FACE OF THE DAY #8

L'oreal True Match Foundation / Collection Concealer / Bourjois 24 Hour Colour Edition / Benefit Bad Gal / S&G Bronzer / MAC MSF Lightscapade / Clinique Chubby Stick Wopping Watermelon 

Yes, I have no eyebrows on. What was I thinking? I was only going to the orthodontist and I went a little cray with my eye make up so I decided to skip brows to tone down the look, but I didn't realise how odd I look haha. Anyway, I have been loving my mini Chubby Stick from Glamour mag and it hasn't left my lips since i got it. So moisturising yet leaves a beautiful colour on the lips! My hair is looking a little bit like a hot mess in these pics, but I was only going to the orthodontist and I doubt she cares ;)

P.S I have gone for a cheeky Instagram filter, it was just another one of those days where you take about 1000+ photos but don't like any of them. You know what I'm talking about. (If you don't then guuurrlllll let me in on yo lil secret.)

Thanks for reading! 

Olivia x

BRAND SPOTLIGHT: ELF COSMETICS

SWATCHES L-R: Blush and Bronzer Duoin St Lucia, All Over Colour Stick in Spotlight, Pigment Eyeshadow, Matte Lip Colour in Tea Rose, Blush in Gotta Glow, Eyebrow Kit in Ash (just the wax), Mineral Moisturising Lip Tint in Pink, Eyebrow Lift and Filler (Lift first, then the filler), Cream Eyeliner in Coffee.

I have been inspired to do this post after seeing Shaaanxo's one brand tutorial videos, and although I don't make videos on youtube I thought I could maybe tweak the idea slightly and do a post containing all the products I own from a certain brand and do a mini review on each of the products. Today, I'm going to be doing it on ELF Cosmetics, which I enjoy and, in my opinion, have built up quite a collection of their products considering they are only available online.

BASE PRODUCTS

The BLUSH AND BRONZER DUO in ST LUCIA is one of my favourite blush-bronzer duo type thing, though I'm not a huge fan of the bronzer (a little bit too dark and shimmery for me) the blush is gorgeous - a peachy pink with gold reflecks running through it. This duo is supposed to be a dupe of the NARS ORGASM AND LAGUNA BLUSH BRONZER DUO though I don't own it so I can't comment on whether it is dupe worthy enough, but after using the bronzer I don't think I'll be rushing out to get the NARS LAGUNA BRONZER.

The next two products are highlighters which I often forget about as I only ever really use my MAC MSF in LIGHTSCAPADE. In saying that, the ALL OVER COLOUR STICK in SPOTLIGHT and the BLUSH in GOTTA GLOW are beautiful but I do find them a little difficult to work with. The stick is a little too creamy for me and my oily skin and the blush is a little too glittery for everyday use.

EYE PRODUCTS

The EYEBROW KIT in ASH used to be a holy grail product for me, and it probably still would be now if MAC OMEGA EYESHADOW hadn't turned up, which the powder side is basically a dupe for although it is a little lighter and possibly not as pigment (this is why I and only swathed the gel side as the powder is barely visible on the skin). The gel side is nice when run through the brows and also helps to tame them a little but the shade is perhaps on the warm side for me. Next up is the EYEBROW LIFT AND FILLER which I was very disappointed by, you may be able to see on the swatch just how waxy the pencil end was! It is impossible to work with. And the chunky style of it made it difficult to be precise and also extremely difficult to sharpen!

For eyeshadow I have the EYESHADOW PIGMENT in COFFEE although a tad messy it is a beautiful colour when packed on to the lid. It has actual glitter in there which I was a little sceptical about at first but they don't pose much difficulty when applying the product. I often wet my brush with MAC FIX+ then dip it into the product to get maximum intensity! For liner, the ELF CREAM EYELINER was my first gel/cream eyeliner which I loved a lot when I first bought it as I was really into a good cat eye then! Since then, as I have put down the gel eyeliner and picked up the eyeshadows, this cream eyeliner has really dried out and really tug on my skin when searching. It is most probably due to the long time I've had it or (I have a lot of trouble with the lids of these and can never seem to close them) not putting the lid on properly. 

LIP PRODUCTS

I've said it before on my blog that I'm not a huge lip product person but I do venture into the lip product world occasionally. From ELF I have the MATTE LIP COLOUR in TEA ROSE which is a mauve pink shade - almost purple! Although it's quite a muted down purple I still don't wear it as often as I'd like to. On the other had I have the MINERAL MOISTURISING LIP TINT in PINK which is quite a sheer peachy pink that you can just whack on and go.

BRUSHES

Everyone always raves about ELF brushes and I am exactly the same. An old favourite of mine is the POWDER BRUSH, a dense, flat top brush perfect for powder, foundation, bronzer - everything! A more recent purchase is the  SMALL STIPPLING BRUSH which is, again, very multipurpose and can be used for a variety of different things. I also own the LIP BRUSH which I occasionally use for lipstick but also concealer, an occasionally with the PIGMENT EYESHADOW. 

So that concludes my Brand Spotlight post! I have some real stand out products from ELF but I also have some 'meh' products too. What are you fave ELF products? 

Olivia x

GLAMOUR x CLINIQUE

I'm sure you're all aware of Clinique's collaboration with Glamour magazine which I personally think is great. Glamour magazine have four Clinique freebies: Chubby Stick in Wopping Watermelon and Super Strawberry; Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion +; and the High Impact Mascara.

I really wanted to get my hands on the Chubby Sticks but when I first went to the Supermarket, it seemed as though they had all sold out so I settled for the Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion +, which is amazing by the way! I may have to get the full size when I run out of the sample as I bloody love it. Anyway, I managed to get my hands on the Chubby Sticks in the end as my sister saw some at her work and quickly bought both shades (one for her and one for me, obvs) I got the Wopping Watermelon and she's got the Super Strawberry shade. They're both gorgeous and I definitely want to invest in some more.

The downside is that we now have three of the same magazine floating about our house. 

Thanks for reading, have you managed snap up any goodies this month? 

Olivia x

ST TROPEZ LOVIN'

L-R BRONZING MOUSSE, INSTANT TAN WASH OFF, SKIN ILLUMINATOR 

Now that summer is in full swing, I thought I would do a post on the products I like to use to get that bronze glow we all want in the summer months.

First up is the ST TROPEZ BRONZING MOUSSE which is just a standard tanning mousse which you can apply all over your body or just in specific areas. Personally, I go for the latter and just apply it to my arms and legs to give them a little bit of colour so I don't look quite as ghostly pale. When you first apply this, it looks quite dark, which I actually like, and then you shower off the guide colour and you're left with quite a subtle tan. I can't quite decide whether this is a pro or a con for me as when I wash it off I sort of look like I haven't put any on! I apply this with a mitt, usually in the evenings so I can shower it off in the mornings. Otherwise if you go out with the guide colour on and you sweat/get it is a bit of a disaster! (The worst is applying to your arms and then sweating as you end up with brown sweat patches - nice!)

The tan that requires a little less commitment is the ST TROPEZ INSTANT TAN WASH OFF which can be used for face and body. This is great for when you haven't had time to fake tan or if you suddenly have last minute plans and your legs need a bit of colour on them! I occasionally use this on my face if I've fake tanned my body and need my face to match. I have a few dry patches on my face and this does tend to cling a little to them, which is something to bare in mind when buying this. The best thing about this product is that the dreaded fake tan hands syndrome is completely avoidable as you can just wash your hands right after application so there's not an orange palm in sight!

Next up is the ST TROPEZ SKIN ILLUMINATOR in GOLD. Ahhhh, this illuminator is so pretty! The gold shimmers compliments tanned skin beautifully, creating that 'lit from within' glow we are all lusting for in the summer time. This can be used on the body to highlight the décolletage and other places. I like to mix it with moisturiser and put it on my legs to give them a summery glow without being too in your face. It can also be used on your face, as a highlighter or mixed with moisturiser/foundation to give a beautiful dewy finish.

What are you summer must haves for glowing skin?

Olivia x

RECENT NON BEAUTY FAVES

I have been loving a lot of non beauty related stuff recently and I thought I'd show a couple of my most recent favourites.

THE SECRET HISTORY BY DONNA TARTT

I bought this book because of Katie Snooks' recommendation as she said it was her favourite book and it didn't disappoint. Although it did take a while for me to get into it, once it began to pic up speed I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend this book, but I wouldn't say it was an 'easy' read, mainly due to the story line (which I won't say much about in case you want to read it yourself).

ULTRAVIOLENCE - LANA DEL REY

Ultraviolence has been a firm favourite of mine ever since it was released in the UK on the 16th June. I honestly cannot sop listening to it. If you're a lover of LDR then give it a listen, if you haven't already. There has been a lot of bad press surrounding Lana about feminism and idolising people who have died young. Of you're up to date with the whole sitch you'll probably know that the author of the article made it appear worse by not including everything she was saying. How annoying. I suppose it emphasises the whole 'don't believe everything you read' sort of thing. Anyway, the album is amazing and I adore all of the songs and I really couldn't pick a favourite (I just tried to write down all my favourites then realised I had included virtually the whole track list). Plus, how beaut does Lana look on the cover? Gorgeous.

SUNNIES

This pair of sunglasses is supposed to represent some of the amazing weather we've been having recently and I've really been loving it. Although I haven't really caught much of a tan, I do enjoy just being out in the sunshine.

That's it for my recent non beauty faves! What are yours? 

Olivia x

SLEEK AU NATUREL PALETTE

I have had this palette for so long now and I have been meaning to blog about it for some time (I'd even taken the photos a couple of months ago but I kept forgetting to write the post up). I use this almost everyday for something or another and it has become a real staple in my make up bag so a review was definitely needed.

First off is PACKAGING

Of course, the sleek packaging is very chic with matte black casing and 'Sleek' written in a glossy text. The brand name says it all really! The palette is thin, which is often a plus for most bloggers what with travelling and storage and such, but since taking these photos some how I have managed to snap off the rather large (and extremely useful especially for on the go) mirror! I've no idea how I've done it but coincidently I've had the same problem with the contour kit compact too- is it just me being clumsy? Or has anyone else had this issue?

FORMULA/TEXTURE

These shadows are soft and buttery and they do apply nicely to the lids. Although I do find with the darker shades you can get a little bit of fall out. They also require a little extra time to blend them out seemlessly compared to the likes of MAC shadows. The longevity of the shadows is good when used with a primer (I use MAC Paint Pot in Painterly), I haven't tried without one as I have quite oily lids so I need a primer with basically all eyeshadows that I use. The shadows do tend to fade a little if its a really long day but nothing too drastic!

COLOUR PAY OFF

My swatches are a little deceiving as it seems that the lighter shades are less pigmented, but in real life they are just as good as the darker colours but thy just don't show up on my skin as much! Although I don't tend to wear black eyeshadow, the black in this palette is awesome and I sometimes use it as a liner. The darker shimmery shades, 'Conker' and 'Mineral Earth' aren't quite as pigmented in my opinion, but they still work well but you just have to do a bit of layering.

PRICE

As with all Sleek products, the quality for the price is insane. Sleek products are so affordable, this palette retails for a measly £7.99 which works out for around 66p per eyeshadow - bargain right?! Personally, I do prefer the Sleek palettes to some of the cheaper brands. For example, MUA do a 12 pan palette for half the price of this one but the quality isn't nearly as close so I would really recommend this palette to anyone! 

MY FAVE SHADES

If I had to pick my favourite shade it would be 'Toast' which is use as a blending or transition colour for my eyeshadow, especially if I'm doing quite a dramatic look. I also love 'Taupe' (which certainly isn't a taupe colour in my opinion) as it is so beaut and shimmery! 'Moss' is another favourite of mine as it is a bit different to what I normally go for!

Do you like the Sleek palettes? Which one is your favourite?

Olivia x

BEST BEAUTY BLOGGERS ON THE BLOCK

The blogging community is one of the best things about blogging, so to share the love of some of my favourite bloggers I thought I would so a post on the best beauty bloggers on the block.

UNSTITCHEDD

Gorgeous girl, gorgeous photography and overall a gorgeous blog. Maddy is insanely talented and her writing style and pro shot photos always keep me coming back for more.

ISLAAY / YOUTUBE

I have adored Islay's blog for so long. Her photography is perfect, as are her youtube videos which are so wonderfully edited! She's uploaded some great recipes and how to posts, including how to press pigments and a recipe for a delicious looking strawberry and cream cake. Not to mention her nail posts/ tutorials in which she is insanely talented!

SUGARFIXXBEAUTY / YOUTUBE

Kate's blog is absolutely stunning; from the blog design to the photos to the content. Not to mention Kate herself is bloody gorgeous too. She also makes videos on youtube like tag videos and also grwm/tutorials which are brill. 

ITSSIMPLYBEAUTY / YOUTUBE

I have been following Tash's blog and youtube for as long as I can remember and I could literally sit there all day watching her videos on youtube and reading her posts. I love her Get Ready With Me vids and I thoroughly trust, and live by, her recommendations of different beauty bits. You should all go and check her out.

That is it for my fave bloggers, of course there are many, many more but I thought I'd keep this post short and sweet!

Who are your favourite bloggers? I'd love to check 'em out.

Olivia x

DISAPPOINTING PRODUCTS

I am not one for slating products or spreading negativity but I thought I'd share my views on some hyped up products that, in my opinion, have fallen short of the blogger publicity surrounding them.

LAURA MERCIER SILK CREME FOUNDATION

I mentioned I felt disappointed by this foundation in a #bbloggers chat a couple of weeks ago, and I think a few people were quite surprised as there is a huge amount of hype surrounding it as so many bloggers like Lily from LLYMLRS and Kate from gh0stparties love it and are always raving about it. But, for me, this product just didn't work; it stuck to dry patches and emphasised the uneven texture of my skin. Despite following the advice of all the bloggers of only using a little at a time, it still went cakey. If I'm honest, it certainly wasn't worth the £33 I paid for it. What I do like about it is that it looks natural (for the coverage that it gives) and the shade is okay - not quite pale enough for me in the winter but it is a good match at the moment. I may do a separate review on Silk Creme Foundation with pictures etc.

BOURJOIS BRONZING PRIMER

I think the only reason I was a little disappointed by this was because I had heard it was similar to the Chanel Solei Tan de Chanel which I had heard tons and tons of good reviews on. I bought this so long ago, I think last summer and I haven't really used much of it. All in all, it is a good bronzer it just wasn't what I was expecting. I do find it a little tricky to apply as if you buff it in too much it can go patchy so I use tapping motions to apply this.

SOAP AND GLORY EXTREME PLUMPING GLOSS

I suppose I did buy this on a whim, so I'm not so sure as to what I was expecting, but this just does not do anything for my lips. Yes, it makes them tingle for around a minute but then the feeling fades and your lips are no plumper than they were before. This gloss is clear though so I have been using it as a standard gloss over lippies.

Have you ever fallen for the hype surrounding products and been disappointed?

Olivia x

TRAVEL MAKE UP BAG

I recently took a trip to the Lake District with my friends where we stayed in a static caravan for a week. I had such an amazing time walking through all the quaint towns and enjoying the fresh air! On the contrary to what BBC weather predicted, the sun was up and shining every day! I even got sunburnt on my shoulders and the top of my forehead, which is not the best look I must admit. As a result of the good weather I tended to sway towards a much more natural look and the rest of my make up was more for 'emergency' reasons (whichever emergency requires 3 eyeshadow blending brushes..) Anyway, I thought this was a great opportunity to show what is in my travel make up bag! 

FACE

For my base, I brought two options (completely unnecessary, I know) which were L'oreal True Match and Vichy Dermablend. They are two of my favourites and reasonably priced too! They give a medium to full coverage so I didn't really use them that much but when I did I used my ELF Studio Small Stippling brush and as a second option I brought the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. For concealer I brought my well loved Collection Lasting Perfection concealer and the Soap & Glory Kick Ass concealer which I only use for the translucent powder (applied with the MAC 186 Stippling brush). To warm up the face it could only be the Soap & Glory Solar Powder Bronzer, this is one of my all time favourites as is so easy to apply and it blends out nicely too! I used the MAC 168 angled contour to apply that, as well as the MAC MSF in Lightscapade.

EYES

To even out my eyelids I brought the MAC Painterly Paint Pot which is a flesh toned base which prevents creasing and makes shadows more vibrant. Although I didn't wear any eyeshadows, I did bin my Urban Decay Naked Basics palette which is great for travelling and has a good sized mirror. I brought my eBay brushes just incase I did want to go for an eye look. I also brought Omega eyeshadow from MAC and an angled brush for my brows.

LIPS

I didn't bring any lipstick, just my trusty Carmex as my lips get so dry in the sun! 

Thanks for reading! I'd love to know what's in your travel make up bag this summer.

Olivia x

BEST OF THE BRONZE

L-R: MAYBELLINE COLOUR TATTOO IN ON AND ON BRONZE // RIMMEL SMOKEY BRUN QUAD TOP RIGHT SHADE // RIMMEL SMOKEY QUARTZ // MAYBELLINE ICED FUDGE // MAC BRONZE

Bronze eyeshadow is a failsafe, but beautiful shade for your lids all year round as it compliments every eye colour and suits a multitude of skin tones. In the warmer months especially I find myself reaching for the bronzey hues a lot more and they are continually in rotation in my daily make up routine. For this reason, I thought I'd share with you, in my opinion, the best of the bronze.

MAYBELLINE COLOUR TATTOO IN 'ON AND ON BRONZE'

This is definitely a favourite of many bloggers/vloggers and I can see why. Although I've had this for a while and have used it many times, I've only made the tiniest dent in it. This is mainly due to how bloody pigmented this stuff is!! A little goes a long way, but do not fear! If you do apply a little too much it is easily blended out with either your finger or a blending brush of your choice - (if I've really made a mess of the whole sitch then I like to use a dense, synthetic round top brush to blend it right out to reverse the damage I've done!). Once it's set though, there is no going back as this does not budge/crease until you get your make up remover on this bad boy. Seriously. The colour of this is really pretty too, it's quite metallic but it isn't as warm toned as the other ones featured in this post. I really like that as I think it suits me when I'm really pale or when I have a bit of a (fake) tan.

RIMMEL EYESHADOW QUAD IN 002 SMOKEY BRUN

If you have read my blog for a while now, I used to use this quad all the time for any eyeshadow looks. I think Rimmel have changed the packaging a little, and possibly the formula but I think the same quad is still available. In the swatch above I used the second darkest colour (top right of the quad) as I think this is the bronziest shade of them all. The formula of the eyeshadows could be a little bit smoother as I find they can feel a little rough and chalky. Nevertheless, these eyeshadows are highly pigmented and blend dreamily with each other and other shadows. The quad itself has a nice range of shades going from light to dark, allowing you to create a variety of looks going from soft to sultry. The only downside to the quad is that they are all shimmery shades so there are no mattes for the crease. 

RIMMEL EYESHADOW IN SMOKEY QUARTZ

I know a few bloggers have raved about this shadow as it is beautiful all over the lid for a quick wash of colour or it can be built up for a more intense look. Personally, I prefer the former as you can sweep it over the lid and blend it up into the crease and it looks as though you have put a lot more effort into your make up than you actually have - perfect for those early starts or when you are running a little late! Using a primer underneath, this eyeshadow doesn't crease throught out the day but it can fade a little if you're wearing it for a super long time. The formula for this mono eyeshadow from Rimmel is a lot nicer than the quad I just mentioned. I'm not sure if this is because it's a single eyeshadow or because I have had the quad for years!

MAYBELLINE EYESHADOW IN ICED FUDGE

I saw Kate from gh0stparties using this shade in a make up look on YouTube a while back and it looked so beaut on her I knew I needed it. It's quite a unique shade as it has almost a pink sparkle running through it, I can't describe it but you may be able to see in the swatch. It is a little chunky and can create some fall out if you get a little too much on the brush. Similar to the Rimmel Smokey Quartz, it looks beautiful as a wash of colour all over the lid or packed on for an insanely beautiful and shimmery look! 

MAC BRONZE EYESHADOW

Ahhhhh. Possibly my favourite of the bunch. Why? Well, it blends like a dream for starters, creating a seamless bronze goddess type scenario, mainly due to the formula, like all MAC eyeshadows, is on point. The shade of it is perfect with just the right amount of shimmer, making blue eyes pop. It's so wearable and I can imagine it would go with any outfit/ lip colour. This is definitely my ultimate go to eyeshadow all year round.

That's it for the lowdown of the best bronze eyeshadows! Have you got any faves that I haven't mentioned?

Olivia x

JUNE BEAUTY FAVOURITES

I realise I've been a little absent from blogger recently so what better way to update you on the beauty products I'm using and enjoying than a favourites post?

MAC FIX+

I've finally ditched the powder and turned to this little beauty for setting my base make up. Admittedly, it has taken me a while to fall in love with this product; I got it back in September and I wasn't particularly wowed by it if I'm honest. The thing I love most about this product is that it adds a touch of moisture back into my skin. I douse myself in this stuff after applying my foundation and it just makes my face look so much fresher and healthier! I spray this at arms length as spraying it too close can leave you a little sticky and looking like a hot mess.

MAC PAINTERLY PAINT POT

Even at the best of times eyeshadows don't tend to stick around on my lids for long, so in summer especially an eye primer is an absolute crucial step for me. This particular primer is a triple threat; it prevents creasing, evens out discolouration and makes eyeshadows go on smoother and a lot more vibrant. What more could a gal want from an eye primer?

REVLON COLOURBURST LIP BUTTER IN PEACH PARFAIT

I picked this up a while back in boots on a bit of a whim and even then I was extremely late hopping on the lip butter bandwagon. I'm not one for lip products, therefore I don't own many and often don't add many to my minuscule stash. As I said, this was bought on a whim and I'm so glad I did buy it! It's so subtle on the first swipe but it can be layered to an opaque peach shade with gold shimmers running through it. I definitely need to pick up some more shades - any recommendations? 

ELF STUDIO SMALL STIPPLE BRUSH

I've been opting for a lighter base now that we are well into the warmer months, and this brush really delivers a light but flawless base. I use it in conjunction with my L'oreal True Match Foundation and they really are the dream team. I apologise for not washing the brushes before showing them (just keeping it .. er .. authentic, you know) but the bristles come up really clean. There's nothing more satisfying than seeing a clean duo fibre or any white haired brush in your stash, ey? I haven't experienced any shedding or the dye coming out, which is amazing for how affordable this brush is!

EBAY BLENDING BRUSH

This brush is the queen of blending for me. Well, out of the brushes I have. I think it is mainly the style of the brush as it is slightly tapered, helping it to diffuse colours so beautifully and it is really easy to create a blown out smokey eye with this brush. The bristles are soft and delicate on the eye area, but perhaps not the softest of brushes as I think the title of the softest brushes will always go to Real Techniques. For the price, a mere 99p, the quality is great, and I 100% recommend.

TAPE

Although I haven't included it the photograph, I've enjoyed using Sellotape to create a sharp and precise line for really dramatic eyeshadow! 

What products have you been loving throughout June?

Olivia x