New In My Beauty Stash #5

Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette

New products in my makeup bag 2017

I thought I would share a few new products that have made their way into my beauty stash, some of which I’ve been using for a couple of months and one that just came through my letter box last week (but I’m already head over heels in love) can you guess which product that it?

The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG 30ml

I have a post coming up in a few weeks talking a little more in depth about my favourite products from Deciem but I wanted to put this particular product in this post mostly because I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a product as much as this one or seen such incredible results as quickly. I have been using this Caffeine Solution everyday since I received it back in April & I simply adore it. I would say the best way to describe it is as a lightweight serum that has a slight tackiness to it which once applied feels weightless yet hydrating and soothing on the skin.

You apply it to around your orbital bone (around your eye area) and it helps reduce puffiness, reduce dark circles and it has actually reduced a patch of pigmentation I had to the edge of my eye.

  • Caffeine – Constricts blood vessels to reduce discolouration and swelling.
  • EGCG – Sourced from green tea, EGCG has strong anti-inflammatory properties, and is also proven to reactivate dying skin cells.

It is without a doubt my favourite product from The Ordinary & that is saying something because I’ve tried quite a few amazing products from this range but this solution has visibly reduced uneven skintone and my eyes have never looked as healthy. It is like liquid sleep. I can’t sing it’s praises enough but if you did need any more convincing to try it yourself the price tag might just sway you – this 30ml is only £5.80! Now all I ask is that you don’t buy it in bulk, leave me a bottle or two.

Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara

Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara £21.00

This is the latest mascara release from Lancome & I am usually a huge Lancome Mascara fan but this didn’t really cut it for me. I get that Lancome (I think) are trying to appeal more to a younger market with this Monsieur Big Collection as the packaging isn’t as sleek or luxurious as you’d expect from Lancome and the promise of up to 12x volume and 24 hour wear is a little far fetched. I found the formula too wet and hard to apply to coats without it looking clumpy. One coat gives you a good amount of volume and it is a very ultra black formula but for £21, I think I will stick to my beloved Hypnose or the Doll Eyes.

Batiste 2 in 1 Dry Shampoo & Conditioner

To be honest I prefer the stand alone dry shampoo, I wasn’t entirely sure how to use this for the best results. I found that if I put too much on my roots it made them look a little greasy & If I sprayed too much through the length it made it feel icky. With it costing more than the actual dry shampoo I would say stick to that don’t over complicate things with adding a dry conditioner to the mix. The only plus of this product for me was the fruity, Summery scent, which I really liked.

Giorgio Armani Eye & Brow Maestro £28.00

I’m quite happy with my brow routine at the moment so I haven’t actually been using this on them, I have been using it as an eyeshadow primer & also on it’s own all over the lid. So the Eye & Brow Maestro comes in 8 shades and it has a cream formula which is also waterproof so for me it has been working so well on the eye. This formula doesn’t crease and it stays put all day long. I have the shade 05 Auburn which is a gorgeous as a soft taupe / brown shade. I do love a cream shadow simply because they are lightweight on the lid, this formula does not crease and their effortless to apply (I tend to use my finger to blend). I am smitten with this.

New Urban Decay Heat Palette

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer

I bought two shades of this in a blog sale and OMG I’ve never (ever, ever) tried such a full coverage concealer. This stuff is seriously full coverage and waterproof. That being said you’d think at first glance that it would be too thick to use under your eye, worrying that it would gather in all those pesky fine lines (which you do not want to draw attention too). If use use just the smallest amount and I mean a slither of product and really blend it in you have yourself a concealer that will cover anything and last all day without accentuating fine lines or looking cakey. It’s infused with high-performance pigments and anti-aging peptides, vitamins, hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid and antioxidant.

This concealer is great at covering anything you could name, blemishes, redness, dark circles and even help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It has changed my life. I have found myself just using this in the areas that need coverage and not even reaching for a foundation. My makeup routine just got a whole lot quicker.

Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette £.39.50

The internet has been going crazy for this new release from Urban Decay, I really like that they’re always adding to their Naked range and some of my most worn and best loved palettes are from the Naked Collection. I adore the Naked Ultimate Basics (all matte) and the original Naked Palette is still my absolute favourite (apart from the fuzzy packaging. So this new addition to the Naked family is a beauty, I feel like it has been very well thought out, you get 12 warm toned shades that are perfect for every season. You get a stunning selection of warm earthy shades with everything from amber toned neutrals including warm browns and burnt oranges to deep red browns and glimmering coppers.

  • Chaser – light nude matte
  • Ounce – ivory shimmer
  • Sauced – soft terracotta matte
  • Low Blow – brown matte
  • Lumbre – copper shimmer w/gold pearl shift
  • He Devil – burnt red matte
  • Dirty Talk – metallic burnt red
  • Scorched – metallic deep red w/gold micro-shimmer
  • Cayenne – deep terra-cotta matte
  • En Fuego – burgundy matte
  • Ashes – deep reddish-brown matte
  • Ember – deep metallic copper-burgundy

Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette Urban Decay

Urban Decay Heat Palette

Ember / En Fuego / Dirty Talk / He Devil / Lumbre 

As with all the Naked Palettes, there is a nice mix of finishes and textures including mattes, micro shimmers and two smooth buttery light base shades. Urban Decay eyeshadows are always fantastic quality, richly pigmented and easy to blend as this palette does not disappoint. So say that I’m thrilled to bits to have this in my collection would be an understatement.

So what is new in your makeup bag lately? Let me know if you have tried any of the products I’ve mentioned.

*This post contains PR samples

Discovering New Beauty Brands in 2016

Trying New Beauty Brands

For me 2016 was the year of trying out brands and products I’d never used before. I was not only introduced to brands I had never heard of before but also given the chance to test out products that had been on my wish list for a while.

A few didn’t live up to expectations but I’m pleased to say most of them have become firm favourites. I thought I would share some of the ones that stood out to me. I am very much looking forward to trying more new brands this year and have a few on my radar already.

Pureology Haircare

Pureology Haircare

I had wanted to try this brand for the longest time as I’d only heard positive reviews from bloggers whose opinions I really trust. I was thrilled that the FULFYL haircare system that I tried out lived up to my expectations and my Mum even went out and purchased it for herself too. This particular range is formulated for colour treated hair and it protects your colour from fading whilst keeping your hair strong, nourished and looking super glossy. I am obsessed with it and the hair colour I used on my hair this year stayed vibrant for the longest time, I 100% put it down to using this trio.

NIOD Skincare

NIOD

Again I was excited to try this brand and I have to say its one of my favourite skincare discoveries of 2016. NIOD are a relatively new brand to the market but don’t overlook them on that count, they’re a brand that are pushing the envelope of ingredients and producing products that are fuss free, effective and pretty damn cool. Everything from their production & packaging right down to the products themselves are progressive. I have tried out a couple of their offerings this year but this Mud Mask has changed my life – well my skin. It has restored my skins radiance and I’ve certainly had fewer blemishes which pleases me greatly. I will be purchasing a lot more from them in 2017 and also trying a few products from their sister company The Ordinary.

Mac Palette Dupe

W7 Summer Nights Eyeshadow Palette

This is a budget brand that has always intrigued me, they are quite renowned for producing dupes and when I saw this MAC Burgundy Times Nine Palette dupe on MissMakeupMagpie blog I knew I had to try it. I love neutral palettes and this 9 pan palette has become a firm favourite. I’ve used it so much these past few months and if you are able to track it down (its like gold dust) then I urge you to snap it up. Its super pigmented, wearable and affordable, what more do you want!?

BRYT Skincare

BRYT Skincare 

This was a new British skincare company that I was introduced to this year but they mainly cater for younger skin and I’m certainly not in that bracket anymore. Nevertheless their skincare is gentle and although rich its not greasy or too heavy. I did enjoy trying out these three products, but I need something that offers more lift, tightening and hydration. BRYT seem to be ticking all the boxes when is comes to delivering affordable, ethical and botanical premium skincare. So if you’re under 25 then make sure you check them out. How cute and bright is their packaging too!

Skin Chemist Snail Serum Skincare

skinChemists Skincare 

This is quite a luxury brand which has a very modern minimal feel to its branding and packaging. I have enjoyed the products I have tried from them, especially the snail eye cream which I thought was very gentle and nourishing. It was very lightweight and felt cooling around my eye area, also my concealer applied so well over this. I have been using a few products from their Caviar range too but It’s still early days, so keep an eye out for a full review soon.

Ooh! Oils Cacay Facial Oil

Ooh! Oils of Heaven 

I adore using facial oils and love how versatile they are, these two from Ooh! have been a pleasure to use. The Cacay Oil was my favourite of the two and I mostly use this as part of my evening skincare routine but I do mix a little with my serum during the day of my skin is looking lacklustre. It helps to keep my skin looking radiant and hydrated and is great at reducing scaring and uneven skint one. This particular Oil has a high content of vitamin A, vitamin E and Linoleic Acid (omega-6) which have effective results in skincare.

Blank Canvas Cosmetics Eyeshadow Palette-One-

Blank Canvas Cosmetics

Another brand I had never heard of before trying this palette but I have learnt that they have a huge following, especially in Ireland which is where this brand is from. They produce high quality makeup brushes and also a range of makeup products. The eyeshadow palette didn’t completely WOW me but I did like quite a few of the shades and think they are a brand to keep an eye on. The double ended brush that came with the palette was incredible quality and Its made me want to try a few more from their huge range.

What brands did you try for the first time in 2016, any firm favourites that you would recommend?

Essence Bloggers’ Beauty Secrets Palette

New Essence Makeup Collection

Essence bloggers beauty secrets palette

I adore the German brand Essence all their products are cruelty free and extremely affordable. I have so many favourites from their makeup range and since it launched into Wilko stores a couple of years ago its so much easier to get hold of all my Essence essentials.

Essence recently collaborated with four bloggers as part of the bloggers beauty secrets trend edition and gave them the opportunity to design their very own makeup palette & nail polish. I have been testing out the two products designed by the lovely Mary, who blogs over at Strike a Pose.

Essence Cosmetics Shape & Shadows Eye Contouring Palette

This palette is a multi use eye & brow palette and was inspired by glamorous Hollywood women who influenced style and fashion. It comes beautifully packaged in a sturdy cardboard flip top palette with a magnetic close and it has a fun geometric print.

Inside you get a fab sized mirror, which I did not expect to find as Essence is a more affordable brand but its nice to see that they have included one & I like the unusual shape of it.

New Essence Makeup Collection

Inside you get 4 shadows, a highlighter, a prime & fix brow wax and also a small dual ended brush. One end has an angled brush and the other a cute brow spoolie, I have to say I’ve been using this brush and its great, ideal travel size and the spoolie is fantastic as brushing through your bows to tame them and even out the product. Very cute indeed.

Three of the shadows are lovely neutral matte shades and these double up as both shadows and great brow colours too. I mix the two darkest colours to make the perfect shade to fill in my brows. The powder is pigmented and quite soft so they’re easy to blend and create that natural full brow. I don’t really use the wax as I prefer to set my brows with a clear gel but if you like wax then it is included in here.

These matte shades also work really well as eyeshadows and are great either all over the lid or blended out in the crease. They do take a little work to build up a good amount of colour on the lids and Hazel Grace is quite light so isn’t going to give yo too much payoff but I like to use this shade as a transition shade.

Essence Shape and Shadow Palette

Marilyn Metallic is a beautiful copper rose and is my favourite shade in the palette. Its not too sparkly but it has the most pretty metallic finish and when the light catches it looks really nice. I have been wearing this packed on top of Audrey Highbrow and I love the two together.

The highlighter Billie Vanilli is a frosty cream and it looks nice under your brows and in the inner corners to add some brightness and add a little lift to your eye look. Its not a subtle highlight but if you like to add that extra illumination to your eyes & definition to your brows then its a pretty shade for that!Essence Shape and Shadow Palette Swatches

Essence Bloggers’ Beauty Secrets Nail Polish in All Eyes on Me

The nail polish wasn’t for me, its a pretty grey beige shade but it has a matte finish and I’m not personally a fan of that trend so I have passed it on to my sister in law & she loves it. So it wasn’t a complete fail. The nail polish was easy to apply, it dried evenly, the colour was pigmented and only needed one coat. I didn’t wear it for long so I can’t tell you if it has good staying power, but I did like the colour just not the finish.

Essence Bloggers Beauty Secrets Collection

Above are all four of the palettes & polishes from this collection. Which ones do you like the look of?

Essence is available exclusively nationwide at Wilko Stores & online at www.wilko.com

Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Giveaway

As my blog is turning 4 in a couple of weeks I thought it was the perfect excuse to hold a giveaway to say thank you for taking the time to read my blog, commenting & interacting with me across my social media platforms. Blogging is something I enjoy so much and have met so many lovely people & brands over the years. I am excited for 2016 and looking forward to producing the best content I can.

So I’m giving away the limited edition Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Palette (sold out) its one of my favourite palettes and I love mine. Pulp Fiction is also one of my all time favourite films.

Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Palette

Urban Decay Pulp Fiction Palette

The Pulp Fiction Palette comes in black & yellow packaging & has the famous Ezekiel passage on the top written in red. The packaging is cardboard but its very sturdy and it comes with a large mirror in the lid. This palette has 5 shadows & they’re a mixture of mattes & satin finishes. This palette features 3 new colours from Urban Decay

Urban Decay Lets Talk Beauty Giveaway

      • Righteous – Light cream matte
      • Tyranny  – Warm brown matte
      • Vengeance – Deep taupe brown matte
      • Furious – Pearly white satin
      • Anger – Black satin with a hint of sparkle

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open to UK residents ONLY

The giveaway is open for one week & the lucky winner must respond within 48 hours

Good Luck x