23.11.17

Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Foundation | Review

Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Foundation | Review

Huda Kattan’s new beauty launches this autumn have left me wanting to buy and try more from her award-winning makeup line. Not only have the Obsession palettes bowled me over, the #FauxFilter Foundation* has pleasantly surprised me. #FauxFilter may sound like a load of nonsense marketing but never has a matte foundation been more flawless without sucking the life outta my skin. It’s as close as I’ve got to an Instagram filter IRL and I’m digging it. 

However, there’s one caveat; the coverage is heavy (but note: not mask like, think MAC Studio Fix Fluid) so application requires a little work and extra help from a hydrating primer, especially if your complexion is on the drier side, so in short it’s not a chuck on job done kinda foundation. 

But when my skin doesn’t resemble the Sahara Desert, boy does it deliver. It’s the most highly pigmented foundation I’ve ever tried, trust me a single pump will do the trick at concealing redness, blemishes and everything else in-between. It has a healthy satin finish, that doesn’t go chalky after a few hours wear like Estée Lauder Double Wear and loose powder isn’t a necessity when wearing #FauxFilter, because it wears pretty well and still looks good by 6pm. The liquid foundation does have a floral scent, but it doesn’t bother my nose, or my skin, so I can look past that. But it does have an admirably wide shade range, with 30 to choose from, but be warned the formulation oxidises, so opt for a shade lighter.

All in all, it’s no surprise Cult Beauty has found it difficult keeping Huda’s first foundation in stock. So if you like full coverage radiant makeup, this could be your pick for the party season and the best part? I’ve just checked and Cult Beauty now has every.single.shade available. 

Have you tried the Huda Beauty #FauxFilter Foundation?
Emily
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21.11.17

Five Beauty Products I'm Currently Reaching For

Five Beauty Products I'm Currently Reaching For

Up until now few new beauty products have managed to cement themselves into my beauty routine this year. I’ve tried and tested countless products, but after a few weeks wear, they like most, have resided to the back of my IKEA drawers. But with the influx of new beauty launches this autumn, I’ve had a bit of a makeup mix-up and I’ve been left reaching for a handful of new(ish) beauty products on a daily basis and I'm impressed.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Concealer £19*

Something old rather than something new, Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer is an ol' beauty favourite of mine and for good reason. In recent months I'd been gravitating towards the Shape Tape Contour Concealer from Tarte, but with the change in the weather the heavy duty concealer started to extenuate my dehydrated under eyes with its thick matte formulation. But Urban Decay's Naked Skin Concealer has a medium-to-full coverage, yet is super light and has a natural finish that leaves my under eyes soft and smooth. 

Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsessions Palette £25

This palette was made for me. No seriously, Huda Kattan has done a stellar job creating the Obsessions eyeshadow palette collection. There isn't a single dud in the Warm Brown Obsessions palette, every single shade is highly pigmented, smooth and blendable. What's more, it's diddly so ideal for on the go and Kattan hasn't scrimped on product, as the pans are the same size as her original palettes. No doubt I'll be adding another to my online basket soon.

PIXI Glow Mist £16

Many question why you'd need a face mist, but I've been a long-standing lover of the stuff especially during autumn/winter months when my skin is dry or dehydrated. Just think of the PIXI Glow Mist as a quick fix. A couple of spritz of the bi-phase lightweight spray, instantaneously hydrates leaving my skin smoother and dewier. 

Glossier Boy Brow £14

Benefit Gimme who? There's no denying Benefit's Gimme Brow is a decent product and one I've used for some time now, but with Glossier's arrival here in the UK, it's found itself in competition with Glossier's best-seller Boy Brow. Boy Brow is nice; it thickens, tames, tints and is fuss-free, but its texture is what sets it apart from the rest. The formulation is far wetter and creamier (similar to a brow pomade) so doesn't stiffen or flake throughout the day. For me, it's my go-to for cba makeup days and works well with my holy-grail Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation £9.99

If you've got dull or dry skin you should give Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation a go. It's a great high street base and one I often return to come the colder months. And over the last week it has been welcomed return, as many of the foundations I had been wearing had started to leave my skin looking cakey, dry and far too matte. But Healthy Mix is radiance-enhancing and nourishes my skin with its blend of vitamins C, E and B5.

What beauty products have you been reaching for recently?
Emily
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17.11.17

Black Friday: The Best Deals, Offers and Discount Codes in One Place

Black Friday: The Best Deals, Offers and Discount Codes in One Place

Black Friday may technically be a week away (Friday 24th November), but many brands and retailers aren’t wasting any time and are already dropping new deals, offers and discounts in the lead up to the big day. 

Let’s be honest, Black Friday isn’t just a day or a weekend anymore, it’s four freaking weeks long. I’m not complaining though – that’s four weeks of guilt free shopping in my books! And as per there are ridiculous deal on TVs and electronics, but there are also a lot of offers, discounts and promo codes in the fashion and beauty sphere worth sharing.
So below you’ll find the best deals and be able to click through for a peek at my top product picks from beauty products, clothing and homewear, so you won't have to get off your couch and tackle fellow Black Friday shoppers for that red cable knit we’ve all been lusting after. But be quick, ‘cos not all these deals will be sticking around. Oh and feel free to bookmark too, as I’ll be updating this list daily. 


Clothing, Shoes & Accessories

ACCESSORIZE | 30% off bags and 3 for 2 on gifts
ALDO | additional 50% off all sale items
ASOS | 20% off using the code WIN20
ASPINAL OF LONDON | 20% off gifts for her & him
BOOHOO | 50% off everything and free delivery
CATH KIDSTON | Sale
DOROTHY PERKINS | Up to 50% off selected lines 
FARFETCH | 10% off using code 10BF
FOREVER 21 | 30% off casual styles
H&M | Up to 50% off
KURT GEIGER | Up to 20% off selected lines 
LOVEHONEY | Daily deals up to 20% off everything
MANGO | 30% off everything using code CYBER17
MISSOMA | 25% off everything using code BF25
MISS SELFRIDGE | Up to 50% off selected lines
MISSGUIDED | 50% off everything using code CYBER50
MONICA VINADER | Up to 30% off online and in-store
MOTEL ROCKS | 30% off everything using code 30CYBER
NASTY GAL | 30% off everything and free delivery using code LETSGO
NEW LOOK | 25% off everything
OFFICE | 20% off using code SHINE
PRETTY LITTLE THING | 31% off everything using code CYBER31
RIVER ISLAND | 20% off when you spend £75+
THE OUTNET | Up to 80% off selected lines
TOPSHOP | Up to 50% off
WAREHOUSE | Up to 40% off everything
WHISTLES | 25% off everything online and in-store

Health & Beauty

BEAUTY BAY | Promotion ended
BEAUTY EXPERT | 20% off using code BECM20
BOOTS | Up to half price off gift sets
CHARLOTTE TILBURY | Daily Black Friday deals
ESCENTUAL | 10% off using code BLACK10
FABLED | 15% off everything using the code BLACKFRIDAY
FEELUNIQUE | 15% off using the code SHINE 
GHD | Up to 30% off 
HOUSE OF FRASER | Up to 20% off beauty gift sets
HQHAIR | 20% off using code CYBERM
QVC | Black Friday Beauty
LOOK FANTASTIC | 20% off using code LFCM20
ORIGINS | Origins Hydrate & Celebrate Black Friday Set £42 (worth £105)
SPACE NK | Buy one get one 1/2 price
SUPERDRUG | Up to 60% off selected Christmas gifts
THE BODY SHOP | 40% off selected items using code 19806
URBAN DECAY | 30% off all Naked palettes using code GETNAKED

Department Stores | Auction Houses | Retail Outlets

ANTHROPOLOGIE | Sale 
AMAZON | Black Friday Daily Deals
ARGOS | 14 days of deals
DEBENHAMS | Up to 50% off women's clothing & footwear
EBAY | Black Friday deals
JOHN LEWIS | Price match / Black Friday deals on the way
HOLLAND & BARRETT | Better than half price off selected products
HOUSE OF FRASER | Up to 40% off selected lines
MARKS & SPENCER | 20% off selected Christmas hampers
MATALAN | Up to 50% off selected items
NEXT | Black Friday deals are on the way
OLIVER BONAS | 400+ sale items
THE WHITE COMPANY | Black Friday deals on the way
URBAN OUTFITTERS | Up to 30% off selected lines 
WEST ELM | 20% off select dining, living and mirrors 


Have you bought, or will you be buying anything during the Black Friday 'warm up'?
Emily
*This post contains affiliate links
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14.11.17

Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsessions Palette | Review & Swatches

Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsessions Palette | Review & Swatches

Behold, Huda Beauty’s Obsessions Palettes. The newest and cutest beauty buys created by award-winning beauty blogger Huda Kattan and I’m shamelessly obsessed rn. I purchased the Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsession Palette on launch day and after putting the palette through its paces I can confirm, the slimline eyeshadow edit is worth the hype. And although they’re teeny-tiny I might just need a bigger makeup bag, because I want them all. 

There are four colour combos to choose from: Smokey, Electric, Warm Brown and Mauve. And each palette houses nine shadows opposed to 18 like the brand’s larger shadow collections. And surprisingly despite the Obsession palettes size the pans are still the same size. 

Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsessions Palette | Review & Swatches
Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsessions Palette | Review & Swatches

Warm Brown is comprised of one metallic eyeshadow surrounded by eight versatile mattes and even has a decent-sized mirror built in. Warm Brown was my favourite at first glance; the shade range is bang on trend. It’s all about reds, oranges and those neutral hues we all know and love and they go perfectly together, no guessing needed. The palette has a similar vibe to the Desert Dusk Palette and Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette (two best sellers), but has a smaller selection of shades. But let’s be honest, one can only fit so many shades on to one’s lids at a time.

Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsessions Palette | Review & Swatches

The formulation echoes Huda’s previous palettes, as the eyeshadows have excellent pigmentation and are super blendable. I love a good matte look and the transition and base shades are perfect for contouring my eyes and the pop of copper is ultra-flattering on my blue eyes.

I’ve tried and tested many eyeshadow palettes this year and while they’re all pretty in their own right, The Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsession Palette is undeniably my favourite eyeshadow palette release of 2017. It’s a fantastic set to have on hand, that’s portable and affordable priced at £25. Kattan is killing it. Bravo.


What are your thoughts on Huda Beauty’s Obsessions Palettes?
Emily
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11.11.17

5 Current Beauty Favourites

5 Current Beauty Favourites

Can you believe it's November already? This year has flown by unlike any other. I've had a lot going on over the last 12 months and honestly, its kinda left me feeling a little bit behind in the ol' blogosphere. But I'll save the life update for another time. Today I want to give you a quick rundown of 5 current beauty favourites, that I've been using every day for the past month that are pretty damn good. 

Glossier You Eau de Parfum £45

Seriously, has anyone not bought anything from Glossier yet? I placed an order the day Glossier launched online here in the UK and have since placed several more orders. Safe to say Glossier has my attention and a lot of my moolah. Glossier You, the brands debut fragrance is beautiful. I'm not sure how best to describe this scent. But it's subtle, creamy, warm and designed to enhance your natural skin scent. Others have said Glossier You is similar to Escentric Molecule's Molecule 01, but I disagree. The only similarities are the two fragrances are gentle and designed to amplify your natural skin scent. It seems once again Glossier have done it. 

Glossier Generation G in Cake £14

It's been some time since I've gravitated to one particular lip shade on the daily, but enter Generation G in Cake in all its diffused, sheer matte goodness. This lipstick sits somewhere in-between a lipstick and tinted balm - it's matte, highly pigmented and easy to apply. Cake is a gorgeous nude with a hint of peach and not too far off my natural lip colouring, so it's a great everyday lip option. But it isn't unlike other matte lip products as it can be a tad drying, especially now the weather has taken a cold turn. But I predict I will be receiving more pink bags in the post, as I'm currently lusting after Generation G in Leo and Like.

Glossier Generation G in Cake
- Wearing Glossier Generation G in Cake -

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream £70*

I've gratefully received an influx of goodies from some of my favourite brands in recent months and one product that landed on my doorstep that's been a staple in my skincare routine ever since is Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream. It's a rich no-nonsense moisturiser with SPF15 and I simply love slathering this stuff on my face, as it makes my skin feel so soft. Its formulation includes hyaluronic acid, antioxidant vitamin E, rosehip and camellia oils. My only negative is the packaging. Although pretty, dipping your fingers into the pot reduces the efficacy of the ingredients. But if money is no object and you've got seriously dry, dull or dehydrated skin it's more than worth it. 

BECCA Under Eye Brightening Corrector £21

A bout of insomnia last month resulted in dark under-eye circles. You know, the kind that won't disappear no matter how much concealer you apply. This is where BECCA Under Eye Brightening Corrector comes in - a peachy, pink corrector that when applied before concealer helps banish dark circles. To apply I use my fingers and tap a little to inner corners of my eyes and blend the product under my lash-line and boy does it brighten. It has a very creamy texture that works wonders for my dry and exhausted skin, but I always set with a powder otherwise my concealer will crease and slip'n'slide all over the place. 

Too Faced Love Light Highlighter in Blinded By The Light £25

I very rarely hit pan on products, but I can imagine I will on this one. Too Faced's Love Light Prismatic Highlighter in Blinded By The Light doesn't look as blinding on the skin as the name suggests. Rather it's an incredibly subtle beige pearlescent highlight, with a hint of shimmer and I've been reaching for it on the regular. It doesn't trump my cult-fave Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in 01, but is another great pick for a subtle, pretty, everyday highlight. Not to mention, the metallic heart-shaped packaging is pretty cute. 

What beauty products have you been loving recently? 
Emily
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9.11.17

Tanya Burr Selfie Story Lash Mascara & Flick Eyeliner | Review & Swatches

Tanya Burr Selfie Story Lash Mascara & Flick Eyeliner | Review & Swatches

Tanya Burr Selfie Story collection is the first makeup launch of YouTuber Tanya Burr that's got me excited. Besides her debut makeup line, back in 2014 where I purchased a handful of glosses and polishes, I've completely overlooked her brand. 

Burr has spent years testing, swatching and reviewing beauty products for her legions of fans, so naturally I expected her Selfie Story collection to be good. And Burr hasn't disappointed. Her latest launch is completely worth purchasing. 

Selfie Story includes three brow pencils, a liquid eyeliner and mascara priced from £4.99 - 7.99. And as I have a hard time resisting new products, especially a good mascara and liquid eyeliner (two of my everyday makeup staples), I had to give 'em a go. 

Tanya Burr Selfie Story Lash Mascara & Flick Eyeliner | Review & Swatches
- Wearing Tanya Burr Selfie Story Lash Mascara & Flick Eyeliner -
Firstly, I've got to praise Burr as the packaging alone is a major selling point, not many drugstore beauty products have such pretty packaging. But is the packaging as good as the formula? Tanya Burr Selfie Story Lash Mascara (£7.99)* has densely packed short bristles that make it easy to coat every single lash. A couple of coats lift, curl, lengthen and separate my lashes to maximum effect. It isn't too dissimilar to Maybelline's best-selling Lash Sensational Mascara, but it doesn't layer as well. If you apply too much whilst the formula is still wet, it will leave your lashes stuck together. So give your lashes the chance to dry a little before applying another layer - unless you dig big clumpy lashes. All in all, it wears well, doesn't transfer and is a great option if you love fluttery lashes. 

One of my go-to looks is a cat eye, so liquid eyeliner is an absolute staple in my makeup bag. Now I wouldn't go as far as saying Tanya Burr Selfie Story Flick Eyeliner (£4.99)* is the most idiot-proof liquid eyeliner on the market, as it does require a little patience. But the perk of this product is it's seriously matte and stays all day, which can be hard to come by. The application isn't as smooth as the likes of Lancôme's Grandiôse Eyeliner, but it doesn't tug or drag and has a superfine tip for precise, thin lines. What's more, it doesn't come with a heft price tag and is easy to remove. It stacks up against luxe brands and has since become the liquid eyeliner I choose to use.

Have you tried any products from Tanya Burr's Selfie Story Collection? 
 Emily
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