Beauty ¦ NYX Gotcha covered concealer

I've been on the lookout for a thicker higher coverage concealer for a while now and when I saw this one I was very excited to try it especially with the shade being so pale. This is a super pigmented high coverage concealer which covers pretty much anything you want it to cover. Shade range wise it's pretty varied, I picked up the lightest shade which in most drugstore concealers is to dark however it matches me really well at my palest and makes a nice under eye highlight when I have some colour in my skin.

 

This lasts really well however on my dry skin the formula is very cakey and dry. I've used this on friends with oily skin and it works beautifully on them however if you have dry skin it picks up on even the tiniest patches. It is a little heavy under the eye however if I want a super strong coverage that is something that I can deal with.

 

Overall I could see this being the perfect drugstore high coverage concealer for people with oily skin however for me the search continues.

 

 



Beauty ¦ My new favourite cheekbones

I received an email about this palette from beauty bay a couple of weeks ago and needless to say I was instantly sold and I headed straight over and ordered it. If you know me in real life or you read my blog a lot you will be fully aware that I have no cheekbones at all my face is chubby and so I  require a lot of work in the contour department meaning I'm rather fond of a good contour palette. Again if you are a regular in these waters you will know that I really love the Barry M contour kit so for anything to come even close to being on par with it I am incredibly impressed by.

 

The formula of these powders is really lovely, they aren't chalky and they blend into the skin beautifully. They have a good amount of pigmentation but not to much so that it makes them hard  to work with which is one of my main expectations of a cheek product. As much as I love the rose gold packaging it is only cardboard and I feel like if you kept your makeup in a makeup bag it could very easily get destroyed as there isn't much protection for the powders.

 

Starting off with the contour shade which is definitely my favourite out of the three powders. It is one of the most brilliant contour powders I have ever tried. I am casper the ghost pale so I find that even super grey toned powders can sometimes still end up looking to dark and orangey on me, this shade however is the perfect mix of grey and orange to make it look natural. It is quite a sheer product however I personally like that in a contour as I can often go over board so I would rather have to build it up on my face rather than spend 10 minutes trying to tone down a super heavy contour.

 

 

The highlight is absolutely incredible however it is very intense. When it first arrived and I saw it I was a little disappointed as I was pretty sure a bright white highlight was something that would work for me however when I swatched it I realised that the shade in the pan was pretty misleading. It's actually a beautiful icy gold shade which catches the light so beautifully. It is one of those highlighters for people who aren't afraid of some intense glow however I have tried it under my foundation on the high points of my face and it just leaves a beautiful subtle golden glow to the skin.

 

Finally we have the blush shade, which is like nothing I've ever seen before. It is a very brown toned pink with a lot of very subtle golden shimmer and I really do love it. It's incredibly warm toned so not only does it add a flush of colour but it also leaves a slight bronze-y glow to my face so on can't be bothered days I've been wearing this without any bronzer. It is exactly the shade I hoped it would be and it has just made me love this palette even more!

 

Overall I would highly suggest that you check this palette out at £13 it's the higher end of budget makeup however for three powders of such high quality I think it's an absolute steal. I also picked up the Cocoa blend palette in the same order so expect to see a review of that in the next couple of weeks!

 



Left to right - Contour, Highlight (Unblended), Blush

Blogmas ¦ Day 24 - Festive makeup look - Bronzey Smokey eyes

 

Happy christmas eve guys! I'm begining to get very excited for the big day now and I absolutely can't wait to read about all of your Christmas days. Following on from yesterdays post I'm doing a more eye heavy look today. If you missed yesterdays post you can catch up //here// So without further ado lets jump in.

 

So my initial base of Nars sheer glow and the Rimmel Lasting finish concealer however as I was doing a heavy eye I also put some of the Maybelline Super stay better skin concealer under my eyes just to make sure there were no signs of darkness. I then went for Nars Laguna for a little bit of a lighter contour and finally for my base I applied a little bit of Nars Deep throat on my cheeks.

 

For eyes I applied a base of the Urban Decay primer potion and then I put Mac Woodwinked all over the lid. I then applied Smog and Dark horse from the Urban Decay into the outer v and under the eyes to really smoke up the look. Then it was time for lashes and I used the same Born pretty lashes that I used in yesterdays post and applied a thin coat of Maxfactor false lash effect just to blend them in to my normal lashes. I then filled my brows in with the Maybelline brow satin pencil. To finish off the look I applied Charlotte Tilbury's Bitch perfect and gave my face a couple of spritzes of the Urban Decay all nighter setting spray.

 



Have you decided what makeup you will be wearing on Christmas day yet?

 



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Blogmas ¦ Day 23 - Festive makeup look - The dark lip

So since we are only two days away from the big day I thought that today and tomorrow I'd show you a couple of festive make up looks. Today it's all about the dark lip and then tomorrow I'm going to be showing you a dark eye.

 

Now base wise I'm pretty much sticking to my typical everyday base at the moment. I am obsessed with Nars sheer glow and I have been using it pretty much everyday for the past month. It's a high coverage but still natural looking which I absolutely love. I've then been applying a tiny amount of the Rimmel Lasting finish concealer under my eyes and on any other bits of my face which I feel need a little coverage. I've then been adding a tonne of contour in the form of Barry M's contour kit which I just absolutely adore. Then a little bit of Benefit High beam on the tops of my cheekbones. Finally for my face I decided on Mac Fleur power as it adds a little bit of colour without being to overpowering.

 

I popped a bit of the Maybelline Brow satin pencil through my brows. Then moving onto my eyes I decided to keep it simple. I started with a little bit of Urban Decay primer potion to neutralise the lid and prime and then I applied a bit of the Mac Bare study paint pot then finally on the lid I applied the Urban Decay Moon dust shadow in cosmic with a flat brush to pack on as much glitter as I could. Then I topped it off with lots of mascara and some lashes from Born pretty. Finally to finish off the look I applied Collection gothic glam lipstick in Revenge.

 

To seal everything in place I then spritzed a couple of pumps of the Urban Decay all nighter spray onto my face.

 

Beauty ¦ The Makeup collection - Palettes

So I thought it was about time that I updated my makeup collection. This time I've decided that I'm going to be super in depth and I'm going to spread my collection out over 7 days. I just want to add a little disclaimer that I am in no way shape or form bragging I love makeup collection posts and videos and I wish that more people did super in depth ones. If you would like to know my opinions on any of the products in this post let me know in the comments and I can either link you to my review or give you a quick opinion in the comments.

 

If you missed it here is Part 1 and Part 2

 

I didn't actually realise before I took these photos how many palettes I actually have. I keep my most reached for palette in a set of two Muji drawers which I keep on top of my dressing table and then I keep the rest of my palettes in my Malm dresser in the stodja cutlery trays.

 



I have a good mix of high end and drugstore palettes however I do tend to reach for my high end palettes more often as I just find on the whole they are better quality. Some of my favourites include Urban decay Naked one, Urban decay Naked basics, Stila in the light, Nars virtual domination and my Mac quad. However I do still love my drugstore palettes and I reach for the Revlon photo ready primer shadow and sparkle kits, the Collection eyes uncovered and my Sleek vintage romance palette all the time.

 



 

Despite the fact that I love 99% of the palettes in my collection I do tend to use the same ones all the tame and I tend to neglect a couple which are really amazing like the MUA hall of fame palette, The Balm Balm voyage and my Illamasqua aura palette.

 

So that's it for today come back tomorrow for my powder eyeshadow collection.

 



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Beauty ¦ Top 10 high end products

I've been thinking about doing this post for absolutely ages so I thought it was about time that I got on with writing it. The majority of makeup collection is drugstore so I thought I'd share some of my all time favourites which I would recommend if you're wanting to incorporate a few high end bits into your collection or if you're just a high end makeup lover. A lot of these products are big blogger favourites however I thought I'd throw my opinion in the mix anyway.

Nars Sheer Glow - £31.00

This product is sooooo hyped in blogging world and I must say I completely agree with all the hype. It took me ages to purchase it as I was pretty concerned that I wasn't going to like it. I eventually bit the bullet and I am so glad I did. This foundation makes skin look flawless. It doesn't cling to dry patches and it doesn't make the skin look to dewy so that it makes the skin look greasy. Despite the name it's definitely not sheer at all and I would put it at a medium to full coverage however it can be sheered out.

Benefit High Beam - £19.50 for 15ml or £5.00 for 4ml  

I absolutely love this as a subtle highlighter but I also love mixing it into a matte foundation to add a little bit of a subtle glow. This is actually a mini size which I got in a gift set however it has lasted forever. This is something I reach for so often as it is just so easy.

Clinique Cheek Pop Blusher - Berry Pop - £17.00

Can we first just talk about how beautiful this blush is. The gorgeous bright pink colour is perfect for all year round and I could imagine it looking stunning on all skin tones. It has a slight sheen to it however it isn't shimmery which I something I really love about it. The formula of these blushes is fabulous they really stick around and they are super easy to blend into the skin which I love as it's so bright.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow primer potion - £16.00

This product is something I feel like I will never be without. It is incredible and it absolutely saves me from my oily eyelids. This primer means that my eyeshadow lasts all day rather than about an hour. There's not really much more to say about this other than if you have oily eyelids this will be a life saver.

Mac Paint pot - Bare study - £16.00

This is one of my favourite shadow bases as it is such a stunning colour, it's a golden champagne shade which looks lovely under pretty much any shade. This paired with the Urban decay primer potion means that your shadow is going nowhere so if you have really really oily eyelids these two are the perfect pairing.

Urban Decay Naked 1 - £38.00

Could I really do a high end favourites without including this beautiful palette. This palette is just the best for people who love warm toned neutral shadows. I love how there is a mix of gold and pink shades. If you are a avid blog reader you will probably know that the Urban Decay shadows are insanely pigmented and creamy. If you where to buy one thing from this post I think this is probably my favourite high end product!

Urban Decay Naked basics 1 - £23.00

So two of the Naked palettes is probably a little over the top but I just couldn't choose between the two. This is one of my favourite palettes for traveling as it's so tiny and compact. The shades work really nicely together and I really love Faint for in my brows as it's quite an ashy brown shade. This is an amazing palette if you love matte neutral shades.

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat - Pillow Talk - £16.00

So if you read my blog regularly you will know that I am on a little bit of a lip liner obsession at the moment. This shade is the perfect my lips but better shade for me (ew I hate that phrase) I love it for making my lips look a little bigger. The formula is creamy but it doesn't slip around.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector - 01 - £18.00

I'm usually not a lip gloss person but I absolutely adore this gloss. It is in no way sticky and it feels very much like a lip balm on the lips. The shade is so very slight that it just evens out any pigmentation on the lips and leaves them with the most beautiful glossy look.

Mac Satin Lipstick - Rebel - £15.50

As with the Naked palette it wouldn't be a high end favourites without a Mac lipstick. Rebel is my favourite Mac lipstick that I own. I love the satin formula as it's not drying but it's super long lasting like a matte formula. The shade is a beautiful pink toned purple which is very autumnal.

Left to Right - Clarins 01 - CT Pillow talk - Mac rebel - Benefit High beam - Mac Bare study - Clinique Berry pop

Beauty ¦ Maple holistics skincare

When I was contacted by the lovely people over at maple holistics I was super excited to be offered some of their skincare to try. I've been loving skincare at the moment so I was very excited to give these a go!

The first product I received was the Ancient clay facial mask*, which is a mixture of three different types if clay. French green clay, Bentonite clay and Fullers earth. Each of these add different properties to the mask. The French green clay is meant remove impurities and stimulate blood flow. The Bentonite clay has oil absorbing properties and is said to remove acne inducing toxins and finally the Fullers earth helps to reduce acne scars, blemishes and blackheads.

This mask is on of the strangest masks I've tried. It's actually a powder which you mix with water to form a paste. I thought this was going to put me off using it however I was so impressed by the results I don't mind it despite the fact that it is a little bit of a pain. I've found that this mask has definitely cleared my skin a little and I've also found that it has reduced the amount of scaring on my face to.  

Next up we have the Vitamin C anti aging serum* obviously I cannot comment on the anti aging properties but I have been really enjoying using this serum. It feels very hydrating on the skin but it's also very lightweight meaning it's perfect for using under makeup as well as at night. I've found that it has also added a little more radiance to my skin and reduced some of my scaring and redness. Overall I think if I had to pick a favourite product out of the three it would be this one.

The final product I received was the Pomegranate natural lip balm* So to start it off this smells absolutely amazing and it tastes pretty great too. The pomegranate scent isn't to synthetic like some lip balm scents can be. I actually really like the lip balm as well. I was a little dubious as since trying Nuxe Reve De Meil I haven't really got on with any other lip balm. This one isn't super hydrating but for day to day use it's perfect. It feels nice and light on the lips and lipstick applies well over it without being changed in terms of texture or finish.

You can purchase maple holistics products from their website, these products  where provide for review purposes however all opinions are my own.

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Beauty ¦ Stila convertible colour - Fuchsia

A couple of years ago everyone was talking about these especially the shade Gerbera, but it has taken me this long to give them a go. I decided I wanted something quite bright so I picked out the shade fuchsia. It's a bright slightly blue toned pink which leaves a slightly rosy look on the cheeks and on the lips it gives a nice hint of brightness which works beautifully with very minimal makeup.

 

 

In terms of formula due to it being a lip and cheek colour its a little wetter than your usual cream blush. On the lips it feels very hydrating but it still blends well into the skin without moving the makeup underneath around. I personally prefer applying it with my fingers as I find the heat helps it blend into the skin seamlessly.

Overall I would recommend these, they are really good quality and well worth the money.

 

Beauty ¦ Shop my stash #3

I've ended up in a bit of a makeup rut at the moment and I've found myself reaching for the same products in a daily basis so I thought do a shop my stash to liven up my routine a little.

 

Miss sporty Morning baby bronze BB cream.

This little bottle of magic is amazing for mixing in to super pale foundations to darken them up and add a beautiful bronzey glow. I also really like it as a primer. The only reason I haven't used this much is because I had no tan at all however now I have some colour I feel like I'm going to get loads of wear out of it.

 

Bourjois Healthy mix foundation

I love the serum version of this so I picked up the original version. I've found this is actually a lot darker than the serum so I haven't been able to get much wear out of it. Hopefully like the bronze cream I will be able to get some more wear out of it now I have a bit of colour.

 

 

Essence xxxl long lasting lip gloss Matte effect - Silky red

This is something I was so desperate to try out but I keep forgetting about it. I love the formula of these as they don't feel dry and gross like some matte lip products can. This is a beautiful true red shade which I cannot wait to get more wear out of.

 

Maxfactor Miracle touch creamy blush - Soft pink

I love this blush but because it's so tiny I tend to overlook it and completely forget about it. The name of the shade is pretty perfect. It's a gorgeous soft pink that looks lovely with most lip and eye looks and leaves a lovely subtle flush on the cheeks.

 





The Balm Balm voyage

Because this is such a massive palette it's right at the bottom of my palette draw meaning I have a habit of forgetting about it. This palette has the most amazing mix of shades and it also contains 3 cheek and lip colours. Some of the shades are not to my taste but the mix of neutral and earthy tones

work really well for me.

 

So that's it for today's post! I'd love to know how often you shop your stash?





Beauty ¦ The perfect palette tag

So I'm actually finally properly back this time and to ease myself back into post writing I thought I would do a tag post. I love a good palette and when having a look through some of the tag posts I have written down I decided that this one would be interesting.

 

 

1. Best packaging?

Nars Virtual domination has the most amazing packaging and I love the fact that it isn't the typical Nars weird rubbery packaging. It's super sturdy and just all round well designed.

 

2. Best colour payoff?

Urban decay do the best shadows ever the colour payoff is so intense and the texture of the shadows whether they are matte or shimmery is so buttery and amazing I couldn't not pick them for this question.

 

3. Best for traveling?

Illamasqua Multi facet - Aura is amazing as if I take it away I only need a base concealer and mascara with me and I have an entire face. All the products work well together which means I don't have to take a million different products.

 

4. Most versatile?

The Balm - Balm voyage literally has almost all the colours under the rainbow. I personally don't use any of the colourful shades but if I did this would definitely be the palette I'd reach for. It also has some gorgeous neutral shades which I reach for on a regular basis and it also includes 3 lip and cheek colours too!

 

5. Best colour names?

Stila has such cute names for the shades, I have to admit I had a little trouble deciding on the answer to this one but I settled on Stila.

 

6. Biggest regret?

Sleek - Showstoppers was something I bought on a complete whim and I honestly don't think I've used it more than twice. The selection of colours is strange and you cannot get a single eye look out of the palette other shades have to be used. I also found that some of the shades were lacking in the pigmentation department and were very chalky.

 

7.  Least used?

Sleek - Showstoppers (For the same reasons as it is my biggest regret)

 

8. Most used?

Urban decay - Naked 1is the palette that made me love all palettes and I use it at least twice a week. The shades are all beautiful and they work well alongside other shades in the palette. The shadows are pigmented, long lasting and super blendable. I couldn't actually sing it's praises anymore  

 

9. (Extra bonus question)  Best drugstore?

Revlon primer shadow and sparkle palettes are such amazing quality or the drugstore the shades are well pigmented and the shadows blend well together and have a good lasting power. I also love the little bit of glitter you get! 

Beauty ¦ Illamasqua Velvet blusher - Flirtatious

I am slowly but surely making my way through reviewing all the products that I received for my birthday (If you'd like to see what I received head over //Here//) This product was one of the presents from my friends and I think they chose really well.

 

When I first swatched this is was really quite confused by the texture. It's almost like a whipped mousse, there are lots of little air bubbles in it giving the most amazing light texture. The formula isn't a cream to powder but neither is it a sticky feeling product. Once it's on the skin this isn't going anywhere and I find although by the end of the day the colour has faded it's still there.

 

The shade is such a gorgeous peachy pink which looks really natural on the cheeks. It's a pretty neutral shade so I find it works pretty well with most eye/lip shades.  I really like the packaging and the casing feels nice and sturdy.

 

These aren't the cheapest coming in at £21.50 but a little really does go a long way. If you're in the market for a cream blush that's a little more high end I think this is an amazing one to go for.



Beauty ¦ Top 10 under £10

 

I love drugstore makeup and as much as I've enjoyed investing in higher end bits and bobs as I've got more into the makeup world I will forever be a drugstore girl at heart. Today I thought I'd show you some of my all time favourite products under £10 a few of these are old favourites but some are also new additions!

 

Maybelline Colour tattoo's -£4.99 (Pictured are On and on bronze and Creamy beige)

I thought I would start of with something that regular readers will know I love around a year and a half ago these are literally all I talked about I was obsessed. I still love them and I think for the price they really are amazing quality. They are something I feel like everyone should have in their collection.

 

Topshop cream blushes £7 (Pictured are Flush and Head over heels)

These are something else I was obsessed with at the same time as the Maybelline colour tattoo's as you can see in the pictures I actually hit pan on one shade. These are the most gorgeous cream to powder blushes which work well applied with the fingers but also with a brush. I find these don't move any product around under them which is one of my biggest problems with cream blushes.

 

Collection Eyes uncovered palettes £3.99 (Pictured are Nude and Nude bronze)

I am so impressed with these little palettes. If you read the review of them I put up a couple of weeks ago (If you haven't it's //Here//) you will see how insane the swatches are. For under £4 these shadows trump the likes of  Mua and Makeup revolution shadows by a million miles. The texture is amazing and they blend like a dream whilst keeping a super intense colour.

 

Maybelline Instant anti age eraser eye £7.99

This was something that I put off trying for such a long time as the hype that surrounds it is just ridiculous but I am so glad I picked it up. It's the perfect texture for under the eyes as it isn't too creamy that it creases but it's easy to blend whilst still having a good amount of coverage. If you haven't picked this up yet because of the crazy amount of hype I seriously suggest you give it a go yourself!

 



Essence Long lasting lipsticks £2.30 (Pictured are Oh so matt! and All you need is red)

These are so affordable, if you want to try a colour but not splash out I couldn't recommend essence more. These lipsticks are really creamy and they feel really hydrating on the lips. The colour range is pretty extensive and lets face it you really can't go wrong with a lipstick that's only £2.30.

 

L'Oreal Glam bronze in Golden bronze. £7.99

This is one of the best dupes I've ever found, it is literally almost exactly the same as Nars Laguna it's perhaps a little warmer but it's perfect for bronzing the face. It even contains that tiny amount of shimmer that Laguna also contains. I love how easily it blends as it creates that perfect bronzey summer glow.

 

Seventeen Skin wow three way highlighter £5.99

This is another pretty impressive dupe. It reminds me a lot of the benefit liquid highlighters in terms of formula and the amount of radiance it offers. Shade wise it's most similar to High beam however it's not quite as pink. For me personally I use this mixed into my foundation to add a little bit of a glow. However it also looks lovely on the cheekbones and down the nose.

 



 

Rimmel Exaggerate lip liner £.3.99 (Pictured East end snob)

I actually picked this up as I've heard that it's a dupe for Charlotte Tilbury pillow talk which is one of my favourite lip liners at the moment. Despite not thinking it was a great dupe I do really love it. It's much more of a 90's shade as it's a very pinky nude. It's really lovely and creamy and doesn't drag on the lips at all. I definitely need to pick up some more shades.

 

L'Oreal Infallible 24h matte foundation £7.99

This stuff is one of the best drugstore foundations I have ever tried. Every time I wear it someone says how good it looks or asks me what I'm wearing on my skin. It offers really amazing coverage without being super heavy and cakey. I personally wouldn't say the finish is a Matte it's more on the demi matte/very naturally dewy scale. I was a little worried it would cling to the dry patches on my face however I've found it sits nicely on both dry patches and oily patches.

 

Topshop Lipsticks £8.00 ( Rio rio, Hazard and Beguiled)

Topshop lipsticks in my opinion are some of the best on the market. The formula is seriously comparable to Mac's satin formula. They are highly pigmented with an almost matte finish but they aren't in the slightest bit drying. The lasting power of these is amazing and the formula is very creamy making application easy.

 

So that's it for my top ten under £10 If you got to the end of this post I will be super impressed but if you did I really hope you enjoyed it!

 



Beauty ¦ March favourites

 

A pinch and a punch for the first of the month.

 

Hello April you came around awfully fast and I'm super happy about that the days are getting longer and spring is well and truly on it's way. This month I've been buying lots of summery makeup and close and getting very excited.

 

This months favourites is actually quite a large one. With it being my birthday I've received and bought lots of new beauty bits with my money which I will show you all in a haul on sunday. All but one of these things I've actually purchased or received this month so I'm super excited to show them all to you. If you are interested in reading my birthday haul it's //Here// and as I said before my March haul will be up on Sunday. So without further a ramble lets get into my March beauty favourites.
 

The only favourite that I haven't bought this month is the Barry M Gelly high shine nail paint in Blueberry, which is just the most beautiful brightened cornflour blue. I love the finish and the lasting power of these polishes but this colour just has my heart at the moment. It's perfect for spring and I can see me wearing it a lot more in the next couple of months. I picked up the Body shop Camomile silky cleansing oil when I went in to repurchase the cleansing butter and I'm really glad I did. I fee like this removes makeup a little easier than the butter and I also find it's been going a lot further than the butter did as I feel like I only need to cleanse once.

 

I've heard so much hype about the Stila In the light palette and now I completely get it, the shades are stunning and work beautifully together. There's a good mix of shades so I can create so many looks out of the one palette. All the shades all well pigmented and creamy including the four matte shades. My favourite shades are Kitten and Sandstone. Charlotte Tilbury Bitch perfect is possibly my perfect nude lipstick, it's more on the peachy side of things with a creamy formula and an impressive lasting power combined with the beautiful packaging it may just be my favourite lipstick ever (Now that's a big claim)

 



Another product that is seriously hyped in the blogging community is the Nars Sheer glow foundation I tried to hold off from picking this up as it isn't cheap and I was worried I wouldn't get on with it however I'm so glad I bit the bullet and gave it a go because I'm in love. The finish is stunning and it blends beautifully on the skin leaving a very natural medium coverage which can be built. If you haven't given this a go yet I seriously suggest you give it a try!

Something I've loved using underneath sheer glow is the L'Oreal infallible primer which is amazing at prolonging the wear of foundation but also find it blurs and smooth's my skin well. It has a silicone-y texture which I like from a primer but if you're not a fan of that kind of texture I'd steer clear. Maybelline's Instant eraser eye has been out for ages but I never got around to picking it up. It's a really amazing under eye concealer. It offers a good amount of coverage and it doesn't settle even if I don't powder it. I haven't actually used this on blemishes due to the sponge applicator as it would just spread the bacteria however I have read it doesn't work amazingly on spots.

I first saw the Barry M contour kit on Kate from Sugarfixx's Facebook page and I knew I needed it I'm a big fan of contouring as I have a chubby face and I am really loving this one. I'm not the biggest fan of the middle powder as I find for me personally it's a little muddy however the darkest contour shade is something I've been reaching for everyday. It has the perfect amount of grey in it to make it look natural whilst really making a difference. This months final favourite is the Nuxe Reve de Miel a chocolate orange scented uber hydrating lip balm. What more can you ask for. I also love the fact that it's matte as it means it goes well under lipstick without changing the finish in anyway.

Beauty ¦ February favourites

I know everyone says this but how is it the end of february already, I can't quite believe it's almost my birthday it feels like it was only christmas two minutes ago. I've got quite a lot of favourites this month so i'm just going to get on with it! 

The first favourite this month is something I wouldn't usually include but I've been burning it so much I had to. Yankee Black cherry is a really nice and fruity and a little sweet. It's a really lovely scent for people who are fans of sweet scents. 

Soap and glory Butter yourself  is the perfect moisturizer for in a morning as it smells really fruity and sinks into the skin. It's actually motivated me to moisturize in the morning as it smells so good. I was super excited when I spotted the new Maybelline colour tattoos in boots the shade Creamy beige is such an amazing everyday base colour. I'm really enjoying using this one however it still hasn't overtaken my favourite mac paint pot. The Clinique cheek pop in berry pop is something I've been reaching for pretty much everyday for the past 3 weeks. It's a really beautiful bright pink however on the cheeks it gives a super natural pink flush. 

The new Collection nude bronze eyes uncovered palette is really amazing for the price, the quality is stunning and the shades are really lovely. Pigmentation wise the only shade I was a little disappointed with was the darkest brown however all the other shades are stunning and aren't overly glittery which is something I find a fair amount of drugstore eyeshadows have too much glitter in them.  L'oreal Nude magique blur cream is a really nice alternative to benefit porefessional. It's not quite the same and it doesn't blur pores as effectively this being said it does still work really nicely and helps smooth out the skin. If you aren't willing to splash out for porefessional this is lovely however for me it's brill so I don't have to use porefessional all the time. 

The final three products I have are lip products Mac brick o'la is amazing for transitioning from the colder months into spring as it's a really brown toned red so it's not too vampy but still a bit darker than your average red. Topshop lolly is a gorgeous sheer bright pink however i'm not going to talk about it too much as i'm not 100% sure but I think it's been discontinued but it's a lovely hydrating very sheer pink shade. The final product in this months favourites is the Soap and glory lip lacquer in the shade charm offensive. This is a little sticky when it's first applied but once it sets down it's going nowhere and it hangs around all day. It feels nice and hydrating on the lips and once the stickiness has gone it feels really comfortable. 

Maybelline creamy beige, Clinique berry pop, Mac brick o'la, Topshop lolly, Soap and glory charm offensive.

Beauty ¦ Best of - Budget blushes

Along with lipstick blushes have to be one of my favourite makeup products so today I thought I'd share some of my favourite drugstore blushes with you.

Maxfactor Miracle touch creamy blush - Soft pink £6.99

They say good things come in small packages and this certainly fits that rule. This was a Vivianna does makeup inspired purchase as there was a period that she talked about them all the time. This is perfect for adding a natural flush to the cheeks. The formula is very creamy and it blends into the skin well and sets down into a beautiful muted matte pink.

Sleek Blush by 3 Palette - Pink lemonade £9.99

I'm not sure if you can buy this exact palette at this current time however this is just here to represent all of sleeks blushes. They are all incredibly pigmented and last so well on the skin. There is an amazing and the colour range is really nice and varied from peaches to pomegranates sleek have pretty much every kind of shade covered.

Rimmel Lasting finish blush - Santa rose £3.99

This is another really hyped product, it's the perfect peachy sheeny shade which just seems to make you glow from within. I tend to reach for this more in the summer as it just looks gorgeous on tanned skin and it really gives that perfect summer glow.

Essence Blush up powder blush - Pinky flow £3.50

I really can't stand the name of this product, it actually makes me want to be sick however I will push past it as I am so in love with the shade of this blush. It's a sheeny bright pink but what I really love about it is that it can be built up but it isn't major colour if you've dipped more than three bristles of your brush into the pan. I feel like i'm going to be reaching for this one a lot this summer.

Accessorize baked blusher - Sensation (I think accessorize makeup may have been discontinued which makes me very sad)

Now I'm not going to talk about this for too long as I think the entire range has been discontinued as I can't seem to find it anywhere online. But if you can get your hands on it this is such a gorgeous glowy blush and it really reminds me of the hourglass ambient lighting blushes (from the swatches I've seen) It's a great one for bad skin days as it really perks up the complexion and gives that beautiful lit from within look.

Topshop Cream blush - Flush £6.00

So to finish off I had to mention this blush, I think I would go as far to say that this is my all time favourite drugstore blush. I just find it so easy and it blends into the skin like an absolute dream. I love wearing it paired with a BB cream and lots of highlighter in the summer for a really simple base. I just find it works so well with any lip colour and any eye look without making me look overdone. If I could only recommend one of these blushes to you guys it would hands down most definitely be this one! 

Left to Right - Topshop, Rimmel, Accessorize, Maxfactor, Essence, Sleek

Beauty ¦ Born Pretty 10 Pan blush palette

When the lovely people over at Born Pretty  asked me about reviewing something of their site I was immediately drawn to this gorgeous ten pan blush palette* ($9.99) I'm having a little bit of a blush obsession at the moment so this was perfect. I will admit there are a few colours i'm not going to use very often. Some of the brighter pinks are far too blue toned for my colouring and the very pale shade is pretty much invisible on my skin. However the middle shade on the bottom row has been one i've used fairly often. 

The formula of these is really lovely and they blend really nicely into the skin. The pigmentation is strong in the swatches however they appear much sheerer on the face (this is a good thing for me as I have a habit of being very heavy handed) The only little gripe I have is some of the shades are very glittery so if you're not one for a little bit of glitter every now and then you might be better going for another of the blush palettes on Born pretty. Overall I think this palette is great for if you are starting out with blush as it has a nice mixture of shades to try out. It's not a palette I'm going to reach for really often but it's one that will be handy to have in my stash! 

Top row swatches

 Bottom row swatches 

This product was sent to me for review by Born pretty, however all opinions expressed in this post are my own and are no way influenced by the fact that this product is a PR sample. 

Beauty ¦ The Balm - Balm voyage palette

I won this in a giveaway from the lovely Georgina over at Makeup Pixi3 months ago but I just never got around to blogging about it. I've actually been using it quite a lot recently so I decided I would review it for you. 

So the lowdown, Balm voyage contains 16 eyeshadows and 3 cream blush/lip colours. I like the fact that the palette is set out like a plane and the fact that the colours are all numbered like plane seats. The eyeshadows are really lovely quality, the shimmers are on the whole really creamy and they aren't overly glittery. The matte shadows are a little chalky but overall they are really lovely and they blend really nicely. The creams are a little to drying for the lips but I really like them on the cheeks they blend nicely into the skin and don't feel tacky or sticky on the skin. Also another little note is the fact that I really like the fact this palette has two flaps so the cream products don't end up full of eyeshadow dust (Is that the right term?) I'm really impressed with the pigmentation of the shades and i've found that there are no dud shades in the palette. Wear wise I find the cheek stains last pretty much all day and the eye shades wear between 7-9 hours. 

As you can see on the bottom of the packaging there are some little look ideas which are also plane themed (Oh The balm I love your co-ordination) 

Left to right - Second officer, First officer, Captain 

Second Officer - is a cool toned blue based red. When on the cheeks it is a beautiful sheer raspberry shade which lasts a good 9 hours.

First Officer - is a medium peachy orange. When on the cheeks it leaves a beautiful satiny peach flush. Again it lasted on the cheeks for around 9 hours. 

Captain - is a beautiful medium plummy pink. On the cheeks it leaves behind a muted rosy shade and last for around 9 hours.

Left to right - A1, A2, A3, A4 

A1 - is a beautiful soft pink tinged mauve shade. The pigmentation of this shade is really strong and the shadow itself is soft and buttery in texture. This is definitely on of my favourite shades in the palette. 

A2 - is a bright purple shade with cool pink undertones and a frosty finish. Not a shade I would personally wear on my eyes but beautiful none the less. I found this one to be quite chalky in texture making it lack a little in the pigmentation department. 

A3 - is the most amazing bright silver shot white with a fairly metallic finish. This shade is so buttery and has a seriously amazing pigmentation. It makes a beautiful base for a smokey eye. 

A4 - is a gorgeous blue shimmered grey black with a satin finish, once applied it doesn't appear as shimmery in the pan. I've found the texture of this shade to be a little dryer than some of the others. One of the lesser pigmented shade in the palette but still beautiful.

Left to right - B1, B2, B3, B4

B1 - is a light beige with warm undertones. This shade is completely matte and is the dryest out of all the matte shades in the palette. It's very dry and I find it very messy to work with as its so chalky. Despite the fact that its hard to work with it makes a brilliant base shade and I've found myself reaching for it regularly.  

B2 - is a very soft minty/sea foam green with a frosty finish. This shade has a really lovely texture and packs a nice amount of pigmentation despite it being a fairly pale shade. Again not one I will ever wear on my eyes but if you're into bright shades this is stunning. 

B3 - is a greyish mauve with cool undertones. This really reminds me of one of the shades in the Naked basics 2 palette (I don't own it but I've seen so many swatch and review posts) I really like the matte finish shadows in the palette but it is a little chalky however the pigmentation is still good. 

B4 - is a dark brown with silver shimmer and a sheeny finish. I've found this one to be one of the creamier shades from the palette and I've been loving using it as my crease shade.

Left to Right - C1, C2, C3, C4

C1 - is a very pale white gold with a frosty finish, it has nice pigmentation but is a little powdery however not of the scale of B1. 

C2 - is a blue based teal with a mostly matte finish (although it does contain some bluish shimmer which becomes barely visible once swatched) Pigmentation of this shade is amazing and it is probably the creamiest of the matte shades. I wish had the confidence to wear this shade as it's gorgeous. 

C3 - is a medium yellow toned brown with a matte finish it has really lovely colour payoff and it is most definitely the creamiest matte shade in this particular palette. 

C4 - is a very reddy brown (It's come out much more orange than it is in the swatch above) with really large bits of silver shimmer. This one was a little bit dryer than the other shadows in the pallette and it feels quite dusty. I think out of all the shades this is the one that I was most disappointed with.

Left to Right - D1, D2, D3, D4

D1 - is a bright yellow gold with a metallic finish. It feels very soft and buttery however the pigmentation is not so good. I really dislike this shade (It's the only one in the palette that I don't like) in my opinion it makes me look like I have some sort of eye disease.  

D2 - is a peachy pink shade with beige undertones and a slightly metallic finish. This one reminds me a lot of a slightly pinker version of the Maybelline Colour tattoo in pink gold. The texture of this shade is incredibly soft and buttery and it packs a real punch in the pigmentation department.  

D3 - is a light beige gold with tiny particles of silver shimmer. It has a gorgeous metallic finish and is one of the shades that I have been reaching for a lot. It has a really lovely creamy texture with really good pigmentation. 

D4 -is a medium dark green with warm brown undertones with a tiny bit of olive shimmer. I love this shade and it's one I've been reaching for fairly often (It looks absolutely amazing in the crease of a gold shade like Urban decay half baked) It's super pigmented and is one of the creamier shades in the palette.