28.11.14

Getting The Filmstar Bronze & Glow

Getting The Filmstar Bronze & Glow

If you were to ask me what my most treasured makeup products are in my collection, it would be my MAC eyeshadow palettes and without a doubt my Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow. It’s a beautiful duo palette, packaged in a 1920’s rose gold inspired cigarette case. And inside is two powders, one to ‘sculpt’ and one to ‘highlight’. Both powders are very finely milled, super soft, silky and very pigmented - so use with a light hand. Both shades work perfectly together and can be worn subtly or more intensely dependant on the look you’re going for and have made contouring a dream.

Getting The Filmstar Bronze & Glow
Getting The Filmstar Bronze & Glow

The sculpt shade is a medium brown, with a very subtle warm undertone. The shade isn’t orange in the slightest and warms up the skin nicely, without looking muddy or dirty. And is perfect for contouring. It has a lovely satin finish, so doesn’t look flat on the skin, it blends beautifully and is super flattering. I like to suck my cheeks in and swipe the sculpt shade from the bottom of the ears  just before the corners of my mouth. I then put a stoke on the temples, the bridge of the nose and the sides of my forehead. The highlight shade is a beautiful golden champagne and it makes my skin glow. It isn’t at all metallically, or shimmery, doesn't sit in, or emphasise my pores. I much prefer it to the Mary Lou Manizer. In fact, it’s by far my favourite highlighter. I take the highlighter on the brow bone, on the cheek bones and on the end of my nose and chin.

Getting The Filmstar Bronze & Glow Now ironically the brush I use to apply my rather expensive (but well worth it) bronze and glow, is an MUA F6 Blusher and Contouring brush which is just £3! It’s a soft synthetic angled brush and my go to for contouring. It’s the perfect size, cleans extremely well and doesn’t malt. More recently, I have been enjoying using this kit for my eyes. I have been using the contour shade in the crease and then I take the highlight shade all over the lid and into the corner of my eyes. It looks so pretty, especially when paired with a swipe of liquid liner. Overall, I can’t fault this palette careless of the price, or in fact the MUA F6 Brush! I have Charlotte Tilbury to thank for helping my face look slimmer without cutting out the chocolate! You can buy the Charlotte Tilbury Bronze and Glow here

What are your go to products for contouring and highlighting? 
Emily
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25.11.14

5 Things You’ll Always Find In My Handbag

5 Things You’ll Always Find In My Handbag
My handbag is just like my best friend. I don’t go anywhere without it. And if it was possible to carry everything with me I would. But let’s be honest, that’s not realistic, good for my back, or practical. So amongst the obvious, hairbands, purse, chewing gum, hand sanitiser and lots of receipts, are five  essential beauty related products you’ll always find somewhere in my handbag. 

TANGLE TEEZER £10.99
There is nothing worse than perfecting your locks and then stepping outside for your hair to be blown all over the place! This compact brush has made brushing my hair on the go a doddle. It doesn’t tug, snag or snap my hair and is the perfect detangling companion. I have two Tangle Teezers, one of which lives permanently in my bag and one for at home. Since using the Tangle Teezer over a year a go, I haven’t used anything else. 

CLARINS INSTANT LIGHT NATURAL LIP PERFECTOR £18.00
Probably the most used lip ‘bloss' I have ever owned. And no, you didn’t read that wrong, this lip gloss is a hybrid, both gloss and balm. It’s hydrating, not sticky in the slightest and offers a nice pop of colour. I have the shade 01 rose shimmer which is funnily enough not shimmery in the slightest and I love it. Highly recommend. 

BOOTS BRIGHTENING EYE DROPS £3.69
If the concealer and overnight beauty products didn’t quite do the trick, say hello to Boots Brightening Eye Drops! Whilst studying Broadcast Journalism at University, I found eyedrops. If I knew I was going to be on camera, I would take a couple of drops of these and Voilà I would instantly look awake careless of the state of my under eye area! They are great to carry with you, just in case you need a pick me up. 

TRAVALO £6.90
The Travalo is genius! Who wants to carry round a bottle of their favourite perfume, for it only to smash all over the contents of your handbag (been there, done that!). But this little perfume atomizer allows you to carry your favourite perfume without the worry. It’s perfect for travel, gym, parties and festivals. It’s super easy to use, you simply remove the nozzle from your perfume bottle, and pump the perfume into the Travalo. You can also see when it needs refilling. On the note of refilling I haven’t yet used a different perfume in my Travalo, but there are many ways you can clean it if need be. 

ELIZABETH ARDEN 8 HOUR CREAM £12.95
I’ve hailed this product many a times (see previous post for instance) and I’ll hail it again and again. No matter how dry or cracked my lips are, this award-winning tube of balmy goodness works miracles. It can also be used on dry hands and I often use it around my nose when I get a cold. Handbag staple. 

What beauty products do you keep in your handbag?
Emily
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20.11.14

Overnight Beauty

Some of us ladies have a hectic lifestyle and rarely have the time, or money to treat ourselves to a facial or pedicure. But, its okay to be a 21st century woman and experts say you can multitask - as you rest, you can also indulge yourself. And I for one love to take advantage of my natural overnight repair system and let’s be honest, not even the best concealer can truly fake a good nights sleepAll it takes is a few minutes before you go to bed and as your skin repairs, the products will do the hard work for you. Who doesn’t want to wake up looking flawless? Well, whether you need to hydrate your skin, or banish blemishes I may just have the answer.

TEA TREE OIL £7.00
A firm favourite in my skincare stash. It has powerful antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral and antiseptic properties. It has been proven to treat acne just as effectively as benzoyl peroxide. It’s kind to the skin, unblocks glands, dries out whiteheads, blackheads and those nasty blemishes. After I have cleansed my skin, I like to apply a couple of drops onto a cotton bud and apply directly to any blemishes, or problem areas and by morning the swelling will have reduced, or the blemish will have disappeared! 

SUDOCREM £2.99
Sudocrem a favourite amongst mothers, who like to slather it onto their babies bottom to treat nappy rash and is also a favourite amongst those with acne! It’s a purse friendly treatment, that has been tried and tested and even Cheryl Cole Fernandez Versini has said herself it really helps to draw out blemishes. It acts as an antiseptic and is a great anti-inflammatory helping to calm the skin and reduce redness. It also helps to soothe dry skin and prevent breakouts. I like to apply a thin layer all over the face, or apply locally to blemishes. Look out in Savers and Poundland for this bargain! 

ELIZABETH ARDEN 8 HOUR CREAM £12.95
All hail the holy grail Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream. This multitasking, award-winning, fragrance free, balm has been used by makeup artists and beauty editors for years. It restores, calms and relieves chapped and dry skin and soothes minor skin irritations. No matter how dry my lips are, I like to slather the balm all over my lips and by morning they are super soft and restored back to normality. It can also be used to treat the feet. Massage the product into your feet and slip on a pair of cotton socks to really help the product penetrate into your skin. And once again by morning your feet will feel soft, soft, soft. I can’t recommend this product enough! 

KIEHLS MIDNIGHT RECOVERY CONCENTRATE £36.00
Talking of holy grail (really starting to sound like Jay-Z here) Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate is another product I constantly turn to. The blend of natural ingredients and its paraban free formula soothes  and rehydrates my skin. It also works really well in terms of healing the skin, by reducing any scaring and has a lovely relaxing lavender scent. Not to mention the glow it gives my skin by morning and how it helps make you appear more awake than you really are. It’s my must have nighttime treatment. You can read my full review here

GLAMGLOW THIRSTYMUD HYDRATING TREATMENT £49.99*
When it comes to overnight hydrating treatments, the options are endless and it’s all about masks right now. We often get dehydrated whilst sleeping, especially during autumn and winter but this super lightweight mask from GLAMGLOW hydrates the skin overnight, revealing softer, nourished, glowing skin by morning. You can read my full review here. But if this product isn’t in your price range, opt for Origins Drink Up Overnight Mask. 

CLARINS LIQUID BRONZE £19.00
This light lotion has been a bedside staple of mine for just over a year and helps to even out skin tone and minimise imperfections. Once or twice a week before I hit the sheets, I like to apply a little onto a cotton pad and swipe the product all over my face (avoiding my hair line and eyebrows). It’s moisturising, doesn’t smell offensive, doesn’t break me out, leaves my skin looking healthy, all whilst giving me a faux sun kissed glow by morning. You can read my full review here. 

On the overnight beauty wish list: Sarah Chapman, Skinesis Overnight Facial and Kiehls Midnight Recovery Eye. 

What beauty products do you reach for before bed?
Emily
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18.11.14

The Dry Itchy Scalp Saviour

The Dry Itchy Scalp Saviour
I’am certainly not an expert on dry, itchy scalps. But I have found a solution that works. The change in weather in the last couple of weeks has wreaked havoc with my scalp. It was flaky and itchy, very itchy. TMI? Which is something I’m all too familiar with. And having a dry, itchy scalp can be really embarrassing, but rest assured it is very common. Now, there are lots of causes of a dry itchy scalp such as; excessive anxiety, stress, dandruff, poor hair care, change of hair products, product buildup, not drying your hair thoroughly and changes in temperature, or season, like in this case. 

In hope to soothe my scalp I had bought a couple of products, such as anti-dandruff shampoo and Boots Expert Dry Scalp shampoo and nothing helped. It is worth mentioning that if over the counter/at home remedies aren’t working, or your scalp is inflamed, oozing, cracking or bleeding consult your GP.

Now, DIY beauty has never really been my thing, just a thing of PinterestBut having learnt (after a little of online reading) that a simple dry scalp requires nothing more than moisturising, a mixture of natural oils seemed like a good solution. As a dry scalp is generally down to the lack of moisture in your hair follicles, coconut oil works wonders as it super moisturising and acts as a treatment to restore moisture, it also helps soothe the scalp and creates a barrier to keep the skin moisturised. Tea tree oil on the other hand, has powerful natural anti-fungalanti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. That kills the bacteria causing the over production of skin cells which create dandruff. And together coconut oil and tea tree oil make the perfect dry, itchy scalp saviour. 

What you need: 
All you need to do is take the coconut oil and mix it with the tea tree oil. Coconut oil is solid and liquifies when warmed. I personally like to mix the products together using the back of a spoon and then I will take then solid(ish) coconut oil and massage it into my scalp and during this process it will melt. I spend a few minutes massaging the scalp and then leave the treatment for as long as possible. And after a couple of hours, I wash out the oils using my regular shampoo (make sure you rinse your hair well, otherwise you’ll be left with super greasy hair) and then dry my hair thoroughly.

I didn’t expect much from this at home treatment, but it was in fact incredibly soothing and helped to relieve the symptoms of my dry itchy scalp unlike anything else I have tried. Since I have had a visit from the hairdresser and explained my nightmare and she said my scalp looked happy and healthy and boy am I glad! I couldn’t be any more impressed. Maybe I should venture a little more into at homemade beauty treatments...

Do you suffer from a dry, itchy scalp this time of year? 
Emily
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14.11.14

Worth The Hype? The LORAC Pro Palette

Worth The Hype? The LORAC Pro Palette
Worth The Hype? The LORAC Pro Palette

Say hello to my much loved LORAC Pro Palette, the most versatile pre-made palette I own. The palette has 16 shadows, half matte and half shimmer and has recently become one of my most used eyeshadow palettes. It’s not like any other palette I own and I feel a little guilty having neglected my MAC eyeshadow palettes recently; two of my most treasured items in my makeup collection. But, the colour selection, pigmentation and blendability have made this palette an absolute dream to use on a daily basis. 

The palette is packaged in slim cardboard with a rubbery NARS like texture and is much smaller than the Urban Decay Naked palettes. Talking of which, I would defiantly consider this palette over the Urban Decay Naked 1 Palette, as the LORAC palette has much more variety (mix of shimmer and matte), cool and warm shades and rather than just being your standard neutral palette with a mix of beiges, LORAC has thrown in a couple of bolder shades too! What’s not to love? 

The shadows overall have good pigmentation, although a couple of the matte shades do need a little more work (‘White' & ‘Cream'). I have read a few reviews that mention how the shadows are chalky, but I disagree, the shadows are almost a creamy powdery texture and I actually don’t get any fall out from any of the shades, other than ‘Champagne’ which is a little gritty. You actually get more fallout onto the palette itself, so avoid rubbing your brush into the shade, pat your brush instead, then tap away any excess. The shadows are extremely easy to blend and the mattes and shimmers work together like a dream. And in terms of longevity, I don’t experience any creasing, with or without a primer and they last on average 5-8hours. 

Worth The Hype? The LORAC Pro Palette
Worth The Hype? The LORAC Pro Palette
Worth The Hype? The LORAC Pro Palette
Worth The Hype? The LORAC Pro Palette

Now, I want to address that before I owned this palette, for me it was all about shimmer. And upon first inspection, I presumed my favourite colour from the palette would be ‘Nude', however I have fallen in love with the matte eyeshadows and a couple of the bolder shades in this palette. Previously I have never taken much interest in matte eyeshadows, but this palette has converted me!  I love ‘Taupe' in particular, especially when worn in the crease, with 'Lt Pink' or ‘Cream' on the lid (you can see me wearing this here). In terms of the shimmery shades, ‘Pewter’ a beautiful taupe shade and ‘Garnet’ a rustic red orange, pack a punch or two and look beautiful when worn all over the lid, with a little of my trusty ’Taupe’ in the crease. You can also use the matte brown shades for your eyebrows and ‘White’,’Cream’ and ‘Lt Pink’ are great for highlighting especially when wet - I like to do this using a bit of MAC fix+.

Overall, the LORAC Pro Palette is versatile and is quite simply wonderful (and I may have recently got hold of the LORAC Mega Pro Palette!!). Now, I wouldn’t rave about a product you can’t necessarily get your hands on here in the UK, so I have done a little research for you all: This palette is available on the UK version of Amazon here, but retails with P&P at £62. However, when bought from the US version of Amazon here, it would cost you just £46.36 ($70.25) including P&P and import fees. It might take 8-14 business days to arrive but it is well worth the wait!

What palette do you reach for on a regular basis? 
Emily
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12.11.14

GLAMGLOW Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment // Review

GLAMGLOW Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment // Review

It’s safe to say we all love a good pamper and I for one love a good face mask. So when I was given the opportunity to try the GLAMGLOW Thirstymud Hydrating Mask I couldn’t say no. The product was kindly gifted to me from BlowLTD an online beauty store that sells the products everyone is buzzing about, they stock brands such as Anastasia, RMS Beauty and Laura Mercier.

Thirstymud as the name would suggest, is a hydrating treatment labelled as a 'Thirst-Quenching hit in a jar’. It promises to instantly moisturise your skin, to hydrate, restore, replenish, soothe and calm your skin upon application. This mask can be used in three ways; you can sleep in it, leave it on, or rinse it off. I personally like to use hydration masks overnight, as I feel they work much better this way, brining a whole new meaning to 'beauty sleep'!

GLAMGLOW Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment // Review
GLAMGLOW Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment // Review

I will begin by saying part of me didn’t want to like this mask, but it applies to the skin beautifully unlike any other mask I have ever tried. It’s a little thicker than your regular moisturiser, but is really lightweight on the skin. It feels smooth and fresh when applied and it does have a subtle sensation much like when I apply Hydraluron, but without the stickiness. Don’t be fooled by the colour of the mask, it actually applies translucent and smells very subtly of coconut and reminds me a little like Palmer’s Coca Butter Body Lotion. On application I noticed my skin instantly looked plumper and fine lines, pores and redness was visibly reduced. And by morning my skin felt super nourished, dewy, hydrated and healthier. Not to mention, my skincare products and makeup applies much nicer the morning after having used this mask! 

Some of the ingrediants include; Hyaluronic Acid delivers deep hydration for a more youthful appearance, Citric Acid illuminates skin for an instant dewy glow, Olive Leaf (grounded) delivers natural, moisturising fatty acid to maintain moisture, Apple extracts will moisturise and nourish dull complexion, Micro HydraClay™ traps and retain moisture multiple times its weight to reveal silky soft skin, Coconut Oil provides immediate skin conditioning, Orange Blossom Honey provides energised radiance and Ginger Root detoxifies skin for a healthy complexion

GLAMGLOW Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment // Review
GLAMGLOW Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment // Review

Overall I love the packaging, from the way it is boxed to the colour. However, if I’m going to be super picky, I think it’s a shame it is in a jar, as every time I dip my fingers into it, I’m inviting bacteria into the jar. I would rate this mask above other hydration masks I have tried, including the Drink Up Intensive Mask by Origins. Price is certainly the downfall of this product at £49.99, a little more product and better packaging would help me feel a lot better about the price. That’s why part of me didn’t really want to love this product! But having said that, I do think I would purchase this product, call me a fool, but I think I may have found a winner! 

I recommend this product to those of you with dehydrated/dry or ageing skin with a little more money to spend. If you are still curious about this mask and want to try before you buy, you can buy a sample pack here, or you can buy a gift set that includes a trio of the GLAMGLOW facial treatments; Youthmud 15g, Supermud 15g and Thirstymud 50g for the price of one at £49.99.

What’s your favourite hydrating mask?
Emily
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10.11.14

The Simple Way To Clean Your Brushes

The Simple Way To Clean Your Brushes

Brush cleaning is such a mundane task. But we all should know that brush cleaning is super important, skipping this step can lead to clogging pores and breakouts, yet so many of us still don’t clean our brushes often, if at all. There are various formulated brush shampoos on the market; I have tried both MAC's and the Strictly Professional brush cleaner. I have also used both Johnsons Baby Shampoo and more recently Dr Bronner’s Castile Soap. However, I have found the easiest, most effective, long lasting and inexpensive way of cleaning my brushes is actually a bar of Simple SoapWho would have thought? 

Simple soap has no perfume, or colour, meaning it doesn’t ruin my brushes, or break me out. It works wonders on my synthetic brushes, giving them a true deep clean, unlike anything I have tried before. It doesn’t dry out the bristles, or leave them feeling stiff. I use the bar of soap for cleaning my brushes only, so I store it in a plastic soap dish with my other beauty products. On a side note, you can pick up a pack of four from stores such as Poundland and Savers for just a pound.

The Simple Way To Clean Your Brushes

Along with a bar of simple soap, I like to use my trusty blue silicone oven glove. Yep, you read that right! The glove is a cheaper alternative to the Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Glove and can be bought on eBay here for just £2.99. This glove is a little large and does look unnecessary, but it is so similar to the Sigma glove, with textures like the wash and rinse and it’s super effective and makes cleaning my brushes even quicker. Also you don’t end up with a wrinkly, dry hand.

I personally prefer to clean my brushes in the evening and allow them to dry over night. I take the damp brush and rub the bristles onto the bar of soap and gently lather them onto the mit, I then rinse under luke warm water and repeat until the top of the brushes are white. Always remember to keep the base of the brush head away from soap and water as this can loosen the glue over time. I always check the brushes for any left over soap residue, you can normally tell because the bristles will feel soapy, but I often squeeze the brush in-between my fingers just incase. I then brush the brushes onto a towel, or tissue to get rid of any excess water and then lay them flat, with the brush head hanging off the edge of a counter. This allows the brush head to dry back into the perfect shape and by morning my brushes are beautifully clean! Simple.

How do you clean your brushes?
Emily
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6.11.14

Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen // Review

Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen // Review

For me wearing liquid liner is similar to wearing a red lip, it can really help pull a look together. I wear liquid liner on a regular basis, near enough every day and I’m slowly making my way through a stash of liners to see what they have to offer.

Soap & Glory’s Supercat Eyeliner is a felt tip liner, with a firm nib. It’s one of the most easiest to apply and can create both thick and thin lines. I find keeping the pen horizontal to my eye and dragging it across works best. It doesn’t pull or tug and there’s no need to go back over the liner as the formula is near enough jet black. The liner dries relatively quickly and has a velvety finish. This liner creates the best cat eye/retro/feline flick, in just a few simple swipes and is easy to remove. You can see me wearing it here

Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen // Review
Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen // Review

This eyeliner is close to perfection, however I’m sad to say it has one major downfall... it has the tendency to smudge... *dun, dun, duuuun!*. Now, the liner drys relatively quickly, so doesn’t smudge upon application, however, if worn alone on the lid, I do find that after a couple of hours the liner often transfers to the top of my lids and the feline flick will have faded and smudge slightly. That being said, when this liner is applied on top of eyeshadow/base it lasts all day! You have be warned. 

In comparison I rate the Soap & Glory's Supercat Eyeliner Pen above the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner Pen. It is easier to apply than my favourite Bourjois Pinceau Eye Liner, but isn’t as (glossy) black, or long lasting. The pen doesn't dry out as fast as L'oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim and the nib on the Supercat eyeliner is much studier, therefore easier to control.

I may still be on the hunt for the perfect eyeliner, but priced at just £6.00 it’s a bargain and great for beginners. Will I pick it up again, probably, until I find the next best liner... 

What’s your favourite liquid liner?
Emily
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4.11.14

Charlotte Tilbury: The Dolce Vita Eyeshadow Quad // Review

Charlotte Tilbury: The Dolce Vita Eyeshadow Quad // Review
Charlotte Tilbury’s makeup line is enough to make any beauty addict swoon, so when her collection launched last year, the beauty buzz was incredible and with her range now having launched in the US and Ireland too, I thought it was more than appropriate to share my thoughts on The Dolce Vita Luxury Eyeshadow Quad. The luxury colour-coded eyeshadow palette is one of eight quads to choose from, all of which represent a different look. The Dolce Vita Eyeshadow Quad has four shades from subtle shimmers to a beautiful pressed pigment (no matte shades here!). The fall appropriate quad is versatile and offers a “desk, to dusk, to disco” eye colour wardrobe. It’s a beautiful palette and being an eyeshadow lover/hoarder/collector/addict, I can’t get enough of it and I’ll be honest, I can defiantly see an expensive makeup habit forming.

Now I will start with the packaging and I’ll be honest, I was a little disappointed, as I was surprised to find the casing was plastic. I own the Film Star Bronze & Glow from the Charlotte Tilbury range and the packaging is of a much higher quality. However, the quad is compact, lightweight, doesn't come with those unneeded foam brushes and although plastic, the rose gold detailing and casing is still super pretty.

Charlotte Tilbury: The Dolce Vita Eyeshadow Quad // Review
Charlotte Tilbury: The Dolce Vita Eyeshadow Quad // Review
Charlotte Tilbury: The Dolce Vita Eyeshadow Quad // Review
Charlotte Tilbury: The Dolce Vita Eyeshadow Quad // Review
The eyeshadow quad itself is pretty darn beautiful with four shades, one to prime, enhance, smoke and disco. The rich, bronzy, coppery warm hues are pigmented, silky smooth and easy to blend. The quality of the shadows are top notch and you can build up application depending on what type of look you are going for. In terms of wear, when worn with a primer they can last up to 8 hours, but without up to 5.

SMOKE  - Dark brown with subtle golden shimmer
This shadow is slightly metallic and the darkest colour in the quad. The pigmentation isn’t as intense as the enhance shade, but still has good pigmentation. 

POP - Gold/copper pressed pigment
This shade is the game changer, taking your look from desk to disco. The pigment doesnt feel chunky or glittery, it is super creamy and applies beautifully (although it can have a little fallout). I like to pop this shade onto the centre of my lid using my finger, as it is difficult to pick up and apply using a brush. 

ENHANCE - Shimmery burnt amber 
This shadow is rich and intensely pigmented. For me it is this shade that makes this palette close to perfection, I don’t own anything similar and it looks stunning when worn all over the lid. 

PRIME - Frosty pale champagne 
The pigmentation of this shade isn’t as good as the others, but it is buildable and looks very pretty when worn all over the lid and works well as base and brow highlight. The colour and finish reminds me of MAC’s naked lunch, one of my all-time favourite eyeshadows.

The price-point is high end at £38, which is the same as a Chanel quad (I would rate this palette equal to those). So, do you need it? Well, I wouldn’t say it is a makeup essential! But, it is the perfect palette to make blue eyes pop and just look at it.

Have you tried anything from Charlotte Tilbury? 
Emily
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