Wednesday 14 February 2018

Current Palette Lovin!

Oh how I love a good palette but honestly, it has taken me a while to build the collection I have today. I have been building my makeup collection over the past few years and I have had my fair share of flops in terms of palettes but with that, I have also found a few gems too. As of right now, I probably have too many for my little face but I don't really care because each one in my collection is one I either love or am testing out. I have also been trying to step out of my little comfort zone recently and use products that I should reach for but don't enough and so I am going to share some of them today because I have been reminded how good they really are.

I had an obsession with the Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Palette when I first got it but slowly I started to use it less and less. When I felt a little uninspired the other day, I pulled out this palette and created a look I actually really loved. This palette contains the necessary neutrals but also a lot of these unique pinks, purples and greens which is super fun to have. As for the formula, I love these shadows. The mattes are so pigmented and they blend beautifully and as for the shimmers, they apply nicely and look super metallic on the lid. I like to apply the shimmer shades wet but I do that most of the time because I find that it is that bit more smooth to apply and it also causes less fall out. This palette is a little steep in terms of price but if you know you are going to wear these sort of shades then I would definitely say you should buy it because the quality is there.
You might have seen this recently in that matte purple eye look I created (linked here) which I used the Huda Beauty Warm Brown Obsessions Mini Palette in, but I am still playing around with it a lot and I'm gathering some final thoughts which makes sense as to why I am using it so much. I love the colour scheme of this palette, it is pretty standard for me in terms of the warm tones but quite a few of these shades, I don't own in any other palette which makes this palette super unique to me. Even though I plan on doing a whole in depth review, so far, I do really like what I have tried from this palette.

The final eye shadow palette I have to mention is one I have been grabbing recently when I have been in need of a really metallic eyelid shade, the Wet N Wild Walking On Egg Shells Trio. This comes with three beautiful shimmer shades that I look amazing with a wet brush as it gives such a beautiful metallic finish. I tend to reach for the two lighter shades most because I like a lighter shade on the lid. This palette has been in my collection for so long and I always forget about it but every time I use it, I love it. This trio is all I need with a few matte shades in the crease, I also really love the highlight shade, not only on the lid, but also on the skin to highlight.
As for another highlighting palette, the NYX Strobe Of Genius Illuminating Palette has been one of my go to highlighters recently. These shades are so super metallic and pigmented and the shades in this palette are so wearable but there are also some really fun colours. This palette is fairly new in my collection and I have been testing it out recently and it turns out that I really like it. I do find that I mix a few shades for my perfect colour but on the skin it can look so beautiful and metallic looking. I don't think I have ever had a full highlighting palette before but I really do like this one and I am super impressed with its quality, definitely recommend.

The final palette I have to mention is the Makeup Revolution Blush Palette in Blush Goddess which has been a solid favourite of mine for a while but I just always neglect it. Even though this is a blush palette, it comes with four blushes and four highlighters. The highlighters are nice but I do find myself going into this palette for the blush colours. They are all matte and in really wearable shades. I find that they look so great on the skin with every look but I also love wearing them on the eyes when I fancy something more warm, which is most of the time.

Do let me know what palette you recommend most in your collection, I would love to know.
Grace xx

Sunday 11 February 2018

Berry Pink Cut Crease - Valentines Makeup Look

Happy and single over here but that definitely doesn't mean that I can't pretend I have a romantic occasion to get ready for. Considering February is the month for love, I though I would do this pink, cut crease very much Valentine inspired. I had so much fun creating this look and playing around with some new colours so let me know what you think I should do next.

I am so boring when it comes to my brows, but I wanted this makeup to last all day so I firstly set my brows with some Collection Clear Mascara. This has became a new hack in my makeup routine, by putting on your brow gel first, you get more pigmented and longer staying power with whatever you apply on top. I just let that dry down slightly and then I use the Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade in Taupe. Less is more with this product, so going back and forth between a spoolie and the product on a small angled brush, taking my time really helps to build up the colour and shape until I am finally happy. 
With the Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer on a flat brush I am just cleaning up the mess I made when filling in my brows and also dragging that concealer onto the eyelids to act as a primer for the shadow going on top. I am then just setting down that concealer with the NYX Whipped Cream single eye shadow, to create a black canvas so that all of the shadows on top blend well.
To start off the eye shadow I am taking Makeup Geek Beaches and Cream and just putting that into the crease to start defining the eye. I am then starting to build it up with the Freedom Sweet Life shadow which is a little darker and warmer, but I am putting this shade in the exact same place as my first one. I then start to blend it above the crease slightly so that when I apply the darker colours, these base shades help create a gradient. With Makeup Geek Cupcake, I am going to start building up the colour in the crease. I go back and forth between Cupcake and Beaches and Cream just to make sure they seamlessly fade into each other, but I do still want to pink shade quite prominent in the crease so this step does take some building up in order for the next few colours to stand out. In the depth of the crease and in the outer corner, I am taking Colourpop Making Moves on a small crease brush and being really precise when applying it. This shade is the most beautiful berry pink shade, and it is this shade that I think makes this entire look. I do really make sure that I take the time to blend this into the crease but not too high that it interrupts those first few shades. This shade does take a while to build up to that bright pink shade I want, and I am also packing it onto the outer corner, and blending out the edges slightly, so that when I cut the crease it has something to blend into. Speaking of cutting the crease, I am using the Hard Candy Glamoflauge Concealer once again on a very small, flat brush and cutting the crease. I am not great at this but my best piece of advice is to just not rush it, and  also make sure that both eyes are as similar as possible. Before I go into that shimmery lid shade, I am setting down that concealer with the NYX Whipped Cream eye shadow again just so that I can clearly see where I need to place the next few shades. For the lid, I am mixing Makeup Geek Grandstand and Makeup Geek Luna which are both foiled eye shadows, very similar in colour but I just wanted to use them both. I am just packing these two shades on that area I carved out with a damp, flat brush just to help me ensure that I get a sharp edge. I am then just taking a bit more of Colourpop Making Moves and softening the edges. With Makeup Geek Bitten, I wanted to try and deepen the outer corner a little bit more so on a small, dense eye brush, I am just packing this very closely onto the lash line.
The eyes is where the attention is in this makeup look, so to bring a little more definition, I am using the Lottie London AM to PM Kohl Liner in Smoke to tight line my eyes. This is a new product for me but I am loving it because it is so smooth and creamy to apply. Finally for the eyes, I am just adding a coat of the Collection Volumax Waterproof Mascara on my upper and lower lashes.

Starting with the face, I am taking the Primark Primer Water and just peeping my skin with that. After allowing that to sink in, I am taking the Freedom Pro Mattify primer and I am focusing this product on my t-zone just to ensure a smoother application with my foundation. For foundation I am mixing the LA Girl Pro Coverage Foundation in Fair and White just to get my perfect shade, and I am blending this in with a damp sponge. For cream contouring I am using the LA Girl Pro Conceal Concealer in Toast and again, blending that in with a damp sponge. To clean up the contour, I am taking the RCMA No Colour Powder and just packing that under the contour so that I have a really defined contour. For the cheekbones though, I am taking the Iconic London Liquid Illuminator in Original and just using a little bit to act as a base for my powder highlighter. I like to do the cream contouring and highlighting before my actual concealer so that I can powder my whole face right after setting my concealer, if you know what I mean. Anyway, for concealer I am using the LA Girl Pro Conceal Concealer in Porcelain under my eyes, on the centre of my forehead and a little on my chin. I once again, blend this out with a damp sponge and I set it straight away with the RCMA No Colour Powder. This powder can leave a white residue so I do brush it off quite quickly, but with the excess, I just take it over my whole face just to set down any creams.
I am then bronzing with the Makeup Revolution Pro Bronze Matte Bronzer on a big fluffy brush just to give myself an overall golden finish. For blush, I am mixing the two berry shades out of the Makeup Revolution Blush Goddess Blush Palette and applying that onto my cheeks just to give my skin some colour which will flatter the eye shadow. Finally for skin, I am using the NYX Strobe of Genius Highlighting Palette and mixing the two lightest shades in the biggest pans together. I am applying this onto my cheekbones, cupid's bow, tip of the nose, brow bone and also on the inner corners of my eyes.
For lips, I wanted something that would flatter the eyes but not over power the look as a whole. I am starting with the LA Girl Lip Liner in Mauve and just outlining my lips but also starting to fill them in slightly and then with the Too Faced Melted Matte Liquid Lipstick in Child Star, just filling in the rest of my lips and allowing them to dry down to a matte finish.

I am super happy with how this look turned out, let me know what you think!
Grace xx

Sunday 4 February 2018

Missguided Clothing Wishlist - A Whole Mixture

You all really seemed to love my last wishlist blog post, which I will link at the end of this post, but I really wanted to do another but instead of makeup, I wanted to do a fashion wishlist. If you think my makeup wishlist is long, then I have no idea what you are going to think of my fashion one, but basically, it is so big that I have to separate it into brands. That leads us into today's post which is just going to be a Missguided wishlist post. Missguided is definitely one of my favourite shops as I love their style and products but also the quality and for such a small price, I think they are brilliant. Some of these pieces have been out for ages and some are in the new in page so it is a nice mix and hopefully, if you have a similar style to me, you might find something you like.
White Peached Shirt Dress
https://www.missguided.co.uk/white-peached-shirt-dress-10079936
 I am starting with a super basic piece but one I have had my eye on far ages and that is just a white shirt dress. So many people have been wearing pieces like this with belts and over the knee boots and I just love how they look. I also think that a piece like this is so versatile because if I was dressing up for an evening I would wear it with over the knee boots and a leather jacket with loads of jewellery but for a more casual look, I would pair it with some white trainers and a checkered shirt around the waist. I really feel as though I am missing something like this in my collection at the minute, and with spring around the corner, I think this would make the perfect addition.
Petite Red Polo Crop Top
https://www.missguided.co.uk/petite-red-polo-crop-top-10094329
I love a good polo shirt, I have one from Calvin Klein that I wear all of the time for those events that aren't dressy but also not casual. When I saw this one, I just loved the looks of the shape and also the colour. Red has been huge lately and I don't think it is going to stop, but I am not mad at it, I think it is so fun, especially a piece like this. I would wear this with just a pair of jeans and some trainers with an oversized jacket for everyday but I also think that if you are going for something more formal then this is a better alternative rather than just a t-shirt.
Black Vinyl Mini Skirt
https://www.missguided.co.uk/black-vinyl-skirt-10055167
I love a-line skirts, I find them the most flattering and the most comfortable but surprisingly I am lacking a black one in my collection and so I saw this one. This one really caught my eye because it isn't just black, it has the most amazing wet-look effect. I am just really missing a black mini skirt in my collection and I think this would just look perfect with an oversized white t-shirt and some sunglasses for summer.
Tall Tan Long Sleeve Cropped Sweatshirt
https://www.missguided.co.uk/tall-tan-long-sleeve-cropped-sweatshirt-10093346
Loungewear is honestly the way to my heart. Being comfortable has always been a huge priority of mine when it comes to clothes and so whenever I see something like this, I just need it. I love cropped jumpers because they are more flattering than an oversized jumper but they are still super warm. This is kind of an unnecessary piece because I have way to many cropped jumpers as it is, but I wanted to give it a little mention as the colour is gorgeous and also the fit of it seems lovely.
Black Chain Detail Cargo Trousers
https://www.missguided.co.uk/black-chain-detail-cargo-trouser-10095184
I do already own the camp cargo trousers from Missguided but I saw these and just thought that they looked amazing. As much as I love my camo ones, I can sometimes find them difficult to style and I also need to wake up feeling brave to be able to wear them. This pair of cargo trousers though, look so much more wearable because they are black but they still have that oversized vibes which is what I love so much about my other pair. I think that cargo trousers are a great alternative to jeans because they are so chill and effortless, I also find that they are more comfortable than jeans. I love the chain detail on these too as I think it just adds something a little extra. I also wear a lot of silver jewellery so I think the chain would really enhance my necklaces and bracelets too.
Yellow Crepe Shift Dress
https://www.missguided.co.uk/yellow-crepe-shift-dress
I am pretty sure that I would never be able to pull this off, but a girl can hope right? I just love the way this dress looks, it doesn't cling to anything and I think the v cut neckline just looks super feminine and cute. The colour is also to die for, I think this shade will be huge coming up to the festival season as it is just so fun but also wearable. I would pair this with a super oversized denim jacket, some pumps and oversized sunglasses for summer. I am super tempted to try this out and see if I can pull it off, but I guess we will see when it comes up to the warmer season.
Pink Oversized Long Sleeve Sweater Dress
https://www.missguided.co.uk/pink-oversized-long-sleeve-sweater-dress-10094261
I have been on the hunt for my perfect sweater dress for months now and it just never seems to work out as I am quite tall, especially in my upper body and so all sweater dress never fit over my bum which is such a shame. After the amount of sweater dresses I have had to send back, I don't know whether I will risk ordering this one, but it definitely looks promising. I also think that the colour is super lovely and super appropriate for spring. I love the fit of this and how the dress comes back in a bit tighter on the bottom as the jumper dress I own now doesn't do that and the fabric has started to roll up and I can't wear it without any bottoms anymore which is such a shame. If any of you have found your perfect sweater dress then let me know because I definitely want to find mine this year.
Pink Tropical Print Swimsuit
I definitely don't need anymore swimwear but when I saw this swimsuit, I thought that it would make a super cute bodysuit. The print and colours, I just think are so fun and with a pair of denim shorts on top, I think it would look amazing. I know a lot of people who wear swimsuits as bodysuits and they look amazing so I really want to give it a go for my holiday this year.
Blue Oversized Washed Denim Shirt
I have wanted a denim shirt for the longest time and with spring and summer right around the corner, I am desperate to get my hands on one. This one in particular I really loved because of the unique shade of blue. I love how it is super muted and also how it has not rips in it because I would rather do the distressing myself on a denim shirt. I would probably wear this mostly, tied around my waist so that I can layer it if I need to. I just think it is a huge staple I am missing in my collection, especially when my holiday comes around, I think I am going to need this.

Let me know if you still like these wishlist posts and maybe comment below which pieces you like the most or the ones you think I should buy, I would love to know your opinions!
Grace xx

Previous Wishlist Post - https://gracexkate.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/new-makeup-releases-whats-on-my-wishlist.html