Christmas Beauty Gifts

I mostly receive money for Christmas presents and then I go on to buy beauty products with said money. This year, however, I received quite a few beauty treats that I love already. Here are the beauty gifts I received this Christmas.

Nars Killer Heels Mini Lipstick Set

The Nars Killer Heels Mini Lipstick Set was my Christmas present from Jess, and as always, she got me a great present. The Killer Heels Set is part of the Steven Klein collection and contains five mini lipsticks; Little Darling, Mayflower, Joyous Red, Jungle Red and Fire Down Below. Little Darling is a bit pale and doesn't really show up on my lips but I love the rest of them. Mayflower is a pinky rose colour and there's a brown red shade and a orange red shade, as well as a darker red shade. I can't wait to get some proper use out of them.

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Varnish in Charivari

Charivari is a rich deep purple shade. It applies so smoothly to the nails and looks so shiny and thick in texture. I've already received a few compliments on it and have only been wearing the shade for two days, someone even thought I had acrylic nails on. I have also noticed that it hasn't chipped as much as some of my other Chanel nail varnishes do.

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Varnish in Orage

Orage is a deep indigo blue colour. It looks almost dark grey/black and has a very slight shimmer to it. It has a very similar texture and shiny look to Charivari. It's the perfect winter shade.

Charlotte Tilbury Eyeliner in Barbarella Brown

I'm usually one to stick to black eyeliner but for Christmas I got a Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'n' Kohl eyeliner in Barbarella Brown. I wasn't sure what to expect but once I tried it I loved it. The brown shade is still dark but just something different. It's great for everyday makeup that isn't too intense. Also, the Rock 'n' Kohl eyeliners are the best pencil eyeliners I've tried as they last for hours without smudging.

Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes Mascara

This is one of my favourite mascaras and I was so sad when mine dried out. I couldn't justify spending £22 on a mascara again, especially when I couldn't just pick one up in a store when I was in America and at university. I was so happy that I got this as a gift and I can't wait for my mascara to dry out so I can crack this one open.

Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Palette in The Sophisticate

I love Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow quads. The colours are unique, the concept of prime, enhance, smoke and pop is ingenious and the texture is so smooth and blendable. I already have the Dolce Vita palette and the Uptown Girl palette, which I get a lot of use out of. The Sophisticate is equally beautiful with 4 earthy matte shades that can be subtle or smokey depending on how they are applied.

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre Lipgloss in High Society

I've always wanted a Charlotte Tilbury lipgloss since her collection launched but I always found something I wanted more. My sister got me this lipgloss in High Society and I love it. It's the perfect rosy pink shade and I know I'll be applying this a lot over the next year. The packaging is also so beautiful with Charlotte's typical pretty gold finishes.

What beauty gifts did you receive for Christmas?

August Wishlist

It's been a long time since I've done a wishlist for the blog.. and I'm so happy to start again! Here are all the things I'm wishing for in August.

Estee Lauder Kendall Jenner Lipstick

I've had my eyes on this beauty for a while now. I love Kendall Jenner's style and her makeup looks, whether she's on the runway or just running errands. It's the perfect poppy red shade for summer and the matte texture is perfect for hot days. The gold and purple packaging of this lipstick is also gorgeous, made complete with Kendall's signature. The shade is limited edition and available exclusively on Estee Lauder's website and at Selfridges. Get your hands on it before it's gone. 

Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize Cream Eyeshadow in Jean and Marie Antoinette

Ever since these cream eyeshadows were released I have been itching to buy them. I love all my Charlotte Tilbury makeup items and I hope these won't disappoint. However, due to a low beauty budget I've been putting it off and off. Now my birthday has passed I'm sure I'll get my hands on them soon. There are six shades in the collection but the light champagne shade Jean, named after Marilyn Monroe, and the bronze shade Marie Antoinette (the name speaks for itself) are the two I know I would get the most use out of. 

Charlotte Tilbury Norman Parkinson The Colour of Youth

Charlotte Tilbury's recent Norman Parkinson collection is to die for. Out of all the products this is the one I want the most. It's a pink cream blusher that doubles as a lip product. The rose gold packaging is beautiful too with a picture of Norman Parkinson's wife Wenda on the front.  The innocent rosy hue looks perfect for summer. 

Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick in Poppy

I'm definitely going through a lipstick phase at the minute because here is another orangey-red shade that I want this august. These newish Revlon lipsticks come in a wide range of colours from bright floral pinks to dark reds. They are creamy and lightweight and not as bold as a scary matte lipstick so I can justify wanting the poppy shade. 

Nars Eyeshadow Primer

This is my all time favourite eye primer and I have finally run out despite having it for ages (I can't even remember when I bought it). It instantly makes eyeshadow look better and bolder, and it makes it last throughout the day too. It's expensive but it is definitely worth it, especially as you don't need much and it lasts such a long time. 

Topshop Cheek Jelly in Beep

This unique product is a gel blush in a bright red colour. It's on sale at the minute at Topshop for only £2. It's supposed to give a subtle colour to the cheeks and can be used on the lips too. This product seems very similar to the Josie Maran coconut watercolor cheek gelee but for a fraction of the price. 

Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara 

I'm in a bit of a mascara rut at the moment. I think it's because i've been using the same mascaras for a while and now they don't seem to have the same effect on my lashes as they used to. I've heard good things about the Le Volume de Chanel and I feel like investing in a luxury mascara. 

Wildfox Miss You Moonlight Jumper

I love Wildfox clothes. From their slogans to their comfort, they are perfect for everyday casual style. I really want this Wildfox jumper. It's quite fitting for me at the moment as it says "Miss You New York", which I definitely do. I also love the dirty black colour that it comes in.

What's on your wishlist this month?

What's In My Makeup Bag: Plane Edition

Finally the time has come for me to fly to New York to start my year abroad! I can't believe it's finally here and after must planning, preparation and packing and last minute panic purchases I'm ready to go. I thought I would do a post on what I'm packing in my makeup bag in my hand luggage as it's a bit different from what I would usually pack in my day to day makeup bag due to liquid restrictions and limited space (which is a huge dilemma for me as I always feel I need at least 3 lipsticks on hand just in case I have some sort of disastrous lipstick emergency). I'm flying from Manchester to Heathrow and then Heathrow to JFK with a 3 hour layover at Heathrow so it's definitely necessary to take some kind of makeup with me for the 12 hour journey. So here is what I have packed in my hand luggage makeup bag.

The Makeup Bag I've decided to take is my Marc by Marc Jacobs Leopard Print Bag that I got in a sale at Harvey Nichols at Christmas. I've not used it that much yet so thought this was the perfect time to break out a relatively new makeup bag. It's a great size for a plane because it's not too small so I can't fit anything in it but it's also not too big, therefore tempting me to pack way more than I need and going over the liquid restrictions.

The Products that I've put in the makeup bag are: MAC eyeshadow quad with shades - Naked Lunch, Charcoal Brown, Twinks and Honesty, Nars Orgasm Blush, Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Deauville, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard, Benefit The Porefessional Primer, Charlotte Tilbury 5 Star Mascara, Maybelline The Falsies Macara, Rimmel Liquid Eyeliner, Lord and Berry Kohl Eyeliner, Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick in Bitch Perfect, Chanel Coco Rouge in Rebelle, Chanel Coco Rouge in Espirit, Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow and REN moisturiser.

The Brushes that I'm taking are: Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, Real Techniques Powder Brush (both new), Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush, MAC 217, MAC 224, MAC 168, Sephora Angled Brush.

This seems like a lot of beauty products for 12 hours but at least I'll be prepared for any kind of beauty emergency. What do you usually pack in your hand luggage makeup bag?

Haul #5: London

Last week I went to London to apply for a Visa to study in America from August for a year. My appointment at the US Embassy was at 11:00 and lasted only 2 hours and now I'm officially going to America! I booked my return train a lot later in the day though, which gave me a chance to go on a huge beauty haul (which may have not been the best idea for my bank account!).

Space NK

My first stop was Space NK just off Oxford Street. There was one product I really wanted from there and it was the By Terry Ombre Blackstar. I hadn't quite decided what shade to get but as soon as I tested Misty Rock on the back of my hand I fell in love. It's a gorgeous shimmery taupe purple shade that is great for a day or nighttime look. At first I was reluctant to buy an eyeshadow stick for £28 but I'm glad I did. The texture is really creamy and a little goes a long way. It's also a really easy product to use and you could just simply swipe your lid with this to get a great eye makeup look, perfect for when on holiday or travelling. I'm so happy that I listened to beauty bloggers like Tanya Burr and Vivianna Does Makeup because they are so right about this product! 

Selfridges
Selfridges is one of my favourite shops, ever, especially the London one because it's so huge! I had a few hours to kill but ended up spending nearly all my time there. The beauty department is just to die for! I ended up buying products from three counters in Selfridges, as well as getting a quick Pinkberry as a break from all the shopping.

Charlotte Tilbury

The first counter I purchased from was Charlotte Tilbury. I found it so difficult to limit myself to what I bought. I spent so long testing out the products on my hand, asking the friendly staff on their suggestions and having them try some products out on me. Eventually, after much deliberation and re-testing (I'm the worst decision maker ever!), I finally decided on a K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Bitch Perfect and a Rock 'n' Kohl eyeliner in Bedroom Black. I already have the Lipstick colour in So Marilyn and I love it but it's such a true bold red that I don't get a chance to wear very often therefore I wanted a more of an everyday shade and Bitch Perfect is that perfect shade! I'm so glad I chose this shade as it's just a classic pinky nude that lasts a while, smells delicious and has a great texture to it. I find myself reaching for it all the time for an everyday look. I also decided to go for the Rock 'n' Kohl eyeliner because I've not bought a pencil eyeliner in ages and all the women at the counter recommended it to me. This is such a great eyeliner. It lasts a ridiculously long time without smudging yet it glides on so easily. It's a great one for the waterline too. The black is very bold though so I try to use it more for the evening when I'm going out. 

MAC

My next stop was MAC. I had a slightly clearer idea of what I wanted from there but still spent some time trying to narrow down my options. One thing I definitely knew I wanted was a 4 eyeshadow palette so that I can travel without taking all of my MAC eyeshadows in my 15 palette with me. I also knew I wanted one last eyeshadow to fill my 15 palette. I originally wanted Mulch but when I tested a few shades on my hand I finally decided on Twinks and the lady at the counter said this colour would bring the blue out in my eyes more. It's a beautiful bronze/brown shade with a hint of plum. I also bought a new lipstick as I haven't bought a MAC lipstick in about 3 years (such a long time!). I went with the colour Craving in the end because I'd done some research beforehand. It's a beautiful warm plum colour with a creamy finish and smooth texture. It's also a great shade to wear as a slightly bolder lip look in the day or a nice deep shade for an evening. I haven't got much use out of it yet but I can't wait to try it out more!

Chanel

Finally my last purchase of the day was at the Chanel counter. Last year I'd heard loads about the Summer Collection and luckily I reserved products at John Lewis so they didn't sell out (I ended up choosing some products that sold out immediately). However this year I'd not heard much hype about the collection so decided to ask at the counter when the 2014 collection would be released. I spoke to the nicest woman who told me that they had the products a week early and not many people knew (so if you want any of the collection they should be out everywhere now!) Because they had the products there I decided to buy one thing from the collection and that was the Illusion D'ombre in New Moon. This is such a gorgeous bronze colour and it's so glittery, I'm almost too scared to wear it. The formula is also so creamy and it glides on so easily, I'm looking forward to using it a lot more in the future.

I'm so happy with all my London Haul purchases and I went home on the train feeling both happy but also with sore feet and a sore bank account! I have decided to go on a makeup ban for at least a month now because I bought so much in this haul, let's see how long I can last!

What's In My Holiday Make-Up Bag?

As this post goes live I will be 30000 feet up in the air on my way to Valencia, Spain. I am taking a little 5 day mini break to the city with my sister after a stressful few weeks of exams where we can explore the city, relax on the beach, get some sunshine and of course drink plenty of sangria and eat far too much tapas.

My sister and I only have a suitcase between us which means I need to pack light (FYI, I am really not very good at packing light) and everything that goes into the suitcase is probably going to have a vigorous screening process by my sister followed by a few 'you don't need that', 'you won't use this' and 'we're not taking them'. I think there is going to have to be a little bit of sneaking things in the suitcase when her back his turned as think she will not understand why I need 2 mascaras, 3 concealers and 6 lipsticks for 5 days...

Firstly the make-up bags I am taking is this beautiful deep purple Saffiano leather DKNY bag which will hold all my make-up essentials, I am then taking this New York print white canvas bag also DKNY as my overflow make-up bag which holds my brushes, my Naked palette, perfume, nail varnish and other bits and bobs.

Starting with the purple bag I am taking: my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser in Porcelain and also a sample sized of the shade darker (Nude) to mix in if I tan, Collection Lasting Perfection concealer in Fair, MaxFactor Colour Correct stick for under eye circles, Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat, MAC blush in Taupe Shape (which I use as bronzer), Nars Deep Throat blusher, Rimmel Stay Matte powder, Laura Mercier Long Lash mascara, Chanel Le Volume De Chanel mascara, Maybelline Gel Liner in black, Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Bronze on Bronze, MAC eyeshadow duo of Omega and Concrete which I use for my brows and Natural Collection clear mascara which I also use for my brows.

And finally I am taking the following lipsticks: MAC Patisserie, Topshop Brighton Rock, Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 05, Rimmel Apocalips in Across the Universe and L'Oreal Liquid Lipstick in 500 Molto Mauve. 

The white bag will hold my brushes and tools which get too squished in the purple bag, the original Naked palette, my Jo Malone perfume in English Pear and Freesia, the nail varnish on my toes which is Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in 416 Papaya, a few bits of jewelery and some hair accessories. 

For brushes I am taking: Real Techniques Stippling, Expert Face, Deluxe Crease and Base Shadow brushes, MAC 239, 217, 263 and 129, Topshop Large Shadow and Angled Brow brush, Bare Minerals Soft Sweep Cheek brush, Bobbi Brown Foundation Brush, an ELF Spoolie and Charlotte Tilbury Eyelash Curlers. 

That ended up being a long post! Reading back through this post maybe this is a bit excessive for 5 days, I'll let you know when I get back if my bossy sister made me leave anything behind... 

7 Days, 7 Lipsticks

This week I decided to challenge myself to wear a different lipstick everyday of the week, during the week I am usually extremely lazy when it comes to lips; I mostly just whack on what's in my handbag whilst I'm rushing out the door. With a few weeks of solid revision for my uni exams looming ahead of me I decided to set aside a precious two minutes in the morning rush to brighten up the day with a different lipstick. It also gave me the opportunity to have a good dig around in my lipstick box and come across some little treasures I had forgotten all about! Here is how I got on:

Monday - MAC Patisserie 

I thought I would start the week off with the newest addition to the lipstick family, I bought it a few days ago after reading beauty blogger ViviannaDoesMakeup's recommendation. It's a lovely pink nude, your-lips-but-better lipstick in the 'Lustre' finish. 

Tuesday - Tarte Glamazon Lipstick in Inspired

Another relatively new one today, I splurged on this little beauty a few weeks ago whilst I was in America and I love it!  It is a really hydrating, rich formula which stays put for absolutely ages. It is a really pretty pink colour with the most beautiful packaging you have ever seen. 

Wednesday - Chanel Rouge Allure in 105 Inimitable 

I thought it was time to spice things up today and went for a deep red colour. I never ever usually wear bold lipsticks on a normal boring day but today I went for it. The Rouge Allure formula is probably my all time favourite and this colour is a beautiful deep blue-based red with a hint on sparkle. The formula is rich, pigmented, hydrating and really long lasting. 

Thursday - Revlon Lip Butter in 001 Pink Truffle

Today was just a boring day in my flat revising so I wanted something natural looking and easy to wear, I went for a wash of this lip butter in a beautiful dull pink as it is really moisturising and leaves a lovely glowing shine. I almost always have this in my handbag as it's so useful for on the go and the colour is super buildable. The only downside is that it doesn't have the best staying power, but you can't have everything! 

Friday - Topshop Beguiled

I think Topshop lipsticks are really underrated in the beauty world, I think they are one of my favourite budget beauty brands and they have such a good selection of colours. This lipstick can be built up to a really intense colour but I just decided to create a wash with my finger, the formula isn't drying, long lasting and affordable. 

Saturday - Topshop Brighton Rock

I enjoyed the Topshop lipstick I was wearing so much, I popped out and bought another one! This is a gorgeous springy-summery bright pink with a matt finish. It's so bright and pretty; I am completely in love with it! I am sure this will end up being my favourite lipstick of the summer. 

Sunday - Chanel Rouge Allure in 88 Evanescente

I though I would end the week with my all time favourite lipstick, Evanescente is the perfect pink-nude which keeps lips hydrated all day and really long-lasting colour. It has a satin finish and a more intense colour than the other Chanel lipstick formulas (Rouge Coco and Rouge Coco Shine). Unfortunately this lipstick is now discontinued but similar colours are Gracile (89) and Fantasque (112).

I had such fun doing this during the past week, why don't you give it a go too?

Raiding My Sister's Make-Up Bag

 Don’t you just love going through other people’s make-up bags? This weekend I made a little spontaneous trip to London to see my sister and found myself riffling through her make-up bag to see what goodies I could find, the following are things that I would love to buy myself in my shade and other products I would like to sneak into my bag and take back with me…

1. Bobbi Brown Blush in Peony

This is the one I got most excited about as I had no idea she had it, it is Bobbi Brown’s much raved about blusher in the colour Peony. It looks a very scary bright pink in the compact but once applied it leaves a gorgeous, natural, healthy pink, matte finish.

2. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation in B20

I would love to be able to use this foundation but none of the Chanel shades ever seem to match my skintone, they are all far too yellow based for my pale-pinky skin.  My sister, Charlotte describes it as having a dewy finish with light to medium coverage, she says it's quick and easy to blend and leaves a nice natural finish. However, she does also point out that her shade isn't quite the perfect match and would benefit from having the shade B10 to mix in.

3. Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer

This again is a very raved about product in the blogging world and I’m sure at some point in the near future I won’t be able to resist any longer and make the purchase. The unique product has two shades – one to match the skin’s depth of colour and the other to match the undertone. You can either mix the two shades together on the back of your hand to create your perfect shade or use the more pinky to counteract under eye dark circles and the more yellow-based one to hide any blemishes.  I think Charlotte uses her fingers to apply which is good as it warms the product up but I would then buff over with a fluffy brush to leave a super flawless finish

4. YSL Baby Doll Mascara

I actually recommended this to my sister after hearing Sophie’s great reviews about it and Charlotte loves it. It is quite a subtle, natural looking mascara perfect for everyday wear with a brush that easily coats every lash, making the more voluminous, longer and defined. Also – a mascara that actually smells nice, finally!

5. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact Highlighter in Pink Quartz

I am a big fan of these shimmer bricks even though I’ve never actually owned one myself, I’ve always just stolen a bit from my sister or Sophie! They are powder highlighters with 5 slightly different shades inside which when mixed together create a lovely natural looking pink highlighter – perfect for the top of cheek bones, on the brow bone and in the inner corner of the eye.

6. MAC Matte Lipstick in So Chaud

Now this is one statement lipstick! I’m surprised my sister has this as she is usually a very natural-looking-make up kind of girl. The best way to describe this colour is think of MAC’s famous Lady Danger Lipstick and add a bit more orange. MAC describe it as an intense reddish-orange, it also has the matte finish which I am really loving at the minute.

The Best of Paris Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2014

This week the last fashion week of the season ended in Paris. In my opinion Paris Fashion Week was one of the best weeks showcasing future AW14 trends with so many great catwalks and clothes. Here are my favourite shows from the week: 

H&M

H&M showcased simple and wearable clothes on their catwalk at Paris Fashion Week. There was a theme of khaki greens, blacks, dark blues, reds and tall boots. The H&M studio show had some of the biggest guests on the front row including Miranda Kerr (the new face of H&M), Jourdan  Dunn, Jessica Alba and Solange Knowles. 

Balmain

The Balmain catwalk showcased military chic looks down the runway. It was full of structured jackets and skirts and khaki. The models also wore military style boots to continue the theme. There were also many supermodels walking the catwalk including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Joan Smalls, Karlie Kloss and Jourdan Dunn. 

Nina Ricci

The Nina Ricci catwalk showed delicate and feminine pieces. I loved the colours designer Peter Copping chose such as blacks, dark greys, silvers and purples. The whole collection was pretty with embellishments, lace and fur. The clothes were all so beautiful and detailed but also fashionable and wearable.  

Christian Dior

Raf Simons went for a sporty catwalk showing youthful designs. There was also a theme of bright and bold colours that made a statement such as yellows, pinks, reds and blues. The tailoring had quite a masculine edge too. Dior definitely brightened up Paris Fashion Week!

Isabel Marant

I loved Isabel Marant's off duty chic looks on her catwalk. The clothes were fashionable but easily wearable. Khaki also made an appearance in this show as well as greys and blacks similarly to Balmain. Another theme was oversized jumpers, baggy clothes and short skirts and shorts to add to the casual theme of the catwalk.

Sonia Rykiel

Sonia Rykiel also followed the trend of fur but this catwalk had over the top furs and coats. The clothes followed a basic colour theme of blacks, whites and beiges. There were also prints and patterns on the catwalk such as "Moi" printed all over some items. The catwalk was chic and sophisticated, especially because Miranda Kerr was walking the runway. 

Elie Saab

The Elie Saab catwalk was one of my favourite catwalks from Paris Fashion Week. I loved the deep colour scheme of purples, dark greens, and blacks. The designs were also gorgeous! With big coatswith fur, beautiful sequined or flowing dresses with slits, sheer and lace. The handbags and shoes were amazing too!

Saint Laurent

Saint Laurent had to be my all time favourite show from Paris Fashion Week. The clothes were girly and youthful with an influence of city chic. Some of the clothes had a revived sixties feel and I loved the boots worn by the models on the catwalk. There was a mixture of tartan, sequins, fur, blacks and greys with the odd pop of colour here and there which is exactly what I love in an Autumn/Winter catwalk. 

Chanel

Chanel is always the most fun and exciting of catwalks during Paris Fashion Week and this year Karl Lagerfeld certainly didn't disappoint. The theme for the runway this year was a supermarket and stars such as Rihanna browsed the shelves before the show started with Chanel shopping baskets. The clothes were equally as playful too such as candy colours but with signature Chanel styles like classic tweed designs. Chanel had many famous models walking the catwalk including Cara Delevingne, Kendall Jenner and Joan Smalls.

Louis Vuitton

This was Nicolas Ghesquiere's first collection for Louis Vuitton since Marc Jacobs departure as Creative Director and although I will miss Marc's designs I think Nicolas did very well for his first LV attempt. The clothes were modern and simple with some different colours for an Autumn/Winter catwalk such as beiges, tans and light blues. There was also an inclusion of leather in a lot of the pieces. There were also some great Louis Vuitton bags being carried by the models. 

Overall I loved most of the looks from  Paris Fashion Week and there were some great catwalks across the whole week. The biggest trends seemed to be Khaki, Purples and Blacks as well as Fur, embellishments. 

Which was your favourite Catwalk from Paris Fashion Week?
See our blog posts on the best of NYFW, LFW and MFW too!