Rita Ora at the Brits 2014

There is always amazing style at the Brits and this year did not disappoint, For me Rita Ora stood out from her canary yellow dress with emerald jewels to her stunning make up. Rita's make up artist chose to go with a subtle green and gold smokey eye I was really inspired by this and decided to try and re create it myself I think this look would be gorgeous if you are going out on St.Patricks day which is only around the corner. Here is my take on her look.

1. First I started with foundation powder and concealer. Rita's make up artist used the Mac pigments emerald green and old gold . When using pigments there can be a lot of fallout so i would advise starting off with the eyes and leave the foundation last. I am using normal eyeshadows and one pigment.





2. I didn't use a primer on my eyes because I am starting off with a Maybelline colour tattoo in Eternal Gold . These are cream eyeshadows so there is no need for a primer. I took this colour on the real techniques domed shadow brush and placed it on the inner third of my eye.




3. I then took a pigment from 17 in Good as Gold. These pigments are really inexpensive and extremely easy to work with. I placed this over the cream eyeshadow I just used to set it in place I sprayed my brush with Mac fix + to intensify the colour of the pigment.




4. I then took a beautiful emerald green colour called Lucky Charms from the Too Faced Insurance Policy Palette. I sprayed my brush with some fix+ again and placed this colour on the remaining two thirds of my eye.





5. For that deep smokey effect Rita has I am using a deep green shade with little bits of gold shimmer from a palette by Miss Cop I purchased this palette in TK Maxx last Christmas. I take this colour on a small fluffy brush and blend it into my outer V, I really want this colour to stand out so once I blended this into my outer V I took a clean fluffy brush and blended everything together.




6. For my eyeliner I mixed black and the deep green I just used and added this to my waterline and tight line I blended this underneath my bottom lashes also to intensify the smokey ness of this look. Rita's make up artist did not use any eyeliner on her lid so I didn't use any either. Lastly I highlighted my brow bone using Venus from the Naked Basics palette by Urban Decay and added Benefit They're Real.




7. Rita's make up artist did not use any blusher she just went for a natural highlighted look so I used the shimmer brick by 17 on my cheekbones, forehead, nose and chin. I also contoured a little bit for some definition.




8. For the lips Rita's make up artist went for a nude matte lip she used the Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo in Nude No. 1. In this look I used Myth by Mac and I created a matte look by setting it with Select Sheer Pressed Powder by Mac in NW15. I then softened up the edges by using a nude lip liner. Of course this step is optional.






9. I sprayed some Mac Fix+ on my face and the look is complete . I really like how this look came out it is not identical to Rita's but it's my take on the look. I think this look would be something different to wear for St.Patricks day.




As always thanks for reading and I hope you liked this look :)

My Top 5 Palettes

To continue my Top 5 "series" I am going to share my Top 5 go to palettes. All of these I use almost every time I do my make up.

1.Naked 2 palette by Urban Decay
I have already posted an in depth review on this palette so I am not going to go into too much detail but this is my favourite palette of all time and I would highly recommend investing In it. my favourite shades are Chopper , Foxy , Suspect , YDK and Snakebite.




2.Naked Basics by Urban Decay
This palette is mainly a matte palette it consists of 6 shades, 4 matte and 2 shimmer. The shades in this palette are Venus which is a champagne shimmer , Foxy which is a yellow-y cream matte , W.O.S which is a light nude matte , Naked 2 which is a medium taupe matte , Faint which is a warm matte brown and Crave which is a deep black with tiny bits of shimmer. This palette retails at €29.00 not as expensive as the rest of the Naked palettes but still not the cheapest. This palette can be used for your eyebrows as well , Faint is a universal eyebrow shade. If you love matte eyeshadows or even want to try them out I would recommend this palette.




3.Sleek Vintage Romance Palette (141)
I purchased this palette back in November I apologise if you cannot get it in stores because I'm pretty sure it was a limited edition collection. This palette has 12 eyeshadows they are Pretty in Paris which is a silver with a metallic finish , Meet in Madrid which is a gold with yellow and orange undertones and a frosted finish , Court in Cannes which is a medium warmed toned brown with a golden sheen and a frosted finish , Lust in LA which Is a warm chocolate brown with reddish undertones and a frosted finish , Romance in Rome which Is a cool dark purple with a frosted finish , Propose in Prague which Is a warm dark brown with reddish orange undertones and a matte finish , A Vow in Venice which is a medium berry tone with a frosted finish , Honeymoon in Hollywood which is a deep berry-wine with a silver sparkle and a satin finish , Bliss in Barcelona which is a violet purple with a frosted finish , Forever in Florence which is a dark Burgundy with red undertones and a silver sparkle , and Love in London which is a black with silver sparkle.



4. Blush Palette
I purchased this palette from a shopping app called wish. This palette has 10 Blushes from bright pinks to light oranges. This palette was $8.00 which is about €5.80 I think this is a steal for 10 blushes. The only problem I had with this was the way it came to me I received it and one of the blushes was completely smashed all over the rest I was so disappointed but the website has amazing customer service and refunded me my money within 2 days , they also gave me an option for a new one but because it was only one that was smashed I didn't see much point. I absolutely love this palette I use it regularly I like to mix some of the colours together to get the perfect blush shade.




5. Stilla Custom Quad /palette
I created this palette myself , I purchased the 4 eyeshadows and the compact separate in Cara Pharmacy, They were having a big sale at the time and each cost me €1.00.In total this palette cost me €5.00 which is unbelievable for a Stilla product. This palette contains 4 eyeshadows which are Kalahoo which is a light matte brown , Viola which is a grey - purply shimmer , Nanda Devi which is a chocolate matte brown and Makalu which is a matte black. The eyeshadow pans they come in are really big they are bigger then the Mac pans you can buy , I would recommend all of these eyeshadows they are brilliant quality.





I hope you all found this helpful and as always thank you for reading :)

Weekly Favourites

Hey guys so I have decided I am going to do my weekly favourites every 2 weeks staring today. I have been loving a lot of things this week and also purchased a few new things that have become my new favourites , these products are mostly skin and hair products but I also have 2 make up products included in here also :)

1. Tea Tree Daily Use Facial Cleansing Scrub
I purchased this facial scrub last Wednesday in Cara Pharmacy for 1 Euro yes you read that right 1Euro. For the price I didn't really have high expectations but I had to purchase it regardless. Previous to purchasing this I used the Clean and Clear Exfoliating Daily Wash which was 4.19 Euro. When I exfoliate I always use an exfoliating glove just because I feel it gives me the best results for my skin. This Tea Tree face scrub leaves my skin baby soft I was so surprised by this product and I will be repurchasing this when I run out.



2. Argan Oil Deep Conditioning Hair Treatment
I purchased this the same day as the previous product. This was 1.25 Euro. I haven't purchased a hair mask in a long time previous to this and my hair was in desperate need of a deep conditioning treatment. For 1.25 I thought I might as well give it a go, I washed my hair with shampoo only and then applied this hair mask all over my hair and left it in for 10 mins and washed it out, Before this I was not able to brush my hair at all even my tangle teaser was having none of the knots but once I washed this out my tangle teaser glided through my hair with little difficulty I was amazed to say the least. The only advice I would give is to wash it out really thoroughly because it can leave a straw like texture to your hair if it is not washed out properly.



3.Clean And Clear Morning Energy Moisturiser
I have been using this moisturiser for about a year now I am on my 3rd or 4th bottle at the minute.This moisturiser is around 5 Euro here in Ireland it has lemon and papaya extracts so it smells amazing. it also has light reflecting pigments to brighten the skin.I always exfoliate and then apply this moisturiser.



4.Rimmel Apocalips
These lip lacquers have been my go to lip gloss/stick every time I wear make up .They have the pigmentation of a lipstick and the shine of a gloss, They retail at 7.99 Euro in Ireland in some places you can get them for 5.99. I wear the colour 101 celestial mostly and mix it with the Revlon Colour Burst Lip Gloss in 042 Bellini. The shades I have are 301 Galaxy, 400 big bang , 101 celestial , 303 apocalyptic , 102 Nova.



5. Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo
I have loved the colour tattoos ever since they came out. The shades I have are permanent taupe , Eternal Gold, Metallic Pomegranate , On and On Bronze and Pink Gold. These are cream eye shadows which means you don't really need to use a primer, I just put a powder eye shadow on top to set it in place. These retail at 10.50 Euro in Ireland not the cheapest but they are worth the money.



I will post all the links to the products I mentioned down below and as always thank you reading :)

Tea Tree Exfoliator - https://www.carapharmacy.com/p/tea_tree_facial_scrub_250ml
Argan Oil Hair Mask - http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/argan-oil-hair-mask
Clean and Clear Moisturiser - http://www.boots.com/en/Clean-Clear-Morning-Energy-Skin-Brightening-Moisturiser-75ml_1213660/
Rimmel Apocalips - http://www.boots.ie/en/Rimmel-London-Apocalips-Lip-Lacquer_1296026/
Maybelline Colour Tattoos - http://www.boots.ie/en/Maybelline-EyeStudio-Color-Tattoo-24hr-Cream-Gel-Eyeshadow_1253778/

Valentines day make up

With valentines day just around the corner I thought I would do a valentines themed make up look. The lip colour I have chosen is quite vibrant and of course is optional :)

1. I start off by applying L'Oreal lumi magique primer , I then take a flat top foundation brush and apply Revlon Colour Stay Foundation in the shade Buff. I apply some Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer and set everything with Rimmel Stay Matte Powder.





2. Next I apply my lipstick, I like to apply this before doing my eyes when I am using a vibrant or dark colour because it allows me to see how much I need on my eyes. I also like to use a lip liner because I want this colour to last a good amount of time. I am using Catrice Lip Liner in "The Roof Is On Fire" I then apply Essence Lipstick in "Dare To Wear" on top of this. A trick I use when I apply lipstick is to take one sheet of toilet paper (2-ply) and split it into 2 separate sheets (1-ply) place one of the two sheets over your lips , take a powder of your choice and a brush and dust the powder over the paper on top of your lips then remove it, and apply one more coat of lipstick. This helps to keep the lipstick on for even longer.





3. Now on to the eyes, I wanted to keep my eyes very minimal because of the vibrant lip. I primed my eyes first because I want my eyeshadow to last all night. I take a flat top brush like Mac 239 and apply Venus from the Naked Basics Palette by Urban Decay all over my lid.




4. I then take a fluffy eyeshadow brush like Mac 217 and blend the shade Tease from the Naked 2 palette into my crease to create definition, I then take Mac Matte eyeshadow in Espresso and blend on top of Tease, Next I take Stilla Matte eyeshadow In Nanda Devi and add this to the Outer third of my eye and blend everything together.




5. I filled in my eyebrows with the darkest shade from the MUA Pro-Brow Ultimate Eyebrow Kit. I then created a "winged" eyeliner look using Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama 24hr Gel Eyeliner and Mac 210 eyeliner brush.




6. I contoured and highlighted using Mac Bronzing Powder in Matte Bronze and Catrice Prime And Fine Highlighting Powder in 010 Fairy Dust. If you are unsure how to contour and highlight I posted a tutorial 2 weeks ago with step by step instructions.




7. Lastly I added some Benefit They're Real Mascara and sprayed some Mac Fix + on my face to set everything.




I hope you liked this post, let me know if you tried this look out for valentines day :) And as always thanks for reading :)

My Top 5 Blushes

Blush can be a difficult thing to get right, There are so many shades and brands of blushes out there that it is often hard to find what you are looking for. These blushes are the ones I use most frequently over the past few years I hope this will help you out :)

1. Sleek Blush in Rose Gold (926)
I purchased this blush while in Liverpool last November, I had wanted to try Sleek products for a while and when I finally got the chance I went a tad crazy, This blush was one of my favourite purchases. This blush is such a unique rose gold shade (hence the name), It is also flattering on almost all skin types. I read somewhere that this is similar to Nars blush in Orgasm but of course the Sleek blush is a lot cheaper. For the price and quality of this blush I think it is a complete bargain at 5.50Euro



2. Bella Bamba by Benefit
I bought this blush last summer on the plane home from Alicante in a set which had a few other benefit goodies. I had wanted to try more benefit blushes after I bought dandelion. This blush is a beautiful peachy-pink colour, compared to the sleek blush it is a bit more peach than pink. This blush retails at 34Euro here in Ireland, It isn't the cheapest blush but it is well worth it and I can tell it is going to last a lot longer than I had expected.



3. Mac Sheer tone blush in Pinch O' Peach
I don't own many Mac blushes but this one is the first high end blush I bought when I started getting into make up, I purchased this Mac blush in new York almost 3 years ago and it only wasted towards the start of last year. As the name suggests it is a pink blush with a bit of peach in it, it is also a sheer tone blush which means it is easy to work with and very difficult to over-use. It retails at 23Euro here in Ireland, Again not the cheapest but it is well worth the price.



4. Catrice Defining Duo Blush in 020 Peach Sorbet
As you can probably tell already I am a fan of peach blushes , This colour is not as pink and the others above, it is the perfect peachy-gold blush for summer it is also quite sheer which means overuse is nearly impossible. This blush retails at 3.99Euro here in Ireland which is a bargain for the quality of this blush.



5. Elf Contouring Blush and Bronzer duo in St. Lucia
Last but by no means least is the Blush and bronzer Duo from Elf (Eyes Lips Face) Cosmetics. This Duo is identical to the Nars Duo in Orgasm/Laguna. I purchased this blush online a few years ago, I don't use this blush everyday but I love it during the summer it is an orange-peach but it is not as shimmery as the others. You can get this duo online for $3 which is 2.20Euro a complete steal for the quality and you also get a bronzer.



I will link the products I have mention below I hope this helped you out, Thanks for reading :)

Sleek Rose Gold blush - http://www.sleekmakeup.com/blush-rose-gold
Bella Bamba by Benefit - https://www.carapharmacy.com/p/benefit_bella_bamba
Mac Pinch O' Peach - http://www.brownthomas.com/blusher/powder-blush/invt/77x1832xm220
Elf St. Lucia - http://www.eyeslipsface.com/studio/face/blush/contouring_blush_and_bronzing_powder

My top 5 lipsticks

Lipstick is a must for every look day or night. I have tried and tested endless amounts of lipsticks. I have picked my top 5 all time favourite lipsticks, I tried to keep them as affordable as I could I hope it helps you out :)

1. Mac Crème D'nude
You have probably heard about this lipstick previously, it has been raved about for a long time now. This lipstick is a crèmesheen which means it is extremely hydrating and glides on the lips beautifully. I usually wear a pink lipstick underneath to give it a bit more colour but it is just as good alone. this lipstick retails at 19Euro not the cheapest but worth the price in my opinion.



2. Essence 09 Wear berries!
This lipstick comes from a brand called essence, an extremely affordable brand. For me essence can be a hit and miss sometimes but this line of lipsticks were a complete hit. This shade is the perfect daytime berry shade, it can be used as a night time shade also but I advise using a lip liner underneath to intensify the colour and extend its lasting power. these lipsticks retail at 2.50Euro in Ireland which is a major steal for the quality.



3. Catrice Ultimate Colour Lipstick in "Tell Me a Berry Tale"
Catrice cosmetics are another very affordable brand I love all of their products and these lipsticks did not disappoint me. One of my favourite things about their products are the names, they are always quirky. "Tell Me a Berry Tale" is the perfect night time berry colour it can be used with a lip liner but is just as good on its own. I like to wear this lipstick with very little eye shadow as it is quite a dark intense colour. These lipsticks retail at just under 5Euro which is again a steal for the quality.



4. Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in 535 Passion Red
This lipstick is the perfect red shade, Anytime I want to wear a red lip I reach for this lipstick. In my opinion it lasts a long time, glides on my lips so easily and doesn't settle into fine lines. I always wear a lip liner under this lipstick because I usually wear this on a night out and want it to last all night. These lipsticks retail at 7.50Euro in Ireland.



5. Catrice Velvet Lip Colour in Red Butler
This colour is my all time favourite from Catrice. It came from a limited edition collection called "Hollywood's Fabulous 40ties", I apologise if this is no longer available but I had to include it in this post. This is the perfect deep burgundy shade for night time. I advise using a lip liner with this lipstick just to ensure it stays on for a long time I use a lip liner called "The Roof Is On Fire" which also comes from catrice cosmetics. This lipstick retails at just under 5Euro in Ireland.



Thanks for reading I hope it helped you out. Feel free to let me know if you have tired any of these lipsticks and what you think of them :)

Urban Decay Naked 2 dupe

The Naked and Naked 2 palettes from Urban Decay have been the centre of many beauty related "must haves" for a long time now, Most people either have or want one of these palettes. The naked 2 palette retails at 44Euro here in Ireland, it isn't the cheapest of palettes but for those of you who want one but refuse to pay that amount of money for a single palette, I have found probably the cheapest identical alternative or "dupe" for this palette.



The dupe I have found comes from a brand called w7, and the palette is called the "in the buff" palette. I purchased this palette from Cara Pharmacy here in Sligo. I will leave links down below to purchase this palette online. it retails at 5Euro in Ireland or £5.50 in the UK, This is almost 9 times cheaper than the naked 2 palette.



Originally when I heard about this palette and saw it in the shop I presumed it was a dupe for the first Naked palette but when I got it home and compared it to both the Naked and Naked 2 palettes I realised that it was identical to the Naked 2 palette.



Each palette includes 12 eye shadows. 3 matte, 8 shimmer and 1 metallic colour. Each palette also comes with a double ended brush and of course the Naked 2 "Good Karma" brush is better quality compared to the brush that is included in the "In The Buff" palette. This is one of very few minor differences in these two palettes. the Naked 2 brush is on top and the "In The Buff" brush is on the bottom in the picture below.



The other minor differences in the palettes are, The Naked 2 has a mirror whereas the "In The Buff" does not, the Naked 2 also comes with a free lip gloss whereas the "In The Buff" palette does not but for 5 Euro a free gift is not really expected. The only major difference in these palettes is the price. I have swatched both palettes on my arm just to show how similar they really are. The Naked 2 is on top and the "In The Buff" is underneath.



As you can see by the swatches, there is little or no difference in the palettes. The colour pay off and staying power of each one are the exact same. Finally, I have created an eye look that can be used for daytime or night time with each palette. I have used the w7 "In The Buff" palette on my right eye and the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette on my left eye. I will leave links below to buy the "In The Buff" palette online, I will also leave the names of the colours I have used below. Thanks for reading :).



The colour I used from each palate were:
Naked 2 - Foxy, Tease, YDK, Snakebite, Busted, Verve, Blackout, Booty call.
In The Buff - Buff, Chocolate, Wave, Topaz, Thunder, Silk, Sand, Onyx.

Purschase the In The Buff Palette onine:
UK - http://cheapcosmetics.ie/epages/950003511.sf/sec9636e07698/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950003511/Products/ITB
Ireland - https://www.carapharmacy.com/p/in_the_buff_natural_eye_shadow_palette
U.S - http://www.ebay.com/itm/W7-In-The-Buff-12-Colour-Eye-Shadow-Palette-Tin-Naked-Nudes-Creams-Browns-Black-/221365763133?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Make_Up_Cosmetics_Eyeliner_PP&hash=item338a6d7c3d