Beauty ¦ Charlotte Tilbury Pillow talk

I think this may just be the most hyped lip liner in the entire blogging community and I totally understand why. I was a little worried it was going to be one of those overhyped products that was just a little meh. However the minute I used it for the first time I knew that it was something I was going to love and use all the time.

 



It's the most perfect peachy toned nude shade and it matches my lip colour really well. Meaning I can over line my natural lip line without making my lips look overdrawn. The texture is super creamy and it glides onto the lips really nicely without dragging. The finish is matte but it feels very hydrating on the lips and I find any texture of lipstick works well over it. It doesn't make matte lipsticks more drying which was one of my biggest worries.



 

Overall I'm so impressed with this lip liner, it isn't cheap but I highly suggest that if you have the cash to give it a go! You won't regret it. 

Beauty ¦ The realistic drugstore starter kit

 

Some of the drugstore starter kits out here on the internet are completely unrealistic. I don't think I know one makeup beginner that can do a full face with contouring and a really dark smokey eye. It's just not realistic. So today I thought I'd show you the real basics that any beginner may want to ease them into makeup.

 

The first thing in this post isn't something everyone will need but I thought I'd mention my favourite drugstore light to medium coverage of the moment. Rimmel Lasting finish Nude is a really lovely and comfortable product and it goes to a really pale shade however if you have a dark skintone you may struggle. This works really well blended I with the fingers or with a brush.

 

Some people may just need concealer and my favourite from the drugstore is the Seventeen Stay time concealer which is a much lighter less cakey version of the Collection lasting perfection concealer. The coverage is very high and it works well on both blemishes and under the eyes as it has a much lighter formula meaning it doesn't settle into any lines/dry patches.

 

For me brows are super important but I wouldn't go all in full brow on the first go. I really love the L'Oreal brow artist plumper for minimal makeup days as it just adds a hint of colour to the brows

and disguises any gaps without being super heavy whilst holding the hairs into place.

 

I think that mascara is super important for anyone who wears makeup as it just pulls everything together. The Seventeen mascaras are really nice and well priced. The one I'm currently using is the Doll'd up but my favourite is most definitely the Backlash.

 

The final thing id suggest for the eyes is a matte shadow which is similar to your skintone. just to even out any discolouration or veins on the lid as well as to reduce any lid oiliness. The Makeup revolution shadows are lovely and the shade touch me is the perfect evening out shade for a lighter skintone.

 

My final suggestion for this post is a good lip balm. My favourite from the drugstore is the Blistex Lip relief cream which is a medicated balm which really helps to hydrate and plump the lips slightly. Perfect for under another lip product or just to add a little gloss to the lips.  



Beauty ¦ Collection eyes uncovered palettes

At this current moment I'm a little obsessed with eye shadow palettes, these are some of the newest releases from Collection and as most of the blogging community are I am super impressed. For the bargain price of £3.99 you really can't complain.

 



In each palette there are 6 shades, housed in a cardboard palette with a clear window at the front. Each palette contains a sponge applicator which is pretty much useless in my opinion however if you are new it may be useful.

 

All the shades are beautifully pigmented and have a very buttery texture and blend like an absolute dream. I found that each palette has a nice mix of shades and that you can do a fair few eye looks out of each one.

 

I've found that the shades in the Nude bronze palette are more suited for me as they are much more metallic and a little warmer than the Nude palette. I also find that the shades in the Bronze palette are a little more pigmented and creamy than the Nude palette which I think is probably due to the fact the shades are metallic rather than matte.

 



 Nude bronze

Overall I'm really impressed with these palettes and would highly recommend them to anyone who's looking for some new eye shadows, drugstore or high end!
 

Nude

The Collection Eyes uncovered palettes are available from Boots and Superdrug as well as other stockists for £3.99

Beauty ¦ Maybelline Leather effect color tattoo's

If you've read my blog for a while now about a year ago I was so obsessed with the maybelline colour tattoo's they were almost the only thing I used on my eyes and I used on and on bronze for about two months straight. However the more I got into the eyeshadow the more they got pushed to the back of my collection and they were just pulled out when I was feeling lazy or was in a rush. This being said when I heard about the new shades being released in the UK I felt a little flutter of excitement.

I really like the new colours as they are more neutral than the last lot there is the beige in the picture above and also a chocolate brown which I didn't manage to get my hands on. The formula is a little dryer than on and on bronze but they are definitely creamier than the matte shades from the line. Vintage plum is an almost completely matte shade with a really lovely creamy texture however I find the pigmentation to lack a little and I find it to be quite patchy. Once blended and built up it's the most beautiful plummy grey shade which works nicely as a base for a smokey eye. I do still like this one but it requires a little more effort than all the other shades I own do.

Creamy beige is a really gorgeous basic camel shade with a little bit of a sheen and a tiny bit of shimmer. This is beautifully pigmented and it's a great one for neutralising any redness/veins on the lids. This one goes on much smoother than vintage plum and it isn't patchy at all. This is the one out of the two that I've been reaching for regularly and it may even overtake my love for on and on bronze and be my favourite colour tattoo shade. As with all the other shades in the line these both last for a good 7-8 hours without much sign of creasing or fading.

If you already love the colour tattoo's I seriously suggest you check out these new additions however if you are a first timer i'd perhaps avoid vintage plum.  

Top - Creamy beige   Bottom - Vintage plum 

Blog ¦ Bloglovin #3

Hello lovely people,

today I'm back with another instalment of bloglovin' I really hope you guys enjoy reading these posts as I love putting them together. This is all about sharing the love so feel free to leave your latest posts in the comments and they might even end up in the next instalment.

 

Magpie Jasmine - 26 Easy blog photo background and prop ideas

Sweet Electric - Healthy work/uni Lunch ideas

Fleur Danielle - 50 Ideas for when boredom strikes

Autumn Leaves - Seriously awesome blogging tools

Becky Bedbug - How to create an effective media kit

A little obsessed - Fifty ideas for instagram posts

Beauty and the chic - The everyday base

Cherry Pie Blog - Beauty blogger problems

The Weekend Trender - Makeup storage, the update

Porcelain Beauty - Reasons I'm not a fashion blogger

What Lauren Writes - 10 Productive things to do when boredom strikes

A Girl and a Beauty blog - Budget beauty : Drugstore favourites

Fashion ¦ What's in my bag?

So I recently got a new bag and today I thought I'd show you what's in it. I've only taken it out once so it's pretty tidy and I had no nasty surprises (Read that as - a half eaten bag of very sticky skittles and crumpled receipts from 6 months ago) However I still found a couple of bits of rubbish (Does anyone else use their bag as a bin or is it just me?) 

My bag is one of the large river island satchels and it was only £30 which I was pretty chuffed with. It's fairly small which means I've really had to condense the stuff I carry round with me which my back is definitely thanking me for. It's quite structured so i've found I can't just shove all my stuff in it definitely has to be put in carefully. It's a lot like playing tetris really. The only problem I have is that I'm so worried I'm going to get it dirty I'm thinking now I probably should have gone for the purple one, we live and learn I suppose. 

In the main compartment I keep all my essentials, My filofax goes everywhere with me and I couldn't be without it. It actually has it's own post //Here// so if you'd like to know more about what's inside and how I use it give that a cheeky browse. I then have my purse which is the French connection lottie wallet which I received for my birthday and I am so in love with it. I then have a stray 3p, my sunglasses which are from Choies and a little bottle of the Garnier Clean sensation deodorant. The Final thing in the main section of my bag is a little Cath Kidston  makeup bag. 

In the first of the two makeup bags I carry round with me I keep all my little beauty bits, I have the Nivea caramel cream lip butter, Maybelline fit me concealer, a Natural collection eyeliner, a Miss sporty mascara, The body shop Mango hand sanitizer, a clear topcoat and the Soap and glory hand food, In this bag also goes anything else that I'm wearing that particular day so things like lipstick and liquid eyeliner if I'm wearing it. 

The front pocket has already become the bit that I just chuck things in, I have my house key and a little booklet which has all the Pandora spring collection in it. Then there's a wrapper from some breakfast biscuits and a little thing from the bank. The final thing I have in here is the other little makeup bag I carry around with me.

This little bag has little essentials in although it needs a restock as I've run out of painkillers and plasters but in here I keep some allergy tablets oh the perks of being allergic to cute fluffy things :( I also have some bits and bobs like hair ties and tissues as well as some gaviscon and some sweetex. 

So that's it, that's what I carry around with me in my bag. I really hope you enjoyed this and if you've done one of these posts I'd love for you to leave it in the comments as I love reading them. 

Beauty ¦ Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Bitch perfect

Oh my lord this lipstick is just stunning. Not only is the packaging absolutely to die for but the lipstick itself is amazing. You will know if you are a regular in these waters that my love for nudes has spiralled out of control in the last couple of months and it's definitely showing no signs of stopping! I'd love for you to leave me your favourite nude shades in the comments so I can give them a go.

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick - Bitch perfect £23.00 

Now I'm not going to go into too much detail with the packaging as you can clearly see how stunning it is. It feels super expensive and is fairly weighty, oh and it has the click (I was pretty much sold before I even tried it) The shade is the most gorgeous pinky nude with just enough orange in it to give it a slight corally tint but without it look like concealer. I find on my skin tone at the moment (pasty milk bottle white) it's actually quite a dark nude shade. It's super opaque and doesn't have to be as built up as some nudes on my lips as they're quite pigmented. 

The formula is absolutely stunning, it glides onto the lips slipping over any dry patches. It doesn't cling and it feels really moisturizing and doesn't emphasise any imperfections on the lips. The finish is very much like a satin from Mac. It's not glossy but it still has that gorgeous sheen to it. I was actually really impressed with the lasting power of this. I always find that nudes don't last much longer than 3-4 hours as they don't stain the lips but I found this one lasted a good 6 hours before I couldn't tell i'd been wearing it. It lasts pretty well through eating and drinking although there is a certain amount of wear. 

Beauty ¦ Benefit - They're real mascara

I don't know why I've never reviewed this as I would say it's my all time favourite mascara. I've mentioned it in so many post yet it's never actually had a post of it's own so when I got it for my birthday I decided I'd get on and review it for you all.

This is my all time favourite mascara, a bold claim I know but it is a well earnt one. The formula of this just seems to work so well with my lashes. On the grand scale my lashes are pretty long but they are so poker straight getting a mascara to hold a curl is an almost impossible task. This one holds it effortlessly due to it being such a strong waterproof formula, I can curl my lashes early in the morning and they will still be curled when I come to take my makeup off at night. Colour wise it's a really strong intense black.

The effect this mascara gives is really lovely, it is in no way natural but it separates and volumizes the lashes whilst also adding a little bit of length.  The lasting power of this stuff is pretty amazing, i've never experienced any flaking, smudging or running with this product due to the formula that I mentioned before. I've also worn this in a swimming pool and it didn't run all down my face which is pretty impressive. The only downside to this mascara is the removal, it is so stubborn although it does come off easily with an oil based cleanser (The botanics cleansing balm does a brilliant job of removing it)

Overall I would seriously recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good waterproof mascara, however if you're into the natural look this probably isn't for you.

Life ¦ The basic chocolate cupcake

Today I thought I'd do a really super simple baking post. I love making cupcakes so I thought I'd show you all my basic chocolate cupcake recipe. 

You will need:

For the cupcakes 

25g cocoa powder 

90g self raising flour

115g butter 

115g caster sugar (sometimes I swap this out for brown sugar to make them a bit more caramel-y) 

2 eggs 

For the frosting 

100g butter 

175g icing sugar 

(You can add flavourings such as vanilla, peanut butter, cocoa) 

So the method for these is super simple, you need to pop the butter and sugar into a bowl and cream them together until it is a soft cream colour.

Then you need to add the eggs and a little bit of the flour to stop the eggs curdling in the mix. 

Finally you need to sift the flour and cocoa into the bowl and fold in with a metal spoon so you don't knock the air out of it. 

Put the mixture into cases and bake for around 20 minutes on 180c. 

Once the cakes are in the oven you can make the frosting, I find it easier to pop the butter in the microwave for 10 seconds just to soften it a little. Pop all the ingredients into the bowl and just beat together until they form an icing. 

If you want to create the marbled effect like in the pictures below all you need to do is drip some food colouring into a piping bag randomly and then put your icing in the bag! 

So that's it super simple, tasty and pretty cupcakes! I hope you enjoyed this post.

Beauty ¦ Maybelline - The eraser eye

Welcome to the 1,000,000th review of one of the longest named concealers on the market. Now if you are a regular in these waters you will know that i'm always that persons that's very late so ends up half on the band wagon with my legs in the air and my face still on the road. However just because I could I thought I'd stick my two penneth in and review this. 

I'm going to be honest I was expecting pretty great things from this and in most of the sectors it delivered however it wasn't quite what I was hoping for. 

Lets start off with the negatives and end on a lighter note, the colour is just so off I picked up the shade light and the funny lighting in boots lulled me into a false sense of security. It is soooo yellow toned and it's just too dark for my skintone, it works fine if I use it under my foundation. I think it will be ok in the summer as I get significantly darker in the warmer months but it's not one I can use everyday now without messing around and blending and add a lighter concealer on top. 

Moving onto the positives, I really like the packaging I was a little dubious of the sponge applicator at first however it makes application so easy and I find there is just enough product from one click to do under both my eyes down my nose and my chin. The formula is very lightweight but you still get a very nice amount of coverage. I have given it a go over blemishes as curiosity got the better of me and it was ok. For me it isn't enough coverage on my blemishes and old scars however it does sit nicely on them and doesn't cake or go really gross. I've found that it does settle into the lines under my eyes a little however this problem is averted by a little bit of powder. 

Overall I'm super impressed by this and I would recommend it however it comes with a warning that even the lightest shade is very dark and very yellow toned. 

Life ¦ A collective March haul

I've decided because I preschedule a lot of my posts at the moment each month I'm going to do a big collective haul as it just makes my life easier. I know I you guys are anything like me you love a good haul so I hope you enjoy it.

 

This months haul is quite a big one as I had some birthday money to spend, so without further ado I really hope you enjoy this post.

 

 New look top £9.99

 

 New look printed trouser £9.99

 

 River island Mint green satchel £30.00

Amelia at WHSmith notebook £6.99

 

 The Body shop Camomile silky cleansing oil £10.00 - £9.00 with the love your body 10% off

The Body shop Seaweed clarifying toner £8.50 - £.15 with love your body birthday reward and 10% off

 

 Stila in the light £25.00

Stila convertible colour in fuchsia £16.00

Nars Sheer glow in mont blanc £31.00

Nars Radiant cream compact in Fiji (Giveaway win)

 

 Barry M Chisel cheeks contour kit £6.49

Maxfactor crème puff blusher in Gorgeous berries £8.99

Rimmel Lasting finish concealer in Ivory £5.99

L'Oreal Infallible mattifying base £7.99

L'Oreal Infallible 24H matte in Vanilla £7.99

Seventeen Stay time concealer in Very fair £5.49

Maybelline Instant eye eraser in Light £7.99

Bourjois CC cream in Beige rose (Managed to buy the wrong shade because I'm an idiot) £9.99

I also forgot to photograph it but I also picked up the Bourjois Bronzing primer which was £9.99

 

 Rimmel Scandal Eye shadow sticks in Bluffing and Bad girl bronze £4.49

L'Oreal L'ombre pure eye shadows in Sable lame and café saint german £5.49

Seventeen Instant glow Shimmer brick in pink bronze £5.99

 

 Maybelline Colour sensational shine glosses in Glorious grapefruit and Electric £6.19

Maybelline Colour sensational lipstick in Shocking coral £6.99

Bourjois Rouge edition 12 hour lipstick in Beige shooting £7.99

Rimmel Lip liner in east end snob £3.99

Rimmel Moisture renew lipstick in In love with ginger £6.49

Beauty ¦ Illamasqua Multi facet palette - Aura

If you read my birthday haul //Here//  you will see that I got this then, my mum picked it up for me in the sale and it cost the bargain price of £13.50 against the £45.00 RRP I was pretty chuffed with the find. This is the most amazing palette for travel as bar foundation, concealer, mascara and any primers you need you have everything you need. 

I expected the packaging to be the typical rounded cornered squarish shape however it's in just your average square palette which does make it a little easier to store. It has a nice and sturdy clasp and it feels like it could withstand a bit of a battering (It lived to tell the tale when I dropped it on my floor)

 Onto the thing you guys are actually bothered about. The palette contains 4 eyeshadow shades, a highlight, blush, brow cake and a cream contour. I was super excited to try the Gleam in Aurora however it left me wanting more. It is really beautiful but I personally prefer an intense highlight whereas I find this is very very subtle and it practically blends away when I put it on the skin. I feel like this would be really lovely for a very minimal glowy look but for me it's just not quite enough. 

The Thunder brow cake has become my go to brow product for when I want really neat and intense brows. It's pretty much the perfect colour for me and it has the most amazing longevity. I highly recommend it if you're really into your brows however I think it's definitely for the more experienced brow filler-inners. I honestly haven't reached for the powder blush in tremble as I tend to leave shades like this for the summer however the couple of times I have used it I found that the texture was very smooth, it blended well and lasting nicely throughout the day. 

The Hollow contour cream is actually a little dark for my skin at the moment but I feel like I will get so much use out of it in the summer. It's a lot drier than I expected it to be but I find it works as it really sticks around all day and blends well enough. I've used it for both a subtle contour and for a more intense contour. I find I can use it on my skin now for the subtle contour however I find it's just a little too dark at the moment for an intense one. 

The powder eyeshadows are really beautiful, they are well pigmented and the texture of them is super creamy however I find that Machine is a little more chalky. The shades work well together and I can make an entire look out of the palette however personally I prefer to add in a darker base shade. These last well on the eyes and on top of the eye primer I can get a full days wear with very limited fading and practically no creasing. 

From Left to Right - Aurora gleam, Tremble powder blush, Hollow cream contour, Thunder brow cake, Vision powder shadow, Servant powder shadow, Feint powder shadow, Machine powder shadow

Overall I'm really am impressed with the palette and I feel like it's something I will reach for regularly. I don't think it's still available however all the products can be bought separately (aside from Feint and Vision) from Illamasqua 

Beauty ¦ March favourites

 

A pinch and a punch for the first of the month.

 

Hello April you came around awfully fast and I'm super happy about that the days are getting longer and spring is well and truly on it's way. This month I've been buying lots of summery makeup and close and getting very excited.

 

This months favourites is actually quite a large one. With it being my birthday I've received and bought lots of new beauty bits with my money which I will show you all in a haul on sunday. All but one of these things I've actually purchased or received this month so I'm super excited to show them all to you. If you are interested in reading my birthday haul it's //Here// and as I said before my March haul will be up on Sunday. So without further a ramble lets get into my March beauty favourites.
 

The only favourite that I haven't bought this month is the Barry M Gelly high shine nail paint in Blueberry, which is just the most beautiful brightened cornflour blue. I love the finish and the lasting power of these polishes but this colour just has my heart at the moment. It's perfect for spring and I can see me wearing it a lot more in the next couple of months. I picked up the Body shop Camomile silky cleansing oil when I went in to repurchase the cleansing butter and I'm really glad I did. I fee like this removes makeup a little easier than the butter and I also find it's been going a lot further than the butter did as I feel like I only need to cleanse once.

 

I've heard so much hype about the Stila In the light palette and now I completely get it, the shades are stunning and work beautifully together. There's a good mix of shades so I can create so many looks out of the one palette. All the shades all well pigmented and creamy including the four matte shades. My favourite shades are Kitten and Sandstone. Charlotte Tilbury Bitch perfect is possibly my perfect nude lipstick, it's more on the peachy side of things with a creamy formula and an impressive lasting power combined with the beautiful packaging it may just be my favourite lipstick ever (Now that's a big claim)

 



Another product that is seriously hyped in the blogging community is the Nars Sheer glow foundation I tried to hold off from picking this up as it isn't cheap and I was worried I wouldn't get on with it however I'm so glad I bit the bullet and gave it a go because I'm in love. The finish is stunning and it blends beautifully on the skin leaving a very natural medium coverage which can be built. If you haven't given this a go yet I seriously suggest you give it a try!

Something I've loved using underneath sheer glow is the L'Oreal infallible primer which is amazing at prolonging the wear of foundation but also find it blurs and smooth's my skin well. It has a silicone-y texture which I like from a primer but if you're not a fan of that kind of texture I'd steer clear. Maybelline's Instant eraser eye has been out for ages but I never got around to picking it up. It's a really amazing under eye concealer. It offers a good amount of coverage and it doesn't settle even if I don't powder it. I haven't actually used this on blemishes due to the sponge applicator as it would just spread the bacteria however I have read it doesn't work amazingly on spots.

I first saw the Barry M contour kit on Kate from Sugarfixx's Facebook page and I knew I needed it I'm a big fan of contouring as I have a chubby face and I am really loving this one. I'm not the biggest fan of the middle powder as I find for me personally it's a little muddy however the darkest contour shade is something I've been reaching for everyday. It has the perfect amount of grey in it to make it look natural whilst really making a difference. This months final favourite is the Nuxe Reve de Miel a chocolate orange scented uber hydrating lip balm. What more can you ask for. I also love the fact that it's matte as it means it goes well under lipstick without changing the finish in anyway.