Charlotte Tilbury Secret Salma & NYX Nude Suede Shoes- the Perfect Combo!

When I blogged about Charlotte Tilbury's beloved lipstick Pillow Talk (HERE), I mentioned that I had first fallen into the nude lipstick loving ways by using this lipliner from NYX, Nude Suede Shoes, in combination with Secret Salma, one of the Hot Lips Lipsticks- created in collaboration with 12 women (this one is Salma Hayek), to raise money for a charity; Women for Women International. 

 When these first came out, I swatched up a feckin storm in Brown Thomas to find the right shade for me. This is a deep-rose plum designed to bring out Salma's "beautiful brown eyes, adding instant sultry Latin sex appeal". Now, I don't have and never will have either brown eyes or sexy Latina sex appeal but somehow, this pink looks very nice on me indeed. In fact, if you head over to the website, you can see how this shade looks on a myriad of skin tones, which is quite cool. 

The nude lip liner will pretty much work with any lipstick shade, including Pillow Talk so it's a good buy. This is actually my second one, after I lost my first one (it will now no doubt show up after I've bought another. It is probably at this very minute in the car, under a seat, next to an empty diet coke can).

This is one of the Matte Revolution formula lipsticks, so expect a matte but with that super softness that CT has become known for- she calls it "cashmere-soft", due to the addition of orchid extract. I loved her Bronze and Glow palette but aside from that, I think lipsticks are what she really does best. If you're looking to treat yourself with something from the Tilbury counter, a lipstick is for sure the way to go. The formula itself is really lovely and super pigmented to boot plus, would you look at that packaging?! Beaut!

As you can see, they aren't a perfect match for each other- there's much more brown in Nude Suede Shoes than there is in Secret Salma but there's also just enough pink and brown in both that they manage to work well together. 

Here they are on my face, more importantly:

What do you think?

Are you a Charlotte Tilbury fan?

I also have Amazing Grace, which deserves a blog outing too but for now, what other CT lippie do I "need"?! To the comments!

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Too Faced Peach Palette & Its Peachy Friends!

Right. There are A LOT of photos here but for good reason. I am obsessed. When the Too Faced Peach Palette first came out and sold out, I didn't care that much. I didn't think I needed it and thought peach = pastel eyeshadows, which would not suit me. 

Then, a while after that, I read a blog post where the lucky gal with the palette (I can't remember who it was, apologies!) was gushing about how wearable the different shades were and so I took a closer look. And then I wanted it. It was of course, still out of stock. So when it came back in stock, (at last!!), you best be sure I bought one and then also two of its peachy friends, Papa Don't Peach blush and Sweet Peach Creamy Peach Oil Lip Gloss. 

First up, the palette contains 18 shades; mixes of mattes and shimmers in pinks, nudes, corals, a green, bronzes and a couple of darker purples and a sparkly black in there too. The names are also really fun; Talk Derby To Me (a Peach Derby is a cocktail, fact fans), Bellini and Peaches N' Cream. Typically of Too Faced, this one not only has peach appropriate names and a peach decorated case, but it smells like the yummy fruit too! It's a pure novelty, obviously, but one that I quite like.

These are super pigmented. The first time I used them, I really went to town, thinking as some of the shades were light that I'd need to work my brush in there but, nope! They also blend really nicely and again, lots of flattering shades in there! Personally, I only use very small amounts of Candied Peach and Just Peachy as my skin tone is really too pale to pull off a full eyelid of pink but otherwise, all the shadows are getting a good work out!

A moment for the packaging. I mean, it's just ridiculously cute. The glosses, the blush and the highlighting palette (which I don't have) are all peach scented also. I find the smell of the gloss to be a bit overpowering actually, the blush and the eyeshadows are quite pleasantly peachy but for some reason, the gloss is just too much for me, personally.

Also, that Sweet as a Peach case in the background came free with my delivery, as did a mini glitter eyeshadow lid primer. I love both! I use the case for my brushes. It's adorable. 

I started using the blush way before I took photos so the writing is already wearing off but the powder is embossed with Papa Don't Peach (good luck getting that song out of your head now), another great name. I tend to favour a matte blush but using this reminds me of a Benefit blush from years ago that's now discontinued- that was shot through with shimmer and was so nice on. The shimmer in this one isn't super noticeable actually but I LOVE this particular peach shade on my cheeks- it's gorgeous and makes me look wide awake and alive when I really should still be asleep. I tried using another blush recently instead of this one and I had to go get this fella afterwards. I'm properly hooked. 

Lastly then is the Sweet Peach Creamy Peach Oil Lip Gloss. I got this in the shade Peach, Please which again, is just perfectly named. This is unlike any other gloss I've tried. It is really creamy so the colour comes up more pigmented than you'd expect from a gloss. It's not too thick either though. The peach oil makes it softening and moisturising and it sits comfortably on the lips. I really like the colour and I kind of want to get the peachier/orange shades now too.

And here it all is on my face because, you need to see it in action:

I've worn a combination of Charmed, I'm Sure, Bellini, Summer Yum, Luscious and Nectar here. I also have the blush and the lip oil gloss on.

Did you get the Peach Palette or any of its similarly lovely companions?

If you want to buy any of these for yourself, Too Faced is available from Debenhams Ireland (HERE) and the Too Faced US site (HERE), which now delivers to Ireland with no custom charges at your front door!

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Kiko Smokey Purples

While I can, I'm going to get away with as much smokey-eyed make up as possible; even though I'm currently using and loving the Too Faced Peach palette, the weather is still basically Winter-tastic out there, so purples it is! 
I picked these up last Autumn in Amsterdam and even though I usually consider purple smokey shades better suited to green-eyed gals, I decided to give them a go. For very important research purposes.
Ahem.

It's important to note that this lipstick (Gossamer Emotion in 128), like most from Kiko, has an unbelievably cool James Bond-esque lid that opens with the click of that little button on the top. I like to pretend that I'm also setting off an ejector seat every time I use it. Anyway, that colour is a rich berry that translates as quite a pigmented, glossy finish. It takes about two proper swipes to get the colour you can see in the photo at the end of the post (unfiltered, obviously). On me I think it looks much more plummy than the almost burgundy bullet in the tube but that might have something to do with the finish. I went for the glossy one instead of it's matte counterpart purely because I have and love Rebel, from Mac and was worried they'd be too similar. Although, this fella is moisturising and adds a nice pop of colour so it's win-win really. 

The eye pencil in the shade 03 (I wish they named their products, it's a pet peeve of mine) is incredibly soft and is easy to apply. I find it perfect for smoking out with shadow on my upper lid but it can leave a fair bit of fall out when I do the same on the lower lid for some strange reason. That's my only issue with it really and I'd be interested to try some other shades in the same pencil.

Isn't that just a beautiful quad though? So aesthetically pleasing!

This is the Colour Fever Palette in the shade 101. I decided to branch out a little and go for purples instead of my usual nudes, taupes, browns and golds and I really do like these on. They apply and blend well, like much more expensive shadows actually and I've decided I can officially pull off purple eyeshadow, even if this is a more muted, wearable variety!

Kiko is annoyingly not available in the Republic of Ireland. They now have a store in Belfast, plenty across the UK and in most European cities that are not Dublin. Do I sound cranky about that?! 

I am.

You can also find them online, HERE.

Are you as big a fan of Italian brand Kiko as I clearly am?

Have you embraced the purple eyeshadow?!

To the comments!

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*This post was not paid for or sponsored and all products featured were bought using my own meagre nurses salary (a tiny violin plays)

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lipstick | Review

I spent most of last year avoiding the 90's nude lip that became so popular thanks to the Kardashians. 

I lived through it the first time in the 90's and I wasn't impressed then either but I gradually eased myself in this time. I bought and loved Secret Salma, another lipstick from Charlotte Tilbury which, is still quite pink but certainly got the ball rolling. With that, I paired a nude lip liner from NYX, which I loved. 

Then, Pillow Talk came out. Originally this was just a lip liner and quite a popular lip liner at that. Oddly, I still don't have that because I was quite happy with the one I have from NYX (which I've now lost so I may end up getting the CT lip cheat one anyway. Look, it's a saga, is what I'm saying) but I wanted the lipstick which is from the Matte Revolution range and is described as a 'luminous modern matte lipstick'. 

Charlotte describes this as;

' A gorgeous nude-y pink, it mimics and enhances the natural hue of your lips, so you can CHEAT a perfect pillow-y pout in seconds. Enriched with soothing orchid and Lipstick Tree extracts, lips appear fuller and wider, with a softer, more youthful feel. Finished with an angled square tip, apply straight from the bullet for the best lips of your life!'

I love this shade. On me it's still quite pink but with enough brown in there that it means I can wear a smokey eye and my face ends up being perfectly balanced with this lipstick. It's a very comfortable matte too, I haven't noticed my lips drying out at all. Plus, and I don't want to sound like a total weirdo, but it also makes me look quite classy.

Observe:

There's two photos here, both unfiltered and taken in natural light but the sun had just come out in the photo on the right so I thought it might be handy to see it in a warmer light! 

If you want this fella you can only get it online, HERE but be aware that it's limited edition so it will eventually be gone, although something tells me they'll be making this a permanent part of the matte revolution collection.

What do you think?

Do you already have Pillow Talk?

Should I just go ahead and buy the lip liner too?!

To the comments!

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Spring Wishlist 2017!

It's that time of the year when the shops start to fill up with things other than wool knits, black tights and bobble hats. This is good news for a couple of reasons. 

For one, it means that I can hopefully put away my Icelandic hyper insulated coat and for two, Spring is springing!!

I, of course have my eye on lots of pretty things but this lot are the main bits and pieces on the revolving carousel that is my mental wish list. 

Links are in pink and don't buy everything before I get the chance to!

I'm a bit Flamingo obsessed and this tee from Oasis has the benefit of being casual (comfy grey marl is the best) but it's also pink and sparkly, so win-win all around. 

The second I saw the limited edition Crayola box from Clinique, I had to have it. Unfortunately for me, a reliable little birdy (thanks Andreea!) has told me that they've been out of stock in Ireland and the UK since the start of February (weeps). I'll be keeping an eye out for a last minute restock but I may just end up buying an individual one, although it obviously won't be the same…

I love this vintage-feel black top, also from Oasis. The bird-embroidered collar is adorable and just the right side of kitsch and will look as well paired with jeans as it would tucked into a skirt.

This spot and floral tea dress from Topshop is very pretty- I'm already picturing it with a (fake) tan and a pair of sandals on my holidays..

*goes into daydream mode*

I'm in the market for a new primer and this one from Too Faced has been on my mind for a while. A product to sort out your hungover face? Ah, yes please!

And lastly, the shoe of dreams from Asos. These are marketed as a bridal shoe but they'd look great with absolutely everything in my opinion (see how I'm already justifying the purchase?) It's a moot point anyway as they are currently sold out in every size but 3. 

Again, I have serious plans to stalk their "back in stock" section. 

Any of these on your Wishlist?

XX

U.S Drugstore Buys

So we were in the states over Halloween and I of course had to stop at both a Sephora and several pharmacies for make-up. Drugstores over there (CVS, Walgreens etc) are not like our own; they sell everything from painkillers to ice cream with children's toys and random touristy crap in between.

There are also, of course, several make-up brands that we don't have in Ireland and ones that we do but with products we can't get here. 

Hence, a little splurge:

I had plenty of other things on my to-buy list, including the It Cosmetics CC cream, as recommended by the lovely @AinePrendo (on Snapchat) but I couldn't find a nearby Ulta so that was out. I did get plenty of other things however, including this super pretty Milani Rose Powder Blush.

I haven't tried anything from Milani but I knew I had to get a blush- what they're best known for. I had a baked blush in my basket but then I saw this beauty and sure it was too aesthetically pleasing to leave behind. I got the shade Tea Rose and it really is the perfect pink hue. It's ideal for pale Irish skin tones, although I will admit to being tempted by Coral Cove, also lovely but way too bright for me. This was around the $7 mark.

I had originally put a couple of Milani lipsticks into the basket but then I saw this Katy Perry collaboration with CoverGirl and I had to try them out.

While I'm not the biggest Katy fan in the world, I have danced my socks off to plenty of her hits and I enjoyed her movie on Netflix, especially the part where we were introduced to her cat; Kitty Purry. Granted, that is, somewhat egomaniacal but it's also quite cute so obviously I got that shade, which is a mauve and Cat Call, a brighter pop of coral. 

These are matte, which is good news for me as that's my current favourite type of lipstick finish.

These were, strangely also $7 each (I swear I didn't just buy things that were $7. My Sephora receipt will attest to that) but I thought these were great value for the price.

This was also an Áine/snapchat recommendation and although I've yet to try it, I am excited by the concept of a product that contains moisturiser, primer, foundation, SPF, colour correction and pore blurring. I'll be honest, I always thought that last one was pure nonsense but apparently, my pores don't agree with me. I know we have Physicians Formula in Ireland now but to be honest, I can never find a stand and if I do it's been ravaged by youths. 

This was an @SkinnyDoll (again, snapchat!) recommendation and I'm loving it! There were actually three variations in the Maybelline Master Primer range- one for oily skin and a colour corrector I think but I have dry skin and tend to always go for the illuminating primers. This fella also has that blurring property and an SPF 30. This works. My foundation has a healthy glow-from-within look to it with this underneath and it provides a nice base. I'd liken this to Benefit's That Gal except that this is way cheaper, obvs. This was $9.

These Kylie for Sinful Colours polishes were only $1.49 each, so I couldn't leave them behind. The cobalt blue shade, Kosmos (bloody K's everywhere) and the pale blue, Magik Touch are both colours I love and Sinful Colours are generally great quality so I could get over the Kardashian-isation for that alone.

This lot are far less exciting but due to our bags not arriving from JFK to New Orleans with us, we had to pick up a few essentials. I can't shower and not apply moisturiser afterwards so this massive yoke of Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Soothe lotion was a must and worked well in the stifling heat. I couldn't have imagined lashing on a body butter in that humidity so this was ideal. Back in an Irish Winter however, and this loses some of its attraction so I'll be bringing it out again next Summer instead. 

Speaking of heat, SPF was a must and this one from Banana Boat was super handy; it sprays on clear and absorbs practically instantly plus it's factor 50. Perfect!

The Burt's Bees Ultimate Care Body Lotion for Very Dry Skin was purchased towards the end of the holiday. I love this brand and couldn't resist browsing the shelves for them at a slightly reduced price! I'm hoping this particular product is available here cause I am nearly finished and I love it! Containing Baobab Oil, Pumpkin Seed Oil and Green Tea extract, this both smells incredible and leaves my super parched skin softer than anything I've used before. Big thumbs up!

As I didn't have any hair products for a couple of days, I had to get the smart girls best friend; dry shampoo. I didn't know much about a lot of the brands they had on this shelf so I went for Pantene; ye olde reliable. Anyway, this works grand. It smells pleasant enough and does the job. Having said that, my scalp felt slightly itchy (not sure if that was down to the glaring sun also) and I think we have better options on this side of the water.

Lastly then is a packet of Burt's Bees Cucumber Face Wipes. 

I know, I know. Face wipes; the devils own beauty spawn but needs must and these worked a treat for the couple of days. After that I ended up using them up for perfecting our Day of the Dead face paint for Halloween. These were surprisingly non-abrasive on my skin.

And that is the lot!

I will go into further detail about my Sephora purchases at a later date but for now, have you tried any of these?

Anything there that you'd like to see a more in-depth review on?

To the comments!

XX

Korean Beauty; Tony Moly & Skin79

A while back I showed you some bits from Korean beauty brand, Tony Moly that I picked up while in New York. When we were in Barcelona, I managed to find a Sephora (it's a unique honing ability that I have. That and using the internet) and found to my delight that there was a Tony Moly section there too!

I had been looking for the Bunny Bars for aaaaaages and was unwilling to part with cold hard cash over the internet for fear of being duped and sent nothing in return (I fear eBay). This is a Petit Bunny Gloss Bar in the shade Juicy Cherry. I particularly love the disdainful expression on his face. He hates you and he's letting you know all about it. If I can find more of these in the New Orleans Sephora, you'd best believe I'll be stocking up. It's just far too kitsch for me to not spend all my money on (and to be fair, they're not actually pricey).

Speaking of kitsch, is this Mini Green Apple lip balm. I already have the cherry and peach versions of these and at the time when I wrote the blog post about them, I said they weren't the best lip balms for moisturising, and granted that is still true but I grew to become practically dependant on the peach one when I was last an inpatient in hospital, in spite of several people pointing out to me that it looked like a nipple (Lads, I'm a midwife, that doesn't bother me in the slightest). This one smells more like a perfumed apple…like what I imagine those DKNY apple shaped perfume bottles smell like. It's not overly glossy but has a nice smack to it and seems to settle in quickly and moisturise. I like.

Lastly, from Skin79 this time, is an Intensive Moisturiser Animal Mask for Dry Monkey Skin. Apparently there was not a mistake in the translation.
I have dry skin so I thought this was a great idea and as you know, I love a sheet mask for it's serial killer-style aesthetics. The description of "Hilarious Monkey Mask containing Hyaluronic Acid makes your skin moisturised" also appealed to me and Skin79 are renowned for their good quality skincare. I bought one of these for my friend's birthday too so hopefully she wasn't too horrified by it…

I just had a shower so my hair was wet, in case you were wondering.

Yeah. It's really more "creepy clown" than monkey mask but sure look, if you can't rock a terrifying face mask coming up to Halloween, when can you, am I right?

That aside, it smells lovely and my skin felt great afterwards, plus my make-up went on nicely the next day.

Have you tried anything from Tony Moly or Skin79 before?

XX

Benefit Do The Hoola!

Don't you just love receiving an unexpected gift of make-up? It happens so rarely but when it does my eyes do that light-up thing, like the heart-eyed emoji.
Recently my in-laws were away and they brought me this fella back. If I were going to treat myself, make-up wise, I probably wouldn't reach for Benefit, purely because it's a bit pricey for a splurge- it's Boots all the way and a stop at a Rimmel or a Bourjois stand for me and my nurses salary.
Benefit, though, lends itself well to gifting purposes; it's all so goddamn fancy. These style of sets are so fun too; I love all the mini sizes and compartments in the book look-a-like box.

Do The Hoola is the Beyond Bronze kit for complexion, lips and eyes and is perfect for Summer.

Inside the lid there's a mirror and a tips and tricks booklet showing you how to get the most out of the set, which is always handy.

The products themselves correspond with the booklet, numbering 1-4 for the order in which you use them.

Number one is a brand new product and one I've been super eager to try. Dew the Hoola is a sheer, soft-matte, liquid face bronzer. You get 7mls in a pump-action bottle with a faintly floral scent. I feel like this is slightly too dark for my skin tone when I'm going au natural. If I have tan on, then it works well. Although it claims to have a sheer formula, I find it to be quite pigmented and it also mattifies pretty fast. Because of this it needs to be quickly blended nut seems to add more of a natural glow than a powder bronzer does.

Number two is a benefit best-seller; Hoola bronzer. I've previously only ever had a mini of this but I love it. It's a super soft, finely-milled, flattering powder that can be built up from glowing to bronzed in a matter of seconds. Would you just look at that dinky little brush too! Squee!

Number three is They're Real, this is the best selling mascara in the UK and it's easy to see why. I previously had a full size of this and the only thing that stopped me from repurchasing was how stubborn it was to take off. I have a pretty decent eye make-up remover on the go at the minute though so I'm hoping for good things.

Number three is Bene balm, a rose tinted, hydrating lip balm. I love the Benetint balms and this one is particularly flattering, plus mini size!!! Cuteness!!

Lastly, there's Hoola extra plush lip gloss. This smells like Summer; kind of like a Pina Colada. It feels super comforting on the lips; there's a good slip there and it's not sticky- more like a glossy balm than anything. It goes on clear but there's a peachy/golden shimmer in there that adds a subtle and flattering extra dimension to the gloss. This is one you need to try for yourself, cause I know if I heard of a peach/gold shimmered gloss, I'd run a mile. Not with this though, it's very nice indeed. The combination of this and the Bene Tint underneath is lovely too.

Have you tried the new liquid bronzer from Benefit? 

XX

Givenchy Glamour On The Go 3-Step Makeup Palette

One of my lovely sisters gave me this swoon worthy Givenchy palette for Christmas and although it could easily fit in with the other stunning beauty products I own but don't touch for fear of ruining, I'm clearly stating here and now that this shall and will be used and loved, rather than vanquish in an overflowing make up drawer.

 

I don't own any Givenchy (I have many moons ago but none at present), so this is a great re-introduction to the brand. As implied by the name, there are three steps to the palette; eyes, cheeks and lips. 

Each level has its own mirror, which is super handy and aside from that, the packaging is glorious; glossy black with the Givenchy logo and a gold bar on the side to release and secure the levels to each other.

 

Level one features Le Prisme Visage Mat in 84 Beige Mousseline; a super soft, finely milled powder that could either be used as a bronzer or as a face powder, depending on your skin tone. As I'm freakishly pale, I choose bronzer! Generally you could keep applying this and it won't look orange or over the top, it's a beautifully subtle glow that leaves you looking radiant. It's lovely. 

Le Prisme Blush is that soft pale pink below it and reminds me a bit of Dandelion from Benefit. It's pretty and suitable for a low key look.

Level 2 is Le Prisme Yeux and has some of the most pigmented eye shadows I've ever seen! The three outer shades are quite pearlescent so are probably better suited for night time looks while the four core shades are perfect for my blue eyes- I love those burgundy, bronze, and gold hues and all of these can be mixed and matched for different effects.

I will of course be throwing out that double sided sponge applicator. I've fab brushes for that!

Lastly then there's a dinky little Magic Khôl eye liner pencil in black. Next to it is the Noir Couture mascara in Black Satin (veeery fancy looking brush on this fella, fyi). This is a 4-in-1 for volume, length, curl and care. And of course, an Ultra Shiny Colour Plumping Effect gloss in Capricious Pink. 

These three are all stupidly cute, like make up for a doll. 

Truth be told, I am disinclined to use any of these for fear of ruining the set but that then would be silly...eep!