Tuesday, 21 May 2013

MUA Lipstick Trios in Siren and Temptress // Review

These beauties are one of MUAs latest launches and I knew from the moment they were released that I wanted to try them so you can imagine my excitement when these two shades came through my letterbox!

I'm a big lip product fan now and these are perfect for me to experiment with colour, especially reds as it is a colour I'm definitely not confident enough to wear just yet! I've found MUAs lip products to be generally quite good, I'm a big fan of their intense kisses glosses so I expected good things from these.

Sorry it is such a picture heavy post, I wanted to swatch them all and show you them on my lips!





Siren* has a lovely mixture of colours in it, ranging from a peachy nude to a berry shade! I can see this one being popular, I know I'm certainly a fan of the shades, I've found the berry colour to be really wearable as well. It isn't a shade I'd usually go for but I really love it!


Temptress* is the perfect trio for all of you red lipstick lovers out there! Admittedly the 3 colours do look quite similar here but on the lips you can see a difference with shade 1 being slightly lighter than shade 2 and shade 3 has more shimmer in it and is a bit deeper in colour.







To apply these I usually use my Real Techniques detailer brush because it is the perfect size to use as a lip brush to get a clean edge on my lips but then I'll usually go over it using my finger as I found these can be a little patchy when just using a lip brush. I think this might be because the product is really creamy, it took a while for me to get my technique right but when I did they looked beautiful! 

As you can see these are nicely pigmented, even the nude shade in Siren has a decent amount of colour to it! I really wasn't expecting them to be this pigmented as they are only £2.50 each, can you believe it?

I found they started to fade after about 2 hours of wear, they are in-between a lipstick and a lipgloss so I'm pretty happy with this time, it is easy to reapply as well, I just use my finger! I've said this a million times before as well but I don't mind reapplying lip products so unless the wear time is super bad I'm usually happy :) And you can always change the shade you wear, perfect for going from a day time look to a night time look!

I found these did feel a little drying on my lips after an hour but I just gently pat on a little lip balm or reapply a thin layer and it is all better! I was a bit disappointment with this though.

One thing that does confuse me about these is that it comes with a sponge tip applicator? Now I don't know about you or MUA but I don't use sponge applicators to apply my lipstick! A mini lip brush would have been more appropriate, no?

Overall I do really love these trios, for only £2.50 they are pretty fantastic!

You can purchase them in selected superdrug stores for only £2.50 or online at muastore.co.uk

Thanks for reading,
Shona x

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Sunday, 19 May 2013

Exam Season.

Exam season is upon us so welcome to stress central over here!

I've already done a few exams but I still have 7 to do. Next week is my busiest exam week with 2 on Monday and 2 on Thursday.

Why do you care?

Unfortunately this means that my blog is going to have to take a back seat for now, there will be posts but not everyday :( I hate not being able to post everyday but I really need to knuckle down and revise! My last exam is June 12th I think so after that everything shall return to normal, YAY!

Until then I hope you can appreciate that for me and anyone else taking exams this a worrying and stressful time!

Thanks for reading,
Shona x


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Saturday, 18 May 2013

Haul // Primark, Superdrug and More!

Today I went shopping (again!) and found lots of goodies so I thought I'd show you what I picked up! I could have spent a hell of a lot more in Primark but managed to restrain myself :)


Primark- £6

Primark- £1

Primark- £7

Primark- £2

Primark £3 (sale)

Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm- Savers £1.29
Maybelline Colour Show Nail Polish in Speckled Pink- Superdrug £2.99
MUA Power Pout in Rendezvous and Broken Hearted- Superdrug £3 each

Charity Shop- £5

Hearts- B&M £1.99
Lavender Scents- B&M 99p
Candle- B&M £1.99

Small Vase- £1

Have you picked up any bargains recently?

Thanks for reading,
Shona x

Thanks for reading,
Shona x

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Thursday, 16 May 2013

MUA Merged Eyeshadow Trios // Review

I've been a fan of the MUA eyeshadow trios for a while, they are pigmented and long lasting eyeshadows so when I saw that they were bringing out merged eyeshadow trios I couldn't wait to try them! But did they perform as well as I would have liked?



MUA Merged Trio Eyeshadow in Theatrics*

MUA Merged Trio Eyeshadow in Legendary*

They look stunning don't they? When you swatch them they are oh so pigmented and gorgeous, I couldn't wait to use them! But things were a different story when I picked up my eyeshadow brush.

When I applied the eyeshadow to my eyelids it came up sheer and it mostly just transferred glitter! Even the black came up like a light grey, I could barely see the eyeshadows on my eyes! The glitter dropped down onto my cheeks as well.

As for lasting time, the little colour that was there came off very quickly. I even tried with my UD Primer and my NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk but the colour pay off didn't improve.

I really didn't enjoy using these but I would recommend the normal eyeshadow trios to you! I have the shade innocence and it is such a handy little trio, perfect for travelling as well as all three colours go together so nicely, you have a highlight shade, a all over lid shade and a darker one for adding definition! 

The Merged Trios are 50p more than the normal ones as well, so definitely go for the normal ones!

Thanks for reading,
Shona x

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Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Mini Beauty Haul // Giveaway Prizes from Beads of Jade!

Recently I was lucky enough to win a giveaway on the lovely Jade's blog: beadsofjade.com. I couldn't have been happier when I won because most of the products are ones I've been dying to try! I am looking forward to trying them out this weekend, look out on my instagram for a NOTD with one of the nail polishes! My instagram name is 'freshbeautyxox'

 A big thanks to Jade for all of these lovely products!



Sinful Colours in Cinderella 
Sinful Colours in I Miss You
Models Own in In the Navy


L'Oreal Shine Splash in Juliet
17 Supreme Shine in Barely Blush
L'Oreal Colour Riche in Nude Treasure



Once I've tried all of these products out I'll let you know what I think of them! Really looking forward to trying the 17 Lipstick especially!

Thanks for reading,
Shona x


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Tuesday, 14 May 2013

Guest Post // Easy Bronze Smokey Eye using the UD Naked 2


Hello, Shona's Followers! :)

    My name's Jade, it's lovely to meet you! Today I'm going to be showing you an easy bronze smokey eye for the summer nights, I hope you like it. I'd also like to apologise for the state of my eyebrows, I'm booked in with Benefit to get them sorted out, don't judge haha!




Products used.

  • Maybelline On and On Bronze.
  • Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette but you will be able to find dupes for every one of these shades.
  • Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara
  • Maybelline Black Gel Eyeliner

Step 1: Prime your eyes, I used Maybelline Colour Tattoo in On and On Bronze. Apply all over the lid with your ring finger as it provides the least amount of pressure on the delicate area. Start in the outer corner and work your way in.

Step 2: Take a light champagne colour (a) on a fluffy eyeshadow brush and apply to the inner third of the  eye to highlight and open up your eyes counteracting the darker colours that would make your eyes look smaller otherwise.

Step 3: Use a light bronze shade (b) on a clean fluffy eyeshadow brush on the rest of the lid. Watch out if you use this specific shadow as it does have fallout! Take a tissue under your eye to catch it so it doesn't mess up your foundation.

Step 4: Use a darker bronze on a contouring eye shadow brush in the crease and outer third of the eye shaping the shadow around your eyelid in whatever shape, I usually do pointed but this time I went for rounded. Rounded is a softer look, pointed is more sexy. You can also run this lightly along the lower lash line to add definition like I did.

Step 5: Finally take a dark brown shade and shade in the very outer corner of your eye lightly to add definition. If this part of your eye is darker than the rest, your eyelashes will appear thicker because of the shadowing behind them.

Add whatever eyeliner and mascara you want and voila, you're ready to hit the summer streets!

Make sure to check out Jade's blog here!



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Monday, 13 May 2013

Guest Post // Perfect Lighter Foods for Spring/Summer


Hi guys! I'm Rachel and I blog over at TwentySomethingBeauty doing a covering a variety of beauty, fashion and lifestyle topics. Today I'm guest posting for Shona and I've got a bit of a foodie post for you today! 

Let's chat Spring and lightening up our diets from hibernation mode. The time for storing up blubber with heavy meals is over ;) Bikini bod you say? Don't worry, the thought terrifies me too!

I find warm sunny days and laying about in beer gardens with my friends lightens my appetite and makes me long for lighter food than the heavy stodge that gets me through winter. So I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite tips and tricks for eating better in the sunny days!

I don't know about you but I love a hearty homemade soup on a cold winters day. There's something about it that makes me feel nice and cosy tucked up watching the snow. However, soup needs a makeover for spring/summer! So I swap out my hearty vegetable soups for lighter options, such as chicken noodle soup. This soup is so easy to make, low in calories, light and delicious. I love it and it's an excellent easy lunch or dinner option. Or how about taking advantage of all the bright veggies out there and whipping up some squash or asparagus soup? There are literally hundreds of recipes online for yummy spring soups that feature seasonal produce, won't bust your wallet and taste great. Go check them out.

I don't know about you but I find I eat a lot less meat during spring and summer because it sits heavily on my stomach. Swap it out for oily fish, which not only lighter, but equally as delicious. Try salmon with lemon, or with a garlic and herb sauce served with a simple side salad.  Tuna steaks are also great with some newly boiled potatoes and spring greens. Or why not grill some trout and have it with a little fresh bread and butter?  All these fish dishes are light and full of vitamins and minerals. Trust me, we all need a break from red meat and chicken now and again!

Now whenever I say the word salad I swear people groan and conjure up pictures of a boring chicken caeser salad. Not true folks! You can make a salad out of all sorts of things and if you have the interwebs at your fingers you have no excuse for calling salads boring. Some personal favourites of mine include one makes of baby gem lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, some grilled bacon and either chicken or salmon served with a simple balsamic dressing. Trust me, that'll fill you up! Or be adventurous and try a Thai salad - my personal favourite being crab. watercress, melon, lime, chilli flakes and some soy sauce! Though feel free to replace that crab with lobster or any other fish you want. Take inspiration from America (just not the portion sizes) where salads are a big thing and every home has a family favourite recipe.

Some easy changes to make include simple swaps: swap your bread for a wrap, swap your rice for a pile of shredded cabbage, swap your lunchtime sandwich for some sushi or a sushi rice salad, swap your side of chips for a side salad or soup, swap all those high calorie teas and coffees for water and smoothies, swap your comfort biscuits for fruit and yogurt.
I try to do all these things and I feel lighter and healthier for the spring summer weather and the dreaded flashing of flesh I've not seen in a while ;)

Let me know your favourite spring recipes! I love trying new things out :)

Check out Rachel's blog here: http://www.twentysomethingbeauty.com/

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Sunday, 12 May 2013

An Introduction to Model Co // Mascara and Eyeliner Review

Model Co is a brand I'd heard of but not a lot, especially in the blogging community. Its a brand based in Australia and it was created by a former model agent. You can purchase Model Co here in the UK on halfpriceperfumes, I actually won this mascara/eyeliner set on their twitter!





 The set comes with the best seller Fibre Lashxtend Mascara and the Eyeliner in Black. 

I've tried a fibre mascara before, the Magnifibres one and hated it so I was pretty unsure about this one when it arrived, it couldn't have been more different though. Unlike Magnifibres you can use this mascara on its own instead of layering several ones to get the false lash effect. Its very black and gives my lashes so much length and a decent amount of volume. There aren't too many fibres in it which I like, making it easy to apply, I don't have to sit there picking off fibres that haven't sat nicely on my lashes! I find it lasts well during the day with minimal smudging, I do find towards the end of the day it is a little smudged under my eyes but a swipe of a makeup wipe can fix that!

I wasn't expecting much from the eyeliner, it was clear that the mascara was supposed to be the stand out product from the duo but, I'm pretty sure I've found a new favourite eyeliner! I love my Rimmel Scandaleyes but whenever I put the black shade on my waterline/tightline it smudges. I'm wearing this Model Co eyeliner on both my waterline and tightline and even at the end of the day it is still there. Its a soft eyeliner so doesn't scratch your eyes and it even comes with a sharpener in the lid! Also its very black, something that I like and very pigmented. 

Overall Model Co have surprised me, I'd really recommend them and this duo is only £6 on the halfpriceperfumes website so how could you say no?

Thanks for reading,
Shona x

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Saturday, 11 May 2013

Guest Post // Spring Look (Eyes, Lips and Nails)


Hi to all of Shona's readers!

If you don't know me, I'm Megan. I have a blog called theBeautyPier and I jumped at the chance when Shona wrote a post saying she might need guest posters. So, here I am today!

I decided I wanted to do a post on a look we could all do for Spring, in terms of eyes, lips and nails. I don't know about you, but I am desperate for Spring to show itself so I can go out with my peachy lips and pale blue nails!
Firstly, eyes! The eye look you will see is very neutral, as you don't want to over do it with the bright lips and nails.

EYES





I USED...
- Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer and Lacura Beauty Concealer Pen under my eyes.
- All over lid is the UD Bootcall dupe (Shade 1) from the MUA Undressed Palette.
- On my lower lashline, I used the 4th shade in the MUA Palette.
-In the crease, I have the 2nd shade from the MUA Palette, and ELF Pebble Single Eyeshadow which is fast becoming a favourite for me!
- Also, to darken I am wearing the teenest bit of the bottom row 'Dark' shade in the Collection 2000 Smokey Eyes Palette. Also in this palette, to highlight I am wearing the cream shade on my browbone and inner corner.
- I lined the outer corner of my eyes really gently for a teeny bit of definition using the Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Pencil in Taupe.
- We can't forget about the lashes! Here, I used my Primark Eyelash Curlers and my Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof Mascara
This is kind of my everyday eye look as it is so subtle and natural. It is also very quick, and I find using lighter, less heavy colours on the eyes really brightens and makes you look healthier and more awake.

LIPS


For the photograph above, I am wearing one of the Rimmel Apocalips in Luna. Luna is a gorgeous peachy shade that in the tube, doesn't look too good, but on the lips it is a beautiful peachy shade that goes with my skin tone really nicely. The formula on this is so creamy and pigmented, with a lasting time of around 3 hours. If you haven't tried the Apocalips yet, you must! I waited a bit after they were released, only buying mine last week. However, if you have been unsure about whether to buy I can reassure you, if you do you won't be disappointed if my experience with these is anything to go by!

NAILS


Lastly, the nails. I have used Barry M Blueberry, which is my favourite nail polish of the moment! I had this on my nails and got so many complements on the colour! Blueberry is a almost dusty but still incredibly pigmented, bright colour that I can only describe as a cornflower blue? Either way, I can tell this nail polish will be a firm favourite for me in the upcoming season!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post! If you have some of the products, give it a go!

Thank you all very much for reading!

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Friday, 10 May 2013

Questions and Answers #2

You seemed to enjoy the last Q&A post I did so I thought I'd continue this mini series and answer some more of your questions! As usual if you have any more questions about anything then leave them in the comments, they don't have to be about beauty!


Question from Kaitlin: What product couldn't you live without and why?

I definitely couldn't live without my Nivea Hydro Care Lip Balm because having dry lips makes me go crazy! Its my favourite lip balm by far and I always have it close by.

Question from Rae Brooke: Who has been the biggest influence in my life so far, and why have they been so important?

I never have really looked up to anyone or seen anyone as a particularly big influence in my life. I've sat here trying to think of someone but I really can't. Is it bad to say that my parents aren't a big influence in my life? In my eyes anyway, not because they are bad just because really. 

Question from Beth: What is your favourite product for Summer?

Sunscreen with the highest possible SPF. I'd rather have my sunscreen than makeup in the summer. Us pale gingers burn SO easily.

Question from Megan: Would you rather spend £500 on makeup or clothes?

Definitely clothes. My wardrobe needs a major re-vamp before sixth form and I have enough makeup! Despite the fact I could easily spend it on makeup I think clothes would be more useful.

Question from Jessica: What is better cat or dog?

Easy. Cats.

Leave any questions you have below!

Thanks for reading,


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