What I Got For My 18th Birthday!

Hey guys! How've you all been this week? Sorry I've been a bit MIA but this week's been kinda hectic. As you may or may not know I turned 18 on Thursday and I got so many amazing things from my family. It was the best birthday I've ever had and I am so grateful for the amount of time, effort and money that went into making sure I had an incredible 18th. I thought I'd show you what I got as I love reading/watching birthday and Christmas hauls, but if you don't like it maybe stop reading now. As everyone says in these kind of hauls, I am not bragging by any means! I'm not trying to make people feel bad or whatever, I just wanted to share everything with you all!

My parents got me almost the entire VelvetGh0st collection which I'm so happy about because I love everything in the range. The colours and designs are just so me and obviously I love the cat theme running through it (if you didn't know, cats are my favourite animals). 

I got the duvet cover set (I got it in double) which is lilac, white with little black details. It has black piping round the outside and little tiny cats! I put it on my bed this morning and I am so excited to go to sleep tonight.

I also got two cushions, and they're both so soft. The first one is a cat-shaped cushion which is black on one side and white on the other (which is fitting since my cat, Elvis, is black and white). The other one is a really pretty soft pink with pompoms round the edge. I also got the matching throw which I am obsessed with as I think it might be one of the softest things I've ever felt. The softness of the material is definitely a recurring theme in this range! I also received the purple cat travel cushion which is gonna be so handy when we go on long journeys as I always try to sleep in the car but resting my head on the window isn't comfy and I keep bashing it, so I'm very excited to put this to the test!

The sleepwear is also gorgeous too. I got the pyjamas which are long-sleeved and have legging trousers and the top says "The Time Is Meow". They're so comfortable and I can't wait to wear them more often! I've also been living in the fluffy socks which, again, are super soft and have cats on them. I think I'll probably pick up another pair too as I've been wearing them so often that I can't see them lasting til the new year. I also got the cat-shaped eye mask which I'm very excited about as I don't have curtains in my room as the one window I have is a rooflight and if I want to lie in on a Saturday or something, by 9am or so the light is streaming in, I wake up, and I get a massive headache. This eye mask will prevent me from getting that and I can sleep in even longer! I thought it was such a thoughtful present as I'm always moaning about it. But my favourite part of the sleepwear range is the dressing gown. It's white, soft, and has a cat face and cat ears on the hood! Whenever I'm at home I live in my dressing gown and one with a cat-shaped hood is so fitting for me! Elvis has actually taken quite a liking to it too but I haven't let him cuddle me when I'm wearing it in case he moults all over it. It's so clean and white and I don't wanna ruin it!

I know there are 3 cups in the range but I only got one, which is the plastic cup with the lid and the straw. It's clear with purple, black and gold spots on, and it says "Meow" on it in black with a little gold cat. The lid is gold and the straw is purple. My sister bought this for me after she heard me say that I wanted a cup like this for my bedside table as I always wake up in the middle of the night gasping for water. I thought a cup like that would be handy as it has a straw and a lid and I wouldn't spill water all over myself (trust me, it's happened) which I thought was so lovely of her! 

I also got a couple of pieces from the stationery range. I got the big A4 notebook which is purple with gold details, and has lined lilac paper inside. I love a good notebook so I was so happy with this! I also got a set of pencils which I love. I also got the fluffy purple pen which I am obsessed with as it's just so cute! I'm gonna put it in a pot on my desk and maybe feature it in the background of some of my blog photos.

Speaking of blog photos, I got a few more things to feature in the background of them. I got the set of 15 LED fairy lights which are like little cotton balls that light up. They're so pretty and I've been wanting fairy lights for my room for the longest time! I also got a little chalkboard in the shape of a cat with LED lights round the edge which I thought was adorable. It even came with 3 different colours of chalk!

Now we've finished with the VelvetGh0st collection, let's jump into clothes! From my parents I got a jumper from New Look. It's kind of a natural colour, which would go with absolutely any pair of jeans. It's kind of thin so you'd have to wear a top under it but it's not scratchy like some jumpers, it's incredibly soft. My mum got it in a medium for me as the sleeves are meant to come up a little small, and I like the fact that it's a little bit baggy as it's snuggly. I don't think you can ever have enough jumpers! These are selling out fast on the New Look website, so if you want one, pick it up as soon as possible!

My grandma bought me a skirt from New Look when we went shopping on my birthday. It's black with flowers embroidered on it and it's beautiful. It's definitely a special occasion skirt and I'll probably wear it out to dinner or or on Christmas day or something.

This isn't necessarily clothes but my grandma also bought me a backpack, also from New Look! I've had my eye on it for ages. It's black and it looks like leather, and it has different embroidered patches on the front. I love it so much and I was in desperate need of a new backpack anyway as my old one looks so rough right now.

I also got a pair of slipper boots which are soooo cute. I have incredibly cold feet so I love these, I've already worn them and they're so cosy and comfy.

I also got 3 pairs of socks! One pair has sausage dogs on them, another has tortoises, and another pair has "I'm a little" on one sock and a picture of a chilli on the other which made me laugh so much! I know people hate getting socks for their birthday or Christmas but I love it. You definitely cannot ever have too many pairs of socks.

From my gran I got some money and a dainty little heart necklace, and from some family friends I got a teeny purse with a glass of champagne on it and a starfish necklace. I don't normally wear necklaces but maybe I might do in the future!

And now onto the bit that I'm sure all of you have been waiting for: makeup!

My grandma and I went shopping on my birthday as I mentioned above, and she bought me some bits which I was soooo excited about trying out! First of all we went to House of Fraser and as there was a MAC counter there, I spent a lot of time swatching lipsticks and eyeshadows and things. I asked a lady if she could match my skintone, and she said I was the shade "NC10", which is the lightest warm shade. My grandma then told me she'd buy me a foundation and a lipstick if I wanted, so I chose Studio Fix Fluid as I heard it had the best coverage out of all the foundations, and a lipstick in the shade "Mehr". A review on the Studio Fix Fluid is coming very soon!

Next, we went to SuperDrug and she bought me a Makeup Revolution gift set. She got me the one with the brand new contour kit, the two brushes and the sponge. Let me know if you want a blog post comparing the new contour kit to the old one!

We also went into TK Maxx to see if we could get some high-end makeup for a low price and I was so amazed! The Guildford branch is definitely the best branch I've ever been to. They had W7 brush sets and Nars eyeshadow palettes and even Too Faced liquid lipsticks! I picked up a little Ciaté set that had a full-sized Triple Shot Mascara and a mini Liquid Velvet in the shade "Swoon". I used the mascara yesterday and I love it, and I've heard so many good things about the Liquid Velvets too!

My mum ordered me two Glossyboxes online, and both have so many great things in! The first one contained a Trifle Cosmetics lipstick in the shade "Exotic Fruits", a no-name shampoo that smells amazing, a mini version of The Body Shop Drops of Youth, a Primark mascara, a cream blush and a face exfoliator. The second box contained a pack of razors (weird, but handy), a gold face mask, a fluffy crease brush from a brand called Ruby, an eyeshadow crayon and a pillow spray (you spray it on your pillow and it helps you go to sleep!). I was so happy with both my boxes and I'm so excited to use everything! I love the Drops of Youth and the fluffy crease brush.

Then when I got home from my grandma's I got a whole hamper full of makeup which I was so excited about. I got a "Gals Just Wanna Have Fun" kit from Benefit which contains a mini Hoola bronzer, a mini They're Real Mascara, a mini Benetint, a mini Gimme Brow and three eyeshadows. I've already used the mascara and the Gimme Brow and I love them! Also in the hamper were two Benefit skincare minis: Dream Screen sunscreen and their Firm It Up eye serum. I've only used the eye serum so far and I'm undecided on it but when I've made up my mind about it I'll let you know! I also got a full-sized They're Real Mascara which I'm so excited about and haven't even opened yet because I have the mini version. I'm starting a bit of a collection of Benefit minis now!

I also got some bits from W7. I got their Brow Parlour brow grooming kit, which contains two brow powders, a brow wax, a browbone highlight, an angled brush with a spoolie on the end and a pair of tweezers. I think the kit is so cute and I can't wait to use it! I also got their Pump and Blush in the shade "Peachy" which is a pretty peach liquid blush. I also got their Extra Extra Big Bold Lashes mascara which I'm sooooo excited to use as I love their Flirty Eyes one! I also got a Tinted Kiss Lip Oil in the shade "In The Pink" which is a gorgeous colour, the perfect gloss for purple lipsticks! I'm very excited to try it out. The last thing I got from W7 was their Smokin' palette which is a dupe of the Urban Decay Naked Smokey. I'm so excited to use all of these as I love W7!

I also got some more things from The Body Shop. I love The Body Shop's shower gels and skincare but I've never tried their makeup, funnily enough, so I was really pleased to receive their Fresh Sorbet Blush in the shade "Florida Sunstar" which is a really pretty coral colour and their English Rose Eye & Cheek palette. I've used one shade from the palette so far and I'm obsessed! If you want me to do a review with swatches, let me know!

Aaaaand this completes today's blog post! If you wanna see a review on anything I mentioned please let me know! Talk to you soon, lots of love,

- Kat x

Check out my Instagram page

L'Oreal Infallible Matte Foundation Review

Hey guys! Sorry for double posting this weekend but I was super busy Thursday and Friday (and Saturday, at that) so I ended up posting Thursday's post yesterday instead. I hope you'll forgive me!

Last time I did a foundation review it became one of my most viewed blog posts and people still read it every day, so when I picked up a new one from Superdrug on Thursday I thought I would review this one as well. I'm thinking of maybe turning this into a monthly thing...let me know if that's something you'd be interested in!

I've had my eye on the L'Oreal Infallible Matte foundation for about a year now. I have combination but problematic skin (I wouldn't say acne-prone, more blemish-prone) that is always changing and is very unpredictable. I tend to reach for matte foundations, even though I love the dewy look, as my oils always naturally come through anyway.

This foundation, which set me back £7.99, claims to be waterproof, steamproof and comfortable while keeping your oil controlled for up to 24 hours. The website also states that it doesn't have a cakey effect. On the bottle, it states that it is a medium coverage.

My beloved Revlon Colourstay that I've mentioned in every single blog post since I started this blog is a medium to full coverage foundation that makes me look flawless. However, it is a bit on the thick side and can look a bit cakey. It's very heavy for everyday wear, so I'm always looking out for a good, lightweight foundation that I can just slap on whenever. I tried to find it in the L'Oreal True Match and while I really liked the formula, the shade I picked out was an almighty disaster and I have to say I've not worn it since. Apparently, my skin is not as yellow as I thought it was! You can read all about how I got on with it here. This time, I decided not to mess around and I picked up the lightest shade, "Porcelain".

You can see in the swatches above that it is a lot more pink-toned than my L'Oreal True Match and Revlon Colourstay. They're both yellow-toned foundations but the Revlon is more neutral to olive, whilst the True Match is, well, Marge Simpson's ideal shade. However, I found that the pink tones didn't look too bad on me! The foundation doesn't match me perfectly but looks alright, definitely not as bad as the True Match disaster.

I would have to agree that the coverage is a medium coverage. It looks great on my skin and blends out flawlessly. I did have to go in with another layer on my chin and on the right side of my face where I've had a bit of a breakout recently, but it's 100% buildable and after that layer it looked beautiful. It dried down to a powder-matte finish which I really liked, and it wasn't tacky in the slightest. If you wanna skip powder you totally can, but I always set my foundation...just in case.

It feels very lightweight on the skin, I don't feel like I'm wearing any foundation which is great! Concealer blends out beautifully over the top; on Friday I used the NYX HD Concealer and yesterday I used the last of my Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. I did use a primer both times but the foundation doesn't seem to sink into my pores and it definitely controls my oil. It doesn't dry out my skin either and glides off at the end of the night with ease. It doesn't look cakey at all, and the best thing about it is that my oils don't even come through til about 12 hours later, but you can't see it at all (it just feels tacky, and it doesn't transfer). I think I've found my new everyday foundation!

I'm gonna wear this foundation a lot more in the future but watch this space...I have a feeling it might pop up in my November favourites but I don't want to jinx it! I am so impressed with this foundation and based off how I feel about it right now, I'd definitely repurchase. It's a lot cheaper than my Revlon and while it doesn't have the flawless, airbrushed finish that one has it's still great (and £5 cheaper). I think I'm gonna save my Colourstay for special occasions or when I want to look my absolute best. I'm so in love with this foundation and I really, really, really recommend trying it out! I wanna try the primer in that range now...

And that's all for today's blog post! I'm not too sure what's gonna happen about Thursday's post next week as it's actually my 18th birthday but I'll try my best to get something up!

Speak to you next week! Lots of love,

- Kat x

Buy the foundation here!
Check out my Instagram page

Products That Didn't Work for Me

Hey guys! I hope you’ve all been having a great week. Today I thought I’d talk to you about the products that didn’t work out for me as it’s all very well me talking about the products I adore and will keep repurchasing til the end of time but what about the ones that slipped the net?

MAYBELLINE FIT ME CONCEALER

The Maybelline Fit Me concealer is a cult favourite and I couldn’t wait to try it, but I was very disappointed. It has a thin, watery but slightly grainy texture and doesn’t do a very good job at covering my dark circles or spots. The shade “15” is perfect for me which I was impressed with but it creases on me like nobody’s business and doesn’t last very long at all. It doesn’t fade nicely like my beloved Collection Lasting Perfection; in fact, as it fades, it makes me look ill. I was so, so, so disappointed.

MUA BRONZED PERFECTION BRONZER

I wanna start by saying this is the biggest bronzer I’ve ever seen. And for £3! Of course I picked it up. In store, I liked the fact that it wasn’t very pigmented but once I got it home and used it on my face I realised that it had absolutely no pigmentation whatsoever. The formula is dry and chalky with massive chunks of glitter in it, and when you can actually get some colour payoff it’s very orangey. I definitely feel like this was a waste of money.

FREEDOM PRO ARTIST HD PRO FINISH POWDER

I love Freedom’s brow pomade so when I saw that they had a brand new loose powder I snapped it up. I thought it was gonna be like my Collection Sheer Loose Powder: pore-minimising and skin-smoothing. And boy, was I wrong. First off, I hate the packaging. You can’t pour the powder into the lid and it’s just messy. Second, this powder makes my skin look terrible. It accentuated the fine lines under my eyes and thus made me look about 70 years older, made the texture on my skin stand out and made me look very dry and dead. I also couldn’t blend my bronzer on top and for some reason my highlight didn’t show up on my skin. I don’t think I’ll be using this again.

NYX BUTTER GLOSS

I had heard incredible things about the NYX Butter Glosses so I was so excited to pick one up. I got the shade “Ginger Snap”, a beautiful brown colour. However, I couldn’t find one good thing to say about it. It’s gloopy, doesn’t sit well on top of lipsticks and makes my lips feel really weird afterwards. I’m so sad because everyone raves about these but I just couldn’t get it to work.

PRIMARK METAL MATTE LIPSTICK

If you read my Primark Beauty Haul + Review post you’ll know that this was the only Primark product I picked up that I didn’t like. Maybe it was the shade on my pale skin, or the fact that it went on streaky and every time you tried to fix it you’d take off more product. Or maybe it was the overpowering blackcurrant cough sweet smell. Whatever it was, this product is never getting picked up again.

SOAP & GLORY SEXY MOTHER PUCKER LIPGLOSS

And this lipgloss is no exception! Swatched, the shade “Rose & Shine” is a stunning dusty mauvey nude lipgloss that would look perfect with any look or lipstick. On the lips, however, is a different story. This stuff HURTS! It’s a plumping gloss that works by making your lips swell up and it was such a shock. It was so painful that I immediately took it off and I’ve not used it since. It’s such a shame because it’s gorgeous but the lip-plumping thing was too much for me.

SOAP & GLORY THICK & FAST MASCARA

Soap & Glory is one of my favourite brands and I was over the moon last Christmas when I received their big Christmas gift set. Their mascara, however, left a lot to be desired. It just didn’t do anything to my lashes. I like quite long, voluminous lashes which is why I tend to reach for false lash effect mascaras, and this just didn’t cut the mustard unfortunately. I was bitterly disappointed as Soap & Glory products are usually so high quality.

Just as a disclaimer, just because a product didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for you! I love all the brands I’ve mentioned but these specific products were not for me.

That’s it for today’s blog post! Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?

- Kat x

Check out my Instagram page

Primark Beauty Haul + Review!

Hey guys, I hope you've all been having a great week! A couple of weeks ago I popped into my local Primark and picked up a few bits from their beauty range. I was really excited to try some of their makeup as I'd heard it was very good, so I bought £10 worth of makeup for a blog post.

The first thing I picked up was their Contour & Glow palette. It has a neutral brown contour shade and a warm golden champagne highlighter in the palette, and I have to say I love it! If you follow my Instagram (katstokesbeauty) you will know that I have been using it non stop. The contour shade is just perfect and blends out like a dream, and the highlighter is a really soft, dewy looking shade which gives me the perfect glow. For £3.50 I think it's incredible and I would 100% recommend it!

Price: £3.50 | Buy it here

The next thing I bought was a blush. It doesn't have a shade but it's a beautiful muted maroon berry type shade, and I love it. I don't wear blush that often but I've been using it a lot in the last week and I think it's super pretty. It's matte and I think it would be a great eyeshadow as well! Primark eyeshadows are apparently not so great (I've never tried them but I did swatch one in store and there was little to no pigmentation) but I think their blushes would work great. This was £1.50 which I think is such a steal!

Price: £1.50 | Buy it here

I also picked up a metallic liquid lipstick in the shade "Queen". It's a stunning golden bronze shade but unfortunately I really don't like it. It smells really strongly of blackcurrant which I don't mind, but it's so overpowering that it made me cough. It didn't apply onto my lips very nicely, it was kind of sheer and patchy which was really disappointing.

Price: £2.00 | Buy it here

The last thing I bought was from their brand new Pro line. I can't find it anywhere on their website for some reason but I bought a liquid lipstick in the shade "Pink In Excess". I however wouldn't say this is pink, more of a grey toned pale purple but it's stunning. Swatched, it looks very comparable to Jeffree Star's "Scorpio" liquid lipstick but on the lips it's more of a pale, grungey nude. It doesn't dry down completely matte but it's not drying in the slightest and it looks so beautiful on my skin tone that I'm gonna overlook that fact. I'm dying to try out the rest of the liquid lipsticks, and the rest of the Pro line!

Price: £3.00

To conclude, I'd say that Primark makeup definitely surprised me with it's quality. The Contour & Glow palette is one of my new favourite products and I highly highly recommend that everyone checks it out. I will definitely be picking up some more makeup from Primark in the future as almost everything I've tried has been incredible and the price point is fantastic.

See you in my next blog post!

- Kat x

Check out my Instagram page

October Favourites

Hey guys! I hope you’re all having a great week so far. I can’t believe it’s already November! In today’s blog post I’ll be talking to you about all the products I’ve been loving in the last month, so let’s jump right into it:

NYX Lip Lingerie Lipsticks

I’ve mentioned the NYX Lingerie lipsticks a million times on my blog and for good reason! The lipsticks are some of my favourites ever and come in the most beautiful colours. I’m absolutely obsessed with them and I can’t wait to buy the entire collection. The formula is moussey rather than liquidy but dries exactly like your standard liquid lipstick. They do dry your lips a little bit but what liquid lipstick doesn’t? If you love liquid lipsticks and pretty nude shades, I’d definitely recommend picking some up from your local Boots.

Cost: £6.50 | Buy them here

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

I know I’ve changed my mind a lot about this bronzer but in the last couple of weeks I’ve been loving it. It’s a really nice shade for pale skin as it’s light and has a warm brown undertone rather than an orange undertone like most bronzers. It blends out beautifully and makes a lovely, seamless transition shade for eyeshadow, too. I don’t know if I’ll ever repurchase this bronzer as I really cannot justify the price but if you’re into high-end makeup and haven’t picked this up I definitely recommend giving it a bash!

Cost: £23.50 | Buy it here

Essence Lash Princess False Lash Effect Mascara

I only bought this mascara a couple of days ago but I’m already obsessed. I actually think I have a new favourite! It makes my lashes look longer than they’ve ever looked before which is great since I have the shortest lashes known to man. It’s not as waterproof as my beloved W7 Flirty Eyes but I like the effect it has more. This mascara is cheap as chips and the best mascara I’ve ever tried. I will definitely be repurchasing this in the future.

Cost: £3.30 | Buy it here

Superdrug Vitamin E Refreshing Toner Spray

I picked this up because I learnt in facial class that toner is an integral part of a y skincare routine. It balances out the skin’s pH which prevents spots, and it also shrinks pores and rebalances oily and acne-prone skin. I bought this one because it was cheap and from the same range as the Intense Moisture Cream that I mentioned in my last post. I’ve really noticed a difference in the way my skin looks: I used to have bumpy acne scars on my face but they’ve completely gone away now and my skin is a lot more smooth. This toner has helped my skin to look the best it has in a good few months. I’ll never go without toner again!

Cost: | Buy it here

Leafy & Lovely Summer Meadow Hand Lotion

This hand cream is the nicest skincare item I have ever smelled in my life. It has a gorgeous floral scent and keeps my hands smelling nice as well as feeling moisturised. It looks so luxurious and expensive but it’s only £1! It was such a steal that I just had to pick it up. The only thing I don’t like about this hand cream is that the nozzle is really wide and you have to be really careful or you end up doing that thing where you moisturise your entire arm with hand cream (come on, we’ve all been there). But other than that, for £1 this is such an amazing product and I really really recommend it!

Cost: £1.00 | Buy it here

And that complete's today's blog post! I hope you all enjoy your weekend and I'll speak to you again on Sunday :)

- Kat x

Check out my Instagram page