Inside My Custom Made Z- Eyeshadow Pallet

I absolutely love eyeshadow pallets and I have a fairly large collection of them stored in my makeup collection. My custom made Z pallet is my favourite eyeshadow pallet which I am constantly reaching for and I find it to be the most versatile and practical pallet to carry in my kit. I could easily use only this pallet and be able to create a multiple of different looks for whatever the occasion.

A Z-Pallet is an empty magnetic pallet that you buy on it own which leaves you to then pick and choose your own individual eyeshadows to build up your own custom made pallet. MAC, Morphe, Anastasia Beverly Hills and Makeup Geek all make individual eyeshadows which will fit inside the Z Pallet.

I have the large Z-Pallet which fits roughly 28 single eyeshadows inside. I love the Z-Pallet because it is extremely sturdy and compact whilst still being able to fit plenty of eyeshadows inside. I bought my Z pallet online from BeautyBay.com

Inside my Z-Pallet I mainly have MAC eyeshadows along with a few shadows from Morphe and Makeup Geek.

White Lies, Makeup Geek
Starting on the left of my pallet where I keep my neutral shades I have Makeup Geek White Lies eyeshadow. This is a fantastic matte white shade which is extremely pigmented and ideal to use as a base shade all over the eye lid. I think that having a matte white shadow is essential in my kit and this one form Makeup Geek is the best I have tried.

Shroom, MAC
Shroom is a soft beige white with shimmer. I like to use this as a subtle highlight either on the brow bone or in the inner eye corner.

Naked Lunch, MAC
I really love this eyeshadow and I think it looks beautiful when applied all over the eyelid paired with Satin Taupe (MAC) blended through the crease- I remember when I first got into makeup and that was my one and only go to eyeshadow look. This eyeshadow has a pink shimmer and is always one of my favourie shades from this pallet.

Peach Smoothie, Makeup Geek
Makeup Geek eyeshadows are extremely high quality and they never fail to disappoint me. Peach Smoothie is the ultimate transition shade for absolutely any look- I use this by blending the colour just above the eye crease which helps any other shaddows that I apply afterwards blend easily without leaving any harsh edges.

Quarry, MAC
I really like to work with cool toned colours and Quarry is a great muted plum brown that is ideal to use when I want to achieve a smoky taupe eye.

Satin Taupe, MAC
This is another one of my all time favourite eyeshadows and I have re-purchased this single eyeshadow multiple times which shows exactly how much I love it. Similar to Quarry, Satin Taupe is a cool toned taupe shade although it has a beautiful silver shimmer running through unlike Quarry which is a matte shade. I love to blend this through the eye crease paired with a lighter shade washed over the eyelid.

Frappe, Makeup Geek
Frappe is a great matte warm brown shade which is always handy to have in my kit. I love to use this for a warm brown smoky eye with a smudged black liner and lots of mascara.

Cocoa Bear, Makeup Geek
Another warm brown shade which is great to pair alongside Frappe.
I love to carry bright and fun colours in my kit and natural shades can sometimes be a chore to buy but it is extremely important to have a variety of different shades to suit all clients.
I love the quality of these Makeup Geek shadows and I particularly love Cocoa Bear which is a fantastic essential neutral shade. 

Charcoal Brown, MAC
I love to use this shadow to fill in fair- medium eyebrow hairs and is it also a great colour to use when creating a neutral smoky eye.

Brun, MAC
Similar to Charcoal Brown, Brun is ideal to use when filling in eyebrow hairs whilst this is great for darker brow hairs. Having a light brown and dark brown matte eyeshadow in my kit is great because I don't need to carry separate eyebrow products which takes up less room and is less hassle since I have everything in one place.

Embark, MAC
I find myself reaching for Embark when I want to darken up a look but I don't want to use something as harsh as black. It is a nice dark brown shade that compliments most colours and blends nicely through the eye crease.

Deep Damson
Deep Damson is one of my least favourite shades in the pallet because it doesn't have the best pigment and it takes a few coats for the colour to properly show up on the eye lid. Having said that, it is nice to use when creating a cool toned taupe smoky eye paired with Satin Taupe, Quarry and Embark.

Gorgeous Gold, MAC
This shade is very unique and I have nothing else like it in my collection. Unlike the name would suggest, I wouldn't describe this as gold but instead more of an iridescent yellow olive green colour. I like this however it is not one of my most loved eyeshadows because I don't think it suits everybody.

Sumptuous Olive, MAC
If you are after a glamourous and sultry olive green shade with hints of gold then this eyeshadow is for you. I really love this unique duo-chrome shade which looks stunning paired with deep browns blended through the eye crease.

Cranberry, MAC
Cranberry is one of my favourite eyeshadows and I think that the quality and pigment is outstanding. This is a beautiful red plum with a pink shimmer which works like a dream and compliments almost every skin tone.

Stars N Rockets, MAC
I love to experiment with bright and vibrant eyeshadows and this bright purple with a pink pearl shimmer is one of my favourites. It can be tricky to find good quality bright coloured eyeshadows as many of them don't have the best pigment but MAC is one of my favourite brands to buy from because they have a fantastic colour range and the quality is always spot on. 

Mermiad, Makeup Geek
I love blue eyeshadow and I was extremely happy to hear that it is predicted to be a big trend this spring/ summer. This eyeshadow from makeup geek is amazing; I cannot rave about it enough. It is extremely pigmented and it blends effortlessly on the eye lid, what's not to love?!
I especially love to use this paired with Plumage (MAC), Fresh Water (MAC) and Coal (Morphe) to create a deep blue smoky eye (I will add a photo of this eye look that I created) 

Humid, MAC
This is the latest addition to my collection and I have only used it once however I am already really impressed and I am sure it will soon become one of my favourites.
I felt like I was really lacking some green shades in my pallet so when I was in MAC the other week I decided to pick up this intense green with a slight shimmer. I can't wait to use it more and see what looks I can create.

Plumage, MAC
You may have already noticed me talking about this eyeshadow already in this post and that is because I think it is a perfect shade that compliments various different colours to help them blend in the eye crease. Plumage is a dusky peacock shade which I love to blend through the crease when I want something deep but not too dark.

Fresh Water, MAC
You may be surprised to hear that this is one of my most used favourite eyeshadows ever (I LOVE IT!) because although it is a very electric and bright colour, I think that it looks stunning on the eyes whilst also being a great product to press on top of lipstick to give a quirky effect.
Similar to the Makeup Geek Mermaid eyeshadow, this is a great blue shade which is great to use for a deep blue smoky eye.
If I want to wear a bold statement lip, I love to apply MAC Matte Royal lipstick and then I simply press on top this eyeshadow using a flat brush. This is such an easy way to achieve a quirky and unique lip which I love to wear and it is also great to use in fashion work. 

Passionate, MAC
Passionate is a matte bright pink. This is a fairly new addition to my collection and even though I have not found many uses for it yet, I can imagine it to be great for fashion and editorial work.

Red Brick, MAC
If I want to create a warm smoky eye with a slight twist then Red Brick is always what I reach for. This matte orange red shade is very flattering and looks great when paired with some warm brown shades to help it blend.

Chrome Yellow, MAC
Chrome Yellow is another great crazy neon colour that is ideal to use for fashion and editorial work.

Coal, Morphe
In my eyes no eye shadow pallet is complete without a great matte black and this one is my favourite. A matte black shadow will always be used, whether I want to create a subtle eye line using a small brush or I want to create a super bold dark smoky eye- this eye shadow will always be an essential in my kit. 

London Fashion Week SS/2016 , Makeup Trends

London Fashion Autumn / Winter 2016 week has hit us and I have not stopped checking my phone to spot the hot beauty trends straight from the runway. I have also been looking at the electric trends set for spring and summer this year and I have decided to let you know what to expect this season.
Like always, I have been left feeling extremely inspired to step up my style along with my creativity in makeup. I noticed a few particular makeup trends scattered across the different shows this year and I am excited to start experimenting with them.

BLUE EYES

Whilst I was scrolling though pictures on my phone, I noticed a common trend throughout many of the shows where blue was used heavily on the eyes to make a statement. Chanel, Jonathan Saunders and Garth Pugh all used blue as a block colour on the models eyes.
Be prepared to see a pallet of sky, peacock, aquamarine and electric blue for spring/ summer as the makeup artists at fashion week made it clear that this was big news.
I absolutely love this trend and I can imagine it to be adapted to a more wearable look for the everyday woman.

Many brands are currently jumping on top of this idea to bring out products that will help you achieve this unique and fun trend.

MAC Fresh Water eyeshadow is a fantastic pearl blue colour that I really love. This eyeshadow is extremely pigmented and is easy to wear in a variety of different ways.
If you want to go all out and make a statement then why not pack this colour all over the eye lid, maybe paired with a softer blue or brown blended though the crease to make it blend nicely- I like MAC Plumage eyeshadow to do this.

On the other hand, if you don't want to be too daring but still want to experiment with this trend then you could pop on a coat of blue mascara to add a subtle flash of colour- KIKO, Benefit and Collection all make these.

RED LIPS

Red lipstick is a timeless and classic makeup trend that will never get old; there are so many different variations of red to choose from which makes it perfect for almost everybody. 

During fashion week, I noticed that Celeine, Topshop, Andy Williams and Anya Hindmarch all made up their models with a bright red lip which made them appear fun, energetic and youthful.

Spring and Summer is the perfect time to wear a bright red lip and I think that it is an essential to brighten the latest fashion trends. Similar to the blue eyes, adding a pop of colour seemed to be a rec occurring trend that I spotted whilst scrolling through the pictures from fashion week. 

Pairing a bold red lip with a minimal and fresh face gives the impression of a well put together look without being too much or over the top.

To achieve your perfect lip you should always start with a good base; exfoliate and moisturise your lips before applying your favourite liner and lipstick to get you your perfect pout.  

I love to pair MAC Cherry lip liner with MAC Ruby Woo lipstick to get a great statement result. 

What did you think of the trends showcased at this years Spring and Summer London fashion week? Do you think you will be brave enough to rock some blue eyeshadow this season? Let me know in the comments!

What I Got For My 19th Birthday, Makeup

I turned 19 on the 7th February and I had a great time celebrating with my friends and family. I was also extremely lucky to receive so many thoughtful and lovely gifts, including a massive surprise that I will mention in one moment. Being an aspiring makeup artist, I usually take opportunities like my birthday and Christmas to ask my friends and family to buy me makeup for my kit which I always really appreciate.
In this post I will be showing you the makeup that I was lucky enough to receive for my birthday this year! :)

I personally love to watch and read videos and blog posts like this because I'll admit I am a nosey person and I like to see what things people have been gifted which sometimes gives me ideas for what to buy my friends and family or what to maybe ask for when it is my birthday or Christmas. This post is by no means a way of bragging or showing off the presents that I have been given and I would just like to make this point in case anybody got the wrong idea whilst reading this post.

Inglot Zuca Pro Artist
My main present from my parents this year was a Zuca Pro Artist case. I have wanted to buy myself a Zuca ever since the day I knew they existed however I have never had the excuse to splurge on one with their expensive price tag. Almost every big makeup artist that I know has one of these crafty pull along cases which fit inside a massive amount of makeup whilst still being really compact and easy to carry around. The Zuca pro artist case is designed specifically for a makeup artists. Along with having many smart compartments, you also get 5 clear plastic storage bags which are great to safely store your products in.
The size of the Zuca is what impresses me the most, it is extremely compact which makes it ideal for traveling (which makeup artists are constantly doing!) and it also has lots of great practical features for example the case can be used as a seat which is ideal if you are on a photoshoot with minimal facilities or if there are no available seats on the train!
Zuca have worked with a few different makeup brands to create these amazing cases and I have the one by Inglot although I know that MAC have their own version too.

I was in complete shock when I unwrapped the Zuca on my birthday morning and I am so grateful and happy to now have one which I am sure will make my journey to becoming a successful makeup artist slightly smoother as I will no longer have to lug around 10 different bulky bags and struggle to even step onto a train! 

Morphe 35N Matte Pallet
Morphe is a brand that has been plastered all over Instagram over the past few months and their eyeshadow pallets in particular have been given some outstanding reviews from many bloggers and makeup lovers. I was very happy to receive the 35N Matte pallet which has 35 all matte, extremely pigmented and wearable shades. I am excited to start using the pallet although I was slightly disappointed by the size of it which is very large and I can't imagine it to be ideal to pack in my kit or to travel with. On the other hand, when these pallets cost only £15 each it is difficult to complain when they are such great value for money. 

Makeup Geek Eye- shadows
I was given a few Makeup Geek eyeshadows for Christmas and I was blown away with the quality and I have been eager ever since to start collecting more of their shadows. Being more than half the price of MAC eyeshadows, Makeup Geek have a brilliant collection of well pigmented and blendable shadows that are fantastic value for money.
I now have the shades Peach Smoothie, Frappe and Cocoa Bear in my collection which look like great nude colours that will be ideal as transition shades or simply blended together on their own.
I have been keeping these eyeshadows along with my others inside a large Z pallet and I will soon be writing a post all about them.

Soap & Glory The Perfect 10 Pallet
I love Soap & Glory makeup and I highly rate them as a band so I was extremely happy to unwrap this eyeshadow pallet which I cannot wait to try out. It looks like a great alternative to the Urban Decay Naked pallets so I will be sure to let you know how it compares.

Illamasqua Multi Face Pallet
This is something that I bought myself in the Illamasqua January sales and I decided to save it for myself as a birthday gift. The multi face pallet is the ultimate pallet to travel with, it has almost everything you could need along with a handy large mirror within the compact.
Inside the pallet are two of my all time favourite Illamasqua products which are their eyebrow cake in the shade Thunder and their cream pigment in Hollow. Along with those two gem products, you also get 4 eyeshadows, one highlighter and one blush- what more could you need in a pallet?!
Costing me just under £15 in the January sales, I could not resist picking up this fantastic multi use pallet. 

NYX Eyebrow Pomade
I have used and loved the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomades for a long time and I have yet to find anything else that compares to them. As much as I love the dip brow pomades, it can be tricky to get them delivered to the UK and they are slightly expensive to buy, especially when I need various different shades for my kit.
When I noticed that NYX cosmetics had a similar looking brow pomade in their collection, I decided to add it to my birthday wish list because it looks like a great dupe for the Anastasia Beverly Hills alternative. Let me know in the comments if you have tried this NYX version and what you think.


Zovea Graphic Eyes Eyeliner 
If you read my previous post about the Zovea Cocoa Blend eyeshadow pallet then you will know that I recently discovered Zoeva makeup for the first time and I have been itching to try out some more of their other products ever since.
This graphic eyes eyeliner pencil is a beautiful shimmery shade which feels creamy to apply and lasts forever on the eyes- trust me, I struggled to get it off when I first tried it!

MAC Pigments, Blue Brown & Vanilla
I love MAC Pigments and already own a few so I was really happy to receive two more on my birthday. Blue Brown pigment is a stunning iridescent multi tonal shade that looks almost metallic and somewhat glittery when seen in different lights. I have already used this pigment and I absolutely love it, I have nothing like it in my collection already and I think that it is a great unique product that is beautiful worn on its own with some simple warm brown shades blended through the eye crease.
I have already used it in my college fashion class so I will insert a photo here!

Vanilla pigment is a white silver shimmer shade that is perfect for highlighting the brow bone or inner eye corner. I can also imagine this to work as a highlighter on the face as well as the eyes which makes it a great versatile product. I have heard so many great things about this pigment so I knew that I had to try it out for myself. 

MAC Lip Liner, Oak.
MAC Lipstick, Naturally Transformed
MAC Lipglass, C-Thru
I went shopping in Liverpool on my birthday and I decided to go into MAC and spend some of the money that I was kindly given by my family.
If you read my previous MAC lipstick collection post then you will know that I own a lot of bold and bright lipsticks although I do not have so many nude shades and was seriously lacking any brown toned nudes. With that in mind, I went into MAC searching for the perfect nude lip combination and I successfully found the perfect liner, lipstick and gloss.
Oak lip liner is a lovely brown shade and it works hand in hand with the lipstick in the shade Naturally Transformed. This combination alone would look lovely although if my client preferred a glossy finish I decided to pick up the lipglass in the shade C-Thru which is a beautiful iridescent shade that compliments both the lip liner and lipstick.
Nude brown toned lipstick is extremely popular at the moment so I wanted to make sure that I had all the right products in my kit to suit all my clients wishes. 

YSL Shocking Mascara
Having a birthday in February means that I manage to get some great beauty bargains that have been bought in the January sales. I was shopping with my mum on boxing day when we spotted this YSL mascara in the sale for just £10 so we couldn't resit picking it up to be saved for my birthday.
I have never tried any YSL mascaras and I can't wait to see how it performs.

Illamasqua Precision Gel Eyeliner
I love gel eyeliner however the ones that I have tried in the past always seem to dry out quickly in the pot which makes it difficult to get a smooth and sleek application.
Many people have recommended that I try out this Illamasqua precision gel eyeliner which is apparently extra tough, water resistant and long lasting. On my birthday I decided to treat myself and finally pick up a pot and hopefully this will help me to achieve some fierce cat eye wings!

Illamasqua Pure Pigment, Ara
Another January sales purchase that I asked my mum to buy for me when we were shopping on boxing day is this loose pigment from Illamasqua. This looks like a beautiful shimmery silver shade that I think will look great for special occasion and fashion makeup.

MAC Studio Finish Concealer, NC15
I was in need of a new concealer so whilst I was spending my birthday money in MAC I decided to pick up one of their Studio Finish concealer's in the shade NC15 which is one of the lightest shades so it will be perfect to use under my eyes to brighten and illuminate my face. 

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
My friend Beth very kindly brought me the Urban Decay makeup setting spray which I have been lusting over for months. I already have MAC's Fix+ although I use that more with my loose pigments and to prepare the skin before makeup so I cannot wait to see how this spray performs at setting makeup in place and making it last all night long.

Thank you so much to everybody who kindly wished me a happy birthday this year, I had a great day and am so grateful for everything that I received.