Beauty Confessions Tag

I was tagged in the Beauty Confessions Tag by the lovely Eleanor over at Teapots and Elephants earlier in the week. I can't restist a little quiz so I'm excited to get started! I love reading people's answers to quizes and a Q&A video is the first one I'll watch on YouTube. Of course I love to read posts on people thoughts and opinions, but an 'About Me' page is always the first I'll click on when I'm on a blog. I just LOVE knowing as much as I can about you - I'm far too nosy for my own good. So, if you are like me, this post might be fun to read and to try!

I am going to tag Beth at Life with B, Emily Jayne at Love, Emily Jayne and Tazhi at TazhiLuxe.com. I'd love it if you took part so I could read your answers (coz I'm nosy!), just link it back to me :). Simply copy the questions and answer for yourself. 

1.) What is your biggest beauty product addiction? (Lippies, blushes, highlighter, bronzer, mascara, etc.)

Definitely lipsticks! I have SO many and am such a sucker for seeing/hearing about one person raving about one and straight up buying it. Most of mine are from MAC but my new personal favourites are the Jeffree Star Liquid Lipsticks - they are so pigmented and last forever. 

2.) How many products do you have from your addiction?

I couldn't even hazard a guess as they are all over the place! I keep a few faves in my handbag, as well as in my make up bag, on my dressing table and in the car. A bit impractical because it makes it hard to find them in a hurry! I would say I probably have close to 50 which doesn't seem like a huge amount but when you add up the value of them all it is a bit sickening.

3.) What is one type of beauty product you hate? (highlighters, hairspray, etc.)

Hmmm this is hard. I was about to say there was wasn't anything I hate but then I remembered lip gloss. Ugh. I HATE the stickiness and how your hair is constantly getting stuck in it. I don't even like the look of it to be honest. Lip gloss is something I can safely say I will never fall in love with.

 4.) What has been your biggest challenge in beauty? (ex: a technique you learned or leaving a beauty comfort zone)

Biggest challenge I would say has been perfecting my winged eyeliner, and even then it is definitely not perfect every time. Funnily enough my 'bad eye' (right eye) which was always the trickest to do and the one that always looked shit has overtaken my left. They've swapped sides which is frustrating - WHY CAN'T YOU BOTH BE PERFECT!

5.) What is one beauty comfort zone you don’t ever think you’ll leave?

I rarely wash my hair and that is something that won't change. It never gets greasy and the longer I leave it the more I like it. It seems to grow texture and volume and I much prefer it like that. I tend to wash it once every 7-10 days and spritz it with dry shampoo on the regs to keep it smelling fresh. I actually plan my life around when I will be washing my hair. I totally resent going out the day after I wash my hair so if I know a night out or something I want to look okay for is coming up I will wash my hair 3+ days in advance.

6.) What is one beauty thing you suck at? (ex: eyeliner like cat eye or taking your makeup off at the end of the day, etc.)

I feel like I talk about this all the time but winged eyeliner. I am slowly improving but it is still something I have to really try hard to do. Nothing is more infuriating than when it is just not working for you and you have to clean all your eye make up off and start again. The stuff of nightmares.

7.) What is one thing in beauty that you don’t understand its hype? (Technique, trend, etc.)

This is a pretty out-there and probably incorrect answer to this question but I honestly cannot get my head around duck feet nails. Like what the actual hell?! BELIEVE ME this is not my hand!

Another I'm not keen on is people who have naturally dark hair dying it blonde. I always think its looks so wrong - I generally think people look best with the hair colour they were born with.

Thank you again to Eleanor from Teapots and Elephants for tagging me!

January Favourites

Poor old January gets such a bad rep. The weather is grim and people shuffle off back to work dreaming of their next Christmas break and trying to forget the mountains of cheese and chocolate they ate. I am 100% this person, but January was a good month for me and oh my god how fast did it go!?

After a Christmas break I got back into the gym again and my best friend came to visit me from Belfast, we had our first 2016 snow in Leeds and it was glorious. I don't understand why people hate the snow. Yeh it's dangerous, but its sooo gorgeous. Nothing beats the utter silence of a snowfall, its pure magic. I defy anyone to be in a bad mood when the first snow falls.

I got a bit carried away with lipsticks and managed to buy myself 5 new ones. I think it's starting to become a problem. 

Although January is a bitter kick in the teeth after Christmas it is a great month to get your life in order. I don't mean this in a 2016 new year new me way but it's generally a good time to reevaluate where you're at and where you want to be. For me this took shape in the form of putting time and effort into growing my blog; gaining new followers, more readers and more conversation.

To cheer myself up from the bleak weather and back-to-work blues I did what ever other human would do. I shopped. So, hold tight for my favourite things from January - I promise to keep the lipstick mentions to a minimum.

Morphe 35O Palette

So, to cut a long story short I have been lusting after this eye shadow palette for honestly months. It was always sold out when I felt flush enough to justify the cost (which is totally okay for the quality and quantity of the shadows included), so one day it popped up on my Instagram feed with a discount code from the lovely Jaclyn Hill and I took the plunge. I ordered it directly through the Morphe site and waited for weeks for it to arrive. There was a proper drama with retrieving it from the Sorting Office so when it was finally delivered I was super excited.

The shades are gorgeous and are the kind of staples every girl needs in her collection. There is a good mix of matte and shimmer shadows and all are crazily pigmented and blend like a dream. For now all of my other shadows have been kicked to the kerb in favour of this beauty.

In short, if you want it buy it. You won't regret it!

Schuh 'Mega Hot' Heels

Back in November I decided that it had been FAR too long since I bought any new high heels. When Black Friday rolled around I took a trip into town to see what there was on offer. I bought some gorgeous red suede heels from Schuh and called it a day. I did spy a similar gorgeous pair in dove grey but decided two was a bit excessive when none where needed. But who was I kidding? They kept popping into my head, so last week while I was in work my fingers started searching for them online.  They were £55 reduced to £14.99 with free delivery - it honestly would have been rude not to.

I haven't worn them out yet and to be honest I'm a bit scared to. I'm worried they will be ruined in an instant so I'm going to reserve them for an occasion where spillages will be limited, skies will be blue and the wine will be in short supply.

Sausage Dog Nightie

A bit of an unusual choice here for a favourites post but how cute is this nightie. I saw it on a Buzzed post about the best gifts to give dog lovers and aside from bookmarking 90% of the post for future splurges I couldn't resist this one. Now to get down to the nitty gritty: I am proud member of the legion of people who don't wear pyjamas in bed. You are probably thinking why do I even bother to buy them but let's be real - who doesn't come straight home from work and tear your clothes off for more comfy ones?

If you are planning on snapping up this bad boy bear in mind that the sizing is a little small. Either that or my boobs and bum are just stifled by pyjamas. See above.

National Trust Tea Time Mug

Okay, you might be thinking right about now she's lost her mind if she's about to wax lyrical about a mug. And you might be right but laying all my cards on the table I am a mug/bowl/crockery/any-kitchen-implement-imaginable hoarder. I just can't resist and those who visit my home know to open cupboards carefully or an avalanche of cups will rain down on your face. 

I actually bought this cutie in Homebase of all places. I know the clue is in the name but I honestly didn't realise how much fab homeware they have. Probably because I lump Homebase and B&Q into the same category. Similar to Lidl and Aldi. They are the same places; I will never get the names the right way around nor admit that they are different - particularly the latter.

This has become my new favourite mug. I prefer a smaller mug because a big hot drink is just too much for me. It was only £3.99 and I'm pretty sure that a percentage of it's profits go directly to the National Trust which is just lovely.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss (107)

You didn't think you'd get away without reading about another lipstick did you!? This is one of my new favourite lipsticks which honestly, I would have totally overlooked before. For me lipsticks are about staying power and I've generally found cheaper brands to not have the same longevity as my favourites, so I would have walked straight by this little beauty.

I came across this on Twitter when the fabulous Hannah Gale mentioned it in one of her lipstick posts. And despite already owning hundreds in that gorgeous deep berry shade I had to have it. And within 60 seconds I had bought it and it was winging it's way across the UK to my grabby hands.

For around £5.50 it is a great buy. It has a lovely sweet scent which smells a little like watermelon. Admittedly, it does require a good few coats but that is just my personal preference for a darker lip. The only gripe I have with it is that it isn't a true matte, but I know that style isn't for everyone!

It stays on nicely throughout the day but does require a little touch up here and there which I'm okay with. I haven't found it to bleed  too badly or transfer super easily so your smudged lipstick paranoia isn't sky rocketing through the roof.


August Woods Rose Gold CZ Ring


This is a bit of a cheat entry to a January favourites post because I bought it on Christmas Eve. I bought this gorgeous ring in Argento in Belfast and it was a complete bargain at £18. I love the rose gold effect and huge stone and I've had so many compliments on it. In my haste I bought one without trying it on so of course it was too big so I've jammed it on with my Russian wedding ring and actually prefer it stacked.

Prepare for some terrible pics - why do hands always look so gross in pictures?!

January has been a busy month for me and one of my favourite things I have gained from this month is the chat and support from the blogging community on Twitter. So thanks you guys - it's so lovely to get to know you all!

What have been your best buys from January?

Just Charlie G: Bloggers Talk Beauty

A few weeks ago I was cruising through my Facebook feed when a post hosted from a popular UK bloggers forum popped up on my timeline. A friendly face was offering bloggers the opportunity to guest post on her blog under the series 'Bloggers Talk Beauty'.

Any blogger could apply - regardless of area of expertise, DA or social following - and I thought it was too good an opportunity to miss.

I filled out the questionnaire about my beauty and skincare regime, crossed my fingers and got back to work. Within a few days I received a very exciting email to my inbox from the fabulous Charlie telling me she had read my entry and would like to feature me as part of the series on her blog. Excited doesn't even cover it! 

Charlie asked me to send over a picture to accompany my piece and told me she had schedule the post for the 4th February. Cue a few impatient weeks for my first guest post to go live.

Over on Charlie's blog Just Charlie G you will find such a varied mix of discussion points ranging from skincare & beauty (her forté)  to book reviews and posts about her lovely family. You'll also find over there a lovely little group of bloggers who she has generously allowed space on her blog - including me!

If you want to find out more about my skincare and beauty routine please click here and say hi to Miss Charlie G!

MAC: Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour Review

Long have I been a champion of MAC lipsticks, owning far too many to even wear, so when I found out about the newly released Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolours (RMLLs) I was beyond gassed. Jeffrey Star has made me more of a liquid lipstick fan so I was super excited to try one of these bad boys.

I firstly checked them out online and found all of the shades I was interested in were sold out. Dead end. Uggghh a trip in to MAC is the worst. Thousands of girls pushing and shoving and crowded around the products so you can't see anything. Such a nightmare.

I was very brave though and went on Saturday. A lot of the collection was sold out but luckily none that I had my eye on. The colour selection isn't vast but a great starting point. I already have quite a few dark reds, deep berry tones and nudes so I decided on a peachy toned nude colour. I tried out a few and the lovely MUA who was advising me helped me to choose a shade for my skin.

This is where it all started to go wrong. Every colour I tried out on my hand came out COMPLETELY differently to how it appeared. Warning you now guys I didn't get a picture to prove this but I will demonstrate a little later on. Put your imagining hat on right now - I tried Mademoiselle and Lady Be Good (left and right of this picture, middle is Back In Vogue) and both were super orange. Now I have Morange (MAC's bright orange lippy) and have rocked it on many occasions but they were like a diluted orange juice - quite corally and totally nothing that would suit me. 

I mentioned this to the MUA who was helping me who agreed the some of the colours transferred differently. Thank god I didn't go in guns ablazing and buy them online! We agreed on Back in Vogue and off I went. To be fair, I did really want one so didn't go as far as trying it on my lips. I liked it on my hand and that was enough for me. A pretty pricey decision TBF at £21 but it was MAC ya know... I did also by the lipliner Spice which, ugh, is divine!

So get home, obviously first things first I tried on the lipcolour. I love the applicator, much sturdier than the Jeffree Star applicators which I mentioned before. Rather than being shaped like a doe foot it is much more pointed at the top, almost like a leaf.  The consistency is creamy and dries matte. The product has good lasting power and doesn't feel too drying on the lips. But I can't decide if the colour is for me. I think it's just much more coral than I had wanted. I was after more of a peachy toned shade, perhaps a little darker than this.  In the tube and even on my swatches it looks like a deep dusty rose which is not how I would describe it on my lips. It is definitely growing on me though!

Left: dry, right: wet 

I would definitely recommend the RMLLs but totally advise you try them out before buying them. This isn't a product to be buying online unless you are going for the deeper tones which I think you just can't go wrong with. You can view the entire collection here.

Have you tried the MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolours? If so, what did you think?

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick Review

If you have been here before you may have read that I am a huge lipstick fan. Not just any lipsticks - primarily MAC lipsticks. I'll forever be a MAC devotee but another guy might have stolen my lipstick shaped heart. 

Introducing the fabulous Jeffree Star. For those of you how know who this crazy cat is you can probably skip a few lines.  I came across Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks in the vlogs of my favourite American YouTubers and the first shade that had me weeping for my own was the spectacular Unicorn Blood. This sultry shade is my ultimate go-to for evenings and nights out; replacing my beloved MAC Sin and Media (for now at least).

The liquid lipsticks are super long lasting and I mean super long lasting. They slide on easily on a doe foot applicator and dry to a matte finish in about a minute giving you time to straighten up lines and fix any smudges.

There are dozens of shades to chose from ranging from the Drug Lord, the brightest white, to bubblegum blue Jawbreaker and Red Rum - a classic red.

Sadly my collection is limited to a tiny trio and as far as I can tell there are no UK stockists, online or otherwise.  I managed to get mine on eBay, but I have also seen them on Amazon. Take a deep breath - they are around £20 a pop. BUT SO WORTH IT!!

Unicorn Blood - how absolutely to DIE for is this!

Celebrity Skin - the perfect nude

Masochist - a gorgeous pinky red

Unedited swatches - each shade: left - dry, right - wet.

I love this vegan & cruelty-free brand for many reasons but most of all because I trust them. I know that I can slick one on and not have to worry about it smudging or fading out for hours. Nine sweaty hours in an office that switches between tropical and subarctic - easy. No worrying on a night out with the gang about sloppy drunken applications in front of a crowded mirror - that truly is the worst, amiright!? 

The only thing I would change about this dream product is the stability of the applicator. I personally would prefer it to be a little firmer but I am more than willing to forgive! 

Don't just take my word for it, invest in these perfect little lipstains - you won't regret it!

What's Been On My Feet: December

Like most girls I love shoes of all varieties but especially (and predictably) heels. I used to be the kind of gal who would go to Sainburys in her best shoes, because why waste them on a night out - these babies need the light of day to shine! I stopped wearing heels so often a few years ago and I don't really know why. Maybe it was the impending doom of getting older and turning into the kind of girl who's feet feel toeless after an hour in sky scrapers (which FYI I totally am), but I never stopped lusting after stiletto stunners.

I feel 99% of you will know what I mean as you read the next few words: Carrie. Bradshaw. Blue. Bridal. Manolo. Blahniks. Cue instant wedding daydreams of these beauties on your feet.  Since the moment I saw these bad boys I knew I needed them; so when I came across a snazzy Dune dupe on Instagram I had to have them!

The 'Breanna', from Dune, are these gorgeous beasts which I got in the Black Friday sale. Although they aren't and will never be the Manolo's my heart bleeds for they are a pretty spectacular copy. They did come in many different colours and styles but unfortunately have largely sold out. Reduced from £89 to £44 they were a complete steal! Check out the link; there are still some sizes and styles left.

Although I am more of a suede/leopard print pump kind of girl I do love my Vans and Converse. I have long been a fan of the sky blue Vans but was given these ruby ones for my birthday a few years ago and have only just clawed them out from the back of my wardrobe. To be honest I wasn't entirely sure if the red ones suited me, I've had the blue version since I first invested but I am so glad I brought them out.

I've worn them so much in the last few weeks - I have even forgiven them for the monstrous blister they gave me on the first day I wore them. I have been blessed with the kind of heels that blister as soon as new shoes are put on. Lucky me. Nevertheless they have become my go-to flats for December as it has finally got a bit too chilly for my ballet flats. Schuh and Office both stock a really great variety of Vans which are totally worth checking out. 

Lastly, I bought these scarlet heels in a flurry of realising I hadn't had a shiny new pair of stilts in a very long time. I cruised all of my favourite high street stores and couldn't find anything I was willing to part with my cash for until I found these. Also available in taupe (which I am still lusting after) they are so chic and comfortable for longer than they appear.

I love the asymmetric upper which differentiates them from your standard festive footwear. I wore them out for a relatively messy night out and of course they were pretty filthy by the time I got home. How does that even happen?? But they came up good as new after a scrub with an old, damp toothbrush.

The only thing I would change about them would be the amount of toe cleavage they present. I know it's a huge pet peeve for lots of gals but I love it and none of my favourite shoes would have gained their status without it! A little more TC and they would be perfect!

What have you been wearing on your feet this month?

Kiko Cosmetics Review

So, first's things first's an apology is in order. Despite thinking about my blog every day I have been crazy busy over the past few weeks and haven't got round to writing ANYTHING! With moving house, decorating, unpacking, starting a new job and not having internet for a couple of weeks I actually think I haven't done so bad in taking as long as I have!

I suppose what comes with a being a blogger is the acceptance of other people who put their lives online. No depth is to be taken by that sentence - what I really mean is how easy influenced I am by other bloggers recommendations. I once heard a blogger say that Clearasil Clean and Clear scrubbed on once a day for a week would remove the pinky dots that plague my legs. And what did I do? Go straight into town to buy it! And did it work? No. But I don't often let this put me off. Bloggers are famed for their honesty and what works for some doesn't always work for others, and as we all know beauty is often times purely trial and error!

For example literally nothing does as much for my eyelashes as Diorshow Iconic, whereas most are more than satisfied with their Maybelline bezzie. Cutting a long story short, I heard a YouTuber talking about Kiko Cosmetics and naturally my interest was piqued.

Cue a few weeks later and in a mad rush in town getting lunch for a few people in the office I ended up right across the street from the Kiko Cosmetics store showcasing a very enticing 50% sale. Naturally, as soon as I went home I was on their website browsing for the next best thing.

The website is easy to navigate and being the savvy shopper I am (lololol) I stuck to the sale section.  Partly because as a MAC lover for life I didn't want to waste money on products I would never use and also in part because I am still stuck in the mindset of being a student - despite the fact my beady eyes are firmly set on an Olympus Pen E-PL7. 

Being pessimistic I'll start with the baddies. Firstly, I didn't realise that there was a minimum order value. Usually this isn't a problem for me (...) but seeing as I was firmly in the sale section I encountered a problem when I came to check out. The minimum order value is £25 which I personally think is enormous considering it is a brand which I would consider to be on the lower end of the economic spectrum.  

Regardless, I persevered and ended up with this delicious hollowed flat topped brush to bump up my total. I've been using it for foundation and cream contouring and to be honest, for £15.90, it has definitely been worth it. 

Secondly, the products took so long to arrive I had genuinely forgotten I had ordered. When I went to the Post Office to collect my parcel I totally intrigued to see what my secret admirer (Kiko) had sent me.

I couldn't resist this violet face primer when I came across it on the site. It's valued at £1.90 at the moment but I am sure it was something ridiculous like 70p when I bought it. To be entirely honest I'm not sure how much I rate this product, it has the desired tacky feel once applied but I'm not convinced it keeps my make up on for any longer.

Seeing as I bought some of the loose pigments I thought I should check out their Mixing Solution valued at £1.90. Put a tiny, tiny drop of this onto your brush then apply the pigments and you will be surprised at the depth of colour you can achieve. I really rate this product, I think it is really worth checking out!

Being a neutrals lover I was obviously going to go for Cocoa and Light Taupe (£2.90) in the loose pigments department. I am infinitely more impressed with Light Taupe, it is like literal moon dust. The colours are strong, but without the mixing solution they don't have the staying power to last a whole day at work.

The desire to add a filter on to my pasty hand pic almost overwhelmed me, but in dedicated blogger fashion I kept true to the original image!

The picture to follow shows the colours blended; top is Cocoa on it's own, middle shows the pair blended and the bottom shade is Light Taupe. The colours have much more of a shimmer in real life, but until I get my Olympus Pen my iPhone pictures will have to suffice!

The above shows the pigments with the mixing solution - how much of a difference does it make?!

Saving the best until last, I am introducing you to my new best friend. Beam of Light highlighter in Sand. I cannot get enough of this beauty - it is super long wear and holds the most gorgeous glow, at £5 it is a total steal.  I have been using this with my EcoTools blush brush which has the perfect fluffy texture for highlighter. 

Overall, I definitely think Kiko Cosmetics is worth a look.  I have totally fallen for some of their products, but there is so much more to be seen. Let me know what your experiences have been I would love to know!