An Autumn/Winter Kiss and Glow with NYX

'Tis the season not to be selfish! Until you walk into your local Boots store and notice that something has changed. Like a huge brand spanking new NYX counter located in the middle of the shop. 

NYX has never been a brand that I have paid much attention to. This is purely down to the fact that it has never been entirely accessible to us Brits. However, on my adventure to kick off the Christmas shopping last week, I set my eyes upon the new counter in Boots Manchester Market Street. And let me tell you, a lot of joy was sparked!

This chic and not to mention affordable make-up brand have everything you could ever want as a beauty lover. Ranges and ranges of lipsticks, eyeshadow pencils, palettes, singles, contour kits, highlighters, foundations, concealers and more. I knew I couldn't be massively greedy, so I picked up the Born To Glow Liquid Illuminator in Gleam (£7.00) and three of the Liquid Suede Cream Lipsticks (£6.50) in 03 Cherry Skies, 07 Sandstorm and 12 Vintage. Because I'm weak for any lipstick that comes in liquid form.

Born To Glow is a liquid illuminator that can be used either underneath your foundation or over the top of it.

I've been applying it to the high points of my cheeks with a BeautyBlender, resulting in a slightly dewy and subtle highlight. It's pretty and cheap, but I'm still on the hunt for the perfect highlighter for my skin tone. Suggestions?

NYX Liquid Suede, welcome to Ella's liquid lipstick family. 07 Sandstorm is a mocha shade, 03 Cherry Skies is a deep red that is similar to MAC's Diva and 12 Vintage is a beautiful dark plum. If lipstick's could talk, they would scream Autumn/Winter. The formula is extremely opaque and the large doe foot applicator makes the product really nice to apply. The Liquid Suede's have a demi-matte finish that is neither hydrating nor drying. They're a comfortable wear. But one thing to be noted is that the staying power isn't great, even when you use a lip liner to boost their durability. If you're going out for dinner or for drinks put the shade in your purse for touch ups! Especially if you're wearing one of the bolder colours of the bunch.

I now have my eye on the single eyeshadows, the contour kit (Obvs!) and yet another Liquid Suede in a rather daring purple.

If you're in the Manchester area then definitely go to the Market Street Boots for a gander. Prepare yourself for your mind to be blown!

Have you tried NYX? What are your favourite products?

The Cocoa Blend

Top L-R - Bitter Start, Sweeter End, Warm Tones. Bottom L-R - Pure Ganache, Substitute For Love, Freshly Toasted

Top L-R - Warm Tones, Subtle Blend, Beans Are White. Bottom L-R - Freshly Toasted, Infusion, Delicate Acidity

It turns out that Zoeva are not only awesome at providing amazeballs make-up brushes, but also gorgeous eyeshadow palettes!

Is 24 hours enough time for you to make up your mind about a beauty product? Because that is how long it took me to fall for this one.

I didn't think that I would love an eyeshadow palette so much after the buzz wore off following the delivery of my Lorac Pro. But this arrived the other day and I photographed, experimented and started drooling as soon as I bolted up the stairs and into my room like a mad woman. What can I say? New in make up excites me!

The Zoeva Cocoa Blend retails for €17.50 here.

For an affordable palette, it has a luxurious weight to it and beautiful gold asymmetric detailing on the packaging. And I don't mean tacky gold. It also contains a rather lovely message on the inside as you open the flap. 'Selected with love', to which I thought was quite a nice touch. This product screams Christmas stocking filler.

The Cocoa Blend contains 10 beautifully pigmented and buttery eyeshadows, with a mixture of shimmers and mattes that blend like a dream. The shimmers, such as Pure Ganache, Warm Tones and Subtle Blend, have a foiled appearance when they are applied onto the eyelid which I love. Additionally, Substitute For Love and Freshly Toasted are warm matte shades that are perfect for the crease of the eye.

Palettes are extremely expensive products to buy, so finding an affordable one that consists of high quality eyeshadows is a great feeling.

The verdict is in. I really, really love this.

Have you tried the Zoeva Cocoa Blend?

Cranberry Festive Face Mask by Lush

Even though each individual has a very different skin type, one thing that most of us have in common is the struggle to keep our skin moisturised and nourished throughout the cold and frosty months of Winter. An oily t-zone is something I battle with daily, but the Winter annoyingly welcomes flakey and dry cheeks which are quite frankly a pain in the bum!

In order to combat this, I've been using the new Cranberry Festive Face Mask by Lush. £6.75.

I'll begin by pointing out the least most important aspect of this product. It is pink! There is something great about layering a baby pink product all over the face. It smells lovely too!

Moving away from pretty colours and scents, this face mask has a bitty and cool consistency that soothes the skin and gently exfoliates. The product description highlights that the mask contains a mixture of argan oil and rose clay, which creates an almost matte finish upon removal, and I have to agree. It looks as though you have applied a mattifying primer but the skin feels like silk.

The face mask also has brightening, nourishing and moisturising capabilities. The product has the ability to brighten your complexion and brings the skin to life. 

As a student, I spend a lot of time on public transport on my way to university and walking along busy roads. The antioxidant cranberries and argan oil protects your skin from the environment and puts the moisture back into the skin that tends to be taken away throughout the season.

Have you tried the Lush Cranberry mask? I'm sure you'll enjoy it too!

Impressive Bargain Beauty

I've come to the realisation that I am a student. And as much as it pains me to say it, I can't always afford to buy beauty from the higher end of the spectrum. *sigh*. I have also come to realise that it costs a lot of money to be clean! Goodbye £44.50, I hope Superdrug treats you well.

But in terms of saving the pennies on cheaper beauty brands, that's OK! Because here in the UK we have amazing beauty products from the drugstore that are fantastic dupes for some of the luxury products on the market.

Sleek is a brand that I have never shown too much interest in and I am not entirely sure why. For a drugstore brand, Sleek have an impressive colour palette, which is a significant quality to have in the beauty industry. Furthermore, the product range is great and almost everyone has a good thing to say about it. Especially with regards to the eyeshadow, blush and contour palettes. As someone who loves a bit of contour, the latter appealed to me and I decided to purchase the Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette in Medium - £9.99. 

I am so impressed with this in more ways than one. Firstly, the packaging is 'sleek', efficient and petite enough to carry around in your bag and most importantly contains a huge mirror. 

Secondly, the content of the palette is extremely impressive. It comes with a matte sculpting shade, a luminous highlighter and a 'bronzey' shimmery blush shade. I am yet to try the blush, but the blend ability of the contour powder was lovely and the highlighter added a subtle luminosity to my cheeks. Both powder's complimented my tanned skin-tone beautifully. I think my mum may be receiving the Light version in her stocking this year.

It is safe to say that my contour was on point last night for the fireworks!

The second product that managed to weave it's way into my basket was the Matte Me - Ultra Smooth Matte Lip Cream in Fandango Purple - £4.99. The fact that it is a liquid lipstick may have had something to do with it.

I am completely obsessed with the colour of this product. This fuchsia purple is so pretty and complimentary. Pinky tones almost always never suit me, but I have finally found one that does. 

Starting with the Negative Nancy verdict, the only major downfall about the Matte Me lip creams is the applicator. It made it quite difficult and uncomfortable to apply because it has a lack of softness. Furthermore, it has a rather odd and unnecessarily long shape.

I didn't find the formula of the product too drying. I could feel it slightly after the application but it wasn't a significant amount. Additionally, I found the staying power to be pretty damn good, but I did have to top up once throughout the night. But in the grand scheme of things, that is not a huge burden. I find myself doing that with almost every lip product that I use. And you cannot argue with £4.99!

Here is a cheeky selfie of me with my new purchases on:

See what I mean about the colour?

Is there anything that you are loving from Sleek at the moment that I may want to know about?

The Eyeshadow For Early Winter Mornings

A pink ribbon in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Here's my secret to looking extra beautiful in the morning. And it doesn't involve setting your alarms to go off 30 minutes earlier...

Move over On and On Bronze. I have a new favourite shade from the Maybelline NY Colour 24HR Tattoo by EyeStudio range.

I'm trying my best to experiment with my eyeshadow and go beyond reaching for the golds, browns and bronze shades. Which is something I can't help but do naturally. Metallic Pomegranate is a deep  burgundy shade with an odd yet flattering tinge of rust running through it. I've been counting on this  product to encourage a sweet and subtle transition into Winter when it comes to my eye make-up.

I love a good cream eyeshadow as they're a great product to use for beginners, busy women or for people that just can't be bothered but want to look some what presentable. (i.e me before university.) And they're a dream to use. I almost think that it's impossible to make a cream eyeshadow look bad.

I've been wearing Metallic Pomegranate daily and on it's own. With a dab of my finger, some blending with the help of a fluffy brush and lashings of mascara, my eyes are done within seconds. And it looks decent!

The warmth of this beautiful cream is what i'm most drawn to. Nothing beats wearing a sultry smokey eye with your scarf half way up your face and having a stroll through the crisp Winter air. It makes Monday morning's a wee bit more bearable.

What I admire about this particular range of cream shadows is that they really are great value for money. £4.99 can no way be argued with. They have an impressive staying power and the texture isn't at all drying. As with most cream eyeshadows, they can be used as a base product to prime the lids but I think that they look lovely on their own.

I do plan on buying more. From time to time I wander into Boots to have a nose but the crowd around the Maybelline shelves is always either too overwhelming or there aren't enough testers on show. First world problems, hey.

Have you tried the Maybelline 24HR Tattoo Gel Creams yet? If not, WHY?

Sensational?

When it comes to drugstore mascara's, I never usually stray far from Seventeen's Falsieye HD! in Blackest Black. However, when I saw this pretty pearly pink Maybelline Lash Sensational mascara on the shelves of Boots I decided to pick it up and give it a whirl. Admittedly, before writing this post I realised that I picked up the waterproof version, oops. But i'll go ahead and give you my thoughts.

I was apprehensive on whether to buy this as I haven't been majorly blown away by a Maybelline mascara for yonks, but after a few weeks of experimenting, I have come to my final verdict.

The mascara is presented to you in your typical Maybelline oval-ly packaging. (That word definitely isn't in the Oxford Dictionary.) I am a fan of the design but I equally find it to be quite bulky. Nevertheless you can't miss it in your make-up bag.

The benefits:

• Lengthening
• Thickening
• Adds volume
• Affordable and Accessible at £7.99

The not so beneficial factors:

• I'm the type of girl that likes to build up mascara but not to an excessive extent. Only a couple of coats. When it comes to Lash Sensational, I find it extremely difficult to built the product up without feeling like my lashes are going to rip out.
• Adding onto the latter point, it can look and almost feel very clumpy. Clumpy mascara is a huge problem for me! 
• A couple of weeks down the line and the product is already drying up. 
• Definitely not suitable for under the eyes. But then again, I find it difficult to find any mascara that doesn't transfer below my lower lash line.
• REALLY difficult to remove. That obviously comes with the 'waterproof' territory but this is really hard to take off and puts me off wanting to use it. 

Do I sound like too much of a Negative Nancy?

It may come as a surprise but I do honestly really like this mascara. It does all of the things I want it to do, it's affordable and I love Maybelline as a brand. The only mascara I like to splash my cash on is Benefit's Roller Lash but apart from that i'm a drugstore gal all the way. Will I repurchase? Probably. Just not the waterproof version!

Have you tried Maybelline's Lash Sensational?

The Estée Lauder Haul

Welcome to my first Estée Lauder Haul and a very image heavy post!

It has been a long time coming but i've finally purchased Estée Lauder's Double Wear foundation, and conveniently from Boots as you have got to keep wracking up those points! Christmas is very much just around the corner after all.

I've never purchased anything from Estée Lauder before and the service was wonderful. It's always nice to hear that you have lovely skin and that the foundation and lipstick looks gorgeous on you. It makes it much easier to hand over your cash and say to yourself 'Go on then, take my money.' I was also given a very generous gift bag at the check out as a reward for spending. *Happy dance*

When it comes to Winter beauty I think, flawless base and dark bold lips. And I think that I've hit the nail on the head with these two.

Here's the haul:

1. Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Make Up SPF 10 in Cashew 

This product definitely does what it says on the tin. Stays-in-place! I almost have to do a triple cleanse to make sure that my face is free of it at the end of the day. Regardless of the effort you have to put in to take it off, it's a fabulous product. Initially, I was reluctant to buy this because of how full coverage it is. I'm not into the whole cake face thing, or even worse feeling like your base is wearing you. But I have been pleasantly surprised and so far, so good. 

2. Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick Matte in Desirous

The launch of these lipsticks have sparked a lot of joy for me. I've always known that Estée Lauder have some of the best skincare on the market and some great make-up products. But I've also had the impression that their target market is aimed more towards the mature side. Until the gorgeous Kendall Jenner became the new face and they came out with these beautiful matte lipsticks. I think that I could happily spend a lot of money on all of them. The shade Desirous is my new favourite Autumn/Winter shade. The sales advisor on the counter at Boots claimed that these lipstick's don't require a lip liner. Because Desirous is an extremely dark shade, I prefer to pair it with a lip liner but there is a substantial amount of staying power there and The Pure Color Envy's are an extremely comfortable wear. 

My purchases were rewarded with a gift bag filled with cute little miniatures, decent sized samples and a lipstick:

1. Take It Away Make-up Remover Lotion
2. Daywear (Love) 
3. Modern Muse Perfume
4. Doublewear Foundation
5. Advanced Night Repair
6. Pure Color Lasting Lipstick CREME 17 Rose Tea

Best gift bag ever!

I can't wait to experiment with all the goodies. Do you have any Estée Lauder favourites?

For The Khaki Lovers

My love for Khaki doesn't stop at clothing. I had been on the look out for the perfect army green eyeliner for a while and the hunt came to an end when I walked into MAC the other day and discovered Forever Green. I'm a brown-eyed girl, therefore technically I should be reaching for the purples to flatter my eye colour (Permaplum, a gorgeous purple Powerpoint Eye Pencil is on my wish-list.), but i'm counting on this gem to spice up my make-up throughout the winter.

Coloured eye pencils can be quite frightening, but this is such a wearable shade and not at all offensive so i've been wearing it daily. On Nights out, to lectures, out shopping and even to the gym. (Come on girls, I know at least some of you wear make-up to the gym!) The description claims this product to have a metallic shimmer with a matte finish, which it 100% does but it looks flattering.

I'm a big fan of the formula when it comes to the MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil's. They have a buttery and easy to blend texture, meaning minimal tugging of the eye. So far I have been wearing this sultry green on my waterline to dare I say it, add a 'pop' of colour to my make-up. However, my next experiment is to apply it all over the lid, which I can imagine to look rather beautiful.

Colour doesn't just have to be for the warmer months of the year.

Have you been Forever Green-ed? 

Currently...

Unfortunately I haven't been doing any make-up shopping recently, or any shopping at all for that matter which is making me ever so sad. I'm going through that awkward stage where I can't bring myself to spending any more money on pretty summery things as I go back to the; grey, wet and downright miserable Manchester soon. But I'm in Dubai! A place of shopping galore and ultimate luxury, and I just so happen to be staying a 10 minute walk away from The Dubai Mall. I can hear the fancy fountains as I type this and see the sun beaming off of the Burj Khalifa. #Beaut

As blatant as this may seem, I need a trip to Sephora. The Sephora in The Dubai Mall has got to be the most hectic store that I have been to in the Middle East. You almost begin to panic in there. But i'm going to brave it and hopefully come out with some goodies. My wish-list is as follows:

1. A new UD Naked Weightless Concealer. I'm jumping on the bandwagon by stating that this is the best concealer I have ever used, but I still have my eye on the NARS Creamy Concealer. I just feel like i'm getting a lot of bang for my buck with Urban Decay.

2. Laura from Buy Now Blog Later recently published a post on her blog dedicated to Urban Decay's 'Riff' eyeshadow. I plan on having a quick swatch and buying it right there and then. It looks like the perfect crease shade. (Doesn't the word crease sound weird?)

3. My BeautyBlender suffered a tragic injury. What I thought was a gentle massage resulted in the tip almost ripping off. It's still a useable tool and I've tried to substitute it for the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge but I am a tad bias when it comes to my pretty pink BeautyBlender. I plan on accumulating up to ten of them by Christmas. They're amazeballs!

4. I'm having a 'Shall I, shan't I?' moment with the By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock. Beautiful shade, dreamy creamy texture, gut wrenching price tag. I'm a firm lover of cream eyeshadows, especially those that come in stick form. But with brands such as Kiko offering the same product range for more than three quarters of the price, I can't bring myself to spending so much. I will, however, continue to swatch and swatch until I give in. Which I probably will, eventually.

5. NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser is on the list. I'm still yet to try a tinted moisturiser that totally floats my boat and i've watched YouTube video after YouTube video on this product. So far, i've gathered that it offers a good amount of coverage for a tinted moisturiser, evens out skin tone, adds radiance and you can slap it on with your fingers if you're in a rush. That is everything I need and want in a base product at 8am to prepare me for my day at University.

6. All of the Kat Von D things. Kat Von D Beauty has landed in Dubai and I want everything from the contour kit to the liners and the liquid lipsticks.

Which beauty products have you feasted your eyes on lately?

A Thrown Together Lorac Pro Palette Review

This post has been thrown together out of pure joy for my recent purchase of the Lorac Pro Palette which landed on my door step this morning. And woke me up. But i'm not mad, i'm in love with this product and it has definitely been a long time coming to say the least.

Let's talk packaging.

As most bloggers, vloggers and make-up addicts have stated, the matte black packaging welcomes your fingerprints, dust, product fall out and anything else it can grab onto. However, it's extremely light. So light that I forgot it was in my hand when I was walking around my house earlier this morning. The width of this product is tiny and the content is so amazing and versatile, making it the perfect palette to take with you on your travels. That alone is a winning factor for me.

I'm obsessed with the content of this palette. You can easily create both day and night time looks with it and do them well. The formula of the shadows is lovely. They have quite a buttery texture and are a dream to blend. Not to mention a perfect balance between mattes and shimmers which is quite hard to find. The main downfall is that the shadow goes everywhere when you dab your brush into the product. But I didn't notice any fall out on application or when I was blending. 

Overall I really loved using this palette this morning. It's a friendly and affordable product that I can see myself getting use out of daily. That's a bold statement for me to make as i've never purchased a palette that I use all the time.

My favourite shades so far are: Taupe, LT Bronze, Gold and LT Pink. I think i'll have a dabble more towards the right of the palette tomorrow and see what I can come up with.

Have you tried the Lorac Pro Palette? Should I invest in it's relative the Lorac Pro 2? Oh and here's a really terrible selfie that doesn't do the make up much justice.

P.S Apologies for the average photography, my poor camera charger is broken and I was eager to write a review on this. My iPhone 6 had to suffice. xx

The ASOS Knit Picks

Is it too early to be looking for a winter wardrobe?

I've been in the Middle East all summer and as much as I love being here with family and friends, there is a part of me that is desperately wanting to switch the shorts and strappy tees for some winter woolies. That's probably the effects of the blistering heat talking. 

Admittedly i'm a knit hoarder. I go to university in them, go to town in them, go out to town in them, sometimes sleep in them and most importantly feel most comfortable in them. And as university is around the corner, I think it's about time I start searching for some Autumn/Winter bits.

So while I sit here and have a cup of tea, I couldn't help but have a nosey on the ASOS website for some inspiration. I have 16 saved items so far and 80% of them are knits. Here are some of my choices:

1. ASOS Colour Block Sweatshirt 
I have a tendency to gravitate towards monochrome. I'm intrigued by contrast. This is the sort of sweatshirt that, given you buy the right size, is a flattering loose fit. Fitting in all the right areas. I'm thinking black skinny jeans and ankle boots.

2. Boohoo Plunge V Back Jumper
I'm a firm believer in 'if you've got it, flaunt it'. But recently i've been more interested in showing off more back than front. I appreciate a garment that looks sexy without the exposure of your lady lumps.

3. River Island Lightweight V Neck Jumper
A little see through, but the length and neckline are grabbing my attention.

4. ASOS Jumper Dress
I can't go through winter without a couple of short and sweet jumper dresses. I specifically chose this one as it's navy (surprise, surprise a dark colour), and it's elasticated at the waist. They also look great with over the knee boots. *happy dance*

5. New Look High Neck Ribbed Jumper 
Chunky and high neck, my favourite! Did someone say cozy? I appreciate how you can dress these pieces up or down. It's the best feeling being comfortable and looking your best.

6. ASOS Chunky Jumper With Cold Shoulder And Split Sides
Cut outs in jumpers add a bit of edge too them. Admittedly there's nothing particularly attractive about shoulders, but in this I think there could be.

Who else is excited for an Autumn/Winter wardrobe edit?

New In For The Lips

I won a giveaway, I never win anything! 

The lovely beauty blogger Stacey from Expat Make-up Addict held a giveaway a few weeks ago and I won six MAC lipsticks of my choice. Yes, of my choice! Of course I was jumping for joy and ridiculously excited. But when it came down to choosing, I found it quite overwhelming. There is so much choice at MAC and I found myself wanting to indulge in way more than six. However, after much deliberation I finally came to my decision, and I couldn't be more pleased.

Just as my boyfriend said 'Ella, you don't need anymore lipsticks', these babies came in the mail. 

L-R: Stone Matte, Blankety Amplified , Ruby Woo Retro Matte , Morange Amplified, Coral Bliss Cremesheen and Mehr Matte.

Here goes the breakdown:

Stone is a medium-dark taupe brown with greyish undertones. When I first applied this I was quite shocked, but it grew on me. The shade is unusual and quirky which I quite like. It has a matte finish but doesn't cling to any dryness which is always admirable. Although as with all MAC Matte lipsticks, I wouldn't brand the finish moisturising. I can't wait to wear this one throughout the fall back in the UK. 

Blankety, a beautifully creamy slap and dash pinky nude lip colour that will go with any make-up look. I have a thing for lip products that don't need much effort to apply and that you can wear everyday. Plus, it looks good with my tanned skin tone. Winning.

Ruby Woo is a best seller from MAC and a product that has been on my wish list for yonks. I think that this has to be the most talked about red that I have ever come across. Spread across the celebrity and social media world, this is hands down a red for everyone. Ruby Woo is extremely matte and highly pigmented. I honestly feel as though I have many lipsticks more or less the same shade. But who cares, this is definitely a new favourite of mine.

Morange is such a feel good lipstick. Vibrant, striking and oozes confidence. The colour is immensley opaque and I love it so much that I will be inappropriately wearing it throughout the winter. 

Like Blankety, Coral Bliss is a slap and dash shade. I found it to be quite moisturising on the lips and is one for my 'no make-up, make-up' days. I also have a thing for corals these days and I find the sheen of this product to be very flattering.

Mehr has yet another matte finish. (If you haven't already noticed, i'm a matte kind of gal). Lily Pebbles wears this all of the time in her vlogs paired with MAC lip liner in Soar. I was drawn to the dusky pink shade and it looked very easy wearing. 

To say that i'm happy with my choices would be an understatement. I have adopted a few new favourites as well as pushed the boundaries and started wearing a colour that I wouldn't usually go for.

Which lipsticks are you loving at the moment?

Skincare of the moment

So i'm having a major skincare moment.

Up until recently, I bought across The Body Shop Vitamin E range and used it every morning and every night. The face wash, exfoliator, cleanser, toner, the lot! And they are undoubtedly lovely products. But while reading Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes, she pointed out that it isn't necessary to buy across one particular brand or range, which made me want to experiment a little bit more with skincare.

Morning Routine

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Cleansing Water/Make Up Remover

Having already used the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, i'm a big fan of these solutions. After seeing this listed in Vogue's Top 10 Best Micellar Waters, I was keen to give it a try. It's quite a gentle product and refreshing on the skin in the mornings.  But as convenient as these products are to use, I wouldn't solely rely on it as my main cleanser. Especially when it comes to removing a full face of make up. Would I repurchase? Maybe.

The Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate

The Drops of Youth range is a new favourite of mine from The Body Shop. I apply two-three drops of this concentrate every morning and every night to encourage smooth and hydrated skin. My face needs all the help it can get after being exposed to the harsh Middle Eastern sun! Plus, I know i'm only 21 but youthful is a word I would like to cling on to for as long as possible.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturiser

I can't say too much about this product as I have only been using it for the past couple of weeks. But it's the perfect morning moisturiser. From the smell to the texture. I've recently compared it to dipping your face into a sea of cool, fresh oranges. That is exactly how I can imagine it to feel like when applying this product. I wouldn't compare my skin to being dull, tired or grumpy as it would suggest on the packaging. But I do believe it prevents these things in the mornings.  Loving it.

Evening Routine

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

Here she is, the cult skincare favourite of many! I was late to the party (as usual) with this one after receiving some of the range as a gift for my birthday back in May. Where had this product been all my life? It's super gentle, smells like a spa and removes make up and any other unwanted gunk in seconds. I'm even obsessing over the Liz Earle Muslin Cloths. My skin never fails to feel fresh, clean and exfoliated after using this and will continue to be my go to cleanser until something better comes along. I use this every evening and on the 'morning afters' if i've worn a lot of make up the previous day/night.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner

To be completely honest, I don't know how necessary toner is. It sort of has similarities to Micellar Waters. They feel the same when applied and feel like they do the same thing. Then again I could be completely wrong. It's one of those products that I don't need, doesn't particularly do much apart from   remove that tiny last trace of make up, but one that I use anyway. Plus it smells lovely. I like it.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Light Moisturiser - Combination/Oily

I appreciate how Liz Earle breaks it down for you when it comes to their moisturisers. Whatever your skin type, they have the cream for you. One pump of this product goes a really long way so it's a great one for bringing down to the neck area. The formula is extremely light and sinks into the skin beautifully and the scent is so fresh and spa like. I'll definitely be dishing out another £20 for a new one.

Face Mask Of The Moment

The Body Shop - Drops Of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask

Ok. Firstly, I can't wrap my head around the texture of this. It's like jelly and manages to set back to a smooth flat surface after using it in the packaging. When I first used this I wasn't a fan. On application it made my face look extremely shiny. And after a few minutes very sticky, which almost made it uncomfortable to get to sleep. Having said that, it's cooling and the results the next day are lovely. The product really soaks into the skin over night, leaving you with a replenished and moisturised face. I use this once or twice a week when my skin needs a good kick.

I'm enjoying experimenting with skincare. I've always looked after my skin but I've usually been too scared or uninterested to branch out and try new products. So here's to hoarding new skincare and finding new goodies!

Which skincare products are you using at the moment?

The Dolce Vita Is My Life

Say hello to my new favourite 'holy grail' palette. The Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Color-coded Eyeshadow Palette. (Once again, extremely late to the party).

This the first and sadly the only Charlotte Tilbury product that I own and i'm super impressed. It's everything I want and need when it comes to shadows. Since it was kindly gifted to me for my 21st birthday early in May it has been a struggle not to use it every day. The price tag being one of the main reasons why. 

Before writing this post I wanted to photograph it untouched, which failed miserably. But I just couldn't help myself.

Packaging

There's not much to say about this apart from stating the obvious - bloody gorgeous. A dark chocolatey burgundy brown with rose gold detailing. It screams luxury whilst being petite and light. The perfect palette for travelling, which makes a nice change as most of the eyeshadow palettes in my collection are annoyingly clumpy and heavy. 10/10

Eyeshadows

As with all of the Charlotte Tilbury palettes, you get a Prime, Enhance, Smoke and Pop shade. And i'm obsessed with them all. 

With my skin tone I find it so difficult to find a pretty champagne shade that doesn't look ashy on my eyelids. The top left prime shade, however, is beautiful and looks so pretty and pearlescent on the eyes. 

The top right enhance shade is a personal favourite. Coppery, warm and an overall stunning crease shade that i have no qualms with using every single day.

The smoke shade on the bottom right of the palette is what brings your look from day to night. I use it on the outer corner of my crease or along the bottom and lower lash line. 

POP! This shade is what really sold the palette to me. Although it looks intimidating in the palette, when positioned in the middle of the eyelid it looks phenomenal. There is a tad bit of fall out and is best applied with your finger, but it still undoubtedly sparks joy.

I could have purchased everything on the counter in Selfridges when the lovely make up artist was putting my face on for me. It's pretty dangerous territory when you're surrounded by gorgeous (and expensive) products and a very helpful assistant. And after being extremely impressed and mesmerised by this product, i've already put together a Charlotte Tilbury wish list:

• Light Wonder Foundation
• Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow...(all of them)
• K.i.s.s.i.n.g Lipstick in Coachella Coral

Lastly, I'm so happy to have finally found an eyeshadow palette that I can get full use out of. Not a shadow is wasted, or untouched. And I should bloody well hope so considering the price tag.

Have you tried out any Charlotte Tilbury products?

A 'Brand' New Discovery: Kiko!

Since exams ended, i've been here, there and everywhere. I took the 50 minute train journey to Leeds to visit a good friend and to do some shopping, when I came across a Kiko Milano shop. I've heard and read a lot about Kiko but up until recently, had never visited a store. And let me tell ya, I'm mega impressed. It was a Saturday afternoon when I went in and all the sales assistants were busy so I only picked up one item (annoyingly). I went for the Long Lasting Sticks. Cream shadows are always the safest bets right? Cream shadows in stick form seem to be all the rage at the moment. I've swatched a bundle from brands such as By Terry, Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown. And as beautifully textured and pigmented as they are, they're all so bloody expensive! These Kiko bad boys are only £6.90 each. 

I really like how this brand have stand alone stores and that the product comes in proper packaging. I obviously never have much use for the outside packaging when I buy a product but it's something you would associate with a luxury beauty buy. And as much as I love having a rummage through Boots for those 3 for 2s, it can be hard to find a product that hasn't been touched by other customers. 'Getting a fresh one from the back' as my mum would say can sometimes be so difficult.

Typically, I went for the 'goldey, bronzey shimmery' shade. I'm not massively adventurous. But it is a gorgeous shade nonetheless. They're super easy to blend and affordable.

Hello Lazy Golden Goddess summer make up!

Have you tried Kiko?

The Mini Gerard Cosmetics Haul

After a long wait, I've finally gotten my hands on a couple of lippys from Gerard Cosmetics. (Note to self: Order from Beauty Bay next time.) I went for Jaclyn Hill's 1995 and Sophia Chang from Fashionista804's Kimchi Doll. Surprise, Surprise. I went for the nudes. At first I didn't think that I would be a fan of the gold packaging, but I am. They don't look or feel at all cheap and create a nice contrast amongst my MAC lipsticks on the top of my rather boring desk. That's a good excuse isn't it? Buy more lipsticks, it will make your desk look prettier!

1995 is my favourite of the two. It has a matte finish, but is creamy and comfortable. And quite frankly, one of the best browny nudes i've ever tried. It's what I like to call a nude for everyone. Gorgeous on both pale and darker skin tones. I find it quite difficult to find a nude that suits my tanned skin without it looking like i've lathered on the concealer. I wore 1995 for the first time after my last exam this year where there was quite a lot of drinking throughout the day and it stayed on! The lasting power is definitely there.

Lip Liner: MAC Whirl

Kimchi Doll is a cute, pink and peachy nude and like 1995, is creamy and wonderful. It's a bit on the pale side, so people like me with darker skin tones are better off wearing a lip liner underneath it in a shade darker. Nevertheless, I'm a fan and can't wait to wear it throughout the summer.

Lip Liner: MAC Spice

The price point is spot on at £11.50 each and I love the formulation of them. I find them extremely comparable to MAC in terms of quality and comfort, but not so much shade selection.

Comfortable, affordable and lovely.

Have you tried Gerard Cosmetics yet?