My Current Makeup Favourites, December 2015

It has been a while since I typed up a favourites post and I have recently discovered a lot of new and exciting products that I cannot wait to share with you.

Ciate Nail Polish, Confetti
As we are in the run up to Christmas, I have been using every opportunity that I have to add glitter to almost everything and anything! I love adding a touch of sparkle to my fingernails during the festive period and my favourite glitter polish is Ciate's Confetti nail polish. I especially love painting this glitter on top of a plain black nail polish to give a super sparkly festive look.

Soap & Glory Super Cat Eyeliner
I have recently become obsessed with winged eyeliner and have found it hard to leave the house without it on. What a change from last year when I used to dread picking up an eyeliner pen!
When I want to apply eyeliner on somebody else, I always use a pot of gel liner paired with a brush although on myself I personally prefer to use a liquid liner felt tip pen to create a super sleek cat eye.
I have always found it extremely hard to find an eyeliner pen that doesn't dry up quickly, however this Super Cat eyeliner from Soap&Glory stays fresh for weeks and is by far the best eyeliner pen that I have tried. This Super Cat eyeliner is easy to use and leaves a long lasting jet black colour on your lids all day long.

Collection Glam Crystal Eyeliner, 3 Funk
If you saw my previous post, then you will know that I have loved using the Collection Glam Crystal eyeliners and I could not resist including them in this favourites post too.
My favourite eyeliner from the collection is no.3, Funk which is a super sparkly gold glitter. I absolutely love these glitter liners and I could not recommend them enough if you are looking for an affordable makeup glitter that you can wear during the festive period.
Click here to read more about the Collection Glam Crystal liners and to see them in action.

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot, Groundwork
MAC Pro Longwear Paint pot's are my go to eye primers to use underneath eye shadow to intensify the colour and keep the shadow in place for longer. I have used and loved the MAC paint pot in Painterly for a long time which is a skin toned pink shade and is great to use underneath natural eyeshadows on pale skin. After loving Paintery, I decided to pick up another paint pot in the shade Groundwork which I had been recommended to try out. Groundwork is a warm mid toned brown colour and is ideal to use underneath a warm smoky eye or on a darker skin tone as a neutral cream base. I love it!

MAC Lip Pencil, Nightmoth & Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick, 107.
If you know me then you will know that I love to rock a dark berry lip, especially this time of year! My current favourite lip combination is MAC's Nightmoth lip pencil paired with Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick, 107. MAC lip pencils have great staying power and colour range- they will always be my favourite lip pencils. Similar to the lip pencils, I usually always reach for my MAC lipstick collection (especially when I want to wear a darker lip) however I have recently been wearing this lipstick from Rimmel which is a fantastic dark red berry shade which I love almost as much as my MAC lipsticks. This lipstick is comfortable to wear without drying my lips and also has great lasting power. I think that this would be a great alternative/ dupe to MAC's Rebel or Media lipstick but for just a fraction of the price!
I have only just discovered MAC's Nightmoth lip pencil and I am surprised at how I coped without it before! It goes hand in hand perfectly with any dark berry lip and I think that it is an essential in any lipstick addicts kit.

Nars Blusher, Orgasm
Nars is a brand that I had never dipped into before up until just a few months ago when I decided to finally pick up the cult beauty product that is Nars Orgasm blush. Despite its risky name, Orgasm is a beautiful rose golden pink blush with a wearable shimmer. I think that blusher is sometimes tricky to wear and it can often be easy to go overboard with and end up looking like you're a toddler who has fallen into their mothers makeup bag!
This blush however, I find is almost impossible to go over the top with. I usually favour musky,  mauve pink colours compared to this rose golden colour and I am surprised at how much I love and favour this blush now. I think that Orgasm is an easy to wear colour whilst being the perfect shade to suit many different skin tones.

Benefit Bronzing Powder, Hoola
Another face product that I have been reaching for a lot in my everyday makeup routine is Benefit's Hoola Bronzing powder. Like the Nars blush, this bronzer is a very well loved and highly rated product within the blogging community and I definitely now agree with all the hype after testing it out over the past few months.
Hoola is a warm brown bronzing powder which is perfect for warming up your completion and adding slight definition to the face. I would not use this for contouring as that requires a cool toned shade, however I do like to apply this on the tops of my cheekbones and temples to add warmth and shape. Similar to the Nars blush, it is difficult to go over the top with this product and it never gives that 'muddy' finish like some other bronzers do.

My Kit Co Brush, 1.3
Last month I was lucky enough to be invited to the My Kit Co Brushes & Accessories launch night and you can read more about the night by clicking here.
On the launch night I decided to pick up a few of the makeup brushes; I have been using them all and I have particularly been impressed by the 1.3 brush which is my favourite out of the handful of brushes that I own. The 1.3 brush has a long tapered head which makes it ideal for applying colour precisely to the eye crease. I have no other brushes like this and I have been finding it useful for a variety of different eye looks. I think that any makeup artist would benefit from having this brush in their collection.

What products have you been loving recently? Let me know in the comments!
I hope you have a wonderful festive holiday!

A Festive Gold Glitter Eye: Ft. Collection Glam Crystal Eyeliners

December is finally here and I am extremely excited for the festive traditions to begin!
I love to experiment with different makeup trends and super bright glittery eyes is one that I am currently obsessed with. As we approach the Christmas period, I know that many people will be looking for some inspiration for a bold, festive and fun makeup look and I think I may have the perfect one!

I have used many glitter pigments before and although some of them are great, they can be tricky to work with and sometimes do not have the best pay off pigment. I recently discovered these glitter eyeliner pens from Collection which are easy and fast to apply whilst giving off the most amazing pigment and staying power. At just £2.99 each, I think that these glitter eyeliners are a must have for the festive period. Whether you decide to add a subtle hint of glitter by using the product as an eyeliner (or layered on top of a black liquid liner) or like I have and packed on the product all over the eye lid to create a statement glitter eye.

To create this look I first used MAC's paint pot in Groundwork to give my eyes a base and to give the following eyeshadows something to stick to.
The Urban Decay Naked original pallet is always my go to eyeshadow pallet and it was the one that I choose to use today. Using a small pencil socket brush (I used the MyKitCo .... brush which is ideal for applying colour to the crease.) I gently applied the shade Naked slightly above my eye crease to act as a transition colour. This will help the whole look appear less sharp with no harsh lines.
Next I applied the shade Buck in and bellow my eye crease which adds a little more depth and definition to the look.

Personally I find it easier to apply the glitter as a final step because I think that depending on the product you are using, it can sometimes be tricky to apply other products such as liquid liner on top of the glitter. Therefore I then go to apply my winged eyeliner which I think really pulls this whole look together. I have recently become obsessed with flicking out my eyeliner and have started to wear it daily on myself which is something that I would have never imagined a year ago when I was always too scared to even pick up an eyeliner brush. My current favourite eyeliner is the Soap and Glory Supercat eyeliner pen which I find to be easy to apply, lasts all day and most of all not start to dry out within a week like many other felt liner pens do.

After coating on layers of my favourite mascara , I then go onto thickly coating my entire eyelid with the glitter liner pen until I am happy with the effect. Although these are advertised as an eyeliner, I love to layer the colour all over my lid and keep layering the product to achieve an impressive statement look.

What do you think of this statement glittery eye? Would you wear it to a Christmas party this year?!
Let me know in the comments what your go to festive makeup look is!

Christmas Gift Guide 2015: What to Buy for Her

Christmas is just around the corner and the shops are getting more and more crowded as the weeks go on with people hectically trying to find the perfect gift for their loved ones. Buying for others can be tricky, especially finding something unique, special and something that they would not usually buy for themselves.

In this post I am going to be sharing with you my gift ideas for the girl in your life who already seems to have everything. I have included various present ideas suited to different budgets so whether you are looking for something small or maybe you are willing to splash a little extra cash, I should have the perfect present idea for everybody.

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Pallets
I think that any makeup addict would be extremely happy to find a luxury eyeshadow pallet under their tree this Christmas. Urban Decay eyeshadows are my all time favourite; the quality is outstanding and the shade range is fantastic. There are 4 full sized Naked pallets on offer which include the Naked original, Naked 2, Naked 3 and Naked Smoky. Personally, my favourites are the original Naked and the Naked Smoky however they would all make a brilliant present.
Setting you back £38 for one of the full sized Naked pallets, with 12 shades inside each; I think that the value for money is great considering the quality, although on the other hand if £38 is slightly pushing your budget then Urban Decay also offer two smaller basic eyeshadow pallets at £22 each. The Naked basic pallets are ideal for achieving a simple day time eye and would be a great gift for somebody who is just starting to get into makeup.

Lush Bath bombs
There's nothing better than running a warm bath in the winter time and it is always such a treat to use a colourful fizzing bath bomb to make it even more special. Everybody loves a pamper night and I think that gifting a few goodies from Lush will always be a winner.
Lush have a massive range of pamper essentials, from their colourful bath bombs, sweet shower gels and luxurious skincare, I am sure you will be able to find something perfect.
You may choose to buy one of the pre-wrapped gift boxes which Lush bring out every Christmas, however if you want to get a more personal gift, you could select a few different items which you know your friend will love and wrap them up yourself.
A few of my favourite Christmas products from Lush include the Snow Fairy shower gel, Candy Mountain bubble bar, Luxury Lush Pud bath bomb and Cupcake face mask.

Lipstick
A luxurious lipstick will always put a smile on any beauty fanatics face, there is something so special about unwrapping a sparkly lipstick and revealing a clean crisp bullet ready to be loved. Brands including Chanel, YSL, Charlotte Tilbury and MAC are ideal and are bound to put a smile on their face. Red lipstick is timeless and you can also never go wrong with a creamy wearable nude- try and pick the colour that you think suits their personality best.


Phone Case (Sighh Designs)
I have recently discovered Sighh Designs which is an online store where you can buy various handmade/ hand drawn products including phone cases, tote bags and mugs. All of the products are hand drawn and I really love all of the designs and ideas. Polly Vadasz, the artist and creator is extremely talented and has come up with some fantastic and original ideas that I know many of you will love. On her online store you can find a variety of products although the phone cases are my personal favourite and I can imagine them to be the perfect gift. The phone cases range from £12-£18 so they make a nice affordable gift.
Check out Sighh Designs by clicking here.

Beauty, Fashion & Makeup books
There are many interesting beauty, makeup and fashion books on the market today which are a brilliant read for anybody interested in the topic. I have read and loved Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes many times and cannot fault it; I have picked up many tips and tricks from reading it and could not recommend it enough to any beauty fanatic out there. If  you would like to read more about my thoughts on this book then you can click here to read my review.
A few other books that I would also like to mention are Face Paint by Lisa Eldridge, Miles of MAC and Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual which would all make a great gift.
Reading something held in your hand is much more special than reading a computer screen and I love to collect books like these to reference back to in either my blog or researching for a project in college.

Makeup brushes
I am hoping to receive some makeup brushes for myself this Christmas so I thought that it was only right to include them in my gift guide. Good makeup brushes can be pricy but they are also a great investment which can last for years so I think that they make an ideal gift.
Real Techniques have good quality affordable brushes, I use these brushes almost daily and really love them. I would recommend the Real Techniques core collection brush set which has everything a girl could need for creating a flawless makeup base. These brushes would be great to buy for somebody who is just starting to get into makeup.
If you have a slightly larger budget then I would recommend the makeup brush sets from Zoeva.
Zoeva is a German brand and you can order their brushes online at BeautyBay. There are many different sets available ranging from £30- £110. These brushes are extremely high quality and I think that the sets are very good value for money comparing the price to other high end brands.


Subscription (Magazine, Music; apple music or Spotify)
Still stuck for an idea? Does your loved one seem to have everything they could ever need? Then maybe they would appreciate a slightly different present this year like a subscription to their favourite magazine or a music app. You could sign them up to receive their usual magazine of choice to their door every month- maybe Vogue, Elle, Glamour or OK?
Spotify Premium and Apple Music are both subscriptions you pay for to receive access to music offline and to listen add free. This would be the perfect gift for the music fanatic in your life.
I think that this is a very personal and thoughtful gift that would not be expected and a nice surprise that can carry on even after the big day.

..

I hope that this has helped you out if you're stuck for what to buy for the girl in your life.
What have you put on your Christmas list this year?
Happy holidays!

My Kit Co Makeup Brushes & Accessories.: The Launch Party & Review

On Tuesday night I was extremely fortunate to be invited to the exciting launch party of My Kit Co which is a brand new collection of high quality makeup brushes and accessories designed for professionals by James Molloy. I had never been to an event like this before so I was extremely excited when my tutor from college managed to invite myself and 3 other students along to this fantastic evening.

The launch was held at the Cloud 23 bar in the Hilton hotel, Manchester, giving us the most amazing night time view of the city. On the evening we were each greeted with a goody bag and a quick hello from James himself who was very friendly and welcoming. We could really tell how passionate he was about the brand and how much effort and time had gone into making it the best he could.

Throughout the night we were treated to a live demonstration from James himself on two stunning models, Rachel Marston and Louise Cliffe where James showed us a few simple looks using a few of his favourite brushes from the collection. There was also a mini stall selling the whole collection of brushes and accessories at an exclusive 20% off.

Inside our goody bag, we were gifted one small face brush, two My Kit Co face charts, some brand badges and a handy clear pouch makeup bag. I think that these brushes are probably one of the softest I have ever felt and I cannot wait to start using them. The brush that we received in our goody bag was a small soft face brush which I can imagine to be perfect for applying precise powders, for example highlighter and blush.

I really need to improve my face chart art/ drawing so I am sure that these blank face charts will come in useful for me to get practising. I am obsessed with keeping my kit super organised and neat so I love clear pouches to keep all my products separate and tidy. I was really happy to see that we were gifted one in this goody bag.

Now onto the products that I bought for myself with the impossible to resist exclusive 20% off discount- after seeing James use the brushes in his demonstration I could not help myself buying a few of his recommendations! I bought three brushes which were the 1.6, 1.3 and 3.4.

1.6 Smoothing Shadow is a small compact fluffy eye brush which reminds me of MAC's 217 brush but the My Kit Co brush is more compact so I can imagine it to give a more precise application whilst still being soft enough to blend out colour.

The 1.3 Defining Crease brush is long and tapered so will be perfect to help achieve a clean cut crease with smooth definition through the eye crease.

3.4 Expert Line & Define has an ultra fine brush tip made from natural fibres, the shape and finish of this brush will be perfect for achieving an expert finish when lining the lips. James Molloy was demonstrating how to use this brush and he managed to create an extremely neat bold lip in seconds which definitely helped persuade me to buy the brush for myself!

All of these brushes are extremely soft and well made; from the solid wooden handles and tightly crimped bristles to ensure the longest life of your brushes, each piece is finished to the highest quality and I can definitely see where the care and thought has gone into the process of each makeup brush.

I also decided to pick up one of the My Kit Co makeup brush rolls after seeing how many brushes it fits in with such a small overall size. This soft and durable brush roll has multiple compartments and a protective fold, making sure that the brushes are not only protected but are easy to access and find quickly. I already have a brush belt that wraps around my waist however I thought that this roll would be ideal for when I want my brushes laid out on a work station and on view to easily access.

Have you ever perfected a flawless base then found a mark on the cheek from where your hand was resting? Me too! .. Well these Deluxe Puffs are designed to protect the face whilst applying makeup and can also be used for application of powder. I know that these will be great to use when touching up makeup on set, especially when photography is used to avoid any hand marks/ finger prints on the models face.

I am extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to go to the My Kit Co launch party as I know that the brand will be extremely successful and impress so many customers.

Check out the My Kit Co online website where you can order your brushes and accessories now!

http://www.mykitco.uk/

MAC Makeup Haul

As many of you already know, I am currently in my second year at college studying hair & media makeup which I absolutely love and am extremely passionate about. Last week us students were lucky enough to get a visit from one of the UK's MAC senior artists who gave us a demonstration of some current high fashion trends and she also treated us to a one off 35% off discount to redeem at our local MAC pro store.
I obviously couldn't resist the fantastic opportunity to build up my kit with such a great discount and in this post I will share with you what exactly I picked up on my exciting shopping trip!

Face & Body Foundation, N1 N5 N9
I really love face & body foundation because it is so versatile; you can mix it with other products or simply use it alone to give a beautiful glowing sheer coverage.
This foundation gives a light coverage and has a very watery consistency which may not sound ideal for your glam night out looks however I think that this is an essential in any makeup artists kit because it is fantastic to use on all skin types whilst being easy to mix with other products to give different effects- eg. mixing face & body with a small amount of a full coverage foundation will give a flawless medium coverage base without looking cakey. Face & body is great to use backstage for a catwalk model as the brief of these jobs is usually a very glowing 'skin like' finish with little coverage. I also find face & body to work perfectly for male makeup/ grooming.
I already have the shades C1, C3 and C9 in my kit so I decided to add a few more tones and shades to make it easier for myself to find the perfect colour match to all of my clients/models.

Sculpt & Shape Powder, Lightsweep Shadester AND Bone Beige Emphasize
I have been after some good contour powders for a while now so when the MAC girl who was helping me fill my shopping basket recommended these two compact powders to me, I couldn't resit giving them a go. Lightsweep Shadester is best for paler skin whilst Bone Beige Emphasize is perfect for warmer skin tones- both great additions for my kit to ensure that I always have the right shades for everyone.

Pro Longwear Paint Pot, Groundwork
I have used and loved MAC's paint pot in the shade Painterly for years so I decided to pick up one in another popular shade, Groundwork. The MAC senior artist recommended this product when she visited my college so I knew that I had to pick it up. The colour is a soft warm brown and I can imagine it to be perfect to use as an eyeshadow base on all skin tones as well as working alone all over the lid for an easy natural look.
I already know that these paint pots are extremely creamy and bendable so I know that I will enjoy using this.

Fluidline, Blacktrack
Gel eyeliner is my favourite form of liner and I have already used up an entire pot of this stuff so without a doubt I knew that I would be picking up another pot on this shopping trip.
I love blacktrack fluidline which I always use paired with a fine bent eyeliner brush to give a super sleek winged cat flick- it is by far the best eyeliner I have used and I will always go back to it.

Eye Khol, Coffee
I like to use MAC's Feline black eye khol for smoky eyes however when I want to achieve a more subtle natural look, brown eye pencil seems more appropriate. Coffee eye khol pencil was recommended to me by the shop assistant and I am sure that I will love it as much as I love my other pencils from MAC.

Lip Liner, Whirl
Along with MAC's eye pencils, I absolutely love their lip pencils so I could not resist picking up another in my recent shopping trip. Ever since Kylie Jenner revealed what exact products she uses to achieve her famous pout, MAC's Whirl lip liner has been almost impossible to get hold of- I must have dropped lucky because when I visited the store last week they had just received an order of fresh sparkly lip liners ready to be sold. Of course I had to pick one up and I now I should be able to see what all the fuss is about!

Lipstick Matte Royal
MAC lipsticks are my all time favourite and I always struggle to leave the counter without slipping one into my basket. I love bright, bold shades and I have been desperate to get my hands on this brand new blue lipstick that was launched just a few weeks ago and has now been made into MAC's permanent collection. I have never seen a lipstick similar to this so I knew that it must go into my ever growing collection.

Lipstick Moroange
I love creating high fashion makeup looks and bright lipstick is always a fun way to add a pop of colour or to be the highlight of the whole face. Moroange is a beautiful bright block orange colour that I am sure will look fantastic on camera and be really fun to work with.

Mineralize Skinfinish, Medium
Loose translucent powder is usually my go to powder for most makeup looks however when I want a little more coverage for say a glamourous party makeup or maybe a photography photoshoot where flawless full coverage skin is essential, a powder with extra colour and coverage is a great product to have in my kit. Mineralize skinfinish is one of MAC's bestsellers so I knew it had to be worth a try and I am looking forward to using it.

Fix +
Fix + is another one of MAC's bestselling products and I have heard people rave about its multi use purposes including setting makeup into place and to be used with loose pigments and powders. I have previously used similar products from drugstore brands that have a much smaller price tag so I thought that whilst I was receiving a discount I would pick up Fix+ to see if it really is worth the extra pennies compared to its cheaper alternatives.

Strobe Cream
Strobe cream is a cult beauty product that I have heard so many great things about but never tried for myself so I decided to give it a go and see what all the fuss is about. Strobe cream is designed to use under your makeup to help you achieve glowing and healthy skin whilst working as a good base for makeup. I decided to pick up a mini sized to go version of the stuff to try out before I splurge on the full sized bottle.

Oil Control Lotion
I have never used any skincare from MAC before and I was interested to see how this lotion would perform; I am guessing that it will be a great makeup base and it will be fantastic to use on people with a more oily skin type or for when I want the makeup to last longer than usual with a matte finish. 

Eyebrow 101

I am constantly getting asked questions about my eyebrows ... how do I shape them? what do I use to fill them in? what products are best?... Eyebrows can really compliment the face and can also help to enhance the rest of your features- they really do help to pull off a whole face of makeup. Keep reading to find out exactly how I do my brows and what I recommend to keep your brows looking their best!

Grooming 

Personally, I like to get my eyebrows threaded every 2-4 months and pluck away any stray hairs in-between treatments (I always visit Benito brow bar which you can find in most larger Debenhams stores). An good eyebrow thread will cost you just over £10 and whilst it is one of the most painful methods of hair removal, it is in my eyes the most hygienic and effective method when compared to waxing and plucking. Having said that, I do believe that after a few threading treatments, the pain will reduce and it will become much more bearable to face every few months or so. 

In comparison to waxing, threading is a lot kinder to your skin - constant waxing around the eye area can lead to skin sagging quicker as you age from the pressure pulled from the wax strip.Waxing also tends to cause more irritation than threading . Threading will always give a more precise and neat finish as your beautician pulls each hair individually giving them the ability to be in control of the exact final shape, whereas with waxing the wax strip covers a large amount of hairs so can be left with an uneven result. 

Everyone's hair grows back at different paces so whilst I only find that my brows need threading every 2-4 months, you may find it hard to last any longer than 2 months without running to your nearest brow bar and jumping in the next free chair to get a good tidy up. 

Many beauticians will advice against plucking stray hair's in-between threading treatments however I completely disagree and don't see the harm- especially if they're expecting us to constantly be forking out a tenner here and there whenever there's a stray hair poking about!
I say try and only go and get your brows done professionally when you're finding it too hard to manage or are not happy with the shape ..... As long as you get yourself a good pair of tweezers (Tweezerman do the best) and always use a magnifying mirror then you should be fine!  

Makeup .. (filling them in)

I can't imagine doing a full face of makeup and leaving the brows bare- it just wouldn't look right! Eyebrows really help to shape the face; whether your aim is to make your face look more round or you are trying to make your forehead appear smaller- your brows will help you to achieve the look you're going for. 

There are many different methods of filling in your eyebrows which include using brow gels, brow pencils and brow mascaras, all of which can be extremely effective and depending on your preference can be the ultimate makeup tool to give your face a dramatic lift. 

I personally prefer to use brow gels that come in small pots and are applied with a brush, similar to a gel eyeliner. My favourite brow gel is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade which I use on myself in the shade medium brown- I love this product and find it extremely easy to apply using a small angled brush. 

Everybody has their own techniques for applying makeup however I always draw on the arch of my brow first and draw a straight outline underneath the brow, then using a 'spoolie' brow brush (just like a dry mascara wand) I push up the product at the beginning of the brow to give a natural effect without leaving any sharp edges. 

Once I am happy with the shape of my eyebrow, I like to then use a concealer to give a sharp edge and tidy up the whole look. You can use any concealer you like although I always find it easier to use one in a pallet like the MAC Conceal & Correct pallet so that I can simply get a small detailed brush with some product on and draw out around my brows.
Finally I get a very small blending brush to buff out the edges from the concealer and give a neat, sharp look.

Depending on how long your brow hairs are, you may now choose to use a brow mascara setting gel to set the hairs into place. I like Maybelline's Brow Drama which I use as a final step to make sure the hairs stick in place all day long - you can also get this product with a hint of colour which could be used to give a more natural look or for when you're short of time in the morning and want to give your brows a little more definition and shape.

What do you use to fill in your brows? Have you ever had a eyebrow beauty horror story?!

Let me know if you would like a more in-depth video tutorial all about my eyebrow routine!

Superdrug Haul

I recently made a little order on superdrug online as I needed to stock up on a few bits and as always I can never resist picking up a few extra goodies to try out- Especially when bright eyeshadow and purple lipstick is involved :) 

Superdrug is a great place to shop if you're after some great affordable makeup; they exclusively sell brands including Makeup Revolution and MUA who have extremely well priced, high quality makeup with many unique products in their ranges. I especially love Makeup Revolution as they have lots of products that are designed and practical for use of makeup artists, for example they have large pallets like their blush pallets that have lots of different shades inside to use on all different skin tones.

Let's get on with the haul and see what I picked up! ...

Collection Sheer Loose Powder
I am constantly going through pots and pots of loose powder- it is one of my most used makeup items in my kit and my preferred powder is MAC Prep& Prime loose powder,  however at £22 per pot when I go through the stuff very quickly, it can get expensive. After a little research and comparing online I decided to try out this loose powder from Collection that cost me a fraction of the MAC price at just £2.99.
I feel as though not many high street affordable brands have loose setting powders in their lines and this one from Collection was one of the very few that I came across- I really love loose powders as they never tend to leave a cakey finish on the skin- however they can be a little more tricky to transport around and you always need to make sure the lid is tightly fastened to avoid any explosions of white powder all over your expensive kit! :')

Makeup Revoultion Pro E103 Blending Brush
I was never aware that Makeup Revolution sold brushes until I spotted a few on the superdrug website (I think they may be online only..?) and I knew straight away that I had to try one out! I love Makeup Revolution as a brand and I can't wait to use this brush and see how it performs.

Makeup Revolution Cover & Conceal Pallet 
Here's another case of me trying to find a cheaper alternative to MAC - I absolutely love the MAC Conceal & Correct pallet and I find it really useful to have in my kit with it being a pallet so that I can always use a spatula to stay hygienic, however at £35 it is a very pricey product so I am hoping that this similar version from Makeup Revolution will be just as good.

So far so good and I like the product although I am a little concerned that it will not last me a very long long as I have already hit the pan of two of the shades so I can see that there is very little product inside.


MUA Eyeshadow Pallet, Poptastic 
I've recently had my eye on the Urban Decay Electric pallet however before I splurge on that, I decided to try out this cheaper alternative from MUA. I love using bright colours when experimenting with high fashion/ editorial looks and I also think that adding a single pop of colour to a natural makeup look is really lovely and an easy way to be more adventurous with your makeup.
I have used eyeshaddows from MUA before and I think that they are fantastic quality considering their extremely low price- let's see if this gets rid of my temptation to go and buy the Urban Decay alternative!


MUA Clear Anti- bleed Lip Liner
Lip liner is essential when you want your lipstick to look sharp and last all day although it is sometimes tricky (and expensive!) to get a lip liner that matches every single lipstick colour in your collection so hopefully this clear lip liner that claims to work with all lipstick shades will come in handy when I can't find a matching liner to my lipstick.

MUA Luxe Metalic Liquid Lips, Spark 
I really love purple lipstick, it's the perfect addition with a simple makeup to make a statement and is a great way to add some colour into a plain outfit. Many high end brands have recently released liquid lipsticks so I was intrigued to see how this one from MUA performs.

I <3 Makeup Lip Lava, Shockwave 
I also picked up another liquid lipstick from the brand,  I <3 Makeup which I think is a sister company to Makeup Revolution. I love the colour of this which is a pretty purple/ pink and may be a little more wearable for someone who isn't quite ready to rock a dark purple lippy whilst nipping to the shops just yet!:')

High End VS High Street, What Products Are Worth Your Money?

I hate to see people wasting their money on expensive makeup where I know they could have easily gone to a cheaper brand and got the same, if not better quality for half the price. In this post I have jotted down what products I think are worth spending that little extra on and those that are just as good when bought for a cheaper price.
Let me know in the comments if you agree or whether you are still adamant on skipping along to Benefit every few months to re purchase your super pricey mascara? (I really hope not!)

MASCARA ... GO HIGH STREET
In my eyes expensive mascaras are a waste of money, they only last 2-3 months before they dry out and stop performing to their potential and if like me, you use mascara on other people whilst performing a makeover- fancy mascara wands will not be beneficial due to the fact we must use disposable plastic wands for every application to stay hygienic- so we are technically only buying the mascara fluid in the tube.
I have used high end mascaras in the past including Benefit's They're Real which I loved however for the money I am not prepared to keep repurchasing every 2-3 months when the mascara had dried out. My favourite mascaras come from Maybelline and L'oreal Paris which you can pick up for less than £10 and in my opinion get the same, if not better quality than a mascara costing you up to £25!

EYESHADOW ... GO HIGH END
There's no doubt that you can find some great affordable eyeshadows in the aisles of Boots and Superdrug however I do not feel that there is a huge choice on offer, especially for people like me who are not afraid to rock a bright purple eyeshadow once in a while-(I absolutely love MAC Stars N Rockets for when I want something bright!) I also find matte shades hard to come across among the huge variety of nude shimmery, bad pigmented pallets scattered across the shelves.
My favourite eyeshadows come from MAC and Urban Decay where I find MAC to have the best colour selection and Urban Decay never fail with their buttery, extremely pigmented and well bendable eyeshadow shades. I have used and loved MAC eyeshadow for years and I have put together my own custom pallet where I have picked my favourite shades including Naked Lunch, Satin Taupe, Cranberry, Red Brick, Fresh Water and Chrome Yellow- I especially recommend MAC shadows if you are aren't afraid of bold colours or are an aspiring makeup artist like myself and want to build on your colour collection.
Urban Decay have their famous Naked pallet collection which I feel every makeup addcict would love, the shades are very wearable whilst still giving the option to go crazy dramatic for a show stopping look. Read more about my thoughts on the Naked pallets... (click here!)

MAKEUP BRUSHES ... GO HIGH STREET
Almost all of my makeup brushes are from the high street/ drugstore and they are one of the only things that I feel you get a better variety when you buy them on a budget. Having a lot of makeup brushes makes everything 100 times easier as you don't need to constantly keep washing the same brushes over and over and you can never fear of running out of clean blending brushes whilst perfecting a sultry smokey eye! Many high end makeup brushes are made from real hair fibres which can sometimes help achieve certain effects so you may want to invest in one or two of these if you want a full collection of a variety of different brushes. On the other hand, synthetic makeup brushes are a lot friendlier to your wallet, kinder to the environment, tend to be feel softer and are much easier to clean so if all of these points sound appealing to you- I say stick to the synthetic, cheaper brushes.

I absolutely love Real Technique makeup brushes which you can pick up from Boots and Superdrug either individually or as part of great value sets to get you started on growing your collection.
A few of my favourites from Real Techniques include the buffing foundation brush (only available in the core collection set), miracle complexion sponge, setting brush and blush brush however I have yet to find a bad brush within their massive collection available.
Amazon also have some amazing makeup brush sets on offer for extremely low prices- these are brilliant if you are starting out with makeup and want to experiment with different makeup brushes. One of the best sets I have found on Amazon is this Ovonni 29 piece makeup brush and case set which will only cost you £30, giving you every type of brush you will ever need to create a fantastic makeup look- with each brush costing just over £1! I have been using these for a few months now and I am yet to find any faults- I also love the case that is included and I have found it to be very useful when travelling on makeup jobs.

FOUNDATION ... GO HIGH END
"The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural" Calvin Klein.
Good looking skin is everything in beauty and I believe that a really good base makes a huge difference to your overall appearance; it really sets off and brightens the rest of your makeup and features. It is possible to pick up a great foundation from the drugstore although more often than not, you are likely to go for the wrong shade or pick up one not suited to your skin type. Department store counter staff are there to help choose the right foundation for you, they will help to colour match you and give advice on what will work best with your skin, this is unfortunately something you pay for and will not receive at the drugstore.
Caring for your skin is essential so looking at what you plaster across your face every day may help solve some specific breakouts or skin concerns, certain brands will cater for certain skin conditions so do some research before you head out to the shops.
MAC have a huge variety of foundations suited for different skin types, colours and conditions and I love their Studio Finish foundation for a high coverage base that works well on oily skin whilst I also like Face & Body which gives a lighter finish that works on all skin types.
For myself (rather than foundations I use in my kit) I like to use foundations from YSL and Clarins as I find they work well with my skin type (normal to dry) and help me to create a healthy, dewy finish which is something I love.

STATEMENT LIPSTICK ... GO HIGH END
I love to wear bright and bold lipsticks however they are not always the easiest to pull off and feel comfortable whilst wearing so I always like to go for better quality formulas such as lipsticks from MAC and YSL. I have tried statement lipsticks from the drugstore before however I do not find the colour selection very exciting (I love purple lipstick!) and the formulas tend to be drying and uncomfortable to wear all day long.
I have a huge collection of statement lipsticks that I love although a few of my favourites include MAC Heroine, MAC Rebel, MAC Media and YSL Rouge Pur Couture 39.

NUDE LIPSTICK .... GO HIGH STREET
Personally I very rarely wear nude lipstick so I see no point in going out and spending £15 on one to wear it once in a while, therefore I do own a few nude lipsticks from the high street and I think they are great. Nude lipsticks tend to be moisturising and a slightly more interesting colour than your natural lip shade, they are nice to pair with a dramatic smoky eye or as part of your simple everyday makeup look. I rate Rimmel lipsticks to be the best on the high street, particularly their Kate Moss collection which includes my favourite Nude lipstick in the shade 03 which is a pretty brown toned pink that is easy to wear and looks great on almost all skin tones.

My Current Favourite Things, September 2015

I've not shared with you my favourite things for a while so I thought a catch up was long overdue. I have recently discovered some amazing new beauty/ makeup bits and I have also been obsessed with a certain TV program and not to forget a pair of shoes that I literally haven't stopped wearing for the past month!

MAC FACE & BODY FOUNDATION 
As I mentioned in a previous post, last month I went to France on my holidays and I wasn't up for a full face of makeup every day however when I did fancy wearing a little something, I reached for my MAC Face & Body foundation that worked a treat at giving me a super comfortable light coverage that was easy to wear and gave me a nice healthy glow without looking too shiny. Face and Body is a water based foundation that gives a very light but buildable coverage and it was perfect for my holiday because I could quickly apply it using my fingers with no fuss at all. I wore the shade C3 on my holiday which was great when I had a little more colour in my face and I also have C1 which is perfect for my natural skin tone when I am back home.

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS DIPBROW POMADE 
I used to use and love Illamasqua's eyebrow cake in the shade Thunder every day to fill in my brows although after loosing it on one of my adventures this summer, I decided to try out the cult beauty favourite, Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade which I ordered from Cult Beauty (with a great shipping price and fast delivery!) I have been curious to try this after hearing so many amazing reviews about the product online and I finally bit the bullet and went for it. I absolutely love this brow gel and urge anyone who has ever thought about it, to just go and buy it- you will not be disappointed! I am already considering buying another one in a lighter shade to add to my makeup kit... I love it that much!
I am surprised at how easy it is to get a neat, polished finish without too much effort or skill, I start by drawing my arch and line underneath the brow then push up the product lightly at the front of my brow to give a natural finish. I am planning to either write up or film a youtube video of my eyebrow routine so you can see how I use the dipbrow pomade in more detail- keep an eye out for that.

SENSI BIAFINE CREME RICHE 
I like to use a rich moisturiser as part of my evening skincare routine and I had been using Lush's Skindrink up until I discovered the Sensi Biafine Creme Riche that I picked up at a French pharmacy whilst I was on my holidays last month (read more about what else I got from the pharmacy here http://aliceemarie.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/french-pharmacy-sephora-haul.html )
My first impressions of Lush Skindrink moisturiser were good however after using it for a while I found it to be almost 'too rich' and I felt that it left my skin feeling clogged up and difficult to continue onto any other skincare or makeup. On the other hand, I absolutely love the Sensi Biafine rich cream that I discovered in France which absorbs into my skin quickly whilst leaving it feeling thoroughly moisturised. I am now using this moisturiser over my Lush one which I will be giving to my mum to try out after it not working for me.

IMPERIAL LEATHER FOAMBURST SWEET VANILLA & CHERRY BLOSSOM 
Another slightly more random skincare favourite is this foaming shower gel from Imperial Leather which I took on holiday with me last month and I love how quickly the product foams up and is easy to lather onto the skin- it's also perfect to use as a shaving cream and I love the scent.

NEW BALANCE TRAINERS 
This summer I got myself a job in a small independent coffee/ juice bar and I love working there, I've made lots of new friends and I love interacting with customers and the feeling of making my own money and being independent. For my work uniform I have to wear all black and most importantly-comfortable shoes as I am on my feet all day long, running back and forth to the kitchen and back to serve coffees and juices- I've definitely not had a lazy summer! I have been wearing my New Balance trainers for work every day which I picked up from Schuh in their start of the summer sale and I have not taken them off since- they are extremely comfy and I almost feel like I'm running around wearing my slippers which is fantastic! I love the plain black design with a pop of white and green and I would highly recommend New Balance if you are searching for some new trainers.

URBAN DECAY NAKED PALLET
My previous post was all about the Urban Decay Naked pallets that I have recently bought and I thought I would quickly mention the original pallet in this post because although I have only owned it for a few weeks, I am already obsessed with the beautiful shades that I have found to be extremely easy to create both day and night looks with. I do also love the Naked 2 pallet however I have found the original to be more versatile and to contain more flattering shades. I am planning to make a Youtube video showing you a few different looks using the pallet- what do you think?

JUICY COUTURE VIVA LA JUICY PERFUME 
I have never been massively into perfume and I always see it as a luxury or something I would only be given as a gift however I decided to treat myself last month and I picked up an old favourite of mine which is the Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy perfume. I love the rich luxurious scent which I find neither too floral or too 'grown up' ( as I like to call old lady perfumes- ha ha!) and I always see it as 'my scent' as I always used to be gifted this perfume as either a Christmas or birthday present.

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS 
Finally I wanted to mention Pretty Little Liars which I have finally started watching on Netflix after hearing everyone and their cats raving about it- I am extremely late to the party on this one! :')
A has finally been revealed in the season 6 finale and I am still only watching season 3 so I am very behind- although I am completely hooked.I love the gripping story line and mystery in every episode, I urge you to go and watch it if you've not already- I am sure you will not regret it!

What have you been loving recently? Do you have a new favourite makeup item that you think I should try out or have you also been hooked on Pretty Little Liars like me and not been logged out of Netflix for the past month?! Let me know in the comments! :)