Hello everyone! As promised, today I have the second part of my birthday haul for you (here's the first part, in case you missed it). There will be a third part coming sometime in May, which will be a clothing haul. However, right now I don't have a lot of time to set up a photo shoot with my friend like last time, so it will have to wait until uni is giving us some more time off, hopefully you can understand. Nevertheless, today's post is all about makeup and beauty related things I recently bought for my birthday. Although there's a lot of different brands featured in this post, I only shopped in two stores: Kiko and Maquillalia (a Spanish online store). I hope you enjoy this and don't hesitate to send me any questions or feedback!

Starting with Kiko, since it's where I bought less things, I got my hands on two lipsticks and a nail polish. Both the second lipstick and the nail polish were firsts for me, and the first lipstick is an old favourite line of mine, from which I decided to buy a new shade, perfect for spring.

So, for the lipsticks, I got the Smart Lipstick in the shade 903, which is a lovely pink shade that's just perfect for the warmer days. I also got my hands on Kiko's Velvet Mat Satin Lipstick in the shade 604, which is a very bold bright orange shade. If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I picked up the wrong shade for this lipstick, even though I swatched the right one in the store (me and my ditsy brain, sigh). Even though this shade is a lot brighter than the one I swatched (shade 605, in case you're wondering, which is a lot darker, closer to a red shade, even), I still managed to make good use out of this, so I don't regret buying it one bit!

Finally from Kiko, I also bought one of their nail lacquers, in the shade 503. Although I never bought any of these before, I was really impressed! I got this one on sale for only 1€, but they usually retail at 2,90€, which is honestly a fair price I'd pay for this little gem. It's incredibly long lasting, it stays looking glossy all week long and the colour payoff is out of this world. I'd definitely run to the store and buy some of these to try out if I were you!

Moving onto Maquillalia, it was the first time I ever ordered from that store, but I was very pleasantly surprised at how much variety they had. Plus, the shipping costs were a lot lower, since they're "right next door" to Portugal, and they took less than 36 hours to deliver this, which is mind blowing.

I finally got my hands on Batiste's Dry Shampoo, which I've been wanting for months now. At first I wanted to buy it through Asos, but they didn't ship it to Portugal. Maquillalia was a lifesaver when it came to this little gem that I can't wait to try out!

They also had Wet N Wild on the website, and I had heard such good things about this brand, that I had to buy some things, especially since they were on sale. I bought the Mega Last Lipstick in the shade Cherry Bomb, which is a gorgeous dark vampy red that would have been perfect for the colder days (thankfully, the weather is a bit iffy here in Portugal at the moment, so we still get some gloomy days every once in a while, where this baby will surely make an appearance). I also bought the Wild Shine Nail Colour in the shade Sunny Side Up. The lipstick was only 2,99€ and the nail polish was only 0,98, by the way, since they were both on sale. A bargain, right?

Finally, I bought some goodies from Makeup Revolution, a brand I've been longing to try out every since the whole blogging community started praising it a couple of months ago.

The Amazing Lengths Mascara in the shade Black Brown was more of an impulse buy, really, since it was on sale for only 98 cents. Plus, I really did need a softer mascara, and brown always helps make your lashes stand out without making it obvious that you're wearing mascara. I have yet to try this, but I hope it works as great as it looks!

I also couldn't resist buying one of their eyeshadow palettes, since they're all everyone seems to be raving about on the internet. I was stuck between the Flawless Matte and this one, the Beyond Flawless, but after reading a post from Magpie Jasmine comparing the two, I realised this was the right one for me. It has a lot of gorgeous, neutral shades to choose from, a couple of them matte but most of them are either shimmers or satins, to be honest, which is what I usually wear on an everyday basis.

As you can clearly tell by the amount of pictures I took, I am more than a little obsessed over this palette and you can bet I will be using it every single day until I pan out. In fact, this palette is so pretty, it just makes me want to buy every single one Makeup Revolution has to offer (which I might end up doing anyways as the year progresses).

Finally, Maquillalia was kind enough to not only send me a little pack of candy (which is empty in the picture because I ate it all before I got the chance to actually take the picture, oops) and also a little sample, all for free!

The sample is for a shower soap by a brand I never heard of, Ziaja. Since it's quite small, I ended up offering it to my mother as a second, belated, Mother's Day gift, which she gladly accepted. If she ends up liking it, I might even buy it later, since this brand is available on the website.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with all I got and I'm also really pleased with Maquillalia (I think I even prefer it to Asos, if we're being 100% honest). I'll definitely review quite a few of these products in the future, and if you have a favourite, don't hesitate to tell me in the comments!

Hello my loves! I'm sorry I didn't post anything yesterday, but I was busy visiting family and doing a little bit of last minute shopping for Easter. However, I couldn't leave you hanging until Monday, so I put together this little post showing you what I'm going to wear tomorrow during the family Easter lunch.

Personally, I tend to stick to the same makeup look whenever I go out. Yes, I change the blush or lipstick I wear, but it's mostly the same -- little bit of foundation, little bit of contouring, little bit of blush, lots of mascara and concealer, and a touch of lipstick. Still, when a special occasion like this comes along, I have to amp it up a little bit, am I right? So here's what I plan on wearing tomorrow. It's quite a simple look, perfect for a family gathering during the day, with just the right amount of drama to make it special, but not enough to make it a night time look.

I'm currently waiting for my Maybelline primer to arrive, so I decided to skip primer altogether, considering my Bourjois one isn't doing a good enough job. Skipping right onto foundation, I picked my trustworthy Healthy Mix Foundation from Bourjois in the shade 52. It gives me the right amount of coverage without looking cakey, plus it gives me a great dewy finish that I love for Spring.

For concealer, I picked Kiko's Full Coverage Concealer in the shade 01. Not only does it conceal most of my dark circles, but it also highlights my under eye area quite well. It doesn't work on blemishes though, not as well as I hoped, but thankfully my skin is having a pretty good week so I won't need that extra coverage.

To set everything and make sure I don't get too shiny throughout the day, I have the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder in the shade 52. I'm obsessing over this powder, it gives me the right amount of coverage even on a school day, where I tend to even skip foundation sometimes. Plus it doesn't leave you looking cakey, which I love.

To contour and overall warm up my complexion, I have H&M's Bronzing Powder in the shade Gorgeous Tan. I desperately need a new bronzer since you can see I'm hitting pan on this one. Still, this is a great bronzer for people on a budget. The only con is the terrible shade range, even if H&M has expanded it a tiny bit recently. Overall, it's a dream. Matt and light enough to not make it look like you got a dirty face, but strong enough to actually give you a proper contour.

As for highlighting, weirdly enough, I use H&M's Concealer in the shade White Sand. I first bought this thinking it would be a great low budget concealer, but the poor coverage disappointed me immediately. It doesn't cover anything, which is a pity since the concealer has a nice consistency and the shade, although too light for my skin tone, is perfect for highlighting. It's a matt finish though, so don't expect the glowing effect other highlighters provide. However, it does give you a nice little natural highlight, plus it's affordable.

For blush, I picked the Catrice Illuminating Blush in the shade I Am Nuts About You. Although it doesn't give you any sort of highlight (like I mentioned before in my everyday makeup post), it's a lovely shade that I specially love to use when I go a little heavier on the contouring and highlighting business.

For the brows, I'll simply fill them in with the darkest brown shade in the Essence Quattro Eyeshadow Quads in the number 05. Since I ran out of my clear brow gel, I won't set it, but I don't even think I need to any longer. It honestly doesn't make a difference in my makeup staying power.

For the eyes, I'll use Kiko's Smoky Look Eyeshadow Stick in the shade 04. It's a lovely brown shade that, once blended, looks quite natural. It does not blend as easily as I wished, but it's still a good product. I am hoping to buy Kiko's Cream Eyeshadows soon though, they seem to die for and I'm hoping they work better than this stick.

As for eyeliners, I'm going to use the Essence Long Lasting Eye Pencil in the shade 01 to tighline only on the mobile lid. I'll also use the shade 14 to tightline my waterline, since it's not as heavy as the black pencil. Plus the metallic moss green shade will look great on my hazel eyes.

For mascara, of course I'll be reaching for Maybelline's Lash Sensational Mascara. If you read my review on this (you can find it here), you know how much I love it, even if I struggled with the application a bit. I just can't stop using it, I even feel bad for neglecting all the other mascaras I own, but they just don't do the job as well as this one.

Finally, for the lips, I'll first use the Kiko Smart Lip Pencil in the shade 12 to line and fill my lips. This is a great lip liner, it doesn't transfer and it manages to stay on for quite a while too. Plus it doesn't dry my lips, which is a great bonus. Since the finish is matte, I decided to apply a nude gloss over it to lessen the dramatic effect of a matte lip. For that, I picked Essence's XXL Nude Lip Gloss in the shade 06. If you read my review of this (you can find it here), you know just how perfect this is, and for such a small price too! I definitely recommend it to everyone in the search of a nude lip gloss.

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed this and perhaps got some inspiration for your own makeup for tomorrow! Be sure to leave a comment down below telling me what you're going to do tomorrow and what your makeup will be like, I'd love to hear all about it. Also, don't forget to check out my Instagram tomorrow for pictures of my Easter OOTD and MOTD pics!

A couple of years ago, I was completely obsessed with lipglosses (mostly because I couldn't find a good lipstick formula for my very dry lips). Then Kiko came along and their Smart Lipsticks blew me away, so I neglected my love for lipglosses until recently. Since Spring is just around the corner, I decided it was time to invest in a good nude lipgloss, since they're perfect for the season (or any season, really). Of course, I turned to the best drugstore brand I know: Essence.

Now, a lot of you may not have the best impression of Essence, and I do admit some of their products are just a downright mess. However, you do have to shop for makeup with a little bit more caution when you do so at the drugstore. Unlike high end and luxury cosmetics, the drugstore promises an affordable price, not an A++ quality. If they did, there would be no point to ever buy luxury makeup, now would there? Hence why, in my many years of experience, I learned what I should and shouldn't splurge on - and Essence lip glosses are always worth a lot more than the price tag suggests.

I decided to try out their XXL Nude Lipgloss in the shade 06 'Soft Almond' (there's also a Matt edition, which I was curious to try out, but decided against it due to my dry lips). There was just something about the colour and the look of the consistency that made me fall in love at first sight - and the first application did not disappoint me either.

It claims to be a 'nude & shiny lipgloss, moisturising and non-sticky'. Not much else you can ask for, right? Especially when you find out it does exactly that!

It's definitely a nude colour, a brown toned pink that leaves a hint of colour to your lips. It will work perfectly on every skin tone, since all it does it even out the colour of your lips and add shine. Perfect for everyday or to complement an intense smokey eye for a night out.

Is it shiny? Hell yes. Mind you, it's not the kind of shiny that makes you cringe because it looks like your lips are greasy or that you will leave a stain if you kiss someone's cheek. This lipgloss leaves a really flattering shine, it makes your lips appear fuller than they really are. Definitely one of the best finishes I've seen around lately.

Does it moisturise? Definitely. I didn't really believe it when I read the description of the product, I just didn't see how a lipgloss could be that moisturising. Not dry out your lips? Sure. But certainly not moisturising. All I can say is that I was shocked at how smoother my lips were after half an hour of wearing this lip gloss! If you suffer from dry lips like I do, you should really give this a try. It will not stick to your dry patches and it will actually take care of your lips in the meantime.

And finally: is it really non-sticky? Sadly, this is the part that kind of let me down at first. When you first apply it, the lipgloss is definitely sticky. It was quite windy outside so my hair started clinging to my lips and I was so disappointed! Thankfully, after a few good minutes, I found that the formula had set, meaning it wasn't sticky at all. I had no problem with my hair sticking to my lips after that, but it is a bit of a pain in the ass if you're on a rush and have to go outside on a windy day. Still, it's a minor con next to a huge list of pros - I can definitely live with it.

Overall, for just under 3 euros, I don't think there's a better nude lipgloss out there. Whether you're on a budget or just the type who loves to save money on cosmetics, I'm sure you will fall in love with this product, just like I did!

Lately, I've been making an effort and waking up extra early to do my makeup before uni. As you all may know, I'm the lazy type, so I usually prefer to sleep in those extra 20 minutes instead of dolling myself up (and inevitably regret doing so every single time when I'm trying to apply mascara on the bus).

So I decided to put together a simple makeup look, probably not the most minimalist out there, but it has all the necessary steps that I need to feel confident in the way I look - which is all makeup is really about, when you think about it. For some of you, this makeup routine will be too much for everyday; for some, it will be too little, and that's totally ok! Makeup should fit your own personal preferences and goals, so if you feel like you need to add some steps to this makeup look or maybe even remove a few, go right ahead, make it your own. This is just to show you all what I like to do and sharing some of my favourite products overall, I hope you enjoy it!

I like to start by cleansing and moisturising my face (check this post to see what I use). Unlike most people, who start by applying their face makeup, I found that starting with the eyes ends up being a lot faster and cleaner, since you don't have the risk of fall out ruining your foundation and concealer.

I like to start by applying the Essence I Love Stage Eyeshadow Base to prime my eyelids. I actually don't recommend this primer, it doesn't stop the creasing at all - it actually tends to increase it, if anything. However, I do use it because it manages to bring out the colour of all my eye shadows in a way nothing else has ever done before. Honestly, that's the only reason why I keep using this, because it's so freaking amazing at making the colours pop.

Next, I usually sort out my eyebrows. Now, I'm not blessed with full eyebrows, but on an everyday basis, I prefer to not fill them in, only because it never looks natural on me. That's why I only comb them out and apply the Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara to make sure they stay in place all day long. This is a lovely product but sadly, since it's a clear gel, it tends to start looking a bit gross after a while (especially if you fill in your eyebrows with an eyeshadow like I tend to do). It's also a decent mascara, that I usually use on my bottom lashes, since it won't end up smudging.

After my eyebrows are done, the eyeshadow base has already dried, so I go in with the eyeshadow. I only use two colours from the Essence Sun Club Glamour To Go Eyeshadow Palette in the shade 02. The individual colours don't come with names or numbers, so I can only point out which ones I use. I start by applying the third colour from the bottom row all over my lid. This colour is a light brown with a very light shimmer, it looks amazing without looking too heavy for an everyday look. Then I take the second colour from the upper row, the pink shade, on a fluffy brush and apply it to my crease very lightly, blending it into the brown eyeshadow so there's absolutely no harsh lines between the two colours. This rose colour is one of my favourites to apply on the crease since it doesn't look too heavy, but it still manages to give me that soft smoked out look - not to mention it's a great colour to bring out the green in my eyes!

I then curl my eyelashes and finish the eyes off with the Catrice All Around Waterproof Mascara in the shade 10. This mascara is very affordable and actually really good. It won't budge, not even if you take a bath, but at the same time it's weirdly easy to take off with my micellar water. It doesn't give you incredible length or volume, but it does do a little bit of both and it holds your curl very well, so for me, it's an everyday winner.

Once that's done, I usually use the Bourjois Happy Light Base Serum (the Lumiére version, more suited for dry skin). Since I will be applying foundation, I like to use this primer to make sure my foundation lasts the whole day, plus it helps minimise my pores and I found it also helps my foundation go on a lot smoother. Sadly, it takes a total of three pumps a day of this stuff, which is a bit of a waste since the bottle isn't even that big, but it does work wonders, so I can't complain much.

Next, I like to conceal rather than applying my foundation straight away. For that, I use the Kiko Full Coverage Concealer in the shade 01. I only use this under my eyes to conceal my ridiculous dark circles, since this is a shade lighter than my skin tone, so it helps brighten up the whole under eye area. This concealer really does cover my dark circles very well, plus you only need the smallest amount to get the job done. Sadly, it also tends to crease a bit throughout the day, but it's nothing most people could tell by looking at your face, so don't worry. Just touch it up here and there whenever you go to the bathroom and you'll be good to go!

Next, comes the foundation, since I do tend to have a bit of redness on my face and a little bit of discolouration, so I prefer to have an even skin tone. Unlike some, I'm not looking for anything too full coverage, which is why I tend to lean towards foundations that give me a sheer/medium coverage, while also maintaining a natural glow. I've been switching back and forth between the Kiko Universal Fit Hydrating Foundation in the shade 05 and the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in the shade 52. These are two great alternatives for those of you with dry skin like me, since they both sit really nice on the skin without enhancing dry patches, as long as you moisturise properly before applying your foundation, of course.

Personally, I prefer Healthy Mix, since I find it matches my skin tone a lot better, plus it gives me a more dewy finish. I also really feel like it hydrates my skin, not to mention it lasts me around 8 to 10 hours. Sadly, Bourjois isn't as affordable here in Portugal as it is on the UK, for example, so this foundation is around 18€ - which isn't exactly pricey, but it's not as affordable as those glorious 10£ in the UK. Not to mention it's quite hard to find shades here in Portugal, since you can't order them at the store (this is the main reason why I got the Healthy Mix foundation instead of the serum, since my shade is sold out everywhere for months). So if you're like me and you get a bit annoyed at all of those inconveniences, you should give Kiko a try.

Now, I'm not claiming Kiko's foundation is a dupe to the Bourjois foundation - it is not, not even close. They have very different finishes (Kiko is a lot less dewy) and they also feel very different on the skin (Kiko feels a little bit tighter), not to mention Kiko has a different shade range. Not that it's a bad thing, they actually have more options if you don't like Healthy Mix's yellow undertone, since Kiko offers options for both pink and neutral undertones. Not to mention they even cater to dark skin girls, which is hard to find at an affordable price out here. Plus, it's only 5,90€, so it's such an affordable option that you can't really say no, now can you?

Next, I apply blusher. I usually tend to go for a very light blush, so it gives me a more natural finish. I usually go for the Essence Silky Touch Blush in shade 50, since it's such a great colour that looks great on most skin tones. Recently, I've also got my hands on the Catrice Illuminating Blush in the shade 10, so I had to include it in this post. I've only used it once so far, but I am happy with the results. I have to warn you, it's not as illuminating as it promises, since there's only a small amount of gold shimmer on the product that doesn't really highlight your cheekbones, not like MAC's Mineralize blushes, that's for sure. Still, it is a very nice colour and it does look gorgeous on the cheeks, so I'll keep giving it a try and see if it's a keeper.

It seems like ages since I wrote a post, you guys! Sadly, exam/project season has started for us, uni students, so I'm currently suffocating under a massive pile of homework, unfinished projects and exam revisions. The struggle is real guys, I fear I won't make it out alive. Never the less, I managed to come up with a quick post for you all, even if I currently don't have a functioning computer at home. This post is basically a summary of everything I hauled during the month of November. Most, if not everything, is very affordable, so hopefully something in here catches your eye, just in time for some last minute Christmas shopping! Also, I do apologise if the pictures look a bit too bright or with slightly different colours. The weather has been crappy lately and I only had time to take photos at 4PM, which was already far too dark, so I had to use flash and then brighten the images up on my computer so they actually look presentable. Now, without any more blabbing on my part, let's move onto all the stuff I bought!

First off, let's tackle everything I bought that is hair related. I didn't get the chance to buy much, sadly, but I did manage to buy some essentials. Starting off with that H&M hairbrush, it was only 2.99€, which I think is pretty cheap for a hairbrush, since all the others I could find were at least 5€. This was just one of those boring, yet essential, items to have with me, especially since my hair gets quite tangled, I also bought Bershka's gold metal ring elastic for just 3.99€. I've just been eyeing this for months now, so I had to get my hands on it before they all ran out during Christmas! It's just the perfect way to classen up a simple ponytail and make it a lot more eye catching and polished.

As for my nails, I decided to not go crazy and buy 7 different shades at once. Instead, I went for a classic red colour, which is perfect for both winter and the Christmas season. This particular nail polish is Essence's nº 113 "Do You Speak Love?". I absolutely adore Essence nail polishes, they have quite a good coverage and although they don't last a whole lot, they are very easy to apply and very affordable -- this one, like all others from Essence, was just 1.99€.

Ok, so I have to admit, November was just the month for me to splurge a bit of money on things I really wanted, which is why you see such a pricey item on the face portion of this post. You all know how much I wanted the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum (it was all I whined about in my latest posts) and unfortunately I couldn't get my hands on my shade, so I settled for the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation. Since I heard this was just as good, why not give it a try? I got it on sale, so although originally it's around 18.25€, I got it for only 14.60€. Not a huge difference, sure, but it still makes my conscience feel a tiny bit better. Since this isn't a review, I won't bore you with my thoughts on this foundation, though I will tell you I'm wearing it on a daily basis! And of course, if you guys would like to see a review of it, be sure to tell me through Twitter, Instagram or just by commenting down below.

I also got my hands on the H&M concealer in the shade 12 "White Sand", and it was around 4.99€, if I'm not mistaken. I was desperate for a concealer since I ran out of my last one, and I sort of regret buying this one. I did find a brand new use for it though, and it does that job perfectly, but I don't think this is that good of a concealer. Again, if you want a review on this, just ask!

Moving onto the eyes, I managed not to go overboard here, though I did find some great bargains! Starting off with that H&M eyeshadow brush, which was only 2.99€, it's amazing. I needed something like this for a long time, and this is the perfect brush because it allows me to smudge my eyeliner, while also using the other side on my crease to blend everything out.

From Essence, I bought their Long Lasting Eye Pencil in shade 01 "Black Fever". I'm actually repurchasing this bargain (it was only 1.89€), since I hit pan on my last one. I also bought the I Love Stage Eyeshadow Base, which is basically an eyeshadow primer, for 2.99€. I have to say, this is actually really good. It comes in one shade for all and although it doesn't stop my eyeshadow from creasing, it makes it last a lot longer and it also manages to make all the colours pop 100x more, it's ridiculous.

Finally, we have the lips! I found some great things at the high street brands and I had to share them with you. First, I bought the Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in the shade 16 "Brun Cosmopolitan", for only 15.90€. It's a lovely pink shade with brown undertones, perfect for the winter season. It's not too dark and not too light, plus it does not dry out your lips.

I also fell in love with Kiko's Smart Lip Pencils and they made me want to see what else Kiko has to offer. I bought these two for 1.92€ each, even though they're actually 2.50€, but I got them on a Black Friday sale. I got the shades 703 "Rosewood" and 712 "Rose Mauve". These lip liners are amazing and although there's some cons, I'm definitely needing more shades! Expect a review on these babies as soon as my exams are over.

And that was all I hauled during November! Sadly, there were no clothes purchased, but I'll make up for that on Christmas, I promise. As always, don't be afraid to leave a comment or to talk to me on Twitter or Instagram. I love you guys and I hope you enjoyed this post!

For today's post, I've decided to combine the last step to your eye makeup for back to school and also your eyebrows, all using the same product: eyeshadow! Now, I know some (or maybe most) of you prefer to use eyebrow pencils to do your brows but I've found it's much easier to use eyeshadow, since it will allow you to not overdo your eyebrows (unless you use a really dark colour or too much eyeshadow, of course, but it's usually easier to control).

If you're not one with the delicate touch needed to fill in your eyebrows with a pencil - like me - then you'll find a simple matte eyeshadow to be your best friend when it comes to grooming those eyebrows! Not to mention you can also use the eyeshadow for your eye look, unless you don't really feel comfortable wearing eyeshadow on a day to day basis.

So if you want to see what you'll need to make your eyebrows look great and your eyes to be the focus of your look, keep reading!

First, let's talk about eyeshadow! If you're like me and you're more into the natural look, then you know earth tones will look good on anyone, no matter what your eye colour is. They will help you bring some light and definition to your eyes, while also staying natural enough for school. Now, I suggest you buy trios or quads instead of single eye shadows, only because they will give you all the colours you need for a very reasonable price. Here's my three drugstore options and how you can style them:

Wet N Wild Eyeshadow Trio in Walking on Eggshells: you've probably heard great things about the Wet N Wild eyeshadow trios and this particular one is usually raved about by many beauty gurus on Youtube. It's just a great trio for an everyday look and you don't have to use all the colours if you're not comfortable with them, of course. If you want a very natural look, apply the eyelid colour on your eyelid only. If you want something a bit more complicated, try adding the crease colour to your crease, but be careful to not use too much, you don't want a very harsh look after all. And remember, the key to a great eye look is to blend that crease colour really well!

NYC's Long Beach Sands HD Eyeshadow Trio: this NYC trio is also a great option, very affordable and it has great colours too. If you want a very natural look only apply the third shade or the first shade on the eyelid, just to brighten up your eyes. If you want, you can also add the white shade to your brow bone and your inner corner to brighten up your eyes even more. If you want to add a little bit more depth, add the middle colour to the crease and blend, blend, blend!

Essence Quattro Eyeshadow in Over the Taupe: Now this is a quad I want to buy desperately. It has such nice colours that I can wear on a day to day basis and I know Essence's quads are really good since I have two of them (To Die For and Wood You Mind?). With this one, though, you can go for a really natural look and only use the lightest brown colour on your lid and add a bit of the white on your inner corner and brow bone if you feel like it. I think the brown colours are a bit dark for the crease for an everyday look, but they would look great if you want to go to a dressier event.

Now to the many ways you can use the eyeshadow and what extras you'll need to make it work. All the products are from the drugstore so they're very cheap and they are also very good, don't worry.

In case you want to use the eye shadows as simple eye shadows, you definitely need to prime your eyes first. Just like with your face, you need to prime your lids to make sure your eyeshadow doesn't crease or come off throughout the day (after all, who has the time to retouch their eyeshadow in the school bathroom?). In case you have greasier eyelids, a primer is a must and if you don't have them, a primer will still help your eyeshadow last longer. Don't worry, you don't have to spend a ridiculous amount of money on an expensive primer, not when the drugstore has great options!

ELF Mineral Eyeshadow Primer: the great thing about eyeshadow primers is that they don't have to match your skin tone because they'll be covered by your eyeshadow. You just need to find a formula that works for you. This primer blends nicely and it also goes on very smoothly, not to mention the packaging makes it easier to apply.

Essence I love stage Eyeshadow Base: you may have realised by now that I'm quite fond of Essence products. Not all, mind you, the foundations were a disaster for me, but I do find they do a lot of things right at an amazing price, so I tend to go there more often than not when I need something beauty related. This primer (or base, as they call it) does wonders and a lot of people have raved about it for a good reason. It helps a lot with eyelid discolouration, so it that's your case, you need to run and buy this ASAP.

In case you want to try and use your eyeshadow as a way to groom your eyebrows and fill them in, then make sure you buy a matte eyeshadow (the last thing you want is for your eyebrows to shimmer or sparkle) that matches the colour of your eyebrows. I found that when in doubt, you should go a shade lighter rather than a shade darker, since it won't be as noticeable. Finally, you'll need some clear gel to set the eyeshadow and give your eyebrows a more natural look and also a spoolie brush, that will help you apply the product.

Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara: I personally love this product and I use it a lot on my brows, pretty much everyday. You have to be careful though, since a little goes a long way and a lot makes your eyebrows crusty. Also, this has the perk of doubling as a clear mascara, which I find great for my bottom lashes, since it won't smudge and make me look like a raccoon!

Essence 2 in 1 Lash and Brow Comb: this is a new product that Essence will come out in the next month, I believe. Not only will it help you get rid of the clumps of your mascara but also help you comb your brows. Although I'm not a big fan of spoolies to apply the eyeshadow (I prefer something like this), I believe the spoolie will work just fine as well.

And that's the end of this post! This was the last post in my Back To School Makeup Essentials. I know I didn't mention the lips, but I believe that part depends strongly on people and their taste, not to mention literally anything (lipgloss, chapstick, lipstick, etc) would be appropriate for school if you feel comfortable wearing it. I hope you liked this post and, if you did, comment!

Hello! Today's post is all about your cheeks, so I'll be talking about blushers, bronzers and highlighters. Now, keep in mind all of these are optional since we are talking about school and what you wear really depends on your age and what you feel comfortable wearing. So if you feel like one of these isn't really your style, just skip that step, I'm sure you'll still look great in the end!

Essence Silky Touch Blush: now these happen to be my favourite affordable blushes out there. I have quite a few shades (my favourites being number 20 aka Babydoll and number 50 aka Sweetheart, which is sadly going to be discontinued). These blushers are super affordable, they're only 2.99 euros here in Portugal and they're quite pigmented. They're powder blushers, so I usually apply them with a big fluffy brush and I don't even need a lot to get the right amount of colour, while still making it look natural. It's a great choice overall, plus they're bringing in some pretty interesting shades for the Fall!

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush: for those of you who are more fond of cream blushers, Maybelline has this really nice option. They're cream blushers that have a powder finish, so you can apply them like cream blushers and when they're set, they won't look all shiny and glowy like regular cream blushes out there.

Revlon Cream Blush: if you're more into cream blushes, just go for the Revlon ones! They melt into the skin and give you a much more natural look than the powder ones. Plus they're perfect for those of you with drier skin, while powders would suit oilier skin types. This blush will give you that boost of colour while being lightweight and looking very natural.

H&M Bronzing Powder: this is the bronzer I actually use. The downside is that it only comes in two colours, so fair skinned ladies won't be very pleased, but I am. It's matte, light and you get a huge amount of product that will last you ages (I've had it for months and I haven't made a dent on it, really). If the colours available work on you, you have a great bronzer that will look really natural but it will also define your features, all for around 3.99 euros. However, if you're not happy with the colour selection, look at the options below for more!

Maybelline Fit Me Bronzer Pressed Powder: this bronzer comes with a brush that you can use for contouring, although I usually like to use a big fluffy brush, but it's personal choice, really. The colour selection is definitely better. This bronzer isn't very pigmented, so it's perfect if you're trying to get a very subtle look, but it may take you a little while until you get the right amount of product on your face, since you have to build it up. If you're looking for a natural contouring however, this is a great choice for a school look.

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder: this is definitely more pricey than the last two blushes I showed you. However, it's a really good choice if you have fair skin thanks to their lighter shades. They also have some great shades for the darker skinned girls, so it's worth the extra dollars/euros/whatever currency you use. Not to mention it's not tested on animals, so you can have a cleaner conscience when you use it.

Moving onto highlighters, I have to be honest, I don't use them on a daily basis (I barely use them, actually). However, if you do feel like you need or you want to highlight for the school day, I'd recommend going for a cream highlighter, since it will give you a more natural look. Also, use it wisely -- a little goes a long way -- since you do not want to look like a shining mess.

Nº7 Skin Illuminator: very affordable, don't get scared by the glitter. It may look like something a fairy princess would wear but if you use a small amount and blend it in well, you won't be able to notice. Instead, it will just give you a nice glow.

L'Oreal Magic Lumi Highlighter: although some seem to think this is a concealer, don't be mistaken, since it is not. It may look like one but it's actually a very nice highlighter. Don't put this on dark circles or imperfections, it will only highlight them and bring unwanted attention to them, which is certainly the opposite of what you want to do in that situation. If you use it right, you'll fall in love with this, although some people claim it's a bit pricey for how much product you get. It's personal choice, I believe.

Nyx Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator: this product hasn't been really used to its advantage and I feel like a lot of the negative reviews on the internet are thanks to improper use of the product. People claim it's too shimmery and it looks like makeup for an 11 year old girl, but all you need to go is use it properly. If you want to use this as a highlighter, try mixing it with a bit of your foundation to take away some of the shimmer. However, I feel like this can be used for a great cream eyeshadow, especially Gleam! So it's still a good product for a good price, you just have to be a bit inventive on how to use it for your day to day life.

And that's all I have for today! I'm sorry if some of the choices for highlighters weren't the best, I really never used it (maybe once for a wedding) so it's not my area of expertize, but I mainly went from what I heard from reviews online and then added my own common knowledge of makeup in general. Hopefully, you learned something useful in this post and I'll see you on the next post where the focus will be entirely on the eyes!