How I edit my Instagram Photos ....

I think its fair to say that everyone has the Instagram bug... Hello selfie! Just like everyone else I am obsessed with the app and probably check it far more than I should in a day. Over the last year I've definitely seen a change in Instagram photos and so many people have upped their Instagram game. Not being completely satisfied with the quality of the photos I've put up in the past, I've spent a lot of time researching and looking at different apps which would make my IG photos a lot more likeable. Having tried and tested my fair share of photo editing apps I thought I would share with you my favourite and the only one I'm currently using.

By no means am I a popular Instagramer, but I like to think that I've improved, especially since joining the iPhone 6 club, it's really made me fallen in love with the app even more. As a beauty blogger there are some accounts that I totally crush over and find very inspiring and when doing research and the same photo editing app crops up time and time again... Visco Cam, it's one that's probably installed on your phone now. But I have to say I really don't get on with the app at all. No matter what filters I use and how I edit my pictures I just can't create the desired look that I'm after using this app. I'm sure I'm not the only one in this corner so for those of you who like me don't get along with the number one blogging photo editing app be sure to keep reading as I have a far better alternative.

My favourite app to edit my Instagram photos on has to be Fotor Photo Editor. I've actually been using this for a few years now and it's always the app that I go back to as nothing else betters it and the best thing about it is that it's free to install... Bonus! Fotor really has everything I need to edit my Instagram photos and it's so easy to use, navigate and I'm able to create beautiful photos all in one app.

I like to go for a really bright look when it comes to my photos and I always find the best way to achieve this is to stay away from filters and really concentrate on the basics of photo editing - Brightness, contrast and sharpness. Fotor has a little section for this and it's really easy to adjust all of these things to you're liking.

I then like to go into the advanced section of the app where I can adjust things like shadows and highlights. My favourite tool on this section has to be the 'curves' tool which I always use on my laptop to edit my blog photos. I find 'curves' really allows me to add that brightness to my pictures easily and I love to play around with this. I've not come across another photo editing app which uses this feature and its this that really makes Fotor my number one photo editing app. 

If I'm still not fully satisfied with my picture, Fotor has loads more to offer on the app such as an instant 'Enhance' tool and another favourite has to be the endless amount of filters that you can then apply to your pictures. It honestly has so many to choose from, I'm a little spoilt for choice. 

As well as having all the perfect combination of tools to edit my photos, it also has a collage section on the main menu which is perfect just because I can do everything in one app. From there I can upload my picture straight onto Instagram... Perfect.

I honestly can't recommend this app enough, like I said I'm not the most popular Instagramer, but I personally love to read these kinds of posts as I'm always up for improving my Instagram game. This app really makes such a difference for me and I thought as I've not seen many people rave about Fotor I would share with you all why it's my personal favourite.

I would love to know what your favourite photo editing apps are, even though I love Fotor I love downloading and experimenting with new apps. And I'd like to throw in a little shameless plug here.... Please come and say hello to me on Instagram, you can find me at @sunshinesprkle. Let me know if you follow as I'm love following beauty bloggers back.

Lots of Love

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Makeup Revolution Amazing Lip Liners || Review & Swatches

Hi everyone, I hope your all having a lovely bank holiday weekend! I've actually been so exited to get this post up for you today because as a lot of you know I love lipsticks! Recently I have been obsessed with lip liners and finding the perfect shades to match my favourite lipsticks. Now that I've started lining my lips (Thanks Kylie Jenner) I can't stop and my lips don't look nearly as full without it.

Whilst I've made it my own personal mission to find those must having winning lip liners, I was beyond excited to hear that one of my favourite makeup brands Makeup Revolution have released eight gorgeous lip liners of their own and I was lucky enough to get my hands on them - Cue excitement!! I'm sure you all know by now but some of my favourite lipsticks are from Makeup Revolution (Ken Will Want Me - I'm looking at you!) Its great that Makeup Revolution have not only brought out some amazing shades to wear with your favourite lipsticks, but liners that will also match some of their lipsticks perfectly.

Before I go into detail as to why I love each shade I think it's important to go over why these lip liners are so fantastic. First of all I love the design of them, the pencils are coloured to match the exact shade of the liner which makes it easy to grab first thing in the morning. Secondly the pencil sharper on the lid of the pencil is just genius! There is nothing worst that using a blunt pencil, so it's really handy having one of the top of the lid.

As for the quality of the lip liners, I can honestly say I'm amazed especially as they only cost £1.00 each - Such a bargain. Each lip liner is fairly creamy, super pigmented and isn't too drying on your lips either. This combination makes the lip liners so good as they can be worn just to draw the outline of your lips or be worn all over the lip. 

Starting with the lightest shades in the collection, 'The One' and "Nearly Naked' are not shades that I would want to wear all over my lips as they are incredibly light. The One is the only nude lip liner in the collection and it really is a pale nude and works great with all my light toned nudes, especially Mac's Honeylove. I really love that Makeup Revolution already have a nude toned lipstick called 'The One' which is the exact same shade as this liner, these two together really do make the perfect nude lip. The light pink shade (bottom) is called 'Nearly Naked'. I've not used this yet as it's such a pale milky pink, it almost looks white. I don't wear lipsticks this light so I would have to say it's my least favourite, however for such a light shade its incredibly pigmented.

The next two shades are what I would call the girly girl pinks and they are the perfect liners to match any pretty girl pink lipsticks in your collection. The top picture shows off 'Baby Pink' and the name for this lipliner describes the shade perfectly, it really is such a soft pink. The bottom picture is 'Soft Pink' which is probably one of my favourites in the collection as it's such a soft blue toned pink and works with so many different lipsticks, especially Mac's chatterbox.

Another two lipliners which really stand out for me in the collection are 'Bold Pink' (top) and 'Cherry Red' (bottom). These two lipliners are stunning and look amazing on, especially Cherry Red. I would describe 'Cherry Red' as a bright pink fuchsia and it looks so gorgeous on, it reminds me a little bit of Mac's Impassioned. As for 'Bold Pink' again the name describes this shade perfectly, it's a really fun vibrant bubblegum pink with blue undertones. I have a lot of lipsticks in these two colours so I know I'm going to get so much use out of these liners.

The darkest shades in the collection are 'Rebel' (top) and 'Vamp' (bottom). I have to say it's so nice to be able to add some darker pink/purple toned lip liners to my collection. I think it's always best to use a lip liner with darker lipstick and these two shades are so perfect, I know I'm going to be able to pair them with so many lipsticks. Rebel is a deep pinky purple shade and it reminds me a little bit of Mac's rebel. I don't own it (yet) but I think if you did this would pair beautifully with it. As for 'Vamp' OMG it's gorgeous! During winter I love wearing berry toned lipsticks so Vamp I'm sure will come in handy and become a favourite towards the end of the year.

As you can see these amazing lip liners are amazing! I'm so pleased Makeup revolution finally released them as they have so many lipcticks, it's great to be able to find the matching lipliners to some of the shades. I really hope that MR add a few reds, corals and oranges to the collection too as I feel it's missing these and I do love wearing a red lip! Like I said earlier the quality of these liners are amazing and for £1.00 you can't go wrong!

I would love to know what your thoughts are on these lip liners? What shades will you be picking up? Let me know in the comments below.

Lots of Love

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EcoTools Fresh & Flawless Complexion Brush Set || Flawless Skin Every Time

This year I seem to have a serious obsession with makeup brushes, my collection seems to have doubled and I just love trying out and creating different looks with my new makeup tools. One of my besties, Emily bought me the Ecotools Fresh & Flawless brush set for Christmas (how long ago was that?) Now they've become quite the staple when it comes to applying my everyday makeup. I thought it was about time I posted about them on my blog. I don't know about you but I love hearing about what makeup brushes everyone loves using, so if you're looking to add to your makeup brush collection be sure to get comfy and keep on reading. 

I think I'll start by saying that EcoTools seems to be quite a winner amongst us beauty bloggers. When I first started blogging I remember seeing loads of reviews of these pretty makeup brushes made from bamboo handles. I can't believe it's taken me this long to get my hands on some. The set of brushes that I've been trying are the mini Fresh & Flawless Complexion set and since I got them I've been using them non stop. The words 'fresh' and 'flawless' instantly appeal to me when doing my makeup as I think everyone wants flawless natural looking skin. The reason why I love this brush set so much is that it does actually work little miracles and really makes such a difference when applying my makeup.

The set includes a flat concealer brush, a buffing concealer brush, a precision foundation brush, a complexion blending brush and a full powder brush - Everything you need to create the perfect base for the rest of your makeup. Each brush has really soft bristles, but is compact enough that they get to work so easily on those ares that you want to blend. My favourite has to be the complexion blending brush (the one with bronze decoration) I just love this for going over my foundation or powder and using it to really blend everything out. It's true when you hear those words 'blend' as it really makes such an instant difference and this brush is a winner for achieving such a flawless look.

The other brush that is a favourite of mine and one I'm frequently using is the buffing concealer brush (the one with blue decoration). Before using this brush I only used my fingers to blend in my concealer, it's only since I've been using this brush that I now see where I was going wrong all these years, it makes such a difference! This concealer brush has a flat top with dense bristles and they really gets to work with any of those imperfections I try to cover up.

As for the other brushes in the set, they're lovely. I don't always have the time in the morning to use every single one, but I love having them there for those days where I have time to try make myself look fresh and flawless.

Before I wrap this review up I would just point out how pretty these makeup brushes are, the design on them has me swooning a little. I love the colours used and the little leaf print on each brush, it makes telling them apart so easy, especially their mixed in with my other brushes. I also love that these brushes work perfectly in miniature form. They're definitely a must have.

I would love to know what your thoughts are on EcoTools, are you a fan? If so let me know what your favourite brush is below as I'm looking to add more to my collection.

Lots of Love

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LouLouBelle Skincare || My favourite 3 step Skincare Routine

A very happy Sunday to you all, I hope you've had a great weekend. I was thinking that my blog has been very makeup based recently and it's been a little while since I showcased some skincare products. I find this surprising as I've actually discovered so many new skincare products over the last few months that are definitely worth sharing with you all. With this being said I thought I'd take the opportunity to talk about a three step skincare routine that I've been loving recently. All these products are from the brand LouLouBelle London* which is a brand that I've only been introduced too recently, but the products are so lovely that I just have to share.

First of all for those of you wondering LouLouBelle is a skincare boutique which make skincare products from all natural ingredients, essential oils and floral waters. It's these natural combination of products that really have a positive effect on the skin. With most skincare routines there are three steps - Your cleanse, followed by toning and completed by a moisturiser. I'm one of these girls who love to do all three steps religiously every evening and I really love it when a brand provide all there products that are equally good as each other and LouLouBelle Skincare do just this.

Starting with the cleanser, the LouLouBelle Lavender & Lemon Rebalancing Cleanser is just gorgeous. First of all I love any skincare products that have a citrus scents, I just find them very refreshing to use. Secondly I find the lavender to be very soothing on my skin. I would say this cleanser is more like a cleansing milk and every time I wash my face with this, my skin literally feels so soft, looks brighter and I see a noticeable difference right away. When it comes to skincare I do want something that brightens up my skin, especially on my cheeks and around my eye area, and this cleanser does a fantastic job at this. It also does a great job at removing eye makeup, it's so delicate on my skin that I have no irritation whatsoever. 

Next up is my favourite out of the three products, the Geranium & Grapefruit Rebalancing toner. This product is such a pleasure to use and as soon as I use it my skin instantly feels refreshed and looks so much brighter. If you've used the Lush Eau Roma water, it reminds me of that but ten times better. What I really love about it is that it feels like water, it so gentle on my sensitive skin and it actually gives my skin a little hydration boost, which I never get with other toners. Once I've finished using this my face feels so clean, its one of those products that I love using in the morning and the evening. 

The last product in the three step LouLouBelle routine is the moisturiser, this Mandarin Rebalancing moisturiser just completes the skincare routine perfectly. Not only does it work amazingly with the other two products, but compliments them too. I love that there is the same citrus and lavender theme running through all three products, it makes using them so lovely. What I really love about this moisturiser is that it works perfectly with my combination skin. Whenever I use this in the morning I feel as though my skin has a lovely glow to it and it does a great job at keeping my skin feel well balanced throughout the day. I would say for the evening it's not always heavy duty enough for me as I do like to use a night cream now and again, but for the morning its perfect. The moisturiser is so lightweight, absorbs quickly into my skin and hydrates my skin beautifully at the same time. 

Overall I am so impressed with the LouLouBelle Skincare range, you can pick up each product on their own or receive them as part of a gift set like I have which comes beautifully packaged in a box. LouLouBelle also offer their skincare products for every skin type too. I've picked the products for combination skin, but there is also dry and oily skin products on offer too. Head over to their website (here) to take a closer look. 

If you're thinking about trying something new on your skin and are looking to invest in a new skincare routine I can't recommend LouLouBelle enough. I would love to know what your favourite skincare items are? Let me know in the comments below.

Lots of Love

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Unicorns are Real! || Makeup Revolution Unicorns Unite Palette

I'm pretty sure that it comes to no surprise now when I declare my love for Makeup Revolution. I honestly must sound like a broken record because I'm forever raving about the brand here on my blog, Twitter and Instagram... Obsessed I know. My obsession for the brand has grown a little more since last week as I was lucky enough to get my hands on the new Unicorns Unite Salvation Palette* (insert girly squeal here). A little while back you may remember when MR released the Mermaid vs Unicorns palette which was so popular as I think everyone including myself has a thing for mythical creatures. I'm guessing because that palette was such a success due to the amazingly themed colours included in the palette, Makeup Revolution have now brought us a palette that is dedicated to us Unicorn Fans. 

Now you don't need me to tell you just how stunning and vibrant the Unicorns Unite Palette is as I'm pretty sure the pictures speak for themselves. But if you want to find out what I think makes this palette really special and why you need it in your makeup collection then be sure to keep reading. 

First of all the packaging of this palette spot on and fits the unicorn theme perfectly. Usually when a palette comes in a box, I quickly dispose of it. But Makeup Revolution have really gone all out with this bright purple holographic packaging - Beautiful! The actual palette itself is the same as all the other MR Salvation palettes; A sleek shiny black casing which feels sturdy and has a great clasp and a large mirror inside which is perfect when applying the shadows. The palette contains 18 different shades of eyeshadows, 12 of them being shimmery and the other 6 having a matte finish.

The Unicorns Unite Palette definitely has a theme running through it, other than the obvious (unicorns). The colours inside are bright, bold and definitely not for the faint hearted! I think theres such an amazing choice of colours ranging from metallic blues, vibrant purples to neon pinks. The colours for me really emphasise that fantasy element to the palette and just looking at it I feel inspired to play around with colour and create some bold and daring makeup looks. What I've found and really love is that all the shades compliment each other really well, which is just what you want in any palette - So the looks that you can create are endless!

As for the actual shadows themselves I've found each shade to be highly pigmented, soft and very bendable. On the packaging it does say that 12 of the shades are shimmery and I've found them to be a good mixture of metallics and glitters. The metallic shadows are definitely the winners in the palette ; Not only are they stunning once applied, but they add so much dimension and depth to your makeup look and are like no other eyeshadow I've ever tried before.

As you can see each shades is unique  and you really have so much choice when it comes colour. By no means is this an everyday eyeshadow palette for me, but I love playing around with colour and sometimes its fun wearing something a little more daring. I think this palette would be great if you like bright colours and like me are a fan of unicorns! I can just imagine the bright blues and metallic purples would look great worn during summer time, especially if you're heading off to any festivals. I've had so much fun playing around with this palette and have already some favourite shades amongst the 18. Below is a look I created using some of the purple and blue shades, but I'm thinking of showcasing my creations in a separate post using this palette - Let me know what you think?

If you're wanting to pick up the Unicorns Unite Palette, then be sure to head over to the Makeup Revolution site where they sell for £6.00 - Such a bargain! I would love to know your thoughts on this palette, let me know in the comments below. 

Lots of Love

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April Favourites | L'Oreal, Makeup Revolution & More ...

Hi guys! I can't believe we're well into May, I know I say this every month, but this year seems to be flying by. I'm a little late getting my monthly favourites post up, but throughout April I added a few new bits to my makeup collection that just had to make its way into this post. Also I rediscovered a few hidden gems which have made its way onto this post too. So if you want to find out what I've been loving recently, get comfy and keep on reading.

Last month I picked up the Sleek Contour and Blush palette which has always been a favourite amongst us beauty bloggers, but I was so late to the party and took my time in picking one up. I think as we get closer to summer, our makeup changes and for me its all about the contour and highlight. I find that I wear a lot less blush this time of year and go for the sun kissed bronzed look instead. I've been blown away by this palette and I've used it everyday since picking it up. The bronzer is so pigmented, not shimmery and blends beautifully. I find that it works amazingly at defining my cheekbones and the colour once blended is very subtle and natural looking. Paired with the highlight (in the middle) I can create the most gorgeous glowy skin... And of course I'm all about those cheekbones!! As for the highlight, I love ones that are a bit more golden, I find that they suit my skin tone a lot more, and the one in this palette is just perfect - It compliments the bronzer beautifully. I plan on getting a full review of this up very soon, so keep a look out for that.

Next up is the foundation that you've probably seen pop up on every beauty blog recently and that is the L'Oreal Infallible 24H Matte foundation - I even reviewed this myself recently (here). This foundation is amazing and has quickly become a new favourite of mine. As someone who has oily to combination skin, I'm a big fan of foundations that keep shiny skin at bay and give a lovely full coverage matte finish. This foundation does exactly that and for a matte foundation its incredibly lightweight, I love it.

As your all aware by now, I'm a big fan of Makeup Revolution. If you've not tried their products yet I recommend you head over to their website pronto, you'll be in makeup heaven I promise you! I little while ago I was gifted one of the new I Heart Obsession Palettes in Pure Cult and because the colours in the palette are so perfect for this time of year, I've been reaching for it non stop. I did a full review of this palette if you would like to see swatches (here) and I promise you when I say that the quality of these shadows are next to none. I've been particularly loving the bonze and dusty pink shades, they are so pigmented and look so pretty once applied. This palette has everything I need to create the perfect daytime or evening look. Again this time of year I love makeup that gives me that summery sun kissed look and this palette helps me achieve that.

One item thats made its way on to this post is one that surprises me a little as I'm not a lip gloss kind of girl is the Smashbox Be Legendary Lipgloss in Pout, it's become a favourite of mine - It's so beautiful. If you're a regular reader of my blog, you may have noticed that most of the lipsticks I review mostly have a matte finish as thats what I prefer. So to love something so shiny as a lipgloss is saying something! This lipgloss for me is perfect. It's not sticky, feels so comfortable on my lips and just makes me feel really girly. The shade pout is such a sheer pastel pink shade and on its own doesn't really give your lips that much colour, but worn across my favourite nude and pale pink lipsticks, it looks stunning. I won't say too much more on this lipgloss as I'll be dedicating a post to it, but it's definitely one to pick up.

Along with my favourite 'pout' lipstick from Smashbox, I've also been loving a pencil liner which I've had in my collection for some time. By the way this paired with pout is one of my favourite lip combos right now. This lip lustre pencil from Mirabella in 'shy' is so gorgeous and is the perfect pink toned nude shade. I received this lip liner in a 'Love Me Beauty' box sometime ago and completely forgot about it. What I really love about this liner, other than the colour is that it's so creamy and feels so comfortable to apply. The product is really soft so it doesn't drag across your lips at all. I can actually wear this all over my lips and it actually feels quite hydrating. If 'Love Me Beauty' had not introduced me to Mirabella I would have never discovered this new favourite. I will definitely be looking to pick up some more of their lip liners.

Last but not least is an all time summer favourite of mine. I love my fake tan as some of you will know, but the Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs takes tanning to a whole new level. Now this is not a new product, I've actually been using it for a few good years and have gone through cans of the stuff. As the name of this tan suggests, the product gives your skin an airbrushed look which is incredible - It's like makeup for your body. A few sprays of this on your legs, will make your pins look so smooth, flawless and hide any marks, bruises or unevenness. With the weather warming up and my pins making more of an appearance this tanner is an essential. Although it says to be used on legs on the bottle, it actually can be used everywhere on your body. I love using this on my arms also. Think of this like foundation for your skin - Amazing. 

So that's all my favourites this month, as you can see there is quite a few bits. I would love to know what you've been loving recently? Be sure to link your favourite posts in the comments below and I'll be sure to take a look.

Lots of Love

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