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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Current Beauty Wishlist

As a beauty obsessive, I have a wishlist much longer than my arm on a regular basis. Although instead of boring you all with a list the length of the yellow pages, I have rounded up some of my top picks that I have been lusting over!

There is quite a few eyeshadow products as I do love a good eye palette, I just can’t get enough really! I have two quads on my list from Chanel and Charlotte Tilbury. The first is from the new fall Chanel Le Rouge collection. The quad is basically autumn in a palette, a gorgeous trio of warm brown shades and a beautiful and slightly daring red shade. It is pricey but you can’t go wrong with a beautiful monochrome Chanel compact eh! The Charlotte Tilbury option is slightly different being a collection of gold-y neutral shades that looks very seasonally appropriate! Again I think this one is limited edition so hopefully I can snap up this one soon!

The last eyeshadow option is from Anastasia and their well hyped Modern Renaissance palette. What drew me to this palette, other than the fact that I’ve seen it everywhere is that the colour selection is beautifully unique. The warm shade selection looks well up my street and could even persuade me to experiment a bit with colour! The packaging looks super cute too!

I am also so incredibly hyped to see that Kat Von D makeup is finally coming to the UK. Hallelujah! I’ve been desperate to try the ever so popular liquid lipsticks so I can’t wait to finally get my hands on a couple. I am not particularly sure what shades yet, any recommendations?

Lastly, is the Sweethearts bronzer from Too Faced. I’ve not tried much from Too Faced but everything I have, I have really liked! This bronzer looks so pretty and that’s not just the packaging! The light and dark shade combination looks perfect for my skin tone and I’ve heard that the pigmentation is pretty good too! So hopefully I can nab this one quick!

What is on your wishlist?

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August Favourites

The Summer months are coming to a close and I am super excited to get my fall makeup sorted but for the time being I am going to enjoy the last of the sunshine and glowy light makeup. For the past while, my favourites haven’t been too exciting as I have been using the same products again and again, sadly again this is the quite the same for this month. However there is a couple of newbies and things I’ve been trying out that I have really liked! Hopefully though for next month, I will have a selection of interesting products!

Starting with skincare, when my Oskia cleanser ran out, I started to try out this travel size Aurelia Miracle Cleanser. This is a cream based cleanser with Chamomile, Eucalptus, Rosemary and Bergamot. It feels incredibly silky and gentle on the skin and makes such a nice second cleanser for the evening. It is quite pricey particularly when the Liz Earle one is very similar however it really feels like a dream to use.

I am always on the lookout for skincare products that can help with my breakouts so I was excited to try out this Super Spot Remover from Origins. I am a huge Origins fan but spot removers never tend to go down well with me. However I have really enjoyed using this one. It isn’t a miracle worker but it helps repair skin by healing blemishes. I use a drop at night over any blemishes and by morning it dries up the area which makes it fade much faster! The tube is very small but it will last a long time!

On to makeup picks, a product I’ve had in my stash for a while is the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Spotlight in Opal. This is essentially a liquid highlighter and this mini comes with a little doe foot applicator easy to swipe on for a gorgeous glow. Opal is a gorgeous pearl-y golden shade which looks natural and soft on the cheeks. Becca really are queens at highlighter!

The last two favourites are newer in my collection. Firstly the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Bette which I mentioned in this post here. I love a good cream eyeshadow and this ticks all the boxes. It is beautifully creamy, pigmented and the colour is stunning! Lastly, is the Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil again which I mentioned here. This is such an easy and simple brow pencil which looks super natural but builds up really well on my brows. It is also super convenient when I am rushing to get out the door!

What have you been loving recently?

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A Mini Charlotte Tilbury Haul

Whenever I am feeling a little splurge I always go for Charlotte Tilbury. It is no surprise I am a huge fan of the brand as I have mentioned quite a few products on the blog. I am always lusting over something from the brand and when they released a new range of lipsticks, I just had to pick one up. Of course I couldn’t just buy one thing so I did a little double splurge, what’s new!?

Talking of the new lipstick range, Charlotte has released a new line of lipsticks entitled ‘Hot Lips’ with each lipstick named after a famous female personality. £1 of every lipstick sale also goes to an international charity supporting women which obviously makes the purchase even sweeter! I do think however more than a £1 could’ve been donated but at least it’s something, right! I picked up the shade Secret Salma which is a gorgeous deep rosy plum colour. The shade comes in Charlotte’s incredible Matte Revolution formula which is super creamy and comfortable whilst being matte.

Of course, my CT wishlist is always growing so I was excited to see that she had a special 30% off some items on her website. I had been desperate to try out her cream Eyes to Mesmerise eye shadows so I had to pick one up since it was on offer. I picked the shade Bette, which is a gorgeous Amber gold shade. The formula is super creamy and incredibly long lasting on the lids. It makes a very easy and quick eyeshadow look perfect for makeup on the go.

Are you a fan of CT products? 

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Inside My Beauty Sample Box #2

If you remember back to the start of the year, I gave you all a little peek inside my beauty sample box. Now I thought it was time to give you another look at some more samples I’ve been trying out. My box seems to keep filling up with beauty samples! It seems that so many brands and online retailers are always supplying you with some kind of sample which is great as they make a really good way of trying out products without breaking the bank! So here is what I have been trying out.

Hawaiian Tropic Satin Protection Sun Lotion 

Not my usual kind of product to try out but we all need sun protection! Sun cream isn’t the most exciting thing to try out but basically it needs to fit the requirements of firstly protecting your skin (obviously!) and also not feeling sticky or greasy. I am happy to say that it delivers on that! It is definitely not in any way greasy feeling, instead it feels really nice on my skin. Another thing I really like about this is the scent. I usually like the scent of sun lotion anyway but this has a beautiful almost coconut-y scent to it which is so summery and sweet!

Purchase full-size?: I don’t really need sun lotion right now but in future I would definitely consider this!

Origins GinZing Eye Cream

Origins seem to be like Benefit in terms of how many products I have tried. Not long ago I was such a newbie to Origins but now I have tried quite a lot of their popular products (with more coming my way in the mail!) as it is so easy to try out their products in terms of samples and travel sizes. Recently, I got my hands on a sample of their eye cream from their GinZing range which I had previously not tried. I am a huge lover of the Kiehl’s Avocado eye cream so I did have to compare it to that. Sadly for me whilst it feels refreshing, it is a lightweight gel and for me I prefer a much thicker consistency. If you suffer from dark circles, this might be a nice one for you however I use eye cream to help strengthen my weak skin under my eyes and the thickness of the Kiehl’s one works wonders so unfortunately the Origins one is too light and not as creamy and moisturising to make a difference.

Purchase full-size?: No, I will be sticking to my trusty Kiehl’s one!

Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder foundation

I am a huge lover of the Charlotte Tilbury range! So obviously I had to try my hand at her ever popular foundations. You may know I sadly wasn’t a fan of the Magic foundation, my review here, however I got a sample of this to hopefully be impressed! I did try the Magic one first and after being disappointed, I was hoping that the Light Wonder would make up for it! Sadly that wasn’t the case! I was super disappointed in this foundation! The real issue I had was that the coverage was far too light and it just seemed to wash over me without even correcting my skin tone and the more I added, the more cakey it appeared too. Not the foundation I expected it to be!

Purchase full-size?: Sadly, nope!

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturiser SPF30

Kiehl’s are very well known for their great range of moisturisers. I am actually looking for a new moisturiser (with my eye on the Skin Rescuer from the brand) and I had a few samples already to test out from Kiehl’s. This one has an impressive SPF 30! I always like to have an SPF if I can in a moisturiser so this is definitely a bonus! It is a super lightweight moisturiser although maybe too light on my skin. I did find it fairly basic, not the most moisturising sadly! I am sure many people will love this although I just felt like I wanted more from it!

Purchase full-size?: I will be skipping this one and hopefully testing something else!

What samples have you been trying?

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The Summer Lip Edit

When it comes to lip products I am always more of a neutral kinda gal. I have my go-to shades which usually consist of every variation of nude going (I swear they are different, really!). However when Summer comes around I am all for something that little bit bolder. Bright corals and fuchsia shades are all that I crave in Summer time and just look great alongside a tan and my Summer attire. I left out my lip choices in my Travel Makeup Bag post so I thought today I would share my go-to lip picks for the sunny season. I did have a couple more shades however they are very similar to a few that I am going to mention anyway!

Starting with the lightest shades from the bunch. I got my first use out of the Illamasqua Matte Lip Liquid in Surrender. I picked this up way back at the start of the year and mentioned it in this haul. The shade is a bright pink-y peach that basically has Summer all over it. This is the first I’ve tried one of these Illamasqua liquid lipsticks however the formula applied quite streaky on me at first and the colour looked a bit odd on my appearance. However when I patted it down, it revealed a nice softer nude peach colour, perfect for a more toned down look. The formula ovbiously requires a bit of work but the finished result is worth it!

Keeping with the lighter options but moving on to the coral-y shades, I love Charlotte Tilbury Sexy Sienna. This is a beautiful peachy coral shade which can be worn toned down or more vibrantly. The CT formula is also worth a shout for being super creamy and comfortable to wear. To amp it up even more, Mac Tropic Tonic is pretty much like the bolder sister with a vivid pink-y coral colour that is definitely one for the tanned.

To the more bolder picks now, Relentlessly Red is much like a more pinker toned Tropic Tonic. The name is rather misleading, it is definitely not red but more of a bright fuchsia pink. The Retro Matte formula is also super long wearing. Moving on to a more redder toned option, I have also got my first wear out of the Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick in Soaked which is a gorgeous orange-y red shade. I love these kind of shades, more summery than a typical red with the orange undertones yet still so wearable. Lastly, is my latest new lip addition that I picked up at duty free, Mac Flat Out Fabulous. I had wanted this shade for so long and I am so glad I picked it up! It’s a beautiful plum-y fuchsia shade that looks so flattering and such a wearable way to venture into purple tones. Love it!

What is your top Summer lip pick?

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Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation Review

The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation has been at the height of many rave reviews so of course I had to see what all the fuss is about. I’ve been loyal to Nars Sheer Glow for so long so it was about time I tried something new in the high end category. I am a huge fan of Charlotte Tilbury and her always impressive beauty range so it was about time to try one of her base products. So is the Magic foundation all that magic?

PRICE/DESIGN

The Magic foundation retails at £29.50 which is around the average price mark for a high end foundation. It comes in a tad cheaper than her Light Wonder foundation and is actually a decent price for the Charlotte Tilbury (CT) range considering she uses a more premium price point. It is also a little cheaper than the Nars Sheer Glow foundation so whilst it is still on the pricey side, it isn’t as eye-watering as some of her other products. The bottle design also boasts a luxury look as expected from the CT range. It makes a great dressing table decoration with a frosted glass design and a very pretty rose gold lid, I mean who doesn’t love a bit of rose gold!? Paying a high price, you will be glad to know this foundation also features a pump unlike some other high end foundations (*cough* Nars Sheer Glow).

SHADE RANGE

This foundation comes in 15 shades so covers a really good spectrum of skin tones. I have Shade 2 which is a perfect match for my skin tone. Her website shows a very detailed description of each shade so it’s easier to match up if buying online (like me) or if you have a counter near by I would recommend picking up a sample. Also, if you buy from her website you can pick 2 free samples, one being the foundation to try out, something I should have done!

COVERAGE/FINISH

The foundation has a semi-matte/satin finish, much like Nars Sheer Glow. It isn’t too matte on the skin but isn’t dewy either although it does give off a little natural glow. It is probably my most preferred finish for a foundation and one that usually works the best for my combination skin. The foundation is marketed as being full-coverage so one that seems more appropriate for special occasions. However one of the first impressions I took from using this foundation is that there is no way it is full coverage. It is much more of a buildable medium coverage foundation. I definitely have to work in thin layers to build up the coverage as desired which does use up a lot of foundation for one use which is pretty disappointing particularly for a ‘high coverage’ high end foundation.

APPLICATION

The actual application of the foundation was the most disappointing thing for me which sadly isn’t great considering it really is the most important factor to a foundation. The foundation applied incredibly cakey and was so drying on my skin. After trying out the foundation in different ways, I found the best method for application was to actual pat the foundation into my skin with a buffing brush opposed to buffing it in. Using that method, it sits much better on my skin and does appear as cakey or stick to dry areas. It has similar effects to many drugstore foundations I’ve tried were there is days were it looks decent and others were it doesn’t look great. The longevity also seems to vary on me as well but overall isn’t too bad. If there is one good point to mention, it is that the foundation does seem to wear better as the day goes on and with my makeup complete, the foundation looks a lot better than the first application.

OVERALL

As the holy grail foundation for many, sadly this fell a little short for my liking. The shade range is impressive as you would expect for a high end foundation but the application and coverage is such a disappointment for me. Foundations are always different for everyone but this foundation just doesn’t work as well on my skin compared to others. I can get away with it as it usually settles down during the day however I can’t see myself repurchasing this! For me it just doesn’t live up to the hype or the claims behind the foundation.

Have you tried the Magic Foundation?

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My Travel Makeup Bag

I like to have options when it comes to makeup and I am regularly changing up my everyday makeup. However when it comes to travelling, I like to keep things convenient and easy. I wish I could transport my makeup collection easily without the hassle but sadly that’s not the case. When it comes to travelling, I have to downsize for obvious reasons in that I only have a certain amount of space to travel with. Call me weird but I also get a little nervous travelling with beauty products in case they break or get damaged since some products are packaged to be a little more fragile. How materialistic eh! So anyway I thought I would share my convenient travel easy products that I will be using away from home.

In terms of base, I have gave myself two options. The BareMinerals Complexion Rescue and the Topshop BB cream will be my bases of choice this Summer with both offering decent coverage yet a lightweight formula. They also both offer a soft dewy look too especially the BareMinerals offering. To perfect my complexion, I’ve also got my go-to concealer of the moment from NYX which is decent enough at covering any blemishes. Also, to add a little light under my eyes, I have the Mac Prep + Prime Highlighter in Light Boost which has also been my go to for brightening my under eyes. I’m not the biggest powder lover but I have the Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot in case I need to mattify my skin and set my makeup in place.

In give my skin a little more warmth, I am also loving the Soap and Glory Wonderbronze to add a nice bit of bronze-y glow to my complexion. In terms of blush, I have two options. The Clinique Cheek Pop in Melon Pop is a great pick for Summer to add a nice coral-y flush to the cheeks! I also have my trusty Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Lavish Mauve if I am going for a more neutral look. To finish off, the Topshop Glow Stick in Play up is perfect for adding more glow to the skin and is also super easy to travel with in a convenient crayon style packaging.

In terms of eyes, I am going simple with brows and mascara. My Benefit Gimme Brow is on its last legs however it is super easy to travel with and I am all about the natural look when on holiday. I also have a miniature of the Benefit They’re Real, my go-to mascara and who doesn’t love a little beauty mini for travelling! In terms of eyeshadow, I am going for the minimal approach. The BareMinerals Colour Extravaganza Convertible Eyeshadow Palette (longest name ever) is perfect for travelling as it has a pop-out trio palette so I have selected three shades from that to take away. I am also going to add in some Makeup Geek shadows (not pictured) to give myself a little more choice! Lastly, I have not included lip products in this as I will be doing a seperate post and I have a lot! However I do want to mention the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfecting Base which is my go-to lip balm for under lipstick which I just couldn’t go without!

What beauty products do you take when travelling?

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May Favourites

We are entering the half way point to the year, where has time gone!? As Summer approaches now I am all about the summery bronzey makeup look which I covered in this post. I haven’t been wearing much makeup this month and instead letting my skin breathe but when I have been opting for a little makeup, I have been going for a similar look and these products are ones that I have been loving lately.

In terms of base and application, I have loved a soft glowy look. To achieve that, I have been enjoying using the Nars Illuminator in the shade Copacabana which is a gorgeous pearl-y highlight. This can be used on top of foundation, under or mixed in. I have loved mixing it in with my foundation to create a gorgeous fresh glowy base. To apply my base, I have became a lover of the Beauty Blender. I am a total sponge convert. I spoke in this post about why I think this is worth the hype, it is super easy to apply and blend product particularly liquid based products like the Nars highlighter or foundation. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without this!

To amp up the warmth in my skin, I have been loving two cheek products. The first is the Soap and Glory Wonderbronze Shimmer Brick bronzer. I always prefer matte bronzers to shimmery formulations however with Summer in the air, I am all about the bronze-y glowing look. I basically want all the shimmery bronzers and I turned to an old product in my stash and regained my love. I like to swirl my brush in this and apply in a three shape to the sides of my face and to add a gorgeous glow. Some of the shades can be quite dark so I like to take this lightly for a soft glowy look. How many more times will I say glowy, sorry!

To finish the cheeks, I am also loving the Tarte blush in Exposed which is a gorgeous matte mauve, neutral pink shade that is super flattering. The shade adds a nice level of warmth to the skin without being overpowering and also adds definition and sculpts the face. Lastly, I also have been loving a coral-pink lip combo, perfect for summer. My Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks all seem to work well with my Summer beauty stash and I have been loving a combo of two. A light layer of Sexy Sienna, a gorgeous bright coral shade teamed with a topping of Bitch Perfect, a soft pink nude makes the perfect light everyday Summer lip.

What have you been loving lately?

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