MY HOLY GRAIL MASCARA

Mascara is one of those make-up products that I haven't always gotten along with. Throughout my teenage years I pretty much dubbed it useless when used on my short straight Asian lashes. I didn't bother with it on a daily basis, and the only thing it added was time; the extra time it took to remove my make-up.

When I discovered the world of make-up and beauty videos on YouTube about 2 years ago, I started trying out mascaras again and, just the same as last time they didn't really do anything for me. But this time, I persevered. Throw in my discovery of the lash curler and things started to change. I think I tried the infamous "The Falsies" before this one, and even partially convinced myself that I liked it after rave reviews from every YouTuber I watched, but again it was pretty much a waste of time. I have a mix of Ingrid (missglamorazzi) and Megan (from Megan and Liz) for introducing me to this beauty.

Maybelline The Rocket Volume Express Waterproof Mascara.

This definitely comes under the "game changer" title. I dabble with other mascaras pretty frequently (and have even included some in previous monthly favourites) in the hope that something will challenge, but I have never found another mascara that holds a candle to this one; and that's including high end. The waterproof formula is a godsend. I was always in denial about the difference waterproof formulas make until fairly recently, but not anymore. Now I can say that the extra time it takes to remove is worth it.

This is the only mascara I have ever used that gives me so much control. It lengthens, separates, adds volume, never clumps and most importantly creates and holds a curl. The brush seems a little strange at first but the small spikes help to make sure every lash is coated.

For my lashes, this is the best in the business. I will be repurchasing and repurchasing. It's gotten to the point that I try out other mascaras and when they don't work I just layer them over this one to use them up. This epitomises the idea of holy grail for me. It's the best. Good thing it's only £7.99.

Do you have a favourite mascara? If so, what is it and why do you love it so much?

Maybelline The Rocket Volume Express Waterproof Mascara here, £7.99 

A SIMPLIFIED TRAVEL SKINCARE ROUTINE

When it comes to travelling, it's pretty much inevitable that they'll have to be at least some downsizing in the way of skincare. On a recent weekend away, I narrowed things down from the more extensive routine I apply when in the comfort of my own bathroom. These easy to use products that don't require any extra bits such as cloths or cotton pads made my trip that much more enjoyable keeping my skin feeling clean and fresh. Oh and just a tip; going away is the perfect time to crack out that stash of samples, put them to good use, and save on some space.

As a make-up remover, I opted for The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil which removes even stubborn waterproof make-up and can just be done over the sink sans a cloth. You simply take some oil in your hands and then rub it straight onto your dry face and across the eyes and lips and rinse off with water. This stuff is a staple in my usual routine and makes removing make-up a breeze. I squirted a few pumps into this travel-size container which is also perfect to take on any flights. I picked mine up in a pack from Poundland and I'm sure you can pick them up easily online too.

Next up to cleanse the face, it's my holy grail Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser. This is especially good for travelling as you can purchase small travel size tubes easily on their website. Using this as an extra cleanse is an essential step for me. Even though 'cloth' is included in the name you can again just use water and your hands to remove the cream easily, especially when you're only using the product to remove make-up residue and cleanse.

Instead of the usual toner and cotton pad, I swapped this step out for the L'Occitane Divine Lotion which is nothing short of divine. Doing a similar job to the Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair, this product sinks effortlessly into the skin keeping it hydrated and feeling super luxurious. This is one of my all time favourite skincare products. I received this sample size in a beauty box back in March and have barely scratched the surface. A little goes a long way.

Finally, we come to the last two steps in this travel skincare routine. On a previous trip away, I forgot my eye cream and realised how essential of a step it really is. Eye creams are usually pretty small anyway, but I have chosen my sample of Benefit It's Potent which is even smaller. I've had a few samples of this particular cream and have always enjoyed it, but you can just use whatever you have.

For my face moisturiser I have used another container from the same £1 set and found it easier to just take one do-it-all cream which works for daytime and night-time instead of the usual two. The set does come with two of these tiny pots though so the option is there. My choice is the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser, which can also be easily purchased in a small sample size and comes in two formluas; one for normal/combination skin and another for more dry/sensitive complexions. I used this moisturiser religiously for a few years so it's an old favourite. It's a great all rounder so perfect if you're just sticking to one cream.

So, that's my scaled down skincare routine which is perfect for travelling. There are still quite a few steps but skincare is important, even when you're on holiday!

THE BEST TIME TO SUBSCRIBE TO GLOSSYBOX

Although I love the idea of a nice surprise each month when my Glossybox comes through the post, I can never quite stop myself checking their website every other day for spoilers (if I don't see it on Facebook or Twitter first). This time I'm going one step further and passing on the news.

If you were on the fence about trying Glossybox, the August box seems like the perfect time to get involved. Not only is there a guaranteed box worth of at least £33 when you only pay a tenner, but they're also including a bonus sixth product. You can purchase a monthly rolling subscription which can be cancelled at any time. But one might be all you need to get hooked.

If you want to see what I've received in previous boxes, then check out this YouTube playlist.

Sign up to Glossybox here, £10/month

TEEN WOLF LYDIA MAKE-UP TUTORIAL

I have been admiring Lydia's make-up for the past few episodes and thought I would try to re-create one of her make-up looks. Hopefully I did it justice!

A PICNIC IN THE PARK WITH ANNA & LILY

If you've never heard of Viviannadoesmakeup and Lily Pebbles, then you're in the wrong place. These two are pretty much my biggest inspirations, especially when it's comes to beauty blogging. I absolutely adore both of their blogs and read them every day. I love the way they are so normal and approachable and their writing styles have influenced the way I've shaped my blog. Basically, I love them.

They had a meet up on Sunday, and I was able to go and spend a sunny Sunday afternoon with a picnic in the park. I was a bit nervous to fly solo but thought I'd regret it if I didn't. I had such a good afternoon, and ended up meeting so many lovely girls. Nattering on about make-up and YouTube for hours is definitely one of my favourite past-times so I was in my element. Lily and Anna were so so nice and chatted to everyone. A huge queue formed (as it often does in Britain) and they spent hours on their feet taking pictures with everyone there. Over the course of about 4 hours there must have been a few hundred people that came and went.

I, of course, had to get a cheeky selfie with their two boys who you may have seen in the "weekly vlogs" that they both post ... weekly and chatted to them both for quite a while just about boring things like uni and jobs (ha). Mark has the best selfie arm; this was taken with my hefty DSLR. What a man. I have to admit, I've become a bit of a fan of the both of them in recent weeks. They're pretty cool. And the way they vlog, you have to watch it. Just watch it. Entertainment all round.

Once the crowd had died down and only a few were left, we got a bit of quality time with Lily and Anna where they could just chill a little and we chatted a bit about running with Anna, and how the next meet up should just be a huge game of rounders with Lily. I would be so up for that. All in all, it was such a good day and definitely the most chilled out and awesome meet up I've ever been to (I have met my fair share of YouTubers/celebs in the past... maybe I'll share in a future post). One of my favourite things was that Anna and Lily's awesomeness definitely shows in their viewers. Everyone I spoke to and met were so friendly and welcoming.

Okay, gushing over. I'll just leave you with a couple more selfies. If you ever get the chance to meet these girls, do it. I promise you won't regret it. I definitely didn't. #babes

JULY 2014 FAVOURITES

I've always struggled to narrow my monthly favourites down, but it's a miracle because this month I've only got a few! It's a bit of a mixed bag this time around with less make-up (than usual) and more skincare. If you want to know what I've been loving this month, the video's waiting...

GLOSSYBOX UK - JULY 2014

This month's Glossybox was "Stars and Stripes" themed and I'm in love with the box designed to imitate the American flag. The box was full of beauty goodies from across the pond; let's break it down.

• BELLÁPIERRE Mineral Lipstick in Ruby | £20

I own a couple of Bellápierre mineral pigments (from previous boxes) which are gorgeous so I'm always happy to receive more items from the brand, and it's great to support natural products. I haven't purchased any on my own mostly due to the hefty price tag. This lipstick retails for £20 so even more than MAC and other high end brands; a tad expensive to purchase often but great in a £10 beauty subscription. This lipstick is a gorgeous red; I'm yet to test it out much but am happy to add it to the few red lipsticks I already own.

• ABSOLUTE New York Perfecting Eyeshadow Primer | $4.99

After a little testing, this is my favourite product I've received this month. I've been contemplating trying out a different eyeshadow primer, after relying on my NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (which I love and would recommend) for so long, and this one surpassed all expectations. It seems that pretty much everything tends to crease on my lids far quicker than anyone else, so when this primer continued to perform after an initial success I was over the moon. I apply quite a bit over each eyelid and blend it out with my finger. I give it a bit of time to dry and then go in with whatever shadow I choose that day. I've been using this every day since I got it and I'm in love. It works just as well, if not better, than the NARS counterpart. The only problem is that I don't think it'll be particularly easy to repurchase in the UK as it is an American product. It's slightly baffling to me that Glossybox would include a product that can't be easily purchased/shipped to the UK in a UK box. They suggest nicka.com which doesn't seem to ship internationally. However, if you're in the US I would highly recommend picking this eyeshadow primer up at a bargain of $4.99!

• CARMEX Lip Balm | £2.69

I wasn't particularly excited about this as I own a lot of lip balms and this is a pretty cheap one from the drugstore, but I've actually really been enjoying this. A few years back, I relied heavily on a cherry tube of Carmex as pretty much my only lip product and this little pot has reminded me why I loved it so much. The balm immediately moisturises the lips and, more importantly, leaves them feeling moisturised way after you apply the product. It induces a slightly tingly feeling which I am personally a fan of. I've been reaching for this over my other lip balms and Chapsticks every day, even before I go to bed.

• COLOR CLUB Glossy Seal Nail Polish | $8

I haven't tried this product out yet, but the sample size of 15ml is amazing. This is a big polish. The colour stands out next to my more conservative nudes, but it is a gorgeous shade. It might work well on the toes or maybe I'll get adventurous one day and try it on the fingers. I've tried one other polish from this brand before and remember liking the formula, and I love that this colour was formulated exclusively for Glossybox; it's always nice to feel special!

• TARTE lights, camera, lashes Mascara | £19.50 for 7ml

My first tarte product! I was pretty excited to see this when I opened the box. I've obviously heard tons and tons about the tarte brand so I was excited to finally get my hands on something from the range. This was the only sample size amongst the products, and honestly sample size mascaras tend to last almost as long as a full size. I've tried this mascara out a few times and it's pretty good although I think I'd prefer the waterproof version as I'm fairly picky with mascaras and this struggles to hold my curl. The mascara does give lots of volume and there's no clumping in sight; I've seen nothing but raves from other YouTubers/bloggers so definitely give it a go if you get the chance. Now, I need to get my hands on the blushers and foundations!

If you want full size make-up products then Glossybox is the way to go! They promised us 3 or 4 full size items in this month's box and did not disappoint. Four full size items; could you ask for more? I hardly ever find myself disappointed with a Glossybox and you definitely get more for your money with this subscription.

Approximate box worth - £40 (wow!)

Sign up to Glossybox here, £10/month