10 BEAUTY THINGS I’VE LEARNED IN 2015 (Guest Post)

Hi Everyone!

Today’s guest post is by the lovely Syeda! She’s a great blogger so make sure you check out her blog and giver her a follow! All of her links are below!

Let’s get right into it:
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Hold up. How is it almost 2016?!

This year has been quite an eventful one to say the least. I feel like not only have I grown quite a lot as a person in this past year, but I have also gained some serious knowledge in the beauty and skincare department too. From trends like the Kylie Jenner-inspired nude lipstick obsession to popular bloggers dictating our choices of high-end beauty products, 2015 has offered quite a lot in regards to all things beauty. Because of not wanting to overwhelm you with information overload- I have narrowed down a list of 10 beauty things that I have learned this year and hopefully, ya’ll can learn or relate to some of them too! Trust me, it was pretty hard downsizing my endless stream of consciousness to just 10 tips given how much is out there in the beauty world right now!

Just a little bit of context though- My interest in beauty began seriously about 2 years ago when I was suffering with acne. During that period, I educated myself a lot about the things I threw on my face; from skincare products to ways of covering up my spots and blemishes, and just all around stuff that would help “beautify” (what a cringe-worthy word) and boost my self-esteem. However, it has been really in this year that I have properly learned some nifty little beauty tips and tricks that I feel like some of you may benefit from too!

So here goes… *drum rolls*

#1 Fleek eyebrows are everything 

I don’t mean to sound so dramatic but honestly, good eyebrows can add so much definition to your face. I never really gave a second thought or attention to my eyebrows before as much as I started doing so this year. From always making sure of getting them threaded and tweezed, to trying out different brow gels and pencils, I don’t want to come across as vain but my eyebrows have been looking fierce in 2015. Now I just need the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip-brow palette for the ultimate fleeked out brows…

#2 Highlighters give me life 

In high school, I use to swipe my finger on a little bit of my cheap sparkly pearl eye shadow palate and lightly apply the product on the top of my cheekbones because I loved the look it created when the sun hit my face. I’ve always had a thing for the luminous ‘highlighted’ look. I’m in my 20s now and as a person who prefers dewy makeup over something matte, I’ve really gotten into wearing a lot of highlighters this year because I feel like they make you look so much more glowy, dewy and more awake. My favourite highlighter has got to be theBalm’s Mary Lou Manzier! A little bit of shine never hurt nobody…

#3 Cleansing balms 

I think for someone suffering with temperamental skin, trial and error is often not the option. Despite no longer suffering with acne, my skin is still very spot-prone and can get agitated fairly quickly if I use something that is too harsh or irritable. I found that cleansing balms are not only hydrating but also very soothing for days when I just want to use something without too much faff. I’ve literally tried everything on the shelves; foaming wash, exfoliating beads, gel products… nothing works quite as well as oil based/balm formulas for my sensitive skin. And rest assured- they work perfectly fine for oily skin types too because essentially, you ideally remove cleansing balms with a damp flannel so no residue remains. My standouts have been Emma Hardie’s moringa face balm, Merumaya cleansing balm and my current favourite, Clinique’s Take the Day Off cleansing balm. It works like a dream and effectively removes any traces of makeup. Best of all? no breakouts!

#4 Toners

This is somewhat like a forgotten step in most people’s skincare routine. Up until this year, I was never really invested in toners and the different types that existed. But after avidly reading tons of posts by skincare guru Caroline Hirons (I live by her advice) I came to the understanding that toners are indeed quite useful for our skins. Caroline suggests that they are another layer of nutrients and moisture before applying any serums, treatments or moisturizers. There are acid toners like Clarin’s Brightening Exfoliating toner (which is a total godsend!) and then they are more hydrating ones such as Liz Earle’s Instant Boost Skin Tonic or Loreal’s Age Perfecting toner, which both work wonderfully. Alternatively, spritz toners are also fast becoming a thing now for times when you want an instant boost for your dull complexion. For this, I recommend Caudalie’s Organic Grapewater spray or The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Energizing face spritz.

#6 Contour and Bronzing 

Summer of 2015 featured a very bronzed Syeda. Its safe to say that I went a little overboard with bronzing and contouring this year. It was my first time actually doing the whole contouring business which I’m a complete noob at. For this, it was inevitably a trial and error situation. Most days, I resembled Kim K (note exaggeration) and on other days, I downright ended up looking like a total oompa loompa! But I’m still so glad I experimented with contouring and bronzing because when done right, it honestly adds such a beautiful depth and structure to your face. Who doesn’t like a sun-kissed look?

#7 The 60s are back: Lip pencils

No, this is not strictly something that your grandma or mother would wear in the 60s. Lip pencils have become such a favourite beauty step of mine this year that on most days, I prefer just applying a lip pencil and dabbing on some lip balm- skipping the lipstick step altogether. Ever since Kylie Jenner’s plump lips caught the centre eye of public attention, everyone’s been catching onto nude/browny coloured lip pencils like MAC’s Soar and Spice. I find them perfect for when creating a semi-matte nude lip look or just drawing them a bit more to give a faux plump lip effect. If you’ve never tried lip pencils before, seriously give them a try. Draw them all over your lips before applying your lipstick and you’ll see the beautiful wear it gives.

#8 Water Water Water

I know its such a cliché and over-stated thing to say, but water really does wonders for your skin. I’ve never been really much of a water person, but when I got acne, I started changing and monitoring my diet. Nothing too drastic as I still love my junk food, but I significantly increased my intake of water, especially this year. I can visibly notice the difference in my skin when I stop drinking water for long periods of days as my skin starts looking dull, rough and dry. So now I’m at that point where I’ve constantly got a water bottle in arms reach wherever I go. Its such an essential for good skin which ultimately means your makeup will sit 10 times better on your face. Trust the power of water guys.

#9 Makeup Brushes 

Using the right make up tool makes a world of difference. I was the girl who would use the same makeup brush for everything; concealer, foundation and powder. You name it. I did it all with using the same brush. No wonder my makeup always looked so blotchy! This year, I really started to build upon my brush collection because its helps to reserve each tool for a particular makeup step instead of having the residue of something being shifted onto an unwanted area of the skin. Makes sense? I highly rate Real Techniques’ makeup brushes as the bristles are such great quality and will last you a long time.

#10 What might work for you, may not work well for me

This is a mantra I still need to work on. You like your friend’s thick bold eyebrows but don’t think the filled in look, looks right on you? That’s fine, you don’t have to copy her. Really like MAC’s Velvet Teddy but don’t think it suits your complexion too well? Its okay, find another colour from the range that’s more flattering and doesn’t wash you out. What I’m trying to say, is that it is okay to not follow the fad sometimes and only do something that you’re both comfortable with doing, and will also suit you well. Just because its a beauty trend doesn’t mean you have to jump on the bandwagon too. This is the biggest piece of beauty advice I’ve learned this year as often I would find myself envying certain makeup trends or products that simply didn’t work well on me but I still wasted the money and effort into trying them out. I think living in such a beauty-conscious society today, its easy to be drawn towards the standardized ideals but as corny as it sounds, it’s so important to stay true to yourself and your own individuality.

And that is all.


I’d love to know what are some of your favourite beauty trends or tips that you’ve learned this year. Let me know in the comment box below!

Xx

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Thank you for this awesome post Syeda! Such great points, i’m sure all of us girls can relate!

Want to contribute to Sprinkle of Surprise? Check out how you can do see, right here. I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time, XOXO