MAKEUP BRUSH COLLECTION | DE-CLUTTER + NEW BRUSHES | PART ONE

Hello everyone! If you read one of my recent posts talking about my january must-buys, then you will probably know that i talked a little bit about being inspired to have a good makeup brush de-clutter after picking up a new brush set in the sales and receiving one for Christmas also. With that in mind i thought why not document and share with you all of the new brushes i have to replace old brushes (which lets face it, who hasn't held onto/hoarded too many brushes?) and also the brushes i still wanted to keep in my collection. As i do still have quite a large amount of brushes, i thought i would split this post into two parts starting with face brushes.

ps...insta girl perfecting powder brush 
For the longest time i have used the Real Techniques blush brush as a powder brush, but i decided as it was well overdue being thrown in the bin, why not just try a different one out. I picked this one up in Primark for £6 recently and i was so amazed, as the bristles are super soft and it is really well made as it feels weighty rather than plastic-y. I definitely want to pick some more up soon.

real techniques fresh faced favourites set
So this is the brush set that i received for Christmas from one of my sisters, which was perfect timing because some of the brushes inside this set i already owned and they were also ready for being replaced. This set contains a bb/cc brush, contour brush (one of my faves), a detailer brush and some of the exclusive set wedge sponges all for £19.99 from Superdrug in selected stores and online.

real techniques filtered face set
This was the particular brush set i was talking about that i picked up in the sales for £40 instead of £80, which is such a bargain for what you get inside of the set and a lot of the brushes are everyday favourites of mine. This set contains the following face brushes, buffing brush, contour brush, setting brush (which i now own three of but it is probably my all time favourite brush from the brand) and a stippling brush.

real techniques bold metals 301 flat contour brush
So the final Real Techniques brush of the bunch (can you tell by now that they are my favourite?) and the most expensive brush i own now, but probably one of my top favourites to apply and blend cream contour out with. As the bristles on this brush are quite dense you can be a lot more precise with the product you are apply and to where, especially when it comes to contouring your jaw or nose. If you were to buy this brush individually it would set you back £22, although Boots currently have a Bold Metals set available containing six brushes and two sponges for £50 (half price).

freedom ff104 powder and bronzer brush 
If i am ever asked on what really affordable but great quality brushes to try out, i always recommend Freedom brushes and more specifically their face brushes. I first tried these particular brushes out last year for the first time and i was/still am honestly shook on how great in quality they are for under £2 each, i love using one for applying bronzer and the other for blush.

freedom ff103 stippling brush
Another freedom face brush that i probably couldn't be without now actually, is the stippling brush. A lot of people tend to use a stippling brush for applying foundations/bb-creams, but i actually love using mine to apply highlighter with as it applies the right amount of product and blends it out flawlessly. To do this i don't pick up the product head on, i use the side of the brush to apply and blend out on an angle. This brush is also under £2.

mua f11 highlighting brush
Fun fact when i first started out with experimenting with makeup MUA is actually the brand of brushes i first owned and i loved them, obviously over time i have replaced them until recently when i picked up a few new ones to try again. The brushes i particularly picked up were highlighting brushes, the f11 (ABH highlighting brush dupe), f7 small fan brush and the f8 fan brush. Just like Freedom brushes, MUA brushes are also perfect if you are on a budget but still want a great quality product. 

shop the brushes sold separately...
| ps...insta girl perfecting powder brush (in-store only) | real techniques setting brush | real techniques stippling brush | real techniques flawless base makeup brush set (contour + buffing brush) | mua f7 brush | mua f8 brush | freedom ff104 brush | freedom ff103 brush |

xo.

EVERYDAY WARM AUTUMNAL EYESHADOWS

Hello everyone! So last week i shared my current everyday go-to base makeup and in that post i mentioned how i had been loving wearing a warm matte brown shade, simply buffed out in the crease as well as on the lid. With that in mind for today's post i thought i would share with you some of my current favourite warm autumnal matte brown shades, that i have been reaching for on an everyday basis.

dose of colors baked browns eyeshadow palette

Ever since i first got my hands on this particular palette, i have been completely obsessed with this one particular shade in the palette which is called "deserted". The shade deserted is the most beautiful/perfect warm caramel/beige shade, that looks amazing either just in the crease as a transition shade or for an all over look. This particular palette is amazing for makeup in a rush, as these shadows blend/apply beautifully and effortlessly. This palette is more on the expensive side at £28 for just five shadows, but for this shade worth it.

too faced chocolate bar eyeshadow palette

So i love love love this palette, but i only ever tend to reach for these two particular shades that happen to be perfect for the warm matte brown eye look, that i am loving recently. These two shades are salted caramel and semi-sweet, the first is the most beautiful medium warm caramel/beige matte shade and then following up with semi-sweet which is slightly deeper but still on the warm side. These particular sized eyeshadow palettes by Too Faced retail for £39, but for the quality/amount of shadows and not to mention how amazing the shadows smell, well worth investing in either this one or the sweet peach one.

freedom #proartist sweet life, freedom #proartist brown sugar, makeup geek frappe

Next up we have a few of my go-to warm shades from my well loved custom palette, which has eyeshadows from MAC, Freedom, Makeup Geek and Morphe. That being said at the moment these three particular ones are my favourite, the Freedom #ProArtist eyeshadows are such amazing value for money as they only retail for £1-2 (£5 for 5 pack) and they are equally as pigmented/easy to blend as high-end eyeshadows. Makeup Geek eyeshadows are also another great affordable eyeshadow brand, the shade frappe has been a favourite of mine for so long now. All three of these shades are super warm and more on the orange/burnt side of brown, which is what makes them perfect for this time of year.

urban decay naked heat eyeshadow palette

Finally we have two of my favourite shades from the most talked about eyeshadow palette recently, which has also been branded the perfect autumnal palette by so many people (me included). This palette is great for creating both matte and shimmer eye looks, but the shades sauced and low blow are perfect for creating that effortless warm brown eye look. Just like the Too Faced eyeshadow palettes, the Naked palettes are also more on the expensive side at £39.50 and i would definitely say if you haven't ever tried one of the palettes before, this one is a must-try along side the Naked 2 palette.

Catch up on my previous post HERE...

xo.

BUDGET BEAUTY WEEK: FULL COVERAGE GLOW-Y BASE FOR UNDER £50

Hello everyone and welcome to the final instalment of "budget beauty week" on my blog! To finish the theme week off, i thought i would re-visit and share an updated version of a popular post from earlier in the year which you can catch here. Since that post i have discovered a bunch of new products/ways to get products for less, that all go towards creating a perfect full coverage yet glow-y looking base for under £50. All of the products in this post are equally as good as some high-end products, extremely pigmented and easy to work with. I have also linked where to get what at the best offer/the lowest prices.

rimmel #insta fix & go 2-in-1 prime and setting spray (£6.99)

Kicking things off with the primer/setting spray duo that i have been personally not been able to put down, ever since i first tried it. Not only are you saving space in your makeup bag, but you are also saving money rather than buying two different products, you only need to buy one as you can use this to prime and set the face. I love how quickly this sinks into the skin, as well as leaving your skin feeling super fresh and hydrated.

revlon colorstay 24h foundation in the shade 220 (£7.25)

I think as of recent this is probably my second favourite drugstore/affordable foundation, next to my beloved maybelline fit me matte and poreless foundation (but i always talk about that). The finish of this foundation is simply beautiful, it looks super flawless yet light-weight feeling on the skin, it has build-able medium/full coverage. The great thing about this foundation is that it comes in two different finishes for different skin types, normal/dry and combination/oily. If you want to take that natural radiant look to the next step, a drop of facial oil looks stunning added with the foundation. 

bourjois radiance reveal concealer in the shade light (£7.99)

This particular concealer was my concealer of choice for pretty much the whole of last year and that still continued this year also, along side the maybelline fit me concealer. If you want that highlighted/healthy radiant look both under the eyes and other highlighted areas of the face, then this concealer is a must try. I love how super light-weight it is yet still has amazing coverage and stays in place without creasing, it is honestly just an all round beautiful concealer.

maybelline fit me matte and poreless powder (£3.98)

If you are like me and love the maybelline fit me foundation/concealer, then you are going to love this powder equally as much. This particular powder is a newer release by the brand and like the other products in the fit me range, it is super affordable and does exactly what it says it does. The great thing about this powder is that it comes in a wide range of different skin-tone shades, as well as a translucent shade which is the one i personally like the most as i would rather not add any further colour or change the colour of my foundation/concealer.

makeup revolution liquid highlighter in the shade luminous gold (£6)

If you are scared to give liquid highlight a try but you really want to, i highly recommend giving the newly released highlighters from makeup revolution a try. These liquid highlighters are super easy to apply, blend and they have a super natural finish so there is no danger of accidentally making yourself look like the tin man. Applying a small amount of this to the highlighted areas of your face, a drop into your foundation or before as a glow-y base can make all the difference.  

makeup revolution skin kiss highlighter in the shade golden kiss (£5)

To set that liquid highlighter in place/add a further glow to the skin, also another makeup revolution highlighter that is simply stunning and not to mention pigmented. If you are like me and love a golden toned highlighter then you will love this and be crazy not to give it a try, especially as it is only £5 and for such a huge pan/amount of product you get. If a golden glow isn't for you don't worry as this highlight comes in two other shades, a peach kiss and a ice kiss.

freedom shimmer bronzer in the shade 115 shimmer (£2)

Finally we have bronzer, which can be a tricky one to get right but this particular one might sound off putting with "shimmer" in the title, that couldn't be further from the truth as it actually gives more of a healthy glow/warmth to the face. I have mentioned before how this bronzer looks really warm in the pan but it honestly applies beautifully and effortlessly blends out, also £2 is an absolute bargain considering you can pay anything from £28-£40 for a great more "high-end" bronzer. 

total look cost: £39.21 (£10.79 under budget)

Catch up on yesterdays budget beauty week post HERE...

xo.

BUDGET BEAUTY WEEK: TWO MUST TRY LIP LINERS FOR £2 & UNDER

Hello everyone! So this week on my blog i thought why not throw things back and revive/revamp a classic theme week, in the form of a "budget beauty" series. Just recently i have been loving a bunch of more affordable beauty products, which is kind of what inspired me to write this series again. With that being said to kick things off, i wanted to share with you two budget lip liners that i am obsessing over recently.

ps insta girl kissproof lip liner in the shade nude selfie - £1.50

So last month i actually did a "testing primark beauty" post which you can catch up on here, if you haven't done so already and in that post i mentioned how i hadn't really tried too much out from their beauty range until then. Since then i have actually picked up a few more items to try and this insta girl lip liner is one of them. I have tried, tested and loved the original lip liners already, so of course i was intrigued to see if this one was any different. Once i tried the insta girl lip liner in the shade nude selfie out, i did spot an instant difference in the formula compared to the original liners and that difference is that the insta girl range of liners are so much more creamy in consistency (but not so creamy that it isn't easy to apply) and a lot less drying on the lips. I also love how this particular shade is different to any other nude lip liner i have, as it is more on the cool-toned side of nude yet it is still great to pair with pretty much any nude applied on top. After trying this lip liner i feel like i need to pick up some more products from the insta girl range. (rating 4/5)

freedom #proartist pro lip liner in the shade nude - £2

If you are a huge fan of mac cosmetics lip liners or you want to give them a try but don't want to spend £13+ on a pencil, then you need need need to try these pro lip liners out from freedom because they are almost an identical dupe for the mac ones. Just like the primark lip liner this one is also creamy, easy to apply (in fact this lip liner glides on effortlessly) and is super pigmented unlike a lot of affordable lip liners which tend to be quite "scratchy" to apply. Another plus side to this particular freedom lip liner is that you get so much more product than you usually would in a lip liner, i have sharpened mine so many times and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere, unlike my mac "oh honey" lip liner which is a laughable tiny stump now. Another great thing about these lip liners is that they come in five different shades ranging from the nude to a deep vampy shade, that you can either pick up on the tam beauty website or superdrug in-store or online. (rating 5/5)

Stay tuned for an all new instalment of "budget beauty week" tomorrow...

xo.

BROW PRODUCTS TRIED AND TESTED

Hello everyone! Earlier this year i shared with you all my current brow routine, which you can catch here if you haven't already and i mentioned how i barely switch up the products up that i use on my brows. Saying that over the years i have tried out my fair share of eyebrow products, before landing on a cult favourites and just recently i have been trying to switch things up from time to time. With that in mind for today's post i thought i would share with you some tried and tested eyebrow products, that i love and would recommend giving a go.

anastasia beverly hills dipbrow pomade in the shade dark brown 

So i thought i would kick things off with the "cult favourite" brow product that i mentioned and is something i used every single day for well over a year, because i was that obsessed with it and i still have so much love for this product. Using a pomade is super easy to control what you are doing with the product, as you are using a brush to create the shape/hair-like strokes. This product will keep your brows on through anything, sun, sweating, rain, hail, snow as it is completely budge proof and waterproof. This pomade retails for £15 but is well worth the money in my eyes, this tiny pot will last you such a long time and a little goes a long way.

freedom pro brow pomade in the shade dark brown

If you are still not convinced about the ABH dipbrow pomade or you have never tried a brow pomade out before and you don't want to spend a ton of money, on something you might not like then this product is for you. Just like the ABH one this is also is also long wearing, budge proof and has a similar if not identical formula. The only difference between the two products is this one is probably a touch cooler in tone and this one only retails for £5 on tam beauty or superdrug in-store and online.

freedom duo eyebrow powder in the shade dark brown

If brow powder is your thing then you definitely need this one in your life, which also happens to be from freedom makeup london and another dupe for an ABH product. This brow powder is pigmented, yet easy to work with and also long wearing. As this is a brow powder duo is comes with two different shades one cool toned and one a little darker (which is the one i always use) but you could use a mixture of the two all depending on your personal preference. The most baffling/amazing thing about this product is the fact it only retails for £2 for such an amazing product, that i have been reaching for on a regular basis recently.

benefit browvo! conditioning primer

This product has been a real brow saviour and is something i have used every single day on my brows for around a year now, i simply brush some on my brows before i start my makeup. This products acts almost like a primer for your brows, allowing product to sit/last longer and better, as well as encouraging your brow hairs to grow fuller and thicker. It isn't the cheapest of product retailing for £23.50 but just like a lot of brow products, a little goes a long way and lasts you for quite a while.

l'oréal brow artist plumper in the shade medium/dark

This particular product from L'Oréal is another cult favourite of mine and one that i go back to over and over again, as nothing ever seems to quite compare to this brow gel for me. I like to brush/set my brows in place by combing through them with this upwards, doing this gives you the appearance of fuller and fluffier brows that will stay put all day long. A great thing about this product is as it is tinted, you could simply apply a small amount to your brows if you are in a hurry and you would be good to go. Another great product from the L'Oréal brow artist range is the brow artist shaper in the shade dark brunette and probably my favourite drugstore brow pencil, as i really struggle with the shades of pencils being too warm toned and making my brows appear reddish, yet this one doesn't do that at all and it is also super easy to work with.

estée lauder double wear brow lift duo in the shade black

So i picked this up in the sale on feel unique recently, as i really wanted to experiment more with brow pencils and i thought why not give this one a go, as i always love anything i have tried from Estée Lauder and this product was no different. Even though this is in the shade black, you wouldn't think so as it isn't too dark and it matches the tone of my brows perfectly. The tip of this pencil is super thin and is perfect for creating hair like stokes, for a full yet natural everyday brow. This is also a duo product so one end is the brow product and the other end is a beautiful brow bone highlight shade, that allows you to clean/neaten up the brows easily.

eylure pro-brow dybrow in the shade dark brown

Finally we have a product that will make all the difference when it comes to filling in your brows and also their over-all appearance when you aren't wearing makeup. I have tried a couple of different brands of eyebrow dyes, yet nothing compares to this one from Eylure. A lot of the time we are quick to spend unnecessary money on getting our eyebrows tinted at a salon, when you can get the exact same result easily from the comfort of your own home. One of these dybrow kits lasts for 12 or more uses for around the £7 mark and some salons charge more than that for one treatment. 

♥

HIGH-END VS DRUGSTORE: NO MAKEUP, MAKEUP PRODUCTS

Hello everyone! Ever since Kim Kardashian posted a tutorial of her doing her "no makeup makeup" look using her KKW contour stick, along side a couple of people re-creating her look. Watching these types of videos made me feel super inspired to try something similar out for myself, which is odd because it is a look without using foundation but is still something you can achieve by using foundation if you want to. With that in mind for today's post i thought i would share with you some products great for achieving that "no makeup makeup" look and even better, in the form of a high-end vs drugstore and comparing the cost.

mac cosmetics studio moisture cream vs. nip+fab primer water

Whether you decide to opt for foundation or no foundation for a no makeup makeup look, you are going to want to prime/hydrate your skin to prep it for the other products you are going to apply on top. Both of these products are super similar even though one is a cream and the other is a spray, both sink into the skin quickly and leave your skin hydrated/moisturised. (price difference 5p).

estée lauder double wear bb brush-on glow vs. collection lemon lasting perfection

If you are skipping foundation then concealer is going to be the next step, using a brightening concealer like one of these two are great for making you look super awake, i just like to apply this to the areas where i would usually highlight with concealer such as my under-eye area, bridge of my nose, centre of my forehead and chin area. I must say if you want a super full coverage than actually out of the two go for the collection lasting perfection concealer. (price difference £20.81).

clinique curvy contour chubby stick vs. nyx almond/light face sculpt & highlight duo

Moving onto the products that are going to be the key thing to re-create a Kim K "no makeup, makeup look" and that is cream contour. Both of these products are favourites of mine and both are going to add colour, coverage and dimension to the face, it just comes down to personal preference over a cream or liquid formula. You could also save on concealer and use the highlight side of the NYX duo, as it has amazing coverage and is light-weight/crease-proof. (price difference £10).

laura mercier translucent setting powder vs. rimmel insta fix & matte translucent powder

Once you have applied both highlight and contour products, the next step you are going to want to do naturally is set them in place, first up with powder. As i have normal to dry skin i can get away with not setting all of my face, instead i just set the areas i applied concealer. Both of these powders are go to's for me at the moment, so i couldn't actually pick one over the other they are that good. This yet again comes down to price/loose/pressed preference. (price difference £24.01).

 artdeco limited edition beach bag bronzer vs. nyc sun 2 sun bronzer

So next once you have set the highlighted areas, you are going to want to set the areas you contoured using a powder also. I always opt for a bronzer and both of these are perfect for summer, as they are going to add some warmth/natural tan-look to the face. (price difference £30.50).

mac cosmetics peaches powder blush vs. makeup revolution the matte blush

If you are doing a no makeup makeup look you could quite simply skip on the blush, but sometimes it is nice and natural looking to add a flush of colour to the cheeks. These two particular blushes are super similar in both shade and super pigmented yet soft in texture. (price difference £18).

topshop gleam glow pot vs. elf highlighting dewy drops

Makeup or no makeup, it would simply be a crime in my opinion to skip on some form of highlighter. Using a cream highlight or liquid highlight (yet again all depending on your personal preference), will give a natural/healthy looking glow to the skin. I am completely obsessed with both of these products at the moment, the Topshop glow pot gives you that wow in your face glow and the ELF dewy drops give you a healthy sheen-like glow, both products are super easy to blend out either with a beauty blender or your fingers. (price difference £5).

anastasia beverly hills dipbrow pomade vs. freedom duo eyebrow powder

One of the key products that i am never going to skip out on as well as highlight, is brows as simply filling in your brows a little shape the way your whole face looks. I have been giving this Freedom duo brow powder a go recently and i am really enjoying using it, it looks super natural so perfect for no makeup makeup days. That being said with a light hand brow pomade can look just as natural, Freedom also do an amazing dupe for the ABH one and not to mention a third of the price. (price difference £12).

mac cosmetics extended play mascara vs. l'oréal miss baby roll mascara

If you aren't going for anything on the eyes, it is still always good to apply a light coating of your favourite mascara just to open up your eyes and look a little more awake. If i wear makeup and don't apply mascara, i always feel like my eyes go all pea sized ha. High-end mascaras aren't usually my thing, i would much rather opt for a drugstore mascara over anything (L'Oréal and Maybelline are my favourites) but if i am going for a high-end one it would either be this one by MAC or the false lash extreme also by MAC. (price difference £7.71).

anastasia beverly hills naked liquid lipstick vs. mua luxe harmony lip lacquer

Finally this step can be one missed completely and replaced with a simple lip balm, but still i like to be a little extra and feel myself. These particular liquid lipsticks are complete dupes for each other, i even put it to the test and applied one to one half of my lips and one to the other. Picking a classic nude colour, looks more natural and gives you that "your lips but better look". (price difference £17).

high-end look price total: £195.50 vs. drugstore look price total: £50.62 

FREEDOM #PROARTIST PRO HD CUSTOM EYESHADOW PALETTE

Hello everyone! So when it comes down to eyeshadows i love a good palette, whether that be a quad or even a twelve or more shadow palette. To take things that bit further there is only one thing i love more and that is custom creating your own eyeshadow palette, which i have blogged about a couple of times in the past in a makeup obsession custom palette and custom creating my own perfect neutrals palette. With that in mind when one of my new favourite affordable brands Freedom, launched their #proartist refillable magnetic palettes i just had to make one of my own and once again the brand has shocked me at the quality of their products.

I have actually already tried eyeshadows from Freedom before, as i have the pro32 innocent palette and i was really impressed by them because of the buttery soft yet easy to blend texture. Putting that aside i had never tried any of the #proartist eyeshadows, blushes or contour/bronzing products except for the concealer. So when they launched these packs of five pan shadows for £5 (£1 a shadow) called the hd eye foils (they also stock the shadows loose for £2 each), i just had to make a palette up of my own. 

The palette i created is made up of three of the five pack shadows, with both matte and shimmer/foil shades costing a total of £15 and the empty magnetic palette was £5. This makes the total of the palette £20 for both the palette and fifteen shadows, how much of a bargain is that? Especially taking into consideration that Makeup Geek shadows are almost £5 each and MAC shadows are £10 each, the concept is completely identically for a lot less. Just like the other eyeshadows i had already tried, these #proartist shadows are also as pigmented, easy to blend, if not even better than some other shadows from MAC. Like i mentioned above this palette is made up of the freedom #proartist pro hd empty magnetic palette and the three #proartist pro hd eye foil five pack shadows, which are the hd burnt, hd matte bare and hd bare packs.

♥