Monday 7 November 2016

Sleek i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette in 'All Night Long' Review


Recently I've bought so so so much drugstore makeup! Today I wanted to write about an eyeshadow palette by Sleek called 'All Night Long'. It was £8.99 and contains 12 shadows.

The packaging is the same classic Sleek packaging as the others, which isn't particularly luxury but hard wearing and does the job! I always take this one travelling with me because there is such a great range of colours.


All the colours in this palette are really pigmented, however, they aren't as thick and buttery as what you get in the Sunset Palette. I do actually prefer the formula for these types of colours - they are much more velvety and soft, and with less fall-out! I really love the mix of glitter, shimmer and matte all in the same palette so you really can do so much with it!


Below are the swatches for all the colours. My personal favourite is the deep gold colour which is so so opaque and eye catching - I love it! The glittery red colours the palette are also perfect for a rusty eye look. I love the matte peach colour, it's an amazing colour for a transition shade. And it's a pretty good replacement for Makeup Geek's Peach Smoothie!


I think it's the perfect palette for this season, as you can create so many sparkly Christmas party looks from it!


Have you tried this palette? What do you think?




signature photo 3662725_zpsi6q2ahff.png

Sunday 6 November 2016

Sleek i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette in 'Sunset' Review


The other day I did the biggest online Sleek haul, and there is WAY too much to fit all in one post! 

The first thing I want to mention probably the brightest palette I have ever owned - The i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette in 'Sunset'! This palette is only £8.99, and comes with 12 eyeshadows. 


The packaging is the black matte plastic Sleek normally does. It's pretty standard but it does the job: it's really really durable and all Sleek palettes travel amazingly which is much more important to me than any packaging!


These are all of the shades close up. It's annoying Sleek don't name their eyeshadows which would make them easier to talk about, but obviously, that doesn't affect the quality! I am always very sceptical when it comes to bright eyeshadows because they always look amazing in the pan, and come out much more sheer and disappointing when you actually use them.. 

However this is the complete opposite, I am really really impressed! The shadows are so thick and pigmented, they are almost like buttercream. You can see from the swatches below that they are so so bright. Apart from the matte black, they are all extremely glittery. I absolutely love that in eyeshadows so it's perfect for me! The colours are also so long lasting, I can get the train at 6am and my eyeshadow is still perfect by the evening!



I have honestly used this palette to death since I bought it! Admittedly, I barely (if ever) use the bright blue, yellow and orange - however, I know they will be perfect if I ever need those colours for fancy dress or a crazy look. For less than £9 I don't mind not using every single colour in the palette!


I have been using the dark purple/berry tones constantly - especially now it's autumn. My go-to look these days is a dark plum eye with the darkest purple colour in the palette all over the lid, and Mac's Heritage Rouge pigment through the crease.



Have you ever tried Sleek's eyeshadows? What do you think?




signature photo 3662725_zpsi6q2ahff.png

Friday 4 November 2016

The Best Beauty Advent Calendars of 2016



It’s suddenly November, wow! Summer is officially over and Christmas is approaching! Some people have their lights up or their presents bought and wrapped... If that’s all a bit too much for you, then maybe take the first baby step and check out these advent calendars. Chocolate is so 2015, it’s all about beauty calendars now.

So many amazing brands and stores make these now, and I’ve been pining over them all for way too long! So I felt its only right to list my top calendars of 2016! A lot of the huge huge ones have already sold out (Kiehls, Diptyque,) so I've tried to include ones that you can still get your hands on - be quick! I’ve split them into 3 price ranges, from budget-buys to utterly eye-watering (but totally worth it)!




Value for money £25 - £50
These calendars don’t completely drain your purse for the Christmas season, but they are a great price for all the lovely gifts inside.


1. MakeupRevolution Beauty Advent Calendar £25

 One for the bargain hunters!

I actually adore Makeup Revolution! For such a low price point their quality is incredible, and they are super on trend with everything they release. This advent calendar comes with the full 25 pieces of makeup in really sleek black and gold packaging. It could be a bit more luxury and christmassy in my opinion - but hey! Can you really complain at £25? The calendar includes 6 lipsticks, 2 glosses, 1 eye primer, 1 liquid highlighter, 3 eyeshadows, 1 blusher, 1 highlighter, 1 anti-shine balm, 1 bronzer, 1 strobe cream (my fave!), 1 face brush, 1 foundation brush, 1 angled brush, 1 eyeshadow brush, 1 mirror and an eyeshadow palette! WOW!


2. Ciate Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar £50

One for the friend with perfect nails!

I'm obsessed with the packaging on this Ciate advent calendar! It is such a cute mix of purples, pinks and rose gold. The calendar comes with 1 full sized glitter nail polish (in gorgeous rose gold packaging) and 22 minis. There's also a rose gold glitter nail file which is honestly too pretty to ever use! There's a really great variation of colours in the set too not just Christmas shades - which doesn't often happen in Christmas sets. Obviously there's your berries and dark forest greens for the festive season, but there's also loads of nudes and pastels for all year round. 


3. ASOS The Beauty Advent Calendar £50

One for the beauty explorer!

I was so so excited to see ASOS were releasing their own advent calendar - and it doesn't disappoint! The packaging is almost Anti-Christmas (!?!?), but it's a sleek white marble with a reversed black marble interior. I think I would actually keep the box if someone gifted me this, it's so gorgeous! Worth £175, I've dubbed this calendar for explorers because it's packed full of lesser known beauty brands as well as house-hold names. There are 24 products, all ranging from haircare, makeup and skincare - which is amazing! As I said, there's well-loved brands such as Batiste and Burt's Bees as well as some bits that you may not have tried yet. 





Mild Bank-breakers £60 - £95
If your looking for something a little more special but don't want to spend hundreds, these are for you. A perfect balance between great value and treat yo' self.


4. NYX Wanderlust Advent Calendar £60

One for the lipstick lovers!

I wont lie, I really don't like / really don't get this packaging. Don't get me wrong, it's really cute - but not Christmassy at all! However, the contents completely destroys any reservations I may have! It contains 12 of NYX's amazing lip creams (a cult classic) and 12 mini eyeshadow. Any makeup addict would LOVE this!


5. ClarinsMen 12 Days of Chrismas £65

One for the man in your life!

This pleasantly festive (but masculine) packaging comes with all the essentials any man would need. I know a lot of men aren't really in to that kind of stuff, but if they don't have a sweet-tooth then this is a really nice gift. It doesn't contain a lot of crap that a man wouldn't really use, it has 12 essential skincare items - so it really would be worth it. It's filled with skincare, haircare, shower bits and shaving essentials.


6. Selfridges Eclectic Little Luxuries Advent Calendar £95

One for the friend who loves designer beauty!


This bright beautiful box is stuffed to the brim with all the best products from Lancome, YSL, Viktor & Rolf, Kiehls, and Urban Decay. It's got a few products in there from each brand, and it's a huge range: from skincare and makeup, to perfume and haircare" I think it's fab if you personally want a bit of an intro into those brands, or if your worried about buying someone 25 days of a brand they hate! 



Real Luxury £150+
If your paying over £100 you expect an epic calendar, and there's a lot of expensive calendars out there that are just full of products that didn't sell well throughout the year! These, however, are the daddies when it comes to beauty advent calendars - they come at a luxury price but certainly fit the luxury bill. 


7. Charlotte Tilbury World of Legendary Parties Advent Calendar £150

One for the CT junkie!

This is my absolute favourite calendar of them all. Charlotte Tilbury absolutely kills everything she releases, especially her limited edition Christmas products. This advent calendar is a beautiful pink and rose gold box with 12 sliding draws filled with make up and skincare. There's a lot of full sized products in this calendar so it truly is worth the money in my opinion. This box is basically a full skincare routine and full face of makeup, so it really is an amazing gift! 



8. Jo Malone London Advent Calendar £280

One for the fragrance queens!

If you love Jo Malone, you know that it's one of those brands that is expensive but totally worth it. This calendar is a true homage to London and all things British, designed as a beautiful Georgian town house. The calendar contains 24 products that are a mix of colognes and cremes, as this years calendar is all about layering and creating your own unique scent. The specifics of what's included is actually a secret - so you'll have to buy it to find out!



What are your favourite calendars of 2016? Or do you prefer chocolate!? 


signature photo 3662725_zpsi6q2ahff.png

Sunday 28 February 2016

My Favourite Foodies


I would definitely not say I'm healthy at all. I love love love food - good and bad! However I have a weird obsession with health books and blogs, purely because I find them so so interesting. If there's a new book then there's no doubt that I have pre-ordered it! Anything that will make me eat slightly healthier without feeling like I'm missing out I'm game for. I thought I’d share my favourites  foodies with you…






5. 





Her recipes are really delicious moreish foods that make me feel like I’m still eating junk food. Her Bacon, Butternutsquash and Almond Butter Salad is as incredible as it sounds! My other two faves of hers are:






4.
Image result for eat yourself skinny blog

Her recipes are so simple and easy – as well as delicious. I feel like there is no faff in there that is hard to source, and as a student – will never buy. Some I make regularly are:











3.




I love these two because their food is just so luxurious and seems so naughty when it really isn’t. There philosophy of just eating really good, natural, wholesome food I think is a really good approach and their recipes are just epic! I feel like their food is great for those who are‘anti-diet’! My top ones are:





2.

If you know anything about Sam Smith then you'll know this woman. I have all of her books, and absolutely adore her! I really like her firm attitude, no fannying around. She just tells you the truth – what you should and shouldn’t be doing. I feel like you NEED to buy her books to really understand why she is so amazing, and because a lot of her recipes aren’t online. Some that I love are:





1.

Any one who Millie Mackintosh loves, I know I'll love! I adore Madeleine Shaw so much. I am so excited for her next book! I tell everyone I know to buy it and read it because it is just so crystal clear, and I just get it. It’s real understandable, non-patronising knowledge. And the most important thing is it makes you realise why you should change. Her website is full of great recipes though if you don’t want to part with your $$$! A few of my faves are:

Hopefully that would give some cooking inspo to any one stuck in a rut of what to make for tea! Alongside these guys, if I ever get the sudden (rare) urge to be healthy I also love recipes from BBC Good Food, Jamie Oliver and Deliciously Ella!


Who are your favourite foodies?


signature photo 3662725_zpsi6q2ahff.png

Friday 26 February 2016

New Obsession: Illamasqua Gleam Highlighter in 'Aurora'


I am so obsessed with this highlighyer.

Well, I am obsessed with all highlighters, and I’ve honestly tried so so so many to find the perfect one. I always felt like I had really high expectations that would never be fulfilled…

One day I was shopping in Selfridges with my friend, and we both spotted this highlighter from a mile off! I would have never gave this a second look online, it looks so much nicer in real life. It is the Illamasqua Gleam Highlighter in ‘Aurora’.


Firstly, I love Illamasqua packaging. I think it’s really sleek and classy. I love the glass window in this little compact!

Okay.. the picture below is gross! BUT when I first opened it, it had a weird, wet oily film on top - like it had separated!? And when I was swatching it, it looked nothing like in the store and I was getting so annoyed! So I mixed it all together.. and voila! It looks like crap but works perfectly!


It is a really soft creamy highlighter, that is the perfect cool champagne colour for my pale skin. It really isn’t glittery at all, it is very much a ‘glowy’ highlighter. I just dab it on my cheeks with my fingers and blend it out with a beauty blender – and it’s perfect!

I’ve had so many compliments, and so many people asking me what highlighter I’m wearing! Because it’s so creamy, it’s amaaazing if you put a powder highlighter on top too – then it really pops. Also, it’s really easy to mix into foundation – and when I did that recently for a night out loads of my friends asked what my new dewy foundation was!


They also do the same highlighter in a deep bronze colour, perfect for darker skin tones. I love how on their site, they put the colours on different skin tones so you can actually see how it will look on you!

I can’t rave about this highlighter enough, I love it! I will definitely be picking up many many more (unless something new steals my heart!)



What’s your favourite highlighter of all time??


signature photo 3662725_zpsi6q2ahff.png

Wednesday 24 February 2016

Trainer Lust List

I’ve been lusting over trainers so much lately. I used to spend hundreds and hundreds of pounds on trainers before university, but now as a poor student I rarely buy any. I picked up a few pairs recently from ASOS and Zara, but here are some of the other ones I’ve had by eye on…



ANIMAL PRINT



I don’t know why I’m loving all trainers that have animal vibes these days. Whether it’s crocodile or leopard. It’s something that I’d usually hate but I’m really feeling it at the moment!

Ash Fool White Nappa Aligator (£75 - down from 149!)




RETRO



I loooove ugly retro trainers, I always have and always will. I remember back when I scoured the internet because I wanted a pair of blue New Balance trainers so desperately and they didn’t sell them anywhere (it’s crazy to think how much they’ve expanded now!) I always love Reebok because they do so many cool colours.





!DUPE!



I see these Puma trainers all over Instagram and I love them so much! But they come with a hefty price tag, and I definitely can’t afford to be splashing out on them. However I did see these ones in Zara, that I think have the same kind of pastelly vibe – I love them too!






What trainers have you been loving at the moment??


signature photo 3662725_zpsi6q2ahff.png

Monday 22 February 2016

NEW! MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lip Colour Review


As soon as I saw MAC bring these liquid lipsticks out, I was so so so excited! I knew they’d soon jump on the bandwagon. When I got down to the store, all the nudes had sold out, which sucked. So I picked up this standard red shade ‘Feels So Grand’. It was a bit pricey £22, but I think I had rose tinted glasses on at the time, so let it slide. You can see below though, they are a lot larger than standard lipsticks – so maybe it is worth it!



I’m always really sceptical about liquid lipsticks, because 99% of them are awful. I’m not saying these ones aren’t hard to use, because that just comes with the matte territory. But, they are a lot lot nicer than most liquid lipsticks.

It is really thick and creamy, so it is so easy to apply and not clingy at all. It is quite tricky to get a sharp line, I guess as it is essentially painting your lips – but it’s nothing a bit of concealer cant help. It doesn’t set straight away, so it is quite easy to clean up.


I love how It is so so so pigmented and rich! Here is a shot of it next to the driest matte lipstick on earth: Ruby Woo. You can see from a mile how much it outshone the original cult classic. It is so much more vibrant, easy to apply, and a lot less drying. And as you can see, pretty much an identical shade.


As it sets, it does get a lot dryer – but that is to be expected. You definitely cannot rub your lips together after a touch up, as it just flakes horrendously. However, the staying power of this liquid lipstick is incredible. One weekend, I woke up with the colour still perfectly in place – and that is something when it comes to red lipstick!

I love wearing this shade with the MAC lip liner ‘Redd’ (pictured below), I think it’s a pretty good match!


All in all, I absolutely adore these liquid lipsticks, they are the best I’ve tried so far. Even though they are so much more expensive than standard lipsticks I definitely want to pick more up. No rush though – as they’ve just been made permanent! Yay!



signature photo 3662725_zpsi6q2ahff.png