Soap and Glory Nudist: Not So Nude?

After hearing a lot about the Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Stick from Soap and Glory and how the shade Nudist is great I decided to test it out. However I was disappointed! Many people suggested this would be a good nude shade for everyone but for me it just didn't work out. I also wouldn't really call this shade a nude, it looks like a peachy sheen swatched.

I am sad to say I am not a nudist. I had high hopes for this product as nudes very rarely suit me so I thought this more peachy, glossy shade would work for me. Unfortunately this shade did not show up on my lips at all! Possibly if someone had very pale or unpigmented lips it might show up slightly peachy but the colour is sheer so would just be a slight wash. However on me this 'gloss stick' just gives my lips a slight glossy look to them.

It's not all bad however as I do really like the formula of this, it's very smooth and hydrating. It is also very lightweight on the lips. I might try some of the other shades but I'll definitely swatch them first! 

Have you tried the Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Sticks? What shades did you like?

Harriet x

The Only Palette Home For Christmas

 

I am currently home from university over the Christmas holidays which means selecting just a few products to travel with me, a task I always struggle with as a notorious over packer. I normally end up bringing a couple of palettes with me but this year I chose just one, and the choice was easy! 

The Revolution Salvation Palette in Girls On Film is just £6 and I think pretty great quality. I kindly received this from Amy for my birthday and I am really enjoying it! There is a great selection of colours, including six mattes which match nicely with the shimmers.

The colours range from pastel, pinky to neutral to darker smokey shades. I like to look at this palette as three sections of six colours, going from left to right. The six colours in the sections all work well together,as well as with other in the palette, and they all have a similar tone. This makes it easy to create looks when in a rush but if I have more time I can play with different colour combination. 

L-R: Shooting Star, Frenzy All Down Your Spine and Smile Wider.

Now the pigmentation of this palette is not the best but it is pretty decent for a high street brand, and a cheap one at that. Of course it's not comparable to the likes of Urban Decay or Too Faced but I would say it is comparable to Natural Collection, MUA and Collection. As always with cheaper brands, the pigment is better in the shimmery shades and those which are darker. Some of the pastel shades such as in the top left (Walking Hand in Hand) you do really have to work with but others give the colour saturation from just one brush stroke. I really recommend this palette, especially for the different neutral shades it provides other than the typical brown.

What palette would you take home for Christmas?

Harriet x

Tried and Tested £30 Make Up

This was originally going to be a £20 make up 'challenge' but I didn't want to include products that I wouldn't use myself so the total of this make up look is £30 but includes all major elements needed for an everyday look.

Foundation: Rimmel Match Perfection £7
This is the foundation I use everyday, it gives a light to medium coverage and can be easily built up. As the name suggests they have a large selection of shades so there should be something for everyone! I would especially recommend this to those with drier skin as it is quite hydrating.

Powder: Maybelline Matte Maker £4 (Not pictured)
This is a really high quality powder from the high street. It has a super smooth texture and lasts pretty well without going cakey.

Bronzer: NYC Smooth Skin in Sunny £2
I love this bronzer! It's such a bargain at £2 and can be used on a range of skin tones as it can be sheered out or built up. This looks super orange in the pan but works really well on even my super pale skin with a light hand.

Eyeshadow: Natural Collection Solo in Willow £2
This was my first ever Natural Collection product and I still use it daily as a highlight in the corner of my eye. If I'm going for more a simple look I just use this all over the lid. It has such good pigment for the price.

Eyeliner: 2True Effortless Eyeliner £2
I have mentioned this eyeliner before as it is the only liquid eyeliner I use. It lasts all day on my droopy lids, better than an high end liner be it pencil or liquid. Another very cheap product which I use daily to create a small wing.

Mascara: Rimmel Wonder'full £8
This is a great everyday mascara as it lengthens and separates while still giving some volume. It's not dramatic in anyway so I wouldn't use it for a special occasion but it does it's job as a decent mascara.

Eyebrows: Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil £3
I have this pencil in black brown (04) and the colour match is create for my practically black hair. I actually like this better than a lot of other pencils because the colour easily transfers onto my hairy brows but doesn't smudge. With other eyebrow pencils I often find I have to press hard to transfer the colour which is a downside for me as I have bold brows which are blonde, completely different to my hair! If you need to change the colour of your eyebrows and just neaten them up a bit I would highly recommend this product. It is also one of the few high street products which is dark enough for me!

Lastly, Lips: Natural Collection Lipstick in Raspberry £2
This is a great everyday colour at a cheap price! A lot of the Natural Collection colour products are good quality but I haven't ever tried any of their base products, so I couldn't speak for them. Natural Collection lipsticks have a large range of colours for a great price so I would highly suggest checking them out.

So there you have it, a everyday make up look for just £30! I actually wear this combination regularly so I can vouch for the quality and lasting power of these products. What would you include in a £30 make up look?

Harriet x

Easy Everyday Eye: L'oreal Quad

I must admit I own very few quads as I'm more of a palette girl. But often with palettes there's too many shades to create a look from when you're in a rush. This is the eyeshadow I reach for the most: the L'oreal Colour Riche Quad in E4 Marron Glace (I have also seen this called Absolutely Taupe). For a mere £8 this quad is great quality from the high street, especially for containing a matte shade. I really like the colours in this quad as they are neutral but can also can be used to create a dramatic smokey eye, we all know how many options there are with quads.

As you can see the lid is actually broken on mine and doesn't stay on unless it's closed, which is my one disappointment with this product. Anyway, the colours in the quad are a frosty white, a glittery taupe which looks lighter in the pan but this picture shows the true colour, a matte medium brown which is less orange than this picture and a dark shimmery brown. The colours all work well together and are extremely pigmented, apart from the matte brown which is a bit more sheer. However I find this isn't a problem as it is easily buildable and I tend to use it as a transition shade in the crease.

How I like to use this quad is I put the frosty white in the inner tearduct and under the brow bone as a highlight, although this may be too white or frosty for some people. I then use the glittery, shimmery taupe shade all over the lid and the matte colour in the crease. If I'm going for a more dramatic or smokey look I use the dark brown in the outer 'V'. Add some eyeliner, a slick of mascara and that is my daily eye look.

I really recommend this quad, especially for the price and quality, and I am looking forward to trying more colours! Have you used and loved any highstreet quads or trio?
Harriet x

PS: Should I start including swatches in these kinds of posts?