Nails and Teapots

Mascara is one product that I absolutely love experimenting with and I find that I am always on the hunt for a new thickening and lengthening mascara that packs a punch when it comes to bold, black lashes. I am lucky enough to have fairly long natural lashes but I still find myself obsessively layering product partly because I find it strangely therapeutic and partly because your lashes can never be too long, surely? I find that I never stay faithful to any one mascara but I think that is maybe about to change. I picked up the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara (yeah, let's ignore the hyperbolic name) in a Canadian Sephora. Although don't worry my fellow Brits, you can also pick this up in the UK  either online or in select Debenhams stores. First of all, I love the weighty, pink packaging that adds a twist of luxury to the aesthetics. The formula is super intense but surprisingly build-able and did not clump easily, an absolute dream quality. The formula contains collagen which explains the plumping effects which combined with the hourglass shaped, bristle brush, make for a dream paring. The formula didn't transfer at all, a usual pet hate of mine when it comes to eye products. In the words of the brand themselves, 'you'll believe in magic' after one use of this miracle product. Priced at £19, it fits snuggly into the higher end price tag but is extremely worth the money. If you are after a new mascara that focuses on more volume than length but still performs well in both, then check this one out.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

What is your favourite mascara? 

When it comes to contouring, the ideal contour shade really matters. There is no point trying to chisel out perfect cheek bones with a terracotta-orange powder that adds colour as opposed to shadows. I have scoured the likes of the internet and what feels like every beauty counter with the intention of finding the perfect contour shade for pale skin. Finally, I found one that works perfectly for my fair skin and has little attention in the blogging world. The MAC Baby Don't Go Pro Longwear Blush (£20.50) is a cool toned brown that is subtle on the skin but applies seamlessly, ensuring perfect and easy application. This cool beige shade can be applied to the hollows of the cheeks and subtly under the jawline to emphasise the contours of ones face adding depth, definition and desirable cheekbones. The formula of this powder blush is very sheer so will only create an effect on paler skin tones as I feel it will be appear much more ashy and grey on anyone deeper. The sheerness of the powder also prevents the likelihood of going overboard as the powder can be gradually built up to the desired colour, adding to the simplistic application of the product. If you would like to see photos of this blush in action, check out a recent MOTD of mine here.

Okay, this has easily been one of my all time favourite collections from 2015. As soon as I saw the first initial promotions for this I knew I had to have it. Charlotte Tilbury is probably one of my all time favourite high end brands ever. Seriously, her cosmetics are all completely faultless when it comes to quality, shades and of course, that rose gold packaging! Yet, when you collaborate rose gold  metal with timeless, vintage photographs from Mr Parkinson himself, you have yourself something heavenly. Long story short, I basically bit the bullet and purchased the whole Miss Kensington collection because I seriously could not resist and felt it to be a pretty good deal at the time. I am not lying when I say I was slightly emotional when opening up that perfectly, packaged burgundy box decorated with a matching ribbon. The beauty inside seriously surpassed all expectations which I know sounds so ridiculous but seriously, I live for things like this. So for anyone that is interested in trying any of the products contained within this collection, keep on reading... 

First, is probably my most favourite product out of them all, the Dreamy Glow Highlighter Youth Illuminating Powder (£45). This is a beautiful, finely milled powder that adds a 'lit from within' glow to the skin with a subtle peachy, pearlescent sheen creating a radiant complexion. I love the safari vibes connoted by the outside of the packaging, which almost emphasises the warm, soft focus effect created by this miracle powder. I can seriously see myself getting a lot of use out of this all year round. Next is the Colour of Youth Healthy Happy Lip & Cheek Glow (£40), a beautiful pinched pink with a youthful sheen that adds a wash of a fresh, rose-hued glow to the cheeks. I apply this with a petit stippling blush to the apples of my cheeks and blend it out along my cheek bones to lift my face and emphasis the look of adolescents. The formula, though creamy, lasts all days and almost emphasises the natural flush of ones cheeks. The Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadows (£22) in Jean and Marie-Antoinette are beautiful additions to the collection and offer great base colours for any shadow looks. I love the soft gold hue of Jean and find the rose-gold shade of Marie-Antoinette, the perfect accomplice to many of my go-to eye looks. The formulas of these are ultra creamy and glide onto the eyes to give a subtle glow. The collection also comes armed with a beautiful chocolate brown liner in Barbarella Brown (£19) and the talked-about Full Fat Lash Mascara (£22), both of which pack a punch when it comes to colour and formula. Finally, the last product in the collection is the gorgeous Matte Revolution Lipstick in Miss Kensington (£23). This is a perfect pinky nude with an incredibly matte finish that lasts a long time but remaining comfortable as opposed to other matte lippys. I find this shade really emphasises the fullness of the lips and is a perfect everyday pink that justifies the steep price tag.

I have realised that the Nails and Teapots beauty blog can often get a little 'high end heavy' at times. Which, although admittedly I do often tend to splash the cash more when it comes to my make-up. There are a lot of gems on the high street that need to be shown a little more love. I have previously done a post like this before (here) which was very popular so again, I am going to give a rundown of my six favourites items from the high street that will not break the bank. 

First up, is the Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Lovely Pink (£8.99) these entered the drugstore earlier this year and were a beauty blogger hype. They aesthetically appear similar to the Hourglass ambient lighting blushers, a Space NK favourite that costs about the same as all of the products mentioned in this post added together. Max Factor is probably one of my favourite high street brands as I often find their makeup is comparable with a lot of high end brands and isn't ridiculously expensive. Many a times I have found a mascara of theirs that has almost reached cult status. Their Creme Puff Blushers kill it in terms of quality, pigmentation and shade range. I feel there is a shade for everyone and all of which can be easily dusted onto the apples of the cheeks for a naturally flushed look. Each shade can be easily builded meaning it is difficult to overdo it and simple to manage. I have done a full review of a number of their shades which I will link here. 

Next, is the Soap & Glory Archery Brow Pencil in Hot Chocolate (£8) a product that is pretty much an identical dupe to the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz - a Sephora favourite. This product has been redesigned and previously had the brow pencil on one end and a tint on the other which although was nice, never really fitted well into my brow routine. So instead they replaced the tint with a spoolie brush which is perfect for styling the brow hairs before applying the product. I love it when brands listen to their buyers and this was definitely a case for that happening. The pencil is waxy but pigmented and applies easily with minimal pressure. The product lasts all day and the ultra-fine end allows for extra precision when aiming for that perfect brow. The only downside is the lack of shades that really only cater for blondes and brunettes. 

The Bourjois Velvet Rouge Edition Lipstick in Nude-ist (£8.99) is easily one of my most favourite lip products from the high street. It is the perfect 'your lips but better' shade that is super easy to apply with the handy doe-foot applicator. The formula is incredibly matte but is easily one of the least drying matte products that I have ever tried. Once applied this honestly feels like velvet on the lips, hence the name, making it one of my most comfortable matte lippy's. This shade is really opaque and lasts for hours so no drinking straw necessary. There are a variety of shades available in your local drugstore so do go check them out if you are after a marvellous, matte lip for day-to-day. 

The Rimmel Scandal Eyes Liners (£3.99) are some of the best eyeliners I have ever tried. I actually prefer to use their black liner over brands such as Urban Decay and MAC as I find the shade to be perfectly pigmented, easy to apply and most definitely stays all day. The shade I have been using  the most recently is Nude as I feel this is perfect to brighten up the eyes for a more Summer appropriate look. After each application I am always amazed about how much colour payoff this pencil gives without transferring. I seriously would happily never use another brand of liner again. 

I have raved about the Topshop beauty many times but I have seriously been loving the Topshop Lipstick in Nevada (£8) since their limited edition release of their most celebrated products from the past 5 years. Nevada is a perfect nude and reminds me a lot of MAC's Creme D'Nude but for almost half the price. The formula is ultra-creamy creating an opaque finish whilst feeling heavenly on the lips. I wore this pretty much everyday throughout the month of May and still love it now. It is one of those lip products that tends to always be in my bag ready for application. I have done a MOTD post where you can see me wearing this lipstick here. 

Finally, the L'oreal Colour Riche L'Ombre Pure Eyeshadow in Golden Nude (£5.49) is one of my all time favourite 'go-to' eyeshadows when I am looking for a simple make-up look that takes a matter of minutes. Each shade in this range has outstanding colour pay-off due to their pressed pigment formula. I own a number of the shades, some matte and some iridescent and I can personally vouch for the fact that they are seriously blend-able and pretty much the definition of a 'buttery' eyeshadow. These are some of those products that I would happily pay more for as they are that good in terms of quality and colour. If you are after an eyeshadow that you can wash all over the lids and go, then seriously check these out. 

I hope you enjoyed this post!

What are your favourite products for under £10? 

Another month is over and already we are in August. If I blink again, I am scared that it will suddenly be Christmas! July seemed to fly by and considering I spent the first half of it loving life in Toronto, Canada, I say it has been a pretty good month also. I made a lot of new discoveries beauty wise as I finally visited my first every Sephora and most likely spent a combined total of three hours raiding each stand, swatching highlighters and lusting over a million of their rollerball fragrances. Thank the heavens each product I purchased made it on the journey home back to England where they take front stage in my collection. The majority of the favourites pictured above were purchased in Canada but nevertheless, most of them are available to purchase in certain stores and online for any UK readers out there. 

First up, is a product from a brand that I haven't ever tried but has always caught my attention. The Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured is a cream version of their renowned Opal pressed highlighter. The colour is a beautiful pale gold that gives a natural, glowy look to the skin without emphasising pores. The thing that I love the most about this product is the wear time. This lasts pretty much all day and doesn't eat away at your foundation leaving the base patchy, much like other similar cream highlighters. I apply this to the tops of my cheek bones and down the bridge of my nose using my ring finger and am always surprised about how beautiful it looks. The formula is easily bendable and looks far from cake-y. If you are after that instant J-Lo look, seriously track this down!

The Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushers are the best formulas of blush out there. Seriously, I would happily own all of these and never buy another blusher again. The product claims 12 hours of wear which is no lie. After application, that flush of colour is here to stay. I purchased a number of these from Sephora and already want to buy more. I have been wearing the shade Glisten throughout July and seriously cannot get enough of the perfect dusty-pink with a ever-so-slight shimmer dressing my cheeks. You can actually purchase a few of the shades from the UK QVC so I seriously recommend checking that out. I have got a blog post coming soon which focuses on my Tarte blush collection so watch this space. 

I have another fragrance favourite this month which I already regret not purchasing the larger size of. The Elizabeth and James Nirvana White fragrance was created by none ever than Mary-Kate and Ashley. I am not sure if I love it so much purely for that reason or wether it's because it has a perfect blend of musk and peony which are two of my favourite ingredients in scent. I love the sleek Gold and White packaging twinned with the easy rollerball applicator making it perfect for travel. Although the scent is heavy, I would happily wear this all year round and may have to make a cheeky online order for the biggest bottle they do and pay the ghastly oversea delivery charges, as honestly it is worth it. If you are heading to a Sephora soon, please pick this or the black version up as you really do need it in your life.

I have also been loving the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Luminous Bronze, a brand that are always killing it in regards to their cheek products. I barely even looked at this product before purchasing it as I knew I would love it, just the same as their blushers and powders. The beautiful mix of highlighting powder and deep bronze is perfect for warming up the complexion and giving a subtle and healthy glow. Don't let the powder in the pan deceive you, it may look like their is barely any bronzer in there but trust me, this is seriously pigmented. The trick is to go in with a light hand and a large fluffy brush  and dust the product all over the high points of the face for the perfect bronzey-glow. The shade range is limited as there are only two to choose from but luckily this isn't too dark for my pale skin.

Finally, is a mascara that has potentially reached holy grail status. The Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara (weird, I know but I won't go on about it) is one of those products that has you hooked from the first use. I seriously could not get over how much length this gave me with serious volume. I have been using it everyday for the past month and it still continues to create long, black, thick lashes all day, everyday. The thing that I love the absolute most is that it does not shed in the slightest. I have had way too many love affairs with mascaras in the past that always end with me being fed up of having to remove little balls of black off my cheeks that just isn't worth the decent volume. If you are after a new mascara that will possibly change your life then please do give this a go.

The Casual Colour's are a selection of products from MAC that are definitely not their most popular. In fact, I have literally never seen anyone talk about them, blog about them or even mention them but that might just be me. Like a lot of my past purchases, I discovered these when browsing through the MAC website trying to find things that I did not own. So of course, I didn't own these and naturally, I bought the majority - oops. The idea behind these little pots are meant to be easily convertible colours that can be used on either the cheeks or the lips. I personally prefer to use them as on-the-go lip options but patted onto the cheeks with the ring finger makes for a natural colour blush with a dewey finish that compliments a simple, summer make-up look.  Each colour is versatile and easy to blend but if you are planning on using these as a cream blush, I recommend setting these with a slight bit of powder blush for a more comfortable wear. I love how compact they are and make for great travel items especially since they're multi-purpose. My favourite shades are easily Lazy Sunday and Weekend Getaway for pretty and simple, everyday hues. Each pot can be purchased for £18.50 which may seem pricey but considering they can be used in two different areas on the face, I think they're worth the steeper price tag.

These new lipsticks released this Summer from award-winning beauty brand Clinique, are everything you need for the brighter months. No matter what colour you are after, the Clinique Lip Pop collection is guaranteed to have it amongst their 16 available shades. Packaged in perfect prisms that are each colour-coded depending on their shade and name, these lippies are a beauty collectors dream. As I am such a huge fan of their Cheek Pops that I had been obsessed with the previous Summer, I could not wait to get my hands on these as I was sure the quality would be outstanding. I was not wrong. Each shade is unique and beautiful, some neutral and muted for day-to-day wear, others bold and bright for a pop of confidence. The pigmentation for each lipstick is incredible, all of which are opaque but creamy, with a demi-matte finish that is completely perfect for Summer. Beige Pop has become my new everyday lipstick due to its hydrating formula and nicely, neutral colour. I have also been loving Poppy Pop despite the fact that it is a colour I would usually avoid due to its bright hue, yet I find the yellow undertones compliment my complexion. The only downside to this shade is that it will also highlight any yellowness in your teeth, so be aware! The other shades also offer a lot of option for any occasion and their sturdy and suitable packaging means they are perfect to pop in your handbag for on-the-go. At £16 a pop, they are a reasonably priced lip product that fits nicely between high street and high end. I cannot wait to get my hands on the rest of the collection.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Have you tried the new Clinique Lip Pops?

I know what you are thinking, Urban Decay have a baked bronzer? At least that is what I thought when I spotted this in a outlet mall whilst visiting the US. Although this is difficult to find online, you can actually purchase this from a few websites for a fairly decent price. The first thing that became apparent when I initially used this was how similar it was to MAC's Global Glow Mineralize Skinfinish. Seriously, they are almost identical, making this a kind of 'dupe' despite the high end price tag. Gilded was the only shade available in store which is lucky for me as it isn't too dark for my pale skin tone and instead adds a natural bronze with a golden glow that works perfectly in the Summer. This is also a great product for emphasising a tan post holiday, thus easing the frustration of  when it slowly begins to fade. As you can see by the swatch above, the product isn't overloaded with shimmer which may not seem accurate when first looking at the shade in the pan. Yet, the subtle glow does save the effort of adding any unnecessary highlight as although it is fairly natural, it's apparent. If you are looking for an alternative to the MAC baked bronzers, then check this out online!

Let me know what you think in the comments.

What bronzer are you loving this Summer? 

As promised in my Current Beauty Favourites post, I am writing a review on the MAC Mineralise Skinfinish in Perfect Topping (£24). MAC has an amazing collection of Mineralize Skinifinish's which  actually contains one of my all time favourite highlighters, Soft & Gentle. Perfect Topping is a shade that I have virtually heard nothing about, I found it online from the MAC Cosmetics shop and was mainly drawn to it because of the woven pattern embossed into the powder. Shallow, I know but I am glad it caught my eye. I am always on the look out for a highlighter that emphasises the high points of my face but also adds a soft focused finish to my make-up look but of course it also has to be suitable for my fair skin. Perfect Topping is a gorgeous neural pinky-gold that adds warmth to my complexion without making me look over-the-top. In the pan it looks slightly unnerving considering the peach, pink and purple tones merged together in a baked formula but as you can see by the swatch above, it transfers onto the skin in a far more subtle way. I am not sure if this is still available online but if you can hunt one down I seriously suggest snatching it up while you have the chance. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

What highlighter are you loving at the moment?

Stila is a brand I love when it comes to their eye products. Their shadows, liners and pigments are always outstanding in quality and I believe are to be completely worth the price. I have been hunting  the Stila Eyes Are The Windows in Soul palette down for a while now and eventually found it hidden away in the online catalogue from Look Fantastic. My initial need for this palette was based on the array of neutral shades in various finishes with incredible pigmentation. Yet, once it became clear how many different looks could be achieved at the touch of brush with the variation of colours, I was in love. I love the spiritual connotations contained within the palette both with the product name and each shade. My favourite shades are without a doubt: Light, Thought, Character and Peace, which in combination with one another, create a beautiful neutral smokey-eye with purple undertones. It also contains Stila's most recognised shade Kitten, a definite must due to the gorgeous pale gold hue that is perfect for both the eyes or as a natural highlight. This is the perfect 'day to night' palette that will be a suitable on-the-go partner due to the amount of shades cased in a compact, tarnished gold packaging with a solid seal and a seriously large mirror. Wether you are a matte lover or a iridescent fanatic, there is enough of each to make it worth your money. Priced at £30, it is expensive but considering it contains 12 shades, none of which are considered to be a 'dud', it is most definitely worth the price. 

Let me know what you think.

What neutral eyeshadow palettes are you loving?