July Favourites

If you read my latest Life Lately post then you may know that this month wasn’t my strongest beauty-wise. I kept to a low-buy all month and the majority of it was spent makeup-free. Since I haven’t bought many new things either, when I have been wearing makeup it has been sticking mostly to my known favourites from my stash. So, in terms of favourites this month it has been pretty short and sweet and more skincare focused.

Starting with the one makeup item however that I have been obsessed with for the past couple of weeks. Not a newbie by any means and one I have mentioned plenty of times before, in fact it may have been in a previous favourites? It is the cult favourite Mac Velvet Teddy lipstick. Now it really took me a while to truly love this shade. I have a lot of Mac lipsticks in a similar colour family with others that I prefer more like Mehr and Twig for being that bit more pink and flattering. Velvet Teddy lies to the browner toned side of things with a hint of peachy tones. I always liked it but it never blew me away until recently. I strangely was desperate to wear it one day and I have been wearing it constantly recently. It is just a perfect nude that isn’t too brown and basically the whole my lips but better. So worth the hype!

Moving on to skincare bits, I have been trying a few new things recently skincare-wise and have been sticking to a much better routine now especially since I have had so many makeup-free days. First up is another cult product, this time the Pixi Glow Tonic. I had been desperate to try this exfoliating toner for so long cause if Caroline Hirons approves then it has to be a winner, right!? This is the first product I’ve tried from the Pixi brand but I am already thinking of many more products I want to try out. I have always been pretty poor and irregular in using toners/exfoliators in my routine but since I picked this up I have been trying to make sure I am getting my regular use. At first use it is quite difficult to understand what the product is doing but after a good few weeks I can definitely see a difference in my skin. Scarring from blemishes have been massively reduced and that is always my biggest concern as well my skin appearing fresher and smoother. I think I’ve found myself a great staple now in my routine!

If you recall my Origins beauty box post, then it will be no surprise that I am mentioning a product included in that post. I finally got to try the Origins VitaZing SPF 15 Moisturiser and I have been loving it from my first use. I do find moisturisers can be quite tricky to get right, many are pretty basic but not this. The consistency isn’t too thin yet it isn’t too thick and heavy, it feels moisturising and firming on the skin without feeling tacky. It also has a very sheer tint and delivers the most beautiful radiance which just makes this moisturiser so worthy of the pennies. It adds a lovely glow to the skin that looks flawless and healthy. Oh and did I mention it also has SPF included, winner! Again, this could be another long time skincare favourite of mine!

What have you been loving lately?

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June Favourites

I would say Summer has finally arrived although looking outside doesn’t really confirm that. Weather woes aside, I have got a mix of beauty favourites that I have been loving all month long. Of course as I was soaking up the sun this month, I have a few favourites that helped prep me for my time in the sun and embrace the summer vibes.

Starting with the makeup bits I have been loving, as you can see that beauty of a palette in the corner; the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit (Now Back in Stock!!), it was actually the addition of the Ambient Lighting Bronzer that I have been obsessed with! With the arrival of Summer, I have been ditching my matte bronzers in exchange for something more shimmery. This one fits the bill perfectly as it definitely packs the glow factor. I never got the most wear out of this shade as it has always been that bit too dark on my skin but right now with a light hand, it adds a gorgeous luminosity and basically makes me feel like a bronze goddess, what is not to love!?

I can never have a monthly favourites without a lip product and this month I have two loves. The first is Mac Flat Out Fabulous, a gorgeous bold fuchsia plum shade that I mentioned in my Summer lip picks post. It is such a unique shade and is super flattering on as well as having a really comfortable yet long wearing finish. The other is The Balm Meet Matte Hughes Liquid Lipstick in Committed. I basically want all the liquid lipsticks at the moment and this one had been on my list for a while. The shade is just everything I had been looking for, a deep pink nude that isn’t too dark. The formula feels super comfortable and is long wearing as well as leaving a nice stain on the lips once it wears down. I definitely need to try more of these!

Other bits and pieces that I have been loving will come as no surprise as I have mentioned all of these products this month on the blog. The first is a nail polish from Essie in the shade Sunshine State of Mind. This shade is a gorgeous vivid orange-y coral shade that is part of the Essie Summer 2016 collection. I wore this for the majority of the month when I was away and it looks pretty damn awesome with a tan!

Lastly, come summer I am all about those fresh and fruity scents and my last two favourites are the perfect examples! The first is the ck2 fragrance which I mentioned more in detail in this post. I love this fresh and woody scent, it will definitely be a long time everyday favourite of mine. Of course as well I have been obsessed with the Body Shop Pinita Colada range. I dedicated a whole post to it here, I have been loving everything that I’ve tried and the coconut-pineapple scent is so dreamy!

What have you been loving this month?

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Summer Beauty Essentials

When a sight of sun is in the sky, my beauty priorities take a change from fuller coverage bases and sculpted, neutral looks to embrace the Summer vibes with bronzed skin and bright shades. As well as my makeup choices, my skincare also changes up slightly. With Summer in full swing, I thought I would share my top beauty essentials for dealing with the summer heat.

MAKEUP/NAILS

In terms of base, I love a lightweight glowy base for Summer. When the sun is shining, the last thing I want is a fuller coverage thick foundation so instead I love a light and comfortable tinted moisturiser/bb cream. My favourite is the BareMinerals Complexion Rescue which gives enough coverage for a light base and also provides a fresh glowy look to the skin all whilst remaining comfortable and moisturising on the skin. To add some extra glow to my skin, I love the look of liquid highlighters. They look soft and natural on the skin and can be worked in with foundation too. I am currently loving the Nars illuminator in Copacabana which blends into the skin beautifully.

To amp up the warmth in my skin, bronzer is such a must in Summer. It helps add a little definition to my face whilst giving me a little colour too. I am currently all for shimmery bronzers to add even more glow in my skin such as the Soap and Glory Wonderbronze which I have been loving. To add even more colour, I love bright lip shades at this time of year. There is nothing better than a bright coral or orange-y red to brighten things up. I will share some of my favourites later but I am loving Mac Relentlessly Red.

I also love bright nails as well, something I will also cover in another post. They look summery and great for enhancing a tan. I have so many Essie shades that I am loving but I am currently all for their new Summer shade Sunshine State of Mind.

SKINCARE

Obviously when the sun is out in full force, it is important to protect your skin. Having light skin, I need high protection for my skin in the sun so SPF is so important. I am currently using the Clarins Sun Cream for Very High Protection which offers UVB/UVA 50+ to help my skin stay safe in the sun. So having light skin means that tanning just doesn’t happen for me and I have to turn to self-tanning products. I am not much a tanning person anyway so a gradual tanner is all I need for a subtle bronzed glow. I am currently using the Clarins Golden Glow Booster to add in to my moisturiser for an extra glow.

Lastly, to keep hydrated I love hydrating mists. In the heat there is nothing better than a boost of hydration to stay refreshed and cool in the heat. I am all for the Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist which is a bargain and super hydrating on the skin.

What are your Summer beauty essentials?

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Mac 90s Nude Lip Edit: Kylie Jenner Style

The whole Kylie Jenner, 90s nude lip trend might be one you are wishing to see the back off. If you are, I do apologise. I for one whilst am not a ‘fan’ of the Kardashian family, I do love the whole nude mauve lip thing. There is nothing wrong with a bit of a 90s throwback, right!? Anyway I’ve picked up quite a few nude shades from Mac in their lipsticks and liners and thought I would give you a little run down on my picks. A lot of the shades are quite similar to each other so I don’t recommend the need for all of them but hopefully if you are looking for a nude option then one of these might take your fancy!

MAC BRAVE (Satin Lipstick)

The lightest and most nude-ist of the bunch. As you can see I’ve had a lot of wear out of this one. This is a perfect everyday shade, perfect for going to work as it’s not too in your face. If you are not one for bold shades then this is a good shade to start with. If you do want to build it up, Soar lip liner underneath adds a little more oomph to it. The satin formula is one of my favourites from Mac, super creamy and comfortable to wear yet has a semi-matte finish on the lips. Some satin finishes are more long-wearing than others, this is a little on the shorter side for longevity but still not as bad as a more creamier lipsticks.

MAC FAUX (Satin Lipstick)

Essentially Brave but turned up a notch. This shade rocks up a little more deeper than Brave and is much more mauve-y and rosy in comparison. This is a perfect 90s nude shade and definitely one I recommend especially if you want a more creamier formula. Again this is in a satin finish with the same properties as Brave but I do find this a little more long wearing.

MAC VELVET TEDDY (Matte Lipstick)

Moving towards the browner tones. I couldn’t do this post without the cult favourite of them all, Velvet Teddy. This is probably the most popular from all the above due to all the KJ buzz. As you can see from the swatch below it is a lot more brown toned in comparison to the first two shades. Yet whilst I don’t really go for brown-y shades, this is still completely wearable as it does have rosy undertones to it so still is a really nice natural everyday shade. This shade comes in a matte finish so is more long wearing but still comfortable to wear since I haven’t found this drying at all on my lips.

MAC MEHR (Matte finish) 

Mehr is probably one of my favourite shades from the bunch. A gorgeous dusky rosy pink shade that is a little more bold than your everyday neutral but not too much. It feels creamy on the lips despite having a matte formula so is long wearing yet nice to wear. This shade also looks gorgeous over Mac Soar lipliner to deepen things a little more. A must have shade in my opinion!

MAC TWIG (Satin Lipstick)

I am going to try and refrain from raving too much about this one cause I love Twig so much! Probably my favourite Mac lipstick and probably even my favourite in general. Again from the picture above you can probably see the wear I’ve had out of it which is a lot! The shade is a gorgeous soft rosy brown-y colour which is super pigmented. The formula is satin again and this lipstick pretty much made me love satin finishes for being long wearing yet with such a creamy formula. I think this is such an underrated shade!

MAC WHIRL (Matte finish) 

A newer one in my collection, this is the deepest colour wise and is a dark rosy brown shade. This is a newer one in my collection and one I just had to have when I kept hearing about it. It is from the matte collection that Mac brought out last year and of course this shade being a lipstick version of the lipliner got people excited. Personally I struggle with this one. It is a lot more brown than I would usually go for, especially on my paler skin it doesn’t have enough pink in it to be overly wearable. It is still comfortable to wear and I do prefer to wear it a little more lightly. It does match up quite well with Whirl lipliner as you would expect but the combo is a little too dark for my liking but may appeal to others. If anyone has any tips for wearing this shade then let me know!

MAC WHIRL (Lip Liner) 

As I said above, essentially the lip pencil version of the lipstick. Again this is a deep rosy brown shade and works best with those with browner tones such as Whirl (obviously) and also Velvet Teddy if brown tones is more your thing!

MAC SOAR (Lip Liner) 

Probably my most used lip liner ever. This is a gorgeous mauve dusky pink shade and works as a great combo with the above lipsticks. The Mac lip pencils are super creamy to apply and by far my favourites. This shade is super wearable and adds a little more depth to shades. It also looks pretty on its own for a perfect mauve nude lip.

What is your favourite 90s nude lip?

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2015 Beauty Favourites: Eye & Lip Products

Now that you’ve seen my base and cheek favourites from the year of 2015, it is time to move on to the second and final half of my yearly beauty favourites. This time around I am talking about my favourite eye and lip products from 2015 and again a lot of these will be no surprise to you! So I am going to quit rambling and get on with it!

Eyeshadow

2015 was the year of eyeshadow for me. It was always the one product I neglected because I never really understood the difference it made and I never had much of an idea on how to apply it either. Although last year saw me finally pick up a few blending brushes and get blending to something that actually looked half decent. Now we have reached the end of 2015, I can’t even go without eyeshadow, it is my favourite thing to apply and I am truly obsessed with buying more eyeshadows.  After hearing so many rave reviews I just had to try out the By Terry Ombre Blackstars and I am so glad I did. These are just incredible. It took me a while to truly appreciate how good these are but they are seriously one of the best eyeshadow products I’ve ever used and the best eyeshadow sticks. I have the shades Misty Rock (which I spoke about here) and Bronze Moon which are two truly gorgeous and unique shades. The formula though makes these even more amazing, they are seriously creamy and glide on super smoothly and are super easy to blend. If that’s not enough, they last for ages too. So yeah, I quite like them!

In terms of palettes, 2015 was definitely the year I became a real life eyeshadow palette hoarder. I just love a good palette! Whilst there was a few I could have mentioned, there was two that really stole my heart this year and two I know will become long term favourites. First up, the Zoeva Cocoa Blend palette which I raved about here. This was such a surprise love for me as it was so super affordable yet such great quality. The colour range is just perfect and right up my street. I am still so impressed with this and it is definitely one that everyone needs to pick up.

The Urban Decay Naked palettes will always be mine and everyone else’s one true love. I am lucky enough to own all of them including the newbie Smoky palette although I truly fell for the second edition (review here) to the Naked lineup and I think I can call it my favourite of the four. The taupe shades are just so beautiful and are so versatile for everyday wear or an evening look. Of course the quality of Urban Decay eyeshadows are also just truly incredible!

Mascara and Brows

These next two products are probably quite obvious mentions if you are a regular reader of SBL. First up, my mascara pick has to be the Benefit They’re Real. I truly realised why this is such a cult product half way through the year after trying it out and then switching my choices up. I eventually came back to this and I just love it. It just adds oomph to my lashes and adds length and volume and paired with my Shu Uemura eyelash curlers it is dream come true lashes!

Another Benefit product came to the rescue in saving my brows. I picked up Benefit Gimme Brow (review here) during the year and it has just became my go-to for brows. It is so easy and convenient to simply swipe through your brows but it is still pretty buildable and really defines them. I’ve actually pretty much finished my tube of this which lasted so long (considering the size and cost is off putting!) so I will definitely be repurchasing this!

Lip Liner and Lipstick

Lip products will always be my one real love when it comes to beauty so I did have a little difficulty narrowing this down. 2015 was the year for lip liner and Mac’s liner options will always remain top for me. Their Soar lipliner became a staple in my collection and a cult product for many beauty enthusiasts. The gorgeous mauve plum-y nude shade is just the perfect undercoat to so many of my favourite lipsticks so is a no brainer really. The formula is great too and glides on smoothly to create a good base for lipstick.

Speaking of Mac, I will always have a love for a good Mac lipstick. I’ve enlarged my collection quite a bit over the year and grown a few favourites. I have a love for the mauve My lips but better kinda shades and Mac Mehr is the perfect fit. It is a little more intense than just a basic nude especially when combined with Soar but it is such a gorgeous and unique shade. The matte formula is also long wearing as you would expect but still comfortable without being drying. Another Mac fave was Mac Plumful which I picked up at the start of the Autumn season. This is my first in the Lustre finish but it is super comfortable and moisturising on the lips. The plum-y pink shade is also so gorgeous and different to anything I own.

Nars are one of my favourite makeup brands so it was no surprise I was going to love their matte lip pencils. I honestly think these are one of the best lip products around. They are so long lasting it is unreal but still feel comfortable to wear as well as coming in a collection of pretty shades. I have quite a few but I thought I would just mention two of my ultimate faves from the year. Whenever I need a red lip, I always go for Nars Cruella, probably my favourite ever red. It is quite a deep red but one you can rely on to stay put whilst you eat! The other shade was my Summer love, the unfortunately limited edition Iberico which is a gorgeous orange-y red. A shade that is totally unique to my collection and one I can’t wait to wear again come Summer time!

Last but not least, 2015 saw the discovery of Charlotte Tilbury. I finally took the plunge this year and picked up a couple of her gorgeously packaged products that soon developed into an addiction! I now have four of the Matte Revolution lipsticks and I can say they are truly worth the splurge! The matte formula is not what you would expect, they are seriously creamy and so comfortable to wear. As I said I have four shades from the line up but a couple of my faves are the truly gorgeous Lost Cherry; a beautiful bright coral red perfect for Summer (review here)and Miss Kensington; my perfect nude.

What was your favourite eye/lip products from 2015?

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Mac Mehr Lipstick

I can’t be the only one who has a designated wishlist set for Mac lipsticks, right!? With an extensive range of pretty much any shade you are looking for and great formulas there is never a time when I am not lusting after a newbie. A shade that I had high in my list for a while was Mac Mehr after seeing it sported by Lily Pebbles on many occasions. I was then very lucky indeed to be the winner of a Mac lipstick giveaway ran by the lovely Molly from The Rose Beauty Files and of course my choice of lipstick was a no-brainer, really…

I find the colour of Mehr pretty hard to describe. Mac describe it as being a Dirty blue pink. Whilst I tend to think it lies more on the brown-y near red side of things. I always tend to think of the colour as being a cranberry colour just that little more pink. I find it very similar in colour to my favourite Mac lipstick; Twig which is more of a brown toned lipstick and less pink. The shade also echos the 90s nude lip trend with Mac Brave and Mac Faux looking like close family members in the colour wheel.

Mac Mehr is of a matte finish lipstick so you can rely on it to stick that little bit longer than a more creamier formula. Being matte, Mac have quite a reputation of being quite drying on the lips but this shade particularly doesn’t seem to be too drying at all. It glides on well and is comfortable on the lips. It isn’t the most long lasting matte I’ve ever tried so it doesn’t actually feel much like a matte lipstick but don’t get my wrong it still does have a decent lasting power.

Teamed with Mac Soar lip-liner it is the perfect combination. The liner creates a good base underneath to help the colour stay a little longer. It is one of those shades that is good for everyday wear but also a good one teamed with a bold eye look for an evening out. With its similarities to Twig, I knew this one would grow to be a favourite. I now just need Faux, Brave and any other similar shade cause why not! Thanks again to Molly for letting me tick this one off my wishlist!

Update: I now may have picked up Mac Brave… it was totally calling my name, I just couldn’t say no…

Have you tried Mac Mehr?

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MAC Creme Cup

I’ve been on a bit of a nude pink lipstick hunt recently. Gone are the deep reds and berry tones and now I am lusting all over a classic nude lip. Like any good lipstick lover I headed to MAC *bows down* and came in contact with the beautiful Creme Cup shade, the perfect nude pink.

Finding a suitable soft pink shade for the lips can be tricky. Its easy to find a shade that’s far too light and washes you out but this shade is just the perfect colour. It’s a blue toned light pink that isn’t too light but also isn’t too Barbie. It’s such a soft and pretty shade that isn’t too much in your face and would look perfect with a more dramatic eye look or just simple natural everyday makeup.

Being from MAC, you would expect it to have a pretty decent formula and I can assure you it does. Creme Cup is a cremesheen formula so its super soft and moisturising on the lips with a slight glossy finish. There is also that familiar vanilla type scent from it that isn’t too overwhelming so shouldn’t be too much of a bother. The colour pay off is pretty good too and it doesn’t seem to stick to dry patches either. Looks like I may have found the perfect nude pink lipstick…

Are you a fan of MAC Creme Cup? What is your favourite nude lipstick? 

 

 

 

The Spring Edit 2015

Looking out the window just now, it’s safe to say Winter is far behind us. Enter Spring, warm(er) weather, cherry blossom, excuses for ice cream and lighter nights. When it comes to beauty, its all about the light glowy radiant look with gleaming highlighters, fresh radiant bases and coral cheeks. In other words here is the bulky spring edit for 2015.

Starting with the base, I have a newbie in my hands! If you read my blog regularly you may recall me lusting after the Nars Sheer Glow foundation for far too long well as you can see now I have finally picked it up! While BB/CC creams and tinted moisturisers are all the rage for spring for the fresh light coverage look, my skin needs a little more cover. This foundation has pretty darn good coverage but still offers a radiant look perfect for spring. To add that extra light and glowy feel, a swipe of the iconic YSL Touche Eclat under the eyes is great for brighting any dark circles.

Onto the cheeks. I couldn’t resist mentioning this one again, Benefit Majorette Blush. This cream-to-powder coral blush is the perfect boost of colour for the cheeks in Spring. For a bronzed look, a sweep of Nars Laguna round the face and in the hollows of the cheeks for a subtle contour. To top it off, a light sweep of the irresistible Nars Copacabana illuminator on the cheekbones to achieve that extra glow.

For eyes, I have been loving rosy and lilac shades on my lids. Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Pink Gold (swatch here) is the perfect soft pink and has such a beautiful creamy formula. In addition, L’oreal Colour Riche Mono Eyeshadow 601 is such a pretty shimmery blue-toned lilac shade. To finish, Benefit Bad Gal Lash gives the most prettiest natural fluttery lashes.

For the lips, my first ever MAC lipstick is back out to play. MAC Shy Girl is such a gorgeous nude peach shade which looks even prettier with a coat of clear gloss on top for a natural soft look. To finish, Chanel Tenderly (which I reviewed here) on the nails for that perfect spring look or a pastel shade from my Nails Spring Edit will do the job!

How have you changed your beauty routine for Spring? 

 

 

October Favourites

Its that time of the month again… Monthly favourites! Ever since I’ve started doing these monthly favourite posts I feel like time goes so much quicker as if I’m posting one of these every week … is it just me!? Anyway October is over, can you believe it! So its now time to round up some of my favourites from the month 🙂

First up is a product I just get so excited at by just looking at it, its the Nars Laguna bronzer. I did a review on this not too long ago which you can check out here. Its the perfect bronzer, it looks so natural and has such a lovely shimmer to it. If you haven’t tried it, you must!

Next is a lip product by Mac and its the lipstick in the shade Mac Twig. This is a great fall lipstick, its a browny-red shade or as they say “your lips but better shade”. If you are a fan of the Kylie Jenner 90s esque lip then this shade is perfect to try and also if you aren’t a fan of berry lips then this is a great fall go-to colour.

Another one of my favourites is an OPI polish in the shade Guy Meets Gal-Veston. I actually have this on my nails just now and its a lovely bright red shade. When I first applied this I was a bit weary about it as the formula was a tad watery however I am so impressed with it, while it is a bit chipped now the lasting quality of this polish is amazing it lasted me over a week with no chipped nails or cracks. Amazing

And last but not least my Topshop black slip-ons. Now if you seen my October Pick of the Month I had a pair of River Island tartan plimsolls and I discussed the fact that I was lusting over a pair of plain black ones .. well you can see what happened.  These shoes are well on trend this season and I totally get why, they are so comfortable but also look amazing with anything. I just love my plimsolls!