Birkin Brown

Birkin Brown is one of those rare shades that is completely unique to my lipstick collection. It's not a shade I would have gravitated towards at all had I not seen it on Viola from Killer Colours. I put off buying it thinking it probably wouldn't suit me or I wouldn't wear it too much. Then one day before Christmas I was in Arnotts and passing the new Charlotte Tilbury counter and decided to ask the sales assistant if I could try it on. This is something I don't think I've ever done before, I usually know straight away if a shade will suit me. However seeing as this is quite a unique shade and costs €30, I thought it would be best to try it out first.

So as you can see I ended up buying it and I'm so glad I did because I love how it looks on. I already knew I loved the Matte Revolution formula, I have Red Carpet Red, Secret Salma and Pillow Talk  and all three are beautiful. 

What makes this formula different from your average lipstick is that it contains lipstick tree and orchid extract that protect the lips from UV damage and pollution as well as soften and hydrate them. It also contains 3D glowing pigments to make the lips look more full. The formula is silky smooth thanks to a combination of triglycerides, oils and waxes. 

I love the texture of these lipsticks, they apply so smoothly and feel hydrating and comfortable throughout the day. However I don't find them as long lasting as some of the other matte lipsticks in my collection, they most definitely benefit from using a lip liner first, depending how long you need them to last. The Charlotte Tilbury website recommends Iconic Nude or Foxy Brown depending on your skin tone. My friend has Birkin Brown too and said that Hollywood Honey is a great match for it but I reckon any liner in a similar shade would work to just give it a bit more lasting power. 

I tend to keep the rest of my makeup quite minimal when I wear it because I feel like it's quite a statement shade. It took a bit of time to get used to such a strong, unique colour but I think it has enough of a hint of red in it that it's still very flattering despite it being predominantly brown. I also really like that on the Charlotte Tilbury site there are photos of the lipsticks on an array of different skin tones making it easier to tell if a shade will suit you.

What do you think of Birkin Brown? Do you know of any similar shades to this one?

Emma x

I'll Paint You Mornings Of Gold, I'll Spin You Valentine Evenings

A few weeks ago I met with the lovely Sandra who owns Lulu and Belle Jewellery, an online jewellery brand based in north county Dublin. We had been following each other on social media for a while and I was delighted when she asked if I'd be interested in meeting up and chatting about styling some of her jewellery. She selected some of her gold pieces that she thought would suit my style and she was spot on, I loved everything.

Last weekend I wore two of the pieces, the open hoop earrings and initial necklace and we took some photos in the freezing cold Merrion Square, somewhere we've never used as a location before. I wanted the jewellery to be the main focus so I tried to keep the outfit, hair and makeup quite minimal.   I feel like the outfit was subconsciously inspired by my love of Marisa Tomei (especially in Only You). 

Coat- ASOS
Shirt- New Look
Trousers- New Look
Scarf- Zara
Bandana- ASOS (similar here)
Bag- Penneys/Primark (similar here and here)
Shoes- Marks and Spencer (similar here and here)
Socks- Penneys/Primark
Lipstick- Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk
Nails- Essie Eternal Optimist
Jewellery c/o Lulu and Belle

I've mentioned recently how my preference over the past few years has been for more minimalistic jewellery. As you can see, the earrings and necklace are so pretty and delicate and could be incorporated into so many different looks. I'm so impressed that Sandra picked pieces that I was drawn to myself. I've been wearing at least one of them every day since I got them and I've gotten so many compliments. The jewellery is 14K gold filled meaning that the quality is excellent. The pieces are handmade to order and Sandra is more than happy to customise each piece however you like whether it be length, size or personalised with names or initials. She also has sterling silver options which is great for anyone who isn't a fan of gold.

Lulu and Belle Jewellery is available to buy on Etsy and Not On The High Street and a new website will be coming in the next couple of months too. You can also follow on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

What kind of jewellery do you like to wear, silver, gold or both? Do you like statement jewellery or a more minimal style?

Emma x

*This post was not sponsored, the items were kindly gifted to me by Lulu and Belle. All opinions expressed are my own.

Pillow Talk

The beauty world went crazy less than two weeks ago when Charlotte Tilbury released a limited edition lipstick version of her now cult lip liner Pillow Talk. 

I ordered two straight away, one for me and one for my sister. We're both huge fans of the liner, I actually bought it after seeing how nice it was on her. I had no qualms about not trying it in person first because I knew I loved the shade of the liner and I figured the lipstick couldn't be too far off. 

I waited impatiently for the postman to arrive (delivery was really fast though so I wasn't waiting for long) and like a good blogger I then waited until I had time to take photos before I tried it on. When I eventually did try it, I loved it straight away. It was exactly what I hoped it would be, the perfect match to the liner in a formula I already knew I loved. I have three Matte Revolution lipsticks, Red Carpet Red, Birkin Brown and Secret Salma and I love all three. 

In the photos below I tried to recreate the look on Charlottes Youtube channel that she did using the lipstick. 

Wearing only the lipstick in the two photos above

L-R Pillow Talk Lipstick, Pillow Talk Lip Cheat

Wearing only the liner in the two photos above

Bitch Perfect, Pillow Talk lipstick, Pillow Talk Lip Cheat, Secret Salma

I thought it would be interesting to compare Pillow Talk to some of the other CT lipsticks I have in my collection just for a colour reference. As you can see above, it sits almost perfectly in between Bitch Perfect and Secret Salma. 

Wearing both lipstick and liner in the two photos above

Clockwise from top left: bare lips, only lipstick, only liner, both together

The packaging is obviously gorgeous as it is with all of Charlotte's products and I really love the Matte Revolution formula, I find it easy to apply and hydrating all day. I think the liner is ever so slightly more muted and pink toned than the lipstick on my lips, however when I see them side by side there isn't much difference at all. The liner is incredibly long lasting, way more so than the Matte Revolution formula of lipsticks which I don't find as long lasting as other mattes in my collection. They definitely benefit from being used with a liner. However it all depends on the look you're going for. You could wear this alone and maybe patted onto the lips for a more casual undone look and then with the liner to really enhance your lips and give better longevity for all day wear. Personally I'd be inclined to wear the lipstick alone on a daily basis as I'm not too fussed about lip liner most of the time.

Please excuse the millions of photos of me but I just wanted to give as much detail as possible because I'm aware that for now the lipstick is exclusive to charlottetilbury.com. However I have it on good authority that it will be coming into Brown Thomas stores in two weeks time so if you're still not sure whether to take the plunge unseen, you'll be able to go in and try it on if you're in Dublin. If you're unsure, €30 is a lot to spend on a lipstick, so I'd definitely go in and have a look at the liner to see if you like that shade first.

If you decide to order online, delivery is €3.95 (free on orders over €100) delivered by courier and you get to choose two little samples too which to me is a nice touch because you get to try out some products that you might have been curious about but didn't want to splash the cash on without trying first. I got a sample of Scent of a Dream and the Magic Eye Rescue, both of which I've been loving.

So are you one of the many beauty obsessed that couldn't wait and bought it already? Is this your kind of shade? Is there anyone that hasn't tried Charlotte Tilbury yet? Let me know your thoughts!

Emma x