Tanya Burr Lip Gloss in Vampire Kiss

Tanya Burr Lip Gloss - Vampire Kiss: Feel Unique

I actually picked up a few from Tanya Burr's lip gloss range when they were initially released, but I thought I would give you the low down on my favourite colour so far - Vampire Kiss! I am a huge fan of a red lip, but usually stray away from lip glosses and go for lip sticks as they usually have much better staying power. Having said that, Tanya's lip glosses have knocked it out the park!

The first thing I thought of when I opened the tube was the gorgeous strawberry fruity smell the gloss has! It reminds me of a mixture of strawberry laces and my favourite fruit flavoured lip glosses I had when I was younger! it's a very nostalgic smell, but also very yummy! 

When applying, the thick, flexible applicator makes it easy to get good coverage on your first application and reach easily into the corners of your lips. After a couple of coats I was very happy with the colour pay off! I was actually astonished at how bold the colour was, as I've never experienced such a pigmented red gloss before!

The formula isn't drying at all, and feels comfortably on your lips after its dried. Another bonus is that the tube holds a lot of gloss, so you definitely get value for money!

Overall, I would definitely recommend Tanya's lip glosses range, especially Vampire Kiss! I am definitely keen now to try out her nail varnishes! Have you tried any of Tanya Burr's range? Let me know your thoughts and recommendations!

Lana Del Ray Glastonbury Make Up Recreated

Lana Del Ray is my most recent girl crush. Her make up, her style, just everything always looks so effortless, yet flawless! The look she wore at Glastonbury this month inspired me; the perfect day time look that could easily transition into the evening. Definitely the ultimate festival look, so I decided to recreate it! Here's what I used:

Face:

Lana always looks perfectly mattified, so after applying Benefit's POREfessional, I applied No7's Beautifully Matte foundation in 'Warm Ivory' with my favourite foundation brush from the Real Techniques Core Collection. I then used my all time favourite concealer, Collection's Lasting Perfection in 'Fair' to aid the contouring process that Lana pulls off so well. To complete the mattified look, I applied Rimmel's Stay Matte Pressed Power in 'Transparent' to my t-zone and around my eyes to set my concealer. 

Blush and Contour:

Lana has kept her cheeks subtle, but still added some beautiful definition, giving her beautifully sharp cheek bones. I firstly began by applying Bourjois Paris Maxi Delight Bronzer to the hollows of my cheeks. I then took Collection's Bronze Glow Mosaic Powder right underneath my cheekbones, heading towards the middle of my ear. I then followed this up the temples and along the hair line. After this, I then took it along the underneath of my jaw line, heading towards the chin. This carefully placed bronzer creates shadows, creating the illusion of much more defined facial structure. 

Finally, to give a soft, rosy look, i applied MAC's Powder Blush in 'Peaches' to the apples of my cheeks. I then blended this all out with a large Body Shop powder brush.

Eyes:

Lana went for a neutral yet smokey look, so to recreate this I began with MUA's Eyes Primer. Then, using a a small round top eye shadow brush I covered my eye lid and highlighted the inner tear duct with a mixture of 'Virgin' and 'Sin' from the Naked palette. I then took a clean brush and dabbed in 'Buck' and then 'Hustle' gently into the crease and outer corners of both eyes. I then used a small, angled brush, dipped it in 'Crave', a matt black from the Naked 2 palette, and lined along the bottom of both eyes, joining and blending with 'Hustle' on the outer corners of my eyes to create depth. To finish, I applied lashings of my current favourite mascara - Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Retro Mascara.

Brows:

Brows are simple! Lana wore hers bold and perfectly shaped at Glasto - so I simply took a small, angled brush and dabbed it in 'Buck' from the Naked palette and filled in my brows - making sure to pay attention to the arch and making it defined as possible.

Lips:

Lana's lips were super neutral at Glasto, plus gloriously full and luscious as always! So, i kept things simple. All I applied was my favourite nude Barry M Lip Gloss in 'Igw2', and voila! 

My Daily Make Up

I haven't done a daily make up post since August 2012! So, I thought I would update you on my every-day, go-to products!

Base:

Foundation: No7 Beautifully Matte Foundation in Warm Ivory

Concealer: Rimmel Wake Me Up in Ivory

Pressed Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte in Translucent

Cheeks and Contour:

Bronzer: Collection Sun kissed Bronze Glow

& Collection Mosaic Shimmering Glow Powder

Blush: Sleek Blush in Pomegranate

Eyebrows:

Natural Collection Solo Eyeshadow in Crushed Walnut

Eyes:

Eyeliner: Collection Extreme 24hr Felt Tip Liner

Mascara: Benefit They're Real

Avon SuperExtend Extreme Mascara

Mascara: Avon SuperExtend Extreme

When I find a mascara I love, its usually a big deal...well to me anyway! A good mascara is hard to come by in my opinion - one that doesn't clog, one that's not too thick, or too wet and so on. Avon's SuperExtend Extreme mascara is my favourite mascara at the moment, and I also dare to say that I prefer it to the mascara queen that is Benefit's They're Real. Well, I would at least say it rivals it!

My favourite feature of this mascara is it's wand - it is made up of lots of little bristles great for getting in between each of your lashes and avoiding clumping. This also means you can apply to your bottom lashes a lot more easily without getting mascara all over the skin beneath your eyes. The consistency is thick enough without drying out very quickly, meaning this mascara will have a long shelf life. 

In the photo above I've only applied a one coat and for me this is enough for a day to day look. I'm really pleased with the length it produces and it cuts down on my mascara application time in the morning!

Overall, I'll definitely be buying this mascara again and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cheaper alternative to Benefit's 'They're Real'!

Happy Sunday!

Sephora Collection Rouge Cream Lipstick

 

 

Lipstick: Sephora Collection Rouge Cream Lipstick in 'Sexy Game'

Recently, I visited the sunny lands of Barcelona, and while I was there I was pleasantly greeted by Sephora! This was my first Sephora experience, and it was safe to say it's definitely a beautiful place to be! Going into winter, I thought it would be a good idea to sample the lipsticks they had to offer and pick my go-to shade this winter! Having said that, I'm very pleased with my choice! When I picked 'Sexy Game', I very much had in mind L'Oreal Color Riche in 'Plum Passion' (reviewed here) and Mac's 'Rebel' - my two favourite lipsticks last winter. Deep rouges are definitely my favourite lip colours in general. i adore the boldness and the way these shades can instantly revamp a simple make up look. 

'Sexy Game' is a deep, rosey red shade, full with colour and impact. The colour pay off is outstanding, so application is quick when achieving a bold colour. The lipstick itself is soft and hydrating - exactly what i look for in a lipstick, so I would definitely recommend to those with dryer lips. 

Overall, I'm really impressed by Sephora's lipstick and i honestly can't wait for my next trip to stock up on more! What are your go to winter lipstick shades? I'd love to get some more inspiration! Also, have you been to Sephora? Are there any other products you'd recommend? 

Real Techniques GIVEAWAY

So I fancied a little giveaway, seeing as I've just treated myself to some new Real Techniques brushes, I thought I'd treat one of my followers too! You could win your choice of the Core Collection, Your Eyes/Enhanced Starter Set or the On Location, Travel Essentials set. 

They're all beautiful sets, and as you probably know from the hype, the brushes are outstanding quality. I have the Core Collection myself (see review here from April last year), as well as recently purchasing the Expert Face brush & Powder brush.

So if you'd like a chance at winning your own, just complete the rafflecopter form below. This giveaway closes on Sunday 17th March 2013. Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to my UK followers, sorry rest of the world! :( a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Beauty Inspiration: The Kardashians

Source
Sponsored Post

Some of you may have picked up if you've been following my blog for a while, or are one of my twitter buddies, that I'm an avid Kardashian fan. That being said, I thought it would be fun to do a post on what I've learnt from Armenian beauties! Being from Middle East descent myself, I feel I can relate to their look so often take inspiration from their beauty hints and tips. Having said that, here's what I've learnt from obsessing over the Kardashains...

Firstly, strong brows! Kim K has the most beautifully bold brows. Getting treatments such as HD Brows takes the hassle out of growing and grooming your brows yourself; tinting, threading and waxing your brows to perfection! A great way  to instantly thicken the look of your natural brow, as I do, is to pencil them in. I use 17's Brow Sculpting pencil lightly then brush them through with a brow comb. When maintaining my brows I often concentrate my plucking around the arch (without making them too thin) whilst leaving the inner brow, keeping this point the thickest part. The Kardashian sisters are known to get their's professionally waxed and tweezed on a regular basis.

The girls flawless make up looks have lead on a never ending search for 'mattifying this' and 'anti-oil that' in the constant battle to achieve a shine free, immaculate look! For starters, primers are key. Brands such as MAC and Revlon sell color correcting foundation primers in a variety of shades including purple, yellow and green to be used according to your complexion. Kim was famously pictured applying a bright yellow colour correcting primer to balance out her skin tone before applying foundation. I more so use primers to keep my foundation in place and in an attempt to keep my oily skin at bay. I was recently recommend Witch's Anti-Blemish Skin Clearing Primer, which has helped a lot in keeping my make up in place during the 9 to 5 work day!

Long, luscious locks! Well known for constantly sporting a head full of hair extensions, the Kardashian's are definitely my hair icons! I often wear Head Kandy's 16-18" or 20-22" to achieved a thick head of glossy hair. Kourtney has shared on her blog of how she gets her extensions sewn in, often known as a weave. But for ease and every day use, clip in extension are a quick alternative with minimal damage. To achieve their high shine style, I use a generous combination of Moroccan Oil and Macadamia Oil, a great combination to heal split ends quick and give hair an instant boost. I've noticed a huge difference to my hair's health ever since using these two products when washing my hair, and its grown a significant amount too! 

Lastly, the Kardashians have taught me to always be beautifully bronzed and smooth as can be! To exfoliate and remove fake tan, Kim Kardashian visits a Korean spa in downtown Los Angeles for a body scrub. However, we can't all afford such luxury! Lush's Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub helps me keep oh so smooth, buffing away all the bad toxins. And when I fancy topping up the tan at home, I use Garnier's Summerbody in Deep, building a natural warm glow. As well as this, the girls are famously known for their extensive laser hair removal. Go to a clinic such as Sk:n Clinic for a run of treatment sessions, or even invest in a hair free future and get your own home laser removal system like the no!no! (which I'm considering getting myself)!

So who are your beauty icons? Where do you draw your inspiration from? I want to hear all your beauty hints, tips and tricks too!

L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick Plum Passion

Lipstick: L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick 290 Plum Passion

My current favourite lipstick! I haven't fallen in love with deep, bold lipsticks in a big way this winter. They're such an easy way to bring an every day make up look to life and create such a statement with you lips!

I've never tried a Color Riche lipstick from L'Oreal before until I picked this one up from Amazon after the whole Cheryl Cole wearing it on X Factor hype! Its a great lipstick, very nourishing  not drying at all. The colour pay off is fantastic and very buildable - so you can take it from a warm purple tone to a deep plum depending on your mood.

It's lasting power isn't amazing, so it does require topping up every hour or so if you're planning on eating or drinking to keep the colour vibrant. 

What are you favourite shades at the moment? Can anyone recommend me any other deep shades I can make the most of before the end of the winter months?

My Daily Make Up 2

Base: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in True Ivory, Applied with: Real Techniques Buffing Brush, Collection 2000 Cover Up Stick in Light Translucent, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Powder in Light, MUA Pressed Powder in Shade 1.
Contour: MUA Bronzer in Shade 2, Applied with: Real Techniques Contour Brush.
Blush: MUA Blusher in Shade 2, Applied with: The Body Shop Blusher Brush.
Eyebrows: 17 Sculpting Pencil in Natural Brown.
Eyes: Collection 2000 Extreme Felt Tip Eye Liner in Black, Collection 2000 Kohl Eyeliner in Black, The Body Shop Big and Curvy Mascara, Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara. Lips: Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss in 101.

So, this is my updated daily make up routine. You may or may not have seen my last one (here), but not too much has changed since then. Now that I'm working full time I like to keep my eye make up simple, but still noticeable. Not one for that 'barely there' look, Collection 2000's Felt Tip eyeliner is a real lifesaver in the mornings, with its thick nib making for extremely easy application.

I want to make a special shout out in this post to my new favorite day to day lippy - Rimmel's Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss in the shade 101. It a wonderfully sweetly scented, soft matte lipstick in a warm pink/nude shade with plum undertones. I'm really impressed with how non-drying it is for a matte lipstick and would definitely recommend to even girls who suffer with dry lips like myself (just make sure you put plenty of lip balm on first).

How I Fill In My Eyebrows

17 Brow Sculpting Pencil: Boots

I put this video together earlier in the week on how I fill in my brows. Its literally the simplest thing so I thought I'd give you guys a little step by step. I absolutely love filling in my brows, I love the look it creates - I suppose it just gives my make up look more of a finished feel.

Anyway, hope the video is easy to follow and it helps those of you out that have been umming and erring over your brows!

Clinique Superpowder Double Face Powder

Clinique Superpowder Double Face Powder in Matte Ivory

I don't buy high end make up usually, but when I do I make sure it's something I'm going to get a lot of use out of. As most girls can probably relate to, I love my skin to look mattified and flawless for as long as it possibly can, so when I discovered Clinique's Superpowder I had to invest.

It's a full coverage powder, that works well over foundation and stays in place for a considerable amount of time. I use it primarily for nights out when I know there's going to be lots of photos and want my make up to last without constant reapplication - and this is exactly what it does. The colour blends beautifully with my foundation and doesn't take a lot to work into your skin. The mattified finish is exactly the look that I long for, leaving me believing that sometimes it's worth paying more for a quality product that is going to do exactly what you ask of it.

It holds my make up in place beautifully, leaving me still looking completely intact even by the end of the night! Would 100% recommend for girls who have ongoing problems with an oily completion. Has anyone else tried Clinique's Superpowder Double Face? Or do you recommend any other brands for a decent mattifying effect?

NYC Big Bold Mascara

NYC Big Bold Mascara in Extra Black (c/o) 

I'm addicted to mascara, always looking for new ones to add to my collection and work into my mascara routine (I usually wear two or three different mascaras at once). Long eyelashes are one of my must have looks, and although I don't often wear false eyelashes, I adore piling on the mascara to achieve long, dark lashes on a day to day basis.

The Big Bold Mascara has a large applicator brush, not too dissimilar to that of Benefit's Bad Gal mascara. I usually prefer narrower brushes, but I know a lot prefer bigger ones like these. Nevertheless, I am impressed with this applicator. It reaches right across the lashes easily in one swipe meaning an even application and less clumping. 

I like to be generous with my mascaras, and so with a few coats I achieved a very natural, long length look (this mascara applied alone). I would definitely recommend it for girls who prefer a natural look but still want to achieve a voluminous look, however, I do think its very buildable and you could create a more dramatic look with it. Its a very handy little mascara and I'll definitely be working it into my mascara routine to finish off my look!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable in Darling (currently £2 off)

These Revlon balms have been tempting me for a while now, so I picked this one up the other week in the shade 'Darling' as I've been very keen to get a lilac colour lip product for a while now.

Revlon are without a doubt my go to brand for lip products, regardless of this, but I can confirm once again Revlon did good! To begin with, the pigmentation is fabulous! For a balm you'd perhaps not expect a very bold colour pay off, but this balm does not disappoint. I was actually quite taken a back in the store when I was testing all the shades out at the colour that was coming from these balms. Having tested out Clinique's Chubby Sticks, the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable definitely delivers to a much high standard in this department (for a fraction of the price may I add!).

I have very dry lips at the moment for some unknown reason, however as this is a balm as well as a lip colour, it takes care of this problem. It doesn't gather in dry spots and goes on extremely smoothly. Just colour your lips in like you would with a giant crayon, with precise application being a much easier job with it's pointed tip, and your colour will last for hours! Its really a very impressive product. 

Also, it has a minty smell which really is very pleasant and fresh - which is an added bonus! I definitely think I'm going to go back for more colours, especially while they're on offer!!

Has anyone else tried the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains? What colours have you tried? Are you as impressed as I am?

My Daily Make Up

Base: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in True Ivory, Applied with: Real Techniques Buffing Brush,

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair, Collection 2000 Pressed Powder in Candlelight, MUA Pressed Powder in Shade 1.

Contour: MUA Bronzer in Shade 2, Applied with: Real Techniques Contour Brush.

Blush: MUA Blusher in Shade 2, Applied with: The Body Shop Blusher Brush.

Eyebrows: 17 Eyebrow Shaper in Natural Brown.

Eyes: MUA Professional Eye Primer, Urban Decay Naked Palette - Virgin, Sin and Buck in the crease, Collection 2000 Extreme Felt Tip Eye Liner in Black, The Body Shop Big and Curvy Mascara, Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara.

My daily make up is a tried and tested routine, once I find a product I love and a routine that suits me, I tend to stick to it for a damn long time! 

What are your daily make up favourites? Do any of these make an appearance in your routine?

MAC Studio Fix Giveaway!

I am hosting my first ever giveaway this month, offering my followers the chance to win MAC's Studio Fix foundation in the shade of their choice! 

I've never done a giveaway before, but always wanted to, so this is just really a thank you to all my followers for sticking by me and for all your wonderful and supportive comments and tweets over the last six months since I started blogging.

So, seeing as MAC is one of the biggest brands on the blogging scene at the moment, and their foundations are so wonderful, I thought I would treat the lucky winner with a bottle of Studio Fix for themselves!

If you would like to enter, all you need to do is be a follower of Marie Loves via GFC! You will then be able to earn extra entries by doing the following:

Follow: Follow me on Twitter (@marieelton).

Tweeting: Tweet the link for the giveaway to me (@marieelton) sharing that you have entered the giveaway.

Youtube: Subscribe to my YouTube channel (more videos coming soon).

Facebook: 'Like' the Marie Loves facebook page.

So that's a possible total of 5 entries for this giveaway! To enter, please fill in the Rafflecopter form below, no need to comment! Your extra entries will not be counted if you do not follow on GFC as well. 

You have until the 14th July 2012 to enter, and the winner will be announced on the 15th, when I will get in contact with the winner to find out what shade you would like! Unfortunately, this competition is only open to followers in the UK! Sorry to my international lovelies!! Many thanks again to all my followers and all those who enter, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How I Fill In My Brows: Born Pretty Eyebrow Kit

It's only been a recent change to my make up routine that has seen me filling in my eyebrows on a daily basis. I began a few months a go, simply filling in with a dark brown eye brow pencil, but have been very keen on trying an eyebrow powder. So, when the lovely people from Born Pretty ever so kindly sent me their eyebrow kit, I was very excited to try it out.

As you probably know, thick, defined eyebrows are a key make up trend, carrying over from A/W into the summer. My initial concern with filling in my brows was that they'd just look bushy and look very obviously filled in, but to be honest, I couldn't of been more wrong. Filling in your brows is a great way to either finish off a look, or to make yourself look more put together when wearing little make up. And its really very simple, here's how I do mine:

Brows before: I pluck my eye brows on a near daily basis. Eye brows grow through so quickly, so its important to maintain them as often as you can. I never go to get mine waxed or threaded, so its especially important for me to keep onto of eyebrow hair growth.

As you can see, my eyebrows are naturally very dark, virtually black, so they already quite defined by themselves. I have quite a good natural arch to my brows, so when plucking and filling in, the main area I tend to concentrate on in the inner, thicker section of the brow.

Filling in the brow: The brush supplied with this eyebrow kit is the same that will come with most decent kits; a small angled brush, ideal for creating a sharp, defined shape. I used the darker brown shade and coated my brush thoroughly with the powder as I needed to create a darker shade as possible to blend with my natural eyebrow colour.  I then began by almost drawing a line the height of my inner brow, just in front of where my natural brown begins, towards the middle of my head. I then proceeded to brush right a long the top of my brow, to create a thicker effect. Then, after topping up my brush, filled in the rest of the brow, concentrating on the inner brow area, for a consistent and solid eyebrow colour.

Finished eyebrows! Filling in your eyebrows is as easy as simply drawing and colouring in your eyebrows to your desired look. Just make sure you don't get too carried away! Remember, filling in your brows is about enhancing your natural shape, not creating a completely different shape all together. If your brows are too sharp or square, you can use the sponge end of the brush to soften the edges, making the brow look more natural.

As a kit, I am quite impressed. For $6.99 (converted to roughly £4.55), you get two good quality powders and very soft and usable brush, which aids the application process perfectly. Saying this, even this kit in the darkest brown still realistically is not dark enough for my eyebrows, and I think I can only just about get away with it. On that note I would definitely recommend for those with slightly lighter brows than myself. Using the code 'MA5J61' on the Born Pretty website will get you 5% off too. 

Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Carnation

I purchased this lipstick about a month ago, but just didn't have the time to blog about it. I've been obsessing over two things recently: a) pink lipstick b) Revlon lipstick, so its basically all I've been searching for online (when I should of been doing work). I actually picked this Revlon Colorburst from ebay, for £2.99. I picked it in the shade Carnation, because the swatch colour looked so pink!

One of the things I really like is its Channel-esque quilted style casing, it just looks so expensive and attractive. I must admit, packaging does largely sway me when choosing make up, so Revlon really came up trumps this time round. The actual colour of the lipstick on is absolutely perfect. Its a lovely warm, baby pink. It really gives you just the right amount of colour without being too in your face pink, which is what I prefer, and is easily buildable for a bolder colour. The lipstick is a really soft formula and went on easily, with a large amount of colour pay off without too many coats. Its not drying at all, in fact quite moisturising which is really nice. Its not a matte lipstick, which are my favourite style, but it also isn't too shiny and not sheer at all. I really couldn't fault this lipstick at all - it really is amazing.

Boots sell a great range of the colours that are available in this Colorburst range, of which I'm also really lovely the look of Baby Pink and Raspberry! 

Have you tried the Revlon Colorburst lipsticks? What do you make of the shade Carnation?

High End Make Up Wishlist

As my days as a student are now numbered, whilst working tirelessly over my dissertation, I often find myself day dreaming about all the lovely things I'll be able to buy once I get a full time job (well, I suppose IF I get a full time job!)

So often I look on many a blog, where the blogger has indulged themselves with high end brands without batting an eye lid! So, I gave myself an limitless budget, and made a wishlist! (Probably the more sensible option, rather than taking out another student loan to satisfy my jealousy!)

001. When I discovered the Laura Mercier's Secret Finish in Mattifying, I couldn't believe how much this product must have been made for me! It's a liquid gel made to combat oily skin. Instead of working as a primer, which I initially expected this product to be - it's designed to be used for touch ups through out the day, over your make up, working to absorb facial oils and so instantly mattifiying the appearance of your skin on contact. How amazing is that? Instead of adding more make up to your face (which is not great for oily, porous skin) by patting on a pressed powder to your shiny patches, you can just dab on this gel and it soaks up the oil all by itself! Ah, what an  invention! Want, want, want!

002. I'm a real sucker for a coral/pink lip as of recent, it seems to be the only colours I will look at in lipsticks - but I love it. When I discovered this Velvet Matte Lip Stick in La Ravissante by Chanel, I just went 'ohhhh'. I sincearly couldn't imagine a prettier colour, and so appropriate for the Summer months a head of us too! There matte range is available in eight different shades, and are 'enriched with ultra-thin mother-of-pearl particles', so I can

understand why these lipsticks are so pricey! But matte lipsticks are my favourite as I'm not so keen on that sheer, shiny look, plus by it's description this lipstick sounds like it wouldn't dry out but in actual fact moisturise my lips! Gimme, gimme! 

003. Estee Lauder have an extensive Double Wear range, but I think what they're known for best in the blogging world is their Double Wear Stay-in Place Foundation. I'm really into my medium to full coverage looks when it comes to applying my base when doing my make up, it's just the look I prefer. And I have found good levels of coverage within drug store foundations I have used, but I've just heard such amazing things about Double Wear, that I can't help but daydream about how flawless my face could look if I used it! The foundation claims up to 15 hours coverage, despite the foundation being such a lightweight formula. It's also a matte foundation, and after trying a few 'illuminating' foundations recently, I'm definitely due something a bit more mattifiying for my oil prone skin.

004. The fact that this Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact in Bronze is so pretty is enough of a selling point for me. As a major lover of contouring and highlighting, I feel like this bronzer is right up my street. I can imagine it has the capabilities to create a gorgeous summer glow to your cheeks! I love the shimmer in all the shades, and the bronzes just look so deep and luxurious, and I can imagine it working well with a either a baby pink blush, or a deep rouge for a more dramatic, evening look!

005. Finally, this beautiful Bobbi Brown blush in the shade Apricot. I just feel like this shade screams Spring! It's such a warm shade, yet so ditsy colour which I just think is stunning. I have an extensive blush collection, but none in a shade like this! And I can imagine as it's Bobbi Brown, it would be a very pigmented blush. I can really imagine Apricot working well with the Shimmer Brick Bronze, as it will add shimmer to this mattified blusher, and mixed together will create a beautifully defined look when contouring. 

So, what do you think of my high end picks? What would you choose if you could afford any pricey product?

Real Techniques Core Collection (Video)

So, the other week I FINALLY got my mits on the Real Techniques Core Collection! Huzzar! I was getting so, so jealous of seeing youtube videos and blog posts with ladies flaunting their beautiful make up brushes, so I  eventually (and inevitably) cracked!

Essentially, I only brought the set for the buffing brush, after wanting the Sigma F80 for a lifetime, I was convinced otherwise by many a blog post. Plus, I figured for £21.99, you get a lot more for your money as you're getting four lovely new brushes.

The Core Collection includes (if you didn't already know) the detailer brush, foundation brush, contour brush and buffing brush. They come with a handy little travel case which also acts as a stand, with spaces for other brushes. Each brush has a rubber base so they can also stand alone, which is an interesting feature.

I've tried out the detailer brush, it's kind of little so I used it with concealer but didn't really feel like I reaped the benefits. So, I don't really know what do to with it? Any suggestions? I've heard it can be used for lip lining so may give it a clean and try that out! The foundation brush I haven't tried, as it's all about the buffing brush to be honest!

I really do adore the buffing brush. It makes foundation application very easy and also means I don't get it all over my hands, and then all over my other products...and clothes. I don't really get that 'airbrushed' look that everyone's been going on about, but nevertheless I do like the effect and coverage it provides me with and by buffing the make up, it means no lines or patchiness!

The contour brush is amazing too. It has a pointed, round shape to it which makes contouring and highlighting surprisingly easy. It's small size means you can get right into the hollows of your cheeks, and apply with precision meaning you don't end up with clouds of bronze all up the sides of your face!

Overall, I'm so pleased I gave in and purchased the Core Collection. They're so, so soft and so practical. A must have for any make up enthusiast. 

Below is my second YouTube video! It's a 'get ready with me' video, in which I will incorporate me using my two favourite brushes from the collection; you guessed it - the buffing and contour brushes! I hope you enjoy it!

P.S. Thanks for all the encouragement and kind words on my first video, you have inspired me to keep it up!