Star Gold

Over Christmas I got some lovely presents including the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in the shade Star Gold and the NARS Audacious lipstick in the shade Carmen from the Studio 54 collection. I wore them together a couple of weeks ago and added some Bodyography Glitter Pigment in Bubbly in the centre of the lid for some extra glitz and dimension. I added a thin wing using Glossier Pro Tip and Urban Decay Perversion Mascara. 

On my face I used a combination of Glossier Futuredew and Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk. I absolutely loved how these products looked together, my bottle of Luminous Silk is almost finished and it's one I'll definitely be repurchasing. I try not to buy into hype, but this foundation is a cult product for good reason. If you like a foundation that gives a radiant finish to your skin (and who doesn't) this is one of the best I've ever tried and worth the money in my opinion. 

I've only ever tried a small sample of the NARS Audacious lipsticks before so I'm delighted to finally have one, especially in such beautiful packaging. It's a stunning shade of red and the formula is creamy but long-wearing and so comfortable. I love the bronze/gold winged out eyes and red lips. It's nothing new or exciting but it's one of those go-to looks that makes me feel great. 

*Glossier Futuredew Oil Serum Hybrid
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (2)
*bareMinerals bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer (Fair)
Soapbrows
Glossier Brow Flick (Brown)
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick (Amber)
Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler
Charotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise (Star Gold)
Bodyography Glitter Pigment (Bubbly)
*Glossier Pro Tip
Clinique High Impact Mascara
**Glossier Cloud Paint (Storm and Dusk)
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (Fair)
*Glossier Play Niteshine Highlighter Concentrate (Platinum Rose)
*Lancôme Long Time No Shine Powder
*Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Pixi Glow Mist
NARS Audacious Lipstick (Carmen)


What are your go-to looks for making you feel great?

Emma x


*PR Sample
**Storm is a PR Sample, I bough Dusk myself
***Glossier products are affiliate links, if you choose to shop via those links I will receive a small percentage of the sale but it won't cost you anything extra.

Mulholland Drive

I've been wanting to try Lemonhead LA glitters for the longest time so when I saw that they were stocked on Cult Beauty before Christmas I had to make an order. They also happened to be offering a free Mulholland Spacepaste with every purchase so that made it even sweeter, two for the price of one. I was so excited to try them out myself after seeing lots of different people using them. 

I decided to go for a sort of tonal look based on the rose gold shade of Mulholland. I used Bodyography Eclipse Glitter Pigment as a base as it's the same shade as the glitter and then NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment in the shade American Woman which is described as a chestnut rose. I used Glossier Cloud Paint in Storm on my cheeks to bring the rosy colour onto my face and tie the look together. 

I'm still loving using Glossier Futuredew under my foundation, particularly with more long lasting or full coverage foundations like Double Wear Light or the IT Cosmetics CC Cream which is what I did for this look. As you can see despite it being full coverage it doesn't look heavy at all. 

I love how this look turned out, I think the different shades of rosy pink worked really well together. I was so impressed with the Lemonhead Spacepaste, it's such an easy product to use as the glitter is suspended in a kind of gel so you can either apply it with a flat brush or your finger for a lighter application. I also really enjoyed wearing the NARS Powermatte for the first time. I bought one of the Studio 54 sets on sale at Christmas with three shades in it. I blended out the edges slightly with a pencil brush for a softer look. 

*Glossier Futuredew Oil Serum Hybrid
*IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream (Fair)
*IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye Concealer (Light/Ultra Fair)
*bareMinerals bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer (Fair)
Soapbrows
Glossier Brow Flick (Brown)
Fenty Beauty Match Stix Matte Skinstick (Amber)
Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler
Bodyography Glitter Pigment (Eclipse)
Lemonhead LA Spacepaste Glitter (Mulholland)
*Glossier Pro Tip
*Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
*Glossier Cloud Paint (Storm)
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter (Fair)
*Glossier Play Niteshine Highlighter Concentrate (Platinum Rose)
*L'Oréal Paris Infallible Magic Loose Powder
*Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
Pixi Glow Mist
NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment (American Woman)

What do you think of this look? Are you over glitter or were you ever into it?

Emma x


*PR Sample
***Glossier products are affiliate links, if you choose to shop via those links I will receive a small percentage of the sale but it won't cost you anything extra.

Firewalk With Me

Through the darkness of future past

The magician longs to see

One chants out between two worlds

Fire walk with me

On Friday afternoon I was scrolling through Instagram as you do and I saw this look that makeup artist Grace Ahn created for Lizzo. I'm a huge fan of a dramatic feline shaped liner so I thought I'd try to recreate the look. It also gave me an excuse to play with my new Glossier Play Glitter Gelée in the shade Firewalk, which I thought looked similar to the glitter Lizzo is wearing. Photos really don't do this glitter justice, I've tried it alone and over eyeshadow and I personally prefer it over a similar toned rose gold eyeshadow. I had been wearing the basic face makeup all day and then added the eye and lip makeup after work. As you can see it lasted well considering it had been on for about ten hours. I'll chat more about the new L'Oréal products later in the week. You can see the rest of the products I used below. 



*L'Oréal Infaillible 24H Fresh Wear Foundation Shade 15 Porcelain
*L'Oréal Infaillible More Than Concealer Shade 322 Ivory
*IT Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Brow Pencil
Glossier Boy Brow in Brown (Review here)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion Anti-Aging 
*Soap and Glory Damsel and Copper Eyeshadows (limited edition Perfect Ten palette)
NYX Professional Makeup Epic Ink Liner in Black
Sephora Collection 12hr Colorful Contour Eyeliner in 02 Clubbing Stilettos
Glossier Play Glitter Gelée in Firewalk 
Kevyn Aucoin The Eyelash Curler 
Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Mascara
*Clarins Glow 2 Go Bronzer Stick (Review here)
*Glossier Cloud Paint in Storm 
Glossier Haloscope in Moonstone
*Lancôme Long Time No Shine Loose Setting and Mattifying Powder in Translucent
NYX Professional Makeup Matte Finish Setting Spray
NARS Audacious Lipstick in Raquel 


*Press Sample


What do you think? Would you wear this look?

Emma x

La Dolce Vita

Every time I have an occasion and I can't decide how to do my makeup or I don't have a lot of time to get ready, this look tends to be my go-to. I think everyone has their failsafe party makeup look that you know will look good and that you can almost do with your eyes closed. These are the products that I know will last for hours, that I've used countless times and I can rely on to make me look ready for any special occasion. 

I usually begin by prepping my skin with a face mask like the REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial, I love this one because it makes a huge difference to my skin in such a short time- one minute to be exact. It gives your skin a hit of Vitamin C and makes it instantly appear more bright and smooth. 

Then I apply a hydrating serum and moisturiser making sure to let each one sink in fully before I begin my makeup, this way I know my skin will be hydrated properly and my foundation won't sit on my skin. 

My absolute favourite foundation for a special occasion is Estée Lauder Double Wear Light. If you have combination/oily skin this foundation is perfect for controlling oil and lasting throughout the entire day and night. My sister and I both wore this on her wedding day and it's one of those foundations that still looks perfect even after you've been wearing it all day. However because it's so long lasting I find that sometimes I need an extra hit of hydration beforehand which is where the YSL  Instant Moisture Glow comes in. I've written about it before, but if you have dry/dehydrated skin, this honestly does wonders for the appearance of your foundation. It gives a your skin instant hydration and a beautiful texture to work with. I'm down to my last few drops of this and I'll definitely be repurchasing it once it's run out. 

Once my foundation is done I always move onto my brows. I feel like they anchor my whole face and I don't feel right until they're finished. I always use my trusted Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil in the shade Hot Chocolate because I know how to get my brows exactly how I like them using this. I've gone through countless amounts of these pencils, it's probably one of my most repurchased makeup items. I finished off my brows with the Lancôme Sourcils Styler Brow Mascara in Châtain. I've been using it for about six months now and it's still going strong. It's without a doubt the best brow mascara I've ever used, you can read my full review here. 

Next up is the most fun part- the eyes! I always begin any eye look by using Urban Decay Primer Potion. I've been using it for about ten years now and it's never let me down. You can get a 5ml travel size for €11 which is so handy, especially for a product like this that takes me ages to get through. 

The pièce de résistance of this entire look is the incomparable Charlotte Tilbury The Dolce Vita palette. I can't believe I've had this for two and a half years and I've never once mentioned it here. My mam got it for me for my birthday and it's once of my most prized makeup products. I was hesitant to even write this post because the photos just do not do this palette justice. I found a photo of Beyoncé wearing the Dolce Vita Palette to Michelle Obama's 50th birthday party and it's probably the best photo of the gold glitter 'Pop' shade that I've seen. This is one that you need to experience in person to see how truly gorgeous it is. 

There's a video on Charlotte's Youtube channel of her using the palette that I followed when I first got it and I've pretty much used it in the same way ever since. The palette it so easy to use with it's guide on the back, the four shades are Prime, Enhance, Smoke and Pop. Once you follow those steps you end up with a gorgeous glittery warm smoky eye. It might look scary at first with the glitter and dark brown but the quality of the shadows means that they blend together seamlessly and allow just about anyone to achieve a party eye look easily. 

Anyone I know who has this palette adores it. For me it's without a doubt the must-have palette from her makeup range, I really can't see anyone being disappointed with it. I've worn the eyeshadows alone too and each one is a gorgeous shade in its own right. 

I finished off my eyes with some dark brown liner, this one is the Lancôme Grandiôse Liner. In the photos below I used my current favourite black liquid liner, Bourjois Liner Pinceau, which is the closest I've found to the now discontinued Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Liner. My favourite mascara for giving my lashes lots of volume for a party look is Bourjois Volume Clubbing. It allows me to apply a few coats and it means I don't need to bother with false lashes. 

I'm not a huge fan of contouring but I absolutely love the NARS Contour Blush in Olympia. As you can see I'm quickly running out of it after having it for over two years. This is another product I swear by for giving fair skin a little bit of definition. It also makes a gorgeous neutral blush for those days where you only want a hint of blush. It's a totally underrated product. 

The overall look is very strong so I only added a touch of my Urban Decay Afterglow Blush in Score just to give my cheeks a hint of colour and a little glow. As you can see this is another product that is very well loved. I've been wearing this shade almost every day for more than a year. It's that perfect blush shade that goes with almost any makeup look. I love the formula of the Afterglow blush range, they blend into the skin so easily and last all day. 

I finished the cheeks with a touch of highlighter. This Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Starlet Mosiac is another product I've been using for years. You only need the smallest amount of this to get a beautiful sheen on your cheekbones. 

To finish off my skin I used some Clarins Instant Light Concealer under my eyes to brighten my dark circles and then powdered using Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot. Both of these are firm favourites of mine. I've been using the Clarins concealer for so long and there's still some left in the tube. I've repurchased the Soap and Glory powder a few times, it's great for keeping in your handbag to touch up if you're starting to look oily. I always try to blot my skin first with blotting paper or a single ply of tissue to get rid of any oil before powdering as it make it last longer. 

The first two shades above are Charlotte Tilbury Red Carpet Red and Bitch Perfect. Red Carpet Red is from the Matte Revolution collection whereas Bitch Perfect is from Charlotte's original K.I.S.S.I.N.G. collection which has a more cream finish. I adore both of these shades and wear them all of the time. As you can see each lipstick completely transforms the look. I'm obviously more partial to a red and this is how I usually wear this look. Dolce Vita paired with Red Carpet Red is for me, the perfect combination for party makeup. 

The shade above is Clinique Nude Pop, this is actually a sample size I got free in a magazine but I actually love the shade. It's a great nude shade for fair skin and the formula feels hydrating and comfortable to wear all day. I love the shade of this lipstick paired with the Dolce Vita palette, it's much more understated than the red lip allowing the eyes to be the focus.

I've been wanting to share this look for a long time and there's no better time than now during the holiday season. I hope this will give you some inspiration for any parties you're attending over Christmas and New Year's.

I'd love to know what your go-to party make up look is and what products you swear by for making you look and feel great for a special occasion.

Emma x

NARS Contour Blush

I've been looking for the perfect contour product for my skin tone for the longest time. I knew what I wanted but everything I'd seen reviewed was for darker skin tones and bronzing rather than contouring. I've always just contoured by using a highlighter to bring out my cheekbones rather than a darker contouring product under my cheekbones so I was very excited when I saw swatches of NARS Contour Blush Duo in the shade Olympia.

The idea behind this duo is to create natural looking dimension to the face, the deeper shade defines while the lighter shade illuminates the high points of the face. 

As you can see Olympia contains two matte shades, a lighter ivory and a deeper pale brown/pink shade. I always worry about the texture of matte powders but these are soft and easy to work with and blend.

I use this in a few different ways, for daytime I lightly use the darker shade just under my cheekbones and sometimes I even use it on the apples of my cheeks as a blush if I'm in a hurry or I want a hint of colour on my cheeks. Then I use the light shade on the tops of my cheekbones and down my nose to highlight. 

If I want a more obvious contour look for nighttime, I go a little more heavy handed with the darker shade, then a blush depending on the look I'm going for and then I use a shimmery highlight instead of the one in the duo as I have found that it is better suited to more subtle daytime looks. 

I love how subtle the combination is on my skin tone. It's exactly what I wanted to give slight definition to my face. I think this is the perfect contouring duo for fair skin tones, but as this isn't the cheapest product, €37 to be exact,  I would definitely ask at a counter to try it out if you're not sure. I got mine from Brown Thomas.

What do you use to contour?

Emma x

Sin

If you read beauty blogs or watch beauty videos you'll know that their blushes are the products NARS are most well known for with shades like Orgasm and Deep Throat being among the most popular. Those shades never really interested me as any time I swatched them at the NARS counter I found they were too shimmery for me.

I adore my MAC Well Dressed blush and I can't imagine not having it now, but I felt like there was room in my collection for a deeper shade to wear with darker lips for the Winter months.

I always loved how Sin looked whenever I saw it used in photos and tutorials and went to check it out in person. I loved the deep plum/golden colour and thought it would be perfect for Autumn/Winter. 

Other Make-up:

Face: Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint in Bare 01, Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 1 Fair

Brows: Revlon Rich Sable

Eyes: Urban Decay Sin and Buck, Revlon Vintage Lace (on brow bone), Revlon Photoready 3D Volume Mascara

Lips: NUXE Reve de Miel lip balm


I must admit having used only very subtle blushes in the past I did find this difficult to use at first due to it's high level of pigmentation. You need only a tiny amount of this to get a good amount of colour on your cheeks, I would recommend being very light handed with your blush brush, otherwise you might end up looking like a clown.

Once I got the hang of it I loved how it looked on my cheeks as it's completely different to my other blushes. As you can see above it actually looks quite subtle, but still brings life to your face.

There are two downsides to this blush, one is the price at €29, I would consider them very expensive, however, because you only need the tiniest amount, I can imagine they will last a long time. The other downside is the packaging which I already knew about from reading lots of other reviews, it gets dirty very quickly and everything sticks to it. If you can get over that, the packaging is actually really nice.

You can find NARS products on their website or on ASOS for the slightly less expensive price of €27.64 with free shipping.

Emma x