On Wednesdays We Wear Pink

I love a bright lipstick and seeing as its Wednesday, I thought I would share my 5 favourite hot pink lipsticks.

The Budget Buy

Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick in Vibrant Pink

This is the cheapest out of all five but also the brightest. It has a glossy finish, which does feel a bit sticky on the lips but the colour lasts and leaves behind a lasting pink stain. 

Available from Boots £6.99

The Perfect Night Out Lipstick

MAC Lipstick in Girl About Town

This is one of MAC's 'Amplified Creme' lipsticks, meaning its very bright and rich in colour. Its also the darkest of the 5 and as the name suggests, the perfect night out lipstick.

Available from MAC £15.50

The Matte One

Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Electric Pink Matte

This is slightly less bright than the others which makes it a bit more wearable. I love the matte finish and it doesn't feel at all drying on the lips. 

Available from Smashbox £16.00

The Kim K Favourite

NARS Semi Matte Lipstick in Schiap

I bought this lipstick years ago after seeing it on Kim K and whenever I wear it, someone will always ask me where my lipstick is from. I can see why its one of NARS cult products. This is a very blue toned pink and the semi matte finish means its not too drying.

Available from NARS £19.50

The One With The Yellow Undertone

MAC Lipstick in Impassioned

This is an oldie but a goodie and one that I had completely forgotten about until now. This is my favourite of the 5, as unlike the others Impassioned has a yellow undertone rather than blue. A warmer undertone is much more flattering on my skin tone.

Available from MAC £15.50

Face of the Day with Charlotte Tilbury The Vintage Vamp Eyeshadow Palette

I have rediscovered a lot of my old favourite products this month and have really been enjoying switching up my makeup on a daily basis. Going from a very conservative, corporate company to the Cosmopolitan offices has been a dream come true, not only for me but also for my makeup collection.

Base

Foundation

Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation

I have been loving this foundation. It lasts all day on my skin without feeling or looking heavy, its just flawless skin in a bottle. If you have oilier skin, this will work much better for you than Luminous Silk.

Concealer

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage

Lets not talk makeup expiry dates but I have had this concealer for years and finally finished it today! Is there anything more satisfying than finishing an item of makeup? This concealer is holy grail stuff for me, its industrial strength and will cover anything. I'm going to miss it but I have other concealers which I should use before repurchasing this....

Bronzer

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder

Pretty much the only item I have tried from The Body Shop's makeup range and I am seriously impressed. If you have pale skin you should check out their shade range as they go pretty light. If I had to compare this to a Guerlain bronzer, which is three times the price I couldn't spot the difference.

Blush

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow and Mood Boosting Blush in Natural

And the award for longest blusher name goes to.....

I can't comment on the mood boosting but this is a very pretty colour with shimmer, which acts as a blush and highlight in one. 

Eyes

Eyeshadow Primer

NARS Pro Prime Smudge proof Eyeshadow Base

My favourite eyeshadow primer.

Eyeshadow

Charlotte Tilbury The Vintage Vamp Colour Coded Eyeshadow Palette

I hardly touched this eyeshadow palette in the Summer but now we are back in the colder months I have been reaching for it a lot. These Charlotte Tilbury palettes are expensive but the quality and shades are beautiful, definitely worth the splurge. I would describe The Vintage Vamp palette as wearable purples and the shades are so easy to transition from day to night.

Eyeliner

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner

I can vouch for this lasting all day and the fine nib allows you to draw a really precise line, one of the best liquid eyeliners I have tried.

Mascara

Tarte Lights Camera Flashes Mascara and Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Still absolutely loving this mascara combo, on my second tube of Lights, Camera, Flashes now!

Lips

Lipstick

Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie

My Revlon Lip Butter obsession has died down in recent years but whenever I use one again I'm reminded of why my obsession began. Berry Smoothie is a really pretty pink, its also really glossy and looks more like a gloss than a lipstick.

Would You Wear MAC's Smoked Purple Lipstick?

When it comes to makeup I'm pretty game to give anything a go. I'm not afraid of a smoky eye or a bright lip, but I have to admit this lipstick scares me.

MAC Smoked Purple is the newest and darkest addition to my lipstick family. In the bullet it looks almost black, but once applied you can see that it's a deep (real deep!) purple.

Smoked Purple has a matte finish which is my favourite finish out of all the MAC lipsticks. 

Being so dark this lipstick was quite hard to apply and you definitely need a lip liner with it as it does bleed.

I'm still summoning up the courage to wear this out of the house. I cant help but think if I was blonde I could pull it off better, at the moment I look like I'm auditioning for The Craft. 

I did try it with minimal eye makeup, I'm talking only mascara but that was not a good look. I am determined to make this work though, so if you have any tips please share!

MAC Smoked Purple Lipstick £15.50

September Favourites

Its scary how quickly Christmas is approaching but I'm not complaining because that is my favourite time of the year. 

As I was on holiday in September I feel like my monthly favourites are slightly redundant now because they are not really in keeping with the season, but if you are going away for a bit of Winter sun maybe these will inspire you!

YSL Couture Palette 03 Afrique

What originally attracted me to this eyeshadow palette was just how beautiful and wearable all the colours were. You know how there's always that one colour in a palette you will never wear, well that's not the case with this. However, despite that being the initial appeal, I have only used one colour in this palette so far but in fairness that's because its so damn pretty. The perfect peachy bronze, which makes blue eyes stand out and looked awesome with my post holiday tan, which has now well and truly faded. Welcome back corned beef arms, you weren't missed.

Available from Boots £39.50

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer

I am predicting that hair primers are going to be the next big thing, you prime your face, why not your hair? Having tried and loved Living Proof's primer, I was intrigued to see how the Bumble and Bumble version compared. I have to say they are quite different but I love both. Living Proof's primer is a styling product, it makes it easier to style your hair and makes your style last far longer. Bumble and Bumble's primer is more like a leave in conditioner. It's multi purpose so it acts as a detangler, heat protectant and frizz tamer all in one. I do also find it gives my hair a bit that bed head look, which I love. 

Available from Boots £19.00

No7 Instant Radiance Foundation

This does exactly what it says on the tube and gives a radiant boost for tired, stressed skin. This applies like a tinted moisturiser but with more coverage and I just love the glow it gives my skin. Healthy skin in a bottle and for a pretty reasonable price as well, whats not to love?

Available from Boots £12.50

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Heftiest Hibiscus

Definitely not a seasonally appropriate shade now but I loved this bright orange/coral colour on holiday. Its really flattering for such a bright shade and I love the stain it leaves on my lips, as it means you don't have to constantly worry about touching up your lipstick!

Available from Clinique £17.00

MAC Eye Kohl in Teddy

 I have finally fallen back in love with eyeliner and its mainly down to this little guy. This metallic brown is not as harsh as black and is also a really beautiful shade for emphasising blue or green eyes. I like to apply this and smudge it out, just for  little something, something ;)

Available from MAC £14.00

Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Finish Micro Powder

I have a love hate relationship with this powder, I love how soft it is (it feels like velvet on your skin) and its so finally milled it never looks cakey. However I hate that after only two weeks I had already made a hole in it :( you really should get more product for the amount of money this costs. 

If you are feeling a little indulgent go for it, but don't say I didn't warn you!

Available from Charlotte Tilbury £33.00

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Rose Gold

This highlighter is beautiful, the light copper colour is really unique and gives a bit of colour as well as glow. Its limited edition and already out of stock on Space NK but you can still find it online!

Available from QVC £26.00

True Detective

I always like to include a non beauty favourite, to prove there is more to life than makeup! 

My friends will tell you about my future dream southern life. It involves me living in the deep south, in a beautiful wooden house with a porch all the way around it, with my husband who is permanently topless and in dungarees. That's my dream, so as you can imagine I have a slight Matthew McConaughey obsession (its the voice). If you haven't watched True Detective yet, you need to get on it. I loved the relationship between Woody and Matthew's characters and they are both played so brilliantly. 

Benefit They're Real Push Up Liner Dupe - Maybelline Lasting Drama Black Shock Gel Eyeliner Pen

Earlier this year Benefit released the first gel liner in a pen, 'They're Real Push Up Liner'. Now Maybelline have released their own version, which as far as I can tell is identical but half the price! 

If you are an eyeliner newbie, let me explain the difference between a liquid eyeliner and a gel eyeliner. A gel eyeliner usually comes in a little pot and you need to have a separate eyeliner brush to apply it. Its much thicker in consistency than a liquid eyeliner, so I personally find a gel easier to work with. Gel's also tend to last a heck of a lot longer than liquid liners and you can apply a gel to the waterline. Although you might need a bit of practise getting used to using an eyeliner brush, once you have mastered it you really have much more control and can get a much finer line/wing. 

The only downside to gel eyeliner is that it can be slightly more of a faff and isn't particularly practical for doing your makeup on the go. Something that these new gel eyeliner pens should help with.

The Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner has a silicone nib and when you twist the bottom of the pen, the gel is released, no need for a separate brush. 

This was actually easier to work with than I thought it would be. As the silicone nib isn't particularly flexible I thought I was going to get in a right mess, but its surprising how quickly you get the hang of it. The only thing I would say is that you can't get as precise a line as you would if you were using an eyeliner brush. 

Overall I was really impressed with this. It was much easier to work with than I thought it would be and   this eyeliner does not budge. I didn't wear any eyeshadow or primer with this, as I really wanted to test the staying power. I have quite oily eyelids and this didn't smudge at all. It stayed in place all day, which for me is a bit of a miracle. 

If you like thin, precise liner I would say stick with your eyeliner brush but if you don't mind your eyeliner a bit thicker and want to save yourself some time in the morning, definitely give this a try. 

If you were planning on getting the Benefit liner save yourself the money and get this one. Honestly they are identical, except Benefit's version costs £18.50 and Maybelline's £8.99. 

I'll leave you to do the math ;)

The Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner Pen is available from Boots online and in store for £8.99

Face of the Day with Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Starstruck

So after my natural, post holiday Face of the Day yesterday, today I have the polar opposite! I was feeling very Autumnal and went to town with a smoky bronze eye and deeper lip. 

I actually really love this look and can already tell I will be re-creating it a lot. 

I am starting a new job tomorrow at Cosmopolitan magazine (ahhhhh!) and one of the things I am really excited about is getting to wear slightly more daring makeup. My previous office job wasn't really strict on dress code but in a sea of grey and beige, anything out of the ordinary stood out!

Face

Primer

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

I'm down to my last few drops of this and even though I was using a long wear foundation, I like to wear a primer just to prep my skin. 

Foundation

Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk UV Foundation

What I love about this foundation is that its long wearing but not heavy. Most long wearing foundations feel and look like a mask on your skin, this is the only one I have found that gives a pretty natural finish. 

Under Eye Concealer 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush on Glow BB Highlighter

To brighten those pesky dark circles!

Bronzer

The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in Shade 03

I wear bronzer all year round but now we are reaching the Winter months I wanted one that was a bit paler. I have heard a lot of rave reviews about this Body Shop bronzer and I can verify its worth the hype! I think its very comparable to the Guerlain bronzers which cost £30+ and the shade range is great for paler skins!

Powder

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

Best budget powder out there, controls shine without giving you cake face.

Highlighter

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Rose Gold

Still loving this highlight after my review here. I just love the warm glow it gives my skin.

Eyes

Eyeshadow Primer

NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

I always wear an eyeshadow primer because it helps my eyeshadow last all day. I apply this all over my lid and also underneath my lower lash line. 

Eyeshadow

Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette - Starstruck

This is the perfect Autumnal eyeshadow palette. All of the shades are buttery soft and bright, the top left colour 'Fallen' is bar my favourite. 

For this look I used 'Fallen' all over my lid and blended it underneath my lower lash line. To add some darkness to the outer corner I used 'Pagan Poetry' (bottom left) and 'Hermit' (bottom right). 'Hermit' looks a bit intimidating but the red mixed with the brown just adds a beautiful warmth, perfect for blue/green eyes. I don't think this palette is available anymore but her Monarch palette looks similar.

Eyeliner

MAC Teddy Eye Kohl

Sticking with the warm brown tones, I used a brown eyeliner rather than a black. Brown is less harsh than black and will also emphasise blue eyes. 

Mascara

Tarte Lights Camera Flashes and Clinique Bottom Lash

Sticking with my favourite mascara combination of the moment.

Eyebrows

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil in Soft Brunette and Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel

As both my eyes and lips were quite dark I wanted to keep my eyebrows on the lighter side. That's why I love the Hourglass pencil, because its soft and never looks harsh. 

Lips

Lip Liner

MAC Burgundy Lip Liner

I wasn't planning on wearing a lip liner but because I had patted my lipstick on with my finger, I needed to use one to stop it bleeding. Any dark lip liner will do, I just think MAC have the biggest colour variety.

Lipstick

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107

Its back! Is it sad that I was mainly excited for Autumn because I get to wear this lipstick again?! This lipstick costs £5.49 but its just as good as any MAC lipstick. Its a dark red berry colour but if you want to wear it a bit lighter like I have in these pictures, just lightly pat on your lips and blend with your finger. Honestly if you want to revamp your makeup bag for Autumn, this is the one thing you need. 

Face of the Day with Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 'Nude-ist'

With my tan fading rapidly, I have been trying to make the most of that post holiday glow. As much as I love applying my makeup, it is nice to wear less foundation and give your skin a bit of a break every now and then.

Having said that, I have another Face of the Day post for tomorrow which is very Autumnal! 

Face

Foundation

No7 Instant Radiance Foundation

I used to use a lot of No7 makeup when I was younger. I loved their mascaras and there was one particular lipstick that I was obsessed with. I very rarely visit the No7 counter these days, its probably because I'm a magpie and their branding just doesn't stand out to me. 

I have had this foundation for a while but because its quite a dark shade, I can only wear it when I have a tan. I took this foundation with me on holiday and have been wearing it ever since. This really gives my skin a lovely glow and the coverage is light enough that my freckles show through. 

No7 have such a huge foundation range now maybe I shouldn't be passing them by!

Available from Boots £12.50

Under Eye Concealer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Brush on Glow BB Highlighter

Every beauty brand and their mother have their own version of the highlighter clicky pens, which all started with YSL's Touche Eclat. To be honest, in general they are all much of a muchness but this Estee Lauder one does provide some extra coverage as well as highlighting, which is always a winner.

Available from Boots £23.50

Bronzer

MAC Extra Dimension Bronzer in Alluring Aquatic

Limited edition and no longer available I'm afraid, but as you can see I'm nearing the end now anyway. This bronzer isn't completely matte and it almost has a slight sheen to it, this translates well on the skin giving a very subtle glow. If MAC re-releases these bronzers I recommend trying them out.

Highlight

MAC Cream Colour Base in Improper Copper

This is one of those products that stays in my drawer all year round but I get it out every time I go on holiday. As the name suggests, this is a copper toned highlighter which looks amazing on darker skin tones. As you can tell when I have a tan I'm all about that Victoria's Secret esque glow.

Available from MAC £15.50

Eyes

Eyebrows

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil and Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel

I have gone back to my favourite combination, just because I hate doing my eyebrows and the Hourglass pencil makes the whole process a lot quicker!

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil Available from John Lewis £26.00

Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel Available from Illamasqua £11.50

Eyeshadow Base

NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

My favourite eye primer, allows my eyeshadow to last all day.

Available from John Lewis £19.50

Eyeshadow

MAC Tan Pigment

When it comes to loose pigments, I generally don't have much time for them because it can all get a bit messy. However there a few pigments by MAC which are worth the hassle because the colour payoff is so beautiful and impossible to achieve from a pressed eyeshadow. Tan is one of those colours and my favourite. If I did a MAC starter kit post, this would definitely be in there!

Available from MAC £17.00

Mascara

Tarte Lights Camera Flashes and Clinique Bottom Lash

Still loving this mascara combination, so annoying that you cant get the Tarte mascara in the UK but Benefit's They're Real gives a similar effect.

Tarte Lights Camera Flashes Available from Sephora $23.00

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara Available from Boots £13.00

Lips

Lipstick

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in 07 'Nude-ist'

My friend at work recommended this to me and it sounded right up my street,

Pinky/brown natural colour, check

Matte finish, check

This is like a liquid lipstick but its completely matte and extremely pigmented. The colour is perfect for me and I love how long lasting this is. It almost stains your lips and even as it fades it still looks good. They do these in brighter colours as well which I imagine are just as beautiful but I'm happy with my natural, everyday colour.

Available from Boots £8.99