D.I.Y. How to wash Make up Brushes?

Apologies for not posting last week! I had to revise for some exams I hated (ugh, physics) and so I didn't have much time to post :(

However this week I'd like to show you how to do something essential for your make-up routine - my method for washing brushes! Cleaning them helps extend their life and is incredibly important as they can harbour dirt and bacteria. That's not very nice for your skin, is it?

I used to just wash mine in a bowl of soapy water but as it used to bit a bit drying, I recently discovered another method which really gets them looking soft, shiny and new.

You will need: 
Soap (shampoo, dish soap.....anything you want )
Olive Oil (to condition the brushes as they will have been stripped of moisture from the soap)
Bowl

1. Add 1 part oil to 1 1/2 parts soap in a bowl.

2. Take your first brush and swirl it around in the mixture, you should see the mixture changing colour as the make-up is coming off it!

3. Rinse under cold water until the water you squeeze out is clear.

4. Leave to dry flat or facing down on paper towels or the water may get trapped inside and create a loss of hair, damaging the brush. Make sure they are fully shaped and leave them overnight.

How often should you wash them? It depends on your usage but I'd say anything from every week to every month!

How do you wash your make-up brushes? Comment below! xx

Banana and Chocolate Oat Cookies

After Easter the abundance of Easter eggs in my house was just getting too much, so I had to find a way to use up all the chocolate. 

What did I do? 

I found a very simple egg-free, wheat-free and banana-full recipe which is so quick it hardly requires any weighing.

Here it is:

3 ripe bananas

100g melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large handfuls of porridge oats

handful almonds, ground or chopped

2 handfuls of dried fruit

a pinch of cinnamon

100g chocolate, chopped into little bits

Makes about 25

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

2. In a mixing bowl mash the bananas, add the melted butter and the vanilla, giving everything a good mix.

3. Fold in the rest of the ingredients.

4. Space out the cookies on the baking sheet so there is enough space for them to expand. Roughly the size should be about 2 tsp each. 

5. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden. 

They are best enjoyed when warm!

xxx

Spring Make-up Buys

First Superdrug with the buy 1 get one half price on Rimmel, them boots with their 3 for 2's - how could I resist?

Both of these are first buys and I have been loving them. The crystal clear vinyl lip gloss can be a bit sticky but does dry and leave behind a glossy shine that lasts. The foundation is light coverage and easily blended, leaving behind a dewy look. A definite pro must be that even if it contains SPF18 it doesn't leave much of a white cast in flash photography!

This has always been one of my favourite concealers as it can hide all sorts of imperfections even when used alone. It lasts for ages, but due to its consistency can settle into fine lines so make sure to use powder on top! The only con must be the amount of shades, there are only 4 in this range.

Collection's lasting colour lipsticks only cost me £2.99 each, but last so much longer than higher end lipsticks I have bought before! Their consistency is not to dry, making it easy to apply on lips. I bought a deep red colour and a more pinky nude for everyday use.

First buy for both of these with the first being a lip liner, and the second being an eye liner. I have found that the nude pink shade of the lip liner is much darker than my natural lip colour, but the long wear and consistency of it totally make-up for it. I love to buy from MUA so when I saw they had a white eye liner for £1 I just had to give it a go. It's great to use on the waterline to make you look more awake, or in the inner corner to give the illusion of bigger eyes. Plus, it also comes with a pencil sharper in the lid!

I buy this time and time again as nothing quite matches up to it. Its jet black colour and 3 end-felt tip make it so easy to create the perfect flick, you won't be able to live without it! It doesn't smudge during the day and even lasts under the rain. Unlike many felt tips, this doesn't dry out after a couple of months.

Have you got any great make-up you can't live without? Comment below!! 

xx