Two Warm-Toned Looks from One Palette

I am an absolute fiend for warm-toned shadows as I have mentioned in many previous posts but I often find myself opting for the same variation of shadows when using even my most favourite palettes. The Morphe 3502 has quickly become one of my most used palettes this year so far and I am confident that I would wear every single one of the shadows that the palette contains. This has meant that I have actually fully explored the whole palette for once and not just the same few colours. Hence why today I am doing a post focusing on two looks created from just this one palette. 

Look One

This look is incredibly typical me as it incorporates a warm copper-gold foiled shadow called Rustic in the inner third of the eye, Blaze, which is a warm toned orange, blended through the complete socket of my eye and Rich, a chocolate brown in the outer crease. Paired with mascara and a black gel liner in my waterline, this look is perfect for me both day to night and is definitely one that I feel most comfortable in. 

Look Two

This look is something a little bit different purely for me as I rarely (and I mean rarely) opt for an all matte eye. Hence why I had to sneak a little pit of shimmer in the inner corner for an extra pop. For this, I payed extra attention to blowing out the outer third of my eye using the lighter orange-brown named Spice through the crease and blended towards my brow bone. I used the deepest brown in the palette, Muddy, to add extra dimension to my outer crease and created the gradience by applying the matte cream named Universal onto my inner thirds. I finished this look with lashings of mascara and eyeliner plus a touch of Zippy in my inner corner and ensured that I added a little extra glow to my face so it didn't appear extra flat.

If you would like a full review of this palette including swatches, leave me a comment below!

Do you prefer warm-tones or something a little cooler?

Summer Staples | O'Keeffe's Hardworking Skincare for Working Hands and Healthy Feet

I, like most people, look forward to the Summer months not only for the warmer weather but also for the change up of my makeup, skincare and fashion. Summer means, for me, brightly coloured nail varnish, sandals and extra pretty accessories. However, I sometimes find that even the most perfectly painted toenails can be let down by some not-so-pretty feet. As I have worked within the customer service field for the past six years, I find the long hours of standing on my poor little tootsies has really taken its toll. Before O'Keeffe's got into contact with me, I was starting to accept that I had ruined the condition of my feet forever and they will forever remain dry and damaged. However, their quality of life has been changed forever thanks to the bright blue bottle of the 'Healthy Feet' Foot Cream. Over the past few weeks, I have been applying this cream to my feet every night before bed and have been extremely satisfied with how quickly it soaks into the skin without leaving my feet feeling uncomfortable. After a few days of consecutive use, I found the dry skin on my heels was beginning to break down leaving baby soft skin underneath which I have not experienced in years - and I mean years. 

However, this miracle story does not stop here as I also suffer quite regularly with dry hands due to psoriasis that affects other parts of my body as well, such as my elbows. This has always been an aspect of myself that I have been fairly conscious about especially in Summer as I have no sleeves to cover it over. This explains why I was so happy to find that after applying a small amount of the 'Working Hands' Hand Cream morning and night to each of these problem areas, I found the sore dry patches began to ease up and my hands were left with little dryness over the space of a couple of weeks use which is a stark contrast to how they were before. 

I am blown away by the quality of these products and was outsounded ever further when I found that each tube only cost around £6 and can be found in the simplest of places such as your local Boots. These have definitely been little miracle tubes for me this Summer and have become staples in my morning and evening routines. I am excited to continue using this product and already know these will crucial additions to my winter evening routine as this is when I find my skin is at its dryest. 

Let me know what you think.

What products are staples for you in the Summer months?

Jeffree Star Skin Frost's Review and Swatches

So if you have read my blog for a while or watched any of my YouTube videos, you will know that I am highlighter OBSESSED. When I say that I sometimes purely get out of bed in the morning because I am excited about the prospect of highlighting, you may think I am being dramatic which to be fair I am but I am also being honest. I find highlight is the miracle product that steps your makeup look to the next level hence why it is typically my second to last product used (I apply it just before my blush) as I love watching my makeup transform from boring to bomb. I also find highlight is the perfect way to fake a healthy glow which is always greatly appreciated when you are not feeling your best. I am always on the hunt for a highlight that blows me away and I will continue on my expedition to the find the perfect glow that can be seen from space and only then will I be fully satisfied. On purchasing these two Jeffree Star Skin Frost's I had not heard much about them at this point and hadn't tried anything from Jeffree's brand. However, the bright, if slightly garish, pink packaging caught my eye on the pages of Beauty Bay and I decided to pick up the two shades Peach Goddess and Lavander Snow to see how they compared to some of my other powder highlights. 

I feel the most important thing that needs to be mentioned is the actual size of this product as in terms of beauty products I find size, in fact, does usually matter. You can gain an accurate representation of the size in my January Favourites but I honestly was blown away by the almost generosity as although the product is not exactly cheap, usually, most high-end brands do not give you much for your money. Secondly, the pigment of these powders is insane which of course is a must in terms of a good highlighter. I felt the way the pan looked was deceptive of this as at a glance the powder looks more grainy than finely milled and definitely a far cry away from the smooth, creamy appearance of Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfectors. However, once applied onto the skin, the powder offers a blinding glow that does not emphasise any pesky pores and left me speechless. The downside is that the powders do sometimes tend to create a bit of fall-out which is probably due to the fact that the formula is initially fairly chunky but once this has been blended out, it does look seamless on the skin with no glitter or powder particles in sight. My favourite shade out of the two is by far Peach Goddess as I feel this is perfect for my pale skin and appears more of a golden-peach rather than pink once applied meaning no awkward streaks in sight. However, I feel in the pan, Lavander Snow wins in beauty as the colour is so unique and beautiful and adds a bit of oomph to a simple makeup look on a day when you may not have much time. I cannot wait to try more of the shades from the Skin Frost range and I will be sure to keep you posted on my findings. 

These highlights retail for £25.50 which may at first seem pricey but for a 15g product that boasts an incredible glow, I feel that this is pretty reasonable. 

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Have you tried any products from Jeffree Star?

Too Faced Sweethearts

I feel like a missed an opportunity here to review these products around Valentine's Day because nothing really says love much like receiving a heart shaped blush from your partner, right? However, Too Faced Sweetheart Blushers (£24) are for life, not just for Valentines Day hence why I am still choosing to review these now. These blushers were one of those items that I have lusted after for YEARS but I had never rushed to purchase them as I knew they would not be disappearing off the market anytime soon so there was no haste on my behalf.

The moral of this story is if a brand makes a product limited edition, as much as I will curse them for disallowing me from taking my time to make a good, rational decision, I will no doubt buy it with sweaty palms and a ravenous look in my eye due to the fear of it selling out and the possibility that I may never own that product in the pretty limited edition packaging. 

Anyway, back to the blushers that also feature gorgeous, sightly-gimmicky heart shaped packaging that replicates the pan within the cardboard box of joy. The main convention of these blushes that originally caught my attention is the subtle shimmer that adorns the gradient hues thus offering a healthy, radiant glow to the cheeks which is always welcome in my eyes. I also love the range of colours that Too Faced have featured and it took a lot of deliberation on my end to finally make the decision to pick up the shades Peach Bellini and Peach Beach. Peach Bellini offers a true peach glow that will be incredibly relevant for Spring/ Summer as orange is most definitely the new black in 2017. I love how the pan includes a deep pink to counteract the stronger orange tones which I am sure was to spare anyone from walking around with cheeks that look like they have been dusted with the remnants of a Wotsit. Ultimately, it emits a warm coral shade on the skin with a subtle golden undertone that would be perfect for those who are looking to skip a step in the morning and would rather trade in their highlighter for a highlighting blush (I mean...that would offer you at least another sixty seconds in bed). Peach Beach, on the other hand, is my personal favourite as it applies a pretty, natural pink to the skin and compliments my pale complexion perfectly. I tend to opt for muted toned blushers as I always go slightly overboard on my eyes and need a natural cheek to counteract this extremity. However, the subtly is no reflection on the pigmentation as each of these blushers requires a light hand during application so I would recommend to apply a small amount at a time and build the colour up to ensure everything is just peachy (get it). If you are looking for a new blush and are a sucker for pretty packaging like myself, check these out online (linked above) or in most Debenhams stores - I promise you will not be disappointed.

I would love to know your thoughts in the comments.

What blushers are you loving at the moment?

Urban Decay Naked Ultimate Basics

Okay, I am very aware that I am incredibly late on the bandwagon in regards to this palette from Urban Decay. I was at first hesitant to purchase it as I was very content with my Naked Basics 2 and the original Naked Basics had never really interested me and I did not, at the time, feel it was necessary to have even more matte eyeshadows. Oh, how I was wrong. If I am completely honest it was the shade Extra Bitter that really caught my attention and trapped me in a state of lust which led me to promptly adding this to my Debenhams bag and purchasing it without a second thought. 

First up, I feel the shade range needs to be discussed. As I have previously mentioned, I am fully obsessed with the warm-toned orange shade, Extra Bitten, as I feel this colour is vital in a matte formula for any warm-toned shadow lover like myself. Orange will also be a prevalent shade this Spring/ Summer which also explains why many other brands are opting to include orange tones in their palettes. I also love the top three left shades as I feel it offers a real spectrum of opportunity in terms of a matte brow bone highlight which is always completely necessary. I feel the only shades I would not get a full use out of are the two on the bottom right, Magnet and Blackjack, as I am not one for grey tones as I usually tend to go for purples and reds when it comes to a smokey-eye. I also found that these two deeper tones do lack in pigment so would not really work to their full potential if used to smoke out an eye look

Essentially, this palette would be ideal for those who tend to use predominantly mattes as the shade range does cater for a variety of looks and most typically, warm-toned looks as there is a lack of cooler hues. Equally, this palette is great for those, who like myself, may already have a wide range of palettes that offer an abundance of iridescent finishes but need a matte to complement them in which case, this palette would be a perfect addition to use in companionships with the majority of warm-toned palettes

The pigmentations of the shades do vary as you can see in the swatches above. Whereas some shades such as Extra Bitter and Pre-Game really pack a punch and apply seamlessly with little fall-out (a rarity for UD eyeshadows) others fall short at the hurdle such as the greys and unfortunately the purple-toned Lethal which disappointed me. However, these powdered shadows can still be built up if you are willing to put the work in so don't let yourself be put off by this fact too much. 

All in all, I am very pleased that I finally purchased this palette and I now wonder whether I would have still purchased the Naked Basics 2 if I had known this was in the pipeline as that has pretty much become redundant thanks to its successor.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Have you tried any of the Naked Basics palettes?

Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops

Celestial and Sunlight

I cannot be only speaking on behalf of myself when I say that highlighter is my current favourite cosmetic item and the one I receive the most enjoyment buying as I truly believe each brand has a different product to offer. Whether you are on the hunt for shimmer, shine, subtly or standout glow, there will be a highlighter for you both on the high-end and high street. I usually tend to go for powders and I find these offer a more dramatic shine (my usual preference) and blend it better with my makeup and most importantly, not emphasise any pesky pores. This was until I saw the startling glow giving by the Cover FX Customer Enhancer Drops. Cover FX is definitely not a new brand in the blogging sphere as they have already made a name for themselves due to the success of their Custom Cover Drops that allowed its users to determine the coverage of their foundation depending on how many drops they choose to use which produced a revolutionary idea that many brands have begun to adopt. It is fair to say that the brand has not strayed far from this concept for their highlighters either as the strength of the glow depends entirely on how many drops used during application and a bit of advice - I would not use much! As you can see from the swatches above, I used a mere drop from the pipette which supplies enough product to highlight extensively, my cheek bones, nose and cupids bow and even then I still have a bit to spare. I have never used a highlighter that supplies so much pigment for so little product which I personally feel does justify the £34 price tag as you will not be using up this little bottle anytime soon. If you are a highlighter lover like myself then you really need this and you can thank me later. However, if a glaring glow is not your thing and you tend to steer clear from the 'strobing' effect, you can also mix this in with your foundation to produce a subtle all over glow to create the appearance of healthy skin on a duller day!

However, if you are looking for a budget highlighter, check out my review of the Sleek Highlighting Palette here or a post all about My Top Favourite Highlighters here. 

Thanks for reading!

What highlighter has impressed you recently? 

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 All Time Favourite High Street Highlighter Kit

Sleek Makeup have definitely made a name for themselves in the last few years in regards to having good quality products for an even better price. If they weren't making beautiful palettes with punchy pigments and an array of colours, they were killing it with their blushes that appear to take inspiration from NARS Cosmetics and not only because of their matte, black packaging. Recently, I stumbled across the Sleek Highlighting Palette in Diamond in the Rough on a stand in my local boots and after a single swatch I was sold. For starters, I couldn't believe how affordable the palette was as I only paid £7.99 for six shades that are seriously better than a lot of my higher end glow givers. The palette offers a variety of different shades ranging from icy whites, champagne golds and deep rose hues as well as two consistencies, cream and powder. The cream shades did not take my initial fancy as I often find cream highlighters can sometimes apply unevenly on top of powders yet as you can see by the swatch, the glow from this highlight takes on the appearance of glass and can transform you from a 'tired and dull mortal' to an 'ice queen who has their life together' in a matter of seconds, or maybe that is just my experience. However, it is the champagne gold shade (second from the left) that gave this palette cult status for me. The glow this gives is extreme as it takes on a 'wet' like appearance on the skin which is something I definitely look for in my highlights. You can see this in action in my Natural Makeup Look and you will understand what I mean as after just the tap of a brush on my cheeks my complexion quite literally changes in front of my eyes from dull and dreary to radiant and healthy. I used this throughout the majority of December and honestly would happily throw away the majority of my high end highlighters in favour for this one. I urge you to check this out if you see it in your local Boots or Superdrug!

What are your favourite drugstore highlighters? 

An Amazing Budget-Buy Mascara

 First of all, I think any beauty blogger would understand the struggle surrounding photographing silver, reflective packaging as it is virtually impossible to catch a shot without exterior reflections but anyway...to the actual review. I stumbled upon this mascara when I ran out of my Too Faced Better Than Sex prior to payday meaning there was really no chance of me splashing out the cash on a high end mascara when I am already having to solve other money-evoked issues (e.g. Can I make a tenner in my fuel tank last a fortnight?...probably not).  Therefore, I reverted to the high street to find myself a mascara that could still offer me ultimate volume, length and of course, separation for a fraction of the price. Low and behold, I actually found one - The L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara nestled into the L'Oreal counter in my local Sainsbury's store, priced at a measly £11 which with the addition of having a £10 reward on my Nectar card meant I only paid £1 - day = made. 

However, not only was this silver, reflective tube (grr) an absolutely steal, the quality was so outstanding that I have not actually ventured into any high end mascaras since purchasing this as I have very much realised what high street mascaras have to offer. Firstly, do not let the thin brush put you off, I had serious doubts that this would add any volume but not only does it evenly coat each lash individually meaning they appear perfectly fanned and extra long, it also allows for extra coats to gain that volume which became a catalyst for many compliments from various friends and family. I find many high end mascaras are restrictive when it comes to building on length and volume yet this mascara as well as an amalgamation of various others on the high street, can be built up beautifully. An even greater convention of this mascara is that not only does it not transfer onto my brow bone, it doesn't shed either meaning there is no black dots spontaneously placed upon my cheeks to dull my highlight.

I seriously cannot recommend this mascara enough, especially for those who love buying makeup on a budget or even better still, are on the hunt for a good stocking filler!

Let me know what you think!

What high street mascaras have you fallen in love with?

Cheerz Box Review

In a society that has become predominantly technology based, it is difficult to find a hard copy of memories when everything seems be digitalised. Thanks to our phones we are able to take snaps, whenever and wherever we want and upload them to social media to interact with others. As much as this is incredible, it does take away the quality of holding a 4x4 photo, to display and share with whoever you may desire. The company Cheerz have a website and app that specialise in digital prints of your photos in a variety of different forms that aesthetically adopt the appearance of polaroids. There bold and bright website allows you to upload your photos, select your preferred printing style and sends them to your home, all for affordable prices. I was allowed to pick out my own selection of snaps that I am eager to share with you as I am blown away by the quality of their advertised products. 

The first product I selected was their famous Cheerz Box, a brilliant concept that is totally unique. The Cheerz Box supplies a pretty little decorated box filled with 30-45 of your favourite polaroid photos which ultimately can be either be presented in your bedroom or gifted to a friend including all of their favourites photo of a holiday, wedding, birthday etc. The quality of the photos completely surpassed all of my expectations with the glossy photo paper and extra fine detail. I have loved flipping through these snaps off all of my favourite memories of 2015 and cannot wait to get my hands on more of these boxes to keep and treasure. Priced at £13, the Cheerz Box is totally worth it and if you read until the end, I have a discount code that will save you money on all of your order. 

Next up, is the these cute and retro polaroid strips that include a selection of your favourite photos presented together. I absolutely loved playing around with the composition of these strips and cannot wait to present these in my bedroom. Once again the quality of the photos were faultless and my pictures really do not do the vividness of colour and attention to detail, any justice. These also came encased in a bright and retro sleeve that provided protection to the polaroids which I felt to be a nice touch from the Cheerz company. Priced at £6.50, these strips are incredibly affordable! 

If you want to get your own pictures check out their website here or visit their app and even apply the discount code LJWEF6 to receive an amazing discount.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Would you love these polaroid photos?

*These items were gifted to me but all opinions are honest and my own

Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in Vintage Vamp

I understand that my blog is often a little high-end heavy but I am sucker when it comes to beautiful packaging. I have previously blogged about another palette from Charlotte Tilbury and expressed how I had fallen in love with the quality of colours encased in the burgundy and gold packaging and clearly that crave for perfection did not stop there. I picked up this palette initially because I am all about those purple shades to compliment and contrast my green eyes and admittedly the richness of the purple did not show up fully on camera. I love the whole systematic feel  of the Charlotte Tilbury quads as every shade has a purpose: to prime, enhance, smoke and pop! As well as the fact that it caters for all smokey-eye cravers wether you are experienced with working with shadows or not. I also love these quads as all though they are predominantly built for smokey-eye looks, I would pretty much wear any of these shades alone for a low-key eye with a little bit of liner smudged below the lashes and a glossy, nude lip. I feel like the definition of 'buttery' shadows was invented for the purpose of describing Tilbury's shadows and trust me, they are pricey but seriously, they are so worth it! The only slight downside is the glitter included, AKA - the Pop shade, isn't as pigmented as the other shades and definitely benefits from finger application (just a little heads up).  Yet, the fall out from all the shadows is practically obsolete, a massive pro in my opinion and arguably gives Urban Decay a run for their money.

Let me know in the comments if you have tried and tested any of the Charlotte Tilbury quads!

What eyeshadow palette would you recommend?