Current beauty favourites - November 2014

It's been a while since I've published a favourites post. And since we're halfway through November, I thought a monthly favourites wouldn't be very apt. So instead, here's my current favourites. Now I'm working I seem to have got into a routine with my products. So these are used every single day, without fail.

MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation - £21.50

After needing a new powder for a while, I decided to invest in this one by MAC. And needless to say, I'm very glad I did. It's pricey but it's most definitely worth it. It adds extra coverage to the skin without looking cakey and ensures make up lasts well throughout the day. The packaging is also nifty as it comes with a decent sized mirror and a powder puff.

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in Light Matte - £13.00

Despite having a large collection of bronzer, I've never been very good when it comes to application. I decided to invest in this one from the Body Shop after reading some many incredible reviews. I bought it in the palest shade (because my skin colour resembles a ghost) and I can't sing its praises enough. It's wonderful for contouring and injecting a healthy glow into the skin.

Revlon Highlighting Palette in Rose Glow* - £8.99

This past month I've gone a bit blusher crazy. I've bought a lot, but this one has remained a firm favourite. It's nicely pigmented and applies onto the skin beautifully - it almost melts and blends perfectly. The colour itself is stunning and perfect for winter. It isn't extremely pink, but instead has a rose-toned glow that perks up the cheekbones nicely.

Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturiser - £23.00

One day I just decided it was about time I invested in a decent moisturiser. I'm a skin care addict, so I've tried a lot. But this one by Origins remained prominent in my head, and for good reason too. It's hydrating yet lightweight and wakes the skin up in the morning. The best thing though? The smell. Oh it's delicious. It's like oranges. Seriously, have a whiff.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - £29.50

Estee Lauder's Double Wear was one of my first high-end foundation purchases. I've bought countless bottles of the stuff and despite trying lots of new foundations, I always come back to this one. I work long days so I need something that's long lasting, and this one doesn't budge. It's also medium-full coverage and applies nice and evenly. I can't fault it.

The Body Shop Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt - £8.00

I'm addicted to honey at the moment. Everything I use - shampoo, condition, lip balm, shower gel - is honey-scented. I bought this on a whim while I was in London and I'm so glad I did. It's now used up and ready to be repurchased. It's basically a bubble belt but it's silky soft and smells delicious. I got around six baths out of it, so it makes it affordable.

MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked - £13.00

Once again another product I bought while thinking, 'Jemma you have money, buy a few luxuries you've always wanted'. Woodwinked has been on my must-buy list for a very long time. Ever since I saw Tanya Burr use it a few years ago. It's a stunning golden-shade that blends coppery, meaning there's no need to pop anything in the crease. It also looks gorgeous underneath the lashline. 

Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Facial Serum* - £24.99

I didn't buy into this when it first came out for whatever reason. But when I was sent it, it was love at first use. I have combination skin which means I get really oily in some areas, but very dry and dehydrated in others. It's a nasty balance and can be hard to counteract. This serum is extremely hydrating but doesn't add moisture meaning it's perfect for my skin type.

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream - £23.00

I received a mini sample of this when I bought the moisturiser and although I've never really been a fan of eye cream, I can't go a morning without using this. Despite getting my nine-hours sleep at night, my eyes still look tired in a morning. I pop this on and it instantly perks them it. It's a miracle worker and I'll definitely be purchasing the full size come pay-day.

Paco Rabanne Lady Million EDP - £49.50

My sister bought me this as a graduation present. It's a fragrance that I've wanted for around four years so when I unwrapped it, I shed a little tear. It's the most delightful fragrance you'll ever smell in your life. It's long lasting on the skin and I think I've made it my 'signature scent'. Or at least I hope. I know I won't be able to be without it now. 

What products are you loving at the minute?
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Meadowhall beauty haul

On Saturday I took a trip over the Meadowhall with my mum. Despite being an ambassador for the shopping centre, it's rare that I get to go over there (unless it's for an event) which is a shame. If you haven't been to Meadowhall before then let me tell you that it's absolutely huge. Everything is under one roof - including the wonderful food court - so it's perfect for the dreary weather the UK often sees.  

I spent quite a bit of money and although I bought a lot of clothes, I decided to just show you the beauty products. I'm still not great at photographing clothes so if anyone has any tips or ideas, do let me know in the comments below. But yes, beauty wise I decided to splash out on a couple of products that I've wanted for a while. I'm also currently decided whether or not to invest in Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair... I've purchased quite a few things recently - oh, the joys of working and no longer being on a student budget - so expect lots of hauls on this blog over the coming months.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick in Nude-ist - £8.99

I was actually sent this lipstick in the shade Frambourjois which is a beautiful red shade. It's quite vibrant and out there - something I'm not - so I decided to buy a more muted, everyday shade. The formula of these lipsticks is one that I've been waiting years for. They apply beautifully onto the lips as they're creamy and they're so lightweight that you don't even know you're wearing them. Since purchasing Nude-ist, I've bought another. And I plan on getting the entire collection.

Models Own Diamond Dust in Radiant Pink - £5.00

The main reason I decided to go to Meadowhall is because they have a Models Own Bottleshop. On Saturday, the new range was released into Bottleshops and I knew I had to pick up another shade. I've actually reviewed and swatched three polishes from this range here and Radiant Pink is without a doubt my absolute favourite. It just screams Barbie. 

Vichy Dermablend Foundation in 15 - £16.00

This is my all-time favourite foundation. It's full coverage, comfortable, blendable, long lasting and lightweight on the skin. I already have two bottles in 25 but decided I needed a new shade now winter is approaching. Usually, I'd stick to 25 as at university I'd constantly be fake tanning. But now I'm going to be embracing my naturally pale skin. You can see before/after comparison photos here.

MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked - £13.00

Can you believe I've never owned a MAC eyeshadow before?! It's crazy and I have to admit that I am ashamed. I decided to buy Woodwinked as it's a shade I've been eyeing up for absolutely ages. It's a golden Pearl colour that I most definitely did not need as I have plenty of them. But you know, I couldn't resist. I actually walked out of Debenhams and said "no, I don't need these" before my mum persuaded me to go and get it. Such an enabler! She just wanted to use it...

Origins Extra-Zing Energizing Set - £23.00 

I have wanted Origins GinZing moisturiser ever since it was released, mainly because of the smell. I finally decided to invest because I've been switching between day time moisturisers for a few months now and I knew I needed to settle on one. GinZing is a hydrating yet lightweight gel moisturiser that smells like Terry's Chocolate Orange. It instantly perks up the skins and leaves it ready and waiting for make up application.

I also bought the moisturiser in a set which comes with the brand's Clear Improvement Mask. On the day I also received a mini gift set because I purchased a moisturiser. The gift set came with deluxe samples of Origins Ginzing Refreshing Eye Cream, Origins Drink Up Hydrating Mask and Origins Checks and Balances Face Wash. Quite a bargain if you ask me...

What have you been buying recently? Do you have your eyes on anything in particular?
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August Favourites

I woke up this morning glad to see the back of August. It hasn't been the greatest, and I was ready to face September head on. I have a few things to look forward to this month, mainly my graduation. But today I've had my MOT and my car has failed badly. Needless to say, I'm in a bad mood and I hope September disappears as quickly as August did. Anyway one good thing that came out of the past month is some beautiful products that I'm excited to share with you.

Clearasil Daily Clear Superfruits Refreshing Pads - currently £3.05

I basically bought these because they're cheap. I haven't chemically exfoliated in a while and now it's getting to winter and the sun isn't out in full force, I decided it was about time I started again. These pads smell delicious and exfoliate the skin gently but effectively. The pads are completely soaked so you don't have to worry about them drying up over time. I do thing they're soaked a bit too much though as I do have to leave my skin to dry for a few minutes.

Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Cream Limited Edition* - currently £16.80

I'm addicted to this stuff. Elemis' Frangipani Monoi range has been around for ten years and to celebrate the anniversary, the brand has released a new addition to the range. The body cream is extremely indulgent and allows you to get a spa treatment daily. The fragrance itself is warm and exotic and I hope to god they release a perfume one day. It leaves the skin feeling incredibly smooth and locks in moisture throughout the day. The scent is also very powerful and I find it lingers on my skin nicely. I've received countless amounts of compliments. 

MAC Prep & Prime Skin Base Visage - £21.00

I took this small sample on holiday with me and at the time, I thought it was the foundation that wasn't breaking down, even in the heat. But when I came home I used this with a different base and it's incredible. I think it's pricey for a primer but it's what I'm going to be using on graduation day. My foundation tends to break up throughout the day and disappear, but this hold it in place.

L'Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer - £14.29

Another primer and I've had this a while. I use this around my nose and cheek area as I have quite enlarged pores. I tap this into my skin and it instantly fills my pores in and gives me a flawless looking complexion. It leaves the skin feeling velvety and allows make up to apply much easier. It also gives a nice matte finish to the skin so it's perfect for those with oily skin. It doesn't, however, dry my skin out. I don't find it makes make up last any longer - it's just great for concealing pores.

Good Things Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser - currently £3.33

I do love Good Things as a brand and when I saw that this was on such a wonderful offer, I rushed to Boots to pick it up. The first time I used this cleanser I tweeted about how glowing and young my skin looked it and felt. Since then, it's continued to get better. This cleanser feels luxurious to uses and smells good enough to eat. It leaves my skin feeling very soft and and looking radiant. I definitely need to try out the rest of the range.

KIKO Cosmetics Face 106 brush* - £14.90

When I first got this brush, I had no idea what to do with it. I love my Real Techniques Expert Face Brushes too much. Recently, I've been using this to apply cream and powder blusher. It gives a light diffused look that's almost airbrushed. Since using this I've found that the overall finish to my blush and make up in general is much better. I love it. It also washes really well without any shedding.

Joan Collins Brow & Eye Definition Kit* - £25.00 (available October/November)

Before recently trying out a few things from the brand, I'd never heard of Joans Collins. I got my eyebrows threaded a couple of weeks ago (after growing them out) and this palette has made my eyebrows look even better. It comes with a black powder, a brown powder, a pink champagne highlight powder and a brow wax. As well as this, there's a decent sized mirror, mini tweezers, mini comb and mini brush all housed inside a beautiful compact. 

What products have you been loving this month?

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The high end foundation face-off

Following the success of my "high street foundation face-off" (which is still one of my most read posts to date!) I thought it was about time I flipped it and focused on the high end foundations. There's no denying my love for foundation. When you have skin like mine, base products quickly become your favourite - and it was foundation that started off my love for make up. I promise I'll do an updated high street foundation face-off soon because I've tried so many more since the original post over a year ago. But for now, here are the high end contenders...

Vichy Idealia BB Cream* - £21.00

Coverage: This is a BB Cream, so coverage was never going to be outstanding. However, for a BB Cream, it's definitely higher than most. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.

Longevity: Stood the test of time last summer! I'd recommend using a primer beforehand though.

Finish: Soft and natural. Demi-matte.

Formula: Lightweight, blends into the skin beautifully and hydrating.

Overall: I love using this in summer or on days when my skin is looking good.

Would I recommend it? Yes.

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation - £25.00

Coverage: Medium-full. This covers most things but my deeper scars need extra help.

Longevity: Lasts pretty well but my t-zone starts to get shiny throughout the day.

Finish: Pretty much full on matte.

Formula: I struggle to blend this and I find it to be quite heavy.

Overall: It provides nice coverage, an okay finish but I don't like the formula. I do have a very old tube of the stuff though, so that could be why.

Would I recommend it? No.

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint* - £21.00

Coverage: Almost non-existent. This is a tinted moisturiser. 

Longevity: There's barely any coverage but the glow lasts a while with a primer.

Finish: Glowing. I have to powder with this as it's almost on the verge of oily.

Formula: Nice to blend but I find that this feels heavy on the skin, despite being a tinted moisturiser.

Overall: I'm not a fan. I need my coverage (plus Vichy's DERMABLEND is much higher coverage and much lighter).

Would I recommend it? No.

Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation - £34.00

Coverage: Perfection. Very pigmented and you only need a tiny amount to get amazing coverage over your entire face. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.

Longevity: Lasts well with a primer and powder. Never tried it on its own.

Finish: Stunning. Very natural looking and glowing. It's hard to find a high coverage foundation that doesn't leave the skin matte.

Formula: Very easy to blend and feels lightweight. Ends up leaving the skin sticky for a while before it's "set."

Overall: I love this. It's a shame it's such a high price because at the moment, my shade is too light for me. Sigh.

Would I recommend it? Yes.

Liz Earle Signature Foundation* - £21.00

Coverage: I find that this adds a tint to my skin, but doesn't seem to cover much. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.

Longevity: Lasts all day on the skin with a primer.

Finish: Looks natural, demi-matte.

Formula: This is an absolute pain to blend. I end up with streaks/patches all over my skin.

Overall: I used to love this foundation (as you can tell from the glowing review) but I really don't get on with it any more. Maybe it's because the bottle's old and it's oxidised, who knows?!

Would I recommend it? No.

Vichy DERMABLEND Corrective Foundation - £15.50

Coverage: As high coverage as you're ever going to get. I don't even need concealer with this. You can see before/after pictures of it on my skin here.

Longevity: Once it's on the skin, it isn't going anywhere.

Finish: Not full on matte but not glowing either. Somehow it lets your natural skin shine through.

Formula: A dream to blend and surprisingly, the most lightweight foundation on this list.

Overall: I love this. It's a bargain and is my favourite foundation of the bunch.

Would I recommend it? Yes.

Cargo HD Picture Perfect CC Cream* - £26.00

Coverage: Very subtle, if any.

Longevity:  Because there is little coverage, I can't tell how long it lasts. But the glow is there all day.

Finish: The finish is very radiant. Despite the lack of coverage, your skin does look perfected.

Formula: This CC Cream starts out white and then adapts to match your skin tone perfectly. It's oil-free too.

Overall: This sadly isn't launched until the 17th of March.

Would I recommend it? I need more coverage. But for those of you with near perfect skin, you'd love this.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - £27.50

Coverage: Medium-full and can be built up nice and easily.

Longevity: Lasts all day long. You don't even need a primer or powder to set this. It doesn't budge one bit.

Finish: Like Vichy's DERMABLEND except that this does mask the skin.

Formula: Lovely to blend (although some people have issues with this) and I find it lightweight and almost undetectable. 

Overall: I've loved this foundation for 6 years now and repurchased it numerous times. It's a classic.

Would I recommend it? Yes.

What's your favourite high end foundation? Have you tried out any of the above?
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The bright lipsticks

I'm a little bit sad. The sun has well and truly disappeared but regardless of that, I wanted to get this post up. Every now and then, I love a bright lippy. Normally, bright lips don't suit me but when I start getting a tan, there's no better way to emphasise it than with neutral eyes and slick of bright and beautiful lipstick. I don't have too many but I managed to narrow down my bright lips to five favourites that range from high end to drugstore.

KIKO Long Lasting Lipstick in 03* - £3.40

I'm a big lover of the formula of these lipsticks. They glide onto the lips beautifully and stay put throughout the day without drying the lips out. This colour is particular is a deep, bright pink that is a real showstopper on its own. Lipstick wear time due to sipping on too many cocktails is no issue here due to the lovely thin tube which is perfect for taking out with you on nights out as it takes up minimal room. As you can probably tell though, the packaging hates being photographed.

Barbara Daly Cream Colour Lipstick in Tiger Lily* - £9.00

Before discovering this lipstick, I couldn't wear a red lip as I could never find a colour that suited me. But this one is beautiful. First of all, the formula is to die for and the creamy lipstick smooths onto the lips perfectly. adding moisture and a deep glossy pigment. The colour itself is a bright orange red that suits my pale skin tone nicely. It also looks beautiful with a tan so I do believe it'd suit a variety of skin tones. I hope to god Barbara Daly never discontinue this lipstick however, I can't find it online anywhere - I need to get myself down to Tesco to double check ASAP.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Candy* - £20.00

The packaging of this is beautiful. So beautiful that it should definitely be on display at all times. When I first got this, I loved everything about it apart from the colour. At first I found it pretty hard to wear as it has shimmer running throughout it but with this weather that we've been having, I've been popping into my bag more and more. Although in the swatch it's verging on purple, I'd say it's more definitely a bright deep pink that looks absolutely perfect with a simple flick of eyeliner.

Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart* - £7.99

The Revlon Lip Butters have been a bit of a hit and miss with me. At first, I couldn't get on with them but after the hype had died down, I found myself loving them more and more. They're moisturising and sweep over the lips beautifully giving them a nice wash of colour. Sweet Tart is a real Barbie pink that when donned with sunnies steals the spotlight away from the rest of my make up. Oh and isn't the name just the cutest thing in the world?!

MAC Lipstick in Costa Chic - £15.00

£15?! I remember when I bought this lipstick it was around £11-£12. Inflation, yikes. I'm going to put it out there and say that I'm not the biggest MAC fan in the world - I find a few of their lippies hard to work with. However, Costa Chic is delicious. It's full on pigment despite it being a Frost finish but when dabbed onto the lips this gives off the most gorgeous coral colour that complements a tan beautifully.

I hope you like my top five bright lipsticks. If you haven't tried any of them before then I definitely recommend doing a little bit of swatching. Like I've mentioned before, I'm not the biggest bright lipstick fan as a lot of colours don't suit me but when I find a colour I like, I will wear that lipstick to death. And I'm on always on the lookout for a new obsession so leave me your favourites/suggestions below - especially if you're a fellow paley.

What's your favourite bright lipstick? Have you tried any of my favourites?
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What I wore on my face

I don't think I've done a "what I wore on my face" post in a really long time. Either that or I've never done one. So on Saturday before heading off out, I decided to photograph the products that I'd used on my face and posted it on Instagram. I received an incredible amount of "likes" so I thought I'd do a little write up about which products I used, how I used them and why I love them.

Face

On my face I started off by using Seventeen's Photo Flawless skin primer. I really like this primer and I've gone through two bottles of it since first trying it. It prolongs my make up a little bit and it really smooths out the skin and preps it for foundation. I then went onto use Vichy's Dermablend foundation* which is one of my all time favourites. It gives perfect coverage, looks invisible and is really easy to blend and use. It also lasts all day long on the skin too which was perfect for me as I was out in the raining photographing a Zombie Run. For concealer, I've been using Rimmel's Wake Me Up underneath my eyes. I used to love this concealer but it got thrown aside a while back so I'm glad to have it back in my life. And of course on blemishes I used the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer which is my all-time favourite. I then powdered the skin with Purminerals Pressed Mineral Make Up.* I love this powder as it's a foundation so it adds extra coverage to the skin whilst mattifying it down and ensuring make up stays put all day long. As I've been fake tanning recently, I used the Liz Earle Natural Glow Bronzer* to warm up my complexion and add a little bit of a glow and then followed using the Nars Deepthroat Blush which really perks the skin up.

Eyes

To fill in and shape my eyebrows, I used the KIKO Eyebrow Expert Styling Kit.* I really love this kit as it comes with two different shades of powder, a wax, some tweezers and a brush. It's a really handy kit and sorts out the mess of a job a beautician did to my eyebrows. For my eyes, I went back to my trusty Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. I used Suspect all over the lid, Snakebite on the outer corner, Tease through the crease, Bootycall as a highlight and Half Baked underneath my lashes. I really like this combination as it looks natural but also emphasises my eyes. Half Baked underneath my lashes is my little trick as it makes my eyes look wider, brighter and finishes the look off perfectly. I then finished off with Seventeen's Liquid Liner close to my lash line for definition and used lashings of both Seventeen's Doll'd Up mascara and Barry M's Lash Vegas mascara* which are two of my favourites. Seventeen's Doll'd Up mascara is great for defining and curling the lashes whilst Barry M's Lash Vegas mascara is perfect for both length and volume. Both of them work wonderfully together to give me full but defined dramatic lashes.

Lips

Finally, on my lips I used MAC's Please Me followed by the Korres Lip Butter* to moisturise and add a little tint and gloss to the lips. Please Me is a matte colour which means that it can sometimes be a little bit drying so pairing the Korres Lip Butter over the top really helps to moisturise the lips. I also adore the combination of the two colours together. Please Me is a muted down dusky pink whereas the Korres Mango Lip Butter is a coral colour. Both of them work together to create the most adorable pink on the lips which I love.

So there we have it. The products that I used on my face on Saturday. These are also the products that I tend to wear on a day to day basis however, I usually switch up my eyeshadow a little bit. I always go for the highlight in the corner, light shade on the lid, darker shade on the outer corner, matte brown through the crease and Half Baked underneath the lashes though for some reason. I guess it's just routine. What have you been using on your face recently? Have you tried any of the products that I mentioned above?

xxx
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TAG: How Much Is My Face Worth? (Everyday Make Up)

I've done one of these before but I've seen them making the rounds in the blogosphere more recently and considering my everyday make up routine has changed a lot, I thought I'd show you it. Also, I'm pretty curious to find out how much my face is worth as it's definitely interesting.

Avene Eau Thermale Spring Water Spray* - £6.50
I use this to set my make up and also to refresh it throughout the day.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24Hr Foundation - £27.00
I've rediscovered this and I use it as my foundation as it lasts all day and looks flawless.
Superfacialist By Una Brennan Tea Flower Anti-Shine Pore Minimiser* - £12.99
I use this as my primer as it helps eliminate shine and minimise pores.

Collection 2000 Coloured Mascara Clear - £2.99
I use this on my eyebrows to keep them in place all day.

No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara - £12.50
This is obviously my mascara and I love it as you can build up the volume.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer - £5.99
This is the concealer that I use underneath my eyes as it makes them look more awake.

Keromask Camouflage Cream* - £14.99
I use this as concealer on my face because it covers everything - even my scarring.

MAC Lipstick in Please Me - £14.00
This lipstick is beautiful and very easy to wear in the daytime. It's a matte pink.

Liz Earle Natural Glow Bronzer* - £19.50
I use this to contour my nose and cheekbones and also to add a nice glow to the skin.

HD Brow Palette* - £19.96
My brows are very sparse so I use this to fill them in.

17 Miracle Matte Pressed Powder - £3.99
I use this to powder my skin. I love it because it holds the make up in place and keeps it shine free.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24HR by Eyestudio in Eternal Gold - £4.99
I sweep this all across the lids and underneath the eyes. It's so beautiful and makes the eyes pop.

MAC Sheertone Blush in Pink Swoon - £17.50
Because this is a matte blush it's great for daytime wear and makes me look more glowing.

Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner in Black - £2.99
I use this as my eyeliner on my upper lash line as it's so easy to use and perfect for winging eyeliner out.

No7 Metallic Eyes Pencil in Black - £7.75
I use this on my waterline and tightline as it's very pigmented and lasts all day.
= £173.64 which when you divide by 30 days equals to around £5.80 a day. That isn't too bad. Especially because a lot of the products do last a lot longer than 30 days. I've used the HD Brow palette pretty much everyday since I received it a year ago and I still haven't hit pan on it. If you've done one of these, feel free to link it below as I love seeing them! And if not, make sure you do one :)
xxx
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WANTS: MAC Palette

I've never been interested in one of the bigger MAC palettes because I think the price is ridiculous and I'm in love with my Urban Decay palettes. But I do think it's shocking that as a beauty blogger I've never even touched a MAC eyeshadow when they're raved about so much. I'm not really interested in single eyeshadows but I do love palettes. So I took a 'trip' to MAC's website to investigate some more.

These are the shades that I picked. I've loved Cranberry ever since I saw Tanya use it on Fleur in New York. I think it's a great way to experiment with colour without being too 'out there.' I want Omega for my brows once again thanks to Tanya and I'd love to try Satin Taupe because I've heard so much about it. When it came to choosing a highlight colour I had no idea but I liked to sound of Mylar. Obviously if I was going to buy a MAC palette I'd careful swatch pretty much every shade in store and make sure that they were the right ones. But once I'd added four shades and the palette to my basket the total price was a hefty £46.50 which when you compare it to the Urban Decay naked palette is just ridiculous. The eyeshadows retail for £10 each and the palette retails for £6.50 and I really don't think I'd ever be able to justify spending that much on four eyeshadows when 12 for Urban Decay plus a primer potion/lipgloss/brush comes in at under £40.00. Although I really want a MAC palette I think it's something that I'd have to kindly ask for as a Christmas present. I think as a present, it's justified. But as a poor student, no way!

What do you think about MAC palettes?

xxx

What's In My... 'Travel' Make Up Bag

First thing's first, I must apologise about the shocking picture. This was the best of a bad bunch and for some reason, these products (minus the HD Brow Palette) didn't want to photograph at all. But I really wanted to write this post so I thought a bad picture is better than no post! Recently I'm in between Mansfield and Lincoln because university is finished but I still have my job out there. I don't want to take all my make up back to Mansfield yet as I love blogging at Lincoln so I've just taken a small bag full of my current favourite products at the moment and here they are...

On my skin I've currently been loving both the No7 Shine Free Primer - £11.00 and the Benefit Porefessional Primer - £23.50. I use the No7 primer on my t-zone to keep my skin matte and the Benefit primer on my cheeks to cover up my pores. The combination of both works really well and I've been using these two together every day. When it comes to foundation I've rediscovered MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation - £23.00. It provides great coverage that's natural looking and isn't too heavy when applied to the skin. I do sometimes get red skin so I use Natural Collection Corrector Stick - £1.99 which I bought just so I could get 50 Boots points. But I do love it. It's a bit chalky so it needs warming up but it does a great job at concealing redness for such a cheap price. I've been combining two concealers together; the Max Factor Pan Stix - £6.99 which essentially is a foundation but my skin hasn't been that bad recently so I don't use it as a foundation as it is full coverage. And the No7 Quick Cover Blemish Stick - £8.00 which provides good coverage that lasts throughout the day. I haven't been using any powder on my skin as my primers are that good but I have been using both the Liz Earle Natural Glow Bronzer* - £19.50 and MAC Powder Blush in Pink Swoon - £17.50 to perk my skin up and provide me with a lovely colour. Both are very natural, matte and do a great job at warming and brightening the skin. Of course on my eyes I've been using the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - £36.00 which is the best nude, natural palette out there. I've then been using the 17 Liquid Liner - £3.99 to define my eyes and finishing off with my new favourite mascara, No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara - £12.50 which is great for volumising and defining the lashes. On my bottom lashes I've been using a mascara by Flutter which I received at Christmas. It's a small mascara which is great for using on the bottom lashes. As always on my eye brows I've been using the HD Brow Palette* - £19.95 to fill my brows in and setting them with the Collection 2000 Colour Lash Mascara in Clear - £2.99. And finally I've been completing the look with 17 Mirror Shine On Lipstick in Belle - £4.59 which is a lovely nude lip colour that hydrates the lips.
xxx

MAC Warm Thunder Dupe for just £8!

Last year, Barbara Daly launched a new range of beautiful eye shadows that were exclusive to Tesco. These were their Satin Swirl eye shadows which were named for their beautiful, swirled design and satin soft texture. To rival these, MAC has just launched their own version named the Extra Dimension eye shadow - these are priced at £16.50 each!

 Here you can see Barbara Daly's Satin Swirl eye shadow in Cinder Shine* applied to my eyes. It's such a beautiful silver that's very easy to apply and blend. I only used a small amount on my eyes above and built up the intensity towards the outer corner as it was for day. It lasted throughout the day perfectly.

I really love the close up picture as you can really see how wonderful this colour is. It's a lovely gunmetal silver that has such beautiful shimmer running through it.

And above are the dupes. Barbara Daly also do 7 shades called Crystal, Oyster, Rose Lace, Whirl, Twilight, Sequins and Taupe Ripple, all priced at just £8.

Have you tried these before?

xxx

*PR Sample

[CLOSED] 1000 Follower Giveaway - MAC Lipstick & Urban Decay Naked Palette

Hello lovelies! 

So for a while now I've been thinking about what I want to give away for when I reach 1000 followers and I finally decided on a MAC lipstick and an Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. Choose any of their lipsticks from their website here and you can also choose between the original Naked Palette or the Naked 2 Palette.

CLOSED
Good luck and thank you so much for following me, it means so much!
xxx

Real Life Dolls

I was very excited when my sister and her friend told me they'd like me to do their hair and make up for them for their society awards night yesterday. Of course, I jumped at the offer and I thought I'd show you the finished look.

This is how I did my sister's friends eye make up. I used Urban Decay's Verve, Pistol and Gunmetal to create  a silver/black smokey eye. I used Verve on the inner half of the eye, Pistol in the crease and Gunmetal on the outer half of the eye. I didn't want to do too dark as she never really wears eye make up so I wanted to keep it nice and simple.

My sister was a bit camera shy but here I've used Estee Lauder's Double Wear as foundation and contoured with Sleek's Contour Kit in Light. I've then dusted Nars Deepthroat blush on her cheeks and used MAC's Costa Chic on the lips.

They both looked really beautiful and I loved having 'real-life dolls' to play around with!

xxx

BRITNEY SERIES: Radar Make Up

This make up isn't perfect and if I could, I would've used a completely matte grey that was a few shades darker than the one I used. But unfortunately, I don't use greys very often and I especially am not a big fan of matter eye shadows so I don't own one. But this look was pretty simple to recreate. It's from Britney's music video for her single Radar. It isn't one of her best music videos but there's no doubt that she looks beautiful throughout it - that is including her make up.

On the eyes all I used was Urban Decay's Pistol colour. I pressed it onto the eye lid and blended it outwards to create a 'V' sign and elongate the eye. I then used Urban Decay's Blackout as an eyeliner as Britney's eyeliner is this look is pretty soft which is something that's hard to achieve using an actual eye liner. The mascara I used was Lancome's Hypnose for reference.

I also don't own any red lipsticks so I tried my hardest to recreate a red lipstick using coral colours. I used MAC's Costa Chic and Barbara Daly's Coral. Once again not perfect, but the closest I could get.

I actually really like this but I do think it'd look a lot better with a matte grey eyeshadow like the one Britney is wearing.
xxx

BRITNEY SERIES: Hold It Against Me Make Up

Seeing as my last Britney Spears make up tutorial thing was pretty successful, I thought I'd do another one from her Hold It Against Me video. This video is definitely in my top 5 favourite Britney videos. For the general public, it's just a well put together video but for the fans, it has a deeper meaning. It subtly showcases her life and it's also made better by the fact that she looks beautiful. Her make up in the video is on form and I've always loved it. It's a simple eye liner look that when trying to recreate, is very hard! I'm not terribly happy with how this turned out but seeing as I don't really have anything else to post about today I thought I'd show you the final eye make up.

The eye liner that has been used is 17's Falsifye and the and the false lashes are Kiss Premium Lashes in 02. The eye liner was actually very hard to do and it took me a while to do it. It did look a lot sharper in real life but when it transferred to pictures, it looks a lot softer and doesn't have such a 'clean cut' edge. I'm hoping to re-do this soon and hopefully make it look a lot better.

On skin, I'd have used a full coverage foundation as Britney's skin is so flawless. I'd have added a little bit of Benefit's High Beam to add a lovely glow and MAC's Pink Swoon blush to add a pop of colour to the cheeks. On the lips, I'd have used a pink lip gloss such as Avon's ColorTrend in Sheer Pink. I also thought it'd be a good idea to post the video for you as the above picture isn't that good.. Plus the video is too good to miss!

Would you like to see more of these looks? I'm considering recreating Britney's Slave 4 U make up? 

xxx

Top 3 Daring Lipsticks

When it comes to make up, I wouldn't say I'm very experimental. I stick to my nudes and rarely ever venture off into the world of colour. Unless of course I'm doing make up for my blog - then I'll experiment a little bit. But other than that, I usually go for a smoky nude eye and a pretty pink lip. But I do enjoy bright, bold lip colours sometimes; especially on nights out. And for when I'm feeling a little bit daring, these are the lipsticks I reach for.

 L-R MAC Costa Chic is a beautiful coral colour that is on the verge of red/orange/pink. It's very pigmented and leaves a glossy finish to the lips. MAC Saint Germain is a true Barbie pink that I usually wear patted onto the lips as when it's applied straight from the bullet, it can look a nightmare (see the lip swatches below)! But I love it. It was my first MAC lipstick and it makes me feel very girly! GOSH Amethyst is a frosty purple colour that just looks stunning. I love purple lipsticks but I'm just not brave enough to wear them!

 Same as above. The reason that Costa Chic has a little bit of pink/red on the bullet is because unfortunately, when I went on holiday this summer my nail polish split on the flight and covered my make up. Most got away unharmed but poor Costa Chic is still bruised!

Lip swatches have never been something that Im good at so excuse the poor quality! But when I'm looking at blogs, lip swatches are definitely something I'm interested in. So I thought I'd include them anyway. From L-R it's Saint Germain, Amethyst and Costa Chic!

Do you experiment with colour often? Which 'daring' lipsticks are your favourite?

xxx

BRITNEY SERIES: Stronger Make Up

I've always been a fan of Britney's make up in her music video for her single 'Stronger.' And tonight, I haven't had anything to do so I thought I'd attempt to recreate it. I'm quite happy with how it turned out even though I'm pretty much an amateur when it comes to make up. You can enlarge these images aswell to take a closer look!

I used No7's Stay Perfect Eye Mousse in the colour Pewter as an all over base colour. I also took it into the corner of my eye and underneath my lower lash line to brighten up and give the powder shadows something to stick to. After this, I used Urban Decay's Gunmetal in the crease and winged this colour out to elongate the eye. I then outlined Gunmetal with Urban Decay's Creep and then blended the two colours together. After this, I mixed both of the colours together and used them towards the outside of my lower lash line. To then brighten up the eyes, I took a mixture of Urban Decay's Pistol and Verve and blended both of these colours from the inside corner of my eye to the darker corners. I then took both of these colours underneath my lash line and blended into the darker ones aswell. After this, I lined my upper lash line with 17's Liquid Liner and my waterline with Gosh's Kohl Eye Liner in the colour White. I curled my lashes with No7's Lash Curler and then applied one coat of Avon's Supershock Mascara before applying Kiss False Lashes in the style 02. After all of this, I took some random glitter and pressed this over my entire upper eye to make it glow more.

I used MAC's Studio Sculpt foundation all over my skin and then Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection Concealer to cover up my scarring, spots and tidy up around the eye area. To contour my face, I used Sleek's Face Contour Kit in the Light and contoured underneath my cheekbones and the outside edges of my nose. I also used the highlight part on the upper area of my cheekbones. I also used Bourjois Blush in Rose De Jaspe to further contour and add some colour to the cheeks. On my lips, I used a mixture of 17's Ultimate Volume Lipgloss in Very Berry and Barbara Daly's Mega Shine Lipgloss in Breeze.

Above, you can see Britney's make up from the music video. I must add as I always do that I'm not a professional make up artist; I'm just someone who loves playing around with make up! And also, I couldn't recreate the look exactly because I have no idea which colours her make up artist was using at the time. But I've tried my hardest! I thought that this look wouldn't be very wearable but the more I look at it, the more I love it. It's really beautiful and even though both the eyes and the lips are strong, they go so perfectly together!

What do you think? Do you like these posts and would you like to see more?

xxx

High End Foundations

First of all I'd like to say sorry about the image. For some reason, my high end foundations don't photograph very well and this was the best out of a very bad bunch. Secondly, you can probably remember that I posted a High Street Foundation collection post and I thought I'd follow it up by showing you my high end foundations.

MAC Studio Sculpt - This foundation is gel based and it provides mudium builable coverage and gives a natural finish that isn't completely matte or shiny. It's very long wearing and lasts throughout the day. I really do love this foundation but unfortunately, the colour isn't right for me at the moment as I'm pale. but when it comes to summer, I'll definitely be using this foundation!
Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H - This is my all-time favourite foundation. I did a full review of this foundation a while ago with before/after comparisons picture. You can view this here. But in summary, it's full coverage, very lightweight, long lasting and provides a matte finish. It's just quite frankly, perfect!
Chanel Pro Lumiere - This foundation has now been discontinued and although I still have it in my collection, I'm not a big fan of it. I tend to use it on my sister as it's perfect for her skin tone and type. It leaves a glowy finish on the skin and is sheer/medium coverage. It lasts throughout the day and sits nicely on the skin. But unfortunately for me, it's too shiny and doesn't have enough coverage.
Estee Lauder Double Wear - Back when I first started my blog, I (badly) reviewed this product and you can see this here. The other week I also did a post on how I wear this foundation and you can view this post here. But in summary, I've stayed true to this foundation for a long time. It's full coverage and doesn't budge throughout the day. The only problem I have with this foundation is sometimes it can apply cakey and it takes a while to work into the skin. But it's perfect for night time.
Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint* - I did a full review of this a while back and you can see it here. I do like this tinted moisturiser and it's great for when I don't need a lot of coverage. It's very lightweight and provides sheer/medium coverage that's easy to build up. It's glowy though which means I have to powder often but when I don't fancy wearing a heavier foundation, this is perfect.

Which high end foundations do you love the most?
xxx
*PR Sample

OTN - Geek Night!

A quick post to show you my make up and outfit from last night. It was geek night and we didn't really have a long time getting ready before going out because we were attending the 'Rugby Auction' beforehand (basically an event were lots of rugby boys get naked). So I kept everything pretty simple..

Foundation - Estee Lauder's Double Wear

Concealer - Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection

Powder - Rimmel's Stay Matte

Blush - Bourjois in Rose De Jaspe

Eye Liner - 17's Liquid Liner

Mascara - Revlon's Double Twist

Eye Brows - HD Brow Palette *

Lip Stick - MAC's Costa Chic

Lip Gloss - Lancome's Juicy Tube in Fraise

Shirt - Primark (My sisters)

Skirt - Debenhams

Bag - Market in Lincoln (My sisters)

Tights - Primark

Glasses - Primark

Braces - Primark

Tie - Online? (My sisters)

I thought I'd also show you my sister's outfit. She went dressed as an American Footballer and her and her friend made the outfit by themselves and I have to say, it looked amazing!

So there is my very nerdy outfit of the night! Have you ever dressed up as a geek before? In all honesty, I didn feel pretty uncomfortable in such a tight skirt!

xxx