February Makeup Favourites

Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Palette (Medium) - Is it all it's cracked up to be? YES! I love this palette and it is so easy to work with. The coverage is amazing,  I use the 'cream' shade in this palette as an under eye concealer and 'banana' as a highlighter, these shades brighten up my skin and help to conceal my dark circles better than any other product I have used. I love to use the darker shades to bronze my skin and to create some definition by contouring. I would recommend this product to anyone!

MAC Strobe Cream - I bought this product just after Christmas and ever since I have been using it daily on my self and my clients. I love to apply this before foundation for a healthy and illuminating glow. I apply it to the high points of my face, particularly on my cheek bones where I like to highlight the most. I use this along side MAC skin base visage primer and studio fix fluid foundation, I love the combination of the three for a dewy and long lasting finish. 

Urban Decay De-Slick Oil Control Setting Spray - This is another cult product that everybody raves about and I've got to say I've been pretty impressed with it, my makeup does seem to stay in place and is longer lasting with a few sprits' of the spray when my makeup is complete and it also gives the skin an extra little glow after powdering. This product is now a must have for me and I will definitely be repurchasing!

NARS Illuminator 'Super Orgasm' - I never use to be crazy about a highlighter, but now I am and I had to get my hands on this pretty product. I apply this to my cheekbones after foundation, however I don't wear this daily, it is a product I opt for with evening makeup. This pearly peach illuminator gives off hints of gold which looks stunning when hit by the light.  

Thank you for reading!

My Wardrobe Necessitites

With it being the new year I decided to have a big clear out and get rid of some clothes I don't wear anymore, making room in my wardrobe for some new clothes. Below I have put together a list of my favourite and must have items for this time of year.

Plain T's

I love plain T shirts they are the most basic item but they are an absolute essential in my wardrobe, I wear one almost every day. I'm always picking up a new T shirt on shopping trips, black and white T's are a must have but some other colours I have picked up are grey, khaki and blush pink. They are so easy to wear, I have a bit of an obsession with jackets and they are perfect to wear underneath those or any other statement piece.

Fur Gilet

A gilet is a great and fashionable alternative for a coat or jacket if you don't want to completely cover yourself up, of course in this weather I would make sure I'm wearing something warm and long sleeved underneath.

Leather Jacket

I rave about leather jackets a lot but its a fact that they are a timeless item, they never go out of fashion, they can give a simple outfit a bit of an edge and they go with pretty much everything.

Denim Jacket 

I just picked up a denim jacket last week in the sale at Zara, another easy to wear item which will probably be in my wardrobe forever. I love wearing different textures together like leather and denim. 

Bomber Jacket 

Lord knows I love a bomber jacket, I've probably mentioned them in my last 5 fashion posts but I'm still loving them and they don't seem to be going out of fashion any time soon! 

Leather leggings/trousers

Leather can add a bit of excitement to an otherwise plain outfit, these can work dressed down for a day look and dressed up for a night out.

Ankle boots

I've always opted for long boots but this year I've bought some ankle boots, last year saw an over-the-knee over load so I've decided to go for something different for everyday wear.

Statement heels 

I love to wear a statement heel for a night out, I think shoes are just as important as the outfit you wear and they can completely finish the look off, a lot of fashion at the moment is very basic,  for example a block coloured slinky dress or two piece, so a stylish pair of shoes can really set an outfit off and be the talking point of the outfit. 

Jumpers

Jumpers are definitely a necessity for this time of the year; high neck, roll neck, cropped, oversized, cable knit, there are so many styles and I just can't resist picking them up on shopping trips, especially at H&M they have so many to choose from at affordable prices.

Trainers

I've never been a big fan of trainers but recently I've had a change of heart and I can't complain about how comfortable they are! I love to style trainers with black skinny jeans for a casual day look.

Winter Coat

Theres nothing better than a new winter coat, I think its a good idea to upgrade your coat every year as this is the item you're probably going to wear the most and trends are constantly changing, this year I chose a shearling jacket which is very on trend as well as very warm.

 Thank you for reading!

Casual Fashion Inspo

I feel like I haven't wrote a fashion post in ages but as usual I've been obsessing daily over fashion posts on Instagram.I have decided to put together a selection of my favourite casual looks recently posted by the Kardashians and Jenners of course, more stylish celebs and some of my favourite fashion bloggers. 

Kourtney, Khloe and Kylie rock all black. Lately I have been wearing leather leggings and trousers religiously and I need to buy some plain and distressed black jeans, I think they go with pretty much everything and can smarten up a casual look. 

Simlar to Kylies look is Sarah Ashcrofts street style in New York, I love the black and nude combination, I'm still loving bomber jackets and my collection is ever growing but this nude and a black bomber are to be added next. Sarah is also wearing the limited edition Nike Desert Thea trainers which I was trying to get a hold of for weeks but I have officially gave up, at least I have the black NY cap! 

The same nude bomber worn with neutral tones (Instagram @xshellcy)

How good do Kourtney and Kylie look in their Yeezy oversized sweatshirts,  I don't think anybody can pull this look off quite like these girls and certainly not everyone can afford the ridiculous price tag never the less I'm inspired. 

Oversized and waterfall coats are still very much in fashion this year, but what I particularly like about Kylie and Gigis looks is the grey tones, I'm loving neutral and muted colours.

Sarah Ashcroft looks classy and stylish with a simple white tee, distressed jeans and a leather biker jacket. I love leather jackets they never go out of fashion and can make the most plain outfit look trendy, I have a leather jacket from Zara for Christmas which I can't wait to wear! 

More leather jackets worn by Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, styled with over the knee boots and lace detail khaki trousers.

 Kylie sports Adidas originals for an extra casual look.

Thank you for reading! 

Recent Makeup Looks

As I have said previously I have been spending a lot of my nights practising new makeup looks and posting most of them on Instagram. For this post I have decided to put together some of my favourite looks with a short description and I'll also try to remember the products I used. I'm also planning to do another video tutorial this week so look out for that! 

This look was inspired by another makeup artists work I seen on Instagram. I love and using pink and purple shades on my eyes because they contrast with my green eyes. For my complexion I used a lot of bronzing and highlighting products and I used a neutral pink lipstick so the main focus of this look was the eye makeup. 

products used

MAC 'Painterly' Paintpot 

MAC Eyeshadows 'Sushi Flower 'Plum Dressing 'Sketch' 

MAC Pigments 'Push The Edge' 'Vanilla' 

Peach iridescent glitter

MAC Fluidline Eyeliner 'Blacktrack 

MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascara 

HD Pro Brow & Eye Palette 

Studio Fix Fluid Foundation NC35, NC45

BH Cosmetics Concealer & Corrector Palette 

Rimmel Stay Matte Transparant Powder 

YSL Touche Eclat

MAC 'Matte Bronze' Bronzer

MAC 'Fleur Power' Blusher

MAC 'Gold Deposit' Highlighter

MAC 'Dervish' Lip Pencil 

MAC 'Pure Zen' Lipstick

I love this eye makeup it is my favourite of all the looks I have created lately and I've been wearing it a lot for nights out. I love the contrast of the brown matte eyeshadows and the pop of glitter and I particularly like the bold arabic style eyeliner. I wore these sparkly eyes with my usual complexion makeup and favourite brown lipstick. 

MAC 'Painterly' Paintpot 

Morphe Brushes 35n Matte Palette 

MAC Eyeshadows 'Tempting' 'Mystery'

MAC Pigment 'Vanilla' 'Naked'

MAC Fluidline Eyeliner 'Blacktrack'

MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Black Lash Mascara 

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation Shade 8 

Mac Studio Fix Fluid Foundation NC 45 

Rimmel Stay Matte Transparant Powder 

BH Cosmetics Concealer & Corrector Palette 

MAC 'Matte Bronze' Bronzer

MAC 'Fleur Power' Blusher

MAC 'Gold Deposit' Highlighter

MAC 'Morning Coffee' Lip Pencil 

KIKO Velvet Mat Lipstick '611 Autumn Pink' 

My Favourite Beauty Products of 2015

I've got to admit I haven't wrote as many posts as I would have liked to this year as I have found myself being busier at work and I also spend a lot of nights practising my makeup techniques which I need to start recording for my YouTube channel, I will make that my new years resolution if its not too early to talk about that. With that being said I am going to try and squeeze as many posts as possible in to the final month of 2015.

For this post I have decided to round up my favourite products of the year which are essential in my makeup bag and beauty regime and are the products I will be continuing to use and repurchase in 2016, however some of my favourite products have been mentioned countless times on my blog and I don't want to repeat myself over an over again so I have listed some products with out a description...

MAC Studio Fix Fluid (NC35) - I have been using this foundation since June, I bought it for my holiday in Ibiza after receiving a sample with another MAC purchase, I had used this in the past but found my self jumping from one foundation to another because I must admit when I was younger I didn't apply foundation correctly and I certainly didn't know how to colour match. The sample I received was in the shade 'NC25' which is too light for my skin tone so I went up 2 shades and got 'NC35' which is perfect for when I have a medium/dark spray tan, however I might go up to NC42 if I have a darker tan. Before applying this foundation I apply a generous amount of moisturiser and primer, this way the foundation doesn't look too heavy and it will not stick to any dry patches of skin I may have and then I am left with a glowing and fresh looking complexion. This is the most long wearing foundation I have used and it doesn't leave my skin looking patchy at the end of the day, even in the heat of the summer, with that being said this foundation is ideal for oily skin.  

MAC 'Painterly' Paint Pot -  I have mentioned this in previous posts and it is in all of my tutorials but I have to include this in my favourites because it is such a fantastic product. This product cancels out any discolouration on my eye lids and leaves me with a blank canvas to apply my eye makeup, it also keeps the makeup in place, prevents creasing, gives loose pigments a base to stick to and emphasises eyeshadows so the colours are more vibrant.

MAC 'Gold Deposit' Highlighter - I have had this highlighter for so long I can't even remember when I bought it but I dug it out of my makeup drawer a couple of weeks ago and I have been loving it for a cheek bone highlight. I have came to the conclusion I prefer a highlight with gold and warm undertones because I think that suits my skin tone better as appose to a highlight with cool undertones, which I think can look quite ashy on my skin. This can also be used as an eyeshadow which I'm yet to try. 

MAC 'Copper Sparkle' Pigment - This is my absolute favourite pigment I use this so much because it compliments my green/blue eyes. I like to wear this pigment on the base of my lids with brown/orange matte eyeshadows in the outer corner, crease and lower lash line. 

Peaches and Cream 'Prin' Pigment - I just purchased this pigment last week along with 'Stella' and 'Disco' from the Peaches and Cream range. I've been loving 'Prin' in particular because it is the perfect and prettiest inner corner highlight, the super fine pigment can also be dusted over other eye shadow for a sparkling shimmer effect. 

MAC Liquidlast Eyeliner 

MAC 'Merh' Listick

MAC 'Pink Treat' Cremestick Liner (discontinued)

Morphe Brushes 35N Matte Palette 

Garnier Miceller Water 

YSL Black Opium Perfume 

In 2016 I'm making it my mission to find a concealer that will hide my dark circles and a mascara that will give my lashes length and volume and doesn't smudge under my eyes, and also a moisturiser and eye cream with visible benefits, any recommendations are welcome! 

Thank you for reading!

KIKO Products First Impressions

A couple weeks ago I came across the KIKO store in Newcastle, Eldon Square, I had heard of the brand but had not yet tried the products so I had to have a browse and pick up some products to try for myself. KIKO seems to be getting more and more popular, the price of the products are varied but reasonable, I would say the brand is somewhere in between drugstore and high end. KIKO sells pretty much everything makeup related, including brushes and a skincare range which I want to try but on this visit I only bought the basics and here are my first impressions...

KIKO Velvet Mat Lipstick '611 Autumn Pink' - I was intending on buying a new MAC lipstick but I decided to try something new with KIKO. I opted for my usual colour and finish; a matte brown/pink. So far I'm impressed with this lipstick, I like the colour, its different to any I already have. It is long lasting and I don't feel the need to top it up constantly. Also it feels moisturising on my lips but still has the matte finish I like, unlike matte lipsticks by MAC which feel so drying on my lips. With that being said I'm pleased with this product and I will be visiting KIKO again to try more of their lipsticks. 

KIKO Smart Lip Pencil '404 Brick Red' - Seen as though MAC do not sell my favourite Pink Treat Cremestick Liner anymore I've been searching for a replacement, I'm not crazy about MACs 'Pro Longwear' or regular lip pencils, so I thought I would try the 'smart lip pencil' from KIKO. The colour I picked up is called 'Brick Red' which I did't realise at the time, I thought the colour looked more brown when I was testing it out in the store, therefore I probably wouldn't pick this particular colour up again as I prefer a brown/pink lip. However the formula of this lip pencil is lovely, it is a rich creamy texture and applies smoothly. This particular lip pencil is only £2.50 so I would definitely recommend anyone to pick this up, a great product at an absolute bargain price! 

Pencil Lip Gloss '09 Light Beige' - I'm not sure what made me pick this up because I rarely ever wear lipgloss, but I liked the colour and I hadn't tried a 'pencil lip gloss' before so I guess it sounded quite intriguing. This is a good product to have because it is a 3 in 1, lip pencil/lipstick/lipgloss however I've only used this once because I've been wearing my new lipstick so much but I'm sure it will come in handy when I want a nude lip with a glossy finish.

KIKO Dazzling Highlighter 'Bright Rose' - Lately I've been loving a strong highlight, so I've been on the hunt for the perfect highlighter. I usually use a powder but for a change I picked up this creamy highlighter which comes in the form of a pan stick. This product comes in 2 shades but I went for this one which has pinkish/gold tones. I apply this to my cheek bones after my foundation and concealer and it blends in so easily and seamlessly and leaves me with a healthy, shimmery glow. 

Thank you for reading! 

More Halloween Looks

Halloween seems to be more popular than ever this year, I have seen so many amazing makeup creations on Instagram, its been taking over my life - which is a good excuse for why I haven't written any blog posts in a while. I've been spending hours on a night playing with makeup and coming up with these Halloween looks... 

Skeleton.

Mermaid/Dead Mermaind.

For more Halloween makeup looks check out my Instagram @rosecraddock

Recent Beauty Buys

Morphe Brushes 35N 35 Colour Matte Palette - I've had my eyes on this palette for a while after seeing it used on various YouTube tutorials. I am loving matte eyeshadows and this palette gives me so many options for eye makeup looks. There is a large selection of brown and tan shades, which are great for crease and transition colours, some of the shades can even be used for contouring the face. This palette is great value for money, the eyeshadows are well pigmented and easy to blend, there is slight fall out with the eyeshadows but this isn't a massive problem. I look forward to purchasing more products from Morphe Brushes. 

MAC Studio Fix Foundation - This is a foundation I used years ago but forgot about after trying other brands, I bought it again before my holiday in Ibiza, and have repurchased it since, I also purchased a selection of different shades to use on my clients, and I think it is a fantastic product to have in a makeup artist kit because it works well on so many people. Personally I find this product sits on my skin nicely, as long as I moisturise prior to application, If I don't moisturise it can feel quite drying on my skin, I would also suggest using a hydrating primer. If used correctly it does not look or feel heavy and it is longer lasting than any other foundation I have used. I use shade NC35, this shade usually works for most people with a tanned complexion, but make sure to get colour matched before buying. 

MAC Skin Base Visage - I bought this for my makeup artist kit, because I think it is important to use a primer on my clients to ensure their makeup lasts as long as possible. This is a universal primer so it works for all skin types. I've been using it on myself but I can't say I notice a massive difference in comparison to when I wear foundation only, but I haven't tested the difference so its hard to say how well this product works, however I always feel much better when I prep my skin properly and prime before applying foundation. 

MAC Fluidline in 'Blacktrack' - I bought this eyeliner for my makeup artist kit because it was a more practical product than my holy grail eyeliner (MAC Liquidlast Eyeliner). Personally I prefer Liquidlast eyeliner on my self because I find it is blacker, longer lasting and smudge proof. However the Fluidline eyeliner is easier to work with, any mistakes can be fixed with out the product drying too quick and it is really easy to move around in order to create the perfect winged eyeliner. I will repurchase the Fluidline for my kit, however I will also be repurchasing my old faithful Liquidlast for personal use.  

YSL Touche Eclat - This has to be one of the best selling beauty products of all time, it is a cult classic. My mam has used this for years and swears by it, but this is the first time I've had this product for myself. The dark circles under my eyes are something that really bother me - but that doesn't make me go to sleep any earlier, however I have found this product not only helps to conceal the awful shadows but also brightens and highlights the area, making me look more awake and healthy. I feel this product is quite a luxury to have in my makeup kit, I enjoy using it and will definitely be repurchasing. 

YSL Black Opium Perfume - I had been wanting this perfume for ages, it was the packaging that first caught my eye, I love the black and pink glitter theme, then after sampling it at the counter I loved everything about it, and last month I finally got my hands on it. I wear this perfume on an evening if I am going out or for special occasions because it is a strong perfume and maybe too heavy for daily use. Describing a scent is not my forte, so I found this description online, 'The hedonistic black coffee note of the original Black Opium scent is transformed into an ultra-luminous green coffee accord with a heart of Jasmine Tea on a sensual base of sensual Patchouli, white woods and musk.'

Garnier Marceller Water - I've decided I want to boost my skin care regime so I'm starting with ditching the face wipes and using Marceller water instead. I seen many good reviews about this product before I bought it and I have to say I agree with all the great feedback. The water removes all traces of makeup and excess oils and it leaves my skin feeling smooth, toned and glowing. 

Thank you for reading!

Halloween Looks

Halloween is fast approaching and I have been getting lots of enquiries about makeup bookings, so I have been practising some looks in my spare time which I have enjoyed creating and I'm looking forward to doing more in the lead up to the 31st. Here are some ideas I have came up with so far...

The Devil

The first look I created was based on the devil, I began drawing out the horns on my forehead and I worked from there, using a lot of red for shadow and contouring, I also applied red glitter on my lips. This is quite a 'glam' halloween look, one for the girly girls!

 The Black Swan

This is a popular theme for Halloween, I found lots of different interpretations of this look on Pinterest and Instagram which was a bit over whelming when I was looking for some inspiration, so I just followed the basic eye shape and then designed my own look from there. The shape around the eyes are suppose to be the wings of a swan so I feathered them out with with light brush strokes then added the line detail on the lids and brow bone. I then contoured my cheekbones using a black eyeshadow and created a red and black ombre lip to finish. 

Scarface 

For this look I firstly created an evening makeup look, I then used liquid latex, fake blood and a mixture of foundation, concealers and eyeshadows to create the bleeding open wound.

Here is a close up of another open wound I created on my hand.

Thank you for reading and look out for more Halloween looks coming soon!