How do you like your eggs in a morning? - Morning Skincare Routine

I thought I'd share my skincare routines with you guys, in a similar way I did my makeup collection, in parts so that you don't become too bored with my constant rambles. I came across this video last week from Into The Gloss, and felt completely inspired to take care of my skin, with her heavenly non-made-up beauty I thought, "Pretty please can I look THAT radiant without makeup?" She's incredible, it's only a few minutes long, give it a watch, I promise it'll change your opinions on skincare. For now, onto my skincare... Hope you enjoy.

And in case you cannot tell... I love Origins!

For reference: My skintype is normal. I have zero skin conditions, but hate my dark circles. 


I haven't found my holy grail cleanser yet, but I have quite the assortment. I have a couple tubes of Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish but for a quicker cleanse, I've been loving Origins Checks and Balances. Although I love this product, it's essential that moisturiser is applied straight after cleansing, as it tends to leave skin feeling a little dry and stripped of moisture otherwise. (For this reason, I wouldn't recommend this to those with dry skin.)

My next step is to use a small amount of Liz Earle's Instant Boost Skin Tonic, it makes my skin feel hydrated, and I find it to be cooling and fresh on the skin. An unnecessary step, but one I enjoy, especially in the summer months, all the same. Toners have almost become obsolete haven't they? I mean, even when they were a step we all had in our skincare regime, did any of us really know what they were doing? I know now that it was to remove any excess cleanser, but if you're using a good cleanser, it won't leave any residue on your face anyway.

After this I reach for Dr Weil x Origins Skin Tone Correcting Serum and apply this all over my face sparingly. This product brightens and resurfaces my skin and is also an absolute dream to apply and glides on perfectly. Not to mention that it's candy-like scent makes you feel like you've been transported to Willy Wonka's factory. Then in with the eye cream, I'm currently using Origins Plantscription eye cream, which is actually a dinky little sample, but eye cream lasts so long anyway, I'm not complaining! I like this product, much more than the dreadful Nip and Fab one I tried. No one wants wrinkles, do they? So I apply my eye cream with my ring finger (the weakest) and dab along the socket to avoid any premature wrinkles (you wouldn't think I was about to turn 19 from the way I'm talking would you...)

After eye cream, it's time for moisturiser. I won't waffle on for too long, as I think most of you will have seen (this post) on my holy grail; Origins GinZing moisturiser. After that I pick one of my many lip balms to apply, and I tend to reach for a lighter one in the morning. At the moment, I've been using Burt's Bees pomegranate balm in the morning, its leaves the lips feeling soft and replenished, without leaving a thick coating on the lips.

My skin is usually at this point, ready for LAYERS UPON LAYERS of makeup. Ha... Just kidding.

Hope you've enjoyed this post... My night-time routine will be coming up soon!

Something worth sharing...

I know I said my last post would be quick, but this one really will be. I just wanted to share these gorgeous little candle holders I got from Ikea yesterday, and are currently being used as storage for cotton pads and lip balms.

Aren't they cute? I just love Ikea!

These are the Fortjust candle holder, and are £2.75 each (according to the website, but I only paid £2.50... weird), and I fully intend on buying more when we go back for my new bedroom chair- woohoo!

Feelin' Good - Ways to a Happier Self

One thing that even the happiest people suffer from, is down moments, the little moments in which you just generally feel miserable for no apparent reason. I want to share with you my favourite "Feel Goods" the little things that cheer you up, and (you ready to cringe?) turn that frown upside down! (I did warn you...)

Favourite foods and films. A complete and utter chill out is one of the best ways to become happier. One of my favourite DVDs, a tray of Hotel Chocolat deliciousness, and a glass of chilled champagne is one my go-tos when I feel in need of cheering up.

Gigs and concerts are a perfect way to forget about the whole world, and just spend a few hours either dancing along with your favourite artist, or laughing your socks off at your favourite stand-up. Micky Flanagan is an incredible stand-up comedian, and one of my all-time favourites. Considering he is playing at the O2 this year, he will be at the top of my feel-good list, and the perfect excuse for day/night out!

(For now, look at Micky's opinions on Men's Fashion = LOL)








You can purchase tickets for his Back In The Game 2013 tour at The O2 here; (Micky Flanagan tickets). I intend on getting tickets for the weekend shows, spending the day/night in London and keeping up the feel good with tons of shopping, extravagant restaurants, and a stay in one of London's best hotels. I'll see you all there... (Okay, I'm now sitting at my desk, wishing I was in London.)

Exercising. The complete opposite to my first feel good, although a lot healthier. Anyone who knows me will think "Is she kidding?" (I tend to be kind of very lazy) but, exercise does make you feel better. As you may, or may not know, exercise releases endorphins, also known as, "the feel good hormone," which gives you the euphoric feeling after exercising. Yoga is an ideal for making you feel good, thanks to how relaxing it is, you'll find yourself feeling completely calm and serene. So, something which makes you feel good, and look good... its a win-win, surely?!

(AC DC and other rock bands is the only music that gets me through my workouts...)

Shopping. It's no secret that I'm completely addicted to shopping. My favourite place for a day of shopping is London, thanks to the biggest shops, and the endless amount of little fashionable boutiques, and the perfect combination of high-street and designer fashion. And I guess you could use the "whilst I'm here" excuse, to head to the O2 arena, have dinner at one of their many bars and restaurants and see a show? Multiple feel-good activities in one night? YES PLEASE.

(Photo credit:  HD Wallpapers and Retail Week. Edited by me.)

The Beauty Revamp. Hair dying, face masking, nail painting, it's completely true that if you look good, you feel good. Probably the most girly thing on this list, but for most a couple little beauty products can have you looking beautiful, and in a much more positive mindset. I like to slick on my favourite REN face mask and flick through the latest Vogue USA.

What are your favourite things to do to feel good? Let me know. I may have to give some of them a go myself...

*This is a sponsored post*

Creating Shine with Deborah Milano

I was contacted by the lovely people over at Deborah Milano who said they would like to send me a lipgloss or lipstick to review, I said I'm a huge fan of red lip colours and erm, YES PLEASE! For those who don't know of Deborah Milano, an Italian cosmetics and skincare brand now coming across the channel into the UK. I received this the day after they had emailed me and struggled so hard to not apply it before taking pictures. Although, I waited patiently to not ruin any of the pictures I've took for you guys.

 (For anyone wondering, my nail polish is Quicksand from the A/W Headline Colours range) 

I was sent the Shine Creator Lipstick in number 12. Look at the packaging... I can't stop staring at it in sheer awe. It's the most beautiful glossy, hot pink casing, with Deborah Milano's logo on the side (duh, you can all see that...) I also recieved a sample of their BB cream, which I haven't had chance to try yet, and a sample of another lipstick, in a fuschia pink shade, which I don't particularly suit, so I've decided to give this one to my Aunty to test out.

And too add to the luxurious feel, look at the embossing on the lipstick itself...

The lipstick prides itself on having 3 in 1 properties, those of a lip balm, lipstick and gloss. It performs similarly to Revlon Lip Butters, but I definitely prefer this lipstick, it is very hydrating. As with most hydrating and glossy formulas, the colour doesn't last long on the lips, but this isn't a problem, as thanks to the beautiful packaging, I can't help but want to whip it out every couple hours anyway! 

It's a very versatile lipstick, with it being so buildable, you have the choice between a sheer lip colour, or a full red colour. The first swatch is three layers of the colour, the second is one. Does this make it 4 in 1? Shine, hydration, protection and multiple colours... It's definitely an all-rounder, put it that way.

I'd just got out the shower before taking these snaps, and I scrubbed all of my fake tan off and didn't apply any make-up, so I feel like I should apologise for my absence of make-up and casper-like skintone. Oops...

Thanks guys for sending me this brilliant lipstick, I absolutely adore it!

Follow the lovely DM team on Twitter here.

Wishes and Wants #4

Wow, my fourth wishlist already? This means, I want a lot of things, which sounds about right where I'm concerned...

But before I start, I'm gonna be all soppy on y'all... I reached 100 followers the other evening, and I'm beyond flattered! Thank you so, so much! To thank you, I'm going to do a giveaway, related to one of my most popular/most mentioned products on my blog. So far, I've been considering (as well as other little things!) Bumble's Surf Spray, Origins GinZing moisturiser, an assortment of Crownbrush makeup brushes, or maybe a high-end mascara?! Feel free to say anything you've seen on my blog, as of course I want the gift to be related to my blog, instead of something silly! What do you all think? I'd love to hear your opinions, after all, I don't want to be doing a giveaway no one cares about entering! Oh, and one more... Rafflecopter, yay or nay? Do you prefer entering giveaways via comments, or rafflecopters?

This wishlist is actually an outfit, which I want need for my birthday, which I cannot believe is only a month away! It only feels like a couple months ago we went for a birthday shopping spree in Chester, then got stuck in traffic for about four hours in the boiling heat on our way home. It wasn't the best experience, considering the car's air-con had stopped working...

Dress- Free People

Shoes - Faith at ASOS

Bag - ASOS

Nail Polish - Emprise by Chanel

Sunglasses - Jeepers Peepers

This beaut of a dress popped up on my Facebook feed this morning and just immediately made me think of a birthday dress. It's a little on the pricey side, but who doesn't love to feel beautiful and fashionable on their birthday? The dress has the perfect bohemian edge for my liking, and I've been looking for a fringed bag for so long, this one is absolutely perfect, and would look incredible with this dress. 

I've also fallen in love with these shoes, the pointed toe, cut out detailing, medium heel and ankle strap make for pretty much everything I go for in a pair of heels. (I'm not too sure if that makes sense... this mornings HTML and CSS ventures have scrambled my brain cells... Not that they weren't already scrambled.) I'm also pretty lucky having my birthday on July 24th, as it seems to always be sunny! I'm not over-exaggerating when I say, it can pour down every single day on the run up to my birthday, but will be so warm and sunny on the 24th, then back to rain on the 25th, so I usually need some sunnies. These Jeepers Peepers "Audrey" sunglasses are absolutely gorgeous! And the price is so reasonable, I need these to finish off my outfit!! 

Birthday's aren't the time to experiment with make-up and beauty, you just want to pick your favourite things, and feel as amazing as possible. Emprise by Chanel looks like a beautiful pale pink, which is pretty much my go-to nail colour. Beauty wise, I'll have my clip-in extensions in, with a natural wave to my hair, a nude lip and probably minimal eye-makeup with full lashes, using my Eylure individual lashes on the outer corner of my eye. 

Love all you lovely lot, it's nearly the weekend, thank god! How are you spending yours? I'll be shopping for all

Favourite Things #2

I cannot believe its been a month since I last posted my Monthly favourites in the form of my "Favourite things" where does time go? Anyway, sharing what new things I've been loving, what things I've rediscovered, and the things still taking pride of place in my favourite things.

Beauty Favourites

Eylure Individual Lashes in Black (Short)- I got these off Amazon, as I didn't know you could actually buy them in packs by length. I've bought the packs in Boots before, and the "Long" ones in the packs are pretty much pointless, they are SO long that they look way too Barbie-esque for my liking. For day-wear, I like sticking a couple of these at my lash line for more volume. I tend to use these when I wear a smokey-eye, as without full-looking lashes, my eyes can look a little sleepy (probably not, it's my nervous Nelly coming in there...)

Eylure Dylash (Black)- Not a new discovery for me, but it is in this shade, as I used to buy the dark brown one for my blond-ish eyebrows, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference. I was terrified of trying the black as I thought it would be way too obvious, but when I went in Boots and this was all they had on the shelves, I decided I'd go for it. This works tons better than the dark brown, makes my brows look fuller, lasts a lot longer than the dark brown and makes me look a lot less brow-bald (another new-term I've coined!) when wearing no make-up

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top coat- Brought forward again, from last months favourites, I LOVE this top coat, and since using it, have seriously noticed a difference in how long my nail polish lasts, and how the tips don't wear as much as they had previously.

Revlon Nail polish in Gray Suede- I'd been hunting for a perfect non-sheer nude nail colour for a while now, and my Nan chose this one out whilst there was a 3 for 2 offer on in Superdrug last weekend. I've been loving it since! It has the teeniest shimmer, which stops the nail polish looking dull, but doesn't make it look glittery.

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self-tanning- Another one which has popped up in my favourites previously, I love this bronzer for achieving a healthy glow. I put a tiny amount on at night after my moisturiser and wake up looking fresh and glowing.

Origins GinZing Moisturiser- I won't ramble too long, you've probably already seen my review (if you haven't, it's here) but I LOVE this product, and it had been my day moisturiser since the day it came through the door.

Maxfactor Masterpiece Max- An old favourite of mine, and one of the only mascaras I've repeatedly repurchased. I picked this out of my mascara drawer by mistake, but I'm glad I did. Myself and this amazing all-rounder have restarted our love affair.

Burt's Bee's Pomegranate Replenishing lip balm- I've had this for quite a while, but as my Baby Lips balm is running out, I've been reaching for this more. It definitely protects and heals the lips more than any other balm I've tried, but can occasionally feel a little heavy. I've been using this every night before I go to sleep, and waking up to smooth, soft, plump lips.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray- This is also another time this has popped up. I'm going to review this next week, after the love it received on my Instagram picture I thought I should share just how incredible this bad boy is for giving you ideal surfer beachy locks.

MAC Conceal and Correct Palette in Light- It's no secret that I am a lover of fake tan, although I can be quite partial to a more porcelain and gothic look, so foundations and concealers started to become a problem for my ever-changing skin tone. I got this a couple months back when it came out so that I have concealers for days when I'm a little paler, and also a little tan. I'd never used correctors before, and these are ideal for covering up blemishes and dark circles. I love this palette, and if any of the shades run out, I will definitely be buying them as a full-size version. (These are the Studio Finish concealers, and offer a medium/full coverage)

YSL Rouge pur Couture in Blond Ingenu no 24- I bought this after hearing it was Lana Del Rey's signature lip colour. Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but it definitely reminds me of something that she would wear, and looks incredible with all make-up looks, not to mention the beautiful signature YSL packaging, and the moisturising qualities of this lipstick.

Roberto Cavalli EDP- One I put on my birthday list last year, I've been reaching for this more than some of my others recently. I'd describe the scent as floral, however much unlike some of the floral perfumes, it isn't sickly sweet, and feels much more sensual and seductive. It lasts quite a while on me too, however I know this is a personal thing. I tend to reapply every few hours, I usually go for about 4/5 with this scent, to keep myself smelling like roses (okay, not technically roses...)

Non-Beauty Favourites

The non-beauty related favourites this time haven't actually lasted me a whole month. This Blackberry and Elderflower herbal tea from Whittard is incredible, and one of my favourite drinks of the moment. I try to avoid drinking large amounts of caffeine, but like a hot drink before bed, so this is perfect. I already have a few boxes as backup I love them that much!

This one hasn't particularly lasted me a month, I started reading it about 5 days ago, and it is the last book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. Of course I had mixed emotions about reading this, with it being the end of the thirteen-book series, I was inevitably excited, yet sad to finish it. I'd glanced over reviews on Amazon before I'd started to read it, all saying they were left disappointed and wanting more, however I thoroughly enjoyed the ending, and thought it was unexpected, it completely broke the boundaries of the "love triangle" which every plot, whether it be book, or film, seems to be adopting currently.

Hope I haven't waffled on too much, and you've enjoyed this post.

My MAC Lipstick Collection

You know how I promised absolutely ages ago that I'd share my MAC lipstick collection (and eyeshadows, but I'm working on it) with you, well, I've finally got my butt into gear and took the pictures for it. I currently have ten MAC lipsticks, and I know that it isn't as many as some people, but if you consider that I never wore lipstick until about 9 months ago, I think I've developed quite the collection. Hope you enjoy.

Left to Right: Shy Girl (Cremesheen), Jubilee (Lustre), Cosmo (Amplified Creme), Faux (Satin), Chatterbox (Amplified Creme), Viva Glam Nicki (Satin), Lady Danger (Matte), Ruby Woo (Matte), Russian Red (Matte), Rebel (Satin)

I probably wouldn't be able to tell you my favourites of the bunch, as I do genuinely love them all equally. But I'd say that the ones I get the most wear out of are Cosmo, Faux, Lady Danger and Ruby Woo.

The brightness of Viva Glam Nicki really hasn't shown up in either of these pictures, it's a very bright yellow-toned pink, and something I'd usually turn my nose up at, "Me? Pink? I'll look like an idiot!" But this is one of those colours which everyone seems to compliment whilst I'm wearing it! It is also brilliant for a spin on a pin-up look, and I tend to always wear this with a contoured cheek, a cat-eye liner and voluminous lashes.

I'm quite lucky in the way that I have quite the neutral skin-tone and can get away with reds with both blue and orange undertones, and I bet you can't tell. I like my matte reds can you? I love wearing a matte lip, as I sometimes think glossy ones can make your lips look bigger, and this is the last thing I need. I use Ruby Woo to create a pin-up look, and Lady Danger I tend to use with a more minimal make-up to draw attention to this incredible orangey-red matte lip colour.

Despite how similar the nudes I have actually look, they do look quite different on the lip (I promise. Any excuse...) Shy Girl is a slightly sheer/orange toned nude, Jubilee being similar but more brown toned. Cosmo is almost like the opaque version of Jubilee, a rich pink/brown tone, and Faux is similar to this, but a little pinker, and a lot lighter in colour.

Left to Right: Shy Girl (Cremesheen), Jubilee (Lustre), Cosmo (Amplified Creme), Faux (Satin), Chatterbox (Amplified Creme), Viva Glam Nicki (Satin), Lady Danger (Matte), Ruby Woo (Matte), Russian Red (Matte), Rebel (Satin)

Hope you all have a brilliant weekend! I promise I'll bring you my MAC x15 eye palette collection soon! But I can tell you in advance, it's pretty much neutrals, neutrals and more neutrals.

Lots of love.

Holy Grails A'plenty - Neal and Wolf

Hi you beautiful lot! I thought I'd share a little review with you all today, as this product has featured on my blog before in a monthly favourites, but it is such a big part of my routine that I felt I should review it in more depth. 

Any female with natural curly (and thick, yikes!) hair will understand the constant battle with hair tools to manage your hair, and the importance of using the right products. And regardless of whether or not your hair is naturally curly, straight or wavy, thick or thin, if you use hot styling tools, a heat protectant should be a part of your hair-care routine. For pretty much the past four years, I've been searching for the perfect one and have tried an array of brands, from the cheap Tresemme, to the more expensive Label M. I asked my hairdresser if she had any recommendations, and at the time, they had just received a shipment of Neal and Wolf products, so she said I should try this. 

My main issue with the Tresemme heat protection spray, and the other brands I have tried, is the fact that they leave your locks feeling limp and lifeless, and leave a dreadful product buildup and sometimes feel a little crispy. Neal and Wolf's offering is lightweight, doesn't feel like any product is on the hair, and the smell is so divine I want to be able to find a perfume of this in the near future. So, if you're in the market for a amazing smelling spray to protect your hair from heat damage, but leave your hair looking as incredible as Blake Lively's, get this!

I buy this at my hairdressers, but I believe you can buy it from Beauty Bay, and it costs somewhere around £10 a bottle. I've only just bought a backup and have been using it regularly since last July! So yes, its well worth the money!

Too Faced Boudoir Eyes Palette - Swatches and Review

Howdy all! How are you all doing? Can you tell I'm in a good mood already? I'm not sure if its a sugar overdose or not... 

The Too Faced Boudoir Eye Palette has popped up quite a few times now on my blog, but I haven't yet shown you in-depth exactly what you get for your money, and just how amazing this product it (so basically, I could have said a review, but you know.. that's just too easy.)

Oh and a little warning for all the gigglers, It IS a "boudoir" inspired collection after all, so some of the names are a little raunchy. At least none are as bad as Nars' Deep Throat... 

So one thing which is obvious about this product is just how gorgeous the packaging is. Its a metal tin, and the size is reasonable enough for travel, and I'm already singing its praises without showing you the inside...

Each row of three shadows are categorised into looks for Day, Classic and Fashion looks. Some of the shades are more pigmented than others, but the colour selection is fantastic, as is the range of shimmer and matte shades. The application and longevity of these products is fantastic, I have applied them without primer (which is something I don't usually do) and found that they lasted up to 8 hours without creasing. (For reference, my skin type is normal, and I don't have oily eyelids) None of the products have fall down other than In the Buff, the lightest shade, which when applied reminds me of MAC's Brule, and isn't actually as white as it appears in the picture above.

Inside the lid of the product is this amazing little step-by-step on how to use the shadows, for a Day, Classic and Fashion inspired look. It shows pictorials on using the shadows, and also has numbered instructions which will come in handy for those who are novices to eyeshadow.

I feel as if I should apologize in advance for the stereotypical "arm swatches" that are coming up...

Left to right: (Day; In the Buff, Fuzzy Handcuffs, Voulez-Vous. Classic; Satin Sheets, Sugar Walls, Garter Belt. Fashion; Birthday Suit, Lap Dance, French Tickler)

I wouldn't necessarily say its my "most-used" palette, as my MAC palette holds my eyebrow powders too, so sheer laziness often makes me use the one that I already have out. But, I cannot physically recommend this palette enough, the shadows are amazing quality, and for all neutral lovers provide a great mix of tones for all eye colours and day-to-night styles.

I bought my palette off Beauty Bay for £29.00.

(GIF credit: GIFBAY)

Will You Still Love Me, When I'm no Longer Young and Beautiful?

Have you all seen The Great Gatsby yet? I bet you're also getting bored of the chatter surrounding it? My apologies for joining in on it. Anyway... I feel like I've been waiting absolute years to watch it! The date just kept getting pushed further and further away, I thought I'd never get to see it. Despite the very long wait, my excitement grew to an extent I didn't know was even possible, so I thought maybe I'd end up leaving the cinema a little disappointed. Oh, how wrong I was. Its a beautiful, spectacular film, and I cannot lie, I spent the majority of the 2+ hours admiring Carey Mulligan's makeup, hair and nails (oh, and not to forget the clothes.. the flappers, fringing and nude tones aplenty.)

Anyway, I went to see it last Wednesday evening and I decided to get into the roaring twenties spirit with Gatsby inspired makeup and mani. I did cheat a little with my hair, seeing as it was freshly blow-dried it was poker straight and looking super shiny, so I decided to skip the faux-bob, and just do my makeup twenties-inspired, I used a champagne colour across my eye-lid, a strong cat-eye liner flick, and MAC's Rebel on my lips. I did this half-moon mani with Essie's Skirting the Issue, and a pack of WHSmith hole reinforcers. Yes, I used something found in an office for a manicure. 

To recreate my manicure you need; Base coat, Nail varnish (any opaque or semi-sheer will do, but darks are the best) Top coat and hole reinforcers. Apply the base coat as you would normally, to avoid any staining, then, after applying to the back of your hand to remove some of the "stickiness" of the stickers, apply on your nail at the bottom to cover up the part of the nail where there will be no colour. Paint the tips, then when the polish is dry, carefully peel off the stickers and clear up any mistakes with a cotton bud and nail polish remover and then apply a top coat to prevent the polish from chipping.

Hope you've enjoyed this very quick post for today! I'd planned on taking pictures for new posts, but I prefer to use natural light, and thanks to the icky weather I don't have a lot of it. Sob, thanks Britain! 

I'm also coming close to my first followers milestone, so keep your eye out for a giveaway in the near future! 

Inside: My Essie Collection

Hi you lovely lot! How was your weekend? Mine was quiet, and chilled and peaceful spent with numerous films, shopping, lunch with friends and dinners with family. Perfect!

Another collection today! Instead of showing you my full nail polish collection (which could take a good few hours) I thought I'd show you my favourite nail polish brand, Essie, and the colours (as well as treatments) I own.

My favourite nail polish EVER, and the first nail polish I bought by Essie is Ballet Slippers, I bought this when I was super excited to hear about Essie coming to the UK in Boots, and since then haven't looked back. This little "I'll give them a go." started my love affair with Essie, and their incredible polishes.

Left to right (Marshmallow, Fiji, Ballet Slippers, Eternal Optimist, In stitches)

From top to bottom (In Stitches, Cute as a Button, Meet me at Sunset, Bahama Mama)

From left to right (Chinchilly, Merino cool, Smokin' Hot, Skirting the Issue, Recessionista)

From right to left (Mint Candy Apple, Butler Please, Maximillian Strasse Her, Cocktail Bling)

I thought I'd tell you my "Top 5" too, but when I came to narrow down the list, I had to make it 6, woops...
My favourite, in order, are; Ballet Slippers, Fiji, Chinchilly, Skirting the Issue, Meet me at Sunset and Butler Please.

Left to Right (Base Coat- Rock Solid, Top Coat-No Chips Ahead, Top Coat-Matte About You)

Hope you've enjoyed this post, and I haven't made you want to indulge in Essie polishes too much. And like I've always said, I'm more than willing to swatch or review things in more detail. I just don't want to be filling your feed with swatches if they aren't going to get looked at!

Lots of love.

Jumping on the BBandwagon

It's Fridaaaay again! And it's a bank holiday weekend, so let's hope British weather brings us a little sun for BBQ's all round.

So at first, I thought the whole BB cream was a bit of a novelty. It seemed like something which I didn't need, a light coverage foundation with a different name. It's no secret that I have a love for Dior, and the woman on my local Dior counter remembers me well so gives me a few free samples when I go in store. When I bought a few things a couple months back she matched me up to the new BB cream and gave me one of those lovely little pots filled with it. I tried it just because it was Dior. When I applied it and looked back at myself in the mirror, I was astonished by how bright and glowing my skin looked. After a day of wear, I went straight online to Debenhams and ordered the full size tube. Thus starting, my love for BB creams...

Clarins Skin Perfecting BB cream c/o Escentual

Dior Nudeskin BB cream

Dr Jart Water Fuse BB cream

Its quite the collection saying I was completely unimpressed when they came out. And I cannot lie, if another brand brought one out which caught my eye, I would consider buying it. BB creams seem to have much more illuminating and resurfacing effects than a foundation, and when applied with your fingers, mesh with your skin making you look flawless and as if glowing from the inside.

Dior's BB offering is one of the newer offerings, and my personal favourite (not just cause the packaging is pink) I think out of the three I own, despite having "nude" in the title, it has the most coverage. Although I do like a light-coverage, I feel much more confident with a little bit more, and not so "Is she looking at me because I look like an alcoholic just coming off a 4-day bender?" 

I bought the Dr Jart one after hearing so much about the brand, and seeing it on offer for an amazing £10 in Boots! And I must say, it isn't my favourite, I think the texture is a little thick, so it requires a lot of blending, and quickly, before it sets and you end up with a streaky, three-tones-too-dark face. Once blended, it does provide the perfect skin look which you expect from a BB, as is perfect for days when you're not doing anything fancy and don't want to waste expensive products. 

Escentual very kindly sent me the very new BB cream from Clarins, in the lightest shade they have. I thought that if anything, it'd be too light for me, oh how wrong I was... As you can see from the swatches below, when blended out, the colour becomes a lot less obvious, but is still a visible change from my skin tone. I gave this one to my Aunty, who is yet to try BB creams and she loved it, said it evened out her skin tone and even covered the redness she occasionally gets in her cheeks. She has a cool skin tone, whereas I have a neutral, and it worked well for both of us, seeing as it doesn't have any yellow or pink undertones, just another reason to love it. (Although I think I may have to hide it)...

Despite the colour being a little off, I thought I would slick on a little fake tan in my body to try match it up better, and thought I'd road test it while I was spending a day at home. This product lasted a reasonable amount of time on my skin, and dried to a natural matte finish. The coverage is actually very light because it required so much blending, but I did try to build it up, and it worked so I would say it's definetly build able for people with skin concerns. I would recommend this BB cream for summer, and for medium skin tones, but if you're classed as having a "porcelain" skin tone, you will look the teensiest bit like an Oompa Loompa. 

I cannot wait for the weather to warm up, so I can get a little tan and start wearing this on a day-to-day basis, as it truly is a lovely BB cream but just currently a little too dark for my casper-like skintone.

So, have you all jumped on the BBandwagon yet, or are you still to do so? I recommend getting matched up to Dior's offering in-store if you're new to BB creams, it's pretty much a fool-proof and incredible addition to your make-up bags.

Hope you all have an amazing bank holiday weekend. Don't get too drunk...

Crown Brush: Brush Haul and Review

Its fridaaaaay! Which means, the weekend is here! So I've got you a mini haul and review on the incredible brand that is Crown Brush! 

Last week I thought I would search for some make-up brushes. As much as I try to keep my brushes clean and sanitised, it isn't possible to clean every brush I use, every day. So I wanted to look for some lip, brow and cheek brushes at a much more affordable price than those in MAC. I'd heard great things about the brand Crown Brush from Zoe Newlove (check out her blog, she's an incredibly talented lady), so I thought I'd give them a go. 

The hardest part was narrowing down how many brushes I bought, there's so many variations of every single brush you're spoilt for choice! I went through the site and just kept clicking that "Add to basket" button, and after a lot of "Do I really need a tenth buffing brush?" style questions, I narrowed it down to these eight brushes which are (from left to right):

C100 Mini Tapered Blush
C441 Pro Blending Crease
C404 Small Duo-fibre Face Brush
R101 Gold Retractable Lip Brush
BK12 Deluxe Synthetic Lip Brush
BK44 Lip/Liner Brush
C158 Angle Liner/Spoolie
BK35 Angle Brow

I bet you're thinking how many lip brushes does a girl need to buy in one purchase right?! Well, I have reasons behind the purchases... The Lip/Liner brush was bought as I find having a different lip brush for each colour (not every one, but reds, pinks, plums etc.) is ideal so you don't end up getting a dirty purple coloured lip when you go to apply a sheer pink. I got the retractable black lip brush to have a travel-friendly one, because lets be serious, who wants red lipstick smeared all over the inside of their make-up bags? The gold one was, just.. gold. So yeah, I wanted a brush because its gold. I'm shallow, I know...
And to clarify, these are all incredible brushes and do the job of applying lipstick perfectly. They also passed the "How well will it apply a matte MAC lipstick?" test, which is pretty hard to pass seeing as they aren't the easiest lipsticks to apply!

Apologies for the already dirtied brush, I was a little over-excited when they arrived. You know how the whole beauty world is insane for MAC's infamous 217 Blending Brush, which is an incredible brush, which makes eyeshadow application a breeze. Well, I think that Crown Brush may have just topped the 217 with their Pro blending crease brush. It does boast similarities to the MAC 217, but it is fluffier, less dense, and a little more tapered, perfect for those who like a defined crease. And the best part of the Crown version? You can buy FIVE of these for the same price as ONE by MAC. I know which one I'll be stocking up on...

I also really like the angled brushes for applying my favourite brow powders, Omega and Charcoal Brown. Where as I used to use a disposable mascara wand to brush through my brows, I now have the angled brush and the spoolie in the same place, which is amazing if you're forever forgetting where you've left things (like me!) The other angled brush I got after asking Zoe which brush she uses on her brows. I haven't actually got around to using it yet, but if it's anything like the others I've used so far, I know I'm well and truly in for a treat. 

I got this dinky duo-fibre face brush for the days when I want lightweight foundation application, and a smaller brush means you have more control over the product, and exactly how much you're applying. Its a good brush for the price, does what it says on the tin, but if you want medium or heavy coverage, this brush isn't for you. I had actually bought the little blusher brush for applying powder blusher, but after trying it with a few different products, I have come to realise that this is amazing for applying cream blushers! Because of its tiny size, its the perfect accompanying brush to the new Bourjois cream blush, as you can see exactly where the product is, and the small size makes it harder for anyone new to cream blush to go overboard with the product.

I physically cannot recommend this brand enough. Their customer service is incredible, the products are incredible and the delivery is so speedy I almost thought I was seeing things when it came through my door! If you want to order anything from Crown Brush, find them here.

Inside: My Makeup Collection Part THREE

The messiest drawer and my palettes are the last part of my makeup collection and here it is... hope you enjoy...

This drawer is my last, and the messiest. Its pretty much a jumble of all the things which won't fit in the other drawers, and a couple of my spare products (the majority are kept in my old storage system)

In this drawer is:
L'oreal True Match Powder
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in Rendezvous, Honey and Crush
Dr Jart Water fuse BB cream
Avon Smooth Minerals powder foundation in Ivory
Spare mascaras (Avon Super extend, and Supershock MAX Limited edition pink packaging, and L'oreal False lash flutter)
Avon Glimmerstick brow definer in Blonde
There's also a couple samples of Clarins BB cream hiding in the back

I'm not shrinking... that bottle of primer really is that big! I love this product. I'm sure you're all pretty familiar with Laura Mercier primers, this is one I got from Space NK, which is a bonus size of the Radiance version. It gives your skin a really gorgeous natural looking glow, without the use of any shimmery particles.

All of my palettes sit in my little ombre box at the side of my Muji drawers. I like keeping them here because it makes it easier to access them, see which is which and the majority of them are a little too big to be stored in one of the drawers.

Urban Decay Naked 2 is one of the most gorgeous nude eye palettes ever. I love this, and after buying mine, my Aunty went and got one too, so there are now two Naked palettes in our house! I didn't open this palette to take a picture. You all know what this looks like...

This is actually the first time I have posted about the Clarins eye quad from last Christmas' Odyssey collection. Its three matte brown/nude shades, and a very gold glittery shadow, so sparkly that it could rival all the glitter around the festive season. 

I'm so happy I've filled my MAC Eye Palette! I love all the colours I have in this, and use them on a day-to-day basis. From left to right the colours I own are (Vanilla, Brule, Quarry, Omega, Cork, Woodwinked, Patina, Satin Taupe, Charcoal Brown, Embark, Sumptuous Olive, Club, Cranberry, Sketch, Carbon) I know people enjoy reading about these, shall I post about them with swatches and looks? I like using Omega and Charcoal Brown on my brows, Vanilla as a non-shimmery highlighter, and Carbon is a great powder alternative to using pencil or liquid eyeliner. 

Upon filling my eye palette, I thought it was time to start a blush palette. (Oh, MAC why are you so addictive?) I currently only have Harmony, which I use as a contour shade, and Desert Rose, which is one of my favourite blusher shades, a beautiful dusky pink.

This gorgeous Too Faced Boudoir eyes palette has popped up a few times on my blog (and Instagram!) now, and is quickly becoming one of my favourites. I really should do a post on this beauty...

This MAC eye quad is the Rimal Dahabia palette from the new Art of the Eye collection. Its shades are Shroom, Soft Brown, Beauty Burst, Najm el Lail. I had never been particularly interested in buying Shroom before, but now its becoming one of my favourites, it works all over the lid, or as a brow-bone and inner tear-duct area highlight.

These products are some of the make-up related ones which are too large, or just don't have a home in my drawers. I love the Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray for making my makeup last all day. MAC's Fix+ I use for setting my makeup if I have gone for a dewy look. I also like to use it if my foundation looks a little cakey, by spraying it on a clean buffing brush and buffing the foundation into my skin. Origins VitaZing is amazing for those days where your skin needs to be left to breathe, but needs brightening. MAC Strobe Cream is one of my newer products, and I haven't found the best technique for using it yet (any suggestions?) Clinique's Super CityBlock is something I use in the Summer months to keep my skin protected from the sun's harmful UV rays (bla-bla.) Mister Radiant is the only thing I own by Givenchy, and I wish I had more, as this is incredible, its a gel with little beads of colour, which work to brighten and even the skin tone, this product is amazing as a primer, or on its own. This Works Perfect Look Skin Miracle is supposed to be used on its own to makes your skin look "miraculous," but I prefer to use it as a primer, it evens skin tone, and also brightens (it works incredibly with Revlon Nearly Naked!)

And there you have it... my Makeup collection! Is there anything else you'd like to see? DVD's? Skincare/Bodycare? Nail polish? In my wardrobe? My shoes? etc. Let me know. I'm definetly going to be doing a DVD one, as people always seem more than interested in what I've been watching. And, as mentioned in my previous posts, I am more than willing to swatch anything, or do looks using it so let me know in the comments and I'll get straight to work!