5 Minute Make-Up Kit

 

I'm not ashamed to say that due to the current chill in the air in England I've accidentally-on-purpose overslept for college a couple of times pretty much every day this past two weeks (it's my duvet's fault, not mine). I'll be snoozing my alarm from 7:30am right up until 8:15am when I'm supposed to be leaving at 8:30am to make sure I give myself enough time to walk up to my friend's house for 9am.

 

So over the past few days I've managed to pull together a sort of last-minute make-up routine that takes all of five minutes and gives me enough confidence to leave the house without looking like I've overslept/a zombie.

 

The first step once I've pulled my hair up into it's mandatory bun (college salon rules) I apply a little lot of the Collection Cover Up Stick underneath my eyes and blend it out with my fingers to cover my dark circles. Next, I take my MUA Cover and Conceal Concealer and dot it across my face, concentrating on any blemishes or redness. I blend this out with my foundation brush. To add some definition to my eyes, I like to use both ends of my Rimmel Double Ended Kajal Stick, running the white end along my water line to brighten and awaken and the black end up beneath my lashes to add some depth. I finish with a few sweeps of my 17 Blow Out Mascara onto my lashes and a slick of my Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch on my lips to give a pop of colour since I'm lacking any blusher.

 

So there you have it! I hope I've given you guys some ideas on what products to use when you're in a rush, they certainly do the job for me!

 

xx

Review: MUA Heaven & Earth Palette

 

 

Sorting through my beauty stash the other day, I realised something: I don't own many nudey eye shades. I was quite surprised by this, simply because it seemed like such an obvious thing to own. The subtle glam that a simple, soft brown smokey eye can bring to any day or night look is something that I'm personally a fan of so I honestly didn't expect to be lacking these shades in my collection. Naturally, the only plausible thing to do would be to go out and buy said shades, which is exactly what I did: enter MUA's Heaven & Earth Palette.

 

 

This 12 shadow palette contains a variety of brown tones, ranging from dark chocolate to buttery cream. All colours are 'shimmer' but not in a glittery or gaudy way - they're more luminous than anything. They're lovely to apply and very blendable, with very little fall out.

 

 

As they don't have shade names I'll brand them with numbers 1 - 12, starting from the top left and finishing at the bottom right. My most used colours are 4, 9, 10 and 12 - number 4 as a base and highlight, 9 and 10 for creating the smokey line and number 12 as a sort of eye liner along my eyelash line. Pigmentation for these shadows are great and they last all day.

 

 

Shades 1 - 6 (top row)

 

Shades 7 - 12 (bottom row)

 

Avaliable for £4 from Superdrug or the MUA Online store, this palette is a must-have for nude eye lovers or even for younger girls who are beginning to build their own make-up collection. A perfect stocking filler, too!

 

xx



Review: New MUA Matte Effect Lipsticks

Hello everyone!

Today I have a review for you guys, featuring a new exciting release from bargain make-up brand Make Up Academy. I'm a dedicated lover when it comes to all of their products so of course when I saw these new Matte Effect lipsticks I had to pick up one... or three.

The first thing I noticed about these was the packaging. It's very clean and simple - basically the same as their regular lipstick tubes but instead of black these are white. The next thing I realised was that they've finally finally given their shades names. I don't know why this is such a big deal to me, but I hate it when companies use numbers instead of words to distinguish their shades. The three I got are named 'Pouty Pink', 'Scarlet Siren' and 'Wild Berry'. Definitely not the most imaginative but at least they've given us something to work with.

Anyway, on to the lipsticks themselves. I'm really depressed to say this, but I'm not a fan. Many matte lipsticks are drying and chalky and these are no exception - they sit, flaky, upon even the most moisturised lips. Weirdly I found the pink to be more drying than the other two, and the red the nicest to wear. I'm also very disappointed with the pigment of these shades. The pink appears to be a lovely, bright colour and the purple/brown shade very dark and vampy but they simply do not come across this way upon lips. You have to apply quite a few coats before the colour even becomes noticeable.

Left to right: 'Pouty Pink' - 'Scarlet Siren' - 'Wild Berry'

 Their staying power appears to be pretty good, mostly because the colour clings to your lips (which in this case, is a blessing and a curse) but I can't say that I'm going to rush out and buy any other colours from this collection. I would definitely recommend the red as I find it the most moisturising and flattering and possibly the pink if you have an amazing lip balm to pair it with, but I would steer clear of the Wild Berry shade - it's nothing like I expected!

Overall, I think this is the only product I've bought from MUA that I haven't got on with, but at £1 each you can't really argue!

xx 



Lush, Superdrug and Claires Haul!

Hello everyone!

 

It's been quite a while since I did a haul so I thought I'd show you what I picked up earlier in town. It's a mix of things I bought for myself and things I'm going to put away for people for Christmas.

 

 

 

 

Since its the place I spent the most time and money, I'll start with Lush. Out of the four things I bought, three of them are from their Limited Edition Christmas or Halloween range! I tried the Lord of Misrule bath bomb which I reviewed: here and was really impressed so I picked up another bath bomb from the Halloween range which is called Soot Ball, £2.50. It's this adorable black dusty ball that has big eyes and quite a musky scent. I'd definitely say this is more of a masculine scent, although the glitter that erupts into your bath makes it rather feminine as well! I haven't tried this yet but expect a review soon! The next thing I got was this beautiful, amazingly-scented, slightly sparkly Candy Mountain Bubble Bar, £2.65. This smells AMAZING, just like the Snow Fairy Showergel or the Bubblegum Lip Scrub. I've never tried one of their bubble bars before but I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Again, expect a review! The last two things are going to be stashed away for Christmas for my dad and my sister. The Dirty Shaving Cream, £5.25, for my dad (which I've also reviewed here as my boyfriend loves it) and the Gold Limited Edition FUN, £5.00, for my baby sister. It smells just like their 'Honey I Washed The Kids' soap, which kind of reminds me of the Honey Nut Loop cereal!

 

Next I stopped off in Superdrug and picked up three of the new MUA Matte Effect Lipsticks. I have very high hopes for these are I love matte lipsticks but the formulas are always really drying so I'm looking forward to testing these. The packaging is the same as the normal MUA Lipsticks but in white and they actually have shade names now! I picked up 'Pouty Pink', 'Scarlet Siren' and 'Wild Berry' as Superdrug are currently offering a '3 for 2', which means I got all three for just £2!

 

 

 

Lastly I went into Claire's Accessories, somewhere I've not visited since I was a teenager, and grabbed one of their fake lip/nose rings. I'm seriously considering getting my lip pierced so I can wear a ring but thought I'd better pace myself and just see what it looks like before making any drastic choices! I got a silver one which was £3.50 but they also do it in black. I have to admit it's quite uncomfortable and my lip has gone a little numb but I'm willing to suffer for how nice it looks!

 

xx

My Top 4 Statement Lips (Best & Worst!)

 

 

Okay, so I have this little obsession with lipsticks. I don't really know where it came from as up until last year I had the opinion that lipstick was for more mature, sensible women than me and I was completely all about the eyes.

 

But since the day that I changed all that, I've grown quite a collection. I think lipstick is the thing I have the most random purchases of - even if the colour definitely isn't suitable for my look or my skin tone, I always buy it... just in case.

 

So today I thought I'd show you guys my top 4 Statement lipsticks (best & worst).

 

 

 

 

Left to right: Nivea Volume Shine Lipstick in Mauve Parure - Barry M Lipstick in 129 - Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Rogue - MUA Lipstick in Nectar

 

 

Nivea Volume Shine Lipstick in Mauve Parure -

 

One of my post recent purchases - a gorgeous deep berry toned purple. The formula of this is very thick and is one that definitely needs a brush to be applied or it will go everywhere. It has good staying power once applied in layers and adds drama to any outfit. I would recommend keeping all other make-up simple for a day look, where-as adding lashings of mascara and a cat-eye looks amazing with it for a dramatic night-out look. I got this for £1 from Poundland.

 

Barry M Lipstick in Shade 129 -

 

This lipstick is the 'worst' mentioned in the title. I was so excited when I bought this lipstick as I've been dying for a pale purple lip shade but sadly this was such a disappointment! The formula is so shiny and never dries so the slightest touch of your lips will cause a blur! The shade is completely un-wearable for me as it makes everything seem so yellow! My skin looks unhealthy and sallow and it's not very flattering for even the whitest teeth. Such a shame as it's a lovely pale pink toned lilac but it just doesn't work for me! I paid £4.25 for this from Boots.

 

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Rogue -

 

Although it looks much darker in the tube, this lipstick has a lovely deep red tone. In my photo it doesn't translate well (I think it was the bright lighting) but it works very well with my pale skin and looks perfect with just a few slicks of mascara for a ' I look like I've tried when I actually haven't' look. The staying power of this is incredible - I applied at 8am and it was still going strong at half past 2pm - and once dry it's not too matte or shiny. My lips simply look moisturised! I got this for £1 at Poundland.

 

MUA Lipstick in Nectar -

 

This lipstick is definitely my favourite out of the bunch. A gorgeous bright, wearable orange that sits beautifully upon lips and lasts for hours. It's brightness doesn't wash me out at all, in fact it seems to give some life to my face! It applies really well straight from the tube but does require layers if you want it to last all day. This lipstick can be taken from day-to-night with just an outfit change, I love it! I picked it up from Superdrug for just £1!

 

So there you have it! My top four best and worst statement lipsticks.

 

I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

xx

 

 



The Perfect Base: Concealers

I've never been much of a foundation wearer, mostly because I could never find a shade that actually matched my skintone properly and because any sales assistant I've discussed foundations with has always said my skin doesn't need it! The main problems with my skin is redness on my cheeks (sensitive skin trait!) and depressingly dark circles under my eyes which I treat with targeting concealer instead of a full face of foundation.

These are the concealers I've been using recently, including my must-have moisturiser and a multi-tasking eye shadow. 

Left - Right. Boots Simply Sensitive Moisturiser // Translucent Powder // MUA Eyeshadow Shade 17 // Green, Natural and Lilac Concealer Tower // Collection Cover Up Stick in Fair // MUA Cover and Conceal in Fair

I apologise that some of these products aren't 'branded' (the translucent powder and concealer tower) but they were the products I got with my college make-up kit and are the ones that I use. I'm going to explain these products in the order that I use them in, so sorry if they don't follow the order in the photo!

Boots Simply Sensitive Moisturiser

I have a fuller review of this moisturiser here. 

I believe part of having a good skin base is having good skincare. There's nothing worse than applying foundation/powder just for it to look flaky and irregular where it's been caught on dry skin. I apply this ten - fifteen minutes before I put any products on my skin to allow time to sink in properly and it sorts out any dry patches.

Concealer Tower - Green 

Green-toned concealers are known for counter-acting redness. A must have for oily/sensitive skins, as it reduces the look of irritation, breakouts and broken blood vessels. If you can't get your hands on a green concealer, No 7 does an amazing green tinted primer that's amazing either under foundation or translucent powder. However, if your redness is selective to a few small areas or is in need of a more heavy coverage, a concealer is your best bet. Just be sure to blend thoroughly for risk of green patches!

Concealer Tower - Lilac

Purple-toned concealers are known for counter-acting yellow/sallowness in your skin tone. A must have for any olive skinned girls, as this brightens up your colouring beautifully and naturally. Also great at helping tackle under-eye circles, lilac concealers seem quite scary but are a 'perfect base' staple. 

Collection 2000 Cover Up Stick in Fair

I use this concealer stick under my eyes, and it's amazing! I suffer from really dark under eye circles and this mixed with a little of the lilac concealer sorts them out beautifully! This colour is also a near perfect match for my colouring (which is ridiculously pale) and blends naturally into my skin tone without any tell-tale colour lines. Also a bargain! (£1.99, Boots.)

Make Up Academy Cover & Concealer in Fair

This isn't neccesarily an 'every day' must have for me, as I only use it when I have breakouts. I picked it up recently as Superdrug are currently running a 3 for 2 (I also bought the eyeshadow featured in this post and my MUA Lipstick in Shade 4) for £1.50. It comes in three shades (Fair, Natural and Almond) and despite buying the lightest I find it a touch too orange for me. However, it's concealing power is incredible! I use this on blemishes and it hides them away perfectly. The consistency is actually really thick and creamy but blends well. 

Translucent Powder

Another part of my college kit, I dust this powder over my skin to help set the concealers and mask any slight discolouration (sometimes the green is prone to it!). It also helps mattify my skin. Once this one is all used up I think I'm going to try the Rimmel Stay Matte - so if anyone reading has used it, what's it like?!

Make Up Academy Eye shadow in Matte 17

I use this matte eye shadow every day. Weirdly it's almost the same colour as my skin when applied, which helps as I have quite obvious veins on my lid and across my brow bone and this gives me an even base to apply more shadow to or nice natural-looking colouring. The shadow itself has a beautifully soft texture and there's literally no fall-out at all! The best part is the £1 price tag!

What are your fave concealer products?

The Summer Transition: Pink-Toned Lips.

Hi everyone!

It's been such a busy week for me! I'm down to my last unit in college and then I'm finally fully qualified! I've been accepted into Level 3 so I'm going to continue my studies but who knows what the future holds!

As I'm sure you've read, 'The Summer Transition' is a new series of posts I've put together showing the changes I've made to prepare myself for the summer. I'm planning to focus on products (here), style, exercise, make-up and diet. I was originally going to sum up my make-up changes in one post but I'm so in love with these lipsticks (and scrub) that I thought they deserve their own post!

Bottom - Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Oxford St Fuchsia // Middle Left - MUA Lipstick in Shade 4 // Middle Right- MUA Lipstick in Shade 3 // Top - 2True Colour Drench Lipstick in Shade 5

LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub

I think I've mentioned most of these products in my make-up faves post (here) and I've been using them quite a while but I literally cannot stop raving about them! The Rimmel Lipstick and the MUA Lipstick in Shade 3 are my most recent purchases, the Rimmel one I scouted in the poundshop (!) and the MUA one from Superdrug. 

Sometimes in the Spring/Summer I lean towards more natural looking make-up but this year I've been exploring my colour options and decided to go all out!

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Oxford St Fuchsia 

This lipstick is my new baby! I call it my 'Barbie Pink' lipstick as the shade on the lips is really bright and pigmented but at the same time is the perfect, wearable shade. I wore this to college recently and received several compliments about it. Despite it being my new fave, I'm actually terrified to use it as it was such a bargain price and don't want to run out of it! It's staying power is incredible, even without applying it with a brush, and will last me through three meals a day without budging. 

You can buy it here for £6.29 from Superdrug.

Make Up Academy Lipstick in Shade 4

As I'm sure you can tell by the amount I have left, this is my most used lip shade! It's a lovely light pink that isn't too pigmented and is perfect for a 'barely there' make up look. I'm not going to lie, the sustainability of this isn't amazing (I have to top up a lot throughout the day) but for the price I'm not complaining. This lipstick is really hydrating and stays on lips with a glossy finish.

You can buy here for £1 from Superdrug.

Make Up Academy Lipstick in Shade 3 

I've had my eye on this gorgeous red/pink shade for so long! It's seriously pigmented on the lips straight from the bullet but I prefer the look of it when applied with a lip brush. Like my other MUA lipstick (above) it's staying power isn't incredible but again the price is so good you can't complain! I can apply this without the use of a lip balm before because of how nourishing it is, and I also have a thing for the smell (does that make me weird?!).

You can buy here for £1 from Superdrug

2True Colour Drench Lipstick in Shade 5

This colour actually looks a lot darker/more sparkly in the bullet than it is once applied on the lips. I always apply this with a lip brush as I find it applies really thick and messy without using one. I usually wear it if I'm not making an effort with the rest of my make-up and it makes me look like I have! 

Left - Right. Rimmel Moisture Renew in Oxford St Fuchsia, MUA Lipstick in Shade 3, MUA Lipstick in Shade 4, 2True Colour Drench Lipstick in Shade 5

LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub

Finally is my dearly beloved LUSH Lip Scrub! The delicious scent, the simple packaging, the gorgeous colour... need I go on?! I use this every night after I've finished with my skincare routine (full post on my routine coming tomorrow!) and it leaves my lips soft, lightly tinted, and, well, tasting frickin' amazing! 

Buy it here for £5.25 from Lush.co.uk


So there you have it! My favourite lip shades for Spring/Summer. 

What are your fave shades?

xo

MUA Nail Varnish in 'Bold Blue' Review!

I'm a big big fan of Make Up Academy products. I've used their eyeliners and brow pencils, I'm quite frankly obsessed with their lipsticks and I've added more than a few of their eye shadow palettes to my Make-Up Kit but I've never purchased a nail varnish until now! The shame! 

I have to admit, though, that the first thing that drew my attention was the bottle. How much of an obvious dupe is it to the fabulous Essie's?! Aside from being considerably smaller, they share the same bottle shape, lid colour and naturally the company logo stamped into the glass. 

ANYWAY, the second thing that attracted me was this gorgeous shade of blue. It's been dubbed 'Bold Blue' (finally the product shades have names!), and the colour sort of reminds me of what I would call 'sky blue'. 

And the product itself isn't too bad. The end result (after two coats) has a nice shine to it without a top coat and it lasted me at least 3 - 4 days before it began to chip. I'll admit the coverage isn't the best, but from a distance you can't really notice the odd streaky patch. The brush and bottle size are really quite tiny, especially next to my Barry M bottle, but for a £1 price tag I can't complain! I expect I'll get maybe four or five wears of this before it becomes a problem, but no doubt by then I'll have moved onto my next shade.

Have you tried any MUA nail varnishes? What did you think of them?

xo