Rimmel Waterproof Kohl Kajal VS Urban Decay 24/7 Liner

Top - Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof  Kohl Kajal
Bottom - Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil

Two popular eyeliners, both good. I like them both and they do have very similar formulas. But which is better?

Starting with the obvious, Rimmel is cheaper. Their eyeliner is £3.99 whereas Urban Decay's is £15.50 - quite a difference.

Urban Decay, however, has a whole lot more colours than Rimmel. There are 7 shades from Rimmel and 37 from Urban Decay. You can get almost any colour that you could possibly need from Urban Decay - perfect if you need something ununsual!

Although these eyeliners are different colours (Rimmel = 001 Jet Black, Urban Decay = Stag - a fairly dark brown shade) Rimmel's is far more intense than Urban Decay's. I find that I get immediate and powerful colour from Rimmel but have to press much harder and spend more time applying Urban Decay. Strange considering the price!

I actually don't rate either of them particularly highly in terms of lasting power. Rimmel isn't waterproof as it claims, I find it underneath my eyes later in the day when I use it on my waterline - not ideal! It does still leave me with eyeliner in my waterline though. Urban Decay doesn't give me the eyeliner under my eyes issue however it does fade throughout the day meaning that I'm eventually left without any colour there at all. Again, not ideal.

Overall I'd recommend either or these eyeliners but given the price I would have to give Rimmel the crown. Sorry UD - I still love your eyeshadows!

Thanks for reading,
Eleanor xx

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MAC Studio Finish Concealer Review

As dark circles are the bane of my life (I'm sure some of you will relate!) trying out new concealers - regardless of price - is something that I'm always willing to do. Having heard good things about MAC's Prolongwear concealer I headed to the nearest counter and had it tried on me. It didn't cover my dark circles (which was unsurprising, but still disappointing) so I ended up trying EVERY SINGLE MAC CONCEALER. I was there for more than half an hour. And by the time I'd tried all of them I discovered that none of them actually did what I wanted. Great. But I did find and purchase what I (and the lady trying all the different concealers on me) considered to be the best.

MAC Studio Finish Concealer, £15.50, 7g; comes in a small pot and has quite a thick formula. I have it in the shade NC20 as that is my skin tone however you could potentially buy it in NC or NW depending on the colour you want to balance out (like a corrector).

I've been using this concealer for a few months now and I have to say I'm pretty pleased with it. The coverage is decent (I meant to get a with/without concealer photo to demonstrate however you actually couldn't tell the difference in any of them, so I guess this isn't a good concealer for photos?). I definitely look less like a sleep-deprived zombie with this on. That's the most important thing, I guess.

The annoying thing about this concealer is the staying power. It's not the best. I'd say it vaguely conceals under the eyes for the whole day but it is definitely more than three quarters gone (and kind of cakey where it still lingers) by the time I get home.

I tend to apply using my fingers and tap gently to blend as it definitely gets swept away by either swiping to blend or by using a brush. Having to rub my fingers into the product each time seems somewhat unhygienic to me. As it's quite a heavy concealer it's quite difficult to use without foundation so on a light make up day I definitely wouldn't go anywhere near it. It is pretty good on spots, though - so it is a multipurpose concealer!

To sum up -

PROS:

• covers dark circles reasonably well
• can also be used on spots
• decent amount of product in pot so will last me a long time
• SPF 35

CONS:

• not much staying power
• can't really be worn without foundation
• quite expensive
• fairly difficult to blend

Overall I would say that it's a good concealer, not my holy grail concealer by any means, and I might repurchase it in future if I don't find something better. I would recommend it, but it would be best for short uses rather than all day in my opinion.

Thanks for reading,

Eleanor xx

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Kiko Water Eyeshadow Review

Kiko Water Eyeshadow (Shade 209)

Finally trying out a brand that you've been eyeing up for a while is always great - more so if you end up loving the product that you pick out. Which is exactly what has happened here (hurrah!) so I thought I'd share with you my thoughts on this gorgeous green eyeshadow from Kiko.

Kiko's Water Eyeshadows (usually £8.90, currently on offer at £4.40) can be used wet or dry and are available in 32 shades. I went for 209 Olive Green, a gorgeous green shade which I absolutely love.  I found from testing it that the colour easily transferred to my brush and to my eyelids, plus it stayed on very well throughout the day. The product is unusually shaped in the pan, it looks a bit like a fingerprint but is absolutely gorgeous.  I discovered from swatching that it is slightly more intense in colour when used wet:

(swatches taken in natural light)

The eyeshadow gives a more even colour when wet and fades much more slowly than when dry. It could be used to give a more subtle effect when used dry if that's what you prefer. Kiko themselves say that it has "a highly adjustable finish, for an effect ranging from sheer to full and intense" which I would agree with - you could easily apply it slightly differently in order to alter your eye make up look.

Although I mostly wanted to talk about the formula as shade colour is more of a personal choice I will say that this is a very pretty shade that gives a pop of colour whilst still being fairly neutral (I find this a lot with green - my theory is that the Naked 4 will be made up of mostly green/mossy shades). If you're looking to buy one of these shadows I would highly recommend this shade, but I did also like 203 Burgundy, 205 Chocolate and 229 Pearly Gray.

I am very pleased with this purchase and am looking forward to trying the other product I got (a shadow stick - also green - which I might do a review of once I try it) so am very excited to try more of Kiko's range in the future!

Thanks for reading,
Eleanor xx

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Make Up Revolution Redemption Palettes

L-R: Make Up Revolution Redemption Iconic 1 Palette, Redemption Acid Brights Palette

Make Up Revolution is a brand that a lot of bloggers have been talking about and something I was keen to try as soon as I saw the prices. They sell 12 palettes for £4 (£4!) and lipsticks for only £1! While I am yet to try the lipsticks I hear that they are actually very good so I'll be sure to try them when I can - Make Up Revolution isn't stocked in the Superdrug near me, unfortunately.

So when in another Superdrug I decided to pick up 2 eyeshadow palettes from the 'Redemption' range, Iconic 1 and Acid Brights. They're really quite the opposite of each other - neutrals and the most insanely bright colours ever.

Some of the colours in Acid Brights are literal highlighter colours. Have you ever seen highlighter yellow eyeshadow? I hadn't. Not sure quite how much use I'll get from the palette but it does look super pretty and there are a few wearable shades - a silver shimmery shade could be quite useful and moss green isn't impossible to work with. Also these colours would be pretty good for fancy dress parties or even stage make up.

In contrast, it has been said that Iconic 1 is a dupe for the Urban Decay Naked palette. While I am yet to try the Naked palette I have seen comparison pictures and they are almost identical. For the price the quality of the eyeshadows is amazing and they do last a long time - at 33p (ish) per eyeshadow you can't really complain. The colours are great, the palette looks nice, it can be used to create a wide variety of looks. I would highly recommend buying it!

Thanks for reading,
Eleanor xx

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Worst Make Up Sins

As much as I never want to be too judgemental over someone's make up I sometimes can't help but cringe when I see someone who could really do with some guidance. It got me thinking that I should write a post talking about the things that I really feel are the absolute worst of the worst when it comes to make up.

Orange Foundation
So this one is quite basic, but don't you hate when you walk past someone who's face is completely orange next to their neck? They need to know that it doesn't make you look tanned, it makes you look like an Oompa Loompa. It's not that hard to test the foundation on your hand before you buy it.

Eyebrows
Overplucking and underplucking are a problem here. You do not want your eyebrows to be one tiny line but when they're practically down to your cheekbones it may be time to get the tweezers out. Also, if your eyebrows aren't black please do not fill them in black! Sharpie black eyebrows which are obviously fake will never be in style. Same goes for eyebrows that are 6cm thick.

Too Many Coats Of Mascara
I know from experience that if you go over your mascara too many times the eyelashes stick together and it looks like you have about 5 super defined lashes. Not the ideal look.

Concealer-Nude Lipstick
Nude lipstick can be super pretty and I absolutely love it but I just think that when it looks like you've put concealer on your lips your lipstick might be a bit too nude and you should probably reign it in a bit. This one is more personal preference though so go for it if it's a style you like.

Too Much Bronzer
Kind of similar to Oompa Loompa foundation but covering your face with bronzer may just make you look a little too orange. It might be better to have a lighter hand or to use it more subtly to create a nice effect.

Too Much Blush
Blush can be super pretty but when you have a bright pink circle on your cheeks it doesn't make you look flushed it makes you look as thought you've been out in the cold for 710 million years. Just like with bronzer, subtly is key.

Sorry if this post came across a bit mean, just wanted to get my point across! If you've got any others make up sins you'd like to share be sure to let me know!
Thanks for reading,
Eleanor xx

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Tanya Burr Bambi Eyes Lashes

Before I write this post I just want to make it clear that I am far from an expert about false eyelashes and haven't really had any experience of them prior to trying these lashes. So having heard that beauty vlogger/blogger Tanya Burr was adding false lashes to her cosmetics range I decided that I wanted to try them as I feel that she is the sort of person who would want anything she produced to be of a high quality no matter what and therefore her eyelashes could be a good way to start a collection.

The range of lashes are designed to be fairly wearable (although not necessarily natural) and each pack comes with a small amount of lash glue. The lashes feel very good quality and I am not concerned about them breaking so I don't think repurchasing will be necessary. The glue does its job just fine, it stays on once it's on and dries fairly quickly.

When on I think that the lashes look very pretty. From a distance they aren't too noticeable which I think makes them ideal for everyday wear and they really add a lot of length and volume to your lashes. I have quite short eyelashes so I found that using these made a lot of difference to how my eyes looked and really enhanced my make up look.

They're not too difficult to apply even for a lash newbie like me so I'm sure if you have any experience you'll have no trouble at all. For only £5.49 (available at Superdrug or FeelUnique) I think that these lashes are well worth the price and will definitely be something I can see myself getting a lot of use out of. Also, if you prefer a more dramatic lash  'Girls Night Out' looks like it would be a very good choice.

Whether you're a first time lash-buyer like me or a full on lash junkie I would recommend this product for fairly natural but luscious looking long lashes!

Thanks for reading,
Eleanor xx

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Overcoming A Fear Of Cream Products

I don't know what it is about cream products but I've always been afraid of them. I'm not sure whether it's simply because I'm not used to them or whether it's something else entirely but I seem to avoid any make up product with the word cream written on it, no matter how good the reviews are.

So trying the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24 Hour range was something I hadn't planned to do until I was in Boots and saw just how pretty the colours were. The range is so goregous and as I've heard pretty much nothing but good things I knew that I had to take advantage of the 3 for 2 offer on at Boots.

I bought the colours 'On And On Bronze' and 'Metallic Pomegranate' and I think they are absolutely gorgeous! I'm definitely the sort of person who goes for more neutral shades so the bronze colour was my first choice, and I grabbed Metallic Pomegranate because it was just such a pretty purple shade which I think would be great for a more dramatic look.

Since purchasing I have tried both of these colours and the effect is stunning. Many people use them as an eye shadow base but I prefer to use them as an all over the lid colour. They were surprisingly easy to apply, I used my fingers to pat the eyeshadow in, and stayed on for a long time. I'm not sure they'd last 24 hours as the name suggests, but they did stay on my eyelids all day so that makes them a winner in my eyes!

Using these eyeshadows has really inspired me to try more cream products - I'll probably go for blush next. If anyone has any recommendations I'd love to hear them!
Thanks for reading,
Eleanor xx

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October Favourites

I'm a few days late with this post but I figured I best put it up, favourites are always fun posts and I like to read/watch them as much as I like to write them. I haven't really been trying loads of new things this past month but there have been a few items which I have either purchased in the last month or been using a lot recently that I'd like to talk about.

Zoella Body Lotion, Impulse 'Into Glamour' Body Spray, MAC Woodwinked, MAC Naked Lunch

The first is the Zoella Beauty Creamy Madly Dreamy Body Lotion (£5), something which I have spoken about in a few posts already but have really been enjoying recently. I'm not the biggest expert on body lotions or any skincare in general but I have noticed that using this regularly makes my skin incredibly soft. Definitely a must buy at such a great price.

Impulse 'Into Glamour' (Sandalwood & Vanilla) Body Fragrance (£1.99) has a gorgeous scent which I was loving a lot at the end of October and still am. Vanilla is a fragrance that I absolutely adore and body sprays are a great way to add a little extra scent without being overpowering like some perfumes can be.

Finally I've been getting a lot of use out of MAC eyeshadows in Woodwinked and Naked Lunch (£13 each or £10 in pan form). Eye shadow is my favourite product from MAC even above lipstick (shocking, I know) and these are some of my all time favourites. In October I've been really loving these two colours blended together. Naked Lunch is a very pale pinky white shimmery colour, a perfect all over the lid shade and Woodwinked is a golden brown colour which I think is ideal for Autumn. If you're thinking about trying out some MAC eyeshadows I would highly recommend these as a starting point, they're definitely the most used shades from my eyeshadow quad.

Be sure to let me know if you've tried any of these products or what other things you've been loving this past month!
Thanks for reading,
Eleanor xx

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My Current Favourite Mascaras

In my opinion, mascara is one of the most important parts when you're doing your make up. Eye make up doesn't really look complete without it. So, naturally, I own quite a few. I would recommend you check out the following mascaras if you're in need of a new one.

L'Oreal Mega Volume Miss Manga Mascara (£8.99) is my personal favourite at the moment. I know that a lot of people don't like it or have a bit of a love/hate relationship with it but I think that it makes a massive difference to the length of my eyelashes so you should definitely give it a go if that's what you're looking for. Plus you can also get it in turquoise or violet if you're going for a more unusual look.

A mascara that has had an incredible amount of hype is Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express Mascara (£7.99). I must admit this is probably my least favourite of these three but it is a pretty decent mascara and is the cheapest of the three as well which is always a bonus.

The last mascara that I want to talk about is No7 Extreme Length Extend Mascara (£12.95). This isn't a mascara that gets talked about a lot but it is one which I really like. I wouldn't say that it gives extreme length but it doesn't clump or make the eyelashes stick together at all and gives a natural fluttery eyelash look which I really like.

I'm sorry that there haven't been a lot of posts this week - a combination of bloggers block and bathroom tiling stress kind of put me off blogging for a few days but I should be back  for good now.

Have you been loving any mascaras recently? Are you a fan of these ones? Be sure to let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Eleanor xx

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Red Lip Inspiration!

Left to Right: Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick (8 Cherry Pop), MAC Frost Lipstick (New York Apple), Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Moss Lipstick (107), Soap & Glory Gloss Stick (Plum Jam)

Left to Right: Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick (8 Cherry Pop), MAC Frost Lipstick (New York Apple), Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Moss Lipstick (107), Soap & Glory Gloss Stick (Plum Jam)

Sometimes I'm a bit afraid of red lips. I love them dearly but every now and again I'm out and about and suddenly have the fear that I look a bit silly with my bright red lipstick. I often neglect my red lip products for this very reason so I felt I should write this post about my favourite reds to inspire both myself and you to be a bit bolder with red lips!

The brightest red lipstick I own is the Collection Volume Sensation Lipstick in 8 Cherry Pop (£2.99) and this also happens to be the most neglected. It's a really pretty colour (think Taylor Swift red lipstick) and lasts absolutely ages. It has a very creamy formulation and for the price I think it's amazing. It may be getting a little cold and dark for such a bright lipstick but if you can make it work, go for it!

Next along is a darker red, MAC Frost Lipstick in New York Apple (£15.50). This is one of my favourite lipsticks but one that I feel doesn't get mentioned much. I'd say it's more of a berry red colour - good for Autumn! - and I think it would look really nice on a whole range of skin tones. The frost finish isn't the most well loved from MAC and I understand why but I do think you can make lipsticks of this finish work very nicely with a little extra effort!

This one is a very popular lipstick. No doubt you'll have heard of Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Moss Lipstick in 107 (£5.49). Again this shade is much darker than the Collection lipstick, it's almost a purple in fact, but I would still class it as a red (wine red, perhaps?) based on the way it looks on the lips. I absolutely love this shade and out of the three lipsticks mentioned I think it is the easiest to apply and maintain throughout the day. If you haven't tried it I would highly recommend getting it next time you're looking for a lipstick of this kind of colour.

Finally, a more glossy red. Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick in Plum Jam (£8) is one that I love for a look that isn't quite as bold as the others. While it looks like a very dark red in the stick I think that when on it just adds a red-tinted shine that's really lovely. I think it would be a good choice if you were planning on going for heavy eye make up but still wanted a red lip. I don't find it too sticky and I think it is well worth trying out if you like a gloss!

Have you tried any of these lip products and loved (or hated!) them? Are you slightly afraid of red lips too? I'd love to hear!

Thanks for reading,

Eleanor xx

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HAUL: Lush, Make Up, Satchel + More

So I may have a bit of a shopping problem. And that may be the understatement of the century. But as most of you reading this will be fellow bloggers and/or beauty and fashion enthusiasts I'm sure you'll understand. Anyhow, I'm pretty sure the most important thing you'll learn from this post is that I shouldn't be allowed in LUSH.

My LUSH shopping

Other things that I picked up

LUSH Shower Gels; LUSH stores/online; £4.50/£3.75; 100g

Snow Fairy is a Lush Christmas classic so I knew I had to get it. Although when I smelled it last time I was in Lush I didn't actually like the super sweet scent, a second time round I had a change of heart and decided to pick it up. I also got So White as I love the smell of the bath bomb version so I thought I best grab it. Weirdly So White is more expensive than Snow Fairy (something I didn't realise until I looked at my receipt later on) but I'm sure there is a reason. So White smells of apples and has a very fresh scent so I think it would be a good pick me up in the mornings. They're both quite shimmery which I actually really like so they should make for a nice shower. I do think that the shower gels from Lush are slightly overpriced (I bought tiny bottles and one of them was still almost £5!) but I'm hoping that a little will go a long way.

LUSH Drummers Drumming Bubble Bar; LUSH stores/online; £5.25

In all honesty I bought this for the cute bells. I also love the idea of a bubble bar on a stick and I prefer this scent to the Magic Wand bubble bar. The Lush website says that this is supposed to smell like strawberries and cream but I don't really agree - it does smell really good anyway though so I'm looking forward to trying it out!

Golden Wonder Bath Bomb; LUSH stores/online; £3.75

I love the smell of this bath bomb so much! It smells kind of like sherbet and is a super cute present shape. Every time I get it out of the bag my hands get covered in gold dust so I kind of dread to think what I'll be like when I get out of the bath! I am really excited to try it though as it's one of the nicest smelling things I bought.

Ice Blue Soap; LUSH stores/online; £3.10 per 100g

I'm not much of a solid soap kind of person but I really liked the smell of this (it's kind of minty but not too much like toothpaste!) so I picked it up too. I might use it as a shower soap rather than a hand soap but whatever I use it for I'm sure it'll be really great!

L'oreal Color Riche Natural Lipstick (256 Blush Fever); Boots; £6.99

When I went into Boots I wasn't planning on buying anything (as if that ever happens) but I was quite intrigued by the premise of having specific lipsticks for particular hair colours. They range from light blonde to dark brunette and were designed to look fairly natural without being nudes. I grabbed one of the light brunette shades and having tested it out when I got home I think it's going to be one of my favourite lipsticks! It added a lovely colour without being too in your face and I think it would be great for casual wear even though it does have a slight shimmer to it. It glides on really nicely as well as having a very pretty finish and I will probably pop out to Boots to get a few more shades soon!

Bright Kohl Eyeliner Pencils (03 + 05); Hema stores/online (link); £2.50 each

A shop that I hadn't heard of before popped up in one of my typical shopping locations and as I was enticed by the brightly coloured nail polishes near the window I headed inside to have a quick look. I soon found inexpensive make up, candles and a very wide variety of other products. I am yet to try out my colourful eyeliner pencils - I picked up a green and a purple - but I'm hoping that they will be good so that I can continue to shop there, I might try some of the nail polishes next time!

Bow Necklace; Hema stores/online; £3.95

Again from Hema I picked up this gold (I think it might be very slightly rose gold, actually) necklace. I thought it was really cute and a great price as well as being something which I think I will really enjoy wearing and will go with a lot of outfits!

Essie Nail Polish (Stylenomics); Superdrug; £7.99; 13.5ml

As much as I have zero need for more nail polish I decided to get this as I've never actually owned an Essie nail polish before (shocking, I know) because I really loved the colour. It's a very dark green, almost black colour which I think will be great in the colder and darker months - especially around Christmas time! I'm definitely looking forward to trying this and seeing if Essie nail polishes are really as good as everyone says they are.

Hot Pink Satchel; WHSmith; £19.99

I have a weakness for satchels. They're just so my style and I love them immensely. Unfortunately my favourite satchel company - Cambridge Satchel - are just so expensive so I can't really get one at the moment. This satchel has a very similar design for a fraction of the price so I couldn't let it slip through my fingers! I have actually owned this exact satchel in a different colour before but it broke after less than a week of use and I ended up returning it but I'm hoping that it was just a fluke and that this one will last me a while.

Well that was quite a long post - congratulations if you made it to the end! Have any of you tried any of the products mentioned? Let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Eleanor xx

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PRODUCTS NOT WORTH THE HYPE

Don't you hate it when you buy something expecting it to be great and end up hating it? Me too. So here are some of the products that I just really didn't get along with. Sorry if this is a bit controversial.

Left to right: Revlon Lip Butter, Sea Salt Spray, Tresemme Dry Shampoo

Revlon Colour Burst Lip Butter; Boots; £7.99; ???

I hear loads about these, every time you watch a make up collection on YouTube you see a few - I've definitely seen one where they have virtually every colour. Honestly, I don't think they're worth the £8. You don't get that much and seeing as they're so sheer I really wouldn't buy a new one. They're very soft but are still packaged like a lipstick meaning that you have to be very careful not to damage it (mine is not looking its best) and I find that it sometimes sets into the lines of my lips. On the plus side, they are moisturising and if applied well look very pretty. If they were half the price I would probably recommend them so if they're ever on offer that would be the time to pick one up.

Toni & Guy Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray; Boots; £7.49; 200ml
Another thing that so many people love. I don't know if it's my hair type or the way I'm using it (although I have tried such a wide range of techniques that I'm sure I should have cracked it by now) but I just can't get sea salt spray to work for me. This is such a popular product but I really just feel like it makes my hair messy, slightly damp and smell awful. I have thin, fairly straight hair so I would have thought that it would have a big impact but it really doesn't seem to do anything at all. So disappointing - I was looking forward to effortless beachy waves.

Tresemme Instant Refresh Volumising Dry Shampoo; Boots; £5.25; 200ml
This isn't so much hyped as generally well-liked (I've noticed it mentioned in a few hair videos on YouTube) but I honestly hated it from first try. Dry shampoo is such a life saver for my hair and anything volumising is a winner with me but this just didn't deliver on its promises. If anything, my hair looked greasier and I didn't notice any additional volume either. Dove or Batiste is probably a better bet.

Has anyone else tried and hated these products? Or loved them? (Please tell me if I'm just using them all wrong). Let me know in a comment!
Thanks for reading,
Eleanor xx

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Top Ten Tag

These posts have been floating around for a while now and although I haven't technically been tagged to do one I figured I'd give it a shot anyway!

1. Foundation - No7 Instant Radiance Founation (Cool Vanilla); Boots; £12.50; 30ml

Overall I find this to be a pretty solid foundation. I'd say that it's medium coverage and does what it says it does (improve the appearance of tired or stressed skin). Although I got it matched to me I would say that it's slightly pink as my skin is actually warm toned and this is cool, unfortunately.

2. Powder - No7 Translucent Perfect Light Loose Powder; Boots; £10.50; 20g

As with the foundation, I would say this is an overall good product which does its job just fine. I tend to only have one powder at a time as I don't really think it's necessary to have lots and this is the one I'm using at the moment!

3. Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection Full Cover Concealer (Fair); Boots; £4.19; ???

I'm sure you've heard of this concealer. Every blogger's favourite, Collection's concealer is the best of the bunch. While it doesn't completely cover my dark circles it does cover them twice as well as any other concealer I've tried (Rimmel Wake Me Up was quite a disappointment, honestly) so it gets a thumbs up from me!

4. Blush - Sleek Blush (Rose Gold); Superdrug; £4.49; 8g

I have totally fallen in love with this blush over the last few weeks. Gorgeous pink colour with slight gold shimmer. I would definitely recommend this to anyone and I'm planning on getting some different shades from Sleek soon - they have some beautiful colours!

5. Bronzer - Collection Bronze Glow Mosaic Powder (1 Sunkissed); Boots; £2.99; 15g

If I'm being completely honest, I haven't tried many bronzers. I'm very pale (notice that my concealer is the lightest shade they do) so a lot of them look muddy. Great quality for the price.

6. Highlighter - N/A

Another moment of honesty - I have never owned a highlighter. Not going to lie, I'm a bit ashamed that I have a beauty blog and don't own one. Any recommendations?

7. Mascara - L'oreal Mega Volume Miss Manga Mascara; Boots; £8.99; 8.5ml

Very lengthening and volumising. I really love this mascara. One that you have to be careful with though as it is more likely to cause clumping with extra coats than a lot of other mascaras that I've tried. Overall I would repurchase.

8. Eyeshadow - MAC Electric Cool Eyeshadow (Pure Flash!); MAC stores/counters/online; £15.50; 2.1g

Weirdly, my dad bought me this eyeshadow. I believe it's part of a collection (?) and it's very different in texture to most eyeshadows. It's very strange - a bit like wet clay. The colour is a really nice shimmery gold and I've really been enjoying it lately. Apparently dads can buy make up...

9. Brows - Collection Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit; Boots; £3.99; 3x1g + 1x2ml

Has all the basic eyebrow necessities - a small angled brush, powders to actually fill in the eyebrows, and a clear brow gel to keep it all in place. A nice handy product.

10. Lip product - MAC Frost Lipstick (Angel); MAC stores/counters/online; £15.50; ???

My favourite lip product changes almost daily so this was a tough choice but I have been loving this lipstick recently. It's a lovely baby pink colour that doesn't draw too much attention to the lips whilst still adding colour.

Well. That took a surprisingly long time. Thanks for reading!
Eleanor xx

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MAC Autumn Neutrals Quad

I love Autumn (or Fall, if you prefer) and I'm also a fan of the make up that comes with. Recently I've been LOVING neutral eyeshadows instead of brights, I find that they look a lot better if you you have a darker lip. So with that in mind, I decided to splash out in some MAC eyeshadows. I adore MAC eyeshadows but until recently I was only in possession of three. A quad was an ideal choice for me as it will fit in a small space and didn't take too much commitment to fill!
The colours I opted for were Naked Lunch, Satin Taupe, Antiqued and Woodwinked.

Naked Lunch

Satin Taupe

Antiqued

Woodwinked

Top left to right: Naked Lunch, Satin Taupe
Bottom left to right: Antiqued, Woodwinked

Even though I wouldn't say Antiqued is that neutral as such I do think it has a very autumnal theme as it is a slightly reddish brown (reminiscent of Autumn trees, perhaps?) but it also isn't so bright that it distracts from the rest of the make up look. Naked Lunch is a great light champagne pink all over the lid colour and the other three would be great for blending or alternatively they could be lid colours too if you wanted a slightly darker eye look. Satin Taupe is a really nice colour although I feel as though it will get the least use as I tend to prefer warmer colours. Woodwinked is a lovely golden shadow and I think it will quickly become one of my firm favourites. Next stop, Urban Decay Naked Palette! Definitely need to get one of those. 

Does anyone have any MAC eyeshadows that they recommend? I always find the selection very overwhelming, although I think I've decided that my next purchase will be Sumptuous Olive.

Thanks for reading,

Eleanor xx

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Mini Make Up Haul

This past weekend I went out to Boots and Superdrug and got a few things, having recently had a birthday and been given some money it seemed to make sense. I only got a few things as I'm going to a MAC counter soon (and might have a look at Nars - bit more expensive though!) but I thought I'd share the products on my blog as I felt that they were actually very good quality.

Top: Sleek Eyeshadow Palette
Bottom: Collection Eyebrow Kit, Sleek Blush

Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Palette (Au Naturel 601); Superdrug; £7.99; 12x1.1g

Having heard good things about the eyeshadow palettes from this brand I thought I'd pick up their neutrals palette as I do tend to opt for more neutral eyes for everyday make up.  I really love the colours in this palette (although I may avoid the yellow and the orange) and when I tried a few of the shades I was actually really impressed with the quality! While they do not match the quality of some eyeshadows - like MAC, for example - they are really good and 12 for £7.99 is such amazing value. They're very pigmented and they apply very easily and evenly. I would definitely repurchase and I'm considering getting another palette from Sleek. The foam brush isn't that great and wasn't really necessary in my opinion but overall I think it's the best palette you can get for less than £10.

Collection Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit; Boots; £3.99; 3x1g (powders) + 2ml (brow mascara)

When I was in Boots I picked up this little kit as I was in desperate need for something for my eyebrows as I really struggle with them (dark eyebrows on pale skin can be a tricky one!). I found that it was really good and worked very nicely for my eyebrows. I used the middle shade even though my eyebrows are probably closer in colour to the dark - makes me look a bit less crazed if I go for lighter colours! The little brush is super useful, especially the angled end and the Clear Brow Mascara helps it to stay on a bit longer which is always great.

Sleek MakeUP Blush (Rose Gold 926); Superdrug; £4.49; 8g

Again, a Sleek product. I was also very impressed with this blush - I'm surprised that I hadn't heard of Sleek until a few weeks ago! The packaging of both products was hard plastic that feels like it's really durable - it's never good when the packaging starts falling apart! This blush is reasonably pigmented and is just a lovely colour. The actual shade of the rosy pink looks fairly natural on my cheeks (may vary for others depending on skin tone) but there is also gold shimmer to it which adds an extra effect. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a new blush that is great value for money. I'm definitely looking forward to using this blush quite a lot and I think it may become one of my go to blushes.

Hope you enjoyed this post and if you have any questions about the products just let me know in a comment!

Eleanor xx

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AUTUMN LIPSTICK PICKS

As Summer is pretty much at an end and Autumn (fall) has arrived, everyone is going to be wearing different - most likely darker - lipsticks. Because of that I have decided to make a post showing 3 lipsticks that I'll be wearing throughout Autumn.

Left to right: Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick 107, MAC New York Apple, 17 Mirror Shine Scrumptious

Just a quick note - I've noticed that the lipsticks look a bit more pink in the images I have taken of my lips then they should, the swatches are probably more accurate representations of the colour.

Rimmel  Kate Moss Matte Lipstick (107); Boots; £5.49

A deep, wine red colour. I love this colour and it stays really well. I also think Rimmel is currently on a 2 for £10 offer at Boots - so now would be a good time to buy!

MAC Frost Lipstick (New York Apple); MAC stores or counters; £15.50

Another deep red. This has a slight berry colour which should be great for Autumn and I love it. I also think that it would make a nice Christmas colour.

Seventeen Mirror Shine Lipstick (Scrumptious); Boots; £4.79

Even though this lipstick looks purple (see image at top of post) it doesn't come out quite the way you expect. It has a glossy finish and looks like a purple-toned red. I'd say that it's fairly sheer so would not make the lips the most striking part of the make up look.

Thanks for reading

Eleanor xx