December Beauty Haul Part 1

So this month has been the first full month of my unhealthy beauty obsession. Obviously I've always loved makeup, as a girl it's only natural, but I only recently really got into it. Like, reading Vivianna does makeup, lily pebbles and liana's beauty blog every day. And watching their videos every morning and night. And nearly crying when I have to walk out of selfridges and boots without being able to buy almost everything. And getting into proper hair and skin care products too. It's amazing, but it's also quite depressing when I remember that I don't have the money to support this addiction. 

So, back to the point of this post. I'm kinda beauty obsessed (no shit) and this month I've been on a bit of a haul. Here's a list of what I've picked up along the way: 

Nuxe Reve de Miel Baume Levres Ultra Nourrisant £9.60

Wow, that's one long name. Anyway, I had my eye on this product for quite a while after reading/watching about it on Anna from Vivianna does makeup's blog, or maybe it was Lily Pebbles. When I saw it in the Feel Unique sale I had to jump at the opportunity of saving a precious whole £2!!! Ok, so £2 isn't all that much but in lip balm terms it is. £9.60, which is what the reve de miel sells for, is expensive for a lip balm in my opinion. Although I'm not in love with the scent nor taste of this balm (miel means honey and I hate honey) I am in love with all of it's other qualities. First of all I love the little jar it comes in because it's cute, it looks like a proper, good quality product and I love little jars whatever is inside. Secondly, this balm has a thick, creamy texture that glides onto your lips easily without being in any way sticky or shiny. In fact it is completely matte so you can't even tell it's on the lips which makes it perfect for wearing underneath a matte lipstick. Last but not least, the most important aspect of the balm is that it works wonders. I have had very dry lips recently and my Kiehls mango lip balm just has not been doing the trick. Granted, it may smell a lot nicer and i do still love it, but I need something that's a little stronger for the winter months. However, as soon as I tried the reve de miel my lips became instantly smooth and stay smooth all day. I put it on at night and when I wake up my lips are still smooth. I think that I've discovered the gem of my collection!

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Caviar Ink £18

It was through my mum that I found my love for gel and cream liners. She owns a Clinique cream eyeliner that I stole, and a Bobbi brown gel eyeliner that I stole too. And a Bobbi brown eyeliner brush that I may have added to the list of stolen items. I find that you have so much more control when using them, they look nicer on my lids and they have fantastic longevity. Luckily I have been able to return her Bobbi brown one because she bought my my very own. We were at the Bobbi brown counter in selfridges where she was purchasing her lipstick and she asked the woman if she had any advice for my eyes and the woman went all out. She put three different eyeshadows on my lids, the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in Caviar Ink and even filled in my brows. Unfortunately I couldn't buy everything and we decided that the eyeliner looked the nicest so we chose to buy that. It's got a smooth texture that you can draw onto your lid easily and the shade I picked up is a very dark brown that could pass as black. I'm very happy with this purchase, the only disappointing thing I find is that the pots dry out easily and you get little black specks on your makeup that you have to brush off. I'm going to try warming it up on my hand before I apply it next time. 

Bobbi Brown Touch Up Stick £19

When I went to the Bobbi Brown counter in selfridges I knew exactly what I wanted. The creamy concealer that Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup swears by and says is a good all rounder. I explained to the MUA that I wanted a concealer that would cover up my blemishes more than under my eyes and she said the touch up stick was much better for that purpose. It is what she uses, it is designed for that purpose whereas the creamy concealer is for under eyes and its consistency means it does not last on spots. She persuaded me to go for the touch up stick in shade 03, and I am pleased with the results when I wear this product. It lasts well and is the perfect match for my skin and it really does cover up any blemishes I have! Definitely worthy a try. 

Nars Bronzer in Laguna £26

Being Nars's second best seller behind their Orgasm blush and so highly recommended in the beauty world I couldn't not give this a go. I love it for the same reasons as everyone else. It has yellow undertones not orange so that you don't look like you've had some fake tan disaster when you wear it. Since this is quite dark I only apply a small bit each time so I have a feeling it will last me ages. 

Jess x

Outfit of the Day #1

Hey guys! So today I hit town and this was what I wore. I didn't feel like wearing jeans because I knew I would be trying on lots of clothes and skinny jeans are such an effort to take on and off, so I opted for a mini denim skirt and tights in stead. You can't see in the picture but the skirt has a zip all the way down the back.

The top is new, in fact I only bought it yesterday, and is only £16 from Topshop! Personally I think it's great for popping some bold colour into your winter wardrobe which is so easily filled with the dull grey colours associated with these cold months. The skirt and necklace are both from Topshop too although I'm not sure if they're currently available being from a while ago. Same goes for the boots which are New Look beauties that cost me only £30- a real bargain considering they are an almost exact dupe for the Jeffrey Campbell Coltranes that come at a much heftier price. You can find the boots pretty much all over the place, though, so it shouldn't take much looking. 

The MAC Lipstick Edit

You can never go wrong with a MAC lipstick, like, ever. Whether it's a matte or sheen lip you're after they always seem to deliver, and when they smell so good too what's not to love? (Yes, I have some weird obsession with the smell of mac lipsticks). You are guaranteed to find a colour that suits your skin tone amongst the abundance of shades mac have to offer. If you are unsure of what colour to go for and are afraid of your teeth appearing too yellow or your complexion drained they have plenty of makeup artists around to help you try out whatever is catching your eye.That's how I discovered my two new favourite, Diva and Ruby Woo, both of which I would never have had the confidence to try if it weren't for one of their makeup artists. I wanted some bold colours that didn't make my teeth look too yellow and the lady assured me that these two have blue undertones so I need not fear. If you are facing the same issue then be sure to check that your lipsticks have a blue undertone as opposed to a yellowy one before you buy. 

From left: Ruby Woo, Diva, Hue, Snob and Mehr. 

-My favourite for a night out has got to be Diva. Perhaps it's because I'm not daring enough to wear it for anything else, but I think this is simply an amazing statement colour that makes me look older and trendier. Purple lips are definitely in at the moment.

-However, if I'm looking for something a little more classic then Ruby Woo is perfect, and I like this one because I feel like although it's so bold I can still wear it during the day too. For me I find it enhances my features, too.

-I find that hue is too pale for my complexion and makes me look slightly drained, which is why I have taken to using it to mix with my darker shades. If I want to have some purple on my lips I mix my Diva with Hue and use a lip brush to apply the two colours to my lips. It really works and means I can wear Diva during the day without looking utterly ridiculous. 

-Again, snob isn't one of my favourite's. It is so super pink that I feel a bit like Barbie in it but for any of you pink lip lovers out there this is a must have! I think to be able to pull this off you have to avoid looking like you have some weird sort of pinky concealer on your lips. That trend has thankfully long gone!!

-Now where do I begin with Mehr? Mehr is the perfect everyday shade that is my go to when I can't be bothered with all the hassle of a bold lip (checking teeth for any marks, using a brush and liner etc) and I just think the colour suits me well. If you have an olive complexion then you should give this a go. 

-Finally, there is one extra lipstick in here that isn't of the same matte family. It's from the sheen supreme collection and is called 'Quit The Thing!'. I tried this because I wanted to work my way into being able to wear a bold lip. Although the purple-blue colour looks extremely bold off the lip, its sheen allows you to layer it on as thick or as thin as you like to achieve whatever level you are going for. It is a lot more pinky on the lips than it looks off, and is not particularly long lasting, but it's a great consistency and is nice and shimmery. I like this best in summer time. 

Overall, the matte lipsticks are long lasting which is exactly what you wish for in a lip product and glide on smoothly making them easy to apply. However, I have found them to be drying on the lips so I always moisturise my lips before and after wearing them or else they crack, and wearing bold lipstick on cracked lips has never been a good look and never will be. Simple as. 

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Topshop Smokey Eye Palette- Tawny

It may be a simple eyeshadow palette, but believe it or not this shimmery set is surprisingly versatile. Whilst the champagne-nude works as a great highlighter beneath the brows, a base colour and as an under eye liner to make your eyes seem bigger, the dark brown shades can be used to fill in brows subtly, ombré lips and line your eyes for a dramatic look. 

These are four colours which are essential to creating the perfect smokey eye look and they come in a stylish palette for just £12! The smudge applicator has two tips ensuring you don't have to mix any colours when applying, which is an added bonus, and the mirror doesn't get too powdery like some other products. Unfortunately this particular set is no longer available, however you can buy the Golden Aura palette with three out of the four colours the same as in this one (first, third and fourth). The only difference is an extra nude rather than an extra brown, which may benefit you if you are looking at this for more daily use. 

Overall, I would highly recommend this palette. It has been my go to for the past year since I received it as a present; the colours are long lasting, have just the right amount of shimmer and work perfectly with hazel eyes like mine.