HAUL: AFFORDABLE MAKEUP.

NYX & MAYBELLINE.

Hi!

Today I'm showing you a few products which I recently purchased. All of this is 'drugstore' makeup (affordable brands) which I purchased from Boots here in the UK. Most of this is from the brand NYX which is a relatively new brand in the UK, but it's quickly become one of my favourites- it's very cheap and great quality. 

• FOUNDATION

 

The first thing I bought was a restock of one of my favourite foundations (featured in my July favourites post) the Maybelline Fit Me! Matte + Poreless foundation. I also bought a darker shade in what I can only assume is the same foundation but I don't really know why the packaging is different. The shade I use when I'm pale is 105 Natural Ivory and the darker shade I bought to try is 128 Warm Nude. I'll report back on whether I like that shade but it seems to have a strong yellow undertone which is good for me. 

[MAYBELLINE FIT ME! MATTE + PORELESS FOUNDATION £5.99] 

• POWDER

Staying on the Maybelline track I also bought the face powder from the same range as the previous foundations. I've heard good things about this whole range so thought I may as well pick this up at the same time. I got a shade which is between my light and dark shades although it's a lot easier to make powders which are the wrong shade work than a foundation which isn't the right shade. 

[MAYBELLINE FIT ME! SET + SMOOTH FACE POWDER £5.99]

I also picked up some refills for my NYX Contour Kit. I meant to get 2 of the banana shades [Cream] and 2 of the lighter more pink shade [Soft Light] but for some reason I ended up buying 4 of the banana shade colour (welcome to my life). Oh well, at least I won't need to restock those any time soon!

[NYX HIGHLIGHT & CONTOUR PRO SINGLES £3.25]

• EYELINER

In an attempt to push my boundaries slightly and be a bit more creative I also bought 4 NYX eyeliners, 3 of which are from their Vivid Brights collection (I already have the green one). In addition I bought the white version of my favourite eyeliner to try and be slightly different. I'm going to try and experiment a bit more with colour and hopefully looks incorporating these new products will be coming soon. 

[NYX VIVID BRIGHTS LIQUID LINER £5.50, NYX WHITE LIQUID LINER £5.50]

• LIQUID LIPSTICK 

I also jumped on the bandwagon and got some of the NYX Lingerie line. The only problem is I can't seem to see the names of the shades that I bought. The top shade is 03, the middle 12 and the bottom 10. I'm really happy with the shades I've chosen and I'll report back on the formula. I'm not sure what finish they're meant to achieve, whether they dry down matte or are a satin finish but I'll try them out and let you all know! 

[NYX LIP LINGERIE LIPSTICK £6.50]

thanks for reading,

CATRIONA

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MAKEUP LOOK: CRANBERRY EYES WITH BOLD LINER & GLOWY SKIN.

PRODUCTS USED.

Hi! Today I'm showing you the products I used to create this makeup look! It's quite a bright pinky/cranberry eye with dewy/glowy skin and nude lips. I didn't want the lips to be too bold as to detract from the eyes as they're the main focus of this look and I love them! I'm absolutely in love with this makeup and I'm glad I'm trying to branch out of my warm smoky-eyed rut. All the products I used will be listed down below:

FACE

• PRIMER: Nivea For Men After Shave Balm [Sensitive] 
• FOUNDATION: NARS Sheer Glow [Shade: Punjab] mixed with Cover FX Custom Cover Drops [Shade: G30]
• CONCEALER: L.A Girl Pro Conceal [Shade: Porcelain] mixed with NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer [Shade: Chantilly] 
• POWDER: Anastasia Beverly Hills Banana Powder to set under-eye area. Kat Von D Beauty Lock-It Powder Foundation [Shade: Medium 53] on the rest of the face
• BRONZER: Makeup Revolution Baked Bronzer [Shade: Golden Days]
• CONTOUR: Makeup Geek Contour Pan [Shade: Break Up] 
• BLUSH: Milani Baked Blush [Shade: Luminoso] 
• HIGHLIGHT: Becca/Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop & The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer
• SETTING SPRAY: Gerard Cosmetics Slay All Day Setting Spray [Lavender] 

BROWS

• Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade [Shade: Chocolate] 
• Rimmel Brow Pencil [Shade: Black Brown]
• L'Oreal Brow Artist Plumper [Shade: Medium/Dark]

EYES

• EYE PRIMER: NARS Creamy Radiant Concealer [Shade: Chantilly] set with Makeup Geek White Lies
• TRANSITION SHADES: Violet Voss Holy Grail Palette: Transition & Bestie 
• OUTER CORNER: 
• Makeup Geek: Cocoa Bear 
• Violet Voss Holy Grail Palette: Wine N Dine & Teddy Bear
• ON LID: Violet Voss Holy Grail Palette: Cranberry Splash 
• INNER CORNER & BROW BONE: Violet Voss Holy Grail Palette: Crystal 
• LIQUID EYELINER: Rimmel Glam Eyes [Shade: Black] & NYX Matte Liquid Liner [Shade: Black]
• WATERLINE EYELINER:  Zoeva Graphic Eyes [Shade: Black to Earth] 
• MASCARA: Max Factor Voluptuous False Lash Effect [Shade: Black] & Jordana Best Lash [Shade: Black]
• LASHES: Ardell Demi-Wispies

LIPS

• LIQUID LIPSTICK: Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick [Shade: Bow N Arrow]

thanks for reading,

CATRIONA

x

JEFFREE STAR VELOUR LIQUID LIPSTICKS.

REWIEW & SWATCHES.

Jeffree Star is relatively new to the cosmetics industry, with his makeup brand only just under two years old. Still, in that short time, he's managed to create an almost cult status to his products, with most of them being constantly sold out. Liquid lipsticks were the first product to be produced by his brand, since then he's released lip scrubs, an eyeshadow palette and a set of highlighters. So far the only products I've been able to get my hands on are a few of his liquid lipsticks, and thats through staying up until the times that they were released in the US. The three shades I've managed to get are 'I'm Nude'- a classic pale nude as the name would suggest, 'Dominatrix'- a true dark brown and 'Unicorn Blood'- a dark vampy red. 

As with most American brands these weren't the easiest thing to get ahold of. As most of his products are always sold out, and these three in particular are some of the most popular, I had to wait until a restock was announced (done by his social media platforms). Unfortunately sometimes I'm an idiot and was sat refreshing his page at 1am only to realise I'd miscalculated and it was happening the following day- all his restock times are of course in PST (American) and I just couldn't get my head around the time difference. Overlooking my stupidity the following morning I got them very easily and had already planned to get more. 

I bought my three shades from the official Jeffree Star website (https://jeffreestarcosmetics.com) but as they only get released one or two at a time I had to buy Unicorn Blood & Dominatrix, and then I'm Nude separately. These liquid lipsticks are $18 per tube (around £12/£13) and then a further $11 in international shipping. Additionally, if you buy more than one, it is over the threshold for customs so I had to pay a further £12 when they entered the country- although I didn't pay this for the one I bought individually. 

[DOMINATRIX/UNICORN BLOOD/I'M NUDE]

The packaging is fantastic, although as I've said before pink just isn't my colour. The tubes are shorter and fatter than other liquid lipsticks I've seen but I quite like this, it makes them easier to travel with. I also really like the whole design and aesthetic of these products, they look really unique and are unmistakably his brand. 

I'm always nervous about trying products that are majorly hyped up, worrying they won't reach the ideals I have about them in my head, BUT I can honestly say these have. Since I got them I've been wearing them constantly, especially Dominatrix as this is my absolute favourite. They're so unbelievably pigmented, I was worried that the colour pay-off wouldn't be like the pictures on his website but they truly are the same colour. They dry down quite quickly to fully matte but don't feel drying, thick or uncomfortable on the lips. They're very long wearing, especially if you're not planning on wearing them when you're eating sloppily, and even if they do slightly wear off on the centre of my lips they're very easily to touch up and don't go chunky, which other liquid lips have a tendency to do. I also really like the applicator wand, it's as easy to fill in the centre of the lips as it is to get a sharp outline.

Considering around two or three months ago I had a phobia of lipsticks I can't quite believe I now can't leave the house without one on and my favourites are the darker ones! These are such good quality and worth the price, I'm jealous of everyone in America who can get these so cheap without paying additional shipping/customs charges, although BIG shout out to Jeffree's shipping methods as both of these deliveries arrived in under a week and, compared to other American websites/brands, $11 for international delivery is cheap!

[WEARING: I'M NUDE]

I'd definitely recommend these to anyone who is looking for a slightly higher end liquid lipstick. There's dozens of shades on his website, nudes, dark and bright colours so there really is something for everyone. The only downside is the extra costs for those of us not in America (although I still think they're worth it) and having to buy them at specific restock times. I'll definitely be buying more, in fact I've just bought 'Posh Spice' while I was writing this post!

thanks for reading,

CATRIONA

x

JULY FAVOURITES.

MY FAVOURITE PRODUCTS OVER THE PAST MONTH.

I've had a few new products this month, a lot of them have been really good and I've actually struggled to narrow it down so that this post wasn't ridiculously long. These five, however, are my ultimate favourites.

• BONDI SANDS: SELF TANNING FOAM [DARK] & EVERYDAY GRADUAL TANNING MILK

I've been an avid tanner for a few years now, mainly because without fake tan I'm practically reflective and even in the sun I don't tan naturally. To put into perspective how pale I am, MAC NC13 & NARS Siberia are too dark (tragic, I know). Additionally, when you wear such pale foundations it's even more difficult to find concealers that actually highlight, bronzers that don't make you look muddy and highlighters that actually show up on your skin. Still, even with fake tan on, I'm still only a few shades darker, but it makes me look and, most importantly, feel a lot better. 

Most fake tans have a tendency to go green on me, mainly because I'm so pale to begin with, and they don't leave me with a naturally olive colour, more orange. This, however, doesn't go too dark on me when I use only one layer, and it also leaves me with a more natural looking tan, rather than obviously fake. The smell is amazing, very strong coconut, which lingers on the skin hours after application and even after it's developed it doesn't have that typical fake tan smell (which I happen to like the smell of but I know most don't). 

Most importantly, this is best fake tan I've used in terms on longevity on the skin. Not only is this tan great in terms of application and colour but when I take care of it properly it can last up to a week and a half, which is good for me because I find tanning a chore. The Everyday Gradual Tanning Milk is fantastic for prolonging the life of the tan. It has the same coconut scent and doubles up as a moisturiser meaning you can get away with using less products. This product is a great price, slightly more expensive than other brands, but I definitely feel like it is worth it. 
[Self Tanning Foam Dark- £14.99, Everyday Gradual Tanning Milk-£11.99, SUPERDRUG, UK]

• MAYBELLINE: FIT ME! MATTE & PORELESS FOUNDATION

Ever since the days when matte skin was all the craze I've completely hated it and always veered towards a dewy finish. That was until I found this foundation. I'd heard great reviews about the normal Maybelline Fit Me foundation, however when I went to try and buy it they didn't have my shade, so instead I got this one. 

The coverage is absolutely fantastic and completely buildable. I wear this shade [105] when I'm slightly less tanned although I'm going to get another one for when my tan's a bit darker. Sometimes with more affordable foundations I find that they don't have a range of colours and can tend to all be a bit orange, however this one has a strong yellow undertone, which suits me perfectly. 

The price of this foundation is also amazing, I got mine for £6.99 for 30ml (standard for a foundation) but even still, it's not usually much more expensive than that. The finish definitely is matte, as the name would suggest, but it's not flat and doesn't make your face look like a cake. Even if you didn't want a matte finish you could always try dewy setting sprays or using a light reflective powder. I'm going to try the normal Maybelline Fit Me! Foundation next but I'd definitely recommend this, especially for the price. 
[Maybelline Fit Me! Matte & Poreless Foundation-£6.99, SUPERDRUG/BOOTS, UK]

• MAC COSMETICS: 135 LARGE FLAT POWDER BRUSH

Generally, I'm not massively into MAC as a brand. I don't know whether that's because back when I first got into makeup the only brand I really wore was MAC and I've just made myself sick of them, or whether I just genuinely don't really rate their products anymore. MAC brushes, especially, are very expensive, and I feel you can get better products cheaper from other brands. (My favourite brush brands are Morphe, Sigma & Zoeva). That being said, this is genuinely the best bronzer brush I've ever owned. 

A lot of bronzer brushes I've used haven't been able to distribute the product in an even way and often leave me with brown streaks on my face where it's applied too much/too little product at once. This brush completely eliminates this and places the product onto the face properly whilst also blending it out. The size and shape are also perfect for me- I don't have a particularly big face so sometimes bronzer and powder brushes are too big and cover too much area at once. If you don't like a particularly strong contour you could definitely use this brush, it's flat so you could achieve a definite contour line if you're not a fan of it looking too sharp. It's also really soft, using natural fibres, meaning that it doesn't end up scratching your face or disturbing the makeup underneath. 

Admittedly, this brush is expensive (£35.50) and I only bought it on the rave reviews of many online beauty gurus but I'm definitely glad I did. This doesn't mean that I'll be rushing out to buy a load more MAC brushes as I do think they're overpriced as a brand but this one definitely exceeds expectation.

[MAC 135 Large Flat Powder Brush-£35.50, MAC Cosmetics, Worldwide] 

• L.A. GIRL: PRO CONCEAL HIGH DEFINITION CONCEALER [PORCELAIN]

My biggest issue with concealers is that I can never find the right shade for me. As I said before I'm usually quite pale and I like to use concealers to highlight under my eyes, forehead and chin. I have found a few brands which have concealers light enough to do this but I've usually found them a bit too thick and cakey looking. My undereye area can tend to get a little dehydrated and if my concealer is too thick and then is set with powder it can just look awful. 

This product is light enough so that it's highlighting but also blends out extremely well and doesn't look cakey. If I'm having an ultra pale day I usually lighten it with the Urban Decay Weightless Concealer in Fair Neutral (another favourite) but often I just use this product alone. 

L.A. Girl isn't the easiest brand to get your hands on, I get mine from Beauty Bay in the UK or I've also gotten it from Amazon in the past, although Beauty Bay definitely has a better assortment of shades. The most amazing thing about this concealer is that it's only £5 which is great as I can tend to go through them quite quickly. 

The only thing I don't like about this product is the applicator. It has a brush tip which you squeeze the product through and then apply to the face. I'd much prefer a standard doe-foot applicator as I feel like this type wastes product, but for the price I can very easily look past that. 

[L.A. Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer £5, Beauty Bay, UK]

• JEFFREE STAR COSMETICS: VELOUR LIQUID LIPSTICK [DOMINATRIX] 

I've already written a whole review and swatch post about these products so I won't go into too much detail but I'm in love. I used to be terrified of wearing lipsticks and, until about 3 months ago, didn't own any. I jumped in at the deep end and purchased some of the most praised liquid lipsticks on the market (Jeffree Star, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Kat Von D) and I now can't leave the house without lipstick on. 

All the liquid lipsticks I bought are amazing, but there's something about this one that I absolutely love. I feel that this colour, a very dark brown, just makes everything look a lot more dramatic and vampy and also just suits me personally. I've worn it so much this month, even to work. 

The applicator makes them so easy to apply and the formula is amazing- not at all drying and very long wearing. Additionally, I feel like they're amazing value for money at $18 (£12/13) per tube and would highly recommend them. 

[Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipsticks $18 http://jeffreestarcosmetics.com]  

They're my favourite products for the month of July, very varied in price and make but they're all some of the best I've used. Let me know if you'd like to continue seeing monthly favourite posts, I thought they'd be quite helpful as I can offer quick mini reviews without having to go into masses of detail and I can let you know what I've genuinely been using over the month. 

thanks for reading,

CATRIONA

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