A new pharmacy purchase has been the Nuxe Baume Progidieux Levres. This is a beautifully packaged tinted lip balm with SPF 15 which you could say is a lip gloss/balm hybrid.


The balm comes in a standard lip gloss packaging with a doe-foot applicator. It is smooth on the lips and feels lightly moisturising without any sign of tackiness. It is inoffensive in scent which would please all, plus it has spf 15! What I like the most about this is the pigment that the balm has which really resembles a gloss. The pink shade I have is a gorgeous light pink with a shimmer running through it. It can look a little frosty which isn't specifically my taste in gloss but on crisp winter mornings it looks beautiful, especially paired with a pale pink blush!


A great little product to have in your bag to not only hydrate but perk up your lips! After a few weeks of wear it does remind me of Nars Orgasm, but a lighter version! So if you like that look you will enjoy this.

Have you tried any Nuxe lip balms?
Following the same Christmas/Birthday Wishlist I thought that I would dedicate a whole post on perfumes. If you aren't a fan of rose then you won't like my picks so it is better to just skip onto another post and avoid this one. However if you enjoy rosey, sweet scents then you may find some scent-spiration here!
Lancome Hypnose Midnight £34.20
Lancome La Vie Est Belle Set £37.80
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle £47.50
Escentric Molecules £38


Which perfumes have you had  your eye on?
December is a very exciting month for me as I get to celebrate my Birthday AND Christmas... For any nosy followers out there, I am a christmas eve baby :)

So here are my picks for the ULTIMATE wishlist, some of which you may have been lusting after some of which may truly be only lusted after by myself. Either way I hope you enjoy sneeking a peek into my hearts material desires!

Charlotte Tilbury Vintage Vamp Palette £38

Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita Palette £38


















Anastasia Covet Eyeliner Set £23

Beauty Blender £16




















Topshop Pyjamas £20
Urban Outfitters Storage - £30






























And finally on my wishlist, socks socks and even more socks! What's Christmas without socks and Ferrero Rocher? Oh, and sales money! ....

A girl can only dream!

What's on your Christmas wishlist?
I have recently turned my brow palette (Beauty UK: review here) into not only a brow palette but an eyeshadow palette and a contour palette and I am here just to tell you how you can do the same too!


Now this isn't exclusively for brow palettes, if you have a matte brown eyeshadow palette this applies too! Anything that has at least three shades of brown can be transformed into multi-use product!

Brow Palette
Whether your palettes intended use is as a brow palette or you have a few matte brown shades in an eyeshadow palette, get that angled brush out! A little tip for using matte browns on the brows is go lighter than your brow and if you want, slowly and lightly apply a darker shade as if you go too dark you may have get a little scouse on your brows!

Eyeshadow Palette
Now if you want to get the most out of your brow palette then the simplest thing you can do is use it as eyeshadow! Let's take for example the palette in the photo: The first shade can be used as a light wash on the lid or a super natural contour in the crease for every day. The darkest shade can be used for a smoky look or simply to line the lashes with to create a soft focus feline flick or if you opt to line without a flick it will thicken the lash line making those lashes look more voluminous. The third and final shade can be used in the crease for almost any shade and especially to warm up a dark, intense smoky eye or it can again be used as liner to give a softer look than black liner gives.

Contour Palette
Both brown shades can be mixed together, or if your brow palette has a grey shade use that too and take a fluffy brush to contour the nose and the cheeks but just make sure to blend, blend, blend! If you do end up being a little heavy handed then simply use your foundation brush to buff away the edges and voila, you will be contoured to perfection without having to buy yet another beauty product!

Have you got any multi-use powders?
Being a major lipstick junkie I could not pass up on picking up some of the new shades brought out with the newly formulated Moisture Renew lipsticks by Rimmel and let me tell you... These shades have been hugely welcomed into my collection, especially due to the colder weather change and have barely left my bag!


The shades which mostly picked my fancy (in order of photos) were In Love With Ginger, Mayfair Red Lady, As You Want Victoria, Saved By The Bell and Let's Get Naked.


The lipstick formulas are, as the name suggests, moisturising and quite creamy. They stay creamy throughout their wear and last 3-4 hours on my lips. The lipsticks have amazing pigmentation and are highly opaque but can be patted on with fingers for a lighter wash of colour. I would say that these lipsticks would be best for dry lips in need of hydration,especially in these winter months! These are quite creamy in formulation which feels lovely however I would not recommend these for dinners out or on windy days as the whole hair-lips-swipe-across-the-face fiasco will occur!

In Love With Ginger
Mayfair Red Lady
As You Want Victoria
Saved By The Bell
Let's Get Naked

I think my favourite in the bunch has to be Let's Get Naked as it is a very natural pink-nude which is great for every day and for smokier looks! Plus it will fade more naturally due to the lighter colour!

Have you tried any of the Moisture Renew Lipsticks?
Through the many Youtube videos I have watched and the millions of posts on beauty blogs I have devoured I have learnt an abundance of things. Be them from the top bloggers (Anna, Lilly, Estee, Fleur), the Queens of make up artistry (Queen Eldridge, Queen Tilbury and Queens Pixiwoo) or from magazine flicking and simple trial and error. Today I thought that I would write all that wisdom down in one place and hopefully you will find the new thing you learned today right here on this page!

1. If using a heavy or thick concealer to cover any severe under eye circles, mix it in with a nice hydrating eye cream so as to avoid any creasing! - Just make sure it isn't too heavy a cream.
2. When shaping or filling in your brows, they should begin at the bridge of the nose. Imagine two lines on either side of the bridge of your nose. This will slim the face and nose.
3. When wearing a bold lip, do your base first then apply your lipstick. That way you can decide just how much blusher/bronzer/highlighter/eye makeup you need so that you don't over-do it.
4. If you have over powdered, spritz your face with a little facial mist/water or simple put a bottle of water into a spray bottle so as to settle the powder and give the skin a more dewy complexion.
5. If you are wearing a bold or matte lip, apply lip balm before beginning your make-up then wipe it off with a cotton bud before applying your lipstick.
6. Don't be afraid of multi use. If you think a certain blush or highlighter would look like a great eye shadow, go for it! Experiment! Which leads on to tip seven.
7. Relax. It's only make-up. You can always wash it off. Have fun and experiment be it alone in your room, with friends or with family.
8. If you want to create a sixties velvet-matte lip, simply pat on some translucent powder over your lipstick with a brush.
9. If you can't find a blush to match your lipstick simply rub some of the lipstick onto your finger to warm it up then pat it onto the apples of your cheeks, blending as you go with a clean finger. Perfectly matching lips and cheeks!
10. If you have concealed a monstrous under the skin lump of a spot and it still looks terrible as the texture will never change. Simply mattify the spot with translucent powder as much as possible so that it is completely matte. That way it won't catch the light so will look flatter as opposed to bulbous.
11. Liquid highlighters can be used with practically everything. Mix it in with your moisturiser/primer/foundation for a radiant glow. Mix it in with your cream bronzer for a golden goddess look. Or mix it in with a lipgloss to give that extra bit of sheen!
12. Concealer can be used for more than just conceal! It is perfect for highlighting and contouring, simply buy a colour a few shades lighter and a few shades darker and voila!
13. Don't be afraid to dive into your pantry! If you suffer from dry skin/dry hair get that olive oil or coconut oil out. You can use it as moisturiser, a mask or a deep treatment.
14. A cotton bud dipped in a little moisturise is your hero when creating a sharp eye or lip look.
15. Wash that make-up off every single day. There's no excuse. Even if you are drunk and you use cotton pads with micellaire water that will suffice. Just make sure to get it off! It wasn't made for staying on your face, it was made for putting on and taking off.
16. You can use clear gloss on the face! That's right. You can use it to add a glow to the cheek bones or you can give a wet, grungy eye look if applied on top of eyeshadow.
17. Yellow cancels purple. Green cancels red. Peach cancels darkness.
18. A heavy coverage foundation is all you need for your base. For a light coverage mix it with your moisturiser then use it alone to conceal any areas which wasn't covered.
19. A matte brown shadow is all you need. Pick the right shade for your skin/hair colour and you can use it for your brows, for liner, for eyeshadow and for contouring!
20. If using your fingers to blend in foundation or concealer around the eyes only use your ring fingers at it applies the least pressure. Treat that area like silk.

What tips have you learnt? I am always looking to learn more!!!
Urban Decay have released their brand new lip line which was welcomed with great applause. I have a vast lipstick collection which I am pretty happy with however whilst browsing Sephora on my way to Carrefour I decided to have a little swatch-a-thon and let me tell you... This was love at first swipe!


I bought the shade Bang which is a stunning Orange-red (it leans more on the orange side than the red). I decided to buy the corresponding lip liner as I have a few orange-red/ red-orange toned lipsticks yet didn't have an orange toned lip liner!


The lip liner is smooth and almost creamy yet has a nice matte finish so far a low maintenance long-lasting lip the liner would suffice. It is very easy to apply due to the creaminess which I like as there is nothing worse than a stiff, dry lip liner. You could wear this underneath orange lipsticks to darken them up and make them more wearable, with matching lipsticks or to lighten any darker red lipsticks and to add some warmth to them.

Lips with just the lip liner
The lipstick itself is indeed a creamy lipstick. One of the creamiest I have tried. It does however set and have superb lasting power, after 5 hours of wear it still looked smooth and perfect and like it was going nowhere! I however was going to sleep so had to take it off! Even though it is nice and thick and smooth it doesn't feel thick on the lips or move around like some creamy lipsticks can. The shade is an amazing orange red, a vibrant colour which can be worn summer, autumn, winter and spring! I imagine that dry lips would adore this lipstick and to be honest, all lips. It isn't slippy but manages to be extremely comfortable. I would say that after a few hours the shine does fade and it sets into a creamy semi-matte finish. It really is one of a kind and a beautiful formula and shade! I would definitely recommend going to your local Urban Decay counter and asking a MUA to apply this. It will be love at first sight. 

Lips with the lip liner and lipstick
The stand out product really is the lipstick. For £15 it is incredibly good value for money as I honestly haven't found a creamy, comfortable yet long lasting formula from the drugstore... even though you could probably find a similar dupe in regards to colour. So if you are after a smooth lipstick which will keep your lips looking hydrated and plump during the cold cold weather whilst still rocking an amazing colour then this is the one for you!


Have you tried any of the Revolution Lipsticks?
As you should be all well aware of by now, I am living in France. What comes with that is a greatly (for me) condensed make-up collection. During a quick trip back home I decided to make myself a mini mac palette to bring back to France with me... which took me longer than I care to share as I love all of my Mac eyeshadows! I see this as my Autumn/Winter palette at it has everything I need from a neutral look to a party look  with some very autumnal shades in the mix!


Mac Black Tied - is a matte black with silver glitter running through it. I chose this shade as you can use it in a variety of ways: you can use it to line the eyes with an angled brush, you can use it lightly to add a darker smoky look to another coloured eyeshadow or you can go all out and apply this to make a bold glittery black smoky eye... perfect for those Christmas parties!

Mac Cranberry - The most autumnal eyeshadow if I ever saw one. Cranberry is a stunning red plum shade with frost. It is quite multi dimensional as it has some burgundy and pink tones to it which makes the shade wearable. This can be used to create many beautiful eye looks and the burgundy eye has been making its comeback this year! Don't be afraid of the red, with a little bit of brown blended into it, it is the most beautiful and yet striking eyeshadow looks!

Mac Honey Lust - Now this is perhaps my least favourite shade in my whole collection as it is a Lustre finish (my least favourite from Mac) which means it doesn't have great colour pay-off. This shadow is basically a gold/copper sparkle, there isn't really any colour to it due to the lustre finish but what you do get is the glitter. For those of you who aren't a fan of the sparkle, this isn't for you. However I am a little partial to a glittery eye, especially this time of year! How I like to use this shade is with a cream eyeshadow as a base so that the glitter can cling on to the eye or if creating a smoky look I like to apply it on the centre of the lid to bring back some dimension to the eye and give it an extra bit of a pop.

Mac Soba - Soba is a golden brown with a golden shimmer running through it. I haven't had much experience or experimentation with this shade so I decided to pop it in the quad to get acquainted with it! I imagine it will look great with all the shades already in the palette or even as a single wash over the lid as it is a very subtle yet beautiful shade. Use it alone or to add depth to the eye, I am very excited to see what looks I am going to create with this shade!

What shades are you wearing this Autumn?
Glo Minerals set several bloggers a challenge to re-create one of their favourite make-up eras using three of their products: Glo Eyeshadow in Opal, Lipstick in Spiced Rum and Glo Liquid Liner in Coal.


A quick review of the items for those who are interested before we get into the challenge. The lipstick is a beautiful, almost buttery feeling. It isn't too slippy or creamy but is incredibly comfortable and hydrating on the lips (thanks to a little Castor oil in the ingredients!). Plus the pigmentation is brilliant, exactly what you see in the bullet! The eyeliner is a a jet-black liquid liner with a brush applicator. It is quite wet so not great for those who find eyeliner transfers onto the crease/brow bone but great for creating thin dark feline flicks or a thicker liner although I think it is better at creating a precise thin line as the brush is perfectly petite. Finally the eyeshadow in Opal is a matte white eyeshadow. I think this eyeshadow is great at it is very wearable, it isn't highly pigmented but nor is it sheer - which is why it is so wearable. It is a very powdery eye shadow so don't apply too much on the brush as it may create fall out but it does blend like a dream. Overall, my favourite item is the lipstick as it really does feel beautiful on the lips and doesn't enhance any imperfections.


The look I decided to create was sixties inspired, think an every day Lana del Ray!
To create the look simply apply the foundation of your choice and conceal, line the eyes with the Coal eyeliner, heavily apply the opal eyeshadow and then use any matte dark brown shadow in the crease and blend blend blend. Finish with a slick of lipstick! A very easy yet effective sixties look.




If you want to recreate the same look just head to http://www.gloprofessional.com/!

Have you tried any Glo Minerals products?
So this post has been long over due but with my whole moving to France business I didn't have my full lipstick collection to hand so when I returned home two weeks ago I got my hands on five beautiful shades and brought them back with me!


As soon as autumn hits my corals are out and my berries are in! I adore the deepness to a dark lip as they add something very edgy, sexy and sophisticated to a look. Plus they can be worn as a stain (patted on with fingers) or slicked on thick and opaque. Don't be afraid of a dark lip! Trust me, with one swipe you will be converted and there are a multitude of shades and tones to choose from, here are the five I have chosen!


 Revlon Lip Butter - Red Velvet
A sheer, moisturising burgundy shade with more red tones than brown. This can be built up to a deeper shade or sheered out to give a hint of berry.




 Topshop Lipstick - Beguiled
A true autumn berry shade which has pinker undertones so it isn't too vampy or brown which makes it more wearable. A smooth creamy semi-matte finish which means it will last for hours without drying out the lips.



Nars Pure Matte Lipstick - Valparaiso 
A very purple toned berry, great for a bolder, darker look! This is incredibly creamy for a matte lipstick and has amazing staying power. An all-day all-night kinda lipstick.



Hourglass Opaque Rouge - Icon
This shade is what I would call a "dark blood red", imagine what lipstick a vampire would wear? This would be it. It can look very vampy and sexy or chic and elegant, it is a very versatile shade. Plus it is super long lasting however can be quite drying so not one for chapped lipped days but definitely one for meals, drinking and all night long partying!



Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick - Passionate Red
This shade is a stunning cherry shade lipstick which has an almost berry-purple tone. What makes this lipstick stand out is the pink frost which makes this an amazing party lip. Not quite red, not quite berry but definitely bold yet bright at the same time with an incredible sheen.



What shades are you rocking this Autumn/Winter?
Second in the line up of my Scrimp & Splurge series is (see the first post here) is a base combination. This is a pretty basic "every day face" as it isn't particularly flawless, matte or luminous but is a great no effort good, healthy skin pairing.


For foundation I picked the Bourjois Happy Light foundation which is a superb every day foundation as it is one you don't really have to think about. Sometimes foundations can be too luminous for everyday and some a little too matte but I find the happy light foundation to be rather fuss free as it provides luminosity where you need it yet is velvety in any areas you don't want to shine and is relatively long lasting (on my oily skin). Plus the coverage is light to medium-ish so that you don't have to worry about it getting cakey or applying too much on those rushed mornings! Plus you can conceal anything you don't want on show! A purse-fect foundation if you ask me and one of my top three drugstore foundations!

To finish this foundation and set any concealing I love to use the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light which is the best every-day powder to finish your make-up with as it sets the makeup in place, gets rid of any forehead glare yet imparts a soft glow onto the skin. Plus the yellow toned powder is great for diffusing any redness which I find I suffer more with at this time of year as my skin is going from warm indoors to cold outdoors back to warm indoors and it does cause havoc on my cheeks and nose giving me a rudolph-esque look! This keeps me looking less red and my skin clearer and almost translucent! Just lovely! However for the price of this I would not recommend carrying this around with you as it may smash and if this baby smashed I honestly would cry!

What are your favourite base products? 

Did I ever tell you that J'adore Dior? Because I do, I have a full blown let's fly away to Paris love affair with Dior. So when I caught a glimpse of Natalie Portman whilst I was walking down the street (poster, not the real Natalie) it took me less than ten minutes for me to go from seeing the new Dior release in ad form to swatched on the back of my hand and in basket! The two matching items I bought were the gorgeous Dior Rouge Lipstick - Trafalgar and the Dior Vernis - Trafalgar


A perfect description of this shade would be the creamier sister of Mac Lady Danger - a beautiful orange toned red! And the best part is the matchy-matchy aspect of the make up which is extremely chic and easy.


The lipstick is a dream and one of the best formulas I have tried so far. Now some of you may know that I love to rock a matte lip however sometimes things can start to look a little too matte and my lips can very quickly begin to get sore and in need of a comfortable lipstick.
Most of my "comfortable" creamier lipstick formulas usually don't last well on me, which isn't a deal breaker as when I put that lipstick on in the morning I make a commitment to top it up regularly! I was expecting the same from this lipstick too as it was just soo comfortable and creamy on the lips - without being too creamy! To my surprise it lasted perfectly for 5 hours, after which is began to fade. Even the way this lipstick fades is flattering!!! I can not praise the formula enough, smooth, not too glossy but with just enough sheen to pull off sexy, cool, chic and sophisticated! Can I sing it's praises anymore? Let's just try: I love love LOVE this lipstick, so much so that I have already purchased two other shades and have my eye on one more! So even though at £25 this is a fairly pricey lipstick, see it as an investment to your lips!


The nail polish was also beautiful. The beautiful not too red not too orange shade is something I have been searching for such a long time! The Dior polishes have great opacity and apply smoothly in one coat - however I applied two just for good measure! They have a wonderful shine to them without needing a top coat and started to chip a little after 4 days (without top coat) so I find that to be pretty great! At £18 this isn't a ground breaking nail polish but if you are crazy in love with the shade and the whole matching aspect then I would say it is worth it but if not then I wouldn't bother.


What do you think of the new Dior Rouge collection?
The Sleek Matte Me Lip Creams are not a relatively new releases however due to my UK absence I didn't have the opportunity to pick any up but after a wonderful cold two weeks back in Leeds I finally managed to get my hands on these! What exactly are they? They are a new member to the new liquid lipstick family joining the likes of Rimmel Apocalips and the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick but for only a mere £4.99.


As the name would suggest, these are matte lipsticks. Now when I say matte I mean MATTE so if you're not a fan of the look or feel of matte lipsticks then this is not for you. I on the other hand have had a long time love for the matte-look. The packaging of this is the same as a lipgloss and it also has a doe foot applicator. It is very creamy when applying onto the lips but you must make sure to work this into the lips with the applicator to get a smooth and even finish as this dries quickly. Try and apply quickly, smoothly and evenly then do not touch until dry! It will dry completely matte and almost transfer resistant. 

I must state that as these are so matte they are quite drying so make sure your lips are prepped, smooth and hydrated before applying this. The wear of this was great it stayed PERFECT for a good 5 hours but by that time I needed to touch up around the corners of my mouth. After 6-7 hours of wear time it does begin to look a bit dry and flaky but you can either take it off and freshly reapply it or smooth on a little lip balm.



There are six shades in the Matte Me range, four of which I picked up. The four shades I bought were (in order of photos) Petal, Blink Pink, Fandango Purple and Rioja Red. There is also another pink in the collection which I have my eye on! Plus a nude brown-pink which would look amazing on dark skin tones!

Petal
Blink Pink

Fandango Purple
Rioja Red
Overall, it is a great product which would be great for a bold night-out lip as the colours are bright and it has great longevity. Even though it is drying and does flake after several hours for £4.99 I really can not complain and will buy more colours if they are released!
Have you tried the Sleek Matte Me Lip Creams?

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