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?

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

The Blush Tag

Blush is without a doubt one of my favourite makeup items. I love buying new blushes to add to my collection and throughout have discovered some real gems. I have seen this tag floating around blogs for a long while now and I thought I would give my input into some of my favourite and not so favourite blush picks!

1. What blush color suits you the most?

I am definitely a lover of nude-rosy mauve toned shades (you will soon grasp that!). I love the subtle look but warmth that they add and also the structural effect that many of those shades tend to offer. I find bolder shades can look a little too much on my pale complexion.

2. Pressed, cream or loose blush?

I am definitely all for pressed! I am not the biggest cream fan and I haven’t actually tried any loose powder blushes but that seems a little messy!

3. Favourite shimmery blush?

Most of my blushes are shimmery so this is a difficult one! The hourglass blushes are beautiful though! They are not overly shimmery or intense but offer more of a soft highlight effect on the cheeks. Totally gorgeous! My favourites are Diffused Heat and Mood Exposure.

4. Favourite matte blush?

As I said most of my blushes are shimmery so I don’t have many matte options to choose from however I recently got my hands on two shades from Tarte. The shade Exposed is totally beautiful and flattering on my skin. The mauve-plum shade adds the perfect amount of colour as well as adding a sculpted effect to the cheeks.

5. Favourite cream blush?

I am not the biggest fan of cream formulas however the Illamasqua blushes never fail to disappoint and I am truly obsessed with their cream blush in the shade Zygomatic. I picked this up at a bargain price but I absolutely love it, again a pretty soft nude shade that is uber flattering. The formula is perfect however and doesn’t feel slippy or greasy on the skin.

6. Favourite drugstore blush?

I tend to go for higher end options particularly for blush as the drugstore never really interests me in terms of blush however there is one blush I love. The Max Factor Creme Puff Blushes has to be the best drugstore blush range around. They are beautiful and the marble-y highlighting effect makes them great dupes of the Hourglass options. The shade Lavish Mauve is super beautiful and a great dupe for Hourglass Mood Exposure.

7. Favourite high end blush?

Such a tricky one since this basically equates to what is my favourite blush! I probably have to go with the Hourglass blushes as they feel like such a good investment however I love the Nars blushes particularly Sin!

8. Favourite bright blush?

Since I opt more for nude shades I don’t really have a lot of bold bright shades. Not necessarily a bright shade but Mac Breezy is much bolder in comparison to my other offerings and I totally adore it. The berry shade is perfect for the colder months for adding a perfect pop of colour!

9. Biggest blush disappointment/regret?

Sadly after having my heart on the Mac Ripe Peach Ombre Blush I was a little disappointed. FYI I spoke about it in detail here. The ombre design is so gorgeous but sadly the pigmentation was a real let down! It is so sheer but still workable, just not as I would have hoped for!

10. Best blush packaging?

The hourglass ones are super gorgeous but the monochromatic Nars design will always steal my heart!

11. What’s on your blush wish list?

Definitely one of the Charlotte Tilbury blushes, I actually nearly bought one recently but after already splurging on a few other blushes I held back but it is definitely still on my radar! I would also like to explore the Nars and Mac range more, any recommendations?

12. Number 1 Holy Grail Blush?

I would probably say Hourglass Mood Exposure (not surprising eh!), the shimmery finish and the flattering mauve tone is just perfect! I only have a miniature in my Hourglass palette but I can so see myself picking up the full size! Also shoutout to Nars Orgasm which is just a perfect all round blush too!

 

What is your favourite blush?

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

Building The Perfect Nail Wardrobe

Whilst it took me some time to truly build a love for makeup, I have always been a good lover of nail polish. Nail polish was probably my original hoarding problem and it still continues to have a large presence in my beauty collection. I have built up a well loved collection through the years and also discovered those must-have shades and brands that I always go back to. Some people may not like to have every possible colour of the rainbow in nail polish form so I thought I would break it down and look at those essential shades you need in your collection.

THE NUDE

One of my favourite kind of shades, a simple pretty nude shade. If you are looking for something fuss-free then a nude beige/pink shade is the perfect go-to. Simple but chic, it goes with any outfit. A perfect option for weddings or a formal event with a pretty yet luxurious feel.

Favourite shades:  Essie Sand Tropez, Essie Ballet Slippers, Nails Inc x VB Bamboo White

THE CLASSIC RED

A shade that surprisingly took me a while to get a hold of but one that is an essential in everyone’s collection. A classic red will never go out of fashion, it is that fail-safe option you can always rely on. Red nails look uber sleek and add a simple but chic splash of colour to a neutral outfit.

Favourite shades: Essie Fifth Avenue, Illamasqua Aorta, OPI Guy Meets Gal-Veston

THE GLITTER

You either love a bit of glitter or you don’t but c’mon we all need a good glitter nail polish for those festive occasions. I mean it’s not quite Christmas without a layer of something gold and sparkly, right!? It may be a pain to remove but a layer of something sparkly is always worth the effort!

Favourite shades: Essie Summit of Style, Nails Inc x Alice & Olivia Gold Goddess

THE SOPHISTICATED GREY

Now when I say grey I mean those greige/grey-y blue toned shades, yup so not quite full on 50 shades of grey. These are some of my favourite shades, a touch of colour through the blue-y tones yet the grey means it remains fairly cool toned and neutral. Another one of those simple but chic looks.

Favourite shades: Essie Master Plan, Essie Parka Perfect, Essie Maximillian Strasse Her

THE SPRING PASTEL 

After the darkness of Winter, I am sure we all want to inject a little bit of life and colour into our lives. Whilst I may not be the most colourful person, a little pastel shade on the nails won’t hurt nobody. I find a pastel the perfect way to add colour as it’s light and happy yet not too in your face.

Favourite shades: Barry M Rose Hip, Accessorize Heavenly, Nails Inc Mayfair Lane

THE BRIGHT SUMMER SHADE

Speaking of colour, come sun shining Summer time, there is nothing better than a touch of colour to suit a warmer complexion. It doesn’t have to be over the top fluorescent type of shade but a touch of colour adds that summery feel.

Favourite shades: Essie Chillato, Barry M Coral, Essie Roarrrange

THE AUTUMN BERRY

Whilst a pop of colour adds such positive connotations of Summer and great memories, nothing will ever beat the dark shades of Autumn. Those dark berries and deep purples will always hold a dear place in my heart.

Favourite shades:Barry M Matte Crush, Essie Bahama Mama, Nails Inc Grosvenor Crescent

What are your favourite nail shades?

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

Illamasqua Haul

When it comes to Boxing Day/January sales, Illamasqua always have a pretty impressive selection on sale and one of the best offerings out there during the sales. This year was no different and of course in no time I was back on that Illamasqua website searching for the best bargains. I picked up a few products all of which were at least 50% off  with a couple in the 60% off bracket! So if you were left a little disappointed regarding the post-Christmas sales this year then Illamasqua is the your best bet for a pretty darn good beauty bargain!

The first thing I picked up is one of the powder blusher duos in the shades Katie and Ambition. I am already a big fan of the Illamasqua blushers with a couple in my stash that I regularly use although this was my first time trying the powder formula. Both shades are super pigmented and require a light hand when applying. The formula is quite powdery but not overly so that it appears on the skin. The shade Katie is a pretty soft matte blue toned pink which does remind me a little of Benefit Dandelion. Ambition is a shimmery neutral pink which isn’t too far off Nars Orgasm. This neat little compact also only set me back a very decent £10.20 rather than the usual £22.50 price tag.

Another super bargain I got my hands on was one of their Matte Lip Liquids in the shade Surrender. I think 2016 will become the year I get totally hooked on liquid lipsticks. I am currently on the hunt to try out pretty much every liquid lipstick on the market so I couldn’t turn this sweet deal down! From £18.50 down to £7 it was no surprise I had this on my radar. I haven’t actually tried this shade out yet but it is a gorgeous peachy pink colour that will look beautiful come Summer!

An Illamasqua product I had wanted to try for a while is their Vintage Metallix eyeshadows. I was pretty happy to see a couple of shades reduced down to £8.50 so I picked up the very pretty Courtier shade. Courtier is a gorgeous creamy beige-y nude shade with shimmer running through it so it makes a pretty nice base for other eyeshadows or all over the lid itself for a simple but pretty look.

Lastly, I have heard a lot about Illamasqua lipsticks but I wasn’t particularity sure where to start! With a little selection of lipsticks half price, I had to pick one up! I finally picked one of their Glamore Satin lipsticks in the shade Soaked, a gorgeous bright orange-y red. Last Summer I became a little obsessed with this colour as it just adds a more summery vibe to a basic red so I can’t wait to crack this one out come the warmer months. Again I haven’t tried this yet but I am sure I will update you later on this one!

Are you a fan of Illamasqua? 

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

 

Four For Fall: Blush

As October has begun, Autumn is officially in full swing. There is a crisp chill in the air and the nights appear to be getting darker. In return, my daily makeup has had a little switch up lately to adapt to the new season. One thing in particular that I have changed around is my choice of blush. Out goes the coral and peachy toned blush for something a little more rosy and plum. There are four blushes in my stash that will be on rotation throughout the season as they are all so perfect for the colder months ahead.

Probably the one that I will get the most wear out of during the season is the newbie in my collection; Nars Dolce Vita. I was desperate to get my hands on another shade from the Nars blush range after falling in love with Nars Orgasm blush. The shade ‘Dolce Vita’ was literally calling my name and the perfect choice for the new season. The shade above appears a little lighter than reality but the shade is more of a warm rosy colour. It works beautifully with my pale complexion and has that sort of English Rose look about it providing a little flushed rosy look to the cheeks. The formula is super too, really fine and long lasting.

A more budget friendly option comes from Max Factor in the form of their Creme Puff blushes in the shade Gorgeous Berries. Blush is probably one of my most cherished beauty products but if I am honest the drugstore don’t have the finest selection. I don’t really find that they offer the best and most appealing varieties. Although one of the most exciting drugstore launches this year was indeed Max Factor’s new blush range. These are simply gorgeous and with that swirly multi-toned effect they offer similarities to the much pricer Hourglass Ambient Blushes. The shade Gorgeous Berries has Fall written all over it with it’s beautiful plum and berry toned shade. The blushes also have a highlighting effect to give the skin a beautiful glow on application.

In terms of blush formulations, I always prefer powder over cream. No matter what season I am never really the biggest cream blush fan. Although I am going to mention a cream formulated blush that I really do love. The Illamasqua Velvet Blusher in Peaked is a gorgeous dusky pink shade that is a perfect match for Autumn. The formula is really nice, it isn’t in any way too creamy, it applies more like a powder which makes it a winner for me. The formula also boasts a decent longevity and that square-ish packaging is to die for!

Lastly, probably one of my favourite ever blushes, Mac Breezy. I talked about this last year (excuse really bad old post) here and instantly fell in love with it. After buying this it made me fall for those berry toned warm blushes that are now my all time favourites. Despite being part of the Sheertone Shimmer blush range, it boasts great pigmentation and with fair skin I only need to use this one lightly. The shade is very similar to the Max Factor option but a little more cooler. It still offers that beautiful glowy feel to the cheeks and is great for those days when you need to give your skin a bit of life.

What is your favourite blush for Fall? 

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram