London Days...

Hey guys! 

It's Sunday again, where does the week go?

But only one more week and it's a bank holiday.. Which means one thing..  4 day week!!

Yesterday, Alice and I went into London for some shopping, food, and just to chill! 

I've just got a few pictures of what we got up to, what we ate, and what I bought!

We bought a deal on Wowcher for Blocks Cafe which has locations in Soho & Charing Cross! We got 2 waffles and icecream and Bubble tea each for £8 which was actually so good! I had a banana waffle with vanilla icecream, and a lychee & passionfruit bubble tea! Bubble tea was weird, it was strange to drink and all of a sudden swallow a little ball, I nearly choked! But the flavours were great!

We then dandered around MOST of London, once again I swear we walked the whole Monopoly board and did some 'sightseeing'! Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Pall Mall, Westminister, we did the lot! There was a Festival going on in Seven Dials so the whole area around there was buzzing, such a good atmosphere! We loved the guy in Trafalgar Square with his 'You should be here sign'!  

'Bufalo' Pizza from Cafe Vergnano 1882 - YUM.

When it came to shopping, we didn't specifically go anywhere, we just walked and seen where we ended up! We made it to Illamasqua on Beak Street (just off Carnaby St) and they had the sale in store rather than just online which was amazing! I picked up a few things, 'Speckle' Nail Varnish (keep an eye out for a Manicure Monday post to see what it's like on the nails!) and 'Growl' Lipstick. Both of these were £5 in store so a lot cheaper than online!! Swatches of Growl further below :) It looks like quite a deep brown colour in the bullet but on the lips I'd say the colour is more like the lip stain you get after drinking a big glass of red wine! It's beaut but it is a bit tricky to apply, a lipbrush is the easiest way!

I also popped into MAC (cheeky, I've not been in in a while!) and discovered they had 'Whirl' lip liner in stock, Whirl is the lipliner that Kylie Jenner has been apparently wearing to perfect those huge lips! It's been sold out everywhere so it was pretty lucky to discover it! It's a dusky pink shade and it's gorgeous on, typical MAC lip liner, it's quite drying to apply but once it's on, it's on. I definitely think it's what Kylie's been wearing now I've tried it! It's so easy to overexcentuate your lips with!! Pics below:

MAC - Whirl

Illamasqua - Growl

The eyeshadow I'm wearing in both shots is Vernau by Illamasqua, I got it, Vapour and the sealing gel as well! Vernau has definitely become my new go to easy eyeshadow, it's a warm yellowy brown and it's SO easy to blend out. It's going to get a lot of wear! Vapour is a Tangerine orange and it's got the same easiness to blend as Vernau, I'm loving it under my eyes with Vernau on my lid!

L-R - Vernau, Sealing Gel & Vapour

Hope you've enjoyed reading this and seeing what I've been up to in London this weekend!
What do you think of 'Whirl', do you think it is what Kylie Jenners been wearing??

Lip Product Addict Tag

Hiyaaaa!
I'm back again! 

My tags have been actually been going down really well so I thought I'd do the Lip Product Addict Tag that I saw over on the lovely Bow Bombshell blog! This sounds right up my street as I love lippies!

1. Favourite balm/treatment?

My favourite balm definitely has to be my Summer Fruits EOS balm! I love the shape of these balms and I think that's why it makes it my favourite! So easy to apply and I think they're really moisturising! I can't lie, the main reason I bought it in Selfridges was because all the Kardashians were promo'ing them but it really has become a handbag essential for me.

EOS Balm in 'Summer Fruits'

2. Best eye-catching red?

I think it has to be my RiRi Woo Lipstick and Lipglass together! They're gorgeous separately but I think together they pack such a punch and give a real 'wow' factor! They both smell divine, I know that doesn't make them eye-catching but I would definitely reach for them ahead of another red because they taste great as well as look great!

'RiRi Woo' Lipstick and Lipglass

3. Best luxury and drug store?

Best luxury without a doubt - Estee Lauder. The packaging is divine, the lipsticks are so buttery and soft and glide on so easily! Andddd the colour lasts for hours, not something you generally get with a soft buttery lipstick! The one I bought was £26.00 but it was literally worth every penny!

Estee Lauder Envy Sculpting Lipstick in 'Dominant'

Best drugstore is pretty easy - definitely MUA! The majority of the lipsticks are £1, so obviously you cant say no to that! They're also really nice formulas and have a pretty good lasting power! If you wanna experiment with colour I think they're a great place to start as well because you can try them without breaking the bank! 

MUA Matte Lipstick in 'Wild Berry'

4. Best MAC lipstick?

My favourite MAC lipstick I own is probably Kangarouge, it's from their Ice Parade collection! My dad picked it up for me in Las Vegas from the Cosmetics Company store! It's a blue toned red, that makes your teeth look super white! Compared to RiRi Woo, which is up there with one of my favourites, it's so much easier to apply because it's a shiny satin finish! It lasts for ages, and it's just such an easy red to have in your handbag for touch ups!

5. The most disappointing?

Now, this is one that definitely could divide peoples feelings on me.. In my opinion, Rebel is the most disappointing MAC lipstick that I own! Now guys, hear me out! It's a gorgeous colour, such a deep plummy purple, but I find that it can come across badly on the lips, especially if you've got any areas of dryness it clings to it, your lips kind of end up looking like a Dulux colour chart of Rebel! But, if you're careful and take care of your lips, and use a lip liner before such as Currant it comes out lovely! It just takes time to get this one right!!

6. Liner - yes or no?

Yes to liner, always yes to liner! Makes it so much easier to apply a lipstick when you've already done the outline so you don't end up wiggling your elbow and drawing a line straight up to your nose before trying to get it right (it's happened before...). Plus, as I mentioned about Rebel and Currant before it makes a big impact on how your lipstick ends up looking! I prefer pencil liners, I think they're a lot more precise than the other creamy ones!

7. Best gloss?

I don't wear that much gloss, I'm fussy about the finish I like with it, and generally your lip basically always ends up stuck to a glass when you wear it! My favourite gloss is MAC's Dressed to Dazzle is my favourite, it is sticky so I don't wear it that much, but when I do I fall in love with the sparkles in it everytime. Plus it smells gorgeously vanilla!!

8. Something extra

This one is a little bit random, but my something extra has to be: MUA's Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquers
These are basically the highstreet equivalent of Limecrime's Velvetine Lipsticks. The Velvetines retail at £13.50 each, and typically they're quite hard to find in the UK. But these little babies are just £3.00 each! You can buy them in Superdrug at online at www.muastore.co.uk. There are 9 shades available.

So basically, you could afford to buy all 9 shades for the price of 2 Velvetines!

These all have a doe foot applicator and go on really easily. They dry to a matte finish and then they just don't budge! They're perfect for a night out because guarantee they'll still be there even the next morning!

The shades I have from left to right are:
Atomic; Reckless; Tranquility; Halcyon and Kooky.

So, the people I would like to tag are: Megan and Sara :)

Hope you enjoyed this tag!
Have you tried any of these lip products?
What are your faves or least faves products?

xxx

Post Exam Treats!

Helllooo!

My exams are over, and as many of you probably know, I love nothing more than a little bit of online shopping to celebrate such achievements :) Have a little looksy below at what I bought! 

This time I knew what I wanted whenever I finished my exams, I'd had my eye on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade for so long, and a few days before my exams finished, Cult Beauty sent me that delightful email to tell me it was back in stock again! However by the time I got there, the shade I wanted 'Dark Brown' was already out of stock AGAIN (this is the 3rd time it's happened!!). I made my way over to Beauty Bay in the off chance that they would have it in stock, and thankfully they did! So as soon as I seen it, it was straight in my basket alongside the Anastasia Beverly Hills Angled Cut Brow Brush. I felt it was justified to buy the brush as well because I wanted the Pomade to be my perfect brow so I needed the perfect brush to apply it! The Dipbrow Pomade retails at £15 and the brush is £13. Swatches can be seen below. 

Anastasis Dipbrow Pomade 'Dark Brown' and Angled Cut Brow Brush. (Apologies, I'd already used it!) 

On Beauty Bay, you also have the opportunity to pay an extra £1.95 for a premium sample product to be sent with your order, and it also means your delivery leaves the warehouse slightly quicker than the standard free delivery that Beauty Bay offer! You get to choose your own sample so it's not like you end up with a dodgy one you're maybe not fussed on. My choice was the Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser which for the full size retails at £34.99. This cleanser is AMAZING! It's a godsend, I've really been struggling with dry skin around my nose recently and its not been giving me a very smooth finish on my foundation! One application of this cleanser and that was GONE. You put it on, rub it in, and then wash it off. Easy peasy lemon squeezy and it gives GREAT results. I love it already, but £34.99 is a lot for a the full size so I would have to have a think about it when I've used it all up!

MAC - Eyeshadow in 'Cranberry'

Finally, the last thing I chose to buy myself was an eyeshadow I've been lusting over for years, since Becca bought it and used it on me I've been obsessed! Looked at it everytime I dandered through Selfridges or Duty Free, and finally on Wednesday 14th May it entered my life. And that eyeshadow is MAC's 'Cranberry' Eyeshadow. It's an amazing reddy plum shade with glitter, and it looks amazing on the lids! Beaut. Beaut. Beaut. I loveeeeeeee it. I've worn it so much already and I've only had it a week and a half! Check out the swatches of both Cranberry and the Dipbrow Pomade below! 

L-R Dipbrow Pomade in 'Dark Brown' and MAC Eyeshadow in 'Cranberry'

Both of my exam treats made it onto my face for my night out after my exams, and I absolutely loved the result! The Dipbrow was perfect and made my brows look great, it's a bit dark but perfect for nights out.. It's kind of like a tint, so it lasted the whole way through the next day, even after a shower and washing my face!!

Have you tried any of these products?

Let me know if you have!

Lots of loveeee 

xxxx

Let's get Physical...

This is just a short oneeee! 

I fell out with gel liners a long time ago, I've very hooded eyelids so it generally just ended up on my upper lid.. The same applies for most liquid eyeliners as well.. Lucky me!!

Buuuut my mum came home with a little surprise for me.. My first MAC Fluidline from their new Magnetic Nude collection in 'It's Physical'. 

It's a gorgeous duo-Crome shade, it's described by MAC as brown with a purple pearl, but on me it's more a brown shade with pink and gold glitters.. Whatever the case it's gorgeous!!

Applies so smoothly and lasts for EVER. no smudging, no product on my upper lid and the glitter lasts, it's been shimmering away behind my lashes all evening! 

This is definitely going to be one for all the time wear, subtle enough for a day-to-day look and can be built in for evenings and nights out!! It also works as a cream eyeshadow, I'm sure you'll see a pic of it worn as such sometime in the near future!

These limited edition fluidlines retail for £15, and they're selling out fast! There's there in the range, alongside some new extra dimension skinfinishes, blushes and shadows and also some new lipsticks, glosses and brushes! Definitely worth a look if you're near a MAC counter soon as it's mostly sold out online!

Just wanted to post this video I put on my Instagram to let you all see the glitter in the product!!

What do you think of 'It's Physical'?? 

Let me know in the comments, twitter or Instagram! 

Xxx

No chocolate in the duty free..

There might not be any chocolate in the duty free, but in Terminal 1 at Manchester Airport I can fully confirm that there is a MAC counter..

I will admit I have issues in regards to shopping, but I was flying home to go back to my old job in the hospital as a domestic assistant and I needed some form of motivation!! 

I re-purchased my holy grail powder "Mineralize Skinfinish Natural'; but I got shade Medium this time! I felt Light Plus was just a little too light for me, and I generally like to use bronzer to give my gave some colour so I just thought I'd get the shade up! 

I also grabbed a lip liner in Cherry, a beautiful deep red, it'll go perfectly with Riri Woo and my new e.l.f lipstick I searched in my last post! The thing I love about Lip liners is that it can be completely two different looks, alone or with a lipstick or gloss!! Double the value ;-)

The lip liner was £10 and the powder £18.30! 

I have a post on a lovely new beauty box coming up and it'll be up by the end of the week!! 

If I'm not back before then, I hope everyone has a super super Christmas and I hope Santa brings everyone everyyyything that they want!!

Merryyyy Christmassss!!

Xxxx

MAC Haul!

Bonjourrrr neighborinos!

I know it's been a while, I've been workinggg a lot and had enough uni work that you could probably climb it!

A fortnight ago, Selfridges had their Christmas event that offers 20% off the majority of everything they sell & 10% off all beauty products... I used my cunning plan of buying things that I wanted for Christmas before Christmas so I got to use the discount.. Sneaky ;-)

The main thing I wanted to buy was Ugg boots, I've had my eye on mini black Uggs for ageees! My tan classic short uggs are 4 years old now and they've had better days! These were excluded from the 20% off day, but they were 25% off instead both in Selfridges and Kurt Geiger.. I made the plunge and bought them, £130 to £97.50 - which I was extremely happy about!! 

After my Uggs I found myself in the MAC section.. And I'm not gonna lie, I had such a splurging session!

Everything was 10% off which for beauty products is brilliant!

Here's a few pictures of what I bought!! 

Select Cover-up Concealer - NC20

Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 - NC20

Retro Matte Finish Lipstick - Relentlessy Red

Satin Finish Lipstick - Faux

217 Blending Brush

All together this should have cost me £84.50, but with the 10% discount it came to £76.05.. I know this is steep but I'm gonna be getting money for Christmas so I will pay myself back :)

Have you got any of these products?? What do you think of them? 

Leave me a comment and let me know :)

Rachel xx

Birthdaaaaay Post!

Helloooo!
I'm back in Manchester and I'm officially 21! EEK - I'M SO OLD.

Just a little post to show what my lovely besties got me for my birthday makeup wise!

I was well and truly spoilt, so please don't think I'm trying to show off by this post!!

My lovely housemates bought me the bright orange lipstick in 'Morange'! Its an orangey red in an Amplified Creme finish and it's absolutely gorgeous on! I've been lusting after it for so long after seeing the lovely Zoella raving about it!! It's such a perfect consistency and applies soooo easily! Check below for a pic of me wearing it!

Another one of my flatmates Hayley bought me lots of owl related pressies, including the cosiest blanket and a handwarmer! Think that's gonna be necessary for Manchester life!! Hayley also got me some Malibu, if no-one has ever tried Malibu and Milk you are MISSING OUT! It's like ice-cream, I definitely recommend it!!

Lizzie my classmate/housemate/right-arm got me my current favourite perfume.. ONE DIRECTION! It's so sweet and just smells amazzzing! I am aware I'm 21 and the target age of the perfume is 12, but I don't care.. If it smells good I love it! She also got me an owl keyring and owl chocolate.. But I'll never wanna eat it!

Nexxxxxxt my bestie/wifey/soulmate treated me to some lovely MAC makeup! She bought me the Cremeblend blush in the shade 'Something special' - it's so nice, easy to apply and the perfect orangey peach! It's definitely the shade of blush that can be worn everyyyy day regardless of season!

She also veryyyy kindly bought me an Amplified Creme lipstick in 'Up The Amp', it's a really vibrant purple in the bullet and it looks even more vibrant on! The finish on both the lipsticks is so easy to apply and it's beautifuuuuuul. I absolutely love this shade, I don't know if it's one I would have picked up in store but I'm so grateful that Becca bought it because I LOVE it. In the pic below I'm wearing both the products Becca bought me!

My other bestie Jill who I am unfortunately separated from due to Uni treated me to some absolute beauties when I was at home, including my first Sausage and Egg McMuffin! It was delishhhhh! A new treat for hungover mornings me thinks! Paddy McGurgan has recently opened a new Pro Make-up store in Newry! She picked me up an absolutely beautiful Make-Up Atelier Paris Eyeshadow Palette in shade T02! It is beautiful! Not a palette I would have chosen for myself but honestly, I think it might be love! Two gorgeous light coloured peachy tones, a rusk shade, a purple shimmer and a black with a hint of glitter! Its perfecttt for day and night wear, just depends on how strong you use the darker shades! Sorry the lights not great on the lighter shades, my house hasn't got the greatest lighting situations!

She also treated me to a Lush Fresh Facial Cleanser in 'Angels on Bare Skin'! It's a cleanser designed to even out skin tone and improve the health and appearance of your skin! It's made of ground almonds, you take a pea sized amount of the cleanser, add water and make a milky consistency then apply to the face, and remove with warm water! Your skin feels so fresh and clean after using it! And I think it really has improved my skin since I started using it, because I've been suffering from a few breakouts recently but this has helped it stop! Have a nosey at here on Lush's website!

I just want to thank everyone who got me anything! I was absolutely spoilt and also got gorgeous presents from my Mum, Dad and someone else special! I had the best birthday celebrations and it made turning 21 a lot easier! I wish it could be my birthday every week!

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you've tried anything above!!

xxx

Treats to myselfffff!

Hellooooooo!

I have to admit I have been spoiling myself a bit recently, a few treats here and there, after work etc.. It needs to stop!! But I thought I'd let you see what I've purchased!!

Firstlyyyyyy... DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

Rihanna recently launched her Rihanna Hearts line for Autumn, and ohhhhh glory days it is BEAUTIFUL! Everything had the most gorgeous rose-gold packaging and all the colours were beautiful! Now mostly everything has unfortunately sold out online (click HERE to see if there's anything left!) but in a few stores there are a few bits and pieces left but it really is just pot luck! I was the lucky lady that managed to buy the last 'Riri Woo' in Selfridges at the Trafford Centre in Manchester.. Sorry to anyone that wanted to go and purchase it! It's a really matte deep red and it's gorgeoussss! It lasts for absolute donkeys on the lips and even manages to stay on quite well after eating and drinking! It is quite similar to Ruby Woo which is in the permanent collection but the girl instore said it's easier to apply and is not as drying on the lips! This little baby was £16.50 which I know is expensive.. But look at it - HOW COULD I SAY NO?!

There'll be a swatch further belowwww!

Neeeext.. As you know I flew home last week for my birthday, and unfortunately Terminal 1 at Manchester airport has a MAC counter... I however was VERY restrained and only treated myself to one eyeshadow! I bought 'Brown Down', a matte warm brown! Have a little looksy here! I really wanted a shadow like this for my day-to-day makeup look, I have an Urban Decay Naked palette but it just doesn't have a dark matte shadow for the outer corners of my eyes! In the airport products are Tax Free (I THINK :-/) so instead of £12.50 for this lovely little number I paid £10.40! It was a birthday present to myself and it is something I am gonna get a lot of use out of! Check it out below and see the swatch further belooooow.

They say to leave the best to last.. And I certainly have..

Have a little look at this beauty.. 

I am finally the proud owner of Nars 'Orgasm'!! Gorgeous peachy/pink blush with a hint of gold shimmer just running through the blush!! So so pretty on the skin, I now understand why this product has become such a cult product, I loveee it!! It can easily be worn as a daily blush, or layered up for a more dramatic look at nighttime! £21.50 for a blush seems steep, but when it's so wearable I think it's worth it! However I didn't pay £21.50! ASOS offers 10% student discount at all times, and you can buy it on ASOS HERE! But on Tuesdays if you have an O2 Priority code and you have a student discount code from Unidays you get 20%!! To most people this doesn't seem a lot, but any students know that this is a looooot! I paid £17.20 for the blush and I'm absolutely chuffed about this!! SO HAPPY ARGHHHH!! I also love how cheeky NARS name their products, very tongue in cheek!

L-R - 'RiRi Woo', MAC's 'Brown Down' and NARS 'Orgasm'

I know I've been on a complete shopping haul recently, and particularly high-end products but it has been my Birthday, my money is all spent now so I'm back to being a poor student so shopping is FINITO.
I hope you enjoyed reading this! 

Let me know if you have any of these products and what you think of them!

xxx