Freedom Pro Lipstick Palette - Naked

Hey all 

Long time no post from me. Life has been a little hectic lately and I’ve just not found the time to write. I’ve got so many posts I want to write but decided to start with the  Freedom ProArtist pro lipstick palette as there are two up for grabs in our birthday giveaway (post here). 

NYX Kush Eyeshadow and Tropical Green Slide on Eye Pencil

Hey All

A few weeks ago L and I headed to an event at the NYX counter in Boots. I'd been in a few times prior to the event as I'm addicted to the lip lingeries (which I still need to share on the blog, if you're following my 100daysofmakeup on instagram you'll see they're firm favourites!). I picked up a few new bits so will be sharing those. I love green on the eyes and have featured a few FOTDs on here with greens so when I saw Kush eyeshadow I fell in love. I decided I probably didn't need it as I was buying the tropical green liner so was very happy when I was able to pick it for my goody bag.

The extreme shine liner in tropical green fell into my shopping bag without a question of a doubt on weather I need it. These liners are amazing. They glide so easily onto the eyes, blend out and last. Texture wise they remind me of the Urban Decay liners which are the bees knees!

Tropical green is an amazing emerald green shade and I've been loving sweeping it under the lower lashes for a pop of colour. As it's a deeper green it's easy to wear everyday! At £5 they're definitely worth picking up!

I'm a fan of colour on the eyelids and sway towards green and purple shadows easily. Kush caught my gaze straight away, along with enchanted which I will be going back for. They are a bargain £3.50 and even cheaper in pan form. As you can see from the swatch below they are super pigmented too and blend amazingly.

As you can see from the swatches of the both they are pigmented. They also last really well. I'll definitely be grabbing more of the eyeliners and eyeshadows! Even better than the price is that NYX are a cruelty free brand so one I can easily pick up. 

Here are both products on together! I really love the combination of the two!

I'm going to grab a foundation next, any recommendations?

Love M

xxx

FOTD - Current Favourites

Hey All

It's been a long time since I've shared any favourite make up or done a face of the day so I thought I'd combined the too and show you some of the products I've been reaching for the most lately.

I love the difference make up makes to my features. Being pale and with light hair means my features can get lost without make up so I can't be without brows and mascara!

Products used:

• Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette
• Mac Studio Fix Fludic - NW20
• Body Shop Shade Adjusting Drops - Lightening
• Benefite Brow Zings - Light
• Ebay Brushes
• Real Techniques contour and buffing brush
• Mac 168
• Nars Radiant Creamy Concleaer - Vanilla
• Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil
• Seventeen Blush - Nude
• Stila One Step Correct Primer
• Urban Decay 24/7 Liner - SmokeOut
• W7 The Queen of Brows - Light Medium 
• Avon Infintize and Aero Volume Mascaras - Black
• Phees Make up Shadows - Peppered, Sphinx, Deadweight and The Original Highlight.
• Mac Amplified Lipstick - Fast Play 

I'm always one for a flawless base but lately I'm really struggling, I seem to be more pale than normal and no foundations are working properly. The Shade adjusting drops have been an amazing find. I've been able to use my foundations that have been sat to one side more and I'm getting a better colour match. Studio fix fluid isn't my favourite Mac foundation I'm more of a pro longwear fan! Browzings has been a regular use since I discovered it. It just gives perfect definition and will always remain a firm favourite. The same goes for the Nar concealer! I love this stuff, it covers sooo well! I fancied a bit of extra brightening this day so used the urban decay concealer underneath too. For me the eyes are always a touch smokey. I love the shimmer in the Phees Shadows and they are just so pigmented!! I used peppered over the lid, with sphinx on the out part of the lid, shades from Kat Von D palette through my crease and deadweight through the outer v to smoke it out then used the UD liner to line my lashline. I added the original highlight to my inner corner to brighten it up and used it as my highlight. I used the Kat Von D palette to contour. The middle large shade is perfect for this I love the colour it is. My cheeks are an old discovery, a random blush I found in my collection but absolutely love. The lips are a shade I can't stop reaching for. It's perfect for everyday and a great neutral shade!

What are your current make up favourites?

Love M

xxx

MAC Pro longwear Foundation Review

Hey All

Long time no post from me it feels. Life has just been getting in the way lately but today I wanted to share a product I loved a while ago but recently repurchased and have fell in love with again, it's MAC Pro Longwear. We've reviewed it a long time ago on the blog but I've now gone for a different shade and thought I'd show you it on.

This was a total whirlwind purchase at the airport when we went to Copenhagan. You can see what else I picked up here and here. I am really pale lately and I find my foundations are all quite dark so I got colour matched at the airport to NW15. Previously I was NW20 but I definitely think that would be too dark for me.

The bottle and packaging are the same as they were before. Classic MAC black and white. I really like the pump on this, I like that it twists to close so it's secure in my bag as regularly I do my make up on the bus so I need something secure.

NW15 is for pink undertones. I have naturally rose pale skin I think I probably could have gotten away with NW12 but at least with this I can wear it all year.

Bare Skin

1 Layer

2 Layers

Full Face

I love this foundation. I'd forgotten how much I loved it until I had it back in my life. It builds up on the skin and blends so easily. I find my skin looks natural as it sets to a semi matte finish and doesn't leave me shiny and as you can see above photographs really well. I do find MAC colour options great for most skin tones.

Since purchasing it I have decided to go cruelty free so this will be my last bottle of it which does honestly leave me gutted so any recommendations for an alternative let me know.

Love M

xxx

Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette Review

Hey all

As soon as the Kat Von D make up hit the scene I knew I had to have some. I'm still desperate for the liquid liner, liquid lipsticks and the foundations as they're meant to be great for pale skin tones. My first product was the Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette. I initially wanted the contour palette but opted for this instead. 

I was drawn to the eye palette as it was a totally matte palette (something I didn't previously own) and the top three shades were large pans and I thought I could use them as contour and highlight shades and get a multi use from these palettes. I love that it comes with some ideas for looks to create to so is great for beginners or to help grow make up confidence. 

Apologies for the used palette photos. I initially took them brand new but wasn't happy with them when I uploaded them. The palette contains 12 different shades set up in three sections. The large shade is meant to be the base, the 1st shade underneath the contour, the second shade define and the third shade highlight. All the colours are really pigmented and blend out easily. I don't tend to follow what the shades are for and mix it up. I love that it comes with warm and cool tone so will suit most skin tones!!

Here I used the large shade called Lazerous to add some definition in the creases Laetus and Lucious on the lid. I love using these shades for a natural eye look. Lazerous also works as a great brow shade.

Here I went heavier with the colours and blended lots of the brown shades through the outer v to deepen it. The colours all blend really well together. I've also used Lazerous to contour here and Laetus to set under the eyes. I love this as a contour shade. It looks so natural against my pale skin as it's more of a taupe shade. I'm wearing the lip liner featured on the blog on Monday Rimmel 1000 kisses in Tiramisu. With Revlon Mauve it Over (which I've now learnt is discontinued, sad times !!)

I love this palette and can't wait to try more of the Kat Von D range, the foundation is next on my list. I'm tempted to purchase a sample of it to try out. It's not the easiest make up range to get but Sephora do now ship to the UK. I personally use a facebook group to order my American make up from. 

How do you get American products? Have you tried Kat Von D products?

Love M

xxx

No Make Up Make Up FOTD

Hey All

As much as I love a full face of make up some days I prefer to go for a more natural look. I'm not the best at natural as if I'm wearing make up I tend to like to go all out. I've found one thing that helps is going for a brown/black mascara and one that's not what I'd normally like. I'm not one to step away from the mascara wand and think one more coat always helps (until it's one coat to many and you end up with 5 lashses!!)

The products I tend to reach for when wanting a more natural look are

• Urban Decay Naked 3 (review) especially shades strange, limit and nooner
• Bourjois Healthy Mix (review) 
• HD Brows foundation Powder (review)
• Benefit Fake Up (review)
• Benefit Gimme Brow (review)
• Makebelieve Enhance Sunbream Bronzer (review)
• Seventeen Cheek Stamp Blush in Blushin'
• George Volume Lash brown/black
• No7 High Shine Lip Crayon in Daydream

Here are the swatches without flash above and with flash below. Lipstick, blush, bronzer, naked eyeshadows in strange, limit and nooner.

Annoyingly my phone seems to have a feature I can't figure out how to take off and blurs my selfies. I love a foundation like Bourjois healthy mix for looks like this as it has enough pigment to even out my skintone but is light enough to not leave the skin looking totally flawless. A little bit of Benefit fake up blends away the dark circles. I then lightly set it with the HD brows powder foundation. For brows I love using Gimme Brow. Using a coloured brow gel helps the brows stand out more without looking too defined and still leaves them looking like brows.

I'm someone who has to contour every day, but I do apply it very lightly just to the hollows of my cheek bones for this type of make up. For me I find my skin most compliments a baby pink blush for a softer look. Lately I've been trying to save my beloved Dandelion and the Seventeen Blush is being a good substitute although I found the application a little weird.

For eyes it's probably the hardest for me to keep natural. Where I have naturally fair eyelashes I'm used to applying lots to make my eyes stand out. I'm loving using the George Mascara as it gives my eyelashes a bit of colour and volume. The eye shadows in Naked 3 are great for adding a little bit of colour to the eyes without it looking too much. I strange all over, limit through the crease then a small amount of nooner. For lips a bit of lip balm would work but as I recently borrowed the No7 lip crayon from my mum I've been loving the slight wash of colour!

What products do you use for the more natural make up days?

Love M

xxx

The Balm Nude Tude Palette

Hey All

I’m a little bit late posting today but the last few weeks have been hectic. A night out on Saturday and a horrific hangover yesterday meant I’m only now feeling ok. This little beauty I couldn't help picking up on the plane on the way to Iceland. I ended up paying around £16 for it as there was a special deal for £5 off the already duty free price.

I’d heard so much about The Balm I couldn't wait to finally try some products myself. I’m still tempted by Mary Lou minizer but it’s gold appearance puts me off.

The nude tude palette comes with 12 different eyeshadows and they are just under a gram each so you get a decent amount of product.  There are a good variety of colours meaning you can use it for everyday where or to create a smokey eye. It comes with a brush and a primer. The primer I’m yet to try but I am a bit disappointed with the brush. I think quality wise I’m comparing it to the one’s you get in the urban decay palettes which is it nowhere near as good as.

The palette is in a firm cardboard coating and seems to be lasting well so far and has a large mirror so it’s perfect for the days I do my make up on the bus. It closes by a magnet which seems secure. I have the naughty version of the palette so it’s women with the eyeshadows covering parts. I love the cheekiness and the fun designs of The Balm products.

Sassy is a bright shimmery white. For me this will only ever be an inner corner shadow but for that it looks amazing.

Snobby is a soft gold shimmer. Perfect for all over the lid.

Stubborn is a slightly pink tone soft shimmer. This looks great all over the lid and comes out less pink on my skin tone than it appears in pan.

Stand-offish is one of my favourite colours in the palette. It’s a nude very shimmery colour. This looks great all over the lid.

Selfish is a shimmery taupe colour. This looks great for the out v for a light day time smokey eye.

Sultry is a warm matte brown. I love blending this through the crease but sometimes it can go too yellow when blended out.

Sophisticated is dark brown shimmer colour. I love this for in the outer V.

Seductive is a warmer  gold toned brown still with shimmer.

Sexy is a cranberry matte shade. This is one of my favourites and gets a lot of use. I love blending this through the outer edge of a defined crease to warm up a smokey eye. It blends really well.

Silly is a warm medium brown with a goldish shimmer.

Serious is a great matte black. In pan is has some gold glitter.

Sleek is a dark warm matte brown.

I found all the shadows really easy to work with and blend well. I always use a primer for my eyes but have show swatches with and without. The lighter colours haven’t shown up aswell without but do still on the eye better. Overall I’ve been really impressed with the quality of the products and they last all day.

Here’s some looks I’ve created using the palette. I love that you can make warm brown looks but there are colours for cooler looks too.

Here I have seductive all over the lid and silly blended through the outer V. I also have used sultry to define the cream prior to using seductive.

Here I have sexy and serious blended through the crease.

Have you use any of The Balm products?

Love M

xxx

FOTD

Good morning loves!

Now i have dark hair again I've been experimenting with my make up. I had no idea it would make such a difference to have my highlights dyed over and my hair is now back to my natural colour but has seemed to have made my 'normal' make up look like I've got nothing on!

I've had to change everything up so I've taken a few photos to show what I've swapped my products for, you can see how dark my hair is in the photo below:

I've always been a fan of Vichy Dermablend but recently it has really been a favourite of mine for its great coverage but natural finish. However in my usual Opal colour it has looked a little pale so I've been mixing in Rimmel's Wake Me Up to give it a bot more colour.

I've stuck with my favourite concealer though, now I've tried Nars I just don't want to use any other concealer as nothing works the same way as that does!

After setting my base with Rimmel's Stay Matte powder I've been using my Bourjois bronzer - never fails to make me look more contoured and also never seems to go down either! For blush I've been trying to finish off my old Coralista - I hit pan and panic bought another but that seems silly now that months later I've still got it!
It's still one of my favourite blushes though so I'll still be using it for years.

For brows I've been using Naked Basics' Faint eyeshadow for a little while now - its the perfect dark brown for my black brows. Doesn't look like I've sharpied them on and also isn't a weird red toned brown that some brands have suggested I use.

As for eyes I've been using some of my eyeliners recently and blending them in together for a different look. I've got a post coming up about it and how using eyeliners is a great easy way to change up looks!
These are a selection from Urban Decay, their 24/7 eye liner pencils are the best I've ever tried and I really recommend them if you're looking for a smooth pencil with great pigmentation.
This look includes Mugshot, Moonspoon and Glitter Rock.

And of course the wonderful Perversion - the ultimate black liner - along the lower waterline.

For mascara I've been using Benefit's They're Real recently, I've been saving it up as it's my last full size mascara but it is one of the best that I've tried for my lashes both length and volume.

This is a look that I wear on weekends, for me applying eye make up is something done in a haphazard way during the weekdays as my time is limited. But on weekends I definitely make more of an effort to wear different products and try different things.

Do you do the same and try to use different products? What do you think of changing your hair colour, has it had an effect on your regular products used?

L xxx

Nars and God Created Women Palette

Hey All

Hope you've had a great Christmas. Mine was spent at home with the family. The week I was home has flown by in a busy rush and I'm not lookin forward to work today.

This Nars palette was something I got in my space nk haul bak in October. I was drawn to it as the natural colours looked like something I could use everyday and the palette was much smaller than my naked palettes to throw in a make up bag for when I stay at the other halfs.

The colours at the top are with primer.

I also loved that it came with a mini eyeshadow primer and brush. I'd heard a lot about the primer and wanted to try it, especially as I'd heard it was good for oily skin.

When the palette arrived it didn't disapoint. I love the compact size of it and the colours were gorgeous. Having never tried Nars eyeshadows I didn't know what to expect with pigmentation and blendibility (have I just made up that word?). The shimmer colours were easy to apply to the eyes and had a soft buttery texture. The two matte shades also b

ended well but weren't as soft as the shimmers. The pigmentation is also impressive and all the colours apply well. With primer the colours are even more intense.

The palette is versitile and the colours easily work for day time but can be built up for a more intense evening look.

Here are some of the looks I've created with the palette. The last few photos also show te shadows after twelve hours where. An eyeshadow that really lasts is imporant to me as I usually end up doing things straigh after work so need something that last through.

This is with the lightest colour all over the lid and the light matte brown/taupe blended in the crease.

Here I used the darker colours to deepen the crease and outer V.

After twelve hours wear

The handbag size of this appeals to me as I quite oftendo my make up on the bus. The packaging is the standard Nars monochrome so it is quite grubby now from being in my handbag. Each eyeshadow is a gram so a reasonable size (a regular mac eyeshadow is 1.5 grams).

I can't wait to get my hands on more nars eyeshadows. I'm impressed with them. Have youtried the Nars eyeshadows?

Love M

xxx

FOTD: Workwear

Hi there! 

I've been really enjoying shopping my own stash recently, its great finding products you'd forgotten about and can use again without spending any additional cash.

I had a bit of time before starting work the other day and decided to photograph my face of the day to share with you.

These are the products that I've used for this. Naked Skin is a great foundation for lightly covering blemishes but without masking skin as if it needs to be coated. The Make Believe bronzer is one I use rarely but its such a lovely natural glow.

The Perversion liner is the best I've ever tried and the blush is another that i forgot is quite similar to Coralista. The Naked palette needs no introduction really!

I do like how my skin looks quite natural after using Naked Skin especially on my forehead. The concealer is great for covering dark circles for its price and I've set it all using Stay Matte powder from Rimmel.

Having not used a brow kit for a while it took a few attempts to get them right as Gimme Brow is so easy to use but the Sleek brow kit allows you to have so much more control over the shape and definition.

The blush and bronzer gives a gorgeous colour that also looks really natural:

The Naked palette is a staple most people have in their make up wardrobes; I love how you can apply a wash of a colour or intensify it quite easily as they're so pigmented. As they're nudes the colours are perfect for day time and evening and so are very versatile.

After this I applied UD's 24/7 liquid liner in Perversion to my upper eye lid and 24/7 eye liner pencil on the inside rim of my lower eye lid.

After that it was a slick of the Rimmel Wonderfull mascara to my lashes with argan oil in and I was almost done.

I completely forgot to include the lip products in the first two images so apologies for that, to complete my Face for the day i just applied a quick coat of Naked Lipgloss to finish it off.

It's amazing how many products you can use on a face with a natural ish look.

Do you go product light or product heavy for work? Are you adventurous with colours on your eyes or lips?

I'm never brave enough for work as nobody else seems to wear much!

L xxx