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?