Smokey eyes FOTD

I love layering MAC's Satin Taupe and Carbon eyeshadows for a smokey look.  This is the last look I took pictures of before I had my op, so the next FOTD will have a full product list again.

Black and white cut crease

A simple, smokey black and white cut crease look.  All the shadows I used were from Sleeks Bad Girl palette.  The lips are Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake.

Inspiration 25/11

Rouge Noir FOTD

The colours I chose for this look were inspired by MAC's Cult of Cherry collection, from back in 2008. 

I love the contrast of the bright greenish yellow eyes against the deep red lips.

The liner is a mixture of Lime Crime Magic Dusts in Circus Girl (bright yellow) and Lime Criminal (bright green), mixed with Illamasqua's sealing gel.  The lipstick Chanel's Rouge Noir, which actually looks really light in comparison to the lipstick used in the MAC shot!

Chanel Rouge Noir - The perfect dark red lipstick?

So my addiction to dark lipsticks is growing.  I've been umming and ahhhing over this lipstick for some time, and I finally caved and bought it the other day.  This shade confusingly comes in two formulas, Rouge Coco, and Rouge Allure.  I had absolutely no idea what the difference between the two was, and as Rouge Coco was sold out on the Debenhams website, I got the Rouge Allure.

Rouge Noir is a deep red, which pulls more brown than plum (although there's no way you'd mistake this for a brown).  It's a satin finish, and feels comfortable on the lips the whole time it's on.  It lasted a good 5-6 hours on me, any only really needed touch ups after eating.  I simply cannot fault this formula.  Unlike some other the other vampy fall colours I've reviewed, I didn't need to worry my hair catching in it, and ending up with lipstick all over my face!  I only own one other Chanel lipstick, a Rouge Coco Shine, and I find that to be quite drying (which is strange, as you'd think that my lips would love sheer glossy lipsticks).  The Rouge Allure formula has changed my mind about Chanel lipsticks, and I'd definitely buy more of the Rouge Allures.

So is this the one?  I want to say yes.  I really really do.  I'd like it to be a smidgen darker, but that's something I can probably do with the right lip liner.  But I'm curious about Rouge Noir in the Rouge Coco formula.  And there's an Illamasqua lipstick I want to try too.  But I'd rate this at about a 9/10 on the perfect dark red lipstick scale.  I just feel the need to try more!  I'm beginning to think I may have a problem....

Back to posting - Sleek Acid FOTD

I had to take slightly longer off from posting than I thought.  I was kept in hospital one night longer than expected, and I'm still very sore, and very swollen.  I've swollen 8 inches around my middle!  Typing is still a little painful, and makeup is out of the question.  Luckily, I did a couple of makeup looks before going for my op.  This is the first!  However, apart from the Sleek Acid palette and my new Inglot lipstick, I can't actually remember what I used! Oops!  Here's the photos anyway.

Inspiration 12/11

Here are some makeup images I've been loving this week.  They were all found on either Pinterest or Tumblr.

Also, my blog won't be getting many updates over the next couple of weeks.  I'm going into hospital tomorrow for a breast reduction, and I'm unsure as to when I'm going to feel well enough, and be able to lift my arms enough, to do my makeup.  I've got a few posts lined up though, so the blog won't be completely dead!

Search for the perfect dark red lipstick - Inglot lipstick 175 review

Frustrated with the brands I'd tried in Boots, I started searching other cosmetics brands online.  You always hear about Inglot's shadows, but never much about their lipsticks.  I decided to order number 175, as online it looked like a deep, brown toned red (or at least on my screen).

What I got was a very dark purple.  I think aside from my black lipstick, this is now the darkest lipstick I own.  But it's just not very red!  So a little bit of disappointment there.  But I do still love this colour, and it's definitely the perfect vampy purple for fall.

The formula is fantastic too.  In fact, it leaves me wondering why Inglot's lipsticks aren't raved about!  This one didn't have quite so much slip as the purple one I reviewed the other day, but it's still a soft lipstick that glides across lips without any dragging.  It's a really hydrating lipstick and I didn't find myself needing to top with a balm or gloss at all.   Staying power was about what I'd expect for a lipstick that is so moisturising.  It didn't last through a meal, but I didn't find that it smudged everywhere either.

Inglot lipsticks are wonderfully pigmented, and comfortable to wear, and I'd seriously recommend them!  But my search for that dark red lipstick continues....

Pink and brown cut crease tutorial

I added my new Bobbi Brown sparkle eyeshadow over the top of this, but you can leave that out for a more day-friendly look.  I wish the sparkle showed up better in these pictures!

Products needed

• Eyeshadow base - Too Faced Shadow Insurance
• Pinky-purple cream shadow - Illamasqua Delirium
• Brown Pencil liner - Urban Decay Demolition 24/7 pencil liner
• Pink sparkly shadow *optional* - Bobbi Brown Silver Lilac sparkle shadow
• Brown eyeshadow - MAC Satin Taupe
• Black eyeshadow - I used MAC Carbon, as it's not that pigmented, so gives a softer look.  Try Urban Decay's Blackout if you want a darker look)
• Neutral highlight shadow - Boots Natural Collection Sea Shell eyeshadow
• Black sparkly eyeliner - Urban Decay Oil Slick 24/7 pencil liner
• Black pencil liner - Illamasqua Sophie pencil
• Mascara - Lancome Hypnose Star
• False lashes

1. After priming your eye, apply your pink cream shadow all over the lid.
2. With a brown pencil draw a line along your crease, and mark out your flick,
3. Place your brown shadow on top of the brown liner, blending upwards towards the crease.  At this point, I patted my sparkly eyeshadow on top of the cream shadow.
4. Highlight under your brow using your neutral shadow.  Define the brown pencil line with black eyeshadow.
5. Line your eye with a black sparkly pencil liner.  I used an angled brush to blend this into the wing line I made with the brown pencil.
6. Apply black pencil to your waterline, then add mascara and lashes.

Christmassy green liner already? FOTD

It wasn't until I actually applied Urban Decay's Junkie eyeliner, that I realised just what a festive green it is!  Decided to skip out on the red lipstick, as I thought that may have been a little too Christmassy for the beginning of November!

I also made the mistake of using Urban Decay's Chopper eyeshadow.  It sit there in my Naked 2 palette, looking so pretty.  But every time I use it I get so much fall out that I have to removed and reapply all of the makeup on my cheeks!  

Products Used

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Urban Decay Naked 2 palette

Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Junkie

Illamasqua pencil in Vow

Lancome Hypnose Star mascara

MUFE Aqua Brow

Spending more money: Bobbi Brown sparkle eyeshadow, and Inglot lipstick review

I'm on a bit of a makeup buying binge at the moment.  My eyeshadow collection, whilst large, is lacking in glittery eyeshadows.  They're not something I'd reach for on a daily basis, but it'd be nice to have the option for when I do feel like sparkling a little!  So I headed to my nearest Bobbi Brown counter, and picked up one of their sparkle eyeshadows.

After covering myself in so many swatches that I looked like a character from Twilight, I chose Silver Lilac.  The colour is, well, a silvered lilac.  The lilac leans more pink than blue, and boy is it sparkly!  Despite this, it's kind of a grown up sparkle, although I do like to team it with some non-glitter shadows so it doesn't look too OTT.  Surprisingly, I didn't have a ridiculous of fall out from it.  I used a base, but it was a non-sticky one (Too Faced Shadow Insurance).  I'm totally in love with this shadow, and I'm sure I'll be adding more to my collection soon!

My second purchase was a lipstick from Inglot.  They're a brand I've been wanting to try for a while, and when I spotted a candidate for 'the perfect dark red lipstick' (separate review coming soon), I felt like I had to buy at least one other item to justify the £5 postage.  I was slightly overwhelmed by their eyeshadow selection, and being the lipstick addict that I am, I decided to try a lipstick from their freedom system range, so I chose a 3 slot palette, and decided to just try one lipstick to see how I liked it.  I was immediately drawn to their Colour Play range, which features a variety of bright colours, including green, blue, and yellow.  I opted for number 95, a bright, blue toned lilac.  There's a fair few purples on the market, but because of the amount of blue in it, I haven't seen anything quite like this Inglot lipstick.

I totally love this colour.  It's bright, and different, without being totally out there.  I had to apply a couple of layers to build this up to full opacity, as it looked a bit strange with my natural lip colour showing through, but it wasn't hard to do.  The formula is wonderfully moisturising and comfortable to wear.  It's got quite a bit of slip to it, which does effect wear time, and I found I had to touch up the colour on a couple of areas where my lip colour showed through after about 3 hours.  Given the right occasion, high maintenance lip colours don't bother me too much.  I didn't have any problems with it smudging everywhere though, so that's definitely a plus!  

The palette I bought to put the lipstick in is able to hold 3 more lipsticks, so that's a good enough excuse to buy more colours in this fantastic formula!

Neutral silver FOTD

I used my Barbara Daley eyeshadow pen as a base for Urban Decay's Pistol, which brought out the silver tones it in. 

Products Used

Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Barbara Daley eyeshadow pen in Airforce

Urban Decay Naked 2 palette

Boots Natural Collection eyeshadow in Sea Shell

Illamasqua black gel liner

Illamasqua Sophie pencil

Lancome Hypnose Star mascara

MUFE Aqua Brow

Budget shopping trip - Boots Naturals and Barbara Daley review

First off, apologies for the lack of posting over the weekend.  I was stuck in bed ill for most of it.  I'm back to my normal, semi-healthy self now, and even my illness didn't stop me spending money on makeup, so there's a couple of review posts coming up!

The first is a review of a couple of cheap products I picked up.  I love my Armani lipsticks and Urban Decay shadows as much as the next girl, but sometimes I am tempted by those super cheap products, with an "it's only a pound, not much lost if it's rubbish" attitude.

That was exactly my train of thought when I passed the clearance bucket in Tesco.  A lot of the products weren't sealed, so we a bit minging after having fingers shoved in them, but all of the Barbara Daley products were sealed.  The Barbara Daley range is exclusive to Tesco, and I can honestly say I've never given them a second thought.  I've also not seen the line mentioned in many other blogs.   With the an eyeshadow pen at only 69p, and a powder highlighter at £1.20, I couldn't really say no.  And I've got to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

The Light and Easy Shimmering Highlighter is a loose powder, which is a pink toned, very pale gold.  The first thing I noticed about it was the packaging.  Unlike so many loose powder products, which just have a sifter (or worse, nothing at all), this has a sifter that you can open and close.  It's a great idea, and one I think more companies should use!

I was a little concerned that the powder itself was just going to be a glitter bomb, but it wasn't even close.  It has very fine shimmer, so it just gives a subtle glow to the skin.  It works really well as an every day highlighter.  The colour doesn't really show up on my oh so pale skin, but I think it'd look even better on darker skin tones (ie. most people).  The powder is soft, and blends in easily, with no effort at all.  And best of all, it hung around on my super oily skin for about 4 hours, which is pretty good for a £1.20 highlighter!

Eyeshadow pen in Airforce, Shimmering Highligter unblended, then blended

The eyeshadow pencil is where I was really blown away though.  They only had one shade, Airforce, which is a blue toned grey.  It comes in a clickable pen form, with a brush.  

Usually I hate this as the clicks give you far more product than you need, but I didn't have that problem.  A couple of clicks was just right for me.  I didn't have high hopes for this.  Cream shadows usually only last about 30min to an hour on my eyelids before creasing, and that's after using a primer.  Only Maybelline's Colour Tattoos last 4 or 5 hours.  This cream shadow lasted (on top of Two Face Shadow Insurance) 9 hours!  The only reason it didn't last longer is because I had to take it off for bed!
I didn't set it with shadow, and there wasn't even the slightest crease mark.  Totally amazed! 

 Unfortunately, they only had one shade in the clearance bin, and I think that's because it's being discontinued, so get yourselves down to Tesco to check out their discount makeup now!  They do one other shade on the Tesco website, Otter, which is brown.  It's £6, which still isn't bad for just how amazing it is.  I'm also curious to try out their long wear eyeshadow sticks.  Shell may just be the nude cream base I've been dreaming of!

My other bargain buy isn't such a surprise.  Readers of my blog will probably have noticed that I usually use Boots Natural Collection in Sea Shell as my highlight colour.  Their eyeshadows are totally under-rated.  Every colour I've tried has great pigmentation and is easy to blend.  The fact that they're £1.79 makes them a great choice if it's a colour you're going to be using on a regular basis.  So when I noticed that I've almost scraped my MAC Yogurt eyeshadow pan clean I decided to check out the Natural Collection eyeshadows, and picked up Soft Pink.

Once I got it home and swatched it next to Yogurt, I found that the two shades are very different.  Soft Pink is much lighter.  Yogurt is so close to my skin tone that you can barely see it in the comparison swatch.  Oh well.  It's still a great colour that I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of.  It's a little powdery, but it doesn't affect the application or wear time.  And at least it was only £1.79 I spent!

A rather empty MAC Yogurt, and Natural Collection Soft Pink

MAC Yogurt (it's there, honest!) and Natural Collection Soft Pink

Do you have any budget friendly brands that you love?  Let me know!