Makeup Look: The Anti Cat Eye

A couple of weeks ago I posted about a makeup look called "the soft underline" and it went down so well that I thought I'd write another, similar post sharing a makeup look that I often wear. This time, the makeup look is called "the anti-cat eye" and it's all about lining your upper and lower lines at the outer corners. I'm wearing it in the photos above and it you can also see me wearing it in the post I wrote about my Illamasqua lipsticks. For anyone like me with hooded eyelids, this is a really easy way to wear liner and it isn't too much to rock during the daytime.

It's a really simple eye make-up look and all you need is a pencil liner and some eyeshadow to smudge over the top of it with a brush. I used Gosh's pencil eye liner in Truly Brown and lined half way around my eyes - from the middle of my eye to the outer corners on both my upper and lower lash line. I then went over this with a mixture of two shades from the Balm's Nude'tude palette - Sexy and Silly. The finished result is supposed to be a little bit messy and not too perfect. But what it does do is draw attention to the corners of your eyes, making your eyes stand out. Unlike when you use eyeliner all the way around your eyes, this eye makeup look doesn't make your eyes look smaller and you can improvise with shades to make it more dramatic or subtle depending on when you want to wear it.

Let me know if you ever wear your makeup like this or if you'll be giving it a go for the first time!

Nude Lipsticks for Winter

Kylie Jenner seemed to single handedly turn the beauty world back on to darker nude lipsticks. I've been a big fan of darker nude lips for a long time and they're a particular favourite of mine in the winter. If you find the right shade then they can be really flattering, and work perfectly coupled with autumnal clothing colours and make-up shades. Swatched above are four of my favourite nude shades, and as you can see they're all quite different.

Illamasqua's Glamore Lipstick in Minx - RRP £16.50

This is the darkest nude shade I own, and you can clearly see that it has a rich, warm, rosy undertone that's quite unlike my other nude lipsticks. This shade would be great for darker skin tones, but I still enjoy wearing it (you can see photos of me wearing it in this post). It can be blended into the lips to create a long lasting dark stain, or worn heavily as a very bold, dark nude. If the shade isn't for you I would still highly recommend the formula, and Illamasqua has a whole range of nude shades designed to suit to a variety of skin tones. I'd love to try more from the range!

Revlon's Matte Lipstick in Mauve it Over - RRP £7.49

This is one of my most longstanding lipstick shades. Despite looking decidedly orange next to Minx, Mauve it Over is a very wearable nude with a matte finish. It's widely heralded as a dupe for Mac's Velvet Teddy Lipstick, but I haven't tried it so I can't really confirm or deny that. It lasts ages on my lips and it's very nude without being too dark and washing me out. It won't be a shade that's to everyone's tastes but I'd definitely recommend swatching it next time you're in a Boots or Superdrug store, you might be surprised at how much you like it. 

Gosh's Lipstick in Nougat (Brown #122) - RRP £6.49

Nougat is a deep brown with just  hint of pink. It's quite dark against my light skin tone and I think it would work well for a lot of different people. The formula is gorgeously creamy, definitely the creamiest drugstore option I've ever come across, and it wears really well. If you're after a drugstore lipstick that feels high end then I'd definitely head for the Gosh counter. If nude lipsticks aren't your cup of tea then I'd definitely check out Gosh's bright lipsticks, they're equally lovely and the formula works well with statement colours. 

Sleek's Sheen Lipstick in Liqueur - RRP £4.99

If you have very pale skin then I think you'll find this lipstick from Sleek the easiest to wear. It's definitely a nude but it has slightly pink undertones and it isn't anywhere near as dark as the other shades in my line up. Sleek's Sheen formula is thick and creamy, but not as good as the formula of Gosh's lipsticks. However, for £4.99 I think you'd be hard pushed to find a better option and if Liqueur isn't the right shade for you then there are some other wonderful colours to choose between - I've featured some before on my blog which you can read about here.

Are you a fan of nude lipstick? If so, what shades do you like wearing?

My Eyeliner Collection

Pencil eyeliners were among the first beauty products that I ever started buying and I wear them most days. They're easy and quick to use, they come in wonderful colours and they add some much needed definition to my eyes. Pictured above is my entire pencil eyeliner collection and I'm going to talk you through some of my top picks and why I like them. Hopefully this will give you some ideas on which ones might work for you.

Best Value for Money

Essence Stays No Matter What Waterproof Eyeliner in Black

I picked this up a while ago now and it remains one of my favourite pencil eye liners - it's cheap but lasts really well on me. I like to use it to tightline my eyes (I use it on my upper, inner lash line to make my eyelashes appear fuller).

Favourite for Daytime

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Kohl Kajal in Taupe

This is one of the easiest colours to throw on when you're in a hurry. It's matte, long lasting and offers light definition that isn't at all harsh. It's a great alternative to dark liner during the day time. 

Favourite for Evening

Mac Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Lord It Up

I think that this is my favourite shade of eyeliner but I do have problems with it smudging and transferring so I tend to reserve it for special occasions. I don't think that the product itself is worth the money but it was my first ever Mac purchase (before I knew better) and the colour won me over.

Longest Lasting

Eye of Horus Eyeliner in Nubian Brown*

Generally speaking, Nubian Brown is my favourite eyeliner to wear because once I've applied it I don't have to give it a second thought. It doesn't smudge, transfer or disappear throughout the day and it's a very wearable matte dark brown. I'd highly recommend it.

Most Worn "Coloured" Liner

Gosh Velvet Touch Eyeliner in Fashionista

Recently, I've been experimenting with some eyeliners that aren't my typical black and brown shades and Fashionista is just such a wearable navy that I've been reaching for it more than some of my more neutral options. It's a great drugstore pencil liner, it's creamy and it lasts very well on me - couldn't ask for more.

Natural Options

Green People Eyeliner in Brown and Inika Organic Eyeliner in Black Caviar

If you're into natural makeup then the two eyeliners in my collection that you might like are from Green People and Inika. I've used a couple of Inika's eyeliners in the past and they're soft without super lasting power, but I do feel more comfortable using it around my eye area than other products. Green People's pencil liner is a very new addition to my collection but I like the mid-tone brown shade and the formula seems very nice so far.

Creamiest Formula

Maybelline Master Drama Khol Liner in Charcoal Grey

This is the creamiest eyeliner I've ever tried. It is like butter - but in a good way. It's easy to apply and blend out into a natural looking smokey eye and then it just sets and doesn't budge. It's a really great drugstore option and I'd definitely recommend the grey shade, it's a lovely alternative to black and brown.

Least Creamy Formula

Illamasqua Medium Pencil in Elate

The "hardest" and least pleasant to use formula is (although I'm sad to say it) from Illamasqua. I was really excited to try their white eyeliner but I just don't find myself reaching for it very much as I don't enjoy applying it. 

Least Favourite Overall

Mac Eye Kohl in Smoulder

For a Mac product I find this eyeliner incredibly disappointing. It smudges left, right and centre and seems to have zero lasting power on me. It does offer an incredibly deep black shade, but I never reach for it anymore. You'd be better off going for one of Rimmel's Scandal Eyes Eyeliners or Inika's Organic Eyeliners. 

Would you like to see any of these used in makeup looks? What are some of your favourite or least favourite eyeliners?

A Great Beauty Staple: Gosh Defining Brow Gel

For quite a long time now I've been using a coloured brow gel from Catrice (you can catch a glimpse of it in this post here). I've been on the look out for an affordable clear eyebrow gel for a while and when I spotted Gosh's Defining Brow Gel in Superdrug I thought I would give it a go.

I haven't tried that many brow gels before. I received one in a beauty box from HD Brows which I used for a long time but I didn't feel like splashing out £20+ when it came time to replace it. I've also give some budget clear mascaras a try, including MUA's £1 Clear Mascara (link to my review here), but I really wasn't all that happy with it. In my opinion, Gosh's Defining Brow Gel is infinitely better. The want is better at evenly distributing product and the product itself isn't too wet and sets quickly offering day-long hold. If you like to keep your eyebrows looking neat and groomed without looking 'overdone' then I'd definitely recommend the product to you. It's a beauty step that lots of people overlook but I find that it can make a big difference to my appearance. At £4.99 in Superdrug (link here) Gosh's Defining Brow Gel is a pretty affordable option and I'd definitely recommend it!

Do you use a brow gel? What other brow products would you recommend?