Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con Palette - The Starlet

So if you watched my recent haul video (see here) you'll know that I bought the Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con Palette in 'The Starlet', it wasn't the cheapest of items but I really am glad I got it. The shades are unlike any other in my collection, the pigmentation and quality of the shadows is excellent and don't even get me started on the packaging! 

As I said in the video, I went into Sephora expecting the come out with 'The Lolita' palette but when I saw and swatched it I felt that I already had all of the shades in my collection, it was also a bit cool toned for my liking so I went for this one instead. That warm toned coppery shade is what drew my eye to the palette, but I quickly realised I loved all of the shades. 

My favourites from the palette are the copper, the slightly green toned gold, the dark brown and the dark grey. The formulas are really buttery, have amazing colour payoff and best of all they don't fall down onto your face! A real pet hate of mine as I always forget to start with my eyes when using darker shades. 

My one criticism of the palette would be that there aren't individual shade names, not that that's particularly important, I guess it would just be helpful for the sake of blogging/youtube! I put together a few of my favourite looks from the palette to show you what they look like on but of course the possibilities are endless. Please excuse my rather frizzy looking hair! 

Champagne shade - on the brow bone and in the inner corners.

Copper shade - all over the lid

Dark brown shade - Outer corners, in the crease and on the lower lash line

Champagne shade - on the brow bone and in the inner corners

Green/Gold - all over the lid

Champagne shade - on the brow bone and in the inner corners

Dark grey shade - all over the lid

Dark brown - In the outer corners, in the crease and along the lower lash line.

What do you think of these looks? Which is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!

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Nars Narsissist Palette

I think it's safe to say I'm late to the party on this one, the Nars Narsissist Palette came out around this time last year and I knew I instantly wanted it. I'm ummed and ahhed over wether to buy it as it was so expensive and of course being limited edition it quickly sold out. I instantly regretted not buying it and felt a little sad every time I saw it pop up on a blog with rave reviews. Sad, I know. But all was not lost as I was lucky enough to receive it for my birthday in december. Obviously, I was over the moon even though it wasn't a surprise and I've been using it non stop ever since. If you missed out on it too I'd recommend keeping your eye open on ASOS and Urban Retreat, the come back in stock every now and then only to disappear again at the blink of an eye. 

If you're a keen reader of beauty blogs, as most people who read my blog seem to be, you've probably already read multiple lists of the shades names and seen multiple arms covered in swatches so I won't make you sit through it again. Instead I thought I'd give a shout out to a couple of my favourite shades/combination of shades.

1. First up is Fez (top row, middle), my absolute favourite of the palette. I love this one simply washed all over the lid with nothing but a few coats of mascara. It looks simple, understated but like you've put in a bit of an effort. 

2. Fez on the lid, Mekong (middle row, right) on the outer corners and a little bit under the lower lash line with a touch of All About Eve (top left) under the brow bone and in the inner corners.

3. Mekong all over the lid with Coconut Grove (top row, right) in the crease is my go-to combo for a dark, smoky evening look. It's a great way of glaming up my makeup really quickly.

4. Bali (top row, 2nd from right) and Coconut Grove work really well for me as brow shades and of course Pandora (bottom right) is great as an eyeliner.

I've only used the other shades a couple of times so far so I'm still experimenting with them. I'm thinking of putting together a post with a few pictures of me wearing my favourite looks but I thought I needed a bit more time to experiment first! It is in the works though so keep your eyes peeled!

Do you have the Nars Narsissist Palette? What is your favourite shade or combination?

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Current Favourites

As you've probably noticed, I've been a bit late getting together my november favourites. I thought about scrapping the post all together but then decided last minute to rename it 'current favourites' instead! Here's what I've been loving.

I still can't believe it's taken me so long to get a tangle teezer. I got mine about a month ago and it has quickly become an essential. I'm starting to wonder what I ever did without it! 

I've noticed that my skin has become a lot drier in the last few weeks because of the horribly cold weather so I've had to take my skincare up a notch. I've been using The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil (full review here) both in the morning and evening rather than just in the evening as I had been doing previously. I've also been using the Time Bomb Youth Juice Secret Oil (full review here) every night and on no makeup days. I've found that using more oil has been amazingly helpful with keeping moisture in my skin and keeping dry patches at bay. 

Another skincare love is the Rodial Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Tonic, an amazingly hydrating spritz on 'toner' that I've been using both morning and night post cleanse. It has a lovely subtle scent of roses thanks to the rose water it contains and is a great product to stop skin from getting dehydrated. Full review coming soon! 

I've been keeping things pretty simple on the makeup front recently. I recently bought the Estee Lauder Pure Colour Shadow Paint in Chained and I've been wearing it almost everyday since. It's a great everyday shade that is so quick and easy to apply. 

Another recent purchase is the Smashbox Full Exposer Mascara, I wasn't completely sold on it when I first started using it as it was a bit wet but now that I'm a couple of weeks in and it's dried out a bit I absolutely love it. It adds lots of volume and length and is quickly becoming one of my favourite ever mascaras. 

What beauty products have you been loving recently?

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Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Palette in Emerald Gold

If you're a neutral eyeshadow lover who occasionally likes to dip your toes into a bit of colour the Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Palette  in Emerald Gold is a good one to try. It contains 4 neutral tones and a couple of greens, all of which have a really smooth and blendable formula. They aren't the most pigmented but sometimes I like that for when I want more of a subtle look. They create a nice tinted sheen across the lids which is so flattering. Of course they can also be built up very easily for a more intense block of colour. 

At £12 for 6 shades I think it's a pretty good value for money palette, although if you like a few matte shades thrown in you'll be disappointed as they're all shimmers. The brush, as always with eyeshadow palettes, will never get used but at this price I don't really mind as I have plenty of eyeshadow brushes anyway. 

I've been particularly loving the bottom most shade blended all over the lid, it creates a subtle bronze toned smokey eye that isn't too in your face but still looks like you've made a bit of effort with your makeup. I'm planning on doing a makeup look with this palette soon here on the blog so keep a look out if you fancy seeing it in action! 

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FOTD #2

I've decided to try and do a few more makeup posts here on the blog, I hope you like this one, it's a look I'd probably reserve for evenings as the eyeshadow really is quite glittery, although it doesn't seem to look like it in the picture! I used my Sephora Moonshadow Baked Palette in In the Dark which I did a full review of here. It's a palette I'm trying to use a bit more as it's been left unloved for a while! 

For base I went for MAC Studio Fix Fluid, another usually unloved product. I tend to reach for lighter bases over this one most days but I was having a bit of a 'bad skin day' so I thought I could do with a bit of extra coverage! I applied it with a Buffing Brush and then tapped on a bit of Bobbi Brown Corrector under my eyes to cover dark circles. I then used all the shades from my Sleek Face Form Palette in Light, the contour shade to define, a tiny bit of blush to add some colour and the highlighter to add a bit of a glow back into an otherwise quite matte finish. 

For the eyes I started with the shade Gold (top row, second from right) all over the lid, then added a tiny amount of Nude (top row, second from left) into the inner corners and under the brow bone. Next I went for the shade Deep Brown (bottom row, second from left) and packed that into the outer corner. I then blended everything out with a fluffy brush so it all looked a bit softer. To finish up I used the shade Glitter Black (bottom row, middle) as an eyeliner using a small angled brush and Avon Aero Volume Mascara which I don't love but am trying to finish up!

For lips I kept things super simple and just went for my favourite, wear with everything gloss, Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in 56 Imaginaire. I hope you like the look!

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MUA Undressed Palette

I've had the MUA Undressed Palette for a really long time but it was left neglected for a long time. In all honesty, I forgot I had it. When I rediscovered it a few weeks ago I put it with my everyday makeup as a reminder to use it and I've barely used any other palettes since. It has a great range of neutral shades and the quality of the shadows is excellent. They're very pigmented, soft and buttery and don't fall down onto your face as you're applying them. In fact I even think they're better quality than some of my high end shadows! 

Top row - Shade 1 - 6

Bottom Row - Shade 7 - 12

Shades 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9

Shades 4, 5, 6, 10, 11 and 12

Shades 1-3

Shades 4-6

Shades 7-9

Shades 10-12

As you can see the palette contains some great shades, shades 6 and 7 are by far my favourite. Although I would have liked to see a few more mattes in the palette (there are only 2), I think it's a great buy overall, especially since it's only £4! You can use it to create everything from a really simple everyday look to a full on smoky eye! 

Will you be adding this palette to your collection?

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April Favourites

This month's favourites are a combination of new discoveries and golden oldies. The first product I've been loving is the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water which I spoke about in more detail a few days ago here. It's a brilliant makeup remover that removes even mascara in a single swipe, doesn't irritate the skin at all and just feels like water. I'm converted.

Next is the long since discontinued Sweet Lemon Shower Gel from The Body Shop (full review here) it has the most delicious, citrusy scent that has been extremely uplifting on these dull spring mornings. I really hope they bring this scent back!

Soap & Glory Hand Food is by far my favourite hand cream of all time, it's extremely moisturising yet non greasy and sinks into the skin straight away. It also smells really good, I stocked up this month while it was on 3 for 2, you can see my full review here.

I'm not usually one for primers but the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch has surprised me, I seem to me using it more and more often. It feels velvety on the skin, makes sure that makeup lasts all day and keeps and oiliness at bay. Full review here.  

The concealer that I've been reaching for pretty much daily as of late is the Clinique Even Better Concealer in Honeycomb. It a shade lighter than my skin tone so I've been using it under the eyes to hide dark circles and brighten up my face. It's really high coverage but also really blendable. Full review here. 

I'm not an everyday eyeshadow wearer but the Avon SuperShock Vivid Liquid Eyeshadow is so easy to use! Mine's in the shade Chromed Cocoa. I just shake it, dab a bit onto my eyelid with the applicator and then blend it in with my finger. It sets and just doesn't budge. 

What products have you been loving this month?  

REVIEW: Avon True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Mocha Latte

A while ago I tried Avon eyeshadow for the first time, it was the 8 in 1 Eye Palette in 'The Nudes', full review here. I really liked the formula of the shadows as well as the colour range so I recently ordered their True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Mocha Latte. Although I love the other palette, it only contained 1 matte shade out of the total 8, so I was really pleased to see that this quad contained 2 matte shades.

The quad comes in a square compact that is a bit bulkier than I'd like, the 8 in 1 palette came in really sleek packaging, which was about the same size inspite of it containing double the amount of shadows. That said the quad does have a nice big mirror housed in the lid which is really handy. 

All of the shadows have a really soft formula, even the matte shades which often with cheaper brands can be a bit chalky. The pigmentation isn't the best I've come across but it's very buildable, especially if it's packed on with fingers. I find shadows with extremely high pigmentation can be difficult to blend out so these work really well for me. 

The 4 shadows are numbered from lightest to darkest to help remind you what order and where to apply them, but of course you can use them as you like to create lots of different looks. 

The first shade is a soft, light champagne colour with a shimmery finish which works really well under the brow bone as a highlight as well as in the inner corners of the eye.

Second is a completely matte, mid brown with cool, ashy undertones. It works amazingly well to fill in brows as well as in the crease for a very natural look.

The third is, of course, my favourite shade in the palette and the one I've been wearing almost non stop since I got it. It's a warmer version on the second colour but with a lovely shimmery finish. 

Unfortunately my photos and swatches don't quite do this shade justice, it really is stunning. I've been sweeping it all over the lid and finishing with a coat of mascara. 

The last shade is another matte, this time in a dark chocolate brown. It works really well in the outer corners paired with shade 3 for a more dramatic evening look, all over the lid or as a liner.

Have you tried any Avon eyeshadows? What did you think of them?

Jen's Sleepover Makeup

There's nothing more fun on a girly sleepover than having a nose through your friend's makeup bag and giving makeovers, apart from  eating an extensive amount of chocolate and watching terrible movies of course!

To start with I smoothed Benefit Porefessional Primer all over Jen's skin with my fingers to create an even base and make the makeup last well (even though we weren't going anywhere) I then worked in MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC15 with my trusty Real Techniques Buffing Brush, which left her skin looking absolutely flawless! We skipped concealer and went straight onto the fun bits, colour!

Using a Real Techniques Contour Brush I used the contour shade from the Sleek Contour Kit in Light to lightly accentuate Jen's cheekbones. This is such a great palette, we both own and love it, amazing really as we have such different skintones! Of course I had to be much more handed with it on Jen than myself. I then used a Real Techniques Stippling Brush to apply Revlon Photoready Cream Blusher in Flushed to the apples of cheeks and Benefit Highbeam to the tops of cheekbones, down the centre of the nose and above the cupid's bow. The light pink, pearlescent tones in this highlighter complemented Jen's skin perfectly! 


The main focus of the look was the eyes, we went for a soft neutral smoky look. I started by filling in Jen's brows with the Benefit Brows a go go kit and then adding the lightest shade (top left hand corner) from the MUA Undressed Palette under the brow bones and in the inner corners of the eyes. I then added the colour next to it all over the lid and blended out the edges with a Sephora Pro Blending Brush 27, next I used the bronze shade (bottom left) and worked that into the crease using the same brush, continuing to blend to make sure there were no harsh lines. I then added a really thin line of Clinique Quickliner for eyes in Black and smudged it across the top and bottom lash line for a softer look. Lashes were then curled and a generous amount of YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara was layered on, leaving Jen's already amazingly long and curly lashes look seriously stunning. This mascara is amazing, It's now been firmly placed onto my wish list!


To finish off the look we went for Clinique Almost Lipstick in Luscious Honey, it complemented the eyes perfectly while still being really subtle. Perfect! 

October Favourites

I hate to start a favourites post with a cliche, but I really can't believe october is over already! Christmas will be here before we know it and I am in no way prepared! But then, that's what november is for! Anyway, on with the favourites!

The first thing I've been loving and using no end of this month is the Palmers Coco Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil (Full review here). When the weather turns colder, my skin really starts to suffer, so I've been slathering this on post bath/shower to keep skin soft and hydrated. 

Next is Yardley London Peony Body Spray, if you're thinking, Isn't Yardley for grannies? I'll forgive you, because I thought the same. Then I spotted this and because I love the scent of peonies, I thought I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did because I love it. I believe they make an Eau De Toilette as well which I'm planning on tracking down.

My Avon 8 in 1 Eye Palette in In the Nudes has been used non stop this month, I did a full review with swatches earlier on in the month which you can see here. It contains a selection of matte and shimmery neutral shades housed in a compact the same size as my iPhone, perfect for traveling. The formula is really good too, very pigmented and buttery soft!

Next is the Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder which I've been using constantly since my beloved (and discontinued) Chanel bronzer breathed it's last. It's the perfect shade, brown enough to add definition and ever so slightly orangey, just enough to warm up your face without leaving you looking like an Oompa Lumpa.

I've been being rather brave recently and rocking a dark berry lip, see it in action here. My lipstick of choice has been Avon Mega Impact Lipstick in Divine Wine, which suits my skin tone really well, looking autumnal rather that gothic. It has a smooth formula which lasts really well on the lips.

Last but not least I've been piling on The Body Shop Mango Lip Butter during the evenings and at night, the extremely nourishing formula helps to counteract the dryness which often goes hand in hand with wearing dark, long lasting lip colours. 

What products have you been loving this month?

What's in my Makeup Bag?

I've recently changed up what's in my everyday makeup bag so I thought I'd share what I've been using. Base starts with L'Oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer and MAC Pro Longwear Foundation in NC45, both of which I mentioned in my Project Use Up post. The foundation is a bit on the matte and heavy side for my liking at the moment so I've been mixing it with a bit of my daily moisturiser. 

To bring a bit of warmth to the skin I dust on Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder, and pat in a bit of Revlon Photoready Cream Blush in Flushed. I've also been reaching for Benefit Sun Beam, my favourite highlighter at the moment which gives skin a soft glow. 

For eyes I've mostly been keeping things pretty simple, a swipe of Avon SuperShock Eyeliner in Black, which is completely foolproof, and a quick curl and swipe of mascara on the lashes. For days when I want to put in a bit more effort, I've been using my Avon 8 in 1 eye palette in In The Nudes, which has some lovely neutral shades that I've been experimenting with. 

For lips I've been using Clinique Almost Lipstick in Luscious Honey, which is a tinted balm that leaves lips with a subtle stain or Avon Ultra Colour Rich Mega Impact Lipstick in Divine Wine (see it in action here) for when I want full on colour!

Also in my makeup bag I have Avon Glimmersticks Brow Definer in Soft Black, Sephora Eyelash Curlers and Avon SuperExtend Extreme Mascara. 

What's in your Makeup Bag?

FOTD #1

I've always loved reading Face of the Day posts but never felt quite brave enough to do one. Today I felt a bit brave so I said, why not? bit the bullet, and went for it! I thought for my first one I'd keep it simple and show you a look I've been wearing a lot lately. It's my version of an autumnal look with berry lips and cheeks.  

So here's what I used! I started with L'Oreal's Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer which I spoke a bit about in my Project Use Up post. It takes a bit of working in with fingers but smoothes out the skin and makes makeup last all day. 

I then worked The Body Shop's Extra Virgin Minerals Cream Compact Foundation in 408 Rose Caramel into my skin using a Real Techniques Buffing Brush, this foundation is quite thick so I always remove any excess from the brush first. It gives a good finish and moisturises dry skin.

Next I hid dark under eye circles using the tiniest bit of MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC45, a little goes a long way with this concealer so use it sparingly under the eyes, too much and it will just crease. I apply it with the Real Techniques Pointed Foundation Brush, which is perfect because you can really get into the corner under the eye where most of the darkness is. 

I then dusted on some of Benefit's Dallas Blusher onto cheeks and into the cheekbone hollows, it's a dusky plum colour so it really brightens up the face as well as bringing out cheekbones. I then added a bit of Sephora Highlighting Compact Powder in Golden onto the tops of cheekbones and along the centre on the nose, all using the Eco Tools Blusher Brush and that's face done!

I kept eyes simple by filling in any sparse areas of my brows in with Avon Glimmerstick Brow Definer in Soft Black. I then added a touch of the highlighter to my brow bone using the Sephora 27 Pro Blending Brush, put on a quick swipe of Clinique Quickliner for Eyes Intense in 01 Intense Black and lashings of Avon Superextend Extreme Mascara. 

To complete the look I applied Avon Ultra Colour Rich Mega Impact Lipstick in Divine Wine. I'm really loving this colour at the moment, I've been wearing it constantly as the formula is really comfortable to wear and it has good lasting power! 

What do you think of this look?