My Everyday Travel Beauty Bag

Finding the Best Summer Lipgloss á la Blair Waldorf

10 Quick and Easy Everyday Makeup Products

Spring Makeup: Lipstick Picks

Spring may not have officially yet sprung, but I've been changing up the contents of my makeup bag to include some more spring beauty picks. Today I'm sharing some of the lipsticks that I'm going to be reaching for over the coming weeks and months. I've tried to share a variety of colours because when it comes to lipstick I really do like to experiment! 

Topshop Lipstick in Whimsical

I consider Topshop's Whimsical to be somewhat of a beauty-blogging "classic". I saw so much of this lipstick when I first started blogging and when I finally bought it I found it so hard to wear! It's an incredibly pastel, retro coral-pink, and with some serious motivation it can look stunning. I think it's a gorgeous shade for the spring as it works well with minimal makeup as you can make your lips the real focus of your look. I think it would work well with RMK's Vintage Candy Cheeks Blush in 04* and a some heavy eyeliner. It definitely won't be to everyone's tastes but I for one am going to be wearing it out in the coming weeks and months!

Maybelline Colour Drama Velvet Lip Pencil in Nude Perfection

Nude Perfection looks like an incredibly dark nude in my swatch (especially compared to the bright colours surrounding it) but I actually find that it's a very easy-to-wear daytime nude. It's definitely has a bit of that 90's nude-lip trend going for it, but the formula is quite thick and matte which I think looks better on my lips than creamier lipsticks in the same shade. I also think that Maybelline's Colour Drama Velvet Lip Pencils last really well for such affordable lipsticks and they're quite easy to top-up as you can get away with really layering them up. All in all, I think it's a great purse-friendly option if you want to rock a dark-nude/neutral lip this spring.

Yves Rocher Moisturizing Cream Lipstick in Amethyste*

Oh yes! Now this is my sort of bold colour. It's a hot-pink raspberry (not at all amethyst-y) that doesn't just draw attention, it demands it. The formula of Yves Rocher's Mositurizing Cream Lipsticks is really thick and creamy and they apply like a dream. They don't really slip either, and if you can be bothered with lip liners then you'll find that you can get yourself quite a long-lasting finish. My only gripe with the range is that I don't find the colour chart on Yves Rocher's website terribly accurate so if you do decide to invest in any for yourself then I'd highly recommend googling swatches. Amethyste was actually one of Yves Rocher's winter lipstick picks but I spent the last few months obsessed with red lips so I never reached for it. However, coupled with either a shimmering neutral eye (courtesy of either  Bare Minerals Eyeshadow Palette in The Top Shelf, or Urban Decay's Naked 3 Palette) I can see myself wearing this a lot.

Wild About Beauty Lipstick in Cherrie*

I've spoken about Cherrie before on my blog and posted lip swatches. It's another "winter" lipstick that I a) don't want to let go of, and b) I think works really well across the seasons. It's an incredibly bright red with just a slight orange tone. The formula is sheer-to-medium and you can either wear it as a sheer wash of red - which I think I prefer - or you can really layer-up for an incredibly bright lip. I like to add this into my "everyday" makeup when I want to look immediately more polished. There's nothing like a red lip to just give your makeup that little extra oomph and I quite like the sheer formula - I also find it so much easier to apply than heavy matte lips! No lip liner is really needed and you can really smudge it into your lips for a glossy, rosy finish. Obviously it depends on what lipsticks you like, but I'm looking forward to wearing Cherrie more over the next couple of months!


This post is actually the second in a four-part series so if you'd like to catch up on what you've missed then do check out my post on my Spring Blusher Picks! And let me know what sort of lipsticks you like to wear during the spring time, especially if you have anything you'd like to recommend :)

January Beauty Favourites

Makeup Favourites from 2014

It was quite hard to narrow down my makeup favourites of the year because I discovered some incredible new products, especially over the last three months. I've basically just included the things that I reached for the most as well as a couple of newer products that I just really, really love.

For my Eyes

There's only been one eyeshadow palette that I've been reaching for throughout the year, and that's The Balm's Nude'tude Palette. My favourite shades are definitely 'Stand-offish' and 'Selfish', but all the shades are really wearable in a gorgeous buttery formula. My other eyeshadow favourite is Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze which I've used so much that I've nearly finished it! Honourable Mention: Wild About Beauty's Eyeshadow in Eva 

For my Face

My most used foundation has definitely been Revlon's Colorstay Foundation for Combination/Oily Skin in the shade Buff. I've just finished my bottle and have repurchased it in a slightly darker shade so that I can wear it next summer. My favourite concealer of the year has definitely been Seventeen's Stay Time Concealer, it's so light and blendable and gives a really natural looking finish. Honourable Mention: Real Techniques' Makeup Sponge

For my Cheeks

In terms of blush, the only powder blush that I've been wearing pretty much all year is Green People's Powder Blush in Peach*. However, the competition for my favourite cream blush has been fierce, but I think that I've definitely reached for Stila's Convertible Colour Trio in Cool the most out of the blushes in my collection. But my favourite new discoveries of the year by far have been from RMS Beauty - I have completely fallen in love with their Living Luminizer and Buriti Bronzer, I've been wearing them everyday since I discovered them. Honourable Mention: Benefit's Highbeam

For my Lips

I've discovered some incredible new lipsticks this year and I've picked a couple of my favourite formulas and shades. Hands down my favourite formula is Glo & Ray's La Amo Creamy Matte Lip Colour*, it's lightweight but offers opaque colour and it lasts really well. I've also been loving Ilia's Lip Conditioner in the shade These Days*, a really beautiful frosted bronze in a creamy and moisturising formula. Colour wise, two other favourites of mine are from Oriflame and Wild About Beauty. Oriflame's The One 5 in 1 Colour Stylist Lipstick in Fuchsia Hype* is an absolutely stunning, bright pink. Whereas Wild About Beauty's Nurtrilips Balm in Hannah* is a gorgeous, easy-to-wear, sheer berry that seems to work with everything. Honourable Mention: Living Nature's Lipstick in Summer Rain*

What have been some of your makeup favourites this year?

A Lipstick Overview

Over the two months or so, across my Blog, Twitter and Instagram accounts, I've featured a fair few lipsticks, but there have been seven main culprits. I thought that today I'd do a round-up of all these lipsticks as I thought that this would be a good way for me to help put them all into a larger context, helping you to identify which one(s) might be right for you.

left to right: Living Nature's Lipstick in Summer Rain*, Ilia's Lip Conditioner in These Days, Honeybee Gardens Lipstick in Superstitious*, Glo & Ray's Lipstick in Fallin'*, Yves Rocher's Moisturising Cream Lipstick in Rose Alba* and Rimmel's Moisture Renew Lipstick in Oxford Street Fuchsia*.

Best Natural Lipstick Formula & My Favourite Winter "Berry" Lipstick

The two lipsticks in these categories are Ilia's Lip Conditioner in These Days* and Living Nature's Lipstick in Summer Rain*. I definitely think that Ilia's Lip Conditioner has the best formula of any natural lipstick that I've tried so far - it's similar to Living Nature's in that they're both creamy and moisturising, but Ilia's Lip Conditioner lasts better on my lips and feels more comfortable to wear. However, I do absolutely love the colour of Summer Rain, it's just gorgeous and I'd definitely recommend it.

My Least Favourite New Discovery 

Sadly, I really didn't like for formula of my new Honeybee Gardens Lipstick in Superstitious*. It was patchy and difficult to wear, with the colour applying unevenly and fading irregularly. The colour was really gorgeous though and inspired me to look for something similar in a better formula! I think I've found something which I'll be sharing soon.

The Best Lipstick Formula of the Bunch

If you're looking for something easy to wear, something that feels lightweight on your lips but gives opaque colour that lasts well, then you need to take a look at Glo & Ray's Lipsticks*. I was very kindly sent the shade Fallin' and although it isn't my perfect colour, I do really like the formula. It isn't as long-lasting as matte lip products, but out of all my new finds it's the easiest and most comfortable lipstick to throw on as I can really trust it to wear well and stay looking good throughout the day.

Out of My Comfort Zone - but worth considering!

This month I tried too very "different" lipsticks - Wild About Beauty's Lipstick in Cherrie* and Rimmel's Moisture Renew Lipstick in Oxford Street Fuchsia*. Cherrie is and incredibly glossy, high impact, bold, bright, show-stopping red - a gorgeous find for red lipstick lovers and a perfect party makeup piece. It is, however, a formula that would work best for more natural shades and although I love the colour it definitely isn't for the faint hearted! Oxford Street Fuchsia is similarly out of my comfort zone as it's a very blue-toned pink, almost Barbie-pink, which I don't think suits me. However, I  do like the creamy formula and I'd definitely purchase other shades in the line. But, overall, I would repurchase Wild About Beauty's lipstick formula over Rimmel's.

Pretty but not Perfect

I've really enjoyed wearing Yves Rocher's Moisturising Cream Lipstick in Rose Alba*, it's a very easy to wear pink in a sheer-to-medium coverage formula, giving either a wash of colour of a full-on lip depending on how much you apply. It isn't super creamy and I don't think it should really be called a "moisturising" lipstick, but it isn't drying either. However, if you are specifically looking for something hydrating then I'd recommend Living Nature and Ilia's lipsticks which are actually very nourishing on the lips!

What lipstick(s) have you been wearing this month?

A Sneak Peek into Wild About Beauty's Party Collection

I was first introduced to Wild About Beauty by my October YouBeauty Box, in which I received one of their powder eyeshadows in the shade Eva. I've used that eyeshadow so much over the last couple of months (reaching for it over others because it's easy to blend and it's very long lasting) and I've become more and more interested in Wild About Beauty's extensive botanical beauty line which is full of easy to wear everyday shades as well as some more vibrant 'pops' of colour that I love incorporating into my evening makeup looks. I was very kindly sent three products from Wild About Beauty's Party Collection, which is full of products that are just perfect to wear to upcoming Christmas and New Year parties.

Wild About Beauty Mattifying Balm

available online for £21.00*

For anyone like myself whose skin is sensitive to talc, this Mattifying Balm is a wonderful alternative to traditional mattifying powders. I have combination skin and my t-zone can get really oily, and if I want my makeup to last then mattifying products are a must-have in my make-up bag. Wild About Beauty's Mattifying Balm is really easy to use; it comes with a flat, round sponge (that you could easily wash and/or replace when you felt it was getting unhygienic) which you press into the balm and then press onto the areas of your face that you would like to mattify. I typically apply it from my forehead, down my nose and across my chin and whilst it doesn't leave me looking as matte as when I reach for a powder it works really well at keeping my face from looking overly shiny. I think this is a great product to reach for if you want to look good in Christmas party photos as it will help you look glowing rather than greasy! Another real benefit of using this balm over a powder is that I feel more comfortable using this on-the-go as, unlike with a pressed powder, there's no risk of it shattering and, unlike a loose powder, there's no risk of it opening and making a mess in my bag. This makes touching up really easy, which is exactly what I'm looking for from this sort of product. And if you want another reason to give it a try, the you should know that it was actually shortlisted as a finalist in the 2013 CEW (UK) Beauty Awards in the 'Best New Makeup Product - Face' category. 

Wild About Beauty Nutrilips Balm in Hannah 

available online for £14.00*, pictured in the image above on the left

This is a good'un, a sheer wash of hydrating colour that's enough to perk up your complexion but that's so hassle-free that you don't even need a mirror. I love it, and Hannah is just the perfect colour too. It's a very wearable deep pink/light berry with a glossy finish - and it's completely petroleum free. It's much thinner in consistency than similar products that I've tried (such as the RMS Lip Shines and the Lanolips Lip Ointments with Colour). This means that it doesn't intensely hydrate lips but I find that it is much easier to apply on-the-go which makes it perfect to pop in your handbag for touch-ups. It looks great worn alone (as pictured above on the left) but it also works well applied over lipsticks. The Nutrilips Balm is my favourite product out of the three I was sent and I've been wearing it a lot. If you also like the look of Hannah then scroll down to the bottom of this post for an exciting offer!

Wild About Beauty Nutrilips Lipstick in Cherrie 

available online for £15.00*, pictured in the image above on the right

Cherrie is a bright, bright, red lipstick with just the tiniest touch of orange. It has a sheer but buildable formula that feels light on the lips and is easy to wear very lightly or as a vivid full-on red lip. It's a standout colour that will make people do a double-take and whenever I've worn it out of the house I've felt full of a confidence that only red lipstick gives me. My personal preference is for long-lasting, matte red shades as they're usually less effort to maintain. However, I've really enjoyed the boldness of Cherrie and the formula wasn't as tricky to wear as I thought it might be. I much preferred it to my Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Revlon Red, which is equally bold but I find it far too "slippy" to wear out of the house! Unlike that lipstick, Cherrie doesn't end up on my teeth every other minute and it didn't bleed beyond my lip line. For £15.00*, I think that it has a very nice, hydrating formula (full of mango butter and argan oil) and I'd love to try some of the everyday pink or nude shades, such as Maddy or Eve.

Left to right: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Revlon Red, Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 111, Wild About Beauty Nutrilips Lipstick in Cherrie*, MaxFactor Colour Elixir Lipstick in Ruby Red, Maybelline Colour Drama Velvet Intense Lip Pencil in Red Essential.

All in all, I've been left very impressed by these products and I'm so glad to have stumbled across Wild About Beauty's makeup range. If you're interested in the brand or in the products I've featured then Wild About Beauty are currently running an offer where you can get a free Nutrilips Balm in Hannah with any purchase from their Party Collection. With over 20 products to choose between, with everything from eyeshadows to nail polishes, there may just be something there that you'll fall in love with!

Makeup Look: The Soft Underline

A couple of days ago I was skimming through Elle (on the look out for beauty bits) when I saw, for the very first time, that a name that had given to a makeup look that I quite like to wear - Elle called it "The Soft Underline". 

The soft underline is a look where instead of wearing bold eyeshadow on your eyelids, you opt for a wash of colour across your lower lash line instead. Kate from Ghostparties often opts for a version of this look in her make-up tutorials, and it gives her eyes incredible definition. The soft underline is great for adding definition but it's also an easy way for those with hooded eyelids to more noticeably inject some colour into their makeup. Eyeshadow often gets lost on me. Because of my hooded lids the colour can't really be noticed until I close my eyes. However, when I choose to apply a sweep of eyeshadow just beneath my lower lash-line the colour can really stand out. 

I've been applying my makeup like this for a long time but I really liked seeing it in Elle as an emerging makeup trend. It made something that's been so familiar for so long seem new and exciting again. 

The image I've included in this blog post is of all the products that I tend to reach for when I wear this type of look. You can instantly see a trend - I like to wear browns. I find brown the easiest colour to wear as its very neutral but still makes my blue eyes stand out. My most worn product is definitely Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze but I've also recently discovered Wild About Beauty's Eyeshadow in the shade Eva which I love using. Both of these products are warm toned and really help brighten up my complexion. An eyeliner that works well with them is Mac's Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Lord It Up (which was my first ever Mac purchase). However, although it's a gorgeous shade it doesn't have the staying power that I would like.

When I want to opt for something slightly cooler toned I reach for E.L.F.'s Eyeshadow in the shade What's Your Name*. It's a very pretty purple toned grey-taupe and it looks lovely over the top of Rimmel's ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in the shade Taupe or BeYu's Colour Biggie Crayon in shade 330.

Do you ever wear your makeup like this?

Easy Breezy Beauty

A couple of days ago I threw on some make-up in record speed and thought "hey, this doesn't look half bad for a record speed make-up look". I'm a big fan of easy to apply and easy to wear makeup that doesn't need lots of touching up throughout the day. I've shared all the products I used and a little bit of information on how I applied them. 

I began by quickly priming my face with The Body Shop's Instablur Primer, it does a really good job of giving me a smooth and even base. I then followed up with a very light application of The Body Shop's Tea Tree BB Cream in shade 01, covering any left over redness with Lavera's Natural Concealer in Fair. To add some colour back into my face I applied a small amount of NYC's Blushable Cream Stick in Soho Pink. For a budget blush it's actually really nice and I've gotten a good amount of use out of it. It only comes in two shades and this one is a slightly shimmery mid-pink that's really easy to wear and does a great job of enlivening my complexion. To add some definition to my eyes I reached for Wild About Beauty's Eyeshadow in Eva which I used as an eyeliner, smudging it into my lash line using one of my Real Techniques liner brushes. I find the shade really easy to wear and the formula is great, it lasts all day without budging. I then reached for my new tube of Maybelline the Falsies Volum' Express Mascara which I find gives me really big, fluttery lashes but offers much more in the way of volume than my MaxFactor Masterpiece Mascara. Then to finish off my makeup I applied a quick slick of Living Nature's Lipstick in Summer Rain*. It's definitely become a favourite of mine as the shade and formula are really easy to wear.

Are there any products I mentioned in today's post that you've tried before? And do let me know in the comments if you'd like to see individual reviews of any of the products I've mentioned in today's post.

YouBeauty's October Discovery Box

I stumbled across YouBeauty's Discovery box at the very end of September and I promptly signed up for their October beauty box. YouBeauty's Discovery Box is different to other beauty boxes that I've tried before. Each month there is a menu of different products and you get to pick two from the list that you're guaranteed to receive and You Beauty then add a couple of little extras to your box. Coming in at £6.95 including postage I found this system quite affordable and when I saw what the choices were for October's box I was pretty much sold...

The two products I chose from October's beauty menu were a full size Wild About Beauty Eyeshadow and a full size Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick. 

Wild About Beauty is stocked in FeelUnique who price their eyeshadows at £13 and I received a very wearable brown shade called "Eva". The brand Wild About Beauty was co-founded by Louise Redknapp and make-up artist Kim Jacob. The range is paraben free and contain ingredients designed to benefit your skin. Whilst I'm not convinced that their make-up is "good" for skin the product is cruelty free and the shade I received is a very wearable as an everyday colour which is a nice change from some of the beauty boxes I've tried before where I've received lovely products but in completely unwearable shades. I'm definitely going to be giving this eyeshadow a try to see how it performs.

The Illamasqua Glamore Lipstick is priced at £18.50 on Illamasqua's website and I received the shade Minx, which just happens to be one of the shades I've had my eye on for a while now. I don't know what other shades featured in this month's box but Minx is advertised as a dark, rose-hued "nude". After falling in love with Illamaqua's matte lipsticks I'm keen to see how their new Glamore lipsticks compare and I'm planning on doing a comparison post soon. 

The beauty extras I received are really not much to write home about (a collagen drink and a sachet sample of a Cowshed night cream) but I'm really happy to have been able to pick my own products and I think the overall value for money of YouBeauty's Discover Box is incredible. It's also really refreshing to be able to find a beauty box where you can choose to just receive make-up - as someone who likes to regularly try new make-up this really appeals to me! If you're interested in nabbing yourself a box (and remember if these make-up items don't appeal to you there are 6 other products to choose between) then you can still find them online here.

What do you think about this month's YouBeauty Discovery Box?