The Good, The Better and The Not So Pretty of High End Makeup

The Good

This video featured the Anastasia Beverly Hills Palette which was a new addition to my collection and I am SO happy I finally managed to get my mits onto it. Much like a magpie to shiny things, I am instantly attracted to warm tone palettes and if you are too then this palette is definitely one for you. I love the array of shades this palette offers, especially the matte raspberry pink (Love Letter), the deep orange (Realgar) and of course the beautiful brown-toned red (Red Ochre) which is a staple in any palette that takes inspiration from red hues. I feel the colour selection is spot on and offers a variety of looks for any warm-toned lover. However, it was the formula of these shadows that really blew me away as I have not delved into Anastasia shadows much other than the odd single pan which admittedly has spent the majority of its time in a Z Palette in my makeup drawers. The tiniest touch of the brush in the powder and the pigmentation instantly packs a punch and subsequently blends beautifully onto the lid. The shades build wonderfully (as you can see in the video) and the fall out is minimal although still slightly there yet that is expected in any palette that has a really high pigmentation. The only downside is the packaging which I will not go into now as I mentioned it in a mini rant within the video but nevertheless I cannot wait to try more palettes from Anastasia after using this one!

The Better

Next up is probably my most favourite product that I featured in the tutorial and that is The Jeffree Star Skin Frost in the shade Peach Goddess and I later mentioned this in my January Favourites. First of all, I was seriously impressed with the size of this product as I feel like you really do get a good amount of powder due to how much you spend - a rarity in terms of makeup on the higher end of the scale. Secondly, the glow this gives is seriously insane and mimics the look of glass on the skin. I would say if you are fair skinned like myself, do not be put off by the 'peach' in the shade name as the peachy undertones barely translates onto the skin meaning it pretty much only adds serious glow as opposed to colour. I just love how pigmented this powder is and how you can instantly watch the highlighter pop on the skin as soon as it is applied. If you are after a new highlighter I urge you to check this out. I most definitely want to purchase some additional shades after next pay day! 

The Not So Pretty

Before I explain why the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder was the product that didn't impress in this tutorial, I feel like I need to mention that I have combination skin and on my more oiler days this powder is a dream to work with. It was just unfortunate that my skin on the day of filming probably was not at its best texture and that really translated onto the camera as it appeared patchy and left my skin looking flakey, which is why I deemed it 'the not so pretty' part of this makeup purely because it was the one product that impressed me the least. However, I will still continue to use this product but I will just have to make a conscious effort to wear it on days that I know it won't clash with my skin tone. Nevertheless, if you are on the hunt for a powder to try your hand at 'baking' with, then I would recommend this as I feel it has been the best loose powder I have tried so far and works a treat when my skin is behaving!

I hope you enjoyed this kind of post as it is something I have never done before. 

If you liked it then do please let me know!

What do you deem to be the Good, the Better and the Not So Pretty in High End Makeup?

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!