KAT VON D EVERLASTING LIQUID LIPSTICK

LEFT - UNDERAGE RED / RIGHT - VAMPIRA

THE AFTERMATH - YOU KNOW THEY'RE GOOD WHEN THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE

I've been converted. As much as I love the standard lipstick bullet, liquid lipsticks are a new favourite. In particular, the Kat Von D Everlasting ones are so good that I went back to buy a second shade a day after trying the first. I picked these up in Sephora while in New York earlier this year and I love them.

The first shade I picked up was Underage Red. I only owned one red lip colour at the time, (Mac Russian Red which I love) so decided to get one in a different formula as I was loving red lips. It's a pretty bold red and the formula is very matte and opaque, but not drying and easy to apply. I also love the tattoo-style illustration on the packaging. 

After trying Underage Red I immediately loved it and went back to see what other shades caught my eye. I saw Vampira, and in the tube it doesn't look like much - almost a browny red. However as a lover of dark lips I gave it a swatch and it immediately made me want it. It's the perfect vampy red which has the smallest hint of purple. 

I like to apply this quite thinly as I found when applied thickly, it can become quite heavy and uncomfortable on the lips after a few hours. But I've sussed it, and having a lighter layer (after getting rid of excess before applying) still gives the opaque colour which is long-lasting and more comfortable to wear.

I've now got my eye on the bright purple shade in the range, have you tried these?

KAT VON D EVERLASTING LIQUID LIPSTICK - $20 SEPHORA

THE REVAMP

Its been a while...

The reason the last post was from December 2014 is because exams happened. I've recently sat my AS Level exams in Photography, English Language, Geography and Sociology but now that I'm (almost) work-free for the summer I've decided to devote some of my free time to revamping this blog. 

I plan to write and post whatever I fancy. I want to share some of my favourite photography projects as well as the random babble of my thoughts in some opinion writing or response pieces. Journalism is one of my options for university so this is a way to have a bit of practise as well as just have some fun.

Of course my love affair with make-up and clothes is still going strong so I'll share some stuff that I think is worth sharing too - the lipstick obsession never dies.

So that's what's been going on and what is to follow. 

PIXIWOO HAVE DONE IT AGAIN // miracle complexion sponge

I've always been one to favour make-up brushes over sponges. I never really got make-up sponges. They just always made me think of face-paint applicators, applying it watery and streaky, and even when the huge hype around the Beauty Blender was about, I had no desire to try one (plus they weren't available in the UK) so just never tried them, loyal to my e.l.f. and Real Techniques brushes.

Yet, I recently picked up the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge after arriving incredibly late to the party. After owning almost all of the Real Technique brush sets and loving them, I thought I'd pick one up from a brand I trust.

I've been using this for around a month to apply my foundation with the flatter side, and concealer with the point and I love it more than I expected to. The finish and coverage of make-up is a lot more seamless and smooth, and application is so fast and easy.

So yes, I wouldn't say I'm converted, but I am impressed with the humble make-up sponge, and really recommend this one!

NEW YORK WISHLIST #2 // drugstore

The second instalment of my New York beauty wishlist is here, containing drugstore items. I have a feeling I'll receive some strange looks from US residents as I run around CVS and Duane Reade in excitement. To them, its a pharmacy, to me its a world of well-priced makeup I've never been able to try before...us British love a good drugstore and the same old Boots and Superdrug only have so much to offer. Here's a list of what I'm planning on picking up the US drugstores...

WET'N'WILD EYESHADOWS// probably the thing I see cropping up in a 'US Beauty Haul' the most...wet'n'wild palettes are so popular, with gorgeous shades and apparently brilliant quality, not to mention the insanely cheap price tags.

COVERGIRL LASHBLAST// covergirl is another brand unavailable to us here in the UK, and I've heard good things about their mascaras, and being a mascara whore lover, I'll definitely be picking one up to try!

NYX SOFT MATTE LIP CREAM// I believe some Next stores stock NYX, but unfortunately none around where I live do, so I plan on picking some products up, one (or two) being the Soft Matte Lip Creams which I've heard are great.

NYX JUMBO EYE PENCILS// The other NYX product I've heard loads about are the Jumbo Eye Pencils. I plan on picking up the famous Milk, a white base, and probably a bronzey shade, because who doesn't love a bronzey smokey eye?

MILANI BAKED BLUSH// Despite not really being a blush fan/wearer, I'm wanting to pick up some from Milani after hearing good reviews. If not them, then something from Milani as a brand as it isn't available in the UK!

MAYBELLINE COLOUR WHISPER// Maybelline's answer to the Revlon Lip Butters (which I love anyway), but not available in the UK yet, I'll be looking out for these!

MAYBELLINE COLOUR TATTOO// finally, something that is available in Boots and Superdrug, but if I'm not mistaken, the US have a wider range of shades, including a lot more neutral/wearable shades. Already owning and loving two (Permanent Taupe and On and On Bronze) I'll be seeking out some other shades!

No doubt my two lists will grow and grow closer to the time I go to the US (r.i.p. bank account) but those are the bits I'm planning on picking up! If you haven't read my first wishlist, featuring products from Sephora/high-end items, you can read it here!

Any recommendations for things to pick up are very welcome!

NEW YORK WISHLIST #1 // high end/sephora

guess whos going to new york next may and is overexcited for the beauty offerings over there? *raises hand*. Sadly, I won't be able to purchase all of these products due to the amount of spending money and shopping time I'll have, yet those in bold are ones I definitely want to get my hands on! As my shopping list is rather long, I'm splitting it into two posts, and today is the higher end/Sephora offering...

ANASTASIA BEVERLEY HILLS BROW WIZ // eyebrow shaping/filling in is one of my favourite makeup steps, and I've heard so much about the Brow Wiz, I really want to pick it up in NY!
NARS LAGUNA BRONZER // available in the UK, but abit cheaper in the US, so I will finally be picking up the famous Nars Bronzing Powder in Laguna.
BITE LIPSTICK DUO// I've only recently heard of Bite, but this lipstick duo looks like any lip-product-addicts best friend, at only $12, its a steal!
TARTE GIFTED MASCARA// tarte is another brand so difficult to get in the UK, and I've heard good things about their mascaras!
SEPHORA FORMULA X // the ever-so-raved about Formula X Nail Polishes are on my list, as they're pretty cheap and the colour selection is insane.
LORAC PRO PALETTE // //the biggie. The one everyone is recommending me and as a palette lover I neeed to get my hands on the Lorac Pro Palette! (another product EssieButton has me lusting after!)
MAKE UP FOR EVER HD FOUNDATION// I'm not entirely sure that I want this product specifically, but I definitely want to try something from Make Up For Ever!
SEPHORA PRO AIRBRUSH #55// I've heard good reviews about the Sephora Brushes and from Amelia Liana's recommendation, I'm hoping to get my hand of the Pro Airbrush #55 for foundation!
SEPHORA CREAM LIP STAIN// Another Amelia Liana recommendation...apparently the best liquid lipstick out there...need.
TARTE AMAZONIAN CLAY BLUSH// I'm not much of a blush wearer, but the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes are supposed to be gorgeous.
FRESH SUGAR LIP TREATMENT// Fresh isn't a brand I've really heard much about since recently, but a lot of people have been talking about these tinted balms!
KAT VON D TATTOO LINER// Rave reviews of the Kat Von D makeup line are everywhere, and the tattoo liner is something I'd love to get my hands on!
NARS RADIANT CREAMY CONCEALER// Finally, a possible purchase of the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer is on the cards. I love trying new concealers and this, I'm told, is both for both under-eye and blemishes.

If there are any high end recommendations from the states please let me know!

THE RESTOCK // the underrated, purse-friendly nude lipstick

The first beauty post on this blog was one titled 'the restock | essentials' and today, after nearly 5 months I finally bring a second edition.

MUA is one of the brands that started my interest in makeup, because of the insanely cheap prices and huge variety. I decided to pick up two lipsticks, each at £1: shade 5 (not too keen, almost a glittery pink...it has since been removed from my collection) and shade 11 (my fave - a pink-brown nude). I can't remember swatching them when choosing the shades, so kind of brought them on a whim. 

Only when I got home and tried out shade 11 I realised how much of a perfect nude colour it is, for mine, and probably lots of other skin tones. I find myself wearing this all the time for a bit of colour without anything too bright or fussy. The formula is so creamy, and admittedly not the most long-lasting, but for a pound, and a more subtle colour, that doesn't really matter. 

As you can see, I've restocked. First ever used up and repurchased lipstick.*round of applause*

BUT notice how the shade is actually slightly different than the original. Slightly more pink and less peach. Regardless, still a lovely shade which I'll happily wear over and over again on lazy make-up days when I can't be faffed with retouching. And for a pound, the repurchase didn't break the bank which makes it even better.

What MUA lipsticks are you a fan of? 

Restocked your must-have beauty product recently?

MAC REBEL DUPE // topshop the damned

- This was posted as a guest post on Bethan's blog A Messy Little Raindrop but I thought I'd share it on my blog too! -

I'm a huge lover of dark lipstick, and I love the Autumn/Winter months as dark lips are a key trend every year. I picked up Mac's satin lipstick in Rebel quite a few months ago for £15 and I love it! It's a dark plum/pink with a semi-matte finish and insane staying power.

After wanting to try Topshop Lipsticks for the longest time, I featuring 'The Damned' in my recent haul and later discovered the shade is so similar to Rebel, just slightly lighter. I actually prefer the formula of the Topshop one, as it's alot smoother and so moisturising it feels like a lip-balm! Although, Rebel has a longer staying-power, which fades evenly.

Side-by-side both shades look practically identical, and even when putting the above photo together, I had difficulty telling them apart! Topshop lipsticks are available for £8, so just over half the price of the Mac ones. If you're after Mac's Rebel, definitely go for Topshop's offering first if you're not wanting to invest in the £15 price tag!

Found any Mac dupes? 

TODAY'S MAKEUP MESS // fotd

I dug out my Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple last week, put it on, and forgot how much I love it. Here's my makeup look which I wore with it with some everyday favourites...

BASE// 

Benefit The Porefessional - beautiful to smooth over pores and keep makeup in place.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - an old favourite which gives a beautiful velvet finish to the skin with a medium coverage.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - a classic which covers dark circles and blemishes in a flash.

E.l.f. High Definition Powder - a life-saver if you're like me where any concealer creases under the eyes.

CONTOUR//

Benefit Hoola - I've had this sample size since last christmas and haven't even hit pan yet. I love the pigmentation and the warmth and shape it brings to my face.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer - I rarely go without highlighter and this is the newest edition to my collection. Put on the top of the cheeks gives a gorgeous natural glow, read my full review here

BROWS + EYES//

E.l.f. Eyebrow Kit - this is the first brow kit I've owned with a waxy texture and I find it works well, is a good match and stays in place all day,

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze - another classic which I use regularly. It gives you a perfect subtle bronze eye with minimum effort.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Micro Precision Liner - not my favourite for application or opaqueness, but the waterproof aspect is what I like about it. I simply layer it abit to create a black line with flick.

Estee Lauder Dual Kajal - The blackened-black end is an absolute must-have for me everyday to tightline my eyes and thicken my lashline.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kajal in Bronze - I used this on my outer bottom lash-line to tie in the Colour Tattoo and love the slight smokey effect it gives.

Benefit They're Real! Mascara - The waterproof formula which holds a curl and gives insane length and volume. A fave.

LIPS//

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple - I bought this ages ago and after shopping my stash have fallen in love with it again. Super moisturising, and a complimenting subtle red.

Current favourite makeup products?

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer

I'd never heard of theBalm as a brand before last year, and since being introduced to the range of products and amazing packaging by essiebutton, I'd always wanted to get my hands on some products. It's taken me a while to say the least, but as feelunique were having one of their sales on, I decided to order the product on the top of my list: Mary-Lou Manizer.

The highlighter is a shimmery champagne colour with great pigmentation. The shimmer is almost glittery, which I love for a cheekbone/inner corner highlight. This can be slightly more subtle if you have a very light hand, but if you're not a shimmer lover, you won't like this. Luckily, I am and I've worn it most days since purchasing it for an everyday glow.

As for the packaging (probably one of the main reasons why I bought this), I love it. So different and fun and looks fab in the ol' Muji drawers.

I'm so impressed with this, and desperately want to try more from theBalm. Next on my list is the Bahama Mama Bronzing Powder.

What are your thoughts on Mary-Lou? Any theBalm products I should try?

guest post // favourite lip balms

Hello! Today I will be guest-posting on Laura's blog and I will be writing a post on 2 lip balms. I love lip balm and I have previously tried a number of different lip balms. There are so many different lip balms available in stores it can be hard to choose the best ones.

Carmex is my absolute favourite lip balm to use. This is such a great product as it really does make a change. It can help with dry lips, cold sores, rough skin and protection against the sun. When you use this lip balm, it gives you a tingling feeling whilst it hydrates your lips. This lip balm is available in different ways. In a tube, which you apply directly onto your lips and also in a container, where you yse your finger to apply. 

I would recommend this is anyone!!

More recently, I have ordered a lip balm called EOS which is mainly known over in America. I wanted to try this lip balm because they use natural conditioning oils and antioxidant vitamins. I have the pomegranate raspberry flavour and it tastes SO nice. Ok, so it's not about the taste but that is a bonus. 

Both lip balms are really good and I would recommend them both. EOS is now available to buy in the UK so you do not have to wait for the shipping time, but it does mean it costs a bit more than other lip balms available. Carmex on the other hand is available in most shops like Superdrug and Boots for about £2. 

I love trying new lip balms so if anyone has any recommendations, leave a comment or email me: williams.bethan2@gmail.com I would love to hear from you! 

Thank you for reading and thank you to Laura for collaborating with me, it's been great!

You can visit my blog here.

Thankyou to Bethan for guest posting! Read my guest post over on her blog here, where I'm talking Mac Lipstick Dupes!

college bag contents

I've recently started my A Level courses at a sixth-form college and thought I'd share what I carry around with me. A slightly overdue What's In My School Bag?...

Bag // My bag (top left) is a black and white backpack from Topshop, which I bought last year from ASOS Marketplace and I love it. It can fit so much in and goes with everything.

Stationary // I have some stuff from my recent stationary haul in my bag, including the 5 Subject Notebook from Tiger, which I use everyday to write notes, as well as my smaller, geometric pattern notebook from Homesense. A pencil case is obviously a must, filled with pens, pencils and highlighters - mine is from H&M.

Beauty // I take a small makeup bag to school for touch-ups once or twice throughout the day, I tend to take a mattifying powder (Maybelline Matte Maker) and face brush (e.l.f. Complexion Brush) , a concealer (Collection Lasting Perfection), eyeliner (Rimmel Scanaleyes Master Precise), compact mirror, and the lip colour I'm wearing that day, I also take a small purse with essentials like hand sanitiser, paracetamol for the occasional headache, plasters, and hand-cream. I also bring some scrunchies and hair-clips incase I'm feeling a mid-day hairstyle change...rare but potential. Lastly for beauty, a deodorant (for obvious reasons), and a small Benefit perfume.

Other bits // I wear glasses for long-distance reading, and mine are THE SMA from Cheap Monday. I also carry my purse which contains money and my student ID, and lastly, my earphones. I also forgot to include my phone - which is a white iPhone 5c - and my house keys in the photo.

So there's a snoop into my college bag. 

Are you back at school/college/uni? What do you carry around?

bronzers // haves & wants

bronzers are probably my second favourite type of product (no prizes for guessing that lipstick is my first favourite) and so I thought I'd share my small collection and thoughts on them, as well as the ones on my wishlist to try!

HAVES

maybelline dream sun | i was given this by a friend who didn't use it much, and after wanting to try it for quite a while anyway, i was chuffed. unfortunately it has broken, but it originally has two or three shades in it. I find it a really nice pigmentation and colour, and it has a tiny bit of shimmer in which I don't mind,

sleek face form in light | this is one of the oldest of the bunch, and clearly, most used. Even though my skin tone probably wouldn't be described as 'light', I find this a really nice contour and bronze shade. Its really nice to blend and is a matte finish.

benefit hoola | i have a sample size of this which I received at christmas and still have quite a lot left. I really love this for contouring as it blends so effortlessly to give a really natural finish. Once I finish the sample size I'll definitely be investing in the full size!

mua bronzer | I had a bit of a phase with MUA once I discovered the high quality for an amazingly cheap price. I bought this bronzer for £1 and it's really nice pigmentation and quality, yet has quite a lot of shimmer so I never use a highlighter with it.

e.l.f. contouring blush and bronzer  in st. lucia | this is the newest edition to my collection and really love the tone and shade of the bronzer. It has a small bit of shimmer which I find really subtle and flattering. If you haven't read my full review of this product you can read it here!

WANTS

bobbi brown bronzing powder // I've never tried anything from Bobbi Brown and the bronzing powder looks like a good placve to start, as it's raved about alot..looks gorgeous.

l'oreal glam bronze // a drugstore favourite which I'd like to try, as it's rare to find a fully-matte bronzer on the high-street,

estee lauder bronze goddess // a classic which everyone seems to love...i neeeed it.

the body shop honey bronzer // one which is very popular in the blogging/vlogging world, but I've heard this is better for fairer skinned gals.

nars laguna // the classic, the famous nars laguna, which about everyone and their dog loves...the price tag hurts to think about mind you...

chanel soleil tan de chanel // the only cream bronzer on my wishlist, as quite frankly, they scare me. I've never used one but this one from chanel is hyped up alot and i'd love to give it a try!

What bronzers are in your collection, and what ones are on your wishlist?

essence cosmetics

I don't have a Wilkinson store near me, so a few weeks back when I was in Norfolk, I came across one and immediately went to the Essence counter. As far as I know, they've only just came over to the UK and are sold exclusively in Wilkinson's stores so I was excited to try some products. I hadn't previously read much about them, so just picked up what I liked the look of, and being on a 3for2 offer, these three products cost me less than £6 all together.

Essence XXXL Longlasting Lipgloss in 06 Soft Nude // I don't own many glosses as I'm much of of a lipstick addict, but seeing the 'matte effect' sticker on a few shades, I really wanted to pick one up. I went for NAME, a dark pinky nude which I really like. The formula is quite nice, and the colour pay-off is good, with a matt finish as it promises. The only thing I'm not too keen on it the applicator's odd, long shape, and the staying power isn't great. But for less than £3, I like it as a subtle, moisturising lip colour.

Essence Kajal Pencil Liner in 15 Behind The Scenes // I've been on the hunt for a grey/taupe pencil for quite a while so decided to try an Essence one, which I believe was only about £1.I really like this on the outer-lower lash-line and the pigmentation is really nice.

Essence 3D Eyeshadow in 09 Irresistible Chocolate  // finally, I really liked the look of the dual eyeshadows they had on offer, so I picked one up in Irresistible Chocolat. The pigmentation is really nice and the two shades give a really nice smokey look to the eyes when used together. Yet, I think it'd be better if one of the shades was matte, as both are quite shimmery and they can look quite full-on.

Overall I'm impressed with what I've tried from Essence Cosmetics!

What have you tried from the brand? Any recommendations?

august favourites

The month of August has come to an end, and as it pains me to say, summer is officially over in the UK, I'm really looking forward to September. I begin my A Level courses at my sixth form of choice, and autumn is my favourite season for makeup. Here's the small selection of things I've been loving this past month:

1. Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser // Remember the best day of the month year? National Lipstick Day brought online offers any beauty addict couldn't resist. Debenhams had £5 all lipsticks, so I ordered a Mac one, perfect for autumn (Party-Line...google it it's a beauty). With it I received a makeup bag-full of Elemis samples which I was sooo excited to try out! From all of the samples, this cream cleanser has been my favourite and I've used it everyday. It removes makeup really easily and deeply, and leaves my skin smooth and refreshed.

2. Barry M Gelly Polish in Blueberry // This polish has featured in my Nails Of The Day post a few weeks back and it's all I've had on my nails this month. It's a gorgeous blue/purple shade and the formula is really nice and long-lasting.

3. Mac Cremesheen Lipstick in Shy Gir l// I bought this quite a few months ago and after not using it for ages, I rediscovered it this month and why I love it so much. It's a peachy nude and I find it looks best with one thin layer and patted in for a subtle nude shade.

4. Scrunchies // I am obsessed with the whole 'half-up-half-down-messy hairstyle' at the moment and have basically had my hair like it everyday. Scrunchies make the style a whole lot more volumnious and fun and they're alot more comfortable in the hair than a normal hairband.

5. e.l.f. Eyebrow Kit // My brows are currently in desperate need of a reshape, as I've been trying to grow them abit thicker this month. Luckily the e.l.f. Eyebrow Kit has come to my rescue in the transition to make my brows look less messy.

What have you been loving this month?

get your freak on

Two of the girls in my year are going abroad for sixth form, so naturally they threw a farewell party, with the theme 'get your freak on'. Of course, I took this as a perfect opportunity to do a crazy makeup look, and had way too much fun with it. The photos above are from a practise I did about a week before...I told you I got abit carried away, but prep was crutial ok! I followed a Pixiwoo tutorial (below) and was pretty happy with the result.

This is look from the actual night...yes the blue lips happened courtesy of an MUA Eyeliner I picked up that day, and I had abit too much fun with hair chalk too. 

Watch the tutorial by the insanely talented Sam Chapman here ^^

I had so much fun with this look, what do you think of it?

sale haul // topshop + miss selfridge

Hello! I've been shopping in the sales recently and have found some gorgeous pieces at pretty amazing discounts so I thought I'd show you what I bought!

TOPSHOP

DRESS // £15 FROM £35

Here's my story...I went into Topshop looking for a lipstick and came out with two items of clothing...and no lipstick. I found this dress, tried it on and fell in love. It's from a brand called WallG and it's a gorgeous bluey/green colour, with pleates and a cross-over,  neck line detail.

JACKET // £15 FROM £48

Bargain of the month goes to.... I saw this hanging on the rail and picked it up...I was intrigued. It's not something I'd normally go for, but I tried it on and thought I'd be perfect for unpredictable British weather as it's lightweight, and also great for the summer-autumn transition. I absolutely love the stitching as it's subtle but still unique, and such a steal at just £15 from £48.

TOPSHOP LIPS IN THE DAMNED // £8

As I didn't find the lipstick I wanted in the Topshop I bought the above items ^^ I went to another on the hunt for it and found it in the smaller store of the two. This wasn't a sale item but wanted to include it as it was in my last post of 'Lips and Highlighter Wishlist', which I'd written before I bought this. The formula is perfect and so creamy and moisturising, yet a beautiful velvet finish and good staying power. The colour is everything I love: purply-plum and bright. Really comparable to Mac Rebel...dupe alert.

MISS SELFRIDGE

BEADED TOP // £15 FROM £35

I've never bought anything from Miss Selfridge because, quite frankly, they really need to chill with their prices. So of course I had a rummage through their sale and came across this heavily beaded white top. I'd always seen the embroidered tops and dresses in Miss Selfridge but the prices stopped me investing. This was £15 so I grabbed it and I think it's gorgeous, and can be dressed up or down.

TK MAXX

PURSE // £7 ORIGINALLY £45

TK Maxx's items are all discounted anyway, but I've been after a new purse for ages and after seeing this one from the brand Lloyd Baker London (I haven't heard of it either) for £7 I knew I had to have it. It's real leather and a gorgeous light blue which I love. The inside is also so pretty with black and white pinstripe detail, which adds a twist. 

So those are my recent purchases! The sales are pretty amazing at the moment, so definitely have a rummage...it's definitely worth it!

What have you picked up recently?