L'Oreal Le Blush | Sandalwood Pink!

when I went shopping a few weeks ago this was one of my purchases. I wasn't planning of getting it however there was an offer on the L'Oreal makeup and I needed a new true match foundation so I picked this too to go with it. I don't own many blushers to be honest and the ones I have are all quite peachy so I opted for something a little different.

This is the L'Oreal le blush in Sandalwood Pink, its a really nice rose pink shade and I have been wearing it a lot since I had it. I have used it in my last couple of makeup posts if you want to take a look. Its pretty well pigmented for a drugstore blusher and I find it goes with any makeup look. I am tanned at the moment and I like how it looks with my bronzer as using my peachy ones lately have been looking a bit too orange. This works perfectly with my tan and its really blendable too. When you look at it, it does have tiny flashes of shimmer in it however it does transfer that way on the skin it looks pretty matte. I think this shade would suit most skin tones and its wearable any time of the year. I'm really happy I chose it as its a shade I would maybe think is a bit too strong for me when looking at it but it looks lovely on.

I like the quality and that it also comes with a mirror which is really handy for your handbag and its a nice size too. Its a really pretty every day blusher and I will definitely check out other shades next time I'm shopping.

What are your favourite blushers? 

My Blogging Goals!

To be honest, this week I am so behind on planning my blog posts. I am only a few weeks into my new blogging schedule and having such a busy week I have fallen behind. Last week I wrote a post which I was quite proud of which was all about the little things I worry about when it comes to blogging which you can read here, and it has made me think about writing this carry on post about what I want to achieve when it comes to my blog. There are so many things and skills I wish to learn when it comes to blogging, and I thought if I shared them you could share any advice you have, or stories about how you got better at blogging.

Pictures.

Not long after I started blogging I decided to invest in a good camera, not only to take my pictures for this but to also take pictures of clients when I have done their makeup for my portfolio. One of my main goals is to learn more about my camera and how to really use it. At the moment I'm mainly using the automatic setting however it feels like such a waste not using it to its full potential. Hopefully in time I will understand about shutter speeds, and all that jaz to create great pictures.

Videos.

I would love to have the confidence to start a YouTube channel, maybe that will come with time, but meanwhile I really want to learn how to create videos. I would like to start creating short makeup videos for my instagram page to start with then maybe take it further. My goal is to learn about all the different things that go into making a video, and hopefully with a lot of trial and error I will learn.

Editing

Another main goal of mine is to find an image and video editing software which is quite easy to use and learn how to edit images and videos. I am not the best really when it comes to technology however I would really love to learn how to properly edit pictures to make them look their best. If I want to start creating videos I will need to edit them also so this is a huge interest of mine.

Blogging Community

So far I have met lots of other lovely bloggers on twitter and those who leave me nice comments however I would like to get to know more of you. I want to get more involved in blogger chats and also take the time to leave more comments and interact with the blogger community more.

Blog Jargon

Even though I have had my blog for a long time, I am completely clueless when it comes to the technical side of the blog itself. All of these words and HTML codes I have no idea how to use or what they mean. My goal is to understand more of the technical side and how to use them to improve my blog.

So they are my main goals I wish to achieve to higher my skills and knowledge of blogging. please share yours too.

Zoe x

If You Could Only Pick 4?

We all have those dreaded mornings when we have slept through our alarms, there is no time to get ready, so we shove our hair up and grab the most basic makeup products to create the easiest and quickest makeup ready to run out of the door. This has happened to me before and I thought it is quite a relevant post for a Monday morning. So I chose the four products I would use to create the quickest makeup look in a rush. 

foundation would have to be my first, a light covering just to even everything out and cover blemishes. I think a nice even base makes up for not wearing much other makeup.

Bronzer just to add more definition and colour to the face. It can look really natural with no other makeup, and will stop the face looking flat.

Brows can also make a massive difference to the face. A brow mascara or this Gimme Brow by benefit is perfect when your in a rush. It adds definition, shape and keeps brows in place all day. 

Mascara is my final choice, to make my eyes look more open and awake.

what would your 4 be?

Zoe x



Lipgloss I'm Loving!

Just lately I haven't really been that adventurous when it comes to changing my lipstick. I have been so obsessed with my nudes such as Mac Velvet Teddy and Urban Decay Liar, I have not dared to stray from them, I cant even remember the last time I wore a lip gloss! It was making me feel a little bored though so when I went shopping a few weeks ago I picked this up.

First no, I have not been living under a rock, I no these have been out for ages now and everyone under the sun has reviewed them, but they have only recently been available in my local Superdrug store and I have read some great things about them, plus it was the perfect shade I was looking for so I brought it.

This is the Tanya Burr Lip gloss in Afternoon Tea. I have been wearing this non stop since I brought it and it definitely one of my favourites. Its a really nice beige/pink nude shade which will really suit anyone. It looks great with any makeup look from dramatic smokey eyes or if your just wearing foundation and mascara, I have worn this in the last few makeup posts if you want to see what it looks like on. I like to wear it on its own and over the top of my nude lipsticks too and it lasts really well, a lot longer than other lip glosses I have tried. The pigmentation is also really nice, it has a stronger pigmentation than my other lip glosses and its also really comfy to wear.

Its the perfect nude I was looking for and it makes a nice change from the matt shades I have been wearing. Its so much easier to maintain and top up during the day than a lipstick too. What is your favourite lip gloss?

                                                           Zoe x



A Highlighter To Suit Everyone!

I don't think there are many people who don't have a highlighter in their makeup bag, I cant do my makeup routine without this to finish it off. Highlighters do come in different shades, even though they are there to fit the same purpose, different shades and tones suit different skin tones. There are odd ones however which are pretty universal and this is one of my favourites. 

This is the MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle. It is a beautiful highlighter, you can see the marble like finish to it with all the different colours which transfer so beautiful onto the skin. The tiniest amount goes a very long way and it gives such a beautiful glow. It doesn't look glittery its more of a sheen to enhance the look of glowing skin. Its a favourite highlighter of mine which I use all the time. It is also a staple in my freelance kit for the main reason that its a product that's suits anyone. Its the perfect in-between shade of cool and warm tones. Its suitable for paler skin tones, it blends really well with cooler toned products and looks really natural on the skin. It is also suitable for the darker skin tones due the slight champagne tone to it meaning it works really well with warmer toned products also.

I really love this product it looks beautiful on the skin and its so versatile, which is key as a makeup artist. Not only is it versatile to skin tones, but also on ways to use it and where to apply it. You can use this anywhere on the face you want to pop out and you can use it really lightly for a subtle glow or build it up for more dramatic looks. My favourite places to use it are the cheek bones, brow bone and the inner corners of the eyes to make them pop. What is your favourite highlighter?  

Zoe x

What I Worry About When Blogging!

Last night, I sat down with brew in hand to think and plan his weeks blog posts. I first started blogging quite a while ago now however I have only really got into it properly the last 6 months or so. When I first started out I would post whenever I liked, there was no consistency and I noticed my blog wasn't growing as fast as others I was following. Even though this is just a hobby for me, I came to realise (and I am not afraid to admit) that I do actually want my blog to do well in the feature, and that its not going to happen if I don't work hard to get what I want. Which brings us back to last nights planning, I was thinking of all the things that go around in my mind when I am planning a post which sometimes gets me more worked up than it should.

I have always been a worrier, I get easily worked up about the smallest things however people do tell me its only showing how much I care about something, which I suppose it is true. When I am writing a post so many questions go through my mind about how good its going to turn out, it seems so silly to think I actually fret about my posts, but I'm sure everyone questions something when they are about to push the publish button. I thought it would be a little bit of a different post, for people like myself to share what I question about myself when I'm blogging.

Is my content good enough? I like to do reviews on products which I have been using and share my experiences however I don't have an in depth knowledge of every product. I read so many blogs where peoples knowledge is so high of the products they are reviewing. I can only write about my personal experience and sometimes worry that isn't really enough. I hope for people to learn something new or to help them get I feel and understanding of a product from my posts.

How do I come across in my writing? I see my blog as if it is a diary, which is why I like to write it as if I am speaking it out loud. I do wonder does it come across as poor quality and should it be more professional. I was never the best at English it school and I'm sure my text could be very much improved however that is how I find it easiest, to talk to you.

Picture quality? I am not professional photographer however I do have a good camera which I think has made my blog look more professional. The one thing that draws me to a new blog is it pictures. When I am doing makeup posts especially I am so picky when it comes to choosing which ones I will post. Some bloggers get so creative with their pictures however I don't own any kind of photoshop program which means I cant alter my pictures, I do question the quality sometimes. 

How often should I post? This was actually a new years resolution of mine to come up with a new blogging schedule, however it is still driving me insane. I first wondered if I should post every day but to be honest firstly I would really struggle for time and I don't want my blog to feel rushed. If there was a new post everyday I only have one day to get as many people as possible to read it and as I don't have a huge following that would be really hard. Therefore I am tending to stick to Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and an extra one at the weekend. This gives me an extra day that that post is at the top of my feed giving me chance to share it with more people. 

It does take a lot of hard work to blog and I think these questions running around in my mind only make me feel more passionate about what I am writing and sharing with you. At the end of the day I can only be me, I wouldn't want to come across as a different person for the sake of my blog. Hopefully this post was helpful for some of you, please share if you feel like this sometimes too.

Zoe x  

          

 

Valentines Makeup!

Happy Valentines day everyone, hope you all have a lovely day and night what ever you are doing. Today I thought I would share my valentines makeup with you, its really easy and of course it had to be pink!

Face:

L'Oreal True Match Foundation

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Urban Decay Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder

Benefit Hoola Bronze

L'Oreal Sandalwood Pink Blusher

MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle

I applied the foundation all over and concealed my under eyes then set with the powder. I used the bronzer to contour and finished with blusher on the cheeks and the highlighter just on the cheekbones.



Eyes:
ABH Brow Wiz
Benefit Gimme Brow
Illamasqua Multi Facet Palette in Aura
L'Oreal Black Gel Liner
Benefit Hoola Bronzer
MAC Teddy Eyeliner Pencil
Benefit Bright Eyes Pencil
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara


I did my brows first in the usual way. I then used the skin toned eye shadow out of the palette all over the eyelid, I then used my bronzer in the crease to balance it out. I drew a large wing with the gel liner then applied the shimmery eye shadow into the inner corner. I lined the lower waterline with the bright eyes pencil to make them pop a little more then applied mascara to the top and bottom lashes. I finished by using a little bit of the teddy pencil along the outer part of the lower lash line then smudged it out with my finger.

Lips:

Illamasqua Multi Facet Palette in Aure

Illamasqua Lip Pencil in Temptres

MAC RiRi Lipstick in  Pleasure Bomb

I used the lip pencil to like the lips then filled in the outer corner with it. I then used the lipstick all over and applied the shimmery eye shadow out of the palette to the centre of the lips top and bottom.

So that's my Valentines makeup, hope you like it and have a great day.

Zoe x

DIY Lip Scrub | Sugar and Honey!

I have never used a lip scrub before however these wintery days are taking its toll on my skin and especially my lips. I cant count the amount of lip balms im getting through and as important it is to moisturise and hydrate them you need to remove any dry and flakey skin in order to get the most out of what you are applying. 

I have come across a few lip scrubs while shopping however they seem a little pricey for what they are, so I took to google and greatfully found how easy they are to just make yourself. You can make a lip scrub from so many different things that you are bound to have in your coubord. So why waste money when you can make one yourself in no time.

I chose a really easy lip scrub to share which is a sugar and honey scrub, and this is all you will need:

Brown Sugar

Honey

Small Container

Table Spoon

Mixing Bowl

First you need to spoon a table spoon of brown sugar into a mixing bowl.

 

Next poor about a tablespoon of honey into the sugar and mix until its a paste. You can add more or less to what consistancy you like but I find a table spoon is roughly right.

 

Poor the mixture into your container. (I purchased mine from superdrug from the travel bottles section).

 

Use 2 or 3 times a week by gently massaging over lips then washing off or removing with a damp muslin cloth. The scrub should last 2 - 3 weeks. 

It really is that easy to make and very cost effective! I hope you give it a try.

Zoe x

Fullips Lip Enhancer!

Medium Oval, Small Oval, Large Round.

Before.

After.

The world is going mad lately when it comes to getting bigger and fuller lips, who doesn't want them? I don't particularly mind my lips however it would be nice to have them a little more plumper. So flicking through Instagram I came across all these videos and pictures of people using these little red devices to get lovely big lips and that is how I found these... Fullips...

I did a little research on them especially on YouTube because to be honest I was thinking.. how can these possibly work, however I didn't find I picture or video where someone had used them and not seen a significant result in seconds. Therefore being the makeup junkie I am I had to see for myself if this was worth the hype or not, so I ordered one off ebay. When my package arrived I was so shocked when I opened it to find that Linda Gomez the founder of the company had sent me all three so I had the whole set. I was so grateful as she also included a leaflet where she highlighted instructions and tips for using them and a little note to say thank you at the end. I thought it was so lovely to put such a personal touch on what I purchased and It shows that she really does value her customers.

So down to business what are they? Fullips are a temporary lip plumper. They come in three different sizes (Top picture) Medium Oval, Small Oval and Large Round. There are different sizes to suit different lip shapes and work on different areas, I wont go into too much detail but here is a little more info:

Medium Oval - For smaller, overall mouth size, single or both lips

Small Oval - For thin lips and targeting

Large Round - For fuller mouths and overall mouth fullness, both lips

There are some important things to note before using them, such as rinsing them out first. never suck in too hard, and start off slowly then build up.

The devise is so easy to use, you simply dampen or moisturise the lips then place the device over them, suck in the air and let your lips relax in them for a few seconds then gently remove. You can repeat the process with the same or different sizes until you get the right result. I tried these for the first time last night and I could honestly not believe how effective they were, the results are to last around 3 hours but on me it lasted a lot longer. I used them again this morning for this post and you really can see the difference. I prefer to start with the medium oval for a few 30sec sessions then my favourite... the small oval to target areas I want to be more fuller. I am so happy with them and they are so fun to play around with, I really could not believe how big my lips became and im sure with regular use I could get them a lot bigger.

I think Linda has come up with such a great idea and created a product which is so simple to use yet so unbelievably effective. They are perfect for nights out or you can pop one in your bag to use during the day. I love that my lips are a lot fuller, my top lip is also a little smaller than the bottom but I can target and work on that one more, its so easy. They are great fun and im really happy I have them. 

                                                              Zoe x

Please visit the website which I will like again here as there is all the information you need on there.   

Benefit Roller Lash - First Impressions!

Before.

After.

When I saw that the latest edition of Elle Magazine had a sample of the newest Benefit mascara I could not resit to grab it too. I am pretty fussy when it comes to a mascara therefore I don't tend to get drawn away from what I know, I cant actually remember when I brought a different mascara. As this was free with the magazine I thought it was a perfect way to try something new and as benefit is on the more pricey side I knew I wasn't going to be wasting money if I didn't end up liking it.

The new mascara is called the Roller Lash Mascara and I don't think it has actually been released in stores yet. The wand is really interesting it is a plastic curved shaped wand with different lengths of comb all the way around. I am not usually a fan of the plastic ends as I have longish eyelashes they tend to get really clumpy and apply too much product. I have to say though I have been quite surprised using this. It didn't apply too much product at once and I was able to brush through the lashes a couple of times without getting all clumped up. I like to use the longest side for the top lashes as I find it really fans and separates them out. I then use the shorter bristles to comb through the bottom lashes as I can get right to the edge and the little lashes without product transferring onto the skin.

I found it dried really quickly and it is really comfortable to wear. I know that the They're Real mascara is so popular however I find that quite uncomfortable and irritating during the day but I have had no problems with this at all. I am overall really impressed and the shape of the wand does help you get the best result from the mascara. It would be great for people with short and long lashes it makes them look longer and thicker and lasts all day with no topping up.

have you tried it yet?

Zoe x 

Easy Smokey Eyes!

Hey everyone last night I went on a night out and really didn't feel like doing my makeup, I ended up doing a really quick and easy smokey eye which only took two minutes. I did post a picture on my instagram which you can see and follow here at the side >> I was really pleased with how it turned out and I got a lot of complements so I thought I would re-create it today to show how I did it. It also gave me an excuse to use some of the new products I brought when I went shopping the other day. You can see what u brought here. So this is how I achieved this look.

Face

L'Oreal True Match Foundation

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

Rimmel Pressed Powder in Translucent

Benefit Hoola Bronzer

L'Oreal Blusher in Sandalwood Pink

Illamasqua Multi Facet Palette in Aura

I first applied the foundation all over using a buffing brush then concealed my under eyes with the concealer. I set the under eyes and T-zone with the powder as I don't find I need to set everywhere with using this foundation. I contoured with the bronzer around the forehead, chin and cheekbones. I then applied the blusher, blending it just above where I contoured. I finished with applying the highlighter out of my palette on the tops of the cheekbones.

Eyes:

ABH Brow Wiz
ABH Tinted Brow Gel
Illamasqua Multi Facet Palette in Aura
Avon Black Eyeliner Pencil
MAC Teddy Eye Pencil
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

I first did my brows in the usual way. First for the eyes I lined the top lash line thickly with the black eye pencil, you don't have to be neat at all. Next I applied the black eye shadow all over the eye lid and a little into the crease. I then smudged out the eyeliner out into the shadow so there was no visible line however it was still darkest at the lash line. Next I used the brown eye shadow in the crease and blended out the black with it so there was no harsh lines. I blended upwards rather than outward as I wanted to keep a more rounder shape so I didn't blend past the outer corner of the eye.

I used the same concept for the lower lash line. First lining it with the black pencil, then blended it out with the black eye shadow. I then used the brown shadow softly along too to make it more smokey, and so the same pattern of colours goes all around the eye in a kind of circle emphasizing the roundness. I lined the water line with the brown liner as I find this makes the eye pop more then using black. To finish I used the pale eye shadow under the brow bone to slightly highlight then I used the new Benefit mascara top and bottom. I may do a first impressions after I have used it a couple of times.

Lips:

Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Afternoon Tea

I applied this all over the lips.

So that is my easy smokey eyes. It does sound harder than it actually is but I like it because you can be as quick and messy as you like as you only have to blend it out after. Its perfect for a night out.

Zoe x