A Bronzer Phase

A year ago, I don't think I knew what bronzer was! Recently I've been going through a bronzer phase, lusting after bronzers left right and centre! I kinda got this idea from Tiffany, who did a post on her favourite bronzers - I'm 99.9% sure her post is what triggered my bronze lust!

Before I show you the wishlist, I'll show you my collection.. because of my late start on this wonderful tool, my collection is quite lacking..

Clockwise from Top: Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer, CANMAKE Bronzer/Foundation, CANMAKE Shading Powder

Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer in Medium Matte

This has been my go-to bronzer for the past month or so - it has a slight pearlescent finish (NOT matte :P) that makes it great for a soft contour. The pigmentation isn't superb, but it's not so bad that you can't get any colour - it's right inbetween, which makes it a no brainer bronzer.

CANMAKE Bronzer/Foundation in Copper Bronze 02

This has almost a yellow tone to it, which makes it more of a tanner for me. If a foundation is a bit light, or if I've fake-tanned a bit much, I can dust this over my face and it brings my face back to the right colour. Handy, but I don't reach for it too often.

CANMAKE Shading Powder in 02

This is my favourite matte bronzer, that I use mostly for a sharp contour. It is so finely milled and pigmented, and works great with a MAC 109.

Hard Candy Baked Blush in Bombshell (left)

This one is more of a copper-toned blusher, in that it has a sheen to it, so it can't really be used as a contour, but it works as a bronzer on the cheeks. It's great for a sunkissed look, but sometimes I find it a bit difficult to pull of because of the reddish tones.

MAC MSF in So Ceylon (right)

This is another blusher-type product, but definitely no good for contour. It has more of a pink to it than Hard Candy Bombshell, which makes it a bit easier to wear. That being said, it has the same purpose of giving me a sunkissed look, or for subtle cheeks when I have a lot going on with my eyes/lips.

L to R: CANMAKE Shading Powder, CANMAKE Bronzer/Foundation, Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer, Hard Candy Bombshell, MAC So Ceylon.

I think my two favourite bronzers are the CANMAKE Shading Powder and the Rimmel Sunshimmer Bronzer - those 2 I will more than happily repurchase!

So what am I missing?

The first on my wishlist is the Chanel Soleil tan de Chanel - the infamous cream bronzer. This is mainly for the fact that it's cream, and for its multipurpose functions i.e. as a base, to darken foundation, etc.,

The second is NARS Laguna. I'd like something that's not completely matte but not completely shimmery, and I love the NARS blushers so much that it wouldn't make sense not to try the bronzers!

There's a tie in third place, and that's between Benefit's Hoola and Dior's Original Tan. They are both quite matte, but the thing with Dior's Original Tan is that there are lighter shades that I could use for a subtle contour, where as Hoola is a pretty standard contour, like my CANMAKE Shading Powder - that being said, it's hard to miss out on a raved-about bronzer like Hoola!

What is your favourite bronzer? Any other bronzers that should be on my wishlist? :)

<3yu

My YTs 1st Birthday & Make Up Collection/Storage Video :)

Today's a very special day, as exactly 1 year ago today, I launched myself into this social network beauty-loving malarky, by starting my YouTube :) In all honesty I did kind of forget, so I couldn't prepare anything extravagant, but I did make a make-up collection/storage video that I have been meaning to do :)

So I just want to say a big thank you to my viewers and readers who have ever supported my YouTube channel - it's reached just over 400 in its first year, and I am very very pleased - of course it wouldn't have happened without you guys!

Anyway, enough with soppy thank you's - enjoy!

I hope that provided a few minutes of entertainment or a few minutes of distraction from revision, but if you saw anything you have questions about or want a review on, please feel free to comment below and I will get back to you! :)

For those of you who have never seen my YouTube - it's not too late, I wont be stopping anytime soon :) Here's the link!

Thank you again for all your support - couldn't do it without it! :)

<3yu

Do I Have An Addiction to Lip Balm?

Hmm..

Yep, yep I do.

Lip balm is one of those things that are so insignificant in the sense that you use them without a mirror for the single purpose of moisturizing, but it's so complicated in the sense that everyone has their taste in consistency, container and smell, and even that changes with every situation.

I actually have a justification, believe it or not, for the different uses of the above lipbalms.

*LipIce Original - Sweet, waxy, usually use in the cold.

LipIce Strawberry - Fruity, waxy, usually use inbetween spring and winter.

LipIce Sun - Waxy, perfect for summer w/ SPF.

LipIce Pink Sheen - Lipgloss, good for when I don't want to layer lip products.

*BodyShop Born Lippy in Pink Guava - Jelly-like and great for warm weather.

*Burt's Bees Original - Waxy, minty, perfect for anytime.

*Agatha Luiz De La Prada in Cherry - Sweet and fruity, waxy, tinted, perfect for when I want sweetness.

Primark LipSmacker in Fanta - Light, a bit wet, fruity.

Shiseido Therapino Oil Bar - Scentless, tasteless, oily, perfect for under dry lipstick.
2 Tubs of Vaseline (one small, one big) - Oily, good before bed.

The ones with * are my favourite, and most used. But seriously, how am I so picky? And what's even worse, I have a wishlist of other lipbalms I want.. like Burt's Bees honey-smelling one, EOS lip balm, LUSH Honey Trap and the famous pink Vaseline pot.

Is anyone with me or am I just weird?

<3yu

A Bedside Pampering Station..?

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that has a few bits and bobs permanently lying around on my bedside table, separate from my usual "vanity", and slowly forming its own "bedside pampering station"?

It's not something we talk about but I thought it'd be fun to show what sort of pampering I get up to in the evenings! :)

L: Ted Baker Body Souffle, C: Sephora Body Butter in Pineapple, R: Dumbell (a glorious 1kg)

The Body Souffle and Body Butter serve the same purpose in 2 different ways for me. They both moisturize, but the souffle is lighter and has a zesty smell, whereas the body butter is heavier with a sweeter smell. I like having both of them around according to my mood :)

Sometimes Soap & Glory's Heel Genius occupies the pampering station, but today it decided to go back to its place next to Hand Food in the usual vanity.. he's still adjusting.

The dumbell.. well, is so I don't feel completely useless when I'm huddled up with a cuppa, millions of digestives and Bridget Jones.

The hair clip is for when my bangs (or fringe..) get in the way of films (I would say books, but I'm not very book-oriented. Yes I do a degree, but I've managed to do 3 years whilst despising books).

The Sephora body lotion is SO light and absorbs so well into your skin, so I use it for my hands :) This is in Blackberry and Red Currant - very yummy!

Sally Hansen Cuticle Massage Cream has been the love of my vanity this month. It's solved my gross dry cuticle problems! It's afterall a lotion, so I like to put it on at night and have pretty fingers in the morning :)

Vaseline - usually don't like going bed with anything too scent-ey or heavy on my lips so Vaseline does the job for night time lip moisturization.

I like sleeping with my arms above my head, but I wont fall asleep if I've had a long day and my arm pits smell. My boyfriend thinks I'm strange but whatever gives me my beauty sleep! ;P This one is Impulse's City Collection in New York. Lovely cucumber smell, very fresh, neutral and perfect to fall asleep to (haha!)

Reveal, ladies, what's in your bedside pampering station? I know you have one! ;)

<3yu

What's In My Make Up Bag?

As a student who lives on campus, I'm not often properly out of the house for that long, but I still keep my make-up bag ready to go by my make-shift vanity.

This is my make-up bag from Laura Ashely and I fell in LOVE with it when I saw it. It's the perfect size, pretty pattern, the zipper charms are flowers, and the bottom 2 zippers actually open a place for brushes, including a plastic flap that protects the bristles (to a certain extent). It came with a small round mirror trimmed with the same fabric.

I like to keep products in there that I can use no matter what I'm wearing that day. So here are the contents:

- ELF Complexion Perfection Powder

- CANMAKE Eyebrow Kit
- Eyeko Magic Bronzer in Miami (I think)

- Eyeko Cheeky Colour in Glow Getter

- Eyeko London Lips in Knightsbridge

- Hard Candy Baked Eyeshadow Duo in Peace

- Rimmel Kohl Eyeliner in Black

- Bodyshop Hemp Hand Cream sample
- MUJI Toner in an atomizer

- Versace perfume

- Eyelash curlers

- Some blotting sheets

And I usually stuff in a Denman's portable brush - the ones that are round, and you kinda squeeze the brush out :P Love them. I think out of the list I usually only use the eyeliner, blotting sheets and lip product. And usually I stuff my lip product that I used that day in my pocket so not really out of this make-up bag! :P I enjoy filling my make-up bag though lol..

What do you think is your make-up bag essentials? :)

<3yu

My Lipgloss Collection :)

My best friend at uni got me into lipglosses in early 2010, and I had probably.. 1 or 2 before I met her. Now I have 20. Here is what she has done to me..

As you can see I tend to stay on the lighter side of the spectrum but I do have the odd darker ones. I tend to try different glosses, but buy multiples of the ones I really love - as shown by the ELF ones and the CANMAKE ones. I think my favourite application is either a tube or a doefoot, but probs the tube because it's easy to finish it all up! So here they all are, separated into applicators. I've put a * next to my go-to ones!

Tubes!

L to R:

Eyeko London Lips in Portobello, Shoreditch and Knightsbridge

Essence Glossy Lipbalm in Toffee Frappuchino

*ELF Super Glossy Lipshine in Pink Kiss, Juiced Berry and Candlelight

Doefoots!

L to R:

L'Oreal GlamShine Crystals in 301 Coral Strass

Maybelline MNY mygloss in (something)

Collection 2000 Hotlights in Glimmer

*BodyShop Love Gloss in 17

MAC Lipglass in Viva Glam Cyndi

ELF Mineral Lipgloss in Sorority Girl

*NYX Lip Gloss in Sweet Heart

H&M Lipgloss in Coco in Aruba

MaxFactor Vibrant Curve Effect Lipgloss in Vibrant

Brushes!

L to R:

Bourjois Effet 3D Cosmic in 29

CANMAKE Nudy Glow Lipgloss in 04

*CANMAKE Nudy Glow Lipgloss in 02 (the one in my 150 Follower Giveaway!)

*CANMAKE Nudy Glos Lipgloss in 06

So there you have it. Thanks Lisa, I hope you're proud of yourself.

I love her to bits really. What are some of your favourite lipglosses? Lemme know if you want reviews on any of these! :)

<3yu

Nailpolish Collection!

Omgggg 20 followers?! I love you all :)

So since I've ventured into the world of blogs, I've noticed a massive increase in nailpolish content compared to YouTube, so I thought I'd give it a shot! I'm not a massive nailpolish fan, I used to be when that was the only 'makeup' my mom let me wear, so why not go back to my roots? :P

This is my usual storage.. really not that many! My favourites of the season go on top of my storage box..

So there's the gang! Really not that many in comparison to other gurus, and I know, a very limited range of colours - but that's what I like :) Let's get started..

The Clear&Neutrals:

 

(L to R: Beauty Nation Top Coat, CANMAKE Top Coat, 2True Top Coat, French BonBon No. 6, Nails Inc., Elizabeth Street, No7 Speed Dry in Coconut Ice 05 - definitely my fave out of the lot)

The Pinks&Reds:

(L to R: Yves Rocher Luminelle in Rose Reflets 03, Rimmel I Love Lasting Finish in 053 Apricot Punch - fave of the lot, Barry M Nail Paint 279 Bright Pink, Barry M Nail Paint 262 Bright Red)

The Purple&Plums (my favourites!):

(L to R: CANMAKE Colorful Nails No. 38, CANMAKE Colorful Nails No. 30, Collection 2000 Hot Looks Fast Dry No. 12 Minx, GOSH Nail Lacquer No. 064 Frou Frou, No7 Stay Perfect Nail Colour in No.50 Oyster, Nails Inc., in Jermyn Street - they're all faves!)

I'm currently wearing GOSH's Frou Frou and it's so.. so.. pretty! (Sorry for the chipped nails lol washing up SUCKS!)

The Blacks:

 (L to R: Missguided in Misfit - SO PRETTY, MUA in black..?)

A tip on Missguided's nailpolish - run a layer of nail polish remover over it to get the gold to come out more! :)

The Blue:

(Rimmel 60 Seconds in 825 Sky High - the only blue worthy of my nail collection ;P Wore it a lot springtime!)

This season's favourites is definitely my GOSH Frou Frou, Nails Inc Jermyn Street and Missguided's Misfit. The latter 2 I got for free from Glamour & Cosmo respectively so.. pretty good ey? :P

I do get quite picky with nail colours, and often do stick to what I like - I don't venture very much. My favourite way to have my nails is getting acrylic French Nails but I don't have £20 to spare all the time to get them done and they take ages to take off!

The main reason being, I don't like fussing around with nails! Unless the brushes are wide, the colour settles evenly, and it dries quickly, I don't like it. Which is why the Rimmel 60 Seconds, Missguided, and Gosh's Nail Lacquers are my favourites. Nails Inc. are alright when you keep it to 2 coats but anymore than that (which I am tempted to apply with the Elizabeth Street) and you're setting yourself up for being a living statue for hours! The Barry M Nail Paints are good.. but I got 2 completely wrong colours, and do not like either of them anymore.

Actually, a lot of these nail polishes I never wear anymore, and once I get more followers I will consider selling them off.

Anyway, I hope you found this interesting, I always like to look at people's collections to see if there's anything I wanna get or if there is a colour I've never seen before and would like to try out :)

So, ladies. What is your go-to nail polish this season? :)

<3yu