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 :)

Makeup Look: Wearable Metallics

I had my first mince pie last week and it completely switched on my Christmas spirit - and it's having an effect on my make-up bag. I've been really enjoying playing around with metallics, which are actually tipped to be a big spring/summer beauty trend. That being said, I still want a finished look that's wearable so I've been finding easy and subtle ways to update my look. It would be really easy for you to get on board with this trend too, you'd just need to swap out one of your existing makeup products for something with a bit of frost to it.

Lips

My two lip picks for this trend are Catrice's Ultimate Shine Lipstick in Good Nudes which is a warm, incredibly frosty, bronzed-nude. It's surprisingly pretty and easy to wear and works really well layered over other lipsticks for a subtle-but-not-too-subtle nod to the metallic trend. Alternatively, a really subtle way to wear this trend is to don Ilia's Lip Conditioner in the shade These Days. It's a rich, warm, bronzed nude that has the slightest frost to it that helps it catch the light and really enhance your lips.

Cheeks

Picking a golden or bronze highlighter is another easy way to wear metallic shades. Topshop's Glow in Gleam is a very pretty bronze highlighter (an alternative is Revlon's Illuminator in Bare Light). If you want something more full on then I'd opt for Illamasqua's Liquid Metals, I have the shade Electrum which is a yellow-toned gold that really packs a punch. It's all about blending this into a really sheer wash of colour and pairing it with a bronzer that suits your skin tone. It does look "different" bit it doesn't look clownish. Alternatively, you can add a bit of Electrum over the top of a nude lipstick to add a golden hue to your look. 

Eyes

Add some metallic highlighter to the inner corner of your eyes, and you could even sweep some across your eyelid for a sheer, reflective glow. I, personally, avoid metallic shadows for the daytime but I did see Eilish from Eyelash in Wonderland sporting Collection's Glam Crystals Dazzling Gel Liner and although it's a glitter liner it looks very pretty without being over the top. It also lasts incredibly well - we're talk all day - which makes it low maintenance and easy to wear. 

A Daytime Smokey Eye using Topshop's Magic Liner in Engraved

If you've been reading my blog for a while then you'll probably already know that I love 'minimal' make-up looks. I think that subtle changes can make all the difference and as much as I like make-up I like to use it enhance rather than try and change things. When it comes to 'everyday' make-up I usually go one of two ways - I either stay very minimal and then opt for a strong lip colour or I stay minimal and opt for eyeshadow or liner. One of my favourite looks recently has been choosing a very nude lipstick (more nude than I'd usually dare to wear) and pairing it with a wash of black liner to give my eyes a little bit of je ne said quoi...

Topshop's Magic Liner in the shade 'Engaved' (a true black) has been my go-to eyeliner recently. I'm usually a liquid liner girl (my most recent liquid liner favourite has been Seventeen's Tattoo Me Eyeliner) but for a softer eye-look I've been using a pen liner and wiggling it along the roots of my lashes for a soft, smudgy hint of definition. Forget 'lining' the eyes, I'm more for smoking the lashes out a little bit - making them look thicker and darker. As much as I like Topshop's Magic Liner (it offers long lasting colour that doesn't budge throughout the day) it comes in at £6.50 (you can find it on their website here) and I think Collection's Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner which costs £2.99 offers a more intense black and similar longevity. The only real difference is that Topshop's Magic Liner is better at achieving this smokey lash look because of its slightly finer nib and slightly less intense colour. What you prefer will depend on what you're looking to use the liner for!

Have you tried any Topshop make-up? Do you like my 'minimal' daytime smokey eye look?

On My Nails This Week: Topshop Nail Polish in AWOL

I've never tried any of Topshop's nail polishes before but I couldn't help myself when it came to the shade AWOL. I've seen a lot of people talking about this shade in the past and I've always had an excuse as to why I shouldn't get it. Well, today the only thing I have to say is that the colour is enough. Oh my god, this shade is a whole new level of dreamy. I love wearing bright colours at this time of year as I find they offer a nice contrast to my usual monochrome wardrobe and they tend to brighten things up. Blue shades can be hard to wear but this one is bright with just a touch of milkiness that stops it looking too stark, especially against my very pale (sun-deprived) skin. I'm in lust with this nail polish, and the dinky little bottle only makes me like it even more. 

Have you tried any of Topshop's nail polishes before? Do you like the look of 'AWOL'?

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My Topshop Lipstick Collection: Desert, Whimsical, Innocent & Idol

I don't have a vast Topshop lipstick collection (and three of these lipsticks I picked up in blog sales) but I do really like the formula of Topshop lipsticks so I thought I'd write a post on the ones I own. I personally don't think that the formula is always the same across all of the lipsticks but the all the ones I own feel like Satin finishes- meaning they have a matte look and feel to them but they aren't as drying as matte lipsticks.

The good think about a Satin finish  in a lipstick is that is stays put, as a semi-matte lipstick it has lasting power. The downside is that it isn't shiny, it isn't glossy and although it isn't super drying it isn't moisturising either. I don't like to wear any sort of matte-feeling lipsticks every day because the feel of them just isn't my favourite. However, I don't have a problem wearing them occasionally (especially when I don't want to worry about smudging, flaking etc.) and this is when I reach for my Topshop lipsticks.

My shade selection isn't the best. I absolutely love Desert, it's my favourite of the four, and although it can suit me it is very dependent on how I'm wearing my make-up and what blush I'm wearing. It's a nude that leans very orange so if I wear a pink blush it just looks weird! 

Whimsical is the only one that I bought new (and at full price) and it is a serious peach shade that packs a lot of punch. I feel self-conscious wearing this because I own nothing like it but I do think that it looks insanely pretty, and very girly! I definitely need to wear this one more often while I can because I don't think that this will look great with my alabaster white winter skin. If you're pale but are rocking a tan during the summertime then I'd recommend giving this one a try. 

Innocent transforms when it goes on the lips, it becomes a lot more starkly blue based and a little barbie-esque. I find this one very hard to wear during the day because it looks so obvious and "unnatural". It does, however, look very nice with slightly more glamazonian make-up and I've gotten compliments on this shade when I've worn it after dark. 

Idol is just, full on. It is bright and it packs a punk and I'm really enjoying it! I like bright shades in long lasting finishes (like Satin or Matte) because I can wear them without constantly worrying about transfer and smudging!

Some people have struggled with Topshop lipsticks but I honestly don't have a problem with them. They last very well on me and I think that at £8 each they're excellent value for money! My only word of warning is that the colours can look very different person to person, skin tone is key. If you like the look of one of my swatches that's great but I would urge you to swatch them yourself in store before buying them. I don't know what it is about Topshop's lipsticks in particular but I really do think that they are transformative colours. But anyway! I hope you enjoyed a peek into my small collection, I have some of their darker more vampy shades on my radar for the autumn months.

Do you own any Topshop lipsticks? Do you like any of the colours that I own?

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Tackling the Beauty Lurkers

Although it might come across as otherwise, I really do try and avoid impulse purchasing. Whenever I buy things on a "whim" they tend to become beauty lurkers. What I mean by this is that they end up sitting about my room being aesthetically enjoyed but never being put to the use that they were intended for. My beauty lurkers tend to be "hyped" products or products that sounds appealing to me because they're really cute or simply because they're a novelty. I've pictured five products in the image above and all of these are at the top of my lurk-list - I want to use them! I have to use them, to save myself from the otherwise nagging guilt! I've recently started a spending ban (I'm on day seventeen!) to try and stop these sorts of problems and now I'm going to make a concerted effort to spread the love across the whole of my beauty collection.

Number one on the list is Topshop's Lip Bullet in Heartbeat. I picked this up during a period of Topshop mania and although I really like it (it's creamy and opaque in one swipe) the colour is a very loud orange and after wearing it a couple of times I started to chicken out! Since then I haven't reached for it and I feel bad because I purchased it full price and it's a great product. Come on confidence, it's bright lip o'clock!

Second on my list is Rimmel's Scandaleyes Eyeshadow Stick in Tempting Turquoise. After a brief love affair with blue mascara I abandoned wearing blue for ages, when I saw this turquoise colour it looked so on trend. I picked it up because I thought I could look really hip and summer-y with a wash of blue around my eyes. It does look nice but it is so out of my neutral comfort zone and I've only used it once.. I'm going to be giving this way more of a try in the coming weeks.

Ah, the L'Oreal Confetti Topcoat. When this came out I couldn't find it anywhere, for weeks and weeks! So when I finally saw it on the Superdrug website I don't even remember buying it - it was just instantly, thoughtlessly, added to my basket. I've used it a few times and I really do love how it looks but it really hasn't gotten as much use as I would have liked. It'll be adorning my nails soon!

Next up is a Maybelline offering, it's the 24hr Color Tattoo in Permanent Taupe. I own a few of these now, and they were all inspired by On and On Bronze which is honestly the most stunning colour, especially for blue eyes I find. Permenant Taupe is the only other 'neutral' colour I picked out and of the bunch it looks like it should be the most wearable. However, I actually find it a bit muddy and it closes my eyes up a bit. I'm hoping to play around with this a bit to find some sort of way to use it (even if it is just as a base) and maybe I'll do a FOTD when I find something I like.

Lastly, and this was really quite an indulgence, is a Christmas limited edition from L'Occitane, the Marvelous Flowers Shimmering Oil. I rediscovered this when I was lusting after the Nuxe Multi Use Dry Oil and was wondering whether I could justify the price - well, no Angelica, you can't, not when you have a high quality dupe already. It's a really hydrating body oil, but it is full of shimmer! I love putting this all over me when I'm off on a night out but those are few and far between at the moment so I've found a new use for it. I've started using this on my decolletage in the evenings as a sort of delicate, hydrating (and hopefully anti-ageing?) product. No Nuxe for me until I get through it! 

It has just occured to me that this post is quite similar to 'shopping the stash' posts but I refer to products like these as beauty lurkers anyway so I think I'll keep my title! Maybe this will become a series, who knows. I have a lot of beauty products that I've never talked about before and most of them deserve a little more attention.

Do you have any beauty products lurking in your collection?

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On the Fence: Topshop Cheek Duo in Desert Sun (Review and Swatches)

This Topshop Cheek Duo in Desert Sun was my first ever Topshop make-up purchase. I lusted after it for ages and then one day I just walked into Topshop and said to myself 'It's time!' And folks, as always, better late than never. I don't know what it was that stopped me picking up any Topshop make-up before now. The suppose the prices initially seemed a little bit steep but everybody is always raving about how good they were, I finally just came to the assumption that they must cost so much because they were, well, really darn good. 

Saying this, I have to admit right off the bat that I was, and still am, a little bit disappointed with this Cheek Duo. However, it is not down to the product's quality, not one bit! It's the colours. In the pan the dusky rose blush and golden bronzer look so appealing, gorgeous even. They whisper promises of glowing skin, rosy highlights, a healthy warm glow... but making them work? That part just hasn't actually happened yet. The bronze shade in particular is just a little bit too orange toned to work on my skin. Due to Britain's lack of sun I'm still incredibly pale, and I'm worried that it won't be until I finally manage to spend some time in the sunshine that I'll be able to rock the gorgeous golden bronze shade. It swatches so beautifully, teasing me cruelly. 

The slightly, just slightly, peach toned pink blush is gorgeous, there's no doubt about it, and I have been able to wear this regardless of my pallor. And it is a great blusher! It lasts throughout the day, doesn't settle into pores, can be worn lightly or can be built up. however, I think the magic really comes out when you mix it with the bronze shade. It transforms into the most gorgeous peachy, bronze colour and is completely unlike anything I own or have swatched before. This is the colour I want on my cheeks all the time. But this is a colour that I just so unsure about- does it suit me? Something in my head says no, but something in my heart says 'who cares!'

I want sunshine so I can glow and shine. Britain needs a summer so I can work out if I'm meant to be a shimmery bronzed beauty or if I need to gift this gorgeous Duo away. I'm trying to make the combination of the two colours work, let me know what you think!

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Beauty Haul: Setting myself up for summer

I finally caved! It turns out I can't resist Boots' 3 for 2 offer, and then once I was in town Superdrug and Topshop lured me in. I've actually never tried any Topshop make-up before so I'm really excited to try their cheek duo in 'Desert Sun'. Also, you can probably tell that a lot of my choices are ones that are going to prepare me for summer. I got a new set of base products- foundation, concealer and powder. Although I don't really need a new foundation right now (my two new Revlon foundations are really lovely!) I thought that I'd pick this Bourjois one up as my freebie after purchasing the Real Techniques brushes. I'm keen to try the Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer as my Collection concealer is definitely on its last legs and the powder is a summer must have for keeping my oily skin in check! I've also picked up some gradual tanner as well as all the things I'll need for when I embrace instant tan (when it's warmer and I'll actually be able to go out with bare legs). In addition, I've picked up Collection's Shimmer Shades because I think all of the four colours will work really well on me for either contouring or bronzing and three workable shades for around £4 seemed like a good deal. The Mua lipgloss (in the shade Sienna) is a lovely orange colour which will definitely compliment bronzer and tanned skin. All in all this was definitely a hopeful shop, please please please can summer hurry up and get here, because when it does I am going to be ready!

Are you preparing for summer too? What summer-y products would you recommend?

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