face of the day: back to the liner

As I've mentioned before, and you've probably noticed from my recent posts, I haven't been wearing liquid eye liner much lately. I used to think my face looked odd without it but I'm beginning to feel that I look so much fresher and less over done in the day time when I'm liner-free. However, last week I put some on and loved how it looked! Paired with a neutral coloured lip and eyeshadow I didn't feel like I was wearing too much make up at all.

On my face I used Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro Primer which I'm really starting to like, I think I'll do a review on it soon! I then used Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in Light Vanilla and put a little Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Ivory under my eyes. I set my foundation on my nose and chin with Natural Collection Loose Powder in Neutral Translucent - I'd forgotten how good this was! I finished my skin off with some MAC Breath of Plum Blush and ELF Blush Highlighter in Gotta Glow.

I tidied my brows up with my Clinique Superfine Liner for Brows in Soft Blonde (I can't stop using this at the moment!) and set any naughty hairs in place with my trusty ELF Wet Gloss Lash and Brow Clear Mascara.

On to the eyes! As I said, I only wanted a really neutral eyeshadow with minimal shimmer so I chose my Revlon Colourstay Eyeshadow Palette in Addictive as it's perfect for that. The four colours are so great for everyday use. All over my lid I used the top right eyeshadow, which is a very slightly shimmery light grey. I then defined my crease with the bottom right shadow which is a mid-toned matte brown. For the all important liquid eye liner I used the Maybelline Gel Eyeliner in Black. This is such a great high street gel eye liner which is really pigmented and doesn't budge all day but the little brush that it comes with is so horrid and scratchy! I also added a bit of the Avon Colour Trend Kajal Stick in Black to tightline my upper waterline and make my lashes and eye liner look nice and dark. Similarly, on my lower waterline I used ELF's Eye Widener Pencil in Pearl White to open my eyes up a bit. I finished my eye make up off with the Rimmel Scandal Eyes Mascara in Black. I recently got this free as part of an offer Rimmel have on at the moment but I'm still undecided as to whether I like it or not... It hasn't blown me away!

To finish it all off I kept my lips nice and simple and used a Jack Wills Gloss Lipstick in Rosewood which is a lovely browny rose colour.

So there we go! Do you love the look of liquid eye liner? Do you wear it everyday?

xx

birthday pennies

Clockwise from top left: Real Techniques Core Collection, Topshop Triangle Necklace, Adidas Gazelle Trainers, Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara, Black iPhone 4, Zara Messenger Bag in Grey, Zara Ribbed T-Shirt in Marl Grey, MAC Eye Shadow in Satin Taupe, New Look Pleated Jersey Maxi Skirt in Grey, Monki Charlet Blouse

As it's just been my birthday, I have a little bit of money to treat myself to a few bits. I've already picked up a couple of things, which I'll more than likely show you soon, but here are a some more items which I'm very tempted by!

• Everyone has been talking about the Real Techniques brushes for a while now and I think I may have to treat myself to the Core Collection to see what all the fuss is about!
• This Topshop necklace is so pretty. I picked by a really plain gold cuff necklace from River Island the other day as I thought it would look fab with plainer outfits, and I think this would too!
• Don't ask me why, but I'm obsessed with the idea of getting these trainers at the moment. When I go to the library late at night, I tend to wear my running shoes which isn't a good look to say the least... I think these would look really cool on lazy days with skinny jeans or leggings - the colour is amazing.
• I have a sample of the Lancome mascara from my Glossy Box and I can't stop using it. It's so good, it really lengthens and defines your eyelashes. I think part of why it is so fab is the curved shape of the brush which really grabs all your lashes.
• I have such an old and rubbish phone, after losing a nice phone in a club a few years ago. My boyfriend has an iPhone and I love all the fun apps and things you can get - I want one! I do love the idea of a white phone but I can just see that mine would get so horrid and dirty haha.
• Like everyone else at the moment, I am loving everything Zara. This bag is so beautiful, but when I saw the price of it online, I thought it might look really cheap. I then saw it in the shop and it doesn't at all! I do love the black version, but I think I'd most likely go for the grey as I don't have a bag that colour and it's probably a bit more spring appropriate.
• Another Zara item! I tried this oversized top on the other day and loved it. I then didn't buy it (I bought this dress/tunic instead - I've been wearing it with leggings!), and I'm not quite sure why... I think there were just too many things I liked and I felt a bit overwhelmed. However, I can't stop thinking about it so I think I'll have to pop back and pick it up!
• I already have way too many eye shadows, but this is just such a beautiful colour and I can see myself getting lots of use out of it. I love anything taupe and shimmery so this is perfect!
• I love the idea of maxi skirts, but I'm quite short and therefore think they may look a bit odd on me. However, I've seen lots of smaller people wearing them recently and looking fab. This one for New Look is nice and plain and I think it would go with so many things. I also think it could be carried through to winter with tights and heeled boots!
• Lastly is this gorgeous Monki blouse. I picked up this dress in the same print, and my boyfriend told me it was silly to get the same patterned blouse. I just love the shape of it though and I think it would look lovely with high waisted jeans so I think I may pop back and get it (sorry Ollie!) And it's in the sale...

What are you lusting after at the moment? Tempt me!

xx

today's make up

Hello again :)

I'm really in to simpler make up at the moment. I don't know if I'm wanting to look a bit more natural as it's coming in to Spring, or whether it's because I have so much work to do at the moment that I try and slap my make up on as quickly as possible... Either way, while I'm still using quite a few products, my eye make up especially is now a lot less defined. I used to wear quite thick liquid eye liner most days, but now that's actually becoming reasonably rare! Anyway, here's the make up I wore today just to go to some lectures and seminars.

The lighting's washed me out a bit :(

No7 Beautiful Skin BB Cream - Normal/Dry, Fair

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - Fair 1

Collection 2000 Pressed Powder - Candlelight 1

MAC Sheertone Blush - Breath of Plum

No7 Smoky Rose Quad Eye Shadow Palette

Rimmel Exaggerate Liquid Eye Liner - Black 001

Rimmel Glam Eyes Mascara - Black 001

Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil - Hazel 002

ELF Wet Gloss Lash and Brown Clear Mascara

H&M Lipgloss - (no colour, but it's a sparkly coral - and smells fab!)

The star of today's make up definitely has to be the little No7 Eye Shadow Palette. The shade range is neutral and great to grab when you're in a rush and don't want to put too much thought it to your make up. The only problem is that I'm pretty sure it was just a free gift and you can't buy it any more, which is a bit of a shame, but they do have some very similar great eye shadows at the moment (does anyone have Mink? Love it!)

I used the top left rose gold colour all over my lid and the bottom left shimmery cream shade as a highlight for the corner of my eyes. I then put a very thin line of liquid eye liner on the very outer corner to define my lashes a bit more. I curled my eye lashes and added some Rimmel Glam Eyes mascara and done! No blending so very quick :)

A closer look at my eyes!

So there you go! Nice and simple and speedy! I hope you've all got something fun planned for this warm Friday night? I'm off to a Tube themed party... I'm going as Angel!

xx

mess, blushers and mac and cheese...

Hello!

Sorry I haven't posted for a couple of days, it's a bit difficult sometimes juggling essays, university, work, living my general life and then scraping some time to write a post for here! Just to make life a little bit harder, I came back from a seminar this afternoon and found that my chest of draws had for some reason fallen over so my toiletries, jewellery and clothes were all over the floor :(

Disaster!

Anyway, to the point of this post - blusher! Ah blusher, how I love you. You can distract me from the above mess and cheer me up...

I popped back home to Norwich over the weekend, and on Saturday I did a bit of shopping with my mum and my sister which was lovely. While we were out and about I treated myself to a blusher from MAC (amongst other things)!

I chose MAC's Sheertone Blush in 'Breath of Plum', which is such a gorgeous not-too-dark muted plum colour which is totally matte (wow, great description). I picked this one as the colour's not too similar to my other blushers, whereas I have quite a few brighter and pinkier toned ones. I've already worn it a couple of times and not only do I love the colour, but it lasts brilliantly on the skin.

MAC 'Breath of Plum'

Left: applied with a blush brush, Right: swatched

However, I was thinking this morning that although I love the colour, it was perhaps the wrong time of year to buy it as it's quite a wintery shade. So this morning I put on Topshop's cream blush in 'High Five', which is the perfect blush for spring!

Topshop 'High Five'

Left: applied with a dual fibre brush (although heavily), Right swatched

It looks so natural and glowy and when you use a dual fibre brush to apply it, it blends evenly and nice and quickly :) I just love cream blushes on the skin this time of year as they give you such a beautiful healthy look. I just had a little check on the Topshop website though and it doesn't look as if this colour is available any more. However, Topshop have some other gorgeous colours to choose from such as 'Head Over Heels' which I mentioned in my 'Spring Make Up Picks' post :) The price is brilliant as well, I think £6 is such great value considering the quality (and the cute packaging)!

PS. On another little side note, I had a very yummy tea today so here's a little sneak peak -

Hopefully this doesn't gross you out, my house mate Dan hates people taking pictures of their food!

Macaroni cheese with chorizo and salad nom nom! Only just realised how big the portion was... oh well, it was delicious!

I know this was a bit of a disjointed post but hopefully you haven't minded! I'd also love to know what your favourite blushers are for spring (or maybe what you had for tea haha) :)

xx