It's the end of another month - October favourites!

Well, I give up, time just keeps catching up with us all and before we know it, it is a new month. Anyway, October has actually been a really good month for me and there have been a few things that I have discovered or have fallen back in love with that I want to share today.

I am going to start with skincare just to mix it up a little, and only one thing has stood out to me this month which is the Superdrug Vitamin E Eye Cream. I have been putting this on almost every morning and it must makes my eyes look bright, keeps them hydrated, and makeup goes on so much nice on top. I love this cream because it is not too heavy and it is just great for something refreshing under the eyes to help wake you up. I also love how affordable this is and I genuinely don't think I need anything more expensive then this, because it does the job amazingly for me.

A fragrance I have been wearing a lot recently is the Victoria Secret Bombshell Perfume. This perfume is so amazing and it's such a shame because it is not cruelty free, so I am trying to use it up, but I had to mention it. Please comment below an alternative if you have one, because this scent is so nice. I love how it is just such a classy, feminine scent, it's not too floral, or sweet, or musky, it is just the right combination of them all. This has definitely been my staple scent for a while but I have definitely been wearing a lot more over the past few weeks.

I have actually been super basic with my makeup this month, but there have been a few products that I have fallen in love with. The first one being the Makeup Revolution Ultra Bronze Bronzer, I have spoken about this a few times but it is so good and so affordable. I am on the more pale side of skin tones and I find this such a beautiful bronzer shade, I find it to just give a natural finish on my skin but it is there and just makes your face look so sun kissed. I mainly love this bronzer a lot because it is so buildable, you really can't go overboard with this product because layer after layer, it still looks good just more intensified but natural. I have no idea how Makeup Revolution did it, but this bronzer is amazing.

Next up is just my favourite makeup product at the moment and that is the Morphe X Jaclyn Hill Eye Shadow Palette. Uhhh, this is so good and so beautiful, I can't say enough good things. I honestly love everything about this palette, from the shades, to the formula, Jaclyn did an amazing job and every time I have worn makeup this month, it has been this palette on my eyes because you can just create so many different looks with this palette.

Finally for makeup, I have a liquid lip I have been loving and it is the Colourpop Ultra Satin Lip in Likely. This is the perfect warm, orange nude for me, it is not too light or dark, too warm or too cool, just the perfect shade. I love this so much because it goes with everything, because I wear quite a lot of different colours on my eyes, I am always in need of a lip that looks good with them all, no matter the colour, and this is it. I also love how it is a satin lip because it sort of has the appearance of a matte but it is not as drying which is what you want when your lips are getting all flaky in this weather (lovely I know).

A fashion favourite this month has to be my GymShark Flex Leggings which I mentioned in my last blog post. I jut love everything about these leggings but mainly because they give me so much confidence in the gym. It might sound daft, but these leggings just make me feel great and I just feel like I look good in them which is what I want when I am going to the gym since I do get quite easily intimidated. I also have to mention the colour, how perfect is it for this time of year? Honestly, if you have not tried out the flex leggings, definitely do because they are so great for the gym and they just look amazing on every figure.

Last month I have really tried to step out of my comfort zone and try out some clear lens glasses and I am so glad I did because I love them. The ones I have are from Primark and I love them. I just think that they give any outfit a more casual, intellectual vibe. You might have also seen that I featured them in a recent makeup look of mine which I will link here. I love these though, they are something a little different for me but I love the way they look and I love playing round with them to match my outfits and makeup.

TV this month has been so good but my two favourites have to be How To Get Away With Murder and Strictly Come Dancing. HTGAWM is finally back for season 4 and I have fallen back in love with it all over again. They never disappoint and I am so excited to watch the rest of the season. Everything has just gotten better from the cast to the plot, and I can't wait to see how the reveal and turn it all upside-down. For Strictly, it's just such a good show. Since once being a dancer, I love it because it leaves me so inspired and even though it is not the dancing I use to do, I still love learning and watching everyone dance. I am loving this year in particular though because I think the line up is great, I definitely have a few favouirtes but I'm going to keep them to myself until we get closer to the final so I don't get my hopes up.

I do have a few favourite songs at the moment but I am going to save those because I want to do a whole other post on my current playlist which should be coming up within the next week or so.

What have you been loving this month?

Grace xx

Clothing Haul - PLT, Gym Shark and Missguided

It's no lie, I have a shopping problem, I mean, I try to stop but at the same time, you live in the moment don't you? Anyway, since I know you all like my try on clothing hauls (at least I think you do) so I thought I would do another. I will also point out, that you are probably going to get another clothing haul pretty soon because I may or may not have bought some more things. I am just going to stop coming up with excuses and just get started. 

Starting with GymShark, which in case you don't know, is a unisex workout clothing company that is so amazing. You will have probably seem them a lot on Instagram but a while back, they released new colours of their Flex Leggings, which for me is their key piece and what I think they are know for. I love all of the colours that they had to offer, but in the end I chose the burgundy because I thought it was perfect for the upcoming season. Since this was my first pair of flex leggings, I wanted to just get one pair so I could see what they are like and now I want them in every colour because they are so amazing. I love the fit, they are so figure hugging, they suck everything in, they are high waisted which I love. I also love how they are seamless because I just think it is more flattering and my favourite thing about them is probably the fabric contouring it features. I love how the style just accentuates the legs and for all my girls, the booty looks incredible in these leggings. Definitely a great purchase, and I know I am going to be wearing these loads.

The other thing I got from GymShark was again, one of their new releases but this is the Flex Crop Top. I don't own anything like this in my workout gear collection so I wanted to give it a go. It is similar to the leggings because they are both seamless and feature that flattering contour along them but I got this one in black just because I thought that is was the most flattering and versatile. I wasn't really sure if I was going to like this but I actually do, especially with a pair of high waisted leggings. It does have quite a tight fit but sometimes I find that to be quite nice, especially in the gym, because then we know that everything is going to stay in. Anyway, since it is cropped, I am probably going to have to get a little more confidence to wear this out and about in the gym but it is definitely giving me motivation to what I want to change about myself, which isn't such a bad things. I also think that now it is starting to get colder, this would be great for layering with a jumper on top just for some extra insulation. 

A few pieces from Missguided that I picked, all of them are pretty boring but are worth a mention. If you saw my last try on clothing haul (linked here), you would have seen that I bought the grey version of this top, and I was telling you all how much I loved it, well, I bought it in two other colours. In case you haven't seen that post, these are the Petite Roll Sleeve Crop Tops that MissGuided sell. They are £5 each and come in a few different colours but the only two that I didn't have already that were in my size was the white and the burgundy, so I bought them both. I love these tops so much. The fit is just so perfect and flattering, the crop is the perfect length, the sleeves are the perfect length, the material is really nice and they are so super easy to style. They are all year round staples for me, to pair with everything and anything. One thing I will say though, is the the burgundy isn't very reddish which is what the photo looked like, as you can see by my photo, it has much more of a purple tone to it which I don't like as much, but never the less, I am still going to wear it.

Finally from MissGuided, was another one of their Stretch Denim Skirts. Again in the last try on clothing haul I did, I bought the red version of this and I really loved the fit and shape of it, so I had to get another one. I got this dark acid wash colour because I thought it would look great with tights and boots for the season, but it would still be great for all year round. I love these skirts because they are stretchy which just makes them so flatter and they just look great. A bit like those crop tops, I want this in every colour they offer, but we are going slowly. I just find denim skirts to be so versatile and a great all round piece, they also get me out of my jeans so another positive.

From Pretty Little Thing, I got this Slinky Bandeau. What drew me to this was the colour, they call it Spice on the website which I think is the perfect name for it, it is a beautiful burnt orange shade which I just think is going to look so good come the colder days. Even though it is strapless and a very lightweight piece, I think, layered with a skirt and coat, with a skirt, like in the photo, with tights and boots, it would make such a cute winter outfit. Again, this will look just as good in summer with some white shorts and sandals, I just really loved the colour of this top. In terms of the fit and shape of it, I love how it is lightweight and stretchy because it really hugs the body but weirdly, I found that the bottom of it was actually uneven and one bit was lower than the other. I did manage to fix it, but I thought that I should point it out.

What is your favourite piece out of this haul?

Grace xx

Links to Products Mentioned:

Flex Leggings - https://uk.gymshark.com/collections/flex/products/gymshark-flex-legging-beet-marl-chalk-pink

Flex Crop Top - https://uk.gymshark.com/collections/flex/products/gymshark-flex-crop-top-black-marl-charcoal

Burgundy Roll Sleeve Crop Top - https://www.missguided.co.uk/petite-exclusive-burgundy-roll-sleeve-crop-top

White Roll Sleeve Crop Top - https://www.missguided.co.uk/petite-roll-sleeve-cotton-crop-top-white

Stretch Denim Skirt - https://www.missguided.co.uk/blue-washed-super-stretch-denim-mini-skirt-10061123

Spice Slinky Bandeau - https://www.prettylittlething.com/spice-slinky-bandeau-crop-top.html

5 Minute Makeup!

Sometimes, you just want makeup to magically appear on your face, the aching of your arm blending your foundation and the five minutes you spend deciding your eye shadow when you just end up doing the same old, we have all been there. Just occasionally you want a makeup look that won't take too long but for it to still look good. That brings me on to this post, I have gathered a few quick to use products for this post in order for you to do your full face of makeup in just 5 minutes. For me, I would happily wear this makeup daily, and I think it is perfect for the everyday girl, whether you are going to work, school or even just going out on the weekend but you wanted those extra 15 minutes in bed.

Starting with face and priming with the Primark Primer Water. This is super quick and easy, you just spray if onto you skin and blend it in a little with a brush so all access is absorbed, sorted.

For foundation, I am using the Collection Illuminating Touch Foundation and I am using only about a pump since I don't want it to be too heavy of take too long to blend. I love using this foundation with a damp sponge and I just make sure I get an even distribution as I blend it across my face. You can miss this step if you want something lighter, but I just like to add a little foundation so my face looks more even and one colour, in time for highlighting.

Speaking of which, I am using the LA Girl Pro Conceal Concealer in Porcelain just under my eyes, chin and forehead and again, blending it out with a damp sponge. This concealer is so super easy to blend so it is done within seconds. I would also suggest bring a little over your eyelids just to conceal and prime a little in time for eye shadow.

To set that concealer, I am using a small face brush and some of the highlighting shades out of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit in Light and then taking a bigger brush, with the same shades and just lightly setting down the whole face, including those eyelids we primed before.

For bronzer, I am taking the NYX Matte Bronzer and a big, fluffy face brush and just putting that under my cheekbones, temples and jaw line just to add a little warmth. I love this bronzer because it is super easy to build up and so easy to blend so it is just bulletproof. I am also going to take a crease brush and that same bronzer and just run it over my eye lid just to give it some shade and definition.

Onto blusher, I am taking a mix of shades from the Makeup Revolution Blush Palette in Blush Goddess and just applying that to my cheeks. Again, this product is super easy to build and it is just so effortless and difficult to go wrong with.

Finally for the face, taking some highlighting shades out of that same Makeup Revolution Blush Palette and applying those with a small face brush on the cheekbones, cupid's bow, tip of the nose and the brow bone. I am then going to take some of those highlighting shades on a small eye brush and just pop a bit on my inner corner just to really open up the eyes.

Just to finish off the eyes, I am curling my eyelashes and using the Soap and Glory Thick and Fast Mascara just to add a little length and also darken the lashes a little just to give them a bit more definition.

For brows, I am using the Collection Define and Perfect Brow Powder and just using short strokes to fill in the sparse parts of my brows. I love this product for something quick and easy because everything is all in one place so you aren't going into a pot with one thing and a powder in the other, it is just all there ready to be used. This also sets down quite nicely so you don't always have to worry about going over it with a gel.

Just to finish off the look, I applied some gloss to my lips, the gloss being the NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee. This gloss is perfect for something like this because it is such a natural colour, just makes your lips look nice and hydrated while also adding a little colour.

What is your favourite time-saving makeup product?

Grace xx

An Update - Back to School, GCSEs and a Holiday?

I feel like it has been forever since I have had a little chatty update on my blog so I guess that's what I'm doing today. A lot has happened over the last month or so and I just want to fill you guys in. I also have a lot coming up in the rest of 2017 so I am probably going to talk about that briefly too.

I don't know whether many of my readers know this, but I am actually in my final year of high school right now. I am in year 11 and I take my GCSEs next year which is honestly crazy since I have been working up to them for so long. Year 11 so far has definitely tested me to say the least, it is definitely a lot different to what I thought it was going to be like, my workload has definitely doubled, maybe even tripled but hopefully it will die down a little with mocks coming in December. Just in case you don't know, I am currently taking for my GCSE the core subjects, history, German, fine art, product design and computing. I have actually already started my computing controlled assessment about a week ago and now that I am in the swing of things, I don't feel so bad. As for the other subjects, they are all very hit and miss. Sometimes I love what I do and the next I regret everything I have ever done but I am still going to try and push through because hopefully, it will all be worth it at the end.

As for after high school, I think I know what I want to do briefly. Obviously, nothing is set in stone yet but I am definitely going down the fashion/ design route. I have had a look round a few schools/collages that offer a mixture of subjects, both BTecs and Alevels but we will soon find out what I end up doing. All I am really sure on is that staying at my high school to do alevels isn't what I want to do first and foremost, it is an option, but there are other places I would rather go. There are definitely positives of staying at my high school but to be quite honest, I do just want somewhere new and fresh to have a clean slate as high school had its ups and downs for me and I am not sure whether it is a place I want to carry on being associated with. I am obviously going to miss a few things, mainly my friends as no one is really looking at places I am looking at but I guess time will tell when it comes to friendships and with which ones will last and not last. I am definitely not giving into the fact that I am going to be in a whole other position, place and education system next year, I am still sort of in denial, but the future is looking up.

There is still two and a half months left of 2017 though, and I actually have a few exciting things coming up very soon. I am actually going to Berlin in October half term with my history department as Nazi Germany is a topic on my specification and I am so excited. I have already been to Germany twice and I have loved both times, but I am still yet to see the capital so hopefully it will be super great and I do have a few blog posts planned for while I am away too. After Berlin though, my main focus will be on my mock exams which I have right at the start of December but I am still hoping to have at least two blogposts a week up. 

Even though it will be Decemeber, I am not actually going to do Blogmas, for a few reasons but the main one just being that after doing it for the last two years in a row I haven't got very many ideas that I haven't done before. I am still going to be posting plenty on my blog during the festive season it just wont be everyday. I also think that it will have it's benefits because last year I was just posting for the sake of post and some of the content I produced, I can't really say I was proud of, so this year I really want to make good content and write about things that I really want to share.

December is going to be such an exciting month even though I have my mock exams, I have quite a few events planned. Firstly, I am going to Hannah Renee's Christmas party which does fall right in the middle of my mocks but I don't care because I love Hannah and I can't wait to meet her and everyone else who is going. I am going with a group of friends so I am super excited just to have a day in Manchester as I don't get to go there too often. Also right up to Christmas, I am actually going on holiday again. I am not going to say too much about it though, just because I am not too sure on anything because nothing is booked yet, but I am just hoping something does get booked as I have never been away for Christmas and I just think that it would be amazing!

As for my blog at the minute, the thing you are reading this from, I am super happy with it. 2017 has definitely been a year of growing for me, as a blogger in particular. I have tried out so many new things and I am still coming to terms with my style but I am liking where it's heading. Do let me know though, any posts that you want to see because I obviously want to make content I enjoy, but also something that you want to read, so if you do have any ideas you can comment on this post or message me on my Twitter or Instagram. You have probably noticed, but I have been posting three times a week on my blog and I am really enjoying it. It is a lot of work but I love all of the lovely comments you all leave and it just makes everything worth while. I am not sure how long it is going to last though, because like I said earlier, I am starting to get very busy, but I am going to try my hardest and hopefully, at least two posts a week will be going up every single week.

If you have read all of that then you definitely deserve a medal as I have a tendency to ramble and make multiple spelling mistakes so thank you if you did. I hope this post has answered any questions you might have had about my current state and where I am at in my life.

Do let me know in the comments any blog posts you want to see soon and hopefully I will get round to writing them!

Grace xx

My All Time Favourite Eye Shadow Formulas & Palettes With Swatches

Oh, how I love a good eye shadow! I have had my fair share of testing and trialing different eye shadows and I thought that it was about time I share some of the best eye shadows I have tried so far. I have a mixture of single shadows and eye palettes for you all and a mixture of high end and drugstore so there should be something for everyone.

Shades (top to bottom) - 208,226

Starting with some single eye shadows that are such staples in my collection. The Kiko Wet and Dry Eye Shadows. I discovered these at the start of this year and even though I am slowly growing my collection, I wear them so often and I have so many shades on my wishlist. Even though I am a total matte girl when it comes to eye shadows, when I do want a shimmery shade, I want it to be intense and that is where these come in. These shadows are so metallic and reflective and that is exactly what I want when it comes to an all over the lid shade. You can use these wet or dry, I prefer them wet as they are just that little bit more reflective but their way, they have such a beautiful finish to them. I am pretty sure that they retail for about £6 each and they are so worth it. As you can see, I have two shades and I love that top shade also as a face highlighter as it is so reflective, so they are great multipurpose shades as well. Even down to the packaging, it is super sleek, compact and features a mirror.

Shades (top to bottom) - Come and Get it, Best Coast Scenario, Centrefold
I have spoken about these a lot recently, but I wanted to give them another mention. For the products I have already reviewed, I will be sure to leave the links below so I don't have to repeat myself. Anyways, of course I am talking about the Colourpop Pressed Eye Shadows. These are very new as I am pretty sure that they were only released this year but I know so many people that are as obsessed with them as myself. The price for a start is just incredible for the quality you get but like I said, the quality is something else. They are so creamy, pigmented and blendable, just everything you could ever want. I really can't say enough good things about these shadows and I recommend them to everyone. The shade range they offer is great also, and I find that a lot of the shades I last picked up, I reach for daily and get so much use out of. 

Shades (top to bottom) - Cocoa Bear, Early Bird, Creme Brulee, Shimma Shimma, Luna (foiled)
For the longest time, these shadows had been on my wishlist so when I finally got round to getting some, I was expecting nothing but the best and I was right. The Makeup Geek Eye Shadows have so much hype around them, and rightly so as they are probably some of the best quality shades you can get when you are on a budget. Maybe building a huge collection of Makeup Geek eye shadows, can come to quite the price, but building up the collection slowly and surely will make you realise that they are worth every penny. I have tried a lot of Makeup Geek shadow formulas and I definitely do have my favourites. The mattes definitely stand out to me as the best shadows from Makeup Geek just because I know just how hard they are to get right. I am so picky when it comes to matte shades as I know exactly what I want. Makeup Geek Matte shadows are pigmented but they blend like a dream and not to mention their shade range. I will also point out though, that one of my all time favouirte Makeup Geek eye shadow shades is Shimma Shimma which is a shimmery shade as the name suggests, but sadly that is the only shimmery shade I own from them, so I can't really speak behalf of the whole range but that one shimmery shade is freaking incredible.

Shade in photo - Luna

Carrying on with the Makeup Geek theme, a new discovery of theirs that I am totally hooked on is the Makeup Geek Foiled Eye Shadows. A bit like the shimmery shadows, I only own one currently, but I am definitely looking into getting some more. The one shade I do have in this formula though is breath taking. A bit like the Kiko shadows, it is super reflective and pigmented which is what I need, except I don't find myself having to wet my brush for this shade. One thing I will say about this formula though, is that they are very sensitive in the sense that if you were to drop this, like I did, then you will have a little bit more fallout because it is like a pressed glitter. Before I stupidly dropped this shade, I didn't get any fallout, but after dropping it, even though I didn't loose too much product, I do get a little fallout because I have obviously separated some of the powders especially on the top surface so I will just point that out.

Shades (top to bottom) - Gold Digger, Bad Behaviour, Sweet Life
Some more single shadows I had to mention are the Freedom Single Eye Shadows. These have their own review which I will link below, but they are just so good. The price of these are just complete madness for the quality you get, I am pretty sure a set of five shadows are like £5 or something, madness! Anyways, I wanted to mention these because I don't think that they are spoken about enough, they are fairly new but still, they are amazing. So far, I have tried two of heir different finishes, the foiled and the mattes, both of which, I really get along with. The mattes, are pigmented but maybe not as pigmented as the Colourpop or Makeup Geek ones but they blend really well and are great to work with. The foiled shades, again have pigment, are super reflective and metallic looking. Are they the best shadows ever? probably not, but they are not half bad. I love a lot of their shades and I find myself reaching for a lot of their colours daily. I also think that these are a great formula for beginners because they are super easy to work with, but that isn't to say that an expert can't use them because they would probably really enjoy them.

Moving onto the palette portion of this post, one I have been hooked on since I bought it is the MUA 15 Shade Eye Shadows in Fire Vixen. You have heard me go on and on about this palette, a lot like everything else in this post but it is a favourite. As soon as I had worn this, I was just obsessed, the colours were so beautiful and I think the whole scheme of this palette was really well put together. The colours are so unique and I love the use of unusual but still neutral combinations like the pinks and mauves paired with the grey and warm brown shades. This palette is a whole mixture of cool and warm tones, colourful and neutral tones and even matte to foiled finishes. I have never known such an affordable brand to release foiled shadows, especially in a palette but MUA have done it, and they did it well. As well as the mattes being super pigmented, creamy and easy to blend, the foiled shadows are so metallic and pigmented, it is unreal. I do find that they apply best with your finger as with a brush they tend to cause quite a bit of fall out but for the finish it gives, you need too try it. The photo of the swatches doesn't really do the foiled shades justice to be honest but trust me, they are intense, metallic and super reflective, plus I think the colours that are in a foiled finish were chosen really well since all of them, I would wear on the lid over the crease

A palette I have not been giving enough love recently, but one I still adore has got to be the Morphe 35O. I would consider this as more of an autumn/ winter palette so maybe that is why I have not been wearing it too much, but I needed to give it a little mention. I mainly love this palette for its value, you get 35 shades and the palette is around £25 which is a little mad considering the quality of the shades. For the colour scheme, of course, the 35O, the "O" stand for orange, which we all know I flipping love a long with a lot of other people. I love how Morphe have incorporated some really bright and unusual shades of orange and red in this palette as well as some cooler browns and even some dark greys to cater more to the people who love cooler tones. As a whole though, it is a very warm palette, very flattering on every skin tone and eye colour. For formula, there are inconsistencies in the mattes I have found particularly but as an overview, pretty good. The mattes are pigmented, they blend really well and they are not patchy, I do find some to be powdery at times but it isn't anything that I can't work with. This palette also features some foiled shades and some more just shimmery and satin shades. Like I said earlier, if I want a shimmery shade then I want it to be super intense and super metallic, so I don't really reach for more satin shades. Saying that, the foiled colours are beautiful, they do remind me a lot o the MUA ones, because they do work better with your finger, but these have a little bit more of a glitter-like finish I think. Either way, this is a beautiful palette, one I have loved dearly since I bought it and one I cannot wait to pull out again in the colder months.

I have not spoken about this palette in so long but that doesn't mean I don't love it. This is the Freedom Pro 12 Eye Shadow Palette in Secret Rose and it is so underrated. It is such a classic neutral palette with mattes and shimmers, both super pigmented and blendable. I love how this palette it more on the cool side because I feel like a lot of palettes, especially drugstore, don't release enough cool-toned palettes. This does feature some warmer shades, but for the most part it is very grey and mauve based, which I love. It is something different for me but it is so much fun to play with these shades. Each colour complements one another and you can create so many looks with these 12 shades. This palette is crazy affordable, I think it is like £4 and it is so amazing. I always recommend this palette to beginners because it is so easy to work with but even if you are great at eye shadow, you would still enjoy using this. As always, I love the mattes the most, they are pigmented, blendable and feel like butter but also the shimmers are super shimmer and pigmented, they are a little more powdery but I'm not mad because you get great pay off. I have been using this palette for years and I am so surprised that people still have never seen it. 

Considering this is probably the only main eye shadow palette I have that is high end, I am definitely tempted to invest in more considering this quality. It is no lie that I love the Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Palette. I got this about a year ago and it was probably my most used palette of 2016, saying that, I still use it now and I love it. The shades are so unique and I think the colour combination that have included are so original but still so wearable. I obviously love the peach shades, but I love the pops of green and purple. Once again, the mattes are everything! They are probably the best I have ever found in a palette, they blend so well and the are so pigmented, you need the smallest bit. As for the more shimmer shades, they are super beautiful, I find them to be very creamy and metallic looking on the eyes. Honestly, a few of the shades are a little funky to me so there are inconsistencies but as and all round palette, it is great. I use this in both winter and summer and I think it flatters both seasons in a different way. Saying that, I definitely use it more in summer as I love those warm browns and pink shades, but the purples and greens look so amazing in winter. Basically, I love this palette and as a first high end palette, it did not disappoint me and I am definitely tempted to try some more. 

What is your favorite eye shadow formula?

Grace xx

Reviews of products mentioned:

Makeup Geek Shadows - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/5-products-5-first-impressions.html

Colourpop Shadows - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/colourpop-my-thoughts.html

Freedom Shadows - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/freedom-pro-artist-hd-eye-shadow-and.html

MUA Palette - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/mua-15-shade-fire-vixen-eye-shadow.html

Morphe 35O Palette - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/day-21-most-wanted-palette-of-year.html

Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/too-faced-sweet-peach-eye-shadow.html

Underrated Makeup I Love!

Nowadays with the way the beauty community is, we try what others love which makes perfect sense, there must be a reason why people love it so much but trying out a product that has not been spoken about much on social media to find out that it is incredible is such a strange situation. Since trying out plenty of makeup, especially on the high street, I have found a lot of products that are great but just not given all of the love and attention that they deserve so I have put them all in this post so that hopefully some of you think to try it out and you never know, you might love them too!

This is a new addition to my makeup bag but it has been one I have been wearing since I bought it. The Primark Primer Water has been spoken about a little but I'm surprised I don't see it everywhere. Primark is not somewhere you would expect there to be good cosmetics, I get that, and so I think  lot of people are skeptical about trying it out but this was not bad at all. This is the only Primark makeup item I have tried so I can't vouch for the whole line but this is amazing. Primer waters are so easy but the most well-known one is the Smashbox one, which is not cruelty free and not inexpensive which is what you want if you are paying for something near enough to regular tap water. Anyway, this was a great purchase fr me because it gave me a chance to see whether I would actually use and get along with a primer water, and I do, especially this one. I love using it to prep my face, give myself a little more hydration before foundation and sometimes I even double primer with this. It is just a great step in my makeup routine and I can't go without it now.

I cannot stop speaking about these, they must be one of the best releases all year from the drugstore and I am just obsessed to say the least. These are obviously the Freedom Single Pans which I don't think I can live without anymore since discovering them. I have done plenty of posts featuring them so I will link the review I did at the end of this post because I go in way more detail there. You can basically get these single pan sets and they are either highlighters or eye shadows. Both are amazing and I use both sets I got. I love the highlighters because all of the shades are flattering on my skin tone but I love how each highlighter is a different finish so you really have a range of effects you can get. For the eye shadows, I love them because you get a range of mattes and shimmer, sometimes an odd satin too and they are all super pigmented, blend well and the colours in each set all really complement each other. These honestly deserve way more hype as they are so affordable and they are not far off the quality of Makeup Geek or Colourpop shadows.

An oldie but a goodie that I still love is the Seventeen Define and Conquer Contour Kit. It has been a while since I have spoken about this on my blog but that is not to say that I still don't use it. Back when I started getting into the whole full-face glam makeup this became super handy. I love how you get a matte highlight shade and a matte "contour" shade but I would say it is a more appropriate for bronzer. As you can probably tell by the photos, I have very badly hit pan on the matte highlight shade because I use to use it all of the time to set my under eyes and it worked like a dream. It would set my concealer, brighten up my under eyes and I would even sometimes use it the clean up my contour. For the bronzer shade, I am still surprised that I haven't hit pan on that. It works great as a bronzer but I use to use it all of time as an eye shadow. I think a lot of people forget about matte highlights to brighten up parts of their face but this kit is incredible. From the packaging being super compact and featuring a mirror to the actual powders being super pigmented, blendable and creamy this little kit deserves so much more hype.

I think a lot of people actually avoid the Natural Collection counter because they have this idea that their products are rubbish and bad because they are so affordable but actually the Natural Collection Blushes are amazing. They are super affordable but the quality and formula or the powder is great. Their blushes come in a sensible range of shades, all very wearable and the formula is pigmented, it's blendable and they look great on the skin. I use my blush from Natural Collection all of the time as it is just a super quick and easy way to add a flush to the cheeks. With it being so affordable, the packaging is not great but again, I don't hate it, it does the job.

Back to some more eye shadows, ones I love and don't see mention enough are the Kiko Wet and Dry Eye Shadows. Kiko as a brand has really impressed me so far, everything I have tried from them, I have loved and I definitely want to try more from them in the future but these eye shadows are just incredible. Not very often do I buy the same product in more than one shade so this just shows how good they are because I actually own two of them now and I am definitely looking into getting some more. I love these because they are the perfect metallic eye shadows for all over the lid and to highlighter the inner corner with. Sometimes, I also use the golden shade as a highlighter on my face because it is so pigmented and stunning on the skin. I love how you can use them both wet and dry, they come in a great range of shades and they are just incredible. They are about £8 each which is not too bad considering how much product you get, how great they are and how sleek the packaging is.

For brows, I tend to use what is popular since I am not the most knowledgeable when it comes to my brows but this powder is such a bargain and it is so good. You can probably guess but I am talking about the Freedom Duo Brow Powder. This is incredible, you get a light and dark shade in a little compact with a mirror. The powders are super pigmented, easy to work with and easy to blend which I think makes it great for both newbies and experts to brows. I am pretty sure that this is only a couple of pounds so definitely look into getting one of these, especially since there are so many shades to choose from.

For lips I am going to start with the Misslyn Lip Liners. This is a very new brand to me but you can get it from Beauty Bay so it is easy to get hold of I just think not enough people know this brand exist. I have only tried their lip liners but I really like them, they are a good in between of pigmented and creamy. They are not super creamy to the point where they bleed and they are not so dry that they tug at your lips, just that really good middle. Sadly, they don't offer that many shades but enough to choose from and the best part is that they are so affordable, a lot like most things in this post, but the definitely do deserve a bit more love. 

I have two glosses to mention but the first one is the Too Faced Sweat Peach Lip Oils. These just seemed to be released and then ignored, I don't know about you, but I didn't think that many people were too excited about this, saying that, I definitely was. Glosses are one of my favourite makeup products and this formula is incredible. Firstly, the scent is incredible but the formula is even better. The gloss is pigmented, but not too pigmented and the gloss is not sticky but it is creamy and wet looking. I definitely do need to get more shades in this but they are a little pricey but they are really good for a highend gloss.

For my other glosses, an old favourite, the Artdeco Hydro Lip Boosters. Once again, you can get these off Beauty Bay but I got these particular three shades in Germany. For a gloss though, these are the perfect for day to day, they are not super intense but they make your lips looking glossy, slightly wet while giving off a little colour and being super comfortable. These have to be an all time favourite and just a go to because they are so easy to use, apply and perfect for on the go. I can't recommend these enough and I feel like if people tried them, then they would know exactly what I mean.

Finally, a makeup brush brand that is so good but so undermined are the Seventeen Makeup Brushes. These brushes are insanely affordable and so good. They don't offer a lot of brushes but my two favourites are the eye brush and the cheeks brush, both super soft and well made. I find that they pick up and apply product really well, while washing easily. I have had mine for about two years and I use them almost every time I do my makeup and they have only just started shedding when I wash them so that is something to bare in mind but considering how cheap they are, definitely worth picking up.

Reviews of products mentioned:

Freedom Singles Pans - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/freedom-pro-artist-hd-eye-shadow-and.html

Too Faced Sweet Peach Lip Oil - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/a-treat-or-two-to-myself.html

Makeup For Glasses Wearers

Whether you wear glasses or not this makeup look would be great for you but I just really liked the way this eye makeup looked with these fake glasses that I picked up from Primark a while back. Makeup has no rules so do what you like, I just thought that this would make a fun little blog post so I hope you like it.

I am going to leave all of the exact products I used down below but I am just going to talk through the application and order I did things in. Starting with my eyes already primed and set with some translucent setting power and going straight in with my first crease colour. I started with a matte, pale nude shade just to begin the colours in the crease with a super fluffy eye brush, I then gradually added in a slightly darker warmer brown just to start adding more dimension but I tried not to go too warm as I knew I was going to be using more cooler shades later on. Speaking of which, I then went in with another matte shade, on a more tapered, dense brush, but this was a dark grey shade which did appear lighter on the eye but it was quite simple to build up. Anyway, I focused this on the lower crease and outer part of the lid but then to blend it all together, I went back in with those first two matte shades just to make sure everything looked seamless. I repeated this step a few times until I got the opaqueness I wanted. For the inner half of the lid, I went in with a light gold shade just with my finger too get the maximum amount of pigment. I did focus this on my inner eyelid more as I felt that it really opened up my eyes more. Usually these colours I wouldn't pair together but I actually liked the way this eye look turned out so maybe I will wear it again sometime. 

Products I used:

Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade in Taupe

Collection Clear Lash Mascara

Rimmel Lasting Finish Concealer

RCMA No Colour Powder

Morphe 35O

Seventeen Soft Kohl Eye Liner

Benefit They're Real

Mac Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Oh Honey!

Jeffree Start Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick in I'm Nude

Base Routine Linked Here - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/current-base-routine-full-coverage-how.html

My Go-To Outfit Currently - Comfy and Casual

I hope you are all doing well, this is just going to be a little quick OOTD. Do let me know in the comments if you would rather my outfit posts be super chatty or just short and sweet like this. I will also link what I can in case you are interested!

Top - Primark

Leather Jacket - Black Rivet - Similar:  https://www.wilsonsleather.com/product/black-rivet-center-zip-lamb-scuba-w-cinched-detail-and-knit-hood.do?sortby=ourPicks&from=Search)

Jeans - Topshop - http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/clothing-427/jeans-446/moto-rich-blue-super-ripped-joni-jeans-6945959?bi=0&ps=20

Bag - Michael Kors

Shoes - Ugg - http://www.ugg.com/uk/adley-perf/1018375.html

What is your current go-to outfit?

Grace xx

Cruelty Free Makeup Brands I Love!

At the moment, I have really been loving writing about all things cruelty free. Even though I do still talk about none cruelty free things to keep things real, I have been enjoying showing you all the variety you have while remaining cruelty free.

For today's post, I wanted to talk about my favourite cruelty free brands, ones that you might nt have even known were cruelty free. Obviously I have not tried everything from each brand but from what I do own from them, I am impressed with and so I am just going to talk about the brands and mention a few products I love from each. Hopefully this post will just show all of you that a lot of brands are cruelty free and they do range from high end to drugstore, so there is something for everyone.

There is really no order to this list but starting with Collection Cosmetics, which is available from both Superdrug and Boots. Collection is a very affordable makeup brand with all of their products costing no more than £8 individually. As a brand, Collection is known for their well loved Lasting Perfection Concealer, which is a staple concealer for me and many others. There are a lot of products I have tried from Collection and a lot of them, I love and use often. Collection's base products are definitely my favourites like their Illuminating Touch Foundation and their Warm Apricot Primer along with the concealer of course. Saying that, a current favourite from Collection is their fairly new Lip Colour with SFP 15 in the shade Fudge Delight. I definitely want to try more from Collection like their eye shadows and powder face products. Along with all of the other brands, I will link reviews of products I have done from the brand so you can get some more ideas about the products.

A brand I find very hit and miss is Jeffree Star Cosmetics but I had to mention it. Jeffree Star Cosmetics, as a brand, has great morals and great products and that is why I buy from them, the person behind the brand is a whole other story but a brand that makes great products is a brand I am going to buy from. Anyways, I love JSC as a brand, and I have reviewed a lot from them so I will be sure to link them all down below. My favourites from JSC is definitely their lip products, we have all read my dilemmas with the limited edition skin frosts so I don't recommend them, but the Velour Liquid Lipsticks and the Lip Ammunitions are incredible. The lip product formulas are undeniable and there is an amazing shade range that is constantly expanding. The brand is not high end and it is not drugstore but the prices range from about £15 - £35 so not too bad I don't think. If you are also from the UK, you can get them from Beauty Bay, which I will leave direct links to at the end of this post.

I have not been trialing this brand for long at all but I already know that I love it, and I am obviously talking about Colourpop. Colourpop themselves make super affordable products but living in the UK, postage is a lot which is the only sad thing about this brand but if you are willing to pay the income fees then I would say go for it. As a brand, my favourites from them are definitely the pressed eye shadows, the ultra matte and satin lips and the lippie  sticks, all of which I use on the daily and adore. The shades are endless with Colourpop which I love because it shows that you don't have to spend a lot to create a funky look. There are so many things on my wishlist for Colourpop including their collaborations, face powder products and new concealer but again, the income fee is the issue. You can only get these from their own website but the product prices are all under $20 which I think is incredible considering the quality and shade range. 

When I thought of this post idea, this brand probably came to mind straight away and it is obviously Barry M. I adore this brand, mainly because their nail polishes are the best I have ever found. If you have read some of my old blog posts, you will know that I have quite the collection and I know that it is just going to keep on growing. As well as nail polishes, what I have tried from their makeup line, I have really enjoyed. For starter their contour kit is my favourite for when I am pale, their colour correcting primer is amazing, I loved their berry lip oil, which I still need to repurchase, and I really love the formula of their lip liners. I am definitely intrigued to try more of their products, like their glitters, base products and lip glosses. From what I have tried, I definitely have my expectations but I am sure they wont disappoint. With this brand also being from the drugstore it is super affordable but still great quality.

A brand I have not tried enough of is Anastasia Beverly Hills, but I still wanted to mention it. This brand is so popular among people, and even though it is more high end, the quality is amazing. I have tried two things from ABH, the dip brow pomade and the powder contour kit, both of which I love and use daily. Even though I have probably not tried enough to mention ABH in this post, I just wanted to because there is still so much on my wishlist. I am so interested to try their eye shadow palettes, highlighters and lip products which I definitely want to get my hands on in the near future.

The final brand I am going to mention in this post is NYX, a brand that I am still yet to try a lot from but what I have tried, is amazing. NYX is fairly new to the UK as a easy access brand but I remember the first things I tried from NYX, I actually got in Germany two years ago. My favourites from NYX have to be their butter gloss, they are such a staple in my collection. Saying that I also love their single shadows, matte bronzers and jumbo eye pencils. From what I have tried by NYX, I am impressed but there is still so much for me to try from them, like their brow pencils, blushes and liquid lipsticks. I am so interested to find out what more I could discover from this brand so hopefully I will get to try more of their things in the future.

Products I love from each brand (and any reviews I have done):
Collection 
Lasting Perfection Concealer
Warm Apricot Primer
Volumax Mascara - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/collection-primer-and-mascara-review.html
Lip Colour Spf 15 - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/collection-lip-colour-review-lip.html
Illuminating Touch Foundation - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/how-good-is-this-599-foundation.html
Colour Correcting Concealer - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/colour-correcting-collection-lasting.html

Jeffree Star Cosmetics
Velour Liquid Lipsticks
Lip Ammunitions
Manny MUA Collaboration - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/jeffree-star-cosmetics-x-manny-mua-skin.html
Summer Chrome Collection - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/jeffree-star-summer-chrome-collection.html

Colourpop
Lippie Sticks
Ultra Satin Lips
Ultra Matte Lips
Pressed Eye Shadows
All reviewed here - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/colourpop-my-thoughts.html

Barry M
Nail Polishes
Colour Correcting Green Primer
Powder Contour Kit
Lip Liners

Anastasia Beverly Hills
Dip Brow Pomade
Powder Contour Kit

NYX
Matte Bronzer
Jumbo Eye Pencil
Single Eye Shadows
Butter Glosses - http://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/nyx-butter-gloss-review.html

Do you want to see a part two of this?
Grace xx