MAC Rebel Lipstick Review

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of bold lipsticks. Anything from MAC's Russian Red to the Kate Moss 107 lipstick, I'm obsessed with. There's just something about bold lipsticks that I can't put my finger on but I can't get enough of them. An old bold lipstick favourite of mine is MAC's Rebel; one that I loved last year but somehow found it's way to the back of my makeup collection and not been used since. In a bid to downsize my collection and get use out of my old products, I 'shopped my stash' and fell in love with this all over again.

What Do the MAC Lipstick Finishes Mean?

I seem to always mention this on my blog but I remember the first day I bought a MAC lipstick like it was yesterday. I walked in with no idea what I wanted (or what to expect), and I found the whole 'buying my first bit of expensive makeup' thing a bit overwhelming. The colours, smells and different consistencies confused me - not to even mention the finishes. Over the years I've been collecting them, I've gotten to grips with the different finishes so I thought I'd create a quick guide for anyone who was confused as me!

The Ultimate Weekend Pamper Routine

Weekends have always been (and should always be!) a time for relaxing. I don't know about you, but that never happens. I have these great ideas to have a pamper, spa-like Sunday and it never ends up happening; The Affair and Pretty Little Liars really is taking over my life. My New Years' resolution was to create a Sunday pamper routine, every single Sunday. So far it's not happened, but here are my favourite tips for creating an amazing pamper night!

MAC Soar Lip Pencil Review

One product that has been on my wishlist for the longest time. MAC's Soar lip pencil (and also Velvet Teddy) seem notoriously hard to track-down after Kylie Jenner mentioned she used it to perfect her pout. I finally managed to get my hands on it after trying to find it for over a year, and I'm so glad I did! I'm a bit late to the party with the whole 'KJ lip' thing but better late than never, right?

Soar is such a gorgeous shade and also very unusual. It's a pink-toned, mauvey neutral shade which looks amazing on all skintones. Because my skin is so fair, I find pink-toned lipstick more suiting than that of a brown/beige toned one - if you're struggling and along the same lines of me, I'd definitely recommend Soar. One thing I love about this product is that it's the perfect pencil for over-lining your lips. Due to it being matte it doesn't show the line where your natural lips end, and just looks like a perfectly natural pout.

This is my first MAC lip pencil and as for the actual pencil itself, I'm positively surprised! I've found in the past that although MAC lipsticks are amazing, there are more amazing ones than them - the only reason why I stick with certain MAC lipsticks is if I can't find a good enough dupe for the shade. This pencil is amazing and doesn't cling to dry patches or dry out your lips like most pencils do. I have to say, I think this Autumn I'll be reaching for this over some classic Autumnal shades!

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet

Last year, for me, was the year of the liquid lipstick. It seems like in 2014 every brand from high-end to drugstore had their own take on them. One of the most exciting and memorable makeup launches from 2014 is still a product that I'm obsessed with ten months later - the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets. I picked these up in the early months of last year and they're the only lipsticks I lean towards on a daily basis, so much so that I've come to the conclusion that they're the best lipsticks ever. Big statement, right? Here's why.

The thing I love most about these is the formula. They're liquid lipsticks that dry matte, to an almost powder-like finish. Unlike any other liquid lipsticks that I know of, layering is not a problem at all and you can toss on as many coats as you want without any flaking, smudging or disturbing the colour. The most impressing thing about the formulas are the staying power - seriously, I've never come across anything that stains my lips as much as these! I love that though - it means the color isn't going anywhere.

Another thing I love about these is the colour range. Peach Club is my favourite out of the three that I own, which is a surprisingly bold, opaque nude shade. Ole Flamingo! is a stunning hot pink, again with amazing pigmentation. Hot Pepper is another great shade, a post-box red that looks stunning on everyone. Feel Unique are also doing an amazing deal on these (3 for only £12!) so I'd definitely recommend getting your hands on them if you can!

You Know You're A Beauty Blogger When...

Ever since starting my blog a few years ago, there's more and more things I find myself doing that my mum likes to define as a 'typical beauty blogger'. Since I began my blog I try my hardest not the fit in the typical 'beauty blogger' mould but come on, can you really resist the new Naked palette? I didn't think so.

○  No matter how hard you try, you'll never be able to just walk past Boots.
○  Checking CultBeauty and Debehams daily just to check there's nothing you missed.
○  When you buy a magazine, you flick through looking for the beauty adverts rather than the actual articles.
○  "This red lipstick is NOT the same to the other 78 I own, trust me..."
○  A spending ban will never work.
○  Wearing a full face of makeup to pop to Tesco, because you NEED to try out that new eyeshadow.
○  Trying your absolute hardest to create an amazing winged liner and when you finally crack it, no photo can do it justice.
○  Your mum will always ask "Elise has anyone reviewed this product?" before she buys it.

Leighton Denny I Am Goddess Collection

items are PR samples*

I've forgotten the amount of times I mention how much I love Autumn - the Pumpkin Spiced Lattes from Starbucks, the cosy blankets, the multiple layers of clothes and of course, the hair, makeup & nail polishes. I was lucky enough to be sent a few nail polishes from the new Leighton Denny I Am Goddess range and I have to say, I'm completely blown away.

Leighton Denny are often forgot about when it comes to buying nail polishes and they're seriously underrated - I'd even go as far to say as their formula is my favourite ever (and that's a pretty big statement to make). Everything from the brush, the opacity and the thickness of the product is perfect, making it so easy to apply. I reckon I could even apply this on the train, it's that easy!

The colors I have are Aphrodite's Love, a gorgeous purple/olive hybrid, and Queen Hera, a metallic chrome shade. Out of the two, Aphrodite's Love is my favourite because of how versatile it is. I apply this over something like Rimmel's Black Cherries nail polish to give it a something extra and the opacity is perfect - enough for it to be noticeable but not overpowering.

What's your favourite nail polish for Autumn?

Chanel Soliel tan de Chanel: Worth The Hype?

I've mentioned before that if there's one brand that screams luxury to me, it's Chanel. I've only just began dabbling with Chanel makeup and although I love their Rouge Coco Shines, I can't say that all of the products I've tried from them are worth the money. I got the Chanel Soliel tan de Chanel for Christmas after it being on my wishlist for the longest time (and after seeing countless bloggers rave about it!) but I just don't think it's up to my expectations.

I have to admit that as with all Chanel products, the packaging is stunning and it looks so pretty sitting in my makeup collection. The bronzer itself is something I've found pretty hard to work with - it's almost a mousse/cream texture that is difficult to get a natural, bronzed look. Before I received this I'd read that it could be a long-winded experiment with trial & error to get this to work for you but up to now, I can't crack it. It looks way too orange on my skin and although it can be used as either a bronzer or primer, it seems way too warm-toned to work as either (on my skin, anyway).

Overall I'm really not too happy with this product which is a shame considering the price! I've done a bit of research and I think if you're looking for a product similar to this but aren't sure if you'd get along with the texture, Bourjois' Bronzing Primer looks almost identical. What are your thoughts? 

Do you own this product & what do you think of it?

Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette

If there's one thing I can never have enough of, it's eye shadows. It's almost guaranteed that every time my mum & go makeup shopping she will say to me "Elise, do you really need anymore?! You could open up your own store!" and the answer is always yes. A girl can never have too much makeup, right?

As a matter of fact, my mum bought me the Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette for Christmas (if you're reading, mum, it's your fault!) after I saw it in a makeup-browse and felt like I couldn't be without it. I fell in love with the shades & from what I swatched, they look like amazing eye shadows. A few months later and I have to say I haven't used it as much as I'd like but they are of great quality.

I've made no secret that Urban Decay's eye shadows are one of my favourites and I prefer them over brands like MAC in the form that they're much better quality. Just like the Naked palettes, they're much creamier, pigmented and easier to blend than MAC. I have only one issue with this palette: it produces so much excess powder that it just gets wasted & looks grubby. When I dip my brush into the palette, so much extra powder comes off that it just ends up looking so messy and because of the price of the palette, I don't want to let any go to waste!

Other than that, I love every thing about this palette. One of my favourite shades is 'Undone', a shade which looks amazing as a transition shade on fair skin. The palette also has so many unusual shades that I haven't seen anywhere else; like 'Alchemy' and 'Freeze'. Overall I'm a big fan of this but although it consists of bold shades, I can't get as much use out of it as I wish I could have!

Rautken Bonus Box

A few weeks ago, Rautken's brand new Bonus Box landed on my doorstep. Every so often I get sent things to review, but boxes like this full of small fashion/beauty samples are my favourite as you get to try out a few products at once. This is the first Bonus Box and I was lucky enough to be sent one - here are the products inside.

The most exciting thing in this box for me, was the Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask  as Origins is a brand I've always wanted to try. This is only a sample-sized product but I was surprised when I actually got 3 uses out of it. It dries on the skin and gives that cracking-face feeling but the end result is amazing - silky soft skin all round! On a similar page is the The Body Shop Charcoal Clay Body Mask which is a concept I haven't heard of before. Its similar to the Origins mask but for your body - you apply it then wash off after 10 minutes. I'm not the biggest fan of this because although my skin loves it, it's a pain to stand around waiting for it to dry!

The Clinique Take The Day Off makeup remover was also included, a product that is very much hyped-up in the blogging world. After trying it I can safely say I really do understand the hype - it's amazing! It takes my makeup off in one swipe and is gentle on the skin. A product I didn't really use was the Darphin Ideal Resource serum, but I ended up gifting it to my mum and she's loving it!

A brochure from TOMS was also included which I actually really enjoyed flicking through. TOMS is not a brand I buy from but some of the items in this brochure are amazing! You can use the code TOMSBONUSBOX for 25% off your order :)

Bourjois Colorbands

Before we start this whole review, I just want you to appreciate how hard it was to track these down. After seeing everyone and their dogs rave about these, I was desperate to get my hands on them (you all know how much I love my No7 Shade & Define sticks!) because the shades look stunning & they're a bit cheaper. So, I went to Superdrug to find them and every single one was either open or used. I went to another and they were sold out, then another to find these three sitting there, unopened. To say I was happy would be an understatement.

The formulas of these are absolutely incredible & everyone has good reason to be raving about them. They're pigmented, creamy and blending is an absolute dream; not to mention the gorgeous shade range. The staying power of these is what really surprised me; when I swatched these on my hand I couldn't get them off for days, no matter how hard I scrubbed it. I much prefer that, though, as opposed to only taking one wipe to remove them as it means it's much more longer lasting.

My favourite out of the shades I have is Mauve Baroque; a dusty lavender shade that looks stunning on green eyes. This shade in particular is much more wearable to the others. A quick dust over the lid is all you need for a simple hint of colour. Gris Graffiti is a soft grey that you can use to line your eyes if you want a softer, less-harsh look. The most surprising shade for me was Noir Abstrait; a rich, black shade. If you're a fan of super black smokey eyes, this little crayon will be your best friend. It looks amazing as a base for black shadows and unlike many others, it's a delight to blend.

What are your favourite eyeshadows?

The Best Palette for Autumn

When it comes to Autumn, there's only one palette for me; the original Urban Decay Naked palette. It's the only three of the Naked palettes I own and I think I will ever buy just because it's that good, plus I always find myself coming back to it every year in the Autumn.

One of my favourite eyeshadows is in this palette - Half Baked. It's my favourite for many reasons, including the obvious fact that the colour is absolutely stunning and I've never seen an eyeshadow like it. Like all shades in this palette it's incredibly pigmented, to the point where you only need to quickly dip your brush in he product once and it comes out on your eyelid completely opaque. There's little fall-out and they're super easy to blend, which is why Urban Decay make some of the best eyeshadows out there.

Some more noteable shades include Hustle, Gun Metal and Sin - a more pigmented alternative to MAC's Naked Lunch. I personally prefer these eyeshadows to MAC as I find MAC to be a bit hit-and-miss in terms of pigmentation and finish. Every eyeshadow in this palette is on point and it includes everything I need for a golden Autumnal smokey eye.

What's your favourite eyeshadow palette?

Autumn Lips

If there's one season that excites me the most, it's Autumn. Everything from the hot chocolates, rainy nights with the fire on and of course, the darker makeup just makes my heart happy. Almost every year since this blog began (read last year's here) I've done a post on my favourite Autumnal lipsticks and this year it's back! I have a brand new line-up after spending most of this year trying out different makeup in order to write this post.

First up is NARS Cruella lipstick. How could I write a berry lipstick post without including this little gem? It's the classic matte purple/red lipstick hybrid with such an amazing formula. The crayon-like stick makes application a dream and it stays putt all day, only needing a few minor top-ups. Definitely a staple if you're not the best at applying lipstick!

Recently added to my collection is the LA Girl Glazed Lip Paint in Pin-Up. If you're more of a glossy red lip kinda gal, I'm sure you'd love this. I wrote about these liquid lipsticks recently (with swatches, read here!) and I'm completely obsessed. They're tricky to apply at first due to the applicator but the finished product is stunning.

Another glossy option in Revlon's Colorstay in Parisian Passion. This was included in last year's post but I couldn't help but add it in again because it's such a classic Autumnal shade. This is more on the purple side as opposed to red, but it's stunning nonetheless. This is easier to apply due to the doe-foot applicator and the opaque-ness of this makes it a staple in my Autumn makeup collection.

What's your favourite Autumnal lipstick?

The Ultimate Drugstore Makeup Starter Kit

One thing I remember from starting my whole 'makeup journey' is how overwhelmed I felt every time I went to Boots. I'd have no idea where to start & the whole idea of choosing one product from hundreds quite simply terrified me. These days, I like to think of Boots as my second home - a place where my heart is, a place which makes me happy and a place of which I already own the majority of the products that they stock.

I can tell by my analytics that some of the people who read my blog are quite young & also receive a number of emails asking what product I would recommend for a beginner in makeup so I thought I'd put together a little Drugstore Makeup Starter Kit for you!

PRIMER :  Maybelline Baby Skin { £8 }
FOUNDATION :  Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum { £11 }
CONCEALER :  Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer { £4 }
POWDER :  Rimmel Stay Matte { £4 }
BLUSH, BRONZER & HIGHLIGHT :  Sleek Face Contour Kit { £10 }
BROWS :  Rimmel Brow This Way Kit { £3.99 }
EYESHADOW :  Maybelline Color Tattoo { £5 }
LINER :  Bourjois Intuitive Felt Tip Liner { £6.99 }

MASCARA :  Maybelline Lash Sensational { £8 }

RED LIPSTICK :  Rimmel Kate Moss 107 { £6 }

NUDE LIPSTICK :  Revlon Lip Butter in Cotton Candy  { £7.99 }

Phew, there we go! I only included the basics for makeup application on an everyday basis but if you have any suggestions of your own, feel free to comment them below. I'm always on the lookout for more makeup! PS. You can check my reviews on these products by looking through my Product Directory. Happy shopping!

What's your ultimate drugstore makeup item?

Revisiting YSL Touche Eclat

Every time I open up my makeup storage and see this beautifully packaged YSL Touche Eclat, I'm always gutted that I don't get along with it. It just sits there looking all pretty yet I never get any use out of it because I didn't like it when I tried it last year. Instead of it sitting there lonely I thought I'd give it another go, to see whether I could finally get to grips with it... Bad news, I still can't.

Much like last year when I first tried it, it just doesn't offer enough coverage for me. Although this is a highlighting pen, it doesn't do anything but add another layer of caki-ness to my skin which I'm definitely not a fan of. It doesn't conceal anything major, nor cover my dark circles beneath my eyes which is definitely something my Collection concealer can do. That one is £20+ cheaper and does both concealing dark circles/spots and highlighting. This YSL one does neither for me!

For the price of this I really am gutted that I can't get along with it. Looks like it'll have to go back in the drawer and I'll try it again in a few months to see if anything changes, but I'm doubtful!

What product have you bought but not got along with?

Forever Repurchases

It's not often that I'll fall head over heels with a makeup product but when I do, I fall hard. Over the past few years of writing this blog I've been through hundreds of lipsticks, foundations and even brow products but there's a few that have truly found a place in my heart and I'll continue to repurchase over and over again.

The first one is the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum. My love for this has been well documented over here because I have been using it for the past 2 years. It's my daily foundation due to the light coverage, dewy finish and the shade range. It's usually hard to find a drugstore foundation that caters to extremely pale skin like mine, but this one suits me perfectly. On a similar note is the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer. I won't ramble too much about this because I feel like I've talked it to death but it still surprises me how this will be the only thing to cover mega-spots!

For brows, Anastasia Beverly Hills is the only way to go. I bought their DipBrow just before Christmas last year and I've used it everyday since. It took me a while to get used to the consistency of it because I've never used a gel-like formula for my brows, but now I won't be without it. Mascara-wise, Maybelline's Lash Sensational is the only thing I'll use for my lashes. It's surprisingly good for the price and it seperates my lashes perfectly whilst still adding volume.

Lastly is my ultimate favourite favourite lipstick, MAC's Patisserie. Again, I've had this years and been through countless tubes but it still holds the spot of 'best nude lipstick' in my heart. I did a full review of this last year and mentioned that if you have fair skin and struggle to find a nude lip that doesn't wash you out, you need to try this. I still whole-heartedly stand by that and I wouldn't be without it now!

What's your favourite makeup product?

LA Girl Glazed Lip Paints

For me, there's one beauty website that has been my go-to for the past few weeks. I mentioned last week that Beauty Crowd is my one stop shop for American & Australian beauty products that you can't really get easily in the UK. Last week when I ordered my Milani Illuminating Face Powder (review here), I got a couple of the LA Girl Glazed Lip Paints after wanting them since Kathleen recommended them a few months back.

I've never tried a product like this before - the application process is more like a lip gloss but they're much more opaque than a gloss, yet still with the glossy finish. The formula is like a liquid lipstick but they're more difficult to apply without the doe-foot applicator, so I use a brush for more precision. They remind me a lot of the OCC Lip Tars, but on a much cheaper scale.

Out of the 4 I own, Elude is my favourite. It's a gorgeous nude shade that looks amazing on all skin tones (even my own pale skin). I also have Pin Up,  a deep burgandy and Feisty, a very name-appropriate bright red. The only shade I'm not too keen on is Babydoll as it reminds me of a very Barbie-pink, MAC Saint Germain dupe that does not suit me. Overall I'm so happy with these lip paints and I cannot recommend them enough for the price. If you're after opaque, glossy liquid lipsticks, make sure you check out these!

What's your favourite liquid lipstick?

2 Favourite Lipsticks from MAC

The first ever high-end makeup product I bought was Russian Red lipstick by MAC, and since then MAC lipsticks have been some of my favourites. I still add to my collection every now and then but there's two that have stuck in my mind as favourites for many years. I reviewed Russian Red, which is my ultimate favourite, last week so I decided just to include these two in this post.

My favourite nude lipstick of all time is Patisserie. I got this on Anna's recommendation a few years ago and I've been through about 3 tubes since. It's achieved holy grail status due to it's ability to make my pale skin look less-washed out than other nude lipsticks do. It's a Lustre finish meaning it's sheer and easy to apply, so much so that you don't actually need a mirror to apply it. I've applied this whilst on the bus before and the end result came out much better than expected!

Another favourite is Rebel; a classic staple that is basically my everyday look in the Autumn/Winter. It's a gorgeous deep purple that comes out brighter on the lips than it looks in the tube. This is the most versatile lipstick I own - you can wear it on it's own, lightly patted onto the lips as a subtle stain or mixed with a red lipstick to create a deep burgandy colour. It's a Satin finish so it's long wearing and has an opaque colour.

What's your favourite MAC lipstick?

Milani Illuminating Face Powder

Milani is a brand that I've been wanting to try for a number of years after hearing about Lauren talk about it non-stop in the earlier days of her channel. I finally found Beauty Crowd, a site that stocks many American/Australian brands like Milani, Jordana and LA Girl in the UK to get my hands on some of the products I've lusted after for months.

My first purchase was something that I've never tried before, Milani's Illuminating Face Powder in Beauty's Touch. This is a blush/highlight combination that I've worn everyday since I got it and it's replaced my beloved Clinique Cheek Pops. I swirl my brush to combine the blush and highlight roses and sweep it over my cheeks and it gives the perfect amount of colour and highlight without looking like you've been slapped and partied in glitter.

The quality of the blushes themselves are amazing - they're finely milled therefore they have no chunky parts of glitter. Due to them being a highlight/blush combination they're not incredibly pigmented but just provide the perfect amount of sheen to give you a healthy looking glow. Another thing worth noting about these is how great the lasting power is - I wear this daily with an average wear time of 8-10 hours and it still looks just as good at the end of the day as it did when I first applied it.

What's your favourite blush / highlight?

The Best Matte Red Lipstick

If you're trying to find the perfect red lipstick that is matte but not drying, red but not too TOWIE-like, look no further. MAC's Russian Red has been my go-to lipstick for as long as I can remember, which is why I'm surprised I haven't done a full review of it on my blog!

One swipe of this lipstick and you're seriously good to go. It is so extremely pigmented that you only need one tiny sweep of it and it'll last all day. Because it has blue undertones, it also has the teeth-whitening effect. You really do need a lot of patience and time to put this on because it is incredibly staining if you get in the wrong place! I use a Real Techniques detail brush to get a fine defined line as it's quite difficult to apply and not have it smudge everywhere. I'd definitely recommend the Cherry lip pencil, again from MAC to just make the line of your lip defined and precise and also to act as a base to make it stay putt for longer. As for staying power, I've found it to last around a good 4-5 hours before I need to reapply.

Overall, I would really recommend this to anyone looking for the ultimate bright red. It's a timeless intense blue-toned red, and would really suit just about everyone.  I can almost guarantee that if you wore this out, you'd get at least one comment on how amazing it looks.

What's your favourite red lipstick?