How To Get Perfectly Glowing Skin

Glowing, dewy and radiant looking makeup has been an on-going trend for what seems like forever. This sort of finish, when done correctly can add a natural glow to the skin, making it celeb worthy and summer ready. Hydration, amongst a solid skincare routine will contribute more to this look, than that shimmery highlighter you bought, and hoped would give you a fresh, radiant appearance. The concerns of, is there a fine line between dewy and oily, are always lurking near, but whether you have oily, combination or dry skin. Here's how to achieve radiant, J-LO skin with simple products, and time on your side.

Start by brightening the darker points of your face. Use concealer a few shades lighter than your actual skin tone, and apply to the center of the forehead, bridge of your nose, the cupid's bow and finally, under those little bags of doom. Pinky/ peach under-toned concealers work fabulously to achieve a brighter face, and can be found in the form of both drugstore, and high-end products. The Maybelline Instant Anti-age Concealer is light, blend-able and perfect for creating a radiant base. If you would prefer to correct then conceal, that is completely up to you, but the idea and focus of this whole makeup look is minimalism. We don't want layers of concealer bunching between every wrinkle, or patches of cakey and dry product. With this in mind, it's time to get that glow. Choose a foundation that again, is light and promotes a dewy finish. Apply sparingly and only in the places that you really need it. Aim to blend everything together- as apposed to creating too much coverage. The Bourjois Healthy Mix range, is outstanding for radiant skin at an affordable price. MAC Face & Body, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk and Rimmel Wake Me Up, are all foundations that also help to achieve a dewy, flawless and radiant skin finish at varied prices.

Now, on to highlighting. An essential ingredient that can either make or break your final look. Some say cream, others say powder- I say both! Liquid/ cream highlighters are great combined with other liquids, so to really get that radiant outer-glow mix in with your moisturizer or foundation. The Body Shop Radiant Highlighter (shade unknown), is a handy tube of goodness that proves very versatile when it comes to makeup application. Mix in with your favorite liquid foundation, or even dab it on the higher points of your face, and you will achieve a fabulously fresh face. Oilier skin types should then use a translucent powder to set only the t-zone, Illamasqua Loose Powder in '010' smells lovely and tames oil perfectly. If you feel like you need some extra oomph, go over the places where you applied the cream highlighter very lightly, with a large fluffy, and your chosen powder highlighter. Set it and protect- my favourite step (especially with the 35°C  weather). Setting Sprays are sometimes cliche and there's always this question of 'do they actually work', but products like the Avene Eau Thermale Spring Water and MAC Fix+, are all the rage and help to finish off your look. The Avene product is like a light mist of heaven that helps to add radiance to your skin, it moisturizes and sets the work you have just created.

My advice from this point is to steer clear of glittery products that will result in you looking like a Las Vegas Showgirl. Use a light hand, and of course- less is more. 

Lee Stafford Chopstick Styler Review + Demo

Lee Stafford CHoPstick STYLER 

Price: £19.99

Stockist: Argos 

Whilst Kim K goes from long and luscious to short and defined, I've been experimenting between straight and mega curly styled hair. For thin spiral, Afro-tastic curls I have found the most perfect styling tool that creates Foxy Cleopatra hair. Firstly, no matter how resistant your hair is to heated curling tools, this bad boy will guarantee you the big hair you've always wanted. There are no heat settings on this tool, just your bog standard on/off switch, however the temperature of this baby is quite high, so make sure to prep your hair with a decent heat protectant. The chopstick styler provides instant volume with it's stick thin, slightly squared wand- it really is a chopstick I guess? Depending on how small the sections you take are, the tighter the curl. By taking larger and thicker sections of hair you can create looser type curls. The only niggle with this wonder wand is that sometimes the wand itself, can almost stick to the hair making it quite difficult to unravel the curls.

My just below, should length hair curls in around 30 minutes; simply because I like to take smaller pieces. As you can see from the photographs below, I love creating a tighter curled look that contrasts with my waved everyday hair- it's fun and different! The different ways I like to wear this style is firstly, in a middle parting. It adds so much volume and makes my noticeably oblong shaped head, well less oblongy? For a quick but subtle change, I will often swoop my whole mop over to one side, with a side parting; this emphasises the curls, making them super wild. Finally, a style I like to wear that is slightly childish and reminiscent of Saved By The Bell days but nevertheless, still cute- the half up, half down look. This style is perfect for when your locks start to get a little greasier and is quick, cute and big! When curling my hair with this tool (which I've done a lot recently) it genuinely stays put for 2-3 days, and that's without hairspray!

What's your favourite styling tool at the moment?

2015 Makeup Trends

Eau Natural/ Dewy Skin 

With runways giving us less on the face and more on the eyes, it's easy to notice that natural looking skin will definitely be on the cards for 2015. Marc by Marc Jacobs has leaked the word "sweaty" to describe the complexion of upcoming seasons, and this most certainly will involve some high shine. So, out with your old powder compacts and in with the finest dewy setting spray! Although perspiration seems to be the theme, cream highlighters will be a perfect way to re-create this trend from the comfort of your own make-up bag. For a more glamorous and refreshing vibe, the MAC Fix+ not only retails for a reasonable £15.50, but can be sprayed before and after makeup application to create a dewy and healthy finish to the skin. If you're on the hunt for something with more of a sheen and glow- The Body Shop Radiant Highlighter & MAC Strobe Cream will give you a run for your money. Both can be mixed in with your foundation, applied before or after or just simply applied to the places where light will naturally hit your face; cheekbones, cupid's bow, centre of nose and forehead. If you're not quite ready to depart from your powder-based products, then by all means create this glow using your favourite powder highlighter. One of my personal favourites is NARS Highlighting Blush in 'Albatross'- a product that adds a golden sheen to the higher points of the face, helping to add that 2015 glow and enhance healthy looking skin. 

The Body Shop Radiant Highlighter £12.00

Bright Liner for SS15 

With this year being all about enhancing your natural beauty, it's nice to see a bit of colour here and there. Bright liner has been an on-off trend for years now, and with the help of Pat McGrath- it's made it's way back. I find that a natural, barely-there face looks outstanding with just a subtle pop of colour- like bright liquid liner. Something that Lime Crime mastered months ago, but is definitely a product and trend that will make any eye colour pop. It's the perfect way to interpret this Spring/ Summer without wearing all the colours of the rainbow- minimalism is key to keeping it classy ladies. This being said, Saint Laurent showcased another trend for this year- graphic liner, why not incorporate the two? A natural face, glowing cheeks and a bright liquid liner?

Louise Gray for Topshop Long-Lasting Eye Liner 'INTENSIFY' £7.00

Soft Brown Smokiness 

The smoky eye, something that can go from 'oh so glamorous' to "who just punched you in the face girl?". With brown it's easy to get right, and this shade will compliment you light eyed ladies without a shadow of doubt. A wash of colour on the lid will leave you feeling on trend and will add a subtle, naturally sultry shadow to the eyes. Using a smaller shadow/ pencil brush will enable you to smudge your choice of brown eyeshadow onto the lid, and underneath the eye- making them stand out more. Blending will be key to making this work, if you're not feeling that confident start off with a lighter brown shade and then get darker, and smoky as you get more confident. 

MAC E/S - Soft Brown, Woodwinked & Expresso, £13.00

Pop of Purple & Berry 

Whether it be a layer of lavender on the lids to a smudge of berry stain on the lips, this year is calling all purples and reds out to play. A look that can easily be adapted because let's face it, not everyone can pull off lilac purple on the lids without looking washed out- or ill. For the lips, aim for a natural impact that isn't anything too precise, but still effective. Apply in smudge-like manner to create an effortless stain, much like what we saw backstage from Topshop Unique SS15. 

MAC E/S - Beautiful Irish, Parfait Amour & Sketch, £13.00

So, by touching down on just a few of this year's upcoming trends, you can gain some insight on what is going on backstage in the fashion world, and recreate trends yourself. A natural face is easily achievable- it's all about bringing out your inner beauty with some sort of ease- plus a pop of colour here and there. If Rocker-Chic is more your thing, then check out SS15 fashion images for some metallic vibes by Anna Sui and statement liner by Givenchy.

What are some of your favourite SS15 makeup and hair trends?

What's in my Make-up Bag?

The contents of a girl's make-up bag is not only sacred, but always fascinating. I love to see what other products people are using; whether it be a cheap foundation to Chanel Rouge lipstick- it intrigues me! So, in order to join the trend of beauty tags and tantalize my makeup loving readers, I give you 'What's in my Make-up Bag'. A simple but informative post on what makeup products are holy-grails in my large collection, and the reason they're permanently staples in my makeup bag.

Real Techniques Brushes - 'Nic's Picks' 

In all seriousness, I cannot live without these brushes. No shedding, no bullshit, just genuinely fantastic brushes that help to create flawless makeup. They not only give the Beauty Blender a run for it's money, but are the perfect size for your purse or makeup bag. The three pictured, are my favourites by far- they influence the result of perfectly airbrushed foundation, glowy cheeks and on- point brows. Funnily enough, the silver hardware of these brushes do not mark easily- even with the dirtiest of foundation fingers they are easily cleaned and scratch-free. Simply put, they are what every make-up bag is calling out for and cannot be beat with such a reasonable price tag. If you would like to see an in-depth review of these bad boys, then just click 'here'.

Makeup Gallery 'Feeling Blush' Blusher

Not only are these blushes dead cheap (£1 to be exact), but they are also beautifully pigmented, sturdy and a convenient size for any makeup bag. They apply sheer with just enough colour to result in pinched rosey cheeks and have very quickly become my favourite affordable blushes. The shades 'Candyfloss' and 'Spice' have a very natural effect on the cheeks and the colours slowly become more vivid with buildable application. To read a review of the Poundland Makeup Gallery Collection and see some products swatched, click 'here'.

Rimmel Apocolips Matte Lip Velvets

Some have raved about them, others have said they're utter bollocks. I personally love everything from the texture, finish to even the applicator! The colours are both suitable for everyday wear to night time glam and keep the lips moisturised throughout wear. The packaging gives off a very modern chic vibe that looks fabulous when being pulled out of a purse. These aren't the only colours in this range, but if you would like to see swatches and a review of this product then click 'here'.

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Powder 'Sunny'

My go-to bronzer of 2014 that has saved my pale winter skin from looking dull. The shade 'Sunny' suits my yellow-toned skin perfectly and creates a beautiful glowy effect in conjunction with a good highlighter. I also have been religiously using this product as an easy transition colour for the crease. It automatically adds a certain warmth to the face but maybe isn't ideal for contouring, due to it's slightly orange tone. Overall for such an affordable price, NYC's 'Sunny' beats MAC's 'Refined Golden' by a landslide. 

MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus 'NC30'

Items in my makeup bag always come and go, but one product that has, and will remain in my makeup bag and purse is this powder. It is a holy-grail for me and has fantastic coverage as well as a remarkable range of shades to suit every skin tone. If you're not used to a fuller coverage powder then this may not be for you, however it is perfect if you have problematic skin. When applied to the face, this product is light in weight and isn't too heavy on the skin. If you have an oilier t-zone or overall complexion, this powder is a great purse staple to have. 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation 'Light Beige'

Perfection in a bottle- something I have been using for a good couple of months, and is now one of my all-time favourite drugstore/ affordable foundations. The formulation is light on the skin with a sheer to medium coverage; fantastic for a dewy finish. Over the months it has helped to correct my uneven skin tone, and I've actually noticed that my complexion looks a lot better since using this foundation. It helps with redness on the cheeks and chin but concealer is needed for extra coverage on any blatant blemishes or imperfections. I am yet to do a review of this product, comment below if you would like to see one.

The Body Shop Radiant Highlighter 

This creamy, pink toned highlighter not only catches the light perfectly on the face, but is so versatile. It can be used before your foundation, mixed in with your foundation, or just as your bog standard cheekbone highlighter. It blends brilliantly and adds a sheer iridescent shimmer to the face. I was actually surprised at how much I love this product, it's also now a staple in my kit because it works so well with so many different skin tones. 

Wet 'n' Wild Twist-Up Blush Stick '724'

I am always on the hunt for a beautiful highlight product, so when I came across this little gem in a Kempton Market makeup stall, I couldn't resist. Wet 'n' Wild isn't typically a brand you come across very often in the UK; so I was pretty excited for this, and I had every right to be. Although it's on the heavier side, it blends like a dream and will leave your cheek bones glowing- if you can get hold of it. The colour is very much on the golden spectrum of highlighters, and unlike the Body Shop highlighter, adds a champagne touch to the skin. 

Makeup Gallery Hide & Chic Concealer 'Natural Beige'

Like the blushes mentioned previously, this concealer hasn't been in my makeup bag for very long, but is spot on for blemish application and re-applying throughout the day. The formula is creamy and not too heavy for under the eyes. It blends nicely but isn't all that in the long lasting department. It's perfect to have for re-applying and is an easy purse staple for those angered red blemishes. 

MAC Zoom Lash 

A mascara that has always been a personal fave, although it has only recently made it's way back into my makeup bag. It separates my naturally long lashes, creating length but not a lot of volume. The formula isn't too heavy or too watery, but it does need a few minutes to dry without catching onto the lid space. The packaging is matte and chic- perfect for your purse. The brush itself isn't ridiculously large but actually quite small, it fits onto the eye nicely which results in fluttery, long separated lashes. 

Miss Sporty Dr. Balm 'Honey Moon Kiss'

I'm usually a Carmex girl, but these cheap, tacky and fun lip balms have a lovely tint of colour to match even your most drying lipsticks. They are petroleum jelly based which doesn't leave much room for moisture but this dark pink/plum shade adds the perfect amount of colour to the lips for a more natural everyday-wear look. 

Collection Fast Stroke Eyeliner 'Black'

In my opinion, one of the all-time best drugstore liquid eyeliners. The formula is both shiny and long lasting on the eyes- especially the waterproof version. When it comes to packaging, Collection (previously Collection 2000) have hit it right on the nail with their cute and simple design. The felt applicator is short and firm- perfect for those who struggle with applying eyeliner. This product has never dried out on me, and lasts a good amount of time for someone who wears eyeliner everyday.

I hope you guys enjoyed this and are having a fabulous week!

What's in your Makeup Bag?

Beauty Blogger Tag

I was recently tagged by the beautiful Hayley from The Beauty Flash Blog to do the oh so famous Beauty Blogger Tag. These are a little cheesy and naff so bare with me and I'll try my best to make you laugh.

What is your natural hair colour?

So, my hair is naturally dark brown and like most hair, looks lighter in the Summer and darker when it needs a good wash. If you tell me I have black hair, I will probably give you the stink eye.

Do you dye it yourself OR go to a Salon?

I have actually done both in the past- both resulting in either ginger/blonde highlights or patchy red hair. If I am playing it safe with my colour (like a lighter or darker brown) than an easy and quick packet dye always wins.

How often do you wash your hair?

My hair is literally the bain of my life. It gets so oily, so quickly which results in very often washes and lot of dry shampoo. Due to my hair being coloured, me and my Mum absolutely swear by the Aussie Colour Mate line- it's fab for coloured hair and leaves your locks smelling fruity and delicious! Do you guys have any advice or products you would recommend for greasy hair?

Do you wear the same hairstyle everyday OR try and change it up?

As you can probably tell, I am pretty pants when it comes to hair and because of this, majority of the time my hair is either down with a little LUSH Sea Salt Spray OR up in a messy bun. When I am styling it for a night out, I like to use a smaller curling barrel to create tight curls and then brush them out in result of glamorous and shiny locks.

Do you do your own Mani/Pedi OR go to a salon?

This just keeps getting better doesn't it? Well, I am in fact a nervous nail bitter, so my natural nails have never experienced any attention; apart from what they get from my nashers. When I do have a bit of cash to flash, or there's a particular event coming up then of course, like any other girl- I get my nails did.

How long does it take you to do your make-up?

It almost always varies! I can go from being able to do my everyday makeup in 10 minutes, to something for a night out that can take 30 mins. Surprisingly it's never more. One thing I do love to take my time on, is letting my foundation, contour and highlight cook. (If you watch RuPaul you'll understand) If you don't, I'm judging you. 

Do you collect make-up OR buy what you need?

Like most probably answered- both. Guilty I know, but we all at some point have bought make-up for the sake of just having it. A prime example of this is when I go into PRIMARK and convince myself that I need a £1 Kohl Eyeliner; you know, just incase. Then never even use it twice before it disappears. What can I say, make-up is honestly an addiction- like couponing for American mums. 

How often do you wear false eyelashes?

So, as it goes I'm not actually a massive false eyelash kind of gal. I was kindly blessed with Persian genes = naturally long eyelashes, so a couple of coats of mascara usually does the trick- even on a night out. Every now and then when I do get bored of mascara I love to use super long to medium individual lashes; much more natural and effective than false eyelashes with a strip or black band. 

Will you leave the house without make-up?

Yes, the whole shabang- the bun, the sweats and probably even without a bra. I am an absolute scruff when I want to be, and that is very often. I've found that as I've got older, I've started to become more comfortable with my bare face and even prefer it some days. It's important to let your skin breathe!

Do you wear make-up when you're alone/ with your family?

It honestly depends on what I will be doing, or where I will be going. If it's just a standard day in the house where I'm just chilling then I tend to wear no make-up and often don't even get dressed out of my pajamas. As I said, I can be such a lazy scruff sometimes... Okay, all the time.

Do you plan your outfit the night before?

I am literally one of those psycho people that will keep themselves up at night, anxious thinking about silly things- outfits being one of those. I think because I'm not 100% happy with my body image and weight, dressing for my size is essential and therefore in my mind it's impossible to simply just 'chuck anything on'. If I know what I am wearing and I am prepared, then it won't upset me or get me frustrated! Control-freak much?

How often  do you change your handbag?

A lot! My typical go-to accessory is my Vintage Bally Shoulder Bag- the only designer bag I own. It's perfect for day to day stuff like shopping, running errands and socialising but isn't big enough for uni. So, for uni or going to the library I carry my really big shopper style bag from H&M. I am definitely a small bag/ clutch person and even then, I loose my things in small bags.

Do you speak a foreign language?

Unfortunately not, which is definitely a disadvantage in today's world; but I can understand bits of Creole, French and Spanish. When I say bits, I mean small bits.

Do you keep a list of products you want to try from other blogs?

I keep lists for everything honey. My whole notebook is full of them- products I want to try, clothes I want to buy, What I'm going to eat; it;s never-ending. Better yet, nowadays I will screenshot products on my phone and they just accumulate in my photo album.

How did you come up with your blog name?

I'm not really sure how! I guess I'm just really witty and smart- yeah, let's roll with that idea. Only kidding, but I remember throughout Sixth Form I wore 'Morange' by MAC religiously and people started to catch on to it, like people would always say "you always wear that orange lipstick" and it just stuck. So when it was time to transform my blog I figured what better name than the one of my favourite lipstick. It also was fitting because it's not only make-up related, but I was aware that many other beauty blogger, make-up readers and youtubers were familiar with the infamous MAC colour. 

What's your favourite colour?

mm interesting question, so unique. My favourite colour is Green and I don't know why it just is. I don't even own anything green, I just like it and always have from a young age.

So, as tedious as that was to do, it is in fact a great way for you guys to get to know me a little bit- even if it is just what colour my natural hair is. I would like to tag anyone who wants to do this, comment below and I'll go and have a look at your response! Hope you're all having a fab week! 

x

Kiko Smart Lip Pencil Review + Swatches

It's safe to say that 2014 was the year of the lips. Everything from lipstick colours and plumpers to more controversial trends, such as Kylie Jenner's pout. I'm always on the hunt for reasonably priced, good quality lip liners- but aren't we all? Kiko to me, is almost like a slightly better European version of ELF Cosmetics and has unbeatable prices for the quality provided. I roamed the Kiko Store in Guildford like a sex addict in Ann Summers, where I found beautifully pigmented shadows, vibrant lipsticks and most importantly, cheap lip liners. The colour range is very broad from dark plum purples to bright cherry reds, and amongst all the choices I might have even found a dupe for my holy grail MAC 'Soar' lip liner. I spent a total of £10 for four lip liners- bargain or what? Lets see what I think of them...

First off, I have to mention that these bargain liners are 1) ridiculously pigmented and 2) glide on the lips like cocoa butter to the skin. They don't quite have the stain power of MAC lip liners which I often like to wear alone, but are fantastic for applying underneath lipsticks. The formula is almost too smooth to believe and one that thing that makes these liners stand out, is that they are £2.50 each- yea you read right. You can't really go wrong with a price tag like that and considering the variation of shades in this range; well, why not?

My Chosen Four

Smart Lip Pencil '710 Rouge Noir', £2.50

A deliciously rich plum/ purple shade; something we could definitely see Rihanna sporting all year round. I chose this dark vampy shade because it swatches beautifully against the skin and seems to be a tone that will suit every skin colour. It's creamy and highly pigmented BUT be sure to moisturize your smackers before hand, because I did find that this colour in particular clings to the dryer parts of your lips- creating an uneven application.

Smart Lip Pencil '706 Classic Red', £2.50

So, I'm usually more of a deep red kind of gal, but with it basically being a New Year and my skin starting to appear even paler- I opted for a bright red colour that would be a match made in heaven for MAC's infamous 'Ruby Woo' lipstick. It has a very bright blueish tone that will make your pearly whites sparkle and your skin glow. This would look divine on a paler skin, but who's to say it won't look fab on a deeper complexion?

Smart Lip Pencil, '712 Rose Mauve', £2.50

Whilst in the Kiko store I came across two potential Kylie Jenner lip products, this being the lighter one. It has a more pinky tone to in comparison to the other one and again, glides on perfectly giving that 'your lips but better' vibe. This cheap and cheerful liner has the potiential to be my new favourite and it could possibly be a dupe for MAC 'Soar' lip liner. Scroll down to see them up both swatched!

Smart Lip Pencil '704 Brick Red', £2.50

Now we're still on that Kylie Jenner lip hunt, and that's when I found another shde a bit darker than the '712'. When swatched on camera this colour has a very orangey tone to it, that I hoped would in fact be more neutral and brows. It is still gorgeous on, but gives your 'my lips but better' look a more peachy tone- a bit like a darker, matte version of 'Peachstock' by MAC. This is actually going to be a gorgeous everyday colour for the summer and will look very complimentary with a peachy or nude on top. What do you guys think?

(left to right) 710, 706, 712, 704.

(left to right) 710, 706, 712, 704.

(left to right) MAC 'Soar' Lip Liner, Kiko '712' Lip Liner.

Overall I am very pleased with these bargain lip liners. They have great pay off and will without a doubt, become staples in my make-up bag! Have you guys tried anything from Kiko? If so what do you think? 

x

Real Techniques Nic's Picks

When it comes to brushes, Real Techniques have been getting it right since their first release in 2011. The notably affordable and chic looking make-up accessories have intrigued almost every girl around the world and have somehow overtaken MAC and Sigma Brushes in the space of nearly three years. The brushes do not shed after washes, they are unimaginably soft to touch and blend any product to a T. This set comes with a generous (for the price) but yet standard five brushes. The packaging is beyond professional; perfect for anyone with a kit and look pretty fabulous on my make-up table. The contrast of metallic silver with a matte black grip area work brilliantly- let's break it down shall we.

Cheek Brush (Set Exclusive):

My new holy grail foundation and powder brush, although it would work just as fab for contouring and applying cream products. It has not only become a staple in my personal make-up bag, but also in my kit- this brush is the reason I bought two of these sets; don't judge me. The synthetic hairs are incredibly soft but firm, allowing fluid and cream products to blend deliciously. I don't even know the whereabouts of my beloved Beauty Blender anymore- that's how in love I am with this tool! It's a fluffy dream that puts any other foundation brush to shame. 

Duo-Fiber Face Brush:

This baby fits perfectly in the make-up category of anything cheeks. Contouring, blush and even highlighting are made more natural when using this brush; it distributes product evenly and again- blends like nobodies business. This whole duo-fiber bollocks doesn't usually tickle my fancy but when using this brush for powder based products, it genuinely does affect the blending and application. An effortless face is easily accomplished with this tool- bravo!

Base Shadow Brush & Angled Shadow Brush (Set Exclusive):

So, when it comes to the best blending brushes, these are pretty much on par with our all time fave MAC 2'17. The quality is splendid and this shows when working with both eyeshadow and concealer. The Base Shadow Brush in this kit is your standard dome shaped blending brush, it is somewhere between the MAC 2'17 and 2'24. It gives an airbrush finish when used in conjunction with concealer, and blends eyeshadow beautifully in the crease. The Angled Shadow Brush in this set was simply made for applying and blending colour into the outer-v. It is again, soft and can be used for anything; concealer under the eyes, brow bone highlighting, crease blending and as I said, outer-v application. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to the infamous MAC 2'17 then look no further. 

Eyeliner Brush (Set Exclusive):

One thing that almost always seems to disappear is my eyebrow brush, so before I found this amazing set I was on the hunt for an affordable one. The hairs are short and firm which results in precise distribution of colour, and really helps to feather out and blend those areas of the brow that you don't want to be as harsh. I am yet to try this brush with eyeliner but I have applied eyeshadow to the lower lash line with and it works fabulously! 

Did anyone else get this December bargain? Does anyone not like it? Overall I am so beyond pleased with these brushes that I as I said before, I actually bought two! One for myself, and one for my kit. Real Techniques are actually just coming out with their 'Bold Metals' Brush Collection as I write this- if anyone has them yet, what are they like? I love the shape of them!

x

Poundland Make-up Gallery Review

So, if you're not Tyra Banks or the best paid Youtuber then cheap make-up is always a must. After a week of being unimpressively poor; Poundland became my second home and whilst roaming the hair and beauty/ tacky jewellery aisle, I found their brand spanking new cosmetic range. They have everything- lipsticks, nail varnishes, foundations and powders, blushes, bronzers etc. I selected a few bits and gave them a two week trial before reviewing them for you now. I chose products that I could sporadically incorporate into my everyday make-up routine and shucks, did they fit in.

(left to right) 'Sand' & 'Natural Beige'.

Hide & Chic Concealer, £1
Let's start with the concealers. They read "Hide and Chic" which is just fabulous in itself. It replicates those Miss Sporty type concealers that you used to buy as a teen and if we were to really dig into this product, you would understand that concealers like this are fairly unhygienic on reapplication but this product does have very nice coverage, blend-able consistency considering it's a cream product and if you are looking for the perfect shade for under the eyes. 'Natural Beige' is your bae. Talking of shades, there are very few complexion shades in this range- four to be exact, and they are all for light skin tones. I found that the Make-up Gallery range not only lacks in variation of shades but the longevity of this product isn't the best and although the coverage is fab, I do find myself needing to re-apply the concealer. My overall verdict which will pretty much be the same for every product in this range is... It's a £1 so you honestly cannot complain.

(left to right) 'Honey Beige' & 'Natural Beige'.

Smoothly Does It Pressed Powder, £1

With both Youtubers, Vogue and Cosmo raving about this product I needed to try out more than one shade. I've found that when you use a brush with this light to medium coverage powder, there is a lot of brush fall out and powdery smoke BUT if you use a powder puff, this product is a dream to work with. It mattifies the skin with a little coverage and isn't cakey or heavy on the skin. Again, the shade thing is an issue, there are again only four for this product- and they are all light. It doesn't quite compare to my holy grail MAC Studio Fix Plus Powder Foundation, but it does have potential to be a purse staple for blotting throughout the day. £1? You can't beat it guys. 

(left to right) 'Coral Rose', 'Candyfloss' & 'Spice'.

Feeling Blush Blusher, £1

Okay I'm gonna try and not get too emotional about these because I have actually fallen in love. They have the perfect amount of pigmentation that gives you such a natural glow and they come in four very complimentary shades. They all have a matte finish apart from 'Coral Rose', which has a very subtle frost one when swatched. Guys, these blushes aren't quite as pigmented as your standard MAC blush but are actually a very similar finish to the Benefit Box Blushes- possibly a dupe? They are only 1 squid, you have nothing to loose in the hope of rosey cheeks and a natural glow. If you are going to try at least one of the products then I would say it has to be these!

Never-Ending Story Lengthening Mascara, £1
I read online that at the Poundland Make-up Gallery Launch, they claimed to have designed this cosmetic range in order for it to exceed and compete with other affordable drugstore brands such as Maybelline and Rimmel, however this mascara has left them completely defeated. Okay, so yes it's a £1 and you can actually tell this from using the product. With a standard fibre mascara wand, this product exceeds it potential in packaging but it's downfall is the formula. When first opening this product it was about as dry as a nun's vagina. I dipped and shaked in the hope of finding more product- nothing. Upon application my lashes were left limp and lifeless- yes lifeless. Such a shame because the packaging is fab but definitely a miss on this product!

These are only a few of many products in this range and with the exception of one mishap, overall I'm sending you all some positive feedback. I'm actually quite late on the band wagon for this, but as always, I wanted to give you guys my true opinions after actually using the products for a while. I just think that these are definitely worth a try and for only a £1, come on guys?

x

New Years Eve Make-up: Rose Gold Edition

2014 was a solid year girls. We did well! A couple of wine-infused rosy cheeks and the all-too-common, yet completely deserved, weekends off that no doubt led to 'horror movie prop' faces thanks entirely to the hangovers from hell. But overall, we looked great throughout. So let's start 2015 as we mean to end it again, this time next year- looking HOT. Embrace this New Year's Eve with a brightening, smoky-glitter look that will change your everyday neutrals to a face that will get you a midnight kiss, and prepare you for the biggest night out of the year. Seeing as Rose-Gold was such a popular trend this year gone, I thought I would include it in this look and here's how to create it.

• Start with the eyes, glitter is a tricky business- as is fallout. Prime the eyes with a base that gives a correcting coverage but will also allow the eyeshadow to hold in place. For this look I used MAC 'Painterly' Paint Pot; it is an absolute delight for redness and veins on the lids. Next you'll want to grab your favourite transition colour for the crease, I used NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer 'Sunny' which is also what I used to contour with! Blending is key for something this heavy, once you have that transition colour in place, take a slightly darker shade of brown and run that through your crease- remembering to blend, blend and.. blend. 
• Next apply 'Shag' by Urban Decay on the lid followed by a gorgeous Rose-Gold glitter. The mess-of-a-product I used is a glitter by OCC in 'Beige' which is most definitely the prettiest colour I have ever seen BUT is an absolute pain in arse to apply, because of how fine it is. The only thing left to do is add some dimension to the eye and smoke it out with some black eyeshadow in the crease. Take the medium brown shade you used after your transition colour, and apply that with a fluffy brush to the lower lash line of the eye.
• Finish the eyes with a nice coating of mascara and you're nearly ready..
• The brows will frame this whole look, so go with something fierce but nothing verging onto a scouse brow. Imitate the hairs lightly with a precise brush and pact down the your product when filling in the brow. 
• For my model I used the Maybelline FITme Foundation which provided a more natural finish that I added coverage to with powder. On a night like New Year's Eve long lasting make-up is essential so powder will be a purse staple! Concealer under the eyes will ensure brightness under the eyes as will a lighter powder in the same area. To the cheeks I contoured for a photo-ready face and applied MAC 'Pink Swoon' to the apples of the cheeks. Seeing as the eyes are mainly glitter, it's important to keep the cheeks matte because a blush with shimmer would just be a hot mess. 
• The final part of this make-up look is the lips. I applied a beautiful pure pink lipstick to my model's lips in order to draw attention to the eyes and compliment the glitter. MAC 'Angel' lipstick was perfect for this!

So, hope you guys have enjoyed this! Let me know what you think and follow, like, share.. blah blah! You know the drill. Have a fab week guys!x