MOTD: Big golden eyes and bronzed cheeks!

Hello, a quick little post today featuring my 'Makeup Of The Day' and all of the products used!

FACE:
Maybelline Baby Skin Primer
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation (52 vanille)
Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer 
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder (04 sandstorm)
Artist Of Makeup Contour Stick (medium)
Makeup Revolution Contour Palette
The Balm's Mary Loumanizer

EYES:
Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow (soft brown)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer (original)
MAC All That Glitter shadow
Anastasia Beverly Hills Waterproof Creme Colour (jet)
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara (waterproof)
Eylure 'poise' Enchanted Lashes

BRUSHES:
Nanshy 

Thanks for reading!

Chloe 

MAC: Amber x 9 Eyeshadow Palette

Hello! I have been facing a bit of a problem over the past couple of weeks; i cannot stop spending my money on MAC beauty products. It sounds silly but this is quickly becoming a big addiction and i am not willing to stop!

This Amber x 9 Eyeshadow Palette was released along with three other beautiful ones recently. They are small in size, which makes them amazing for travelling and contain 9 eyeshadows. In the UK these cost £30.00, which for 9 small shadows, is expensive. However, it is so worth it.

This amber palette is amazing for all eye colours. I have brown eyes, and picked this set personally because of the gorgeous golds, i feel that they really accentuate brown eyes and pick up all sorts of unusual colours within the eye.

I have seen various reviews saying these shadows are nowhere near as pigmented as regular MAC shadows, but with these being my first ones, i can say i'm impressed. Using a Nanshy eyeshadow brush i felt that enough colour was picked up to give a gentle sweep of colour, however a few more brush strokes back in the pan were needed to build up for a more intense look. The colours when used with a primer last nicely and remain matte/sparkly/creamy all day.

(Cozy Grey, Kitties)

(From top right: Georgia Peach, Ricepaper, Creative Copper, Cork)

(Don't tell, Aromatic and Pepper Please)

Cozy Grey: This is a gorgeous creamy matte, it is a very light grey and is cool toned.

Kitties: This shadow is a light bronze/grey and has a frost finish.

Georgia Peach: Another matte shadow, this is a soft muted warmer toned pink. 

Ricepaper: This is a peach colour with gentle gold shimmers with a frosted finish.

Creative Copper: My favourite! A gorgeous gold shimmer with copper undertones, lustre finish

Cork: A soft golden brown colourn great for the crease, satin finish

Don't tell: Sparkly brown with slight purple undertones and a lustre finish

Aromatic: A deep matte brown 

Pepper Please: A cool deep brown with gold sparkles and a velvet finish

 Thanks for reading!

Chloe

Ultimate contour and highlight products!

FINALLY. After so long looking for products to make my face look defined and angelic, i have found them! Say goodbye to muddy orange bronzers and glitterbomb highlighters, and hello to the perfect products of all time!

MAKEUP REVOLUTION ULTRA CONTOUR PALETTE £8.00
After seeing the official Makeup Revolution Instagram post announcing the arrival of this palette, i was literally jumping around the house, one of my favourite makeup brands was bringing out one of my favourite products!

The kit contains 2 matte highlighters perfect for under eye, 1 gentle skin toned shimmery highlighter, two gorgeous cheekbone highlighters and 3 contour shades.

The texture of these powders are amazing. They are unlike any other powder at all, and feel so smooth and creamy. They sit really nicely on the skin and don't have any fall out whatsoever. My absolute favourite shade is the second contour shade on the bottom row. It suits my pale skin so well and leaves me gently bronzed without looking like an orange or like i haven't had a wash for a long time!

Another favourite is the yellow toned matte highlighter second across on the top row. It's nice and light for applying on top of concealer and gives a gorgeous brightened effect. The shimmery highlighters are also to die for! I love the white and gold swirled one however the more bronzed one is honestly perfect. I recommend this product so much for a great contour kit and for the price of £8 you cannot go wrong.

ARTIST OF MAKEUP (ZUKREAT COSMETICS) CONTOUR STICK £18
I'm going to be honest, i  was slightly nervous ordering this product. From reviews online it looked so pigmented and strong i was worried it was going to be very brown and very dark on my pale skin. I was so wrong! Because this product is a cream stick, it blends in so well. It feels so creamy and hydrating. This is definitely a product i would use for special occasions as it's so lovely and makes such a difference to my contour routine. It is on the higher end of the price scale (for me, a massive saver) however it is 100% worth it!

THE BALM - MARY LOUMANIZER £17.50
I have spoke about this highlighter 100 times before and i'm sure alot of other people have too. But it's honestly gorgeous and you cannot go wrong with it. Its creamy and not too powdery, glowy and gorgeous and the packaging is just so fun. This adds such a perfect highlight to any look and is bound to get you compliments! There isn't much more i can say about this highlight as it is just an ultimate favourite, if you haven't tried it, please do you will not regret it!

Thankyou so much for reading! I am honestly so relieved i have found some great products for contouring and highlighting, it took a long time!
Chloe :)

How to (truthfully) grow long hair!

If you have ever tried to grow your hair, you will know deep inside that it cannot be done overnight and will take alot of time and patience (unless you have extensions.)

 However after growing my hair and then cutting it and growing it again over the years i have come up with my best tips that will actually work and help speed up the long boring process!

* Disclaimer*
I cannot promise you that these tips will work on everyone, as everyone has completely different hair and natural growth rates, but these tips have 100% worked on me personally and people i know, so if you are really desperate to add some more length they are definitely worth a shot!

the current length of my hair!

ignore my face in these embarrassing selfies but this is my hair transformation

SHAMPOO/CONDITIONERS
When you are trying to grow your hair it needs to be in its best condition to grow well. I have had highlights/bleach in my hair for over a year and its still in such good condition thanks to the shampoos and conditioners i use.

I have never ever loved any hair products as much as i do these! I have been using these consistently for 4+ years now and they are amaaaazing! These are the Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioner by Herbal essences. They also smell amazing and the product itself is bright blue! My hair loves these so much, they keep my hair constantly hydrated, helping it stay strong whilst it contains bleach. I can use these for months without any build up and they do not make my hair greasy in the slightest like alot of other shampoos. These are honestly an amazing set to have in the process of growing your hair!

I use these l'oreal shampoo and conditioners on special occasions only, or if my hair is feeling unusually dry. I leave the conditioner on for a good five minutes and treat my hair to a rinse and repeat. This solves any issues with dryness and completely refreshes my hair if its feeling a bit ugh.

Another essential is a hair mask. Any hair mask will do, i used mine which was an Argan Oil Mask from B&M costing me only £1.99! I applied this and left it in my hair for about ten minutes once every three weeks. This just helps get your hair in the best condition it can possibly be!

WEEKLY HAIR ROUTINE
I wash my hair around 3 times a week. It is now so long and thick it doesn't need washing so often wooo! I usually wash my hair with cool-ish temperature water to keep it nice and shiny.

I let it dry naturally almost all the time i wash it, but if i am in a rush i will dry it around 70% with a basic hair dryer and leave the rest to dry naturally. This keeps my hair protected from the heat nicely and even though to start with i got annoyed with my frizzy hair, the longer it got the less frizzier it became.

HEAT STYLING YES OR NO?
This has played a big part in the growth of my hair. When it was short i was constantly straightening it as it kicked out at all sorts of angles and just looked a mess, but now its long it hangs down pretty much poker straight to my head!

I can't say i never used heat, because that's a lie, but i definitely cut down the amount i used! Around 6 days of the week i'd wear my natural hair, and then usually at weekends or days out i'd curl it with my tongs using heat protection spray.

I have discovered some amazing ways to curl hair without heat through this process and i am currently loving Bantu Knots more than anything, google them and give them a try they are beautiful when released!

HAIRDRESSERS VISITS
I hate going to the hairdressers. The thought makes me scared as everytime, i think i'm going to come out with all the hair i've just grown being cut off! I go around twice a year and just have a tiny tiny tiny cut to get rid of split ends.

OTHER HELPFUL TIPS

• Find an up hairstyle you love and wear it as much as possible! I love wearing a high messy bun. This is great for if your hair is at that annoying stage where you are contemplating giving up and cutting it and is also great as you loose track of how your hair is growing as you are not constantly staring at it. 
• Use soft bobbles if possible! My hairs so thick one soft un-elasticated will not hold so i use three instead. Soft bobbles cause less damage to hair.

Thanks for reading! Hopefully these tips will help you in some way or another!

Chloe :)

New Beauty Product Reviews July 2015!

Hello! Long time no speak. Managing two part time jobs and a blog is a lot harder than i thought, however it has given me the time to collect up some bits and bobs i will be reviewing today, enjoy!

 BOURJOIS FOUNDATION: HEALTHY MIX - £10.99
I'm going to be 100% honest here, and say that this foundation has completely changed my opinion on all foundations i have ever tried in my life. This is honestly amazing! I thought my previous Rimmel Wake me Up / Loreal Infallible foundation were really good foundations but now i have tried this it knocks all of the old ones off the charts! This foundation feels nice and light on the skin and leaves a gorgeous dewy finish without looking remotely shiny. The colour i have (no 52 vanilla) matches my very pale skin nicely. It lasts all day without a primer and as the bottle says, it actually does leave my skin feeling hydrated. If you are looking to buy a new foundation, please try this one out!

 ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS - WATERPROOF CREME COLOUR LINER (JET) £18.00 + DIPBROW POMADE (SOFT BROWN) £15.00
I love this brand and always have done, however for me spending this much money on two products is not a usual thing, i like to try the cheaper drugstore brands first as who doesn't like saving money! However i already love the dipbrow, i previously had the colour Chocolate but as my hair lightens in the summer i went for Soft Brown this time. It's lovely and creamy and gives my brows that extra oomph they need whilst they are still after 5 months growing out.

I was expecting amazing things from the liner but i'm still a little unsure. I do use it every day as it is so much better than any i already own, but it has a few cons in itself. The formula is so dry that you have to apply it very quickly and often looks dry towards the end of the day. Now i can deal with this, as unlike other gel liners this one doesn't flake off at all. It is nice and light and does not smudge onto my upper eyelids at all! It does last a long time too, sometimes i sleep in my makeup by mistake and wake up with perfect winged liner the next day!

JOHN FREIDA GO BLONDER SHAMPOO - £5.99
My hair is a browny/blondey gold colour with year old blonde highlights at the bottom. This shampoo smells nice and cleans my hair well. It does gradually brighten highlights if used consistently for a few weeks but doesn't make major changes. I will continue to use it, as it does a pretty acceptable job on my way too old highlights.

EYLURE ENCHANTED LASHES - POISE £5.25
False lashes are great for special occasions and makeup looks, however the older i get, the more i move away from the thick long ones, i want to make my false lashes look as natural as possible yet still give off a gorgeous finish. These lashes by Eylure are perfect! The enchanted collection is sadly limited edition and i might have to stock up as they are so beautiful and pretty. The poise lashes are nice and light on the eye with an invisible band for a natural finish. They are not too long, or thick yet are nice and full giving the lots-of-lashes effect! I love these so much and will definitely buy some more.

SEVENTEEN INSTANT GLOW CREAM BRONZER - £4.99
My hunt for an amazing bronzer is still ongoing after months and months and months. I picked up this sweet looking bronzer from boots and had high hopes! However as for the colour, it looks great in the pan but orange on the face. The texture is actually lovely and when mixed with a powder bronzer, can be worn. It is not great though and i felt ever so disappointed. Bronzer's are the bane of my life!

BARRY M FINE GLITTER DUST £4.50
I recently went too a nice fancy party where i could have so much fun with my makeup and glam it up to the extreme. The theme of the party was 'glitz and glam' so glitter eyeshadow was the way forward. I was so excited to use this, as i don't really have much experience with loose pigments. It got to the day and as i looked at the label too see the name (gold iridescent) i saw in tiny writing 'not to be used around the eyes' but i thought forget that and was a rebel and used it anyway. Even though its messy this colour is gorgeous! It doesn't feel to rough and lasts all night without hardly any fall out. I am very impressed with this eyeshadow even though it isn't actually meant for eyes.

 Thanks so much for reading and sorry for the absence! I have missed this alot, Chloe :)

GRWM: Subtle Smokey Brown Eyes Tutorial

Hello! Today's post is a nice little get ready with me tutorial on how to create a soft smokey brown eye look that can be worn really subtly in the day time, or can be glammed up for a nice evening effect.

The first thing i did to create this look was apply my Urban Decay Primer Potion (original) all over my eye lid, up in my crease and just below my brow bone.

Next, taking my Makeup Revolution Flawless Matte Palette (£8) i applied the shade Flaw (top left) over the whole of my lid using a flat brush and up underneath my brow bone to add highlight. Next i took the shade Fawn on a fluffy short crease brush and dragged it through my crease, and slightly higher as i have hooded lids. I also applied this under my lower lash line too. After this i added the colour Earth gently through my crease to add a slightly darker colour with my fluffy brush and blended the whole look together.

After i applied my eyeshadow i had a bit of a strop applied my eyeliner. Usually when creating a smokey eye, before any mascara or eyeliner is added it looks abit weird. I usually start doubting myself and want to remove the whole thing, but it does get better!

Anyway.. I applied my eyeliner next, creating a gentle cat eye effect on the top lashes. I use the Maybelline Gel liner in black to create this. This look can be left at this for a casual look or liner can be added along the bottom lash line and gently blended out to create a more glam look, this is what i did in the pictures.

Next i used a thin coat of my Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara as a base, and on-top of this applied my Demi Wispies Lashes by Ardell.

To finish off the look i applied Chopper from Naked 2 by Urban Decay, over the top of the lid to create a subtle gentle shimmer, and added a tiny bit of the Mary Loumanizer Highlight by the Balm in my inner corner.

I hope you enjoyed this simple eye look! These are the posts i love doing more than anything so let me know what you think! Chloe :)

Something a little different: The BEST chocolate dessert recipe

Hi! This post today is non-beauty related, however it had to be done. If you love chocolate/sweet things/desserts/eating more calories than you are supposed to, this is the post for you!

Today i will be showing the process and explaining the method of creating A chocolate refrigerator cake. This recipe is so easy, even i can do it, and i can't bake to save my life!

Ingredients                                                                        Utensils
175g Butter or Margarine                                                 Saucepan
1 Tablespoon of Drinking chocolate                                Greased tin (a sponge cake tin works best)
1 Tablespoon of Cocoa powder                                        Rolling pin
2 Tablespoons of Golden syrup                                      
1 Pack of Digestives
1 Large bar of Chocolate

1) The first thing you need to to create this dream of a dessert, is grease a baking tin with butter. It doesn't need to be thick, just a light coating will do!

2) Take your biscuits, and put the whole pack into your saucepan. I used plain digestives, however i know this recipe would also be just as amazing if you wanted to use cookies, oreo's or any biscuit of your choice really! When all of the biscuits are in the saucepan, you need to take the end of your rolling pin and repeatedly smash all of the biscuits up into tiny pieces this is an excellent form of stress relief. When the biscuits are crushes pour them into another contain for safekeeping till later

3) Next is the saucepan part. Taking your now empty saucepan, melt the 175g of butter slowly on a low heat, until its all golden and lovely -don't let the butter boil though.

4) Add 1 very very very heaped tablespoon of drinking chocolate to the butter, then do the same with the cocoa powder. Next pour in two large full tablespoons of golden syrup.

5) Stir all of ingredients into the butter to create a dark coloured chocolatey liquid.

6) Next start pouring your biscuits into this mix bit by bit, you might not need them all. You need to keep stirring them until the biscuits don't get coated by the liquid anymore.

7) Next, pour this mixture into your tin and pop it in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes. If you would like to test the mixture yourself, now's a good time as it's still all warm and delicious, but if you do this, try not to eat it all never made that mistake before.

8) When the mixture has started to cool, take your large chocolate bar and melt using whatever method you prefer! I like to play it safe and melt it in a bowl using the heat from some boiling water.

9) When your chocolates fully melted, pour it over your chilled biscuit mixture and spread over the whole tin with a knife.

10) Put the mixture into the fridge until the chocolate is all set, and then eat!!!

You can decorate the top in any way you wish but here are some delicious options that i happily tried and tested:

Strawberries

Grated white or dark chocolate

Smarties

Millions

Cookie/biscuit crumbs

I hope you enjoyed this different little post, it's something that will occur very rarely on my blog however i felt it was necessary as this dessert just tastes amazing! 

Chloe :)