}

Thursday, 28 August 2014

Makeup Geek Haul And Review





L-R Clockwise : Mango Tango, Peach Smoothie, Chickadee, Cocoa Bear and Creme Brulee.

 I Did it, I caved. After months of deliberating, I placed an order with Makeup Geek. 

If you are a make-up enthusiast, youtuber or blogger etc you will have undoubtedly heard of 'Makeup Geek' If not, let me give you a brief introduction. Makeup Geek is an American brand founded by Marlena who is a well known for her YouTube Channel. The brand offers a huge array of cosmetics such as; eyeshadows, pigments, blushes, palettes as well as lip products, face products and much more.

Onto my order, I Primarily chose five eyeshadows and a Z-palette to give them a try before I bought anymore. Also I have a shameful amount of shimmery eyeshadows but not many mattes at all, hence this order.

Mango Tango Eyeshadow 1.8g

Starting with one of my favourites, I present to you...Mango Tango. Described as 'peachy pink with flecks of gold' This eyeshadow packs a colourful punch. This looks gorgeous in the crease to warm up a cool look and it also looks fab all over the lid. It has a satin finish, it's smooth, pigmented and lasts all day. Love this one!


Peach Smoothie Eyeshadow 1.8g

Peach Smoothie is one I have seen used the most in online videos. It is super versatile, creamy, easy to work with and pigmented. Described as a 'light peach beige with a soft matte finish'. I really like to use this one as a transition shade and to blend out harsher eyeshadows. Gorgeous, gorgeous colour.

Chickadee Eyeshadow 1.8g

This is another of my absolute favourites. Described as a 'matte yellow orange' which just screams Autumn! I am a huge fan of orange and warm toned eyeshadows in the crease paired with a cool toned eyeshadow on the lid. The contrast is stunning. This one will get a lot of use, I find myself reaching for this much more than my newly purchased 'Rule' by M.A.C. This one is a staple in my bag!

Cocoa Bear Eyeshadow 1.8g

No make-up kit should be complete without a good matte brown. Here to save the day is 'Cocoa Bear'. Described as 'matte reddish brown' aka my favourite kind of brown. I much prefer warm toned browns to flat or cool toned browns, so I am really glad I picked this one up. Like all the others, it delivers superb pigmentation and has a soft, creamy texture. This is great for the crease or for the outer lid to deepen up a look.

Creme Brulee Eyeshadow 1.8g

Last but not least, another versatile neutral shade. Creme Brulee is described as 'a medium sand colour with a soft matte finish'. That's exactly what it is. Although, it reminds me a bit of Peach Smoothie, but it's less peachy! A great velvety neutral shade that is great for blending out harsh lines or for softening a brown smokey eye, this one should probably be in your kit too!




Z-Palette Small Leopard

Now, as the Makeup Geek eyeshadows come in a pan form, I bought one of the small Z-Palettes too. The actual palette is magnetic so the eyeshadows just pop straight in and don't budge! What I love about the Z-palettes is the fact they have a magnetic free space. Therefore you can place any number of eyeshadows or even blushes in them and arrange them however you like!

As I bought five eyeshadows, I ordered the Z-palette in small leopard print and it cost $14.99 (£9.41). Z-palettes are available from here

Makeup Geek also offer affordable worldwide shipping. I paid just $12.41 (£7.49) for everything and received my order approximately 10 days later.
I was also fortunate to not incur any customs charges, but bear this in mind when placing an order if you're ordering from the UK. You may have to pay customs fees on large orders.

So, that's all my order. Yes I love everything, yes I want more and yes I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Makeup Geek to everyone. It's clear to see why there is such a buzz surrounding this brand now. These eyeshadows are some of the best I have ever used and at $5.99 (£3.61) each, you are essentially getting a professional quality product for a drugstore price. What's not to like?!

The eyeshadows are available from Makeup Geek Store 

I am so impressed with the Makeup Geek brand. Everything from start to finish. Placing the order was simple, I was kept in the know every step of the way, it arrived quickly and was well packaged. The packaging is also well worth a mention, it's not bulky, there is minimal waste and it's looks divine! 

There is so much consistency across the brand, all of the products are equal in quality (no duds here!) and the choice of products on the website is phenomenal. The website itself is well worth a look too. Aside from the online store, there are tutorials, reviews, idea galleries, advice and education. 

I will definitely be placing another order in the foreseeable future but for now, I will enjoy using these gorgeous colours to create different looks (and secretly pray for Makeup Geek to be sold in the UK)!

Have you tried any Makeup Geek eyeshadows?

Which Makeup Geek products have you got your eye on?

Please leave a comment below and let me know.

As always, thanks for stopping by.


Monday, 18 August 2014

Three Series : Topshop Eyeshadows.



Ok, so whilst in Topshop last week I decided to have a mooch through their make-up section. I may have gasped out loud when I saw these. Why? Well, it's worth noting that I have magpie like tendencies and am drawn to anything sparkly or glittery. So, these three super shimmery bejewelled duo-chromed shadows are right up my street!


U-Turn 2.4g

I picked up this one first, due to it's likeness to MAC's Green Brown Pigment (which I sadly cannot find anywhere) I wouldn't say this is a dupe for MAC Green Brown pigment but it's very similar. A gorgeous pigmented super shimmery green and gold duo-chrome. I absolutely love this and cannot wait to use it as we head into Autumn.


Shuffle The Cards 2.4g

Shuffle The Cards is a gorgeous rose gold shade, you could even say pink bronze shade. This reminds me a lot of MAC's Pink Bronze pigment (which I DO own) Again super shimmery, well pigmented, smooth and very wearable. This will look gorgeous with a matte brown or pink in the crease, especially against green eyes. (It DID say Topshop on the surface when bought!).

Wax & Wane 2.4g

Last but not least, Wax & Wane. A purple/blue brown duo-chrome. This one is comparable to MAC's Blue Brown pigment (which I DO own) and I love both of them. This is so multi dimensional, shimmery, pigmented and looks stunning on the eyelid. I can see this making a smokey eye more interesting for the upcoming party season. (Again the Topshop imprint has worn off).


L-R Shuffle The Cards, Wax & Wane and U-Turn.

Aren't they just stunning? I'm so glad I discovered these, I know I will get a lot of use out of all of them. I plan to wear these on the lid with a matte shadow in the crease and under the lash line to add a bit of ''pizzazz'' to a neutral look. I highly recommend you have a look at these if you are a fan of iridescent eye shadows, they certainly deliver on the shimmer front!

There are only three shades available and cost £8 each. Available from Topshop

Which one do you like the look of?

Have you tried any of these?

Please leave a comment and let me know.

Thanks for stopping by.



Friday, 15 August 2014

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick Review

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick 05 Ole Flamingo! £8.99 for 6.7ml






Released earlier this year, these Velvet Lipsticks (Liquid lipsticks) from Bourjois are seriously impressive. A liquid formula but delivering the most velvety matte feel and finish you can imagine.

These aren't the first liquid lipsticks on the market but I feel they are the best. Opaque in one sweep, so so so velvety, pleasantly scented, available in a great range of shades and they have an incredible lasting power.

With Autumn around the corner (when I start wearing berry toned lipsticks) the shade 05 Ole Flamingo! jumped out at me. I also went for this due to the matte finish. And wow, It does not disappoint. It is a gorgeous colour that looks stunning against pale skin as well as against darker skin. The best bit? It doesn't budge. These Velvet lipsticks aren't marketed as a stain but I would say they do stain the lips and do not budge - a huuuuuge thumbs up from me.

The doe foot applicator ensures easy application too. I use the pointy part to outline my lips then fill the rest of the lips in with the main part.

Here is how it looks on with one coat (taking a photo of your lips is deceptively hard!)...





There are eight shades available but I suggest going bright if you are going to get one of these (or two or three) as you will get full appreciation of their pigmentation and longevity.

You can buy the Rouge Edition Velvet Lipsticks from Superdrug or here from Boots and they currently have a 3 for 2 offer on so you could try a few?! I feel £8.99 is quite pricey so that's a great deal if you have your eye on a few shades.

I highly recommend trying these lipsticks as they are easy to apply, you don't need to touch them up and they give a gorgeous matte finish but are not drying in the slightest.
 I know I will be picking up another one (or two!)



Have you tried these yet? 

Which shade do you have your eye on?

Leave me a comment and let me know.

Thanks for stopping by.



Sunday, 10 August 2014

Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush And Contour Palette - Sugar And Spice..



Makeup Revolution is one of the most talked about brands right now in blogosphere. They are releasing so many products and so quickly, I am struggling to keep up!

But of course, this release caught my eye (I wonder why!?) A blush and contour palette called 'Sugar And Spice' - my namesake, I had to get it.

This palette contains 8 generous sized shades with a mixture of matte and satin blushes,  a merged baked blush and a merged baked highlight.




Makeup Revolution have excelled with this product. The palette is black, shiny and really sturdy. There contains a large mirror inside which is also really good quality. I even like the sleeve that comes with this palette, the packaging generally is A+.

Onto the blushes...




1. A plummy bronze contour shade
2. A less plummy bronze and the other contour shade
3. A matte Burgundy berry shade
4. A fuchsia toned pink




5. A bright matte shocking pink
6. A super shimmery lilacy white highlight shade
7. A lighter coral pink shade
8. A shimmery bright pink with a silver veining

I absolutely LOVE this palette. It's the first blush palette I have ever bought and I have really struck gold. The pigmentation of ALL of these shades is outstanding. ALL of the shades are super soft and not chalky at all.  The lasting power is also brilliant.

This palette would be great if you are new to make-up or even if you are a pro as part of your make-up kit.

This palette only costs £6!! That's less than you would pay for ONE decent blush. 

A couple of points I will mention are these ; firstly these blushes are so pigmented, you really need to use a light hand when applying any of the shades. This is not a negative, I'd rather have a pigmented product over one with little or no colour payoff.

The second point is regarding the two ''contour'' shades. I have tried them both and they look okay but I prefer my contour shades to be more on the lines of Hoola by benefit. These two shades are a bit pink/light for me. However it wouldn't stop me repurchasing this palette as I love all the shades and it's such amazing value for money.

This is how it looks on my skin...


I applied shade 1 as the contour, shade 6 as the highlight and shade 7 as the blush (shades as I numbered them).

But, if pinks aren't your thing, you may want to try 'Sugar and Spice's' hotter sister 'Hot Spice' which contains 8 warmer coral toned shades and is also £6! :-O

So, to summarise, I Would without a doubt recommend this wholeheartedly. I will get a lot of use out of this during the Autumn/winter as I switch from my usual coral toned make-up to pinks and berry tones. 

You can buy this palette here from Makeup Revolution Store and from Superdrug 

What are you waiting for? We all need a little sugar and spice in our lives ;-)

What are your favourite Makeup Revolution products?

Will you be trying this palette?

Please leave a comment and let me know.

Thanks for stopping by.






Saturday, 9 August 2014

I Heart Makeup Blushing Hearts - Goddess Of Love Highlighter





Okay, you probably know how much I love the brand 'Makeup Revolution' so when they launched a sister brand called 'I Heart Makeup' Obviously I went to check it out. That's when I spotted the most beautiful looking highlighter I have ever seen. 

I give you 'Goddess Of Love'. Firstly, every time I look at this or write about it, I can't help singing 'Venus' by Lady Gaga :-/ but onto the product...

I am a sucker for pretty packaging so of course that's what initially attracted me to this. However, I will only part with my cash if the price is right and the actual product is good too. Luckily this ticks all three boxes, costing just £4.99 for 10g and offering impressive pigmentation. This triple baked highlighter is a beautiful champagne shimmer with pink undertones in a gorgeous 3D heart shape.



Isn't it gorgeous? If you are thinking you have seen this before, or something similar...you are right. Too faced Sweetheart Perfect Flush Blush is a higher priced extremely similar concept, costing £24!

Goddess Of Love is the only highlighter in this range but there are six other Blushing Hearts in the collection, which I will definitely be trying soon! (See here

Goddess Of Love swatched dry on dry skin in natural light.

I apply this to highlight my cheekbones and also as a brow bone and inner corner highlight.



I am really impressed with this highlighter.  It is smooth in texture, versatile and easy to work with. The only negative I can think of lies with the cardboard packaging. It isn't the most sturdy I have seen but, it will be kept in my make-up drawer so that isn't an issue for me personally.

I feel Goddess Of Love is best suited to pale and cool toned skintones. If you have darker skin you might want to check out the Summer Of Love Bronzer from this I Heart Makeup range.

You can purchase Goddess Of Love from Makeup Revolution Store

What do you think of this product?

Will you be trying it out?

Have you tried any of the other Blushing hearts blushers?

Leave a comment below and let me know.

Thanks for stopping by.




Thursday, 7 August 2014

Oriflame First Impressions And Review

L-R : The One Eye liner Stylo and The One Illuskin Blush 

If you haven't already heard of the Oriflame, let me give you a brief introduction. Oriflame Cosmetics was founded in 1967 by two Swedish brothers. They are now a huge international brand selling make-up, fragrance, skincare, bodycare, hair, accessories and nutritional products. 

Price wise, I'd say they're neither high end nor are they budget. The products I have here retail for £8.45 for the Eye Liner Stylo* and £8.95 for the Illuskin Blush*.




The One Illuskin Blush in 'Pink Glow' 4g.

The One Illuskin Blush is small in size but mighty in deliverance. The left side is a gorgeous rosy pink shade and the right side is a very light pink shade with shimmery particles.

Upon using this the first time, I applied the light shade as a highlight first then I applied the blush. I was blown away by the blush shade, it's so pigmented, easy to blend and a stunning colour which gives a natural rosy flush effect. However, the highlight side left me a tad underwhelmed. It isn't as dewy as I like in a highlighter and although the glittery particles don't really show up on the skin, it didn't work for me as a stand alone highlighter.

So, the second time I used it I mixed the two shades together and it gave a lovely glowy flush look to my cheeks, Yay! I like it more using that way also. The actual size of this blush is about 6cm by 6cm so it's quite hard to select one shade without mixing the two.

Over the course of 13 hours, I only noticed minor fading.

I absolutely LOVE the shade of this pink. It looks stunning on the cheeks. I am currently transitioning from my summer corals to pinks ready for Autumn/Winter so I cannot wait to carry on using this.

Illuskin blush available here from Oriflame





The One Eye Liner Stylo in black 0.8ml

Firstly, when it comes to eyeliner - that doesn't go on the waterline, I struggle a bit. I've tried gel liners, liquid liners and one felt tip liner. Out of all three, I find the pointed pen type like this the absolute easiest to work with. Plus there's no need for brushes or pots of gel too. This format is great for travelling or popping into your bag as it's so lightweight and compact.

When I first tried this, I swatched it onto my hand and I was taken aback by how pigmented and wet it applied.

The nib moves just enough, its not stiff and it doesn't bend too much, it's perfect.

Most importantly, the actual product is phenomenal. I swatched that heart on my hand in the morning (when I took these photos). It is now 11pm as I write this and 99% of the liner is still on my hand, despite me washing my hands many times.

Of course I applied it to my eyes too, that's what it's for after all! 

I managed to line my upper lash line on the first attempt! This may be a first. This product really is a pleasure to use. I have used many eyeliners and I am most impressed with this one. This liner has not budged, it has not flaked, it has not smudged and it has not altered in any way. And I'm talking 13 hours of wear - mostly in the sweltering heat :-0. I'm amazed! I've spent double the amount of this on ''high end'' liners that have flaked off after a few hours. I may have found my go to eye liner at last. This is a keeper!

Eye liner Stylo available here from Oriflame

These are the first two products I have tried from Oriflame and I am super impressed. I will definitely be having a browse on The Oriflame Website to see what else I like the look of..

*PR Samples sent for review. All opinions and photographs are my 100% own and I was not paid nor sponsored for this review.

Have you tried Oriflame Cosmetics before?

What are your favourite items?

Please leave a comment down below and let me know.

Thanks as always for stopping by.