The Best Beauty Discoveries of 2016: Part 2

Being a lipstick hoarder, naturally I had to have a separate 2016 favourites post dedicated just to lip products. This is part two of my yearly favourites, so if you missed my first part then you can catch up here on all my other beauty favourites. Back to the the topic of lipstick however, my favourite, there is a few different products I want to discuss from liquid lipsticks, lipsticks and lip balms which have made my year. Honestly, I could’ve maybe added more options to this post but I thought I would keep it streamlined to mention my top ultimate lip products from the year so here we go..

Starting with liquid lipsticks, 2016 has officially been the year of liquid lipstick. It seems like every brand has their own version of a liquid lipstick with so many to choose from now. There were quite a few I tried this year and particularly ones I hadn’t previously tried out. Kat Von D finally came to the UK this year (finally!) and of course I had to nab a couple of her ever popular everlasting liquid lipsticks. I have a few shades from the range including both Lovesick and Mother (pictured) and they are so gorgeous. Lovesick in particular is such a great everyday shade but also super unique too as well as having a great wearable formula.

Another liquid lipstick that won me over is from the Mac Retro Matte range, in particular Lady Be Good. I heard a lot of mixed reviews regarding these matte liquid lipsticks however I am obsessed with this one. The formula is super comfortable as well as having an amazing doe foot applicator which is spongy and shaped perfectly to fit the lips. The colour is a beautiful peachy nude shade, perfect for everyday wear. With new shades of these being released, I definitely need to try more!

In terms of lipsticks, I fell in love with two new formulas. Firstly, lipstick queen Charlotte Tilbury when I finally tried her KISSING range out, in particular the shade Bitch Perfect. This is my perfect nude, a beautiful light peachy pink and the most comfortable creamy formula. Major Love! A new release this year came from Urban Decay when they revamped their lipstick range, introducing the vice collection of 100 lipsticks. With so many to choose from, I settled for the shade Backtalk which I am so glad I did. It is definitely one of my favourite lipstick shades, a beautiful cool toned rosy mauve shade in a comfortable matte formula. Definitely one I recommend!

Lastly, moving on to lip balm/glosses. I found a lip balm this year that I truly do not know what I would do without in my beauty stash! It is the Instant Light Lip Perfecting Base from Clarins. This works as a treat as my go-to lipstick base as it helps hydrate my lips before layering on the heavy liquid lipsticks. I honestly don’t find matte lipsticks uncomfortable at all, yes even the Mac Retro Matte range as this seems to work so well as if I am wearing nothing on my lips. A truly ground-breaking product in my stash!

Lastly, a newer product in my stash but still one I am already obsessed with. A lip gloss/balm hybrid. the By Terry Baume De Rose Lip Gloss. A special holiday release, this is essentially a pearly lip glossy version of their cult balm, except with a texture much like a balm in that it isn’t overly sticky like a gloss which I love. I always wanted to try the original so I am super excited to be able to try this and since I’ve been loving it, I desperately want the original in my stash! It is such a great minimal makeup option, a beautiful glossy nude pink shade.

What are your top lip products from 2016?

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The Holiday Beauty Wishlist

Whilst this time of year is super exciting for buying gifts for your close ones and all the festive treats, it is also nice to give yourself a little treat! Being a beauty lover, I get so hyped for the holiday season as all the holiday Christmas collections and gift sets are released! That means little sets which can help save extra pennies in your pocket and also new limited edition collections. Of course you can’t beat festive beauty with sparkly gold eye-shadows and red lip products! With loads of new releases and gift sets available, I thought I would share what is on my list to pick up this year which may also give you a little hint for yourself or if you are picking up a gift for a makeup enthusiast!

Last year, I picked up a mini set from Becca containing two of their popular highlighters in the Opal shade. This year they have brought it back in the same format with a mini liquid highlighter and mini powder version however this time around it is in the Moonstone shade which I have never tried. As you may know I am a huge fan of the Becca highlighters so this little set retailing for £20 is such a steal and I can’t wait to try out this beautiful shade!

I’ve always wanted to try the cult By Terry Baume De Rose lip balm but it is a pricey purchase! However luckily they have released a special festive edition in a lip gloss form. Retailing at £20 it is pricey but still a fraction of the original price and gives you a little trial of the ever so popular balm!

Moving on to Nars, one of my favourite beauty brands who always deliver such a great range over the festive period. This year was no different! The collection this year focuses around Sarah Moon and her photography work which features on the packaging. Whilst there is a great set of gift sets available, I am all about the colour collection. I have two products on my list, the first being this gorgeous matte nude lipstick which looks like my perfect shade! The other is an eyeshadow duo in the shade Quai Des Brumes which features two gorgeous shades with a shimmery lavender-grey and a charcoal grey with specks of shimmer. The two duos available are both gorgeous although I do prefer this one for its smoky look!

Lastly, Jouer have released a trio of their popular liquid lipsticks in three winter appropriate shades! Retailing at £31.50, this trio is near enough buy one get one free and offers three beautiful colours! There is a gorgeous cranberry red, a pink-y nude and an intense shimmery burgundy which I would love to try out! This set will have your winter lip wardrobe sorted and for that reason I may just have to pick this up!

What’s on your holiday beauty wishlist?

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The Minimal Makeup Look

We all have those days were we want a fuss free makeup menu that will take a limited amount of time. I certainly have those days and since starting work this Summer I have nailed down a quick makeup routine that is easy and appropriate for a day at work. I am thinking those easy and convenient products but also ones that I can trust to create a good base. There are quite a few products in my stash that serve this purpose pretty well.

First up, when it comes to base I want something simple, lightweight but also creates radiant and flawless skin. Sounds like a lot but BareMinerals Complexion Rescue fits the bill. The light coverage base blends in like a dream and creates such gorgeous glowy fresh skin. Teamed with the Nars Creamy Concealer which gives the coverage it serves up a flawless base. Still sticking with the base, to warm things up a bit my new trusty Body Shop Honey Bronzer is a match made in heaven for my pale skin. For quick and easy application, the Rimmel Stay Blushed cheek tint works perfectly at adding a little flushed look to the cheeks. To keep on top of the glow the Topshop Glow Pot is the perfect product for adding a sheen to the tops of the cheekbones.

Moving on to eyes. there is nothing quite as easy and simple as a good eyeshadow stick. The By Terry Ombre Blackstars are as good as the hype suggests. The shade Misty Rock is simply beautiful and the formula is incredible gliding over the lids smoothly with a gorgeous finish. To finish the look, a quick swipe of the Benefit Bad Gal mascara for that natural fluttery style which is perfect for an everyday basis. For brows, the Soap and Glory Archery works wonders and is perfect for those minimal makeup days when you need something natural but still tidied up.  To finish the look, a simple sweep of the Clarins Lip Balm Perfector is a great choice, super moisturising and buttery smooth on the lips whilst still giving them a little colour.

What do you wear on Minimal Makeup days?

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Spring Eyes: Pretty Pinks and Purples

Over the last couple of months I have been going for a similar eyeshadow look using pretty pastel shades of pinks and lilacs. As Spring has sprung, I have given my makeup look a little freshen up ditching bolder eye looks in favour of something a little more pretty. After seeing a couple of notable bloggers and YouTubers use certain products I picked up a couple of newbies which helped nail this fresh spring eye look down. In terms of my overall Spring makeup, you can check out my full Spring edit here. Now back to the eyes, here is some of the products I have been switching between recently.

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette – Probably the palette that started it all. After Lily Pebbles did a tutorial using this beauty, it urged me to start using it again. Soon after, I have became hooked once again. The light rose and plum hues have Spring written all over them. You can create so many beautiful looks too in the one palette with my preference of going for a little shimmer on the lids and a light matte shade in the crease for a super effortless but ever so pretty look. Of course this palette is superb quality and in case you missed out, you can check my full review here.

L’Oreal Colour Riche 601 Cameleon Eyeshadow – Another blogger enabled purchase, this time from Essie Button who used this very pretty shade in one of her videos. This is actually my first eyeshadow from L’Oreal even though they do seem pretty popular and look very nice. This shade is just incredible. It’s one of those colours that changes in the light and looks different on others. It is a lilac-y sheen with a slight tone of blue through it. Its a very pretty shade perfect for spring and it is super unique. It looks fresh for Spring and matched with a bright lip, its a dream.

By Terry Ombre Blackstar Misty Rock – Of course I was going to mention this gem of a product. Its quite the hype we know and for good reason. I won’t go on too much as I did review it last week here. It really is a beautiful shade for Spring. Again like the L’Oreal eyeshadow it has that effect to it in which it looks different in the light. Its a plummy-mauve shade with a silver shimmer running through it. It looks amazing simply on its own, quick and easy and looks pretty damn good!

Maybelline Colour Tattoo Pink Gold – One of my favourite eyeshadow formulas, the inexpensive but amazing Maybelline Colour Tattoos. Again I won’t bat on about them too much as I did talk about them before here. The light pink shimmery shade is again perfect for spring. These are super pigmented and glide on like a dream. Again this shadow looks fab by itself as a pretty wash of colour over the lids.

Are you a fan of Pink and Purple eyeshadows? What are you wearing on your eyes this Spring?

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By Terry Ombre Blackstar Misty Rock

There is no denying I am such a sucker for the hype. That explains my recent purchase. The By Terry Ombre Blackstar eyeshadow sticks have been subject to some serious rave reviews particularly the Misty Rock shade and I am pretty much going to continue that trend.

After seeing Tanya Burr and Lily Pebbles wearing this shade, I pretty much needed it. At £29 a pop, its a little on the pricey side although I took full advantage of a recent Space NK offer with £10 off when you spend £40 which was my perfect opportunity to get my hands on this beauty. The packaging is gorgeous to say the least, in a beautiful luxurious gold casing, love it!

Eyeshadow sticks have been quite the rage for a while but this particular one happens to be the first one in my collection, shocker! The colour of this is beautiful. Its quite different from what I would usually go for but I love it. Its a plummy purple toned shade with a slight silvery shimmer through it, one of those shades that changes in the light. The great thing about this product is that you can use a swipe of this alone without any other shades and it is the perfect eye look.

The formula of these eyeshadow sticks are perfect too. They glide on super easily and can be easily blended out to create a pretty wash of colour. The pigmentation is superb as well with only a small amount of product needed for good colour pay off although by applying more product you can build up a strong pop of colour on the lids. The formula is also pretty long lasting and doesn’t appear to crease although I do prime my eyelids before hand since I have a case of pretty oily lids.

I think I may have discovered a new found love for eyeshadow sticks and I can’t deny that I am dreaming over a couple more By Terry shades!

Have you tried the By Terry Ombre Blackstars?