NYX Butter Gloss

I'm pretty much obsessed with NYX at the moment. I've loved everything I've tried, especially so with the single shadows and lip lingerie. I initially ventured over to the NYX stand to try out one of their foundations but chickened out and reached for my trusty Revlon Colorstay instead. However I couldn't walk away empty handed and picked up a Butter Gloss!

One of the things I love about the NYX lip stand is the picture boards where they feature certain colours on the lip. It was here I spotted and swooned over Sunday Mimosa. This super pretty punchy peach is quite the all rounder with just enough colour to compliment a smokey eye and enough colour to stop your everyday face looking washed out.

This is an opaque formula - you get a intense, rich colour pay off. The consistency of the gloss isn't too liquid either which means you get the colour without any settling or uneveness. 

On the subject of consistency, we then have to discuss texture. I don't know about anyone else but I'm really struggling to break away from the matte trend. I find glosses can be messy and high maintenance, not to mention a right royal pain when it becomes a magnet for hair on windy days. Long story short, I'm hesitant to welcome them back to the warm arms of my make up bag without good reason. However this product goes a long way in relieving my worries with an almost 'lip balm' feeling to it. My lips felt moisturised as opposed to sticky or gloopy. 

All in all, I'm still a matte lip kinda girl at heart but as gloss goes this is a pretty decent one. I love the colour and feel of it but I don't think I'm ready for the commitment of constant re-application again. Still, this will definitely be reached for when I want to feel a bit more glam!!

The Make Up Tag

What foundation do you use?

Revlon Colourstay. It's the longest lasting, highest coverage foundation I've ever used. Nothing beats it.

How about concealer?

I'm pretty easy to satisfy when it comes to concealer because my foundation is so full coverage. I mainly use concealer to brighten and highlight so I love the Maybelline Eraser concealer. I've also recently discovered the Autograph Ultimate Wear concealer which I've practically been living in.

What do you think of false lashes?

My name is Hailey, and I am addicted to lashes. In all seriousness, I'm an everyday wear kinda girl. I just don't have the lash power to balance an eye look otherwise.

What brand of mascara do you use?

Anything. If it's wet and black, it'll do. I literally use it to colour my top lashes and add definition to the lower line.

Sephora or MAC?

A null question considering I don't shop in either. In fact, I have never purchased a MAC product. Shock horror gasp, I know. If I'm honest  (and a little harsh) I'm not willing to spend  £15 on a lipstick they've wiped over an animals face.

What makeup tools do you use?

Ooh so many! However most of my collection is good old Real Techniques. Such good quality brushes!

I've had my eye on Morphe brushes for some time now though so stay tuned for a future post!

Do you use an eyeshadow primer?

I switch between primer and concealer. At the moment I've been using Revlon Colourstay Concealer for a base and setting it. It gives incredible wear!

What is your favourite eyeshadow?

The Sultry shade from The Balm Nude'tude Palette. Perfect crease colour. Also shout out to LOC eyeshadow stick in Champagne Problems - such a beautifully pigmented colour that is perfect for brightening tired eyes.

What do you think of Pigment eyeshadows?

Can't deal with the fallout.

What is your fave lipstick?

Ooohhh toughie. Probably a combo - Rimmel Cappuccino liner with Bourjois Lip Velvet in Don't Pink Of It. Love me an ombre lip!

What is your fave blusher to use?

I don't typically wear blusher but if I were going to it would probably be a Daniel Saunders Watercolour one.

Do you like drugstore makeup?

Give me drugstore over high end. Any day.
The only thing you can buy better high end is eyeshadow. Everything else, drugstore brands can replicate and surpass.

Name a makeup crime you hate.

People that do  their brows weird. Overdrawn, angular, pointy, uneven = brow suicide.

Do you like colorful shades of makeup or neutrals?

Neutrals all day long.

If you could leave the house with just one makeup item what would it be?

My ABH Dipbrow.

Could you leave the house with no makeup on?

I could but I rarely do. I just prefer my face with makeup and I don't think there's any problem with that.

In your opinion, what's the best makeup line?

I think I would say Revlon. It's the stand I find myself at all the time.

Comment if you do the tag - I'd love to have a nose! 

Kiko Milano Cream Radiance Highlighter

Kiko Milano has become ever increasingly prevelant throughout the beauty community recently - especially so in February for the heart shaped bullet of their lipsticks. 

I picked up this highlight a couple of months back and have pretty much worn it to death since. 

I really love that rather than a pink tone it's more golden which suits my skin better. The shimmer is really subtle too, meaning you get the glow without looking like you've just emerged from a toddler's glitter princess party.

The product is a cream but it feels almost like a really luxurious eyeshadow - really buttery and blendable. It's super pigmented as you can see from the swatch, so to tone it down apply between your foundation and powder. However, if like me, you want to look like a sunbeam you are then highlight after setting your concealer/contour.

This was my first product from Kiko but I think I'll be making future purchases from there soon! 

LOC Champagne Problems

Opening my Birchbox with a slightly pessimistic attitude this month, I wasn't exactly expecting much if I'm totally honest. I feel like me and the B-box have had a poor run the past couple months but lo and behold, I was wrong...

This little ray of sunshine is LOC One & Done shadow stick in Champagne Problems. I am loving this product! It's a beautiful, creamy shadow stick, so blendable and pigmented. It's so pretty I even forgot about the Spectrum brush for a hot minute, but that's a story for another post...

Pick these up for £8 in the Birchbox store!

Contouring for a square face...

We can't all be blessed with delicate, elfin features of the supermodel kind but thanks to the rise of contouring we can make our face shape more flattering.

I have a square face - wide forehead in line with my jaw which I feel can make me look slightly masculine. Typical contouring patterns can leave me looking a little unbalanced but through copious amount of trial and error I think I've got it nailed!

Highlighting 
This look is very contour based so highlight is really to a minimum here.
  -  A thin line from half way down the forehead to just after the bridge of the nose.
  - Two lines just above the the eyebrows.
  - A triangle on the chin.
  - An upside down triangle under each eye.
  - A dot on the cupids bow.

Contour 
To bring the edges of the face in you ned to shade the wider parts of your face.
  - Around the corners of the forehead.
  - Across the base of the nose.
  - A line down each cheekbone.
  - A small curved line on each side of the jaw.

When blended and set move on to the glow....

Glow
Pop a shimmer on the following areas to further highlight...
  - On the very tip of the nose.
  - On the tops of the cheekbones.
  - Above the arch of the eyebrow.

These tips should slenderise the face and accentuate the nose, as well as heightening the cheekbones and brow bone!

A Dark Berry Lip

This pretty little lippy is Va Va Violet from Revlon. Perfect for when your make up needs that hit of vamp.

This product has a beautiful formula, giving you a semi-matte, berry-plum pout. Pair with a smoked out golden eye for the perfect combo!

Soap and Glory Instant Retouch Powder

Instant Retouch Powder || £12.99 || Boots 

I was always hesitant to use Soap & Glory's make up because it wasn't primarily a make up brand. This was purely an impulse buy but probably one of the best purchases I ever did make!

The packaging is very 'high street' but it's kitsch and fun - isn't that what make up is all about anyway though?  It's a translucent setting powder with blur technology. It brightens and locks in your face all day. I cannot praise this powder enough - absolute game changer. Go and get it now! 

The Perfect Valentine's Nail Colour

Barry M Bright Red || £2.99 || Boots

It's nearly Valentines, so time to get those talons prepped for that ever possible finger bling that every girl secretly hopes for. I'm a traditionalist and firmly believe that red, the signature colour of love, is the only choice for V day!

This Barry M polish in Bright Red has got me coming over all heart eye emoji at the moment. It's a beautiful, bright, Postbox red that would suit any skin tone!

Give it a try!