!

12. Feel Unique (£30)

This beauty calendar is packed with several beauty treats, ranging from lip balms, to body oils/scrubs, to a Rimmel lipstick and highlighter. I love this calendar because it contains a little bit of everything - so for the 24 exciting days leading up to Christmas, you can expect to be trying out loads of different products from a variety of brands, some which you probably would have never got the chance to try before. This calendar contains items which together are worth around £100, so for £30 this is the biggest steal this year!

13. Ghost Fragrance (£30)

The Ghost Fragrance Advent Calendar is the ideal calendar for any girl who loves her perfumes. Although this is a fragrance calendar, it also offers some lip and nail products which is a great combination. The miniature versions of ghost's bestselling fragrances are both adorable and so handy, both for carrying around in your bag and for being able to sample different scents! The only downside - it's a 12 day calendar, so you need to be patient every other day (but if you also have a chocolate calendar on the side, that shouldn't be too much of a problem :) )

14. Tanya Burr Cosmetics (£25)

Tanya Burr's 12 days of Christmas Calendar has to be one of my favourite's this year, both for its super cute (and pastel) aesthetic as well as for the awesome products you get inside! I've tried several of Tanya Burr's products, including her lashes, lip glosses and nail polishes and can honestly say that they are of great quality! The price tag on this calendar is great - so be sure to get your hands on it before it sells out!

15. House of Fraser (£25)

This beauty advent calendar is filled with little treats from House of Fraser's own makeup brand 'Colour Couture'. Apart from having an extremely great price tag, this calendar contains a wide variety of makeup products, including lipsticks, eyeliners, lip glosses, nail polishes and more. Oh, and its super cute too!!

So, which one are you picking up this year?

I hope this post has made you as excited for Christmas as I am!

Love,

Lexie Rose May X

Kat Von D Lip & Eye Makeup: Review | Lexie Rose May

Hello, 

Hope you're all having a lovely Saturday.

Today's blog post is going to be a review on two particular Kat Von D products I purchased from Sephora. I've been a huge fan of the Kat Von D makeup range for a while now, and have been reading reviews of different products in order to make an informed decision of the products I really want. 

Apart from the Shade & Light Face Contour Palette (which was out of stock and which I'm still hoping to get my hands on), the two products that have had superb reviews and that really caught my eye were the Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks and the Tattoo Liners. 


EVERLASTING LIQUID LIPSTICK

Shade: Seeing as this was the first Kat Von D liquid lipstick I would be purchasing, I felt like I had to go for one of the Lolita shades (they are the best-sellers after all). I opted for Lolita II, which is a warm, rosy/coral shade and defined as being a "Terracotta nude". 

Colour Range: There are around 30 shades in this range, all of which are extremely trendy. Whilst the shades may not suit everybody, I think the range perfectly highlights the grunge theme of Kat Von D's beauty range. The shades that stood out to me, and which I'd love to try are "Bow N Arrow" and "Vampire". 

Packaging: First off, the packaging of this product is beautiful. It comes in a slim, black box with the words 'everlasting liquid lipstick' and the signature Kat Von D rose design in a silver foil effect all over the box. The liquid lipsticks are housed in a long, slim plastic tube, with a black matte handle (which is rather long itself, giving you a very good grip to apply the lipstick). Ongoing with the theme on the outer box, the black matte handle has a silver rose design, which continues onto the plastic tube in black. Overall, the packaging looks very high-end and sleek. 

Applicator/Wand: The applicator and wand of the liquid lipstick is long and thin, which makes applying the liquid lipstick slightly more difficult than it needs to be. But the applicator itself is very precise, giving you the ability to shape the lip easily and hit all the corners without any damage. 

Texture: Very creamy and quite liquidy, which makes you think that the colour will bleed but fear not; as soon as you as you apply, the colour locks into place 

Finish: Total matte finish, which I really like. Although being so matte, it does not feel drying or tacky on the lips and almost has a velvety feel (although, I wouldn't say its hydrating either). This lipstick does not budge for the first 4/5 hours (I've even tried eating and drinking with it, and it stays completely in place), however it does not last the 24hrs it says it should, so you may need to reapply a few times. 

Pigmentation: The product applies very evenly on the lips (as opposed to Kylie Lip Kit in Leo - a blog post about this will follow shortly), and the pigmentation is very opaque and true to the colour you see in the tube. 

Overall, I really loved this product and can't wait to get my hands on more of these liquid lipsticks. It was around $20, which in my opinion, is worth every cent. I do think that the colour-range is quite grungy, but if you're into having a bolder lip, this range is definitely for you.


TATTOO LINER

I've tried MANY liquid liners, ranging from high to low end brands, and this tattoo liner is hands down, the best I've ever tried. 

Colour: This liquid liner comes in black ("Trooper") and brown ("Mad Max Brown"). This is a bit restricted, as I wish there could be different shades to try (maybe a deep purple or a blue), but the dark colours correspond perfectly with Kat Von D's whole beauty range. 

Packaging: Similarly to the everlasting liquid lipstick, the tattoo liner comes in a black thin box with a silver foiled rose design printed all over, and the words 'Tattoo liner' written across the front. The liquid liner itself is a black marker-like pen, which is not too long, giving you good control to use. One thing I really like is that the lid of the pen clicks when closed, so you'll be sure to know that it is closed and won't dry out. However, do be careful that you're not rough when closing it, as it's easy for a hair from the applicator to get stuck (happened to me twice).

Applicator: Very thin, sleek brush applicator made of loads of synthetic hairs bunched together. The brush is thicker at the base and goes up into an extremely thin and sharp point, making it the perfect applicator for a precise winged liner. 

Pigmentation/Finish: The colour is extremely opaque, which is exactly what anyone wants when applying liquid liner. Sometimes I do find the need to go over some of it for a bit of a bolder finish, but more often than not, one application is more than enough. It's so easy to apply and dries in seconds. The formula is great and does not get dry at all. And my favourite part, it stays on for hours!! I have worn this countless times for whole days, and by the end of the day, you're still left with a dark liner (although maybe a bit messier by the end). 

Overall, my favourite liquid liner hands down! I feel like my winged liner has never been more on point thanks to this product, and I think it would take something pretty miraculous for me to find something I prefer to this. 


Have you tried any Kat Von D products? What are your thoughts?

Lexie Rose May 
X