Make Up Geek | Manny MUA Eyeshadow Palette Review

Before we jump in today I wanted to just give you a quick look at the inner workings of my mind, all in the name of getting to know me that bit better and you know understanding just why, WHY do I keep spending money?!? At first I wasn't going to buy the Manny MUA eyeshadow palette, despite being a fan of Manny, his You Tube channel, his fierceness and make up artistry skills I wasn't too worried about getting my hands on his palette when he collaborated with Make Up Geek earlier this year. That was until...Manny said the fateful few words that sealed my destiny.. and bank balance....'Selling out' and 'limited edition'.... I had bought the palette two days later and had it by the third....(if it were socially and bloggily acceptable I'd use the face slap emoji right here!) No matter, in the words of Lady Macbeth, 'what's done is done, now where my shadows at?!' (so I may be paraphrasing just a little)

Now despite what that length opening paragraph may have you believe I in no way feel remorseful about my purchase, it only took 2 minutes and one swift flick of that palette lid to dispel any feelings of the sort because....oh...my...god...how beautiful are these colours?! Made of a mix of pure Manny and a couple of Make Up Geek favourites I fell in love, head over heels if you will for some of the more unique shades. The first for example being Mars, a deep, matte, true red with a luxe look to it, the second being Insomnia, which is an existing Make Up Geek duo chrome shade that is a mixture of metallic reds, greens and blues which I cannot wait to use in a number of looks in the future.

Bottom left: Insomnia. Bottom Mid: Mars

Having now used the palette a couple of times I must say I have not been disappointed. Layered over the top of a cream base like a nude maybelline cream shadow, these colours really pop and don't crease after a few hours wear. Mars did not disappoint! Though it has a bit of kickback (as is the case with almost every highly pigmented red shadow) and I was very impressed with Insomnia (it's lovely as a dark, gothic halo eye) My only criticism would be that they stained my darn brushes, that's how pigmented I'm finding them! Seriously though I have had to wash my brushes after every time I use the shadows because otherwise they just transfer to my others. But hey, if that's my only qualm so far, I'll take it!

L-R: Artemis, Beaches & Cream, Luna, Cosmopolitan, Sora, Frappe, Insomnia, Mars, Aphrodite

Have you tried the Manny MUA palette or even shadows by Make up geek before? I would love to hear what you thought of the quality of their shadows and of course any colour or finish suggestions you'd like to throw my way! Hopefully you've enjoyed hearing how I have found the product and maybe it'll inspire you to go out and become a shopaholic I could be proud of! Of course you can catch me and my new palette on the usual channels, Twitter, Instagram and more from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, feeling Manny marvellous.

H.Elizabeth x

Don't look I'm Naked (again) | Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation Review

What could be more fitting than a foundation that keeps your skin looking like skin but better? Perhaps a good, and more millennial way of looking at it would be a filter for your face, or even face tune IRL! Well ladies and gents I may have found something for just that, the Naked Skin Foundation by Urban Decay.

Never have I ever been so obsessed with foundation, currently I have around five different bottles of the stuff open and on the go in different finishes, tones and of course all give me something different, matte, dewy, full coverage, light coverage, in fact in my own personal kit you may just find something for everyone. But if you're looking for the one, the one to see you through the lighter days, the fuller days, the matte or dewy days then you may just want to get Naked....

I first discovered the Naked range by Urban Decay when I picked up their much hyped concealer...then picked it up again...and then again, in fact guys, if I could I would just cover my face in that concealer and be done with it! So after hitting it off with their concealer I was so excited to try out the foundation. The foundation is described by Urban Decay as having a demi matte finish which offers luminosity, a flawless, airbrushed finish which also feels very light weight on the skin (weightless according to the bottle!) 

I picked this up in the shade 0.5 (the lightest in case you were wondering!) and at first I was mixing this with my tried and trusted Arbonne foundation, dotting it around sparingly and then blending it using a dampened beauty blender. This helped give me a true airbrushed, high coverage finish, dewy in all of the right places and is now my 'go to' party or evening look. However the Naked foundation on it's own I would say is a relatively medium coverage and offers a more dewy finish than a matte - which is great for my quite dry skin - but perhaps that is due to the way in which I am applying it (beatuty blender spritzed with MACs Fix+) I think this foundation also offers a radiance I haven't experienced with many other products and is complimented beautifully by the Naked concealer for highlighting dem cheekbones!

My only gripe about the foundation is that is has a very strong scent and if you don't use quite a heavy duty primer can feel a bit 'burny' on the skin on days where my skin is feeling a bit dry or sensitive (just a description guys don't worry I'm not burning my face on the daily!) However if you do have sensitive or very, very dry skin I would give this one a miss. I'm also a bit annoyed at the consistency of the foundation, I understand this all contributes towards the weightless feel of it on the skin however beware it may squirt at your face (fine it's going there anyway but you don't want that fear factor!)

Will I repurchase this foundation? Probably, I find it works quite well for me, particularly so when I mix it with my gentler Arbonne foundation. Though I have been working on this tube for a good while now with no signs of it finishing any time soon so I won't have to rush out to my local Urban Decay Counter any time soon.

Well guys again I hope you have liked my latest justification for spending so much money on make up post, I will be bringing you even more of these in the coming weeks so be sure to keep an eye out for those over on Bloglovin, read about the upcoming products I'll be buying and justifying over on Twitter or you can see my buyers remorse faces on Instagram.

Until next time folks, don't look now! I'm naked!

H.Elizabeth x

To Boldly Go Where No MAC Has gone before | MAC X Star Trek Haul

There aren't many MAC collaborations that excite me if I'm completely honest, Cinderella collection, I could take or leave, I wasn't enthused about Ellie Goulding particularly either and as for Brooke Sheilds... nah. But when I caught word of MAC's brand new Star Trek collection I was pretty over the moon (haaaa... see what I did there?) So of course, having been scorned before, I (boldly) decided to take my orders digital and get my MAC x Star Trek fix in a more futuristic fashion (online ordering folks..) And today, of course and as ever, I thought I would share my picks with you from the collection, or rather what my bank balance and stocks held by MAC would allow!

Trip the Light Fantastic Pressed Powder in Luna Lustre;
A soft rose shimmer highlight that looks so galactically good on your cheekbones!

Trip the Light Fantastic Pressed Powder in Highly Illogical;A blush or a highlight? The best of both (or all) worlds in this pan of golden, plum, rosy pearlescent powder.

Pressed pigment shadow in To boldly go...;A new, shimmery pressed pigment in a red / copper colour (so sparkly though, I can't wait to use this one in the Autumn / Winter months)

Lipstick in Where no man has gone before;So gorgeous and swirly in colour I almost don't want to use it! This looks golden in the bullet but when swatched gives off some beautiful pink / gold hues (rose gold lipstick ladies...ROSE GOLD!)

(L-R: Lipstick, pigment shadow, highly illogical, luna lustre)

Okay now MAC... you and I quite clearly need to have a sit down and a chat about your antics of this last year, you've put a strain on my bank balance, on my marriage... and worse still, on my make up bags...Now there will be no more collabs (until I can afford it) You will not pioneer or release the next 'must have' make up item, and no you will not tempt me with another lipstick...enough is enough! 

Were you lucky enough to pick up some goodies from this out of this world, galactic collection? What are your top picks I'd love to hear what you thought in the comments below, on Twitter and be sure to check out my latest 'looks' using these goodies on Instagram.

Until next time folks, I have boldly gone...where pretty much every MAC fan has gone before.

H.Elizabeth x

Brushing your teeth with powder? | Lush Ultrablast Tooth Powder Review

In the name of beauty I'll try pretty much anything. Contouring, strobing, oil pulling, coconut oil for every nook and cranny all huge yeses and things I have been happy enough to try. Tooth powder however, just seemed like a bit of a strange and foreign concept. I had seen toothy tabs, oil for your teeth, but never a sub for stable tooth paste! That is until Lush introduced me to my new daily obsession, Ultrablast powder!

Lush describe Ultrablast as, 'A galactically good blend of mint and wasabi takes your mouth to a different dimension. This potent mix of garden pea powder, peppermint and spearmint will leave your mouth as clean as a whistle.' Sounds minty fresh right? I was taken in more so by the blend of mint and wasabi, I love spicy foods and that fresh feeling that a chilli, mint or obviously wasabi dish will give you so incorporating that into a health and hygiene routine, yes please!

You use tooth powders by dipping your damp toothbrush lightly into the pot and then go to town on your teeth as usual. The texture is a bit difficult at first, I thought it would feel quite dry and bitty but instead it just lathers up into a very light foam, the hardest bit to get over for the one I ended up going for was the colour (green for those wondering, green!) but I will say was surprised at just how clean my teeth did feel afterwards, I'd even go as far as to say cleaner than using regular toothpaste. Since using this, twice daily over the last 4 weeks my teeth are looking a bit whiter than usual (not a quality they promote on their packaging) so I really do think the powder cleans better than a paste. The pot is really lightweight and pretty airtight when you put the lid back on correctly so it'll be great for when we are going off on holiday, or for packing in an overnight bag. These pots retail at £4.95 but I bought mine about 3 / 4 weeks ago and I'm not close to finished, suffice to say a little really does go a long, long way.

The only drawback I will say is that it can get pretty messy. Mine for example has congealed a bit in the pot just with water getting in from my tooth brush. You can still use it however it has turned parts of it into a pastey mess! And my towels are perpetually green and powdery and the corners of my mouth?! Let's just say if you're partial to doing your skin and foundation routine prior to brushing your teeth - that's going to be something you'll want to flip around.

Overall though I'm pretty pleased with my new oral routine and I'm definitely going to continue purchasing these in the future. I'm looking forward to trying their other flavours, for example their strawberry flavoured 'Tooth Fairy' powder and their cinnamon and clove aptly named 'Atomic' powder - perhaps one for the festive season! 

Have you ever tried a revolutionary tooth cleaning product? I'd love to hear what you thought or tried in the comments down below, come share your pastey experiences with me on Twitter or of course if you'd just like to keep up with me and my faces you can catch me on Instagram and the blog on bloglovin.

Until next time folks, aaaah powdery fresh (it's the future ladies and gentlemen don't fight it!)

H.Elizabeth x

We bought a house | Our New House Video Tour

Fun new game. Drink every time there is a jittery camera movement that makes you want to be sick! Okay, I'm not a videographer but this called for something a little more special than the standard 'little life update' posts that saturate lifestyle blogger websites, this called for a celebratory video (obviously, what else?)

So we bought a house, we're so excited, over the moon, spit in your eye, kick you in the crotch fantastically happy, or to put that more simply, we are chuffed and today I bring you our very informal house tour featuring my very own house elf (let's see if you can spot him!) 

I'm excited to now be a part of a whole new blogging community that congregates around telling you how you should be decorating and putting to shame any of you who don't feature any marble in the house (that's right...apparently as home owners we can do that now!) You guy have so much content to look forward to right here!

Until next time folks, decking oot ma hoose!

H.Elizabeth x

August in an Insta | My month in Instas

Admittedly I've done a lot of stressful things in my life, self inflicted. Back in 2014 I decided that yes, I could in fact complete my fourth year dissertation, graduate, change jobs twice, plan and action a wedding, and yes juggle this here blog in addition to all of that. Though nothing, I repeat nothing could prepare me for August 2016, aka, the most stressful 31 days of my entire life. First time buyers beware - I left two and a half months (after we found 'the one') and it still wasn't enough time for the banks, their solicitors or the letting agent to get their shins together! (Anyone fancy a scather of a review on any parties involved? Hit me or my very disgruntled Twitter feed up)

However we did have some good times this August, Nick and I celebrated two years of matrimonial bliss, I visited Livingston Designer Outlet (my favourite place on Earth - well in Scotland anyway) one of my besties celebrated her 29th birthday, I got inked (again) and we EVENTUALLY, closed on our dream home!

#1. (Sorry guys I can't remember if it was July but I'm going to count it as August) The girls and I (the girls being Sarah, Katherine, Laura and Julia) stayed at Skene House for a fun filled girls night where I not only enjoyed some fabulous company but one of the greatest sleeps of my life! To read more about my full Skene House experience follow THIS link.

#2 I died and went to heaven again this month with the fam. Heaven being Livingston Designer Outlet, where I got brand new goodies for our new home, hauled ass at French Connection and went a bit crazy at the Cosmetics Company.

#3 The girls and I got together once again this month to enjoy the culinary delights of the independent Books and Beans cafe in Aberdeen. You can again read my full review and expereice by following THIS link.

#4 I got inked... again...for like the 7th time. I haven't quite revealed my newest addition yet as it is still healing ever so slightly but stick around for the 'big reveal' soon to become a part of something even bigger  (if I have my way!)

#5 New products, new looks. I have been experimenting with even more new and different products this month, my favourite to do being the gorgeous purple eye you see above - super fast, super subtle and in real life, super sparkly.

#6 One of my besties celebrated her 29th birthday this month and I celebrated by embarrassing her with this throwback pic of the two of us 5 years ago. Shot glass necklaces? So on trend don't you know?

#7 Don't look I'm Naked. This month I discovered the Naked range by Urban Decay - already being a huge fan of their setting sprays and eye shadows it's safe to say they have now taken over my skin. I love using this alongside my tried and tested Arbonne foundation as well as my Naked concealer. Full review pending!

#8 For the many, many folks asking just why I wear foundation and 'cover my freckles' I posted a quickie before and after picture towards the end of this month showing the true struggle my skintone faces. Come rain, come shine that uneven patchy skin tone reigns supreme on my face and that ladies and gents is why I wear foundation (In actual fact I LOVE my freckles but just don't love my tone!)

#9 And finally I bought even MORE Kylie Cosmetics products - I have refrained from buying her eye shadow palettes I'm strictly a lippy lover!

Most of you will be aware if you've been on my Twitter or Facebook page that we do have a big life change a coming but due to set backs and various bodies dragging their feet (and brain cells) we have had to pop that on hold and that in case you were wondering, is why it does not feature in my August in an insta post this month. But stick around for September and I hope we'll be hitting the ground running!

And these were supposed to be short posts! Well guys as usual you can catch me on the channels I love so dearly, Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin etc. Be sure to leave any and all (nice and polite) comments in the box below.

Until next time folks, August sure passed in an Insta!

H.Elizabeth x