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.

New In: Makeup Geek

If there's one brand that I've seen hyped-up to the heavens, it's Makeup Geek. Since it's only readily-available in the US, the cost of shipping & delivery time has put me off ever ordering from them. Earlier this month was my birthday so I thought I'd treat myself to a litter order - it's safe to say it won't be my last! As soon as my parcel came I photographed it, swatched and then played around, ending up wearing way too much makeup for a Tuesday morning... Isn't that always how makeup deliveries play out?

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?

Benefit Porefessional Primer Review

I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge collector of primers; not because I don't like the way they work on my skin but because I think I've already found the perfect one for me. Just like my Collection concealer, I don't feel like I have to buy any more of that specific product because I have one that is perfect for me. I bought Benefit's Porefessional primer over a year ago and one tube has lasted all that time, just because I save it for special occasions!

I have very large pores around my nose and this seems the only thing that can control them & reduce their appearance. It also makes my foundation apply much more smoothly and it feels like an extra layer to even out my skin before I apply the rest of my makeup. The only thing I'm not crazy about is the consistency when I apply it with my fingers. It feels almost greasy/slippery but on the skin it feels like a balm, which I don't mind. For the results it gives, that doesn't bother me.

As I mentioned before, I tend to use this on special occasions because it's so expensive for such a small amount of product. It does give amazing results and completely transforms my makeup when I wear it!

Do you use a primer? Which is your favourite?

Best Brow Duo

It's been well documented on this blog that my brows are the bane of my life. Over the years we've had quite the love-hate relationship, which started back when I was 11 and I shaved beneath them (which to this day still haunts me). Since then I like to think we get along much better, thanks to this handy duo.

A brand that think screams the Queen of Brows is Anastasia Beverly Hills. I got their Dip Brow Pomade back in December and I haven't been a day without it since. It took a while for me to get used to working with a gel formula for my brows but now I'm fully converted. I love using the liner end of my Laura Geller double ended eye shadow brush because I find the shape perfect for making them nice and defined. A little trick I've found when it comes to using this product is that taking some of the pomade out of the tub and putting it on the lid makes sure you don't use too much, leaving you with clown brows.

When it comes to the pomade itself, as far as smudginess, not sliding and the end result, everything is spot on. No smudging (even when you rub your face and forget you're wearing makeup!), it's pretty much waterproof and it looks so natural when I wear it. I'd hate to jinx it but I think I'm finally cracking my brows! Overall I'm so happy with this little duo and I would highly recommend the pair if you're struggling with your own!

What's your favourite eyebrow product?

The Budget Kylie Jenner Lip

Ok, I'll admit I'm a bit late to the whole "Kylie Jenner lip liner" party but better late than never, right? I know that we're all over the '90s lip trend but I just needed to put my 2 cents into the pot just incase one of you out there hasn't heard of this little gem. In recent weeks Kylie solved our mysteries and said that she uses MAC Stripdown liner  - since then, nobody has been able to get their hands on it due to it always being sold out. Here's why I'm sharing this now...

Rimmel's lip liner in Addiction is the closest dupe to Stripdown that I've found and the best part is it's only £3.99. It's a natural toned nude lip liner with the perfect formula; it doesn't cling to your lips and dry them out. Unlike most lip liners, you can wear it alone. Instead of getting that horrible sticky feeling that just completely cracks and ruins your lips, it's creamy enough to glide on smoothly with no sticky finishes.

This has been my go-to lip liner for the past few weeks and I'm so happy I managed to conquer the Stripdown dupe search! If you're not a fan of matte lips but still like the colour, a simple nude gloss like Tanya Burr's Lunch Date lip gloss over the top will leave you with gorgeous, pouty lips within a matter of minutes. What more could a girl want?

What's your favourite lip liner?

Revisiting MAC MSF Soft & Gentle

If there's one product that I've seen constantly raved about by bloggers that I can't seem to get along with myself, it's definitely MAC's Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle. I reviewed it what seems like years ago (read here) I loved it but after a few weeks in the Winter months, we started to form the 'hate' part of a love-hate relationship.

For almost a year this product has been sat in the back of my makeup storage completely untouched, when 2 weeks ago I saw somebody review it and it got me thinking.... Would I still hate it if I tried it now? I've put it to the test over the past few weeks and shock horror, I'm actually enjoying using it! Unlike last year when I used it in Winter with a completely tan-free body, I love the way it looks with a tan.

If you're ridiculously pale like myself and hated this, try it again with a tan. Instead of the golden shimmers in it making you look like you have an orange strip across your cheeks, it actually compliments your tan making you look naturally glowing. It's not overly glittery yet gives just the right amount of highlight.

Have you tried this product? What did you think?

New In: MeMeMe Cosmetics

MeMeMe Cosmetics is a relatively new brand to me, but I've been seeing more & more people fall in love with their products over the past few months. I've been trying out their Lip Glide in Deep Scarlet* and their new Enchanted Eyes Dual Ended Eye Wand in Burnt Amber*, which launches in June.

The product which I was most excited about was the Dual Ended Eye Wand, which is yet to officially launch. The shade I have, Burnt Amber, has both a gorgeous champage-pink which reminds me a lot of Urban Decay's Sin, and a coppery amber shade that looks like MAC's Woodwinked. If you have both of these shades I'd still recommend picking this up because although the shades are very similar, the creamy consistency and the pigmentation of these make them a dream to work with.

I love wearing this as a duo as the shades really compliment each other. For a day-time appropriate look I use the pinky shade all over my lid & smudge a little of the brown shade into my lash line for some extra definition. As a night-time makeup look, I do the same yet add some more brown into my crease and outer V. If you're in a rush or going straight from work to a special occasion, this would do perfectly!

The Lip Glide in Deep Scarlet* is another gorgeous product but I have to say, I don't think it's on par with the Enchanted Eye product. It's a semi-matte deep red crayon and although I own a lot of products similar to this, I just don't find it as good quality as my others. The shade of it however is stunning - a gorgeous deep red with a slight berry tone that looks super flattering, I just find the formula too drying to compare with some others I own.

* indicates PR sample

Have you tried any products from MeMeMe Cosmetics?

An Ombre Blackstar Dupe

A dupe for one of the most sought after beauty products

I've become lazy with my makeup recently. I love sitting down to do my makeup every morning and experimenting with different ways to hide my horrible eye bags but sometimes, 30-45 minutes per day is a bit excessive. Therefore I set myself a mission to find a highstreet dupe to the By Terry Ombre Blackstar, a product that has been on my wishlist for such a long time due to the ease of applying it. Then I found these beauties - the No7 Shade & Define sticks that come it at a mere £8 each, meaning they're a complete steal.

One of the shades I have is called Cool Mink, a gorgeous shade for applying all over the lid. On an everyday basis I use Cool Mink as a base, then smudge Coffee Bean into the crease of my eye & on my lash line to give my eye some definition. The amazing things about these shadow sticks are the versatility - you can create a soft, blown-out look; a heavy dramatic smokey eye; use them to smudge liner; the possibilities are endless! They're also amazingly creamy and easy to blend, meaning you can get a lovely makeup look which would look like it took hours to create when it only took a matter of seconds!

What's your favourite eyeshadow?

MAC Ravishing Lipstick Review

Yet another MAC lipstick has been added to my lipstick collection - I just can't help myself. The latest addition is Ravishing; one that I picked up because I've never seen another lipstick similar to it before (which is rather unusual considering my mum tells everybody I have the aisles of Boots stocked in my bedroom).

It is a gorgeous beautiful coral shade with a Cremesheen formula. This basically means it's really comfortable to wear, sheer and light. It's described as a "clean light peachy coral" and I couldn't have put it any better myself. It's perfect for Summer months and looks gorgeous when worn with a winged liner. As with all Cremesheen formulas, the wear time isn't the best. It lasts a good 2-3 hours before reapplication is needed but as I've said previously, I don't mind touching it up.

The only thing I'm not too keen on is that it only looks nice when I've self tanned. The combination of the orange tones and the peachiness means that it completely washes out my pale skin. Overall, a really comfortable and lovely lipstick for everyday wear. I would definitely recommend if you're not as ghostly pale as I am!

What's your favourite MAC lipstick?

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara Review

When it comes to mascaras, I think Maybelline do some of the best. I've been a huge fan of their mascaras ever since I started wearing makeup, with their newest launch, Lash Sensational, being my daily tool for my lashes. I randomly picked up Great Lash when I had a coupon for some money off & I had high hopes considering it was Maybelline, but I have to say, I really am disappointed.

This reminds me a lot of their Brow Drama, which I reviewed & hated last year. It did nothing for my brows despite the ambitious name, and added nothing but a horrible texture. I feel like this is the same but just for my lashes. The wand is nothing fancy and is pretty bog-standard, but the formula itself just doesn't 'grip' to my lashes so doesn't make a difference whatsoever. Because I didn't get along with it to begin with, I left it around 2 weeks and tried it again. Still the same results - no difference.

From what I've read on other blogs, this mascara seems to be pretty hit-and-miss. Another thing I really don't like about this is the packaging. It's bright and stands out in my mascara collection, but I can't help think it looks like one of those cheap lip glosses you get from an 8 year old's magazine. Overall I'm really not a fan of this & for an extra £2, I'd definitely recommend picking up Lash Sensational instead!

What's your favourite mascara?

Rodial Glamtox Skincare Range

I've recently converted to the Parisian style of beauty - spending more time on skincare & less on makeup to give me a naturally fresh look. Since the New Year I've been putting skincare to the forefront of my whole beauty regime so when I was given the chance to review Rodial's Glamtox skincare range, I jumped at the chance.

The first thing I tried out was the Glamtox Day Cream (£75)*, a cream that promises to reduce the apperance of wrinkles and keep moisture in the skin. Because I'm only 17 and don't really have any wrinkles to treat, I can't comment on that (although my mum has tried it before and swears by it!), it does a great job at keeping my skin feeling moisturised. The thing I love most about this is that it contains an SPF of 15; so I don't have to apply it seperately in my skincare routine.

I also received the Glamtox Night Cream (£90)*, the product that should be applied in the evening just before you go to sleep. This one is slightly more expensive & is meant to improve imperfections. I have to say that it has massively improved the condition of my skin and leaves it looking less blotchy than usual.

Finally are the Glamtox Neck Masks (£56)* which again, didn't suit me so I gave my mum to give me an honest run-down of what she thought. She said that this was her favourite skincare product she'd ever used (which is amazing - she has a tray in the bathroom of over 100 skincare products!) because it improved the condition and firmness of her neck massively. She also loved that there was no waste as sometimes with tubs of product, you apply too much or can't get to the bottom of the jar. With this, you simply apply it over your neck for about half an hour & she claims it to have instant, improved results.

One thing I have to mention about the whole Glamtox range is that the smell is divine. It smells citrusy but not in an overpowering "I daren't put this chemical-smelling-thing on my face!" kind of way. All in all, great results all-round!

* indicates PR sample. full disclaimer here.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE SKINCARE PRODUCT?

The Easy Summer-Glow Tan

It's been well-documented on my Twitter feed that I'm a fake-tan newbie. The last time I tried it was when I was in Year 8, dousing my legs in a thick brown goo and ending up with streaks when it rained. Trust me, it's a good thing that I have no photos - you'd be shocked at how bad it actually was. That whole experience has put me off fake tanning for the past five years until recently, when I decided that I'd had enough of being ghostly pale.

Because my skin is bright white, most self tanners look absolutely hideous on me. I've heard great things about the St Tropez Gradual Tan, so I thought that whilst I'm still able to cover my legs (if needed), I'd give it a go. Unlike the tanners I used back in the day, it's so easy to apply and doesn't end up streaky whatsoever. It's an everyday lotion but I only use it every 3-4 days because it's quite expensive, but I think the key to making your tan last longer is keeping your skin moisturised.

Overall I'm so shocked that I've finally found a self-tan that doesn't make me look like an extra in TOWIE. A nice, natural glow is more my style!

What's your favourite fake tan?