The Perfect Bronzer: The Body Shop Honey Bronze

This is one of those rare products that I discovered before the hype. I remember buying this in December when I had a serious shopping problem thinking I had too much loan (I didn't). I purchased this on a slight whim after hearing one of my favourite Youtubers, Essie Button, rave about how great this was for pale skin. I loved how much lighter it looked in comparison to most bronzers which made me think it would be super natural, which it certainly is. The best thing about this bronzer is that it is 100% matte and all the shades are relatively light which combined, create the most natural bronzed effect. It is not orange in the slightest and even the darkest of the four shades is a natural deep tan shade. I would recommend getting the shade 3, medium matte unless you have super fair skin. This is the one I use and it consistently gives me a bronzed sun kissed glow which looks like I've been on holiday instead of loading up on the bronzer. I reach for this everyday above any other; it really is the perfect shade and texture which gives the most natural, healthy finish. It is certainly well-loved and I have almost hit pan on it and most of the embossing has been worn over which proves just how great it is as I usually get bored of one product and switch it up relatively quickly. This product is certainly worth the hype it is receiving lately and is well worth it's £13 price tag. Moreover, the embossed honey packaging is lush and gives the product a more luxurious feel which, paired with the amazing formula, it really looks like a high end product akin to the likes of Clarins or Guerlain. It is the best product for a natural, subtle contour and a natural all over finish.

Have you guys tried this product or any other similar bronzer?

xox

Current 'Holy Grail' Products

So seen as I have been M.I.A for a seriously long time, I feel like a post on my current favorites is more than overdue. Instead of doing an explicit favorites post, these are a select few items which I literally could not be without in my make-up bag; all items which I would repurchase over and over again, so-called 'holy grail' products if you like. I have been using all of these for at least 3 months, hence I have thoroughly tested them and can honestly vouch for them.

Let's start with the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. I got this at Christmas as a gift and I was literally so overjoyed. I was desperate to do a post on it and share my love but without a camera or a phone with a flash, that was pretty difficult. I am sure by this point everybody is sick and tired of hearing how amazing the much anticipated Naked 3 palette is and I'm fairly confident that the majority of bloggers/YouTubers out there own this thing and already know how wonderful it is, but if you haven't got your hands on it yet, what are you waiting for?! The quality of these shadows is unparalleled which I am sure goes without saying, one swipe offers super strong pigmentation and incredible staying power, which for £37 for 12 shadows, in comparison with around £12 for just one MAC shade, is a no brainer. It truly is as good as people say and I must have used it more or less every day I've worn make-up since I got it, evening or daytime. It is simply the most stunning palette ever, and my favorite out of the three of them by a country mile. Shortly after Christmas I brought the Naked 2 to complete my set as I heard that it was many people's favorite out of the three, but for me this is my perfect palette. Literally if I had to customize my own palette, i'm pretty sure it would look something like this, pink and sparkly, yet surprisingly wearable. Out of the 12 shades, all but 3 are shimmery, but the 3 matte shades are all you need to create the perfect smoky eye. Although the pinkness of the palette might put some people off, the shades are so muted and neutral that they are extremely wearable, yet they add such a unique element to your make-up look which makes you look refined and polished, with an edge. I find this is a really sophisticated day-time look; my favorite day-to-day is to use limit across the lid, then blend nooner into the crease, finished with strange in the inner corner and brow bone. It is by no means overpowering or too heavy, yet it seriously adds something to the everyday face with such minimal effort. As for the evening, my favorite is to do pretty much the same but with blackheart blended into the crease for a more dramatic and glamorous look. I will be doing posts soon featuring my favorite looks from this palette, so stay peeled for that! 

Before I forget that this post is not just about the Naked 3 palette, I'll move on to the best bronzer ever. This is the Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder from The Body Shop, and it is seriously the best one I've ever tried, so much so that I find it impossible to go back to anything else. The thing that makes this so wonderful is how incredibly natural it makes you look, literally giving you the feeling of having just been in the natural sun. It comes in 4 shades, and I have the third one, yet even the fourth shade is not too dark. This bronzer is completely matte which is perfect for contouring, and literally a beautiful tan color which never looks orange. Unless you have super fair skin, I would recommend going for shade 3 which isn't too dark at all; no matter how much you apply, it still just looks like that perfect after-holiday tanned glow. I've almost hit pan on mine now which is exciting because I never normally love bronzers as much as this, and at £13 I think this is totally worth it. 

My favorite blush these days is the Rose Gold blush from Sleek, which as you can see in the image above, is super beautiful. To me, this just screams spring/summer. It is a pinky peach tone with golden flecks of shimmer, a shade which I only whip out normally this time of year. The pigmentation of Sleek blushers is unreal, the best I have tried from the drugstore for sure. Due to the highlighting effect which is super pretty in the daylight, highlighter is not necessary, yet unlike a lot of blushers that have shimmer, this still retains that pop of color which makes it an absolute steal at just £4.49. 

My favorite lipstick not only right now, but possibly ever (big claim I know), is the Collection Deluxe lipstick in 02 Talullah. I wear this literally every day. It is the perfect every day pink, your lips but better shade. I whack this on no matter what make-up I have on purely because I know it will go beautifully. Not only in the day, this goes stunningly with a dramatic smoky eye, I particularly love wearing this with my nighttime take on the Naked 3 palette. The formula of these lipsticks is seriously a winner, another favorite of mine during the winter holidays was prohibition from the same line, they are super nourishing and smooth, creamy and pigmented which is a rare combination which reminds me very much of MAC cremesheen lipsticks. At £3.99, this is an absolute gem. And they smell wonderful which always makes me happy!

Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer is the best concealer ever. I'm actually convinced, and I don't want to even try others which are undoubtedly much more expensive, purely because this works so well, and at just £4.19 it is seriously under priced! I have been using this for so long now, I have the lightest shade for under my eyes which is so good at brightening and concealing dark circles, and then I have the second shade for any redness/blemishes/scars and all that nasty stuff. If you haven't tried this yet go for it, I swear you won't need to use another concealer again. 

I am also pretty sure that I have found my favorite mascara. This is a big deal because I must change my mascara every time one runs out. It is Max Factor's Masterpiece Max High Volume & Definition Mascara. The length this gives my lashes is seriously unbeatable, so much so that numerous people think they are false, totally worth it for £9.99. This tube is running out and I will be repurchasing it for sure. 

Another great discovery is Maybelline's Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara. I always used to just use clear mascara to shape and keep my brows intact, but this is so much better because not only does it do this, but it adds a tiny bit of color to make them more defined and set my powder in place. Such a winner at £4.99 as well!

Finally, I went back to my old favorite liquid eyeliner. I had been using gel for a while but I found it more smudgy and messy to work with, whereas I find liquid liner more slick and sophisticated, with better staying power. My all time favorite is Collection's Fast Stroke eyeliner. Wow, Collection are seriously on it because this stuff is insane. It is blacker than black, thick and totally opaque. You don't have to keep building it for intensity, just a few swipes and you have the perfect cat eye. This is actually what helped me learn how to perfect liquid liner due to the super precise nib which is the perfect thickness and really easy to control. If you are a beginner at liner or if you just find it tricky, seriously grab your hands on this! At £2.99, I will be buying this for life.

XO

The Body Shop Haul

Hey guys! So lately I went to The Body Shop and found they had an unbelievable sale, a great chance to pick up some bargains! I don't have nearly as much body products as I do make-up, so I was in desperate need of some pampering. 

First up, this dual pack of shower gel was a real steal at only £8 for two huge bottles of 750ml. They came in the scents Moringa, and olive. I gave one of these to my sister but I have been using the Moringa one this week and absolutely love it. It smells delicious, a really sweet honey smell but with a hint of exotic moringa leaf  extract. All The Body Shop products are really natural and Fair Trade which is a bonus, and the gel is soap-free which makes it really delicate on the skin. An all-round great bargain that makes your skin feel lovely and refreshed. 

My favourite products from The Body Shop have to be their luxurious body butters. I always have one of these in to treat myself, lately I have been using the duo one for dry skin. However when I saw this offer of FOUR amazing body butters for £19.20- that's less than a fiver for each one, when they would usually retail for £12 per one! I gave two away to family and kept the Raspberry one and the Almond one. The raspberry one is really creamy and rich, smells a bit like yogurt but good enough to eat! The almond one is my favourite as it smells exactly like it says- it reminds me of almond cake which is delicious! As always with The Body Shop, besides keeping your skin smelling sweet all day, they keep your skin moisturized for ages, I slather it on before bed and wake up with super soft skin. Great value and if you have never used on of their signature body butters, I would definitely check them out at some point!

Have you guys tried these Body Shop products, or anything else I would love?

xxx

Lipstick Haul

If there is one beauty product that I am in constant demand for, its lipstick. I love lipsticks because there are so many colour options these days, giving you the chance to experiment with different shades to change up your look. Lipstick can completely transform your look and that's what I love about it, and is probably why I have so many! Put these on over the winning combination of an exfoliating scrub following by a nourishing balm (see my last post), and your lips will look super luscious.

1. No7 Moisture Drench lipstick in shade 'Waterlily'

2. The Body Shop Delipscious sheer lip colour in shade 01

3. The Body Shop Delipscious shade 09

I was in desperate need of a natural pink lipstick that gave some added radiance to an everyday look. After much deliberation over which shade I went with 'Waterlily' by No7 because I have many of No7's moisture drench lipsticks and they are excellent quality and always have an incredibly diverse selection of colours. The texture is so creamy and just glides onto your lips, also moisturizing them whilst still managing to provide colour. The pigmentation in these is great, much like MAC's, and you can go for ages without the need to reapply. This shade also has slight shimmery particles, but they are not so noticeable which makes it perfect for that subtle everyday shade. This is going to be a permanent shade in my make up bag as it will go with practically everything. It also reminds me a lot of MAC's 'Chatterbox'- a pink shade that makes your lips look natural- but better. These No7 lipsticks are priced at £9.50 in all Boots stores.

Next I went into the body shop and found these sheer lip colours to be half price- that's only £3 instead of £6. However when I went in there was an offer which meant I got two gorgeous shades for £4- what a bargain! What I like about these shades is that they are completely sheer, so they add a touch of colour to your look without it being too overdone. I think these are a great product for every day use, making your lips super shiny with just a hint of natural colour. The formula of these is the texture of a lipstick, but they glide on like a soft buttery balm, with a slight glossy finish, ultra lightweight to wear. Although they are not vastly pigmented, they do have good staying power and offer the chance to wear colour that looks as though you are not wearing any! The first shade I picked out was this one below, a dark red with blue undertones. It looks much darker than it actually comes out due to the sheerness of it, but this just creates a softened look with a slight hint of colour. The next shade was this nude shade which I think is great to have in your make-up bag as a nude lip is always perfect to go with a stand out eye. It is much more matte in finish but still gives a slight glow to the lips. I think these colours and the formula of this brand is ideal for spring every day wear as they are not too overpowering and give you a radiant and healthy appearance, managing to perk up any seemingly dull look.

Shade 09

Shade 01