This year went by so fast and I can only thank everyone that supported me. I'm so thankful for the amount of love and kindness, you guys have shown me... I am not one to care about statistics, but I gathered my top five most popular posts from 2015 and decided to add my personal five favorites as well. First of all, let's talk about the ones I think are worth checking out just in case you missed them.

Make Up For Ever HD Powder - This is a holy grail of mine. It really transforms your skin and it keeps your concealer from creasing. It has an incredibly soft texture and a flawless finish.

Blog Photography // Camera, Background & Lighting - When it comes to blogging, I know how difficult it is to figure it out all by yourself. So I created this long, but informative post where I shared everything you need to know about taking your pictures and getting them to stand out.

Sleek Makeup Antique Blush - This became my go-to blush the moment I bought it. It has the perfect amount of pigmentation and the color is so flattering on my pale complexion.

5 Lipsticks For Fall & Winter - I always find an excuse to talk about vampy lipsticks. These are a few of my favorite shades.

Maybelline Color Tattoo: Bad To The Bronze & Pomegranate Punk - If you love finding affordable dupes to high end products, you need to check out these eyeshadow bases. They are similar to the MAC Paint Pots, but way cheaper.

Now, moving on to your favorites.

MAC Antique Velvet Lipstick - This got so many views, I can't even believe. Let's be real, we all love MAC lipsticks (Right?!). This lip color is definitely one of my favorites and clearly, a lot of people feel the same way.

Nivea Men Sensitive After Shave Balm // The Best Primer - I believe the moment NikkieTutorials talked about using this as a primer, everyone went crazy for it. Of course, I had to try it out and share with you my honest opinion.

Sleek Makeup Havana Lipstick Palette - This post got so many views the moment Sleek Makeup shared it on their Twitter. I was definitely surprised by that, and of course extremely thankful. I love these lipsticks to pieces.

Sleek Makeup Birthday Suit Matte Me Lip Cream - Seeing how difficult it was to get this product, I knew people would definitely be interested in a review. This is such a beautiful lip color.

MAC Stone Lipstick - This lipstick is my absolute favorite for 2015. You could totally say that I'm in love with it.

Let me know in the comments below what you want to see here next year!  Have a great New Year's Eve and I'll see you in 2016!

I've always had trouble finding a powder to contour due to how pale I am. Usually, they turn out to be very warm toned, even when they originally look cool toned in the pan. I've heard many amazing things on this contour palette, so I decided to get it.

I truly appreciate this beautiful matte black packaging. It's made of sturdy cardboard, so it's not heavy at all. Some might say that this palette is not the most travel-friendly, because of its size. However, considering it comes with six powders, I don't mind carrying it around.

This comes with three highlighting powders and three contour/bronzers. They vary in shade, therefore they suit many skin tones. Even though I have a fair complexion, I find use for all of these powders. I will be showing this more in depth on my upcoming contour video. Overall, these are incredibly soft and buttery. They also blend really easily and the colors are just impeccable.

I have been using this kit every time I do my makeup for a while now, and you can't even see a dent on any of these powders. This is definitely a holy grail product of mine. They have the perfect amount of pigmentation. I know there are way cheaper alternatives out there, but for now I have to say this is the best one I've tried. If you have an affordable option, let me know in the comments.

Products:
MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot
MAC Oh, Darling
Urban Decay Naked Palette (Naked + Buck)
Sephora Pure White Nano Liner
Maybelline The Colossal Mascara
MAC Kinda Sexy Lipstick
MAC Antique Velvet Lipstick

If you go back to my older posts, you will notice how different my pictures looked like. I'm not saying I'm happy with every single photo I post, but nowadays, most of them make me feel quite proud of how much I learned and improved. Having a good camera, definitely helps, but I strongly believe the key is editing. A lot of people use Photoshop, however, I prefer to work on a budget (I don't like to spend money!). So all programs I use are free and very user-friendly.

PROGRAMS
Let's start with the basic, finding something that works for you. I have a few that I love, one of them is the free version of Photoshop. It is an online editor, which means you don't have to download and install a program. It has really incredible features.

PicMonkey is also very popular, and one of the easiest to use. I have to admit, this is my go-to at the moment. I mostly play with exposure, and in there, I change the highlights and contrast.

Finally, there is a program called paint.NET and you have to install it. It provides a lot of easy tools to improve drastically your pictures. I find useful to have a program that doesn't require WiFi signal. If you travel a lot or your Internet connection isn't the best, this is a great option.

BRIGHTNESS
This will sort of add a white cast to your picture. It will highlight everything, not only the white areas. I often avoid using this tool, because I like my pictures to look colorful, and this, for a lack of a better term, will suck the life out of your photo.

HIGHLIGHTS
I consider this my best friend. It brings out the white areas, and allows you to make it extra bright if you want. If overused, it will also look terrible. So keep in mind, moderation is the way to go.

CONTRAST
This is responsible for making my photos pop. It intensifies the colors. But I don't like to use this in excess, because it can make my photos look too bold.

SATURATION
If your white background looks blue or red, you can adjust it to look neutral by lowering or upping the saturation. I used to do this all the time, when I had a different camera. Now I only use this, when in my portraits I look like a ghost.

I'm a big fan of incredibly white backgrounds. If you prefer something more "realistic", just opt for subtle changes instead.

What program do you use to edit your pictures?

Related: Blog Photography // Cameras, Background & Lighting

No exaggeration, I've wanted to buy this lipstick for two years. For some reason, I would always choose another one instead. But I'm so glad I finally decided to purchase this product.

Kinda Sexy is described as a "neutral pinky rose". I agree partially with it, as I see a lot of peach in it as well. This is highly pigmented and it glides on so smoothly. Even though, this has a matte finish, I don't find it drying at all. Also, this lasts a little over four hours on my lips. I don't think I have ever mentioned this on my MAC lipstick reviews, but I'm obsessed with the vanilla scent they have.

This is a really versatile and flattering shade. You can either go for a basic everyday look, or a night out look. The quality is absolutely amazing.

I usually gravitate towards brownish/mauve colors, but I've been obsessed with light nude lipsticks. So I took advantage of Black Friday to get some gorgeous peachy shades.

Honeylove is described as a "light beige tone with rose", which I consider very accurate. This is definitely the most creamy and moisturizing matte lipstick, from MAC, that I own. The formula is fairly different from other matte lipsticks, this one is not as drying as those, and the color payoff is incredible. If you have any dead skin on your lips, you need to exfoliate before applying this product, or it will accentuate that area. This lasts around two hours, which is pretty good considering it's not a liquid lipstick.

I love this color and I know I will wear it all the time. Also, I find this kind of nude very flattering on many skin tones. I truly believe the quality makes this worth the price.

As a beauty junkie, I love buying and getting makeup for Christmas, or any time of the year. Here are some of my favorite high end products, that I think would be incredible gifts. As a matter of fact, a few of these I received last year on the Holidays.

One of my newest items, which I'm super excited about, is the Kat Von D Shade + Light contour palette. I've been using it nonstop, and this is perfect for any makeup lover. I'm obsessed with Dior packaging and the most important, the quality of their products. I swear by the 999 Rouge lipstick and the matching nail varnish. Let's be honest, Benefit makes the cutest kits. If I'm not mistaken, this one, She's So Jetset, was a limited edition. However, they always launch many new ones. I really like how this comes with some miniatures, so I get to test out the products without having to commit to the full size. Last but not least, highlighters. I highly recommend the MAC Soft and Gentle. It has a beautiful peachy champagne tone.

What is on your Christmas wish list?

If you're new to makeup, you might not see a reason to spend so much money on translucent powders. After all, they don't add any extra coverage to your face. However, they're one of the best powders to set your under eye concealer and prevent it from creasing.

This is quite a fine powder and it feels just like silk. It gives a beautiful matte finish and I love that when I use this, I won't have even a minimal crease. Unlike a lot of translucent powders I've tried before, this adds a "veil" on top of my cream products and it keeps them in place throughout the day. I can totally see this becoming a holy grail of mine.

Translucent powders can spark fear amongst some people, because they see pictures of celebrities at events with a white cast on their face. That's due to flashback, which is when you take a picture with flash and look way whiter than you should. But, if you use a little bit and blend it really well, this won't happen. Also, in day light you won't be able to notice that effect. So if you have an event to go at night, just skip this type of powder.

This look is quite dramatic and I know not everyone would wear it for the Holidays or any time of the year. However, a lot of people seemed to love it on my Instagram (@fernandaxbritto), therefore I decided to post a quick and easy tutorial for beginners or anyone that loves editorial makeup. I did a simple cut crease, and instead of going for a winged liner, I created a thick winged silver eyeshadow look. When I think of Christmas I think of red/burgundy, so on the crease I used two reddish eyeshadows. Finally, for the lips I used one of the new MAC matte lipsticks in the shade Whirl. For those that prefer something more simple, I will have another tutorial coming soon!

Products:
MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (Foxy)
Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette (Defy + Sonic)
Sleek Makeup Ultra Mattes V2 Darks (Maple)
Kat Von D Star-crossed Palette (Scandinavian)
Avon Black Flash Eyeliner
Maybelline The Colossal Mascara
MAC Whirl Lipstick

This is one of the most exciting products for me in a long time. If I had to choose my favorite thing about makeup, it would be highlighters. I've seen many people going crazy for this product, so I had to get it. Unfortunately, this is limited edition and I have no idea if they will restock it.

Oh, Darling is described as a "metallic gold". It is highly pigmented, even more than any other luminizers I own. It's also buttery and it blends beautifully. With a little bit of product you can achieve quite an intense look, which I love.

Considering I didn't see any comparisons between Oh, Darling and the very popular Mary Lou-Manizer by The Balm or the MAC Soft and Gentle, I felt that I should compare them. I'm very pale and this highlighter suits me perfectly, even though it's gold based.

I can't say enough good things about this product. I have to admit, that my holy grail Mary Lou-Manizer, finally has some competition. It saddens me to know that when I run out of this highlighter, I can't repurchase it. I can only hope MAC will make this a part of the regular collection in the future. Until then, if you get a chance of buying this highlighter, don't think twice, just go for it.

First of all, I want to apologize for being absent for one week. I just needed some time to reflect and collect my thoughts so I could move forward. Basically, all I wanted to say is I'm back at posting twice a week. Now let's be honest, at times, we all feel like there is nothing to post about. Having that in mind, I gathered 25 beauty, fashion and lifestyle blog post ideas to share with my fellow bloggers. I really hope these are helpful to at least a few of you. Also, don't forget to share some of your ideas in the comments below.

1. Last minute blog post ideas. (All jokes aside, stopping to think about blog post ideas can be helpful to you and a lot of people. So why not share?!)
2. Current beauty/fashion favorites.
3. The things you wish you knew before start blogging.
4. What's in your makeup bag?
5. Facts about you.
6. A fun/embarrassing story.
7. Your everyday makeup look.
8. Skincare/haircare/pamper routine.
9. Products not worth the hype.
10. Behind the scenes. How you edit your photos and what equipment you use.
11. New purchases.
12. Wish lists.
13. Gift guides.
14. Your favorite apps. 
15. Advice for new bloggers. 
16. How you edit your Instagram pictures.
17. DIY face masks.
18. Blog Q&A.
19. Life/beauty hacks.
20. Share pictures of your vanity or your desk.
21. Create a playlist of your favorite songs.
22. Share pictures of a trip you went to. Places to go, where you stayed...
23. Your makeup/shoe/jewellery collection.
24. How to grow a blog.
25. Photography tips and tricks.

I had such a hard time trying to decide if I should buy the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer or repurchase the MAC Pro Longwear. So I filmed this comparison between them. Both of these concealers are full coverage and perfect for dark circles / under-eye. They can also be used to spot conceal, such as pimples, blemishes, scars...

It's been such a long time since I've had some favorites to share. This past month I got new things and also, rediscovered my love for a few older products.

• MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot - Every time I do my makeup, I use this primer. I've always liked it, but I used to alternate. However, lately I've been picking this up without even thinking about it. It gives a great coverage, so if you have discoloration on your eyelids, this will even out the skin tone and will give you a flawless canvas. The most important thing, it doesn't crease. 
• MAC Stone Lipstick - Oh, this is something I've been excited since the day MAC announced its launch. This is the most stunning greyish brown lipstick I've seen thus far. It's very creamy, but it still gives that desired matte finish. If I were a lipstick, this would be me.
• Makeup Geek Utopia Pigment - This can be quite messy to work with, but it's worth it. This antique gold is easy to combine with other colors and it adds a lot of texture due to its chunks of glitter.
• Sleek Makeup Antique Blush - This is one of the most natural-looking blushes I've seen. It gives a fresh look with a hint of sheen. It is highly pigmented and it blends beautifully.

What were some of your beauty favorites during October?

Since I usually do a lot of warm toned looks, I felt that I needed to film a cool toned makeup tutorial for a change. I recently got this beautiful lipstick from MAC called Stone, and I’ve been wearing it nonstop. This is super easy and quick to recreate and of course, you don’t need to have the exact same products I used.

Products:
MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot
Sleek Makeup Ultra Mattes V2 Darks Palette (Pillow Talk)
Urban Decay Naked Palette (Naked)
Urban Decay Vice 3 (DTF, Defy)
Maybelline The Colossal Mascara
Maybelline Liner Express
MAC Stone Lipstick

Are you guys tired of reading my reviews of the new MAC matte lipsticks already?! I promise, this is the last one. Like I mentioned in my previous posts on the lipsticks Whirl and Antique Velvet, these new shades are here to stay. They are a part of the regular collection, so if you want any of them, you will always be able to get them.

I've wanted to purchase the Stone lip pencil for a while, but I would much rather buy a lipstick instead of a lip liner. So imagine my excitement when I saw that this product was released. Stone is described as a "muted greyish taupe brown" and you can clearly see why. This is such an interesting lip color to look at. It's so beautiful and different.

Even though, this has a matte finish, I find it quite creamy and easy to apply. At the same time, it still has an opaque look to it. It is long lasting and it only starts to wear off after a few hours. Also, it didn't transfer to my teeth and it didn't stain my lips either. I can guarantee, you will see many pictures of me wearing this. I'm truly obsessed with it.

What do you think of this color? Is this something you would wear?

I've been looking for the perfect brown lipstick for a while. I even bought a few, but none were worth talking about, except this one. Antique Velvet is actually a part of the new matte collection and don't worry, they are not limited edition.

At first glance, this seems very similar to Sin, also by MAC. However, the moment I swatched both of them, I could clearly see the difference. They look nothing alike. Antique Velvet is a true dark brown and Sin is a beautiful burgundy.

This product is very pigmented and like any other matte lipstick from MAC that I've tried, this lasts a long time on the lips. Even though it's a dark color, it does not stain my lips and it's very creamy. I would highly recommend to wear this with a lip liner or apply it with a brush, as you can see I didn't, so it looked a bit rough around my mouth.

This is actually the darkest lip color I own. It's absolutely stunning and I truly love it. This looks incredible on any skin tone. If you are daring and enjoy distinct shades, this is ideal for you.

I really wanted to share some of my favorite affordable products from the drugstore. All of them are my essentials. These are perfect for beginners or anyone that wants to expand their collection.

Products:
Nivea Men Sensitive After Shave Balm
Maybelline BB Cream / BB Cream Oil Control
Revlon Peach Glow Highlighting Palette
Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Pink Frosting
Sleek Makeup Blush in Antique
Makeup Geek Pigments (Liquid Gold, Insomnia and Utopia)
Maybelline Color Tattoo (Pomegranate Punk and Bad To The Bronze)
Sleek Makeup Ultra Mattes V2 Darks Palette
Maybelline The Colossal Mascara
Maybelline Liner Express
Sleek Makeup Matte Me in Birthday Suit

The moment I read that MAC was releasing a new collection of matte lipsticks, I knew I had to get some of them. I've always been a fan of Whirl lip pencil, so purchasing the lipstick was a must. By the way, all of these new lipsticks are now a part of the regular collection.

Whirl is described as a "dirty rose" and it's a beautiful everyday nude lip color. Even though it has a matte finish, it is quite creamy and easy to apply. Also, the color payoff is impressive. It didn't transfer to my teeth and it didn't stain my lips either. Like all the MAC lipsticks I have tried, this is really long lasting. It only started to wear off after four hours.

The lipstick and the lip liner are not identical, but very similar. The lipstick has a hint of brown in it and the lip pencil is slightly lighter. I can totally see myself wearing this nonstop. This instantly became my favorite lip color when I first swatched it.

Did you buy any of the new lipsticks? If so, which shade?

In my opinion, the most important makeup item is concealer. No matter how sheer your foundation is, if you have a full coverage concealer you can cover any flaw. For today's "smackdown", I have my three favorite high end correctors.

By the way, I will be doing a little "series" here on my blog called Best Of  and I will share a certain number of beauty favorites. Each time, it will be a different category, I'll review and compare the products. So, which makeup category should I do next?

NARS RADIANT CREAMY - CHANTILLY
One of the things I love about this product is its applicator. It's practical and ideal to carry in your makeup bag. Also, if you're pale like me, you know how difficult it is to find a concealer that is light enough to highlight under the eyes. This one is definitely the whitest I've found thus far. It doesn't crease and it doesn't move throughout the day. It's perfect for dark circles and blemishes.

MAC PRO LONGWEAR - NC 20
The only things I can complain, are the fact that it comes with a pump and its bottle is made of glass. If you drop this product, it will shatter. The pump can be quite tricky, if you don't have a steady hand or if you're simply not used to it, a lot of product will come off and you really don't need much. It doesn't crease, nor budge. It can be used on the under-eye area and on blemishes.

MAC STUDIO FINISH - NW 20
Unlike the other two I mentioned, this one has a cream consistency. It's very thick, therefore I would not recommend using it on the under-eye. Since it will crease after a while and also, it feels heavy right when you apply it. However, this is my favorite concealer to cover blemishes and pimples. It's photoshop in real life.

Overall, these concealers are incredible. I like every single one of them for a reason and I would repurchase all of them. However, the first two are similar, and you definitely don't need both. If I had to choose, it would be the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. Because it's travel-friendly, it has a great range of shades and it can cover anything.

Even though I post some really bold beauty tutorials, that doesn't mean that on a daily basis I wear a lot of makeup. I like to keep my skin looking like skin. There are a few products that I carry in my makeup bag and I know I can always count on them to simply enhance my features.

Instead of going for a full coverage foundation, I like wearing a BB cream. My favorite at the moment is the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream, it evens out my skin tone without looking like I have something on. It doesn't cover any blemish, so to "fix" that I use the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. This product is very thick, so a little bit goes a long way. If you use just a thin layer of this concealer, you don't have to set it with powder, unless you prefer doing it. It actually doesn't crease on me, only when I use a lot of it.

To highlight my face I use the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle. This is not the most pigmented luminizer, therefore it's perfect for that healthy glow. My favorite natural-looking eyebrow product is the MAC Penultimate Brow Marker, which I use only on the sparse areas. It creates a shadow, giving the impression of fuller eyebrows.

I love the Benefit They're Real Mascara, because it enhances my eyelashes without clumping them. Finally, for lipstick I usually use MAC Velvet Teddy. Which is a beautiful brownish nude.

What are some of your favorite products for a fresh everyday look?

It's been a little over a year since I started blogging and looking back makes me appreciate how much I learned and improved.

A fact about me, I actually had a blog with some friends when I was thirteen. However, all of them gave up on it, consequently I did the same. Every so often, I wish I had kept going and not quit.

1. BRIGHTNESS, CONTRAST AND COLOR CORRECTING + LIGHTING
If you learn how to edit your pictures, it can dramatically change it for the better. I believe the basics are brightness, contrast and occasionally, color correcting. I always enhance the brightness so my pictures have an incredibly white background. For the contrast I raise it a tiny bit, so the colors look more vibrant. I used to color correct the photos I took with a Nikon D3200, now when I started using a Canon 700D I didn't have to do that anymore. I prefer my pictures to have a neutral tone, neither too warm, nor too cold.

My biggest advice for a beautiful picture is lighting. I love the look of natural lighting, but when I have to take a photo on a cloudy day, I like using an umbrella lighting with a fluorescent bulb.

2. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Right when I started this blog, I decided to post once day for a whole month. During the first week I had a lot to post about, but as the days went by I felt obligated to publish something and I had nothing to talk about. Don't even get me started on the low quality photos. I know that we all start somewhere and a lot of people wouldn't think it was too bad, but in my perfectionist brain that was awful.

In summary, don't post something just because you feel "pressured". Of course it's important to keep a plan, but don't force yourself into following an unrealistic schedule. I would much rather read a blog that posts once a week but actually has an incredible content, than reading one that posts every day and the quality is not as great. Remember, it's not necessarily about the camera and lens you use, but how much effort you put into it.

3. DON'T BE SCARED OF WRITING
This sounds weird, doesn't it?! In the beginning I used to write a review within five lines and I was done. I didn't elaborate or went in depth on the subject. At this moment in time, I realize that even I wouldn't waste my time reading that kind of review. The key to a good review or any type of blog post is to actually be informative and explain your point of view.

4. FINDING THE PERFECT TEMPLATE
When you're starting, it's fine to use one of the standard templates. You can totally customize those and to do that all you need to do is research HTML. I swear, it's not as scary as it seems. However, if you don't want to spend hours attempting to figure it out or buy a professional looking template, you can always find a free template. There are so many to choose from, simply type on Google "free template for Blogger" or "free template for WordPress".

5. EVERYTHING TAKES TIME
This could either be about gaining readers and followers, or about improving your skills. In the beginning you will have around five views per post. It takes months to get your first comment and then, an audience. The more you grow, the fastest you grow.

When it comes to developing skills, you need to be patient and practice as much as you can. The secret of getting ahead is getting started. So don't overthink things, just press publish!

If you fancy another reading I have a post dedicated to blog photography.

I don't normally wear white eyeliner, but this makeup instantly became my go-to/everyday look. Even though, I used a pigmented gold eyeshadow, this is actually quite "natural" and wearable on a daily basis (at least for me). I mixed two eyeshadows to create the perfect peach tone I was looking for. Finally, for the mauve lip, I went with a mix of my favorite products at the moment.

Products:
MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot
Urban Decay Naked2 Palette (Foxy/Half Baked)
Urban Decay Vice3 Palette (Undone)
Stila Snow Angel Palette (Matte Pink)
Sephora Pure White Nano Eyeliner
Maybelline One By One Mascara
MAC Plum Lip Pencil
Sleek Makeup Birthday Suit Liquid Lipstick