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 ¦ The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer

 

Okay so I most definitely wish I had bought this sooner, I can really see why everyone is so obsessed with it. It is the most stunning mix of gold and bronze which means whilst adding the radiance it also adds just a slight bronze to the tops of the cheek bones this means it works beautifully with lots of bronzer for a really summery glowy look. This isn't too intense (It's not quite sleek solstice levels) however it's not one for if you like a natural highlight. One thing I really love about it is the fact that the shimmer isn't chunky in it which is one of my biggest problems with some highlighters. In this the shimmer is very finely milled so that it can be used very lightly for a subtle look or it can be built up and it will never look chunky and make your face look like a disco ball.

 

 

One thing I'm not to sure about is the packaging I feel like it's sturdy enough to travel with however if it got dropped I'm pretty sure it would end in a billion pieces. I like the fact it has a big mirror in the lid however as it makes it the perfect thing to throw in your bag for not only if you need a touch up but also if you just need a mirror. Overall I can see why people love this highlighter, it's the perfect everyday highlight as it isn't super intense like the sleek ones but it still adds a lot of glow to the skin.

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 ¦ Clinique Lip pop - Poppy pop

 

Oh my good lord I love these lipsticks, like seriously I really love them. I feel like these haven't had half as much hype as they actually deserve. So starting off with packaging I love how obvious it is what shade you are getting out, it also feels super sturdy and the lid feels incredibly secure which is one of the things I look for in lipstick packaging. I have the driest lips in the world and recently they have been super flaky and gross (painting a really attractive picture here) because of the flakiness I've been really struggling with wearing lipsticks without my lips feeling like they are going to just completely fall off. The think I love about these lipsticks is how comfortable and hydrating they are.

These somehow whilst being super hydrating and pretty glossy they really last well. I do find however that if you put to many layers on it does have a tendency to bleed a little. Other than that though I find that this particular shade's gloss lasts around 4 hours and then I get around another 4 hours out of the colour.

So that's it for today's post, if you guys have any Clinique lip pop shade recommendations I'd love for you to leave them in the comments. 

Beauty ¦ Makeup Revolution haul

This is the second haul I've put up since Saturday #oopsie but I couldn't resist showing you what I picked up from Makeup revolution. I actually did also film this as a haul on my channel so if you prefer videos I will leave it at the bottom for you to watch. However I thought I would still share this haul on here as I know that a lot of you don't watch my youtube. I ordered on Easter weekend when they had their sale and a free gift offer on so I managed to get all this stuff for just a little over £30 which I don't think is to bad. So without further ado lets get on with what I picked up.

 

As you all know I'm a little obsessed with my brow products at the moment so I decided to give the Ultra aqua brow tint in medium which is actually a little bit warm for me however I've been really impressed with the formula I just wished they offered more shades. I also picked up the Precious metals shadow in rose gold as I had heard so many things about how similar these are to the Stila foiled shadows so when I saw it on sale for £2 I knew I had to give it a try.

The Vivid blush lacquer in O'boy was a little bit of a random purchase it's actually a lot brighter than I thought it was so I'm probably not going to get much wear out of it before the summer.

 

I had every intention of picking up the Radiant lights palette however it was actually out of stock so when I saw that the Radiant light powder in glow was on sale I decided to give it a try. Typically the shade I picked up I received for free in the goody bag which was a little annoying. I picked up some lip products, the I heart makeup lip lava's are something I've tried before so I decided to pick up the shade unleash which is the most beautiful coral shade. I also picked up the I heart makeup wow stick in Atomic which is a much truer orange than unleash. Finally for lip products I picked up the Ultra velour lip cream in their eyes can't find us.  

 

I have been wanting the pick up the Iconic pro 1 for ages as I've heard it is a dupe for the Lorac pro palette and I am really loving it. The shadows are incredible quality and the colours in the palette compliment each other really well. I also picked up the Euphoria eyeshadow and contouring palette in bronzed which was an absolute steal at only £3. Finally for palettes I picked up the Golden sugar 2 blush palette which has two really beautiful highlighters, two bronzers, 3 marbled baked blushes and then the strangest pressed gold pigment which I can see would make a really beautiful eyeshadows but the likelihood of me ever wearing it on my face.

 

Finally moving on to the products that came in the Mystery free gift, the first thing was The one foundation in shade 6 which is far to dark for me however I feel like it will be really useful to mix with my other foundations to darken them for when I have a little bit more of a tan. I also got two more of the Ultra velour lip creams the red one is in the shade You're not the best and you're not the last and the bright pink is in the shade Sweet boy with a big mouth. Also in the gift was The one blush stick in Malibu which is a shimmery bronze shade, the Awesome metals shadow in black diamond, another of the Radiant lights powders in glow and finally the Eyeshadow in acid! (which is possibly the grossest shadow ever)

 

I really hope you enjoyed this post and if you'd like to watch the video it is below! 

Beauty ¦ The High end starter kit.

I feel like there are so may drugstore starter kit posts floating about in the blogosphere at the moment. Now don't get me wrong I love those types of posts but today I thought I'd do something a little different and show you my high end starter kit. These are the products that I would recommend if you were looking to start or increase your high end collection.

 

Base

 

Foundation - Nars Sheer glow - If you are a regular reader you will know that I absolutely adore this foundation. I find that on my dry skin it's just hydrating enough that it doesn't emphasise any dry patches yet it still has a really stunning full coverage and a lovely slightly glowy finish. In all honesty I have absolutely no idea why they decided to call it sheer glow but despite the fact that the name is rubbish the product itself is really lovely. However I will say the one gripe I have with it is that it doesn't come with a pump which is a little annoying. I definitely have to give the Bare minerals Complexion rescue a little honourable mention here, if you are into lighter hydrating bases this one is definitely for you. If you want to read a little more about my review is //here//
 

 Concealer - Clarins Instant light concealer - This is possibly the best concealer I have ever tried which is a big claim as I've tried a lot recently. This is so beautiful and lightweight for under the eyes yet it has plenty of coverage and also works really well on any blemishes. The only thing with this is the shade selection is a little limited so if you can't find a shade that works for you my honourable mention has to go to the Urban decay Naked concealer which is a really lovely texture and has a nice amount of coverage.

 
Setting spray - Urban decay All nighter makeup setting spray - I'm going to be honest I thought this stuff was a massive gimmick but curiosity killed the cat and all that. Turns out on this occasion curiosity led to the cat's makeup being completely flawless all day. I have no idea what is in here but it really does make makeup stick to your face and not go anywhere.

Bronzer - Benefit Hoola - Guess who forgot to put my bronzer in the photo (I also forgot to put in the highlighter aswell #fail) I absolutely love Hoola it is the most perfect super natural bronzer which just adds a little bit of shape and shadow to the face without looking muddy. I personally find that I can't really get away with it for a full blown contour as it ends up looking a little muddy on me however I can imagine someone with a skin tone that is a little darker would really get on with it as a contour. In terms of honourable mentions it has to go to the Nars Laguna bronzer and the Smashbox contour kit.

Highlighter - Benefit High beam - Now if you are one for super intense highlights High beam might not be for you but I personally love it on days I don't want to go really intense with my highlight. It is a stunning pinky shimmer which adds the most beautiful natural glow to the face. It is also really lovely mixed into foundation to add a little more glow. If you are looking for a more intense highlight Nars albatross is absolutely stunning however isn't on for people who don't like glitter.

Blushes - Illamasqua blushes - Okay so I couldn't actually narrow down this as I love all three of their blush formulas. Their powder blushes are so stunning, they have incredible pigmentation and come in some absolutely crazy colours however they still blend beautifully and can be sheered out to whatever pigment you want. The cream blushes are quite wet blushes however once on the skin they just look so glowy and natural and finally the velvet blushes which are somewhere between a cream and a mousse and leave a matte finish on the cheeks. My honourable mention here has to go to the Clinique Cheek pops which are just the most beautiful blushes I have ever laid my eyes end.

Brows and Eyes

Brow colour - Smashbox Brow tech matte pencil - One of the reasons I love this pencil so much is how thin the nib is. I find it is so easy to get a really precise brow when using it. I also really love the formula it isn't to waxy so it's hard to work with but it has enough grip to not move around all over the place. I had to mention Anastasia dip brow as my honourable mention however if you are new to makeup I'd definitely say go for a pencil first!

Brow Gel - Benefit Gimme brow - I really wasn't sure if this one would live up to the hype however I am so impressed with it. I have the most untameable brows ever and this stuff manages to keep them glued in place for pretty much all of the day. I really wish they would expand their shade range though as it is currently only available in two shades.

Eye Primer - Urban decay Eyeshadow primer potion - I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this on my blog about a million times however it is one of those holy grail products that I just couldn't be without. I have the oiliest eyelids in the world despite the fact that my skin is drier than the Sahara and this keeps shadows on all day with very very minimal creasing. Honourable mention in this case has to go to my Mac Bare study Paint pot which isn't quite as long lasting however if your eyelids aren't so oily it would probably be absolutely perfect.

Eyeshadow - Urban decay - I mean what else was I going to pick really. I'm personally not a fan of Mac shadows so Urban decay are my go to when it comes to high end eyeshadow. There eyeshadows are all so beautifully formulated and I can honestly say I have never found a dud shade. My two favourite palettes from them are the original naked basics and the Gwen Stefani palette. For my honourable mention here it has to go to the Stila in the light palette.

Mascara - Benefit They're real - I'm going to be honest this is one of the very few high end mascaras I've tried however it's so good I don't want to try anymore. I have a massive problem with mascara smudging under my eyes and this one is the only one I've every used that doesn't do it.

Lips

Gloss - Clarins Instant light natural lip perfector - I am really not a lip gloss person however I really love these. My favourite shade is definitely number one which is a mid-toned pink shade. I love how glossy these are without being super sticky.

Lipstick - Clinique Lip pop - These have the loveliest hydrating formula and are perfect for someone who has really dry lips. I've found that despite the fact they are hydrating they don't slip about on the lips however if you do layer them to much they can bleed a little bit. I really love the colour selection and I will definitely be picking up some more shades in the next couple of months. I have so many more lipsticks that I really love but my honourable mention had to go to the Charlotte tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipsticks.

Lip liner - Charlotte Tilbury lip cheat in Pillow talk - I think this is definitely in the running for worlds most talked about lip liner along with the likes of Mac whirl and soar. I just really love the formula of this liner and the fact that it basically goes with any lipsticks as it is almost the same colour as my natural lip colour. It also has a really lovely texture and isn't drying at all as I find a lot of lip liners can really suck all the moisture out of your lips.

So that's it for todays mammoth post I really hope you guys enjoyed this and I'd love to hear what your favourite high end products are!
 



Beauty ¦ A Beauty bay haul

 So I really need to stop this whole online shopping thing however when I saw that Beauty Bay were offering a free makeup geek foiled eyeshadow when you made an order over £50 it seemed to good an offer to miss. Since I was getting one of their shadows anyway I decided it would be the perfect time to fill up my palette. If you would like to see a full makeup geek palette post let me know as I've done posts showing my separate hauls so if it's something you'd like to see all together let me know.

 

 

So in terms of shadows on the top row we have In the spotlight which is a beautiful peachy glittery foiled shade, Bada bing which is a dark brown with silver shimmer, Burlesque which is a shimmery purple toned burgundy shade and Cupcake which is a medium pink matte shade. On the bottom row we have Bleached blonde which is a kind of green-y gold shade, Bitten which is a very dark red burgundy matte shade and finally I picked up Mango tango which is the most beautiful mid tone pinky corally colour which I feel like I will reach for a lot in the spring summer months.

Left to Right - In the spotlight, Bada bing, Burlesque, Cupcake, Bleached blonde, Bitten, Mango tango

 I also decided to pick up two liquid lipsticks, both these brands are ones I've heard a lot about however never tried. I picked up the Dose of Colours Kiss of fire which is the most incredible pinky red colour which I feel like I'm going to get a lot of wear out of. The other Liquid lipstick I picked up was Gerard cosmetics hydra matte lipstick in ecstasy which is a stunning purple grey nude shade which is definitely not for the faint hearted. I definitely want more shades of both of these products as I've been really impressed with the formulas!

Top - Kiss of Fire Bottom - Ecstasy



Beauty ¦ Zoeva Cocoa blend palette.

Are you guys sick of me talking about warm toned eyeshadows yet? I feel like they are all I ever seen to talk about these days but I just really bloody love them! Today I thought I'd do a little review and rundown of the Zoeva Cocoa blend palette which is something I've been reaching for a lot in the past couple of weeks so without further ado lets get straight into it.

 

So lets start of with packaging, this palette is cardboard which I do kind of hate as I feel like it isn't strong enough to protect the product properly. That being said it does have a pretty strong magnetic closing making it a little sturdier. I really like the design of the packaging and how thin the palette would make it ideal for traveling. Moving onto the formula I am really impressed I wasn't sure what to expect as although I had heard good things I hadn't heard that much. All ten shades are incredibly pigmented and buttery and blend really well.

 



 

Bitter start - Completely matte bright cream highlight shade. This one is pretty standard it works really well in the inner corner to really brighten up a look without adding any shimmer.

 

Sweeter end - Light pinky gold shade with a metallic finish. This makes a beautiful all over the lid shade with basically any of the other shades in this palette in the crease. I imagine this would make a beautiful highlight on darker skins.

 

Warm notes - This one is such an incredible shade, it is a beautiful dark pink with a metallic finish. I absolutely love this one however I haven't been quite brave enough to wear it yet as I don't really know what to do with it.

 

Subtle blend - This is a warm brown shade with lots of gold glitter. This one is really perfect for smoking out and darkening up a look without adding any of the really dark almost black brown. I find this one pairs beautifully with the gold shade in the palette.

 

Beans are white - At first I thought this one was a black however it is actually a very deep brown shade which is almost black. This one is completely matte.

 

Pure ganache - This one is possibly my favourite shade in the palette. It is a stunning coppery gold shade with the most incredible metallic finish. This one looks so stunning paired with Subtle blend but also with Freshly toasted for a super warm look.

 

Substitute for love - This one is a very warm medium brown shade which is super versatile. It works well as a lid shade or transition shade for a darker look however it does also work well in the crease for a little bit of subtle definition.

 

Freshly toasted - This shade reminds me a lot of Makeup geek Cocoa bear, it's a little lighter and just a hint more red toned however offers that similar look. This one again is completely matte, I also feel like this would look incredible all over the lid with black in the crease to create a warm smokey eye.

 

Infusion - This one is a grey toned brown shade absolutely packed with different coloured shimmer. This is such an individual shade and is absolutely perfect for a smokey eye.

 

Delicate acidity - This shade is definitely my least favourite in the palette. Don't get me wrong it is an incredibly stunning metallic pinky purple shade however I just don't feel like it fits in the palette. Don't get me wrong I will get some use out of it however on an everyday basis I have definitely been overlooking it.

 

So that's it guys I really hope you enjoyed this review and if you have any other Zoeva palette recommendations leave them in the comments. 

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 ¦ 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 ¦ New additions to my Makeup geek palette

 

So if you read my first makeup geek post you will know that I was massively impressed with everything about the shadows for the price of £4.95 they are 10x better than mac shadows in my opinion and I would put them up at the top of the table with my beloved urban decay shadows. If you didn't see the first post you can read it //here// Today I thought I would show you the new additions to my palette. I actually received most of these shades for my birthday which was Thursday so I haven't had time to have a proper play with them however I just couldn't wait to write this post!

 

Top row -

 

Vanilla bean - A very sheer cream basic highlight shade with a little bit of shimmer. I picked this one up for highlight my brow bone and inner corner when I'm doing a more toned down look.

 

Beaches and cream - This is a stunning very light peach with no shimmer, this is a much more cream shade than Peach smoothie which is a very orange peach shade. I feel like this one is going to be perfect for all over the lid with a very natural shades in the crease as well as a base for darker looks.

 

Cinderella - A light rosy pink with very fine silver shimmer, it has the most beautiful metallic finish and I cannot wait to pair it with the shade cherry cola as well as wear it alone.

 

Cocoa bear - A gorgeous very red toned matte chocolate brown shade, this one makes the most perfect shade for in the crease of a warm look.

 

Middle row -

 

Cherry cola - A very dark matte brown-y burgundy shade which I cannot wait to use as a crease colour.

 

Goddess - This is the more brown orange version of the shade cosmopolitan. It has the most beautiful metallic finish to it. In some lights it reflects heavily gold and is just one of the most beautiful shadows I've ever seen.

 

Crème brule - This is one that so many people recommended when I asked what shades I should buy. It's once again a matte shade and it is a mix of a peach and a light warm brown. I feel like this is a transition shade that I'm going to reach for very often.

 

Corrupt - This is another basic shade that I felt like I needed in my palette, it is simply just an incredibly pigmented basic matte black.

 

Left to right - Vanilla bean, Beaches and cream, Cinderella, Cocoa bear, Cherry cola, Goddess, Crème brule, Corrupt.

 

Bottom row -

 

Unexpected - This is one of the only more cool toned shadows that I have in my palette. It's a mix of a cool taupe and a lilac and it makes a lovely base shade for a purple toned smokey eye.

 

Twilight - This is like the slightly lighter much more shimmery sister of unexpected. This shade reminds me of a slightly more purple version of L'Oreal Café saint germain which is one of my all time favourite shades.

 

Sensuous - Is a dark pinky purple shade with a metallic finish, the shimmer picks up beautifully in this shade and it is the perfect shade for pairing with Twilight to create a slightly coloured but still neutral look.

 

Drama queen - The final shade I'm going to talk about today, it's a very dark purple shade which in all honesty I'm not sure how much use I will get out of it however it went to well with the three shadows above so I had it buy it right?



 

 

Left to Right - Unexpected, Twilight, Sensuous, Drama queen

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? 

Beauty ¦ Mac Viva glam Ariana

Is it possible to be in love with a lipstick as I think I might just love this one. I feel like it is such a me colour. Mac lipstick aren't something I often pick up and my collection consists of a measly five including this one however I read one blog post and I was straight on the Mac website to get it ordered. The finish is meant to be matte which I was a little concerned about however I would definitely say that it was more similar to a satin finish than a matte one. It's incredibly creamy and doesn't dry down in the way that I've heard about Mac's matte finishes doing. Lasting wise I do get the dreaded ring with this shade after about four hours of wear but due to how dark it is I can forgive it. Speaking of the shade it's the most gorgeous dark purple shade. When comparing it to the likes of rebel it is a significant amount darker and it has a lot less pink in it.

 

 

Overall I am so in love with this shades and I would highly recommend it to dark lip lovers!

Cole xo



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 ¦ The Makeup geek eyeshadow haul

I've been wanting to give the Makeup geek shadows a go since they first starting doing the rounds in the blogosphere. However I've been holding off but I finally broke and made a rather large order. The problem is now I am so in love with the shadows. The quality is second to none. They are buttery, blendable and extremely pigmented.

 



Shimma shimma is a beautiful pale champagne shade with a metallic finish I think out of the eight shades I went for this is the one I've the most. It makes a lovely brow bone and inner corner highlight but I also like to use it for a little wash of colour over the lid and pair it with a little bit of liner.

 

Peach Smoothie is a matte shade, it's a pale peach shade which makes a lovely all over the lid shade. It's a very warm shade and I love to pair it with one of the other warm matte shades I picked up.

 

Glamorous is a coppery warm gold with a metallic finish. It's one of those perfect one swipe shades which settles a little darker in the crease. It's such a lovely warm shade and I absolutely love the warm tones with my blue eyes.

 

Cosmopolitan is a beautiful mix of rose gold and orange again it's another metallic shade it works brilliantly as a base to create a rose gold smokey eye. It's got such a stunning gold sheen to it and although I haven't worn it yet I'm very much looking forward to using it.

 

Purely Naked is a warm light brown shade with very subtle silver shimmer in it. Again it's one of those perfect subtle all over the lid shades which I like to wear paired with a slightly darker warm brown shade.

 

Frappe once again it's another warm brown shade (are you sensing a theme) This one is probably the warmest shade I picked out and it looks absolutely stunning in the crease paired with Peach smoothie.

 

Latte is a pretty neutral dark sandy brown it's completely matte. It makes a lovely basic transition shade for super dark brown smokey eyes but it also makes a lovely basic crease colour.

 

Mocha is the final shade I ordered as I felt like I needed a dark shade, it's just a very basic matte dark brown shade.

Left to right - Shimma Shimma, Peach smoothie, Glamourous, Cosmopolitan, Purely Naked, Frappe, Latte, Mocha

Have you tried any makeup geek shadows I'd love for you to let me know what your favourite shades are?