Cloud 10 Beauty | ft. Sleek & Blank Canvas

Cloud 10 Beauty | ft. Sleek & Blank Canvas

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Changing my makeup routine is something that occurs seasonally, especially the transition from the cool winter tones to vibrant summer shades. Summer is all about colour for me - I love to spice up my eyeshadow routine by adding a splash of colour to my crease or applying a dramatic orange lip. Either way, I am always excited to increase my Summer appropriate makeup collection. As you will see throughout the next few months, many of my upcoming posts will show you how I like to style my clothes, what I get up to and of course, my go-to makeup of the ever-loved season of Summer.

Today's post includes a beautiful little palette chaperoned by a very practical blending brush...more onto that later. First, I'm here to talk about Cloud 10 Beauty - an incredible online online retailer, similar to Feel Unique, that sells some of the nation's most popular brands including : Sleek, Bioderma, Bourjois, theBalm, EOS, Eylure, Sigma and many other worldwide favourites. Want to know the products I received in my first ever parcel from Cloud 10 Beauty? Then carry on reading, I'm sure you will love the palette as much as I do... 

Sleek Eyeshadow Palette - Storm

Storm - one of the most raved about palettes since I bought my first product Sleek product. I was ecstatic when I received this; an array of deep colours that push me out of my comfort zone. I'm not one to wear lots of bright, 'out-there' shades, as I don't think they suit me but I do love to add a pop of colour to an Summer outfit. This palette will do just the job because the blue and green shadows are toned down, allowing those who aren't as comfortable at pulling off crazy colour, like myself, the chance to branch out a bit more. Prior to this package, I own and have tried Sleek shadows before so I was expecting great things from this palette. The creamy and highly pigmented formula enabled the product to be applied onto both the lid and the crease with ease. Pigmentation is something I love about eyeshadow; the product can last for ages as you only need the tiniest amount on your brush. Also, the chalky texture allows efficient blending - when I first swatched the Sleek shadows in store, I was scared about the chalky feel. However, the product is easily blendable and simply to work with. I would also recommend applying this before face makeup as you can get a lot of fall out on your cheeks. Finally, the palette is filled with matte and shimmer shades - the shimmer are so pretty for evening wear and the matte shades are insane as transition colours. My favourite shades are Sand Storm (a golden glitter), Perfect Storm (a rose gold) and Storm Cloud (a cool-toned green, not my usual type but I think it will look pretty against dark eyes). 

Blank Canvas Cosmetics - Eye Brush E10

Cloud 10 Beauty clearly thought about practicality when they generously sent a blending brush alongside the palette. This was exciting as I had never used, or heard of, Blank Canvas Cosmetics before; an Irish Cosmetics brand that sell brushes, applicators and makeup products. The brush sent was perfect to fit comfortably in my crease, not too big and not too small. The thin, fluffy bristles allow product to be swept over the lid, creating a soft finish as well as being flexible to fit into the crease. E10 was utilised to my advantage; this is simply because I do not get on with the doe-foot applicators present in drugstore, and even highend, shadow palettes. They always apply products too cakey onto my lid and feel rough against my skin. Fortunately, Blank Canvas Cosmetics had soft-haired brushes that left my lids in good, healthy condition, as they should be! Haha! If you want to pick up a bargain, definitely head over to Cloud 10 Beauty through the link above as all eye brushes are below £10 which is insane for the quality you are given.

Let me know if you wish to see an in-depth eye look revolving around these two products, either on my blog or my upcoming Youtube channel.

Do you own anything from Sleek or Blank Canvas? What is your go-to eye look for the Summer?

Lots of love

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This post is in collaboration with Cloud 10 Beauty; however all opinions are honest and my own.

Warm Neutral Eyes with Born Pretty

Warm Neutral Eyes with Born Pretty

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Like most people in the beauty world, I am an obsessive freak when it comes to palettes - I just can't get enough of them! Without question, I will continue to hoard them for the rest of my life, despite owning ever shade of browns and coppers under the sun. 

Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to the most affordable, yet incredible, neutral toned eye shadow palette from 'Born Pretty'. Born Pretty is an online company that sells pretty much anything under the sun, you name it... Watches, Garden Decor, Clothing, Tablets! However, I am, like every beauty fanatic, instantly drawn to the makeup section and couldn't believe the prices. This palette retails for the equivalent of £5 in the UK - how insane is that?!

Encased in a sleek compact, this 15 matte shade colour palette is the perfect product for any of you makeup beginners. Matte shades are perfect for those just starting with eyeshadow; they are usually easier to blend/work with and give a gentle subtlety to a look. Also, warm tones work so well and a popular favourite all over the beauty world - I don't know a single person who doesn't love a taupes and brown hues on the lid or in the crease. 

On swatching the eyeshadows, I couldn't quite believe the intensity of the pigmentation in each and every shade. With a single swipe, my finger was covered in rich colour - something you can't find with most drugstore/affordable shadow palettes. If any of you would like to see these shades swatched, then don't forget to comment below and I will be sure to upload some swatches onto my social medias (twitter, instagram & facebook >>>).

If you would love to purchase one of these fabby palettes or some other cheap makeup that's up for grabs, you can use this coupon code (giving you 10% off your overall order) MTH10.

Lots of love

Why I'm Obsessed Makeup Palettes...

Why I'm Obsessed Makeup Palettes...

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When admiring my new dressing table and makeup collection the other day, I suddenly acknowledged the ridiculous amount of palettes I've gathered throughout my years of makeup hoarding. Thus, I've brought a post to you today dedicated to my beloved compacts and why they are such an important part of my makeup-revolved world...

Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette

Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Palette

High end up eyeshadow palettes have invaded my entire makeup collection over the past two year, and has been ever-growing since. Through experience, I have personally found Urban Decay to hold the best high end shadows - great pigmentation, incredible colour range, multiple palettes, fab lasting power and overall look. I cannot get enough of UD's shadows and will continue to repurchase. 

Nars Steven Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Studio Palette, Makeup Revolution Blushes & Urban Decay Naked Flushed (STREAK)

Post-eyeshadow-palette-craziness, I became introduced to the wondrous face/blush palettes in both the drugstore and highend brands. I'm in love with my Nars Steven Klein palette - the contour shade is an absolute DREAAAAAM to blend and the multiple blush shades are perfect for travelling. I also love the affordable palettes - e.g. Makeup Revolution have some fab palettes you should try if you haven't already. Their blushes are super pretty but insanely pigmented - so watch out when applying!!

Dior Sundeck , Bobbi Brown Pink Opal and L'Oreal Marron Glace

The smaller compact must no go a-miss. I love the little eyeshadow palettes you can get, both luxury and affordable. These three lil palettes completely summarise my eyeshadow go-to's; I'm a sucker for bronze/browns all year round, pinks in the spring/summer and orange tones in the winter. 

Why do I love all these palettes so much, do you ask? Well, they are simply four main reasons. 1 - I adore how versatile they are, they can hold an endless array of colours perfect for any occasion. 2 - If you are indecisive, like myself, you can just take 12423423 blushes with you in case you can't decide spontaneously. 3 - Cosmetic palettes inspire me to change my daily makeup routine - the variety of shades you can get in one palette allows me to alternate my looks on a regular basis so I'm getting full use of my makeup collection. 4 - Like the majority of beauty lovers, compacts are travel friendly so you can't have enough. They can really save so much space in your bag, a definite beauty need.

What's your favourite beauty palette? 

Lots of love

Giveaway #1 // CLOSED!!!

Giveaway #1 // CLOSED!!!

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Giveaway Items :

Cargo Cosmetics 'Essentials' Eyeshadow Palette

Decleor Aroma Cleanse Eye Makeup Remover

Makeup Revolution 'She's Up All Night' Lipstick

Playboy 'Sleek Lashes' Mascara

Hello everyone! Today I've teamed up with Ms Charee, a wonderful online magazine in which I've recently become a member, to deliver a giveaway for you all. I'm absolutely thrilled to be giving away this beautiful party-perfect package to one of my dedicated viewers. 

To enter, there is a rafflecopter below with several options allowing you to get more chances of winning - most of them are social media related. 

DON'T FORGET TO FILL OUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS OTHERWISE I, OR MS CHAREE, CANNOT CONTACT YOU!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lots of love

Born Pretty Store // Review

Born Pretty Store // Review

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When ever a new makeup brand arises, I am always hesitant to try them out incase they don't quite meet my expectations and I feel like I've wasted my money/time. This is where Born Pretty Store comes in handy - an online, EXTREMELY affordable brand that sells cheap makeup for those who are sting-y like myself or who don't want to splash their cash on expensive beauty products.

Complementing their makeup related items, you can also find handy beauty tools for an amazing price too (brushes, tweezers, nail accessories etc). Shipping is surprisingly good, considering the low-priced items; there is free international shipping within 24 hours of your purchase! Pretty good, huh?

Let's indulge in the pretty pieces I picked out to show you guys...

Eyeshadow Trio #4 ~ £2.75

With the option of three different mini shadow palettes, I opted for this cool-toned, intense glitter trio.

The cool tones are perfect for the A/W season, suit my dark hazel eyes and the countless tiny sparkles are very flattering when caught in sunlight. Also, I'd like to mention how impressed I am with the high pigmentation and longevity of the shadows - for £2.75 I was, of course, shocked.

Fluorescent Liquid Lip Gloss #4 ~ £3.25

Despite not expecting the shade to be a powerful, vibrant pink, I am overall glad to have picked shade #4. There are an array of 12 fluorescent lippies to chose from and I picked something very 'out there' - away from comfort zone, for once. This appealed to me particularly because I love pink lippies with blue-undertones (they make my teeth look whiter)! This would 100% be perfect for anyone dressing up as Barbie for halloween - especially as it stays on the lips for a solid 2-3 hours which you can't find much when looking for the idea gloss.

If you would love to purchase a few cheap makeup products to try out, you can use this coupon code (giving you 10% off your overall order) MTH10.

Lots of love

My Current Nars Favourites

My Current Nars Favourites

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Good evening! 

Today, I'd like to give a brief overview of all my current favourites; let us delve into my small collection shall we?

~ Nars 'Orgasm' Blusher ~

A beauty cult favourite, loved by all. This peachy-pink gold toned blush looks stunning in sunlight, the glitters bounce of the face enhancing natural beauty to the cheeks. One of those beauty faves you can't live without, especially in the Winter months when you need that extra flush of colour.

~ Nars 'Callisto' Dual Intensity Eyeshadow ~

A recent addition to my Nars favourites is this glittery, lilac-reflecting champagne mono eyeshadow. After falling in love with the high shine factor, intense pigmentation, frosty finish and lack of fallout, I just HAD to mention it in this post. I'm on the hunt for Dione and Himalia now, they are stunning shades too!

~ Nars 'Charlotte' Audacious Lipstick ~ 

All of you A/W makeup fanantics,like myself, will love this dark red lippie. A sophisticated option for a meal out or just to simply match an outfit, this one does the job! The smooth application is heavenly and leaves your lips feeling big and full; you don't even need lip liner girls!!!

~ Nars 'Mysterious Red' Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ~

This one is gorgeous and a classic; a very warm opaque brick red that is an honest showstopper for me. Despite it being striking and bold, this is a colour you and many have probably seen before. The thing that makes these lip pencils so special is the flat matte finish whilst among feeling surprisingly smooth upon the lips. Oh, and who doesn't love a crayon styled lip product?! Just line and fill in your lips...SIMPLE!

I hope you liked reading about my current obsessions on the Nars front (I'd also like to add I'm a huge fan of their radiant creamy concealer but completely forgot about it - OOPS!). 

Do you own a NARS product? If so, what is your favourite beauty item from this brand?

Lots of love

Naked Smoky Palette | Review

Naked Smoky Palette | Review

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Urban Decay, I must say, have the most stunning eye shadow palettes and shades - more than any other brand I know of. One of their new releases is the new Smoky palette from the infamously -loved Naked range. I've tried the second and third Naked palettes as well as the Basics 2; Urban Decay never failing to impress me. 

It came as much a surprise to me when my best friend Megan invested in this beauty for my birthday; I couldn't thank her enough! Getting my hands on some more of their highly pigmented, cool-toned and fun named shadows made my birthday extra special.

 Let's take a look at the product in closer detail - shall we?

Encased in a golden, gunmetal embossed palette with a marble and brown smoke effect on top, there are 12 sultry, cool-toned shades (9 of which are new and exclusive to this palette!) to create the perfect smoky eye, as well as the cooler undertones being ideal for the Winter months. Throughout my makeup hoarding time, I've never really had the right colours to even attempt an in-depth smoky eye so now I have this, I can't wait to get stuck in and spend my days working on new looks that I could potentially upload as tutorials later on.

With a mix of both glittery and matte, light and dark, options, I believe this palette to be one of the most versatile, universal products I've owned in a while. The contrast in finishes and tone envelope a uniqueness too - further making it a NEED for every single beauty blogger in the planet! Also, another difference spotted from the other NAKED palettes, is the new brush style. The two-sided eye crease brush is darker in colour with fluffier bristles; one end a blending brush and the other a more pointed for precision. In my opinion, I prefer this than the ones in the previous NAKED palettes.

HIGH -  A champagne, pink-toned highlight shades with a slightly pearlescent coating. One of the few warm tones in the palette; holds a frosted, metallic sheen on the eye.

DIRTYSWEET - Yellow under-toned metallic gold shade; one perfect for all-over-the-lid.

RADAR - A chestnut, warm brown with small glitters running throughout; idyllic transition shade.

ARMOR - A cool, taupe/grey glitter shade that would add sparkle to your smoky eye.

SLANTED - A pale blue,grey shimmer with a muted metallic essence.

DAGGER - Very dark grey with intense blue tones; a deep matte that would work great creating a dramatic eye.

BLACK MARKET - A navy, jet blue satin shade with a thin, easy-to-blend formula.

SMOLDER - A mix between a plum purple and taupe with an iridescent shine.

PASSWORD - A light matte grey.

WHISKEY - A rich matte brown (I cannot wait to use this in my crease; fab eye contour shade)

COMBUST - A soft, blush pink that will look gorgeous on the inner lid.

THIRTEEN - A pure, beige satin shade; matte but good for brightening, nonetheless!

Overall, I'm phenomenally impressed with each and every aspect of this palette. I couldn't fault any of the colour choices; each shade is wearable and 100% will use! Everything from the gorgeous packaging to the densely bristled brush is an absolute bonus. I just can't wait to try out some new looks!

IMPORTANT MESSAGE : I'm about 40 followers away from 1000 on Bloglovin!!! When I reach 1000, I hope to hold a giveaway and would love to know what you would like to see in it?! Make sure to comment below what you would like to win!

Lots of love

Charlotte Xx

The Cream Eyeshadow Edit

The Cream Eyeshadow Edit

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Are you ever in a rush to do your makeup? Are you ever stuck trying to create that perfect smoky eye in 2 minutes flat? I know I certainly can relate. That's why today's post is here to give you the lowdown on what to do when stuck in these dilemmas - use cream eyeshadows!

On school days or mornings where I have to wake up early, I just NEVER have time to apply my makeup the way I want it to look. Being only semi-okay at eyeshadow, I always find it best to stay clear of dramatic/smoky looks on these types of mornings. The product I will forever turn to are cream shadows; they sit comfortably on the lid, create a wonderful sheen/colour on the lids and are super easy! Majority of the time, I blend in the shadows with my fingers, as I believe it to be the simplest way to apply but using a brush would work just the same.

Below are a few of my favourite brands that have wonderful ranges of cream formulated and pretty eyeshadows :

Starting on the drugstore end of the spectrum, I'd like to give a hand over to possibly the most talked about eyeshadows from the lower side of the market - Maybelline Colour Tattoos. From the moment I started wearing ON AND ON BRONZE two years ago, I fell in love and have always labelled it as a holy grail makeup product. This particular shade is perfect for day and night occasions and make a perfect base for a warm, brown autumn eye look.

Moving on to a recent favourite of mine - the Kiko Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks. I can't get enough of the pigmentation, even the most gentlest swipe on the hand and you're left with a beam of colour. The shade I got is a mix between champagne/taupe; a great addition to any smoky eye look. Can't wait to be wearing more of this throughout the cooler months.

Another cult favourite of both mine and other makeup fanatics are the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils. I have 3 shades; milk (white), Yoghurt (pink) and French Fries (bronze). Milk is absolutely incredible for a base or to brighten the eye. If you want to read an in depth review about these just click HERE. Personally, I'm a big fan of the stick-shaped cream shadows as they are less messy and simple to apply.

Sliding smoothly onto the more expensive cream shadows, we have the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadows. I've been wearing RSVP for a year now and it is the ONE to wear on a 'no-makeup, makeup day'. It gives a glowing, awakened look to the eye as well as creating a pretty pink/champagne sheen on the lid. Oh, and the packaging is to die for!!!

Finally, here come my favourite of all - MAC PAINT POTS. I'm sure you've heard a lot about these are it is constantly talked about all over the blogger community. The easy-to-blend formula makes these cream shadows a dream to apply, not to mention the extensive colour range Mac has to offer. The shades I have are bare study - a classic champagne/cream colour which works fabulous as a base or primer, and rubenesque - an orange, metallic shade that is very autumn appropriate (the various colours it shares when it reflects is beyond gorgeous!)

ARE YOU A FAN OF CREAM EYESHADOWS? WHAT ARE YOU FAVOURITE EYESHADOW CLASSICS?

Love

I Couldn't Help Myself... | Feel Unique

I Couldn't Help Myself... | Feel Unique

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Don't we all just feel the need to treat ourselves every once in a while?! Well, this month let's say I've treated myself maybe a little more than planned - resulting in my card sulking in the corner, pleading for me not to touch it for the next few months...

How could I not purchase something from FeelUnique at the minute though? They always have so many offers, deals and sales dropping into my emails I just couldn't resist. I also had a voucher from my last purchase that allowed me to reduce the final cost by £5 - a very happy bunny I was :-) 

Straight in my online basket was the most beautiful eyeshadow I've ever laid my eyes on - SERIOUSLY! The Moondust collection from Urban Decay is stunning and being an addict to all things glistening I just had to get it. The 'iridescent sparkle' and '3-D metallic' tones bounce off the eyeshadow in sunlight, making it super pretty to gaze at. The foundation colour of the shadow is a salmon pink but the layering glitters range from silvers, purples, blues and greens. Solstice really matches the intergalactic theme of the range and reminds me of everything space related. GET ON MY LIDS - that sounded weird?!

My second main purchase was the Mary-Lou Manizer from the Balm. I'm in love with the gorgeous champagne colour the pigmented formula creates with a swipe of a brush. There is so much product in this compact so it is totally worth the money and also holds a large mirror for handy travel purposes. I cannot wait to wear this throughout the colder months to keep me glowing. Highlighting the inner corner and brow bone with this would further be an option for me; champagne toned highlights look beautiful on the eye. 

Finally, I decided to add a couple cheaper items to my basket so I could nab myself a couple of samples. I was in need of a new red liner so a Rimmel Exaggerate lip liner (Red Diva) was added followed closely by some flutter-y T-Burr lashes. I've wanted Bambi Eyes for a while now; they are so natural looking and perfect for wearing on a day-to-day basis when my eye lashes are looking sparse and feeble. My two free samples included the Emma Hardie Protect and Prime and a 50ml sample of the the St. Moriz Self Tanning lotion. 

Have you purchased from FeelUnique before?! What beauty products have you bought this month? 

Love