Monthly Favourites || October 2014

Hello my lovelies!

October was a pretty crazy month for me as it included my 18th birthday *woop woop* but I've finally got around to writing my October favourites!

So let's start with make-up...

I had a slight moment in the middle of Next when I saw a tiny little NYX stand at the other end of the shop and did a quick shuffle over to it. I didn't even realise that they were selling NYX on the English high street, but obviously I picked up a few things. I had never tried NYX before but I think it's safe to say that I love their products! So the first thing I've been loving is the NYX Blush in the shade Mocha. I wanted a darker autumnal shade, and this deep pink/red shade is really perfect and super easy to blend. Obviously everyone and their dog has raved about NYX blushes on the internet, and I'm so glad I have tried one out as I now know why!

Next thing is the Soap and Glory Archery brow pencil in the shade Hot Chocolate. This is just such a good brow product - you can use it to define the edges or fill in sparse areas of your brows and it always looks great. The colour is really natural and not too red which I find some brow products to be, and paired with a good brow gel makes the perfect brow!

I've been absolutely obsessed with the Kiko Smart Lip Pencil in the shade 712 which is another Kylie Jenner-esque pink/mauve nude shade. I've been loving this lip colour for autumn, and this lip pencil has been so useful; whether I use it to define my lips or just use it all over the lips, it creates such a gorgeous 90's lip. 

I've already talked about the NYX Matte Lipstick in the shade Whipped Caviar in my most recent post (Autumn 2014 Favourite Lip Colours), but I had to put it in here too as I've literally nearly used up the whole bullet. It's another pink/mauve nude shade but it has a matte finish which is my favourite type of lip to wear. 

I've also been loving using my Real Techniques Contour Brush to apply and blend out concealer under the eyes. I don't tend to use the brush to apply contour, and so have been using it under the eyes as it has the perfect tapered end to allow super easy concealer application. The softness of the brush is also really nice and not too harsh on the sensitive skin, and it blends out the concealer really well. 

Obviously there would be a nail varnish in my favourites, and honestly autumn is my favourite time for nail varnishes as I love wearing darker colours as the weather starts to get colder. One I've been constantly reaching for is the Barry M Matte Nail Paint in the shade Black Espresso. I'm sure I've talked about it before, but I always end up going back to this formula of nail varnish as they are so quick and easy to apply, and come in a great variety of autumnal shades. 

Lastly we have the film Rock of Ages. Now you might think this is a bit random, but I'd heard loads about the musical in theatres, and couldn't resist watching given how much I love a good musical, and I have to admit that I'm hooked. I've watched the film so many times now and have actually booked tickets to go and see it in London during November! It is such a good musical made up of classic 1980s rock songs - obviously I wasn't around in the 80s but still found myself singing along to most of the songs! This is such a good film, and I'd highly recommend seeing it even if it is just for the songs!

Hope you enjoyed reading my October Favourites!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your monthly favourites?

:)

Review & Swatches || New Mac Products #2

Hey guys!

So some really exciting news for you! My dad went out to Spain last week and brought me back a few surprise gifts from the MAC Duty Free Counter at the airport, so I'm super excited to show you my new products!

From left to right; Springsheen, Well Dressed, Satin Taupe and Woodwinked.

I'm very lucky because my dad brought me back two blushes and two eye shadows, and I quite honestly was beyond excited when he gave them to me! I've already got some of the MAC eye shadows, but I had never tried their powder blushes, and I got general shades that are very versatile, because I think the worst thing to do when you spend a bit more on a product, is initally get a really bright or out-there colour, because you'll wear it less often. If you get a colour that goes with lots of others, then you will wear it more often and get your moneys worth (?). I don't know if that's just me, but if I really like a brand, I'll probably go and buy more colours anyway!

So yeah first is the MAC Powder Blush in the shade Well Dressed, and the MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush in the shade Springsheen.

First I'll talk about Springsheen which is one of the Sheertone Shimmer Blushes, so it has a shinier finish to it than the normal ones. Springsheen is a coral pink/red shade with a fine gold shimmer. It is really pigmented and adds such a gorgeous healthy, bronzed look to the cheeks. I think it will go so well with Expensive Pink eye shadow, because it has a similar type of shimmer through it. But overall this blush is so nice; it will look great with lots of different eye looks, and especially good with nude or pink lipsticks, and I think it will be perfect for summer. 

Then we have the powder blush in Well Dressed. I've heard Tanya Burr rave about this blush before, saying that it doesn't get enough credit, and I do agree. Well Dressed is a gorgeous pastel pink shade with an absolutely tiny iridescent shimmer, but you can hardly see it once you've applied it. It's a great natural blush, because it is a natural pink shade that isn't too pale, but it's lovely and subtle on the cheeks, just making them look healthy and flushed. I love this blush already as it goes with practically any makeup look, and I'd definitely recommend this as a first time MAC Blush, as it's worked so well for me. 

Next is the MAC Eyeshadow in the shades Woodwinked which is a Veluxe Pearl formula, and Satin Taupe which is a Frost formula. 

I absolutely love MAC Eye shadows, and I think that the Veluxe Pearl formula is my favourite, so I obviously had to get Woodwinked. It is the most beautiful dark gold shade that's so luxurious and glam. It's highly shimmery, but just makes such a great eye look, it's really pigmented and creamy, and lasts really well. I can't wait to wear it as a bold evening look with a red lip, or as a daytime summer eye look. I think this eye shadow is possibly one of my favourites really, I can't fault it. 

Next is the shade Satin Taupe, and I got this because one of my friends has it, and it's just such a good 'noticeable' day time eye shadow. It is a dark cool-tones brown shade with a light shimmer, but the best thing about this shade I think is that just blended out with a matte brown in the crease makes such a good, quick eye look. It also is gorgeous as the base of a smokey eye, and I think that I'll get a lot of use out of this. 

So yeah, I hope you enjoyed reading and let me know in the comments if you've tried any of these products before and what you think of them!

Review || Sleek Face Form

Hey Guys!

As of yet I feel that I hadn't found my go-to bronzer/contouring product, because ones I've bought online have turned out to be glittery, and some cheaper ones that I've bought from the drug store are nothing special. However, I'd heard some great things about Sleek face products, and decided to give them a try! I already own a Sleek Eye Shadow Palette, so I knew that they are a great brand, so  was excited to try a new product. 

So, the product I went for is the Sleek Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette in the shade Light.

So, as you can see, it's a beautiful palette with three sections; a matte brown bronzer/contouring powder, a shimmery-light cream coloured highlighter, and a fairly bright pink blusher with a gold shimmer running through it. 

First of all, I'll say that I'm a really big fan of Sleek, and I think their packaging is so good and elegant, and as the name suggests; sleek! All three of these shades are really pigmented, and I just really love them at the minute. 

I use the matte brown shade very lightly as a bronzer, and then as a contour shade, and because it is matte, it looks really natural and healthy, instead of muddy and brown like some other bronzers. It blends out really well, and I think is great for the winter months, because it's not too warming as you may want in the summer, but does just give a really natural-looking structure to the face. 

The second highlight shade is just perfect. It's very frosty, and you really don't need a lot because it's so pigmented. When applied to the highs of the face (e.g. the top of the cheekbones and center of the nose), it creates a really nice, subtle glow, which isn't mega shiny. I really love this highlighter, and think it just completes any look and goes with any blush/bronzer combo. 

Lastly, the third blush shade. I can't explain how much I'm loving this right now, I think I've used it everyday since I got it! It's the most beautiful pink shade, somewhere between rosy and bright pink, with a fine gold shimmer running through it. On the face, especially with this bronzer, it makes your cheeks look naturally rosy, and isn't too bold, which I love, because I sometimes think that you have to be really light-handed with some blushes otherwise you look too made up. But overall, this blush has been working really well for me, so thumbs up. 

Yeah so I'm absolutely loving this little palette, and it has won itself a place in my everyday makeup routine. It's not super cheap, but not massively expensive, around £10 ish I think, but It's definitely worth it for a decent blush and bronzer duo with a beautiful highlighter too! LOVE IT!