Make Up For This Weekend With Charlotte Tilbury

If you love make up and beauty, but haven't ventured onto Lisa Eldridge's website, let me introduce to your new addiction. I can't get ready for a night out without following one of her tutorials - they're clear, interesting and achievable (she uses Bourjois as much as Chanel). Now she is calling upon fellow leading make up artists to share how they created some of the world's most iconic make up looks. As Lisa says in her video, even if you didn't know the name of the make up artist, you'll recognise their work.

First up is a tutorial by legendary make up artist Charlotte Tilbury. Some of her most recent work has been for Kate Moss on the cover of Vogue Paris. I'm a dedicated fan of nude and pale pink lipsticks, but this video has inspired me to go for a punchy red lip. The fact that the rest of the make up is so minimal is just a bonus. 

Image: Lisa Eldridge

Do you watch Lisa's tutorials? Will you try this look?

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Beauty: Benefit Make Up Haul

I recently treated myself to a load of new Benefit beauty goodies after having not used the brand for years! I often read a lot of good things about their products on other blogs, especially the bronzers and mascaras, so I decided to give some things a go for myself...

Brows A-Go-Go brow and eye shaping kit £26.50

First up is the Brows A-Go-Go brow and eye shaping kit. It really has everything you need to get both your eyes and brows in shape, including a shadow duo in light and dark, a mid brown brow wax, mini black eyeliner, brush applicator, highlighting powder and illuminating cream plus a pair of mini tweezers. This has become a staple in my make up bag. I like to keep my day time make up as fuss-free as possible, so I use the light brown on both my brows and eyelids in the morning. You could always add the darker tone to the outer corners for a simple smoky eye, but I tend to use that in the evenings on my brows for when I'm going out. The tweezers are fantastic at grabbing tricky little hairs and the eyeliner is the perfect size for popping in your handbag on a night out. Overall, this is the perfect all-in-one kit for your eyes and brows! 

Hoola Bronzing Powder £23.50, Little Flirt Lashes £11.50

Like the brow kit, the Hoola bronzer has gained an essential place in my make up bag. It's so pigmented that you only need a tiny bit of product to gain an instant effect. It's the perfect shade for me and is brilliant for sculpting your cheekbones. It's the best bronzer I've ever used and I'll definitely be buying it again. I'll admit the brush has become my kitten's new favourite toy - it wasn't great for applying or blending the powder - so I now use an Avon sculpting brush, which works really well.

As for the Little Flirt lashes, they are exactly what they look like - dramatic! I can't say they're easy to apply because I really think lashes are only easy to apply if you're good at applying them! I loved the spiky, wide-eye lash look they created, but for the price I will be sticking to my Ardell favourites.

They're Real Mascara £18.50, Magic Ink Eyeliner £14.50

They're Real mascara - this is one of the best mascaras I've ever used. The brush is one of those plastic, flexi brushes, but it's not as densely packed as MaxFactor's False Lash Effect (my ultimate mascara). The formula is what I would describe as quite 'wet', so it can go a bit gloopy on your lashes, but it does create a full, super long lash look. Again, it's the price point that brings the review down - while it was a fantastic mascara, False Lash Effect does an equally good (if not better!) job for a cheaper price.

Magic Ink eyeliner - I've tried pretty much every eyeliner form there is going: gel, liquid, pencil, pen and I still can't decide which one I'd opt for. If you're looking for something quick and simple this is a great option as it gives a really opaque black line with a slightly glossy finish. It lasts around 9 hours before I find that my kitten flicks start to fade, which isn't bad!

Overall, I'm really impressed with Benefit products. The downside is their price, but on the other hand they are genuinely fantastic products, so it's well worth the indulgence. I'll definitely be buying Brows A-Go-Go and Hoola bronzer again, if not the eyeliner too!

Do you use Benefit products? Which are your favourites?

New Things: Mini Maybelline Haul

I don't know about you, but even if I go into Boots for nothing more than some hand wash, I can end up with arms full of shopping and a dent in my bank card. Today is a prime example of this.  I went to pick up some cereal and milk from Tesco and I ended up in Boots buying Maybelline's 'Lasting Drama' gel eyeliner, Colour Sensational lipstick and Dream Touch blush, 2 boxes of Garnier Nutrisse hair colour creme, and a pack of No7 face wipes. To be fair, I did get offers on all the products. At the moment in Boots, Maybelline is 3 for 2, Garnier Nutrisse is 2 for £8 and the No7 wipes are just £2 (usually £7), if you use the £5 vouchers which were available last week.

L-R Colours: 109 Rosy Dream, 01 Intense Black, Apricot

I've heard only good things about the gel eyeliner and my best friend recommends it over Mac's fluidline, while make up artist, Lisa Eldridge says it's a true rival for the more expensive brands. I'll let you know what I think of the product once I've properly tried it out, but on face value they've done really well with the packaging. It comes in a large box (which makes it feel that little bit more special than if the pot was available by itself). There's a small brush inside to apply the eyeliner with and the pot has a frosted, minimal style, which makes it look more expensive than it actually is (£7.99). I'm more than happy to have it as an addition to my makeup bag, unlike their Colour Sensational lipstick, which looks like a bargain bucket drug store lippy. However, the colour is gorgeous. It's a glossy, baby pink which isn't too cool in tone. It's got more pigment than some of my sheer Mac baby pinks, so I thought I'd give it a go. I've also been in need of some blusher as I only have two! I've always found it's better to put a cream blusher on top of cream foundation, so I'm hoping it comes out well. It's a warm, peachy gold, which feels amazingly creamy to touch and blends really well.

I tried to take photos of the colour swatches, but my camera just doesn't capture them at all!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend! I've got to start clearing out my stuff, ready for the big move back home next weekend. It's still so surreal that university is over. I'm dreading moving back home, but I've still got Glastonbury to look forward to which makes it all feel that little bit further in the distance.

wednesday wishes 2

Topshop Jersey Dress, Miu Miu Leopard Heels, Reality Street Book of Sonnets, Kurt Geiger Pink Brogues, MAC Lady Danger Lipstick

Today's Wednesday Wishes is pretty hasty because I completely forgot I'd committed to this feature in all honesty. I've had a chest infection / flu type thing this past week, which still doesn't appear to want to vacate residence from me any time soon, so I'm all out with blogging and posting etc. 

Feeling a bit better today, I ventured into Manchester wearing my new experiment : flat shoes. I know that doesn't sound all too adventurous to those of you who are accustomed to the humble heel less shoe, but for me, patron of the stiletto, it was a big thing in terms of those sartorial decisions we make every day. 

To be fair, I didn't really treat myself to the best representatives of flats. I begrudgingly spent £4 on a pair of Primark leopard print pumps. I pretty much had to be taken kicking my heeled feet all the way to the till. I also bought a pair of Primark brogues (I really splashed out, didn't I!), which I've already hidden at the bottom of my wardrobe. Yet I went to uni with optimism in my little leopard pumps, happily thinking that I would be able to walk speedily from place to place and in comfort. Such feats are seldom heard of in the world of platforms, of which I am usually an inhabitant. 

However, by the time I'd walked 20 minutes my feet were hurting from feeling the cold, hard slap of concrete against my soles. I then wandered on into Manchester, and was practically hobbling home by the end of the day. I arrived home with some new purchases for my feet. A type of unbecoming toe jewellery, if you will, in the form of fabric. Fabric plasters to be blunt. 

Not only did my feet arrive back in the same, if not worse condition, than they usually do from wearing a good six inch shoe, but they didn't look half as good in the process. So as it stands, I still hate flat shoes.

Please, please help me find some comfortable boots that look really good and that don't have a heel, because I have to force myself to convert to their cause because I just can't skate around in stilettos on winter's upcoming ice.

Hope you're all ok. I've been reading your blogs even if I haven't been posting! 

Like It

Something that's been all over alot of blogs recently (and with good reason) has been Models Own hauls. If you don't know about the sale they've just had, then you've really missed out on a good one. All you had to do was 'like' their Facebook page and then you got 50% off your order. That makes all of their nail polishes (my main buy from them) a mere £2.50, which for the quality and colour range of their products, is a seriously good deal.

I had to refrain from going crazy and buying everything I liked, and just allow myself to buy the shades I really wanted. I ended up getting four more colours to add to my collection, and a lipstick (something I've never tried from their range before).

L-R: Scarlet Sparkle, Lili's Pink, Beth's Blue, Turkish Delight

I'd not tried one of the sparkle varnishes before, but I loved this red colour. It's like Dorothy shoes for your nails. I was worried it wouldn't come out as sparkly as it looks in the photos, but I've put it on over some OPI red nail varnish on my toes, and it looks gorgeous. I'll put a photo up soon when it's on my fingernails, because you really don't need to see my toes up close.

The colours on the photo are pretty much exact, so Lili's pink is slightly more vibrant than a baby pink, but super glittery. Beth's Blue is a really lilac pastel blue, more lilac than it looks on the website. I'm wearing it at the moment, and it's my new favourite shade:

My old camera was rubbish at taking close up photos. My new camera is rubbish at taking close up photos. Is it my lack of skills or are cameras awful at focusing on close up objects?

I usually find I have to apply two coats of Models Own, as they can be a bit patchy/streaky on a first coat, but this one was fine with just one.

I've not tried Turkish Delight yet. It's more my usual kind of shade, so I'm trying out the pastels for a while.

The lipstick is Sheer Sparkle and it's exactly that. The colour is really subtle, and ever so slightly bronze. It has a lot of sparkle to it, and you can feel the glittery bits which is a downside, but it looks really nice. The packaging is clear, not that dissimilar from Shu Uemura. 

All in all, really happy with everything I got as usual and for only £12.50 it's even better.
Did you get anything?

Someone Went Shopping

Dear Readers,

Please remind me EVERY year to have some faith in end-of-season sales, and to take just a little while out of my shopping spree to thoroughly peruse the aisles, as I may just find something really, really nice that's a really, really good bargain. Take today, for example, I've found a pair of black leather, scarily vertiginous ankle boots. Bear in mind that I'm 5ft 8", and I have a fear of heights. Add another five inches to my soles and I tend to buy platform shoes with a sense of trepidation. However, these shoes were £80 (too much for them I'd say, as I find is often the case in Topshop) reduced to.....

wait for it...

TWENTY SEVEN POUNDS!

Twenty seven pounds! You can buy far worse shoes, for far more than that!

The only issue I have with them is that they are incredibly hard to get on. Seriously, I've never gone through such a hassle getting a shoe on. It actually got me out of breath. That could largely be to do with the fact I haven't exercised in a few months, but I'm sure the fact that they have no zip also contributes greatly. My foot is a size 6, and today I have learnt that it is no easy thing getting a size 6 foot into a hole that is ankle width. I had to try them on in the store barefoot, but tried with socks when I got home. Well, safe to say I have no chance whatsoever with socks. Does anywhere still sell those little 'popsocks'? The last time I saw them was when I was being fitted for some rather fetching, velcro school shoes. It's going to have to be that or something like baby oil, because my feet actually looked like they'd been through a small massacre when I took them back out!

The reason I went shopping was to find a dress for The Boyfriend's graduation. Consistent readers will know I was feeling pretty inspired by Victoria Beckham's chic little red GOAT number, and one of the outfits from Rag & Bone's collection (find it here) not so long ago. However, to my memory, I've never owned a red dress. I changed this today.

Plain Bubble Sleeve Dress £40

It's the most vibrant red material I've ever seen. It ties at the back and has a 'V' back as well, and it will do nicely with a bit of styling. Any ideas on what shoes to wear? And no, the new boots won't be appropriate.

I also decided to test out the new Topshop make-up range. I wasn't actually intending to, though I've heard only good reviews about it, but I saw this lipstick

Lipstick in Desert £8

A couple days ago I watched one of Lisa Eldridge's make-up videos, and she used a really different, orange/peach lipstick. Hers was from Illamasqua for £15, but this Topshop one was a close enough match for me to just try out to see whether it suits me for a mere £8. I haven't tried it yet, but when I do I'll let you know what I think.

So! All in all a pretty successful day.

The sun is shining, I've got the latest issue of Grazia to read and later a film featuring my beloved Matt Damon - perfect!

*Tried the lipstick. Verdict:
Pros: Really creamy texture, and feels really moisturising. A bit like a luxurious lip balm.
Cons: The colour is nothing like the little colour tab they put on the packaging. The label is a sorbet orange with white undertones, which was exactly what I was looking for. The actual colour is quite a brown colour with vague orange undertones. It's the colour of a dark tan. 

Jessica Stam: Talk About A Perfect Face

Fashion Gone Rogue

Why Don't You Love Me?

Ahhh there is nothing she can't do. I love the retro, pin up style of this video and just plain love Beyonce to be honest.

To pin point one thing out of it all though, I love her lipstick. All of them - even the blue-grey. Living in Manchester (as opposed to Devon), means that I have easy peasy access to MAC, which means if there's £12.50 to be spared, it's gunna be spent on a lipstick. As I mentioned in my post on Models Own nail varnishes, buying cosmetics is the simple way to get that 'treated-myself-to-something-new' feeling, without splashing money you might not have, as is often the case for me. Inspired by Beyonce, I think the next lipstick in the line is going to be one of these....

The orange/coral ones:

Mac - Morange

Mac - Vegas Volt

And the nude to match the smoky eyes, I'm going to attempt as always...

See, no clothes involved and I'm still excited :)