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I thought this week was the perfect week of the year to talk about a love affair I have been having…with a lipstick. It is coming up to Valentine’s Day after all.

If you are a makeup fan you know who Charlotte Tilbury is. I  had the privilege of meeting her and she is as cool in real life #fangirl 🙂

This is her K.I.S.S.I.N.G lippie in “Velvet Underground”.

Charlotte Tilbury Velvet Underground

The packaging bestowed on these lipsticks is beautiful, so I am just going to take a minute and say it’s so pretty and luxurious and rose gold…eeeek!!

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G LipstickFallen From The Makeup Tree

It would want to be right? With the price tag of €30 (you can buy them here from Brown Thomas if you so desire). If you are the romantic type and are wanting something pretty for Valentine’s Day, get the other half over to the Charlotte Tilbury counter for a look, this would be the perfect Valentine’s shade 🙂

“Velvet Underground” is a blue based magenta colour.

Velvet UndergroundVelvet Underground SwatchCharlotte Tilbury Swatch

 

It is quite a stiff formula in the bullet, especially around these cold parts i.e. Ireland, so to apply it precisely may I suggest a lip brush or any small brush just to perfect the outline.

Lip Brushes

For a pale gal like myself this colour really wakes up my complexion. It is a colour that you can wear boldly and proudly or of course like any lipstick patted into the lips for a more demure look. It smells really nice, not really important I know but it is an added bonus 🙂

Charlotte Tilbury also claim that these lipsticks contain an anti oxidant that protect your lips from UV damage and pollution, another added bonus.

“Velvet Underground” is the only one I own right now from the brand (I have my eye on “Love Liberty”  which is one of the Matte Revolution lipsticks aswell), so I can only give my opinion on this shade. It is really pigmented, a little goes a long way, it lasts really well on the lips without drying them out or caking up. It has a satin finish, so there is a bit of a sheen to it, it looks lovely with a gloss layered over top too.

I really am in love with this. It is an investment I know, but if makeup is your thing or you are looking to invest in a special item, it really lives up to the hype.

What do you think, would you splurge? You can buy Charlotte Tilbury makeup from Brown Thomas in store or online here

 

xxx

 

Urban Decay Ten 24 7 Glide On Pencil Set

I bought this set completely on a whim when I was late night “window” shopping on Debenhams. They had 10% off and I had a fiver on my store card burning a hole in my purse…how could I resist? 🙂

This is the Urban Decay Ten 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set, it’s a bit of a mouthful I know. I am a big fan of Urban Decay I went through a phase of collecting their palettes, I have kinda put a stop to that…for now. Their eye pencils are some of the best I have used to date so when I saw this and the colour range, I just knew it had to be mine.

This is just fresh from the couriers hands and I have already fallen in love with it, so I just had to swatch them and show you the loveliness the box contains.

First up, you get a full sized  “Perversion” pencil.

Urban Decay PerversionPerversion

This is a gorgeous soft matte black pencil.

Then the set contains 9 smaller pencils (they are more than half the size of Perversion though so don’t let the size put you off, it’s pretty decent).

The second pencil is “Voodoo”.

Urban Decay VodooVoodoo

This is a bright purple with some shimmer running through it.

Third up we have “Stargazer”.

Urban Decay StargazerStargazer

This a very yellow shimmery gold pencil. I have never owned a colour quite like it.

Fourth, is “Mugshot”Urban Decay Mugshot

Mugshot

This is a very wearable shimmery bronzed colour.

Fifth up we have “Smokeout”

Urban Decay SmokeoutSmokeout

This is a blackened brown shade. I think it will be perfect for creating a dark smokey eye, probably why they named it Smokeout :).

Sixth in the line up is “Gonzo”.

Urban Decay GonzoGonzo

I think this is going to be one of my favourites of the set. I already own “Electric” from Urban Decay which is a very similar colour, bit “Gonzo” is so much brighter.

Seventh is “Faint”.

Urban Decay FaintFaint

This is a classic matte taupe colour, it will be a fab base for a brown look.

Eighth is “Vacancy”.

Urban Decay VacancyVacancy

This a greener version of “Gonzo”. This will be a waterline colour for me I’m sure.

Ninth is “Moonspoon”.

Urban Decay MoonspoonMoonspoon

This is a grey shimmery colour with so many uses. Liner,lid and waterline alike I think.

And then finally number ten “Glitter Rock”.

Urban Decay Glitter RockGlitter Rock

A lovely shimmery warm toned brown, you cannot go wrong with a colour like this in your collection.

As well as the liners, you also get a pencil sharpener in this set, very handy indeed!

Urban Decay SharpenerUrban Decay

On a side note, this sharpener fits NYX Jumbo pencils in it…just a bit of added information for you 🙂

I am so happy I bought this set. The colours are all super pigmented creamy,blendable and once set long lasting. I am a huge makeup fan so these are being added to an already pretty full collection of eye liner pencils, but I can see myself getting alot of use out of them.

If you are only getting into makeup and starting a collection, these would be a great investment too as this sets contains all the colours you would need to get you going. Overall a great buy and a great one to add to the Christmas list 🙂 It will set you back €40, but keep an eye out for discounts and discount codes, you might get a bargain, I did!

As always, thanks for reading, it means the absolute world.

Gemma

xxx

 

Kevyn Aucoin

I have spoken before in passing about my beloved Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder in Medium, but I really think it deserves it own blog post!

I have not been blessed with anything angular on my face (or anywhere for that matter). I know contouring is not a necessity in everyday life, it is a complete choice, and for me it’s a choice I make everyday. I have tried many different products for the “chiselling” process and to date the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder has been the best one I have personally used. Now, I will say I only use this in the cheek bone department, I tend to use bronzer around the perimeter of my face, this is just what I feel comfortable doing. If I am dolling up for a night out, then I may put some under the double chin region to help it look less…well double chin like but that would only be if I’m really packing on the face!

The Sculpting Powder really is a luxury item, this set me back just under 42.00 euro from Mise Beauty, madness I know as it’s nearly the size of an eyeshadow, 3.10grams to be exact.

Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder

IMG_3989

However, I have had this for maybe 6 months, have used it everyday and there is just barely a dint in it.

This powder, unlike alot of bronzers on the market has no red tones to it at all, it has a grey undertone. This makes it perfect for contouring, particularly I think for pale gals like myself. The purpose of contouring is to create a shadow like appearance wherever you add it to the face tricking the eye and making your features appear slimmer or more angular, as highlighting is used to enhance features you want to draw more attention too.

This little box is magic, it contains the softest and most pigmented powder ever, you need such a light hand with it. It blends so beautifully and can be built upon depending on how much cheek bone you are going for 🙂

Kevyn Aucoin Scultpting Powder Swatch

I tend to use a a dense small brush with it. It is not for warming up the face, use your bronzer for that. I have been enjoying using the Nima Brush called “Blaithin” from their Artistic Collection to apply it of late, as it is tapered at the end, dense but still soft enough to blend the product in. And less face it, it’s pretty too 🙂

I do the well known “fishy face” in the mirror to myself and that shows me where my “cheekbones” are, then I add a little of the product directly under the bone concentrating most of at my ear and bringing the brush out, not too far though, I stop just around where my nostril is. Then I blend, the cardinal rule of makeup. The Sculpting Powder doesn’t disappear from blending it just gets more faint and natural looking. Add as much as you want, I usually just add a little for day to day.

Gem Chatterbox Contouring

Gem Contouring

 

And I can safely say that it lasts the whole day, it’s not something I would every bring with me in my handbag unless I was going to redo my whole makeup.

Before Contouring

Before Contouring

After Light Contouring

After Light Contouring

It’s an investment I know, but I think after buying it and using it for a long time, it was worth it.

What do use for contouring, be sure to let me know, there could be lots of hidden gems out there 🙂

Thanks,

Gemma

xxx