April Faves with a new twist

Hey Lovelies

So before I started making my list for my April Faves I decided I was gonna do it a bit different this time. As you may have noticed from my previous blog posts you rarely see a bad review from me. There is a simple reason for this, I don't like saying mean things, even if they are true. As my Mum always says 'If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all'. This is the mentality I have taken with me into the blogging world. If I haven't blogged a good review about it, it's probably because I don't like it or own it one or the other.

But then I also think, if I don't like something surely I should say so on my blog so that others don't waste their money on it, so with this in mind I have decided to extend my monthly faves with a little section at the bottom detailing the products I have bought in that month that I don't like. This way if you would like more information on why etc you can let me know. I hope this will kind of be the best of both worlds.

So on to my April Faves. It is probably gonna be very similar to March as I haven't bought too much this month I am trying to follow Charli...'s ban by only spending money I have in my PayPal or using offers that I would miss otherwise :)

Here are my Faves - again slightly different lay out this Month - let me know if you like

FACE:

Primer: I have been reaching for 17 Photo Primer this month on a daily basis. It is a really good alternative to Smashbox with a very close consistency. I have done a full review of this on my blog if you wanna take a look.

Foundation: I have been splitting between my Rimmel 25hr foundation and my MAC Studio Fix Fluid foundation this month with the good weather/fake tan etc. I am putting in my Rimmel foundation as I have used it in pictures etc and it shows up really well and its just such a good coverage foundation without looking cakey.

Concealer: Again this month it is ELF Under Eye Concealer. I am making it a mission this month to try some new concealers but I just find this one so good. It just stays put and blends in so well. One point though I have completely given up using the highlighting section because I don't think it makes much of a difference.

Setting Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte powder. I only started using this product this month after seeing it in Ms Budget Beauty's videos.

Also not pictured is ELF Complexion Perfection Powder which is a regular in my favourites.

Blushes, Bronzers and Highlighters:

Blush: So I have been reaching for 2 blushers this month a cream type blusher and a regular powder blush. The cream type blush has been ELF All Over Colour Stick in Pink Lemonade which has been doing such a good job at pro-longing the wear of my powder blush and it is also a really fab colour on it's own. The Powder blush I have been reaching for is NYX Pinky. I know it looks scary in the pan but it is not quite as loud on your cheeks and when it is blended out it is sooooo pretty. By far my fav blush for spring/summer. And the thing I really like about this is there is no glitter/shimmer in it which I prefer.

Contour: I have been using NYX raisin as a contour this month. I will be using this as a blush in Autumn/Winter but at the minute it goes so well with Pinky that it is just a gorgeous combo for spring/summer.

Highlight: I have actually been using 3 different products for highlight this month as I want to try to pull off that dewy glow for spring/summer. Firstly I apply ELF Studio Golden bronzer around the outside of my cheeks temples etc and then I apply ELF All Over Colour Stick in Spotlight as a cream base for my highlighter above my cheeks and then I apply ELF Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder in Luminance as a cheek highlighter.

Eye Products:

Primer: Although I have been using my Urban Decay Primer Potion this month I am still putting my ELF primer down as my Favourite. I am absolutely ripping with myself as I placed an ELF order yesterday and forgot to get a replacement grrrrr I ran out of this a week or two ago so must must must re-purchase.

Eyeshadow Base: I love using NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk as an eyeshadow base and always forget to add it to my favourites but not this month. I have a back up of this bad boy already and it is just the best thing every for making your eye shadows show up more. I wear alot of colours on my eyes and this just lets the colours show through a lot better.

Eyeshadow for lid & Highlight: Sorry about this but it is a Limited Edition I got from 17 when I spent over a certain amount. I got it a few years ago and liked it so much I actually went in and bought more 17 goodies just to get another freebe cos I knew it would disappear. It is a perfect colour for my highlight and all over my lid when I am feeling like a more neutral day.

Eyeshadow for crease: My absolute fave eyeshadow at the minute is this Accessorise in Moss I think it is called. I just compliments my eyes and although I am usually either a very bright or very dark eye kind of gal this colour has led me down a more neutral path which I am really enjoying exploring.

Eyeliners: This month I am gonna rave about 2 Gel eyeliners as I haven't really been using any khols/pencils. This month I am loving MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack on my waterline and then using ELF Metallic Olive on my lid (because it was made to be worn with my Accessorise shadow :) )

Mascara: I am still using my Falsies mascara which I am still loving but It is almost gone :( Can anyone suggest a new mascara for me to try please?

Lip Products:

Sorry I dunno why this pic is upside down kinda ooops

Lipbalm: I only go these on Tuesday but they have replaced my freebee CherryCulture one and they are Lip Smackers in Coca Cola and Cherry Coke flavour. I had heard about them on twitter and decided to give them a whirl at €1.95 couldn't resist and they are yummmmmmy

Lipstick: ELF Mineral in Ripe Rose. I got this from Charli...'s blogsale and it is my new fav lippie it is a little bit darker than my natural lip colour so I really like it and the formulation is really nice.

Lipgloss: I really like this Milani 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss in Fashion Diva I think its so pretty but have to get it from the US so I am rationing it :)

Just had to stick this in here too.

Thank you so much to Kelly who recommended these. I love it. It is amazing. That is all :)

Now on to Items I will not be repurchasing

Sleek Palette in Circus: I am in love with my Sleek Bad Girl Palette and was so excited when I saw this on a blog sale and purchased it. Thank god I did not pay full whack. The colour pay off is brutal. I reckon I will stick with Sleeks darker colours.

Rimmel The Max Volume Mascara: Horrible formula very gloopy. Does nothing for my eyelashes

NYX Eye Pencil: Could be drawing on my waterline all day and would not get any colour off this pencil. It is pants.

Revlon Custom Eyes Shadow: Colour pay off is nill. I do like the colours in this but it's wayyyyy too sheer.

GOSH Mascara in Purple: Do like the brush etc but can't see it as purple when it goes on but saying that I may try the same mascara in regular old black and see how it goes.

GOSH Nail Polish in Holographic: SHOCK HORROR I know. I love the colour of this polish really really love it but I applied it at the weekend and realised I hate this polish. It took 4 coats and each one was a chore and then it chipped and chipped and chipped sorry I don't like it.

Lastly another shock horror 17 Beehive: It made my lips look really dry and icky and also is a bit sheer.

Hope you have enjoyed honeys please let me know some of your favourites cos I am always looking for new products to try out

XX

ELF Brushes

Hey Ladies

Today is the last day of my little ELF dedication week. Today's review is gonna be on their brush range. I was gonna do separate reviews on both ranges but decided to pop them both in on the one post. So there are 3 brush ranges that ELF supply, their regular range which are €1.70 each and then there are the studio range which are €4.00 each. There is also the Mineral range of brushes but I don't actually have any of them so can't give you a review on them sorry.

I am gonna review all the regular line brushes that I have purchased.

Foundation Brush: I can't say I liked this as a foundation brush but I have used it as a concealer brush for under my eyes and around my nose and find it quite handy for that.

Total Face Brush (Not Pictured): This brush I keep in my bag and use it to apply powder during the day. It is not the most wonderful brush in the world but it will do in a pinch. I think the problem is the fact that it is a 'total' face brush so its kinda good for everything but not brilliant at anything if you get me but still handy.

Blushing, Bronzing and Blending Brush: The head on this brush is a lot smaller than I expected it to be. For me I like my blusher brush to be a bit denser but I do use this brush daily for my contouring as it is slimmer and so is easier to pinpoint where I want to contour like the sides of my nose or temples.

Eyeliner Brush: By far the worst brush I have ever owned. I suppose I was mostly put off when it arrived and was hard and full of dust. As a user of angled eye liner brushes I just dunno what to be doing with this brush so it just sits in my brush stand I'm afraid. Definitely a no no.

Blending Eye Brush: This brush is the bomb I love it for blending out my darker colours that I use in the crease of my eye. In a pinch I have also used it simply to apply my eyeshadow. This is a must have brush.

Eye Crease Brush: Another must have brush from this range. Really nice for blending just in the crease. I have 2 of these brushes.

Eye Shadow Brush: This is the best brush in this range. I have about 6 of these now they are that good. They pick up eyeshadow brilliantly. They are just the right size for applying eyeshadow. If you fancy trying some ELF brushes definitely add this little beauty to your list.

So now I am going to move on to the collection of Studio Brushes that I have

Ohh apparently I do have a mineral Brush - this is the Mineral Kabuki Brush: I use this brush every single day. I will use it with my golden bronzer when I feel like being a bit more colourful. I also use this after I have applied my highlight blush and contour to blend it all in so that it looks more natural. I have actually just popped another onto my wishlist as it is that good. I also think I might pop the bigger body version on there too.

Complexion Brush: I like this brush to apply my highlight but that is really all I use it for. I am sure it could be used for applying your powder etc but I much prefer to apply my powders with the actual powder brush.
Stipple Brush: I have used this with my MAC moistureblend foundation and also with Studio Fix Fluid and Rimmel 25 hour and it works wonderfully every bit as good as the MAC version I have.

Powder Brush: This is such a good brush. I have two of these as recently I have started using one to apply my liquid foundation after seeing a YouTube video where the girl used it for foundation. It really is a super brush for foundation but I also use it for applying my Complexion Perfection powder and my Rimmel setting powder. These brushes are a must have.

Blush Brush: I think this is my most recent purchase from the Studio range and it is a great blush brush due to the shape. It has a nice oval tip to it so you can use it flat over wider spaces or side on for more detailed accurate application.

Overall Opinion:

I am really impressed with ELF brushes but what I have found is that if you want good face brushes go with the Studio line. The Studio line brushes are synthetic and are so so soft. The day I got my first powder brush I literally sat on the sofa watching TV and running it over my face.

On the other had if you are looking for eyeshadow/blending brushes I would say go for the regular line brushes. I am steadily collecting them and using nail polish on the bottom to remind me what colour I use them for. Eventually I would like a brush for each eyeshadow colour I use.

These brushes are well worth the money and if you are starting out they are a good way to get used to using brushes etc. The other thing I really like is rather than numbers they are actually labeled for their use.

Some day I hope to have them all :)

Hope you enjoyed my little ELF dedication. I have just placed another order and still have so many good products from them that I may well do this again shortly. Please let me know if you enjoyed this series and if you think it would be worthwhile maybe doing another. Also if there are any ELF products you would like to see me review.

Thanks Honeys

XX

If you wanna see what ELF say about these brushes head on over to their website www.eyeslipsface.co.uk.

ELF Studio Golden Bronzer

Hey Lovelies

Today is day 4 of my ELF dedication week. I will be reviewing my Golden Bronzer in this post.

I had originally ordered the Cool Bronzer as I assumed that it would be for cooler skintones but unfortunately it was very dark and too dark for my milk bottle skin so I decided to give the Golden one a whirl as I had heard so many good things about it from YouTube videos.

As you can see the bronzer is broken up in to 4 sections which can be used on their own or swirled together and used as one shade. I use this bronzer by swirling it all together because I think this gives it a much better shade.

I use this mostly as a highlight swirled around my cheekbones and temples and sometimes down the mid section of my face/nose. It gives such a lovely dewy glow to the skin when I use it this way. There is a fair bit of shimmer in this so if you are not into shimmer I would suggest getting the cool bronzer as it has no shimmer and you could use the lighter sections.

I have also noticed that there is a section of this bronzer that is practically identical to a MAC pressed iridescent powder in Belightful but I actually think the ELF version is nicer as the glitter is much more discrete than the MAC powder.

Hope you are enjoying my little series. Tomorrow, the final day :( ,will be about ELF brushes

Thanks for reading

XX

ELF Studio Cream Eyeliner

Happy Wednesday :)

We are half way through the week :)

Today's ELF review is for their Studio Cream Eyeliner. I am a big eyeliner fan and am on my second or third MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack. Ever since I found this I have been in love. I have tried other cheaper brands but always always come back to MAC. Well my lovelies I have to say I may just have found an alternative.

I have 2 of these Cream Liners, 1 in Purple and 1 in Metallic Olive.

What ELF Say:

Creates smooth lines that are defined and precise. Smudge-proof, budge-proof and water-resistant coverage for all day wear to combat against, sweat, tears and rain!

What I Say:

I purchased the Purple version of this Cream Eyeliner from the Studio range back at the beginning of March just to try for blogging purposes. I really did not hold high hopes for it after having so many disappointments with other companies. I love black eyeliner but on some days it is just a bit harsh and I feel like something a little less bold. I wear a lot of purples and greens on my eyes so I opted for purple on my first go.

I was so surprised by the quality of these liners. They go on so easily and really are precise. I use the same brush as I would use with my MAC liner and they effects are pretty much identical. I wear this on both my eyelid and on my waterline as I would with the MAC liner and I had no irritation or running eyes.

I tested out ELF's budge proof statement by drawing a line on my hand, leaving it for a few seconds and then tried to rub it off and it honestly didn't budge :).

Metallic Olive & Purple

I was so impressed with the purple one that I decided to get metallic olive which is also a fab colour and as olives and darker greens are what I am wearing most of at the minute this has had a good bit of use already and I only purchased it in mid April.

Metallic Olive & Purple

Thinking about it now I should really have gotten the black and put ELF on one eye and MAC on the other and seen how they both went - perhaps an experiment for the future. (And adds Black to her wishlist)

Price wise, as these are in the Studio line they are slightly more pricey at £3.50/€4.00 for 4.7g which is still a whole lot better value than what you will splash out for a 3g pot of MAC Fluidline.

I give these 5/5 as there is a great variety of colours (8), the quality of the product is just as good as high end stuff and they are great value for money. You will need your own brush though because the little brush supplied is not good enough.

So if you are thinking of venturing into the world of cream/gel liners pick yourself up some of these little beauties :)

Tomorrow's review will be on the Studio Golden Bronzer

XX

ELF All Over Colour Stick

Hey Honeys,

Hope you had a lovely Bank Holiday Monday yesterday - back to the grind stone today eh.

So sticking with my week dedicated to ELF cosmetics I am doing this little review on the All Over Colour stick. I have 2 of these little beauties and to be honest I don't have either that long.

I bought my first one, Pink Lemonade, in my second last ELF order which was back at the end of March but have used it every day since. The most recent one I got, Spotlight, I got in my most recent order in mid April.

Pink Lemonade (A bit grubby from use) & Spotlight

What ELF Say:

3 in 1 color for your eyes, lips, and or face! Get the color that illuminates for a healthy glow, and instantly soothes and conditions the skin for fresh and natural color all day long.

What I Say:

Now to be honest when I got the first one I wasn't too sure what I was gonna do with it. I had heard good reviews about these but really wasn't sure. So the morning after I got it I just bit the bullet and popped some on my cheek and cheekbone and blended it all in. I was so surprised by how well it blended in and the colour and effect it left on my face. I honestly looked like I was a teeny bit flushed which is exactly the look I aim for when applying a blusher. I have never used a cream type blusher before so this was a whole new experience for me and I was a teeny bit nervous but I loved how this looked it was so natural looking. Wearing it alone as a blusher it lasted pretty much the whole day but to be honest on the drive home it definitely was not as noticeable as it had been on the drive to work.

The next day I decided to try a bit of powder blusher over it and kind of use it as a base and this helped the staying power a bit more. It also made the powder blush stand out a bit more than if I had just used powder on it's own. I blended mine in a bit more than normal but if you like your blush to really pop then this is a good idea as a base.

When I got spotlight I used it just above my cheekbones as a highlight and it looks so pretty it is the perfect natural looking highlight. For additional staying power I have also used it with ELF Healthy Glow Bronzer in Luminance.

Pink Lemonade & Spotlight

To be honest I have never used these for anything other than my cheeks but I am sure they would make brilliant lippies if I was in a pinch.

These little beauties cost £1.50/€1.70 each and the quantity you get is 4g which is a bargain.

So my overall view on these is similar to yesterday 4/5. I love these, the shades a brill, the pay off is brill the only thing I didn't really like is that again the picture on the website is quite misleading as the stick looks massive and then when you get it it's so weeny. I love it and it is super cute but the picture is misleading.

Tomorrow I will be reviewing the Cream Eyeliners so pop over if you fancy fining out about these.

XX
http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/

My little break from the ban

Hey Ladies,

As you know I have taken a leaf from Carli... 's book and have started a spending ban, but remember this excludes certain bits on bobs like specials and PayPal money (Hoooray for PayPal)

So when I started the ban I did say I would be taking 26th April off as I was on my Holiday's and yay oh yay today is the 26th. So I was up with the lark just as I would be if I were away to work and headed up the road to Blanchardstown Shopping Centre for a little spree. I love showing off what I got and the OH will be like mmm yeah oh lovely mmm ha ha and my mum and sister both say I have too much make up already so I am counting on you lovelies to enjoy my purchases with me :)

So i got there about 9.45 and the bloody MAC counter in BT2 wasn't even open yet lazy sods so I tottled my way up to the large Boots for a nosy and was delighted to see what I could convince myself I needed in their 3 for 2 offer. I came out a little light handed to be honest cos all I got was the Witch Skin Primer, though I have been trying to hunt this down for a long time now (Kelly (bakesbeautyandblog) u r off the hook :)) This little beauty set me back €10.49 which to be honest I thought was a likkle bit steep but if it is as good as I am told it is it should be well worth it.

So across from the large Boots there is a massive Pennys/Primark so of course I had to hit there :) I got some nice little bits in Pennys more just to try out than anything else. I picked up a fab feather necklace €3, a feather hairband €3, this is a bit old lady but I got a sequence glasses case as I am away to Specsavers tomorrow and fingers crossed might be getting some new specs. The glasses case was €3. I also got 2 Lip Smackers which I have never tried but heard loads of good things about, I got regular Coca Cola and a Cherry Coke one and they were €1.95 each. Then in the make up type section I got a Novelty Tweezers €2, a Face Primer €3.50 (no idea how that will go) and an Eye Brow Kit Box which said €4 but only cost me €1 Score :) Have heard from Dee (Confessionsofamakeupaholic) that these kits aren't too shabby.

All this took me up to about 10.30am so I guessed BT2 would have to be open and legged it back down to the MAC counter where I got Greensmoke which I have wanted for a while now (I'm on a major olive/muddy green buzz at the minute so if any of you lovely ladies can recommend anything like this it would be much appreciated). I also asked the lady at the counter to recommend a nice nude lippie for my skin tone. She picked out a few different ones but thought that Myth suited me best so I purchased. Greensmoke - pan only €11.50, Myth Lipstick €17.50.

So from MAC I headed back upstairs again to H&M and finally had a look at some clothes. But of course ended up buying make up instead. I got this gorgeous little quad of eyeshadows and hoowwwww cute is that nail polish. The quad is in All This and Beauty 2 and was €3.95 - steal and the polish is Darling Pink and was €2.95 love it

So when I was in H&M I decided to try on a dress - bleugh horrible on me - but when I was in the changing room I popped on my new lippie and panic stations.... I hated it. It was such a horrible colour on me kinda made me look like a corpse. So I honestley paniced €17.50 on a lippie that was mingin hellllllll so I decided an emergency pit stop back in Boots was required to get a semi decent gloss to go with it. When I got to boots all the nude type glosses had peachy/goldeny tones to them except for one, Collection 2000 Lock'n'Hold Lipgloss in Urban Punk €4.69 so I grabbed it (tried it over Myth in the car after and it has saved my ass, still not blown away with the lipstick but at least now I can wear it). So then cos the 3 for 2 was on I picked up two 17 shadows in Statuesque and Rose Quartz €4.89 each and i also grabbed a hair colour Cosmic Blue €5.89.

Feeling a bit better and sporting my new lip combo I headed out to the retail park and popped into TK Maxx where I got some Tigi Bed Head shampoo and conditioner and a new holder for my little palettes.

So then it was home time - was home by about 12.30 and found these two lovelies on my door that I had ordered from eBay and Play.com

So that was my day off my ban - might have to get specs tomorrow but that is medical so afraid the ban doesn't cover that but apart from that from 12.00 tonight I can only spend PayPal money again :(

Hope you enjoyed

XX

A week dedicated to ELF

Hey all my lovelies I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend. I am lucky enough to be off for the entire week wohoooooo.

So I decided last week that this week Mon-Fri I will be dedicating to ELF as I am slowly falling head over heels in love with this brand. Every time I use a new products I nearly instantly fall in love and it makes it's way into my daily routine. I have noticed though that there are still a few bloggers and a whole heap of my friends that have not tried this amazing brand yet so I decided to do this little dedication.

I would just like to add here that ELF do not know that I am doing this and I have no affiliation with ELF. I have purchased all of these products myself and have used them all - You can see the usage.

So as I am on my quest to love lipsticks today I thought I would review my regular line lippies. I have 3 of the 6 shades available in this line of lipsticks, Fantasy, Seductive and Classy (In the order I purchased them)

These lipsticks are priced at an extremely reasonable £1.50/€1.70 and the quantity you get is 3.5g (that is 0.5g more than with a MAC lippie :-0 ) So when you take that into account these are such good value for money.

Left: Fantasy. Middle: Classy. Right: Seductive

What ELF Say:

Indulge your lips with long lasting color and shine. The moisture rich formula hydrates, conditions and softens on contact for silky smooth lips.

Directions

Apply to lips and blend in color for total lip saturation. Re-apply as often as desired.

Instantly beautiful, healthy-looking lips designed, formulated and tested by our professional team of makeup artists.

What I Say:

Now if you read my blog regularly you will know that I am not a massive lipstick lover and I don't claim to have the best knowledge of different brands etc but here is my humble opinion, I love these lipsticks. I have never been a big fan of lipsticks because most of the ones I have tried have always turned out quite sheer (probably cos I would tend to go for cheaper brands as I knew I would never end up wearing them). These lipsticks have such good colour pay off. They don't make you lips look dry like some lipsticks I have tried. They go on so easily and have a creamy feel to them. I can get to about lunch time before I feel the need to re-apply and that is simply because I have eaten and some of it has come off that way.

The packaging is not too shabby either. The silver coloured tube has a slim clear band around the middle which lets you see which shade is in it and the whole lipstick goes back into the tube for you to put the lid back on. I am clumsy and this is a necessity for me has I have been known to jam the lid into the actual lipstick if it isn't in the whole way :)

Of the colours I have my favourite so far is Classy as it is a real day to day colour the payoff is wonderful but it is a toned down colour so I like it for during the day. Fantasy is another nice daytime colour although when I got it I was a bit disappointed about how brown it looked I thought it would have been a more nude lighter colour but I really like it for a daytime lip now. The last colour was seductive which is more of an evening colour although I have worn it during the day also its a much richer almost red pink but also gives my lips a healthy colour.

Left: Fantasy. Middle: Classy. Right: Seductive

So all in all I would give these lippies about a 4/5 and they only lose a mark as you cannot be too sure of what you are getting by choosing from the swatches on the site. I would recommend googling them to see more realistic swatches. Upon saying that though I have just added the other 3 shades to my wishlist :)

Stay tuned for tomorrows review on All Over Colour Sticks

XX

http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/

Lipstick Update

Hi there my lovelies,

Just a quick update on my quest to fall in love with lipsticks. I was sooo good this week and wore a lipstick every single day which I am delighted about and over the week have found at lease one lipstick I am in love with. So here is how I got on.

Sunday 17 - I started strong and wore MAC Up the Amp which for me is quite a bold colour but it went well with what I was wearing. I really liked the consistency of this it was real creamy on my lips and there was even a nice taste off it so I really like this colour. I got this when I did a back to MAC a few weeks ago as up to now I would never pay that much for a lipstick. I loved the texture of this so much that I am gonna invest in a nice nudey colour this week.

Monday 18 - I used Lacura (Aldi) Lippie in 431 which is a toned down version of Up the Amp. I find these lippies to be really good quality they application is quite similar to MAC if I am honest the only problem is that a lot of the shades are mostly browns which I am not so into.

Tuesday 19 - I wore the lipstick that I have the longest, Rimmels Asia. It is that old I have no idea what kind of lipstick it is :) It is a really nice nude/pink with a hint of brown. I do like this lipstick and have worn it down quite a bit and to be honest when it is gone I probably will be re-purchasing it. It's got a great consistency and colour pay off.

Wednesday 20 - Wednesday's choice was ELF's regular line lipstick in Fantasy. I would never have picked this colour in a shop but on the website it didn't look as brown as when it arrived. When it arrived it was sooo disappointed with the shade but when I tried it on it really suited my skin tone so I decided to give it a whirl and I really liked the colour pay off etc as well.

Thursday 21 - I went to work wearing Rimmels Asia again but when I came home at lunch time there was a lovely little parcel waiting for me which had some goodies that I got in Charli...'s blogsale and one of the items was ELF's Mineral Lipstick in Ripe Rose. This has to be my new favourite lipstick. It is the perfect shade of red for daytime. I love it and the consistency, application and pay off from this lipstick and will def be investing in more of these. I went down town on Thursday evening and made the most of Boots 3 for 2 and invested in a 17 lipstick in Beehive.

Friday 22 - Excited by my new purchase I wore my new Beehive to work in the morning but I don't think I am getting on too well with this lipstick and thankfully I had my Urban Decay Buzzkill in my bag so I ended up changing lippies by about 12.00 and wore Buzzkill for the rest of the day.

Saturday 23 - I had to pop into town in the morning so I decided to wear ELF's regular lipstick in Classy as I had quite a colourful eye going on and this just toned it down a bit. I wore classy for the rest of the day. I do think I will be getting a few more of ELFs regular line lippies as they are so good.

Sunday 24 - Today was my other half's birthday so I got all dolled up in case we ended up going somewhere nice and was wearing a moss coloured eye so I went with ELF's mineral in Ripe Rose again. As the day went on we decided to get a Chinese for dinner with his folks so I made a quick dash home to change my clothes and swapped my lip from Ripe Rose to 17 Beehive to make my make up more neutral for my new jeans and sweater combo :).

MAC Up the Amp, Lacura, ELF Fantasy, ELF Classy, ELF Mineral Ripe Rose, 17 Beehive, Rimmel Asia

So for the rest of this week I am on my holidays and have a little spending spree planned for Tuesday. I am hoping to get a nice new nude from MAC as I don't think I really like Beehive. Hopefully one of the MAC ladies will help me out.

So my lovely ladies, if you know of any lippies you think I should be trying please let me know because I really really want to have a nice selection of lippies.

Thanks honeys

XX

A funny old day & 2 more RAKs

Hi Ladies

Had a very hectic day today very up and down. It's 12 at night and I am only just after putting on the laptop been on the go since 7.30. Although I had a few bad experiences today I did also get a lot of lurverly stuff in the post so I am still quite cheery despite all the stress.

So I decided to blog a little bit before I switch this off and hit the sack. I firstly wanna say thanks so much to all the lovely RAK Ladies as I got 2 great packages in the post today. I came home at lunch time to find 3 parcels sitting on my doorstep as I also received goodies from Charli who had a blog sale recently and I couldn't resist a cheeky purchase.  

So here is the first RAK I opened. (I opened them at lunch like a kiddie at Christmas)

These goodies are from Kelly - Thank u Kelly - Its a gorgeous MUA Eye dust in Shade 2 which is an amazing deep purple and an MUA eye liner in Lovely Lilac. I love MUA and so delighted with these as it's very difficult for me to get MUA in Ireland but the lovely Dee who has access to a Superdrug is my new supplier :) - Thanks Dee. I love the colour of these I swatched them both at lunch :)

The next RAK I received was.....

These gorgeous bits are from Leanne - Thanks Leanne :) - A gorgeous blue and blingy bracelet (i love these kinds of bracelets :) ) and a nail polish by Technic in Kook Kiwi, I am really excited about these as I am obsessed with nail polish and have never used this brand and it is a lovely summer colour.

So the thrid parcel was from Charli and was full of goodies that I order from her blog sale which I think is still going for a little while, check out her blog I have linked it above.

So the goodies I got from Charlie was an ELF mineral lipstick which is something I have never tried before but after getting so excited and wearing this back to work from lunch I will be buying more. The shade I got from Charli was Ripe Rose - love it. I also received Avon Nail Wear Arabian Glow in Teal Infusion which is gorgeous bright colour for summer, OPI in Baby It's 'Coal' Outside which I know already will be an autumn/winter staple for me I love my dark polishes and the last goody she sent me was a No. 7 shadow in Comet - purrrrrrty :) So thanks Charli I love it all xx

And then after work I popped to my local town to meet my Mum to help her pick a pressie for my other half for his birthday and I may have popped to Boots as my workmate asked me to get her some eye make up remover while I was in the town and as it was 3 for 2 on most of the products in Boots I made the most of it so I really only paid for the lipstick :)

So what I got was the 17 lipstick in Beehive which I have heard great reviews about and as I am only at the beginning of my quest to Love Lipsticks I thought I would get it and I also got Barry M Nail Effects in Pink which I was soooooo excited about because it normally takes yonks for us to get the good stuff in my little town.

And then as an extra treat I must have accidentaly left my delivery address as my Mums house on an eBay transaction with Beautyzone2007 and these two beauties arrived at her house this morning and she took them into town to give them to me hoooooray

This is China Glaze in Light as Air and my very first Orly polish in Purple Pleather so I am really excited to try it.

So in all my day had a lot of ups to match the crappy downs and I am going to bed pretty happy. I hope you enjoyed my little ramble I do like to share my excitement of getting new pretty things :)

Please check out all the lovely ladies I have mentioned in this post, my RAK buddies are linked below and Charli is linked above.

Have a lovely long weekend ladies - I will be having a busy one as the OH 's Birthday is this weekend :)

Kelly

Dee

Ellie

Lauren

OPI Shapely Shapers Set

Hey Honeys,

I received these in the post yesterday and was delighted as I only ordered them from an eBay seller on Friday :-0 How quick was that.

Anyway I sold a few bits and bobs on eBay and used the proceeds to fund this little purchase as I am still on my spending ban :-) I can't wait for next Tuesday when I have a little spree planned for my week off my ban.

Anyway back to the goodies received, OPI's Shapely Shapers Set. How cute is it.

In the set you get a full sized bottle of Bubble Bath and Strawberry Margarita.

Bubble Bath is a very pretty pale almost nude pink It's almost like a shade you would use during a french manicure but I think with 3 coats it will make a nice pink/nude colour

Strawberry Margarita is a hot pink colour which I have on today - If you follow me on twitter I posted a picture as my NOTD today. Its a gorgeous hot pink colour which I always love for summer. It took 3 coats to get it completely opaque but I am a stickler when it comes to my nails and most polishes take 3 coats in my book :-)

Along with 2 gorgeous polishes you also get a handy little nail file and tweezers that are just sooooo adorable. They have both just earned themselves a home in my handbag. I have used the tweezers last night and it is wonderful. I use a generic one I got in Duane Reade in NY a few years ago and have been minding it like gold dust because I haven't found one as good since but I think this little beauty will do just as good.

 

I purchased this set from an eBay seller I have used a few times now and again super service. The price was about €14.00 which I think was a steal as in my local Sallys 1 bottle of OPI is €14.00. Bargain.

If you fancy similar tweezers and nail files Kelly over at Bakes Beauty & Blog has just posted a review on some similar goodies so pop over and take a look.

If you wanna have a look at the seller here is the link - she also does China Glaze, Orly and Essie

http://shop.ebay.ie/beautyzone2007/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

Hope you enjoy

XX

NYX Blush

Hey there Lovely Ladies

Have dug these blushes out lately so decided to do a quick review on them. Up till the recent spat of good weather I had been using my ELF Bronze & Blush compact but since this lovely weather arrived I decided to dig out some of my brighter colours and I have fallen in love with them all over again :)

I have 2 NYX blushes, Raisin and Pinky.

Pinky - The Picture does not do this shade justice

Raisin

I have to say I do use Raisin as a contour with Pinky as the blush and the combination of these two blushers is just gorgeous. I can't get over the pigmentation of these blushers.

The top swatch is Raisin with Pinky below it. I think the two colours compliment each other to perfection.

As I say pigmentation wise they give some serious colour pay off as you can see from the pictures. Also there is very little fall out so you don't loose more blush than you put on. I find some blushers I end up blowing more off the brush/compact than goes on my face half the time but I don't have this problem with these.

Price wise they ended up costing me about €5.00 each on eBay which I think is very reasonable and the pan size is quite big at 4g. I am definitely gonna be investing in a few more of these before summer is in full swing and probably a few more bits from NYX, I just find the quality so good. I have only had a chance to use a couple of their products as it is quite difficult to get your hands on in Ireland but will definitely be trying more.

If you want to have a look at the seller on eBay I used this is the link http://shop.ebay.ie/shopstick168/m.html?_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A2471&rt=nc&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14.l1513&_pgn=1

You can also get your hands on NYX goodies through www.cherryculture.com

Hope you enjoyed

XX

Sunday ramble

Hello Lovelies,

I am just having a ramble today about something I have tried the last few days and found really really good. Normally I apply my foundation with my fingers as I think it is easier to blend etc. I had tried foundation brushes and stippling brushes but always reverted back to the tools god gave me :)

I was watching a YouTube video about applying MAC face and body foundation the other evening and the lovely girl doing the tutorial was using ELFs studio powder brush to apply her foundation. So yesterday I thought I would give it a go and see how it went. I used my MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation first to see how it went and it gave a really nice finish to my foundation and blended it in really really well.

So in case it was a fluke I used it today with my Rimmel 25 hour foundation and although I may have had to apply a teeny bit more foundation than normal it again did a brilliant job at blending and coverage.

So give it a go. Here are the brushes I have tried so far and the ELF Studio Powder brush for €4.00 it's worth popping on your next ELF order. And another great point is, no matter how often I clean my stipple brushes they are always left a bit discoloured where I don't think I will have this problem with the Powder Brush.

XX

Link to video that gave me the idea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZNZk4YOqpA