A Charlotte Tilbury Face

So it's been a while... Over a year actually. But hey, ho. 

I have a new (very expensive) brand obsession, probably like most beauty lovers do at the moment. It is of course; Charlotte Tilbury. The woman can do nothing wrong! I have found myself continuously drawn to her website at least weekly for the last few months, adding things to my basket, and then balking at the price and losing my nerve. But then John Lewis did the 10% off thing for Black Friday... And I went a bit mental. 

I picked up several things to add to my collection (it is my unashamed goal to one day own everything), and now I have the makings of one of her 10 iconic looks: The Golden Goddess. 

Now, I am no Golden Goddess, that's for sure. But a girl can dream, and the look she created in her video was just so lovely, how could I resist? Maybe I really will look like that?! Alas, I have not become Adriana Lima, but the products are so beautiful anyway that I can forgive that. 

Wonderglow Primer

This is such a great primer! CT herself says that you could even wear it alone on bare skin. Pah, well we can dream, can't we? Its finish is golden but not glittery... It's hard to describe the effect really... It's just... Glowy. I really like it, I might even stretch to buying the full-size when my free travel version has run out.

Light Wonder Foundation - Shade 2

I've never bought a 'dewy' foundation before, and this is definitely dewy. When I first applied it I was practically luminous, but after a couple of minutes it settles down and starts to look more realistic. I really like the way it makes my skin look - mainly healthy. It doesn't give very much coverage but it blends well with my Estee Lauder DW concealer so I can get rid of my undesirables. I apply it with a damp makeup sponge, because it's easier to layer it this way. Most of my brushes eat the product and leave none left for my face. 

The Golden Goddess Palette

This is some kind of beautiful; the colours just blend together seamlessly, making an almost ombre effect without even trying. I found the Pop shade to be best applied with the fingers as it has some heavy duty glitter to it, but the rest are silky smooth and just glide onto the eyelid. 

What I especially loved about this palette is that the darker colours aren't so dark that it is easy to overdo it. They build beautifully to get a deeper colour payoff, but you don't immediately give yourself the panda eye trying to do your lower lid. 

The prime and enhance shades are especially beautiful to use during the day and are not so shimmery to look overdone. The prime shade it a bit yellow to wear on it's own, so I wouldn't without combining it with one of the other shades. But I found it to be very understatedly beautiful when applied with a light hand. 

I'm sorry, but can we just take a second to look at it! It's so pretty...

It should be noted that actual colour payoff looks far less yellow/orange than they do here, but getting that damn natural light in winter, ey? 

Lip Cheat Lipliner in Pillow Talk

I've had many compliments on this; applied gently it can really make your lips look extra special. Slightly fuller without looking fake. It makes a great combination with the Stoned Rose lipstick too. 

K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Stoned Rose

My God. I have barely taken this off, I literally carry it everywhere! I take it to the library for God's sake! I had some reservations about this shade, but once I put it on I was sold. It's not totally natural looking but it's not too much either, it's a lovely middle-ground, casual shade that I can wear with both heavy eye makeup and no eye makeup and it still looks great. 

Cheek to Chic Blusher in Ecstasy

You really need a light hand with this. When I first got it I applied it with the same liberal manner that I do my Benefit blushes, and I looked ridiculous. However with a lighter touch, this is a very flattering colour, with a subtle shimmer to give you a pretty glow. I think I still slightly prefer my Benefit Sugarbomb blush, but that's safely trapped within the Christmas palette, ergo, I think this is the blush I'll take travelling with me. 

So here is my whole face... I'm just about to head to the library.

 

I feel like CT products are investments, and they certainly feel like luxuries. But if you feel good taking them out of your makeup bag, and enjoy the end result, then I'd rather have that than 1000 cheaper products I'm not sure about. I know what I would buy again and what I wouldn't (Cheek to chic blusher) but that's all part of the makeup experience. ...But anyway, now I have to go and explain to my boyfriend why I can't afford to eat this month... 

Travelling Makeup!

In two weeks, I'll be living out of a backpack for a month. I've done this once before, and I had the absolute worst skin of my life. I took barely any makeup because I assumed I wouldn't need it, but we were in India, and I hadn't counted on all the sweat, dirt and baking heat. Spots everywhere. Massive juicers visible from space... Never again.

So now I'm a careful packer, and although I have to travel very light, I don't cut corners any more - it's just not worth it. So here is what I am taking makeup-wise:

 Now I'll admit; this isn't quite everything. I'm still umming and ahhing over what concealer to take with me. I think I'm probably just going to buy a new one in a darker shade (any excuse).

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream
Fairly standard. It doesn't give me all the coverage I need, but it's lovely and light with SPF - winner, winner.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer
Again, standard, but it's just the best bronzer I've used. I don't like to take shimmery face products as I feel they are for days when you're feeling particularly... 'Sparkly'. And that's definitely max once a week.

Topshop Lipstick in Infrared
It's orange, and honestly, I rarely leave the house without wearing it these days. It's my absolute favourite and I couldn't leave it behind - it makes me so sad to think of it alone in my drawer for so long.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Hibiscus

Such a lovely product, especially when you have a tan. I love it on my lips and cheeks, although it does need lip balm too since it can be quite drying.

 The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes
This is one of those lovely little eyeshadows from the shimmer cubes boxes. Its a golden/peach kind of colour and I use it all over the place; inner-corner highlight, eyeshadow wash, cheekbone highlight and sometimes on my cupid's bow too. Such a convenient little thing!

 Maybelline Expresson Kajal Eyeliner - Silver Grey
This is a slightly softer alternative to straight black. I feel like black takes effort, because if I don't get it right it makes my eyes look small and piggy. I was so satisfied with this, until I saw the new Bobbi Brown Surf and Sand bronze eyeliner... I want it so badly!

Maybelline Brow Drama - Medium Brown
Now, admittedly, this is nowhere near as good as Benefit's Gimme Brow, but it's £4.99, and so simple to use. I'd normally use pencil and then this over the top, but it does fine on it's own and pencil is such a faff when you only have a little compact mirror. Also, because it has a bigger, wider brush, it makes quite a good mascara!

So there we have it. Other than perhaps two new additions, this is what I'll be using! I hope I made good choices!

Xxxx

...Winter Makeup Look... Super-Berry

Instagram has just been made available on Windows phones! I've been dying to try it out, so I thought I'd use it to take pictures of a makeup look I've been living in recently...

My orange towel looking casual there...

I think this look is not too much over the top but still quite glamorous. This is what I used for it...

My Benefit Sugarbomb blusher is really ready to die now, but I can still scrape the remnants from the bottom before I have to get a new one. The poor thing has worked hard for me these last two years, it's earn't it's retirement. 

Powder: Rimmel London Stay Matte - Translucent, cheap and cheerful powder. Great at keeping oily skin at bay.

Mascara: No.7 Intense Volume - A water-based mascara with a very thin formula, perfect for when you want to give your lashes a very natural boost. I never feel like I'm wearing heavy mascara with this and it doesn't make my eyes sore after a long day.

Primer: E.L.F. Mineral Infused Primer - Reviewed here.

Eyeshadow: Benefit World Famous Neutrals - Eyenessa's Most Glamorous Nudes Ever (colours used: It's Complicated all over lids and on inner corners, and Call my Buff on the brow bone.) Reviewed here.

Natural Collection Solo Eyeshadow in Crushed Walnut - A nice matte brown, great for contouring.

Eyebrows: Topshop Brows Pencil in Brown - A great brunette match, at least for me. This pencil is HUGE, I'd be sharpening this for days before it ran out.

Lips: Rimmel Kate Lipstick in 107 - A matte berry/purple... lovelovelove! 

I also forgot to put the foundation I used in the picture; it was Estee Lauder Double Wear.

Xxxx

P.S. For anyone interested... I GOT THE JOB!!! (See two posts below...)

Winter Lips

I own a lot of lip products, I hate to admit it, but probably too many...

What am I talking about?! There's no such thing as too many lip products!

Here are a few that I've been reaching for most since it's gotten colder. Bolder lips are always a winner in the winter, they make a great contrast against paler, sun-less skin.

From left to right...

Mac Satin Lipstick in Film Noir - A very dark berry colour.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate in 107 - I think nearly everyone and their mother owns this, but for very good reason. A matte berry/purple; the photo does not do it justice.

Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate in 01 - A glossy, dark blue-red.

Diorific Haute Couture Long Wearing Lipstick in Dolce Vita - A matte orange-red.

MaxFactor Lipfinity Lasting Lip Tint in 03 - Another berry shade, more sheer than a lipstick but builds like a dream.

But what would winter be without some gorgeous lip balms to beat chapped lips away?!

Burt's Bees Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit - Grapefruit is the best scent in the world; it's so cheerful and refreshing!

Clinique Chubby Stick in Two Ton Tomato - A sheer but fairly bright red. If I could buy one of these in every colour I would *sigh*.

Also... Isn't the fake snow in Plymouth so pretty? It hasn't snowed here in over 150 years, how depressing!

Xxxx

Maybelline, Bourjois and Olay.

Superdrug emailed me a couple of days ago telling me that if I didn't spend the points on my card, they would expire on the 1rst of December! I was a little bit gutted because I hate spending points. I hoard them. Hoard them like a hoarder hoards crap.
I love sitting on that little balance thinking: "One day. One day I'll have a MILLION points! Mwahahahaha..."

But anyway; here is what I bought...

Bourjois Lipstick in Rose Innocence - I've been wearing this since I applied it in the shopping centre. Its a very pretty pink, a tiny bit shimmery but nothing to balk at. It's staying power is very impressive and the packaging is just gorgeous! It looks so much more expensive than it is!

Olay Complete Care Normal/Dry Day Cream - Olay are my absolute favourite; I've used their mosturisers nearly every day since I was about 13! I normally use the beauty fluid but since I'm running a bit low I thought I'd try this. Its much thicker and creamier than the beauty fluids so I'm hoping this will be a better winter moisturiser. No matter how much I love the beauty fluids, they're very runny and although great moisturisers, I'm feeling something a bit more heavy-duty is in order at the moment- it's freezing outside!

And of course, it smells just as divine as all the other Olay products in existence! Mmm...

And Finally...
Maybelline Fit Me Anti-Shine Stick (115 - Ivory) - I've been dying to try these! I've walked into a shop so many times with the premise of buying it, and then I've always chickened out because I didn't want to spend my minute amount of cash. But here we are... I suppose it was just meant to be.

As you can see, it's got two little circles of colour... How strange! I'll upload a full review of this tomorrow probably, I don't want to scrub my makeup off to reapply it all now. And sorry for the awful photo quality, my phone hates me at the moment.

And that's that! Superdrug points well spent me-thinks!

Xxxx

These are a Few of my Favourite Things...

The candle (lemon scented - Next) makes everything look so much prettier.

The lipstick above is Christian Dior - Diorific Haute Couture Long Wearing Lipstick in Dolce Vita. It is without a doubt, the nicest lipstick I've ever used.

Now, honestly, my photos still aren't great. I put that down having a camera that is 7 years old! (Excuses, excuses.) But I think they're getting better! Putting the candle in the background was just for the light at first, because my camera flash is broken, but it came out rather festive!

But I'm not saying the "C" word... Not yet.

Xxxx

So... Purple.

I've been wanting to dye my hair for a while, but I've never had the manhood for it. But after a couple of weeks of pestering from my housemates...
"Uni is the time to get to do things like this!"
"Come on, take a little risk for a change!"
"You can't got through your whole life with only one hair colour!"
...I've bitten the bullet and bought some dye.

Semi-Permanent obviously; I'm not THAT brave.

It wasn't that hard to do really. The only tough part was not dyeing my face or ears, and I did have a bit of a falling-out with the shower head. I dropped it whilst it was still turned on and then I couldn't catch it while it was flailing about. But at least the bathroom walls got a good wash. 

So anyway...

When I first dried it I freaked out a little bit... "Oh my God, it's BLACK!!" but the girls have told me that it should fade in a couple of days and be more of the Plum colour that the box promised. We'll see...

I probably should have eased myself into this whole 'hair-dyeing' fiasco a bit more slowly. Perhaps gone for a chocolate brown, instead of straight in there with purple. Still, it could be a lot worse...

And at least it matches my Mac - Film Noir lipstick!

Xxxx

Topshop Lipstick Bullet

Hello there,

I thought today that I'd write about a very recent purchase of mine; a Topshop Lipstick Bullet! I've been looking for a dark red/burgundy lipstick for a while, I think it's a great wintery colour and can look very glamorous indeed! 

I got the colour, Rockabilly which is very deep red, almost brown, exactly what I was looking for!

These things are not like your day to day lipsticks, they're very creamy and feel almost like vaseline when you apply them. They're just as well pigmented as normal lipsticks though, the colour comes out very well and doesn't change from the way it looks in the packaging. Since the texture is so creamy, they do have a tendency to bleed around your mouth and it does require some touching-up throughout the day. 

The packaging is typical Topshop, quite minimal and pretty. However, since the texture is so smooth, it gets all over the top of the packaging and inside the little lid. This is very hard to avoid, because it's so easy to catch the lipstick when you're putting the lid back on. 

It also is very staining. If you have this on your lips all day, or even for a few hours, you can guarantee that there will still be some colouring left on your lips the next day. I give my lips a good scrub with my makeup remover but it will still be there when I have a closer look. 

As for what it looks like on...

As you can see, it's fairly dark and has a little bit of a shine to it. You can get rid of this by blotting a couple of times, which gets rid of the shine without losing any of the colour! This is great because it means you can get a lovely matte look from this lipstick too!

Overall, I love this! I think its a very pretty colour and is great value for money at £8! I do have a few little niggles, but nothing that would put me off using it.