Two Disappointing Liquid Lipsticks

Since liquid lipsticks have become a revolutionary product in the makeup world, I'm always up for trying new ones - being either drugstore or high end. Sadly, two of my liquid lipstick purchases from New York (I recently did a beauty haul showcasing all my purchases!) have let me down, both for completely different reasons. I thought it'd be best to let you all know my thoughts on them in case you were thinking of buying either one, but do remember that products work differently for everyone! I might have got a dodgy batch of product, so always read other reviews because others may think differently.

L.A. GIRL MATTE FLAT FINISH PIGMENT GLOSS 'DREAMY'

I bought this from a little beauty supply store in Brooklyn, and it caught my eye since I knew the L.A. Girl PRO Concealer was good as well as their lip liners, so I was intrigued to try their liquid lipstick! I can't remember the exact price but it was around $5, a bargain?! The pigmentation of this product is also actually really good - you can see it in my swatch below - so I was super impressed by that.

Top 3 Eye Liners

Black eye liner is a staple for anyone, whether you prefer gel, liquid or pencil. I've collected my three favourite black eye liners, choosing a ge, liquid and pencil and they all happen to be drugstore items! Hopefully if any of you are on the hunt for a new black liner but have a preference for a certain type, this post should give you something to add to your makeup list.

HOW TO: Perfect Bold Lip

I'm always receiving questions on my Instagram @fabuleusebeauty and in general about how I get my lipstick to look perfect. From loads of experimenting, I've found a method that I now never miss when I do my lipstick, and I am happy to share it with you! all Even though this blog post is titled 'perfect bold lip', I use this technique for nude lips and any other lip colour too. I can guarantee that it will completely change how your lipstick looks, as well as your entire makeup, since it also helps with covering any pigmentation around the lips (with I have). I did do a mini explanation on an Instagram post a while ago about how I get perfect lipstick application, but hopefully this should be easier to understand!

The Best Products for Dry Skin

Over the exam period, the dry patches on my skin became out of control. Sometimes I'd manage to get rid of them, but then other times they'd come back and always feel dry no matter how much moisturiser I'd use. It then started affecting my makeup, since my foundation would cling to these dry patches and it was pretty much a mess on my face. From experimenting and testing products out, I've collected a little group of the best skincare items that helped me tackle my dry skin, and will hopefully help those who also have dry skin/patches or just like to feel moisturised!

New York Beauty Haul

As you can imagine, I was dying over all the makeup and beauty goods in the USA which we can't get over here in the UK. However, I did visit New York in February 2014 when I went pretty nuts with the makeup shopping - so during my trip a few weeks ago, I refrained myself from going crazy and only bought things that I couldn't get in the UK or was a lot cheaper in the States! I haven't used any of these products yet, since I've been waiting to take the pictures for this blog post and so I won't be able to give any reviews, but I should have reviews up soon and will be trying them out in my Instagram looks @fabuleusebeauty

New York

If you don't follow me on Instagram @fabuleusebeauty you would have missed my big news that I was going to New York. I had been invited by my best friend's family to come along for her 18th birthday surprise, and of course I couldn't say no, and it was one of the best trips I've ever been on!! I've collected a bunch of pictures I took on the trip especially for this blog post, so I hope you all enjoy.



High End Lipstick Dupes

Hi everyone! When I was rummaging around my lipstick collection the other day, I was swatching random lipsticks and realised that I actually have a few dupes - including some for cult favourites from high end brands! I won't give any long-winded explanations about each dupe since I'm sure you can all judge from the pictures yourself, but definitely give some of these cheaper alternatives a swatch when in stores. But of course if you have any questions about any of the high end lipsticks or the drugstore dupes, feel free to leave them in the comments below!

All About The Beauty Blender

From my previous blog posts, you might be able to tell that I LOVE my Beauty Blender for liquid foundation and concealer - it allows you to achieve a flawless finish on the skin, and nowadays I don't even use any foundation brushes or concealer brushes, only my Beauty Blender!

Although, I do get a lot of questions on how to use the Beauty Blender and how to wash it, so I thought I'd do a blog post showing you how.

MAC Brushes Dupes

My MAC eye brushes are a staple in my collection and I love them, but after receiving a fab Christmas present, I have now discovered some amazing dupes that I think are potentially better than MAC!

Easy Smokey Eye Tutorial

Ever wanted to do a sexy smokey eye, but are scared of looking like you've been punched in the face?! It's honestly so simple, the key is to blend with the right brushes and to have a gradient going from dark up to light (going from the lid to the brow). FYI, I used the Stila 'In The Know' Palette for the majority of this look - its all matte and has perfect shades!

HOW TO: Lighten Brows With Makeup

Ever since I watched Nicole Guerriero's YouTube video on how she lightens her brows with bleach, I was so so tempted to do it because I realised how thick black brows against black hair can look a bit harsh. I then studied all my selfies and felt that I HAD to do it, because brown brows would apparently give a softer look. However Farah Dhukai saved all my problems with her video using the MAC 'Beguille' Brow Set - which allowed her to transform her brows from black to brown! As soon as I watched it, I bought the brow set straight away...

My School Makeup Routine

YES, I am still at school - If you live in the UK, I'm in Year 13! But this is my last year of being in school, before I go to University, so I thought I'd show you all my step-by-step routine that I do every morning (I wore my school uniform too, extra snazzy). This routine takes me around 10-15 minutes, but sometimes I can be quicker or take longer if I feel like adding in extra steps.

This is just how I like to do my school makeup MYSELF, its what makes me feel confident, some people may want to wear more than I do, less or nothing at all - I'm just showing this for those who are interested, its all personal preference.

Top 5 Lip Balms

Dry, chapped lips aren't too fab... Whether you suffer from dry skin or just HATE the feeling of dry lips, lip balm is essential and over the years I've found some amazing lip balms! I have favourites for hydration, nourishment and pigment, so hopefully I'll mention one perfect for everyone. Smooth lips are also crucial when applying lipstick (especially matte), so always be sure to apply lip balm at the beginning of your makeup to ensure smooth lips by the time you do your lipstick.

1. LIP GLAM

HOW TO: Adjust Foundation Coverage With Tools

Depending on your mood, the weather or the place that you're going to, you may want to adjust the coverage of your liquid foundation and base makeup. Other things like blemishes or skin type can also make you want to change your foundation coverage. For parties I normally like a medium-full coverage finish, whereas for hot summer days I prefer a lightweight coverage.

With the different tools above, you can adjust the coverage of your foundation to your own desire - and I will explain how!

Easy & Matte Glitter Nail Polish

This blog post is my entry for the Superdrug Exclusives competition.

I LOVE glitter nail polish but removing it drives me insane - doing the foil technique takes me around half an hour or longer?! However Models Own recently came out with their Velvet Goth Collection, nail polishes that are described as having a '2D finish and intense matte yet sparkly colour'. Normal glitter polishes are quite thick and chunky, but the formula of these is like any ordinary nail polish - thin and easy to apply! You can easily get an opaque intensity with one coat, but I used two coats to increase longevity.

The shade that I own is 'Amethyst'.

Is MAC Fix + Worth The Hype?

MAC's Fix + is hyped up all over YouTube in many makeup tutorials, and a few years ago I listened to all the rave and bought the spray myself. So today I'll let you know if I think it's worth the hype...

MAC describes it as a spray to ' add radiance' and 'finish makeup' which it definitely does! I wouldn't say that its a spray to help keep your makeup on for longer - a good spray for that purpose would be the Urban Decay Setting Spray - although MAC Fix + is amazing at making your skin look flawless.

REVIEW & SWATCHES: Sephora Cream Lip Stains

A friend of mine recently went to Paris, France and I begged them to get me some Sephora Cream Lip Stains - people rave about them saying theyre amazing alternatives to expensive liquid lipsticks such as Anastasia Beverly Hills, Stila, Kat Von D etc!

They are a liquid formula of a thick cream, similar to the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams but a bit thinner, and are opaque like a lipstick. The best part about them is their staying power - since they dry completely matte, you can eat, drink and kiss and the colour will stay on for HOURS!

The two shades I have are:

13 Marvelous Mauve

01 Always Red

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara Review

The latest launch from Benefit Cosmetics is their Roller Lash Mascara, and since I received a sample of it in my March Birchbox, I figured I'd do a review!

Benefit are known for their They're Real mascara, being the number one best selling mascara in the UK and I own it myself - love it! So I was curious to see if this mascara could live up to a similar hype...

March Birchbox Review

Normally I do these Birchbox reviews on a Sunday, because I don't consider them as good of quality for my weekly Thursday posts. BUT this week I am away in Wales for the Duke of Edinburgh award during Wednesday - Saturday, so all I could manage to schedule for my Thursday post was a quick Birchbox review, sorry!

If you don't already know, Birchbox is a monthly box subscription where you receive at least 5 sample products ranging from beauty, hair care and skincare. It costs £10 per month + £2.95 P&P, and allows you to try out new products!

Winged Liner Pictorial

Winged eye liner is one of the hardest things (I personally think) to tackle when doing your makeup. I don't even think I'm that great at it to be honest - I ALWAYS end up having to fix and clean with makeup remover and concealer... My winged liner looks different every time that I do it, so don't let it stress you out!

Benefit Porefessional Primer Dupe

I can proudly say that I have found a dupe for the well loved Benefit Porefessional, a primer known to minimise the appearance of pores and smooth the texture of skin. It's crazy popular in the makeup world and has been voted as best primer MANY times, but it's price of £24.50 is a downfall...

While playing with the skin enhancers and primers on the No7 counter, I came across their Brilliantly Bare Beauty Enhancer. It is known to smooth away imperfections, minimise the appearance of pores and leaves a matte finish. Also, it is only £12.50?!

BENEFIT POREFESSIONAL

(I have a baby sample size of the Porefessional at the moment)

REVIEW & SWATCHES: Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette



I'm finally doing a post on my new love, the Jaclyn Hill Favorites Palette by Morphe Brushes. I've tested it out for a few weeks and am able to give a full review, for any of you wishing to purchase it when it comes back in stock on the Morphe Brushes site!

February Birchbox Review

Here's a mini blogpost on my February Birchbox for those interested on what I receive monthly, or are interested in subscribing!

Valentines Day Makeup Pictorial

For Valentines Day, I created a dramatic eye with a pop of pink and shimmer. If you're feeling brave and love makeup then give this look a go, its a lot simpler than it looks! Although for an easy valentines look, a bold pink or red lip is the easiest thing to go with, but I thought I'd go for something different...

REVIEW & SWATCHES: Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette

Never in my life have I seen an eye shadow palette like this one?! I received it as a gift from my Mum for Christmas and I have no clue how she managed to get her hands on it, but she did!

I have the Hourglass Modernist Palette in the shade 'Infinity' which is one of the warmer palettes out of the range, but is the best one for me. As you can see, it comes with five eye shadows - this one having 4 mattes and 1 shimmer in the middle. I forced myself not to use it until I featured it in a blog post, since the amazing 3D ripple effect of the shadows will soon go once I've used it a ton. So for now we can admire the palette's beauty...

Brow Wiz vs. Dipbrow Pomade

Anastasia Beverly Hills has become one of the best brands for brow products and I own two of their best sellers, the Brow Wiz and the Dipbrow Pomade. So today I'm going to put them to the test and show you the finished result of both!

BROW WIZ

Makeup Bag Bargain

This is the biggest and cheapest makeup bag I own that holds absolutely everything, whether you're a makeup freak like me and take loads with you when you go out daily or even for travelling. The best bit is that you can purchase it from the trustworthy Amazon in a range of colours, for only £4.50!

January Birchbox Review

I don't really think of these as informative blog posts anymore, more like letting you guys have a quick look at what I got in my Birchbox this month in case you were interested in subscribing.

My Perfume Collection

This is a selection of my most loved perfumes and ones that I'd know I'd definitely repurchase. The best thing is that they all range in price and scents so I can always change up my perfume for whatever occasion. I'm not the best at describing scents though so I'll try to do the best I can, hopefully some of you will find a new perfume to add to your collection!

Festive Party Outfit and Makeup

Hey everyone! I'm so sorry that I didn't put up a post last Thursday or yesterday, my Christmas holidays have been crazy!! Since you all know about my new job at Benefit Cosmetics, I was working there LOADS during the run up to Christmas. Then came Christmas itself and at the same time I was revising for my mock exams! Things have been so hectic and probably still will be until my mock exams are over, so I promise after next week my posts will be up again every Thursday.

This outfit and makeup look was actually for a Christmas party, so I wanted to have it up before New Years Eve in case anyone wanted to buy the dress for any party but revision took over my life...

Either way, I hope you all like the look and of course you can still get the dress which was an amazing £10 from H&M and is still in stock?! BARGAIN.

The dress fit so nicely, in particular the sleeves which was awesome, and had a low back that wasn't TOO low so it was comfortable to wear. My only downside was that I personally found it a tiny bit too short, but with tights it was fine!