MOTD | Makeup of the Day

Just a quick post today to ease my self back into this blogging malarkey and there's nothing easier than a makeup of the day with a rundown of the products I used. I'm really not doing anything special today so I purely did my makeup both to kill time but also for a little pick-me-up, hence the lack of lip product. Any else only ever wear lip product when you are actually intended on leaving the house? 

Face

Foundation: Clinique Beyond Perfecting in Ivory

Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 01

Powder: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light and a Look Fantastic Banana Powder

Bronzer: Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer 

Blusher: MAC Pro Longwear Blush in Desert Rose

Highlighter: Anastasia x Amrezy Highlight and Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold

Eyes

Brows: NYX Tame & Frame Pomade in Espresso

Eyeshadow: NYX Lid Lingerie Metallic Liquid Eyeshadow in Gold Standard 

Huda Beauty Rose Gold Palette (Henna as a transition colour, 24k on inner third, Maneater through the crease and under the eye

Eyeliner: Dolce & Gabanna Kohl Liner in White

Mascara: Estée Lauder Sumptuous Mascara

I would love to hear what products you've been using every day!

Leave a comment below.

Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Colour in Plum Rose

Bobbi Brown is a brand I have never ventured much into and have really only delved into the likes of their eyeshadows and blushers although I have been tempted by their forever talked about Shimmer Bricks. My favourite aspect of this said brand is their generosity when it comes to their online offers. I can't help but get excited when I spot a Bobbi Brown email in my inbox as I can be almost certain I'll be snatching up a good deal for great quality products in return. Recently, they were giving a way a free eyeshadow and 2 Pan Palette when you spent over (I believe) £40 and entering a discount code at the checkout. I, of course, couldn't resist and ended up purchasing a couple of lipsticks and an extra eyeshadow to keep my freebie company. One of the products I picked up, as you can probably guess by now, was the Rich Lip Colour in the shade 10 Plum Rose (£19.50). A lovely, bravely bold pink with subtle plum undertones that gives the perfect English Rose look when on the lips. I picked up this colour as I didn't own anything similar at the time and was drawn to the full coverage effect made possible by the immense pigmentation. I have already received so many compliments on this lipstick and find it to be a perfect everyday shade that makes a great alternative to a nude. When paired with a poppy, pink blush the overall effect shouts classic beauty but slightly more bolder. If you're after something  that's simple but still makes a statement, definitely check this out when your near a Bobbi Brown counter. 

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Have you tried many products from Bobbi Brown? 

My Top Shadow Sticks

L-R: Beyond Gold, Misty Rock, Frozen Quartz, Amethyst Aphrodisiac,
Amber Haze, Bad Girl Bronze, Bulletproof Beige, Rose Gold, Glistening Ray.

Shadow sticks, for me, symbolise an easy, on-the-go, smokey eye that anyone can achieve! All you need is your favourite stick companion and your ring finger and/or a blending brush and you are good to go. With shadow sticks appearing on the market in both high end and high street formulas, there is a stick out there for everyone. Today on Nails and Teapots, I am going to run you through my favourite shadow sticks in a multitude of different shades and price ranges. These products can either act as the main event to an eye look or an easy and convenient base that can be partnered with your favourite shadows. I hope you enjoy!

By Terry Ombre Blackstar (here) £29

These are probably my favourite shadow sticks on the market and also the most pricey. Yet, I feel compelled to mention that they aren't favoured based on the fact that their packaging is beautiful. Trust By Terry to create a product that's stunning in both the exterior and interior. These are easily the most pigmented of the lot and the overall look is nothing short then a metallic finish with extreme colour payoff. Wether worn alone or blended as a base beneath eyeshadow - these shadow sticks never disappoint. I've opted for the shades Frozen Quartz, Misty Rock and Beyond Gold and already  have a desperate yearning for more in my collection. My favourite look that is easily achieved with these pencil is to use them as both bases and applied to the waterline for an alternative to black liner. If you are a shadow stick fanatic - you need to get these. 

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon (here) £19

These are revolutionary products for the shadow world. Not only do these have the best wear time out of any shadow I own they also come a range of clever colours to suit everyone - seriously. The idea behind these Colour Chameleon's is that each shade is made to enhance a specific eye colour with both a day and night colour to introduce an alternative. Considering I have green eyes, I opted for the two colours Amber Haze and Amethyst Aphrodisiac, which both do exactly what they say on the tin (stick). They emphasise the green tones and really make my eye colour pop - a feature that I love. If you're on the hunt for a product that will accentuate your eyes then these are easily what you are looking for. 

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour (here) £20.50

The newest addition to my collection and currently the one I keep reaching more most frequently. Although this isn't as pigmented as my two previous examples, the simple wash of colour blended underneath a similar toned base has easily become one of my most favourite eye looks. The formula is incredibly creamy and takes seconds to both apply and blend. Not to mention the shade Rose Gold, is absolutely beautiful and would work perfectly for a day to night transition. 

Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Stick (here) £4.49

The cheaper alternative in comparison to the ones above is easily by Rimmel. Rimmel always seem to make great dupes for higher end products. The Scandal Eye shadows, although cheap, still have amazing pigmentation and extra creamy formulas. I chose the shadows Bad Girl Bronze and Bulletproof Beige. I don't find the wear time as long on these compared to the higher end version but considering they are more than half the price - this factor cannot really be argued. If you want to dabble into the world of shadow sticks but don't want to splash the cash on something too high end yet, I suggest to give these a go! 

No7 Stay Perfect Shade and Define (here) £8

Finally, another drugstore alternative bought to you by Boot's house brand. This is probably my least used of the bunch but that is not to say that the quality isn't still amazing, I just find myself not often needing Glistening Ray, an off-gold colour, to prime my lids. The formula is still really creamy and these sticks are perfect for a simple wash of colour to aid any natural day-time look. It is also the answer to what products you can buy with the constant flow of No7 vouchers from the Boots counters! 

I hope you find this post helpful.

Let me know your favourite shadow sticks in the comments! 

Beauty| Sleek Make Up Blush in Rose Gold with Swatches

Sleek Make Up is one of my all time favourite drugstore brands as except for the more then affordable price tag, the quality and packaging of each product resembles nothing less then something more high end. I've been swooning over Sleek's Blush By 3 palettes for a while now but have been hesitant to buy based on the fact that I had never tried one of their blushers before and well there seemed little point buying three if I ended up not agreeing with the formulas. Instead I opted to buy one of Sleek's Single Blush (£4.49) in the most popular shade Rose Gold a renowned dupe for Nars Orgasm blush.

 Firstly, I must mention that the name couldn't be any more spot on with this shade. A beautiful mid-toned pink with a warm gold shimmer running through the powder making a beautiful, illuminating flush of colour once applied to the cheeks. This truly is a beautiful blush shade and would be great all year around, an absolute bonus in my eyes. The forumla is beautiful with amazing pigmentation, buttery soft to touch and heaven to apply. There was still evidence of this colour on my cheeks a good six hours after application, not bad for a drugstore dupe. The packaging does nothing less then resemble the brand name, 'Sleek' by look and touch, with its matte black extrerior that makes up this petite, little rectangle that is no bigger by length then my ring finger. After giving this product a go, I can't wait to try out more of the blushers that Sleek has to offer. 

Let me know what you think in the comments.

What's your favourite drugstore blush? 

Beauty| High End HAUL! ft. Mac and Zoeva

Earlier this week I uploaded pictures of my Drugstore Cosmetics Haul which marked the end of my six week spending ban. A monumental occasion, I know. Unfortunately, (but also quite fortunately) the money spending didn't stop there and I decided to dabble a bit online with endless scrolling on websites such as Mac Cosmetics, to name a few. I personally cannot get enough of other peoples high end shopping hauls as at times I find myself to be a cosmetics snob and get much more pleasure and excitement when buying things from a premium brand. A blessing for me and my skin but definitely a curse for my bank balance. I've made a personal agreement with myself that once I have bought all of the items below I will lay the card to rest for a bit, at least until next pay day anyway. Here is a brief rundown of each item. I will be doing separate and more in-depth reviews on every said item below, on the blog, in the next few weeks so keep your eyes peeled! 

                                     

Elizabeth Arden's 'Untold' 30ml £35

A sexy, womanly fragrance that's sophisticated yet pretty and perfect for all ages. Not to mention the beautiful, diamond-like bottle that shares a similar resemblance by shape and shine to a huge engagement ring.

                                       

Estée Lauder's 'Bronze Goddess'  100ml £47

The perfect summer fragrance. One spritz takes me back to sandy beaches, a hot sun and coconut smelling sun cream. The long-lasting smell is also a nice touch too. 

Mac Pro Palette x 4 £6.50 and 'All That Glitters' £10

The second of a Mac Pro Palette which has started off with a bang with a beautiful, iridescent pinky nude that I just can't wait to try. This also warrants more shopping as I can't just leave all those empty spaces! 

Mac Mineralize Skin Finish in 'Soft & Gentle' £22

Probably one of my all time favourite cosmetic items. A beautiful highlighter that transforms the face and emphasises the high points. This beauty will always have a place in my heart and make up bag. 

Zoeva Rose Golden Luxury Set £48

I have waited a long, long time for these and they were sure worth the wait. Never have I seen such beautiful brushes. I think my soft spot for rose gold plays a key part in this love affair. The quality of these brushes are amazing and the softness is slightly overwhelming. I'm almost too scared to use these encase a damage the beautiful exterior. 

I hope you enjoyed this High End Beauty Haul. As I said before I will be doing full reviews on these items over the next few weeks. I really hope you enjoyed having a little look in and if you have done anything similar please comment down below!

I'm also running a Giveaway on my blog where one lucky person can be in for the chance of winning three Essie Nail Varnishes. To enter click here and complete each entry on the Rafflecopter. Good luck!

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Have a good day! 

Fragrance| Lancôme Trésor Midnight Rose

Seeing as we are now fast approaching Spring/Summer (although the English weather may say otherwise) I thought this would be the perfect time to review one of my all time favourite fragrances the Lancôme Trésor Midnight Rose. This is the perfect fragrance to wear on a Summer's evening or to add that little bit of flirty something in the Spring. Being a light and girly fragrance with a hint of musk, it really is no surprise that Lancôme themselves describe it as being the ideal scent for 'capturing hearts' a very fitting quality with Valentine's Day on the horizon. Overall, the scent can be best described as fruity, floral and completely addictive which explains why I love it so much. 

The fragrances top notes that create the most obvious scent when first applied and are usually what give the initial impression are Jasmine, Peony, Blackcurrant and Pink Pepper. The abundance of ingredients pretty much explains why I was hooked at the first spritz with the exotic flowers and juicy berries.

 Along with this are the heart notes the base of the scent which often acts as the main tone of the perfume are made up of a lovely combination of Rose and Raspberry. I was pleased to find out that Rose was a key smell in the perfume as this along with the Blackcurrant element of the fragrance cleverly mimic the colour and design of the bottle - a really nice touch. 

Then finally the all important base notes, the rich, deep smells of the perfume which in this case contain Vanilla and Musk which explains why this is of course, a sexy, womanly fragrance. 

All of these fragrant flavours are wrapped up in a pink/purple ombre themed bottle that I personally think to be beautiful. I love the added rose decoration which in fact was used in bracelet form when sampling the fragrance in shops as opposed to a Perfume Tester Strip. Considering the rose was made out of a thicker material meant that the smell was soaked in and lingered for longer meaning the sampler was able to enjoy all the different notes of the perfume before making the purchase - a perfect idea. The bottle feels classy and expensive with a slight vintage touch with the shape of the base and lid making a lovely addition to an ever-growing collection. 

Priced at £39 for 30ml makes it not too outrageous and I would like to say worth it for this unique and original scent.  There really is only one downside to this product, this being that the fragrance is quite light meaning it requires multiple applications throughout the day to make it last therefore the bottle does ran out quicker then most. Yet, with that single negative aside, I will definitely be quick to purchase this bottle once this has ran its course and most likely the bigger size!

Let me know what you think in the comments!

What's your favourite S/S fragrance?

Beauty| Mac Powder Blusher

A good blusher is one of those products that I don't feel complete without applying it. I definitely think blushers are my most commonly purchased item as I can never resist the deep reds or pretty pinks. In this case, the Mac Powder Blusher in the shade Desert Rose was given to me for my birthday exactly a year ago yesterday! As you can see by the photos, I've been using this blusher regularly since and it shows no signs of decreasing in product. 

First things first, this blush is VERY pigmented which would always be a shock in the early days of application because I used to do the classic error and compose the look of a clown which is never good! Since I got the hang of it, this blush has been one of my top favourites because of the build-able qualities, perfect for achieving the exact look you want. 

I like the cute, compact packaging as it's perfect for travel but still holds plenty of product and so lasts a long time. As avid readers of my blog would know, I love anything with clear packaging as I can see the product beneath and this has ticked that box. Only negative about the packaging that seems to be a common problem with a lot of the similar Mac products is the clear circle can be prone to popping out. It is easy to fix but there's always chance that product could be damaged, which when paying so much, is not ideal! 

I am obsessed with this shade as the deep red with a slight browny undertone looks great on my fair skin and appears more subtle once on then what it does in the pan. With its powdered consistency it can be easily blended and creates the perfect finish when the look is done. They apply to the skin softly and smoothly, a noticeable benefit and last all day like a stain. There really is little bad to say when it comes to these Mac blushers. 

Priced at £18, it definitely is an expensive product which arguably, with all the amazing dupes out there, could be lived without. Yet as I mentioned before, considering the time period I have had this and how much product I've actually used, they do last a long time therefore making the steep price slightly more worth it. 

Let me know what you think in the comments.

What's your favourite blusher?