It’s been ages since I did one of these so I thought I’d try to get
back into it starting now! Lipstick is one of my favourite makeup items and I
love changing what I’ve got on each day although some of my lipsticks are more
similar to each other than I sometimes think they are!
Monday
I went with Urban Decay Vice Comfort Matte lipstick in Backtalk today and this has to be one of the most
comfortable matte formulations I’ve tried and I suppose the clue is in the
name! It’s a beautiful mauve shade that isn’t drying at all and wears off
evenly, I love it!
Tuesday
I wasn’t working today so went with something a little more daring than
my usual nude pinks with this Too Faced Melted lipstick in Fig! I absolutely love the shade; it’s so rich and vibrant!
This isn’t a lipstick I would wear to work though because I find myself
checking my lips/teeth in the mirror quite a lot with this as it doesn’t
completely dry down and has a tendency to move about a little! I got my mini in
a set last Christmas and I don’t wear it nearly enough! It’s worth the extra
effort though as it feels good on my lips and wears off slowly leaving a
gorgeous stain behind.
l-r: Urban Decay Backtalk, Too Faced Melted Fig
Wednesday
I picked up this NARS Audacious lipstick in Anita last year and it’s another one I don’t reach for enough. I
was a bit unsure of the colour when I first saw it in the flesh after buying as
it seems to lean a little warm on me but I’ve grown to really like it (especially
when I’ve got tan on). Again, it’s a comfortable creamy formula that lasts a
good few hours on my lips before it starts to feel a little drier – but a bit
of clear balm extends it a while longer!
Thursday
After falling in love with the K.I.S.S.I.N.G formula of Bitch Perfect,
I picked up Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips in Liv it Up. Like NARS Anita, the
colour wasn’t quite what I was expecting – it’s very pink! This might be something
to do with my lips though and not the actual colour of the lipsticks! Anyway,
once I got over the pinkness, this is a beautiful lipstick and the
K.I.S.S.I.N.G formula is probably my favourite lipstick formula ever! It’s so long-lasting
and hydrating and I love it!
Friday
Just before Christmas, MAC had 20% off so while I was getting my mum a
foundation I treated myself to my second MAC lipstick in Brave, a satin formula. Again, and I didn’t mean this post to
be about initial disappointment in lipstick but I was shocked at how pink this
turns up on my lips! It settles down after a while though and a little more
mauve shows through which I prefer but overall although it’s comfortable, it’s
not the longest lasting and overall I don’t get the hype for MAC lipsticks! This
also looks quite similar in the swatch to Liv it Up but I find Liv it Up shinier and brighter overall!
l-r: NARS Audacious Anita, Charlotte Tilbury Liv It Up, MAC Brave
So that’s
another working week in lipstick! Let me know if you have tried any of these
shades or what you’d recommend for a mauve lipstick lover like me!
See my
last working week in lipstick posts here and here!
Danielle xx
If you want to keep up do date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me
on
OK, OK, I know I say it every time but I really didn’t mean to have
this many empties again! They just get away from me so easily and before I know
it I can barely fit them on my sticky back marble board! I’ll do my best to
keep it short and sweet and will link any full reviews of the products I’m
talking about too!
Skincare
Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum
Probably my favourite serum ever, this is a constant repurchase for me!
It’s lightweight, hydrating and sinks in quickly, I love it and you can hear
more about it in this post!
Caudalie Eau de Beaute Beauty Elixir
I’ve went through a few bottles of this but I think recently I’ve been
using mists that have more benefits for my skin. Saying that, this is
lightweight and feels refreshing and I love the scent but I don’t think I will
be repurchasing any time soon.
Papaya Gold Paw Paw Moisturising Balm
I bought this mistakenly thinking it was the cult Dr Paw Paw balm and I
generally don’t like Vaseline/petroleum jelly type products which is what this
feels like with the addition of Manuka Honey. I only used this on my lips
overnight and it did a good job of keeping them hydrated but I probably won’t
repurchase as I already have so many other lip products.
DNA Renewal Eye Renewal
I got this in a Cult Beauty GWP ages ago and I absolutely loved it! It
lasted me ages too! It’s a lightweight cream that sinks in straightaway and
kept my eye area hydrated. It was perfect for both day and night use and I was
gutted when it finished! At £44, I won’t be repurchasing straight away but it
is definitely a product I will come back to!
Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes Dark Circle
Radiance Concentrate
Another Cult Beauty GWP special (can you tell I love those offers!)
this only lasted me about a week but it felt a little thicker that the DNA Eye
Renewal though still lightweight enough for day use. I don’t have massively
dark circles under my eyes so can’t say much for its claims but again I would
repurchase in the future though out of the two, I preferred the DNA Renewal!
Mint Skin Mud Detox and Hydrating Clay
masks*
I have a couple of these masks here and I absolutely love them! I have
a full review on both here but in short the detox mud worked wonder on my nose
blackheads and the hydrating mask is perfect for the dehydrated skin I have
round my nose! Both are gentle yet effective and I highly recommend them! I
have some more to use up and I’m keeping some past for a wedding I have in
March because I love the results they give!
This was a very popular shampoo when it came out a while ago and I
generally jump on anything that promises to help with greasy hair! Overall, I
really liked the shampoo and I do regularly buy L’Oreal shampoos but this
didn’t make my hair any less greasier. It did smell lovely and made my hair
shiny so I would repurchase. I also have the shampoo and clay hair mask in this
range so they will probably pop up soon too – conditioners take me ages to
finish!
L’Oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening
Shampoo
It was a good month for finishing shampoo and here we have another L’Oreal
one! Again, I really like these shampoos and the scent of them but as I have
such long hair, volume doesn’t come easy for me. This didn’t weigh it down or
make it go any greasier than normal so I would repurchase! I will however
always miss the L’Oreal Elvive Nutrigloss Light shampoo that was discontinued!
Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk*
This is a lovely dry shampoo, it smells so fresh! My hair always looked
shiny rather than greasy when I used this on second day hair and though it’s a
little dearer than what I would normally pay for a dry shampoo at £8, it’s
often included in Escentual’s French pharmacy 1/3 off promotion and 3 or 2’s at
Boots so I would repurchase when on offer! Full review here!
OUAI Treatment Masque
I got a pack of these in another GWP from Cult Beauty (can you tell
I’ve been getting through my samples this month!) and having loved everythingelse I’ve tried from Jen Atkin’s range, this did not disappoint! It made my
hair feel lovely and soft as well as smooth and I got two uses out of this
satchet! I’m not completely sure if I’d repurchase though as I love the
conditioner too and it does pretty much the same job and I always forget about
treatments!
Bodycare
Soap and Glory The Scrub of your Life
This is probably my second favourite scrub from Soap and Glory (Pulp
Friction always being my favourite!). I love the scent of this and though it
doesn’t lather as much as Pulp Friction, with the help of some exfoliating
gloves it does a great job of removing my tan! Will repurchase!
Sass Perfect Me Skin Concentrate
I’m only really realising this now but this is actually an intimate
body product! I just used it on my legs after waxing or epilating and I loved
it! My hairs grow back quite fine anyway because I have been getting waxed for
years but this made my legs feel so smooth and I think the hairs grew back even
slower! It’s scented but not very strongly and has a pump while the product
itself is a gel like texture. I got this in a beauty box but I would definitely
repurchase and try it on my bikini line too next time!
Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel
My old favourite Snow Fairy, probably the most childish candy floss
scented product ever but I love it! This is actually from Christmas last year,
how bad is that? I have a few more to get through from Christmas just past too,
its limited edition but I will repurchase when its back later this year!
Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel
This was the first time I’d tried the infamous Rose Jam shower gel and
it smells lovely! It felt moisturising too and I actually get a lot of use out
of these mini 100g shower gels! Would repurchase!
Balance Me Rose Otto Hand Cream
Not a fan of this at all, it felt greasy, took ages to absorb even when
I only put a little on and I ended up only using this at night time because of
this! The scent was OK but I would not repurchase this.
This is super sticky and takes a bit of work to apply but I absolutely
love it! It smells lovely and works so well on rough skin on my heels and
bottom of my feet. Would repurchase!
Makeup
NARS Sheer Glow
This is such a beautiful foundation! It has a medium/full coverage so
it’s definitely not sheer and it doesn’t have a glowy finish either. I actually
didn’t like this the first time I used it, I didn’t think it lasted well on my
oily skin at all and it wore off really easily on my chin. After using it a few
more times though I grew to really like it, it evens out my complexion and
lasts all day now with a few powder touch-ups during the day. I am however glad
to be finished this! I think it’s about two years old though it has a 24 month
expiry date so it’s fine. I will definitely repurchase in the future as this
comes quite close to my all-time favourite Estee Lauder Double Wear but I want
to finish up a few other foundations beforehand!
SEVENTEEN Falsifeye HD Mascara*
This is a lovely mascara for a natural look. It gives a lot of
separation and length to my lashes but I probably won’t repurchase because I
rarely wear mascara that isn’t waterproof!
Beauty Blender
I am obsessed with Beauty Blenders, they give the best finish for me
and I wouldn’t be without one now! £16 is a lot to spend on a sponge but Beauty
Blenders definitely feel the softest to me and give the best bounce making it
so easy to apply my foundation evenly! They also last a good 6 months for me
washing it daily! Will repurchase!
Congratulations if you got through all that! I already have half a box
full of empties I’ve acquired since taking the photos for this post so that
will be up sometime next month! Let me know what you have been finishing
recently or if you’ve tried anything I’ve talked about!
*denotes
a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own.
Danielle xx
If you want to keep up to date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me
on
I’ve been mentioning in different posts and on Instagram about my
recent challenge to try not to buy beauty products so I thought I would gather
a few of the products I have bought and give a little update as to how I’m getting on! I’ve been
calling it a try not to buy as well because the word ban would have the reverse
effect on me!
I started this just before Christmas and you will have seen my last big
beauty purchase before trying not to buy anything last week with my custom ABH palette! This was a guilt free long time coming purchase as the single eyeshadows
had been on my wishlist for the longest time!
Anyway, long story short, aside from being a spendaholic when it comes
to beauty products, my hours at work have recently changed so I knew I would
need to tighten the purse strings. I had been covering maternity leave for a
woman and she came back a couple of weeks ago but wanted to job share so I’m
still doing the same job just working part time now instead of full time. I
knew it was coming and I’m still getting used to it, having days off is the
best but I know I won’t be saying that when I see my pay at the end of the
month!
I also started the process of applying for my Canadian visa/work permit
late last year and it came through last month so I have a year to move to Canada
and I will be spending my spare time researching and planning for that. I’ve
always wanted to try living somewhere new and I know I won’t be able to job
share forever so it seems like a good time to
try it!
Ok, this is turning into more of an update/lifestyle post than I meant
it to but basically, every year I am guilty of buying discounted gift sets and
products in the sales so I thought late December was a good time to start
trying not to buy. While it’s all well and good getting a bargain when you are
a beauty addict, with boxes and drawers filled with new, unopened or back up
products, buying more is pretty pointless when you are barely getting through
what you already have and planning a potential move when you won’t be able to
take it with you!
So, instead of snapping up the half price Soap and Glory Christmas sets
(not necessary when you still have backups of backups from last year) or spending
Boxing Day in the online Lush sale queue, I put my bank card down and man oh
man do I feel all the better for it. I give into my greed way too easily; I
can’t believe I haven’t taken this approach before. As you will see, I have
bought some things but it’s nowhere near as much as usual and I don’t feel
guilty for buying them!
This was my first beauty purchase of 2017. I had a £15 Cult Beauty gift
card that I had received in my last GWP and although it wasn’t due to run out
to the end of January, I’ll admit, I wanted new makeup to play with! I went
with Secret Salma in the end, a Matte Revolution formulation which I hadn’t tried
before - a fact made all the sweeter that I didn’t have to part with the full
£23 myself (now increased to £24)! I ended up having to pay delivery with this
too which I usually refuse to do (I will buy things until I reach the threshold
for free delivery!). I’m so glad I have it in my collection now though, it’s a
beautiful deep plum/pink shade that is long lasting and though it’s the CT
matte formulation, it feels hydrating and doesn’t exaggerate any dry patches I
have on my lips!
This lipstick shade had been on my wishlist for the longest time so I
had been exercising self-control over this for quite a while already before
getting my hands on it! I was planning on waiting for my Boots points to pile
up to buy this but my Godson (or more likely my aunt!) got me a Boots gift card
for Christmas so after unsuccessfully trying to use it online (who knew they
don’t accept them?) I finally got my hands on this when I got to a big Boots. It doesn’t disappoint either - it’s the most perfect pinky/berry toned creamy
lipstick that wears off evenly and leaves a gorgeous stain! I had tried the
formula before and you can see my review and some more swatches of other shades here!
I did cave completely when I saw this and had it ordered as soon as I
got the email landed in my inbox but how could I not! Pillowtalk is my
favourite lipliner so the matching lipstick had to be mine and the fact its
limited edition meant it had to mine right now! Again, it’s the matte
revolution formula and it’s a beautiful muted pinky nude with a hint of brown.
I’d say the lipliner has a hint more mauve to it but I know I will get so much
wear out of this!
l-r: Smashbox My Digits, Charlotte Tilbury Secret Salma, Pillowtalk
Large Z Palatte
You might have seen a few posts on my Instagram about me depotting my
Benefit blush palette. I never reached for it because the packaging was so
bulky so I spent £17.50 (I don’t remember them being so dear!) on a new Z
palette to pop them into! I know not everyone is a fan of Z palettes and they
definitely are an expensive option for what is basically a card and a magnet
but I love that you can see inside them and the sticky metal magnets that come
included to stick on pans are so handy for covering the glue that sometimes remains after depotting! Since depotting, despite a few
crumbles, I have been getting a lot more use out of the blushers and bronzer in
the palette and I ended up depotting a few mini Too Faced bronzers as well !
Anyway, hope you didn’t mind that little try not to buy/update from me!
Also, don’t be shocked if I cave and make a splurge on Cult Beauty if they do another
GWP offer soon, I’m good but I’m not that good! Let me know what you’ve been
buying recently or if you are trying to cut down your spending like me!
Danielle xx
If you want to keep up to date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me
on
Anastasia Beverly Hills single eyeshadows have been on my radar for the
longest time but although most ABH products are available to buy from Cult
Beauty and Beauty Bay, unless you wanted a customs charge, the eyeshadows were
out of reach for those of us on this side of the Atlantic! That was until
shortly before Christmas when the ABH website expanded to include a UK site
with eyeshadows ripe for the picking! EDIT: also available (and usualy on offer!) now at Look Fantastic!
The Anastasia pre-made eyeshadow palettes don’t appeal to me (part from
the Mario Dedivanovic one which wasn’t sold here!) as they have too many shades
I wouldn’t use/are too warm toned (Modern Renaissance I’m looking at you) so I
was in my element picking the shades I knew I would get use out of for my custom
palette!
After much Google swatch stalking, I started adding to my basket even
though I thought £10 was a bit much for a pan. That was until I got to 4 pans
and saw the price drop to £30 and the bundle offer pop up - £30 for 4 pans plus
an empty palette or £50 for 8 pans and a palette and you can clearly see which
offer I went for – it was Christmas after all!
Anyway, here is my run down of the shades I got and swatches! As far as
I am aware, the entire single eyeshadow range comes in a variety of finishes –
satin, velvet, shimmer, metallic ultra-matte, titanium and duo chrome and being
a creature of habit I went for mostly matte shades! I also think this was my last
big makeup purchase before my try not to buy started up but more on that next
week!
Lace
The lightest and I’m sorry to say it - most disappointing shade from
the ones I picked – Lace is a light beige with a satin finish (I think!) that
just does not show up on my lid at all! I’m pale and this is extremely sheer on
me no matter how much I pack on!
Sateen
A gorgeous shimmer champagne frost that is so soft and pigmented and doesn’t
give any fall out.
Birkin
A warm beige mauve ultra-matte that definitely stands out as the warmest
in this palette and is a gorgeous transition shade.
Chiffon
A warm brown with a metallic finish and almost khaki undertones, like
Sateen it’s really smooth to apply and beautifully pigmented.
l-r: Lace, Sateen, Birkin, Chiffon
Stone
An ultra-matte light ash grey neutral taupe that I like to put all over
the lid.
Warm Taupe
An ultra-matte soft brown that is also in the Modern Renaissance
palette and was one of the only shades I was drawn to! Another one that I
either put all over the lid or position more towards my crease.
Ash Brown
An ultra-matte dark cool brown that I use in my outer V and can double
up as an eyebrow shade for me.
Smoke
An ultra-matte charcoal brown I use as an eyeliner.
l-r: Stone, Warm Taupe, Ash Brown, Smoke
All the shadows are high quality, pigmented and last well throughout
the day (I use a primer). The palette that came in the bundle is such high
quality too! It feels sturdy, has a clear lid and the magnets feel strong. I
definitely think if you are interested in getting some ABH shadows, wait until
you have 4 or 8 you want because it’s a much better deal than buying 1 or 2 at
£10 each. I like the shadows and they have a huge range of shades but I definitely
don’t think they are worth spending £10 each on! The bundle deal I got puts the
shadows at £6.25 each not including the palette which is on a par with Makeup
Geek now they have increased their prices and I think that’s where they sit for
me although overall I do prefer the Kat Von D matte formula!
In hindsight, I do wish I had picked up a few more shades that weren’t
matte but saying that I use mattes daily so I probably wouldn’t be getting as
much use out of the palette if I had!
So, that’s my 8 pan palette! Let me know if you ordered anything off
the site or what your favourite shades are! The singles are also available on Look Fantastic here!
Danielle xx
If you want to keep up do date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me
on
