BRITISH BEAUTY ADDICT

29.6.17 Smashbox Cover Shot Eye Palette in Ablaze | Review & Swatches

It's no secret that I have quite a stash of eyeshadow palettes. But my current go-to palettes all have one thing in common; they're warm toned. Y'know, those orange, matte terracotta, warm brown, eyeshadows, I simply can't get enough. So it will come as no surprise that I took an instant liking to the Smashbox Cover Shot Eye Palette in Ablaze. Plus I adore it's pocket sized packaging (although it has got lost among the mess on my vanity!) and the fact it's been created in collaboration with my favourite Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell.
Considering this palette is tiddly, it's not fiddly! My blending brush fits perfectly into every single pan and the slim compact also has a generously sized mirror in the lid. Not only is it ideal for on the go (top-ups are a doddle), it's far from overwhelming as it's made up of 8 gorgeous, versatile shades. Speaking of which I've experimented with every shade and there isn't one I dislike. They're the perfect match for my blue eyes and the playful shades are more wearable than I expected, especially Nirvana a medium reddish berry which isn't too dissimilar to ABH Love Letter. I also like the fact the palette can work for daywear all the way through to the evening with the addition of deeper shades such as Darkhorse a deep matte brown which adds extra depth and contras. A few of my favourite shades include Moccasin a beautiful copper and Siesta a rosy copper with a stunning pearly sheen, which looks frankly awesome worn across the lid, reminding me of an old favourite MAC Gingersnap. TBH these shimmery neutrals are fool proof and perfect for creating a one-tone sweep of colour across the lid, which is what I've been opting for day-to-day. Finish-wise the palette has a decent mix of matte and shimmer and they last incredibly well and all in all are relatively crease-free.

Smashbox Cover Shot Eye Palette in Ablaze IMO totally deserves more attention and top marks! A deeper matte peach would have been a welcomed addition, but on the whole I don't have a bad word to say. In fact, its formulation is on par with the coveted Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette AND I've been reaching for Ablaze over my Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette. Not to mention it costs just £24 so not only is it great value for money; it's a wallet-friendly alternative to the best sellers. Need I say more?
Emily

Lancôme Matte Shaker Liquid Lipstick & Monsieur Big Mascara | Review & Swatches

Among the latest beauty offerings that have hit the high street are two new launches from Lancôme. TBH myself and Lancôme had never truly been lovers until the release of their Grandiôse Liner which has been a staple in my makeup bag ever since. A year later, I have a handful of Lancôme products in my collection including Grandiôse mascara, Miracle Cushion Foundation and Juicy Shaker Lip Glosses, so I’ve welcomed their two new arrivals with open arms. But will they be added to their roster of best-sellers?
Lancôme Monsieur Big Mascara £21.00 Monsieur Big translates to Mister Big and I can confirm the brush is pretty big. So much so, I was a little hesitant at first. The flat fluffy brush is far from my usual lengthening mascaras; the ones with curvy wands and short plastic teeth. The intense black thick fibre formula deposits a hefty amount of product, which immediately coats every single lash in just a couple of swoops. It’s effect is voluminous, Twiggy (mod, spider) like lashes that are borderline clumpy. Surprisingly it isn’t a pain to remove and doesn’t flake or smudge. And yes, it is better than sex (Too Faced’s mascara, not fornication). I will be keeping this one in my makeup bag for when I want big lashes fast.

Lancôme Matte Shaker Liquid Lipstick £19.50 First things first, the colours I received aren’t really my jam (top-bottom: Kiss Me Cherie/ Pink Power), I simply don’t loathe or love the shades, but they worked and I wore them. And like a classic red lip the Lancôme Matte Shaker Liquid Lipsticks made me feel more confident. The cocktail-shaker lip product holds a bi phased formula just like the Lancôme Juicy Shaker Lip Gloss and they retain the fun cushion applicator, but its formula isn’t sheer or juicy. You simply shake and swipe the semi-matte colour onto your lips. The formulation is super weightless and leaves the lips feeling soft and comfortable. However, it’s not precision-friendly due to its quirky applicator and unlike your regular matte liquid lipstick the colour does transfer. If you like bold, highly-pigmented lip colours the Lancôme Matte Shaker Liquid Lipsticks won’t disappoint. But I for one will be waiting patiently for the release of a few nude shades before they become a must-have in my makeup bag.

Have you tried of Lancôme's new releases? Emily

Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette | Review, Swatches & UK Release Date

Urban Decay Naked Heat is the eyeshadow palette to have in your beauty stash this summer. The fifth offering from the cult-fave UD Naked collection has a fiery assortment of shades and the gorgeous, summery palette has been met with much excitement. So much so, being the beauty addict and Urban Decay devotee that I am, I went batshit crazy and spent 45 minutes obsessively refreshing the UD website during the flash sale (deep breaths into a paper bag were useless). The pre-release set the internet on fire, but I managed to nab one after finding a direct link on Twitter before it sold out. I may have blindly bought Naked Heat, but it was a no brainer as I love warm toned eyeshadow palettes and I can confirm it’s bloody lovely.

Urban Decay Naked Heat has the same set-up as their other palettes and includes a full sized mirror and a dual ended brush. It houses 12 all new shades a medley of burnt oranges, butterscotch, browns and coppers with a mix of shimmer and matte finishes. These shades make my blue eyes pop and although I have similar colours in my collection, this is a major win in my opinion as two of the shades are almost exact dupes for my top two most worn Makeup Geek eyeshadows. I do find a few of the shades get a little lost when applied together on the lid and my only gripe is I wish it had a bright gold. For this reason alone, it’s not a one stop palette. But as I’m in the midst of matte obsession and Naked Heat has several stand-alone shades that add a bit of somethin’ somethin’ to my lids and look beautiful paired with shedloads of mascara, it meets my makeup needs.

UD Naked Heat had been heavily criticised online prior to its launch as many have argued the pigmentation isn’t up to scratch, but personally I’ve not had any issues. A few of the more shimmery shades do require a little MAC Fix+ when paired with other shades to help make the pigment pop. But overall, they blend beautifully and have that buttery smooth original Urban Decay Naked formula we all know and love.
Ounce: a light, beige with a mild pearl shimmer. Chaser: a very light brown with warm, peachy undertones and a matte finish. Sauced: a medium brown with a hint of orange and a matte finish. Low Blow: a medium brown with warm and a matte finish. Lumbre: a medium, coral-red with warm undertones and a golden sheen. He Devil: a medium, reddish-brown with warm undertones and a matte finish. Dirty Talk: a medium-dark coppery brown with warm, orange undertones and a metallic sheen. Scorched: a muted, dark brown with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. Cayenne: a muted neutral dark brown with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. En Fuego: a muted dark reddish plum with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. Ashes: a dark plummy brown with subtle, warm brown undertones and a matte finish. Ember: a deep plummy bronze with an olive undertone, with a frosted sheen and slight pink shift.

Urban Decay Naked Heat is a nice addition to the Naked line-up and is a worthwhile investment if you’re looking for a product to transform your collection this Summer. It’s on sale officially 27th July retailing at £39.50 via this link. And yes, it might break the internet, so if you haven’t got your hands on it already, I’m afraid to say it might be a long wait. So pop the date in your diaries, as this is one to add to your basket!

Three Everyday Foundations

For the last four months I've been fussing over foundations, playing around with coverage, shades, blendability, thickness, liquids, sticks, powders, CC, BB, DD and EE (etc.) creams. I have amassed a large selection of foundations in the process, but I've found 3 needles in the haystack for everyday wear that don't break me out, are neither too pink, or too orange and have a finish I'm rather fond of.

It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream £30.00 Destined to earn cult stardom It Cosmetics CC Cream gives one hella' glow. Sitting somewhere between a foundation and a skincare product, It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream gives the coverage of a foundation with the power of a serum. Its superstar ingredients include hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and vitamins A, B, C and E and it has a legit SPF of 50! Buffed into the skin it feels like moisturiser (it actually feels good for your skin) and the coverage is pretty decent, helping to disguise my blotchy complexion. The tube states its full coverage, I put it at medium, but it doesn't crease, cake or crack and it's seriously glow-inducing, melty, dewy, your skin but better. It does eventually dry down to a smooth satin finish. And usually long lasting and dewy don't go hand-in-hand, but I find it lasts pretty darn well. Not one for those with oily skin, but those of you with dry skin will love the hydration and radiance it gives. It's for sure a mainstay in my top Muiji drawer and a beauty base I highly recommend.
Make Up For Ever Water Blend Face & Body Foundation £27.00 Make Up For Ever Water Blend Face & Body Foundation is a marmite product. But I love it. A foundation for people who like fingers, slap-on sheer, no fuss foundation. Make Up For Ever Water Blend has a super sheer, surprisingly buildable coverage. It's kinda like magic, blurring imperfections, neutralising redness all without wearing much makeup. I prefer to stipple the liquid-y formula into my skin and finish with a buffing brush. Once applied it provides a radiant, lightweight, fresh-faced finish. Because it's water-based (80%) it's extra hydrating so doesn't cake on my skin by midday, but due to it's sheer coverage it's barely there by the late afternoon and when my skin is shite the coverage doesn't cut the mustard and concealer is required. However, for me this foundation is a no makeup makeup dream, keeping my skin looking and feeling skin-like.
The Ordinary Coverage Foundation £5.90 Yup, I've managed to get my hands on the foundation that amassed a 25,000 person waitlist and yup, I know what you want to ask; is it worth the hype? The Ordinary Coverage Foundation is a highly concentrated medium to buildable coverage foundation. When it comes to beauty bases typically speaking I don't like a super heavy finish, but I do need something that will neutralise redness. The Ordinary Coverage Foundation manages to make skin look flawless and is both light and hydrating - best of both worlds. It doesn't boast that super real-skin effect like the Make Up For Ever Water Blend Face & Body Foundation, but it does leave my skin looking healthy. And although it has a semi-matte finish I find when applied over my Estée Lauder DayWear Creme, not only does it glide on smoothly, it still has a slight dew. Its biggest drawback? It transfers. But that's nothing a light dusting of powder can't fix. And did I mention it's travel friendly, comes with a pump and is available in 21 shades?! Impressive stuff and an absolute bargain and The Ordinary is now available at Cult Beauty.

What beauty base are you currently loving? Emily

Lovin' Lately

Yes, I know long time no blog post! But no fear, I’ve not fallen off the edge of the earth. I’ve recently had my tonsils removed, so things have been a little up in the air. But that hasn’t stopped me from trying out new skincare, haircare and make up. So I thought I’d round up a few beauty products I can’t get enough of right now and give you the deets.
& Other Stories Sardonyx Fire Body Mist £5.00 & Other Stories is conveniently located opposite Selfridges on Oxford Circus, and their beauty offerings are hard to resist at such purse pleasing price tags. So on a recent trip I picked up their Sardonyx Fire Body Mist 50ml, which is ideal for popping in my handbag to freshen up throughout the day. The scent is a delicate mix of dark amber and vanilla with hint of bloom and it’s by far the sexiest scent I’ve tried from & Other Stories and without-a-doubt my favourite scent of 2017 so date. I highly suggest you stop by the store if you get a chance, they have a huge variety of fragrances, body scrubs, hand washes and lotions.
YSL Glow Shot in “01 Daylight” £22.50 I have an ever growing collection of highlighters, but I can’t seem to have enough. So, meet the latest addition to my stash and the latest liquid highlight offering from YSL; YSL Glow Shot in “01 Daylight”. Infused with the award-winning Touche Éclat formula this stuff immediately melts into my skin lending a wash of dewy pigment and needless to say I’m obsessed. I apply the gel-cream product directly from the squeezy tube onto the top of my cheekbones and tap into my skin with my ring finger and the finish is undetectable. It’s shimmer free, easy to use, instantly brightens my complexion and is incredibly flattering. By far the freshest highlighter I own and one that actually delivers on its promise, so it’s well worth the price tag.
Make Up Forever Water Blend Foundation £27.00 If you don’t like foundation, you will now. Make Up Forever has got this. Make Up Forever Water Blend Foundation has made my morning makeup routine that much easier. Not only is it a great base option after a late night (what hangover?), a light layer gives a real-skin look and it quickly builds up to a light-medium coverage. Obviously not my go-to choice for breakouts, or a girls night out, but this foundation instantly makes my complexion look brighter and more even. Its weightless and near-enough invisible so you won’t believe it’s really there and I’m surprised how nourishing it is considering its formulation is 80% water. Yet another Make Up Forever base that hasn’t disappointed. Bare Minerals Gen Nude Lip Gloss in “Tantalize” £17.00 Whilst I’m partial to a liquid lipstick, I always gravitate back to nude lip gloss. TBH I don’t know where I’d be without a good nude-lip and my current go-to lippy is Bare Minerals Gen Nude Lip Gloss in “Tantalize” a beautiful honey-almond. It’s everything a gloss should be; it’s not gloopy, sticky or slippery. In fact it’s formulation is buttery smooth, offers a generous dose of colour and fullness without the tingle. It’s become a mainstay in my handbag helping me look a little more put together without looking overdone. It also makes a nice topper and is available in an array of nude shades. Bare Minerals Gen Nude = an understated lip line-up.
Emily

Urban Decay x Jean-Michel Basquiat Collection | Review & Swatches

Urban Decay has been dropping release after release in recent months, including their Liquid Aura, Naked Skin Shapeshifter and more recently they teased their Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette which sold out within hours during a limited pre-sale earlier this week. TBH it's difficult to keep up! But one limited edition launch that's still available to buy is their 12 piece Urban Decay x Jean-Michel Basquiat Collection. A tribute to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat the collection is wrapped in Basquiat prints on canvas style packaging and they're even equipped with quirky hooks so they can be hung on a wall. Makeup is an art form after all, right?
Urban Decay UD Jean-Michel Basquiat Gold Griot Eyeshadow Palette £35.00* Every time a new neutral themed palette launches I get giddy - beige tones are anything but boring. And the UD Jean-Michel Basquiat Gold Griot Eyeshadow Palette includes an assortment of wearable hues for both smokey and minimalist looks. Most of the eight shades have a warm undertone, but BK and Pseudonym are slightly more cool-toned. Overall the formulation is pretty darn decent besides BK and Levitation which sadly aren't as pigmented as the other shades in the palette. A few of my favourite shades include Influence a rich bronze with reddish undertones (this shade reminds me of an old favourite MAC Mulch). And Not For Sale a muted medium terracotta (a dupe for Makeup Geek Sidekick) which looks particularly pretty worn alone all over the lid for that burnt blown out smokey eye look.

Urban Decay UD Jean-Michel Basquiat Tenant Eyeshadow Palette £35.00* Urban Decay UD Jean-Michel Basquiat Tenant Eyeshadow Palette is the more interesting of the two palettes and is pumped with colour from turquoise to cobalt blue. Seven of the eight out-there shades are super pigmented, besides Neo which had poor colour payoff. It's safe to say I don't own another palette similar and whilst I wouldn't reach solely this palette, I think they make for a nice pop of colour on the lid when paired with a neutral shade in the crease. Les has to be the easiest black eyeshadow I've ever worked with (yes, really!) and Graffiti a deep shimmery garden green was the best performing shade in the palette. If you want to branch out and add a splash of colour to your collection, I recommend.

Urban Decay UD Jean-Michel Basquiat Gallery Blush Palette £27.00* The Gallery Blush Palette houses four powders for the face; two pink/purple toned blushes, a bronzer and a highlighter. All four powders are highly pigmented and not sheer as described. X-Rated (available in the permanent range) was the most powdery of the four shades, but this didn't affect its performance, as it still has a decent colour payoff. Unfortunately I find UD highlighters have the tendency to emphasise my skins texture and Now's The Time was no exception. Noho a mauve-plum blush would look beautiful on deeper skintones, but it's more of a winter blush on me. But, both Noho and Jawbone had silky, richly pigmented formulations - a little goes a long way!

Urban Decay UD Jean-Michel Basquiat Lipstick in Epigram £16.50* My favourite offering from the collection is without-a-doubt the lipstick in Epigram. Oh my gawd this lipstick shade is e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g! I only need one swipe to completely cover my lips in the coppery brown and the consistency is lightweight, richly pigmented, creamy, smooth and even a little hydrating! I simply can't fault it. It gets an A++ from me. Yup, the formulation is even better NARS Audacious Lipstick range and it's well worthy of a spot in my everyday line-up. This shade was a sell-out and I've been sobbing ever since as it doesn't seem to be part of their permanent range!