What's new….

I've decided I needed to inject some new and exciting products into my makeup routine. I've come to the end of my trusty The Body Shop mattifying seaweed moisturiser so decided to try a purse friendly version of this day cream from Garnier and so far I'm really enjoying it! I also needed some lashes for a few events coming up, and thought I'd be brave and branch out from my usual Demi Wispies and try the Ardell 117's which are a bit longer (slightly scared at the length of these!) and not quite as, well, wispy! 

My Rimmel Stay Matte is coming to the end of it's life so thought I'd give into the hype and pick up the Soap and Glory Kick Ass powder that I've hear many a beauty guru raving about. It's extremely yellow based but it really suits my skin tone and is such a perfect under eye setting powder. Can anyone say Kim Kardashian?!

I was extremely intrigued by the concept of the L'Oreal Intense Matte Glosses. A matte gloss? Hey? They apply like a really opaque gloss and try to a matte texture (which is my current lip product finish of choice) and I'd heard a lot of mixed reviews on these. They don't wear that well over a long period of time but the colours I picked up (coral denimista and fuchsia flare) and so beautiful. 

I'm not going to go on about this one too much as there's a review coming up on this soon, but I may have found a Benefit They're Real dupe. I know, right? The 17 Falsifeye HD mascara makes promises that it manages to keep, and then some. Stay tuned for more on this. 

Lastly I needed a new liquid liner - I think I eat these in my sleep I get through them so fast. The 17 Tattoo Liner promised semi permanent, up to 48 hour wear. If you intend to wear this for a short period of time, don't bother. It's a royal pain in the ass to apply, it's so thick and gloopy, and if you're a beginner in the winged eyeliner game I'd avoid this at all costs. If you deal with the application process and love a long wearing liner that's really going to put the hours in, go and buy this immediately, if not before. This does NOT move. No flaking, smudging, moving, transferring, or any sort of annoying eyeliner behaviour in sight. When it comes to removal, set aside a little bit of time for this one. 

Top 13 of 2013...the makeup edition...

Top foundation has to be, without a doubt, Revlon Nearly Naked. Third bottle of this bad boy and the love affair is still continuing. 

The concealer that has kept creeping back into my life (well, makeup bag) in 2013 was the Body Shop Illuminating Touch in the shade 3. Great for achieving Kim K style cheekbones.

The only bronzer to grace my face was Benefit Hoola, which I'd probably award as my top product of all time award. Big news.

Favourite blushers go to Sleek in general but, not to be called a cheater, I'd pick Pixie Pink if I was going to single one out. 

Highlighter could only be The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer, used sparingly, for a beautiful daily glow.

For eyeshadow the only thing I regularly reach for, and my one 'take away with me everywhere' was my Urban Decay Naked Basics palette. For day looks, eye looks, and brows this was my saviour. 

I couldn't let eyeliner slip by without throwing a huge mention out to the Rimmel Scandaleyes pencils, especially in the taupe and nude shades, and my trusty Topshop liquid liner in black. 

Again, mascara is a two parter as big lashes were my favourite look of 2013. My stand out winners were Benefit They're Real and Makeup Forever Smokey Lash. 

For the nude/pink lipstick offerings I turned to the NYX matte lipsticks towards the later part of the year, but my favourite lip discovery of 2013 were hands down the Maybelline vivids, of which I own and love every single one. 

Lastly my Urban Decay de-slick setting spray has been a life saver on these hot Australian days.

Honorable mentions go to the Real Techniques brushes, Rimmel Apocolips (especially Big Bang), the Maybelline colour tattoos and the new Revlon lip glosses. Sorry, I cheated. 

What has everyone else loved in 2013??

Loves

xxx

Top five black eye pencils...

One of my go-to looks is a black eyeliner in the waterline, and my collection is now never ending. 

Top to bottom:

Rimmel Scandel Eyes waterproof kohl liner 001 black: lasts quite well, waterproof to the fact that it takes a fair amount of makeup remover to budge it.

Soap & Glory Smoulder Kohl super noir: quite a wet consistency but is quite hard to keep in one place and tends to spread around my face a bit too easily.

Maybelline Master Drama kohl liner ultra black: probably the blackest of the lot, again smudges when you don't want it too but worth it for the ultra blackness of it.

Mac eye kohl in smoulder: One of my all time, most repeat purchased of the lot I think this is my fifth one of these. The driest and most easy to control of the bunch, smudges easily but stays put when you're ready for it to.

Avon SuperShock gel eyeliner in black: wow wow wow my newest purchase and by far the thickest, blackest and most waterproof of the lot. But immediately if you don't already own this!

What are your favourite eyeliners at the moment?

Loves

xxx

P.S. I'm off again! I'm leaving lovely sunny england (yes, it's actually sunny right now!) and heading back to Australia for another year (ish) but this time my laptop and all my blogging stuff is coming with me so (hopefully, depending on internet connection) I'll be regularly keeping in touch this year! Lots of love!

xxx

Face of the day....

Not normally one for eyeshadow, I donned my (limited collection) of Mac shadows and tried out a bit of a golden/purple smokey eye for mine and my Ty's 6 month anniversary meal (altogether now....ahhhhhh).

Dress - Jay Jays (Australian)

Foundation - Revlon photo ready

Concealer - Benefit erase paste

Brows - Rimmel eyebrow pencil

Eyes - Mac shadows Retrospeck, Sketch and Cognac, L'Oreal HIP colour truth cream eyeliner

Lashes - Cover Girl Clump Crusher

Blush - Mac Well drressed

Highlighter - Essence Circus Circus in It's Magic

Lips - Chi Chi in Shake that booty and Revlon gloss in Glitz and Glam

 

I'd love to start a Mac palette one day, any suggestions of some first basic colours to get me started would be much appreciated...

Loves

xxx

February beauty favourites....

 

Maybelline Colour Sensational lipstick in 900 Pink Pop: Glossy, pink, long lasting. Enough said.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation: I've been working some crazy hours recently and needed some sort of skin pick me up. This foundation is a miracle worker, it has those light reflecting pigments (note: NOT glitter) that give your face a radiant glow that lasts all day. I like to think this is a dupe for Nars Sheer Glow that my poor budget won't stretch to!

Vaseline cocoa butter: I bought this for a bargain of $5 and it's lasting me ages. Smells like a mix between chocolate and vanilla, makes my skin really soft and makes me want to eat my own arm.

Lee Stafford argon oil shampoo and conditioner: Lee Stafford will forever be one of my favourite hair care brands. This doesn't smell quite as good as his flat iron protect mist (come on girls you know exactly what I'm talking about) but it's made my poor dry ends start to feel a bit healthier. Although to be honest I think the only thing that can fix them would be a hair cut. 

Maybelline Baby Lips: This one has barely no colour, smells like berries (if a little bit artificial) but literally made them as soft as a baby. Only down side, I'm going through it at a scary sort of speed. 

L'Oreal High Intensity Pigments colour truth cream eyeliner in black: One of the longest eyeliner names in history, and one of the longest lasting eyeliners I've ever used. This stays on all day, is the blackest black eyeliner I've ever used and is in such a big pot it could well last me forever and ever. LOVE this and is probably my favouritest favorite of the month. 

Nivea Daily Essentials Rich Regenerating Night Cream: I went on a bit of a drugstore skin care binge recently and, if I'm totally honest, this was the only thing that was anywhere near worth me picking up. It lives up to it's name being a rich cream, sinks into the skin without feeling oily or greasy, and makes my skin feel amazing when I wake up. And who doesn't love super soft skin??

Loves

xxx

Top five eyeliners...

Next instalment in my top five series is eyeliners! I'm not a huge eyeliner hoarder, I tend to have a few and just stick to the ones I like. 

l-r Barry M Wink eyeliner felt tip, GOSH Carbon Black liquid eyeliner pen, Mac Kohl pencil in Smoulder, Soap & Glory Smoulder Kohl, Maybelline gel eyeliner pot 

Barry M Wink eyeliner felt tip: This is actually on it's last legs, but it's a REALLY thick felt pen that is so easy for beginners wanting to create a winged liner look. It dries up quite quickly and the nib on mine has gone a bit strange so it doesn't have a long shelf life, but it's really black and SO easy to use. The staying power isn't the best, but for around £5 I wouldn't complain.

GOSH Carbon Black liquid eyeliner pen: This is SO black, stays put until you get some sort of heavy duty makeup remover near it, and is quite easy to use. The nib is fine so you can create all sorts of looks really easily, the only draw back with this is it's quite watery so you really need to wipe the nib before you get going.

Mac Kohl: This used to be the love of my life. I've had about five of these, and whilst it is amazing, it's no longer my favourite kohl eyeliner. It's quite black, fairly long lasting, and you can sharpen it to quite a nice point if you wanted to use it on the lash line. It is great for smudging, however it sometimes smudges beyond all control when you get a bit warm....not ideal for sweaty night clubs or hot atmospheres. 

Soap & Glory Smoulder Kohl: This is, in the place of Mac, the new love of my life. I've done a full review on it here if you want to take a closer look. It lasts ALL DAY, no lie. I use it on the water line, it doesn't smudge or slip, it's a really intense black, and it comes with a sharpener in the lid!! The only draw back is it's quite a soft, gel consistency so impossible to sharpen to a point, not ideal if you want to use it on the lash line. For £5, all I have to say on this is GO BUY IT :)

Maybelline gel eyeliner: I use the sigma eyeliner brush with this, brilliant for the waterline and on the lash line, and creates a gorgeous winged liner if you have a steady hand. Again, seriously long lasting, really black, easy to use with a bit of practice and lasts ages! This is always on offer in Boots or Superdrug so really worth a go!

What other eyeliners does everyone else love?

Loves

xxx

Forget me not....

I've been having a bit of a new year clear out and was hunting through all my makeup, skincare etc I found a few things that I think I need to find replacements for. These products have served me fine for the past year or so, but they don't blow me away, and I think I can certainly improve on them!

Simple eye make up remover stings like a bitch and never really gets rid of all my waterproof mascara; I think I can do better. I also fancy a new liquid eyeliner that a novice like me can use without ballsing it up. The main thing though is brushes. I use my eyebrow brush everyday but it's starting to shed (it was only a pound and I have given it a bit of a battering over the months!) and I really want a decent contouring brush because...well...I don't have one!

If any of you have any suggestions for things I could try as replacements I'd love to know!

Are there any products you're looking to replace/upgrade in 2012?

Loves

xxx

Weekly review....Soap & Glory Smoulder Kohl....

I alway thought me and my Mac eyeliner in Smoulder would be inseparable. Until I popped into Boots and picked up one of the Soap and Glory eyeliners on a whim, and now I'm afraid I'm having a love affair. 

Mac Smoulder is a really black black, and incredible for smudging to help along with a smokey eye. I do find the tip breaks quite easily if sharpened too much, and it's staying power when faced with water/tears/sweat (I like to dance, a LOT) isn't amazing but it does help in creating a really dramatic look. When I say it smudges well, it smudges a bit TOO well sometimes and continues smudging through the night!

(l- Mac r- Soap & Glory)

(l- Soap & Glory r- Mac)

On the skin they both transfer really black, but the Mac one gives a much finer line. On paper, you can see how thick and creamy the Soap and Glory liner is. Also, it's staying power is AMAZING. I washed my hand after I'd done this swatch and it took three baby wipes and a whole load of soap to shift it!

This isn't the clearest picture, but my left eye as you look at the picture is lined with the Mac Smoulder pencil the smudged out with an Avon smudging brush. My right eye as you look at it is exactly the same process but with the Soap & Glory Smoulder Kohl. It's so much blacker, really sits on the water line as a true black for such a long time, and when smudged to how you want it, does NOT move or transfer. All in all, a really nice surprise and now a total staple in my makeup bag!

Has anyone else tried anything from the Soap & Glory makeup range?

Loves

xxx

Elf loves and hates...

I've bought quite a few Elf products just recently, some have been amazing and some well, just haven't. I'm especially loving their blushers, and since making this video I've been using a few more bits from their mineral range that I'm enjoying, but here's my rundown of my Elf best and worst....

Also, on another note, I need to have a rant about something....

I may not have taken part in drama or theatre groups as I was growing up, but was always a willing supporter to my friends year after year in their Youth Theatre and school productions. It’s always fun sitting back and watching drama unfold in front of you, watching characters live out their life. It’s the same with films, tv programmes and even books. We laugh at them, with them and for them. We cry at their sad times and empathise with them through their hard times. We even judge them for the mistakes they make, and hate them when they do something wrong.

Then you realise, at nearly 23 years of age, you’re in your own bloody drama. I’m not particularly bothered if people want to talk about my life and laugh at me/judge me/ envy me or whatever else they may wish to feel. That’s their own choice and if their life isn’t interesting enough and they have to sit back and watch mine then so be it.  

But would you get up out of your seat at the theatre, climb on stage and start giving the leading lady a lecture on her behaviour? Or would you sit in the cinema and shout to the hero of the story what you really think about him? No thought not.

It’s not protocol getting involved in the plot line, so where to you get off messaging me on facebook or texting me, sticking your nose in where it’s, quite frankly, not needed. I’m not sure what you aim to achieve by this, although the cynic in me believes you want to ruin anything good I’ve got going in my life. But maybe you’re just bored. If you want to stop me being happy or try and upset me with what you say, then I feel sorry for you and this time, it won’t work. If you’re bored and have nothing better to do, I suggest you get a hobby – I hear the local theatre club is looking for new members.

Sorry about that, just had to get it off my chest and I knew you were the only ones that might be able to put up with me!!

Loves

xxx

Talk about a late discovery...

How have I never got around to buying this little beauty before?? I keep reading about the Une skin-glow pencil and saying I'm going to pick one up when I'm next in Superdrug, but I always get distracted by the pretty nail varnishes and lipsticks. Today I popped in and actually bought it and I can honestly say there's an element of regret that it's taken me so long. I got it in shade G03, it was either this or the shade lighter but when I actually tried it (as soon as I got back into the office) I was so glad I went for this one.

I've never ever gone in for the whole white eyeliner on the water line business but this is just amazing. A perfect match to my skin tone, creamy formula that blends well, and from my quick test of it this afternoon it lasts quite well too. I'm not sure how it will look when I've got full eye makeup on but with a bright lipstick and tons of mascara, this is going to be a permanent addition to my everyday makeup routine.

If you've thought about buying this but never got round to it....do so immediately.

I've not heard much about the rest of the Une makeup range, has anyone else tried anything or recommend anything else, I'm so impressed with this I'd feel like trying some other things from their range.

Loves
xxx

Hangover haul...

Hey everyone, hope you're not too sad about the weekend weather so far....wet and miserable :( As I said in my last post, I went shopping yesterday with the girls to the Highcross in Leicester to try and make the hangover a little better. I'm not sure the actual shopping did much good to my hangover, but the all you can eat pizza hut buffet did wonders!! I was going to do a haul video but unfortunately I've been having problems with Youtube so it's going to have to be a picture post!

If you follow me on Twitter you'll probably have seen my extreme excitement about Mum coming back from shopping with a present for me...she bought me some pink swimming goggles for the holiday so I can swim properly (I used to LOVE swimming and it's a bit of a shame I don't get chance to do it any more, so holiday's the chance!) but I forgot to take a picture of them for this post, sorry!

Anyway on to the haul, first I went to Primark and didn't go too mad actually. I got some coral pumps for my holiday, and just to throw on with some denim shorts and a crop if this weather ever gets better! I got a headband as well because I'm getting a bit obsessed with these wired dolly bows. I've actually been good recently and not been using too much heat on my hair, just up in a topknot every morning with a headband thrown on! I also picked up a cute floaty shirt in a terracotta colour which I'll probably wear for work tucked in black high waisted peg leg trousers.

I popped into Superdrug and behaved myself for once, I only picked up a couple of bits, and advised the girls on a glossy nude lipstick (Gosh 134 Darling every time of course!). I got the Maybelline get eyeliner as I've been told this is the best gel liner to try. I've been after it for a while and it was on offer this time I went in so I thought, why not! I also picked up Barry M nail paint in Peach Melba because I've seen so many NOTD's with it, and it is the most perfect summery nail colour! I picked up an MUA blush in shade 1, to further add to my new blusher collection, and another Famous by Sue Moxley shimmer brick: I'm slowly building up the entire collection of these, they are stunning! This one is in pink, and I haven't had chance to even take the film off it yet but I'll do a review on it when I've used it a few times.

(the leopard print bronzer is from Primark for £1 in the sale, I couldn't resist!!) 

I popped into H&M because I had to take a skirt back (a cotton coral maxi skirt that looked a bit like I'd wrapped a cafe table cloth around me!) and ended up picked a few other bits up. I got a blazer in a nice summery pink colour, because I had so much wear out of my black one! It was only £19.99 so I couldn't say no really. I also picked up an oversized white t-shirt to throw over grey skinny's with my coral wedges for a night out with the girls. My favourite purchase of the day was a bit of a random one, I was trying to not buy anything I didn't need but I loved this high waisted denim skirt with the buttons down the front too much to pass up! I'm going shopping next weekend so I'll probably wear this with my pink hightop converse and a tshirt tucked in :) 

 (sorry everything is so creased!!)

Still on the denim theme, I've been on the look out for some light denim high waisted shorts but couldn't quite find what I was looking for. I saw these in New Look though and thought they'd looked fit casually or dressed up with wedges and a floral shirt tucked in. They're quite thin, and a sort of jegging material, so they're not very forgiving, but I loved them anyway! 

(another thing I loved about these was the label on them, I appreciate the effort New Look, it makes me smile every time...!)

Lastly we popped into Zara and I thoroughly enjoyed the sale. I actually think Zara is my favourite shop at the moment, the TRAF section is my fave, and I've been in love with all their coloured denim and t-shirts. I'm a HUGE fan of a Zara slogan t-shirt (I was wearing one in the OOTD post yesterday) so when I saw this one in the sale I had to have it, it's SO cute. I also had my eye on this purple maxi skirt when it was full price, so in the sale was a no brainer! 

Hopefully another haul coming up after Birmingham next week!

loves

xxx

Oh My Gosh…

Popped into Superdrug yet again to day and it looks even better than last time. In case you don’t follow me on Twitter, my local Superdrug is having a re-furb and is looking fab, with new makeup counters and a brow threading bar. I think they’re doing this in quite a lot of the bigger stores and it is such an improvement!

Anyway the makeup stands are amazing now, and I was especially attracted to the GOSH stand and the 3 for 2 sign hanging up in it!

As you may or may not know, I don’t really have eyebrows. I do, but they’re really fair considering my hair colour, and sort of half the length of most peoples, so I would never ever leave the house without some brow maintenance, and I’ve really been experimenting with this just recently. I still have my dirty blonde rimmel pencil, but I’ve been finding some careful blending with me new elf shape and fill double ended pencil in a much darker shade than I would usually choose has been giving me a more defined and dramatic look. Whilst browsing GOSH I came across their new long lasting eyebrow pen which looks a bit like a felt tip pen, which I picked up in 004 Wheat. Again this is darker than what I’ve used in the past and I think it will take a fair bit of practice because mistakes are not easy to correct!

(sorry about this picture, it just would not be clear!!)

I also picked up their long lasting eye liner pen in 008 Carbon black which was a bit of a revelation for me as I’m a kohl girl through and through. I haven’t used it yet but it’s a nice fine tip which should go on quite neatly. What other liquid eye liners does everyone recommend? Or even gel liners that I am also yet to try?

Finally I picked up another one of their limited edition nail varnished since my amazing discovery with their Lavender shade last week. It literally DID NOT chip. For three whole days, I was left with perfect nails and I never found a nail varnish that has ever done that before due to my extremely brittle and pealing nails! I can't tell you what shade it's in because they stuck the security tag over it but I'll research for you.

It's a bit standard for be as I have loads of pink colours in my collection, but now I finally have one that doesn’t chip at the first opportunity!! I’ll probably save this for a bit though because as I’ve got my gel nails on I can wear any nail varnish without it chipping, which I am loving!!