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! :)

Urban Decay Naked 1 & 2 Pallets- I finally Caved!

After years of hearing beauty fanatics rave about how amazing the Urban Decay Naked eye shadow pallets are, I finally caved and decided to buy one... or two! :')
I was always put off by their expensive price tag, which will set you back £38 per pallet giving you 12 wearable nude shades in each pallet.

I have always favoured MAC eye-shadows and I have filled a whole 14 piece custom pallet which is filled with my favourite MAC shadows that I chose myself; I love this pallet however when I work out how much money the entire pallet cost me, with each inset being £10 each on top of the cost of an empty pallet to start - it's a little scary!
In comparison, the Urban Decay pallet's overall seem a little more appealing and I'm not sure why I never invested in one before.

As many of you already know, I am a media makeup student at college and I aspire to one day become a makeup artist in some part of the industry so I am always trying to build up my kit to make jobs easier and give myself the opportunity to learn about and experiment with different products.... (some sort of excuse for buying more makeup right? haha!)

I searched online and read a ton of reviews on all the Naked pallets that Urban Decay have on offer, including the original, 2, 3 and their latest launch of the smokey pallet- I wanted to find out which pallet would suit me best and I found out that the original pallet was mainly warm toned bronze shades, the naked 2 was more cool toned, the 3rd pallet had pink tones that suited paler skin tones best and finally the naked smokey is as it suggests a pallet full of deep, rich shades that are perfect for creating a slurty smokey eye.
I was torn between the original Naked pallet and the Naked 2 as I thought they would both be great to use on all different skin tones and eye colours. In the end I decided to buy both as I knew I would use both pallets for different looks and considering I already know how amazing Urban Decay eye-shadows are, I knew I wouldn't regret my purchases.

I am very excited to start using these pallets more and start creating new looks with them, so far I am very impressed with the quality of the shadows and I love the colours, a few of my favourite shades from the Naked 1 are Buck, Sin, Toasted and I also love Half Baked which is duplicated in both pallets. Naked 2 holds 12 beautiful shades and my favourites so far include Foxy, Bootycall, Verve and Blackout which is an extremely pigmented matte black- perfect for a smokey eye!

Do you own any of the Urban Decay Naked pallets? Which one is your favourite? Let me know in the comments! :)

(Pictured above, makeup:
Clarins True Radience Foundation
L'oreal BB powder
Anastasia Beverly Hills dip brow pomade
The Body Shop Honey bronzer
MAC Heroine lipstick
URBAN DECAY NAKED PALLETS 1 & 2.)

French Pharmacy & Sephora Haul

I just got back home after a great 10 days relaxing in the south of France, exploring small towns and not to forget hunting down all the fantastic French pharmacies to pick up some skincare and beauty essentials from a country that knows exactly how to care for their skin.

If you didn't already know, pharmacies in France are a big deal; walk down any main street and you're bound to spot one or two offering the best skincare from brands such as Bioderma, La Roche Posay, Avene and Caudalie. You can get your hands on many of the brands back here in the UK however the French pharmacies have more exclusive products and often work out cheaper to buy with their deals and the current exchange rate.

Whilst I was in France, I also picked up a few things in Sephora which is a big makeup and beauty shop selling brands including Make Up Forever, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Guerlain, Sephora's own brand and many more - they have stores all over Europe and America although they still yet to have any stores back in the UK so I was very excited to have a look around and pick up some stuff that I cannot get back home.

Pharmacy 

LA ROCHE POSAY, TOLERIANE DERMO-CLEANSER 
I've used the La Roche Posay Toleriane moisturiser before and loved it so when I saw this corresponding cleanser in a big bottle with a pump for just under 10 euros I had to pick it up. The product claims to be a  dermo-cleanser that removes makeup and gently cleanses the face, no rinsing needed. I'm looking forward to using this as an easy, go to simple cleanser that I am sure will last me a long time in the impressive 400ml bottle.

EAU MICELLAIRE, Micellar Cleansing Water
Bioderma used to be my go to micellar water until many other alternatives came on the market for a cheaper price; Garnier is now my go to brand for their micellar water however in France the stuff is a lot more accessible and many brands offer it for as cheap as chips.
I decided to get this micellar water in a handy big 500ml pump bottle which I found in the supermarket for under 5 euros.

AVENE CLEANANCE MASK 
I have never tried any products from Avene before and I have heard many great things about the brand so I decided to try out this cleansing mask which looks like it would be a real treat for my skin.

AVENE EAU THERMALE, Thermal Spring Water 
I really like toner waters and have used La Roche Posay Serozinc and Lush's Eau Roma toning sprays before and I love how refreshing and cooling they are so I decided to try out this version from Avene to see how it compares.


DERMOPHIL HAUTE TOLERANCE
I have used these lip balms for years, they do the job at deeply moisturing lips without making them too sticky and they're really cheap and cheerful. I managed to get this multi pack with a free extra balm for under 5 euros and I'm pleased to be stocked up again with my favourite lip balm.

CAUDALIE VINOSOURCE, Moisturizing Matifying Fluid 

I was after a moisturiser suited for normal skin after finding it difficult when many were aimed at either very dry or very oily skin so with the help of a pharmacist in the shop, I was recommended this Caudalie cream which I can imagine to be great for me and I am looking forward to seeing how I get on with it.

CAUDALIE PURIFYING MASK
The Caudalie cream was on a special offer and came with this free purifying face mask which is suited for all skin types and I am excited to try it out.

SENSI BIAFINE, CREME VISAGE RICHE 
Whilst I was talking to the pharmacist, she noticed that my face was peeling from sun burn and kindly gave me a few samples including a rich moisturising cream which I used that night and woke up the next day with super soft skin that felt healed and moisturised- a few days later I stumbled across a pharmacy that had the exact same cream on a special offer for under 10 euros that included a free gift for the same price. The cream will come in handy for when my skin gets very dry and flaky, whilst also being able to use as a super hydrating mask overnight.

SENSI BIAFINE, LAIT DEMAQUILLANT APAISANT 
My free gift with the hydrating cream was a gentle milk cleanser suited for sensitive skin and I am looking forward to seeing how it performs at removing makeup and cleansing my face.

Sephora 

TRIPLE ACTION GENTLE MAKEUP REMOVER GEL 
Sephora have a sneaky way of getting your attention at the tills by offering mini versions of products to tempt you and I decided to pick up this handy little makeup remover that I can imagine will be perfect to use whilst travelling or to pack into my makeup kit.

POMEGRANATE FIBER FACE MASK
These masks were all over the shop floor and I couldn't resist picking one up, after taking a while to decide which scent to choose with the massive choice on offer I finally decided on the pomegrante version and I'm sure it will be perfect for a girly pamper night.

SEPHORA NAIL POLISH
I couldn't resist picking up this unique green nail polish which was on sale for just 1 euro!

SEPHORA SMART LINER 
I've noticed these oddly shaped eye liner pens pop up all over the internet and I have been curious to see how they work so when I saw one in Sephora I picked one up- I have already tested it out and so far I'm very impressed- I'm sure I will let you know my full impressions soon.

SEPHORA KISS ME TINTED LIP COLOUR, MELON SORBET 
I was attracted to these by their cool packaging and funky colours on offer- I decided to go for this orange colour which I wore a lot on holiday and left my lips tinted an orange/ peach colour which was really easy to wear and felt comfortable on my lips. The colour isn't as strong as it looks in the bullet which I was a little disappointed about however I do love the subtle tint it gives non the less.

SEPHORA CREAM LIP SATIN, 10, 01
I've heard many beauty bloggers rave about these lip satin liquid lipsticks so when I spotted them in Sephora I knew I had to try them out. I first decided to get no.10 which is a bright orange red colour and after wearing it the next day, I loved it and really wanted to get my hands on another colour so when I spotted Sephora in another town I picked up no.01 to add to my collection! These liquid lipsticks are extremely pigmented, dry matte, feel comfortable on the lips and last hours- what's not to love?

Duty Free

JUICY COUTURE, VIVA LA JUICY 
As I mentioned in my last post, I've started working in a little cafe and I got paid on the day before I jetted off on holiday so I decided to treat myself in duty free and bought myself this Juicy Couture perfume which is one that I used to wear all the time but haven't had the money to buy it myself for a long time- I love the strong unique scent and can't wait to start wearing it again.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post from me and maybe picked up some ideas to add to your shopping list if you're off on holiday any time soon! :)