Remember when I made a post about ordering stuff from Asos (this one here)? Well, they finally arrived this Thursday, along with a Zoeva brush I ordered from a Kitchen Makeup in Lisbon, so I decided to show you all in this little birthday haul post! My birthday isn't until the 26th, so I can't actually start using any of these until then (my mum has taken them hostage and won't let me have them until then) but I decided to show them anyways. I already had the chance to try them all out at least once though, so I can definitely give you a first impression. Also, if my background happens to change colour in every pic, it's mostly because I was using natural lighting on a cloudy day to take these.

Starting with the Monki pouch that I ordered from Asos, I'm absolutely in love with it. It's the perfect size to hold everything I got and then some, which means it will be perfect to carry all my makeup when I go to uni. Plus it's excellent quality, as far as I could tell. I definitely recommend it.

As for the Zoeva brush, I got the 107 Powder Polish. Although it's meant to be a powder brush, I used it to apply liquid foundation and it blended everything like a dream. I never took so little time applying my foundation, nor has it ever looked that good. I honestly fell in love with this brush at first use, even if I one or two little hairs fell out in the process - nothing major though, it doesn't actually have a negative impact considering how amazing the brush is. Plus it comes on a cute little pouch, which is perfect in case you need to travel. This was only 19,90€, which is more than Zoeva brushes usually cost, but IVA is a pain in my ass.

I also got the Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer and the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Fatigue Blur from Asos, and I'm quite happy with both. The concealer is great, very yellow though, so I don't know if it would work on other undertones. It does a great job covering my dark circles and even does a decent job covering blemishes, plus it doesn't cling to dry patches.

As for the primer, it's not a holy grail primer, not by a long shot, but it's pretty good for the price and the amount of product you get (Bourjois' Happy Light Serum has less and the price is almost the double of this, for example). I only apply it anywhere I have redness and on my dark circles, since I found it helps make them less obvious. It doesn't make my makeup last any longer, but it does hydrate, which is good for my dry skin. Overall, I really like it, but the nail polish smell it has really threw me off at first. I still used it and it was good, but gosh, that smell. It was enough to make someone pass out, I swear.

Finally, we have the last thing I ordered from Asos, the Rimmel Lasting Finish 25hr Nude in the shade 100. You guys... this has to be my favourite thing in the world right now. The Zoeva brush is great, don't get me wrong, and it definitely plays a part in how much I love this foundations, but this is seriously my holy grail foundation. Not only does it give a good amount of coverage (not full, but not light either - although I don't quite think it's medium as it claims; more like a light-medium coverage), but it also stays on all day. And I have actually tested out if it lasted 25 hours - I would never actually wear my foundation for 25 hours straight, but I fell asleep with my makeup still on, oops. The next morning, when I took my makeup off with the Garnier Micellar Water, some foundation was still on my face. Yes, not a whole lot, but enough to give you a light coverage. And mind you, I wore this on a hot day, while I was out shopping with a comfy sweater that soon turned into my personal hell because it was easily 28 degrees. Not only did I not get shiny throughout that whole ordeal (and believe me, I sweat enough to be shiny) yet this foundation managed to keep me matte-ish all day long.

Now, I don't want to give you guys a full review (I will do that in another post), but seriously, go and buy this. You will not regret it - in fact, you might just cry tears of joy when you first put it on. You're welcome.

And that's all I have for today! Sorry the post came on a Saturday instead of a Friday, I was super busy with exams and college is just... ugh. But let me know in the comments what you think about these products and if you have tried any of them yet!

I'm so sorry I disappeared for the last week or so! Life got really messy and I had to take a little break from blogging to sort some things out, but I am oficially back! And there's no better way to get started than to share with you what I just ordered from Asos!

I'm turning twenty at the end of April, which seems like a very long time from now, I know! Still, I decided to buy most of my presents online and order them in time to open them on my birthday, and I had to share it with you guys as soon as I hit the little 'buy' button!

Now, since it's my first time ordering from Asos, I've decided to keep things simple and safe, so I went for mostly makeup, as you can clearly see. I did have my eye on a few clothing items but decided not to risk it right away. The sizes they use are different from the sizes here in Portugal, plus I'm not sure if Asos clothing is true to size. Buying a lot of makeup I couldn't find for sale here in Portugal seemed like the perfect idea (or in the case of some of these products, they're more expensive here or always sold out).

Starting from left to right, we have the Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Fatigue Blur in the shade Warm Apricot (find it here). It's currently 10.94€ and it's not available in Portuguese stores. This is basically a primer that helps get rid of redness and dark circles, while also bringing some light into a dull complexion, which fits right into the description of my college girl skin. Plus the reviews on this are amazing, so I can't wait to try it out.

Next, we have the Rimmel London Lasting Finish Nude Foundation in the shade Ivory (find it here). It's currently 10.94€ and not available in Portuguese stores. I've heard so many good things about this foundation, but what really sold me was hearing viviannadoesmakeup praising it so much in her blog and youtube channel. I'm really excited to try this out, especially now that Spring has arrived and I feel like I don't need Healthy Mix's bigger coverage all the time.

I've also ordered the Bourjois Healthy Mix Radiance & Anti-Fatigue Concealer in the shade Light (find it here). It was also 10.94€ - this seems to be a reaccuring theme for me in this post - and although it's available in Portugal in some stores, it's a bit pricier and a lot harder to find your shade (like all of Bourjois' products, actually, but that's the subject for a whole other post). I was in dire need of a concealer that could cover both my dark circles and blemishes, without looking cakey: in comes Fleur De Force and her Top 10 Under £10 video focusing on concealers. She praised this one a lot, claiming it could do the job perfectly, so I had to get my hands on it while I could. Hopefully it's as good as people claim.

Finally, we have the only non-make up item I ordered: Monki's Casja Pouch in Panda Print (find it here). It was only 6.85€, the cheapest of all the things I bought. Sadly, Monki isn't for sale in Portugal, so I couldn't find this anywhere else. The reason why I ordered this was mostly because I needed a small pouch to put all my makeup in for school and whatnot. This little bag will do perfectly, it's very slim and perfect to carry only the essentials. Its small size will also help me not overpack it, which is something I'm likely to do every single time.

And that's all I ordered from Asos today! Of course, I also plan on buying some clothes here in Portugal, but I'll be sure to make a "What I got for my birthday" post as soon as I can, so you can see all I got. Not to mention I plan on reviewing most of these makeup products. This is all I have for today, but don't forget to comment down below telling me your thoughts on this little shopping trip of mine and maybe recommend more stuff for me to buy?

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!

Bourjois Happy Light Base Serum Matte/Lumiére: this primer is somewhat pricey (it's around 18 euros here in Portugal) but like the Bourjois products I showed in my last post, they do come with their perks that are worth spending a bit more on. There's 2 versions: the matte one, for those of you with oilier skin; and the lumiére version, for everyone else. They both give your skin a great glow, without making it look shiny or oily (and the matte version helps you control your oiliness throughout the day!). Plus they only have one colour that fits everybody, so you don't have to worry about shades. I'm actually considering buying the lumiére version for back to school, although the bottle seems a bit small in person.

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser: now you all may be familiar with Maybelline's Baby Lips, my personal favourite, and you know it's a great product. Maybelline came out with this primer from the same line, promising to visibly blur your pores, giving you the impression of softer skin. Who doesn't want that? It's also very affordable, so you can totally buy it without regretting how much money you spent on it.

Revlon PhotoReady Perfecting Primer: this primer is formulated with photochromatic pigments, which diffuse light to minimise flaws and also helps brighten your skin. It's also very lightweight, while it also helps your foundation last longer. Although I never tried it, I've heard quite a few people rave about this so I'd give it a try.

Rimmel Stay Matte Primer: this primer works on all skin types, controls shine, mattifies, and it never feels dry on your skin. It's the perfect choice for the girls with oilier skin, since it truly caters to your needs and it's also quite affordable.

Maybelline Cover Stick: this concealer is great for blemishes, more so than dark circles, but it will also help with those. There's also a green version, that will help with the redness in your face. I used to have one of those but from Essence and it was pretty good, it gives you a lot of product and it's quite easy to apply with your fingers.

Sonia Kashuk's Liquid Light Concealer: this particular concealer is great for under eyes and any dark spots in general. It's quite affordable and you can also apply it with your fingers (remember to use your ring finger, it's the one with the lightest touch and it will help you be careful when touching such a sensitive area).

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser: you've probably seen quite a lot of youtubers using this concealer and they're right to do so, because it's very affordable, especially when it's great for dark circles -- not to mention it helps with the puffiness under your eyes. It also helps to brighten up that area, making you look more awake.

TIP: Always pick a concealer that's one shade lighter than your skin tone. Use that concealer under your eyes so it makes you look more awake and ready to face a boring day of school. If you're going for a concealer just to hide blemishes, go with your usual shade of foundation, since a lighter shade will bring unwanted attention to your blemishes.

And that's all for today! I hope you guys enjoyed this and if you found it helpful in anyway, leave a comment down below, it really helps me to know if I'm helping you out. Feel free to leave feedback and suggestions for future posts and I'll see you soon on my next makeup essentials post!

To start off my back to school series, I've decided to tell you all about my makeup essentials! I'll divide it into different categories since it'd be a ridiculously long post otherwise, plus I'll be talking about things that work on everyone, not just for my skin type/colour. I hope you all enjoy it and, as always, feel free to leave any suggestions or requests down below!

When I first thought about my makeup essentials for school time, I knew foundation was a must have. I totally understand that for some of you it may not even be an essential, especially for everyday wear, but as a college student, I feel like a lightweight foundation gives my skin that even complexion that I so desperately need. Of course, if you're reading this and you feel like you don't want to wear foundation everyday, you can just skip it or even go for a BB cream if you prefer those! I personally don't like any of the BB creams I've tried and I can't really afford the more expensive ones (again, I'm in college, I often find myself not being able to afford anything), so I just go for a good lightweight foundation for my skin type.

Talking about skin types, I should tell you all a little bit about mine so you know what works for me -- and keep in mind it may not work for you since everyone's different and so are their skin types. However, I will give you different options for different skin types, don't worry. I currently have combination skin at age 19, however I did have very oily skin back when I was 13 or 14. Only recently I've noticed my skin has been drying out and I think it's just one of those things that come with age, since I'm also less likely to break out now than I was back then. Anyways, I have an extremely dry forehead (and that little space between my eyebrows, just above my nose... I don't know what it's called but for some reason it refuses to stay normal), while my nose and chin tend to get oily throughout the day. Because of this, it's a bit harder for me to find a foundation that works, since I have the worst of both worlds and there isn't exactly a foundation that can both moisturise my dry parts and prevent the other parts from getting oily, so I have to just find the one that works the best for one of the problems and try to fix the other with something else.

Because of my skin type, I tend to go for foundations that work best with dry skin (since moisturising my skin before applying foundation simply doesn't work for me, it ends up not lasting long on my dry patches and only makes my oilier parts even oilier) and I try to fix the shininess with a good powder.

So now that you know a little bit about my skin type, let's talk about some good, cheap options for everyday wear! I looked for mostly drugstore foundations (since back to school season is expensive as it is, so we don't need to spend 70$ on a foundation) and even the ones who are a bit more high end are still relatively cheap, at least in my country. It may be a bit different for you where you live, some of these options may not even be available, but I'm sure you can find at least one of them.

Now, I must say I never tried any of these foundations since I did not wear foundation when I was younger and had actual oily skin, but I do know all of these have great reviews from girls with oily skins.

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 hour foundation: I never actually saw this on sell on stores here in Portugal but I've heard a lot of people talking wonders about it. Although I'm not sure it will actually last 25 hours (I don't even know why you'd need it to, I don't think anybody has foundation on for that long) but I do know it's very cheap so it's worth a shot.

Garnier BB Cream: For those of you who think foundation is too heavy for everyday, then this BB cream is perfect for you. Although I've never actually worn, I do know someone who uses it for everyday and she absolutely loves it. She has oily skin and she says this gives her a nice enough coverage, plus it has SPF in it and it's also good for your skin. And did I mention it's very affordable?

Revlon Colorstay: I don't think I have to tell you how good this is, after all there's a ton of reviews on blogs and on Youtube about this so you already know it's good. Sadly, I don't think Revlon is sold in Portugal, or at least not in supermarkets, It is, however, a great option at a great price. It is, from what I've heard, a bit more medium coverage, so if you don't want that much for an everyday look, maybe try one of the other two options.

Clinique Supermoisture Makeup: We all know Clinique is a pretty good brand and this foundation (although slightly more pricey than a drugstore foundation) is a very good choice for those of you with dry skin. I've never tried this but I've heard tons of good things about it so if you have the money to spend, I'd recommend giving this a shot.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum: In case you don't know, Bourjois is owned by the same person who owns Chanel. How fricking awesome is that?? Now I did try this out and I fell in love. I've been trying to find the perfect foundation for back to school that I could wear everyday for the whole Summer and I always go back to this one. It's just amazing, the colour matches me perfectly and it will help me hydrate my skin. It is a serum so it's lighter than a regular foundation and it's around 20 something euros here in Portugal, so I'm guessing it will be around that price for you too (I've heard it's a lot cheaper in the UK). People say it has a scent but I never noticed it while I tried it on, so maybe my sense of smell isn't that great? Anyways, I highly recommend this and I'm definitely going to buy it soon and probably even give you all a review on it!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation: I've heard this is also amazing and around the same price as the serum version. From what I've heard, this is more matte than the serum and also provides a bit more coverage. It's a pretty good option in case you don't want the serum, however do keep in mind it also has a slight scent to it, so if you're not into that you should try another one.

FOUNDATIONS FOR NORMAL AND COMBINATION SKIN

I don't exactly have any foundations I recommend for these two types because it's very subjective of what you need. BB creams will always be a good choice for normal skin types since they are good for your skin and they also provide a little bit of coverage.

In case you have combination skin like myself, I'd suggest you think about what you really need a foundation to do. Do you need it to help your dry spots or the oily ones? If you need it to help the oily spots, go with a foundation for oily skin and, as for your dry patches, invest in a good moisturiser before applying your foundation (maybe even a primer that will also help moisturise those tough spots). If you need your foundation to cover up your dry patches like I do, go with a foundation for dry skin, which will give you the hydration you need and invest on a good powder to apply only on those oily spots (it's okay if you need to touch them up every now and then throughout the day, if your skin's oily that will probably be a must have anyways, just make sure to bring the powder with you to school).

At the end of the day, you should go with what makes you feel comfortable and ready to face everyone each time you walk into that classroom. If you don't even need foundation or BB creams or anything like this, then skip it! Concealer on the right spots goes a long way so I totally understand if you want to skip this step. What matters is that you feel confident throughout the day!

And that's the end of this post! I hope you liked it and, in the next post, I'll be talking about the rest of the base face products of my essentials (aka concealer and powder). Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated so make sure to leave yours down there and, as always, I love you and I hope you have a great day!