LBD forever….

If in doubt, let the LBD save the day

Dress - Supre (Australia)

Shoes - New Look

Leather Jacket - H&M

Necklaces - Topshop

Nails - Primark

Nails - Topshop

Foundation - EL Double Wear

Nars Creamy Concealer in Vanilla (under eyes) and Custard 

Mac MSF Natural in Light (under eyes) and Medium Dark (As a contour)

Mac blush in Harmony (contour)

Mac Lovecloud blush

TheBalm Mary Loumanizer highlighter

Anastasia Brow Wiz in Dark Brown and HD Brows powder 

Mac Naked Basics 2 and various Inglot shadows in the eyes

Benefit Push Up Liner 

Benefit They're Real Mascara and Eyelure 101 lashes

Mac Rebel lipstick

Any excuse to wear all black and a dark lip, I'll take it

Loves

xxx

Checked shirt and ripped jeans OOTD….

Mono-chrome, ripped denim, oversized checked shirt. All the elements for an absolute perfect fail safe outfit. I'll be swapping the sandals for boots now it's getting colder and throwing on a leather jacket (obvs) but I can see this being a staple look for the Autumn/Winter transition. An oversized mans watch   (and Mac Rebel) is all the accessorising this look needs. 

P.S. Boohoo.com are where it's at for oversized shirts. 

Shirt - Boohoo.com

Jeans - Topshop Leigh

Bag - Marc B 

Sandals - New Look

Watch - ASOS

Loves

xxx

L'oreal Extraordinaire glosses review….

In previous years, glosses have been way down on my list of makeup loves. Lipstick is my ultimate number one. But recently I've found gloss to be much more convenient for work (hello less touch ups and speedy application sans mirror) so decided to bulk up my gloss collection. I picked these up on an offer in Boots and am physically holding myself back from rushing out and buying the whole damn lot.  

I picked up Rose Symphony, which is a bright rosy pink that looks great with a bronze smokey eye or just as the only pop of colour on the face. My favourite of the two, though, is Nude Vibrato. Oh my this is perfect. The right amount of brown and peach tones combined, I think it's probably my perfect nude. I can see a makeup shopping trip coming on to swatch everything L'Oreal has ever made to find it's lipstick equivalent. 

So in terms of colour, these are perfect. Staying power is quite good, especially got a gloss. But saying that, if you like your glosses non-sticky and super comfortable to wear….these are your boys. I'm interested to see what their darker colours are like (there's a bright orange on the current TV ad that I've got my eye on) and am probably going to pick a few more Autumnal shades up soon for when the weather turns. 

Basically, it's love. Anyone else tried these? Anymore shade recommendations?

Loves

xxx

Mac Haul….

Well this is the first haul we've seen around these parts for a while! I did a little online order last week (now we're finally able to use Pro discount online…hurrah!) and picked up some beauties…

First I picked up a Mac palette and 24 pan insert so I can finally de-pot some lipsticks for my professional makeup kit. Lugging a heap of lipstick tubes around every time is driving me ever so slightly insane so hopefully this should make life a little easier…

How have I only just come to own this?? Spice lipliner is such a cult products and I was really lacking a brown toned nude in my kit so this is surely going to be a very welcome addition and just from swatching it I can tell I love it already.

Another Mac product I knew I needed but it's taken so long to get around to actually purchasing. Lady Danger is such a gorgeous orange toned red (my personal favourite) and again something that was lacking from my professional kit. Although I won't promise that this won't be on my lips every now and again too!

Again, I was lacking a dark purple in my kit and was originally going to pick up Heroine but decided I'd see what Pure Heroine was like (this is the Lorde edition of the original Heroine for those who don't know). I actually really like this and is going to look beautiful on dark skin tones when we get into Autumn.

So I've saved the best for last. I literally hunted across London for this bad boy, and had given up all hope of ever having it in my makeup collection until I randomly saw it pop back up on the website. I've never been one to go wild for Mac collections but I think I could have happily owned everything from the Kelly Osbourne line (if money would allow). I've been looking for a lilac lipstick for the longest time and I think this one is pretty much perfection. 

Loves

xxx

Models Own lipsticks…a hidden gem of the makeup world...

If I said to you 'Models Own', then chances are you'd come straight back at me with the response 'Nail Polish', right? Same here - Purple Grey is one of my holy grail, all time favourite nail varnishes which I'll forever re-purchase. However when I was looking for some new products to test out in my pro makeup kit, I decided to delve into the world of Models Own makeup and see what they have to offer. To cut a long story short, I love these. I picked up 10, in a range of shades, and although a couple are a little more sheer than others, I absolutely love all the ones I picked up. They all have a glossy finish, there are no matte shades in the range which is fine for what I wanted. 

(left - right) Plum, Red Wine, Pinky Red, Scarlet, Coral, Hot Pink, Nude, Baby Pink, Deep Fuchsia, Coral Pink.

Stand out shades are Coral Pink (a slightly more pink, glossy version of Mac Lady Danger), Nude (one of those perfect brown toned nude) and Coral (which I'll admit is going straight into my personal stash, it's PERFECT for summer!). 

Anyone else tried these? Are there any other Models Own unsung hero's I should try?

Loves

xxx

You know you're a makeup addict when a dressing table brings this much joy...

So yes, I know the Ikea Malm and a ton of Muji storage is a bit of a beauty blogger cliche, but it's a cliche for a very good reason! My collection was starting to get a bit out of hand, and I was sitting on the floor in the darkest corner of my bedroom when I was putting my makeup on so it was time for a change...

As much as I love my clear Muji draws, I love having the large draw in the Malm dresser to hide away some more of my unused makeup and keep things looking a bit tidier. 

Yes, I'm sorry, but I own One Direction One Moment. Before you hate me, just go and smell it's deliciousness! I love displaying perfume bottles on a dressing table - it's like having very useful ornaments!

My brush collection is mainly made up of Real Techniques, Sigma and Elf, and I found these pen holders in Ryman and Wilkonsons to store them all in. 

I display all my favourite lipsticks in holders like this from TK Maxx. I have another three of these further along. Yes I have a problem (see below).

So because 4 acrylic lipstick holders just isn't enough, I have an overflow box in my large draw….

And then a dedicated three draws to the glosses/ stains/ creams/ balms etc etc etc. Can anyone say lipstick addict??

I'm so happy with my new makeup corner and all of my storage….I highly recommend the the Malm dresser if you have the space for it. And even if you don't, a set of the Muji draws is a perfect way to keep makeup organised and cleanly displayed. 

How does everyone else store their makeup?

Loves

xxx

Shopping my stash #1...

I see a lot of these posts going around on blogs from one week to the next and I love the idea that it encourages using products that have long been forgotten and pushed to the back of the draw rather than going out and buying yet MORE new products. I had a rummage in the 'reserve' draws and pulled out these three beauties. 

Sax blusher in Rosy Glow, The Body Shop shimmer cubes palette 06, Topshop lip crayon in Coy.

This blush is a really beautiful rose pink with a lot of gold shimmer running through it. If you don't like any shimmer in your blushers, this isn't for you. I love the fact that it eliminates the need to add a highlighter afterwards….although thats not to say that I don't add one!

I've had this for longer than I can remember, but it really has laid unloved in my collection. The coppery and champagne shade in this palette are the kind of colours I reach for on a daily basis so I can see this becoming my everyday palette now I've bought it out of retirement. 

The Topshop lip crayons are very matte which is just how I like my lip products at the moment. They glide on beautifully (just make sure you exfoliate your lips first….) and have great staying power. This one in Coy is a beautiful peachy pink shade….and who doesn't love a peachy pink?! This will look gorgeous with a sweep of the above blusher and some of the copper shadow on the lids from the Body Shop shimmer cube palette.

Does anyone else do this regularly? What have you rediscovered from your stash?

Loves

xxx

April favourites….

Unsurprisingly, my April favourites is fairly lip product heavy. April also saw some resurrections from makeup favourites past…. one good thing about being on a budget is being more aware of raiding old makeup and digging into the long forgotten stash!

Bright lips have been the order of the day, particularly in shades of orange. First up is the Mac Pro Longwear lip pencil in What A Blast…I love this under almost every orange lip I wear, it makes it super long wearing and the colour so vivid. On top of this I've either been wearing my Napolian Perdis Set lipstick in Noosa. I don't actually think this is available in the UK but for any Aussie readers I have on here…..if you don't own this then WHY NOT? If I want something less matte and with a bit of sheen for the day time I'll pop on the Rimmel Moisture Renew lipstick in In Love With Ginger. If you saw my last post you'll see my other favourite lip colour is purple, so of course my favourite (and cheapest!) purple lipstick of the month has to be the Collection Little Mix lipstick in the shade Perrie. Lastly for lips, my neutral lip shade of choice has been the Benefit lip gloss in Sugarbomb, a beautiful pink with some shimmer running through it. 

Eye favourites have been all about the old faithfuls. You'll almost definitely have seen me talk about The Balm What's Your Type Volumising mascara over the past 18 months and it's still up there as one of the best mascara's I've ever used. I've been going back to basics on eyes with just a sweep of the Rimmel Scandaleyes eyeshadow stick in Bulletproof Beige over my eyes with loads of mascara, or a sweep of neutral shadow from my very old and very faithful Sleek Oh So Special palette. I love the pink shades in here for spring/summer, and the black is one of the best I've tried. As my eyelids are, and will forever be, particularly oily, I've re-discovered Benefit Stay Don't Stray eyelid primer which, I'll admit, I was not a fan of to start with. I still think the pump dispenser is wasteful but I've learnt that less is more with this one and I've really been loving it. 

Just a couple of face products, both from one of my favourite brands, NYX. First off is something that I'm sure has been in the last 3 months favourites and I'm almost certain everyone is fed up of hearing me harp on about; the NYX matte bronzing powder in light. And for a splash of colour I've been loving the NYX Rouge Cream Blush in Hot Pink blended (VERY lightly….this product has some serious pigment to it) into the apples of my cheeks and up lightly onto the cheekbones.

What are everyone else's favourites from April?

Loves

xxx

Purple is the new black….

First off, how hard is it to photograph the colour purple? Girls, please feel my pain. So it appears that purple, and it's many varying shades and tones, is my spring lip colour of choice. A little unorthodox but I'll roll with it. I counted up my purple lip product collection and I have an (unnecessarily large) grand total of 10. And this doesn't even include all of my lilac lipsticks, of which I only included one in this post as it's probably the most wearable. 

Left row, from bottom: 

Clinique Chubby Stick in Voluptuous Purple - a very sheer wash of purple that's perfect if the very thought of a purple gloss terrifies you. This one actually sticks around for quite a while too.

L'Oreal Caress 402 Milady - This is one of the most long lasting lip products I've ever used. Ever. Two layers of this stuck around for a full 10 hours, including a tasty roast dinner and upwards of 4 cups of tea. 

Sleek Eau La La liner in Raisin - This is quite a berry purple shade but goes well under some of the lighter shades for when I want to create an ombre lip. These liners are so long wearing and come in some great colours. 

Australis Colour Inject Mineral Lipstick in Gangster Rap - Unfortunately you can only get this bad boy in Australia but it's such a vivid purple and, again, a good one for a long lasting lip.

Maybelline Colour Whisper in Oh La Lilac - such a wearable lilac shade, these remind me of the Revlon Lip Butters and are more of a tinted lip balm/lipstick hybrid. I've got quite the collection of these!

Maybelline Colour Sensational vivid in 906 Hot Plum - quite a standard purple shade, not the most long lasting but very easy to get hold of and a really great suit all shade.

Right row, from bottom:

Mac Up The Amp - please excuse the melted lipstick smeared all over the packaging! This is a very well loved lipstick and the perfect purple for pairing with a subtle smokey eye and big lashes for a night out.

17 Supreme Shine Lipstick in Pink Posey - another really wearable formula that edges towards the gloss/balm side of things.

Collection Little Mix lipstick in Perrie - my current favourite purple lipstick and the latest addition to my collection. I popped a picture of this up on my instagram and it got a lot of love. If you're feeling brave and want to try a purple lipstick, this one is super affordable so nothing lost if it's not for you!

Sportsgirl Violet Crumble - another Australia based lipstick, I've actually never worn this one but it's a very similar shade to the Maybelline Hot Plum!

Are there any other purple lipsticks I need to try??

What colour lips are you guys loving right now?

Loves

xxx

March Favourites...

So with me being in London studying at the beauty and makeup academy, I've barely worn makeup and it's been such a chaotic few weeks living out of a suitcase! Which leaves my favourites a bit sparse this month but here we go anyway…

The hype around the L'Oreal Elvive Fibreology shampoo and conditioners is extremely well deserved. I am lucky enough to have naturally very thick hair to start with but this just makes my natural curls so thick and full which means much less time wielding a pair of straighteners. In my attempt to find a more readily available Bioderma alternative I have really started to love the Garnier Micellar water, and I've even decanted it into a smaller bottle for my kit to use on clients! Putting makeup on, taking it off, putting it on again, and then taking it off. While I was at the academy we were practicing on each other and my skin really suffered, so I turned to the duo of the St Ives apricot scrub followed by a long standing favourite, La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, only this time it's the new improved '+' version. I don't know what's changed exactly, but it still works just the same so thats fine by me!

My base has been all about Nars this month, and on the rare occasion I've done my own makeup I've gone for the classic Nars Sheer Glow and Nars Creamy concealer paring which I have reviews on here and here. Another well hyped product has been the L'Oreal Miss Manga mascara which I wasn't expecting to love quite as much as I do…it's super thickening and makes my lashes look so black and full! My Nan bought me the Body Shop Illuminator in pink when I got back from Australia and it's such a perfect pinky shade as a blush or on the tops of the cheekbones for a glow in the evenings. 

Finally my favourite lip offering this month is my newest addition to my ever growing lipstick collection - Mac Pure Zen. It's a peachy nude shade and perfect for the sunny weather we've been having these past few weeks!

What's everyone been loving this month?

Loves

xxx

Smart/Casual OOTD….

Shirt - H&M

Jeans - Vero Moda

Boots - Office

Necklace - Dorothy Perkins

Watch - Jag

Leather Jacket - Mango

Bag - River Island

Road tested one of the Revlon Matte Balms here, in Elusive, the pinky shade that everyone seems to be going crazy for. I know this sounds so cliched but never has a matte lip products felt so moisturising and creamy on the lips. It shouldn't work, but it so does. Will be purchasing more very soon so any recommendations are welcome!

Loves

xxx

Lip lovers....read this....

Lashes, lips, and brows is my go-to makeup look, and I think I probably have enough lip products to rival my local Boots. Oh the perils of being a beauty blogger....

So when on holiday recently and I saw a load of Sephora products in a shop (the owner was American and imported Buxom, Tarte, Sephora etc...joy!) I was instantly drawn to this lip set...

Yes you're right I DON'T need any more lip products but with the likes of Bite, Tarte, Kat Von D and Buxom in here that aren't readily available in the UK, I was carrying this out of the shop looking like the cat that got the cream. 

First are the nudes...

Swatches l-r: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Dolce, Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Nylon Nude, Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Bare Naked, Buxom Full On Lip Cream in White Russian.

I love the consistency of the Stila liquid lipstick but HATE the colour on me so this will go straight into my pro kit. The Smashbox lipstick is a full size and I know I'll get loads of wear out of it, and I'm so in love with wearing the Laura Mercier gloss over the top of it. The standout in the nude section is the Buxom lip cream....Americans I'm so jealous that you can just pick these up easily...so creamy, make my lips tingle but in a great, fresh way, and last crazily long for a gloss!

Next the pinks...

Swatches l-r: Too Faced La Creme Colour Drenched Lip Cream in Marshmallow Bunny, Smashbox Lip Gloss in Pout, Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Lipstick in Never Say Never, Kat Von D Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick in Backstage Bambi

Two full size products here, the Bare Minerals lipstick which I love the consistency of, and the Two Faced lipstick which is probably my favourite product in the whole set; my perfect shade by far (and super cute name). The Kat Von D liquid lipstick is a great colour but Hello cheap packaging! The colour of the Smashbox gloss isn't really that wearable but maybe over a darker lipstick I can work with it!

Anyone for some reds...

Swatches l-r: Kat Von D Foiled Love Lipstick in Adora, Hourglass Opaque ROuge Liquid Lipstick in Icon, Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Natural N45, Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil in Pomegranate

Firstly I hated the MUF lipstick, which actually snapped off when I did this swatch. Also wasn't a fan of the Kat Von D lipstick, it's very frosty which is not my style at all. I think the Bite lip crayon is a full size and I love that I've been able to try this, so pigmented and lasts ages! I've wanted to try the Opaque Rouge for SO long so I'm really happy I got a mini sample in here, love the shade and will definitely pick some more of these up!

Lastly, darker pinks...

Swatches l-r: Tarte Glamazon Pure Performance 12 Hour Lipstick in Inspired, OCC Lip Tar in Strumpet, Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick in Menace, Stila Colour Balm Lipstick in Sonya.

OK so I'm just a little bit (OK a LOT) in love with this Tarte lipstick. The formula, the colour, the lasting power...just wow. Another full size product from OCC, the first thing I've tried from them and probably the longest lasting lip product I've ever applied. The Buxom lipstick is creamy and a gorgeous colour and I'll get lots of wear out of this when I get back to wintery England! The Stila lipstick is OK, don't love it but I'm sure I'll wear it!

Such a great sample box, I got to try so many products I'd never tried but really wanted to, plus 5 full sized products!

What do you guys think?

Loves

xxx