LORAC Pro Palette : Review

A recent discovery that Nordstrom not only sell LORAC Cosmetics, but even better ship to the UK, led to a rather hefty online purchase of one too many eyeshadow palettes. Anyone living in England will understand the difficulty of getting your hands on these beauty gems. Once I realised, I simply couldn’t resist placing an order after a long year lusting over online reviews. I am happy to report that my expectations were exceeded and I have the low down on the original LORAC Pro Palette.

The first thing I noticed when sliding this from its packaging, was how surprisingly sleek it is. The palette is lightweight and ideal for traveling with; yet filled with a variety of fourteen stunning shades.

Inside is the ultimate collection of light, neutral shades and darker, cooler tones, spread over an even mix of eight matte and eight shimmer shadows. Each is the perfect sized square for easily dabbing your brush into. This has quickly become my favourite palette and will be featuring in countless future tutorials.

The formulation of these shadows do not disappoint; they are creamy, buttery and blend seamlessly. They are highly pigmented and one simple swish will leave an opaque wash of colour over your lid. I love the simple design of this palette; it is understated yet sophisticated and hidden inside is an array of amazing eyeshadows.

Two further boxes on the attribute checklist of the ideal travelling palette are also ticked off as this contains a large mirror and miniature Behind the Scenes Eye Primer. This primer creates the perfect smooth, matte base for your shadows to sit on top off and keeps the colour looking intense and flawless. 

This review would not be complete without a final shoutout to the shades I love the most. From the matte collection, I adore Expresso and Sable for adding definition through my crease. Narrowing down the shimmers is definitely a struggle; Gold, Garnett, Pewter and Deep Purple are all stunning. In particular, Garnett and Pewter stand out as unique and unlike anything I already have in my collection.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone that is able to get their hands on it or are willing to pay the unfortunate shipping costs to become the proud owner. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. I hope you enjoyed this little review and be sure to follow my blog so you don’t miss out on the low down of the Pro 2 Palette!

Devon

xoxo

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Beauty 411 : Primers

I am a firm believer that to achieve a long-wearing flawless finish, your makeup routine should always kick off with a decent primer. This invisible yet powerful base will improve the appearance and wear of any makeup sitting on top. In this post I shall share my dynamic duo for ensuring an impeccable finish that lasts as long as possible. 

Both these products are each primer a-listers in their own right; however their performance is even more impressive when paired together as I often do.

Firstly I apply the Stila One Step Correct Colour Corrector; a triple-swirled helix serum to even out and brighten my skin tone. My attention was instantly captured by the intertwining lavender, peach and green serums that swirl up the centre of the bottle. 

When you pump the product out you are left with a swirl of the three tones, which then blend seamlessly into your skin. The effect is to add life to a dull complexion by calming down redness as well as blurring out uneven skin tone and imperfections. 

Once I have this initial base, I then add the Benefit Porefessional Primer to my t-zone. This is the area where I suffer the most with large pores, breakouts and oily skin. This primer provides extra power for keeping my makeup in place and looking flawless on top of these troublesome areas. 

This Benefit primer is a holy grail beauty product that is worth the hype. It blends into my skin to even out all imperfections and create a smooth, matte base for my makeup to sit on top off. 

Once I have this perfect base I can trust that any foundation I wear on top will blend evenly, look flawlessly smooth and last a lot longer. If I were to suggest one beauty product for anyone to invest in it would always be a flaw-defying primer.

I hope that you all enjoyed this Beauty 411 post and I would love to hear what you think either in the comments below. What is your favourite primer or makeup essential?

Devon

xoxo

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Monthly Favourites : February

As February draws to a close, its time to look back over this short but sweet month and round up my favourites. This month has mainly been one of happy discoveries, with new skincare products entering my holy grail list and a few too many guilty makeup purchases. I am excited to share with you all the gems I have stumbled across as well as my TV, music and blogger favourite of the month.

1.  Makeup 

After constantly reading about the coveted Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz and suffering from one too many brow mishaps, I finally invested in my very own eyebrow saving pencil. I can happily report that this is one product that is definitely worth the hype. It is a retractable pencil in a perfect matte brown shade and is thin enough to mimic the appearance of fine hairs. Whilst I’m not quite rocking the power brows of Cara D just yet, I am definitely now on the right track with this little Wiz.

In my recent Cult Beauty Haul, I became the very proud (if slightly broke) owner of the Stila In The Light Palette. I am a true eyeshadow addict, and I can never resist the temptation of yet another palette of mesmerising shades to add to my collection. I have loved playing around with the array of looks this one allows you to create. It is ideal for anyone looking to invest in one palette that they can rely on for any occasion. This will seamlessly transition your look from day to night with neutral browns and light shimmers as well as a few cooler dark shades.

My final makeup favourite this month has been the Tropic Contour Palettes, which have become a permeant fixture of my daily makeup routine. I have both the Bronze and Blush shades and you can read a whole review on them here. Each palette has a contour shade, one for adding colour and a highlighter. They are of an amazing quality, blend seamlessly into your skin and are made from 100% natural plant extracts.

2.  Skincare

Moving swiftly onto skincare, this month I discovered the Tropic Brand and have fallen head over heals for their entire line. I wrote a post dedicated to their basic ABC cleansing routine, but two specific products that my skin has been loving is the Tamanu Healing Balm and Face Smooth. The Balm is intensely moisturising and is perfect for hydrating your skin and healing any active breakouts or acne scarring. I have been applying a thick layer every evening before bed and wake up with a glowing complexion.

I also adore the Face Smooth, which is the best exfoliating product that I have ever tried. It perfectly polishes your complexion whilst also providing a layer of moisture. Once I wash this off, my skin is left glowing, nourished and baby soft.

3.  T.V.  and  Music

I know I am massively late on the bandwagon with this one, but I finally clicked on the Pretty Little Liars icon on my Netflix home screen. This has become a serious addiction of mine and I embarrassed to admit that I have managed to make it onto the third season in little over two weeks. 

The two albums that I have been addicted to this month are Taylor Swift 1989 and George Ezra Wanted on Voyage, both of which I have had playing on repeat throughout February.

4.  Blogger

My blogger/YouTuber favourite this month has without a doubt been FleurDeForce. Fleur was my first glimpse into this amazing world of online beauty gurus; three years later and I am still entirely hooked. Whilst I love her beauty videos, it is her FebVlog series that I have been addicted to this month. For me, Fleur has the perfect vlogging techniques, she is so natural on camera that it feels like I am sitting chatting and catching up with a best friend. I only wish she daily vlogged every month!

That’s officially it for this months favourites, I hope you enjoyed this post and I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. What has been your beauty and non-beauty February Favourites?

Devon

xoxo

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Drugstore Stars | Rimmel Lasting Finish By Kate

As a champion of drugstore makeup and a secret lipstick hoarder, I have without a doubt tried my fair share of high street lip products. From Maybelline to Max Factor, satin to matte and balm to stain, I have trailed them all and want to share the lipsticks that I crown as best at the drugstore. I already dedicated a post to my love of the luxurious Revlon Super Lustrous, now I want to talk all about the equally amazing and even more of a bargain Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss.

These lipsticks are intensely pigmented with a rich, long-lasting colour all for a wallet friendly £5.49. The formula is infused with black diamonds that reflect the light to create a stunning, multi-tonal shine. The lipstick is available in 13 mesmerising shades, ranging from soft nudes to deep berry-toned reds and bright pinks. It is also available in 4 matte shades, which create the perfect velvety finish and mean that there is truly an option to suit everyone. 

The first I ever bought from this range was in fact from the matte collection, shade 107 a gorgeous deep red. This comes in a red bullet with a slanted top that is stamped with the Rimmel London crest and Kate’s signature is spiralled across the lid. I adore these bullets; they are smooth, weighty and are a stunning addition to any makeup collection.

(Shade: matte 107)

These have an incredible wear time, although as they are matte they can dry out your lips. However this is easily fixed by simply wearing a nourishing lip balm before and after you wear this gorgeous shade. 

The main line of the Lasting Finish Lipsticks come in a black version of the same sleek bullet. They are intensely moisturising, amazingly pigmented and wear well with only the odd touch up needed throughout the day. 

(Shade: 30)

As a lover of the classic red lip, I was powerless to resist the shade 30 when I spotted it amongst the Rimmel display and it swiftly became my favourite dark lip. This is a stunning wine red with berry undertones. 

(Shade: 03)

One of my favourite nude lipsticks is also a member of the Lasting Finish collection; the shade 03 is the perfect balance between a pink and brown toned nude. The slight pink undertone stops this from being too light and causing you to look ill, but rather creates the perfect moisturised shine for a ‘your lips but better’ finish. 

(Shade: 08)

A final and long-time favourite of mine is the shade 08, a gorgeous mauve tone that adds a slightly darker colour to your lips without being overly obvious. This is the perfect shade for day or night and one that I have adorned endlessly since I purchased. 

(Left to right: 107, 30, 08, 03)

I really believe that for little more than a fiver you receive an amazing product and I hope you all enjoyed this mini review of the Lasting Finish Lipsticks. I would love to hear what you think in the comments below as well as your favourite drugstore brands. I read and appreciate all of your comments. You can also read all about my top Drugstore Red Lipsticks and top Nude Lipsticks to help find the perfect one for you.

Devon

xoxo

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Tropic Sculpting Palettes : Review

After discovering and falling head over heals for the Tropic Skincare line, I was powerless to resist trying their makeup when I realised this was an area they also dabbled in. Whether it be shadow, concealer or blush; I am a girl who simply cannot resist a good makeup palette. There is something about lifting a sleek lid to reveal a mesmerising array of shades to choose from that I find entirely too exciting. Therefore, when flicking through their catalogue, the Sculpting Palettes immediately caught my attention. I have been using these endlessly since purchasing them and I can not wait to share how amazing they are. 

These palettes are available in two shades; a bronze and a blush. Each contain a powder to add contour, one for adding colour and a highlighter. All the shades are natural and perfect for adding a subtle flush of colour, chiselled cheekbones and a dewy glow. Even more impressive is that, like with the Skincare line, the powders are entirely made from 100% natural plant extracts, yet they are amongst the best I have ever tried. 

The Blush Sculpting Palette includes a shade for contouring, which is the perfect grey toned matte brown for mimicking a natural shadow. I apply this to create a lovely definition along my cheekbones, temples, jawline and the sides of my nose. 

The second shade is a blush for adding colour to the apples of your cheeks. This a soft pink and would look lovely on most skin tones, the powder itself is highly pigmented and you only need a light dusting to create a natural flush. 

The final powder is a pink-toned highlighter, which adds a gorgeous shimmer to the tops of your cheekbones and down the bridge of your nose. I find that this perfectly reflects the light in a way that leaves your skin looking radiant.

The Bronze Sculpting Palette also contains a grey-toned matte brown for adding a natural contour. There is then a bronzing shade to apply on top of where you have contoured to warm up your complexion. This is the perfect bronzer as it is not muddy or too orange and only has a slight shimmer to it. 

The final shade of this palette is a white, icy highlighter that adds the perfect shimmer to the tops of your cheekbones, bridge of your nose and cupids bow to create a glowing and tanned complexion.

I adore both of these palettes as the shades are highly pigmented and they blend seamlessly into your skin to create a subtle glow and natural flush of colour. They are priced at £24.00 each, however for that price you receive a large mirror and three large powders; all of which are of a high quality, 100% natural and will leave you with a radiant complexion. I would recommend these too anyone who is looking for a new contouring palette and I am excited to try more makeup from the Tropic line.

Thank you for reading and I would love to hear what you think in the comments below. I love, read and appreciate all of your messages. If you would like to know all about the Tropic Skincare line then you can read my posts on there Cleansing Routine, Healing Balm, and amazing Face Polish.

Devon

xoxo

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Beginners Makeup Bag

As someone who is all too familiar with the extensive makeup offerings now available, I can appreciate how baffling the choice may be for someone who is new to beauty. I wish that I had had someone to tell me the right approach to entering the world of makeup that I was entirely enticed by in my early teen years. This may have avoided the silver glitter that adorned the gap between my eyelashes and eyebrows or the permanent orange line that defined my face when I was fifteen. This post shall breakdown the beauty basics so that, unlike myself, you can start out with your right foot forward.

If you are new to makeup then a light BB cream is the perfect base rather than a full coverage, heavy foundation. A BB cream can be easily applied with your fingers, similar to a moisturiser. Simply focus the majority of the product in the centre of your face where you require the most coverage and blend outwards. 

The two BB creams I've added to this mini collection are both oil free and targeted towards blemish prone skin, perfect if you are currently battling teenage skin. Option number one was featured in my Top Drugstore Foundations for Light Coverage and is the Garnier BB Skin Perfecter, my second choice is the Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream. Both will provide a natural coverage that will even your skin tone, blur imperfections and have the added benefit of actively tackling your breakouts. 

On top of this light base you can use a concealer to add extra coverage to blemishes and skin imperfections. My favourite option is the Collection Lasting Perfection, an infamous drugstore option amongst beauty bloggers. This concealer is a complete bargain as for only £4.19 you get a gorgeous creamy coverage that completely hides skin imperfections without creasing.

To finish of this simple base, I would add a translucent powder to set your makeup in place and keep your t-zone shine free throughout the day. I love the Soap & Glory 'One Heck of A Blot', it will mattify your skin without adding too much coverage and causing your face to look one dimensional or cakey.

For eye makeup, the Max Factor Clump Defy is the perfect mascara to get you started. This amazingly elongates and adds volume without clumping your lashes together and making them look unnatural. Your eyes end up defined with gorgeous long, fluttery lashes. 

Whilst the next two products aren’t essential for a beginner, they are the perfect first step into the dazzling world of eye makeup. This combo is a quick, bulletproof way to add definition to your eyes. Simply dab the Maybelline Color Tattoo in the shade 'And On Bronze' onto your lid with your ring finger and blend this out around the edge of your eye. 

You can then use the Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in black either along your inner water line, or smudge it out along your upper lash line for an effortless smokey eye. 

My last additions to this basic collection are to add natural colour to your complexion. The first is a Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blusher in the shade ‘soft pink’, which will add a subtle glow to your cheeks. Simply use your fingers to apply a small amount to the apples of cheeks and then continue to dab in circles to blend this out for a natural flush.

You can finish by adding the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipstick in the shade 'the missing pink'. This is a gorgeous pink-toned nude that is pigmented and has a creamy consistency that is not only comfortable to wear but also intensely moisturising. It is easy to apply and creates the perfect 'your lips but better' finish.

I hope that this basic collection helps anyone who is new to makeup and feels a tad overwhelmed by the ample choices available. I would love to hear what you think in the comments below as I read and appreciate all of your messages. Thanks for reading!

Devon

xoxo

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Cult Beauty Haul

I recently stumbled across the Cult Beauty website during a moment of weakness and an urge for new additions to my makeup collection. Whilst I promised myself a one purchase maximum followed by a quick beeline to the checkout, those sneaky sidebars caught my attention one too many times. My intention to buy one desperately required eyebrow pencil turned into a mini shopping spree and I am excited to share my impulse buys with you all. You can also hear about the guilty purchases I made on the high street in my recent Drugstore Haul.

This Cult Beauty shopping splurge featured two particular brands; the stunning Stila Cosmetics and the queen of all things brows, Anastasia Beverly Hills.

My initial reason for souring the Cult Beauty site was to source out the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. Since a pair of a good brows is increasingly becoming THE most important makeup ritual for any beauty addict in 2015; I felt obliged to finally purchase the product that has every beauty blogger recreating the coveted power brows of Cara Delevingne for themselves.

I hope that I am not alone in my love hate relationship and never ending battle to perfect my eyebrows. Although the situation has definitely improved since I decided to invest in monthly HD sessions, when left to my own devices things quickly go downhill. 

This double ended gadget has a spooly on one end for perfectly brushing out those unruly hairs and a retractable pencil on the other. I have the shade dark brown which matches my natural hair colour perfectly and the pencil itself is impeccably thin allowing for you to easily recreate the appearance of fine hairs.

After adding the Brow Wiz to my basket, I couldn’t resist clicking on the equally infamous DipBrow Pomade that was calling out to me in the sidebar. 

I also picked this up in the shade dark brown and this gel-like product works amazingly well with an angled brush to create waterproof, long-lasting and natural looking brows. I am confident that this dynamic duo will help my eyebrow nightmares become a thing of the past. 

(Left to right: Brow Wiz, DipBrow)

On a recent attempt to recreate a feline flick, I sadly discovered that all of my liquid liners had dried up. Is it just me, or does anyone else find themselves questioning whether their makeup conspires against them to all run out at the same time? 

I decided that whilst online to add the Stila Waterproof Liquid Liner in the shade 'intense black' to my basket. I had been desperately waiting to purchase this for a while as liner displaces so easily on my small, oily eyelids and I am eager to see whether this lives up to its ‘stay all day’ claim.

Before I could proceed to the checkout, the side bar caught my attention one last time and, as a self-confessed eyeshadow addict, I was powerless to resist clicking on the mini Stila In The Light icon. It took embarrassingly little convincing on my part to add this palette of ten dreamy nude shades to my basket. 

This gorgeous rose gold palette is filled with a selection of six shimmer and four nude shades as well as a handy smudge proof eyeliner in the shade 'chocolate'. The palette also has a large mirror inside and an inspirational quote that will put a smile on your face whilst you deliberate which stunning shades to adorn your eyes with that day. 

From an initial swatch of the shadows they look creamy, highly pigmented and my imagination is already running wild with the array of looks I can create. It looks like the perfect palette to transition you from day to night with light, warm-toned nudes as well as a couple darker cooler shades for a more dramatic finish. 

After this final addition, I made a swift exit to the checkout before any other gorgeous products could test my limited restraint and deplete my entire bank account. Although, I loved my first experience shopping on Cult Beauty and I will definitely be heading back there soon!

I hope you all enjoyed this mini high-end haul and I would love to hear what you think in the comments below or you can get in touch on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. I read and appreciate all of your messages!

Devon 

xoxo

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Skincare Week : Cleaning Makeup Brushes

The final instalment of this Skincare Week shall be dedicated to the monotonous task of washing your makeup tools; something we all avoid by buying Boots out of their stock of eye shadow brushes (or is that just me?). As boring as this simple task can be, regularly cleaning your brushes is essential for good skincare and a clear complexion. 

Bacteria on your skin transfers onto your brush and sets up camp alongside the makeup left behind that you were applying, this stays firmly rooted in your bristles until washed away. A fresh layer of bacteria and makeup is then added every time you use that brush, see where I'm heading here? There are two ways to wash your makeup brushes, both have their role in keeping your tools bacteria free and your skin clear. 

1. Spot Cleaning

This is a quick cleanse of your makeup brushes in-between uses. Spot cleaning is like swiping an anti-bacterial wipe over your brush to remove previous bacteria build up before you use it that day. This is how it can be used for foundation applicators, or it can also be used to quickly remove product from an eyeshadow brush so that you have a clean tool to apply a new colour with. 

I currently love using the inexpensive yet effective No7 Brush Cleaner. I simply squirt a couple pumps onto either a cotton wool pad or a clean muslin cloth. I then swirl my brush around in circles until the majority of the product has been removed. I leave the brush for 5-10 minutes, depending on it's size, till it has dried before using it. This is the perfect quick-fix in-between deep cleaning your brushes to prevent product and bacteria build up. 

2. Deep Cleaning

This is a thorough cleanse of your makeup brushes and should be done once a month to ensure all trace of bacteria and product is regularly removed. This is also important for the care of your brushes; makeup tools can be expensive and should be looked after so that the bristles stay of a high quality for as long as possible. 

When soaking your brushes be sure to only ever use a gentle shampoo as to not damage the bristles and to keep them soft. You can either buy a specific brush shampoo, or a cheaper alternative is using an unscented baby shampoo. I am currently using the Dr Organic Virgin Olive Oil Shampoo, this is paraben free and so will not damage the brushes. Also, the olive oil makes this intensely moisturising so that the bristles are left feeling especially soft.

To deep clean my brushes I run lukewarm water and squeeze a small drop of the shampoo into my hand. I then wet my brush under the tap and swirl it around in the shampoo in my palm. I then squeeze the water from my brush and repeat this process until the water runs clean. 

To make sure you take the best care of your brushes always hold them by the handle so that the water runs from the bristles down and not from the hairs back into the handle. The water will damage the glue holding the hairs in place, causing them to fall out.

Once you have finished washing your brush lay it down on a towel to dry. The brush head should be hanging over the edge of a counter so that, as it dries, it doesn’t become misshaped from being pushed flat against the side. Leave them to dry overnight and by morning they should be clean and ready to use.

I hope you found this helpful and a gentle reminder of the importance of clean brushes for a clear complexion; especially if you already suffer with acne. If the bacteria that transfers from your blemishes onto your brushes is not removed, then this can make your breakouts worse the next time you use them. I would love to hear what you think in the comments below as I read and appreciate all of your messages.

I hope you all enjoyed this Skincare Week series and that there was something helpful for everyone. If you missed any posts then be sure to go back and read my current cleansing routine, my Acne Do’s and Don’ts or my top tips for using makeup to conceal your spots. There is also a post on my favourite face masks and reviews on the Tropic Tamanu Healing Balm and Face Smooth.

Devon

xoxo

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