Hi guys.

I’m going to be straight with you, because I know I haven’t blogged in FOREVER.

2014 has been an awful, honest-to-god disaster of a year. In some ways, it has been my family’s annus horribilis (if it’s good enough for the Queen, it’s good enough for us). I don’t want to go into too much of it here, but safe to say I am so, so ready for the next year. It’s going to bring some big changes but I’m ready for them and- hopefully, touch wood etc etc- nothing can be as bad as this year has been.

However, this year has also had some awesome point, such as when I found out that I did, in fact, pass my Masters Degree with a Merit; I have started the application process for teacher training (Primary School, if you’re interested) and currently hold one offer and one ‘we will probably interview you in January’ thing; and most excitingly, I met my boyfriend. Not to be too mushy, but I can honestly say meeting him changed a shit year into something better. To have a realistic, non-romantic head on, I have no idea what’s round the next corner but I treasure every second I get to spend with him.

Aaaaaanyway- Blog! My blog has taken a bit of a back-burner again and I’m sorry. Despite the fact that the past term at work has been super busy and I don’t think there’s a month where I haven’t been doing overtime, I didn’t intend for it to get like that- again! I don’t know what’s wrong with me and why I have this off-again on-again pattern of a few months when it comes to blogging but I have every intention to blog at least a couple of times a week from now on in. It’s one of my resolutions; oh, and expect a cheesy resolution post tomorrow!

But, to prove that I do still love you, my dear readers, here are a couple of photos of some makeups what I have did.

This was my Christmas day makeup. I finally bought MAC’s Russian Red lipstick during my annual Manchester shopping trip with my mum (can anyone say Christmas Markets!?) and it is amazing. I also got a little sample pot filled with Studio Fix Fluid foundation (turns out I’m ridick pale and need NW10-15) which I’m using here and had been using inbetween the trip and Christmas day but I’m pretty sure it made me break out which is super disappointing. Also, I couldn’t really work with it properly and it always looked a bit cakey, not to mention the coverage wasn’t quite what I was after. So all around foundation disappointment. I am however nearing completion of my MAC shadow palette so expect a post on that soon! I’m not wearing MAC shadows here, I’m wearing all three shades from one of MUA’s new Metallic Luxe palettes in Alchemy, some really warm golden shades that were perfect for the festive season. I’m also wearing Lancome Hypnose Star mascara, my go-to (and maybe HG material) liner from Soap and Glory, Maybelline BrowDrama and my favourite blusher, Lover by Illamasqua. I’ve seriously not worn another blusher since I got this. It’s amazing.

Also you can just about see my Christmas present from the boyfriend, a gorgeous silver necklace. It’s so beautiful!

I’m sorry for the state of my makeup in this photo, this was taken after I got back and realised all the shots of before had even worse lighting in them than in this! I went to the theatre with my mum to see the Pantomime, and we both decided we’d get some food first so dressed up a little. I’m wearing Estee Lauder Double Wear in 1N1 Ivory Nude. I was recommended this by a friend and after the MAC foundation I tried was so disappointing decided I’d go and get colour matched at the counter in Boots one day. The lady was very friendly and helpful and had no problem whatsoever with giving me a 10-day sample so I could try it out before I took the (nearly £30!) plunge. She totally understood where I was coming from when I explained that my skin can be a bit temperamental with foundation! So far though I am very impressed and I think I will be making the purchase! It’s only a fiver more expensive than my Benefit ‘good skin day’ Oxygen Wow foundation so it’s not as bad as it could be. The lipstick is MAC Angel, which I had originally given to my mum for Christmas. I thought it’d be right up her street- a creamy pink nude with a frost finish- but she decided it was too dark (WHAT!?) for her so we did a swap- Myth for Angel!

I’m also wearing my current usual line up of products (Soap & Glory Supercat liner, Maybelline BrowDrama, MUA Luxe Power Brow, Illamasqua blusher in Lover, Maybelline Volum’ Express MegaPlush mascara and Soap & Glory Some Kinda Blot powder) as well as a few newbies. Two of my newest additions to my MAC palette (Knight Divine and Typographic- Typo is so much better than Carbon imo), B.Sculpted contour kit in Light (just the powder, not the highlighter) and an I Heart Makeup All Day and Night liner. Fixed in place with a couple of sprays of Urban Decay De-Slick I’m actually quite impressed with how it all held up. I had to re-powder my nose as I always do after about three hours of wear but apart from that, the foundation lasted really well and I had to do slight touch ups of the liner.

So that’s two faces of make up for you to look at. I do have a few beauty posts coming up (a review of my MAC lipsticks, 2014 favourites, an overview of my top 10 red lipsticks from my collection and my new skincare routine) as well as others, so please do stick around.

I promise I’ll stick around this time too.