M.A.C my Lips!

M.A.C is a high end brand but do their lipsticks match up to this?

(L-R Lovelorn, Hue and Angel)

I bought my very first lipstick 2 years ago and I have to say from that moment on I never regretted it. I bought Angel as it was known as a cult colour. They weren't wrong! It is a lovely pastel pink which i think the phrase 'your lips but better' was named after. It really emphasises your own lips but adds a slight shine to them. I tend to use Angel in the day but you could use it at night and layer on a super glossy lipgloss to add impact.

Hue is a definite nude and at times this does not suit me (does that happen to anyone else??) It is more on the beige side than Angel and is also a favourite in the blogging world. This is definitely more of a daytime lipstick and it looks lovely paired with a smoky eye!

I had 6 empty containers to Back to M.A.C so I knew I could get a free lipstick but what was it to be? Lovelorn was a lipstick I ummed and awwed about for absolute ages. It is a more vibrant pink than the other 2 lipstick but none the less natural looking! Well, I like to wear it in the day to give myself a pop of colour when I am wearing a natural eye.

(L-R Lovelorn, Hue and Angel)

They retail for £13.50 but don't forget to Back to M.A.C as you then get the choice to purchase a free lipstick. They do a huge variety of colours and ones to suit all skin types or styles. They do come in all types of finishes and i am not keen on the matte styles as they tend to dry out my lips.

These lipsticks definitely deserve to be tried and I dare you to NOT like them???

Moisturise me!

As I have said in a previous post, skincare up until 3 years ago was not top of my priority list. So, since then I have been searching for the perfect moisturiser. 

My skin is oily to combination and I have struggled to like a moisturiser that doesn't leave my skin feeling oilier once the moisturiser has soaked in. I have tried many moisturisers but then one day I was perusing Superdrug (in other words making my bank balnce scream in pain) when i came across this product, Johnson's Oil Balancing Light Daily Fluid

It retailed for £2.99 (it was on offer at the time) and you get 100ml of product in it. It comes in a squeezy tube but you still have to be gentle with it, otherwise you get an almighty mess all over you! The fluid is thin and a little goes a long way. Once rubbed in and left to soak into the skin it makes your skin feel lovely and soft. It claims to help create a perfect base for your makeup and it probably did help my makeup last all day!

However..........once again although it says its oil balancing, this on my skin STILL leaves an invisible oily film! It maybe just my skin that this happens to and I might be being too picky - but you don't want to feel like you have oil on your skin right????

So. off I go again trying to see if I can find the PERFECT moisturiser that a. makes my skin feel soft and moisturised, b. leaves no oily residue and c. doesn't cost over £50 to get these pleasures. Anyone have any recommendations???

Look at my Face!!!

I thought I would do a post talking through my Everyday Makeup. For some people this may seem an extreme amount of makeup to use on a daily basis, but because I am quite conscious of how pale I am and because I suffer from dark circles, my makeup makes me feel more confident and ready to face the day ahead!

The Base: 

(L-R, Collection 200 Lasting Perfection 16 Hr Concealer in Light 2, Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Desert Beige and Rimmel Pressed Powder in Silky Beige)

The Eyebrows:

(L-R, Sleek Palette (deep brown colour) and MUA Clear Mascara to set eyebrows)

The Eyes:

(L-R, M.A.C Bare Study Paint Pot, M.A.C Eyeshadow Quad (mainly use Naked Lunch and Satin Taupe to create smoky eye, L'oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara and L'oreal Million Lashes Mascara in Waterproof)

The Cheeks and Lips:

(L-R, Bourjois Bronzer in No.51, M.A.C Dollyimx Blusher and Revlon Lip Butter in Cotton Candy)

So, there you have it - thats my Face!!

Oh what a .........Conditioner

My hair is something that although may seem vain, is of importance to me. So, when I had heard really good reviews of the Herbal Essence Deep Conditioning Intensive Masks I tried to give it a whirl.

The Vibrant Colour style comes in a bright pink tub and holds 200ml of product. The consistency is quite thick but smells absolutely divine. It smells fruity and you can definitely smell the passion fruit - which in my opinion makes washing your hair even more enjoyable. Now, dont get me wrong I wasn't doing the adverts Ooooh Ahhhhh but it was close. I put the intensive mask on the middle to ends of my hair and let it soak in for approximatey 5 to 10 mins (they advise 5 mins but because my hair is so thick I added on some time). Once washed out and styled it leaves your hair super soft and silky and because I have to be careful not have too much product in my hair in fear of build up, this did not make my hair feel greasy one little bit. It actually prolonged the amount of times I needed to wash my hair, which we all know is a blessing! It advises you to use it at least once a week but I in fact used it as my basic conditioner and I never looked back.

For the mere £3.99 I paid for it, it definitely is worth the pennies. It lasts for around a month and makes your hair smell and look amazing. Give it a whirl!!!

Review my week.....And .....What to Do Katie???

Here are a few pictures Reviewing my week, (although a week behind - dam Apple Mac computer) this gives you an insight into my world and did I achieve ll the things on my list of What to do Katie?.....

1. Painting my nails in Essie's Muchi Muchi, Makeup time for work and new clothes
2. Chilling out on the sofa with snacks, cheeky dessert and yummy custard whilst watching my beloved Mad Men
3. Trying new and old makeup, Mythology eyeshadow and my favourite blush (maybe of all time), Benefit's Bella Bamba
4. Blogging and taking pictures, relaxing in my bed with my Yankee Candles and reading my Kindle
5. Waking up to my cute dog curled up on the bed, Jezza Kyle time and prepping work with the help of crumpets and a mug of tea!
6. Work Prep, treated by my boyfriend to a bubble bath, candles and a mug of tea and my favourite Yankee Candle of all time, Soft Blanket

Ding Ding: First Round is Battle of the Cleansers!

I am not afraid to admit that I was not totally on board with looking after my skin until 3 years ago, but I am now a total convert!
Before, being interested in fashion and beauty blogs, a quick swipe of a wet wipe and little moisturiser (if remembered) was as much as you got out of my skincare routine! However, the more and more I read about cleansers the more and more attractive they looked!. So, I took the plunge and went ahead and bought the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, which with its mixed reviews, was a daring choice for my first cleanser. 

When I first started to use it my skin became crystal clear and felt amazing but because I was using it twice a day, after 2 weeks my skin began to resent it. I was determined to stick with it because a. of the brice and b. because I had heard such good reviews about it. So I changed things around, I began to only use it at night to take my makeup off and deep cleanse and use a gentle facial scrub in the morning to awaken my skin. Voila! It worked! My skin started to settle down, I had little if any breakouts (bar monthly hormonal ones) and face appeared brighter and smoother. It is 100ml and smells very fresh and herbal and is also all natural so I know I am not putting anything toxic on my skin as my skin has been known to be sensitive and react to some products in the past!  As, Cleanse and Polish does retail for £14 and because I was using it everyday, I wanted to look for a similar product to make the Liz Earle cleanser last (cheapskate I know).

Thats when I heard about Superdrug releasing a similar cleanser which claimed to create the same effect at a fraction of the price. I was luckily enough to pick mine up when it was on offer so it was only £1.99. This cleanser comes with one muslin cloth and has 200ml (double the amount of the Liz Earle one) however the consistency is thicker and smells strongly of Shea Butter. When I first used it I felt like my skin didn't feel as super clean and as soft but I persevered hoping this would change. When you remove the product it does leave a slight oily residue on the skin and no matter how many times I tried to remove it , this wouldn't budge. So, because I have oily to combination skin this made me feel like I had a layer of oil on my skin to end and start the day with. This in turn had an impact on my makeup  as it was not lasting as long throughout the day. I did alternate the two products but my skin wasn't feeling amazing.


So, I converted back to using Liz Earle alone and my skin now feels super clean and has little breakouts. Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish has definitely introduced me to learning to look after my skin and because I am reaching that scary age (30 for me = arghhhhh!) this needs to continue. It is a fantastic product which I have since introduced other people of all ages to and it definitely deserves to win a must have award in anyone's skincare routine!!

Kkkkkkk....Kindle

Books have always been a massive part of my life. I love to read and just drift off into a different world and forget the troubles of the day. So when I got a Kindle for Christmas I was very sceptic as I loved the feel of a book and curling up on a chair so could it live upto this?

Hell yeah! My Kindle goes absolutely everywhere with me - it's so petite and light that it fits into my handbag of choice and has become an integral part of my life. I have to leave to go to work earlier than most people as to not get stuck in traffic so my Kindle is my little saviour when I get to work early - I chill out and read for a bit, so I can prepare for the day ahead!

I was lucky enough to get one for Christmas but if you were to buy one - they would cost £89 but I tried to rationalize it in the way that if you calculated the costs of the books you buy across a year (which for me is quite a fair few) you would be better off financially with a Kindle. You can also pay £60 more and get a Kindle that is 3G connected (ie. you can download books wherever you are and not just connected into Wifi which is great for people who travel alot, but for me I tend to read at home so I hook it up to my Wifi and download any books from home).

Another plus point, thats if you are anything like me, is to accessorize them! As geeky and girly as this may sound you can get protective covers and cases for your over device which come in all different colours and styles. I currently have a case that covers it completely and opens out like a book (do I make any sense?) which I put a battery powered little light on it so I can read at night without turning on my bedside lamp (serial geek). I also, as you can see, have a Keep Calm and Carry on case with protective screen cover which I picked up from Amazon for £7.99 which I absolutely love as its bright pink and funky! Cases range from as little as a few pound to leather cases of £40 +. You can buy them from Amazon or anywhere across the internet.

Kindles in my opinion, are definitely worth the price tag at the start and although they are marketed as a device to hold books there is an area on the Kindle where you can search the internet, log onto and use Twitter and plenty more. This seems to be in its earlier stages but its an added bonus. I have downloaded a few books on the Kindle (and also on my IPad/IPhone through an App so if my Kindle battery goes I have those as backups) and I am currently reading Summer in the City by Candace Bushell (ie Carries diaries). I am going to be reviewing some books that I have read on my Kindle so keep an eye out for those!

Lets Haul Away....

So when you are on your jolly holidays you are meant to spend money right??
Ok ok I decided to splurge (it was payday after all) and I picked up a few things from my 2 favourite shops ie. Primark and H&M.

(Blouse , left from Primark £10 and Jacket from H&M £24.99)

These two items are my favourite and they can definitely be styled up in many ways. I have been wearing the mint green blouse tucked into denim shorts and tights and it really just hints at Spring trends without looking pastel crazy. The jacket is something I have been searching for for a while now - its nude, cinches in at the waist and has pink lining which when the sleeves are rolled up hints at the pastel trend also.

(Blouse, left from Primark £10, blouse, top right from Primark £10 and 2 sheer jersey vests, bottom right from H&M £7.99 each)

I went blouse crazy in Primark and picked up another couple of sheer blouses which you can layer over leggings, jeans or tucked into the beloved denim shorts or bodycon skirts. The nude rose one on the left is definitely long enough to wear over leggings but you do need to wear a black camisole underneath to protect your modesty!. I have worn the blouse on the top right out for drinks and a meal with friends as it ticks the smart casual tend when teamed with black skinny jeans and heels. The two vests are a combination of 2 materials - a soft jersey on the front and a sheer chiffon on the back but I thought these would look amazing in the summer tucked into shorts or a maxi skirt.

(Blouse from Primark £10)

This blouse really ticks the Aztec trend that is everywhere across the high street and although it is shorter than the rest of my blouses/tops I have, I put a cheeky camisole underneath to feel more comfortable. This piece can be worn all year around and in all weather (England has petulant weather - ooh the big words)I have worn it with a black cardigan, jeans and boots or you could wear it with a high waisted skirt and bare legs - its multifunctional.

(Lilac Top £4, Maxi Skirt £10 and Pastel Top £6 all from Primark)

Finally, I picked up a maxi skirt which I have been umming awwing over for the last year (I kid you not) but I wanted to capture the Bohemian style I lust over in magazines. I was always concerned that I wouldn't suit this style but after trying the skirt on I fell in love and when paired with this lilac top it really sets off the outfit. Plus as I was perusing the aisles looking for more things to spend my money on (my bank balance was screaming DON'T DO IT!!!!) I saw this mint green and camel top. I have a thing for mint green at the moment so this top jumped out at me straight away but again I knew it would be multifunctional and multi-seasonal - it lets you bring a little spring into your outfit without being too overpowering.

So....... that was my Holiday Haul and now my bank balance is feeling the pain, even though I really want to go back and buy some more! I know I have a serious shopping problem but I blame the High Street for designing some lovely clothes!!!!!

What to Do.....Katie???

So I am not afraid to say it but I am a compulsive list maker and I am super organised which is strange as my other half is the total opposite!!!

What I thought I would do is every Sunday blog a list of the weeks objectives combining work and play and look back on them and see what I achieve and photograph it. This may seem boring but it also captures my life to a tee!

So here goes with the first ever What to Do????:

1. Swing back into work - a week of lie ins and shopping needs to be eradicated with many lists to organise my life
2. Take photos of all clothes bought in holidays and prepare blog posts
3. Make sure I keep up the tweeting!
4. Buy other half's birthday card and present for the 26th April - hint it's football related
5. Finish the Summer in the City on my Kindle (naturally blog about it)
6. Organise work night out (party time!)
7. Start to do some exercise - I really want to learn to run (I know learning to run shouldn't be hard but I want to learn how to pace myself and not die of exhaustion)
8. Use my new Jamie Oliver cookbooks

So, although to most people that list might seem quite sparadic - this is just one of many lists I do to organise my week! I swear I have issues!

Lets see next week how I have got on......

Picture my Week....

I thought I would sum up my week every week in a collection of photos. I literally take a picture every day I just love capturing memories. I am very unlikely to be in the photo myself as I like to be behind the camera but I hope these are of interest. Its me and a collection of some of the (boring) things I do!

So thats a mixture of reading, sleeping, loving my little niece and dog and good old fashioned Friday night takeaway!

Oooh you are making me blush.....

Sleek is a drugstore brand that can be found in Superdrug and really does stock fantastic products that could rival any High End makeup company. I am particularly in love with their blushes (Rose Gold is an absolute favourite of mine) so when I heard they were coming out with sets of trio blushes I ran out to get one.

This trio is called Pink Sprint but they do come in Lace (coral and gold toned), Sugar (deep red and orange), Flame (reds ranging from brick to vibrant tones) and Pumpkin (pale pink and orange tones). Pink Sprint has 3 vibrant pinks ranging from the neon (middle) to aubergine toned (right and left). The pigmentation in these blushes are amazing and you definitely need a light hand otherwise you will end up like Coco the clown and that is not a flattering look. I tend to wear these blushes at nighttime for a more glamorous feel to my look but if you use a light hand you can get away with them in the day.

If I want a flushed doll-like look I use Pink Ice (middle) with a plain simple eye and maybe a touch of winged eyeliner. The blush on the left, Pink Parfait is a deep red tone and definitely gives you an English Rose glow but can easily be glammed up for an evening look and Pinktini (right) certainly achieves the night time glamour I love. The blushes are matt which is unusual for me as I do tend to like a little shimmer but nonetheless these blushes are a steal for £10 (thats just over £3 a blush).

I am definitely, as always, wanting more of them but I think you can only get them off the Sleek website (http://www.sleekmakeup.com) now as I have not seen them in my local store for a while now so go check them out!

La Couleur..

I had heard of these Loreal Infallible eyeshadow pressed pigments from a Youtube video starring Sprinkle of Glitter and Zoella (these two blogs and youtube channels are fantastic - I learn so much from them especially how to spend money haha). They had also got the Sahara Treasure one and as it looked so fantastic on screen I though hell why not give it a go!

Sahara Treasure is a gorgeous bronze gold and teamed with brown through the crease it creates a fantastic golden smokey eye. I find it goes on better with an eye base and I use the Maybeline On and On bronze 24 hour eyeshadow bases (Iv blogged about these) and this way the base really enhances these eye pigments. Another good thing about these eyeshadows is although they are pigments they are so tightly pressed down you get little fallout which is a blessing and also the pigmentation in these is fantastic and longwearing. They also come in 14 different colours ranging from white through to aqua blue to violet - there is literally a colour for everyones tastes!

I paid £6.99 but if you pop into Boots they are currently running a 3 for 2 on all makeup or Superdrug are offering a buy one get 2nd one half price on L'Oreal products! I will be definitely buying more of these beauties!

Double Up the Perfection!

I have always been on the hunt for the PERFECT foundation and I have searched and tried out so many that I was beginning to lose belief I would ever find one. I used to be in love with my M.A.C Studio Fix but I found that that even started to go patchy after a full day in work and then I went on to try Rimmel 25 hour foundation as I had heard such good reviews about it but then that failed me.

So after reading tons of blogs and reviews, Estee Lauder Double Wear kept popping up, and for some reason I had resisted getting it until a month ago. But after really getting annoyed that my foundation was not staying put I took the plunge and went on in to Estee Lauder. I have to say the lady who served me was so nice which made the purchase easier as she matched me up and explained the differences between normal Double Wear and Light Double Wear, but because I like a full coverage (I have dark circles and a grey tinge to my skin) I settled on the standard Double Wear.

I have to say this is the BEST and most PERFECT foundation if you want it to last all day and you like a full coverage. I work in retail and occasionally I have to work through the night to moves and this has even passed that test - it did not budge. It also feels lovely and smooth on your skin and makes you appear flawless. Once on it also does not give you a dewy look just a matte one which I prefer and although it comes out the bottle quite quickly, a little goes a LONG way!

It did cost £26.50 but I absolutely love it and it makes me feel so confident that it won't fade away or become patchy. In my eyes (and I know I am late catching on with this product) it is a fantastic product that can do no wrong and is worth every singe penny!

Oh Dollymix!

I have recently been loving all things M.A.C and although expensive the makeup is lovely.
I have always wanted one of their blushes but could never make up my mind as to which one so after many swatching sessions I finally settled on Dollymix.


Dollymix is a bright pink blush with a little bit of shimmer running through it but once on the cheeks it gives you a gorgeous natural flush. I find it has fantastic pigmentation but you can use a light hand and have a sheer effect on the cheeks. It does remind me of Benefit's Bella Bamba in some lights but I find Bella Bamba has a more coral/golden tone to it and you need to work harder at that blush to blend it all in.

Although it was £17.50 I find it's worth every penny as I have used it nearly everyday since I have got it. M.A.C do do fantastic makeup and some might say it's overpriced,and to be fair I have used some products that weren't that fantastic and you could get similar ones in drugstores, but this blush is a key must in anyone's makeup bag!

Ice-cream nails

I thought I would try blogging on the go-via my mobile so let's see how this turns out.
On my nails is a deep purple taupe by Essie called Chinchilly priced at £7.99 and my ring finger is a pale pink colour by Angelica called Sweetie Pie from Primark at £2.50 (yes Primark - a shocker!)
I really like the combination and they remind of chocolate and strawberry ice-cream - did I tell u a was a wee bit peculiar!!!

Maybe its Maybelline....

The Maybelline Colour 24 hour by Eyestudio bases came to the UK unexpected. I certainly wasn't expecting to see them in my local Superdrug to late March but they came a couple of weeks early and took me by surprise.

They come in 7 different shades ranging from neutral to the vibrant. As always I like to play it safe and after swatching them a few times I finally succumbed and bought the On and On Bronze.

On and On Bronze, is like it says on the tin, a shimmery bronze base that can either be worn on its own or used as a base to enhance an eyeshadow. I have heard alot of people's opinions on these eye products with some saying they crease quite easily and some saying they are the drugstore's equivalent to M.A.C paint pots. I am great lover of M.A.C paint pots and although the Maybelline Eye Tattoos have similar packaging that is where the similarities finish.

The consistency of the Eye Tattoo's is thick yet easy to blend across the eye but unless you layer an eyeshadow across the top they do unfortunately tend to crease. I was really pinning my hopes on the fact that they wouldn't crease because the colour pigmentation is fantastic and it really enhances my eyes but I have tried them out several times now on their own and I do have to layer them with an eyeshadow of similar colour (I use Mythology from M.A.C or Smog from Urban Decay) to make them last all day.

On the whole this product is affordable and does create a fantastic base to enhance your eyeshadow!

Butter me up

I had been waiting for these Revlon Lip Butters for months and when they finally arrived in the UK I had to see what the fuss was about. They retail for £7.99 which is quite expensive but similar in price to other high end drugstore lipsticks. I was expecting a tinted lip balm when instead I got a glossy lipstick with a moisturising finish. I was shocked as I had previously also tried the Loreal Caresse lipsticks and I thought the lip butters were going to be of similar consistency.

My favourite has to be Cotton Candy as although it looks similar to Strawberry Shortcake I like the fact that it looks so natural on my lips and gives me that extra oomph! Strawberry Shortcake reminds me of Angel from Mac in colour format and is definitely 'your lips but better' and an easy day to day colour to wear. 

Lollipop is a bright fuschia pink and I have to say this is the hardest to work with. The colour is hard to apply in the sense it can be quite streaky so I have to apply Vaseline to help it glide over my lips easier. Finally, Candy Apple is a rich bright red and although I have worn it in the day I would save this for a more evening look.

I want to compare them to Loreal Caresse Lipsticks but I just can't. The Loreal one has a sheer finish and doesn't require you to apply it with a mirror whereas Revlon Lip Butters do but I feel the Revlon ones have better lasting power and better colour payoff. 

After trying out the two brands for some time now I have to say Revlon Lip Butters definitely lived up to the hype and are my clear favourite!

Oh Essie you're so fine....

So I was wandering around Superdrug and then I saw a bright light shining towards me....Oh yes, it was a stand full of Essie nail polishes.

I swear I couldn't believe my luck... I had heard that Marble Arch Superdrug had recently received an Essie stand but did I believe for one minute that rainy old Manchester would - hell no! The woman next to me got the shock of her life when I leapt up with glee.So I then preceded to spent 30 minutes deciding what colours to get (I couldn't just get one!). I finally decided on Chichilly and Muchi Muchi and this was after many trips back and forth to the queue and then returning and changing my mind!! I was too excited.

I heard about Chinchilly alot across many blogs and although it is a deep taupe colour and hardly Spring appropriate I knew I would get plenty of use out of it! The nail polish is opaque after 2 coats and has a slight purple tone to it and would go with most outfits. I love it already and I have only had it 4 hours!

Muchi Muchi was a colour I had been after for so long. I had wanted a pale pastel pink for a while and after searching many many many brands of nail polish this one ticks all the boxes. It is opaque after 2 coats and dries pretty quickly. It makes me feel posh and polished as it makes my hands look really elegant (and that takes a lot considering I have chunky dimpled ones).

The nail polishes retail at £7.99 so on the slightly more expensive drugstore side but definitely worth every penny.