August Favourites 2014

It's the beginning of September, so that means it's August favourites time! This month I pretty much established an 'everyday make up routine' due to the fact that I found a palette of colours and finishes that worked well for me. So seeing as I've been using pretty much the same products on a daily basis, this meant that it was pretty simple to round up my favourite products from the month of August.

First things first, a rather overused and well-loved eyeliner pencil from Rimmel. This is the Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal pencil in the shade Nude. Nude eyeliners are simple but extremely effective when it comes to making the eyes appear more bright and wide awake. I've used this everyday this month and traded it in for my typical black eyeliner to adopt a fresher brighter complexion for the sunny months. This is ultra pigmented and honestly stays in place all day, I highly, highly recommend it! Next up is one of my all time favourite (and expensive) blushers I own. This little sleek, black package of beauty is the Le Blush Créme De Chanel in the shade 64 Inspiration. This gives a beautiful, natural flushed appearance to the cheeks with a satin finish that lasts and lasts all day, better than any other blush I've tried. The colour is build-able so wether you want a slight wash of colour or an intense pop to the cheeks, it's really up to you. Another product that I've used non-stop this month is the Dior Addict Gloss in the shade 257 Venus. This is just a really pretty pinky-nude with a shimmery, ultra-shine finish that looks beautiful with any make up look. This is my go-to lipgloss on a daily basis as it looks so natural but still very lovely. This next favourite is definitely my 'most loved' of the month and that is my MAC Pro Palette, I've been using at least one of the four shades in this palette everyday this month and I honestly can't get enough. My favourite eyeshadow combination that I've fallen in love with is the shade Naked Lunch washed over the lid with Mythology blended through the crease and then Nylon dotted onto my tear duct, all of which creates a simplistic but 'pretty in pink' smokey eye. Next up is a fragrance favourite,  this being Estée Lauder's Modern Muse - a repurchase of mine that I bought and loved all through A/W 2013 and used up way before the first signs of Summer. I then tried to dabble in some other perfumes that were more fitting for the S/S months but now the weather is cooling down and thicker coats and leather boots are making an appearance on the runway, I decided to repurchase this beautiful fragrance and have loved it even more. Last up is a revolutionary product when it comes to self-tan. Of course, it's by St Tropez, my favourite fake-tan brand and it's their Self Tanning Express Bronzing Mousse which is basically a beautifully bronzed self-tan in a bottle where you can choose the depth of colour depending on when you wash it off. You can let it develop for just an hour for a light wash of colour of three hours for a deep, dark bronzed glow that carries on developing for up to eight hours and the colour pay-off can last up to a week. If you love fake-tan then I seriously suggest splashing the cash on this one!

Let me know what you think in the comments.

What products have you been loving in the month of August? 

Topshop Matte Lipstick in Whimsical

Topshop lipsticks, to me, seem like excellent dupes for a lot of higher end brands products and most especially MAC's. I don't think it's any surprise that MAC lipsticks are one of the most (if not the most) popular lipsticks on the beauty scene but they may have some serious competition when Topshop lipsticks come into the picture. The first good noticeable comparison there is between these two excellent brands are the shade and finish ranges that they both offer. Admittedly MAC do have a lot, lot more but Topshop do give a noble offering and I personally have not found a colour in there that I wouldn't wear. I picked up Whimsical on a whim (see what I did there?) and it was love at first application. It's a gorgeous nude-pink with a lovely peachy-orange undertone that is completely on trend for Summer 2014. The finish is matte which I find to be the quality that makes this nude different from every other. The formula isn't drying despite the velvety finish and the wear time is excellent considering the product comes from a drugstore brand and costs a nifty £9. I love the cylindrical packaging with the horizontal stripes as it stands out in my collection and appeared causal and edgy before I even popped off the lid! This is one of the five Topshop lipsticks I own and after how impressed I've been with every single colour and their varying formulas, I know I'll be purchasing a lot more! 

If you'd like to see my full Topshop Cosmetic's Collection (which has already grown since I published the post!) click here. 

Let me know what you think.

Have you tried Topshop's lipsticks? 

Clinique's Cheek Pops

With Clinique's new launch of their Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm's hitting the market, which introduce their great shade range and formulas but in a much more handy, on-the-go bullet packaging. I thought I'd do a little throwback to their pass blush launch which bought us cute little, floral blushers labelled with an even sweeter name - Cheek Pops. I don't think it's much of a surprise when I say it was the appearance of these that drew me over originally. Engraved beautifully with flowers that are still very much visible through the clear packaging meaning nothing quite looks prettier in my collection than these. With four available shades - Ginger Pop, Berry Pop, Peach Pop and Plum Pop, all of which are incredibly wearable, mean that these little beauties resemble more of a collectors item to me. If you have one, you have got to get them all! They're ultra pigmented, easily blended but still look natural - a perfect dash of colour for Spring/Summer. I chose mine in the shades Berry Pop (a deeper, purpley-pink that would look pretty on the cheeks all year round) and Peach Pop (a sweet, peachy-pink that looks natural yet flattering for an array of skin tones). The wear time of these blushers is a decent six-eight hours, a quality that I always love to see in high end products. At only £16.50 a pop (see what I did there?) they're on the much more affordable end of the scale when it comes to higher ended branded products.

Let me know what you think!

Have you tried the Clinique Cheek Pops?

HUGE Beauty Wish List Drugstore & High End!

                 

 
1) Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette 2014 (£32)
2) Mac Pedro Lourenco Nude Eyeshadow x 4 (£33)
3) Mac Eyeshadow Pan in Nylon (£10)
4) By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Blond Opal (£28)

1) Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette (£37)
2) Smashbox Full Exposure Palette (£36)
3) L'Oreal Colour Riche L'Ombre Pure Mono Eyeshadows 
in the shades 107, 200, 201, 204, 205 (£5.49)
4) By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock (£28) 

1) Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in The Golden Goddess (£38)

2) By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Brown Perfection (£28)

3) Mac Sharon Osbourne Duchess Eyeshadow Palette x 4 (£33)

4) Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara in Extreme Black (£17)

1) The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 01 (£13)
2) Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade (£23)
3) Eve Lom Flawless Radiance Primer (£40)
4) Mac Lipstick in Kinda Sexy (£15)

1) Mac Lipstick Playland Collection in Sweet Experience (£15)
2) Mac Lipstick in Costa Chic (£15)
3) Mac Lipstick in Flamingo (£15)
4) Mac Kelly Lipstick in Strip Poker (£16.50) 

Are any of these products on your Wish List?
Let me know what they are in the comments below!

 

Make Up| Yet Another Mini Cosmetics Haul

Hello again!

Two blog posts in one day, I really hope you're not getting sick of me!

I accidentally went into Superdrug and may or may have not spend quite a bit of money on things that weren't but at the same time were totally necessary. 

I picked up two of the Real Techniques brushes, the Shading brush (£6.99) and the Stippling brush (£10.99) . I pretty much own all of the RT brushes now and these really are my favourite tools to use when trying to create a flawless look. I've heard many good things about the stippling brush but haven't read up on many reviews for the shading brush so please let me know in the comments if you have tried it and your impressions on it!  

I also picked up one the Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick (£6.99) in the colour Kiss Pearl 832. I already own another one of these and I found the finish and pigmentation amazing. Plus, there was an offer on, on all Maybelline products so it would've been silly not to.

And so to receive this offer I also purchased the Maybelline Browdrama Eyebrow Mascara (£4.99) as I've been desperate to try one of these out. If I'm honest, I bought this on a whim and so have read no reviews and haven't clue what it could be like. Once again if you've tried it, please let me know your opinion in the comments! 

Comment below your thoughts.

What products have you bought on a whim and have shocked you?

Fragrance| Estée Lauder Modern Muse

Hello!

A nice early morning post for you all today.

I'm going to give you a quick review about one of my favourite fragrances the 

Estée Lauder Modern Muse Eau De Parfum.

I've had this for about 3 months and I honestly can not get enough of it.

This fell into my hands by accident and I blame the sales assistant because she did the usual Estée trick and sprayed the tissue paper that was covering my foundation (Estée Lauder Double Wear review here) and I was hooked!

First of all, it's like a love hate relationship with the packaging. I love the clear simplistic style of the body of the bottle and I love the bow elements but I don't know if it looks necessarily 'right' framing the square spray but I do think it looks really classy all the same. Well it IS Estée Lauder. The scent is a mixture between floral and sensual woods such as Suede Musk, Amber Wood and Honeysuckle Nectar with a hint of Vanilla and the contrasts between the two dominative notes makes the smell even more so amazing. The smell itself is meant to resemble the Modern Day woman, the contrast being between her life and personality and I definitely agree that it captures her creative energy and femininity as it does to whoever is wearing this. 

I have most definitely received the most comments on this fragrance then any other. I find the smell is actually distinctive and lasts a long time - perfect!

I would also honestly say, being Estée Lauder, this is perfect for all age types. 

I have no preference on wether to wear this in Summer or Winter as I feel the floral hints make it a perfect Summer fragrance where as the sensual woods have a heavy, Wintery musk that make it feel warm and feminine. 

Priced at £44 for the 30ml, I must say, I was expecting a lot worst and I happily shoved my card into the machine without a second thought.

Have you tried it? What did you think?

Tell me your favourite fragrance in the comments, I'm always on the hunt for something new!

Make Up| Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural

Hi everyone! 

Hope you've all had a good monday (if that's possible)

Today I am review my all time favourite powder for setting my make up and that is the Mac Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in the colour Light. 

My face does not feel complete without this little beauty!

It's basically a domed, baked face powder which provides a natural matte finish, perfect for setting your foundation! Once this is on, my make up stays put all day and I really feel this does just keep it on the face. It's one of those powders where you can actually see it mattifying the shiny areas like some kind of sorcery (well not literally but even so). 

Prior to this I was using a loose powder and after just one go with this one, I was converted for life. It gives an even finish that doesn't look to powdery on the skin. It's non-drying and even thought it's the lightest colour, it still adds a bit of warmth to a paler complexion but by no means orange! It's a buidable coverage and perfect for everyday use. I would also say it's good for every skin type. I honestly could not recommend it highly enough. 

I love the packaging as I like being able to see the product through the clear top. The only downside is the clear circle does pop out very easily and when paying so much for a product, you'd think this shouldn't be an issue! Priced at £22 it is slightly expensive but excluding the packaging, you are most definitely paying for quality. 

What's your favourite powder?

Have you tried this one? If so, what did you think? 

Make Up| Everyday Make Up Look

Hi everyone! 

This is just a quick photo post on my usual everyday make up!

I'm currently loving a eyeshadow combo of Half Baked and Chopper from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (review coming soon!)

Liquid or gel eyeliner is a must in my everyday make up routine. I feel naked without something lining my eyes! 

I like to go for a dewey finish which is usually achieved with the help of my Urban Decay Illuminator (review here) and Clarins primer (review here).

Let me know what you guys think!

What product do you wear everyday without fail? 

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Make Up| Clarins Eclat Minute Instant Light Complexion Perfector

Hi everyone!

Today I thought I would do a review on a newer product that I've been using this past month or so and it's the Clarins Eclat Minute Instant Light Complexion Perfector. This is basically a primer which also doubles up to be a highlighter as the cream has a slight shimmer that gives a radiant look once on the face. I have mine in the colour Rose Shimmer 00 and I find it gives me a healthy, glowing look and a perfect finish, especially in photos! (I'm wearing it in my FOTD blog post which you can see here) It makes my skin tone appear smooth and even as well as illuminated. What more could you want? 

It definitely helps my make up stay on for longer and because of the silky consistency of the product, it glides onto your skin easily and helps foundation do the same! This can be used alone, just to give your skin a boost on a dull day, underneath foundation (which I usually do) or mixed in with your foundation to make the overall finish appear more dewey. 

I absolutely love the packaging! I don't know why but I got really excited over the fact that it was both a tube AND a pump! I don't think I've had/seen anything like it before. 

This is definitely one of those products were a little bit goes a long way. I've put a couple of pumps on my hand so you could get an idea of the colour and you can even see here how nicely it begins to dissolve into the skin. Priced at £26, it is definitely a high end primer but it's not too dissimilar in price to Benefit's Porefessional (review here)

Perfect for people with aged skin who would like to achieve the fresh, younger look.

It's a miracle in a tube! 

Have you tried it? What did you think?

Comment below what your miracle product is! 

Make Up| FOTD Amateur

Hi everyone!

Thought I would do a quick face of the day with some shameless selfies. This is just a really simple eye look with a nudey-pink lip. I'll put all details on what I'm wearing below! 

Face

Clarins Eclat Minute Instant Light Complexion Perfector in 00 Rose Shimmer

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in Shade 2.0

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in 02 

Mac Mineralize Skin finish in Light

Sleek Face Contour Kit in Light

Accessorize Baked Blusher in 5 Sensation

Urban Decay Illuminated Powder (review here)

Eyes

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Half Baked, Snake Bite, Busted

Benefit Browzings in Medium

Benefit They're Real Mascara

Lips

Bourjois Rouge Edition in 06 Rose Coquette 

I'm aware I am no professional, I thought I'd just put this on for an extra bonus post for today!

Let me know what you think?

What can't you leave the house without? 

Make Up Dupe| YSL Glossy Stain VS. L'Oreal Glam Shine 6Hour Lip Gloss

Hello everyone!

Today I am going to be doing a product comparison with two of my most worn and favourite lip glosses from 2013. I am a big lip gloss lover, I love to have a shine on my lips and don't like having to constantly reapply so anything that is long lasting is perfect for me. 

The first I'm talking about is the Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stain Lip in the colour 16 Fuchsia. This was one of those products that I had to close my eyes and stick my card in the machine as priced at £23.50 it is a VERY expensive lip gloss/stain. So is it worth the price tag? First of all, it is very pigmented and the colour as well as gloss is extremely build-able.  This probably gives me the most shiniest, glossiest finish then any other lip product I have tried and it is very long lasting. Being a stain as well, the colour literally will not budge and it isn't sticky on your lips. I could apply this in the morning, eat a three course meal (not saying I do everyday!) and drink as many drinks as I wanted and the colour will still be there! I think the packaging is lovely and is quite a compacted size and there is an added bonus that the actual gloss smells AMAZING! 

The product I am comparing this to is the L'Oreal Glam Shine 6Hour Lip Gloss in the colour 405 Fresh Tangerine. Priced at only £8.69 this is a much cheaper alternative to the YSL Glossy Stain. This is also a very pigmented colour and very glossy, maybe not as glossy as the YSL product but not too far off! The product claims to last 6 hours which I don't know if I would necessarily agree but it is still more long lasting then the majority of other high street glosses out there. This also isn't sticky once applied and I do find the colour to be easily builded. The one downside to this product is the packaging. As the bottle is tapered it means it is almost impossible for the applicator to be able to reach all the product from around the edges meaning it does seem like some is going to waste. 

This is just one swatch of both product and as you can see there really isn't a lot of difference (excluding the colour) in the products shine and pigmentation. The main difference being that the YSL Glossy Stain (left) did stain the skin longer whereas the L'Oreal (right) Glam Shine was easily removed which backs up my claim that the YSL Glossy Stain is more long lasting in comparison. 

They both have very similar sized and shaped applicators that are fixed at an angle which means they are perfect for picking up a lot of product. The YSL Glossy Stain's (right) applicator is also patented meaning it is perfect for precise and smooth application. 

All in all, both of these products are very similar. I wouldn't go as far as saying that I'd never purchase a YSL Glossy stain again now I've found the L'Oreal Glam Shines but I do feel that splashing my cash on the more expensive product could be easily prevented if I found the perfect colour in the L'Oreal Glam Shines.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Have you tried either of these products?

What did you think? 

Make Up| Benefit Porefessional

Hi everyone!

Today I am reviewing one of my most favourite primers and pore minimisers, Porefessional by Benefit. This is probably one of the most reviewed products out there but I felt I'd give my opinion as well! I don't know if you will agree but it seemed when this first came out there was really no hype about this product at all but all of a sudden this little blue and white striped tube has taken the beauty world by storm! Being a primer this is primarily used to put under your Make Up so I usually start with my current moisturiser then apply this over the top and then continue with my usual foundation, concealer etc. I feel this works a treat! It really does what it says on the bottle. The lightweight balm glides on the skin making it feel soft and silky and keeps my Make Up on and in tact all day. It creates an overall even tone which I assume is the effect from the pore minimising qualities of the product. 

It's oil-free and so perfect for people with oily skin as I also find it is great at mattifying the shiny areas in your T-Zone. The consistency of the product is thicker then what I originally expected but it dissolves into the skin so quickly and easily, so it doesn't feel like you are wearing a mask of Make Up. It has also been known as the 'Underwear for you skin' as it isn't visible but still gives that extra needed help ;) 

I think the packaging is quirky and cute and to be honest who would expect anything less from Benefit? The product is long lasting as a little bit really does go a long way. Priced at £24.50 it does feel like your paying a lot for a primer but trust me, it's worth it! 

What's your favourite Primer? 

Make Up| MAC Lipstick Dark Side

Hi everyone!

Today I'm reviewing one of my all time favourite lipsticks which I have been reaching for a lot over the Autumn/Winter months. This is one of Mac's Lipsticks in the colour Dark Side (£15) which is a very deep and dark plum- red. This colour is perfect to vamp up any look wether it be daytime or evening. The colour is very build-able so you can either dab it on and wear it as a stain or layer it up to make it amplified and exceptional. I am very faired skin and usually I find red lipsticks don't suit me as much but I think it's something about the dark tones of this lipstick which make it work for me. I also love the name 'Dark Side' it creates connotations, to me, of fairy tales which is understandable because I can definitely see the Queen of Hearts rocking this, don't you think? 

                                                         

As you can see when swatching this, the colour is VERY pigmented. This is only one or two layers of the lipstick and already it shows as a deep blood red. I don't find the formula particularly moisturising in fact even though it lasts a long time it does feel like it slightly dries out my lips through out the day but nevertheless I love it and it doesn't put me off wearing it. 

Whats your favourite Mac Lipstick? Let me know in the comments!

Make Up| Mini Cosmetics Haul

Hello again!

I accidentally did a bit of shopping today (which of course was necessary) and I thought I would do a quick post on what I bought. Obviously I won't be reviewing the products as such because I haven't properly tried them yet but watch this space as there probably will be comments on all of them in the near future!!

My first and favourite product from today is the Clinique 'take the day off' Cleansing Balm. I've seen loads of reviews for this and I was stuck between this or the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm but I felt for almost £8 cheaper and it being my first time even using one, I thought this would be a good place to start. I love the packaging, it feels luxurious and expensive and I'm a sucker for the colour purple. I can only describe the consistency of the product as 'magical', is that sad? It's a solid balm that dissolves quickly into a silky, oil thats perfect for taking off foundation and hard-to-budge eye makeup. I can't wait to try it! 

I also picked up 3 face mask from Superdrug's own brand. There's no particular reason why I chose these specific ones but I felt they looked interesting and priced at only 99p I felt it would be silly not too try! Each mask does a different job as one purifies, another's cooling and the other is a heating one - my favourite! I really want to incorporate face masks into my skin care routine as I feel they're an affordable way to make you feel pampered and give you that post-facial feeling.  

The last 2 items I picked up were one of the Maybelline Colour Tattoo's in the colour Pink Gold and a Max Factor Miracle Touch Cream Blush in 03 Soft Copper. I already own 3 other colours in the Maybelline Colour Tattoo range and I absolutely love them for a quick and easy yet effective eye make up look. I haven't had a cream blush in my makeup collection for years and I liked the look of the Max Factor ones and priced at only £6.99 I was easily convinced. I chose this colour as I feel like it's more of a bronzed blush meaning when I'm feeling lazy I can just apply this without having to worrying about my usual contouring along with blusher. 

Have you tried this products? How did you find them?

Comment below!

xx