High End Make Up Haul

Hi Everyone. Back with a haul for you today. These are the more expensive make up bits I have purchased over the past few months.

Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot 

I absolutley adore this product! It was part of Benefits Christmas Collection and I was lucky enough to get the very last one on the House Of Fraser website after hunting everywhere for it. It contains 6 very generous sized blushers, Dandelion, Bella Bamba, Sugarbomb, Hoola (Bronzer), Coralista and Rockateur. A 1.5g sample of Watts Up Highligher and a teeny tiny brush. All for the amazing prize of just £29.50. The Rockateur blush in here is actaully full size and would cost £23.50 alone so you can see just how great value for money this product really is. I know you can't get hold of it anymore but I couldn't not share it with you all.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid

Next up is a old favourite of mine, MAC's Studio Fix Fluid in NC15. I used to swear by this foundation but haven't actually purchased one for a number of years now. The coverage is excellent and the staying power is one of the best I have come across. Many people find this foundation too heavy and cakey but for my combination skin it is just right. The pump is actually one I bought a few years back hence why it looks so grubby but it works, so why buy a new one right? I bought this in the Selfridges sale for around £19 the price it was when I first started buying it!

Urban Decay Naked 2

   

I seem to be working my way backwards when it comes to the Urban Decay Naked Palettes. I started with Naked 3, I then decided this one was a must buy and I'm sure I will eventually purchase the original to complete the collection. Naked 2 is the more cool toned of the 3 palettes and suits my pale complexion perfectly. Since buying this, the 3rd palette which I absolutely adored has well and truely taken a back seat, and rarely sees the light of day. This one is much more wearable and is by far my favourite out of the 2. No.3 is definitely a speacial occasion kinda palette nowadays.

MAC 217

 

It's about time I got my hands on this blogger favourite. Gorgeously soft and perfect for blending eye shadow, I definitely understand the hype now. This brush is an absolute gem. Although I am rather disappointed of how wispy some of the bristles seem to have gone after a few washes, a few of them now point in different directions instead of being nice and straight. Very disappointing for the price of this little thing but I love it all the same, I'm just praying it doesn't get any worse.

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer

Another firm blogger favourite, The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer is officially one of my favourite highlighters. Its the most perfect champagne highlight that looks great on my pale skin. It's super pigmented, you really only need a tiny touch of this to add a lovely glow to the face. This is going to last me a very long time. I'm still yet to even make a dent in it.

MAC Show Orchid & Rebel. YSL Rouge Pur Couture Le Mats 207

Last but certaintly not least, 3 beautiful lipsticks that I'm sure you have all heard of. MAC's Show Orchid is a very vivid fuschia pink with a somewhat blueish shimmer running through it. It is amazingly pigmented and I am so happy to finally own it after MAC made Pro Products more readily available to us here in the UK, once again I am in love! MAC Rebel is another much hyped product and once again for great reason. As with all MAC lipsticks I own the pigmentation is great and you only need one quick swipe for great colour pay off, and built up it is even more stunning. Rebel is a gorgeous berry colour that leans more towards pink on my lips. It is nothing like this picture that makes it look almost black, my apologies for that. And finally YSL Rouge Pur Couture Le Mats in 207 is a very on trend lipstick shade at the minute. Which I 100% purchased because I saw the beautiful Amelia Liana raving about it. It's a lovely dusky rose colour and is perfect for mimicing Kylie Jenner's famous 90's style pout. Although this is a matte shade it is not drying at all, it glides on and sits on the lips perfectly and feels like any other lipstick. Staying power is excellent and I very rarely need to top this up.

As you can tell I have been treating myself quite a lot since getting my new job and these are the more expensive picks from the bunch.

I hope you are all having a lovely day and enjoyed this post. Please do let me know of any posts you would like to see here on my blog as I am just getting back into the swing of things and would appreciate any ideas you may have.

Much Love Gemma 

April Favourites

Today I am back with my first favourites post since I took a break from blogging. I didn't really try out too many new products in the month of April therefore there are only a few favourites but here they are anyway.

Maybelline Big Eyes Volum'Express Waterproof Mascara

First up we have this mascara I received in my February GlossyBox. I really don't like the side that is meant for your 'upper lashes' because it just doesn't seem to do much for me. It gives hardly any volume or length to the lashes what so ever, nor does it hold a curl very well. The one for the bottom lashes however is really impressive! The brush is super tiny and thin so you can get right into every single lash, even the ones right in the corner! I have used this every single day since I got it, to leave my bottom lashes nice and defined, without any clumping or smudging.

Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot Powder

  

Definitely my favourite discovery so far this year. I had been eyeing up this 'super-translucent mattifying powder' for months, after seeing countless raving reviews of it online. Everyone claimed that it kept their make up in place and their skin shine free all day. And being a sufferer of an oily t-zone myself, I do not know why I held off buying this wonder product for so long! Since buying it at the begining of March I haven't used any of my other setting powders. Before using this, my make up used to disappear from my nose within 3-4 hours of applying, but now it stays put for much longer and I usually don't have to touch up until the late afternoon. If and when I do touch up, this doesn't leave a cakey look mess on my face like many other powders I've tried. Instead it just blots away any shine and my make up looks as good as new. It doesn't cover my open pores, but it doesn't accentuate them either, which I am really happy about. So I am now on the look out for a primer that will give me the smooth, flawless complexion I long for!

Sleek Face Form Palette in Light

 

I bought this palette along with the powder I mentioned above, in one of Boots' many '3 for 2 events'. And it is another product I have been after for a while. I love contouring, and this palette is perfect for achieveing really defined cheekbones. The contour powder is the perfect brown for me, its not too dark or muddy looking and it isn't at all orange. It's completly matte, leaving a nice shadow that gives me great cheekbones! The highlighter is a gorgeous champagne colour, with just enough shimmer to make the skin glow without looking like a disco ball. I like to apply this to the tops of my cheekbones and along my brow bone for a lovely subtle highlight. Lastly the blusher is a beautiful pink with a gold shimmer running through it (apparently very similar to Nars Orgasm blush) that gives cheeks a nice flush of colour. All three powders are extremely pigmented, meaning this palette is going to last me such a long time. Only one or two swirls with a brush is needed in each powder to create a stunning look. This palette is great for travelling also, because everything you need for chiseled cheekbones is althogether in one place big enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Perfect for any girls makeup bag.

 (my first ever swatch photo apologies for quality!!)

Crown Brush Make-Up Brush Cleaner

I have only used this brush cleaner a few times but I really do like it. I used to only ever deep cleanse my brushes every few weeks. But now I like to spot clean them after most uses. This has cleaned my foundation brush like nothing else I have used before. It's  perfect for cleaning eyeshadow brushes too. Once you've created a look just spray a tiny bit of this onto the bristles, wipe it off on a piece of kitchen roll or tissue and it's as good as new. Ready to use the next day for a complete different eye look, without messing it up with colours from previous days. If you are ever in a hurry to use a brush but its dirty, you literally can use it again with in seconds of cleaning with this. It's so quick and easy and dries almost instantly. No more waiting around for brushes to dry over night!!

So there we have it my 4 favourite products from April, hopefully there will be a few more this month.

Thank You so much once again for sticking with my blog while I have been absent. And hi to any new readers that may have stumled upon this. Regular posting will now resume :D

Much Love Gemma xo.