Urban Decay & Gwen Stefani | Eyeshadow and Blush Palette

Hi guys, 

Everyone and their granny seem to have these palettes at the moment and rightly so as they are beautiful. The gold, white and black packaging and obviously Gwen Stefani made me want to buy these but I wasn’t sure of the product itself as I wasn’t sure it would be on par with other UD products. I am a huge fan of Urban Decay and I find their products to be amazing but sometimes when its celebrity endorsed, it doesn’t always turn out great but I was very wrong about that.

UD Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette (£40)

UD carefully crafted the shadows with Gwen with the colours she wished she had in her collection. There are 15 shades in total, 12 of which are brand new to UD and 3 which are already in their collection. What I love about this collaboration is the fact that Gwen had a hand in everything, including the case, which was inspired by her love of black-and-white graphic prints and antique gold accents. She also handpicked most of the shade names, which were inspired by her songs. 

The eyeshadow palette was actually a surprise gift from my other half as he looked through my social media platforms and found out I wanted this so it was a lovely thing to wake up to on Christmas morning and it was the first thing I wanted to play with as soon as we were finished opening gifts and having our breakfast. I didn’t know what shade to start with first as they all so beautiful and honestly some of the most vivid colours I have ever seen. I love that this palette will suit everyone as it has your normal neutral shades but it also pushes the boat out with glitter blues, pinks and yellow golds. The official shade colours are as follows:

Blonde (pale beige with pink iridescent shift), Bathwater (pale beige with gold pearl), Skimp (pale nude satin), Steady (medium rose with metallic gold shift), Punk (reddish brown matte), Baby (cool metallic rose), Anaheim (light taupe-brown matte), Stark (nude-pink matte), Zone (medium brown matte), Serious (smoky grey with iridescent floating pearl), Pop (pale coral w/iridescent sparkle), Harajuku (metallic blue-pink with iridescent micro-shimmer), Danger (deep metallic royal blue with blue micro-sparkle), 1987 (bright metallic yellow-gold) and Blackout (blackest black matte). 

I haven’t had the courage to use the blue or pink shadows as they aren’t normally shades I gravitate towards to but I have used every other colour in the palette and I have to say, they do not disappoint. They are highly pigmented, easy to blend out and can be used to create some of the best eye looks ever. A must have purchase if you love Urban Decay and love to experiment with colour. 

UD Gwen Stefani Blush Palette (£35)

The blush palette was on my wish list for ages so I was over the moon when I got that email to tell me it was ready to be bought! As with the eyeshadow palette, Gwen helped to develop this but with defining and highlighting in mind as she loves these steps in her makeup routine.  There are 6 shades in total with blushers, bronzers and some highlighters incorporated although the highlighters aren’t some of my favourites. According to UD, all shades are versatile and can be used on any skin tone but I don’t know about that, some of the shades are very light and may not show up on darker skin but all of the shades will definitely give a gorgeous pop of colour to lighter skin tones. 

All of the products are very blendable and finely milled. You only need a little bit on your brush to give you your desired effect. They have a luxurious and lightweight feel to them and feel very soft when applied to your face. The shades included in the palette are as follows: Cherry (light pink satin), Easy (deep rose with gold shimmer), Angel (champagne-nude shimmer), Lo-Fi (soft bronze matte), Hush (medium pink with gold shimmer) and OC (soft pink with peach shift). I don’t really like the “highlighting” shades in the palette as I like to have a strong glow going on and these are very subtle. That’s just my preference, for someone starting out with highlighting or someone who likes a subtle glow, then this is the palette for you as it will definitely provide you with that.

All in all, 2 amazing palettes with beautiful packaging and excellent quality products in each of them. They are must have purchases for any beauty lover as they pack a real punch and will have your friends green with envy every time you bring it out to play. My favourite thing about each palette is the gold, white and black design, they really stand out and give your makeup collection a glint of glamour and also the huge mirrors in each as they have enough space for you to see everything.

Have you tried these palettes yet?

What do you think of them?

Have you read my latest post featuring the Zoeva En Taupe Palette? 

I can also be found on Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram |

* Some links may be affiliates but all thoughts are unbiased and 100% honest,

*Please click links on pictures for source.

Zoeva En Taupe Palette

Hi guys,

I bought the new Zoeva En Taupe Eyeshadow Palette (£15.50) from Beauty Bay last week as the colours really grabbed my attention and as it was so gorgeous, I decided to give you the low down. I have two palettes from Zoeva (review here) and I have to say, they are some of the best in my collection so I knew I had to have this one too.

As with the other two palettes, there are also 10 highly pigmented shades including matte, satin and shimmer finishes which are all paraben, mineral oil, fragrance and phthalates free. As well as all that they are enriched with Vitamin E. This palette ranges from neutral whites to muted purples which are all inspired by autumn, shades we know are beautiful. I adore every single colour in this palette, it is perfect for everyday use but I think it would be great for someone who is starting out with eyeshadows as we all know they can be a little scary to work with at first. As it is muted tones it is suited to almost every skin tone.

Palette Contains:

Stitch By Stitch - A creamy white with neutral undertones.

Spun Pearl - A stunning white with grey and neutral undertones.

Handmade - A neutral soft pink with a slight golden undertone.

Sheers & Voiles - A nude taupe with a slight golden hue.

Gallery - A dark muted taupe with creamy undertones.

Outline - A bold shimmery brown with gold and taupe undertones.

Hour By Hour - A muted taupe with pink undertones.

Wrapped In Silk - A combination shade of grey and taupe with a shimmery hue.

Old Master - A deep taupe with purple undertones and a golden shimmer finish.

Exquisite - A muted neutral pink with slight purple and silver undertones.

After trying their previous palettes and loving them, I knew I would love this but honestly, it surprised me. The shades are some of the best on the market and really easy to blend out. I wore some shades from this palette on Sunday when I went for some sushi and Krispy Kreme doughnuts with Liam and I was complimented left right and centre but the one that stuck with me was when the girl from the Clinique counter was colour matching me and complimented my eye makeup. I have never had so many people in one day say nice things with regards to one part of my makeup so I knew I was onto a winner with this palette. If you want to try out some subtle eye looks, then this is the palette for you! But if you are like me and love eyeshadows then this is a must have palette.

Have you read my latest post featuring the Elite Mirror Artis Oval 7 Makeup Brush?

I can also be found on Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram |

* Some links may be affiliates but all thoughts are unbiased and 100% honest,

*Please click links on pictures for source.

Artis | Elite Mirror Oval 7 Makeup Brush

Hi guys, 

I have finally got my mojo back and have wanted to blog again. I took a loooong break in January after all my Christmas posts and found it hard to get back into the swing of things, so no gym, blogging, healthy eating, and makeup looks etc. I was swamped with studying as my exams were in January (yawn! I know, I’ve spoke about it a lot) straight after Christmas so I really had to knuckle down and focus on that. I then got a part time job and have really struggled with it as it’s not what I expected and has gotten me down.  Anyway, I know you didn’t come here to hear me ramble on and lower the tone of the blog post, so I am gonna dive straight in and talk about the Artis Oval 7 Makeup Brush (£45) which is part of the Elite Mirror Collection.

Let’s get one thing out the way, it looks like a giant toothbrush or hairbrush, doesn’t it? It freaked me out a little as I am so used to the conventional makeup brush, and this didn’t fit that mould but I was stunned at how pretty the overall design of the brush was. I love the mirror finish too at it gives it a sophisticated look. 

Now, I know this brush is very expensive, trust me, I would never have bought this myself but I had a SpaceNK gift card from my mum and decided to treat myself to this guilt ridden purchase. I did speak a little bit about this on my January Beauty Buys post and wasn’t overly impressed but I will go into more detail for you to give you a clear picture of this item.

The Oval 7 is what some describe as the perfect size face brush and is said to be perfect at applying foundation, blush, highlighting, bronzing, skincare, and setting powders. The brush is densely packed and made with CosmeFibre, a revolutionary engineered fibre which is specifically made for applying makeup. The brush itself measures 18 cm long, and the fibre bundle is 3 cm X 5 cm.

I found the size of the brush to be perfect for my face as it wasn’t too big or too small (goldilocks anyone?) The bristles are super soft, it actually feels like you are sweeping your face with velvet, it is literally the softest brush I have ever used. It is supposed to help distribute product evenly and lightly without soaking it up. I heard that beauty blenders, sponges and brushes soak up to 60% of any product which I found to be crazy but this doesn’t and was the reason I wanted to try it out.

On first try, I used the same amount of foundation that I normally would when using a beauty blender and brush but I quickly found out that was wrong as I was left with horrible streaks all over my face and it took forever to blend into my skin. I washed it off and started again. I used one pump of foundation and applied to my face using my fingers before using the Oval 7. I then swiped the brush over my face rather than buff the product into my face like I normally would with a brush, another weird sensation but a nice one never the less. I liked how quickly this distributed the foundation over my face and how nicely it settled but I didn’t like how it looked throughout the day. With a blender or brush, you can really work the product in but with this, I felt like it sat on my skin rather than be absorbed which I didn’t like as it started to move throughout the day especially between my brows and on my laughter lines.

Something that really annoyed me was the handle of the brush as it felt quite flimsy and for 45 bucks, I want something sturdy not something that feels like it could snap at any time. I have heard some Youtubers state this happening and as I say for an expensive brush that’s a no no in my book. I don’t know if this is an intentional part of the design to give a gentle application and help manoeuvre over the contours of your face, but I don’t like it.

Overall, a stunningly beautiful looking brush but I wouldn’t rush to buy another one. I haven’t tried to wash it yet, I have only wiped off the bristles with a face wipe but as soon as I do, I will update this post to let you know how I get on but I noticed they have a brush cleaner which again, is very expensive.

Have you tried this brush?

Would you buy this brush in the future?

Have you read my Valentines Gifts For Men Post?

I can also be found on Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram |

* Some links may be affiliates but all thoughts are unbiased and 100% honest,

*Please click links on pictures for source.

Valentine Day | Gifts For Him

Hi guys, 

I thought I would change it up today and do a Valentines post for men instead of the ladies. I think men are quite easy to buy for as there aren’t many in my family and they all have their own favourite products that they like so it’s nice to add to a collection or pick up something you know they will like but sometimes it can be really hard, especially if the man in your life is a closed book and says things like "just get me whatever" or "don’t worry about me, I like anything" these are the most frustrating things to hear when it comes to buying for someone who has everything or doesn’t talk about what they like.

I would suggest picking up a game for their favourite console, a box set that they have their eye on, a new tie for work, pyjamas or robe and slippers as these are quite nice gifts but I found some of these gifts to be a little more luxurious and wanted to include them in my gift guide. I`m not suggesting you buy more than one gift, it’s not their birthday or Christmas so don’t go mad! I personally don’t buy Liam anything and he doesn’t buy me as we tend to go for a nice meal and leave it at that but I know some couples like to go all out on Valentine’s Day so this guide is for you lovely people. 

Marvel IPad Case (£15)

Elemis Shave and Beard Oil (£22.50)

Philips 12-in-1 Multigroom Kit (£34.99)

Calvin Klein Stretch Boxers Multipack (£36)

Made in Italy Hip Flask (£45)

Tom Ford Noir (from £64)

Frends Layla Headphones in Gunmetal (£140)

88 Rue du Rhone Watch (£295)

So, these are my top picks for all those lovely men in your life. Obviously if you know a makeup obsessed guy then branch out and get them some foundation, concealer, contour kit or some guyliner as they will probably thank you for it, remember makeup is gender neutral and should be worn by all who desire it. 

Have you read my January Beauty Buys Post?

I can also be found on Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram |

* Some links may be affiliates but all thoughts are unbiased and 100% honest,

*Please click links on pictures for source.