My Favourite Pinky Nude Lip and Peru Update!!

Hi my little Cherubs! How did your Xmas go?

I know I haven´t posted in forever, just been busy with the Xmas season and also getting ready for my Peru and Miami trip!

We have now been in Peru for 4 days and are having a lovely relaxing time! We attended my friend´s wedding which was just magical. I will try to share some photos when I get back.

We are going to Cuzco tomorrow to see Macchu Picchu so I cannot wait for that!!

I just wanted to quickly share with you my absolute favourite pinky nude lip which I am rocking as often as possible. It gives me that perfect balance between looking natural and fresh and sophisticated too. It is a little Kardashian inspired as it is basically MAC Stripdown liner and MAC Angel lipstick. I dont feel the need to use a gloss over the top as Angel is a frost finish so it has a lovely sheen.

Sorry I cant post pics at the moment but there will be plenty of posts when I get back!

Oh and just to share, I just had the most AMAZING mani and pedi for a mere $8!!!! Sooo cheap! Is it wrong that I love getting my nails done this much??!! The shade I chose for my mani was a Revlon one called Peach Nectar - just gorgeous!

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

Review: Sleek Kajal in Odyssey - Purple/Violet soft eyeliner

Hey Cherubs!

How are you holding up during the busiest season of the year? Me, I cannot wait for my upcoming holiday to Peru and Miami, and I am being suitably anti-festive by flying out on Christmas morning hehe! FYI I am hoping to pick up a few US beauty products while I am out there so look forward to some haulage reviews when I get back!

In the meantime, I decided to check out my local Sleek stand at Superdrug and came across this gorgeous kajal (or kohl) or in other words a soft, creamy eyeliner which is in solid rather than a pencil form. They had 2 colours but I went for the beautiful purple/violet shade called Odyssey. The other colour is black.

The packaging is very, well, sleek and expensive looking, I especially like the little ribbon attached to the end to make it easier to pull it out of the container.

The application is nice and soft and creamy, although it doesn't have great staying power, but applied over an eye primer it creates a soft smudged look. I particularly like using this as a base over which to apply my MAC Nocturnelle eyeshadow. Here is a swatch over my NC42 skin.

It is only I think £3 (can't remember exactly) but go check it out as it is such a vibrant, stunning colour and as its not in pencil form, it is a nice little unique addition to your makeup collection. I have a soft spot for this particularly as it's a little throwback to my ethnic roots *LOVE*

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

Review: Stila Blockbuster Colour Palette and 1940's Hollywood Glamour FOTD

I recently picked up the Stila Blockbuster Colour Palette from my local Costco (!) for just £19 and decided to share my thoughts with you on this makeup kit.

It consists of 30 eyeshadows, 15 lip colours, 3 blush colours, 1 bronzer and 1 highlighter, black kohl pencil and lip liner pencil and an assortment of mini sponge applicators/brushes.

The Eyeshadows

The eyeshadows range in colour from neutral, through to bronzey browns, to purples and blues and a couple greys and black. The pans are around the size of a 5 pence piece. The colours are actually very pretty and useable - no odd lime greens, or 3 shades of neon pink - more everyday kinds of colours so I was satisfied with the range and know I would feel comfortable making use of the colours. I wasn't blown away though as there are no particularly unique shades.

As for the formula, well they certainly do not appear to be the same formula as standard Stila eyeshadows. They are very, very dusty. I was disappointed about this as I was hoping that for £19 I would be able to rely on the Stila branding but I think they have just decided to stick their logo on something they have created outside of their usual standards - shame..

The shadows mostly seem to contain a shimmery aspect to them, however, some colours are more matte. Given that they were so dusty what I wasn't expecting was the pigmentation - they are very pigmented which I was pleasantly surprised about. They are also fairly easy to blend out too. Even the lighter champagney colour when quickly washed over my eyelid without a primer or concealer, was really true to colour. I am actually very pleased with the pigmentation of the shadows.

Lip Colours

These are again the size of 5 pence pieces. The colours vary from nudey pinks, to brighter pinks, oranges and reds. At first glance they look like they would go on very sheer, however, again the pigmentation is good. The colours go on true to colour and then oxidise very very quickly to a pinkey/red colour. Again, it is a shame that the usual Stila quality has not come through in this palette. Having said that, the deeper red colours work with the oxidisation and almost act as a lip stain. Weirdly enough I have somehow managed to find my perfect red lip shade in this palette! It gives me that gorgeous 1940's style old Hollywood glamour lip - the saving grace in the lip colours. I will be taking this along to MAC to match to a proper lipstick though!

Blushes and Bronzer/Highlighter

3 shades of blush, from pale dusky pink, medium dusky pink to a warm berry pink colour. Highlighter is more of a nude peach colour and shouldn't really be called a highlighter in my opinion. The bronzer is a goldeny molten brown colour. The pigmentation is good, apart from the palest colour, which due to my skintone just doesnt show up at all. The bronzey colour works pretty well as a contour shade actually. I do like the blushers, especially as I tend to go for more peachy shades so its nice to have the pinkier colours.

Lip Pencil and Eye Pencil

The lip pencil is a browney pinkey shade and as such is kind of neutral as a lip pencil and therefore plausible as a lip pencil. The problem I had is that it is quite dry and therefore drags the skin. It definately benefits from being warmed up on the back of the hand first. It definately has good staying power too.

The eye pencil is black but not at all well pigmented unfortunately. Again, very dry and not creamy at all so it actually scratches the skin - NOT GOOD around the eye area!

Brushes/ Applicators

Two words: cheap and crap..! OMG what was the point in these crappy, little plastic and nylon, spongey objects? Pointless, utterly utterly useless. *Sigh*

Overall

Ok so I would award this palette 2 and a half Angel Wings. It is not the usual Stila quality at all unfortunately, but having said that if you are starting out and need some eyeshadows to practice with these are decent as are the blushes. Pigmentation is excellent! I wasn't too thrilled with the lip colours as they oxidised like mad on me, but I feel some warmth towards the lip colours purely because they happen to contain the perfect shade of red for me. It is fairly cheap and I believe only available in Costco.

To prove that you can actually use this palette to create looks, here is an FOTD based around a classic red lip. Enjoy!

Products Used:

Face

Lanacane Anti Chafing Gel

NARS Sheer Glow in Syracuse and MAC Studio Finish stick in NC42

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW35 just on blemishes

Benefit Erase Paste in No 3 under the eyes

YSL Touche Eclat to highlight down the bridge of the nose and tops of the cheekbones

MAC skinfinish in medium dark

Cheeks

Stila palette middle shade blusher and highlight shade mixed

Eyes

MAC Bare Study Paintpot as eye primer

Yellowy-champagney shadow from Stila palette all over lid - top row, 4th across from the left

Medium brown shade lightly in the crease 2nd row, 3rd across from the left

Sleek Eyeliner Gel in Dominatrix

Primark Fluttering Lashes

MaxFactor Masterpiece Mascara in black

Lips

Stila Blockbuster palette lip liner

Red lip colour from Stila Palette - 4th row, last column

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

DEAL ALERT!! ELF 100 pc Eyeshadow FREE!

Hey my cherubs! Hope you are feeling suitably festive! I on the other hand am shunning all things Christmas (Bah Humbug!).. except for the awesome deals of course! LOL!

ELF have an amazing deal on right now. If you make any order over £18 you will receive a FREE 100 pc eyeshadow palette! All you need to do is enter the code FREE100.

THE DEAL ENDS MIDNIGHT TOMORROW THOUGH SO BE QUICK!

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

FOTD - Purple Smokey and Girlie Pink

with flash without flash

I don't have a massive collection of MAC eyeshadows (yet!!) but the ones I do have are all classics and I totally love them! One of my all time favourite eyeshadows has to be Shadowy Lady which is a deep purple-aubergine shade in a matte finish. It creates the BEST smokey eye and I really don't need many other shadows to finish off the look. I teamed this dramatic purple eye with a really girlie pink flushed cheek and a gorgeous bubbly pink lipstick. I hope you like it!

My silly face! LOL!!

FACE

Lanacane Anti Chafing Gel
NARS Sheer Glow in Syracuse
MAC Studio Finish concealer in NW35 and Benefit Erase Paste in No. 3
MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in medium dark
MAC Ladyblush creme blush

EYES

MAC Bare Study Paint Pot as base
MAC Shadowy Lady eyeshadow all over lid and blended into crease and lower lashline
Medium/dark purple colour from Coastal Scents 88 Palette on lid only
Shimmery off-white colour from Stila Blockbuster Colour Palette on browbone
MAC Technakohl Graphblack eyepencil smudged into upper and lower lashline
L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara

LIPS

Rimmel lipliner in Eastend Snob
MAC Angel Lipstick

Enjoy!

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

Tips and Tricks: How to Choose the Correct Foundation

Being a woman of colour myself (I am a MAC shade NC42), my biggest makeup difficulty in the past has been how to find the correct foundation. Through trial and error (mucho error..!) I believe I have got the technique down now for getting the correct foundation.

The Real Foundation is your Skin

The best advice I was ever given was that no foundation will make your skin perfect, you need to get good skin to get good foundation. I have the most problem skin out there, and I was so intent on getting a foundation to make my skin appear magically better - NOT POSSIBLE! If you have problem skin, whether it is dryness, oiliness, blemishes, acne, eczema, anything - you need to tackle this first. So I put my holy grail foundation hunt on hold and took a long hard look at my skin and decided to totally change my routine. I got a mixture of Dermalogica and Avene products, I have changed my diet (more fruit and water), and just take much more care - simple things like not touching my skin as much, washing my face thoroughly after any kind of facial depilation and closing the pores back up again. I use sunscreen every single day now, and use AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) on my skin at night once or twice a week. My skin is far from perfect, but I have definately noticed changes for the better.

Know Your Skin Type

Prior to my skin revelation, I had always thought my skin was dry, weirdly enough, once I started looking after my skin I realised it was actually oily/combination!! So many people don't know their skin type, and just go for a foundation because it is popular. The number of (particularly South Asian and black) girls who wear MAC Studio Fix Fluid because, well I assume because the colour options at MAC are better than other brands, amazes me! But Studio Fix Fluid is a medium to heavy coverage foundation which has a matte finish and is a generally drying formula. This is just my personal opinion but it is NOT suitable for dry skins, it is NOT suitable for sensitive skins and if you have good, blemish-free skin and just need your skin tone evening out, it is not suitable for you either. If you like a dewy, natural finish from your foundation - it is not suitable for you either..!!!

The general rules are:

Oily, blemish prone skin - oil-free, matte finish, medium to heavy coverage, liquid or mineral foundation.

Dry, sensitive skin - moisturising, light-medium coverage, liquid foundation.

Normal skin - you are the lucky ones! You can choose your finish - whether matte or natural/dewy, but go for lighter coverage and perhaps consider a tinted moisturiser instead of a foundation.

HOWEVER YOU NEED TO ANALYSE HOW YOUR SKIN REACTS TO EACH TYPE OF FOUNDATION. ALL SKIN IS DIFFERENT.

N.B. Regarding knowing your skin type, remember this can vary depending on season, as winter weather can cause your skin to be dryer, more sensitive and red, summer can cause your skin to be more oily. My advice would be to change your skincare routine depending on seasons, rather than your foundation. Obviously, your skin may also be more tan in the summer so watch out for that too.

Buying Foundation

So, you have sorted out your skin routine, and you know your skin type. Next is to go foundation shopping. Here are my top tips for foundation shopping:

1. You already know the first rule, which is not to purchase a foundation just because your friend/sister/colleague/whoever looks amazing in it. Your skin may react differently.

2. Never just go out and buy foundation full stop. By this I mean, take your time, shop around and be patient!

3. Don't just buy foundation because a make up artist has put some on you in store and you think it looks good. Remember that store lighting, different application techniques and sales pitches can cloud your judgement. Instead, get the makeup artist to apply the foundation all over your face, not just a patch. Walk around in it all day. See how it feels and looks under natural day light and after wearing it for several hours. See how your skin looks and feels after you have washed it off, and also the next day to see if you have reacted to it at all.

4. If you have done all of the above, and you still love it, don't buy it.. yet! Instead, go and ask for a sample, take it home and play, play, play with it. Remember, you have to feel comfortable being able to apply it on yourself with the tools and primers etc that you have at home. Use the sample on a night out, see how it wears throughout the night, and most importantly see how it looks on you in pictures and under a flash etc. (N.B. High SPF content can cause that ashy/mask like effect under a strong flash)

5. Use the sample trying different techniques to apply it. Sometimes, a foundation may not go on as smooth using, say, fingers to apply it, but try it with different brushes (flat foundation brush, stippling brush, flat top buffer brush etc) and you may find that by changing the technique you can vastly improve the look of the foundation.

6. Treat this like a piece of coursework - take notes! I know it sounds silly but you may lose track if you are trying lots of different foundations out. Keep a log to refer back to.

7. Don't limit yourself to a certain brand or budget - I know that money does not grow on trees, but you may find that spending a few pounds less or more will widen your options and you may find THE ONE! With regard to brands, you may feel that MAC have the best colour range, they definately do, but they aren't the only ones. There are so many great brands out there now that recognise that their customers come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds.

I know its a lot to remeber, and a lot of people don't have the patience, but believe me it is worth it. After all you are looking for something that you will put on your face, in full view of the world, possibly every day. If you are concerned that this will mean you have to get by with no foundation until you find the perfect one, just use a tinted moisturiser and make sure you get enough samples to try out so you will always be able to complete your makeup during the hunt.

I know its another long post, but its something I feel strongly about as the wrong colour and type of foundation can completely ruin a look.

Me and My Foundation

My skin - Oily/combination, sensitive, hyper pigmentation (when I get spots/blemishes it scars my skin to a dark colour and the scars remain for many months). Small, occasional blemishes.

Shade Equivalent - MAC NC42-43

My light coverage, daily foundation - MAC Face and Body in C5

My Holy Grail, took months and all of the above steps to find, foundation - NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Syracuse

My Silver medal award winning foundation which was just pipped to the post by NARS - Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in No. 8

My Bronze medal award winning foundation - Smashbox Healthy FX in Medium 3.

Hope that helps!

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

Best under £10

Hi my Cherubs!

I know everyone has felt bogged down by the recession, especially those of you in the UK where it all appears to be doom and gloom. But you don't have to feel like you are missing out on your makeup/hair/beauty fixes when there are so many great finds out there for less than a tenner (£10).

Fashionable, Bang on Trend Nail Varnish for £2.95??

All you need to do is go and hit up your local Barry M store for the funkiest, "of the moment" nail colours. Barry M are simply exceeding themselves every time they bring out a new colour. The varnish is such excellent quality too (I'm talking as someone who has splashed cash on Chanel's varnishes and been not too impressed with the formula). Every time I wear a Barry M nail colour I receive compliments. If you can't find Barry M's products, luckily for you they also sell online just click on the link http://www.barrym.com/. The best part? They cost just £2.95 and regularly do offers of 2 colours for £5.

MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack Dupe for £3.99

Sleek Make Up sell an ink pot in Dominatrix (love the name!) which is a much cheaper dupe (copy) of MAC's famous Blacktrack Fluidline. The formula is slightly less creamy than MAC but with my little trick of scooping a little on to the back of your hand to warm it up prior to using it and it transforms into the creamiest, inkiest eyeliner you could wish for. Sleek cosmetics are available at Superdrug and carry a great range of makeup for a very reasonable price. And for all you dark skinned ladies out there, the range was initially created for dark skintones so their colour selection of facial products is excellent!

Drugstore Contour Kit for £5.99

Contouring your face is a great way to mimic high cheekbones, a slimmer face or even a smaller nose with just makeup. For makeup newbies, practise in contouring is definately key to perfecting the art of contouring, and the last thing you want to do is to splash out on some expensive contouring kit (which are generally hard to find anyway). The answer? Sleek Makeup have created a gorgeous little kit that comes in 3 shades - light, medium and dark that retails for just £5.99! It also contains a fairly handy little explanatory guide to contouring. It consists of a finely milled matte bronze shade and a shimmery peachy/creamy colour for highlight. If this just sounds like somthing you may be interested, keep a look out for my contouring and highlighting tutorial.

Eldora False Lashes

Although MAC false lashes are under £10 (I believe they retail at £8 a pair), even with the best of care, they can only be used a few times. Luckily for you, I am going to let you all into a little secret known as Eldora Lashes. They are an online company specialising in false lashes. They have over 200 pairs of lashes from the most natural wispiest lashes, to full on Carnival lashes! Prices generally range around £2-£3 and they deliver to the UK - Bargain!

Trim your own hair?? Seriously..

I was recently admiring my beautiful friend's perfectly formed long fringe and she promptly told me she had cut it herself! She is not a hairdresser by the way, she had just found the greatest little tool from Boots known as a razor comb and had been using that to get her fringe exactly as she wanted it and also to neaten up feathered layers framing her face. This little beauty is only £4.95 and can save you on a couple of trips to the hairdresser for sure! You basically hold the front sections of your hair taut and angle the comb down the hair and it precisely feathers away your hair. Now please my Cherubs, do not attempt this unless you are absolutely sure of what you are doing and do not underestimate the sharpness of this comb!

Lather and Exfoliate in One Swift (and cheap) Move

You may recall me harping on about the gorgeous products at LUSH, and particularly the Sugar Babe body scrub. I do love it and it is holding up surprisingly well considering it melts rapidly under hot water, however, I have discovered another little gem while out doing my grocery shopping at Sainsburys. The Active Naturals Mango and Avocado Exfoliating Soap is a sweet, fruity smelling soap, with bumpy, massaging nodules on the underside and scrubby, natural exfoliating grains within the soap itself. As it is a solid soap it does not melt away under the water as many scrubs do and due to its size and shape, aswell as those handy little nodules, you can get maximum scrubbage power! With this product, you can save not only money as it costs just £1.28, but also time and space as you basically get a scrub and a cleanser in one. Lovely! Apparently it comes in a couple of different flavours - coconut and lime anyone? YUM!

Under Eye Concealer for under a Fiver

I have no recollection of buying this concealer but I am sure it was back in the days before I really got interested in makeup, in which case I probably put no thought into it except that it probably looked like it would do the job. In my utter ignorance, I hit the jackpot! This concealer is wonderful! It is light and moisturising and although they only make this in two shades (Ivory and Soft Beige), the Soft Beige is very close to NC42, perhaps a shade lighter and therefore works perfectly for me on my NC42 skin. I have a real problem with the skin under my eyes which are very sensitive and dry, however, this stuff works really well as a lightweight concealer with great coverage yet is kind to my skin. I apply this using my MAC 224 brush in very light circular motions.

Extra, Extra, Extra Gentle Eye Makeup Remover for around £3 a litre..

Talking of the under the eye area, did you know that the skin under the eye contains almost no sweat glands and therefore produces almost no natural oils? Hence why this are can be prone to wrinkles, dryness and itching. I have learnt the hard way to treat this area of skin very gently, having spent years removing eye makeup using vigorous rubbing, harsh makeup remover wipes and alcohol based makeup remover until the skin is now dry and irritable : (

I now use the best oil based eye makeup remover in the world, it is made of pure, natural and organic products only, you can find it anywhere and it costs around £3 for a LITRE bottle - have you guessed what it is yet?? OLIVE OIL! No, not the expensive green tinted extra virgin, but the cheaper, lighter, virgin or just pure olive oil. In one swipe it removes waterproof eye makeup, it does not irritate the skin and as an added bonus it conditions your eyelashes. Just put a teeny amount on a cotton ball and very gently swipe away the makeup. Simply rinse afterwards with warm water and Bob's your uncle!

Have you discovered any fabulous credit crunch bargains?

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

CopyCat - Rihanna Bright Pink Lip and Winged EyeLiner

I LOVE Rihanna's makeup, she always looks edgy, funky and bang on trend with her makeup and style. I particularly love her signature winged eyeliner and bright lip, and decided to do a version of her look. For the record, I know I don't look anything like Rihanna - this is just my interpretation of her makeup. I am taking inspiration from this picture below:

Enjoy!

If you want some more information on how to recreate this look, feel free to drop me a comment or send me a tweet!

FACE
Lanacane Anti Chafing Gel
NARS Sheer Glow foundation in Syracuse
Benefit Erase Paste in No. 3
MAC Studio Finish concealer in NW35
MAC Peaches Blush
MAC Ricepaper eyeshadow as highlight
Sleek Face Contour Kit in Light

EYES

Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Naked palette - Naked (lid), Buck (crease), Virgin and Naked mixed (browbone highlight)
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Whiskey on lower lashline and upper lashline smudged
Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Zero on the waterline
Bourjois Liner Feutre in black (felt tip liner)
L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara

LIPS

Rimmel Lipliner in Eastend Snob
GOSH Intens Lip Colour in 304 (intense fuchsia pink colour)

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

Technical Issues

Hi my Cherubs!

I would just like to apologise for not posting recently. The reason for this is simply that there are some technical issues with Blogger and I am unable to post any pictures at all! I am so annoyed and frustrated and am doing everything I can to resolve the issues.

Please bear with me and just to let you know I have a TONNE of posts in draft so please dont go anywhere just stay tuned and I will keep you updated!

Thanks for your patience and support!

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

Lanvin for H and M Goes On Sale Tomorrow!!

Hey my Cherubs!

Lanvin, France's oldest couture house has collaborated with H and M to create one of the year's most hotly anticipated collection. I LOVE how H and M keep upping their game with these awesome couture collaborations. I unfortunately missed out on the Jimmy Choo for H and M collection last year, but I will be setting my alarm for 6:45am tomorrow to see if I can snap up a gorgeous cocktail dress, ribbon tied heels, or leopard print shoulder bag.

Check out the collection here http://www.hm.com/gb/fashion__fashion.nhtml#/Lanvin/ and either log in at 7am tomorrow to shop online or go camp out at your nearest H and M!

Good luck guys!

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

TTIL (Ten Things I Love) Nov '10

1. Kiehl’s Lip Balm

This stuff is AMAZING!! I have converted so many of my friends to this lipbalm. Yes it is expensive but boy is it worth it! If you suffer from dry lips, this is the stuff for you. It hydrates like craaaaazzzzy, protects, has SPF AND plumps up my lips. Its available from House of Fraser and Selfridges and Harvey Nichols and its around £9 a tube I think. It lasts a really long time as you only need a tiny bit – its my HG (Holy Grail) lipbalm – Buy it!!

2. Jo Malone Fragrances

Its kind of silly but I always used to feel so jealous of people who had a signature scent. I have searched for years to find THE ONE. My expectations were a tad high, I admit - I wanted something sweet but not sickly, clean and fresh but not too citrusy or reminiscent of handwash, something which I could wear on long car journeys and not get car sickness from the smell, something that was strong enough to linger on me and my clothes hours after wearing it but not so strong that I suffocated other passengers when using public transport, something so unique that no one I knew wore it so that it would definitely be MY signature scent, and finally something I would NEVER get bored of. AND THEN it happened! I found it! Jo Malone’s Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne is the perfect match. If you are not familiar with Jo Malone’s fragrances please go check them out. They are just so unique and are all designed to be layered with other scents. Plus they make matching lotions, hand creams and candles! *LOVE*

3. Over the Knee Boots

I know, I know.. these can come across a little Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, but stick a flat or chunky/wedge heel on them, create them in soft slightly worn good quality suede and wear them in the daytime with leggings/skinny jeans and a warm fluffy jumper, scarf and gloves and they are the perfect way of “sexing up” otherwise chunky, layered winter clothing. I own a gorgeous tan flat pair by Office, which have really come in handy for the last two winters.

4. ELF HD Powder

If you love makeup and are on a budget, check out www.eyeslipsface.co.uk.. Their Studio line brushes, primers and makeup organisers are legendary and the best part? Prices generally range between £1 and £6! Their HD powder in the Studio line has been featured in the press heavily as it is a perfect silicone based, translucent powder which magically gives you that movie star, soft-focus effect. Seriously, its like someone waved a magic wand over your face ta daaaa!!!!

5. Cape Coats

I know Shearling is big this winter, thanks to Burberry, and yes I do own a black Shearling-esque full length coat from Mango, but it is my limited edition Italian wool cape that I got a couple years back that I love wearing the most. Cape coats are just so in fashion at the moment, but more importantly they are really classy and surprisingly warm. You can literally throw a cape coat over the most lumpy, bumpy, slouchy woollen sensible clothing and it will transform you into a fashionista. Cinch it in with a belt and you get even more kudos.. from me at least. Zara has a gorgeous cape coat for just £99.

6. L’Oreal Mascaras

You may have guessed already but I am a HUGE fan of L’Oreal mascaras – my HG mascara is the Voluminous Carbon Black mascara for thick lashes. For long spidery lashes check out their Telescopic lash also in carbon black and both are now available in a waterproof formula.



7. ELF Makeup Brush Holder

This is definitely on my Christmas wishlist. It is a pretty simple object – just a rectangular box with 3 compartments for holding makeup brushes. But there is something about the sleek, matte black exterior and the eyes lips face logo.. plus I am a bit of a sucker for organizers of any kind. Its available at ELF for just £12 for the larger size.

8. Thicker, Natural Looking Eyebrows

Yes this is a slightly odd one. The thicker and more natural eyebrow is more in fashion, but more importantly, it means less time, effort, money and pain on your chosen method of eyebrow grooming AND thicker eyebrows make you look younger, apparently. I get my eyebrows threaded and found that as time went on my eyebrows got thinner and thinner and actually lower down my forehead! I have for the past 4 weeks been trying to re-grow my eyebrows and slightly re-shape them to get a better arch and a more natural look. I’m not quite there yet but already like the idea of thicker eyebrows on me.

I just had to post a picture of one of my favourite artists of all time, and a woman who was proud of her natural beauty: Frida Kahlo

9. Finger-Less Gloves

I have had a thing for finger-less, arm warmer gloves for a few years now. Hobo –chic right?? LOL! I have built up a fair collection now and the most recent addition are a purple woollen pair from H&M. I just love the way you can still use a touch phone while keeping the majority of your hands nice and toasty!


10. Revlon Mauve It Over Matte Lipstick

Revlon lipsticks have to be my favourite drugstore lippies. In fact, I will go as far as to say that their matte formula is BETTER than MAC’s matte finish lipsticks! Smooth, highly pigmented, creamy and, more importantly, non-drying. My only issue with their lipsticks is that they don’t have enough colour choices. My go-to colour has to be Mauve It Over – the most attractive medium dark nude-pink with mauve undertones. Perfection.

Smokey Eye Series No. 1 - Classic Black Smokey Eye Tutorial

This is going to be the first in a multiple part series featuring the most sought after eyeshadow makeup - the smokey eye.

Technically, a true smokey eye is a dark shadow all over the lid and blended out to create blurry or smokey edges. However, nowadays, the term smokey eye applies also to the technique of using darker shadows to the outer edges - upper and lower - of the eye. I am going to be showcasing tutorials of various different "smokey" eyes, starting with a classic black smokey eye.

I would never presume to tell you to go out and buy the same tools, makeup and shades that I am using, its important to take away the techniques more than anything. HOWEVER there is one item which is fairly important to getting a good smokey technique - a good quality fluffy, dome shaped natural bristle blending brush. Ideally, the MAC 217 brush is fantastic. I believe its around £14 and yes I know its pricey, but if you can save up for it it will make SUCH a difference - trust me on this!

On to the tutorial -

I am already wearing a primer, foundation, concealer and powder. I have filled my eyebrows but yes I admit they look AWFUL! This is because I am trying to grow my eyebrows out so please ignore the ugly brows! LOL! Make sure you also prime your eyelids (see my primer post for more information), I used Urban Decay's Primer Potion all over the eyelid and along the lower lashline in an even thin layer.

Place a small piece of sellotape on to the back of your hand, peel off  (this is to remove excess glue from the tape) and then stick the tape in a straight line diagonally out following the slant of your lower lashline like so.

Using a creamy, chubby eyepencil in black - I love Barry M's Super Soft Eye Pencil in black - smudge this from the upper lash line all over the lid but make sure you stop UNDERNEATH the crease. (If you don't know what I mean by the crease, look straight into the mirror and slowly close your eyelid and open again and look out for where the first fold in the skin of your eyelid is - that is your crease.) You don't have to be neat at all just don't go too far up or too far in - you want to leave a little space near your tearduct.

Next, using a flat shader brush - I am using my Stila No 15 brush, even out the black eye pencil and again make sure you go just up to but not beyond the crease.

Using the same brush, take a highly pigmented, black eyeshadow. I have found that most drustore black eyeshadows are just not black enough. MAC's carbon is fantastic, or in my case I am using the Coastal Scents 88 Palette black eyeshadow, another good one is Stila Makalu. Tap off the excess and PAT DONT SWEEP!  the eyeshadow over the black eyeliner. Again, dont go too far up or too far in to the tearduct.

Next take your fluffy dome shaped blending brush with NO eyeshadow on it and sweep back and forth over the top edge of the eyeshadow to blend out the edges.

Using that same blending brush, take a medium brown matte eyeshadow that is a shade or two darker than your skintone - I am using Buck from the Urban Decay Naked Palette and using the same sweeping motion, blend it half over and half above the same top edge of black eyeshadow, until the two colours blend seamlessly. Do NOT go up to the browbone! If there is one thing I hate it is coloured eyeshadow on the browbone - erm '80s much??

Finally, take a cream colour matte shadow which is a shade or two lighter than your skintone with a clean fluffy flat shader brush. I am using Bobbi Brown eyeshadow in Bone and a No. 7 eyeshadow brush. Tap and pull the shadow down from the skin on the browbone to meet and blend into the other shadow.

Using a pencil eyeshadow brush - I am using the other end of the Stila brush - take a shimmery champagne neutral eyeshadow (Virgin from the UD Naked Palette) and place it into the tearduct area and blend into the black shadow slightly. This will really open up the eyes as using so much black can make your eyes appear closer together.

Thats the shadow done! Remove the sellotape to reveal a nice clean line.

Now all you need to do is take a black kohl pencil which has good staying power - I am using MAC's Technakohl in Graphblack and line your waterline (the inner part of your lower lid) and your tightline (the upper inner part of your upper lid).

Also line your lower lashline with the kohl and smudge using a Q-Tip. Set the cream product using more of the black eyeshadow gently patting into the kohl - you can even use the Q-Tip to do this if you want. Join up the shadow from the lower lashline to the upper lashline.

Now all you need to do is to curl your lashes and apply a tonne of mascara! This is because the black shadows can make your eyelashes disappear, so you need to get them looking extra long. If possible, I would advocate using some false lashes. I am using Primark lashes cut in half. Eyes DONE!!

As your eyes are quite matte, I would try to get the rest of the face a little dewy and natural looking. Using a cream blusher in a peachy shade (I am using Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Rude) and either your fingers or a stippling brush, pat and swirl the blush into the apples of the cheeks and back towards your hairline. Then for a little extra lift, pat a pearlescent cream (I am using MAC's Strobe Cream) onto the tops of your cheekbones above the blusher.

Now for the lips, as the eyes are super dramatic, you want to go really natural on the lips. Using a neutral lipliner - I am using MAC's Stripdown liner, line your lips. Then take a peachy shade - I am using MAC's Freckletone lipstick and pat onto the lips. Top off with a creamy nude gloss - I am using NYX Georgia Peach Lip Laquer lightly over the top.

All done!! It seems like a lot of steps, but actually it is fairly simple and more importantly it is fool proof! It is difficult to go wrong with this smokey eye.

Please guys, try this out and let me know how it goes. If you have any issues or problems, please let me know and I will be happy to help!

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo

P.s. I know the pictures are still coming out grainy and the colours washed out by the flash, we are working on this and really hope to improve in the next few FOTDs/Tutorials - bear with us!

Collective Haul: MAC, Illamasqua, LUSH and Primark Beauty

Hello my little Cherubs!

Firstly I just want to say a BIG thank you to all of you who are following my blog! I really appreciate your support and your comments are all so positive, keep them coming!

So I finally got around to spending some of my birthday vouchers and wanted to share my mini, collective haul with you all :

1. MAC Bite of An Apple Blush

MAC Bite of an Apple Blush from the Venomous Villains Collection. This is a Disney Villains themed collection which came out in early October this year, there was so much hype about this particular collection and I believe most items are now sold out. Specifically, this blush was sold out almost immediately and are now selling for double the price on Ebay. It is a beautiful corally pink matte finish blush and is suitable for many skintones. I LOVE this blush because it is just so unique. I haven't seen anything similar by MAC and also I think the packaging is so cute too. I can wear this with so many looks as it gives anything from a beautiful, natural looking flush up to a deeper tint depending on the application.

Here is a swatch on my skin which for reference is MAC foundation shade NC42-43:

2. Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Rude

I have recently discovered Illamasqua products and have to say I am obsessed with their colour range, intensity and pigmentation and their packaging and marketing is super impressive too! Their blushes have  been getting rave reviews and I can totally see why as the powder blushes are so buttery smooth and the colours are so pigmented and intense which means all colours show up on all skin tones. The cream blushes too have fantastic staying power and the most famous is Rude. This is again in the peachy coral family of colours, but a much more true peach shade. It goes on smooth and gives the perfect dewy, natural finish to the skin. I can imagine turning to this little beauty on a daily basis. I can't wait to purchase some other items from Illamasqua.

3. MAC Lip Pencil in Stripdown

MAC Stripdown lipliner is an old favourite. If you want a completely neutral shade of lipliner then this is it. You can actually use this lipliner with ANY colour of lipstick as it mutes out your own lipcolour, however it is particularly beautiful with paler colours, especially if, like me, you have dark, pigmented lips.

4. MAC A Tartan Tale Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Black Line

MAC A Tartan Tale Pearlglide Intense Eyeliner in Black Line is an eyeliner from another limited edition collection by MAC "A Tartan Tale". These are so smooth and creamy yet dry to a completely smudge proof finish! The perfect formula! This is a black eyeliner with the most beautiful khaki-gold shimmer to it. Again, it is just so unique and I can imagine using it on the lower lashline or even possibly all over the lid for a really intense smokey look. There are still lots left so if you are interested go and check the pearlglides out. They of course have other beautiful colours too.  Sorry the swatch is blurry but its the only picture we took where you can make out the green-gold shimmer!

5. MAC A Tartan Tale Dazzleglass Creme in Gone Romancin'

Another item from A Tartan Tale collection. Again this is a limited edition formula lipgloss. It is a Dazzleglass Creme - a combo of the glittery dazzleglass formula and the pigmented cremesheen formula (cremesheen is part of the permanent collection). The gloss I chose from the collection is called Gone Romancin'! It is pink with lilac undertones and lilac shimmer which is very subtle. The gloss actually shows up really well and coverage is excellent. I have worn this over MAC Please Me lipstick and came out a really pretty pink colour. It is also quite cool toned so would look fantastic with a dramatic smokey eye.

6.Primark Very Fluttering Glamour Lashes

I also have recently been checking out Primark's beauty and cosmetic range. Most products are really not that great quality at all, but boy have I been surprised by their lashes! These are so long and wispy but still quite natural looking. The band is really thin and therefore unnoticeable. Even the glue is fairly decent although I tend to rely on my trusty Duo Adhesive which is frankly, unbeatable. I will do a look soon using these lashes so you can see what I mean. More importantly, the lashes are at £1.50,very good value for money. I highly recommend these.

7. LUSH Sugar Babe Scrub

Finally, LUSH. I ADORE LUSH products! It makes me feel happy just going into that store, it smells fantastic, everything looks so clean and fresh and natural. There are no chemical nasties in any of their products and the packaging is economical yet cute and informative. I needed a really scrubby, body scrub so decided on the Sugar Babe body scrub. It contains sea salt and coconut oil and is scented with ylang flowers and mimosa blossom. I cannot wait to try this out as it just sounds and smells so luxurious. I personally love the smell of coconuts in bath products so that played a big part in my decision to choose this over other body scrubs, I have to resist taking a little bite out of this sweet-smelling treat-like product..yum! HAHA!!  The fact that it is a little half moon cake-shape also made it quite appealing as you can get a firm grip on it to get maximum scrubbage! I have heard that it can melt fairly quickly under hot running water, so to get the most out of it the sales assistant advised me to step out of the running water when scrubbing it and storing it in a little plastic container. Although £2.60 is not a lot of money, if half of it goes down the drain on the first use then it is definately a waste of money. I will keep you updated on how it works out.

Oooooh!! All this guilt-free purchasing has really made me happy and excited to play with all my new goodies!! What lovely things have you bought recently?

xoxo Angel5ace xoxo