Summer Blushin' // Collab w. Glitter Melody

Summer Blushin' // Collab w. Glitter Melody

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Today's post is yet another collab with the wonderful Hannah from Glitter Melody. Together, we have created a very summer-y based collab in which I share with you my favourite blushes this season and where Hannah informs you of her summer lip picks. Make sure to check out her post or head over to her social media accounts below:

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Blushes have been my evergrowing addiction this summer; not only do I love my luxurious highend blushes, but I really adore my beautiful drugstore numbers. Today, I thought I'd focus on these bargainous beauties as they're all very afforable - all £10 and under! During the warmer months, I love wearing coral/peach toned colours on my cheeks to compliment the lighter makeup I tend to wear.

1. Sleek Blush by 3 Palette ~ Lace (RRP £10.00)

    My favourite drugstore blushes definitely have to be by Sleek. With complimentary sleek packaging, a fantastic range of seasonal appropriate shades and flattering trios, Sleek definitely get my vote for best blushes of all time. Lace is the one to go for if you're looking for a summer blush palette - the colours are perfect for this season as each are vibrant and hold warm undertones. 

2. Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher ~ Jasper Rose (RRP £7.99)

For those who are a fan of the rose-gold craze, I would definitely take a look at this one. Jasper rose is a pretty rose gold pink that looks gorgeous on the apples of your cheeks. The tiny golden flecks catch the sunlight really easily and enhance your complexion, making your look super healthy. If I'm spending the day in the sun and have little eye makeup on, I will always pop a dab of Jasper Rose on each cheek.

3. Rimmel Stay Blushed! ~ SunKissed Cherry (RRP £4.49)

A liquid formulated blusher is something I hadn't experimented with until the 2015. I'm a huge lover of powder blushes so never expected to love another formula, let alone this one. However, Rimmel's Stay Blushed blends like a dream when applied with a stippling brush. This one is on the orange/coral side of the spectrum - a glittery eye and nude lip makes an amazing combo with Sunkissed Cherry. 

4. E.L.F Baked Blush ~ Peachy Cheeky (RRP £3.75) 

Probably my most worn and most loved summer blush for the longest time - Peachy Cheeky by E.L.F. Baked blushes are one to go for if you want to get a lot for your money. They appear to last forever - I've owned this E.L.F Number for many summers now and it looks almost untouched. The various colours running through the peach basis makes it ever the more pretty in sunlight, just like the bourjois baked blush. 

5. MUA Blusher ~ BonBon (RRP £1.00)

Those who don't like spending a lot on makeup, head on over to the MUA counter in your local superdrug. They offer fab little makeup pieces for reasonable prices. Even though their standard/quality isn't as wonderful as other drugstore brands, they do a few things worth trying out. For instance, their blushes and lipsticks are products that particularly stand out for me. I loved the look of bonbon for summer, a muted pink for days you want your makeup to look slightly more lowkey and natural. The colour payoff is super pretty, just make sure to spend a while blending it in as the powdery formula can cause issues from time to time.

I hope you are all having a fabulous summer! What have you been up to? What are your favourite blushes to wear in the summer?

Don't forget to check out Hannah's favourite lipsticks :-)

Lots of love

Evening Makeup Look // Collab w. MollyIsabelSmith

Evening Makeup Look // Collab w. MollyIsabelSmith

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First off, I'd like to let you all know that today's post is part of a collab with Molly Smith from mollyisabelsmith.blogspot.co.uk. Alternatively, she has created a daytime and more natural look - the complete opposite of my intense eye makeup and bold lips. You can also find Molly on @mollyisabels on both twitter and instagram. It has been lovely working with her and I would be so grateful, as would she, if you went over to her blog and checked out her post.

Creating a bolder, intense makeup look is one of my ultimate past times; I love indulging in deeper lip colours and throwing dark shades onto my eyes. I just so happen to enter my own little bubble of serenity when I alter my makeup to something more dramatic than the regular day time face. Starting with the face, something I don't drastically transform, I opt for a full-coverage foundation (MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC15). This works well when faking a flawless complexion as well as lasting the entire evening, whether you be going out to a fancy restaurant or partying all night long, this foundation will stay put. The only other change in my face makeup is contouring. Personally, I like to contour my face A LOT when I'm wearing evening makeup. I apply my Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess in the hollows of my cheeks, my temples, under my jaw and sometimes on the tip of my nose; contouring is a great way to dramatise your makeup from day to night. In the look above, I also used Mac's Soft&Gentle to highlight, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer to eliminate appearance of under eye cirles/highlight my T-Zone and Mac's Fleur Power for a subtle hint of blush. 

The primary focal point of the look comes down to the eyes. Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in Eternal Gold was perfect for creating a base on the eyelid. This helps to avoid creasing and maintain the eyeshadow applied on top. Next, I turned to my trusty Naked 2 palette and applied SNAKEBITE through the crease until fully blended. If you aren't comfortable using black eyeshadow, then skip the next step - I decided to increase the intensity by defining my outer corner. This was easily done by adding the darkest, opaque shade in the Naked 2 palette - blackout. Little by little, I tapped this onto my outer corner and blended thoroughly to ensure no harsh lines were present. To finish the eye look, I added some golden liquid glitter from Essence and painted on some winged liner. My lashes were lengthened and volumized using Smashbox's mascara; I also went under my eye with snakebite to define my eye shape.

Deciding on a lip colour was the final challenge. Owning many a dark lip, it was a difficult decision but in the end I chose Maybelline's Colour Drama Lip Pencil in Berry Much. Rich purples look undeniably fabulous with dramatic eyes and definitely a go-to of mine. Also, I think a ruby red lip would look equally as gorgeous with this eye makeup - gold and red are a great combo!

Thank you for reading and don't forget to check out Molly's post!

Lots of love

Drugstore Dupes for those Highend Holy Grails

Drugstore Dupes for those Highend Holy Grails

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What could a beauty blog viewer love more than being introduced to a bargainous version of their fave product(s)/one they've been longing for for about 13 and a half years?! Take a wild guess at what I've got in store for you all today? I'm thrilled to announce that I'm back to beauty (finally!!!) - I've missed this too much. So...what other way can I make up my insane lack of makeup based content than a cheeky deal for you all to get your hands on - it's a good 'un! It get's better...I thought I really owed it to you so I've made sure to find a few dupes for some all time favourite highend beauty products.

Mac Studio Fix NC15 VS Bourjois 123 Perfect 51

In terms of colour, both in the bottle and on the face, these foundations are identical. They are both cool-toned, which is fabulous to counteract my blotchy red areas and are the closest matches to my skin colour I've ever found. When it comes to coverage, these are the ones I go to for that medium-full, flawless finish. Each dry to give a satin/matte finish, which you may think is strange considering I have dry skin. However, neither cling to dry matches or focus on any rough areas I may so have. The only problem is, the MAC one can become very cakey looking on the face so to avoid that, apply thin even coats on top of each other making sure to buff lightly into the skin. Onto lasting power now, I must say that if you like your makeup to last all night, I advise to pay that little bit extra and purchase the MAC option. This is because it last roughly 4 hours more than the drugstore one.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer VS NYX HD Photogenic Concealer

For those looking to eliminate dark circles, imperfections and redness, don't hesistate to carry on reading! Not only do these both give an insane full coverage (a fundamental feature in my case - when choosing a concealer to hide those dark, zombie undereyes) but they both glide effortlessly onto the skin without dragging or irritating my skin. I've found in the past that some concealer wants can be quite rough and make my eyes red/sore. The only difference I can state about these two is that the NARS one feels much more luxurious and fulfilling on the skin, the formula is heavenly and sinks perfectly in places you wish to be rid of and correct. Finally, both concealers have a great tendency to last the entire day without creasing - HUGE BONUS! Grab your hands on either of these if anything above ticked your concealer hunting list.

Benefit Rockateur VS Bourjois Jasper Rose

In the photos, we can see that there colours look slightly 'off' - Rockateur has minor peachy tones whereas Jasper Rose is just plain pink. Despite this colour mishap at first glance, when applied to the cheeks, I kid you not, they give off the same healthy, rosy glow. A little goes a long way; each product being so high on the pigmentation scale means only a sweep on the brush can give you your desired look. Anyone who is still unsure of splashing out £24 on a single blush, I suggest you go down to boots and get your hands on this before purchasing. 

Benefit They're Real VS Collection Lenthening Mascara

The couple claiming to both lengthen and define are neck and neck. Using Collection's mascara sincerely surprised me - I was not expecting it to match that of Benefit's infamous They're Real. With alike wands, the formula is applied in the exact same way. Bottom lash application is also simple as the wand ends are very slim so are able to get in there without being too messy. Honestly, I cannot fault the Collection mascara in any way; the final look on the eyes are very very V E R Y similar so similar I may do an in depth review on these two just to prove how much. The only things I could mention, if I was to be really picky, is that the Benefit one is easier to remove and overall slightly lengthens the lashes by 1mm more. THE BEST DUPE OF THE POST!

Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss Liar VS Barry M Toffee Ligloss

Urban Decay's Naked collection is an evergrowing love of every beauty fanatic nowadays. More recently, I have seen people purchasing the beautiful rose gold lipgloss tubes, which I have to say I'm in love with deeply. In my collection, I realised I have a lipgloss that can be compared quite closely. Regardless of the differentation in colours (seen in swatches above) the Barry M lipglosses have a dupe-like formula to that of the Urban Decay lip products. Both with a smooth glossy finish, you would not be able to tell the difference on the lips aesthetically and personally - a great bargain if I do say so myself. The only downfall is that the UD ones have better pigmentation and the Barry M ones can become rather sticky after several layers of applicance. 

Chanel Coco Rouge Lipshine Satisfaction VS L'Oreal Collection Privee Cheryl's Nude 

My all time favourite nude is Chanel's Satisfaction - not too pale, not too dark. Personally, I believe this to be a very sophisticated and flattering colour regardless of skin tone/preference. L'Oreal's nude collection could mirror that of this gorgeous Chanel shade; with 6 colours in the range, you can find your perfect nude for a cheaper price. In my opinion, Cheryl's Nude strikes drugstore Satisfaction to a T - I'm really into a nude lip this Summer. If you want that more luxurious feel and richness on the lips, you can go all the way and pay £25 for Satisfaction! Equally, each have a very subtle finish and pigmentation on the lips which makes it evermore the classier - I'm just in love with this lippie!

Mac Lady Danger VS E.L.F Velvet Rope

Hot, orange goodness to brighten up your Summer, Mac's Lady Danger and E.L.F's Velvet Rope can help you make a statement this season. Despite the different finishes, you can save £12 to get an exact colour match. As Lady Danger is has a matte finish, it is therefore longer lasting and can honestly stay on your lips for an entire day/night. On the other hand, E.L.F's moisturizing formula has a slightly glossier finish so can end up rubbing off in a couple of hours. It's down to you to decide - moisturzing, cheap but not long-lasting or matte, long-lasting but expensive?

Nars Audacious Charlotte VS Rimmel Kate Moss 107

Colour - With Rimmel's Kate Moss 107 shade being the Autumn craze over the last few years, I would like to inform all you owners of this berry beast that it mimicks that of the Nars Audacious Lipstick collection. Deep berries are my go-to every Autumn/Winter, like most beauty bloggers, so I thought I'd share this good lil dupe. The shades are very alike in the swatches above, as well as looking identical on the lip. Lasting power is 10/10 for both but the formula can become very drying and flake with the Rimmel option. To avoid this from happening, all you need is a little bit of lip balm to apply beforehand and your flaking nightmare will be over. 

Mac Rebel Lipstick VS Maybelline Colour Drama Berry Much

Colour - I won't declare this as the classic 'save the best till last' but this dupe comes close to one of my faves. Being a huge fan of the Maybelline Colour Drama pencils has become no surprise to me, the easy application, the rich colour, the variety in colour range and longevity of the product has been a massive YES from me! I would totally compare the darkest shade, Berry Much, to one of my Mac holy grails - REBEL! Similar in both satin finish, formula and intense berry colour you cannot go wrong with this dupe. For a third of the price, I would totally recommend all of my viewers to get your hands on this, especially before Autumn approaches.

What are your favourite dupes? 

Lots of love

Everyday Natural Makeup Starter Kit

Everyday Natural Makeup Starter Kit

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 Products:

~ 'C' Makeup Bag - Primark

~ Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector - Light

~ Maybelline Anti Age Rewind Concealer - Light

~ Too Faced Sweethearts Blush 

~ Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil - Dark Brown

~ Revlon Lash Potion

~ Mac Prolongwear Paint Pot - Bare Study

~ Benefit Posie Balm

You know them days when you can't be bothered to cake your face in endless pretty products?? Yeah, I get them days. So..here are a few handy little products, both highend and drugstore, for those days when you're feeling that little bit lazy!

Personally, I would opt for a BB cream when I'm not going full frontal with my makeup; this gives a slight coverage, evens out my skin colours and makes me feel a lot more confident than leaving the house with no facial makeup at all. Although, if you do feel comfortable with your natural skin, then you could just pop a bit of concealer (the Maybelline one mentioned above is incredible) under your eyes/over blemishes and you're good to go! Finally, facewise, you could add a subtle warmness to your cheeks by applying pinky-toned blush - I love this one from two faces, the little shimmers are perfect for a natural glow.

Moving on to eyes, I will go very minimal with days like this. However, I cannot go anywhere without my brows filled in (comment below if you have really sparse eyebrows like me and know the struggle:(!) With a few strokes of the inexpensive Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil your brows will be looking on fleek (I'm sorry) in no time. If I want to balance the tones on my eyelids, I will just pat a small amount of the beautiful champagne coloured paint pot from Mac in Bare Study. Lastly, I will apply a single coat of the Revlon Lash Potion for a bit of volume and length on my lashes.

Last but not least, is lips - and 100% I will always go for lipbalms on natural makeup days. I love the small 'eos'-liked balms from Boots called Balmis or for a wash of colour, I will go for Posie Balm above ^. The colour is so flattering with simple face makeup and it totally completes the look.

I hope you enjoyed today's post and I will see you all soon.

Love

Top 5 | Concealers

Top 5 | Concealers

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Hey guys!

So today I have decided to put together my top 5 go-to concealers, featuring 4 inexpensive blemish hiders and a slightly pricey one for those who love splurging on a good ol' highend face product. 

Collection Lasting Perfection (RRP £4.19) - Although this is the least expensive, I would say that this concealer has the best coverage over them all. When you first buy this, the formulation is creamy, blend easily, hides any redness and rids any dark under eye circles. The only issue is that the texture can become cakey on the face and very drying; it usually only remains creamy if you use the whole thing in less than a month. Personally, I would buy this if you are in need of a good under eye concealer but go for a more expensive one if you want to get longer use of your money.

Maybelline Instant Anti-age Erase Eye (RRP £7.99) - My latest concealer purchase is this little beauty. I have been using this for the past month and loving the results. I would say this concealer can last 2-3 months, so not too bad. Also, the formula is very creamy, thus won't cling to any dry patches on the skin. I have this in the lightest shade so it can also be good for slight and subtle highlight in the centre of the face.

Helen E Cover It (RRP £8.00) - Cover It has to be the one for those who love to brighten their under eye area. Unlike the Collection one, it doesn't give great coverage but instead brightens your under eyes so they are practically glowing! I always apply this, or a shade from my E.L.F concealer palette, before applying a coverage giving concealer.

NYX HD Photogenic (RRP £8.49) - The one for intense highlight definitely has to be the NYX HD Photogenic concealer - this is incredible for Kim Kardashian under eye highlight. I apply shed loads of this stuff on my dark circles when I've been getting little sleep or going to a party to help highlight my face. This concealer is also great for central highlight, so looks amazing blended onto the forehead, nose, cupid's bow and chin.

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat (RRP £25.00) - Although the packaging can get a little messy, like the Maybelline one, I love how easy the application is with this styled concealer. Little product is wasted, as all is pushed to the brush and it doesn't dry out as easy as the ones with plastic wands. My favourite things about this concealer is that it is very long lasting, remains on the face for the entire day, still holds highlight even when held with powder and makes my face looks so healthily radiant.

Let me know you favourite concealers in the comments below. I love trying out new concealers, espeically ones with extremely high coverage! Thanks for reading X

Love

Charlotte Xx

A Simple Guide to Drugstore Bases

A Simple Guide to Drugstore Bases

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Tonight I have a little guide I've put together including all my drugstore foundations. I hope it helps you decide what foundation to try next or buy from your local high street store...enjoy.

Low Coverage - Garnier BB Cream/L'oreal Paris Nude Eau De Teint

For low coverage, I cheated because I chose two, but I guess it is just a bonus for you guys as you have the option to decide one or the other. My favourite of the two would probably be the Garnier BB Cream, as the formula is very moisturizing, surprisingly helps the skin and lasts all day long. This is perfect for those no makeup, makeup days or just lounging around on a lazy Sunday. ow coverage
Another low coverage base, this time a foundation rather than BB cream, is the L'oreal Paris Nude Eau De Teint. At first, I wasn't convinced because I stupidly picked up a really dark, orangey shade. But I persevered and finally was able to match my skin tone if I mixed with another foundation. Anyway, this one is great for people who are watery-base lovers. It is so lightweight but also beautiful on the skin - a must-have for all low coverage fiends. 

Medium Coverage - Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum

I am a massive fan of this wonderfully hyped-up beauty. I love the Healthy Mix Serum, as the gel formulation works really well on my skin and leaves a flawless finish. This is second favourite of six; I usually wear this when I don't want as heavy coverage or my skin is clear of any imperfections. The colour match is also perfect, despite the small colour range, so I'm rather lucky. Additionally, this really helps to brighten the complexion and give it a 'healthy' (oh dear) glow. I cannot wait the try the Healthy Mix Foundation because I'm guessing it will be as equally good, if not better!

High Coverage - L'oreal Paris True Match

My favourite drugstore foundation of all time is...the L'oreal True Match. I am completely and utterly in love with this - it has amazing full coverage, has an even finish, hides my ugly patchy skin and adds an extra glow to my face. There is nothing I can fault about this wonder and I will forever be repurchasing this one. YOU NEED TO BUY THIS NOW.

Dewy Finish for Dry Skin - Rimmel Wake Me Up

This one I'm also a massive fan of - Wake Me Up. This was a very much-loved foundation this summer. The little glitters running through the formula bring a lovely shine to the face and create an impeccable dewy finish. I love dewy finishes as they really brighten up my naturally dull complexion, so this is a good 'un for me. 

Matte Finish for Oily Skin - Rimmel Stay Matte

Finally, we have the Stay Matte foundation created by Rimmel. I used to wear this so much, but stopped due to my combination skin randomly developing from my previous oily one. Now this just clings to my dry patches which is awful, but for those who love matte finishes, or have extremely oily skin, this is the one for you! Grab your hands on this if you love incredible shine-less skin.

Thank you for reading my little lovelies <3 See you all soon x

Love 

P.S. I may only be posting once a week now instead of two, due to upcoming exams (will be back to normal after Christmas/New Year) 

P.P.S I am so excited for Black Friday tomorrow - who will be buying things/ bought anything - comment below?!

Collective Makeup Haul

Collective Makeup Haul

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Hey everyone..

Over the past couple of months I have been buying, and also receiving, some lovely new makeup products to add to my collection. I managed to pick up a couple of offers on the way, which was obviously great! There maybe a couple of reviews lurking in the middle from the products I have owned for a longer period of time too. 

Let's get started...

Benefit Watts Up Highlighter

Starting with the higher end products, I received a lovely email from Feel Unique in early October. There was a sale on all Bare Minerals and Benefit products - 20% off everything! Therefore, I took advantage and bought this beautiful highlight that I've been wanting for what seems like decades! I had already tried this previously so I knew that I wasn't going to be wasting £20.83. Anyway, overall this product is gorgeous - the creamy texture really glides onto the skin. The gorgeous champagne shade really brings out a natural glow. The only downside is that the blending applicator on the other end is useless, so I just apply it and then blend it with either my finger or a beauty blender.

Mac Paint Point

Yesterday, I was spoilt, once again by my boyfriend, on this stunning Mac Paint Pot. I have heard soooo much about these, constantly seen Youtubers using them in endless tutorials and have wanted Bare Study for absolutely ages. I can't wait to try it out this week (comment below if you want to see a full review of this on my blog in the next few weeks?!)

Balmi Lip Balms

Very recently, I picked up a couple of these Balmi Lip Balms in Boots. I got them in the flavours Mint and Coconut and they are very strongly scented. My favourite is the mint, not just for the mint green packaging, but the scent just seems longer lasting on the lips than the coconut. The formula is very hydrating and moisturizing for the lips and I am interested in collecting the whole range. 

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick

These little beauties are relatively new to the Bourjois stand. Fortunately, they were on sale for £4 cheaper, so I got this for only £5, which is crazy! I decided to pick up PEACH CLUB, as I don't own any matte lipsticks in brighter colours, such as this pretty peach/coral shade. Fingers crossed these don't ruin my lips, as I have been having a problem with matte lipsticks drying the HELL out of them.

Essence Volumizing Lash Powder

This product is lash-changing - excuse the awful pun. I am not even lying, my lashes are almost touching my eyebrows AND look like false lashes when I wear this. My cousin used eyelash fibres on my eyelashes before and they worked wonders, so I decided to buy something cheaper first just to double check it wasn't a fluke. The only downfall is that it can get quite messy, as show in the photo, but who cares when you can get this for only £1.50 at an Essence counter? I certainly don't! Anyway, this mini set also provides you with an applicator. I apply my Benefit They're Real mascara, then a coat of the lash powder, then a final coat of your chosen mascara to paint the white fibres black. I will be doing a single review on this in the near future, so if you are interested in this, then definitely stay tuned to find out more details!

L'Oreal True Match Foundation

Throughout the entirety of Autumn (so far), I have been using this wonderful foundation to keep my skin looking flawless everyday. This gives a light-medium coverage, however I prefer heavier coverage so tend to layer it up to create my desired look. I would say the finish is quite satin-y, which I like, and my shade Vanilla Rose is almost the perfect shade for my skin. One of the best drugstore foundations I've used, along with Rimmel's Wake Me Up and Bourjois' Healthy Mix Serum.

L'Oreal Super Liner

Super sad that this eyeliner is already coming to an end, but I have gotten the best use out of it than any other eyeliner I have EVER tried. The small nib is perfect for accurate precision and really helps to create that cat flick on a night out. Definitely one to repurchase!

L'Oreal Color Riche Serum Lipstick

My mother brought me this autumnal lipstick whilst in France with her school. It is in the shade BRIGHT BURGUNDY and is a blue-toned red. Can't wait to be wearing deeper colours throughout Winter now, as well as Autumn - exciting!

MUA Matte Lipstick 

Finally, I bought this bright purple lipstick from MUA called LILAC BELLE. I've wanted to buy some slightly crazier lip colours for Halloween and I really wanted to be doing a tutorial or two over the next week or two. This may be out of my comfort zone, as it is not the sort of berry-toned purple I usually go for, but I've been feeling more daring recently in the makeup front so I'm giving it a go. 

Thank you for reading. Any questions? Then you know what to do..just leave a comment and I'll be sure to reply :-) Love you all X

Char Xx