Shopping My Makeup Stash February 2017

February 15, 2017February 15, 2017 - Vicki Leave a comment

Clinique Chubby Stick Cheek Colour Balm in amp’d up apple

I am 100% on board with the Clinique Chubby Sticks, they’re effortless and so easy to use. This is one of their cheek chubby sticks and it is in the most beautiful rosy pink shade. This gives a pretty healthy flush of colour. I find this doesn’t last too long on my skin but I do have quite oily skin so that might play a part. This does apply and blend really well and I adore the shade. I am looking forward to wearing this more as we head towards Spring.

Tarte Tarteist Mascara

I have a few mascaras on rotation at the moment and this one from Tarte is my favourite for giving definition and length to my lashes. It is a great everyday mascara and really holds a curl. If you prefer your lashes to look more dramatic and full this isn’t for you. This coats every individual lash and is intense black. I have enjoyed all 3 of the Tarte mascaras I have tried and I want to give their foundations a go next. If you have recomendations of Tarte products I would love to hear them.

Rimmel Kate Lipstick in Boho Nude*

I haven’t been wearing very adventurous makeup so far this year & I’ve been enjoying the low key, natural look. This lippie is one of the 6 nude shades released by Rimmel to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Kate Moss and Rimmel London’s beauty collaboration, this Boho Nude is perfect for my current mood, it is a very easy to wear true soft brown nude. This is one of those lipsticks you can keep in your handbag because it would look great for any occasion, it is easy to apply and feels creamy smooth on your lips. It doesn’t have the greatest staying power but I don’t mind having to reapply throughout the day. I love the rose gold packaging too.

Stila Smudge Stick Liner in Moray

I have these smudge stick liners in an array of colours and to be honest I like them all but there is just something so pretty about this moray shade. It is a stunning olive green with a very subtle hint of sparkle. These are waterproof and have some serious staying power. It adds a little pop of colour to your eye look without being in your face and it is often nice to wear something other than your usual black eyeliner.

YSL Touche Éclat Le Teint Foundation in B30 Almond*

I have been applying this new YSL foundation with The Body Shop Buffing Brush and I think they’re the perfect duo. This applies beautifully and wears well throughout the day. It has a medium coverage and gives my skin a healthy radiance which I like. I also think that this looks better throughout the day and its lightweight formula means it doesn’t look or feel heavy.

It contains Vitamin E which protects against free radicals and also has SPF 22 to provide sun protection. I was a little worried to try this at first as I have heard YSL foundations often break people out but I didn’t have any problems at all. I have the shade B30 Almond and it is a great match for me, this foundation is available in 19 shades and YSL have great Touche Éclat Shade Finder so you can chose your ideal match.

INGLOT Eyeshadow Palette

I made this 10 pan freedom palette a couple of years ago in the INGLOT store in Amsterdam. I still love all the colours I chose but I just haven’t been using it much these past few months. INGLOT eyeshadows are amongst the best I have ever used, high-end quality with a purse friendly price tag. If you get the chance to visit a store (i know there isn’t too many) you have to make your own palette. They have a huge selection of shades, finishes and textures, I’m excited to start using them again.

bareMinerals Foundation

I have totally fallen back in love with mineral foundation, I forgot just how pretty and natural the coverage looks. It feels lightweight on the skin and you can build up the coverage if you wish. I also use this as a setting powder on top of a liquid foundation if I want that full coverage look and this powder leaves your skin looking so silky smooth and flawless. If you haven’t tried a mineral foundation before I highly recommend this one, it comes in 20 shade options and has SPF15.

Clinique Chubby Stick / Rimmel Boho Nude / Inglot Eyeshadows 407 / 452 / 405

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July 2016 Beauty Favourites

July 18, 2016October 16, 2016 - Vicki 2 Comments

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic

I adore using this toner as part of my morning skincare routine. Its so soothing, calming and refreshing on the skin. It contains so many skin loving ingredients (as you expect from skincare experts Liz Earle), including active ingredients aloe vera to revitalise and soften and calendula, chamomile, cucumber and natural source vitamin E to soothe and refresh the skin.

This feels so gentle and soothing nice on the skin and the formula is alcohol free. It does have quite a strong floral / botanical scent, which I like and find relaxing. I pour a little product on to a cotton pad & sweep all over my face and neck every morning. Its not at all drying and leaves your skin feeling leans and hydrated, ready for the next step in your skincare routine. This paired with the Eye is the complete package! Now that Liz Earle is sold at larger Boots stores it is even easier to get hold of, which is ideal.

Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Gorgeous Berries

I always come back to this blush more than any other in my collection. Its just beautiful. I love the packaging, the fact that its a baked blush and the colour looks a little different each time I wear it. This blush has a marbling effect and I have heard them described as dupes for the much coveted Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blusher, I haven’t used those so I can’t compare. Although I can say its incredible quality for the price.

The Max Factor ones are buttery soft and extremely pigmented, I have the shade Gorgeous Berries which is a deep mauve berry shade. It is the darkest shade in the range and it gives the cheeks a beautiful flush of colour, if you want to build up the intensity you can go all out. These wear really well and the colour lasts all day. This shade does have a slight sheen to it but I wouldn’t say it was anything on par with a highlighter.

Maybelline Dream Flawless Nude

Again this is a foundation I have had in my collection for some time now and its one I love to go back to. The consistency is so fluid that I find it easy to blend and get a good even coverage. This is quite a dark shade compared to what I would usually wear but it works for the warmer months when I have a little more colour, so I am making the most of it. This gives quite a light coverage but it is build-able and it gives the skin a velvety smooth flawless (as the name suggests) finish. I really like the way it makes my skin look and it feels lightweight. Unlike some bases it actually looks better throughout the day, bonus!

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in BackTalk*

I have been wearing this lipstick almost everyday, the colour is so easy to wear. Its is a comfort matte finish but it doesn’t make my lips feel overly dry. Its not a faff to apply and it just makes me look like I have have made more of an effort with my makeup (when I am wearing bare minimal). BackTalk is a gorgeous mauve pink nude shade and I just can’t get enough of it.

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Golden Pink

I know I am not alone in loving cream shadows, they are a lazy girls best friend. You just sweep the product over your eyelid & blend it out using your finger & it always looks amazing. This Golden Pink is not what I would call a pink, it is a lot more a golden and has a pretty metallic finish. These cream shadow sticks are easy to blend but after a couple of minutes they dry done and do not budge. These are very similar to the Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks which I have quite a few of and I’d say the quality of them is identical. I always travel with cream shadows, because they take up no space, they don’t break in your makeup bag and you don’t need a brush.

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New Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks

July 4, 2016 - Vicki 8 Comments

So recently Urban Decay revamped their lipstick collection & released 100 beautiful Vive Lipstick shades in 6 indulgent finishes. All of the Vice Lipsticks come in a modern sleek gunmetal case with a rose gold base and UD embossed on both the lid and the actual lipstick bullet. The packaging feels luxurious and vampy which I like a lot.

The 6 finishes are

Mega Matte – Super Intense Matte
Comfort Matte – Urban Decay’s Creamiest Matte
Cream – The Original: creamy, badass, luxury
Metallized – Cream with a high level of pearl
Sheer– A punch of colour with a sheer, shiny finish
Sheer Shimmer – Slightly transparent finish with a floating pearl and a smooth texture

All the lipsticks have the most lovely formula, easy to apply and rich in colour as well as feeling comfortable on the lips. They contain Aloe Vera, Jojoba, Avocado and Babassu Oils which nourish and soften your lips. Vitamin C and Vitamin E provide a hit of antioxidants & Illipe Butter provides that all important long lasting moisture.

I have 6 of them to show you & my gosh what a beautiful selection of shades & finishes they are!

Pandemonium / Mega Matte*

This is a bold, bright vivid pop of purple and isn’t for the faint of heart. Its a really rich shade and I like that its a nice bright purple rather than a dark purple. It was quite hard to get an even application of this shade as it wasn’t as creamy as the other 5 shades but once on it does look beautiful. This is a little drying on the lips but as it is a matte finish I guess that is to be expected.

714 / Mega Matte*

This beautiful bold red is from the recent Gwen Stefani Collection & is now a permanent shade. It is a mega matte finish and this shade stays put on my lips for ages. The colour is a rich red with orange undertones and I would say, if you can, use a lip liner with this shade as it does bleed. It does drag slightly when applying it to your lips but its worth the perseverance as it is just the most gorgeous easy to wear red.

Firebird / Cream*

Did someone say PINK! If you like a pink lip then this is undoubtedly the most intense, rich creamy pink I have ever worn. The colour is vibrant and the creamy formula means that it feels nourishing and smooth on your lips. In the bullet this lipstick looks a little more on the purple side but don’t be fooled, it is a true fuchsia pink. Even though this has a cream finish its still long wearing on the lips and the colour stays looking vibrant for hours. This shade is also a shade from the recent Gwen Stefani collection and I’m in love with it. I tend to shy away from bright shades but this has won me over and I have been enjoying wearing it.

Backtalk / Comfort Matte*

OK this is totally in my comfort zone, its a rose pink nude and it just looks effortless and pretty on the lips. This has become my everyday lipstick, it applies so evenly and is opaque in one application. It doesn’t feel at all drying on my lips, and this wears so well without going patchy or fading throughout the day. I am in love with this shade. I do like the bright colours too but we all have those shades that we feel most comfortable in & for me this is that shade.

Big Bang / Metallized*

This is one of those lipsticks I wish I had the balls to wear out in public & not just in the house. This is a sweet sheer pink with a glossy silvery pink fleck finish. This is a statement lipstick and it looks very metallic on the lips, almost duo-chrome. I think its pretty but quite hard to wear. Out of the 6 shades I have this was the hardest to apply & achieve an even coverage, I had to go over my lips quite a few times to build up the colour and get a clean even finish. It does feel creamy on the lips & smooth too. Its such a fun shade and not at all subtle!

So there you have it a the Vice Lipsticks are a huge exciting launch from Urban Decay and they have everything from bold brights, vampy plums to beautiful wearable neutrals and everything in between. What shades do you have your eye on?

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick £15 each

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