My Top 5 Autumn & Winter Lipstick Picks

We’re now officially in autumn which is my favourite season so I thought I’d share with you my top 5 lipstick picks for autumn and winter as I love experimenting with vampy looks during the colder months and these lipsticks are great for adding a pop to your makeup.

MAC, Russian Red

You may have guessed Russian Red would pop up somewhere in this post as I'm constantly saying how much I love it and it’s also a very well known & popular MAC lipstick that many people own. The lipstick has a matte formula however it’s not drying on the lips at all. If I'm after a classic red this is the one I always reach for, I find it very flattering and I always feel confident when wearing it. This lipstick gives anyone that old effortless Hollywood look, lasts a long time and suits all skin types.

MAC, Rebel

This is my top pick when I'm after a long lasting colour as I find it always lasts the longest out of all of my lipsticks. Many people may be put off by the colour in the stick of the lipstick as it looks very dark, however once applied to the lips it creates a beautiful deep, pink toned purple that isn't too OTT! Overall I absolutely love MAC lipsticks, the quality is fantastic and there is a massive range to choose from so you will always be able to find the perfect one for you.

Rimmel Kate Moss, 107

This is a very hyped lipstick in the blogging community and I completely get the hype! The colour is similar to MAC Rebel so if you’re after something slightly cheaper, this is a great alternative. I would say 107 is a more plum and pink toned dark burgundy so if you think that would suit you better, you should go for this one. The formula is slightly drying on my lips however the colour stays put for a long time. I think that this lipstick is amazing; I find the quality nearly as good as MAC but it comes without the heavy price tag so it’s great if you’re looking for something more affordable.

Avon Temptress

I've had this next lipstick in my collection for a while but have never reached for it as I've always been put off by its colour in the stick although when applied to the lips it bleeds a deep pink toned purple- again very similar to MAC Rebel however this one is much darker. I would say this lipstick would look great on darker skin tones and would also be something fun to experiment with over Halloween. I love the formula of this lipstick as I find it very creamy on the lips and is surprisingly easy to apply.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet, Hot Pepper

Finally I have a new discovery from Bourjois, this is one of their new (ish?) long lasting matte lipsticks that apply like a lipgloss. I've seen a few different brands selling lipsticks like this and I have been intrigued to see how they perform- I definitely wasn't disappointed with this one! This is probably the brightest lipstick I'm mentioning today and it may be more suited to spring/ summer however I couldn't help myself from mentioning it as I love it so much! It glides on smoothly and feels very creamy on the lips, once applied the colour almost magically turns matte and lasts all day long- what more could you ask for?!

So there you have my 5 top lipstick picks for autumn and winter, I hope you enjoyed reading this post from me and maybe I have temped you to go out and buy one of these beauties above to add to your collection ! :) 

Nivea Skincare Discovery- Deal Of The Week

Hello everyone! I am very sorry for my lack of posts recently however I have been very busy and am still adjusting to starting college but now I'm back and ready with lots of exciting upcoming posts.

I had a spare afternoon in town the other day so I decided to have a wonder around Boots to see if I could find any good offers or something new that I hadn't tried out before. Nivea currently have a 2 for £5 offer on selected facial skincare so I decided to have a look and I was pleasantly surprised to see that I could pick up a primer and a moisturiser on this offer when they were both originally £4.99 (roughly) each.  I got the Nivea daily essentials rich moisturising day cream and the Nivea daily essentials express hydration primer which are both for dry & sensitive skin and both 50ml.

The moisturising day cream claims to intensively moisturise and nourish the skin with natural almond oil. I really liked using this moisturiser as it feels very thick when you apply it however it quickly sinks into the skin leaving you with a super soft and hydrated feeling. Many moisturisers suited for dry skin tend to be very heavy and take time to skin into the skin however I found this one acted very fast but still did a great job. Another thing I love about this moisturiser is that it has an SPF meaning it will help protect your skin from the sun; some people may think SPF is not necessary as we are approaching winter although you’re face is the most exposed part of your body to the sunlight and you should be cautious all year round to protect your skin.

Now onto the primer which is the product I am most impressed about- I didn't know that Nivea sold primers in their skincare range so I was very interested to see how it performed. You may already know from my previous posts that I love the Rimmel Fix & Perfect pro primer which is roughly £6 however I do find that it runs out quickly and you don’t get enough product for your money.  I am very impressed so far with the Nivea express hydration primer and may even prefer it to my trusty Rimmel one, the formula is very creamy and blends well into the skin. I have found a little goes a long way with this product so I can see the tub lasting me a long time which is great. Performance wise this primer works well, my makeup seems to last most of the day and products apply nicely ontop.

Overall I am very impressed with these skincare products from Nivea and I will definitely be re- purchasing them both again even without the offer as they have really stood out to me as a great little find.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I will speak to you soon :) 

Back To School/ College Makeup Tutorial

It’s that time of year again when schools start back or you may just be heading back to work after a short break. I thought I’d show you a nice, fresh and subtle makeup look that anyone can pull off and would be perfect for school, college or work.

I understand that many high school students are not allowed to wear makeup so this look may not be suitable however it would still be a great look to wear day-to day or you could possibly adapt my look to make it acceptable for your school rules.  

I am starting college in a few weeks so this is the makeup I will probably wear as it’s very easy to achieve, quick and fresh.

Before I started, I ensured my skin was properly prepped and I moisturised my face with The Body Shop Vitamin E moisturiser, it doesn't matter what skin type you have, all skin needs to maintain moisture. Keeping your skin hydrated is essential and it will make your makeup application a lot easier and the final result will look better.  

Many people skip primers in their makeup routine as they can be expensive although the Fix & Perfect Pro from Rimmel is a great affordable option that works with all skin types. I love this primer and I always find myself going back to it when I've run out. Primers should be used after moisturising and before make up, they ensure that your makeup stays in place for a longer time and also help your makeup application a lot smoother.

Rimmel Wake me Up foundation is my favourite foundation right now as it gives me a radiant glow and blends into my skin effortlessly. Everyone has their own preferences so you should go for a foundation that you know suits your skin and is a good colour match- you want to feel relaxed at school without worrying about your makeup so you should choose something you know works for you. I used the Real Techniques Buffing brush to blend in my foundation as it gives a very flawless finish quickly.

Back to school means early mornings so you may want to use a concealer under your eyes to make your face appear more awake, I used the Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer as it’s not too thick and wont crease as the eye area is very delicate so you don’t want anything too heavy. To blend this in you could either use your fingers, or I used a small stippling brush from Primark which I find is the perfect shape for getting under the eye.

Collection Lasting Perfection concealer is a great affordable product if you have any spots or blemishes that you want to cover up as it gives high coverage which lasts all day.

For my eyebrows I like to start by brushing through them with a brow comb to ensure there is no product in them and that the hairs are all going in the right direction. I then used the Collection Work the Colour eyebrow kit and took the lightest shade in the pallet and used it to fill in my brows with a small angled brush. You should use a matte shadow that matches your natural hair colour, I like this pallet as it has 3 different shades for different hair colours. I then took Charcoal Brown eye shadow from MAC and used it to add more colour and definition to my brows however this step could be skipped. Finally for my eyebrows, I took this clear mascara from Miss Sporty and lightly sweeped the brush through my brows to keep them in place.

Next I like to go back to my face and add a little more colour and glow, you may not have time to do these few steps but that doesn't matter as they are not essential. MAC Cream colour base in the shade Pearl is a cream highlighter which I like to apply onto the top of my cheekbones, down my nose and above my lips to add some extra glow in all the right places. I applied the product with my fingers then blended it in with a Real Techniques Contour brush.

Using the Real Techniques Blush Brush and my Chanel blush in Jersey Peche I added a subtle flush of colour to the apples of my cheeks.

We are just coming out of the summer so you may want to still have a bronzed and glowly look so I would recommend going for a matte, natural bronzer like this one from The Body Shop. I used the same brush that I used for my blush and sweeped some bronzer across my cheeks and lightly all over my face.

I used my favourite mascara which is the Benefit They’re Real mascara to achieve big, voluminous lashes which will last me all day long.

Lip sticks/ glosses are not essential for me so for this look I just used a lip blam to hydrate my lips and I would make sure I keep it with me to top up during the day.

Finally you may want to add some powder to your face to keep the shine away; I like to apply powder to my T-zone so I can still achieve a natural glow but in the right places. Rimmel Stay Matte powder is a great and affordable product that keeps the shine at bay!

I hope you enjoyed this post from me and picked up a few tips and tricks. Good luck to everyone starting back at school, college or work.

“An expert in anything was once a beginner”