What I Got For Christmas: Make-Up

Makeup is always my main gift focus at Christmas, I spend the whole year gathering ideas of what lovely things I will ask for. My fiancé, Liam, really does spoil me and I am very lucky! 

I buy a whole lot of makeup during the year myself but there are certain things that just aren't something I would buy for myself such as the Hourglass palette because it really is just so expensive! It is a very special Christmas present!

This is actually the only makeup item I asked for specifically from Liam, I told him a few brands I wanted to try so he mostly just surprised me but this Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Volume 3 is the one thing I desperately wanted and Liam had been telling me for months that it was sold out and he couldn't get it so I wasn't at all expecting it to be under the tree on Christmas morning. I was so pleased when I opened it!

The product itself hasn't disappointed either, I thought there may be a few pans that I wouldn't use much such as the two setting powders but I've found myself reaching for them all! I have been using the whole palette in one look for bronzer, highlight, blush and to set then even using the bronzer and highlighter together as an eyeshadow with the bronze lightly in the crease and then the lovely highlighted glow on the lid. This palette makes me feel like a glowing goddess!

I had never tried Anastasia Beverly Hills before and I told Liam this so he did his research and landed on the Prism palette for me and I'm so glad he did as it is the one I would have chosen myself. With a lovely mixture of mattes, shimmers, neutral shades and some more adventurous shades. From what I have experienced with so far, I love the way the shadows apply and I can't wait to explore a little more!

He also knows very well that highlight is my absolute fave so also got me the Anastasia Beverly Hills  MoonChild Glow Kit. It is just beautiful!

I also had never tried anything from Kat Von D and desperately wanted too mainly due to the sheer gorgeousness of the packaging. I mean, look at it! It's a bloody triangle! He got me a mini Shade and Light eyeshadow palette in the shade Plum which I am already addicted to and also the Alchemist Holographic palette which is life changing honestly, the shades can be used as highlights or eyeshadows or anything really. I really want to try them layered over a matte liquid lip so I'll defo be trying that out soon!

Urban Decay is probably my favourite and most explored high end brand and it has become a sort of tradition for me to get something from them for Christmas. When Liam's mum asked what to get for me, Liam let her know that I actually didn't have and had never tried the original Naked palette so she got it for me! How I have lived without it for this long I just don't know. It's incredible. Such a staple palette. 

Lastly, I had been eyeing up the Urban Decay Afterglow Highlighter palette for ages but although I really wanted it, I ultimately decided I didn't need it and I've felt a little sad about it ever since but Liam seems to have the most insane memory and got it for me for Christmas! The shades look a little unusual in the pan and maybe a little hard to wear but they actually look so much more natural on the skin so I am sure I will get lots of wear out of it! 

Liam and I really do spoil each other at Christmas as we don't during the year, I am not bragging in anyway. I am so super grateful for everything I have received! 

Would you guys be interested in seeing individual reviews of any of the items? Let me know!

Feeling Festive!

I am feeling super festive at the moment! I know it's a little early but if you don't start early you don't get to enjoy it for as long! Finally, all the shopping centres are decorated, the Christmas adverts are spilling out and all the festive coffees are being drank at a rapid pace (by me).

I have been Christmas shopping like crazy and watching endless Christmas films but these are the other ways I am getting in the festive feeling!

Firstly as previously mentioned, festive coffee. I honestly have an addiction and my bank account is not happy about it. I have been going to Starbucks at least once a day for my EggNog Latte fix (if you  haven't tried one you are missing out) I am also partial to a Gingerbread Latte or a Toffee Nut Latte if I fancy a change. I'm not the biggest fan of Costa this year but I do love the Christmas cups! Aren't they adorable!!! McDonalds Spiced Cookie Latte is also a winner!

Zoella's Christmas range from last year was my absolute favourite and I am still in love this year! This horribly cold weather is making my skin so dry and horrible so Zoella's Gingerbread scented Hungry Hand Cream has been my saviour this past month! Not only does it smell incredible but it works too. I can't wait to get this years Zoella Hand Cream. 

Another Zoella fave is the Bake My Day fragrance, it smells like sweet gingerbread and is the most festive thing on earth! My fiancé isn't a fan though so maybe it isn't for everyone but I adore it!

On the cosmetics front I am really enjoying using a few Tanya Burr things that I got in her beauty advent calendar last year, this lipgloss in Berry Pavlova is so lovely and red just screams Christmas! I sometimes can't face a sticky lipgloss though so on those days I go for a red matte lip also from Tanya's last year calendar (can't for the life of me remember the name of it though) 

That same calendar contained some incredible glitter nail polishes, this one was my favourite last year in the shade Sleigh Bells. I'm still loving it this year! It looks great on top of other polishes but I also like it for a more simple look just on its own in a thin layer. Perfect for a little everyday festive sparkle!

For the past few years now, this Collection Glam Crystals eyeliner in gold has been my everyday fave at Christmas time. It glides on so pigmented in one swipe which makes it super easy to use everyday when I want a little sparkle in a hurry. I only own this one shade currently but I'm thinking I will purchase a few more this year!

Lastly, Urban Decay Naked Heat. You have all seen this I'm sure, it is beautiful. The shades are very warm and autumnal but somehow I'm actually enjoying it more now that it is becoming more wintery.  The shade En Fuego is being smothered on my eye lids on the daily!

These are the little ways that I am getting in the festive feels, what have you been doing/using? 

MakeUp Revolution X Soph Eyeshadow Palette

Recently I posted a "glowing" review of the MakeUp Revolution X SophDoesNails highlighter palette and I couldn't resist nabbing the eyeshadow palette as well! 

The palette includes 24 shadows, a mixture of metallics and mattes in a wide variety of wearable yet unique shades.

I LOVE the packaging, as I said in the highlighter post, I am really not a fan of the typical MakeUp Revolution packaging so this matte look upgrade pleases me greatly. This palette is in a matte look pinky beige which really does give this palette a classier and in general more appealing modern look. I'm a fan. It looks comfortable alongside my high end palettes in my collection. 

The shade range at first looks a little mismatched, loads of different colours and variety which at first I thought might make this palette hard to work with but how wrong was I! 

This palette has everything, somehow there are so many options and everything works so well together. If you are new to makeup, this could potentially be the only palette you need and if you are a makeup junkie like me, well, its probably still the only palette you need. I've been using it literally everyday! There are even shades you could use for highlighters or brows!

These four shades are my favourite, they do have names, really adorable names actually but I've somehow lost the plastic insert that said them all, standard Amy. 

This gold is my most used so far, it is a typical gold but it goes on so smoothly and it is super pigmented so it has easily become my go to. 

This orange/red is glorious! I love it as an all over the lid shade, all smoked out and autumnal.

I'm pretty sure the next shade is called either Gasoline or Petrol. And it is obvious why, this shade is a gorgeous duo toned grey/blue/green/brown. So many colours all in one! So unique and amazing!

I am almost certain my pinky finger shade is called Pug (adorable) it is quite literally the colour of a pug. This is a perfect crease shades which can be used for almost any look you might want to create with this palette. It'll be the first I hit pan on for sure!

Although, I liked Soph's highlighter palette, I LOVE this eyeshadow palette! I honestly think that EVERYONE needs it in there collection! Support Soph and yourself, go get this!

Soph has made a whole host of youtube videos using this palette so go take a look here!

Or purchase here!

Storage: Ugly but Effective

It has been forever and a day since I have done a makeup collection post... 

Last time I did one I had so much less makeup and I photographed EVERY SINGLE ITEM! Unfortunately that is just not possible now with the obscene amount of makeup that I currently own. 

Up until recently I was keeping everyday makeup to hand and everything else was stored away, meaning that I didn't ever use much of it simply because I couldn't see it. I needed a cheap, easy and quick fix so I ordered these hideous but highly effective pink draws from Amazon.com on Prime.  Mostly due to impatience, I'm not gonna lie.

My vanity is looking a little worse for wear but it does the job, currently on the top is my light up mirror which opens up to reveal jewellery storage which I bloody love so much. It also has a handy little draw underneath which is currently empty but I intend for that to be the new product draw. This draw will prove super handy as I can be sure to use new things rather than have them disappear into the makeup abyss. 

I then have three glasses full of makeup brushes (all filthy) and a smaller mirror which is pretty much the only one I use because you can get really up close with it.

On the attached shelf I have three clear boxes that have bits and bobs in such as electronics cables, makeup packaging (for blogging purposes) and random skin care that I don't use much. The white draws are empty to allow for inevitable makeup collection growth!

On top of the hideous pink draws in two copper baskets, I keep my most used and most loved palettes. 

A few Urban Decay favourites, Naked Smoky and Naked Heat! 

A few Too Faced favourites, Sweet Peach and Chocolate Bar. These bad boys are my absolute loves of my life, probably my most favourite things in my whole makeup collection.

Urban Decay Vice 3 and Vice 4, I love these guys because they are jam packed with so many unique eyeshadows and they are amazing quality. Although I don't reach for these daily, I like having them close for when I'm feel a little adventurous!

On to the contents of the hideous pink draws, the top draw is separated by smaller clear containers. Top left contains a variety of pencils and liners, so this includes eyeliners, lipliners, glitter liners and coloured liners. 

Next to that is skin stuff such as my fave foundation Revlon Color Stay and my go to concealer Collection Lasting Perfection.

Bottom left holds all my mascaras, I only really use the Urban Decay Perversion but I have a whole load of options!

Bottom right contains my brow stuff, I use the Models Own brow palette most days but occasionally I might use the MakeUp Revolution brow pomade. 

The second draw is my favourite draw, HIGHLIGHTERS! I have quite a lot of highlighters as you can see but my faves are probably the Tanya Burr Skin Illuminator, Soph X palette and all the Technic Get Gorgeous highlights. 

Third draw is the most neglected draw as I am just too lazy for lip products, all I do is eat so usually I don't bother. Somehow though, I have still accumulated quite the collection. Mostly reds and various shades of pink. I particularly like lip stains so I've got a lot of those, my favourites are mostly in my handbag though.

Blush! I don't have much blush, I have the Real Cheeky Party palette by Benefit which is great as it contains a selection of Box'O'Blushes which I use a lot. I really love a good cream blush, H&M do some great ones.

Single shadows and teeny tiny palettes. It's all about palettes these days so I don't have that many singles but as you can see, I really like the MUA singles, especially the metallic ones because they literally cost £1 and are the most pigmented things on earth. I keep my fave eyeshadow in here also, the Urban Decay Moondust single in Solstice.

The six draw is skin stuff such as cream contour, colour correctors, bronzer, contour and a few blushes and highlighters if they are apart of a face palette. I use my Collection Highlight & Sculpt loads. I also really love my Urban Decay Jean Michel Basquiat palette, it has two blushes, one highlight and a bronzer inside so I use this loads for travel as it hold my whole face.  I was also wearing this palette when Liam proposed so it's quite special! 

The last draw (that isn't empty) contains other palettes that I just don't use that much. I did really like the W7 palettes but I haven't found myself reaching for them at all recently so they are just stored away with their other unloved mates should I ever fancy using one of them!

So that's my makeup collection and ugly but effective storage! It's so nice to have everything all together and easy to get at, I have found myself experimenting a whole lot more and actually using things that I had been neglecting previously. I have a little room for growth but I can always buy another set of pink draws when my collection gets bigger!

How do you store your makeup? 

MakeUp Revolution X Soph Highlighter Palette

I am a huge youtube fan, I watch minimum one hour of it a day and SophDoesNails has been a firm favourite of mine for quite a while! She is so unique, loveable and so talented with makeup so when she announced this collaboration with MakeUp Revolution I knew I had to support her and get myself something! 

Originally I had only purchased this highlighter palette but have since also bought the eyeshadow palette as I have been so impressed! 

Firstly, this palette cost £8.00 which honestly is mental for what you get. The packaging is lovely, same idea as all MakeUp Revolution palettes but in a gorgeous nude shade instead of the usual black and has Soph's signature on the front.

I really love it. Usually MakeUp Revolution palettes get so scratched up and look ten years old in a matter of hours but this palette doesn't do that at all. It looks so pristine still and much more expensive feeling than it actually is. 

Inside you get 8 shades, there are two different textures as well. Three are a more buttery pigmented formula and three are more powdery and natural. I do prefer the more buttery ones but both as great. The palette is also sort of split into two sections, half is aimed at pale girls and half for darker skinned ladies. I am pale but I do think I can comfortably use 6 out of 8. And the other two make nice eyeshadows so it's a win for me!

I adore that this palette can be used by anyone, ghostly pale to beautifully dark.

As you can see, all highlighters are so pigmented and all very different. There is so much variety! If you are new to makeup or new to highlight itself this is a great palette for you. Cheap and has a little of everything!

These four are probably my favourite ones, I love a golden/champagne shade and these all sit in that category for me.

I honestly couldn't choose a main fave but I have been reaching for these daily and also layering them to achieve even more looks!

This palette also includes two more unique shades in the pink and purple tones. Both are blooming glorious! So unique and pigmented, I have been using these but for me, they aren't everyday shades!

The two darker shades work really well as eyeshadows for me or I also like to gently layer them over my contour as a super shimmery bronzer! It can look intense but if your careful this works so well! 

Generally, I like to support youtubers I like by buying there products but somethings just don't live up. I did think this would be the case here but I was so wrong! 

This palette is a total babe!

Purchase Here

Check Out Soph Here

Benefit Double The Lip!

These have been out for ages and I've always wanted to try one but I was worried it was just a fad and wouldn't actually be worth the money! 

Despite mostly glowing reviews, I had my doubts.

When I saw that a mini version was a free gift in Elle Magazine this month, I literally squealed as I threw it into my basket! People actually stares at me like I was mental. 

I'll be honest with you, I haven't even read the magazine and I probably won't but it was worth the £4.00 just try try this!

I got the shade Nude Scandal, not out of choice, it was just the only one available but luckily it is probably the shade I would have chosen! 

The idea of Double the lip is that the lip liner and lip stick is all in one tube so when you apply the lipstick, the outer area is a darker shade creating a lip liner look and the inner area is a lighter creamier lipstick. Intended to make lips look fuller and prolong the wear. 

I would say it does both these things so well! My lips look so much more plump and even with this one, this shade is super wearable and the product itself feels really comfortable on the lips and lasts a really long time! I am so impressed!

The packaging is lovely as well, stylists and simple, it was a twist up feature which makes use super easy which I appreciate! 

I think I will be getting a few more maybe for Christmas, if I can wait that long! 

Purchase Here

PINTEREST: Wedding Dresses

This is the part of planning a wedding that terrifies me the most. I don't hate my body necessarily, I am a size 16, curvy but nothing really wobbles and generally I'm pretty happy but I'm short and my boobs are huge which can make clothes shopping really hard. 

Especially for dresses. 

It is hard to tell how a dress might look once the length is altered because when I'm looking in the mirror I have a pile of fabric on the floor due to my dwarf legs. Or I try on a style that conceals my boobs meaning I look really frumpy or I have them on show and end up looking like a porn star. I can't win so I know wedding dress shopping isn't going to be easy, there will be tears I'm sure and not happy ones!

What makes it worse is that the style I like most definitely won't suit me! But I have decided that to begin with ill just pin what I like and hopefully some inspiration will come from it! 

These are the dresses that have caught my eye so far...

As you can see, I'm being drawn to the low cut back/front styles which I don't think will work for me but maybe so clever tit tape will make it possible! What I have learnt from initial research is that I love lace, embroidery and a full length skirt with some volume but certainly not a puffy princess dress! I don't know the terminology but you know what I mean!

I'm also thinking that id like to consider not wearing white, I really like the idea of a pastel coloured dress or a more unusual shade like the ones above. 

Lots to think about!