Christmas Party Makeup Wishlist

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Christmas Party Makeup Wishlist

It is edging closer to the festive season and that means Christmas Parties galore. I thought I would share with you a few products that I think would be great for making your makeup look more festive and party ready.

  1. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit – Oh my word this is stunning. I don’t own any Hourglass products and it think this would be the ideal place to start. You get 3 of their face powders, 2 blushers and a bronzer. You would be set for the party season with this!
  2. Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Smokey Eye Kit – I love eye crayons and these look like beautiful colours, I like that there are some unusual shades in these and you could create such an effortless smokey eye with these. I also find that Cream shadows last a good amount of time on me so these would be perfect for a night out & you could build up the colour so it was quite intense or if you like to play it safe you could just add a light wash of colour.

  3. MAC Irresistibly Charming Pigments – Its not Christmas without a little sparkle and I find MAC pigments to be great quality and really packed with shimmer. They also last so long too so these will do you for many party seasons to come. This collection is a Christmas limited edition and I love the colours, especially the beautiful gold.

  4. Accessorize Retro Lip Duo Lip Gloss – You have to have at least one red lip option for the party season. Accessorize have recently revamped and re launched their makeup line and everything looks gorgeous. I thought this handy two in one lippie would be ideal for a Christmas lip. You get a lipstick in one end and a high shine lip gloss on the other, you can’t beat a two in one!
  5. Accessorize Lip Me Up’ Lip Gloss – If you want more of a low key lip a pink lip gloss is always a pretty option. I really like the packaging of the new Accessorize makeup line and this has a light up lid and a mirror on the side so you can reapply your gloss anywhere!
  6. Eylure Party Lashes – You have to go big when it comes to the festive party and Eylure have some beautiful party lashes. These have tiny embellishment gems on them and they will look beautiful and sparkly on.
  7. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation – I have heard such good things about this foundation and how pretty it looks on the skin. I’m a big fan of Charlotte Tilbury makeup but have never tried any of her base products, I think I will be investing in this for the party season. You need a flawless base and this one seems to tick all the boxes, and it has a good shade range too so I won’t have any trouble getting the perfect match.
  8. bareMinerals Double Domination Mascara Set – The name of this won me over it sounds like you will get dramatic lashes with this mascara and thats a party must have! This mascara promises to be a volumising, lengthening, thickening, separating, long-wearing mascara – so I say yes please! You also get two mascaras in this gift set so that is great value for money!

What is on your Christmas Party Makeup Wishlist?

*This post was written in collaboration with Accessorize

Shopping My Stash October 2015

- Vicki 3 Comments

Shopping My Makeup Stash

INIKA Mineral Foundation*

I’m not someone that uses mineral makeup, I am so clumsy and often I get more on the floor or my vanity than I do my face. In a nutshell loose mineral products scare me & the potential for mess is huge! I saw this INIKA powder foundation in my stash & I thought it was high time I used it again, I used it a little when I first got it but over time it was pushed to the back of my stash. I have been using this over my liquid base, which is usually my bareMinerals Complexion Rescue and it adds a little more colour and coverage but not full coverage by any means, so still quite natural but it looks so flawless and smoothing.

I am in love. I don’t think my base has ever looked as good and I use very little powder so it never looks overdone or like I have on a lot of makeup. I can’t believe I have never tried this before. I also like that this is 100% vegan and cruelty free. The powder also contains Titanium and Zinc Oxides provide natural sun protection with SPF15.

Lord & Berry Twistick in Shut Up 

I absolutely love lip crayons and think they’re such a no fuss quite effortless lip option and this Lord & Berry one is a gorgeous Autumnal shade. Its a deep berry and is very pigmented on the lips. Its quite a creamy formula so it won’t dry out your lips but it also means you will have to reapply throughout the day but the colour is just gorgeous. So pleased to have re discovered this and I have been keeping it in my handbag and using it most days.

Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium Deep

LOVE this product, its all I have been using in my brows. Its natural but gives them enough colour so they looked filled in but not too dramatic and I like that it also holds my brow hairs in place so they look neat and tidy on my face! The brush is just the perfect size its small enough that you won’t get product all over your forehead and you will be able to tame those brows with precision. I have repurchased this on many an occasion and & I can’t believe I had forgotten about it. I blame the house move, I am only now getting my makeup stash in order and rediscovering products. If you haven’t tried Gimme Brow you need to, its a must have in my opinion.

etos Smokey Eyes Eyeshadow 

I don’t use this to create a smokey eye but I like how pretty the shadows are and think they look natural on the lid and are ideal for a fresh daytime eye look. I bought this a while ago in a chemist in Amsterdam and I have hardly used it (eyeshadow hoarder) but this pink tones in this trio are pretty and not the colours I would normally use so I have been enjoying experimenting with those and creating a very pretty mauve pink eye look.

Shopping My Makeup Stash November

Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude Foundation

I do have a lot of foundations (too many) so I need to have them on rotation, that way I use them instead of gravitating towards just one. This month I have looked out my Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude Foundation this gives a beautiful satin finish to the skin and I am always shocked with how little product you need because it blends out so well. I would say that if you are prone to dry skin this foundation does cling to any dryness so use a primer or just make sure you moisturise well. I love the bottle too but I do wish it had a pump, as I said before I am clumsy and this is just a disaster waiting too happen.

The Body Shop All in One Instablur Primer

This has quite a thick gel formula and I find it takes a little time to work it in to the skin. I don’t often use a primer but I have had this one open for almost a year and I didn’t want it to go off and have to throw it away before I had the chance to really put it to the test. I use this to smooth my skin and give it that blurred effect, you don’t need a lot of product otherwise it can feel quite greasy on the skin, I apply it to my forehead, chin and a little down the sides of my nose. I do think my makeup applies well over the top and makes it look smooth, I wouldn’t say this was good for smoothing over blemishes but it is good as a primer if you want to achieve a flawless look with your foundation. I won’t repurchase because I like the Laura Mercier Primer better

Bath & Body Works Pocketbac in Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin

I am on the fence about the new B&BW packaging but I couldn’t resist a Autumn scent & this is sweet but not in a sickly sugary way. These are just a fun product, I know they contain alcohol before you all say how drying they are for your hands. I just love the range of scents and they’re a good way of keeping hands sanitised. Let me know what your favourite scents are.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

DIY Beauty Hamper With Boots

- Vicki 7 Comments

Beauty Hamper With Boots

DIY Boots Beauty Hamper

OK so I got a little over excited when Boots asked if I wanted to be part of their DIY Beauty Hamper Campaign*. I think making someone a personal hamper is such a great idea. Who wouldn’t want to wake up to a thoughtful gift like that on Christmas morning?

Boots is a great place to get all the supplies you need for your hamper, from festive wrapping paper and tissue, to perfume, skincare, makeup and everything in between. There are so many products to pick from in store or online so you can really create a fantastic hamper full of treats at a price point to suit you. I was kindly gifted the products that I put in my hamper and there are some of my favourite brands in there.

Boots Festive Beauty Hamper

Getting Crafty This Christmas

 

Supplies you will need

  • Tissue Paper
  • Gift Tags
  • Box
  • Wrapping Paper
  • Bows
  • Ribbon
  • Double Sided Sticky Tape
  • Scissors
  • Stuffing
  • Cellophane

Boots Festive Beauty Hamper

Boots Homemade Beauty Hamper

Now time to get creative, I liked the brown box as it was but you might like to cover the box in festive paper. I put a layer of red paper stuffing in the bottom of the box for the products to sit on. I tried to make it look as festive as possible by adding little touches here and there, like a ribbon and a few bows to a couple of the gifts. I wrapped one or two up in tissue paper so they are more of a surprise.

If you have included anything in your hamper that is special or has significance to you then its a nice idea to include a little note and let them know why its important to you or if there is a story / funny story about it. Just something a little more personal.

Boots Beauty Hamper DIY

DIY Homemade Beauty Hamper

Then start to pack your hamper, I had a play about with the layout before I was happy and to stop the products moving about I used the double sided tape. A DIY hamper Is a great way to be creative and put a little bit of personality into a gift, I think this type of gift is more thoughtful.

Ready for under the tree

Finished DIY Beauty Hamper

Once everything is in place & wrapped it in the cellophane, I added some cute red and white ribbon and a big gold bow. Now its ready for under the tree and I am going to gift it to my mum, she is going to LOVE it! Let me know if you have made a hamper as a gift and what products / items you included in yours. Or if you’re going to make one for the first time this year.

Thank you to Boots for including me in such a fun campaign. If you’d like to see a much better hamper than mine you can check out this step by step guide.

•this isn’t a sponsored post but Boots were kind enough to gift all the products and supplies I needed to put together this festive hamper.

Katherine Daniels Skincare

- Vicki 1 Comment
Katherine Daniels Skincare Products

Katherine Daniels Skincare Products

British Skincare brand Katherine Daniels

I love discovering new British brands and when this Katherine Daniels parcel arrived on my doorstep I was excited to try everything out.

Their skincare comes in easy to follow steps which makes everything so simple.

Step 1 – Essential Cleansing Milk

Step 1 – Essential Toning Lotion

Step 2 – Concentrate For Dry Skin

Step 3 – Sensitive Skin Cream

So caring for your skin has never been easier, we would all love to have the time & the money to have facials every week but that’s just not reality for most of us. So it’s nice to use skincare to create an almost Spa at Home type of feel & Katherine Daniels products are luxurious and have been created to treat the most common skin issues and conditions so you can really care for your skin at home!

Concentrate For Dry Skin*

This is a very lightweight but nourishing serum packed full of incredible skin benefits such as

  • Concentrated seaweed peptides – to protect & defend against ageing
  • Phytosqualane & Tryglicerides – to hydrate and nourish
  • Extract of Myrtle – Increases cell tissue life
  • Vitamin E – which helps protect from free radicals

This is a lovely serum if you are noticing fine lines and wrinkles, it plumps the skin and over time helps reduce them. It’s very rich and nourishing, it leaves the skin feeling smooth and is the perfect serum for the colder months. If you have dry sensitive skin then this will be a great addition to your routine.

Essential Cleansing Milk* 

This cleanser is so light in texture, I haven’t tried that many cleansing milks so I wasn’t sure how I would get on with this one. It is a very gentle and you use it on damp skin and massage it in, to break down makeup and dirt then use a damp warm cloth to remove. It has a soothing scent and it the cleanser left my skin feeling clean but not tight and it was very effective in removing my makeup. It contains these key ingredients

  • Red Seaweed and Blue Micro-Algae Extract – Which boost Collagen and Elastin within the skin
  • Glycerine – This helps to hydrate the skin and prevent moisture loss

So its also a good hydrating cleanser and will help your skin look radiant and plump. If you like to use a cleansing milk then you should check this one out.

Essential Toning Lotion*

I was excited to see this toner was alcohol-free so it’s not going to strip your skin or be too harsh. Toning is one of my favourite steps in my skincare routine. This one calms and soothes the skin, so its great for cold weather when my skin tends to be more sensitive and prone to redness. This contains some lovely ingredients too

  • Blue and White Lotus Flower Extract and Mastocarpus Extract – Both are excellent for relaxing and soothing the skin

This leaves your skin feeling comfortable and smooth, ready for the next step in your routine.

Sensitive Skin Cream*

This is a gel moisturiser which leaves my skin feeling velvety smooth and incredibly nourished. This feels like it sinks into the skin immediately, it’s not greasy or heavy and is a lovely smooth base for makeup. This also contains Phytosqualane which is a key ingredient in nourishing the skin and keeping it looking supple and radiant.

Katherine Daniels is a brand to keep your eye on, their products have a nice simple feel to them. They’re all really good quality and I have enjoyed them in my skincare routine. All four of the products in this post are Paraben and Mineral Oil Free.

To see their product range or find a Katherine Daniels salon near you visit www.katherinedanielscosmetics.com

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.