Treat Yo'Self! 5 Affordable Gifts To Buy Yourself This Valentine's Day

Whether you are looking forward to it, dreading it or couldn't care less, there's no avoiding the fact that Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Corny cards are on shelves, roses are being fully stocked and beauty launches are aligning themselves with the most romantic day of the year. Although I love the thought of putting some time aside for your loved one and having the excuse to have a proper date night (you can check out my top date ideas here), Valentine's Day itself is a bit of a commercial gimmick. That said, I can't help buying into this trend; the pretty, pink, sweet beauty ranges are right up my street and too irresistible to walk by. So, why not use it as an excuse to show yourself some love. You're amazing and we all need treats every now and again! Here's my pick of the lovely Valentine's themed beauty launches that are all under £6; there's no reason not to treat yourself with these!

Getting Festive! Christmas Gift Ideas For Beauty Lovers (For All Budgets)

It's that time of the year: festive songs are being played in shops, mince pies are being stocked in supermarkets, and your thoughts turn to the dreaded task of Christmas shopping. It's a part of Christmas that most people dread, but not me- I'm one of those weirdos that start their planning their Christmas shopping in September! Having written endless plans and lists of potential gift ideas for relatives (organisation is key in such a tremendous task), I thought I would do the job for you and compile a list of the best beauty buys that have started arriving in stores for Christmas. Whether they serve as Christmas gifts ideas for family, friends, or a little treat to yourself (go on, you deserve it), here are some of the best beauty gift sets available these holidays for all budgets.

Trichotillomania: Drawing Eyebrows On From Scratch (And The Best Products To Use)

Not having eyebrows is hard work. Having to set your alarm half an hour early every morning just to set time aside for drawing them on is incredibly irritating (I'd much rather have the time in bed). Not only is it time-consuming- especially if they refuse to go right first time-, but it is disheartening, tedious and bloody difficult. Having to guess your natural shape and try and make them look like you haven't drawn them on with a sharpie is such hard work, and a task I'm still getting my head around despite having been stuck in this routine for about 5 or 6 years. This post is all about the best ways to draw your brows on naturally; from shape, to products and techniques, this is your bumper guide to trichotillomania brows.

Old Treasure: 3 MORE Products I've Rediscovered And Am Loving

Last week, I wrote a post about some products I had dug out whilst having a beauty sort out. They were old favourites of mine that had gotten lost amidst the sea of new purchases, and had been sitting all lonely on the back of the shelf. Well, it turns out there were quite a few treasures I had totally forgotten about, so here are three more products that I've recently fallen in love with all over again...(I have so many I could make this a new feature!)

Amazing AND Affordable: Barry M's Glitterati Nail Varnish Range

Who doesn't love having a bit of glitter and sparkle in their lives?! Barry M is a make-up brand that has a reputation of being cheap and cheerful, offering a range of decent quality products for a lower price than a Starbucks coffee. Despite the popularity of their contour kits and lipsticks, it is the HUGE range of nail varnishes for which ol' Barry is most famous for. They were always the first high-street brand to release the latest nail art trend, capitalising on the growing demand for 'effect' nail varnishes. Still as popular as a few years ago, the brand remains innovative and these Glitterati polishes are just another drop in Barry M's ocean of swoon-worthiness.

3 Must-Have Lip Balms To Help You Through Winter (Which All Cost Under £4!)

The colder months wreak havok with our skin; extra moisture is needed in order to prevent it from drying out. Your face might feel tighter, your hands cracked, and your lips chapped. Winter is a known curse for lipstick lovers, but these three balms might prove to be life-saving as Britain freezes over. Here are the beauty balms I swear by...

Long Luscious Lashes: Barry M Showgirl Lengthening Mascara

Who else scrolls through close-up photos on beauty blogs and Instagram finding themselves the victim of lash envy? I can guarantee naturally long lashes are on the top of everyone's beauty wish-list, hence why the industry is booming with promises of brand new mascaras which will give you extra volume and length. Most do a fairly good job, but all have their flaws. While I'm not saying the Barry M Showgirl mascara is perfect, it's pretty bloody fab at creating the illusion of naturally long lashes.

SWATCHES: Barry M Cor Balmy

I must admit, I was desperate to try out Barry M's new Cor Balmy range after seeing gazillions of bloggers post about them. Many other brands have attempted to release tinted lip balms with (in my opinion) little success. The products themselves look like they promise a huge punch of colour from the outside, but when applied, the moisture element takes over and the tint is left behind. However, these Barry M balms are something else, and I was left really impressed by the budget brand.

Barry M: Touch of Magic

In the world of beauty, finding the perfect shade of lipstick to match your skin tone is quite a hassle. Whether it's too bright a pink or too dark a red, a lot of precious time and money is eaten away due to the trial and error of finding a colour that suits you.