Beauty ¦ Spring makeup shakeup.

 

When it comes to makeup I'm a fan of dark lipsticks as much as the next gal however for me it is all about the bright makeup shades. Today I thought I would show you some of the products I've been using recently to add a little colour into my routine so without further ado lets get on with it.

 

Starting off with lipsticks (Which is a little backwards but I'm going to role with it anyway) I've been really loving super bright shades.

 

Clinique Lip pop - Poppy pop

 

I think if someone asked me what my current most favourite lipstick was I'd have to say this one. It's the most stunning orangey red shade with a glossy finish yet despite the finish it doesn't move about on the lips and it has some serious staying power. Once the gloss has faded away you are left with a stunning orangey shade on the lips and I just absolutely love it.

 

 

NYX Soft matte lip cream - Antwerp

 

I'm not 100% on the formula of these however I just absolutely love the colour so I had to include it in this post. In terms of formula I find this one looks really pretty when you first apply it however unless your lips are completely soft and even it tends to clump up and attach itself to dry patches as well as falling into any lines. However the shade is just stunning, it's a gorgeous mid tone bright orangey pink that doesn't have to much blue in it. I do find that I can combat my problem with the formula as long as I keep an eye on it and keep it topped up.

 

Rimmel Kate moss - 110

 

I wore this lipstick for pretty much the entire summer last year. I love the formula of these despite the fact they are matte they don't cling to any dry patches and they are still moveable when they are on the lips. The shade of this one is similar to the shade of Poppy pop however it does have more orange to it. I think if you want to give an orange a go I'd definitely recommend this one.

 

Bourjois Rouge edition velvet - Pink pong

 

I really love the formula of these and if you are looking for a super bright colour pink pong is the perfect choice. It's a very blue toned bright pink and definitely not one for the faint hearted. If I had to say one bad thing about these they really smell chemically however the formula is so incredible I can deal with the scent.

 

Illamasqua - Corrupt

 

I ordered this from the Illamasqua sale expecting it to be a nude however when it arrived it turned out it was a mid tone bright pink which I really wasn't sure about it however I tried it on and totally loved it. The one thing about this lipstick is that it is so matte and incredibly drying. I find without wearing a lip balm underneath it is ridiculously difficult to apply a opaque non patchy layer. However I find it's actually really comfortable to wear with a balm underneath.



Top to bottom - Clinique Poppy pop, NYX Antwerp, Rimmel 110, Bourjois Pink pong, Illamasqua Corrupt.

 Eyeshadow wise I've actually been stepping out of my comfort zone and adding little pops of colour into my eyeshadow.

 

NYX Hot singles eyeshadow - LOL

 

I picked this up after watching a Manny Mua video where he used a bright orange in his crease which a peachy shade on the lid and a burgundy shade in the outer V and I absolutely loved it. This is quite a dark peachy shade more than a bright orange and I've been loving using it in my crease. I actually like it so much I ordered another orange-y shade from Makeup geek.

 

Urban Decay Gwen Stefani palette - Pop and Danger

 

I love this palette (as does every other beauty blogger I feel) Pop is the most beautiful peachy glittery shade which looks really pretty paired with NYX LOL and Makeup geek Cherry cola. Danger is something I would have never ever bought as I have blue eyes I was always really scared of blue eyeshadow however I've been really enjoying wearing it under my eyes to add a very tiny pop of colour.  

Left to Right - NYX LOL, Urban Decay Pop, Urban Decay Danger.

 Finally I have blush, I wear a lot more blush in the summer because I prefer wearing it with tanned skin than when I'm super pale.

 

Essence Blush up - Pinky flow

 

This is a really pretty light bright pink with some shimmer in it. It works so beautifully on skin that has a little bit more colour as I find it's a little too blue toned for me when my skin is pale. Formula wise considering it's around £3 I really love it. It is a little bit dusty however the pigmentation is really good and it blends very easily.

 

Illamasqua Blush duo - Lover and Hussy

 

I had heard so many good things about this duo that when I saw it in the sale I couldn't resist. Lover is a very pretty bright peach-y orange shade which I actually really love when I'm pale too, however I feel like it's going to look really beautiful with a tan. Out of the two shades I think Hussy is definitely my favourite it's a bright pink shade which in the swatch looks quite coral-y however on the cheeks it's more like a very true bright pink.

Left to Right - Essence Pinky flow, Illamasqua Lover and Hussy.

So that's it for today's post I really hope you enjoyed this post and I'd love to know what products you have been adding into your routine for the spring. 

Beauty ¦ My new favourite cheekbones

I received an email about this palette from beauty bay a couple of weeks ago and needless to say I was instantly sold and I headed straight over and ordered it. If you know me in real life or you read my blog a lot you will be fully aware that I have no cheekbones at all my face is chubby and so I  require a lot of work in the contour department meaning I'm rather fond of a good contour palette. Again if you are a regular in these waters you will know that I really love the Barry M contour kit so for anything to come even close to being on par with it I am incredibly impressed by.

 

The formula of these powders is really lovely, they aren't chalky and they blend into the skin beautifully. They have a good amount of pigmentation but not to much so that it makes them hard  to work with which is one of my main expectations of a cheek product. As much as I love the rose gold packaging it is only cardboard and I feel like if you kept your makeup in a makeup bag it could very easily get destroyed as there isn't much protection for the powders.

 

Starting off with the contour shade which is definitely my favourite out of the three powders. It is one of the most brilliant contour powders I have ever tried. I am casper the ghost pale so I find that even super grey toned powders can sometimes still end up looking to dark and orangey on me, this shade however is the perfect mix of grey and orange to make it look natural. It is quite a sheer product however I personally like that in a contour as I can often go over board so I would rather have to build it up on my face rather than spend 10 minutes trying to tone down a super heavy contour.

 

 

The highlight is absolutely incredible however it is very intense. When it first arrived and I saw it I was a little disappointed as I was pretty sure a bright white highlight was something that would work for me however when I swatched it I realised that the shade in the pan was pretty misleading. It's actually a beautiful icy gold shade which catches the light so beautifully. It is one of those highlighters for people who aren't afraid of some intense glow however I have tried it under my foundation on the high points of my face and it just leaves a beautiful subtle golden glow to the skin.

 

Finally we have the blush shade, which is like nothing I've ever seen before. It is a very brown toned pink with a lot of very subtle golden shimmer and I really do love it. It's incredibly warm toned so not only does it add a flush of colour but it also leaves a slight bronze-y glow to my face so on can't be bothered days I've been wearing this without any bronzer. It is exactly the shade I hoped it would be and it has just made me love this palette even more!

 

Overall I would highly suggest that you check this palette out at £13 it's the higher end of budget makeup however for three powders of such high quality I think it's an absolute steal. I also picked up the Cocoa blend palette in the same order so expect to see a review of that in the next couple of weeks!

 



Left to right - Contour, Highlight (Unblended), Blush

Beauty ¦ Illamasqua sale haul and review.

Illamasqua are notorious for their incredible sales and I just couldn't resist making an order. Typically I bought this stuff and then they put absolutely everything in the sale down to 70% off. Never the less I'm super happy with my purchases so today I thought I'd do a quick little rundown and tell you my thoughts.

 

Cream blush in Dixie

This is such a pretty natural pink shade, I already have one of their velvet blushes and I love the formula so I was excited to try another form of their cream blushes. The texture of these blushes is so silky and smooth and they blend like a dream without moving any foundation about. They are actually a completely different texture to the velvet blushes which feel almost whipped. I will say that on first swatch I thought the formula was a little wet however once on the face they don't feel sticky on any way.

 

Powder blush duo in Lover and Hussy

These colours are so in your face and I just love them. When this duo first came out it was all over the blogosphere and when I saw it in the sale I finally decided to see what all the hype was about and I have to say I'm seriously impressed. These blushes are not only super pigmented however easy to sheer out if you want to but they are sticking around I can honestly say that I have never had a powder blush last all day yet these ones managed it. I'd definitely recommend picking up some shades if you are into super bright blushes.

 

Glamoure lipstick in Virgin

As if I needed another red lipstick but I simply couldn't resist this one its a slightly darkened red shade with a slight glossy finish. It's one of those lipsticks that feels so comfortable on the lips that you could forget you were wearing it. I expected due to the glossy formula that the lasting power wouldn't be great however once again I'm really impressed.

 

Lipstick in Corrupt

I thought this was a nude shade so when it turned up as a bright pink I was a little shocked to say the least however I think I may have found a bright pink that actually works for my skin tone. What I will say about this shade however is that it is so drying. I ended up having to wear it over a lip balm as I could barely get any colour to actually transfer onto my lips. I could imagine that when applied properly these last for hours however due to the fact my lips are currently drier than the Sahara I didn't get a chance to try it out without a million layers of lip balm underneath.

 

So that's everything I picked up! Did you manage to get any steals in the Illamasqua sale?

 



Left to right - Cream blush in Dixie, Lipstick in Virgin, Lipstick in corrupt, Powder blush duo in lover and hussy. 

Beauty ¦ Benefit Real cheeky party

I couldn't not do a post about this palette as I literally haven't put it down since I opened it on Christmas day. I know it isn't still available however I know that Benefit brought one of these cheek palettes out last year so it's likely there will be another one for Christmas 2016. All the products can also be bought separately so I decided I would put up a post about it.

 

So the palette contains 4 boxed blushes, there bronzer, a highlight and the They're real liner and mascara. Before receiving this I had only tried the Sugarbomb blush in a little set and I am going to be honest I wasn't overly fussed by it. However I am so impressed with all four of these including Sugarbomb. Out of the four Rockateur is my favourite shade, it's a beautiful deep dusky pink with a stunning gold sheen to it and I absolutely cannot wait to wear it with a tan. Coralista is your basic orangey coral shade with lots of gold sheen in it. Again I feel like this one will be one I reach for a lot in the summer with lots of bronzer. Dandelion is the most perfect natural blush shade, it's a very light baby pink shade with tiny particles of silver shimmer. this is definitely a good one for if the rest of your makeup is quite heavy. Sugarbomb is a peachy shade it has a lot more pink and is significantly lighter than Coralista however I would put them in the same kind of colour family.

 

Hoola is something that I have really been loving it's the perfect all over bronze shade with no shimmer. I also find that it's cool enough to contour with if I use a light hand. However I do definitely prefer it for all over bronzing. Watts up was something that I wasn't sure how I'd feel about however I really do love it. Bar Benefit high beam I tend to avoid cream highlighters as I find they just move my makeup about however I really do love it. It leaves the most gorgeous gold-y sheen on the cheeks and again I think it will look even more stunning when I'm tanned.

 

If you are a regular reader you will know that They're real is my favourite mascara ever so I was so excited to give the liner a go however I'm just not sure about it I feel like the applicator is just a bit of a gimmick. The formula is absolutely brilliant and it managed to hold up whilst I cooked Christmas dinner with my mum but I just can't be doing with how much of a faff it is to apply. I really hope that they bring it out in a pot form!
 



Left to Right - Dandelion, Rockateur, Sugarbomb, Hoola, Coralista and watts up.

 

So that's it for today's post I really hope you enjoyed this review! Have you got one of the Benefit cheek palettes?

 

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Beauty ¦ The Makeup collection - Palettes

So I thought it was about time that I updated my makeup collection. This time I've decided that I'm going to be super in depth and I'm going to spread my collection out over 7 days. I just want to add a little disclaimer that I am in no way shape or form bragging I love makeup collection posts and videos and I wish that more people did super in depth ones. If you would like to know my opinions on any of the products in this post let me know in the comments and I can either link you to my review or give you a quick opinion in the comments.

 

If you missed it here is Part 1 and Part 2

 

I didn't actually realise before I took these photos how many palettes I actually have. I keep my most reached for palette in a set of two Muji drawers which I keep on top of my dressing table and then I keep the rest of my palettes in my Malm dresser in the stodja cutlery trays.

 



I have a good mix of high end and drugstore palettes however I do tend to reach for my high end palettes more often as I just find on the whole they are better quality. Some of my favourites include Urban decay Naked one, Urban decay Naked basics, Stila in the light, Nars virtual domination and my Mac quad. However I do still love my drugstore palettes and I reach for the Revlon photo ready primer shadow and sparkle kits, the Collection eyes uncovered and my Sleek vintage romance palette all the time.

 



 

Despite the fact that I love 99% of the palettes in my collection I do tend to use the same ones all the tame and I tend to neglect a couple which are really amazing like the MUA hall of fame palette, The Balm Balm voyage and my Illamasqua aura palette.

 

So that's it for today come back tomorrow for my powder eyeshadow collection.

 



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Beauty ¦ The Makeup collection - Cheeks

So I thought it was about time that I updated my makeup collection. This time I've decided that I'm going to be super in depth and I'm going to spread my collection out over 7 days. I just want to add a little disclaimer that I am in no way shape or form bragging I love makeup collection posts and videos and I wish that more people did super in depth ones. If you would like to know my opinions on any of the products in this post let me know in the comments and I can either link you to my review or give you a quick opinion in the comments.

 

If you missed it here's Part 1

 

So today's post is all about the cheeks I'm going to be talking about all things bronzer, highlighter and blush. I've always been a lover of blush however bronzer is something that I've only recently (I'm talking in the last year ish) discovered as I was always terrified that it would make me super orange.

However it is something that I now use everyday and I couldn't be without it.

 



Just like my base products I keep these products in my Malm dresser stored in the stodja cutlery trays from Ikea.

 



So starting off with Highlighters I have mini's of both the Benefit liquid highlighters. I love both of these and I would happily pick up the full sizes however these mini's seem to be lasting forever. I also have the Beauty UK Blush in Halo which is such a stunning highlighter I find that it doesn't have enough colour to use it as a blush. Seventeen's bronze block in pink bronze is something that I don't reach for as often as I should however when I do I think it's beautiful. Finally for highlighters I have the Sugar box face stick in 01 which is something I got from Born pretty and is something that I don't really have much of an opinion on it's ok but nothing thrilling.

 



Next up we have single bronzers I use the L'oreal glam bronzer a lot however the other three tend to get neglected bar the L'oreal one all of these are completely matte. I love the Bourjois bronzing primer however I find that in the winter it's a little to dark and a little orange. The MUA bronzer and the NYC smooth skin bronzer are both nice for the price. I find that the NYC lacks a little in pigment and the MUA is a little powdery.

 



Finally for bronzing and highlighting I have my contour kits. My favourite out of the three is definitely the Sleek contour kit it's the perfect shade for pale skin although I still find it works for me in the summer when I am tanning. Barry M's contour kit includes a bronzer as well as the contour powder and the highlighter. I love the contour powder as it's super ashy and it leaves a super natural finish. Finally I have the Seventeen contour kit which I am not the biggest fan of it's okay however it's not something I ever reach for.

 



I love a good cream blush as you can probably tell my favourites out of this bunch are probably the Topshop cream blushes and the Illamasqua cream blushes. I don't tend to reach for the Stila convertible colour or the Maxfactor cream blush as I find that they can be a little bit sticky. I love the shades in the Sleek blush by 3 palette however I find it's just not something I reach for often. Finally for cream blushes I have the Rimmel stay blushed liquid blush which I like however I find that it tends to move around the makeup underneath and the P2 blush stick which in all honesty I'm not sure I've ever used.

 



Rimmel Santa rose was a super hyped product in the blogging world and I find myself reaching for it when I want a neutral cheek. I also really love the Catrice illuminating blush for a natural look as it also adds a little bronze. The Essence blush is really bright and I absolutely love using it in the summer. Both the Collection blush block and the Catrice defining blush add fairly subtle flushes of colour however I do find that they are less natural than the Rimmel and the Catrice illuminating blush. The Catrice is a little peachier and the essence is a little more pink however they both leave a beautiful glow on the cheeks.

 



 

Natural collections blushes are by far my favourite budget blushes at £1.99 they really are lovely. I was gutted when the Accessorize makeup line was discontinued however I have read that they have re-launched however I'm not sure if they have re-launched the blushes this shade adds a beautiful pinky glow. Mac blushes are something that I wasn't sure about however I do really like this shade and the formula. The Maxfactor Cream puff blushes are meant to be brilliant dupes for the Hourglass ambient lighting blushes (which I haven't tried) this particular shade which is Gorgeous berries is perfect for this time of year. The Essence Come to town cream blush is similar in texture to the Maybelline bouncy blushes however I do find that it has a better pigment. Finally we have the Clinique cheek pop. This is by far he prettiest blush I own I love these and I definitely want to try more shades.

 

That's it for today!

 



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Beauty ¦ Top 10 high end products

I've been thinking about doing this post for absolutely ages so I thought it was about time that I got on with writing it. The majority of makeup collection is drugstore so I thought I'd share some of my all time favourites which I would recommend if you're wanting to incorporate a few high end bits into your collection or if you're just a high end makeup lover. A lot of these products are big blogger favourites however I thought I'd throw my opinion in the mix anyway.

Nars Sheer Glow - £31.00

This product is sooooo hyped in blogging world and I must say I completely agree with all the hype. It took me ages to purchase it as I was pretty concerned that I wasn't going to like it. I eventually bit the bullet and I am so glad I did. This foundation makes skin look flawless. It doesn't cling to dry patches and it doesn't make the skin look to dewy so that it makes the skin look greasy. Despite the name it's definitely not sheer at all and I would put it at a medium to full coverage however it can be sheered out.

Benefit High Beam - £19.50 for 15ml or £5.00 for 4ml  

I absolutely love this as a subtle highlighter but I also love mixing it into a matte foundation to add a little bit of a subtle glow. This is actually a mini size which I got in a gift set however it has lasted forever. This is something I reach for so often as it is just so easy.

Clinique Cheek Pop Blusher - Berry Pop - £17.00

Can we first just talk about how beautiful this blush is. The gorgeous bright pink colour is perfect for all year round and I could imagine it looking stunning on all skin tones. It has a slight sheen to it however it isn't shimmery which I something I really love about it. The formula of these blushes is fabulous they really stick around and they are super easy to blend into the skin which I love as it's so bright.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow primer potion - £16.00

This product is something I feel like I will never be without. It is incredible and it absolutely saves me from my oily eyelids. This primer means that my eyeshadow lasts all day rather than about an hour. There's not really much more to say about this other than if you have oily eyelids this will be a life saver.

Mac Paint pot - Bare study - £16.00

This is one of my favourite shadow bases as it is such a stunning colour, it's a golden champagne shade which looks lovely under pretty much any shade. This paired with the Urban decay primer potion means that your shadow is going nowhere so if you have really really oily eyelids these two are the perfect pairing.

Urban Decay Naked 1 - £38.00

Could I really do a high end favourites without including this beautiful palette. This palette is just the best for people who love warm toned neutral shadows. I love how there is a mix of gold and pink shades. If you are a avid blog reader you will probably know that the Urban Decay shadows are insanely pigmented and creamy. If you where to buy one thing from this post I think this is probably my favourite high end product!

Urban Decay Naked basics 1 - £23.00

So two of the Naked palettes is probably a little over the top but I just couldn't choose between the two. This is one of my favourite palettes for traveling as it's so tiny and compact. The shades work really nicely together and I really love Faint for in my brows as it's quite an ashy brown shade. This is an amazing palette if you love matte neutral shades.

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat - Pillow Talk - £16.00

So if you read my blog regularly you will know that I am on a little bit of a lip liner obsession at the moment. This shade is the perfect my lips but better shade for me (ew I hate that phrase) I love it for making my lips look a little bigger. The formula is creamy but it doesn't slip around.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector - 01 - £18.00

I'm usually not a lip gloss person but I absolutely adore this gloss. It is in no way sticky and it feels very much like a lip balm on the lips. The shade is so very slight that it just evens out any pigmentation on the lips and leaves them with the most beautiful glossy look.

Mac Satin Lipstick - Rebel - £15.50

As with the Naked palette it wouldn't be a high end favourites without a Mac lipstick. Rebel is my favourite Mac lipstick that I own. I love the satin formula as it's not drying but it's super long lasting like a matte formula. The shade is a beautiful pink toned purple which is very autumnal.

Left to Right - Clarins 01 - CT Pillow talk - Mac rebel - Benefit High beam - Mac Bare study - Clinique Berry pop

Beauty ¦ Stila convertible colour - Fuchsia

A couple of years ago everyone was talking about these especially the shade Gerbera, but it has taken me this long to give them a go. I decided I wanted something quite bright so I picked out the shade fuchsia. It's a bright slightly blue toned pink which leaves a slightly rosy look on the cheeks and on the lips it gives a nice hint of brightness which works beautifully with very minimal makeup.

 

 

In terms of formula due to it being a lip and cheek colour its a little wetter than your usual cream blush. On the lips it feels very hydrating but it still blends well into the skin without moving the makeup underneath around. I personally prefer applying it with my fingers as I find the heat helps it blend into the skin seamlessly.

Overall I would recommend these, they are really good quality and well worth the money.

 

Beauty ¦ Shop my stash #3

I've ended up in a bit of a makeup rut at the moment and I've found myself reaching for the same products in a daily basis so I thought do a shop my stash to liven up my routine a little.

 

Miss sporty Morning baby bronze BB cream.

This little bottle of magic is amazing for mixing in to super pale foundations to darken them up and add a beautiful bronzey glow. I also really like it as a primer. The only reason I haven't used this much is because I had no tan at all however now I have some colour I feel like I'm going to get loads of wear out of it.

 

Bourjois Healthy mix foundation

I love the serum version of this so I picked up the original version. I've found this is actually a lot darker than the serum so I haven't been able to get much wear out of it. Hopefully like the bronze cream I will be able to get some more wear out of it now I have a bit of colour.

 

 

Essence xxxl long lasting lip gloss Matte effect - Silky red

This is something I was so desperate to try out but I keep forgetting about it. I love the formula of these as they don't feel dry and gross like some matte lip products can. This is a beautiful true red shade which I cannot wait to get more wear out of.

 

Maxfactor Miracle touch creamy blush - Soft pink

I love this blush but because it's so tiny I tend to overlook it and completely forget about it. The name of the shade is pretty perfect. It's a gorgeous soft pink that looks lovely with most lip and eye looks and leaves a lovely subtle flush on the cheeks.

 





The Balm Balm voyage

Because this is such a massive palette it's right at the bottom of my palette draw meaning I have a habit of forgetting about it. This palette has the most amazing mix of shades and it also contains 3 cheek and lip colours. Some of the shades are not to my taste but the mix of neutral and earthy tones

work really well for me.

 

So that's it for today's post! I'd love to know how often you shop your stash?





Beauty ¦ The perfect palette tag

So I'm actually finally properly back this time and to ease myself back into post writing I thought I would do a tag post. I love a good palette and when having a look through some of the tag posts I have written down I decided that this one would be interesting.

 

 

1. Best packaging?

Nars Virtual domination has the most amazing packaging and I love the fact that it isn't the typical Nars weird rubbery packaging. It's super sturdy and just all round well designed.

 

2. Best colour payoff?

Urban decay do the best shadows ever the colour payoff is so intense and the texture of the shadows whether they are matte or shimmery is so buttery and amazing I couldn't not pick them for this question.

 

3. Best for traveling?

Illamasqua Multi facet - Aura is amazing as if I take it away I only need a base concealer and mascara with me and I have an entire face. All the products work well together which means I don't have to take a million different products.

 

4. Most versatile?

The Balm - Balm voyage literally has almost all the colours under the rainbow. I personally don't use any of the colourful shades but if I did this would definitely be the palette I'd reach for. It also has some gorgeous neutral shades which I reach for on a regular basis and it also includes 3 lip and cheek colours too!

 

5. Best colour names?

Stila has such cute names for the shades, I have to admit I had a little trouble deciding on the answer to this one but I settled on Stila.

 

6. Biggest regret?

Sleek - Showstoppers was something I bought on a complete whim and I honestly don't think I've used it more than twice. The selection of colours is strange and you cannot get a single eye look out of the palette other shades have to be used. I also found that some of the shades were lacking in the pigmentation department and were very chalky.

 

7.  Least used?

Sleek - Showstoppers (For the same reasons as it is my biggest regret)

 

8. Most used?

Urban decay - Naked 1is the palette that made me love all palettes and I use it at least twice a week. The shades are all beautiful and they work well alongside other shades in the palette. The shadows are pigmented, long lasting and super blendable. I couldn't actually sing it's praises anymore  

 

9. (Extra bonus question)  Best drugstore?

Revlon primer shadow and sparkle palettes are such amazing quality or the drugstore the shades are well pigmented and the shadows blend well together and have a good lasting power. I also love the little bit of glitter you get! 

Beauty ¦ Illamasqua Velvet blusher - Flirtatious

I am slowly but surely making my way through reviewing all the products that I received for my birthday (If you'd like to see what I received head over //Here//) This product was one of the presents from my friends and I think they chose really well.

 

When I first swatched this is was really quite confused by the texture. It's almost like a whipped mousse, there are lots of little air bubbles in it giving the most amazing light texture. The formula isn't a cream to powder but neither is it a sticky feeling product. Once it's on the skin this isn't going anywhere and I find although by the end of the day the colour has faded it's still there.

 

The shade is such a gorgeous peachy pink which looks really natural on the cheeks. It's a pretty neutral shade so I find it works pretty well with most eye/lip shades.  I really like the packaging and the casing feels nice and sturdy.

 

These aren't the cheapest coming in at £21.50 but a little really does go a long way. If you're in the market for a cream blush that's a little more high end I think this is an amazing one to go for.



Beauty ¦ Best of - Budget blushes

Along with lipstick blushes have to be one of my favourite makeup products so today I thought I'd share some of my favourite drugstore blushes with you.

Maxfactor Miracle touch creamy blush - Soft pink £6.99

They say good things come in small packages and this certainly fits that rule. This was a Vivianna does makeup inspired purchase as there was a period that she talked about them all the time. This is perfect for adding a natural flush to the cheeks. The formula is very creamy and it blends into the skin well and sets down into a beautiful muted matte pink.

Sleek Blush by 3 Palette - Pink lemonade £9.99

I'm not sure if you can buy this exact palette at this current time however this is just here to represent all of sleeks blushes. They are all incredibly pigmented and last so well on the skin. There is an amazing and the colour range is really nice and varied from peaches to pomegranates sleek have pretty much every kind of shade covered.

Rimmel Lasting finish blush - Santa rose £3.99

This is another really hyped product, it's the perfect peachy sheeny shade which just seems to make you glow from within. I tend to reach for this more in the summer as it just looks gorgeous on tanned skin and it really gives that perfect summer glow.

Essence Blush up powder blush - Pinky flow £3.50

I really can't stand the name of this product, it actually makes me want to be sick however I will push past it as I am so in love with the shade of this blush. It's a sheeny bright pink but what I really love about it is that it can be built up but it isn't major colour if you've dipped more than three bristles of your brush into the pan. I feel like i'm going to be reaching for this one a lot this summer.

Accessorize baked blusher - Sensation (I think accessorize makeup may have been discontinued which makes me very sad)

Now I'm not going to talk about this for too long as I think the entire range has been discontinued as I can't seem to find it anywhere online. But if you can get your hands on it this is such a gorgeous glowy blush and it really reminds me of the hourglass ambient lighting blushes (from the swatches I've seen) It's a great one for bad skin days as it really perks up the complexion and gives that beautiful lit from within look.

Topshop Cream blush - Flush £6.00

So to finish off I had to mention this blush, I think I would go as far to say that this is my all time favourite drugstore blush. I just find it so easy and it blends into the skin like an absolute dream. I love wearing it paired with a BB cream and lots of highlighter in the summer for a really simple base. I just find it works so well with any lip colour and any eye look without making me look overdone. If I could only recommend one of these blushes to you guys it would hands down most definitely be this one! 

Left to Right - Topshop, Rimmel, Accessorize, Maxfactor, Essence, Sleek

Beauty ¦ Born Pretty 10 Pan blush palette

When the lovely people over at Born Pretty  asked me about reviewing something of their site I was immediately drawn to this gorgeous ten pan blush palette* ($9.99) I'm having a little bit of a blush obsession at the moment so this was perfect. I will admit there are a few colours i'm not going to use very often. Some of the brighter pinks are far too blue toned for my colouring and the very pale shade is pretty much invisible on my skin. However the middle shade on the bottom row has been one i've used fairly often. 

The formula of these is really lovely and they blend really nicely into the skin. The pigmentation is strong in the swatches however they appear much sheerer on the face (this is a good thing for me as I have a habit of being very heavy handed) The only little gripe I have is some of the shades are very glittery so if you're not one for a little bit of glitter every now and then you might be better going for another of the blush palettes on Born pretty. Overall I think this palette is great for if you are starting out with blush as it has a nice mixture of shades to try out. It's not a palette I'm going to reach for really often but it's one that will be handy to have in my stash! 

Top row swatches

 Bottom row swatches 

This product was sent to me for review by Born pretty, however all opinions expressed in this post are my own and are no way influenced by the fact that this product is a PR sample. 

Drugstore week - The best of Rimmel

Rimmel are one of those brands that are always bringing out amazing new releases. I love a lot of their products I didn't want to pick more than five but I also really love the Match perfection foundation (Which I don't have a bottle of at the moment) and the 60 second Nail polishes which are amazing. 

The blush in Santa rose was one of the first things that I bought due to hype on youtube and it's one of the products I always find myself reaching for when I am going for a face of favourites. It is a beautiful peachy shade with a little bit of gold shimmer which gives the most gorgeous healthy glow on the cheeks and looks amazing against tanned skin. 

Another very hyped up product is the Scandal eyes kohl in Black which is a gorgeous creamy liner which is amazing in the waterline, tight line and along the upper lash line and smoked out. The formula is very soft without it squishing everywhere and blending to easily. I find this to last all day along the upper lash line and a good 4-5 hours in the water/tight line. 

Next up is the Stay blushed cheek tint which is something I wasn't sure if I'd like or not but I actually adore it. The formula is so creamy and it blends into the skin beautifully without completely disappearing like some liquid blushes can do. The colour (Pop of pink) is a corally pink shade so I tend to gravitate towards this more often in the summer. 

Finally I have two very hyped lipsticks, the first is from the Kate moss collection and it's the shade 107. I think everyone in the blogosphere owns this lipstick. I recently dug mine out for the autumn/winter and I absolutely adore it. The formula is really hydrating despite it being a matte finish. The other lipstick is the Moisture renew lipstick in Glam plum fulham. I love the formula of this lipstick, it is so hydrating and despite it being glossy it is not sticky at all.  The colour is a more pinky purple version of 107. 

Drugstore week - The best of Maxfactor

Maxfactor was a brand that up until christmas last year I didn't have much to do with, I thought it was overpriced and I just wasn't interested. However since I had my first taste I've been picking up the odd bit every now and then but some of my favourites are still those first products. 

The False Lash effect Mascara Waterproof was one of those first products (I've had a new one since then!) It is probably my favourite drugstore mascara and my second favourite mascara ever (It doesn't quite beat They're real) I love the fact the brush is plastic as I don't tend to get on with bristle brushes. I actually buy the Black brown shade as I find that it looks black. This is really waterproof and it can be a bit of a pain to get off but I have to wear waterproof as I have horribly watery eyes. 

 I got the Glossfinity nail polish in Colbalt Blue free in one of those boxes around christmas time and I wasn't sure if I'd use it but it has become one of my favourite shades and one that I reach for a lot! I find these are similar in formula to the Barry M Gelly paints but I find they last an extra couple of days. These a good one for if you don't change your nail polish up all the time.

Next up we have the Miracle touch creamy blushes which were recommend a lot by so many people not that long ago. These are so pretty and so creamy they are an absolute dream to work with, I love reaching for this when I'm having a natural makeup day and I just want a little bit of colour and a slight sheen on my cheeks. The last power of these is around four hours on my skin which isn't to bad for a cream blush as I find they usually last about an hour on my skin. I really want to get around to trying more colours of these!

I was talked into buying the CC cream by one of the ladies on the counter (In my local boots our maxfactor is a big stand with a MUA on it) She sold it to me as a full coverage product which it definitely isn't but I actually ended up falling in love with it anyway. It has the most beautiful satiny finish and leave the skin nice and evened out. It's most definitely a product for those good skin days. It also comes in a really light shade which is paler than any shade i've ever found in the drugstore.

Finally we have the Facefinity primer which is another quite hyped product, this is amazing if you have dry skin as it is really lovely and hydrating. It creates a really nice smooth base for foundation. In terms of lasting power it doesn't claim anything really apart from that it makes foundation last longer. There are no claims that it lasts 27 and a half hours. I do find it helps my foundation stick around for an hour or two longer but nothing overly crazy I just like how it smooths out the skin. I'm really hoping at some point they bring out a pore shrinking version of this as I really love it!

Soft Pink