Summer Reads 2017!

Currently, I feel as though so many amazing books are being shared and I want to read them all. Reading is something I don't do much of, like a lot of people, it's the lack of time or just forgetting that you have a new book to start. Anyways, now that it is finally summer, I am on a break and I want to relax by reading so I thought I would motivate myself by writing this post. There are lots of books on my shelf waiting to be read but I have chosen five that are on the top of my list.

Orbiting Jupiter - Gary D.Schmidt

I don't know about you but I love a short book, something jam-packed with action and one that doesn't drag, so I hope that this book is like this. This sounds very different to what I would usually go for but this is part of Zoella's Book Club and Jenifer Niven recommended this, and she writes one of my favourite books so I knew I had to try it.

Summary: "A heartbreaking story, narrated by twelve-year-old Jack, whose family is caring for fourteen-year-old Joseph. Joseph is misunderstood. He was incarcerated for trying to kill a teacher. Or so the rumours say. But Jack and his family see something others in town don’t want to.

What's more, Joseph has a daughter he’s never seen. The two boys go on a journey through the bitter Maine winter to help Joseph find his baby - no matter the cost."

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

This book has been spoken about loads and I have just not read it yet, I have not even seen the film yet. I definitely think that I will enjoy this book but I will have to let you know.

Summary: "Fifteen-year-old Charlie is coping with the suicide of his friend, Michael. To lessen the fear and anxiety of starting high school alone, Charlie starts writing letters to a stranger, someone he heard was nice but has never met in person. "

Moxie - Jennifer Mathieu

Once again, this was part of Zoe's Book Club and this book sounded right up my street. The concept of this book sounded so interesting and empowering, I am definitely excited to give it a read.

Summary: "Vivian Carter is fed up. Fed up with a school administration at her small-town Texas high school that thinks the football team can do no wrong. Fed up with sexist dress codes, hallway harassment, and gross comments from guys during class. But most of all, Viv Carter is fed up with always following the rules."

Fangirl - Rainbox Rowell

Another book I have still not read. This book has been read by everyone, but me, and I only hear great things. I am definitely super excited to read this just because I am curious as to how fast the story moves since it is a long book.

Summary: "In Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan, but for Cath, being a fan is her life - and she's really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it's what got them through their mother leaving."

The Vampire Diaries (part 1&2) - L.J. Smith

As a tv programme, I thought that TVD was quite generic and predictable but I am hoping that the books are better. I actually have the whole set so hopefully I will enjoy this more that the show, which I think will be the turnout.

Summary: "Elena Gilbert is a high school golden girl, used to getting what she wants. And who she wants. But when the boy she’s set her sights on—the handsome and haunted Stefan—isn’t interested, she’s confused. She could never know the real reason Stefan is struggling to resist her: Stefan is a vampire, and Elena’s in danger just by being around him. What’s more, Stefan’s dark, dangerous vampire brother Damon has just arrived in town. And wherever Damon goes, trouble always follows."

Have you read any of these books? What are your thoughts?

Grace xx

MUA Luxe Velvet Matte Lipstick Review

A few weeks ago, I was admiring my makeup collection, as you do, and I realized that I don't own that many actual lipsticks. As much as I am a gloss girl, you can't go wrong with a good lipstick so I wanted to expend my collection a little but on a budget. MUA released these lipsticks a few months a go and I knew I had to try them so that is what I am going to be reviewing today

This lipstick is part of the MUA LUXE range and they are the Velvet Matte Lipsticks. You can get these from Superdrug and they retail for £3. They come in 12 shades ranging from light to dark but for the most part, they are nude lipsticks. Superdrug claims these lipsticks to be "Full pigment, velvet matte lip-shade. With its unique and luxurious design this lipstick applies smoothly for a full coverage, gorgeously matte finish."

When we talk packaging, I can't fault this. My initial thoughts holding this lipstick was that it was flipping heavy like luxuriously heavy which I love. I know that it isn't as travel friendly, but they really tried to make this lipstick very luxurious looking and I think that they did a great job. For the appearance I love the black and gold, it is so classy and sleek looking and I love that it is a matte finish also. Opening the tube, it is super sturdy and strong so the shut on it is super secure and not cheap at all, which I have no idea how they did. You definitely won't have to worry about this lid falling off and everything about the packaging is just so sophisticated and I have never seen brand so affordable take so much care into their packaging but I think that it makes such a difference.

Talking about the shade and everything, I picked up the shade #10 just because I had no idea on the colours but I bought this one because it looked like a pale nude. One special touch that made to this lipstick was the shape of this bullet which I think is so unique and different. It is engraved in a geometric pattern which is so photogenic but practically it is pretty awful. I don't want to make this super negative but I do really hate the applicator because it is so difficult to apply. It's difficult to get an even and sharp coat of this when the applicator is so unpractical. As much as it is beautiful and different, I do wish that they stuck with a regular bullet shape.

The shade #10 is a pale, orange nude and I am shocked by this swatch because it is not that true to colour, so I apologize. I actually think that this shade is quite unique as it is a very orange toned but I actually think that it is quite flattering on.

For formula, they are super lightweight and the pigment is there but not straight away, I do go over my lips a few times to get maximum pigment but a good thing is that it is not patchy. They feel very creamy on but also stiff so they won't budge throughout the day. You do get a very matte finish with these lipsticks but they don't make your lips look super dry or anything, they sort of just sit quite nicely.

In terms of how long they last, I would say a while unless you eat and drink loads. Most lip products come off when you eat and drink so I was not surprised to find that this one didn't last. It does last several hours though and even if the lipstick faded the only things making it difficult to reapply is the applicator but it won't go patchy and the shade is super easy to wear.

Overall I am quite impressed with this lipstick, I think that it is an incredible value for money and it is a very luxurious looking product in terms of its packaging and formula. The only thing I do wish would change is the shape of the bullet but I do see where they were going with the unique bullet. Hopefully when I have worked into the bullet a little more, it will change shape to something a bit simpler to apply with. I would recommend this to everyone because it is so affordable and great for the price.

Would you try this?

Grace xx

Links Mentioned:

MUA Velvet Matte Lipstick - http://www.superdrug.com/MUA/MUA-Luxe-Velvet-Matte-Lipstick-%2310/p/735000

Collection Illuminating Touch Liquid Radiance Review

New drugstore releases always get the better of me, but you know what?  I don't care because I love trying out new makeup to review and share with all of my lovely readers. Anyways, Collection Cosmetics is such an amazing drugstore brand, one I have loved since I started wearing makeup, so when I saw this on their newly released page, I knew I had to try it.

Just a bit of detail about the product as always, so you can buy this from the Superdrug website (link at the end of this post). This retails for £5.99 and you get 27ml and it is described as "A premium liquid illuminating primer that can be used with or without a foundation. The gorgeous texture of liquid radiance provides the perfect priming base for foundation application. Gold illuminating pearls lift the complexion and creates a dewy complexion".

For packaging, I think that this is super impressive, it comes in a super sleek glass bottle and a pump which I don't think you would expect in a £5.99 illuminator. I think even the little details of the Collection logo and the name is super sleek looking and luxurious. The glass bottle is also clear which is great because you can see how much product you have left but you can also see flecks of shimmer through the bottle which is just super pretty to stare at. In terms of how practical it is, since it is glass it is pretty heavy and could easy break when travelling so it is definitely a product to keep at home, but the pump and the lid are super sturdy and functional.

In terms of the formula, after pumping it onto the back of your hand, it seems quite watery but as soon as you begin to work it into the skin it thickens into more of a gel/balm texture. The product does come out white but it sinks into the skin super easily and fades into nothing so it won't affect the colour of your skin. On the skin it feel super balmy and smoothing on the skin instantly. In terms of the luminosity, it actually has actual specks of glitter in it, which on the skin are slightly noticeable but since they are so small it looks kind of natural. They are also golden which I think will flatter the most amount of skin tones. This definitely does not make your skin look super glowy or metallic or wet looking but it does make your skin look smooth and naturally luminous. 

This product is suppose to be used as a primer and I can definitely see why because it does makeup your makeup apply really nicely on top and it also helps your makeup last longer.

I actually like to use this on its own just to make my skin look a little nicer, and I think that this would look great on holiday. Saying that, my overall thought is that it is a really lovely primer, but I do think I prefer my other ones from the drugstores. Sometimes the specks of gold in this can be too much and can look super strange on the skin. I think that this is not the best for luminosity even though it does claim to be but it works as a primer so if that is all you need then maybe give this a go.

What's your favourite primer from the drugstore?
Grace xx

Links Mentioned:

Collection Illuminating Touch Liquid Radiance - http://www.superdrug.com/Make-Up/Face/Face-Highlighter/Collection-Illuminating-Touch-Liquid-Radiance/p/736279

Tips When Working Out

I actually really enjoyed writing my last fitness post so I thought I would keep it up. Since working out more regularly, I have learnt a lot so I thought I would share some of those tips with you today. If you have any tips, feel free to comment them down below.

The first one I think is so important, it is all about your form over how many reps you do. Your form is something which will determine whether you are doing the move properly or whether you are doing it wrong. When you do it wrong, it could lead to working the wrong muscles and injuring yourself. When you do reps of something, your form improves but rushing your moves will cause you to loose form so keep it slow and steady while making sure you are doing the move properly. If you are not sure on how to do a particular move, then you can simply google it and there is almost likely a video including the move you want to do.

Next up is one I hate doing but one which is so effective. Sets are key when it comes to working out. If you don't know what sets are they are when you repeat your workout routine for a set number of times. I think that these are so effective because they really test your stamina and allow you to further improve your form. I hate doing sets because they are boring and painful but they work and push you so definitely give them a go.

I think that this one goes with out saying but it is one that I think is still forgotten. Take breaks because otherwise you are pushing your body too much. You can do an active break and just march or sit down and drink some water. I always have a break in a workout whether it is after each move or after a set. When you do have a break set a realistic time so you don't end up forgetting about the rest of the workout, maybe 20 seconds to a minute.

I don't know about you, but I get so bored when I repeat the same workout over and over again and so I think it is so important to Switch it up. There are endless amounts of moves you can do which will target any part of your body. On a weekly basis, I don't do the same workout twice, just because I am still finding what works for me but I definitely think that it's what keeps me motivated. When I find something that works for me, I do stick to it but I mix things up whether that is reps, combinations, sets anything just to keep it fresh.

Finally the last thing I have to say is to Track your progress. This is so important because, like the last point, it keeps me motivated. Progress can be whatever you want it to be, whether that is physical or numerical but personally I don't weight myself for many reasons which I could spend a whole post talking about, but I like to take photos. For example, I take photos every couple of weeks whether it is a good or bad day just to see whether I have made progress, whether anything has appeared or looks different. If you don't track then I suggest you do just to see how it goes.

Comment below some of your tips!
Grace xx

Freedom Pro Artist HD Eye Shadow and Highlighter Sets Review

I love single eye shadows and powders that you can just pop into an empty magnetic palette. Freedom actually came out with a magnetic palette, individual eye shadows and face powders quite a while back but nothing appealed to me apart from the magnetic palette which I now own. Now they have actually expanded the collection into some eye and face sets, perfect to just put in the magnetic palettes so that is what I am going to be reviewing. 

You can get these from both TAM Beauty or Superdrug and since I got mine from Superdrug, I have linked the products down below via Superdrug. In this new release, they came out with 4 face sets, consisting of three highlighters per set consisting of creams and powders. They also came out with 5 eye sets, all in powders, in two different finishes, you can choose between the eye foils or the eye impacts HD. I bought one face set and one eye set, just to test the waters, so I picked very "Grace" shades and ones I know I will have a good judgement of.

I picked up the Freedom Makeup ProArtist Light Pack HD in Lit 2 and the Freedom Makeup ProArtost Eye Foils in Burnt. In this highlighter set you get 3 powders and in the eye set you get 2 mattes, 2 foils and a semi shimmery eye shadow. I know that in some of the sets, they are either all matte or all foils but I kind of liked how this had a mixture in it.

Before I get into the individual sets and formula etc. I am just going to cover the packaging briefly. I actually think that the packaging is quite nice, they come in little card boxes with a plastic insert which is appropriate or the product. Everything you need to know is on the card box and on the back of the individual pans is also their names and the set they came from. There is not really much else to say about the packaging, it works, it's practical but obviously you would not store your shades like this as the intention with this packaging is that you are going to put them in a magnetic palette once you have received them.

I am going to start off with the eye shadows, so like I said before, in this set you get 2 mattes, 2 foils and a semi shimmer. The reason I chose this set was because of its beautiful shade range, they were all very red and warm based which you all know I love, but at the same time, I don't own any shades like these so as much as they are my comfort zone, they are also something a little different. I think the best way to give you as much detail as possible is just to talk about each shade individually and then I will talk about the formula. I am going to go from the lightest to the darkest,

- Sweet life - A pale orange, matte finish

- Gold Digger - A true, warm gold, foiled finish

- Bad Behaviour - A orangey red, matte finish

- Burnt Bridges - A red, foiled finish

- Intervention - A almost duo-chrome purple to blue, semi shimmer finish

swatches top to bottom, Burnt Bridges, Gold Digger, Intervention, Bad Behaviour, Sweet Life

For the formula, the mattes are lovely which I think is rare in affordable eye shadows. They are not powdery at all but they still have that pigment and blendability. I think that these two matte shades are so lovely and they both perform as well as each other.

The foils again, I was really impressed with, they are quite powdery and you will get fall out but the pigment is gorgeous. On the eyes and swatched, they are super metallic and amazing so the fall out doesn't really bother me. They are also super creamy and they apply really well with both brushes and your fingers.

For the random shade, the duo-chrome, semi shimmer thing, it is nice but I do struggle to ind a way to use it. The shade acts a lot like the mattes, very buttery, not powdery, very blendable and pigmented but the shift it has makes it difficult to use in the crease. Saying that, it is a lovely shade and I think it is one that will look great in autumn/winter on the lower lash line for a pop of colour

For the highlighters now, looking at them straight away you can tell that they have very different finishes, but I will get into that when I talk about the shades. All of the shades look great for fair to medium skintones an if you are super fair then I think that you could wear these too. Like I did with the eye shadows, I am now just going to talk about the shades individually.

- Sophisticated - pale pink, shimmery but subtle

- Queen - pale yellow powder, luminious

- Bad Habit - peachy silver, metallic

swatches top to bottom - Bad Habit, Queen, Sophisticated

For formula each powder is different which I think was their intention because you could use them for different things or for different effects which I love in this set because you get a wider variety. I am going to talk about the formula referring to their shades. 

Bad Habit is the very metallic shade, swatching it with my finger, it felt really creamy but also kind of stiff which I think allowed it to give off so much pigment because the powder is so compact. The shade is super pigmented, you might be able to tell, and very reflective. It applies really well and it does not look chunky on the skin but it is definitely intense.

Queen is a very subtle highlight, I would use it as a face powder for a more luminous base because if you applied it like a highlighter, it would not do a lot. The powder itself is very soft and smooth and there is pigment but obviously with it being a near to skintone shade, on the face it wouldn't be noticeable. This definitely reminds me of the Hourglass Dim Light powder because what people say about that, sounds like what this does.

The final shade Sophisticated is literally the in between of Bad Habit and Queen, it is not super metallic but it is not just a luminous powder. This would make a gorgeous day-to-day highlighter because it is not too intense but it does add a little something to those cheekbones. Just like the other two powders, pigmented and smooth, but again, the finishes are completely different.

I hope you enjoyed this post, I would definitely recommend both sets because the standard they are at is way beyond their price tag so definitely let me know if you pick these up. Over the next few weeks I am going to have loads of reviews going up just because I m really enjoying to write them and I have been testing loads of new makeup out so I hope you don't mind that.

What do you think of these?

Grace xx

Links Mentioned:

Freedom Pro Artist Eye Foils in Burnt - http://www.superdrug.com/Make-Up/Eye-Makeup/Eye-Shadow/Single-Eye-Shadow/Freedom-Makeup-ProArtist-Eye-Foils-Burnt/p/735768

Freedom Pro Artist Light Packs HD Lit 2 - http://www.superdrug.com/Freedom/Freedom-Makeup-ProArtist-Light-Packs-HD-Lit-2/p/735786

Collection Lip Colour Review - Lip Product of the Summer?

I love new drugstore releases, and I know you guys all love review so across the next few weeks there will be several reviews going up so I hope you are looking forward to them all. Anyways, I saw that this was new on Collection's Instagram and it sounds right up my street so I had to try it and share with you.

This is just called the Collection Lip Colour with Spf 15 and I got mine in the shade Fudge Delight. You can get these from Superdrug for £3.99 and as always the link to the product I am reviewing will be at the end of this post. This product comes in 6 shades ranging from brights to nudes and I obviously picked up the most nude shade because there is nothing new there. On the Superdrug website this lip product is described as "A Sheer Glossy colour with pearl sheen that glides onto the lips, Smooth balm texture with SPF protection" so I will cover the packaging first, then onto the formula and finishing off with my final thoughts.

The packaging is super simple and super sleek which I love. I really like how the colour of the product is on the whole of the outer packaging and I like the metallic silver writing, I think it gives it a sleek look. The tube is quite long really, a similar size to the Benefit balms and the close on this is secure and steady but I am not sure whether it is super sturdy but to be honesty I don't really mind for £3.99. You get a fair amount of product in the bullet and the twist on it is find and just like any other lip product in a tube.

For formula, it has sheer coverage but after a few swipes it does start to build and become quite opaque so you can make all of the shades a lot more intense just by layering a little more. On the lips, these feel so super lightweight and creamy, it honestly feels like butter on the lips, no joke. They just feel like the just melt straight on. It does leave quite a glossy finish and it does stay that way for a while so it is not the most long lasting but even though it it glossy, it is not sticky, it is very thin, even after it has been layered, and it is so buttery. In terms of how balmy it is, it actually feels very hydrating on the lips but do bear in mind it is not an actual lip balm but if you want to wear a lipstick but would rather apply a balm, this is perfect for you because it is like a lipstick in balm form.

In complete honesty, this does not last great, it will come off if you eat but for during the day, you can touch up and it won't go patchy. This is great for on the go because it is not hard to apply and it is just beautiful.

You can probably tell by that review, I flipping love this so much. It is definitely a quick favourite and now my staple lip product for the summer. I love how if has spf 15 in it as I think that is something ignored in lip products but so important to have. I also think that the product and shade range is undeniable. This is a beautiful nude but they have a bright pink or an orange and even some darker ones for autumn and winter.

Even though these have been released for summer, I think that these are great for all year round. Obviously, if you are going on summer holiday, things like this are ideal because of the spf but even for winter, these would be so hydrating and a good change from the matte lipstick we all love so much.

I would recommend this to anyone and everyone, the formula is unbelievable and the price just makes it a million times better so definitely pick some these up, I know I will be getting more.

links mentioned:

Collection Lip Colour in Fudge Delight - http://www.superdrug.com/Collection/Collection-Lip-Colour-SPF15-Fudge-Delight/p/739004

What I Got For My Birthday 2017!

In case you didn't know, I actually turned 15 on the 10th of July which was this Monday just gone. After much uming and ahing about it, I have just decided to show you what I got in a blog post since it was requested, and personally I love reading these posts. I am not trying to brag, I feel so incredibly lucky for everything I received whether it was a lovely message from one of you guys, a card or even a present so with that out of the way, I am just going to start.

Before I start, these are the presents from my parents and at the end a few from my friend because off the rest of my family like brother, grandad, uncles and aunties, I just got money and vouchers which I am super grateful for so you might see a haul or I might be able to save it (very slim chance).

I am not doing this in any particular order but I got a curling wand from Babyliss, which I am super excited about because this is my first proper curling wand so I am super excited to get those beachy waves going on for summer.

A huge suprise I got was a Dyson Hairdryer, these have always fascinated me because of how they work, but I definitely did not expect to get one so I am so super gr

I then got the new Zoella Book Club collection just because I wanted some new and different books to read over summer and I thought that this one contained a great range. This collection is also such a bargain so I am so happy I got it. 

Another book I got, was the Naya Rivera Sorry Not Sorry book, I love Naya, she was an actress on Glee and I have just always admired her. This is her biography and I was just so intrigued to read it because she is super honest and there have been very controversial things that she has done which I was just super curious to read about so I am super excited to give this a read.

Onto some clothes, which I appologise, you can't see very clearly. I got a t-shirt dress from Boohoo in this beautiful nude and black print which I am so in love with. Currently, I have a bit of a love for t-shirt dresses and so I am sure I will wear this one loads.

I then got a pair of joggers from Missguided but they are those joggers that are quite stylish and you can get away with wearing out. For something more dressy, I think that these would look great with heels but day to day for something casual, I think they would look great with a cropped top and some converse.

Another item of clothing I got was a Calvin Klein t-shirt. I love the print on the front of this because it incorporates a little colour and I think it is a super basic piece that would just look great with jeans and trainers.

Just a few more clothes, I got a Calvin Klein Vest which I am so in love with. I have been looking at these for ages but the price tag always put me off but I am so grateful I got one for my birthday. The shape of this is super flattering and perfect for summer, it is slightly cropped and it fits exactly how I wanted it to. I also got it in black, which is perfect because it will go with everything.

I then got a pair of Gym Shark High-Waisted Leggings because I have been wanting a pair of Gym Shark Leggings for the longest time so I did ask for them and they are so perfect. They fit like a glove and they are so flattering on, I definitely think that these are a new favourite for the gym and definitely a boost for my motivation. Again in black just so that it matches everything.

Another gym piece I got was a sports crop top from Boohoo, but I sadly don't have much to say about this because it is too small so I haven't had the chance to wear it, but it is a lovely design and I am still super happy that my parents thought to get me this.

Final clothing piece I got was a new coat from Boohoo, my parents bought this specifically for when I go away at Christmas (won't say too much just yet) but I am so in love with it. This is so flattering on and it is the perfect coat for me come autumn and winter.

A pair of shoes I got for my birthday were a total surprise but yes, I am kind of obsessed. My parents treated me to the brand new Ugg Pumps which I just think are absolutely stunning. Apparently they have only been out for a week or so, and so I feel so lucky to have them and I just know that I am going to wear these loads. I am also super happy that my parents got them in black and nude because they will go with anything and I don't really own a black pair of shoes (can you believe it) so I am super happy.

I am going to be super brief with the makeup just because there is a lot of it and I am pretty sure that I am going to be reviewing most of it, if not all of it.

- LA Girl Pro Coverage Foundation (in Fair)

- Real Techniques Sponge set

- Real Techniques Prep Set

- Bare Minerals Glosses (in Far Out and Groovy)

- Urban Decay Self Adjusting Primer

- Jeffree Star Summer Chrome Liquid Lipstick (in Butt Naked)

- Jeffree Star Summer Chrome Lip Ammunition (in Skin Tight)

- Jeffree Star Summer Chrome Skin Frost (in Crystal Ball)

- Jeffree Star Liquid Lipstick (in I'm Nude)

- RCMA Not Colour Powder

- Buxom Lip Creme (in White Russian)

- Makeup Geek Foiled Eye Shadow (in Luna)

I then got a piece of jewelry, which were these beautiful hoop earrings from Beaverbrooks. These are so dainty and I love how they are white gold because I find that so flattering on my skin tone. I know that I will wear these loads so I am super grateful for these.

My parents then did me a Colourpop order which was so lovely of them and obviously I will do a post on everything about the products, but you can see from the picture what I got. I am so super grateful for these because I know all of the fuss my mum (especially) went through to go and get this so I am so super happy with this.

They then put the Colourpop stuff in a watermelon glass cup and a watermelon mug, which if you know me, you know I love anything with watermelons on so this was such a cute touch. If you were wondering, my parents got them from Asda and they are so super cute.

Off my best friend, Penny, she suprised me and treated me to the NikkieTutorials X Ofra Highlighter in Everglow. Obviously, it is only right I do a review of this so you can expect it soon but I am so grateful for this. It has always been something I have wanted since it came out but I could never bring myself to buy it. Thank you so much Penny!

Off my other best friend, Sophie, she got me some Yankee Candles, a Body Shop Body Butter in Mango and my favourite, Chocolate Orange. This was such a thoughtful gift and I love everything so thank you Sophie. Also there is no photo of this because I got it a day after taking these photos.

Once again, thank you everyone for a lovely day!

What review do you want to see first?

Grace xx

Nip+Fab Sculpted Eye Shadow Palette Review

After sharing a photo of this beautiful palette on my instagram (@Gracexkate) a few of you wanted to see a review of it. I have been trialing this out for the past few weeks and so I have a few of my final thoughts to share with you. Nip+Fab, I have always thought of as a skincare brand but very recently they have came out with a whole makeup line which all seems incredible. Since this was my first Nip+Fab product, I wasn't too sure on what to expect but I went with something I know and love, eye shadow just to get a feel for the quality and standard of the brand.

Starting off with all of the information, so Nip+Fab is sold in Superdrug, both their skincare and makeup ranges so as always the link to this exact product will be left below. They currently only have one eye shadow palette on the market which is the Sculpted palette and this is what I will be reviewing. Within their whole makeup range they have all sorts from highlighters to primer water to liquid lipsticks so their is definitely something for everyone.

This palette retails for £10.95 which I do think is quite an awkward number but never the less it is very affordable and you get a total of 12 shades which I think is great value. On the Suprdrug website it says "The mother of all eyeshadow palettes to take your eyes from subtly sculpted days to strong, smoky nights. Featuring 12 highly-pigmented warm and shimmer shades that glide on for maximum impact and ultimate sass."  From looking at the palette, there are, 2 shimmer shades, 1 semi-shimmer shade and 9 mattes and all the colours range from something light to something darker.

For packaging, it reminds me of just a typical drugstore eye shadow palette, and that's not say it is bad, because it's not, but it is just very simple and standard. This palette comes with no mirror, which I don't really mind but you might want to take that into consideration if you are a constant traveler and need a mirror in your eye shadow palette, personally, I have a mirror is several more of my compacts. The palette is not big, it is a small, compact size, perfect for travel but the pans for ye shadow are not too small either which I love. The packaging is super sturdy so I can't see it breaking which again is a super big plus if you are constantly on the go. Just another side note, there are also shade names behind the palette but they don't show colour, just order so I am slightly confused by that but never the less, they are there so that you can refer to the colours.

In terms of shades, this palette really caught my eye instantly just because of the beautiful range of colours. You all know I am a warm browns and orange kind of girl when it comes to eye shadow so this palette was right up my street. Saying that, there is also the odd more neutral cool toned shade in there also which I really love because it give me the ability to branch out a little more. Most shades are very generic I would say, there is nothing that unusual apart from the orange on the top row but apart from that, quite basic colours. I do wish that this palette contained more lighter shades, because as you might be able tell, the two bottom rows just seem to be different shades of brown which is useful, but I don't think that there needed to be that many. I would have liked to see a shimmery inner corner higlighter shade just to add more variety but apart from that, a decent selection of shades.

For the finishes in this palette, I was quite pleased that they made it majority matte but I think a lot of people would have wanted more shimmery shades and I can totally see that. You only get two shimmery shades, a light golden brown and a darker more purple brown but I think they should have made room for a lighter shade or maybe even a pop of colour. You also get a sort of duo chrome, shimmer shade which is a bit of purple and it shifts to a cooler grey/blue shade but again, this shade confuses me because I wouldn't use it on the lid but because of the slight shimmer, I don't know whether I would use it in the crease. 

Generally, the shade range and finishes are a little disappointing but I still think you can create many looks with just this one palette. I also think that this sort of range is great for beginners but if you already have quite a collection of eye shadows, you probably won't need this palette since I am pretty sure you will already have most of these shades.

For formula, once again quite generic for a drugstore palette if I am being blunt. Initially swatching them, you can tell by the picture above, they are pigmented but you might also be able to tell that you do get a little kick back. On the eyes, I would say that if you want the colour in the pan, you need to build these up in terms of pigment but I will say that they are not patchy and they blend beautiful, it's just the pigment straight onto the eyes is not spectacular. One thing I will say is that the mattes are lovely to apply but the shimmers are a little disappointing. I always apply shimmery shades on my lid with a dense flat shader brush and these just don't show up as metallic as I had hoped. They are definitely there but the finish is not the most beautiful so I would recommend building them up if you want a little more shimmer but you will get a lot of fall out.

In general, I would say that the formula is nice and the mattes are great in terms of their blend-ability and their pigment but the shimmery shades let this down. I say that because, you get a lot of kick back from the pan, only making it cause fall out all over the face but even then the pigment is still pretty sheer.

You can obviously judge yourself on whether you like the look of the swatches but I do think that the shimmery shades might be better applied with a finger (like these swatches) rather than on a brush.

Overall, I will say that this palette is okay, not awful but not amazing. I don't think I needed this in my collection just because it is quite a standard palette and I have several other palettes with a similar range that I prefer. I will say though, if you are a beginner and just need one eye shadow palette to play with, this is for you. My collection of eye shadows and palettes is constantly growing and so this is nothing special to me but if you are a complete newbie to eye shadow then you will find this palette easy to use and you have enough shades to create and experiment around with. I think I will get my most use out of this palette when I am travelling just because of the basic shades that are essential. 

For £10.95, I think the palette is worth it, especially since there are almost always offers going on over on the Superdrug website, but also because the palette is sturdy and nice to use.

Have you tried this? What are your thoughts?

Grace xx

Links mentioned:

Palette reviewed - http://www.superdrug.com/Nip-Fab/NIPFAB-Make-Up-Eyeshadow-Palette-12g-Sculpted-1/p/730749

Birthday Meal GRWM 2017!

So after a poll on Twitter, which nowadays determines life changing decision (*sarcasm*) I have came to the conclusions that you all want to see a Birthday GRWM and a What I Got For My Birthday and that is exactly what I am going to do. For all of you newbies, my birthday is July 10th and so when you are reading this, it will be tomorrow for you but as I am writing this it is two days away for me. 

This post is actually coming in advanced for you guys, just because I am not really one to do anything for my birthday, but my family insisted on a meal and so it feel on the 8th of July. That sort of explains why I have a Birthday GRWM going up before my birthday but I really wanted to share with you a more glam look as what I will be wearing on my actual birthday will be near to nothing so I thought that you would appreciate this one more.

Anyway, this will include my hair, outfit and makeup so I will try and be a little chatty but not a bit load of ramble which is basically impossible so lets see just how good my attempt is.

I am just going to start off with hair because it was super quick and easy. This was freshly washed hair with just my regular shampoo and conditioner (let me know if you want a hair care routine) and then after majority of it had air dried, I just dried the rest with a hairdryer. I then just straightened it quite lazily, not making it too specific, with my GHD heat protecting spray and my GHD straighteners. To finish it off, I added a little of my Wella Oil Reflections Hair Oil just to give it a little shine and that's it.

I want to start off by apologizing for the amount of different eye shadows I used for this look but I didn't want to lie about anything but obviously you don't have to have these exact products and I probably didn't need this many shades anyway but whatever, lets just start.

Whenever I do glam makeup, I always start with my brows and eye shadow just because it is a lot easier to clean up if any mistakes are made. To fill in my eyebrows I used the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade in Taupe as this is super easy to use and makes my eyebrows just look amazing and because this look was a little heavy, I needed my brows to really shape the face. To make sure that they would last I just used the Collection Colour Lash Mascara in Clear just to set all of the hairs in place.
As well as priming my eyes, I used the Rimmel Lasting Finish Concealer to carve out my eyebrows also, just to make everything super slick and then I set that with the NYX Single Eye Shadow in Whipped Cream just to create a clean, blank canvas for eye shadow. Here is where is gets a little all over the place. Starting off in the crease, I used the Freedom Single Eye Shadow in Sweet Life and then I started to gradually add the Freedom Single Eye Shadow in Bad Behaviour and the MUA 15 Shade Eye Shadow Palette in Fire Vixen using the shade 5 focusing them both a little further down in the crease. I also put that shade 5 colour on my lower lash line and just smoked it out to make it look effortless. Once all of that was blended, I added Makeup Geek Single Eye Shadow in Cocoa Bear to the outer corner and a little in the outer third of the crease just to add some more depth to my eye, again I blended that just to make all of the lines a little less harsh. Onto the lid shade, I use the Freedom Single Eye Shadow in Gold Digger with a damp flat shader brush for maximum pigment and this went all over the lid. To further deepen the outer corner I added two shades from the Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Palette in the shades Charmed I'm Sure and Detectable. Finally for the inner corner highlight and brow bone highlight I used Makeup Geek Single Eye Shadow in Shimma Shimma because it is so beautiful and intense.

To finish off the eyes, I used a little of the Seventeen Kohl Eyeliner in Black just on my upper and lower lash line, mainly focusing it on the outer part. For mascara, my upper lash mascara was the Mac In Extreme 3D Dimension Mascara and for my lower lashes I used the Maybelline Go Extreme Colossal Waterproof Mascara and this just made my eyes super open and because both formulas are so black, it really tied in with the glam vibe without having to add lashes.

For face, I primed it with the Nivea Men Post Shave Balm just to make everything going on top stick more to the face but on my T-Zone, I used the Benefit Porefessional just to smooth out some texture and also reduce some of the oil I get along my nose and forehead. For foundation, I chose the Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation because it has such a beautiful dewy finish recently which I have been loving. I applied this with a duo fibre brush and then went over it with a damp sponge just to make sure that everything was either blended or absorbed by the sponge. To highlight and hide those dark circles, I used the Seventeen Stay Time Concealer in very fair just to really highlight my face and because this concealer is super dewy, it was actually really moisturizing on the skin, which I loved. To set my under eyes, I used the Anastasia Beverly Hills Powders in Vanilla and Banana because I trust these and I know that they won't cake or crease my creams underneath. I then, very lightly, dusted some of the L'Oreal Infallible Pressed Powder all over the face just to set everything.

For bronzer, I used the Anastasia Beverly Hills Powders in Havana and to contour I used the Anastasia Beverly Hills Powders in Fawn because it is a little cooler and does a better job at creating shadows. Onto blush, I used a current favorite, the Too Faced Sweethearts Blush in Candy Glow which just added the most beautiful pop of colour with a little glow. Speaking of glow, I wanted my highligher to be popping so I used the TheBalm MaryLooManizer Highlighter mixed in with the Freedom Pro Highlighter in Bad Habit. This created the most metallic and insane glow so I had to tone it down a little, but it looked so bright and beautiful, definitely a new favourite combo.

Finally for lips, going in with a favourite lip liner, the Misslyn Lip Liner in Rosewood is just perfect for any colour going on top, so I used that and then for the rest of my lips, I used the MUA Velvet Matte Lipstick in 10. There will hopefully be lots of reviews going up in the next few weeks on products you have not seen me mention before, including this lipstick, so you can look forward to those for the time being.

Outfit:

Sunglasses - Prada (vintage)

Shirt - Polo Ralph Lauren

Jeans - New Look

Watch - Michael Kors

Bracelet & Necklace - Tiffany's

This was paired with some nude heel but they were from America and I couldn't find anything similar to it so I didn't show photos of them in case you were disappointed.

I hope you enjoyed this post even though it was a little all over the place. Anyway let me know if you think I should so more GRWM blog posts!

Grace xx