So, there I was in Superdrug, repurchasing yet another Maybelline The Falsies mascara. When a shop assistant uses their crafty ways to convince me to buy the new Max Factor Clump Defy Extensions False Lash Effect mascara which is on offer for the same price. I went for it because I thought I may as well try something new and break away from my The Flasies habit! And after testing it out for a few weeks I can give you guys my verdict...
Last week my big brother graduated from uni and I couldn't be more proud! Although the day consisted of a lot of waiting around in the sticky heat that the UK weather has graced us with, there was a beautifully decorated cake and the BEST raspberry mojitos waiting for me at the other end!
What I wore: the entirety of my outfit was actually bought from Topshop (surprise, surprise). The pinky coral skirt has a faint pattern that you can't see in the photos and I think the colour is just gorgeous for the summer. I am all over the coral trend! The black sheer top may not look like much but I have worn it so so much since buying it, it seems to go with everything! And the shoes, ah the shoes! I fell in love instantly with these; it seems like forever I have been looking for a slightly more formal shoe that doesn't have a huge heel so I can actually last all day in them, and these are perfect I wanna wear them all the time!
And there you have it, I've got a feeling this may be a recurring outfit over the summer! I bought all of these items very recently, so if you're interested they are bound to still be in store!
Caitlin A
x
Contouring is a word thats thrown about a lot; and for a long time I thought it was a complicated concept that was better off left to the professionals! However, it's simply not the case. And if your like me and have practically non-existent natural cheekbones, this one is for you! Obviously what I have to show you is a very simple version of contouring and there are other areas you could contour, your nose for example, which I just don't even bother trying! This is just how I fake much better cheekbones on a day to day basis!
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| The 'Before Shot' |
You can use any make of bronzer you like, you need to make sure that it is matte. You don't want glitter all over your face for one, and it will also help to create a shadow. I love my Naked Flushed pallet from Urban Decay, the bronzer, highlight and blush are all really gorgeous colours and so easy to use!
Swish your brush around in the product, and tap the excess off on the back of your hand. The brush I'm using here is the Urban Beauty United Berry Blush brush, but I think it works great for this. I also often use a Kabuki brush to contour, I think they work really well too!
Tip 1: Now, you need to do you best fish face, with a good pout and sucking your cheeks in as much as you can. This gives you a natural crease that tells you where to apply the product.
Tip 2: Use the left over product on the brush to blend into your temples and around the edge of your face just below the hairline where your skin would get a natural glow from the sun.
Tip 3: Imagine a vertical line from the end of your eyebrow down to the natural carve of your cheekbone and don't contour past this line towards your mouth! (if that makes any sense)
Tip 4: Makes sure you don't apply product too low; between the natural carve and your jaw. Otherwise you may end up with jowls - which is like a beard made of bronzer!
Tip 5: I've often heard that using a light dusting of bronzer along your jaw line can make your face look thinner - I always do this although I don't think it makes a lot of difference on me!
I hope this helps - Enjoy your fake cheek bones!
Caitlin A
x
I thought today I would share my
thoughts about something I’ve been loving ever since I picked up off the shelf.
I am now reaching for Benefit’s The Porefessional on a daily basis (Caitlin B warned me this might happen!) I
keep having to remind myself that, no, I do not need to waste it when I am
simply going to do the weekly shop! But believe me, I think it’s that good.
The lady at the counter informed that it
has quickly become the UK’s No.1 selling primer and I can see why! You simply
smooth a thin layer of the product over your skin and it not only acts as a
perfect base for make-up but also reduces the appearance of your pores, which I
am so grateful for! The lady also said that you can wear it alone, with out
foundation, which is true I guess, but it gives almost no coverage (considering
on the back it claims it‘s translucent). So don’t expect this to work similarly
to a lightweight BB cream, you may need to pair it with foundation or at least
concealer.
Although this may seem a little pricey, I
think it retails at around £24, I think it’s worth the splurge. Or perfect for
any upcoming birthday lists?
Let me know if you’ve tried it and what you
think!
Caitlin A
x
So, yesterday Caitlin B and I took a little trip down the coast to Brighton. I love spending the day in Brighton, especially when you're shopping! And I may have made a few purchases along the way...
Clothes
Black Daisy Print Skirt (bottom right) - Urban Outfitters
White Floral Chiffon Top (bottom left) - H&M
Blue Aztec Print Shorts (top left) - Urban Outfitters
White Floral Print Crop Top (top right) - Urban Outfitters
We didn't have much luck in all of the usual shops but as you can see, Urban Outfitters had all sorts going on!
Beauty and Other Stuff
I didn't go too crazy on the beauty front (makes a change) I just couldn't find much that I knew I really wanted. However, something I knew I did really want was Benefit's Porefessional, as I've heard so many other beauty lovers swear by it. So excited to try this out!
I picked up a couple of the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine varnishes, a pastel pink in Rose Hip and a pastel mint green in Sugar Apple. I was also offered a free gift of a Limited Edition Barry M varnish exclusive to Superdrug, I chose the gorgeous pink in Promenade. I also picked up a face wash (boring, I know), but I' pretty excited to try it, the Garnier Pure Active Fruit Energy gel wash. And last but not least I picked up a last minute candles from Urban Outfitters in Lemon Fizz. It was on offer so I couldn't really say no...
Taking a shopping break we went for some really lovely tapas at a place called Bellota. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the food but look at the size of the glasses of sangria we were given!
We were pretty happy to say the least!
Caitlin A
x
I cannot believe that it's already June, this year is flying! This month's favourites of mine have emerged from some new discoveries and digging out some long lost loves. There is only a few things as a lot of my routine has become pretty constant recently; so lets get down to it.
Skin Care: I've been doing my best to break my lazy habits and make sure I cleanse and tone after removing my make-up each night. I have remembered how much I love the Body Shop's Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser, it does the job well and leaves your skin feeling fresh and smooth. Now, for one of my staple skin care items; Origins Drink Up 10 Minute Moisture Mask hydrates your skin like you would not believe, my skin is always very happy after I've used this!
Make-up: Both of my picks here are from Soap and Glory. I know I know, I'm pretty late to the party on just discovering how good their make-up is! The Archery Brow precision shaping tool, includes a waxy pencil end and at the other end it's almost like a felt tip. I love this product, even a eyebrow noob like myself will find their eyebrows easy with this! Their Kick Ass concealer I purchased recently includes 2 shades of creamy concealer, one for general blemishes and redness and the other for highlighting under the eyes, both work brilliantly and I love the consistency. What I love most about this product is the pressed powder in the top, it sets your make-up perfectly when pressed into the skin and removes any hint of shine!
Hair Care: Now, the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle is a product Caitlin B has been praising for a long time and I never got around to trying; and how naive I was. I got the Colour Mate formula for my highlighted hair and it makes my hair feel so smooth and healthy, love it! A styling product I've been loving was sent to me in a Glossy Box a little while a go, the Richard Ward Couture Hair Optimiser Style Reviver. I spray this in my hair before styling and I really think it holds its style longer! This has so nearly run out and I think I will have to consider a repurchase!
Random: Although not beauty related, my last favourite is the Anker portable phone charger. Now my friend bought one of these recently, and before you knew it, we were all following suit! You charge this baby up at home for a little while and take it anywhere with you to charge your phone when you're out and about. A wide range of phones are compatible and for only around £13 on Amazon I think it's definitely worth it tackle the awful battery life of my iPhone!
Let me know what you've been loving!
Caitlin A
x
In a mad rush to get ready the other night, I had forgotten to fake tan! And my friend let me use hers last minute (thank you Daryl!). Now this was a little exciting for me because I'm not that adventurous when it comes to tanning and I always stick to my trusty Sally Hansen Air Brush Legs which I think is fool proof and perfect for me!
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| Sorry my photography is so rubbish here! |
But this Garnier tan comes out in a light moussey texture, and when applied with a tanning mit, it is easy to apply and exactly like it says on the tin, there are no streaks in sight! It blends well and the colour is nice (not too orangey) and shows instantly. Another promise that this lives up to is none of that nasty fake tan smell! So, good all around yeah? Maybe not. One thing this tan does not promise which is a necessity for me is to be water resistant. I only ever wear fake tan when I've got my legs out on a night out, and that means god knows how many drinks are going to spilled over me. I'm afraid to say that I woke up the next morning with vertical stripes down my legs, not a good look!
This tan retails for around £14, so I would say middle of the road price range. But if you are going anywhere with a chance of rain I would opt for a water resistant tan, you could probably find cheaper too!
Let me know if you've tried this before and what you thought,
Caitlin A
x
Winged eye liner is something we all struggle with, so today I thought I'd share a couple of tips and tricks to create s simple every day look with winged liner. Starting with my favourite tool to do the job with, Rimmel's Glam'Eyes Professional Liquid Liner. I always find liquid eye liners easiest to use when needing to be precise and the brush in this tube helps with precision perfectly! Bonus: I use this liner most days and it always takes ages to run out and never dries up or goes clumpy!
Now with the tricky bit; start at the inner corner of your top lash line and draw a thin line across the lid, this can be made thicker if that's what you prefer. (Mine always end up thicker in the process of trying to get them to match!).
Once you're happy, you can plot where your wing will sit, you can find your vanishing point but using something thin (I used the liner itself) to match the line from the outer corner of your eye to your eyebrow.
Now you can mark out your wing, the size and length is up to you, but if you are going casual then keep it quite tame. Once you think you've got this you can fill in the rest of the line. If there are any smudges or areas that need cleaning up just use a cotton bud to do so!
And there you go! Easy winged eye liner that you can wear on a day to day basis! Hope this helps some of you,
Caitlin A
x
So I might have made a quick stop off in Boots yesterday...and only came away with one thing! I was intrigued by Revlon's new release of Scented Nail Enamel and though it was an odd concept. But I fell in love with this mint colour with glitter and couldn't leave it there (especially since it was on offer!). The colours called Wintermint and only took one coat to get the desired effect. It dried pretty quickly too. Now, the varnish only releases it's scent once it has dried so you can't really tell what it's going to smell like in the shop. But the name of this one give it away, it smells like mint. It's a nice, fresh minty smell and it is pretty distinct. However, I just can't wrap my head around why the scent is necessary. I don't think it was something that the nail care market was crying out for! I will admit that the packaging is kind of cute, as it looks like a mimi perfume bottle. I do love the colour but I think, at full price £6.49, it's a little pricey compared to the likes of Barry M, and if you're paying that extra for the scent, I don't think it's worth it.
Let me know if you've tried any of these and what you thought of them!
Caitlin A
x
Being a uni student, I go out a fair bit, and that may include a few drinks along the way... We've all been there, you can't resist the night out but you've got a lecture or a presentation the next day. Well have no fear, I have a quick and easy routine to make it look like you had your full beauty sleep on the outside (even though you may feel like hell on the inside!)
1. Try not to lay in bed too long after you wake up, I always feel worse if I roll around in bed feeling sorry for myself. So get in the shower, or the tub if you prefer, and get yourself clean. Use a really nice fresh smelling body wash that will give you a pick me up, at the moment I'm using the Body Shop's Passion fruit shower gel, or another favourite of mine is Soap and Glory's Sugar Crush body wash! It smells like heaven in a bottle! Make sure you wash your face to get rid of any left over grime from make-up or from when that drink got thrown over you last night. I'm using the Simple Kind to Skin moisturising facial wash at the moment, but there are loads of good ones out there.
2. Whilst you're in there, wash your hair. You need to get out all of the hairspray from the night before to hold your curls! I'm loving using the new Garnier Ultimate Blends shampoo and conditioner in Cocoa butter and Coconut oil, leaves you're feeling ridiculously smooth! If you're really in a rush, you can skip this step, with a good brush through and lashings of dry shampoo, no one will notice!
3. DRINK WATER! This is the most important step and always makes me feel ten times better. Make sure its icy cold, this will wake you up even more.
4. Use a good hydrating moisturiser for your face, this Clinique Superdefense SPF 20 does the job pretty well. If you have the time also use an eye cream at this stage, those eyes will need brightening!
5. Now for make up, you wanna keep things nice and simple whilst still looking fresh and pretty. This Garnier Miracle Skin Cream is a total game changer. It's a self adjusting moisturiser that turns into a tinted moisturiser when it touches skin. Its gives such nice finish and a light coverage, you can probably skip foundation! Just use some concealer to cover up any redness and any circles under the eyes, I'm loving Soap and Glory's Kick Ass Concealer, it's such good all rounder.
6. Fill in your eyebrows however you usually would and move onto eyes. You can skip eyeshadow if you like or if you want something easy just give your lids a quick wash over with a light champagne colour like Sin from Urban Decay. Using a colour like Virgin (also from UD) in the inner corners of your eye as a highlight will work wonders for looking more awake. Finish your eyes with a coating of your mascara of choice. Finish off with a pretty and subtle lip, like the Revlon Colour burst in Honey and you're done!
7. Drink more water!
And Voilà ! Your hang over will be our little secret! Hope this is helpful to those of you old enough to drink, but you can also use it on extra tired days!
Caitlin A
x
Beauty
Blusher
Cheek Pop
First Impressions: Clinique Supermoisture Makeup and Cheek Pop Blush
10:15Unknown
So after buying many drugstore foundations and never quite finding the one for me, I decided that I would explore the higher end of the market. I was wandering around House of Fraser probably looking like a muppet because there wasn't a sales assistant in sight to help me! When I found one she said she could only match me for the Clinque foundations so I gave it a shot, and ended up really liking the result.
I bought the Super Moisture Make-up foundation as it has the most coverage out of the ones that they offer, I bought it in the shade 04 Ivory. The product has a quite lightweight, dewy finish (which I really like in a foundation) and is easy to blend into the skin. But what I liked most about it is that it barely clings on to any dry patches of skin which I really struggle to find in foundations. However, it does give you quite a light coverage, which is perfect for day to day wear, (especially in spring!) but if you want to hit the town on a night out I would personally opt for another foundation with a higher level coverage. The old classic I reach for is Rimmel's Wake Me Up foundation.
Now, their limited edition Cheek Pop blushes were something I had my eye on before. And when the sales assistant finished my look with one of them and I saw how truly beautiful they were not only in their packaging but also on the face, I could not resist buying it. Well, since I was buying the foundation anyway... I have the shade Berry Pop, a really vibrant pretty pink. The consistency of the product is really nice and applies easily onto the skin. It can be quite a bright shade so if I accidentally over do it, I brush it over with a little powder which tones it down perfectly.
Let me know if you've tried these and what you thought of them!
Caitlin A
x
So I might have gone on a little shopping trip the other day (as my holiday is fast approaching I felt it was justified!) and thought I would share a few things that I bought!
First on the holiday list was a bikini, and i found this pretty patterned one in Primark so it was a bargain! The coral top is from New Look and was a bit of a last minute purchase but I'm so glad I did buy it, the crochet design at the bottom makes it extra pretty. Most surprisingly I was quite tame in Topshop (for once), I needed a new pair of denim shorts (I got the Hallie style ones) and some new black Leigh jeans. Check and Check.
As for the beauty side of things, by first stop was Boots where I picked up Garnier's Miracle Skin Cream, which is a self adjusting tinted moisturiser. I can't wait to try this out, I think it will be perfect on holiday and in the summer when I'm having a good skin day. The Kick Ass concealer from Soap and Glory is something I've wanted to try for a while and I was getting pretty bored of using the Collection one all the time! I also bought the Revlon Colour Burst in the shade Honey, because lets face it, it's hard for me to come home with out a new lip colour!
Right, so my main aim of the trip was to get a new and decent foundation. Ive only ever bought drugstore foundations before and wanted a change. I ended up chatting to a lovely lady at the Clinique counter who matched me for their Super Moisture Make-up foundation and I really really liked it! I will do a review of this soon! And whilst I was there I could not resist buying one of the gorgeous Cheek Pop blushes in Berry Pop, it's so pretty I never want to touch it! And as a side note, I got SO MANY free gifts from Clinique and they all look really nice, well done you Clinique!
Let me know if you've bought anything to get ready for the summer!
Caitlin A
x
So lately I've been making a conscious effort to change up the lipstick department of my makeup bag. Ie. swapping all the staple deep reds for more spring like brights. The idea of orange lipstick really put me out of me comfort zone at first, but after lusting over pictures of Jessica Alba pulling it off, we can all attempt to right? (or at least a girl can dream).
So for this look I used the Topshop lipstick in Infrared, which looks like a terrifyingly bright orange, but it can be toned down promise! What I do is go straight on with the lipstick from the bullet, then blot it in with my finger, this makes it work more as a stain (therefore lasting longer!) and also tones down the colour slightly making more wearable for day time. I actually really love the colour as it gives my make up a really bright and querky pop of colour. Additionally if you have blue eyes like me its a double bonus, because it makes them look brighter as orange and blue are opposites on the colour spectrum, therefore clashing against each other to make them appear brighter.
I then paired the look with Sin from the Urban Decay Naked Pallet all over my lid with Virgin in the inner corners, but any light champagne colours will do. I then finished it off with a double flick cat liner, giving it a feline flirty feel. I really like the double flick as it enhances the outer lashes making them appear thicker and longer. I then swept a coral tone blush Sugarbomb by Benefit across my cheeks to finish the look.
Let me know how you like to wear the orange lips trend in the comments!
Caitlin B
x
Now heres a product I'm a tiny weeny bit excited to talk about, because while Ive only owned it for one short week I already know its love, and I wouldn't be without it.
So on a cheeky little shopping trip with Caitlin A in Liverpool last week I popped into Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazaar, all beauty lovers heaven on earth, on the hunt for a new foundation when I stubbled across Nars's latest release the Radiant Cream Compact. Now when I originally saw it, it didn't jump out at me, the idea of the product kind of reminded me of the Maxfactor Miricle Touch foundation, which reminded of a product I used to cake on in the girls toilets at school, but one of the lovely sales assistants insisted I had to try it, and I'm so glad I took her up on it.
For me it literally ticks every box, it gives the most beautiful lightweight and luminous finish, giving my skin a real dewy, heathy glow, perfect for spring, very similar to Nars Sheer Glow. The formula blends seamlessly, that it just looks like my skin but better, I like a light coverage, which is easily achievable with the product however, it can be built up to give a medium coverage.In addition to all this I actually find the product surprisingly moisturising and doesn't cling to any dry patches of skin.
The thing I love the most about this product however, is how quick and easy it is to use, theres not real need for blending for ages with a foundation brush, like most liquid foundations and the sponge applicator is really easy to work with, an aspect I really wasn't expecting to like. Im so loving how quickly it takes me to do my base now, extra 5 minutes in bed has totally been welcomed with open arms!
Caitlin B
x
x
So spring has well and truly sprung, and that means it's time to make a few changes to my make-up bag! The best way to compliment a natural, glowing spring make-up look is to add a pop of colour with a fresh and pretty lipstick. I'd thought I would share some of my favourite shades of the season with you.
This first little beauty is my most recent naughty MAC purchase, but it was SO worth it. It's called 'Lustering' and is such a pretty, girly pink (without venturing into Barbie pink territory!) It has gorgeous creamy finish and feels very moisturising. Although I will admit the one down side to this lipstick is that it doesn't last all that long on the lips and will need to be reapplied throughout the day! But it's still one of my faves!
'Vegas Volt' from MAC is a much more bold coral, the perfect mix of pink and orange. The finish is lovely and not too shiny; this colour can be dressed up or down so can take you right through from day to night (with a little touching up!).
I'll talk about these next two together as I think they are both pretty similar and both pretty great! The Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in 127 'Juicy Papaya' and the Bourjois Color Boost in 04 'Peach on the Beach' are both really fresh and pretty pinks that once they are on your lips, always put a smile on your face! Definitely a staple product during the spring/summer for me!
The Dior Addict Extreme lipstick in 356 'Cherie Bow' is my all time favourite 'my lips but better' shade and is easy to wear with natural make-up looks. The formula of these is really nice and gives your lips a lovely subtle shine for the days when you want it to look like you made more of an effort than you did!
'Vegas Volt' from MAC is a much more bold coral, the perfect mix of pink and orange. The finish is lovely and not too shiny; this colour can be dressed up or down so can take you right through from day to night (with a little touching up!).
I'll talk about these next two together as I think they are both pretty similar and both pretty great! The Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in 127 'Juicy Papaya' and the Bourjois Color Boost in 04 'Peach on the Beach' are both really fresh and pretty pinks that once they are on your lips, always put a smile on your face! Definitely a staple product during the spring/summer for me!
The Dior Addict Extreme lipstick in 356 'Cherie Bow' is my all time favourite 'my lips but better' shade and is easy to wear with natural make-up looks. The formula of these is really nice and gives your lips a lovely subtle shine for the days when you want it to look like you made more of an effort than you did!
For those of you who are scared of a bold lip or like to go heavy on the eyes, this nude is for you! Maybelline ColorSensational in 'Tantalizing Taupe' is a gorgeous nude with a subtle shimmer that gives that extra something. Side note: this one does have a bit of a funky smell that I don't agree with (a bit like Playdough?) but if that doesn't scare you, you'll love it!
Let me know what lipsticks you're loving this season!
Caitlin A
x
It's the first of May! Pinch punch first of the month and all that jazz, which means it's that time to review the products I've been obsessing over this month. I've got a few different things I've been loving (all beauty related obvs!) which are all perfect for this beautiful spring weather we've been getting here in the UK.
The first favourite is skin care related, which is kinda different for me because I'm very much a stick to what you know sort of girl when in comes to moisturiser, as I can have very sensitive skin so this has been a god send in my daily routine and it is the Clarins HydraQuench Cream. Ive tried a few things in the HydraQuench range, which I think are all amazing if you have normal to dry skin. I use the moisturiser every morning, as I feel it really brightens the appearance of my skin, making it feel as look healthy. As soon as its applied my face feels instantly fresh and awake as if Ive just splashed my face with cold water or something (sounds weird right). Its really light weight, and sit perfectly under my base makeup, which is a total bonus so this product is definitely a winner for me!
On my cheeks I've been loving a combo of a new discovery with a favourite oldie which is Nars 'Deep Throat' on the apples of my cheeks (yes an awkward name when someone asks you what it is) with Benefits 'Watt's Up' as a highlight. I think this is the perfect spring combo, as the highlight has a real golden undertone with a sheer finish, which gives my cheeks a really beautiful glow. Deep Throat is then a real girlie pretty pink, which has teeny tiny shimmery golden particles, which also light up and brighten the cheeks, creating the perfect spring radience. I also love putting on Watts Up under my foundation on the tops of my cheek bones and on my temple to give my skin a dewy and glowing finish.
The next is a nude lip stick by Revlon called 'Pink in the Afternoon' which I've nicknamed 'My Lips but Better', because I finally feel I've found my perfect nude shade. My lips are quite naturally red, which means lots of nude shades really pale out my lips which is a look that reminds me of the old foundation lips loved back in 07 (looking back on photos I really don't know why I ever did it!) But this shade is so perfect, its a really warm pink nude, which brightens up my face giving my lips literally giving them the kiss of life. I LOVE it!
To round it all off I've been wearing Benefits 'Ring my Bella' perfume everyday, its the perfect fruity floral pretty spring scent, its a real flirty pick me up when your having a bad day.
Hope your all loving the leap into spring as much as I am, and leave comments sharing your monthly favs!
Caitlin B
x
