TATTI LASHES IN TL3

Tatti Lashes in TL3 (£8.99)

When it comes to falsies I rarely stray from my beloved Eylure 143s - they are hands down one of the best lash styles EVER. But when I saw that they had gone up to £8, EIGHT POUNDS, on the ASOS website, I took to www.falseeyelashes,co.uk to have a browse of some different styles. 

I had come across the Tatti Lashes brand before but had thought  nine quid - that's a bit pricey isn't it? Well it seems like that's the going rate at the minute. Also, the Tatti Lashes are mink so really they're not half as expensive as say Lily Lashes.

I was a little bit worried these might look cray on my tiny eyes but they actually look amazing - no joke! They're so fluffy and thick. The band is pretty thick but they were super easy to apply, it's like they were already moulded to my eye shape. These lashes come with a little vial of glue which was SO STICKY. In the best way possible! I really hope they sell the glue separately cos mama needs that in her life.

Overall these were an absolute dream to wear and I reckon I'll defo be getting a good 5-10 uses out of these bad boys!

What are your favourite lashes?

Olivia

HACK TESTING: WASHING UP LIQUID FOR CLEANING MAKE UP SPONGES

If there's one thing I love more than a good ol' Beauty Hack post, it's a Hack Testing post. I've found so many good hacks over the years, my favourite being the classic hair spray on a spoolie to set your brows in place and THEN to comb back your fly aways! Seriously, hacks are awesome. So when I saw this hack to clean your make up sponge with just water, washing up liquid and a microwave, I was so excited to try it!

So this hack involves your dirty make up sponges put in a mug with washing up liquid then in the microwave for 1 minute. I was really eager to try this one because I can never seem to get all the foundation out of my sponges, so much so it ends up being easier to just buy a new one.

The outcome of this hack for me was.. interesting. I put the sponges in the microwave repeatedly with new water and washing up liquid but I couldn't get all the make up out to save my life. Like, more and more was coming out each time but it just never seemed to end - I thought I was going to be there all day! So I did sort of give up, but as you can see on the after picture of the RT Miracle Complexion Sponge there are bits of orange coming through the lovely brown foundation stain (yum). And on the mini sponges (these are from Primark and they are so fab by the way!) it worked much better. I think this must have been because I hadn't used them as much so the make up probably hadn't penetrated as deep into the sponge.

When testing this hack something to bear in mind is how dirty your sponge actually is. Now, I know you're going to think I'm utterly gross but I actually can't remember the last time I actually tried to clean it. Grim, I know.  But I do think this affected the outcome massively. When I buy a new RT Sponge (which I think should be very very soon) I'm going to wash it more often using this hack and I'm pretty sure it will come up clean every time!

Overall, I feel like this hack would work a treat if your sponge isn't as foundation-logged as mine! I'm definitely going to do it more often on my sponges in the future!

Will you be trying out this hack?

Olivia

MARC JACOBS REMARCABLE FOUNDATION

Marc Jacobs Remarcable Foundation - £37

When the Marc Jacobs Remarcable Foundation first came out last year, it was everywhere in the Blogosphere being both hyped up and criticised. It was majorly praised for its high coverage whilst having a really light weight feel on the skin, however it was bashed for the poor shade range for deeper skin tones. Having had this foundation for a good 6 months now, I think it's time to give my verdict on this cult classic.
Marc Jacob says,

"All day weightless finish. Beyond full coverage"

Retailing at £37 you would certainly expect this foundation to live up to this claim. In terms of coverage and texture I completely agree - it's such full coverage as it contains twice as much pigment as a regular foundation. It also has a surprisingly thin consistency considering the coverage it gives. It terms of a "weightless finish", I'm not sure I agree. Yes, it is very light on the skin, but does it look weightless? No, I don't think so. It certainly doesn't look overly heavy, but you can certainly tell you have got foundation on - which for me isn't a problem at all. In terms of "all day" I also disagree, it melts off my nose by the end of my day at uni which I do sort of expect. It also transfers onto clothes and other people, as well as masks (not ideal when you were a surgical mask for a good few hours a day). I also can find it to go a little cakey during the day - sorry Marc.

I find this foundation a little difficult to apply on my nose, granted it is one of my problem areas. I suffer from large pores/blackheads and so it can often cake up in that area. I usually apply this with my RT Miracle Complexion Sponge but on my nose I find I have to use a little brush and really swirl it into my pores (yum). I also find it can cling to dry patches when using a brush.

The shade range is great if you're from light to medium skin tone, if you're any darker then unfortunately you might struggle. I would consider myself very pale and ordered myself the lightest shade which is Ivory 10. To my surprise, this was actually far too light for me, but I rolled with it anyway, mixing in a little bit of a darker foundation to actually match me. For this reason, I would definitely try to get matched in a store if you're looking to buy this foundation as it can be very difficult to tell.

The packaging. Oh, the packaging. It comes in a glass bottle with a little screw on lid and dropper. It looks gorgeous and so luxurious but it's actually very impractical. A lot of product gathers where the lid screws on so you actually waste a ton of foundation and it's a bugger to clean.

Despite wearing this foundation everyday for the past 6 months, I doubt I will be repurchasing this foundation again. For just short of forty quid, I expected it to last a little longer and to not go cakey during the day.

So, I'm still on my quest to find the perfect foundation, have you got any favourites?

Olivia x

THE ORDINARY SKINCARE: LACTIC ACID 5%, HA 2%

The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5%. HA 2% - £5.50

I stumbled across The Ordinary brand whilst doing my routine browse of ASOS and I couldn't believe the range of products they were selling - and for the price tag too! I quickly did a little bit of research and settled on the Lactic Acid 5% and HA 2% serum.

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and Hyaluronic Acids (HAs) are all the rage in skin care products at the moment. Lactic acid is an AHA and is said to exfoliate your skin which over time should improve texture, fade pigmentation and reduce fine lines, Whereas HAs hydrate your skin and also has anti ageing properties. Having dull, dry and congested skin myself, I always wanted to try Hydraluron however I couldn't justify splashing the cash knowing there was a (pretty high) chance it could lead to my eczema flaring up. So I was so excited to bag a bargain at only £4.95 (10% student discount holla).

With this particular product, it says to apply once a day and preferably at night. The product is dispensed through a little dropper, helping you to get the correct amount you need - which isn't much!
I apply this after I've washed my face and follow up with moisturiser. I was a little concerned this might make my face feel tight/dry but it hasn't so far!

I have been using this for about a week now and I feel as though I've noticed improvements mainly in my skin texture; I don't have half as many little bumps as I used to! I haven't noticed too much of an improvement in terms of hydration yet. I've been make up free for the past week due to revision so I think I will notice more when I start wearing it again (next fri!!!).

My only issue with this product is that I have noticed a few little spots on my face recently. I don't tend to get little ones, only huge horrible ones so this is a change for me! I don't know if its due to this product or stress from exams, but I'll be sure to keep you updated!

Overall I have been really enjoying this product and will definitely carry on using it! I really want to try a few others from their range too.

Have you tried any acid based skin care?

Love, Liv x

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NYX LIP PRODUCTS: MATTE VS GLOSSY

L-R: Butter gloss in Fortune Cookie (£5.50), Soft Matte Lip Cream in London (£6.00), Intense butter gloss in Apple Dumpling (£6.00), Lip Lingerie in Baby Doll (£7.00)

2017 is definitely the year of the gloss; beautifully glossy lips, eyes and skin are all over social media at the moment and I am loving it. Nothing better than a slapping a bit of lip gloss on and being good to go rather than being paranoid throughout the day that you have the dreaded crusty lip (cringe). Nevertheless, matte lips do have their place in my make up stash as I'm sure they do in yours too! For this reason, I thought I'd give you the lowdown on some of my go to glosses and most used mattes. Only a coincidence they're all from NYX - and all nudes of course!

Starting with my first EVER product from NYX, the Soft Matte Lip Cream in London (£6.00)is a brown nude that dries down to a matte finish. This one has such a lovely texture, it's not drying at all but comfortable on the lips and ever so easy to apply. There will be no flaky lips in sight with this one. The only downside is that it doesn't have the longevity of liquid lipsticks so you will have to reapply this during the day.

The NYX Lip Lingerie (£7.00) products had such major hype surrounding them, being the first affordable set of nude liquid lippies and all. I got the shade Baby Doll which is a light pink-nude, perfect for everyday. The formula lasts a hell of a lot longer compared to the SMLC but this does come with the added dryness.. You can combat this easily with a slick of lip balm underneath and a good exfoliator beforehand! I prefer to pat this into my lips for a lovely effortless glam look.

Now for the newest additions to my collection... the glosses! My absolute fave has to be the Butter Gloss in Fortune Cookie (£5.50). It's the ultimate nude gloss that makes your lips look SO plump that you could give Kylie Jenner a run for her money! It's perfect on its own for an everyday look or layered over the Lip Lingerie in Baby Doll. This has the longevity of a standard gloss but fades really nicely and is soooo easy to apply.

Onto the Butter Gloss's more potent sister, it's the Intense Butter Gloss in Apple Dumpling (£6.00). This gloss is extremely thick, verging on sticky but I love it nevertheless. It can be a bit of a mare when it's windy up here in Sheffield as you will get your hair and about one million other things stuck to it, but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to take. I tend to use this alone or just with a little bit of lip liner and it looks gorg. I'm tempted to get more of a nude shade next time as I think it would look really pretty.

I've got some of the new Lip Lingerie shades on my wish list, have you?

Love, Liv x

NEW FAVE ALERT: FLEEK LASHES "CAMI"

FLEEK LASHES - CAMI - £6.99

Let us take a moment to appreciate these eyelashes *insert praying emoji here*.

As of late I've been ditching my precious falsies on uni nights out as they end up half way down my chin about an hour into pre drinks. Or worse, down the toilet in Paris after having an emosh chat with one of my uni BFFs. Either way, due to my false lash abstinence during term time, I get giddy with the thought of a classy (as classy as a manc gal will ever be) night out on Bank Hol where I don't have to worry about getting a Blue Pint in my hair and feeling sticky for the next 2 weeks. And of course with any classy night out comes with a fab pair of fluttery lashes. I opted for the Fleek Lashes in the style 'Cami'. They're lovely and wispy so you can actually see your eyeshadow! The band is very thin so no need to go Winehouse style on the liner.  This particular style were a bit of a pain to apply so I would definitely wear these a few times around the house so they mould to your eye shape - you don't want them pinging off as you drink your Pornstar, do you?

Fleek Lashes in 'Cami' retail for £6.99 and can be found at www.falseeyelashes.co.uk!

Thank you for reading huns, what are your fave pair of falsies?

Liv x

ABH MODERN RENAISSANCE PALETTE

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette - £41

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette. Do I need to say anymore?

If you haven't heard about this palette then you must be living under a rock as this eye shadow palette quickly become a cult beauty product in the blogger world (and also in my own make up bag!).

Filled with orange tones and pinks this couldn't be more up my street if I'm honest. In saying that, there really is something for everyone in this palette with a few cool tones and neutral shimmers. The shades I've used the most are Burnt Orange, Realgar, Love Letter and Venetian Red - they're all gorgeous!

The quality and blendability of these shadows makes doing your eye make up 10 times quicker and easier, they are melt into each other beautifully. I also haven't experienced any creasing whilst wearing these shadows (they have even survived a Corp night out - if you know, you know). The only issue I have with that there is a lot of fall out with these (like a lot) so you are likely to hit pan quickly which is sooooo sad. 

The palette is a bit on the spenny side at £41 but if you like these shades, it's definitely worth it!  I just can't wait for ABH single shadows to come to the UK - BeautyBay please.

Thanks for reading,

Olivia

ps. soz for not posting in a hot minute

WHAT'S IN MY NIGHT OUT BAG?

Nights out are great, right? Until you realise you've forgetten your ID, debit card or even worse - eyelash glue!!! For this reason, I have compiled a checklist of all the things you should be stuffing in your tiny clutch for a night on the toon.

Phone - goes without saying. How else are you going to remember your night out without the hilarious/hideous photos on your camera roll. Or if you're like me, the double chinned selfie posted on your snapchat story.

Keys - even if you're on the pull and plan on going home with someone else - always bring your keys! It could go tits up (not in a good way).

Money/debit card - for when you're feeling generous and decide to get the next round.. again.

ID - depending on your age and if you have a baby face like me, this one is probably optional.

Eyelash glue - as mentioned before, this is an absolute essential. You can't be walking round with a wonky eyelash or with one half way down your cheek. Also there's no greater feeling than offering your tiny vial of glue to a girl in need in the loos.

Perfume - if you don't fancy buying a spray from the 'no Armani, no punani' toilet attendant, it's best to bring your own perfume. Realistically, you don't want to be carrying a whole bottle round all night so it's good to invest in a Traval O mini refillable one.

Lipstick - there's nothing worse than getting a drink with no straw and having all of your lippy disappear within 2 minutes of arrival, so make sure you bring your favourite lip product with you for a cheeky top up in the ladies. Preferably bring a nude so you don't end up leaving the club looking like the Joker.

Powder & Brush - so you don't look like a sweaty mess. Enough said.

I'd love to hear what your essentials are on a night out!

Olivia

NEW IN: BEAUTY HAUL

 

I have started 2016 as I mean to go on, being a little bit naughty by handing over quite a bit of $$ to the lovely people in Boots. In saying that, I did justify every purchase with a valid reason, valid being used very loosely here as I'm not sure that "treat yo' self" is the best justification by any means.

 

 Anywho, the damage has been done so I thought why not share it with you all. I'll start off with one of my most favourite purchase, the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder (£19.50), I've been lusting over this product for far too long now and as soon as I saw it was in stock in Space NK I knew I needed it. I even paid £5 for shipping. (Yes, £5!!!) Although I haven't had this product for very long, I have been really liking it and will probably do a review very soon! Another one of favourite purchase has to be the MAC Prep and Prime 24 Hour Extend Eye Base (£16), I have just recently written a post on this explaining why I love it. In short, it's great and I definitely prefer it to their paint pots! I also purchased three nail polishes, one was one of the new Barry M Sunset Nail Paint (£4.99) but I haven't got much use out of this as I didn't realise you needed the top coat with it to see the full effect. The other two nail polishes are from Urban Outfitters which I only bought to get the total in my bag up to get free delivery (we've all been there.. admit it). Even so, the nude shade is really pretty and almost a terracotta colour which I think will look very apt as we move into Spring. The other is a glitter polish which seems a bit poo, I'm sure I'll still get some use out of it though. After buying the Morphe 35P palette I really wanted a purple base to make the eyeshadows pop even more, so I got the Barry M Bold Waterproof Liner in Purple (£3.99) on a bit of a whim but I could not believe how beautiful this product is! It's lovely and creamy and lasts such a long time, I could not recommend this product enough. I'm definitely going to be making another trip to Boots to pick up a few more shades from the range. Two skincare items I purchased included the Body Shop Hemp Face Protector (£8) and the Una Brennan Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil (£10.99). I hoped these two would help the dry skin on my face as I suffer with eczema, however I felt like they made it much worse! It's such a shame as the Una Brennan Super Facialist Cleanser felt so lovely on the skin and removed make up in a flash! I may try them again after my eczema has cleared up but I am a little scared it could cause it to flare up again.

 

That wraps up my haul post! Have you had a cheeky splurge recently?

Thanks for reading,

Liv

 

UNDER EYE TRIO - NO CREASING!!

MAC Prep and Prime 24 Hour Extended Eye Base, Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer, Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder

For me, concealer is both a blessing and a curse. Yes, it covers my dark circles and certainly makes me look wide awake, yet it always creases on me and settles into fine lines making me look 18 going on 80! It's really not a good look and choosing between looking young and tired or old and awake is a tough one for me. So, I've been on the hunt for products I can use in conjunction with my concealer to stop me from looking a creasy mess. First up I use the MAC Prep and Prime 24 Hour Extend Eye Base (£16) to prep my under eyes. As this product is intended to prime the lids to prevent creasing of eyeshadows, it works wonders in preventing the concealer and powder from creasing and moving during the day. I have quite dry under eyes and I have to say this product is great for me as it doesn't dry out my under eyes but rather smooths everything out. Next up is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer (£17.50) which I just apply in thin layers under my eyes, then using either a damp make up sponge or my fingers to blend it in. This concealer is very lightweight yet provides a decent amount of coverage. Next up is a new addition to my stash, the Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder (£19.50), I take a small amount of this on a brush and gently pat the concealer into place. I find this product really is the star of the show as it helps to prevent creasing and just blurs any fine lines! As I mentioned, I have only just got my hands on this product so I'm not sure how it performs when flash photography is involved but I will do a full review very soon!

 

Have you got any favourite crease proof products?

 

Thanks for reading,

Liv

MORPHE 35O PALETTE

Without flash

With flash

Let us just take a moment to appreciate the Morphe 35O Palette (£20.75)

 

The 35O Palette is one of Morphe's most coveted beauty products and I'm sure we can all see why, although these photos really do not do any of the shades justice. It is an absolutely stunning palette full of warm browns, golds and burnt orange eyeshadows with a variety of finishes including matte, satin and super-shimmery. The pigmentation in most of these shadows are phenomenal! I say most as a few of the shades did let me down a little as they didn't feel as high quality as the rest of the shadows. A few of my favourites include the top shade on the second to last column, it doesn't look anything special in the pan but it looks amazing on the eye as a transition shade! I also love using the third shadow down in that same column in the centre of my lid when doing a spot light eye. I'm going to be posting a make up look using this palette soon so keep your eyes peeled for that one! I would highly recommend this palette to anyone that loves eyeshadow, in particularly warm shades. This palette does go out of stock very quickly so if you want it you will have to be quick as it's every man for himself out there ;) For reference, stockists include Beauty Bay, Beauty Chamber, Cult Beauty or the Morphe website.

 

Thank you for reading! Have you tried any Morphe Eyeshadow Palettes?

 

Liv

MAC CENTRIC BASE

Sorting through my make up collection on the weekend got me thinking about not only the products I use most regularly but also the brands. I've found that I have a lot of MAC stuff - particularly base products - I think it's because its not too expensive. Don't get me wrong I always have to justify splurging £20 on a foundation from MAC but it's nowhere near spending £30+ on one from brands such as Nars or Illamasqua. I thought I would just put together a little post to show you some of my fave face products from MAC.

As far as primers go it has to be Strobe Cream (£24.50), it packs a punch and will leave your face hydrated and glowy. I particularly like this in the winter months as I feel my skin gets a little drier so this nifty little product helps to instantly perk it up, no matter what foundation I put over the top. You can also mix this in with your foundation or use it post- foundation by dabbing it on the high points of your face. Another quite glowy product is the famous Face and Body Foundation (£22). This particular one took me a while to get used to as it has such an odd consistency! I've resorted to putting it on with a damp beauty sponge as I feel on my skin I get the best finish, but please do let me know how you guys apply it! I tend to use this foundation for events when I know there will be flash photography as it has no SPF so you won't get the dreaded flash back! A thing to watch out for with this foundation is that it is very dark - I have the lightests one yet I can only really pull it off after bathing in self tan. Pro Longwear Concealer (£17.50) is very much a cult product in the beauty world. It gives a great coverage and it is amazing for highlighting under the eyes if you get a few shades lighter. You also get tons of product with this one - always a bonus! Talking about highlighting under the eyes, I recently purchased the Shaping Powder in Emphasise (£16) which I use very sparingly under my eyes to brighten them. It's got a tiny bit of shimmer so you do sometimes have to use a light hand. It's also great for highlighting other areas of the face and as an eyeshadow. The Studio Fix Powder(£22) is hands down the best setting powder for your foundation!! I use it every day (I've even hit pan..) and can't imagine using anything else. I personally don't think it adds that much coverage but rather just helps to smooth everything over. Last but not least, Lightscapade Mineralise Skin Finish (£24) is one of the first high end products I ever bought! About 2 years on and I'm still loving it. I like to use it with Mary Loumanizer from The Balm to get my highlight poppin. However, it can be used on its own for a slight glow from within.

What are your favourite products from MAC?

 

Olivia

BIRTHDAY BITS

 

Hello again,

 

I turned 18 in September and my lovely friends (and boyfriend!) got me a few make up bits as a prezzie! I am in love with all of the items I received so I thought I would share them with you all. I've also had a good month to trial most of these products so I'm pretty certain on my opinion on them.

 

First up is Mary Loumanizer from TheBalm and oh my gosh NikkieTutorials was so right about this highlighter being all kinds of beautiful. I was a tiny bit sceptical about the warm undertone it has due to the golden shimmer running through it but it actually really compliments my skin tone and looks great over bronzer too! It also works great as an eye shadow - for a really quick and simple eye look I have been blending this on my lid and the inner corner to really brighten up my eyes and make me look more awake. My friends also got me the Bobbi Brown Bronzer which is equally as beautiful as Mary Lou. Its just the right shade - not too orange but not too muddy! Its also very pigmented meaning you only need a light hand to become a bronzed goddess. A new concealer has been on my wishlist for a long time and the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer really is amazing. The shade, coverage and finish are all perfect. Its a pretty full coverage concealer and it doesn't seem to crease too much on me either! I especially love the applicator on this concealer as its a really interesting take on the doe foot applicator on most other concealers. I have also been using the Benefit Porefessional Primer under my foundation to even out the texture of my skin. It certainly makes my pores look smaller but I'm not convinced it makes my make up last longer. Last but not least is one of the most IG famous brow products, Dip Brow Pomade from Anastasia Beverly Hills. This is a lovely product as its pigmented but not too dark as although I love my Illamasqua Thunder Brow Cake its just a little too dark for everyday. The Dip Brow is quite easy to use once you get the hang of it but my main tip would be to take off the excess on the back of your hand!

 

I hope you're all having a lovely day.. and if you're not remember its Friday tomorrow!

 

Liv

HALLOWEEN

 

Hey guys!

I know Halloween is over now but I just thought I would share with you my last minute Halloween costume that I wore to a house party on Saturday night. If you couldn't tell already, I went as a clown! I got the inspiration from one of Chrisspy's latest videos and I was very pleased with how it turned out.

 

I hope you all had a safe and fun Halloween... we can now start looking forward to Christmas!! (too soon?)

 

Liv

LANA DEL REY GOLDEN GLOBES 2015 INSPIRED MAKE UP

So if you've followed my blog, instagram and twitter for a while you will know that I am completely in love with Lana Del Rey. I went to see her in concert back in 2013 and I'm desperate to see her live again when she next tours Europe. She looked absolutely stunning at the Golden Globes 2015 last week, I loved the dress, hair and make up. She definitely looked like a more traditional Lana: big hair and big liner, as opposed to what she has been wearing to promote UV: lots of eye shadow and liner smoked out on the lower lash line. I feel like she could be returning to the Born To Die era, especially with the rumours surrounding her new album, Honey Moon.

Lana looked as though she was glowing from within so I started off with MAC's Strobe Cream to hydrate my skin and stop it from looking so lack-lustre. I then stippled some of the Revlon Photo Ready Foundation all over my skin using a damp beauty blender. Following that, I covered my under eye circles and any pesky blemishes with the MAC Prolong wear concealer. This concealer does crease on me so I then set it with some of my Maybelline Matte Me Powder to avoid it settling into those fine lines, 'cos that just ain't how Lana rolls. Moving onto brows, I used my MAC Omega eye shadow, but I've heard that an Anastasia Beverley Hills product was used on her brows for this look. For the classic LDR flick I used my Soap & Glory Super Cat Liner and then coated my lashes with the Rimmel Wonderfull Mascara. Lana looks as though she is wearing lashes in the picture, but I skipped this step. Now onto lips, I used my Me Now Liner to line my lips and then colour them in. And ta-da Lana make up look complete!

Do you like Lana's make up?

Olivia

 

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NUDE NAILS WITH GLITTER TIPS

 

You will need:

Nude Polish

Glitter Polish

A lot of patience

 

 So first of all you just want to paint your nail with a nude polish, I chose the Bourjois So Laque Glossy in Indispen-sable which was opaque in around 2 to 3 coats. Then, grab your glitter nail polish, I've used the Maybelline Colour Show in Knitted Gold, using the tip of the brush paint on the tips. I decided to go for a few thin coats instead of one big thick one as it dried much quicker and the glitter was a lot more opaque. Of course, you could use tape to ensure a straighter, cleaner line but when I take off the tape it always takes off all my nail polish, so I just did the tips free hand. Wait for the first coat to dry and then add a few more until it's as opaque as you'd like it to be. Then top it off with a top coat and you're ready to  go!

Do you like nude nails?

 

Olivia 

 

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DAY TO NIGHT MAKE UP PRODUCTS

 

Five fail safe products to take you from work to play..

 

 

My first product that will certainly perk up your complexion after a hard day at work, school or simply running errands comes in the form of a bronzer, namely the Seventeen Instant Glow Cream Bronzer. It just makes you look alive again, even if you feel like you're about to fall asleep. It's matte so can be used for contouring or just bronzing, which makes it the perfect 2 in 1 product. Sticking with the base, next up is highlighter - I have the MAC Mineralise Skin Finish in Lightscapade which is very versatile in the sense that it can be swept over the cheek bones for a subtle look or if you want you can build it up a little to create a real glow from within sort of look. This makes it suitable for almost any occasion. Moving swiftly onto eyes, I have chosen the Soap and Glory Super Cat Liner as a slick flick of eyeliner can make you look instantly more glam, as does a pair of lashes, I have chosen the Eyelure 70s as they add a nice amount of volume but don't look too in your face. Of course, you could  just go very heavy on the mascara and essentially get the same effect. Finally the lips, this is the real stand out product for me, which takes the form of The Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Hot Pepper. It is a beautiful red lip stain that won't budge all night! It's also relatively easy and mess free to apply so you could pop it on in a flash to take you from office ready to evening appropriate.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Olivia 

 

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HIGHSTREET BRONZERS

High street, or drugstore products, are some of my favourite beauty bits to buy as there are so many little gems hidden within the aisles of boots which can sometimes be better than, or on par with, high end beauty products. Also, I don't feel half as guilty buying a bronzer for under £10 than I do after buying one that's two or three times the price. So, I've gathered all the affordable bronzers I own in order to give you the lowdown of my fave (and not so favourite) ones.

Soap & Glory Solar Powder Bronzer
This is probably my personal favourite out of the six, and definitely my most well loved as it is looking a little worse for wear after I hit pan AND dropped it so the lid fell off. This bronzer has two sides - a lighter one and a darker one - but I just swirl it all together and pop it on my cheek bones to add a bit of warmth to my face. Not too orange nor too muddy so perfect for the natural look, although the shades are quite light so I don't know how this would fare on those with darker skin tones. At £11 it is certainly at the top end of the high street price range, but it is worth it if you have a few extra pennies to spare.

Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder
Or more well known as simply the Chocolate Bronzer. I love the smell of the bronzer and I love how it looks on other people when I see it featured in YouTube videos, but I just can't get mine to show up at all! Even in swatches, there is no colour at all. It's not even sheer - it's invisible. I think I've probably got a duff one as so many people rave about this bronzer. I'm tempted to give the highlight and bronzer duo that Bourjois have just released but I don't want to be left disappointed again. For £7.99 you can't really go wrong, but for me it isn't my favourite.

Max Factor Bronzing Powder in Bronze
I never see many posts featuring this bronzer on the blogosphere which is surprising as it's a really beautiful bronzer. It is slightly shimmery, so not for everyone but I just use it to warm up my complexion and it gives such an amazing glow to the skin, so you don't even have to use highlighter (although I still do most days..;)). The pigmentation is so good with this bronzer so it's important to use a light hand. I love a multifunctional product so this is a real winner for me and it looks beautiful as eye shadow too. This is only £6.99 and is available from both Boots and Superdrug.

Bourjois Bronzing Primer
I suppose this is cheating a little as this is a primer rather than a bronzer but personally I prefer to use this on top of my foundation to warm up my face. It has a moussey texture and a chocolately sweet scent. It is a little difficult to use as it isn't the both blendable product and the texture can make it quite drying. Despite this, once on the skin it gives a lovely and rather natural glow - perfect for winter when we all need perking up a little. This comes in at £9.99 which, in my opinion, is a little steep for the tiny pot.

ELF Blush & Bronzer Duo in St Lucia
This is supposed to be a dupe for the Nars Orgasm & Laguna Duo which I don't own so I can't really compare the two but I do really like the shades of the blush and bronzer in this duo. They are both riddled with shimmer and the bronzer isn't as finely milled which makes me not reach for the duo as often. I do love how they look together though and the blush is particularly stunning really perks up my skin when it's looking dull. I may have to invest in Nars Orgasm & Laguna duo some time soon to compare them, for blogging purposes only of course ;) This duo is only £3.95 so definitely won't break the bank if you're interested in trying it.

Seventeen Cream Bronzer
This is up there with one of my favourite bronzers as it looks very natural, dewy and fresh on the skin. It is very pigmented but also blendable and long lasting. I wouldn't say it's quite as long lasting as a powder and I don't really blend it down my neck, due to fearing the dreaded transfer onto my collar. Nevertheless, the bronzer is very pretty and also matte so perfect for doing a little bit of Kim K contouring (Kontouring?). For only £5.99 in Boots you can't go wrong!

What's your favourite bronzer?

 

Olivia

 

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THE EYELINERS

Soap & Glory Super Cat Fat Liner £7.00

Soap & Glory Super Cat Liner £6.00

 

 

As of late I have really been getting into winged, cat eye liner - possibly due to my love affair with both Chrisspy and Nikkei Tutorials. To achieve said eye liner look I have purchased two felt tip type liners that have quickly muscled their way into my everyday make up routine.

 

First up is the Soap & Glory Super Cat Fat Liner which was purchased accidentally (I meant to get the original.. which I later got as a Christmas present anyway) and at first I was rather bitter about - a couple of quid extra and a fat nib was not a pleasant surprise I'm sure you will all agree. But soon I let my grudge go and I began to come to terms with the fact that now I've got it, I may as well use it. I'm not much of a fan of the extra large nib as it just makes eyeliner a whole lot more difficult. I just take my MAC 263 Angled Liner Brush to dab it onto the nib and go from there - it makes eyeliner so much easier and the tiny tiny MAC 263 brush is amazing at getting a thin line right in the inner corner. Of course, you could use the 263 brush the whole way across your eye but I like to use the original Super Cat Liner for the rest of my eye. SO unnecessary, I know, but seeing as I received the original as a crimbo present I may as well put it to good use! So, using the original Super Cat Liner which has a much thinner nib, I do the rest of the line and the wing. The shape of the nib makes the wing so much easier and now the only problem I face is getting them even, which never goes well. The formulation of both eyeliner pens are really nice - jet black and last for most of the day. Of course, having the two is totally unnecessary and down right ridiculous so if I had to recommend one it would be the original Soap & Glory Super Cat Liner. It has a much thinner nib making eyeliner a little more manageable and if you want, you could still use an angled brush with it.

 

What's your favourite liquid/felt tip type liner?

 

Olivia

 

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THE NUDE LIP

I don't move too far out of my comfort zone when it comes to lip products and colours. I blame this on my braces - no lipstick compliments my train tracks, instead it just ends up making me feel more self conscious! So, there won't be any burgundy lips this winter for me (well, maybe after December 10 when I will finally be free of braces!), instead I've turned to a classic nude.

90s inspired nude lips have been left, right and centre this year due to Miss Kylie Jenner.  Whether she has had fillers or not, you cannot deny her lips always look on point and are often the main focal point of her look. I have (sort of) tried to emulate this, but as you can imagine I look nothing like Miss Jenner. For my Jenner inspired lip I used Rimmel's Lip Liner in Eastend Snob and Sleek's Lipstick in Barely There. I only recently picked up the lip liner and ive actually been having a right mare with it - it keeps snapping off! I don't even wind it up very far but it just completely breaks off when ever I try to use, any tips gals? Nevertheless, it is a beautiful colour and looks perfect paired with Barely There from Sleek. They aren't a perfect match, but I like the mix of undertones.

Are you brave enough to rock a bold lip or are you sticking with me on the nude front? (ooh ar!)

Olivia