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 :)

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 

Essence Lip Liners | Review & Swatches

If you love a good lip liner, and especially if you're on a budget, look no further.

These are the £1 (yes one English pound) each, and I have four here to show you.

Here's a lovely close up of my dry lips. From top left we have Satin Mauve, In The Nude, Honey Berry & Soft Berry.

Satin Mauve has quickly become an every day staple for me, it's just a really mauvey (hence the name, duh), soft pink, and works really nicely alone, over a lip balm or with a lipstick over top.

In The Nude is quite an orange - based nude, which I don't think is particularly flattering by itself on my skin as I have quite yellow undertones.

Honey Berry is a bright, blue-based pink/berry. I love this colour, and I think it will be so lovely in the Spring/Summer

Soft Berry is more of a brown based pinky/berry, which I love, and is really nice for this time of year.

I know the photos aren't the best, as I did them this morning, in my onesie with no other make up on, and dry, horrible lips.

But, I absolutely promise you that they are totally lovely, longwearing and obviously, very cheap.

Would definitely recommend :)

Thanks for reading!

Lou x



2 Budget Liquid Blushes

Oh hi!

Now I know a lot of people aren't very keen on cream blushes but bear (bare?) with me here, these two are worth a couple of minutes of your time.

As you can see from the swatches above, these are two completely different products, both in colour and consistency, and I love them both. 

If you are a cream blush fan- or even if you're not, but you're still a teeny bit curious- these are a couple of really good options at really low prices.

Firstly, we have the Make Up Revolution 'Vivid Blush Lacquer'  in Rush  which is this really really bright barbie pink here in the foreground. This is a very different product, and the blush actually gets squeezed out of the tube via a foundation- like pump. The consistency is fairly thick, quite moussey, but really easy to blend out - and you definitely need to blend this product as the pigment is really strong.

The second product is by Rimmel, it's their Stay Blushed Liquid Cheek Tint in 005 Apricot Glow. Compared to the MUR offering, this is a much thinner, more watery consistancy, much like a cream cleanser or something like that. Again, this is fairly pigmented, but easy to blend into the skin. I would say out of the two, this one may be slightly easier to blend.

Both products come in under £3 (I think I paid £1.50 for the MUR and £2.50 for the Rimmel), and wear-time is good on both.

I hope this was useful to all you cream blush novices out there - I know these are really summer-y colours but I have actually yet to find a winter-y shade of cream blush. Any reco's would be appreciated :)

Thanks for reading, over and out!

Lou xxx

H&M Lipstick | Review

So if you haven't heard the buzz about H&M Beauty...where have you been?
My local store has recently started stocking what I assume is the whole line which is really impressive - everything from eyeshadow to lipstains, brushes, cream blushes and nail varnishes.

I've had a good swatchy swatch and spent a very fair amount of time mooching around the testers, striping them up my arm. In the end, the lipsticks intrigued me the most, and there were so many amazing colours. If they weren't eight pound a pop I would definitely have got a fair few -not that I'm complaining, but normally when a drugstore lipstick is up there in price it normally comes with a 3 for 2 deal (eg. L'Oreal), which persuades me to buy more.

Aaanyway, after much deliberation I went for this shade, Brunette Ambition, a straight up mauve-y brown, unlike anything I own, but still neutral enough to wear during the day.

Even those these are really creamy, they wear for a good amount of time and wear off gracefully rather than flaking or patching.

I would definitely recommend the H&M lipsticks, and I will for sure be having a look at the other shades.

Thanks for reading :)

Lou

Collection Lasting Colour Lipsticks

We all know how great the Lasting Perfection Concealer from Collection is- but what about their lipsticks? As it turns out, I have three, so I must like them enough to buy more, right?

From left to right I've got Scorned, Tea Rose and Sweet Tart.

I've had Sweet Tart the longest, hence why the bullet is all beaten up and gross, and I used to love this for a bright night-out lip back in the uni days. I haven't worn it so much recently, and I don't even know why- it's probably the melted shape of it that puts me off whenever I consider it.

Scorned was part of the Gothic Glam collection, which I'm not sure is still around, However, if it is, it's perfect for this time of year, especially for Halloween; a really deep dark aubergine purple.

The middle shade, Tea Rose, is a beautiful, wearable, warm pink which I bought most recently.
All three are creamy and pigmented, and I have to say I'm impressed with their lasting power. They aren't matte, so its not a stick-to-your-mouth job, but they definitely do a few hours nicely.
I'd recommend using a lip brush with these, especially the bright, bold shades as they can be messy to apply.

Overall, these are a steal at around £3 a pop, and a great formula to get a few more fun colours from, like Scorned and Sweet Tart. Check 'em out! :)


Thanks for reading!

Lou x

Stila ~ In the Garden Palette | Review

Hello, you look nice.

I think I've been a bit slow on the scene for this one, but I have to say I'm really glad I picked this palette up.

I think this is the perfect collecting for someone like me, who loves a neutral look, but wants a cheeky dabble in some colours now and again, and this palette has a dash of blue, green and purple thrown in around the standard neutrals,

I apologise for the horrible swatches, but the light really wasn't doing the colours any favours, you'll  just have to believe me that they are one-swipe swatches and a really smooth texture.

The only change I would make to this palette is add a deeper matte shade or two- the only two completely matte colours are Chinois and Nectar, which are too light to deepen the crease with.

Apart from that, this is a really nice all- round palette, with nice everyday shades (Chinois,Nectar, Breeze, Bark, Sage), and the brighter shades (Honey, Freesia, Rossette, Juniper) for when you feel a touch adventurous.

Overall, I would recommend- lovely texture, good lasting power and I really like the selection of shades in here.

Thanks for reading!

Lou x

Urban Decay Afterglow Blusher Review

Oh hey there sexy. Oh hey.
I friggin love this blusher. It was absolutely an impulse purchase, I got a bit excited at the Urban Decay counter a couple of weeks ago and came away with this and a lip product, which I will be reviewing soon.
So the Afterglow blushes are meant to be longlasting and pigmented, which I totally agree with. That being said, this shade (Fetish) is quite dark for my skin tone, but I can still get a nice application with it without looking like a crazy clown. Always a bonus.
 If it does get a little intense,I take my foundation brush and run it around the edges to blend.

I think this shade is a beautiful winter-y pink, perfect for all skin colours.
And can we talk about the packaging? I love it- its so classy and hefty and b-e-a-yootiful. The only bad thing is that there isn't a mirror in the lid which can be slightly annoying.
I would really recommend having a look at these blushers if you find that most just melt off your cheeks during a long day, which is what I normally get.
These definitely stick around for good, and I'm totally eyeing up a really amazing purpley shade they have. When's pay day...?

Thanks for reading!

Here's some lovely before and after photos for you to laugh at:

Primark Does... Lips

The inner snob in me shivers a little a bit about putting something from Primark on my mouth. What if a small snotty child has sucked it or stuck it up it's nose or something? The grotesque possibilities are endless.
Snobbery aside, I bought these two lip products from Primark recently, and firstly, I'd like to comment that the packaging is actually fairly sleek looking. If you didn't know it was Primark, I think you'd be a little impressed, right?

Swatch- wise, this is the Matte Crayon in the shade 06. I have been pleasantly impressed with this product so far. I'm not hugely into matte lips at the moment, I'm more for the glossy, natural look as I have fairly small lips and I find the fresher- looking finishes just look...fresher on me. Ya get me? Anyway. It is smooth and thick feeling going onto the lips- not in a bad way- creamy drying down to a nice, even smooth finish. The key word here is 'dry', which is definitely does end up. BUT, not in an uncomfortable way. I found wear time to be surprisingly good on this, and instead of cracking or flaking (one reason I am wary of matte lips, even thought I love them), this tends to do a more stain-like fade on the lips.

The second swatch, and the photo below, is the lipliner used all over the lips.

It is a very creamy formula, really easy to apply, and definitely comparable to the Rimmel Exaggerate lip liners.

With the lip crayon added over the top, it makes the colour a little pinker and lighter, but the two definitely work colour-wise together. However, I'm not one for a thick, matte lip- as mentioned- so I don't think I would wear them together like this. Separately, they have a very similar creamy feeling which dries down to a comfortable matte.

The third swatch is Rimmel's East End Snob, which I added to compare the colours. It's pretty close to the lipliner, put a little pinker than the crayon, which is slightly more peach.

Overall, I'm pretty impressed with these two products from Primark, you definitely can't go wrong for such a good price tag. Out of the two, I would recommend the lip liner, because it was £1 and a really nice staple pink/mauve colour.

Thanks for reading!
Lou x

Clinique Cheek Pop | Melon Pop

These have had a fair amount of hype over the last few months, and I've been very slow to invest in one. The £16 price tag on such a small product can seem a bit steep, but the quality makes it worth it.

I chose Melon Pop because I love a peachy blush, especially in the summer. The finish of this blush is matte, without shimmer or glitter, but it still looks natural and pretty on the cheeks. It's definitely a buildable product rather than being super pigmented, which I actually prefer in a blusher, because blending scary clown cheeks is my least favourite thing. I apply this with the Real Techniques Multi Tasker and the lasting power is 6hours +.

Thanks for reading!
Lou x

Naked 1 and 2 Comparison | Swatches and Review

 We all know the drill, the Urban Decay Naked palettes are pigmented, buttery goodness with excellent lasting power. I've owned Naked 2 for almost a year now, and I had a tough time deciding which would be my next purchase. I decided on Naked One, mostly because I know there's a couple of really good, staple, warm brown mattes in there which I am definitely missing in my collection. On top of that, what's a dozen more shimmery browny/ gold shades?
Instead of just swatching Naked One, I thought I'd investigate a few of the similar shades between Naked One and Two, so we can see how many colours truly cross over between the two palettes.

First comparison: Naked One, Virgin and Naked Two, Bootycall.
On the surface of it, these two look very similar- shimmery champagne-y goodness. Up close, Virgin is a lot more pink-toned, whereas Bootycall takes on a more cool goldy- undertone. Very similar, but definitely with something between them.

Naked One, Sidecar and Naked Two, YDK
Probably my favourite shade(s) in the two palettes. Buttery, smooth, shimmery goodness, a brown with a hint of pinky/mauve. They are both very coppery, and I think the most colours similar between the two palettes. If you want something a hint more pink, Toasted in Naked One is just a more flushed version of these two.

Naked One, Hustle and Naked Two, Busted
Some lovely Satin- finish chocolate browns. Very similar, but you can definitely tell that the Naked Two offering is cooler toned and slightly darker.

Naked One, Smog and Naked Two, Snakebite.
In the pan, I was fooled into thinking that these are almost identical. Swatched, Smog is a lot more yellow, even khaki- toned than Snakebite, which is a cooler mid-toned shimmery brown.

Naked One, Buck and Naked Two, Tease
Only similar at a glance in the pan, when swatched these are completely different. Tease is definitely my most- used shade in Naked Two: a really perfect cool mauve matte. Buck is a mid- toned warm brown which is excellent when creating a brown smokey eye.

Naked One, Creep and Naked Two, Blackout
You would think both palettes has a nice, basic matte black. But infact, only Naked Two does. Creep is more of a charcoal grey with chunky glitter, which is pretty but defintely not up to the standard of the silky smooth, deep black of Blackout.

I think, for a make-up junkie, having both the Naked One and Two really provides the full range of browns, bronzes, nudes and coppers, meaning I don't think I'll ever need to ( although I will want to), buy another palette based around those shades. I love them both, and I'm already waiting for a time when I can buy the Naked Three...

Thanks for reading, I hope this was helpful!
Lou x

Worth the Hype? | Maybelline Lash Sensational

I must be the only person in the world who hates this mascara. I'm serious, I've tried it probably four times now, each time expecting the formula to have thickened, dried or changed in some way to make it USABLE.
I don't understand how people like this mascara. Maybe I have a dud, but the formula is so wet and clumpy, it makes my lashes look wet, but not in a good way. It is also so HARD to make it hold a curl on my lashes, even with  a lash curler- the formula is so wet that it drags my lashes down again.
The above photo is after two or three coats, a lot of finger-lash curling (pushing my lashes up like a madwoman), and a lot of anger.

I rest my case on this one, Ive had it for months and the formula hasn't got any better. I'm prepared to admit that I have fussy lashes, but I just can't be friends with this one, sorry Maybelline

Thanks for reading!
Lou x

Maybelline Colour Sensational Shine Gloss | Review & Swatch

I've had this product for a while, and I've been back and forth with my opinion on it. But, I'm afraid, I've finally decided that I really do not like it that much at all.
I have mine in the shade 420 Glorious Grapefruit, which looks completely gorgeous and summery swatched here - a really bright but sheer orangey peach. Amazing.

On the lips it is definitely a sheer wash of colour, which I am totally okay with, and it's definitely not the way it looks or wears which makes me dislike it. It looks juicy and fresh, wears pretty well, and fades gracefully rather than patchily. However, there are a couple of things which just make the experience of using this gloss completely unpleasant for me.
Firstly, the smell/taste.
-A really obnoxious fake orange, which you think is quite fun for the first ten minutes, but then it lingers and gets into your mouth and tastes like you've munched up an orange soap, or a bottle of the Body Shop Satsuma Shower Gel. Not nice.
Secondly, the texture is just so SO odd.
- It feels kind of gritty? When applied, it glides on smoothly and evenly and you're like  yeah, look at my lips. But then, that inevitable moment comes when you press or rub your lips together and it feels horrible...like there is a bit of sand accidentally mixed in.
If I ever wanted to try out another colour to see if the texture is consistent across the line, I'm afraid I'm put off with the scent, so I'm closing the door on this product forever I'm afraid.

Thanks for reading!
Lou x