Currently Lusting Over

Too Faced - A La Mode Palette
So I love my Too Faced Summer Eyes palette alot, the quality is so good and I love the packaging but there is a new palette doing the rounds on blogs. The sad thing is that it is not due for release over in the UK until May oh no! It is beautiful though the colours are different enough from my other palettes to make me want this, and bad!

Maybelline Colour Whisper - Pin Up Peach
So again this is another product currently not out in the UK :-( but you can buy it from the UK ebay store for a decent price. I am currently not in the mood for heavy full on lipsticks and I want to keep my make up simple and light this Spring/Summer so I'm delving into the world of lip butters. I haven't tried any of the Revlon ones as they seem quite pricey for what they are and alot of reviews say that they are very pigmented which is currently not what I'm looking for. This shade just looks stunning and they have a nice amount of shine too unlike the NYX ones.

Zara Mini City Bag With Zips
So I've recently got the mini office city bag in grey which I love! But I can't help to lust over this beauty as well. It comes in light blue or pink which would be great for the huge pastal colour take over that's happening right now. This bag has lots of room for everything and like the other it has lots of places for everything.

What are you currently lusting over?

My make up brush collection

Here is my make up brush collection, it is by no means complete so I will update you as I go along.

Can you recommend me any that I'm missing.
I hope you enjoy my video :-)

If you don't have time to watch a video right now you can visit my written blog post with pictures of my brushes here.

Jodie x

My make up brushes

I'm quite a novice to make up brushes as I'd usually just use the ones that came in a palette and then have a foundation brush. Up until about a year ago I never really wore much make up but now it has become a obsession.

Here are my brushes that I have so far collected and use often:

Too Faced Eye Brush Set
Shadow brush, eyeliner brush and a shading brush. These brushes are the first proper set that I bought and I love them. These are made from "teddy bear hair" and they feel so soft. These come in a gorgeous vintage style case which I didn't keep hold of.

Real Techniques Core Collection
If you read my blog you will see that I bought this recently from iherb super cheap! These brushes are a no brainer as Real Techniques are professional quality and nice and soft. In here you get a buffing brush, pointed foundation (which I use for my concealer), detailer brush and a contour brush - which I'm currently using my powder blusher.
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Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
This is my favourite brush to apply my foundation or tinted moisturiser. It just blends my foundation in seamlessly and I prefer it to the buffing brush that I got with my core collection.

Elf Studio Stipple Brush
This was a bargain at about £4 new from eBay. It's always sold out on the Elf store but it is my brush of choice for applying most of my blushers especially my cream blusher and also my Benefit Watt's Up highlighter. This brush really comes into its own when applying cream blushers as it applies them evenly and light over the face. It feels just as good professional quality as some expensive brushes and It is one of my favourites.

Mac Double End brush 275SE/316SE
This came in my Mac Illustrated palette and it is amazing quality I adore the lip brush especially as it gives me the precision that I need to apply brighter lipsticks. The shadow brush end applies the product well but I find it can be a bit scratchy on the eyelid.

The Body Shop Eyebrow grooming brush
I don't use the eyelash end but I do use the other eyebrow one to keep mine nice and neat before using my Benefit Brow Zings.

Maxfactor Eyeliner brush
I use this for my gel liner as I don't want to mess up any of my nice brushes. This gives me a thin line of liner across my eyelid and it doesn't drag at all. It is also good at giving a cat eye flick with liner.

I store these in my Benefit make up bag and my Mac Illustrated Rebecca Moses brush bag. I bought this bag of eBay for £3 which is a bargain, it didn't have any brushes in it but I like it as it matches my Illustrated palette and I know it's good quality. It has a small pocket inside and a clear flap over the brush holder side to keep it clean. It has a cute bow print inside.
So that's my make up brush collection I am happy with it but I know that I'm missing some serious essentials. Next on my list is the Real Techniques eye collection as even though I don't need the eyeshadow brushes I will use them but most of all I want a proper eyebrow brush. I also want the Real Techniques blusher brush.

Too Faced Summer Eyes palette coral make up look

After introducing the Too Faced Summer Eyes palette to you a little while ago I have finally got round to doing a YouTube demonstration of it.
I have chose my favourite look from the palette which is the classic look using peach fuzz, coral crush and chocolate sun.
This is my go to palette on a daily basis and after having it a month or two I am still completely in love with it. It's not the easiest palette to get hold of but I bought it from Beauty Bay.

Please let me know what you think of it? Jodie x

On a average day, how much is my face?

So I've seen a few of these posts lately and have felt inspired. I know I spend too much on make up  but I always talk myself into it by saying "it's a investment" but when I have added up the figures it is rather disturbing. So here is some makeup that I would wear on the average day with prices:

Prime & Conceal:
Benefit Porefessional £24.50
Benefit Erase Paste £19.50
Too Faced Shadow Insurance £17

Make Up:
Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous £24.50
Too Faced Summer Eyes £26
Collection Fast Stroke £2.99
Benefit Hervana £23.50
Benefit Brow Zings £23.50
Benefit Bad Gal Liner £15
Benefit Bad Gal Mascara £17.50

Finishing Touches:
Benefit High Brow £15
Benefit Eye Bright £15
Benefit Watt's Up 24.50
Urban Decay De-Slick £20
Benefit Ultra Plush £14.50

Total Cost = £282.99

I knew it was going to be bad haha, oh well at least I'm happy with pretty make up. I've seen worse though. The scary thing is that this isn't all the most expensive items in my collection.

Anyway this was fun, please share you totals with me ladies so I don't feel guilty on my own :-)

Jodie x
 

Pre payday mini haul

Too Faced - Summer Eyes
Stila Lip Glaze Stick - Orange
Ouidad - Moisture and Refreshing spray for hair
Dr Brandt - Pore No More cream.

I needed a little pick me up before payday because it's always depressing that last week waiting to get paid. So I though who needs to eat when you can look pretty, joke I love eating but I did just cut back and get cheaper food to afford my lovely goodies. Much to the disappointment of my poor husband.

So who else has done this on that last slog until payday which feels like eternity away?

I am very happy with my purchases. I was planning to get the Summer Eyes when I got paid anyway, but i saw it on sale and had to snap it up immediately and I'm glad that I did as it has now sold out on Beauty Bay's website.

The last 2 I got as samples with my Beauty Bay order, I have never heard of the brands but I am keen to test them out.

I have been eyeing up a Mac lipstick in the colour Ravishing all month as I want something with a good colour preferably in coral but it is a little on the pricey side.
I am also obsessed with these jumbo lip crayons and after seeing all the blog reviews I want to get my hands and lips onto the Boujous ones when they are out but however I searched the net for another decent one. I came across the Stila lip gloss ones and after seeing some colour swatches on a blog I decided to go for the orange colour. I am not disappointed as the colour is a vibrant bright peachy/coral. I am glad that I got it and for £4 off eBay I can't complain it is a bargain and feels great quality. The colour does only last for a couple of hours though.

Anyone got any mini hauls to perk themselves up too?

Jodie x

Too Faced Summer Eyes

After admiring this for ages in couldn't resist buying it when I saw Beauty Bay had it on sale, they have free shipping and there was about £6 off the RRP so I had to buy it.
It arrived quickly with standard free shipping and I can't wait to try out the colours.
You get 3 looks inside a daytime, classic and then fashion. It came with a shadow insurance sample and a little booklet of how to achieve each look.

I will go more in depth when I've tried it out but I love the colours in it, the coral and mermaid ones are my favourite. I wanted to get this as all the colour palettes that I seem to have at the moment are very neutral,

so I wanted something to brighten me up and make me feel summery.

The packaging is really nice, it feels well made and the tin has a nice weight to it. No cheap tat here.

I have never ordered with Beauty Bay before but I definitely will again as I was offered the choice to pay an extra £1.50 which made my order leave the warehouse quicker and you also get a free sample.
I was lucky enough to get 2 free samples which are:
* Ouidad Botanical Boost - the moisture infusing & the refreshing spray for your hair 75ml. This is aimed at curly hair which I don't have but I will still give this a spritz on my straight locks when they are feeling a bit dry and frazzled to see if it livens them up.
*Dr. Brandt pores no more vacuum cleaner - blackhead extractor cream 7.5g.
Ive never heard of this but my skin is prone to blackheads so I will test it out.
Have you ever heard of these products and what did you think?

I was nearly as excited enough at getting my samples that I was the actual product that I'd ordered.

Swatches: from. Top to bottom they are - toasted coconut, chocolate sun, cocoa beach, mermaid, coral crush, plumeria, seashell, peach fuzz and sunbeam. The last 2 haven't really shown up with the flash but they are very sheer glittery yellows. These swatches are done without a primer underneath so you can get a idea of the pigmentation of the colours .

My only negative thoughts on this pallette are is it really necessary to have 3 different browns and two other colours very similar as well the peach fuzz and the sunbeam. They are more or less identical. I do like all 3 looks quite a lot so I am getting my use out of this pallette so it isn't a waste of money. 

Jodie x

 

My make up look from yesterday 21/6/13

So here is the low down on what I am wearing on my face today, most of it is by Benefit Cosmetics as usual:

* Porefessional primer for my nose and cheeks.
* Fake Up concealer under the eyes.
* Coralista blusher - this is my favourite.
* Coralista Lipgloss - I love how this isn't sticky.
* Brow Zings
* High Brow to highlight under my eyebrows.
* Collection Fast Stroke eyeliner.
* Jelly Pong Pong Fairly lashes mascara.
* Too Faced Shadow Insurance eyelid primer.
* World Famous Neutrals pallette in Most Glamorous Nudes, I went for the evening look which is the My Two Cents creaseless creme shadow with Glit-y Pleasure & Kiss Me, I'm Tipsy powder shadows.
* Eye Bright on the inner and outer corners of the eye and along the brow bone.
* Urban Decay De-Slick mattifying powder.

By the time this picture was taken I had had my make up on about 3 hours, I am stood next to a windows in natural light and you can see that my face still looks matte on a hot summers day.

I know I go on about Benefit too much but I am moving onto other brands to try and sample a bit of everything, I just can't afford to buy new products at the moment there are so many that I want.
- Jodie x

June Make Up Haul

So we are now mid June and I have tried out all my Glossy box items and looking for something new. Here is what I have recently picked up to add to my collection.

Urban Decay De-Slick Mattifying Powder
I'm not going to talk to much about this as I love it so much it warrants having its own post. This is a must have item for me this summer as it keeps my complexion looking matte all day. It smells and looks pretty too - bonus.

Avon Glimmersticks Eye Brow Pencil - Dark Brown
I got this free with the June issue of Marie Claire and have only just tried it out. It gives a good result and it will be perfect to carry around for any brow mishaps. However bit won't be replacing my Brow Zings anytime soon.

Elf Shine Eraser Sheets
I bought these as Asda have discontinued the Kleenex shine sheets which worked wonders for me, so I was looking for a alternative. I bought these blotting sheets off eBay but they are rubbish I miss my Kleenex ones. Anyway I've since bought the Urban Decay Mattifying powder so I don't need to worry about shine anymore. I wouldn't bother with these as they don't do anything apart from waste your time.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance
I have seen reviews about this on other blogs and it always makes the eyeshadow colour look more vibrant so I'm looking forward to trying this out as I haven't had chance to yet. I'm waiting until I get the Summer Eyes pallette so I can try them out together but I am expecting big things for this product.

Model Co Lip Enhancer - Illusion Lip Liner
I got this free with this month's July Glamour magazine and I haven't tried it yet. The box looks good but when I took the product out it felt cheap. I do like how it has a sharpener on the lip though.
On the box it says it is nude and I was hoping it would be like Benefits invisible lip liner as I have been wanting to try that for awhile, but when I have switched the colour it looks really brown and will probably be too dark for me. So up to now I am not impressed but will test it out and report back soon.

Jodie x

Too Faced eye shadow 3 brush set

So I am a novice with make up brushes as I only have the eye shadow brushes that have come with palettes in the past and a mini Body Shop brush set. I have a Lancome foundation brush which is my only decent one.

With my Benefit Jetset kit it came with a small double sided sponge applicator which is absolutely rubbish and since I have bought some eye shadow palettes that don't come with brushes I've been keeping a eye open for a decent brush set. There are some good ones around but very pricey at £15-£20 per brush.

I saw some good reviews of this set and at £30 for 3 brushes it isn't the cheapest but they are good quality.
They are made from teddy bear hair which is very soft and gives a professional application.
They are pretty to look at to in dusty pink and go with my vintage make up theme. These are full size and come with a instruction leaflet as how to use them.

The brushes are:

Blender brush - this is the biggest one and is used for contouring powder in the crease of the eye.

Powder brush - for applying powder to the whole lid of the eye and can be used to get the best smokey eye effect.

Liner brush - used for lining the eyelid and also doubles up as a smudger.

These are great brushes to start off my collection but Too Faced do make a bigger brush collection that will definitely be on my Christmas list.
What brushes do you use?