Sunday 12 January 2014

Urban Decay Naked 1 Palette Review

If you’re not one to buy a tonne of eye make up, and haven’t the patience to scour over swatches of different eye shadows and different brands to create your perfect palette, then just invest in this one! It’s been a much hyped palette for a few years now and is still ever popular, even with newer editions (Naked 2, Naked 3, and Naked Basics palettes).



Even when I wear other brands and love them, I never forget the Urban Decay Naked 1 palette - it’s my go to eye shadow that will always be in my kit and personal make up. Normally when you buy an eye shadow palette there may be only a few colours that are wearable, or, that you like all of the colours but they are usually very similar. With the Naked 1 there is a whole range of colours to create different looks. You can create a beautiful pink/ natural look to a full on smokey dark dramatic eye.



It’s priced at £37, which I find amazing value for money for 12 different shades and a mini sized sample of Urban Decays famous primer potion. A little goes a long way and really will last years. I have yet to hit pan! The only down side is, whilst double checking the price online, it seems rather difficult to find it in stock - but hunt for it ladies, it’s worth it.

The colours are all beautiful, and as you can see from the swatches, are buildable, smooth and highly pigmented. I find as long I apply a base colour first, such a MAC paint pot or any sort of base for the eye shadow to then cling on to, it does last all day and doesn’t fade or crease. I find the best way to apply is not to swirl your brush in the product but to use a flat brush and use a small rubbing motion, then pat over the eyelid. Brushing it over the lid will cause the eye shadow to flick all over your face!


Most of the colours are warm toned bronze hued neutrals, but I would say they would suit most completions (Although if you are very fair maybe take a peek at the Naked 2- these are cooler tones) My only complaint would be I wish it had one more matte colour that I could use to blend out within the crease, but that would only be me being a little greedy as I already have 12 colours to play with! Also to watch out when blending more than one colour as at times they can just blend into one if you’re not careful.

Enjoy!


Sunday 5 January 2014

My Top 5 Beauty Picks for £5

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged due to so many distractions over Christmas and probably, let’s face it, some laziness! I hope you all had a great time over the festive period.

But it’s a new year and I’m excited for all the new beauty products that are due out soon, especially Tanya Burr’s new lip and nail range!

As it’s January and probably most of our pockets are under a squeeze this month, I thought I’d do a post on 5 things for under £5 that I feel give me a little winter pick me up – let’s face it with all this weather we could all do with it. So here goes…

1.      Collection lasting perfection: £4.19



This concealer is amazing!!! It comes in 4 great shades - currently I'm in between two, so having to mix but it seriously lasts all day. I never have to re-apply once I’ve powdered over it. If you have any pesky pimples that just won’t be covered, this will do the job. It’s quite a thick consistency but I suppose that’s what makes it last, it isn’t perfumed, and blends beautifully.

2.      Zest magazine: £4.50


I’ve been an avid reader of this magazine for years now and was so disappointed today (when I picked up the January issue) that this was going to be their last one!

Although most health magazines churn out the same tips each month I found that Zest didn’t give you unreasonable goals or unachievable recipes but practical advice for mind and body. Pick up this month’s issue for an uplifting read instead of the usual bombardment of “perfect” celebrity bodies.

3. Barry M Hi Shine Gel Effect Nail Polish £3.99



I always gravitate towards the Barry M section at any high street pharmacy simply as I cannot resist buying another Barry M nail polish. My current favourite in the range is the Hi Shine Gel Effect as it applies thickly and you could possibly get away in some shades with just the single coat. By now I’m starting to tire of the plums and darker shades and I’m looking for a pop of colour. My favourite shade is Green Berry - it’s an amazing bold green and perfect for the dark damp days!


4. Lush lip scrub £5.50
 


Ok, so with this next one I cheated a little going 50p over but I couldn’t leave this lip scrub out. It’s been a staple in my skincare routine this winter. I bought the bubblegum flavoured one which might not be to everyone’s taste but I love it. I’ve been using it at least three times a week followed by my blistex lip balm and no chapped lips this winter- yey!

5. Fresh Air: £ free!!

This one is absolutely free! A simple brisk lunch time walk either with a friend, work colleague or just by yourself can completely uplift your mood at this time of the year. Wrap up warm, wear some practical footwear and get out there! It’s easy to slob over your desk lunchtime but getting out into the fresh air it will give you a mental re-charge, increase metabolism and an immediate de-stress.

----------------------------

So there you go, those are my ‘5 for under £5’ treats! Let me know if you’ve found any gems for under £5.

See you soon