Sleek Pop-up Shop in Stratfield.

If you’ve watched part one of my May Collective Haul video (aka. The makeup one), you have already heard how I came across Sleek’s pop-up store in Westfield, Stratford and convinced Sam to run down the up-escalator so we could have a little look.

I'm really sorry that I didn't show off the shades in my video (as it was running really long and open small packaging with long nails is super fiddly) but I thought I should do this quick blog post showing off my sleek products and how they swatch.  I really don’t know why I got so excited about visiting a pop up shop, maybe it’s because it’s the beauty equivalent to a good sale and let’s face it, everyone likes a good deal.

With the expert advice of Sam,  I grabbed 2 Matte shades (Vamp & Stiletto) and one sheen (Cherry), with the Raisin and Dragon-fruit Eau La La Liners to act like lip liners.

I normally can’t stand matt lipstick as I find the finish very drying on my already quite dry lips but my favourite of the bunch has to be Cherry. I am soooo in love with Cherry’s shade and lasting power. It has lasted for 3 out of my 5 cups of tea, which is very, very impressive, especially for a highstreet brand.

I haven’t had a chance to use Vamp, as I think it’s the wrong season for it (although with all this rain, you never know, I might be able to get away with it).

 Stiletto is a lot more orange-toned than I expected it to be, and I am not the biggest fan of orange-toned lipsticks but never the less, it still looks great on my dark skin tone

Dragonfruit is a gorgeous fuschia pink, and I hope to use it as a lip liner for all my bright pink summer lipsticks and Raisin as you can probably tell, was bought to work in combination with the True Colour vamp lipstick.

Is anyone an expert on Sleek? I think I might want to grab a few more lipstick from them now. Also do you use Sleek’s eau la la liners as lipliners or do you think its strictly an eyeliner product?

continue reading "Sleek Pop-up Shop in Stratfield."

May Haul (Part One) - It's all about the Makeup

Some people like to haul clothes . . and I think it has become obvious that I like to haul makeup.

This is not really a haul video for all the makeup I have bought in May . . it's more like a haul video for the makeup I've bought in the last two weeks of May. 

What can I say?? I love makeup??

List of Haul Products as they appear:-

MAC Fix+ (Mini)

MAC Oil Control Lotion (Mini)

MAC Brush Cleaner 

MAC Eyeshadow in Rule (Palette form)

MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush

MAC 187 Stippling Brush

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Deep Dark

MAC Powder Blush in Raisin

Benefit They're Real Mascara

YSL Touche Eclat in Shade 5

YSL Rouge Volupte in Shade 21

L'oreal Paris Telescopic Mascara

Maybelline Falsies Volume Mascara

L'oreal Paris Mega volume Collagen 24hr Mascara

No. 7 Smooth and Imprive Cellulite treatment

Sleek Eau La La Liner in DragonFruit

Sleek Eau La La Liner in DragonFruit

Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Vamp

Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Stiletto

Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Cherry

 I also got the MAC Face and Body Foundation but I couldn't remember which of my makeup bags I left it in at the time looool 

I will post the 2nd part of my haul tomorrow so please check back and leave me as much feedback as possible so my videos get better (and I don't waffle on as much)

continue reading "May Haul (Part One) - It's all about the Makeup"

Review: Sleek Lipstick in Pink Amped 781

I don't like bright lips!!!

I never have and after this post . . .my opinion will not change.

I know this lipstick confession is a weird way to kick off a post but I actually have a very good reason for it.

Kiki from Lovekiksy and I are having a blog collaboration where we have to make a blog post sporting lip looks we absolutely loathe. For me it is bright lips (which she adores) and for her she has to wear a dark lip (which I LOVE!!!!).

I normally wouldn't touch a bright lipstick with a 8-mile pole, kitchen gloves and a face mask, and for the life of me I can't remember how I got into this situation loool. Owning no bright lips, I had to go to Superdrug where I had a staring competition with the Sleek Counter before finally picking up a Sleek lipstick in Amped 781 which is a matte, fluorescent pink lipstick

It's so  . . pink!!!

If there's anything I hate more than a bright pink lip . . .it's a matte lipstick. So I would like to take this opportunity to point out that I went into this wholeheartedly as I am combining my two lipstick hates. To soften up the matte formula, I paired Amped with L'oreal Paris Glam Shine in Fresh Fuchsia 116 (and unfortunately *or fortunately depending on your stance* it didn't mute out the brightness)

What do you think? Are you allergic to bright colours like me or do you think I should buck up and  add a bit of brightness to my lipstick collection?

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Brow – chick – a-wow- wow!!

This season is all about having bold, well defined and well groomed eyebrows!! If you are like me and (unfortunately) were not blessed with naturally thick eyebrows at birth then hopefully you might to fake it with this post

There seems to be a major influx of brow palettes coming into the beauty market at the moment and a lot of mixed reviews going on about them, but I’m just going to add one more *I’m sorry* and give you my twist to the reviews and how they come up on girls with darker skin.

HD  Brows in Vamp

(rrp £19.95)

What HD Brows Say

'HD Brows Eye and Brow Palettes make it easier to maintain that "fresh out the salon" appearance [. . .] The new long-lasting, anti-smudge powders will keep brows looking fab for up to 24 hours'

What I Think

This Kit is formed up of two brown-toned powders as well as a nude & carbon black eyeshadow. The HD Brows Eye and Brow Palette is the only kit in this brow review that does not come with a wax-based substance in its palettes which I have to admit is a bit of a downer for me originally

However the shadows do have a silky, smooth texture making it super easy to lift and blend so I don't think coming with a wax with have done it much good. In terms of usability, this is by far my favourite brow kit! The texture of the powders means it glides on with a silk effect and actually goes where I want it to go without too much of a fuss but in terms of colour, I found the carbon browshadow a bit to dark to be used on my eyebrows and trying to dim down the colour with a warm brown browshadow didn't really work

Rating:- 4

Sleek Eyebrow Kit in Dark

(rrp £7.99)

What Sleek Say

'For Perfectly shaped, groomed brows look no further than Sleek MakeUp's brow kit. Complete with all the tools you'll ever need for brows that flatter and frame your face [. . .] Your brows will never stray away'

What I Think

This kit comes with literally everything you need to get your eyebrows in shape. The Sleek MakeUp Brow Kit is the only kit in this brow review that comes decked out with a pair of tweezers; which screams originality to me. I really liked the small, compact, square packaging of this brow kit as it looks like the product can take a bit of a tumble and still survive another day

In the dark kit, you get a dark wax with a lighter brown setting powder (which is pretty much standard is brow kits). I think this brow kit actually gave my brows a bit of volume *if that's at all possible* , I'm not biggest fan of the brow wax colour as I think it made my eyebrows look abit grey * but what makes this browkit a winner for me is the texture of the brow wax. It did what I wanted, when I wanted and I didn't have to keep going over and over the same spot

Rating: 4

GOSH Eyebrow Palette

(rrp £7.49)

What Gosh Say

Well they don't really say anything because their website is a nightmare to navigate and Superdrugs (their main retailer) doesn't seem to have a blurb about their products . .So moving swiftly on . . .

What I Say

GOSH's Eyebrow kits were actually my first experience with eyebrow kits when it came out way back when (sometime early this year . . I think). This Kit comes with 3 browshadows as well as a clear wax. To my knowledge GOSH only do one eyebrow kit so it's really a one size kits all. I really am in two minds about this product and it might be due to the fact that I've owned this the longest so I have had a lot of time to try it out.

 I love the fact that this is a versatile product that can be used on just about anybody regardless of their skin tone and brow condition and the colour comes the closest to matching the shade of my eyebrow pencil (which I really, really love). What I don't like about this product is the stiff texture of the brow powders. I know some people would prefer a stiffer browshadow texture to a flitty one but I find the powder a bit difficult to shift and place exactly where I want it

Rating: 2

Elf Brow Kit in Dark

(rrp £3.50)

What They Say

'Create brows that are fuller,thicker and more defined! The pigmented wax defines and shapes brows, and the colour complementing setting powder keeps them looking arched and perfected.'

What I say

Despite the fact that this is the cheapest of the brow kits I have reviewed, it is (in my opinion) the strongest contender. While I'm not the biggest fan of the E.L.F compact packaging *I don't know why but the tiny little protective plastic ALWAYS comes off*, it doesn't discourage me away from this brow kit. I really, really love the wax colour; It isn't too dark or too light. 

What really gets my goat about this product because it does tick the right box for me in terms of colour and application. It has next to none longetivity! If you swatch the wax on the back of your palm and give it a little rub, it disappears into nothing and as someone who hates to retouch their eyebrows on the go

Ratings: 3 

Overall Ratings

So I'm just going to break my ratings to give you my winners in terms of colour, texture, wear and appearance

Colour:- E.L.F as the colour was just spot on
Texture:- HD Brows. Your silky texture really hypnotises
Ease of Use:- HD Brows. Silky texture makes it easier to use
Wear: Sleek as it actually lasted against my back of the hand and rub like a maniac text'
Appearance:- Sleek as this brow kit looks like it will take a tumble and keep on going

I really hope this review helped out you wade through the sea of eyebrow kits out on the marker, especially if you were planning to shell out on any eyebrow kit this winter. 

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OOTD:- Monki'ing Around

I have been dying to show off this Faux Fur Hooded Scarf that I bought from the Monki Concession in Selfridges. I am super happy that it is finally cold enough to wear this (and that's saying something because I absolutely LOATHE being cold) without looking like a complete prat.

 
Outfit
Scarf - Monki (£15)
Shoes - Topshop
Trench Coat - Lipsy
Bag - Baratts

Make Up

Illamasqua Skin Base - SB16

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW45 (to tidy up eyebrows)

MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NW40

MAC Select Cover Up Concealer in NW40

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Deep Dark

MUA Eyebrow Pencil in Brunette

Sleek Contour Kit in Dark

Sleek Blush in Coral (1st layer of blush)
Elf Blush in Tickled Pink (highlight)
Daniel Sandler Blush in Dare (used to transition blush and contour)

Maybelline Colossal Volume Express Mascara 

 Revlon ColourBlast in Sienna Sparkle

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