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

current favourites

I didn't want to call this my April Favourites as that sort of implies that I'll do this every month, which I can't promise I necessarily will. However, regardless of the title, here are some things which I've really enjoyed using over the past month or so.

• For a true neutral lover (and lover of shimmer!) the Naked Palette is a must. It has the perfect range of shades to take you from a pretty subtle day time look to a full on smoky eye. It's quite pricey at £36 but for the quality and the number of eyeshadows you get (12), I think it's worth every penny.
• I've already done a full review of Lancome Hypnose Drama (which you can read here), but let me just reiterate - this is the best mascara I've ever used. It's just a shame that I didn't fall for a high street one!
• While I do love my Rimmel Brow Pencil for more defined brows, when I'm after more natural looking eyebrows for everyday (which are also quicker to do) then Clinique Instant Lift for Brows is a must for me. It has a screw up brow pencil on one end and a brow bone highlight on the other. However, my brow pencil end has run out and this time I've just purchased Clinique's Superfine Liner for Brows as I wasn't so bothered about the highlight side as it seemed a little too gold toned. It's a bit more expensive than a high street brow pencil at £12 but it's the perfect colour for my very fair eyebrows!
• Again, I've done a full review on the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze which you can read here. This is just such a fab multi-use product - I love to use it on its own, as a base for eyeshadow and as a liner - just brilliant!
• Three nail polish colours which I've really enjoyed wearing recently are Models Own 'Blooboo', Barry M 'Peach Melba' and Maybelline Express Finish in 'Turquoise Lagoon'. They're all just such fun colours for spring. Have a look at them on my nails here, here and here!

• I've definitely rekindled my love for Soap and Glory's Pulp Friction Body Scrub. Not only does this stuff smell brilliant (I have to restrain myself from eating it), but it leaves my skin silky smooth! You can pick this up from Boots for £8, which I thing is a fab price considering how long it's lasting me.
• This may seem a bit of an odd choice, but I've really enjoyed using the Dr. Bronner's Magic Lavender Hand Sanitizing Spray which I got in my February Glossybox. Living in London and working in a job where I have to handle money, my hands continuously feel dirty and I find myself using a lot of hand sanitizer. I not only love the smell of this as it's less chemically smelling than others I've tried but I love that it's in a spray bottle. I also find that it doesn't leave my hands feeling as dry as others have done. I'll definitely pick up another one of these when it runs out.
• Ever since I smelled Valentina by Valentino in last month's Glossybox, I've wanted a bottle. My boyfriend treated me to some for my birthday and I can't stop using it! I'm awful at describing scents, but it's floral and girly but not too sweet. Definitely give it a smell if you get a chance as it's such a beautiful perfume.

• These jeans were really difficult to photograph so I don't think I've done them much justice, but I absolutely love them. I can't get enough of Zara at the moment and I think these leather look jeans have to be my favourite recent purchase. I can't find them online any more but they're basically identical to these. They're great to wear both in the day and for a night out and make basic outfits look so much more interesting.
• This necklace from River Island has been practically glued to my neck all month! I know everyone has these cuff style necklaces at the moment but for me this is the perfect thickness. I just love how plain it is and it looks fab especially with basic tees. It cost me £7 and it's also available in silver (umm, may have to get that...)
• Last but by no means least is my Babyliss Big Hair. This makes my hair look salon fresh and feel so healthy and bouncy - Kate Middleton would be jealous! I love how it gives my naturally very flat hair a bit of life and volume. It's perhaps a bit pricey at £45 ish (here on Amazon) but it does make the fiddly task of blow drying your hair so much easier.

Have you tried any of these bits? What did you think?

xx

an every day make up look #2

First of all, I have to say thank you so much to all of you because I've reached 100 followers! This makes me feel so happy, as it's fab to know that people actually read my silly ramblings and it just makes it all feel a bit more worth while! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Anyway, to today's post!

You know when you do your make up and then feel really happy with it all day? Well that was me on Thursday. I don't know what it exactly was about my make up, because as you can see it was very plain and neutral, but it just made me feel really feminine and pretty. (Most of you will probably be wondering what all the fuss is about haha.) In fact, I liked Thursday's make up so much that even though I wasn't going anywhere, I recreated the same look again on Friday just so I could take a picture. I'm definitely losing it.

Anyway, we'll forget about my insanity. Here's what I used:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - 51

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer (under my eyes) - Ivory

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (on any blemishes) - Fair

NYC Smooth Skin Loose Face Powder (on my t-zone) - Translucent

Clinique Instant Lift for Brows - Soft Blonde

17 Blusher - Damson Wine

E.L.F. Shimmering Facial Whip (on my non-existent cheekbones) - Lilac Petal

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Urban Decay Naked Palette - Sin (all over my eye lid), Hustle (in my crease and outer corner)

No 7 Smoky Rose Quad - Shimmery cream colour in bottom left (to highlight my inner corner and brow bone)

Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo - On and On Bronze (to line my upper lash line and smudged a little under my eye)

Rimmel Glam'Eyes Mascara - Black 

Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Tint - Nothing but Nude

I absolutely love liquid eye liner, and up until about a year ago I would wear it with a little flick every day without fail. However, I also love shimmery neutral eyeshadows and I began to feel that the two together looked a bit over the top for the day time. Especially for the spring, I'm now really enjoying simply wearing pretty shimmery neutral shadows, which has also given me a bit more freedom to wear a darker or brighter coloured lip - win win!

What kind of make up are you enjoying wearing at the moment? And if any of you want reviews of any of these products then let me know!

xx

fotd: tuesday 17th april

Yes, that is my dressing gown!

Hello hello!

Here's a little peek at today's make up! I'm just doing some uni work then going to work this afternoon so I've kept my face relatively simple.

My skin was looking really dull and tired this morning (which I was sob), so I used Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation (in 100 Ivory) to make me look a bit more awake and healthier. I've been enjoying using this foundation for a little while now as it honestly does what it says on the tin and makes you look a lot brighter and more alert! I then buffed some L'Oreal Paris Lumi Magique Base Concentre de Lumiere across my cheekbones and temples to make my skin look even more healthy. (This product is a white pearly liquid that can be used under foundation as a radiance adding primer or as a highlighter.)

I next filled in my brows with a Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil (002 Hazel) and today decided to make them quite exaggerated and arched. Some days I try and make them look more natural but today I decided to make them quite defined! I then started on my eyes. As part of the fabulous Boots 3 for 2 offer I recently purchased a Revlon Colourstay Eyeshadow Palette in Addictive. This is a great little quad to create a natural daytime eye. I used the pale shimmery beige (top right) all over the eye and then defined my crease with the matte brown (bottom right). I then took the shimmery white from my No7 Smoky Rose Quad and used this as a highlight for my inner corner.

I did actually think about leaving my eyes there and adding some mascara but I fancied a thin line of liquid eyeliner so I used the Maybelline New York Master Precise Liquid Eyeliner in Black to trace along my upper lash line and ended with a small flick! To finish off my eyes, after curling my lashes I used Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara in Black - this stuff is brilliant! If you saw my wishlist the other day, then you might remember this product from there... well, I gave in and bought the full size! This is such a fab mascara so I think I may have to give it a review of its own!

To conceal my horrid baggy eyes I used Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer (Ivory) and also dabbed it on a few blemishes. I then powdered just my t-zone (I never powder my whole face) with Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Powder (001 Translucent). For blush I kept it simple with my Natural Collection blush in Sugar Plum.

When I'm wearing liquid eyeliner in the day I'm always conscious of my make up looking a bit too 'done' and over the top, so I had a look in my box of lipsticks for something nice and subtle. I chose a L'Oreal Caresse Lipstick in Lovely Rose which is a really feminine baby pink shade.

Phew! I really enjoy doing my make up in the morning so I hope you didn't mind me rambling on! If there are any products here which you would especially like a review of then just say and I'll do it ASAP :)

Hope you're all fab - horrid weather, lots of shifts at work then revision and essays for uni are making me feel so rubbish.

xx

maybelline 24 hour colour tattoo in on and on bronze

Hello!

I know there have been lots of posts on the Maybelline Colour Tattoos now, but I just had to mention them too as I am absolutely loving the colour On and On Bronze! Since buying this product I have used it nearly every day as not only is the colour absolutely beautiful, but it lasts so well throughout the day and can be used in a few different ways to create different looks.

If used with a very light touch, they can be used for a very thin wash of colour across the eyelid which can look lovely, especially in a nice summery colour such as On and On Bronze. It also makes a great base for other eye shadows so you can really build up the intensity of colour to create a really dramatic bronzey smokey eye if you smudge it around the eye. (The Colour Tattoos have been hailed as the high street version of MAC Paint Pots although I haven't tried those, so perhaps they're something to look in to if you love the idea of the Paint Pots but are on more of a budget.) However,my favourite way to wear the Colour Tattoo at the moment is as an eye liner as the bronze looks a lot more subtle than black for spring!

As for the twenty four hour claim... well, I haven't worn it on my eye for that long but they do last for absolutely hours in the same place with only minimal creasing. When I originally bought it, I swatched it on my hand in the shop and then went to work, and the colour was still all in exactly the same place hours later! If used underneath other eye shadows, they also do definitely make them last longer too.

I absolutely love the colour of On and On Bronze but I feel a bit disappointed that I'm not really drawn to any of the other colours, as I love the quality. The purple and blue are too colourful for me and I know they won't get much use and the charcoal shade just didn't really appeal to me either. When I saw Permanent Taupe in the shop I thought it looked a bit muddy, however after seeing it on Seonaid's eye (from Beauty and Baggage - she also has a great review!) I think that I may reconsider it as it actually looked really pretty on, and looked like it would make a nice neutral shade for everyday. 'Eternal Gold' is also really pretty, I'm just not quite sure how much use I'd get out of it. After looking on the Boots website, there is also a silver one, but I don't think I've seen this anywhere even as a tester...

If you're after a versatile eye shadow that's a pretty colour for spring, easy to work with and blend and will last all day then do try the Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze :)

The Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoos are £4.99.

xx

nail of the day

Hello :)

I just had to show off this nail polish - the colour is INCREDIBLE! You may have already seen this in my last post, and here it is on my nails! It's Maybelline Express Finish Nail Colour in 'Turquoise Lagoon'. Such a brilliant colour while the weather's a bit warmer :) I also think it will look fab on my toes when I'm on holiday.

I hadn't tried a nail polish from the Maybelline Express range before but found it really easy to work with and it's fully opaque after two coats. As usual I used my trusty No7 So Smooth Base Coat and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat. I've had it on for a few days now and there is no signs of wear, not even a little bit of tip wear yay!

It's actually quite a bit more green than this :(

I'll definitely be picking up another colour from this range!

Maybelline Express Finish in 'Turquoise Lagoon' was £4.09 from Superdrug.

xx

work = treats

Hello hello,

I don't know about you, but whenever I have lots of essays to do and I feel a bit sorry for myself, I find it very easy to justify all sorts of purchases. Now, none of these items are particularly expensive but judging by my bank balance, I still should have probably waited until my March pay check in a few days...

Anyway, here are some cheapy bits I've treated myself to recently as I've been a very good girl and worked very hard :) well done Florence haha!

I actually really wanted a Revlon Lip Butter or one of the Maybelline Colour Tattoos but they were all sold out in the Boots and Superdrug in Angel (sob).

Sleek True Colour Lipstick in 'OMG'

Max Factor Lip Liner in 'Fire'

Collection 2000 Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in 'Cotton Candy'

MUA Out There Plumping Lip Gloss in 'Pin Up Pink'

MUA Extreme Felt Liner in 'Black'

MUA Bronzer in 'Shade 3'

Maybelline Express Finish Nail Colour in 'Turquoise Lagoon'

Nothing too exciting, just a few high street picks - I can't wait to go shopping on Saturday after I've been paid hurrah!

xx