Naked Rediscovery...

Since filling my MAC neutral palette at Christmas after receiving so many shadow pans as gifts, I've been pretty much using it every day. Consequently, my Urban Decay Naked Palette has suffered some neglect and has barely been used!

Last weekend however, after becoming somewhat bored of my usual shadow combinations, I decided to pull out the infamous palette and use it to create a simple, yet effective look for a night out..

This was the final look.. 

A closer look at the eye makeup shows the shadows I used..

I firstly primed the eye using UDPP in Sin and placed 'Virgin' all over the lid and up to the brow bone as a base...

I then used 'Half Baked' a gorgeous golden shade, quite heavily on the lower portion of my eyelid to create a sumptuous bronzed effect. I then took 'Darkhorse' on a MAC 222 and gently blended through the crease to darken the eye but blend out any harsh lines at the same time. I finally took 'Sin' and placed it on the brow bone as a highlight and in the inner corner of my eye to brighten it up. 

To add a little more drama to the eye I used the 'Cheryl' lashes from my False Lash Company 'Styleyes Lashes' which are still available over at www.styleyes-lashes.co.uk - Remember you're getting 10 pairs of lashes for just £5 .. Unbeatable value I'm sure you ladies would agree ;) 

I really loved this combination and will definitely not be neglecting the palette again any time soon! 

I'll leave you lovely lot with a few other pictures from that particular night out! hehe

Me & the bestie Kirsty

Enjoying a much deserved glass of Rosé hehe

Hope you're all well.. Lovesss Xxx

Arabic Inspired 'Cut Crease' Eye Makeup...

Evening girls..

I'm sure I'm not alone in my appreciation of Arabic inspired makeup, especially when it comes to eye makeup application. I think Arabic women have to most amazingly beautiful almond shaped eyes and due to their skin tones are able to carry off wearing colours most of us could only dream of. I myself have your typical 'ordinary' shaped eye; no hint of an almond shape unfortunately! 

However, after looking at some gorgeous images which were really inspiring, I decided to have a go myself at creating the illusion of an almond shaped eye, with shadow applied using a 'cut crease' technique. 

Excuse my only making over one eye, it was before bed and was really supposed to be in the process of removing makeup, rather than applying more!

 

I created this look with the help of some masking tape applied at an angle to keep the finish of the shadow neat and also to help the appearance of a more elongated eye.

After priming my eye with Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin, I applied MAC's Vanilla eyeshadow all over the eyelid with a MAC 227 brush. I then took Nylon, again by MAC as a highlight and applied it sparingly to the inner corner and my brow bone. The look is created mainly with matte shadows, so the use of Nylon on the brow bone really makes the eye pop and adds a bit of interest. I then took Espresso by MAC on a dense brush, namely the 214 and drew a stark line through my crease. The purpose of the stark line is to act as the 'cut crease' and to crease a contrast to the Vanilla which has already been applied. The next step is to blend out the line through the crease, to do this I switched up between a MAC 222 and 224 until I achieved the finish I wanted. The key to this is definitely blending! 

I then lined my upper eyelid with MAC's Black Track Fluidline, taking the brush slightly at an angle to follow the angle of the shadow which was created by the masking tape being held in place. A touch of smoulder along my waterline and voila! 

This is definitely a look which I would love to create again; possibly on both eyes next time ;) 

I'd also like to add some falsies to the eyes to give it that extra bit of glamour! 

What do you lovelies think? Have you ever attempted a cut crease look? 

Lovess 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

Embracing New Products; Simple Sunday FOTD...

Evening girlies.. 

It's been a while since I last posted a FOTD, so after getting ready for work this morning and having some rare spare time before I have to hop in the car to get to work, I thought I'd take a few snaps and show you how I'm currently doing my makeup and what products I'm using on a day to day basis. 

Cue the cheesy photos...

[Jumper - H&M & Scarf - Zara]

I've recently been spritzing my skin with MAC's Fix+ before I apply my foundation. This leaves my skin hydrated, glowy and allows the foundation to be blended in really effectively. For me personally I am yet to find a moisturiser which sits 'right' on my skin yet underneath my foundation, they all seem to just sit there and not sink in which means when I apply the foundation I get a cakey, unnatural finish.

On another note, a couple of new products I'm really getting some use out of are; firstly the new Sleek blush in 'Rose Gold', a beautiful corally pink with a gold shimmery undertone and secondly the 'Her Own Devices' beauty powder from MAC from the Cruella line of the Venomous Villains collection. I've been using the latter almost as a setting powder to finish off my foundation rather than my natural MSF, just for a change.

On my eyes I've been keeping it fairly simple. Today I was working 11-4pm and then straight out for a glass or two of wine with everyone from work so I wanted something which would see me through. I used UDPP to prime my eyes, yes I keep trying this out, but no it has still not managed to convert me from my beloved MAC Paintpots.. Am I missing something? Shadow wise I simply used Urban Decay's Virgin all over the lid and then swept a touch of 'Smog' through the crease. You may have noticed I have lined my upper lash line. I personally LOVE this look on other people, but I could never manage to get the line thin enough to not look over dramatic, but yet smooth. However, I have 100% solved this problem with the new 'Precision Ink' liner from the new Art of Darkness collection from Illamasqua. This liner is seriously amazing, I may in fact do a separate post on this as I'm in love! 

Finally, I kept my lip simple with one of favourites from MAC, the very nude and very wearable 'Myself'..

What new products have you lovelies been wearing & embracing this week? 

Lots of love 

Xxx

No peeking... I'm NAKED

Morning girls :) 

I, along with the rest of the Beauty Community, recently made a purchase which had been long awaited. The Urban Decay Naked Palette! 

Now I'm not going to go into great detail about the shadows, or do swatches as I'm sure you've all seen them around 237 times! 

I have however been playing around with the palette and I must say it has been one of my most exciting, worthwhile buys in a long time. The colours for me, a staunch neutral lover, are just perfect and can create looks for both night and day. 

Here is my FOTD from yesterday, with a 'Naked' eye...

Primer & Foundation are the usual Prep & Prime and SFF from MAC

I used Peachykeen & a touch of Dollymix blush from MAC with a hint of MSF in Soft & Gentle for a shimmery glow

For my eyes, I primed my lids with my MAC paintpot in Soft Ochre.. Haven't been converted to the UD Primer Potion (yet!) 

I used Virgin on the inner corners and then up to my brow bone for a highlight, I then placed Sin on my lid, but just up to the crease. 

Half Baked was used in a sweep through the crease as this is a gorgeous golden shade and catches the light well. To add a bit of interest and a darker outer corner, I took a little of Darkhorse and blended it well, creating a darker tone, but not being too over the top. Finally, I also used Darkhorse on a small angled brush to line bottom of my eye, again in the outer corner. 

The mascara which I used was a one which I have a love/hate relationship for. Sometimes I use it and it's amazing, other times, because of the size of the brush I end up with mascara everywhere! It is however, L'Oreal Extra-Volume Collagene..

To finish off, I used a nice subtle nude lipstick; Myself from MAC..

So there we have it, my first 'Naked' look for you all.. How rude of me!

Xx