Collaborative / Partnered Post - Ways To Make Your Eyes Pop And Boost Your Self Confidence*

Whenever people say that they don't like a body part it usually something like your stomach or your thighs, and whilst I definitely have a love / hate relationship with those parts of my body, for me thanks to my facial paralysis it's my face, and in my particular my mouth and eyes.

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul and whether that's true or not, your eyes are definitely a prominent feature and learning to love them  for me at least has been a real work in progress - they're not exactly something you can hide people look into them when they want to hold your attention, and avoid them when they don't. As well as performing an essential job, you're eyes play an important role in defining you, and showcasing the person who you are. 

From everyday beauty to glamorous "going out" looks, emphasising your eyes really draws people in and can really increase your self confidence. A lot of people really do feel that their eyes are their best feature, and even if like me you don't then maybe you can learn to love them, or at look at them a different way with the right techniques.

Give Your Lashes More Oomph

Nowadays when you look at someone a lot of the times the first thing you notice about their eyes are their lashes! Bigger and bolder than ever before lashes are the focus point for anyone who want to highlight their eyes. Whether your a fan of the current super long and thick tarantula look or not, everyone wants longer, darker, thicker and more curled lashes. As well as protecting your eyes from dirt and debris, when your lashes are on point then will both emphasise and frame your eyes. If you're not lucky enough to have naturally fabulous lashes, there are some great mascaras on the market, but if you really want that wow factor and that extra oomph, then try some premium lash extensions. They'll lengthen your lashes even further to get that ultimate long-lashed look that even the best mascara on it's own just can't do. Temporary lash extensions are easy to put on and just as easy to remove too, so you can use them whenever you like.

Find the Right Makeup

If you want to draw attention to your eyes then a little bit of Makeup can really make them pop. You don't need a make up collection like mine but if you really want to make a highlight your eyes then a little bit of make up can make all the difference. Now as you know I'm not really a liner fan but if you're confident in using it, team it up with some mascara, or some lashes, and a bit of eyeshadow to make your eyes really stand out. Add a bit of light reflection concealer here and then to hide those dark circles and add a bit of light around your eyes, and a bit of highlight or shimmery shadow to make them instantly look brighter and more alive. Stick to neutrals for an easy everyday look, but add a bit of sparkle or create a smokey, glam look for evenings, or be brave and play with some colour. As I always say make up is supposed to fun, there are no rules, play and experiment till your heart is content, and if you don't like it you can always wipe it off and start again!

Play with Glasses/No Glasses

Now I've been a glasses wearer for over 20 years now, and whilst at first I hated them with a passion, and they can still be pretty annoying at times, I've really embraced them, they've become a part of what I look like and I feel naked without them.If you wear glasses, don't think you have to ditch them to make the most of your eyes, and don't hide behind them, let your glasses highlight your eyes, and use them to your advantage. The key to making glasses work for you is finding a style that suits your face. Although oversized frames are popular, they're not right for everyone and could draw attention away from your eyes, I must admit I've experimented with frames a lot of the years (have a look way back to the very early days of the blog to see some examples of my glasses wearing journey!), from wire frames, to thinner letterbox styles, to the slightly over sized ones I have now, and I've loved them all for different reasons, and for the different looks and impressions that I've created with each frame. Choosing frames can be a minefield, there is just so much choice, the key thing is to not only choose the right frames for your prescription, but it's also important to choose frames that work for your face shape and colouring. Whether you're picking glasses for the first time or whether you fancy a change, try a few pairs on to find something that you love and that fits your personality and lifestyle.

I personally love my glasses, and whilst I'm personally not a fan of them, contact lenses are great for a change, and going glasses free gives your look a new dimension and can really help make your eyes the centre of attention.

Pay Attention to Your Eyebrows

Probably one of the most important part of framing your face and making your eyes stand out, if of your eyebrows, your eyes are the picture and your brows are the frame. Since I'm a glasses wearer for years I ignored my eyebrows, and let them go their own way, they weren't really on show so I just forgot about them, and then when I did start paying attention to them, I jumped on board the skinny brow trend, and over plucked them and destroyed the shape. 

Thankfully I have learnt from the error of my ways, and my brows and fuller, and occasionally a touch wayward, but by and large I keep them groomed and under control. Fill in your brows and define their shape to make them more attention-grabbing, and if you aren't sure what you're doing head to a professional for some advice, and once you've groomed them add a little bit of highlight on your brow bone, and a touch of concealer to make them really stand out. Whether you want dark magazine brows or something a bit more natural when your brows look good, they'll complement your eyes and make sure people know where to look.

Whether you love them or like me you're a bit more indifferent, making the most of your eyes can be a real confidence booster. If you look in the mirror and you see nice full lashes, a nice smokey eye, or a perfectly groomed brow, you're bound to feel better yourself, so whether you're going to job interview, on a date, or even to take something back to the shop, always try to make the best of yourself and even if you don't feel brave or confident, use the tools that you have to hold your head up high, make eye contact, and use those eyes to their full advantage!

*Collaborative / Partnered Post

Glossybox 2021 Revisited - A Review Of The e.l.f. Bite-Size Eyeshadow - Berry Bad, And More Life Lately x*

Well it's safe to say that the few weeks have been pretty horrible. Less than 1 day after I published my last post we received the news that one of my bonus dads, my Uncle George has passed away. Although he had various ailments, it was all very sudden and understandably we were and still are both devastated, my mam's super close to both of her brothers so it's been a huge blow to her both mentally and even physically, so I've been doing my best to support her and take care of her. If that wasn't enough one of my oldest friends Helen, lost her dad just 5 days after my uncle passed. I spent so much time with her and her family when I was younger, going on holiday with them, and having sleepovers, and going over for tea. Her and her family are still very close family friends so it was huge loss, and mentally it really was the straw that broke the camels back for me, so understandably I've had a to take some time out. Whilst there are still tonnes of emotions, thoughts and memories floating around in my head, I've decided that I need a distraction, so I decided to sit down today and get my blog on.

As I mentioned in my last post, after many years I eventually made the decision to cancel my Glossybox subscription, there were a few reasons why I chose to cancel, but one of the main reasons I guess, was that I was starting to feel a bit snowed on by all of the products that I still hadn't touched. I have a huge basket full of bits dating back to 2021, including lots of unopened items, and I just didn't see the point in adding to that pile! In the weeks and months to come I'm going to try and feature as many of these products as I can, either in full review posts like this one, faces of the day posts, or in future empties post, thus giving myself content options without the stresses of proper unboxing's.

So today we're taking a little trip back to November, 2021, to talk about a product from the Beauty Desires edition, and it's something that the eagle eyed readers amongst you might have already seen mentioned in my previous blog post, the e.l.f. Bite Size Eyeshadow Palette in Berry Bad.

Whilst the e.l.f. range is nowhere near as cheap as it used to be, and their £1 products are long gone, it's still one of my go to brands for good quality, affordable make up, with the odd cult or viral favourite thrown in for good measure (Hydrating Core Lip Shine in Ecstatic, I'm talking to you!).

A good test for any brand no matter what the price point though should be the quality of their eyeshadows. In this day and age if a brand can't produce a decent eyeshadow then it's very unlikely that anything else, at least powder wise, will be any good.

Packaged on a fairly basic clear, and white plastic compact, as the name would suggest, this quad contains 4 berry like, autumnal toned powder eyeshadows. The quad contains 2 matte shades, 1in a dark almost, burgundy brown and the other in a light, peachy nude, and 2 almost metallic shimmers, 1 in a warm bronze / copper tone, and the other in a gorgeous deep wine / berry tone.

All of the shadows are lovely and smooth, and the shimmer / metallics in particular have an almost creamy feel. The pigmentation and colour payoff as you can see is superb even on the two matte shades.

They were really easy to apply and to blend out, with only a tiny bit of fallout, which brushed away easily with a fan brush.

This is just a really quick look that I created with 3 of the shades in this quad, and as well as looking not too shabby, the shadows wore well even on my oily lids with only a tiny bit of fading and creasing after around 5-6 hours of wear.

For an eyeshadow palette with an RRP of just £4 this quad really impressed me. The shadows were soft and creamy, the payoff was fantastic and the pigmentation even on the two matte shades was really impressive. I was also really impressed with the wear time, and don't forget all of e.l.f's products are both vegan and cruelty free, and they are also free from phthlates, parabens and several more potentially iffy ingredients - not bad for a 'budget brand"!

If you don't fancy going down the berry route though, there are around 12 quads in the Bite-Size range featuring everything from greens to blues, and purple, to loads of neutral and fashion options. The full  e.l.f. Bite-Size Eyeshadow quads including Berry Bad, is available direct from e.l.f. Cosmetics, selected shades are also available from various other retailers including ASOS, Beauty Bay and Superdrug.

Are you a fan of e.l.f. Cosmetics? Let me know your favourite products in the comments x 

*This Post Contains Automatic Affiliate, And Added Affiliate Links