Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick | Review

One of the most highly anticipated products of the last year for me has to be the Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipsticks and I'm sure that by this point pretty much everyone has heard of them but if you haven't then stick around.


I'm unsure of how many shades exactly are in the range but I know it's around 20 with other limited edition shades on top of this and considering the length of time that this brand has been about I think it's a pretty amazing accomplishment. I also feel like Jeffree Star's brand is one that has been met with excellent reception in comparison to other brands which made it a must have item for me.

I have the shade Unicorn Blood and Drug Lord, I know this is a bit of a weird combination but they were gifted to me. Unicorn Blood is a very coveted shade and it was also one that I was desperate to get my hands on. Drug Lord isn't something I would wear on it's own but I feel like it's a great outlandish shade and work well for mixing with other lipsticks, costumes and even getting creative with eyeliner.


The packaging is absolutely gorgeous too! They feature a clear tube with a pink, white or blue lip and rose gold detailing. They are plastic which it very travel friendly and they feel extremely sturdy. It has a doe foot applicator but it differs slightly to the conventional kind as the edge is curved to fit the shape of your lips better, making the application a lot easier.

In terms of longevity I think this is an absolute knock-out product, It dries down within a minute and stays on the lips for a very long time. I will stay that for me it hasn't been totally drink/eat proof but it holds up extremely well. I should also note that before you apply it you should do several things;

- Scrub and condition your lips - the product will look smooth and even
- Line your lips - it will give you a guide of where you want the product and it is easier to remove than the lipstick
- Shake the tube - This will ensure that the components are thoroughly mixed and the formula will become longer lasting.


Another major bonus about these products is that I did not fins them drying at all, most matte lipstick will dry out my lips but this felt really comfortable to wear and caused no irritation. The formulation also allows it to fade off your lips instead of becoming patchy and uneven.

So let me know if you have tried these or are looking to give them a go. I'd also be interested in hearing about your favourite shades and if you get creative with them.

Speak soon
Roo xx

Benefit They're Real Lash Primer

Happy New Year to you all!

I know I haven't posted in a while so I will have to play a bit of catch up on some of the great products I have been trying. I feel like 2016 is going to be an exciting year for all things beauty so I am going to do my very best in keeping you all updated with reviews.

Sounds strange but to kick off this year I am going to be talking about one of the more anticipated products from the back end of last year (feels weird saying that 2015 is last year...).

Benefit have been adding to their well-known and, in my opinion, controversial They're Real line, I say it's controversial because there are so many mixed reviews on these products and s someone who has tried a few items in the line I would say I fall on the 'Not a fan' side of it all. However, my opinions of previous products will definitely not stop me from trying new things. So before I waffle on any more I think I should get started with my review of the new They're Real Lash Primer.

They're Real Lash Primer is very similar in looks to the original They're Real mascara, which was a massive concern for me, knowing that I really wasn't a fan of that product. One thing I noticed was that the wands are really similar but not exactly the same, the primer has a much thinner wand than the mascara which I prefer because I felt that the spikes on the mascara were a little bit too long and sharp and I have fallen prey to stabbing myself in the eye with it.


One thing I really like with this primer is that it is brown. I know this might not be for everyone but sometimes I like a more natural look, especially if I am in a hurry and this really helps to frame my eyes but makes it look like a better version of my natural lashes.

As for being a primer I kind of feel that it made absolutely no impact to my lashes. I tried wearing in on one side so that I could compare the results and I really couldn't see anything.

I do think this has a much nicer and more comfortable formula than the mascara and I definitely will continue to wear this on more natural days but as a primer I really don;t see the benefit (pardon the pun!).


I would love to know your thoughts on this product, tell me what you think in the comments.

Speak soon,
Roo
xx

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick | Review

I've wanted to try something by Charlotte Tilbury for a while, she's one of my favourite make up artists and I love her work with MAC (sounds cliché). I've known about her own make up line for a while now and have only just managed to get my hands on one of her lipsticks (Thanks to my brother's girlfriend).

Honestly I think the packaging is absolutely killer! I love the old Hollywood vibe mixed with the modern hint of rose gold in the packaging. I think everything about this packaging scream sophistication and elegance.

The shape of the bullet is completely unique to anything that I have ever seen, The square shaped top surprisingly makes it easier to create a defined lip. The lipsticks have that amazing vanilla smell as well which make me very happy.

This shade is called Bond Girl and it is absolutely gorgeous! I reminds me of a lighter version of MAC Diva which is ideal for those who don't want an ultra dark lip. I paired this up with MAC Burgundy Lip Liner and I think the match is outstanding. The formulation is also really creamy and smooth so that the matte finish isn't irritating or even drying to the lips, unlike so many matte formulas.


These lipsticks retail for £23 so this is definitely one of the more luxe products out there but I assure you that this is worth every single penny.


Have you tried Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick, what do you think?
Also, what other products would you recommend from Charlotte Tilbury?

Speak soon
Roo xx  

Anastasia Beverly Hills Fair Contour Kit | Review

A few weeks ago I read that ABH was releasing a Fair Cream Contour Kit to go alongside their existing shade collections Light, Medium and Deep. Obviously this was very exciting to me because it meant to say that I could try the kit out for myself because the new option is light enough for my complexion.

I really love their existing contour powders so now having a cream option is really quite exciting for me. I had been following the hype behind the cream kits for a while so I knew about the general consensus of them so I wasn't dissuaded in my want for this one.


The kits consist of 6 cream shades, 3 lighter shades for highlighting and 3 for contouring and bronzing. What I do like is that with the deeper bronzing shades they haven't added any shimmer or glow that you might find in powder bronzers.


The top row consists of (from left to right) Soft Light, Lustre and Fair

I typically use Soft light on areas of my face that need lightened but not specifically highlighted (i.e the space between my jaw and my cheek contour.

Lustre is a highlighter with a pearl finish, for fair skin tones this is ideal as the shimmer is white/ silver which will work well with cooler and paler skin tones. I will only ever use this on the tops of my cheek bones and my brow bone. I feel like the shimmer would be too intense to use anywhere else.

Fair is what I use as my main brightening shade that I will apply under the eyes, down the nose, on the forehead and on my chin. Out of all the shades in the palette, this one was what I wanted the most and it really lives up to my expectations.



The bottom contouring/bronzing shades are (again, left to right) Fawn, Shadow and Mink

Fawn is my main contouring shades as it's not too dark but it provides enough pigment to help define my cheekbones. This is  quite a cool tone shade and that is what you want for your contour because you want to create a realistic shadow, which a warm tone won't do.

Shadow is a bit confusing for me, only because of the name. I would use this for bronzing rather than contour because shade is warmer on me. Really I'll only apply this to the perimeters of my forehead and possible on top of my contour but only lightly.

Mink is the darkest of the shades and I haven't used this one so far because I thin it might be too dark for my skin on an every day basis. I will reserve this shade for more costumey make up where I really need to carve out my cheekbones.


Personally I really love this palette and I think it's helped me take my make up game to a whole new level. I would only suggest that you be careful of how you layer your products with this kit, I applied a eye primer first and it clung weirdly to the primer. I would also say that once you've blended out the areas that usually crease apply a powder directly after.

Another thing I really like about the ABH palettes is that it seems to give you the option of reordering a single shade so that you don't have to buy a whole new palette if you run out of your most used shade (genius!)


Have you tried these palettes? let me know what you think in the comments.

Speak soon

Roo xx

Smashbox #SHAPEMATTERS Palette | Review

Hi All!

Today I've got my coffee by my side and a great new palette that everyone needs to get their hands on. I've been a fan of Smashbox for a fair while now and whilst I don't make it my objective to buy everything and anything they have ever made, there was an offer that I could not resist in the form of the new Shape Matters palette.

Strange lighting, horrible white cast :/ 

I feel relatively lucky as I was able to get this palette for only £30 from Boots, unfortunately I don't know of internationally offers and this price has since ended and is now back to full retail. I would recommend that if you are in the UK, and have a Boots Advantage Card, that you wait until one of their point events to buy it, that way you will at least get a lot more points for it.

Even at the full £60 price mark I think that this is one of the most worthwhile products I have seen in a while and I think it is truly worth investing in. This palette also includes their existing contour kit, albeit downsized slightly, with an added highlight shade. It also features a brow kit (with a cleverly included lid for the wax), a whopping 9 eye shadows and also a high quality, dual ended brush that caters for both the brows and the eyes.

The Brow Kit

I've only just started to stray away from my usual brow pencil to experiment with powders, so I am a bit of a novice when it comes to this. The brow kit includes a light shade (Taupe) and a darker shade (Soft Brown),

Speaking to others who use this palette I know that they tend to use either the Taupe or the Soft Brown but I think I am able to fall into the category where I can use both. I start by filling in the brow with the lighter shade and then I add dimension with the darker shade on the tail of my brow. I really like the fact that they have included 2 shades to make it more versatile but even if you only use one the other will make for a nice eyeshadow. I also love that there has been a wax included with this as it means there is more control over the shape of your brows.


The Contour Kit

I wouldn't got out of my way to buy the full size Smashbox Contour Kit and that's down the the fact that I am highly unlikely to use two thirds of the kit considering my fair complexion. despite this I still think it is an excellent kit for those with a slightly darker skin tone than I have. This kit includes Contour, Bronze, Highlight and Glow. Typically I will only use Contour and Glow because I think they work well with my skin tone but because the shades are so easy to manipulate I tend to toss Bronze and Highlight on the lids instead as they are another product that work extremely well as eye shadows, so the options aren't too limited.


The Eye Kit

This set of shadows is beyond unbelievable! 9 shadows, 6 of which I would say are matte and the other 3 are outstanding shimmer shades. I really feel like the shades have had a lot of thought behind them as it would have been easy enough to keep it as a very neutral selection but they have thrown in a few unexpected colours whilst keeping it very inoffensive.

The top row includes;

- Vanilla: Matte off-white/ cream (Almost doesn't show up on my arm due to it being close to my skin tone)
- Totally Nude: A medium rose pink neutral matte shade
- Champagne: Light golden shade with high shimmer

The middle row includes;

- Stripped: A warm light matte brown
- Posh: Pink with a hint of purple with intense shimmer
- Platinum: Warm silver shade with high shimmer

The bottom row includes:

- Sumatra: Rich deep brown matte shade
- Aubergine: Deep plum matte shade
- Blackout: Intense matte black


These shadows are fantastic and whilst I would say that the shimmers shades are far more pigmented, I think that the mattes are easier to control making them user friendly for less experienced make up users.

This palette really offers diverse usage and allows you to change up your look without changing your products.

What are your opinions on this palette, do you think it's worth the price tag? Let me know.

Speak soon

Roo xx