My Favourite Make Up Brushes

I don't think there is anything more exciting than getting a new make up brush, its brand new and is going apply your make up flawlessly. 

I can't bring myself to buy brushes which are super high end and priced ridiculously high when there are such good brushes for much less. A few years ago I purchased the Zoeva Rose Golden Brush Set which gave you 8 brushes for £65. Which I think is amazing for how good the brushes are, plus they're beautiful to look at. I'm pretty sure i've had these brushes before they were even stocked on Beauty Bay because I ordered them from the official site. 

Zoeva is probably one of my favourite make up brand, selling brushes to lipstick to eyeshadow palettes. Nothing I've had from there has EVER disappointed me. 

When it comes to eyeshadow there is no brush I would use other than the Zoeva Soft Definer Brush - with it only being £9 I have 3 of them so I can use them for different colours or incase i've been lazy and not washed one. Nothing worse than wanting a subtle pink shimmery eye and you're using a brush with dark brown eyeshadow on.  No matter how much you wash these brushes they always remain as soft as when I first bought them and have kept their shape too.

My parents bought my the MAC 217 brush as a christmas present a few years ago, which I did love just as much as my Zoeva one. They look IDENTICAL just MAC's is a much higher price tag rolling in at £21 for one brush. I hate to say it but it feels quite scratchy on my eye now and unfortunately isn't used as much. 

If you're wanting a good bronzer brush then there is no other way to go than either the Real Techniques Blush Brush or Zoeva Luxe Sheer Cheek brush. I'm never put off by Brush names as they always have a specific use but as there are no rules in make up, you can use it for whatever you want. Although the Blush brush is amazing for blusher too, lately i've been using it as a bronzer brush and absolutely loving the results. 

For my powder I'm obsessed with my Look Good Feel Better Contour brush which was originally bought for contour uses but I find it too dense for that. I love using it to set my foundation with my powder as it packs on just the right amount. 

For eyebrows there is no brush i'd use other than MAC 263  which was the cult eyebrow brush on youtube a few years ago, I think it still is now. This has to be one of my favourite brushes as although i've had it for the exact same time as my MAC 217 it hasn't failed me yet. If you want a good eyebrow then this is the brush you need.

Technically this isn't a brush but still comes under the Make up Application category, I wouldn't be able to do my face without my sponges. For years my favourite was the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge I had 4 but I think i've lost it so now i'm down to 3 which you could see as a bit excessive but I love it that much. I still have the first one I ever bought which is a bit battered and bruised now but I cant bring myself to throw it away. I'm pretty sure you're meant to throw these away after 6 months? Oh well. There is nothing more satisfying that cleaning your make up sponge, its probably one of my favourite parts. 

Still on the topic of sponges, I recently splurged on the Beauty Blender which has been an absolute cult for the past couple of years, I couldn't understand why it was so good until I had my own. I do find its slightly harder to clean than the Real Techniques one (without using half your bottle of brush cleanser) but the finish of it is exactly the same. You don't have to have both of them as I personally feel they have the exact same effect, just one is slightly cheaper than the other.

what are your favourite brushes?

Spring Make Up Shake Up

Where i'm from it has gotten so much warmer and the other day I left work on my lunch break without my coat and was walking in the beautiful sunshine. Surprising as the week previous we were battling with storm Dorris and it was absolutely freezing. 

Now it OFFICIALLY feels like Spring, watch next week it will be pouring down with rain and the temperature will be heading back into the minuses. But i'm clinging onto the beautiful flowers which are appearing in the grass and the beautiful sunshine and hoping the wonderful weather sticks around for a little longer.

As I get so excited about Winter make up, dark berry lips, bronzed skin and bronze eyeshadows, moving into Spring can be quite difficult sometimes especially if you get into routine and find some beautiful make up finds. 

This year i'm making a conscious effort to push myself into more Spring make up and brighten up my complexion and make up stash a little more. With that being said, I do feel that you can wear your darker berry tones and darker eyeshadows all year round if you wanted to, I can never just stick to certain products for a certain season. It just doesn't work for me. If I want to wear Rimmel London "Starry Eyed" (a deep dark purple) in the middle of April, I will. 

Recently I've picked up MAC Really me - I dedicated a whole post to it, read it here.

Its a gorgeous pinky-mauve and is a great way to step into Spring. Its a matte formula (my fave kind) and is still neutral enough to wear everyday, not one of those bright barbie pink lipsticks most people associate with Spring.

Poudre Soleil & Blush - I bought this a few weeks before I went on my summer holiday last year after seeing Zoella rave about hers. I was abit scared of this at first as it looks quite dark in the pan and didn't want to look like i'd rolled in mud. It looks absolutely amazing on the skin with its mix of bronze shades and a coral blush in the middle, its the perfect combo for stepping into Spring/ Summer. These only come out as limited editions in the summer, so be sure to pick yourself one up quick if they get brought out again this year.

MAC Strobe cream - I ordered this along with my Really Me lipstick, i've been eyeing them up for a while and I'm trying to get into more dewy glowing skin for Spring/ Summer. I've always been a matte kinda girl, if my foundation isn't set with a powder then I feel like some foundations make me look greasy. I've seen some tutorials with this already and have quite high hopes for it. 

NYX Gel Liner in Dark Brown - Last year I saw quite a few people swapping dark black liner with brown gel liner or a smokey pencil liner. I was totally into this last year and I think it really softens any eye look making it look a little less harsh. 

LO'real Le Blush in Peach Blush - This is one of my favourite products which i've recently bought which is rare because its not often i'll purchase something and love it instantly. Its a coral blush which is perfect for the warmer months and brightening up your skin. 

MAC: Really Me

When I think of MAC lipsticks I think of long lasting formula's, amazing pigmentation and exceptional colour range. 

My favourite formula of the MAC lipsticks is their matte ranges. I'm really particular with my lipsticks but matte formulations tend to be my favourite, coming up a close second is liquid lipsticks (which dry matte so i'm not sure if you would class them as the same thing...I don't).  You'll never catch me with a cremesheen or a satin finish on my lips purely because I don't like that style on me.

If you're into beauty you'll probably know that Whirl was everyones go-to lipstick about 1 year and a half a go, and why shouldn't it be? It's the ultimate brown nude which everyone lusted after. 

With MAC's amazing matte formulation, it was a lipstick you could trust that would last. Which then lead me to purchase my second matte lipstick Velvet Teddy - this was even more hyped because it was one of Kylie Jenner's ultimate faves which gave you that "your lips but even better than better" look, paired with Whirl lipliner it was the ULTIMATE match made in heaven.

Recently I've gotten into pretty much pink everything, and if you know my make up collection you'll soon realise i'm not much of a pink make up wearer. I love it on other people but I always thought I was too pale for it. I'm often found gazing over browney-nude lipsticks and golden eyeshadows, I never venture too much onto the more colourful side because I didn't think it suited me.

Now its getting slightly warmer in the UK and I mean like the tiniest amount, I feel Spring is edging closer and closer which makes me really happy. I love winter and its my favourite of the seasons but for some reason, I'm craving for it to be Spring/ Summer. I can't wait to book my summer holiday and wear flip flops and lounge about eating ice creams in the sun.

In my latest MAC order I picked up the shade Really Me, its still on the Pinkish-mauve side but still its in the pink family. Still sticking with the normal £16.50 price tag and matte formulation, I was so excited to receive it in the post along with a few other unnecessary MAC purchases woops.

I have a feeling this will be one of my new favourite lipsticks, as Spring is now fast approaching i'm ready for some more colour in my life. I mean i'll never not love my plum and berry tones for all year round, I just feel being a bit bolder and stepping out of your comfort zone is a good thing. Its weird because most people would consider pink lips to be quite understated/ normal and for dark reds and bright purples to be too out there, but for me its the other way round - Nothing feel's more normal for me than a dark lip.

What are your MAC faves?

xxxxx

Unloved: Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury is probably one of the most lusted after brands, and why wouldn't it be? With the perfect rose gold packaging for a flat lay, metallic outer packaging which makes you just want to have it as an accessory on your make up vanity. 

Since seeing everyone and their cat obsess over Charlotte Tilbury products, I knew it was something I needed to get my hands on. Because why not add to my already over flowing collection of make up that I don't really need. (I seriously need it)

After swooning over the website multiple times, checking the price tags, clicking the X button at the top of my screen trying to muster the courage to click "proceed to payment" on products which were ever so expensive, surely they are worth the hype?

So one day I was scrolling through the website again, knowing I needed to get my hands on some of it. But what one do I chose first? The Wonderglow? The Filmstar Bronze & Glow palette? Or the Matte Revolution Lipsticks? 

I'm one of those people who reads lots of reviews on a product before I purchase it, most of them very trusted reviews from people i've been reading from for a really long time. 

So why wouldn't the products be as amazing as everyone says they are? 

I ordered the Quick and Easy glow kit from her website for a hefty £55, which doesn't seem a lot for what you get within the kit. You're right, you do get 3 full size products and 2 miniature ones. 

I was waiting patiently for this to arrive and I was so so excited when it did, it arrived in the sleek plum box that you see all over Youtube and Instagram, the gorgeous Charlotte Tilbury make up bag and each product beautifully presented in the matching plum boxes. 

The product I was most excited about had to be the Matte Revolution lipstick, i'd been wanting to try one for absolutely ages. When I saw that this shade "Very Victoria" came within the kit I was so excited and guess what? It was full size. Winner.

With its Browney-rosey shade, there was no way I wasn't going to like this, like I said everyone had raved about it right? But on a serious note, where is the pigmentation in this? Where is the longevity and where is the colour? I don't think i've ever been so dissapointed in a lipstick - a matte one too. I was hoping this was going to be the same as my long loved MAC matte lipsticks which are a lot cheaper but my god are they so much better quality.  Since having this, i've never used it for a day out or an event because it simply wont last, you can barely see its even there. 

Moving on, the second product I was so hopeful for is the Colour Chameleon in Amber Haze, everyone and their nan has this product. Everyone and their nan RAVES about this product. So why did I hate it? I adore the colour, I want to love it so so much. It was so chalky and rough on my eyelids, It needed to be creamier and more pigmented. Eye's are so delicate so having a really rough eyeshadow stick put all over your eyelid isn't the most comfortable thing. 

Maybe I got a dodgy one but this did not work for me like it seems to work with everyone else.

Lets talk lashes. Within this kit you are blessed with a mini version of Charlotte's Legendary Lashes mascara, a mascara which should bless you with X13 more volume. For a mascara which should cost usually £25.00 my god does it flake off and end up underneath your eyes instead of your lashes. 

I didn't feel like it added any volume or length, it just made my lashes  slightly darker? Hey, what mascara doesn't do that unless its a clear one. It's a no from me. 

Another product within the kit is the Beach stick in Moon Beach, i've never used a product like this before and I was really excited to give it ago although cream products terrify me. It claims that with one stroke you'll have a dewy & youthful glow. I want to try this a few more times because although the first time I couldn't really tell it was there. I might try this under my foundation next time as when I applied it ontop of my face it swiped off my foundation and I couldn't tell what was product and what was skin, is that a good thing? I don't hate this, i'm going to trial it a few more times before I report back. The colour is absolutely beautiful and does look like a summer glow in a tube, maybe this will work better when i've got a tan? 

Lastly, in the beautiful make up bag you receive a miniature Wonderglow. Probably one of the most sought after products Charlotte sells. I too wanted to believe in the hype that this product makes you glow from within and is a great base for your foundation. I just didn't see it do much for me, which is okay because not all products work for everyone. Yes it made my skin look semi-glowy all over but as soon as I put my foundation on it just dissapeared, I suppose it doesn't claim to extend the longevity of your make up but its always a bonus.

I've never seen a bad review on Charlotte Tilbury which is what made me so excited for the products. So after reviewing these products I knew I had to write about how I felt about them because I had never seen anyone not write these things, which equally made me so nervous that everyone would hate it or think i'm "bashing" the brand/ products. I'm not, they just didn't work for me as they seemed to work for everyone else which I find equally as weird. 

I don't want my blog to be a negative place, but I feel if you don't believe in something - why hide it away if no one else feels the same? 

What are your thoughts on Charlotte Tilbury? Whats your favourite or least used product?

Thanks for reading, 

Lauren xxx

Tanya Burr Collection Review

If you're from the blogging/ youtube world you will no doubt of heard of Tanya Burr. She is one of my favourite vloggers to watch on youtube and I am obsessed with her blog and since then she has come out with a range of new products. 

From false eyelashes and lipgloss to eyeshadow palettes and highlighters, you'll probably find it in Tanya's growing range.

I was so excited when she announced the range was coming out as I knew it was going to be something exciting and everyone wanted a piece of the collection. I was quite late to the bandwagon with these as I think I ordered them about a year after they were released. I'm quite picky when it comes to buying new make up products, it usually takes me quite a while before I take the plunge an order it.

I had picked up a pair of Tanya's lashes from her original collection when they were first released, to be honest I didn't like them that much. I found that they looked so plasticy and false on my eyes, I put that down to not being used to wearing false eyelashes now though. Whereas now I'll be able to wear pretty much anything and try and make them work whether I like them or not, I must give them another try though as they always seem to look gorgeous on Tanya.

I have never been one to like lipgloss but as it was from Tanya's range I somehow thought this would magically make me fall inlove with wearing lipgloss. wrong. I just need to accept that lipgloss is not my thing and never will be my thing. I hate the feeling of it, heaven forbid wearing it on a windy day as my hair will be glued to my face. I do love the look of it though which is annoying.

The one palette I did have my eye on for SUCH a long time was her in her Soft Luxe collection which consisted off two eyeshadow palettes, matte nail polish and liquid lipsticks. 

This was her "Birthday Suit" palette, which was filled with brown neutrals and sparkly chocolate shades. These are my favourite kind of eyeshadows to wear so I knew if I was going to have anything it was going to be this.

I ordered mine from Feel Unique and at the time I think they had some sort of offer on so I picked up the other palette also called "Enchanted Dream" which is still really neutral but just a tad more on the cooler-toned side. 

These palettes are so pigmented and easy to blend it puts some higher end palettes to shame for the price. I love how Tanya has designed her palettes, she's made them look so young and fun.  With the heart shaped mirror and the star detailing on each of the shadows brings something different.

Along with Tanya's staple ranges she also brought out christmas collections. I picked up two palettes from her most recent collection in 2016. 

This palette is called the "Beautifully Defined Palette" it comes with 3 eyeshadows, a bronzer, a highlighter and a face illuminator (not pictured.) 

I love the eyshadows that come within this palette, i've only just noticed its basically a dupe for the Nars duo in Isolde. I have used the highlighter a few times and I think i've used the bronzer only once. I'm quite picky with bronzers and for me this one doesn't stand out enough I don't find it gives me the bronzed look I tend to go for. 

This is the second palette called "Pretty Unstoppable" I managed to pick up in the christmas collection in 2016. The shadows are still beautiful and pigmented and the Tanya Burr shadow formula is amazing. I quite like the blush that comes with this collection and the shimmer is the same as the previous.

One thing I love the most about Tanya Burr Cosmetics is the names she choses for each of the shades/products. It just shows how much time and effort Tanya takes to create these products and it makes it so personal aswell. 

This palette also comes with one of my FAVOURITE Tanya Burr products, a mini matte lipstick in the shade "Martha Moo". I have the full size of this but I think the baby version is so cute. 

Have you tried any of the Tanya Burr Cosmetics range?

Lauren x

March Wishlist

One of my favourite posts to read are wishlists! I love seeing what people have been spying and I always manage to find something i've never seen before.

As I love them so much, I thought i'd create one of my own!

A trip to Brighton

So recently we took a trip to Brighton which was booked a long long time ago back in September last year for my boyfriends birthday. 

I took my big Canon camera with me to take some good pictures but It was too bulky and hot to carry around with me so here are some snaps that I took on my phone.

It was so sunny in Brighton we had such good weather for what should have been a really gloomy dull few days in February. 

Anyway I hope you enjoy some of these pictures I took which basically summed up our whole trip which involved food and spending lots of time on the beach.

Typically it sounds like we travelled all the way down to Brighton to spend our valentines there, we didn't it just happened to fall on those couple of days. We don't typically celebrate valentines day like most couples, ours ended in ordering Domino's to our hotel room and watching telly (the best way to spend it.)