Cream Eyeshadow Convert

Recently there has been an influx of cream eyeshadows in both the high street shops and in higher end products. Lots of people are put off by creams as they stereotypically crease and slide all over the place. I personally love them, they are super quick to apply as brushes aren't necessary and they last all day on my eyelids even though they can get quite greasy. If I know I will be wearing the eyeshadow for more than around eight hours I  will however use the e.l.f. eyelid primer which is surprisingly good, especially as it is so cheap. Cream shadows can be either used by themselves or layered under a powder eyeshadow to increase its vibrancy or longevity.

Popular creams include the MAC paintpots (which I have yet to try) as well as the Laura Mercier Creme Eye Colours. If you want a cheaper option you could go with the MeMeMe Dew Pots or my personal favourites, the Maybelline Colour Tattoos. E.l.f. even do their own versions which are part of their studio line and priced at only £3.50.

The first product in the swatch above is the e.l.f. Cream Eyeshadow in the colour Dawn. I love the shimmer that it gives to the lids because it is so effortless but looks really put together once the rest of the make up is done. The middle shade is the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in the colour  40 Permanent Taupe. It's a matte taupe shade which looks great under other eyeshadows. My favourite of the three is the last shade, another Colour Tattoo but in number 35 On and On Bronze. I wear this all over the lid with just a brown eyeliner and lashings of mascara to add some colour and definition. The Maybelline creams are smoother in texure than the e.l.f product which makes the application that little bit easier. They are all however great shades that I  switch between often. The only downfall of the Colour Tattoos are the shade range. The two colours I have are the only ones that to me, are wearable on a day to day basis and I wish we had some of the other neutral shades that came out in the States. I would have loved to see a champagne shade or even a peachy nude shade! Hopefully they will bring out new shades to the UK in the future.

Have you tired any of the products above? I would love any suggestions for any more neutral cream eyeshadows that are available in the UK.

Hayley xxx

Products I Regret Buying

In the last two or three years I have really started to get into make up therefore have experimented with a lot of cheaper products to get a feel for which I like. This therefore means that you buy something, use it a few times, decide you don't like it and it then gets put into the back of your make up draw. In saying this, it could be said the same for higher end products as price does not always necessarily mean that you will love it.

First up is this Urban Decay eye shadow in the colour 'Midnight Cowboy Rides Again.' This is my biggest disappointment as when I swatched it years ago, it was such a beautiful colour. However, when I got it home and started to use it, it was almost like the top layer vanished to leave a really un-pigmented, chunky glitter. I then disregarded it as this made it so hard to work with because of all the fall out. I did see online that you can use them with a wet brush so I might try that to see if it makes the application easier. 

On the right is the Rimmel Exaggerate liquid eyeliner in black. When I bought this I had previously used the No7 liquid liner in black-brown and I wanted a black one for in the evenings. Firstly, the consistency of this is watery which reduces the pigmentation and means that it takes a while to dry. Also, the brush is really thick which means it's almost impossible to make a thin line. Because of this I have only used it a few times and am still looking for a good black liquid liner. Any suggestions?

Here is the Natural Collection Tinted Moisturiser in the colour 'natural.' This must have been one of the first make up items I ever bought but I have only used it twice. The product itself is greasy and I found it looked patchy in some places on my skin in the dryer areas. The one positive point about this product is that it is only £1.99 however it only comes in three shades.

Next up is the e.l.f. All Over Colour Stick in the shade 'Spotlight.' As soon as I opened the packaging I knew I wouldn't like it because the smell hits you. It's so sickly and sweet (not in a nice way!) and really puts you off applying it to your face. On the other hand, the colour is quite nice but doesn't stay very long on the skin and the writing on the packaging has come off. 

Another e.l.f. product here. This is their Total face Brush from their normal collection. I haven't got much to say about this apart from it's awful. Some would say that with the £1.50 price tag I should have expected it but I truly love some of my other e.l.f. brushes. The brush doesn't feel smooth at all and when you apply powder to your face with it, it feel like it's scratching my face which is never good! 

I have seen my last product in quite a few of these 'What I Regret Buying' posts and I really know why. I bought this Rimmel Stay Matte stick concealer because I  liked the idea that it claimed to not clog pores and had an inner core which was meant to treat blemishes. When I applied it on a blemish I found it was really dry and made it even more obvious. This therefore meant I have only used it once and have stayed clear of stick concealers in general.

I hope this post wasn't toooo negative and helps someone who is thinking of purchasing any of these products :) Next up is a NOTD and when the packages arrive, a mini haul! 

Hayley xxx

Top 5 Spring Nail Polishes

Those eagle- eyed of you would have seen the title and expected a picture of five nail polishes not four however my first spring favourite is one that I have ran out of recently. It was a limited edition No7 polish in the colour Top Toes and even though it was a tiny 4ml bottle, I am rather impressed that I have actually finished a nail polish! The colour is a very natural, light taupe shade with no shimmer to it and I can safely say it is my all time favourite colour. It's appropriate for all year round and looks sophisticated on the nails giving off slightly different hues in different lights. If anyone can recommend me a similar shade based on my limited description please do not hesitate to comment below!

Anyway, on with the first polish in the picture above.. This infamous Barry M nail paint is in the shade #317 Blue Moon and looks almost matte however does in fact have really tiny blue shimmer throughout which is hardly noticeable. This shade is perfect for the spring as it fits the trend of pastels and makes blue a very wearable colour to sport on your nails. For an opaque colour two coats is necessary and I find it lasts a good four to five days with a good top coat which I think is pretty decent. 

My next pick of the bunch is another Barry M nail paint in #308 Berry. It's not at all a berry shade but more of a lilac which also fits in the the pastels trend. I find Barry M has an amazing colour range at a great price, the consistency and longevity on your nails isn't too bad either. Downsides of this brand include that some are hit and miss in terms of opaqueness with some having to apply 3 coats to create the desired effect. Also, the brush isn't for me. As I said in my 'Nails of the Day' post a few days ago, I prefer larger, flat brushes to apply my polish however these are small and thin.

I'll not go on too long about my next polish as I featured it in my last 'Nails of the Day' post which you can read here. Mango Madness by e.l.f. is the only bright colour I have featured but makes me happy whenever I look down at my nails and excited for the summer. All e.l.f. nail polishes are only £1.50 and great value seeing as this colour stayed on my nails for 5 days before a tiny chip appeared!

My last spring nail polish is Pinky Pure by No7 and I picked this up recently with a £5 off voucher that Boots give out when you make a purchase of £5 or more. Like Mango Madness and Berry there is no shimmer to the polish and it's the prefect pink to wear for a bit of subtle colour. It's really fast drying however a massive con is that you have to apply three or four coats to achieve an opaque colour. This makes the whole process of application really long as you have to wait til each coat is perfectly dry before applying the next or else it gets ruined easily. In saying this, the colour is lovely and does stay on your nails without chipping for a good six days if you're careful.

So that's my roundup of my favourite spring polishes, do you have any you'd like to recommend for me to try?

March Favourites

I know this is a little late but I thought it might be nice to show you my March Favourites. The Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake is my most recent purchase and has managed to wriggle its way into my favourites. I'm not going to bang about it for too long as I recently wrote a blog post all about it so go and check that out if you are interested.

                                     

Below is the No7 Translucent Pressed Powder and due to the warmer weather at the beginning of the month I have used this every day since. I have normal to dry skin so in the colder months I don't feel the need to powder however as it gets warmer I like to take it just through my T zone to take away any shine. This compact is brilliant for that and as you can see from the picture I have severely hit pan. I will be repurchasing this once it runs out after I've tried the Rimmel Pressed Powder as I have heard many good things.

My last make-up item is the Sleek Storm eyeshadow palette. For my brows nearly every day I use a tiny bit of black mixed with the lightest matte shade on the top row to create the perfect ashy colour. I dont wear eyeshadow on my eye lids day to day however on a night out I always use the browns and champagne colour to create a smokey eye. They are so easy to blend and are so pigmented which is why I love them!

For my brows and to add definition to my eyes I always use the e.l.f. small angled brush. It distributes exactly the right amount of product and because its not still like a lot of angled brushes, you are able to smudge eyeshadow across the lash line really easily. 

I think dry shampoo is the products that almost everyone owns. I used to wash my hair every day but felt it was getting too damaged so I tried the Tresemme instant refresh dry shampoo and I have never looked back! It gives loads of volume to the roots, smells great and doesn't leave white patches in your hair (*cough* Batiste).

Lastly, as I said before I have quite dry skin and I keep this Avon hand and nail cream in my bag/ on my desk/ wherever I go. I really like the smell because it isn't too strong and it's really moisturising as it contains glycerine. It sinks into your skin really well and makes your hands feel baby soft :)

 That's it for my March favs, I'd love to know products you've been loving this month  :)

Nails of the Day #1

                                    

As I change my nail polish up fairly regularly I thought 'Nail of the Day' pics would be a nice and quick post that I could put up on weekends. Here I have on an e.l.f. nail polish in Mango Madness. By the swatches on the website I thought it would be more of a muted, coral colour but it is in fact a bright orange. This scared me for a while as I bought it a good 6 months ago and I felt it was more of a spring/summer colour. However, the other day I saw it in my collection and thought I would give it a go. The polish is really opaque and you could definitely get away with only one coat  but I always apply two just for good measure. All e.l.f. polishes are only £1.50 which is great value however as expected, they do not come without flaws. Personally I prefer thin, flat applicator brushes and these come with thin, circular ones (similar to Barry M) which is a bit of a downside. Also, they take fooooreveer to dry. I am not sure if it just this one because the two others that I own do not take as long which is a bit strange. If you can find a bit of time or a brilliant topcoat to seal the polish then I don't think you can beat the value for money.

My next post will be 'My Favourite Spring Nail Polishes' so keep your eyes peeled for that. Do you own any e.l.f. nail polishes? If so, which would you recommend?

TAG: 7 Deadly Beauty Sins

GREED

What is your most inexpensive beauty product?

That would have to be my e.l.f. nail polishes. They are only £1.50 and I believe when I bought them, I had an amazing code for 50% off. Here are the colours Purple Pleaser (which is more of a raspberry shade) and Medium Red (which is errrr...a medium red :P ) Truthfully, they aren't the best quality nail polishes however with a good base and top coat, I can get them to last about four or five days without chipping which is pretty good for 75p :)

What is your most expensive beauty product?

I am assuming perfume counts as beauty here so that is my Miss Dior eau de parfum. For only 30ml, the bottle was around the £50 mark from what I can remember but I just adore the scent for in the evenings. 

WRATH

What product do you have a love/hate relationship with?

This one is easy and I am sure I will have a lot of people who agree with me on this one. The powder 'chocolate' bronzer by Bourjois is no doubt my go to bronzer for every day, however the pigmentation some days is awful. Some times I feel that is gives the right amount of warmth in my face but other times I feel that it is too orange, and not pigmented enough for it to be easily blended out.

What was your most hard to find product?

Generally, that would be avon products. My favourite is this lip cream of theirs which I use all through the day, every day. I am dreading the moment it runs out as  you can see by the packaging, it was limited edition to the christmas collection and I haven't seen it since. So if anyone comes across it, please leave a comment!

GLUTTONY

What are your most delicious beauty products?

I received the Marc Jacobs Daisy luminous body lotion as a gift and I just love it. The packaging is amazing and the lotion smells just like the Daisy perfume which is delicious in itself! To add to this, it has a tiny bit of shimmer to it which is great in the summer on a night out. It is just beautiful :)

SLOTH

What products do you neglect due to laziness?

I could go on four ages on the products I neglect. Some days I just opt for some moisturiser and mascara but the products I really rarely reach for are lipsticks and lipglosses. I love wearing them for short amounts of time but I hate having the hassle of reapplication. I do wear lipstick way more than lipgloss in saying that but for every day, I usually just reach for a lip balm. I am thinking that maybe the Revlon lip butters will sway me. Anyone else excited about their release in the UK next week? 

PRIDE 

What product gives you the most confidence?

I have pretty good skin but dark blue/purple tones under my eyes so I would say a corrective concealer would give me the most confidence. In saying this, if I was to walk out the house with just concealer on I would never feel complete without mascara. I feel that mascara just makes me more awake and ready for the day when used with eyelash curlers so I think it would have to be mascara :)

LUST

What attributes do you find attractive in the opposite sex?

As everyone has been saying, this is such a random addition tot he tag. However I do like a man who can make me laugh (cliche I know, but so important). Physically, I like a nice smile and someone with a nice upper body to hug me and keep me safe :)

ENVY

What products would you like to receive as a gift?

Oooo where do I begin?! I would love to receive MACs harmony blush becayse it sounds great of pailer skins. I would also love the Bourjois highlighter as well as maybe a few essie nail polishes thrown in for good measue :)

My Every Day Make-up Bag

So, what is in my everyday make-up bag? I thought I would do this post to give you a little insight into me and what I put on my face every morning all bleary eyed and half asleep :) This is one of those if-you-buy-many-no7-products-then-you-get-a-free-make-up-bag-filled-with-make-up bags and as you can see it is fit to burst. I switch up the content from time to time but this happens to be what is in there now.

First of all I start by giving my face a good moisturise which the Olay day cream with SPF 15. I have incredibly dry skin, especially in the winter months, and i find it really helps my foundation to glide on as well as giving me a little bit of sun protection. The foundation I am using at the moment is Bourjois healthy mix serum in the colour Vanilla and it describes itself as a semi-matte finish. I find it is perfect for a nice light coverage used with my elf powder brush. In conjunction with this I use the healthy mix correcting concealer which really helps to cancel out the blue tones under my eyes. I seem to always neglect powder which I probably shouldn't do. I haven't found one that copes well with dryer skins to help set my base. Any suggestions?

To the right are the tools I use. The elf powder brush for foundation, the elf stipple brush for a light dusting of bronzer (as I am so pale I find this brush really helps to deposit a small amount of product) and the elf complexion brush for blusher. The one item I could not live without are my eyelash curlers (RED at Boots) which just help to give me that wide eyed, fresh faced look.

You've all seem this bronzer before. It's the Bourjois powder bronzer aka the chocolate bronzer. I have been using this for years and some days I love it but some days I hate it as it can look a bit orangey on my skin tone. As i said this before, I use it will a stippling brush to apply minimal product. I often skip blusher as I get very very rosy cheeks and I don't like to emphasise it. However on that odd occasion when I do reach for it, I usually go for more peachy/coral colours such as the elf mineral blush in coral.

Up to now my daily make-up routine is very similar, however when I get to the application of eyeliner, it changes daily as I never seem to be satisfied. One day it is no eyeliner, then its just eyeliner on the top water line, then its Kohl smudged into both top and bottom lashes. For the water line and winged liner I love the elf cream eyeliner as it glides on effortlessly and hasn't dried up in the four or five months I have owned it. For pencil, I regularly use the Bourjois eyeliner- black with purple reflections. I find the hint of purple really brings out my brown eyes.

Lastly is mascara. If there was only one product I owned it would be this. Maxfactor masterpiece max is the best mascara I have found to date. It really volumises whilst holding curl which I really look for. For my bottom lashes I need something more waterproof so at the moment I am using Loreal waterproof telescopic. I really don't rate this mascara for top lashes because I find they go spidery however it doesn't budge, even when I use make-up remover which can be quite frustrating. To finish my face off I use the MUA clear mascara just to brush through my eyebrows as they don't really need any filling in.








I love to read blogs about a persons daily make-up as it gives me inspiration to use different things. Comment if you have any views on any of the products I use or if you have any recommendations :)