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! 

Cosmetics Collection: Soap and Glory Make Up

I'm back again with another Cosmetics Collection for you! This time it's about another favourite drugstore Make Up brand of mine, Soap and Glory. With it's stand out packaging that's cute, quirky and slightly pin-up, this really is a great brand that takes quality and appearance into a lot of consideration. I thought I would focus this post mainly on the make up side of S&G even though I know they're best known for their incredible bath and body products as well as their excellent skincare but don't worry I will be doing another post all about the products I own from their other collections too because I love it all. 

1. Lid Stuff Flawless Finish Eyeshadow in What's Nude £10 

For the incredible price, this beautiful eyeshadow quad is an absolute steal. I love the fact that it's made up mainly of mattes with only one shimmer shade as pretty much everyone other palette I own is glitter galore. The shadows are creamy and apply beautifully with an acclaimed eight hour wear which I don't think I could argue with. This is a great nudes palette which would be perfect for travel considering it has the four main neutral shades you'd ideally want. 

2. Kick Ass Concealer in Light £10 (full review here) 

A lovely concealer made up of three combat shades that are great for concealing those under eye circles and pesky blemishes. With a salmon pink cream that works a treat for brightening up dark under eyes, a yellow toned complexion concealer that covers up spots completely along with counteracting redness and a translucent powder that works great when setting the creams to ensure they won't budge. All of this is then efficiently fitted into a nifty looking compact that you could throw into your bag and be ready to face the day. 

3. Archery Eyebrow Pencil in Brownie Points £10 (full review here)

One of S&G most talked about Cosmetic products. This intuitive product combines both a wax crayon and a subtle coloured tint that are the perfect pair for creating either the natural brow or big bold bushy show stoppers that even Cara Delevigne would be jealous of. The felt-tip end means you can effectively brush on tiny little hairs to both add volume but still ensure your brows still look like, well brows. Then this is when the crayon comes in. A great consistency and excellent pigmentation which fills in the brows perfectly so you're all good to go! 

4. Peach Party Multi-Colour Blush Brick £11

A brilliant and beautiful product. A mix of bronze, peach and gold hues that when swirled together on a fluffy brush creates the most gorgeous illuminated, pretty in peach colour that's perfect for Summer. The different segments look pretty in the pan and even prettier on the skin and you have the power to create any look you want. You decide what shades you'd like to be more predominant by focusing your brush on individual segments to achieve either a more bronzed, blushed or highlighted effect or if you'd prefer the wild card, like myself, just go to town on the colour wheel and see what gorgeous, pearlescent shade comes up. 

5. A Great Kisser Juicy Peach Lip Balm  £5

A lovely, moisturising lip balm that smells so much like peaches, I'm tempted to eat it. This literally melts on your mouth during application and is so nourishing once on thanks to the Mango Butter in the ingredients. The main thing I love about this balm is the sheer add of peachy colour that although is simple, acts as a gorgeous shade for an everyday Make Up look. 

6. Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick  in Nudist £8

A super glossy, lip lacquer in a stick form that gives Clinique's Chubby Sticks a run for their money. This is moisturising, perfectly pigmented and lasts well on the lips. Not to mention the gorgeous shade Nudist that although appears slightly brown in the bullet, is actually a beige-toned peach when applied. Think MAC's Shy Girl but glossier. I feel like everyone should have this in their collection so go and get it!

7. Super-Colour FabuLipstick in The Missing Pink £9 (full review here)

The perfect pinky-nude that plumps up the lips as well as giving a lovely finish. This really is a gorgeous colour which, along with the great limp pumping technology, nourishing Shea Butter and ultra-shine qualities, makes the perfect pout in one easy swipe. 

So that's a full run down of my Soap and Glory Collection! Hope you enjoyed it.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

What's your favourite Soap and Glory product?

Cosmetic Collections: Benefit

This is the first of a new series I've been eager to begin over the past month or so on my little blog. The Cosmetic Collection series will basically be a weekly upload of each and every product I own from a certain brand with brief comments outlining wether I like, love or loathe each product. I am in no way trying to brag about the products I own and I completely understand if some of you think this is nothing and others think that my collection is slightly excessive but as I have mentioned in previous posts, make up is a passion for me and I will continue to collect it for along as it still makes me happy. The reason I wanted to begin this mini-series is because I quite often found myself wanting to try out an unfamiliar brands products but never know which item(s) to opt for first, I felt if I make individual posts on each and every brand I own, showcasing the products I found to really work for myself, it may help some of you select products that you will be pleased with too. So without further ado, here's post number one..my Benefit collection! 

1. Whole Lotta Lovin' Limited Edition

A Christmas Beauty Kit, made up of the perfect products that will come in handy on a day-to-day basis. With both Benefit's award-winning mascara, They're Real and their perfect bronzer Hoola, you really cannot go wrong with this little beauty. Not to mention a decent sample size of their industrial strength concealer, Boi-ing, the perfect trio of eyeshadows eg. Kiss Me, I'm Tipsy, It's Complicated and one of their creaseless, cream shadow in No Pressure! This really is worth each and every penny. I know it's limited edition but I'm just pre-warning you just incase it's re-released this Christmas and you want to get your hands on it! 

2. The POREfessional (£24.50) (full review here)

Probably one of the most talked about primers out there. Benefit's Porefessional has taken the beauty world by storm which is really no surprise with its smooth to touch, pore-minimising attributes and long lasting formula that keeps that foundation in place all day. There is really little to disagree with when it comes to Benefit's Porefessional being one of the best primers on the scene and believe me when I say if you haven't tried it yet, you really need to. 

3. Rockateur Blush (£23.50) (full review here)

A rose gold blush laced with shimmer to not only add some colour and definition to those cheeks but highlight them too. The flush this blush gives is pretty and practical and I often find myself reaching for this little boxed blusher more so then anything else. 

4. Sun Beam (£19.50 full sized)

A golden highlighter that works perfectly in the Summer upon sun-kissed skin. The liquid consistency emphasises the subtle glow that really takes on the effect of sunshine in a minature gold bottle. If you are interested in this product definitely get your hands on it now to sport over this Summery months. You honestly won't regret it. 

5. BADgal Liner Waterproof (£15.50) 

Really an average product when it comes to Benefit. I have mine in the shade Charcoal, a smokey grey that looks fine on but the application process isn't as seamless as it could be. I find the formula almost too soft and the staying power nothing to get excited about. It's certainly not a bad product but one I wouldn't hurriedly opt to buy again. 

6. Realness of Concealness (£23.50) 

A cute concealer kit that's armed with some of Benefit's best products. Put together with mini's including Ooh La Lift, High Beam, Lip Plump as well as Lemon-Aid and once again Boi-ing this really is a great starter kit for people who are new to Benefit but wish to try a range of products. 

6. Posie Tint (£24.50 full sized)

A pretty in pink tinted lip and cheek stain. This is great for when you want to achieve a natural 'no make-up' make-up look. I love this product for days when I want to wear as little products as possible. Plus a little bit really goes a long way, so even though the price is high, it is slightly justified. 

7. Bene Tint (£24.50)

A product that I believe to be Benefit's first ever cosmetic item. Similar to its neighbour Posie Tint but instead a rosy red shade that gives a natural flush to the cheeks and a 'your lips but better' hue to the lips. It's sheer but still has good pigmentation and once tried, it's easy to understand why this is one of Benefit's most hyped about products. 

8. Coralista Blush (£23.50 full sized)

A pretty, pigmented blush in a lovely, you guessed it, Coral shade. This blush is perfect for the Summer and is suited for ever skin tone. With a slight subtle shimmer, this product will look perfect for those Summer evenings or au naturel days on the beach. 

9. Dr. Feelgood (£23.50) 

Not one of Benefit's most talked about products but it's lovely all the same. The extra gimmicky packaging, finished off with the name was one of the reason why I was first drawn to the brand as a whole. A mattifying balm that works lovely under make up as a sort-of primer or above to blot away shine. This is a perfect product for oily to combination skinned girls like myself. Plus the extra bonus of it containing Vitamins A, C and E to help reduce the appearance of fine lines makes it a great multipurpose product that can't be argued with. 

10. Erase Paste (£20.50) 

A thick creamy concealer that camouflages blemishes and does a fine job of covering under eye circles too although the extra cream consistency has a tendency to crease after too long. This is a lovely product, not my go-to concealer but does what it says on the 'tin' all the same. The main downside to this product mostly being the limited shade range as unless you match the three melon-undertoned hues, you'd have to look elsewhere. 

11. Love At First Shine Ultra Plush Lipgloss Set (£19.50 £13.00)

Six mini lip glosses that come in an affordable set that showcases every shade from the Ultra Plush Lipgloss collection. This is a great kit as it allows you to try and test each and every shade before  splashing out on the full size product. Not to mention every shade included is ultra glossy and extra wearable. 

12. Lipstick in 'Finders Keepers'

I believe both the packaging and the shade have been discontinued to make way for the new swish lipstick designs from Benefit. Never the less, still a lovely pigmented lipstick in a mid-tone brown colour that saw me through many wintery months. I still have my fingers crossed that brown lips will be back in fashion this coming Winter. 

13. You Rebel (£24.50) 

Probably my least favourite Benefit product I've tried. A tinted moisturiser with SPF 15 with an extremely limited shade range of only two colours - You Rebel and You Rebel lite, both of which are very unusual colours that I cannot imagine suit a wide variety of skin tones. This came to be the first tinted moisturiser I used and for a long while after the only one, as the formula, consistency and application of this product put me off the idea as a whole. With the strong suncream smell, impossible blend-able formula and bright orange shade, this is a product I have struggled to get rid of for a while now. Alas, not all is failed as now Benefit have bought out a brand spanking new BB cream that claims to be bigger and better then anything else. I'll certainly be the judge of that! 

14. Watts Up! (£24.50)

A champagne coloured highlighting stick that works beautifully applied to a buffing brush and blended onto the cheek bones, brow bones and down the bride of one's nose. The cream to powder finish looks beautiful once applied and lasts a long while too, making this one of my favourite products from Benefit. 

Of course, I have used other Benefit products in the past that I have either used up or didn't have on hand during the making of this post but those products include multiple BADgal Lash Mascaras, multiple full sized They're Real Mascaras, Sugar Bomb Boxed Blush, "That Gal" primer, Brow-zings Kit, Hoola Ultra Plush Lip Gloss, the list goes on and on. If you'd like any information on said products, please let me know in the comments below and I'll get right on doing so. 

I hope you enjoyed the first post of this 'mini' series. Come back next Monday to find out the next Cosmetic Collection I'll be focusing on. Thanks for reading!

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

What is your favourite Benefit product?