My 'Go To' Brands

Hey guys, 

Everyone has those 'go to' brands, which they always go back to for their favourite products. Today I thought I'd share my favourites & why I love them so much. 

 Chanel is my absolute favourite beauty brand. I go there so often I've become good friends with the lady in my local department store, & she always gives me free samples to try, which makes me fall in love with the brand even more, & makes me want to buy these products. My favourite products that Chanel does, is their foundation. I absolutely love the natural finish that it gives. It's also so long lasting which makes the pricing so reasonable. When you first look at the price at around £34-£36, you think it's so expensive, but the quality is amazing with their products. I now won't buy a foundation from anywhere else. I do have a few over bits from Chanel, which I save for special occasions as I can't afford to wear all their products everyday (I so would if I could though). Another product I'm sworn by is their limited edition bronzer, I'm so upset that it was limited edition because I love it so much & never want it to run out, but seeing as I wear it everyday it's lasting a while. Plus the services they provide are always of the best quality, and their customer service is lovely. 

Mac is the brand which I go to for absolutely everything. But most of all their lipsticks. Everyone knows Mac does the best lipsticks, the quality, range of colours, everything. But not only that, all of their products are of the best quality. I don't just go into Mac to buy one product, I come out with loads of different products, from eyeshadows, highlighters, powders, mascara.. I could go on, but you probably get the idea. I have yet to find a product which I'm not 100% satisfied with by Mac, & I don't think that day will ever come. The girls in my local Mac are always so lovely & complimentary, so I always leave with a smile on my face. In my opinion customer service is a big deal within beauty, as they need to be willing to help their customers, some people may think this is bs.. but I had bad customer service in Clinique & I have never been back or bought a product since. 

Urban Decay I find is a hit & miss brand, some products I absolutely love & others I'm fond of. But this is definitely my go to brand when it comes to eyeshadows. I'm sure the majority of girls will agree that Urban Decay's palettes are to die for. I don't know anyone who doesn't have one. I cannot fault them... any of them. The fact they're bringing out so many recently gets me very excited. I cannot wait to get my hands on the Gwen Stefani palette when it's released! This is also the brand of my favourite mascara, Perversion. So, even though I'm not keen on all of their products, the ones I do like, are the best. 

Sigma has only recently become one of my go to brands. Ever since buying their kabuki kit, read my review here. I now know where I'll be going to buy all of my brushes. They leave such a flawless finish & are the best brushes which I have purchased, I had longed to find my perfect brush.. which I have now found within the kabuki kit. I'm totally eyeing up their new contour & highlight brushes, which I'll be buying in the near future as I can only imagine the perfect results they will make. Although Sigma is based in the US, they deliver to the UK, and there are many UK beauty website which sell a selection of Sigma brushes. I definitely recommend trying these brushes to anyone who hasn't tried them, as they're amazing & they make your makeup look even more incredible. I haven't got a bad word to say about them, the fibre bristles they use are so soft, which make the application so easy. 

Anastasia Beverly Hills is a new brand to me, I have only recently started purchasing their products. Every single product I have purchased I've been over the moon with, they've truly been amazing. This is now my go to brand for brow products, as I believe they simply do the best products for eyebrows. I've watched so many tutorials with people using ABH products, & they've always looked gorgeous. This is also the brand which I'm hoping to purchase a contour palette from (which has been on my wish list for months). 

What are your 'go to' brands?

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Love, Alix x

Products I Believe Are Overrated

Hey everyone!

Just a short post while I'm sat at home ill, off work.

I'm not usually one who makes bad reviews about products, but there are a couple of products which I believe are not worth the money or the hype. 

The four products I'm about to review are, Nars Dual-Intensity Blush in Fervor, Urban Decay's Naked Skin Foundation, Benefit Fake Up & Benefit's Foundation Brush. 

Firstly, I bought Benefit's Foundation Brush as a naive 16 year old thinking that because it's Benefit it must be amazing (everyone goes through a benefit only phase).. But I was so wrong, when I first used the brush I thought it was so soft and amazing, when intact it actually leaves brush marks on the skin. I find this tool isn't worth the money at all at £20.50, & now having used many other foundation brushes, this one is definitely the worst. 

Secondly, is Benefit's Fake Up concealer, I bought this product as a recommendation from the lady at Benefit for under my eyes. But I found this product didn't soak into the skin like it was supposed to & seemed to separate from the foundation. For £18.50 I expected more. 

I was really disappointed with Urban Decay's Foundation, having used many of their other products & being so pleased with them, the quality of their liquid foundation let them down. It didn't sink into my skin, it just laid on the surface and for £27 I expected more, sorry Urban Decay.

Last is Nars' Dual- Intensity blush in Fervor, when this came through the post I was so excited, but after I opened the compact & I was so disappointed as the colours were so different then they were on the internet, which I know can happen. Even my photograph doesn't show the colour correctly. They were a lot darker, especially the second colour, it had a metallic finish, which I absolutely despise in a blush. I thought I would used this at a natural contour, but there's nothing natural about it. It might suit those with darker skin tones, but as I have fair skin it looks ridiculous. I feel like I've wasted £30 on a product which I'll never wear. 




Now I'm not saying you should buy any of these products, & I feel bad writing a bad review on them, I just advise you to test them before you buy them, as you may or may not have the same problem as me. I've definitely learned not to order blusher or bronzer off the internet as they're never the true colours. 

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Thankyou for reading 
x

New Vice Palette!!

Heyy guys!

So, I just got a little too excited when I found out that Urban Decay were bringing out another Vice palette! Unfortunately I never purchased any of the other vice palette because I didn't used to wear eyeshadow, but now I'm totally excited about this one. I have researched all the previous vice palettes and they're all amazing, loads of different colours and the look possibilities are endless! Containing 20 beautiful shades. 

We all know Urban Decay do the best eyeshadows! If the craze for Naked smoky wasn't enough, this will definitely have you on the edge of your seat! 

I mean if you packaging isn't enough to get you excited, then the swatches definitely will. There's been no release date as of yet, but Urban Decay have been teasing us with images on Instagram. 

There? Are you excited now? Think of all the smoky possibilities! This palette contains colours for every occasion.. there are subtle colours, & incredibly bold colours, perfect for everyone.

Hope you enjoyed reading! 

Alix, x

Top 10 Mascaras

Hello!

The start to my summer has been very busy so I've been unable to write many posts. But I've decided to share my 10 favourite mascaras with you, as I'm someone who never sticks to one as there are so many to try. 

10. Benefit They're Real! Mascara £19.50

Now, everyone raves about this mascara and I totally understand why! This mascara does create incredible results, it's lengthens the lashes and is very long-lasting. The application of this mascara is great, it applies the right amount of mascara to the lashes leaving no clumps. This mascara is now available in brown and blue. The reasoning this is number 10 on my mascaras is that I find it's not volumizing enough for my eyes as they're really small I need something thicker. 

9. Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Eyes Mascara £22.50

I do love this mascara and it really suits its name. Giving the outer lashes more length than the inner lashes, the results of this mascara are beautiful. I do find this mascara leaves a more natural finish, rather than giving the lashes full volume. But this is a lovely everyday mascara if you're looking for something a bit more natural.

8. Yves Saint Laurent Luxurious Mascara For Flash Lash Effect £25

So, I haven't got this mascara myself, but I have used it a couple of times which is why it's only number 8, otherwise it may be higher. I found this mascara really does what it says, it gives the lashes so much volume and defines each lash perfectly. It also extends the lashes, if you're a person who has quite short natural lashes then this mascara is perfect for you. 

7. MAC False Lashes Extreme Mascara £19

I recently received a free sample of this mascara in the post, so I haven't really had enough time to fall in love with it yet. I find this mascara leaves a beautiful, natural finish to the lashes. But also leaves them looking long and gorgeous. I also find you can build up on this mascara, applying more layers to create a more dramatic look. 

6. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara £16

This mascara is for you if you love volumous and thick lashes! Although this mascara can clump, it can be easily fixed by using a good primer before and after. I find this is particularly good if you wear eyeliner on your eyelid, it makes the lashes longer so you're able to see them over your eyeliner. 

5. Eyeko Black Magic Mascara £18

This mascara creates dramatic volume and curls the lashes. It has an extreme black finish which volumizes the lashes even more. The lashes appear thicker and longer without clumping. Eyeko mascaras also come with a little shield which allows application clean and easy and it's easy to remove as well so you don't have to spend ages rubbing your eyes at the end of the day. 

4. Dior Diorshow Mascara £25

I absoulutely love this mascara, the volume doesn't deflate during the day, the perfect amount of mascara is applied to the brush so when it's being applied to the lashes it looks amazing! Everyone else who has used this product has loved it as much as I have!

3. Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Mascara £25
This is so close to being one of my favourite mascaras, I do really love it! It does everything a mascara should do, lifts, curls, adds volume and length, what more could you want from a mascara? It is definitely worth every penny, I only have the little sample I was given from my leavers ball, and I will definitely be buying the full size one as soon as it runs out. 

2. Benefit Roller Lash Mascara £19.50
Of course Benefit's roller lash is in my top 10! It really is one of the best mascaras I have ever used, I love it. It does everything it says, It really curls the lashes and gives them an incredible length. The brush is the perfect design to give the lashes a real boost. 

1. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara £17.50
Here it is, number 1, Urban Decay's Perversion. It's perfect for making eyes look bigger which is what I look for when buying a mascara. This has been my favourite mascara ever since I got the travel size in the 'NAKED on the run' palette, so I had to buy the full size as I know wear it everyday without fail. The volume this mascara creates is unbelievable, it's so amazing I cannot put it into words, I recommend this product to every who hasn't tried it. There's no turning back for me.

So there we have it. My 10 favourite mascaras, what are your favourites? I will be trying to post at least once a week from now on, I've just been so busy I don't know where the time has gone!
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x

Ekkkk there's a new naked palette!

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately been busy revising & sitting exams, but it'll all be over in a couple of weeks. 

So, has everyone heard the good news? Urban Decay are bringing out a new NAKED palette called "smoky". This is literally like a dream come true for me! I am in love with the NAKED palettes and now there's one for the perfect smoky eye. It's extremely beautiful!

Ok, so when I first saw this advertised, I got so excited! This product is to be released early-mid July.  The thing I love most about this palette is that it has a range of finishes, there're mattes, shimmers, metallics, and the shades are just gorgeous. I will definitely be purchasing this product when it comes out, as I've been so impressed by all their other products and their eyeshadows are so pigmented and long lasting. 

With these colours you're able to create many perfect smoky eye styles for different occasions and your own style. I love how there's a range of bronzes, neutrals, taupes, from the other NAKED palettes with extra silver, greys, black, brown and purple. AND it looks as though there is a new brush design, suitable to create the perfect look using that one brush. 

I'm now adding myself onto the wait list, if you're wanting this product as much as I am, I'd advise you to do so as well, as they'll be flying off the shelves!

x

Naked 3 palette review.

This was my first ever eyeshadow palette, and it's still my favourite now. Urban Decay's naked 3 palette costs £38 and it's so worth it. I had the hardest decision choosing between the 3 naked palettes but as soon as I saw the gorgeous rose gold colours in this palette I knew it was the one for me. 

I find the shades in this palette are insanely beautiful and none of them were to be seen in any of the other palettes. This palette goes from a really pale, highlighting pink to a dark black with red glitter, they are all beautiful colours. As I prefer my makeup to look more subtle these neutral shades are perfect for me. All the colours blend so well together when applying, this palette is an artists dream. 

The colours range from smooth mattes, pretty pearls and glittery metallics. This palettes includes a double ended professional quality shadow and blending brush, so that applying these beautiful colours can be made easier. I find all these colours in this palette are so pigmented, and will stay on for ages. 

 The rose gold tin inspires to what's inside, with all the pretty pinky shades. They all work so lovely together, being able to create so many natural yet stunning looks. Even from the photograph you're able to tell apart the mattes and metallic colours, and they look even more beautiful when applied to your eyelid. 

Then applying the darker shades to create a more striking look, which contrast with the pearly pinks beautifully. I will definitely be one of the girls who collects all 3 of these palettes, as I'm so happy with this one, it's like the gift that keeps on giving. With 12 gorgeous shades you can create so many different styles for different occasions. 

Now all I've got to decide is, which one to buy next? 

x

Everyday beauty favourites.

So, we all have our everyday favourite beauty products.. I thought I'd share mine with you and give a review about each of the products I use. 

When I'm in a rush in the morning for sixth form, this naked skin ultra definition powder foundation by Urban Decay is perfect (avg price £26). As it's a powder foundation there's no need to apply two products. It comes in a pretty little bag, and has an application sponge in the compact case. When I first wore this product my friends noticed the difference because it's quite light on the skin and makes it look so soft. If your prefer a fuller coverage, you're able to damp the sponge first so it applies a thicker layer to the skin. There are loads of different colours to fit everyone's skin tone - mine's fair neutral. I think this product is pretty cheap as it's a foundation and powder in one and it lasts for ages!

For weekends I use Mac pro longwear foundation(avg price £25). When it comes to foundation I don't really like a full coverage, so this foundation is perfect for me. It gives a light and creamy coverage. It applies really smooth onto the face and gives a natural finish. The thing I love about mac products is they have so many different shades to choose from. I got matched up to NW15, by one of the staff in Jarrolds and they were so lovely. 

I also bought the Mac select sheer pressed powder to go with the foundation(avg price £20.50). As they really do go well together. This powder just adds thats silky finish to the foundation and makes you look flawless. With this powder a little goes a long way, as you only need to apply a small amount to get the effect. The good thing about this powder is it doesn't really change the shade of the foundation, it just makes your skin look really natural and gives it a glow. It does come with a little sponge that fits in the compact case but I prefer to apply this product using a powder brush. I got the shade NC20. 

This was a really cheap concealer palette from Topshop (avg price £12). This product is really good for blurring and hiding imperfections. I use this product under my eyes and it really does make a difference. The good thing about this palette is that you can mix the colour to really hide dark circles, spots etc... I use the lightest colours to highlight my brow bone to make my eyebrows more prominent. I do find the darkest colour is too dark for me, but the other three are perfect for my skin tone. 

I use this makeup setting spray every time I put my makeup on. It's from Urban Decay (avg price £21) and it really does help to keep your makeup on for the whole day, or for the whole night if you're going out. I like to apply two layers, one after I've applied my face makeup and another after I've applied my eyes, lips and cheek makeup. I think you're even able to buy this product in a mini travel size, to keep in your handbag for a freshen up. I have three bottles of this spray, as I am just in love with it! 

I use this magic ink liquid eyeliner by Benefit on the top of my eyelids (avg price £15.50). I have tried other liquid eyeliners, but I found they smudged on my eyelids. This one doesn't smudge at all and it's got a flexible brush for easy application. I do love this eyeliner as it does come out black and dries black, whereas I found some other products dried more of a smoky grey colour. I do find this is hard if you want to do flicked eyeliner, as you can't get really close to the brush, so I'd recommend the 'they're real! push up liner' by Benefit (avg price £18.50) as it's a gel liner in a pen, so the tip won't flex and you can get really close to the lash line. 

I use this le crayon khôl eyeliner by Lancôme in shade 01 noir (avg price £16) along my waterline. I find it makes my eyes just that little bit bigger, which I really need as I have the smallest eyes ever. I find this pencil eyeliner is really easy to apply right up to my lash line without making a really thick line, so it looks more natural. 

Perversion by Urban Decay is my absolute favourite mascara at the moment (avg price £17.50). As my eyes are really small, I need volume and length in my lashes to make my eyes look bigger and this mascara does exactly that! I really want to try the subversion primer by Urban Decay to go with it but I never get round to buying it. I never really stick to one mascara as there are so many out there that I want to try. I own a few mascara's at the minute but this one tops them all. Sometimes I do like to add Benefits roller lash mascara on top of this own to give extra length and add curls to the lashes. But I've only got a small tube of roller lash out of the Elle magazine, which I will definitely be buying once my little one has run out. 

I never used to do anything to my eyebrows, but since I've got them waxed I like to add a little shape to them. This little brow box by Urban Decay, is perfect for my needs (avg price £19.50). It comes in two different colours, I got brown sugar as I've got really dark hair. Inside there are two little brushes and a tiny pair of tweezers, two shades of powder and a wax. The fact there are two shades, makes it easier to make your brows look more natural as you can apply the lighter colour where you've got more hair and the darker where you don't. The wax is handy for keeping your eyebrow hairs in place once you've shaped and coloured them. All this comes in a tiny box which fits in the palm of your hand. 

Hervana by Benefit was the first blusher I ever bought, and I've stuck by it since (avg price £23.50). The reason I like this blusher so much is that it's not just one shade. It's a combination of four different colours, which makes your cheeks look natural but rosy. I find this blusher is so pigmented, that you'll only need to apply it once during the day and it'll stay on. Because I'm so pale, I don't like blushers that are really pink, so this is perfect for me as it has a few nude shades in there as well. 

This is my favourite colour lipstick at the moment. The colour is ohh la la by Topshop (avg price £8). I think this shade is such a summery colour, which I think is going to be lovely for festivals this year. I really like Topshop lipsticks as they aren't expensive and the colours really do come out well and last for ages. The only thing I would recommend is to not buy them of their website, because I've found the colours look so different in real life than they do on their website. Whenever I go in Topshop I find myself coming out with a load of swatches along my arm of all their different colours. I wish I could buy them all.

x