3 Eyeshadow Palettes I Can't Live Without

There are so many eyeshadow palettes out on the market but I find it's very hit and miss. I have tried out a lot of different palettes from a variety of brands but there are only a few that I would keep if I had to clear out the 'stash'.

Now lets start with the queen of all eyeshadow palettes, Urban Decay. In my opinion you really can't go wrong with an eye palette from this brand, the formula, pigment and variety of colours they provide in these are amazing. I currently own all three of the naked palettes and the first naked basics palette but there are only two that I feel like I need.

First, we have the ever so lovely Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay. I was never really into the pink tones when this hit the stores and never got the hype, but a friend purchased this and after trying it I completely understood. You can do pretty much anything with this palette, for an everyday look I love the shades 'Strange' all over the lid with 'Limit' and 'Nooner' in the crease. If you want to smoke things out then they have the most beautiful black with purple tones, a colour you will most likely struggle to find in your collection.

Next, the Naked Basics palette. This can be used for a simple, beautiful day and night look. This palette contains six shades, one with slight shimmer but nothing too glittery and five matte shades. The shades are super simple and contain three light cream shades (with a yellow toned and peach toned colour), two browns that are perfect for the crease ('Naked 2' and 'Faint') and one completely black shade ('Crave'). This allows you to create a very light, everyday look and also smoke out the eye for after hours.

You've probably heard enough about Urban Decay so I'm going to go onto my most loved, most versatile palette I own- the Lorac Pro Palette. This really is all it's cracked up to be and more. The top row contains eight, gorgeous pigmented shades, mainly mattes, with some creams, browns and a mauve colour whereas the bottom row is all about the shimmers with a mix of nudes, golds and they've even thrown in a burnt orange and blue toned grey. My all time favourite shade is the 'Nude', I use this for an all over the lid colour, inner corner and brow bone highlight, I will also apply it onto the high points of my face. If they ever make this as a highlight shade I would be all over that.

So those are the three eye palettes I really could not live without in my collection, I would love to see some of your suggestions in the comments of eyeshadow palettes you can't live without!

The Subtle Bronze Eye

I love a good subtle, bronze eye. It's quick, easy and brightens those babies up to make you look awake and ready for the day (even if you have stayed up till 2am watching Netflix).

This tends to be my everyday eye look throughout the summer, basically anything bronze in those warm months - I'm all for! I use all shimmer shades for this look which could sound a bit too much but with these products you get a lovely subtle glow wash over those lids. 

After applying my base I will put a small dot of Urban Decay Primer Potion onto my ring finger and dab that on my lids. This creates a perfect base for the shadow and prevents any creasing throughout the day. I will then use the Real Techniques 'Deluxe Crease Brush' to apply a light wash of Urban Decay 'Venus' from the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette, all over the lid for a bright base. I then take my Real Techniques 'Base Shadow Brush' and apply MAC 'Naked Lunch' - a beautiful light champagne colour. If you wanted more of a smoky look I sometimes add MAC 'All That Glitters' in the crease with the Real Techniques 'Deluxe Crease Brush'. To highlight, I take the Real Techniques 'Base Shadow Brush' to add Urban Decay 'Venus' to the brow bone. I take the same colour on the lower lash line and inner corner with the Real Techniques 'Accent Brush'. 

To enhance the lashes I use the Max Factor False Lash Effect on the top and bottom lashes - this lengthens and holds a curl wonderfully! And the Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler (which really is as good as they say!). 

xoxo 

10 Beauty Tips and Tricks

1. Warm your eyelash curlers

Curling my eyelashes is always a very tedious job, I spend ages getting them to achieve the perfect curl. To make speed up the job, I warm my eyelash curlers with a hairdryer for a few seconds and it makes curling 10x faster.

2. For soft, plump lips

Before any lip product, use an electric or normal toothbrush and massage your lips for around a minute. This will exfoliate and plump them before applying your lipstick or gloss.

3. To brighten and open up the eyes

Apply a shimmery white eyeshadow (I especially love Virgin by Urban Decay) in the inner corners of the eye and the brow bone to make the eyes appear bigger and brighter.

4. When your nail polish gets gloopy

Add a few drops of nail polish remover to the nail polish bottle, then shake it up.

5. When your mascara gets gloopy

Add a few eye drops and swirl the brush around to mix it together.

6. For red, tired eyes

Apply a nude or white eyeliner on your waterline to get rid of any redness and open up the eyes.

7. To stop smudging eyeliner

Sweep concealer then a bit of powder right under the eyeliner on your bottom lash line, this will act sort of like a barrier and stop smudging happening.

8. Make your eyeshadow more vibrant

Smudge out a white eyeliner all over the lids before applying eyeshadow to make the colour stand out, this will also act as a primer.

9. To make lipstick last longer

After applying your lipstick, put a tissue over your lips and apply powder over the tissue. This will also give a matt finish to your lips.

10. Make your lips appear bigger

Apply white eyeliner on the outside of the lips (focusing on the cupids bow), blend it out then apply a gloss.

Summer Beauty Guide

For messy, relaxed beachy waves

In the summer, its all about messy, wavy hair for me. Something I can wear for a few days with a little extra help from some dry shampoo, because I think everyone can agree that washing hair is such an effort. 

If you are blessed with naturally wavy hair...

~ Towel dry your hair until damp.

~ Apply a texture gel or cream from roots to ends // Bumble and Bumble Texture Creme

~ Spray sea salt spray throughout the hair focusing on the ends // Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray or Toni and Guy Sea Salt Spray

~ After applying the products blow dry the hair upside down and scrunch the ends while blow drying, use a diffuser to create even more volume and waves. 

~ Once hair is dry, depending on how wavy your hair is naturally and how wavy you want the end result you can add a few more waves throughout your hair with a 1-1 1/2 inch curling iron. 

~ Then spritz a little more sea salt spray in the ends and scrunch. 

If you have straight hair...

~ Go through the same steps above but you will need to curl your whole head. When curling your hair use a 1- 1 1/12 inch curling iron and leave around 2 inches uncurled at the end. When curling swap directions for every curl you do, this will result in a more natural, messy look and won't look too overdone. 

~ Spritz a little hairspray at the roots and ends // Tresemme Volume & Lift Firm Hold Hairspray  

To make this style last for a few days, in the morning lightly brush through the hair then add some dry shampoo and a little sea salt spray for more texture. People with naturally straight hair may need to add a few more curls in the morning after two days.

For glowy, bronzed skin

~ Use a tinted moisturiser or a BB Cream with SPF instead of a heavy foundation. This will give you a healthy, natural glow and feels light on the skin in the hot summer weather // Origins Vita Zing or Dr Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream

~ Add a matt bronzer on under the cheekbones and temples and using the rest to dust over your nose and forehead. This will contour and add colour to your face // Nars Bronzing Powder or Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder

~ Use a peachy cream blush and apply with your fingers onto the apples of your cheeks and work the rest up to your temples // Maybelline Dream Soft Blush

For natural, bronzed eyes

~ Dust a bronzed, champagne colour over the lids and work into the crease // MAC All That Glitters

~ Use a lighter colour to highlight the inner corners and brow bone // MAC Naked Lunch or Urban Decay Virgin

~ Curl your lashes and use a waterproof mascara on the top and bottom lashes to make sure the mascara doesn't budge // Maybelline Volume Express The Colossal Waterproof Mascara

xoxo 

Left image // Found via Pinterest

Right image // Found via Pinterest  

Natural and Awake Makeup Look

For those tired and dull skin days (having had lot's of those since being at uni). My face is always in need of a bit of a pick-me-up. These are some of my beauty picks for an awake and fresh faced look after pulling those pesky all nighters. 

First, I like to prime my face with the Benefit "that gal" Brightening Face Primer which instantly corrects dull skin and gives a natural glow to the skin. Then I use the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation which is becoming to be my new favourite foundation. It has a light to medium coverage that is buildable and gives a lovely natural, dewy and glowing finish. Under the eyes and any blemishes I have I use the Benefit Erase Paste. This also does a brilliant job of brightening under the eyes to hide those dark circles and makes you look more awake (even if you are a walking zombie).
I like to have a subtle pink glow on the cheeks and for this I use the Topshop Head Over Heels Cream Blush which is a lovely coral pink colour and complements any skin tone. If I wanna go that extra mile and look even more awake I will go in with a highlighter and for this I use just a bit of Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle, this gives a bronze, rose gold colour to the tops on the cheek bones. 
For eyes I keep it really simple, to be honest I would rather have that extra few minutes in bed then faff around with eye shadow when I haven't had much sleep. So I just pop a bit of BareMinerals Eyecolor in Soul on the tear duct area to brighten up the eyes then use a few coats of Maybelline The Rocket Mascara. Then to finish off the look I use Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss.

xoxo

Wishlist #1

I like to think of this 'Wishlist' series as a 'window shop lineup'. Everyone has heard of window shopping I gather? Admiring the things you can't buy but wish you could, or rather just making a mental note of them the next time you finding yourself deserving a bit of a treat or some retail therapy.

This wishlist is here to give you some ideas of things you might want to try out or if you are simply just bored of an evening and browsing the internet because there's nothing else better to do.

1. Bumble and bumble Thickening Dryspun Finish

It's time my hair has a bit of 'omph' to it.

2. YSL Forever Youth Liberator Foundation

My skin definitely needs a bit of a pick me up and I have heard very good things about this one, however I don't think I can bring myself to spend a small fortune on my face.

3. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

I am a big lover of the Urban Decay Naked palettes and my addiction doesn't stop at this one. 

4. Living Proof Prime Style Extender

A primer for your hair to make the style last longer?! Yes please. 

5. Essie After School Boy Blazer

First, how cute is the name?! Second, this colour is just too amazing.

6. Imitation Leather Trousers

I may be ordering these as I type, just maybe.

What's on your wishlist?

xoxo

The Daily Makeup Routine

The Face

I have been more into BB creams lately instead of foundation, foundation just makes my skin look a bit of a 'nothingness' and 'dull'. This Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream gives a nice dewy, natural finish. BB creams don't tend to be very high coverage, hence the natural finish so I go over any blemishes and dark circles with the Make up For Ever Full Cover Concealer. This concealer is one of the best in the market, it's waterproof so it literally doesn't budge one bit... not to mention neither does it crease under the eyes which is a big bonus. When my face is looking a bit colourless I like to bronze it up with the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzing Powder, yes you heard right... chocolate. Basically imagine putting hot chocolate powder on your face, it smells like a dream. Don't worry though you don't go around smelling like a bakery all day though (however, not necessarily a bad thing), the smell doesn't linger. Then for a rosy glow to the cheeks I add a bit of Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Rose Petal. 

The Eyes and Lips

For days when I have enough time for eyeshadow, I like to keep it pretty natural. I always reach for my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette with my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion (which is amazing, my eyeshadow stays on all day). I put 'Bootycall' from the palette all over the lid with 'Tease' in the crease and 'Busted' as eyeliner. Then I curl my lashes with my eyelash curler (from boots but not too sure on the brand) and apply a few coats of Maybelline The Rocket Volume Mascara. This mascara looks like you have false eyelashes but in a nice, natural way (I am not aspiring to rock the look of a Geordie Shore girl, don't worry). For the lips I keep it really natural with the Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss, this just adds a neutral peach sheen to the look.  

The Tools
I use these brushes everyday so as you can see, I am a big fan. From left to right, I use the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush for blending in the BB cream and any concealer I don't blend with my finger. This brush gives a natural, airbrushed look to your foundation/BB cream. For the bronzer I use the Real Techniques Blush Brush as it has a tapered end, it's easy to work into the cheekbones and down the side of the face. I will also use this brush for blush as well but the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush I apply with my fingers. Next I use the spooly to comb through my eyebrows (makeup tip: spray hairspray on the spooly before you comb to set the eyebrows), I can't remember where I got this but probably just a cheap basic Boots Drugstore one. In the crease for my eyeshadow I use my favourite eyeshadow brush which is the the MAC 217 Blending Brush, a little on the pricey side but it has lasted forever and its still in amazing condition. All over the lid eyeshadow colour I use the MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush. Last but not least, I use the Bobbie Brown Eye Liner Brush on my top and bottom lash line to apply the eyeshadow for a natural, blended out eyeliner look.

xoxo