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.

The Summer Classics

The Summer Classics

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Throughout the Summer, I find it almost impossible to avoid the classics - pinks and florals. These two factors are my fashion essentials in times where I 'don't have anything to wear' or 'anything Summer appropriate'.  Summer is also a season known for the lighter, vibrant colours to pop out! Pale pinks can look incredibly sophisticated under the sun's glow, making the colour perfect for evening wear alongside the entirety of the day. 

To add something extra to my block colour outfits, I love wearing light, detailed kimonos to 'spice up' my attire. For today's Summer look, I've opted for this rose-patterned kimono - the weightless, flowing material and cuffed hands worn over a strapped white crop feels comfortable under the Summer heat (looks like we finally have some this year in England!!). The mid-length pastel skirt can be easily flaunted at Summer events, evenings out or simply at a family barbecue; the thick mesh strip at the bottom was my favourite touch to the skirt, initially temping me into buy it!

Floral crowns are another of Summer's many hypes - especially for all the festival lovers. I believe choosing the right flower type/colour for your hair is vital when attempting to accentuate an outfit. For me, I always accessorize with white as it contrasts and complements my dark brunette locks. You can find these beautiful bad boys in shop and online - they are everywhere at the minute. Primark do lots of great deals on headpieces (usually ranging from £1-£3!).

The sun really brings out my skin's natural radiance; therefore, I turn to my BB creams during Summer. Fortunately, this is handy as less coverage makeup feels lighter on the skin. However, you know me, I don't love anything more than full coverage so it is very rare that I'm comfortable in my skin. To complement the 'pink overload', I popped some Bourjois Jasper Rose on my cheeks to add a rosy sparkle with the NYX Matte Lipstick in Aubrey to incorporate some vibrancy into my look.

Finally, I decided to add a gold chained, pink floral necklace to my look - as if this outfit wasn't girly enough? Statement necklaces are a winner in Summer - they make such a beautiful addition if you are wearing low cut tops and block colours.

Top - H&M (similar here)

Kimono - Select

Skirt - Matalan (alternative here)

Headpiece - Primark (huge range of crowns here)

Necklace - Next

What are your Summer Fashion Essentials?! Let me know in the comments below...

Lots of love

Brand Focus : Live Love London

Brand Focus : Live Love London

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Over the past few days, I have been thinking about a bringing a series to my blog - one that I know I will be able to manage and keep going every month. Being a huge beauty lover, I thought that I could potentially focus on a brand(s), at least one post a month, and give my honest opinions on all the products I own from them. I'm planning to showcase brands both highly recognised and upcoming, whether it be telling to guys about my favourite highend brand or expressing my love for an afforable brand that not many know about. Who knows, I might incorporate some fashion brands in the future if this goes down well?

The first brand we are going to zoom into is Live Love London - a company that have recently released a new beauty range exclusive to BHS. From haircare to makeup, Live Love London offer it all beauty-wise with affordable prices attached! However, the products that particularly intrigued me were their face palettes and lipsticks. Here is how I got on...

Bronze & Light Palette £6.75

What we have here is one of the most aesthetically pleasing bronze,blush and highlight palettes I've seen on the high street side of the spectrum. Encased in a sleek, black compact, 6 beautiful shimmer shades are arranged. Each shade is extremely diverse - something hard to find in any palette. I find that a lot of companies produce cosmetics that are TOO similar in the same palette, making me question whether it is worth the buy. Also, most shades are EXTREMELY pigmented (the bottom row and the white highlight), although I wouldn't count this as a negative point simply because I prefer blush shades to be sheer. This helps me to apply the shade subtly and not end up turning into a toy doll. 

Top Row (left to right)

~ A peach/coral toned pink with tiny golden glitter particles ~

~ A muted, mauve pink with a metallic sheen ~

~ A pure champagne white enriched with thousands of silver glitter ~

Bottom Row (left to right)

~ A salmon pink layered with a metallic, iridescent glow ~ 

~ A muted, mustard brown with flecks of golden glitter ~ 

~ An intense orange-copper with high metallic overtones ~ 

My personal favourites are two highlighting shades - the white and salmon pink will both look incredible on the cheeks for summer because of their glitter intensity. I just LOVE glitter!!! 

HD Contour Expert Palette £10

Contouring is a huuuuge thing in the beauty world. Therefore, I like to 'jump on the bandwagon' and try things out too. I already own a lot of high end contour products but nothing from the drugstore. I'm only used to working with powder contour, so was thrilled to find out that Live Love London contained 6 powder contour shades for me to work with. The palette is accompanied with a practical mirror and a small guide as to where the shades work best on the face. I am yet to venture into this crazy, intense contour look but I will let you know when I finally pluck up the courage to do so. 

Each of the powders are finely milled, feel silky on the skin and are highly pigmented. There are two highlight shades and four contour shades; the contour colours cater for all skin types which makes the palette versatile and universal. Despite being suitable for all skin types, I would like to say that I feel 5 shades would still be able to work on my skin - if not, I will be able to fit it into an eyeshadow look somehow.

Lipsticks £2 each

Lip products are one of my favourite things about makeup. I cannot begin to describe my excitement whenever I go lipstick shopping; trying different branded lipsticks is something that I enjoy and I would love to share with you my experiences.

First of all, the price is INSANE! I love affordable lipsticks, especially when they leave an impressive result. These are relatively long-lasting, considering their pleasing value - I wore them for roughly 3 hours before reapplying and this time scale is no different from the majority of my drugstore lippies. 

Secondly, Live Love London offer a wide range of lipstick shades. For me, these will be worn and cherished; pinks and reds are my thaaang. Both are wearable and are not too striking, making them perfect for everyday use. I also love the pigmentation and hydration these lipsticks offer - my lips are super sore after the winter months have passed and need a lot of TLC. These leave a moisturising coat on the top of my lips, which makes my lips feel soft and hydrated. Oh, and let's not forget...they smell like sherbet!!!

Have you tried anything from the Live Love London beauty range yet? What is your favourite drugstore brand?

Lots of love

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The products mentioned were gifted from Live Love London, however all opinions are honest and my own.

The Best of Drugstore Beauty

The Best of Drugstore Beauty

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Drugstore products are a huge love in the beauty world - who doesn't love picking up a dupe for the latest high end craze for more than half the price? Over the years of testing and trying many a drugstore product, I have collated a list of my favourite picks from the high street...

FACE

BB Cream : Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector

I always become a fan of light coverage products in the Summer as heavy makeup is a no-go for me in the warmer months. The formula is light and fresh on the face, creating a beautiful dewy look to uplift my dull,dry skin. This product balances out my red complexion and gives a glowing effect. I love how this works with my skin - the smell is heavenly too!!

Foundation : L'Oreal Infallible 24H 

My drugstore foundation go-to alters on a regular basis so you will probably see this for a couple months and something better will arise - I will be sure to let you all know. Anyway, this foundation is currently a saviour in my daily routine; giving me my desired sleek, full coverage winter face and not drying out my skin throughout the wear period. A wonderful addition to my makeup collection.

Concealer : Rimmel Wake Me Up 

Concealer is another area I like to change ever few months just to try something different. However, I always seem to come back to Rimmel. This concealer just has something that brightens, conceals and hides my horrendous under eye bags/blemishes the best. I couldn't recommend this inexpensive product enough!

Powder : Rimmel Stay Matte

A cult favourite. Unless you've been living under a rock your entire beauty life, you will have heard hundred and thousands of people talk about this so I won't bore you to death with the same repetitive comments. Just a powder that compares closely with most high end ones - great for achieving a flawless matte complexion.

Blush : E.L.F Baked Blush in Peachy Cheeky

One of my favourite drugstore blushes has to be one of E.L.F's stunningly formed baked blushes. The formula is incredibly pigmented with glimpses of peach, pink and glitter sparkling on the apples of your cheek. This is a definite product you need to get your hands on this spring/summer!

Bronzer : Seventeen Instant Glow Shimmer Brick

I always tend to purchase high end bronze/contour products as they are the only formulas that seem to work for me. All but this drugstore bronzer have left my cheekbones is a muddy, flaky mess! This shimmer brick has been compared to the infamous Bobbi Brown ones, with multiple glimmering bronze/copper shades perfect for warming/defining those cheeks. 

Highlight : Rimmel Wake Me Up 001 Flush of Pearl

My favourite highlight from the drugstore is this liquid formulated beauty from Rimmel, again. Rimmel seem to have some of the best facial products within the drugstore - shoutout to Rimmel!! These different colored highlights are suited for all skin tones and add a pop of sparkle to the tops of your cheeks and under the brow bone.

EYES

Brows : Beauty UK High Brow Definition Kit

Many people often dimiss Beauty UK, even myself if I'm honest, as I just don't hear anyone talk about their products much/at all. After being given the brow set from a friend, I gave it a try and honestly used it for an entire year. There is a powder, wax, setting powder and black shadow shade in the palette, along with a angled brush applicator. Hands down the best brow product from the drugstore....EVER.

Mascara : Revlon Lash Potion 

Lengthening and giving my lashes heaps of volume are something a mascara has to obtain to win me over completely. This mascara exceeds my expectations immaculately; I would completely compare it to my beloved Smashbox Full Exposure mascara, which is my favourite mascara of all time. It just does my eyelashes wonders without the horrible clumping effect mascaras can sometimes create.

Eyeliner : Rimmel Exaggerate

Eyeliners are always a hit or miss for me; I either 100% rate them or absolutely hate them. Rimmel Exaggerate has a fairly sturdy, nifty nib to create thin, winged liner looks. The liquid formula can sometimes get messy but the opaque, black finish is something you cannot miss out on.

Cream Shadow : Maybelline Color Tattoos

Another huge favourite in the beauty world are the Maybelline Color Tattoos; my favourite shade being 'On and On Bronze'. This sparkling copper eyeshadow base works a treat as a primer, lasting the entire day without any creasing on the lid. Also a fab product if you're in a rush and want to add some quick colour to your lid. 

Eyeshadow Sticks : Kiko and Rimmel Scandal Eyes

Super travel-friendly eye products are the ever growing ranges of shadow sticks drugstore brands are bringing out. I cannot stop raving about the pigmentation of the Kiko and Rimmel shadow sticks; the color payoff is exactly what you see in the tube and the lasting power is as equally impressive.

LIPS

Lip Crayons : Revlon Colorburst in Elusive and Standout

There are only a few drugstore lipsticks that I find moderately okay - they never seem to do me any favours. 1. They dry out my lips. 2. They are usually matte and sink into my lip lines. 3. The formulas are usually horrendous and they last for abuot 10 minutes. Due to my bad experience with drugstore lippies, I can only turn to lip crayons. Revlon have a fab range of matte and glossy crayons to hydrate your lips, making them feel/look gorgeous. Elusive is a pretty, natural pink whereas Stand Out is a bold, striking and deep red shade.

Liquid Lipstick : Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in Parisian Passion and Rio Rush

Revlon have it in the bag from lip products. They also have these liquid lippies, which I must say have very mixed opinions, but nonetheless I absolutely adore these. The deep purple, Parisian Passion, is my favourite and complements Mac's Rebel a treat. I love glossy, non-sticky feeling it has on my lips, as well as a bold colour finish. 

PALETTES

Blush Palette : Makeup Revolution

Makeup Revolution have some incredibly cheap but good quality blush palettes. Some of the shades may seem slightly chalky but with a little bit of blending they create a pretty flush in no time. I love this palette as it holds the exact array of summer shades you could wish for. It also had two shimmer shades at the end, one being a fabulous cool-toned highlighter.

Eyeshadow Palette : Sleek Au Naturel

Sleek are definitely the best place to purchase drugstore shadow palettes. They have an insane amount of different palettes to chose from, covering absolutely anyone's taste. My favourite is the Au Naturel palette because it has gorgeous cool-toned, dark shades for the Winter months just passed. I will be planning to pick up a more summer-themed palette from Sleek for the upcoming seasons. Does anyone have any recommendations?

What are your favourite drugstore products? Have you found any dupes for your high end faves?!

Lots of love