FOTN: Celebratory Drinks!

Apologies once again for the large gaps of time in which I haven't posted, rather than bore you in this post, I may put together a little catch up post as I've been pretty much absent from Blogging and my Twitter page for some time...

This past Friday was the final hand in date for one of my best friends' dissertations, all was handed in on time and so we decided to mark the occasion with cocktails and champagne, after all it's been a long 3 years of her working super hard on her degree! 

I decided to go for a smart casual look with understated makeup and a sleek up-do for my hair...

Looking rather tired there above, but I took this quick snap when I got in at around 3am hehe Oooops!

I've recently been loving summery glowy skin so this was definitely a must!

Products Used:

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation NC35
NARS Laguna Bronzer
MAC Peachykeen Blush
MAC Tan Pigment (highlight)
Eyeshadows all MAC - Nylon, Patina, Bronze & Carbon
MAC Smoulder Eye Kohl

Lashes - Ardell Fashion Lashes 101 (I think...)
MAC Fresh Brew Lipstick

We had a really great evening and the drinks were very much deserved!

I hope you're all well and enjoying this lovely weather which has been bestowed upon us these past few weeks! I've got so many ideas for posts, so it shouldn't be long till the next is up :) 

In the meantime, if you have any questions feel free to leave something on my Formspring page!

Lovess Xx

New Obsession ♥ MAC Tan Pigment & FOTD

Woooo it's finally the weekend! 

I don't know about you dolls, but I've been desperate for Friday to arrive... The prospect of drinks & a good catch up with the girls tonight is most definitely what has gotten me through this week :) 

I'm currently hovering around at home as I ordered some shoesies to wear tonight from ASOS on Tuesday evening but only selected 'Free Delivery' and they still haven't arrived! They then went and offered free next day delivery yesterday too :( .. I'll be gutted if they don't arrive now! hehe 

So anyways, let's get round to the point of this post! 

A little while ago I saw a post by the beautiful Zara over at Mouldy Fruit featuring this little beaut of a product; MAC Tan pigment. I'd previously strayed away from any sort of pigments as I always assumed that they would be super messy and I was under the impression I would be able to create a look similar to what I would be able to create with a pigment, with plain old eye shadow. 

How wrong was I!!

Yesterday was the first day I really played about with the product and I have to say it was a pleasure to work with and it's multiple uses really warrant the £15.50 price tag. 

Apologies for the slightly blurry swatch photo; the lighting was odd when I was taking photos and couldn't quite get it to photo correctly! But even from this you can see how beautiful the colour is, it's almost like a lighter version of MAC's Woodwinked eyeshadow, a really sumptuous golden bronze colour. 

I firstly used the pigment on my lids which created a gorgeous, almost 3D appearance. 

Because of my inexperience in working with pigments, I firstly used MAC's Soft Ochre Paintpot to give a uniform colour to my lid and then, for good measure I placed some UDPP all over the top of the Paintpot to ensure the pigment would 'stick'. I took the smallest amount on a MAC 239 and gently patted it down up to the crease. Fallout was minimal, which may be due to the use of 2 eye primers hehe! 

Other products used on my eye were MAC's Nylon to highlight brow and tear duct and Carbon through the crease to give the eye a more dramatic look. I used the Illamasqua Precision Ink on my upper lash line to tie in the Rihanna lashes from my own lash company 'Styleyes Lashes' .. These lashes are perfect for daytime wear as they aren't too over the top, they just add a bit extra length and volume. You can also carry them into the night by adding a touch more mascara to give an even more dramatic appearance. 

As previously mentioned, the product is a great multitasker! After seeing how glowing Zara looked wearing this as a highlight I just had to give it a go! You all know how much of a lover of MAC's MSF's, using them literally every day to give me a healthy glow... Well this does exactly that!  I took a very small amount on a MAC 168 and gently buffed it along my cheek bones and slightly down into my cheeks.

This is the final look I ended up with...

Other products used include...

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NW25

MAC MSF Natural in Deep Dark

NARS Orgasm blush

MAC Myth lipstick

Lancome Juicy tube for a glossy lip over Myth!

What are your thoughts on MAC Pigments? Do you have any recommendations?

Have a super fun weekend! 

Xx

Brightening up the Bronze Age...

Evening Sweet Peas!

I was lucky enough to get quite a considerable amount of makeup for Christmas, in fact apart from beauty items there wasn't much else I'd asked for! 

My MAC Shadow Palette is now completed and the attachment I feel to it is rather absurd! hehe .. Here is how I wore my makeup yesterday, featuring a few new products :) 

Face

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NW25 & MAC Pro-Longwear NC20 (mixed)

I've recently been applying my foundation with a new brush I received as part of a set; The Sigma F84 is a angled synthetic kabuki [Obviously made by Sigma Makeup] .. The brush is amazing, buffs foundation in perfectly and really gives a totally flawless finish, well at least I think so.. I really can't wait to try some more brushes from Sigma, have any of you had much experience with Sigma?..What are your thoughts? 

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Deep Dark

Another brush which I received as a present was the Sigma F25 or the Tapered Face Brush.. This has been the most ideal brush in gently applying a contour shade and working it in under my cheek bones. The brush is super soft and again gives such an amazing finish...

NARS Orgasm Blush

I featured this blush in my New Years FOTD and I'm even more in love with it than I was then.. Such a gorgeous coral shade with just the right amount of shimmer, not a hunt of chunky glitter as it's so finely milled.. You only need a touch on your blush brush, I use a MAC 116 and it applies it perfectly :)

Eyes

UDPP in Sin 

Obviously used to prime my eyes; it offers up just the right amount of shimmer and looks so beautiful when on the wand! Keeps my shadows on so well, so much so they look exactly the same when I come to take my makeup off on a night.. You can ask much more than that can you? .. I'm definitely a convert from MAC's Paint Pots which I used to swear by..

MAC Shadows in Nylon and Bronze

Nylon in the inner corner and up on the brow bone

Bronze on the lid

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Gold Deposit

I used this on a MAC 222 to blend out the Bronze shadow; again receiving this for Christmas I've really been enjoying it's many uses! 

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara 

MAC Smoulder Eye Khol

Lips

As the title of this post suggests, I wanted to brighten up an otherwise everyday bronzey eye... 

I used my YSL Rouge Volupte in shade No 7 - Lingerie Pink 

I hope you all like this post and don't find it borrrrrringgggg...

I kind of got out of the habit of doing 'FOTD' posts with me being so busy recently, but as long as you lovelies enjoy them then I shall keep them coming :) 

Hope you're all having a lovely night... One of my besties is currently on BBC 1 as her Mum got chosen to be in Dale Wintons 'In It To Win It'! .. Check it out! 

Lots of Love Xx

New Years Eve: Outfit & Makeup..

Hello Lovelies & a very warm welcome to 2011! 

I hope you all had a fabulous New Year, whatever you may have gotten up to :) 

I've been mega busy these past couple of weeks; finishing Uni to then working full time hours at work in retail hasn't exactly been the holiday I'd hoped, but Christmas was lovely all in all and I was a very spoilt girl! 

I've seen a few of these post, with people sharing what 'glad-rags' they decided to don to hope off and celebrate the turning of a New Year...

Myself and the boyfriend decided on keeping this year pretty low key; Family drinks, a few at a local bar over the 12 o'clock period & then back to his parents for more drinks into the night!

Here are a few snap from my night...

My dress was picked up as a last minute option from ASOS which you can see here it was a super freezing cold night, so decided to team it with my Dune thigh high boots rather than heels [..I certainly didn't want numb toes!!..]

Here is me & the other half before we set off out...

I also thought I'd include a rather creepy close up of my eye to show you how I wore my eye makeup hehe..

- I took MAC's Nylon and placed it on the inner corners and my brow bone then blended out

- MAC's Patina on the lid and along lower lash line

- MAC's Satin Taupe blended through the crease and on outer corner of lower lash line into Patina

- MAC's Carbon [just a touch] in the outer V and blended into the Satin Taupe

I also used MAC's Grease Paint Stick in 'Oil Slick' along my lower lash line and then slightly smudged it out..

Face

I used MAC's Studio Fix Fluid in NW25

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Deep Dark to Contour 

NARS Orgasm Blush

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Gold deposit - Used across cheeks and also on a huge kabuki all over my arms, decolletage etc

Lips

I swapped it up all night between MAC's Fresh Brew & YSL's Rouge Volupte No 24 Praline Delight

I truly hope you all had an amazing night & 2011 is a great year for each and every one of you :)

Lots of Love & New Year Wishes...

Laura Xx

Work Christmas Night Out.. OOTD & Photos ♥

Well... It seems like forever and a day since I got snap happy with an outfit and decided to post it up for you girlies! So, when at the weekend it was my Christmas Night Out with everyone from work I decided to take a couple of photos!

Firstly I'll show you what I decided on wearing...

For those of you who follow me on Twitter you'll know that I had a total and utter nightmare with what I was supposed to be wearing! I'd ordered a dress next day delivery from ASOS to be delivered for Friday, but alas, this dreadful weather we've had meant it didn't even arrive on Saturday! So, after arriving home at 6pm and having to be back out the door in less than an hour I decided on this little ensemble!

Nude Blazer - H&M

Black Tube Top - H&M

Skirt - Primark [...First thing I've ever found & bought in Primark that i've worn!]

Thigh High Suede Boots - Dune

Louis Vuitton Speedy 30 [Stephen Sprouse Print]

I also took a closer up shot, to show you how I wore my makeup...

I had a spray tan on the Thursday evening which left me rather darker than I usually am from my Xen Tan application and so on Friday morning off I had to trot to MAC to pick up yet another foundation.. Baring in mind my boyfriend had just purchased me Pro Longwear in NC20 the week before.. I was colour matched to NW25 in Studio Fix Fluid (with the tan...) and I felt after the application it fitted a lot more seamlessly with the tan than either of my NC20's; both Studio Fix Fluid & the Pro Longwear..

On the lid I used: Nylon, Patina, Satin Taupe & Carbon to create a shimmery smoked out eye.. I added some 'Frankie Style' Lashes from my own False Eyelash Company - Styleyes Lashes

Nars Laguna was my contour shade of choice, with a hint of MAC's Dollymix on the cheek lightly mixed with a little Soft & Gentle MSF...

On my lips I used one of my new favourite nudes; Estee Lauder's Pure Colour Lipstick in Vanilla Truffle [..Topped with a little Lancome Juicy Tube Gloss..]

The following are a selection of photos from a rather intoxicated night.. As you may be able to tell, we were all rather fragile turning into work at 10:30am! 

Myself, my boss Phil & the lovely 'Yummy Mummy' Ruth :)

Me & the boys...

Kris finding my ear rather too attractive, Me & Rob..

The night was eventful to say the least, but thoroughly enjoyed by everyone! 

Have you had your staff nights out already.. Or do you have one planned? I'd love to hear about it! 

Lovess Xx