Maz's Make-up & Things!

Malteaser Cupcakes

2012-03-09T15:23:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

This is a recipe that I have wanted to make for a while now and today I finally did! These cupcakes are made from a sponge cake containing malteasers and topped with a rich butter cream with crushed malteasers. Here's how to make them:

INGREDIENTS:

Sponge:

200g Softened Butter

150g Caster Sugar

50g Brown Sugar

2 drops of Vanilla Extract
4 Medium Eggs
200g Plain Flour
10g Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt

80g Malteasers

Butter cream:

250g Butter

500g Icing Sugar

2 drops of Vanilla Extract

55g Malteasers, roughly crushed

METHOD:

1. Pre heat oven to 180C/ Gas Mark 4 and place cupcake cases in tray.

2. Cream the butter, caster sugar and brown sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

3. Add the vanilla followed by one egg at a time, whisking well.

4. Fold in the sifted flour, baking powder and salt.

5. Stir in the malteasers.

6. Divide the mixture up evenly between the cupcake cases and bake for around 25 minutes.

To make the butter cream:

1. Whisk the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.

2. Spoon or pipe the butter cream on to the cakes and decorate with the crushed malteasers.

These cupcakes are gorgeous! The addition of the brown sugar in the sponge makes it even tastier and also gives it a more caramelised flavour. They are quite sickly and rich though so best left to the occasional treat!

I found this recipe on the UK TV website. The recipe states that it makes 12 cakes but I found I had extra mixture left over for another 3!

Maz x

Blair's Gossip Girl Wedding Lip Gloss?

2012-03-08T11:53:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I am such a big fan of the TV show Gossip Girl and loved the 100th episode which was recently shown here in the UK. Blair is my favourite character and I always love her make up on the show. In this episode we see her getting ready for her wedding using a large Chanel compact and applying a lip gloss in a gorgeous pink colour. As soon as I saw this scene I had to find out which lip gloss was used! As she was using a Chanel compact I immediately presumed that the lip gloss was by Chanel also but on closer inspection it looks like it wasn't! I researched this gloss quite a bit on the Internet and it looks likely that the gloss used was a Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in the colour Pink Pop so I purchased it and looking at it I would say it is pretty close even if it isn't the exact one!

Pink Pop, as the name suggests, is a bright pink colour and is nicely pigmented. I like the formula of this gloss and it's not too heavy or sticky and it applies smoothly. It also looks great worn on it's own and doesn't need a lipstick underneath in my opinion.

SWATCH SHOWN ON NW20 SKIN:

Overall this is a great quality lip gloss, especially for a drugstore brand, and is in a really nice colour. Whether or not it is the exact one worn by Blair at her wedding I can't be sure but it is a lovely gloss either way!

I purchased this lip gloss from Tiger Liley Cosmetics for £6.94

Maz x

Benefit They're Real! Mascara Review

2012-03-06T14:48:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

So I have to begin this post by saying that I have never been a fan of spending a lot of money on high-end mascara's as I always feel that drugstore brands, in particular L'Oreal and Max Factor produce some really good ones, however, I had read so many positive reviews out Benefit's new 'They're Real!' mascara that I gave in and got it!

I really like the size of the brush, it's not too big and not too small. The end of the brush is rounded off. almost into a small ball shape which makes it great at reaching your inner lashes. The colour is a nice rich black shade which leaves a lovely effect on the eye. The mascara works well at separating and volumising your lashes.

I really don't have a bad thing to say about this mascara! I like the packaging, the brush and the effect on the lashes. The big question is: Is it worth the pretty large price tag? Well £18.50 is a lot of money to spend on a mascara but it is really good and definitely better than the ones that I usually use! Would I repurchase? Yes I probably would!

You can purchase this mascara from Benefit for £18.50
Maz x

Ciate Burlesque & OPI Show it & Glow it Nail Polishes

2012-03-04T12:08:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

After loving Ciate's Cookies and Cream nail polish so much I decided to grab another bottle from the brand! This time I went for Burlesque which is a deep, eggplant purple shade. I love purple nail polishes and my favourite nail polish of all time is OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark and I have to say that Burlesque is a pretty close dupe for it!

Ciate Burlesque

I began by applying 2 coats of OPI's Matte Nail Envy as my base followed by 2 coats of Burlesque. The Ciate brushes are great and make application really easy. The polish goes on really evenly and smoothly and is fully opaque after the first coat but I always apply 2. The polish is also really quick drying.

OPI Show it and Glow it

I think that the current trend for painting an accent nail in either a different colour or finish is so pretty so I decided to add a glitter to my ring fingers. I chose OPI's Show it and Glow it from their 2010 Burlesque collection which is a gorgeous polish containing magenta and silver round glitter. I then finished off by adding a coat of Seche Vite Top Coat.

You can purchase Ciate Burlesque nail polish from Ciate for £9.

I purchased OPI Show it and Glow it just after the collection was released in 2010, it may still be available to buy from some online stockists.

Maz x

Eye Kandy Cosmetics - Review & Swatches

2012-03-02T10:22:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I am a big fan of xSparkage on YouTube and have seen her using Eye Kandy Cosmetics in some of her tutorials and thought that I'd give a couple of their products a go! Eye Kandy sell loose eyeshadow pigments and glitters plus a base to help the products to stick.

(L to R) Loose Glitter, Liquid Sugar, Applicator Brush

The first thing that I purchased was their starter kit which is priced at £23. This kit comes with their base which is called Liquid Sugar, an applicator brush and a loose pigment or glitter of your choice. The glitter base is great and not too runny. I have been using it to apply the glitters that I have purchased and with my loose eyeshadows from other brands. The brush is a little too thin and pointed for me so I prefer to use a larger, flatter, synthetic brush such as the MAC 249. I pick up a small amount of the glitter or pigment with my brush and place it into the lid, I then wet the brush slightly with the Liquid Sugar and press it into the product then apply to the eye using a patting motion. I choose one glitter as part of my starter kit plus another 3 colours which are priced at £6 each.

(L to R) Top: Cotton Candy, Honey Drop, Bottom: Sweet Tart, Candy Cane

DESCRIPTIONS:

Honey Drop: Butterscotch

Cotton Candy: Bubblegum Pink

Sweet Tart: Medium Purple

Candy Cane: Red-purple

Swatches shown on NW20 skin using the Liquid Sugar Base:

(L to R) Honey Drop, Cotton Candy, Sweet Tart, Candy Cane

The glitters are great and easy to apply when using the Liquid Sugar. I love that the colour you seen in the jar is the colour that you see on your eye. This brand is amazing and fairly reasonably priced! I love the glitters that I purchased and will definitely try out some of their loose eyeshadow pigments soon!

Please feel free to share any of your Eye Kandy product recommendations in the comments section below!

You can purchase Eye Kandy by clicking here.

Maz x

Chanel Fauve Eyeshadow - Review & Swatch

2012-02-29T11:10:00.001Z

Hi Everyone!

I decided to treat myself to a luxury eyeshadow this week and went for Chanel's Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow in Fauve which was recommended by Tiffany D in one of her recent YouTube videos. Fauve is a beautiful taupe colour with a hint of purple and some beautiful shimmer. I have brown eyes and this looks beautiful.

As you would expect with a Chanel eyeshadow it is really good quality. The powder has a silky smooth texture and applies really nicely and evenly. The shadow is beautifully pigmented and looks exactly the same colour on you eye as it does in the pot. The colour is pretty unique, it is similar to MAC's Satin Taupe but is slightly more purple and contains more shimmer. I have used it a couple of times as an all over lid colour and found no problems with creasing or fading.

Swatch shown on NW20 skin:

To conclude, this is a truly stunning product. Is it worth the high price tag? Well no probably not! It is really good quality but £21 is a lot of money to pay for one eyeshadow, saying that, I love the colour so I don't regret buying it and I don't think you would either! Sometimes it's nice to splash out and treat yourself and this is an ideal product to do that with!

I hope that you have enjoyed this post, please feel free to recommend any other Chanel products is the comments section below.

I purchased my eyeshadow from House of Fraser for £21

Maz x

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Biscuits

2012-02-27T15:57:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I fancied doing some baking today but wanted something pretty quick and straight forward to make so I chose to make chocolate chip shortbread biscuits. I haven't made shortbread in a long time but this recipe is great and is definitely one I'd use again!

The recipe makes around 12-18 biscuits depending on how big you make them!

INGREDIENTS:

225g Plain Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

225g Unsalted Butter

100g Caster Sugar

125g Chocolate Chips

60g Chopped Walnuts

METHOD:

1. Pre heat oven to 150C/ Gas Mark 2 and line 2 baking trays with non stick paper.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

3. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy and then gradually add the flour mix.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

5. Form walnut sized balls of the mixture and place them onto the baking trays and press down slightly. Make sure to leave a gap around each one.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown in colour.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the trays for around 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool thoroughly.

These biscuits are great! They are really rich and buttery just how a shortbread biscuit should be! Give them a go!

I found this recipe on All Recipes

Maz x

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation Review

2012-02-26T13:48:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I am a massive fan of MAC and have far too many of their products but for some reason I have never purchased one of their foundations. I have heard good and bad things about their foundations and as I had a gift voucher to spend I thought I'd give one a go and see for myself! I have several foundations in my collection including L'Oreal True Match, Revlon Photo Ready, Smashbox HD and Make-up Forever HD, all of which I like, so how would the MAC one compare?

I had a chat with the MAC consultant and she suggested that I try the Studio Fix Fluid as I have combination skin and this foundation is said to absorb and distribute oil. It also has a matte finish which is great as I hate shine, is oil free and contains SPF 15.

Application:

I applied 2 pumps of the foundation which was enough to cover my face and neck. I used my Sigma F84 brush to apply. The consistency is quite thick compared to L'Oreal's True Match for example, but applies easily and evenly. It blends into the skin well and doesn't sit in any lines or imperfections. I have quite large pores on my cheeks and it covers those well. The foundation is said to be medium coverage which I think is pretty accurate as the finish is fairly natural looking.

Conclusion:

I wore the foundation for around 9 hours over my Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Light and set it with my MAC Blotting Powder and it held up pretty well. I have to say that I like this foundation. I didn't break me out at all which some foundations do and I like the finish, the biggest negative point for me has to be the smell! It has quite a strong, distinctive smell which does last a while, it isn't a particularly horrible smell but it's not pleasant!

You can purchase this foundation from MAC for £19.50

Maz x

Nails Inc Gossip Girl Overglaze Duo's - The Serena Collection - Review & Swatches

2012-02-23T12:32:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

This is a review of the Nails Inc Gossip Girl Overglaze Duo's in the Serena Collection. I purchased the Blair Collection a few months ago and loved it so when I saw the Serena Collection at a discount price on the ASOS website I just had to grab it. The Serena Collection comes with the following 2 polishes:

(L to R) Serena, It Girl

POLISH DESCRIPTIONS:
Serena: Patent Black Polish

It Girl: Electric Blue Overglaze Top Coat.

All of the Gossip Girl sets come with one solid, opaque nail polish which can be worn alone and one of the 'Special Effects' Overglaze Top Coats which you can layer over the polish for a really cool and different effect.

I began by applying my usual Seche Base Coat followed by 2 coats of the Serena polish, this polish applies really well and dries pretty quickly to a solid, opaque finish. I then applied 2 coats of It Girl, this is really easy to apply and the glitter pieces are distributed evenly with very little effort. I finished off by applying a coat of OPI's Rapi Dry Top Coat.

I purchased my polishes from ASOS for £16 a few months ago, the Gossip Girl sets are limited edition so if you like the look of them you may want to get them sooner rather than later! I have just checked the official Nails Inc website and they are still in stock there too for £20 each.

Click here to read my post about the Blair Collection.

Maz x

Shop MAC Cook MAC Collection Lipsticks - Review & Swatches

2012-02-22T11:20:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I have 2 of the new, limited edition lipsticks from the Shop MAC, Cook MAC Collection to show you today. The collection has not yet been released in every MAC store and counter here in the UK but is available online from Selfridges (and possibly in their stores, I am not sure)!

First up I purchased Dish it up which is described as a medium-dark fuchsia based plum colour. It has a lustre finish which I like as they are supposed to be moisturising and has a really nice buildable coverage. This is a gorgeous lipstick and as I like plum shades I think I will get a lot of wear out of it. I am a big fan of MAC's Plumful lipstick which is similar to Dish it up but not quite as purple.

Secondly I went for Make me Simmer which is a bright, true coral shade with an amplified finish which makes it really pigmented. This would look great in summer with a tan but is very bright so not for the faint hearted! It is similar, in my opinion, to MAC's Ultra Darling Sheen Supreme lipstick but much brighter.

(L to R) Dish it up, Make me Simmer

SWATCHES SHOWN ON NW20 SKIN:

(L to R) Dish it up, Make me Simmer

You can purchase these lipsticks from Selfridges for £13.50 each.

Have you purchased anything from the Shop MAC, Cook MAC Collection? If so, let me know what you think in the comments section below!

Maz x

Essie Ole Caliente Nail Polish

2012-02-20T11:49:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

Today I applied one of the six new polishes from Essie's Navigate Her Collection for Spring 2012. This collection has some gorgeous colours in it and I went for Ole Caliente which is described as a 'spicy scarlet' colour. I love Essie polishes as they are such great quality. I have been wearing some light pastel colours on my nails recently but I fancied a brighter colour for a change!

I began by applying 2 coats of OPI's Original Nail Envy to my nails as my base followed by coats of 2 Ole Caliente. The lacquer applies really nicely and evenly and the polish is opaque after just 1 coat, I think that the colour looks better with a second coat added though. The consistency is quite thick, as with a lot of Essie polishes, but it dries pretty quickly. I finished by adding a layer of Seche Vite Top Coat.

This colour is a gorgeous hot, coral red colour that is perfect for spring! It is really eye catching and bright but not quite neon!

I purchased my polish as part of the mini collection for £11.95 from Beauty Bay. Have you purchased any of the colours from the collection? If so let me know what you think of them in the comments section below!

Maz x

My Top 5 Contouring Powders

2012-02-18T14:12:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

More and more of us like to contour out faces nowadays and this technique can be done using a variety of products, I would recommend trying out a few and finding out which one is best for you. Here are few of my favourite products that I use to contour my face:

(Colour guide: I have MAC NW20 skin)

MAC Harmony Blush:
This is my favourite product to use when contouring my face. MAC describe Harmony as a 'Muted rose-beige brown'. I really like to use a blush product when contouring my face as my skin has pinkie undertones and the pinkie undertones in the blush help me to blend the product in and avoid that over-done look! Harmony contains no shimmer or glitter which is great as it can look a little obvious if you have a lot of shimmer on one section of your face!

You can purchase this from MAC for £17.50

Sleek Contour Kit in Light:
This is a great product and very popular (it's always out of stock!) The kit comes with both a highlighter and contouring powder. The colour of the contouring powder is great for my skin and blends well, I slightly prefer Harmony over this one even though they are very similar in colour as the MAC powder is a little easier to blend and work with in my opinion.

You can purchase this kit from Sleek for £6.50

NARS Laguna Bronzer:
I am a huge fan of the NARS Laguna bronzer which is described as a 'brown with golden shimmer'. This powder does contain some shimmer but it is quite subtle. I tend to use Laguna as a bronzer for an all-over colour but it does double up really well as a contouring powder too. As with all NARS products, this is great quality and is really easy to work with. NARS also offer the Laguna shade in the cream, multiple stick form which would also be great for facial contouring.

You can purchase the Laguna powder from NARS for £25

Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder:
This is my most recent purchase from this post and I admit that I have only used it a handful of times so far. I have used this is a similar way to Laguna in that I use it more as a bronzing powder than a contouring powder but it makes a great contour powder due to it's lack of shimmer.

You can purchase Hoola from Benefit for £23.50

NYX Powder Blush in Raisin:
This Product is a lovely brown shade with a slightly red undertone. It does a great job at shaping your face and is really reasonably priced. The texture is silky smooth and applies brilliantly as all NYX blushes do!

You can purchase Raisin from NYX for £5.50

Swatches shown on NW20 skin:

So the big question, I am sure, is which of these products would I recommend if you are only going to buy one! I would probably go with the Sleek kit, it is very nearly as good as MAC's Harmony blush and is also great value for money especially if you are just starting to contour and highlight your face. Despite all of this, MAC's Harmony will always be my favourite, go-to contour powder!
In case anyone is wondering - my favourite brush to use when contouring my face is the Sigma F25!

I hope that you have enjoyed this post and found it useful. Please feel free to share your favourite contouring products in the comments section below.
Maz x

The Balm Nude'tude Eyeshadow Palette - Review & Swatches

2012-02-16T10:55:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

This is the first purchase that I have made from The Balm cosmetics, I saw this fun palette being used during a tutorial by Xsparkage on YouTube and really liked it so I thought I'd give it a try! The Nude'tude eyshadow palette comes with 12 neutral eyeshadows and a small applicator.

The palette itself is made from a thick cardboard and snaps shut similar to the Urban Decay Naked Palette but it is much slimmer than that. There is a handy mirror on the inside of the lid and a compartment to store the applicator. The palette would be great for travel as it is so slim and lightweight. The palette comes in 2 variations, Feeling Naughty, which is the one that I have, and Feeling Nice which doesn't have the pictures of the girls on the packaging. Both variations contain the same eyeshadows.

COLOUR DESCRIPTIONS

Sassy: Frosted white

Stubborn: Light-medium peach

Selfish: Frosted taupe

Sophisticated: Dark brown with bronze shimmer

Selfish: Frosted taupe

Serious: Medium-dark matte black

Snobby: Gold shimmered medium-dark yellow

Stand-offish: Light-medium bronze shimmered brown

Sultry: Medium brown

Schitzo: Golden bronze-brown

Silly: Red-brown with copper sparkle

Sleek: Dark matte black-brown

SWATCHES SHOWN ON NW20 SKIN:

(L to R) Sassy, Stubborn, Selfish, Sophisticated, Sexy, Serious

(L to R) Snobby, Stand-offish, Sultry, Schitzo, Silly, Sleek

Overall, I am really impressed with the palette! The shadows are really nicely pigmented which provides great colour pay-off and they all blend out nicely and evenly. I love that you have the choice of 2 dark matte colours ( Serious and Sleek ) which is unusual in many eyeshadow palettes.

Due to the massive success of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes a lot of cosmetic brands are bringing out neutral palettes including NYX and Sigma. So how does this compare and do you need it if you own either of the Naked palettes? Well they are quite similar, but theBalm palette contains more matte shades and less shimmer so I think it is down to personal preference. The Nude'tude palette is cheaper than the UD Naked Palette (Naked palette 1 costs £35 and 2 costs £36 here in the UK) but the Urban Decay palettes come with a brush and wither a mini lipgloss or primer potion.

I purchased my palette from Cocktail Cosmetics for £26 and you can also purchase it from theBalm for $36.
Check out my review and swatches of the Urban Decay Naked Palette 1 by clicking here.
Maz x

OPI Pedal Faster Suzi - Review & Swatch

2012-02-14T16:04:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

We are coming into Spring soon so many nail polish companies are bringing out their new collections including the Holland Collection from OPI. I am a massive fan of OPI, as I am sure regular readers of my blog will know, so I was very excited about the launch of this large collection! I have picked up the mini set which is called 'Dutch Treats' and contains I Have a Herring Problem which is shimmery green-blue, Red Lights Ahead which is described as a coral-red, Kiss Me on My Tulips which is a hot pink and Pedal Faster Suzi which is a delicate lavender-pink with shimmer plus the full size bottle of Dutch Ya Just Love OPI? which is a red toned purple with red shimmer. Today I applied Pedal Faster Suzi to my nails.

OPI Holland Collection Mini Set

I began by applying 2 coats of OPI Original Nail Envy to my nails as a base followed by 3 coats of Pedal Faster Suzi. This polish is very sheer after the first coat but becomes much more opaque after the second although there is still some visible nail line. I hate applying more than 2 coats of polish but this needed a third in my opinion and it dries pretty quickly which is good. I finished by applying a coat of Seche Vite Top Coat.

This is a really pretty, girlie pink colour and is very shimmery and shiny. It makes a nice Spring/ Summer shade. It reminds me a lot of OPI's Princesses rules but is more pigmented and achieves a much more opaque finish. 3 coats of the polish makes it a pretty solid colour but there is still some visible nail line showing through.

Look out for more polishes from the OPI Holland Collection on my blog soon! If you have purchased any from the collection let me know what you think of them in the comments section below!

I purchased the mini nail polish kit from Amazon for £11.95 and the full size bottle from Beauty Bay for £11

Maz x

Cherry & Oat Biscuits

2012-02-13T13:41:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

It's been quite a while since I last did a bit of baking so I thought that I'd break myself back in gently by baking some simple biscuits! I love cherries and oats together so I picked this biscuit recipe! Here's how I made them:

INGREDIENTS:

3oz/ 75g Plain Flour

1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

2oz/ 50g Glace Cherries, chopped

65g Caster Sugar

3oz/ 75g Rolled Oats

4oz/ 112g Butter

1 tbsp Golden Syrup

1 tbsp Milk

METHOD:

1. Pre heat oven to 150C/ 300F/ Gas Mark 2 and line a baking tray/ sheet.

2. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda together into a mixing bowl.

3. Add the cherries, sugar and oats and mix thoroughly.

4. Put the butter and syrup in a small saucepan and heat until the butter has melted. Stir in the milk and remove from the heat.

5. Pour the butter mix into the flour mixture and mix thoroughly.

6. Place the mixture into the fridge for around 5 minutes.

7. Divide the mixture into 12 balls and place onto the baking tray, pressing down slightly.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking tray for around 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool thoroughly.

This biscuits are delicious! They are crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle plus they are quick and easy to make too!

I found this recipe on Cook it Simply

Maz x

Essie Borrowed & Blue Nail Polish

2012-02-12T13:37:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

Spring is around the corner so I decided to break away from the dark, winter colours that I have been wearing on my nails recently and go for a nice pastel colour! I chose Essie's Borrowed and Blue nail polish from their Wedding Collection from 2011. Borrowed and Blue is a light, sky blue colour with a cream finish.

I began by applying 2 coats of OPI Matte Nail Envy to my nails as a base followed by 2 coats of Borrowed and Blue. The consistency of the lacquer is quite thick, which is pretty much the norm with Essie polishes but it applies evenly and smoothly. The polish is fully opaque after 1 coat but I always like to apply 2! Despite being quite thick it dries pretty quickly. I finished off with a coat of Seche Vite Top Coat.

I love this colour and think that it is the perfect soft, pastel blue and great for spring and summer. It's like a blue version of OPI's Mod About You!

You can purchase Borrowed and Blue from Beauty Bay for £8.50

Maz x

Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow Sweet Fire 07 - Review & Swatch

2012-02-10T11:30:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I decided to try out one of the Armani Eyes to Kill Intense eyeshadows recently as I have heard so many good things about them via online reviews. These shadows are very expensive and a true luxury product. I choose number 7 which is called Sweet Fire. Armani claim that these shadows are long wearing and are suitable to be used wet or dry.

Sweet Fire is a really pretty metallic, rose colour in the pot but is slightly lighter and more pink when swatched. The shadow is very smooth and silky and easy to apply wet or dry. I have used it both wet and dry and preferred it wet as you get a little more shine and more of a true metallic finish. I used my MAC 242 brush to apply it and had no problems with fall-out. The shadow looks great on the eye and blended out well. I applied it over my Urban Decay Primer potion and it stayed crease free all day.

Swatch shown on NW20 skin:

Overall this is a really nice shadow and great quality. The colour is gorgeous and is a bit of a cross between a true pink shadow such as MAC's Swish and a more red toned pink such as MAC's Cranberry. The biggest (and only) negative thing that I have to say about it is it's price. These shadows retail at £26 in the UK which is a lot of money even though you do get a large amount of product. I think if you really, really love one of the colours in the range then go for it, for me I don't think that they are any better than a MAC pigment which are much cheaper. In a nutshell - I love this shadow but aren't convinced that the price is valid!

You can purchase this eyeshadow from Giorgio Armani Beauty for £26
Maz x

Benefit Hervana Face Powder - Review & Swatch

2012-02-08T13:50:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I am such a sucker for cute packaging and new beauty products so I was really drawn into Benefit's new beauty powder, Hervana! This product is supposedly 'heavenly' hence the packaging design! The powder comes in Benefit's usual box design that snaps shut, there is a mirror on the inside of the lid which is really handy.

The blush itself is made up of 4 different shades that Benefit describe as 'lucky shell, divine peach, heavenly rose and berry delight' which are designed to be swirled together to create an 'orchard blossom blush'. The 4 colours are really pretty and complement each other well. They are too small to use alone so have to be used together. The result is a really flattering, classic pink shade which would be great on most skin tones. The colour pay-off is pretty good but not too overly pigmented which makes application easier.

Swatch shown on NW20 skin:

I have never really liked the brushes that come with Benefit's powder but I have to say that they are definitely getting better, as you can see from the picture below the brush is angled which makes application much easier. It's also a lot softer than I remember their previous brushes being!

Overall I really like this product, the packaging and design in general is really nice and the product is great quality, in my opinion this is a great 'every day' blush! It reminds me a little of MAC's Well Dressed Blush which is one of my favourites but it's slightly rosier than that. The blush is expensive but great as a gift or treat for yourself!

You can purchase Hervana from Benefit for £23.50
Maz x

NYX Mega Shine Lip Glosses - Review & Swatches - Part 2

2012-02-06T13:52:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

This is the second post containing my NYX Mgea Shine Lipgloss collection! As I mentioned in part one, I really love these glosses! They come in a great varitey of colours and are really reasonably priced.

(Top to Bottom) Golden Pink, Nude Peach, Tea Rose, Ice Princess

(Top to Bottom) Pink Rose, African Queen, Gold

Golden Pink: Rosy pink with shimmer

Nude Peach: True peach

Tea Rose: Medium pink

Ice Princess: Nude pink

Pink Rose: Coral pink

African Queen: Purple tinted bright pink

Gold: Shinmmery gold

(L to R) Golden Pink, Nude Peach, Tea Rose, Ice Princess, Pink Rose, African Queen, Gold

I hope that you have enjoyed sharing my NYX lipgloss collection with me! Please check out part 1 of my collection for information about NYX retailers here in the UK by clicking here

Please feel free to share any NYX product recommendations with me in the comments section below.

Maz x

China Glaze Sweet Hook & Aquadelic - Review & Swatches

2012-02-04T14:27:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I recently purchased 2 nail polishes from the new China Glaze Electropop Collection for Spring 2011. I picked up Sweet Hook which is a lovely pale purple/lavender creme and Aquadelic which is a gorgeous aqua creme.

Sweet Hook

Aquadelic

I thought that it'd be useful to add some comparisons between these 2 polishes and others in my collection so I picked out the polishes that I had that I thought were pretty similar to see how they compare:

(L to R) OPI Steady as she Rose, China Glaze Sweet Hook, OPI Do you Lilac it?

These 3 colours are pretty different to one another even though you can call them all lilacs. As you can see Steady as She Rose is a more pinky toned lilac Do You Lilac it is a much deeper purple than Sweet Hook.

(L to R) China Glaze For Audrey, China Glaze Aquadelic, Jesse's Girl Mermaid's Lagoon

I had heard online that Aquadelic was a close dupe for the famous For Audrey, as you can see in the picture above they are similar but Aquadelic is a more peppermint green than For Audrey. Mermaid's Lagoon is more of a turquoise shade.

Have you purchased any of the polishes from the Electropop collection? If so, let me know what you think!

I purchased my polishes from Beauty Chamber for £8.99 each.

Maz

Ciate Cookies & Cream Nail Polish - Review & Swatch

2012-02-01T12:14:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I purchased my first ever bottle of nail polish from Ciate a couple of days ago in the colour 'Cookies and Cream' which is described by Ciate as an "Oyster cream for a complete trend setting variation on a nude finish". All of the reviews that I have read online about the brand have been positive and I had found a lot of love for this shade which prompted me to get it.

I began by applying 2 coats of OPI Nail Envy in Original to my nails followed by 2 coats of Cookies and Cream. I have to say that I found the brush fantastic! It has densely packed, flat bristles and a long handle which makes application a dream! The polish was a little sheer after the first coat but much better after the second. I found the finish to be a nice, almost opaque, smooth finish. I then finished off my manicure by applying a coat of Seche Vite Top Coat.

Natural Light

Indoor Light

Overall I have to say that I really like this polish, this isn't a colour that I would usually pick out but I found it be be really sophisticated and chic and perfect for work. It is also a really easy manicure colour to choose as it would go perfectly with pretty much any outfit! I look forward to trying more of what Ciate has to offer!

You can purchase these polishes from Ciate for £9 each.

Maz x

NYX Mega Shine Lip Glosses - Review & Swatches - Part 1

2012-01-30T10:31:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I thought that it would be fun to share my (embarrassingly) large collection of NYX Mega Shine lipglosses with you all! As you can see I am a huge fan of these glosses! They all smell and look great on the lips and are not sticky. I use some of them alone and some over lipsticks!

(Top to Bottom) Baby Rose, Sugar Pie, Crystal Soda, Sweet Heart

(Top to Bottom) Candy Shop, French Kiss, Nude Pink

Baby Rose: Pale, milky-rose

Sugar Pie: Peachy nude

Crystal Soda: Pale peachy-nude.

Sweet Heart: Frosty pinky-peach

Candy Shop: Coral pink

French Kiss: Pink with gold undertones

Nude Pink: Nude pink!

(L to R) Baby Rose, Sugar Pie, Crystal Soda, Sweet Heart, Candy Shop, French Kiss, Nude Pink

I purchase my NYX lipglosses from the following retailers for around £7 each:

NYX UK

Love Make-up

Cocktail Cosmetics

As my collection is quite large I decided to split it into two posts so look out for part 2 coming soon!

Maz x

Urban Decay Naked 2 Eyeshadow Palette - Review & Swatches

2012-01-28T11:38:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

It's here! It's finally here! Obviously I am talking about the long awaited Naked 2 palette from Urban Decay which has just been released at Debenhams here in the UK! I loved the first/ original Naked Palette (click here to read my review) and was very excited when I heard that a second Naked Palette was in the making!
This palette is of a similar size to the first one but is made from a tin-like material rather than the faux velvet covered card. The lid closes shut much more firmly than the first. There is a decent sized mirror on the inside of the lid and a compartment to store the brush in.

COLOUR DESCRIPTIONS:

Foxy: Pale, matte beige - This makes a great highlighter colour for my skin (MAC NW20).

Half Baked: Coppery brown with golden shimmer sheen - I love this colour and it is also in the first Naked Palette.

Bootycall: Peachy white-beige - This is another great highlight colour, depending on your skintone. I also like to use it all over the lid for a bright, daytime look.

Chopper: Medium orange-red toned brown with copper shimmer - I love this colour but it is quite flaky to apply. This is also in the Ammo palette and is apparently one of Kim Kardashian's favourite shadows!

Tease: Mauve brown - I really like this medium brown colour and that it has a matte finish.

Snakebite: Dark brown with golden shimmer - This is a little similar to Darkhorse from the first Naked Palette but not as good in my opinion.

Suspect Champagne-bronze - This makes a great all over lid colour.

Pistol: Gray-brown - This is a great cool toned colour which helps to separate the two Naked palettes.

Verve: Pale beige-gray - This is a really shimmery, frosty shade which looks nice as an inner corner highlighter or when used on the centre of the lid to brighten up your look.

YDK: Coppery red-toned medium brown - This is a gorgeous frosty shade which looks great when used all over the lid for a more heavy, nighttime look.

Busted: Deep red-brown with golden undertones - This makes a great crease colour and smokes out well.

Blackout: Matte black - I love to have a matte black in an eyeshadow palette. This one is also in the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary palette.

SWATCHES SHOWN ON NW20 SKIN:

(L to R) Foxy, Half Baked, Bootycall, Chopper, Tease, Snakebite

(L to R) Suspect, Pistol, Verve, YDK, Busted, Blackout

I am really impressed with the brush that comes with the palette as, I have found that many brushes that come with eyeshadow palettes are of pretty poor quality but this isn't! One end of the brush flat and has densely packed bristle which pack on the colour really well and the other end is much fuller and fluffier and great for applying crease colour and blending

Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Naked

The Lip Junkie Lipgloss comes in a mini sized and is described as 'Sheer neutral pink with white micro shimmer'. The gloss has a mint scent which is great for giving you fresher breath! To keep in with the 'Naked' theme I decided to get the Naked lipstick to! I have seen this used on a YouTube tutorial and really liked the look of it!

Urban Decay Naked Lipstick

Urban Decay Naked Lipgloss

GLOSS AND LIPSTICK SWATCHES:

(Lto R) Naked Lipgloss, Naked Lipstick

Overall, I have to say that this palette did not disappoint! The shadows are all great quality and nicely pigmented. The palette has more cool toned and gray shadows than the first Naked palette does. So the burning question is: Do you need both? Well I think that if you liked the first palette you'll like this one! If you only want the one, I would perhaps go for this one, as you get 2 great highlighter shades and a matte black plus a selection of really nice gold, bronze and gray shades.

I purchased my palette from Debenhams for £36 and you can also purchase it from the official Urban Decay website for $50.

Maz x

Japonesque Travel Brushes Review

2012-01-26T12:15:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to put a quick blog post together for you about a new range of make-up brushes that have recently been launched in Boots stores here in the UK. Japonesque aren't a very well known brand amongst consumers here but they offer really nice, high quality, professional brushes. I have been lucky enough to have been sent 3 of the face brushes from the collection and here are my thoughts:

Powder Brush

Powder Brush: This brush has been designed for the application of powders such as blushes, bronzers, pressed and loose powders. I really, really like this brush, the head is packed full of soft bristles. I have been using this to apply my MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural and it does an amazing job. I previously used the MAC 150 and this is much softer. This is definitely my new favourite powder brush! This brush is priced at £29.95

Blush Brush: This brush is obviously designed for apply blush to your cheeks! I like this brush but would prefer it if it was slightly fuller. I usually use my MAC 129 brush to apply blush and the 129 is quite a bit fuller. The Japonesque brush is similar size and shape to the MAC 116 brush. This brush is great for blush but I prefer it for applying highlighter. This brush is priced at £24.

Angled Foundation Brush

Angled Foundation Brush: This is a really nice, smooth, full foundation brush. I wasn't sure that I would like the angled shape but it's actually great for achieving a more precise application. The brush applies and blends the foundation evenly and the tip is great for application around the eyes and nose. This brush is priced at £19.50

Overall, these brushes are great but very expensive. The travel sized handles are great and the brushes are top quality. As I am training to be a make-up artist I see brushes as an investment, I think that if you are really into make-up then they would make a great addition to your kit. You can purchase them from Boots

Disclaimer: Brushes where sent to me from the company as press samples. All of the opinions are my own.

Maz x

OPI Pink Friday & Save Me - Review & Swatches

2012-01-21T12:01:00.000Z

Hi Everyone!

I painted my nails today with a couple of the new nail polishes from OPI's Nicki Minaj Collection. I really wanted to go for a sparkly, girlie look so I went for Pink Friday which is a 'Bubblegum Pink Creme' and then a layer of Save Me over it which is described as a 'Clear base with small silver glitter pieces and blue and holographic bar glitter.

Pink Friday

Save Me

Save Me - Close Up!

I applied 2 coats of OPI Matte Nail Envy as my base to begin with followed by 2 coats of Pink Friday. The polish has a creme formula and applies smoothly but a little unevenly, however the finish is perfect after the second coat and fully opaque. I then added 1 coat of Save Me to each nail. Save Me is fairly easy to apply, however, you need to watch out that you don't have any of the strips of glitter hanging over the edges of your nails! I then finished off with a coat of Seche Vite Top Coat.

I love this nail look and it's perfect if you want that ultra girlie look! The strip glitter is a great change from your normal glitter top coats too!

I purchased my polishes from Beauty 4 Nails. I purchased Save Me in the full size for £8.99. Pink Friday was part of a set of 4 mini polishes which cost £13.99.

To read my review of the OPI Nicki Minaj Collection and to see swatches of the other polishes please click here.

Maz x