EXPERIMENTAL EYES #2 - PINK AND GOLD

You might remember my first installment of 'experimental eyes' and today I'm here with part two, which is a bit more wearable and is a soft, almost quite romantic pink and gold look. I will add that my brows were not looking on point on the day and I can't help but gawp at them instead of focusing on the shadow, so apologies.

I started by using the Avon Eye Primer as per usual, and then took Shade 2 from the MUA Undressed Palette (a budget friendly look today) on the inner half of the lid to create a slightly pink sheen. Shade 4 (a pale brown/taupe shimmer) went over the rest of the lid with Shade 6 (quite comparable to Half Baked by Urban Decay) in the centre of the lid to add that golden sheen.

For the pink crease I began with Shade 5 as a warm matte brown base, and then took Crochet from the Sleek Lace Blush By Three, along with the pink from the H&M Spring Flowers Blush to transition it as it was a bit lighter in colour. I don't own any pink shadows so it's all about working with the products you own whether that be blushes, bronzers or something else. As usual I blended the outer edge with a touch of the Sleek Contour colour to give it a warm, seamless look and is pretty much foolproof.

I used the Barry M Blink Pen Liner to create a wing slightly less dramatic than shown in the previous look, but still fairly noticeable. I also used the same array of mascaras as the previous look, Soap and Glory Thick & Fast, followed by Sheercover Lash Fibres, then Too Faced Lashgasm - a bit of a creature of habit it seems (or maybe not considering I just put pink on my eyes). 

BRIGHT BLUSHES FOR SPRING

Another Spring-based post today, as will be the majority of my upcoming posts over the next few weeks, but today I am focusing on the cheeks, and in particular - blush. When Spring comes along, I like to crack out the brighter shades and add some colour to my makeup.

One that I'm sure you all hate me for banging on about on almost a weekly basis is the Topshop Cream Blush Duo in Up In The Air - a duo of a bright orange and pink with a cream to powder finish. Another heavily mentioned one is the Revlon Photo Ready Cream Blush in Coral Reef, a red coral which blends out to something a little more muted, with the same powder finish.

For a budget offering, the MUA Cream Blush in Bittersweet comes in at £2 a pop, and has a nice range of neutrals and brights. I particularly love this one as it is so bright in the pan and it really translates that candy pink colour onto the cheeks. Another MUA product is the Powder Blush in Shade 1 (which I'm not sure is still available), is a muted, powder version of the pink in the Topshop Duo. 

Last but not least, not only does the H&M Spring Flowers blush get points for the stunning pink-coral colour, it also gets the award for the prettiest packaging of the bunch. It's mostly matte, but that centre pale pink adds a hint of shimmer, but often I just avoid that if I want a matte cheek.

Blushes are quickly becoming my weakness, so we will have to wait and see which will be my purchased next...

THE NATURAL SPRING FACE

To me, Spring means natural, dewy and fresh-faced makeup looks, and with the first day of Spring having just passed, it was the perfect opportunity to share what I reach for when I am looking for something more natural, perhaps a look for on the weekends.

For a base, of course it would have to be the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum - a cult classic in the blogging world. This offers natural coverage which looks glowy and dewy on the skin, but by no means shiny. I am almost out of this bottle, so I think either a repurchase or a trial of the Happy Light offering is on the cards.
The Rimmel Lasting Finish Blush in Santa Rose is one of those products which you can apply in a sweep, and not have to bother with contour or highlight when you are going natural. It is just the perfect muted colour for daily wear.

On the eyes, the term 'one sweep wonders'; may be something you like to hear. I have 2 bronze, shimmery colours which with a wash over the lid and a slick of mascara are the definition of natural. MAC Woodwinked is the slightly more coppery option out of the two, and for something a little more shimmery, the Rimmel Mono Shadow in Backstage is a good option. The mascara in question is the Soap & Glory Thick and Fast which adds length and volume in seconds. A no-frills step of MUA Clear Mascara over the brows comes next, and just keeps them in place when filling in isn't on the cards.

For lips, as I have been getting into glosses, I have been reaching for the GOSH Volume Lip Shine in 04* which adds a tint of pinky-red to the lips but without any sticky feeling, and is quickly becoming a daily essential for me.

What are your essentials for a Spring-centric face?

THE EYE PRIMER PARTY

As much as I don't get along with many face primers, not a day goes by without me using an eye primer. No-one likes a creased eye look, nor a liner wing that's halfway down the lashline.I have 4 in my collection, all of which I find work for different things.

My favourite of the bunch is the Avon Eye Shadow Primer in Light Beige which is slightly tinted so it colour corrects the eye and mattifies (without drying whatsoever) the entire lid and preps it for anything you are putting on top - shadow, cream products, or just liner. It's great.

The next offering is the MUA Pro Base Eye Primer, which was actually my very first post on this blog. I raved about it then, and although this is still great and extremely budget based, I feel like the Avon one just beats it for me. But, this one still does the job well and if I didn't have the Avon one in my life I would still be using this daily.

When I am doing a dramatic eye, or anything involving a touch of colour, I reach for the Dainty Doll Frankie Girl Eye Base as it is so pale that it totally blanks out the lid with a creamy coloured layer, which makes any colour stand out more and mattifies so there is no creasing.

Finally, the Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer (mini) has been in my collection for a short while now. I did rave about this originally, but the last time I used this I had a bit of creasing going on. I'm hoping it was a one off because I really liked this one beforehand.

What are your favourite eye primers?

CURRENT BEAUTY CRAVINGS #1

Bourjois Happy Light Foundation // Revlon Matte Balms // Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water // Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint // Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder // Bourjois Bronzing Primer // No7 Pop & Glow Cream Blush // Maybelline Brow Drama // The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer // Nuxe Reve de Miel // Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer // MUA Luxe Lip Laquer //

Since I have been on my rather lengthy spending ban (only a week and a half left now), I have been going crazy over all sorts of products, new releases, and even the things that have been around for a while, but I just cannot wait to get my beauty fix once my spending ban is over - watch out Boots. It's time to share what I have been lusting after recently...

There's a few things complexion wise that I have been craving recently, one of them being the Bourjois Happy Light Foundation. I recently rediscovered my Healthy Mix Serum and it makes me want to try this one even more. Another is the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer, one which Megan keeps egging me on to buy, and I think at some point I will have to give in and purchase it. This No7 Pop & Glow Cream Blush jumped out to me on the Boots website, as it just seemed like a really quick product to swipe on your cheeks for a bit of colour.
The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer is the priduct that everyone keeps talking about at the moment, and it just looks so glowy even through the stock pictures that I want to reach out and touch it. Another glow-getter is the ever so hyped Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder - I just feel like I want something a little more from my powder and this looks like it would give that. Finally on the complexion front is the Bourjois Bronzing Primer, and I don't know what it is, but something really intrigues me about this one.

Onto eyes, and I only have a few current cravings in that category. The first is the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, another product everyone is raving about at the moment. I have Lily Pebbles to blame for this one, as she is constantly hyping the Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint in Rich Russet, and it just looks like such a no fuss eye look. Lastly, the Maybelline Brow Drama has been on my wishlist for some time now, and for someone who has never tried a tinted brow gel/mascara, I am even more intrigued.

For lips, I'm sure you all saw the Revlon Matte Balms coming into this wishlist. In particular I am really interested in Audacious and Elusive, as I am getting into brighter colours. The Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm is one of those products that I have been wanting to try for ages, but never got round to doing so. Maybe one of the boldest lip products I have ever wanted to try is the MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer in the colour Kooky in particular which is a purple. Yep, you read that right. I don't know why I want this, or when I would wear it but I always go into Superdrug hoping it's there.

Lets hope some of these cravings go away before my spending ban is over, otherwise we could be in for a rather large spend up...

THE BUDGET BUY: MUA UNDRESSED PALETTE

I'm sure we have all heard of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes, but the question is, have you heard of the £4 supposed dupes? The MUA Undressed Palette is rumoured to be a dupe for the first installment in Urban Decay's range of palettes, and if the Undress Me Too and Naked 2 comparison of mine is anything to go by, this is a pretty darn good dupe.

Summed up in a sentence, this is a bargain palette of 12 neutral, warm shadows which are perfect for every day looks, but the darker shades allow for something a little more sumptuous and smokey on the lids, with 2 matte shades and the rest shimmery, this is multiple eye looks in one place.

There are no shade names, just numbers in the order that you go along from left to right. My particular favourites are; Shade 2 which is a pale shimmery champagne toned pink, Shade 4 which is a light brown shimmer, Shade 5 which is a warm medium brown matte (perfect for warming up the crease and defining), Shade 7 which is a super pigmented, slightly gold and coppery brown shimmer, Shade 8 which is a stunning olive-brown, and Shade 9 eased me into the red shadow look at the end of last year.

You can see by the swatch just how pigmented these shadows are, and it is especially impressive when you realise that these shadows come to under 35p a pan - bargainous or what?

Maybe not as great quality as the official Naked palettes, but the colours are almost identical from what I know, and the quality is outstanding for the price. When is the Naked 3 dupe coming out then MUA?

ON WEDNESDAYS WE WEAR PINK

Catch the Mean Girls reference there? 10 points to you. Recently I have been standing at my Muji drawers (soon to be an Ikea Alex - I am very excited) and staring at all things pink; perfumes, lips, nails, and even a brush. Am I going a little cray? I think so. But today I shall be sharing the love for the pretty shade and going through my picks from the categories.

Lips: The newest addition is the Kiko Smart Lipstick in 912. As soon as I set eyes on this I instantly thought that it was a possible dupe of MAC Impassioned and if so, that is another to add to my MAC Lipstick wishlist. For something a little more balmy, I always opt for the Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart which is the colour that really got me into wearing pinks. Another offering is the Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Oxford Street Fuchsia which doesn't suit me all that well but the formula is amazing.

Cheeks: For a powder offering, the Stila Positively Pink Cheek Palette has recently made its way into my collection, at from a first impressions point of view, it is gorgeous, and I can't wait to use this more often. For a cream blush, the MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blusher in Bittersweet is a great one for a budget offering, coming in at only £2 a pop, so I assume more of these will soon enter my collection.

Nails: I rarely sport a pink polish because not many suit me, but these 3 are some of my favourites. Ciaté Candy Floss is a gorgeous bubblegum pink colour, and after I went through a similar Gosh one entirely, this is the next best thing, and I own 2 of them. On the theme of Gosh, we have Flamingo, a bright medium pink colour, which I adore as it reminds me of summer. Finally, we have Rimmel Strawberry Fizz which is another medium pink colour which looks pretty good on toes as well as fingers.

Miscellaneous: So, I couldn't write a post about pink products without including the Real Techniques Stippling Brush which is the perfect blush-buffer, foundation's best friend, and an all round multitasker and my face appreciates it greatly. Then for fragrance I have this mini of the Ted Baker Woman Pink scent, and I love this at the moment, as it smells exactly like the general Soap and Glory scent, and I adore that.

So, I have been thinking pink recently, and it probably won't be stopping for a while.
What colour is on your mind beauty-wise?

THE BEST OF 2013 - BLOG POSTS

It is very quickly coming to the end of what was a great year for myself and especially my blog. Today, I will be going through the 5 most popular posts from this year here on my blog, and do not fret, I have some beauty installments of this coming soon too. 

So, please beware of the awful photography (maybe this was a bad idea), I mean the 3rd most popular post on here was the first post I wrote on this blog, so that could be embarrassing. 

#1: ELLE MAGAZINE FREE BENEFIT LIP GLOSS MINI
So, this was a post where I got a little excited that in ELLE Magazine you got a free Benefit lipgloss, and you lot seemed to enjoy that post thoroughly too, coming in at the most popular post of all time on this blog.

#2: URBAN DECAY NAKED 2 PALETTE
You all just seemed to love this post, and it comes in at the second most popular post here on the blog. I still cringe at the fact that I put 'Ooh, Eyeshadows' as the caption on one of the pictures, but lets pretend that isn't there.

#3 MUA PRO BASE EYE PRIMER REVIEW
This was a bad idea, the centred writing and the small picture makes me want to vomit. But, we can accept that this was my first ever post, and since it was posted, I have realised how large pictures, and left-aligned writing really polish off the post.  

#4: DAINTY DOLL CONCEALER - ABRACADABRA (03)
When I posted this, I wasn't expecting it to be in the top 5 of my posts, but apparently so. Just to let you know, I never use this concealer, but somehow I was singing its praises in the post. Maybe I hadn't realised that radiance existed...

#5: PRIMARK DISCO PANTS
This was one of those posts that I thought a lot of you would enjoy reading, because who would pass up a pair of disco pants for £16?! Since this post, I have bought a pair of burgundy disco pants from TkMaxx, and they are a lot softer and less baggy, but these Primark ones still have a good place in my wardrobe. 

Those were the most popular posts on the blog this year (which I started on March 4th, and I cannot believe how fast it has grown!). If you are interested, coming in a 6th place is the AUTUMNAL OUTFIT post. Keep your eyes peeled for the skin, nails, and makeup versions of this post in the next few days.