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.