The Ultimate Eye Shadow Pallet: Zoeva Cocoa Blend

Zoeva is a brand famously known within the beauty industry for their fantastic makeup brushes although I know that many people are unaware of their makeup line which I have recently discovered and have been very impressed with. Zoeva is a German makeup brush and cosmetic brand that is available for you to buy from on Beauty Bay online.
I was extremely lucky to receive various different makeup pallets for Christmas and this eyeshadow pallet from Zoeva has definitely stood out from the crowd and has fast become a firm favourite of mine.

Inside the Zoeva Cocoa Blend pallet you will find 10 delicious eyeshadows in the most irresistible chocolate'y' shades. This pallet contains all warm toned eyeshadows which compliment most people.

This pallet's best quality is the eyeshadow's pigment- there is no other way of describing it than outstanding. I have tried many high end , expensive eyeshadows including MAC and these eye shadows from Zoeva blow them out of the bag.
Whilst having a great buttery texture, these shadows pack on plenty of colour and blend like a dream to create effortless eye makeup. The colour in the pan really is what brushes across on your eye lids which makes it easy to achieve your desired look quickly.

I was extremely impressed with the quality of this pallet considering the whole thing only cost me £15 in comparison to MAC eyeshadows which are £15 per single eyeshadow. 

If you are looking for just one pallet that can do it all, then this one is for you. I love how versatile all of the shades are and how they can easily take you from day to night. 

The six lighter shades on the left hand side of the pallet would be great to wear alone for a natural day time look whilst you could easily pop a small smudge of the jet black shade to take you from day time office to party princess in seconds.

Some pallets can be big and bulky which take up too much room inside your makeup bag but the Cocoa Blend is extremely lightweight and thin making it handy to travel with.
I would have preferred this pallet to have a mirror inside which would have made it even easier to travel with but considering its affordable price and size- I am more than happy to pack a small compact mirror alongside it in my bag.

My personal favourite shades from the pallet are Bitter Start, Substitute for Love, Freshly Toasted, Warm Notes and Beans are White.

Bitter Start is a creamy vanilla that is perfect to use as either a base on the lid or as a brow bone highlight. Substitute for Love and Freshly Toasted are both beautiful warm brown matte shades that work well worn alone along side Bitter Start for a subtle warm smoky look.
Warm Notes is a fantastic alternative to MAC Cranberry which is a warm cranberry pink shade with a slight shimmer. This looks extremely nice applied on the lid with Substitute for Love and Freshly Toasted blended through the crease.
I love a pallet to have a matte black shade which is always useful to use when transforming a day time look to a sultry night time look. Beans are White is a great jet black shadow that works perfectly. 

Have you tried out any products from Zoeva's makeup range? What do you think?
Let me know in the comments!

MAC Lipstick & Lip Liner Collection

If you know me then you will know that I am absolutely obsessed with MAC lipsticks.
I recently took the plunge and depotted my whole MAC lipstick collection into an empty pallet which has made my collection more accessible and it also takes up a lot less room in my makeup kit.
Being a makeup artist, it is extremely useful to have all of your lipsticks in one place, especially to have on view for clients if they want to wear a particular shade.
I love all of my MAC lipsticks and think that I have the perfect collection for my kit. Whether I need a pinky nude or a bold and daring orange or purple- I should be prepared for any look.

MAC lipstick's and lip liners are my go to lip products and if you want to find out which ones I keep in my makeup kit, then keep on reading.......

LIPSTICKS:

Shy Girl
Starting with the nudes, Shy Girl has a Cremesheen finish which is probably the most comfortable and creamy finish that MAC do. This is a coral beige pink shade with a golden undertones and I think that it looks especially nice on tanned skin.

Angel
Angel is a baby pink shade in a frosted finish. I am not such a big fan of MAC's frosted lipsticks as I find they have the least pigment and have the least flattering finish.
Having said that, I would use Angel on someone with more warm undertones in their skin to give a baby pink 'doll' look.

Plink
This was my first ever MAC lipstick and I have vivid memories of visiting the MAC counter in Harrods, extremely excited to be buying my first ever 'high end' lipstick.
Plink has a Lustre finish which is similar to a Frost in that they are very comfortable and moisturising however this lipstick has a better pigment and is more flattering on the lips. Overall, this is a lovely pinky nude that is easily worn daily for almost every skin tone.
If you're a newbie with makeup and are looking for a nice every day lipstick, this one is for you!

Crème in your Coffee
I usually favour bold, statement colours over nude tones when it comes to lipstick and you probably wouldn't find me wearing the shades above very often as I usually go all out or not at all when it comes to my lips. Crème in your coffee is my perfect nude lipstick because it gives a good wash of colour without being too powerful. This has a Cremesheen finish which is probably one of my favourite finishes as it provides a lot of comfort and moisture whilst still giving amazing colour pay off. Crème in your coffee is a beautiful deep rosey brown with a creamy finish that leaves your lips looking healthy and plump.

Plumful
Another nude that isn't too nude, Plumful is a Lustre lipstick that would be perfect for taking you from day to night. As the name would suggest, Plumful is a pinky plum shade which is comfortable to wear and lasts a long time on the lips.

Royal Azale
Royal Azale is the ultimate Barbie doll lipstick, I love to use this for fashion and photographic makeup however it would probably wash out people with fair and cool undertones. This isn't my most versatile shade as it only flatters a few different skin tones but keep reading to find out my perfect alternative that suits almost everybody.

Girl About Town
This is a great statement bold pink lipstick that looks great on most skin tones and especially paired with a simple eye to create a stand out look. Having an amplified crème finish, Girl About Town is extremely comfortable to wear whilst still giving a great bold colour.


Candy Yum Yum
Another bright pink, Candy Yum Yum is a matte lipstick with blue undertones. This has a matte finish although like most other MAC matte lipsticks it is still extremely easy to wear without drying out the lips as some matte lipsticks sometimes do.
Candy Yum Yum is a fantastic statement lip colour that suits both fair and darker skin tones, compared to Royal Azele, this is a great bubble gum pink shade.

Morange
The loudmouth orange; Morange is a brilliant neon orange shade that is perfect for fashion and photographic makeup. One swipe is always enough- this lipstick has a great pigment and lasts for hours on the lips. It's a crazy colour but it is definitely a must in my kit!

Ruby Woo
Looking for the perfect red lip? Then look no further than Ruby Woo!
This is my ultimate red lipstick and I recommend it to almost everyone. Ruby Woo is a great bright pillow box red however my only criticism is that it can sometimes feel uncomfortable and drying to wear.  Having a retro matte finish means that the lipstick is extremely pigmented and has strong lasting powder. I would always recommend to use a good lip exfoliator and balm before applying this colour to prevent it being uncomfortable and drying on the lips.

Russian Red
An alternative to Ruby Woo is Russian Red- this is a much darker red although whilst it still gives a matte finish, I find that this lipstick is much more comfortable to wear and doesn't dry the lips out.
Russian Red is the perfect shade for everybody and always works well on special occasions because it has brilliant lasting powder whilst still being comfortable.

Heroine
If you read my 2015 beauty favourites then you will know that Heroine is one of my personal favourite MAC lipsticks. I love to wear this paired with a simple eye using layers of mascara to give a statement pop of colour. Heroine is a bright cool toned purple that has a matte finish and is flattening on most skin tones.

Rebel
Don't be fooled by the bullet of this bold lipstick, giving the impression of a much deeper shade, Rebel is in fact a soft pink plum colour that is bold but not overwhelming. I would recommend this if you want something bolder than a nude but not quite as daring as an extreme bright purple.

Media
Media is a vampy deep berry with a pinky plum undertone. This lipstick has a satin finish which is one of my favourite formulas- it is creamy and moisturising whilst still giving off great colour and lasting power. I think that Media is the perfect oxblood shade which is perfect to wear on special occasions.

Matte Royal
This is one of the latest editions to my collection and I picked it up as soon as I spotted it in the shop as I have no other lip colour like it. As its name would suggest, Matte Royal has a matte finish and is a deep, dark purple blue shade. Similar to Heroine lipstick, I love to use this paired with a super simple eye to let the lips be the big statement. To further enhance the look I often like to press an eyeshadow on top of this lipstick to give a metallic funky finish that looks great in fashion and photographic makeup.

Cyber
If you aren't afraid of dark bold lips, then Cyber is a must have in your collection. With a satin finish, Cyber is a unique black plum shade that I absolutely love.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture 39
This lipstick isn't by MAC and is in fact a YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick, however I like to keep it alongside my MAC shades in this pallet because I love how glossy and rich the colour is whilst still giving a bold and daring finish.

LIP LINERS:

Soar

Soar is the perfect pink nude shade that is an essential in my kit. It matches perfectly with any pinky nude lipstick such as Shy Girl, Plink and Angel.

Whirl

In comparison to Soar, this is a darker pink/ brown toned shade that looks lovely paired with most nude lipsticks.

Spice

Spice is probably my all time favourite nude lip liner and I am constantly reaching for it in my kit whenever I want to achieve a strong nude brown lip. I especially love to pair this with Crème in your Coffee lipstick to get a great plump pout.

Cherry

Everybody needs a classic red lip and Cherry lip liner is my favourite to pair with various different shades of red colour- whether I am going for a bright red or a deep berry red, Cherry never fails to amaze me.

Heroine

Heroine lipstick is a very unique colour and I found it difficult to find a good lip liner to match it perfectly. Most of the time I can get away with my lip liner and lipstick not perfectly matching although with Heroine I found it tricky, so I decided to make the investment and pick up the coordinating lip liner which is the perfect colour match.
Now I can rock my purple lips as much as I desire!

Nightmoth

If you like to wear deep berry lipstick then you need Nightmoth lip pencil in your collection. It is the ultimate liner that works perfectly with all deep and dark lipsticks. I like to pair it with various different lipsticks including Rebel, Media and Cyber.

Which are your favourite MAC lipsticks and lip liners? Do we have any in common?
Let me know in the comments!

2015 Beauty & Makeup Favourites

2015 was a crazy year for me, I finally passed my driving test, got my first job, started my Level 3 Diploma in media makeup and was given the amazing experience to assist celebrity makeup artist, Armand Beasley on two massive photoshoots including Natasha Hamilton's engagement OK magazine front cover shoot... no I still can't believe it either! What a year!
In this post I will be talking about the best makeup/ beauty products that I discovered and fell in love with during 2015, let's get started! ...

The Balm, Mary-Lou Manizer

2015 was the year that super highlighted cheekbones and iridescent glowing skin really took off leaving everybody searching for that perfect highlighter.
The Balm is a brand that I had not heard of before 2015 when their products launched on Feel Unique and were available in some Superdrug stores.Their products will catch your eye in their funky vintage packaging and although they aren't as cheap as chips, they are a more affordable luxury brand.
The Mary-Lou Manizer is a champagne finely milled powder highlight that I cannot fault. It works on all different skin tones and I absolutely love it. Mary Lou is always my go to highlighter and I am sure I will continue to love it throughout 2016.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation
Nars is a brand that I had never dwelled into up until the final months of 2015.Sheer Glow foundation is a highly rated best seller and after trying it for myself, I definitely agree with the hype.
This foundation gives a medium coverage with a natural and luminous finish. I like how it applies and never looks cakey even with a few coats layered to give a higher coverage.
I cannot fault this foundation and it has been the one that I have reached for the most in the past year.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
I was always very sceptical about using a sponge to apply my foundation however I can now say that I am completely converted to the method which makes my foundation apply and blend like a dream.... seriously, if you've not tried one yet you must!
The Real Techniques Miracle Completion sponge is best used damp and it should expand to double its size compared to when it's fully dry. Apart from being a fantastic way to apply flawless foundation, I also love to use my sponge to blend cream contour and concealer underneath the eyes.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade
I think that is fair to say that I am obsessed with my eyebrows- I spend the most time filling them in whilst doing my makeup and I struggle to leave the house with them on! :')
Last year I started using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip brow pomade and I fell in love with it, my brows have never looked so good (even if I do say so myself!)
I find that this pomade is extremely easy to use and the product lasts all day on my brows without needing a setting gel , unlike when I used to use a powder and had to use an extra brow gel to keep them in place.
I also love to keep these brow pomade's in my kit and I use the shades medium brown and blonde which work for both lighter and darker hairs.

Collection Sheer Loose Powder

There is nothing worse than an awful powdery 'caked' face which can easily be achieved by mistake when using a thick full coverage powder. I hate the way powder sometimes makes the face look but I also know that using powder is essential to set makeup and keep oil at bay.
This loose powder from Collection is my favourite powder to lock makeup down and mattify without giving a powdery finish. It never interferes with my foundation choice so I always like to keep it in my kit as a versatile product to use on everybody.
It also only costs me £2.99 for this huge tub which I know will last me a long time (a small amount goes a long way!) so I could not recommend it enough.

Lush Skincare
Taking care of my skin is very important and I always like to pay special attention to what goes on my face, especially since I use so much makeup which can sometimes interfere with my skin.
I had never used Lush skincare before 2015 but now I am hooked, I love their quirky ideas and I know that all of their products will do only good to my skin with their natural ingredients.
A few of my favourite skincare picks from Lush include their mask of magmaminty face mask, let the good times roll cleanser and the ultra bland facial cleanser.
Lush also have a deal that if you return 5 empty black empty pots like the ones in my picture below, you will receive a free fresh face mask of your choice .... I am almost ready to do this myself, do you have any suggestions of what face mask I should get? Let me know in the comments below this post!

MAC Lipstick, Heroine
I love to wear bold and daring lipstick colours and my most used and extremely well loved lipstick from 2015 is MAC's Heroine. Heroine is a matte bright cool toned purple shade which I love to wear along with simple eye makeup to give a statement look.
In 2015 I also decided to de pot all of my MAC lipsticks into an empty pallet which is ideal for me being a makeup artist as it takes up less room in my kit and is easy to hygienically apply the lipstick onto clients. Stay tuned to my blog as I will have a full MAC lipstick and lip liner collection coming very soon.

MAC Fix+
You may think that Fix+ is just fancy water in a bottle with a slightly large price tag and yes I thought that too before I tried it but I have found so many uses for it and I definitely now understand the hype. I use Fix+ to prime skin before makeup, to set makeup and to use on my brush when using loose pigments or glitter. It may sound like a princess product but I did reach for it a lot in 2015 and I will definitely re-purchase it when I run out.

Urban Decay Naked Pallets
Last year I brought my first ever Urban Decay pallet which was the Naked 2 and shortly after I couldn't stop myself from buying almost all of their other pallets! The quality of these eyeshadows are like no other, the colour range is beautiful and they have the best pigmentation that I have ever tired. They beat my other high end eyeshadows including MAC and they have been my most used pallets of the year. I find it hard to pick just one pallet that I love more than the others however I would recommend the original if you want more warm toned brown shades, Naked 2 for more cool taupe shades and finally the Smoky for a beautiful mixture of matte and shimmer shades to suit everyone.
To read more about the Naked pallets, click here to read my review blog post.

MyKitCo
2015 was the year that MyKitCo launched; they are an upcoming brand selling makeup brushes and accessories suited to professional makeup artists. I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch night of MyKitCo back in November last year and I have been blown away with the quality and range that they have on offer. If you would like to read more about the brand and the launch night , click here to read my post with more information.
Overall, I am extremely impressed with the collection from MyKitCo and I cannot wait to see what more is to come from them in 2016- definetly a brand to watch out for!

Soap & Glory SuperCat Eyeliner
"When in doubt, wing it out"
Last year was the year that I finally mastered eyeliner ... or at least got the hang of it, I'm still no pro!
Soap & Glory's Super-Cat eyeliner is by far the best liner pen that I have used. Its jet black formula applies smoothly, has great lasting powder and doesn't dry out quickly, what's not to love?
I love to use gel liners that come in a small pot when I am working on clients however I find it much more convenient to use a pen formula on myself and I have yet to find one that beats this.

These were my beauty and makeup favourites from 2015, what were yours? Do we have any in common? Let me know in the comments!

What I Got For Christmas 2015, Makeup

Happy new year! I hope that you all had a great Christmas and had fun welcoming in the new year.
This Christmas I was extremely lucky to find all the makeup I could ever wish for underneath my tree,  I was very grateful and overwhelmed when I unwrapped these goodies on Christmas morning!

As many of you already know, I have a passion for makeup and am currently working towards my Level 3 Diploma in Hair & Media Makeup. Having such a big interest in makeup can come with a price tag so I always like to ask my friends and family to buy me makeup to help build up my kit as a special occasion gift. This year I was extremely fortunate to receive lots of nice makeup that will hopefully help me with my future career. I also thought that it would make a great blog post for those of you who love makeup almost as much as me! :D

Zoeva Luxe Complete Makeup Brush Set
I have wanted to try Zoeva makeup brushes ever since I heard that the brand existed and I have been lusting over them ever since. I do already have a ton of makeup brushes however my huge quantity of brushes cost me pennies and are obviously not the highest quality. I have no complaints with cheap makeup brushes and have used them myself for years whilst I was getting into makeup and the industry.However now that I am starting to set up my own freelance business and hope to qualify later this year as a makeup artist, I really wanted to build up my brush collection to a higher quality.
Zoeva brushes aren't cheap but they are one of the more affordable luxury makeup brush brands so I thought that they would be ideal for me.

Miles of MAC Book
After receiving the Pretty Honest beauty book written by Sali Hughes for Christmas last year, I have not stopped reading it over and over for reference and general beauty tips. I love to read beauty blog posts and watch Youtube videos although I think that there is something really special and different about reading something in the palm of your hands.
This year I decided to ask for the Miles of MAC book which is filled page to page with every single MAC Cosmetics promotion photo shoot from the past years. I thought that this would be ideal for me to look into it for inspiration in my own work and I know that it will be a great coffee table book that will last for years.

Face Paint Book by Lisa Eldridge
Another makeup related book that I received this year was Face Paint by Lisa Eldridge.
I have always looked up to and been inspired by Lisa so I cannot wait to read her book which looks like it will be a great read.

Urban Decay Electric Pallet
Being a media makeup student, I am not just interested in your standard neutral makeup and I love to experiment with bright and daring colours. Last year I discovered Urban Decay eye-shadow and I am constantly being blown away with their outstanding quality.
Urban Decay's electric pallet is filled with extremely bright neon shades that have great pigment- I know that I will be able to create some crazy and bold looks with this pallet and I can't wait to start using it.

Clinique Chubby Contour Stick & Illamasqua Cream Pigment, Hollow.

Cream contouring is a great method that I love to use when I want to achieve a natural defined contour. This Clinique cream contour stick will be great to add warmth to the face and I was recommended to try the cream pigment from Illamasqua in the shade Hollow which is the perfect matte contour shade with no muddy or orange tones.

Nars Steven Klein Blush Pallet
I absolutely love my Nars blush in the shade Orgasm and have used it religiously over the past few months so I was extremely happy to find this pallet filled with 4 Nars powder blushes under the tree this Christmas. I love the limited edition Steven Klien packaging and I know that this will be the perfect addition to my kit.

MAC White Face & Body
Being a makeup artist, is is almost impossible to carry every single foundation shade to suit every client so this white foundation will be ideal to use when I need to lighten or adapt any foundation shade. I could also use it to create a natural non shiny highlight by mixing it with the clients matched foundation shade and applied on the tops of cheekbones above of their contours.

NYX Matte Lipstick, Strawberry Daiquiri , NYX Butter Gloss, Peach Cobbler
My cousin Polly kindly gave me these two lip products from NYX which is a brand that I have recently started to use and fallen in love with so I can't wait to try them out.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, Dolche Vita
I have wanted to try the Nars velvet matte lip pencils for ages so I was really happy to find this mini lip pencil in Dolche Vita wrapped up under the tree this year.

Estee Lauder Lipstick, Shameless Violet
I have been saving up my Boots Advantage card points up and I finally collected up enough to treat myself to an Este Lauder lipstick. Last year I was constantly MAC's heroine lipstick which I loved so much that I have almost used the whole tube up.
Estee Lauder Shameless Violet is very similar to MAC's Heroine and since I have almost used up my MAC lipstick I thought that I would try this one which I could buy with my advantage card points.

Zoeva Cocoa Blend Pallet
I have never used any Zoeva makeup although I have heard many great things about their products. The Zoeva Cocoa blend pallet cost me just £15 which I thought was a great price for a full eye-shadow pallet so I could not help but treat myself to it.

I <3 Makeup Salted Caramel Chocolate Pallet
This eye-shadow pallet from I<3 Makeup (Makeup Revolution's sister brand) looks like a great dupe for the Too Faced Chocolate Bar pallet which is almost double the price of this cheaper alternative. I am excited to see how the quality compares and what looks I can create with it.

Large Z Pallet with Makeup Geek Shadows
I was lucky enough to be given money from my family for Christmas this year so I decided to treat myself to a large empty Z pallet along with a few single Makeup Geek eye shadows.
The Z pallets fit most single eye shadows inside so I decided to place all of my MAC eye shadows in along with the 3 shadows that I ordered from Makeup Geek in the shades White Lies, Corrupt and Mermaid.
So far I am extremely impressed with the Makeup Geek eyeshadows and I am already tempted to order a few more shades. Stay tuned for a full review post of these shadows.

I hope that you all had a great Christmas and a fun time welcoming in the new year!
Did you receive any makeup this Christmas?

I will link all of the products that are available below.

Zoeva Makeup Brushes
Miles of Mac
Face Paint, Lisa Eldridge
Urban Decay Electric Pallet
Clinique Chubby Contour Stick
Illamasqua Cream Pigment, Hollow
MAC
NYX Cosmetics
Estee Lauder Lipstick, Shameless Violet
Zoeva Cocoa Blend Pallet
I <3 Makeup Salted Caramel Pallet
Z Pallet
Makeup Geek Eye- shadow