Autumn Lipsticks for All Budgets

I always blab on about how Autumn is my favourite season, and it really is! But I'm pretty sure it doesn't usually rain this much! I have soo many outfit posts I want to do, but I always miss out on those ten minute windows where it's not actually raining. So instead of the outfit posts, I thought I'd focus instead on autumn lippy. Being a student, it's hard to find a balance when it comes to what I spend money on. Yes, I really want that YSL lipstick at £25, but the Topshop one will do just fine at £9. With this in mind, I thought I'd go through a few of my favourite shades I've noticed over the past few weeks that can fit into any budget. 

Charlottle Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Birkin Brown, Selfridges, £23.

This is the perfect Autumnal shade, with that nice mix of red and brown that will complement any skintone. Also, I think this colour is very versatile, it could definitely be worn in the daytime or at night. 

MAC Cosmetics Lipstick in Sin, Debenhams, £15.50.

I actually have this lipstick and I love it, it's the perfect dark red for Autumn. I would recommend getting the lip liner in Burgundy too because the matte texture of the lipstick mean it's a little hard to apply.

L'oreal Colour Riche Collection Privee Red in Blake, Superdrug, £6.99. 

I know some people find really dark lipstick intimidating, but this red isn't as dark as Sin above. It's a nice texture and pretty purse friendly!

Topshop lipstick in Armour, Topshop, £9.

This shade is quite obviously very different from the others I've chosen but I think the metallic finish is great for a night out this Autumn. There are also 2 other metallic shades so you can find the perfect one for you, this is my fave. The colour is a really pretty rose gold and it's really long lasting. 

Seventeen Lasting Fix Lipstick in New Black, Boots, £4.29.

New Black is a dark plummy purple, a really deep shade. I would recommend using  a base liner in the same shade however as it doesn't apply too well, can't argue with the price though. 

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Jilted, Selfridges, £15.

This plummy colour is brighter and lighter than New Black and it also has a bit of a sheen to it. It would look great for a night out. 

Tom Ford Lipstick in Deep Mink, Harrods, £37. 

I really liked all the Tom Ford Autumn range, but it's literally sold out everywhere! This colour isn't specifically from the Autumn range but I do think it's a good colour for Autumn. I'm a fan of brown lipsticks, I think they can look great in the daytime as an alternative to a pinky nude. 

What is your favourite lipstick shade for Autumn? Leave me a comment!

Bambi in NYC: What I Bought, Make-Up

As you'll probably already know, I did a LOT of shopping on my recent trip to New York and this is my second post showing all my purchases. If you missed my first NYC post, you can see it here. 

This next instalment features all the make-up products I bought, mainly MAC. I love MAC make-up and it's such a bargain in the USA compared to UK prices. Although I did want to try some other brands, I know MAC is good already and suits my skin so I bought that instead. Also, Sephora was a little overwhelming and I panicked!

I've wanted a Naked palette for a while now and Naked 2 is my favourite. I waited to buy one in New York because the pricing is so different. This will definitely become one of my make-up staples, the neutral shades are perfect for any occasion.

MAC lipsticks are only £9 in America! I am so jealous of the Americans who get to take advantage of that price all the time. As well as an everyday nude shade, I bought some bold Autumnal colours too. 
L-R Kinda Sexy, Captive, Russian Red, Sin.

I never really use lip liner but I was so surprised how much more polished a red lip looks with a liner. This liner is Kiss Me Quick. 

I love the Victoria's Secret body products and they were 5 for $30, here they are £14 each! The saving was huge so my sister and I bought 5 products between us. 

Body sprays are a definite must-have of mine, I like to wear them during the day and then I'll use a perfume in the evening. 

This coconut and vanilla body lotion smells amazing! It smells like holidays and I love it. 

I also bought a Benefit Gimme Brow eyebrow gel, look out for a product review coming soon!

My NYC Wishlist

So this Saturday I'm going to New York for five days and I'm so excited! As well as shopping on Fifth Avenue being a dream come true, it's also Fashion Week whilst I'm there, definitely be creeping and celeb-spotting! 
I plan on doing a loooooooot of shopping whilst I'm away so I thought I'd share my wishlist with you all...

Michael Kors satchel, 'Sutton' medium. 
I am in love with this bag! So classic, not sure whether to get this nude colour or black though.. hmmm. Wish I could get both!

J Brand jeand, Indigo Sateen Maria in 'Atmosphere'.
Skinny jeans are my favourite and I've wanted a pair of J brand jeans for years. The pricing in the US is so different to here, so excited to finally get some!

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette.
I've become obsessed with everything nude, whether its lippy or eyeshadow so I need to add this to my growing collection.

NARS Lipstick in Fire Down Below.
I want a really dark burgundy red lipstick and I think this is the perfect shade for Autumn. 

Kate Spade New York watch.

Last year my boyfriend bought me a gorgeous gold Vivienne Westwood watch. I love it but I think I need a silver watch now too (I know, such a shopaholic!). I really like this Kate Spade one as it's so big but not chunky.

iPad Air.

Carrying a laptop around at uni is such a hassle, so an iPad is perfect! 

Tiffany 1837 ring in silver.

It's my birthday at the end of September so my boyfriend is giving me some money to buy this ring for my birthday whilst I'm away. And I didn't even have to hint anything to him... 

There are sooo many more things I plan on buying in New York, especially from MAC, Benefit and Sephora, but these are the main few I'll be looking out for especially. I'm sure I'll come back with lots of clothes too, looking forward to visiting Barney's 7th floor! I've also been told the Forever 21 and H&M on Fifth are really good. I really can't wait to go now! I'll be back next Thursday so look out for some NYC themed posts next week!

Latest in Beauty, The Glamour Beauty Edit Box July 2014

If you are looking for some new beauty products but you aren't really sure where to start, then this is the beauty box for you. The Glamour Beauty Edit Box is full of great products that you will actually use and love. It also includes a newly launched Illamasqua lipstick! The box is worth over £80, but costs just £16.95.. You all know I love a bargain!
I received my box around two weeks ago but I held off on blogging it until I'd had enough time to test everything out.

The Illamasqua Glamore lipsticks usually retail for £18.50. This whole box costs £16.95. I think you know where I'm going with this...Value. For. Money. Plus you get 8 other items! Illamasqua have only just launched their new nude shades within the Glamore line and each box contains one full-size lipstick.  

The shade I received is called 'Buff', and although it looks a little brown I actually really like the colour. It's completely different to what I would usually choose and it's really long-wearing.

I have never used a cleansing 'oil' before so I was a little sceptical as my skin can get quite oily on it's own but I really love this product! This is a deluxe sample size, but I think it's more than enough really. You only need to use a small amount and this oil literally removes every scrap of make-up, even waterproof mascara! It's also really moisturising. I think I will definitely invest in a full bottle once this sample runs out.

This product I found a little strange if I'm honest! It's literally a tube of little white fibres that you brush on your eyelashes between two coats of mascara. It's meant to give your eyelashes that false effect without the fuss, but I'm not sold unfortunately. I've used this a couple of times now and I can honestly say I can't really see a difference. Maybe I expected a little too much of this product? I don't know but I am a little disappointed.

I've never used a cream blush before (I know, I need to broaden my horizons!), but I really like this. It looks so dewy and fresh on the skin, not the usual powdery look I usually get with blusher. It's also really easy to blend! A big thumbs up from me!

I love trying new hair products, and this Toni and Guy Volume Whip didn't disappoint. It adds volume without leaving roots greasy or sticky. It's great if your hair tends to sit a little flat after you normally blow dry it because it's so weightless.

This Crabtree and Evelyn nail polish is a really nice, bright rosy-red shade. Although it does take a couple of coats to fully cover your nails. 

I've never actually used a tanning mitt on myself before as I don't normally fake tan. I'm more of a gradual tanning moisturiser kind of girl but this mitt is really useful for applying that too! It doesn't leave any streaks and blends whatever tan you are using perfectly. Also, no orange hands! 

As I said, I don't generally use fake tan, but I really liked this one. It's only meant to last 24hours and I think that is perfect. It's a BB cream and tan all in one so it's really moisturising. If you just want to be tanned for a special event, this tan scrubs right off in the shower the morning afterwards. So no annoying streaks! 

Unfortunately I'd already been on holiday when I ordered my box so I didn't get to test this suncream against the Turkish sunshine but I have tried it out here. I went on a long walk with my friend in a bandeau top and I usually always sunburn my shoulders but this time I didn't! This cream provides excellent protection and it smells amazing! Giving me massive holiday blues already!

I really think this box is amazing value for money, it;s full of amazing products and I'm so happy I purchased it! Get yours here.   

Semi-Permanent Make-Up - the make-up of the future?

Have you heard of semi-permanent make-up? Maybe you have and you aren't really sure what it is. Very recently this whole new area of cosmetics was brought to my attention and I thought I should perhaps focus on it in more detail.

The term 'semi-permanent make-up', also known as micropigmentation, covers a range of cosmetic treatments that involve inserting small amounts of pigment (ink) into the dermal layer of the skin in order to enhance and add to [typically] female features. This state-of-the-art procedure, which is essentially tattooed on make-up, is being used increasingly by celebrities as a way to streamline their beauty rituals. Celebrities such as Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Lucy Meck, Louise Roe, Angelina Jolie and Amy Childs are among the widening variety of stars who are reportedly fans of the procedure.

The range of treatments typically includes eyebrow enhancement, eye liner and lip liner. Also there are semi-permanent cosmetic treatments for beauty marks, scar camouflage and areola  reconstruction. All these procedures use a technique which is far less invasive than traditional tattooing, hence the 'semi-permanent' tagline. It is general consensus that while people's skin differs widely, semi-permanent cosmetics can last anything from one to five years.  

There are very obvious benefits to having your make-up tattooed on: semi-permanent make-up has been dubbed the 'make-up you wake up in'. I for one cannot apply eyeliner to save my life, it's never even and it never looks as good as I hope! If my eyeliner was already permanently applied for me, this would no longer be such a chore. The same goes for the eyebrow treatments. Having perfectly shaped and defined eyebrows 24/7 sounds like a dream! If you have a signature look, or are looking to make your mornings a whole lot easier, semi-permanent make-up may actually be the answer for you.

If you are not naturally blessed with full lips but you love the Rosie Hungtington-Whitely look, you could enhance your lips with semi-permanent lip liner. I think the lips below still look incredibly natural.

However, there is a darker side to this new field. Many 'technicians' who claim to be qualified will offer highly discounted treatments to gain customers, but how do you know these people are credible? You are essentially getting a tattoo on your face, you need to ensure it's done correctly! Before you undertake any kind of cosmetic procedure, you should do lots of research into the practitioner and the treatment itself.

I'm excited to find out more about this newly emerging field of cosmetics, are you intrigued? Leave me a comment!

Look out for a post next week where I talk to semi-permanent make-up artist Sue Nightingale (www.suenightingale.co.uk) and learn more about these cutting-edge treatments. 

Benefit 'Bronze of the Champions' Sort-of Tutorial, Sort-of Review

I don't pretend to be an expert when it comes to make-up. In fact the idea of anybody actually taking make-up tips from me is pretty funny since day-to-day I never wear any make-up. However, I promised a closer look at my date night make-up so I decided to make it a little sort-of tutorial; 'sort-of' because I myself am no expert.

What I found really useful about this set was the inclusion of 'Tips and Tricks'. This enables make-up beginners like myself to create the look with minimal confusion or trouble.   

Here goes then...

1. I'm not wearing foundation here, I never really wear it in Summer at all. However I do have on Benefit Pore-Fessional Primer. First I applied the Creaseless Cream eyeshadow in 'Bikini-Tini' to my whole lid.

2. I then blended the Long wear Powder shadow into the corner of my lid, creating a smoky look.

3. Next I attempted some contouring with the Hoola Bronzer. The 'Tips and Tricks' states that applying the bronzer below cheek bones should slim your face. I'm not sure I did this right but I think it looks fine! 

 4. Highlighter comes next. This is the very first time I have ever used highlighter so I was a little wary but I actually really like how it turned out. Again, the 'Tips and Tricks' says to blend this into cheek bones and brow bones, I hope this is clear on the picture.

 5. I used Magnifibres Brush-on False Lashes with Benefit 'They're Real' mascara. The Magnifibres product came in my Latest in Beauty box last week and I've been dying to try them. I'm not all that impressed so far actually, I don't think they made a difference! 

 6. Next I filled in my eyebrows a little with my HD brow palette in 'Foxy', just to add a bit of definition.

7. My lipstick also came in my Latest in Beauty box and is one of the seven new Illamasqua Glamore nude shades. This shade, 'Buff', is not what I would have chosen myself but I'm actually glad I received this colour. It's nice to try something different every once in a while.
I already have the Hoola lipgloss that came with this set but I thought I would try my new lipstick out instead with this set.

That's it! It's that easy. These next few shots show the full look. I'm really pleased with this Benefit set, definitely worth the money. The colours are perfectly neutral and will go with pretty much any outfit. I think paired with the lipstick it works better for night time. For day I'd probably just wear a lipbalm. Get the 'Bronze of the Champions' set from ASOS here. 

I'd love to see some of your favourite make-up tutorials, leave me a comment!