Put the Base On

When I first started getting into makeup I didn't even know what an eyeshadow base was, and now I can't live without it. The NYX ones are the first ones I ever got, I think it was Lauren Curtis from lurenbeautyy who was using it all the time that kinda convinced me I needed it. It was quite a while ago though and since then I managed to collect a few good eyeshadow bases, but I decided to post about NYX today as they are my firsts. One of the bases is in the colour White and the other in Skin Tone, you can choose which one you prefer depending on the look you're going for. Skin Tone is much easier to work with as it's pretty invisible once applied but White is better if you're going for a 'brighten up my face/eyes' kinda look. Both bases have great staying power, they keep my shadows in place for ages and ages (10h wear I would say). Thanks to them the shadow doesn't crease or fade throughout the day/night, it also looks more pigmented than on its own. I normally use my fingers to apply it, however that can be tricky when my nails are long but then again, that's not such a big issue is it. NYX Eye Shadow Bases are also one of those products where a little goes a long way, I've had mine for way over a year now (fair enough I don't use them every day) and there is still loads of product left in both. I would recommend them especially if you're looking for good quality at the drugstore.

What's your go to eyeshadow base? Have you tried the NYX ones?

xoxo

Natalia

Hi, Hoola

Well, this one has been talked about for years and years now but I just have to mention it and join the hype, it's one of my favourite makeup products, ever. I was thinking whether to get it or not for the longest time before taking my wallet out, the price tag is quite scary to be honest (£23.50). However, the product lasts forever, I must've had mine for about half a year now and it still looks as if I've barely used anything. Benefit Hoola is one of the brand's boxed powder products, which means it comes in a cool cardboard box with a mirror and a brush. I don't really like the brush though, I think it's useless, I much prefer to use my Real Techniques brushes. Then again, they need to fill the box with something, don't they. Anyway, Hoola is a matte kind of bronzer, which is quite hard to find, most of them are shimmery. It doesn't come out orangey or too dark once applied like loads of other bronzers do and it suits my pale skin so well. I think it would suit all skintones though as its buildable so it's up to you how strong you want the contour to be (yeah, as it's matte it's perfect for contouring too). It's really easy to apply and fells nice and smooth on, it can't be overdone either. There's only good things I have to say about the Hoola bronzer, well maybe except for that pointless brush that comes with it. It's definitely worth checking out, this product is just one of a kind. Nice one, Benefit.

As always I would love some recommendations, especially if you know a good, matte bronzer.

Have you had a chance to try Hoola? Do you prefer shimmery or matte bronzers?

xoxo

Natalia

Drugstore Must-Haves #ColorTattoos

I was never quite sure about cream eyeshadows (just like right now I'm not convinced about the cream blushes), but then I came across these beauties from Maybelline. I'm pretty sure everyone knows about them by now, and it's no surprise - they are so worth the hype they are getting. There's a nice selection of colours available, everyone can find something for themselves - my favourites are definitely Pink Gold and On And On Bronze. Color Tattoos are known for being extremely long-lasting, which they are - I can have them on for 16 hours and they would still be in place, with no creases or fading. The texture of the shadows is soft and smooth, which makes them really easy to apply. They have a nice shimmer to them too, but it's not overpowering, it's just the right amount . You don't need to use too much of the product, you get an opaque look straight away, so the whole pot lasts for quite long too. I've had mine for way over a year and there's still loads of product left. Another good thing about Color Tattoos is that they can be used as a base for powder eyeshadows as well as worn on its own. They are only £4.99/each, I would say it's a bargain for the quality you get. I do want to experiment a little and try out cream shadows from other brands, I was thinking of Bourjois and Nars ones maybe. If you have any good recommendations please let me know, I'd love to know what's worth checking out and what's not.

What do you think about the Color Tattoos? Which one is your favourite?

xoxo

Natalia

Pretty Little Liners

We all know how hard it is to find a good eyeliner, especially a pencil one. I finally did though, and I so wish I went to MAC for it earlier. I got Feline (literally the blackest black I've seen yet) and Fascinating (white). I was looking to use pencil eyeliners mostly for my inner waterline - both top and bottom, I much prefer liquid ones for my eyelids to be honest. And these work so well, Fascinating makes my eyes look bigger and opens them up and Feline emphasizes them nicely (I heard it emphasizes every eye colour actually so, it's a winner). I was using Scandal Eyes from Rimmel before I got these but I don't think I will go back to them any time soon, I'll give it to MAC, they do eyeliners much better. They have a slightly creamy consistency and go on effortlessly and smoothly, they do need touching up every three hours or so though (but three hours is pretty good if you ask me, I tried liners that would disappear after 15 minutes before). And remember to apply setting powder over it, it helps a lot. Fascinating and Feline are also extremely pigmented, have a matte finish and no undertones to them. These are definitely my HG eyeliners and I will re-purchase them over and over again. If you thought about trying them out, don't hesitate, just do it.

What's your go-to eyeliner? Have you tried any MAC ones?

xoxo

Natalia

In Love With Lip Pencils #SoapAndGlory

This is where my lip pencil obsession started, Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Sticks. I got them about a year or so ago and since then I managed to accumulate quite a few lip crayons (especially the Revlon ones). But anyway, not only were these two the first lip pencil products that I got but also my first Soap & Glory makeup. The Gloss Sticks that I got are Nudist (which is a nice beige-y pink with bits of subtle, gold shimmer) and Plum Jam (kind of a cherry pink / plumy pink colour, not really sure how to describe it). Both are sheer and glossy but not sticky. Plum Jam is much more visible on the lips than Nudist and that requires a bit of attention when applying, it's quite easy to draw out of your lip lines. The colour is buildable and it goes on quite smoothly but it needs reapplying every hour or so. They don't dry out my lips, however they are not as highly moisturising as a lot of people say (at least for me they're not). I like that they've got a twist-up mechanism, and the packaging looks really cool. Oh, and they've got a nice vanilla smell to them. They are only £8/each and with constant Boots offers you can get it cheaper in a deal or something. I'm not gonna lie, they are not my favourites but they are my 'firsts' so I still like them a lot.

What's your favourite lip pencil? Could you recommend any? 

xoxo
Natalia

So Many Men, So Little Time...

theBalm, where do I start... I was introduced to this amazing brand via YouTube and blogs, and I remember at that time Frat Boy was used by literally everyone. So I gave into the hype and got these three beauties: Down Boy (baby pink), Cabana Boy (raspberry pink) and of course, Frat Boy (peachy/apricoty pink). And I have to say, they lived up to my quite high expectations and are now my HG blushes actually. They are a little shimmery but very subtle at the same time, and their texture is really smooth and soft. They are also extremely pigmented, you need to apply with a light hand or otherwise you risk overdoing the blush without even realising (yes, it's happened to me). The colour stays on all day and there's no need to reapply, how amazing is that. It blends in very well too. There is so many good things to say about these blushes as you can see. All of them come with a built-in mirror, like most of theBalm products in fact (still, useful). They can also be used as eyeshadows, I've only used them as blushes though. Maybe I'll try them as shadows at some point, you never know. So yeah, I would definitely recommend trying out theBalm products if you haven't already. They are reasonably priced and will last you for a long time, and I almost forgot... The packaging is to die for.

theBalm also came out with a new collection of blushes not so long ago called InStain which I'm really craving by the way. Let me know if you've tried them.

What's your HG blush? Have you had a chance to try any of theBalm ones?

xoxo

Natalia

M Is For MAC Lipstick #Syrup

Yes, I am a MAC lipstick girl and Syrup is one of my all time favourites. I've first seen it in one of the videos on YouTube and it looked so gorgeous on the girl (I can't remember who it was) that I went straight to my local MAC counter and got it. And let me tell you, it was exactly what I was expecting. Syrup is in the Lustre collection which is the one I go for the most. I would describe it as a neutral mauve pink colour, once applied it looks like my lips but better if that makes sense. It's a perfect shade for a neutral, everyday eye look but it works well for both, day and night. The texture of this lipstick is soft and smooth which makes it extremely easy to apply, and the pigmentation is pretty good too. Its got a glossy finish but it's not sticky like a lot of other glossy lip products are. It's also moisturising and doesn't settle into fine lines or dries out my lips throughout the day. However, if your lips are on the dry side like mine you mind need to put lip balm on first just in case. It's fairly long-lasting, I need to re-apply every couple of hours but that doesn't really bother me. The price is reasonable - £15, it's pretty much in-between drugstore and high-end price range. I would definitely recommend this lipstick, especially for this time of year as well.

What's your favourite brand for lipsticks? Have you tried any MAC ones?

xoxo

Natalia

If I Had A Bag Full Of Money...

Since it's payday next week I decided to put together a little wishlist to help me list down a few products that I've been thinking of for the past few weeks. I find it way easier to go shopping knowing what I want rather than just randomly looking for new makeup and ending up with products I don't even use after a week or two. So, here it goes...

1. theBalm Cindy-Lou Manizer - unfortunately it's not out yet, but I've been using (and loving) both, Mary-Lou Manizer and Betty-Lou Manizer for a while now and they are so great. This one is a peachy pink colour and I bet it will be just as brilliant as the other two. Definitely need to get this.

2. Too Faced Candlelight Glow - this must be one of the prettiest highlighters I've ever seen. I've got a couple of Too Faced products and they are great quality, hopefully this one will be added to my makeup bag soon.

3. Bourjois Paris Color Edition 24h Eyeshadows - I've been loving the Maybelline cream shadows for I don't know how long now and I really want to try something new. I've seen the Bourjois shadows on a fair amounts of blogs now and all the reviews were positive so I'm looking forward to trying these.

4. Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Colour in Comedia - I got my first Chanel lipstick for Christmas and I'm obsessed. I'm thinking of getting this shade, it's so nice. I just wish the price tag was a little kinder.

5. Benefit Rockateur - I remember people complaining about the size of this blush before it hit the shelves, but then after trying it out everyone loved it. I've heard so many good things about it that now I want it. Oh well.

6. Rimmel Rockin Curves - I'm really curious about the wand of this mascara. I just got rid of a couple mascaras today, so I have space for a new one now. This one could be a either great or disappointing but I really want to give it a go.

7. Sleek Eau La La Liners - I came across these when I was reading a magazine at work the other day and instantly fell for them, plus I could use a new eyeliner or two. I've not tried many Sleek products so I look forward to trying these.

8. Sigma brushes - this is something I've been dying to get for ages and ages, I keep hearing how brilliant they are and I don't think I can resist them anymore.

What's on your wishlist? Have you tried anything that's on my wishlist?

xoxo

Natalia

Let's Get Naked

The Naked palettes... What can I say, they are hands down the most awesome and amazing eyeshadow palettes, ever. Naked and Naked 2 were around for quite a while but Naked 3 joined the family only a month or so ago, and unlike the first two, the neutral shadows were replaced with pink-toned ones. Absolutely beautiful. These palettes are always the ones I choose from when I pack up my makeup bag for travelling, each contains 12 shades and it's extremely easy to create day and night looks. Also, there is no odd colours in any of them. The price tag might be a little scary, £36/£37 quid is quite a lot for a product but if you think about it, 12 great quality eyeshadows and a makeup brush... Saves money in the long run. The texture of the shadows is smooth and buttery, they blend out really well and are super long-lasting. Plus, Urban Decay is known for their eyeshadow pigmentation, need I say more. If I was to choose only one I would probably go for no 2. This is just a general post about the awesomeness of the Naked palettes as I want to go into a bit more depth with each in separate posts. So yeah, if you're looking for eyeshadows I would definitely recommend these beauties. They're just the best. Nice one, Urban Decay.

Shades (from top & left to right):

Naked: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal

Naked 2: Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease, Snakebite, Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout

Naked 3: Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, Buzz, Trick, Nooner, Liar, Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

What is your favourite palette? Have you tried any of the Naked ones?

xoxo

Natalia

The Drugstore Mascara Effect

I am a huge fan of the high street mascaras, and although I really want to try out the high end stuff too I just can't bring myself to spend a ridiculous amount of money on something I can get for a 1/3 of the price. And that something is usually a brilliant long-lasting product. Plus, drugstore is quite known for selling good-quality ones. My favourite is definitely Maybelline when it comes to mascaras, I loved pretty much all of the ones I've tried so far from them. Anyways, here is my fantastic five of right now...

Maybelline Falsies used to be my go to mascara at one point, it just makes your lashes look sexy. It curls them a little, lengthens and what's one of the most important factors - it doesn't clump or leave any black marks on your eyelids while applying. However, I do have to apply at least 3 coats to get the best out of it.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless is definitely my favourite for bottom lashes. It separates them perfectly and lasts all day without smudging. I'm not so fond of this product on my upper lashes though, the bristles of it are a bit too tiny for my liking.

Maybelline Colossal is my HG mascara, I always go back to it and always keep a spare one at the back of my drawer. It literally makes my eyelashes look bigger. It doesn't smudge or clump and lasts forever, I have it on for over 12 hours when I have long shifts at work and it looks perfectly fine all the way through. Also, you can see the difference after one coat only, and a mascara like that is quite hard to find. I am in love with this one.

L'Oreal Miss Manga is my latest addiction to my makeup bag. I've only been using it for about a week to see what it's like and let me tell you, it's pretty damn good. In the tv advert you can clearly see that the model's lashes are quite clumped, not a good look. But it completely surprised me, the bristles going from tiny to long are a great help for applying it in the inner corners of the eyes as well as bottom lashes. It might just be my replacement for the Lash Accelerator Endless. This mascara is the one to go, especially if you're looking for length.

Maybelline The Rocket is another one of my blasts from the past (well, last year but still). I mostly use it to separate any leftover clumps after finishing with applying mascara. It's the best for that.

Do you prefer high end or drugstore mascaras? What's your favourite?

XOXO

Natalia

Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara | Review

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not an expert on brows (unfortunately). I can't seem to get mine right, one is always slightly bigger than the other and it keeps getting on my nerves. I was so glad to see that Maybelline came out with a brow mascara, made my life so much easier. The Brow Drama comes in three shades: Deep Blonde, Medium Brown and Dark Brown (I use the Dark Brown one). The brush was designed to contour 'the perfect brow', it makes shaping and defining brows much easier and doesn't leave any smudges or marks around them. Also, and what's most important for me, it doesn't give you that weird 'drawn on brow' kinda look - it's not too heavy or obvious. It also lasts for aaages, all day without re-applying and even after wearing it for 14 hours it wouldn't come off so easily. I absolutely love this product and will definitely re-purchase, over and over again (well, at least until someone comes up with something better). Good one, Maybelline.

Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara: £4.99

xoxo

EOS Lip Balms | Review

Well, EOS lip balms are one of those things every beauty blogger wants at one point or another. Unfortunately, here in the UK they are bloody expensive and only available online. I was lucky enough to come across a 4-pack of limited edition on Amazon.co.uk for like £14 (not sure how it is now, cause from what I've noticed they keep changing the price every day...) The ones that came in the pack I ordered are Summer Fruit, Pomegranate Raspberry, Strawberry Sorbet and Fresh Watermelon, and let me tell you, they are the best-smelling lip balms I've ever tried (and I've got quite a few, I am lip balm-obsessed after all). The packaging is absolutely lush, I've not seen anything like it before and everybody seemed fascinated by it whenever I took it out of my handbag. They keep my lips nicely moisturised throughout the day (gonna need them especially now that colder times are coming), they do need re-applying quite often but that doesn't bother me really. I'm really impressed with them but I think the price is a bit much, I just got lucky with this pack I think. I wouldn't pay £8-£10 for one of them, but if you're looking for a good lip balm Baby Lips from Maybelline will do the job just fine for £2.99 (bargain!).

xoxo

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle | Review

I know it's been like ages and ages since I last posted, but I had lots of things to sort out and stuff. Anyway, I'm back now and definitely have enough time to do some blogging business. I decided to write this post about something I have absolutely fallen in love with and been thinking of since I got MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade and surprise, surprise it's the famous Soft and Gentle. I have to say I had quite high expectations after seeing all the hype it's getting (I actually haven't come across any negative posts or videos about it). And it absolutely lives up to everything it's known for. It adds a nice, subtle sheer to the face and has a glowy (in a good way) finish. Soft and Gentle is a champagne colour highlighter enriched with a hint of pink and gold shimmer. It's well-pigmented so it needs a light hand when applying, a little goes a long way with this product. I usually use it for the inner corners of my eyes, brow bones and cheekbones, and I love it's staying power, all day with maybe one little touch-up and that's after like 6-7h. I can't really say enough good things about Soft and Gentle, it's one of my favourite products ever and I'm so glad I tried it out. Definitely re-purchase and recommend.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle: £22

xoxo

Maybelline Colossal Mascara | Review

So, I'm back from my holidays now, had time to recover and get back into the 'work routine', and now I think it's about time to get back to blogging, I've missed it so much. Anyways, I decided to write about the one item I was using every day over my holidays (and long before it too but never mind) and I literally can't live without it now. Yes, as you can probably tell it's the Colossal mascara from Maybelline. I cannot believe I've never actually tried it before, it's been around for quite a while. It does everything it should to my lashes - lengthens them, gives them lots of volume and lasts all day (I usually keep it on for up to 12 hours and it looks brilliant even by the end of the day). The wand does smudge a bit under my bottom lashes but I started using the Falsies mascara on my bottom lashes now so it doesn't really bother me. It does clump a tiny bit too when I put a lot of coats on, but I'm usually able to fix it using the Rocket mascara's wand (I just realised how much of a Maybelline post it is hah). Anywho, I recommend this mascara 100% and I can't say I would re-purchase it since I already got a back up for when this one runs out. I'm yet to try They're Real, but for now I don't see the point in spending almost 20 quid on a mascara when this one works so well for pretty much a third of that price.

Maybelline Colossal Mascara: £7.19

xoxo

Holidays At Last

So it's finally almost the end of August and almost the time for me to go on a little holiday, I've been waiting for absolutely ages to see my family. That's why I decided to have a two-week break from blogging, I want to spend as much time as possible with them and just relax in general and switch off from the usual day-to-day world for a little while. I will be back in a couple of weeks though with lots and lots of products to review. Hope you guys have a great 'end of holidays/summer', full of makeup of course! ;)

xoxo

Girls Just Want To Have Makeup #2 | Wishlist

Well, I haven't done a wishlist in a while now and (as per usual) I've got a billion things I would like to get. Wishlists always help me in a way so when I go shopping I actually got a few things that I want in mind instead of just grabbing anything that attracts my attention (which happens often anyway). Plus, wishlists is one of my favourite kind of posts - inspiration + opinion. If you tried anything from my wishlist I would love it if you shared your opinion on it, because it helps me decide whether to get it or not when it comes to it. So, here it goes.

1. Chanel Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour in Mademoiselle - I don't actually own any Chanel makeup and this shade, and a lipstick in general would be quite cool as a first thing to get (£24).

2. Benefit Porefessional - I've heard so much about this product that I just can't get it out of my mind recently, I want it (£24.50).

3. EOS Lip Balms - again, the rave makes me want it more than anything I think, but I do love lip balms a little too much and the packaging looks lush (around £8-£10 on Amazon.co.uk)

4. Dior Hydra Life BB Cream - I probably would've got it the day Essiebutton mentioned it but it just so damn expensive, I don't think I'll get it any time soon but maybe one day... (£41)

5. MAC Pigment in Vanilla - that highlighter was on my mind for ages now but I kept getting other ones without even realising, this one is definitely next. And I've never tried a pigment highlighter yet, can't wait (£16).

6. Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Stick - that one is just out of curiosity, never seen a foundation like that (£8.99).

7. L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara - I know I have too many mascaras at the moment, but this one is next one to come (£10.99).

8. Marc Jacobs Honey - not so much of a makeup product but I don't own many perfumes and this one smells amazing, it's a bit expensive though (£50 for 50ML, £68 for 100ML).

9. MAC Lipstick in Creme d'Nude - unfortunately I can't find a perfect nude lipstick for myself so I'm hoping this one would work, and it's got great reviews (£15).

10. theBalm Cabana Boy - I love the other two blushes from the collection, I'm sure this one would be pretty good as well (£13).

11. Benefit Dandelion - I mentioned this one before, but still didn't have a chance to get my hands on it (£23.50).

12. Urban Decay Primer Potion - I'm running out of the one that came along with the Naked palette and it's my favourite eyeshadow primer ever, so yes, I need it (£15).

What's on your wishlist at the moment?

xoxo

Soap and Glory Peach Party Blush | Review

I never actually even thought of trying a Soap & Glory blush, but when I saw the £15 for 2 offer (and I've been wanting to try out Glow All Out for ages!) I picked it up as a second choice. The only makeup items I've tried from Soap & Glory are their Mother Pucker Gloss Sticks (which are in fact pretty good). Anyway, I decided to write about Peach Party before Glow All Out as I actually like it more. Peach Party is a multi-colour blush, with 4 different shimmery shades that add a nice, subtle glow to the cheeks. It does seem that the shimmer is over the top in the pan but trust me, just the right amount applies to the face. The blush is blendable but you need a light hand with it as it's easy to overdo it. Staying power is great as well, I had it on longest for about 10 hours and it only faded a tiny bit. I'm really impressed with this blush, it made me more interested in Soap & Glory's makeup selection and I definitely want to check a few things out. And their packaging is so cool as well!

Have you tried any Soap & Glory makeup? Is there anything you would recommend? 

Soap & Glory Peach Party: £11

xoxo