Is the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer worth the hype?

May 7, 20178 Comments

Yes. Yes. Yes… and a thousand times, yes.

If you’re a big fan of high coverage concealer which stands the test of time and specifically flatters your skin-tone, this concealer is going to change your life (without sounding too dramatic).

It has a big spongey brush which applies a thick layer of concealer in an instant – you really don’t need to apply much product to the face for a high-coverage finish, meaning that this fairly large tube is going to last a really long time.

Until now, I was a huge fan of the Nars Radiant Concealer, but it has nothing on the Tarte Shape Tape! I’ve fast switched the everyday concealer in my makeup bag and left the Nars one for occasional use.

I chose the lightest shade possible – Fair, which is well-suited to extremely fair skin, with the choice between an additional 13 shades. And best of all? This concealer actually retails for LESS than the Nars alternative – a £19 price-tag which can easily be justified thanks to how legendary this product is!

Honestly, this is my favourite product of 2017 to date, and I cannot envisage removing it from my makeup bag within the near future…

Forget colour correcting eye bags, scarring, discolouration and acne – this concealer is so thick but crease-free that it covers any unwanted colouration once layered on top of foundation.

If anyone has tried this product, I’d love to hear what you think in the comment space below!

Pixi Beauty #MultiMisting – Hit or Miss?

May 2, 20176 Comments

As you guys already know (from the various times I have unintentionally gloated), Pixi Beauty recently made me a UK brand ambassador. In all honesty, I’m still so overwhelmed that such big brands are interested in someone as ‘micro’ as me – it would be an understatement to say that I’m extremely appreciative.

However, I never let the complementary products cloud my judgement and dictate my reviews and promise to only review products I really enjoy using (with the exception of a few slightly negative reviews every now and again if this is helpful for you guys).

Anyway, Pixi Beauty recently sent me a lovely parcel of misting sprays – one Vitamin Wakeup, Hydrating Milky, Makeup Fixing and Glow Mist.

Firstly, can I just say how incredible the vitamin spray smells… and feels on the skin!

It’s infused with Orange Blossom and Citrus Extract to not only treat the skin to a well-deserved morning boost, but to also leave your face smelling gorgeous, even once the mist has sunk into the skin.

The Hydrating Milk Mist (stage two of the multi-misting process) is, and does, exactly what it says on the tin.

A milky coloured misting spray which leaves the face feeling super hydrated and is packed with Hyaluronic Acid and Black Oat to both hydrate and leave the skin feeling smoother in the long-term, this spray has now become an essential step within my makeup routine – straight after I apply the vitamin mist.

The latter two masks, the Fixing Spray and Glow Boost, are however not integrated into my makeup routine on a daily basis… and that’s because I absolutely love the Gerard Cosmetics Fixing Spray (I think I use the Grapefruit scent!).

I do like to mix things up and apply the Makeup Fixing Mist on occasions as a replacement for this product, but I live in fear of the one time I sprayed this product after applying eye makeup and it left little patches throughout my nicely blended eyeshadow look.

Granted, I think this was a one off as I have since used the mist and not experienced the same issue!

The Glow Mist is a bit of a skin-treat and isn’t necessarily an essential part of the multi-misting routine.

The little green spray includes Propolis and Argan Oil and as we all know… Argan Oil is fantastic for skin, hair and well, just about every aspect of the body.

It’s a really nice step to include during makeup application (personally, I would spray this before applying foundation/face makeup) and adds a little touch of radiance to the skin.

Don’t expect dramatic results (as if this product has been designed to highlight the skin without the need for a highlighter) it simply adds a little colour and natural glow to a somewhat dull complexion.

One thing I will say about all four sprays is that the pump is extremely easy to use, and unlike other alternative sprays on the market, releases a fine mist across the entire stretch of the face – meaning no pitiful, multiple spritzes are required!

So, that’s why I love Multi-Misting with the Pixi Beauty range… have you guys tried these products or are you planning to since reading my review?

Let me know in the comment space below!

Affordable Makeup Brush Storage – Morphe

April 27, 20171 Comment

Hi everyone, I’m about to go quiet for a few days so I thought I would review this beauty gem, which I received as a gift at CHRISTMAS!

The good thing about this brush case is, you don’t even need to own all Morphe Brushes for it to work (although the sizing of their brushes makes using this case a little easier).

The Morphe HC18 comfortably fits 18 brushes, ranging from bronzer brushes to petite eyebrow brushes. I only own one brush which doesn’t fit properly… the Real Techniques Powder Brush, which as you know, has a much thicker base than your average makeup brush!

For a three fold case which can store multiple, fairly thick brushes, this case is surprisingly narrow – it makes transportation ten times easier and more convenient than rummaging about for stray brushes… and it helps them to maintain better hygiene and stay clean for longer.

It’s also wipable thanks to the black plastic outer, which is great for those lazy days when you push dirty makeup brushes into the slots. Not forgetting the fact that it is surprisingly long-lasting – it’s seen a lot of wear-and-tear over the last 5-6 months and hasn’t let me down (yet).

Best of all? It’s only £10, which really can’t be disputed for an everyday makeup storage solution!

Let me know if you own or are planning to purchase this case in the comment space below!

Hump Day Review | Too Faced Melted Lipstick in ‘Marshmallow’

April 26, 20173 Comments

Okay, so I have a confession to make…

I actually meant to purchase a Too Faced Melted Matte Lipstick when I got this a few months ago and ordered this product by mistake.

I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome, but I’m 100% planning to purchase a few of the matte colours soon to see what all the hype is about… I’ll let you know how I get on (the tubes look so pretty!).

Too Faced Melted Lipstick

The Too Faced Melted Lipstick in Marshmallow cost me roughly £19 when I bought it, but if you guys head to their website right now, they have a discount running on the Melted range which has dropped the price to £9. Who could dispute that for a middle range product!

The Marshmallow shade is rather pink and I have to admit, looked a little less ‘baby pink’ online. I know, I know – what else should I have expected from a product called ‘marshmallow’?!

Regardless, I was still happy with the warm colouring and easy application tube.

The ‘paint’ formulation is thick, nourishing and slightly glossy, although please be warned, as with other lip paints, the natural lip will be revealed in the centre of the mouth after a few drinks, due to the consistency of this product.

Granted, I must give this specific lip paint credit above others, as it stood the test of time better than a number of alternatives I have tried – at both a high-street and high-end level!

Which leads nicely on to my next point…

If you’re looking for a drugstore dupe, I would 100% recommend the Maybelline Color Jolt Lip Paint in ‘Never Bare’. Although slightly pinker (think Barbie pink) than the Too Faced Melted Lipstick, the two are very similar.

As you know, I’m a member of the Maybelline Squad, which means that the lovely team send me goodies to try throughout the year. I’m not obliged to say I love things but I can honestly say that their lip paint has definitely stolen a place in my heart where high-street products are concerned.

Even the red shade, which I was quite hesitant to try (as only matte red lipsticks reside in my makeup bag) impressed me!

Best of all? It’s only £4.99 – a fraction of the RRP of the Too Faced equivalent!

Let me know if you’re going to splash the cash and purchase the Too Faced Lipstick or choose the dupe and go for the Maybelline Lip Paint!

I’ve fallen in love with the Urban Decay Cosmetics Full Spectrum Palette…

April 23, 20173 Comments

Guys, I have been using the Urban Decay Full Spectrum palette for a few months now and I literally can’t put it down…

As you know, I’ve been creating a load of bright looks recently – most of which have been created using this incredible rainbow palette.

Name a colour and I bet you can find the highly pigmented eyeshadow to match in this 21 shadow palette.

Granted, it’s a little pricey – I think it’s just over £40 in the UK, and I actually managed to purchase this with 30% off at Debenhams a while ago (so lucky) but I would 100% recommend making the investment… you won’t look back.

Urban Decay orange and purple eyeshadow I’ve done a little swatch guide of my favourite colours at the top of this post, but I just wanted to talk through what you can expect…

The yellow shadow (Calavera) has a gorgeous orange tint to it – it’s a warm shade which blends flawlessly with the orange (Jones) and red (Seize) shades to create a fiery eyeshadow look.

In comparison, the blues (Metamorphosis, Blindsided and Minx) all offer something different – one a light sky blue tone, another a vibrant blue with a green tint and the final an intense navy blue shade.

On the left-hand side of the palette, three pink tones can be found – Gossip is an intense fuchsia pink shade, whereas Alchemy and Paranoia both have gorgeous purple tints to them.

But I think my favourite colours have to be the two greens – Mean (light) and Hatter (dark) which blend so gorgeously with just about any shade!

You’ll see that I used the shade ‘Mean’ in the blue-green cut-crease above (along with the silver called ‘Iced’), and both shades in the first (pink-green) look on this blog post.

Let me know what you think of these looks and if you’d like to know more about this palette in the comment space below!

Spring Vibes: NYX Vivid Brights Liner in Halo

April 18, 2017April 18, 201711 Comments

Okay, so I’m sure you’ve all noticed my obsession with bright colours by now… specifically clashing colours.

Last weekend I purchased the NYX Vivid Brights Liner in Halo (I already own the green and pink liners) and knew I wanted to test this beautiful yellow product out by creating a contrasting, spring inspired look.

I’ve seen so many gorgeous looks across social media with a flawless blend of purple, pink and yellow tones – an unlikely but stunning combination, so it’s fair to say that I sourced a lot of inspiration from my favourite beauty influencers when creating this look.

In all honesty, the look itself was pretty straight-forward to create; I simply applied a layer of pink eyeshadows, created a half cut-crease with concealer and packed a gorgeous yellow from the Urban Decay Full Spectrum palette onto the lid, then completing the look with a thick application of the NYX Halo Vivid Brights Liner (adding a few dots along the brow-line) and a pair of new dramatic falsies (Eylure x Katy Perry Color Pop – they have a fleck of bluey-purple through them).

NYX Vivid Brights Liner in Halo And obviously, I turned to my beloved Kat Von D Everlasting Lipstick in Susperia to add some extra warm depth to the look.

But what did I think of the liner itself?

We all understand the struggles of the NYX Vivid Brights Liners… they produce a gorgeous pop of colour for an incredible price, but a lot of us experience the post-application ‘cracking’ (sometimes immediately).

I think I’ve discovered a little tip which might help you all…

Try to apply the liquid liner as precisely as possible, layering the fluid whilst the formula is still wet and not allowing it to go tacky or dry. As soon as the first layer of liner sets, a second layer is just going to create a amateur, cracked appearance – so the trick is to stick to one application, and hopefully get it right the first time!

Don’t worry, as they say, practise makes perfect… and I’m definitely still getting there!

For more posts like this, please follow my blog today.

MUST-HAVE MATTE LIQUID LIPSTICK | TARTE

April 17, 20179 Comments

You guys know how much I love a good liquid matte lipstick… in fact, I thought I had found my two go-to brands where this product is concerned (Kat Von D and Lime Crime) but I’m so happy to have just discovered one of the most gorgeous, long-lasting matte lipsticks on the market…

Okay, I’ll stop teasing you know – I’m talking about the Tarte Quick Dry Lip Paint in ‘OG’… which I can’t stop wearing!

This shade is a GORGEOUS stone grey-pink colour – the perfect choice for light skin tones but just as complimentary on dark skin, I would imagine.

The two images in this blog post really highlight how different this lipstick can appear in bright and natural lighting – the first image (brighter) is definitely a more accurate representation of the flattering stoney-grey colour.

Tarte Quick Dry Matte Lipstick OG 2 The liquid lipstick pigmentation itself is really creamy and soft; when applied with the wand, only a minimal amount of product is required to make a strong impact, so don’t be scared by the lack of formulation on the wand when you first remove it from the tube.

Upon first application at 6am in the morning, I hadn’t realised I would have one of the busiest days and wouldn’t be able to stop to reapply my lipstick until I got home…

Low and behold, when I arrived home and glanced at the mirror come 5pm (after breakfast, numerous teas, lunch and the daily wear-and-tear of the working day) it STILL looked just as gorgeous.

So, it goes without saying that I’m desperate to order more Tarte lipsticks but as you know, it is a little hard to secure in the UK (besides the odd find on QVC) so I’ll be purchasing another haul soon directly from the website.

In the meantime, I have another two Tarte products to test and review for your guys, so stay tuned!

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Unicorn Makeup Tutorial Feat. DIY Rainbow Highlight

April 11, 2017April 11, 20173 Comments

I’ve been feeling really inspired to create more creative looks recently and have been doing so on my Instagram channel.

It dawned upon me that I’ve barely touched upon that creative side on my blog, because I’ve been so busy sharing product reviews and everyday makeup tutorials… so I thought I’d share something a little different today and test the waters to see if you like it/want to see more posts like this!

On National Unicorn Day, I filmed a tutorial of the look above (very natural, you know).

I decided that in addition to testing out the unicorn liner trend which has swept the internet (let me tell you, it’s REALLY difficult to perfect), I would also create a rainbow highlight to compliment the idea of a unicorn floating through a rainbow.

Of course, you all know the rainbow highlighter I’m on about… I’d never actually purchase it because it’s so ‘out-there’, but it was so easy to recreate using two products – a selection of colourful eyeshadows from the Urban Decay Full Spectrum Palette and a top coat of the Mac Cosmetics Extra Dimension Highlight in Beaming Blush.

It’s not an exact match, but it certainly comes close!

For the eyes, I combined some gorgeous shades from the Kat Von D Chrysalis Palette with a layer of Kat Von D Tattoo liner, adding NYX White Liquid Liner and Lime Crime Cosmetics Polly Liquid Lipstick (the same product I used for my brows) on top of this to create the unicorn shaped liner.

And on the lips, well of course… it’s the Kat Von D Susperia Everlasting Lipstick, a personal favourite.

Anyway, now that I’ve finished rambling on…

I hope you enjoy my latest tutorial and please leave any comments or questions in the space below!

Monday Review: Savannah Miller x Bagsy Beauty Vermillion Lipstick

April 10, 20172 Comments

Good evening everyone! Sorry I’ve been a little MIA recently, I’ve been filming and sharing some new YouTube tutorials.

You can watch them here… please feel free to subscribe to my channel while you’re there!

Anyway, today I’m going to be talking about a new lip product that I was recently given – the Savannah Miller x bagsy Vermillion Lipstick.

I’m normally not the world’s biggest fan of ‘traditional’ lipsticks, especially not intense red ones, so my usual choice would be a highly nourishing matte lipstick. However, I was feeling brave and knew that I had to test this products theory – could it really suit every skin-tone?

Produced by British-born, cruelty-free makeup brand – bagsy beauty, this red lipstick really did surpass all expectations… and while it’s £16 price-tag is a fraction steeper than I would have hoped for, considering how fresh the brand is to our eyes, I would heavily recommend investing.

Savannah Miller x Bagsy Vermillion Lipstick

I can’t speak for every skin colour, but I’m certainly happy with the combination of blue and red tones which flatter my porcelain skin, WITHOUT draining all the (minimal amount of) colour from my complexion!

Besides the gorgeous colour, this lipstick is also fairly long-lasting (it was a good few hours before I had to reapply a layer) and most importantly… nourishing. It didn’t leave too much residue on cups when I drank and it didn’t even really require a lip liner (although of course, I opted to add this), so I’m really quite impressed.

I’m not quite a traditional lipstick convert, but certainly a more open-minded individual when it comes to shopping for lipsticks in the modern world!

Gone are the days of unflattering lipsticks which seep outside of your natural lipline and create a fuzzy effect, although apparently, that’s what the runway is predicting to be the next big trend… I think I’ll give that on a miss!

Did you enjoy what you read today? Please follow my blog and leave your comments in the space below!

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation Vs. Esteé Lauder Double Wear

April 5, 2017April 5, 20175 Comments

By now, I’m sure you have all noticed a pattern in the fact that I am OBSESSED with trialling and testing high-coverage foundations and concealers.

I’d heard a LOT about the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation, mostly regarding how high-coverage it was, with the added bonus of a lightweight finish – so I knew it might well be an equal rival for my steady makeup bag favourite – Estée Lauder Double Wear.

One month after starting my trial, Double Wear is hidden somewhere in my ‘occasional’ makeup draw and the Magic Foundation has taken it’s place.

What’s so great about this foundation? Well…

The consistency is really luxurious, lightweight and instantly disappears when applied to the skin, concealing unsightly pigmentation within moments.
It’s apparently collagen boosting, with the power to reduce age spots by 75%… obviously I can’t put this theory to the test as I’m lacking age spots, but I can safely say that it’s helped to reduce the appearance of my acne, along with some good skincare products!
The light shade (1 – Fair), obviously my colour match, is extremely pale – making this a great foundation for both light and darker skin tones.
It’s ever-so-slightly cheaper than Double Wear… and doesn’t leave the skin feeling ‘heavy’ – pores look minimised and there is 0 ‘cake-iness’ experienced.

I find that this foundation is best applied in blotting motions with a beauty blender, but that’s just my personal preference… I know the experts at Charlotte Tilbury recommend using a narrow foundation brush for maximum blending/full coverage!

Dibble's Corner | Beauty Blog

Beauty advice, tips and tricks, makeup looks, and product reviews.