Sleek Limited edition On the Horizon Review and Tutorial

So I am rubbish and forgot to put this up when the video went up so I am sorry about that however today I have my final Sleek post for you. I think this has to be my favourite out of the three as it has the beautiful orange shades so without further ado lets get on with the review.

 



Bonfire - Shimmer

Oh this shade is just incredible. It's a beautiful orange shade with gold running through it. This is the kind of shade I've been reaching for on a regular basis at the moment and I really would recommend it.

 

Sugar Maple - Shimmer

This is one of those super pretty browny pink shades, it makes a really beautiful all over the lid colour as well as a very subtle highlight shade.

 

Beech - Matte

Beech is just a good all round transition shade, I feel like sometimes the sleek palettes can lack a good transition colour however I really like this one. It is a very pale cream however so it isn't going to work for all skin tones.

 

Moss - Shimmer

A really pretty khaki green shade with a metallic finish, I'm not sure how much I will use this one but it is beautiful.

 

Raindrop - Shimmer

A teal shade with lots of silver shimmer, this one looks stunning all over the lid with a darker blue in the crease.

 

Dawn - Shimmer

An almost navy royal blue with a very slight green undertone. This one looks incredible as a pop of colour under the eyes

 

 

Chestnut - Shimmer

A very dark rich chocolate brown with a silver shimmer. This is just a good bog standard crease shade.

 

Harvest Moon - Semi Matte

Warm coral orange with a slight shimmer, once on the eye however this looks completely matte.

 

Fawn - Shimmer

A light gold shade with lots of shimmer, this one does take quite a bit of building however the end result is stunning.

 

Willow - Semi Matte

Avery deep green shade with an almost completely matte finish this one pairs beautifully with a gold shade on the lid.

 

Dew drop - Shimmer

A pinky champagne shade, like sugar maple it looks beautiful as a highlight as well as a lid shade.

 

Pinecone - Shimmer

A pinky medium brown shade, this one looks beautiful in the crease of dew drop or sugar maple for a subtle shadow.

 







Beauty ¦ NYX Gotcha covered concealer

I've been on the lookout for a thicker higher coverage concealer for a while now and when I saw this one I was very excited to try it especially with the shade being so pale. This is a super pigmented high coverage concealer which covers pretty much anything you want it to cover. Shade range wise it's pretty varied, I picked up the lightest shade which in most drugstore concealers is to dark however it matches me really well at my palest and makes a nice under eye highlight when I have some colour in my skin.

 

This lasts really well however on my dry skin the formula is very cakey and dry. I've used this on friends with oily skin and it works beautifully on them however if you have dry skin it picks up on even the tiniest patches. It is a little heavy under the eye however if I want a super strong coverage that is something that I can deal with.

 

Overall I could see this being the perfect drugstore high coverage concealer for people with oily skin however for me the search continues.

 

 



Beauty ¦ High end vs Highstreet - Mac vs Makeup geek

So I'm not a fan of Mac eyeshadows I know shoot me but they are just something I never reach for. Don't get me wrong I don't hate them I just don't think that they are worth the crazy amount of hype that they get so today I thought I would do a little battle between the Mac shadows I have and the Makeup geek shadows I have.

 

 

Round one - Price

 

The Winner - Makeup geek

Makeup geek has to win hands down on this one, their shadows are half the price of Mac coming in at just £4.95 for their basic pan shadows. Even their foiled shadows are only £7.95 which is still £2 cheaper than Mac

 

Round two - Shade selection

 

The Winner - Mac

I cannot deny that Mac's shade range is incredible. Whilst makeup geek's shadows come in a crazy amount of shades Mac's selection is even bigger. Literally you can pick up any shade you could ever dream of from Mac.

 

Round 3 - Pigmentation

 

The Winner - Makeup geek

Now don't get me wrong I've tried a lot more than Makeup geek shadows than I have Mac but I've never been that impressed with Mac's pigmentation. The ones I own are okay and the ones I've swatched in store are okay  however I find that every single shade I've tried from Makeup geek has just a little nicer and a little more pigmented.

 

Round 4 - Blendability

 

The Winner - Makeup geek

One of the main things that I don't like about Mac shadows is how hard they are to blend. Don't get me wrong I have only tried four shades however they are shades that everyone always says how amazing they are an I just find them not very easy to work with.

 

Other notes -

 

One other thing that I will say about Mac shadows is that they seem to develop that weird film that eyeshadows develop sometimes so easily and I seem to have to scrape off the top layer of shadow almost every time I go to use them. I thought at first it might just be me however talking to some of the girls at college their shadows do the same thing.

 

So overall the crown definitely goes to Makeup geek I think unless their is a particular shade that you really want from Mac I'd definitely suggest you try the makeup geek shadows instead.



Beauty ¦ The warm shadow edit

I feel like the likelihood of me shutting up about warm shadows is slim to none. I am still as obsessed as I was and I still keep buying more warm toned shades. Today I thought I would show you some of my current favourite shades that I have found myself reaching for regularly in the past couple of weeks.

 

H&M Global fusion eye pot in Aubergine sheen. £4.99

 

Can I first say this is in no way anywhere near an aubergine shade. It's a beautiful dark orange brown shade, which looks so beautiful all over the lid and built up under the eyes as it tends to settle a little darker in the crease meaning it is the perfect one pot smokey eye. The formula of this is insane and it really sticks around once it's on the lids.

 

Makeup Geek shadows in Cosmopolitan, Latte, Cocoa bear and Goddess. £4.95 each

 

Oh look Cole is talking about Makeup geek shadows again surprise surprise. These are four of my favourite shades. Cosmopolitan is a stunning pinky copper shade which makes the most beautiful lid colour for a coppery smokey eye. Latte is a very basic matte warm toned medium brown which works nicely as a crease shade for lighter looks and as a transition shade for darker looks. Cocoa bear is a very warm toned dark matte brown which is a really beautiful crease shade and I've been loving wearing it in the crease of gold shades to really warm the look up. Finally we have Goddess which is a beautiful metallic heavily red toned brown with gold reflex in it. You all probably know that I love these shadows however if you do want to see a little more in depth my posts are //here// and //here//

 

Zoeva Substitute for love and Freshly toasted from the Cocoa blend palette £15.95

 

I love the entire Zoeva Cocoa blend palette however I am a little obsessed with these two shades. Substitute for love is a warm caramel medium brown shade which is completely matte, this is the perfect lid shade paired with Freshly toasted which is a warm chocolatey shade. These two paired together make a lovely matte warm eye which looks insane with a flick of eyeliner. In terms of quality these shadows are lovely and buttery and blend really well.

Left to Right - H&M aubergine sheen, Zoeva substitute for love, Zoeva freshly toasted, MUG Cosmopolitan, MUG Latte, MUG Cocoa bear, MUG Goddess.

Beauty ¦ The brow roundup

I have recently become a little addicted to buying brow products so today I thought I would show you a little roundup of all the brow products I've got in my collection and do some little mini reviews for you. I've actually split the products into two sections so we have pencils and then setting, gels and creams. I really hope you guys enjoy this post and if you have any brow recommendations I'd love for you to leave the in the comments.

Starting off with pencils these are the ones I currently have in my collection.

Mua Power Brow pencil and Highlight £3

This is the cheapest and my least favourite pencil in the line up. It is in no way a bad product however out of the four it is the one I reach for the least. The formula is quite waxy and I find the nib for me personally is a little thick as I like to have lots of control. The colour isn't to bad it's quite a cool toned brown which is something I tend to look for in a brow shade. I don't really get the point of the highlight as it seems to just completely disappear when you even go near it to blend it.

Soap and Glory Brow archery tint and pencil £10

This such a hyped product and I couldn't wait to try it and I have to say I am as impressed as I hoped I would be. The one gripe I do have with this product is the shade. I picked up the shade Brownie points which is the darker of the two and it is no way near a medium-dark brown colour. I feel like people with dark blonde hair might even be able to use this shade, because of this I don't reach for it all the time however it is really lovely for days when I want my brows to look a little more natural and I really am impressed with the formula.

Smashbox Brow tech matte pencil £16.50

This is definitely my favourite pencil out of the bunch which is so typical as it's the most unaffordable. The pencil is so tiny and I find I can get a really precise brow with it which I love. I also find that the colour is pretty much perfect for my brows as it's just dark enough without them looking overly unnatural. The formula isn't waxy at all which is something else I look for in a pencil. I feel like this would be a very similar but easier to get hold of version of the Anastasia brow wiz.

Maybelline Brow satin £5.99

Out of the three drugstore pencils this is my favourite. Like the Smashbox one it has a very fine point. In terms of the shade it is a little lighter than the Smashbox one and just slightly cooler. However I did find that one of these pencils lasts barely anytime at all. I also really don't understand the paint of the powder on the other end as I find it has very little colour payoff and when on the brows it is barely detectable. In terms of shade range this one is also super limited and I'm pretty sure there are
only 3 or 4 shades to choose from.

 Left to Right Mua power brow pencil and highlight, Soap and glory archery tint and pencil, Smashbox brow tech, Maybelline brow satin pencil and powder.

Moving on from pencils I have a little mismatch of all other kinds of brow products.

Nyx eyebrow Gel £5.50

This is a pretty new product to me but one I've really been enjoying. I had heard so many good things about it so the last time I was in Manchester I headed straight to the big boots to have a good swatch at the counter. One thing I will say with this is that the shade range is rubbish (I'm sensing a theme here) There were four shades on the counter three of which were very warm, very dark browns in the end I settled for Brunette which was the coolest toned not black shade. I find it's still a little to warm and just a little to dark so I have to be super careful that my brows don't end up looking like I've taken a sharpie to my face. In terms of formula this stuff isn't going anywhere. I've worn it to the gym and it didn't even budge which I was pretty impressed with.

Anastasia Dip brow - £15.00

Finally one of the products that I have mentioned today that doesn't have a rubbish shade range. I will say however be careful when picking which shade you get. I like my brows dark but I picked up the shade medium brown and I feel like it's still a little dark and also a little warm. Despite this I've been using it a lot (just very carefully) as I absolutely love the formula. It stays put and it's super easy to work with as it isn't stiff as I was expecting it to be. I completely get why people get are so obsessed with this product.

L'Oreal Brow artist plumper - £6.99

This was something that I bought before I got Gimme brow and I do really like it. I find the wand is possibly a little bit but otherwise I think it is a really lovely drugstore product. It does a good job of keeping my brows in place and making sure I don't have any escapee hairs. I also like to use it on the days I am not wearing much makeup just to add a little bit of definition to my brows.

Benefit Gimme brow - £18.50

Now I really like the L'Oreal one but this one is 10x better. The brush is much smaller meaning that application is much neater. I also find in terms of wearing it alone the fibres in this add a lot more to the lashes and the pigment is a little more obvious. I think that the L'Oreal one is a perfectly good alternative however if you are a lover of brows and have the price range then I would definitely say choose this one over the L'Oreal one.

Left to right - Anastasia Dip brow, Nyx Brow gel, L'Oreal brow artist, Benefit Gimme brow.

Beauty ¦ March Makeup

I've never been one to settle into a routine with my makeup however I do find myself reaching for the same products often so I've decided that each month I'm going to show you the products I've been reaching for often when I've been doing makeup. I've picked up so much new makeup in this past month so I've got lots of new favourites so without further ado lets get on with the post!

 

Base wise I've been using the Bare minerals complexion rescue which I am really loving at the moment. My skin has been much better recently and I've found that I really haven't needed as much coverage as I usually feel like I need. This is the most beautiful light coverage, glowy foundation which I have found applies best with my beauty blender. For concealing I've been using the Soap and glory kick ass concealer under my eyes which I've been really enjoying. I've actually been avoiding the powder as I used it once and I found it was far to matte for my already very dry and dehydrated skin however I find that personally on me it's absolutely fine without setting. Finally for any blemishes and redness I've been using the Clarins instant light concealer which I think is my favourite concealer of all time. It sits so beautifully on the skin and has a lovely high coverage without being super cakey and heavy.

 

To add some colour to my face I've been using the Zoeva Rose gold blush palette this is just the prettiest palette ever. I've been using all three shades out of this pretty much everyday. The contour shade is so perfect for pale skin, the highlight is the most beautiful icy gold shade which catches the light so beautifully and the blush is a gorgeous rose gold shade which has a beautiful golden shimmer in it. Moving onto my brows I've been a little bit obsessed with the Smashbox Brow tech matte pencil it has such a fine point and it means that I can be super accurate and I've then been setting it with my Benefit gimme brow which is the best for if you have super untameable brows.

 

Then for eyes as usual I've been using Urban decay primer potion and then I have been using the Gwen Stefani palette which I got for my birthday. My most used shades so far have definitely been steady which I have been using all over my lid, then I've been using punk in the crease and outer V and blondie on the brow bone and inner corner. Then for mascara I've been using Maxfactor False lash effect as my base mascara and then Benefit They're real over the top to give me super defined and lengthened lashes. Finally I've been using Clinique Poppy pop on the lips which is the most beautiful springy orange-y red shade which I am absolutely obsessed with!

 



Beauty ¦ Curently reaching for - The orange smokey eye

I have been a little obsessed with orangey warm toned shadows recently and the obsession is showing no sign of fading. If you saw my makeup geek palette post //here// you can see some of the gorgeous shades I picked up so today I thought I would show you how I've been using them to create a beautiful warm smokey eye.

So to start off I've been using my ring finger to press L'Oreal colour riche shadow in Sable Lame all over the lid. This is one of the prettiest gold shades I've ever laid eyes on it's quite an icy gold so it contrasts really well with the warm toned shadows to make sure things aren't getting to orangey. Then I've been using Makeup geek Glamorous in the crease which is the most stunning warm toned gold shade. It's significantly darker than the L'Oreal shade so it adds a nice depth to the crease.

 

 For my outer v I've been using Makeup geek Cosmopolitan which is the most stunning burnt orange copper shade with a gold reflex. This is perfect for adding a bit more definition. Then finally I've been smoking everything out with Makeup geek Mocha which is just your standard deep chocolate matte brown. Sometimes I've been using this shade to line my eyes and other times I've applied it into the crease to create quite a dark smokey look. I've also been using it under the eyes to give the overall look a little more smokiness.

 

So that's it for today's post! What's your favourite eye look at the moment? 

Blogmas ¦ Day 31 - 2015 Favourites

So it's that time of year again, 2015 has been an incredible year for makeup and I feel like it's the year that I have discovered some incredible products that I will be using for years to come. I decided this year that I would keep it even and do the same amount of drugstore as high end so without further ado lets get on with it.

 

Nars sheer glow -

I think if I had to pick my absolute favourite product from 2015 it would be this one. I just love the way it looks on my skin and it has the best lasting power I've ever found in a foundation. This is going to be a definite repurchase for me.

 

Maybelline super stay better skin concealer -

I was pretty loyal to my Maybelline fit me concealer until about half way through the year when I decided to give this one a go. This is pretty much just a thicker version of fit me with more coverage. I will say that the one thing I do dislike about is that 

 

Urban decay All nighter setting spray-

I was pretty sceptical about this at first and when I first sprayed it on my face I panicked big time but once I'd managed to control the hysteria (You think i'm joking) I realised in fact that my face had dried and that everything looked as it did before I sprayed it on my face. It really does make foundation last longer and a little goes a very long way.

 

Clinique Cheek pop blusher in Berry pop -

I absolutely love this blush for one the daisy design is just beautiful but more importantly the shade is completely perfect for me. Its a medium pink berry shade which just looks so natural. This is definitely the blush I reach for if I don't know what blush to wear.

 

 

Gosh Velvet touch liner in Black ink -

I think this year I finally found my perfect black liner. This pencil is creamy however that doesn't mean that it ends up half way down my face 3 minutes after I apply it (Avon super shock liner I'm looking at you) This is another one of those products that I now couldn't be without.

 

L'Oreal Brow artist plumper in Medium/Dark -

I have the most unruly brows and this has been the product I've reached for to set them ever since I picked it up (Although I think I like Gimme brow even more watch this space!) This not only sets my brows in place all day but it also has just enough colour to wear it without a brow pencil if I wanted to.

 

Charlotte Tilbury Lip cheat in Pillow talk -

If you'd have told me at the start of the year that I'd be obsessed with lip liners by the time summer rolled up I'd have laughed at you however it happened and I have to say this one is definitely my favourite. I love it for under most lipsticks but I also love using it on it's own. It's also fab for over drawing your lips if that's your thing.

 

Bourjois Rouge edition velvets -

Now I've only had two of these shades for about a week however I've had the bright pink shade called pink pong since the summer and I just absolutely love the formula of them. They are hydrating and non drying yet they set completely like a matte lipstick. My favourite thing about them is that when you rub your lips together they don't feel super tacky like some matte lipsticks can and for £9.00 you really can't complain about the quality.

 

So that's my 2015 favourites, I'd love to know what you guys have been loving this year!

 

Happy new year!

 



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Blogmas ¦ Day 29 - Primark makeup

Over the past couple of weeks I've been trying out some items from Primark's beauty range and today I thought i'd give you my thoughts. Overall I will say I'm really impressed with the products for the prices they really are brilliant quality however there are a few products that I prefer to others.

 

There are a couple of the products that I'm not overly bothered by the brow pencil in Dark is okay. For me personally it's a little too waxy and I also find that it is just far to dark for me. I've got quite dark hair but it's a very rich chocolate brown shade so if I'm not really careful it can end up looking far to dark. I also wasn't overly impressed with the Liquid lipsticks (Which I forgot to photograph) They are okay however I personally much prefer a matte liquid lipstick rather than a glossy one so they aren't for me.

 

 

I've actually been using the liquid concealer under my eyes for the past couple of weeks and I'm honestly really enjoying it. It isn't heavy but it offers a fairly substantial amount of coverage for the tiny price of £1.50. It's also a really lovely pale shade which I find is really difficult to get in a very low end concealer. The four shadow palette was something that I didn't really know what to expect but I'm pretty happy with it. Don't get me wrong they are in no way the most amazing shadows I've ever tried but for £2.00 for four shades I just can't complain. They are easy to blend and give of a pretty amazing pigmentation for the price. If you are wanting to try a smokey eye without investing massive amounts of money I'd highly suggest giving the smokey one a go (unfortunately they don't have any names)

 

Finally onto my favourite products from the range the Lip liners and the velvet matte lip pencils are both amazing products. The velvet matte lip pencils are so creamy and comfortable to wear but they provide a really lovely long lasting matte finish. I've actually ended up with the three dark shades but I love them all so much. The lip liners are also incredibly creamy but they work brilliantly to stop lipstick fading so fast and reduce/eliminate bleeding.

 

So overall I'd highly recommend you give the Primark makeup range a go.

 

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Blogmas ¦ Day 28 - A gift with purchase enabled haul

So you know when there are Christmas gifts with purchase and you've just been paid and you can't quite manage to restrain yourself. This was definitely one of those times, I mean look how much stuff I got for under £50 I'm pretty sure that makes it justifiable right? These gifts are still available online but I'm pretty sure you will probably struggle to find them in store. So without further ado lets get on to what I bought.

 



I think out of the three the Revlon gift was probably my favourite, it was also the best deal as not only have Revlon got the free gift offer running their products are also on three for two. I decided in the end to pick up the Super lustrous lipstick in Black cherry which is something I've been wanting to try for such a long time. I also went for another Matte balm in the shade fiery which is a really lovely dark berry colour and one of their Powder blushes in Racy rose. I was also super happy with the free gift products. The Colourstay quad in the shade addictive is the perfect everyday quad and paired with the Lip butter in the shade crème Brule it is the perfect no makeup, makeup look. I haven't given the 3D volume mascara a go yet as I've got a couple on the go at the moment but I've heard good things about all of Revlon's mascara so I'm excited. Finally the Colourstay gel envy polish in Perfect pair which has an absolutely fantastic formula and has definitely made me want to pick up more shades. 

 



 

Next up we have L'Oreal, I actually made a couple of repurchases. I decided to pick up another Infallible matte primer as I really enjoyed using the last tube I had and my primer stash is running very low at the moment. I also decided to repurchase the True match foundation as I haven't used it since it was formulated so I was curious. Inside this gift box was four products I can't actually find on the boots website so I'm not sure if they are available to be purchased separately. The first thing is the colour riche quad in Jungle jade which is absolutely beautiful however I'm not sure how much I will use it as I'm not a massive fan of any type of colour on my eyes. This box also included the Mega volume collagen mascara and the Super liner so couture which I haven't used yet and a polish which I have absolutely no idea what it's name is.

 





 

So finally we have the Bourjois box, I'd have to say that this one comes a very close second to the Revlon box. From Bourjois I purchased the Rouge edition velvet in Nude-ist. I've been wanting to pick up more of these since I purchased my first one a couple of months ago and I'm so glad I decided to as I think they are incredible. I also picked up the colour edition 24 hour eyeshadow in Petale de glace which is so stunning and I cannot wait to use it. In the box I received another rouge edition in the shade Hot pepper which is just as amazing as the other two. One of the smokey stories quads in Upside brown which I am very excited to try. The volume glamour mascara which once again I haven't tried and one of the So laque polishes in the shade Rouge escarpin.

 

 

So that's my not so little gift with purchase haul, I'd love to know what you've been buying recently!

 



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Blogmas ¦ Day 3 - The beauty reward card roundup

 

I love a good beauty reward card so today I thought I'd show you ones I think are worth having.

 

The Body shop love your body club -

 

Up until very recently the body shop card was £5 a year and you received a free gift when you signed up or renewed. This way you received 10% off everything you bought. Recently they have swapped to a point system where you receive 10 points per pound and each point is worth a penny. They also do offers throughout the year that give members special perks. You can get these points in denominations of £5 and you can use then towards a product or just them. I think this is a really fab card to have especially if you do a lot of shopping in the body shop.

 

Superdrug Beauty card -

 

Out of these four cards I would say that this one is the one that I wouldn't tell you to rush out and get. You receive 1 point per pound which is worth a penny so they do build up really slowly. However they do have special points offers on certain products. The good thing about these is that you can use them in denominations of a £1 towards a shop unlike in boots when you have to pay completely in points or completely in money.

 

Space NK N.dulge card -

 

This one is one I don't use to often however it definitely is well worth it for each pound you spend you receive one point and each point is worth 5p. However if you aren't a regular spender at Space NK points do run out after 12 months if you don't use them. This is one of the cards that I would only suggest getting if you are a regular shopper. You can also be upgraded to a level two card where points are worth 10p however it requires you to spend £1000 over the course of the year and if during the year you have the level two card you don't spend £1000 pound again you go back to being a level one member.

 

Boots Advantage card -

 

Saving the best till last in my eyes this one is the bee's knee's of all the reward cards. For each £1 you spend you receive 4 points and each point is worth 1 penny. I think this one is so brilliant as it means that you can pick up all your toiletries and even your lunch whilst earning 4 points for every pound you spend. Boots also send out vouchers quarterly with things like double points and so many points if you spend a certain amount and they have an app which I'm pretty sure gets new E-vouchers monthly which you can upload straight onto your card. The one complaint I do have about this card is that your points must cover the full amount of your purchase so you can't pay half in points and half in cash or anything like that.

 

So that's my roundup I hope you enjoyed it and if their are any reward cards you feel I'm missing out on let me know in the comments.

 



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Blogmas ¦ Day 1 - November favourites

 

I actually really struggled with picking my favourites this month. I seen to have tried so many products that I've really enjoyed so narrowing them down was pretty tough. However in the end I managed to get it down to five absolutely awesome products.

 

If you read my drugstore lip lacquer post (Here) then you will know that both the lip products I'm showing you today made it into the top category. Sleek Matte me in Birthday suit is the perfect "Kylie Jenner" lip colour for me. It's a brown-y pink nude which looks stunning on it's own but I also love to pair it with a darker nude liner to make it a little darker. It feels incredibly comfortable on the lips and last for hours and hours without fading or beginning to break up. The other lip lacquer I have is the I heart makeup Lip lava in Firestorm which is a beautiful dark red shade. This goes one glossy and then after a couple of hours the gloss wears off and you are left with a slightly lighter red stain which lasts all day.

 

Eye wise I've been loving the Collection Your mood your style palette which contains two looks. One which is pink toned and the other which is more bronze toned. These shadows are beautiful, the quality is excellent for the price, they blend seamlessly and the staying power is also pretty impressive. Something that I've had for a while is the Gosh Velvet touch liner in the shade Black ink. For the past couple of months I've been using it pretty much every single day to tightline my eyes and I love it. It's the only kohl liner I've found that doesn't end up all smudged underneath my eyes at the end of the day. I just love the way it makes my lashes look much thicker.

 

Finally for this months favourites I have a nail shade that I was obsessed with about this time of year last year. Essie Aruba blue is a gorgeous metallic dark blue shade. As with al Essie polishes the wear time is pretty good and I can get about three and a half days wear out of it before it starts chipping.

 

 

So that's it for this months favourites. I hope you enjoyed this post and I'd love for you to let me know what your favourites are in the comments.
 



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Beauty ¦ The good, the bad and the average - Drugstore lip lacquers

 

If you are a regular reader you will know my liquid lipstick obsession is a little out of hand at the moment. I've been wanting to do this post for ages however I wanted to try a couple more drugstore liquid lipsticks before I did it. These aren't the only liquid lipsticks you can get in the drugstore and because they are so popular new ones are being brought out all the time. If you have any liquid lipstick recommendations either High end or Drugstore let me know in the comments because I obviously need more!

Left to Right - Revlon Shanghai sizzle - Rimmel apocalyptic - Rimmel Big bang

 

So I thought I'd start off with the negatives and get them out of the way. Out of all the LL's (I'm going to abbreviate because lets face it I really don't want to type out Liquid lipsticks 20 times in the next hour.) there are very few that I have really disliked. Both of these products where so massively hyped and I just wasn't impressed with either.

 

Rimmel Apocalips - £6.49

 

These where literally the most hyped thing of 2013. Every blog review I read and youtube video I watched told me that I simply had to buy one. However I never got on with them. I felt like the shades bled so bad I simply couldn't wear them. I never heard anyone else complain abut bleeding however some days I would end up with my lipstick having bled to about halfway down my chin. I have tried everything to stop it from concealer barriers, to lip liners, to powdering and blotting and I just can't seem to get them to stay. I do really think it is a shame as the staying power and the formula is lovely, I feel as though I should ty a lighter shade however these have almost put me off the range.

 

Revlon Colourstay Moisture stains - £7.99

 

These where exactly the same as the Apocalips in terms of hype. I remember watching one of Fleur's videos and thinking yes I need one of those and I was just so disappointed. My first gripe with these was the smell, they absolutely reek like chemicals and the first time I applied it I really struggled to actually put it on my lips because of the smell. I also find the texture incredibly sticky and they go on very patchy. I find you have to work them so much into the lips that the colour ends up much sheerer than in the swatch. Overall if I had to pick a lest favourite LL it would definitely be these ones.

 



Left to Right - Ps... 10 - MUA Tranquillity - MUA Vivacity - MUA Reckless - MUA Kooky - MUR Keep lying to you - Essence Velvet rose - Essence Silky red.

 So moving onto the averages, these are the ones that I think if you are wanting to expand your collection then they are a good choice however if you are wanting to start a collection there are definitely better ones.

 

Ps... Lip Lacquer - £2.00

 

I actually wasn't expecting much from these however in the end I was fairly impressed. They aren't a matte LL however they don't feel sticky once they've dried down. They are very sticky on first application however but do not be put off by this. I was actually really impressed with this one as with it being from primark I wasn't expecting much.

MUA Luxe velvet lip lacquers - £3.00

I really like these. They are incredibly matte and long lasting however they ended up in the average section of this post as I do find that unless my lips are perfectly hydrated and super smooth these do make them look super dry. I'm also not the biggest fan of the scent as it's a super artificial watermelon scent and I really can't stand the smell of watermelon however I can imagine most people loving it.

Makeup Revolution Salvation lip lacquer - £3.00

I find this formula a little more moisturizing than the MUA formula however I do find that these break up and fade pretty unevenly. They are one of those products that you really need to keep checking and topping up to make sure they look nice. I also found that in my local Superdrug the colour selection was really limited and they only had about 4 shades however after doing a bit of googling I think the range is much larger. I would definitely like to try another shade to see if they all fade a bit strange like the shade I have now or if the different shades have slightly varying formulas.

Essence xxxl long lasting matte lipglosses - £2.30

These are another LL that I like however I don't reach for all the time. I actually find these to be a little sheer so I tend to pop on 1 layer let it dry for about 10 seconds then apply another layer to make sure the colour isn't patchy. I actually find that these never really dry down completely which makes them super comfortable to wear. However because they don't set down properly they don't last as long as some of the other products in this post. Despite this because they are so hydrating and nice to wear applying a couple of layers on top of each other isn't to bad therefore the fact that they fade isn't a problem.

 

Left to Right - Sleek Birthday suit - I heart makeup Firestorm - Bourjois Pink pong - Collection Fairy cake - Collection Cotton candy.

 

So finally we are moving on to the LL's that I love. These are the ones that I would say if you were starting a makeup or LL collection that I recommend you buy first.

 

Sleek Matte me - £4.99

 

These are absolutely lovely. They set down to a matte finish but they are still movable and don't feel tacky on the lips like some lacquers can. They don't feel overly drying on the lips and they don't cling to every little dry patch there is. These are super long lasting and they don't fade weirdly. You do get the little circle around the inside of your lips if you eat anything oily though so that's something to consider if you are going out for a meal.

 

I heart makeup Lip lava - £2.99

 

I definitely need to pick up some more shades of these. They go on glossy but not sticky and once the initial glossy layer ha gone they leave behind a really lovely stain. Out of my four favourites this is the one I tend to reach for when my lips are feeling a bit dry as due to them being glossy they don't cling to any of the dry patches. I would recommend these for wearing when you go out to eat as once the stain is on your lips it isn't going anywhere.

 

Bourjois Rouge edition velvet - £8.99

 

I think if I had to pick a favourite out of all of these products it would be these ones which is typical as they are the most expensive ones. These are just incredible, longlasting, non drying and insanely pigmented they really are the full LL package. I actually don't think I have anything bad to say about these. All I know is that I definitely need more shades.

 

Collection cream puff - £2.99

 

Finally for this post we have the product that started the obsession. I think I've had two of each of these shades I love them that much. These never quite set down completely matte however they are in no way a glossy product. They lasting an average amount of time they aren't incredible however they don't only last for 2 hours.

 

So if you made it to the end of this post go you! I hope you enjoyed, don't forget to leave me you lip lacquer recommendations in the comments.



Beauty ¦ A little drugstore haul

So long time no see. I have been a really crap blogger in the past month I just don't seem to have had the time to sit and write a post and I've also been a little short on ideas however hopefully I'm back for the long run and I thought I'd ease myself in with a little drugstore haul.

 

The first thing I picked up was something that I've used before the Good things manuka honey creamy cleanser - £4.99 is a product that I know I can rely on. For £5 it removes all makeup including waterproof mascara and leaves the skin feeling clean but hydrated and smooth. As much as I love my oil cleansers there is just something so easy about this cleanser.

 

I've seen the new collection palettes featured on a lot of blogs in the past couple of weeks so I decided it was about time I gave them a go. I picked up the #blushandglow face palette - £4.99 which contains a natural bronzer, a really lovely champagne highlight and two blush shades. I also decided on the #yourstyleyourmood palette - £5.99 which contains 10 shadows arranged into two eye looks. One side is your typical brown-y bronze shades and the other side is a much more pinky toned look. I have swatched these and they are an amazing quality and I'm super excited to give them a go on the eyes.

 

I love the Rimmel Kate moss lipsticks so when they released the new nude line I was super excited to give them a go however every time I've gone into store to swatch them they never seem to have any testers. I was very excited when I went into boots yesterday when I realised they had testers and in the end I settled on Shade 45 - £5.49 which is a beautiful dark brown-y pink nude shade.

 

 





 

The final thing I picked up was from Superdrug. The MUA Luxe London velvet lip lacquers - £3.00 where something I didn't think I was a big fan off. I have one of the shades in the old packaging and when I was preparing for a post I dug it out and tried it on. However turns out I love them so I decided I needed some more shades. I picked up Tranquility which is a really pretty peachy nude shade, Vivacity which is an amazing bright raspberry pink and Kooky which is the most amazing dark purple shade which I cannot wait to use!

 

 

So that's it for today's post. Let me know what you've picked up beauty wise recently!

 



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Beauty ¦ The pinky purple shadow edit

So lately I've been a little bit obsessed with wearing pinky purple tones on my eyes as I feel like they really make my blue eyes pop. I'm going to be honest the thought of colour on my eyes sort of terrifies me so today I thought I'd show you some of my favourite almost neutral pink and purple shades.

Now I'm going to start with the palette that I actually wont shut up about at the moment. If you are a regular reader you're all probably completely sick of me talking abut it but I thought I'd just pop it in one more post to make sure you know it's amazing. The two purple shades I love out of the Sleek Vintage romance palette are the 4th and 5th shades on the bottom row. The 4th shade is a beautiful metallic grey purple which look beautiful on the lid as it has a slight duo chrome to it. The 5th shade is a stunning plummy matte colour with lots of silver shimmer in it. I love this one in the crease of a gold shade to add a pop of colour.

I really love the Makeup revolution shadows and these three are no exception Hung up is a gorgeous taupe-y purple which makes a really lovely transition crease shade for a purple smokey eye I also love it through the crease when I have Good life all over the lid which is a really pretty frosted pinky purple. Finally the brightest shadow in the post Insomnia is absolutely beautiful. Once again a metallic finish it look gorgeous all over the lid with a black in the crease but it also looks nice subtly blended through the crease of a shade like good life.

 

I've been loving the colour Riche shadows from L'oreal recently and Café saint Germain has to be my favourite. It reminds me of Good life but with much more taupey purpleness (top beauty blogger description there) These shadows are so beautiful and I love to wear this one alone as just a slight wash of colour.

The Manhattan Vintage romance palette is lovely if you can manage to get your hands on it. They aren't the most pigmented of shadows however if you just want a little subtle hint of colour they are perfect. I like to use the 2nd shade in as a super subtle crease shade if I don't want a super dramatic look. They do require a little work however if you have the patience you are left with a super pretty subtle pop of colour.

Finally I had to include this shade, Maybelline colour tattoo's are one of my all time favourite products and I absolutely love Vintage plum. It's a mix of grey and lilac and it looks beautiful both on it's own just blended all over the lid or as a base for any kind of purple look. As usual it's an amazing cream eyeshadow which doesn't crease.

Left to Right - L'oreal Café saint germain - Sleek palette 4th shade on the bottom row - Sleek palette 5th shade on the bottom row - Maybelline Vintage plum - Manhattan palette 2nd shade - Makeup revolution Hung up - Makeup rev Good life - Makeup rev Insomnia

I'd love to know what shades you've been using on your eyes lately

Beauty ¦ Mani Monday #6 - Maxfactor Colbalt blue

So it's Monday once again and it's time for another Mani Monday post, once again I've pulled out one of my favourite blue shades. I always get this one out in the transition between summer and autumn as it's not to dark but it's not a bright blue either. It doesn't pick up in the photos but it has quite a lot of green in it so it's a gorgeous deep teal shade. I love the formula of these polishes despite the claims they don't last 7 days on me personally but they are beautiful and glossy and I do still really love them. I definitely need to get around to picking up some more!

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Beauty ¦ Mani Monday #5 - Maybelline Color show Burgundy kiss

I said in my last Mani Monday post that I was going to be digging out my autumnal nail shades and this weeks post is the first of many.

Maybelline's Burgundy kiss is one of my favourite polishes for this time of year. Despite the fact that in the photo's it look quite pink it's actually quite a bit darker in most lights and it looks almost black. These polishes are really lovely, they paint nicely and despite the fact that this is such a dark shade I still got about 3 days wear out of it which on me is pretty fab. The finish isn't super glossy so I like to top it with a glossy top coat (however in the images it hasn't got a top coat over it)

I think these are really lovely polishes for the price and I'd seriously recommend them to someone who is looking for budget polishes but want's to try something other than Barry M!

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Beauty ¦ The everyday face #2

 

It's be a while since I did an everyday makeup post so I thought it was about time I did one as a lot of the products have changed. This past couple if months I've been leaning towards much more minimal makeup as the weather here in the UK has either been very stuffy or very wet, neither of which are ideal conditions for heavy eye makeup and a high coverage base.

 

I've been starting off with the Gosh CC cream in 03 sand as my base as it is beautiful and light however it still adds a little coverage. I can only use this in the summer as it's a lot darker than my winter skin tone (I won it in a giveaway I didn't choose the shade myself.) I find this really helps hydrate my skin while I'm wearing it without making it feel oily or greasy. I've then been reaching for two concealers. For under my eyes I've been using Maybelline Fit me in 15 as it's lighter than my current skin tone so it highlights a little whilst covering up my dark circles. Then for blemishes I've been using Maybelline Super stay better skin concealer as it has a lovely full coverage without being cakey or drying. For the rest of my base I've only been using a tiny but of my trusted Nars laguna bronzer to add a little glow and bronze to my face.

 



For my eyes I've been avoiding shadow as I find my eyes are even oilier than usual in the summer so I've just been applying lots of Benefit They're real mascara to really make my eye pop. For brows I've just recently started using the Maybelline Brow satin pencil in Dark brown which makes filling in my brows super easy. Finally I've been finishing off the look with my Rimmel Exaggerate lip liner in east end snob to add a little bit of colour to the look.

 

Do you simple your makeup down in the summer or is it just me? I'd love for you to let me know in the comments.

 

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Beauty ¦ Mani monday #4 - Rimmel Neon fest

 

The summer has pretty much gone in the UK so Mani Monday's are probably going to turn a whole lot more wintery so I thought I'd give the brighter shades one last hurrah. I love this polish so much it managed to make it's way into my July favourites (which are //Here// if you want a read)

 

This shade is an amazing holiday shade as it really enhances a tan. It's a very bright true pink with no blue undertones. I love the brushes on the Rimmel polishes as they are nice and thick meaning that you can get a much more even coat on the nails. This also dries super fast which is a massive bonus for me as I have a habit of painting my nails and then realising that I need to do something.

 

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Beauty ¦ L'oreal l'ombre pure eyeshadows

Something I think that the drugstore do really well are shadows, and these ones from L'Oreal are no exception. Super buttery and blendable they are close dupes for the urban decay I've tried. I actually find that these two particular shades work past by patting them on with my finger. Otherwise they can be very sheer due to how light the shades are.

 

 

Café saint germain is a gorgeous purple taupe shade which looks amazing with a dark purple shade in the crease but it also works beautifully with brown shades. Sable lame is a gorgeous sheer gold shade with lots of shimmer and it looks absolutely beautiful pressed over any kind of brown or gold shades to add some more shimmer.

 



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