Mac Velvet Teddy

Mac lipsticks are a little guilty pleasure of mine. The shade and finish range is so vast that they really do have a lipstick for everyone! recently the world has been going crazy for Kylie Jenners lips and this is reportedly one of the lipsticks she uses. Now i'll be honest, i'm not really fussed whether Kylie used this shade or not, I bought it purely hoping it would be another browny toned, pinky nude to add to my collection and when I found it finally back in stock I ordered it straight away.

So Velvet Teddy is from Macs matte range, I've already got a couple in this finish and it's one I really love. Long lasting, matte without being drying and feels so smooth on the lips. The shade however, it's not my favourite. I was so desperate to love this, but sadly I was disappointed. It's a little too peachy for me and doesn't really do anything for my skin tone. It looks a little nondescript. I swiped it across my lips for the first time and thought to myself ''so this is what the fuss is about... oh'' all the swatches I looked at online it looked beautiful and like it would be right up my street. I'm hoping that maybe once the summer months come around and my skin tone warms up a little I can give this another try but until then all i can do is wait... or keep trying and hope that one day I change my mind on this one.

Have you got Velvet Teddy? What were your thoughts on it?
You can buy Velvet Teddy at a Mac counter or Online

Mac Plink! - One you need in your collection.

Swatched: : Left - pressed harder and several times | Right - one swipe

The latest addition to my Mac Lipstick collection (which is currently still small - I can feel more additions coming soon). I recently picked this up when I went to Liverpool, which is amazing for shopping by the way! I have so many 'nudes' in my collection but I felt a natural pinky nude was lacking. This was the one I actually picked up first and swatched on my hand and then put it back thinking it was too light and had too much sparkle to it for me and I carried on looking. A couple more swatches in and one of the counter girls must have seen the confusion on my face and stepped in. I told her what i was looking for (a natural pinky nude) - she whipped round the display and had 3 for me to try. I really like that the Mac girls seem so happy to help you, they really encourage you to try on the products to see what you think, they even give their honest opinion too which I like. Don't get me wrong I know they want a sale at the end of the day but if your at a beauty counter are you really 'just browsing'? She tried 3 on me and I didn't even bother looking at the names of them at all (1&2) I liked, 3 not so much... I went for the 2nd one she tried in the end and low and behold it was the very first shade I swatched... Plink!

I was shocked, I really liked it and I bought it immediately. I really happy with this one. Now i'm not going to describe it as a 'your lips but better' shade but it does enhance the natural colour of your lips. I prefer this one on days when i'm not wearing much make up or if I want more of a focus on my eye make up. The only warning I have is that you need to be light handed with your application, don't press too hard as it is a cool toned lipstick and you don't want to blank out those lips! Don't let that put you off though, it's not one of those concealer lips shades, it's just more of a frosty pink.

Plink! is from the Mac Lustre range. I'll be honest the lasting power isn't the best but I can deal with the for the fact that I like the shade too much.

Mac Pink is available from Mac counters or Online for £15.50
have you tried this shade? Are there any other Mac shades I need to add too my collection?

Two Mac lipsticks I can't get enough of

For today's post I wanted to share with you two Mac lipsticks I love. You can see from the photos one of the two I favour a little more but nonetheless, I love them both! I'd like to introduce you all to Mac, Viva Glam 2 and Mac Twig.  Bizarrely I actually purchased these both on the same day I remember being glued to the lipstick counter at Harvey Nichols in Leeds and after not being able to choose between them I left with both. In one sense they're similar, they both have a more browny undertone and are both nudey-pinks but yet I still class these as oh so different.

 Swatched Left: Twig, Right: Viva Glam 2

You can see they're both an all rounder lipstick, day or night (although I tend to favour Viva Glam 2 in the day and then Switch for Twig in an evening) Both lipsticks are from the satin finish range and both have the most amazing finish, moisturizing and kind of a semi-matte. I've seen a few people post about their dislike for this finish but in all honesty, I love it. If i'm ever stuck for what lipstick to go for, these two are the ones I always fall back on. I've actually never once finished a lipstick but in fact, I feel like I need to repurchase Viva Glam 2 (It really is that good). Both of these are kind of an, all skin-tone friendly shade and not too in your face. I really can't stop focusing on the fact the Velvet Teddy is also in the same colour family but every time I go to purchase it, it's out of stock! 

Do any of you have these shades? and Are their others that are ''similar yet different'' that I should try? You can purchase these from either a Mac counter or from Mac online.

Tom Ford Black Dahlia - The Clutch Bag Essential

So this post is a day late, oops! Apologies. So here it is, Tom Fords Black Dahlia part of the 2014 Holiday collection. I first saw Lily using this and I fell in love (although Lily could make me want to purchase anything) however, I kept watching her dark lip tutorial over and over and I couldn't keep resisting so I made a little order! This is my first ever Tom Ford lipstick so it was a pretty brave purchase for me to go for such a bold colour but my my i'm so glad I did!

It looks a lot more bold in the bullet than it looks on the lip, although I do apply it with a lip brush, rather than straight from the bullet. Its the most beautiful colour kind of a purpley red, I know that doesn't make it sound nice at all but it's lovely. I'd certainly say it was more for an evening, not that you can't wear it in the day but as the post title suggests it's an essential for a night out.  Now I know that Tom Ford lipsticks are expensive but wow this has so far been worth every penny! The finish is just beautiful and I've found it to last really well and you can barely even feel it on your lips either, so light and not to mention that packaging! Simple but so elegant! I'm so happy I invested, I can't even explain how beautiful it is, just wow.

You can buy Tom Fords Black Dahlia from Harrods £37 and please note. I asked for standard delivery and it arrived the next day, how amazing is that?

Budget Buys To Love

You can't beat the drugstore, I think so many brands have some brilliant products to offer and recently on one of my many browses of the aisles of Superdrug and Boots I picked up a fair few products I'm loving. Two of these products are these, the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in the shade Hot Pepper and the Maybelline 24Hr Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze (late on the bandwagon with that one I know).

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet: Something I've seen a fair few posts on and something I just couldn't stay away from any longer, I'm finally starting to steer out of my comfort zone with lip products and try out the reds, dark and plumy to bright and bold I'm working my way through them all and this one from Bourjois made it's way into my basket. It's certainly the brightest red I've ever tried and it's safe to say I really like it. the formula is fab, it glides onto the lip easy and dries matte (doesn't cling to those dry patches) I'd say the velvet claim in the name is true. Lasting power? It's okay... I certainly had to touch up during the day and after meals it had worn away a fair bit. It also has a smell about it, I can't describe it, I can't say I like the smell either but if you can look past that its a fab lippy for the price and one i keep reaching for!

Maybelline 24Hr Colour Tattoo: Late on the bandwagon with these much! It seems like everyone and their nan has had one of these before me and I really don't know why it's taken me so long to pick one up. Don't get me wrong, I've looked at these many times, like more than I should but every time something has stopped me putting one in my basket, why? I don't know and I'm kicking myself for not trying one of these sooner! I picked up On and On Bronze and my oh my do I like it! The colour is so pigmented and the lasting power is fabulous. I like to apply this with my finger and then blend into the crease with my mac 217. It's creates an effortless bronzed eye look and I really like it paired with the Bourjois lip. It's not too heavy and allows the focus to be on the bold lip.


You can get both these items at either Superdrug or Boots.
Bourjois £8.99
Maybelline £4.99

The Lipstick That Just Doesn't Suit Me...

Ahh the YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in 13 Peach Passion; such a  beautiful shade of pink isn't it? I first saw Milly wearing this beautiful shade and I knew I had to have it, on her it looked perfect... I had to have it.

I got it, I couldn't wait to try it and as soon as I did?... Bitter disappointment. It looked beautiful on Milly and I've since seen it on Zoe (aka Zoella) and it looked gorgeous on her too, but me? No. Now this isn't an entirely negative post trust me, the formula to these lipsticks is just amazing, so hydrating, moisturising and creamy. The colour is so pigmented and lets face it YSL know exactly how to do packaging. it looks simply gorgeous. Sadly this colour just doesn't suit me, it doesn't go with my skin tone,., even when I have a tan! I wish it did suit me, I've tried numerous times but this just isn't my shade *crys a little* I can't explain it other than it looks like I've smeared strawberry ice cream on my lips... it's just not right. Has it put me off? No way, in-fact I'm dying to try Number 5, Fuchsia in Excess (a pretty bright but deep purpley/pink). Sadly this one lays in my collection longing for a day to be loved! But until then its beautiful to look at.

Have you tried this shade? Did you experience the same disappointment as me?
You can buy the YSL Rouge Volupte from House of Fraser or Debenhams, £25

Meet Jeanne from the Nars Audacious Range

So this here is Jeanne a beautiful deep red from the Nars audacious lipstick range *stares at how beautiful it is* I picked this lipstick up a couple of weeks ago now and I must say, I'm loving using it! I'm never usually daring enough to go for a bright lip but after a little bit of a chat with the lady on the Nars counter and her trying this shade out on me, I caved.  Jeanne is a cherry red but with depth, me and bright bright reds don't mix. These lipsticks are really moisturising and I haven't found this to cling to any dry patches I may have at all and the formula  is really creamy however it drys with a matte feel to it. As for lasting power again, brilliant I did have to top up but I don't end up with a red smear on my face half way though the day. The packaging of these lipsticks is fab, I mean it's magnetic, whats not to love!? I really want to try more from this collection.

Have you tried any from this range?

Brand Focus: L'oreal

L'oreal is by far my favourite drugstore brand (don't get me wrong I like others) but L'oreal just does it for me every time. These are 5 of my current favourites from their range.

True Match Foundation: I don't think there are many beauty bloggers who haven't passed comment on this foundation, many have compared it to the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk (i'm yet to try this so I can't comment yet) however; this foundation is certainly my current drugstore favourite. It leaves my skin looking fresh, it covers well but without looking cakey andits definitely a buildable coverage though depending on what you want. I tend to keep mine minimal and cover 'imperfections' with concealer, I thoroughly reccomend and just in case you wanted to know i'm shade N1.

Lumi Magique Primer: I really like this primer, it certainly makes your skin look more radiant and your skin look like it has a natural glow. If your skin is slightly on the dry side this would be good for you, if your oily i'd steer away! It's a really good base for your foundation and I certainly think it makes mine last the little while longer.

Cheryl's Nude: I literally love this lipstick, its so creamy! It's the perfect nude for my skin-tone (nobody likes foundation lips). This is my everyday lipstick, kind of a fail safe, I know it works and if in doubt go with what you know. The only issue is... what has happened to this lipstick!? I've raided every drugstore I've come across and it's just not there, my only guess is it's been discontinued and I really can't understand why! *inserts cry face emoji*

Glam Bronze Bronzing Powder: This really is a gem, I think I picked this up one day when there was a 3 for 2 on and I just didn't really know what else to get as my 3rd item, luckily I picked this and found rather a fabulous bronzer, I have shade 06 golden bronze. Its a lovely colour for a day to day contour or an all over warmth and it's a steal at just £7.99.

Brow Artist Plumper: The newest addition here and an obvious dupe for the benefit gimme brow. I never tried any of the other drugstore brow mascaras (is what even what you call them?) the wands just seemed a little too big for me. This is the perfect product for those, like me who struggle with their brows. My brows are more on the darker side and it seems every time i try a pencil I look like I've stuck those fake moustaches on my face (nice!). It just helps get my brows into place and adding a little more depth to them. I have the medium/dark shade.

Have you tried any of these products from L'oreal? Are there any others I should be trying?