Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss Review

Hey beauts! I was recently browsing the Debenhams website and spotted that the Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss's were in the sale for a bargain £5.99. I have never been that much of a gloss girl, and always favour lipstick, but, I knew for that price I had to grab one. There were two colours which caught my eye, but as I hadn't tried them before and therefore didn't know if I would actually like them, I decided to only order one. The one I got is 'Frenzy', an amazingly bright hot pink. I can definitely see why they called these lipglosses 'intense' as even in the tube the colour is so striking. 

I am not the biggest fan of the packaging, only because squeezy tubes just don't work well for me, and with it being such a bold colour, if you arn't careful and squeeze too hard, you are going to end up with it all down your clothes. I much prefer a brush applicator, I find them much easier to apply with precision (again, this is needed with it being such a statement colour) and to take out in your clutch to reapply on a night out, but that's just down to personal preference. 

The gloss itself is seriously pigmented, and it applies with enough coverage that there is no need for a lipstick. It does actually feel like you are wearing a bold lipstick with a glossy finish to it and when applied to the lips it is one of those formulas that you just know is going to last well (although probably isn't the best if you are planning on kissing or hugging any body, as it will most definitely end up on their face/lips/clothes!).

I think this colour is a great alternative if you are a little scared or feel you can't pull off wearing a bold red lip. It really is a statement gloss, perfect for a night out teamed with a nude eye and your fave little black dress. I am super tempted to pick up some more of these whilst they are still in the sale, as they are definitely worth it. 

This gloss has definitely opened my eyes when it comes to choosing lippy over gloss. What do you think? Are you more of a lip gloss or lipstick kinda gal? Have you tried any of the Intense glosses from this line?

August Favourites 2012!

Hey lovelies! So, it feels like forever since I lasted posted on my blog. For the past week I have been bed bound with food poisoning, which hasn't been nice at all! But 7 days of stomach cramps, migraines, hot and cold chills and sickness and it seems to have sorted itself out. I believe I may have skipped out on last months favourites and i'm not really sure why...but usually I really get the urge to write a favourites post to share all the things I have been loving, so I guess over July, I wasn't really using anything different than the previous month and had gotten into a bit of a routine with the products I was using. If you read my acrylic storage post (here) you will know I invested in some Muji clear storage drawers, which I have become obsessed with and have allowed me to be able to store some of my makeup in view on my dressing table, which means i'm getting a lot more use out of items that had previously been forgotten about. So, over August I have been mixing things up a bit in the makeup department, as thanks to Muji I now have lots of choices within arms reach when getting ready at my dressing table. 

Anyhoo, on to the favourites!

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr 'Eternal Gold'. I picked up a few more of these Color Tattoo's and completely forgot to post about them. Eternal Gold is a lovely light yellowish gold that works lovely on its own or as a base on the eye. I have been getting so much use out of this!

Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Flared Mascara. I love all the Maybelline mascaras and this was my lastest one to try. The curved wand is sposed to flare your lashes outward using the curved side first, followed by the flat side. I wouldn't say it particularly 'flares' my lashes out but it is a great mascara and gives a lot of length to the lashes. 

Mac Trax Eyeshadow. Trax is a lovely burgundy, brown toned plum with lots of shimmer. It looks so pretty swept all across the eyelid for night time.

All For Eve 'Eve's Balm'. I got this is my August Glossybox and have been loving it. Its a lovely rich balm for even the most dry and chapped skin. This is a multi purpose product and can be used just about anywhere, but I have been using it on my lips and really like it. It has a lovely scent which reminds me a lot of the Figs & Rouge Lip Balm in Rambling Rose.

Mac Cut A Caper Lipstick. This has been a firm favourite ever since I got it! I have a post here that goes into more detail, but it is the most perfect corally pink and I have been wearing it a lot lately (although limited edition means I am having to be a little careful using it!).

Aussie Dual Personality Aussome Texturising + Conditioning Gel Spray. This is basically a texturising spray that contains sea kelp and works wonders on flat hair. I use this when I want some added volume and it really does work. I mostly work it in around my crown and a little bit towards the front of my hair for a gorgeous volumised look. I have been using this loads recently over the past month and I love it (it smells goooorgeous too). Would you be interested in seeing a post all about the Aussie products that I use?

Essie Risky Business. This was actually in my August Nail Polish Favourites post, but I felt I had to include it again. It is a lovely bright corally red, perfect for summer and I love how it looks on the nails and toes. I have been wearing this too many times to tell this month!

Hope you enjoyed my favourites! Let me know in the comments what you have been loving this month.

Top 5: Drugstore Lipsticks!

Hey lovelies! I decided I would start a top 5 series, as I love reading them, so wanted to share some of my top products with you. I am splitting them up into categories and highstreet/drugstore and high end, as it would be way to hard to narrow them all down into a top 5! So today, I am starting with my top 5 drugstore/highstreet lipsticks!

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse 'Impulsive Fuchsia'. I have spoken about these lipsticks before and this has to be my favourite colour from the ones I own. It is a bright fuchsia which is so, so glossy on the lips and leaves a gorgeous finish. I lovvee the packaging, it almost has a high end feel about it and the formulation is lovely! This retails at £7.99, which I think is a great price! My full review of Impulsive Fuchsia can be seen here.

Elf  Lipstick 'Nicely Nude'. This is from the eyeslipsface mineral line and is my favourite highstreet nude. Its that 'my lips but better' in colour and has an almost matte finish when first applied, but when built up gives the slightest gloss finish. It is really pigmented and I think this shade would suit all skin tones aswell as work well with both a dark and nude eye! This lasts for ages on the lips and is a bargain at £5.

Miss Sporty Perfect Colour Lipstick 'Innocence'. I have owned this for ages now and is one of my most worn lipsticks. (as you can see I have nearly finished it!) It is a light, bright, but wearable pink that looks lovely for a night out, or even to add a pop of colour in the day and I love how this works against my dark hair. It has slightly sticky feeling on the lips, but not in a bad way, this means it stays on for a long time. I'm not actually sure if this shade is still available, as I bought this so long ago, but the range is definitely worth checking out as they are only £2.59 each!

Revlon Lip Butter 'Sweet Tart'. These lip butters are very popular and I for one love them. Of the few that I own Sweet Tart is my fave. It is a lovely bright pink with a slight berry under tone, which makes it so wearable. They are very similar in formula to the L'Oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks, although I would say the Lip Butters are creamier. It is so moisturising and leaves a lovely glossy finish. Lip butters retail for £7.99. 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain 'Rendezvous'. Revlon have been bringing out some amazing lip products recently, firstly Lip Butters and then these! So, i'm slightly cheating with this one as it isn't exactly a lipstick, but I love it all the same. Rendezvous is a bright coral colour which I lovee and is the dupe for the Clinique Chubby Sticks. I love the crayon packaging and how it applies. It can be softly worked onto the lips for a sheer wash of colour or built up for a intense bright lip. I have done a full review on this, which you can check out here. The Balm Stains retail for £7.99, although they are on offer in Boots right now for £5.99!

Hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to leave requests on which top 5 you would like to see next! What are your top 5 lipsticks?

Laura Mercier 'Lips'

Hey everyone! Life has been a little hectic this week, so again my blog has had to take a back seat :( I have been moving flats, which has been pretty stressful! But I am excited for a new chapter in my life and can't wait to show you all my new makeup set up once its finished! I recently picked up some Laura Mercier lip products which I have been loving. 

First up is a lipstick in the colour 'Maple', a deep plummy red, which isn't a colour I tend to gravitate towards a lot as I find it hard to pull off a dark lip, but I really love this colour. It can be applied sheerly to just give a nice wash of colour to the lips, or built up to create a much more intense colour. I havn't used this much yet, as I definitely think it is an 'occasion' lipstick, but I think it would look gorgeous on a night with the hair in a high bun to add a pop of colour and sophistication! 

Next is a lip liner in the shade 'Potpourri', which I have fallen in love with. I have already worn this a lot as it is very versatile! A first glance it looks like a deep brown toned pinky red, but when applied it gives that 'my lips but better' look with a slightly darker tone. The reason I like this so much is because it can be worn alone to give a deeper reddish and more defined look to the lips (which I love, as my skin tone can't pull off a full red), worn underneath a nude toned lipstick, or used with a darker lipstick to give even more intensity. The colour reminds me a lot of Spice lip liner from Mac, and I think it just works perfectly to define the lips.

Lastly I got a Lip Glace in the colour 'Champagne', a pretty pinky nude with flecks of gold shimmer. I am obsessed with this colour. It is so rich looking and has what I describe as a toffee like vanilla scent. The gloss is very pigmented and doesn't take a lot to get the colour onto the lips. It definitely doesn't have that overly 'sticky' formulation, but just enough so as the gloss lasts for a 2 hours or so! These arn't the cheapest of lip gloss's at £18.50, but they have fab staying power and come in beautiful colours!

Laura Mercier products can be picked up on the House Of Fraser website!

Have you got any Laura Mercier lip products? Which are your favourites? Or perhaps you have a different brand/shade to recommend to me, I would love to know!

 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

Hey lovely ladies! I hope you are all well! After my recent shopping trip (which involved alot of coral!) I needed something to coordinate with my new handbag which I am in loovveee with! So I picked up one of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in the shade 'Rendezvous'. These are suppose to be the highstreet dupe to the more expensive and very popular Clinique Chubby Sticks and at £7.99, they are definitely a lot more affordable. The colour is a gorgeous bright coral which can be applied very sheerly, or built up to create a lovely bold lip. The forumla and finish is somewhere inbetween a lipstick, a balm and a gloss and doesn't feel at all drying on the lips. Despite the unnecessarily long name (I mean who's going to say in passing "Hey! I just picked up one of Revlon's new just bitten kissable balm stains!" !? Not me!) I am really sold with this product. I love the crayon style packaging and I am a big fan of lip stains as a whole. In comparison to the Clinique version, I much prefer the name of the chubby sticks, its very distinctive and recognisable, where as these I definitely wouldnt remember the Revlon name and I would most likely end up calling it a chubby stick anyway! 

These are currently on offer at Superdrug for £5.99! 

Have you tried these lip stains? Do you have a favourite colour? I would love some suggestions on which colour I should pick up next!

Mac 'Hue' Lipstick

  Eyes- Nars Cream Eyeshadow Camargue (Base) // Mac Scene (Outer corner) // Mac Cork (Blended through crease) // Mac Woodwinked (Outer two thirds) // Elf Black Gel Liner // Maybelline Volum' Express Mascara 

Hey girls! I went shopping the other day for an outfit for a girls night out and had set myself a realistic budget so that I didn't go mad buying everything in sight. At the end of the day I had picked up a whole outfit including a clutch for under my budget, so, feeling pretty impressed with myself, I decided to pop into Mac and buy myself a treat (Does anyone else do that!?)! I knew I wanted a lipstick but was torn between getting a nude or a coral to go with the outfit I'd bought. After swatching some potentials, I ended up getting 'Hue'. Hue is definitely a beauty blogger/ youtuber favourite and is hyped about a lot, and being a pinky nude, I knew I would get a lot of use out of it. The finish is a glaze, which means the staying power of Hue isn't amazing, but I don't mind reapplying if it means having a gorgeous lip colour. It is very glossy and moisturising on the lips which is perfect for me as I can have very dry lips which lipsticks can sometimes stick in to. This is definitely a colour I will get lots of use from and can be worn day and night as it is so natural on the lips! (Sorry about the annoying shadows across the last photos, it was late at night and hard to get good lighting!)

Have you tried Hue? Do you have a favourite Mac lipstick?

Look Of the Day

Today I am off on the train to visit my friend for her birthday tomorrow! Here is the makeup look I am wearing, a nude, long lasting look, focusing on nude eyes and glossy lips that has become my go to when travelling. 

Lip liner- No.7 Perfect Lips Pencil 'Nude'

Lipstick- Mac 'Angel'

Lipgloss- No.7 Lip Gloss 'Marshmallow'

Would you be interested in seeing a tutorial or post on the look I wear for my friends birthday drinks tomorrow night?

x

My Every Day Face

So, as you may have guessed from the title of this post, this is going to be showing you what makeup I wear on a daily basis. I need to apologise in advance for the quality of the images, as my camera battery decided to die as soon as I went to take the photo's for this post so I have had to make do with my iphone as I wanted to get this up today!


(Warning, take a deep breath before reading this lot!) 

My everyday makeup is pretty simple, I tend to stick with a nude eye and lip for day time, so as I can vamp it up for nights out or special occasions with a bright lip or smokey eye or though there is the odd day where I will mix it up a bit! But for the most part, this is what I wear daily and find it lasts through the whole day.

Base- I don't tend to use a primer daily as I don't feel I need it, but I do like a apply a bit of the Monu Skin Perfector (I got this in a glossybox) under my foundation. I find this just evens out my skin tone a little.

Foundation- I didn't have this to hand when I was photographing my products, but the foundation I have been using recently is the Clinique Superbalanced Makeup in the shade Beige Chiffon. I havn't been using this foundation for long but I really like it. I had been using the Revlon Colorstay, but wanted something a bit lighter for summer so gave this a go and I am really happy with the results. It leaves my skin looking fresh and covers any blemishes and discolouration well. I apply this with a Real Techniques Stippling Brush which gives it a really airbrushed finish.


Concealer- I actually use two concealers and love them equally. I have been using Mac Studio Finish in Nc 30 and Mac Studio Sculpt N20 as my holy grail concealers for over a year now. I use studio finish over any blemishes and redness that I have, and studio sculpt (in a slightly lighter colour) under my eyes to brighten them and conceal any bags!


Brows- Ever since I got my HD Brows Palette in my Glossybox last year, I have used it ever since, and as you can see, have now hit pan on my colour. My palette is Bombshell and the colour I use is ash blonde, which is suprising as I am a brunette but find this colour works perfectly and allows me to avoid having a really dark brow. I use a Royal and Langnickel C490 (Small angled brush) to apply this to my eyebrows.


Powder- To set my concealer, I will use a pressed powder and at the moment the one I am using is the Gosh Pressed Powder in the shade 02 So Natural. This sets my makeup nicely and makes it last all day. (I would not recommend this powder for photographs, as it does give flashback)


Eyes- My eyes are usually left pretty simple and nude and for day time I try and concentrate on creating a flawless base rather than pops of colour. For shadow, I use my Blush Cosmetics 88 palette, putting a matte nude colour all over the lid using the Round Shader brush from Frontcover and follow by blending a light matte brown through my crease using a No.7 Blend and Contour brush.


I then apply a mascara to my top and bottom lashes. I mix my mascara up all the time, but at the moment I am using Daniel Sandler Jumbo Jet mascara, which creates a really full lash.


Cheeks- On my cheeks, I will either use my Famous by Sue Moxley bronzer (which is a nice baked, warm bronzer which some shimmer and gold veins running through it. You can find this in some Superdrug stores) in Shade 3- Tahiti to give my face some warmth or my Mac Blush is the colour Harmony (a matte, muted rose beige colour) to contour my cheekbones. For this I use the Real Techniques Blush Brush.


To highlight, I use my Mac Cream Colour Base in Pearl, on the tops of my cheekbones and on my brow bone. I love this highlighter and it is great for skin tones with olive or yellow undertones.

Lips- On my lips I will usually just use a lipbalm, my favourite at the moment is the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Lip Balm but if I want something a little bit more, I will use my No.7 Perfect Lips Pencil in the shade 02 Nude, which is a perfect 'my lips but better' colour, and to add a bit of a sheen, I will put my Becca Beach Tint in the colour Watermelon on top of this.

And there you have it, my every day face :) x