Winter to Spring Makeup Transition

Winter to Spring Makeup Transition

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When a new season comes around, it is absolutely vital that I alter my makeup bag to fit the appropriate weather/theme. In Spring, I can't help reaching for all my favourite pastels, pinks and shimmers. Here is what you are most likely to find in my makeup as we change from Winter to Spring...

Although I'm a sucker for full coverage foundation, I can't help opting for this incredible BB cream from Garnier. This leaves my face feeling light, even and fresh - the smell is an added bonus, it reminds me of being on holiday!! The lightest shade matches my skin colour perfectly too; I always seem to be paler than pale after undergoing the cold Winter. 

When it comes to complexion, I'm not one to go for intense contour and excessive highlight in the Spring, unless I'm going out in the evening of course. To create a more subtle bronze/contour, I use L'Oreal's Glam Bronze Eau De Soleil for slightly definition. The formulation is very liquid-y and can be messy, so be careful otherwise it will go everywhere - TRUST ME!!!

Jasper Rose by Bourjois is the one to go for if you like pink, rosy cheeks like myself. The powder formula is highly pigmented so you don't need to apply more than two strokes onto your cheek to create the desired effect.

Finally, face-wise, I'm into dewy highlight; Rimmel Wake Me Up Shimmer Touch in Flush of Pearl is supposedly a great dupe for Benefit's well-loved High Beam. The liquid formula forms a dewy, iridescent glow on the cheek bones which instantly draws sunlight. 

During this time of year, all of my pink-based eye shadow palettes come out the drawer and become much more utilised. Recently, I've been loving my Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette as it contains both winter/spring appropriate shades to take me from one season into the next. My fave shades definitely have to be Salted Caramel, Creme Brulee and Haute Chocolate.

 Also, I love to use my Bobbi Brown Pink Opal palette for a quick shimmer on the lid - this can add a glitz to your makeup if you don't have time to go create a whole eye look. This would also work as a beautiful, pink-toned highlight!

Finally, my Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in RSVP gives the perfect base for a Spring eye shadow look. I cannot stop using it throughout the season, whether I'm wearing eye products over the top or not!

Leaving the best till last...LIPS! Pink seems to be a running theme in my posts whenever Spring hits us... Anyway, Mac's lustre finish lipstick in Lovelorn is essential in my makeup bag throughout this time of year. Pink lips are so feminine and really lighten my complexion; this blue-toned pink also makes your teeth look insanely white.

In the warmer months, I like to delve into my lipgloss collection - I have such lovely shades but am always hesitant to use them in the Winter, as the wind just blows my hair onto my lips and it is a NIGHTMARE. Urban Decay's beautifully encased LIAR lipgloss is part of the infamous NAKED collection - the colour is less dramatic than the lipstick so would work for those who are tentative at wearing vibrant colours.

Don't forget to check out my Winter to Spring Fashion outfits post! 

What products do you always reach for at this time of year? What is your go-to Spring lipstick?!

Lots of love

Pastel Lips! | FlashMob Cosmetics

Pastel Lips! | FlashMob Cosmetics

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January always seems to come and go sooooo quickly every year. Thus, Spring is swiftly approaching, meaning  a complete change in your makeup bag is due - swapping out all of berry lips for something to match the brighter, warmer atmosphere. 

FlashMob Cosmetics have kindly collaborated with me to share with you their vibrant lip-smacking products to get you all in the Spring spirit! Like most girly-girls, I'm a huge fan of the pastels during Springtime and Flashmob have created the perfect lipsticks to make your lips fit right into the season. These are such an awesome Easter gift for those who ask for gifts rather than chocolate or a birthday gift for younger girls.

Colours in the Electric Kisses Set:

Orange - A vibrant peach/coral 

Dark Pink - An intense barbie pink with heavy blue undertones

Lilac - A pretty, light purple shade with a frosty sheen

Light Pink - A subtle pink lip with slight pigmentation

The thin, slick and 'flashy' packaging makes these lippies appeal to the younger generations; their comic-styled font and images evoke instant attention. Also, the brightly colour-coordinated tubes match their complementary lip colour - for extra satisfication (this is something I am definitely drawn to). The infamous # has also been used to create a modern essense and appeal further to younger audiences.

Finally, here are some swatches of the colours mentioned above! The pigmentation of the orange and dark pink were much more intense than the other two but still fabulous, nonetheless. One factor that made me particularly impressed was the light, weightless feel on the lips after application - sometimes the feeling of lipstick is very heavy and irritating so this was refreshing and different for me. A slight flaw I found after applying the orange colour, was that the colour sank into all of the creases in my lips. However, it might just be my chapped, gross lips - who knows?!

FlashMob Cosmetics are affordable gifts that can be found at stores like Markwins Beauty and Argos.

Lots of love

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This post was in collaboration with FlashMob Cosmetics, however all opinions are honest and my own.

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

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

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