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.

MUA LUXE LIGHT LUSTRE LIQUID HIGHLIGHT

Hello everyone! In general i am definitely a self-diagnosed highlighter addict/hoarder, just as i am with any nude lip product. That being said for the past year or so i have become obsessed with using highlighter in liquid form, just as much as a powder finish and i have put a fair few to the test. Recently MUA launched a range of new liquid highlighters as part of their Luxe collection, which i have tried and loved so many products from before and therefor of course i just couldn't refuse giving this new launch a go.

If you saw my previous post talking about my 2017 beauty favourites then you will have probably read how last year was the year of the liquid highlighter for me (like i mentioned at the beginning of the post) and also how before then i had a fear of reaching for liquid highlighters, oh how things have changed and now i just can't put them down. I just love how a liquid highlighter can transform your face from looking matte/flat to looking naturally glowing and slightly dewy, it also couldn't be simpler to achieve by applying a small amount to the needed areas and blended out with a damp beauty blender/sponge. Liquid highlighters can also be used in several different ways other than straight to the area, such as mixed in with your foundation or applied before as a base and i tend to switch between these different methods.  

Moving onto my first impressions/review for the new MUA luxe light lustre liquid highlighters, which are available in three different shades and i have been putting two of them to the test between Christmas and New Year. When i first saw the packaging i was so shocked how beautifully chic and high quality it is for the price point, as they retail at £5 for 30ml of product (currently £4 at Superdrug saving £1). Just like a lot of liquid highlighters this particular one also comes with a pipette applicator, which was a winner for me as this one actually works perfectly unlike some i have tried previously. I love the combination of frosted glass bottle with the chic black font and gold accent on the pipette lid, which makes the product look like a £30+ more high-end type of product rather than drugstore/affordable. Beautiful packaging aside the product inside itself is simply just as beautiful, as the formula is highly pigmented yet lightweight feeling on the skin that blends out effortlessly and flawlessly. Unlike the usual powder highlight the finish of a liquid highlighter is more of a healthy glow, that looks natural and skin-like rather than overly shimmery and sometimes more obvious.

shop the shades:

| mua luxe light lustre in the shade marvel (rose gold) | mua store | superdrug |

| mua luxe light lustre in the shade sublime (gold) | mua store | superdrug |

| mua luxe light lustre in the shade opulence (pearl) | mua store | superdrug |

xo.

THE £3 HIGHLIGHTERS YOU NEED IN YOUR MAKEUP COLLECTION

Hello everyone! If you are anything like me then two things when it comes to makeup that you lust after the most, are nude lip products and highlighters. Last month i first mentioned in my powder highlight: golden glow post a particular highlighter that was new to my collection and this particular highlighter took me by surprise, as it is super pigmented and not to mention super inexpensive costing only £3.

mua undress your skin highlighter in the shade golden afterglow

superdrug link / mua store link

This particular shade called golden afterglow, is the shade that i had initially picked up and is the same shade i mentioned in the golden glow post. As i had mentioned in that post, the pigmentation of this highlighter is insane and if you blind tested this range of highlighters you would think it would be the pigment of a high-end product, in fact they are more pigmented that quite a few of my higher end highlighters. Golden afterglow is the most beautiful golden/bronze toned shade, perfect for those with deeper skintones or used in a multi-purpose way on any eye lid (which is the way i love to use this shade). MUA is such an affordable makeup brand and i have tried so many products by them over the years, but hands down these are the products that have blown my mind. 

mua undress your skin highlighter in the shade golden scintillation 

superdrug link / mua store link

So once i had discovered how much i loved the shade golden afterglow, i decided to pick up a couple of different shades to try out and what makeup addict doesn't do that? I mean you need 1000+ nude lipsticks that are all different shades, so why wouldn't you do the same for highlighters? I decided to pick up the shades golden scintillation and peach diamond, but out of the two golden scintillation is the one i am literally living for right now. Just like the shade golden afterglow, this one is equally as pigmented, buttery soft in consistency and applies/blends like a dream. It is no secret that i am all about glowing to the gods, so my favourite thing to do right now is apply some of the Topshop glow pot in the shade gleam, before setting it with some of this on top and as simple as that you have a blinding highlight. I just can't seem to put it down right now!

♥