Spectrum Makeup Brushes

Thanks to Instagram I've been introduced to Spectrum Collections makeup brushes and I can honestly say I'm a tad obsessed with them. Being a huge Real Techniques fan, I've never really tried any other makeup brushes as I never thought anything could come close to RT, but I'm so pleased I decided to give Spectrum brushes a try as they are my new everyday tool of choice for applying my makeup.

I actually found it quite difficult to get my hands of any of these brushes as they sell out so quickly, that's why I was SO excited to discover that they were attending The Clothes Show, where I managed to pick myself up a few of the brushes I'd been wanting to try. 

First up is the Siren Sculpt Collection, which is Spectrum's newest release and comes with this amazing teal oil slick design - I'll admit, the way these brushes look was initially why I wanted to try them! This collection features five brushes all with the aim to help with sculpting and contouring the face; the Flat Top Buffer, Flat Top Contour, Angled Powder, Precision Blush and Large Powder. 

At first I didn't want to use these brushes due to how pretty (and clean) they looked but I quickly got over that and they are now the best brushes I've ever used I think. They are super soft and dense so perfect for the purpose of contouring and highlighting and the Flat Top Contour is a particular favourite for applying my cream contour products before buffing them in with the Flat Top Buffer. 

After picking up this set, I knew I also wanted some key core brushes and so I picked up the Dome Contour and both the Small and Large Fan brushes. The dome contour brush is described as being for the face and that's exactly what I use it for, just for for contouring. Instead I like to use this brush for blending in my concealer as it's the perfect size and shape and the brushes so soft, it doesn't budge my foundation while blending over the top. The two fan brushes I bought after discovering a love for highlighting and this highlighter in particular, I've been using the smaller size for the cupids bow and nose and the larger size for the cheekbones as I find this shape brush gives a much more natural look. 

I would highly recommend these brushes and despite them not being as readily available as brands like Real Techniques; if you can get your hands on them before they sell out, they are definitely worth it. These have replaced a lot of my older, much loved brushes and I just can't believe it took me this long to find this brand!

Have you ever tried Spectrum makeup brushes? What is your favourite brush brand?

Contour 2 by Contour Cosmetics | Beauty

I've been wanting to try countering for such a long time now but finding the right products has been a real struggle. I've had my eye on the Anastasia Beverley Hills Contour Kit for some time now but it's not the easiest to get hold of so I thought I'd look a little closer home and find a UK brand. 

Contour Cosmetics wasn't a brand I'd really heard of before but I came across their Instagram and Twitter pages and sawdust how popular their contour kits were so I wanted to try one for myself. I opted for Contour 2 as the shades, though slightly darker, are much cooler than Contour 1 and I definitely prefer that over a more orange, warmer look. 

Now my initial impression of the palette was the there seemed to be a wide range of shades, definitely one to suit most skin tones and that the formula upon first use was far creamier than I had expected, making blending so easy and seamless. As mentioned, there is a varied range of shades in this palette and for me, I've been trying out the top row and the first, lighter shade from the bottom. The other two darker shades are definitely scary looking for me personally, but I'm sure on darker skin, or those who use fake tan, they'd be perfect. 

I'm still far from an expert at contouring but this palette just makes it so easy to learn; I use it with a flat top Spectrum brush and a Beauty Blender sponge and it's the perfect combination. If you'd like to me do a tutorial on my Youtube channel then leave a comment and I'll try to film that so you can see just how well this palette works. I'm definitely a contour convert now. 

2015 Beauty Favourites | Video

Woah, so it's 2016 already and I can't actually believe it! I thought rather than my December favourites, I'd do a round up of all the beauty products I've loved throughout the entire past year!

I hope you enjoy and don't forget to subscribe to see more videos!

Jaclyn Hill x Becca Champagne Pop Highlighter

I have to admit, I've only been watching Jaclyn Hill's videos for a few months now but I can happily confirm that I am a fully subscribed viewer now - her makeup is just always flawless! So, as soon as I heard of her collaboration with Becca, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to finally try one of the much raved about highlighters; sadly it sold out fast on Sephora so I waited. And waited. It finally became available on Space N K last month so I jumped on it and finally the famous Champagne Pop was mine.

This collaboration couldn't be more perfect. Jaclyn practically invented the term '#highlightonfleek', so what better way than to bring out one, insanely good product that is completely her. After all, her highlight really is ON FLEEK! Champagne Pop has now become a staple in my everyday makeup routine and it is my absolute favourite highlighter and I very much doubt anything will beat it. It's the perfect golden toned, champagne highlight that shows up beautifully on the skin once applied. The overall texture is very creamy, despite it being a powder, and you only need the tiniest amount to get that incredible highlighted effect.

This does steer more towards an evening highlighter, but if you use a lighter hand, it's perfect for the day also and layered over a cream highlight, it's gives an even more intense glow. I would highly recommend this to everyone and if you can get your hands on it, do!

Have you tried Champagne Pop yet? What are you thoughts?

Currently Coveting | Beauty

I love a good wishlist. Despite the fact it's a wishlist and that these products remain solely in my future (hopefully), I just love having the motivation in front of me to save for what I want - and of course I lie to indulge in my favourite pastime of being an enabler to all of your lovely people. this is a currently covet list of all the beauty bits I've had my eye on for the past month or so.

Starting off with the most luxurious and in turn expensive item, the Sunday Riley LUNA Night Oil. At a whopping £85, this is definitely a Christmas gift idea as I can't see myself blowing that much on a facial oil. that being said, having ready the copious raving reviews, I do really want to try this and see if it really is worth the price. Following the skincare line, I've been wanting to try a good charcoal mask for a while now and this Origins Clear Improvement Clay Mask just keeps cropping up, it's not too pricey either for a mask so this may be my next skincare purchase. The same can be said for the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream - a cult classic that needs no explanation.

Moving on to base products and a foundation that everyone and their dog has mentioned since it was released, the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. I almost bought this at the weekend but the price made me flinch slightly and instead I opted to try out a Bourjois option instead (which I'm loving by the way!), that being said, I will add this to my beauty stash hopefully sooner rather than later. A concealer that I've wanted ever since I watched Sarah Ashcroft's makeup video, is the MAC Pro Longwear concealer and this is one I'd like to use to up my contour and highlight game immensely.

The final few products are ones that have received countless praise and hype and yet here I am, yet to try both of them. First is the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal, which looks like the most beautiful highlighter ever and definitely one I need to add to my collection. they are quite pricey but considering how much you would used and the size, they look well worth the splurge. The Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade is another cult favourite and I am still torn between this of the Brow Wiz. either way, both look great and my brows definitely need them! Finally we have the Beauty Blender, something I don't need as I already own the Real Techniques version but by all accounts, the original is definitely better, though that's usually the case.

Are any of these products on your current wishlist? Or, have you tried any of them before?

A Mascara For All Occasions

There's certain beauty products out there that lend themselves to serious OCD tendencies and for me, that's both foundation and mascara. For this post let's address mascara, more specifically those three fail-safe options that I've kept in my make-up stash for their own special reasons. Now on the grand scheme of things, mascaras don't really differ all that much from tube to tube but there are ever so slight differences that I like to think lend themselves to different 'occasions' or make-up looks. I do tend to switch up mascaras depending on what I'm doing, so I wouldn't usually wear my 'everyday' mascara for going out in the evening and visa versa. 

For everyday swipe-and-go purposes, I use my trusty Eyeko Black Magic Mascara as despite the rather misleading name, it isn't all that dramatic and lends itself far more to a natural, daytime look. This is a super black formula and so is perfect for when there's not much else going on in the eye area and I like to wiggle it through my lashes to get a good coating, leaving me with lengthened and somewhat volumes lashes that still look natural. This is a good'un, but don't be fooled by the dramatic name connotations...

For the evening or occasions that demand a more dramatic look, I reach for the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (I'm keen to try the waterproof version of this!) as it is the most build able mascara I own. I tend to apply two coats of this and it gives both volume and length, which is basically all I want from a mascara. That and the ability to hold a curl which this does too - I can't really fault this mascara and it's definitely my go-to option for the evening.

And finally, for those in-between moments that require both length and volume but not such a dramatic look, I opt for YSL's Baby Doll Mascara. This is a mascara that for a long time I didn't like but I have since grown to love it for its lengthening abilities - it really does give you that doll-like look without being crazy dramatic for the daytime. As well as length, it does hold a curl well and adds some lift to the lashes, plus the formula is blacker than black so that's an added bonus! 

Do you have favourite mascaras for different occasions? Let me know what you use! 

Not Quite A Beauty Blender...But Just As Good?!

When it comes to applying my base make-up I'm definitely one for using a buffing brush of sorts as using my fingers just doesn't seem very hygienic and those flat 'foundation brushes' just don't do it for me. I have been on the hunt for something to rival my much loved Real Techniques Buffing Brush and I think I may have found just that in the form of the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. It's basically a more affordable - and slightly differently shaped - Beauty Blender and that is something I've wanted to try for a long time but with it not exactly being the cheapest of make-up sponges around, I put off buying it. The Miracle Complexion sponge however is a mere £5.99 and from what I can gather, it isn't all that dissimilar providing exactly the same results, if not better. 

I've been using the RT sponge to blend out my under-eye concealer as it's perfect for getting into the corners and packing down that coverage with the pointed end. I've also tried it for foundation application and though this isn't my preferred method, it did do the job well and I've since just been using it after my buffing brush as a way of blending out any areas I got a tad to heavy-handed with  foundation. The sponge has the usual pointed end and then unlike the Beauty Blender, it has a flat surface at the other end making it easier to use; it also expands to almost double its size when wet so that helps if you are going to use it to apply your foundation. If you have oily skin I'd say this sponge is best used dry to bring down any shine in the face, but if you're after that added glow trying dampening it for a more flawless finish.

So although I am keen to try out the Beauty Blender to really compare the two (I'll do a comparison post if I do), for the moment I'm happy with how the Real Techniques version finishes my skin and I may just have become a beauty sponge convert. I'm not sure I'll be retiring my buffing brushes just yet but they definitely have some serious competition.

Have you tried the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge? What are your thoughts on it?

Controlling Oily Skin

Generally I have quite oily skin around my t-zone and especially with summer on its way, I'm always looking for products that will help stop my makeup completely sliding off my face mid-way through the day. After searching for some time and trying out a a lot of things I think I've finally got my oily skin under control using just two (or sometimes three) products!

If you have oily skin you generally want to stay away from dewy foundations as these tend to just slide right off the face and with having oily skin to begin with, you shouldn't really find the need to add more dewiness anyway. I find that mattifying foundations work best and I'm currently using the L'Oreal Infallible 24hr Matte as this gives my skin a nice coverage but because it's matte, it doesn't make my skin look oily throughout the day. With this particular foundation I don't ever feel the need to use a powder over the top but if I'm using a slightly less matte foundation then I will apply a dusting of Rimmel's Stay Matte powder to keep my base in place without making my skins look cakey. 

To finish up my make-upend keep everything in place all day, I like to use Mac Fix+ as a makeup setting spray. This helps my makeup settle and gives a natural glow without the excess oils that I don't want. I like to use this spray pretty much everyday and with a good skincare routine underneath, my make-up stays put pretty much all day.

Do you have oily skin? What products do you use to help your make-up stay in place?

L'Oreal True Match Foundation

I'm extremely late to the party with this one but I finally bought the much raved about L'Oreal True Match Foundation. Firstly I want to mention the packaging, which is usually the downside to most drugstore foundations. It's got a glass bottle, a pump and a lid - it's a winner so far in that department! 

The foundation formula itself gives the skin a nice, natural looking glow without being too dewy and it drys to a semi-matte flawless finish that is buildable from a medium to high coverage. It contains no SPF so I'd recommend using a moisturiser that does beforehand, but this does mean it's great for for photography. Now onto the lasting power and that too doesn't disappoint. I wore this foundation for a good 10 hours and it didn't require any touch-ups and my face stayed oil-free for the whole time. My oily skin salutes this foundation. 

Now when it came to choosing a shade, ironically I didn't manage to find my 'true match' and instead had to settle for the shade N4 Beige, which is ever so slightly too dark for me but as it's getting warmer and the fake tan has come out, I think I can get away with it. I did find that a lot of the shades seem to lean to the orange side of things, despite them being categorised into warm, neutral and cool tones (there's a guide here), so this would definitely be a downside to this foundation but one that I can definitely look past. 

I can honestly say that this foundation is worth all the hype it gets. It's great for someone like myself who has quite oily skin but still wants that slight brightening, glowy effect and despite the questionable 20 shades available, I really think this foundation could be my new favourite drugstore option. 

Have you tried L'Oreal True Match Foundation? Did you manage to find your perfect shade?

Five Under £5

Beauty products are one of the things I will quite happily spend quite a bit of money on to find what works for me but there are some key make-up bits in my stash that I use on a daily basis which are at the more affordable end of the scale, they are the drugstore at it's finest and so I thought I'd give you a little run down on five of the best for under £5 - I may have slightly cheated on one!

I have quite oily skin and even with a mattifying foundation, I still find my t-zone tends to get shiny throughout the day unless I use a powder to set it. I go from one extreme to the other with my powder choices, opting for Chanel on some days and the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent on others. Obviously the budget option is from Rimmel and this is a great all-round powder that doesn't leave that dreaded cake appearance. I opt for the transparent shade so it doesn't interfere with my foundation and I just love the overall finish when using this. And for £3.99, you can't really complain.

This is a relatively new addition to my makeup collection but it is one I've found myself reaching for most days since buying it and that's the Maybelline Brow Drama in Medium Brown. This is perfect if you have relatively fuller brows already (like myself) but just want to tame them and add a slight tint as it sets your brows in place for the whole day and leaves them looking much more defined. I have blonde hair and I use the medium brown shade in this, though I am keen to get my hands on the deep blonde as I think this will be a better match for me and for £4.99, it isn't exactly a splurge!

Now for the cult favourite and the one product that has probably been mentioned more times than any other across the blogasphere, the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and I'm in the shade Warm Medium. This is one of those cheap and cheerful products that just works. It's great for concealing blemishes, redness and under eye circles and it only costs £4.19. 

When it comes to eyeshadow, I'm all for the all over the lid kind of product as I find it way too much on a day-to-day basis to worry about blending etc and that's where the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze comes in. These are great to blend all over the lids for a subtle or smokey eye look that takes no effort at all and they stick around all day so no worries about creasing. They cost £4.99 and there's a good colour selection available.

Okay so this is the one that I cheated on, it is affordable but it comes in at slightly over £5 but I really wanted to include a lip product I love so I thought I'd mention it anyway. I'm all for a matte lip and the Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107 is the perfect formula and shade if you are looking for a comfortable wear lipstick that lasts all day. I have this berry toned shade but there are also some lovely reds and neutrals depending on what you are looking for. It is priced at £5.49 but I have seen it less than that in some stores! 

What are you best drugstore finds for under £5? 

April Beauty Favourites

I'm back to doing my monthly favourites and this month I've discovered quite a few new products that I'd found myself really loving. There's a bit of hair care, make-up, skincare and a self tan that I've mentioned several times on here already! I hope you enjoy the video and don't forget to head over to my channel to subscribe! 

A Garnier Combination

If, like me, you like to wear some makeup but then can't really be bothered to go through a huge removal process at the end of the day then keep reading. I have a totally fuss-free routine that even removes those stubborn waterproof, curl holding mascaras that a face wipe just won't. And it's only two products! I have found Micellar water to do the job fantastically and though Bioderma will always be my holy grail, I have been using the Garnier combination that works just as well. Though micellar water alone is great for removing face make-up, you don't really want to be scrubbing at your eyes all that much so I've been pairing the cleansing water with the Garnier Express 2 in 1 Eye Make-up Remover that is non-greasy and removes even waterproof mascaras. 

Now there are several of these types of products on the market from the real high-end ones to the drugstore alternatives that work just as well - it isn't always the more you pay the better. These Garnier products are definitely my top choices after Bioderma and the duo-solution products seem to work great and by shaking up he two solutions, you are left with a really effective cleanser and eye make-up remover in one. I usually go in with the cleanser first all over my face using one cotton pad, then I'll use a separate one for both eyes and all you need is to hold the cotton pad on your eye for around 30 seconds and then a gentle swipe and the make-up is gone.

The smell on both is pretty light and non-perfumed, which is especially great for those who get easily irritated skin. The formula is also nice and non-greasy so there's no worry about it leaving an awful film over your face afterwards. I follow up these with my daily toner/moisturiser and that's my routine pretty much done. On occasion I will use an extra step of a balm cleanser (I use the Clinique one) if I feel my skin is look particularly bad but on most occasions these suffice. 

Have you tried the Garnier Cleansing Water and Eye Make-up remover? What are your go-to cleansing products? 

Drugstore Haul | Video

I have found that my skin has been pretty dreadful over the past few weeks so I took a trip to Boots in the hope of finding some skincare bits to help combat this. I also picked up a few hair/ beauty bits and so I thought I'd show you everything, whether it be a repurchase or a something new to try. 

Let me know if you enjoyed this video and don't forget to head over to my channel to subscribe if you did! 

The Best Drugstore Foundation Ever?!

I think I may have found my holy grail of all drugstore foundations and the praises that have been sung of the L'Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Matte foundation are much deserved. My skin is super oily in the t-zone area and fairly normal everywhere else so I usually have a hate/hate relationship with foundations. They are often either too dewy and just make my face look like a shiny mess, or they are too matte and leave dry patches around my face. This foundation however is the perfect in-between and I'm so happy it's nope a part of my make-up stash. 

This L'Oreal foundation provides a good medium to full coverage depending on how much you build it up and despite it being matte, it does have a surprisingly luminous finish while not being shiny or drying in the slightest - my skin has found its perfect foundation! I use the shade Vanilla, which is a near-perfect match to my skin tone and in all honesty, despite me never actually wearing a foundation for 24 hours as that's crazy, this does last all day (nine-ten hours) without a primer so I'm pretty sure the long-lasting claims are correct! 

Have you tried this foundation? What is your holy grail drugstore foundation?

The Perfect Red Lip - MAC RiRi Woo/Ruby Woo

 Mac RiRi Woo (limited edition) - £14. Alternative: Ruby Woo (currently available here)

A purchase I made quite some time ago now is the MAC lipstick in RiRi Woo. I can't believe I have had these photos hidden away on my computer for so long without even posting them on here! I'd read countless reviews and praises about Ruby Woo with bold claims of it being the perfect cool-toned matte red, despite its dreaded drying formula. I held off purchasing it for a good while but as soon as I heard RiRi Woo was being released, a shade made by Rihanna, I thought if I'm going to buy it, why not get this limited edition version with Rihanna's signature engraved into it. This signature sadly disappears after several uses so buying the standard Ruby woo would have sufficed. Now this is one of the first red lipsticks I ever tried and for a red lip-newbie, I don't think I could have picked a more drying formula, but as long as you apply layers of lip balm beforehand it's not too bad and it is a really lovely red shade.

I'm not normally one to don a red lip as most tend to be too warm-toned for my liking giving the appearance of yellow teeth but this definitely has those much desired blue undertones (white teeth all round) and would definitely suit a whole host of skin tones. The formula is also extremely matte, hence it being so dry, so it can be applied straight from the bullet or with a brush for an all day long-lasting red lip. Now of course, I'm naming this 'the perfect red lip' but it may not actually be the case for everyone. Some may find it just too drying to deal with or too cool toned so it's always worth testing it out in-store first before. I've heard MACs Russian Red is also a great shade too so I'm keen to pick that up some time and try it out. I've actually discovered since this another red lipstick that is actually a less expensive, drugstore alternative so expect a post on that very soon!

 Ruby Woo is currently available as a MAC bestseller, or you may be able to pick up RiRi Woo from somewhere like Depop or Ebay!

What is your essential red lipstick?

Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

I would like to make a bold beauty statement in today's post. I think I have found my holy grail mascara. Yes I know, bold. I'm constantly trying out different mascaras in the hopes when I thought I was destined to settle with one of the other, along came Kylie Jenner and her fabulous instagram that introduced me to Eyeko's Black Magic mascara which she claimed, to be her go-to choice for awards season! I did initially just buy this mascara because she said she loved it so much (ridiculous I know!) but having tried it throughout the whole month of January, I can honestly say it has quickly reached holy grail status. 

Daily Face #1

 My blog has definitely become predominantly fashion-focused over the past few months and when I do write the odd beauty post it does tend to be sharing a newly discovered product with you. I thought I’d start something a little different and show you my ‘daily face’ every now and again to give you an insight into my routine each morning.

My Lips But Better | Beauty

It is a phrase that so many beauty bloggers cringe at and yet use in abundance to describe their favourite nudeish-pink lip shades. My lips but better, is the only possible way to describe the two above lip products; Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm and Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in 'Boy'. One is a baby pink balm that changes to literally the colour of your lips and the other is a nude that is so similar to my own natural lip colour, while still giving that little something extra. These two lipsticks have been staples in my lip wardrobe for quite some time now and they truly epitomise the my (your) lips but better phrase...

Worth the Hype?

There are several products out there that cause quite a stir in the beauty blogging community but I’m always looking to ask the question: are they worth this hype? I’d say I’m quite a skeptical person, especially regarding newly releases products as they often get a lot of press for simply being new, rather than for being great. So today I’ve picked out a few of these products to answer the question (in my opinion) if they are really worth it or not.

Yet to find a holy grail

If there's one make-up item that I'm constantly striving to find that holy grail moment with, it' is mascara. I've never been particularly faithful to just one and I'm starting to think that maybe my ideal mascara just doesn't really exist as one product.