January Wishlist

Although January is suppose to be the month of saving up after spending so much money over the Christmas period, there is always something or somethings at the back of my mind that I really want to buy... which is usually makeup or clothes. I told myself in November that I am on a makeup ban after spending too much on products I probably didn't need but my ban is up in February and my birthday is also that month, so below I've put together the products which I've been lusting over and are at the top of my wishlist. 

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil - This is something that I can't seem to get away from as it keeps popping up on my Instagram feed. I must admit it I have not seen this product up close, but its Tom Ford, I'm pretty sure it will not disappoint. From what I have seen It looks like a gorgeous product and I've also seen some brilliant reviews, another blogger claimed it smells like a holiday - cocunut, white flowers and a colourful cocktail. Thats just the smell, the oil itself looks like it gives off the perfect summer glow with just the right amount of shimmer, just the finishing touch a girl needs before a night out on the town. This is definitely something I want to be taking away on holiday with me in the summer, I just need to find a spare £70 to buy it first! 

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer - This is something I have been debating on buying for a while as I have not used a lot of NARS products but I've only heard good things about it so I think its time I give it a try. I find a lot of concealers can be very drying which makes the eye area look very dull, hopefully this creamy product will not have that effect and will give me the moisture I need along with good coverage to hide my dark circles. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette - This is another product I've had my eye on for sometime, I brushed off buying this because I tend to stick to MAC eyeshadows but lately I have came across so many tutorials using this palette I think I may have to cave and try something new. I love the selection of colours in this palette, I think I would use every one of them, the orange and pink shades are similar to what I already use on myself and a lot of my clients have been asking for those and cranberry tones lately so I think this would be a great edition to my kit.  

Thank you for reading!

March Makeup Wish List & Product Update

After splashing out on lots of new makeup last month I've been trying my hardest to be sensible and stay away from makeup counters and internet shopping but of course that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about new makeup every day and night. So below I have put together a list of all the beauty products I've been lusting over and will hopefully be getting my hands on soon! 

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray - This is a product I have wanted for such a long time but I have always forgot to purchase because its not a necessity. This 'best seller' product by Urban Decay is designed to set your makeup after application. You simply spritz on the light weight formula and it claims to set your makeup and keep it looking 'just-applied' with out melting, fading or settling into fine lines. As far as I know this product works and has great reviews but I need to find out for myself, this could be a life saver! 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencil 'Yeyo' - I'm in need of a white eyeliner to use in my waterline, I recently purchased MAC Technakohl Liner in the colour 'Snowed In' for this but unfortunately it doesn't work; its not pigmented enough to use in my waterline and I wouldn't recommend it for anything else. On the other hand I have been very impressed with my Urban Decay 24/7 pencil in 'Perversion' this is the black eye liner I use in my waterline, its super pigmented, long lasting and easy to use. 'Yeyo' is the same product but in white, I would like to try this and hopefully find that its just as impressive as 'Perversion'.  

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder - I have owned Bobbi Brown makeup in the past but I have never really looked in to the brand and their products, however I have heard lots of great reviews especially about their bronzers. When I have bought bronzer in the past I have always gone for MAC but I have never been really happy with the colour match and the overall finished looked of the product. I plan to purchase a Bobbi Brown bronzing powder and then hopefully try some more products from the collection, their 'Shimmer Bricks' also look gorgeous. 

MAC Lip Pencil 'Whirl' - If you love makeup as much as me I'm sure you will have heard of this product! 'Whirl' is apparantley the lip pencil used by Kylie Jenner - or at least the lip pencil most people are using to recreate those famous Kylie lips. If you read my blog you will know I love 'Pink Treat' Cremestick Liner by MAC (which I've ran out of again) but lip liner is a makeup must-have for me now and I want to start collecting them beginning with the very popular 'Whirl' then 'Spice' then 'Brick'... The list goes on!

Tom Ford Eye Color Quad 'Cognac Sable' - Tom Ford makeup is so beautiful and luxurious, I want it all - but it comes with a price, a very expensive one! Since buying my Tom Ford lipstick and loving it, Im dying to buy more and the eye shadow quads look to die for. I especially like the look of the palette named 'Cognac Sable' which consists of gold, bronze and deep brown shades which are my favourite colours to use on my eyes. 

Zoeva Makeup Brushes - Since last year I have been seeing Zoeva makeup brushes being used by some of my favourite youtubers in their makeup tutorials. There are lots of different and unique brushes in the collection and there is also a selection of brush sets to choose from. I think I am in need of some new eye brushes so I may purchase a few of their single brushes to try out before I purchase one of their sets which is what I really want. 

Product Update 

As I mentioned in my previous post 'Recent Beauty & Makeup Haul' I recently purchased MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascara. I got talked in to buying this because at the time it sounded impressive and for me the most important thing in mascara is that it doesn't smudge under my eyes through out the day so when I got told that it was 'smudge proof' I had to try it. Since then I have found that it is not smudge proof and also it doesn't really benefit my lashes in anyway at all, I'm not impressed in the slightest. I got told that if I'm not happy with the product I can take it back for a refund and I will be doing just that because for me it was a complete waste of money and I would not recommend it to anyone. 

Recent Makeup Look: Purple/Glitter Eyes, Tom Ford Lipstick & Contouring

Last week, once again I spent my evening practising my makeup techniques and found myself creating this gorgeous purple smokey eye, this has to be one of my favourite looks I have created on my self - so much so that I have already recreated it since and wore it for a night out last Saturday. 

step by step tutorial.

eyes

• As always I began with a fresh face, I like to start with my eye makeup because if there is any fall out from eyeshadow or glitter I can easily wipe it away with a facial wipe and not have to worry about reapplying foundation and concealer. 
• The next step is to apply my eye primer, as usual I used MAC 'Painterly' Paintpot. 
• I then applied MAC 'Tan' pigment with a flat concealer brush on my eyelids as the base colour. I spritzed the brush with MAC Fix + for a more intense colour. This is my favourite and most used pigment, it looks great with all eye colours. 
• To create some shape and definition I took MAC 'Push The Edge' pigment (limited edition 'Nocturnal' collection '14) on a pencil brush and applied it to the outer 'v' of my eyes, I then blended it out ever so slightly with a fluffy brush because I wanted to keep the darkest colour in the outer corners only .
•  Using a small crease brush I added MAC 'Plum Dressing' Eyeshadow to the creases of my eyes. I started from the outer corners, fading the colour out towards the inner corners. The purple shades I used really made my green eyes pop. 
• For the transition colour I used MAC 'Sushi Flower' Eyeshadow with a fluffy bending brush.
• The next step is to apply the glitter. I wanted to buy a MAC 'Reflects' glitter but instead of paying £17.00 I found a similar iridescent glitter in my nail kit, its pretty much the same consistency as my other MAC glitters and is safe to use as eye makeup. To apply I dabbed some fixing gel on top of the base colour 'Tan' and then lightly dusted on the glitter with a fluffy brush.
• As usual I added a winged liner, I used my favourite MAC 'Liquidlast' Eyeliner for that. 
• In my waterline I used Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in the colour 'Perversion', which is super black and long lasting.
• For my lower lash line I used 'Push The Edge' in the outer corners and 'Plum Dressing' towards the inner corners. 
• To highlight my brow bones I used MAC 'Vanilla' pigment, I wanted to use a product that didn't have a lot of shimmer because I didn't want a shimmer/glitter overload. 
• For my inner corner highlight I used MAC 'Gleam' eyeshadow which is a pinky/pearly colour.
• I coated my eyelashes with MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascara before adding Eyelure '107' false lashes.
• As always I filled in my brows with HD Brows Pro Eye & Brow Palette using the 'Rich Brown' shade. I do not fill in my brows until after my face routine. 

face

• firstly I cleaned up any eyeshadow/glitter fall out with a facial wipe, I then used MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance Illuminating Base to moisturise.
• Seen as though I would wear this makeup for a night out or special occasion I decided to use my BH Cosmetics Camouflage and Concealer palette to contour instead of using a foundation. I used a lighter concealer to highlight and conceal under my eyes, I made an upside down triangle shape using a flat foundation brush, I then applied the same colour on the centre of my forehead, on my chin and down the centre of my nose.
•  To contour and create shadow I applied the darkest concealer at the hollow of my cheekbones, temples, hairline, jawline and either side of my nose and chin. I applied this with a smaller pointed foundation brush. 
• To help with blending I dabbed a small amount of concealer which is close to my skin tone to the places where I haven't highlighted or contoured such as my cheeks, this is optional.
• To finish I used a damp beauty blender to blend the highlighted and contoured areas together, I do this in a dabbing/patting motion to avoid moving the colours to much and losing the effect. 
• To set the contour/highlight and take away any unwanted shine I dusted on MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder 'Medium Plus'.
• I then used the bronzer in the Charlotte Tilbury 'Filmstar Bronze & Sculpt' palette to further sculpt and define my cheekbones and used the highlighter on the top of my cheekbones for a glow. 
• For blusher I opted for MAC 'Fleur Power' Powder Blush.

 lips 

• Firstly I lined my lips with my absolute favourite lip liner which is MAC 'Pink Treat' Cremestick Liner. I always draw over my lips slightly and then colour them in with the liner. 
• I then applied Tom Ford 'Indian Rose' which is a gorgeous neutral pink colour which has a slight glossy sheen. 

Thank you for reading! 

Recent Beauty & Makeup Haul

Recently I have bought some makeup and beauty products which are all very new and exciting to me. I have been trying most of these products out over the past few weeks but some I have just bought today that I want to include in this post whilst they are new and fresh on my mind!  

MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance Illuminating Base (Radiant Yellow) 

This purchase was actually a mistake on my behalf, I pointed this moisturiser out to the MAC makeup artist thinking it was the 'Skin Base Visage' primer; both these products are in very similar packaging which I wasn't aware of. However I've been wanting to try some new face products and luckily I'm pleased with how this product works so it wasn't a complete a waste of money as it is getting used daily, I will just have to make sure to pick up a primer on my next visit. I use this as my moisturiser and apply it immediately before foundation, it brightens my skin and gives me a healthy glow. Although I see this product as more of a moisturiser it claims to 'hydrate and prime skin to improve foundation and powder  application' I must say I agree and I have noticed a difference in the outcome of my foundation, it blends easier, doesn't look cakey and is longer lasting. I have only used this with Kevyn Aucoin SSE but I am loving the combination on the two and is certainly competition for my beloved Charlotte Tilbury 'Light Wonder' Foundation. 

Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer 'SX08' 

This is a multi-purpose product which can be used as a full coverage foundation, concealer highlighter or mixed with a moisturiser or facial oil for a tinted moisturiser effect. Buying this online was a risk but I heard so many great reviews I had try it for myself. I had no tester so I had to guess my shade with other bloggers comparisons to MAC foundation shades. It is pricey at £34.00 for only 18 grams and although I knew the product was going to be small I couldn't believe quite how small it was when it arrived. Luckily I am happy with the shade I chose, this shade was compared to a MAC NC 30 which is what I used to wear. 
When I first tested the product I wasn't immediately impressed, the consistency is a lot different to the foundations I usually use as it is a thick gel-like texture and very pigmented. However after playing with the product and trying different techniques of application I have learned to love this as a foundation and I am using it daily. 
Only a small amount of product is needed with each use as a little goes a long way and thats why it comes in a such a small package. As a foundation this works best applied to skin which is freshly moisturised so that the foundation can slip and blend easily.
 To apply I pick up a small amount of product and evenly distribute it on all areas of my face before blending it out either with a Real Techniques Stippling Brush or a damp beauty blender I bought off Ebay (I'm not paying £15.00 for the original beauty blender any time soon, a sponge is a sponge).
I love this foundation because it is so versatile, I can have a full coverage foundation for a night out or I can create a tinted moisturiser for a day time and either way I wear it, it is long lasting and stays in place. As a foundation it doesn't look cakey or feel heavy, my skin looks and feels flawless, fresh and luminous. 

YSL Palette Ombres De Jour (5 Color Ready-To-Wear)

When I clocked this limited edition palette I had to have it before it flew off the shelfs. The sleek and sparkly pink, gold and black packaging is to die for and so me! This is not a product hidden in my makeup storage, instead it is displayed on my dressing table alongside my other favourite luxury products. Inside holds 5 eyeshadows; 3 neutral shades, a shimmering black, a pop of pink and 2 small brushes. I love the ready-to-wear colour combination making this a great palette for on-the-go. This is my first time using YSL eyeshadows and I would say the formula is quite similar to Urban Decay eyeshadows but with less fall out. Personally I don't think MAC can be beaten for eyeshadows as they are so densely pigmented but I am happy with this purchase, I'm sure it will get lots of use and its always exciting to try new products, especially when they're this pretty.  

YSL Rouge Volupte 29 'Rose Opera' (Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick) 

I included this in my 'Luxury Makeup Wish List' post which you can find here. I have been admiring this beautiful lipstick collection for a long time but its took me all this time to buy because I always find myself getting carried away at the MAC counter buying MAC lipsticks and MAC everything! 
YSL have done it again with this stunning packaging and obviously I can't hide this one away either, its stood right next to my YSL palette on my dressing table. I opted for a pink lipstick for a change because I've been wearing a lot of nude and neutral shades lately. This is the perfect pink lipstick for me; its a medium pink with neutral undertones which I prefer against my skin tone rather than a pink with blue undertones. The formula of this lipstick is very creamy and moisturising so the lipstick just glides right on. It's very pigmented so only a little product needs to be applied for a full coverage glossy finish. 

Tom Ford Lip Color 04 'Indian Rose'

For a long time I have been dying to get my hands on some Tom Ford products but it is some of the most expensive makeup I have came across and I couldn't quite fathom spending £37 on a lipstick alone, but as usual I caved and bought the makeup... The only problem is now I want to buy more and I've got a holiday to pay for! But for now I will settle with this gorgeous lipstick in the shade 'Indian Rose' which is absolutely perfect everyday use. It has been compared to a popular lipstick by MAC 'Pink Treat'. It is a very neutral shade; a rosey-pink, almost like an amplified version of my natural lip colour. The formula feels light on my lips and is creamy and moisturising and the finish is opaque with a sheen. 

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner 'Junkshow'

Lately I've been loving glitter eye makeup so this eyeliner was a must have. There are 7 colours in this collection and of course I went for the pink with iridescent glitter. These eyeliners are a great and easy way to spice up a smokey eye, and take a look from day to night. The glitter glides on and applies smoothly and stays put for sparkling eyes that last all night. 

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil 'Perversion'

This eyeliner is blacker than black and stays put all day/night. The pencil glides on so smoothly making it perfect for use on my waterline which is what I specifically bought this liner for. 

MAC Technakohl Eyeliner 'Snowed In'

 I wanted a white/cream eyeliner to use in my waterline to give the illusion or brighter and more awake eyes. Unfortunately I haven't been impressed with this liner, its not very pigmented at all and doesn't show up on my waterline. This is definitely something I regret buying, next time I would like to try an Urban Decay white/cream eyeliner and hopefully it will be as impressive as their black eyeliner. 

In Extreme Dimension 3d Black Lash 

I have finally invested in a new mascara because I am so bored of my Barry M mascara - its only benefit is that it is 100% waterproof and smudge proof. On my last 2 visits to the MAC counter the makeup artists have asked me what mascara I am using, the first time I resisted buying but the second time the girl really sold this product to me. She said that it is completely smudge proof and it will separates all my lashes giving them length, volume and curl. She also said that if this product doesn't work for me I should bring it back for a refund which I think is brilliant but hopefully I won't have to do that.

MAC Eyeshadow 'Tempting'

I haven't bought eyeshadow in a while after spending most of last year buying eyeshadows to fill my MAC palette but after seeing a makeup tutorial with this eyeshadow I had to have it, after all my 'Mythology' eyeshadow is almost empty and I need to replace it with something. This colour is described by MAC as 'sinfully rich coco' - I'm not sure what that means but I would say its a bronzey brown with gold shimmer, a really gorgeous colour which I know I will be using a lot! 

Thank you for reading!

Luxury Makeup Wish List

I have posted makeup wish lists in the past but this time I thought I would do something different. As you may already know I love MAC makeup, but lately I have been wanting to experiment with some different brands which I haven't already tried. High end brands can be very expensive and sometimes I can't justify spending so much on a makeup item, especially when I can not sample a product before buying. However if I was to splurge out on any makeup products the following would be at the top of my list. I enjoyed researching products for this post so I am sure I will be writing an updated post in the future. 

Tom Ford Bronzing Powder in 'Terra' - Tom Ford is definitely one of the most pricey makeup brands I have came across but none the less I am dying to get my hands on their luxury products. At the top of my Tom Ford wish list is this matte bronzer, I have been seeing it a lot recently in magazines and blogs and I have heard some fantastic reviews. At £68.00 this may seem extremely over priced for a bronzer however it contains 21 grams of product which would last much longer than an average size bronzer. From the information I have gathered this bronzer seems very much worth the investment if you are a makeup junkie like my self.

Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl Iconic Liquid Eye Pencil in 'Bedroom Black' - After falling in love with Charlotte Tilburys 'Light Wonder' foundation I have been desperate to try more from her collection. I was shopping in Harvey Nichols in Leeds recently and was so excited to see there was a new Charlotte Tilbury counter which wasn't there on my last visit. I couldn't walk away with nothing so I chose some lovely products which I have to wait for because they are Christmas presents. Those products would have made it to this list if I didn't already own them so instead the next item I hope to buy from CT is her Rock 'N' Kohl eyeliner which I have seen her using in the majority of her Youtube makeup tutorials. This looks like a really great eyeliner, if I was to buy this I would use this to line my waterline, I am yet to find an eye pencil which is long lasting and this one sounds impressive and from the tutorials it looks like a product which is easy to work with. There are a selection of colours to choose from but my first choice would be 'Bedroom Black' because I think black eyeliner is a necessity and would work wonders with a smouldering smokey eye. 

Dior 'Rose Diamond' Highlighter - I first discovered this on Tanya Burrs Youtube channel and I have admired it ever since, however after including this in my wish list I did some more research and I realised that this product has actually been discontinued. I'm sure I could find a dupe for this highlighter but I must admit I'm not crazy for highlighting and I think that the correct eyeshadow can have the same effect. My main reason for including this in my wish list is because I have been wanting to try out some more Dior makeup and this stood out from the collection, all their products looks beautiful but I can't think of anything in particular I have heard rave reviews about, so I am going to do some research on their best sellers before I purchase anything.  

YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in 'Rose Opera' - Why wouldn't I want this lipstick? The packaging is to die for, I couldn't just throw it in my makeup bag I would have to have it on display on my dressing table. This lipstick has been at the back of my mind for a while now but I have a tendency to stray towards the MAC counter and save my self £10.00 on a lipstick. 

Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer - I am forever searching for the ultimate product to conceal my dark under eye circles and I am yet to find it. This is another product that has been popping up on blogs and Youtube tutorials, I don't know a lot about it but I have seen it being used as an under eye concealer as well as a foundation and the coverage and highlight looks fantastic. The price is around £37.00 which is very expensive for a concealer but if I knew this was guaranteed to cover my loathed dark circles I wouldn't think twice about buying it. 

Tom Ford Lipstick in 'Spanish Pink' - Like I said before I am just dying to get my hands on some Tom Ford and 'Spanish Pink' looks like the perfect shade of pink which I haven't been able to find. The packaging is so slick and classy which is a seller for me but I must admit it would pain me to spend £37.00 on a lipstick, so if anyone is struggling to find me a christmas present, look no further. 

Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel Body -  The story behind this is that when Charlotte was working back stage at fashion shows and photo shoots, herself and other artists would mix foundation and highlighter together and apply the mixture to models to create the illusion of slimmer looking legs, a more defined decolletage and arms and an airbrushed finish. Charlotte then decided to create this product in the form of a fuss free roller ball which makes for quick and easy application. If anyone knows how to sell a product its Charlotte Tilbury, she described this product as the 'perfect way to cheat your dream body' and it seems that many agree as it has fantastic reviews and is used by none other than Kim Kardashian who said the product is 'legendary'. If its good enough for Kim its good enough for me.