Another Obsession: Highlighters

If you looked at my makeup collection, you would see I have 3 main weakness, lipstick, eyeshadow palettes and highlighters. The most recent of them weaknesses would definitely be highlighters, I can't seem to stop buying them lately. And today I thought I'd share them all with you.

In the drugstore category I have one single highlight, MUA's Undress Your Skin and two palettes, the Sleek Solstice palette and Makeup Revolution's Highlight palette. I have to admit I very rarely reach for these as I tend to favour my high end ones. But after getting them out again and swatching them, I think I will be making an effort to use them more. All of them are really well pigmented for such affordable products, and look lovely when applied. The Sleek palette has four shades in it, a cream champagne pink shade, a pink/purple baked powder highlight, a yellow toned powder and a bronze baked powder. All of them are amazingly pigmented and look gorgeous on the skin. This palette is getting a lot of attention at the minute because Jaclyn Hill has recently talked about it, and I completely understand the hype. I've loved this palette ever since I bought it last year when it was released. My second palette is from Makeup Revolution and is the one that I very rarely reach for, although pigmented in my swatches these powders take a lot of building up on my face and I can never be bothered to use it. In it there is a pink a peach and a yellow/gold highlight. Lastly is the very first highlighter I bought, MUA's Undress your skin its a beautiful well pigmented pink toned highlight that I just don't reach for enough. I adored this when I first got it but like I've said these ones have unfortunately been neglected for my more expensive highlighters.

sleek solstice: ecliptic, hemisphere, sub solar, equinox, makeup revolution: golden lights, peach lights, pink lights, mua: undress your skin.

High end wise I have 5 single highlighters, my one cream highlighter is Benefits, Watts Up this one is a mini from a Benefit set I got, and if I'm honest I've only used it once, I don't really get a long with cream products. Next is the first high end highlighter that I got, which can also be used as a blusher. This is Dior's Rose Diamond and it is still one of my favourite products. This gradients from a lovely white pearly highlight to a pink blush, all the colours can be used separately or swirled together depending on what kind of look you are going for. It transfers onto the skin quite sheerly but leaves you with a lovely subtle glow. Another hyped up product is The Balm's Mary Lou Manizer, the pigment on this is amazing its a gorgeous champagne gold and it looks amazing on the skin, a little goes a long way with this so I can imagine it will last me a long time. Lastly I have two Becca highlights, and these were both 100% purchased because of Jaclyn Hill. First is her collaboration with Becca, Champagne Pop a gorgeous champagne highlight that shows up quite bronzey on me but still looks lovely. And secondly Pearl, this was released in the Christmas palette from Becca and I was devastated that I missed out on it. It's a pale girls dream highlight, a stunning white 'pearl' shade. Being the massive Jaclyn Hill fangirl that I am, I was over the moon when I found out these beauties were permanently being sold in the UK and I bought them both a few days after their releases. These highlighters are by far the best I own, extremely pigmented, long wearing and the softest powders I have ever come across, even my Real Techniques Duo Fibre brushes have made marks in these! Again a little goes a long with Pearl and Champagne Pop so they will last me forever (if they don't break beforehand with their amazing texture)

benefit watts up, dior rose diamond, the balm mary lou manizer, becca pearl, becca champagne pop

So thats my extensive highlighter collection, more shimmer and glow than any girl will need in a lifetime, but I can guarantee I will add plenty more to it. Next up on the hitlist is definitely Anastasia's Glow Kits they look amazing!
Have you got any must have highlighters for me to try, and what are your makeup weaknesses? Let me know :)
Much Love 

Gemma xo.

My Everyday Makeup Look

Today I have decided to share with you, what I put onto my face on a daily basis. I don't wear makeup every single day, but when I am going shopping, for a casual day with my friends or running other errands this is the look I will go for. It literally takes me about 10-15 minutes and is super simple to create.

 

  (Sorry I forgot to clean the products before photographing!!)

 

For my face I have recently been using Max Factor Facefinity All Day Flawless, which is a 3 in 1 primer foundation and concealer. The coverage is medium to full and lasts all day on me. My skin doesn't look at all cakey with this, and it blends in easily. I always spend the longest time blending in my foundation (anything up to 5 minutes) to make sure I have a smooth even finish with no harsh lines. I then dot the amazing Collection Lasting Perfection concealer on any blemishes or marks my foundation doesn't cover. After this I use my Sleek Face Form palette, to lightly contour and highlight my cheekbones and add a little bit of colour. This doesn't show up in these pictures because I do it so lightly, I only go for a heavy contour on nights out or other occasion where I like to look more 'done up'.

 

 For my eyes and brows I use the MUA Undress Me Too eyeshadow palette. On my brows I use the shade Lavish which is a perfect match for me. I have severely hit pan on this because I use this constantly instead of my HD Brow Palette that I save for special occasions. On my lids I sweep Wink all over this is a gorgeous shimmery rose gold/bronze colour. In the outer corner and crease I blend in Obsessed a deep brown with shimmer (that doesn't actually show in my swatch). I used to always use black eyeliner on my waterline but I've recently decided to stop doing that, as it can look a bit too heavy and I now just smudge a bit of Obsessed along my bottom lash line. I then use Devotion in the inner corners to make my eyes stand out.

 

 

For my lashes recently I have been swapping and changing the mascara I use on my top lashes to try and decrease the amount of drugstore mascaras I have in my collection. Today I have used the Maybelline Mega Plush Volume Express, which gives me some length and volume but it's not the best I've ever tried. And of course on my bottom lashes I have the Maybelline Big Eyes bottom lash mascara. On my lips I sometimes use a lip balm or gloss, but today I haven't bothered with anything.

 

 

Brush wise I use, Real Techniques Buffing Brush for my foundation, and the Deluxe Crease Brush for concealer. On my cheeks I use the Real Techniques Contour Brush for my contour and blush. And for highlighter I use a Fan Brush from my brush set from my college Beauty Therapy kit. For eyeshadow I use the Crown Brush C417 Chubby Shadow Brush to pack on the colour all over my lid. Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush for the crease and outer corner colour, then Crown Brush C441 Pro Blending Crease to blend the two colours together. For the gold inner corners I use the Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush bringing it down onto my bottom lash line and the Accent Brush for the darker colour on the rest of my lash line. And finally the Brow Brush again from Real Techniques to fill in my brows. Wow that's a lotta brushes for such a minimal makeup look!!

 

 

I hope you like my first ever post showing me actually wearing make up. Any feed back will be greatly appreciated. And next time I will let my hair down for the pictures instead of keeping it up away from my face! I can not believe I forgot my hair was up like that!!

Much Love

Gemma xo.



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. 

My First Ever...GlossyBox!

Hi Everyone. I know you have probably all seen the April GlossyBox by now, but I just had to show you what I got in my box, because it was my very first and I absolutely love it!

Like I said this is the first ever GlossyBox that I have got. And I am still really excited about it. I love all of the contents and as for this special one off design, it's lovely! I am so pleased I eventually got round to subscribing and I can't wait for my next box to arrive. On to the contents:

Essie Nail Polish in Eternal Optimist - 

As well as getting my first ever Glossybox, this was my first ever Essie Polish. I was over the moon when I opened the box to find this little beauty staring back at me. I've wanted an Essie for such a long time but with the price tag it carries and the fact I don't have a counter where I live, meant I have been holding back. When I first saw Eternal Optimist, I wasn't exactly blown away. But after trying it on I fell in love, its a gorgeous dusky rose pink and it looks lovely even on my small broken work worn nails! I'm very impressed!

Sleek Blush in Flamingo - 

Once again my town doesn't stock Sleek. Superdrug did have it years ago but I wasn't as into make up back then so I only ever tried out the Kajal Eyeliner, which by the way I loved. Since falling more in love with make up, I am devastated that I didn't try out more Sleek products when it was so easily available to me and I've been wanting to get my hands on quite a few of their things, the blushers being one of them! I received this one in the colour Flamingo which is a gorgeous bright bright pink. I haven't tried it yet but it looks super pigmented and I can't wait to wear it. It reminds me of a Barry M blusher I had years ago, which I think may have been called Raspberry! Non of my pictures did the colour any justice so I advise you to look for swatches online or try it in store yourself if you are interested.

A-Derma Intense Repair Lip Balm - 

This lip balm is gorgeous! It's made with a 100% natural active ingredient, Rhealba Oat Milk, which leaves your lips incredibly smooth. It is meant to provide your lips with a long last protective film that leaves them nourished and soothed, and it definitely does! I apply this every night before bed and wake up with really soft lips. It's slowly knocking my beloved Carmex off the top spot!

Nip + Fab Dry Skin Fix Body Butter in Coconut Latte - 

I haven't actually used this body butter yet so I can't really comment on it, but the smell is delicious!! It has a coconut smell to it which for some bizzare reason reminds me of Play Dough from when I was a kid! I can't even stress how much I adore the smell of Play Dough so I loved this as soon as I smelt it! I have high hopes for this product, its look really thick and moisturising. I will get round to using it one day and let you know my thoughts.

Yves Rocher - So Elixir Purple Perfume - 

I'm so rubbish with scents its untrue, so I will give you the description provided in the leaflet you recieve with your GlossyBox - 'an intoxicating and magnetic fragrance, which boasts a unique infusion of Tuberose, Vetiver and Patchouli culminating in a floral-woody elixir' in all honesty that makes no sense to me whatsoever! All I can say is, it's a rather deep dark smell that I wouldn't usually go for. But in actual fact I really like. It would be perfect for a night out!

So there you have it my very first GlossyBox. I absolutely loved it and I am so excited to get my hands on next months in the next few weeks! What day are they usually delivered does anyone know?? I have very high hopes for it! And am definitely sticking with my subscription for the foreseeable.

Much Love Gemma xo.

Beauty Wishlist!

Hello again lovelies, I've decided to do a little wishlist post for you all today, because recently all I've really posted is my 10 Day You Challenge and I still haven't got round to taking any pictures. This will probably be a long list and I doubt I will ever purchase it all, but its nice to hope for lovely things isn't it?! :) lets get started.

1. Sleek Face Contour Kit - I've wanted this for ages! Everyone seems to have it and raves about it, I currently use the Bourjois chocolate bronzer to contour and I really don't like it, and even though I have my Dior Rose Diamond for a highlight, I think this would be better to use on a day to day basis. And its all in one container, which is always more convenient :) My Superdrug doesn't stock Sleek anymore for some bizarre reason so I'll have to get it online instead and hope the light palette matches my skin tone!

2. Macadamia Flawless Cradle - I think I might have first saw Macadamia Flawless on thesundaygirl's blog and it really appealed to me. It's a cleansing conditioner that comes out of the can as a foam then lathers to a lovely thick cream which is great to both shampoo and condition the hair. I actually hate 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioners but this is apparently amazing so I really want to try it. Whilst looking on feelunique.com I spotted this cradle that comes with the Flawless cleanser (100ml), a 30ml Macadamia Oil and an Oil Infused Comb. If you bought all the products separately it would come to £46 but this cradle is £21.88 which is an absolute bargain and I love the look of that comb!!

3. MAC Lipsticks - I have my eyes on a few MAC Lipsticks at the minute, which are Rebel, Velvet Teddy (only because it's apparently Megan Fox's go to nude and I am in love with that woman) Costa Chic (thanks to a recent post by Kayleigh from CoutureGirl) Candy Yum Yum and Chatterbox. If you can't tell I love MAC lipsticks and really want to start a collection!!

4. Origins Clear Improvements Mask - My skin really annoys me with its huge clogged pores (sorry that sounds vile!) and apparently this is a wonder product for both these problems. So I want to try it out! At £20 though its a bit steep so I still haven't took the plunge and bought it.

5. Emma Hardie 2 Piece Cleansing System - Again the Emma Hardie Natural Lift & Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm is meant to be amazing and I really want to try it out. You can buy this cleansing set including the balm, a face cloth and Aromatherapy Infused Rose Hip Exfoliating Seeds for £38 on QVC  and I really want it!

6. Urban Decay Palettes, Naked, Naked 2 and Naked Basics - Since the first Naked Palette came out I have been dying to get my hands on it and each time a new one comes out I want that as well. They all  look like amazing palettes and I can't choose which one I would prefer so I want the full collection. #typicalbblogger :P

7. Enrapture Extremity Heated Rollers - I have the Enrapture Totem Styler which I absolutely adore! And these look just as good. I really enjoy adding volume to my hair with velcro rollers and these look so much better, at both volumising and curling your hair quickly and easily. I really want to try them out.

8. Illamasqua Speckle Polish in Scarce - Ever since the I'mperfection came out I have been eyeing up these bird egg inspired polishes! I've never seen anything like them before, they look like a really interesting and different polish. I would of course get this beautiful pink colour 'Scarce' because I am obsessed with anything pink :)

9. L'Oreal Powder Tecni Art Super Dust - I've only heard this product mentioned once, and that was by Tanya Burr so I immediately wanted to try it out! It apparently gives the most amazing volume to the hair and I love nothing more than voluminous hair! But for over £10 I am a bit hesitant to try it out. Maybe one day!

Hope you enjoyed this slightly different post. If you have any of these products please do let me know what you think of them. And if you want to check any of them out click on the name of the product which will take you straight to the website you can buy them from :)

Much Love Gemma xo.