New to my MAC Palette | Coppering & Sumptuous Olive

Y'know, I am really enjoying this whole palette - building situation, and my DIY MAC collection is actually turning out to be a lot more adventurous than I had imagined.
I started off with fairly neutral shades, and have a nice selection of mattes, along with Star Violet and All That Glitters as beautiful lid shades.
However, one evening I got caught in a swatch- photo hole on Google, and I fell in love with these two shades; both a little more out there than my original selection. Copping and Sumptuous Olive are both beautifully pigmented and highly metallic, and I think are going to be so lovely for the summer months.
Coppering is a really warm burnt- orange copper with gold shimmer. It's very red-toned so may be quite tricky to wear, but I've given it a go a couple of times already and I think it's soo pretty.
Sumptuous Olive has really opened my eyes to the world of green eyeshadows; I just want loads more because this one is so beautiful. It's a yellow- toned olive- green with gold shimmer - really high- shine and would look beautiful on any eye colour.
So yeah, here are the new recruits, I'm v. excited about them. The only problem is, now I need a lovely warm, mid brown crease shade...

Thanks for reading :)
Lou

Starting my MAC palette

Hello!!


Long time no see! I put my absence down to a busy few weeks - Christmas, New Year and my birthday all fall within two weeks of each other, and getting back into the swing of work/gym/friends/life was spread out between them.
I can't say I've had the healthiest start to the year- tangent, but I'm really struggling to get to the gym, see my friends and loved ones, and finding time for my blog is something else to find time for at the weekends, as I don't see enough day light during the week to take photos.
Anywayy, tangent over.


So MAC. Yes. I was very lucky on my birthday when my lovely work colleagues gifted me a MAC Pro palette, insert, 3 shadows and a voucher to purchase my own. I know, I work with awesome people, and I've always dreamed (cringe) of my own customised MAC palette.

Needless to say, the 3 shadows I was gifted were absolutely perfect and definitely ones I would have picked myself - Swiss Chocolate, All That Glitters and Vanilla. I then used my voucher and a little of my own money to purchase 3 further shades. As I pretty much had my brown basics down, I went on a google-swatch fest to find the best purples. Without even visiting a store, I chose Haux, Star Violet and Blackberry. Luckily, the online swatches got it spot on and  they were exactly what I wanted.
I am so happy with how my palette is shaping up, and so excited to add to it little by little.

Here are some lovely swatches - you'll notice that Vanilla is missing but that's because it's the same colour as my skin so you basically can't see it anyway.


Thanks for reading :)

A Couple of Christmas Treats

Oh hi!
Happy New Yar ya'll, I hope you had a good one and a wonderful festive season.
This post is all about three lovely things I got my hands on over the Christmas period. My lovely (double lovely) boyfriend actually gifted these products to me, for which I am obviously super, super grateful.


Firstly, Charlotte Tilbury. Ah ma gaad, finally, I have my mitts on some luxurious CT eyeshadow. This is the Dolce Vita palette which I know is the most hyped around the blog/youtube world but I couldn't help it; these four shadows are just exactly what I want in a quad. I've only used it once so far (I think honestly I'm a little bit scared of using it) but you will definitely be hearing more about this in future posts.


Secondly, MAC Mehr lipstick. As you might know, MAC's Brave is my absolute go-to lip colour, and Mehr is definitely along the same lines: a mauvey, mid tone pink, but slightly darker, matte version of Brave. I love it.


Lastly, Benefit's Dandelion blush. I've had my eye on this one for a long while and I'm so glad I finally have this in my collection. Dandelion is perfect for pale gals like me - a light, shimmery pink which looks super natural and lovely on the cheeks.





So, yeah, just a little ramble about what I've got going on here, keep your eyes peeled for future reviews and looks using these three little gems :)
Thanks for reading!
Lou x

MAC Brave, Mehr & Captive | Comparison

Hi there! Today let's have a chat about some MAC lipstick goodness.
At the moment, my MAC lipstick collection is still fairly minimal, but out of the five I own three are fairly universal wearable everyday colours which you might think are quite similar.

Just FYI- all photos show the shades in order - Brave, Mehr, Captive.

For the longest time, Brave has been my most used, favourite lip colour because it's just so wearable for everyday, and it really goes with any eye look be it smokey or simple. Brave is a really beautiful muted dusty pink with slightly peachy brown undertones and a Satin finish.

Mehr is the newest family member, and is basically Brave's more matte (matter?) older sister. The shade is also slighty darker and more brown based which I really really like. I'm having a bit of a matte lip moment and I can see this one becoming an everyday essential.

Lastly, Captive is a shade I really don't hear anyone talking about. It's sort of a soft, mauvey berry shade which can be worn bold or patted over the lips for a subtle wintry- stain. Perfect for this time of the year.

As a reference, here is a nice swatch of the three side by side- Captive on the far left (Satin), Mehr (Matte) in the middle, and Brave (Satin) on the right. 

Basically this post is just a justification to myself for owning all three. Hope you enjoyed!!

Would be amazing if you would like to follow me on Bloglovin and stay up to date, I look forward to seeing you back here again :)

Thanks for reading

Lou 

MAC Angel



It took me absolutely forever to choose a new MAC lipstick the other week-  I was playing around with Angel and Snob for SO long, it got a little ridiculous, so I grabbed for Angel.

I have to say, I regret that choice. Although Snob is a matte formula, which I rarely wear, Angel is very hard to wear. It's a Frost finish, which means it is slightly iridescent, and for some reason it really  sinks into the lines in my lips and requires some serious exfoliation/ moisturising prep beforehand.

I haven't worn it much, and probably won't, as every time I do I'm disappointed. In the future I think I will stick to Satin finishes like my beloved Brave.

Over and out, thanks for reading :)

Lou 

Maybelline Colour Tattoo - Creme de Rose | Review & Swatches

I have been waiting so long for Maybelline to come out with this - a Colour Tattoo in a shade perfect for priming before eyeshadow.
This is shade Creme de Rose and it has quickly become an essential in my everyday make-up bag, as a great little product to apply before liner, shadow or mascara to create a blank canvas.
Here's a before and after and a cheeky swatcheroo -

It is a little bit pink- toned, and even though I have more yellow skin, it works fine just blended up to my crease. Basically, everything is great about it. I very occasionally get dry patches in the inner corners when I don't take a minute to blend it - and I do mean literally just a moment.

I would really recommend this to anyone, especially people looking for a quick one-step eye look for work/school - pop a bit of bronzer or shadow in the crease and you're good to go. Or, if you've always been curious about MAC Painterly paint pot, I expect this will do a very similar thing! If this is too light for your skin tone, I would recommend Creamy Beige which is a soft taupe and would be perfect if this is too light.

Thanks for reading ;)

Lou x

What's in my on-the-go make-up bag?

That girl curling her eyelashes on the train? Yep, that's me. I've mentioned before that I often find myself doing my make-up on my thirty five minute commute, and I know from personal experience that I'm normally one of a few ladies applying their blusher while whizzing through the English countryside.
I thought I'd share an everyday make-up bag for me- basically what I'm throwing in my bag after I've sorted out my base and my eyebrows before I leave the house.
Here's a sneak peak in order of how I do my face-

Mac Cinderella Palette
I might have mentioned before how happy I am that I bought this, and not the lipstick from the MAC Cinderella release back in Spring. It's just so handy! Definitely an everyday palette, I tend to use Quarry in the crease, Phloof on the lid and Satin Taupe on the outer edge and lower lash. It's also great to use the black shade, Stroke of Midnight, along the upper lashline like a smudgey liner.

Clinique Full Impact Mascara
This really is on it's last legs, but I'm struggling to find something to replace this mascara. It's separating, lengthening, and just generally a great all-rounder. No complaints here.

Clinique Cheek Pop in Melon Pop
I apply this with my H&M blush brush, which is great by the way- but I bought it yonks ago, and this is just a really nice colour to brighten up your face. These blushes are also quite sheer, which is great for on-the-go, as you don't end up elbowing the guy next to you while you're feverishly blending your blush into your cheeks. None of that, just peachy goodness.

Revlon Balm Stain in Honey
A classic. A soft, warm pink with great staying power and a natural sheen, perfect for the office.

Other Stuff
Although I've already sorted my base by the time I get on the train, I  always carry my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair  with me to retouch during the day, as well as my Maybelline Fit Me powder in 120 Classic Ivory for that lunch-time shiny forehead fix.
Brush wise, I've got ma blush brush, as mentioned, and a great stippling brush from Wilkos which I love for powder. There's also my eyelash curler in there cause, y'know, nobody likes a droopy lash.

So yeah! I hope that was interesting, thanks for reading! :)

Lou xx

5 Beauty Things I Learnt This Week | A bit of a ramble

1. I do need the Naked One Palette. And I did buy it. OOPs.

I love my Naked 2 palette, but I do tend to lean to warm tones a lot of the time, and the Naked 2 just wasn't doing it for me in the Summer sun, ya know? So I was morally obligated to buy it.

2. Tan is the new Tan.

I have spent so long (my whole life, lol), telling myself it's okay to be pale, and to embrace the natural colour of my skin. Well, I've decided that the natural colour of my skin is pretty sucky. I've always struggled with skin issues on my face, and skinniness issues on my body, despite the hefty pasta portions and chocolate bars I'm constantly shoving down my throat (nice), and I feel like being the colour of paper makes everything look worse than it is. comment on my sticky out collar bones, because they see that my skin isn't ghostly white and so they think, hey, she must be healthy, she's been running around in the sun. Or something. (I don't know?)

3. Something is breaking me the fuck out.

I had perfect skin for about 3 to 4 weeks, which hasn't happened since I was 15. I'm serious, it was a glorious time for me. I'd awaken every morning, and poke my face, stunned at my good luck. Unfortunately, now the spots are back, I'm even more sour about them than I was before. Fuck off, I'm 21 already, aren't I done with the wacky hormones?

4. I bought MAC Creme Cup

...and it's completely identical to Clinique Beige Pop. Well, about 95% identical,  which is defintiely too similar to justify owing both. I'm annoyed because I spent ages researching a nice pinky nude from MAC, settled on Creme Cup, and when it arrived, realised that I pretty much don't need it. Bummer.

5. I'm so not about that full coverage life.

Despite the skin problems, I can't seem to find a foundation which doesn't make my skin look like cake face at the moment. Everytime I commit to a 'foundation day' I instantly regret it, and spend the day wishing I had stuck to my BareMinerals Complexion Rescue (the love of my life). Everything makes me look the wrong colour, the wrong texture, and the wrong amount of wrinkly. Which is very wrinkly. Come on, wrinkles and spots? Why.


Hope you enjoyed this rambly post, thanks for reading!
Lou x

Match Made in Lip Heaven ~ MAC Brave and Rimmel East End Snob

Being on my second Rimmel East End Snob lipliner already, I can safely say- it's a good one. The perfect colour and the perfect formula for a lipliner- works well on it's own and with a lipstick, gloss or balm on top. 

Having spent my time searching for my perfect MAC pink, I settled on Brave. I wanted something a little darker, than my lip colour but still wearable for every day, and this is a really really nice lipstick which I would definitely recommend. 

And- amazingly- I have found that it is almost exactly the same colour as East End Snob and that they work beautifully together. Fab-u-lous.

Here's a lovely swatch with East end snob on the left and Brave on the right. What a perfect match.

If you can only afford one, I would recommend the lipliner, as it is £4 and really really worth your money. Longlasting and a beautiful, every day colour. It is slightly dry, which is why it works wonders with Brave over the top (Which is a Satin finish), but wack on a gloss or a lipbalm and you'll be good to go!

Thanks for reading!

Lou x

Top 5 Undiscovered Beauty Gems

There are a lot of things in the beauty internet world which get a lot of mentions, and most of them deserve it.

However, there are at least a few things in my collection which I absolutely love and I've never heard anyone speak about.

Here's a lovely swatch of the lipstick (MAC's Captive), liner (Collection 24hr Liquid Liner) and Cream eyeshadow (Bourjois 24h cream to powder in a mysterious colour)

Check out my YouTube video to find out more :)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCECys22qgk3G01ozysH6rcA

thanks so much for reading/watching, please subscribe and follow my blog to keep up to date :)

Lou x

MAC Cinderella Palette ~ 5 minute eye-make up

As a lover of cheaper make up (and a lover of not having an overdraft), my amount of high-end make up is very limited. However, I did invest in the MAC Cinderella Eyeshadow palette as a treat for myself for finishing some significant coursework. I had never tried MAC eyeshadows before but I really wanted to, and the price of the palette was a good deal compared to buying individual eyeshadows. I LOVE this palette. I am so glad I bought it. The six shades are so wearable for both day and night looks, and are definitely all shades I would have picked myself.

So here is a really quick easy look using the palette to create a really simple day look. I wore this with quite a sheer foundation, a pink cheek and bare lips, but I think it would look amazing with a bit of winged liner and a deep berry lip for the evening.

So here's the look. Really really simple, and heres how I achieved it-

1. Apply a mix of Vapour and Floof all over the lid (the two lightest shades) to create a really shimmery base. (I had also prepped my eyelids with Maybelline Fit Me Concealer)

2.Buff 'Quarry' into the create with a fluffy brush. This is a really really beautiful browny purple shade, and I think it is my favourite colour in the whole palette. It's such a nice colour to create a soft look without using just brown-y colours which is a good change.

3. I was going to use 'Satin Taupe' for the outer V of my eyelid but I didn't want it to be so deep so I actually switched it up for an Avon eyeshadow which is similar but a little lighter and purpler. I just applied this to the outer edge of my eyelid

4. I added a thin line of dark shadow along my lashline and pencil eyeliner to my tightline to deepen it up, and added two coats of Maybelline the Falsies mascara.

5. Add a little bit of Vapour to the browbone for a subtle highlight and  there  you have it :)

This is Phloof, Omega and the Avon Eyeshadow which has no name because its so old- the back of the compact says 'true colour healthy glow' if you were wondering! Any darker browny shimmery shade will work as this is a daytime look.

So yeah! I just wanted to share how easy it is to create an easy daytime look with this palette. It's so wearable and the powders are so blendable. I find these eyeshadows easier to use than my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette because there is no fall- out which always makes things quicker. :)

Hope you enjoyed this, thanks for reading!

Lou x

My Kiko Palette

*the shadow three from the right should be 220 not 240

So this is my Kiko eyeshadow collection. Kiko is the nearest thing  I can afford which is similar to creating my own MAC palette. Kiko eyeshadows are £5.40 each (compared to MAC's £13 or something ridiculous), and recently have been on an offer making them £2.80 each. Amazing. In the summer I picked three up, you can probably tell from the palette view which ones from how destroyed they are. So I originally had a three- palette and I enjoyed the eyeshadows so much that when I saw them on offer again I grabbed four more, and then another one. These eight are actually sitting in a 24- place palette. I know, I got really excited. The reason is, the 9 palette was only £1.50 cheaper than the 24 palette. So, ya know. I'll eventually fill it up I'm sure.

So here are my eight eyeshadows. Two I use for eyebrows as well, and the rest are a sort of wintery collection of pinky purples. I've lent towards purply colours because, firstly, I have a lot of browny eyeshadows, and secondly, its winter. Oh, and thirdly I got told purple looks good on green eyes, which I have, so I'm trying to use them more.

In the swatches photo, these two are the colours on the far left. I have no idea how they have come out looking so brown, but I found the palette so hard to photograph too. They look their truest in the top photo of the whole palette. These are 293 and 233 in that order. They are both deep cranberry, 293 is slightly darker. It's really hard to talk about how lovely they are when the picture is so bad, but have a look if you are in a Kiko store.

This is 236 and 239. They are two of the originals, and these photos are so much better. 236 is a beautiful champagne shimmer which is so lovely as a base colour, and also works well as a shimmery highlighter. 239 I use as a brow colour, but it is very so slightly too dark since my hair got lighter. But, I have to say I can tell you that these last ALL DAY in the brows, and on the lids too, no smudging or budging. Also a really good ashy taupe crease shade.

This is 218 and 237. 218 is my least favourite of all of my shades. It's basically a base colour, cream with sparkle, but the colour pay off is really poor on this one, meaning its super sheer. This could be dusted over matte eyeshadows to make them shimmery, but its not very pigmented compared to the others. 237 is my new brow shade, and is basically a lighter version of 239, and matches my brows perfectly. I mix in a little of 239 for a stronger brow if I fancy it, otherwise this is the perfect everyday replacement for the shade 'Frisk' in the Naked 2 basics palette which I do NOT want to use everyday and use up.

This purple shadow is 246, and its a cooler- toned purple with a lot of shimmer. It's so pretty, and works really nicely with the more cranberry shades, as well as the lighter shades. The last one is 220 (labelled 240 in the top photo) and it's my first more Spring/ summer shade for this palette. It's a bit darker than it looks here, its a really pretty peachy colour with gold shimmer and its soo lovely, perfect for warmer weather, and I know this will look great with a tan. 

Kiko eyeshadows are definitely worth checking out, so cheap, and the chance to design your own palette which is amazing. The pans are actually really big too, so I was considering having a look for a couple of blusher/ contour/ highlighter colours too.

I've got another 16 slots to fill up and I can't wait!

Thanks for reading, hope this was useful!

Lou x